#really random song to be introduced to fall out boy through

[fatalitylikeghosts]

Young Volcanoes 

[yeoandmoon]

i found the cure to growing older (and you're the only place that feels like home) ( hongjoong x fem!reader )

you're destined to follow park seonghwa. that's how it's been your whole life, and you'd prefer to keep it that way - thank you very much. it doesn't really come as a surprise to anyone when you follow him across the country to seoul to join the lucrative music industry, but perhaps the real surprise comes in the form of seonghwa's 5'8, pink-haired leader - kim hongjoong - and the late night studio visits that he's prone to.

smut, idolverse, producer!reader, friends with benefits, childhood bestie!seonghwa, a lot of music references (both joong and reader are little music snobs), implied seongjoong x reader (if u squint), studio sex, come eating, fingering, clit play, praise kink, bratty hongjoong, marking kink, implied dacryaphilia, wc is 3.1k

note: :) hiiiiiiiii (louder than anyone else) it has been a while! ngl here - this might be a little rusty! but i hope you all still enjoy it :) title is from i slept with someone in fall out boy, and all i got was this stupid song written about me by fall out boy! (ps. shoutout to the girl at blenz who watched me down a peppermint matcha and then go crazy writing the second part of this)

You owed a lot to Park Seonghwa.

You owed him far more than the cheap soju and street side corn dogs you bought him on nights out, despite listening to him whine that he had the idol money and could easily buy for both of you.

Seonghwa had gotten you the job at KQ Entertainment after a drunken night of you musing to him that no one in all of Seoul was hiring musicians, and you were about ready to pack up and move back with your grandma (who had been, in fact, right about moving to the big city) in the countryside. He helped you settle in the small studio full of instruments and sheet music, and he spent time with you around his busy schedules & hectic idol life.

(“It’s like you’re deliberately trying to keep me by your side, Hwa.”

“I did promise your grandmother I’d make sure Seoul didn’t chew you up and spit you back out, didn’t I?”)

He pushed you hard on quiet days, and would sit on the dingy little loveseat on the far side of your studio while he filled you in on random idol drama and rumors that filled the music show halls. Seonghwa would sometimes patiently watch you record instrumentals for songs, and go through demos the company would send you. He’d laugh at the jokes you’d crack about the bad demos, and sometimes you two would produce silly little raps & songs for the demos - seeing if you could somehow save the tone deaf beats & loud guitars that filled the GarageBand app.

Those were the days you longed for; the days you missed with your sweet best friend.

You understood the high school days once filled with old Fall Out Boy songs and pepero sticks were long gone, but you still tried to cling to the remnants that remained in your life.

Perhaps then, it would only make sense that Seonghwa would be the one to introduce you to Hongjoong - KQ’s Golden Boy and his closest friend within the idol world. In Seonghwa’s mind, this was a logical friendship. You two were ‘similar’ and ‘weirdly into music’, Seonghwa would tell you while on early morning coffee runs. He would grin at you when you raised an eyebrow at him.

“‘Weirdly into music?’ You’re the one with your face plastered onto subway cars, Mister Global Idol.”

(The small quips didn’t stop Seonghwa’s mission, though.

“I want you to meet someone.” He had told you, stalking into your cluttered studio one day.

A familiar figure followed Seonghwa through the door, his small stature dwarfed by your best friend. Kim Hongjoong was a colourful man. His hair was a vibrant blue, and his nails were painted a hot pink. He wore a backwards dad hat with the picture of a pastel coloured bass on it and a corny saying that you couldn’t quite catch before he looked up at you with bright eyes.

“So, you’re the one who produced the One Direction and Fix On remix?”)

After all, Seonghwa knew you better than anyone else. He knew all your deep secrets, and happy moments; he knew the things that made you tick and the things that brought you joy. So - maybe that was why you didn’t find yourself surprised when, none other than Seonghwa’s pick himself, Kim Hongjoong showed up outside your studio at 3 in the morning a mere few nights after being introduced; maybe that’s why it didn’t entirely baffle you when he placed a pile of cds ranging from newly released hip hop to eighties new wave, & everything in between, and asked your opinion on each and every cd in the pile. You soon found yourself arguing over the cultural shift you felt ‘Jolene’ brought, and cackling over Hongjoong’s Matty Healy impressions. 

Maybe that was why you weren’t surprised when he reached over and kissed you hard while a Shinee song played from your old MacBook and drowned out the soft moans that soon filled the small studio space.

Perhaps it was the late nights that followed the ‘Shinee Incident’; or, perhaps it was the fact you were both workaholics. You knew you should talk to Hongjoong outside of the oasis you felt you two had built yourselves within the rooms of KQ Entertainment, but sometimes you found the quietness of your late night rendezvous and stolen daytime kisses in the empty practice rooms was easier than the loud bustle of the Seoul streets and the distractions that came with Hongjoong leading a loud group of 20-something year old men.

You could also think of a hundred more reasons why you and Hongjoong kept meeting like this, but you were also content with just ignoring it and accepting whatever was going on until it was over.

[ from: hongjoong :) ] are you around??? [ from: hongjoong :) ] i can hear you playing with the piano. lol

Just like clockwork, you thought when your phone lit up. 

The bright little clock on your phone reads 03:19, and the piano you were working on was nearly finished. You were tired and craving your own bed; your ass hurt from the hard bench you had been sitting on for hours at that point. Despite that, you still found yourself reaching for your phone.

[ to: hongjoong :) ] yea im next door [ to: hongjoong :) ] :-)

Maybe you were craving something else too; maybe part of you was desperate for human affection, and you knew Hongjoong could give you that.

[ from: hongjoong :) ] :-)

(One could only take so much of the vibrator tucked away in their nightstand, of course.)

There was a shuffling in the hallway before the outline of Hongjoong appeared in the stained glass of the instrumental studio’s door. You watched the doorknob slowly turn before Hongjoong peeked his head into the room, a dark green beanie covering his faded pink hair. He smiled, and you swore his eyes always brightened at the sight of you.

“Hi.” You say, wincing at the exhaustion evident in your voice.

Hongjoong stepped into the studio, his eyes glancing around at the array of instruments surrounding you both before stopping back to where you sat on the piano stool.

“Hi.” He echos, stepping further into the room.

He’s wearing a tan hoodie that has little purple butterflies flying up the sleeve - and for a brief moment - you think it’s so sweet and so Hongjoong that you almost don’t want him to take it off. Then, he takes another step towards you and you see how his eyes darken as they take in the way your own hoodie is falling off your shoulder, exposing the lace black camisole and deep purple bra strap underneath. Something in his look stirs you, and you feel your cheeks begin to heat up as you look at the man in front of you.

“How’s the comeback going?” Your words crack, and you know your cheeks must be burning.

“It’s good,” Hongjoong says, his tone confident while he keeps his eyes on you, and pulls the hoodie over his head. A dark brown t-shirt is revealed, stretching across his chest and riding up enough to reveal to you the boxer band peeking from under his jeans. He throws the hoodie in the general direction of your computer chair and a smile plays at his lips, “Hwa and I are recording part of the rap tomorrow.”

He takes a step forward as he speaks, and you can hear the way his own words crack as he speaks so casually about your shared friend.

You know he needs this as much as you do - if the thick bulge in his jeans says anything about Hongjoong’s current state of mind.

You force yourself to pull away from blatantly checking him out and look up at him, “Did you happen to get that song I sent you?”

Hongjoong takes another step forward. “The Counting Crows one?”

“‘A Long December,’” you move to get up from the piano bench.

Hongjoong is suddenly on you with a sense of urgency, and the small talk portion of your evening is abruptly finished. “Don’t get up,” he tells you, pushing you back onto the bench. 

You see then how affected he really is; his pupils half blown, and his cheeks beginning to match the peach in his hair. “Cute.” The compliment falls from your lips before you can stop yourself, and your hand comes up to cup his cheek.

It delights you the way Hongjoong’s cheek burn at the simple word, and he moves to his knees in front of you, “‘Want you to stay there for me, yeah?” One of his hands moves to rest against your hand on his cheek.

You swallow and nod, not taking your eyes off the man who had managed to pry your legs apart, and was getting comfortable on the floor between them. You’re suddenly aware of your body’s reaction to Hongjoong - how sticky your panties were becoming & how heated your body was beginning to get.

Despite how common this occurrence was becoming, you never seemed to get used to how overwhelming his presence was; how much Hongjoong overtook your senses in every way possible. His hands moved to your waist, and he glances at you again before moving to the waistband of your leggings. His fingers gently slip under the waistband, and he nods to you - a request to move forward.

His fingertips are cool against your skin. They feel nice, you think as you nod to him.

Like most things with Hongjoong, he begins to move with urgency after he receives your consent. He leans up to pull you into a heated kiss as he tugs at your leggings and panties, urging you to shimmy out of them so he can get his hands on your thick thighs and the soaked core that’s between them.

Once exposed to him, one of his hands is immediately between your legs - his thumb pressing into your clit while two of his fingers gently run through your folds, gathering the wetness that lays there and sending your brain into a frenzy of Kim Hongjoong. 

You moan into the kiss, and your hands move up to tangle in his hair and pull him closer to you in an attempt to deepen the kiss. He smiles into it, and you just know that if you weren’t too busy kissing the smile away, it would be that impish, cocky smirk he gets every time he succeeds and wins; it’s the same smile he holds every time Ateez wins a music show, and it's the same smile he holds every time he makes you cum. One of his fingers gently breaches your sopping entrance, and you let out another moan against his lips.

“That feel good, love?” Hongjoong laughs against your lips before stealing another kiss.

Before you have a chance to answer, Hongjoong knocks your legs further apart and presses his thumb harder into your clit. His finger pushes into you and all you can do is swear, “Fuck! Hongjoong!”

Hongjoong releases another breathy laugh from his spot below you before pressing kisses down your neck. You feel his other hand begin to crawl up your tummy from its spot on your waist before stopping just as his fingertips hit the wire of your bra - it rests on your soft skin, and he hums against your skin before softly biting down. The sudden sting makes you gasp and your hand in his hair tightens on the strands you were holding, making Hongjoong hiss against you.

“Take it off.” He tells you, his hand coming up over the bra and tugging at the top of the cup to free your tit. His voice is lined with a growl, and his hand on your thigh tightens.

You know there’s bruises forming under Hongjoong’s fingers - adding to the collection of bruises he’s already left along your neck, tummy and anywhere else Hongjoong could possibly mark you. The possibility of them excites you; fills you with a pleasure, and rush of arousal.

His fingers immediately pinch at your nipple and you bite back a particularly loud whine, your hips bucking up against Hongjoong’s fingers. You begin to peel the hoodie off, letting it fall to the floor in front of the piano, while Hongjoong wastes no time to move his hand from your chest and tug the camisole over your head. It quickly joins the hoodie on the floor, and you’re left in only a lacy black bralette for Hongjoong’s hungry eyes.

“Take your shirt off.” You say, locking eyes with him and reaching for the brown fabric, “I wanna see you too.”

The light blush returns to Hongjoong’s cheeks, and you feel a sense of accomplishment rush through your veins. He leans back onto his legs and looks up at you - in the low & warm LED pink lights of your studio, Hongjoong looks pretty. His eyes are dark, and his hair is tousled from your pulling & tugging on it.

“Okay, love,” Hongjoong replies, “just gotta clean up first.”

There’s a small smile playing at Hongjoong’s lips as he moves his hand from your core, and keeps his eyes on you as he brings his hand to his mouth. His eyes flutter shut as he begins to lick his fingers clean, and all you can do is watch in pure pleasure as he licks your juices off his hand. He lets out a small moan, and your eyes widen as another rush of arousal surges through your body.

You tighten your thighs and try - & fail - to conceal the whimper that falls from your lips, and Hongjoong tilts his head in faux confusion. He moves his hand from his mouth, “What’s the matter, sweetie? I just wanted to taste you.”

You’re utterly, and completely, speechless and all Hongjoong can do is giggle from his spot below you. 

He leans up to kiss you again, with his (now “clean”) hand coming up and cupping the back of your neck to pull you closer. You kiss him back and part of you revels in the faint taste of yourself on his tongue. Your hands move to the bottom hem of his shirt, and you break the kiss to pull Hongjoong’s shirt over his head.

It’s added to the ever-growing pile of clothes that are gathering at the bottom of the piano.

“You’re gorgeous.” You say, and you can’t help as your eyes rake down Hongjoong’s newly exposed body and the piercing that glints in the light on his left nipple.

Hongjoong’s eyes flash, and his other hand tightens on your thigh again, “Do ya’ think flattery will get you somewhere, sweetie?”

You play along with Hongjoong’s games. You pretend you don’t see the way he gets flustered & bothered when you compliment him, and he pretends not to notice that you like making him feel like that. You couldn’t deny the absolute rush it gave you every time he whined your name at the smallest praise.

You take a deep breath before nodding, “Will you let me cum?” You ask, giving him a pout.

Hongjoong’s cocky smirk is back, and your hands grip the edge of the bench. They’ve become so tight against the wood that you’re sure your knuckles are white; it was your turn to become flustered. Your mind was beginning to fray at the edges with every second that passes of Hongjoong’s intense stare and the way his hands slowly began to move up your thighs again. 

He pushes your thighs apart again, and promptly takes his spot back between your legs. He gives you a cheeky smile while you gasp at the cold air against your soaking core; before he pushes you back against the piano and pushes his two fingers back into your hole, chuckling when you let out a cry of his name. The piano keys sound out throughout the room, but Hongjoong ignores it as he drives his fingers harder into you.

If Hongjoong wasn’t so determined to fuck you stupid, perhaps you’d think he was trying to see what notes he could produce every time your back bounces against the keys. Perhaps, just maybe - you’d even suggest turning the microphone on, and recording the notes and moans that’d be produced.

You open your mouth to say something - possibly to beg, possibly to cry for Hongjoong but all thoughts are abandoned when Hongjoong leans forward and takes your clit in his mouth. He sucks on the little nub and you swear your brain goes blank.

You cry out in pleasure, and your hands go down to find purchase in Hongjoong’s hair. He groans against you, one of his hands coming up to hold you waist as you gently rock your hips up against his face.

“Joong…” You plea, “Hongjoong, I’m so close. You feel so good, Joong.”

He adds another finger into you, heightening your pleasure and beginning to scissor them to stretch you out as you gasp, “You’re gonna take my cock after this, right sweetie?”

You nod. It’s all you can really bring yourself to do - although you know you’d do anything for Hongjoong at this moment. You’d probably allow Seonghwa to see you like this, if he wanted you to.

Hell, you’d allow Seonghwa to join in, if Hongjoong asked you too right now. 

“Hongjoong, please…”

Hongjoong kisses your cheek, and you flutter your eyes open to find him level with you, “Go on, love. Let it out for me.”

The simple words were all it took for you to come. The overwhelming euphoria of Kim Hongjoong took over your psyche, and you cried his name as you gripped his arms. 

You ride out your orgasm while you chant Hongjoong’s name, and he kisses your cheek & jaw. He now stands over you, his hand gently running through your hair as you slowly recover, resting your head on his tummy and reveling in the feeling of his hand in your hair.

It takes a moment to look up at Hongjoong. You’re still panting, and you feel tears on your cheeks begin to settle. He smiles sweetly at you, before leaning down to kiss you - softer than any other point during the night.

“Do you want to keep going?” Hongjoong asks, his hand coming to rest on the back of your neck.

You begin to pull away as your hands come up to undo his belt, “I gotta keep my word, don’t I?” You bite your lip to stop the smile beginning to grow on your face.

[quin-ns]

cowboy like me (JJ Maybank x Reader)

Word count: 3.3K

Summary: you and JJ realize you share a skill set and partner up

Tags: meet-cute, JJ steals and so do you, humor, fluff, flirting, dancing, mutual crush, love confessions, kissing, two kleptos falling in love <3

A/N: very much inspired by the song “cowboy like me” by taylor swift. it’s such a good song and I recommend listening to it if you haven’t. if you have listened, don’t worry this isn’t a sad fic. the focus pulls from the outlaws in love :)

cross-posted to ao3 • obx masterlist • main masterlist

The meeting was an accident, but everything changed after you were walking passed JJ and bumped into him.

“I’m so sorry!” you told him, but JJ shrugged it off with a smile. He was in a good mood, a little buzzed, and now he had an excuse to talk to a pretty girl.

“No harm done,” he assured. “I don’t think we’ve met.” It was true, you looked unfamiliar. Maybe he’d seen you around school but at the moment he couldn’t recall. 

“I don’t usually show up to things like this,” you revealed. “I’m Y/N,” you said, holding out your hand.

“JJ,” he introduced himself, taking your hand in his and giving a quick shake. 

He was about to pull away, but he felt something cold against his fingertips.

You were nice and probably didn’t deserve to have your bracelet stolen, but JJ couldn’t stop himself from sliding the chain off of your wrist. He didn’t even know if it looked valuable or not, but years of impulsive behavior made it not matter. He palmed it in his hand and pulled back, looking nonchalant as ever.

