#johnny just won a few times and needs a massage

[bubblegumflavor]

They are still rivals but now they are dating.

[egcdeath]

birthdays with the boys

in honor of my own birthday, today i’ll be sharing with you what i think your birthday with many cevans characters would be like. enjoy! <3

steve rogers

he leaves his mission early and unannounced so when you wake up to the smell of pancakes in your house, and a man with breakfast in bed you almost jump out of your skin buuut you couldn’t be happier to see him

breakfast in bed is just the start of your bday because he goes ALL. OUT. 

as you finish up eating, he grabs a folded piece of paper with a wax seal on it and hands it to you

he tells you to open it once he leaves, gives you a wink, then goes

he planed a birthday scavenger hunt for you!!!

for the rest of the day, you travel around the city to a bunch of important places in your relationship, like your fav dates n stuff

at the midway point of the hunt, he meets you for a coffee and makes sure you’re still enjoying everything before he sends you off with the avenger’s company card and basically tells you to get something nice before finishing the hunt hehe

you do in fact get yourself something nice

at the end of the hunt, you end up at the compound where all of your friends and teammates are and you have a very nice birthday party

by the time that you and steve go home, you’re exhausted but wanna spend a lil more time savoring your birthday so steve suggests that the two of you watch that one cheesy rom com that you love (and he hates)

as you cuddle on the couch, popping the occasionaly popcorn kernel in your mouth, you cant help but to feel grateful that you have such an amazing boyfriend

ransom drysdale

his birthdays were always disregarded when he grew up, so he has a very extravagant celebration planned for you

we all know that he can make a pretty airtight and elaborate plan so you literally have zero idea of what he’s got up his sleeve

enter: a whole birthday week

(he sweet talked your boss into some time off  so thats one whole thing you don’t have to worry about)

day one is a whole spa and a shopping day

he can’t stand some of your friends but he invites them anyway bc he knows it’ll make you happy

he’s glaring at your friends while they giggle about some new louis vuitton purse and you’re thoroughly amused by it

you give him extra kisses that night as a reward for not instigating any fights that day (awww bf of the year am i right ladies?)

day two you guys do a museum hop and look at lots of art

ransom rolls his eyes at canvases that have a few drops of paint on them and are called modern art, you think this is hilarious

day three you have a picnic together in a park

ransom knows you have an affinity for charcuterie boards and attempts to make you one himself (and it’s not all that bad), along with a bunch of dainty little sandwiches

later that day, you go to a planetarium together

on your drive back home you have an interesting convo on the meaning of life

day 4 you take a pottery class together

ransom makes the most deformed bowl you’ve ever seen in your life

so naturally you put it up for display in your bedroom (so whenever you see it you can think of him)

day five is a first class flight to some luxurious villa in europe. most of day five is taken up on a plane

ransom lets you lay your head on him while you sleep, even though the position you’re in is making it astonishingly uncomfortable for him

day six you guys explore the city all day together

ransom makes sure not to complain about his aching legs (even though yours are getting sore too, and if he said something you would’ve done something about it!)

on your real birthday (day seven), ransom takes you out to a very nice dinner, and gives you a hand written letter detailing how much he loves and cares about you (because sometimes it’s hard for him to say his feelings)

you’re extremely flattered but have no idea how you’ll top this for his own birthday

andy barber

you and andy aren’t really huge on big gestures, so he does little things throughout the day

while you’re at work, he makes a surprise stop by and brings you your favorite drink & lunch from your favorite food place

he sends a bouquet of flowers to your job as well

after work, he cooks for you then showers you in gifts

your favorite thing that he gets you is a little engraved necklace with yours and his initials on it

at the end of the day, he gives you a nice full body massage and somehow that was exactly what you needed.

maybe not the most extravagant birthday, but a good one nonetheless.

frank adler

you have a pretty chill birthday with him and mary

he brings you a cake that him and mary made/decorated together

it’s kind of hideous but you love it

you guys let mary skip class for just 1 (one) day but tell her to keep it a secret

you call the school and let her fake being sick in the background. it is a hoot

you all go to the zoo together 

you take tons of pictures

your personal favorite is one where mary and frank are posing with a giraffe

after the zoo, you go bowling

when you win, the sore losers that came with you claim they were letting you win since it was your birthday

you end your day at the beach, watching mary and her cat play in the sand in your peripheral vision while you and frank admire the sunset

ah, sweet, sweet domesticity

ari levinson

you go to an escape room to celebrate your birthday

it’s just you and ari, but you’re smart so you don’t expect it to be too difficult

🚨wrong🚨

you’re both so hard headed and stubborn that doing any of the tasks is like pulling teeth

eventually the building had to close, and you’ve only finished like... a few tasks in the hours you’ve been there

this was certainly not a bad birthday though, arguing with ari is one of your favorite pastimes

and this birthday certainly did not disappoint

jake jensen

you and the rest of your team decided to go to a little retro arcade for the first half of the night

you spent way more time than necessary watching jake attempt to beat the high score of some random game

after giving up on beating the highest score on a pac-man machine, jake decided to attempt to win you a prize on the claw machine

like, $20 and a few annoyed humans in line behind him later, it was still nothing

when jake finally gave up, the next person in line won the soft and plushy elephant you had your eye on

and while your back was turned, he may or may not have paid off its rightful owner in order to get it with you

it was too sweet of a gesture for you to even try to be annoyed with jake

a bit later, you decided to partake in a game of laser tag which was going on in the same building

this was fine and dandy buuuut

everyone on your team treated every mission (real or fictional) like the end of the world

this made for a few very interesting matches

jake nearly trampled a child more than one time

good thing everyone was required to sign a waiver before playing

a custody battle over which team got to have cougar seemed to be a consistent theme during the night

when you were on different teams, you couldn’t help but notice that jake was getting a little too much pleasure out of shooting you

it was fine because you were equally enthusiastic about shooting him

you were eventually booted from the game when an employee claimed you were all being too rough

at some point you lost the elephant

but luckily for you, you found it before you went home

you were going to keep that elephant forever

johnny storm

you were genuinely convinced that johnny forgot your birthday

he did not bring it up ONCE the whole day

you’re actually kind of hurt for a while and get all in your head

johnny gets the silent treatment 🙄 (but he deserves it)

you decide to stop moping and go out, since it issss your birthday

you do your makeup and put on a skimpy little dress

as you leave your room and start enter the communal portion of the baxter building, johnny stops you and checks you out

he’s like “where are you going????”

and you’re like “out 😐”

and he’s like “are you sure? 🤨”

and you’re like yes duh

then he gestures to the side really quickly and you’re kinda confused then a whole bunch of people pop out and start cheering for your birthday

you’re kinda embarrassed that you spent so much of the day moping but you quickly get over it because you love a good party

by the time that most of your guests are gone, you force johnny to take you out to the club

and of course you warn him not to ever pull a stunt like that again

lucas lee

he forgot it was your birthday

[shining-red-diamond]

Keep the Change (Part 1)

Words: 2.1k

Pairing: Jisung x Sunhee (OC) (feat. NCT DREAM and OCs)

Rating: PG-13

Genre: fluff, some angst, comedy

Warnings: violence, fighting, language, brief character death, mentions of vandalism, illness, and robbery

Summary: Being the youngest of twenty-three members, Jisung can get into trouble. He loves his members, but he feels as if everyone else, except for his girlfriend Sunhee, push him around at times. However, the morning after a fight with a member, he realizes that he’s been accidentally left behind. Although he has temporary freedom until his members return, there’s also trouble around the neighborhood caused by two thieves targeting wealthy families’ homes like Sunhee’s. Inspired by the holiday classic Home Alone. (Part of the NEOHOLIDAY event)

-

December 22

“Go finish packing,” Taeyong commanded for the last time.

Jisung obeyed and exited the room, infuriated with being denied just even sitting in the same room with someone. He was all packed for the trip to Paris he, the other NCT members, and some of their wives and girlfriends were going on for the holidays. Jisung just wanted some time to spend with the people he was closest to, but they were busy packing, playing video games, or tending to their small children.

“Dude,” Mark scoffed as he walked by, his large suitcase in his hands, “you’re like eighteen. Tattling is for six year olds. That should have died out for you twelve years ago.”

“Who said I was tattling?” the younger male defended as he followed Mark into his room, “I was expressing how I was being left out.”

“By going to Taeyong to call Johnny a jerk without saying it to his face?”

Jisung just crossed his arms and huffed. “I’m just tired of being treated like a baby around here.”

Mark patted his shoulder. “Then, don’t act like one, and Johnny was messing with you.”

That reply earned him an eye roll. He meant well, but Mark didn’t always say the right thing correctly.

“By the way,” the older boy added, “since Sierra and Alex are coming, you’ve been assigned to bunk with Alex for tonight.”

“I’m aware,” Jisung shrugged.

“You didn’t let me finish. Alex is scared of the dark, and knowing you don’t have a nightlight for him, don’t be surprised if he wakes up screaming and crying.”

Mark walked off without another word to go help another member to pack.

“Pizza’s here!” Jaehyun called from the kitchen.

Immediately, everyone dropped what they were doing and headed towards the kitchen, Jisung trailing behind them as he was still moody from his members rejecting them. He loved them dearly, but being the youngest of twenty-three members proved to be wrong sometimes. The only two members closest to his age were Sungchan and Chenle, but even they weren’t babied as much as he was.

As he crossed the front entryway, he noticed a cop by the door somewhat taking a look around the house and wanting someone to speak to. No one robbed them as far as he knew, but he really couldn’t be bothered.

Most of the members had sat down to eat already, plates full of two or three slices of their favorite kind. Despite having eaten some ramen earlier out of frustration from not being able to see his girlfriend Sunhee, Jisung grabbed a plate and anticipated having just a slice of cheese.

“Daddy, what time are we leaving tomorrow?” Alex asked Johnny.

“Early,” he replied, “we’re leaving at eight in the morning.”

“Sweetheart, the pizza boy needs 133000 won,” Taeyong’s wife Savannah told him as she was feeding Hayden some bite-sized beef slices.

“For pizza?” he replied as he was getting some milk.

“Ten pizzas times 12000 won.”

“You want us to pay for it?” Johnny offered.

“Nope, we’ve got it,” Taeyong shook his head as he searched his wallet.

Jisung opened a few boxes of pizzas, but couldn’t find any cheese. The boxes were either empty or had some sort of topping.

“Did anyone get a plain cheese?” he asked.

Lucas, who was standing by and shoving slices into his mouth, smirked and said, “Well, yeah, we did. But if you want any, someone’s gonna have to barf it all up.”

If anyone knew how to mess around with people, it was Lucas, but it was always out of love. He had a younger brother himself, so he was somewhat of an expert on picking and poking at people. However, he had no knowledge of Jisung’s frustration, yet it was no excuse for the joke he was pulling on the maknae.

“Jisung,” Lucas cried as he made a shocked face, “quick grab a plate!” He slumped over mockingly and made gagging sounds before chuckling at his own joke.

This, mixed with the worry of Alex’s midnight banshee screams and being left out all day, triggered Jisung’s anger and pushed him over the edge. In one swift motion, he balled up his fist and punched the older boy in his face. Hard.

Lucas ended up stumbling backwards, his elbows hit the cups filled with sodas and water; and it all spilled onto the-

“Passports!” Taeil cried as he and Johnny worked quickly to rescue them.

The other members helped with drying them, and Kun and Jeno pulled the fighting boys apart. Lucas’s nose was bleeding, but thankfully it wasn’t broken. Alex was startled by the chaos and started crying, and Sierra took him out the kitchen to calm him down.

Taeyong, in full dad mode now, finally stepped in and raised his voice at Jisung. “What is the matter with you?”

“He started it!” Jisung snapped. “He knows I don’t like the other toppings.”

The maknae knew it wasn’t just Lucas’s antics that made him lash out, but rather everything from that day. However, there would still be consequences to his actions.

“Look what you did, dummy!” Ten snapped as he was trying to dry his soda-stained jeans.

Jisung looked around at his members. It was all silence, except for Alex’s sniffles in the next room. Everyone else just had a look of disappointment on their faces as they stared back at him.

“Jisung, just go to your room,” Taeyong finally sighed.

“Why?”

With a huff, Taeyong pulled the maknae by his elbow. He complied and Taeyong was able to let go of him as he knew that Jisung wasn’t Alex’s age.

“Why do I always get treated like trash?” Jisung demanded.

The police officer and pizza boy were still standing by the door.

“I’m sorry,” the leader chuckled as he pulled out the money for the delivery boy. “With so many people going on a trip, it’s a little crazy. Some of our members have young children, so the chaos escalates a bit. It’s just nuts.”

He paid the pizza boy, and the young man wished them a Merry Christmas before walking out of the door.

“Having a reunion or something?” the officer asked.

“No,” Taeyong replied. “The group has some time off for the holidays, and some of us have families of our own, so we want to spend Christmas and New Year’s with them. Paris is where we’re heading.”

“To Paris, you say?”

“Yeah, We hope to leave tomorrow morning.”

“Excellent.”

Jisung just rolled his eyes. Why was the officer here in the first place?

“If you’ll excuse me, this one’s out of sorts. I’ll be right back.”

Taeyong guided the maknae by the shoulder, and the officer called to them, “Don’t worry about me. I spoke to your wife already. And don’t worry about your home. It’s in good hands.”

NCT’s leader marched the boy up the stairs as the man left the premises. “There are twenty-three members in our group, and you’re the only one who has to make trouble.”

“I’m the only one getting dumped on,” Jisung shot back.

“You’re the only one acting up. Now, get in the room.”

He had led them to the guest room instead of Jisung’s bedroom.

“The guest room?”

“Go.”

“It’s scary in there.”

Taeyong didn’t buy his guilt trip. “Don’t be silly. Alex will be up in a little while.”

“I’m not sharing a room with Alex. You know about him. He screams in the middle of the night.”

The leader sighed and massaged his temples. “Fine. We’ll put Alex somewhere. Just get in there and cool off.”

