#like he's trying to be genuinely nice but it also reads as such huge blaring sirens

[james-stark-the-writer]

finally watching Barbarian (2022) and this man has negative charisma tbh. incredibly funny to cast a man this good looking in a role like this.

[possum-rat]

King ophelia

is this nearly 2 months late? yes yes it is.

@king-ophelia 

“If i die im totally haunting your ass”

(Y/n) x C!Sam  Platonic

______________

Mentions of: death, blood,tommy’s prison arc 

There had always been a close Mentor and Student type of bond Between a certain droopy elf-eared green-tinted skinned man and a young kid around the age of 15-16? Some might even say that it was closer, more Father and child-like. So naturally when Awesamdude began distancing himself from everyone while making the prison (Y/n) felt a mixture of anger and slightly guilt. Guilt because it wasn't Sam’s duty to take care of them. Sam had simply shown them Human kindness, and (Y/n) not having many good encounters with people had clutched to the praise that Sam had given on the regular. (Y/n) had only felt angrier and angrier as time passed. Especially when Ponk had stumbled into their small dark oak cottage on the outskirts of what was Pogtopia. His red yellow and black mask burned beyond repair and holding what was left of his arm. Leaping up from the small couch situated in the middle of the small one-floor house (Y/n) turns their attention to Ponk. As they work feverishly whispering that it’ll be okay more to themselves than anything else. That day they realize that the Man that they had admired so much and had tried to please didn't care. ------ “Sam? I made something look!” (Y/n) says happily as they pull the prosthetic arm they had been working on for Ponk. “I'm busy (Y/n), Tommy needs help with something,” Sam states as he brushes past (Y/n) without a thought. “Of course. It’s always Tommy and tubbo this. Why don't you have a second of time for me?” (Y/n) mumbles dejectedly. Shoving the arm back into their bag they grumble annoyed. Eventually, they bump into Foolish. “(Y/n)! Didn't see you there! How are you?” he asks cheerfully crouching into a squat. “I made something for Ponk. I tried showing Sam but he was busy. As always.” They say quietly while fiddling with the hem of the bag. Foolish’s emerald eyes widen in interest. “You did? Can I see?” Nervously they pull a wooden base of an arm armor of the bag before turning their attention to Foolish, (Y/n) smiles shyly up at the man before gently placing the arm in his huge calloused hands. Foolish sits on the ground in front of (Y/n) and turns the arm silently, his jade eyes staring intently at the arm that’s a quarter -if that -the size of his hand. Growing more nervous and agitated at the lack of response (Y/n) a close mentor-student type of bond between Sam and (Y/n). If you were to look closer it might be called a Father/child type of bond. Maybe even Found Family. Always ever since (Y/n) had been younger. (Y/n) had always looked up to him, always trying to be just like him. Horror was the least they felt when Ponk- stumbled into (Y/n’s) small cottage. His arm was bloody in his other arm. His mask torn in places, his hood pulled up pasted his face. To cover the deep cuts. Dropping the book they had been reading: The Book thief, on the couch they spring up and run toward Ponk one line still ringing in their head. “I guess humans like to watch a little destruction. Sand castles, houses of cards, that's where they begin. Their great skill is their capacity to escalate.” The meaning of those words smacks (Y/n) like a truck. Just like how Sam had destroyed (Y/n’s) view on the world, Ruining the one last thing that kept (Y/n’s) view of the parental figure like a parent. It didn't help that (Y/n) was the youngest in the vast land of DreamSmp. Being 12 when they lost their first life jumping in front of Technoblade's fireworks that Schlatt had ordered him to fire at Tubbo. And 13 when they had lost their second life to a forest fire that Niki had started. Niki had apologized of course, but techno. You know how he is. ---- It had been a few weeks after Ponk’s visit, and (Y/n) had been wandering around looking for Sam for some input. Eventually finding him they tap his shoulder and present the Wood and golden ornate hand they had been making during the past 2 weeks. “Sam! Look!” They state excitedly. As they hold out the arm. “That's nice (Y/n). But I'm busy. I need to help Tommy with his hotel.” Sam says as he shrugs (Y/n) off brushing past them. Nodding slowly (Y/n) stands on the prime path before turning and shoving the arm into their bag before walking down the prime path with no particular idea. “Oh- sorry I didn't see you there-” A tall man with bright observant jade green eyes and golden shining olive skin gazes down wearing Egyptian royalty wear with gold, and emerald stitching along the hems of the shendyt. Shifting down he smiles down at (Y/n) his gold ornately patterned Wesekh with lapis emerald and Netherite hangs off his chest while he grins happily. Sharp shark-like teeth gleaming. “(Y/n) right?” he asks as he offers out a huge hand. “Y-Yeah. You're Foolish right?” the man nods causing (Y/n) to breath in deeply the scent of pine filling their nose. (Y/n) gazes at the ground while Foolish asks “May I see the arm you tried showing Sam?” nervously (Y/n) obliges. As Foolish sits on the ground examining the minuscule arm (Y/n) grows agitated at the lack of negative response- well any response. “Sorry- I know. It's stupid and it won't work-” they mutter quietly. “No, no-no. that’s not it at all. Im amazed at the level of detail on the fingers and the knuckles (Y/n).” --------- “Tommy? I can give a note to Dream so you don't have to see him.” (Y/n) states with an undertone of wanting to prove themselves. “No- You're too young-” he begins. “No.” They interrupt loudly. Tommy raises an eyebrow. (Y/n) never really questioned anybody's judgment, they merely followed without question. “I- uh. I want to help. Please.” they continue their voice growing quieter as the sudden jolt of courage dissolves into fear of rejection. Tommy nods a small smile on his face. “Sure. Only if you pinky promise you’ll be safe okay?” ------ As they reach the prison, the anger they had repressed for months begins bubbling up. In addition to anxiety. (Y/n) hadn't really interacted with Dream much. Only briefly when he needed somewhere to hide. And foolishly (Y/n) had let him. As they reach the other end of the portal Sam doesn't look up from the desk he’s sitting at. “Tommy. Kid. I have something for you to sign.” he says tiredly. As he places a book in front of (Y/n). “Read that out loud.” (Y/n) feels a twinge of anger at the nickname Sam had given Tommy. Sam had never taken the time to do that for (Y/n). Taking a deep breath they begin. “Page 1 I HEREBY ASSUME ALL OF THE RISKS OF VISITING THE HOLDING CELL, including by way of example and not limitation, any risks that may arise from negligence or carelessness on the part of the Prison guards, prisoners misbehaving, from dangerous or defective equipment”  (Y/n) read haltingly and slowly sounding out negligence. Sam suddenly glances up and sighs “(Y/n) why are you here. Tommy said he’d be here.” ignoring what sam had asked they continue rambling

“Page 2 or property owned, maintained, or controlled by the Prison Guards. I certify that I waive, release, and discharge the Prison from any and all liability, including but not limited to, death, disability, personal injury, property damage,” they glare at Sam and murmur “you did that to ponk. You hurt him.” they take another breath before continuing:

Page 3 property theft, or actions of any kind which may hereafter occur to me, including my traveling to and from visiting the Prisoner. Written name, then sign: (Y/n)” They sign it and slide the book toward Sam. “(Y/n). Why are you here.” they scoff annoyed and reply “Why else? I'm visiting Dream. I'm telling him something Tommy wanted me to say.” ------------- As (Y/n) reaches the platform they turn toward Sam and state. “Sam. If I die. Then I’m totally haunting your ass.” Sam sighs and retorts “You're not going to die. And stop talking. Face forward.” Nodding (Y/n) turns forward tears forming in their eyes. Gazing up at the ceiling (Y/n) lifts a hand pressing it against their eyes while mentally shouting at themself to not cry. Being in prison wasn't as bad as they thought. Dream seemed nice enough, so he made conversation. “So (Y/n) have you made anything new? I’ve heard that you like making things.” Dream says as he leans against the wall his tone curious. (Y/n) jumps at the opportunity of having someone showing genuine interest in what they enjoy. “Well- I’ve started reading Norse Myths. Those are cool- I also really like- I like uh building things. Like a few weeks ago I made a fake arm for ponk cuz Sam ripped him off.” They state excitedly. Dream nods his mask contorting into a small smile. “Wait-” Dream pauses his mask’s eyebrows contorting into a frown “Did you say Sam ripped off Ponks arm?” (Y/n) freezes the hairs on the back of their neck suddenly standing on end. They laugh awkwardly, alarms blaring internally “What- nooo that's preposterous. Why would Sam do that? I mean Sam loves Ponk.” they blabber nervously as they fiddle with their hands nervously. Suddenly there’s an ear-splitting boom. Causing (Y/n) to freeze in place. ------ About a week has passed since (Y/n) got trapped in the prison. (Y/n) eventually grew more nervous and twitchy whenever Dream so much as looked at them. On the 4th day, they had gotten a cat. (Y/n) had named the calico “Fat Ass” as he was one of the Fattest cats (Y/n) had seen. On the 8th day or so (Y/n) had been trapped Fat Ass had seemed to have enough with everything and committed unalive by walking into the lava. (Y/n) would never forget his pitiful yowls as he burned alive. The ninth day (Y/n) began growing desperate Screaming at the lava for hours on end until their throat grew dry or Dream had yanked them up and tossed them across the small room. As he yelled “(Y/N) SAM DOESN'T CARE. HE’S GOING TO LEAVE YOU HERE TO FUCKING ROT. WHY WON'T THAT GET THROUGH YOUR FUCKING HEAD.” (Y/n) grew silent at that. Playing with the orangy drawstrings of their hoodie. “Okay.” (Y/n) whispers in defeat. “You win. Just stop yelling at me please.” Dream scoffs bending closer to (Y/n) grabbing the collar of their Hoodie. “(Y/n). You're pathetic. I could kill you right now and revive you because I'm bored. I could do that for hours and Sam wouldn't move a damned muscle.” (Y/n’s) (e/c) eyes widen in fear as they whisper “Your lying.” gulping they rasp “You wouldn't. You don't have it in you-” Dream grins. “(Y/n), I’m a GOD.” He Lifts a clenched fist before sending it into their gut. “I can do this as much as I want and you can't do anything about it.” He sends blow after blow. And as he bends closer to (Y/n). They take the chance and grip his ears tightly. Before screaming as loud as they could. “SAM-” As Dream sends another punch to their gut (Y/n) pulls down hard on the ear. Dream squeezes his hands around (Y/n’s) throat. “SAM PLEASE HELP. DAD-” they wail as they kick trying to escape Dream’s grasp as air begins to be a long-lost luxury. “Aw- Are you calling for daddy? He won't come (Y/n). He’s busy.” Those last words are the final words (Y/n) here before everything doubles and shifts into kaleidoscopic colors and shapes, and they take one last half-hearted breath.