“So you said you don’t really come to parties? Is there a reason you showed up tonight?” JJ was curious to get to know you despite the theft.

“A friend of mine actually asked me to come,” you replied. Looking off to the side, you pointed in a vague way. “She’s waving to me now, but maybe I’ll see you around.” JJ looked in that direction but got distracted when you playfully bumped into him, mimicking the accidental run-in that occurred before. You shot him a smile and a wink that had him letting out a small chuckle.

He watched you walk off into a group, a small spark rushing through him. You disappeared in the crowd and a sudden feeling of guilt overwhelmed him. The chain bracelet weighed heavy in his hand and JJ was already regretting what he’d done. Why did he have to be so greedy? He started to go after you, but stopped himself. If you had formed any sort of positive opinion of him, he was sure it would turn sour if the second time he talked to you was to confess to stealing off of you.

JJ frowned to himself, feeling stuck in a stalemate. Eventually he slid the bracelet into his pocket, thinking of a lie along the lines of “hey, I randomly found this and somehow know it’s  yours" or “your bracelet accidentally fell into my hand” but nothing sounded good.

The bracelet fell into his pocket and JJ immediately registered it was the only thing in there. His eyes went wide. 

Where was his wallet?

He whipped his head in the direction you had gone, realizing the side you’d bumped when you left had been the same side he carried his wallet in. 

“What the hell?” JJ muttered to himself, the pieces falling into place. 

He didn’t stop himself from going after you this time. He weaved his way through the crowd and spotted you easily. You were hard to miss, laughing at something some random guy had said.

“Hey, Y/N,” JJ greeted loudly, gaining your attention. He wasn’t angry, though. Not at all. JJ had been stunned at first but now he was just curious and impressed. There was a weird level of excitement, too, when you looked at him.

“Hey, there.” You focused on him, the random boy forgotten. JJ wouldn’t admit out loud that he enjoyed getting your full attention. “Lose something?” you asked knowingly, raising your brows a little and biting back a smile. 

“Actually, yeah,” JJ replied, unknowingly matching your expression. The guy wandered off, leaving the two of you alone. “You seen a wallet? I’m guessing it might be in your pocket.”

“I’ll tell you what.” You crossed your arms, squaring up playfully. “I’ll trade the wallet for my bracelet.”

JJ’s cheeks felt warm all of the sudden. He didn’t think you’d noticed that—didn’t make the connection. 

“That, um, that’s fair, yeah.” JJ pulled the bracelet from his pocket and placed it in your waiting hand. You slid it back on and gave him his wallet in exchange. “That was pretty smooth, by the way. Seems like you have some tricks up your sleeve,” he tried to say casually

“Takes one to know one,” you replied easily. “You were pretty slick, too. If I hadn’t pulled that same move before I probably wouldn’t have felt it,” you commented in a way that sounded complimentary. 

JJ perked up. Maybe it shouldn’t, but it felt nice to get some praise for a skill people usually looked down upon. He wasn’t rich, he had to do what he had to just to get by sometimes—and that caused a habit. Sticky fingers were hard to get rid of, especially when it gave him a rush. But looking at you, the way your eyes held intrigue instead of distaste, he started to suspect you understood.

You did, and it wouldn’t take that long for you to show him that.

That meeting changed everything for both you and JJ. You started going to the summer parties more often. Every time you did, you and JJ somehow “ran into” each other, neither wanting to admit to seeking out the other.

The two of you had started playing a game—one for your own amusement (and at the expense of others). Well, less of a game and more of thievery, but you two made it into a game. Seeing how many people you could pickpocket, different methods, seeing if you could charm and swindle people into giving either of you what you wanted. That one you saved for the kook’s side of town.

And by the time the rich folks in the country clubs you snuck into caught on, you were gone like bandits. 

One time you joked to JJ you were like outlaws, and he came back with, “How about cowboys? It sounds better.”

“Cowboys it is,” you agreed, heart leaping out of your chest when JJ swung his arm over your shoulder. 

You had no idea JJ had already fallen for you, but you did know you were falling for him. 

One night, the two of you decided to get some food and walk around town. JJ didn’t want to go home yet and you wanted to spend as much of the night with him as you could. There were no parties either, and the two of you just hanging out as friends had been normalized for a while.

You and JJ laughed and talked as you strolled around the familiar area. When you came upon a bar, a wicked idea popped into your head. When JJ looked at you, he knew exactly what you were thinking.

“They don’t card,” he said, trying to sound ambiguous.

“Interesting,” you replied with a cheeky grin, holding his gaze. 

Based on a whim, the two walked up to the bar, deciding to finish the night by going after some low hanging fruit.

“Do you have a plan?” JJ wondered as the two of you entered, scanning the surroundings. 

You spotted a drunk looking man sitting alone. You immediately noticed his wallet sitting on the counter in front of him and smirked up at your partner. 

“They make it so easy,” you replied. 

JJ watched, unable to tear his eyes away, as you waltzed over and took a seat next to the man. You were young—same age as JJ—but you could carry yourself with such maturity that you could fool nearly anyone. JJ would’ve been jealous of the way you laughed and flirted with the man, but in the end he knew you’d come back and it would be JJ who you’d truly be spending time and laughing with. 

After you successfully snatched the man’s wallet and brought it to JJ like a trophy, your confidence was up. It was easy to mill about, convincing more than one drunken man that you could’ve been the one. Of course, what you were really after was their valuables. You got another wallet (after the man bought you drinks, which you snuck off to share with JJ), and then a money clip. You also snagged a watch that looked expensive by laying your hand over a man’s to undo the clasps and maneuver it off without him noticing. You were especially proud of that and gifted it to JJ.

“I bet this cost you a fortune,” JJ teased sarcastically, putting on the accessory. Maybe it was bold to put it right in after stealing it, but you had filled your pockets—and JJ needed his empty for what he had planned. 

See, JJ took your winnings as a challenge and decided to go after older women who sat alone or in pairs. He used his boyish charm to get invited to the table and get access to their unsupervised purses. You sat back and watched, an amused smile on your face as they gushed over him every time. 

He returned to you (naturally) flaunting his treasures before hiding them away, just as you had done with him. 

“We should probably get out of here,” you suggested. You had a feeling the longer you stuck around, the more likely it would be that your new “friends” scattered across the bar would start to notice some missing things.

Instead, JJ did something you didn’t expect.

“Wanna dance?” JJ asked with a grin, riding high on the adrenaline. 

“Dancing is a dangerous game,” you warned. It was the kind of thing that could make someone fall in love, but you kept that thought to yourself.

JJ extended the hand, beckoning you to take it. He tilted his head a little, and the grin remained. “But you love dangerous.”

You gave in easily, accepting his hand. JJ pulled you to the small dance floor and the two of you immediately fell in with the crowd. You and everyone around you danced to the upbeat music. Most of the crowd on the dance floor was couples probably in their late twenties. Amongst them, it made it even more obvious that you were teenagers.

It didn’t seem to matter much though, you were just two more faces in the group. 

You and JJ danced together, somehow turning a random array of moves—lots of swaying and spinning—into rhythm. The song passed and shifted into a much slower, very romantic sounding song. You couldn’t make out the full words all that clear, but the ones you did made it obvious. 

Neither you or JJ stopped dancing despite the change. The only thing that changed was your pace. You both slowed down and moved a little closer. 

JJ had been in close proximity to you so many times, but this felt different. This made him just as nervous as it made him excited. He felt somehow more cautious but also more carefree. His mind was so full of contradictions that he had no choice but to push them aside and focus on dancing with you.

Truth be told, putting his attention on you was something JJ never found to be difficult.

JJ held your hand tight in his suddenly and spun you around, trying to impress you. You giggled, colliding with him when he pulled you in. 

“Gotta say, we’re the best looking couple here,” JJ whispered in your ear with a small laugh. 

You gave him a look. Not because of his odd way of trying to compliment both you and himself, but something else. Couple? you wanted to ask. You were maybe a little surprised by the comment, but you weren’t bothered. Far from it.

There was no time for you to actually ask him, though, because suddenly your moment was interrupted.

“Hey!” a man yelled, pointing at you and JJ. “You two! You stole my watch!” The two of you looked to him and sure enough, it was the man who’s watch JJ was currently wearing. He was more aware than you realized and maybe hadn’t planned on drinking the night away on an open tab like you expected.

A guy across the room perked his head up, attention drawn by the first. Neither of you saw it, but he must’ve felt his back pocket and realized it was empty. “That girl took my wallet!”

“He stole my ring!” a lady yelled, looking accusingly at JJ.

“Oh shit,” you cursed. JJ pushed you behind him, ready to take the brunt of the anger as they (and a few others) started closing in, realizing what had happened. The protectiveness that overwhelmed him would be something he admittedly felt a lot, but tried to not act on. You always insisted you could take care of yourself, but he couldn’t fight the instinct in the moment. 

You looked around and spotted a back exit door. It was closer than the front and it was your only way to avoid your marks.

Suddenly, JJ felt your hand grasp his. 

“Run!” you yelled, tugging him in the direction. 

He focused on the door as you dropped his hand, squeezing through the crowd in your own paths. Then you met at the door and took off in a mad dash away from the bar. There was some yelling behind you and neither of you looked back. You only tore your gaze away from the road ahead to look at JJ, and he did the same for you. 

The grin JJ gave you was wild, full of excitement. You felt the same rush. Not even the truck coming up behind the two of you could kill it. One of the barflies decided to be a hero and try to chase the delinquents (that’s what he kept screaming at you out the window) down. 

JJ grabbed your hand this time, his grip much stronger than it had been in the bar. He ran perpendicular to you suddenly and yanked you off the backroad and soon the two of you were sprinting hand and hand off into a small field.

The truck’s owner blared its horn as it sped past, but you could hardly hear it over the sound of you and JJ’s laughter. 

After slowing down, it took a moment of wandering to realize you’d ended up in a park. 

The two of you ducked under a playground structure, keeping out of sight. You sat down and pulled JJ with you. He landed at your side and the two of you caught your breath. Soon, heavy breathing turned into more laughter as the absurdity of the situation set in.

“He was ready to run us over!” you exclaimed, equally shocked and amused. You laughed again to yourself and looked over to JJ. It felt like it was just you and him in the world, and you liked that.

JJ was smiling, but there was something else there. Something in his eyes as you watched him watch you. 

He wondered if you could hear how fast his heart was racing, because it wasn’t just from the running. 

JJ was suddenly aware of how close the two of you were sitting, how you’d grabbed his hand to run, how pushing you behind him to keep you safe felt so natural for him. Every moment he flirted with you and how you’d responded replayed in his mind and how he was desperate to be the one to make you smile and laugh. How when he was around you he felt nothing but pure happiness. How he’d been intrigued by you upon first meeting and every time the two of you were together that feeling only grew and morphed into something else. Something more. 

JJ had never been in love, but he knew this is what it felt like. 

“Earth to JJ,” you said teasingly, waving your hand in front of his face. “You’re not gonna have a heart attack, are you?”

He snapped from his daze to chuckle briefly at your joke. “Nah, I wouldn’t do that to ya,” he responded light-heartedly. In the back of his mind, all he wanted to do was kiss you as you laughed again.

“Good, because I don’t think I can carry you all the way back to town.”

JJ was half listening to you and half focused on trying to bring back the courage he felt in the bar when he’d asked you to dance. 

“Pretty impressive that we’ve spent the whole summer together and this is the first time we got caught,” you mused in JJ’s silence, taking in your surroundings.

“Couple of cowboys on the run,” JJ suggested, smiling to himself. Then at you.

“I couldn’t have asked for a better partner in crime,” you said, starting to realize his hand was still in yours. You gave it a light squeeze, which brought it to your full attention. His too.

There was a beat of silence where you stared at one another, unable to acknowledge the contact yet finding it to be the only thing either of you could feel.

“Remember when I asked you to dance?” JJ asked, seemingly randomly. But it wasn’t.

You let out a small, amused sound. “It was about ten minutes ago, so yeah.”

JJ felt a little more at ease due to the teasing tone. He wanted to say something about how it was fun, how he enjoyed the feeling of being with you, but he couldn’t force the words out. Instead, he asked, “What did you mean when you said it was dangerous?”

Suddenly, it was as if there was a spotlight on you. Like you’d been shoved onto stage front and center without knowing your lines. Of course, you knew what you had thought at the time, but could you really say that? If you did, would you pay for it? 

“Dancing’s the kinda thing that can make someone fall in love,” you finally said, in that same warning tone that had been present in your own mind before.

Hearing you say that made JJ’s head spin. There were so many different ways he could take it, but there was a glimmer of hope as he wished for the best. Miraculously, his confidence returned. His heart was racing and his cheeks were flushed—and he couldn’t quite hold your gaze for an extended time—but JJ found the strength to say what he was thinking.

“It didn’t take us dancing for me to do that.”

His voice was low and a part of you wondered if you had even heard him right. But the nervous yet longing look in his eyes told you that you had heard JJ correctly.

“JJ—“

“Can I just… say something first?”

You swallowed and nodded, bracing yourself for what words came next. Except, it wasn’t words at all.

JJ’s free hand—the one that wasn’t still holding yours—rose to cup your face. You were sitting side by side, but facing each other already. JJ was able to close the gap between you easily, and you went willingly.

It was like sparks flew the moment JJ’s lips pressed against yours. A switch flipped for the both of you as longing and desire poured out as your lips moved against one another’s. 

The kiss couldn’t have been more perfect. It was long awaited from both you and JJ. With so much build up in your minds, it was like magic when it finally happened.

Neither of you wanted to pull apart, but had to. Oxygen was pretty important, unfortunately. 

Your eyes met and JJ’s seemed to sparkle, like they were full of stars, even in the evening light. He cracked a smile, unable to contain his joy, and you couldn’t help but follow suit. 

“I, uh, know those weren't exactly words…” JJ started sheepishly, causing you to giggle. “I think it got the point across.”

“It definitely did,” you assured. “I never thought we’d be here,” you mused, not just about the park but about everything.

“Me neither,” JJ agreed. “But I couldn’t be happier.”

Like a true cowboy, JJ had stolen your heart. You never wanted love at first, but now you didn’t know what you’d do without it—without him.

You and JJ were destined to be partners in crime. And if he had it his way and you had it yours, it would stay that way forever.

[headkiss]

hi! i love ur work so much :) was wondering if you could do an eddie x reader (kinda friends to lovers), where the reader is super energetic, kind of a golden retriever gf LMFAO and just a big ball of sunshine. and she loves to explore and have fun and be spontaneous and at first eddie is weirded out by her and doesn’t want to admit that he has feelings for her but then he starts to fall in love with her and her quirks slowly but surely. thank u <3333

thank you!! and ty for ur request i hope this is somewhat what u wanted <3 | 0.6k of fluff

When Eddie first met you he thought you were sort of strange. Not in a bad way, really, just in a way that made it difficult for him to make his mind up about how he felt about you.

Robin introduced the two of you and right away, you started talking his ear off. You told him you wanted to go snorkeling in Lover’s Lake, for fucks sake.

“You won’t be able to see anything, you know?” He’d replied.

“I know, I just want to breathe out of the tube and float there. I think it’d be fun.”

Well, his idea of fun certainly didn’t involve sitting with his face in that murky water just to breathe out of a tube with an uncomfortable mouth piece.

But, over time, with your slow joining into the group, he went from finding you weird (actually) to weird (affectionate).

It took time for him to get used to your quick talking and blinding personality, that’s all.

Now, he’s not at all surprised when you call him to join you on aimless walks because you want to ‘breathe outside air,’ or when you show up at his door and tell him to get in the car because there’s a place you wanna see.

He’s not at all surprised and he’s way too happy to join you on your random adventures. He feels lucky that you choose him to go with you, really.

Today, you show up unannounced. He knows it’s you by the way you knock on his door, always tapping in some sort of song-like pattern.

“Eddie!” You cheer when he opens the door.

“Hi, sunshine.”

“Hi. I was wondering if you wanted to come with me to the park?”

“The park?”

“Yeah! Don’t you miss going on the swings?” You ask, pushing your hair over your shoulder. “They were always my favorite.”

He really doesn’t miss the swings, but he grabs his jacket and puts on his boots anyway.

Eddie likes to convince himself that he does these things for you out of kindness when it’s really just because he’d probably do anything for you. He never wanted to feel any type of way towards you and yet, he likes you a lot.

His nickname for you is the truth to him. You’re pure sunshine, even when it’s cloudy as hell. You’re warm, and bright, and you wear a smile that’s almost impossible not to reciprocate.

He finds himself wanting to protect you from everything bad in the world, if only it means you’ll keep smiling like that.

“Hey, moon?” You started calling him moon after he started calling you sunshine. For balance, you told him.

“Mhm?”

You listen to the rhythm of your footsteps, the way they match up.

“Do you have a favorite star?”

He looks at the side of your face as you walk, the way the wind tosses your hair around, the little pout on your mouth like it’s a very serious question.

