#it's so funny though because i could spend close to half an hour trying to weigh out every detail about an option i'm picking because i- | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

lilacstro · 1 month

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my personal opinions on your big 3: your sun, moon, rising

paid readings open xoxo

support me on ko-fi :)

I was remembering the time when I was 10 years old and used to read those astrology posts that said things like "zodiacs in school", "what does your sun sign do when bored" and I wanted to make a less complicated, fun post just like that but wanted it to still be in accordance to people I have seen so far, so expect this post to be more fun and very not serious and rather light hearted, so here we goooo so since it is like so, please scroll past if you do not resonate :) I would be posting more serious stuff kind of what i learnt from my diploma the following week if possible, luv you<3

Aries

Sun: You guys are so full of passion omg. Sun is really powerful here and you guys actually shine, so passionate and full of energy. Every Aries Sun I have seen befriends anyone within 5 cm radius to them and has a very extroverted energy. If you are close to them, they will make sure to fight for you and protect you for sure.

Moon: Chaotic emotions and restless, but this restlessness always leads to some kind of creation. The types who work out to release pent up energy. It is possible you guys keep on discarding and making new habits and do not stick to one. Very destructive if provoked, especially emotionally

Rising: Beautiful people. You guys are likely to have a intense energy and aura around. Unlike Aries Sun, many Aries risings could be reserved at times. I think you are the people everyone is afraid of to participate along with in any competition because you scream this energy of "competitive, I am gonna win you see" without even trying!

Taurus

Sun: LORD YALL ARE SO CHILL, but probably sometimes way to chill and turn ice, I mean not ice cold(yes if you are annoyed by someone lmao) but sometimes may become too boring in the sense that you may not want to do crazy things, you like stable, calm energy. The types to watch a movie, or do some art when they are bored. ALSO VERY STUBBORN but also not mad easily but if mad really really angry. ALSO yall are so beautiful and elegant without even trying

Moon: This archetype is the mother in zodiacs. But you guys indeed if once emotionally connected to someone, would make sure they are well fed and had 8 hours of sleep and make sure they are feeling ok while having 10 mental breakdowns. Also, you guys can hold more grudges than Taurus Suns and Mars, and can sometimes or maybe most of the times be unwilling to change opinions.

Rising: Gorgeous Gorgeous people, who are a little shy at first and once comfortable, everything else, whatever that is, comes out. You guys are actually really good at cooking and also, even though Taurus is the sign of wealth and stability, I have seen many Taurus risings be good with money until its the time to spend on something they like, they spend crazy lmao. Very comfortable energy around you, make other people comfortable once they are.

Gemini

Sun: Do you want to know Gossips? Ask your Gemini Suns, I bet they know a new one from 10 minutes ago. They are updated fast on drama than most google sites. Also, they have pure crackhead energy no doubt, but they can carry a conversation so well and talk about anything you want, even though might have no idea about it

Moon: Crackhead energy once again. If you want a good time and do not take things seriously or do not get offended easily, go to your Gemini Moon friends, they indeed say the most out of pocked things at times, but they are very funny. But if you are serious and want to have serious conversation, it is 9/10 chances that you would not be taken much seriously, since anything that is boring distracts gemini moons to zone out, so they probably heard you half and would comment on that half info without asking you to repeat because they do not want to listen again lmaooo But for the 1/10 times they listen seriously, they offer really good and short and simple advice.

Rising: These people are like chameleon to me, I mean they adapt so well to wherever they are and who they with. They also are very hard to recognize since they come in all different beauty and styles and aesthetics. Very good conversationalists once again and always seem to be talking about something or to someone, never really idle. Good at texting and probably post many selfies on social media.

Cancer

Sun: GOD you all are so innocent and cute until someone really gets to see past that lmao, or I may rather say, you let someone see. For some reason you guys always have your guards up, but you are good at fooling people by making them think they probably have seen all your cards, especially in terms of what you are really capable of. Most cancer suns I have seen, regardless of whatever kind of relationship they may have with their moms, they seek their validation somehow.

Moon: Very intuitive and sensitive to emotions, especially of other peoples. Really good at understanding others and healing them, they are really soft people honestly. They are again very unlikely to show you your feelings and emotions, but somehow would see yours. Very nurturing and caring, especially emotionally. Your comfort friends who treat you with ice cream and listen to your sob story.

Risings: Wonderful people, very kind and loving and caring. I have often seen Cancer risings are very keen on making people around them feel seen and heard and cared for, they carry so much charm in them. Very down to earth, and they are always willing to listen. Very emotional people like all Cancer placements and very empathetic, would try their best to make you feel warm and they do it so well that people can let their guards down and connect to them, probably even spill their secrets.

Leo

Sun: SHOW STOPPERS. So charismatic, and even if they are not loud like most leos, there is a 9.9/10 chance that you have atleast seen them once or heard about them once it is impossible that you are not aware about their existence. They usually like attention and validation from other people, but if no one would do that, they do it themselves and then other people reflect that energy back and yeah...the cycle never ends. I do know that people say Leo Suns are selfish and egoistic, while that maybe true on some level, they are really good at making people feel confident and worthy and also very generous.

Moon: 9/10 Leo moons I have seen have some kind of egoic validation and connection related to their mother. They are likely to be people who are "mumma's girls/boys" because until and unless they feel their moms validation, they would not proceed. Cancer Moons are like so too, but somewhat less than Leo Moons. Also, very possible that you are the oldest, or you act like the oldest. Very charming people though. If they are introverted, their energy is loud and charismatic without even trying, and if they are outgoing, then it is visible and double charismatic of how they are able to validate their emotions and act on them, be verbal about it. BUT BUT sometimes or I may say, most, you guys are really dramatic when hurt and high on emotions. You cannot stand being ignored I knowwww.

Rising: Um how do I say it. Leo suns are bright bright sun, Leo moons are golden enveloped kind of shiny, while Leo risings have a halo on their head and back. I mean it is an energy that you look at and feel drawn to, you do not force yourself like wanting to see the Sun in the eyes but you just see them somehow, they have a warmth around them. Usually very outgoing, great sense of style, and befriend people easily. Although all Leo placements are comfortable to put a fight, Leo risings would especially are not afraid either, especially if they feel the challenge at themselves or hurt at the ego. They are usually very kind and I have seen trust people easily irdk why. They often try to direct their light on other people and try to shine them along. Though, I sometimes see such people dimming their own light to get along with others. Generous people at hearts.

Virgo

Sun: You guys are the ones who are so serious about the next exam 2 months in advance, probably even before the exams are announced. Very critical of themselves, usually very introspective and rather quiet and even if you are outgoing, it is ambiverted, you are not in someone's face lmao. Very organized and may tie their worth to studies and grades, and their friends too, often. YOU GUYS DO NOT LIKE INTERUPTIONS IN PLANS LMAO

Moon: Logic with emotions, you do not let things hurt you until you have processed the feelings mentally. Your feelings do not go to the heart directly, it first goes to the mind and then you decide if you can make sense out of it, which most of the times you cannot, so you hurt your head with brainstorming as an extra with your heart. It feels like you guys have compartments in your head, and you put those memories and feelings in each so you can pull them up asap when needed to retrieve. Usually good at following routines and structures and like predictability in some form. If they are not in a clean or organized they do not feel good, whatever that means to them, whether that means trash in their room or floors so clean you see your face

Rising: Beautiful people yet again. Look very youthful and young. Really work oriented, and would really really want that they be seen and recognized at work/school for their efforts or can feel upset otherwise. They say and do things in exact manner, no less no more and usually avoid fuss and drama. Like showing up in a rather neat and clean, minimalistic manner than being more big and bold, all with their appearance and emotions and words. Just like Virgo Moons, these people like clean places especially and cannot handle unhygienic people and places at all. The types to be careful with spellings at school and work and while texting and maybe avoid emojis or use wrong ones.

Libra

Sun: I think the more you guys like justice and harmony, most Libra Suns I have seen have rather disbalanced scales are WILD, but the justice is indeed super important when it comes down to them ahem ahem. I also see you guys put great efforts in wanting to be liked by people often, and sometimes if not all, would try to make efforts to do that. Usually very charming and friendly and would even make a beautiful smile on their face for their worst enemy in social settings rather than letting people know they hate them. They can hate many people honestly, but with you, you are the best one and the most special person ever, behind your back, idk depends vastly honestly, so if you ever confided in a Libra Sun because of their nice nature in the 1st meeting, good luck babe!

Moons: I think Libra Moons are very nice again and do all the nice talking to make you comfortable but they are actually most justice oriented and fair than Libra Suns. Their mood can actually depend on how good they look honestly. Also very kind and nice and usually would say the things someone would blow up on your face for in the nicest manner idk how do they have so much patience. Also they have a silent charisma to them often I have seen. They again are nice to everyone and never really blow up even when the scales are highly unbalanced or I may say, unless the scales are trashed :D

Risings: AH SUPER CHARISMATIC. Very lovely people. And super attractive I must say, and I would say effortlessly idk how. If I could describe libra risings by one color I would say pastel pink idk every thing about them screams aesthetic and pretty, their aura is usually very fun and uplifting and it is unlikely they take any kind romance they have ignited in people by their words and charisma to be taken seriously. Popular people, liked by everyone kind of placement. I mean they can be worst people too but atleast from far and in the first glance, it is highly unlikely you would be able to guess.

Scorpio

Sun: I would say they are either of extremes, either you have never seen or heard from them are they are one of the mysteries of the world and super quiet or they are LOUDDDDDDD there is no in between and regardless, these people have some kind of charm and I would say MAGNET in them. They can be the most toxic people (they are not, tho there are exceptions) but you would still feel attracted to them idk why would be that so, but it would be like that most of the times. Also sometimes I have seen these people often cannot stay in friend groups for too long even if they tried to, some kind of drama would always happen if there is a friend with Scorpio Sun in the group because these people are actually super sensitive, though I never say its a bad things. I have seen whenever I simply hear or even sit near a frustrated or jealous or angry Scorpio Sun I feel a certain kind of vibe to them. It feels like heaty and heavy I cannot explain. But yeah strong emotional reactions, even if quiet or even if someone else is narrating it, I can know it was a Scorpio Sun idk how. Very territorial and possessive and if they know someone did their friend wrong they better fear lives but it only happens when they feel close to you or vice versa and that happens super rare....But once they decide they really want to keep you, it is a long friendship.

Moons: Tough, Strong people. They are brave and fight the worst adversities that are thrown on them. Their emotions change them in the sense that before going through anything they would sense a storm is about to come, and their emotions would adapt to the change before their mind and body. Really good at reading people and the room and understanding your deepest, most unexplainable feelings as if they have experienced every kind of emotion possible. Usually psychic, intuitive and empathetic. Could often dream about the past and can have troubles breaking mental patterns especially if they are harmful in some way.

Risings: They remind me of the black and white filter honestly idk why. I think I can say most scorpio risings are not as loud or outgoing, they can be fun and wild but they usually have an intimidating aura, I would say more intimidating that Sun and Moons. Often seen them have shadows on their face, and also, sleepy eyes like they do not seem intoxicated exactly but their eyes are not wide awake normal like most people. You can never know them honestly, just like any scorpio placement and they can merge into the background if they wanna hide and you would not know. They are the friends who respond to your texts 2 months later or are out of reach every 2 months. Never consistent on social media or never post is one more thing.

Sagittarius

Sun: AH VERY BLUNT LMAO. Most Sag Suns I have met are very blunt especially if they are comfortable with you or your friend. Always have a world of their own, maybe they have occupied their mind in some movie or drama or maybe they are busy creating some art or lost in their day dreams they are not really present in the current world and I guess that is why they have energy, especially physical energy I must say. Every Sag Sun I have seen has liked dancing at one point and always has some kind of engagement outside their own culture, be it supporting a sports team different from their own country or being invested in some other culture's movies and entertainment.

Moon: Sag Moons I know sometimes seem to have problems in understanding other people's emotions because theirs are so big and expanded that they cannot really see it for other people. I have seen Sag Moons are often the kinds of people to develop an affinity for some kind of place or person they have never met very easily. They are actually very dramatic just like Leo Moons honestly but different in the sense that it takes longer for them to see things clearly I feel. Usually very optimistic and motivating and very hopeful for the future. The most bold and big actions they take are when they are impulsive because of high emotions I have seen.

Risings: AH I do not know why but Sag risings are very beautiful, yes, beautiful. Literally. Such a beauty to them, even if they may not be conventionally or beauty standard pretty, they feel beautiful. These kinds of people who you sit with for 10 minutes and they say the most life changing things in a single line without even them realizing, maybe while doing random things and they do not even realize it. Always wanting to travel or connect with other cultures, more proactively than other people I feel.

Capricorn

Sun: I do not know but every Capricorn sun I have seen has a vibe of "do not touch me you peasant" or "no thanks, do not wanna hear your good morning I have a business meeting" and this is when you would be seeing them at lunch in the cafeteria, probably even in high school irdk. A serious persona and appeal idk they also seem mysterious for some reason and feel like they are unwilling to talk, its a hard and confusing energy. Also you can be their friend for years and you do not really know if they are your friend. I think the best way to know if a Capricorn Sun is your friend is when you see them respond to your texts in time, give you their time and energy. And if a Capricorn sun is spending money on you, I feel you are really serious for them lmao

Moon: STOICS. You can never read them. They will never tell you about their emotions even after they die, especially if they have specially decided not to. They hold their emotions back, and often wait for some kind of time or opportunity, which does not make it better but probably worse since the jist of the emotions and when was the right time to say was probably gone. If you are a Capricorn Moon, please tell your crush you like them before they have 10 grandkids. ALSO, you guys are good in this sense that you do not disassociate at worst emotional pressures and dramas and never act out on your emotions no matter how DRAMATIC AND INTENSE the situation is so you never really make a fool of yourself actually.

Risings: AH Capricorn risings, they are actually elites, or they feel like that. They have that serious and "do not waste my time if you have nothing important to say" kind of look. Very savage and people fear you for some reason and your intensity and seriousness is not something you try to do, its just silently felt lmao. The kind of friend in the friend group where after cracking a joke people see if you laughed, and if you did not, they feel they messed up and even if you did, they ask you if you were not offended lmao. Good people to go to for taking serious advices/conversations they have capacity for that.

Aquarius

Sun: Honestly I cannot even lie anymore, I have never seen an Aquarius who does not has completely, completely different and sometimes, even concerning views on the most common things and they are actually proud of it and its crazy. You wanna compete with your Aquarius Sun friend in what most weird things have happened to you, you cant actually LMAO. Also, most Aqua Suns can have really good emotional intelligence in understanding other people, but themselves. Always aware on what is happening in the world, and also, good with internet and computers. Kind and Generous at hearts<3 Also idk why do most of them speak with a lot of pauses in between.

Moon: I have seen 9/10 times people with Aquarius Moons have some very weird relationship with their mother. Either she is absent but not absent really, and she loves you but does not love you idk. I also feel as a child you could have been the weired one, the one people tried to tame but in the end YOU are the one who ends up doing something completely different from their family and usually succeed (especially if you do it consistently and do not get a superior complex in between) I have often seen regardless of how good and bad it is, these natives are always distant from their family emotionally, and more connected to their grandparents than their own parents. Usually people you can share anything with! and they take their friends very seriously I have seen.

Rising: Aquarius risings I have seen are mostly active on social media, and are very likely not posting themselves but rather posts on geopolitics, or maybe poetry or maybe something that people would find relatable. They also seem to be people who make you comfortable being weird around them without even trying. It is like you can say something really quirky or weird around them that people would probably make faces at you for, but they would respond genuinely without judgement lmao. Very friendly and welcoming to all kinds of people and as a result have a very colorful friend group.

Pisces

Sun: Very sweet people and usually very introverted but they are always occupied and they are always doing something, especially artistic or musical. Most Pisces Suns I know are actually really good at artistic stuff. The types to doodle at the back of their notebook, or zone out in classes. They are usually very kind but actually very sensitive. Also even if you probably bother them, they would not say much but if you bother someone they feel protective about then that is another thing. Very emotional. Random but I have often seen these people confuse romantic and platonic love they feel, so I do not know if I would say they are emotionally intelligent in that way.

Moon: Pisces Moons I know really really connect to music, or do music in some shape or forms. Really artistic. Also, I would not like to be awful and generalizing, but out of Sun and Rising, Pisces Moons are in their feels really easily. They attach themselves to things and people super easily as well. Apart from Sag Moons, Pisces Moons are also able to attach themselves to people and places they never seen and even dream about them. But they actually have really intense connections to their imaginations are fully emotionally invested in their hopes and dreams, even the ones they see in sleep. Really good at manifesting. idk but Pisces Moons are also good at lying and also making up real emotions when they need to, its like their super power.

Risings: I personally have never known a Pisces rising. But I would talk from what I have seen so yeah. First of all regardless of gender, people with Pisces rising have some kind of feminine look to them, like how do I explain, like pretty white stars shining on them. I feel most Pisces risings, at some point in their life, have been really gullible. I also feel Pisces rising really do have two completely different. opposite sides to them, now if is apparent to them or people is one other thing. Good at artsy stuff and have really good skin. Really beautiful, probably a little downturned eyes, it looks like their eyes have stars and dreams and hopes in them, and this is something I have seen be constant. Idk for some reason it feels they somehow always carry their past with them and probably never really show their vulnerable side

typing this broke my hands lol

i love you all

leave suggestions in the asks

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luveline · 8 months

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would you ever be willing to write the day spencer and stripper!reader met in the grocery store? i’ve always loved the concept when you’ve referenced it in the story, i would love to read it👀 you’re absolutely incredible and i can never say anything not anon to you because my blog is flooding you with notes constantly and i’m embarrassed😅

thank you for your request ❤️ fem!reader, 1.5k

cw for domestic violence and workplace abuse

There's this weird organic grocery store by Spencer's place that's far too expensive, but it's a ten minute walk, so that's where he goes. (Weird in separation to organic.)

He needs a lot of groceries now he's home for the week. Bread, vegetables, rice, flour if he wants to try and make pancakes, which he does. He also needs a new pen to write a letter for his mom, but Leaven is slightly too small for a stationery section.

He doesn't know what he'll say to her in this one. Maybe that the cases he's going on are easy, or that he's been reading about crows. She's not feeling well lately. It might help her to know he's doing gentle things, even if it isn't true.

No, he thinks. Can't lie to her. He never lies to his mom.

Eggs. Sugar. Coffee grounds. He fills his cart. It'll be a lot to carry on the way home, but better to do it in one go. He likes keeping busy but he's a human being, too, and he's looking forward to spending at least sixteen hours in bed after dinner tonight.

You look tired, too.

Your back is turned, but Spencer knows it's you. You must live close by, he's been seeing you duck in and out for months. Usually with a loaf of bread or a single box of painkillers tucked in your pocket. You don't steal, he'd be able to tell, and he wouldn't say anything if you did, anyways. All he knows about you is that you have a nice smile when you have the energy, and your voice is like silk. Purposeful or by nature, he's yet to guess.

You're standing by the end of the aisle near the checkouts with a basket hanging from your fingers. All you're buying today is a box of pancake mix and a bag of peas.

Weird, he thinks with a smile. Spencer likes weird stuff. It's quirky.

You turn to see which checkout is empty and Spencer's smile abruptly drops.

You have a bruise across half of your face. It isn't strictly fresh —he can see the split skin on your cheek starting to close in on itself, and your purpled eye is open (though barely). You're frowning. Spencer knows how bad it hurts to get hurt like that. For a split second he can't believe someone could do that to another person, and then he remembers the hundreds of women he's had the privilege to meet at their most vulnerable, who trusted him, and he thinks maybe he's capable of helping another one.

“Hey,” he says.

You meet his eyes with a funny smile. “Hey. Sorry, am I in the way?” you ask, your voice stretched, thin but not weak.

“No, you're not, it's… I see you here all the time.”

You hold your breath. When you talk, it rushes out. “So?” you ask wearily.

“Are you okay?”

Your funny smile fades as Spencer's had. He supposes that's the talent of cruelty. Even when it's over, it's not truly over. Your bruise still hurts, and Spencer still needs to know you'll be okay when you go home tonight.

“I see you all the time too. We've… we've actually spoken before, haven't we?” you ask after a moment.

“Yeah, about spirometry. I was out of breath running and–” It doesn't matter. You asked him if he was okay, and he explained that he was, just that his lungs don't hold much air on account of his own laziness, and it doesn't matter. “Are you? Alright? It's a bad bruise.”

“It's getting better.”

It might be, but there's something so raw about seeing you standing there in your sweatpants too big for you and a hoodie with a hole in it, purple and yellow contusion across your eyes and nose like the clumsy stroke of a paintbrush. Spencer will admit to feeling sorry for you.

“Can I talk to you?” he asks, knowing this isn't the right place. “There's the cafe at the front? Let me pay for my stuff and–”

“I'm really okay–”

“You had a cast on your wrist two weeks ago and now you're here with a limp and a really bad bruise,” he says softly, imploringly, “I just wanna talk to you about it. You don't have to say yes, I'm not trying to be weird, but I–”

You cut off his mile a minute speech with a small smile. “Okay. I'm not, you know, doing anything anyways. It'll be nice to sit down.”

Spencer knows it's dumb, but he wants to show he has good intentions. He takes your basket out of your hands and nods toward the cafe past the checkouts. “I'll come and meet you.”

“You don't have to,” you say, gesturing at the basket.

“The damage is done, right? This place is ridiculous.” He doesn't like the way you're holding your hip. It makes him feel sick, even though there's no proof one way or another to say you've been hurt beyond your bruising.

He pays for his things and yours and meets you at the cafe. He's half expecting you to have bolted, but you sit at a table near the entrance, completely still.

Spencer puts his two bags under the table and offers you your pancake mix and peas in their own bag.

“Thanks.”

“Yeah, no problem.”

“It was my boss.” You look at your fingers, spreading them slowly over the table top. “I’m a dancer. Sorry. I know you’re going to ask.”

“And he hit you?”

“Yeah.”

Spencer knows the number for every women’s shelter in every state, but he doubts it would matter to you. He can tell already that you’d say no. He can tell you’re scared, even if you don’t realise it yourself. “Is it getting worse?”