Jisung had already chilled out by now. He tried to apologize, but Taeyong shook his had and said, “It’s too late. Go.” If a frustrated huff, he stomped into the room.

“I don’t want to see you again until tomorrow morning,” the leader said just before closing the door.

Plopping face down on the bed, he pulled out his phone and texted Sunhee, who wasn’t able to join the group due to her having plans with her family for Christmas. She was quick to respond. Sunhee was one of the sweetest people anyone could ever meet, and Jisung was happy she was his. His career did make it difficult to see her sometimes, but he always tried to make time for her. It was just as frustrating for her as she was about to graduate high school and working hard to stay on top of homework and final projects. Jisung ranted about how he felt he was being pushed around by everyone and just wanted to stop being treated like a baby, as he was eighteen years old. Sunhee was very understanding as she was one of the youngest of her cousins, but she said something similar to Mark in a much more kind manner. He knew they were right, but it somehow stuck with him more than the way the older boy had said it.

After they talked, Jisung put his phone down and got ready for bed.

-

Silence.

The only sound Jisung woke up to was silence. Not a word, a child’s babbling, or even a footstep could be heard from outside the bedroom. Maybe everyone was in the kitchen eating breakfast before heading to the airport. He didn’t bother checking his phone before stepping out into the hallway.

The lights were on, so that was a good sign, at least. Some of the doors were open, some were closed. He peeked into a few of them, but they were empty with piles of mess of some sort in each room.

“Taeyong?” he called out as he made his way to the kitchen. “Taeyong? Mark? Johnny? Lucas? Savannah? Sierra?”

He continued calling out everyone’s names, even the ones who were just starting to talk. After calling for Jeno, he gave up. Was he alone in the house? He sat down at the table and remembered everything he had been jabbed with the night before.

“Tattling is for six year olds. That should have died out for you twelve years ago.”

“…if you want any, someone’s gonna have to barf it all up.”

“There are twenty-three members in our group, and you’re the only one who has to make trouble.”

“Look what you did, dummy!”

Now, Jisung didn’t feel so bad. He realized that the members had left and possibly forgotten him, but now he had some freedom for a while before they could realize anything. Soon, he was dressed, danced whatever choreo around the house to whatever music he desired, and even went through the other members’ personal stuff as well.

Lucas’s, however, was a gold mine. He had some things from his family such as a letter from his parents and a picture of him and his younger brother, and a white Louis Vuitton purse with Sydni’s (his girlfriend) name tagged on it, which must have been a Christmas gift for her. What hit the jackpot was some firecrackers hidden beneath some magazines. Jisung wasn’t sure how Lucas sneaked them in, but there they were.

Once they were placed in his room for the time being, Jisung decided to make a huge ice cream sundae for himself with a side of snacks. He put in an old drama titled Filthy Souled Angels. A mafia piece, he thought. Interesting.

The drama began with a man in a trench coat and fedora entering an office of some sort.

“It’s me, Weasel,” the man told an older gentleman sitting at a desk. “I got the stuff.”

“Leave it on the doorstep,” the older man shouted at him, “and get the hell out of here.”

“All right, Junseo, but what about my money?”

“What money?”

“Acey said you had some for me.”

“Is that a fact? How much do I owe you?”

“Acey said 10%.”

The older man, Junseo, smirked. “Too bad Acey ain’t in charge no more.”

As he watched and snacked in the living room, he called out, “Guys, I’m eating junk and watching a mafia drama. You better come out and stop me.”

“He’ll call when he gets out of prison,” Junseo continued, Weasel looking defeated. “Hey, I’ll tell you what I’m going to give you, Weasel’ –Junseo pulled out a rifle from under his desk and aimed it at Weasel- “I’m going to give you to the count of ten to get your ugly, yellow no-good ass off my property before I pump your guts full of lead.”

“All right, Junseo, I’m sorry,” Weasel backed up. “I’m going.”

“1, 2, 10.” Junseo opened fire at the Weasel, cackling as the man dropped to his knees and died on the spot.

This surprised Jisung, and he was quick to cover his eyes as it scared him so bad. He kept his eyes covered until the last bullet was fired and Junseo said, “Keep the change, you filthy animal.”

Jisung turned it off, and switched it to classic Christmas movies for a while. Once he caught his breath, he cleaned up the kitchen and living room, and then returned to the couch. He fell asleep during How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

[jae-canikeepyou]

| new years | j.jh

pair: jaehyun x fem!reader

genre: fluff

a/n: first oneshot of 2020! happy new year! 🎉this scenario is inspired by high school musical because i’m a sucker for the trilogy like jaehyun is~😉 haha i do hope you enjoy reading! ~j ✨

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“it’s the new year’s eve y/n! you didn’t come here to be a bookworm!” siyeon pushed you that your body was inclined towards her. it was an annual tradition where your squad would go to the young adult party at the ski resort. since siyeon was a member, bringing in two more people would have a discount during the stay.

walking up the hill, your steps made the snow crunching rich with your calf-high boots. siyeon and heejin shared a look at you, and wondered that even with your goggles, nothing would ever stop you from reading. they guided you by pulling on your jacket sleeve, directing and redirecting the way to avoid obstruction.

it was a good thing they didn’t consider you a person of kill joy, because once you were off the wordful thick texts, you were actually the mood maker of the trio. “let me just finish this before the year ends. it’ll be my twentieth novel.” you said, eyes glued on the faint-burnt paper.

they sat you in between them on the cable car, pulling the lever down and fastening your seat belts tight. “ah.. i love how the cold wind hits into my face. reminds me how winter will always be my favourite season, and skiing? my sport.” heejin placed her goggles on her forehead, breathing in the entirety of the wind.

“i’ll be going with snowboarding.” siyeon flung her hands in the air and the car shook. you, having the fear of heights ultimately stopped you from continuing the story plot. “what about you y/n?”

“siyeon you’re moving too much!” you pinched her cheeks with your little damped gloves.

she side-eyed you for an answer, and you puckered your lips in defeat as put your book inside your jacket. “snowboarding as well.”

“sweet.” she fistbumped you and you did the same. the cable car was approaching to the end and as you got off, a group of boys caught everyone’s attention with their voices, yelling in so much hyperactiveness at the golden hour.

they all huddled in a circle, chanting some words before separating into their respective teams. were they a sports team of some kind?

you and your girls queued to get the equipment and began to suit up. the foot rest on the board was quite loose for your size, but you didn’t bother since it was going to be fastened with the belt strap. for some reason, you had a hard time bending forward to tighten the footing. a flush of regret flowed your body when the book somehow prevented you from going forward.

a sigh escaped your mouth and a figure knelt in front of you. “do you need help?” his deep yet honey voice warmed you from the cold you felt.

“y-yeah.” you replied, avoiding his gaze behind those goggles attached to upper part of his face. one thing that attracted you to guys was their smile. but this dude just inches apart from you already sent hearts flying everywhere.

oh what the.. he has cute dimples..

he has the prettiest smile you’ve ever seen. the pearly whites of his was equivalent to the snow beneath him and his small/airy chuckle got your heart beating fast. seeing this ethereal human being made you think that this was how love at first sight must feel like.

everything behind him blurred as if a camera was to adjust its focus to the subject, and a video recorder slowing the pace just so that you could observe him closely.

he waved at you, cutting you off of the short-term trance. “are you okay? is it too tight?” he tilted his head that he aligned his eye-level to yours.

“it’s fine. thank you.” you smiled and took his hand, offering to help you up.

“dude! we’re all waiting!” a voice called him from afar, and he looked back at you again with those cute dimples.

“i’ll catch you later? you’ll be in the resort club right?” he asked, pointing at the building opposite from where you were standing.

trying to balance yourself on the board, your lips utter shy words soft enough only for him to hear. “if i could return the favour by getting you a dessert?”

he pushed to slide himself downhill and waved at you. “as long as it’s green tea or vanilla ice cream! i’ll see you at 2300!”

your chest tightened at the fact he smoothly asked you out—kind of, or maybe that was what you want to take it as. heejin nudged you from behind, whistling and humming away like one would tease the other.

siyeon soon joined the call and they both circled-hop around you. they giggled at the sight of you, all flustered and blushy.

“so is he the one finally matched with some ideal fictional guy?” heejin hugged your torso with her lips all puckered, to show and prove that you were in love.

“i haven’t seen most of his face!” you butt back. “so i don’t know if he fits the ‘ideal’.”

“really y/n?” siyeon chuckled in good disbelief, shoving her phone out from her pockets. “troy bolton is everyone’s childhood crush, but your smile towards dimple guy isn’t a simple ‘i don’t know’. there’s something more to it~”

you nodded in agreement as your fingers pointed and shook repetitively. you were more in good disbelief than she was and heejin will for sure add on stronger words to your vulnerable, giddy, happy heart.

“last one at the finish line will get the shared bed!” you went downhill with a long cheer, but enough for the two to follow immediately.

the snow ground slowly marked with straight and curvy lines from the equipments in contact. your legs danced along the already indented path, creating a new design to write out the joy in your boarding. you twisted your body slightly to mimic a 180 degree pan, with intentions to show the beautifying canvas nature’s offered to give before the year ends.

although you weren’t that of a professional to glide down hill faster, the competition between the three of you was high. to compare the total of wins,

you never won any.

and that was out of thirty.

you thought it was time to have that plot twist of the year— to at least get a win so heejin and siyeon wouldn’t have to embarrass you everytime they bring it up.

the board beneath you sent vibration signals to your legs and you knew you had to slow down. yet the adrenaline in you was in rockets and refused to stop when needed. you suddenly heard a familiar voice right at the bottom of the slope. you guessed right, it was the dimple guy.

“yah mark you can do better than that!” he yelled, and another figure brushed passed you.

remember that phrase ‘to be smitten by somebody’? well that was accurate to you now that you didn’t realise you glided on an area with a split level.. you felt your legs in mid-air before crashing and rolling down.

“y/n! you’re sharing a bed with heeji- oh my gosh!” siyeon cupped her hands around her mouth but charged forward to get you.

heejin heard the echoes of ooh’s and hisses from the same group from earlier. she helped you up once she arrived the finishing line. “y/n that must’ve hurt!”

you pulled the strap and removed your foot from the bracings, kicking it aside to massage the sore ankles. “damn it i hope i didn’t twist them.”

“let’s get you inside to have them checked.”

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the lounge area had music booming the system as if it would shatter the delicate, shaking glass windows. you sat at a corner with arms crossed and your friends heard you muttering words of complaint. their eyes trailed your casted ankle and crutches placed on your side.

regret was in you, and you swore you could’ve worn jeans instead of a skirt.

some people were drinking the night away and others were singing their hearts out; whether it was for a good year or another unrequited love. all in all the room was loud and it made you glad because for a whole hour you could hear the throbbing pain beating against your flesh.

“way to end the year..” you gulped onto your drink, empty the glass clean and asked for seconds.

“well at least you’re not in the hospital.” siyeon tilted her head, earning a watch-your-mouth look from heejin.

you went back to reading the last few pages of your book and ignored the persistent invites from the rest of your friends and strangers. didn’t they see your rest leg onto the couch? no matter how much you wanted to join them on the dance floor, you couldn’t. your beloved book was your only companion until the clock strike twelve. 

“i’ll see you at 2300!”

his voice rang in your head and you hoped to recognize him at least. 

heejin and siyeon enjoyed themselves with other random guys they hoped they’d end up with. they swayed their bodies from the effect of the drinks. you secretly recorded their pink cheeks and slurry smiles, later airdropping to their phones. as payback for the unending tease, you set those meme faces as their wallpaper.

the weight onto the seat on your left dove deep as you giggled at your plan. a hand attempted to snake around your waist, but your radar was attentive enough to warn you. he could be taking advantage of your condition right now. you grabbed your crutches and went straight to the bar section, asked for a glass of water before continuing the imagine wonders of the story.

the host of the party stood on the stage calling out for volunteers to give a good performance. the audience were awaiting, yet none wanted to try to sing. jaehyun entered the lounge after a warm quick shower from the last basketball practice of the year. his friends mark and johnny headed to some empty seats and he soon followed them. he knew and read the atmosphere, the typical mood of anticipation.

he stood at a column where he was hidden and at a blind spot. “gosh this scene is too familiar.” he whispered under his breath.

mark’s ears perked up at his friend. “yeah it’s like one of those rom-com movies.”

“high school musical? nah, this is way better.” johnny held a tray of tarts and cupcakes.

“if no one is coming up here we will choose.” the host spoke into the mic.

jaehyun felt the relief of searching spotlights. his entire being avoiding the light’s rays. yet there was something he didn’t expect.

a drone flew towards him and blinked lights. the crowd cheered and pushed him to the center stage. he sighed at his one-second relief since it was replaced by heart-hammering attention.

the music died down completely and it didn’t make you notice since your eyes were so immersed into each word. not until a spotlight pointed at you, its brightness blinding your eyes temporarily. you looked up to see a drone, then two pairs of hands pulled you to the center where a guy stood waiting for you.

“wait- i have to finish my book.” you whined and looked at the people in front. seeing heejin and siyeon smirking told you that they were probably the people behind the devilish plan.

“you’ll have it back after you do a cover!” the host shook the book and signalled for the track in queue. “introduce yourselves then you’d get into the mood. you’re both still awkward.”

“hey, i-i’m jaehyun.”

“hi, i’m y/n..”

you held the mic stand placed in front and found the crutches uncomfortable.

jaehyun noticed your discomfort and excused the rest to give you a chair to sit on. “here.” he said, taking your hand to lead you up and removed his coat to drape it to cover your legs.

the first piano notes started to play, and all cheers had you wondering whether they planned to re-enact the scene. heejin gave a thumbs up as she recorded the moment.

the heavy amount of exhales you both did when the track wasn’t what you think it was.

