#lita fanfiction

[bird-inacage]

Hello All,

This is another instalment from my ‘missing scenes’ series - fleshing out things we never got to see or adding more context to those we did. I had vowed an absolute AGE ago to write a version of when Sky has a fever, as it’s still one of my favourite Prapaisky moments in the series. Who knew it would have taken me this long to churn this one out? But before we all truly move onto Love Sea, I am trying (albeit wishfully) to finish as many of my drafts from the LITA era. 'Why do you stay?' was a sentiment I imagined both Sky and Prapai thinking at this particular point in their relationship.

Summary:

The reality is Sky had stretched himself so thin, he had literally collapsed from exhaustion. To Prapai this spoke of a concerning level of self-neglect that he couldn't stand by passively and just watch. He vividly envisions Sky's eyes filled with astonished relief, shiny with pained and fearful tears. Sky looked so vulnerable, so gut-wrenchingly helpless that his heart had suspended in his chest. He seemed to have been holding his own breath, praying for Sky's sake that he would shortly rouse from whatever was chasing him.

[windowlessatmosphere]

Reach Out and Touch

Summary: Despite asking him a million times, Prapai will never actually admit that he wishes Sky were more affectionate in public. Until he gets drunk one night and accidentally lets it slip. It’s fine, though. Sky has a plan.

“P’Payu,” Rain whined, disproportionately distraught at the fact that Payu’s gaze had left him for nearly a minute.

“Sorry, sorry,” Payu apologized, pecking him on the cheek in apology. He turned back around, scanning for their waiter in the crowded bar. Rain went back to pouting, and Sky rolled his eyes. Rain leaned into Payu’s side, brightening immediately when Payu put an arm around his shoulders.

The waiter appeared with Payu’s drink, apologizing for the delay and enduring Rain’s mistrustful gaze from over Payu’s shoulder. A moment later, Rain was practically climbing into Payu’s lap, his face buried in Payu’s neck.

Sky snorted, unable to help himself, and heard Prapai do the same. Rain always seemed to get like this when he was drunk, needy and whining if Payu diverted even a speck of his attention elsewhere.

“You never do this with me,” Prapai said in a low, teasing voice, leaning in close enough that Rain wouldn’t overhear. Sky rolled his eyes, aiming a light kick at Pai under the table and giving him a withering look. Prapai just beamed at him, swooping in to plant a kiss on Sky’s cheek and ignoring his offended squawk.

“P’Payu,” Rain whined, tilting his chin up for a kiss. Payu obliged him easily, and Sky wished, not for the first time, that he hadn’t volunteered to be the designated driver. Rain and Payu were really much more bearable when he was drunk.

“Skyyyy,” Prapai said in a perfect imitation of Rain, leaning into Sky’s space with a pout. Sky snorted at that, flicking Pai’s nose but pressing their legs together under the table anyway.

They ordered a few more drinks, Sky continuing to opt for water while wondering why he had agreed to do so. Prapai began scooting closer to him at some point, clearly aiming for subtlety and missing the mark spectacularly. Lucky for him, Sky could only find it endearing. When he had finally closed the distance between them, he snuck an arm around Sky’s waist, pulling it back hesitantly when Sky automatically tensed up.

It wasn’t intentional, just a leftover reflex from being with Gun, when getting pulled in by the waist had never meant anything good. Even so, it was obvious that Prapai was feeling wounded, his emotions all the more obvious given how much he’d had to drink. Sky felt a little stab of guilt and leaned into Prapai’s side, hoping he wasn’t feeling unwanted.

Of course, this meant that Pai took it as an invitation and immediately went in for a kiss. Sky turned his face instinctively, leaving Pai’s lips to land on his cheek instead. Prapai drew back, looking uncertain and hurt, and shifted in his seat.

Sky did his best to keep his expression neutral, noting sardonically that Rain and Payu had been far too wrapped up in each other to even notice. They were definitely going to have to talk about this when they got home.

He’d brought it up before, curious due to how affectionate Prapai was in private. Pai knew how Sky felt about PDA, and he usually didn’t push. Sure, he’d sneak in a peck or grab Sky’s hand every so often, but it had never become an issue. It still left him feeling uneasy, a prickling feeling in the back of his mind that Prapai wanted things to be different. That he wanted a boyfriend he could kiss anywhere.

He’d asked, of course, but that had gone nowhere.

“I love you just the way you are,” was the usual response, followed by a forehead kiss and a loving smile.

Sky didn’t doubt that, but he was also very much aware that Prapai was dodging the question.

So. They needed to talk.

“We need to talk,” Sky told Prapai, about twelve seconds after they entered Sky’s apartment.

Prapai’s expression instantly shifted from bleary-eyed and out of it to utter panic.

“Not like that,” Sky clarified immediately, and Pai relaxed.

“Okay,” he agreed, flopping down on the couch and making grabby hands at Sky. He followed Pai over to the couch, letting himself be pulled down and cuddled.

“I feel like I upset you earlier,” Sky began, choosing his words carefully. Prapai’s hands, which had been carding through his hair, froze for a moment before resuming their movement.

“Earlier?” Pai asked, trying and failing for an even tone. He wasn’t the best actor on a good day, let alone after a few drinks.

“You know what I mean,” Sky pressed, turning in Pai’s hold so they were facing each other. “I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings,” he added quietly.

Prapai’s expression shifted before he answered. “I know,” he reassured Sky, rubbing a soothing hand up and down his back. “It’s not a big deal.”

There was a moment of silence, and Sky wondered if he should leave it at that.

“Does it bother you?” he eventually asked, prepping himself for Prapai to dodge the question, as per usual.

“You never bother me,” Prapai informed him sternly before giving him a kiss on the cheek.

Sky signed.

“You wouldn’t want that?” Sky questioned, holding Pai’s gaze. “For us to be affectionate around other people?”

“Of course I would.” Prapai shrugged, half-mumbling. Sky’s heart sank a little. “Who wouldn’t want that with you?” he added, his eyes closed at this point.

“Okay.” Sky let out a long breath. He glanced down at Pai, who looked to be minutes away from dropping off, and shook him by the shoulder. “Bed,” he instructed, trying to sound stern. It must have at least partially worked, as he managed to rouse Prapai from the couch and get him through most of his nighttime routine before they crawled into bed.