(Y/n) wakes up in a calm place. Everything is so...peaceful...weirdly so. As they spin in a circle they see a playground. The cool midnight breeze ruffling (Y/n’s) hair as they skip toward the structure. Not thinking twice (Y/n) sits on one of the swings and begins to kick off. The rocking mixed with the cool breeze of the night and footsteps- wait why were their footsteps… Jumping from the swing at the top of its arch (Y/n) comes crashing down to earth. Wincing at the feeling of their body slamming against the ground. “Hello?” (Y/n) asks quietly. “Dear? Oh my- oh you were so young- Come here let’s have a little chat you and i.” a feminine voice says. (Y/n) tenses up and replies “Can- Could I stay here? On the swings I mean? I- I don't really know- I’m a little scared here- Where am-” the feminine figure comes into sight wearing a flattering simple black dress that throws her elegant features into greater depth. “Oh Honey, Do whatever makes you comfortable okay? You're in well that's hard to explain. But to put it simply, you're dead. I guess this Empty park is yours- what did My husband's son call it? Limbo? You're stuck here while we talk.” (Y/n) freezes tears forming as they sit in front of the woman. “No- I cant- Sam saved- I’m just- I'm dreaming right?” they whimper as they clutch the soft material of their sweatshirt. “Sam- He was- He saved me and I'm just having a nightmare.” (Y/n) whispers to themselves as they rock back and forth. “Here Honey let me help you. You have a bad cut and I don't want it to get infected.” (Y/n) nods slowly and as the gentle touch of the woman’s hand grazes their cheek (Y/n) jerks awake with a start. ------------------------- There had been an alarm. Luckily Sam had been in the prison at the time. As the automated voice says calmly “The Prisoner is displaying violent acts toward the visitor.” Sam’s blood runs cold. “(Y/n)” he gasps as he sprints through a special tunnel he had created in case of an event like this. As he waits for the lava to drain he regrets ignoring (Y/n). As the lava finally drains he can see Dream leaning against a wall, a hand covering his left ear as bloodstains it. While (Y/n) seems to be asleep at his feet. That doesn't help his fears. “Dream. What the hell did you do?” Sam asks quietly as he reaches the halfway point of his destination. Dream turns slowly before reaching down to (Y/n’s) head and turning it where it’s on full display for Sam to see. Bloody, and 2 giant purple hands print upon their throat. Sam Backs up disgust filling his brain. “They wouldn't stop yelling for you. I got annoyed.” dream states simply. Sam backs away in disgust as he crouches down and hoists (Y/n) up. “Sam- D’you know they kept begging for mercy. They shouted and I quote“Sam Please help. Dad” Dream’s tone is mocking as he stretches. “Obviously you failed them as a parent. When they first came in they were so eager to have someone listen to them for once instead of being bossed around.” Dream laughs. “They tried so hard to make you happy or to be proud of them. (Y/n) felt so neglected that they were genuinely excited when me- a prisoner showed interest. That says a lot about them doesn't it Sam.” Sam stares at the floor, his heart beating faster and faster. “Sam- I heard what they said to you before they came in here.” As Sam steps back onto the floating bridge he set’s (Y/n’s) body down and backs up his hands rubbing his face as the Lava begins to return to place. Sam leans on the wall a few feet from the lava covering the entrance of Dream’s holding cell. ----- Phantom(N/n). That's the only thing the ghost remembers. The only name apart from Awesamdude. Phantom(N/N) is pretty sure that Awesamdude isn't their name.  Standing in a small purplish room, where two unfamiliar men stand one cowering under another man with a scar running down his face making his eye white. Tensing up Phantom(N/n) backs up and crutches into a small ball trying to stay out of view. But they were spotted. The man with the scar crutches in front of Phantom(N/n) and smiles offering out a reddish hand. Phantom(N/n) gazes up at him before taking it nervously and avoiding the gaze of the man wearing green while Alive(Y/n)’s voice murmurs to stay away from Dream. The man with the scar has warm hands Phantom(N/n) notices. Glancing up Phantom(N/n) smiles up at the man, as he gently guides the two of them across the bridge. As they reach the other end Phantom(N/n) lets go of the man's hand, noticing then that he has Light brownish feathers coming from the side of his head along with wings coming from his back with dark shiny greens and other colors. “(Y/n)?” he asks as he places his hands on each side of their shoulders. Phantom(N/n) frowns before saying “Oh you're talking about Alive(Y/n), I’m Phantom(N/n)” they smile up at him taking in his injury. Gently raising their hand Phantom(N/n) places a finger on the man’s cheek while frowning. “Does it hurt?” Phantom(N/n) asks their head tilting in concern. Phantom(N/n) removes their hand from his slightly rough scar before turning when a set of footsteps grow louder. As they turn Phantom(N/n) fiddles with the orange drawstrings while they gaze at the shiny slightly refective Blackstone floor. Lowering themself Phantom(N/n) sits on the floor tracing the cool stone tile as the two people talk in hushed hurried tones. Before the man with duck-like feathers suddenly erupts “SAM- THIS IS A CHANCE FOR YOU TO TRY TO REPAIR YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH (Y/N).” The other man Sam retorts his voice shaking “Quackity. (Y/n’s) dea-” Phantom(N/n) looks up at those words. As their eyes meet Sam’s they flick their gaze back to the floor. “I’m not (Y/n). I’m Phantom(N/n).” Phantom(N/n) murmurs quietly while Quackity and Sam continue to argue. As their shouting becomes louder and louder Phantom(N/n) stands up and tries to find an exit. Finding a passageway probably for employees Phantom(N/n) walks through pressing a hand to the wall as they skip through the cold narrow halls. The cool rush of air a pleasant change in contrast to the hot sticky-stale air of the prison cell. The yelling growing fainter Phantom(N/n) feels a breath of air go. On they didn't realize they were holding in. Reaching into their pocket Phantom(N/n) pulls out a soft Bunny. One with orange wool, and a small carrot attached with a thin string. Holding it in their hands Phantom(N/n) stares at it a small smile spreading on their face. An expression of confusion replaces the small smile before the grin returns.“ You’ll be...uh...Your...Pluto. Yeah, you’ll be Pluto.” One of pluto’s shiny black eyes catches the light of something and Phantom(N/n) stiffens as they gaze forward. Slowly turning around Sam stands their Axe in hand. Tensing up Phantom(N/n) says with a huff.“That’s not nice. You shouldn’t point pointy sharp things at people. Someone could get hurt.” Sam frowns before crouching infront of Phantom(N/n) and placing the axe somewhere in his inventory. Smiling in approval Phantom(N/n) shrugs their jacket higher on their shoulder before jumping toward Sam. “Who are the rings for? You and Mr.Quackity both had 2 each. Are you married to two people? Do I get 2 more dads?” The questions roll of Phantom(N/n’s) tongue fast. Sam stands up resting Phantom(N/n) on his hip his left arm securing them to his body. Sam hesitates before nodding. “Yeah.- yeah you do. Do you want to meet them?” the two people walk through the same hall that Phantom(N/n) had walked through. “Mr.Quackity? Who are you married to? Isn’t it the man with the swirly pattern and the other man with the headband?” Quackity nods slowly before muttering. “Something like that. They forgot about me.” Phantom(N/n) doesn't seem to like this information. Squirming in Sam’s grasp Sam gently places them down before they grab Quackity’s hand and smiling up at him “Well We’ll go make them unforget! Come one!” They state firmly as if there were no room for criticism.

[writerofshit]

Jerevin au where they both secretly have a huge crush on the other but are trying to repress it because they're friends and coworkers it would be weird. After a heist they end up at a safehouse together for the night that only has one bed and Jeremy's immediately like "I'll sleep on the couch to keep watch!!" and Gavin agrees because if they share a bed it'll be Too Much. It's fine for a while but then in the middle of the night Jeremy gets up to pee and his half-asleep brain (1/2)

(2/2) just autopilots him to the bedroom after and he gets in bed without thinking about it. Cue the next morning when they each wake up and slowly realise they're cuddling/spooning their crush and have to awkwardly escape the bed (once they're done alternating between thinking how nice it is and screaming internally). They get back to the penthouse later that day and the rest of the crew can't figure out why they're being so weird (except Michael, he's got a pretty good idea)

Anon I would appreciate it if you gave me back my one braincell, I've been looking for it all day.

But genuinely, this hits every single idea that I love. Secret, mutual pining? Check. One bed? Check. Waking up mid cuddle, torn between enjoying the moment and panicking over what they think they'll never truly have?? Check! The whole thing being so blatantly obvious to someone looking in? Check!!

Like. Ok. Alright. Let's break this down.

Secret crushes. The point when they reach this is, of course, well past Jeremy being a sort of ~fan~ of the crew, past his initial dislike of Gav, even past 'we can be at least cordial and occasionally laugh together.' No, they're full blown friends, they hang out, they talk about real shit, they trust each other. They've made it this far, and it's great, they're as happy as can be, and then.

Then there's little whisper in the backs of their heads, what if they could be more? And that's terrifying, in a lot of ways, because if it all goes south tomorrow, well. There's so much more at stake now, isn't there?

So they keep it quiet, stay content with the friendship they have. Rather have that than nothing at all. It's fine. They each try to avoid letting too much out, try not to put themselves in situations where they're likely to spill. Try not to read too much into arms thrown over shoulders or lingering smiles. It's fine.

Then a heist goes sideways and everybody is scattered at different safe houses and they're both glad they're not alone, but. But of all people, of course they get stuck with each other. Which is great, because friends or what have you, but also there's that nagging crush that just hasn't gone away.

There's also the fact that it's not so much a safe 'house' as it is safe 'shithole apartment on the other side of town'. One bed one bath, one couch, one twelve pack of beer in the fridge from god knows when. They shouldn't drink it but they do. They spend the night laughing and talking and sitting too close. It's right there, on the tips of their tongues, twin confessions they should have shared a long time ago-

But neither of them has the guys to say it.

So Jeremy offers to take the couch, because that's the best way to diffuse the undeniable energy in the room, right? Gavin let's him take it, because it must be a sign that he's enjoying this all too much, let himself get too close, right?

They go to their respective beds, both stay up far too late dissecting every word and brief touch. They reach the conclusion that they must be imagining it all, that the fact that they're sleeping separately speaks volumes. They're co-workers and friends, best friends, even, and that's all they'll ever really be. And that's enough, really it is.

But when Jeremy gets up in the middle of the night, and this shithole apartment is interchangeable for his last, and he forgets where he is, he just... Goes, he thinks, back to bed, slips under the covers and doesn't give the person beside him second thought.

Until he wakes again, recognizes Gavin, and figures he must be dreaming. There's no other explanation for how Gavin melts against him, how he let's himself be held, for the tiniest of smiles that registers just before Jeremy falls back asleep.

It isn't until he wakes up for the third and final time, somewhat early in the morning, does he realize- no, he hadn't been dreaming. His actual reality is Gavin curled into his chest. It's really Gavin's hair tickling his neck that has woken him up. It's Gavin's arm snaked around his waist, holding them close.

It's actually so much of everything he's been wanting.

But god, what kind of asshole would he be if he continued to lay here reveling in this moment while Gavin has no clue?