[ him ]

you don’t know babe when you hold met kiss me slowly it’s the sweetest thing

[ you ]

and it don’t change if i had in my way you would know that you are

[ both ]

you’re the coffee that i need in the morning you’re the sunshine in the rain when it’s pouring won’t you give yourself to me give it all

i just wanna see i just wanna see how beautiful you are you know that i see it i know you’re a star

where you go i follow no matter how far if life is a movie then you’re the best part

it was great singing a duet with the handsome boy. his voice was baritone and you loved how his voice resonates with you, harmonising even when it wasn’t necessary. yet it was something that you were fond of.

jaehyun knew you were the one he helped at the top of the hill. he knew you were the pissed one whilst wearing the equipment and knew that you crashed down. he circled around you in enjoyment of the song.

[ both ]

oh whoa you’re the best part oh whoa oh.. best part

when he flashed that smile as he sung, your eyes widened at the revelation of the boy. you recognised the pearly whites and dimples. now that you saw the entirety of his face,

he was more ethereal.

although the cover ended quicker than you thought— even if the whole thing was less than four minutes long, celebrating the year-end wasn’t that gloomy since meeting jaehyun. the crowd decided to give you both a gift and opening the box, there was an instax camera and couple’s santa accessory. he wore the hat whilst you took the 2020 headband and began to exchange polaroid pictures.

sharing a selfie was needed to be put up on the board for the ‘best cover’ of the night.

his hands stayed up waiting for yours. “are you sure you don’t need help?”

“i’m fine.” you giggled at his gentleman gestures. “thanks for the jacket.. and back at the snowboarding hill.”

he guided you to the balcony where the rest of your friends were. “no problem.” at their chattering conversations and endless giggles, you knew they’ve instantly gotten close.

“it’s just like kindergarten.” you suddenly say, wrapping the huge scarf around you.

you felt a warm weight around your shoulders. “give it back to me the next time i see you.” jaehyun pat your head.

“sure.” you agreed on his statement.

the countdown began in twenty seconds and everyone held their horns or sparklers in the air. the rest of your friends decided to be close to you, given of your condition. phones were at selfie mode and recorded the celebration.

“ten! nine! eight! seven!

six! five! four!

three! two!

one!”

fireworks canvased the navy blue sky and the impact the yells did to your eardrums had nothing compared to the beating of your heart. jaehyun cheered as well, his dimples evident on his cheeks. this by which made you look into the solo portrait you both exchanged.

however as you dug it out from your pockets, it fell to the ground and the universe already had something new and planned for you this coming year.

you smiled at the digits written behind it and jaehyun saw the most giddiest expression he has ever seen in your eyes.

he leaned down to whisper into your ears. “i hope the next time i see you will be soon.”

[jackbabewang]

New to this

Pairing: Jaehyun x Reader

Genre: Basketball au, College au, Fluff, Romance, Tropey scenes

Word count: 5,400

Basketball has never been your thing, but now it shall be, and will be. Since the player himself has become your thing.

June is named as the ‘sports month’ where intercollegiate athletics will be conducted. It has gotten lots of immediate word of mouth, people keep talking about it every week, especially the high profile or “big-time” prestige or elite sports of men’s basketball. Unsurprisingly, your institution is hosting the ever nerve-wracking game, moreover competing against its ancient rival in the finals. Such resentment and bad blood between the two universities are not unknown in the communities as well as to the public. Which makes everything quite a huge deal. Even amidst the heat of war, you belong to the minimal percentage of students who give no signs at all of being interested. Yet when the day comes, your friend is quick to latch on to any opportunity to drag you away from where you are supposed to be.

On both sides of the court, bleachers full of fans screaming with a lot more of them opting to stand around the perimeter of the field. Green means calmness; you are feeling all sorts of its shade. Red means tension; which you are unrelatable to the latter. Among the young people, even lecturers can be found standing in two rows one behind the other. A sigh of relief left you at the absolute certainty that you are guilt-free about skipping class. This will be your first and last time. Attendance is not something you want to risk anyway.

Thud Thud Thud

The pinging thuds of a dribbled basketball, counterpointed by shoes chirping on the varnished floor. Growing roars now filled up your ears as your friend somehow managed to squeeze into a place on the front row. You know little or nothing about basketball, and have never contemplated the possibility of knowing more about it. You have no idea what the referee signals mean, why are the points accumulated in two or three, why is no one blocking that one guy from shooting. According to your enthusiastic friend, it is called a free throw. And you still have no idea why it occurs so often, why is it this guy instead of that guy. With all of these questions floating around in your head, you have a good sense to keep your mouth shut though.

The team that currently has the orangey brown ball in hand breaks into pairs and scatter along the sideline while passing back and forth. A freakishly tall guy sends the ball flying across the court, like a zap of lightning it directs to a dumbfounded you. Your body shutting down in a position of freeze, feet seemingly cemented into the ground beneath you. Panic swiftly moves up from the pit of your stomach, lodging in your chest and makes breathing difficult. You clearly did not sign up for this. The next moment, you are welcomed with another heart stopping shock. An almost deafening smack rippling out as the ball collides with a hand which shoots out in quick reflex to block it from knocking you off. Tiny droplets of sweat from that arm fling onto your face in the meantime. Despite being grateful that he came to the rescue, you are kind of disgusted with the perspiration, much of which is not needed.

That guy with jet-black hair raises an arm and calls for timeout. Immediately both teams gather at the bench with respective coaches, addressing their tactical problems and deciding on another approach. Throughout that sixty seconds, he keeps turning his head towards you but it goes unnoticed until your eyes meet directly. As if he is checking up on you to make sure that you are still in a clear state of mind when you literally just got the shock of your life. And also you are finally able to identify the players with their names printed on the backs of their jerseys. The culprit being Johnny Seo and your savior, Jung Jaehyun.

Eventually your eyes pinned on him with a strong magnetic pull as the game begins once again. Like a superhuman, he dribbles confidently, dashing first to his right, then to the left. His hands taking swats at the ball, his body cutting off direct lines of attack and his shot percentage stays at hundred. The game goes neck and neck with both teams trading wins, having everyone biting or picking their nails. The intensity now ratchets up a notch. All eyes are fixed on the time clock maddeningly counting down to the last minute of play. No one moved; no one blinked. Well, of course, besides you.

Ten— Nine— Eight—

Jaehyun has possession of the ball and in the last few seconds, he desperately throws it in, at half-court. He turns and shoots.

Four— Three— Two—

The ball makes it into the hoop with a three-pointer and the buzzer goes off. It is all over! The crowd storms the court as the game comes to an end and that is only when you learn that your varsity team has won the championship. In three straight years. Besides dominating the athletics, Jaehyun has also won the Finals MVP Award with his impressive achievement. A couple of members have hoisted him onto their shoulders as they chant their team’s victory song. In moments like this, the ladies cannot be missed out. They swarm around the players like bees to honey and in particular, the hero.

While everyone is overjoyed, discussing the happy turn of events, your friend has disappeared without a trace, vanished into thin air. And you realize there is no point of staying besides getting yourself suffocated through the heat, giving up hope of finding your missing friend as well. Just as you are about to leave, someone has caught your wrist and the least expected person holds your gaze.

“H-hey… Are you alright? Sorry about what happened back there.” Jaehyun points his thumb towards the court, reminding you of the almost ugly situation.

Minutes ago, he has been searching through the crowd for you. Though you are simply clothed in white T-shirt and hip-hugging jeans, he remembers your face vividly from those brief exchange of glances.

“Mm…” The words in your mouth seem difficult for them to be perceived correctly. Mayhap you finally understand the reason behind those chicks who love basketball albeit the only thing they know are winning and losing.

You have not been running around the court like he did but your skin clammy as Jaehyun’s has been. Fine sheen of sweat misted your forehead. Naturally, he reaches over and dab off the salty drops with a cotton cloth that has been draped around his neck. Which, in turn, earns himself a contorted face that you are not even trying to hide at this point. He immediately retreats and thrusts the towel into your hand instead. And once again, you cringe at the damp fabric. It is not completely your fault that you are a bit of a clean freak.

You are quickly becoming the center of attention at his unhesitant manner. Hearing a whole lot of tittle-tattle and gossip behind your back that makes you vaguely uncomfortable.

“Who is she?” “Is that his girlfriend?” “I didn’t know he has one…”

Jaehyun, of course, feigns innocent ignorance and then uses the lamest lines around as he says, “I’ve never seen you before, never heard of you and don’t even know your name. What is your name?”

“You don’t need to.”

“Awww—” He moans like a scolded puppy, “That’s kind of unfair.”

“I’m sorry but I have to leave now…”

“Wait! I- You look pretty nice. You’re kinda cute, in fact. I just thought we should get to know each other better.”

Jaehyun does not even have to try. He never needed either because he knows what he is capable of. Yet he appears to be needy right now.

What on earth does he want from me?

You give him a noncommittal look and without an answer, you turn to walk away. With a snap of the finger, your guilt coming off in stinky waves like a cartoon skunk. You are never the kind of person to turn down someone, the kind to have a hard time rejecting unwanted offers. ‘No’ seems to be a word that is omitted from your dictionary. And so you come up with a cowardly solution that is silence.

You should have known better that it is a no win situation and miraculously, Jaehyun’s appearances at the campus are getting noticeable to you that you are beginning to doubt the size of this property.

Everyone knows you go to the library. The whole world knows you go to the library every day. Though you are a little surprised that Jaehyun is able to find you at the further end of this wide space. You are not so happy with this less than familiar guy slipping into the seat across you. Of all the booths available, he chooses to stay at yours, that you kind of grasp his intention very well.

“All these bookmarks, but we still not on the same page.”

It is difficult to resist the urge to roll your eyes now. You shift on your seat, wanting to bury your face between the pages at how he is staring at you. He has an elbow propped on the table and rested his chin on his knuckles. He grins mockingly, his eyes holding a mischievous edge to them.

“You are distracting.” He is disturbing. You say without thinking. But as soon as the words left your tongue, that smirk of his grows even wider and his eyes twinkle in perfect timing with it.

“In a good way?”

“No.”

His fingers drumming on the table like the hooves of a galloping stallion before quietly reaches over your neglected phone. He steals your phone, steals your number. With a ping coming from his own, your head shoots up to find him waving your device, smugly.

“What-”

“Sorry not sorry,” he asserts, “Wish I can stay but gotta go. I’ll text you later, sugar.”

Mission accomplished. Jaehyun pumps his fist in the air, whooping with glee as soon as he left. Yes!

And in the course of the next few weeks, your phone blows up with text messages from him. Each night, you massage your temples, longing for relief from the bombardment. His persistence adds on to your continuous torment by demanding assignments and midterm exams. Those messages are always preserving the same objective, only implementing his approaches very differently—

“Roses are red, violets are blue. I can’t rhyme but can I date you?”

“The weather’s great today. Let’s go out.”

“Me, you and food?”

Maybe that is what you call creativity at its best.

Jaehyun paces back and forth in the empty hallway outside the lecture hall, alternately running his fingers through his hair and rubbing his chin. He then crosses his arms over his chest and leans against the wall, striking a casual pose. Perhaps a seductive one will do?

Click

The door opens. He instantly drops his stance when the first person who exits the class just looks at him weirdly. He coughs to clear his throat and regains his composure while craning his neck, staring into the faces of people, in search of someone.

“Hi.” A tall figure steps directly in front of you, blocking your way. There is no difficulty in recognizing the guy when you smell that particular cologne. It is a pleasant fragrance to be frank. Jo Malone, I guess?

He snatches your belongings from your arms and grabs onto your hand firmly enough to make you understand he is not letting go. “You are coming with me.”

“Hey!”

The crowd parts in front of his long, determined stride as he escorts you to God knows where. You tap along in double-time beside him, struggling against his grip every step of the way. “Let me go. This is kidnap. You’re keeping me against my will. I’ll sue.”

“Sue away, sweetheart.”

He keeps right on walking, ignoring your protests, ignoring the curious stares and pointing and laughs that has part of you wilt inside.

“You are no gentleman, you know that?”

“You’re a pain in the ass.”

“Is that any way to talk to a lady—”

A short distance later. You finally come to a complete stop at… The basketball court? He flashes you a smile that will have been charming if you have not wanted to punch him in the mouth so badly for manhandling you into this. You give him the most scolding look you can.

“And you, miss, are no lady.” Taking your nose between fore and middle fingers, he pinches hard. “All these books, but you still left me on read.”

You watch the pages flap, flap, flap in your face before he tosses the research materials away onto your backpack that has been dropped to the floor. You hiss internally at the thought of carelessly crumpled, creased or wrinkled papers.

“What do you want?”

“I’m pretty sure I’ve made my terms clear from the start. Are you just being obtuse on purpose?”

“I just-”

You cross your arms and huff. Now he lifts an eyebrow, as if your “I don’t need a date, I just want to focus on my studies” will convince him in some sort of way, as if your reasoning is not pure bullshit.

“Fine. We’ll put an end to this,” an involuntary sigh escapes him, “It’s why I brought you here anyway.”

“Let’s make a deal.” Suddenly this basketball comes out of absolutely nowhere and he twirls it on the tip of his finger. “If I win I’ll have you.”

“And if I win?” you press, even though the chances are unlikely. For fuck’s sake, Jaehyun is the basketball star.

“If you win, I promise I’ll stop bothering you.”

“B-but… You have the upper hand. Obviously.”

“Darling, have you accepted your defeat already? Tell me. That you secretly want me too?”

His claim provokes scoffing disbelief.

To make this two-player fair and square, he grants you the possession and plays the game one-handed. Each time you attempt to score, he comes up from behind and takes you around the waist as he lifts you off the ground, swinging to the opposite direction. Laughters like sunshiny, yellow bubbles danced and floated and bounced. The two of you running around, chasing one another in circles like little puppies chasing their tails.

“Yes!” You throw your arms in the air and squeal for the sheer joy of making your first ever hoop. “Jaehyun, I made it!”

Your heart races and continues to pound inside your chest, cheeks flushed with the activity. You turn. And his face is too close, so close you can feel the warmth of his breath on you. Close enough that you can see a kind of heat kindling in his eyes.

“Yeah, you made it.” He somehow manages to mix enthusiasm with sadness in his voice. But he smiles encouragingly and gently squeezes your waist, staring back at you for several seconds before letting go. “I guess that’s it then.”