It took about thirty seconds before Prapai was breathing evenly, totally dead to the world around him. Sky wasn’t able to drift off so easily. He couldn’t stop thinking about Gun, as much as he wished otherwise. Memories kept coming back up, every time Gun had used him as a display, without caring at all about Sky’s comfort. Every time he had grabbed Sky in public, or let his friends do the same.

Early on, he’d had to remind himself constantly that Prapai wasn’t Gun. That he wasn’t anything like Gun. Those days were long gone, with Prapai’s presence and touch bringing nothing but comfort. Except when they were in public, apparently.

He rolled to one side, staring at Prapai’s sleeping face and making a deal with himself. He was going to try. Whatever that meant. Were they going to turn into Rain and Payu? Hopefully not. But he could at least see, at least find out if there was a way for him to stop flinching every time Pai touched him in public. He definitely deserved that much. And, fuck, Sky deserved it too, he decided.

He leaned over and pressed a kiss to Pai’s cheek before rolling over to go to sleep, a warm feeling in his chest from his decision.

The next morning, he woke up knowing it was a bad idea. Not in general, of course, but all he could do was imagine himself failing. Telling Prapai that he would be better, getting his hopes up, and then having them come crashing down again.

“So don't tell him,” Rain suggested, through a mouthful of eggs.

Sky blinked at him. “Don’t tell him?”

“Duh.” Rain rolled his eyes. “Just do it. If you succeed, he’ll be thrilled. If you fail, he won’t even know, and you can try again in a few months.”

Sky blinked at him again.

“What?” Rain asked, when it became clear that he wasn’t going to say anything.

“Is that…allowed?” Sky said, unable to come up with a better word.

Rain blinked at him.

“Allowed?” he finally asked, sounding incredulous.

“I mean, I can’t just be grabbing him in public unannounced,” Sky hissed, his cheeks flushing red at the thought.

“I’m pretty sure he would be cool with that,” Rain countered, snorting into his coffee.

Sky kicked him under the table and considered it. It would keep Pai from getting his hopes up. Plus, it had been clear from his demeanor that morning that he hadn’t remembered telling Sky anything. He didn’t really want to see Pai’s face when he realized he had insinuated that Sky should change something about himself. He was never particularly pleased whenever anyone else did so.

“Fine,” he decided. “I’ll try.”

“You could fuck him at his office again,” Rain suggested.

Sky kicked him under the table.

-----

“Hey!” Pai called, half-running over before pulling him into a tight hug.

“Hey,” he echoed, his voice muffled from where his face was pressed into Pai’s neck. He pulled back an inch, meeting Prapai’s eyes for a split second before pecking him on the cheek. Pai looked pleasantly surprised, pulling him in even closer. Sky did his best not to blush, feeling a strange mix of uncertainty and pride.

For a moment, anyway. A second later, he glanced over at Payu, who had lifted Rain bodily off the ground and was kissing him soundly. Definitely not something he was comfortable with in front of other people, but especially at the race track.

He looked back at Prapai, giving him a distracted smile and straightening his jacket. He spared another glance at Rain and Payu, who looked like they were about two seconds away from absorbing into one another.

Whatever. Next time.

-----

Prapai was waving enthusiastically, as though Sky wouldn’t have noticed him otherwise. He was on his bike, waiting to drive Sky home after his classes.

“See you later,” Ple told him, nodding in Pai’s direction.

“Bye!” Sig called as Sky left, waving over his shoulder.

“Hey,” Sky greeted his boyfriend, snorting when Pai pulled him in by his hand. He went easily, hesitating for a moment before he leaned in for a quick kiss. Pai looked surprised when he pulled back, and Sky hid a smile, ignoring his friends whistling at them in the background.

“Are we going?” he asked, climbing on the back of Pai’s motorcycle. “P’Pai?” he asked, after a moment of silence.

“Yep, we're going. We’re going!”

-----

Holding hands was not stressful, Sky observed. Shocking.

No one had seemed to notice, either, which made him feel slightly odd for having been so trepidatious about going for it. Prapai hadn’t even reacted much, just taking his hand easily and running his thumb over the back of Sky's hand, the way he always did.

“What a cute couple!” the stall vendor, an older lady, gushed at them, a wide smile on her face.

“Thank you,” Prapai returned easily, beaming at Sky. “He’s the cute one,” he whispered conspiratorially, leaning in slightly. Sky did his best not to flush at that, and the woman laughed brightly.

Look at that. No big deal.

-----

Some things were still a big deal, Sky realized a few days later. They were at a picnic with most of their classmates, Prapai and Payu having tagged along as usual. Rain was laying down with his head in Payu’s lap, eyes closed blissfully as Payu played with his hair. Sky, on the other hand, was leaning against Pai, his back pressed up against Pai’s chest, and doing his best to deal with it.

It would have been fine just the two of them, he thought, desperately trying to relax into the hold. Even if it had just been Rain and Payu, he might’ve been okay. He glanced over to see that Rain was now in Payu’s lap, their noses pressed up against each other. They barely counted as an audience, he decided, given how infrequently their attention was on anyone but each other.

He pushed back into Prapai’s arms, taking a deep breath and ordering himself to relax. Always an effective tactic. Pai leaned forward a little, pressing a soft kiss to his neck, and he did his best to ignore a shiver. That, along with the fact that he could practically feel everyone’s eyes on him had him pulling away. He grabbed a piece of fruit for plausible deniability, offering one to Pai as well. He took it happily, seemingly unaware of the miniature crisis Sky was having. That he’d been having for a couple weeks now.

It was fine, Sky reminded himself.

He was making progress.

-----

He had made absolutely no progress.

That was all that was going through his mind as he watched Payu press Rain up against the bar, essentially devouring his face. Sky let out a small sigh, grabbing their drinks from the bartender and weaving his way back to their booth.

“Hey,” he said to Pai, trying to keep his tone bright as he slid him his drink.

“Hey,” Pai returned, pulling him into the booth by his waist. Sky pecked him on the cheek before taking a sip of his drink. He glanced back over at the bar to see that Rain and Payu showed absolutely no signs of moving anytime soon.

“You okay?” Pai asked, pulling him in closer so that Sky’s head was leaning on his shoulder. Sky just hummed an affirmative, closing his eyes and nuzzling further into Pai’s shoulder.

“I’m fine,” he added, when Pai didn’t say anything. He pulled back an inch, seeing the look of worry on Pai’s face and shook his head, laughing under his breath. “I’m fine,” he reiterated, more firmly this time, pressing a thumb to Prapai’s forehead to smooth out his worry lines.

