#jennie photo next TRUST it will happen

[thesapphictimelady]

Ad Astra Per Aspera Chapter 5

Word count: 1.8K

TW: Implied domestic and verbal abuse

A/N: This is not proofread at all and I am slightly drunk so please excuse any typos and formatting errors! I hope you all love it and please comment! Tell me what you like and dislike! I have no idea what’s gonna happen next so I’m also open to ideas! The next thing I write will not be a part of this series but I hope you all will love it just as much!

“Is that-”

“Jenny.” Cassie whispered, “Yeah,”

“How did she-”

“I don’t know,” Cassie said, “I didn’t tell her where I moved to. I don’t know how she found me.”

Melissa gently embraced the shaking girl, “It’s okay. Listen, I’m gonna go to your apartment and grab you some clothes. And then…and then you can stay at my place until we sort this out.”

“Ms. Schemmenti I couldn’t impose-”

“You aren’t. It’s gonna be okay, Cassiopeia. We’ll sort this out.”

“I-I should call the cops-”

“No,” Melissa cut in, “Nothing good ever came from getting them involved. I’ll take care of it. I’m gonna have Barb take you to my house while I get your stuff,”

“No!” Cassie said, “I-I want to come with you.”

“Hon, are you sure? We don’t know if she’s still there or not.”

“Please?”

Melissa sighed, wiping a stray tear from the young woman’s cheek, “Okay. Okay, you can come. Let me go make our excuses with Ava.”

“Won’t we get in trouble for leaving early?”

“It’s a teacher workday. Things are more relaxed. Besides, Ava doesn’t care if we’re here or not. Get your stuff together and make a list of what you want to grab so we can be in and out quickly.”

Cassie nodded and the older woman left the room, her heeled boots clicking on the floor. She looked down at her phone and shuddered, quickly closing the photo and powering her phone off. Cassie stood and grabbed a piece of construction paper and a colored pencil from one of the shelves to start making a list of things to grab.

“Hey, sweetheart,” Barbara said, leaning on the doorframe, “Is everything okay? Melissa looked a bit ruffled when she passed my classroom.”

“Yeah, everything’s fine!” Cassie said quickly, “She just went to talk to Ava! She’ll be back.”

Barbara stepped into the room and lowered her voice, “Are you sure you’re okay? Your hands are shaking.”

“I-” Cassie paused and bit her lip, “It’s…it’s complicated. But Ms. Schemmenti is very kind and she’s helping me out.”

“Well, I’m glad Melissa is there for you. She seems to have developed a soft spot for you! If you ever need anything else, Gerald and I are happy to help.”

“I couldn’t possibly ask-”

“You aren’t asking, I’m offering. Really, Cassiopeia, you deserve love and kindness,” Barbara stepped forward and wrapped the younger woman into a hug.

Cassie froze and then the floodgates opened and she was sobbing into Barb’s shoulder.

“I’m just so scared, Mrs. Howard!” she sobbed.

“Oh, sweetheart, it’ll be okay! Melissa and I are going to take care of you!”

“Hey kid, you got your list…” Melissa trailed off as she entered the room and saw Cassiopeia wrapped in Barb’s arms, “What happened?”

“I hugged her and she just broke down. She says she’s scared.”

Melissa crossed the room quickly, picking up Cassie’s phone to make sure there wasn’t anything from Jenny. Once she was satisfied, she started gathering their things into her arms.

“Cassiopeia and I are leaving early. Something came up.”

“Melissa, is there something you want to tell me?” Barbara said, eyeing her over the top of Cassie’s head.

“I think it’s better you didn’t know,” Melissa said, gently coaxing Cassie out of Barbara’s embrace, “I don’t think you’d approve.”

“Melissa Schemmenti…” Barb started.

“Drop it Barb. Listen, I’ll call you tonight, okay? You can be mad at me all ya want but just trust me.”

Cassie sniffled and wiped her eyes, “Bye, Mrs. Howard.”

Barbara’s expression softened and she smiled sadly at her, “Bye, sweetheart. I’ll see you on Monday. And my offer still stands, okay? I’m a phone call away.”

Cassiopeia nodded and let Melissa guide her out of the classroom, down the hall, and out of the building.

“Do any of these cars belong to Jenny?” Melissa asked, pulling into a parking spot.

Cassie looked around and shook her head, “I don’t recognize any of them.”

“You got your list?”

Cassie held it up and Melissa grabbed it out of her hand and unbuckled, reaching behind her seat and pulling out a baseball bat.

“Stay here, I’ll go get everything.”

“Okay first, no, I’m coming with you. And second, WHY do you have a baseball bat in your car? And…please tell me that’s rust.”

“Yeah…rust. Let’s go with that,” Melissa said, making a mental note to wash her baseball bats later, “Are you sure you want to go inside?”

“Ms. Schemmenti, I haven’t unpacked anything. Even I don’t know where half of this stuff is. It’ll be easier if I come with.”

“Fine. Okay, but give me the keys. I’m going in first.”

Cassie dug her keys out of her bag and handed them over. Together, they walked up to the front door, which stood slightly ajar.

“Guess I don’t need these,” Melissa tossed the keys to Cassie, readied her bat and pushed the door the rest of the way open with her boot.

The apartment was quiet and dark. Melissa flicked the lights on and grimaced. All the glass in the apartment had been smashed and littered around and the words “Worthless Bitch” were carved into the wall and doused in red paint. Cassie pushed in front of her and grabbed a duffel bag, dumping the contents on the floor and walking around the room, careful to avoid the glass.

Melissa lowered her bat cautiously once she was sure no one was inside and went to the kitchen to grab the groceries she had left there. Her pizza dough sat untouched but she tossed it in the trash can just to be safe.

“She wouldn’t have poisoned that,” Cassie said softly, shoving a blanket into her duffel, “It’s not her style.”

“Not mine either,” Melissa muttered, going to help Cassie, “You don’t need a blanket kid. What, you think I’m gonna make ya sleep on the floor?”

Cassie blushed, “I-I didn’t know where I’d be sleeping,”

“I have a guest room. You just need clothes and toiletries. I’ve got everything else.”

Cassie paused and looked up at the redhead, “How long…”

“As long as you need to,” Melissa said, grabbing some random clothing items from a box, “I don’t care if it’s a day or a month. You’re not living here until Jenny is taken care of.”

“Taken care of? What is this, The Sopranos?” Cassie joked.

“Until she leaves town,” Melissa said, “Or until we find you a new apartment.”

“I can’t afford anything else…”

“Then I’ll help you. I’m gonna keep ya safe, kid. I’ll always catch you, remember?”

Cassie smiled softly and zipped her duffel bag, “Thank you, Ms. Schemmenti.”

“Cassiopeia, call me Melissa,”

“Thank you, Melissa.”

“You’re welcome. Now get back in the car. I’ll lock up.”

“Hey,” Melissa said, parking the car in her driveway, “Are you doing okay? I mean, your apartment…”

“Think I’ll get my security deposit back?” Cassie joked.

“Kid…”

“I’m okay, Melissa. It’s not the first time she’s done something like that. It’s better to just let her throw her tantrum. I’m less likely to get hurt that way.”

“Cassiopeia, this…you know this isn’t okay, right?”

Cassie shrugged, fiddling with the strap of her duffel bag, “It’s the way it’s always been,”

“That doesn’t make it okay though!”

“Can we please go inside? I-It’s been a long day.”

Melissa sighed and lead the younger woman up to the house.

“Melissa, this is…wow, your house is gorgeous!”

“It’s nothing really,” Melissa said, dropping her keys into a bowl and locking the door.

Cassie laughed, “I haven’t seen a plastic covered couch in years!”

“Yeah well, sometimes people spill and it’s easier to clean!” Melissa said defensively, taking the duffel bag out of Cassie’s hands, “Let me show you the guest room. It’s…it’s a little messy right now. I’ll change the sheets before you go to bed.”

The two women climbed the stairs, Cassie smiling at the family photos lining the walls. Melissa pushed open a door and set down the duffel bag.

“I’ll be right back,” she said, walking further down the hall to open a closet and retrieve fresh sheets.

Cassie set to work stripping the bed and then helped the older woman remake it, tucking the sheets in tightly.

“My room is right down the hall,” Melissa said, pulling her hair into a ponytail, “If you need anything tonight, and i mean anything, just come wake me up.”

“I’m not going to…”

“Kid, I wouldn’t offer if I didn’t mean it. Anything.” Cassie nodded, unzipping her duffel bag to retrieve something to sleep in. It was still light out, but the two women had hardly slept the night before.

“Bathroom is right next door,” Melissa said before closing the door so Cassie could change.

Once she had changed into a tank top and shorts, she took her bag of toiletries to the bathroom and set to work removing all of the makeup she had put on that morning. All the concealer on her neck was wiped clean and she winced slightly when she touched the bruises there.

Melissa knocked on the door softly, “Hon, I just wanted to let you know I’m heading to bed. I didn’t actually sleep at all last night. The doors are all locked and if you need ANYTHING, you come and wake me up.”

Cassiopeia opened the door and Melissa winced at the sight of the bruises on her neck.

“Thank you, Melissa. It means a lot that you’re letting me stay here.”

“Of course. If you get cold, there’s more blankets in the closet at the end of the hall. G’night.”

Melissa headed into her room, closing the door behind her and Cassie headed into the guest room, flipping off the lights and climbing into the bed.

An hour later, sleep was still not coming. She didn’t want to admit it, but after finding out that Jenny had found her, she was terrified. She tossed and turned, she practiced all of her breathing exercises, but the panic attack that had been brewing all evening was closing in on her.

Biting back a sob, she threw back the blankets and curled up on the cold wood floor, trying to ground herself. She knew she was safe, she knew Jenny didn’t know where she was now, yet her brain was still in overdrive.

Another hour of silent sobs passed and she finally decided enough was enough. She crept out of her room and down the hall to Melissa’s room. Slowly, she pushed the door open and tiptoed into the room.

The redhead was snoring softly and Cassie didn’t want to wake her. Instead she climbed into bed with her and laid her head on the pillows. They smelled like vanilla and the faint menthol scent that had lingered in Melissa’s car and…

Cassie frowned, feeling under the pillow and then snorted out a laugh.

“Do you really keep a baseball bat under your pillow?”

Melissa rolled over and hummed sleepily, “What you mean you don’t?”

[frozenprocedural]

Drabble, 18, Elsarik

Decided to use this for TDOE Day 3- A Christmas Story!

Set in my Beekeeper AU. Alarik, Jenny and Beata belong to @patricia-von-arundel.

Elsarik 18: This is definitely what you think it is

Rating: K

The last of the dishes had loaded into the dishwasher, and everyone retreated to the family room to sit and talk. 

Jenny was nestled against Elsa, and was playing with Elsa's phone as the adults reminisced. 

"Mama, why is Papa's face so funny?"

Elsa felt a brief tinge of panic, glancing towards Alarik before realizing that Jenny was looking at a picture on the phone. She glanced over, and sighed. 

"That happened before you were born. Papa learned a very valuable lesson about bees that day…"

…………………

Five years earlier…

"Alarik Geatland, just what are you doing!?"

Alarik yelped, and Beata, standing next to him, snorted. 

"You're in trooooouuubllllee…" she sang just loud enough for him to hear. He shot her a glare before fixing a smile on his face. 

"This… isn't what you think it is?"

Elsa pinched the bridge of her nose, her brow furrowed. "You're going to try to make a bee beard, aren't you?"

Alarik blinked. "This is… definitely what you think it is? Wait, how did you know?"

Elsa's sigh was long-suffering. "You're wearing a queen cage around your neck. You're standing next to several open frames. And you're filming this!?"

"It's educational, I swear! I'm explaining swarming behaviors! I just want to make it interesting!"

"You are going to get stung."

"Elsa, I promise, I've taken every precaution. Beata and I are experienced beekeepers, the hive is healthy and well-fed, and the bees know me. We have the smoker if anything gets dicey- which it won't! I'll be fine, trust me!"

Elsa narrowed her eyes. "I'm not buying it. But if you want to risk yourself, fine. I'll have 911 dialed."

Alarik grinned, bouncing on the balls of his feet. "It will be amazing! Just watch! Alright, Beata, let me know when you're recording."

Elsa had to admit that, at least at first, things did seem to be going well. Alarik did his part explaining bee behavior, and then came the bees themselves. She did grudgingly see the point- it was incredible to witness so many bees swarming his face simply to be around the queen.

"Oops, one got me."

That's when it went wrong. 

Alarik's calm composure dissolved as it became apparent multiple bees were stinging him. Once he began yelping, Beata stopped the recording, ordering him to jump. 

Beata was right there with the smoker, and while it didn't take them too long to get Alarik clear of the hives, the damage was done. 

……..

"I'm quite impressed with your control, Elsa." 

Elsa looked up from where she was applying hydrocortisone to Alarik's swollen face. "Oh?"

Beata grinned. "I would have said 'I told you so' at least ten times by now."

" 'ou 'ave." Alarik's words were muddled, his puffy lips barely able to move. Beata snorted.

"I figured removing multiple stingers from his face was proof enough." Elsa capped the cream and handed Alarik a bag of frozen peas. 

"Besides," she added, "I have photo evidence."

……….

Present Day

"So what did we learn?" Elsa was looking at Jenny, but her words were directed elsewhere. She heard Alarik sigh.

"Papa shouldn't have made a bee beard." Jenny stated. 

"Thank you, Eldig." Alarik's voice held a tired note, but he was grinning. "But remember, it wasn't the bees' fault. I made them scared, and they were defending the queen."

"I knoooooooooow, Papa!" Jenny rolled her eyes- she'd heard similar statements from him before. She got up and snuggled into his lap. "I'm glad you were okay."

"Me too, Eldig. Me too." 

[aspenmissing]

𝙷𝚘𝚖𝚎 (𝙿𝚝 𝟷)

Dean is on the computer; Sam is drawing a picture of a tree and Theo is reading through their father's journal.

"All right. I've been cruisin' some websites. I think I found a few candidates for our next gig. A fishing trawler found off the coast of Cali-its crew vanished. And, uh, we got some cattle mutilations in West Texas. Hey" Sam looks up from his drawing "Am I boring you with this hunting evil stuff?"

"No. I'm listening. Keep going" Sam says.

"And, here, a Sacramento man shot himself in the head. Three times" Dean waves his hand in front of Sam's face "Any of these things blowin' up your skirt, pal?"

"Wait. I've seen this" Sam says looking at the picture he drew.

"See what?" Sam gets up from the bed and goes searching through his duffel bag "What are you doing?" Theo asks. Sam finds a photo of their family from when he was a baby. He compares the tree in the photo to his drawing. They are the same.

"Dean, Theo, I know where we have to go next"

"Where?" Dean asks.

"Back home-back to Kansas"

"Okay, random. Where'd that come from?" Sam shows the picture to Theo and Dean.

"All right, um, this photo was taken in front of our old house, right? The house where Mom died?"

"Yeah" Theo says.

"And it didn't burn down, right? I mean, not completely, they rebuilt it, right?"

" I guess so, yeah. What the hell are you talkin' about?" Dean asks.

"Okay, look, this is gonna sound crazy but...the people who live in our old house-I think they might be in danger"

"Why would you think that? Theo asks.

" Uh...it's just, um...look, just trust me on this, okay?" Sam starts to walk away, Dean and Y/N follow him.

"Wait, whoa, whoa, trust you?"

"Yeah"

"I mean, I trust him" Dean looks at her. She shrugs. He then looks back at Sam.

"Come on, man, that's weak. You gotta give me a little bit more than that"

"I can't really explain it is all"

"Well, tough. I'm not goin' anywhere until you do" Sam sighs.

"I have these nightmares" Sam says.

"We've noticed" Theo says.

"And sometimes...they come true" The twins look stunned.

"Come again?" Dean asks.

"Look, Dean, Theo... I dreamt about Jessica's death-for days before it happened"

"Sam, people have weird dreams, man. I'm sure it's just a coincidence" Dean says sitting down on the bed.

"No, I dreamt about the blood dripping, her on the ceiling, the fire, everything, and I didn't do anything about it 'cause I didn't believe it. And now I'm dreaming about that tree, about our house, and about some woman inside screaming for help. I mean, that's where it all started, man, this has to mean something, right?"

"I don't know?" Dean says getting overwhelmed. Theo sits down next to him. Then Sam sits across from the two.

"What do you mean you don't know, Dean? This woman might be in danger. I mean, this might even be the thing that killed Mom and Jessica!"

"All right, just slow down, would ya?" Dean stands up and begins pacing "I mean, first you tell me that you've got the Shining? And then you tell me that we gotta go back home? Especially when..." Dean says gesturing between himself and Theo.

"When what?" Sam asks.

"When we swore to ourselves that we would never go back there" Theo says sadly.

"Look, Dean, Theo, we have to check this out. Just to make sure" Sam says softly.

"I know we do" Dean says.

==

Dean pulls up outside of a house and the three look at it.

"You two gonna be all right?" Theo lets out a deep exhale and nods.

"Let me get back to you on that" Dean says. They get out of the car and they go up to the door. They knock and a women answers.

"Yes?" She asks.

"Sorry to bother you, ma'am, but we're with the Federal-"Dean says but is cut off by Sam.

"I'm Sam Winchester, and this is my brother, Dean and Sister, Theo. We used to live here. You know, we were just drivin' by, and we were wondering if we could come see the old place"

"Winchester. Yeah, that's so funny. You know, I think I found some of your photos the other night"

"You did?" Dean asks. Jenny nods and steps aside.

"Come on in" They go inside. Inside the house, the four of them go to the kitchen. A little girl is sitting at the table doing homework and a toddler is in his playpen.

"Juice! Juice! Juice! Juice!"

"That's Ritchie. He's kind of a juice junkie" She takes a sippy cup out of the refrigerator and hands it to Richie "But, hey, at least he won't get scurvy" She walks over to the little girl "Sari, this is Sam, Dean and Theo. They used to live here"

"Hi" Sari says. Dean and Theo wave.

"Hey, Sari" Sam says.

"So, you just moved in?" Theo asks.

"Yeah, from Wichita"

"You got family here, or...?"

"No. I just, uh...needed a fresh start, that's all. So, new town, new job- I mean, as soon as I find one. New house"

"So, how you likin' it so far?" Sam asks.

"Well, uh, all due respect to your childhood home- I mean, I'm sure you had lots of happy memories here" Dean smiles weakly, and Theo grabs his arm, smiling softly "But this place has its issues"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, it's just getting old. Like the wiring, you know? We've got flickering lights almost hourly"

"Oh, that's too bad. What else?"

"Um...sinks backed up, there's rats in the basement" She pauses "I'm sorry. I don't mean to complain" The three aren’t offended.

"No. Have you seen the rats or have you just heard scratching?"

"It's just the scratching, actually"

"Mom?" Jenny kneels down next to her "Ask them if it was here when they lived here.

"What, Sari?" Sam asks.

"The thing in my closet"

"Oh, no, baby, there was nothing in their closets" She says looking at Sam, Dean and Theo "Right?"

"Right. No, no, of course not" Theo says, smiling down at Sari.

"She had a nightmare the other night"

"I wasn't dreaming. It come into my bedroom-and it was on fire" Sam, Theo and Dean are shocked.

==

The three walk back to the car.

"You hear that? A figure on fire"

"And that woman, Jenny, that was the woman in your dreams?" Dean asks.

"Yeah. And you hear what she was talking about? Scratching, flickering lights, both signs of a malevolent spirit"

" Yeah, well, I'm just freaked out that your weirdo visions are comin' true" Sam gets panicked.

"Well, forget about that for a minute. The thing in the house, do you think it's the thing that killed Mom and Jessica?"

"I don't know!"

"Well, I mean, has it come back or has it been here the whole time?"

"Or maybe it's something else entirely, Sam, we don't know yet" Theo says.

"Well, those people are in danger, Theo. We have to get 'em out of that house"

"And we will"

"No, I mean now"

"And how you gonna do that, huh? You got a story that she's gonna believe?"

"Then what are we supposed to do?" Sam asks.

==

"We just gotta chill out, that's all. You know, if this was any other kind of job, what would we do?" Theo asks as Sam sighs.

"We'd try to figure out what we were dealin' with. We'd dig into the history of the house"

"Exactly, except this time, we already know what happened"

"Yeah, but how much do we know? I mean, how much do you actually remember?" Sam asks. Dean and Theo look at each other.

"About that night, you mean?" Dean asks.

"Yeah"

"Not much. I remember the fire...the head" Dean pauses for a moment, Theo reaches over and rubs his arm, and he sighs "And then I carried you out the front door with Theo gripping my arm"

"You did?" Sam asks, surprised.

"Yeah, what, you never knew that?" Sam shakes his head.

"No"

"And, well, you know Dad's story as well as I do. Mom was...was on the ceiling. And whatever put her there was long gone by the time Dad found her"

"And he never had a theory about what did it"

"If he did, he kept it to himself. God knows we asked him enough times"

"Okay. So, if we're gonna figure out what's goin' on now...we have to figure out what happened back then. And see if it's the same thing"

"Yeah. We'll talk to Dad's friends, neighbours, people who were there at the time" Theo says and they pause for a second.

"Does this feel like just another job to you?" Sam asks. They say nothing for a moment.

"I'll be right back. I gotta go to the bathroom" She walks away. After turning a corner, she stands next to the bathroom door and takes out her cell phone. After making sure no one can see her, she dials a number.

"This is John Winchester. If this is an emergency, call my daughter, Theo at 866-907-3235"

"Dad? I know I've left you messages before. I don't even know if you'll get 'em" She clears her throat "But I'm with Sam and Dean. And we're in Lawrence. And there's somethin' in our old house. I don't know if it's the thing that killed Mom or not, but..." Her voice breaks. She pauses, barely keeping herself together "...I don't know what to do. Dean doesn’t know what to do" She begins to cry "So, whatever you're doin', if you could get here. Please. I need your help, Dad" She hangs up sadly, with tears in her eyes.

==

Dean, Theo and Sam are talking to the owner of a garage.

"So, you and John Winchester, you used to own this garage together?" Dean asks.

"Yeah, we used to, a long time ago. Matter of fact, it must be, uh...twenty years since John disappeared. So why the cops interested all of a sudden?"

"Oh, we're re-opening some of our unsolved cases, and the Winchester disappearance is one of 'em" Theo says.

"Oh, well, what do you wanna know about John?"

"Well, whatever you remember, you know, whatever sticks out in your mind"

"Well...he was a stubborn bastard, I remember that" He laughs "And, uh, whatever the game, he hated to lose, you know? It's that whole Marine thing" Dean, Sam and Theo nod "But, oh, he sure loved Mary. And he doted on those kids"

"But that was before the fire?" Sam asks.

"That's right"

"He ever talk about that night?"

"No, not at first. I think he was in shock" The owner says.

"Right. But eventually? What did he say about it?"

"Oh, he wasn't thinkin' straight. He said somethin' caused that fire and killed Mary"

"He ever say what did it?" Dean asks.

"Nothin' did it. It was an accident-an electrical short in the ceiling or walls or somethin'. I begged him to get some help, but..."

"But what?"

"Oh, he just got worse and worse"

"How?" Theo asks.

"Oh, he started readin' these strange ol' books. He started goin' to see this palm reader in town"

"Palm reader? Uh, do you have a name?" The owner scoffs.

"No"

==

The car is parked by a payphone, where Sam is looking through a phonebook.

"All right, so there are a few psychics and palm readers in town. There's someone named El Divino. There's, uh-" Sam laughs "-there's the Mysterious Mister Fortinsky. Uh, Missouri Moseley-"

"Wait, wait. Missouri Moseley?" Theo asks. Both her and Dean look at each other.

"What?"

"That's a psychic?" Dean asks.

"Uh, yeah. Yeah, I guess so" Theo goes into the backseat of the car and pulls out John's journal.

"In Dad's journal...here, look at this" Dean opens to the first page "First page, first sentence, read that"

"I went to Missouri and I learned the truth" Sam reads.

"We always thought he meant the state" Dean says.

[ghostbustershq]

Ghostbusters Day 2022 Recap

Sony Pictures and Ghost Corps put on quite a show last night, as a Marvel Studios-like presentation and screening kicked off the first annual (yes, they’ve got the drive to do this once a year) Ecto-Fest celebration. Cast and crew from the films, Sony Pictures employees, lucky fans, and members of the press were all on-hand for the festivities which included announcements, teases, and a booming outdoor encore screening of Ghostbusters: Afterlife.

The evening began with a wonderful behind the scenes featurette with b-roll footage of Ernie Hudson arriving at the Ladder 23 filming location in downtown Los Angeles to film the “end tag” scene from Afterlife.

The featurette served as an introduction for the man who needs no introduction, Ernie Hudson himself. Dressed in a power suit that would make the chairman of Zeddemore Industries proud, Hudson revealed that the Sony lot will forever remember Ivan Reitman by naming the street in which Ghost Corps and the Ecto-1 are parked “Ivan Reitman Way.” Hudson then teased that the future for Ghostbusters was in good hands and, “I’m not allowed to tell you much more than that, but rest assured, we have a lot of Ghostbusting ahead. I’ll just say, if need be, the flight suit still fits.”

With that, the floor was turned over to Hasbro where Jenny Whitlock unveiled a limited to two edition of an Ivan Reitman Plasma Series action figure. One of which will reside at Ghost Corps’ office in Culver City, and the second will be auctioned off for Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles at a later date.

Following that, Whitlock gave backers a glimpse at progress for the Spengler Proton Pack HasLab that was offered up for pre-sale crowd funding. The biggest reveals are that the Pack will weigh a mere 15-pounds and will be light on fans’ backs, includes real metal parts including the switches and Clippard Valves, and the Spengler Journal that was offered as an incentive will be double the page count than expected. A larger update is available on the Hasbro Pulse blog with photos of the most recent prototypes and more.

Next up was the head of Sony Pictures VR, Jake Zim (with special guest Logan Kim) who offered updates on their Meta VR experience and unveiled a new installation VR arcade called “Ghostbusters VR Academy,” which will be a two-story, two-part experience that allows players to train to be Ghostbusters and drive the Ecto-1 like a pro. The first part of the experience is a first-person perspective where you don a Proton Pack with a haptic feedback vest and capture ghosts in a team of four players. Following that, players head downstairs where they’re put in the driver’s seat for a simulated joyride of a new hover-prototype Ecto-1 through three levels of competition. The installation will be available at 400+ Hologate locations around the world later this year.