You finally got the peace and quiet you have been praying for. You no longer have to deal with flooded messages or the unwanted attention whenever Jaehyun is with you. In short, your uninterrupted solitude has been restored. But for tonight, while you are all alone, there is a cold empty feeling in your chest. Loneliness seems to be inevitably uncomfortable, which you ask yourself how it has been viewed as a positive emotion all along. And you realized that it is impossible to touch yesterday. So why the heck are you letting it touch you? Your own eyes are lost elsewhere and your mind wanders, wanders over everything Jaehyun has so unhesitantly offered up to you the day before. You will never possess the words to describe how he made you feel, because words were not your strong point. However if you have to—the exultation you felt, was a burst of raw, pure joy you felt.

“Are you a textbook? Why are you so proper?” “I am trying to spice up your life, bunny.”

He has got a point there.

You reach for the nightstand, check the screen of your phone. Again, and again, every day for two weeks. A buzzing in your pocket got you sitting up enough that you pull out your phone, only to discover a new text message from the civilian service provider. Any sense of excitement and anticipation has died down immediately.

Ten minutes into the game, yet Jaehyun cannot focus. Cannot even feel the intensity, though he knows it is all around him. It is like someone has dropped a curtain between him and the rest of the world. Still, he is the captain, he has the responsibility to lead the team and to win this game. So he takes his handoffs and runs as hard as he can.

“You guys are better than this!” His coach roars, “You are better than they are! You have the speed, the agility, the guts. What you don’t seem to have is the desire. Do you want this or not?”

He wants it and he won it. Sort of gotten used to it, he pulls out his phone and snaps a photo of the gleaming gold medal. Another cheesy pun of his pops into his head along the lines of—“All these medals I’ve won, but I still couldn’t win your heart.” His joy and happiness are of short duration as he remembers the heartbreaking truth. And his smile falters, though it does not disappear entirely.

“Hey, you good?” Johnny appears at the right yet wrong time. The question itself as if harshly rubbing grime into his face so he has to surrender and admit that he is clearly not okay.

“Yeah… It’s just too good to be true.” He pats him on the shoulder before leaving the arena, “You guys have done a great job. Rest up tonight.”

As soon as he got outside, a breath of fresh air does him good but his mind is still reeling with madness. “What the fuck is wrong with me?” He might be going insane. Insanity. His face creases with anguish as he runs his shaky hand through his hair. When he is about to take his frustration out by kicking over the nearby garbage can, a familiar tune stops him from committing the act of vandalism. He freezes, recognizing the notification ringtone. The special one reserved for you. Though he has yet to read the message, it does magic to his body and soul. In his excitement, he runs back to his dormitory.

“Oh my God! Oh my God! Oh my God!” You bet, he is squealing like a pig.

Call it a second chance or what. He makes a mental note that he must not screw this up. 

Your reply comes almost immediately. Perhaps, you have spent much time considering and pondering, waiting for it.

How badly you want to hit your head against the wall, or with a hammer. It is something you have never done before then.  

“Fuck, yes!” He chortles. That will supposed to be his answer.

Is he trying to put you to open shame right here? That is definitely a big fat no. Who on earth in this campus does not know the great Jung Jaehyun. He has made himself immensely known in the universities. Heck, he probably has a fan club of ladies with raging hormones who circle the table and admire his every move. You are only digging your own grave and weaving your own shroud if you were to agree to that.

You are texting and texting and the night drags on and on and finally you fall asleep and when you wake up the sun is streaming in the big bay windows. Jaehyun has his ways of lengthening the conversation while you are naive to fall for his flirtatious trap, and the bargain is sealed with a selfie of him as your lock screen, reluctantly. Hundreds of photos sent through. How shameless, but cute. Yet you are avoiding any chances of unlocking your phone in front of your friends or whoever it is.

“Bitch, what is this?”

The worst has come, you are bound to get caught anyways. This striking and ironic reversal, in which you once protested to watch the game with your friend but now you are having one of the players, a prestigious player, to appear instantly on your display screen with just a press of button, moreover such exclusive photo. You are more embarrassed than you have ever been in your life before.

“I can- I can explain!”

“Be honest with me. Are you guys a thing?”

“No… We’re not…” With your eyes averted, your voice timid and defensive.

“Then what? You joined his silly fan club?”

As if a perfectly set-up drama, you receive an incoming message from the one and only that leaves no room for any kind of explanation.

“Tonight at eleven.” She reads. “I knew it! My sixth sense never failed me! That boy has been eyeing you since that day. Do you know how many bitches are dying to be in your place?”

You feel as though you have just been scolded by a parent. “How am I supposed to know that…”

“Whatever it is, I’m so happy for you! Of all these years, you’re finally off the market— Ooh, maybe we can go on a double date—”

“No! It’s not like that!” It is just too complicated and ridiculous even to tell.

Voila!

You are at the basketball court. Again. Why is it the settings with Jaehyun are all at the same place, the same reek of sweat, the same squeaking of shoes on vinyl floor and the same dribbling as he leisurely throws a shot while waiting for your arrival.

“You made it!” He jogs over with his arms wide open and pulls you into a sweaty embrace. He must have just finished an intense training session.

“Oh my God, no! Get off!” You squirm as your clean-freak gene ekes in while another reason being that the affection is still foreign to you. And that provokes him to nuzzle further into your hair.

“I got us pizza.” At this hour?

You feel his fingers brush yours for a moment, and then, very naturally, he grasps your hand and holds it as though he has been doing it all his life. The fluid gesture elicits jealousy.

After all the effort, a ton of irksome pesters and desperation, it comes down to this: sitting cross-legged in the centre of the basketball court eating the oily cheesy goodness.

“Thought you’re gonna settle with something fancy…” You have no problems and do not have any complaints either besides the lack of ventilation in here.

“Fancy can only be defined as who I’m with in this very moment,” you scowl at the smug grin on his face, “But seriously, eating pizza in this place is a whole level of fancy I’ve never done before.”

You wonder what goes through his mind to come up with so much of the random and unexpected. This interesting trait, combined with his sense of humor, lends him an attractive air that someway, somehow, put you at ease. Headstrong is a nice word for what he is, which part of ‘no’ does he not understand, in what language does he need to hear it from, till he finally got what he wanted in the first place.  

“Hey, are you listening?” He waves his hand in front of your face. “I was getting into the best part of my story though…”

Whatever you are playing, game of seven or twenty-one questions, he seems genuinely interested more than you do.

“Have you ever had a boyfriend?”

“No.”

GASP— He clamps his hand over his mouth right after sucking in air, looking generally surprised when you tell him of the new information that you never think is a big deal. In fact, you are almost proud of it.

“HOW?!”

You shrug. “I don’t know, never asked, never got asked.”

“But you’re beautiful,” he mutters under his breath, a mantra he often whispers to himself.

“What?”

“What?”

“I wasn’t looking for love. I wasn’t needy.” You pull your knees up to your chin, wrapping your arms around them. “Well, I’ve become used to being single, independent, and self-sufficient. Nothing extraordinary seems to convince me that I need a significant other in my life.”

But as you wait for a reaction, a reply, the air in the room becomes charged with another energy. For a second, which seems like a century, a heavy silence fills the air. It is so pervasive that you can hear the whirring sound of electric fans spinning round and round as it cools every corner of the space, the muffled steps of someone walking along the corridor, and the still breath of the objects adorning the court. Your eyes scan the floor, afraid that you have said something with unintended offense.

“You know… There are a lot I want to tell you…” He looks smaller somehow. His shoulders slumped and he rubs his eyes several times before speaking. “It may seem like I’m a sarcastic asshole, but I’m actually half of it because at night I actually have feelings.” Then he chuckles, his chuckling gives way to a self-mocking laugh.

“I’m listening.” You encourage, though you wisely know where he is heading to. Your heart beats fast, your nerves are wire taut. As you nibble on the crust and gooey cheese, the marinara sauce smearing over your lips at how you are pursing them in a thin line.

And there he goes.

“About the bet we had weeks ago. I didn’t want it. I never did. You’re so stressed out lately and I just wanted to help, but I’ve realized that I may have been part of the weight on you so I thought I should stop, everything.”

As impassive as his features are, his voice croaks with repressed emotion. “I have to admit that I was testing the waters at first.”

Ouch.

“Then I found myself looking for opportunities to talk with you, wanting to see your reaction or simply having you close. I tried different approaches, and not all of them work. You just seem to not care that I’m interested in you. And then this happened. So, what made you cave in?”

Boy, the emotional roller coaster he has been riding was taking its toll. You have been kneading his heart like a dough into any shapes possible, tugging on his heartstrings and almost making him capitulate.

“I did not cave in.”

“Do you hate me?”

Do you? ‘Hate’ is a very strong word, one that shall not be in our vocabulary. There is no closest word you can find to describe the feelings towards him. Your silence evokes only a tiny fraction of deeper emotions you are unaware of. He has been guileless tonight meanwhile you are swerving lanes, dodging questions that may call yourself out.

“Honestly, when you texted me that night I nearly ran to your place and just wanted to take you out right then and there.”

Go ahead and say that he is crazy, that is what you made him. Crazy enough to be crazy over you.

He twiddles his fingers allowing his fingertips on each hand to touch its counterpart on the opposite hand in a nervous gesture.

“Now to my last questions.” There are two left. Or have you lost count of it.

You heart still racing, blood pumping in the throes of an adrenaline rush. I can’t handle this.

He draws a deep breath, pauses while he gathers strength before he speaks again. “This will be the last time I say this, I just want to give it another try. I know it’s gonna be difficult at first but can you give yourself a chance to like me back? Be my girlfriend?”

The lights above reflected in his dark brown eyes staring at you, holding you captive. At that moment, he thinks that attraction is mutual until you break off to look to the side.

‘Please, please, please’

The desperate cries in his chest audible in your mind, in his voice like it is real.

You parents warned you about the drugs in the streets but never the ones with russet eyes and a heartbeat. Your pique towards him has long evaporated, and since then, it has been replaced with warm interest.

When did it happen? How did it even happen?

After what feels like a very long time, you nod. Jaehyun breathes a huge, loud sigh of relief. A very huge, loud sigh. The wild exhilaration tearing through him cannot be stopped, he cannot stop smiling like the fool he is for you.

“Fuck, I really thought you’re gonna say no.” His arms slip around your waist as he draws you into his embrace. “Thank you.” His hand cups the side of your face, pinning your ear against his heart. You can hear the uneven thud of his pulse. It feels so incredibly good to be in his arms. You feel secure and at peace. Good to be with him… bad for you emotionally, for fear you might come to depend on him… Confused, you have no idea what to think anymore. All you know is that you are so drawn to him to break away, so hopelessly attracted.

Simply to restrain himself will likely prove difficult. He leans down to press a quick, impudent kiss to your cheek. He does not want to make you uncomfortable by noticing the inevitable blush that graces your cheeks. He is delighted though in embarrassing you with another smooch dangerously close to your lips. Before he does it again, right on the spot for real, you wrench yourself away from him, hands covering your mouth in defense. Your skin touched with a ripe flush and a glint of panic flickers in your eyes. Just how easily you were about to lose your first kiss.

“Gotta get used to it now, girlfriend.” The last word sings with tremendous emphasis. He then draws back with a cheeky expression and wry smile as he says, teasingly, “Cause I looooove kisses.” Well actually, he loves kissing you though he has never been, and the idea of you kissing him back sounds even better. He is already imagining it. 

You did not fall in love with him. You walked into love with him, with your eyes open, choosing to take every step along the way. He is annoying, he is hilarious, he makes you want to scream, he drives you crazy, he is out of his mind and he is everything you want.

The first time you both met at this sweat or waxy polish smelling basketball court was not all that pleasant, remembering feeling sorry prior to being a straightforward, flirty, asshole, remembering feeling guilty over the wordless rejection. And tonight has changed everything. This is the start of something new.

“Now, get up! Get up! We’re burning these calories intake!” Loud claps bouncing off the four walls and he starts acting like the rude coach he is. He attempts to pull you on your feet but your lazy, determined ass stay rooted to the ground, as if you are growing right into the earth. This is like a nerdy fight with you arguing that strenuous exercising after eating can be hazardous to health. He proceeds to drag you around like a heavy sack of potatoes, your shoes screeching and sliding across the floor forcibly.

All those bookmarks, you are finally on the same page. And all those medals, he has finally won your heart.

[somedayonbroadway]

Hey! Can you go into detail on the Outsiders AU

Okay, alright, here it is, the one you’ve all been waiting for...

The Outsiders AU

Characters

Romeo- Ponyboy Curtis

Crutchie Morris- Johnny Cade

Spot Conlon- Dally Winston

Jack Kelly- Darry Curtis

Racetrack Higgins- Sodapop Curtis

Albert DaSilva- Two-Bits

Finch- Steve

Morris Delancey- Randy

Oscar Delancey- Bob

JoJo- Cherry

Buttons- Marcia

Story

So Romeo is a greaser. He’s a scrawny kid. He’s a bit different from a lot of his friends and especially his brothers. While he loves to run and is extremely fast he’s nowhere near as built or as athletic as his two older brothers, the only family he has.

Romeo is extremely close with his big brother Racetrack. Yes, that’s his real name. Racetrack Kelly. No one knows for sure why. But Race never minded the name. It was always odd to know that their parents had a James and a Romeo and a Racetrack in the middle.

Romeo and Racetrack are as close as brothers can be. They are affectionate and playful and Race loves to make his little brother smile.

Jack, however, Romeo’s oldest brother, is a bit of a different story.

See, before their parents died, Jack and Romeo got along just fine, great even, but ever since the crash, Romeo and Jack has always budded heads. Jack always won the arguments. It was because he was twenty and Romeo was only thirteen. It was because Jack always told him that if he didn’t listen to him, he and Racer would end up in a boys home.

It was easy to forget that Race was still a kid, what with him dropping out of school and getting a full time job at a gas station. Race acted like Jack did. Like an adult with responsibilities and bills to pay. Race would even have to help Jack sleep sometimes by massaging Jack’s back after work, which Jack always protested. He didn’t like it when Race had to put him to sleep like that. He always just asked Race to help him relax so he could get them some dinner or something.