“I’m allowed to ask,” Pai defended himself gamely, stealing a sip of Sky’s drink. Sky just rolled his eyes, actually relaxing into the moment and taking a swig of Pai’s drink.

Rain and Payu tumbled back over ten minutes later, popping Sky’s temporary bubble of optimism. He didn’t usually mind their PDA so much, but it was different when he was actively trying to be more affectionate with Prapai.

He probably hadn’t even noticed anything different, Sky thought glumly, watching Rain bully his way into Payu’s lap.

-----

“Something’s different,” Prapai informed him. Sky blinked. “Is everything okay?” Prapai continued, when he didn’t get a response. “You seemed kinda upset at the bar.”

Sky opened his mouth, completely ready to respond that he was fine, before he closed it again.

“I’m…” he trailed off. Was he fine? Mostly.

“Sky?” Pai prompted, raising an eyebrow.

“I was a little upset earlier,” Sky allowed. Prapai waited for him to finish, and he went on, “I was trying to…you remember last time we were there?”

“Sure,” Prapai agreed, brow furrowing in slight confusion.

“We talked after,” Sky said. “You were drunk.”

A look of panic appeared on Pai’s face, and Sky hurried to explain. “Not like that! You just…said something.”

The look of panic reappeared.

“Not like that,” Sky insisted, pulling Prapai down onto the couch with him. The look of panic was gone, but it had been replaced by a look of worry, which wasn’t much better. “I’m not great with PDA,” he said bluntly. “You know that. And…you just said you wished things were different.”

“What?” Prapai asked, looking crestfallen.

“You just said…it wasn’t…” Sky sighed in frustration. “I asked,” he told Prapai sternly, “if you would want us to be affectionate around other people. And you said ‘who wouldn’t want that?’, that’s all,” he explained.

“I don’t want anything about you to be different,” Prapai doubled down, looking vaguely pissed at his past, drunken self.

“I want it too,” Sky said quietly. Prapai’s expression changed instantly, cycling through a few different emotions before ending on chagrined.

“And you should have everything you want,” Pai agreed, quickly changing direction. Sky let out a snort, leaning against Pai’s side.

“Well, I tried,” Sky said bitterly, thinking back on his somewhat pathetic efforts.

“And you succeeded,” Prapai pointed out, eyes narrowing at Sky’s tone of voice.

“I did not,” Sky argued, shaking his head with a half-laugh. “Did you see Rain and Payu tonight?”

“Do you want to be Rain and Payu?” Prapai returned immediately, raising an eyebrow.

“...okay, no,” Sky admitted. “But I still—”

“Still what?” Pai interrupted. “Still made an effort? Still made a lot of progress? Still were the best boyfriend in existence?”

Sky swatted him on the arm, appreciating the sentiment despite himself.

“I’m happy with anything,” Pai told him. “I’m happy with you, even if it means we can only hold hands in secret.”

“I held hands with you at a farmers’ market!” Sky defended himself. “And I am making progress.”

“And you’re doing a great job,” Prapai reassured him, kissing him quickly.

“Thank you,” Sky said.

“I could probably help out more,” Prapai pointed out.

“What do you mean?” Sky asked.

“I’m just saying,” Pai shrugged. “If you need me to grab your ass in public, I can. For you. If you think it would help.”

Sky threw a pillow at him and went to bed.

[yoongisassonfire]

Love in the air | Prapai x Sky Fanfiction

inspired by @kimberbee AU on Twitter

Title: The Roommates: I hate you confession

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

After a long day studying with classmates at the university, Sky returned to his dorm exhausted. He could barely walk straight without having back pain from sitting down for so long. Exam periods are always the most challenging time for him. Maintaining good grades required hard work and much effort, and he loved to see his family proud of him.

He heard something that made him stop midway as he turned around the keys to his room. Noise could be heard except for two reasons. Both reasons weren’t pleasing for him. He was at it again. Prapai. His roommate was studying at a different faculty. He was a year ahead of him, and Sky wondered how he would end up with him in the same room. They mostly assigned roommates according to the year of admission. Sky was everything but a lucky person. His bad luck again made him be assigned as his roommate.

Taking a deep breath, Sky banged on the door multiple times as the noises faded behind the door. He didn’t want to burst into the room and see something he would regret for the rest of his life. After a couple of minutes, a young man with fluffy hair that reached his eyes, fair skin, and curious eyes walked out of the room. He was buttoning up his shirt as he looked behind him before leaning in to kiss the villain.

“Sorry for stopping there.” Prapai appeared at the door, wearing nothing but a towel wrapped around his hip. Glancing at Sky, he smirked as he looked back at the small boy, who looked disappointed. “I have to respect my roommate. I will call you later.”

Sky rolled his eyes as he pushed the little boy to access his room. “He will call you never. And probably will bring someone else tomorrow.” Sky spat his words as he pushed Prapai out of the way, who was also blocking his way.

As Prapai closed the door, he turned to look at Sky, who was dropping his belongings on his study table. “Oh, you mad? Are you jealous?” Prapai said teasingly as he walked over and rested his chin on Sky’s shoulder. 

“I told you not to touch me without my permission.” Sky flinched as he stepped away from Prapai enough to leave a good personal space between them. His eyes roomed the older guy from head to toe. Prapai was handsome. Sky knew why everyone would want to sleep with him, even if it was just for one night. He hit the gym regularly, so his body was muscular. He had a charming yet annoying smile.

Sky hated this guy’s gut.

Prapai smirked as he stepped back. Both of his hands were in the air in surrender. “Relax. I was playing around.”

“Can you please stop that?” Sky said firmly. Looking at Prapai deadly in the eyes. “You are not living alone in this room. Stop bringing people here, or just… leave.”

“Sorry, little Sky. But I cannot leave.” Prapai said, dropping on his bed. The towel slid slightly, revealing more skin of his tight. “And definitely cannot stop just….” Prapai winked, and Sky angrily looked away as he continued playing with the things on his table.

“I cannot believe the bad luck that made me end up with you.” Sky cursed under his breath, but Prapai heard him clearly, saying: “Such an unpleasant thing.” 

“You know,” Prapai straightened up as he said. “You can always leave yourself. You don’t have to stay here. Unless you want to join me too. How do you like this?”