You can’t offer him anything else. He understands how that feels. There have been moments where he desperately wanted to tell someone, anyone, what was going on in his life, but he always holds his secrets like a perpetual ache in his throat. It’s like he can’t tell someone, even if they ask.

Sometimes he just wishes they’d ask twice.

“You can tell me. It won’t sound stupid,” he promises. He’s in some odd place between Agent Reid and young, terrified Spencer, determined to help you, but not sure how. “It’s getting worse, right?”

“Yeah,” you say, the weight of tears on your tongue.

“You’re a dancer. Is he just a boss– Does he… abuse you financially?”

You laugh wetly. “He’s not my pimp.”

He can feel his face heating up.’“No, but do you get paid on time? Everything you earn?”

You shake your head. “No, I don’t get paid on time. He takes a percentage, and somehow there’s always another percentage, and then discipline. And now…”

“Now he’s hitting you.” Very badly.

“I’m not stupid.”

Spencer frowns gently, talks softly, “I didn’t mean to imply that you were.”

“No, I know, but I need you to know I’m not stupid. When we talked before, you– you’re so smart, I bet you know so many smart people.”

He’s not sure where you’re going with this. Perhaps you don’t want to talk about being hurt anymore. It must be a kind of torture to be hurting and know that that hurting will come again. There isn’t an end in sight for you, just right now.

“Can I buy you something to eat?”

“I have money,” you say, taking your small purse from your pocket. There are a few notes wedged inside.

“You can’t take painkillers on an empty stomach, and you should take painkillers again soon. You had some before you came, and they’re wearing off.” He meets your confused frown with a frown of his own. “Your hands are twitching like you want to move away from yourself.”

“You’re very perceptive,” you say in that smooth murmur. Power clawed back, he thinks. You’re protecting one of the things you can control about how you’re seen when everything else is far from it.

“I’m a profiler. Do you,” —he tries not to sound hoity toity— “know what that is?”

“No.”

“I’m an FBI agent.” You’re laughing as he takes out his badge. He joins you. “I know it sounds like I’m making it up.” Spencer offers you his identification passport slowly, so you know he isn’t wielding it around to be an asshole. “I’m in the behavioural analysis unit. We analyse the way people act. That’s why I know you’re in pain.”

You take his badge, looking between his photo and his real face with a growing smile. “If you need all that to know I’m in pain, you’re not as smart as you think,” you tease, gesturing to the mottled skin of your bruise sweetly.

Spencer buys you both cold sandwiches from the front of the shop and a drink to wash down your aspirin. It’s awkward, he guesses, but he’s used to that by now, and under it he can feel your palpable relief. You trust him to not hurt you, if nothing else, and he can work with that.

#spencer and stripper!reader #spencer reid #spencer reid x reader #spencer reid x you #spencer reid x y/n #spencer reid x fem!reader #spencer reid imagine #spencer reid fluff #spencer reid fanfic #spencer reid oneshot #spencer reid scenario #spencer reid drabble #spencer reid fic #spencer reid fanfiction

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twstfanblog · 2 months

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~Manhwa AU- A Fairytale Do-Over~ Pt 2

A/N: GUESS WHAT I FINISHED~? It's been hot as fuck over here recently and our house doesn't have central air. So writing has been hard, but I managed! Enjoy Malleus's huberous trying to hit him but he's still too short to get the lesson. Next part will be when Yuu meets Leona! Word Count: 3.9K Pairings: Yuu & Malleus (Their friendship has ended and he doesn't even know it), Sibling Malleus & Silver, Parental Lilia & Silver Prev / Next

The royal palace was massive, the size rivaling that of an urban village. And that didn't include the gardens, the patios, the woods attached to the grounds; the area was so large that there were even hidden places Lilia didn't know about. It was grand and it was lavished, all that an empirical bloodline could want. But it was empty, halls filled with priceless artwork and historical artifacts echoed with every footstep you took.

It was a sound Lilia had heard twice and never wished to hear a third time. First was when he was brought to the palace to be Maleanor’s playmate, second was the day after her and her husband's funeral.

And now, as he stared down a twitching servant, he was sure the palace had started to prep itself to return to such a state. He massaged his temples, taking a long and slow breath in, “Forgive me…I must have grown hard of hearing in my age…what did you say?”

The servant shook in terror, the silver tray he held in his hands jostling the letter on it. Lilia Vanrouge was retired as a general, but no one in the fleet of servants or guards dared to upset him. Even delivering bad news was seen as foolish and asking to be punished, “Yu-…The young miss Crowley’s invite was returned…unopened…We called their residence to ask…but the servants are stating that…she is ill and unwilling to attend…”

“…”

Lilia felt…flabbergasted. Yuu had attended Malleus's birthdays sick before, the adoration the young girl held for his charge gave her the will to suffer through hours of discomfort. No illness or annoyingly loud guests could deter her from spending time with her friend.

But even thinking that made him flinch. Malleus was not…receptive to Yuu's kindness or shows of friendship. The young fae lord had found the girl to be clingy, annoying, downright a pain. But no matter how he protested their playdates, Lilia kept scheduling them because Malleus needed someone to see as his equal.

Though he was the crowned prince, a marvel to the fae and kingdom, Yuu was by marriage his cousin and closest of equal royal standing. Malleus’s father was not of noble blood, a fact that kept his and Maleanor’s love from truly being accepted by the council. Luckily, Levan had cut a deal with Dire, being formally adopted into the Crowley line in exchange for more loyal ties with the empire's crown once Levan and Maleanor had married.

A promise that was kept with playdates to the two houses’ heirs.

Lilia bit his lip. Though both of Malleus's parents had passed and such a promise meant nothing now, the Crowley line was all Malleus had in terms of extended family. The old fae wanted them to be close should misfortune fall upon him and leave Malleus without a proper guardian.

But Malleus was his mother's son…

Haughty, arrogant, and beautiful. He looked down on nearly everyone around him, deeming them weak and powerless against his steadily growing might. He skipped his lessons; half from his naturally absent-minded nature, mostly because he felt too good to listen to weaker fae try to teach him.

So introducing a magicless girl nearly five years younger as his equal did not go well…

Since their first playdate and Malleus had stomped back into the palace covered in mud, furious, he had simply despised the Crowley child. Yuu had merely giggled and asked to play with Malleus again, saying he was funny and she liked him. To this day, Lilia wasn't sure why Malleus had been covered in mud nor why he seemed to detest Yuu so much so quickly…He refused to repeat what happened and it only sent Yuu into a fit of laughter whenever asked. He wondered if he should have used his magic to see what had caused the issue when he still had the chance…

He sighed, picking the letter up and ignoring the servant's flinching when his hand drew near. Studying it, he marveled, it really was unopened. A part of him felt the claws of dread slowly wrap around his heart, his fears becoming realized before his eyes. Had Yuu finally had enough? Were two years of verbal abuse what caused the young girl to open her eyes to Malleus’s mistreatment and simply not return.

Turning away, he dismissed the servant and bit his lip again. Malleus didn't have other playmates. Malleus, like his mother, was feared by his subjects. A fact that made companionship more difficult than Lilia wished it would be. He wondered if he should visit the Crowley duchy, slip a tonic from the royal infirmary to have the girl healed in time for the party-

“Lilia, Silver's fallen asleep again.”

Lilia looked to the doorway, his worries melting off his shoulders at the heartwarming scene.

While Malleus had created a type of feud with the Crowley girl, he completely adored Silver; claiming the boy as his brother since he first saw him sleeping in his bassinet. They stood in the opened doorway, Malleus in a more informal attire and cradling Silver to his front. The silver-haired nine-year-old fast asleep in the prince's arms releasing angelic snores.

Sighing, Lilia held his free arm out with a small smile, “Bring him here, I will watch him while you finish your studies.”

Passing the sleeping child over, Malleus scoffed under his breath and rolled his eyes, “Studies. I have no need…” His eyes catch the glint of silver in Lilia’s hand, “What is that?”

Lilia didn’t have a chance to answer, Malleus reaching up and snatching the letter out of his guardian’s hands. Huffing, Lilia used his now free hand to properly hold Silver, “We’ve been over this; don’t snatch things from people-”

“Is this…Yuu’s invitation?” Malleus stares at the envelope, turning it over in his hands and becoming bewildered as he notices it wasn’t even opened, “Have you…Not sent this to the Crowley’s Duchy yet…?” His party was only a week away and the grand duchy was at least half a day’s journey away.

“…” Sighing, Lilia turned away from Malleus’s inquisitive eyes, “The invitation was returned unopened. Word is that the young lady Crowley is ill and unable to attend…”

Malleus stood in silence, staring at Lilia’s back before looking down at the letter in his hand, “Oh…” With a smile, he flicked the letter past Lilia and sent it directly into the lit fireplace.

“Malleus!” Lilia watched the letter burn, flaring green in a flash as the wax melted into the flames. Turning around he tried to pin a glare at the giddy preteen, “Why would you do that!?”

With a shrug, Malleus turned around with a smile. Wiping his hands of the situation as though he had easily solved all his problems, “There’s no need for it. She’s ill, isn’t she? Plus, they returned the invite. It’s within my right to do with it as I will.” He clapped his hands together as his thoughts ran wild, the very promise of Yuu not attending his party making him more and more excited for the event, “This shall be my most wonderful birthday yet! Maybe I will be just as lucky next year and she’ll still be ill.”

Lilia could only frown as Malleus laughed, walking out of the room. While Lilia hoped the young prince would go to his lessons, he knew he was more than likely heading toward the gardens or to his growing horde room. Sighing, the bi-colored fae looks down to his sleeping child. It would all be much easier if he just placed Silver as the prince’s playmate. Malleus adored Silver, but Silver was quiet. Silver was so quiet. A fact that would only echo in this massive palace as the years go on. Lilia could only hope that he’d find a cure for whatever sleep curse affected his boy. Maybe Silver could be the bridge between the two; a thesaurus for two similar yet wildly different languages.

He hoped that Malleus wouldn’t be too upset on the day of his party.

The servants would say the day of Malleus's party was divine. Not a tantrum, eye-roll, nor threat of permanent dismissal in sight. He allowed himself to be dressed easily in his outfit, black silks and furs, precious gems stitched to mimic the night sky their lands were famous for and a winding silver banded crown. Malleus looked like a prince of the infamous Noctorn Empire and he was excited.

He had talked Lilia and Silver's ears off at breakfast; his plans to speak to everyone for once since Yuu wouldn't be attached to his side and babbling nonstop. He didn't notice the concerned look in Lilia's eyes when he'd excused himself to use the emergency phone. Lilia called the Crowley duchy directly to ask if they were truly not attending the party. Crewel merely stating they had sent their gifts and wished Malleus a happy birthday in their absence. Yuu hadn't even been heard over the call.

As the beginning of the event drew closer, Lilia felt his nerves worsen, as if a looming threat was breathing down his neck and waiting to strike. A feeling that only grew stronger as Silver lost his fight with wakefulness, falling asleep a little after the first few guests started to populate the entry hall. Lilia had gathered the deadweight child into his arms, tasking Malleus to greet the guests alone while he placed Silver in a more docile environment until he woke up.

Malleus tried, he truly did. He spoke aloud and clearly as Lilia had always instructed him, head held high so that his chin and the ground were two parallel lines. He tried to shake people's hands, growing frustrated as they refused to release the brightly wrapped gifts to do such a thing. After the 6th awkward shuffle away from his outstretched hands he simply elected to not shake anymore of the lord's hands. After the 15th nervous and stuttered hello, he stopped greeting them too.

He huffed, mildly pouting as he left the entry hall, walking toward the guarded room that held his mountain of presents; gifts to be opened and cataloged once all the guests had left. Greeting people alone wasn't as fun as he imagined it would be. It would have been easier if Lilia hadn't left to tend to Silver. Lilia was a social creature in such a way that Malleus never understood, neither him nor Yuu made sense to him as to how they got people to respond so easily to them. But then again, the very thought of Yuu beside him and greeting everyone in his place made him more frustrated. The sight of her gift, as always wrapped in black and white with a bright green bow, only worsened his mood.

Slamming his hand into the brick, leaving behind Cracks and a medium-sized indent he made the choice to enter the banquet hall. (Unaware of the few cowering party guests slowly backing away from him).

The room was filled with people, fine fabrics swishing around the room in elegant dances. Looking around his enthusiasm dipped again. There were so many adults more than children his age, adults that would only give him a half glance and a respectful bow. Malleus walked along the edges of crowds, trying to see if any conversation piqued his interest or if any of the adults would glance his way to wish him a happy birthday. He received plenty of quick bows, long-winded birthday blessings with his full title. A few had even tried to start a conversation, beginning with a comment on their relation to his mother or father. Only to suck their mouths in like they had tasted the worst type of lemon flavor, remembering he never meant his mother nor his father. From there they would bow again and turn to scamper away into a crowd, leaving him alone again.

Just as he began to wonder just where Lilia was placing Silver, he saw someone who made his hopes relight. Another child his age was standing by a window, looking out the large stained glass with an air of boredom around him. They were a noble of origin from outside the empire, their clothing was brightly colored and heavily patterned. A crown of beads and braids kept dark brown hair neat yet wild, a pair of small, round lion ears peaking through. The hint of brown skin visible from the edge of their loose sleeves and crossed arms.

Gathering a bit of courage, swallowing to wet his mouth, Malleus walked forward. He smiled and tilted his head, tapping the other on the shoulder to gain his attention, “Hello. Are you enjoying the party?”

The other boy seemed to startle, almost as if he had planned on being invisible for hours more and Malleus's acknowledgement broke his trance. The boy turned to him, showing his face was marred over one eye with a long thin scar, the bright emerald green slightly duller than the other.

Once he saw who was speaking to him, he frowned. Turning away and looking at Malleus from the corner of his brighter eye as though he was a bug, “Go away.” Short, simple, and sour.

Malleus startled himself. No one had…ever dismissed him in such a way. Even when Lilia sent him away to his own devices, He said as such with an air of teasing, jovial. This…this was just rude. Narrowing his eyes, he stepped into the other boy's line of sight when he fully turned away, “Why should I? You are aware this is my birthday party, aren’t you? You should feel honored that I'm speaking to you.”

The boy scoffs, facing him directly and placing his hands on his hips. Smug, arrogant; he wasn't taller by any means but it felt as though he was looking down his nose at him, “Why would I feel honored being spoken to by a lizard?”

“…” Lightning flashed outside, bringing the already soft ambiance into a fearful silence, “A LIZARD!?” YOU DARE CALL ME A LIZARD!?”

“A lizard who throws tantrums at that.”

“Leona!” Two older men quickly rush over, looking similar to ‘Leona’ with their attire, ears, and, face yet more alike each other with their matching bold red hair. The shorter, younger man had gripped Leona by the shoulders, trying to force the boy into a bow, “Apologize! You promised you'd behave tonight!”

The older man, his red hair streaked with thin yet vivid lines of grey bowed, “A thousand apologies, Your Highness. Please forgive my youngest son. He is still recovering from an injury you see-”

“I don't care about excuses!” Malleus glared, stomping his foot as the lightning flashing again and sent the room into spasms of eerie green light. He pointed toward the scowling Leona, “He called me a lizard!”

“Malleus, lower your tone. You are among company.” Lilia walked over, placing a hand onto his charge’s shoulder and pulling him back as a physical reminder to calm down, “What's happened here?”

“It seems my son-”

Scoffing loudly, Leona rolled his head back and spoke aloud, “I called the stupid lizard, a lizard and he threw a fit over it.”

“Leona.” The younger man strained, shaking Leona by his shoulders in an effort to physically shake the sense into him.

Lilia frowned, looking down his nose at the defiant child with lidded eyes, “That's rather rude don't you think?” He looked from the corner of his eye, catching the eldest man's gaze, “Duke Kingscholar. I wasn't aware you were raising such…brazen children...”

The duke's bow seemed to deepen, “Truly, I offer apologies for every star in the sky. My youngest is recovering from an injury and fever. He isn't thinking clearly-”

The eldest brother leaned down, whispering to the sour-faced child while their father tried to save face with Lilia, “Leona, apologize. Dad's gonna make you sit in the carriage again if you don't-”

“Fine then! I didn't want to come to this dumb party anyway!”

The duke sprang up, his face furious as he rounded on his youngest son, “LEONA!”

Malleus could feel the lightning crackle outside, the bolts dancing along the sealed windows in eagerness to strike Leona down, “How…dare you!? My birthday party is the highest honor any could hope to attend, and you stand here, wasting it and calling my wrath!”

Leona scoffed, rolling his eyes before leveling Malleus with an almost arctic glare, “Who'd consider it an honor to attend a party of someone they don't even like?”

The eldest boy tried to pull his brother back, worry on his face as the lights along the wall started to flash and flicker with the green electricity struggling to breach the walls, “Leona. Enough.”

Malleus glared back, eyes almost glowing from his rage, “I don't care if you like me or not. I am your prince and you will respect me!”

Leona lets out a loud and sharp laugh, shaking himself free of his brother's hands to step closer to Malleus, “I don't respect you and I don't like you. No one does.”

“That's…That's A lie! People like me!”

“Oh, look around!” Leona gestures his arms out, only continuing when Malleus makes small cautious glances around the room, “No one here likes you, they're all afraid of you! And you're too stupid to see it, you pompous motherfuc-”

Leona was all but snatched into the air, his older brother holding his body in one arm while the other pressed tightly to his mouth. He bowed, a mumble of his brother not feeling well before he quickly absconded from the area.

Duke Kingscholar sighed, offering one last apology and a birthday blessing before he followed his sons out.

Malleus watched them leave along with everyone else. And once the Kingscholars had left he looked around the room once more, a new feeling of a sinking stone growing heavier and heavier. No one would meet his eyes, nothing past an accidental glance before quickly bowing. No one other than Lilia came to his defense, every last guest letting him be berated and mocked by a spare. And for what? To stand at the edge of their tif and cower? To…to look at him with fearful eyes?

Only once the Kingscholars left did he realize just how far away everyone else was in that moment. How even as the lightning cleared, the storm calming, no one dared approach him. No one dared look him in the eyes.

The party continued, the Kingscholars did not return and Malleus was happy for that at least. Leona was…a form of abrasive that he didn't care to deal with ever again.

He thought this birthday would be amazing, the best of his short eleven years of life. Instead, he spent the night beside Lilia, holding onto his hand and refusing to look up. Not out of any true nervousness or shame. He just…didn't want to see how no one looked his way.

They danced, they had a meal, they had cake. Everyone left after another hour of standing and talking. Were birthday parties always so…boring? Or was it just because it was his 11th birthday? Was it because Silver didn't wake midway through for cake cutting like he normally did? Was it…was it because Yuu wasn't there?

The thought annoyed him. Yuu would have never left him alone if she was there, she never had any other celebration. Clinging onto him to greet guests, chasing him through the halls while the adults spoke and networked. A leeching shadow that no matter where he went, she would worm her way into the same place at some point.

“Malleus?”

The horned fae looked up, a half-asleep Silver holding the signature black and white present out to him, “Do you want me to have Yuu's present again this year? Father said she didn't come…”

“…” Sighing, Malleus took the gift from Silver's hands, ripping the paper with an annoyed air to the act, “No. I'll keep it. She's ill; there's no telling what kind of human illness you'll catch from whatever she's coughed on in here.”

Lilia sighed, but didn't speak more. Gathering the wrapping paper of the other gifts Malleus had opened and quickly discarded for not holding his interest. He watched his son yawn, smiling as he pointed to the small table with tea and two thin slices of cake, “Silver, have some tea and cake; it'll wake you up a bit.”

“But, you said I can't have sweets past 9pm?”

“Well, I decided you can today. You normally are awake to have a slice of cake during the party…”

“I know…I'm sorry.”

“Silly boy. There's nothing to apologize for…”

As Malleus looked into the gift box in his hands, the sounds of his guardian and brother faded into the background, equally muffled by the crackling of the fireplace. Inside the present was a pair of oddly knitted tubes. To anyone else, they'd be a pair of hideous mittens for someone who didn't even have hands, but Malleus knew what they really were.

Yuu had asked him, earlier that season when he was again forced to have tea with her, if his horns ever got cold in the Winter. He had glared, telling her to not ask such stupid questions, having no time nor the knowledge to explain that his horns never felt cold in Winter nor hot in Summer and he didn't know why. An answer that seemed to have not satisfied the annoying girl, since she had made and gifted him a pair of unseemly horn warmers.

He held them in his hands, the knots sloppy yet tight. The pattern was off and he's certain there were two different shades of green in the same area. They were ugly, plain and simple. But they were something other than a grotesque or a gargoyle cruelly ripped from their post. Useless, priceless gems he had no need for or the rare foolish gift of iron weapons and accessories. The black yarn was too thick, almost swallowing the designs made with the green yarn. Both colors pressed so close that the black seemed greenish in the right light.

Just as Yuu's eyes would.

He knew the Crowley girl's eyes were black, a brown so dark and deep that they mimicked a starless new moon sky mixed with the dying breath of a sunset. But when…when she looked him in the eyes…they almost seemed to leech the green from his own.

“…Lilia.” A beat of silence before the older fae gave a questioning hum, “Yuu's been sick before right?”

“…” Lilia perks up, turning to face Malleus directly as he notices he had opened Yuu’s present, “…Um…yes, a few times before. Why do you ask?”

“…Does…does she feel better soon? She isn’t sick for long, right?”

“…” Lilia smiles, stepping closer and ruffling the hair in the space between Malleus’s horns with a giggle, “I'm sure she will better quicker than you expect! Your little friend will be right as rain and back in the palace for playdates before you know it!”

Malleus pouts, slapping his guardian’s hands away and trying to smooth his ruffled hair. The woolen tubes in his hands not helping in the slightest as they only made his hair more frizzy, “I don’t want her back here! I just don’t want to hear about the bothersome thing dying!” He stands, forgoing his other presents but keeping the ugly warmers locked in his grasp unknowingly, “I’m going to bed! Even when she isn’t around, she manages to ruin everything…”

Floating, Lilia flipped himself upside down, pinching at a furious Malleus’s cheek, “Aw~! You do like her!”