Jack is stressed all the time. He works two jobs to keep their house that their parents used to pay for. He gave up college to watch after his two brothers. And all he knew how to make after the crash was chocolate cake, resulting in them having chocolate cake for breakfast far too often. It draws their friends over a lot.

Romeo thinks Jack resents him. Being so young, he doesn’t realize that the reason Jack is so hard on him all the time is because he’s truly trying to protect him and keep him and Race with him.

One day, Romeo is walking home from the movies and a gang of socs see him alone. They decide to try and pounce on him. Scare him.

See, socs and greasers are mortal enemies. And every soc knows not to mess with any greaser in a pack. Greasers play dirty to protect their own. In the community that Romeo lives in, every greaser knows each other. Every greaser looks out for every other.

But today, Romeo’s alone. He loves going to the movies and doesn’t have anyone to go with. So he’s walking home alone.

And the socs jump him.

They knock him to the ground and pull a knife on him, teasing him and telling him they’re gonna cut his greasy hair. Romeo tried to act tough. He tries to push them off, but they manage to knick his throat.

That’s when the rest of the neighborhood finds them.

Albert, Race, Jack, Finch, Spot, everybody. They tackle the socs to the ground, jump on their car and on their backs to get them off of the kid. Jack grabs Romeo up off the ground and puts him behind him, practically daring anyone to try and take another swing at the kid.

When the greasers eventually scare the socs off, Race runs over to Romeo immediately, checking him over and making sure he’s okay. Jack does so too, asking him how bad the cut was. But Romeo leans more towards Racer. He always does.

Everyone is around to make sure Romeo is alright and Romeo sees Spot who he hasn’t seen in months. He asks when Spot got out of the clink. Spot just shrugs. He doesn’t answer really answer him. He’s more concerned about asking the boy next to him if those were the same socs that jumped him a few months ago.

Crutchie is the sweetest and kindest and purest sole among the greaser gang. He is the gentlest of them all.

Four months prior to this, Crutchie was jumped by a group of socs who nearly killed him. Crutchie brushes it off, tells everyone not to worry about him. He says he’d gotten worse from his father. See, Crutchie’s father is the one who gave him the bum leg that gave way to his lovable nickname. His mother’s a drunk. She never stops it. Crutchie floats around from couch to couch, ending up at Jack’s house more often than not, as it is widely known that Jack’s door is open to any greaser who needs a place to stay.

Anyways, Jack takes Romeo home as Race is close behind.  That night, Race puts Jack to sleep by massaging his back and then takes Romeo to bed. They share the one queen size bed in the house and Jack has a twin bed in the other room that simply lays on the floor.

Race asks Romeo if he’s cold and cuddles up to him when he says that he is. Then he tells Romeo that the only reason Jack is hard on him is because of how much he loves him. Romeo argues and curls into Race, telling him that Jack doesn’t treat Race the way he treats him. Race gives up and tells Romeo to go to sleep as he rolls over. He says he has to go to work so Romeo needs to stay quiet and still. But the second he rolls over, Romeo wraps his arms around him from behind and makes Race laugh. He tells Race that he loves him and then goes to sleep.

The next day, Spot promises to take Romeo and Crutchie to a drive in movie theatre. He does. Spot grabs then a little early and he lets them watch while he terrorizes some kid socs.

Eventually, they make it to the movie where they sneak in after Spot cuts a whole in the fence with a pocket knife. There, they meet a couple of soc girls. JoJo and Buttons. Spot attempts to hit on JoJo but she tells him off with the help of Romeo and Crutchie who admit to him that he’s taking it too far. Spot would get angry and leave and JoJo and Buttons would invite the boys to move up and sit with them. Romeo and Crutchie would defend Spot a bit to them, stating that they don’t know Spot and he’s a really good guy if they would get to know them.

JoJo and Buttons get irritable after their boyfriends try to come in and tell them to come back to their date. They get them to leave them alone and try to explain to Romeo and Crutchie that not all socs are the same. They don’t really believe her.

Eventually, Spot comes back trying once again to flirt with JoJo only to get splashed in the face with soda and told to go away. They go to leave, asking Romeo and Crutchie to walk them home. They do, along with some greasers they find along the way, like Albert and Finch. They are however, followed by a group of socs led by Morris and Oscar, JoJo and Button’s dates. They are tipsy at this point, and they are already looking for a fight as they demand JoJo and Buttons get away from the “rats” as they call them. The greasers gear up for a fight only for JoJo to stop them. She tells Romeo that it would just be easier for them to go with Morris and Oscar.

JoJo and Morris have been dating for a while. Oscar and Buttons had only just gone out on one date.

The socs leave and the greasers walk home together. Albert and Finch leave Crutchie and Romeo in the park in the middle of their primarily greaser neighborhood, knowing that Crutchie always debated whether or not to go home to his alcoholic parents. They always offer him a place to stay, but Crutchie doesn’t want to feel like a burden so he typically sleeps in the park under a blanket of newspapers.

On this night in particular, Romeo sits down with Crutchie for a little while, just to talk to him, and falls asleep. Crutchie wakes him up about an hour later and tells him that his brothers will be worried about him so he needs to get home. Romeo offers Crutchie their couch if he gets cold and then heads home, leaving his friend in the park.

He gets home to find Jack and Racer sitting in the living room, anxiously waiting for him. The second he walks in, Jack is getting up and yelling at him for being late and scaring him out of his mind. Romeo tries to explain that he hadn’t meant to fall asleep or stay out so late. Race tries to calm them both down as best he can but Jack yells at him, telling Race that he doesn’t need his kid brother telling him how to deal with his other kid brother and then telling Romeo that he couldn’t even call the police because the police would take Race and Romeo away from him. Again, Race tries to calm Jack down, only for Jack to yell at him again.

Romeo jumps on Jack’s back and tells him not to yell at Race. That’s when Jack lashes out. He throws Romeo off his back and backhands him before he can stop himself.

Everything freezes for a moment. Jack can’t fully comprehend what he has just done. He tries to apologize, but Romeo is already off running and before Jack or Race can fully recover, he’s gone.

Romeo runs back to the park and wakes up a shivering Crutchie and tells him to come with him, that they can run away and get away from the people who don’t appreciate them. Crutchie tries to ask him what’s wrong and Romeo starts crying and tells Crutchie that Jack hit him and he goes on and on about how Jack hates him and wishes he had already sent him to a boys home. Crutchie tries to tell him that that is not true and how much Jack loves him, but he’s interrupted when they hear the sound of a car coming behind them. They freeze and look over at it only for Crutchie to pale and tell Romeo that that’s the same car the guys were driving when he got jumped.

The socs see them.

They try to run, but with Crutchie’s leg, they don’t get very far. Romeo says he’s gonna run to get Race (and Jack by extension, even though he doesn’t say it), but the socs catch them before he can. It’s Oscar and Morris and their friends. And they’re drunk.

They threaten the boys, tell them to stay away from their girls. Crutchie tries to stand up to them. It only makes them mad.They go to beat him but Romeo jumps on Morris’s back.

So they turn on him.

They beat him and drag him to the fountian a couple yards away. They try to drown him.

A few moments later, Romeo is pulled from the water. He half expects Jack to be there, pulling him into a hug and apologizing like crazy. He kind of hopes for it. But he looks over to see Crutchie standing beside him, looking completely shaken with a bloodied knife (a pocket knife that Jack gave him) in his hand. It doesn’t take Romeo long to figure out what happened. Not with Morris’s body only a few feet away from him.

He throws up almost immediately and Crutchie tells him it’s alright, that they’d figure this out. So they run off and go to find Spot. They’d find him at a party of some guy that he happens to be staying with and gives Romeo an extra set of clothes to warm him up and a loaded gun to Crutchie. He then tells the boys to get on a train and head west to an abandoned church he used to stay at when his father first kicked him out, commenting that he hated that he would be the one to have to tell Jack his little brother was going into hiding because of a murder.

The two do as they’re told. They go after Crutchie hugs Spot and tries not to cry.

The two hide from the cops on their way to the abandoned church and the morning after they get there, Crutchie goes out to get them some food, also grabbing a copy of Gone With The Wind for Romeo and some dye for the kid’s hair. Romeo immediately shoots down the idea but Crutchie explains that the socs went to the police and their descriptions are in the papers.

Romeo lets Crutchie cut and bleach his hair. He only cries a little, remembering how much his mother used to love his hair. He remembers his brothers and how close they had been when their parents had still been alive and he cries to Crutchie about how much he wants one of Jack’s hug at that moment.

It is widely known throughout the greasers that Jack gives the best hugs.

Crutchie reassures him that he’ll see Jack and Racer again and that everything will be okay. And then he lets Romeo cut his hair and tells him to have a field day.

For almost a week, the two are holed up at this place. Romeo reads Gone With The Wind to Crutchie for some kind of entertainment. One day they get up to watch the sunrise and Romeo recites a Robert Frost poem, “Nothing Can Stay Gold”. He admits he doesn’t truly know what Frost means by the poem and that’s why he remembers it so well.

Days later, Spot comes to check on them. He laughs when he sees Romeo’s blond hair and teases him about wanting to be more like Racer everyday. Romeo pushes at him but Spot gives him a letter from Race and Romeo immediately perks up. In the letter Race explains that he’s worried sick and Jack is even worse off. He tells Romeo that Jack cried for hours after he’d lashed out, and had tried to go out to find him.

Romeo feels horrible and gets upset so Spot tries to take both him and Crutchie out to eat to cheer them up, where he explains to them that ever since Morris’s death, the violence between socs and greasers have gotten worse and there is going to be a rumble later on in the week. And Spot would tell them they had a spy on the inside. JoJo. And that people that were investigating were thinking that Morris was killed out of self defense.

Crutchie would tell Spot he was going to turn himself in. And Spot would get angry. He’d tell him that he didn’t want him to turn out like him, mean and callous. Crutchie would say it's not like his old man would miss him and Spot would lecture him even more, telling him so what? Spot’s old man didn’t even notice he was in jail. But it didn’t matter. He had Jack and Hot Shot and Racer and Albert and all the boys and that was enough.

Then he would immediately tell Romeo that he better not tell Jack he said that.

They’d drive back to the city in Spot’s car, stumbling across the small church that has caught on fire. Without really thinking about it, Romeo jumps out of the car and rushes in to save a bunch of kids who are stuck inside. Crutchie and Spot rush after him, trying to get him out and Crutchie and Spot get caught inside while Romeo helps three kids out the window. The building collapses.

Crutchie and Spot are rescued and taken to the hospital while Romeo rides with a cop and is questioned about the entire affair. He sees Crutchie rolled in, barely conscious and burned up real bad. He’s told the roof collapsed and broke the other boy’s back. And he sees Spot come in not too long after, not looking near as bad as the older boy threatened to gut him if he ever did something that stupid again.

At the hospital, it’s only a couple of hours later that Romeo hears footsteps. He looks up just in time to see Race rushing towards him, lifting him up and hugging him tightly.

Romeo cries a bit in Race’s arms before opening his eyes to see Jack nervously standing behind them, watching Romeo with tears in his eyes. Before he can even offer a greeting, Romeo is rushing towards him and flinging his arms around his brother’s waist. Jack would admit he thought he lost Romeo like they lost their mom and dad and he’d hold onto him for dear life. Then the three brothers would just stand there clinging to each other in the hospital waiting room.

Jack takes his brothers home, practically clinging to Romeo the entire time and telling him how much he loves him.

The next morning, Jack wakes Race and Romeo up for breakfast and Jack asks Romeo if he’s feeling ok. Romeo insists that he’s fine but Jack says he could probably stay home if Romeo needed him to. That’s when Albert and Finch barge into the already full house, grabbing a chocolate cake and beer for breakfast as Albert sits in front of their old TV set to watch Mickey Mouse cartoons.

Albert says that he’ll babysit Romeo and Jack lets him, only teasing him by telling him to get a job on his way out.

Albert takes Romeo out for the day, walking around the city and visiting Race at work, like usual, asking about everything. Romeo doesn’t want to talk about it too much.

Eventually, they once again stumble over the same soc car that was full of the bullies who had nearly killed Crutchie months ago and then nearly drown Romeo just a few days prior.

Oscar says he doesn’t want a fight, though Albert gears up for one, along with Hot Shot who happens to be nearby. Oscar just asks if he can talk to Romeo alone for a minute. Romeo agrees, though Albert is hesitant.

Oscar lets Romeo sit in his car as he tells Romeo that he’s sorry and cries over his brother who is dead because they’d gotten stupid drunk and couldn’t have been stopped otherwise. He tells Romeo he is unhappy with the idea of the rumble and will not be participating and states that the violence between greasers and socs won’t be solved that way.

After that, Al takes Romeo to visit Crutchie in the hospital, where Albert calls the kid Charlie for the first time in years and cries over how bad he looks. Romeo asks if he thinks Crutchie is gonna die and Albert refuses to answer. Crutchie asks for another copy of Gone With The Wind so Romeo can finish reading it to him so Albert goes to get him one from the gift shop. When he leaves, Crutchie tells Romeo that he’s scared and, while he’d wanted to kill himself in the past, he didn’t want to die anymore. When Al gets back, they are asked to leave because Crutchie’s mother is there to visit him. Crutchie gets angry and begins to yell at the nurse to get his mother to go away. He passes out after fussing for only a minute and Albert storms out of the room crying and yells at the mother who is standing outside the door in a fit of tears telling her that she was only ever a lousy drunk and this is where it had led her.

The two boys then go visit Spot in the same hospital to find him flirting his way around the hospital staff. Spot tells them he’s going to break out of this joint soon and Albert laughs and tosses him a bar of chocolate which he says he stole from the gift shop.

Later that night, the greasers are gearing up for the rumble. Race and Albert and Finch are extra excited, doing handstands and flips all the way down there while Jack sticks back with Romeo and tells him to stay back because Jack can tell he’s not feeling well. Romeo promises to stick to the littler guys and call for Jack if he really needed help. So Jack lets him go, carrying him on his back to the park.