“Shut the fuck up.” Sky frowned at him. “Who would like to join something as dirty and disgusting as this? Unhuman behavior. Animals do not even sleep around as much as you do.”

“That’s a little bit too harsh, Sky.” Prapai’s eyes suddenly darkened. His smile disappeared as his eyes met Sky’s. Sky knew he was a little bit harsh. Prapai was free to do whatever he wanted to do. He felt guilty instantly. Before he could apologize, Prapai stood up and walked to the bathroom, slamming the door behind him. It didn’t concern Sky, no matter what Prapai’s life choices were. He just wanted him to respect the fact that both lived in this room.

That night, Prapai didn’t say another word to Sky. After he took a shower, he went straight to bed without even giving him a chance to Sky to say anything. Sky didn’t know why he felt so guilty. He didn’t know much about Prapai and his life. But for the past six weeks, while living together, Prapai always brought a new person into the dorm. At first, Sky decided to leave the room for him until it was over. However, as time passed, Sky discovered that this room might never feel his at some point. So, he started to talk more about how he didn’t like it. He also had the right to be in his room when he wanted.

Yet, Sky knew that didn’t give him the right to say what he said.

~~

“You said that to him?” Rain’s eyes widened as he looked at his best friend in disbelief.

“He got on my nerve last night.” Sky said, looking at the empty ceiling as he sipped his juice. “He had the nerve to ask me to …” Sky rolled his eyes in annoyance.

“What did he ask you?” Rain asked curiously.

Sky shrugged. “Forget about it.”

“Have you apologized to him?” Rain asked innocently. “I can see you feel guilty about what you said.”

“He was gone by the morning.” Sky sighed, shaking his head. “Why does it have to be him? I am not comfortable at all.”

“Look for another room then.”

“I did. They are all occupied. If I want to find a condo, well, they are expensive.” Sky said as he sipped more of his juice. “That room is my only choice for now.”

“Oh right, the guys are going for a drink tonight. Are you joining?” Rain suddenly said, changing the whole conversation.

“Pass. I must finish the assignment first.”

“You can always do that later. The deadline is still next week.”

“I am not sure.” Sky didn’t like alcohol that much. He hated its taste and how it made him unable to control his body.

“Just this one time. Please,” Rain whined like the little kid he was. And Sky knew if he disagreed, Rain wouldn’t shut up about it.

“Okay fine.”

~~

The moment Sky entered the pub, he instantly regrated it. He should have insisted on not going. The place was full of the smell of cheap perfume and cigarettes. There was a band playing some music at the corner of the pub. Some of their faces were familiar, but he couldn’t remember where he had seen them. Everyone was drinking heavily. Meanwhile, he could only manage a sip from his class. He hated how this tasted.

“Where are you going?” Rain asked, putting his hand on Sky’s shoulder when Sky was just about to stand up.

“Bathroom.” Rain nodded as he withdrew his hand. “Don’t leave. I will drive you home. Just tell me when you want to go.”

“Don’t worry about me.” Sky said, smiling at his friend. “Don’t drive. Ask P’Phayu to pick you up. You are drunk. It’s dangerous.”

“Oh, you are right.” Rain was already tipsy as he nodded, reaching for another glass.

Sky shook his head as he headed to find the bathroom. Along the way, a couple was making out against the wall. Sky rolled his eyes as he walked past them. Ironically at this moment, Prapai crossed his mind. He didn’t get the chance to apologize to him yet. He hadn’t seen or spoken to him since last night. He was probably somewhere pinning someone against the wall, making out with them. Or worse. They could already be in his room.

When Sky reached the bathroom, an unexpectedly tall figure walked out. Prapai’s eyes widened when he noticed Sky. The younger boy could almost swear that he saw Prapai’s lips lifting to a smile. But it was only instantaneous and almost unnoticeable. Without realizing it, Sky was already looking behind Prapai, expecting someone else to be following him out of there.

Scoffing, Prapai rolled his eyes. “I am not an animal to this extent. I have my limits too.”

“Sorry, I didn’t mean….”

“It’s okay.” Prapai cut Sky before he could continue what he wanted to say. Stepping aside to clear the way for him. Before Prapai could walk away, Sky grabbed his hand, stopping him. Prapai’s eyes widened as his head tilted to the side.

Taking a deep breath, Sky opened his mouth to speak when someone wanted to use the bathroom, murmured excuse me as he walked between Sky and Prapai. Sky sighed as he looked at Prapai once more before shaking his head. “I just wanted to apologize about yesterday. I was harsh.”

“Sky…”

“I shouldn’t have said that. I am sorry.” Sky said, not daring to meet his eyes. “I don’t care what you do with your life. Just don’t do it in the room we share.”

Prapai smiled widely, and Sky’s heart clenched. It’s the same annoying yet charming smile that he hated the most.

“You are kind of cute, do you know that?” Prapai said as he ruffled Sky’s hair. He earned a glare from him, but it was worth it.

“The Fuck…” Sky cursed as he pushed Prapai’s hand away. “I told you not to touch me without my permission.”

“Okay, little Sky.”

“Stop calling me that.” Sky frowned as he turned around and walked into the bathroom, leaving Prapai in the hallway.

~~

Rain was already passed out when Sky returned to the table where his friends were sitting. Everyone had already left except for both of them. Reaching for his friend’s phone, he found his boyfriend’s number and called him to pick him up. Sky didn’t have a car and didn’t know how to drive. So, carrying Rain home was an impossible mission for him. It took only 10 minutes for Phayu to arrive. Sky wasn’t sure if Phayu lived close or if this guy was crazy enough to drive high speed to pick up his drunk boyfriend.

“Thank you, sky, for calling me,” Phayu said as he gently tapped his boyfriend’s shoulder. “Rain. Rain. Let’s go home.”

Rain let out small groans as he opened his eyes slowly. “P’Phayu.”

“Yeah, that’s me. Let’s go home, honey.” Phayu said gently as he wrapped Rain’s arm around his should, while his arm wrapped around Rain’s waist holding his small frame tightly to him. “Do you need a ride, Sky?”

“Don’t worry about him. He is leaving with me.” Sky looked behind him to find Prapai. Phayu didn’t move from his place until Sky looked at him and nodded. “Yeah, he is my roommate. I can go home with him.”

When Phayu walked away with Rain, Prapai grabbed a chair and sat beside Sky. “Your friend?”

Sky nodded. “Let’s go home.” Before he could stand up, Prapai stopped him by placing a glass of beer in front of him.