“Yeah,” his hand brushes yours briefly, “the sun.”

His answer makes you smile at your feet.

You’ve liked Eddie since you met him, his edgy exterior housing a very soft person inside. He’s a very sweet boy, humoring you even when he doesn’t want to, letting you flick through his music collection in the van even if he’ll have to reorganize it after.

You can't be certain, but you’d like to think he likes you, too. That he’s trying to tell you something with his answer of ‘the sun.’

“Well, mine’s the moon.”

“The moon’s not a star.”

His heart does a stupid little jump.

“Since when do you care about rules?”

“Good point.” His hand brushes yours again. “I like your answer.”

“I like my answer, too.” I like you.

The next time your hands brush, Eddie takes a hold of yours. Your fingers intertwine perfectly, you think, like finding the very last piece of a jigsaw puzzle.

A completed image.

[hee0soo]

Idol Radio

Summary: Jisoo get´s invited for an episode of Idol Radio Season 3

Unplanned post since i usually only post on the weekend but i wanted to get this ou there :D

October 2022

“Love Pirates sailing through the Idol Universe, Idol Radio Season 3! Dolrangies this is a one in a million opportunity! If you are onto the Case 143 then this is your chance! Only at Idol Radio!”

The DJs Yunho and Hongjoong introduced today’s episode with glee.

Hearing them finish their little speech, Jisoo took that as her cue to come out of her hiding spot. She opened the door of the small build in cockpit that was integrated into the studio, waving her hands excitedly to greet the fans that stood outside the big window.

It earned her a loud cheer and she took her position for the choreography of case 143. The first beats of the song started quickly.

Jisoo gave her all, seeing as she did the dance without her members making the camera focus solely on her.

After finishing, the girl bowed deeply to the fans still watching and made a heart over her head with her arms.

Yunho and Hongjoong hollered while humming the melody for Case 143.

“Ah Jisoo-ah, it´s so great to have you here! How have you been? We haven´t seen each other in a while!” Yunho greeted as the girl sat down with them.

Hongjoong looked at his fellow DJ like he had grown a second head when he heard his words.

“What do you mean in a while? Jisoo-ah and San-ah have been hanging out in our living room just last week!” he gasped in astonishment.

Jisoo giggled and hid behind her hands.

“Right, right. Last week when you fell over the bike standing in the MIDDLE of your hallway?” she laughed teasingly.

Hongjoong´s ears turned red. He had already forgotten that part of their encounter last week. Or more like chosen to forget that part!

“She´s got you there Hyung!”

Yunho found the thought hilarious and nearly fell out of his chair laughing at his members misery!

“So Case 143 huh? Does it have a meaning?” the still red faced man asked, trying to distract from his embarrassment.

“Of course. This is Stray Kids´s first love song ever! The story is basically our hearts falling for someone but our brain, the logical part wanting to stop it. The brain is the police and the oheart the offender so to say and to understand the Case 143 better they try to catch and stop the heart. 143 are the number of letters when you say I Love You!” she explained for the two, gesturing with her hand between her head and her heart to show the significance of the two.

“You were involved with the song correct? Like not just the choreography but the lyrics and arrangement as well!” The Ateez leader inquired curiously.

She nodded, indicating that it was indeed correct about that.

“Yes, since usually 3Racha take care of that, it was new for me to write for the group as a whole and not just random words in a notebook. The concept was new for everyone this comeback!”

“What´s your favorite concept you and the members did so far and what concept is something you would be interested in trying?”

“I loved all of our concepts but I think if I had to choose then I’d say Miroh. The song still slaps and the boys did a phenomenal job with it. But I would really like to try a concept like ATEEZ did with Guerilla!”

Both Hongjoong and Yunho blushed deeply this time hwne the girl complimented the song.

She had listened to it a lot when it was first released, to the point where Changbin had tattled on her to Wooyoung.

The rapper had secretly taken a video of Jisoo, in which she had completely lost her cool over the song! Jumping around the dorm, yelling the lyrics at the top of her lungs! The amount of teasing she had to endure when he had send it to the SKZ group chat AND to their friend.

She only hoped that the two boys wouldn´t bring the video up now!

“Oh we know how much you like the concept. Changbin-ah send us a video of it! Let´s show it to STAYs now shall we?” Hongjoong cackled with an evil glint in his eyes. Yunho looked positively bewildered when the clip got played on a screen close by.

Jisoo swore under her breath. If looks could kill the leader would have been on the floor by now.

The fans outside went wild and Jisoo could already see the memes that were going to be on social media of the moment.

“NOOO, stop playing that!!!” she whined at them.

“That´s pay back for ratting me out earlier!” Hongjoong exclaimed loudly while pointing at her.

The 3 started laughing and Jisoo had to hold back her tears.

“Have you tried the challenge then too?” Yunho asked her, still chuckling at her.

“Sadly not since  our schedules didn´t align with each other. I would have loved to do it with you since no one else did it with you!” 

“Well do you still want to do it?” the oldest asked and Jisoo immediately jumped from her chair.

“YES, LET`S DO THIS!”

Both boys got up and showed her what she had to do. After she got the moves down they danced and she ACED it!

Taking a moment to catch her breath, she did a few poses for fans to take pictures before saying their goodbyes.

The show ended with Hongjoong and Yunho pulling Jisoo between them while jamming to the song that were till getting played on the radio.

Taglist: @alyszaen @smh-anon

[wonderfulworldofmichaelford]

Is It Really That Bad?

There are very few bad movies quite as legendary as this one. I’ve been sitting on this one for a while, because boy did I need some time to process what I saw. And what better day to finally drop this review than on May the 4th, 2023, a year where good Star Wars content is few and far between.

Still, even with how bad the franchise can get these days, we need to be grateful it even survived this special to get to the point where there were any good films at all. Something as negatively received as this was, to the point that it has never aired again after its initial broadcast and only exists via bootlegs, is the sort of thing that completely tanks a franchise that was just getting off the ground. All they had to go off of was A New Hope back then; Empire Strikes Back was still a ways off, so literally all there was was the original film and this.

Nobody involved with the franchise has ever had anything nice to say about it. George Lucas has stressed his lack of involvement, Carrie Fisher said she had a special copy to put on to make guests leave parties, Mark Hamill has said he’s never sat through the whole thing, Harrison Ford has said he has never seen it, and Anthony Daniels called it a turd in his autobiography. The official website even has little kind things to say about it, with the only praise being for the Boba Fett animated segment (which pretty much everyone agrees is the highlight of the thing). And outside people who have worked on the franchise, you’d be hard pressed to find anyone willing to defend this film. Internet critics like Doug Walker and JonTron have all gone for this film’s throat at one point or another, and even in nerdier circles the special is basically the butt of all sorts of jokes. It’s the one thing everyone can agree on when it comes to Star Wars, or so it seems anyway.

But really, looking back on this little holiday special, is it honestly so bad? Is this the television special equivalent of Order 66, or is there enough of the Star Wars magic to keep this from being utterly unwatchable?

THE GOOD

Yes, there is some good stuff here.

First off, there are the concepts the worldbuilding here has to offer. This was still when Star Wars was in its infancy as a franchise, so there was a lot more wiggle room, and so we get some really interesting concepts. The existence of a holiday like Life Day is pretty cool, and Chewie having a family he’s out fighting for gives his character a lot more depth (even if the characters themselves aren’t the most amazing thing ever). The Imperial occupation of Kashyyyk is touched upon slightly, and though not in an intelligent way it still gives a little bit of insight. Plus, as stupid as most of the diversions are, it’s kind of interesting to see the sort of media the residents of the galaxy far, far away like to watch.

This special also marks one of the earliest efforts of Stan Winston of all people, but I guess everyone has to start somewhere. The music isn’t the worst thing either, with a solid Jefferson Starship number and a fun little tune sung by Bea Arthur being the most notable, though at the very end you get to see a coked-out-of-her-mind Carrie Fisher singing a song along to the Star Wars theme music.

Then we have the animated segment, which is actually, genuinely good. I know, it’s shocking, but how can it not be when it introduced the world to everyone’s favorite jobber, Boba Fett? Here he rides a big dinosaur and also backstabs the heroes after seeming like a helpful guy, so he’s quite a bit cooler than he usually is outside of that one awesome fight scene in The Mandalorian.

Oh, there’s also a funny Stormtrooper who trips, falls over a railing, and dies. Complete with a Wilhelm Scream! You can always count on random mooks in Star Wars to be far more entertaining than anyone else.

THE BAD

Nerds can argue all day about whether Jar Jar or Rose Tico are the worst characters in Star Wars, but they’ll be wrong, because Chewie’s father Itchy is literally the worst of them all. Sure, his yeti-like design is kind of cool, but the dude watches softcore VR porn in the middle of the living room. That alone makes him more repulsive than even someone like Watto. There’s a fucking kid around, dude!

Then there’s Chef Gormaanda, the star chef of a cooking show Chewie’s wife watches. Gormaanda is entirely insufferable, and what’s more, is played by a man in drag looking like what appears to be blackface. It’s pretty clear, too, that the “it’s a man dressed like a woman!” is the sole joke of this segment, which doesn’t exactly endear it or the character to me.

And… Look. I get it. Early on in franchises, before you really establish what you’re going for, I think it’s fine to play around and see what ideas work and what don’t. Freddy’s Revenge is a great movie even if it’s an oddball in the series because it went in a different direction than the first film, for instance; it manages to feel fresher and more interesting than a lot of the later films. But the thing with that movie is that it doesn’t feel tonally out of place in the franchise. Sure it’s a lot more homoerotic than later films, but it’s still a supernatural slasher movie.

This, though? This is a goofy 70s variety show following up an epic science-fantasy space opera. I get wanting to try new things and experiment, but some weird ass space variety show is not exactly what I’d want to see Luke, Han, Leia, and the rest have to endure after watching the pulpy space opera goodness of A New Hope. Obviously this wasn’t meant to be an actual, canonical continuation of the story, but it boggles the mind why this is the first thing they’d try and jump into immediately after the first film. The franchise is lucky it even exists the way it does after this, because a lesser franchise just would not be able to recover from something like this, a special that just veers into completely baffling territory for no good reason.

IS IT REALLY THAT BAD?

This special is definitely bad, but I think time has been far kinder to it than most movies.

Like this is undeniably stupid, it is an absurd idea to try and do a variety show in the Star Wars universe, and even back in a time before it became a supermassive franchise this should still have been regarded as a very poor decision. And yet, it happened, and there’s a sort of quaint, cozy 70s insanity to it that is undeniably charming. Maybe it’s boring, maybe it’s weird, maybe it’s horrendously stupid, but the fact it happened at all is just so genuinely funny it’s hard to muster genuine hatred for it.

And with how bad some of the later Star Wars films got, it’s easy to look at this and at least cut it a tiny bit of slack. Sure, it’s not good, but at least it is genuinely something unique and different and not trying to pass off bad writing as “subverting expectations” like The Last Jedi did. And it is honestly, genuinely a better film than The Rise of Skywalker. I’m dead serious. As stupid and terrible as this special is, there was more heart, soul, effort, care, and interesting ideas put into it than the big budget supposed grand finale of a franchise that has made more money than I can even imagine. It really says more about how bad The Rise of Skywalker is than anything, but this special needs to take its wins where it can get them.

There’s not really any way to fault someone for hating this, because it’s not good by any means, but there’s something fascinating about it that makes me unable to muster much hate for it despite it putting me to sleep a couple times. It’s a cultural milestone, a signifier of how big Star Wars was even way back in its earliest years, and its one of the most amusing jokes in any franchise ever. To this day it’s still the punchline of jokes and even manages to influence canon, with Life Day, Bea Arthur’s character, and Chewie’s family (sans Itchy, thank god) making the jump into the main continuity in spinoff media, with Life Day getting a notable name drop in The Mandalorian.

Frankly, its score on IMDB is perfect. It’s a bad special for sure, no argument there. But I’d still argue it is an important movie, an interesting movie, and a culturally significant movie. It’s “so bad it’s good” at its baddest and goodest, and it’s worth checking out just to see how far Star Wars has come.

Now my biggest hope is for the next film to have Poe come out and say “Somehow, Itchy has returned.” Let Itchy be the next big villain, Disney. No man who watches VR porn when his grandkid could wander by at any moment is a good guy.

[heartofspells]

Hello ❤️ I always want to know everything about everything you write immediately, as you know, and also your titles are so interesting but I suppose I just have to choose *one* for this. So, what can you tell us about "Who Are You"?

And I will happily share it all with you.

Who Are You is a working title and not here to stay, I won't lie about that. And it is, once again, based from a song. Shocking, I know. Hold back your astonishment.

This one's still sort of a rough idea with not very much written, but basically it's a Muggle AU where James meets Lily at work, they begin dating, and then after a while, their friends meet. Her friend is Remus.

Remus, upon being introduced to Sirius (and his charming self), instantly dislikes our golden boy. But Sirius is infatuated, and he's persistent (as he can be and is). Of course, he eventually sways Remus into his favor through his actual charms and not his fake arrogance.

(Also, this snippet is literally all that's written, but it's got James! And we love him, don't we?)

"Get up, you tosser," says James as he barges through the front door of the flat, kicking it closed behind him enthusiastically.

Sirius startles from his sprawled position on their sofa, pulling the pillow off his face. He squints at James in annoyance.

"No, don't think I want to," he mutters and James frowns at him. "You're too eager. And you've got that look. I don't trust it."

James eyes him for a moment before kicking Sirius' ankle that's resting on the arm of the sofa. He ignores Sirius' squawks of indignation and pain as he clicks the telly off.

"Tough," states James. "We're going out. I've already rang Pete and he's going to meet us there from work. Now put some trousers on." His nose wrinkles at Sirius' bare legs, the only thing covering his dignity a pair of dubious pants.

"I don't want to put on trousers," whinges Sirius, his face forming into a pout. "Where are we going? Can't we ever go somewhere that doesn't require trousers?"

"Try France," retorts James, reaching down to pull at Sirius' limp arm, shifting him halfway off the sofa. "I hear it's lovely for your sort."

James gives a final tug, and Sirius squeals faintly as he nearly rolls to the floor, barely catching himself with one hand on the coffee table and the other sinking into the cushion of the sofa. He glares at James as he hovers in midair, his legs flailing for purchase. James smirks at him.

"Fucking hell, James," grumbles Sirius as he continues to struggle before deciding to simply let himself fall to the floor. He lands with a loud thud, grimacing as his tailbone connects with the rug roughly. James snorts a laugh and Sirius scowls at him. "Wanker."

"Haven't really had that concern since I pulled Lily," comments James as he settles on the arm of the sofa and stares down at Sirius with a smug grin.

Sirius rolls his eyes. "Yeah, of course," he mutters, his eyes turning sly. "That's why we're suddenly going through twice as much lotion. Massaging her feet, are you, Potter?"

James' cheeks flush a deep red and he looks away. "That's a bit of an exaggeration. It's not twice as much," he mumbles in embarrassment. Sirius huffs and looks at him with raised eyebrows. James throws his hands up in the air. "Can you honestly blame me?" he cries. "Look at her, she's gorgeous. She haunts me."

Sirius shakes his head as he levers himself to his feet, pulling down his pants that had ridden up in the scuffle. "Is that what all this trousers business is about?" he asks disparagingly. "Lily?"

James had once been fun, Sirius remembers, him, Sirius, and Peter holing up inside the flat on most nights or venturing out to a random pub occasionally. They'd enjoyed one another's company, pulling when they were out, but only people they didn't have much interest in, casual flings that amounted to nothing. That had changed the moment James had started working with the alluring Lily Evans, the woman taking all his attentions and affections, trying to turn her disdain into love, eventually succeeding. Sirius feels abandoned and he mopes, not hiding it from James.

James shifts under Sirius' scornful look but doesn't respond. Sirius groans.

"Why can't she come here?" he begs. "I'll put on trousers for her, but then we wouldn't have to go out and be assaulted by them." He flaps his hand at the wall, his statement and action encompassing the world and its people at large. Sirius is not one to shy away from being in the public image, but he has his moments when he simply cannot handle the rudeness of the human population.

"Absolutely not," denies James. "This place is disgusting. You're disgusting."

Sirius gawks at him. "I resent that," he says indignantly. "I'm perfectly acceptable."

"There's dried cheese on your shirt," counters James, studying Sirius like he's a failed experiment. "And something sticky at the corner of you mouth. Also, is that squirty cream in your hair? How did that even happen?"

"The can backfired on me," says Sirius, flapping his hand to wave James off. "Not important. Where are we going?"

"A pub, somewhere Lily knows. She wants to meet my friends and for me to meet hers. Well," James amends thoughtfully, "the ones we don't already work with."

Sirius' face falls. Fantastic, he thinks to himself glumly, a night spent with a load of simpering, babbling girls.

"Why would I want to spend my free time with a chittering gaggle of people I don't know?"