The rumble gets out of hand fast. Romeo gets beat on harder than he’d expected. But the greasers ultimately win.

Spot, who had showed up just in time for the rumble to start, takes Romeo back to the hospital to see Crutchie who they are able to talk to for only a moment before the boy loses his life, telling Romeo to “stay gold”.  

Spot loses it. He begs Crutchie to wake up. He cries for him and gets frantic when the kid just lays there motionless before he runs out of the room, leaving Romeo alone with their dead friend.

Romeo goes home and immediately is in Jack’s arms. He has to tell Jack that Crutchie’s dead and Jack cries right along with him.

When the phone rings later that night, Albert answers it, telling Jack its Spot and that Spot is demanding to talk to him. Jack takes the call and is told by Spot that the police are coming after him again for robbing a convenience store down the road and that he needs help. Jack tells him that he’ll meet them in the park and tells everyone one else what’s going on.

They rush to try and hide Spot. But the police get to him first. Spot has an unloaded gun in his hand. The greasers know Spot’s guns are rarely ever loaded. They try to tell the cops that, screaming at them not to hurt Spot, but Spot is shot several times while he’s waving around his useless weapon and he dies right then and there.

Jack tries to turn around and hold onto Romeo. But Romeo collapses.

Romeo is sick for several days, weak from the burns and bruises and new concussion he has from the rumble. When he wakes up, Jack gives him a copy of Gone With The Wind, left to him by Crutchie and tells him that the hearing about Morris’s murder is the next day.

Jack and Race both take the day off to spend all the time with Romeo that they know they can. Jack calls Romeo “baby” a couple times, trying to show his affection more often now that he almost lost his little brother.

The next day, the hearing happens. JoJo testifies and tells the jury about how her boyfriend was drunk and looking for a fight and had been violent the last time she’d seen him.

Romeo is released into the custody of Jack and allowed to go home as he is cleared from charges.

A few days later he is going back to school. JoJo, who told Romeo a long time ago that she might not be able to say hi to him in public, goes back to ignoring him.

Romeo is told that his grades are dropping and that if he can write one good paper, his teacher will pass him with a C. He goes home to Jack and Race only for Jack to ask him about school and about where he wants to go to college and Romeo starts arguing with him. Once again, they try to put Race in the middle of it all, only for Race to get defensive and run out of the house.

Jack and Romeo chase him down and Jack holds him tightly, apologizing to him so much as Race cries about being a rope in a tug of war for them. And for a while, the three of them just stay there, holding onto each other.

The next morning Romeo begins to work on his paper, looking through the book that Crutchie had left for him. He finds a note. Crutchie’s last words to him, instructing Romeo to “Stay Gold” once again and telling Romeo that he was proud to die if it meant the kids they’d saved got to live.

Romeo starts on his paper, reciting the events that had happened within the past week or so.

And there you have it folks, 9 pages later here is your Outsiders RP Outline! I hope you all enjoyed it!

For more RPs, check out my list here! Thank you all so much!

[closetofanxiety]

Beyond Wrestling all-dayer recap

This is not really a show review, more just a collection of disjointed musings from two shows I went to on Sunday, September 16, 2018: A free show in the parking lot of Feast, a hip sandwichery in East Greenwich, R.I., and “Somebody’s Farewell, Probably,” a straightforward Beyond show down the street at the Varnum Memorial Armory.

My God it was hot. Eighty six degrees, feeling like 91 with the heat index. Feast has no air conditioning, a common state of affairs for businesses in New England shore towns. This is probably bad enough on a normal day, but add in 250 or so wrestling fans all queuing up to order food, and the inside of the place felt like an oven. A moist, damp oven. Outside was no respite: the few tables had been taken long before we arrived. 

Luckily, a sort of Dunkirk spirit prevailed, and everyone was in good spirits.DJ Weed Pizza graciously offered the table space he had claimed to people who wanted to set down their food and drinks. A shirtless Swoggle hung out in the bar area outdoors. Jordynne Grace and Penelope Ford sought shelter from the sun underneath DJ Weed Pizza’s table. There was a man in a hot dog costume wandering around. Rich Palladino wore a tuxedo and didn’t appear to sweat. 

A free show on a downtown street corner is an odd beast, because, along with the wrestling fans, you get all kinds of curious people stopping by to gawk for a few minutes. This show drew a lot of kids, who were excited for the opportunity to stand at the ring. It was mostly kid-friendly comedy match stuff until Joey Ryan and the Pull-It Club (Massage Force and Johnny Cockstrong) came out for a match with Cheeseburger. Let me tell you: they did not tone down the act one bit! That made for some uncomfortable moments, at least for anyone who isn’t a total degenerate. “Oh, sorry, I’m just really excited about his penis,” said a guy with a replica to a horrified mother of two or three kids, after she glared at him for chanting “Touch his cock! Touch his cock!” at Cheeseburger. 

Cheeseburger won, by the way. He is now the Feast Wrestling World Champion; they had a belt that was better than the belts in many indie promotions. The owner is apparently a huge wrestling fan; he was wearing a Hangman Page shirt and interfered in the match on Cheeseburger’s behalf. 

All of this would be enough to hospitalize Jim Cornette, and that was before the main event: A Four Corners Donut Death Match. The competitors were Dick Justice and Puf. I wasn’t familiar with the latter, but he is a hugely overweight man (billed at 425 lbs.) in a brightly colored, donut-themed bodysuit who is currently ranked #500 on the PWI 500. 

The stipulation worked like this: there were boxes of donuts at each ring post (”These are shoot donuts, people!” Bryce Remsburg yelled, after the ring announcer called them “genuine donuts from Dunkin Donuts”). In order to win, you had to eat one donut at each corner. Along with the referee, the judge of this was the #25 ranked competitive eater in the world, who is sponsored by Nathan’s Hot Dogs. I am a college graduate.

I mean, it was what you’re thinking: two very overweight men in punishing heat, sweating and groaning through a comedy death match where, instead of tacks and tables, there were donut holes and a big inflatable donut. Lots of gross spots. Eventually, the Colony - Fire Ant, Green Ant, and Thief Ant - charged in for some reason and started beating up the two big boys, and it turned into a three-on-two match. Then Officer Magnum, Solo Darling’s dog, intervened on behalf of Justice and Puf, and got the pin. The dog, that is. The dog pinned, I think, Fire Ant. Eat your heart out, Lou Thesz! 

After the show we wandered around downtown and eventually went to a pizza place for dinner. There was a specialty pizza on the menu called a “Buffique,” with no description. “Excuse me, what’s a buff-eek pizza?” Mike T asked the waitress.

“It’s ‘buffacue,’“ she said. “Buffalo sauce and barbecue sauce.” For some reason, our fancy, city-boy pronunciation of “buffique” as “buff-eek” has made me laugh for roughly 16 consecutive hours. It’s the little things.

The Beyond show was a blast. Hard to pick a favorite match, because there were so many good ones. EYFBO are absurdly popular, and it’s only because of the sorry state of tag team wrestling in the US that they aren’t bigger names around the country. Only a matter of time, surely. Some highlights:

* Tom Lawlor vs. Tracy Williams was a nasty, nasty dogfight. People who complain about the lack of ring psychology and selling in contemporary indie wrestling (often valid complaints!) should watch this match: the whole story was about Tracy’s injured arm, which Lawlor worked over mercilessly. Really great stuff.

* For MJF’s match against Nick Gage, the Dream Team brought out a “cop” - a wrestler in what looked to be a stripper costume (it said “COP” over the breast pocket, which is not something you often find in standard police uniforms). The idea was that if Nick Gage used a foreign object, he’d be violating his parole and would be taken back to prison. You can imagine what happened! After a closely contested match (one of the Secrets of Nick Gage is that he is honestly a very talented wrestler), Stokely Hathaway interfered, which sent Gage into a blind fury. “Nick, it wasn’t me! It wasn’t me! I was over here, reading the Bible!” Stokely protested, but to no avail: Nick grabbed a chair and laid out Stoke, Thomas Sharp, MJeff, and the “cop.” There was a real cop on duty at the show, and he seemed like a good sport.

* I’m glad that Beyond crowds are now willing to actually boo heels. Along with MJF and the Dream Team, the crowd legitimately loathes the Beaver Boys and the team of Cam Zagami and Brian Milonas. It makes the match endlessly more fun when you can root against someone.

* Viper was an announced surprise, in a match against LuFisto. Nice!

* The main event was Jordynne Grace vs. Brian Cage, and it was just about the right length and just about the right level of plausibility. A nice way to build on their encounter at All In, which was referenced before the match. 

Lowlights:

* Mike Verna took a dive off the top turnbuckle onto the floor and Milonas and Zagami just totally failed to catch him. Mistakes happen, but you could see the expression of genuine pain on Verna’s face when he landed. Catch people on dives!

* Brandon Watts legitimately broke his neck at a Beyond Wrestling show in 2016. Since he’s been back, his high-flying style has been cause for more than one sharp intake of anxious breath from the crowd. In his match against Anthony Green, it looked like everyone’s worst fear had come true: after a spot in the corner, Watts was on the canvas, not moving. The referee threw up the X and called out to the promoter, “Drew, I need help here.” Other referees came over, along with wrestlers. Green sat in the far corner, looking like he was in shock. The crowd was totally silent. The on duty cop came over, talking into his radio. And then Watts sprang up and rolled up Green for the win. That’s honestly a shitty thing to do, although I realize fake injury angles are common in wrestling; this did not come across as fake, though. Later in the show, Jaka caught his leg on the middle rope during a suicide dive and landed on his face, prompting a pause in the match while people ran over to check on him. The crowd didn’t know if this was real or fake (it was real); that’s why you don’t fuck around with that kind of thing. A sour note in an otherwise terrific show.

[setoangel01-fanfiction]

Beautiful Disaster

Beautiful Disaster - Chapter 8 (Previous Chapters)

Rated: T

Chapter Summary: After Johnny's long horrific night and near death-experience, Ash comes up with a plan that may be beneficial to them both…but will he accept her offer?

Fanfiction.net

A03

 It was at least an hour before Johnny stirred.

Ash's hands still dragging in soft strokes across his slack face but the second he began stirring, she immediately stopped. Deciding instead to pick up the rag she discarded earlier and pretend she was still just cooling down the swelling even if the rag had already gotten much warmer with the passage of time.

Tired blue eyes met his half-lidded chestnut gaze that peeked out from behind gray (and for his right eye - purplish blue) lids. Johnny blinked a few times as if mentally evaluating where he was before licking his lips with a throaty groan - yeah, not the best idea to lick a swollen, bloody lip.

"...Ash?" he asked, accent heavy and thick with the clinging of sleep.

"Yeah," she reassured with a gentle paw stroke across his brow ridges. "It's me."

"Ugh…" Johnny grunted, arm lifting lazily before he placed a large hand upon his throbbing forehead. "'ow long was I sleepin'?"

"Not long." she answered truthfully, "Maybe an hour or two - couldn't tell ya exactly."

"W-Why didn't you just put my head down? That can't be comfortable for your legs." his genuine care shocked her at times. Here he was broken and bruised in so many parts of his body but yet he found himself worrying about her legs being uncomfortable of all things.

"I didn't want to risk waking you up." she shrugged, voice soft as she ran the damp rag across his eyes to rid him of the bit of crust that formed from his short nap. "If you're anything like me, I get grumpy when I get woken up so I thought it best you do it on your own."

Johnny chuckled, seeming a bit surprised at her gentle and kind action but said nothing other than a breath of "thanks".

"Yeah, well, you would've done the same for me…heh, probably more, but…" Ash's voice tapered off when she saw the pained look on his face; furry brows pinched as he rubbed the tips of his fingers over his forehead.

Ash gingerly brushed them aside and started massaging his forehead with the cooling rag and and purposeful strokes of her fingertips. Relieved when his hands fell back to his sides and he fully relaxed into her ministrations.

It grew silent for a long time as she stewed in the familiar anxiety nestled deep in her chest.

Knowing that while he was alive and in one piece, he was still hurting and that nothing had really been solved regarding his predicament. There was still three deranged animals out there wanting to hurt (kill) him and he refused to call the authorities or even go to a fucking hospital to get bandaged up properly. Terrified to even call the police to report the incident in fear his father would find out and get himself a longer prison sentence when he would indeed break out again and hunt down the bastards who did it. A part of her so tempted to get that to happen (she'd love to watch Big Daddy wring their scrawny necks) but wanting to respect Johnny's wishes won out that baser desire for vengeance.

It was still so damn infuriating though! Johnny refusing help from any outside sources and it was only the adoration she had nestled in her heart for him that she wasn't punching some sense into him right now.

"Well…" she finally spoke when Johnny's headache seemed to wane, "You really got yourself in a predicament, didn't you?" Ash asked (throwing out a million and one other things she wanted to say) while plopping the rag back onto the couch beside her.

"Heh." Johnny chuckled yet no mirth was ingrained in that bitter laugh, "My dad did, but I guess ya can say that…"

Ash bit back a response when he hastily continued; his eyes now open and pleading with her.

"Really, i-it's alright though. I don't want you to worry about any of this, Ash. You have enough on your plate - it's my problem - I'll deal with it."

"Hn - N-Now, how the hell do you propose to do that?" she questioned - quite transparent that she didn't believe he had any of this figured out quite yet. While awaiting an answer, her short fingers moved further up his head to twirl languidly in the longer, lighter fur; taking a second to thumb over the patch of hazelnut tinted fur.

"..."

"Johnny?" Ash asked again.

The gorilla let out a deep sigh before admitting, "I dunno, Ash… I - I know I can't stay here forever. Mr. Moon is already getting suspicious and the guilt is eating away at me, but…I can't stay at the garage either - especially now! A-And trying to afford a different place to live while dealing with my dad's lawyers and their outrageous bills that keep piling up, all these unnecessary court dates that cost so much and do so little! Every cent I make is going to this a-and I have no choice but to keep working and hoping for the best but I know this charade can't last forever…I just - I - GAH!" he yelled and pulled back her paw when he buried his face in his hands.

