wcters · 1 day ago
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𝟮𝟰 𝗛𝗢𝗨𝗥𝗦 + 𝗬𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗥𝗜𝗩𝗔𝗟𝗥𝗬 𝗪𝗜𝗧𝗛 𝗔𝗡𝗚𝗥𝗬 𝗚𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗘
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pairing: lando norris x fem!reader
word count: 2.9k+
summary: your view of the behind the scenes and video of “i ate and trained like lando norris for 24 hours”
warnings: swearing, some pda, sexual innuendos, flirting | here’s some redemption for lando, this may suck because i need to get better at writing transitions, please watch the video titled in the summary for context 😚
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You were awoken by the feeling of a finger grazing your hip. You mumbled something incoherent and went to go back to sleep when you felt a kiss on your cheek. “Time to get up.” You heard your boyfriend whisper from behind you. “Go away.” You mumbled, still not fully awake and angry that you had been woken up. “Unless you want to be caught walking around in just a shirt and underwear in front of a camera, you need to get up.”
You let out a groan and rubbed your eyes as you remembered what day it was. Lando was filming a Quadrant video with Ethan and the man who rivalled you in how much you love your boyfriend, Morgan ━━ otherwise known as “Angry Ginge”. You and him had a rivalry, though it was just fun and games, and Lando and Morgan make it known a lot. “Fine, fine.” You shooed him away with a movement of your hand and moved to lay on your back as you finally opened your eyes.
When you looked around, you were blessed with the sight of your boyfriends bare back as he changed into a basic hoodie and pants. You let out a wolf whistle and he turned around to face you with a look on his face. “What? Can’t appreciate my wonderful boyfriend?” He laughed and turned around to continue. “As long as I can do the same to my girlfriend.”
The two of you fell into a quiet conversation of how the day was going to go as you willed yourself to get up from your extremely comfy bed to get ready. “What time is it anyway?” You had a habit of keeping your phone plugged in in the living room because even though your boyfriend was a multimillionaire, the plug in on your side of the bed was shitty and both of you don’t bother to get it fixed. You didn’t mind it too much though. When Lando wasn’t away at races, he was here with you and he’d let you know the time. When he wasn’t, you’d use the plug in on his side because you sleep on his side when he’s away anyway.
“Around 7:15. Wanted to give you time to shower and put makeup on if you needed to.” He replied, heading out of the bedroom and into the kitchen. You hummed in acknowledgment even though he couldn’t hear you and you finished getting dressed before heading to the bathroom to do your skincare and put makeup on. By the time you were done doing that and made your way into the kitchen it was 7:45. As Lando got prepared for filming, you spent the rest of the time cleaning up things around the house. It wasn’t messy, per se, but you wanted the house to look good for the guests and the boys. You know both Morgan and Ethan wouldn’t care about some coffee mugs left on the table or some blanket strewn about, but you didn’t care.
As you unplugged your phone to check the time and see if you had any missed messages the doorbell rang. You put your phone down as to not be rude. You had met Ethan before, but you’d never met Ginge in person before. You heard the door open and greetings being said before there are footsteps and the four figures come into view. You hug Ethan while telling him you missed him and hoped he’s doing good before making your way over to Ginge. “Y/n.” He said as if a brawl is about to start. You play along, “Morgan.” There’s silence as the camera films the encounter before you hug and greet each other. “It’s nice to meet you in person.” You tell him as you pull away. “You two, I guess.” He joked. You roll your eyes.
“Well, welcome in.” Lando interrupted as he gestures to the apartment. You lead the boys through a tour of the house as you point out different rooms ━━ and you add on embarrassing stories about Lando that make him blush.
“He takes up more space with his trophy’s than with you,” Ginge teased as he looked at the trophies on the side table in the living room. Lando opened his mouth to respond but you do it first. “At least we have trophies to put out? What do you have? The award for most annoying person ever?” Morgan started to rant and you laugh as you lean into Lando’s body. “We hang photos elsewhere.” You answer seriously this time. “All the embarrassing ones stay in the camera roll though. I wear a bonnet to bed and Lando thinks it’s hilarious and takes pictures every time. I’ve tried to get him to wear one as it’s good at protecting your hair, but he claimed he couldn’t sleep with it.” “I couldn’t!” “I’d pay to see that.”
Morgan played with the box and ended up breaking it ━━ you know how to fix it, you’re prepared, and you all make conversations as they set up the “interview” spot in the living room and film them. After that, you all make your way to the kitchen. “That better not be what we’re eatin’.” Ginge exclaimed as Lando opened the door to the fridge. “This is your breakfast, my friend.” Lando smiled and pointed to the containers. Morgan turned to you, “are you eating that?” You shook your head and let out a ‘no’. “That’s for him and you guys, I get my own food.” You tell them. “I want whatever that is because it has to be better than this.”
“This might be one of the best breakfasts you’ll ever have.” Lando told them. “Mate, that looks like you ate reakfast and then threw it up.” Ethan joked. “It’s actually not bad,” you interrupted as you started to make your breakfast, “I’ve had it before. It’s quite good, although I’m not a fan of cinnamon.” “It has cinnamon in it?” Ginge asked. “Apple, cinnamon, and pecan.” Lando answered. They chat about the texture and make fun of it as you finish making your breakfast.
“You normally up at this time?” Morgan questioned Lando. “Yeah.” “What about you y/n?” “Depends on the day,” you reply, “I’m normally not up this early but with travelling and work it changes.” “What time do you go to bed?” Morgan continued. “Depends.” “On what?” Ethan raised an eyebrow. “If they’re going at it, dirty bastards.” You laugh and Lando blushes at that. “It’s not always nighttime.” You winked at them before heading into the dining room and turning on your computer. You worked from home which made it easier to visit Lando at races. Most of them you went to, but sometimes you had to stay home as you had an important meeting or had to head into your works headquarters. You wanted to take the time you had right now to finish sending some emails and editing work before the day officially started.
There was some more conversation before Lando kissed your head and let you know that they were going to go do some training. A couple minutes passed before you were done replying to emails and things. “Y/n?” Lando called out to you from the workout room. “What?” You called back as you got up and closed your laptop. “Where are the workout bands?” “I think they’re in the bedroom.” You crossed your arms as you made your way into the hallway facing the room. “How have the workout bands made it to the bedroom?” Ethan asked out loud. “I do yoga in there because I like to watch my show while I do it,” you answered, “always so dirty minded Ethan.” You shake your head with a smile on your face.
Lando comes back with them and they continue with what they were doing before, obviously with some jokes ━━ especially about the mirror you have in there ━━ and Ginge “flirting” with your boyfriend. You joined in on some things like the planking and the stretches, but you opted out of most of it. Who could blame you? You preferred to ogle your boyfriend. You did the same when they moved on to the cryotherapy. “You not joinin’ us? Coward.” Morgan teased you as you stood behind the camera. “Mate, I do not need to be in -110 degrees. I didn’t do that full workout.” As they went in, you could hear the jokes and the laughing that was happening in there.
You turned to the camera to speak. “I’ve done that before, and let’s just say I never want to do it again. I felt like my tits were going to fall off. Their reactions are valid.” You told the camera as you knew their footage from inside was going in. When the three minutes were up, you let the boys know and they came rushing out as soon as the door was opened. “Mate, that was freezing.” Ethan said as he came out. “I felt the cold when the door was opened, I can’t imagine how you guys feel,” You laughed, “If you’re still cold when we get back to the house I’ll give you some blankets.”
The boys and you came home around one pm after the cryotherapy and they sat around the dining table as they get introduced to their lunch. You had leftovers from when you went out for dinner a couple days ago so you were eating that. Since this morning, you could tell that the boys were probably going to hate the menu today. You felt a little bad, but also thought it was funny. It was their video idea. You could hear Morgan’s complaining in the kitchen.
“What’s this though?” You hear Ginge ask as you enter the dining room. “Radish.” You answer as you take a peice of chicken from Lando’s bowl and put in your mouth. “Oh, that’s disgusting.” Ginge exclaimed once he puts the radish in his mouth. “I’ll just eat the mango, I’m not having anything else.” Ginge said with a furrow in his brow. “No, eat all of it.” “You can’t force it down my throat. “Here,” you started as you swallowed your bite, “eat what you can and you can have this. It’s still quite healthy but I assume it’s things you like.” You traded your meal with his. “I like those so I’ll eat them.” The camera panned to Lando and his face of disbelief. “I don’t know how you can like that.” Morgan glanced between you and the plate with disgust. You shrugged, “his nutritionist makes good food.” Ethan made a face that obviously says he disagrees and Lando laughs. “How often do you have this?” Morgan asked him as he takes a bit of your food. “About five times a week.” Lando answered, “though sometimes I’ll have leftovers like y/n was.”
“Do you ever get bored of this and think ‘fuck it, I’ll have a pizza’?” Lando laughs and then nods. “All the time.” You revealed to them, “though he’s usually good at sticking with that.” You point to the bowl in front of him. “Does y/n eating regular food make you jealous?” Ethan questioned and you laugh at the choice of words. “Sometimes, but she eats healthy as well so it’s the same level of nutrition and tastes quite similarly.” Lando explained. “Sometimes I’ll sneak him a pizza though.” You reveal as you smirk. “Hey, I do that to myself all the time.” Morgan joked.
There was some quiet conversation as the boys started their game of Jenga before Ginge spoke up. “How’d you two meet?” He asked as Ethan was trying carefully to get a brick out. “I was actually doing a media internship with McLaren in 2021. I have to be honest, I had no idea who Lando was. I had heard of Lewis a couple times but I wasn’t a big F1 fan. McLaren was just an opportunity that popped up and I took it.” You explained to everyone. “So, officially ending the rumours, you’re not a gold digger?” Morgan asked as a joke. You hummed, “I can’t say that.” You laugh. “I’m just kidding, no, I’m not. We made a deal that we half most things but he just gets to the bill before me most of the time. I need to work on being quicker.” The camera panned to Lando as he ate. “I like to spoil her.” “I’d let you spoil me Lando.” Ginge winked as the brunette. You jokingly glare at him. “I’m sorry, he just loves me too much.” He continued to say, “he’s just afraid to admit it.” “Oh yeah, I’m sure.” You nod slowly.
“How did you ask her out?” Ethan asked Lando. He put a finger to his lips, “it’s a secret.” Because he wouldn’t tell everyone looked at you. “He doesn’t want to tell because it’s embarrassing. I’m not allowed to tell.” You told them the truth. It was. If he just felt it was embarrassing you would’ve told but it really was embarrassing. He had a whole plan of what he was going to do but when I happened he got nervous and fucked it. The boys begged to hear the story. “The only thing I’ll say is I’m surprised I said yes.”
“It was that bad?” Morgan asked in disbelief. “I mean, I knew you were bad at flirting but I didn’t think it was that bad.” Lando blushed and tried it come up with a response. “Even if I knew before he asked me out he was rich, that probably wouldn’t change my chances of saying no.” Both Ethan and Ginge grimaced. “Does Max know?” Ethan then asked. “Nope. No one knows except for me and Lando ━━ and maybe Daniel who might’ve witnessed it.” Lando then jokingly hit you on the back of the head and you knew it was time to stop. You laughed and stuck your tongue out at him.
The next thing that Lando had planned for them was sim racing. He explained how it works and what circuit it was set on before he got on it to set up a baseline for what time they needed to get. “Who do you thinks going to be the best?” Ethan asked you as Lando was in the chair. “I mean . . . Ethan doesn’t even have his license but in that one quadrant video where they tested everyone’s driving skills he did alright,” you answered, “it’s also happening on a screen. I’ve never seen you drive,” you pointed to Morgan, “but I don’t know if I’d trust you.” Ethan gave you a fist bump as the ginger put a hand over his heart. “That wounds me, y/n.” “Just being honest.” You shrugged. “Too honest in my opinion.”
