#my first concert in forever and I’m ecstatic

[kedsandtubesocks]

dance away your cowboy blues

Country Singer!Joel Miller x F!Reader

summary: who knew the man with the voice of an angel could break your heart this bad?

warnings/tags: 18+ ONLY MDNI, modern/no outbreak AU & Joel has both his daughters, exes to lovers with eventual husband!Joel, angst followed up by good sweet fluff, concert venue, light drinking mention, Joel being stubborn & bad at feelings, hints of spice, fools in love, reader is addressed as ‘honey, darlin,’ use of song lyrics in fic, Pearl Jam & Taylor Swift song mentions, soft & heartbroken!Joel, lovesick!Joel

word count: 6k

a/n: here we are - the last installment in our ‘Let’s Rodeo’ series & I’m so incredibly grateful to finally make it here, also this is my mini tribute to our boy and his SAG award! The main song Joel sings is this one and I highly recommend! Thank you to my forever babe @the-wild-wolves-around-you for letting me scream about plot holes & aiding my Joel brainrot, @tightjeansjavi for always being down to chat about Joel, and to @lowlights & @ahauntedcowboy for being my ever guiding forces for this series, thank you all… And finally to you reading this, thank you so much ♡

A year ago, Joel broke up with you on a warm early spring morning.

He arrived at your apartment, sat you down and shattered your world. You felt every range of emotion as he simply stood there like a man of steel.

So upset and angry, you wanted to rip your heart out and throw it at him.

Then later that week you found out his record was officially getting picked up and you crumbled.

Ending your relationship simply because he was about to step into true proper fame - you never took Joel to be a man so somberly callous. However, you began wondering if that’s what fame sometimes did to people.

When curiosity gnawed too hard, you’d Google him or even check Spotify. Simply catching glimpses of how big he’s gotten sent you spiraling. Last Thanksgiving, your favorite aunt threatened to lock your phone away when she found you upset in the bathroom after discovering Joel was performing at the Dallas Cowboys holiday game.

From that point on you refused to even check any amount of social media or update on him.

A few clunky first dates and a couple of ghosting experiences later, you’ve now decided to simply work on yourself and embrace the selfcare of being single.

It’s why when your best friend called you earlier today eagerly explaining how her parents had extra tickets to the Rodeo tonight, she playfully teased how she knew you didn’t have anything planned for this Saturday night.

You almost hung up on her, but you excitedly scrambled to get ready.

Now the smell of fried foods, popcorn, and beer cloud the air. The fairgrounds hold a chaotic but controlled lively energy. You never knew so many cowboy hats could exist in one space.

Once you meet up with your best friends' parents, you’re transported to a whole new area you never believed could exist during a rodeo. Lux and cozy, the VIP lounge gleams with its elevated experience. You knew your best friend’s mom worked for the construction company managing the arena. You just didn’t realize how big of a hookup it was. The VIP tickets allowed for full premium dining along with a couple of free drinks.

More importantly - it came with the best concert seats.

“In the dirt” is how they’re described because the tickets are literally stationed on the floor, in the dirt of the rodeo stadium, right by the stage.

Ecstatic and bubby energy now fills you. The food being served is divine and you gladly enjoy the free various drinks.

“So wait, did we figure out who’s performing?” You ask curiously while you lounge taking advantage of the nice seating area.

“Uh, I think my dad said it’s that band named Midland is performing today.” Your friend answers but then is quickly pulled away to meet more of her mom’s coworkers.

You’ve never heard of the band, but for a free concert you’re open to enjoy some live music.

It’s a trait you gained from Joel.

Because of him you grew to love music performances, the energy that comes with hearing the band, being among the hum of the crowd. The trips around Austin seeing not just him perform, but enjoying other concerts with him, let you appreciate and admire live shows.

Waiting for the concert allows you to enjoy some of the actual rodeo event. But the main performance of the evening soon arrives.

“You kids go enjoy! We’re getting a little too old and are just gonna stay back and enjoy the free food.” Your best friend’s mom grins with a wink.

The ticket advertisement wasn’t joking when it said close to the stage. The ground level truly sits on the dirt floor. The arena swallows you whole surrounding you like a strange fishbowl. A small crowd already lines the front railing closest to the stage. However sneakily you find a nice open spot by the side that gives a clear sight to the stage.

Even if you don’t know the band, giddiness bubbles in you electric.

You take in the massive general admission floor section already packed full. The band must be popular. So you take plenty of pictures and happily enjoy the time with your dear friend.

The lights dim and excitement crackles in the air. The stage lights up. The large backdrop screens on the stage flutter to life beginning to showcase different picturesque black and white shots of Texas.

Midland, you remember, is a city in Texas so the images make sense. A low strum of a guitar begins playing. The melody dances soft but in a quick beat, a hypnotic tune trying to rev up the crowd.

The tune brews up its intended magic that you even get swept up in the anticipation. The sound gets faster and the strumming is rather simple but so striking.

Then the music stops. Suddenly the lights of the entire stadium shut off. Wild galvanized screams erupt.

The lights brilliantly dance forth back to light. They all focus now on the performer who, like magic, now appears on the stage with the rest of the band.

And the lead singer is Joel.

Your knees almost give out.

Dressed in the most dangerous plaid green button up, it so simple yet beautifully compliments him. More grays pepper his beard and highlight his tousled curls. The brilliant stage lights bask him in a heavenly glow.

Your soul momentarily leaves your body the minute his voice sings his first note.

Instantly your best friend whips towards you panicked. She rapidly screams asking if you’re okay as she apologizes over and over.

“My dad must have gotten the dates wrong! God I should’ve fucking doubled checked or some shit!” She cries deeply apologetic and hurt.

You earnestly tell her it’s not her fault and it’s alright. It was just an unfortunate mixup.

“Do you wanna leave?” Your friend leans closer to you. Her eyes shine understanding and considerate. “We didn’t pay for these tickets and I promise you my parents will completely understand. We can say fuck it and bounce.”

You haven’t even completely processed it’s Joel. It’s like your brain went cloudy and now blinking out of the fog, your eyes return to the stage.

Joel isn’t an extroverted man. He’s reserved, quietly charming, even holds a gruff but poised grace. But right now, he’s an absolute sun on the stage. He’s radiant, naturally swaying to the music while singing his soul soul.

Maybe it’s the piece of you still horribly in love with him, or just the curiosity to see how this goes, whatever it is - you shake your head no.

“We can stay.”

Your best friend’s eyes go wide as saucers hearing your answer.

“Are you sure?” She presses and you nod your head.

“Yeah, let’s stay. Afterwards we can laugh about how old he’s gotten.” You laugh bitterly about him looking more aged even after a year.

When truthfully the stronger wrinkles around his face, the vibrant grays, all of his aging only intensifies his striking looks.

A canyon wide sized hole rips through your heart.

The song flutters to an end and the crowd claps with a thunderous roar. With a reassuring squeeze to your shoulder your dear friend nods then turns back to the concert.

You pray this isn’t the worst decision you’ve ever made.

Then Joel speaks.

“Howdy everyone,” his voice is still so devilishly thick and smooth as a shot of moonshine. His accent does his home state proud. The crowd absolutely adores him, screaming loud just hearing him speak.

“Thank y'all for comin’ out tonight. I’m Joel Miller and m’here to sing y’all a few songs.” So simple, casually eased, and it’s so Joel.

His gruff southern charm made you fall in love with him so fast and now it’s a unique brand of magic charming everyone under his spell.

Joel strums a few notes, rapidly shifting the tune and transitions into the next song.

You now fully soak in Joel.

He seems otherworldly, a god of music reincarnated as a Texan cowboy. You think back to the days sitting in his living room and listening to him play. You were honored to see that side of him, to hear him strum to life so much magic.

During the holiday’s Joel’s daughters, Ellie and Sarah, would often pester him to sing silly songs. He’d grumpily obliged but you knew he basked in their attention and love.

He loved to sing. You always knew he was destined for the stage like it was woven into his veins.

You still remember the day one of Joel’s acoustic performances blew up online gaining so much attention. The excitement and absolute joy you felt then still lingers in the corners of your heart. Although, those feelings have been gathering cobwebs.

There’s of course a bitterness seeing him, but also, an unbearably small twinkling pride knowing he’s here living his dream. The song finishes and again the stadium rumbles in applause.

“How y’all doin’ tonight?” Joel asks and your heart jumps hearing his voice again.

The crowd cheers back at him.

“Good good, let’s keep it goin’.” He yells back and then strums the guitar sharp.

That’s when the stage slowly starts moving.

It’s slow but with the surprise purpose to look out to the entire crowd. For some reason you almost laugh thinking of that man, who couldn’t even remember how to FaceTime on his ipad, on a full rotating platform.

However, the lyrics start and you realize he’s singing a heartbreak ballad.

If you’re going out with someone new, I’m going out with someone too…I won’t feel sorry for me, I’m getting drunk but I’d much rather be somewhere with you…

It’s hard hearing him now with how exhilarated the crowd screams at the stage moving. But you try to hear how the rest of the song unfolds.

At the chorus, your throat tightens.

I can go out every night of the week, can go home with anybody I meet, but it’s just a temporary high… ‘cause when I close my eyes, I’m somewhere with you

The words sting every inch of you, but you believe it has to be just a simple heartbreak story and isn’t about you, isn’t directed at you. Yet the words feel like sharpened edges of a broken mirror that seem to reflect every moment of your time with him.

Then the stage rotates to your side of the floor.

There’s no way he can see you or will even spot you. There’s a whole crowd stretching before him. You’re just a fish in a sea of fans.

Joel continues strumming, allowing his voice to so beautifully carry the emotion.

The stage, in its slow movement, is now front and center to your line of sight. Some girls at the very direct front of the railing scream and wave frantically at him.

A small smile tugs at Joel’s lips as he waves back. Joel’s eyes scan the rest of the crowd -

And that’s when he spots you.

Quickly, you rationalize he could be staring out behind you at someone else alongside the side railing.

But Joel’s eyes even narrow trying to focus more. Your gaze stays on him, like something inside of you refuses to waiver.

His eyes flicker with realization then turn into full moons.

He knows it’s you.

Joel continues singing the chorus but emotions cloud his face. His brows are furrowed hard, almost confused like he’s trying to really comprehend what’s going on.

You understand. You’d be so confused too if you were in his position. You’re still even baffled as to why you stayed in the first place.

The stage starts shifting back to the main center direction

But Joel cranes his face to the side, refusing to have his eyes leave.

His focus stays on you.

It’s obvious enough that your best friend now shakes your body.

“Is he staring at you?!” She tries to whisper but she ends up partly screaming.

You think maybe it’s a hallucination.

Yet Joel’s deep inky eyes stubbornly stay locked on you as he sings now.

If you see out on the town and it looks like I’m burning it down, you won’t ask and I won’t say… but in my heart I’m always somewhere with you…

Your world twists warped, melting into a sea of so many emotions you can’t stay afloat.

Joel finishes his song and the crowd enthusiastically cheers. Yet, it sounds muffled as a numbness crawls over you like a thick soupy fog.

You should leave. You need to. But you’re here now. And decide to see the end of this. If he’s singing about someone lingering within him, then you might as well make true to those lyrics.

Joel lowers his face for a moment and shakes his head. The mic faintly picks up his cough of a disbelieving laugh and your heart sinks.

“Alright folks, let’s jam.” He announces composed and brings his guitar to life.

He’s beautiful walking around with it. Strums effortlessly until he shifts from one guitar, his classic, to a more sleek all black styled one.

Joel lets the music and band take over while he makes the switch. He also leans in to whisper something to the stage hand.

Then as if nothing, Joel steps back into the limelight and illuminates the stage.

He walks around freely now that the stage stopped rotating. The current song is lively with a great beat and you hate how badly you want to bounce around to its infectious sound and the way Joel’s voice elevates the tune.

Caught up in the melody, you don’t notice until it’s too late. Joel walks over to the side of the stage directly facing you.

The guitar carries a large piece of this song’s bridge allowing his eyes to flicker across the crowd.

Until they return to your gaze. Stuck in his stare, Joel suddenly cocks his chin towards you.

Most of the crowd around you screams at his simple action. Even your best friend yells out a loud ‘holy shit’ but you stay quiet.

Not knowing how to react, all you do is stupidly shrug.

It’s awful, not even the best reaction you can give.

But Joel barks a laugh, a true laugh that thankfully happens at the tail end of the song, but your knees go weak.

You made him laugh.

On stage.

Heartache finds its way back into your system fiercer than ever and it poisonously tastes of adoration as well.

Joel transitions into another song. This time moving around the stage more towards the other side.

Yet, either his eyes flicker back to you, or he ends up walking to your section.

A part of you wonders if he’s doing this now to mock you, almost showing off how good he is knowing you’re here. You don’t believe Joel would be that heartless, but you hate how that option still lingers.

“He’s been walking over here a lot.” Someone even behind you even notices.

“Well he is old.” Someone yells back. “Maybe he’s just trying to keep his joints in shape.”

You almost want to snap back that he’s looking damn good for his age and in good enough shape that he kept you bent like a pretzel for practically a whole weekend, but you swallow back the protective bite.

You simply go back to enjoying the show, and it’s fantastic. You can’t deny that. Joel is a performer, keeps the crowd focused and engaged. He isn’t showy or dramatic but takes control of his presence on stage.

You think of the days seeing him at small bars around town, sitting on a stool playing till his heart's content.

Then he booked Stubb’s in Austin and when you watched him own that stage - you knew this was meant for him.

You’re reminded of that so vividly tonight.

“Alright, gettin’ to the end here.” He announces and the crowd sounds heartbroken.

“I know, i know,” he coos back soft and low. “But just wanted to say y’all have been lovely.”

So many shrill shrieks crack in the room and you almost roll your eyes.

Your best friend snickers beside you. “Gotta give it to him, man can work a room.”

She’s right of course. Though it’s still so surprising for a man grumpily reserved and introverted at times.

“This next one I hope maybe some of y’all will know.”

He strums the cords to Pearl Jam’s ‘Alive.’

What gained Joel traction online was his renditions and covers of various songs. He added his own country twang and twist to all the songs he covered.

Pearl Jam happened to be one of Ellie’s favorite bands. A hollow nostalgia rip through you, thinking of the two girls you miss.

The crowd ignites recognizing the familiar rock ballad now turned into the tune of a country song by Joel’s touch. He owns the solo and his husky voice melts into the lyrics beautifully.

Under your breath you sing along. You used to sing along when you cooked breakfast at his place or during drives with him and the girls.

It’s a beautiful fondness, yet one still barbed and so aching.

The song ends with the intense but small burst of fireworks that has the stadium cheering. You even clap.

“Appreciate y’all.” He addresses the crowd. “That’s a one of my daughter’s favorites so always means a lot when I get to play it.”

A smile you can’t fight tugs at your lips at the mention of Ellie.

“Now my daughters, they’re like night ‘n day.” Joel continues and your heart fills up so overwhelming fast for those girls.

“One of them, like I said, loves some Pearl Jam. Now my other daughter…” Joel pauses.

“She’s a big fan of someone by the name of Taylor Swift.”

The crowd absolutely explodes and you think you even feel the arena shake. Sarah honestly was a big fan and Ellie loved to tease her about it so much.

“Normally for this next and final song, I’d play ‘‘shake it off.’” Joel had a few songs of hers that he covered. That one was a fan favorite.

“But tonight, I'm itchin’ to play somethin’ else.” He continues.

You even perk up curious.

“So let’s end this on a high note, yeah? Sing along if you know this one.” Joel concludes.

Then the drums begin and the song bursts to life.

The stadium swims in a dizzying frantic energy.

The way Joel sings, he’s pouring his heart out. He’s memorizing. Utterly heart wrenching.

This is the finale, the end of this strange unreal dream you’ve wandered into. You wonder if he feels it too.

The song’s chilling bridge comes and Joel walks to stare directly at you.

I thought I had you figured out, can’t breathe whenever you’re gone. Can't turn back now, I'm haunted…

His eyes never leave yours.

The lyrics sear through your heart. You think about screaming the song to back him. He’s the one who left, the one who’s ghost lives among your ribs.

Then Joel hits the final high note, lets his voice carry the powerful finale, and the crowd roars in earth shaking excitement.

It’s magical, magnetic and utterly devastating in both the best and worst ways. Another few sets of indoor fireworks go off and the show ends.

Joel wishes the crowd a beautiful night and you’re left in a tangled web of emotions.

Your best friend immediately turns to see if you’re okay. While the crowd starts leaving, you and her take a moment. Out of the edge of your focus, you notice a crew member of the arena approaching the side of the rail. You don’t think anything of it.

“Excuse me,” until that crew member stands in front of you on the other side of the barrier.

Blinking absolutely confused you turn towards the man.

“I’ve been asked to escort you backstage.” He explains and your best friend gasps.

You wonder if the ground opened below and dropped you into a free fall.

Quickly you stammer out that you couldn’t. There's no way. Maybe the man must’ve mistaken you for someone else.

“Mr. Miller said you’d say something like that.” The crew member says reaching into his pocket to hand you something.

It’s a keychain.

Not just any keychain, but the one you gave Joel.

It’s a cartoon armadillo, dressed up as a cowboy, holding a guitar. When you first saw it you immediately thought of Joel. His daughters got a kick over it, giggled at how cute it was, and your heart had bursted when you saw it constantly among his keys.

Now the worn little cowboy creature sits waiting for you. It’s sweet marble like eyes stare up at you like a day hasn’t gone by since you gave Joel this.

Your best friend gasps, maybe not fully recognizing the keychain but understanding the significance.

You ask the crew member if your friend can maybe accompany you backstage, but he shakes his head a sad no.

“Then I…I can’t.” You shakily breathe out.

“Yes you can!” She interjects. “You gotta at least hear him out!”

You turn to her and find determination fiercely burning in her eyes as she nods.

“But what about you? I don’t want you or your parents waiting around for me.” You urge.

“Don’t worry about me or especially about them!” She reassures, even offering to wait for as long as you need.

You’re grateful, unbearably so and embrace her tight.

“You call me if he gets stupid. I don’t care backstage or not, I’ll go get you.”

You laugh watery at her well meaning threat and thank her. With a quick sweet goodbye, you follow the crew member along the rails until exiting.

The walk out to the backstage area fills you with a hurricane of emotions. What else could Joel say to you? A part of you wonders if he’s going to be cruel about this, having you simply show up to his dressing room just to laugh so arrogant and smug about how wonderfully famous he is now.

No, Joel isn’t that type of man.

Or you hope fame hasn't warped him into that type of man. Arriving at the green room door, your heart races loud in your ears.

The crew member knocks and before you can compose yourself, Joel opens the door.

He’s bathed in the golden amber light of the backstage room. It highlights all those grays again but also illuminates more of the time passed on his face. More winkles line against his eyes and when he fully stares at you, you wonder how different you might look in his eyes.

A jackrabbit like urge rushes over you to maybe flee, call your best friend to come get you.

“Thanks for comin’,” he mutters out. “Was worried ya wouldn’t show.”

You want to bitterly joke that you didn’t want to, but the armadillo keychain you hang onto holds the truth.

The door closes leaving you and Joel alone. Awkward stale air chokes the space.

You simply keep your attention on examining the room. His classic weathered jacket rests thrown over the couch. The rider is stacked with so many classic Joel snacks like his favorite jerky, popcorn, and even a few familiar favorite treats his daughters love.

Then your eyes catch the mug on the counter and you grin softly.

It must be filled with Joel’s classic drink - chamomile and ginger tea with honey for his throat.

“It’s…yeah. That’s it.”

You didn’t even realize you said anything out loud until Joel replies casuing your heart to jump. Finally your eyes find his.

It's a curse that your greatest heartbreak is this handsome. Exhaustion weighs in you and feels ancient, like if you carry the sum of so many lifetimes before.

“So…You wanted to talk to me?” You speak first, trying to keep yourself strong.

“I…uh yeah.” Answering so cryptically, his shoulders deflate. “How ya been?”

“Good.” You answer simple, curt almost.

There’s too many things that could’ve slipped out if you said anything more. Like how you selfishly kept one of his shirts and hate that the smell of him on it has faded like a wistful memory. Or how you can barely listen to Dolly Parton or Johnny Cash anymore because you’re reminded of Joel singing along to their songs.

So you turn the conversation back to him.

You ask how the girls are and Joel perks up, eyes shimmering with fatherly pride.

“Good, yeah they’re good. Uh, Ellie’s playing softball for the school again ‘n Sarah’s busy with student council. They’re still just bossin’ me all around.”

“As usual.”

You both say the same line at the same time and it chokes you up.

Joel inhales and his lips press tight, a hard line. The air tightens. No one says anything and now annoyance, frustration and maybe even a bit of panic claw at you.

“Joel, why am I here?” You ask him again.

Sighing, so weary and tired, he looks down.

Feels like ages pass between you and him. The faint noise of the stadium leaks into the room muffled.

You think of your best friend waiting and of your own heart waiting to end this.

“Look, it was good to see you,” you half lie. “You did great, hope you and the girls take care”

You turn to walk out.

That’s when he blurts out your name and you stop.

“I miss you.” He exhales.

“Miss ya so g’damn much. Every fuckin’ day.” He mutters.

When you turn back around, he stares at you unwavering. You don’t know what to say.

“Seein’ ya out in the crowd…thought m’heart was gonna give out.” He barks a weak laugh.

“Almost stoppin’ the fuckin’ show just to make sure it was you… y’look beautiful as ever.” His eyes haze over slightly, almost nostalgic.

Suddenly a heated spark rips into your chest, jagged edged and angered.

“You broke up with me.” You snap, voice already raw.

“I know,” Joel nods. “Worst damn decision of m’life.”

Your lips tremble. Everything hurts like a live wire is burning up your veins.

“Then why? Why did you do it?” You croak. You want to scream, maybe even storm out and not even give him the chance to speak.

“What? Did Mr. Big Country Star hate having a partner that wasn’t famous too?” Venom leaks bitter and poisonous in your mouth, choking your throat.

“Y’know god damn well that ain’t it.” He snarls back hard.

“No actually I fucking don’t know Joel.” You reply with a fierce bite. “You so conveniently left out any real damn reason why you were breaking up with me.”

“I said our paths were going in separate directions.” He glares hard at you now.

“And that’s about it!” Your voice raises and you hate it.

The tears come quicker than you hoped for and you hate that more.

“No real explanation,” you exhale, wanting to stay as calm as you can. “You couldn’t even give me that…what else am I supposed to think?”

Even dabbing away your tears, your composure is slowly slipping.

“I couldn’t do this to you,” he breathes out and it’s broken. His eyes are shimmering obsidian pools.

“This life, all the fuckin’ mess that comes with dating someone in the limelight, I couldn’t just throw that on ya.” He explains and the truth rings out a quiet hum.

“And you didn’t think to talk to me about this?” You whisper out now hurt. “Joel, I thought we were a team.”

“We are- were.” He slips and corrects himself fast. “I just knew if we fuckin’ talked about it you wouldn’t have understood.”

“Understood what?” You’re frustrated and it leaks into your voice.

“That I didn’t want ya fuckin’ hatin’ me!” He finally screams the weighted truth.

Stunned quiet but still slightly confused, you ask Joel what he means.

Pain travels across Joel’s handsome face as his jaw clenches hard.

“This shit…it takes away a lot.” He croaks out. “Hell I’ve even missed things with the girls. Didn’t want ya sacrificin’ your life or wakin’ up one day and realizin’ how much you’ve lost ‘cause of me…couldn’t let myself do that to you.”

Your chest aches like a rocket got shot into you. You’re angry he took that chance for you to decide, but you understand.

Joel never wants to be the cause of pain to others, especially those he loves.

He agonizes so much over his decisions and how corrupting he believes he is. When in reality every action he takes you know simply stems from his endless deep devotion to keep those he loves safe.

His decision to end your relationship was him, in his own frustrating Joel way, trying to keep you safe. Even if it was from himself.

Your lips tremble and you cuss bitterly hard under your breath.

“You damn stupid man.” You hiccup. “I didn’t…I don’t care what life fame would’ve given me with you. I would never resent you. For better or worse I just wanted a life with you, that’s all I ever wanted.”

Through a few sobs, you wipe the tears fogging up your sight.

Before you can see it happening, strong sturdy arms suddenly wrap around you and shock you breathless. Curled in Joel’s arms, it’s like a sad coming home party and you cry even more.

“M’so sorry, my darlin’.” Joel whispers against your forehead.

“I hate you.” You don’t. Even on your hardest days, you never could.

“I know, hate my fuckin’ ass too.” Joel replies.

His arms squeeze you tighter.

“Never stopped lovin’ you. Never will.” His voice wavers and now your arms wrap around him.

“You left.” You whisper back so small while tears continue to prickle in your eyes.

“I know honeydew, ‘n I’ll never forgive myself for it.” He replies fiercely like a strike of lightning with its bright force. “Been a fuckin’ mess without ya. Tommy would be the first to agree and the girls too.”

You absorb his words, basking in the safe haven that is Joel. Hours, maybe days pass just in his arms.

“Please forgive me, baby.” He whispers hoarse against your head.

You nod a soft yes.

Because even the part of you that wants to yell and stubbornly say no knows the ultimate answer is, and always will be, him.

“Of course…I love you.” You mutter half dazed against his strong chest. “Love of my life.”

Pressed so close to him, you feel how hard he swallows and his arms squeeze you impossibly tighter against you.

He says your name and you hum out a soft noise.

“Marry me.”

Your eyes, which have sort of glazed over, snap open wide.

“What?” You mutter out, maybe think you misheard him.

“Marry me.” Joel repeats himself.

You practically squawk like a confused bird and scramble in his arms.

“Joel Miller, you can’t be serious?!” You shriek through the tears still lingering in your voice.

Your face snaps up to him. His face is composed, almost serene in a way as he look at you with molten eyes.

“Serious as that g’damn ring I bought ya.”

His words are a mumble but so soft and unwavering. Your soul leaves your body like you were thrown into a cold lake.

“You what?” You stammer out.

“Y’heard me.” He nudges his chin to you. “A ring. Bought it after you dropped everything to go take care of the girls when they got sick.”

Too many emotions overwhelm you and the tears return with a vengeance.

Joel, like a steady man in the storm, places his warm hand on your face to gather you back into his embrace. He places the softest kiss to the side of your head.

“We gotta have a chat about discussing your feelings with me more, Miller.” You manage to chide him through your tears.

“I know.” He mutters against your skin while he continues softly kissing you with utter tenderness. “‘N I’m not lettin’ ya go again.”

You squeeze him hard, trying to burn his memory into your arms worried you’re going to wake up and find this is just a heartbroken hallucination.

“Baby,” he begins.

“Hm?”