Unbeknownst to Jeremy, Gavin has reached the same conclusion, but only he plucks up enough courage to pull away. "Jeremy, I-"

But Jeremy is up and gone, doesn't want to have the inevitable I like you, but as a friend conversation. He leaves the room and he calls Trevor for the ok to go home. He gets it, throws what little he'd had with him into a bag, and waits in the car.

They'd talked the night before about getting something to eat on the way back, whenever it would be. Now, he just wants to get home and try to put some distance between himself and everything he'd been feeling. He blares music the entire way back and there's no chance for conversation.

At the penthouse, Gavin holes himself up with Matt in the basement and says nothing to anyone.

Jeremy's beating himself up for being so fucking stupid, how could you not remember you were supposed to be on the fucking couch and Michael calls him out for sulking.

"The fuck happened with you and Gav?"

Jeremy doesn't answer, because hes not sure what to say. The honest answer is nothing, nothing actually happened because he'd been too afraid. But it still feels like there's been a shift, so maybe he's wrong.

"I mean, did you guys finally fuck? Is that what happened?"

"Jesus Christ, Michael, I dont- no, we didn't- nothing happened." He's not sure why it feels like such a lie.

"Well shit. And i really thought you'd finally figured it out."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Michael just stares at him, like he can't believe what he's hearing. "Come on, dude. You guys have been dancing around each other for months. You're really telling me you don't know you're fuckin in love?"

"That's- we're not-" Because they arent anything. Sure, Jeremy's been harboring some ill fated crush for far too long, but that's his problem. "Gavin and I are friends."

"No, we're friends, J. And as your friend, I've gotta tell you, you and Gav are two idiots afraid of your own feelings."

"Michael-"

"Tell him, Jeremy. He'll be over the moon, believe me."

The thing about it is, Michael is his friend. And he trusts him. Maybe he has seen something Jeremy had missed. Or ignored, more accurately. Maybe he's wrong and they'll have a big laugh over it. Maybe being honest won't be the end.

"I'll uh, I'll do that. Later. If I can."

And they do. They talk, Michael plays mediator because he knows they'll both chicken out if hes not there. Jeremy admits all the thoughts he'd had that morning, why he'd left like he did. Gavin explains that he'd thought Jeremy joining him in the middle of the night was his admission, how he'd been utterly confused by the 180. How he'd assumed he'd misread everything, hid with Matt all day to avoid embarrassment.

And when they've aired all of their confusion and are just... Happy and beaming at each other and once again sitting too close on the couch, Michael sums it up best.

"Fucking finally."

[americanopouroverplease]

Sweat It Out: Chapter One

Seokjin X Reader

Word Count; 5,604

Potential Warnings: Blatantly poor use of French terminology, genuinely bad choice in nicknames, Seokjin making terrible dad jokes at the gym, scene stealing jungkook wearing muscle shirts & generally being an adorable muscle bun. 

Thank you to @ksmuttherapy​ & @shadowsremedy​ for beta reading for me!

Please Note! -- Reader in this story is plus sized! As such, certain descriptors will be used and if this detracts from the story for you then I hope you are able to find something else that rocks your frock! 

If pain had a soundtrack you were certain it would be the incessantly upbeat elevator music blaring through the speakers as you grunted and suffered your way through yet another sweat soaked set of heaving sumo squats. Your thighs were spread wide for all the wrong reasons as the lycra blend of your leggings were being stretched to their absolute limit. The grimace pulling at your lips was inherently reminiscent of the principal from Matilda and you were absolutely sure that in this very moment she was prettier than you.

“Dig deep! 10 more!” The trainer was already getting on your nerves with his ridiculous abs and insanely thick biceps. He was getting paid to stand off in the corner of the room while you wheezed and wailed like a dying animal. There wasn’t a single drop of sweat on his perfect skin while you groaned, dropping your weight low only to huff with the effort of lifting your substantial bulk upward once more. “Don’t let yourself down! You’re almost done!”

“How is this legal?” The screech escaped you before you could even think to stop yourself. Of course the only response your trainer gave was a low chuckle as he crossed his arms over that absurdly large chest of his. 

“It’s legal because you pay him.” One of your fellow suffering souls offered as he too continued your joint endeavor in self inflicted torture. “Look at him, he feeds off this.” 

“If you have time to complain you have time to do single leg lunges!” If you weren’t so preoccupied with the burning pain consuming your hamstrings and the complete lack of stamina you’ve built up over your years of working a desk job and eating cinnamon rolls you would fire off your best shots at the trainer. Instead, you settled for fantasizing about using your thighs to crush his big gym rat skull. 

“Don’t listen to him.” Your agonized counterpart called out. “It’ll only make this worse in the long run.” In between each lunge you chanced a glance away from the trainer and over to your new partner in complaint. His cheeks were full, but his lips were even more generous as he pursed and let out huge puffs of agonized breath. He didn’t seem to be out of shape at all, which made you hesitate in appreciating his finer attributes. The muscles filling out his sweat-soaked t-shirt were clearly defined, but what really took your breath away (besides all these squats and lunges) was the fact that his shoulders would obviously enter any room before the rest of him did. Was he even real? Or were you just swept up in an endorphin and exercise fueled haze of fantasy?

“3...2...1!” The trainer’s voice pulled you out of your thoughts only to force you to realize that this entire time you’d been staring at the broad shouldered giant flexing his thighs almost directly in front of you. If your face wasn’t already beet red from exercise the mortification and sheer embarrassment would do it for you. “That’s time!” 

You ran your own business, you were strong and independent. You sank down to the floor, sprawled out, and shut your eyes as you pretended to catch your breath in an attempt to avoid making any potential eye contact with the currently sweaty, also currently gorgeous and far too athletic man for your own good. You were a smart woman who knew how to pick and choose her own battles. 

“I regret everything.” The wheezing prattle sounded just beside you, surprising enough to be the perfect catalyst in opening your eyes. “I blame myself. I can’t stop eating, food is an addiction and there is no cure.” Shoulders was flopped on the floor right next to you in all your sticky, sweaty, stinky glory. He didn’t seem phased by your appearance in the least. 

“You should regret everything, hyung. How did you eat seven lobsters anyway?” The trainer, at some point, moved to join the two of you on the floor. “I thought you were going to make yourself sick.” 

“You know each other?” You were sitting up now, curiosity flaring as you shifted around and began to stretch. Truth be told, you hated every aspect of stretching, but if you didn’t the muscle ache would be that much worse tomorrow. 

“We’re related.” Your trainer smiled, big bunny teeth on display as he watched you push yourself forward and reach toward your toes. “That’s a great stretch, you can also lay flat, then draw one leg up toward your chest and rock. It’s really good for your back and spine.” 

“Cousins, and how do you even have the energy to move right now?” The breathtaking man was still pressed to the floor, cheeks puffed out as his chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm. “Jungkook if I weren’t already dead I would kill you for this.” 

“You’ll thank me when you’re old and don’t have type 2 diabetes.” Jungkook grinned, “Y/N, the lump on the floor is my cousin, Jin. I’m currently trying to save him from himself.” 

“This face will still be handsome even if it has diabetes.” Jin retorted, then dragged himself up from the floor just enough to face you with a smile. “I’m worldwide handsome, but I do answer to Seokjin.” He lifted his hand, only to blow you a kiss and wink. What were you supposed to say to that? 

“I see.” Was he used to people staring at him? He didn’t seem surprised or offended when you openly admired his body. He couldn’t be a model if he routinely ate as much as Jungkook implied. The only thought that sprang up from this conclusion was a lurid amount of jealousy over his apparent metabolism. “I’m Y/N. It’s nice to meet you.” 

“Hyung! She didn’t even blush!” Jungkook wasn’t rolling on the floor with laughter but he was obviously amused by your lack of reaction to Jin’s flirting. He had one hand clasped on his cousin’s shoulder as he leaned exceptionally close to the man’s sweaty face. 

“I only have two options now.” Jin responded with an air of solemnity. His eyes were hooded, expression far too serious for a gym floor as he shifted his weight closer to your form. “I’m going to give you my greatest joke, and if that doesn’t work I’m going to beg you to let me take you out on a date.” 

“Excuse me?” You felt stunned, not only because the subject matter seemed so scattered but had this man actually just casually asked you out after seeing you at your worst? It was 7 pm on a Wednesday night just after you spent the past forty-five minutes heaving your weight back and forth in an attempt to convince your metabolism to decide it was finally okay for you to go from a generous 2X to a reasonable medium or large size pant.

“What do runners eat before a sprint?” You blinked once, twice, and then realized he actually expected you to give him an answer. When your glance shifted toward Jungkook the overgrown muscle simply shrugged his shoulders and grinned. 

“If I say that I don’t know, can we move on?” You pressed gently, not wanting to be rude, but also feeling a little out of your depth. You were well aware that your body type was not considered conventionally attractive. It felt suspicious to have the seemingly undivided attention of someone who could snag any woman or man he wanted with his looks alone. No one flirted with you unless they had a fat fetish, and you always steered clear of those types. 

“Nothing, they fast!” The joke was terrible, but the laughter that followed was even worse. You could only describe the sound escaping Jin’s throat as something eerily similar to windshield wipers scraping along the glass. It took a full minute of you staring at him with wide eyes for the laughter to subside. 

“She didn’t laugh hyung.” Jungkook was still grinning wide, leaving the rest of Jin’s previous declaration unspoken. 

“Do I need to beg, Y/N?” Instantly all signs of humor were gone; replaced by soulful eyes fixed directly upon your face. Jin shifted and knelt in front of you, his palms pressed together as he appeared to be carefully hopeful. “I will.” 

“For what?” You hedged, feeling confused at best, and uncomfortable at worst. You had signed up for this exercise class in order to try and lose weight, to build up your confidence. Nowhere in the gym agreement was there a clause including fit men who seemed out of your league flirting with you and asking you out on dates you weren’t ready for. Was he serious? 

“Please, Y/N, will you let me take you out for a nice dinner and delightful conversation?” 

“Where and when?” As entertaining as it felt to watch a man kneel and beg for your time and attention there was no helping the wariness you felt. Prior experience was a masterful teacher and you weren’t interested in being the butt of anyone’s joke.

“I wouldn’t dream of making your decisions for you.” Jin readily replied, his cheeks full and round as he smiled widely. “I’ll let you choose, anything you want.” 

“Anything?” You sounded skeptical, and didn’t bother trying to hide it as you crossed your arms beneath your breasts and stared at the man before you. He nodded, almost eagerly. 

“Any restaurant you want, I promise I’ll find something I like to eat. Food is a passion of mine.” You heard Jungkook snort beside you, but chose to ignore him in favor of coming up with the most expensive restaurant you could think of. 

“Fine. Take me to Le lapin blanc.” You didn’t feel nearly as calm and collected as you sounded, but he didn’t need to know that. All he needed to know was that he had to shell out serious money to prove his interest. 

“Perfect, does tomorrow work for you?” Shock registered, and then disbelief. Le lapin blanc was the most expensive and exclusive restaurant in town. There was no getting into the building without a reservation, and you couldn’t just get one overnight. 