After setting a time and letting Ethan have a practice go, he let the boys know they had to be within 4.5 seconds of his time - having changed it from 10 and then having a mini fight with Ginge. It was Ethan’s turn first at the simulator. He did pretty well in your eyes ━━ besides hitting a cone and sliding off the track. Compared to Ginge, he was excellent. You didn’t know what was happening with Morgan and what he was doing, but you did know it was incredibly funny . . . And you definitely took videos of him freaking out that totally weren’t for blackmail.
After he crashed for the millionth time and you laughing again, he turned his face to you. “Do you want to give it a go then?” He challenge you. “Sure.” You replied, sliding into the seat as he got up. You’d done the sim a few times. Mostly Lando trying to teach you and you not getting it, but other times you’d be bored at the house and try to give it a try. You think you did well with the two times you tried it. You only crashed once and went off a few times, and were only a little better than Ethan. Morgan kept yelling and saying it was clearly rigged and that the software was dogshit.
The day in Monaco ended with going out for dinner and Lando taking the boys out for a helicopter ride. You didn’t know this, but in the final video cut there’d be clips but together of you and Morgan bickering all throughout the video and whenever this would happen, the camera would show either Lando and Ethan with a look on their face. Even though you pretended to not like Morgan, he was a pretty good guy. You had a good time with him and Ethan ━━ especially singing karaoke in the car.
And for anyone’s information, you were definitely forced to get Lightning McQueen crocs against your will.
+ moment featured in morgan’s vlog
You stood at the passenger side of the car with your arms crossed and eyebrow raised. “What?” Morgan asked you. “Why you starin’ at me like that?” “That’s my seat.” You tell him as you make a movement with your head. He makes a face, “you don’t claim seats. And I got here first. In the back you go.” That’s when Lando made his war to the car and into the drivers seat. “That’s her seat, mate.” He told the ginger. He makes the same face as he did before. He shakes his head and gets up, pulling his phone out of his pocket and begins to film. “This is discrimination against the poor. I’m suing you.” You smile at him. “Too bad, I’m his girlfriend, I get the passenger seat.” “You just wait until he dumps you for me, babe. Then you’ll be sorry.” “When that day happens, you can get the story of how he asked me out.”
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soulprompts · 1 day ago
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CARING FOR THE SICK PROMPTS.
i found this list and kinda fed into it each time i got the flu or a migraine, and u know what, it's just me revealing just how much i love the caring threads and the soft threads and the fondly exasperated "let me help you" threads! use at your pleasure, DO NOT ADD TO THE LIST NOR EDIT IT! i will be changing it accordingly!
" i found you passed out in the kitchen. you wanna stop working yourself so hard? or do i need to keep hitting the gym to carry you to bed every day? "
" you're burning up. "
" your neighbour called me and said you could use a nurse. looks like they were right, too. "
" you were told to take it easy, so... yeah. this is kinda on you. "
" you took a sick day. you NEVER take a sick day. so yeah, i got worried, and i figured i'd come over and keep an eye on you. "
" you texted me a long and incoherent text that held about 90% of the emoji list and about four different languages. figured it wouldn't hurt to drop by and see how you were doing. "
" how long have you been sick for? and don't lie. "
" you look like hell. "
" i brought you some soup; let me heat some up for you? "
" okay. it's time you went to the hospital. "
" hey… hello there, sleeping beauty. you gave me a bit of a scare yesterday. how are you feeling? "
" i swear, if you even think of getting out of that bed… "
" you know when i said to call if it's an emergency? a fever is most DEFINITELY considered an emergency! "
" if you think you're going to work like this, you better think again. "
" don't worry. my family swears by this remedy; just let it work its magic and you'll feel good as new in no time. "
" I don't care about getting sick. i'm not leaving you until you're back to full health. "
" you didn't stop to think that this might happen when you're burning the candle at both ends? "
" yeah, I can play the role of nurse AND say "I told you so" at the same time, actually. "
" you better drink every last drop of this tea, no matter how disgusting it is. "
" i told my boss it was an emergency so they've given me a full week to look after you. "
" quit being so stubborn and get into BED! "
" what part of doctor's orders hasn't sunk in yet? bed rest! for the WEEK! "
" right, where do you keep your saucepans? i'm going to make you my famous noodle soup. it's a cure-all, i'm telling you! "
" hey, unless you're going to the bathroom or the sofa, I don't want to see you out of that bed. got it? "
" when are you gonna start letting people look after you, huh? "
" i know, i know, i turned off all the lights once i figured you had the migraine. you want some tea? water? "
" don't be mad, but i saw your fridge, and... it frightened me. so i've taken you back to my place, and i'm gonna get deliveroo to bring some groceries to your place tomorrow. okay? "
" i know your appetite is a little off, so i ordered in a whole tonne of options. just try a little bit of something, please? for me? "
" i've brought half a pharmacy, enough movies and boardgames to last us a decade, and every single snack i could fit into the basket at the grocery store. so sit your butt down, eat your soup, and try and make the most of your bed rest for the next week, will you? "
ACTION PROMPTS ( SEND THE FULL LINE! and feel free to reverse if u wish! ):
[ TOUCH ]: sender gently rests a hand against the receiver's forehead to check their temperature.
[ DAMP ]: sender presses a cool cloth against the receiver's face, neck and forehead to try and lower their fever.
[ BLANKET ]: sender wraps another blanket around the receiver to try and stop them from shivering.
[ SPOON ]: sender gently coaxes spoons of soup into the receiver's mouth to build up their strength after an illness.
[ CARRY ]: sender, finding the receiver weakened/unconscious on the floor, immediately lifts them up and carries them back to bed.
[ AROUND ]: sender keeps a protective arm around the receiver to help them walk without the risk of stumbling or collapsing.
[ STAY ]: sender decides to stay by the receiver's bedside after learning that they're sick.
[ HAIR ]: sender smooths back the receiver's hair in a soothing gesture to try and help them go back to sleep.
[ TILT ]: sender tips a bottle of water up for the receiver to sip from.
[ HUM ]: sender hums/sings to soothe a sick receiver back to sleep.
[ BACK ]: sender gently rubs the receiver's back, either to soothe them or warm them while they're unwell.
[ SHARE ]: sender climbs into the receiver's sickbed with them, wrapping their arms around them to offer warmth and comfort.
[ SHOWER ]: sender, learning the receiver has a high fever, takes a cold shower with them in order to lower their temperature.
[ WAKEN ]: the receiver wakes up in bed, having been found unconscious by the sender and carried into the bed from the floor.
[ QUARANTINE ]: the sender and receiver, both being sick, decide to quarantine together and spend the recovery period with each other.
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seongwars · 3 days ago
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ardently | iii
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Pairing: Viscount!Choi San x Countess!Reader AU: non-idol | regency au Summary: After falling victim to one of Choi San’s many wagers, you vowed to a life of eternal spinsterhood. However, when the Choi family faces the imminent threat of losing their estate, the very man you swore you would never forgive re-enters your life.  Word Count: 6.5K Warnings: yeosang's corny jokes, one swear word, historical inaccuracies (sorry again history buffs)
Fic Masterlist
a/n: finally, more plot!
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Mornings at the Kang estate were typically quiet, a gentle hush settling over the grounds as dawn cast a soft light over the gardens and pathways. Peace reigned in those early hours—until, without fail, Duke Jeong Yunho would arrive with his boundless energy and unfaltering cheer. 
Though you had grown accustomed to the Duke’s frequent, and often untimely, appearances, the sight of him stepping down from his carriage at such an early hour still managed to catch you off guard.
Moments later, Yunho appeared at the threshold, looking every bit the gentleman with his neatly pressed coat and bright smile. He greeted you with a slight bow, the usual warmth in his gaze as he held out a parcel wrapped in fine paper.
"You do know it's not calling hours, don't you?" you muttered, wondering what had possessed him to arrive with such a sunny disposition at such an ungodly hour. It was only ten in the morning. 
"And here I thought I might actually receive a warm welcome. I came across something I thought might interest you."
You narrowed your eyes at him, immediately suspicious. The last time he had uttered those words, you’d been subjected to an encounter that haunted you to this day. 
"The last time you came across something you thought might interest me," you replied, eyeing the package warily, "it flew out of your pocket and onto my face."
Yunho’s grin widened, clearly pleased with himself. "Oh, you mean the toad?" he teased, utterly unrepentant. 
"I think it showed you more affection than I ever could. It really liked you, you know."
"It attacked me, Yunho."
"It befriended you," he corrected with a mischievous wink. "You're terrible at reading the intentions of amphibians."
You gave him a skeptical glance before cautiously unwrapping the parcel. As the paper fell away, your skepticism turned to surprise. Nestled inside were beautifully bound sheets of music, their once-vibrant edges slightly worn, as if they had traveled through time itself. The faded ink on the covers hinted at their age, while intricate notations in elegant Italian script decorated each page.
Your breath caught as you gingerly flipped through the compositions, your fingers tracing the delicate notes written by a hand long gone. The music was intricate, sophisticated—far more than anything you had ever expected from one of Yunho’s usual "finds."
“Where on earth did you find this?” you asked, marveling at the notes.
Yunho’s playful demeanor softened as he watched your reaction, clearly pleased with himself. 
“A merchant from Italy was docked at the port,” he explained, leaning casually against the doorframe. 
“We chatted about his goods, and the conversation eventually turned to music. He mentioned he had a collection of rare compositions from Venice—many of them passed down through his family. Apparently, his great-grandfather had been a patron of the arts, collecting works from Italian composers during their prime.”
He paused, his smile widening. “Naturally, I couldn’t resist asking to see them.”
You raised an eyebrow, still flipping through the pages. “And you just happened to strike up a conversation about music with a merchant?”
“Well,” Yunho admitted with a sheepish grin, “I may have mentioned I was looking for some rare items for a friend who appreciates these sorts of things. He showed me his collection, and when I saw the quality, I couldn’t leave without bringing some of it back for you.”
You stared at him, speechless. Yunho wasn’t typically one for grand gestures like this, especially without some sort of joke attached. 
“These are…remarkable,” you said softly, glancing back down at the parchment. 
"Well?" Yunho pressed, jerking his head toward the pianoforte with a gleam in his eyes. 
"I didn’t go through the trouble of charming a merchant just for you to stand there admiring the notes."
You raised an eyebrow, feeling the corners of your lips twitch upward. "And here I thought you brought it over to practice your own skills," you quipped, folding your arms.
Before Yunho could retort, a shadow flickered at the edge of your vision. Your mother stood at the doorway, hands clasped in front of her, her gaze keen as it traveled from you to Yunho with an unmistakable glimmer of interest.
“Yunho, how lovely to see you,” she greeted, but her tone carried a hint of something more curious. 
"Lady Kang," he replied smoothly, the slightest hint of a bow gracing his posture. "It’s always a pleasure."
“And I see you’ve brought Y/N a gift?”
Yunho hesitated, his hand drifting to the back of his neck. “Ah, yes,” he began, voice shifting to a more formal tone, “just something I thought she’d appreciate.”
Your mother gave a knowing look, her smile widening. “Oh, I’m certain she will! Though it’s not every day a young man brings a lady a gift with such…intention.”
“Mother, please don't.”
You could feel your mother’s amusement bubbling beneath her calm exterior. She had always liked Yunho, perhaps a little too much sometimes. The hint of matchmaking in her tone was unmistakable, though she never said it outright. Instead, she turned to you, her voice light. 
“It’s so sweet of the Duke to bring you such thoughtful gifts. One might think…” She trailed off with a raised brow, leaving the implication hanging in the air.
“Oh, is this the part where Yunho tries to convince everyone he’s not courting you?” Yeosang deadpanned, strolling into the foyer with casual nonchalance.