“Let’s have a couple of drinks first.”

“I don’t drink.” Sky said, pushing the glass away. “Especially not around someone like you.”

“What do you mean someone like me?”

“A Playboy.”

“We have been living together for six weeks now. If I wanted to make a move on you, I would have already done that.” Prapai looked at Sky with daring eyes. “I will not use this cheap trick on you. Or on anybody.”

“You will never get me.”

“Don’t be so sure, little Sky. World changes in a blink of an eye.”

“But I will never change. Because I hate your guts. I hate your presence. I hate your rudeness. I hate your shameless behavior. I hate your smile. I hate you.”

“Are you drunk?” Prapai frowned because whatever Sky said now didn’t sound like a declaration of hate.

“I only took one sip of this.” Sky said as he pointed at the glass full of beer. It looks almost untouched. “I am not drunk.”

“Okay fine.” Prapai smiled, shaking his head. Surprisingly, Prapai couldn’t help but find Sky cute that night. He almost forgot why he was so angry with him this whole time. However, this guy he was looking at now seemed not to like him. Something told Prapai that this should change.

[imusuallyobsessed]

Did you watch Love in the Air and think hmm, there could be like 30k+ more introspection in this, to the tune of “Labyrinth” by Taylor Swift?

Well, look no further! And I’m not even done yet! Happily ever after guaranteed, angst with a happy ending. Mostly canon compliant, but chapter 4 will go post-canon and be fluffy af!

[shellsweet]

I had a bug yesterday and finally read “Weathered Strings, Tethered Wings” and it’s one of my favorite #TMNT Fanfics! Great job, @deadpool1763492 !! I look forward to reading more chapters! 😭❤️

[south-of-heaven]

Plsss poly Ledge and Fem reader NSFW Headcanons

NSFW Headcanons || Edge & Lita

Warnings: Public sex, getting caught, slapping, just the regular smutty smut.

A/N: Sorry guys this gif just fits the theme here.

I think we could all say that they’re both exhibitionists, if you know you know.

Edge is an absolute slut for watching you and Lita make out, he fucking loves it. 

Lita is meaner than you would think behind closed doors, at least she can be. She likes to slap you, sometimes even does it to Edge if he does something she didn’t ”agree” with.

Expect a lot of locker room sex, they both have incredibly high sex drives.

Lita loves to have you on your knees in front of her while she grinds herself against your tongue.

While Edge is still a more dominant person he’s pretty prone to listening to what Lita says in the bedroom.

Basically what Lita says goes.

Edge is also a sucker for getting head, he likes giving as well but he’ll always prefer receiving. 

Lita really enjoys getting head, it’s probably her favourite.

She likes waking you up by eating you out.

Edge keeps a pretty fast pace, he doesn’t last super long once he’s inside you but definitely long enough.

Lita likes to choke you, especially when she knows you two could easily get caught, she likes the thrill of it. 

That basically goes for anything, the thrill of getting caught drives her crazy and gets her incredibly aroused

Edge is no different, he will unabashedly just grab either you or Lita for a graphic make out sesh in the middle of a hallway. 

He really has no shame.

One time he even fucked you in Vince’s office when he was out, Lita scolded him after that.

He thought it was unfair considering how she’d fucked you in a random corner backstage and the two of you had gotten caught by Eddie.

Lita is really into shower sex, it’s soft, it’s intimate, it’s convenient. What’s there not to like?

She especially likes it after a match.

Edge and Lita get competitive, challenging each other to see who can please you the most.

As for aftercare, Lita likes to shower while Edge prefers a bath. 

They always change the sheets on the bed too just so you get to feel all clean and cozy.

[sailoreuterpe]

Ship: Makoami Prompt: Coffee 😳👉👈

"If you drink any more of that, you'll never get to sleep tonight," Makoto murmurs into Ami's hair.

Ami ignores her wife and takes another giant, noisy gulp of coffee.

Makoto sighs in affectionate defeat. "At least let me make you a new pot."

Ami smiles and lifts her face for her victor's kiss.

[scumbag4scumbag]

Shameless Self-Promotion: Comments Requested

So, this fanfic universe kinda feels like my magnum opus of wrestling fic... I've written others, mostly AdaMJF/BTYBB fics (and I'm more than happy to share those links as well), but I started this CMJF verse with what was supposed to be a one-shot set in a world where Max is the heir to a rich New York family's business and fortune, and Punk is the older, poor as fuck, guitarist in a band who turned Max's life upside down. The first piece I wrote was Max drunkenly calling Punk after being abandoned a week before his wedding to Adam Cole, the guy his parents had approved of. But it grew... and grew... and grew.

Unfortunately, I've put in a lot of work, but haven't gotten much feedback on it. My AdaMJF stuff gets a decent amount of feedback, but CMJF not so much... maybe because they don't actually interact anymore, so the ship fandom is dying? IDEK. But I know there's a lot of AO3 writers on the old Tumblr, so I figure worst case? Nobody sees this and best case? I get some feedback!!

Anyways... without futher ado, let me link ya.

Toxicity Is a Virtue... or Something: A CMJF AU Universe Description: Maxwell Jacob Friedman is the golden son of a wealthy New York family. CM Punk is his parents’ worst nightmare.

Part 1: Watch Me Turn Your Mind Into My Home Summary: Max is slumming at a punk rock club with his friends. Punk is playing that club with his band. Worlds collide and shit gets messy. In Progress

Part 2: Why Are You Here? Summary: It's been a few months since Maxwell Jacob Friedman and CM Punk broke up, and they've both moved on. Or so they both think. Complete - One-shot

Part 3: Pretty When You Cry Summary: Max thought he had finally found the person who would love him forever -- who would never break his heart -- in the person of Adam Cole. But as usual? Max thought wrong. -or- 5 times Adam truly smiled at Max and 1 time he tried to but failed. Complete - One-shot

Part 4: Sick Like Me Summary: Maxwell Jacob Friedman is the son of one of New York City's richest families, and as such, his parents have been planning his life for a long time. CM Punk is the much older, much poorer guy he dated 5 years ago. Adam Cole is the charmer Max's parents loved until he left him a week before their wedding. Larry just wants a treat. In Progress

[imogenegomi]

Chapter seven is now up! 😊

[suga4mycoffee]

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: บรรยากาศรัก เดอะซีรีส์ | Love in the Air (TV 2022) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Phayu/Rain (Love in the Air TV 2022) Characters: Phayu (Love in the Air TV 2022), Rain (Love in the Air TV 2022), Saifah (Love in the Air TV 2022) Additional Tags: Rain is a Brat (Love in the Air TV 2022), Rain is Insecure, Phayu is So Whipped (Love in the Air TV 2022), Rain is Oblivious, Misunderstandings, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Episode 3 Series: Part 6 of Chasing Rain Summary:

Rain is hit with the reality of pursuing Payu.