Zim and Kim yielded the floor to a filmed message from Dan Aykroyd himself, who taped a message from his family farmhouse. It is the same family farmhouse where his spiritualist great-grandfather served as the inspiration for Ghostbusters. Aykroyd teased that we’re all invested in the future of Ghostbusters, not just from an intellectual property and franchise perspective, but in the story that Afterlife opened up as well. We want to know what happened to Phoebe Spengler following the events at the Dirt Farm. We want to know what happened to the Ghostbusters in the 1990’s and the time leading up to Afterlife. And with that, he was proud to announce the “spectral stewards and trusted keepers of the Cadillac keys” to the stage: Jason Reitman and Gil Kenan.

Reitman and Kenan had many announcements, all of which the running theme was inner-connectivity and a cohesive story that will fill in gaps, move the story into the future, and entertain Ghostbusters fans for years to come.

First up, the pair gave an update on the upcoming Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed console video game, which will allow players to compete either as Ghostbusters or as the ghosts themselves. Illfonic is working hard on the game for release later this year on consoles and PC.

Next, the first of the big reveals: Ghostbusters is returning to comics. Dark Horse Comics is the new license partner for Ghostbusters and Reitman and Kenan announced they are overseeing an in-canon mini-series that will be released at some point next year. A Variety article posted today says the Dark Horse series will bridge the gap between Afterlife and the upcoming sequel (more on that momentarily).

The duo then went on to announce the Ghostbusters animated feature film collaboration with Sony Pictures Animation has a creative team working hard on its development, and that the project was near and dear to the late Ivan Reitman’s heart. “This was a passion project of my father’s and it’s easy to understand why. The world of the unknown can only be properly explored through the limitless reach of animation,“ Jason Reitman told the crowd. Per Variety, Chris Prynoski (executive producer, “Beavis and Butt-Head Do the Universe”) and Jennifer Kluska (“Hotel Transylvania: Transformania”) are set to direct, with Brenda Hsueh (supervising producer, “Disjointed”) on board to write.

More animation news came after that, with an extension of the announcement from this morning that Sony and Ghost Corps have partnered with Netflix to create a new animated Ghostbusters series. While not much more was revealed about the new show, Reitman and Kenan assured fans that the new series will navigate an unexplored era of the Ghostbusters canon, which will be intriguing. “Between gaming, comics, television, and movies, we are going to tell the untold history of Ghostbusters while reaching into the future with characters you haven’t met from places you haven’t gone,” said Kenan on the world’s they are exploring in building out the universe.

Last, but certainly not least, the creative pair provided an update on the next live action Ghostbusters film that they are feverishly writing now. Reitman reminded fans that the codename for Ghostbusters: Afterlife was Rust City, a security title that became very clear when the film was released as both the geographical location of where the story took place, but also symbolic of the characters and world we knew. Well, now that the rust has been shaken, Reitman and Kenan gleefully teased that the security title they’ve been using for the new film is Firehouse. While we’re not clear on what the story will be, the two proudly announced that Afterlife ended with the Ecto-1 pulling into the firehouse bay and that’s where the next story will start: back in New York City. Though many news blogs and pundits my scoff at the announcement of a film’s code name, the announcement spoke volumes: Ghostbusters will be back in New York, back in the firehouse, and ready to bust some heads. In a spiritual sense, of course.

The evening was capped off with an outdoor screening of Ghostbusters: Afterlife in the cool Los Angeles air, with booming sound and a rowdy audience cheering and engaged throughout.

If this is the first of many Ecto-Fests to come, one can only imagine the scope and announcements and reveals that may be in store June of 2023. Until then, we let our imaginations run wild and hang on tight for the future. It’s going to be a wild ride.

[midnightswithdearkatytspb]

VelvetCardiganBucky’s Recommendations 2021: Week 12 & 13 | March 14th – March 27th

Welcome to weeks 12 & 13 of my recommendations, if you would like to be featured on a future list, I follow the hashtag #VelvetCardiganBucky, message me, tag me in your future works, or reblog this post and link to your story, one-shot, Masterlist, writing challenge, etc.

Be aware some if not most stories and writers on this list are meant to be consumed by an audience of those 18+. My blog is also an 18+ blog.

✨Page breaks are made @firefly-graphics✨

«Last Week

Week 14»

My Masterlist

My Fic Rec List of Mafia/Mob Bucky/Sebastian & Steve/Chris/Andy

Stuff I Posted This Week:

Steve + Bey = 4Ever » Steve Rogers and Bey carved places in each other’s hearts, that no one else could ever replace.

I Hear A Symphony » Bucky Barnes x Mutant!Reader — Reader plays an important song to her for Bucky.

—Formerly The Winter Soldier » “I’m no longer the winter soldier, my name is James Bucky Barnes & you're part of my effort to make amends.”

Lee Bodecker

(Mini) Series:

*Give In by @not-a-great-writer » soft!dark!Lee Bodecker x shy!Reader — She didn’t think she was anything special. So when the intimidating Sheriff takes an interest in her, she can’t help but feel a little unsettled. Her boring life is about to get a little interesting. | This story has to be one of my all time series I’ve ever read, and I know I will weep when it’s over. The chapters are decently sized, you have angst, fluff and smut. I couldn’t ask for more, it’s simply a masterpiece.

Deadbeat Pt. 9 by @the-witty-pen-name » Lee Bodecker x F!Reader — You work at the bar at the edge of town, the Sheriff is going through a divorce and needs to rent a room. | Cole thank you for feeding my current Lee Bodecker obsession after I watched The Devil All The Time, for the time. This story is good and I love soft!Lee, and one where no one dies. At least I hope no one dies...

SamBucky

One-Shots:

Loving You Is Cherry Pie by @river-soul » Sam Wilson x Reader x Bucky Barnes — When Sam Wilson, one of your regulars at the cafe finally asks you out, you’re ecstatic until he tells you he wants his friend to join. When you meet Bucky, you decide it might be worth your while after all. [Allusions to stalking, exhibitionism and explicit sex, 18+] | There is just not enough SamBuck stories out there and we have @river-soul to thank for feeding our love for the boys and giving us some good smut, especially to tide us over till Friday.

Nothing Good Happens After 2 AM by @callmeluna » Sam Wilson x Reader x Bucky Barnes — You are admittedly a handful when you’ve had a few drinks in you. Luckily, your partners Sam and Bucky are more than up for the challenge… maybe. | If you are looking for something to make you laugh, might I suggest reading this? The whole time as I read this I couldn’t get the huge smile off my face, it was that good.

Bucky Barnes

Drabbles:

Matching by @heli0s-writes » Bucky Barnes x Reader — Reader and Bucky are “matchy matchy,” with their belly button rings. | This is adorable as well as very funny.

One-Shots:

Smooth Criminal by @bestofbucky » Bucky Barnes x Reader — Based on a dream @velvetcardiganbucky had. You’re parents told you to never give rides to strangers, but when you notice Bucky Barnes trying to break into your car, you know some strangers aren’t so bad. | Jenny did my dream justice! I honestly couldn’t have asked for anything better.

Don’t Over Do It by @whisperlullaby » Bucky Barnes x Reader — Your boyfriend is an asshole. Bucky reminds you that you are perfect the way you are. | I can’t describe this anyway other than perfect, that I wish I had a Bucky like this there for me. Trust me you’ll love the ending.

Coming Home to You by @angrythingstarlight » Biker!Bucky Barnes x Reader — Your Biker boyfriend is finally home and he’s going to show you how much he missed you. With every inch he has. And you’re going to remember how much he loves you. | It’s not very often you read something that has an alternate ending and when you do you find yourself loving both endings. Both endings are hot, the smut is great, again who couldn’t love Biker!Bucky?

Won’t Let You Go by @kind-of-crazy-butthatsokay » Mob!Bucky Barnes x OFC!Kori — Kori met Bucky in one of his clubs, out to get shit-faced with a couple of friends to forget about her worries and maybe take home a guy to further rid herself of her numerous frustrations. Little did she know that the one-night stand with Bucky would turn into so much more than that. | Thank you so much for entering my writing challenge, it means so much. This one-shot is so good, it hit me right the feels and left me falling in love with Kori and Bucky.

Show Me How To Ride by @angrythingstarlight » Beefy Biker!Bucky Barnes x Reader — You’ve been keeping a secret from your biker boyfriend. He is going to get the information out of you one way or the other. | It’s hot and it makes you realize just how much you realize just how much you love Biker!Bucky.

Bubble Baths by @floatingpetals » Bucky Barnes x Reader (Modern AU) — Even your boyfriend Bucky, needs to wind down at the end of a stressful with a bubble bath, but he doesn’t want to do it alone. | Okay, so my summary of this sucks but let me just say this is fluffy and smutty all at once. I wish I had Bucky to take a bubbly bath with.

Bad Boy!Bucky Barnes x Shy!Reader by @gagmebucky — in which there’s nowhere to sit and bucky offers his lap—then, subsequently, his cock. (bad boy!bucky x shy!reader, dirty talk, exhibitionism and voyeurism, cockwarming, unprotected sex.) | *chugs water* yeah is it a little hot in here? I probably would have failed class if Bucky had been in my class along with Steve, I wouldn’t have known who to stare at, forget learning the material.

**Greater Good by @fuel-joy » Bucky Barnes x Reader — There is a cure for the zombie outbreak but is it worth the cost. | Grab your tissues, because you are going to need them. Thanks darling for entering my writing challenge and making me feel so many feels with this one.

(Mini) Series:

A Tender Heart ♥️ Pt. 2 by @river-soul » Alpha!Bucky Barnes x Omega!Reader — You’ve been sweet on Bucky since you started working at the compound six months ago. Normally quiet and mild mannered, an unexpired fight with a coworker brings Bucky into your orbit. [A/B/O dynamics, brief mention of bullying and fluff] | If anyone can pull at your heartstrings it’s @river-soul making the beginning of this series look so promising and I can’t wait to see where it goes.

Run To You 🪙 Pt. 10 🪙 Pt. 11 🪙 Pt. 12 by @bestofbucky » Mob!Bucky Barnes x Bodyguard!Reader — Mob boss Bucky Barnes hires you to be his bodyguard. | Jenny left me at the edge of my seat, making this such an amazing story, I always look forward to her updates, and so sad that there is only 1 chapter left.

Better than Working sequel to This by @angrythingstarlight » Beefy Biker!Bucky Barnes x Reader — Beefy Biker Bucky shows you all the benefits of working from home. In fact what he has for you is so much better than work. | Sometimes you just need to read something hot to lift your spirits, let this do that.

Stucky

One-Shots:

*Tell Me What You Want by @angrythingstarlight » Mafia!Steve Rogers x Reader; Mafia!Bucky Barnes x Reader — Your mob boyfriend, is none other than Steve Rogers and he is willing to get you whatever you wanted, all you have to do is ask. And be careful what you ask for because he’s going to give it to you over and over again. | This is so hot that I highly recommend not reading this anywhere out in public. The smut in this is just *chefs kiss*

(Mini) Series:

Miracle Pt. 2 🥀 Pt. 1 by @heavenhatesme » Soft!Dark!Bucky Barnes x Reader; Soft!Dark!Steve Rogers x Reader — When infertility threatens mankind with extinction and there hasn’t been a baby for almost 18 years, what happens when two certain super soldiers fall for the same woman and accidentally impregnate her? | It’s not tagged as dark, sorry to the writer I tagged it that please forgive me? But I just want to tell everyone heed the tags. I do look forward to reading what happens next. The smut in this is great!

Invisible Ink by @navybrat817 » Bucky Barnes x Reader, Steve Rogers x Reader; Bucky Barnes x Reader x Steve Rogers — The owners of the Howling Commandos Tattoo Parlor want to make you their best girl. | I love the idea of tattoo’d Bucky and Steve, but that's because I have a weakness for tattoo’s. So this series is just right up my alley, and the start of it is so good that I know it’s good to be a great one!

Steve Rogers

Drabbles:

Chocolate Milk & Dino Nuggets by @nony-bear » Steve Rogers x Reader — Daddy Steve helps make his little girl feel better after a long week. DDLG THEMES | Had me wishing I had a Steve to make me Dino nuggets after a long day at work. It’s precious folks.

Prompt 4K Drabble Challenge by @sweeterthanthis » Steve Rogers x Reader — “Show me how deep you can take it.” | You’re going to need an ice cold bath after this one.

One-Shots:

A Cruel Tide by @writerwrites » Nomad!Steve Rogers x Reader — A lost hero thinks she needs saving, but this divorcée’s needs were different, fleeting, and then full of attachment. Can they overcome the burdens on their shoulders and keep their word? | Sometimes you want to wrap the reader and Steve in a blanket and protect them while enjoying the smut. This gave me that and more.

Untitled Request by @navybrat817 » Steve Rogers x Reader — Sending Steve a naughty photo while he’s in a meeting leads to punishment that will remind you to never do it again, right? | Hi, I’m just going to drench myself in ice cold water. ✌🏻

(Mini) Series:

*Control Pt. 3 🔐 Pt. 1 🔐 Pt. 2 by @river-soul » dark!Steve Rogers x Reader — When a probationary agent asks you out on a date you learn Steve’s intentions for you have evolved. He doesn’t take kindly to someone touching what’s his. [Noncon, physical violence (biting), grooming behavior and explicit sex, 18+] | Definitely one of my favorite series to read on Tumblr so far, you know it’s dark, and the smut is great. I always look forward to the updates on this one.

*Lipstick and Crayons 🖍 Ch. 4 by @oneoftheprettynerds » Dark Mob!Steve Rogers x Reader — Steve can’t ever repay you for what you did. After meeting you, Steve believes his broken family is the missing piece in the puzzle of your own wrecked one. Indebting the crime lord to you has been the biggest mistake of your life, cause now you can’t get rid of him, no matter what. Loyalty and favours go a long way in the mob. | This story always gets my heart a racing and leaves you with questions as to what is going to happen next. I truly love it and Soft!Dad while being Angry!Mob boss Steve all at the same time, this story just has it all for me.

This Is My Unbecoming by @river-soul » Werewolf!Steve Rogers x Witch!Reader — When the Hydra pack graduates from turning humans to swell their ranks to kidnapping and murdering witches to consolidate power, Steve knows he needs to strike. He makes a deal with a powerful coven leader for a witch of his own in exchange for destroying the rogue pack. [Magical realism, biting, blood, slightly dubious consent and explicit sex, 18+] | Okay this is so good and I would like to thank the teenage mind of @river-soul for creating this! Like seriously thank you. I look forward to reading more!

It’s been a long, long time ☕️ Ch.1 by @mostly-marvel-musings » Steve Rogers x Reader — Steve Rogers – a man who has lost too much finds himself blending into the crowd in attempts to forget his past but revisits familiar places and spends days sketching his heart out. A rainy evening leads him to find shelter in your coffee shop. Is having meaningful conversations over endless cups of coffee with a stranger the key to unlocking a heart that’s lost the will to love? | The prologue tore my heart out, it truly did but the first chapter just puts the pieces back together. I really love this and I’m honestly looking forward to reading what happens next. I can’t thank you enough for entering my writing challenge!

*Not A Team Part: 1 by @shedobewritingalittle » Steve Rogers x Reader — The Reader tries to live a normal life, but her memories won’t leave her alone. Rhodey comes to visit the reader with a proposition. | There aren't a lot of stories out there that have walk on parts with Rhodey in it and I didn’t know how much I missed out on having him in stories till I read this. This was just so well written and the characterization of Rhodey was perfect, how Peyton got the emotions written across, it’s perfect. Read this and have some tissues on hand. I will always love it.

Andy Barber

One-Shots:

Closing Arguments by @river-soul » Andy Barber x Reader — Andy and you are going out for the first time since your daughter’s birth. Anxious about leaving her behind Andy does his best to make you feel better. [Fluff with explicit sex (f recieving), 18+] | So fluffy and sweet!

Keep the Heat by @ozarkthedog » Andy Barber x Reader — Andy fucks you in the coat. | Semi-Short and the smut is oh so good.

(Mini) Series:

Homebound 🏡 Ch. 1 by @fuel-joy » Dark!Andy Barber x Reader — You witness your neighbor kill his wife. You try to gather evidence all from the comfort of your home. | Prepare to be at the edge of your seat with this one, it’s just that good.

One Night by @darkficsyouneveraskedfor » Dark!Andy Barber x Reader — One night changes your entire life. | This is dark and exciting, with tons of angst in it. I love a real good dark!Andy fic and this is it.

Chris Evans

One-Shots:

Mirrors by @cherrychris » Chris Evans x Reader — “wanna know what i see? me owning you and this sweet little pussy” | Sometimes you read things that just blow your mind and this was one of those things.

*Work Party by @harrylovex » Chris Evans x Reader — you get drunk at a work party and chris looks after you… | This is really adorable and probably one of my favorite fluffy Chris Evans one-shots I’ve ever read.

Misc.

One-Shots:

An Act of Kindness by @stargazingfangirl18 » Jake Jensen x Female!Reader — A simple act of kindness seals your fate. | I would like to simply start of by saying that this was my first Jake Jensen fanfiction in years, or maybe my first one, and all I could was where have I been hiding from him? So good and glad I read this and so will you!

*Come Back Safe by @celestialbarnes » Sam Wilson x Reader — based on tfatws, you find out sam’s leaving for a mission, afraid to lose the man you love, you confront him, and he promises you to come back. | So fluffy you’ll want to cuddle it under a blanket fort and wish under a thousand starry night skies for it to come true.

(Mini) Series:

Fiery Friends Pt. 3 🔥 Pt. 4 by @wanderinglunarnights » Johnny Storm x OFC!Sophia Jones — Johnny invites his best friend Sophia to stay with him in his penthouse during quarantine. | I really like this story, because I find myself mentally rooting for Sophia and Johnny, also going you go girl. Looking forward to what is next for this duo.

Ensnared Pt. 2 🔗 Pt. 1 by @stargazingfangirl18 » Ransom Drysdale x Female!Reader; minor Robert Pronge (Mr. Freezy) x Reader — Robert preps you for the handoff to the smooth talking stranger who bought you, but before he lets you go, he wants to have a little fun first. | So good and hot. Honestly I look forward to hopefully finding out what happens between the reader and Ransom.

Made With Love by @ayybtch » Wanda Maximoff x f!Reader + Friends to Lovers — Wanda is an excellent cook but a terrible baker. A rough day leads her to the bakery in the Avengers compound where she meets you, the lead baker. After a dismal attempt at making chocolate chip cookies, you volunteer to help Wanda learn how to bake. Your friendship grows stronger with each successful recipe until the two of you stumble into something even sweeter than baked goods. | This story will constantly have you smiling, sure it’s only 3 chapters so far, but I started off reading it in a bad mood but by the 3rd chapter I was just so sappy and happy. I can’t wait for more!

Without Me by CuttingMyFingersOff » Legolas x OFC!Braigeth — Braigeth was an elf who has nothing but memories of Legolas to help her survive being imprisoned in the walls of Orthanc. That is, until she is able to escape and reunite with him. | I’ve been invested in this since my friend came forward to me with the idea for this story and now that it’s being written, I couldn’t be more excited to read it. I need more Lord of the Rings in my life if I’m being honest.

Forever and Ever More by @syntheticavenger » Dark Alpha!Ransom Drysdale x Omega!Reader — Ransom Drysdale may be Boston’s most eligible Alpha but he has his eyes set on you. With his inheritance hanging in the balance, he won’t take no for an answer, whether you like him or not. | Prepared to go on a Hawaiian EMOTIONAL roller coaster with this story, there are so many times in this story you find yourself picking your jaw up off the floor. I’ve linked you to chapter 9, which has all the previous chapters, listed.

Is A Shout Out To My...

@bluemusickid in celebration of 700 followers is hosting a Holi Celebration Writing Challenge, that is due April 30th, but extension can be given. Any Marvel or MCU characters can be used in addition to Chris Evans and his characters. The theme is Holi and its colors, for better explanation visit the link provided.

@whisperlullaby in celebration of 700 followers is hosting a 700 Followers Challenge, your entries will be due May 5th. The theme is kinks, no RPF, DDLG/MMLG, bathroom related , incest, or under age kinks. This is MCU characters, Sebastian Stan, and Chris Evans characters x OFC or Reader. For more information visit the link provided. Congrats Becca on the 700 followers you deserve it hun!

@stargazingfangirl18 in celebration of 5K followers is hosting a Soft Dark Writing Challenge, which is due May 31st. Don’t let the name fool you, your writing can be soft, dark, or soft!dark, or headcanons about any Chris character. 500 word minimum with no max, but new or be read as a stand alone piece. For more information visit the link provided and be sure to congratulate Siri on her 5K milestone!

@cloudystevie in celebration of 4K followers is hosting a Mob!AU Writing Challenge, that is due on May 30th. You can use Chris Evans and any of his characters he’s played before, as well as make it NSFW or SFW. To learn more about it please visit the link below. Also congratulations Jasmeen on the 4K followers! 💗

[missymurphy1985]

Nobody's Perfect (part5)

Warning - smut (always)

Taglist Taglist @queenshelby @margoo0 @being-worthy @peakyscillian @ntmynouis @janelongxox @elenavampire21 @noctvrnalmoth @ysmmsy @cloudofdisney @lauren-raines-x

You'd spent the rest of that afternoon discussing your characters, and rehearsing your rewritten scenes together. The new dynamic working well for you both off screen and on, and both Steve and the Director Anto couldn't help but be impressed at the new found chemistry the two of you had together over the last week. James, the assistant director, had pulled Cillian away for a chat in his trailer, and he had a face like thunder when he came out afterwards.

"Hey... You okay?" You bumped into him as he was walking back to his trailer.

"I'm good." He squeezed your arm, but carried on walking away from you.

"James had a word then." Sophie's voice behind you startled you.

"About what?"

"There's rumours flying around - about the two of you, have you not heard them?"

"What rumours?"

"The two of you? Sleeping together?" You scoffed at her.

"God, don't be ridiculous Soph, he's nearly 20 years older than me for goodness sake..."

"Y/n... Just be careful. Okay?" You were stunned - what business was it of anyone's who you shared a bed with? You looked round to see if anyone was nearby, wanting to go to his trailer but there were cast and crew members everywhere. You headed to your own trailer instead.

"Sophie told me what James said Cill..." You texted him, sitting down on your sofa.

"Why can't I just be allowed to move on? Why is there always something that's standing in my way huh?" A quick reply.

"What do we do?"

"If he finds out we're together off camera it could cause you real problems y/n. He sees it as massively unprofessional.. thinks it'll affect the way we are together.. I think it's fucking bullshit personally, you're playing my wife for god's sake..."

"Not married yet Cill... That's next week's scene."

"We need to spend less time together off set.. we're clearly raising suspicions." Your heart lurched, but you knew what he said made sense. At least until filming finished next week, then it was no one's business what happened.

"Okay... Gonna be hard though.."

"Can't wait til I can see you again properly xx"

"Me too. I've seen Clara's wedding dress already, it's beautiful Cill xx"

"Not as beautiful as you will be in it xx"

"I'm heading back to Ireland for a couple of days in the morning - mam's birthday. I'll be back Sunday night xx"

"I'm heading to my sister's place in Liverpool tonight. Wish I could spend it with you though xx"

"Me too babe. Gonna be a long weekend without you xx"

The weekend was the longest you'd been apart since day one of filming, and it was just as difficult as you thought it would be. You'd tried not to bother him so he could spend time with his family, but he couldn't get enough of you. He'd send you photos of him and his brother drinking in Cork city, you replied with photos of you and your sister in Liverpool.

You were waiting onset, your hair pristine, makeup done, and the long, white, flowing dress fitted to perfection, even over the small 'bump' you were wearing underneath your dress - Clara was 5 months pregnant. You hadn't had chance to see Cillian since his return the night before - his flight back had been delayed and he didn't get in until nearly 3am. All you were waiting for was Paul Anderson, his character Arthur, was to walk you down the aisle, after your onscreen father had been killed off in an earlier episode. Paul came onset and couldn't take his eyes off you. He pulled you close for a gentle hug, earning a glare from your hair and makeup lady Jenny. He chuckled and pulled away, before leaning in to whisper in your ear.

"Cillian's a very lucky man, and I hope to god he realises that y/n." You pulled back sharply, shaking your head.

"There's nothing between me and Cill, Paul.." he winked at you and offered you his arm, ready to film the scene. Jenny came over to fix your veil over your head, covering your face. The main director, Anto, called Action, and the wedding march music played. The doors to the small newly built chapel opened and you and Arthur walked down the aisle. You could see Cillian in his navy blue suit at the end, his eyes on you. You could almost feel the emotion radiating from him.

You stood next to him, and he lifted the veil over your head. You could tell he was fighting Cillian, and trying to remain as Tommy, but he couldn't stop himself winking at you when he knew the camera wouldn't be on him, making you blush. His eyes also wandered down to the bump under your dress, and you could tell it was bringing back painful memories for him, but he held it together to get the scene done.

The scene complete, it was time for the cast to move onto the reception set. You were about to walk with everyone before an arm pulled you behind a curtain.

"Paul's covering me for 10minutes, y/n, I needed to see you..." His lips were on yours in seconds, as he pulled you down a small set of steps into a secluded backstage room. Locking the door behind him, he pulled you back to him quickly. You could feel how hard he was underneath the trousers and you gasped as he started to hitch your dress up your legs.

"Fuck.. Cillian we can't do this here..."

"We've got... 7 minutes.. yes we can..." He spun you round and leaned you over an amplifier, must've been a spare for the music they needed for the wedding scene. Lifting your dress over your hips, you heard him unzip his trousers and line himself up against you.

"No underwear?" He questioned.

"Tight fitting dress... Shit..." He pushed himself in and quickly built up a powerful rhythm. You'd gone on the pill after your little mishap earlier that month.

"Fuck.. you got tighter.."

He pounded into you, you had to cover your mouth to keep yourself quiet. Your much needed orgasm was building rapidly, as you heard him panting behind you, his hips snapping into you harder.

Before you knew it, you came hard over him, and he followed quickly with a deep groan - hot streams of cum flowing into you like a fountain. He pulled out slowly, and you felt a tissue between your legs as he cleaned you up - you couldn't risk a trace of anything being left on you before you did the next scenes. He zipped his trousers up and helped to pull your dress back down, checking both of you over to make sure you still looked as you did before, incredibly you did. He pulled you to stand, and adjusted the bump under your dress slightly.

"You look beautiful, y/n. You really do."

"You look so handsome in that suit Cill..." He kissed you, his hand lingering on the bump a little longer. You felt butterflies, you couldn't help it. Separating, you made your way to the next scene.