“NO! I DON’T!”

#twisted wonderland #twst #disney twst #twst wonderland #yuu oc #malleus draconia #lilia vanrouge #silver vanrouge #malleus & yuu #malleus x yuu #manhwa au

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daengtokki · 10 months

Text

𝐵𝓁𝒾𝓃𝒹 𝒟𝒶𝓉𝑒

Kim Seungmin/Female Reader

wc: 9.7k

rating: fluff -`♡´-

Part 1 of 4 5

MASTERLIST

˚☽˚.⋆

The lines around his mouth deepen. His hand jumps up to cover it as his lips finally break open to make way for a tiny laugh. He replaces his hand with his coffee cup, sipping around a shy smile. “Thank you.” But he shakes his head a little when he says it.

You catch a glimpse of the braces he’s instinctively trying to hide.

/ / /

It’s half-past eight and you’re already an hour behind. Work got hectic, and then the surprise meeting really threw you off balance. Tonight is not the best night for a date. A blind date, actually, set up for you with nothing but love and the very best of intentions in mind by your friend and co-worker. And if you’re being honest with yourself, one of the only close friends you’ve made since moving far from home. She’s your best friend, really. Choonhee even helped you find your job here in Korea.

Now that you think about it, maybe this whole date idea was to take some of the weight off of her. The two of you spend most of your time together. She teaches you how to cook all of your favorite dishes, helps you keep your finances in order. She’s always there when things get a little too overwhelming. You don’t blame her for wanting to find you more friends.

You feel your phone vibrate in your back pocket.

“Please please also be running behind,” You mumble to yourself.

Meet him at the cafe in an hour

A sigh of relief. You look at yourself in the mirror. Time to shower. Time to overthink what you’re going to wear.

It’s just a casual thing, she said. No dressing up. Just wear what I’d wear if I were hanging out any other time with any other friend. That really didn’t make things easier, though. You try to remember what she did tell you about your date, but it wasn’t much:

Tall, but not too tall. ‘Taller than you’ is what she said, actually. Nice eyebrows. Kind of a smart ass if you know him well enough. He’s funny…she really emphasized the fact that he has an interesting sense of humor. His hair is currently blond, or it was the last time she saw him. ‘He looks cute blond’, also her words. And ‘he did it for work’.

What does that even mean? You didn’t bother getting any other information out of her. It’s going to be uncomfortable and awkward no matter how much you know, but you forgot to ask how well he spoke English. It doesn’t matter now. You just hope there’s enough overlap in language to make it through an hour or so.

____

At 9:40 (you’re late) you jump out of your taxi and try to orient yourself. You’ve been here before, but not much, and not lately. And it’s busy because of the holiday. You suddenly regret every decision you’ve made today. Maybe it’s not too late to cancel and get yourself back home and under the blankets.

Buzz buzz

Are you there? He’s waiting near the door, but didn’t want to go in without you because it’s a little busy

Oh, that’s kinda nice. At least he’s thoughtful. Or maybe he’s just anxious. Your heart is still beating out of your chest and you can feel how hot your cheeks are despite the chilly air. You start your walk toward the cafe, about a half a block down. There are far too many people loitering on the sidewalk; waiting for rides, talking in tight little groups, phones out and taking videos of friends. You squeeze yourself through until you get to the tables set up outside. Also full of people.

You close your eyes and take in a deep breath. Seven seconds in, five out. Right? It helps a little, so you open your eyes and take a cautious look around. There are so many people that could potentially be him, so you try to filter out the blonds. There are a lot of kinda tall blonds, but only one by himself. And he isn’t really blond. This guys hair is a light soft brown. The way the warm lights bounce off of it does make it look lighter, though.

He’s right by the outer doors of the cafe, back against the wall with one foot flat against it. His raised knee is swinging back and forth like a metronome. He’s bobbing his head a little as he stares down at his phone. It lights up his face, but most of it is covered with a black mask. And then, almost as if he feels your eyes on him, he looks up and right at you. His hair bounces down around his eyes a bit, and he shakes his head until he gets it out.

You hold the eye contact, but you forget how to react normally for a moment. You assume she told him about you and a little about your appearance, so…

He puts his phone in his pocket and waves, a little reluctantly, a little unsure. You’re not the only foreigner here, and definitely not terribly distinctive looking. But you’re certain you’re looking at the right person.

You wave back and smile.

He stands up straight and takes a few steps toward you, hands in the pockets of his jacket now. He takes them out almost immediately, though. Maybe he’s nervous, too.

He nods to you. His hand combs through his hair, but it bounces back exactly how it was before he touched it. “You’re late.”

You blush a little and your heart is thumping again. The mask is making it difficult to read him. That’s not how you were expecting him to greet you, and you really weren’t expecting somebody that looked like him

“I’m kidding…I’m kidding.” Now you can hear the lightness in his voice. It’s almost melodic, the way he speaks. He pulls at his mask a little to adjust it. “I just got here a few minutes ago.”

“Oh!” You try to hold his eyes with yours, but his gaze is a little intense. “Okay good…yeah it’s a little crazy out tonight.”

“It is busy,” he agrees with a little nod. “But we can go inside if it’s not too crowded for you. To get warm.”

His hands are back in his pockets again.

“Yeah, if you’re good, I’m good.”

It’s almost too warm inside the cafe, but it’s roomy, thankfully. The large amount of people are spread out nicely. The lights are turned down low, and the atmosphere is almost bar-like. The biggest difference is the smell of coffee and the soft voices. The music is familiar; something you would listen to in your free time.

He waits for you to catch up. You fall behind without realizing as you adjust to your surroundings.

“It’s nice in here,” he says, “what do you like to drink?”

“Just a regular latte.”

“That’s all?”

You nod at him, and he orders for both of you. It’s a good opportunity to see him in the brighter lights here at the counter. His long legs are in a pair of well fitting (but not too tight) black jeans, cuffed just enough that you see a bit of his ankle peeking above his white and tan sneakers. His jacket is light blue denim, and the hoodie underneath is white.

He half turns to look at you, and his eyes narrow in a way that let you know he’s smiling. It sets off butterflies in your stomach. You’ve barely spoken to him and you haven’t even seen his whole face, yet here you are, feeling like you’re falling.

“They’ll bring our drinks to us. We can find somewhere to sit.” He waves you toward him, and you follow as he leads you to the most out of the way table he can find. You’re thankful for the semi-privacy here.

There’s not much time to start a conversation, but you look at each other briefly. His gaze is a little intense from above his mask, but soft. His eyes are big and shiny, and he doesn’t look away from you. It feels like he’s searching for something to say.

A few moments later, a young girl arrives with two drinks. When she walks off again, he finally takes off his mask. Carefully he unhooks it from one ear, then the other, and folds it neatly into his pocket.

He’s better looking than you were expecting.

The smell of fresh coffee and the look in his eyes makes you feel a little…woozy. You wonder if he looks at everyone like this. It’s getting so warm in the cafe. You shake yourself out of your top layer before wrapping your hands around the warm mug.

Your force yourself to look up at him again. “Choonhee told me almost nothing about you. She didn’t even get your hair color right.”

“To be fair, I change it often.” He lifts his straw to his lips. Iced coffee. “She told me a lot about you.”

“Yeah? What did you she tell you? I may have to correct a few things.”

“No,” he laughs and shakes his head. “She said you were…nice, cute, funny, smart.”

You try not to dispute his ‘cute’ claim. Either he means it or he’s just being nice. Both are fine right now. “She did mention that we have similar personalities, but I don’t know exactly what she meant.”

“I think she must have a type when it comes to friends.”

His English is nice; very smooth. Only occasionally does he make a mistake with cadence. But it’s hardly noticeable. His voice is sweet and soft, and very soothing to your ears. You hope he keeps talking all night. Things will go much easier for you that way.

“She told me you were kind of a smart ass.”

Seungmin laughs at that, throwing his hand over his mouth when he does. “Only if you deserve it.” He drops his hand back to the table and then around his drink

The two silver rings he’s wearing glint a little in the light. One is thin and plain, the other is much wider, and the shape is a repeating row of G’s. You somehow recognize that G. It’s a Givenchy G.

“Is this real or a knockoff?” Gently, you take his hand in yours to get a closer look, and then realize how silly of a thing that was. Sometimes you forget to show restraint. You’re very American.

He doesn’t pull away, though. He doesn’t seem to mind you taking his hand in yours without warning. “It’s real. It was a gift.”

“Silver looks good on you.”

“Thank you.” He drops his eyes from you to your hands still clasped together. He says nothing, just waits until you let go to pull back.

“Oh…gift, that reminds me.” He digs in the pocket of his denim jacket and pulls out something small and white. Before handing it to you, he looks it over and smiles. “It’s silly, but I got you this...”

“You brought me something?”

Seungmin nods and passes it across the table. When you grab it, it’s soft and fuzzy. It’s a keychain. You’re definitely blushing and you’re 100% certain he can see the pink rising up from your neck and into your cheeks.

“I don’t know if you have a favorite, but Choonhee said you like dogs. I like dogs, too. Pochacco is my favorite.”

“Thank you, Seungmin.” You stare down at Pochaccos face and squeeze him. Then you hook him onto the keys hanging from your bag. You keep holding onto him, though.

He smiles again, much bigger than before. And this time he doesn’t cover his face with his hand. You see his braces this time, and it makes you smile. You obviously shouldn’t stare, but it’s hard not to. They look cute on him.

An oooh comes out in a whisper and you didn’t mean it to, but it’s out there now. You can’t take your eyes off of his mouth, and now you’re wondering what it would be like to kiss him.

“Oh…uhm.” Seungmin keeps smiling, but now his lips are back together. “Did she tell you I still had my braces?”

“No, she didn’t mention it.” You lean into the table more so you’re closer to him. It’s not a very big table. “She told me very little, I guess she wanted me to be surprised.”

“Hopefully no…bad surprises.”

“Nothing bad yet.”

The smile on his face becomes a little more reserved, but it’s still very much there. “How is your coffee…are you hungry?”

“It’s good,” You pick it up and take a sip. He’s been too distracting…you can’t even remember if you’ve taken a drink yet. “I am a little hungry, but I’m not much of an eater on dates. I’m usually too nervous.”

Seungmin nods, seeming to understand your reasoning. “Please let me know if you change your mind. We can get something.”

You nod back, “so how do you know Choonhee?”

“She used to work with me, where I work now.”

“Oh, where do you work?”

He seems to hesitate for a moment, look around, fidget with his drink. Then he looks at you again. “I work for JYP Entertainment.”

He works at one of the biggest entertainment companies in South Korea. And Choonhee worked there, too.

“I had no idea she used to work there.” You sit back in your chair and fold your arms over your chest. “That’s kind of a big change from what she does now.”

Seungmin nods, “in atmosphere, maybe. She was a tutor. You are a teacher, yeah?”

You nod, “yes, I teach English. Sometimes music, as a substitute.”

The table shakes a little as he moves closer. He can’t get much closer, unfortunately. “You teach music?”

“Not often, but yes. I take it you like music?”

“Yes, very much. Do you sing?

“Yeah, a little.”

There’s a little smirk on his lips as he finishes off the last bit of iced coffee. He shakes the remainder of his ice as he stands. “I’m going to find the restroom, I’ll be back.”

Before he leaves, he shakes himself free of his denim jacket and hangs it neatly across the back of his chair. You nod and watch him walk away. It’s difficult to keep your eyes off of him, but as soon as he disappears into the restroom, you pull out your phone. It’s buzzed three times since you’ve been here.

Have fun!!

Did you find him?

You don’t have to answer these btw, I’ll assume you haven’t answered because you found him and immediately fell in love

You unlock your phone and begin typing a response. “Yes, we found each other.” Send. You think for a moment, but her reply comes through before your next message.

Well!?

“He’s cute.”

You’re gonna fall in love, just give it a minute

From the corner of your eye you see him walk by the table. You look at him; he looks at you and waves, but his mask is back on. You think for the smallest moment he’s skipping out, but he’s only heading to the counter again. You watch him and your phone at the same time.

Buzz buzz

He likes you

Oh, he must have sent Choonhee a message in the restroom. He likes you. You’ve barely known each other thirty minutes, so he can’t possibly like you that much. But you like him, so maybe he does…

He returns with two small plates and sets one of them in front of you. The other is his. “I heard they have very good pastries here, so I thought we should try one.” He removes his mask and goes for a taste.

You pick yours up and carefully tear it in half. It’s filled with chocolate. “Oh, did you get the chocolate one, too?”

As he’s biting into it and making a mess, he nods. The flakes stick to his lips as he chews, and he carefully tries cleaning them off, but it’s a challenge. It’s cute. You can’t help but think of going over there and cleaning him off yourself. But you shake away the thought and stop staring.

——

“Seungmin…” he hands you your fresh coffee and leads the way out of the crowd. It’s dwindled a bit, but not by much. “It’s a nice name.”

“It’s so common, but I guess that’s not really a bad thing.”

“You look like a Seungmin.”

“Oh, is that a good thing?” He laughs.

You mmhmm him through your sip of coffee and purposely brush against his arm. He gave you his denim jacket to wear. You told him you weren’t cold, and it was no big deal, but you’re secretly grateful you have it around you. His scent is subtle on it; it’s nice.

“Are you warm enough?”

“Yeah, I’m alright,” you look up at him, but you can’t see well in the dim light. You can just make out the silhouette of his nose and mouth and chin. He licks his lips after another sip of coffee. “It’s nice here.”

You walked from the cafe and ended up at the edge of a large public park. It’s lit up and cozy, but a little chillier now that it’s gotten much later. There are still plenty of people milling around, though, mostly couples and groups of teenagers, but it’s not too crowded.

There are seats and tables here, so he leads you to a spot under some decent lighting and a working outdoor heater. It’s comfortable enough, but mostly it’s nice having him more to yourself. He’s looking down at his hands as they spin his coffee cup. A hot one this time.

Big dark eyelashes hide his eyes from you. Lips are closed tight like, he’s deep in thought. He looks at you then, as if he feels you watching. The lights makes them look wet, like maybe he could cry at any moment. But his cheeks lift as he smiles. His lips stay closed tight, but the corners of his mouth twitch a little as he fights an even bigger smile.

He feels familiar, but you can’t figure out why. Maybe you’ve seen him before. He’s the kind of good looking you’d see on tv or in a magazine, but he also looks like your cute childhood crush all grown up. So now you suddenly wonder what business you have being in front of him. Did Choonhee really think this was a good blind date?

Maybe for you. Seungmin could probably have anyone he wanted.

“You’re very handsome.”

You catch a glimpse of the braces he’s instinctively trying to hide.

“How long have you been here in Korea?” He asks. He can’t keep them hidden while he talks. Well, he could, but you’re sure he’s aware of how silly it would look if he held a hand over his mouth for the entire date.

“Two years…not very long,” you keep yours eyes on his eyes…or on his hands as they fidget with his cup. “I think your English is better than my Korean.”

“Is it?” Seungmin raises his eyebrows, and his face lights up. He bites down on the corner of his lip, making your eyes wander to the metal glint when he flashes his teeth. “Thanks.” He rubs a little at his mouth, probably fighting the habit of covering it again.

You want to tell him to relax; that his braces don’t distract from the rest of him

Seungmin sits up a bit and looks around. A few people have walked by since you sat down, but not many. There’s music playing from somewhere nearby, but you can’t tell where it’s coming from. It’s a soft song you’ve heard many times on the radio at work.

You want him to tell you everything he can about himself, but you don’t want to scare him off. It’s been less than two hours, but you can already feel yourself attaching—falling for him—doing what you always do with anyone who gives you the type of attention Seungmin is giving you tonight. He’s only had eyes for you all night, but occasionally he looks around and gets quiet…a little uncomfortable.. The first date nerves have mostly subsided for you, but maybe they haven’t for him.

“Are you still hungry? We could find somewhere to eat if it’s not too late.” He seems to be searching your face for an answer before he continues. “If it’s not too late to eat, I mean,” he looks down at the time on his phone, “it’s a little late.”

It’s nearly eleven. It is late for you, technically. You’re usually up early, unless you don’t have to be. Maybe he’s an early riser as well.

“It’s not too late, not during the holiday.”

____

Seungmin gets the two of you a ride this time, and you head a few miles closer to the city. There’s so much space between you in the backseat of the car, but he has his body turned toward you as he speaks. He seems to be texting on his phone between your conversation, but it’s the first time he’s been on it all night, aside from getting the car.

“I go here very often, so they know me.”

Pochacco is in your lap. You fidget with him as Seungmin speaks and types at the same time. “I’m glad you like him.”

____

The mask is back on his face as he leads you toward the restaurant. It looks busy from the outside, but the open design makes everything feel calm and quiet. As you’re standing there waiting, you feel his fingers graze against your hand. Your fingers twitch back against his.

A young man, you assume he is one of the hosts, walks over to you and bows. “We have your table ready for you.” He looks at Seungmin, and then to you before gesturing to follow him.

You walk off to the right and a little further beyond the packed bar. There are a fair amount of people in this slightly more private area, but nobody pays much attention as you follow Seungmin and the host to your table.

“What are you hungry for?” Seungmin removes his mask again. “Everything here is very good.”

“I’m not very picky, and I’ll try anything at least once. As long as there are no intestines.”

“Gopchang is not my favorite, but I have a good friend who makes it very well.”

You scan the menu. There’s a surprising amount of dishes listed. “I think I would like to try whatever your favorite dish is.”

“How do you feel about sharing something?”

It’s a cute suggestion and it catches you by surprise. He keeps doing all of the things that make you feel stupid and in love.

“We can both pick something and share them, or share one dish…if you want.” His smile grows a little as he speaks.

You like watching him become more comfortable as the night progresses. Hopefully your calm is making him calm, because you feel much better now than you have the entire day.

“Yeah, let’s share something.” Whatever makes you feel closer to him. One dish between the two of you is the obvious answer. “We should have your favorite.”

“I hope you don’t like spicy. I can’t do spicy.”

“No, I don’t need spicy. Maybe some kimchi, though. I like to try the kimchi everywhere I go.”

Seungmin smiles at you without holding himself back. “Yeah, we should have some kimchi, and Jjajangmyeon as well.” He nods and picks up his tea, but doesn’t take a drink. Instead he looks at you with curious eyes. The edge of the glass sits lightly against his lower lip.

You feel a little flutter in your chest just from looking at him now. “You should smile like that more often.”

“No,” He says it bluntly but playfully. “Maybe in a few months when they’re finally off.”

A little wave of sadness washes over you, but passes quickly. “You can smile for me, I like it.”

The buzzing of a phone interrupts you, but your eyes linger on his softening face for another few seconds. It’s Choonhee needing an update. You don’t want to be rude and you definitely don’t want to be distracted from working on figuring him out—or making him smile more.

But then another text message dings. It’s not you this time. Seungmin reaches into his pocket and glances quickly at his screen. “Should we answer her?”

____

You only reply to Choonhee’s text after your order has been placed and Seungmin excuses himself from the table.

“Yeah, all good still”

He LIKES YOU

You feel goosebumps break out all over your skin when you read her reply.

“He’s a little bit of a mystery. How did you meet him? Why didn’t I know you used to work at JYPE??”

You send the message, hoping you get an answer before he comes back. But a reply doesn’t pop up until a few minutes after he’s returned and food is brought out to the table.

Seungmin begins splitting the food between the two of you. “You can answer her, it’s okay.”

“No, I’m not worried about it. I’ll text her later.”

It doesn’t hurt to glance down at the message, though. All it says is “Kim Seungmin likes you (ง¬᎑¬)ว”

You give the air in front of you an irritated sigh.

“Are you okay?” Seungmin stops as he’s fixing his food. His brow wrinkles a bit with concern. It’s very cute. “Did I give you too much?”

“No no, I wasn’t sighing at you, Seungmin.” You pick up your chopsticks and situate your food in front of you, but wait for him before you dig into what looks like very good kimchi. “I just…looked at Choonhee’s text. She drives me crazy sometimes.”

“She also drives me crazy. She was very persistent about us meeting each other.”

“She wouldn’t let me say no.”

You both take a bite of food together.

“She’s very lucky it’s a holiday and I could get time away, though she probably would have kept pestering me.” He takes another bite, watching you curiously as you do the same. “Did you want to say no? You didn’t want to come?”

“Did you?”

“I asked you first.”

He’s funny. “I didn’t, only because I don’t really like blind dates. I don’t like going into anything…blind.”

“That’s understandable. I did want to come, but also I didn’t, because dating for me is difficult and sometimes awkward for the other person. But a while ago I told Choonhee I wanted to make more foreign friends. She doesn’t forget things.”

“Does work keep you very busy?” Now seems like the time to really pry. “Is that why dating is so hard?”

“Work is very busy, yes. I feel like I have to be on 100% of the time, and it can be very exhausting.” He takes a big, messy bite of food, then covers his mouth as he tries not to giggle through it. It takes him a few moments before he can speak again. “That’s one reason why it’s difficult.”

“I am glad I came, though.”

“How is your food?” Just as he asks, the server returns to the table with another plate of food. “Oh, I got us something else.”

“More? I don’t know if I can eat what we have here now.” Your eyes widen at the sight of this new plate of food. “Oh!”

Seungmin laughs and serves you a few pieces of gopchang, “sometimes it takes a few tries before you really appreciate something.”

You gingerly pick up a small piece of intestine and examine it. It jiggles weirdly at the end of your chopsticks. “Okay, so I’ve never actually tried it before.”

“Eat!”

You take the bite, hold it in your mouth for a second, then chew.

“No?”

You swallow hard, then shake your head at him. “No.”

“Well, at least you tried it.” He pulls the plate back toward him and takes a few bites. “Eat some kimchi and get the taste out of your mouth.” He laughs at the grimace still stuck on your face.

“It might take more than that,” but you do, and then a long drink of your tea. Your phone buzzes again.

“Tell her that…we have decided to just spend the remainder of the holiday together. And that she shouldn’t worry about us.”

Your face gets hot, even though he’s definitely just goofing around. When you look up at him he’s calmly eating, looking down at the messages that popped up on his own phone.

“I think she’s having fun with us.”

“This time it’s Chan Hyung checking up on me. He is a worrier.”