“Stay with me for the night.” He urges. “The bus got plenty of room-”

“Ooo, is this what you say to all your groupies, Mr. Miller?” You tease with a snort.

“Behave.” His hand playfully squeezes your hip but his underlying somber tone even with his chuckle ignites a familiar heat brewing in you of the times he’s reprimanded you like that before.

“No groupies.” Joel reassures you. “Only you sweetheart, only ever gonna be you.”

His words flutter into your heart and make a nest there.

Gently you draw back to stare at Joel. Your hand moves to his face, aching to just touch him. Even in his arms you’re waiting for him to vanish from your touch as if he’s a figment of your wrecked heart, a ghost of lovers past haunting you now.

But his stubble tickles against your palm. Running warm as usual, his face feels like a soft morning sun. Your thumb strokes his cheek and his eyes close, melting into your hold.

Gently you place a soft kiss against the corner of his lips.

Joel now tilts his head so he can deepen the kiss before you can even draw away.

It’s not a consuming passion that you expected. No frantic fierce clash of lips or an overflow from a year passed between you two.

Instead it’s a soft welcome home. It’s a kiss you’ve given him when he’s come home late or when you leave for work.

Because his blood, his soul, you believe are simply stitched into the very fabric of you. It’s like a piece of you is returning back to you, or maybe back to your other home with him.

“So you gonna stay with me?” He mumbles against your lips.

“I don’t know Miller, you haven’t even offered to sign anything for me. What kind of famous country singer are you?” You smirk against his lips.

He laughs, hearty, a true wild deep one sweeping you into its joy.

“Hell yeah I’ll fuckin’ sign something for ya, our marriage certificate.” He snaps in classic grumpy Joel fashion and you almost think about dragging him to a courthouse.

You text your friend a million apologies and even take pictures of all the signed merch you’re bringing back to her.

Now in the cocoon of Joel’s cozy bed on his tour bus, among the warmth sheets, you hold the ring up in the dim light inspecting it. Because of course your secretly romantic man kept the ring with him.

“You sure you weren’t keeping this around for someone else?” You ask.

“Fuck no.” He growls low. “S’yours…only yours.”

From behind his arms slide around you and you’re encompassed by his swallowing presence. His beard scrapes against your shoulder.

“If ya don’t like it, can get ya another one.” He mutters casually but hesitant softness peeks out from under his gruff tone.

“It’s perfect.” You reassure him.

It’s the ring Joel got you then and it’s the ring you want now and always will. You even tell him that.

The kisses places on your bare shoulder whispers of his devotion.

“Honey.” However, his voice now is hesitant and makes you pause on your ring inspecting.

“I gotta ask…but do ya have my armadillo keychain?” Joel asks with an utter somberness.

You burst out laughing and it shakes your body.

“Honeydew, I’m being serious!” He growls out. “Want that lil’ fella back!”

Wheezing with giggles you lean back against Joel, floating so blissfully floating in renewed adoration.

Twisting in his arms your lips find his.

“Tryin’ to distract me ‘cause you lost him, huh?” He mutters.

You snort, shaking your head.

“No I just love you so much, you dumb cowboy.” You tell him.

“Your dumb cowboy. For better or worse.” He vows, kissing you back firmer now.

“For better or worse,” you nod breathing into him.

In this carved out slightly cramped space it feels holy, sacred, chapel like. You’re even afraid it might be gone tomorrow morning. However, the ring on your finger is the steeled reassurance it isn’t going anywhere.

But, just in case, you gather this glory and Joel into your arms with the promise of never letting go.

[huccimermaidshirts]

Ok yes I have a fine line memory that I just wanna share and it’s been crazy thinking back to where things were for me when FL came out. So I’m from the US and I was living in my small hometown then, a very rural area and I always had dreams of making it to NYC. I had been there on trips before (including 1 for a Harry concert in 2018!) and loved it so so much. I was stuck at home and miserable but I was so looking forward to FL but also nervous because, not that I didn’t trust Harry to make a great album, but I was nervous cuz I thought the self titled was so great, like what if he can’t follow it up? He was still just starting out you know? Anyway obv he more than exceeded my hopes, like fine line absolutely rules and I was so over the moon about it, like he came through, he did it!!!! I was ecstatic! Of course I got tour tickets for 1 show in NYC and I would just plan a short trip and whatnot. Well then pandemic obviously but I didn’t get a refund, I figured I’d wait it out and go whenever it was rescheduled. Well time went on and I eventually started making plans to actually do it and move!! So I did! In September of 21. And it worked out cuz my show had been rescheduled for October of 21 and so I have such a distinct memory, one of the first things I did after getting settled in New York, was see harry at MSG. Which was hugely cathartic after waiting through the pandemic and getting to see a show again but also just, I moved there! It wasn’t just a vacation!! Anyway I’m still in NYC and I have a real adult life here now, like I somehow managed to meet my amazing bf who I love so much, we live together now and I’m trying to wear him down into letting us get a cat. Hahahaha. We fostered one for about 4 months and I fell completely in love with her and now I want one for real. Lmao. Anyway this is obviously way long, I’m sorry, but idk I’m just thinking about what I felt like in 2021 seeing that concert and how much that means to me. And what I felt like in 2019 hearing the songs for the first time and realizing, oh I’m gonna be a fan of this guy forever. Harry’s my guy and that’s that!!!! 🥹 💖

Omg, this is sooooo lovely 🥹🥰 It's so great that you have such a strong memory connected to Fine Line! I genuinely loved this! Thank you so much for sharing 🩷🩷🩷

[hhhemberhhh]

SUMMER IS HERE, AND SO AM I (probably not for long because it’s busy)

allow me to fill in the gaps of my absence with a rambling of all the band stuff that’s happened…

We had another concert for community band at the end of April with good music, including Second Suite in F by Gustav Holst (that was our most challenging piece because Jesus Christ)

State MPA, got straight Goods, which I’m not too upset about because our performance wasn’t the best but that only strives us to work harder

Spring Concert, complete with our jazz ensemble, a performance of my clarinet trio from Solo and Ensemble, and an amazing awards ceremony, including a Rookie of the Year award, which I won and was ecstatic about

Leadership interviews for this coming up marching season. I applied for clarinet section leader and the person who manages our band’s social media page because everyone knows me as the person who memes everyone and takes pictures at the most random times. I GOT BOTH 💪💪 (our past clarinet section leader is now assistant drum major so SHE’S GOT BIG THINGS GOING FOR HER)

Seeing people I love leaving because they’ve completed all their years of school… we’ll miss them 🫡

COMING UP THIS NEXT YEAR

on the next episode of band events leading up to marching season…

Community band patriotic concert, with one of our pieces being the famous Stars and Strips Forever

Leadership meetings over the summer giving out sponsorship papers to try and get sponsors, learning the exercises and getting music for band camp, and going over more expectations probably

Leadership TRIP to an arcade and BEACH

Music Festival (that also has an HONOR BAND) at another school towards the end of June

Marching and Leadership Camp at a university in the first week of July. I signed up for this so I look better when our school’s band camp comes around and it’ll be a fun experience

Our school’s band camp towards the end of July where we meet the new kids that are joining band this year

MARCHING SEASON STARTS

and so does school…

Weekly rehearsals for marching drills and breaking out the saxophone for jazz band

(this doesn’t really count as marching band itself but it’s during marching season) Auditions for a very very prestigious concert/honor band in September (the actual event isn’t until January of 2025 🤡)

Marching competitions and MPA in October and marching in the local Homecoming Parade

The transition from marching season to concert season in November, aka breaking out the bassoon

Christmas concert in December

Hopefully marching in the local Christmas Parade

AND CONCLUDE THE 2024 YEAR

[ragingdumpsterfire]

.

[snlhostharry]

try try again

harry x reader

2.2k words 

summary: harry wants to propose, but life keeps getting in the way 

a/n: first off... I suck at titles... why am I like this.... second off this is my secret santa gift for @jambrosemc ! happy holidays em! hope you like this, you are a super talented writer I just binged all your pieces and I am obsessed. and thank you to @peeterparkr for hosting 

The first time he tries is after the first concert he does for Fine Line. 

Fine Line at the Forum is a success in all the ways that matter, and Harry is so happy coming off the stage that he almost forgets about his plan to propose all together. When you barge into his dressing room after the show is over, smiling and ecstatic for him he suddenly sees the ring box on the counter and rushes to shove it in his pocket before you can see it. 

“That was insane, love,” You say wrapping him into a hug. “I think they really liked it.” 

He gives you a cheeky smile, “You think?” You roll your eyes in response, “What gave it away?” He asks, “The frantic screaming or the bra’s that were thrown onto the stage?” 

“You should’ve kept a couple,” You tease, “They could’ve been my size.” 

He laughs, “If you want one that bad I will buy it for you.” 

“I’m holding you to that,” You say, taking a seat on top of the counter. He runs a hand through his hair, knowing that this would be the perfect moment to just get down on one knee. He can see himself doing it, simply bending down and saying the words he’s wanted to say for what feels like forever. “You okay?” You ask him, seeing the look on his face and supposing that he’s thinking about something that happened during the concert. “You did a great job out there, seriously. Everyone really loved it H, the album is spectacular.” 

He shakes himself back into the moment, “I know, I know.” He says, and it comes off a little sharper than he means it too, he’s just very much in his own head about this whole thing now. What felt like it would be the perfect moment now feels wrong, like doing it now would cheapen the entire thing. He sighs, “Sorry,” He says, planting himself down on the floor dramatically, “Thank you.” 

“We don’t have to go out if you don’t want to,” You tell him, guessing that he’s just tired from a long night. “Let’s get takeout and go home, or go home and get takeout whichever order.” 

He smiles, “You ate before the show.” 

“That was like three hours ago, and it was a snack, I always planned on eating again, and you were too nervous to eat before the show.” 

He hugs his knees to his chest, “Watching you eat an entire kids meal in under five minutes actually helped with the nerves.” 

You shrug, “What can I say? I have my moments.” 

He stands and presses a kiss to your forehead as you swing your legs over the side of the counter. “You have a lot of moments, I love you.” 

“Love you too,” You wait a second before asking, “So home then?” 

He thinks about it for a minute, “Yeah.” 

“When you call in the food order make sure you put it under my name,” You tell him and he collects his things from the room, “People are beginning to get suspicious when I go into the restaurant to pick up an order for Harry.” 

He nods, and gently grabs your hand as the two of you leave. Maybe he’s not going to do it tonight, but he’s more resolved to actually pop the question than ever. He’s just so in love with you that he wants the whole thing to be perfect, and for some reason he has it all in his head that it needs to be a story that the two of you can tell in the future, something meaningful, he just has absolutely no idea what that is. 

The second planned attempt is a lot more off the cuff. 

You insist on throwing him a birthday party at the house, saying something about wanting to one up your sister who threw a very tasteful christmas party that the two of you went to. Not that your sister was invited seeing as the party was in London, but you knew that there would be enough pictures that she would see that you’re just as good as she is. Harry doesn’t understand it at all, but he decides that he doesn't even want to know how a rivalry like that can develop and leaves it alone. 

Objectively, you throw a very nice party. Of course Harry makes it a point to tell you this as often as possible without seeming overly invested in it, because he loves you and he wants you to be proud of your own work just like you want him to be proud of his. It’s hard for him to leave your side at all because he loves to see you talk to his friends and family and seem so happy to do it. You fit right in with everyone and he’s so grateful for that, and it’s as he’s standing there watching you talk to people that it hits him that this could be his moment. 

Not in front of everyone because that would be so much more pressure than he needs, but he thinks that after when everyone has finally left the house that he could catch you in the middle of cleaning or something and gently ask you to marry him. He decides that tonight, that’s the plan and he spends the rest of the night just thinking about that. It really is a great party, full of all his favorite things and people, it’s one of those nights where he feels like he loves you so much that his heart might just burst out of his chest. 

When finally every last guest has left the house, and things are a bit messy, he can’t seem to find you anywhere. He locks the door behind him, and starts walking through the house calling your name. He checks upstairs, in the kitchen, in all the bathrooms, and nothing. Until finally he walks into the living room and finds you sound asleep on the couch, snoring loudly enough that he’s surprised he didn’t hear it while he was looking. He looks at you and just smiles, suddenly completely fine with the fact that another plan has been ruined. He simply picks you up and takes you to bed, well aware he’s going to have to move onto plan C if he ever wants to get this done. 

The next time he tries, you end up surprising him. 

Plan C is a nice candlelight dinner at the house, which Harry tried to cook but ended up burning so eventually he relented and ordered food before putting it all together. Of all the plans he had come up with thus far, this one seemed the most foolproof. Everything was already planned: he knew you were going to come home from work at a certain time, he knew that there wouldn't be any distractions, and he had psyched himself up enough that he wasn’t just going to forget about the whole thing like he did the first time.

When the entire table is set up and the ring is in his pocket, he sits waiting for you to come home. He thinks about getting up to change some of the place settings just a little, but when he does he hears the clicking sound of your key in the door and sits back in his seat. After you walk into the house and set your stuff down in the entryway, Harry hears the sound of your shoes on the floor as you excitedly run into the kitchen. When you make it to where he can see you, he sees that you have a megawatt smile on your face and a large box in your hands. 

“I have a surprise,” You say, keeping a firm hold of the box. 

“I suppose it’s in that box,” He says, leaning over the chair so that he can see. 

You roll your eyes but keep smiling, “Yeah, obviously.” 

“Do you want me to guess?”

“God no,” You say, “That would take way too long. Basically I was at work today, and Mark has been producing this piece about a no kill animal shelter for a new segment about everyday heroes or whatever which is gross because puff pieces but when the woman came in to do the interview she brought in all these cats, no dogs for some reason, but anyway so we were all playing with the cats because our job is stressful and cats, and then she was like ‘you guys seem so good with these cats, they are looking for homes and-” 

He looks at you with a wide eyed expression, “You didn’t.” 

You ceremoniously walk over to the table, open the box and pull a small orange cat into your arms, “You bet your ass I did.” You gently pet the cat, which mews quietly from your arms, “She does not have a name mostly because I couldn’t think of any.” 

“We talked about pets like a week ago, briefly.” 

You give a guilty smile, “Yeah but I felt like I really needed this cat. I live here now, we live here, and I finally feel like I’m settled-” You sit down at the table and sigh, “I think I might be nesting, which is kind of gross but I don't know. I love you, and I love being here and I finally feel stable enough to get a freaking cat so that’s the explanation I have.” 

He can’t stop himself from breaking into a smile, even though he knows his plans have been thwarted again. (He thinks later, after the moment has already passed that he very well could’ve done it right then and there after you’d given a whole speech about the two of you being stable). He shakes his head after looking at you making funny faces at the cat like it’s a child, “Okay hand her over.” 

You hand her over and say, “I will not accept any names that have to go with the fact that she’s a ginger, because that’s just lame.” 

“Well seeing as those were my only ideas-”

You sigh, “We will think of something, just not now because you got dinner and I’m starving.” 

“What’s she going to eat?”

“I got food and a bowl, and a bunch more things being delivered within the next week or two.” 

“Did you go out and buy a box just for the dramatic reveal?”

“Yes, I did and it was totally worth it.” 

The cat’s name ends up being Hillary, after you discover an affinity for pet names that are usually person names. Something about the way you’ll end up talking about Hillary in polite conversation and someone will have to ask you who that is makes you want to choose it overall. Even though Harry is not sure about the sudden change at first, he soon becomes best friends with Hillary, and you often find the two of them cuddled up together on the couch. She likes to listen to him play music just as much as you do as it turns out. 

Harry is still trying to think of a way to propose. So much time has passed since he bought the ring, and the first time that he planned to pop the question that he wonders if he’ll ever find the right time to do it or if you’ll just end up asking him one day because it’s all gone too far. One afternoon when the two of you are relishing a rare shared day off, he watches you cook lunch in the kitchen and decides that now is the time to do it. No more excuses, no more surprises, just him and you and the question on the tip of his tongue for too long. 

When you put all of the food on plates, and set them out on the counter he walks over and just looks at you. It weirds you out at first so you ask, “What? Is there something on my face?” 

He gets down on one knee and you still are very confused about what he’s doing. You open your mouth to ask him, but the realization suddenly hits you and you cover your mouth with your hands. 

“y/n,” He says, “I have been waiting to ask you this for what feels like forever. And everytime that the plan fell through you somehow managed to make me want to marry you even more. I love you so much, I love everything about you, how excited you get about your work, how much you love Hillary and how supportive you are whenever I do anything. I love our life here, and I want to be with you forever. Will you marry me?” 

You don’t say anything for a second, still shocked, “Yes of course.” He stands and kisses you, slipping the ring onto your finger. “I was wondering when you would ask me.” 

“You knew?”

“I saw it that night after the forum,” You say, “I figured you got nervous.” 

“And you just let me flounder here for almost six months?” 

“Yes,” You smile, “I figured you wanted to do it on your own terms.” 

“Next time just call me out love, because I sat on this for too long.” 

[gummygowon]

polaroids | park seonghwa

word count: 1.3k

genre: college student reader! x seonghwa, fluff

established relationship!

warnings: it’s so fluffy you’re gonna die

a/n: i am deeply in love with park seonghwa oh my god and writing this made me fall deeper lmao

“y/n, isn’t it almost 10 o’clock?” your coworker asked as she glanced back up at the clock in the break room.

“huh?” you perked your head up from the table, snapping to the clock, she was looking at. “oh fuck, thank you so much, ryujin.”

you were adding the last finishing touches to your boyfriend’s card for his birthday right after your shift ended for work. yes, you knew that procrastinating any birthday card, especially your boyfriend of four years card was extremely disappointing and sad but to be fair you were a college student who worked two part-time jobs, one at a local ramen shop and as an assistant at a hair salon. however, you finished his actual present earlier in the week and was really excited to give it to him. 

you quickly gathered your stuff from your locker and said your goodbyes to the rest of your coworkers, making sure to say thank you again to ryujin. 

you clocked out and sprinted to your car as you dug into your bag looking for your phone. you called hongjoong immediately, as you got into your car.

“hong?”

you heard him try to catch his breath as quickly as possible, “yes, y/n?”

“you guys are still at the practice room, right?” you asked, as you slipped your key into the ignition. 

“yeah, we won’t be done for another hour or so.” 

“ok, perfect.” you smiled, grateful at least one thing was going right. “i’m going to stop by to see seonghwa, okay?”

“got it ma’am, do you need me to stall if he tries to leave early?” 

“yes, please. that would be great. thank you so much.”

“of course, y/n. hwa’s been so moody since he hasn’t seen you in forever. so i’ll do whatever it takes to get him happy again.”

you were really glad your boyfriend was lucky enough to get along so well with all of his members who adored and took care of him as much as they could when you weren’t around. 

“thank you so much, hongjoong. i’ll be there soon.” you ended the call after the two of you said your byes. 

you had went over a brief plan of what you wanted to do for seonghwa’s birthday with ateez’s leader about a week ago. since the both of your guys’ schedules was jam packed since the beginning of month, the two of you had rarely enough time to see each other on the weekends. even though you guys lived in the same city, finding time to meet up was hard. but you understood that the day seonghwa decided he wanted to become an idol and he understood that keeping a relationship with someone as busy as him was going to be difficult. 

you and seonghwa had talked about the difficulties the two of you could face when he debuted but you guys made a promise to each other that no matter how busy you guys were, you would somehow make time for the other. 

the love in your relationship was not defined by how much time you spent together but rather by how much you cared and supported each other. he celebrated every good grade and promotion you achieved with you while you cheered him on at his stages and concerts. 

*

you pulled up to the 7/11 that was below the company building and made a quick trip into the connivence store.

afterwards, you made your way to the practice room. you peeked through the glass door to see if they were almost done and to your surprise, yeosang opened the door and almost walked straight into you.

“oh, hello y/n.” yeosang greeted with a small smile.

“hi, is-”

“y/n?” a familiar voice rang throughout the room. 

you poked your head further, only to be caught in a tight hug. 

“oh my god, you scared the shit out of me.” you playfully scold your boyfriend as you wrapped your arms tightly around him. it had been almost a month since you saw him in person so you missed each other greatly. 

once seonghwa pulled away from you, he placed a quick kiss on your cheek causing wooyoung to gag very loudly. 

you rolled your eyes at him, used to his antics as seonghwa glared at wooyoung making him apologize rather quickly.

“get out.” your boyfriend told his younger member as he pointed towards the door.

“yes, sir.” he replied before walking out with his head down.

“where were we?” he smiled at you before kissing you happily.

when the two of you broke apart, stupid grins on both of your faces, you asked him to go up to the roof. seonghwa brought you up there once a couple years back when he was still a trainee. it was not of the most romantic dates you guys had but you were ecstatic to see him again.

once you guys had reached the roof and reached the edge of it, you let seonghwa gaze at the soft glow of the city lights as you pulled out your gifts. 

“surprise, hwa.” you whispered softly at him as you handed him a small strawberry cake and a small gift bag.

he gasped at the sight of the mini cake, “thank you so much, love.”

seonghwa pressed another kiss to your cheek as you felt your heart race. 

“open the bag!” you exclaimed, curious to see his reaction. 

“alright, alright. let me eat the cake first jeez.” your boyfriend laughed at your eagerness.

“fine.” you fake pouted at him.

after he took a bite of the cake he scooped up another piece and offered it to you which you gladly took. 

while you chewed, you watched seonghwa open up the bag and pull out the gift wrapping before reaching a small box.

“what is it?” he looked up and asked, as if you would give him an answer.

“just open it, seonghwa!” you groaned at him.

“fine.” he pouted before smiling after you lightly slapped his shoulder.

the tiny box had contained a polaroid sized book that held pictures of you guys together from your very first date to your last. it also included photos from all the countless times you spent together. holidays, birthdays, and graduation photos were all in this small book. there were even captions to the side of it, retelling what had happened in that photo along with inside jokes. 

your gift brought tears to seonghwa’s eyes as he flipped through the pages. your whole entire relationship was stored in this tiny box and in a way it reminded you of your love for him. sure, it seemed small and plain to others but to you guys it was everything you wanted and more.

“do you like it?” you asked nervously, playing with your fingers.

seonghwa didn’t give you an answer before he grabbed both sides of your face and smashed his lips onto yours. you smiled in between kisses, feeling just so lucky to be dating someone who made you so happy. 

“i love you.” he answered, looking at you if you were the only person left in the world.

“you didn’t answer my question.” you whined even though the goofy smile on your face told another story.

he just shook his head at your comment, still smiling at you as he pulled your back into his chest so you guys could gaze at the city in front of you.

you guys sat in a comfortable silence watching the cars go by until you broke it.

“i’m sorry, this isn’t the ideal place to celebrate your birthday. i-”

“don’t be sorry, love. i’m just glad i got to see you again.” he answered honestly, hugging you tighter.

“i love you.” you mumbled as you sank deeper into his embrace. you had missed his touch more than you realized. 

seonghwa gave you a quick kiss on the lips before you guys went back to looking at the city, enjoying the warmth he provided and his hugs.

even though you guys were celebrating the last few hours of his birthday, seonghwa couldn’t get any happier than this, his arms around you just like they should be.

[sigillaria-svt]

Ferris Wheel

Pairing: Pianist!Wen Junhui x CollegeStudent!Reader

Word Count: 3,455

Genre: fluff, childhood friends, secret feelings, childhoodfriend!Joshua

▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪

You sit in awe as you watch Jun, your childhood friend, perform in his first-ever solo piano concert. You've watched him grow up learning the piano day in and day out. It's always been his dream and you were happy to see him achieve it.

He was able to secure tickets to the front row seat just for you, and you were happy to see him perform up close. When he finishes all his pieces, he gets up from his seat and takes a bow. Jun smiles back at you before turning around to leave the stage.

After the show, you visit him backstage, bringing him a congratulatory bouquet for his successful concert. "You were great as always, but I'm really glad you managed to get me some front row tickets."

"I picked a good seat, didn’t I?” He says playfully.

Knowing you, of course, you wouldn't miss the chance to show the good side of your face." You hand him the bouquet. “Thank you for giving me a free pass, and at the front row, at that!”

"It's nothing," he says, looking away and playing with his bow tie. "I should be the one thanking you. Your support means a lot to me."

"Ehhhh, why are you being so shy? You should be proud of yourself!”

"I just...I've never performed for an audience like this before," he says. "I'm a little nervous."

You give a short laugh at his statement, but he doesn't seem amused. "Oh come on. You did well, incredibly well for your first concert. The crowd loved it as well. "

"I suppose..."

"Well, you're the one who always wanted to play the piano. How can you not be proud of such a great accomplishment?" you say.

There's a brief silence.

"Thanks..."

Before you can question him any further, he suddenly pulls you into a hug. You return the hug for a while before you both let go.

"Well, I should be off." He says, giving you a small nod.

"Hey, wait! Do you want to grab some food? It's on me. Think of it as a congratulatory gift."

"I can't, I have to practice in a few hours," he says sadly.

"Well, we still have a few hours, we won't eat for long. I insist."

He smiles once more and nods. "Yeah, sounds good."

The both of you make your way to the nearby Chinese restaurant, the one you two always ate at when you were in high school. You lead him to an empty table and begin to order your favorite meals. Soon enough, the two of you are eating your favorite foods and talking about anything that comes to mind.

"How's college?" Jun asks while taking a bite of his food.

"Oh, it's okay," you say. "A little difficult to adjust to, but I'm doing good. I miss hanging out with you. It was way easier when we had so much free time when we were in high school. "

"I missed that too," he says, "But things are certainly way easier now."

"How so?"

"Well, for one thing, I'm a full-fledged pianist now, instead of just a struggling one. Also, the girl I was dating broke up with me."

"What?!” You almost slam your hand on the table. You quickly lower your voice. “Wasn't she heads over heels for you? What happened?"

"Eh, she just tired of waiting. You know how she is."

You nod slowly, but something about the story doesn't feel right. "Waiting for what?"

"Waiting for me to become a success, of course. She said she couldn't wait around forever for me to achieve my goals."

"That's weird..."

"What?"

You purse your lips. "I mean, you've always been famous around the school for being a good pianist, but it's not like you're going to earn money overnight."

"It was for the best anyway. It showed that she was really just after the fame and not... Me." He says sadly, running his spoon through his bowl of soup.

With a burst of energy and anger, you puff your chest. "Hey, don't get yourself down! What are you, huh? You're funny, friendly, a good pianist, handsome, and a pretty good guy! She doesn't know what she lost. Hey, if she ever comes back, don't say yes, alright?!"

"Hah, yeah. Don't worry, I'll hold out for the real thing."

"Yeah, you always do."

You laugh it off, but to be honest, you were a bit disappointed. You held feelings for Jun when you were younger, but let go of him when he found a girlfriend. Now that she broke up with him for a shallow reason, you were so mad. You knew how good of a guy Jun was, and how much he treasured the people that are close to him.