A grunt of pain followed the second his palms made contact and Ash wanted to bop him on the shoulder for being an idiot and touching his tender face so roughly.

"Johnny…look at me."

It took a good few moments before he pulled his hands from his face and laid them back on his bare stomach. Ash followed the motion and took in the darkening bruises that now lay scattered on his chest. Visual reminders of the hell he went through tonight - almost losing his life and now having to deal with the consequences of not having a safe, steady home and peering over his shoulder to wonder if they'd attack him again.

That's no life - it's hell, and Johnny didn't deserve that.

Prison was a better word for the situation he was in and Ash wondered if there was even a solution. Her own problems with her ex-boyfriend annoying her all hours of the night were nothing in comparison to the drastic switch Johnny's life had taken. Minor complaints and superficial issues seemed pale in comparison to the circus his life had transformed into. Multiple doubts and questions lingering painfully over what he could possibly do - what she could possibly do to help him…and then it hit her.

Ash's eyes widened as she thought about it and before she could talk herself out of it (or even mull over the idea completely), she found her mouth and tongue doing the work for her.

"Johnny," she spoke steadily, continuing when his eyes met hers, "You're not going back to the garage…and you sure as hell not staying here and taking showers in the fucking sink."

"Heh. I haven't gotten that far yet." he chuckled but she sensed the sadness lacing his voice. His face fell a breath later and all the worries he had buried underneath the surface echoed on his down-turned face - it broke her. "What else am I supposed to do? …I have no family that isn't in prison, I'm not even safe at my own house anymore, and I sure as hell don't want anyone else in the theater knowing about this! It's bad enough that you do now…"

Ash's offer died in her throat when that statement fell from his mouth - the rare swear nothing compared to him admitting he never planned on telling her.

"…Wait…y-you never planned on telling me?" Ash's eyes widened and brow heavily furrowed as she peered down at him; not quite believing what she was hearing even as she watched the words fall straight from his lips.

"I - I don't know…Maybe? Ya know, when it was all figured out or over and done with…"

"...or you were dead?"

Johnny was surprised at the tremble in which she spoke, shocked at seeing abrupt tears filling her icy orbs.

"...Yeah…I suppose that's how you would have found out, huh?" he acknowledged, eyes turning away from hers to stare at the ceiling.

The room became almost filled with an almost deafening silence. Only sounds that infiltrated the space were of the whirring lights exuding off the small lamp far off to their right, the muffled echoes of the never-sleeping city outside, and their unsteady breaths.

It came so suddenly - anger so alarming to her as it filled her chest. As if Johnny didn't care what happened to him; not allowing anyone to help - rather deal with it on his own until it sorted itself out or he died in the process. The confession on his lips broke something deep within her.

"How dare you." Ash whimpered.

Johnny's wide gaze suddenly met hers.

"How fucking DARE you!" tears began trickling down her face without her consent; causing a thin wet trail to slip down her furry cheeks in their wake. "Not telling anyone what you were dealing with? Facing these maniacs and not even caring if they killed you!? J-Johnny, I - I…h-how….Don't you have any idea - o-or know how much you…" her trembling voice tapered off; the pain accompanying the thought of losing him and how little he seemed to care had her voice failing her.

Ash physically couldn't finish whatever statement she had tried so hard to say.

Plain confusion written on his face combined with the hell he'd - they'd been through tonight - had finally become too much for her fragile strength to handle.

No more hesitation present and not being able to handle his warm chestnut eyes looking at her that way, Ash lunged forward. Hurriedly burying her face in his throat; nose nestled against his pulse point followed by a heartbreaking sob leeching out into his fur. Small fingers pulling frantically at his thick black pelt in desperate need to grasp onto something, anything to keep her tethered to this earth and whatever remained of her sanity.

Forced to confront how close she came to losing him tonight was overwhelming and his blatant disregard for his own life broke whatever remained of her abhorrent grasping she had on a cold, uncaring demeanor. A mask she'd grasped onto for way too long. So simultaneously furious with him but just so relieved he was here in one piece and she still had time…

Johnny more or less stayed completely silent throughout.

Shock slowly wearing off at seeing her breaking down overtook any confusion; desperate need to comfort her simply overwhelming everything else. Large, shaking hands gently enveloped her body. Carefully smoothing down her frayed quills and brushing his palm over her lower back and sides in reassuring strokes. Melting into her touch and warmth bundled against his chest; comfort he'd needed so bad after tonight coming to fruition. It was soon followed by guilt - by hiding such pertinent information from her; not telling his best friend what he was dealing with when he knew she had the right to know.

Johnny had been so used to doing things by himself for so long at this point, he didn't stop and consider how it could effect others - especially her.

"'m sorry, Ash. I shouldn't 'ave said that. I shoulda told ya about all this sooner - I'm so sorry…" Johnny found his voice before it tapered off; accent thick and a bit nasally as he nuzzled her forehead with his furry cheek when words failed him.

Ash couldn't help but smile at the ticklish feeling it bestowed upon her. Hating how she let herself emotionally break down like this but in the same instance never wanted him to stop…just what was wrong with her? Yet her normal brazen and rather prickly side of her personality didn't care for soon enough, she felt herself nuzzling him back. Lifting her nose from the hallow of his throat to nuzzle her cheek against his; body gravitating even closer to his addicting warmth and feel of him under her fur and skin.

Johnny was alive, warm, whole - perhaps a bit battered and bruised but ultimately, he would be okay - and dammit, she was determined to keep him that way.

"J-Just -" Ash whimpered, swallowing back the lump in her throat before uttering, "…just…never fucking do that again - okay? You need to promise me that you'll be more careful and listen to your gut when it tells you something is off - alright?"

"...I will," he promised.

"You also better tell me anything that's wrong whether it be you need money for food or you're getting fucking stalked! Stop holding back information because you think it'll bother me or some stupid shit like that! From now on, you better tell me everything - I mean, it Johnny! You're my best friend, you should be able to tell me this stuff!" she muttered into his neck, one hand releasing from his fur to wipe furiously at a few rebellious tears that slipped down her face.

Johnny must have noticed this action and slowly pulled back to look at her; Ash following him as much as she could before she reluctantly opened her teary eyes. Shocked to no end when his massive palm was suddenly cradling her face, thumb tenderly brushing over her cheek to wipe off the few tears she missed in her haste.

"I know, and 'm sorry. B-But, I promise, Ash, I'll be sure to tell ya everything from now on. I swear it." Then he smiled at her; wiping away another droplet that fell and her eyes instinctively slipped away from his. Ash swore he felt the heat rising to her face with the brush of his thumb across her cheekbone…yet found out she kinda didn't care.

"...You better." she whispered before she again buried her face in his throat. She told herself it was only to hide from his penetrating gaze but couldn't help but admit how great it felt (especially after such hell tonight) to hold him close.

Ash wasn't sure how long they stayed like that.

It was easily the most intimate they'd ever been with each other. Touching and in closer contact than either of them had been comfortable being at any point in time before. Friends that would hug, hold hands occasionally when running through a nasty rainstorm - hell, even cuddle and fall asleep together during a movie -

…but nothing like this.

Ash supposed it could have easily been the life and death situation or her realizing (and him too) how fragile life really was. A delicate, beautiful, flighty thing that could be stolen and ripped away without rhyme or reason whenever fate deemed fit. Yet, Johnny was spared for whatever explanation and for that - she couldn't be more grateful.

In this moment, she didn't care that her nose was buried in his throat; arms scattered over his broad shoulders as she pressed herself fully against his chest and Johnny didn't seem at all eager for it to stop either. Going as far as holding her in his firm hold without having the barrier of his shirt to keep them apart and him grasping onto his usual modesty. Heartbeats thudding against each other where they could feel the rise and fall of their combined breaths and absorb the warmth of the tight embrace.

It may have been more complicated, but at this time, it was simply contact to let the other know they were alive and for right in this moment, the world was an okay place.

There were no gang members trying to kill him or no annoying ex-boyfriends at her door, no father's locked away in prison, no feeling inadequate and questioning her worth that haunted her on a daily basis. Just two souls enjoying a brief moment of respite from the harsh world that awaited beyond this small couch - nothing more.

And that was okay.

Time slipped by slowly.

Johnny's strong, steady heartbeat was pleasant and comforting beneath her palm; warm breath brushing over her forehead causing the anxiety she had been harboring since seeing him tonight slowly faded away. A quite moment of reflection to which Ash was able to re-think her almost offer she had yet to verbally state.

Only one thing was certain - Johnny returning to the garage was simply not happening.

Ash blatantly refused to allow him to go back in the vicinity of those assholes who wanted to hurt him and not even dare to give them a chance to finish the job. Simply wouldn't allow Johnny to live in the theater where there were no showers, places to store food, fridges nor kitchens and thinking of him permanently sleeping on a lumpy couch in some backroom at the theater made her stomach churn uncomfortably.

Throughout it all, she recalled Johnny's reasoning for not having the funds to get a new place. While well-warranted because of his recent struggles (of the barest minimum he told her of anyway): getting his dad out of prison, fierce prosecutors ready to lock him up forever coupled with parole boards, rising court costs and bloodthirsty lawyers (considering her dad was one) who threatened your love one's freedom if they dared miss one paycheck.

Johnny had been working so hard in spite of it all.

Promoting, practicing, cleaning, theater upkeep, and doing everything Moon asked of him and kept up their crazy performance schedule without being a minute late. To acknowledge that every cent he earned was being spent on an expensive lawyer - and knowing Johnny the way she did, he probably refused himself necessities as long as it meant a single chance for his dad to soon be free and come back home.

It couldn't have been easy but Johnny had been trying and kept his positive nature throughout; casual smile never faltering even if his world may have been crumbling underneath his feet at times. Johnny was never one to concern others with any personal issues he may have been harboring - while it was noble, it was quite annoying for she desperately wanted to help. This guy had been there for her through it all and truthfully, made it possible for her to start trusting others again. Johnny's permanent positivity (while irksome at times) had her grow to lean on him and now she wanted to repay the favor.

What Johnny truly needed now was a break - respite, relief and not be looking over his shoulder everywhere he went now. Worried they'd attack him or worse - his father subsequently finding out and worried about the lengths he'd go to avenge his son. Johnny didn't need that kind of stress along with his already hectic life and more than anything, Ash just wanted (needed) him to be safe somewhere.

A home away from his worries and those who may want to hurt him…so what better place than hers?

Part of her felt insane for considering it but they had spent so much time outside of work anyway it only felt natural. They were always together, calling, texting, and at each other's place to just bum around and it was great. Johnny was clean, respectful, and was nothing but a gentleman - so why would that change in any aspect when living with him? Both worked hellish similar schedules so it's not like they'd be home much anyway and it wasn't as if he'd permanently living on her couch; she had another room she designated her 'music room' but that could be rearranged. Having Johnny alive and in one piece meant more to her than losing out on a bit of her privacy - besides, her apartment felt a bit too empty and lonely most times.

Admitting to herself that having him around would be nice - so before she could talk herself out of it, she let the words form.

"Hey. Johnny?" she asked, breath ruffling his fur as it exited her mouth.

"Hn? Yea?" he muttered and Ash hid the smile when she noticed how sleepy he sounded; maybe even dozed off a bit without her knowledge.

"...You're staying with me and that's final." Ash spoke firmly, daring him to object.

"...W-W - ahem - Eh…What?" accented voice was nothing than a gasp, correcting himself partly through by clearing his throat.

"You heard me." Ash lifted her head to gaze at him. As expected, his eyes were wide and mouth agape while staring at her as if she'd suddenly acquired an additional head.

"...What?"

"Johnny," Ash sighed, "I want you to stay with me - and you're going to stay with me." the strange inkling of the first moment she heard him sing flicked in her head with those words. How something that at once seemed so insignificant at the time felt so profound now. A meaningless lyric once upon a time now felt pressing and breathtakingly significant in its referred meaning as it was used now.

"..."

Ash wondered if he lost the ability to speak; her own voice feeling heavy as her heart pounded painfully against her ribcage and she hoped to God the shaking that developed in her paws and the blood rushing to her cheeks wasn't too obvious. She was about to say something to make the situation and its circumstances seem lighter somehow, but before she could utter anything out, he interjected.

"Ash - I-I," his voice felt foreign; thick and upset in a way she wasn't used to hearing. So much confliction in the expression on his face and his eyes having trouble meeting hers as he spoke. Johnny took a few breaths to gather himself before he continued…and his words were not what she cared to hear.

"...I appreciate the offer - I really do," he gave her a smile that didn't reach his eyes, "…but no. I- I couldn't impose like that - I couldn't do that to you! I -" Johnny froze when she gingerly placed her small fingers over his lips, effectively silencing him.

Ash surprised herself at her forwardness but didn't show it - dutifully ignoring how his warm, soft lips felt under her fingertips and the surprise widening those gentle eyes when she spoke out with all the certainty she felt.

"I want you to stay with me." Ash flushed beside herself at the conviction in her voice and the look in his eyes when she said it had her stomach churning in a way with which she didn't think was possible. How open and clear they seemed and to cover the blush that was becoming much to prominent, she thought a more 'Ash-like' explanation was warranted.

"N-Not only for you but ya see, I have this ex-boyfriend infestation problem and I think you'd make an awesome live-in bodyguard now that I know you're not afraid to throw a punch." Ash chuckled as if to break up the tension she felt lingering in the air. Still her fingers remained over his mouth, tenderly stroking his swollen bottom lip as if to ease it as well as him in the process.

For the first time tonight, she seen him smile (genuinely this time) and Ash savored the sweet sight of it. Something that was always so common on his face was nearly absent tonight until this very moment and it warmed her heart like nothing else had before. A few seconds later, her hand moved from his lip to cup his cheek instead; remaining there to absentmindedly brush the fur covering his cheekbones. It was some form of relief; believing that he'd accept her offer and all the worries that remained buried in her gut would subside.

Yet all too soon, the smile he gave her fell and her heart lodged itself into her throat.

"I appreciate your kindness, Ash - I really do…but…I can't."