He glanced between the three of you—your mother’s raised brow, Yunho’s flustered expression, and your obvious discomfort—before his eyes landed on the stack of sheet music in your hands.
Yunho shot him a look of pure exasperation only to earn a shrug from his long time friend. You couldn’t help but snort at his mortified expression, grateful for the well-timed interruption. 
“Why don’t I have the maids set up tea in the garden?” your mother suggested, a sly glint in her eye.
“Yes, an excellent idea,” Yeosang agreed, clasping his hands with an all-too-innocent smile. He managed to keep his amusement at bay, though his gaze flickered briefly to Yunho, clearly enjoying his friend’s flustered state.
“Then it’s settled,” she declared, her eyes twinkling with unmistakable mischief.
The sun was gentle in the garden, casting warm patches of light through the leafy branches that stretched over the table. Your mother’s idea for tea outdoors was a success, with the scent of blooming roses in the air and a soft breeze carrying just the right amount of summer warmth. 
Yeosang, predictably, had gravitated toward the lemon cakes, nibbling on them with a contented sigh as though savoring every bite. You watched him, smiling to yourself, as he nearly stacked three cakes on his plate, an oblivious bliss on his face that somehow felt entirely on-brand.
“Remember the time you thought you could impress Lim Sara by climbing that tree in the garden?” your brother began. 
“You got stuck halfway up and had to be rescued by the gardener while Ms. Lim looked on in horror.”
Yunho’s face was flushed, but he was laughing too, his usual composure softened by the memories.  
“I thought it would be heroic!” he defended, voice muffled but carrying a hint of laughter. “How was I supposed to know climbing wasn’t my strong suit?”
“Is that why you turned to trading?” you laughed. “No trees to conquer, just ledgers and contracts.”
Yunho’s gaze lingered on you a moment longer than usual, a warmth in his eyes that felt almost…tender. He cleared his throat, catching himself, and shifted back into the ease of conversation.
“Before I forget, I’ll be hosting a hunt at my family’s estate in a few weeks,” he announced, his gaze moving between you and Yeosang, though his smile was still aimed in your direction. 
“I expect you both to join me.”
“Oh, absolutely. I’ve been waiting to remind you of my superior aim,” Yeosang chimed in, smirking as he picked up another lemon cake. “Just try to keep up, Duke.”
A faint smile lingered on Yunho’s face, but then, almost as if in passing, he asked, “By the way, how is Mr. Choi?”
“Haunting our grounds like a ghost,” you muttered before you could stop yourself, a tinge of bitterness slipping into your tone.
“Y/N,” Yeosang warned, his eyes narrowing slightly as he gave you a subtle shake of his head. 
It had been a few weeks since San’s accident. He’d been recovering in the guest room, and you’d barely spoken to him since your last encounter in the hallway. Every time you glimpsed at his door, a wave of apprehension washed over you, followed closely by a stubborn urge to look away, as if doing so could banish his presence from your mind. 
I think the world of you.
When he looked at you with those pleading eyes, you knew better than to believe it. His words were nothing more than empty pleasantries, meant to charm, meant to smooth over whatever fractures he’d left behind.
It was the sort of thing he could say without a second thought, words crafted to keep you wondering, lingering, trapped in a net of his own design. And yet… somehow, they’d managed to worm their way under your defenses, lingering in the quiet of your room and refusing to let you sleep. 
A scoff slipped past your lips, willing the thought away, only for it to worm its way back in. Maybe he had changed, or maybe this was simply a new tactic, one meant to keep you doubting your own instincts. But you weren’t foolish enough to be taken in again.
That night, you clutched your pillow to your chest and sighed, the sound heavy with resignation. A spinster’s life—a world unmarred by romantic turmoil—wasn’t that the fate you’d resigned yourself to? 
Yes, you’d be content, filling your days with the peaceful pursuits that brought you joy. Books and music would keep you company, their worlds vast and vivid, painting colors far richer than those society’s courtships could provide. You’d have the steadfast loyalty of a dog by your side, the soft warmth of companionship without the encumbrance of expectation. Your own home, a haven of solitude and independence, would be yours to keep.
And maybe one day, you would travel, explore new lands beyond the constraints of the ton, tasting freedom unchained by marital duty or obligation.
At least, that’s what you told yourself, hugging your pillow a little tighter, as if that small gesture might steady the quiet, yet stubborn flutter of longing that refused to be stilled. 
Somehow, against all reason, your heart continued to betray you. No matter how many times you’d sworn it off, how resolutely you told yourself that you’d no use for love, a glimmer of something softer—something almost hopeful—would creep in.
“I didn’t take Mr. Choi to be such a recluse,” Yunho commented, bringing his teacup to his lips. 
“He might be avoiding company now,” you replied, unable to keep a hint of bitterness from slipping through. “But it’s only a matter of time before he returns, likely more insufferable than before.”
Yunho chuckled, setting down his drink with a soft clink, but his smile seemed to fade a fraction as he studied you. He leaned forward, his elbows resting on the table, and you caught a glint of concern beneath his curiosity—a silent question, perhaps.
“Enough about San—his accident is far too grim a topic for such a sunny afternoon.” He gestured around at the blooming garden, where the roses nodded lazily in the breeze. 
“No need to cloud such a pleasant gathering with talk of his sulking.”
You stifled a small laugh, grateful for the shift in conversation. “An excellent point,” you agreed, tracing your finger along the edge of your teacup.
“Now, about that hunt,” he continued, his tone brightening considerably.
“You'll need some fair practice if you’re to keep up with me.”
“I assure you, my skills are quite adequate. But worry not, your grace, I’ll try not to embarrass you,” you replied, smiling over the rim of your teacup. 
"Is that so? It appears I've underestimated my company," he said, his smile warm as though your confidence amused and pleased him all at once.
But as you took another sip, your gaze drifted over the garden, lingering just a bit too long on the pathway leading toward the manor. Here, in the company of friends, surrounded by laughter, you ease just enough to breathe freely. Perhaps, for a time, you could forget the questions clouding your mind—the ones about San and the strange ache that sometimes emerged with the mere thought of him.
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San stared out the window of the guest room, the first light of dawn casting a faint glow over the courtyard below. Sleep had eluded him, leaving him tangled in memories that seemed determined to haunt him, replaying over and over in his mind. 
He could still see the way you’d looked at him–guarded, assessing his sincerity, and ultimately finding him lacking. His heart raced unsteadily, each beat a painful reminder of everything he’d done wrong as you walked away from him. 
What if he’d said too much? What if he’d said too little? He wanted to convey his remorse, to strip himself bare of all pretense, and let you see him as he truly was—not the arrogant rake who’d made you the center of a careless bet, but the man who wanted nothing more than to be worthy of the chance to make it up to you.
He knew you weren’t exactly thrilled to have him lingering around the estate, considering the awkwardness between you two. But despite your best efforts to avoid him, your paths seemed to cross constantly.
One morning, you attempted to slip quietly into the library for a few hours of solitude. But as you turned the corner, nose buried in a book you’d been meaning to finish, you collided—quite literally—with San. 
He was precariously balancing a towering stack of books under one arm, and the impact sent both of you stumbling. His books tumbled to the floor in a noisy cascade, and the two of you scrambled to gather them up, both muttering apologies, both avoiding eye contact.
You also had the misfortune of encountering him in one of the least dignified settings possible–right after a ride across the grounds. 
You tried to walk past him as casually as possible, pretending you hadn’t just emerged from the stables looking as though you’d been dragged through every muddy patch on the estate. You kept your eyes fixed ahead, hoping he’d simply nod in greeting and continue on his way.
No such luck. San’s steps slowed as he approached, his eyes taking in your windblown hair, your riding jacket streaked with dust, and the scuffed boots that had seen better days. 
His expression was uncharacteristically soft and curious, and the subtle rise of his brow suggested he wanted to say something, yet he remained silent, as if he, too, was caught off guard by the moment.
Your face warmed under his attention and you stiffened, willing yourself not to look flustered even as his gaze lingered. This was already humiliating enough without him turning it into an opportunity to tease you further.
Without thinking, you spun on your heel, aiming to escape before he could witness any more of your disheveled state. The muddy boots scuffed loudly against the floor, but you didn’t care; you wanted to put as much distance as possible between you both. 
At dinner, you found yourself regrettably seated beside him, your mother’s handiwork evident in her suspiciously delighted expression. San, for his part, was equally uncomfortable. He cleared his throat, a small, polite cough that seemed to signal his lack of readiness for whatever tension your mother had created between you. 
“The duck looks wonderful,” Yeosang piped up suddenly, his voice robotic in his attempt to break the silence. His eyes darted from you to San and back again, his expression painfully earnest. 
“A true masterpiece of poultry. You could say it’s egg-squisite.”
“Yeosang, dear,” your mother began with her tone that she reserved for moments of social critique, “perhaps it’s best if you let San and Y/N find their own…conversational rhythm.”
“You’re right mother, I wouldn’t want to duck into their affairs.”
Yeosang, clearly thrilled with himself, leaned back in his chair with an insufferably smug look, adding fuel to the already blazing fire your mother had set between you and San. 
San’s gaze followed you as you precariously hoisted yourself onto the edge of the fountain. He hadn't intended to stay in his room for so long, but there was something about seeing you alone in that quiet space, where the world felt distant and softer. It was a place where you were unreachable, yet somehow, he found himself drawn closer every time.
He knew he should give you space, especially after everything that had transpired a few weeks ago. The memory of that day haunted him—the way he had followed you down the corridor, desperate to explain himself. His words had been clumsy, tangled in his own frustration and the weight of misunderstandings. 
His breath caught as he realized how intently he was watching you, heart betraying him with a familiar flutter he had no control over. But as you moved through the garden, the delicate sheet music in your hands, his resolve faltered. He watched as you sat at the table, your movements so careful and precise as you set the delicate pages near the edge.
“What in the world…?” San muttered under his breath, his brow furrowing as he peered more closely. He could see your fingers stretching out toward something. Before he could make sense of the situation, his legs were already moving, carrying him out of the drawing room, down the stairs, and out the door. 
After seeing Yunho off with your brother, you were eager to fetch the sheet music he had gifted you. The delicate weight of the sheet music he had gifted you felt almost sacred in your hands, each page carefully filled with handwritten notes, as if you could almost hear their melodies in its silence. 
But just as you settled into the peaceful moment, a sudden gust of wind whipped through the garden, tugging at your hair and clothes and pulling the fragile pages from the table. 
Outside, you were oblivious to San’s growing panic. Your focus was entirely on the lost sheet music, drifting just out of reach. The wind had betrayed you, and now the last page of the composition was gliding lazily across the fountain’s surface. With a huff, you leaned further over the edge, teetering dangerously close to plunging into the water.
“Oh fuck me,” you grumbled, stretching as far as your arm would go without toppling over. The paper flirted with your fingertips, taunting you with its slow, inevitable descent into the fountain’s depths. 
“Y/N! What do you think you’re doing?” 
San sounded utterly scandalized, as if you were hanging from a cliff rather than a fountain ledge. 
Startled, you turned to face him, wide-eyed. The moment of distraction cost you–your arms flailed, and before you could catch yourself, you tumbled forward, plunging into the cold water with a loud, humiliating splash. Water sloshed over the edges as you struggled for a brief moment before finally sitting up in the fountain, thoroughly drenched and utterly defeated.
San’s eyes widened in horror as he skidded to a stop, staring at you, sopping wet and dazed, sitting in the middle of the fountain. His concern overtook everything else, and without thinking, he jumped in after you, the water soaking through his clothes instantly as he rushed to your side.
“Are you alright?” His voice was breathless with concern as he knelt beside you, his good hand hovering just over your shoulder, unsure if he should touch you. 