You wouldn't be able to forgive such an insult. Surely he would see that.

"I have to go, my piano teacher is calling," Jun says.

"Alright, take care on your way there."

"I will. Later."

The both of you give a little wave to each other. Jun then leaves you to your own thoughts, while you ponder why you had such a strange feeling about this.

You pay up at the counter before heading back to your dorm.

When you get into the building, you see Joshua hanging out in the dorm lobby. Along with Jun, he was one of your classmates in high school and ended up forming a close friendship as a trio. Joshua ended up going to the same university as you studying psychology, while Jun ended up in a different music university.

"Hey, Josh!"

He looks up at you with a smile, waving his phone at you. "Hey, how was the concert? It's sad that I couldn't go because of exams."

"It was good. I think Jun was really happy to hear that your results came out well." You quickly take a seat next to him, putting your bag on the table. "And you know what? He just broke up with his girlfriend. I didn't see that coming. "

"Really? What for?"

"Shallow reasons. It makes me upset."

"Hmmm." Joshua says, nodding and looking away. "What do you plan on doing?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, if he's broken up with his girlfriend, do you think you could possibly...?"

"What? No! Josh, I..." You unintentionally stutter at the thought. Although Jun was clueless, Joshua knew everything. When you first found out about Jun getting a girlfriend, you cried at his house for hours. You didn’t want to admit it, but you knew you still had a bit of lingering feelings for Jun. "I mean, you know already, right? I let go of him years ago. I thought he'd be better off with you know... Someone better. "

"Someone better? That sounds very final!"

"I'm just saying, that it would be a better path for him."

"Let's hang out with him over the weekend. It wouldn't do good for him to keep thinking about it while he traps himself in practice." Joshua says, flipping through his phone to look for Jun’s contact number.

"Trapping himself in practice? You really think so?"

"Yeah, I do. Just trust me on this one." Joshua says with a sigh.

Well, it's one way to look at it you suppose.

"Let's take him to an amusement park. It's about time we bring out his inner child again."

"An amusement park? I've wanted to go to an amusement park for so long! Alright, let's go!"

You trust Joshua to invite Jun to the amusement park. Although you weren't a fan of the fast rides, you knew that it would make Jun and Joshua happy. The next day, both of you get on a bus from the university to the nearby theme park. The both of you get down just in time for the park to open.

"So, have you been to this amusement park before?" you ask.

"I've been here multiple times, but this is Jun's first time." He says. Joshua looks around, looking for the familiar tall figure. "There he is."

You wave to Jun as he walks towards the two of you, a big smile across his face.

"Hey Jun, I'm glad you managed to get yourself some free time," Joshua says.

"Yeah, I could use a breather," Jun replies.

"Man, these rides really take it out of you, don't they?"

"That's why they're fun." Joshua replies as the three of you may your way to the line to buy entrance tickets. Although the two men are ecstatic, you feel a churning feeling in your core. You’ve never been a fan of heights, and of the three, you were the one that easily got seasick. You knew that this was going to be a long day, but you wanted to make it a good one to cheer up Jun.

Jun looks over at you, who seems to be looking pale at the sight of all the tall rollercoasters. "Are you going to be fine?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine." You say. "Just... Never ridden a rollercoaster before. Not exactly the most confidence-inspiring rides. Besides, there's a first time for everything, right?"

"Yeah, there is." Jun replies, giving you a smile.

Your stomach starts doing flips as you remember that you need to get on that ride eventually. Eventually, the three of you get tickets for unlimited rides and head over to the first ride. The three of you get onto the roller coaster, which is about to begin boarding.

"Hold on to your butts!" the attendant jokes, and the two of them have a good laugh. You, on the other hand, simply smile awkwardly.

To be honest, you feel like you're taking the rollercoaster ride to your death.

The ride starts, and you scream the whole time. The roller coaster takes a wild turn through the inversion and while you're going at a pretty decent speed, you don't feel quite right. Over to your right, you see Jun and his large gummy smile.

"This is so fun! I wish I can do this all day!" he screams.

The rollercoaster takes a bunch of twists and turns, throwing you around left and right. You hold on to the restraints for dear life, your knuckles turning white at the effort. Eventually, you let out a deep, heavy sigh as the coaster finally comes to a stop, leaving you disheveled and nervous. Beside you, Jun vibrates in excitement. He's laughing like a kid as the restraints go up.

"Let's do it again!" he says.

You and your best friend laugh, then quickly sober up as you realize that you are at an amusement park after all.

"Let's get on a softer ride before we go back on this one."

"Alright!" Jun says excitedly.

Jun walks ahead of you and Joshua, excited to get on the next one.

Joshua leans closer to you. "If you feel sick, just let me know so I can help calm him down, alright?"

You nod, and follow after Jun.

There's a giant inflatable slide ahead of you that has a giant inflatable ball on it.

"I want to go on that!" Jun squeals.

"That's a lot of fun, huh?" You say back.

After a few minutes of waiting in line, you get onto the giant inflatable slide.

"Come on!" Jun excitedly takes your hand and pulls you to the slide.

You sit down in the middle of the slide, and let out a laugh as the inflatable ball inflates in front of you. As you and Jun glide down the slide, you look at your childhood friend. His bright, beautiful smile makes you feel at ease. Slowly, steadily, you let all your worries and concerns wash away. Compared to his pale face just after the concert, he seems happier now. That's enough to satisfy you.

As you both laugh and have an enjoyable time, the three of you ride the giant inflatable slide again and again. After about half an hour, you finish off the giant slide and get onto the next ride.

To those that don't know Jun, he may seem like a calm and cool pianist, but in reality, he's the most energetic man-child you know. He screams with joy with practically every ride he gets on.

You and Joshua manage to calm him down by convincing him to eat lunch and go on soft rides to prevent indigestion. You all sit together on the side of the park, munching on the lunch Joshua brought from home.

"After all these years, your mom's sandwiches are still the best, Josh." You say.

"Aren't they though?"

You smile and nod in reply. You take another bite of the sandwich, enjoying the stringy meat as it slides down your throat.

"I'll go buy some drinks." Joshua says. "Anything you guys want?"

"I'll have orange juice." You say.

"I'll have one of those drinks too, please." Jun says.

"Alright, I'll be back." Joshua says.

You and Jun continue to eat and chat as you wait for Joshua. You take a bite of the sandwich and start up the conversation. "Man, it feels like yesterday we all first met in music class. That was such a different time, you know?"

"Yeah..."

"Joshua and I were learning guitar for fun, and somehow we both ended up in majors completely unrelated to music.

"Yeah, I remember. Good old days." Jun says, his tone suddenly turning somber. "I just... Don't know what I'm going to do after college."

"What do you mean? You're going to be a professional pianist! I'll go to all your shows and buy all your releases!"

"Oh, you will?"

The two of you laugh as you take another bite of your sandwich. "Well I mean, if it gets expensive, I'll split the cost with Josh"

Moments later, Joshua comes back with the drinks.

"Here you are." He says, handing you each a small cup of orange juice.

"Thanks, Josh." You say, taking a sip from your cup.

The three of you finish your lunch and walk around before getting on the merry-go-round that's in the center of the park. As you slowly turn, you think about how much has happened since you first met. Your friendship with Joshua and Jun has strengthened and gotten closer to what it is now. You were happy to have these guys with you in your life. You pull out your phone and take a selfie with the three of you on the ride.

'Best friends.' You think to yourself with a smile.

You look up at the Ferris wheel. There are a few people still waiting to get on, along with a little girl and her mother.

"Let's get on the Ferris wheel later on during sunset." Joshua says. "The view of the city will be beautiful during that time."

"Yeah, a Ferris wheel sounds fun." You reply.

For the next few hours, you and your friends ride all the rides, eat all the food, and enjoy every moment you can. Even though you and Joshua are almost out of energy, Jun is as happy and energetic as ever.

He mainly uses his phone to take pictures and videos of himself. It came to a point where you could barely stand because of the dizziness, so you and Joshua had to stop him from riding any of the roller coasters.

Eventually, the sunset comes around, and you three fall in line for the Ferris wheel. Just as the three of you were about to step in, Joshua pulls out his phone as if to pick up a call.

"Oh man, wait I need to take this call." He says, even though you see no sign of a call on his screen. Joshua pushes the both of you in. "Go on without me."

You didn't have time to think before he closes the door and leaves you and Jun alone in the cart. The Ferris wheel turns, taking you and Jun higher at a slow pace. Somehow, being alone with him makes your heart beat faster. You look over at Jun, who's looking out to the city as the orange light hits his face. It's a new experience for you, being this close to him. The two of you don't say a word, just take in the view.

"Hey, I want to tell you something." Jun says quietly.

You turn your head to him, who seems to sit uncomfortably in his place.

Jun takes a deep breath in. "I'm afraid that if we stay friends, I'll lose you as we grow up. You're a really important person to me, and I don't want to lose you."

A lump forms in your throat. "Don't worry about that." You tell him. "We'll always be friends. No one is taking you away from me."

Jun looks down for a moment, and then looks back at you he stares at you for a moment, hesitating. "I love you." He blurts out.

You stare at him in shock while he quickly adds, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that! Just forget I said it!"

"No, don't--"

Before you can say anything further, Jun buries his face into his hands.

You say "Jun?"

"I can't take this anymore." He says in frustration. "We can still be friends if you want. I'll leave you alone if that's what you want."

"Wait, Jun, look at me."

Jun raises his face, refusing to look you in the eyes.

"Calm down, you haven't even heard my reply yet." You lean forward to put your hand on his knee. "You love me? In... That way? "

"I... I'm sorry, but yes."

"Oh..." You exhale. "Why are you apologizing?"

"I don't know!"

"Well, I'm glad you finally said it." You laugh. "All this time I've been holding back because I thought you would never like someone like me."

"That's not true! I do like you! I probably just held back saying it because I didn't want you to leave."

"Well, why would I leave, Jun?" You ask. "You're basically my best friend, and I'm happy spending time with you."

"But, what if I change?"

"You won't."

"What if something makes you so mad at me, that you won't want to be with me anymore?" He says softly, opening himself up to be vulnerable for the first time in years.

"We've had dozens of fights ever since we were kids. But I'm still here."

"What if it's worse than those?"

"Well, we'll deal with it then."

"But what if it's something you can't fix?"

"Then I guess we won't deal with it." You say. "We'll just accept it when it happens."

"Oh." He exhales. "That... That sounds a little bit easier than I thought it would be."

"Easier?" You laugh in disbelief. "Of course it's easier. If things get to a point where we can't deal with it, then we'll still accept each other.”

"Yeah..."

"We'll get through it together."

"I know we will."

Jun links his legs with yours, gently playing around with his fingers.

"I was really scared that I would lose you to someone else." He says.

"Like who?" You laugh.

"Like, maybe even a boy you met at the park."

"That's not gonna happen, I promise." You assure him.

"I know."

"How are we going to explain this to Joshua when we get down?"

"He'll probably figure it out even if we don't say anything." Jun says. "He's pretty smart."

"True..."

Before you know it, the Ferris wheel stops and the two of you exit. When you get down, you see Joshua on his phone on one of the benches. He looks up at the both of you with a smile. You return his smile and walk over to him.

"Hey, guys." He says. "How did it go?"

"It was good!" You answer.

Joshua looks over at Jun, who seems to be pretending that nothing happened. "Say what, let me take a photo of you guys. It's both your first time at this park, we need to document this."

You look at both of your young faces and give each other a look. After a brief moment, when you understand that the other is going through with this, you nod. Joshua takes a photo of the both of you with the Ferris wheel in the background, a large grin on his face

"Perfect." He says, returning his phone to his pocket. "Let's go and take a break at the cafe."

Joshua walks ahead of you and Jun, and you both follow. Jun shyly links his pinky with yours, swinging his arms around happily.

"Thank you for coming with me, I really had a good time here." He says.

"Anytime." You smile. - END -

[alitheakorogane]

Assassination Classroom - Over The Moon AU

I have watched "Over The Moon" on Netflix recently and have the amazing idea. What if we wrote an Over The Moon AU for Assassination Classroom?

Here is my concept of the Over the Moon AU. Please bear with my long ramblings.

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

Thousand years ago, Koro became fatally ill due to an incurable disease. His beloved wife, Aguri, loved her husband very much and decided to find a way to heal her dying husband.

So she travelled far and wide to search the legendary Tree of Life, a magical tree that bears a legendary magic peach that only blooms and grows once in a thousand years, which could heal all diseases, no matter how incurable it is. After weeks of searching, she found the tree, and saw the magic peach, glowing with power. Desperate enough to heal her dying husband, she plucked the peach, went home, and made a healing elixir that could heal Koro.

She made Koro to drink the potion and feel the healing power of the elixir, so Koro will be healed. As expected, Koro had recovered from the disease and they lived happily.

But the happiness was short-lived. Aguri found the painful truth about the magical peach too late.

Shin (the Second Reaper), the young and talented village healer, told her the painful truth about the peach. The one who intakes the magic peach can be cured by any illness that plagues him or her, but there is a catch, a curse. The one who intakes the peach can't die, and will be immortal forever.

Aguri clung on her husband’s hands tightly, as she held on his fleeting embrace. He was floating upwards, a mysterious force pulling him away from Aguri's loving arms. The curse has started, and Koro was taken away from her. She cried and cried, holding Koro's hands tight, but she can't cling to him any longer. She let go him, her hands trying to reach her beloved, but Koro was now far away, floating to the glowing moon above.

Aguri was grief-stricken and feels regret over the loss of Koro, so every day and every night, she would offer mooncakes and sweets to an altar she made for her husband. She would pray and sing, so Koro could hear her voice, hoping that she would reunite with him soon.

Unfortunately, Aguri is a mortal and have a short lifespan. She never remarried, as she still loves Koro very much. The tried everything, she prayed and plead and she went to the Tree to find another peach to eat so she could be reunited with Koro, but the peach only grows once in a thousand years. She fell ill and died alone at a young age, without Koro in her embrace.

The now-immortal Koro was alone in the moon, trapped forever in rock and lunar dunes. He cried for the loss of Aguri, as his crystal tears fell to the ground, giving life to the rocks that became his faithful subjects. The rocks turned to humanoid teenagers, which will help him cope with the loneliness and longing for his beloved Aguri.

Every 13th day of the third month (March 13th), people celebrates the tale of Koro and Aguri by eating and offering mooncakes, while telling the children about their tragic tale. The moon would shine so bright at this time, forming a crescent shape as the reminder of Aguri's love for Koro.

Thousands of years after, there was a boy named Nagisa Shiota. He lived a happy childhood, his father would tell him stories, while little Nagisa and his mother, Hiromi, would listen to the tale under the moon. Their favorite story was the tale of Koro and Aguri. When Nagisa was 8, Nagisa's father gives him an old necktie with a crescent moon emblem and a golden moon pendant.

They were very happy, until Nagisa's father died due to illness, leaving his mother depressed and insane, as she started to think that Nagisa was his daughter she never had. She began to have delusions of a happy family, and became abusive to her son, punishing him if he never did her wishes.

Until the day they met the Asanos.

When Nagisa was 14, Hiromi met Gakuho Asano, a widower, and it was love at first sight. After a year, they are planning to get married, and Hiromi began to revert back to her old self, although she was a little abusive to Nagisa.

Gakuho has a son, Gakushuu. He is the same age as Nagisa, and he was very different from the meek Nagisa. He was always serious, competitive and kinda proud, and Nagisa had difficulty getting along with him.

Nagisa was tired of this life. He still wanted his father, and hated the fact that his mother easily replaced his father by Gakuho in her heart. So he wanted to meet Koro, the god of the moon, to prove to his mother that love is not replacable, and it is forever. He had a plan: to build a rocket to the moon.

With a little knowledge of Science and determination, he successfully made the rocket, but he never expected Gakushuu joining his plan to meet the moon god, let alone met Koro in personal. Nagisa lost control of the rocket due to shock, crashing it.

Nagisa was pissed when he found out Gakushuu joined him in this plan. Gakushuu argued that he silently help Nagisa solve the equations needed for the rocket, as some of the calculations Nagisa did are slightly wrong, and can cause trouble for Nagisa later on. Also, Gakushuu wanted to see if this Koro is real all along, as he was still skeptical about the story.

They were arguing when they were suddenly taken away by flying... Octopuses? Gakushuu loses his shit.

And do I have to tell you Koro was always holding concerts at his kingdom? Can you imagine that?

Gakushuu and Nagisa meets Koro, the god of the moon. Nagisa was ecstatic and took a photo with the moon god, while Gakushuu was still mumbing how this is possible. It was peaceful until Koro demanded about a gift to them. The two humans were confused about the immortal's demand. They don't know about the gift.

So Koro had stolen the picture of Nagisa and him as a ransom, as he announced to all his subjects that anyone who can find the gift before the last sliver of moonlight in the orb fades, their greatest wish will be granted. Of course, all of Koro's subjects were excited, so they rush out to find the gift. Nagisa wanted to get the picture so he ran outside, leaving Gakushuu looking at Koro with a glare, suddenly challenging the moon god, demanding about the picture. Koro agrees.

They settled the fight by doing a quiz bee. Two girls, a blonde named Rio, and a purple-haired girl named Ritsu, held the contest, while the Gakushuu and Koro were the contestants. They answered questions with precision, and even Koro was amazed of the strawberry-blond kid's intelligence. But they still continued on, Koro was starting to get annoyed by the kid's knowledge. Until the final question.

Koro mocks that a measly kid like Gakushuu can't answer the final question, as Koro was a thousand years older than Gakushuu and more knowledgeable. Gakushuu, having a sharp mouth than anyone, retorts and mocks the moon god about the past.

"You are more knowledgeable than me, you say to me... But why you never stopped Aguri from picking that magic peach, making and letting you drink that potion that made you who you are now? You're selfish, because if you are knowledgeable as you said you are, I think you know the peach can make you immortal! Aguri was fooled by you!"

Koro was aghast about the accusations and he was pissed, unable to concentrate, leaving Gakushuu to be the victor. Koro screamed angrily that Gakushuu and Nagisa would never get the picture until the gift was given to him, breaking the deal. He left the room with Rio and Ritsu (who was apologizing), locking Gakushuu inside.

Koro was in despair, his heart was desperate to find the gift. Okuda and Takebayashi, the royal chemists, were busily mixing potions that will be needed for the ritual. Irina, one of Koro's two trusted advisors, advised the moon god to calm down. Koro replied that he can't bear to calm down, as the time is nearly up, and he can't reunite with Aguri if the gift was not yet found. Irina assured that they will find it, that Koro will gonna reunite with Aguri. The moon god smiled gratefully at Irina as he looked at what the chemists do.

After a few moments, Okuda announced that the potion for the ritual was ready. The gift was the only one left needed. Koro sadly smiled as he looked at the orb.

Nagisa went with a team of bounty hunters, Terasaka, Muramatsu, Yoshida and Hazama. They fought and escaped the obstacles, as they reached the crash site, finding for the gift. Nagisa started to lose hope, praying for a sign. As he looked around, he noticed a sliver of pale light hitting the necktie. Nagisa widened his eyes as he realized that the necktie was the gift, and happily shows it to the bounty hunters. The bounty hounters, however, had interests for Koro to grant their wishes, bullies Nagisa into giving them the gift. Nagisa gives them a gift, but he was pushed by Terasaka, while his team laughed behind him. Suddenly, he was saved by a red-haired boy and a green-haired girl.

Terasaka calls the new arrivals outcasts as the redhead smiled like a demon, "You both were exiled by the great Koro-sama, why are you here?"

The redhead shrugged and threatened them in a conscending tone to give the necktie back to Nagisa, while the green-haired girl smiled menancingly, sending Terasaka's team shivers down their spine. Terasaka suddenly ran towards his bike with the necktie in his hands, and rode away, along with his team. Nagisa was shocked, before the redhead grabbed his hand and ran to a big pond where they could catch up with Terasaka. They reached the pond and rode on the huge toads's backs back to Kunugigaoka, as the toads like to feed in the lake near Kunugigaoka. Nagisa asked for their names.

"It's Karma and this is Kaede, by the way. You?"

"I’m Nagisa."

"Hi, Nagisa!"

Nagisa remembered what Terasaka said, and asked about it. Karma sighed as he reveals that Koro exiled him due to a song Karma sang to him about moving on. Before the exile, Karma was one of Koro's trusted students. Nagisa find out that Koro loved teaching, and Karma was one of the lucky Kunugigaokans who are the moon god's students.

Nagisa also found out the Kunugigaokans are born through Koro's magic tears. That means Karma practically came from the moon god's tears.

Kaede, on the other hand, was Aguri's actual younger sister. Nagisa was confused how she was with Koro when she was supposed to be mortal, while Aguri can't, Kaede revealed that she is actually a spirit, kinda like a shikigami, who died years after Koro was floated away to the moon, and her spirit remained to accompany Koro as his companion. Nagisa wondered why it was not Aguri, and Kaede explained that Aguri was the one who picked the peach, making it part of the curse Koro was suffering. The curse was not only to make Koro immortal, but it also affects Koro and Aguri's fate. They can't be together happily, even how many lifetimes they will be in. She was also exiled with Karma after telling Koro that a ritual to bring Aguri back would possibly not work.

Nagisa realized that Koro was unfair giving the two of them the punishment of exile for just saying a helpful comment. Nagisa spoke that he never expected Koro to be an arrogant and selfish prick, as his father told him before that Koro was graceful like a swan landing on a quiet lake, full of kindness and hope. Karma replied that Koro just missed Aguri, and love can make you desperate to do anything that may be impossible.

Nagisa smiled bitterly and agree. Kaede asked about Nagisa's family life and the bluenette told the entire life story. The two listened attentively to him. He even told them about his mother and Gakuho being remarried, and Gakushuu.

Karma smiled, "I hope I will experience having a sibling. Well, a sibling who could share my hobbies of pranking other people..."

Kayano nodded as she spoke with a cheerful voice, "Having a sibling is a fun experience though! Aguri was sweet, and she was a good sibling. Besides, we were alone for a thousand years, since we were exiled by Koro-niisan from the castle."

Karma smiled, "It is not bad to move on. You can remember them forever, cherish their memories, but you can't stay in the past and be stuck. Otherwise, you will feel alone forever."

Kaede had also remarked one fact about Koro.

"When he was overwhelmed by great emotions, the entire kingdom of Kunugigaoka will be affected, since he was the one who made the kingdom from scratch. In fact, when he was striken by great grief, Kunugigaoka will plagued by darkness, as Koro's happiness powers the entire kingdom's bright lights. The last time he was striken with great grief was the time he first landed on the moon, long before the kingdom of Kunugigaoka was made."

The trio catch up to the bounty hunters, after they reached the kingdom of Kunugigaoka, Nagisa seeing the orb on the castle glowing faintly, signalling they were running out of time. Terasaka and the gang tried to stop the trio from getting the tie, but the trio were persistent. They fought and fought, Kaede was jumping like a rabbit, Karma was happily punching Terasaka, with Nagisa watching at them in horror and shock, but in between their fight, the tie was accidentally destroyed. The bounty hunters stopped fighting them and proved that the tie was now useless.

Meanwhile, Gakushuu finds a way to escape the room and wanders around the place, looking for something to use for defending himself while looking for the photo. While finding, he met Isogai, a kindhearted Kunugigaokan who happily helped him find the photo. Along with Isogai is Maehara, a flirty blond haired Kunugigaokan.

Nagisa looked at the tattered tie in despair. "It was my father's gift to me, along with this pendant I am wearing."

Karma looked at the pendant and remarks that the pendant seems familiar. Nagisa looked at Karma in confusion, as Karma shrugged, thinking that he may be wrong. Nagisa looked at the pendant and saw something in it. The moon seems like it was actually part of something.

Kaede squinted at the golden pendant and commented, while smiling wistfully, "I remember that Aguri-neechan has that similar necklace thousands of years ago, a full moon necklace. Koro-niisan too have a similar pendant too, although it was a crescent moon pendant. He was still wearing it even now, after a thousand years. I remember that if you combined those two necklaces, it will become a whole moon, like a damn puzzle. It was their version of a wedding ring."

Karma laughed, "Yeah, I remembered that pendant. Koro-sensei showed it to me back when I was still his beloved student. He was so protective of it that he cried like a waterfall when I hid that pendant playfully that time. I remember that is how Itona-kun and Ritsu-chan was born."

Nagisa stood there, pondering over their tale. Being a perceptive person, all the pieces were put to place.

"Like a puzzle. The pendant is like a puzzle. The gift..."

Nagisa's blue eyes widened as he had realized that the tie was not the gift, but the pendant. The pendant that was with him all along!

Karma and Kaede smiled happily for Nagisa while Nagisa looks at the orb above the castle, there is only a sliver of moonlight left. Nagisa knew that there is little time left so he ran along, with Karma and Kaede following him.

While running inside, Gakushuu and Nagisa bumped to each other, and Nagisa hugged Gakushuu in happiness. Gakushuu was shocked as he tried to pull back (he kinda hates hugs), but Nagisa tightly gripped him.

Meanwhile, Maehara and Isogai looked at Kaede and Karma in apprehension, as all Kunugigaokans know that these two are exiled by Koro-sama due to personal reasons. Karma playfully greeted them while Kaede waved back.

Suddenly, a tall man came in, looking at the scene with a serious look. Everyone looked at him, even Nagisa who was pulling away from annoyed Gakushuu.

"Karasuma-sensei!" The four teens greeted the man, who was named Karasuma. Karasuma is Koro's second trusted adviser, along with Irina. Karasuma spoke in a serious voice, "I know you have the gift, the octopus is waiting for you in the main room."

Nagisa was confused why Koro, the god of the moon, was called octopus by Karasuma. Karma, remarked that Koro has great affinity with octopuses as Aguri loves octopuses. In fact, he was sometimes called "octoperv" by some people close to the moon god, due to his hidden pervert nature. It was a cute nickname for the immortal moon god.

Nagisa raised an eyebrow, he never knew about the fact that Koro was like some ordinary male, sometimes a perverted creep.

Koro was in the middle of the room, waiting for the gift, with the Kunugigaokans looking at the new arrivals with concern, happiness and relief. He raised his weird-looking eyebrow to Karma, who smiled like a demonic entity, and Kayano, who awkwardly waved at him. Kayano then looked at Koro with a concerned look, reminding him that it may not work and her opinion still stands, and the moon god smiled sadly, as he walked towards Nagisa.

Nagisa held the golden moon pendant to the immortal and Koro gently picked it up from the bluenette's hands. He looked at the pendant wistfully and removed his own crescent moon pendant from his neck and connected the two necklaces together. It fits like a puzzle piece. Takebayashi poured the potion over the necklaces and the necklaces glowed brightly.