"It's only one friend, not a gaggle," explains James, frowning at Sirius again. "And you'll do it because no matter how much you try to act like it, you aren't selfish. You care about my happiness and that now involves Lily." Sirius doesn't have a response for that, and James' frown lifts into a smile. "Besides, Peter will be there, remember? You'll have him to distract you if Lily's friend becomes too annoying."

[faes-land]

Official - Yuta

I have been severely in my feels for this man and I regret nothing. This fic is based off one of my favorite Charlie XCX songs, Official. I really like this one!

Enjoy lovelies~

Pairings: Yuta X Female reader

Genre: Smut with fluff

Word count: 3,248

Warnings: Oral (male and female receiving), soft sex, commitment issues lmao

---

Your relationship with Yuta was fairly easy, but there were things that made it very complicated. You and Yuta had equally strong feelings for each other, but you weren’t what would be called an official couple. You spent every moment you could with each other, but neither of you wanted to commit to anything real. 

You had met through mutual friends at a random party you didn’t even want to go to. You remember the first time you ever saw Yuta, he was smiling and laughing with your friend, Mark who then introduced you to him. He looked like the most handsome man you had ever seen and you never imagined he would ever be interested in you. It was only a few days later that Mark had mentioned that Yuta asked about you. 

Ever since then, you’ve been in quite the relationship with Yuta. It had its ups and downs, but it just felt right. You didn’t feel like it was necessary to put a label on your relationship with him, but everyone would pressure you and ask you about it. You felt like your happiness didn’t mean anything because you and Yuta weren’t a “real couple”. Whatever that meant. 

All of your friends would ask you, “Why are you still with him if he won’t be with you?” Or they would say, “You deserve commitment.” The truth was, you weren’t ready either, so why would you rush something you weren’t sure of?

Yuta was always with you, always making an effort to understand you. He knew everything about you; the things that make you smile, how you looked before you would cry. He knew things you would do or where you would go when you were upset; sometimes he would be there to console you, sometimes he would let you be. He would say things to you when you made bad decisions, but he never made you feel like you were less than. He was always there to support you. He understood your mistakes because he made them too. 

He had his own flaws, things that you felt yourself getting bothered with. Your fights were stupid, and you knew he wouldn’t even listen to you half the time. You’d say things to him just to get his attention or get a reaction out of him, knowing that he was hard to crack. Yuta wasn’t always an easy man to be with. At times, he could be very hard to read and you wouldn’t know what kind of mood he would be in. He had his moments where he was bad for you, but he could say anything you wanted to hear and you’d fall right back in love with him. But, even though he had his bad habits and bad moments, the highs were better than the lows. It all felt worth it to be with him. 

There were times where Yuta didn’t know what to do with you, but he would always figure it out and make it up to you in some way. There were days that he felt like he could lose you over the silliest things. He would do everything he could to make sure you stayed with him. He wasn’t the most vocal man when it came to his feelings for you; he always wanted his actions towards you to speak for themselves.

You remembered your first date with him, there were no chocolates and no bouquet, but none of that mattered with the way he kissed you. It just felt right. You never cared to kiss on the first date, but Yuta made you feel a way that no one else did, so you let him. And boy were you glad that you did. It was clumsy and full of nerves, but it was perfect. Even still, when you kiss him, it feels like that very first time. 

Of course, you had your doubts about your relationship with Yuta. How long would it last? Would he ever want to commit to you? Would you ever want to commit to him? You knew you both loved each other and yet, you weren’t where you should be. How much of that really mattered?

Yuta makes you feel so loved and cared for, but you knew that he was just as scared as you were. You both had bad relationships before you met each other and that made everything so much harder. No matter how bad you wanted to be with each other, you were still very guarded from your past experiences. He was trying to break down your walls, but he still had his own. 

Sometimes, you wanted to pull away from Yuta, but you also knew you couldn’t be without him. You hadn’t seen him in a few days because you were both busy, and it was starting to drive you crazy. Ever since you met him, you would do your best to not spend this much time apart. 

Here you were now, leaning by the sink in your kitchen with his body pressed against yours. His deep kisses were making you dizzy and you remembered why you were so addicted to him. His kiss, his touch, the way he would look at you. Everything about him was exactly what you needed. 

Yuta’s shirt was long gone and so were his pants. All he had on were the black boxer briefs that you had bought for him for his birthday. You were also barely wearing anything; just a bra and a pair of panties that needed to be taken off. You went on a date earlier in the day, but the second you got back, Yuta was all over you. 

His lips were on your neck, making you moan his name softly. He smirked against you, tickling your skin. “Y-Yuta,”

“Yes, beautiful? What is it?” His silky voice ringing in your ears. His hand was snaking its way down your body and into your underwear. You gasped when you felt his fingertip on your clit. He moved his finger slowly, drawing out your pleasure. 

His lips were back on yours, kissing you deeply before he applied slight pressure to your clit. You gasped, “We-we should go to the bedroom,” you barely mustered out. 

He looked at you and smiled. “You’re right,” Then he removed his hand from between your legs and picked you up bridal style, and carried you to your bedroom. Yuta had been to your apartment so many times, he may as well have lived there with you. He knew your apartment so well that he was able to kiss you while walking to your room. 

He gently set you down on top of your soft sheets, but you quickly sat up to meet him at the edge of the bed. You saw his growing bulge through his underwear so you slowly pulled it down his legs. Yuta sighed in relief when his erection sprang free from its cotton cage. You looked up at your man and smiled before you kissed along the beautiful butterfly tattoo on his left hip that you loved so much. He shivered feeling your lips there and his belly button piercing gleamed under the dim lights in your room. Your fingers traced the tattoo on his other hip, tickling his soft skin. You went to his erect cock and gave the tip an experimental kiss. 

Yuta threw his head back and groaned, so you wrapped your lips around his throbbing tip, sucking gently. You licked his slit, making him groan a little louder. You felt proud of yourself, you loved giving him pleasure. Before him, you hated sucking dick, but he made it worth it. The way he tasted, the sounds he made, and the way he would praise you; you loved it. All of it. 

“Fuck, that feels so good,” he whispered when you took more of him in. You bobbed your head slowly and closed your eyes. You were so focused on giving Yuta pleasure that nothing else mattered. You reached your hand up to pump his shaft as you kept your lips on his tip. You knew he loved it when you concentrated on his head. He was so sensitive, it drove him wild. 

You took more of him in and bobbed your head against his shaft. Your saliva mixed with his precum had coated his length, making it slick and easy for you to please him further. His hand was buried in your hair, tugging slightly as you kept your movements up. Yuta was surprisingly pretty vocal in bed and his moans would always turn you on. The more he moaned, the more it encouraged you to take as much of him in as you could. His tip hit the back of your throat and you gagged when it went a little further down. Yuta moaned loudly and his grip on your hair tightened. 

You also moaned against his cock and Yuta could feel that he was going to cum any minute now. He didn’t want to cum quite yet though, but it felt too good to make you stop. You knew that his orgasm was quickly approaching by the way he started to thrust his hips into your mouth. You pulled away from his cock and pumped him while your lips were on his tip, sucking lightly, but hard enough for him to moan louder. “Y/N, I’m so fucking close.” 

“Come on, baby,” You teased and his cock twitched in your hands. Next thing you knew, he came all over your chest with a little landing on your chin. You smiled as you licked your fingers after wiping off what landed on your chest. Breathless, Yuta couldn’t believe the lewd sight in front of him. Fuck, you were so hot. 

When you seemed clean enough, Yuta pushed you down on the bed and began to kiss you softly. He tasted himself on your lips, but he didn’t care. He trailed his kisses down to your neck while his hand snaked between your bodies and rubbed you through your panties. You moaned softly as Yuta kept going lower and lower on your body, removing your bra along the way. 

He finally reached where you wanted him, and he kissed your thighs, teasing you. As much as he loved teasing you, he also wanted to pay you back for the blowjob you just gave him. “It’s your turn, beautiful,” Yuta said before he removed your panties and settled himself between your legs. He smiled to himself when he saw how wet you already were. He kissed your inner thighs and you moaned softly, tangling your fingers in his beautiful long black hair. His lips had placed themselves on your clit before he flicked his tongue against the tender nub. 

His name slipped from your lips as he continued to give your clit plenty of attention. He just started to go down on you and you were already losing your breath with each stroke of his tongue. One of his hands had reached up your body and his fingers started to tweak your nipple. The pleasure became more intense as his tongue started moving faster against you. 

Your moans were louder than before when you felt his other hand gripping your thigh and holding you down as you started to squirm. Yuta had been working on his body, and he was getting quite strong. You smiled to yourself as you thought about all the times he’s taken you against the wall and held you up. You loved when he would use his strength on you. 

He released your tit from his hand and moved it down to your folds, making you moan at his touch. He ever so slowly pushed his finger inside you, massaging your walls. The new feeling of his finger going deeper and deeper inside you was driving you insane. You were reveling in the tender love that Yuta was giving you. The way his tongue felt against your clit, the way he moved his finger in you were all things that made you feel closer to your high. He knew your body so well and how to please you. Yuta was such a giving lover and you felt so lucky to have a man like him. 

“Yuta..” You whined when you felt that familiar pit in your stomach make its appearance. Yuta hummed against you and your legs started to shake from the pleasure. He knew you were close so he moved his tongue faster. 

“Come for me, my love. Come all over my fingers and tongue.” That was all he needed to say for you to let loose. Your grip on his hair tightened as your orgasm took over your entire body. Yuta slowed his movements down, helping you come down from your high. He knew you were sensitive from your orgasm, so he removed his finger slowly. 

Your breathing was uneven and you were exhausted from your orgasm. You knew that Yuta would most likely be ready to keep going, but you needed a few minutes. Yuta could tell by looking at you that you needed some time before you and him could do anything else, so he laid down next to you and kissed your forehead. “I’ll give you some time to recover.” He chuckled before holding you close to him. 

You reached your arms out and held on to Yuta’s broad shoulders and pulled him close to you. His body on top of yours. You loved cuddling like this with him; you always wanted to feel him close to you. He kissed you so soft and lovingly that it felt different than usual. Yuta always kissed you with an intensity that was unmatched, but this felt like something else. This kiss felt like he truly wanted you to know how much he loved you. The passion you shared with the beautiful man on top of you was turning you on again and you could feel yourself getting wet underneath him. You wriggled your hips underneath him, your bare core rubbing against his cock. Yuta groaned and pulled away from your kiss before he took one of your legs and wrapped it around his waist.

 You felt his tip at your entrance, so Yuta being Yuta, he couldn’t help himself but tease you a little. He pumped his shaft a few times before teasing his head at your entrance, coating it in your wetness. He rubbed your clit with the tip of his cock and you practically screamed at him. You wanted to be mad, but fuck did it feel good. 

“You ready?” His eyes were sweet but full of lust. You couldn’t speak, so you just nodded your head and kissed him. He smiled into your kiss before he slowly inserted himself inside you, making you feel every inch of him. He went all the way to the hilt so that you could adjust to him. It didn’t matter how many times you and Yuta would have sex, he always wanted to make sure that you were comfortable. 

“Move, please, Yuta!” You cried out once you were adjusted to his size. Yuta didn’t need to hear anything else before he started with a slower pace. He knew you probably weren’t in the mood for anything too intense tonight, so why not take it easy on you? At least a little bit. Your arms were on his shoulders and your hands were up in his long hair, tugging ever so often. You loved his long hair and you never wanted him to cut it. 

The way that his cock felt as he went deeper and deeper inside you was just what you needed. Yuta always knew how to keep you satisfied. He knew just what your body needed. His pleasure was not the priority. He got off knowing you were pleased. His thrusts had become a little bit faster and you loved the new pace. It wasn’t too fast or too slow, it was perfect. Yuta had buried his face in your neck as he left kisses and bites along your skin. His perfect lips danced all over your skin.

Yuta took your other leg to put around him so he could be as close to you as possible. You loved when he would fuck you like this. It wasn’t rough or anything like that, but it was hard enough that you were a moaning mess underneath him. He angled his hips slightly and that’s when you screamed. His tip hit your spot over and over. “Fuck!” You said a little louder than you expected. Yuta was deeper than he was before and you were losing your mind. This moment you were sharing with him was like nothing else. You couldn’t get enough of the gorgeous man on top of you. You wanted him as close to you and as deep in you as possible.

Yuta took you in for a sloppy kiss as he kept up his rhythm inside you. He loved the way you felt around him, the way you held onto him. The pleasure he got from knowing that he made you like this was better than anything he could ever ask for. Even the slight pain of your nails digging into his back was pleasurable for him. He didn’t mind the pain one bit if it meant you were satisfied. Yuta wasn’t a selfish man when it came to your pleasure.

Your moans were getting louder and louder, and Yuta felt you squeeze around his dick. He knew you were close, so he reached down between you two and started to rub your clit in circles. At this point, you couldn’t do anything except go back and forth between moaning his name and incoherencies. Yuta was moaning in your ear between kisses to your neck. Yuta’s raspy voice was such a turn-on that his moans alone almost had you coming on him. 

Once again, Yuta’s lips were on yours as your orgasm took over your entire body. You pulled away from his delicious lips to moan as the pleasure had become a little too intense for you. From the way you were squeezing around him and when he felt you come on his cock, that triggered his own orgasm. Yuta quickly pulled out of you, stroking his cock and coming on your stomach. 

You giggled seeing his flushed and fucked out face. Yuta was so cute sometimes; his hard features softening after he came.  He collapsed next to you and kissed your neck. “We’re not done just yet, my sweet.” He said lowly into your skin. 

You turned to face your handsome man. “What do you mean? That was the most intense orgasm you’ve ever given me.” 

He smirked. “I still have to clean you up. Let’s go take a bath so I can give you another orgasm in the water.” He got up off the bed and went towards the bathroom. He turned to face you, “Don’t move. I’ll carry you once the bath is drawn.” You smiled and bit your lip, nodding at your man. 

You sighed in content, happy to be with a man who cared for you the way Yuta did. Sure, you had your ups and downs, but overall, Yuta was perfect for you. So what that you two weren’t an official couple? None of that mattered with the way that he kissed you and cared for you. He loved you, and you loved him.

[damiano-mylove]

How you met them and what dating the members of Måneskin would be like

GN!reader, slight NSFW for Damiano *Masterlist*

Vic

You'd definitely meet Vic at the grocery store

She goes grocery shopping every Saturday at 10 am, and you don't know that because you're creepy, you know that because you do as well (being an adult and such)

Over time, you'd both start to notice seeing each other at the same times and places

Vic would eventually come over, after having traded more than a dozen looks with you

At first, she would give you a random complement (that made your heart soar for reasons unbeknownst to you at the time), and you would immediately compliment her back because there are so many things to complement about the unknown girl at the shops

Those random complements would soon turn into full blown conversations that you both looked forward to, every Saturday at 10 am

Conversations turned into doing your grocery shopping together

Vic would ask you to lunch after one of your grocery shopping adventures, which you gladly accepted given the beautiful woman had stolen your heart at first glance

Lunch would go absolutely swimmingly, and it became the new thing

Your relationship with Vic would evolve from doing your grocery shopping together, then having lunch, to basically spending every Saturday together, then seeing each other other days of the week

One night, having drinks at Vic's place, just the two of you, Vic would join your lips together in a sweet harmony that felt all too right

You brushed off the night as drunken kissing

But she held you hand at lunch that following Saturday, and asked to kiss you before you parted ways

The conversation was bound to happen, and it did. After that, you and Vic were officially an item

She introduced you to her friends, and you did the same - your group loving Vic, and her's loving you

Dating Vic would be full of gentle love bites on your tender neck, fruity red wine, painting your nails matching colours, and late nights

On those late nights, Vic would hold you close, a film playing softly in the back, while her attention laid on you

You, her person, her rock. You made Vic's heart go ablaze and she wouldn't trade you for the world

Nor would you for her

Thomas

Thomas gives off strong Boy-Next-Door vibes

One day, your interest was sparked by moving vans outside your window - someone was moving into the flat above you

It was a very loud day (furniture scraping the floors, heavy boxes being dropped, many feet with much too heavy footsteps) but you were baking

You had a function to attend to the following day, so your day was already planned as a day for baking your famous biscuits that literally everyone loved

Ingredients may have a price tag, but kindness does not. Once all the noise subsided, you brought a plate of cookies up to your new neighbour (hoping to at least buy their friendship so they wouldn't annoy you constantly)

When Thomas opened the door, your stomach immediately turned to static

He looked a little tired, no doubt from freshly moving in, but his beauty was still breathtaking

Thomas smiled at you sweetly and thanked you profusely for the biscuits - he told you about how his grandmother made the same type and he loved them

The next day, right after you'd come back from your function, Thomas brought you back the plate with a bashful smile - 'The biscuits were divine, better than grandmama's'

You giggled at his statement, then invited him in for tea and to finish off the biscuits that were "left over" (you'd actually saved them for yourself, but there was no one else you'd rather share them with)

Happily for the both of you, Thomas accepted the invitation, and he stayed in your flat, drinking tea with you and eating biscuits, till the wee hours of the next day

You and Thomas shared smiles from your balconies and the street below, but when you'd be walking the stairs together, it always turned into an invitation for a drink, or to watch a game, or just a chat

About a month and a half of friendship, Thomas asked you to the cinema

You gladly went with him

In the middle of the film, your hands bumped together, both reaching for the popcorn on your lap - resulting in heated faces and looking away

Thomas walked you back to your flat that night, leaving you with a kiss on the cheek and legs made of jelly

That next day, Thomas asked you to dinner

'Is this a date or just a hang out?'