“That’s sweet of him. Did you tell him you’re in good hands?”

Seungmin nods and laughs, “I did.” His eyes catch the light and sparkle at you as he leans closer across the table. “He will worry until I’m back home, though.”

“Do you live with him?”

“I’m at my parents house for the holiday, but normally yes. Well, nearby. I have three roommates. And the other four, including him, live together. But basically we all live together.”

Each time you ask him a question, the answer makes you a little more confused than if you hadn’t asked anything at all. You sit back in your chair and let out a long sigh, fold your arms across your chest. “That’s a lot of roommates.”

“I’m so used to it, we’ve been together for a while now.”

“I’m gonna run to the restroom, I’ll be back.” You grab your bag and your phone. Seungmin gives you a nod.

Once you manage to find the bathroom, you have a seat on one of the squishy chairs and pull your phone back out. Choonhee’s last text message is still on your lock screen…

Kim Seungmin likes you (ง¬᎑¬)ว

You start typing…

"I can’t seem to figure him out. He’s so sweet and easy to talk to, but why is everything about him so…"

So what? You’re not even sure where this message is going.

"…he’s different?? He’s TOO sweet, too good looking. Help me out here."

Now you wait for a reply, hoping she’s glued to her phone so you’re not stuck in here for too long. Two girls, maybe a little younger than you, walk in while you wait, and both look at you directly as they pass by. One lingers on you and heads to the mirror to fix her makeup, the other disappears into a stall. You keep your eyes on your phone, but you still see her watching you from the corner of your eye.

Buzz buzz

Why are you so paranoid? You better trust me.

You push the call button and wait for her to pick up.

“Annyeeoong!”

“I am not paranoid! You threw me into this and now you’re picking on me.”

“I’m sorry I’m sorry. I’m not trying to pick on you!” She laughs, though.

“Every time I ask him something, I’m more confused,” you lower your voice as the two girls walk by and leave the bathroom.

“Did you google him? I gave you his full name.”

“No, I haven’t googled him. Why would I google him? Is that a joke? Who wears designer jewelry and has seven roommates?” You’re whispering, but trying to convey your irritation at the same time.

She laughs again.

“I have to get back out there before he thinks I got lost.”

“I’m glad you two like each other!”

“BYE”

Now all you can think about is figuring out who he is before you lay eyes on him again. But do you want to know now? Maybe later would be best, well after you’re home safe and the pressure is gone. The last thing you want is to make everything awkward.

But you’re very good at making things awkward.

A few seconds later you pull up the browser on your phone and type out his name. Why is she setting you up with someone you can google in the first place?

K i m S e u n g-

You stop and stare at the screen. No clues pop up in the auto search. It’s a very common name, but…

You finish. You hit ‘go’.

It loads quickly, and the first thing that pops up is his face. HIS face. Seungmin’s sweet face. Only his hair is much darker in this photo. But it’s him. The weird feeling of falling hits; you feel a little lightheaded. You thought he was a little odd and a little too good to be true, but this…

“Oh my god, you set me up with an idol.”

Another person enters the bathroom and you jump. They pay no attention to you, thankfully.

“And he’s five years younger than me.”

A deep breath in, and a long slow breath out. You’re back on your feet and out of the bathroom. Can you even remember where your table is? Yes, there it is. You see the back of Seungmins pretty head…he’s on his phone, texting it looks like.

Another nice, deep breath. Why the hell did she set you up with an idol? You’re not surprised you didn’t know who he was, though. You don’t listen to much pop music; even the kids at school haven’t introduced you to this particular group. The name doesn’t sound familiar, anyway. You have a few confiscated photocards in your desk drawer. You’re sure he’s not one of them, but you can’t wait to get back to school and check now.

You walk back over, calm and cool and not like you were just losing it a little in the bathroom.

“Welcome back!” He smiles as you sit and puts his phone away.

Now you look at him and realize just how good looking he is. Of course he’s an idol, what else could a face like that be? And he’s a main vocalist. He sings. You…kind of sing.

“So, Seungmin…”

He answers with a soft hmm? as he chews his food.

“Do you sing? Or play anything? You said earlier that you liked music.”

He nods and smiles, swallows his bite, “I sing, yes! And I like playing guitar and piano, but I don’t do that as often as I’d like.”

“I would love to hear you sing.” You say it sincerely, because you mean it. His speaking voice is so nice, you’re certain his singing voice is even more beautiful.

“I would love to hear you sing!” He adjusts himself in his chair like he’s trying to get himself closer to you, but there’s nowhere else to go. His face is somehow brighter. “We should do that…we should sing.”

“You wanna sing with me? I doubt I can sing as well as you.”

“We don’t know that!”

You rest your chin in your cupped hands and smile at him. He smiles, too. You think his smile might be your favorite thing about him. “I do know.” But there’s so many things to like.

“Oh,” his head cocks to the side a bit. Another thing you really like, and he does it a lot. He’s staring through you and it feels like he’s hearing every thought that’s currently flying around your brain. “You know?”

“What I don’t know is…” putting it into the right words is difficult for some reason, and your tone of voice has accidentally come out a little cold. You don’t want to come off as rude or ungrateful of his company. You like him, but it’s suddenly become a little bit weird, and very complicated. “I just don’t feel like we…” you stop again to think. You suddenly feel really stupid for talking at all. ��I guess I just don’t understand why you seem to…like me.”

All of your insecurities have suddenly jumped to the front of the line, and it’s clouding your vision. The things you were so happy about before are now being pushed down by your own stupid, stupid thoughts.

“Hm?” Seungmin’s face falls a little. He’s sitting still, and for the first time, he’s stopped eating. He can really put away a lot of food for being so slender. “Did I say something wrong? I’m sorry.”

“No, don’t apologize, Seungmin. You didn’t do anything wrong. I’m just having-“

“Second thoughts.” He says it matter-of-factly; no inflection.

Everything you say now is coming out all wrong. The words in your head and the words coming out of your mouth aren’t matching up. Your heart is starting to pound, and you feel warm, but not in a good way. Not in the cute, blushy way Seungmin was making you feel before.

“Would you like me to take you home? I can get us a car. Or I can get you a car.” He wrings his hands and reaches for his phone.

“No, no don’t do that,” Your chest feels tight and your words almost get caught in your throat. You stop and think about your next words, because right now you’re not doing a great job of speaking. “I’m sorry, I’m really not very good at this. Dating, talking to people, getting my thoughts out properly.”

Seungmin puts his phone down on the table, thinks for a moment… “I do like you. But I haven’t been very honest, so I am very sorry for that. I would like to be honest with you, if you’ll stay.”

You look down at your lap and realize you’ve been squeezing Pochacco the entire time. You release him, run your thumb over him. “Yeah, I do wanna stay.”

His face his confused, innocent, and soft all at once as he stares at you. There’s a little concern there, as well. You can tell he’s wondering what happened in the few minutes you left the table. He also might be nervous about telling you who he is.

He clears his throat and takes a drink, preparing himself to tell you what you already know. You hate making him do this here.

“I know you’re an idol. You don’t have to explain anything.”

Relief washes over his face, and then slowly, realization. “Is that why you’re upset? You left the table…you were okay before that. Please don’t be angry with me.”

“I was just trying to figure you out. And I understand why you were hesitant about it.” You keep your voice as soft as possible, as steady as you can manage. You’re not angry at him. How you could you possibly be mad at him while he’s looking at you like that? “Maybe we can go back to before, when I didn’t know...”

“It’s so hard meeting people genuinely…people who don’t already know who you are.”

There’s a long silence between the two of you, and looking up at him again suddenly feels impossible. You stare down at your blank phone, almost hoping a text message will come through. Something needs to break the tension.

Nothing happens.

You almost feel like crying. Your throat tightens and your eyes start to sting from not blinking. “Can we go somewhere else?” The words finally come out of you. “Somewhere with less people.”

“Yeah, we can.”

____

It’s much colder now. And it’s late; well after midnight. You weren’t expecting the date to go on this long. In fact, you had the night planned for yourself once you got home. A few episodes of the drama you’re currently watching, and maybe a drink or two. Warm, under a big blanket.

But now you’re suddenly starring in your own drama.

Seungmin stands in front of you, blocking the slight breeze. You let out a big yawn.

“I’m sorry I’m keeping you out so late.” He steps a little closer when a gust of wind whips by.

“You’re not,” you try to smile at him, but your face feels a little numb. “I can leave whenever I want to, right?”

“Right.” He nods sharply. “Thank you for not leaving.”

“Would it be inappropriate to ask you back to my apartment?”

“Huh?” His mouth hangs open a little.

“I don’t know anywhere else where we could be alone.”

“Uhm, well, it would be a little inappropriate I guess. But I wouldn’t mind if you asked.”

A car pulls up to the curb next to you.

____

The apartment is not ready for any guests, especially not the celebrity variety. You left a mess on your way out—clothes all over the floor, dishes in the sink. But maybe it’s not as bad you’re imagining. This will strictly be a living room visit. And it won’t be long.

“This feels so strange.” He says as the elevator door slides opens on the 5th floor.

“What does? Going home with someone?”

“Yes.” Another blunt answer. His tone is still playful, even after what you’re putting him through. He follows you until you stop in front of your door and fumble with your keys.

You look back at him as you push open the door, “I won’t keep you here long, I promise.”

It’s not as bad inside as you were imagining. You shake his jacket off and hang it above the not-so-neat row of shoes inside the door. Seungmin slides his off and places them next to yours. “I can make you more coffee if you’d like.”

“Sure, if you’d like me to stay that long.”

“Sit.” You point to the couch and head to the kitchen.

Halfway through your work, you notice him leaning against the doorway of the kitchen. He watches silently. You pretend you don’t see him. Above you the fluorescent light buzzes and flickers a bit. It’s the only light in the kitchen right now. The warmth of the apartment and the smell of coffee brewing brings you back down to earth a bit, and you desperately need that before you start talking again.

Seungmin speaks up first, though. It startles you.

“I’m not really allowed to date.”

“What?” You take both mugs in your hands and walk closer to him.

“I mean, I am…but they prefer we don’t. At least not for a while. I would probably get in trouble if anyone recognized me while we were together earlier.” He takes his mug from you and holds it under his nose.

“Why?” Your mind snaps back to the girl eyeing you in the bathroom. You didn’t even think about it until now.

“Well, I didn’t get permission, for one thing. And it helps with keeping the idol illusion alive if we’re not seen with others like that.”

“I don’t want to get you into any trouble.”

He waves his hand at you, pushes away your words. “It’s okay. I get into trouble all the time.”

“Do you?”

Seungmin nods and smiles as he sips his coffee.

You grin at him.

Now that you’re alone together, finding the right words might come a little easier. The tv is on, volume low, just to break the dead silence in the room. He’s sitting back comfortably on your couch with his coffee to his lips, and his legs loosely crossed. You can’t help but watch them as his foot bounces.

Meanwhile, he’s looking at you with soft (maybe a little tired?) eyes. “You have me to yourself now.” His voice is a little tired, too. It makes him sound flirty and…well, you don’t wanna think about that too much.

A nod is all you can manage before speaks again.

“I like this one.”

“You like what?”

“This drama. I finished it recently.”

The silence is a little less tense now, but the room still feels heavy. “Did you really come out tonight to find a new friend?” You’re sweating. The heat is probably up too high, you need to open a window or something.

“Did you?” Now he’s sitting up a little and he pushes the sleeves of his hoodie up to his elbow.

It’s nice to see more of his skin. “No.” You watch his hands as they rub the denim on his thighs. “I should open a window, it’s a little warm in here.” You can feel his eyes on you as you walk to the other side of the room. It makes you nervous. You push the curtain aside, unlock the window, and slide it up.

The rush of cool air is exactly what you need. Your hear your phone buzz on the side table where you threw it. You pretend you don’t notice it when you get back to his side.

“Choonhee wants you…” he almost sings it. He must know you have no other friends.

You imagine one of the conversations between Seungmin and her; Choonhee would say something to make you sound so great and fun, but you don’t like putting yourself out there and making new friends, so you need little push now and then.

Which is entirely true.

“It’s not her,” you lie, just to throw him off for a moment.

“Oh, is it your next date?” His tone is so flat and dry, but the look on his face tells you he doesn’t really think that. Or maybe he’s not sure, and he wants to be sure.

Instead of answering, you just let your eyes linger on his while you pull open your messages.

Well? Are you home yet? Don’t make me worry

”Yes, I’m home. 'Kim Seungmin (ง¬᎑¬)ว' is here too”

Three bouncing dots pop up the second after you hit send. Probably the fastest she’s ever replied to you.

YOU TOOK HIM HOME WITH YOU??!!

And then another…

ԅ(‾⌣‾ԅ)

And more…

( ˵ ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

(͠≖ ͜ʖ͠≖)ε｀●)

◠◡◠(´ ͡༎ຶ ͜ꞈ ͡༎ຶ `)◡◠◡

"OKAY STOP IT", You finally reply

Okay okay sorry but you took him home with you???

”I felt weird asking him, but yes. I also felt weird being out in public when I found out who he was”

OH you knoooow. Okay. Just don’t do anything to him, I kinda forgot to mention he’s a bit younger

”Yeah, I figured that out on my own”

He’s a good boy

”Okay I’m done talking to you tonight”

You throw your phone on the table next to you.

Seungmin readjusts himself so he’s facing in your direction. “Have you watched Hometown Cha Cha Cha?”

There’s far less space between you and him now. His cheeks are pink. It’s still too warm in here.

“I have, yeah. Sorry, I can’t adjust the heat.” You don’t even know why you mentioned the heat. His closeness is throwing you off. You can feel his breath on you.

“I’m okay, this hoodie is just too cozy.” He pushes the sleeves back down and opts for removing it completely. He pulls it off very easily, but the back of his shirt pulls up along with it for a brief moment, showing you a little skin. He catches it quickly and shakes his head to fix his hair.

“I have a song in that one.” He says as he neatly rolls it and places it on the arm of the couch.

“You have a what?” Now you’re distracted my his thin black t-shirt hanging loosely on his shoulders.

He catches you staring at not his face, “a song…in that drama. You heard it I’m sure.”

“Oh, wow…you’re right, I’ve definitely heard you sing, then.” You grab the remote again and scroll until you find YouTube. It takes a stupid long time to load (“you have bad wifi up here” — “thanks, I know”) but once it finally does, you start typing his name into the search bar.

“The song is called Here Always. Your search will be full of lots of other weird things if you only search my name.”

“Oh, how weird?” You search anyway and investigate. “Vlogs…are these official idol vlogs?”

“Yes,” he laughs at that. “I’m filming one right now while on holiday. I didn’t bring my camera with me, though.”

“Yeah, I probably shouldn’t be in your vlog.”

“They’re usually pretty boring anyway.”

You search properly now, throwing the title of the song next to his name. You plan on watching those other videos later.

When you look at him, he has his hands cupped against his cheeks, and he sinks down in the couch a little.

“Are you being shy? You really don’t come off as the shy type.”

“No, I’m fine.” He giggles and relaxes a little.

Now you sit back against the couch, close enough to him that your arms are lightly touching. The video you choose is a clip compilation from the drama, so he at least won’t have to stare at himself as you listen.

Without realizing it, you manage to sink further into your seat as the song plays, and by the time it ends, your cheek is pressed firmly against the fabric on his shoulder. He hasn’t moved, though. So you don’t move. His body is warm and he smells nice, so why should you move? You decide to just stay put and let YouTube choose the next video.

The description says Love Poem, KINGDOM EP8. You can read the names, written in Hangul. Eunkwang, Seungmin, Jongho. You’re pleased with yourself, because your reading comprehension is not as good as it could be.

A soft sigh dances over your ear. You look up, trying not to disturb him too much. Seungmin is sleeping soundly, head back against the couch. You hate to wake him, but he definitely cannot spend the night here.

You want to hear more of his singing, though, so you watch it, and then another, and eventually you lose track of how many Seungmin compilation videos you’ve seen. Group interviews, Seungmin fancams. You almost forget you’re watching videos of the guy who’s sleeping next to you.

But it’s gotten so late. You carefully sit yourself up on your knees and look down on his sleeping face.

“Seungmin…” you whisper. He doesn’t move. His mouth opens a little as he lets out a deep breath, and you can just make out his front teeth against the light pink of his lips. “Seung-“

His eyes open slowly, and he lets out a long, drawn out hmmm before closing his eyes again.

“Hey, you gotta wake up,” you go to place your hand against his forehead, but stop yourself. “Neoneun il-eonaya hae.”

“Your Korean sounds nice,” he opens his eyes again and watches you set your hand back down on the top of the couch. “Say something else.”

You think, not knowing what to say now.” Uh…uhm, neo janeun moseub-i gwiyeowo boyeo.” You speak carefully, maybe a little too carefully, but Seungmin smiles deeply and fully.

And then he laughs a little. A very sleepy laugh. “Gomawo.” He sings out the o at the end little, making it sound even more informal than it should be. “I’m awake. I’m sorry.”

“It’s alright, I’m glad you’re comfortable. But maybe next time.”

“Maybe next time?”

“You can stay.”

“I can stay?”

You nod, and a brief moment of boldness runs through you. You pick your hand up again and set it against his forehead, pushing his hair up and out of the way. He lets you touch him without protest, in fact, he seems to relax even more under you.

His eyes close, but after a few second, he opens one a little to look at you. “Well?” He says.

“Well…what?”

“I thought you were going to kiss me.”

Your whole body heats up, and you quietly suck in a breath, but you keep your voice from showing how much that knocked you off balance. “Do you want me to kiss you?”

His head moves back and forth a little like he’s thinking about it, and that forces you hand up further into his hair. “Only if you want to.”

You do, so when he closes his eyes again, you carefully lean in and hover just above his lips. You’re not sure when you’ll see him again after tonight, so you want to take in as much of the moment as possible. His eyes open again, and he stares at you. They slowly move down your face until they find your mouth. You quickly close the space and he returns the kiss eagerly, but very gently.

It lasts much longer than you expect it to. He sits up and cups your cheek in his hand as he finds a better position, but it only lasts a few more seconds after that. He pulls away slowly and wipes at his lower lip as he watches you.

No words come to mind, so you just keep quiet and look at him.

“Was that okay?” Seungmin asks. He’s all braces, and the apples of his cheeks are flushed.

“Yeah, that was okay,” You have to force yourself not to go for his mouth a second time. “I’ve never kissed someone with braces before.”

He covers his mouth with the back of his hand, but he still smiles behind them. “Was it weird?”

“No, it wasn’t.” You lean in, move his hand, and kiss him again.

When you pull apart, he rakes his fingers through his hair and relaxes sideways against the couch so his body is still turned toward you. You quietly look at each other; you wish you could read his mind. All that’s going through your head is that this is it. This is all you get. You probably won’t see him again.

Not that he’d purposely ghost you; he doesn’t look the type. But his lifestyle doesn’t seem to allow for the type of relationship you want. You’re way too clingy for this.

“How often do you come home on holidays?”

“Not often enough,” he looks at you like he now knows what you’re thinking. “I’m sorry.”

You place your hand on the back of his neck and pull him into another kiss. And then a phone goes off.

“Oh it’s me,” Seungmin takes his phone from his back pocket and looks at his screen, “I’m sorry, I have to answer this.”

“It’s alright, go ahead.”

He gets up from the couch and answers the call. You can tell from Seungmins tone and language that whoever it is is older, probably one of his roommates, most likely the same one who texted him hours ago. You try not to pry, but it’s impossible not to listen in this small apartment, and it’s useless to ignore when you’re only getting half of the conversation. Your brain just naturally wants to fill in the rest.

“….mos han geo…mianhae…”

He turns and faces you, gives you a shy smile.

“Na jigeum jib-e ganeun jung-Iya”

A few more exchanged words and he ends the call. He returns to the couch, but doesn’t sit again, so you stand with him. He grabs his hoodie and throws it back on without a word, but he does look at his phone again.

“Do you have a ride home?”

Seungmin smiles warmly at you and steps closer, “yes, I have a ride on the way now.”

You assumed he did. He probably has people ready to wait on him at anytime of the day or night. You assume. Honestly, you have no idea what an idols private life is really like. Except for this date, of course.

“I should head down to the lobby, it shouldn’t take long for them to arrive.”

“Can I go with you? To wait in the lobby, I mean.”

He’s halfway to his shoes when he stops and turns to you, “yes, I would like that.”

____

It’s chilly down here, but it’s empty and quiet. You sit closely together on the sofa while he shows you a video on his phone.

“They always steal my phone for livestreams and videos, so I have so much on here.”

The video was taken by one of the other members in his group, because Seungmin is in this one. They’re backstage goofing off with each other, eating, taking selfies, taking photos of each other.

“When is this from?”

“Three months ago. We were in Busan.” He goes back to his album and pulls up a photo he took of himself and another member. “This is from the same night.”

“I like your makeup here,” you zoom in on his face, and then back out. “You have very pretty eyes.”

He smiles and rubs his shoulder into yours a little.

“Who is this with you?”

“That’s Chan, the one who just called me. He’s our leader, and he takes his responsibility to us very seriously.”

“Well, I’m glad he cares about you so much.”

Just as he locks his phone, a notification comes through. His ride is pulling up in front of the apartment building, and it’s time for him to leave.

“Seungmin…” you stand with him and walk toward the doors. “I know you’re probably very busy, but would it be okay if I kept in touch? And I understand if that wouldn’t work.” You feel very bold just bringing it up, but if he doesn’t, you’ll be left wondering until Choonhee finds out for you. You need to know now.

“I don’t think we’d make very good friends,” he laughs and grabs your arm gently, tugging you a little closer.

You pull him the rest of the way into a hug and hold him there for as long as possible. “We wouldn’t.”

“Goodnight. Thank you for not leaving in the middle of our date.”

You squeeze him a little tighter, thinking about how you’ve never had a first date where you actually had difficulty letting the person leave.

“Wow,” when you finally let him go he stares down at you, “nice hug. I will get your number from Choonhee, and I will text you. If that’s alright.”

“You better.”

“Goodnight.”

He turns, walks through the doors, and disappears into the back of a car. And then he’s gone.

You wait there for a few more moments before heading back up the elevator and into your apartment.