Blinking up at him, you brushed the soaked strands of hair from your eyes, meeting his gaze with a flicker of surprise. His shirt clung to him, dripping from his hasty attempt to save you, and a faint smile tugged at his lips. For a heartbeat, you forgot about the ruined sheet music and your own disheveled state, captivated by how breathtakingly handsome he looked just then—his guard down, his focus entirely on you.
Curse him—and curse yourself, too, for noticing. How maddening it was that a face like his could soften even his sharp, infuriating personality, leaving you momentarily spellbound despite every fault you’d sworn to hold against him.
“What are you doing?” you asked, your tone sharper than you intended. 
“You fell headfirst into the fountain!” San replied, his words spilling out too quickly, flustered and breathless. His brow furrowed, cheeks flushed. 
“I thought—you might have hurt yourself.”
“I’m fine,” you mumbled.
"Right… good," he muttered, clearly trying to mask his embarrassment as he bent down to retrieve a single, waterlogged sheet of music that had drifted past. 
You glanced at him, biting back a comment as you caught sight of his flushed face, water dripping down from his hair onto his brow. The sight of him, now a complete mess, tugged at something within you, though you weren’t sure if it was anger, amusement, or something else entirely.
San cleared his throat, shifting awkwardly as he looked around, clearly unsure of what to do with himself now that he was standing knee-deep in the fountain with you. 
“I’m… I’m sorry about your notes,” he stammered, the words slipping out in an awkward, clumsy rush. His fingers tightened around the soaked page, but the ink had already bled, leaving only faint, dark rivulets smudging across the once-perfect sheet music. 
“I-I’m sure Yunho will understand.” 
A pang of guilt surprised you—you hadn’t expected to feel bad for him. But the moment Yunho’s name left your lips, you noticed the subtle shift in San’s expression. His shoulders stiffened, and something unreadable flickered in his eyes before he managed to mask it.
There was a beat of silence, the awkwardness hanging between you as you sat there, dripping wet and too close for comfort. You moved away slightly, crossing your arms against the cold water seeping into your clothes. 
“My Lady! Mr. Choi!” your head maid, Anna, called as she rushed across the lawn, a small battalion of maids and footmen following in her wake with towels bundled in their arms.
You exchanged a quick, sheepish look with San as the entire staff seemed to descend upon you both, determined to undo the mess of your unplanned dip in the fountain. 
"Good heavens, what a state! Mr. Choi, we can't have you catching a chill!” she fussed as one of the footmen wrapping a thick towel around San’s shoulders.
“We need to get you both dried and respectable again before anyone else sees.” 
She waved another maid forward, who quickly stepped in to brush stray droplets from your dress as you tried not to look too mortified.
San glanced sideways at you, his initial look of mortification easing into a wry, self-conscious smile. He held out the crumpled sheet music, his gesture hesitant, almost apologetic, as if hoping this simple offering might somehow make amends.
When you reached for it, his fingers brushed against yours, lingering for just a heartbeat too long—a subtle, tentative touch that seemed to test the unspoken boundary between you.
Without a word, you accepted the damp page, and for the first time, the distance between you had softened, shrinking ever so slightly.
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The Jeong Estate was as magnificent as ever, its manicured lawns rolling in lush waves of green, punctuated by bursts of color from sprawling gardens that seemed to stretch endlessly around the grounds. But today, all that beauty was secondary; your focus lay elsewhere, drawn inexorably toward the stables to prepare Darcy for the hunt. 
As you made your way along the gravel path, the soft crunch underfoot blended with the distant clatter of hooves. A sharp murmur drifted over from the main courtyard, where guests were gathering for tea.
“It looks like the wallflower has made an appearance,” a voice sneered from behind a fan.
“Is it true the Duke paid her a visit?” another whispered, their tone half incredulous, half pitying, as if the thought of you being granted a visit from someone as high-profile as Yunho were an oddity in itself.
A soft scoff followed. “I pity him. Can you imagine being saddled with a wife so…ordinary?” 
The whispers stung, each one sharper than the last, but you had no intention of ignoring them. Pausing deliberately, you turned just enough to catch their attention, leveling them with a sharp, challenging look.
“Ms. Hwang,” you began, voice steady and biting, “if you spent half as much time minding your own business as you do discussing mine, perhaps you’d have more to offer a husband than idle gossip.”
A hush fell over the group as a few faces flushed in embarrassment, others quickly averting their eyes and murmuring with sidelong glances. The moment stretched, each second more uncomfortable for them, yet you held your ground, unbothered and unwavering.
“That is, of course, if any of you were to secure one,” a voice added smoothly.
You whipped around, surprised to find San approaching. Despite the sling still securing his injured arm close to his chest, his posture was relaxed, his expression unfazed as he directed a pointed smirk at the group. 
“Odd how those who contribute so little always seem to have the most to say,” he continued, his tone casual but cutting, as if dismissing them was hardly worth his time. 
The whispers died completely, the silence thick and heavy as the crowd shrank back, some even turning to pretend interest in the flowerbeds or silverware, clearly hoping to escape any further notice.
San shifted his gaze back to you, his smirk softening into a gentle smile. “Seems some people needed a reminder of their place,” he murmured.
“Thank you,” you replied, barely meeting his gaze, hoping the faint tremor in your voice would convey the sincerity you couldn’t quite bring yourself to express fully.
The weight of their prying stares bore against your back as you turned swiftly toward the stables, heart beating a little faster. As you approached the stable yard, the familiar hum of the estate—murmurs, laughter, the soft clink of silver—faded into the distance.
You were greeted by Darcy’s familiar silhouette, his ears flicking forward in recognition, his coat catching the warm afternoon light in a gleam that felt almost comforting.
"Hello, love," you cooed, reaching out to scratch the spot just behind his ear, the place you knew he liked best. Darcy leaned into your touch, his head bowing in a gesture that felt almost like a hug. 
"You’re the only one I can always count on, aren’t you?"
You slipped him a treat, his muzzle brushed your palm with a gentleness that made you smile.
“…A right mess it was, but we did what we were paid for.”
You froze in place. Your heart skipped a beat, as the clop of heavy boots and a murmur of voices approached. You edged closer to the shadows of the stable wall, ducking into Darcy’s stable, but before you could catch a breath, a soft snort sounded right by your ear, followed by a damp, insistent nudge against your shoulder. 
You tried to brush his nose away with a quick wave, but the horse was undeterred. His large, expressive eyes blinked innocently down at you as he pushed his head into your space once more, this time almost knocking you off balance.
“I didn’t expect ‘im to break his arm, though,” came another voice, rough and heavy. “Poor bastard’s lucky it wasn’t worse.”
A third voice chimed in, this one sharp with a nervous edge. “Keep it down, would ya? You want the whole bloody estate to hear?”
They were talking about San. The accident. The stablehands didn’t sound remorseful—only wary, as though they knew they tread dangerous waters. A chill crawled up your spine, and your pulse quickened.
“Aye, well, it’s not like we had much choice, did we?” the first man grumbled. 
“We got paid good coin to add barbs to that saddle and stirrup. Not our business to ask why.”
“I still don’t like it,” the second voice muttered. “If someone finds out…”
“No one’s gonna find out. Just keep your mouth shut, and it’ll be fine.”
Your stomach churned as the truth settled over you—they’d been paid to tamper with San’s riding equipment. This wasn’t an accident at all; someone had intended to harm him.
“C’mon, let’s get back before someone notices we’re missin’.”
You stayed perfectly still as they passed by. Once you were sure they were out of sight, you exhaled shakily, your mind reeling with the weight of what you had just learned.
San’s accident had been deliberate, orchestrated by someone who had paid off the stablehands to sabotage his equipment. The thought of it made your blood boil. Who would do such a thing? And why?
But more importantly…who could you trust now? 
You were conflicted. Part of you wanted to storm up to San and tell him everything, to let him know of the danger he’d narrowly escaped. He deserved to know, didn’t he? But another part of you hesitated, wary of the chaos this might unleash. 
Whoever was behind this wasn’t some petty gossip or rival with a bruised ego; they’d gone to meticulous lengths to cause him harm. If they were willing to do this once, who was to say they wouldn’t try again?
Despite everything—despite the resentment you still harbored toward him for what he’d done to you—you couldn’t ignore this. He had to know he wasn’t simply a victim of chance. He’d been targeted, purposefully and maliciously.
You slipped out of the stables, treading lightly as you moved across the grounds with determination. Every instinct warned against going straight to him, but something stronger drove you forward. He needed to know about the threat lurking in the shadows.
As you rounded the corner of the path, you froze, the words dying on your lips. There, in the golden glow of the setting sun, stood San—and beside him, unmistakably close, was Cho Jini. Her hand rested lightly on his arm as they exchanged low words, their faces uncomfortably close. This encounter was precisely the sort of thing that would set the ton ablaze with scandalous whispers.
You blinked, and then a quiet laugh bubbled up. The Choi’s with their priority and meticulous attention to reputation had finally flung themselves into a scandal at the hands of their very own heir!
For a moment, you entertained the idea of simply backing away, retreating into the shadows to leave them in blissful ignorance of your presence. But then Jini’s eyes locked onto yours, her face paling as if she’d seen a ghost. 
“Ms. Kang!” she gasped, her fan clattering to the ground. “Oh, heavens—please don’t say anything! We weren’t—”
A prickling bitterness settled in your chest as San and Jini jumped apart. Why should it matter so much? you wondered bitterly. 
This was the same San who plunged into a fountain for you, casting aside his dignity in a reckless display of chivalry. The same San who, supposedly, thought the world of you and had defended you against the sharp whispers about your ordinary disposition.
Yet he was the same San who once again slipped effortlessly into the role he knew best—the role that required no self-reflection, no change.
"An unchaperoned meeting with Ms. Cho? You must think rather highly of the ton’s discretion if you believe they wouldn’t make you the centerpiece of their gossip, Mr. Choi," you remarked, watching San shrink beneath your penetrating gaze.
For a moment, his expression faltered, his eyes darting to the ground before he managed to compose himself.  He’d done this before—shrugged off impropriety like a second skin he could slip out of whenever it suited him. And yet, the unmistakable glint of panic that flashed in his eyes told you that this time…this time was different.
This time, he wasn’t in control. This time, his fate was in your hands.
He swallowed, his gaze flitting back to you, softer now, almost pleading.
“Y/N, I—Ms. Kang, please—”
“I’ll keep your indiscretions to myself but...at a cost,” you cut him off, voice low but sharp enough to make him wince. 
Jini’s face drained of color as she clutched her fan, looking between you and San with mounting desperation. 
"Oh, please—Ms. Kang," she stammered, her voice trembling. "You must understand. I never wanted… I had no intention of—"
She shot a furtive glance at San, then took a step forward, lowering her voice to a frantic whisper. 
“I don’t want this—I don’t want to marry him!” Her voice cracked, and she pressed a hand to her chest as if the very thought caused her physical pain. 
“You must believe me! Please—I'll do anything!"
Her pleas echoed in the garden, and you gauged her reaction. She was trembling, her eyes wide and pleading, no trace of affection or longing for San in sight. If anything, she looked like a cornered animal, desperate to escape a fate she hadn’t chosen.
“Anything?” you repeated slowly, voice cool and deliberate. Jini nodded feverishly, clutching her fan tightly as she awaited your response. It was almost laughable how quickly she’d thrown him under the proverbial carriage at the first sign of trouble.
“I have no interest in your secrets, Ms. Cho.” 
You shifted your gaze to San, who looked pale, his mouth opening as if to protest before you cut him off with a quiet, pointed tone. 
“It’s Mr. Choi I want something from.”
Jini looked from you to San, relief flooding her features as she realized she was free of her entanglement. “Thank you—thank you, Ms. Kang.”
Without another word, she turned and all but fled, her skirts swishing in her haste as she disappeared down the garden path.