Walking into the set, you could see James eyeing you from the corner suspiciously. Cillian was already there, stood with Paul having their hair and makeup readjusted slightly for the new lighting. Jenny waved for you to come to her for the same thing. The penultimate scene for the cast and crew.

You and Cillian were wrapped up in each others arms that evening on the sofa in his hotel room, some cheesy 90s horror film on the TV, but neither of you really paying much attention to it.

"Babe, I think we need to talk..." He said, as he pulled back and you sat up, fingers still entwined with his as you played with the hard skin by his thumb nail.

"Sounds ominous..."

"Filming ends tomorrow... James has already threatened to go to the press about us if we don't stop this.."

"What are you saying, Cill?" You released his hand, preparing yourself for the worst.

"Y/n this is your dream.. and I can't be the one to end that for you.. but at the same time I can't be the one to end this either. I need to know what it is you want? The press will eat us alive - there's 20 years between us.."

"I want you." Not even a glimmer of doubt. "I've been thinking long and hard about this all weekend. If I have to choose Cillian, I choose you. Every time. I don't care about the tabloids."

"Your career -"

"My career means nothing if I don't have you beside me! Don't you want me?"

"Of course I want you, that's not even a question.."

"Then what's the issue? Steve is one of the nicest guys in the industry and he ADORES you.. surely he can't feel the same way as James? I'm sick of sneaking around, pretending like nothing is going on between us! I wanna shout it from the rooftops! I want to be with you properly, and if that means I take a beating from the tabloids then so be it. If it means I'm not in series 2, so be it. There will always be other stories, other roles - there will never be another you..." You leaned forward and captured his lips in yours. He returned the kiss, and pulled you into his lap.

"I'm falling for you.. in fact no, I've fallen for you. Completely. Seeing you in that dress, with the bump underneath.. even though you were Clara, all I saw was y/n. I saw everything. Our future - what could be. It terrifies me but excites the shit outta me at the same time."

"Cillian.. I love you. I've loved you since the moment I laid eyes on you."

"I love you. I'll sort this. Let me talk to Steve tomorrow. James clearly had this weird little power trip going on.. but I'll sort it. You'll be in series 2, I promise you that."

"Even if I'm not - "

"Y/n, I'm executive producer of series 2 - trust me, you'll be in it." You smiled.

"And the press?"

"Fuck the press."

"I'd rather fuck you?" He grinned and kissed you again. Deepening the kiss as you grinded your hips into his, that erection pushing into your core with each push.

"You coming to Ireland with me when we wrap up tomorrow?"

"Try and stop me."

[whats-wild-to-you]

The Perfect Plan (Jay Park fiction)

Part 5

<Jennifer's POV>

"I feel really good about this article, sunbae, take a look!"

"Huh? Later. Have you heard about Jay Park being scrutinized for going to the club? These gossip reporters are ruthless, I'm telling you. He's a young, wealthy guy, what do they expect from him. Of course he's going to go to clubs."

"What?" I shook my head, sure that I wasn't hearing right. How did Phil know who Jay Park was?

"It's all over the news! He's apparently doing a press conference tomorrow."

"He what?!" I shrieked.

"What's with you?"

"I'm sorry, I have to go somewhere. Please read my article!"

While waiting for the elevator, I texted Harry.

Please tell me the press conference is an elaborate joke.

So you think it's a bad idea too?

Exposing yourself to reporters's questions while you still haven't cleared up the misunderstandings? That's career suicide!

We can't call it off now, can we?

No, it's too late now!

I got in the elevator, and just as the doors were closing, I heard my boss yelling my name.

"What is it, Phil?"

"I want you to go!"

"Go where?"

"That press conference!"

"Umm, no!"

"Listen to me, everyone there will either criticize him or try to dig up more dirt. You go there and you defend him and his actions!"

"And why would I do that?"

"Because that's your next big story! Celebrities are humans too!" He said, making an exaggerated hand motion.

"When everyone else vilifies him, and trust me they will, you'll ask him about how hard it is to lead a normal life when everybody is expecting a perfect behavior from you! We'll make him next month's cover star. He built his career and several businesses from the ground up. He's an inspiration to young entrepreneurs. If we get an all in-depth exposé about him, it will attract a lot of readers!"

"Why are you doing this? Usually we're not writing about these topics. And you know very well what I want to write about!"

"Our numbers are down, Jennie! We need more people to read our articles, visit our website. Younger people especially!"

"Fine, but have you seen what everyday people are saying about him on social media? The majority of them are not on his side! If we get involved, we might go down with him."

"I guarantee you that won't happen!"

"What are you hiding from me?"

"Nothing. My gut feeling tells me I'm right!"

"Can no one else do it then? Does it have to be me?"

"Yes."

The next day we drove together to the Signiel Seoul Hotel, where the press conference would take place.

<at the press conference>

Of course, all the other reporters ganged up on him, of course they asked the most uncomfortable questions. I sat there, hectically typing. I had prepared my question but I was not looking forward to asking Jay. Phil came with me in order to make sure I do my part well. Watching from the corner of the room, he urged me to ask my question, pointing maniacally at the sheet in front of me.

My gaze landed on Jay, who was uncomfortably shifting in his seat. By now he surely regretted the decision he made to go ahead with this press conference. There were another two people to his right, and one to his left. None of them spoke though, and no reporter asked then any questions. Suddenly I felt bad for him, he looked backed up into a corner with no one to come to his rescue. Phil was waving at me again, pointing at his watch.

I sighed, then raised my arm. The moderator passed down the microphone to me, and I stood up, determined to get it over with quickly.

"Jennifer Chen, KED Global. Mr. Park, do you feel wrongfully accused? Being in the public eye is tough as it is, but being scrutinized over harmless pictures must seem especially cruel to you. What is your message to all the reporters who profit off of displaying personal moments on the internet?"

I bowed and sat back down. The other reporters were mumbling. It was clear to them that I blamed noisy reporters for the photos leaking. A silence filled the room, as the reporters were waiting to hear his answer.

After his initial shock wore off, he cleared his throat.

Right! I lied to you, sort of.

I could almost see the despise in his eyes.

"Of course famous people are humans too, and to a certain extent I understand the need to show our human side. But these were paparazzi picture, taken without my consent. A false narrative was created around them, and I wasn't given the opportunity to defend and explain myself. It's situations like these that make celebrities want to seclude themselves and stop sharing private moments altogether. There needs to be rules and boundaries."

More reporters asked questions and 10 minutes later we were informed that the press conference was over. Photographers shot a couple more pictures and then one by one people cleared the room.

"Well done!" Phil said, patting my back.

"I feel dirty!" I countered walking towards the main exit.

"Where are you going? I've set up a meeting with Jay in one of the suites upstairs."

"Why?"

"Did you already forget about the exposé, our interview?"

"Wait. ... No! I'm doing it?"

"Of course. I want the best journalist for this. And Jay deserves the best journalist too, don't you agree?"

"Now?"

"No, I'll schedule it for next week. Today I just want to introduce him to you!"

I laughed nervously. While we took the elevator to the suite Jay was waiting in, I decided to confess to Phil.

"I actually ran into him that night. I was there! Thankfully I didn't appear on the pictures."

"You were? That's brilliant!"

"Not really. We kind of gotten off on the wrong foot that night. And did you not see his face when I asked my question earlier? I doubt he will agree to this if I'm the one doing the interview."

"Hmm. Let's not jump to conclusions!"

As we stepped off the elevator, I saw in the distance someone already waiting for us. When we approached him, he opened the door to let us in.

"Relax. Why are you nervous?" Phil said next to me.

"It feels like I'm being taken to the slaughterhouse."

Jay got up off his seat and greeted Phil. It was a sincere greeting between two people that seemed to have met before. Then his eyes landed on me. His expression was unreadable, and to some extent I was grateful for that.

"This is Ms. Jennifer Chen, my most prestigious employee and a great journalist. She writes economic pieces, so I thought she would be perfect for the job since we want to focus on your achievements in business."

Jay nodded towards me, but my face was numb I just stood there, trying to find a way out.

"It will sent a good message, since she's a well respected journalist. What do you say?"

Jay nodded again, and then both men looked at me.

"What do you say, Jen?"

"Can I talk to you for a minute? Alone?" I said to Phil, and dragged him away from Jay.

"It seems like everybody's winning, except me!"

"What?! No! You get to do this big interview! It's a great honor."

"It doesn't feel like it!"

"Jen, listen to me! This is a good opportunity for you too. People will know your name after that interview. You'll be famous amongst fellow journalists."

"But I don't want to!"

"Please!"

"Fine. But I demand a bonus!"

"Of course."

"And you owe me!"

"Of course."

***

Part 6

[exosmutfactory]

Six Phases 005 Pt 2

Who knew it nearly took 6 months to win your heart, and 6 phases for Baekhyun to lose his mind.

[ contains: romance, fluff, angst, & smut ]

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3  P(1) P(2) | Part 4 P(1) P(2) | Part 5 P(1) P(2) ✓ | Part 6 P(1)  P(2)

•⇔♦ •⇔♦ •⇔♦ •⇔♦ •⇔♦ •⇔♦ •

Orginally posted by sefuns

I'm starting to wonder when that talk will happen—if ever. It's been two weeks of us in the same dynamic as the start of our relationship. If I had known we would resort back to this point all those months ago, I would have left that night of our first kiss and never looked back. (Says this with my full chest as if my heart would allow such a thing. I'd just continue sitting and staring up at the ceiling with disappointment squeezing the mess out of my poor muscle).

A buzz pulls me from my miserable thoughts, turning my attention to my phone dangerously close to falling off the side of my bed. I catch it just before it tips over the edge.

//

I'm outside

1:30pm

//

Puffing my cheeks while sending a reply, I stand up from my pile of blankets. Temporary safe haven left for my return in a few days.

Smoothing out the fabric of my blue jeans, I move to slip into my simple black and white converses; making sure my phone and charger are safely tucked into my silver purse. Taking one last look around the room still containing Jenny's messy array of clothes on her bed, my lips quirk up into a quick smile. Some things never change.

Choosing to go down the stairs today, I make sure the door is locked behind me; shoving my hands into the pockets of my dark gray hoodie with quick strides. The hallways are packed with students preparing to leave for the long weekend as well. A few barely familiar faces waving me farewell.

I slip through the door someone carelessly walked out of moments before, not even to look back to check if anyone else was coming out in their haste. I’ve hit my face a couple of times from instances like these. Never again.

Shaking my head, I pick up my pace at the sight of a familiar shiny black Audi parked out in front. The visual of Baekhyun's form clad in a black t-shirt, white hoodie, and an off-white coat leaning against the expensive car is nearly enough for my heart to stop. And the smile he sends my way could melt me into a puddle all together. "Hey." His voice is tentative like the hand that gently tucks hair behind my ear.

"Hi," My voice is barely above a whisper as he moves to open the passenger door, the way his brown eyes watch me has my own shyly lowering to his ripped blue jeans; carefully maneuvering around his brand new multicolored gray shoes to step into the car. I take a peek at him walking around to climb inside as well; smiling at his little shiver when he opens the door in wake of a chilly breeze.

"You're not bringing anything?" He inquires once he’s settled in the driver's seat, looking over at me while the engine purrs to life.

I simply shake my head, observing how the colorful trees pass by the window, turned into an array of different hues in the wake of the best season there is; Fall. It may only be the beginning of September, but the signs are all there. Late sunrises, chillier nights, and the scattering of fallen leaves across the ground. The season of pleasant walks without the hinder of bees, sneezing fits from pollen, or the unmerciful heat of the sun.

We barely say a word as the rest of the world flies by, but there is less tension in the car. I hesitate a bit before reaching for the stereo, pausing when Baekhyun beats me there; turning the radio to our favorite station with a knowing smile.

It's about a 3-hour commute from campus to my home. Tall innovative buildings gradually morphing into more humble structures; brick walls versus floor to ceiling windows.

I direct Baekhyun down a few back roads that his GPS struggles to navigate, taking pleasure in how his eyes widen the moment we pull up to the house. "Whoa…"

Rose bushes I helped my grandmother plant are still in full bloom out front in the spacious yard; ruby reds and pretty pinks basking in the unshy sunlight beaming from above. The familiar scent of freshly cut grass greets my nose the moment I step out of the car, glancing back at Baekhyun when he goes to retrieve his duffle bag from the backseat.

"Baby!"

Spinning back on my heel, I open my arms on instinct, receiving a tight hug from a fast moving small person with a quiet ‘oof!’ "Hi Mom." I mumble through my restricted breath, her short hair tickling my chin.

She pulls back a bit in realization, grinning sheepishly up at me before her brown eyes flicker somewhere behind me, hardening into that classic protective mother bear look. "You sure haven't been calling much this week."

"I was busy," I try to justify, a slight whine in my voice that seems to startle Baekhyun. The loud thud of what I assume is his head hitting the roof of the car makes us both turn to him. He's gingerly rubbing the back of his head, the expression of a kid being caught doing something they shouldn't on his reddening face.

"Busy, huh?" Her eyes narrow in suspicion.

"Yep! I had a few assignments to finish up in advance," I chirp; mindful to keep the nervousness out of my voice, easing her up a little as Baekhyun carefully makes his way over to us. My hand comfortably slips into his despite the swarm of butterflies in my stomach under her watchful stare. "Mom, this is Baekhyun." Peeking over at him, I look back to her, motherly instinct still visible in her eyes. "Baekhyun, this is my mom."

"Hello, Mrs. Parker," His tone is similar to the one he uses when greeting associates; calm, respectful, and observant of her fiercely yet wary mannerisms while sliding the duffle strap further up his shoulder before holding out his hand to her.

She squints down at his hand, meets his eye, and grips his hand for a firm handshake; pops of his bones being squeezed audible to all our ears. "Mr. Byun." After one last look to size him up, she swiftly turns away.

"Did I ever mention she's ex-military?" I whisper in his ear as she walks back up the short driveway leading to the house.

"No," He replies just as quietly with wide eyes, slowly flexing his fingers.

"Well then! Let's go," Holding his hand more firmly in mine, I venture after my mom, quick to catch the door before it closes behind her. "There's someone else you should meet."

"Your dad?" He inquires stepping over the threshold.

"Shoes go over there," I point to a rack stationed next to the large carpet that we keep in front of the door, slightly shaking my head. "No, men rarely enter this house."

His lips part along with the furrow in his brows, question at the tip of his tongue, "Wha-"

"Honey bear!" I turn just in time to be wrapped up in another tight hug, resting my free hand on their back. "Hi Grandma," My voice comes out muffled in her shoulder, the comforting scent of lavender and her shoulder-length salt & pepper hair tickling my nose.

She pulls back to look me over with a warm smile, sending the same sentiment Baekhyun's way before taking my other hand. "Come on, I'll whip up something for lunch."

Baekhyun's eyes light up a bit at the prospect, his shoulders losing tension as he neatly sets down his duffle bag on the couch, letting her lead us further into the house. A few family pictures on the wall catches his eye along the way. I gently cup his chin to distract him from the more embarrassing ones, why the hell is there a photo of me completely destroying my dinner in my high chair on the front wall!?!

"Grandma," I start the second we step into the kitchen, placing my hand on my hip, "What happened to the cream curtains?"

"In the closet," She lifts up the blinds of the blue-curtained window above the sink, making her way over to the refrigerator. "I forgot. We can put them back up later, have a seat."

Taking my designated seat at—arguably—the tail end of the rectangular table, I shoot a smile over at Baek settling into the seat to my right, sliding my hand back into his under the privacy of the autumn-themed tablecloth.

The distinct smell of chicken and relish reaches my nose, dragging my attention away from admiring the warmth of his brown orbs. "Grandma? Are you making chicken salad?"

Her reassuring hum makes me squeal a little, my gaze shifts back to Baekhyun when he lightly squeezes my hand, shooting me a fond smile. "Chicken salad?" He inquires, sparkly eyes full of curiosity.

I nod, softly playing with his fingers, "It's canned chicken, relish, and mayo."

His brow lifts a little, "I thought you hated mayonnaise?"

"I do," I mumble, sneaking a quick kiss to his cheek when no one is looking, feeling my heart leap a bit at the unexpected act of affection. "It tastes better than it sounds, trust me."

His cheeks redden, and even more so when mom's voice rings out in the quiet room.

"Kissing in the kitchen now, huh?"

"Mom," I weakly protest, hiding my red face behind my hand as Baekhyun directs his gaze to the tabletop. She swiftly enters the room with a teabag in hand, opening the fridge while Grandma stands by the countertop, mixing all the ingredients together.

"Perfectly fine," Mom comments, coming back out of the fridge with a small glass container in her other hand, walking over to our side of the table while cheekily adding, "Not in front of the food though."

"Kimberly," Grandma chastises, making her way over as well. Mom just sets down the dish with a playful smile, "I peeled you a few carrots when I heard you were coming."

"Really?" I perk up, receiving and thanking them for the food while Baekhyun shyly gives his gratitude as well; I can't help smiling at the bashful expression playing at his handsome features, looking totally out of his element. Who knew he'd be this reserved? It's cute.

"Here," I quickly retrieve a packet of crackers from the shelf stationed against the wall behind me, opening them up as Baekhyun looks over the food curiously. "We usually eat it with bread or crackers," I pause, taking a good look at him then, "Do you want bread instead?"

He lightly shakes his head, the motion causes his long hair to dangle into his eyes, creating an even more adorably shy expression on his cute face. It's hard containing my fond smile while giving him some crackers and scooping chicken salad on his plate. "We ate this often back in the US," I murmur, handing him the spoon before grabbing another. "Chicken salad. Sometimes with soup."

"She'd toast her bread," Grandma sits across from Baekhyun, digging into her own small portion of tuna salad; the potent smell of onions filling the air.

"And drown it with mustard," Mom mutters, phone in one hand and steaming cup of ginger tea in the other. "She puts that shit on everything, I swear."

"Hey!" I shoot them both a mock look of betrayal as she takes the remaining seat, setting her phone neatly on the table. "Why must you two gang up on me?"

"Gotta make sure he knows what he's getting himself into," She mumbles, sipping her tea, turning to face Baekhyun then. "Does she still leave leftovers if it's more than a sandwich?" She inquires, eyeing him evenly. "And her eyes sparkle at the mention of ice cream?"

"Ah, well…" He falters, eyes briefly flickering to the ceiling, a thoughtful expression on his face. A little smile forming on his lips before looking her way again. "Actually, yes." He utters softly, sparkly orbs peeking over at me.

I start taking a bite out of my meal with my hand blocking them from view, pretending as if they—and myself—are not here.

"Still got the appetite of a little kid." Grandma chuckles, glancing over at me while spooning tuna on her bread. "How is Sehun doing, sweetie?"

The shy feeling in my chest eases away. Perking up at the change of topic, I chirp, "Great! His gym is going well, and he just moved in with his lover into a new apartment.~"

"Really?" Her smile is visible even from her blue eyes alone, aged hand brushing away wild strands of salt and pepper hair from her forehead. "That's good, I'm glad."

Mom makes a noise over her cup of tea, arching a brow as she utters lowly, "Y'all not thinking of moving in together are you-"

"Mom!" I shake my head, waving my hands around. "No, no. We're not at that point-"

"We're not?" Baekhyun mumbles, a petulant tone to his quiet voice.

We all fall silent at that, wordlessly looking at him. My blush dying down in an instant.

"Ah, Kim," Grandma pushes away from the table, sandwich clutched in hand. "I need help with that thing I told you about earlier."

"Thing?" Mom's brows furrow, pure confusion on her face, "What thing-"

"The thing," Grandma emphasizes, urging her to stand, already leading the way out of the kitchen. "Let's leave the lovebirds to their meal, they must be tired from their journey." She throws her arm over Mom's shoulder as she continues to grumble in confusion, glancing back at us with knowing blue eyes as they turn the corner and flashing a wink.

I relax back in my chair, sinking down a little with a shaky sigh. Heart jumping at the fingertips tentatively searching for my hand.

"You good?" Baekhyun murmurs, warm breath caressing my cheek.

"Yeah," My eyes lazily drift back over to him. The dazed look in his eyes makes me straighten up, "I should be asking you that. You okay?"

He hums, dabbing his lips with a napkin. Crescent moon eye-smile giving away the hidden curl of his lips. "I'm a little surprised, is all." He murmurs.

"Really?" My eyes widen, heart-squeezing uncomfortably in my chest. "W-Why?"

"You," Baekhyun mutters, setting down the napkin. Slender index finger smoothing out the furrow between my brows, "You're a spitting image of your mom and a carbon copy of your grandma..." He tilts his head, brown orbs twinkling thoughtfully; a little smirk forming on his lips, "With a dash of rebel spirit."

"Yah," I complain, batting his hand away from pinching my cheek. He isn't wrong though, I only let my mom boss me around. And even then, I always find loopholes within the rules she sets out for me. Thanks, Grandma. But it's hard playing the role of a good daughter with him around. Do I behave like the person he knows or the one he hasn't seen? This weekend will be full of testing the waters, it seems...

Baekhyun just chuckles, going back to his meal.

"Do you wanna go somewhere?" I mumble after a few minutes, holding a cracker topped high with salad and carefully cupping it with my other hand while stuffing it in my mouth.

Baekhyun hums, brown eyes shifting from the last few bites on his plate to focus on me. "Where do you wanna go?" His words come out muffled, cheeks adorably stuffed with food.

"There's this nice park in town," Neatly tucking our leftover crackers into a sandwich bag to keep them fresh for later, I add, "It has biking trails, a playground, and a mini water park-"

"Your stomach hurts if you walk too much after eating," Baekhyun raises a brow, swallowing the rest of his food. "And you hate getting your hair wet."

"I know!" It's hard containing my smile. I'm flattered that he remembered such trivial things. I rest my head on his shoulder and hug his arm, looking up into his sparkly brown eyes. "We could go swing for awhile?~"

Baekhyun looks me over for a long moment, lips quirking up as he reaches to dab the corner of my lips with a napkin as well. "Okay," He mumbles, adding fondly. "Only for you."

I bite my lip to fight back another smile, stacking our empty plates and taking his hand. Gently setting them in the sink before leading him deeper into the house. "Mom? Grandma?"

"In here, honey."

Following the sound of Grandma's voice, I rest my free hand on the open door frame, peeking into her bedroom. Finding mom clicking around her old computer while she stands by the open window. "I'm gonna show Baekhyun around at the park, we'll be back for dinner."

"Okay, baby," Mom mumbles, brows furrowed in concentration. Grandma shoos us away with a little smile.

Smiling their way, I glance at Baekhyun, squeezing his hand before walking back out into the living room. We retrieve our shoes from the rack, slipping into them again. His quiet chuckles filling the room while steadying my wobbling body before I fall over; cursing gravity while struggling to pull on my right converse.

A few neighbors are out in their yards as we make our way to the car, some men that go to the same college I do. The sight of them and their cat-calls has me flinching, quickly hiding behind Baekhyun. Peeking with an embarrassed expression over his shoulder as he glares at them. I swear I've seen them at Jongdae's party… My face bursts into flames, even more so at the way Baekhyun gives me the side-eye as if he has a good idea of why they are like this as well.

I meekly climb into the Audi, gently closing the door behind me as Baekhyun starts the engine. Throwing his arm over the back of my seat while backing out of the driveway in an unfairly attractive manner. His brown eyes flicker over to me with a blank expression on his face. I just sink down as far as possible in my seat.

The ride to the park is dead silent, not even the radio is on to defuse the stifling tension in the air. I fight the urge to keep taking glances over at Baekhyun. His tight grip on the steering wheel is enough of an indication of the current mood he is in. What has him mad now? I don't know how much more of this I can take…

We finally arrive at the park, I slip out of the car the moment he pulls into a parking space. Not even waiting for him before venturing down a familiar walking trail. The sounds of his shoes hitting the pavement has me quickening my pace. Adrenaline fueling me forward.

"Riley!"

Nope nope nope. The last few weeks bombard me all at once, causing a lump to form in my throat along with the tight squeeze in my chest. I crouch down under the weight of my unrelenting thoughts, wrapping my arms around my knees. Why did I let him come home with me? How do I face them now when we are like this? One look at my face and they'll know everything.

/

"How do I know you were with her?"

The bitterness in his voice perfectly matched the cold of his dull eyes. The bite of his menace full words.

"You were out fucking Jongin."

/

My heart practically shatters, feeling pressure behind my stinging eyes. Will we always be like this? Are we just going to continue down this road of destruction until… until—

"Riley."

I flinch away from the hand resting on my shoulder, head snapping up to see him through blurry eyes. The concern written all over his face nearly enough to send me to tears.

"I told you not to push yourself," He mumbles, thumb gently swiping beneath my eye. Brown orbs a complete 360 from what they were earlier. "Come on," He urges, crouching down to my level, looking all over my person. "Let's go sit down. You wanted to swing, hmm? I'll push you."

I slowly nod, my stress ebbing away as he wraps his comforting arms around me, carefully pulling me up to stand. His distinct scent makes me soften further within his hold; my gaze focused on our respect shoes as he leads me toward the playground with his arm over my shoulders.

"No one is here today?" I look up at his question, briefly taking in the confusion on his face before sweeping my eyes over the vacant area. "Strange," My response is simple, hands shoved deep in the front pocket of my hoodie.

Baekhyun glances down at me, brushing his thumb over my jaw. "Pick which one you want, love."

Wordlessly moving away from the warmth of his embrace, I plop down into the swing I always go to when no one else is using it. The leather seat is visibly higher up from the ground than its twin, a fresh patch of lighter shaded dirt underneath. Less strain for me later when I try to stop myself instead of having to stretch my legs towards the dug-up ground. And white sneakers be damned, I need this.

The scent of vanilla tickles my nose, Baekhyun's lean form in my peripheral vision as I tighten my grip on the metal handles. Butterflies fluttering in my stomach while he pulls me back, my feet lifting off of the ground.

He gives me the lightest push forward, and I scoff, shooting him a glare. "You can do better than that, Byun."

His lips twitch, a mischievous glint in his eye while I'm swinging back towards him, tucking my legs to make sure my shoes won't dirty his jeans. His next push has significantly more strength behind it. I squeak at the croak of the old chains, laughing loud as I launch myself along with the motion; soaring towards the sky. There's nothing quite freeing like the weightless feeling that comes with swinging. Aiming higher and higher until the chains drop heavily under my weight on the way down. Nothing to worry about except the wind in your hair and falling out at a scary height.