His scent is lingering in the warm room. You close the door behind you and turn to kick off your shoes. His denim jacket is hanging on the hook in front of you.

#skz fluff #skz seungmin #kim seungmin #skz x you #skz fanfic #kim seungmin x y/n #kim seungmin x reader #seungmin x reader #seungmin x you #seungmin x y/n #stray kids fluff #stray kids fanfic #seungmin fluff #kim seungmin fluff

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storiesofsvu · 11 months

Text

Good Little Pet

Emily Prentiss x reader warnings: language, smut, kitten kink/very minor pet play, more mentions of it, strap sucking, daddy!emily, lots of dirty talk. Welp, we made it, the last halloween fic on November 8th. nbd lol. who knows if it's any good. Bare with me as I continue to try and get some one shots out for y'all!

To be completely honest, Emily was pretty exhausted, drained from a day of questioning sleazebag after sleazebag in an attempt to move forward on a case, the only saving grace was that it was local to D.C, no jets, no hotels and most importantly, she could come home to you at the end of the day. She’d already missed dinner, the sun gone from the sky when she finally trudged out to the parking lot, the car springing to life so the clock could tell her it was nearing ten thirty p.m. already. Plugging her dead phone in she let out a sigh and shifted the car into drive, by the time she hit the freeway her phone began to buzz with a couple of texts from you that she waited until she was at a standstill to check.

‘Guessing you’re trapped at work, I’m heading out around seven. Dinner’s in the fridge, lmk if you’re gonna swing by the party, you know the address.’ With a little smiley face and heart at the end. The next one was time stamped two hours later.

‘Ngl, I’m a little drunk. This Halloween punch is no joke. Would it be wildly inappropriate to say I want you to rail me into next week? God I hope you’re not on the jet rn galivanting off across the country because my hands just will not cut it.’

Emily barked out a laugh, shaking her head at your brashness before she swiftly typed out a reply, sly smile still on her cheeks.

‘It would only be wildly inappropriate if you weren’t my girlfriend. I’m on my way now, save me a drink.’

She signed it with a kiss and plugged the address into her GPS, taking note of the different exit she was going to have to take.

To be completely honest, you didn’t go out much, whether that was to the bar or to house parties, you especially felt like you’d outgrown the latter. You were much more focused on work and spending what free time you did have with your girlfriend considering she was out of town more often than not. So tonight was a special night where you were finally letting loose a little, indulging in punch, drinking games and catching up with friends you hadn’t seen in a while. The party was a mix of people, some you’d worked with in the past, their partners, friends, new coworkers, a full house including a handful of people you didn’t know.

You’d been catching up with April when one of those people you didn’t know sauntered up and introduced himself as Travis, his hand lingering in yours a little too long for comfort had you been sober. His intro line was funny enough to make you laugh and honestly he was pretty cute, if you were single and swung that way you wouldn’t have any complaints. He conveniently reached around you to grab a fresh beer out of the cooler, passing it off to his other hand so the first one could remain leaning on the counter, dangerously close to your body. You complimented his costume, earning a wide grin from him as he chuckled softly, paying both of you a compliment back before the three of you fell into an incredibly easy and comfortable conversation.

Emily managed to slip into the house unnoticed, though she wasn’t surprised, things were more than in full swing, people everywhere, lights low and music going. Crossing through the main living room there was a group of people half watching horror movies while shouting when to drink to each other while they talked over the rest of it. She caught eyes with a few people she recognized, giving them waves from across the room as she made her way through the space to the doorway of the kitchen where she heard you before she saw you. Your laugh always made her heart flutter, whether she was the one pulling them from you or not, her lips twitching up into a grin as her eyes searched through the darkened room.

Her eyes widened briefly when she saw you, dressed in a tight, sparkly black bodysuit with matching boy shorts over top, just enough of your chest peeking out over the top of the neckline. The tip of your nose was painted pink, whiskers drawn across your bright cheeks, a headband with cat ears on the top of your head and a fluffy tail pinned to the back of your shorts. She knew you hadn’t been planning anything extensive for your costume, not being one for dressing up but this was just the perfect amount to look good yet also drive her wild. As her gaze dragged up your body her head tilted, eyes narrowing at a hand resting on your hip that wasn’t yours, rather it was connected to the arm wrapped around your waist. The man beside you was laughing at something you said, leaning in to untangle a curl of your hair that had gotten wrapped around one of the cat ears.

She could tell that he wasn’t making you uncomfortable, the smile on your cheeks genuine and not just to appease him but that didn’t help the green eyed monster that was beginning to burn inside her gut. She wasn’t sure if it was an old friend or a stranger who was getting a little too cozy, but she certainly didn’t want him to stick around much longer. Slipping through the crowd she was finally able to approach you, a smirk breaking out on her lips when you spotted her, practically jumping away from the counter and your new friend.

“Baby!” You greeted, squeezing tightly at her hand as you popped toward her to steal a quick kiss.

“Hi babe.” She murmured back, smile on her cheeks before she was interrupted.

“Aw c’mon, you’re not even dressed up.” Travis interjected.

“Yeah?” Her hand found her hip, brushing back the front of her blazer revealing her Glock in the process.

“So what’re you supposed to be?” He asked again, smarmy grin on his cheeks.

“An FBI agent who’s pissed you’ve got your hands all over her girlfriend.” She replied with a stern gaze and he backed up with a laugh.

“You could at least let me hold your gun.”

“It’s not a prop.” Emily glared and he was across the kitchen without a second word, April disappearing to leave the two of you alone for a couple of minutes.

“He was harmless.” You giggled, wrapping an arm around her waist and pressing a kiss to her cheek.

“I know.” She huffed a laugh, “doesn’t make intimidating him any less fun.”

“You’re ruthless.”

“And you make one hell of a seductive cat.”

“Yeah?” You asked with a grin, “that mean I get to sit on your lap?”

“You can do a lot more than sit on my lap.” She murmured; her fingers splayed across your jaw to tilt your head toward her as her thumb trailed down your neck. She’d been intending to pull you into a kiss but when her thumb hit leather her eyes directed further south, widening at the black choker around your neck. It only took a second for her to realize it wasn’t a necklace, but rather a collar, complete with a gemstone at the front of it, her head tilted in confusion. “That’s not your birthstone.”

“No.” You chuckled, “it’s yours. All kitties have to know who they belong to, don’t they?”

“Well you…” her thumb moved back up, rubbing at your jaw, “seem to have forgotten that part.” She leant down, leaving a kiss on the side of your neck, her next words husked into your ear, “I bet you think you’re real cute letting him put his hands all over you. We’ll see how cute you look later when I get you home.” Her teeth nipped at your earlobe as your breath caught in your throat, a tingle shooting through your entire body, “now kitten…who do you belong to?”

Your eyes widened, pulse quickening at the use of the new pet name, knowing no doubt it was brought on by the risqué costume you’d chosen for the night, completely unaware it was going to awaken something like this in Emily.

“You, daddy.” You whispered and she smiled, a hungry look in her eye as she leant in to peck you.

“Good girl.” Her hand slunk down your arm, fingers lacing with yours, “now, you promised you’d save me a drink.”

“Mmhmm…” Nodding, you took a breath to try and calm yourself before leading her to the drink table.

Emily’s hand didn’t leave your body for the rest of the night, lingering in the small of your back, resting across your shoulders, winding tightly around your waist whenever anyone got a little too friendly. Her lips would press into your neck, shoulder, cheek, temple, anywhere acceptable for PDA in a crowd like this, staying glued to your side to make sure it was known you were hers. At one point you leant over a table, tossing the beer pong ball back to someone and she caught Travis’ eyes looking directly down your shirt, lips forming a hungry grin that made her stomach churn. She grabbed your waist, swiftly turning you to her and catching you in a deep kiss, smiling at the way your arms instantly wound around her shoulders.

“It’s time to go.” She murmured and you let out a small giggle, whispering back.

“Whatever you say daddy.”

Emily’s tongue was down your throat, her hands pawing at your ass as she backed you down the hallway into the bedroom, nearly tripping over her own feet as she did. You let out a moan into the kiss, your hips rutting against hers as your arms wrapped tighter around her shoulders. Her teeth sank into your lower lip, pulling a groan from you as she reluctantly pulled away from the kiss, a fire in her eyes as she grinned at you.

“Can’t believe you dressed up like this just for me.” She said and you giggled.

“Well.. if it was just for you… it would’ve been sluttier.”

“How so?” She asked, a brow raised.

“No shorts, for starters.” Your fingers slipped into the waist band, shoving them down your legs leaving you in just the body suit, “probably more cleavage.” You tugged the fabric down further, exposing more of your chest and Emily chuckled.

“But now you’ve lost your tail, kitten.” Her finger curled under your chin, tilting your head to the side, nipping at you earlobe, “although we could get you a plug that has one.” Her lips brushed against your skin, “would you like that?”

“Mmhm…” You giggled, a gleam in your eyes as you looked up at her, “I didn’t expect you to be so into this?”

“What can I say?” Her fingers slipped between the collar and your neck, “I like it when everyone knows you belong to me.” Your breath hitched as she tugged on the leather, pulling you closer to her, a familiar need beginning to pulse between your legs, “now why don’t you show daddy what gorgeous lingerie you have on under this and get down on your knees like a good little pet?”

You nodded eagerly, quickly slipping the bodysuit off your body, letting it drop to the floor while Emily padded through the room, stripping her own clothing as she went. Her eyes stayed on you, a small smile on her lips as she admired your lingerie, lacy and black to fit the theme, hugging your curves perfectly.

“That looks like my new favourite.” She purred, opening the nightstand drawer to pull out the strap, “how about you get rid of the bra, let me see those gorgeous tits, kitten.”

While you were ridding yourself of accessories, she was adding to her own, a smirk on her lips as she approached you, cock heavy between her legs. Her fingers curled around your cheek, turning your face up to her as her eyes slipped down to admire your half naked frame.

“Just so beautiful.” She winked, the tip of her finger tapping the tip of your nose, “now why don’t you get daddy’s cock nice and wet so I can fuck you so good you forget your own name, hmm?”

“Yes daddy.” The words were out of your mouth before you could even think, sitting up on your knees to brace yourself on her thighs while your lips eagerly wrapped around the tip of the toy.

You bobbed down it, sinking it into the back of your throat in the way Emily absolutely loved, her hips rocking it an inch deeper as she let out a soft groan. Her hand collected your hair, gently wrapping it around her fist while you pulled off her cock, tongue sticking out of your mouth and she chuckled, using her free hand to hit the tip of her dick on your tongue.

“Good girl.”

At the praise you smiled up at her, licking a broad strip up the toy before sucking it back into your mouth, inching down it once again. Emily’s hand tightened in your hair, pushing you down further and setting a faster pace as she continued to fuck into your mouth. You could feel drool pooling in the corners of your mouth and a similar wetness collecting in your panties, rubbing your thighs together in an attempt for some relief. Your mouth sunk down to the base of the toy, pulling a gasp from Emily when the movement nudged it right against her clit. Pushing her cock deeper into your throat you slowly shook your head, shifting it back and fourth and she groaned softly, her hand tugging you off the toy by your hair.

“Are you really that needy tonight kitten?” She asked, a fire behind her eyes and you nodded, chest heaving as you panted for breath.

“Please daddy.”

“Well then get on the bed, hands and knees.” She tugged on your hair, letting it fall from her hands as you stood, watching hungrily as you presented yourself for her. “Always such a good pet, aren’t you.” You felt the bed dip behind you as she climbed onto it, her hands sliding up the back of your thighs, squeezing at the globe of your ass before a hand spanked you and you let out a gasp, feeling the tingle shift from where she’d hit you spark through your body before settling in your pussy. Emily let out a small chuckle, her hands toying with your panties, “yes… I do think you’d look rather spectacular with a tail plugging that pretty ass.” She spanked you again, “for next time I guess.”

“Please…” You whined, pressing your hips back toward her, letting out a moan as her thumb brushed over your tight hole, pressing ever so lightly.

“Don’t worry kitten, daddy will take care of you.”

Her fingers slipped into the waistband of your panties, pulling them down your legs and tossing them aside before she chuckled darkly, her eyes settling on the glistening between your legs. There was no doubt you’d been waiting for this all evening and were absolutely aching for her to fill you up, walls fluttering around nothing as you let out a little whimper. Her hands slid up the backs of your thighs once again, pulling your pussy lips apart so she could admire you, watching the way the soft light made your juices practically sparkle. You dropped down onto your elbows, back arching and she hummed in appreciation as the angle of her view changed to one where she could see more of you, her fingers coming up to toy with your cunt.

“My pretty girl.” She purred, her slicked fingers rubbing up your back before they curled under your collar, “shame we don’t have a leash for you. I know how much you like to be choked.”

“Oh god…” you moaned, your eyes practically rolling back into your head as she tugged at the leather, just imagining how much harder she could be pulling with the extra accessory.

“We’ll make a trip to the toy store this weekend.” Her hand moved to swat at your ass again, “get my pretty kitty whatever she wants.”

You let out a loud gasp when her body rocked forward, cock plunging into you until her hips were crashing into yours, your body shooting forward on the bed.

“Fuck!”

“You can take it.” She groaned, pulling her hips back to admire her cock slicked with your juices before it plunged back into your heat. “This’ll teach you, won’t it?” She set a fast and deep pace, each thrust of her hips driving you forward on the bed, the head of her cock brushing your g-spot, pulling louder and longer moans from you. “No more flirting with silly boys at parties.”

“N-no.” You moaned out, pussy clenching down around her as you began to claw at the bedspread, pleasure surging through your body, your skin already on fire as she continued to fuck you with ease.

“And who does my sweet kitten belong to?” She asked, giving a particularly hard thrust that drove you into the mattress.

“You daddy.”

“That’s my good pet.” Continuing to fuck deeper into you she leant over your body, leaving a handful of kisses across you bare skin. Your body shivered with each touch of her lips, thighs shaking as her hand found its way between them, gently pinching your clit before rubbing it in circles. “I know you’re close princess, you’ve been waiting too long for this. So good for daddy…”

“Fu-uck. Oh fuck!” Your eyes scrunched shut as you felt the coil getting tighter before, “harder!”

Your request was all Emily needed before her hips crashed into yours and you collapsed onto the bed, letting her fuck you into the mattress and her fingers rubbed harder at your throbbing nub. Only a minute later and the dam burst, cries of pleasure escaping your lips to bounce off the bedroom walls, the only accompanying sounds Emily’s pants and sopping sounds from your cunt as you reached your orgasm.

Emily’s thrusts slowed as your body shook beneath her, her hand disappearing from your clit, thumbs rubbing soft circles into your hips as she fucked you through your orgasm.

“That’s my good girl.” She cooed, “always so pretty for me when she comes.”

You let out a whimper in acknowledgement, barely nodding your head and she chuckled, giving you one last hard thrust that you gasped at before she gently pulled out, watching your juices dribble onto the bedspread. She tossed the strap to the side to be dealt with later, crawling over you as her hands soothed across your skin, lips leaving feather light kisses up your spine until she was fully over you, pressing a gentle kiss to your temple that you practically purred at while she untangled the cat ear headband from your hair, gently placing it on the nightstand. She shoved the covers down, rolling onto her back and tucking you into her side as you started to catch your breath, fingers tracing patterns on your bare skin as she pulled the covers back up over the two of you.

Once your breathing was evened out you let out a soft sigh and she smiled, tilting your head up to kiss your lips before her fingers traced the pattern of the leather on your neck, the stone catching in the light.

“We are actually gonna go to the store, right?” You asked with a yawn burrowing deeper into her embrace and she laughed.

“I said, I’ll get you whatever you want kitten.”

“Good.” You grinned, eyes opening to look up at her, “not gonna lie, if I knew this was gonna awaken something in you I wouldn’t have waited until Halloween.”

Emily rolled her eyes, swatting at your ass through the blanket as you laughed, pressing a kiss to her collarbone. Her fingers traced the choker, pinching at the gem, “you like wearing this?”

“Mmhm.” You nodded.

“Should get you something more dainty for everyday wear.”

“I’d like that.”

“Yeah?” She pinched at your chin, “maybe that way you won’t forget whose pet you are again.”

“Definitely not.”

___________________

@mickey-gomez @momlifebehard @daddy-heather-dunbar @maybe-a-humanbean @rustyzebra @leftoverenvy @kades95 @dextur @supercriminalbean @daffodil-heart @its-soph-xx xx @just-a-torn-up-masterpiece @hopelesslyfallenninlove @emilyprentisssluvr @lex13cm @zizzlekwum @emobabeyy @riveramorylunar @s1ut4nat @scorpsik @prentiss-theorem e @happenstnces @sapphicprentiss @geekyandgay98 @pagetboobstarcomments @onmykneesformarvel @inlovewithemilyprentiss @desperate-gay @amypoehlfey @overtrred28 @theclassicgaycousin @regalmilfs4me @kalixxh @ara-a-bird @five-bi-five-mind @niyizh @inlovewithmiddleagewomen @hotchs-bitch @kmc1989 @irishavengersassemble @romanoffsho @ratsnestinmyhair @assgardangod @originalbrunettecharacter @elz-artzzz @hopedoesntknow @dj-bynum3718 @venromanova @waitaminuteashh @noahrex

#emily prentiss #emily prentiss x reader #criminal minds #halloween fic #criminal minds fanfic #emily prentiss fanfic

431 notes · View notes

kayr0ss · 4 months

Text

Cognizance

[Dungeon Meshi / Delicious in Dungeon, Farcille, Fluff, Library Fluff, holding hands, Falin is a little useless, bless her] AO3 Link

Summary: Farcille fluff where Falin rapidly realizes her feelings after spending an afternoon with Marcille in the library.

“—it’s because mana is inherently dynamic!” Marcille said with wonder in her eyes. Her voice was barely over a whisper but it was enough to carry the melody of excitement dancing in her words. “Sinusoidal functions are the best way to represent them. When we modulate the output of our spells,” she pointed to a diagram on the heavy tome between them, “it’s almost like selecting which frequencies of our mana we want to call on. The dwarven inventors understood this mathematically.”

“Mhm?” Falin hummed to keep her going. Marcille was going to anyway, pushing aside books and half-opened rolls of parchment to make space for yet another (how many was it now?) tome. It was thick and bound in dark, sturdy leather.

“The math, of course, isn’t a perfect representation of mana’s unpredictability. Just a close estimate, but sometimes it’s enough. For example—"

Falin watched, enraptured, as Marcille ran her finger across the fore edge of the tome, stopping a quarter ways up before opening it. Marcille was satisfied to see that she had opened at the right chapter by sheer memory of touch.

She’s probably read this book a thousand times.

“—you notice how in dungeons our spells grow stronger? Almost as if the environment is a modifier of those mana waves? If we didn’t understand these changes, our spells could go very, very, wrong. So we try to think about mana in terms of the width of its ripples—in frequency domain, you could say—”

Marcille was practically waving around her hands by now, straining to keep her voice low (as though the kingdom’s court mage was afraid of the librarian chastising her).

“—which is why it was so important to learn Fourier transforms back in school. It helped us visualize—uh. Falin?” Marcille tilted her head “What’s funny?”.

Oh. She was smiling.

“I wasn’t laughing.” It was true. Falin looked at the parchment in front of her, noticing (with some embarrassment) that she forgot to keep writing and left a blotchy mess of ink on her notes. She was supposed to be researching too. “I just think you look good.”

This made Marcille blink. Then it made her laugh, an amused puff of air out her nose. “Hunched over dusty books?”

“Yup,” Falin said earnestly with a sweet smile. Marcille really was. She looked in her element—happy and content amongst troves of knowledge waiting to be unearthed. She looked happy, with stray locks of hair falling along the side of her face, coming undone from the braid Chilchuck made this morning. She loved the way Marcille picked at the corners of pages while she read—as if she couldn’t wait to turn them. She loved the little gasp of incredulity whenever Marcille discovered something preposterous and new. She had an insatiable appetite for finding out more, and more, and more and Falin found herself utterly captivated by it.

Marcille—a little red in the face—thanked her.

II.

Ha! There it was! An hour into their trip to the library, Falin finally found something. A thin chapter on magical vectors, containing a table of coefficients they might need. “Marcille!” Falin excitedly whispered, folding the corner of the page into a little dog ear (inwardly apologizing to the girl across her).

“I found an—uh—I—”

Falin sputtered.

Marcille was looking at her with round, excited eyes. “What did you find?”

She forgot was she was going to say. Completely. Except the realization that she’s just seen the most beautiful shade of green she ever had seen in her life. And Falin didn’t really know what else to do with that fact so—

“Marcille,” Falin knit her eyebrows, looking between her book and feeling a little shy and confused. “Your eyes are pretty.”

III.

Research had turned into a hopeless case.

For Falin, at least, because Marcille had dipped into a whole other world in her books despite sitting an arm’s length across from her.

Falin allowed herself the luxury of simply watching.

She was self-aware enough to realize that Marcille was the likely cause of her diminishing focus. But why? And when did it start? It isn’t like thinking Marcille was pretty was anything knew. She’d known that the whole time they’d been friends.

But today she felt like a hooked fished, unsuspectingly ensnared and slowly being reeled into… something.

Marcille let out a thoughtful hum—probably puzzling pieces together in her head. She had one hand fiddling with the corner of her book, and her chin resting on the back of her other.

Falin didn’t even realize that she was holding her breath. Her stomach felt weird in the prettiest way.

She decided they could use a break, maybe invite her brother for some afternoon snacks before finishing up for the day—hunger was bubbling in her stomach.

“Would you like to take a break with me?”

“Mmm,” Marcille hummed, eyes still glued to the pages. “Ten more minutes?”

“Turns into to forty and then some,” Falin teased.

“I mean!” Marcille was flustered. She finally tore her eyes away to look up at Falin. “Okay, it might. But if you’re hungry we should take a break. I plan to come back anyway.”

“I’m not hungry,” which may not have been true, per se, but Falin always struggled with saying no and it didn’t bother her all that much.

Marcille squinted at her. “Are you sure?”

Falin flushed a little. “Don’t worry about—”

“You’re hungry.” Marcille crossed her arms. “We can compromise, I promise to wrap it up in twenty minutes?”