"As two halves can be whole again, this necklace was now complete, like our love. Now, you can come back to me... Aguri."

The castle scenery changes, as it morphed into a clearing, with lots of trees around the place. There is a house in the middle, and Koro, in simple yukata he was wearing back when he was still mortal, was standing in front of the house. Nagisa, Gakushuu and the Kunugigaokans were looking from far away.

The door of the house opened, it revealed a short haired woman wearing a fancy yukata. She was short, with onyx eyes tinged with brown hues. Her short hair was adored with little hairclips and jewelry that was common for women in her time. Nagisa and the Kunugigaokans gasped from far away as they saw the woman. They saw the woman on the paintings of the castle, paintings where it was depicted Koro with his beloved wife. The woman was Aguri, the woman in the paintings and Koro's beloved wife.

It was a tearful reunion, with Koro looking at his love with a longing look as he spoke how he had missed her, and they were now reunited after a thousand years. Aguri smiled and held Koro's cheek with gentleness, but Aguri's hands glowed and slowly became transparent. Koro looked at Aguri in shock.

Aguri tearfully reveals that she can't stay any longer, as they can't be together, and Koro has to move on. Koro shook his head, screaming Aguri's name as he tried to hug Aguri and stop her from fading away, but the woman slowly floated away like how Koro had done a thousand years ago. Koro reached out desperately, trying to grab his beloved wife's hands, but Aguri faded away, smiling and saying, "I will always love you forever."

As Aguri faded away to the wind, the sliver of moonlight on the orb shatters, leaving into nothing. The time was up, and it was too late to bring Aguri back. She was gone forever.

Kaede looked at the scene sadly, as she saw her sister faded away to the wind, like how Koro has done before. She sadly remarked that she knew from the start that the ritual will never work in the first place. The curse will always plagued their fate. Also, if that was possible, you can't bring back the person long dead for a thousand years. Koro is an immortal, and Aguri isn't.

Upon hearing Kaede's sad truth, Koro was stricken with grief over the loss of Aguri once again, plunging Kunugigaoka into darkness. The god suddenly formed a protective barrier around him, forbidding anyone access to him. The Kunugigaokans were worried about their leader, Karasuma voicing his concerns.

"We can't enter the barrier, it is too powerful and no one can enters there. If there is someone that can enter it, they can't go out until Koro stopped the barrier. And knowing him, he will stay like that forever."

Irina continued, "He really loved Aguri very much, and did everything to make her come back. But we all know that it is impossible. Kayano-san was different from Aguri-san's case. That curse..."

Nagisa was confused, "How Aguri was different from Kayano?"

Karasuma looked at the moon good and sighed, " There is actually a story that was actually not included in the tales that you humans say about Koro and Aguri. When Aguri picked the magic peach and made a potion for Koro to drink, a powerful sorcerer named Shiro was very angry. He wanted the peach to himself, to be immortal forever. When he found out that the magic peach was gone, and hearing the news that a mere mortal became immortal after drinking a potion containing the peach, he was pissed. Of course, he can't curse Koro, as he was now immortal and now in the moon, so Shiro cursed the one who made the potion, the unfortunate Aguri. He used a forbidden spell to curse her."

Gakushuu asked, "Let me guess, the curse was not to let Aguri reunited with Koro forever??"

Irina nodded, "Yes. Aguri's spirit and Koro can't be reunited until the curse is broken. Shiro had announced that the curse should be broken before the last sliver of moonlight in the orb shatters, or Aguri be gone forever. But unfortunately, the curse was too powerful, even the gods can't easily lift it without trouble. Even Koro, who now revered as the god of the moon. But he tried everything to break the curse for a thousand years, and this is his chance to do it right. But he failed. That sliver of light was gone. Now Aguri is gone, and Koro can't bring her back forever."

Nagisa and the Kunugigaokans were worried when they heard the words. Even Gakushuu, who shows slight concern. Nagisa stepped forward and into the barrier's end, touching the barrier, expecting it to feel like a wall. They all were shocked when his hands passed through the barrier. Nagisa looked at the depressed god of the moon and determined to enter the barrier. Gakushuu stopped him, his hands touched the barrier. Unlike Nagisa, it never passed through.

"Are you crazy?! What if you will be stuck there forever? I can't go home without you, I still have a future on Earth!"

Nagisa sighed as he smiled, "The moon's guiding light will be gone if we don't do something."

He went inside, ignoring the pleas of Karma and Kaede telling him to stop. Nagisa walked towards Koro, who was curling up into a ball.

"Koro-sama? It's me, Nagisa. The effeminate boy? I want you to know the Kunugigaokans needed you..."

Nagisa went to reach Koro, but something... Or someone stopped him. It was the vision of his father. Nagisa widened his eyes in shock and sadness as he looked towards his father, reaching his hand to hold his father’s face once again. He cried, as he screamed for his father to come back. But like Aguri, the vision floated away, leaving Nagisa depressed. Nagisa curled up to a ball in sadness, as the memories of the happy times rushed over him.

Meanwhile, Gakushuu, Karma and Kaede tried hard to break the barrier, but it was no use. Gakushuu punched the barrier but it wouldn't budge. He may not admit it, but he is started to care about Nagisa. Kaede tearfully screamed as she pounded in the glass in desperation. In her desperation, she revealed a secret Gakushuu was shocked for: Nagisa was Kaede's descendant.

Kaede had apparently died in her 20s when she give birth to a baby boy, her first child. Before dying, she gave her sister's necklace to her son as a reminder of her sister's love for her husband. It became a family hairloom, and Nagisa got it from his father thousand of years later.

Karma comforted Kaede as Gakushuu looked towards the greenette and Nagisa in shock.

Meanwhile, Koro had noticed Nagisa crying towards the vision of his father before it fades away. Koro felt sadness as he looked towards the depressed bluenette, he realized that both he and Nagisa are similar. Both of them lost a loved one and grieving over their loss. He floated towards Nagisa and gently lifted the teen's head.

Nagisa looked at the moon god with a tearful gaze, as the moon god sadly smiled, speaking in a soft voice, "You don't belong here, Nagisa-kun. You have a family to come back to. Don't drown in sadness like I did, you are still young. I know it hurts to let go of them, but we had to move on and be happy with the ones we currently have. You will remember the moments with them, but we can make new ones. You have your mother who needed you, your new stepfather to support you, and a new brother to love you."

Nagisa looked down as he spoke in a soft voice, looking towards the moon god's dark eyes "It's not too late for you to move on too." Aguri may be gone, but they are still there." Nagisa pointed out to the teenagers who stood outside the barrier, "They needed you too."

Gakushuu punched the barrier, with Karma punching along with him. "Nagisa-kun, I know we are not in good terms, but we will try to work this out! Because we are now a family!" With one last punch, the barrier shattered, as Gakushuu and the Kunugigaokans rushed in to greet Koro and Nagisa.

Nagisa hugged Gakushuu tightly, as Gakushuu, still uncomfortable in hugging people, squirmed before giving up. Kaede smiled at Nagisa, while Karma patted his back.

All Kunugigaokans rushed towards the moon god, as they hugged the crying moon god. Ritsu, Okuda and Kurahashi was crying loudly, hugging Koro tightly. Karasuma and Irina stayed behind, but they were smiling at the joyful event.

Later on, Koro and the Kunugigaokans are ready to say goodbye to Nagisa and Gakushuu. Koro had apologized to Karma and Kaede for banishing them from the kingdom, as they were just trying to make him happy by moving on and focus on the ones who loved him now. Karma just laughed and said that it was fine, traveling was fun and exciting, that he gets to pick fights easily outside without Koro scolding him, making the moon god slapped Karma's head playfully. Kaede snorted as Karma hugged Nagisa and Gakushuu tightly as he admitted he was going to miss them, Kaede giving Nagisa a quick peck in the cheek. Nagisa blushed pink over the actions. Koro happily gives Nagisa the picture of Koro and Nagisa together, as proof. Nagisa clutched the photo with happiness, as Gakushuu rolled his eyes.

With the octopuses flying them away, Gakushuu and Nagisa returned to Earth. To a human observer on Earth, they are like shooting stars. Nagisa looked at the photo in his hand, and saw the photo is fading away. Nagisa realized that he didn't need proof, so he let the photo floated away in the wind as they fall towards the Earth.

Months after, Hiromi and Gakuho had married. Hiromi changed for the better, and Nagisa is happy that his mother is now happy in life. His brother, Gakushuu, started to warm up to him.

They celebrated the March 13th festival with their relatives by eating mooncakes and sweets while sharing stories of Koro and Aguri. Nagisa laughed at some of the story as he looked out at the moon. The moon was glowing bright, as if it was acknowledging Nagisa.

After the mooncake eating, Hiromi was with Nagisa, looking at the moon with a serene look in their faces. They remembered the memories of the past, but there is no heartbreak now. Hiromi apologized about how she acted towards Nagisa ever since his father died, and Nagisa smiled as he hugged his mother tightly. As they playfully chasing each other in the night sky, the moon shone brightly than ever, as a beautiful swan in a lake flew towards the moon.

-----

So what do you think about it? I tried hard to fit the Assassination Classroom elements to Over the Moon, add some twists and new ideas, and hoping that there is not a character that is too OOC.

[imaginedigimon]

u got any lgbtq+ hcs for any of the main 12 adventure and 02 kids?

🤔 Hmm...

Now Anon, I’m warning you: I’m probably not going to give you what you want for this. But I’m going to try.

I REALLY HOPE I DON’T FUCK THIS UP, FRIENDS *stressing out a bit I will not lie*

LGBTQ+ Headcanons for 01 + 02 Gang

Tai [Taichi]

Doesn’t know the meaning of the word “straight” except in terms of line segments in math (but even then, he’s a little lost)

He probably saw the pride flag for the first time when he was 14 and because it reminded him of the Crests thought, “I CAN GET BEHIND THAT”

When he learned the real meaning of pride and the LGBTQ+ community, he was even more ecstatic

Has definitely beaten up some homophobes before

And transphobes

He’s beaten up a lot of people in general

Realized after a while that he’s pansexual himself and started painting his face with the pan flag everyday

Will not deny that he has a thing for Matt and Sora at the same time and is happy if they’re happy but would really like to kiss them both pls

Matt [Yamato]

He most certainly questioned his own gender for a while, though he can’t pinpoint when it started

Gabumon told him it didn’t matter what he identified as, they’d always be partners anyway, so that really helped him a lot

It also helped that Tai was willing to beat people’s asses for him

Has also beaten up some homophobes and transphobes (Tai has been the one to drag him away from some fights)

Wears pins of all the pride flags at all times because fuck you haters

Also would like to kiss Tai, just like once or twice or a million times

Identifies as bisexual most likely

Sora

Doesn’t mention it a lot, but Mimi was probably her first kiss (by accident...OR WAS IT?)

She was the type of person who, because she grew up in a very hetero-normative world, wasn’t sure what it meant to like a girl

Probably asked Tai when she was 15 and still thinking about Mimi’s hair and lips when he explained to her that it was perfectly normal

She never forgot that conversation

Has continuously questioned her identity and orientation throughout the years, though only Biyomon has been privy to this struggle

Finally settled on saying she’s queer because she’s not much for labels (especially when she’s in a constant state of questioning)

Definitely asked Mimi to kiss her again just so it wouldn’t be an accident

Izzy [Koshiro]

Always a kid before his time, knew how to explain all aspects of pride to everyone else before they even knew what the LGBTQ+ community was

Has PowerPoints to make things clearer

Around age 17 or 18, he started asking that everyone use he/him or they/them pronouns, and this hasn’t changed since

Everyone said “a’ight” because they love him no matter what

Has always had some kind of romantic feelings for just about everyone in the group, but nothing beyond that

This poor sweetie pie cried the night he realized he was asexual and called Joe, who said in the most intense voice he’d ever heard, “You think that matters to us? We love you, Izzy, and don’t you ever forget that”

Has decided Joe is the coolest guy ever

Started some social media account where it’s nothing but pictures of Tai with various pride symbols painted on his face and it’s blown up

Mimi

Unlike Sora, she didn’t think much about the kiss

She had already accepted that she liked girls by that point

Definitely had a crush on Yolei too, though she played it cool

YOU CANNOT TELL ME SHE DIDN’T CONSIDER MEIKO HER TRUE LOVE

Teases Izzy a lot because she has a bit of a crush on him too, though this confused her because she thought she liked girls

The day she learned the term homoflexible she thought she was dreaming

But she wasn’t

Still, Sora and Yolei and Meiko are her girls and she loves them very dearly

Has the same enthusiasm as Tai and paints the various flags on her face as well (became part of that social media account Izzy started)

You can catch her and Tai at a pride parade screaming at the top of their lungs

Joe [Jou/Jyou]

I’ll admit, he’s probably the token straight? But he’s also one of those guys who’s not afraid to tell Matt he looks handsome today

Has needed to ask Izzy a lot of questions because he’s like me and wants to know and not offend anyone because he’s ignorant or doesn’t know something

Had a moment similar to me where he wondered if he really was straight

Decided he still was, but would support anyone and everyone because that’s just the guy he is

You know how he becomes a doctor? He most CERTAINLY helps with transitioning whenever he can because he’s a GOOD. DOCTOR.

Doesn’t beat up haters, but gives them a death glare that’s just as effective

Wore around a rainbow doctor’s coat because he COULD and no one tried to stop him because they knew he’d quit on the spot

Takeru [T.K.]

Been the guy to say “respect LGBTQ+ rights or die by my sword” or something like that

Lowkey had a crush on Angemon and Angewomon simulanteously and could NOT for the life of him explain why that was

Never told either of them this though

Or Kari

Definitely didn’t tell Kari

Okay yes, Tai is his big brother, but he definitely had a crush on the guy for about 2 weeks before he met Kari and everything changed

Hasn’t told either of them this

Like Sora, has only said he identifies as queer - he’d like to figure it out/delve deeper but is too busy flirting with everyone to care

Brings 5 different dates to his brother’s concerts at the same time and they all have to vie for his attention - it’s usually whoever says the most positive things about his brother

Has done at least 6 drag shows so far and let me tell you - KILLS IT every time

Kari is his forever girl but keeps winking at Ken just to make him blush

Kari [Hikari]

Also had a crush on Angewomon like how could she NOT

Also had crushes on Matt, Izzy, Mimi, and Sora (but not Joe for some reason)

When she realized her feelings for T.K. she got really really nervous (because of all his dates, you see)

Was also confused because she was pretty confused about her range of crushes over the years

Tai came out as pan to her first and she realized that sounded a lot like her

She’s a pan baby and she’s proud of it (and thanks her brother for supporting her)

Gave a rainbow pin to T.K. for his birthday and in return he kissed her

They go to ALL the pride events and nothing can stop them

Occasionally uses they/them pronouns on days she’s questioning

Davis [Daisuke]

Tai was his first love and you cannot change my mind about this

Meeting Kari was like meeting a Tai Who Would Notice Him and that was pretty rad

But he also likes her because of her, too

The world kinda stopped when he met Ken, though

Like damn, look at those soccer skills

I’m gonna be real, I think Davis is soccersexual (or footballsexual for non-Muricans)

Them soccer players be really hot though

Always has questions about the community, but never retains the answers

The PowerPoints, unfortunately, do not help

Eventually gave up and said, “I’M A DUMBASS BUT I SUPPORT YOU ALL”

They tried to tell him he should at least know what he’s talking about

(We’re still working on that)

Wears rainbow shirts with rainbow pants and it’s very atrocious but very appreciated

He is gay. He sometimes does crimes. We accept him anyway.

[T.K. asked him if he wanted to go to a drag show, he said “okay?” and really really loved it now he goes all the time]

Yolei [Miyako]

Mimi is hot, Ken is hot, Kari is hot, Matt’s kinda hot, everyone’s hot

She’s never been able to fully accept this because how is everyone so hot

Mimi was her first love, and Ken was her first boyfriend

She never forgot the firsts

Attracted to any and everyone it seems

She likes to call herself a frying pan and it makes everyone facepalm a little bit

Constantly dresses in the colors on the pan flag because she looks GOOD in them and it’s a way to remind everyone not to mess with her or her community

Tries to pretend she doesn’t know Mimi and Tai when she’s at a pride event and they’re out here acting like fools

But she also loves how unerringly supportive they are

Cody [Iori]

He was the first one everyone came out to, like for some reason he’s that guy

Literally the first person to offer you support

One day he told everyone he was transgender, and while they were surprised, they also didn’t react the way he was expecting

They actually hugged him immediately and said, “But don’t worry we love love love you” and Tai started painting the trans flag on Cody’s face until Cody said, “Guys please fuck off for a sec”

When he becomes a lawyer, he becomes the type of lawyer to defend anyone who was arrested on basis of race/identity/orientation/gender like the boss he is

Suspects he might be ace but hasn’t really delved into it much

He’s too busy scolding Davis for doing dumb things

Ken

Can everyone stop being hot for a sec? -direct quote from Ken himself

He’s in love with all the 02 kids and he’s accepted this

Yolei somehow stole his heart, but T.K.’s winks send it aflutter

He wants them both to stop (but they won’t)

Was completely unaware that Davis also liked him (even though it was really obvious?)

He identifies as bi and, like Izzy, uses they/them pronouns interchangeably with he/him

One of the good detectives on the force. Will bust your ass if you say any offensive slurs about anyone. [Has gotten suspended a few times for doing this BUT IT WAS FUCKING WORTH IT.]

Always the one on duty when Davis gets arrested for his crimes and it’s hecka exhausting

---------

Uhm... did I do good? I’ll admit, I was a little nervous since I myself am straight and cisgender (or cishet, as I’ve learned is the term)  😥  😥

Anon, I really do hope I did a good job!

And if I didn’t you can roast me in the flames of Meramon Hell

[twiceinadream]

“In another life.”

Requested: Yup

Request: Y/N always makes it to Tzuyu' concert, even when Twice wasn't famous back then and performed outdoors instead of on a stage. She was Tzuyu's first fan, making banners and stuff for her but she never reveals her identity to Tzuyu, choosing to support her in the shadows. (I wrote this fic with two endings, but I thought this one was best)

a/u: Hey, guys! I hope you are all doing well during these intense times and I hope you are staying safe. This is dedicated to a dear friend of mine, I love you Z. I hope you all enjoy! I love you all! Stay safe and wash your hands.

Parts: 1.) Fem! S/O Confesses They Love Them and 3.) “I’ll love you too.” (Alternate Ending: “Screw fate.”)

Category: Fluff and Angst

Word Count: 1.8k

It had been three long years since Tzuyu had left Taiwan to follow her dreams of becoming a singer. You had fallen out of touch with your best friend the first year she left, but still couldn’t go a day without thinking of her. Until you received a text from your friend that would change your life forever.

The text read: Hey, Y/N! Isn’t that, Tzuyu!?[JYP’s New Girl Group: TWICE Announced]

You clicked the link that led to what seemed to be the ending of a show announcing the debut of a brand new girl group. And as you searched the faces of all the girls on stage, you couldn’t help but feel your heart skip a beat when your eyes landed on Tzuyu. A wide smile forming on your lips as you began tearing up as well, ‘I knew she could do it.’

~TWICE’s First Concert~

You had never been to Korea in your life, but you were determined to be there for your best friend as you watched her dreams become a reality. The turn out was small but you made sure to take whatever pictures you could of Tzuyu while you were there cheering for her, planning to open a fansite for her when you returned to your hotel room.

-5 Years Later-

Five years had passed since Twice had debuted and you couldn’t help but feel pride swell in your chest, as you watched Tzuyu grow before your eyes. Twice had officially become Korea’s Girl Group and your small fansite had grown to be the most well known on the internet, so much that even Twice themselves were aware of you.

But, even through the years you still kept your identity secret, working under false accounts when you finally worked up the courage to finally send something to your best friend, a gift she would know in an instant.

-

Twice had just finished the first, TWICELIGHTS, and waiting for Tzuyu backstage were a bouquet of purple hibiscuses with a small note attached to it in Mandarin.

The note read: Hey there, Tzumong. It’s been years and I can’t believe you hadn’t figured out who was running your fansite. It’s been way too long and we should catch up some time when you come home. [Your phone number]

The maknae had a look of disbelief on her face as she read the note again and again. She couldn’t believe you had been supporting her this whole time and she had no idea.

Jeongyeon gave her concerned look as she placed a hand on her shoulder, “You okay, Tzuyu-ah.”

The younger nodded, “Yeah, I’m fine. Just…a little homesick.”

-

It had been months since you sent those flowers to Tzuyu but with their world tour taking most of her time, she hadn’t had time to respond to you until now.

Tzuyu: Hi, Y/N.

I know you sent me those flowers months ago, but as you know we’ve been on tour and I haven’t gotten a chance to reach out to you until now. So, I’m here to tell you that I’ll be coming home in a few weeks and was wondering if it would be possible if you could pick me up at the airport?

Y/N: It’s no problem at all, Tzu. Of course, I understand how busy you are and I’m so happy to finally catch up after all these years. And I have some pretty exciting news that I think you’ll love.

Your smile grew as you sent the text, setting the date of Tzuyu’s arrival on your phone’s calendar. A long sigh escaped your lips as you tried your best to hide the smile that seemed to start growing on its own. You laughed softly as you put a hand in your hair, “I can’t believe I’m gonna finally see her after all these years.” Your smile began to fade, a thought crossing your mind, ‘What if she really did wait?’

You shook your head as you dismissed the thought, now solely focused on waiting for Tzuyu’s arrival.

-

When the day had finally arrived after weeks of waiting, you were beyond ecstatic to see your best friend again. Doing your best to push the memories of the last days you two had spent together all those years ago, shaking off the feeling of what it felt like to have your heart broken.

You closed your eyes to clear away the thoughts as you stood waiting in the terminal, your heart beating out of your chest when your eyes found Tzuyu’s staring right back at you. Your nervousness seemed to disappear in an instant as you and Tzuyu ran towards each other, catching her in a hug, “I can’t believe you're finally back!”

The now idol smiled as she pulled back slightly, looking you over, “You haven’t changed a bit. I’m so happy to see you again, Y/N!” You couldn’t hide the wide smile on your face as you grabbed her suitcase for her and walked her out to your car, placing her bags in the trunk as you got in and began driving back to your home.

(Which you had insisted Tzuyu stayed in while she was here.)

As you drove, the two of you made small talk as Tzuyu stared out the window, “Hey, look at that. It’s our old high school.” You let out a grim laugh as an awkward silence filled your car.

“Uh, I hope you’re hungry. My girlfriend is making beef noodle soup for us.” At the mention of your girlfriend, Tzuyu’s eyes couldn’t help but widen as she suddenly felt a dull pain in her chest.

“Wait. Girlfriend?” You cringed as you gripped the steering wheel mentally slapping yourself as you let it slip.

“Yeah...um,” you cleared your throat awkwardly refusing to look at the girl beside you, “that was the surprise I talked about. I met a girl two years after you left and we just kinda hit it off. Her name’s Yerin and she’s amazing, Tzu, I know you’re gonna love her.” The maknae nodded as the dull pain in her chest seemed to stab into her heart.

She forced a smile as you kept driving, “That sounds great, Y/N, I’m really happy for you. I can’t wait to meet her.”

-

When the two of you arrived back at your home, you quickly went to open Tzuyu’s door before rushing to the trunk to retrieve her bags. When you opened the door to your home, you were hit with the smell of food in the air, “We’re home!” You yelled as a girl suddenly appeared from another room, an excited look on her face as she looked at Tzuyu.

Your girlfriend approached her slowly, bowing slightly, “It’s an honor to meet you, Tzuyu, I’m Yerin. I’m a Once myself, and it’s crazy to think you and Y/N were best friends in high school!”

You smiled as you set your friend’s bags by the door, placing a quick kiss on your girlfriend's cheek, “The soup smells amazing! Thank you.” Yerin smiled as she wrapped an arm around your waist, the action catching Tzuyu’s attention as she felt her heart sink.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you as well, Yerin. Y/N was telling me so many great things about you on the way here.” Tzuyu said as she sat across from the two of you, “Thank you again for lunch, it smells delicious.”

Yerin smiled proudly as she leaned against you, “It’s no problem, just an old family recipe Y/N insisted that you would love.”

Tzuyu nodded as she picked up the chopsticks beside her and began eating, frowning internally at the taste of the food. A defeated feeling welling up in her chest, ‘And she’s a good cook too.’

-

As the week progressed it went on without a hitch, the awkwardness of the first day long forgotten as you and Tzuyu made up for all the time you two had lost. Spending most days reliving your high school years and talking of all that had happened while you were apart. But with all that aside, Tzuyu was also taken back to wondering why she had ever let you go.

The three of you sat on the roof of your home as you guys stargazed. Listening to all the adventures Tzuyu had gone on with her members, “Yeah, America was so fun to visit again, but, it was even better when Mina Unnie had joined us in Japan.” Tzuyu blushed slightly as the honorific slipped out by accident, making you and Yerin laugh.

“Too much Korean on the brain, huh, Tzumong.” You poked her shoulder playfully as you smiled.

Making Tzuyu laugh along awkwardly, “Yeah, I guess I don’t come back as much as I think I do.” A pained smile on her face as she took in your profile, regret flooding her veins as she looked at Yerin’s head on your shoulder, ‘Why did I ever say, no, to you Y/N?’

-

After that night, the rest of the week seemed to pass by in a blur. And before the two of you knew it, it was time for Tzuyu to return to Korea.

You looked at your friend one last time before setting down her suitcase on the front porch, “Are you sure you don’t want me to drive you back?”

Tzuyu took in the hopeful look in your eyes, but shook her head, “No, I’m alright Y/N. I’ve caused you both enough trouble this week.” Your smile faltered slightly making Tzuyu blush, “Sorry. What I’m trying to say is, ‘Thank you.’” The idol looked between you and Yerin, “The both of you.”

You frowned slightly as you nodded, “Of course, it’s been…” The sound of a horn honking caught the three of you off guard as you looked at the cab in the street.

“Well that’s for me.” Tzuyu smiled as she leaned down to hug Yerin, before placing a hand on you, “Thank you again, Y/N, for supporting me all this time. Hopefully we can do this again soon.” The maknae squeezed your shoulder before picking up her suitcase and making the walk to the taxi waiting for her.

You couldn’t help but notice the ache that began to fill your chest as you watched Tzuyu hand the driver her luggage, turning away to open the door. Without thinking, you ran down from the porch and towards the cab, “Tzu, wait!”

At the sound of your voice, she had just enough time to turn as you barreled into her, your arms wrapping around her waist and shoulders as you hugged her tight. You buried your head into her shoulder as a few tears slipped down your cheek, soaking into her shirt as she grasped the back of your shirt. Tzuyu held back her tears as she rested her head in the crook of your neck, holding you closer.