"This is so fun!" I yell, beaming with bounds of delightful adrenaline; glancing over my shoulder at Baekhyun. My smile dims when he isn't there.

"Baek?.." I slow down to a stop, burying my converses in the dirt. Twisting around in my seat for any sign of the silver-haired man, a sense of panic steadily rising in my chest. Where did he go? He… didn't leave or anything, right? It's getting a bit harder to breathe.

"Baekhyun? Baek-" I yelp at the sudden tug on my swing, looking up at the man in front of me with wide eyes.

Baekhyun holds the eye contact with dark brown orbs, slowly pulling me closer until our foreheads touch, his breathing steady compared to my slightly labored one. He looks so eternal against the backdrop of the sun beginning to set. Stunning pink, purple, and orange hues framing around his heart-stopping features like the most beautiful portrait, painting him in a hypnotizing glow. The way his eyes constantly flicker down to my mouth makes me gulp, my face heating up against the cool fall air.

Baekhyun licks his lips, meeting my eyes before leaning in. I release a shaky breath, eyes fluttering shut at the brush of his soft pillows to mine, grip tightening on the old sturdy chains of the swing.

The kiss starts out soft, his lips tentatively moving with mine, but then the mood shifts. His hands grabbing my hips and my own tugging on his silver hair, our tongues battling for dominance in a knee-weakening dance. The loud clearing of someone's throat breaks us from our spell.

Baekhyun remains unphased, shamelessly taking his time to pull away with a wet smack of lips. "I think we have an audience, love." He chuckles, licking his bottom lip in a way that has my insides quivering. I avert my gaze from the stranger's heated glare, focusing on our dirty shoes instead.

Baekhyun tucks his finger under my chin, bright orbs twinkling in amusement. "Let's go?" He mumbles, raising a brow, holding his hand out to me.

I nod quietly, still a bit breathless as he helps me out of the swing, my shaky knees buckling under me. Baekhyun's hands rest with familiarity on my waist, holding me up as I struggle to get my legs working properly again. His naturally addictive scent and alluring eyes don't help my current situation at all. Do I ever get a break from falling for this man? Literally!?

"Let's get you home before your mother skins me alive," He murmurs humoredly, his brown eyes alight, leading our way back to the car.

The smell of fried fish greets us at the threshold of the door. I perk up at the sound of boiling hot cooking oil, hastily slipping out of my shoes. Leaving Baekhyun to neatly place them back on the rack while running to the kitchen. "Grandma, you didn't!~"

"Grab a plate." She chuckles, setting a fresh batch of fish in a serving tray. The sight of fries and home-made onion rings making my eyes widen in glee. I skip over to the sink to wash my hands, quickly getting two plates from the high cabinets and heading to the stove to grab the desired pieces of fish. Setting a few of the biggest ones on Baekhyun's blue striped dish.

He joins us at the stove with washed hands just as I'm biting into an onion ring, pressing a kiss to my temple with a little hum. "Careful, baby!" He exclaims as I fan my burnt mouth, catching the ring in his palm before it can fall to the floor.

"Same little Riley," Mom shakes her head, handing me a cold glass of water with a pacifying hug.

"I'm not little!" My words come out weird around my throbbing tongue, wildly gesturing between our height difference as Baekhyun chuckles, taking our plates to the table. Grandma shortly joins in on the embrace, "Hush and go eat your food."

"That's what got me into this predicament in the first place," I grumble, wiggling away after a few moments.

We all take our seats, respective plates containing appetizing food. No one cooks Southern delicacy quite like Grandma. I swear, give her fresh meat or cans of anything and she can create a masterpiece. My mouth is salivating just at the thought of the perfectly seasoned meal in front of me. Baekhyun's knowing look keeps me from taking a bite of the steaming fry held carefully between my nails. Right, a repeat of a few minutes ago isn't the wisest idea. I set it back on my plate with a pout.

"Ooh~ she went for the onion rings again." Mom teases, drawing everyone's attention to me reaching for the ketchup bottle. "Expect to get a few mouthfuls of seconds," She continues, amused eyes drifting over to Baekhyun.

"Here," Grandma breaks off a few paper towels, handing them to me. I take them shyly, carefully breaking my pieces of fish in half, "Picky little eater. She gets it from her mom." She gestures to the other end of the table, Mom pausing mid-break of her fish.

"I like to know what I'm eating," She justifies, munching on a fry, "Can you hand me the mustard, baby?"

"Mmhm!" I stretch with the yellow bottle across the table, starting to stand up to walk around to her side instead when Baekhyun gently takes it from my hand, politely giving it to her.

Conversation flows easily after that. Both of them taking turns asking Baekhyun questions regarding his work and home life. I watch them carefully, swiftly steering the conversation away from a handful of embarrassing childhood memories. No way in hell I'm letting him hear any of that. My gaze shoots down to my plate, the last little half of my fish makes me wince at the thought of eating anything more. Realizing this, I shyly tug on Baekhyun's shirt, trying to inconspicuously get his attention, "Baekhyun…"

"Hmm?" His cheeks are puffed up with the last of his food, the attentive look in his eyes makes me bashfully lower mine.

"Do you want the rest of my food?" I meekly utter, worrying my bottom lip.

He chews a few times, swallows the food in his mouth, and dabs at his lips with a napkin before leaning to kiss my forehead, flashing a reassuring smile at me. "Yes, baby."

"Do you know she's afraid of the dark?" Mom sips her drink, grinning knowingly my way. Oh no.

Baekhyun hums thoughtfully, shaking his head. "No, she never mentions when she stays-" My muffled squeal draws his eyes back to me, innocent orbs widening, "Over."

Mom faces me then, "Do you need-"

"I'm sleeping with the lights on, yes," I interject, not missing a beat. A few decent nights of rest is needed before my first day of work on Monday. The thought alone makes me shiver. Why do I have to do this adulting shit again?

"See?" She complains, a whine to her loud voice. "I can't get her to sleep with them off for the life of me!"

"Scary stuff happens in the dark! You've said it yourself!" I rebuke just as dramatically, hands firmly planted on the table. Grandma and Baekhyun just laugh watching us.

"Lights out and sharing leftovers…" She mutters, idly swirling the contents in her glass, a little smirk hinting at whatever flustering thing she will say next. "When's the wedding?"

I seek an escape within my folded arms on the table, hanging my head in mock defeat as harmless laughter echoes around the room.

///

I insist on helping them with the dishes after dinner, Baekhyun being shooed out the room by Grandma and fixed with a stern stare from Mom. He goes on to take a shower while sheepishly ruffling his hair.

"So..." Mom gives me the side-eye, hands deep in soapy water. "You've been dating this man for a year and haven't made a peep about him-"

"Half a year!" I clarify, mindful of her disapproving tone while wiping at the damp plate with a brown square pattern dish towel in my hands. Listening carefully to make sure the shower down the hall is still running before lowering my voice. "Plus I wanted to make sure he was worth mentioning, Ma," I whine, shrinking back at the stern look she gives me. "Or bringing home…"

"Well, he seems like a nice young man," Grandma inputs, neatly setting dried plates up in the cabinets.

"Sure..." Mom mutters, handing me a glass, going back to washing the dishes. I send Grandma a grateful look over her shoulder, she just winks at me.

"Riley?" Baekhyun's gentle voice breaks through the quiet atmosphere of swaying water and silverware clinking together. I glance over my shoulder, turning fully at the sight of his hair dripping non-stop onto his black t-shirt. "Baek, what have I told you about drying your hair?" I tsk, walking over with quick strides. Pulling the towel hanging around his neck and reaching up to gently dry his silver locks. "It's not good for your health or your dyed hair." I can't help but grumble, carefully detangling the delicate strands. "Are you tryna get sick or go bald?"

"No..." He mumbles, head tilted down as I smooth out his hair.

"What am I gonna do with you…" I sigh, resting my hands on his shoulders, taking in the sheepish expression on his face. My weak heart softens, "Will you be alright out here for the night?"

He nods, putting the towel back around his shoulders, "It's not my first time sleeping on an air mattress."

My lips quirk up a little, sending him an apologetic look. An all-women house means all women rules—no men are allowed in our rooms in the rare instance they stay over. For good reason too, I'd throw a fit if either Mom or Grandma pulled that shit—keep your relationship business out of my earshot!!! For fuck sake.

I follow Baekhyun over to the mattress in the middle of the living room floor, stacked high with some of my own pillows. (The watchful stare I received from mom while tugging them out of my room… Worth it). And a thick comforter. It's that odd time of year where it's late to turn off the air conditioner yet too soon to switch on the heat. Subjecting us to many cold nights and hot mornings.

"You can kiss, we won't look," Mom's teasing tone floats from the kitchen doorway, Grandma not too far behind. The noise of protest I squeak out is too high pitched for my own ears, nearly jumping off my perch at the edge of the bouncy mattress.

Baekhyun laughs in that adorable way of his, cheeks rosy and eyes twinkling in delight as he wraps an arm around my waist. I hide my red face in his broad shoulder instead.

My family heads to sleep early for the night, lucky with being able to venture to the realm of dreams just as their heads hit their pillows. Must be nice, it takes hours of endless social media scrolling to catch up with friends before I can think of catching a wink of rest. Sehun sends me a meme so damn ridiculous I have to muffle my laughter in fear of waking everyone else up.

I don't settle down for sleep until well after midnight. The temperature in the room seems to have dropped 10 degrees within the last hour, making me shiver, quickly grabbing a fleece pajama top to pull over my butterfly printed sleeping shirt. After countless hours spent tossing and turning, I decided to get out of bed, walking over to open my door on light feet; peeking around to make sure no one else is awake.

Tiptoeing out into the hall, I avoid the creaks in the floorboards, smiling tiredly at the adorable sight up ahead in the living room.

Baekhyun is tucked under a pile of blankets, nothing but his silver-haired head exposed to the chilly temperature in the house. 70 degrees in Autumn is a complete 180 from 70 degrees in the Summer here. Thanks a lot, climate.

I ease my way into the room, taking a quick glance towards the dark kitchen that sends a shiver going down my spine.

"Baekhyun?" I whisper, trying to see if he's awake or not. Receiving no response, I inch closer; crouching down to rest my hand on his back, "Baek—"

He flinches, air mattress squawking under his weight, "Shit... Baby?" He chuckles, leaning upon his arm, running a hand through his ruffled hair. "You scared me."

"Yeah?" I whisper, biting back a laugh, "I can see that." Smiling softly at his weak glare, I shuffle closer on my knees.

"What are you doing?" He mumbles, sleep evident in his droopy eyes, low vocal octave, and the fabric indent on his cheek.

"Couldn't sleep," I shrug, watching him with a smile. "What about you?" I ask, hands resting comfortably on my knees, my eyes widening. "Are you comfortable? If your back hurts or anything we can sw—" A warm hand cupping my cheek silences me. I blink a few times while meeting his gaze; the fondness I find there warming up my sleepy form from the inside out.

"I'm alright," He mumbles, thumb rubbing over the curve of my cheek. Smile growing on his lips as I lean into his touch.

"Good." I hum, closing my eyes and nuzzling his palm.

"Come here," He sweetly requests.

Humming again, I focus on his comforting touch; squeaking when I'm suddenly being pulled onto the bed.

"Shh!" He hushes, laughing under his breath at the disgruntled look on my face; coaxing me to lay by his side.

I do so grumpily, heart still racing a mile a minute until the familiar scent of vanilla and Baekhyun wraps around me like a warm blanket. The racing of his own heart under my palm brings a smile to my lips. Quiet mutters under his breath has my eyes peeling back open to meet his, "Hmm?"

"It's not the same sleeping without you." He murmurs, softly squeezing his arms around my waist, a hint of shyness on his sleepy features.

"You seem to be doing just fine these past few weeks," I can't help but remind him, pointedly arching a brow.

Baekhyun sighs, pressing a lingering kiss to my forehead that causes my cheeks to warm. "I'm sorry."

"All talk, where's the action?" I play it off as a joke, teasing grin contrasting the war raging in my heart and the depths of my worried mind.

He looks me over for a while, tucking a stubborn lock of hair behind my ear. "I am. Starting…" He leans closer, soft lips hovering over mine, hot whisper making goosebumps rise on my skin, "Now."

//

"Sneaking around, huh?"

I barely give a response, snuggling closer to the pleasant heat of the pillow wrapped up in my arms only to pause when it vibrates under my touch, an all-too-familiar chuckle tickling my ear. My eyes snap open with a squeak, ducking under the covers at the sight of Baekhyun's lazy yet attractive smile. The feeling of his warm hand on the back of my bare thigh sends my cheeks aflame. How hard do you have to blush before catching on fire? I fear I am nearing that point.

"Here I was thinking I'd catch you both in your room this morning, but this-" Mom continues as I poke out my head, shooting her a grumpy look.

Grandma enters the room from the kitchen, lightly smacking her arm. "Leave them be." She scolds, smiling sweetly at us. "Good morning, lovebirds. Come, breakfast is ready."

And with that, Baekhyun and I swiftly began the new day. I offered to go to the store with Grandma to pick out something nice for dinner—and to sneak a peek at the dessert aisle. Who am I kidding, I got a cinnamon bun flavored tub of ice cream sitting in the cart right now. The description alone enough to make my eyes sparkle, according to Grandma.

"So," She begins, placing lettuce in the cart, "What was the fight about?"

"Grandma!" I splutter, nearly dropping the cucumbers in my hands along with my startled heartbeat. See what I mean? Can't hide shit in this house!

"What? You're both tiptoeing around each other like guilty little kids." She holds open the plastic bags as I drop the fruit inside with care. "It's not good to leave a fight unresolved, you know?"

"I-I know, it's just…" He's one of the most stubborn men alive—"Heart to hearts is not really our strong suit..."

"Do you want this relationship to last?" She looks me dead in the eye then, seeming to find an answer despite my silence. "A relationship cannot work without communication and trust." Her statement is firm, but her tone softens, "You've seen what happens when those are lacking."

I go quiet for a while, taking a peek at the grocery list, "I'll go pick the spaghetti noodles." With that, I venture off on my own.

My pace is slow, dragging my feet deeper into the store. A chew toy left in the middle of my path nearly sends me falling on my face. Texting and walking who? More like no thinking and walking, I've become a walking hazard here.

The desired aisle is easy to find, an array of noodle brands with tomato sauce on the opposite side. I scan the shelves, making sure every product matches the pictures on my phone. Mom is funny about what she eats.

I'm debating over which sauce is the right kind when a long fingernailed hand is digging into my shoulder. I spin around with a hiss, ready to tear into whatever fucker had the audacity to put their filthy hands on me only to pause, blinking at the woman standing in front of me.

"Oh good, it is you," The raven woman drawls in a high pitched yet raspy voice, smelling heavily of smoke. "I need to talk to you." Recognition takes longer than usual to set in. It's that fucking ex-fling of Baekhyun's—

Or is she an ex? That small part of me wonders, a lump suddenly forms in my throat. I ain't got time for this shit, and I swear her hair changes more than the seasons. What did Baekhyun ever see in her—don't answer that. Shut up.

"I'm casually gonna walk away," I utter blankly, swiftly turning on my heel only for her to end up following me.

"I need to tell you something."

My eye twitches, counting backward from 20 in my head. "I don't give a flying fu-"

"I know what Baekhyun refuses to tell you." She drops, stopping me dead in my tracks.

Slowly turning to her again, I look her over suspiciously, tucking the packet of noodles in the crook of my arm. "Like what?"

"Ever wondered why Baekhyun is notorious for getting around?" She looks me over for a moment, amusement twitching at her annoyingly red-painted lips, "Oops, I mean was sorry."

"Can you hurry the fuck up?" I snap with narrowed eyes, already done with her bullshit.

She looks at me for a long moment, the smirk melting off her face entirely. "Baekhyun has a lot of skeletons in his closet. And you know," She chuckles, shooting me a fake pitying look, "It's entertaining, seeing which one will jump out at you next."

She's walking away before I can respond, the stinging scent of her perfume and the annoying clink of her heels left in her wake along with my disturbing thoughts. What does she mean by skeletons?.. And how does she know that… He—

"Riley."

I snap out of it, turning around with wide eyes and my heart in my throat, "Oh! Grandma." I exclaim, jumping back with a hand over my heart, sighing shakily in relief. "It's just you."

"You okay?" Her brows are furrowed, concern shimmering in her blue eyes.

"Y-Yeah," I mumble, rubbing the back of my neck. Growing more uncomfortable the longer we stand in the middle of this damn store. "Just spaced out for a second."

She looks at me for a moment, pushing the cart towards the cash register. "Come, let's get you back home."

"Hopefully it's still in one piece..." I mutter, heart pounding furiously in my ears.

"I'm sure it is." She chuckles, sending me a reassuring smile. "I'm sure Baekhyun's missing you too."

Is he? The thought comes so suddenly, I freeze. Do I… Am I doubting him now?

Has a lot of skeletons in his closet...

I shake it off or at least try to on the journey home. But not even Baekhyun's warm smile and open arms can lift the sinking feeling weighing on my heart.

Dinner goes by in the blink of an eye along with a popular comedy movie we decide to watch together. The clever jokes and hilarious scenes distract my overthinking mind for a while. Enough for me to find peace in Baekhyun's embrace despite my growing anxiety and the obvious giggles coming from Grandma on the other couch across the room.

"Thanks for having us." I put on a smile for Mom as they send us off at the door, one she can easily see through with a frown, but that's okay. It's enough to fool Baekhyun while he receives a fist bump from her and a tight hug from Grandma. Their own unique ways of showing approval before turning to pull me into a three-way hug. I almost don't want to leave their loving hold, or this house I call home. Taking a year off of school was a good idea, but… is dating Baekhyun?

I can feel the negative energy coming off of me in waves, fuck, time to go.

Our walk to the car is quiet compared to the chaos going on in my head; warm fingertips brushing against chilly palms. I'm so lost in thought, the next time I look up we are on the highway again. An endless stream of vehicles traveling alongside us. The sunset has a reddish tint tonight, giant fluffy clouds attempting to hide the glowing star from view. Almost like the stunning man next to me, so close yet so far like a fading dream, just out of reach. Slipping out of your hands before you can fully grasp it and print it into your memory.

Something you hope for, but can never have.

"Baek…" I can only manage a mere whisper. My heart still hasn't left my throat, anxiously apparently in my restless hands. Every word I utter takes all of my strength to get out.

"Yes, love?" He briefly glances over at me, steering the car with a confident hand. The heart-softening endearment he uses only causes my heart to squeeze even more.

"Can I go home with you?" I can't bring myself to meet his eye, something he seems to pick up on, shifting uneasily in his seat.

"Of course, baby." He tries to soothe, free hand searching for mine. I shove my hands deep in the space between my thighs, keeping my gaze focused on the city lights streaming past the window.

Nothing else but the radio and the fast pace of cars fill the silence. I can just imagine the hurt expression on his handsome face, busying myself with bending shapes into my hair-tie; not brushing rebellious strands of hair out of my face despite how annoying it dangles in my eyes.

All too soon, Baekhyun is parking the Audi in his designated spot, pink lips parting unsurely, "Are you-"

"Inside, please." I utter quietly. Climbing out before he can respond; calmly closing the car door behind me and remembering how to breathe. I think it's about time… I tell him some things. And hope he feels comfortable enough to open up in return. —Or run if shit gets bad, Sehun's number is looking mighty tempting right now.

The walk up to his apartment is a long one. Standing on opposite sides of the elevator and footsteps echoing across vacant halls. He has that blank expression on his face again; lips downturned and brown orbs full of questions. Hopefully, I can answer them…

His apartment comes into view, the sight of the familiar door brings back memories of the last time I was here. The heated words spewed and frustrated feelings shared. I close my eyes, taking a deep breath as Baekhyun unlocks the door. Tentatively stepping into the cold home.

"Do you," He falters when I turn to face him; gulping before continuing, "Do you want to talk now?" The crack of his voice gives him away, looking more like a frightened child than the strong man I've come to know.

"Yes."

"O-Oh." It's a bit funny how much impact that simple word seems to have on him; an even more fearful expression takes place on his features. Sock clad feet shuffling awkwardly in the middle of his living room, voice as quiet as a mouse, "Okay…"

I close my eyes; hands gripping the bottom of my shirt. Here goes nothing. "I had a few boyfriends before you. And...they didn't leave the best impression on me." My eyes flutter back open, meeting his shaky ones. The words come a bit easier after that. "They'd chase after me for months—sometimes the whole school year—and as soon as they got with me, They…" I bite my wobbling lip, inhaling sharply. "They never wanted to be affectionate in public. Never wanted to tell their friends, and…"

Baekhyun steps closer, carefully holding out his hand to me. I place my trembling palm in his, inwardly cursing my nerves.

"All of them ended up cheating on me." Flickering my gaze up to his softened features, I gulp, nodding at the comforting squeeze of his hand before continuing. "I was...treated like an object, for lack of a better word." I chuckle bitterly, haunting memories playing behind my blurry eyes like a tragic film. "A bet of who would sleep with me first among a large group of friends. A group that I had trusted for years."

I shake them off, focusing on our joined hands instead. "Besides that… my last straw was my best friend at the time trying to convince me to go against my mom. 'You should go out more.' 'Tell her you want freedom'..." I scoff, laughing a little. "What an asshole. Acting as if he wasn't in on the dare as well. My mom has kept me out of more trouble than you would ever know. But to have my own best friend bad mouth her to my face and then say 'Well, you knew I was a jerk.' When I tried opening up to him about it…" Meeting his eyes, my heart aches a bit at the odd look on his face. He nearly looks in pain. "If it wasn't for Sehun, I would have been okay, but I wouldn't have been...you know." I shrug, laughing weakly, "More than a party animal if you know what I mean."

Baekhyun's brown orbs glisten as he pulls me closer to his chest. Strong arms wrapping me in his protective embrace, yet all I can think about is…

He didn't say a word.

Originally posted by exo-stentialism

What is even left for me to do at this point? I… feel as if I have been fair. I've given him a whole month to say something. Anything. And yet here we are, continuing with our daily lives as if there aren't unanswered questions weighing on our hearts—unless… D-Does Baekhyun even care? Is he really just going to sweep this under the rug?

…

Okay.

Okay, if this is what he wants, it's what he gets, right? Mr. Big shot CEO, holding onto his own vulnerability through thick and thin. I thought we had moved past keeping things from each other in our long talk all those months ago, but apparently… That isn't the case.

So okay. Let's pretend as if he doesn't get jealous over every man in my life and I don't feel insecure by just looking at the dresses that were once my favorite now hung up in the back of my closet. Because I love him—because I don't want us to fight. Am I just dating myself now? Is that what this is? Guess I better enjoy this ride before it crashes and burns, huh. Peachy. Mother fucking peachy! But hey, there is no peach like the cute curves of his cheeks or stars like the ones ever-present in his mocha eyes.

Fuck you, Byun Baekhyun. In more ways than one. But just your luck that I am a woman of many talents, hmm?

I don't need some tight-fitting dress or painfully high heels to grab his attention. No, the way I carry myself out on the dance floor like no one's business is more than enough to lure him close. As long as these hips don't lie, he's mine. And at the end of the day, if he decides that all the attention I give—all the unconditional love I fucking shower him with—isn't enough, then fuck him. What he could consider walking away, I take it as a favor. But no other fucking woman in their right mind would put up with his shit as I do, but then again… Who 'in her right mind' fell in love with the notorious, multi-millionaire playboy studying off-campus…

"Are you sure you want to go clubbing tonight?" Baekhyun's voice is soft enough, green orbs eyeing me carefully. Funny how he is asking this as if he didn't already have plans to go out tonight. Dressed casually in black with a subtle, middle part of his freshly dyed silver hair. When did he even get those contacts? It's funny how much of someone's life you can miss in a few weeks of little to no dates.

"Yes, baby," I purr, smoothing out my lip gloss in the reflection of my hand-held mirror. Making sure not a strand of hair is out of place. There's nothing like pairing my soft, blue button-down denim shirt with black shorts, and my hair parted the right. A few spritz of hair-spray doing a great job of keeping it durable yet mobile. Perfect for my plans for the night.

Baekhyun looks over at me from the driver's seat, adam's apple bobbing in his throat before he steps out into the cool night. Meeting me on the sidewalk. We walk into the club hand and hand, the booming bass of music pumping adrenaline in my veins.

"Do you want a drink?" His honey-smooth voice is nearly drowned out by the loud atmosphere, pinks lips brushing the shell of my ear. I simply nod, yelling, "The usual!" To his back as he gravitates to the bar. The sight of grinding bodies brings a smirk to my lips, hidden behind the glass Baekhyun hands me minutes later.

"Come," He murmurs, leading me over to an empty booth. Sitting down and pulling me into his lap. I slowly move along with his urging hands on my waist, savoring my drink. Relaxing against him with an appreciative hum, curiously watching him sip at his glass. The reddish concoction looks similar to my own.

It's rare that I take the time to observe the scene of drunken bodies dancing under the neon disco lights without the urgency to join them, but tonight is a special occasion. And with that comes uttermost care. Running my hand through Baekhyun's hair and pushing my ass against him while leaning forward to set my drink on the table.

"Want to dance?" I inquire, already finding the answer within his droopy brown eyes. The lazy way his slender fingers card through his silver hair enough of an indicator.

"No thank you, baby." He mumbles, dropping a lingering kiss to that sensitive spot where my neck meets my shoulder. I fight the urge to shiver under his touch, inwardly praising my self-restraint; shortly moving off of him to venture out into my home away from home—the dance floor. A carefree atmosphere after my own heart. The beginning of a familiar Latino song captures my attention.

¿Cómo te llamas, baby?

A little mezcal got me feelin' spicy

I know that we don't speak the same language

But I'm gonna let my body talk for me (Talk for me)

Raising my hands while swaying my hips side to side, I let the music take control. Spinning around to face Baekhyun with a cheeky nod, running my hands through my hair.

Hola, me llamo Katy

A little mezcal got me feelin' naughty (Let's go)

I know that we don't speak the same language (Woo)

So I'm gonna let my body talk for me (Talk for me)

I take my time strolling through the crowded dance floor as catchy Spanish lyrics ring through the air, glancing over at him every now and then.

Dress up with my girls, on the hunt tonight

Got a feelin' I'ma catch a wild one

I mouth along to the words, cooly dusting off my shoulders as I move around, trying to entice Baekhyun to come over with every sway of my hips. "And I know that I'm not typically your type. But you never had this kind of stimulation"

Trying to find a dance partner is proving to be difficult, I seek out eye contact with someone. Anyone. But everyone seems to lack rhythm tonight. Too many out of tempo movements and whiskey painted breaths. I push through to locate Baekhyun again, meeting his dark brown orbs from across the room.