San's mouth opened and closed in hesitation, his eyes darting around as if seeking an escape. You simply watched him, noticing the slight tremor in his hands, the way his shoulders slumped in defeat. There was something almost pitiful about it—a rare sight of vulnerability in someone who typically wore confidence like a second skin.
“I suppose this wasn’t how you envisioned this evening,” you said dryly, folding your arms. “Though I do pity you—it must be incredibly dull to sit with the rest of the ton, unable to hunt.”
"You must believe me, Y/N. I did not welcome that interaction from Ms. Cho. She approached me out of nowhere, and before I could even make sense of her intentions, you arrived.”
“I know. The poor girl looked like she was about to faint.” But the humor quickly faded, replaced by the weight of what you were about to say.
“There’s something more serious I need to discuss with you.”
Choosing your words carefully, you looked directly at him, hoping he’d understand the gravity of what you were about to say.
“Someone is trying to sabotage you.”
His eyes widened in shock. "Sabotage? What are you talking about?"
You took a steadying breath, keeping your voice calm. “I overheard some of the stablehands talking. They admitted to being paid to tamper with your saddle and other riding equipment. This wasn’t an accident, someone intended for you to get hurt.”
“And you’re certain about this?”
You nodded. “Whoever orchestrated this intended to send a message, be it to you or your family.”
A faint smile tugged at your lips. “Consider this my way of thanking you for retrieving my notes the other day.”
“I appreciate the warning. Truly.” He hesitated, a flicker of curiosity crossing his face.
“But… you haven’t said what you expect in return. You wouldn’t risk telling me this out of mere gratitude, would you?”
“Expect something from you?” You tilted your head, feigning innocence. “I only said that to send Ms. Cho scurrying.” There was a glint of amusement in your eyes you didn’t bother to hide.
“I wouldn’t put much stock in it, honestly. She’s barely nineteen, likely frightened out of her wits at the thought of being trapped in a marriage with someone she hardly knows.” You paused, glancing toward the path Jini had hurried down. 
“In truth, I doubt her heart was in it at all.”
You took a step closer, leaning in just enough to hold his gaze with a playful intensity. 
"But if it troubles you, Mr. Choi, to feel so indebted…" you murmured, letting the words trail off like a subtle tease, "perhaps consider it an open invitation."
You paused, catching the way his brow arched ever so slightly.
"If ever there comes a time I require your… assistance," you let your gaze drift down to his lips before meeting his eyes again, "rest assured, I shall make it known."
You walked away, careful to keep your expression neutral, though beneath the surface a thrill pulsed through you. San’s struggle to maintain his composure had been a sight you’d savor for some time, but even that small triumph was only the beginning.
His breath hitched, though he kept his expression steady. After years of enduring the repetitive flattery and rehearsed charms of the ton, its never-ending cycle of polite rituals and insincere courtesies had become second nature to him.
But it was your quick wit and unpredictable nature that always drew him in and left him captivated. In your presence, he felt free, as if, for once, he wasn’t bound by the silent demands of society, as though he could speak and act as he pleased. In these moments, it struck him how desperately he craved your company. 
He knew it was foolish to allow himself to hope, but if you could ever return his feelings—even a fraction of them—he would give anything, everything, to close the distance between you and repair the rift he had so recklessly created.
For so long, life within the ton had been predictable, stifling in its polite routines and endless facades. You’d learned to navigate it well enough, adapting to the ceaseless tide of polite whispers and idle intrigue. Your patience for it had long worn thin. It was all a game—empty, shallow, and dreadfully dull.
But now, here was something real. Not just petty scandal or trivial gossip, but a matter with depth—a true conspiracy lurking beneath the ton’s polished exterior. And it wasn’t just an idle intrigue; it was an invitation, daring you to uncover its secrets.
Whoever had set their sights on San had unknowingly invited you into the fray, and you fully intended to unravel it.
<< ii | iv >>
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taglist: @e3ellie @scuzmunkie
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di-42 · 5 hours ago
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October's Oh, Wow! Fictions
Only WIPs and fairly short stories this month, hopefully I'll have more time next month. But a lovely selection of them, nonetheless! If you are checking out this list, don't let yourself be fooled by the number of kudos some of the fictions received: there are some real gems among these recs that for some obscure reason don't get the interaction they deserve, be the person who looks past the numbers!
As always, I'll tag the tumblr usernames I know, if you are on this list and you'd rather I didn't please let me know!
WIPs:
Wavelengths & Frequencies, by @shadesofecclescakes and imposterssyndrome @maaikeatthefullmoon (Rated E, chapters 13/?)
I swear, every time I get a notification for a new chapter of this fiction, I do a little jump. I can't wait to have a little break to start drinking their words. This story is such a warm, cozy, comfort blanket. Human enemies-to-lovers where Aziraphale and Crowley work as DJ for the same media corporation. They have a history, but, while we know they do from the beginning, we don't know what it is. Great story, great humour, great characterisation, great fuzzies.
You're The Bad Guys by Nebz_AlphaCentauri @alphacentaurinebula (Rated E, chapters 16/?)
Cold war human AU in which Aziraphale is an MI6 agent and Crowley is a KGB agent. Each of them is assigned to a mission in Berlin, from opposite sides of course. Great characterisation, suspense and references to canon.
My own WIP And I Did (Rated E, chapters 12/15)
This is a story about faith. This is a story about love. This is a story about loss. This is a story about being apart and about being reunited. This is a story about fighting. This is a story about choices.
Where do we choose to place our faith? Will a god we have faith in come and save us? Will a friend? A loved one? When do we start doubting our faith? How long before we snap, before we raise our head? How far can we go before we crumble under the weight of our own misplaced faith? Under the weight of our choices? What does it take to make us feel betrayed, abandoned, left behind? What does it take for us to turn our back on what in which we had faith?
Who are we loyal to, and who is loyal to us? Who do we trust, and who trusts us? What are we ready to risk in the name of faith? What are we ready to lose in the name of loyalty? When are we going to take our lives into our own hands? What are we going to fight for?
This is a story about unbreakable faith. This is, after all, a work of fiction.
OR:
Yet another Good Omens post season 2 fiction.
Complete works:
Be Still, My Love, Be Still, by entanglednow (rated E, 26,766 words)
AU where Aziraphale is a human and Crowley is a sleep paralysis demon. Aziraphale is hit by spells of sleep paralysis and is curious about the man shaped being he sees in his room when he's in between sleep and wake, when his eyes are open, but he can't move a muscle. So, he does the thing any decent human being would do, he introduces himself. and leaves books around for Crowley to read. Oh, this fiction was so good. Potential for great angst, but with a beautiful happy ending. All my comments from chapter 1 to 5 read something on the lines of: "I'm going to cry so hard, god, I'm going to cry so hard." My comment on chapter 6 was: "I knew I would cry, but I cried happy tears." This is an E rated fiction where Crowley is a sleep paralysis demon, please read the tags and notes and mind as you go.
Until (Little) Death Do Us Part by Mimsynims (Rated E, 30,066 words)
Follow up to the equally great A Little Help From A Fiend, this story is hot, funny, and fluffy. And it has a happy ending. Aziraphale has summoned a demon. For reasons I won't spoil, this demon is accompanying him to a wedding in Paris as his plus one. Need I add more? Of course it's only for the weekend. This could never last. Crowley is a demon, after all.
Pay Per View, by IneffableToreshi (rated E, 22,050 words)
Set after season 1. Aziraphale has an event to attend in Canada and asks Crowley to accompany him. Crowley is delighted to oblige of course, until some additional reasons for Aziraphale's trip emerge. This story features fanon!Crowley at his best! The fiction goes from tender to heartbreaking to smutty in a heartbeat and it's great.
Something Good And Right And Real by @foolishlovers (Rated T, 30,884 words)
Lovely, delicate human AU where Crowley is a famous singer tired of fame and being on the road. He goes back to his hometown of Tadfield for a break, and there he finds something he thought he had lost forever. This is a story about love, about friendship, about finding a home and about happiness.
One shots:
One Conversation And Several Moments, by Angelica_Tree (Rated Teen, 3311 words).
This lovely fiction is set after season 1 and is not season 2 compliant. After the failed Armageddon, Aziraphale and Crowley are free to be themselves and to be together, but after spending 6000 years avoiding certain subjects, some conversation may be difficult to start. Or, in Crowley's case, difficult to take part in with ore than a monosyllable and a blink every couple of hours. Aziraphale is not deferred, of course. Sweet and funny in equal measure!
You Can Stay In My Bed, If You Like, by AppleSeeds (rated Teen, 3294 words)
Lovely human AU where Aziraphale and Crowley wake up together in Crowley's bed after Aziraphale's birthday party. Alcohol was involved. And Gabriel. Should they be alarmed? Mortified? Thrilled? Did anything happen? Let's find out while the two roommates snuggle a little closer to each other.
Will You Ever Stop Surprising Me? by @curiouspupsicle (Rated M, 1,077 words)
This fiction is a little gem. Set in a hypothetical future after our heroes averted the apocalypse again, it focuses on Crowley wondering if he might ever get bored of life on earth with Aziraphale. and then spending the rest of the story trying to catch up with all the ways the angel still surprises him. In the words of the writer, this is a story about Aziraphale being sex-positive. But it's that and so much more. It's joyful, it's clever, it's funny. The characterisation is spot on. I would have loved to have more of these two in this fiction!
A Little Help From A Fiend, by Mimsynims (Rated E, 2,615 words)
Sweet, funny, and, goodness me, so hot! What more can you ask of a fiction? AU where Aziraphale is human and in need of help, so of course he decides to summon a demon, who wouldn't? Did I mention it's hot? The just as good follow up to this fiction is also on this list in the multichapter section.
The Chains That Freed Us, by angelsnuffbox (MrsCaulfield) (Rated E, 6,747 words)
Set during the event of season 1. Crowley accidentally finds a way to go back in time and when and where would he accidentally go if not to 1793 in Paris? smut and sweetness ensue.
The Exponent Of Breath, by possibilityleft (Rated Teen, 8,566 words)
This is another absolute gem that I loved so much this month! It shows us moments in time when Aziraphale and Crowley have attended weddings. It's a mix of past, future, better times, warm feelings and happiness. Deep and beautiful. Some fictions you can clearly put it into words why you liked them, and some just speak to you at a deeper level, they just touch something inside you, and this is one of those.
My own one shot, An Angel And A Demon Go To A Halloween Party, (Rated E, 4,575 words)
Just a silly little thing to try my hand at smut (and end up in fluff. And a little humour, hopefully.)
Art:
Good Omens Art Therapy To Get Me Over Season 2 by Beet_Feet (Rated G)
Amazing Good Omens drawings and paintings, check them out!
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hannahssimblr · 2 days ago
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Full email below the cut.
Beginning // Prev // Next
Jude!
So nice to hear from you. Wow! Your life sounds great! Everything is happening all at once, haha! See, didn’t I tell you that things would get better and that everyone would love you? I knew it. Look at you, having the best time ever. I can’t say I’m not jealous, but I felt really good reading about what you’ve said about college. I feel positive that things are going to be as good for me as they are for you when I go next year. I can’t wait to meet really cool, like minded people. 
I’m so curious about what happens in that club… surely you can at least tell me about what you’ve heard. A little bit of gossip? I googled it and not much has come up. Seems like everyone is pretty tight-lipped about what it’s like in there… mysterious.  