“If you can get us in, sure.” You agreed, immediately convinced this was all a joke and you would be canceling your gym membership by the end of the week. 

“Perfect, would you like me to pick you up at seven?” He had to play the part until the end, you supposed. With a quick nod, you assumed the conversation would be over and moved to push yourself up from the floor. “Y/N, do you happen to have your phone with you?” That question caught you off guard. 

“Yes, why?” 

“I’d like to give you my phone number so that I can contact you.” Jin responded affably. “How else will I find out where to pick you up?” Ah. Right. With a little bit of reluctance you fished your cell phone from your pocket and handed the device to him. He smiled once more, patiently waiting for you to unlock it before pulling up your contact list and adding himself to it. 

“I’ll see you tomorrow then.” You took your phone back once he was done, then gave him a grin of your own. “I don’t split the bill, you’re paying.” Jungkook’s snort was no more elegant than the first upon hearing this and the chortle that followed actually came from Jin. 

“I wouldn’t have it any other way, beautiful.” 

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You finished work at four the next day, which left you with entirely too much time on your hands when it came to getting ready for this date. What should you wear to an expensive restaurant that had napkins that could cost more than your net worth? You decided to go with one of your favorite thrift store finds that fit tightly beneath your breasts and flared out further down your stomach. A girl’s best friend was always a nice empire waistline...Unless it made her look pregnant. 

The cap sleeves looked almost demure, which you appreciated since it was the middle of summer and you were not about to suffocate stuffed into a dress with full length sleeves or a high neckline. Makeup wasn’t minimal, but you also didn’t waste any time lining your eyes when all that would do for you was make you look like an actual trash panda once ten pm rolled around. Instead, you focused on your hair and took the time to style it and smooth out any stray ends or hairs. 

The chime of your text tone echoed from your living room, drawing you away from fiddling any further with the upswept style of your hair.

Did he really send you a picture of himself with a cut out heart? What sort of man was this? When Jin asked you out the night before all you felt was suspicion. Now you were convinced he was simply missing at least sixteen of the screws required for his mental clarity to function. You neglected to respond to his text, and elected to grab your purse before locking the door to your apartment behind you. 

Were you waiting for him outside? Yes. If you were fair to yourself, which you always strove to be; being early was on time and being on time was considering yourself late. You weren’t looking forward to this dinner, sitting across a table of refined food from a man who was so good looking you felt just a little bit stupid. No, you were just being punctual. Right?

Then again, Jin might not show up at all, even if he did send you that ridiculous text message assuring you that he was already on his way. Assuming that he wouldn’t, you could give it another ten minutes before you went back inside, changed into your favorite pajamas, and settled in for a nice long night of playing Stardew Valley. 

Unfortunately all your bucolic hopes and  8-bit dreams were dashed as soon as you saw the cherry red convertible pulling up to your lot. Of course, by this point in your evening you shouldn’t have been surprised that the exceedingly symmetrical Disney prince look-alike also had an expensive car. If he wasn’t even phased by the idea of shelling out for ‘the aesthetic’ it made sense that he would also like to drive fast and live rich. 

“Y/N!” The vehicle rolled to a stop, idling as its driver made a quick leap from the front seat just to sweep you up in long arms. You felt the ground disappear from beneath your feet and questioned reality as you gripped broad shoulders so tightly your knuckles turned white. The world spun around you slowly, not fast enough to make you dizzy but noticeable to the point that you didn’t know how you felt about being picked up in the first place. 

“Jin, it’s nice to see you again.” You smiled, surprised to realize just how happy you were he did take the time to show up. If nothing else he hadn’t stood you up, and he was so very fun to look at that all you wanted to do was indulge yourself for one night. Especially if that singular night meant ritzy food that you couldn’t actually pronounce on your own. 

“You mean it’s wonderful, stunning, amazing, and spectacular to see me again? That’s how I feel about seeing you.” His hands were still settled against your waist, but they were oh so gentle as he set your feet back on the ground. “I was thinking about you all day.” 

“That sounds exhausting.” You teased, drawn in by the easy humor he still displayed even after your repeated attempts at dissuading him from showing any interest. 

“Not at all, I find every thought of you to be invigorating.” Jin replied sweetly, his soft lips pressed flush to your rounded cheek before he led you straight toward the convertible. “It isn’t every day that I get a chance to see a woman’s thighs in action without being called a pervert.” The joke should have fallen flat, but it didn’t. You were caught off guard as you settled back into the seat and reached for the seatbelt. 

“You must have a great poker face if you’re a pervert.” That earned you nothing more than a good natured snort as he pulled away from your apartment complex. The drive itself was short, barely taking more than ten minutes. Altogether, he tried to hold your hand no less than six times. Once the convertible finally pulled into the parking garage you managed to successfully evade his grasping fingers for no reason other than the exasperated and melodramatic wails that filtered past his full lips. 

“You’re a heartless woman, Y/N! How can you say no to this face?” The door was already shut behind Jin, and before you could even begin to unbuckle your seatbelt the door to the passenger side was open while your suitor took the time to free you from his vehicle. You found yourself a mere breath away from his face and suddenly realized why every single romance novel was exactly as cheesy as it was. 

“Impress me enough and I won’t say no.” You whispered, eyes wide and fixed upon the chocolate and nutmeg brown irises that threatened to overwhelm you. Temptation washed over you, begging you to let your eyes drift downward toward the plump lips curving upward into a knowing smile. Instead, you pulled away and began that short walk toward the seating area. 

“Is that a challenge, butterbean?” 

“What sort of nickname is that?” You asked, absolutely appalled by the concept of being a butter bean, much less any one specific person’s butter bean. 

“My pet name. For you, so long as you’ll let me have it.” Jin purred, his large palm pressing gently and warmly against your lower back as he maneuvered you through the slowly gathering crowd of the early evening diners. If he noticed the shiver his touch sent down your spine he chose not to mention it. 

You chose to say nothing as the waitress led you toward a table at the far end of the highest floor. The further you followed the more you questioned just how Jin was able to get this type of reservation on such short notice. The entire restaurant was usually booked out months in advance, and the most exclusive of tables were on the top two floors. By the time you realized you were going -above- the top floor and out onto the roof you felt speechless. 

“Right this way, if you please.” The waitress spoke with a heavy accent, one arm out swept toward an enclosed pavilion that reminded you more of a greenhouse than anything else. Fairy lights were strung across the ceiling in a rambling sort of pattern that draped gracefully around the countless flowers filling the room. There was a walkway, but it was surrounded by flowing water with only one bridge that could lead you over the threshold. 

“Jin. How?” You were too busy admiring the lush atmosphere, the live quartet playing soft music in the far corner, the sound of the fountain as it burbled and pushed the water through the avenues threaded through the walkway and flowers. The lights, the scents, everything was just this side of too much decadence and opulence. It was perfect. 

“Would you believe me if I said I have a few connections?” Jin asked with raised eyebrows. Eventually a table was revealed toward the center of what appeared to be a man made island in a glittering lagoon. 

“Well, tell me how to make these connections because this is the manner in which I wish to become accustomed.” You joked, eyes focused on the riot of Peruvian Lilies heaped upon one plate. It came as no surprise when Jin led you directly to the side of the table with the flowers, then proceeded to assist you in sitting down. 

“It was all sheer dumb luck, my sweet and precious butter bean.” Your eyelid twitched at the terrible name, but you refused to let it ruin what was otherwise a magnificent night. This restaurant was gorgeous, and you felt like a princess transported into a new and far away realm. The only thing that could make this better would be unlimited dessert. Did Jin have enough money to get you unlimited dessert?

“Would you like to start with a Château Margaux this evening?” The waitress was, apparently, not a waitress for she had all but disappeared and in her place was a seemingly young, also seemingly condescending man who held a bottle of wine over his arm as if it were the most dazzling thing to ever display. 

“I suppose that would be fine, Marcus. What else would you suggest?” Jin didn’t sound haughty, necessarily, but he did appear to be a little less concerned with the menu and more interested in staring into your eyes. A point that you promptly avoided by burying your own face in the menu full of letters and words you didn’t quite understand. 

“I wouldn’t dare dream of making recommendations to you, Sir.” The bottle of Margaux bobbled, ever so slightly. Jin let out a small, almost imperceptible sigh. 

“We’ll have the Pauillac, Château Mouton Rothschild.” Jin replied, his gaze still fixed upon your face as the original bottle vanished, only to be replaced nearly as quickly by the desired red. 

“Is the 2005 alright, Sir?” This was met with a nod while Jin’s long fingers slowly but surely wrapped around your own. His smile was for you, though he didn’t completely ignore the man. 

“Yes, that will be fine. Pre-fix menu, tonight?” A subtle negative shake of the head, and then a notepad was produced. “Butterbean, my darling, what would you like to have for dinner?” 

“If you insist on calling me butterbean it might just be your balls.” You simpered sweetly, smile entirely saccharine as you squeezed his hand as hard as you could. The resulting wince was delicate, though the wink he sent your way was playful. 

“It’s an absolute relief to know you aren’t a vegetarian.” His fingers flexed slightly once you released them before he picked up the menu once more. 

“Well, I could always eschew meat to spite you.” This suggestion was met with the exact amount of warmth and eagerness you expected. None. The menus were flung to one side of the table as you found your hands clasped in Jin’s fingers once again. 

“Butterbean, darling! My wonderful, beautiful, incandescent paragon of virtue!” Your eyes widened slowly but surely with every additional adjective piled onto his sentence. “Don’t break my heart! You’re too great a woman to do such a thing!” By the end of his plea your fingers were intertwined with his and his grasp was so firm that there was no escape. 

“We’ll have my usual.” Jin didn’t bother tearing his eyes away from your face, which was almost intimidating even as the waiter cleared the menus from the table. Your erstwhile suitor took this chance to drag his chair closer to yours. Now, instead of sitting across from this broad shouldered adonis, there was barely any space between the two of you. “This is much better, don’t you agree my bean?” 

“I will pay you real, actually money to stop calling me that.”  You let out between grit teeth. Contrary to your own expectations this man was getting under your skin in the best possible way. He was charming, goofy in a gregarious sort of way that put you at an amused disadvantage. 

“You couldn’t pay me enough. Ever.” He hadn’t let go of your hands yet, and merely leaned closer so he could press his face close to yours before performing an exaggerated imitation of a wink. You could feel the echo in your chest as your heart fluttered. Soft was beginning to become an understatement when it came to how you felt about this man. Was that even possible?

“You would force me to resort to blackmail?” Your lips turned downward, plumped into a pout as you failed to extract yourself from his warm grasp. 

“I wouldn’t dare to force you into anything.” Seokjin began proudly, his voice carrying as he straightened in his seat. “I am not above letting you ask me to force you though.” Your fingers flexed then, breath catching in your throat at the implication. 

“You couldn’t ask me what my favorite color is first?” You did your best to cover your response, though it was hard to tell if Jin was observant enough to catch your behavior. 