Con calma

I see you're lovin' the way I work the floor now

I got the poom-poom, boy

You could be my Puerto Rican dream, and I'll be your California gurl now

I got the poom-poom, boy

Fuck it. I'll dance by my damn self. No one is up to par with my standards except the stubborn man seated across the room who's having way too much fun watching me struggle. But it's alright. I got something for his smug ass.

Con calma, yo quiero ver como ella lo menea (Con calma)

Mueve ese poom-poom, girl (Girl)

Es un asesina, cuando baila quiere que to' el mundo la vea

I like your poom-poom, girl

I pop open three buttons of my shirt, taking a few steps back towards the center of the dancefloor. Just far away enough to be partially hidden from view. Baekhyun leans forward, taking a hard swig of his drink. Fingertips playing with his bottom lip.

Come with a nice young lady (Let's go)

Intelligent, yes, she gentle and irie (¡Fuego!)

Everywhere me go me never lef' her at all-ie (¡Dile! ¡Ja!)

Yes-a Daddy Snow me are the roam dance man-a (Ay, Papi!) (Snow)

Once again raising my hands above my head while swaying my hips fluidly like a hypnotized python to a tamer, I run my hands down my body in time with the beat; eyes still locked on his. The clench of his jaw and tightening of his grip on the glass in his hand curling a knowing smirk on my lips.

Roam between-a dancin' in-a in-a nation-a (Prr-prr-prr)

You never know say daddy me Snow me are the boom shakata

I strut around the dance floor with attitude, flicking my hair while beckoning him over with my eyes. Baekhyun hastily sets his empty glass on the table, swiftly making his way over to me.

Con calma, yo quiero ver como ella lo menea (Menea)

Mueve ese poom-poom, girl (¡Woo! Girl)

Es un asesina, cuando baila quiere que to' el mundo la vea (Oh, yeah)

I like your poom-poom, girl

He meets me move for move, gripping my hips. Firm chest pressed to my back and erection prominent every time our bodies brush against each other. My laugh is swallowed up by the rest of the song.

Con calma

I see you're lovin' the way I work the floor now

I got the poom-poom, boy

You could be my Puerto Rican dream, and I'll be your California gurl now

I got the poom-poom, boy

Baekhyun spins me to face him before the song even fades into the next. Gathering me to his chest in a searing kiss.

We take a cab back to his apartment; the Audi was taken under Jongdae's and Chanyeol's care for the remainder of the evening. The travel takes much longer than usual with Baekhyun insisting to stop at every hidden corner. Endless kisses and impatient hands.

"B-Baek," I bite my lip, cheeks heating up under his lustful stare.

"Tell me how you want it," He mutters, ripping off his shirt before caging me to the bed, "Tell me how you need it."

I want to—boy do I want to. Every part of me is screaming for me to do it, but…

My palms slide up his back, getting a good grip before switching our positions, pressing him against the messy sheets instead. I have other plans.

Baekhyun looks up at me, a little smirk on his lips that fuels my determination to do everything in my power to wipe it off. I take my time pulling down his jeans, eyes locked on his dark ones while brushing my lips over his newly exposed skin. Chuckling at the goosebumps left in my wake. "Someone is excited," I murmur, tucking my fingers under the waistband of his boxers; running the tip of my tongue up the length of his clothed cock.

"Riley..." He breathes, pupils blown, desire twitching under my touch.

Deciding to put him out of his misery, I tug down the thin fabric to set him free, gasping when I'm nearly smacked in the face when his cock springs to attention. This is the first time I'm seeing him up close, and damn this man for being stunning all over. Even his cock is pretty with its flushed red tip and prominent vein running up the side. Drops of precum sliding down his shaft quickly collected by my eager tongue.

"Fuck." He hisses, tangling a hand in my hair as I take him into my mouth, being mindful of my teeth. "Baby."

I hum, something he seems to appreciate as more of his precum drips onto my tongue. His thighs tense up under my hands as I bob my head, gradually working him into my throat.

"B-Baby," His voice wavers, lips shaking when I glance up at him. He thrusts further into my mouth the second we make eye contact, causing me to choke, pulling a whiny noise from him that I've never quite heard before.

I keep up a steady pace, wrapping a hand around his base to massage his balls while moving to swirl my tongue around the head. His hips buck once again, grip tightening on my hair, a gruntle moan falling from his kiss-swollen lips.

After a while, he tugs on my hair again, rougher than before. I pull off of pulsing cock, looking at him with wide eyes as he urges me back up his body, "Wha-"

His lips smash to mine, hands roughly pulling at the rest of my clothes. "Let me see you," He murmurs, lips brushing over the sensitive spot on my neck. I slip off my shirt without hesitation, assisting him in taking off my shorts; pushing them off the side of the bed. He takes a brief pause, looking me over as my heart hammers in my chest, cheeks warming when his eyes meet mine once again. "Beautiful." His breath fans over my breasts, slender fingers tucking a strand of hair behind my ear, "Baby?"

"Hmm?" I tilt my head to give him better access, whimpering at the way his teeth graze my nipples.

"Sit on my face," He murmurs, hands urging me forward before I can even react.

"W-/What?/" I look at him, wide-eyed and thighs clenched around his waist, feeling my arousal pool in my underwear.

Baekhyun licks his lips, smirking at the way I stare, squirming above him. His large hands gently squeeze my waist, "Do you trust me?"

Gazing into his earnest yet lust-filled eyes, I nod, gulping. "Y-Yes."

"Come here," He murmurs, helping me slip off my lace panties.

I slowly climb further up his body, feeling immensely aroused yet a bit apprehensive as he helps me forward; shaking a little when my thighs rest over his shoulders. Having yet to find a stable position when his hands flex around my hips, warm wet tongue swiping between my folds.

I jerk away with a squeak, glaring weakly down at his chuckling form, "Baek!"

"Hmm?" His tongue brushes against me again, teeth tugging at my hypersensitive folds as I let out a soft moan. "You were saying, baby?"

My eyes don't stray far from his, heart and pussy pulsing in sync at the way he watches me crumble under his touch. Strong hands holding me steady as my breathing shortens; panting for air at his tortuous circles around where I need him the most.

"...Please," I mumble.

"Hmm?" He obnoxiously smacks his lips against my wet core, causing heat to rise onto my already flushed cheeks. Those brown orbs of his twinkling mischievously, "What was that, baby?"

I curse under my breath, hastily tangling my fingers in his hair, "You really are something-"

He gasps, looking up at me with wide eyes when I yank his head back, bending over to stare him down.

"What's the matter, baby? Hmm?" I muse a smirk curling at my lips. The shocked expression on his handsome face boosts my confidence. "You're not afraid I'll show you up in giving oral, are you?"

Baekhyun's eyes narrow, a switch seeming to flip in him before he's pulling me down to his open mouth. My gasp interrupted by his own moan, pink lips wrapped tight around my aching clit. "F-Fu—aah," I whimper, thighs shaking from the direct stimulation.

He chuckles, pulling back to lick his lips. "What's wrong, my love?" His warm breath fanning over my core makes my legs tremble more, whimpering as he tightens his grip. "Coming already?"

"N-" My eyes roll back as his tongue slides inside of me and fucking curls towards my sweet spot, damn near making me shatter around him right there and then. "No." I grit out between clenched teeth, bucking at the way his nose rubs against my sensitive clit.

"Mmm you're so wet," He groans, triggering my own moan when his teeth graze my clit. "Making a mess all over me. Do you like sitting on my face, baby?"

"Baekhyun…" I can hardly speak at this point, slowly grinding myself against his mouth, feeling breathless with every flick of his tongue that touches my quivering core.

"Fuck." His sudden grunt has me opening my eyes, looking over my shoulder at him stroking himself. The cute mole on his thumb is a complete contrast to the leaking cock in his palm. "I can feel you throbbing…"

My orgasm sneaks up on me before I realize it; thighs quaking and back arching so high Baekhyun is quick to steady me, continuing to pull me along his stiffened tongue as I cry out his name.

"Fu—ha," I tighten my grip on his hair, trying to get my shaky limbs to cooperate enough to lift off of his unrelenting mouth. "Baekhyun, please-"

"Mm-mm," He protests, landing a swift smack on my ass that makes me release a small cry, thighs clenching around his head. "Stay right there."

"B-Baek..." I'm slipping here—literally. My shaky thighs refusing to cooperate.

He takes a few moments to notice, lifting me off of his face before I feel a brief breeze, finding my back against the silk sheets. "You're perfect," He breathes, making me blush, gulping at his hands running up my trembling inner thighs. I hold myself up on my elbows, watching him press kisses up the length of my body.

"Baby," He looks at me with those dark eyes, sliding a hand down my abdomen, "lay back."

My heart is promptly set into overdrive. I do as told, relaxing against the pillows only to buck my hips with a gasp when he slips a finger into my core.

"Soaking wet for me," He murmurs sucking on a new spot on my neck, sliding another finger in with ease.

All I know is his name at this point, calling for him between hoarse whimpers and breathless gasps; feeling that knot forming in my stomach again as his fingers brush over my sweet spot. I reach down to wrap my hand around his wrist, clenching around his digits as he speeds up, obscene noises of my own desire sounding out amongst our shaky moans and heavy breaths.

"Look at you," He muses, watching me squirm under his touch, free hand pressing on my lower stomach to keep me pressed to the bed. I cry out when he hits my sweet spot head-on, "Taking my fingers so well."

"Bae…" My words falter, head thrown back when his thumb joins into the mix along with a third finger, the blissful stretch combined with firm taps on my clit sending me over the edge.

"Fuck." He grunts as I slowly open my eyes, not even realizing I had closed them while he slips his wet fingers between his lips, groaning loudly as I bite my own. He notes the expression on my face, attractively raising a brow while pressing his body back to mine, "I want to drink on your sweet." He murmurs, tone dripping with lust as he leans over to the nightstand.

"N-No." I pant, grabbing his forearm.

Baekhyun pauses, looking at me with wide eyes, brows furrowed in concern. "Do you want to stop, love?"

I shake my head, running my hand over his back as he leans down to me again, littering my jaw with soft kisses. "N-No I just…" I gulp, wrapping my thighs around his waist. "I don't want a condom."

Baekhyun freezes, and for a moment I consider backtracking, but he just cups my face in his hands. "Are you sure?" He looks me over, nibbling on his bottom lip.

"Yeah," Noting the concern still playing on his features, I reach up to brush my thumb over his cheek. "I'm on birth control, idiot."

"What!?" His eyes widen comically as I nod, "Since when?"

"The first time," I mumble, cheeks warming at the memory of our first night together. The deer caught in headlights look on his face makes me giggle, "I love you, but I'm not ready to have a baby with your Byun. Haven't you noticed?" I continue a bit quieter, gesturing to myself, "I got bigger..."

"No," He shakes his head, taking my hands into his own, staring at me with sincerity in his shining eyes. "You're just as beautiful, if not more so." His voice lowers, taking on that sexy lit again while nibbling my earlobe, warm hand soothing rubbing over my waist, "And sexy as hell."

My face damn near bursts into flames. Flustered giggles at his ticklish kisses on that sensitive spot behind my ear morphing into gasps as his cock brushes against my folds.

Baekhyun leans back a bit, taking a hold of himself while sliding his cock around in my arousal, making me whimper every time his head brushes over my clit. He pauses after lining it up with my entrance, looking back up at me from behind damp strands of silver hair sticking to his forehead.

I nod, biting my lip as he slips inside, my head falling back when he pushes into the hilt.

"God." He groans, starting to pull back out.

"W-Wait," I gasp, pressing my hands to his chest. Baekhyun tenses, looking at me with wide eyes. "You okay, love? Shit. Did I hurt you? I'm so-"

"Baek!" I laugh a little, cupping his cheeks so he'll look at me, shaking my head. "No," I murmur, a smile curling at my lips. "I just…" I hesitate, bashful under his attentive eyes. So sweet. "I want to top."

He relaxes with a gulp, strong arms wrapping around me before switching our positions. I carefully straddle him, finding a comfortable position on my knees before lifting up, letting him line his cock up with my entrance. He meets my eyes, smiling softly as if sensing my nerves, large hand lightly squeezing my hip. "I got you, baby."

Releasing a shaky breath, I nod, slowly sliding down onto him, taking pleasure in the way his jaw drops, head of messy silver locks thudding against the pillows. It's a tighter fit with him in this position. It feels so good I'm almost afraid to move at risk of coming again.

Baekhyun's fingers twitch against my hips when I move, tentatively lifting up to the tip before sliding back down again. My slow pace pulling the prettiest of moans from his red lips.

"Baby," He breathes, quickly licking his lips, eyes focused on where we are joined, "Faster."

"I don't know~" I smirk, lightly dragging my nails down his torso to pull a gasp from him, "I think I like seeing you like this."

That shift happens in his eyes again, giving me no time to prepare for his tightened grip and buck of hips, cock hitting a spot that falters my pace, leaving my thighs trembling. "And I like making you cum," He murmurs, smirk of his own on his lips while continuing to thrust into that spot, our bodies coming together with satisfying slaps of ass against his thighs.

"So fucking wet," He groans eyes drifting back to our joined parts, licking the pad of his thumb and bringing it down to rub quick circles over my clit.

"Fuck-" I gasp, trying to stay upright as he quickens the pace. "Baek-"

"Come for me, baby." He mutters in a breathy tone, thrusts tripling in speed until I'm coming hard around him, falling onto his chest in a heap. He slows down to a stop while I recover. Just when I think we are done, he's flipping us back over. "Baek-" I stop, whimpering as he pushes back into the hilt.

"We're not done, baby." He murmurs, lips brushing the shell of my ear. My pussy quivers at the thought of another round.

"I…" My eyes drift over to the glowing red clock sat on top of the nightstand; the timestamp of 5:00 am causing my eyes to widen. "D-Don't you have work in the morn…" I falter, arching my back when he circles his hips, thick cock stretching out my tight walls, "...ing?"

"Baby," He chuckles, tucking a wet strand of hair behind my ear, meeting my eyes, "We can stay up."

"I…" Biting hard on my lip, I press myself into his sneaky fingers lightly rubbing around my clit, just enough to get me soaking the sheets even more below.

"I'll go easy on you." He promises, moving to sit up only to pause, meeting my gaze again, adding softly, "Tell me if it's too much and we'll stop, okay?"

Smiling at him, I nod, accepting his sweet kisses when he leans in with a hum. "Okay."

Baekhyun's smile morphs into a more serious expression, concentrating on slowly moving within my walls to give me time to recover. He pauses when I lift my hips to meet his movements, reaching to place my right leg on his shoulder, the shift of position pulls a loud gasp from my lips. He moans in turn at my vice-like grip around his cock, steadily picking up the pace.

"Fuck, what a naughty girl you are." His grip tightens on my hips, tilting them up to better accommodate his thrusts, "Letting me fuck you raw in our bed."

My heart raced at the use of the word 'our.' A sense of belonging in this house; this room; this bed with him brings me to a dangerous peak. It feels more intense than all the others before and I don't know if I can handle it.

Baekhyun takes notice, holding my hips down to the bed. "Come on, baby." He slides a hand down to hover over my clit, "Come for me, give me one more." A mere brush of him over my sensitive bud and I'm gone, vision going black as a distinct ringing fills my ears.

"Fuck." His loud groans and wandering hands bring me back down to earth, thankfully he's slowed down the pace of his thrusts.

"Shit, you're squeezing me so tight." He says through gritted teeth, grinding against me as my walls don't let up their grip around him. "Mmm. Do you want me to cum inside you?" He breathes heavily, cock throbbing deep within my spasming walls with his slow yet hard pace. "Hmm? Do you baby?"

"Y-Yes!" I can't even recognize myself at this point, meeting his steady thrusts with my shaky movements.

"I know you want it." He grunts, snapping into me so roughly I give a small cry, clutching the bedsheets. "I know you need it..." He falters, pace taking on sloppy thrusts as I feel him harden even more inside of me. "Fuck," His eyes search for my own, the desperation in them makes me clench around him. "God, baby, can I?"

I nod quickly, wrapping my thighs tightly around his waist as he trembles. "Come for me, Baekhyun." I murmur, rubbing my hands down his heaving chest, "Come inside me. Make me yours."

My words seem to trigger him, the brand new feeling of warmth spurting inside of me pulls another loud gasp from my lips and whiny moans from his; his shaky forearms holding him up before his body weight can overwhelm me as I'm filled up to the brim with his cum full of lust and love. I hold him close, rubbing over his back as we catch our breaths.

Baekhyun nuzzles in my neck, letting out a long sigh. "God, you're trying to kill me."

"Me!?" I exclaim incredulously, giggling at his playful kisses peppering my heated skin. "Who's the one pulling four orgasms from my poor body?"

"You loved it," He mumbles, soft smile pressed to my skin.

"I did," I admit without missing a beat, giggling more at the blissed-out expression on his face.

Baekhyun hums, brushing my hair out of my face, a fond look in his sparkly brown eyes that makes my heart squeeze and soar at the same time. "I'll be right back," He mumbles, planting a quick peck on my lips, getting out of bed to head into the bathroom.

Sighing softly, I relax back against the sheets; nose scrunching up at the aftermath of our—cue the blushing—activities dripping down my thighs.

Baekhyun comes back with a towel in hand, gently cleaning me off with the damp material before throwing it into the hamper across the room. Snuggling back in the warmth of my worn-out body. "I love you," He utters, pressing a kiss over my heart.

"I love you too." My reply is instant enough; his satisfied hum evening out into deep breaths. Eyelashes caressing the tops of adorable mochi cheeks.

I point my gaze to the ceiling, feeling the tell-tale sign of tears brimming my eyes. Is this really the beginning of the end?

•⇔♦ •⇔♦ •⇔♦ •⇔♦ •⇔♦ •⇔♦ •

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3  P(1) P(2) | Part 4 P(1) P(2) | Part 5 P(1) P(2) ✓ | Part 6 P(1)  P(2)

Thank you for reading this long asf chapter. Let me know what you think! Even if it’s with pitchforks lmao. Have a beautiful Sunday.

[isitgintimeyet]

Just A Friend

The response to this story has been lovely, so thank you all for reading. liking, reblogging and commenting on this piece of fluff. Hope you continue to enjoy.

Thanks to @wickedgoodbooks for the beta

AO3

Previous

Chapter 6: From Irritation to Interrogation

And just like that, we’re friends, Jamie and I. It’s strange how quickly you can go from strangers to acquaintances to friends. After that walk in the park, something seems to have clicked with us, there’s an ease in our friendship that doesn’t happen too often. Despite our vastly different upbringings, we have many things in common: a shared love of irreverent comedy, a fondness for very good quality chocolate and wine and a determination to succeed in our chosen careers.

Of course, it helps that we don’t have the whole fancying-sexual-tension-romantic thing lurking in the background. As I’ve said before, Jamie is not my type and, judging by the pictures on his Facebook timeline, I am definitely not his, which appears to be doe-eyed, tanned, petite blondes— their pneumatic breasts frequently struggling to break free from their restraints. No tall, wild-haired brunettes with only-slightly-above-average breasts usually firmly encased in sensible lingerie.

I may even invite him to Geillis’ wedding as my plus one. We’ll see. I don’t think I’ll be dating by then, I quite fancy a few months without any of those complications.

********

One of life’s pleasures, for me, when I’m not on-call, is to walk to the local newsagents on a Sunday morning for the newspaper. If it’s fine, it’s another opportunity to sit on my balcony and read it at my leisure. A mug of freshly brewed coffee and a cinnamon bun enhances this experience.

Today, it’s not so fine, but sitting on my sofa while listening to the rain pounding against the window is pretty good too. I’m just about to start the crossword when my phone rings. I quickly swallow my mouthful of bun and glance at the screen—private number. I offer up a silent prayer that it’s not the hospital as I answer it.

“Claire Beauchamp?” The female voice sounds familiar.

“Yes.” I answer cautiously.

“Jes’ a wee word of warning. Karma can be a bitch, ye ken.” The voice grows louder and angrier. I recognise that tone, last heard berating Jamie. “Ye’ll get what ye deserve. Ye canna trust James Fraser, but ye’ll find out soon enough—the hard way, like I did… thanks tae ye.”

“Look, I—“ I begin, but before I can finish my sentence, she’s gone.

My initial reaction is irritation. Laoghaire, no doubt looking around for someone to blame for her recent break up, has cast me in the role of home wrecker, clearly using my carefully honed feminine wiles to lure Mr. Fraser from her clutches. Like Frank, she can’t quite believe that anyone could break up with her, without there being another waiting in the wings, ready and willing to take her place.

My irritation dissipates as I begin to see the funny side of this. She’s obviously thought long and hard about this—checking his Facebook friends, keeping records of his phone calls when they were together. Perhaps she sees herself as Jennifer Aniston against my Angelina. I hope Jamie can see this for what it is and laugh. Besides, in this scenario, that makes Jamie what? Brad Pitt?

*****************

Two days later, Jamie and I have arranged to have a quick drink after work in a mutually convenient bar. Summer has not yet returned to the city. Whilst not actually raining, the air is damp and there’s a definite nip in the air. I do a cursory check of the outdoor seating, just to see whether Jamie is heroically braving the elements, but there’s no sign of him.

I make my way into the bar and have a quick walk around before snagging a corner table. The seats are comfortable and it’s in a prime position for me to keep an eye out for his arrival. This bar has always been one of my favourites in the city. It feels grounded, like it’s been here forever. The stone walls and dark oak beams are unchanging and watching the inebriated trying to negotiate the uneven wooden floor on their way to the toilets always makes for good entertainment. In fact, people come from miles around to marvel at its very crookedness.

I check my phone for any messages. There’s one from Geillis, accepting my invitation for girls’ night on Friday at my flat. I reply and put the phone down just in time to see Jamie heading toward me. He’s obviously come straight from work as he’s still in his navy blue suit and white shirt. I’ve come straight from work too but am not nearly so smartly dressed. Having worn my blue scrubs all day, I’m now clad in jeans and a wrap around top which used to be orange, but has faded to a light amber colour. I feel somewhat underdressed next to him.

“Drink?” He asks, before even sitting down.

I nod. “I’m parched. Think I’ll have a shandy, please.”

“Lager shandy? Half pint?”

“Bitter,” I clarify, not being a great believer in girlie drinks. “And pint.”

He returns a couple of minutes later with a pint and a packet of crisps in each hand.

He takes a huge slug of beer. “Sae, what do ye ken? What’s new wi’ ye?”

And so, I recount my day of surgery to him. And, bless him, he looks interested all the way through my narration. He does turn a bit pale as I begin to explain my use of the bone mallet and chisel, and his crisps remain untouched, but he soldiers through.

“In other news,” I change the subject as his colour returns and he rips the crisps open. “I had an anonymous phone call from your ex, warning me about you and blaming me for your break up. But, never fear, I’ll get what’s coming to me when you do the same to me—“

A bout of coughing from Jamie breaks into my conversation.  I get up and thump his back a couple of times. The coughing stops as he takes a swig of beer.

“Sorry,” he clears his throat and continues. “Crisp stuck in ma throat. She did what? How does she ken who ye are?”

“Presumably she kept a record of your phone calls and is monitoring your Facebook friends. Maybe you need to check your phone, see if she’s set up any other little apps so she can track where you are or what you’re doing.”

He shakes his head. “Aye, I’ll do that. I canna believe she would go tae such lengths. Although…” he pauses for a moment. “... mebbe I can. She was always the, er, suspicious type—asking me about women at work, convinced they were ready tae pounce on me. Perhaps I’m not the best judge of character, Claire. Ye need tae advise me.”

I laugh. “Ok. I’ll be your wingman, if you like. Or vet all your potential girlfriends. How about that?”

Jamie joins in with the laughter. His eyes twinkle and it’s funny the way he wrinkles his nose as he laughs.

“How about you? How’re the Spanish influenced dinners going? What are you up to?” I ask him.

“The plans are going grand. We’ve three dinner options planned out.” As usual, his face lights up as he explains the various menus to me.

“They all sound delicious. I’m looking forward to trying them.” And that's the truth.

“Weel, funny ye should mention that. We are looking fer people willing tae test them. How about it? Fancy trying one out? This week, mebbe? Free, of course.”

My weekend plans are getting better and better. Girls’ night at my flat could be turning into a bit of a Spanish fiesta, a mini replay of our Barcelona trip.

“I’d love that. Thanks. I’m having Geillis, Mary and Anna ‘round on Friday for a catch up. I could give you their opinion on the meal too.”

Jamie types something into his phone. “Great, I’ll sort it. So, good weekend plans then?”

“Oh yes, what about you?”

“Oh, I’ve got a sort of date type thing,” he mumbles into his pint and, to my surprise he goes a little bit red. Is he worried about telling me? Does he think that I will mind?

“That’s nice...isn’t it?”

“I dinna ken, really. I… I suppose so. It’s ma sister, Jenny’s, idea.  A friend of hers from university. Ma sister canna quite believe that I’m no’ yet married and she keeps trying tae make it happen. And Jenny, weel, let’s jes’ say that she’s a force of nature. Ye dinna want tae mess wi’ her.”

***************

I’m not exactly the most gifted cook, but I think it would be hard to go wrong with the box of food and wine that Jamie has delivered. The asparagus is waiting to be cooked, the mouth-watering smell from the simmering  chicken and chorizo fills my flat and bowls of juicy Spanish olives— some plain and some with garlic and chilli are dotted about the dinner table. Feeling inspired, I root out a large jug and begin to cut up fruit for sangria.

Like alcohol-seeking missiles, I’ve no sooner prepared the sangria when the doorbell rings. With many hugs, Geillis, Mary, Anna and I greet each other. I accept their gifts of wine, chocolate and flowers as we head into the flat.

As usual, everyone gravitates to the kitchen as I pass the drinks around, complimenting me on the wonderful aromas. Geillis’ stomach rumbles in eager anticipation.

When the four of us are together, the conversation flows as freely as the wine. Honestly, you would swear that we had not seen each other for months, when, in fact, I saw Anna on Tuesday in theatre, and squeezed in a coffee catch-up with Mary and Geillis only two days ago. The topics we cover are wide-ranging and random. Sangria and olives are accompanied by Anna’s search for a new flat, then the conversation turns to the destructive tendencies of Mary’s kitten as I serve the asparagus and Serrano ham starter.