Haha. That’s so funny about the bouncers picking you out of the queue. I wonder was it your outfit, or something. From what I learned on Google, the dress code is pretty… gothic? Maybe? I can’t imagine you dressed like that. Honestly, I can’t even imagine you in long trousers. I swear every time I’ve ever seen you, you were wearing those football shorts. Do you still have them? I don’t know why I want to know that haha, I was just curious about whether you wore them to the gym, even, or if they’re relegated to the back of your wardrobe now that you’ve become a Berlin Boy. Stupid question. I’m just kind of amused at the image of you wearing them in the queue to a goth club, and then being perplexed about not being allowed in…
That’s a pity about Halloween. I have no plans either. I’m not really in the mood to make a costume and go out and all that. It seems a bit pointless, and now that it’s only Claire and I, it’s like, who would we even talk to? Claire has other friends, of course, the girls she hung out with before she became friends with Kelly and me in 5th year, but I guess they’re not really my kind of people. They’re nice, but… I don’t know how to describe it. They just don’t seem like they’d be up for talking about things in the way that I prefer to. You know what I mean? Like, you and I have great conversations. I feel like we always reach a really deep level together, and that you really understand what I’m saying and how I feel. It’s difficult to replicate that with other people. Still, I’m glad we can still chat, even if it’s not exactly the same as it was last summer. 
I’d love to come to Berlin in spring. I’ll keep it in mind, if you just let me know in advance about the dates that suit you. If I book early enough then the plane tickets won’t be so expensive. Scary, though! Flying alone for the first time! 
Good luck with your project! Please let me know how it goes! I’m sure you’ll do amazing. 
E.
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genevievefangirl · 3 days ago
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Gen's Top 100 DBDA Fics - PART 8
For all caveats/rules/backstory, please read the Master Post
tell the saint of lost souls where to find me By: haledamage @haledamage Rating: T Tags: Hurt/Comfort, Mutual Pining, Protective Charles Rowland Summary: When Edwin has a nightmare, he doesn't wake up screaming. Charles didn't understand it, not completely, not until Port Townsend. He didn't know what chased Edwin through his dreams. Some days, he wishes he still didn't know. Not as often as he wishes Edwin didn't. Or: one time Edwin has a nightmare, and one time he doesn't. My Notes: Sometimes it is nice when fics bend canon and this is a great example because the boys having nightmares is a great concept. Featuring CUDDLES!
The Ballad of Saving Graces By: Bythoseburningembers Rating: T Tags: Protective Charles Rowland, Hurt Edwin Payne, Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Angst Summary: Charles feels guilty that Edwin was dragged to Hell. Edwin is afraid Charles might leave him for a better existence elsewhere. Crystal wants it on record that she finds them both idiots. All of this is fixable. Then they get kidnapped by pirates, and for Charles, it might be too late to make things better. Again. My Notes: The boys are kidnapped by pirate ghosts. Do you need to know anything else? Okay fine Charles is also super protective and it's great.
The Case of the Acridid Sprites By: thefinalriotxx Rating: T Tags: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Protective Charles Rowland, Major Character Injury Summary: If Charles could breathe, the air would have rushed from his lungs on impact. If Charles had a heart, it would have broken free from his chest, cracking ribs and hollowing out the space where the core of him was kept. But Charles hadn’t breathed air in over thirty years, and his heart had long decayed, along with the rest of him. So why did it feel like his body was being torn apart? My Notes: What can I say? I like fics where Edwin is hurt and Charles has to save him, sue me! This is another great entry in that genre featuring worried Charles hitting the books.
The Case of the Couples Retreat By: juliasfanart @juliasfanart Rating: T Tags: Slow Burn, First Kiss, Couples Therapy Summary: It should have been just another case for the Dead Boy Detective Agency - a pair of missing ghosts to find - if not for the fact that they had to investigate a luxury resort dedicated to couples counselling... for ghosts. And what better way for Edwin and Charles to infiltrate it than to pretend to be just another couple needing to revive their relationship? A brilliant idea according to Charles, but for Edwin it might have been more than he can chew... My Notes: This is my biggest fluff recommendation! Technically it is a case fic, but the case is pretty loose and the fic is more about them sorting out their issues in therapy (but in a fun way I swear!)
The Case of the Looping Kiss By: elisasmileygirl @hey-its-elisa Rating: T Tags: Getting Together, Case Fic, First Kiss, Fluff, Romantic Fluff Summary: When Charles decides to confess his feelings to Edwin, it makes Edwin the happiest he’s ever felt which is a good thing…right? Crystal and Niko now have to figure out why the boys are stuck in a time loop of their first kiss and how to get them out of it. My Notes: Such a creative use of a time loop! Their first kiss here is so adorable.
The case of the warlock By: TheRamblingsOfaMadWoman Rating: G Tags: Hurt/Comfort, Angst, Protective Charles Rowland, Protective Edwin Payne Summary: The gang come across a warlock. Charles is quite taken with him. Edwin is distrustful. Whose instinct is right? **Charles hurts Edwin My Notes: Charles being forced to hurt Edwin via possession and then later banging on a magic wall demanding Edwin let him out so Charles can save him??? Do I need to say more???
The Case of What Comes After - Series By: HowYouDoing (FancyMeetingYouHere) Rating: T Tags: Post-S1, Traumas, Hurt/Comfort Summary: Working It Out - “And you think you’re your dad,” Crystal fills his sudden silence, tear-tracks on her angry face, “and that Edwin would be your mom, and that you’re somehow destined to have the exact same relationship as them if you ever admitted to yourself that you’re in love with Edwin.” Or, Crystal pops the question about whether Charles is in love with Edwin or not, and Charles proceeds to go down a full rabbit-hole of feelings and trauma. Thankfully, Edwin shows up to help. Us - Edwin once suggested that he does not deserve Charles, then shut the topic down by saying it was a conversation for another time. Charles, very unanimously, decides this is that time. My Notes: Charles dealing with how he doesn't want his and Edwin's relationship to be like his parents' hits my deep in my heart. And in the sequal Edwin gets to deal with some of his truama too.
The Ghostly Potion Debacle of '24 By: NuriaSchnee @nuria-schnee Rating: M Tags: Romance, Fluff, Angst with a Happy Ending, Protective Charles Rowland Summary: Charles gets hit by a potion that makes your biggest worries disappear. The good news? The witch that made the potion is a little incompetent, and the potion is faulty. The bad news? Charles had been obsessing about how to confess to Edwin for months, and the potion has made Edwin completely invisible to Charles. My Notes: Charles really goes through it in this one. He is forced to face his inner worries and deal with them directly. The whole thing is very stressful! (in a good way!)
The Hour of Separation By: Safaia @safaiagem Rating: M Tags: Case Fic, Revenge, Hurt/Comfort, Angst, Protective Charles Rowland, Protective Edwin Payne Summary: The problem with solving big, flashy cases and going international is that you become well-known. Word came down about everything the Dead Boy Detectives managed to do in Port Townsend, and they have never been busier. The problem with becoming more well-known is that you don't always draw the kind of attention you want. You might jump onto the radar of someone with a grudge just looking for an excuse. Technically, it is part of a series, but it can be easily read as a stand-alone. My Notes: The tension in this one is strong, as well as the protectiveness of the boys. Also, slight spoiler so if you don't want that stop reading, I appreciate that the boys get together in the middle rather than the end! It is nice to see them face the final threat as a couple rather than having them get together at the end.
The lamps are going out By: CasiHuman @technically-human Rating: T Tags: AU - Canon Divergence, Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending Summary: Evil spirits, vengeful spirits. At the time, he didn't yet have the words to explain what had happened to him –even though, without a frame of reference, he could still tell something was wrong– They formed when a ghost felt an awful injustice had befallen them, and few ghosts could claim to have been as wronged by everything as Edwin Payne. He just hoped the boy from the attic wouldn't put two and two together. My Notes: Any fic that expands on ghost lore is great and this one is no exception! I like the idea of Edwin being a vengeful spirit and having there be something wrong with him. It adds something to the boys dynamic that is really interesting.
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ok work with me here, see my vision
*At Clytemnestra’s and Agamemnon’s house*
*Achilles and Patroclus open the door*
Patroclus: Hey, sorry we are late. We brought th-wait, where is everyone?
Achilles, chuckling: Don’t tell me we are actually early. Oh I am gonna-
Clytemnestra: KILL YOURSELF, YOU ASS!
Agamemnon: RIGHT BACK AT YOU SWEETIE!
(Incoherent Yelling)
Patroclus: What in the actual-
(Whispering) Menelaus: If you don’t get under here right now…
Achilles: Where are you, who was-
(Odysseus and Diomedes drag Achilles and Patroclus under the kitchen counter)
(Helen, Menelaus, Odysseus, Penelope, Diomedes, Hector, and Andromache are all hiding under the table)
Achilles: So why are we hiding under the table?
Diomedes: Do you not hear didgeridee and didgeridoo screaming and yelling like their chi-
Hector: Maybe we shouldn’t mention the “C” word right now.
Penelope: I swear if I never hear them argue again-
Helen: I need alcohol
Patroclus: Could someone-
Menelaus: Helen, no-
Patroclus: please tell us-
Helen: Alcohol, neow
Patroclus: Ok! Can someone explain what the fuck knuckles is going on with these two?
Odysseus: Of course darling. We found ourselves-
Diomedes: Ok, nope quick version. We came over for a house warning party, and in the middle of that-,
Odysseus: Cutting me off when I am trying speak. You know you can be a real bastard, right pet?
Diomedes: Bastard loves bastard, darling. Anyway, in the middle of that, Clytemnestra showed us a custom puzzle she made of their daughter. Very cute, very nice. Weirdly detailed. However Agamemnon has to be Agamemnon, and ruin good things in life. A tiktok account called ArtemisDares had a challenge to break something of your partners, something they loved to see their reaction. So Agamemnon made the asinine decision to break the puzzle she spent— how long did she say?
Penelope: She said “2 hours to find the perfect picture, 5 hours to put in her order because the commission site kept collapsing, and three days to put it together.” It was 2,000 pieces, and she was going to put it in a frame. I can’t even imagine..
Odysseus: Sweetheart, I-
Penelope: Yes I know you would never do that, you are leagues above him. We know this.
Diomedes: Do we?
Penelope: Not now darling. What can we do to-
*I SHOULD HAVE KILLED YOU WHEN I MET YOU, YOU WHORE*
*IF I WAS EASY TO KILL, YOU WOULD HAVE DONE IT ALREADY YOU FUCKING PUSSY*
*OH I AM GONNA-*
“COME AT ME BITCH*
*More incoherent screams, breaking of glass, grunts of pain*
Hector: We need to stop them before Iphigenia grows up without her parents.
Andromache: Right. You can go first baby. Tell us how that works out.
Helen: Sometimes I just want rip out Agamemnon’s vocal chords, and shove them down his ass.
Diomedes: A capital choice. Would you like help?
Odysseus/Penelope: No.
Hector: Ok, ok, but we have to do something before we have to talk to the police about-
Iphigenia: Aunty Pen, what is a va-vacuous moron?
Achilles: ……
Patroclus: …….
Diomedes: …….
Odysseus: ………
Penelope: …..
Hector: …….
Andromache: ……
Helen: ……
Menelaus:……
Achilles: Ah shit.
Menelaus: Oh come on, Achilles
Penelope: Honey, how about we talk…outside?
Iphigenia: Why? Mommy and Daddy loudly talking is normal. They turn on the tv for me and loudly talk. Sometimes they forget to turn it on and I hear everything.
Odysseus: Ice cream. That is the only way to fix this. And a good therapist. Let’s start with ice cream
Diomedes: Ok, everyone we have to time this perfectly. I think we aren’t in the mood for taking sides. Everyone good?
(The group nods)
Diomedes: Ok…wait…NOW!
Agamemnon: Oh look, Hector would you-
Clytemnestra: Shut up, Helen please tell him-
Odysseus:sorrywearekidnappingtyourchildbecauseyoubotharetoxictoeverybodybyeeeeeeeeeeeee
*They make it out the door*
Iphigenia: sooooo, what is a vacu-vaco-
Penelope: Let’s just get ice cream ok honey?