“I could ask you while you’re breathless and panting beneath me.” The offer came at the exact same time as your appetizers, which caused a distinct flush to warm your cheeks as the waiter set down two plates and multiple dishes. Wine was poured while your eyes drifted firmly to the table in front of you. None of this stopped you from feeling how direct and heated your date’s gaze was as he kept one hand cradled around yours. 

“That was blunt.” In all your years of living there wasn’t a single memory of any man wining, dining, and propositioning you so openly and with so much confidence. Then again, there wasn’t any point in which someone as handsome as Seokjin showed any interest in you either. History and experience was enough to tell you this wasn’t adding up. 

“You’ve seen me at my worst, bean. I can hardly look any worse so I feel my odds are pretty high for success.” Your hand suddenly felt cold as he plucked his knife up from the table and began buttering some bread. “I know exactly what I want from you. The question is, do you want anything from me?” 

You took your time considering this query. The table was filled with various food, most of which looked as if it wouldn’t fit into your calorie count for the day so you reached for the wine glass in front of your plate instead. 

“I hardly know you, I doubt I really know what you have to offer in the first-” You paused, eyes widened as you watched your date place little bits of each appetizer on your plate before he ever put a single piece of food on his. 

“Yes, my darling butter bean?” Jin’s eyes were wide, nearly sparkling as he smiled at you with all the charm and charisma of a seasoned politician. If he noticed your confusion he didn’t mention it. 

“Why did you put food on my plate?” Mortification set in quickly, your hands clasped in your lap beneath the table as you internally questioned every life choice you ever made. Was it just Jin that caused you to ask stupid questions? Or was it the atmosphere? 

“It gives me pleasure to do so.” His response was entirely effortless, his attention focused on piling his plate just as high as yours before commencing with a truly astounding performance. His mouth didn’t seem all that big, but somehow he managed to take bites of food that were so large you worried he was intentionally choking himself. The noises that escaped him were an uneven mixture of pornographic and cute. Perhaps you didn’t need to feel embarrassed after all. 

“Okay then.” You began to let yourself relax, hoping that tonight’s meal wouldn’t set your goals back too far. Besides, cheat meals were acceptable every now and then, weren’t they?

⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂

“I know it’s cliche but I had a wonderful evening.” Jin’s car was parked in the lot next to your apartment building, his shoulder pressed into the driver’s seat as he leaned further toward your space. “I’m hoping desperately that you’ll allow me to bask in your presence again.” His voice was quiet, gentle and burnished velvet as he nearly whispered. 

“This might be a personal question.” You began your response, gaze directed toward your hands as your fingers grasped the seatbelt holding you in place. 

“Anything, butter bean, I’ll tell you anything and everything.” His answer was immediate, decisive, and firm. 

“Do you have to unhinge your jaw when you fit half a steak in your mouth all at once?” You asked your question, whispering this time so as not to break the hushed atmosphere yourself. He was being entirely too romantic for anyone’s good. 

“How is that even personal?” Jin exclaimed, shattering what was once a peaceful and nearly intimate moment. The expression on his face was comical, mouth dropped open and eyes widened in shock as he sputtered. “This is worse than telling me you’re a vegetarian!” 

“Oh hardly!” You soothed, grinning as you released the latch on your seatbelt before gathering your purse. “It’s a genuine question as to the mechanics of your jaw. This question is purely for scientific purposes.” You barely touched the door handle before Jin was out of the vehicle and making his way to your side of the car. 

“Science, you say?” That soft tone was back, though it clearly carried an undertone of heat to it. “You know the best way to find out is through experience.” He held the door open, his free hand waiting for you to take with his palm held up. 

“I’m not even wearing pants, how are you trying to get into them?” With your hand clasped in his, the two of you ambled slowly toward the entrance to your apartment building. You were surprised at how comfortable you felt in Jin’s presence, even if he did insist on calling you butter bean. 

“Never underestimate the power of your beauty, Y/N.” Oh. This was unexpected. What were you supposed to say to that? Was this man even real? Obviously he was, but could you really believe what you were hearing and seeing?

Thankfully you were saved from responding by the front door of your apartment. The two of you lingered in front of the steps, the beginnings of an awkward silence beginning to build. One breath, two, and then you opened your mouth to speak. 

“I had a great time too.” You mumbled, uncertain now that you were in entirely uncharted territory. You had been on dates before, but never really interested in going on another with the same person. 

“Does that mean I can cook for you next time? Or should I resign myself to only being allowed to see you as we suffer the agonies of my cousin’s training programs?” Something akin to mortification settled in your chest at the idea of Seokjin seeing you sprawled out huffing and puffing with a shining, sweating face once more. You would have to switch your sessions if you wanted to maintain any sense of romance. 

“Ah, I think I might actually switch my gym schedule.” You hesitated, frowning at the thought before you continued. “When’s a good time for you? For dinner, I mean.” Somehow you felt an absolute sense of shyness take over you. Coupled with the butterflies filling your chest the only explanation was an oncoming heart attack, right?

“And deny me the satisfaction of suffering with you?” Jin’s hand immediately clapped to his chest, fingers spread as he took on a truly legendary pout. This man should have been an actor. He was making it nearly impossible to deny him at this rate. 

“Give me one good reason not to.” Your last ditch attempt at maintaining your distance was a good one, or so you thought while the two of you stood in the cool evening breeze. Your door was just a few steps away, your humble yet cozy apartment just beyond a few locks and stairs. 

“Will this be good enough?” Jin’s face hovered barely more than a breath away from yours, chocolate eyes centered on your face as his hands traced up over your arms toward your shoulders. You’d barely opened your mouth to ask him what he meant by the time his plush lips made contact with yours. 

At first, you didn’t know how to respond. The kiss itself was unexpected, then the soft sound building and releasing in his throat was even more surprising until you felt his fingers threading through the strands of your hair. After that you discovered this was not a one-sided activity. Your arms wound around his shoulders while your head slanted to one side so you could deepen the connection. It wasn’t until he pulled away that you realized both of you were out of breath. 

“So, my precious butter bean, did I give you what you wanted?”

[noorakardemmomesaetre]

I’m Sorry, What? 

Chapter Two, Jughead’s POV 

Read Me On Ao3

Pairing: Betty Cooper x Jughead Jones

Summary: Jughead Jones’ massive crush on Northside Princess, Betty Cooper, has him a bit…distracted.

note: hi babes! the response to Betty's POV of I'm Sorry...What? absolutely blew me away and I appreciate every comment, kudos, like, reblog, everything so so much! ❤ 

this is Jughead's POV of the same week. Enjoy!

Monday, 8:57AM

Nothing reminds Jughead that he is in desperate need of a haircut like her sitting almost directly behind him in their AP Geography class.

He’s pinching a point of his worn crown beanie, rolling it lazily between his fingers, as she walks by him, gripping her pastel pink binder to her chest before sliding into her seat.

His hand falls to the back of his neck, needing to ease his nerves as class begins, but he immediately feels his dark wild curls peaking out from beneath his beanie and his cheeks redden.

You need a haircut, boy.

He’d rolled his eyes at his father’s remark last weekend, but now that he can hear her scribbling away in her notebook, he’s hyper aware of how right his father may be.

Maybe she likes long hair? It’s not like it’s that long, his hand drops and he takes up tapping his pen lightly against his notebook as his mind wanders, no, she’s definitely not into long hair, that’s why she’s always with that Andrews guy.

He attempts to tune into the mountainous landscapes their teacher is droning on about, his fingers absentmindedly raising back to the crown point on his beanie.

But maybe she could be into long hair? A small smile plays on his face as he thinks about the far-fetched possibility of her running her fingers through his hair, playfully tugging on the curl at the base of his neck as they kiss, yanking a bit harder when things get a bit more heated...

“Jughead? Hello, I need a pen? Jughead?” Ethel is whispering to him, wiggling her fingers near his face to grasp his attention.

“Shit, sorry! What?”

Tuesday, 2:57PM

“I expect nothing less than perfection from the squad,” Cheryl is saying as her, Toni, and Jughead head out to the parking lot, “I can’t help that you’re the only person who meets my standards.”

His hands are shoved into the pockets of his leather jacket, their conversation fading as he glances around the parking lot. His motorcycle remains untouched in its usual spot and he’s about to tell them he’ll see them tomorrow when her name catches his attention.

“...Betty has really been improving and I think you just need to ease up on her a bit, babe,” Toni is saying, squeezing Cheryl’s hand affectionately.

“Betty’s a cheerleader?”

They stop in the middle of the parking lot as Cheryl arches an eyebrow in his direction and Toni smiles at him, curiosity coloring her gaze.

“She’s basically a cheerleader trainee, but yes, she’s a River Vixen-”

“Why do you ask? I didn’t know you knew Betty Cooper,” Toni interrupts her girlfriend and immediately Jughead wishes he had simply said his goodbyes and headed home. His cheeks are pink as he glances wearily between them and shrugs, adjusting his jacket like metaphorical shield.

“Yeah, she’s in my geography class or something,” he quickly says, wondering where the hell Pea is when he needs him as he rubs the back of his neck, “anyone else I know on the squad?”

Nice save.  

“I really don’t have time to relay the roster to you, Jughead,” Cheryl snaps, turning to place a soft kiss on Toni’s temple before smiling sweetly at him, “but I’m sure Toni will fill you in.”

She turns to walk to her car and he tries to avoid Toni’s stare as the flush in his cheeks only deepens.

“Well, I’ll see you later too-”

“Ohmygod,” she breathes, giggling once Cheryl is out of earshot, “you like Betty Cooper!”

He tugs on his beanie, shaking his head as a nervous chuckle escapes him, “uh...no...what?”

Wednesday, 7:42PM

Large pile of hot, freshly salted fries. Cheeseburger, double cheese, with the works. Extra chocolate milkshake with a cherry perfectly perched atop of swirl of whipped cream.

He literally could not be more excited about the meal in front of him, taking a moment to appreciate Pop for all of the good he’s done in this world just by simply existing…and, of course,  bringing this plate of food out.

“I will never understand how you can put away all that food and still be able to fit into any of your clothes,” Jellybean teases, dipping her fry into her vanilla milkshake a few times.

“I was born with a gift, JB, it would be a shame for me not to put it to good use,” he grins in return, taking a huge bite out of the cheeseburger, ketchup dripping onto his chin.

It’s then that he hears her giggle as she slips into the booth in front of him, hugging Veronica Lodge, who is seated next to the window on the bench seat they’ll share. There’s a frosty strawberry shake sitting in front of Betty, having already been ordered by her friends.

Her finger slips into the whipped cream before she steals an apprehensive glance at the other girls, who are currently looking at pictures on Veronica’s phone, and pops her finger into her mouth.

Her lips wrap around it in a perfect “o” as she sucks the whipped cream off and Jughead’s mind is nowhere near Pop’s Diner anymore. He’s back in the darkness of his trailer and her mouth, illuminated by the light of the moon, is wrapped around something a bit larger than her finger.

He groans inwardly, glancing down at the burger still gripped tightly between his fingers dripping ketchup onto his plate, in sheer disbelief at how immediate he had turned into an average teenage Neanderthal.