For the main course, we have the tale of Geillis’ father refusing to wear a kilt for her wedding—he is prepared to don tartan trews but, according to Geillis, that will spoil the whole symmetry of the wedding photos. Neither, at the moment, seem willing to back down but, having known Geillis for so many years, it’s obvious to me who will win.

By the time I bring out the selection of Spanish biscuits and turrón, the conversation has moved on to men, more specifically Mary’s crush on a locum doctor newly arrived in the department. There’s a lot of good natured teasing about this—Mary seems to develop a new crush every couple of weeks, and why not?

Geillis drains her wine and turns to me. “Fantastic meal, Claire. Better than yer usual offerings.”

She pulls me close to her as she says this, and squeezes my arm to show she’s joking.

“Well, I have to confess. I did have a bit of assistance. I mean, I did the cooking, apart from the cookies, but everything came from FraserFood.”

“In that case, give me those chocolates back. I’m no’ sure ye’ve earned them.”

“But I have,” I moan. “I did all the cooking…and made sangria.” I reach across Geillis and help myself to another biscuit. They are melt-in-the-mouth delicious.

“It’s part of a new range they’re launching,” I try to explain as Anna and Mary start to squabble over the last biscuit. “Three course dinner party boxes. Everything you need. Jamie asked if I would test one of them out—“

Immediately Anna and Mary shut up, the last biscuit now abandoned on the plate.

“Woo-hoo,” Anna grins at me.

Geillis nudges me in the ribs. “Jamie, is it? And what else has Jamie given ye, eh?”

“Nothing, we’re friends, that’s it.”

“But we’ve seen pictures of him. Don’t ye want there tae be more tae it? I mean, c’mon look at him.” Now Mary joins in the questioning.

I sigh. “We can just be friends, you know.”

“Friends with benefits, mebbe?” Geillis isn’t giving up.

“No, just friends. Although…” my friends lean forward expectantly, perhaps awaiting some heartfelt confession from me, as if I’d suddenly realised my undying love, or, at least, a good bit of lust for Mr. Fraser. They’re going to be disappointed.

“...Although, I suppose you could say this free food and drink is a benefit. So,yes, I guess that makes us friends with benefits.”

Anna and Geillis look as if they don’t believe me, but say nothing. Mary isn’t prepared to drop the subject.

“So,” she starts. “So, suppose I meet yer—“

“Not mine,” I mutter under my breath.

Mary shrugs her shoulders and continues, “—yer Jamie Fraser. And suppose he asks me out and one thing leads tae another… ye’re telling us that ye wouldna mind?”

“No, I wouldn’t mind. Might be a bit awkward if you break up. I mean, can I still be friends with both of you?”

Geillis, laughing, joins in now. “Suppose our Mary marries Jamie Fraser and asks ye tae be a bridesmaid. Would ye mind then?”

I pretend to give this some thought. “Ah, now that does depend. Just how awful will the bridesmaid dress be, Mary?”

“Och, just hideous. We’ll be having a Disney themed wedding.”

All talking and laughing at once, we try to decide which would be the worst Disney outfit for a bridesmaid and finally settle on Moana.

I get up from the table to go and make coffee, but not before making one final statement on the whole platonic situation with Jamie.

“Look, I know it’s hard to believe, but I have no romantic interest in Jamie and neither does he. In fact, he told me that he’s got a date this weekend and that’s totally fine with me.”

Geillis grabs my hand in passing. “Ok, as long as ye’re fine. We jes’ dinna want ye getting hurt, Claire. We love ye too much fer that.”

I smile at my closest friends gathered around my table and feel a rush of warmth and love for them too. They’re my family, these girls, and, for all the joking and teasing, they have my best interests at heart.

“I know. Thank you for looking out for me. But, Jamie and I are friends, nothing more.”

And with that I head into the kitchen, giving Anna, Mary and Geillis, no doubt, the opportunity to continue to speculate about Jamie’s and my friendship. But really I don’t mind, they’ll get fed up soon enough when they see I’ve been telling the truth all along.

[benditlikepress]

the only ones who know

for @ncisjes <3

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“Can’t believe I never knew about these. All in your secret office?”

Ziva looked down at the boxes surrounding her on the bedroom floor and wondered how they must look from Tony’s position stood over her crouching form.

They’d arrived this afternoon after Ziva had got home from work, sent with a note from Ellie telling them to visit soon. Ellie had tracked the delivery but it had been delayed for unknown reasons, and after a brief few days of panic that Ziva's personal and intensely private diaries were being passed around a sorting office they'd finally shown up on the doorstep a week late.

“Seven years worth, plus a little extra.”

“Don’t take this the wrong way, but I never saw you as a journal-er.”

Ziva smiled and looked up at him. "I never intended for anybody to know outside of myself and Odette. It was a way for me to organise my thoughts. I had always written them, but they became more significant to me as time went on – my entries were fairly sporadic until I became an agent. Sometimes I could go a little while between visits, just stopping by to write notes on cases. Other times I would be here every day writing."

“God, look at them all.” Tony bent down next to her, looking over the rows and rows of diaries that Ziva had begun to organise onto shelves on the empty bottom half of the bookshelf.

“I suppose there was a lot I was not willing to say anywhere else.”

Ziva picked one out and flicked through it. It was an early diary, written mostly in Hebrew. She saw mention of her father and Mossad and Jenny Shepard: it must have been from not long after she moved to the US.

“Anything about me in these?” Tony’s tone changed, cutting through the atmosphere. Ziva looked at him with incredulity.

“Really?”

“What?”

She smirked at his blinking expression. “You were a recurring theme, Tony. That should not surprise you.”

“Hmm, like the sound of that. Can I?” He did seem genuinely pleased as he signalled the stacks, and Ziva extended her arms in permission.

“The whole of the navy yard has read them by this point, go ahead.”

Tony moved towards the bookshelf and began to scan the dates printed in small letters along the spines.

It was strange, Ziva thought as she watched him move, that they didn’t have much remaining physical evidence that they’d spent so long together. A few photos, carefully protected over the years. It had been difficult to keep hold of them between the many moves across the world, faked deaths, and other circumstances that made sentimental keepsakes difficult.

Tony, for his part, also seemed to be marvelling in how unusual this was as a result. His eyes drawing slowly across them.

“If you are looking for the first time we went undercover, it will be somewhere near the bottom.”

“What do you take me for?” Tony tutted theatrically and continued to scan, before marking his discovery with a hum and picking out a diary. “This is the one.”

He flicked through a couple of pages slowly and Ziva tried to catch the date. After a few moments of silence he cleared his throat.

“As far as witnesses go, Nora could not have been more pleasant. It is sad, to me, to think back now to how optimistic she had been about her future. How little we can truly know someone we are so close to. It is a feeling that unites her and I, even in our differing natural states of suspicion and trust. Nora trusts blindly, and it cost her. I struggle to do so, and am often proven right.

Perhaps the most surprising thing about Nora, though, is that I know this will not deter her in the long run. Not all people close themselves completely after this kind of betrayal. Not someone like her, so willing to see the good in others. I know there is a lesson to learn from this. Perhaps it is a timely one.

Tony and I ended up sharing a bed last night. He had originally intended to sleep on the couch but I asked him to stay and I think it surprised him - the way I asked. I had tried not to sound desperate though truthfully a part of me was. I am still struggling to sleep through the night most nights, but the company helped. We still are avoiding talking about everything that happened but if he can reach for my hand in the dark I think we are going to be OK.'”

(continue reading on ao3)

[blvirz]

Living Life Through a Lens: Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter 23: You Always Did Look Good in Chanel

Word Count: 8.9K

Warnings: smut

A/N: Hello! Just a heads up. This entire chapter is filled with moments throughout the series between Y/N and Jennie that I didn't know where to fit. Some of which you have only seen from Y/N’s perspective. As I was writing the ending (which is already 6k words long, fck), I went looking through all my drafts, and there were so many points in the story where I wish you could have read from Jennie’s perspective. So that’s what this whole chapter is going to be! I hope you enjoy it.

[7:55 AM KST. Just before the meeting in which Y/N meets Blackpink]

“Jennie! Hurry up! The van is already downstairs, we're going to be late!” you heard Jisoo yell. From where the noise was coming from, you gathered that she was still in her room. You were thankful that she always warned you when it was time to leave, but not when you were just about to do your eyeliner.

Stopping and glancing over, you saw that she too was still getting ready, and so you went back to taking your time. When you were satisfied with how everything looked, you put on some perfume and walked out of your room. At the same time, you and Jisoo both made your way to the front door, and saw Rosé and Lisa already standing there with their shoes on.

Today, you and the members had a meeting with a new director that was supposedly going to film your daily life as well as your life on tour for the next couple of months. Yesterday you and the members spent a few hours watching their previously released documentaries, but you fell asleep. And so, you were a bit worried with the lack of background knowledge, but trusted that the members would catch you up to speed.

Once you were settled in the van and on the way, you noticed that there was something eerie about the drive on your way to work; so quiet and peaceful. Oddly, there was no traffic, and every light had turned green at exactly the right moment for you to pass through. Everything was going perfectly smooth. In less than twenty minutes, which was how long it usually took, you arrived at the front gates of YG.

Approaching the front gates, you saw a crowd of people gathered around. Some of them for you, but some of them had signs for a Y/N Y/L/N? It was all very fast, but you also managed to see a billboard with a picture of you and the members. On it read, BLINKS DEMAND FOR BLACKPINK, written in big white letters. Soon Blinks. We’re coming soon, we have so much planned for you. You thought to yourself.

Like you had done at least a thousand times before, you exited the van and headed into YG. While doing so, you heard the screams of the fans on the way in, but knowing full well of YG’s protocol, you couldn’t stop and had to keep walking. In the elevator on the way up to the meeting you heard your song, Playing with Fire, playing through the speakers. It was Lisa’s verse that was playing and when you looked over at Lisa, she was doing the choreography in hopes of trying to get Jisoo and Rosé to laugh, but before they could the doors of the elevator opened.

Walking with your members alongside you, and your managers in front, you made your way over to the conference room. As you passed the frosty glass wall of the room, you could see that there were a few people already inside. Shit, did I really make us late? Is our boss already in there? Shit. Shit. Shit.

Immediately as you entered, your whole being seemed to gravitate toward one person who was standing on the other side of the room. Looking her up and down you saw that she had her hair tied up, wore a white top, corset, and some blue jeans. And from where you currently stood you could only see her side profile. When she turned and you were able to get a good look at her face, you recognized her. Y/N Y/L/N? As in… the woman from Paris Fashion Week? Am I seeing things? Why– How– You look so– wow.

As you watched Jisoo go to hug Y/N first, you automatically followed and did the same. Pulling her in for a hug, you smelt and recognized her perfume right away. Because it smelled exactly like yours. I think I love you. I didn’t say that out loud, right? Focus Jennie!

“Oh my gosh, this only happens in my dreams,” Y/N said as she hugged Rosé, causing everyone in the room to laugh.

Throughout the entire meeting you could only focus on Y/N. Thinking about how simple yet beautiful her features were. How she was here in front of you. How out of all people, she was the one that your company decided to work with. How. How. And Why.

Even the way she explained things was beautiful to you. She had just the right amount of seriousness, but also the right amount of humour. It had only been a few minutes, but you were convinced that anything and everything she did was just… beautiful.

Is she real? Stop staring! Am I allowed to like you Y/N? Is this appropriate? Wait, what did she just say? Phase one… What was that? What? I get to spend the next year with you? How do I tell the members? Phase two. So many words! Wait for me Y/N!

…

[6:45 PM NZST. Y/N and Jennie fool around at the art exhibit]

“Are you upset about the painting being sold?” Y/N asked while tilting her head in a way so that she could look at your face.

When your eyes met, you tried your best not to shy away from her and looked at her as you answered. With your other members around, her attention had to be divided between the four of you, but now that it was just you two alone, you found yourself a nervous wreck just trying to look at her in conversation.

Quickly you gathered yourself and turned to look at her instead of the ground. Reassuring her by saying, “no not at all! Sorry. I just– I didn’t get a lot of sleep last night, so my head is all over the place… Shall we continue looking at the other art pieces?” Smooth Jennie. Smooth.

Y/N must have sensed your nervousness and so she gave you a warm smile, and said “sure.”

Thankfully, she didn’t ask why you weren't able to get sleep the night before, and continued on walking. How could you possibly tell her that she was all you thought about, without freaking her out? You thought back to yesterday when you had hugged her from behind, and the face she made when she flinched and turned around to look at you. That alone made you want to crawl into a ball and hide in a very dark corner.

For the past week you have been trying everything to let her know you were interested in her, but she wasn’t biting, or when she did make a move, she was reluctant. You were so sure that she was flirting back. They could have been slightly biased, but even each of your members had said something about it a couple days before. Were you just rushing things? Was she not interested in you? Or was it all a friendly game to her? Either way you had to find out, if not for the sake of your own curiosity then your business relationship; you just weren’t exactly sure how.

Just then, you both walked into the only dark room in the whole exhibit. There was no one in it, and so you both hesitated and swiftly stepped out of it. Every room you had been in previously so far had been well lit, but this one was dark and the only source of light came from a bright pink neon sign that hung on the wall. It read: it was always you.

Surely this was a part of the exhibit. Having both decided that it was safe to enter, an idea popped up into your head as you looked at the bright neon sign once again. So very quickly before Y/N could walk away from it, you pushed her in front of it to capture a photo.

“Will you at least let me see the photo? It’s the least you could do after almost killing me,” Y/N said as she slowly made her way toward you. Fixing her messed up hair as she did.

Both of you gasped when you discovered that it was a well taken photo, despite it being taken in a rush. It was slightly blurry, but the neon sign was clear enough to read in the background, and Y/N had on the brightest smile you had ever seen in your life. The perfect candid shot.

“What is that?” you asked while squinting to look at a large box that sat upright on the other side of the room.

Y/N looked and squinted too before saying, “oh it’s a photo booth!”

And before you knew it, she took your hand in hers and was pulling you toward the opposite end of the room. It was a tight space, but you both fit snugly inside. Was this meant for a single person? You were only a few inches apart, and as the time passed, you could feel your heart begin to beat harder and harder in your chest. To avoid Y/N from noticing it, you pressed the large red button in front of you, and suddenly there was a robotic voice that started counting down from the number three. Throwing the both of you into a panic. Well this is a photo booth Jennie… what were you expecting to happen?

Just before the countdown hit one, you mentioned to make a funny face. When it took the photo and started counting down again, you two settled on smiling at the camera normally. Looking at the screen it showed three empty slots, indicating that there were three photos left for you to take. Why is this so stressful?

For the third photo you posed randomly, and while looking at the screen instead of the camera, for a brief moment you saw Y/N just stare at you. As the countdown began again, you expected her to follow suit and strike a pose, but she didn’t. She sat there staring at you as the flash went off, making your heart melt. Why are you staring at me? Do you stare at all your friends this way?

The fourth photo was of you two staring at each other and laughing. And after the flash went off, there was yet another countdown. What to do for the last photo… What to do… How do I– ah. Okay, this will answer my question.

Without any hesitation or care for what would happen after, you grabbed Y/N’s head and firmly planted a kiss on her cheek. This time she didn’t flinch at the contact or pull away. Instead you felt her face scrunch up, and her hands grab a hold of your wrists. Her skin felt soft, and she smelled like the perfume that you knew all too well.

Unsure if you were just imagining things, but the timer seemed to wind down slower, and with each passing moment you could feel the heat rise up in your cheeks. Thank goodness these photos are in black and white.

The flash went off and still you remained. It wasn’t your fault; her cheeks were just so… kissable. In your mind you swore it was the hardest thing you had to do in a while, but you managed to pull away, and just like that, it was all over.

Suddenly, before either of you could say a word, you heard the sound of what you figured was the curtain being drawn back, at a great speed. Whipping your head back to see who it was, you immediately saw Lisa there. She was jumping up and down all the while shouting the words ‘I was right’ over and over again. Rosé and Jisoo were both behind her clearly not as pleased with the result.

I love you all so dearly… but you guys have the absolute worst timing, you thought.

…

[8:34 AM EST. After Y/N and Jennie decide to be together officially]

Despite it being early in the morning, it was still a bit dark in the house as you made your way down the stairs. So cold too, causing you to fold your sweater and even your arms closed against your body. Each step you took down the stairs was a new and even colder surface for your feet, and so when you saw a pair of slippers waiting for you at the bottom, you picked up the pace at which you descended and quickly shoved your feet inside them.

Y/N was already up and making breakfast for you both. You were only a few feet away from the kitchen and you could hear the clattering of utensils, sizzling sounds of food, and even a few curses mixed in between. When you finally were in the doorway of the kitchen, you looked over and saw Y/N. She had her back facing you as she cooked something on the stove, so very quickly and quietly you walked over to her and hugged her from behind. This time she didn’t flinch.

Automatically, your head rested in the spot between her shoulder blades, and somehow knowing exactly what you wanted to do, she lifted her elbows to allow for your hands to make their way to the front of her stomach. Your fingers now interlocked, and you stood there attached.

It was a close second to being your favourite spot in the whole wide world. No. It was for sure your favourite spot in the whole world. While closing your eyes, you felt the vibrations coming from her back as she spoke. It was mumbled, but you assumed it was something along the lines of “good morning. Would you like some coffee?”,which is what she always said when you two did this in the morning. Before Y/N, you hated waking up so early in the mornings, but lately it was something you looked forward to each night you laid your head to rest. A peaceful breakfast with Y/N. Even better sometimes, was when Lex and the members would join, and you would all sit around the table.

Lost in your thoughts, you felt her push back against you. You didn’t let go and stayed attached firmly on her back. You followed her as she walked the both of you to the other side of the kitchen island, placing some scrambled eggs on both of your plates. After setting the pan down, with her hands she unlatched yours that were around her waist and turned around. “Shall we eat?” she asked.

In the middle of your breakfast, you felt Y/N put her hands on your chair to pull you closer toward her. She got real close and said, “so I thought I would give Lex a break. I was thinking of risking it and venturing out into the nearest town to buy some groceries myself… would you like to come?” As she asked, she placed her hands on your thighs.

Double meaning. I know what you’re doing, and it’s not going to work. You thought, and so, challenging her you got even closer and whispered, “I would love to.”

…

“Rosie would like these,” you said as you threw a few bags of potato chips in the cart and continued to push along the aisle.

Y/N, who was looking at her checklist, looked over at what you had thrown in the cart and just laughed. “It’s Rosé this time? Not Jisoo? Or Lisa? Babe… the least you could do is come up with a better lie. I know she doesn’t eat those kinds of snacks, so just say they’re for you. I’m going to buy them regardless. I’ll buy you a whole cart’s worth if that’s what you want.”

Peering inside the cart, it was already full, and you and Y/N had so far only made it through half of the aisles in the store. Y/N had taken you to a tiny grocery store run by a local couple, who seemed peculiarly friendly. But then again, you remembered that everyone here was too friendly.

Walking up and down the aisles you thought about what had happened when you two had first walked in together. The couple immediately noticed Y/N, and got to talking. On accident they called you Irene, which you politely ignored and let them think you were, that is until Y/N introduced you properly. “Ah no. This is Jennie. My ne– my girlfriend,” she stuttered. You smiled back at her as she continued talking to the couple. My girlfriend. Can you say that again?

After Y/N was done catching up, you two went up and down the aisles throwing everything that had caught your eye into the cart. Snapping back into focus, you looked at Y/N as she tried strategically placing some bottles of soda into the overflowing cart. “Okay so I think we have everythin– no wait. One last thing, Rosé said she wanted strawberries. Would you mind getting them while I fix this mess?” Y/N asked as she had her hands full trying to stop a few things from falling out of the cart.

She didn’t have to ask as you were already making your way out of the aisle, but before leaving you said, “okay I’ll be right back. Don’t go anywhere, okay? Stay here.”

It was a running joke. The members had said something about you two never being apart for no longer than five minutes, and so, you two always said the exact same thing before leaving one another’s sight.

Stubbornly, you stood there waiting for her to say something back. You chuckled as you saw her struggling to keep everything in the cart still. When she turned her attention to look at you instead of the overflowing cart, she had a clear look of distress on her face, but still managed to crack a smile. “I– H– How? Go where? And why would I ever leave without you? Now go please!”

//

[11:04 AM KST. South Korea. Phase two. Filming Jennie’s day-to-day]

It was about the third day into filming your daily schedule with Y/N, and although she held a camera up to film every single thing you did, you were just glad to be in her presence. While away in Japan you were positive that time went by slower over there, but now being back in Korea, with the tour just around the corner, everything was coming at you at full speed. The time apart not only forced you to focus on work, but made you think of what your life was like before Y/N. Having been attached at the hip in the last few months, it would take some getting used to; especially since your days quite literally began and ended with her.

Filming one on one with Y/N was a different dynamic. It wasn’t easy. Particularly the interview session. Being asked questions under bright lights with at least half a dozen cameras recording you from different angles was overwhelming. So having your girlfriend be there to ask you the questions was even harder. She didn’t go easy on you either, some you didn't have to think twice about and could answer quickly, but others dove deep and caught you off guard.

However, you would take what you were currently doing over the interviews any day. What did she call it? B-roll? Before you did anything, Y/N made you explain very briefly what it was that you were doing and then told you to go about it as if she weren’t there. Since you talked to her so much, you found that it was a hard thing to do. In fact, you had already done it a couple of times, and each time, Y/N would have to cut.

Today, your schedule consisted of conducting research. When Y/N had asked you to explain what that meant, you told her, or really the camera, that in order to keep up with the latest fashion trends, you had to go out and look firsthand. To see and feel the quality of the clothes and accessories you needed to stay up to date; research. And each time you explained, you could see her roll her eyes behind the camera.

While walking through all the stores along with your stylist, Y/N lagged behind recording the things you did. With her eyes practically glued to the monitor, you sometimes found her walking into the displays scattered all throughout the store. Earning a laugh from you in the process.

“This is nice– oh and this one and– this one too– omg no this,” you said as you looked through all the clothes on the rack.

“Y/N, doesn’t thi– Crap. Sorry.” The minute you said her name, you apologized for what was probably the 1000th time.

“Cut,” Y/N said while pinching the space in between her eyes.

After placing the camera down on one of the tables in the store, she walked over to you and put both of her hands on your shoulders. Looking you dead in the eyes she said, “Jennie. Please. You. Cannot. Look. Into. The. Camera. Or. Speak. To. Me.” Emphasizing every word.

“Should I just have my assistant record instead?” she asked.

“No! I’ll try harder. Just– It’s so hard not to talk to you when you’re standing right there,” you whined as she walked away.

Y/N picked up the camera again. Before pressing record and signalling to her camera assistant, she said, “just forget that I’m even here.”

Forget you? Never.

…

“Okay I think we got all the shots. We’re done for the week.” Y/N said as she handed her camera over to her assistant, who then proceeded to place it carefully into a padded box.

You couldn’t believe that everything was done, “That’s it? We’re done? Like forever?” you asked just to make sure.

After Y/N could confirm something with her team, they all packed up in the van and left you both behind which had you confused. When she turned around and saw the puzzled look on your face, she said, “yes we’re done. At least with the one-on-one. Filming will start again once the concerts start.”

Still confused, you looked at her and asked “but– our ride?”

While she looped her arm through yours, she pulled you along and started walking along the road. “We’re done early. I thought we could enjoy some time to ourselves. Go for a walk, maybe eat, and shop without an excuse?”

“It wasn’t an excuse! It was research! And how about security?” you asked while looking behind and around you.

“They will meet us at the place we’re going for lunch. For about fifteen minutes you have me alone,” she said as she smiled and winked.

“It’s okay. I only need five,” you said proudly. Seconds later when she figured out what you meant, she let go and crossed her arms over her body.

After the joke was over, Y/N returned to you and automatically her fingers entwined with yours. While walking down the road, you noticed that it was a quiet afternoon, and everything around you had a certain peacefulness to it. Almost nobody was around except for a few shop owners, you and Y/N. The sun was out and there were just enough clouds in the sky to keep it from scorching your skin. It wasn’t humid outside either, and there was a nice breeze too, which was oddly a nice addition to the faint sounds of the highway that you could hear nearby.

“Do you think we would have met someplace else? Like if I didn’t take this job?”

The question came out of nowhere, but because you’ve thought about it before, you already had an answer. “Of course. Another fashion show maybe… or something along the lines of that. Do you?” you asked.

“I thought of that too–” when she cut herself off, you looked over at her and then over at what caught her attention. Up ahead you saw a few paparazzi get out of a van. Instantly she pulled you into another alleyway all the while yelling, “alright I guess we’re going to have to take another route, we gotta run!”

Although it was of no help for either of you to scream, you two did so anyway while running away from the paparazzi. Everything about your life that you thought was negative or even thought of as a slight inconvenience, Y/N always found a way to turn it around and make it interesting and enjoyable; she had a positive impact on just about every aspect of your life.

Let’s do this forever, okay Y/N?

//

[3:30 PM KST. South Korea. After Y/N gifts Jennie her painting]

You and Y/N were lying down side by side in a field, soaking up the sun. It was a few hours after lunch, and you planned a relaxing afternoon picnic in the park. Touring was just about to start, and although you would be together, it was important to fit in times like this where you weren’t expected to work, but just relax and have a good time. But sitting around and doing nothing quickly got boring and you decided to do something that was much more stimulating… according to Y/N, that meant renting bikes, and going for a ride around the park.

“Last one to that large rock over there is a loser!” you heard Y/N shout as she zoomed past you on a bike; her laugh getting quieter as she furiously pedalled away from you.

Right away your competitive nature kicked in, and you started pedaling faster in an effort to catch up to her. Each time you got close, she would look back and pedal even harder, making the gap between you wider. She was toying with you, which only made you want to beat her even more.

However, the race was quickly cut short because something either got caught in your gears or your tire collided with something awkwardly, which caused you to fly off your bike. As you hit the ground, your hands scraped along the gravel and in turn slowed you down to a stop.

Sitting up on the ground, you held your hands out in front of you and rested them on top of your knees. With all the adrenaline that was coursing through your veins, your arms shook and your fingers kept twitching.

There was a stinging pain that was coming from your hands, and when you turned them over, you immediately saw red start to drip down from the clearly torn skin. You winced as you carefully flicked some of the tiny rocks away from the scarred tissue.