You inhaled sharply to stop your tears, before pulling away to whisper in Tzuyu’s ear, “In another life, Tzuyu, I promise: we’d love each other too.”

As the words left your mouth, you moved out of her embrace, a sad smile on your lips as you turned away from her. A dull pain filled your chest as you heard the door to the taxi close and pull away from the curb. You felt your heart pull in the direction of the cab as you thought of the part of your heart that would always remain with Tzuyu. A similar feeling also seemed to fill Tzuyu, as she felt her heart seize in her chest.

Since it seemed as though a part of her heart would always be with you too.

[taejeonie]

moments that markhee stans live for

everytime they sing or rap as a duo (e.g. go)

their stage presence>>>>>

like they blend well together but they still have their own spotlight, u know what i mean?

and then back in mmc they were like the mom and dad of the group

“oh we’re just same-age friends”

the mcs always tease them too

so when fans found out taehee was gonna debut with the boys they were ECSTATIC

every time someone would avoid or not notice mark’s high fives, taehee’s got his back ;))

but when mark asks her for a high five she just stares at it

but then she’s like “just kidding!!! hihihi” and high fives him back

when they went to award shows, taehee would make mark laugh by dancing to the others’ performances

like she’s not mocking it she’s just eXTRA EXTRA

when they danced whip nae nae they were so cute :<<

in their weekly idol episode with nct 2018, they stood next to each other and helped each other out in the language thingy game

THEIR ENDING POSE IN “TRIGGER THE FEVER” ( ^ω^ )

but then that part in “superhuman”

that’s a whole different mood ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

like they both got flustered at first but they just got used to it

like there was this one concert where there faces were SO close

the venue was screaming

speaking of flustered

everytime taehee tells a pickup line it would always be directed @ mark unless stated otherwise

but mark just got used to that too

taehee joins in on teasing him with the dreamies

“TAEHEE AND I ARE THE SAME AGE!!! WHY WON’T YOU GUYS TEASE HER TOO”

“just five more days, she could’ve been a 00’ liner”

“and i’m cool, you loser :ppp”

but sometimes when the babies get too out of control she helps mark calm them down

“guys, please focus :)))”

in the new weekly idol episode, taehee’s question was “if you would have one roommate forever, who would it be?”

and so she hugged mark

“is it who you want to date?”

“someone you like?”

“taehee-ssi, why did you choose mark?”

and taehee has her head on top of mark’s so it’s c u t e

“other than we’re the same age, mark takes care of me but there are other times where i take care of him,,,,so it’s kinda nice”

“ooooo it is who would you date”

“i would get in trouble if that was the question”

mark couldn’t keep his eyes off taehee when she did her facial window

iTS NOT LIKE HE LIKES HER THAT WAY ITS BC SHES REFRESHING TO WATCH AND NOT CRINGEY U SUCKERS

mm what else

there was this one interview in america that got markhee speaking in their own language

“like,,,like yeah you know what i mean”

“yeah it’s like,,,like jsjd you know?”

“yEAH LIKE THAT!!”

“they talk like this in the dorms it’s confusing sometimes”

mark and taehee are each others’ seratonin boosts during performances

but also when they’re not performing ofc

taehee mentioned she and mark would practice a lot predebut

and that when mark is alone, she would watch him practice and join him later on

“mark really works hard,,,it makes you want to be like him in a way. that’s why when we were trainees, whenever he was alone while practicing i would accompany him and watch him,,and then join him later on”

whenever mark calls taehee “joanie” it’s so soft

cute counter 39482993

they posted a cover once and it was just mark and taehee goofing around while making the video

taehee sang while mark played the guitar, but he joined in once in a while

dreamies would always want to hear their thoughts during recording

“i want to hear what mark-hyung thinks about this”

“noona, i’m not sure how to do this. how should i do it?”

there was this one interview where taehee thought mark looked the cutest at that moment

so she stuck around him the whole time

there was this one vlive where they jammed to just disney songs

“LET IT GOOO!! LET IT GOOO”

“mark you wanna make a ‘let it go’ remix and you rap?”

“HAHAHAHHAHAHAHA”

there are times where mark would ruffle taehee’s hair

and during those times she would be like -_-

but the fact that her dimples show make mark laugh because he thinks she’s cute

taehee was mark’s number 1 supporter when he was in “high school rapper”

they laugh at each other’s jokes

but you know that thing where you laugh too hard you have to lean on somebody so you won’t fall?

yeah that’s markhee too

you would hear stories from the dreamies how markhee went to bring them food on set

“mark-hyung brought us churros and taehee-noona had drinks”

when they were in the dreamies’ live after their ridin’ performance eVERYONE WENT WILD

the parents + their babies uwu

they have matching shoes

mark used to be the member with a different contact name on taehee’s phone while the rest were just plain

“what are the members’ contact names on your phone”

“lee donghyuck, lee taeyong, kim doyoung-“

“WAHAHAHAHHAHA”

“WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT”

taehee continues to answer the question like they’re not complaining atm

“jung jaehyun, markly with a heart, johnny seo-“

“wHY IS MARK-HYUNG’S CONTACT NAME DIFFERENT?? YOU SHOULD HAVE A HEART NEXT TO MINE”

hyuck: <//3

“nO WAIT LET ME EXPLAIN!!! so at first all your names were,,just your names but mark saw his on my phone and he asked me to change it-“

mark smiles nervously bc of the host’s reaction, “hey it’s not like that”

“nonono, it is like that!! so i changed it and showed him and he was like “ah better :>>””

the way she imitated mark made everyone in the studio laugh

“mark doesn’t like affection but he has his moments where he’s the one giving it.”

mark being flustered pt. 29842894

they also are in-sync almost all of the time it’s creepy

they also say the same things at the same time

when they were at the ama’s she was wearing heels

so when she stood next to mark, taehee was like

“hehe i’m taller than you”（╹◡╹）

so mark stands on his toes for the whole interview

when he would lose his footing bc of that they would both laugh

sneaky glances during interviews

hearing things wrong

being dirty minded

there was this one time taehee almost slipped on the stairs while going down from the stage but mark caught her

when mark mentioned that taehee was one of the people he wanted to grow old with

everyone cRIED

“one person i want to grow old with? umm, taehee? taehee because she’s always been there for me. she teases me a lot but then she takes care of me like an older sister would. she’s very understanding and thoughtful of others. and even if we fight, we still have a strong relationship bc we get each other,,in a way. so,,yeah :)))”

besides johnny, mark loves to imitate her australian accent

“i wanna go home”

mark, with an accent: “Oh, yOU wAnT tO gO hOmE?”

they’re also cute roommates lol

they’re either jamming hard to their favorite songs

or having deep talks from their respective beds

lastly, their graduation from dream

they prepared a video for the dreamies

it was filled with their off-screen moments

mostly inside the car while they were going somewhere

and then jisung’s bday predebut

and there were pictures of them too

and then the prank taehee pulled on renjun and jisung,,where she pretended she was mad at them

“i think i cried,” jisung said in the video

and then the vcr ends with markhee saying they would continue to support dream and cheer for them

and then now is their ending ment

mark was kinda serious and is on the verge of crying

taehee was too but she was trying to lighten up the situation

“don’t criiiiiiii”

but then she ended up crying too

when taehee was saying her ending ment,,mark put an arm around her shoulders

and then they group hugged

bUT MARKHEE WOULD BE BACK IN DREAM SO ITS A WINWIN FOR EVERYONE

:DDD

but even when they left they still are mentioned in dream’s videos/lives

*on a phone call* “mark-hyung, is taehee-noona there?”

“noona? ah taehee-“

“you forgot her name? HAHAHA”

“-is here”

“RENJUN, MARK ATE MY SAUSAGE I’M SAD��

“I DIDNT KNOW IT WAS YOURS”

“I TOLD EVERYONE THAT I WOULD LEAVE IT IN THE FRIDGE!!! I SHOUTED!!”

“I DIDNT HEAR YOU!! SERIOUSLY”

“THEN HOW COME JUNGWOO-OPPA HEARD ME HM??”

“they fight like an old couple”

[messofadream-er]

Hey guys! So I’m new to tumblr and thought it would be cool to tell you all my Swiftie story so far...

So, much like Abigail and Taylor. My best friend Eden, and I, met in school. We were inseparable from day 1. One fateful day, I asked Eden what she was listening to on her IPod Nano (Yes I am that old) and she replied ‘oh, it’s Taylor swift’

‘Who’s Taylor swift?’ I asked.

Little did I know that this would change my life forever. The first song I ever heard from Taylor, was Teardrops on my guitar. I fell in love with her lyrics, her way of painting a picture with words that you could easily envision, and I truly fell down the rabbit hole. I quickly discovered Mean, and then her second album Fearless which became the soundtrack to any situation in my life.

My friendship with Eden blossomed also, for we shared what could only be described as true magic. After finding Taylor, it was easy to ignore the bullying that came with being an outcast in school, that so many, unfortunately- can relate to. Instead of paying attention to cruel rumours, twisted whispers or shouted insults across the classroom, we choose instead to listen to Taylor. The outside, to this day, remains one of my absolute favourites.

Flash forward some years and we’re going into 2011. It’s a new year, we’re about to go up to secondary school (The beginning of high school) and I get a call from my dad.

‘Did you say it was, Taylor Swift, you liked?’

Turns out, a friend who worked in the 02 Arena London, had asked my dad if he wanted spare tickets for the Speak Now tour. Of course, we both jumped at such an amazing opportunity.

Going to the tour turned us from causal fans, into full blown swifties, going to school with 13 sharpied on our hands, singing her songs on the school bus and not caring what anyone else had to say. For we had each other, and Taylor.

When RED came out, we rushed to HMV to get our copies. We played every song on repeat while dancing around our rooms. Our parents looked on, almost befuddled as to why, and how, we loved what they perceived as, a complete stranger.

But Taylor was never a stranger, and every Swiftie will agree. Hearing her songs, feeling those lyrics and applying them to all kinds of things we all go through, well that makes Taylor our friend, a big sister, someone older and wiser, that we all look up to.

After months and months of saving up, the time came for the RED tour to be announced, and tickets to go on sale. To say that we were crazy, would be an understatement. We each took the day off school to sit at the computer, refreshing and refreshing until BAM! they were live. We managed to snatch up 4 tickets, because we were only 14 then and we needed our parents with us.

We were ecstatic. I cried for about a week. We both couldn’t believe we’d got them. The Speak Now tour, although absolutely phenomenal, had happened very quick, almost in a blur. But this time. We could prepare, we could, get Red-y!

So thus began operation ‘Road to Red’. A 6 month mission, with every detail planned to perfection, to bring our A game to the RED tour. We wanted to stand out to Taylor and show her just how much we adore her.

We decided to make a sign that spelled out ‘Love’ because the RED album was romantic and it fit the era completely. At the time, Taylor had 4 albums out. Her self-titled Debut, Fearless, Speak Now and RED. So we assigned an album to each letter of the word, we picked them out in a hat. I got Speak Now and Debut, Eden got Fearless and RED.

We cut out the shape of each letter (with help from my amazing dad) we attached tinsel & fairly lights round the outside and wrote lyrics on every letter, adding our favourite photos for each album also. It took around 3 months to finish each letter.

We then moved onto costumes. What would we wear? We brainstormed for hours and finally agreed on a very elaborate, Taylor-esque outfit. We choose American flag leggings, White tutus (similar to the one she wore while performing Treacherous) glitzy red cowboy boots, home made ‘are you ready’ T-shirts, paired with baseball jackets with ‘13’ ironed on. We also wore red cowboy hats, ‘13’ necklaces, light up belts that spelled ‘RED’, and light up gloves, with each outfit finished with carefully home made Taylor swift badges.

We then worked on our gift basket to Taylor, consisting off a Scottish Fold calendar, London teddy bear, Cat pyjamas, A cat plush wearing a ‘Meredith loves Taylor’ tee, our letters to Taylor and lots of British Tea and candy. (all wrapped up with glittery paper, light up roses and a big bow)

We were truly ready for the best night of our lives. (After convincing both our mums to wear the outfits and carry a letter)

I don’t have many words to describe how I felt as we walked through the 02 being asked for pictures with other fans, or how I felt when Taylor’s guitarist Paul spotted us and waved. Or when we were on the RED tour fan cam not once, not twice, but three times!

Enchanted. That’s the word. For those 2 and a half hours, I was absolutely wonderstruck with Taylor’s talent, the love from all the other swifties and the privilege of just being there.

Unfortunately, a few months after the tour my father passed away from depression. He was my rock, my cheerleader, and Eden and I never would have been able to make the signs and do everything else, without him.

It’s not been easy. It’s been very, very hard. There’s been a lot of changes that come with losing a parent, and a lot of healing that is still in progress but the one thing that has always been my constant, my escape, my way of surviving, is Taylor and her music.

I’ve been lucky enough to go to the 1989 and Reputation tour since. I’ve sang, danced, laughed and cried at each one. I’ve waited up all night for a new song, I’ve decoded every secret message in the album booklets and I’ve now been a Swiftie, for 10 years. (Which is crazy, I still feel 14)

If you are reading this Taylor, I want you to know that I will be forever thankful that I randomly asked my friend what was blaring from her iPod back in 2009, and that you came into my life in a whirlwind of magic. To this day, I turn to you and your beautiful, poignant words to make sense of any emotion I am feeling. When my mum was diagnosed with cancer in 2018, I sang the best day to her, and she now loves you just as much as I do.

Thank you Taylor. I hope one day I’ll be able to say this to you in person. I know so many people whose lives you’ve touched, and I know I’m just one of many, many, stars in your sky. But I hope you know,

I had the time of my life, fighting dragons with you 💫

Love from Grace. ❤️

If you want to follow mine and Eden’s ‘Road to RED’ and see how we made each sign, how we planned everything and footage from the concert please see below!

[btssmutficslovingfan01]

A Little Love for Tae

Summary: Taehyung somehow is still alone. And single. Despite having a bunch of friends around him in relationships. 

Happy Valentine’s day! @yoonia this is for you! Here’s the link to her tumblr go read her amazing works! This is for the ‘Made With Love’ project by @bangtansmutcentral

Genre: Smut, Fluff, & Angst

Warnings: Implied relationships with OC, Bartender Tae AU, References to Undo, Replacing the reader from Yoongi’s story as OC for the sake of another x reader story, really a spinoff or a side story but this is completely original I swear I didn’t steal it, I hope my valentine and readers like it as much as I do!! Drinking, swearing, oral (f receiving), masterbating, etc.

Story takes place in Second Person POV.

Words: 10k+ 

Paring: Taehyung x Reader 

_______________________________________

“Hey it’s me, Taehyung! I was wondering if you wanted to hang out this weekend, maybe have some girl time since we haven’t had any late night heart-to-hearts since high school-Oh you have a date with your boyfriend of two years? Okay. That’s fine, yeah maybe next time.” Taehyung hangs up his phone before listening to his best friend go on and on about her perfect relationship with her perfect partner. He’s frankly tired of seeing all of these lovey-dovey couples, especially when it’s so close to Valentine’s day. He saw the way Yoongi looked at Freya with nothing short of love in his eyes, and how Namjoon looked at his fiancé, he has plain jealousy in his heart, and nothing close to love.

‘The first time I fell in love, I was in high school. Unfortunately, the girl was a bitchy cheerleader that only wanted to get with me because of my reputation as the school’s “dumb blond.” She was also blonde, so what the hell did she mean?!’ Tae thinks to himself, making the job easier for the author so that she doesn’t have to guess what’s going through his brain. ‘The second time I fell in love, I was a freshman in college. I was taking a short break from girls only to fall hopelessly in love with my best friend, who was also in a relationship at the time. With another girl. Yeah, my love life isn’t exactly the best.’ Somehow he still has hope in his heart, and with that hope he steps out into the sunlight only for a second. Taehyung has been running longer than he can remember, and working out was a perfect de-stresser. He nearly vomits in his mouth when he sees five different couples trying to eat each other alive but he simply jogs on straight ahead.

After his morning jog, he takes a quick shower and changes into his work clothes. He’s a bartender, so he always has to look a bit presentable. Not to mention, the tattoos on his arms make him look less than qualified but he thought he looked like a badass. And honestly, he could complain? He did look really cool with those pretty tattoos.

“Can I get a Daquiri please?” A woman dressed in a golden gown with a flower in her dark brown hair sits down on a stool in front of him. Tae whips up the drink, and places the cocktail in front of her. He watches as she gulps it down in one go, and nervously draws back, pretending to clean a glass. “Listen to me very carefully,” She sets the empty glass down on the counter. “Your luck is about to change, and if you don’t play your cards right, you may end up being depressed forever.” She leaves quickly, only placing a $10 bill on the counter. Taehyung grabs it and shrugs to himself.

‘I don’t trust any of that fortune teller bullshit. My luck isn’t gonna change and I’m gonna stay single forever.’ He continues on with his job, and just as his shift is about to finish, a woman wearing a long white dress runs into the bar, and as she gets closer, he sees her smudged lipstick and runny mascara, as she cries into a handkerchief.

“Whoa, whoa are you okay?” Taehyung tries to calm her down as she blows her nose into a handkerchief.

“Can I borrow your phone?” Tae nods, quickly pulling it out and handing it to the woman in distress. He gawks at her as she makes her phone call, and eventually he slides a box of tissues towards her. “Yeah, the dress is fine. Just know that I’m really happy for you and Ryan. You deserve it, yeah, mmhmm, bye.” She hangs up, and Taehyung takes his phone back.

“Would you like something to drink?” He asks her in a soft voice.

A couple of shots later, his shift is over, and he knows this woman’s entire backstory. A simple girl from a normal family that fell in love with the CEO of a company and after their cliché of a love affair, she finds out that he has an arranged marriage to her best friend. Normal stuff, really. But he’s not interested. It’s not like he has a book series or an amazing life like those drama characters. Seeing her porcelain skin, and her pink lips, and piercing green eyes, anyone can tell that she’s the main character.

“Eliza!” Tae hears a man calling out to someone.

“Ryan?” The woman in the wedding dress responds to him, and they both run into each other’s arms. Tae doesn’t bother sticking around. He just fled the scene as fast as he could.

“Ah fuck-” He doesn’t get that far as he runs into you. Yes you, the reader, the fated reader who now has crossed paths with your fave.

“I’m so sorry, I didn’t see you there because of all these boxes I was carrying,” You do a double take, recognizing that beautiful curly hair anywhere. That familiar face, that you had seen so much on twitter, the gifs you used on a daily basis, this man was your savior. “K-Kim Taehyung?!” He stumbles back a bit, in surprise.

“How do you know me?” He asks, his eyes as wide as the full moon. You raise your eyebrows, confused by his question. First of all, his bodyguards were nowhere in sight, and second of all, how is no one trying to mob him right now?! You knew of his presence in America (Yes we all live in the United States here) but you didn’t know that he would be so close to the building you’re interning in!

“You’re famous, duh.” You spit out the answer, and he immediately shoots back a couple twenty questions or so. You were ecstatic that you met your idol, but continuing idle chatter meant losing precious time, and at your office, time is money. Especially since you’re the only paid intern there. “I’d love to continue our chat, but if I don’t get going right now, my boss is gonna kill me.”

“Oh, of course, I’m so sorry for holding you up. Do you need any help with those boxes?” You simply smile at him as he takes two of the five heavy boxes and carries it with his strong, muscular arms. When you reach your office, he sets them down and looks up at the building. “I didn’t know you worked at my brother’s company.” “What? I didn’t know your brother was the CEO of Gunderson’s Inc-Holy shit that’s not my office.” You drop some of the boxes you were holding in shock, and Taehyung rushes to catch them. “What happened to Gunderson’s place? This...this is not supposed to be a fashion company.” Taehyung recalls meeting you, how running into you was so strange. He didn’t see anyone in his path, and when he crashed into you, it was as if you appeared out of thin air. It was even weirder when you recognized him like he was a movie star or something. “Are you okay?” He asks. You shake your head, tears blurring your vision as he holds out his hand for you, waiting patiently for you to take it before the breakdown hits.

“No.” You whisper, and he crouches down next to you, in the middle of the sidewalk, allowing you to cry for as long as you need.

“What was the point of that?” He asks you, and you are just as confused as he is.

“I’m sorry, I just released all of my feelings that I was holding in all at once. It wasn’t you, or this situation, my life has just been shitty as of late.” The realization dawns on you as you look up at Taehyung’s perfect curly brown hair.

“Oh my god, I think I know how I got here.” You wait for the flashback but it never comes. Perhaps the author got lazy, or it was too simple to flashback to. All you know is that earlier that day, you walked into the attic of your company, and encountered a strange looking device. You were wishing to be anywhere but at work, and for BTS to save you, but particularly your bias because you love him. Then you black out due to all the dust and you wake up in the same place. You then walked out and went on an errand run. It wasn’t until you got the boxes that you really made the switch. The company was the same even after you went through the machine, so how would you have teleported there in the first place? Maybe it doesn’t matter how you got here after all. Your luck may have finally changed.

“Are you just gonna sit there, in the middle of the sidewalk with your skirt hiking your thigh?” You gasp, covering yourself as you stood up, a little embarrassed at being in front of Tae.

“Sorry. Um, are you busy right now, or something?” You ask, hoping for the best answer.

“Not at the moment, no. Why don’t we grab a coffee or something?” You nod, following him to your next destination. You both left the boxes in front of the building, happily bouncing away with no care in the world. “So, how do you know me?” He looks at you with that familiar gaze amd you can feel your heart thudding against your chest, delivering blows as if it is trying to break out from your very body.

“You see, I think something happened and I ended up being transported to your world.” I explain.

“Can you please just tell me? I’m a little bit scared.” Of you? Your bias was afraid of you?

“So, in the place where I'm from, you’re in a famous boy band with your friends, and you guys have these amazing concerts and a HUGE fanbase, which I’m apart of, and I was just confused because there weren’t any bodyguards following you…”

“Me?” You look up at him, in awe. His hair is just marvelous, curly and naturally brown, and his mole is visible on his left cheek. You can’t help but stare, as the human before you is just too beautiful. “Sorry, but did you say my f-friends?” You sip your coffee, snapping yourself out of your trance. “Might I know these people?” You shrug, secretly hoping he did. Slowly, you start reciting the fanchant.

“Kim Namjoon, Kim Seokjin, Min Yoongi, Jung Hoseok, Park Jimin, Kim Taehyung, Jeon Jungkook….BTS.” You choke out the last part, coughing violently after.

“Whoa...you just recited the names of my lifelong best friends.”

“Knew it.” You smile, knowing that they’d be together, somehow. Even if they weren’t brought together by bighit, fate brought them together, as lifelong friends.

“Who exactly are you?” He asks, amazed by your presence. Tae had never met someone as bodacious as you. To say he was stunned was an understatement.

“I’m just a fan.” You, on the other hand, were not just a fan, you were their number one fan, you’ve been following them since their second album, and stanning them was absolutely worth it.

“So I’m famous, along with my six friends….from singing and dancing?” You nod eagerly, sipping my coffee. ‘Maybe I can form BTS here.’ You thought.

“Can you take me to meet your other friends?” There’s no harm in asking, so you just go for it. Then again, it’s not like you’re running into Kim Taehyung on the street, so it works itself out.

“Maybe, but I don’t think they’d want to be bothered.” You bite your lip. That was a possibility your forgot to consider. Tae seems the same, but what if the others have different personalities? That’s the problem with alternate universes. Also, you don’t even know how you got here in the first place. Was it the button? Was it wish-activated? You have no clue.

“You’re right. Sorry for intruding.” You waver, between getting up and never seeing him again, or asking for an autograph. “Oh, can you sign this real quick?” Tae looks at you with that intimidating stare. Oh, but you already know what he’s thinking as his frown turns into a charming smile and he asks for a pen.

“I’ve never given an autograph before, so this is my first time,” Your eyes fill up with tears. “What’s wrong? Are you hurt?” You wipe the corners of your eyes with a tissue as Tae looks at you with worry. “I’m honored to receive your first autograph. You are so amazing and you don’t even know it,” He sighs sadly. That was the first and last time any woman would look at him. And to top it all off, you were cute. It was as if fate was trying to tell him that his luck really would change. He hasn’t felt this good about himself in years. Maybe you were the answer to his self-doubt. ‘Aish, what am I thinking? A woman can’t magically fix all my problems. The only person I should love is myself...but she makes me feel happy. Is it such a bad thing to be happy?’ As he’s wallowing in self-pity, you make your escape, dusting your skirt and formal attire. “I’ll go first.” He wants to grab your hand and say something, but really, what can he say?

“Wait!” He squints at his own actions, confused as to why he did that. “You came here from somewhere else, so that means you don’t have a place to go back to, right?” A look of grief flickers onto your face before you smile again, reassuring him that you’re okay.

“That is pretty spot on. Whew, I thought I’d have to rent an expensive hotel room or something.”

“I know a place.” Taehyung guides you to his apartment, and since his family pretty much owns an entire company, he can afford the penthouse.

“Whoa, you live here?” You spin around, breathing in the fresh air as he simply throws his coat on the coffee table.

“It gets pretty quiet here sometimes, since I have this entire floor to myself.”

“Yeah, I bet.” You’re distracted by the pretty garden, all the different flowers overwhelming you with emotions.

“Tannie, have you been a good boy?” You almost trip and die when you see the tiny black and brown pomeranian. You thought this world was different, but at least Yeontan is still here.

“Wait, lemme pet him!” The puppy yips before jumping and licking your hand.

“He likes you.” Tae takes a moment to admire your beauty. You have soft pink lips, shining eyes filled with determination, and a cute nose. Your hair falls around your face perfectly, creating almost a heart shaped look. You’re totally his type.

“I’ve been dying to meet him since I found out you got him. But it’s really unlikely, since you’re always guarded and busy. Even back in my world, you barely have the time to take care of your own dog.” You regret telling him, as his face immediately falls.

“Sounds like I gave up a lot to become a performer.” You hold Tan in place, looking at Tae with morose.

“Yeah. You did.” He takes a deep breath in before changing the subject.

“What do you want for dinner?” He asks.

“Depends on what you have.” You have a face off, and Tae pulls out a package from his fridge.

“Frozen steak.” You stick it in the microwave.

“Already ahead of you.” You both dance in the main room as the food cooks, and you throw some toys to Yeontan as you both twirl around like idiots. You listen to good old american pop music, and when senorita comes on, you become a stripper. Or at least, you dance like one.

“Whoa...whoa! Whoaaa.” Tae watches you with wide eyes as you move to the floor, your body humping the air as you dance. He’s really just concentrated on the curves of your body, and he notices how lean you are, from the way your clothes cling to your body, and how you can move with ease. It’s impressive how you can look like a pro dancer even without taking any classes.