Ash's own smile faded just as quickly; brows furrowing as she stared at him but before she could butt in with a few choice words of her own, he continued.

"I couldn't do that - those blokes aren't going to give up so easily… I know they aren't, and I care way too much about you to needlessly put you through this. I can't give them the chance hurt you - I-I'd never want that to happen - I'd die before I let that happen."

Ash opened her mouth to speak, to stop him saying those things but she froze feeling his fingers suddenly over her lips - effectively silencing her much like she did to him.

"I'm not letting them hurt you too - not because of me, Ash… Never because of me. So, I'm sorry, but… I can't…"

"..."

"I just can't…" he whispered helplessly.

The steel in her eyes and heart was suddenly back with a vengeance.

Johnny's selflessness an annoying pain in her ass she was not dealing with anymore; for in his thinking, he didn't even realize how much his safety meant to her. The fact she needed him, cared for him, and wanted him safe meant more to her than some three deranged jerk-wads finding out where she lived. If it meant Johnny would stay alive and safe, she would deal with whatever hell they bothered to conjure up.

"You think I give a fuck?!" she growled after firmly pulling his fingers away from her mouth.

"A-Ash?" he was obviously scandalized by her actions (and words) but she wasn't done.

"I live in a fuckin' apartment - a police officer living three doors down mind you - I highly doubt they'll figure out where you're staying let alone the apartment number. You've been to my place, it's crawling with animals 24/7 - believe me because it's hell trying to fall asleep with all the damn noise! Those criminals may be stupid, but they're not that stupid to try that shit again with all those witnesses around."

"But they might know you live with me, follow you, and even hurt you! Perhaps even try and ransom you to lure me out, and -" Ash placed her finger over his lips again and the way they were pursed had him essentially kissing her fingertips. She ignored the shiver echoing through her spine upon feeling it and instead spoke in spite of it.

"My God! You worry too damn much. Look, I take a crowded walk every morning with a bus full of animals and you usually end up driving me home at night if we're done practicing at nearly the same time…right?"

Johnny hesitated slightly before had no choice and nodded in agreement.

"I'll be fine…and if you stay with me, you'll be too."

Johnny's eyes fell away as if unconvinced.

"Johnny, look at me," Ash directed gently and he reluctantly obeyed, "I hate that you got hurt tonight - I really do. It pisses me the fuck off…but even you have to admit that what happened shouldn't have been a surprise. The guys had been casing the place for at least a week - maybe more - and the garage is in the middle of nowhere! Hardly any street lights on the whole damn property - it's dark as hell at night around there and there's barely any street or foot traffic! It's no wonder that they finally got the balls to make a move!"

Johnny's cheeks darkened in shame but he didn't bother denying it.

"…But if you're living with me, you're not giving them the advantage. There's no way they'd try anything, and if they did, I'll call the police and your dad will be none the wiser…Capiche? We'd go on, those fuckers will either let whatever grudge they have go or be in jail. Everything will go back to normal - only, we'd be roommates. That's all." she finished, hating how her cheeks flushed at the last part.

Slowly, Ash began pulling back her fingers from his mouth.

Semi-expecting him to complain or come up with another scenario in which it was all a horrible idea…but that didn't happen. Instead, the gorilla remained painfully quiet for long drawn out moments; eyes cloudy as if lost in his head and mulling over everything she had told him. Time slipped by so much so that Ash was tempted to continue to further convince him but he beat her to it.

"...are ya sure?" Johnny asked meekly and Ash was tempted to roll her eyes.

"Yes. Would you like it in writing?" Ash teasingly replied.

"Nah, it's alright." he chuckled, smile faltering a bit when it was obvious his swollen lip made it hard to smile for too long. "But I would like to pay you back, at least help with rent at the very least. It'll make me feel better."

"If you insist but only what you can afford, Johnny. Just until this mess with your dad and his greedy lawyers is over then get ready to shell out for half of everything, buddy." The way she made it sound like a permanent thing had both of them breaking eye contact for a moment.

"Heh…I'd be happy to." he chuckled.

"Good. Then it's settled."

"...but -"

"Oh for God's sake, what now, Johnny?" Ash groaned, the exhaustion that had been plaguing her for days getting harder to ignore when it finally seemed as if there would be slight reprieve.

"...it's just…all my belongings, how am I supposed to get them out of there? I'm thinking they might stick around there - or maybe not, I don't know…Maybe I -"

"Perhaps go back during the day?" Ash interrupted, "Or bring a few buff friends with you to make sure they stay back? Hell, even Mike has a concealed carry after the whole bear incident and I hear he's a pretty good shot if the assholes want to try anything." she smirked at the shocked look that crossed his face, "You also have a truck - perfect for moving and I bet Meena, Eddie, and Buster wouldn't mind helping you move some of the larger furniture. I would offer my services but I highly doubt I could be of much help." she finished with a gesture to her petite stature.

Those words seemed to have Johnny reconsidering, his eyes flitting to the side before meeting hers again and uttering out yet another excuse, "...even then, Ash, I've been to your place. It's not very large and I don't want to clutter up your place with all my junk - I-It's not right, you shouldn't have to do this for me..."

"We've been over this - I want to." Ash sighed heavily, "Johnny, the only place you have to bend down so you don't bump the ceiling with your noggin is my front door - Other than that, it's gorilla sized enough with the tall ceilings and you've sat on and even crashed on my furniture plenty of times and it never broke. As for room, I think we'll manage the space so don't worry about that."

"But -" Johnny opened his mouth to intercept but Ash talked over him.

"But nothing, Johnny! There's plenty of room even if you want to bring your piano over! Besides, the music room you'll be staying in is nearly empty after I threw out all of Lance's shit - I'll just have to move the few guitars and amps into my living room. It's no big deal because I wanted to reorganize the living room anyway now that Lance's music collection is nothing more than a pile of ashes in my apartment's incinerator." Ash shrugged off his fears in her normal laid-back way; even giving a devilish smile when she relived the joys of burning all of Lance's possessions. "Plenty of room." she winked at him.

Johnny cracked a smile and for Ash, it was great seeing the relief fill his face even if a slight bit of worry remained etched into the furrow of his brows.

"Okay," Johnny finally acquiesced and she physically breathed a sigh of relief at his acceptance before he said something she nearly forgot mentioning, "What were ya saying 'bout Lance? An infestation?"

"Oh… That. Well, long story short - he's the bane of my existence and won't leave me alone. It's been going on for awhile."

"...is that why you're here so late?"

Ash hid the flush of embarrassment knowing how Johnny told her of his own squatting ways at the theater. Instead, she just gave him a dry look before rolling her eyes and agreeing with a shrug.

"Guess ya could say that." she verbally admitted.

"He's not trying to hurt you, is he?" the low growl in his voice had Ash looking at Johnny differently. Face heating with seeing very unfamiliar anger crossing those warm chestnut eyes with flecks of reds and coffee browns.

In that moment, Ash couldn't help but recall how upset Johnny had been over Lance since she told him exactly what happened. How his happy demeanor shifted upon mentioning Lance cheating after all their years together; many times he put her down and kept her pushed to the background when singing together. Recalled the slight snarl Johnny spoke with when referring to him since - telling her how she deserved better and how Lance was a 'bloody wanker' for treating her that way. It was the closest she'd ever witnessed Johnny being actually angry…and it was rather flattering that it was over her.

"No." she answered, running a paw over his cheek absentmindedly as if to reassure him, "He's just annoying the hell out of me lately. Texting and calling constantly and since I don't answer my phone, he decided to mosey on over and stand outside my front door all night and irritate the hell out of me. Overall, being a gigantic dip-wad who doesn't take 'no' for an answer; but, another benefit of you moving in is he'll take one look at you and most likely piss himself." Ash chuckled lightly; face heating when she caught herself looking down his muscular chest and broad shoulders.

Johnny's cheeks were tinted red as well but he took it in stride; looking at her as if he wasn't completely convinced of this situation but yet her smile didn't falter.

"Ya want me to rough the ol' wanker up a bit?" he asked jokingly and Ash couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of it all. Here was perhaps the most gentle being on the planet joking about kicking her ex-boyfriend's ass for bothering her, and damn, it kinda sounded amazing even if it was said in a joking manner.

"Hell, if you can make it so he doesn't come over again, I'll be the one paying you to stay over." she teased back, bopping him lightly on the chin and he smiled with all his teeth (even if it couldn't feel good for his lip, he didn't seem to care). Flashing those white canines that had her stomach churning slightly in her nervous gut.

"I'm not making any promises." he brushed his chin against her fingers and she nervously pulled them back to rest on his chest. Wondering to herself how a night that started with such blatant horror and anxiety was now ending with teasing…and perhaps mild flirting caused by their tiredness, Johnny's blood loss, or something entirely genuine - she couldn't tell you exactly. Most of her dared not confront any of that - especially now of all times. Now that he was safe and secure, there was plenty more time to consider all of that later…but not now.

"Dammit," she muttered, smile plastered on her face as she stared down at him; biting her lip and not holding back the small chuckles that escaped.

The moment faded and Johnny, while seemingly convinced of the plan, held a hint of uncertainty in the purse of his lips and distance in his eyes. Ash admitted there was still many hurtles before things would ultimately come together. None of the things they planned would happen overnight or even in a few weeks time if she was at all honest with herself, but she was certain they'd get there in time.

"Ash, I -" Johnny began to speak when she yet again put her small hand over his lips. The surprise was obvious in his face but she just shook her head at him wanting to continue with the thought.

"No more tonight, Johnny." Ash sighed while removing her fingers. Ignoring the baser instincts to keep her distance, leaned down a bit to rest her cheek on his (un-swollen one of course).

Johnny flinched at the contact but didn't object; rather pushed into it, nuzzling her face lightly with his own and she tried not to read too much into it even as her heart pitter-pattered frantically against her ribcage. Ash's cheeks warmed at the intimate contact; surprised at herself how affectionate she was being with him and he with her.

More intimate than friends should be…but she supposed it didn't matter.

"…I'm fucking tired." she said as way of explanation now that she was still laying partially atop of him. As much as she wanted to stay up all night talking to him; it had been a long few days and this was the most comfortable she'd been in a long time.

So, she damn well was going to take full advantage of it.

"Oh…Right…Um, y-ya should get some rest and we can talk more about it tomorrow." Johnny uttered out and she felt her heart skip at the light blush that cascaded over his cheeks at her action. "Mr. Moon won't be here for a few more hours anyway." he continued almost as an afterthought and that made Ash smile into the fur of his neck.

"We should rest." Ash corrected.

A part of her told her to get off and lay on the other side of the couch. Even dig up some pillows and blankets to make her a place to rest on the floor - but the warmth and comfort of his body was much too tempting for her exhausted state. So, to both her and Johnny's surprise, Ash didn't pull away completely - merely scooted down his body a bit before fully laying next to him - squishing herself between his side and the back couch cushions.

Quilled head nestled on his broad chest (careful to avoid the bruising), the rest of her petite body curled snugly against his side with her shoulder brushing under his armpit and his arm nestled securely around her. He made no move to avoid her quills and didn't seem at all bothered of how they rested smoothed against his arm. Ash avoided his questioning stare and flushed cheeks as she tried and control the rush of blood infiltrating hers at her forward action.

Yet, she made no move to adjust from her spot and Johnny seemed content with his as well.

Johnny and Ash both lay there for a long time not knowing what to say or do and Ash, surprised at her actions, found she didn't care. Simply closed her eyes and relaxed into his body; strong heartbeat thumping against her ear and knew it definitely was the most beautiful sound she ever heard. Strong, steady, and the rising and falling of his breaths caused her nothing but relief. A night that could have turned into the worst scenario ever ended with her falling asleep on his chest. A night that would be remembered as one where she lost her best friend forever was now one where it would be a shift in which they became closer than ever.

The comfort of it all had her relaxing into a near serene state…

"Ash?" until Johnny's timid voice broke the silence.

"...Yeah?" she asked sleepily.

"I jus'…wanted ta say thanks - for everything," it was merely a whisper; voice heavy with exhaustion but he made sure to say it.

Ash was tempted to lift her head, to tell him it was nothing and she wished she'd done more, but decided against it. Merely scraped the tips of her fingers over his bare chest; warm, thick skin ruffling the fine fur covering her hand. She felt the shiver it caused him and she smiled, nuzzling the side of her head on his chest before feeling it necessary to reply.

"Yeah...no problem," she decided upon - no more really needed to be said (even if a lot went unspoken) but it appeared Johnny was satisfied with it all the same.

"...G'nite, Ash." he said a breath later.

"Night." she replied, eyes never opening but she knew he was smiling when he said it.

Soon enough, his body grew lax, breaths deeper and more even in sleep and she knew she'd be following him into sweet slumber soon.

In those quiet moments between her thoughts and the unconsciousness of upcoming sleep, she thought about tonight's events and those soon to be transpiring after. Sure, not all of their problems would be solved overnight, but what could have been an absolute disaster turned into something else…

A beautiful disaster she supposed because when tonight started, she had dreaded home - the mere idea of confronting the problems at her apartment making her stomach churn. Hating the idea of going there and whatever tomorrow had in store; another night of sleep lost because of Lance's hellbent (and annoying) persistence and the writer's block plaguing her creatively were problems of absolute insignificance when confronted with the very real possibility of Johnny almost losing his life tonight.

Confronting a life without him far worse than anything else so her little problems felt like whispers in a hurricane.

Yet, that didn't happen.

Johnny was here - alive, breathing, perhaps battered and bruised, but would be healed soon enough - and sooner still, he'd be living with her. The reality of that still sinking in but instead of nervousness filling her chest - it was excitement. Ash didn't need to dread Lance or fear whatever small inconvenience life held - she needed to simply enjoy this crazy life of hers and dammit, she was going to. As she settled into Johnny's side, she loosely embraced him - his warm skin and fur lulling her to the waiting arms of slumber.

With that final thought and with the soothing sound of Johnny's heartbeat and breath filling her ears, she fell asleep - ready to confront whatever tomorrow has in store for both of them.

                                                The End