“Thanks,” Falin said in a small, sheepish voice. Marcille Donato and ‘compromise’ is no small feat.

IV.

Eating didn’t really help her focus. If anything, it just made her a little sleepy.

They were back from a break that went by too fast—but at least they were full, and it was nice to see her brother.

At this point in the afternoon Falin had given up all pretense of working. She had a book on gardening opened in front of her (she wanted to cultivate mandrakes for cake—Laios was ecstatic, Marcille horrified). She didn’t know how Marcille could do it, powering through hours of reading for entire afternoons. She stretched, pulling her arms upwards while she yawned.

Marcille watched her quietly.

“I feel like I’m keeping you here,” she pouted.

As soon as Falin had set her arms down on the table, Marcille reached out to gently touch her elbow. She liked to do that, Falin noticed, to run her fingers along the feathers of her arms. It felt nice, so she always let her.

“Mm-mm,” Falin shook her head. “You’re not.”

“You’ll tell me when you want to go?”

“I will.”

“Mmkay,” This seems to have satisfied Marcille who looked back towards her work. Her hand, however, lingered, only moving to loosely tangle her fingers around Falin’s. It’s not a novel action—a habit from when they were younger—but today was a confusing day for Falin and all she could do was stare at their hands.

There was a prickling heat that traveled up her neck—a foreign and curious feeling.

Her thoughts were interrupted by Marcille’s dissatisfied grunt. Something was frustrating her—her brows were knit and her green eyes narrowed. Then she bit her lip, perfect and pink and soft.

Falin was barely aware of how hard she had swallowed.

Finally, once the hour of sunset arrived, Marcille looked ready to go.

Falin was flushed and may have felt delirious.

Marcille didn’t let go for an entire hour—going back and forth between her fingers and the soft feathers of her arms. She did it as though it soothed her, flipping through pages like Falin wasn’t burning red in the ears two feet away from her. Falin had been pretending to write but ended up drawing comical doodles along the margins of her parchment just to distract herself, but even that wasn’t working anymore.

“I know it’s a little selfish,” Marcille looked to the side with puffed cheeks. “But I didn’t want you to go.”

“It isn’t selfish. I wanted to stay,” Falin reassured her.

“You just didn’t seem very comfortable,” Marcille stared at her a little too hard. “You’re all red and—” She put her palm up to Falin’s cheek. “Are you okay?”

Falin’s mouth felt dry. “Yeah,” She said breathlessly. “It’s just—” She tried to string together an explanation but found that it was difficult when she was still looking for one herself. Interestingly, when backed up into a corner, Falin’s flight or fight response often resulted in unfiltered candidness. “You look beautiful.”

“Uhm,” Marcille looked pleasantly confused. “Thank you?”

“I—”

She didn’t really know… she what, exactly?

“Falin?”

Marcille looked concerned but reluctant to push the issue. She pulled back, throwing her hair behind her shoulders. Falin recognized it. It was something she did whenever she started thinking too hard. Falin’s gaze followed the motion—the smooth flick of her wrist to throw her curtain of lovely golden hair back. Little strands came loose and were left behind, small slivers of gold falling forward on her shoulders, above the shape of Marcille’s perfectly sculpted collarbones and—

Falin’s quill had snapped in her hand.

It surprised them both.

“Oh.”

It finally clicked. She blinked at Marcille—disheveled from an afternoon of work and looking absolutely perfect.

“Oh, wow.”

fin

A/N:

the way i left my job early for "something urgent at home" and then just wrote this :-) I haven't written fanfic in a very long time so I feel like I no longer know how to, but Farcille just re-wired the circuit boards in my brain and I had to do this. I gift this to my friends: toasty, tato, and icarus for letting me scream in their general direction about these two. Love y'all!

#dungeon meshi #delicious in dungeon #farcille #falin touden #marcille donato #dunmeshi #falin #marcille #fluff #falin x marcille #just cute things

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scrollonso · 1 month

Text

It Makes Sense — 1 (out of 2?)

“No… Domi, listen, I di-” Pecco was cut off by another angry yell being spouted by the phone. “Can you actually just listen to me?! Stop fucking screaming over the phone, I can hear you just fine!”

Pecco had been on the phone with her for almost an hour, and for the entirety of that time Bez had been laying on his back, watching the older man through half-lidded eyes. They were oh so busy, and she oh so rudely interrupted them. It was funny though, seeing Pecco pacing a hole through his floor in nothing but his underwear, covered in bite marks and hickeys that most definitely did not come from Domi. It put a sense of pride into Bez knowing that no matter who Pecco was with… it would never be them, always him.

Maybe it was fucked up of him to be so happy about it, maybe it made him a messed up person to be glad that no one else could ever make Pecco feel the way he did. But he didnt care, and it didn't change that it was true.

“Just listen to me! Actually fucking listen! Domizia…” He paused for a moment, the sound of the woman's voice booming through the phone speaker. Bez had never liked Domizia, but he also had never liked any of Pecco's girlfriends. They were always so whiny and annoying. ‘Blah blah blah, you and Bez are too close’ ‘Spend more time with me’ ‘Don’t ditch me for him blah blah blah’. All they did was bitch and moan. It was obnoxious.

“I'm sorry, okay? There is nothing else I can say… I genuinely forgot we had plans and I-” he sounded defeated. “What? …No'' Pecco looked over at Bez, eyes raking over his form. Sitting in his bed, shirtless wearing nothing but tattered old ripped jeans with his piercing shining in from the light of the dim bedroom, a smirk playing at his lips. Pecco looked him dead in his eyes before speaking into the phone. “No, Marco isn't here right now, I haven't talked to him all day.”

It took everything in the man not to laugh his ass off. Pecco could obviously hear the stifled laugh because when he sat down on the bed next to him he slapped his arm, whispering for him to shut up.

“… I’ll talk to you later okay, I swear… No I really gotta go,” Pecco sighed. “Domi, I’ll talk to you later… I need to, like, clean up and stuff, my apartment is a mess, seriously I need to go-”

Before Pecco could stop him, Bez snatched the phone out of his hands, not letting go no matter how much Pecco tried to wrestle it out of his grasp. He hung up just as Pecco got a grip

"Seriously, Bez?" He asked, groaning as he looked at the phone in his hands. "You should've let me finish talking it out with her before you hung up."

“Well if you loved her, I wouldn’t be in your bed right now. If you really cared about her, you wouldn’t be covered in my bite marks and my hickeys.”

“Just shut the fuck up Bez… I have to go do damage control.” Pecco said, trying to get up, Bez quick to pull him back down

“Or… you should just stop thinking about her pathetic ass and stay in bed with me, we could continue what we started...”

“As tempting as that sounds, I need to fix this, I can't have her upset at me for long."

Bez just looked at the other boy, rolling his eyes and sighing, putting Pecco's phone on the bedside table next to him. Leaning over and pressing the other into the bed, ducking his head into the space between his shoulder and neck. “She’s sweet, y’know… She cares about me, treats me well.” Pecco spoke softly.

“Does she?” Bez mumbled, pressing small kisses to his skin, sucking on it lightly.

“Y-yeah… She does.” His voice was quiet and full of breath as Bez's hands started to roam around his body, one settling on his hip and the other rubbing his arm.

“Do you love her, Pecco?”

“…Y-yes”

Bez's fingers dug into his hip as he bit down particularly hard on his shoulder, making him gasp, push his head away, and involuntarily buck his hips all at the same time. “If you love her, why am I the one in your bed right now?”

“Bez…”

“You don’t love her, just like you didn’t love the last one, or the one before that. Because every single time, you end up knocking on my apartment door begging me to-“

“How many times do I have to tell you to shut the fuck up!” Pecco smashed his lips onto the other, setting them for a bruising pace, neither minded though. Nothing was ever gentle between the two of them, always fast and aggressive, maybe that’s what they like about each other. They don’t have to tone anything down, they could be awful and mean and still end up in the same bed afterwards.

“It’s not always me seeking you out, you know…I’m not that fucking desperate” Pecco said pulling away from him. “How many times have you pulled me away from hangouts and texted me during dates trying to get me back at your place?”

“And how many times have you done it? Sure, I’m pathetic for asking, but you’re pathetic for listening.”

“I hate you.” He leaned back in, kissing him feverishly. Bez's hands felt so cold against him while Pecco was on fire, skin a flush red. “How do you want it?”

“Hmm? What’s that?” He leaned down to his jaw, kissing and biting at it as Pecco tried to speak.

“You know what I mean.”

“Do I?”

“Just-… Come on.”

He stopped for a moment, teasing with the notion that he was thinking about it, trying to figure him out, but Bez knew exactly what he was asking.

“Oh, if I’m fucking you or you’re fucking me? Well, why didn’t you say that Pecco?” Bez smiled, and god, it did nothing but piss him off. “I don’t know, I think I have a lot to prove. Make sure you don’t call her back..”

“You petty bitch!” Pecco was laughing until Bez moved his hand to the back of his head, tangling it through the short curls, tightening his fist yanking on the hair in his grasp. “Fuck!” He moaned out, head tilted back and mouth open.

“If I fuck you hard enough you won’t even remember her name, will you?”

“Then actually do it instead of just running your mouth.”

Pecco felt the strong sting of a slap across his cheek, so hard it almost gave him whiplash. “You’re not the one telling me what to do here.” Pecco couldn't help but shudder at the sound of his voice, head still turned to the side as he was breathing heavily. If he wasn't hard before he certainly was now. “Wow… you’re fucking disgusting, arent you? Did you like that, Pecco? You like it when I hit you?”

Suddenly, Pecco wasn't moving, wasn't saying anything, eyes fixed on a patch of the dark blue sheets covering their his bed. Bez's stomach almost did a flip, hearing him so silent, not reacting, he worried for a moment that he might have gone a bit far.

“Amo..”

But his worries dissipated as soon as Pecco lunged forward, pushing Bez down and pressing all his weight onto him.

“You’re the one that likes hitting me, I simply humour you.”

Once again, Bez and Pecco caught each other in a kiss that was closer to eating eachothers faces than anything. The brunette's hand moved lower and lower until his palm rested right over the bulge in Bez's jeans, not quite pressing down, just resting there, teasing at the idea of friction.

Everytime Bez tried to buck his hips into his hands, the other would move it up with him, denying him the satisfaction, smiling into the kiss as he did so. He was growing frustrated, Pecco could feel it by the grip of the other man’s hand in his hair and the way he panted between each kiss while moving his hips up desperately. He moved down close to Bez's ear, whispering softly, with a voice far too angelic for anything the two of them were doing.

“And here I thought you were gonna take control, something about fucking me so hard I forget her name?” Bez gave a shaky exhale at the sound of Pecco's voice, taking a moment to collect himself. “I still remember it pretty well, hell… I still remember the way her pu-“

He was quickly cut off by the hand resting in his hair, yanking him back as the other moved forward, small whimpers escaping this mouth as Bez pulled him farther and farther back.

“Bez, Bez, Bez, please-“ he gave his hair another good tug, whipping his neck back and forth as he whined his name “I didn’t mean to-“

But every time he tried to speak, Bez just pulled harder, pulling until Pecco's hands frantically moved up. His palms resting over his knuckles trying to pry him off and release him from that damn death grip.

Smack.

Another harsh slap, his cock twitching when the calloused hand met the soft skin of his face. his cheek was red, his ears were ringing, and god, did he need Bez to just tear his boxers off and fuck him already. He didn’t know how much longer he could take this… how much longer he would last.

“I bet this could get you off alone couldn’t it? Pulling on your hair and slapping that pretty face of yours.” Bez looked at him as he spoke, his eyes showed nothing but adoration for him, and while looking at him like this, like Pecco had hung every single star up in the sky himself, he reared back his hand adding one more harsh slap to his face.

“CAZZO! Bez, fuck!” Pecco almost squealed, the skin on the right side of his face red and raw, a stark contrast to the left, cool and untouched. Bez's hips twitched and spasmed, bucking at nothing but air.

“Yeah… yeah, I could definitely get you off like this, wouldn’t even have to touch your dick… Bet I wouldnt have to fuck you either.” He chuckled. To anyone else, he looked fucking insane, but to Pecco? He almost looked godly up above him like this, holding him tightly in his grasp as he was groveling at his mercy. Yeah… Bez was a cruel and unforgiving god, a god that Pecco would worship at the altar of every chance he got. “You’re such a whore you know that? Sitting here humping the air while I hit you. Does your girlfriend know you like this shit?”

When Bez moved his hand towards Pecco's face, his whole body tense, ready for another blow to the face. He was surprised by him delicately holding his face, it made his cheeks sting no matter how soft the display was… and god did he love the sting.

“She doesn't…”

“What was that, amo?”

“We don't do shit like this together…”

Bez smiled. “Yeah, I didn't think so, I’m the only one that can give you what you need, aren't I?”

“Dont act so fucking smug-” Bez squeezed the cheek had been abusing all night, digging his short nails into the raw skin.

“Dont be fucking rude!” he released him, his grip on his face gone, and pulling his hand out of his hair. Pecco didn't even realize how harsh the grip was until it was released. His scalp was burning and sore, and his cheek was going to bruise, explaining that was going to be… interesting for sure.

Bez, who was propped up on the bed by his knees, finally began unbuckling his belt, slowly unzipping the fly. “I think… You forget yourself.” His voice was raspy, and filled with nothing but pure amusement. “You are so determined to defy me that you deny yourself of what you want.”

“The fuck are you talk-“ Pecco's jaw was grabbed harshly thus cutting him off.

“Shut the fuck up! Your mouth isn’t good for anything but sucking and moaning. Quit fucking talking!” The grip on Pecco's jaw got tighter as he shook his head back and forth.

“Fuck you.” He managed to choke out

“You can do that next time, it's my turn today.”

“Oh shut up-“

“Suck,” he interrupted quickly, staring straight into his eyes.

“Ask nicely.”

“Fine…” Bez grabbed him, shoving his face down, mouth hovering over the shaft of his dick, close enough he could feel every breath hitting the skin. He grabbed the base, tapping the tip on Pecco's lip. “Please open your mouth and suck my dick like the depraved whore you are.”

“That’s not very nice of you, Marco.” Pecco opening his mouth to speak was his first mistake, Bez taking the opportunity to shove the tip of his cock between his lips and quickly to the back of his throat.

He panicked for a moment, trying to pull off, but Bez's hand ruined every attempt at getting away.

“Stop struggling, stop- calm down and stop being a fucking baby about it.” He didn’t let up, not until Pecco stopped gagging and slapping his hands at his thighs. If he wanted to stop he would pinch. “I’m going to let go now, and you’re gonna bob your head up and down and fucking suck.”

And like that, his hand moved away, granting Pecco a small amount of mercy. It was still hovering in case his head needed a good push. Pecco tried to start off slow, maybe tease a bit, he loved Bez's reaction and how he tried to act less pathetic than he was, resisting the urge to whine and whimper when Pecco's mouth was wrapped around him. But Bez was growing impatient, deciding to start bucking his hips and returning his hand in its favorite place, gripping tightly around Pecco's hair. Well, it was his hands' third favorite place.

The first was around Pecco's neck, watching his face turn a light shade of purple before he finally let up; the second was his cock, when he would continue to jerk him off until he is overstimulated and begging him to let go; and third was his hair, when he could yank him around like his own personal ragdoll.

He continued thrusting his hips, watching his dick as it slowly dragged across his tongue and lips, precum and spit dribbling from his mouth. He could finish like this. It was tempting actually, to shove his head down and cum down his throat, basking in the sounds of him choking and the feeling of him struggling to get away.

He pulled Pecco off by his hair, the brunette breathing heavily, gasping almost. He needed to collect himself, Bez was too close and he didn’t want to fill his mouth, no he wanted to finish inside, he needed to fuck Pecco until he was screaming, and cum inside because goddamnit, he was his. He fucking belonged to him. He pulled his head up, kissing him, tongue licking along his lips.

“Lay… down,” he said between each kiss with him. Moving down to suck a couple more hickeys into the very minuscule amount of unmarked skin covering his body.

When Pecco's head finally hit the pillow, Bez pulled his boxers down.

It felt like the world had stopped spinning for a moment, Pecco looking up at him and Bez looking down, jeans still resting on his hips, fly open and cock out, and Pecco laying on the bed with his boxers bunched around his ankles and his body sprawled out like a figure in a renaissance painting. This was it, this was all he wanted, he was all he wanted.

Bez was terrified, and Pecco could see it on his face too, the lust turning bitter and forming into some sort of dread.

“Marco? You calling it quits?” His voice was soft, of course it was soft, he cared. He saw a shift in Bez's expression because of course he did, he knew Bez in such an intricate way — how could he not? And thinking about that only made it worse. “Let’s just… do this later, yeah?”

“No,” Bez blurted out, his hands holding onto Pecco's hips.

“No?”

“No, we aren’t doing this later, I want to fuck you now.” He pushed it away, it’s what he had to do, he couldn’t think about his damn feelings when all he wanted to feel was Pecco clenching around him when he finally cums.

“Mar-“

“If I wanted to fucking stop, I would’ve said the word. I haven’t, have I?”

“No… You haven’t.”

“Then shut the hell up about it.”

“Don’t fucking talk to me like that, you cunt.” Pecco leaned up to get into his face and was imedetly pushed back down. “If you don’t quit being such an asshole you aren’t fucking me at all.”

Bez just rolled his eyes as he reached over to the nightstand to grab the half empty bottle of lube, they had just gotten it a couple weeks ago and it was almost gone…

“I’m being fucking serious.”

He looked at him a moment, popping the cap open.

“Shut up.”

“Don’t want to.”

“Why are you such a bitch about everything?” He complained, squirting a pretty generous amount of the lubricant onto his fingers, not bothering to warm it up before pushing one in.

“Cold! cold cold cold, quit it.”

“Shut the fuck up.”

“I’m going to be worse to you next time.” Pecco breathed out, getting used to the feeling as Bez pushed the finger in and out. “You… are going to suffeeeerrr…” His words veered off into a whiny moan when a second finger was added.

“Oh, am I, baby? What’re you gonna do?”

“Gonna… fuck…” The pace of his fingers kept speeding up, making it difficult for Pecco to string a sentence together. “Fuck your face… ‘til you’re crying.”

“Are you?” The third finger was added, this one drew a loud moan out of Pecco, it was beautiful. “Is that all? That’s kinda boring, just until I cry?”

“You know that… collar we got?” That… That’s what made Bez freeze, finger stuck right at the knuckle and eyes a bit wide. If he wasn’t already hard he would have sprung up immediately. “The one with 'Pecco's' engraved on it?”

“I thought we were saving that for a special occasion.”

“I think bending you over in front of me and fucking you until you’re sobbing is pretty special.” It was Pecco's turn to smile at him — still looking so lovely — tan skin against the white sheets, dark bruises and bites littering every inch of his body, despite all that he looked almost innocent. Even when presented to him with his fingers knuckles deep inside curling in whatever direction would make him squirm, he looked sweet.

While talking about putta a fucking collar on him, he looked sweet.

“Getting a bit ahead of ourselves huh?” Bez chuckled out.

“Just preparing for the future.”

Bez considered a fourth for a second, but three was already too many, he knew how much Pecco liked it to hurt. It was just so much fun though, Pecco trying to act so casual while losing his mind just to Bez's fingers. He pulled them out despite every little protest coming from Pecco's mouth.

“Don’t be ungrateful. You are lucky I let you have my fingers.”

“Fuck me.” Pecco gasped out, a hand reaching out to grab Bez's arm.

“Patience.”

“Fuck… me.”

“I said you have to fucking wait a minute. I need to get more lube and-“

“I don’t give a shit about the lube Bez! Fuck me dry for all I care, there's already enough!” Pecco snapped, fingers digging into Bez's arm. “If you don’t hurry up, I’m going to press your goddamn face into this mattress and fuck you myself.”

If Bez's right hand wasn’t busy wiping the remaining lubricant onto his cock, he would slap the already blooming bruises on his cheek.

So… he used his left hand instead, the pristine and clear cheek being marked red, matching the other.

“You’re so ungrateful, did you know that?” Bez grabbed Pecco's thighs, pushing his legs closer and closer to his shoulders, almost folding him in half, leaving his hole on display. “But your body makes up for it, you don’t gotta worry.”

He pushed just the tip in, barely catching the rim before he pulled it right out, entertained by the way Pecco struggled to keep his breathing consistent and his eyes opened.

“Put it the fuck in!”

Another loud crack of palm against skin sounded through the room. “You think you would learn your fucking lesson, Pecco.”

“Please… Marco… Please fuck me, I need you, I need your cock, I can’t…you have to, please, I’ll do anything, please, fuck.” Tears slipped down Pecco's cheeks as he begged for Bez to fuck him. And he just couldn’t help it then, it was almost like he blacked out and his body started acting on its own. Finally thrusting into him, not taking the time to let Pecco adjust and starting the pace quick and brutal. Fucking into him like he wanted to break him in half, like he wanted to destroy him until he couldn’t move a single muscle.

He held onto Pecco's calves as he plowed into him, Pecco not able to shut up, broken moans echoing through the room.

“God, you are such a whore. You need to quiet down before your neighbours hear you… I bet you would like that wouldn’t you?”

“Hmm… Oh… mhmm!”

“Can’t even speak, can you? Is it that good? Do you just love my cock that much?” He didn’t slow down, not even when his hand snaked between Pecco's thighs to run his fingers along the shaft of his cock, lightly caressing it. “Aw, you still haven’t been touched yet have you? I bet you’re really pent up aren’t you? Do you want me to touch your dick, amore?”

Pecco's brain was fuzzy, he could barely focus on the world around him, let alone the words being spoken to him, but he nodded his head.

“Words, use them,” Bez croaked out, his pace faltering the closer he got to the edge. “If you want something, you gotta ask for it.”

“Yes… y-yes, yes, please touch, tou- fuck, oh fuck, Bez, god! Yes, touch my co- Jesus fuck!” He could barely get the sentence out, and that meant Bez was doing it right.

“That’s so pathetic.”

“Bez…”

“Begging just for me to touch you?”

“You told me to!” Pecco almost whined at him, as Bez borderline laughed at him.