Diomedes: Can’t wait to do this shit next year.
Achilles: Another housewarming party? They just got this one.
Helen: They also get run out of every neighborhood they stay in due to the noise complaints. Two months, max.
Achilles:
Patroclus:
Helen: Welcome to the family.
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brotherwtf · 3 days ago
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Brat sub Gale brat sub Gale brat sub Gale omg the mindworm
chanting chanting oh my God he's so SASSY
nah but in canon he has so many of those quick one liners "what the hell is a reserve command pilot" "he stole your girl" "settling debts?" good Lord he's so bratty with it I'm obsessed with him
I've thought this before but I think Gale is somehow brattier than John is because he knows John is a big old softie for Gale and he just folds when Gale pouts or talks back, usually Gales able to get his way when he wants it, a carefully placed arch of his back or a pout while looking up through his eyelashes oh my God Gale is devious with it
and John will try his best to fight back and not let Gale coerce him out of a punishment, but Gale will land a particularly devastating blow ("John... please .. I've been so good, I swear I've been so good" all while practically batting his eyelashes) and he'll fold, just coos at Gale and says yes he has been good, he doesn't deserve a punishment and Gale just smirks evilly because he's got his way again
but at some point John is going to brave Gale's teasing and bratiness, will barrel on forward with the punishment until Gale is literally speechless, or until John decides to put a gag in his mouth so he stops talking but even then Gales kicking his feet and whining, ducking his head and giving John a pleading stare, begging him not to punish but John just continues, won't be coerced this time
he'll tie Gale's hands behind his back and make him lie on his stomach, spreads his legs until his back is arched so prettily and Gales perfectly splayed out for John and Gale wants to squirm out of it but also is practically vibrating with excitement with what John has in store
"you just like to run your mouth, huh? you don't know when to quit" John says and he has his belt in his hands, his sleeves rolled up and if Gale wasn't quivering with anticipation he would find it hot, but he knows he's gonna tan Gale's ass with the belt so he bends his head and shakes his head, knows he's been bad but tries to plead that he doesn't need a punishment, doesn't need the belt
but John strikes him anyway, right across his ass and Gale's breath hitches and it stings but also makes his head so damn fuzzy, he loves the feeling and he can feel tears welling up in his eyes when John hits him again, lurching against the sheets as he chokes on a sob
"how do I even let you run your mouth like that? I must be such a terrible Dom, oh well let's make up for that shall we?" John says and Gale knows he's in for a long night
maybe Gale gets sweeter and sweeter the more he falls into subspace, he's a brat on the surface but he only wants to be good when he's in the depths of it, crying so prettily as John strikes him and now John's cooing at him, running his fingers through his hair and it's so good and sweet and Gale can hardly take it, crying even harder when John decides he's done and sets the belt aside, quickly taking the gag out of Gale's mouth and brushing away the spit that accumulated on his chin
the aftercare, oh the aftercare, John is back to being the mega softie that he is, doesn't even let Gale walk on his own, picks him up immediately and takes him to the bathroom and running a bath for him, rubbing an ointment on Gales ass so it doesn't sting when he sits, and Gale just feels so warm and safe and taken care of it's crazy
as he comes out of subspace he starts to get bratty and sassy again, but John loves every minute of it
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kangshxrtie · 2 days ago
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42 . choosing
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you step out of the bathroom, drying your hands, and you notice xinyu sitting on your bed, legs crossed, looking like she is about to have a serious conversation.
"uh... is this an intervention? because i swear i haven't done anything," you said, eyeing her suspiciously as you made your way over.
"nah, i just want to talk," xinyu replied.
"yeah, that did nothing to make me less nervous," you muttered, staying at the edge of the bed but not sitting down.
"relax. i promise i'm not gonna do anything weird," she said, patting the spot next to her.
you hesitated for a second but sat down, keeping one foot on the floor, just in case. you faced her, your hands fidgeting in your lap, fingers interlocked.
"so... i wanted to talk about our, uh, fake dating thing," xinyu began.
"what about it? i thought we were doing pretty well."
"yeah, for sure. i think we've definitely done what we set out to do, make sohyun and nakyoung jealous."
"okay, so... are we gonna step it up more?" you asked, half-joking.
"actually... no. more like... step it down." xinyu's voice softened.
your head tilted slightly, confused. "what do you mean?"
xinyu took a deep breath. "look, i'm really thankful for us reconnecting. i've been wanting to make things right for a long time, and these past few weeks they've been some of the best for me. hanging out with you, going on all these 'dates,' and just being close again."
you nodded, not wanting to interrupt her.
"i guess what i'm trying to say is... i don't want this fake relationship anymore." she hesitated, searching your face for a reaction.
before you could respond, your phone buzzed. you glanced at the screen, seeing nakyoung's name flash across it. you shot xinyu an apologetic look before holding it up so she could see.
she made a face. "are you gonna answer that?"
you hesitated for a second, then pressed decline and put your phone down to put all your attention on xinyu. "no. you were saying?"
xinyu's expression softened a little, clearly pleased by your decision. she opened her mouth to speak again, but your phone vibrated with another message before she could get a word out.
xinyu gestured for you to check it. "just get it over with," she muttered.
you sighed and checked your phone, eyes widening at the message.
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your jaw dropped as you stared at the text, trying to process what was just sent to you.
xinyu, sensing something was off, asked, "what is it?"
wordlessly, you handed her the phone, and she read the message, her face falling.
"what are you gonna do?" xinyu looked down at her hands, all of her confidence was suddenly gone after that. just the thought that you would kick her out so nakyoung would come over scared the shit out of her.
you were truly unsure of what to do. "i... i don't know." it's not like you could just kick xinyu out so nakyoung could come over. that would just be fucked up.
then xinyu's phone buzzed. she glanced at the screen and then turned it towards you.
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you let out a disbelieving laugh. "well, at least she wasn't lying."
xinyu clicked her tongue and set her phone aside. "yeah, great."
the two of you sat in silence for a moment, both lost in thought. you weren't sure how to handle this, and the idea that xinyu might want to go meet up with sohyun twisted your stomach.
"so... what do we do now?" you asked, breaking the silence.
"i honestly don't know," xinyu admitted.
"do you... want to go home?" you asked carefully, not sure what answer you were hoping for.
xinyu looked at you, her voice steady. "do you want me to?"
you quickly shook your head. "no."
"then i'm staying," she said, a small smile tugging at her lips.
"good," you replied, feeling a wave of relief wash over you.
"so that means nakyoung's not coming over, right?" xinyu asked.
"of course not," you scoffed. "i wouldn't do that to you."
"i know you wouldn't," xinyu said softly.
you both chuckled at the situation, the tension finally starting to ease. "it's kinda wild they even think we'd want them over after everything."
"like why would i welcome you with open arms after the shit they pulled?" you said.
xinyu nodded, her expression a mix of frustration and amusement. "right? the audacity is actually insane."
you leaned back a bit, letting out a sigh. "maybe that's the reason the got together; they're thinking just different."
xinyu's gaze softened as she looked at you. "honestly, i'm glad you didn't let nakyoung come over. i really thought you were going to kick me out for a second"
you looked at her, surprised. "why would i do that? i'm not gonna drop everything just because nakyoung suddenly decided to show up. i've moved on from that."
xinyu hesitated for a moment, her voice quiet when she spoke again. "have you really? from her, i mean?"
you took a second before answering. "yeah. i think i have. especially with you being around."
"i'm glad you've let me be around," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
you didn't say anything in response, just offering her a gentle smile.
xinyu stretched out, letting herself relax as she flopped back onto the bed. "today has been a lot."
you chuckled and nodded, following her lead as you lay down beside her. "yeah, it really has."
for a moment, you both just stared at the ceiling, the silence between you no longer awkward but peaceful.
xinyu shifted slightly, turning on her side to face you. "you tired?"
"a little," you admitted, turning your head to meet her gaze. "kinda feels like a nap would be perfect right now."
without saying anything, xinyu pulled the blanket up over the both of you, the warmth instantly making you feel sleepy. you rolled onto your side as well, facing her.
"you comfortable?" xinyu asked softly.
"yeah," you murmured, already feeling tired.
"good," she whispered.
you closed your eyes, the warmth of the blankets and xinyu's presence next to you helped you feel peaceful. the two of you drifted off into a quiet nap, side by side, everything feeling a little less complicated for the moment.
main . nxt
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taglist ༒ @gtfoiydlyj @inybits @baewonlove @yeetaberry127 @sananapotter @happyjuhyun @nicstumblur @museujin @urmom2314 @yunalvrrr @jeindall777 @saysirhc @idleyuri @yerimbrit @sixflame438 @artrizzler19 @peranoo
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leclarifies · 4 hours ago
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mon ange (CL16)
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✰ charles leclerc x !childhoodbestfriend !raceengineer reader ✰
summary: you've been there for charles since day one, even when you think he doesn't notice it, you're always there. supporting him from the sidelines.
wc: 1.6k
genre: lots of angst, drabble
aria's note: short but angsty draft i've had since last year. only gotten around to editing and posting now. not sure if i'll ever extend this or do a part 2, HAHAH. this is also written in third person bc it was from so long ago. no mentions of y/n either. enjoy the angst masochists <3 (also mon ange means my angel)
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“are you ready?”
she stopped staring out into the open and finally looked at her colleague, head was elsewhere.
she gave a brief smile, and a nod and the race commenced.
race engineer, not a bad title right?
her mind wanders off a tiny bit to the past as the cars raced off into the distance.
“when i’m old enough, i’m going to race for the top teams in the world!” she could hear charles’ big laugh as she was sitting on the grass.
transported back in time, they were spending time with each other, just the two of them. it was a normal occasion for them to just sit in the dark, together sharing laughs and stories after a karting race.
she just looked over fondly at charles as he zoomed around, pretending he was in his kart, “did you see me, mon ange? i was zooming like this— and WHOOSH, i was like this!”
she cocked an eyebrow, “are you sure? i thought you crashed into a wall,” she joked, pretending she wasn’t there but she was there for every moment of the race. not wanting to miss her best friend’s races.
she was his biggest supporter and he knew it.
time flashes again as you two have your first big argument.
“you don’t get it!” charles yelled as he turned his back to her, “you will never get the pressure of any of this! you just tell me what’s good for me and you never understand! you’re not my anything! you don’t mean anything to me!” as those words left his lips, he instantly regretted it.
he turned around to face her.
the look of hurt on her as she began to turn around and walk off without a singular word, “i didn’t mean it! i didn’t mean it!” charles follows her, tears start streaming down her face. she only wanted what was good for him, racing was taking a toll on him and he didn’t realize it but the more she cared, the more she felt like he pushed her away.“i swear, i didn’t mean it. please-!” he begged as he grabbed her wrist, finally turning her around to see her tear-streaked face, flushed with hurt and anger, “i’m sorry, i’m sorry,” he repeated again and again as he took her into his arms, patting her head as they embraced each other.
“racing has changed you, charles…” she mumbles, sniffling.
“ever since ferrari took you under their wing…”
“i-i haven’t changed… it’s just the stress from all these people and all these investors wanting to see me win-“
“and it’s changed you,” she had said, eyes still red from the crying, speaking the term of endearment softly, “you are no longer the soft and kind-hearted charles i knew before all of this happened.”
“maybe it’s best if i stayed away.”
and as her flashback ended, she heard charles speak on the radio, “radio check,” he mutters, trying to focus on his race but still wanting to hear her voice after what happened earlier between the two of them.