“Sorry about that,” Your cheeks are flushed a little from embarrassment but that doesn’t stop Tae from following your lead and doing a booty drop. “Yes, fuck it up Taehyung!” You cheer him on, completely oblivious to the way he was checking you out.

A week passes by and you’re already dreading that it’s February. You didn’t think it was possible, but after spending so much time with him in a short period of time, you think you’re in love. Or at the very least, you have a crush on him. On Valentine’s day, you don’t make a big deal of it, since Tae came home late and you both had some cup noodles. He seems tired, so you don’t bother him as heads directly to his room.

“I know, Tan. Something is bothering him.” You hold the dog close to you as he slams the door shut, and you slowly crawl to your couch, which you have made into a bed.

The next day, he doesn’t have work, but he seems busy as he starts working in the kitchen. “Whatcha doing?” You ask as he slices some onions.

“My friends are coming over today.” He informs you, and your heart drops. From his grave tone, you could tell he didn’t want you there.

“Oh, need any help?” He wipes his tears away with a sleeve.

“No, I’m fine. Just take Tan out for a walk, I don’t want him to whine after my friends get here.” You still want to ask him if it’s okay for you to be present, but he sounds too stressed. Maybe it’s better if you don’t ask. You can just stay away from him.

“Oh shit-are you okay, miss?” Why are you always running into strangers like this? You take the hand of the man who bumped into you, and you rub your eyes to see that it’s none other than Jung Hoseok.

“I’m fine.” You nearly struggle to breathe, taken away by his glow in broad daylight. The sun is making him shine! Literally.

“Is this your dog?” You nod shyly, looking down at the playful pup as he barks. “That’s funny, my friend has a dog just like this one,” The puppy barks again, and then Hoseok finds the collar. “Wait a minute, he has the same collar, and the same name!” You blush, perspiring heavily and itching the back of your neck. “Who are you?!” Your heart falls. Of course he wouldn’t have told his friends that he was living with you. You’re too weird and gross and everything a guy could despise, he was probably embarrassed by you.

“No one. I’m no one.” You walk away from Hoseok, staring at the ground as Tan runs ahead of you, chasing after a squirrel. After you get home, you see Taehyung is still cooking.

“You’re back, great. Listen, I’m gonna need you to-”

“It’s okay, I’ll go somewhere else.” You sigh heavily before pressing a kiss to Yeontan’s head. “Bye bye Tannie.”

“Wait, Y/N-”

You yawn and walk back outside, hoping that you don’t see any other members. After walking for a bit, you reach a dance studio. For some weird reason, it reminds you of Jimin. You go inside, bored and completely tired, hoping for an energy boost.

“And one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight.” Your eyes fill with stars when you see the third member, and how well he works with little kids.

“Oh, are you here to pick someone up? Lucy, is that your big sister?” He asks a little girl.

“No, no, I’m just here to watch. Don’t mind me.” You sit down on a bench and watch his graceful movements, thankful that you were close enough to see him live. He’s an amazing dancer.

“Now, what can I do for you?” He wipes his forehead with a towel and looks as angelic as ever.

“Nothing. I was just feeling a little down, so I thought coming to the dance studio would make me more energized.” He kneels down, since you are very short while sitting down.

“How are you feeling now?” Your heart is racing, since Jimin being close to you is like a dream come true.

“Like shit.” You laugh, really just not in the mood for anything.

“Com’ere.” He pulls you towards the dance floor and plays “confident” by Demi Lovato.

“This song is overplayed noooo.” He raises an eyebrow.

“You think I care?” He wiggles his shoulders and you laugh, slapping his chest playfully. “Your turn.” After dancing for a couple more minutes, he dips you and lifts you up in the air, letting you fly for awhile. You both stare intensely at each other, an instant connection between the two of you. After putting you down, he starts leaning in, and you do the same.

“Chim, come and help me read these-you!” You both pull away from each other at the same time, and you see Hoseok standing there, with a look of anger on his face. “Why did you run away from me earlier?” He shoves a couple of folders at Jimin.

“N-no reason, it was just hot.”

“No, you had Yeontan. That’s Taehyung’s dog. Did you steal him?” Hoseok sounds snarky but you don’t blame him.

“No I-”

“He never even told me about a girl...I wonder if you’re even that important.” You burst into tears right at that moment, running out of the room while Jimin tries coaxing you to stay.

“He’s right, Jimin. Taehyung is disgusted and repulsed by me. No man like that could ever like a girl like me!” You sob into your hands, pouring out your heart to him.

“How do you know my name? And why was Hoseok so mad at you?”

“I ran away from him like I run away from all my problems.” Instead of reacting badly, you look up and see that he has a tender look in his eyes, one that comforts you. Why can’t every man treat you like this?

“It’s okay,” He lets you hug him for a minute, squeezing you gently in his arms. Maybe Tae wasn’t the answer, maybe it was just you. “Pretty girls shouldn’t cry. You should be happy, and I don’t mean in a fake smile type of way, either.” He wipes your tears. “Yesterday was Valentine’s day, did you get a present?” He asks. You shake your head meekly. “My girlfriend baked some cookies for me yesterday, here you go.” Your heart breaks at the word ‘girlfriend.’ Jimin was the sweetest angel, of course any girl would go for him.

“Thanks.” You lean against the wall, at a loss for words as you stare down at the little bag of cookies in your hands.

“I gotta get going now, if you want you can-”

“No, it’s fine. I’ll just go somewhere else.” And so you do, you leave the studio and you walk towards a bar.

Taehyung is stressed. More than he usually is, because you’re not there with him. You’re in an unfamiliar world and it’s his fault for letting you go so easily. He also feels like a jerk because he hasn’t been able to tell his friends about you. He just hopes you come back soon and everything will be fine.

“You miss her too, pup?” The dog seems to want to scramble out of his hands as the doorbell rings.

“Happy late Valentine’s day!” All of his friends greet him and he smiles back.

“Hey guys, glad to see y’all here.” Jimin suddenly steps forward and grabs his hand.

“We followed her, she went to the bar downtown, go find her and bring her back home.” Those words are all it takes for Tae to grab his coat and he rushes downstairs, leaving the rest of his friends in shock as he leaves his own party.

“Y/N!” He calls out for you. He finally finds you, shoving your tongue down some stranger’s throat.

“I don’t want to-” He can hear you struggle, but his fist acts faster than his thoughts.

“She said she wants you to stop!”

                            •❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•

“Taehyung, what the hell is wrong with you?” You scold him for acting like a child.

“He was making advances at you that you didn’t like.” He was telling the truth, and that just infuriated you even more.

“Well, it’s up to me now, choosing which guys I flirt with.” He crinkles his nose in disgust.

“He was practically devouring your tongue.” You huff and stand up.

“I hope you have a nice rest of you night, I didn’t wanna ruin your party either, but I guess that didn’t stop you from finding me, did it?” He looks at you, feeling like an antagonist. Right then and there, all six of his friends burst into the hospital room, chattering away worriedly as they oversee their friend.

“Ohhhh, now I know why he was in a rush.” Jin pervertedly comments, making you blush but also more confident in yourself, as you weren’t feeling the best after putting on a little bit of makeup.

“Pretty lady, what have you done to our Tae?” Jungkook climbs into the bed with his best friend, and you smile to yourself at the “Taekook” ship sailing off.

“I didn’t cause this. Luckily, the guy he punched let him off with no charges, you would’ve been screwed if he sued.”

“That’s so American.” Namjoon scoffs at your comment. You take a bit of offense, as he used the term in a negative manner.

“Moving on...I will no longer be living with you, since I cause so much trouble wherever I go. Bye bye, BTS.” That was your first mistake.

“BTS?” Hoseok echoes you, looking around for an explanation.

“I wonder why she called us that.” Another man thinks out loud.

“Hey, worldwide pretty girl, what’s a BTS?” Jin screams from the hospital room. You shrug, turning around and facing him.

“It’s you guys. What you will be, anyways.” You still have faith in them.

You didn’t know how lonely life could be when you’re living on your own. First of all, no Yeontan, so you aren’t occupied by a needy pup the moment you step foot into your house. Second of all, the space, the apartment is tiny, and covered in dust. It took you an entire day to redecorate. The entire morning was a mess. Last of all, you missed Tae’s warm presence. Even when he was cold towards you, you still felt the warmth of his soul. He’s inherently good.

A knock on your door signals the start of your day.

“Hey neighbor! How are things going down in the pit?” You’re surprised by how Jungkook can keep his cheerful attitude up despite living in a sucky apartment like this one.

“Terrible, but I’m just gonna pretend everything’s fine and ask you if you found me a job?” He nods, his two front teeth jutting out as you close the door behind you and step into the common rooftop, where you two have been meeting to discuss potential job openings. Jungkook has been a sweetheart with taking you in and not prying into what happened between you and Tae. You’re thankful for him, but it’s not quite the same.

“I did. Seokjin is actually hiring and he needs an assistant.” He explains. Oh, of course, the universe you get dropped into is one of those cheesy Seokjin CEO aus with an equally kinky side as the objective changes from a simple romance to something deeper and more physical. You’ve only heard about it, but you doubted that Jin would make you do unprofessional tasks in the office just to relieve his stress.

You could only overthink it, though, as you wait for Seokjin in a hallway and then a couple minutes later you and Jungkook spot a woman fixing her skirt walking out of the room with smudged lipstick and runny mascara. Seokjin’s in the middle of adjusting his tie as he calls you into the office. You gulp. Hopefully, he doesn’t make any moves.

“So, I heard you were working in an office before?” His demeanor is very professional, and the way he sits in his chair is just so...powerful. You feel the urge to just sit and listen to him.

“Uh...yes.” You have no idea what lies Tae may or may not have fed this man as he moves onto the next question.

“Last of all, if you found out something about an employee, whether it is a personal or business matter, would you report it to me?” I’ve watched too many crime shows to know how this one goes. You shift in your seat and you face him head-on, looking at his piercing dark green eyes as he folds his legs towards you.

“Yes.” After pausing for a moment, he unfolds his legs and slams your file down on the desk, standing up and congratulating you, suddenly.

“Welcome to Kim Enterprises, it’s a pleasure to have you on my team,” It takes you a moment to register what’s happening as he hands you a pile of papers. “Now be a dear and stamp those for me, would ya? It looks best in pink.” Again, you are not surprised. Back home, Seokjin’s second most famous nickname next to ‘Worldwide Handsome,’ is ‘Pink Princess.’ And Somehow, while looking handsome at the same time, he works a subtle feminine tone very well, completely changing the game for male kpop idols. And it’s not just him, but all of BTS. They break gender roles, stereotypes, and connect better with their fans than any other group out there, that’s why you were so drawn to them in the first place! Now, being in an unfamiliar world, depending on one of the members as your only means of survival is...ironic. You expected to be rewarded for being a fan, but instead, you had to sacrifice more, to help him. It’s fine, though, as long as you’re getting paid.

“Hey babe. Yeah, got it. Oh, is your boyfriend doing okay? Alright, see you at the family dinner. Bye.” You overhear Jin on the phone as you finish up, and he looks a bit...bored. “It was my fiancée. As you can tell, neither of us want this marriage.” Oh, an arranged marriage au?

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to pry.” You awkwardly breathe as Seokjin stares at you, fascinated by how quickly you managed to finish your assigned task. Normally it takes most employees about 30 minutes, but you got it done in 15, definitely noteworthy.

“Nah, it’s okay. It’s what I was born to do. Marry a girl from another wealthy family, run the business, let my children take over, and die. Maybe I won’t be happy, but at least I’ll die being rich and comfy.” You gawk at him with wide eyes. How could such a gentleman be subject of a fate most cruel?

“That’s a horrible way to die,” You walk over to his desk and dump the pile of papers in his work space. “If anything, you deserve to be happy. Marry the one you love, grow old together, die knowing you lived a life of fulfillment and content.” He peers at you with curious eyes. Why do you keep looking at me like that? You wanted to ask but he clears his throat, alerting you of your next task.

“Next task, go to the bar. The one where my brother works. I can tell you need to tell him something important.” Brother? Who could Seokjin’s broth-wait a damn minute. Taehyung is…? Wow, that was unexpected.

“But don’t you nee-”

“I’m the CEO, I get paid the most even though I do only half the work that my employees do. Go now, find lil TaeTae and tell him whatever’s on your mind.” He puts his hands behind his head and kicks his feet up on the table.

“At least let me talk to him at home-”

“No.” Jin’s as stubborn as a child. You groan inwardly as he pushes you out the door, making your coworkers look at you strangely. You wave back at them and they simply shrug, ignoring you as they had been before.

“Kim Seokjin I am going to kill you when I see you outside of work.” You grumble as your boss towers behind you.

“I’d rather have a coffee or something later.” You roll your eyes. Did every BTS member have an obsession with coffee or was it just a Kim thing?

As you make your way down the street, Taehyung is busy working at the bar. He sees a familiar woman in a golden dress, and he begins to prepare a Daquiri, a drink that is almost as yellow as her dress.

“Did your luck change?” She asks, sipping the drink slightly. He sighs, thinking about the events that have happened thus far. In a way, since he ran into you on the street, his life has been better than it ever was.

“Yeah. I guess it did.” He begins wiping glasses, and then one of his coworkers come running in.

“Tae, I am so sorry man, but my wife is having a baby, and I can’t miss it.” Tae shakes his head, reassuring his friend as he hands him his black apron.

“Don’t worry about it man. Things are gonna turn out just fine.”

“Are you sure you can do this alone?” He feels the nerves building up inside, but he doesn’t dare let it show. He nods at Antonio as he leaves the bar.

“Ah, I felt the wind change again. Looks like your luck is gonna change again.” The woman’s words stun him, and just as she had appeared, she disappears into the crowd.

“Taehyung!” He hears your voice calling out to him and he shoots up. Were you a phantom or the real thing? He couldn’t concentrate at all today, since you were the only thing on his mind.

“Found you.” He sees your figure and recognizes you immediately. “What are you doing here?!” Tae’s deep voice makes you feel a sense of comfort and gives you the familiarity that you needed. Sure, Seokjin was a kind man, but Tae is your first friend in this weird world. On top of that, you live together, so you’ve had a lot of time to bond and grow closer.

“Jin sent me here. But he was right, seeing you now I definitely have to tell you that I-”

“Hey, bartender, are you gonna give me a drink or not?!” His body shrinks as he looks at the buff man with tattoos decorating his body from head to toe.

“Y-yes sir, be right there. Just a second, Y/N,” You watch as he swiftly pours some whisky and adds ice to the mix. He slides the glass in a professional way to the customer, as if he’s been doing this for years. “Okay, what did you want to talk about?” He asks. You get lost in his eyes, forgetting how handsome he was for a minute and getting sucked in.

“Waiter!” Tae scrunches his nose. He hates being called a waiter when his job description is clearly bartender, that and he’s the only one working in the bar right now. Looks like he’ll have to become a waiter as well.

“Gotta go fast.” Tae gets away from you and you watch as he runs around in circles, disappearing into the kitchen and juggling numerous trays and balancing it on his head, arms and knees. You quickly grab the one that’s about to fall off his knee, and then the one on his head. He looks at you, gratefully.

“I have to ask, are you the only one working right now?” He sets down two plates of food at a table and then turns to you, taking the next two.

“Yes.” He sighs, and you can see how tired he must be from running around so much.

“Do you need help?” You finally ask the question, eyes twinkling at him. Working alongside your bias was always a dream of yours, but you never thought it would become a reality as he hands you a black apron and you get behind the counter. He gives you a tutorial on preparing drinks, and you find out that you have a knack for it! Just as a large crowd appears, you and Tae get to work immediately, preparing drinks and conversing with customers for tips.

After his shift is supposedly over, you make him a drink. “Take a break, you’ve earned it.” You wipe a glass and place it on the shelf, and he sips his alcohol, watching you as you skillfully pour another drink for a customer.

You notice him staring, and your cheeks flush as he walks towards you with swagger, the same Kim Taehyung power you’ve seen plastered on articles all over the internet as a swing of his hips is all he needs to kill his audience.

“You are amazing. I don’t know what I would’ve done without you.” His eyes nearly pop out of his skull as he shakes the tips jar, and you greet him with a simple smile. He knew you were pretty but he didn’t know you were that good looking that people would tip more. He examines you more closely this time, seeing how you’re dressed in business casual, and how your makeup is done so it’s noticeable that you’re wearing some. You gulp when you see him licking your lips and staring at you, and Tae’s too caught up to even notice that you’re staring right back.

Taehyung was checking you out. He is checking you out and you have no clue how to react. Change the subject….!

“On another note, wasn’t there supposed to be another person here?” Tae blinks twice before snapping out of it.

“Yes, but his wife is delivering a baby so he had to leave early.” The flow of customers is a lot less now, and you both just ended up drinking yourselves and conversing as it got closer and closer to closing time.

“So Antonio is like the owner?” You ask, coughing as your throat burned from the last three drinks or so.

“He is, that’s why I’m getting paid for working overtime.” Tae is on his feet, and as customers leave, he is closing the blinds.

“Oh, that’s cool. But why don’t you just stay at home? Don’t you have a lot of money since Jin is the CEO of a company?” You twirl a glass in your hand, inspecting the little carvings a bit closely.

“I do, but I wanna do more than be a rich kid. So I started working on my own, and I made enough money to buy that penthouse that we live in. And now I want to save that money, hopefully one day I’ll be able to travel to France and start modeling.” You tuck your hair behind your ear. Of course, Tae would be a model. He has the perfect face and body for it. You feel a little sad, though, since BTS doesn’t exist here.

“Why France?”

“There are just more opportunities. I feel like I can’t fit in at Seoul’s top agencies. They’ll say I’m ugly or too fat, or something,”  You fall face flat on the table, and Tae runs over to you in worry. “Are you okay?!” He shakes you and you come to your senses, feeling very dizzy.

“I think I drank too much.” In a daze, as he carries you back to the penthouse on his back, you start singing the chorus of Dionysus, “Da masyeo masyeo masyeo masyeo nae suljan ay, Da ppajyeo ppajyeo ppajyeo michin yesulgae, Han jan (one shot) du jan (two shots), Yesure chwihae bulleo ongheya! C’mon Tae sing your part!” You ruffle his hair and he cringes as he sets you down on the couch.

“I don’t know it.” He says, sitting next to you and taking Tan into his arms.

“Da masyeo masyeo masyeo masyeo nae suljan ay, c’mon.” He takes a deep breath and your eyes widen as you hear the familiar chorus.

“Da masyeo masyeo masyeo masyeo nae suljan ay, Da ppajyeo ppajyeo ppajyeo michin yesulgae….what comes next?” Just with two lines, you’re mesmerized. 

“Mama, I’m in love.” And the next thing you know, you’re fast asleep.

“You’re so bad at drinking.” Tae laughs to himself as he tucks you into the bed, making sure you’re comfortable before moving onto the couch. He hates to admit it, but he thinks this February might’ve given him someone special.

The next morning, you don’t feel too good. You vomit into the toilet bowl, and you remove the makeup you were wearing all night. You sigh and check your phone to see some messages from Jin. You have a meeting in 30 minutes! You quickly get your shit together and run out of Tae’s bedroom. He already left for his work, and you see some waffles on the counter with a note on it.

“Here are some waffles, I made you some Tea too, in case you might be hungover - Tae.” You happily eat the food and down the tea before work. Today you are wearing something a bit more informal, since your closet is very empty and you are in need of some money. Hopefully Jin will agree to be your sugardaddy, seeing how sexy you look in this outfit. Wow, a little self-confidence goes a long way.

Just as you are about to open the door, Seokjin comes out by himself, fixing his tie again. You roll your eyes and you help him, as he stares at you with awe and surprise.

“I wasn’t expecting to see you here so early.” “Why’s that? I work here now, don’t I?” You bat your eyelashes just to seem more appealing to him, as he gulps and explains the problem to you.

“Well, my past assistants ran away or quit relatively early because I’d slept with them or done something naughty that causes them discomfort.” You raise an eyebrow. Some women are weird. Unless they completely spelled it out that they didn’t want a relationship, Seokjin wouldn’t have acted that way. Honestly, some people are stupid. You say people because you aren’t entirely sure if Seokjin is limited to girls. Wouldn’t you like to know? 

“Well, I’m a lot more clear-minded when it comes to stuff like that. I’ve hooked up with my boss at a job before in highschool, but that was just a one-time thing and we never talked about it. A couple months later, he got arrested because the cops found weed in his trunk.” You finish fixing his tie and you look up to meet eyes with him. “So trust me when I tell you that I want a professional relationship. Even if we fool around or end up sleeping in the same bed, I promise you that I won’t let that get in the way of work.” Jin licks his lower lip and then something shifts in his eyes, but you can’t tell what it is exactly because of his aura. He looks very boss-like and you wouldn’t mind if he flirted with you. I could honestly use the attention, since Tae is terrible at reading the mood.

“That is very mature of you, I understand that you must really want to keep your position?” You nod, replying with, “Yes, sir.” He nods approvingly and motions you to follow him into the office. Inside, you notice that his desk is covered in papers, files to be specific. Upon closer inspection, you find that those are the names of famous criminals, who are the most wanted in the whole of South Korea.

“These people are not to be messed with. Unfortunately, someone (ahem not naming names but Betty from HR cough cough) decided it would be a good idea to prank call all of these bastards, and now I am in charge of cleaning up this mess. I will need you to head the project and make peace with these people. Seeing how you stood up for yourself, I can tell that you are quite the wordsmith. I know that you can do this, that’s why I’m giving you such a hard and complicated task on the second day.” You blink twice, still taking in everything he said.

“And do I know these people?” You ask. He nods, and motions you to step forward. 

“They are an infamous group of Bandits, who have a strong relation to each other, known as BTS.” You gawk, as Seokjin slides over his own file.

“But-how can? And Tae told you? B-BTS?” Your mind is blown, as he greets you.

“Welcome to our lair, my name is Seokjin Kim, aka “The Chef.” I like to kill clean and quickly, my style of assasination is the sword. The outer world thinks that I am a simple CEO and it is a simple coincidence that I have the same name as a Worldwide criminal,” You’re shook. “As for my six cohorts, no one suspects them either because we’ve never been caught, ya know?” It makes sense, as their pictures are slightly blurry and their faces are hidden.

“This is crazy. But that explains why Tae goes missing sometimes.” You yawn, suddenly feeling the urge to lay down.

“Here, have a snickers. Look, I’m not a bad guy, I just have a lot of money and I like making more. What do ya say? Would you like to join?” You shrug.

“Meh, I have nothing better to do anyways.” Jin starts chattering away as you both head down to the meeting room, where Jin is about to explain a huge operation to the team of hackers disguised as office workers.

“So, as of right now, we are going simply prepare a heist. No killing, just a simple jewelry store robbery.” You bite your lip in anxiety. Jin notices, so he asks you, “What’s wrong?” You lean and whisper back to him, “Aren’t they going to find out it was you, though?” Just as those words escape your mouth, every single person in the room starts laughing, and so does Jin. You were concerned about his safety and wellbeing but now you’re being ridiculed? Wow, that’s great.

“Honey, our boss never loses. He always gets in and gets out undetected, and if someone does notice, his knife’ll take em out.” Someone explains it to you.

“Wow, that’s cool.” As the team begins to brainstorm creative ideas, you wonder what Tae is doing at the moment. You never thought he was apart of a mafia or something, much less the boss’ younger brother. But it makes sense as to why he’s so rich.

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

“And stay away from her.” Taehyung shoots down the man that was once his father, and he hugs the girl he calls his sister.

“Thank you, big brother.” He shakes his head, wiping her tears before guiding her out of the filthy apartment. It was about time before the bastard got what was coming to him. He has always been abusive, and Tae just barely made it in time. Just before the father raised the final hand on his sister, Tae shot the shit out of him, making sure he was dead before leaving. His sister followed him blindly, as she had nowhere to go. Jin may be their oldest brother, but he rarely even had time for Taehyung. How was he supposed to take care of Taylie when he couldn’t even take care of himself? It was because of Y/N he changed his ways. He loves himself now, whether he accepts it or not.

“Tae, I told her.” Is what he hears when he answers his phone. His eyes widen as he moves in a frantic manner. The confused 15 year old follows her brother, her footsteps picking up as Tae got closer and closer to the building.

“What’s wrong?” He stops. How was he to explain Jin’s condition to his sister? She’d probably faint or die from a heart attack first before that happens.

“I need to tell you something about Jin.”

The more time you spend with your boss, the more you understand how insane he is. He went as far as sending teams to stalk these criminals and keep tabs on them. All for the good of the company. But at the same time, you can’t ignore the rumors. The people in the office talked about his nervous habits and how he is crazy. You don’t want to believe them. But do you really have a choice?

“Jin!” Tae runs into the room, pushing the door wide open and greeting his older brother with worry.

“Tae, there you are. I was just explaining our little-”

“Yeah, yeah I know. Y/N, will you please come with me?” You follow Tae outside to the corridor, and he explains everything to you slowly. “Jin is ill. Ever since our father started abusing after out mom died he made up these crazy fantasies in his mind, all of which helped him create the company in the first place. He’s very very sick in the head, but he’s so smart! And that’s why he succeeded and heading the company. All while living out a fantasy that he is close with the most dangerous criminals in the area and that our friend circle consists of hackers, spies, and other super-minds.” You adjust your sleeves, rolling them up as the air suddenly becomes warm around you. “So you don’t go on huge heists or kill people?” You were right with one thing, but Tae couldn’t reveal his other truth to you.

“Not exactly. The workers here know about Jin’s situation, even deep down inside, Jin himself knows, but he pretends because this is his turf. And everyone plays along, because they get paid for it.” You look down and let out a bitter chuckle. Tae raises an eyebrow at you and you just can’t help but feel pathetic.

“That’s messed up,” You open your eyes and you look away as you walk towards the exit. “I’ll be leaving first. Let Jin know for me.” You don’t think you can face him now. He’s caught up in another world of make-believe and Tae just makes it worse by encouraging him. But damn, you understand because you would do the same for your sibling if you were in that position. Taehyung is a good brother. 

“Tan-Tan, do you want the bone?” You lazily play with the puppy as he chases the toy in circles, following you with short stubby legs.The dog lets out a bark, giving up and panting, wagging his tail eagerly as you prepare to toss the chew toy in the air. “I’m so glad you can’t talk. If you could, you’d drive me insane.” You sadly confess it to the dog, as he walks around you, mindlessly searching for food. Sometimes, you just need someone to listen to you, without talking back, or telling you that you’re wrong. 

“Hey, can we talk?” You sigh as you hear the familiar deep voice resonate throughout the room. Not left with much of an option, you turn and face him head-on, a small blush forming on your cheeks from your close proximity.