Payu turns the tables.

(Episode 3: Saifah's warning hits Rain a little harder than expected. Payu notices.)

[bird-inacage]

Hello All,

The premise for this story devolved from a snowballing prompt of epic proportions courtesy of the Prapaisky discord, which started simply as a discussion around all the many ways poor Prapai and Sky would be walked in on whilst attempting to have sex. I thoroughly enjoyed writing this one, the dialogue was a tonne of fun to write. This is just some wholesome, light-hearted, humorous goodness for you all to enjoy. (There was in fact a much more convoluted plot to this, but I can't for the life of me write sexy scenes very well so I'll spare you all). Enjoy my friends!

Summary:

Sky lets out a startled yelp, burying his face into Prapai’s chest, a palpable heat radiating from his cheeks. Their position is incredibly compromising, and he literally cannot move as it would mean exposing Sky completely. Sky’s cheeks are severely reddened with embarrassment, and he can’t tell if Sky is staring daggers at him with such intensity in an attempt to hold back from crying or from sheer undiluted anger. “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, I honestly didn’t think anyone was home-” Sky shakes his head once, indignant, before hissing under his voice, “Get out of me first!”

[windowlessatmosphere]

The Boy Is Mine

Summary: Prapai gets hit on sometimes, but he always shuts it down quickly. A few comments about his boyfriend are usually all that’s required. In this case, however, nothing seems to be working. And Sky hasn’t even noticed. Allegedly.

Prapai swung a leg over his bike, handing off his helmet to one of the guys working the race. He looked around expectantly, not yet seeing Sky. Just a moment later, there was a tap on the back of his shoulder, and he turned around with a wide grin.

“Hey…” he said, trailing off when he realized it wasn’t Sky.

“Hey,” the guy said back, giving him a soft smile. 

He racked his brain, trying to put a name to the face that was, admittedly, vaguely familiar. Prapai was pretty sure he was dating one of the racers.

“You were great,” the guy said, stepping closer and looking up at him through his lashes.

“Thank you,” he said, somewhat awkwardly, shuffling back slightly. He studied the face a little longer, eventually just giving up altogether. “I’m sorry,” he said, “what’s your name again?”

There was a beat of silence before he got an answer. “Mint,” he said, leaning back slightly.

Good, then. Maybe that would be that.

“I guess we need to get to know each other better,” Mint suggested, raising an eyebrow and giving him a onceover.

Okay, so maybe that wouldn’t be that.

“Oh, that’s—Sky!” He cut himself off as soon as he caught sight of Sky, who was hovering by the gate, looking uncertain. Prapai waved him over enthusiastically, his face stretching into a wide grin when Sky obliged.

“How’d I do?” he asked as soon as Sky was in earshot, holding his arms out and waggling his eyebrows a little. Sky allowed him to wrap his arms around him, blushing slightly as he did so.

“You were great,” Sky said, his tone proud and genuine, contrasting how Mint had said it.

Pai caught a glimpse of Mint’s expression, which had soured somewhat.

“Oh, sorry,” he apologized. “Mint, this is my boyfriend, Sky. Sky, this is Mint.”

“Nice to meet you,” Sky said with a smile. 

“You, too,” Mint replied, seemingly-fake brightness in his tone. “I have to get going. I’ll see you at the next race,” he said. The words were directed at both of them, but he only eyed Prapai before he walked off.

“I was great?” Prapai checked, pulling Sky in closer and nuzzling the side of his face.

“You were,” Sky confirmed, squirming in his hold until Pai let him go. “C’mon, let’s go find Rain and Payu.”

Prapai groaned dramatically, following him anyway, and Sky laughed at him, clearly remorseless. A moment later, he caught up to Sky, who let him hold his hand, and he forgot all about Mint.

-----

He had forgotten all about Mint.

They’d spoken briefly at the races a few times, but it had been a month since that first exchange.

“P’Pai!” Mint greeted him excitedly, sliding into the seat directly next to him on the couch.

“Hey!” Prapai replied with equal enthusiasm, a little looser than usual with a few drinks in him. Sky was no better, currently off with Rain taking far too many tequila shots.

“No boyfriend tonight?” Mint asked, scooting a little closer to him.

Drunk as he was, Prapai was still aware enough to recognize an obvious move. He sat up, putting a little more distance between them.

“He’s just getting a drink,” Pai explained, hoping to give the impression that he’d be back any minute.

“I can keep you company while you wait,” Mint offered, leaning in further.

‘No, thanks,’ was on the tip of his tongue, but what actually came out was a very awkward, “Oh, you don't have to do that.”

“I don’t mind,” Mint responded, cocking an eyebrow with a slight smile. “It’s my pleasure.”

“Thanks,” Prapai said shortly. He started scanning through a list of possible excuses, eventually settling on faking a phone call. If Mint asked, he could just say it was Payu, who wasn’t here to betray the illusion. “I think I’m—”

“P’Pai!” Sky cut him off, appearing out of nowhere and falling half on top of him as he landed on the couch.

“Hey, sweetheart,” he said fondly, smoothly grabbing the drink out of Sky’s hand and setting it on the table before it inevitably ended up all over both of them. A thought occurred to him. “Where’s Rain?” he asked. Payu would not be happy if they left a drunk Rain unattended and surrounded by a bunch of racers.

“He got an Uber,” Sky explained, his eyes slightly unfocused. He was clinging on to Prapai by now, far looser and more comfortable with public affection when drunk than any other time. 

Pai attempted to suppress a smile, pulling him in closer and wrapping an arm around his shoulders. Sky went easily, resting his head in the crook of Prapai’s neck.

“Hey,” he said, a moment later. “You’re Mint, right?”

“Right,” Mint confirmed with a tight smile. He took a sip of his drink, his eyes staying fixed on Sky. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and glanced at it. “I should probably get going,” he said apologetically, shifting his gaze to Prapai.