'It can be whatever you'd like.'

To no one's surprise, you chose the former option

You never officially confirmed your dating status, but you'd figure Thomas introducing you to his family as his partner was confirmation enough

Dating Thomas would include him singing you mellow songs in the evenings, longing glances shared across rooms, lots of tea at all hours of the day, and extremely stupid jokes that turned sickeningly sweet

Those jokes would occupy your mind for days on end, cherishing every single joke shared

Ethan

As cliche as it sounds, you'd meet in a bar

There was a game on between Lazio and Milan - and you both were dragged there by your friends

People clamored around the bar and television screens, screaming and yelling, and everyone decked out in jerseys (the Lazio jerseys outnumbered the Milan jerseys 3:1)

Funnily enough, you met Ethan in the corridor for the toilets

'With a line this long, I might as well piss outside'

For a first impression, Ethan really did make an impression. One that made you laugh and his cheeks tint red at the knowledge that someone heard him say that

It sparked a conversation while you both waited in the long lines

You discovered that neither of you held too much of a love of football, which absolutely tickled you that someone was in the same boat as you

Ethan waited outside the washroom for you, then suggested you both go outside for a smoke

With a drunken smile (the only way to get through a football match is to drink, lets be real), you agreed and told the friends you came with where you'd be disappearing to

Outside, you and Ethan shared three fags each and lots of laughter and conversation

Surprisingly to Ethan's friends, when everyone came pouring out of the bar after the game finished, Ethan had you pressed against the wall in a heated kiss

While being the most shy member of the band, Ethan reacted the most prominently to liquid courage, which you were more than okay with

You traded information, and the next day, you woke up to a sweet text from Ethan, asking you to a cafe to get to know each other in a sober environment

No complaints, you went

Ethan was just as funny as he was last night, and neither of you stopped smiling the entire time you were together

You saw each other quite often after that; sharing the occasional kiss, but full of laughter and stupid faces in silent moments

Eventually, you got brave and asked for Ethan to be your boyfriend

His face and ears went bright red, and he immediately looked to his slender fingers, chuckling nervously - but he happily agreed

Dating Ethan would include a hell of a lot of cuddles, lots of reassurance, few kisses but very meaningful kisses, and more laughter than you've ever shared with anyone else

Ethan will make you one of the happiest people on Earth, and in exchange, he is the happiest, just to have you in his arms in the mornings (even if you drool on him in your sleep)

Damiano

Without a doubt, you'd meet Damiano at a bar

There wouldn't be a game one, it was just a Friday night, and you felt like cutting loose with your idiot friends, whom you very much loved

Damiano would spot you immediately

You, of course, had already spotted him, but your friends were drooling over him, and every single person in the bar was as well, so you just put him out of your mind

That is, until he swaggered right up to you while you were grabbing drinks for your friends who were all on the dance floor

His expensive scent intoxicated you better than any booze behind the bar, making your skin tingle immediately. Damiano radiated heat, but that could've just been how warm it was in the bar from all the people

As the bartender was mixing your drinks, Damiano asked you your name

'A beautiful name for a beautiful person'

You thought he was just looking for a one-night stand, which you were actually quite down for

However, the night was still young, and you still had drinks to deliver to your friends, so you thanked him for the compliment and sauntered off to your friends with the drinks in hand

They called you a myriad of names for you basically turning Damiano down to do what? To dance with people you'd known for years?

Fortunately, walking off hadn't deterred Damiano

His eyes were on you for the entire night, until you built enough nerve to approach him

It didn't take too long for him to offer to bring you back to his place - you didn't need more than a second to accept

That night didn't lead to sex, however. Damiano thought you to be drunk to give him any meaningful consent, so he just left you to sleep in his bed, while he took the couch

When you woke up, you wrote your number with the lipstick in your purse on his bathroom mirror, and you left without a sound to wake him up

He called you that same day and invited you to the bar again

The entire weekend was spent going to the bar, sleeping either with or at Damiano's, which suited you just fine

Unfortunately, you had an actual job that required you to go to work, so when he invited you out on Sunday, you had to decline, then again on Monday

Tuesday, however, you invited him to your place for a couple drinks and you ended up falling asleep on his shoulder on the couch

Damiano woke up with you for your job and stayed with you as you got ready that morning, smiling at you through the mirror of your bathroom

Soon enough, your nightly encounters turned into real dates that changed location and theme constantly

Damiano was spontaneous and you loved it

He'd call you the cutest pet names under the sun, and bring you everywhere you were willing to go with him

Damiano never called you his partner; you were his lover

When you'd be alone, he always referred to you as 'Y/n, the light of my life, the only flower in my field, the cream in my jeans'

Made you blush like mad, but that was Damiano's favourite part

Dating Damiano would include doing each other's eyeliner, lots of PDA, reading side by side on the couch with a record playing softly, never falling asleep alone

Sleeping beside Damiano was like sleeping next to a furnace, so blankets were never needed, but cuddling was required

if it sucks, y’all gotta tell me😩🙏

for @fairyth0rns , i hope you like it

[luvdsc]

august.

Bad habits are hard to break, and you’ve made a terrible one of loving him.

pairing :: liu yangyang x reader genre :: fluff, angst ⋮ best friend + college au word count :: 10,500 words warnings :: none. playlist :: time lapse (taeyeon) ⋆ 2 kids (taemin) ⋆ daydreams (exes) ⋆ sharing you (lany) ⋆ august (taylor swift) ⋆ too close to love (will hyde) ⋆ sad stripped (lany) ⋆ strangers (taemin) ⋆ the 1 (taylor swift) author’s note :: can you believe that i literally wrote this entire 10k fic in one day aka today ??? whew this gave me the same rush that i got when i wrote my research paper in the class it was due for the day of, printed it out during break, and handed it in at the end of class :’) ↳ part of the almost collaboration series.

Liu Yangyang is jumping fences to escape late night parties, shared laughter over childhood favorite cartoons on February mornings, midnight dancing in the refrigerator light, and November kisses stolen in between the shelves of the nearby 7-Eleven. He is obscure doodles in the margins of your physics notes, good intentions laced in December’s mistakes, strawberry lemonade and broken truths wrapped in summer bliss, and September endings with honest lies.

He is your August, he is your everything, but he isn’t yours.

AUGUST 2018.

August has barely begun to fade away.

You’re eighteen years old, and you’re drunk off of your first taste of freedom, one toe already dipping into the shiny pleasures of adulthood. Your new roommate, Karina, has excitedly told you about the famous beach night themed frat party that kick starts every school year at your university. Everybody who’s anybody would be there, and your heart already races at the thought of going to your very first college party.

“Coral or blue?” Karina holds up a solid colored neon blue bikini and a striped, bright pink one for you to choose between.

“Blue.” You nod towards the first option, and she discards the other one back into the open drawer. You pull out a marigold yellow one and a black one lined with white strings, wordlessly gesturing towards them, and she immediately points to the latter.

“That one is gonna look so cute on you. Well, both would, but I love that one.”

You grin at her, silently thanking whoever decided to pair the two of you together for the random dorming. “Perfect, thanks. Do you know any of the guys hosting the party?”

“Yeah, Dejun? He’s really sweet and a year above us. I met him in the music elective I’m taking.” She turns to take off her shirt and tosses it to the side, pulling on her bikini and wriggling into a pair of ripped jean shorts. “You?”

“Kind of? Jaemin is in my project group in Intro to Engineering. He’s rushing for that frat.” You quickly change out of your outfit and into your chosen swim top and daisy dukes. You make sure to grab a pair of black flip flops from your closet. The bundle of nerves in your stomach grows as you step out of your dorm with your new friend, a bit anxious but also excited to attend your very first party.

Thank goodness for summer weather. It’s still a nice, warm 75 degrees Fahrenheit according to your weather app when you and Karina finally make your way to the frat house. The sun barely begins to set, but the party slash dayger had started earlier and is in full swing. There’s a DJ set up out front, blasting some sort of EDM music, and the lawn is absolutely covered in foam. You see the source of it shakily set up on the roof of the patio along with a couple of boys sitting up there, Hawaiian shirts barely covering their figures. You catch the eye of Jaemin, who happily waves at you from his vantage point, and you wave back at him.

“Oh my god, I love college,” Karina says, grabbing your arm excitedly as the two of you step into the foam. You reach down to pick up some of it before flicking it towards your roommate, who squeals before scooping some up and throwing it in your direction as well.

“Ready for our first shitty college drink?” You pull her through the mass of other students and towards the horribly decorated tiki bar stationed in the corner of the patio.

“Hell yeah, let’s do it.”

The two of you stumble over, still throwing handfuls of foam at each other amidst giggles before making a full stop in front of the bar. The older boy behind the makeshift counter lazily grins at you both, a shell necklace hanging loosely around his neck, and his unbuttoned orange Hawaiian shirt gives you a nice flash of his toned abs.

“Hey, I’m Johnny. What can I get for you two?”

“Two vodka shots, please.”

“Alright, ID?”

You freeze, and Karina’s grip on your arm tightens, and then Johnny laughs, eyes crinkling in the corners. “Relax, I’m just messing with you, freshie. Two vodka shots coming right up.”

He pulls out two small plastic cups and pours out the drinks for you. “How many do you want?”

“This is good for now, thanks.” You and Karina pick up the drinks, smiling a little nervously at him. He flashes another amused smile at you. “Alright, come back anytime if you want another.”

You move away from the patio, and Karina follows close behind. The two of you throw back the drinks and dispose of the empty cups quickly. The burning sensation in your throat disappears after a few seconds, and you turn to your roommate. “Should we find our friends?”

“I think I see Dejun back there! Let’s go say hi, I can introduce you to him.” Karina drags you through the rising foam, the bubbles clinging to your skin, and when you go past the DJ stand, you feel the pounding bass reverberating in your chest harder than ever. You trek past the gate and into the backyard where the foam has risen to your waist, thanks to the enclosed fences. She taps on the shoulder of a boy with the prettiest almond eyes you have ever seen, and you shyly smile at him when he greets you.

“Hey, I’m Dejun.”

Oh my god, even his voice sounds pretty. Older college boys are definitely better and hotter than high school boys. Heck, they’re better than freshman boys. Nobody wants to date a freshman dude, not even the freshman girls.

“Hi, I’m Y/N.” You extend your hand, but then realize how stupid that must be. You hastily start to retract your hand, but he laughs and warmly grasps your hand. Smiling at you, he shakes it firmly, squeezing your hand gently before letting go.

“It’s nice to meet you, Y/N.”

The butterflies in your stomach grow in volume as the conversation goes on, and you’re positively enamored by the end of the night. Karina had given you a look earlier before walking off with Dejun’s friend and joining the dancing crowd. With the addition of his phone number in your pocket and a promise to show you a new song he’s working on with his guitar next Friday, you’re walking on cloud nine.

“Do you want something to drink? I need a refill, and I can go grab you one,” he asks, and you’re about to offer to go with him, but then you remember the teasing upperclassman and simply agree, asking for another shot of vodka.

After he disappears, you look around, eyeing the crowd and wondering if you can spot your roommate anywhere. You bump into someone lightly and turn around to apologize. Your eyes meet a pair of curiously bright ones.

“Sorry about that, I’m looking for my roomie.”

The boy gives you a Cheshire Cat grin. He’s wearing one of those dumb Hawaiian shirts, too, and it’s unbuttoned, but he has a white T-shirt layered underneath it. “No biggie, it’s a massive party and it’s crowded. Who are you looking for?”

“Ah, I don’t know if you know her, but Karina? She went off with this dude, Kunhang, I think?”

His eyes light up at that name. “Oh, I know him! I saw him earlier by the keg stands inside. Your friend might be there, too. I can—”

“THE COPS ARE COMING!” A loud voice bellows, and you freeze up. Suddenly, the music is shut off as everyone starts running away. You start to panic, the terror rising in your chest, and the boy in front of you grabs your hand and pulls you with him. “What are you doing?! Don’t just stand there! We gotta go!”

“Wait, but Kar—” You start to object, but cut yourself off when you bump into his back as he abruptly stops. He scans the backyard, quickly assessing the situation before turning to you.

“There’s way too many people trapped in here, we’re not gonna make it to the gate. We need to climb over the fence. I’ll hoist you up, and you can help me up from there.”

“I don’t even know you,” you protest, and he throws you a look.

“Hi, I’m Yangyang, nice to meet you, I don’t want to get my ass hauled out by the police and continue the icebreakers in jail, so let’s move now. We good?”

“Yeah, okay, we’re good,” you say faintly, mind still whirling around as you try to grasp the situation. “I’m Y/N.”

“Great, now up you go.”

He immediately picks you up without any warning, and you almost fall backwards, arms flailing before you grasp the top of the fence and pull yourself up. Balancing precariously on top of it, you grab his arm, tugging him up until he’s sitting right next to you, too. The both of you swing your legs over the fence and jump down to the other side. You let out a sigh of relief, squatting down as you clutch your heart.

“Oh my god, we made it. I didn’t get arrested at my first party.”

“What an amazing accomplishment.” Yangyang brushes off the back of his shorts. “We aren’t going to jail. Freshman year is gonna be a breeze if your bar is set this low.”

“Hey!” You frown at him, standing up and crossing your arms over your chest. “How do you know I’m a freshman?”

“It’s written all over your face.” You give him a look, and he relents. “Only a freshman would be this scared of getting caught.”

“So are you an upperclassman?”

“Nah, this is my first party, too. I’m rushing for Nu Chi. Hold on, wait here.” He sneaks around the edge of the fence, peering around for a few seconds before jogging back towards you. “Okay, the police are over there. I’m gonna have to wait a while before going back in.”

“You have to go back?”

“Part of tonight’s rush process,” he sighs before turning to you. “Do you live on campus?”

“Yeah, I’m gonna walk back now,” you answer, shifting your weight from one foot to the other. “It’s late, and I’m not in a partying mood anymore.”

“I can walk you back,” he offers, and you shoot him a grateful smile.

“That’d be great, thanks.”

The two of you start the trek back, an awkward lull in the conversation making itself known. You wrap your arms around yourself, shivering slightly when a soft breeze picks up. There’s a light rustling noise, and you pay no mind to it until a soft cloth is draped over your shoulders. Eyes widening, you notice the colorful, palm tree-printed button down shirt wrapped around you and the boy next to you, looking straight ahead with his hands shoved into his pockets. Smiling to yourself, you slip on the shirt, loosely buttoning the front of it.

“So, Yangyang,” you casually begin, testing his name on your tongue for the first time. You decide you like it. It’s cute. He turns to you, raising an eyebrow, and you continue, “Since our lives are no longer in jeopardy, we can continue the icebreakers, right?”

His lips curve into a smile. “Alright, shoot. What’s your first question?”

“Captain America or Iron Man?”

“Oh, Iron Man, hands down. He’s so…”

You meet him in August.

FEBRUARY 2019.

“Hey, where’s your cereal? The Reese’s one?”

February marks six months of your relationship with Dejun. It also marks six months of your friendship with Yangyang. It is time for your weekly Sunday rituals of watching old cartoons and eating breakfast, and you could’ve sworn that box was still half full last week. You rummage through the top drawer Yangyang had designated for snacks and other foods in his dorm as he takes out the milk from his mini fridge and carries it over to his desk.

“I ran out a few days ago. There’s Cinnamon Toast Crunch somewhere in there though.”

With a victorious cry, you manage to pull out the slightly crushed box of the aforementioned cereal from underneath the packages of flamin’ hot Cheetos and spicy nacho Doritos and triumphantly bring it over to your best friend. He already pulls out two bowls (which were stolen from the dining hall) and hands over the plastic spoons in his grasp (which was also taken from the dining hall).

“Thanks.” After dropping a spoon into each bowl, you shake out the sugary cereal squares before pouring the milk because you’re not an absolute heathen who puts milk in first, like Sicheng. Yangyang clambers up to his top bunk bed, and you carefully pass over the two bowls of cereal, milk sloshing precariously near the edges. You climb up afterwards, and he gives you your bowl once you settle down.

“So, Scooby Doo or Pokémon?”

“Mm, we watched Pokémon last Sunday already, so let’s do Scooby Doo this time.” He nods in agreement, pulling up the cartoon from the queue in Netflix, and the two of you lean back against the ginormous mound of pillows and stuffed animals of his that occupy nearly half of his bed.

You’re shoveling a spoonful of cereal into your mouth when he casually asks, “So how’re you and Dejun doing?”