“There’s nothing to talk about.” You trudge towards the sink and start doing the dishes, a dull routine that you’ve grown accustomed to with your time alone.

“I know it’s a terrible thing to do, but Jin is a lot better off this way! And-”

“Is this your place?” You raise your brow as a girl who looks to be a little bit younger than you stumbles into the penthouse, admiring the beauty of your home.

“Shit-I totally forgot. Taylie, meet Y/N, she’s my roommate.” She excitedly jumps onto one of the barstools, spinning around before reaching out to shake your hand.

“Um...who’s this?” Throughout all the chaos that happened between now and then, Tae totally forgot to explain the situation between his kid sister and dead father.

“I’m his sister.” She lazily jumps down and runs towards Yeontan, scooping the pomeranian in her hands and showering him with kisses. The poor dog struggles within her grip, trying to free himself from her tight hold.

“You never told me you had a sister.” You set down the dry dishes on the counter, walking out of the room and shutting the bathroom before Tae has a chance to say anything else.

                             •❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•

It had been a few days since you came out of the room. Grief took over your life, and Seokjin had stopped calling. It was the third day, and finally, someone had to pick the lock on your door to check in. You were miserable when he found you, none other than Hoseok, the dance studio owner. Under normal circumstances, you would’ve been overjoyed to see him but things are much different now. You’re in a completely different world, with nothing else. Only BTS can help you, and now you’ve lost the chance after ditching Seokjin. The look of surprise on your face when Jin follows closely behind him is humorous, as the first thing he does is shove a cheese platter in your arms and demands you to eat, instead of being angry or upset that you missed work. 

“Jin, why are you doing this?” Hoseok leaves you both alone for privacy, as you eat in peace.

“Before I am your boss, I am your friend, and hopefully your future brother in law.” You blush a little at his words, as he shoves a fork into your mouth again. You chew with all of your remaining strength.

“Okay, that’s not good enough. I was mad at Tae, for lying to you about something so important-”

“It’s a part of the game Y/N, if I’m happy, so is he.” You blink twice. Just a game, huh?

“I need to talk to him.” You try standing up but you fall on your face.

“You haven’t moved in three days, you’ll need to ease yourself back into it.” Then next time you will. 

After working hard to get back into shape, you are finally able to talk to Taehyung. You finally saw things from his perspective, after talking to Jin. You understand, and you never want to let go. It wasn’t the plan, for you to fall into a depression that almost cost you your life. You’re glad Jin and Hoseok forced themselves into your room, and that Jin shoved cheese down your gullet. You’ll have to repay him, someday.

“Taehyung?” You call out for him. The apartment is seemingly empty, Yeontan is already fast asleep in his dog bed, and Taylie was on a cruise with Jin. You were supposed to volunteer at the dance studio with Jimin and Hoseok, but unfortunately due to an accident involving poop, the studio was temporarily shut down and everyone had to go home. Your phone had also died, so you couldn’t text Tae.

“Y/N…” You hear his voice, finally. He sounds out of breath though. 

“Tae, I’m home.”

“F-fuck, I’m so close Y/N,” You freeze in your tracks, right outside of his room. Was he fantasizing about me? You feel a strange warmth spreading throughout your body. “Y/N!” With one long moan of your name, he cums, feeling oddly satisfied. It wasn’t as good as the real thing, but you were the only person who could make him feel this way. But it’s so dirty and sinful, because you don’t even think of him like that. You’re lost in your own thoughts so much that you don’t even notice the door opening until it’s too late.

“Y/N?” You focus on the wall behind him. You can’t look into his eyes, the damage has been done. You can’t control yourself.

“Mmm?” He waves a hand in front of you.

“How long have you been standing there?” You shrug. Tae is sweating from nervousness, but then something within him snaps. His self-confidence creeps up on him. “Perhaps you heard me while I was having some fun on my own?” There it is again, the weird warmth in your stomach.

“It’s none of my business.” You push it away, since you can’t feel this way about the guy you’re living with.

“Awww, is my poor Y/N feeling left out?” You feel so powerless against him, like he’s controlling you. 

“Y-yes.” Before you know it, his soft pink lips are on yours, moving in a syncopated rhythm that feels almost unnatural. But it feels so good.

“Did you know how much of an effect your tight little skirts had on me? God, I just wanted to push you onto the counter and fuck you right there for everyone to see.” Your cheeks flush a reddish pink color as he kisses down your neck. “And your tits, damn they look amazing in everything.” You mewl as he bites down, leaving a small mark on your collarbone. 

“T-Tae…” He lets go, finally giving you everything your heart could desire. As he strips off the last few barriers between you, you feel more and more further away. He’s making you a wreck. It feels so right, though. Your brain is screaming for you to stop but your heart wants it.

“Just tell me what you want, and I’ll give it to you.” You let out a small puff of air before groaning and letting your eyes roll back into your head.

“I want-no, I need you to fuck me Tae. Do it however you want, doggy, missionary, cupid’s, I don’t care! I need this.” He stares at you for a moment before deciding his next move.

“You sure?” His deep voice is unsure, and for a moment it causes you to doubt yourself.

“Yes, absolutely.” 

“Get against the headboard. This is gonna hurt,” You feel the rush of adrenaline as he pins your hands up against your head and then lifts your legs. “I’m gonna prep you first, you’re gonna fee-”

“I know how sex works!” You blush slightly as he is taken aback by your outburst. “J-just do it.” You find yourself relaxing under his warmth, and his digits find their way inside you, right where you need him the most. 

“Open up, let me see how pink you are,” You obey, feeling more flustered than before. “Ah, so beautiful. You’re so obedient too, tell me pet, do you like it when your master touches you like this?” A soft gasp escapes your lips as his fingers dive deeper into your folds, digging inside your pinkish cavern, looking for something more. The sensation is overwhelming, and you feel like you’re floating on a cloud. 

“M-master?” You snap back into reality as Tae’s words strike a chord within you.

“That’s right.” He looks so perfect, so ethereal, you’re once again lost in his beauty.

“If that’s how you like it, then I guess I have no choice but to submit, am I right?” His lips turn upward as he nods in approval.

“Now you’re getting it. How about letting Master have a taste, without cumming on my tongue, please?” You nod, parting your legs wider for him as he explores your throbbing bud again. You want to please him, just as much you are scared of what the consequences might be. After living with him for so long, it feels so natural and that is what really frightens you. How normal this feels.

“T-Tae, please, I have to c-”

“What’s my name?”

“Master.” You correct yourself, feeling more submissive towards him now.

“Good. Since you’ve been such a good girl, I suppose you shall have your reward,” You almost pass out from excitement as he pushes you against the headboard, and then he places his hands on your thighs, looking for a comfortable position with you on his knees. You’re surprised by how big his dick is, but it’s proportionate to his body, so you don’t have any complaints. It’s the perfect size, with a pinkish tip and hairless balls. The entire length is hairless, and upon closer inspection, you can’t find a single flaw on his body. “Can’t take your eyes off me, pet?” You catch yourself as you realize you were staring at him, with your mouth wide open and your heat is on fire. You won’t be able to hold out much longer, your body recoiling from being denied an orgasm.

“Sorry Master, you’re just so...perfect.” You smirk, as he prepares you for his cock. He grabs a bit of lube, before rubbing it down his length, and then he slowly slides into you, ever so gently, murmuring words of praise before being completely inside.

“You can move now.” With your permission, he starts. Slowly at first, but then the friction builds up, everything is hot. As he starts thrusting fully, stretching you out to your maximum capacity, shrieks and moans of pleasure reverberate through the room, and you’ve never felt so full in your life.

“Best fucking pussy I’ve had all year.” He groans, gripping your thighs tightly as he slams into you repeatedly.

“You’re so big!” You grip his back, holding on for dear life as he destroys your pussy.

“Your cunt takes me so well, I’m surprised I held off you for so long. What was I trying to achieve, by convincing myself that I didn’t love you?” He realizes his mistake as your shocked eyes meet his.

“You...love me?” He gulps, slowing down and reaching dangerously close to his climax.

“Y-yes.” 

“I love you too.” You smile, feeling something being lifted from your chest.

“I’m close.” He kisses your nose, an intimate gesture he wouldn’t have thought of doing with you earlier.

“Me too.” You both release your knots at the same time, and as he lies down next to you, in the bed of sweat and sex, he feels true love. For the first time, Taehyung isn’t alone. It looks like he has a little bit of love for himself now.

[bangtan-et-al]

somnium finis 01.

—word count: 2,869

—prologue: A plane sinks into the Pacific Ocean, leaving the world mourning the loss of the 118 passengers on board. Seven of those passengers being the members of the famous K-pop band BTS. At least, that’s how it seems.

—genres: Idol AU, Mystery, Psychological

—contains: Themes of fluff, angst, smut, depression, and anxiety. Mentions of divorce and the use of strong language such as name calling and cussing.

—chapter: 01. 02.

—note: Because of the use of both English and Korean in this story, I found it appropriate to use some Korean terms as well as Korean honorifics. If there is a term you don’t understand, I found most of my sources on google or you can just drop me an ask about it. I’d be happy to educate!

…

“Ah, finally! I can breathe again!” You heard your roommate sigh as she removed her bra for the evening. You giggled at the sight of her, flailed out on the floor like a starfish wearing only shorts and a tank top.

The summer heat was really bearing down, and you made a point to be thankful for your AC everyday. You opted for eating cold, crisp fruits for lunch to further cool you down. The heat wave was taking temperatures to an all time high.

You offered Kimi an apple slice as you joined her on the cold floor. “It’s your fault for taking summer classes.” She popped the whole thing in her mouth and groaned.

She swallowed and proceeded to smack herself in the forehead. “Remind me to never do something so dumb again.”

“Noted.” You laughed with her for a moment before standing. “I’ll retire to my bedroom for some beauty sleep before my flight!” You spoke with the most posh English accent you could muster. “Korea awaits!” You added in Korean.

“Damn, I wish I could go see BTS in Seoul. I can’t believe how lucky you got, ____!”

Lucky indeed. You had been studying Korean for four years, and your professor had a surprise for the seniors. Round trip plane ticket and concert ticket to BTS. He said seeing them in Seoul was an experience you’d never get here in the states. Now that the class was mostly fluent, he felt confident you all could make your way around Korea just fine.

The person with the highest marks on the final won, and that person happened to be you.

…

After a nap you felt refreshed and so excited you could barely contain yourself. You went over your checklist once more for good measure.

Phone, charger, army bomb, passport, ID, tickets, wallet, ₩500,000 for emergency, and lastly your Korean to English dictionary, just in case.

You waved and bid Kimi goodbye as you left the apartment. Your Uber was already there waiting for you and with no more delay you were on your way to Seoul. After all these years of studying it from afar, you’d be able to get a taste of it, hopefully the first of many.

You remembered back to your high school days, when you first heard a BTS song. In your junior year you had heard the song Young Forever. Not their most popular, but the melody always swept you away. For the next year you became engrossed in their music, and it opened up the door to your love of everything Korean.

The food, the language, the culture, you couldn’t get enough of it. By the time you were graduating, you had already learned Hangul and read all the lyrics of Blood, Sweat, and Tears even if you didn’t know what you were saying yet. You decided to major in Korean Studies and minor in Korean language. You weren’t sure what kind of job that would get you, but it was more for yourself anyways. You wanted to learn all you could about South Korea. It was the next best thing to being born there.

Your father was ecstatic at your decision. He was full Korean, and your mother was American. They divorced when you were young, and you ended up staying with your mother because your father went back to Korea. Because of the separation, you never ended up learning Korean and were raised with only English. You kept in touch with your father, but only would see him when he’d come to visit you, seeing as your mother was never okay with the idea of you going across the world alone.

Now, with you and your mother having become distant since highschool graduation, your one true supporter shone through. Your appa. Even across the ocean, he was always so supportive of everything you did and could listen to you go on for hours about how your day had gone. You wish you’d gone to Seoul with him all those years ago.

But there was no point in regretting the past. Now, you were setting things right. In a year, you’d be moving there, and Appa was so proud to have his daughter pursue her ancestry all by herself.

Maybe he’d be less excited if he knew it was because of BTS and not him, but either way, you knew he was just happy to have you with him.

While lost in your own thoughts, you found yourself already seated on the plane. You put your phone on airplane mode and put in your earbuds. Even though you had just slept, as the plane ascended into the sky, sleep found you once again.

…

It was the last stretch now. After a long tour, the band’s last concert was held in Seoul. It was going to be bitter sweet. They didn’t want it to be over, but they were definitely looking forward to a break.

“Namjoon-ah, you definitely have your passport right?” Seokjin yelled across the hotel room.

“Yeah, yeah, it’s right here. Are you ready to go Hyung?”

Seokjin gave him a nod. “Yeah, let’s join the others in the lobby.” They both double checked the room and then headed out. When they got downstairs, the other members were all waiting with a couple staff members.

“Did Namjoon-hyung remember-” Taehyung started, but was cut off by Namjoon raising his arm with his passport in hand.

Namjoon sighed. “You guys are never going to let me live this down, huh?”

Jimin giggled and shook his head. “Nope, it’s your fault for having misplaced it more than once.”

Yoongi was standing there with the rest of them, but his soul was gone. He had a far off look in his eyes, and was doing all he could to keep from sleeping while standing up.

“Yoongi-hyung looks how I feel. Man, that concert was so high energy.” Jeongguk said through a yawn.

Hoseok nodded, “But, America is always great. Just when you think you’ve topped yourself from last time, they bring more and more energy. Even though my body is tired, my heart feels recharged.”

Yoongi groaned. “Recharged? Hobi, you’re crazy.” At his comment they all laughed.

One of the staff motioned for the members to follow them. They departed the hotel in LA at midnight after a long weekend of two concerts. All seven of them were completely beat and looked forward to sleeping the whole flight. They arrived at the airport and promptly boarded the first class seats. As the plane took off the inertia put down a pleasant weight that had them drifting off fairly quickly.

…

You opened your eyes. You were floating in the sky. A dream? It must be. You looked around, and saw seven beautiful men in front of you. All looking around and just as confused as you.

“A dream?” Jimin echoed your previous thought, only in Korean.

Yoongi let out an exasperated sigh. “I swear if we are having a shared dream again, I’m leaving BTS. I just want some fucking sleep.”

“If we’re are, then who is she?” Seokjin’s comment brought all their eyes to you. You froze for a moment. If this was a dream, you weren’t going to complain.

“Hi, I’m ____.” You introduced in Korean.

Namjoon raised an eyebrow. “An American accent? Do you speak English as well?”

“Yeah, English was my first language.” You answered in said language.

“For a dream girl, she’s pretty real.” Taehyung said, eyeing you up and down.

“I should say the same thing, this is my dream after all.” You corrected, switching back to Korean.

They all looked at each other. “This is different from the last shared dream, last time it was only us, and we weren’t conscious that we were dreaming until we woke up.” Jeongguk reasoned. They all nodded in agreement. For a moment, you thought of the possibility of this being more than a dream, but before you could think anything else, you were all ripped away from each other as your bodies woke up.

When you opened your eyes, you were met with an unfamiliar scene. You were no longer in a plane. You first looked up at a white ceiling, and then around at the unfamiliar room. There was nothing in there but the bed you were on, and everything was white. You sat up quickly and swung your legs off the side.

What on Earth was happening, another dream? You looked down, you were wearing the same thing you had worn to catch your flight, and to the side of your bed was your carry-on bag. Slipping the backpack on your shoulders, you crept to the door and slowly creaked it open.

“The fuck is this?! Where are we?!” And angry Yoongi stormed into the center of the space before you. It was a circular looking room with eight doors, including your own, and a hallway leading away from it.

The other members were making their way to the center as well looking around. Some scared, others still hanging between sleep and wake. “Is this still part of the dream…?” Jimin mumbled through sleep.

You stared at them all in awe this was too real to be a dream. You pinched yourself to test it.

…well that hurt like a bitch.

This was all real, it was really happening. You couldn’t find the courage to go out there, at least not until you grasped more of the situation.

“No, this is not a dream. What is this place? Why the hell are we here?” Hoseok spoke with an edge of what sounded like anger or panic in his voice.

Taehyung was pulling at his hair. “What if… What if we were kidnapped?!”

Namjoon clasped onto Taehyung’s shoulder. “Everyone calm down. Does anyone have their phone? Someone try to call 112 or maybe 911.” Seokjin pulled out his phone first and called 112.

The line hung up.

He then tried 911. That line hung up also. “Nothing is working, not even an out of service or range message!” They couldn’t call for help, they didn’t know where they were, and they were all alone.

Except for you.

Taehyung saw movement out of the corner of his eye. “There’s someone there!” At his word Hoseok jumped into action. The door you were hiding behind was whipped open. You let out a yelp and fell on your ass.

“The girl from the dream…” Hoseok stares at the with wide eyes and the other boys crowded behind him.

“H-hello…” You mumbled in Korean. You stood back up and brushed yourself off.

“Why are you here?” Jimin asked cautiously.

You nervously shrugged. “I don’t know… I just woke up here. Last thing I remember was being on a flight to Seoul from LA, and now I’m here…”

The members looked at each other. Surely wondering if you were to be trusted. You fumbled with your fingers nervously. Here before you stood the seven men you’d looked up to for years, and you couldn’t even raise your head to look at them properly.

You needed to let them know you were in the same boat as them. “Do you guys have any idea what’s going on here…? Were we kidnapped?”

Namjoon relaxed a little. “I’m not sure… There aren’t any windows, and no emergency number works.” You all made your way back to the center room.

Jeongguk peered down the hallway. “We could try going down there…?

Namjoon leading the way, walking in a defensive pose, taking every step carefully. “Everyone be quiet…”

The hallway opening up into what looked to be an apartment or house. There were still no windows, and mostly everything was white. It reminded you of a hospital.

To your left was a door with a screen mounted on it. There was an image of a line and a keyboard beneath it. Below the screen was something like a mail slot only wider and taller. From left to right starting from the door, there was a living space, a dining room, and a kitchen, all on an open floor plan. It looked very high end and modern, nothing you would ever be able to afford in your lifetime.

Taehyung was the first to approach the door. He typed the word “unlock” in Korean. A voice echoed around the space.

“Request denied.” It answered in Korean

“Holy shit it speaks.” Taehyung backed away from it.

“Let’s try English.” Namjoon offered and typed out “unlock” on the keyboard.

“Request cannot be accepted as entered.” The voice echoed in English. You stepped up and proceeded to type in every synonym and rewording you could think of to no avail.

Jeongguk was nearly vibrating with anxiousness. “T-try requesting something else completely?”

Taehyung nodded and typed in “hamburger”.

“Really Taehyung-ah?” Jimin grumbled. “This is no time to be messing around!”

“He said something completely different-”

“Request granted.”

“See?” Taehyung finished his sentence.

The mail slot opened and a tray with a single hamburger was revealed. There was a slight opening where the door on the slot lifted. You quickly reached your arm in the space in hopes to reach the door knob from the other side.

Immediately you jumped back as electricity shot through your arm. You held it close as every cell screamed in pain. “AH!” You landed on your ass for a second time. Namjoon was the first to kneel down to help you.

“Are you okay?!”

“Y-yeah…” You gritted out through your teeth. “Well now we know that doesn’t work…”

When the pain dulled to a throb, Namjoon helped you up with your other hand. “No one else do anything else before consulting the group consider this enemy territory. And Taehyung,” Namjoon paused to looked at the younger man, holding the unwrapped burger to his mouth, which was wide open and ready to take a bite. “No eating anything until we make sure it’s not poisonous.”

Taehyung lowered it with a groan.

Namjoon directed his gaze to you. “Do remember a dream before we all woke up here?”

You pondered whether or not to be truthful, but you figured transparency would be the best route to take. “Yeah… I introduced myself.”

“So your name really is ____-ssi?” Namjoon added.

“Yeah. And I’m sorry if my Korean isn’t good… I look Korean, but I only began learning it 5 years ago.”

“No worries. We understand you just fine. What we need to do right now is think logically and figure out what we do and don’t know.” All eight of you made your way to the living room and sat on the couches as Namjoon stood in the center.

“Namjoon-ah, I think we were on the same plane as ____-ssi. What if something went down while we were sleeping?” Yoongi gestured to you. “Do you remember anything?”

You shook your head. “No, I fell asleep during take off, so I have no idea.”

Hoseok eyes you warily. “We don’t know her, how do we know if we can trust her? She could be a part of whatever is happening?”

“Hoseok-ah, we can’t assume things-” Namjoon starts but is cut off.

“It makes sense for the seven of us to be together, but why her? She’s clearly the outlier.” No one can argue with him as he finishes his point.

Taehyung looks over at you. “____-ssi, is this burger safe to eat?” He holds up said burger.

You look at him confused. “I-I don’t know… But I wouldn’t suggest eating it.”

Taehyung nods, seeming content with your answer. “I trust her. She not actively trying to kill me. Taehyung.” He offered his name and his hand to you. You take it and tried to stay calm and push down the fangirl inside you.

“N-nice to meet you, Taehyung-ssi.”

“I completely forgot to introduce myself. Where are my manners? My name is Kim Namjoon.”

“Its nice to meet you, but to save some precious time, I already know everyone’s names.” You looked down, wondering if that came off as rude.

Jimin cocked his head. “Oh, are you ARMY?” He offered you a smile.

“N-no! I just, have heard about you all and heard a couple songs. I’m half Korean, so it’s hard not to know.” You lied, but you thought maybe you could make yourself more trustworthy this way. If you said you were ARMY, the next paranoid assumption would be that you were a saesang, and that wouldn’t help your case at all.

“Then lets cut the small talk and get back to the issue at hand. Why are we here? Are they holding us for ransom? What happened to that plane?” Yoongi butted in. His patience was running thin.

You pulled out your phone, and idea popping into your head. You googled your flight. What you saw made your heart drop to your stomach. It must have shown on your face, because Taehyung leaned in to look at your phone.

“What is it?” He questioned.

“…this article says the plane went down. It crashed in the water and sunk. They are yet to have found it. They’ve pronounced all 118 passengers as victims of the flight. We’re all listed as casualties.”

[gluttons-for-punishment]

My First Time: 18th September 1976

The UK was at the tail end of a severe drought and the most scorchingly hot summer since records began. In July, temperatures in some places reached 36 degrees. Southampton saw the hottest June temperature ever recorded. The papers were full of “you can fry an egg on the pavement”-type stories, and the government appointed a Minister For Drought. Rivers ran dry. It didn’t get below 27 degrees (that’s 80 in the old money) from mid-June to mid-July.

We were some three months away from the release of A Day At The Races. On 18th September 1976, Queen played their legendary free concert in Hyde Park, supported by Kiki Dee, Steve Hillage and Supercharge, attended by an estimated audience of between 150,000 and 200,000. Due to the drought and the terrible state of the park, the event was very close to being cancelled. We went anyway, me and a school-friend whose name, 43 years later, unfortunately escapes me. Mark and Andy also went, but at that time we weren’t close friends and I didn’t see them there.

We got there at about 10 am, and sat in the sun waiting. The atmosphere and the anticipation were electric. Sitting behind us were a middle-aged couple who, I convinced myself, were Brian May’s parents. A young skinny bearded man who looked a lot like Jesus wandered among the seated crowds giving out cherries.

Supercharge came on first, featuring Albie Donnelly, a (Freddie-esque) white-leotard-clad lead singer / saxophonist with a big beard and a big belly. They were a lot of fun, and part of their setlist was the Bay City Rollers’ Bye Bye Baby. They were followed by Steve Hillage, a relic from 1967 whose act (to me, at the time) was the most tedious thing I’d ever sat through (I’d probably appreciate it a bit more at the advanced age I’m at now). Next on was Kiki Dee, who sang Don’t Go Breaking My Heart (a number one hit single with Elton John until a couple of weeks before - replaced by Abba’s Dancing Queen) with a cardboard cut-out of Elton (Elton himself was backstage at the time, but he didn’t want to steal Kiki’s thunder).

Then eventually, as the sun goes down – an hour later than billed - Queen come onstage to a taped Bohemian Rhapsody intro. We give them a deafening and ecstatic welcome, as you’d imagine. A lot of people up the front of the crowd are on their feet, and those further back can’t see anything, so they start chucking cans and bottles at the obstructing crowds. “Good evening everybody! Welcome to our picnic by the Serpentine!” says Freddie after Ogre Battle. “You all look very beautiful!” Sweet Lady, White Queen and Flick Of The Wrist follow, and we’re really into it. Then Freddie tells us to stop chucking stuff. “Now sit on your arses and listen,” he says, “here’s the medley, and we’ve increased it in length this time.”  The medley features You’re My Best Friend, part of Bohemian Rhapsody, Killer Queen and (for the last time ever) The March Of The Black Queen before finishing with the Bohemian Rhapsody coda.

For ’39 the whole band assemble at the front of the stage and Freddie takes lead vocals. Brian: “We were going to do this with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, but they didn’t turn up.”

Next comes the highlight of the whole day – a brand new song, beautifully performed by Freddie solo at the piano: You Take My Breath Away. The Prophet’s Song follows, accompanied by a magnificent light show, seems to go on forever. After Death On Two Legs and Stone Cold Crazy the show finishes with In The Lap Of The Gods… Revisited. Brian: “Thanks for making this a great day and a great evening.”

“Thank you darlings, good-night”, and that’s it. No encore, because Queen came on late and their set consequently overran, and they were threatened with arrest if they went back onstage. Bob Harris comes on to wish us all good-night, and suddenly we’re in darkness – the police have pulled the plugs, unaware that they’re unplugging the floodlights. We have to find our way out of the park in pitch darkness.

The euphoria of seeing Queen in concert for the first time stayed with me for ages afterwards. Back at school the following Monday it’s all I could talk about.

That was 43 years ago today. I think it’s about time this seminal event was given an official release – the tapes are there, video and audio, and the quality isn’t as terrible as we’ve been led to believe – witness You Take My Breath Away on the 2011 A Day At The Races DeLuxe re-release.

[another-blog-bites-the-dust]

Out of this world.

Summary: When Brian is with you, you take him out of this world...but then he soon finds that you really are out of this world.

Warnings: Fluff, swearing, angst, teeny tiny suggestive bit but it's like one line.

A/N: Just a little idea I had because I am a sucker for space and Brian so I mashed them together and thus this fic was created. (Plus how angelic and otherworldly does Bri look in that gif??? 😫👌😭) Enjoy! 💖

Roger and John shot each other a knowing glance and began to close in on Brian. "Good weekend, Bri?" Roger asked. "Did you get up to much?" He pried "Only John and I popped round to your flat and you weren't in..."

Brian glared at the patch of bare wall in front of him and huffed "Yeah, I was out of London for a bit. I told you all that." He grabbed his guitar before smiling to himself.