“Jughead? Hi, it’s your sister, Jellybean. You probably don’t remember me since you seem to have landed on planet Betty Cooper, never to return again,” Jellybean giggles, rolling her eyes at his currently distraught state.

“Sorry, JB!” he shakes his head, grabbing a napkin to wipe the smear of bright red sauce from his chin, “wait, what?”

Thursday, 7:47AM

The aroma of vanilla with a hint of honey is so faint he almost doesn’t notice it.

But then it surrounds him like a warm, comforting blanket on a chilly evening and he can’t help but shift his gaze to where she’s just walked past him.

Sweet Pea is leaning against the locker in front of him, chattering away about an old bike he’d seen strewn carelessly on the side of the road earlier this morning, but Jughead’s focus is elsewhere and his words fall on deaf ears.

She’s stopped in the middle of the hallway, her books pressed against her chest and her ponytail swinging lightly behind her as she giggles at something her friend is saying.

He finds himself wondering what it is that makes her smile so brightly at such an ungodly hour in the morning. Not even the hottest, largest, highest caffeinated cup of coffee could get him to smile this early, that’s for sure.

She glances in his direction, a curious smile now tugging at the corners of her mouth and he quickly brings his focus back to Sweet Pea, attempting to ignore the heat rising in his cheeks.

“Jones?” Sweet Pea raises an eyebrow, a playful sigh escaping his lips as he shakes his head, “I seriously don’t know why I bother talking to you before noon, man.”

“Shit, sorry, what?”

Friday, 10:49PM

The last thing Jughead has planned for his weekend is a Riverdale Bulldog after party.

And yet here he is, casually walking into an already-in-full-swing celebration at Thornhill. It’s dark and the music is blaring, making him and his Serpent brothers unnoticeable as they walk towards the kitchen, but he still feels out of place.

Arms wrap around his neck in an overjoyed drunken hug and a small, relieved smile falls on his lips when he realizes it’s Toni.

“I’m so happy you came! Let me get you all drinks!”

She quickly hugs Fangs and Sweet Pea, leading them all into an empty, yet also dark and loud kitchen.

She’s thanking them profusely for supporting her and attending the game and he wants to tell her that of course they support her. No Serpent left behind.

But she has just walked into the kitchen, a red solo cup firmly in her grip, and when her eyes meet his, his breathing shallows.

She walks over to him, resting the cup on the table as she offers him another bright smile.

“Wow, a football game and an after party?” she says, tilting her head as she teases, “you’re almost more Friday Night Lights than me now.”

He looks down, trying to play off the grin on his face before he raises his eyes to meet hers once more. She’s wearing a River Vixen t-shirt and jeans and he really wants to tell her how beautiful she looks.

But his nerves get the best of him and he clears his throat, now noticing that his friends are long gone, leaving him alone with her.

“Want me to get you a drink?” he asks her, offering her a soft smile, “must be a little dehydrated after all of that cheering.”

“I thought I saw you out there watching me,” she tilts her head and smirks playfully, making him roll his eyes as his heart skips a beat.

“You’re hard to miss, Betts.”

He runs his tongue along his bottom lip before offering a small smile and the smile reflected on her face is so genuine he can almost hear his heart pounding above the music.

She turns, grabbing a napkin and a pen so that she can jot something down. He glances towards the water bottles resting on the counter, uncertain of whether this is where the conversation ends.

But then she’s handing him the napkin and leaning into him a bit more to say, “I’m leaving now, but in case you’d ever like to do something other than notice me.”

She’s gone before he can reply, but her phone number is written on the napkin, and he’s definitely not hiding the grin on his face as he run his fingers through his hair, “wow, what?”

Leave a comment if you’d life, I love and appreciate your thoughts! ❤

[tomboyneedshercoffee]

Bookworm Race x Reader

Summary: While you're trying to read and walk at the same time, you bump into a newsie who you wouldn't peg as the bookworm type.

Word count: 1.7k

Author's note: this is my first newsie x reader so sorry if it's pretty trash. I'm taking requests though so if you would like to request something, only newsies for now, I'd be happy to hear it!

warning: Nothing really except I do spoil the ending on A Tale of Two Cities so if you are currently reading that book or plan to in the near future, I suggest you don't read this but it's just a fair warning!

"Sadly, sadly, the sun rose, it rose upon no sadder sight than the man of good abilities and good emotions, incapable of their directed exercise, incapable of his own help and his own happiness, sensible of the blight on him, and resigning himself to let it eat him away."

You flipped over to the next page, feeling your heart ache for poor old Sydney Carton as you made your way through the busy town. Sounds were coming from every direction, the shouts of the newsboys, the horns blaring from the street, but all those noises were somehow fading away as you sunk deeper and deeper into the emotional pit known as Tale of Two Cities.

People pushed past you, not enough to knock you off your feet or for you to pry your eyes away from the words on the page. You mutter a soft sorry as you continue to make your way down the sidewalk.

Manhattan in October was your favorite month to stroll the streets, the blazing heat from summer was finally over and it wasn't too cold to the point of discomfort. The walk from the bookstore to your home was insanely long by foot but you didn't care about the blisters on your feet, all you cared about was the book in your hands, this story forming in front of you with your own eyes, something more entertaining than the world around you.

"It was a cool spot, staid but cheerful, a wonderful place for echoes, and a very harbour from the raging streets. There ought to have-"

You make contact with something, someone, as you stumble back and the book falls from your hands and onto the stone sidewalk. You and the victim you bumped into start stammering a few words.

"Sorry! I wasn't-"

"Crap I'm sorry doll-"

"No it's fine I-"

"Here let me-"

You bend down to pick up your book but the young man you bumped into is already picking it up and taking a look at the cover. You take in his appearance as he reads the back of the book, a cigar hanging between his teeth while a smirk plays on his lips. He catches you staring at him as you clear your throat and play with your fingers.

Boy was he attractive. He was a newsboy, that or he carried around newspapers in a cloth bag just for fun and dressed like one because why not. The boys at school never caught your attention, all of your love was towards Charles Dickens, Emily Bronte, and occasionally Shakespeare when you were feeling angsty but this boy. Ohhhhhh this boy was a sight for sore eyes.

"Thanks I uh wasn't paying attention," You admit as you point over to the book that caused you to bump into the cute stranger.

"I get it, lots a' distractions out heres," The boy winks as I take in his very thick, almost fake sounding Manhattan accent.

The wink causes your ears and cheeks to go red but you try, key word try, to brush it off," Y-Yeah lots of distractions. Sorry but... could I possibly get my book back?"

The newsboy lets out a small laugh and nods, handing it over to you," Do yous have a name? I wanna tell my friends about bumping into this smart, beautiful goirl on the street today and a name would be nice."

You blush but again try not to let his words affect you," You assume I'm smart just cause I'm reading a book?"

"No moron woulds be able to get almost halfway through a Dicken's novel. Either yous like the love triangle between Darnay, Carton and Lucie or yous enjoy all the death and destruction."

You're slightly taken aback by his comment since he couldn't have known who the characters are without reading at least a part of the book. Most newsies knew how to read a bit but since Dicken's was kind of a...well... dick about using pretty big words and complicated sentences, it was unlikely that even an average people knew what he was saying.

"You've read this book?"

"My uh friend, he's a big nerd, always reads out loud whenever he can. It's a good book though, says a lot since I hate reading," the boy extends his hand out for me to shake," My friends call me Race."

You shake his hand," Y/N. Nice to meet you."

Race repeats your name and you secretly love the way it sounds with his voice. You try to stall as long as possible so you can keep talking with him but you know you have to go home soon because a) you know your mom is freaking out because of your absence and b) you're starting to get a little anxious because you want to get home as quickly as possible to finish the book.

You rummage in your bag for a dime and hand it to him," One pape please."

Race shakes his head and hands you a newspaper," No please, it's on the house."

You give him a genuine smile, sweet, charming, and good looking? I must be dreaming since all the boys I know are pigs.

"No, after all I've done today, it's the least I can do."

You slip the dime into his shirt pocket and you take the paper from his hands and read the headline, Trolley Strike comes to a Second Week.

"It's boring I know, but maybe yous can come back here tomorrow and I'll give ya a better headline," Race flirts, his lips turning into a small smirk.

Tomorrow you had school but you knew sparing a few minutes during lunch to come down here would be totally worth it as long as you got to see the cute newsboy again.

"I'll see you tomorrow then, until next time Race."

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

You stroll, oh no. Maybe the word stroll seems too happy, you stomped down the street, gripping A Tale Of Two Cities in between your hands, your knuckles almost turning white and your tears are still fresh on your cheeks.

You take your usual route to buy Race's paper, something you've been doing for the past week or so but today was different. Today Charles freakin Dickens ripped your heart out, stomped on it, and stuck it in a guilloutine.

Every day you would visit Race and talk about what part you were on in the book and you both shared an intense love for Carton, a character who deserved so much more in life. Since you two bonded so quickly over the course of a few days, it was no surprise that you had caught feelings for the newsie with a smoke and aftershave smell lingering on his body who also was the biggest dork in the entire city.

It felt stupid, how quickly you fell head over heels for this boy who saw you as just another customer, but being alone with him, sharing embarrassing stories and how much the two of you hated Oscar Delancey, a man who was very close with your father made you realize that you two had more in common than you thought.

You can hear Race's voice, calling out a headline about the yet again, boring trolley strike that just reached week number three and he stops midway when he catches sight of you, looking quite miserable.

Race's friend Davey had read the book to him before, so Race knew exactly why you were so upset and that you were about to go off on a huge rant.

"How could he do that? Seriously? What kind of sicko just kills off a character as pure as Carton and-and his last thoughts were of Luice like- my heart can't handle this emotional distress I-I think you have to take me to a hospital because my heart feels like it's going to explode and not in the good way! I was rooting for Lucie and Carton what kind of bullsh-"

Race places one hand on your cheek and the other on your waist and before you can say anything, he leans in as you two share a long, but innocent kiss.

He pulls apart first as a huge grin dances on his lips and says in a teasing tone," Sorry, what was yous sayin?"

Your mouth is partly open, due to the shock of the kiss and how nonchalant that boy was being. A part of you was slightly annoyed that he just kissed you in the middle of your rant but all the anger and sadness you had just experienced while finishing the book suddenly washed away.

"Y-You can't do that! I was trying...." you lose your train of thought and sigh in desperation, giving up. Now you were just confused and when you were confused, you needed answers as soon as possible before your brain would go wild," what was that for?"

"Sorry but- Yous cute when yous angry and I know yous upset about the book but just know that-"

You pull on the collar of his shirt and kiss him again, not wanting to hear the "oh it's just a book speech" you had received from your fellow classmates and you could've sworn you heard him let out a small gasp before crashing your lips onto his.

You pull away and you two share the same goofy smile.

"What was that for?" He asks as you give him a small shrug.

" Just felt like it...anyway here's a dime, I would love to hear about this boring ol trolley strike again."

Race wraps his hand around your waist and places a kiss on your cheek," Who knows doll, maybe somethin interstin is gonna happen soon that'll make headlines."