Choking slightly, you quickly swallow. “We’re doing good. I think he booked a table at the Italian restaurant down the street for Valentine’s Day. Are you doing anything for Valentine’s?”

“I’m forcing Renjun to come watch that “‘Happy Death Day’ movie with me.” The faint sounds of the Scooby Doo theme song plays in the background as you hum in acknowledgement, mouth twisting into a mischievous smirk.

“That’s so sweet. So who confessed to who? Not gonna lie, I thought you had a crush on Hyuck, not Jun.”

“... I would shove you right now, but I just did my laundry, and rewashing my comforter is expensive and I’m out of quarters.”

You stick your tongue out at him, and he rolls his eyes before lifting his bowl up to sip the best part of having Cinnamon Toast Crunch: the milk infused with all the cinnamony, sugary goodness. You let your spoon fall back into your bowl with a soft clink, a sudden worrying thought popping into your head.

“I bought him some customized guitar picks and a pretty composition book. Do you think he’ll like it?”

“That’s a pretty basic gift, isn’t it? It feels like something Kun would get him,” he teases, but his heart falls when he notices you chewing on your bottom lip, spoon held limply in your hand.

“Hey, I’m just joking, of course he would like it. He’s completely whipped. He’ll love anything from you.” Yangyang’s voice grows softer, and he fiddles with a stray thread on his comforter, avoiding eye contact with you. “I know I would.”

He looks up slightly and sees you smiling gratefully at him, eyes shining bright. He quickly ducks his head, turning away slightly to hide the hues of pink blooming on his cheeks. He feels you leaning over to rest your head on his shoulder with a quiet sigh, and his breath hitches in his throat.

“Thanks, Yang.”

Replaying the sight of your smile in his mind makes his stomach flip flop, and he resists the overwhelming urge to tell you you’re pretty, pushing it back into the farthest crevice of his mind.  Your head on his shoulder makes him feel like he’s carrying the entire world, and he doesn’t know what to do. He paints on a tight smile of his own, silently hoping you can’t hear the way his heart nearly pounds out of his chest.

Yangyang knows that having feelings for his best friend, specifically one of his good friends’ girlfriends, is something he absolutely should not be doing, but he can’t help it. His stupid heart refuses to listen to his brain. For now, all he can do is desperately hope that this dumb crush of his goes away soon because while 99% of his friends are oblivious (including you), Ten and Donghyuck are not. They’ll be able to spot his feelings from a mile away, like how Kun always knows when there’s a good sale going on at the Asian supermarket downtown (This week, it was the 50% off bean sprouts and chili paste).

Letting out an inaudible sigh, Yangyang carefully rests his head on top of yours. Clutching the empty bowl with one hand, he shoves his other one under his thigh to stop himself from reaching over and tangling his fingers with yours. He stares at the screen, watching until the bright colors blur together.

“Anytime.”

He likes you in February.

AUGUST 2019.

The earth spins around the sun for another time, and August makes its presence known once again. It’s Thursday night, and you’re sitting on the countertop in Nu Chi Theta’s kitchen, swinging your legs back and forth as Yangyang struggles to make some scrambled eggs because the half filled carton of eggs the two of you managed to find is the only thing that isn’t expired (besides Jeno’s protein shakes, but neither of you are gonna touch that cardboard tasting monstrosity).

“Maybe I should make it.” You peer over at the frying pan, wincing when you see the full damage of your future meal. “Did you use oil?”

“Of course I did!” he exclaims indignantly before pitifully pushing around the nearly charred mess of yolk and whites around with his spatula. “I’m not Mark.”

“Could’ve fooled me,” you mutter, waving your hand around to dissipate the acrid burning smell, and Yangyang throws you a dirty look. He grabs a fork and stabs a small chunk of the eggs. Picking it up, he brings it closer to his mouth before hesitating. His eyes dart to you, and you raise your eyebrows at him, a silent challenge in your gaze. The sad piece of egg hovers in the air for a few more seconds before he defeatedly drops it back into the pan.

“Okay, what if we just Uber Eats some McDonald’s?” Turning off the stove, he then tosses the remnants of his cooking into the trash and drops the pan into the sink.

“Stellar plan. Best idea you’ve had all night.” You hop off the counter to stand next to him, propping your chin on his shoulder to see him pull up the app. He immediately puts in your usual order along with his before holding it up for you to see it better.

“Looks good?”

“Looks perfect.”

He clicks the confirmation button, and the delivery is set to come in 30 minutes. You’re suddenly hyper aware of how close you are with your chest pressed against his back and hastily move away, warmth spreading across your cheeks.

Glancing over at your best friend, you don't miss the way Yangyang smiles down at something on his phone before his fingers fly across the screen. When he looks up, you immediately turn away, focusing your eyes on anything but him.

“Hey, you’re going to the Alpha Sig formal, right?” Yangyang calls out, and you throw on a teasing grin.

“You mean Alpha Sigma Psi, also known as the sorority I’m in?”

“Ah, right, yeah.” He flushes, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. “But you’re going, right?”

You nod, the sudden realization creeping up on you. “Oh yeah, I am, thanks for reminding me. I completely forgot to ask, but do you want t—”

“Ningning just asked me to go with her,” Yangyang blurts out, and you freeze, failing to hide your shock for a split second before you regain your composure.

“Oh wow, that’s great, Yang! I’ll see you there then.” You try to give him a convincing smile. He wrings his hands, biting his bottom lip. Something is on his mind. You can tell. He’s not someone to hold back with his words, but this time, he is.

“I… I don’t know if I’m gonna go,” he says at last. Your heart picks up a little at that. Does that mean he doesn’t want to go to the dance at all? Or does he not want to go with Ningning? If you asked him now, would it make a difference?

“I’ve never slow danced,” he confesses, leaning against the opposite counter, and your heart drops. So that was it. Of course, he wouldn’t reject Ningning. She’s an absolute goddess, heck, you wouldn’t say no if she asked you either. You stamp out that last flicker of hope.

“What if I suck at it?” he continues, absentmindedly carding his fingers through his hair. “Oh god, I bet Yukhei and Kunhang are never gonna let me live it down. I can do choreographed dances, but I’m gonna mess up over a stupid slow dance. But where am I supposed to put my hands?! Like on her shoulders? Her waist? Do I hold her hand?”

Your eyes follow the way his hair ruffles slightly, and you wonder if it’s as soft as it looks. You swallow hard before saying quietly, “I can teach you?”

His hand pauses mid-movement, and your eyes fly down to meet his. His eyes widen, and he contemplates your offer for a split second before nodding excitedly. “Yeah, that’d be great! Can you teach me right now? While we wait for our food to come!”

“S-sure,” you stammer, flustered at the sudden acceptance and his eagerness. “Um, here? In the kitchen?”

“Yeah, why not?” He shrugs before straightening up. “The lights should be dimmed, right? We can kind of mimic that here to set the mood or whatever.”

He goes over and fiddles with the light switch, flicking it on and off, and you laugh, walking over and placing your hand over his. “What are you doing? Some kind of Kevin Nguyen mating call to look for a rave bae?”

“First off, I’m offended that you think I’d be one of them,” Yangyang narrows his eyes at you. “Secondly, I’m trying to make this feel more formal dance-y. Oh, wait!”

He turns off the lights for the last time and reaches over to pull open the refrigerator doors, the artificial fluorescent light pouring out and mixing with the faint beams coming in through the window from the street lamps outside. He grins at you, satisfied. “Romantic, huh?”

You roll your eyes, but the amused smile on your face gives away your true feelings. “Wow, Romeo, you swept me off my feet. The food is gonna go bad, and Kun is gonna kill you for the high electricity bill.”

“What food? Jeno’s protein shakes probably never expire.” He snorts before standing closer to you, his hands resting on either side of you on the counter. You can see the pretty gold flecks in his irises, and your breath gets caught in your throat. “And I guess this means you gotta teach me fast before we waste more electricity, right?”

You place your hands on his chest and lightly push him away, and he laughs, stepping back. You let out a shaky breath, remembering that your lungs need oxygen in order to, you know, continue living.

“Okay,” you clear your throat before pulling out your phone and putting on a slow song. “Ready?”

“You chose Ed Sheeran? Thinking Out Loud? Really?”

You raise your hands up defensively. “Hey, he’s the king of sappy slow songs that all girls want to be played at their weddings for their first dance.”

When your legs don't work like they used to before,

And I can't sweep you off of your feet,

Will your mouth still remember the taste of my love?

Will your eyes still smile from your cheeks?

“Is this the song you want played at your wedding?” He raises an eyebrow at you, and your face grows warm. You ignore the question, and this time, you’re the one taking a bold step forward, a few centimeters now separating you and your best friend. You see his Adam’s apple bob as he gulps lightly before meeting your eyes.

And darling, I will be loving you 'til we're seventy,

And baby, my heart could still fall as hard at twenty-three,

And I'm thinking 'bout how people fall in love in mysterious ways.

“So, your hands go here.” You take his hands and place them on either side of your waist. His arms freeze up. “Relax, Yang. Precious cargo here.”

He lets out a chuckle, loosening his grip as he starts to relax. You reach up and slide your arms around his neck, interlocking your fingers. You gaze back at him, saying softly, “Now pull me closer.”

He does so.

Maybe just the touch of a hand,

Oh me I fall in love with you every single day,

And I just wanna tell you I am.

“And now follow my lead. We’re going to take one step. And then another. We’re just slowly turning in a circle.”

After a few spins and steps, you stop leading and let yourself be led. Yangyang continues to hold onto you carefully, and you can hear him muttering a 1, 2, 3, 4 count under his breath until he finally gets the hang of it. He grows a little braver, pulling you even closer.

So honey now,

Take me into your loving arms,

Kiss me under the light of a thousand stars.

“Are you going with Dejun?” he asks quietly, and you stiffen at the mention at him before shaking your head.

“No, we broke up in July.”

Yangyang falters in his step before recovering. “Oh. You never told me.”

“Yeah.” You struggle to keep your voice level. “I just… he’s your friend, and I didn’t want to make it weird.”

“You’re my best friend though,” he says firmly, looking you directly in the eyes. His grip on your waist tightens. “It’s his loss. That dumbass just lost the best person who’ll ever come into his life.”

You give him a tired half smile, one that doesn’t quite meet your eyes. He hugs you closer to him, wrapping his arms around your waist and securing you against his chest. You rest your head in the crook of his neck and hope that he doesn’t feel how quickly your heart beats in your chest.

Place your head on my beating heart,

I'm thinking out loud,

Maybe we found love right where we are.

“Thanks, Yang,” you whisper, your breath tickling his skin. He envelops you tightly, and the two of you continue to spin in slow circles, quietly dancing in the refrigerator light as the remaining verses of the song warble in the background.

You think you finally understand what Dejun meant when he said he’s breaking up with you because your heart was already occupied by someone else.

You fall in love with him in August.

NOVEMBER 2019.

[ 12:54 a.m. ] yang 🐏🤪: hey you up?

[ 12:54 a.m. ] yang 🐏🤪: 7/11 in ten mins?

Tiredly rubbing your eyes, you stumble out of your dorm building, one of Jeno’s sweaters draped over your figure. November nights are cold, but this one seems chillier than usual. Yangyang stands near the front steps, and he stiffens up when he notices whose hoodie you’re wearing. He makes no mention of it though when you join him.

“Sorry, did I wake you?” He glances over to you as the two of you walk side by side to the small convenience store just on the edge of campus. You shake your head, shoving your hands into the front pocket of your sweater.

“I was up cramming for midterms. I could use a break anyway,” you shrug. A wisp of your hair falls in your face, and Yangyang starts to reach out to fix it, but forces himself to keep his hand by his side. You reach out to carelessly brush it away, tucking it behind your ear.

“What about you?” You look over at him, noting the bags under his eyes. “Rough night?”

He smiles tiredly at you, shoving his hands into his pockets as he kicks a stray pebble along the sidewalk. “More like rough week. Two more midterms left, and they’re for electromagnetic theory and linear systems.”

“Oh god, good luck. I took linear systems today, and it was absolutely brutal.” You wince, brightening up when you see the familiar neon orange, red, and green lights up ahead.

“Maybe I should just withdraw and take it again next quarter,” your best friend grumbles, kicking the stone as far as he possibly can.

“You really want another quarter with Hwang?”

“You’re right,” he sighs, “I just need to get a C+ to maintain my GPA. C if I’m pushing it.”

The two of you hurry over to the 7-Eleven, quickening your pace, until you reach the store doors, and you pull them open. Entering quickly, you push the door open slightly wider, and Yangyang slips in behind you. The cashier doesn’t even look up, texting away on his phone. You make a beeline towards the chips aisle, grabbing a bag of flamin’ hot Cheetos and a pack of sour gummy worms.

“What are you getting, Yang?” You call out over your shoulder, eyes zeroing in on the Red Bull stand at the end of the aisle. When you hear no response, you halt in your steps, turning around. Yangyang stands in the middle of the aisle, looking dazed under the fluorescent lights.

Putting your items back on the shelf, you approach him, reaching out and touching his arm gently. “Yangyang, what’s wrong?”

He jerks back before silently holding up his phone for you to see. There’s a slew of text messages from Ningning a few hours ago, and a quick scan tells you all you need to know. Your heart weighs heavily in your chest when you look back at him, a forlorn expression on his face.

“She dumped me,” he says quietly, shoving the phone back into his pocket. “She said our relationship was like a friendship. She didn’t feel anything. She said we could still be friends if I wanted to be though.”

He jabs a large bag of Lays potato chips angrily as his voice raises slightly higher. “But I don’t get it. Do friends take each other on dates? Do friends spend the night? Do friends hug each other and hold hands walking to class? Do friends spend three hundred dollars to do a surprise weekend trip for their birthday?”

He whirls around to face you, and he’s so close that you can see those pretty golden sparkles in his eyes again. Suddenly, his hands are cupping your face, and the next thing you know, he’s kissing you. Your eyes widen for a fraction of a second before they flutter shut, and you press your lips against his. The 90s pop station music playing overhead seems to fade away, and all you can focus on is that your best friend tastes like spearmint gum and grape soju. He pulls away abruptly, the realization of what he’s done finally hitting him as his chest heaves up and down.

“Do friends kiss like this?”

His voice is barely a whisper, but it cuts through the silence. You feel like you’re spinning out of control, a split second from careening and crashing.

“No, we—they don’t,” you mumble, and Yangyang sees the starstruck look in your eyes, and he wants to apologize: to say sorry for kissing you. But he doesn’t. Because for some reason, he doesn’t feel sorry. He closes his eyes, curling his hands into fists before exhaling slowly. He sees you looking back at him this time, and he wonders if you feel as equally lost as he does.

Because you’re right. Friends don’t kiss each other like that. Friends don’t feel like this about each other.

He kisses you in November.

AUGUST 2020.

The sun still shines bright late into the day, and August greets you like an old friend. You’re absentmindedly doodling in the margins of your notebook designated for Quantum Mechanics. Yangyang sits next to you in the lecture hall, making a bunch of origami cranes before tossing them at Renjun’s head right in front of him. When the bird reaches its target for the sixth time in a row, the annoyed boy whirls around in his seat, glaring at your best friend.

“Stop that,” he hisses, and Yangyang innocently raises his hands in the air. Renjun angrily frowns at him before turning back around in his seat. After a few minutes, Yangyang flicks another crane towards his friend. If this was a cartoon, you would see steam blowing out of your friend’s ears. You silently watch as he wordlessly picks up his phone, seething as he presses on a particular number.

Suddenly, Travis Scott’s SICKO MODE starts blasting, amplified by the large auditorium-like room. The professor goes silent, and everyone turns to see Yangyang scrambling to pick up his phone. He fumbles around for a few seconds with it before finally shutting it off and putting it on vibrate mode. Cheeks burning red, he meekly puts his phone back in his bag and squeaks out a “sorry” before sinking down in his chair (You can see the culprit grinning like the cat ate the canary right in front of him. Karma’s a bitch who also goes by the name of Renjun).

You pat his arm consolingly as he sulks next to you for a few minutes, mouth jutting out into a pout. You decide to take pity on him and lean closer to him, whispering quietly, “Would it make you feel better if I bought you boba after class?”

Immediately, he brightens up. “One oolong milk tea, half sugar with white pearls and coconut jelly?”

“Yes, I’ll pay for your overpriced drink,” you huff, thinking about how his one seven dollar drink could buy you a whole rotisserie chicken that’ll last you a week. At least the fluffy dog at Cloudy with a Chance of Boba is cute and fun to play with. “I’ll even get the honey waffle fries.”

“Heck yeah!” he whisper-yells, fist pumping quietly before he suddenly deflates. “Wait, I can’t. I promised Lia I’d get lunch with her.”

Ah, right, there’s Lia now. Yangyang’s new girlfriend: the only other student who went to Düsseldorf, Germany to study abroad over the summer, and inevitably, the two of them became close. All you really know about her is that she’s pretty, she’s in Iota Theta Zeta, and she followed you on Instagram a few weeks ago (of course, you followed her back because of the unspoken best friend and girlfriend policy).