"Ohhh I know that smile!" Freddie teased with a grin "That's a 'I spent time with a girl' smile! I always notice that smile on you these days!" He nudged Brian and the guitarist quietly groaned.

"So, who is it?" John asked "And there's no point denying it. We know you're seeing someone and you've being seeing this person for a while too..." he added "We've noticed a shift in your mood for a long time now."

Brian sent his bandmates a deadpanned expression, trying his best at a poker face. "Well their first name is Noneofya and their second name is business."

John rolled his eyes while Roger looked puzzled. "That's such a strange...ohhhh..."

"Can we just get back to focusing on getting this album done?" Brian was reaching the end of his tether "And for the record...I'm not seeing anyone!" The three boys sent each other an unconvinced look while Brian turned his back to them while he tuned his guitar. He let out a defeated sigh under his breath and glanced out of the window up to the blue sky above. "I'm not seeing anyone for a year..."

•••

Brian felt a force crash against his chest as he strolled through Hyde Park one chilly Saturday afternoon. "Oh I'm so sorry!" Someone was trying to catch their breath in front of him, a cloud of condensation from their breath floating around him. Brian looked down at you clutching your stomach.

"It's uh...it's alright. Are you okay?" He asked.

You looked up and softly smiled at the stranger "It should be me asking you if you're alright since I was stupid enough to run right into you!" You laughed and Brian chuckled "But yes, thank you, I'm alright. Are you okay?"

He waved off your concern "Ah I'm fine, don't worry about it..." he waited you to finish his sentence with your name.

"Y/N." You shook his hand "I'm Y/N Y/L/N."

"Brian May. You want catch your breath over a tea or coffee or something stronger?" He motioned over to the row of cafes and bars that lined the park.

"Coffee is good, I can't drink while I'm training." Brian raised an intrigued brow as the two of you made your way to a cafe.

"Training?" He repeated.

"Uh, yeah. Lots of running!" You cracked a smile "What can I get you?" You asked when you entered the coffee shop.

Brian held out his hand "Oh no, this is on me! I insist!" He ordered and picked up the coffee while you grabbed a table. "So what are you training for? London marathon or something?" He asked making general chit chat.

"Uh no..." you played with the napkin under your coffee cup and nervously laughed. "I'm actually in the middle of my astronaut training."

Brian choked on his coffee "I-I'm sorry," he wiped away the dots of coffee on his chin "Did I just hear you right?"

You nodded "Yeah," you widely smiled and wiped away a bit of foamy coffee he missed. "You did."

•••

"It's always good having you stay the weekend," you snuggled closer to Brian, your cheek pressed against his chest. "Six days feels like forever when you're not around. Especially after all that training- I think I've pulled every muscle in my body this week!" Brian chuckled and tapped your shoulder for you to sit up. He sat behind you and began rubbing your shoulders and peppered kisses along your neck and the top of your back. He knew how hard you were working, you called him every morning and by the time you called back again at night you were drained. He looked at all your textbooks on the dresser that contained words with ten letters or more that he could barely pronounce. Even though he was an astrophysicist, astronaut terms were very different- especially as most words were in Russian. You spent most of the week in Europe, mainly flying between Germany, where you trained, and Paris, where the European Space Agency was before heading back to London.

Four months after you bumped into Brian in Hyde Park you officially started dating. You knew a bit about the band he was in but he mainly spoke to you about space and other galactic wonders. He was happy to have met someone that was on the same wavelength as him- that you understood what he was talking about. That was almost two years ago now and the both of you had completely fallen for each other. He hadn't mentioned you to the band yet, he wanted to introduce you to them in person but you had barely any time to spare so hadn't met them yet.

You loosely took his hand when he stopped massaging and took him outside, grabbing your keys to your car on the way. "Where are we going?" He asked.

You smiled and tapped your nose and drove out of London for what felt like hours to Brian but it was only about half an hour. It was pitch black where you took him- there was no light pollution from the city. The only source of light came from the moon and stars above. When you turned off the engine, stepped out the car and opened the boot. The two of you sat in the back and looked up to the sky. "There's Aquila, that constellation there." You pointed it out "Can you believe it contains the star Altair, one of the closest stars we can see with the naked eye to earth."

"Yes I can believe that," Brian grinned at your overly enthusiastic tone and wrapped an arm around your waist. "Because I know about this stuff just as much as you do."

You smiled and turned your head to him, your smile faltering slightly as you grabbed his hand. It felt like your throat was concaving in on itself. You squeezed his hand tightly, capturing his attention. "I'm leaving," you whispered.

Brian's brow crinkled "London?"

"Earth."

Brian swallowed hard and looked up to the sky again. A long spell of silence followed. He knew this would eventually happen, he just wished it was further away. "When?" Was all he could say.

You pursed your lips slightly "Soyuz capsule is ready in three months, after tests and checks...five. I'll be leaving in five months for a year to go to the space station and...do my thing, I guess." You weakly smiled.

Brian engulfed you in a hug "I'm so proud of you," he mumbled into your neck "So proud."

"We still have lots of time before I leave," you reassured "And plenty of time when I get back and I'll be able to contact you from the station!" You placed a hand on his cheek and stroked it with your thumb. "I love you, Brian." He looked down at you with tears pricking his eyes "More than anything in this universe..." you wiped away the stray tear that was on his cheek.

"I love you too, Y/N," he rested his forehead on yours before he gently kissed you. The pair of you then looked up to the stars once more, keeping each other close.

•••

The final week you had on earth you spent in Germany at the astronaut centre in Cologne. Brian came with you, he made an excuse to the band that he was visiting family for a bit. He didn't want to tell the boys about you, especially now, because he knew how much they'd tease him about you- he didn't need that when you were going to be leaving. Hearing your name mentioned would break his heart. After introducing Brian to your two fellow teammates and having dinner with them and their partners, you managed to spend some time alone with him in your room at the centre. "What are you most looking forward to?" He asked, trailing his fingers up and down your arm as you lay against him in bed.

"I'm going to be doing a spacewalk so that's the biggest thing I'm looking forward to!" You ecstatically grinned. "Putting years of learning Russian to good use!" You joked and looked up to Brian who was chuckling away. "And coming home, to you." He sent you a lopsided smile that didn't quite reach his eyes, he knew in the back of his mind that there was always the possibility of complications with these things. Especially venturing up to a place that humans barely understood yet. "Hey," you became serious when you saw a flicker of doubt in his eyes. "I'm coming home. I promise you. You just better wait for me!" You playfully nudged him.

"For you? I'd wait forever," he kissed you. "When you come back...why don't you move in with me?" You raised a brow "I mean you don't have to but...I know you'll be doing a lot less traveling back and fourth to Europe so you wouldn't need to keep renting that expensive flat. It is very expensive- too expensive for one person. You could just move in with me and-" you cut off his rambling with a kiss.

"Yes I'll move in with you," you smiled against his lips. You sat back a little "I'll come home, and I'll move in with you, and I'll meet your bandmates- finally! And go to your concerts- at last! And we'll talk about the stars every night until we fall asleep." You soothingly stroked his cheek with your thumb. You'd rather have him live in hope than in fear. Brian placed his hands on your hips. "This is the last time you'll be able to touch me before I go into quarantine..." you whispered.

Brian looked into your eyes, that niggle of doubt being drowned by lust. "Well, we better put this time to good use..." You let out a giggle as he flipped you onto the bed and peppered kisses on every bit of skin he could see. It was the last chance either of you would get- for a while at least. Over the next few days Brian watched you from behind glass as you and your teammates held press conferences. He could feel his heart crying out for you, it was trying to burst out of his chest and break down that glass that kept out the outside world. It pained him having you so close yet so far. A thick pane of glass separated you both for five days. Brian had only spent two out of seven days actually with you and not behind a window. "Big day tomorrow," he smiled and pressed his hand to the pane of glass, you were doing the same on the other side as you spoke to him through the phone.

"I know," your voice was tight, nerves laced in between every word. "We fly to Kazakhstan tonight and then leave tomorrow morning. I think someone said it would be on BBC news if you want hear my song that each of us get to pick and then listen to while we wait for launch- might pleasantly surprise you," you winked, leaving Brian curious. "You can also catch me causally flying out of the atmosphere at an average of 25,000 kilometres per hour," you played it cool before laughing. "After around ten minutes gravity is going to be so overrated," you joked and Brian cracked a smile. "I've got a photo of you in my spacesuit," you smiled and Brian's eyes lit up, his heart lept at the gesture. "They also said I could keep the patches off of it when I get back. I'll let you choose ones you like." You let out a huge sigh. It was starting to sink in what you'd be doing tomorrow. Where you'd be going. "I'm so nervous, Brian."

He knew you meant scared, he could see the worry and fear all over your face. He wanted to do nothing more than break down the glass and hold you in his arms. But Brian knew you told him you were nervous because you didn't want to worry him- he loved that you always considered him first. "You have nothing to be nervous about." He assured. "You are going to go up there and live the absolute dream and you'll be able to phone me and I'll quiz you about astrophysics-"

You cut him off with a playful groan "No!Cosmology is my forte! It's not fair when you're an astrophysicist! You'll ask me difficult questions!" You laughed and then bit down on your lip. "I'm going to see the Earth this time tomorrow. I'm going to be looking down on it and thinking; 'That's my world down there,' only I won't be thinking about the planet." You looked deep into Brian's eyes, your fingers twitched against the glass as you tried to claw away at it and intertwine your fingers with his. You both didn't realise how touch starved you were until you were so close but couldn't get to each other. "My world," you whispered and a tear fell down your cheek as quick as a shooting star in the sky. "Right in front of me."

"I love you," Brian said as soon as a bell went off, indicating that it was time for you to go.

"I love you, too." You smiled and you both kissed the glass before Brian watch you disappear behind the door. His head hung low and he wiped away the tears with his forefinger and thumb. He hoped that wouldn't be the last time he saw you on earth.

•••

Brian arrived in London early the next morning, by the time he got back from Germany he knew you'd be already on the spacecraft- patiently waiting in a cramped Soyuz with your Russian and Parisian teammates. As soon as Brian arrived home he turned on the news to watch you. He sat on the table hunched over, his eyes glued to the box in front of him. His fingers were trembling and his mouth was going dry. "And now we can see a live feed of inside the capsule," the newsreader said and Brian let out a sob with a small smile on his face seeing you in your spacesuit pressing buttons and going through final checks. "On board we have Russian commander and cosmonaut, Yuri Gidzenko and French flight engineer, Patrick Baudry and British flight engineer Y/N Y/L/N." Brian kneeled down in front of his tv, tracing his fingers over your face. He heard you say something in Russian before you pressed a few buttons and you all sat back waiting. Brian's heart was almost bursting he was so proud of you.

Brian heard two songs play, the sound of the tv filled his empty, quiet flat. He noticed your commander, who was sitting in the middle, playfully nudge your arm before your song of choice came on. Brian let out a watery laugh hearing 'Don't stop me now' come on. He could see the two men in the capsule tease you about it but you just smiled and softly sang to yourself. "Will he be watching?" Yuri asked in Russian and you nodded with a wide grin. "Let's give him a wave!" He pointed to the camera and the three of you waved.

"Oh they're giving us wave!" The news reporter laughed "Seems we have a Queen fan on board...fitting song!" Brian wiped away the tears of sadness and joy rolling down his cheeks seeing you dance and bob along to the song- a song that his band had created. Before either of you knew it, final countdowns were being said and you were being hurled through the air. Your eyes shut for a moment, your whole body trembling from the force created by the shuttle. You pressed a few buttons and Brian watched you intently, his heart swelling with pride. He saw a pen dangling in front of you but when he blinked, it was gone. It was floating. Your arms unintentionally raised as weightlessness surrounded you all, you turned to your teammates with a beaming smile and shook hands with them all with you reached zero gravity- it was one of many milestones for you all. The feed cut off when you reached a certain point and Brian sighed, his hand dismally dragging down the tv screen.

He didn't move from the same spot all day until the phone rang late at night. "Hello?" he groaned and rubbed his face, the lack of sleep and jet lag was catching up with him.

"Brian?" The line was a little crackly but he knew it was you. He let out a lungful of air and laughed down the phone, relieved to hear you. "Brian...the view," he could almost see your smile. "I've barely remembered to breathe, it keeps taking my breath away. I think I've died and gone to heaven!"

"It's so good to hear your voice, how was the trip?"

"Long! But worth every second to be up here." You paused for a moment "I'm floating, Bri. It doesn't feel real. It's like I'm underwater in a swimming pool but I can breathe- when I remember to!" You both laughed. "I feel so light and free." You paused and looked out the window, like you were trying to spot Brian. "But it's nothing compared to the way you make me float...it's like you steal all my gravity when your hands are on my skin or when your lips are on mine..." he heard you sniffle. "I can't cry too much because my tears float off my cheeks and get sucked into the vents- could cause a fire!" You let out a watery chuckle and so did Brian. "Did you like my song choice?"

"I did, my supersonic woman" you giggled, bashfully and Brian picked up the phone to sit on his window ledge, looking up at the starry sky. "You really are up there aren't you?" He murmured in amazement and disappointment. He wanted you on Earth with him.

"Afraid so, love," you sadly smiled. "But I'll be home sooner than you think. The time will fly in and when you look up to the sky, know that I'm looking down on you with a smile. Always. I have to go, I love you."

"I love you too," with that the line went dead and Brian slowly placed the receiver down.

He counted down the days until you were back with him. Your weekly phone calls always brightened his day and knowing that you were up there thinking of him and having fun made the time he had to wait to have you in his arms again a little more bearable. You even called when the space station was going to be over London and Brian sat up for most of the night with his telescope looking for it out the window. He noticed it zooming passed- you were on the phone to him at the time and told him you were waving down. He waved back was tears streaming down his face and neck. Brian then watched you one afternoon on tv while you did your spacewalk. He was a blubbering mess seeing you walking in space with the biggest smile on your face singing 'space oddity' to your crew- blissfully unaware that it would be shown on the news later that day. He caught a glimpse of himself in your spacesuit, a photo of him there just like you said. He once said that you took him out of this world, lazing in bed with you after a hot and heated shagging session, but now you had took Brian out of this world literally.

•••

It was the final night for the three of you on the space station. You had all built up a huge collection of photos, leaving one behind in the station of the three of you with earth in the background. You couldn't wait to show Brian all the ones you had taken. You packed your stuff in the Soyuz and then called Brian before getting some sleep. "I can't believe you're home tomorrow, it's went in so fast but it also feels like forever." You could hear the anticipation in his voice.

"I'm going to miss it up here," you smiled looking around. "Do I really have to come home?" You teased him.

"Yes! Yes you really bloody do!" Brian laughed. "I better let you get some sleep, I'll see you in a few days okay? Take care and come home in one piece. Be safe, blow a kiss to the earth for me, and remember that I love you."

"I'll do all those things for you. She's an absolute beaut, Bri. I wish you could have been up here with me to see it. The colours, the clouds, the northern lights, the thunderstorms and bursts of lightning...It's our home. And it's beautiful. I have so many photos to show you." You sniffled and softly smiled looking down at the hazy blue band of atmosphere. You'd miss seeing that every day. "I love you. I'll see you when I arrive back in London in a few days time." The line went dead and Brian widely grinned. He was going to see you in the flesh again. Not see you on tv or in a newspaper. He was going to have you in his arms.

Brian watched the news the next day waiting to see you and the crew on the screen. You had undocked from the station and were on your way back home. He made a cup of tea and went into the living room again. Brian brought the cup to his mouth and then his hand suddenly released it- his whole body going numb. "Some breaking news," Brian walked right through the shattered mug and kneeled on the floor next to the tv. "It's been reported that the crew of the Soyuz capsule are experiencing some complications on their journey back to earth." Brian turned up the tv with shaking fingers. This wasn't happening. You promised him. "We're getting reports that the capsule was hit by a small rock and has created a breach in the capsule. The director of the ESA joins me now via satellite link," the news reporter turned to the director who was on a screen. "What is happening?"

"Well, the rock that hit against the capsule has cut through one of the main lines that supplies the oxygen to the astronauts. They have about an forty minutes left of their journey and the oxygen is running out." They said and Brian felt tears steaming down his face like a waterfall. "We have some live images now," Brian let out a loud sob seeing you and your crew trying to frantically solve the problem. He could see the look of fear on your face but you still remained unbelievably calm.

"So what you're technically saying is that they could suffocate in the cabin before reaching the earth's surface?" Brian was slowly crumbling inside- you didn't deserve that. None of you did.

The director sighed "Or...the capsule could overheat and burn up upon re-entry. We don't know what their chances will be but the crew are highly skilled. They will do everything possible to get home safely." Brian tried ringing through to the ESA headquarters- you had left him a number before you left but he couldn't get through. He was watching you and your crew losing air in front of his eyes.

As the three of you went through the process of re-entry, you all tried to fix the issue as best you could. The heat was becoming unbearable and it felt as if there was a weight on your chest as your lungs struggled to accept the dense atmosphere that was getting worse. "ETA- 5 minutes," you breathed out, starting to lose consciousness as fast as your teammates. "Oxygen- one and a half if were lucky." You all tapped frantically away at buttons. "Almost there boys," you looked at Yuri and Patrick- their eyes shut and heads bowed slightly. "Control- Gidzenko and Baudry are unconscious," you gasped for more air. "I need...I need to land the capsule myself." You groaned and struggled to keep you eyes open, there were people shouting at you through the coms but all you could hear was static and the rushing air outside. "I can't breathe..." you gasped holding and clawing at your chest as your eyes began to flutter shut. Your lungs couldn't cope, your breath had been taken away and not in the good way. Not like the way Brian took your breath away and made you see the most wonderful stars, not like the kind you had been looking up to all your life. "I can't do this..." you felt a tear slip down your cheek, your eyes opened and then you saw the photo of him. Brian. Safely tucked away in your spacesuit. "I promised," you groaned, stretching across to push a button. A loud ringing filled the cabin and your two teammates groaned, moving a little but still not waking up- that ringing meant the oxygen had ran out. "Okay I can do this...I can...supersonic woman, c'mon Y/N." You checked the clock you had a minute to land. You couldn't give up now, the last ten seconds were crucial for a safe landing. You had to manually engage the thrusters and then land. When you did, it felt like you had put yourself through a car crash twenty times. Dots of black began to cloud your vision, your breaths becoming a lot shorter before you completely blacked out.

•••

Brain didn't even realise he had fallen asleep until the phone rang and woke him up, his eyes heavy from tears. "Hello?"

"Brian? It's Y/N..."

He was now wide awake, almost dropping the phone "Y-you're alive?! Oh god!" He cried down the phone "I thought you died!" He sobbed "I thought you-"

"Shhh," you tried to soothe him over the phone bit you were crying just as much. "I'm okay. I'm here. I promised you I'd come back home didn't I?" You had to have someone help you wipe away your tears- your muscles were still adjusting to gravity. "I'm in the hospital but we're all okay. I'm going to be home in a few days and I swear to you I'm going to give you the biggest hug I can!" You let out a watery laugh. "I'm home, Bri. I made it. We all did."

•••

Brian was staring at the front page of the newspaper John was reading a few days later. Your face was on it along with photos of your teammates being pulled out the craft and photos of you all in hospital with your thumbs up. "Remarkable isn't it?" John murmured. "She saved their lives apparently. If no one could have enabled the landing sequence they would have died." Brian shut his eyes- he hated being reminded of that fact. "They're calling her a hero," John smiled and Brian tried not to let any tears slip down his cheeks.

"Didn't she play 'Don't stop me now'?" Roger hummed and Brian nodded. They were at the BBC news centre to do an interview with a radio station that was in the building. Brian would have rather have been at home talking to you- it had been four days since you arrived back on earth and he still hadn't seen you. He knew he would in a few days though- that kept him going. "Well we better head on through for this interview!" Roger clapped his hands together and they all made their way into the booth.

"The whole reason I requested to come home early was to see Brian and you're bloody forcing me to do this stupid interview! I don't see why I can't do it tomorrow or the day after! Plus I've already took part in an official press conference with my two teammates back in Germany! I don't want to do this!" You complained as the assistant the ESA had sent home with you, Jessica, walked you through the news studio. She picked you up at the airport and explained that the BBC had asked for you to do an interview- that it would only take a half hour. You even had to wear your bright blue, patch covered astronaut jumpsuit that made you stand out like a sore thumb. "Can I just go home?" She sent you a sympathetic look and shook her head no. You groaned "Fine! Half an hour and then I'm done for the day- I'm going home. Finally." You walked along endless corridors and tightly smiled as people clapped as you entered the studio. You shook hands with the presenter and sat down on the couch. 'Half an hour' you said to yourself 'Half an hour and you'll be on your way home to Brian.'

Jessica had left you to see out the interview on your own. You had barely made yourself comfortable on the seat when you flinched hearing the presenters voice loudly boom. "Today we have the remarkable astronaut and flight engineer, Y/N Y/L/N who managed to safely return to earth despite a breach in the Soyuz capsule she was in with two other crew mates." He turned to you with a wide, almost forced, smile. "You saved their lives!"

"I was just doing my job..." you softly replied. You didn't like everyone calling you a hero- you were only doing what you had to do. The reporter said you were too humble but you were so exhausted you didn't argue back. They asked you about space, what it was like and what you got up to while you were on the station. They then asked you what it was like being in such a near death experience. You hadn't answered that question before, only because you hadn't been asked it before. The official press conference you had to attend with the two others mainly focused on what went wrong. No one has asked you to discuss the fine line you experienced between life and death. You forced a smile "You know, the view you see from up there is unprecedented. Unlike anything you could possibly imagine." You avoided his question slightly. "There's slabs of ice bigger than some countries, the seas are so much bluer than you think and sand looks like molten gold." You stared off into the distance "It's only then you realise how important your world really is...how significant he is...even though he never thinks so." You were whispering towards the end, a tear streaming down your face. You blinked out of your Brian induced trance. "I'm sorry, what was the question?"

Brian fidgeted with the earphones as he tried to get them on over his hair. He let out an irritated sigh and shut his eyes for a moment. He heard your voice in his head and smiled. When he opened his eyes, he still heard it. At first Brian thought he was dreaming seeing you on the tv just outside the radio booth. "Is...is that live?" He asked pointing at the tv.

The radio talk show host nodded "Yeah! They film just down the hall actu- where are you going?!" He screamed when Brian ran out. The boys called after Brian before eventually trying to catch up with him. Brian ignored them and burst into the studio, earning some strange looks from the floor staff. You were still too engrossed answering questions to notice.

The presenter asked why you chose a Queen song. "Well I thought 'Don't stop me now' was quite fitting- plus I was being a supportive girlfriend," you lowly laughed. The presenter intently narrowed his eyebrows in confusion. "You see-" you began and glanced up just enough to see a tall, curly haired man with tears streaming down his cheeks staring at you. Tears welled in your eyes and you subtly pinched your thigh to make sure that you hadn't died on the way back home and that you weren't in your version of heaven. "Brian...?"

"Y/N!" His smile spread from ear to ear. You were real. You were right in front of him. The presenter shot his producer a glance and they just shrugged their shoulders. You stood up and walked towards him- completely forgetting the interview. You chest was heaving and you broke down when you reached him and his loving embrace. "I thought I'd never get to hold you again," he sobbed into your hair and held you against him so tight that his arms we're getting sore- he didn't care, he was just happy to have you in them.

"I promised you." You pulled back with glossy, red eyes and a smile. "I promised." You cupped his cheek before he leaned forward to kiss you. A kiss that was broadcasted to the rest of the nation. "Um," you cleared your throat and then realised that you were still in the middle of an interview. "I uh..." you found the camera on you both "I really missed him." The people in the studio started laughing and then began clapping you both, Brian held you against him as your cheeks flushed bright red. He softly tapped your arm and silently motioned you to go back and finish your interview. You hated leaving his warm embrace, but you knew as soon as the interview was over you'd get to hug him for as long as you wanted. "I'm sorry about that," you sheepishly smiled at the presenter who's mouth was wide open with shock. "I haven't seen him in so long!" You ecstatically grinned and looked over to Brian again who was crying with joy. "Almost dying has made me release how much I want to live my life with him." Brian quietly choked on a sob at your words.

The presenter snapped back into reality. "I...I understand," he lowly chuckled "It's just come as a surprise to myself and everyone else that you're with the guitarist of Queen."

"And astrophysicist!" You added and glanced over to Brian "Although he asks me far too many questions on the subject and just because I'm an astronaut doesn't mean I know everything about it!" You giggled "Cosmology is more my area."

"I'm sure dinner parties with the two of you are thrilling!" The presenter joked. "Brian!" He called him over "Join us." You scooted over a little and as soon as he sat down next to you, you grabbed his hand and held onto each other tightly, sending one another a beaming smile. The presenter asked you both dozens of questions and you pair of you answered them with a a constant smile on your faces. He then asked you one final question before you left. "Now I heard that you were rumoured for a very interesting mission! Now after that incredible act of skill and bravery, NASA are sure to include you on the team for the next Apollo expedition!" Your smile faltered slightly. You hadn't told Brian that before you left you had been shortlisted for the next mission to the moon. You hadn't told anyone. When you arrived back- you had earned a spot. You could feel Brian's eyes burning into you, and the rest of the nation as they awaited an answer.

"Uh...I haven't actually heard anything so there's nothing more I can say about that! Thank you for having me...thank you for having us." You looked at Brian and softly squeezed his hand.

When it was clear to go you turned to Brian and gave him another kiss. "So when were you going to tell us you're dating a fucking astronaut, Brian?!" Roger shrieked. You and Brian both jumped and looked up to the band who were looking at you both with wide eyes.

Brian gave you all his attention and smiled before properly introducing you. "Well...guys this is Y/N." You stood up and shook their hands. "I didn't want to tell you all until she came ba-" he hesitated for a second before he realised that you were standing beside him. That you were okay. That you were safe here on earth with him. "Until she came back." He managed to finish. "We've been together for a while, but I knew if I told you all about her before she left, all you would do is talk about her and I'd miss her even more than I already did." They hummed understandingly and asked you millions of questions until it dawned on them they still had a radio interview to do. "You want to come with us? Shouldn't take too long and we can go home right after." You were happy to hang around until he was finished. "Plus I don't want to let you out of my sight." He added with a laugh and pulled you in for a hug. "When do you leave?" Brian whispered into your ear, you could hear the sad undertone in his voice. Of course he'd know that you were going despite saying what you said to the presenter.

You pulled back a little and sent him a thin smile "Five years. We have lots of time together before-"

"Before you leave for the moon." He said, sounding a little more amused. "I'm proud of you, my supersonic woman." He kissed you again with a wide grin on his face. Brian took a deep breath and cupped your cheeks. "Just...don't almost die, alright?"

You nodded, giving him another kiss. It felt like he was taking you out of this world every time his lips were on yours. "I promise."

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