[kittyboo8015]

Prompt thingy Eruri, coffee shop and hospital aus One of them works as a nurse/doctor who always works overtime bec hospitals are pretty hectic. The other one owns a coffee shop that doesn't operate 24 hours but still serve coffee at ungodly hours if the nurse/doctor rings the door bell. :D (it could be implied that they live together. Lol thus the coffee service at ungodly hours.) Thank youuuu :3

I am sorry this is so late but I’ve finished it and I’m kind of happy with how it turned out. I want to thank you for giving me such a lovely prompt and I fear I may have gone slightly off track lol. I really do hope you like a giant pile of fluff 💕💕💕💕 Also I am now totally in love with nurse Levi so thank you!!! 😍😍😍

An alarm blared loudly, startling Erwin awake. He felt around blindly with his hand, patting the pillow hoping to find the source of the obnoxious beeping. As he started to become more alert, he remembered that he had deliberately left his phone on the dresser so he would be forced to get out of bed. He stretched, groaned and rubbed a hand over his face. After a few moments, he finally rolled out of bed and made it to the other side of the room to silence the offending noise.

He checked the time on the display and saw that it was nearly midnight, meaning he only had about three hours before Levi arrived home. He threw a bathrobe on over his pajamas and made his way downstairs to put his plans into action.

Erwin quickly unlocked the door separating the coffee shop from the apartment above and flicked the switches on the wall. He blinked a few times, eyes adjusting to the bright light that suddenly flooded the room. Erwin couldn’t help but grin as he surveyed the area before him. The night shift had done an excellent job of hanging decorations and moving the furniture to either side of the shop with exception of one lone set in the center. A sense of pride washed over him as he remembered the staff offering to stay past closing to help him with his surprise. They were a great bunch of college kids whom loved Levi almost as much as he did.

Erwin moved to the kitchen to get the main portion of his surprise finished. He grabbed his apron off the hook on the wall and paused to smile fondly at Levi’s smaller apron hanging next to it. Levi usually wore it when he helped Erwin during busy holiday hours whenever he had time off from the hospital. Levi always offered his help without ever being asked and Erwin would argue with him that he should be using his time off to rest after working such ungodly hours. Erwin would always surrender as it was easier to just let Levi have his way. He let out a slight laugh as he remembered his husband’s feistiness.However, hidden behind his sometimes rough and grumpy exterior were his compassion and kindness, traits that were not easily shown with the exception of those who were close to him and the young patients he cares for at the hospital.

Erwin pulled the trays from the cooling rack and placed them on the counter. He hummed pleasantly to himself as he gathered the filling he had mixed earlier and assembled the delicate cookies that had always been Levi’s favorite. After he arranged the finished confections onto a platter, Erwin’s phone vibrated noisily on the counter top. He quickly grabbed it and opened the text from Petra who gave the heads up that Levi would be on his way home shortly. He typed back a reply thanking Petra for her help and quickly finished up the rest of his tasks.

_________

Levi rubbed at his eyes sleepily as he glanced up at the large clock on the wall confirming his shift was finally over. He had turned in all of his patient reports and even finished deciphering Hange’s chicken scratch orders and entered them into the computer for the next shift. Hange was an excellent doctor but reading their handwriting was like trying to translate hieroglyphics. He stifled a yawn as he logged out of the system and rose from his chair, stretching his aching muscles. Twelve hour shifts were not as easy as they were when he was younger but he still loved his job on the pediatric floor and was a favorite nurse among the patients there.

After checking out and layering on his heavy coat scarf and gloves, he started on his way back home which thankfully was only a short walk away. As he passed the nurse’s station Petra smiled and rushed over to him. “Levi! I just wanted to wish you and Erwin a happy anniversary!” She chirped happily.

Levi returned a small smile. “Thanks, Petra.”

“So do you have anything special planned?” She asked curiously.

“Not really, I couldn’t get the day off so I guess we’ll do something another time.” Levi replied trying to hide his disappointment.

An odd smile crossed Petra’s face and she coughed slightly. “Oh, I’m sorry to hear that, I won’t keep you, I know you’re probably eager to get home.” She replied hurriedly as she glanced repeatedly at her phone.

Levi decided to ignore Petra’s strange behavior as exhaustion set back in and he just wanted to get home and sleep before his shift started again. “Have a good day Petra, I’ll see you tonight.” He replied as he turned to head towards the elevators.

“Uh Yeah, see you tonight!” Petra replied with a wave and what appeared to be a wink when Levi wasn’t looking.

______________

Levi shivered as a particularly frigid gust of wind somehow slipped through a gap in his scarf. He sighed with relief as he had finally arrived home. He frowned slightly when he found that the outside door was locked. Erwin usually would leave the door unlocked and wait up until Levi returned home safely after a shift. Levi had grown attached to this routine as it was one of his favorite moments of his work day. He always felt revived after particularly tiring shifts when he was greeted by Erwin’s toothy grin and a hot cup of tea, two of his most favorite things.

He figured Erwin must have fallen asleep and slept through his alarm, fatigued by the rise in customers due to the approach of the upcoming holiday season. Erwin had a tendency to overwork himself despite having a staff that provided support. It wasn’t that he found them incapable, he felt more comfortable keeping busy and helping out than just giving orders. Levi pressed the button next to the entrance and jerked back a little when the chime rang loudly inside.

___________Erwin gave the room one last glance and hurried the front entrance buzzing with excitement. He quickly yanked the door open to reveal his husband whose face was half hidden by a huge scarf and hair slightly damp from the snow that had started to fall. Erwin quickly led him inside and helped remove the heavy scarf that revealed a small scowl.

“Why is it so damn dark in here?” Levi grumbled as he removed his coat and gloves. “First you leave me outside to fucking freeze to death and then you forget to turn the damn lights on!” Levi added grumpily.

Erwin chuckled and hit the switch so that the room became visible. Levi’s breath hitched slightly as he took in the sight before them. His gaze roamed from the blue and white decorations that had been their wedding colors to the table for two in the center bearing champagne and a plate of pink macaroons.

“Happy anniversary, Levi.” Erwin said softly placing a hand on Levi’s shoulder.

Levi remained speechless for a few moments, his face was a mix of emotions. “How did you…”

“The kids helped.” Erwin filled in knowing Levi was worried about him aggravating his bad knee.

“They’re good kids.” Levi murmured, a smile crossing his face.

“They are.” Erwin agreed.

_____________

After a toast and some pleasant conversation, Levi snatched a macaroon from the plate and bit into it with a satisfied groan.

“Sometimes I think you only married me for my macaroons.” Erwin teased with a grin.

Levi seemed deep in thought after finishing his treat. “Not true.” Levi stated confidently. “You also have a nice ass.” He added matter -of-factly with a crooked grin.

“Good to know.” Erwin chuckled. He then rose from the table and crossed the room to grab a remote off of the counter. Levi watched in confusion as Erwin pressed a few buttons before setting the remote back down. He quickly approached Levi and offered his hand. “May I have this dance?” He asked, blue eyes shining almost as bright as his smile.

Levi’s cheeks flushed as he nervously grabbed Erwin’s hand and Erwin pulled him to his feet easily. Suddenly the sound of their wedding song flowed from the speakers and Levi couldn’t help but stare up at Erwin with a genuine smile. “I love you, Erwin.” He replied softly before he leaned his head against his husband’s chest.

“I love you too, darling.” Erwin replied as they slowly moved across the dance floor.

___________

Levi yawned loudly as Erwin tucked him into bed before getting ready to clean up downstairs and get the shop ready for the morning crowd. Erwin had already informed Levi that Petra had graciously offered to work a double shift so Levi could spend his anniversary with Erwin and Levi vowed to himself to make it up to her.

“Goodnight darling, I love you.” Erwin whispered softly into Levi’s ear.

“Happy anniversary Erwin, I love you too.” He replied sleepily.

“Make sure you get some sleep, you’ll need the energy for tonight” Erwin whispered followed by a crooked smile as he left the bed and walked to the bedroom door.

“And why is that?” Levi asked with a smirk.

“Because tonight I’m going to make you moan louder than those damn macaroons.” Erwin said huskily before closing the door.

Levi blushed furiously before drifting of to sleep, a contented smile upon his lips.

[buttercream-me-up]

Forgotten Memories // Conor Maynard {Part 1}

Word Count- 1153

Summary- You find some pictures of an old friend.

A/n; First imagine, & this might be confusing, there are lots of back and forth Flashbacks things. Not sure I’m happy with how it turned out, but hey, I might do a part 2 for it so it actually ends decently. (PLEASE LEAVE FEEDBACK!)

Read {Part 2} Here!

~~

You sighed as you rummaged through the old drawers of pictures you’d had in your old bedroom. You were back home, as your parents were moving and you came to collect your things, as they were selling their previous house. They’d always dreamed of moving away from Brighton, as they’d both grown up here since they were young.

You’d opened an old drawer as you smiled at the contents. It was your memories drawer, how you’d forgotten to take this when you moved out, you had no idea. You pulled out a random polaroid, and smiled at the memory.

[FLASHBACK - 20 YEARS AGO]

A 5 year old version of you ran around the tree, running from the blue eyed brunette chasing you down for stealing his cookie. His younger brother followed suit, just loving to tease you. The three of you were close as could be, you and Conor being 5 and Jack being 3. You’d been friends since you were born, your mothers being childhood friends, and conveniently, you living across the street from them.

“I’m sorry!” 5-year-old you squeaked, throwing your hands up in surrender. As you were trying to stop, the boys slowing backed you up into a tree looking at each other with evil grins. They both pounced on you, making you squeal and giggle uncontrollably. “C-Conor! J-Jack!” You cried, trying desperately to escape their ticklefit.

[PRESENT]

Unknown to you, your mothers were inside smirking at each other, and ever so sneakily, came out and snapped a picture of the three of you; Jack and Conor sat either side of you, hunched over tickling you, while you lay on the grass, giggling and a huge smile was present on all 3 faces. The picture turned out quite nice, considering you were squirming at the time.

You smiled fondly, and pulled out a paper hat with the big number ‘10!’ printed on it. This one made you smile. It was a reminder of the first time you’d truly heard Conor sing, and it was something you’d never forget, though you didn’t think of it until seeing this, and you closed your eyes, reminiscing the memory.

[FLASHBACK - 15 years ago]

10-year-old you smiled fondly as the alarm clock blared at 7:00am. It was your birthday, and you were ecstatic. What 10-year-old wouldn’t be? You were finally in double digits, or at least, that's what everyone was saying. You were happy because Conor and Jack were coming over to play, and bringing little Anna to come as well, which you were also super excited for. You loved the boys, but playing dolls and dress up with Anna was also undeniably adorable and fun.

The party had almost been over, everyone was cleaning up and Jack was playing with Anna, chasing the little girl teasingly and having fun with her. Conor and I slipped out the back door and sat under the big tree we used to play chase around, sitting in a comfortable silence. “Happy birthday, to you..” Conor sang, breaking the silence. You looked in shock at your best friend, you’d never heard him sing that good. You’d known he’d been practicing, but wow. “Happy birthday, dear, Y/N, happy birthday to you.” He finished, fiddling with his shirt. You gawked at your best friend, and since that day, had made him sing for you whenever you felt down.