Her page looks carefully curated, and there’s a common pink tinted theme going on throughout her feed. She has over a thousand followers, and it seems like Yangyang fits perfectly in her magazine curated life, judging by how he occupies nearly every picture taken in the summer with her or how he’s tagged as the photographer. You can’t deny that they look good together, pointedly shoving the green eyed monster back under the bed.

You take a peek at your messy Instagram page where you only post pictures when you’re half drunk, so there’s no semblance of uniformity anywhere. You shrug at him, pocketing your phone.

“No biggie. I’ll see if Karina is up for some boba. She’s been holed up in the dance studio already, and it’s only week two of classes, can you believe it?”

“I remember Ten was the same way,” Yangyang hums, eyes fixated on his phone and fingers tapping away. He laughs quietly, lips curling into a pretty smile, and you glance over curiously.

“What’s so funny?”

“Hmm?” Yangyang finally tears his eyes away from his screen for a split second to look at you before another buzz takes his attention away. He’s distracted, lovestruck, and you wistfully smile before turning back to your notes.

“Sorry, what’d you say earlier?” he loudly whispers a few minutes later, and you barely glance up from the large bulbasaur doodle you’re in the progress of completing right next to the chart marking the wave functions for a bouncing ball that you had copied down from the blackboard.

“Oh, I just asked what was so funny,” you murmur, coloring in the flowers you drew around the Pokémon with your blue ballpoint pen.

He looks confused for a moment before lighting up. “Oh! It was just a German joke. It’s not really funny if I translate it though.”

“Got it, no worries.” You notice the professor starting a new example problem, and you abandon your drawing, focusing on the formulas rapidly filling up the chalkboards in front of you. A quiet chuckle echoes in your ears, and you pause in your note taking to look over and see your best friend still typing on his phone. You make a mental reminder to create a copy of your notes for him later on when you pass the library on the way to the dining hall.

“Hey, Y/N.” Yangyang nudges you gently. “Rain check on the boba?”

You offer him a soft smile. “Of course. Anytime.”

He gives you a quick grin in return before his attention returns to the device in his hand—or rather, the pretty girl behind those texts. Your best friend is sitting right next to you, but you’ve never felt so far away. You know distance makes the heart grow fonder, but you don’t think it’s possible to be even fonder of him than you are now. Bad habits are hard to break, and you’ve made a terrible one of loving him. No wonder it’s beginning to hurt so much.

You lose him in August.

DECEMBER 2020.

December is the coldest month of the year, yet it is also simultaneously the warmest with all the holiday festivities it brings. If Yangyang were to choose a month to describe you, it’d be this one. You are a walking paradox, a conundrum he might never solve, an oxymoron come to life. He doesn’t understand how you can be his best friend, yet feel like a stranger; a friend who he wants as a lover; someone who has created such an impact in his life, but disappears seamlessly here and there.

He wonders when you’ve gotten so distant. He wonders why he never noticed the way you seemed to slip away through the cracks until it’s now nearing the end of the year, and the last time he’s seen you in person was before the November autumn break.

But you’re here.

You’re standing right next to the punch bowl filled with spiked eggnog, wearing a garish knitted button down jumper with brightly colored Christmas lights decorating it. It’s perfectly in theme with the Ugly Christmas Sweater party Nu Chi is holding, and Yangyang is beyond ecstatic to know that you’re attending. He had texted you an invite two weeks ago, and you merely reacted with a thumbs up.

Yangyang swears he was going to follow up with you on that, but he got so caught up with midterms, then meeting Lia’s family for Thanksgiving, then studying for finals, and then finally, preparing for this party. Buying enough beer for twenty-three keg stands is a lot more difficult than it seems (Donghyuck’s car broke down halfway during one trip, and they all had to carry back the packs of beers to the house in 40 degree weather in their Sperry boat shoes and Patagonia long sleeves that definitely weren’t cut out for this kind of weather).

His girlfriend is somewhere in the room, wearing the other half of the reindeer sweater she forced him to put on, but all he can focus on is you. He hurriedly makes his way over, skidding to a stop in front of you, and you’re startled before a smile spreads across your face.

“Hey, you, I haven’t seen you in a while.” You grin at him, reaching out to poke the reindeer tail sticking out from the front of his itchy sweater (Lia got to wear the head half of the reindeer, while he was stuck with the behind).

“Yeah, how have you been?” He reaches around you to pick up a cup and pour himself some eggnog. He offers you one, but you decline with a small shake of your head.

“I’ve been doing good, a bit tired with finals coming up, but what’s new?” You joke, grabbing one of the sugar cookies from the table. You’re secretly surprised that they actually have real food (No, Hyuck, Jell-O shots do not count as real food). You suspect Jaemin has something to do with it. He always contributes to the annual Greek row bake sale.

“Are you here with someone? Did Karina come?” he asks, curiosity coating every word. He looks around for your roommate, but she’s nowhere to be found.

You shake your head. “No, I actually came with—”

“Me!”

Yukhei bounds over, slipping an arm over your shoulder. He hands you a new cup of apple cider, which you accept gratefully. He grins happily at Yangyang, who freezes up at the sight of his tall friend. “I asked her to be my date for the party, and she agreed. She also made our sweaters! Aren’t they so cool? There’s even lights that spell my name and play Christmas songs. She did a bunch of cool programming tricks to make them work.”

Yangyang realizes with a start that the two of you are indeed wearing matching sweaters, and that leaves a rather sour taste in his mouth (and it definitely wasn’t because of expired eggnog). The corners of his lips tilt downward as he presses his lips together tightly.

“So… you two are together?” He gestures between you and Yukhei with a forced laugh. Jealousy never did look good on anybody, and unfortunately, he’s not an exception.

“We’re just seeing each other and seeing how it goes for now,” you answer quietly, noting the way your best friend reacts. You have always been good at reading him, and you tread carefully now, not wanting to make a scene. Drunk Yangyang never holds anything back, and he’s had quite a few pre-game shots already (It definitely doesn’t help that he’s a lightweight, too).

“I see. How did you guys meet? Or I guess, start talking?” He attempts to look intimidating, staring down at Yukhei, but it’s a difficult feat to accomplish, especially when he’s trying to stare down a six foot guy who’s more like an overgrown puppy and his friend.

“Oh, she came by for one of your boba runs, but you were still out with Lia. So I asked if I could go with her.” Yukhei flashes his pearly whites at you, and you chuckle, leaning your head against his shoulder.

“I said yes, and we hit it off, I guess.”

“You guess? And you took him on our boba runs?”

“You were out with Lia,” you say defensively, and he blanches when he hears his girlfriend’s name come out of your mouth.

“You could’ve waited,” he mutters, but you still hear it, and you give him a scathing look, finally too tired of this push and pull game that’s been going on behind the scenes for nearly three years now.

“I did. I waited over an hour here for you, but you didn’t show up or even text me that you were gonna be late. Yukhei was nice enough to offer to go with me.”

He stays silent, and you gnaw on your bottom lip, unsure of what to say next. Yukhei looks at you in concern, but you reach up and squeeze his hand reassuringly, which your best friend doesn’t fail to notice, his lips pressing into an even thinner line.

“I don’t understand what the deal is,” you finally burst out, startling both boys. “What’s the big deal about me and Yukhei going out?”

Something inside of him finally snaps. “The big deal is that you’re basically sleeping through my list of friends and then breaking up with them! First Dejun, then Jeno, now Yukhei? Who’s next? Should I give Renjun a heads up? Pencil you into his planner? Or Sicheng?  Sungchan? You have a class with him, so you’re bound to flirt with him, too, right? When are you gonna stop fucking around with my frien—”

He gasps, stopping mid-outburst as he stares at you in disbelief. Apple cider slides down from his hair, dripping onto his face and soaking into his sweater, the sticky juice clinging to his skin uncomfortably. You’re absolutely seething, the empty cup crackling in your clenched fist. Shocked, Yukhei carefully tugs the plastic away from you and places it on the table before replacing it with his own hand, his thumb caressing circles on the back of your hand soothingly. Yangyang doesn’t dare to meet his furious gaze, lifting his chin to look at you instead. The entire room has hushed down by now, all eyes staring directly at the three of you in a mixture of surprise and slight terror.

“Screw you, Yangyang,” you say lowly, voice shaking with anger. Tears form on the edge of your waterline, but you blink them away before hastily brushing a stray droplet from your cheek. “They asked me out. I said yes. We went out. It didn’t work out. We move on. Just like how you’ve gone out with my  friends. And they didn’t work out, so you moved on. So what’s so wrong about that? What’s so wrong about trying again to find love?”

He can’t answer you, curling his hands into fists until his fingernails indent miniature crescents in his palms—until the pain overtakes the feelings that are threatening to spill from his heart. Yangyang may not be yours, but he doesn’t like the fact that he can’t call you his either.

Love. That’s what you want, that’s what you crave, but not if it’s from him. So what is he supposed to do with love that’s unwanted? It’s bursting at the seams, and he has nowhere to hide it anymore.

He loves you in December.

AUGUST 2021.

August sneaks up on you this time around, and you find yourself in Kunhang’s apartment. All of your close friends are here, starting the last year of youth with one final first day party. You think back to that day three years ago: when your eyes met a pair of equally bright ones for the first time.

Curled up next to Yukhei on the couch, you look across the room and meet those very same eyes, although they seem hazier this time around. Lia is wrapped around his arm, and you think it’s quite ironic how both your and his relationships remain the same after all this time. Perhaps you both were bad luck for each other, leading to the other’s demise with short lived relationships. He looks away from you.

The rules of truth or dare are simple. You cannot ask the same person again until three other people have been asked first, and no one can be asked more than three times in each round. And, for reasons you can’t understand, everyone seems to take the code of truth seriously.

“I’ll start,” Kunhang announces, leaning back in one of the several beanbags he has in his place. “Goeun, truth or dare?”

Goeun sighs, leaning back on the palms of her hands. “Dare.”

“You and Mark, seven minutes in heaven.” Hendery points towards the coat closet, and the immediate reaction of hoots and wolf whistles has the girl rolling her eyes. With an exasperated huff, she stands up and pulls a red faced Mark along with her.

“Wait, you gotta pick the next person!” Donghyuck calls out, and she stops in her tracks, throwing open the closet door and shrugging. “You can choose for me.”

With that, she and Mark disappear behind the door, and Donghyuck turns toward the rest of the group, eyes glimmering mischievously. You pay no attention to him, absentmindedly playing with Yukhei’s fingers. You tug one of his rings off his finger, and he smiles, plucking it from your grasp carefully before holding your hand. He carefully slides it onto your right ring finger, but it falls off. Grinning, he pretends to try it on every single one of your fingers until finally settling on your thumb. The ring fits snugly there, and you admire it, wriggling your thumb around.

“Well, look at that. It fits you. I think that means we’re meant to be,” Yukhei says, smiling broadly, and you laugh, interlocking your fingers with his again before glancing down at the silver engraved band resting on your finger. The weight of the metal feels heavy resting against your knuckle.

“Yangyang, truth or dare.”

Donghyuck’s voice cuts through your thoughts, and you instinctively perk up in your seat at the sound of his name before freezing up in your spot. Yukhei squeezes your hand softly, and you tighten your grip around his fingers.

“Truth.”

“You’re no fun,” Donghyuck sighs, slouching back against the armrest. Yukhei leans over and whispers something in his ear before settling back next to you, shifting slightly to wrap his arm around you. Donghyuck lifts an eyebrow at your boyfriend before shrugging. “Okay, here’s an easy one. Are you in love…”

“Yes.”  is his immediate response, and you notice how Lia absolutely preens next to him.

“… with Y/N?”

Your breath hitches in your throat, and you immediately turn your head to look at Yukhei, your eyes growing wide in horror. He looks apologetic, shoulders drooping. “I’m sorry, but just the way he looks at you, it��s so obvious, and I had to know.”

You whip around to face the boy in question. With bated breath, you look at him, but Yangyang stares at the center of the floor, struggling internally. Everyone is quiet, and it reminds you of the calm before a storm. At last, he looks up, gazing right at you, and you can almost swear that you see those pretty little gold flecks in his irises from here.

“Yes,” Yangyang confesses quietly.

There’s almost a collective gasp rippling through the room, and Yukhei lets out an inaudible swear under his breath. Your grip on his hand grows slack as you fumble to get a grasp on the entire situation.

He loves you. He loves you. He loves you.

The words echo in your mind like a mantra until it grows so loud that you can’t hear any of your own thoughts anymore. Lia is in absolute hysterics, demanding an explanation from him, but he merely shrugs her off. Standing up, he quickly moves to leave the room, glancing at you one more time before disappearing out the front door.

It’s like your body is on auto-pilot after this. You drop Yukhei’s hand, immediately standing up and rushing after your best friend, paying no mind to the hushed whispers that only seem to increase in volume once you leave. You step out onto the porch, and there he is, sitting on the steps.

You quietly stand behind him, contemplating what to say and carefully choosing your next words. But there’s only one question on your mind.

“Why did you say that?”

He stays silent for a moment, staring out at the moon shining brightly ahead. “Because I meant it.”

Your heart wrenches in your chest. “You shouldn’t.”

He finally turns to look at you, an indescribable look in his eyes. It reminds you of heartbreak. “But I do. And I tried not to for the past three fucking years, but I can’t anymore.”

“Since freshman year?” You feel the tears well up in your eyes, and this time, you let them go. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

Yangyang grips onto the edge of the stairs tightly, frustration ringing with every word that falls from his mouth. “Because I was scared. And I thought you never felt the same way. You’re my best friend, and I didn’t want to lose you.”

“Yang…” You whisper, hand reaching out as you let it hover over his shoulder for a few seconds. Then, you pull back, curling your fingers into fists, pressing crescent indentations into the palms of your hands.

He stands up, whirling around to look at you, desperate. “Tell me I’m not too late. Please, Y/N.”

Something inside of you breaks. You open your mouth and start to say something when the door opens behind you. Turning around, you see Yukhei. His eyes widen when he sees the two of you standing there.

You know this is it. This is the moment. This is where you have to decide.

“I, I was just looking for you. I wanted to make sure you’re okay.” Yukhei awkwardly rubs the back of his neck, taking a step back. “I’m sorry, I’m gonna go back in and—”

“No, wait, it’s okay,” you gently interrupt him. You reach out and slip your hand into his, and he relaxes, giving you a relieved smile. You smile softly back at your boyfriend before turning to face him, eyes apologetic.

“I’m sorry, Yangyang.”

He and you are asymptotes: two lines curving towards each other, but never touching; two hands reaching towards each other, but never interlocking; two people tangling their red strings of fate, but never tying.

You give him one last glance before going back inside with Yukhei.

You break his heart in August.

SEPTEMBER 2021.

September is supposed to be a new beginning: the transition from summer to autumn. Yangyang doesn’t think he can let go of you as easily as the trees shed their green for gold and red. Wherever he goes, wherever he looks, little reminders of you bloom in every crevice. You’re absolutely everywhere and nowhere, and it drives him crazy.

He thinks he’s gone completely insane when he hears your laugh while he’s walking to the laundromat one day. He shoves his airpods in and continues on his way until he sees you. Walking across the street, there you are. You’re on the phone with someone, and he contemplates going over to say hello. But suddenly, you’re hanging up the phone and waving eagerly at someone. When he turns his head to look, his heart drops and gets buried six feet under. He hurriedly ducks into a nearby bookstore and watches as you run up to Yukhei, slipping your hand into his like it’s second nature to you now. The two of you walk off together, and Yangyang is left standing at the window of the store until the shop owner politely asks if there’s anything he needs.

He doubts a time machine is something they have in stock, so he silently shakes his head and steps out onto the street once again. It is now silent and empty.

He loses you in September.

AUGUST 2022.

A lot can change in eleven months.

You’re twenty two years old, but you feel like you’re eighteen again. You know you’re going to see him for the first time since September at Kun’s housewarming. You had repeatedly assured Yukhei that you’d be fine. After all, life goes on; the world doesn’t stop just because you had a falling out with your best friend, even if it may have been a little more than that. Nevertheless, a year has nearly passed. Time is known to be the best healer, and perhaps your heart has shed its old skin and habits.

Your hand is safely enveloped in Yukhei’s, and the two of you walk towards your older friend’s new apartment. He playfully swings your interlocked hands back and forth, and you giggle, tightening your grip around his fingers. You stop in front of the door, the muffled sounds of a party slipping through the cracks. You suck in a breath, shoulders tensed. He’s in there.

“Are you okay?”

Yukhei squeezes your hand gently, voice laced with concern. You remember to breathe, exhaling slowly and relaxing before nodding. You smile up at him. “I’m okay.”

“If you want, we can go back home now, have another NCIS marathon, and drink this by ourselves.” Yukhei waves around the nice bottle of wine the two of you had brought for Kun. “We can even stop by the convenience store and get some ramen.”