“Mhm, and you listened like a good little bitch, didn’t you, Pecco?” He punctuated his words with a particularly hard buck of his hips, his dick hitting Pecco's prostate head-on, making him cry out in pleasure. It didn’t help that Bez finally held on to his cock, squeezing the base of it as he fucked him. Pecco was not going to finish first, Bez would make sure of it. He needed to know that his body wasn’t his own, it wasn’t his girlfriends either, no. It was Bez's. His property and most prized possession.

“Mar… Marco, it fucking hurts!”

“I know, just give me a minute, I’m almost there, baby, I promise.” He kissed him, not hungrily like it had been this whole time, not with aggression or overbearing control but, with a softer passion, the two pairs moving together in the softest gesture of the whole night. Maybe that’s what did it, that small little fantasy in Bez's head that they had more kisses like that, kisses that lingered just for the sake of closeness and not because they needed something to fulfill their bodies needs. Maybe that’s what got Bez to finally cum… or maybe it’s the way Pecco's hole clenched around his cock and he moaned into his mouth as he pulled away… It was probably the second one.

“Fuck… Shit, oh my… Pecco, baby, you are something.” He was so busy riding out his orgasm, thrusts slowing down as he came down, that he forgot about the hand wrapped around Pecco's weeping cock. And the way he squirmed and groaned, begging for him to let go and jerk him off. “Oh, yeah… You need to get off, too. You wouldn’t mind if I just left you like this, would you?

It was a joke, but Pecco obviously wasn’t in the mood to take Bez's shit. His hands moved up to dig into Bez's scalp and pulled his face close, noses touching.

“I don't give a shit if it's your birthday

I will fucking. Kill. You.”

Bez gulped, staring right into Pecco's dark brown eyes. “Hot.”

Pecco sighed, throwing his head back into the pillow, and that’s when he started moving his hand, slowly rubbing his thumb over the slit. He unfolded him and rested his legs on his shoulders. Moving down to take the tip of Pecco's cock into his mouth and suck on it. Tongue swirling around it, encouraged by Pecco's hand resting in his hair and moaning out at every slight movement. He didn’t take the whole thing, using his hand to jerk him off until he was cumming.

Pecco's hips spasmed as he came, screaming out and digging his fingernails into the palms of his hands until Bez pulled off with the most obnoxious popping noise.

“Be… Bez…”

He fucking swallowed it.

“Hm?”

“Apple juice.”

Bez stopped in his tracks, as he was pulling away from Pecco and setting his legs down.

“I’m sorry, what?”

“Want it.”

“Aren’t you supposed to drink water after getting your brains fucked out?”

“Yeah, but… I want fucking apple juice.”

“Fine, whatever, I’ll get you apple juice.” He rolled his eyes, standing up and grabbing the box of tissues to throw at Pecco so he could clean himself up while he went to the kitchen.

When he came back in, Pecco was still sitting naked on the bed, now with his phone in hand and a serious look on his face, his head shot up when Bez walked in.

“I'm gonna propose.” the brunette whispered, sighing as he sat his phone down and grabbed his glass. “Christmas Eve, I'm gonna propose..”

“Yeah, okay Pecco.” he laughed, flopping onto the bed next to him.

“I am.” Pecco sat up, looking down at Bez "We can't keep doing this, we're both boys.c

"And?" Bez hummed, closing his eyes "Doesn't stop you from loving my cock."

"Bez. She's a girl, it makes sense for me to propose. This- Us. It doesn't make sense."

He just hummed, he didn't believe him.

Pecco had rehearsed his speech a hundred times in his mind, but standing here now, in front of Domizia in the same place they had their first date, the words felt heavier. It was Christmas Eve, the scent of pine and cinnamon in the air, and the lights from the buildings around them softly illuminated the streets.

Pecco’s breath came out in small, misty clouds as he tried to steady himself. Domizia was bundled up in a patterned scarf, her cheeks pink from the chill, eyes sparkling with the same love and warmth she had always shown him.

He reached into his coat pocket, fingers brushing against the small velvet box. Everything about this moment was perfect, yet his chest felt tight. The words he had planned seemed to tangle in his throat. But he had made his choice. This was right. It made sense.

"Domizia," he began, his voice low but firm, "I’ve been thinking about us, about everything we’ve been through. You’re my everything, the one person who’s always been there for me."

She smiled softly, stepping closer, her gloved hand gently brushing his arm. "Francesco, you’re making me nervous," she teased lightly, her breath visible in the cool air.

He chuckled, but it didn’t ease the tension building inside him. Slowly, he pulled out the ring box and knelt down on one knee, the city lights casting a warm glow on the ring nestled inside. Domizia’s eyes widened in surprise, her hand flying to her mouth as she gasped.

“I love you, Domizia. I want to spend the rest of my life with you,” Pecco said, his voice steady despite the whirlwind of emotions inside him. “Will you marry me?”

For a moment, everything seemed to stand still. Domizia’s eyes filled with tears, her face lighting up with pure joy. She nodded eagerly, her voice trembling as she whispered, "Sì, sì, of course!"

He slipped the ring onto her finger, feeling a strange mix of relief and weight as she threw her arms around him. The world around them felt distant, the noise of the city fading into the background as they embraced. This was the future he had chosen—the life that made sense. But even as Domizia held him tightly, Pecco couldn’t shake the lingering shadow of what he was leaving behind. The man he was leaving behind.

Pecco’s mind was a whirlwind of conflicting emotions as he and Domizia walked through the softly lit streets, her arm linked through his. She was glowing with happiness, showing off the ring to every passerby who glanced their way. But behind his smile, Pecco felt a storm brewing within him.

He knew what he had to do next. It was inevitable, like a slow-moving train heading toward its destination. His heart ached with the weight of it, the reality of the promise he had just made pressing down on him. He glanced at his watch, the cold metal against his wrist grounding him as they reached the hotel.

“Should we go in?” Domizia asked, her eyes hopeful, her hand resting on his chest. She had no idea of the inner turmoil twisting inside him.

Pecco leaned down and kissed her softly. “I need to take care of something, amore. I’ll be back later.”

She pouted playfully but nodded, trusting him. As she always did. “Don’t be too long, okay? I want to wake up with you.”

He kissed her again, this time with a tenderness that almost broke him. “I’ll be back soon.”

As soon as Domizia disappeared into the building, Pecco let out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. The tension that had been coiling inside him since the moment he proposed began to unravel, but only slightly. The warmth of her embrace still lingered on his skin, yet it didn’t bring the comfort it should have. Instead, it felt like a reminder of the weight he had just tied himself to — a weight that felt both safe and suffocating at once.

His hand trembled slightly as he reached into his coat pocket, fishing out his phone. For a moment, he stared at the screen, his mind racing. He had just promised his future to Domizia, but here he was, heart pounding, thinking of someone else. Someone who had always been in the background, in the shadows of his decisions, but never fully gone.

Pecco's fingers hovered over the keyboard, doubt creeping in. But he couldn’t stop himself. Not this time. He needed to see him, to feel that familiar rush that always came when they were together—the pull that kept dragging him back, no matter how hard he tried to resist.

With a quick breath, he typed out the words before he could second-guess himself any further.

"I need to see you."

"Now."

He hesitated for the briefest of moments before pressing send, knowing that whatever came next, there was no turning back.

Bez was waiting at Pecco and Domizia’s house, leaning against the doorframe when Pecco arrived. His posture was casual, but his eyes told a different story — darker than usual, shadowed with something Pecco couldn’t quite place. It was a look he knew all too well. It was a mix of anger, hurt, and anticipation, as if Bez had been waiting for this moment with an intensity that mirrored the weight of Pecco's own dread. They had been dancing around this conversation for too long, and tonight, neither could avoid it.

Pecco barely had time to close the door behind him before Bez pulled him in, pressing their lips together in a kiss that was more desperate than passionate. It wasn’t gentle or hesitant. It was demanding, a collision of need and frustration, of all the things they hadn’t said. It was familiar, the way Bez’s mouth moved against his, the way their bodies fit together, like the hundreds of times they had done this before. Pecco responded instinctively, his hands finding their way to Bez’s back, pulling him in as close as he could, as if proximity might make everything easier to understand, as if being together like this could make the rest of the world disappear.

They stumbled toward the couch, breath mingling with quiet gasps as their hands roamed over each other. Bez’s fingers threaded through Pecco’s hair, tugging just enough to send a shiver down his spine, a whine escaping as Bez's lips moved to press against Pecco’s neck. For a brief, stolen moment, it was as if everything was right again, as if nothing had changed between them. The familiar heat between them was still there, burning with the same intensity that always brought them back to each other, no matter how many times they tried to walk away.

But even as Pecco lost himself in Bez’s touch, his mind was racing. The ring on Domizia’s finger felt like a lead weight in his pocket, a constant reminder of the choice he had made tonight. A choice that had no place in this room, no place in the way Bez made him feel. He wanted to forget everything, to drown in the fire between them, to let Bez’s hands and lips burn away the guilt that gnawed at him. But he couldn’t.

He gently pushed Marco back, his chest heaving as he tried to find the words. Marco’s brow furrowed in confusion, his hands still gripping Pecco’s shirt.

“What’s wrong?” Marco asked, his voice low, almost fearful. "You didn't pinch me?"

Pecco pulled away, standing up and reaching into his coat pocket. He pulled out the velvet box, flipping it open to reveal the ring no longer nestled inside. Marco’s eyes widened in shock as he processed what Pecco was saying.

“This…” Pecco began, his voice thick with emotion, “this can never happen again.”

Bez looked up at him, his eyes searching Pecco’s face, trying to understand. “You’re- You really went through with it?”

Pecco nodded, closing the box and placing it back in his pocket. “I asked her tonight. She said yes.”

Bez laughed bitterly, shaking his head as he stood up. “So, that’s it? You’re just going to walk away from everything we had? From us? Seriously?”

Pecco felt his throat tighten, but he forced himself to meet Bez's gaze. “I can’t keep doing this, Bez. We can’t keep doing this. Domi… she’s my future. She’s the one I’m supposed to be with.”

“And what am I, then? A mistake?” Bez's voice was shaking, hurt. “Just some phase you had to get out of your system? Just testing the fucking faggot waters before settling down with some slut?”

“Don't call her that,” Pecco said quickly, stepping closer, his hand reaching out to cup Bez's face. “No, Marco, you were never a mistake. But we both knew this day would come. It had to.”

Bez closed his eyes, leaning into Pecco’s touch for just a moment longer before pulling away. “So, that’s it. We’re done?”

Pecco swallowed hard, nodding. “Yeah. We’re done.”

They stood there in silence, the weight of the moment settling over them like a heavy blanket. Finally, Bez turned and walked toward the door, pausing just before he stepped out.

“I hope she makes you happy, amore,” Bez said quietly, not turning around. “I really do.”

And then he was gone, leaving Pecco standing alone in the dark apartment, the echo of their goodbye lingering in the air.

Marco hadn’t felt this hollow in a long time. The familiar warmth of Vale's ranch — usually his favorite place to be during the holidays — felt like an emotional landmine this year. He couldn’t bear the thought of facing Pecco and Domi, watching them bask in the glow of their engagement while everyone celebrated around them.

It wasn’t just the usual holiday gathering. It was their Christmas now, the first of many where they’d be the center of attention, smiling and sharing their happiness with the world. And Bez? He’d be on the sidelines, forced to swallow the bitterness gnawing at his insides.

So he stayed away. He made excuses — something about needing time to rest, needing space. Valentino had tried to convince him otherwise, even sent a few messages asking if he was okay. Bez brushed it off with half-hearted responses, knowing that even Vale couldn’t pull him out of this one.

Instead of the ranch, he spent Christmas alone in his apartment. The quiet was suffocating, a far cry from the usual lively chaos of his racing family. He tried distracting himself with movies, but they all felt meaningless. Even riding, his usual escape, couldn’t fill the void. Everything seemed to loop back to Pecco — his laughter, his touch, his promises.

He imagined them at the ranch, the others surrounding Pecco and Domizia with congratulations. He could see Domizia holding out her hand, showing off the ring, while Pecco stood proudly beside her. That image stung more than any crash ever had.

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theonetruegnome · 1 month

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Fracture hills was never a big location for anything much to happen. It was a quiet town full of men women and children who were happy with the status quo. One thing that was guaranteed to get the populace buzzing however was the fair. Every summer, without fail, the fair would arrive. There were games, a few rides, attractions and, best of all, food.

The gang always went to the fair, every year, no exceptions, and it was usually the same schedule. Meet up at 12:30 and walk together to the actual fair. Buy tickets and enter at 12:57 just in time for the rides to start opening. Spend the next two hours or so being dragged by Sunny and Dandy onto every ride and game at least three times before they stop for food at 14:15. Spend half an hour trying to convince Conk to go on the scariest thing then let him sleep off the terror on a bench once he gets off. When Conk wakes up they walk around looking at all the different amusements and performers on parade. Finally, around 17:00, buy as much cotton candy they can and walk home. Bonus points if they finish it all before Rickett street.

It was a known fact that MunchyPup had the largest appetite out of any of the shifted critters, though it was a fact he was not always proud to be true. Some thought he was putting it on to try to be funny, or that he was just incredibly greedy, and disliked Munch because of it. However, with the ridicule and worries of being too gluttonous came a few small benefits, such as an increased constitution. Most people would likely be violently ill if they rode a rollercoaster three times after eating $20 worth of sugared doughnuts and French fries, and this is what happened to most of the shifted critters. Munch however managed to (Literally) keep his lunch down. When he stepped off, he didn't even look pale or in any sort of discomfort and asked if they'd like to go again!

Munch's favourite thing about his bigger tummy though, was competition. He was a celebrated competitive eater, and had won over 30 ribbons and medals. Seeing him, face buried in a stack of pancakes, or hotdogs, or anything really, it was astonishing such a vast quantity of food could fit inside such a seemingly small dog.

Anyway, the story for today starts with the gang entering one such fair. The air was crisp and cool, buzzing with excitement and nerves. 12:57. Buy tickets. The eight passed through the turnstile and made their way further into the grounds. Sunny ran off ahead to scout out what looked best. Leah was snapping away at seemingly everything, her face alight with excitement. Dandy eyed up the largest, steepest rollercoaster, her mouth forming the word 'Bet'.

The next two hours were a blur. Playing the fair games trying to win stuffed toys and keyrings and giving up their priceless tickets to the attendees to go on yet another ride. Spinning, dropping, laughing and screaming, the eight went on almost every attraction in the grounds before Munch suggested they stop for Lunch, right on schedule.

The group ate their fill, Munch in particular filling himself up as much as he could. 'Slow down Munch! You're gonna make yourself sick!' 'Lighten up a bit Mana, I've never seen Munchtime vomit once. Not even last year when he rode the waltzer after eating all those nugs!' At the memory, Callum giggles and Dandy thumps Munch on the back like he just ran a marathon. Munch grinned, swallowed, and stood up. 'Thanks Eli. You want anything while I'm up?' 'Woah, where're you going then?' 'To- to get more food, I could smell kettle corn over there-' 'Munch are you sure you can handle all this? I know you've got a big stomach but-' 'Aww, don't worry Leah. I'm not even close to full yet! But if you're really worried I'll stop after this, ok?' 'No, it's fine, I just don't want you getting sick or anything...' 'Alright, all of you, stop worrying about me! Leah, you've seen me eat before right?' 'Right.' 'So then you'll know how much I can take. So I'm going to go off, get some kettle corn, and afterwards we'll go see the freak show or something. Now, do you want any while I'm there or not?' '...Yes' Munch chuckles, 'That's what I thought!' He briefly ruffles her head fur and saunters off to find the kettle corn stand somewhere in the field they were eating in.

Eventually, Munch managed to find it and bought three large bags of the stuff from the kind woman serving him. 'Oof, maybe they're right... I am feeling kinda full. I guess I got a little carried away... I'll stop after this though. Mental promise.' Munch thought as he walked back, eating his corn. He sat down heavily next to Sunny, and handed a bag to Leah. She was immediately set upon by the others who 'Just wanted a bit', but left her with less than half of what she had. Just as the disappointment registered on her face, Munch handed her the third bag he had bought.

As soon as the last kernels were eaten Sunny stood up; 'So, where do we wanna go next? We could-' 'Lllllladies and Gentlemen!' The sudden noise of the voice over the loudspeaker made them all jump. 'We are proud to announce, the first annual Fracture Hills fair eating contest is about to begin! Anyone who wishes to enter last-minute, please speak with Samaritan at the stage entrance. All are welcome to compete!'

The group was stunned into silence before all crowding around Munch 'Ohmygod, Munch!' 'This is perfect for you-' '-You should compete!'

'Hey- Wha- No guys! This is not on the schedule, we should be-' 'Awww, nuts to the schedule! You could easily beat anyone else here!'

'But- But- I'm not- I mean, I should save room for cotton candy later, right?' 'It doesn't matter if you can't eat any cotton candy, the rest of us can pick up the slack.'

'Alright, but I probably won't win guys- L-look! Those are grown adults I'd competing with!' 'So? You're the boy with almost fifty ribbons for competitive eating. We've all seen you at your peak and it is honestly terrifying.' '...Okay fine, I guess it couldn't hurt to try...'

He walked up to the sparrow at the stage entrance, signed his name and climbed the steps to take his assigned place at the table. There must have been at least a hundred people all looking up at them. His stomach turned, and he suddenly became aware of how full his stomach was. He couldn't do this, he'd have to back down...

'Attaboy munch! You got this!' Munch ran forward slightly and scoured the crowd. His friends were all right in the centre, smiling and cheering him on. Leah had even gotten out her video camera to record the thing. He couldn't give up after they'd gotten so hyped... He gritted his teeth, sat and waited for the food to be placed in front of him. Pies. Perfect, his preferred meal for contests like this.

'Alright, standard rules for pie. Eat the majority of the centre of the pie, no hands allowed, and if you wanna back down, ring the bell in front of you. All clear? Ok! On your marks! Get set...GO!'

Munch threw himself face-first into the pastry and started to wolf down as much as he could. His candy-pink fur was soon stained with reds, blues and yellows. Sticky-sweet syrup and cinnamon-y apple sauce soaked into his fur and he could tell he'd crisp up later.

The others were all screaming and cheering their friend on. Conk was jumping like a madman, Dandy was yelling at the top of her lungs...

Catnap's voice suddenly faltered. He became aware of how many people were around him at the moment, how many strangers he didn't know. His cheers turned to a wheezy sort of squeak and he drew into himself. Crafty looked confused. What just happened? It was like she'd... she had no way to fully describe it, but something felt off... But what? Bobby had noticed catnap panicking and, dropping her camera, rushed over to him, wrapping her cardigan around his shoulders. Wait... her cardigan? But she didn't- Dogday suddenly felt a tsunami of nausea hit him. His tummy felt like it was bursting at the seams and his saliva felt thick as ice-cream. His whole body heaved as it tried to force the food back up his trachea. He looked up, hoping to see his friends urging him on. Instead, catnap looked terrified, Bubba and Crafty confused and the rest seemingly oblivious to his struggle. His hand lifted and fell limply onto the bell, the entirety of his mind on forcing himself not to spew everywhere.

The small *Ding!* seemed to echo like a gunshot. The others looked up, and saw Munch get up and walk offstage. Their once happy faces turned to disappointment and shock. What had happened? None of them could remember really, aside from their friend looking really uncomfortable. They all rushed over to meet him.

Munch looked up and saw them all waiting at the bottom of the short steps. He noticed that Callum looked on the verge of tears and all thoughts of losing slipped out of his brain.

'Hey, Callum, you ok? What's wrong?' 'Huh? *Sniff* Oh, I dunno. I just felt so… scared and- and upset all of a sudden. I- I just- *Sniff*-‘ 'It was probably nerves and disappointment, you'll be fine.' Mana put her arm around the small cat's shoulders and gave him a squeeze. Munch remembered his, briefly forgotten, failure and hung his head.

'Oh, yeah. Sorry about that guys, I really screwed up-'

'No, Munch It's fine!' He looked up, unconvinced. 'Yeah, you ate so much earlier, it's no surprise you almost barfed everywhere-' 'Seriously dude, you looked so sick-' 'But, it doesn't matter, you still did really well!' 'Yeah, and I've got it all on- *Gasp* MY CAMERA!' Leah ran off back into the crowd to search for her video camera. 'The point is Munch, there's no point in being sorry for yourself. You still did so well, and we couldn't be prouder.'

Munch gazed into his friends gentle faces, and involuntarily smiled.

'Thanks guys, I really love you all-'

There was a collective 'aww!' from them all at his words.

'And I really appreciate every one of you... ...Now how about Conk goes on the pendulum to make me feel better-‘ 'NOOOOPE! NOT HAPPENING!' 'Hey get back here!' 'You can't outrun us all Conk-'

The seven of them managed to get Conk onto the ride, with the stipulation Callum ride with him. Five minutes of screaming later, Conk was passed out on a bench and Callum was sitting with his head between his knees and Leah gently scratching between his ears.

Finally, hours later, the sun began to set and the sky turned orange. The eight wandered tiredly back out of the turnstile gates with armfuls of fluffy pink and blue candy floss. Soon, they said their goodnights and parted ways, each thinking fondly of both what happened today, and their beds. Munch pinned his first ever second place ribbon to his headboard and sighed. The day's events were still weighing on him. His first true loss. And at something he was good at too... You know what? You know what, What did it matter? It had to happen at some point, so why not today? He still had his friends, his family, his box full of other ribbons... It doesn't matter!

Munch actually smiled at the red '#2' ribbon. 'Well, it could be worse.' He thought as he got into bed. He might not have known what set him off his game, but what did it matter? After all, nobody's perfect... And that just makes us all so much more special.

#shifted critters #swap au #smiling critters #callum cuddlekit #conk out cockerel #eli electrophant #leah lensbear #munchypup #dandydoe #mana mare #sunnyshoat #dogday #bobby bearhug #bubba bubbaphant #catnap #Strange happenings

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littlemissaddict · 10 months

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Hi could I get JATP Luke x reader where the reader is best friends with Julie and she’s part of the band too but behind the scene she gets bullied at school physically (because people are jealous of her voice) Julie and Flynn never noticed that she tried to cover up her bruises

Thank you for the request, I don't really write for jatp anymore but I've whipped up a little something for you. I also may have gone a little off plot with the above request but I hope you still like it.