“Okay.” He shrugged. “See you later.”

“That sounds nice,” Mint replied smoothly, his gaze turning a little more heated before he stood up to leave.

Prapai shifted uncomfortably, his eyes flicking to Sky to see how he was reacting.

He appeared to be sound asleep.

Prapai sighed, putting his other arm around Sky as well to support him more fully, and began contemplating the logistics of getting Sky to the car without waking him up. He formed a game plan, moving slowly so as not to disturb Sky, carefully pulling them both to standing without jolting him.

He let out a breath once they were both standing, mentally congratulating himself on not waking Sky up.

“P’Pai?” Sky mumbled, his face buried in Prapai’s neck.

Oh.

-----

“I was thinking about learning to ride,” Mint informed him, leaning over the bike between them.

“That’s nice.”

“Maybe you could give me a private lesson?” he asked, looking up at Prapai with wide eyes.

“You should get someone else,” Pai suggested. “I tried teaching Sky once, but it didn’t go that well.”

“Maybe you had the wrong student,” Mint shot back.

Prapai took a deep breath and reminded himself that violence was not acceptable in this scenario.

“I don’t think so.”

-----

“I think there’s something wrong with my car.”

“That sucks.”

“Isn’t your friend a mechanic?” Mint asked innocently. “P’Payu?”

“Yep,” Prapai said shortly. For a moment, he entertained the idea that Mint had moved on to Payu, and he contemplated exactly how that would go. Payu would probably just be confused, and Rain would probably break his nose.

“Can you send me his information?” Mint asked, in what seemed to confirm the theory.

“Sure.” Pai shrugged, already picturing Payu’s face. A thought occurred to him. “I don’t have your number, though.”

“Let me fix that,” Mint returned easily, giving him a smile.

Okay. So that wasn’t what was happening. Damn.

-----

“The food’s supposed to be great,” Mint explained, chattering on. “And it’s right downtown, and I heard the atmosphere’s amazing.”

Huh. That did sound great.

“What’s it called?” he asked, mentally going through his calendar for the week. Tuesday would work.

“House of Thyme,” Mint replied eagerly, straightening up a little.

“Awesome, thanks,” he said with a grin, pulling his phone out of his pocket. “I have to take Sky there.”

Mint deflated.

-----

“P’Pai!” Mint called. “C’mere,” he requested, waving him over.

Prapai hesitated. Normally, he would have made an excuse and kept walking, but there was a larger guy standing next to Mint and scowling, and there was a note of fear in his tone. Prapai walked over.

“Hey,” he greeted them both cautiously. Up close, he could see that the other guy was one of the racers. Bank, who wasn’t exactly known for his friendly demeanor.

“Prapai,” Bank replied coolly, giving him a smile that had absolutely no warmth in it. It probably didn’t help that Pai had obliterated him in their race the week prior.

“I needed to talk to you,” Mint interrupted their staring contest, giving Prapai a meaningful look.

“Right.” Prapai gave a quick nod, adopting what was hopefully a convincing expression.

“No Sky today?” Bank asked, taking a step closer to Prapai. His tone was casual, but his face was clearly asking a different question.

“He had an assignment to finish up. He’s coming by later,” Prapai explained. “He doesn’t like to miss a race,” Prapai added, irked at Bank’s implication.

“We should talk,” Mint reminded him, nudging him slightly. 

Prapai nodded at Bank before turning and walking away with Mint, heading over to where Payu was looking over the bikes.

“That guy is such a dick,” he groused.

“Tell me about it,” Mint commiserated, glancing quickly back over at Bank. “Thank you,” he added, looking up at Prapai. “If there’s anything I can do for you…” he offered, trailing off.

Prapai waved him off instinctively, before reconsidering.

“Actually,” he hedged, debating briefly with himself over whether it was appropriate. Mint brightened, giving him an expectant look. “Where did you get your bag?” he asked, deciding it was fine.

“My bag?” Mint echoed, clearly confused. Prapai nodded, gesturing to his shoulder bag.

“It’s cute.” Prapai shrugged. “I think Sky would like it.”

Mint sighed.

-----

“Maybe you should just tell him you’re not interested,” Sky suggested mildly, popping a chip into his mouth.

“I have,” Prapai insisted. “Multiple times!”

“You tend to beat around the bush,” Sky pushed back, “and you never want to hurt anyone's feelings.”

“I’ve been very clear,” Prapai doubled down. “Every time he flirts with me, I just start talking about you.”

Sky snorted. “You do that anyway,” he pointed out, half-laughing.

Prapai pouted at that until Sky leaned over and kissed him on the cheek.

“He hasn’t actually done anything,” Pai said, thinking it over. Sky raised an eyebrow, and he continued, “I mean, he’s been flirting, but nothing so direct that I could call him out on it.”

“You call that indirect?” Sky grumbled, eating another chip. 

Prapai perked up at that, instantly pulling Sky in closer with a wide grin. “Are you jealous?” he asked, his tone hopeful rather than judgemental.

“No,” Sky told him.

“Are you?”

“No.”

“But are you?”

“...Maybe.”

-----

“Why is he always here?” Sky hissed, glaring in Mint’s direction.

Prapai shrugged, too preoccupied with watching Sky finish his drink. He was well on his way to being drunk himself, easily content with sitting next to Sky and occasionally pouting his way into holding hands.

Sky turned further to look at Mint, and Prapai whined, no longer able to see his face. Sky turned back to him with an exasperated look on his face, letting a small smile bleed through when Pai scooted closer and put his head on Sky’s shoulder.

“You’re a koala,” Sky informed him.

“I’m your koala,” Prapai said, his words coming out slightly muffled.

Sky snorted at that and put a hand in Pai’s hair, playing with the strands.

They stayed like that for a while, and thankfully, Mint didn’t come over. It was probably just a coincidence, Prapai decided. Besides, he couldn’t really be bothered to think much about it, especially when Sky was being halfway cuddly in public.

Rain and Payu came and went, returning whenever Rain wanted a drink and leaving whenever he wanted to dance. Payu didn’t seem to mind either way, perfectly content to be dragged to and from their booth at Rain’s insistence.

“I love this song!” Rain exclaimed, scooting closer to Sky and tugging on his arm. “Come dance with me.”

Prapai grunted his displeasure, making Sky laugh and Rain huff.

“Where’s Payu?” Sky wanted to know, eyes scanning the dance floor.