While you were occupied with cleaning your wounds, you heard another bike fall to the ground next to you, and saw Y/N slide over to where you were on the ground. She saw the blood that was streaming down from your hands, and then quickly patted down the rest of your body to check for any other wounds. A look of worry covered her face as she checked you and asked if you were hurt anywhere else. When she realized that the cuts in the palm of your hands were the only injury, she right away took them in hers; trying her best to clean the dirt and rocks that covered the palms of your hands.

Y/N’s gripped tightened around your wrist as you tried to pull your hands away. “It doesn’t hurt. It’s fine, Y/N. Just a couple scratches,” you tried reassuring her, but the concerned look on her face didn’t go away.

It took a few minutes to get the dirt and rocks out. She did everything from blowing to pouring water over the wound. “Okay that hurts,” you said as the stream of water hit your palms. There wasn’t much blood, but still you could see a tinge of red as it continued to make its way down the rest of your arm.

Once Y/N was sure you were okay and that the wound was as clean as it could be, you two sat there for a while. The both of you sat there on the gravel road, with Y/N’s bike lying on the ground in front of you; yours just a couple meters out to the left of you. From where you sat, you looked at and examined your bike. What the hell got in the way?

Your thoughts were immediately interrupted when you heard what sounded like muffled laughter coming from Y/N. Looking over, you watched her shoulders bounce up and down. “Why are you laughing?” you asked.

She turned around, and you swear you meant to listen to her, but the sun was hitting her face at all the right angles, and suddenly you couldn’t understand the words that were coming out of her mouth. She was beautiful, sure. And yes, it was her features that initially drew you to her, but what she was most beautiful for, was the way she always made sure that everyone around her was looked after before she thought about herself. She was beautiful for the way she encouraged Lisa’s jokes and indulged her in her sometimes not-so-comedic antics. Beautiful for belting out the lyrics to the songs that were playing in the dorm with Rosé, and even beautiful when her eyebrows were permanently furrowed in an intense battle of Mario Kart with Jisoo.So, although it wasn’t wrong to call her that for something as vain such as her looks; it was wrong to say that that was the onlything that made her beautiful. Her character, her personality… the way she did things, was what made her most beautiful to you. But in this light, you couldn’t help but appreciate the way she looked.

Snapping out of the trance you were in; you were luckily able to catch her at the last bit. “You were so close to me, and then all of sudden… you weren’t. How did you manage to land so far away from your bike?”

Giving her an annoyed look and exaggerating what had happened you said, “your girlfriend is catapulted off of her bike, going at least a billion kilometers an hour… landing on the rough gravel road. Only to start bleeding out. I could have died, and you have the audacity to laugh at me?”

“Baby I love you… but don’t you think you’re being just a tad bit dramatic?” she asked.

What did you just say? When you didn’t answer her question, she turned to look at you totally unphased by what she had just said. “You love me?”

“Did I say that?” Y/N asked as she turned to look at something on the ground.

Oh hell no. You’re going to look at me when you answer me. It took some time, but eventually you were able to get up from off the ground. Not having the ability to use your hands made everything so much more difficult. Staggering from side to side in an effort to get up on your feet, everything felt sore.

Y/N was still turned away from you, so she didn’t see you coming when you took a seat on top of her legs. In all the times you had done this before, she would protest and try to push you off, but this time she remained motionless looking at the ground. Still no eye contact.

At this very moment, you were so sure that this was your favourite thing in the whole wide world; sitting on Y/N’s lap while she was clearly a nervous mess underneath you. Carefully and with your longest fingers, you put them underneath her chin and guided her head so that she was now looking at you in the eyes. “Y/N…” you trailed off. You were going to make sure she heard everything you said.

“Uh huh?”

“Do. You. Love. Me?” you asked. Enunciating each word slowly.

Again, she tried to look away, but your grip tightened around her chin. Causing you to feel the stinging pain in your palm come back as you tensed the muscles in your hand, but you didn't care.

“Yes.”

“Yes what?” you asked.

“Yes. I do love you Jennie Kim.” Her eyes never once left yours as the words left her mouth.

Seven words. Seven words was all it took to have you feeling like you were on top of the world. Everything around you was… better. The sky was bluer, the grass was greener, the sun yellower. The sounds of the birds in the trees around you… clearer. Even the air that you were breathing in felt cleaner. “Sorry… can you say that one more time?” you asked while tilting your ear closer to her mouth.

She knew you had heard her, and so after letting out a sigh, she said, “I. Love. You.”

Without hesitating you said, “I love you too, Y/N.”

I love you so much.

//

[7:20 PM CST. Taipei. Getting ready before leaving to go on stage]

“Like right… here,” you said as you guided your makeup artists’ hand closer toward your inner eye; she held the brush and was about to add a little bit of colour to even out both of your eyes.

Currently, a number of people stood around you. With your makeup artist on one side, your hairstylist behind you, and a seamstress kneeling on the ground fixing the outfit you had on, there really wasn’t much breathing room.

You couldn’t turn around, but by squinting hard enough and looking in the mirror, you read the clock; you had just a half hour before you had to leave for the stage. Today was your last concert of the first leg of the tour. Even more special about tonight was that Y/N was here, and you two had finally worked through your issues. However, that wasn’t to say that you didn’t enjoy every concert you put on, because you did. Y/N being here, just made everything better.

The team around you all stepped back and gave space for you to get in one last look in the mirror; all of you double checking to see if everything was okay. While doing so, you saw Y/N standing there eyeing you in the background. She smiled and started making her way over to you once she realized you were looking at her too.

“Do you mind if I have this?” she asked while toying with the roll of ribbon in her hands. Your stylist that was kneeling on the ground in between you two quickly glanced over to see what she was referring to and said that she could.

What on Earth are you going to do with that? you questioned.

…

Walking down the hallway of the hotel, you said goodnight to each of the girls on the way to your own room. Like always, there was an assigned hotel room order. It went as follows: Lisa, Rosé, Jisoo, yours and then finally Y/N’s.

To you, your members seemed exhausted, and rightfully so. Thus, this time you kept your goodnight greeting relatively short. You, on the other hand, were still wired from the concert. It was rare, but it happened from time to time nonetheless. It probably had to do something with Y/N being back.

With your foot holding the door of your hotel room open, and your grip around the handle of your suitcase, you waited for Y/N to kiss you goodnight before returning to her room. During your discussion at the amusement park a few days ago, you two decided that you would sleep in separate rooms when it came to tour, but if you really needed each other, your doors were always open. However, this time she didn’t ask, or much less give you a warning before pulling you toward her room.

As you were being dragged along, you heard the door you were holding open shut behind you, and the things in your suitcase jumble around. “Y/N, if you’re going to yank my arm out of its socket. Next time give me a warning,” you said quietly.

Before ushering you inside her room, in a serious but quiet voice she said, “stop complaining.”

As soon as the door closed behind you both, Y/N turned the lock on the door and flipped the door stopper up. I guess I’m sleeping in here tonight? You were confused but the thought alone made you smile.

“Leave your suitcase here and sit on the bed.” Was all she said as she kneeled on the ground, digging around for something in her suitcase; every movement of hers was rough.

Stopping to look at what she was doing on the way to the bed, she looked up at the same time and you shot her a questioning look. Very scarily, she said nothing and pointed to the bed, causing your heart rate to instantly pick up. Are you mad at me? What is going on?

If you were being honest, how Y/N’s nature could change so quickly was frightening yet fascinating to you. For the vast majority of the time she was friendly and delightful as could be, but on the off chance, she was capable of being the exact opposite; everything about her was alluring, especially at this very moment.

From your current view on the edge of the bed, you leaned off to the right and watched as she pulled the same roll of white ribbon she had asked your stylist for just a couple of hours ago– as well as a blindfold? You didn’t want to make any assumptions, but the thoughts in your head ran wild. If your heart wasn’t beating fast before, surely it was now. Nervously, you gulped as she stood up and walked toward you.

Your eyes never once left her face. Even when she threw the items on the bed, or when you felt the bed sink a little bit as she moved to rest her arms on the bed beside both of your legs. Her lips looked so inviting that it was hard for you to look at anything else.

She got real close to your face, and while staring at each other's lips, you read hers as she said, “this is only going to work if you listen to me. Don’t question me or my decisions. Can you do that for me?”

Unable to speak you simply nodded, and only then did she continue. Firstly, she put the blindfold on, and then asked for you to put your wrists together and extend them outward toward her. With your sense of sight now gone, everything else was heightened. Touch, smell, hearing… and although she didn’t give you a reason just yet, you were sure that your sense of taste would be heightened too.

Very clearly could you hear the sound of something being unravelled, and quickly you were able to gather that it was the ribbon she had in her hands earlier. Seconds later, you felt the silky-smooth texture of fabric being wrapped and tied around both of your wrists. It wasn’t loose, nor was it too tight.

“Tug on your wrists for me.”

Silently you sat there and did what she asked of you. In your head you debated over whether or not you would defy Y/N on purpose, just to see what would happen, but for now you listened. The moment she was satisfied, she pushed to lie you down on the bed and got on top of you. Underneath her weight, you felt secure.

So this is what it feels like when I straddle you? I could get used to this.

You couldn’t help but chuckle and try to play it off as a cough, but Y/N caught on anyway and asked what was so funny.

“Nothing,” you said.

Roughly, with one of her hands she got a hold of your wrists and moved to pin them down on the sheets right above your head. In both arousal and frustration, you let out a sigh which was cut short when Y/N attached her lips to your neck. She knew you all too well, and went straight for the spot that made you ache in the place where you needed her the most. With her other hand, you could feel her start to unbutton your shirt.

It had been so long at this point that everything felt good, and each time it got to be too much, the grip she had pinning your wrists down had to be increased. “Keep your hands above your head. The moment they come down or touch me, everything stops. Do you understand?” she asked; her voice still stern.

You nodded, but that wouldn’t cut it this time as she asked again. “I understand,” you were able to choke out.

With the help of her warm breath to tell you where she was headed, she stopped at your now exposed chest. Taking her sweet time to run over both of your nipples with her tongue. You sucked in a deep breath, but still, you kept your wrists above your head. Keep them there Jennie. Keep. Them. There.

She travelled further down, leaving a trail of open-mouthed kisses down your torso. Each one wetter than the last. You were growing impatient and you were positive that Y/N knew it too, because each time she stopped, you could feel her smile against your skin. “Y/N please,” you begged. Unsure if you were allowed to speak at all. She didn’t say I couldn’t right? Fuck. What were the rules?

You heard her ask, “please what?”

Shuddering underneath her as she asked you the question. You hadn’t realized, but she was right back up next to your ear within seconds. “It’s been a long day… I put on a good show. Don’t you think I deserve to be rewarded?”

She gave you a quick kiss and hovered over your lips. “You do baby… but who says I can’t have a little fun?”

“Me.” Your answer was short and rude, but you made sure to give her a nice smile as you said it.

Suddenly you felt Y/N get off, and before you could begin to apologize, you felt her hands pull off the sweatpants and panties you had on. Oh good. You’re not stopping.

The air conditioning in the room was on, so you felt the tiny hairs on your legs rise, as they were exposed to the cold air.

“I’ll let that one go and pretend you never said it.”

Y/N continued on with her painstakingly slow exploration, which only made you feel more annoyed and agitated, but you bit your lip to avoid voicing your opinion. It was too soon to push her buttons, and you couldn’t risk her stopping. Not when you were just getting started.

Every little noise was clear to you. The creaking noises that the bed made, her slow and steady breathing, and even the simple sounds of skin moving against the hotel sheets.

All the while you were taking everything in, you felt Y/N reattach her lips to the soft spot on your neck. At the same time, one of her hands moved down to your already wet core. Before her fingers could dip inside, she teased you by sliding her fingers up and down, letting only the tips of her fingers do the work; gathering your growing arousal. It drove you insane. “Y/N please just fuck me already.”

She didn’t say anything and instead responded by pushing two of her fingers inside you, it was simple, yet just enough to coax a ragged breath from you and have your body arch off the bed. With her fingers moving in and out of you at a steady pace, it didn’t take you long to have you moaning underneath her. “Jennie, we're in a hotel, remember? You have to keep it down.”

Out of breath you said, “then kiss me.”

You could have sworn that Y/N was supposed to be in charge, but everything you asked for, she willingly gave in.

Maybe I should just listen… It’s not so bad.

As her fingers pumped in and out of you, your tongues moved together in a sensual rhythm. Your moans now being muffled by her mouth that was busy over yours.

Her motions were patternless which drove you to the edge even faster. One moment she was going so deep to the point where the palm of her hand stopped her, and at another, she could be paying attention to your clit; rubbing fast paced circles around it.

Eventually it all got to be too much, and when you came, you did everything but bring your wrists down. “Fuck bab–” your words were immediately cut off by her lips once again. Anything from pulling on the restraints, biting onto her lip, clamping your legs together to keep her from pulling away, you rode out your long awaited orgasm.

Once she was sure you weren’t going to yell out anymore, she pulled away but still kept her palm firmly resting against you. Through the pressure, you felt the pulsing sensation of your clit. When her fingers started moving again, you were quickly thrown back in.

“We’re not done yet my love. But before we start again, let’s take this off just so you can watch me clean up,” she whispered into your ear. The sternness in her voice now gone, and replaced by something that was much more lustful and seductive.

She pulled off the blindfold. The room wasn’t at all bright when you first entered. It was only being lit by a single lamp that was in the far corner of the room, but it took a few seconds for your eyes to adjust. After blinking a few times, you wanted to take a moment and stare at Y/N, but she was already moving down to your legs.

Her left arm firmly wrapped around your leg, which was most likely to keep you from moving. You couldn’t see it of course, but with her free hand she readily went back to work. Surely it was counterintuitive for her to be pumping in and out of you, hitting all the right spots, all the while she was lapping up your juices and teasing the bud of your clit with her tongue. But you couldn’t care less, it felt good, and you sure as hell weren’t going to be the one that would tell her to stop. What she was doing was perfect, and in record time, she once again had you closely approaching the edge.

Naturally, each time she fucked you like this, she learned what you liked the most, and so the minute you both felt and saw her tongue give you that one last lick, it was over for you.

Your second orgasm was more overwhelming than the last, and instinctively you threw your head back against the sheets, arched your back, and clamped your legs around her head. What was different this time around was that your vision blurred around the edges, and with Y/N down near your ankles, you were left to suppress the noises you made.

In the midst of trying to regain some of your senses, you felt a slight panic when you realized that part of your hand was stuffed in your mouth, and your wrists were brought down to your face. Oh shit.

Y/N didn’t seem to mind when she came back up, in fact she was laughing. While hovering over you, she worked to untie you. When your hands were free, you examined the deep red lines that covered the both of your wrists.

I should be able to cover them up with a watch and a few bracelets.

Your thoughts were quickly cut short when Y/N took your hands in hers. She massaged over the lines. Her expression was soft and full of concern, which made you miss the rough attitude she had just a few moments ago.

Quickly and roughly, your hand made its way to the base of Y/N’s neck and you were able to flip the two of you over. Now in the opposite positions, you had all the control. Or at least that’s what you thought until she bent her leg and her soft skin glided against your soaking centre. While hovering over her, you dripped down her leg. The contact right away made you lose focus for a split second. “My god, babe. You’re going to make me cum again.”

“Ride me.” Her voice wasn’t the stern one you found yourself craving, but it turned you on regardless.

Just as you were about to listen to her instructions, suddenly the lamp across the room flickered, capturing your attention. When it stopped flickering, on your way back to looking at Y/N’s face, your eyes landed on her camera that rested on the table beside the bed. Y/N turned to look at what you were staring at, and right away she said, “no.” The seriousness in her voice returned.

“Why not? Wouldn’t it be hot to have this on film?” you asked.

“Well it would, yes– no. Just no. Don’t you like your job? If a tape like that–” “just call it what it is Y/N,” you interrupted.  

Y/N sighed underneath you and said, “I’m saying no to a sextape. A film like that can have a detrimental effect on both of our careers. Now come on, let’s just keep going.”

You gave her a pleading look, and still she remained firm with her decision. “Fine,” you huffed out in frustration, but it was short lived as you gladly went back to riding her thigh.

Rocking back and forth against your own slickness, you let out a moan. One of her hands was on your hip to help guide you, and with her other hand, she had her fingers in your mouth trying to keep you quiet. Though at the moment her fingers weren’t doing such a great job. So, when another loud moan escaped your lips, she sat up and pulled you in for a kiss. This was the only way she could get you to be quiet.

While continuing to ride her you were able to find your rhythm and quickened the pace at which you moved. Right away you couldn’t help but feel a little guilty for the loud noises you two were making; surely your neighbours couldn’t hear your rings colliding with the wood and the bed knocking against the wall, right?

As if it weren’t enough, Y/N took one of her hands and shoved a finger in the space between you and her leg, occasionally curling it inside which drove you to the edge faster. “Fuck that feels so good.” But it was only for a few seconds as she pulled it out, “taste yourself,” she said slowly. Her voice dripping in seduction.

As you moved to suck on the finger that was just inside you, you missed as she quickly put it in her mouth. Though, before you could question it, she kissed you and shoved her tongue in your mouth, tasting yourself as she did. With your tongues battling for dominance, you felt her hand snake its way back down your body. Using her thumb, at a fast pace, she rubbed and took full advantage of your already sensitive clit.

“Look at me when you cum,” she said while grabbing the back of your head.

You tried your best to fight it off for a few seconds longer, but you came hard against her thigh. Biting your lip and keeping your eyes focused on hers. If it weren't for her other hand that held the back of your head in place, you surely would have broken the eye contact. The overwhelming high that took over you this time, had your legs shaking and all ten of your fingers clawing down Y/N’s back.

It took a few minutes to get yourself under control, and as you sat there trying to gather yourself, you watched as Y/N sat back against the headboard, fiddling with the ribbon in her hands. You hadn’t noticed up until this point, but there was a word that was repeatedly printed on it, and when you took it from her and looked at it, it was the word Chanel, written in black capitalized letters. “Are you kidding me?” you laughed.

“I had to. You always did look good in Chanel.”

“Did?” you asked.

“Do,” she corrected.

Chapter 24 - HERE

[mork-lee-bee]

Broken Lovers III

Summary: Y/n is a hopeless romantic in love with someone who will never love her back and Jaehyun is helplessly in love with someone who only continues to hurt him over and over again, sounds like a match made in heaven right?

Pairings: CollegeStudent!Jaehyun X CollegeStudent!Y/N X CollegeStudent!Jaemin

Warnings: toxic relationships, toxic behavior, gas lighting, making you question your perception and memory, cursing but not excessively 

Genre: angst/fluff/smut

Word count: 1.8k

Masterlist

Previous

Next

It wasn’t a frigidly cold day for once which meant the walk across campus wasn’t horrible in fact it was almost nice except for the fact that it was six-forty five in the morning and Jaehyun was tired. His schedule only allowed for him to take this class as a seven in the morning one otherwise he would never have done it but sadly here he was up bright and early the sky had barely started to shift from the darkness into the light blue of the new day.

Jaehyun rubbed at his eyes before entering his class for today’s lecture and it was like clockwork as soon as he stepped into the class his phone started to buzz in his pocket. He paused causing the girl walking in behind him to let out an annoyed ‘HEY’.

“Sorry…” Jaehyun Mumbled stepping to the side to let the girl in while he slipped the phone out of his pocket to see the contact labeled Don’t answer that was the work of Yuta, of course, who insisted on blocking Heejin’s number but because of Jaehyun’s stubbornness opted to just change the contact name that used to say Beautiful Heejin.

The phone continued to buzz in his hand as he pushed his other hand through his hair trying to contemplate whether to answer or not. She hadn’t even attempted to call him in weeks she cut him off so coldly without any explanation.

“Shit,” He sighed before exiting out of the class and into the hall where most of the students awake walked like Zombies but Jaehyun suddenly felt so awake, his heart hammering out of his chest as he clicked the Answer button.

“J-Jae,” The voice on the other end of the phone, Heejin’s, broke up evidently crying. Jaehyun’s heart broke all over again at the sound of her voice.

“What do you want?” Jaehyun keeps his cool answering coldly trying not to attract the attention of people walking.

“I want to talk… what you heard wasn’t true- I would never hurt you…” She pleads almost sobbing into the phone as Jaehyun lets out a sigh.

“I can’t do this anymore Heejin, you’ve done nothing but hurt me,” Jaehyun raises his voice ever so slightly to let her know he’s not playing into her trap.

“Jaehyun y-you can’t be serious? We’ve been together for the past three years and you want to throw away all those happy memories because of one mistake-” her tone is ever so slightly shifting towards a more aggressive one as she becomes increasingly defensive over her actions.

“It wasn’t just once, this is the third time you’ve cheated on me, I’ve been trying to make it work with you for years and just when I think we’re in a good place you-” Jaehyun is quickly interrupted.

“So you’re just going to believe Yuta? You know he hates me and he has no evidence that I cheated, you know why? Because I didn’t. You know I would never do that to you, I honestly can’t believe you would just assume I cheated when you know I love you,” Heejin defends as Jaehyun pinches the bridge of his nose letting out a sigh.

“I can’t do this with you, I believe Yuta because he’s never shown any reason for me to not trust him,” Jaehyun is about to hang up the phone so he can get to his lecture but can’t seem to go through with ending the call.

“Please meet up with me,” Her tone takes a 180 from defensive to weak and fragile.

“I have class and I need time,” Jaehyun explains huffing out a sigh unable to make up his mind.

“Okay… I just want you to know that I would run back to you in a heartbeat I just hoped you’d do the same thing after everything we’ve been through…” and with that Jaehyun clicks the red button hanging up pushing his hair back out of his face with his free hand unsure of the conversation he had. He shouldn’t have answered in the first place but then again he wanted answers… But was it worth it? These are the thoughts going through his head as he enters his lecture distracted.

---

The professor’s voice becomes background noise after sitting down for about half an hour your mind finds interest elsewhere while you continue to take mindless notes you’d have to go over later. You regret signing up for a seven am class when so many people told you not to do it but you, of course, didn’t listen thinking it would be fine. 

The teacher wasn’t very expressive which you observed early on as he kept his hands by his side for the most part mainly speaking out, you got more expression from your dog at home than from your teacher but you couldn’t do anything. Your mind drifts off to thoughts that don’t revolve around the class, they go from fun childhood memories of you and Miyoung when you played out in front of your apartment complex laughing and screaming about how you were the queens of the world, then your mind drifts all the way to the first time you saw Jaemin. His relaxed posture and a breathtaking smile as he talked with his friend Jeno, that smile was enough to make your heart start doing somersaults and your brain to shut off for a moment. His hair was brown at that time and now was a stunning blue color that brought him a lot of attention.

“Hey, ____?” The girl next to you taps your shoulder as your thoughts become more focused and you give her a smile, Jennie is a sweet girl but is commonly intimidating to people who don’t know her.

“Yes?” You whisper back to her smiling as you continue to take notes she bites her lip a little hesitant but speaks anyways.

“I was just wondering how you know Jaehyun, I saw the two of you talking at the Neo house party,” She harmlessly asks and you shrug taking in a sigh.

“Oh… Ummm I mean I don’t really know him that well,” You admit not wanting to tell her ‘oh you know I don’t know him at all and it was a one night stand’.

“Really? You guys looked close so I assumed you knew each other,” She observed and you just silently think.

“Yeah, we’re just acquaintances,” You confirm turning back to your notes completely as the teacher continues on monotonously.

“Well, I’m glad he’s moving on,” The comment made you raise an eyebrow but not delve into it as it wasn’t any of your concern but you would be lying if you said you weren’t curious. You quickly refocused on the class though and put the conversation out of mind.

---

“Na Jaemin,” The barista working at Jaemin’s favorite small coffee shop, Neo Cafe, announces signaling his order is finished. Jaemin took his time though he was looking around the familiar coffee shop that smelled of fresh coffee and vanilla. There were fake vines hanging on the wall on one side of the shop away from the wide windows that people would occasionally glance through and allowed for some natural light to fill the small cafe. A couple sat in front of the windows smiling and talking quietly it wasn’t a busy afternoon which was nice.

“Thanks,” Jaemin smiles as he reaches out to grab his coffee from the girl working, she simply nods keeping her eyes trained on the counter looking downwards. So when Jaemin barely has a grip on the cup and she lets go it crashes onto the counter spilling. It gets all over Jaemin’s hoodie and the barista’s apron. The couple stops talking to look at what just happened a moment ago.

“I’m so sorry!” The girl’s eyes widen as she quickly runs and grabs a towel from the back to wipe up the mess, it’s starting to drip onto the floor on Jaemin’s side. The brown puddle kept growing so Jaemin made an attempt to help by grabbing some paper towels that were on the side and bending down to help.

“You don’t have to do that, it’s my fault the drink is ruined,” The girl tells Jaemin as she furrows her eyebrows angry with herself clearly.

“It’s okay…” Jaemin looks towards the girl’s name tag that hanging on her shirt, it’s a bit askew and also covered in coffee but he can make it out.

“____,” Jaemin smiles as he throws the paper towels into a nearby trashcan while ____ cleans up the counter.

“I’ll make you a new one free of charge,” The barista tells him, and before he can say anything she’s already getting started making his drink.

“You’re sweet,” Jaemin comments which causes the barista pause for a moment before continuing to make his drink.

“Thanks, you know, for not being mad I ruined your drink,” The barista, ____, touches the back of her neck before bringing over his drink this time with two hands.

“You must really enjoy a strong coffee,” The girl points out because he ordered a coffee with a bunch of espressos shots.

“This is only my first, you should see me after my sixth,” He smiles and the girl’s eyes go wide again in shock, he thought it was cute that she had a doe in the headlights sort of look as he looks over her face.

“How are you living?” The girl jokes leaning over the counter while they talk as there were no new customers to attend to.

“I don’t know,” Jaemin smiles taking a sip of his coffee while they continue to talk, Jaemin not even bothering to help his coffee-stained hoodie. 

“So what were we talking about?” ____ asks after she finishes with a customer and gives them their coffee pushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

“Photography,” Jaemin smiles as he pulls up his very aesthetic photography Instagram profile to show her, there’s a lot of scenery pictures but also people ones scattered here and there.

“Wow, you’re really talented,” she gapes in awe scrolling through the countless photos.

“It’s al about technique angles and lighting, hey you should come to the photography club one of these days, I’m the president,” Jaemin smiles proudly.

“Sure, but you’ll have to show me because I literally know nothing about photography,” She points out handing the phone back to him.

“Yeah definitely, let me get your number,” Jaemin smiles handing the phone back over again but she gives him a wink.