“loud and clear,” she replied back as she monitored the first few laps of his race, she couldn’t help but let her mind wander off again towards their childhood.
after their big argument, she did distance herself away from charles but never missing his races. always there, even though she didn’t make it obvious or even told him that she was coming.
she was still his #1 biggest supporter, he just didn’t know it anymore.
podium after podium turned into win after win and she was there to witness it all.
she distanced herself from charles and he didn’t even try to stop it. it was like he meant what he said when they last spoke to each other.
she didn’t mean anything to him.
but god, did he mean something to her.
her mom had told her countless of times to just go up and talk to him after his race win but she knew to keep her distance. it had been a few months since she had last talked to him, it’d be useless to come up to him now but she made it her life’s mission to continue supporting him from the sidelines. she had dedicated her life to become a ferrari race engineer, one day be his race engineer.
she didn’t notice it either, but charles knew. he knew she was always there to support him, he knew she cared.
he would give anything to just come up to her and just hug her, apologizing a million times but he didn’t want to force her to talk to him when she wasn’t ready.
“hello? is everything alright there?” charles’ voice comes through the radio, she snaps out of it before replying, “yeah sorry…” she silently cursed herself before paying attention to the monitor, realizing what he had asked, for positions and plans, “sainz is behind you. try to keep pace and defend each other,” she had spoke softly as charles listened closely.
following her orders, and finally focusing on the rest of the race, she helped them win a double podium.
she was so proud of the two drivers, she watched from the garage as they celebrated at the stage with the rest of the ferrari crew.
her mind wandered off to their earlier argument.
“all i’m saying is that you have to take care of yourself, get yourself a new hobby,” she had started, “circulating your whole life around racing isn’t healthy—“
“i am nothing without racing!”
“yes, you are a beautiful person without racing, you just have to realize that.”
“no one will love me without racing!”
“i have always loved you even before racing…”
“you know nothing! you have always been like this! since we were kids,” charles threw words at her, eyes sharp, unforgiving, “you always tell me what’s best for me like you know me so well— we haven’t talked to each other in years! what do you know what’s good for me???” he growled as she stayed silent, she shouldn’t have opened her mouth in the first place.
she felt defeated and just sighed and muttered out, “i’m sorry, okay? it won’t happen again,” quietly as she left the hotheaded charles, he always regretted what he said when he was mad to her, ever since he started racing, the anger was uncontrollable. the amount of hurtful words he’s thrown at her was unforgivable at that point.
she was snapped back into reality as she realized that the interview session was over and everyone was retreating for the night, the event was finally over.
her brain was on autopilot the entire day, not being able to focus properly and she wanted to be the first one out of there, she packed her things as she saw the others coming over from their celebration as they talked about going to the party being held by ferrari in a club reserved just for them.
she she was grabbing her things to go, she felt a hand on her shoulder, charles.
“hey,” charles smiled apologetically at her as she packed her stuff, she only glanced at him for a little bit before continuing to gather her stuff, “do you want to come to the celebration with me?”
she shakes her head, “i’m quite tired,” she says simply before finally having all of her stuff and walking away, but charles caught up towards her, “i’m sorry.”
“it’s okay, i forgive you,” she says quietly as she continues walking, she was used to it at this point, charles getting mad at her because she said something that he didn't like and she just took it, but he didn’t want her to go away.
he wanted to talk to her.
“stop walking away, let’s talk, please,” he pleaded as she stopped walking, back still facing towards him, she just couldn’t when it came to him, “what is there to talk about, leclerc?” she asked as she turned around, “you said sorry, and i said i forgive you. there’s nothing to talk about.”
charles felt guilty, she just looked so defeated. so different to the person he knew before shit happened between them.
“i’m sorry for everything, i’m sorry,” he breathes out, he was holding his breath? was he nervous?
“it’s okay, leclerc,” she nods as she tries to walk away again before being held back again by the wrist from a clearly emotional charles.
“it hurts when you do that,” he had a hurt tone to his voice, tears threatening to fall from his pretty green eyes, “when you call me by my last name.”
“everyone calls you that.”
“you’re not just anyone.”
“i feel like just everyone.”
“what happened to nounours?”
“we’re not kids anymore.”
“but you are still mon ange.”
she couldn’t reply back, she hasn’t heard that nickname in so long.
“i love you.”
he choked up, he let his tears out. she didn’t say a peep.
“please say something.”
“what is there to say?” she looked at the ground, away from his eyes. she knew she loved him, more than anything ever since they were kids.
she just didn’t know if she could forgive him even though she had said it earlier.
“tell me you love me,” charles was almost begging, holding onto her hands, “even if you’re lying, just say it back.”
“i love you too,” she knew better than anyone that it wasn’t a lie, it was the furthest thing from a lie, but she didn’t want to appear weak, “is that all? can i go now?”
with those four last words, charles’ heart broke into tiny little pieces.
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calciferstims · 4 months ago
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tiktokers be like “I am going to create the most beautiful, relaxing, aesthetically pleasing video ever, with gorgeous lighting, and deeply satisfying content”. …….. “and then I’m going to cut the video fifty thousand times in thirty seconds-”
#chatting tag#WHY. WHY. PLEASE.#I swear like every gifset I ever see that comes from tiktok is like the most gorgeous shit I’ve ever seen in my life#(specifically those videos of food that have really sunny lighting. OUGH that’s my SHIT)#but then EVERY TIME there’s like 5 cuts in every single individual gif. and it drives me crazy#don’t get me wrong they are good gifsets and it is not the gif makers fault. and obviously I know why the tiktok makers do that#bc there’s such a short time limit on the videos and they want to keep their attention and what not#but I swear to god they will make cuts that are SO FUCKING UNNECESSARY like just cutting literal milliseconds out of a satisfying shot.#which makes it no longer as satisfying. why. why do you do this to me.#listen I just have this secret rule that I never use gifs that have any cuts in them at all in my boards#unless they’re like really really nice. but even then like only two cuts max or I go crazy. I don’t like how weird and choppy it looks!!!!#so then like all of the prettiest gifs ever. I can’t use. BC THERES SO MANY GIDDAMN CUTS#like there’s so many videos I’d want to make gifs of but you can’t even get like a millisecond long gif out of it without including cuts 😭😭#ugh. anyways. that was my unnecessarily petty and extensive rant that I’ve just been holding in for a while. sorry.#also sorry but the other thing that bothers me is that stupid logo taking up half the gif.#one of my othe hyper specific secret rules is that I cannot use any gif that has a visible logo or watermark on it bc it drives me nuts#and like. not to rag on gif makers. bc gif makers are the most wondrous thing in the entire world and everything they do is great.#but I DO know a REALLLYYY easy way to download TikTok’s without the watermark it’s so simple it would take like two seconds. please. for me#just look up tiktok video downloader there’s like four good functional websites immediately. it’s so easy#let’s all start doing this pls we could make the most perfect gifsets ever without that ugly ass logo#(again not mad at gifmakers. I love u gifmakers. muah.)
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svtskneecaps · 5 months ago
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friends and fiends if this truly spells the Over for the qsmp i may let the brainworms that have been festering in me for MONTHS--A YEAR, EVEN--win.
i may summarize the goddamn fucking lore.
#i CANNOT make an 8 hour summary i CAN'T i SHOULD NOT that is SO MUCH CONTENT#and i still only speak like 2/4 qsmp languages MAYBE 2.5/4 if we're REALLY stretching it#but GODDAMNIT I'M DOING SOME CURSORY RESEARCH ANYWAY BC I WANNA WRITE THAT FUCKING TIME LOOP#qsmp#maybe just the fed lore. haha. eye twitches. maybe just the iverall server lore. maybe i'll even bother caring about the qsmp livestreams.#haha. eye twitch. fucking. eye twitch.#solo lore is B E Y O N D me but MAYBE shit that affected Most or All lore i could do#like code lore and shit. obv it knots in with other lore but FUCK IT WHATEVER#AUGHHHHHHHHHHHHHH i'm not even gonna worry about it#yknow what. not even gonna worry about it. i gotta do the research first 🤪 whatever bro#if the research gets done i'll think about alllllllllllll the rest of this but this is a YEAR OF CONTENT#mother FUCKER dude it's not possible there's no way#this is a year with like 80 hours of streams per DAYYY at peak who could do this#who could. no wonder no one could keep up. no wonder i had to LIVE in the tag to keep up#good lord GOD i shouldn't do this. i'm not committing. god i want to though. god i shouldn't.#shut up vic#block game brainrot#HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA#WHATEVER HAHAHAHA WHATEVER AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA#i will beat this storyline into SUBMISSION i will beat it to DEATH i will FORCE IT TO MAKE SENSE#I WILL PRUNE IT LIKE THE WORLDS WORST BONSAI I SWEAR TO GOD#i'm unhinged i can't i have so wanted to do this but i swore to myself i wouldn't#bc i know i'll go insane and i know it will take FUCKING YEARS and there is no fucking way i'll see it to the end#but goddddddddddddddd i want to i SO FUCKING WANT TO#listen. if there's no more lore. i may summarize the fucking lore. someone will beat me to it 100% bc i take fucking a million years#but people are suckers for long video essays and summaries IT'S ME I'M PEOPLE#anyway if you got this far and have the screenshot of mariana messaging slime to tell him their daughter is dead please send it#i can't find it via google and i don't have twitter and i know it was posted there at some point :(#i want it :( i want to throw it back in slime's face in the time loop because repetition is fun and heartbreaking >:D
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melloneah · 4 months ago
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2 days till my final exam rant in tags sorry i gotta let it spill somewhere 😭
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mossyinkynebulous · 10 months ago
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Don't be what the government wants you to be. Go out there and be gay!
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zemnarihah · 8 months ago
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my best friend has been very distant w me lately and i asked today if she wanted to hang out and she said she probably couldn't bc it's her brothers birthday but she would let me know if she could and i have her location and i just looked and she's at her boyfriends house rn....
#we have it bc we're roomates so we started sharing locations when we first moved in like in case someone doesn't come home at night or smth#she recently told me that she wants to move out bc she has always wanted to live alone and she can finally afford it. and i asked her#directly like is there an issue because she is so non confrontational so she has never ever mentioned me doing anything that bothers her#and i said please tell me if there's something wrong because it would really suck if there was and i never got a chance to fix it because#you never told me. and she said no it has nothing to do with that i really just feel like it's time for me to live on my own. and a couple#days ago she was like okay i'm next in line for my apartment i'll probably move out in april. and i try to get her to hang out still and#she always has something else going on and i swear every night this week she's been at her boyfriends.#and if i see her around our apartment and try to make conversation at all she's so like short about it and barely responds like will only#give one word answers. i feel like it kind of started when i started dating e but i realized that i was spending less time with her and i#didn't want to be the girl that loses all my friends bc of a boyfriend so i started specifically reaching out to hang out with her and she#says no most of the time and never asks me. like i don't know what else i can do.#i'm like maybe it's bc of her boyfriend? bc they've been on again off again for a long time and previously when they were together it was#really distant with her like i barely saw her EVER. and they were mostly broken up for the past couple years and have been together i think#for a while again... but she knows i don't approve of that relationship and so she would like not say when they were talking again. so maybe#since lately they've been hanging out or dating or WHATEVER she doesn't fucking tell me what's going on with him. maybe that's why.#i literally like try to think of ways it could be my fault and maybe i'm being crazy but i cannot even think to blame myself for more than a#fleeting second bc i'm like. i have ASKED HER directly if there is an issue or something i do that bothers her and she says no. so even if#i'm somehow pissing her off would i ever know to change anything?? i just feel so frustrated bc it's like she's an entirely different person#to me. like this is not the person i know. and i don't know what else i could possibly do like i feel like we need to sit down and have a#conversation about it but what good does that do if she just acts like nothing is wrong. but i don't want to lose my friend i have such a#hard time making friends. i've known her since i was 14 like i can't imagine my life without her. we were the only two in our whole friend#group in high school to get out of the church i still love those other girls but we have so little in common now.
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memoryoflife · 1 year ago
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need more people to play everhood actually
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