“He had to take a call.” Rain pouted, eyes wide as he waited for Sky to respond.

He let out a long sigh. “Fine. One song.”

“Yay!” Rain was instantly chipper, springing up and pulling at Sky’s arm.

Prapai pouted, giving Sky his own wide-eyed look and hoping it could compete with Rain.

“One song,” Sky repeated. “You can come too,” he said.

Prapai considered standing up, but quickly came to the conclusion that it didn’t seem that worthwhile after all.

“It’s fine,” he insisted, waving them off. “I’ll be here.”

He quickly contented himself with watching Sky, unable to help a smile at how carefree he looked, spinning around with Rain on the dance floor.

“All by yourself?” Mint’s voice came from behind him, and he tensed up. He turned to make eye contact, giving a casual shrug in response to the question. “Need some company?”

“Sky’ll be back in a minute,” Pai answered shortly.

Mint threw a quick glance to the dance floor, raising an eyebrow. “Looks like he’s…preoccupied,” Mint said, arching an eyebrow.

Prapai couldn’t help but snort at that. Sure, he could be a little bit jealous sometimes, but over Rain? Yeah, that wasn’t happening.

“He seems pretty busy,” Mint repeated, frowning slightly as he watched Prapai’s expression.

“He’ll be back in a minute,” Prapai repeated, gritting his teeth.

“You don’t have to be here when he gets back.” Mint took a step forward, tilting his head flirtatiously.

“I’m not—” Mint held a finger up to his lips, cutting him off. He leaned forward further, brushing a strand of hair out of Prapai’s face. “Interested,” he finished. “I’m not interested.”

“Could’ve fooled me,” Mint murmured, letting a hand fall to Prapai’s chest.

“He said he wasn’t interested.” Prapai turned, relieved to see Sky standing behind him, arms crossed with a furious expression on his face. Mint pulled his hand away, taking an automatic step back.

“I was just—” he started, before Sky cut him off.

“Hitting on him?” Sky asked. “Again? Even though he keeps telling you he has a boyfriend?”

“Seriously?” Mint scoffed. “You don’t even act like a couple. You don’t even kiss him when he wins a race.”

“Hey—” Prapai started, furious on Sky’s behalf. Public displays of affection were not Sky’s thing, especially so at the racetrack, where there were a million people around, some of whom reminded Sky of his past with racing. There was absolutely no reason for anyone to judge him for that, when he was only—

Sky was kissing him.

That was the only thought in his head for the next few moments. Or at least, until Sky stopped kissing him.

“He told you he wasn’t interested,” Sky was saying. “Leave him alone.”

Mint left in a huff. Presumably. Prapai was a bit distracted.

“What an asshole,” Sky fumed, turning to face Prapai again. He glanced at Prapai and frowned. “Why are you smiling?”

“You kissed me,” Prapai answered automatically. He thought for a second. “And you were jealous. So…”

“I was not,” Sky insisted, folding his arms. “He just wouldn’t take a hint.”

“You so were,” Rain chimed in. Prapai blinked. He honestly hadn’t realized Rain was there. “Right, P’Payu?” Prapai blinked again. Payu was also there.

“Sorry, Sky,” Payu shrugged, clearly in agreement with Rain.

Sky huffed at them both, and Prapai pulled him in tightly, nuzzling Sky’s cheek with his nose.

“It was sweet,” Pai reassured him.

Sky was silent for a beat.

“Thank you,” he said eventually.

“No problem,” Pai responded. “You’re cute when you’re jealous.”

“I am not!”

“Which?” Prapai questioned. “Cute, or jealous?”

“P’Pai!”

[trust-sancus]

Totally forgot to post this with my last video! Just some art I made for my dad-Raph baby-Lita fanfic.

"So Yeah, I'm a Dad Now" by RavagedRed on AO3.

Summary:

The last thing Raph expected to happen on patrol was to suddenly become parent to a newly-mutated turtle tot.

He has no idea what he’s doing, but at least he’s got his family and friends to help him out.

((A fic in which 2012 Raphael adopts baby Lita. Lita is an albino turtle mutant from the IDW tmnt comics. She is aged down in this au.))

[imusuallyobsessed]

Chapter 4 - the happy ending! Post-canon PrapaiSky fluff featuring family meetings, flowers and a wedding…

[feychild1225]

First new Phayu Rain wip in a while

[south-of-heaven]

Could you write fic where the reader is Edge and Lita's young daughter and doesn't understand why everyone hates and keeps booing her parents?

Why? || Edge x Daughter!Reader x Lita

Summary: You don't understand why the people hate your parents so much.

From the tender age of one, you've been accompanying your parents, Edge and Lita, on their exhilarating journey through the world of professional wrestling. To you, the arenas and backstage corridors are like a second home, filled with the electrifying energy of the WWE universe.

Tonight, as you make your way out of the arena after RAW, the excitement of the show still lingers in the air. Fans line the fenced-in parking lot, hoping for a chance to catch a glimpse of their favorite superstars before they depart.

As Edge and Lita emerge from the building, the crowd's cheers quickly turn to boos. You're puzzled by the sudden change in atmosphere. You’re old enough to know that boos mean something bad, but you can't understand why anyone would boo your parents.

Confusion clouds your thoughts as you cling tightly to Lita, seeking comfort and reassurance. She senses your distress and scoops you up in her arms, holding you close as she navigates through the throng of fans.

"Shh, it's okay, sweetheart," Lita murmurs softly, pressing a gentle kiss to your forehead. "Don't pay attention to them. Mommy and Daddy love you very much, and that's all that matters."

Her soothing words help to calm your racing heart, but the sting of the fans' disapproval still lingers. You bury your face against Lita's shoulder, seeking solace in her warm embrace.

Edge walks beside you, his protective instincts kicking in as he glares at the booing fans. He wraps a comforting arm around Lita and you, silently vowing to shield you from any negativity that comes your way.

As you reach the safety of the car, Lita carefully lowers you into your seat, brushing a stray lock of hair from your face. She offers you a reassuring smile, her eyes filled with love and understanding.

"We'll always be here for you, no matter what," Lita says, her voice filled with unwavering devotion. "Don't let anyone else's opinions affect how you feel about yourself or us."

With Lita's comforting words echoing in your ears, you settle into your seat, feeling a sense of security wash over you. As the car pulls away from the arena, you cling to the warmth of your parents' love, knowing that with them by your side, you can weather any storm.