[PRESENT]

Of course Jack was as close to you as Conor, Conor was your best friend, you and him were the same age and just clicked. Like two pieces of a puzzle. Or at least, that’s what you thought back then. You sighed as you grabbed the polaroids and many other items, giving them each a quick glance before tossing them in a bag, until a single polaroid remained in the drawer. The one that broke your heart.

[FLASHBACK - 10 YEARS AGO]

15-year-old you and Conor were sat outside, on a beautifully sunny day, which was quite rare in Brighton. Jack had gone out with his friends, and your mothers weren’t home. Conor had his back pressed up against the tree, while you had your head resting on his lap, him gently running his fingers gently through your hair and singing quietly to you. This wasn’t an unnatural occurrence, you two were as close as could be and were best friends since forever, so it didn’t phase you.

“Y/N?” Conor asked, softly. You looked up at him, with a questioning look. “Do you think I’ll ever be noticed for my singing? Do you think I’m, well, good enough?” He asked, his insecurities shining through his bright blue eyes. It was no secret to you Conor wanted to sing for his career, everyone knew. He’d been training his whole life, and he was so talented it blew your mind every time he questioned himself.

“Conor, I bet you, in 10 years, you’ll have a hit album, released singles, millions of fans, and you’ll be amazing.” You replied, smiling up at him. “I hope.” Conor mumbled, proceeding to play with your hair. “Hey, Conor?” You said, hesitantly. “Mhm?” He murmured in response, looking down at you. “You won’t ever forget me when you're famous, right?” You asked, in a fake joking tone, but genuinely scared he would. Conor saw right through your facade, and instantly turned serious. “I don’t think it’s physically possible to forget you, doll.” He said, pulling you up off his lap and into a hug. You smiled and pulled back, to look him in the eyes. “Promise?” you asked, with a shaky voice. “Promise.” He said, chuckling. You ran inside to grab the camera and a marker, and snapped a pic of you two. When the picture came out, you both scribbled “I promise.” with your names underneath, and enjoyed the rest of the day.

[PRESENT]

So much for that promise. Turns out you were right, Conor had a hit album in 2012, and since had been flying. You’d followed him since the start, and when he moved away to London he slowly stopped answering calls, texts and eventually cut you off altogether. You hadn’t seen him since, and it was now 2017. You still talked with Jack, which was surprising to you, but it was only brief. Anna, however, was basically your new best friend, as you both still lived in Brighton and hung out quite a lot. Obviously with your age gap, it wasn’t very frequent, but you still talked a lot and never once brought up Conor.

This polaroid in your hand was nothing but painful memories and broken trust. You’d waited years to see if Conor would call, which he never did. He broke that promise. You took some scissors, and cut the polaroid in two, quickly disposing it in the bin and leaving the room, turning off the lights and closing the door behind you.

Now, it was nothing but a forgotten memory.

[j-writes-and-suffers]

NaNoWriMo Day Two

Philip woke up to a hand on his shoulder. He yawned and rubbed his eyes, sitting up straighter in his armchair. “Huh? What’s up?”

“I’m afraid I have to kick you out, now. It’s midnight, the library is closing.” A familiar lanky figure was standing over Philip, his eyes in shadow, but his smile visible. All the lights except the one nearest them had been turned off, giving the library an eerie haunted-castle vibe.

“Crap. Sorry. I didn’t mean to keep you.” Philip scrambled to his feet, cursing under his breath. He couldn’t believe he’d fallen asleep so early; he’d bring a second coffee with him next time. Gathering his things, he realized his phone was almost dead, and he’d only finished half his lesson plans. He felt like a lazy idiot, and to make it worse, Lucien had witnessed all his incompetence. Slinging his bag over his shoulder, he hurried to the door.

Lucien chuckled. “Don’t stress yourself out. I’m not in any rush to leave.” He walked past Philip to hold the door for the younger man. “Have a good night.”

“You, too.” Philip nodded as he strolled down the front steps, “See you tomorrow.” He stopped dead in his tracks. Shit. He hadn’t meant to say that, it was just his default reply to classmates and professors.

“Is that a promise?” Still standing at the door, Lucien raised an eyebrow, backlit and grinning mischievously.

Philip bit his lip, his face flushing as he tried to gauge whether Lucien was joking. “Um… sure?”

“Wonderful. I’ll see you then.” Lucien closed the door behind him, locking it with a creaky old key.

“Yeah. Uh-huh. See you.” Philip bolted off into the night before he could say anything else stupid. By the time he got back to his apartment, it was nearly one in the morning, and he was fucking exhausted. His phone had died on the walk home, so he stuck it on the charger, changing into pajamas in the meantime.

Despite how tired he was, Philip found himself struggling to sleep. There were too many thoughts clattering around in his head. Tomorrow was the first day of Welcome Week - a period of five days prior to the start of school with introductory celebrations, campus tours, and nightly food and games.

Tuesday morning was a pep rally, followed by the induction of all the new students and teachers. In the afternoon, there were games and raffles where school merchandise like shirts, pencils, and mugs could be won. On Wednesday, the clubs, fraternities, sororities, and other organizations put out booths around the school, with recruiters trying to pull in freshman and transfers. Thursday, all the different departments held events, including a documentary marathon by the History Department, go-kart racing in the Engineering Department, and the English Department's poetry slam, which Philip was going to help host. Friday was the students versus professors dodgeball game - an infamously fun but chaotic yearly tradition. Finally, Saturday, there was a school spirit parade through the town, followed by a huge picnic in the courtyard and a bonfire in the evening, Philip wondered if he would see Lucien at any of the Spirit events. He also started to worry whether he would actually have time to return to the library tomorrow. He was helping run games in the afternoon, and wouldn't be free until at least eight or nine. He did still need to finish his lesson plans though, so he decided that even if he was tired and running a little late, he would indeed be back as promised.

He was also wondering if Lucien really wanted him to come back. Was he just messing with Philip, teasing the newcomer for shits and giggles? Or did he actually have an interest in his new colleague, and genuinely want to get to know him. He had seemed pretty sincere when they spoke, and something about his warm, vibrant eyes and subtle coy smile drew Philip in, making him more compelled to trust the older man.

What could Lucien possibly see in him? Philip wondered. He wasn't very intelligent, or worldly, or even funny. He was barely more than a student himself, just an awkward 20-something struggling to acclimate to adult responsibilities. Maybe he could impress Lucien during the week; he was planning to perform a couple of his own poems on Thursday, and he was actually pretty decent at dodgeball. Once he proved that he actually had some talents, maybe Lucien would think of him as an equal, instead of the silly kid he appeared to be now.

Having finally gathered a charge, Philip’s phone lit up as it turned itself back on. He grabbed it to check for messages - nothing new, save for an automated reminder from his cell provider. Even though the digital clock in the top right of the screen read 3:17, Philip couldn’t bring himself to try to sleep. When he closed his eyes, bright green irises hovered in his mind, simultaneously making him excited and self-conscious.

Pulling up Facebook on his phone again, he scrolled through the cute animal pictures and political memes his friends had posted all evening. He found himself laughing at most of the posts, and started to wonder whether he really was any more mature than the rest of his social circle. When he found himself guffawing at a three-second clip of a screaming frog, Philip realized he definitely wasn’t. Maybe that was okay, though. Maybe he had judged his friends too harshly earlier. Being ‘professional’ and ‘adult’ was soul-suckingly boring; there was nothing wrong with keeping a youthful sense of humour.

It was nearly five in the morning by the time Philip finally nodded off, and he groaned in dismay when his seven-thirty alarm started blaring. He should probably have gotten up earlier, to be honest; the pep rally started at nine, and he still needed to shower, eat, and walk to campus. He had thought that two and a half miles would be plenty close enough to live, but as it turns out, that’s still a pretty decent distance without a car. To be fair, Philip technically had a car. There was a vehicle registered to him, and it was parked outside the apartment. He owned the keys, and even remembered where he had left them. However, the car was older than Philip and ran about as well as an arthritic old man. It guzzled gas like no tomorrow, and didn’t even start half the time. Going anywhere less than five miles away just wasn’t worth firing it up.

By the time he had clean hair, pants on, and food in his stomach, it was already eight fifteen. Philip glanced at his phone in desperation, hoping maybe if he stared at the clock hard enough, it would rewind a ways. The clock, of course, did no such thing, simply moving on to eight sixteen as if to tell him, “Nice try, moron. Now run, or you’re gonna be late.” Philip sighed, grabbing his bag and hurrying out the front door.

The clock read 8:57 by the time he reached campus, and it was actually about five past nine when Philip finally got into the gym. Luckily, the band was blaring and the students were cheering, so it wasn’t too hard for one small guy to sneak in unnoticed. He found space to sit near the top of the bleachers, and perched on the edge of the bench. The height was a little daunting, especially since the bleachers were old and none too sturdy, but he tried to focus on the celebration below. Running a hand nervously through his hair, Philip hummed his way through the school song, realizing in the process that he didn’t know the lyrics to save his life. He probably should’ve learned them before showing up, but it was a little late for that now. However, most of the students did know the song, and their belting voices drowned out his incompetence.

When the song was over, the cheerleaders came out to do a routine, and Philip found himself struggling to focus. His mind was on Lucien again, and the height of the bleachers was really starting to bother him. Every time he looked down, his head started to spin, and about halfway through the rally, he gave up, climbing to his feet and shuffling back down the stairs. His hand cinched tightly to the railing the whole way, as he didn’t trust his wobbling legs to keep him upright. Once he was outside and on level ground, Philip managed to calm down a bit, sinking down on a bench outside the gymnasium. He checked his phone to see what time it was. 9:45. The induction ceremony wasn’t till eleven, so he had a bit to relax and compose himself.

He pulled out his phone, grabbing headphones from his bag. Listening to music always helped him relax, and his favourite band had recently put out a new album. He leaned back against the brick exterior of the gym, breathing in the cool morning air. Today was a good day. Today was an important day. He was going to be inducted, officially made part of the Elk Grove family. He was going to be a Stag, and today he’d get his honorary antlers. As silly as the mascot implementation seemed, Elk Grove had a strong school spirit, and the Stag Family was a big part of it. They may not be a big school, but they were a tight-knit one, and fiercely loyal to boot. Being a Stag wasn’t something you grew out of upon retirement or graduation, it was a title for life.

Music in his ears and a quiet breeze rustling his hair, Philip zoned out, the serenity of a tranquil fall morning sucking all the anxiety right out of him. The induction ceremony had initially seemed intimidating - the whole school watching while you made your rite of passage, going from an outsider to one of them - but now, he couldn’t wait. He had always been a bit of an outsider as a kid; small, scatterbrained, and goofy, he didn’t fit in with the athletes, the nerds, or the popular kids. This was finally a place where he could belong and be welcomed with open arms.

[hesterharold1991]

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How To Get Your Ex Back After A Few Years