No-one had ever realised, or so she thought as no-one have ever commented on it, that she only ever wore long sleeves and she never wore short skirts or dresses. Some might say it wasn't a conscious choice, that she that wasn't her style but in truth she would have loved to wear half the outfits that both Julie and Flynn wore without a care.

The truth was that even though she was part of the band, her peers at school seemed to hate her where they adored Julie and the boys, not like she could blame them what wasn't to like about them. She could handle it when it was just funny looks and sharp words but lately it had been physical. It started with kids tripping her in the hallways so she either fell and grazed her knees or bruised herself when she fell against the lockers. Then it had escalated a few days ago, a group of them had cornered her after school as she was heading out from a late study session in the library, one boy had grabbed her wrist so hard she'd had been left with finger shaped bruises encircling her wrist. They were painful and sore when she moved her arm but she'd been able to hide it from her friends, from her parents, from everyone.

Only she hadn't. Flynn had caught sight of it accidently when she reached across the table for something at lunch and only decided not to say anything when she caught sight of the way she quickly tugged her sleeve back down over it. Now Flynn wasn't stupid, she knew something was up and she was worried but in the middle of the cafeteria was not the place to discuss it. So she went to Julie, who was at a loss for words as to why she hadn't come to them for help as they were friends after all. And because they were in the studio when Flynn approached Julie about it, the boys overheard everything.

"Okay back up, what do you mean she's covered in bruises?" Alex had asked, a little confused as to why a couple of bruises were a worry to them.

"Yeah we all know she's clumsy, could it not be because of that?" Reggie piped up.

"I doubt it when the bruises are shaped like fingers" Flynn shot back, the worry for her friend the cause of her rudeness towards Reggie.

"And the way she has been hiding them, if it was just because of her clumsiness then why would she feel the need to hide them" Julie added, her eyes drifting over to Luke who had been way too quiet considering this was his girlfriend they were discussing but when her eyes found him, she found him lost in thought as if he was going back through his memory to try and find anything that could point to what was happening to their friend. Julie didn't blame him as she'd done the same.

"Wait, do you guys think you could follow her just for a little bit, see if you can figure out what's going on" Flynn suggested, perking up at the thought of getting answers so that they could help her.

"But she can see us.." Alex spoke cautiously as if it wasn't already obvious.

"Yeah but no-one else can so you'd have to be close enough to see but far enough away that she doesn't catch you" Flynn explained and she'd barely finished talking before Luke had poofed out of the studio, clearly with a place in mind of finding her.

Luke knew that she like to spend an hour or so after school in the library to catch up on homework so that once she left the schoolgrounds she didn't have to worry about completing it, which meant she could focus on other things like the band or sneaking off with him. When he landed in the library it was quiet, there was a couple of people in there but she wasn't one of them and a glance at the clock told him she had either already left or she didn't come today. Although something was nagging at him, he was sure she'd mentioned this morning that she'd be joining them at Julie's once she'd finished her English Lit essay so he decided just out of curiosity to wander around the halls just to see if he could find her.

A commotion a little further down the hallway drew his attention and when he turned the corner, not only did he come face to face with the source of it but he found her. She was in the middle of a circle of people, kids he'd never seen before but assumed went to school with her, Julie and Flynn only from the looks on their faces he could tell they were anything but friendly and as he got closer he could hear what they were saying which only confirmed that he was right.

"You're not even that good a singer, I don't know why they haven't kicked you out of the band yet"

"Yeah, you don't really fit in with them, they'd be better off finding someone else"

"And that guitarist, Luke was it, god knows what he sees in you I bet he'd be better off with Julie" a final one spoke as they leaned forward to tug on the oversized hoodie she was wearing.

That was enough for Luke, he'd seen enough, heard enough but he couldn't understand how a teacher or anyone else hadn't heard it and at least come to her rescue as it wasn't like he could do much because no-one could see him. He had to do something, couldn't risk them saying or doing anything else but at least he could tell them back at the studio that their fears had been right. Figuring that if he made enough noise that it sounded like someone was heading their way it'd probably get them to back off enough for her to leave he started banging on the lockers closest to him to make it sound like someone was there hearing everything that was being said and when he chanced a look around the corner he saw that his plan had worked for once.

He could see the group giving each other panicked looks, she was also looking in his direction and when she met his eyes he was quick to wave her over. Thankfully they let her go without a word, obviously not wanting to take the chance of being caught out as bullies and she sighed out in relief as she rounded the corner finally away from their torment.

Only her relief was short lived as she realised that she'd now have to explain what had been going on. Embarrassment and guilt flooded though her as she turned back to Luke as she was expecting to be met with a lecture telling her that she should have told them but instead he was quick to sweep her into a hug letting her know she was safe.

Eventually she would have to explain the full extent of what had been going on but at least now it was going to get better and hopefully with the help of her friends she could put a stop to the bullying.

#requests #anonymous #luke x reader #luke patterson #jatp luke #julie and the phantoms #jatp

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watercolourferns · 1 year

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Julian Modern AU HC's

Why? Because I'm having a crisis and need comfort food and I'm too broke to buy snacks so headcanons it is...

They're mixed but lean a lot towards a haunted house. Mention of steamy times but no description.

He likes Doc Martens. Why? Well, for one they are nonslip, which means he can wear them to work at the hospital and to his gigs at the bar without a problem. But most important, they are unisex so he can buy all the flowery pairs his heart wants and they actually fit his long-ass feet. They're also good for ankle support!

He has a treasure chest in his office, it's full of cheap plastic toys. If a kid is having a particularly trying appointment he will let them choose a toy from the chest afterwards while he's speaking to the parent(s). He will say something cheesy and sweet like: "You've been a brave pirate, you have won a piece of the treasure!" ...He sometimes lets them take two.

Once he had saved enough money he bought a house like his older coworkers told him to because it would be a good investment... a huge, old Queen Anne fixer upper. Queue to his coworkers facepalm. But he doesn't care, he's happy with it and he has plans for it: round room will be a seance room, basement will be a workshop, attic will have e telescope... He asks you for help to choose wallpapers. "I want it to be as close to original as possible. Want to go with me to find records of the house? Maybe they have pictures!"

He takes a lot of inspiration from Christine McConell, choosing a wine, black and silver colour palette for the common rooms, asking for help making his own wallpaper based and the research you two made. He goes to antique shops and estate sales to buy decorative cushions and throws which he has professionally cleaned for use. He does buy all new linen and towels, though he has much of it made to match the style.

You keep him company while the repairs and decorations are being made because he's SURE he saw a couple shadows once or twice. You haven't really felt anything, but then again you haven't really been inside the house as he refuses to go in unless the whole crew of workers is inside, too. You don't want to be pulled into his paranoia, he's known to suggest himself into bouts of fear when it comes to supernatural things, but you swear to yourself you saw something out of the corner of your eye peeking out of the top floor window.

Once the house is finally repaired he decides to move in. Yes, it's like half an hour away from the city and his hospital and it could have ghosts in it, but that's what bikes are for eh? And maybe, just maybe he was just nervous and saw things because of his anxiety, he wasn't sure if the house was livable after all and he was anxious about the repairs not going well even though they were more superficial than he thought, most of the bedrooms not needing anything but wallpaper changes and deep cleaning...

First night he spends there, though? He calls you in hysterics. "I-I-I-I-" you give him a second to try and speak and he finally blurts out between squeaks of fear: "SAW SOMETHING CREEPING INTO MY BEDROOM CAN YOU PLEASE COME AND STAY OVER?! MALAK AND BRUNDLE REFUSE TO STAY INSIDE!!"

Once you're in there you do get a sense that there's something else besides you two, but you reassure him he's safe and alright and that you will protect him. You suggest having a sleepover party in the living room, where the energy is less dense, and that once he's at work tomorrow you will cleanse the house for him. He accepts and you have a jolly (and maybe steamy?) time with snacks, funny stories, maybe even videogames, finally falling asleep snuggled up in the pull out couch.

He was right, there's something in the main bedroom, which is his. But it's nothing a good incense cleansing and a sound talking to it wouldn't fix. You do just that and text him a picture of his bedroom and you. "All clean now!" He texts back that he's happy about that, but that he probably will stay in his office for a couple of nights, just to feel safe again.

.... and that's how you came to live with him. It was in the plans, but it looked like a distant future when you had spoken about it... And now you were there, all your belongings packed in a u-haul, driving towards his house. He greets you with open arms into one of his all enveloping hugs and shows you to your bedroom... even though both of you know that's just gonna be the place you keep your clothes in because they won't fit in his closet...

He's so grateful you're there, it takes off the edge of the not-so-oppressive-anymore feeling around some places in the house, and since you're there the shadows haven't come to bother him at night. He calls you his shield and that makes you chuckle.

He had the sense of installing a modern stove additional to the wood stove already in the house, so you're in charge of breakfasts. Chocolate chip pancakes, puddings, oatmeal, crepes, sunny side ups... this man seems to eat it all! He's secretly grateful he doesn't have to eat take out or burnt food anymore. He's...not the best cook and now thanks to you, his beloved, he even can take lunch to work! Everyone at work comments on how much healthier he looks now, too, and he's happy to show you and your cooking skills off. "They're a genius!!" You blush, but can't help feeling proud of your skills, too. He just does that to you.

After a couple of months you're finally tired of the dramatics the shadows have been pulling on and off, so you sit at the seance room with a board and your cards and he goes into hysterics again. No, don't do this, why is this happening, you can't have a seance, yaddah yaddah. But you try to put him at ease, explain to him how this could help. "Why do you have a seance room if we can't use it for that??" you finally ask. "It's for the aesthetics, my dear!" he answers, and that makes you chuckle. You give him a protection charm and gently sit him down with Portia, who's always down for mischief and visits you often, explain the dynamics of the activity and reassure him he's safe with you and his sister there.

The seance goes better than expected but it doesn't make it any easier on him... since now you know there's a small family cemetery in the backyard. "Okay, that does it, I'm selling this place!" he blurts out, shaking like a leaf. Slowly and gently you reassure him that it's okay, that they just wanted to be known, have their markers and their names back, and that you will take care of it... he calms down a bit but remains skeptical they will leave y'all alone.

But it works!! You have tombstones made with names, dates, loving words like "beloved husband" and "cherished daughter" and "treasured wife", you have them placed where the ghosts told you their graves were... and as if by magic the activity stops! You might see a soft white figure of a girl playing in the library or the outline of a man working in the back yard while a woman sips tea and reads a book in the porch, but besides these echoes from the past the activity has stopped... He doesn't know how you did it, but he buys you a whole new book series you had coveted for some time now in thanks.

The house still has it's reputation, and so every Halloween kids ask for tours of the house, for him and you to tell the story of it, to talk about the ghosts. At first he's reluctant to bring it up because... we... ghosts... He's scared he'll call them back. But once you explain what really happened, he's more at ease with it and finally accepts to open the house to tours during October, giving out candy, letting the kids use the telescope as well, ending with a big Halloween party on the 31st where the kids, their parents, and you all have fun with classic games, cake, snacks, and more candy. Yes, his coworkers were right, it was a good investment to buy this house...

#julian devorak #julian the arcana #julian devorak headcanons #the arcana headcanons #the arcana hc #modern au #the arcana modern au

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ibijau · 5 months

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Sins of the fathers p3 / On AO3

The morning after Jin Ling had that talk with his mother, Jin Ruyi came early to her brother's door to pick up her brother-in-law. She was pretty cheerful about it, even when it turned out that Wen Yuan had failed to wake up at the agreed hour.

This was all part of Jiang Yanli's plan to help her son-in-law feel more comfortable in his new home. Wen Yuan might have turned down all of Jin Ling's attempts at cordiality, but he hadn't dared be that rude toward his mother-in-law. So it had been decided that from that point forward, Wen Yuan would join Jiang Yanli and the children for breakfast and then spend the day with them. Jin Bai was still young enough that he was in class only half of the day, and the twins's lessons were also fairly short, because the Jin sect currently didn't try hard to educate female disciples. With those three as company, in addition to Jiang Yanli and the baby, Wen Yuan wasn't going to stay shy very long.

Still, that first morning was a little difficult. Mostly because Jin Ruyi didn't like to wait. She must have been warned to be forgiving with her brother-in-law though, so instead she scolded Jin Ling for not waking his husband.

“I've tried,” he retorted, rolling his eyes as he often did around her. “You go and see if you can do better!”

“Of course I can,” Jin Ruyi claimed, confidently walking into Wen Yuan's room.

Watching her go, Jin Ling almost pitied his husband. Jin Ruyi was an annoying brat with more ego than brain, who hated to lose and didn't care much about being rude. Some people said she was very much like Jin Ling, for all that her twin and her had their mother's gentle face. Jin Ling himself found no resemblance between them. Jin Ruyi was just supremely annoying most of the time, though he couldn't deny they made a good team whenever they were angry at the same thing.

At the moment, Jin Ruyi being rude and annoying was an asset. She really managed to get Wen Yuan to leave his bed and get ready much faster than Jin Ling could ever have managed. She then dragged him out of the house, and Jin ling didn't see him again until dinner in common with the rest of the family.

The same thing repeated the next day, and then the one after, until that became the new habit.

After about a week, Wen Yuan was used enough to this new rhythm that he no longer had to be dragged out of bed. If anything, he was regularly fully dressed before Jin Ling woke up, and waiting for one of the twins to pick him up. Jin Ling took that as a sign that his husband was happy with the new way his days went on. Wen Yuan never confirmed it, but his eager wait for the girls, and the way he finally started putting on some weight, were good hints of his enjoyment.

There were apparently more overt signs of Wen Yuan's improved happiness, but Jin Ling was not privy to those. Around him his husband remained perfectly silent and closed off, the same he'd always been. But according to Jin Bai and the twins, he was very different with them and Jiang Yanli.

“He always plays with us when we asks,” Jin Ruyi claimed when Jin Ling caught the twins and Jin Bai one day to interrogate them. “And he laughs at all my jokes.”

Jin Ling nodded. That was fair. Jin Ruyi was annoying, but she could also be pretty funny when she wanted (although never as much as Jin Dongmei, whose subtle remarks could be as dangerous as they were hilarious, especially when she felt like being insolent to their grandfather without him ever appearing to realise it)

“He also laughs at BaiBai's jokes too,” Jin Ruyi added.

Jin Ling raised an eyebrow. His little brother, aged ten, was sweet and adorable and nearly perfect in many ways, but he couldn't tell a joke properly to save his life. He was too much like their father for that.

“He also likes mom a lot,” Jin Ruyi went on.

“Everyone likes mom,” Jin Ling immediately retorted.

“But he liked her even before he met her!” his sister insisted. “His dad had told him about her. Stories about when he was little, and she took care of him. They talk about that a lot. I had no idea mom had so many stories about Wei Wuxian!”

Jin Dongmei nodded quietly when Jin Ling looked at her for confirmation. Jin Ruyi was known to sometimes exaggerate her stories, but Jin Dongmei was usually a trustworthy source, unless she felt like supporting her sister’s boasts for a laugh.

“It must be a shock for him to learn that the Yiling Patriarch used to be a funny kid,” Jin Ling said.

Unlike his sisters, he’d heard many stories about Wei Wuxian when he was younger. At the time, there had still been hope that Yiling might turn into a normal sect. Even if Wei Wuxian had been unable to come to Jin Ling's hundred day celebration for reasons unknown to him, in secret good relationships had been maintained for a while. But a couple years after the twins were born, the Burial Mounds had stopped all communication with the rest of the world. Everyone there might as well have been dead, except for Wei Wuxian and his Ghost General going into town sometimes to exact violence onto men who had claimed links to the Yiling sect to terrorise ordinary folks. After that, Jiang Yanli and Jiang Cheng had stopped sharing stories about their childhood friend, so the twins and Jin Bai mostly knew Wei Wuxian as a boogeyman of sorts, the same as every other children.

“No, he’s never too surprised,” Jin Ruyi replied. “He said the Yiling Patriarch is still kind of like that, and still likes to laugh and joke.”

Again Jin Ling turned to Jin Dongmei, who nodded solemnly.

“He really said that,” she confirmed, before pouting pensively. “He said when he was little, one time his father buried him and told him he’d grow like a radish if he was watered. But then… he stopped talking for a while, and he looked sad.” She paused, looking concerned. “I think he misses home.”

“Why would he miss home?” Jin Ruyi scoffed, rolling her eyes. “Here we have all the good food he can want, and pretty silk clothes, and we have flowers, and birds… Ge, he was so excited when we showed him my birds! He said birds don’t sing like that in Yiling. If you’re a good husband, you should get him some birds, it’ll make him happy for sure!”

The twins had received a pair of birds from Nie Huaisang when they’d turned seven. Jin Dongmei hadn’t cared too much, but Jin Ruyi was obsessed with them and had obtained more in the years since. It was her opinion that everyone should have birds, so Jin Ling never listened when she suggested that. He was more of a dog person anyway, and didn’t see the point of pets that did nothing except sit in a cage all day. Still, he was willing to reconsider, if it could improve his marital life. He made a note to ask his mother. If she also thought it might make his husband dislike him less, then Jin Ling would spend all of his allowance on really nice birds.

He’d never have admitted it, not even under torture, but it was starting to annoy him that Wen Yuan was apparently opening up to everyone in the family except his own husband. Well, his own husband and of course Jin Guangshan and his wife, but nobody who joined the family was ever expected to like them, anyway. And maybe Wen Yuan was not really warming up to Jin Zixuan either, come to think of it. But he was getting on really well with his mother-in-law and Jin Ling’s siblings, and it was so frustrating.

Jin Ling knew Wen Yuan and him didn’t need to like each other. His grandparents had ensured he knew that much about married life. But since Wen Yuan and him lived together and would continue living together for years to come, he thought it’d be more comfortable if they could get along. His grandparents’ example had also taught him how unpleasant the alternative could be.

So Jin Ling tried. He did! He made sure to ask Wen Yuan about his plans in the morning, and asked him about his day in the evening. When they ate together, Jin Ling tried his best to notice which dishes Wen Yuan liked best, and he’d make a show of eating those first, so his husband knew these weren’t poisoned. Nothing worked, though. Wen Yuan never replied to his questions, and if he noticed what pain Jin Ling took to eat things he personally sometimes hated, all for his sake, he never thought that was worth even a ‘thank you’.

It was quickly becoming exhausting, and more than a little frustrating. There were evenings when Jin Ling wanted to shout at that cold husband he was stuck with, especially on days when Jin Chan had been particularly nasty. Or if he’d seen Wen Yuan smile at his siblings, his face so bright for a moment that he became really pretty, only to turn to ice at the sight of him. Sometimes Jin Ling felt like he might explode, except he wasn’t allowed to be angry like that. His mother had said she was proud of him for the way he’d dealt with everything. He wanted her to remain proud of him. He didn’t think she’d really stop loving him if he disappointed her, but he also didn’t want to risk it.

After all…

It was a very stupid thing to worry about. But one day, about a month after Jiang Yanli had started taking active interest in her new son-in-law, Jing Ling had overheard his cousin and some other boys talking in the gardens.

At that moment, he’d been crouched behind a bush, looking for some small wild flowers that occasionally grew around. The disciples in charge of the gardens would destroy them on sight, but Jin Dongmei found them pretty, so Jin Ling sometimes collected them for her, so she could replant them somewhere hidden. When he’d heard people coming that way, Jin Ling had been worried they’d seen him and mock him for doing something so silly and he'd tried to stay hidden to avoid explaining. But when he heard their conversation, he froze entirely.

“I hear she's sleeping with him, you know,” one boy was saying, an older teenager who had poor cultivation but rich parents. There were more than a few of those in the sect. ”Since Wen Yuan is the son of her first love!”

Jin Ling almost revealed himself by laughing. It wasn't the first time people accused his mother of once loving Wei Wuxian. He’d had that thrown at his face since before he could understand the insult. Whether that was true or not, he knew for a fact she would never betray the husband she had now, so he’d learned to ignore it. And as for having that sort of relationship with Wen Yuan… how could she, when the twins and Jin Bai were always around?

“No, you've got it wrong and it's worse than that,” Jin Chan claimed, and Jin Ling grimaced. Of course if someone was trying to badmouth his mother, his cousin was first in line. “He's not her lover. He's the son she secretly had with Wei Wuxian, before her marriage. Why else would she care so much about his education? He's her true first born… And she seems to like him more than the official one, not that I blame her. Even that half ghost kid is less of a pain in the ass than Jin Rulan!”

The boys started laughing as they passed by the bush where Jin Ling hid. he almost jumped in the middle of them to beat them up. His mother wouldn't…she hadn't! She would never! And even if she had, only the worst sort of monster would push one of their children to marry a half sibling!

Even if it was the only way to have him near, even if…

Anyway, Wen Yuan didn't look anything like Jiang Yanli, or Jin Ling, or any of Jin Ling's siblings, not even his youngest brother Jin Hui, a baby who everyone said took so much from the Jiang side. Jin Chan had to be blind if he couldn't see that. Or maybe he saw and didn't care, as long as the story made his friends laugh, as long as it made Jin Ling sound stupid.

And it wasn’t true either that Jiang Yanli liked Wen Yuan better than her eldest son. It couldn’t be true. Even if she barely had any time for him these days, hadn’t really had time for him in a long while, with four younger kids to raise and all the duties of a sect leader’s daughter-in-law. Even if she had made that time for Wen Yuan, a stranger.

Even if…

She couldn’t…

Long after his cousin and the others had walked away, Jin Ling had stayed crouched by that bush, with crushed little pale flowers in his hands. His eyes had burned from trying not to cry.

He hadn’t bothered asking Wen Yuan about his day that night.

Why should he keep trying anyway, when the other party thought he wasn’t worth any effort?

#jin ling #lan sizhui #wen yuan #mo dao zu shi #mdzs #lingzhui #zhuiling #lingzhui arranged marriage #jau writes #I swear sizhui will get to be in his own fic at some point #probably at chapter 5 if I don't fuck it up

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