“I already put my number in,” Jaemin’s turn to be surprised this time as he raises his eyebrows before tilting his head and scrolling through his contacts and sure enough her number was right there under ____ <3.

“You’re a step ahead of me,” Jaemin shakes his head before taking his drink and leaving, a big grin plastered on his face. The same grin that made your heart burst.

A/N: it’s posted later than usual but it’s up and I hope you enjoy it :3 I was late because I was working on my graduation cap today and got distracted and then I got gorilla glue on my hand and in other words I was a M E S S. Anyways if you want to be added to the tag list just leave a note so you’re easily alerted when I post the next chapter which will be on 7/4. Anyways have a wonderful day don’t be shy my messages and asks are always open and I love to look at them and answer them :)

P.S I’m a S L U T for coffee shop Au’s so if you have any like you could always send them my way because Y E S

Tag list ❤️ @yourchasingsunsetslove ❤️ @justineasian ❤️ @captainsjoongs ❤️ @theworld-accordingtocasey ❤️

[desperationandgin]

The Beat My Heart Skips (Market Price One-Shot)

Rating: General Audiences

Also Read On: Ao3

Summary: Jamie attempts to surprise his pregnant wife with the foods she craves.

A/N: From a prompt @smashing-teacups​ sent me like 8 months ago! This is also my dear BFF’s very BELATED birthday fic. ilu so much <3

I adjusted a little but I hope the spirit of the prompt lives on!

The Beat My Heart Skips

++

The texts from Claire had started at two in the afternoon while he was at Lallybroch, deep in planning the next few weekends’ worth of farmer’s market details.

Burgers for dinner? 😘

He’d replied he would pick them up from her newly-declared favorite place for burgers, and promised chips to go along with them. A half-hour later, the next message arrived.

thinking more about the pork rolls we had the other night.

He’d replied:

Instead of the burgers?

Think so. Sorry. Baby’s picky  🤷‍♀️

It made him smile, swiping to the home screen only to see the latest in his growing collection of photos featuring Claire’s belly. The bump was only clearly visible when she was unclothed, but it was there, a swelling proof of life, and he’d found he could stare, stroke, and murmur to that growing roundness for hours on end. He’d finally responded with a quick dinna fash and assumed that would be the end of it.

He was wrong. The next messages had come in rapid succession, mildly alarming until he could read them.

I think pizza would be better

Remember the burritos we had at Mazama?

Jamie, I don’t know what your child wants…

Kebabs??

Would you like to contribute an idea?

Thumb hovering over the phone, he’d tried to decide if he should pick one thing from her list, or offer something completely different. He’d decided, in the end, to go with a solid favorite.

Thai noodles, Sassenach?

The three telltale bubbles had appeared, then dropped, then appeared again before another text came through from his wife.

That sounds good too.

It was the ‘too’ that convinced him of what needed to be done.

You only need to be prepared with an appetite when I’m home. 5p. No later.

Now, he’s sitting in the passenger seat of his sister’s mini-van while Jenny drives.

“How many places is it, total?” she asks, glancing over.

Scrolling on his phone, he counts aloud. “Six. No, seven. I need more ice cream.”

“Alright, weel, we have to be strategic about it. Ice cream last, obviously. Then I’ll just drop ye back at yours and both of ye can come over tomorrow for Sunday supper. We’ll finish the plannin’ then, ye get your car, all done.”

Jamie looks over at his sister, impressed. “Thought it all out, have ye?”

“If you take a pregnant woman hot, fresh food that’s been left to steam in its containers only tae go soft and damp, she’ll throw it at yer heid. Trust me.”

He snorts. “Should I ask Ian?”

“He’ll no’ bring me soggy chips again, I’ll tell ye that much.” Jenny pats her own very round belly. “Learned wi’ the last bairn.”

Suitably impressed (and making mental notes he never knew he needed), they make a plan beginning with pizza and ending with a very quick stop inside a corner shop for two containers of Neapolitan. By 4:45, Jamie’s outside of his home, hands loaded with takeout bags. Leaning down into the open car window, he holds up his bounty.

“Thank ye, truly. I owe ye, Jen.”

She waves him off. “Ye’ll babysit soon enough.” Her face softens, though, and she meets his gaze. “Da would be proud. Mam, too.”

Lowering his head, Jamie swallows, but when he looks up again, there’s a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. “I always hope, but hearing it from you, especially, is important.”

“Why me?” she asks as he steps back.

“On account of ye bein’ the wee ball-buster in the family,” he teases fondly, thanking her again before watching her drive safely away. Juggling bags and keys, Jamie lets himself into the house, calling out.

“Sassenach?”

“In here,” she calls from the living room, and he ducks into the kitchen.

“Stay there, I have a surprise for ye. And dinnae try to peek, ye’re no’ verra sneaky anyway,” he says in return. As he sets everything up along their counter, buffet style, he can hear her moving about.

“I assume this surprise is in regards to food,” she deducts.

“Always kent ye should ha’ been a detective,” Jamie smirks, able to hear her huff from the other room. “I’m almost done, ye can bide a second longer.”

“One,” she says pointedly. “Your child is starving.”

“I’ve noticed ye tend to refer to the bairn only as mine when ye cannae make your mind up about something.”

Her voice is closer when she speaks. “That’s because you’re stubborn,” Claire retorts, standing directly out of sight.

“Oh, am I the only one?” he asks as he finishes by propping the pizza open. “I always thought ye were a relatively patient woman, Sassenach, until I got ye wi’ child.”

“I am bloody patient! It’s the only reason I haven’t stepped foot into the kitchen to throttle you yet.”

He can’t help but laugh silently for a moment, drawing it out a few seconds longer before finally poking his head around the corner only to come face to face with her. “Alright, a nighean. Ye can come in.” Stepping aside, he watches as she enters, taking in the sight of her realizing what she’s seeing.

“I figured we could make a good go of it, and now we have plenty for tomorrow,” Jamie explains.

Claire stares at the bounty in front of her in stunned silence before looking up at her husband. “You went to all of these places?”

“Aye. Well, me and Jen. Ian was home and she was desperate to get out of the house for a bit anyway. So she drove me around, and now you and the bairn have whatever ye’d like. Including more ice cream.”

Too moved for a moment to say anything, she simply blinks at Jamie, afraid to open her mouth because she’s sure she’ll cry.

A good thing, then, that he knows to step forward, reaching out to rest his hands at her hips. “I wanted ye to have whatever you wanted, Sassenach.”

That does it: the flood gates open (because hell if she has any control over her hormones anymore) and she finds herself cradled to his chest. “I cannot believe you,” she mumbles into his shirt affectionately, arms looping around his waist.

“I do try to keep ye guessin’,” he murmurs into her hair, dropping a kiss to the top of her head.

“Do you also plan on helping me eat all of this?” She pulls back after placing a soft kiss to his chest before getting a plate and trying to decide what to attack first.

“Oh, aye, I’ll be eating plenty. I’ve been eying a burrito since we picked them up,” he promises, having no intention of letting his wife eat alone. Pointing out the different varieties as she picks and chooses, he loads a plate for himself and takes it to the living room, settling with her leaning against the arm of the sofa sideways, legs across his lap.

Bringing a forkful of noodles to her mouth, she pauses to look at him. “Thank you, Jamie. For indulging me.”

Balancing his plate with one hand, the other squeezes her calf. “I figured if ye’re going through all the trouble of making a person, Sassenach, the least I can do is feed ye what ye want.”

When she smiles, it’s as though his entire soul flares with warmth, and it’s difficult to take his eyes from her.

Which is why he sees it the instant all color drains from her face. What happens next requires zero communication as she sits up, he takes her plate, and her legs swing from his lap. Within thirty seconds, she’s in their bathroom bending over the toilet, vomiting. Wincing in sympathy, Jamie simply stares for a moment at the two plates full of uneaten supper in his hands.

Putting the dishes on the coffee table, he rises and makes his way to the bathroom to join her, reaching out to hold her hair out of her face. “I’m sorry, a nighean.” Jamie’s always very aware that he’s the one who did this to her anytime she’s miserable, and it makes him regret being quite so boastful about it.

When her stomach finally calms, he stands with her and leans against the doorframe as she rinses with the mouthwash that is now a permanent fixture on the countertop instead of tucked away in the medicine cabinet.

And then he watches as she begins to cry, confusion making his forehead furrow, wondering what this new mood swing is and how to handle it. Reaching out for her, he doesn’t hesitate to wrap his arms around her in an attempt to soothe as he rubs her back. “Dinna weep, lass,” he murmurs, more concerned as she clings to him tightly.

“Fuck, Jamie,” she manages, sniffling when she finally pulls back, wiping at her nose with the back of her hand.

“Likely no’ right now,” he tries to tease gently as he lifts a hand to stroke her cheek.

She doesn’t even react, simply chooses to ignore him and move on even as tears brim on her lashline. “I can’t eat any of that food right now.”

“I realized it soon as ye got up from the couch,” he points out, kissing her forehead.

“But you went to...Christ, how many places was it?” she asks as new guilt washes over her in an irrational wave. “And Jenny was with you,” she laments.

He doesn’t know how to fix this, exactly, and so he simply guides her by the hand to their bedroom to avoid the smell of various foods in the front of the house.

“Mo nighean donn, why would Jenny be put out? She’s been pregnant a dozen times, she kens how it goes,” Jamie points out gently.

“It was so thoughtful of you. I wanted to be able to enjoy your effort,” Claire admits as his arms encircle her.

“Ye still can when ye feel like eating. All of it will still be there, Sassenach. Doesna matter if we eat it this evening or tomorrow.”

“You aren’t annoyed?” she asks, knowing the answer but needing to hear it.

“Only at yer hormones, but no’ at you,” he promises with a kiss to her knuckles, over her wedding ring.

“Well, I’m annoyed at my hormones too,” Claire exhales, recovered now from the bout of tears but not the nausea as she lies down on the bed properly. “When your aunt called, she said being sick all the time is the sign of a boy.”

“Should ask Jen, she might have some light to shed on it, havin’ had both,” Jamie suggests as he lays propped on his side and pushes his hand under her shirt to lightly stroke her stomach.

Closing her eyes, she concentrates on the feel of his touch rather than the vertigo. “Do you want to find out what we’re having, or let it be a surprise?”

His fingers still for a moment before continuing as he ponders her question. “I never considered it. Does it matter to ye, for decorating and buying things?”

“Not particularly. There aren’t very many things that can truly be left a surprise in life.” She can’t help smiling at the idea of it, of not knowing until their child is in their arms.

The look on her face makes it clear her mind is set, and Jamie drops a kiss to her abdomen. “We’ll leave it a mystery then, Sassenach.”

“We’ll have to pick a name for either scenario,” she points out, taking deep breaths in and exhaling slowly as she wills away her symptoms. When Jamie doesn’t respond right away, she cracks one eye open only to find him lost in thought. A hand lands in his hair, gently scratching his scalp. “Where’d you go?”

He makes a soft noise in the back of his throat. “I’m here,” he promises with another kiss. “I was only thinking...if it’d be alright wi’ ye...we could name the bairn after my da.” When he chances a glance up at her, his eyes are suspiciously damp.

If ever there is a key to getting her nausea to dissipate, it’s the sight of her husband’s vulnerability. Her hand shifts from his hair down his face to cradle his cheek. “Brian,” she murmurs, nodding her agreement. “And if it’s a girl?”

He’s quiet, ghosting his lips across her skin now, trying to will her hormones to settle for a while.

“Hmm. Weel, there’s always, simply, Brianna,” Jamie suggests.

Claire tries it on her tongue, adding a second name. “Brianna Ellen Fraser. Or Brian Henry Fraser. What do you think?”

Scooting up on the bed now, he pulls his wife close, needing to kiss her ring again, to say a silent prayer for the love of this woman. “That ye’d honor my parents that way, Claire-” It makes him more emotional than he would have ever imagined, the way his wife’s heart shows itself.

“I thought, since we’re having - what was it, ten by your last count? - since we’re having ten children, the second could be named after my parents,” she suggests, knowing it will happen now that she’s said it.

“It’ll no’ be ten if ye feel like this every time,” he says with equal parts concern and frustration that his wife simply can’t eat when she’d like.

“Jamie,” she murmurs, gliding her thumb across his jaw. “This amount of illness is normal. And it’s getting somewhat better. Today was unfortunate,” she allows, a hint of apology in her tone.

“Dinna fash, Sassenach,” he assures her as he sits up, leaning down to drop a kiss to her forehead before finally standing. “Now we have plenty for breakfast and lunch. If ye dinna mind noodles before ten in the morning.”

She chuckles, the waves of nausea somewhat less turbulent. “If my stomach can manage, then so will I.” But she already knows the noodles will never make it to morning. She’ll be awake at three in the morning, eating when her hunger finally kicks in.

“I’ll go and put everything away, then we’ll see if ye’ll do wi’ a bit of light reading,” he offers. He’ll also quickly eat while he isn’t in front of her.

“Reading in bed?”

“Aye, I’ll no’ make ye move,” he promises, reaching out to cradle her cheek before stepping back.

“Then you’ll know where to find me when you return,” she says lightly with a small, fond smile.

“Which is exactly where I want ye to be, incidentally.”

She chuckles, waving playfully at him to go. “I’m looking forward to reading your next pick.”

Before he can make it out of the room, she calls him back.

“Aye?”

She takes a moment to look him over, still in his jeans and button-down from the day, curls askew and his scruff just past its normal length.

“I’m very madly in love with you, you know.”

When he smiles he ducks his head, and the way his ears turn bright red makes her want to laugh in sheer delight of him.

“That’s verra good, Sassenach. On account of I happen to be mad wi’ love for ye myself.”

“You’d better go, before you say something very Jamie Fraser and make me cry,” she warns with a more playful smile at the end.

He can’t help doubling back, this time to kiss the soft round apple of Claire’s cheek before nuzzling it with the tip of his nose.

“I’ll bring ye back a ginger ale.”

When he finally leaves her to rest, Jamie puts everything away in record time - except for the noodles. He places them in a separate container and sets it in the fridge with a sticky note on top.

For the bairn xx

[anari3l]

Humors of Whiskey pt 3: Colter

Pairing: Arthur Morgan/Reader 

Words: 1382

Summary: Reader reminisces with Hosea while Arthur and Javier look for John. 

The sun was just starting to set when Hosea found you at the edge of camp, pile of old photographs in hand. “Whatcha got there?” he asked as he sat beside you.

“Do you ever look at these old things and … just miss them?” you asked. You shuffled the photos, which you were supposed to be unpacking, but found yourself reminiscing about instead. “Bessie, Annabell, Copper … my family.”

“Let me see that,” he sighed, leaning against the rotted out fence beside you, motioning to the picture of you, Bessie, and Susan. “That’s one I haven’t seen in years.”

You laughed. “I found it in the bottom of my trunk.”

“She did love you, that’s for sure,” Hosea remarked, looking fondly at the old photo of his wife. 

“I think about her a lot,” you murmured, looking out to the sunset over the snow capped mountains. “And now Davey … Jenny … Mac. We’ve lost a lot of people, Hosea.”

“I know,” he sighed, handing the picture back to you before pushing off the fence.  “Dutch says he’s got a plan.”

You scoffed, looking off to the snowy scenery around you. “What happened in Blackwater, Hosea? Arthur won’t tell, Dutch won’t look at me, Miss Grimshaw asks the same thing ... I don’t believe a word Micah says …”

“I wouldn’t either,” Hosea smirked. “Dutch said it went South, is all I know,” he answered. “Arthur and I weren’t on that boat. I don’t know for sure.”

“And now we’re camped in a snowed in cabin for the winter?” you asked. “Just sit here and hope we don’t all freeze to death?”

“You’re the strongest young woman I know,” he smiled, patting your shoulder. “If anyone can help us get through this winter, it’s you.”

“And Dutch … and Susan … and you,” you smiled.

Hosea laughed. “Better head inside, it only gets colder after dark.”

You nodded, accepting Hosea’s one armed hug. “You think John’s okay?” you asked as you followed Hosea into the larger of the cabins in Colter.

“Arthur and Javier will find him. He’s a strong son of a bitch,” Hosea smirked. “I’m sure he’s fine.”

***

You huddled on the cot, sleep evading you as you thought on Arthur, and John, and everyone else in the gang. Across the road, in the smaller cabin, the girls huddled around the fire with Miss Grimshaw and Jack. In the next room, Hosea snored softly from his small cot by the fire. 

You stared at the wall in front of you, bundled in one of Arthur’s jackets not fit for snowy weather, as well as layers of your own clothing and a threadbare woolen blanket. Blackwater had been a blur. One moment, you had been anxiously awaiting the men to return from the ferry job, the next, you were packing up camp and running into the mountains. With no money. 

You had been wary of the job from the get go, but admittedly for it when the time came. You had sat in on many briefings for jobs, and helped with planning for almost everything. You may not have been the enforcer like Arthur, but Dutch and Hosea had trusted you since your teen years to help figure things out.  

You awoke a few hours after morning to find Arthur curled into the blanket beside you, head tilted against the wall and feet splayed in front of him as he sat, asleep, on the cot. You had curled into his side, head on his shoulder as the both of you lounged on the cot like a bench instead of laying down. 

“Arthur?” you mumbled, rubbing sleep from your eyes but not raising your head from your makeshift pillow. 

He groaned something that may have passed for “what?” but didn’t move. 

“Is John okay?” you asked, noticing through the haze of sleep that it must have been past noon, and that he was, indeed, back in camp. 

“He’s fine,” he mumbled, shifting in his seat, tucking his hands farther under his arms. “Wolves almost got ‘im. Might be a bit uglier than befo’ but he’s alive.”

“Get some sleep,” you muttered, draping your half of the blanket over his frame as you stood with a stretch. “I’ll go see if Pearson’s got food ready yet.”

Arthur only groaned, eyes still closed and hat tilted over his forehead. As you reached the door, you heard shuffling, and turning back slightly, found Arthur slipping down to rest against the pillow. 

Hosea was sitting in front of the fire when you stepped into the front room of the cabin, elbows resting on his knees as he read one of his mystery novels. “Mornin’,” he greeted as you walked in. 

“When did Arthur and Javier get back?” you asked, standing in front of the fire to warm your hands. 

“Early this morning,” he answered. “John’s bein’ tended to in the other cabin.”

“Any news on what we’re doing next?”

“Freezing some more, I reckon,” Hosea joked. “Dutch mentioned something about a train. We’ll see how that goes.”

A train. 

Dutch’s motto must have changed to “go big or go home” in the last few years. Just fresh out of Blackwater, off a botched ferry heist, and he wanted to rob a train. You could hear his inspirational speech about it without even witnessing it. You had lived with him long enough to know how he thought by now. 

The cabin across the way was smaller than the one you were staying in, but warm you noted as you stepped in. Tilly, Mary-Beth, and Karen were huddled on a bench to the left of the door, just beside the fire, all bent over sewing. Miss Grimshaw sat directly in front of the fire on an old wooden chair. And on the far wall, John lay, bandages wrapped around his head, with Abigail at his side.

 You had always been like a sibling to John. You had gotten into enough scrapes with him as children to leave scarred knees and bruises. Seeing him bedridden, half his face obscured by thick, blood stained bandages, you felt a twinge of fear in your heart. Having thought he had died had been terrible. You could only imagine what Abigail felt. 

“He’ll be fine,” Abigail said, not looking up to you as you sat beside her. “He hasn’t woken up yet, but Miss Grimshaw says the wounds are clean, and they will heal.”

“He’ll just have some new scars,” you smirked. “I’m glad he’s okay.”

***

Bessie had once told you that Dutch and Hosea were good men. Strong willed, yes, but good men. Through the years since you had first met Bessie Matthews, you found those words to ring ever true. They were conmen, first and foremost. Outlaws on the run. A sort of Robin Hood style folktale. 

Steal from the rich, give to the poor. 

Or, in Dutch’s words: Steal from the powerful, give back to the community. 

Which made sense, of course, when Dutch found those charts at Colm O’Driscoll’s snowbound hideout. Leviticus Cornwall was one of those overly rich members of society, and Dutch wanted to steal from him. To show that the underdogs could triumph. It made sense. A train heist was exactly what this gang needed in terms of a morale boost. 

You leaned over the map, Dutch, Arthur, Bill, and all the others gathered around your shoulders. Through the years you had become sort of a cartographer and wayfinder for the gang. You understood maps, and directions, as well as topographical changes in terrain. 

“Alright, so … here is your best option,” you started, pointing to the ridge outline on the map before running your finger over to the drawn railway lines. “If I’m reading this right, this should be just above the tracks, and on the other side of this tunnel,” you added, running your finger over another line. 

“Bill will set the charges,” Dutch explained. “The rest of us will wait there until the train is stopped.” 

You hummed in agreement. “This seems like its pretty empty country through here, but be careful. This could be an old map. The only landmark I’m seeing is that water tower.”

“First thing in the morning, boys,” Dutch smiled, rolling the map up. “We’re robbing a train!”

[girlgrouptrash101]

Dating Poly!ChaeLisa

Requested: “Can you write a poly dating Chaelisa? Your Chaesoo one was so good”

A/N: thank you to my #1 gal for helping on this post 🦆

- C

Get ready to be loved to no end!!! because these girlies have the biggest hearts and they just want to give you and each other their everything because that is what y’all deserve!!!

You really cherish every single moment that you get to spend with Chae and Lisa, because you know that when you said goodbye, you might not see them for weeks on end, months even.

the distance can get hard sometimes, but it’s always worth it when they finally come back home and into your arms, you love them too much to ever let them go

but when they are by your side!!! You three have so so so much fun together, there are rarely any moments when you aren’t laughing or smiling together

they invite you to all the concerts you’re able to go to, and you can’t help but laugh as the girls blow kisses and wink at you and the whole crowd around you go feRAL

you can’t blame them though dude, your girlfriends are hot tf

though Chaeyoung and Lisa love when you come to their shows, they much prefer spending time with you at home where they can be their genuine selves, no cameras or having to look perfect in front of thousands of people

you’ve learned a lot about how tough the idol life can be from watching your girls work so hard, so you always make sure you’re there to support them every step of the way

like bringing food for all four of the girls when they’ve been practising all day and staying there to be their moral support so they can power through the long dance sessions

+ always being there to watch and listen when Rosé and Lisa want to show you how they’ve improved or having dinner ready for them after a long day etc.

Taking them out to eat is so fun because they get so excited over every fancy dish and seeing them eat well just makes you so happy because they really do deserve the world im soft

plus it’s so cute when Rosie’s cheeks puff up like a hamster when she’s eating

or when she tries something she really likes and her arms do the little flap thing she does when she gets super excited

plus Lisa taking so many photos of you both, she always has her camera at the ready to snap the cutest and most aesthetic pictures of you and Chaeyoung, what a photography queen

Begging Rosé to take out her guitar and play for you omg bls

it’s so soft when you and Lisa just get to sit back and listen to Chaeyoung, who has the voice of an angel, as she sings to you both

she always sings love songs for you too, because Chae baby is super duper soft and takes every opportunity to remind you and Lisa how much she loves you both so much

sharing clothes for a real one like who even owns what anymore? nobody knows

Rosé being the queen of sweater paws and you and Lisa just gushing over her as she gets all smiley and blushy at the attention from you both

CUDDLES. PERIOD.

Lisa usually likes being in the middle of your cuddles, because she gets to hold you both close to her, and kiss you both as much as she wants

also, the person who sits in the middle always gets to hold the snacks so,, Miss Lisa has her priorities in order, obviously

Clothes shopping together!!!

You guys hype each other up so much it’s adorable and it fills you with so much confidence

you guys either go to the most expensive clothes shops, usually, Lisa takes you to those shops where you take one look at the price tag and feel your heart drop to your stomach jhdkfkg

or else you go to the cutest thrift shops where you help Rosie and Lisa pick out the cutest stuff,, feeling especially proud when you pick up those bargains am I right ladies

fashion shows in the middle of the shops??? I think soooo

while the other two of you pretend to be paparazzi and go in stupid positions to pretend to take photos and y’all end up laughing so hard until your sides hurt 

Rosé is just a little baby okay so what if she just wants to eat cupcakes and plait yours and Lisa’s hair what abOUT IT

It never gets old when you’re in the car and you hear Blackpink on the radio,, you still get filled with so much pride for your girls

your groupchat is like an overload of emojis please relax all of you you don't need that many honestly

when you go to sleep you and Rosé always get into bed first and Lisa just yeEts on top of you both and you can’t help but scream and giggle as you all try and escape the wrath of Lisa

which eventually turns into a pillow/tickle fight, and you all fall off the bed

speaking of Lisa, she’s so good at flustering the both of you to no end

from stolen kisses, to pulling you down onto her lap, greasy compliments, just everything to get you and Rosie to blush

or when she smushes your face together and baby talks the shit out of you for no reason,,, and you’re like thaTs grOsS but she’s actually really cute and it lowkey made you blush

whenever you turn on music at your house it turns into a full live performance with singing, dancing, and the girls being your backup dancers and hyping you up as you screech along to some song on your playlist

for some reason, you all just like to grab loads of blankets and make a little fort on the carpet in your living room and just cuddle up there all night long

that’s the time where a lot of DMC’s and venting about your guys’ worries happens because you guys trust one another wholly

and you know that if you share your worries with them, they’ll know just how to comfort you and it’ll be a huge weight off your shoulders

to be honest, all three of you are WHIPPED whipped period

and that’s just how it’s always gonna be uwu

NSFW From Here:

the duality sis the DUALITY

they’re either waiting for you to come home so they can literally take you all night long

or else they’re big babies whos just want to be pleasured for hours,,, there really is no in between

Rosé being an innocent little shit in public while she teases both you and Lisa while no one is looking

having to contain yourself and behave when you see them backstage after shows, when they're all hot and sweaty and still on a high after their show

but it's all worth it when one of them comes over and whispers in your ear, promising that you'll get what you want as soon as you get home

they both really love to put on a show and drive you crazy especially when they know you can't do anything about it

like having some fun with each other on tour and sending you all the videos

they know just how to make you weak in the knees, they have you wrapped around their little fingers

definitely have a sex playlist without a doubt

whenever you go and get cleaned up in the shower afterwards one of you always ends up starting something and you really just go for another round then and there smh

Rosé just wants you to appreciate the fuck out of her thighs and ride her face okay don’t deny her that

Lisa’s fingers>>>>> tell me i’m wrong i dare you

these girls are so loud, they don’t give a shit who hears it once they’re gone enough

except for when they wake up the next morning at their dorm and Jennie and Jisoo tease the shit out of you all