You laugh quietly, the corners of your lips upturning with mirth. “It’s okay, I’m fine, Yukhei, I promise. Plus, I have you, right?”

He brightens up at that, practically beaming at you, and your heart skips a beat. “Right!”

You reach out and knock on the door. Kun greets the two of you, and you enter his apartment. Yukhei still doesn’t let go of your hand, and you follow behind him as you weave your way through the living room, greeting some of your friends. You hear Kunhang calling out to your boyfriend from the kitchen and feel him hesitate next to you. You squeeze his hand gently before letting go and nudging him in the direction of his friend. Yukhei gives you one last look, but you wave him off, smiling goodnaturedly and silently assuring that you’re okay. He swoops down and leaves behind a soft kiss for you before going.

You walk over to the alcohol table, pouring yourself something to drink. Leaning against the wall, you take a sip of your drink, your eyes flitting over the rim of your cup and slowly scanning the room. It feels like forever, like everything is moving in slow motion, like the world is submerged underwater, but it couldn’t have been more than a few seconds.

You find him easily. After all, it’s hard to forget someone whose features you’ve memorized over the past four years. Your eyes map the delicate outline of his face once more, and for a moment, you wonder if red is still his favorite color, or who he shares a carton of Ben and Jerry’s with nowadays. You wonder if he thinks of you sometimes, too.

But then, you wonder where Yukhei is. You search around until you see your boyfriend still standing in the kitchen, laughing at something your mutual friend said. Your eyes soften when you see him grab your favorite snack. You turn back around, your heart swelling in your chest tenfold, and your lips curl upwards, an endeared expression on your face.

That’s when you notice that he’s looking at you.

You brace yourself, waiting for the tidal wave of emotions to wash over you and the quickening of your heart rate to greet you like an old friend. Because that’s what always happens when you’re around him. After all, he is the biggest what-if in your life. He is someone you almost loved forever, someone you almost stayed for.

And yet, nothing happens. You wait a little longer. The world still goes round, and you’re still breathing. There’s no shortness of breath, no erratic heart palpitations, no sweaty palms, absolutely nothing. Liu Yangyang is a stranger in a familiar body, and your heart remains still.

You give Yangyang a faint smile, nodding towards him, and it feels like a sudden jolt in his heart. Time stops, and all he can see is you. You look beautiful. You have always been beautiful. This is his chance. Whatever higher entity out there has taken pity on him and given him a second try to make it right. He finally takes a step towards you, and the tender, encouraging expression in your eyes gives him the strength to take another one. After all, the eyes are the windows to the soul. Clutching his drink in hand, he pushes his way through the crowd. He’s only eight, seven, six, five steps away from you now. A smile grows on his face as relief curls around his heart like a bandage. You’re standing there, waiting for him, smiling at him.

And suddenly, you’re no longer looking at him.

You stopped looking at him.

Yukhei makes his presence known next to you, excitedly chattering about something and gesturing towards the kitchen as he hands you something to eat. It’s a snickerdoodle cookie. Your favorite. Your eyes are fixated on the tall boy, positively sparkling as you beam at him.

Yangyang feels like he can’t breathe. The bandage is ripped off, and all he can feel is excruciating pain like a thousand pinpricks into his heart before the numbness hits. He freezes, rooting himself in that spot on the scratched hardwood floor as his colleagues and friends continue to jostle around him. As his world crumbles around him, he can’t tear his eyes away from you. They stay on you, the barest traces of nostalgia lingering in the dimmed golden flecks of his irises that you had still admired all those months ago. It’s like he’s trapped in a silent film, stuck in a fish bowl and swimming in circles, and he watches in horror as you outstretch your hand and intertwine your fingers around Yukhei’s, leaning up to press your lips against his tenderly. Your boyfriend looks at you like you hung the stars in the night sky yourself (He would believe it if you said you did).

You don’t look at him like that anymore.

Yangyang remembers when you used to. When you used to love him. When you were almost his. He feels something inside of him break for a second time.

The world continues to spin, and yet, he’s still not moving. He’s stuck in quicksand, sinking deeper and deeper as everyone around him moves on—as you move on. He desperately tries to keep you in his view, and his feet finally pick up as he lurches forward. He’s not fast enough. You’re slipping away, walking away from him, hand in hand with Yukhei, disappearing around the corner of the hallway, and he can’t do anything about it. It’s too late. He’s too late. The sticky remnants of cheap beer run down his wrist, and it finally registers in his mind that he had crushed the flimsy plastic cup in his hand sometime in between now and then. In a crowded room full of people, he’s left standing there, alone and lonely.

Almost is the worst way to love someone, Yangyang bitterly realizes. It hurts to lose someone you almost love. No, it was never an ‘almost’. He most certainly loved—loves—you. And it should be impossible to lose someone who was never his to begin with, yet he has. All this time, he thought he had you, but it had always been the other way around.

He was your August, he was your everything, and he is yours.

But you will never be his.

You let go of him in August.

[aminiatureworld]

An Unexpected Rival

Characters: Childe, Scaramouche, Xiao, gn!reader

Word Count: 3,556

Warnings: Swearing

Premise: When thinking about fighting for the affections of someone, one normally imagines great declarations of love and promises of loyalty. But sometimes that’s not it. Sometimes it’s simply living with a being that hates you more than anything.

In which the reader’s pet hates their s/o

Author’s Note: I did give the pets names because I felt I couldn’t really refer to them as “your pet” the whole time. I also am not a pet owner. Still I hope you enjoy! 

Going to try non bullet pointed for a bit. We’ll see how it goes!

Childe

Honestly you didn’t know what to do.

Here you were, standing in the middle of the living room of your apartment, trying desperately not to laugh at the sight of your dog sitting directly on the chest of your much beleaguered partner.

You hadn’t really considered the consequences of introducing Childe to Lacey. I mean, how badly could the interactions be between the man you were convinced was your soulmate and the nicest golden retriever that had ever existed? If there was going to be issues you’d reasoned it would be on Childe’s side. So when your partner lit up at the mention of your fluffy child, you’d assumed all would be well.

Evidently that was not the case. You knew that Lacey could be clingy on occasion, but she’d really been making an effort these past few weeks. Knocking your partner out of the way when you two walked through the door together, refusing to stop walking when you two met up at a park or on the street, refusing to answer to Childe’s attempts at affection. It was almost impressive, the lengths Lacey was willing to go to establish her position as Number One Childe Hater – especially impressive considered the well-attested competition, including but not limited to a Fatui Harbinger.

Now you sprung into action as best you could, bottling up the giggles that threatened to erupt at any moment.

“Childe!” You exclaimed, walking closer. Lacey still refused to stand up, but her tail thumped excitedly against the floor, and she let out a short whine of appreciation. Unfazed by this cry for praise you sighed. “Lacey! Get up! Honestly, you’re not being a very good testament to your intelligence right now.”

Nudging her slightly you sighed with relief as the golden retriever sprang up, attacking your hands and face with kisses as you dragged Childe up to a sitting position. Childe at least seemed unfazed by the sudden attack, letting out a mere “oof”, and smiling a slightly embarrassed smile.

“I’m really sorry about this Childe.” You said, hands still batting away Lacey’s frantic activity as she attempted to get you to focus on her.

“It’s alright. Just, wow she’s a heavier girl than I expected.”

“Hopefully no squished organs?”

“Archons no! It’ll take more than this girl to fell me, don’t you worry.” Childe attempted to give Lacey a pet, but the dog that had just before been laying all over him now scampered out of the way, instead pawing at your back.

“Lacey! Stop being so rude! Urgh, and here I was hoping that you two would be somewhat settled before I went on my trip.”

You sighed, letting your head drop into the palms of your hand, not wanting to think about what might happen during the week and a half that Childe would be required to take care of Lacey. Would she even let him in the apartment to feed her? What about walks and the like? Were you going to come home to all our warfare? Childe seemed to understand your quickly dropping mood, placing a hand on your shoulder and rubbing small circles with his thumb, even as Lacey whined and began pawing at his arm.

“I promise it’ll be alright my dear. We’ll manage while you’re gone and who knows? Maybe by the time you get back we’ll be thick as thieves, and then you’ll be the one getting sat on.”

“Who knows.” You let out a burst of laughter. But even as you two shared this moment of levity your mind continued to spin its threads, dreading the days to come and what you’d be presented with the day you got back.

 “Alright, what’re we going to do.”

Childe stood in the foyer, hands on his hip, irritation in his heart. Lacey seemed to be mimicking the gesture, chest puffed out proudly as she stared the Harbinger down. They must’ve been standing like that for at least ten minutes, Childe thought to himself, ten minutes of staring and nothing yet done. It was beginning to grate on him, and were it not for the fact that you’d have to pay for damages, he was quite tempted to vault over the nearby furniture, if only so he could get to the kitchen and have this miserable showdown be over.

He didn’t dislike Lacey, no Childe didn’t think he could truly dislike any dog if he tried. He used to dream of owning a wolf pup, of flopping around in the snow with his companion, running as fast as he could and still being chased down with a crash, before being bombarded by affectionate pawing and kisses. These memories seemed quite silly when faced with the reality of caring for a dog however, and now he wanted only to bang his head against the wall, and maybe pass out from the exertion.

“I get that you love your owner.” He spoke again, how long had he been talking to this dog? “But I don’t think this is the way to win their heart.”

Lacey said nothing, simply narrowing her eyes and letting out a slightly hiss. Still Childe continued on.

“And like it or not you are going to have to eat eventually. So I suggest if you’re going to misbehave, that you should at least do it on a day when I’m not your primary caretaker.”

When there was still no movement from Lacey Childe sighed. That evening when he returned to his own apartment it was with the unfortunate knowledge that golden retriever bites hurt a lot more than he’d expected them too.

 It was storming, and the city of Liyue had transformed from a glistening city to one of mud and rusted iron. Childe swore under his breath as he pulled his coat closer around him, desperately trying to keep as dry as possible. Who knew if he’d be able to make it to your bedroom and grab one of his spare shirts with Lacey acting like he was a burglar instead of well known acquaintance? The song and dance between the two of them was grating. Feeding your golden retriever being nearly impossible, not to mention the times when Childe half dragged Lacey through the most half assed of walks. Really how could such a gentle spirit turn so stubborn so quickly? Childe didn’t know, all he knew was that the sooner you came home the sooner he could stop worry about being nipped at the heels.

The sight that met Childe at the entrance to your apartment was jarring. Instead of the usual irritated dog Childe was met with utter silence, and a stillness that betrayed the fact that not only was Lacey not in the hall, but she was also avoiding the kitchen and the living room.

“Lacey?” Childe called out, getting no answer but the whipping of wind and the rumble of thunder. “I swear if you managed to run off – Lacey!”

Going further down the hall Childe finally heard the sound of muffled whimpering. Walking into your bedroom he spied Lacey under the bed, eyes filled not with disdain, but with anxiety.

“Lacey, why in Teyvat are you here?”

There was no reply, until suddenly another clap of thunder shook the walls. Lacey let out a yelp and crawled under the bed a little more, flattening her head against the floor, although there was not much room left in that department. Childe stared at this for a second letting the pieces fall into place. He just couldn’t believe it, couldn’t believe that this was the same Lacey who so fearlessly guarded the apartment against his entrance every day.

This slight smugness was extinguished rather quickly though, instead replaced with a sense of pity, and the need to make this poor girl feel the least bit better.

“Hey, hey it’ll be alright.” Childe spoke softly. For a moment he left the room, but quickly he returned, towels and blankets in hand, praying that you wouldn’t mind that he messed up your closet a little bit.

“Let’s make a fort, shall we?”

Not waiting for any sort of acknowledgment Childe began to pile up the covers on your bed, making sure to lay down towels in case you were worried of shedding. At first Lacey did nothing much than scooch out enough to watch him, but within the next flash of lightning she was up and moving, diving under the makeshift fort and clambering around Childe, as if trying to find out if she could burrow through the Harbinger.

“I know, I know, it’s pretty scary out there, huh?” Childe ruffled Lacey’s head slightly. “But you’ll see, it’ll pass soon enough. And then we can go back to fighting, alright.”

Lacey let out a whine, but nevertheless began to settle down, lying down and once more resting her head on her paws.

“There’s a good girl.” Childe smiled softly. “You aren’t that bad you know. At least you aren’t that bad when you’re not trying to bite my leg off.”

Your surprise at the improvement in Childe-Lacey relations was somewhat immense when you returned. Though Childe refused to say what had managed to form such a bond between your disgruntled pet and him, only that he hoped you didn’t mind dog hair on your bed. Lacey, for her part, no longer tried to sit on your partner.

Even if she still pushed him out of the way when you came home.

 Scaramouche

Scaramouche could deal with a lot of things. He could deal with the fact that your parrot wouldn’t let the man within three feet of the parrot’s cage without attempting to bite his hands off. He could deal with the obnoxiously loud clicking whenever he got too close to you, and he could deal with fact that your parrot was fond of yelling random phrases at him in the most aggressive tone Scaramouche had ever heard. Scaramouche could deal with all of that. What he couldn’t deal with is what your parrot insisted on calling him, no matter how much time was spent saying: “Scaramouche. I am Scaramouche!”

“Electro boy? Really?”

“I’m sorry Scara,” you let out a giggle, “I didn’t know what your name was when I first saw you.”

Oh Scaramouche was sure of that, but did that really mean that Oliver had to call him solely by that title? It didn’t help that you must’ve referred to Scaramouche an awful lot as “Electro Boy” for it to be the name that stuck in Oliver’s mind. And regardless of how many times you used the title, it was one thing for you to use the nickname. It was quite another thing for Oliver to, since, unlike in your case, Oliver’s use of “Electro Boy” could be nothing but derogatory.

Scaramouche had long given up in wooing the errant parrot over. If they were to be mortal enemies, so be it. He’d dealt with that before.

“Oh Scaramouche, you must be joking!” You’d exclaimed when he’d revealed this train of thought, cupping his face in your hand and pressing affectionate kisses to his face. He’d let you do so, let you imagine that one day there might be a reconciliation. But in his heart he knew. Unless Oliver learned to stop with the name calling, Scaramouche would never forgive him for the insult.

“I wish you would write.” You whispered.

Pain skirted through Scaramouche’s face, but still he refused the promise that you needed. You knew that Scaramouche would never be able to have a normal relationship with you, that these trips were necessary, were a part of him that you’d never be able to wrench away. Still, the least he could do was promise to write. Without his writings, well how could you even be sure he was alive?

“I’m sorry.” Scaramouche whispered. Leaning in so your foreheads were touching he let out a sigh, warming your lips with his breath. “I cannot promise I will write. I wouldn’t like to break a promise to you.”

“I know.” You whispered back, shaking your head as much as you could. “Still, I’d almost rather a broken promise.”

“You wouldn’t. I know it would drive you mad.”

“Perhaps, but better than nothing?”

You two stood there, basking in silence. A familiar cry broke the reverie.

“Electro Boy! Electro Boy!” A series of clicks accompanied the sudden shriek. There was no better way to break the spell. Almost immediately Scaramouche pulled away. Walking towards the door he paused, turning around one more time.

“I’ll miss you.”

Those words washed over you, their owner having been carried away with the wind.

 Scaramouche hurried up the steps, anticipation keep his pace quick and his thoughts a jumble of fragments. The long mission he’d been sent on was finally over, and now he could think not of noisy soldiers, nor of the people who continually disappointed him, but of you. He couldn’t wait, every step on the staircase felt like an obstacle, something he must triumph against to reach you. Finally arriving at your door he barely paused, stepping this way and that as he opened the door before striding into the hallway as fast as he could.

“I’m home.” He called into the afternoon light. Almost immediately two things happened. One was that you leapt off your position on the couch, practically barreling yourself into his arms. The second was that Oliver began to screech, hopping from one foot to the other in an indecipherable dance.

“Scara, you’re home!” You cried, exclamation by the way you buried your face into his shoulder.

“Scara! Scara! Scaramouche!” Oliver echoed. The words made Scaramouche freeze up, taken aback as he was by their usage.

“What was that Oliver?” He called out, not altogether sure if the parrot would even reply to him. Scaramouche had really only referred to Oliver by name the first time he met him. After that you had to settle with “the bird” or “the noisemaker”. This time, however Scaramouche couldn’t help but use it. This was, after all, a matter of great importance.

“Scaramouche, Scaramouche, who’s a pretty bird?” Oliver tittered irreverently.

His tone was still somewhat sharp, Scaramouche never heard Oliver snap at you the way he did him, but nevertheless the words had struck a chord. Finding himself at a loss for words Scaramouche stared at you, trying to figure out what was going on.

“That’s probably my fault,” you laughed hesitantly, “I guess I was talking about you more than I thought. It’s only that, well I missed you an awful lot. And Oliver is my confidante, he always has been. So I guess I’ve just been talking a lot to him about you. I’ve really missed you…”

Scaramouche felt his heart soften. Leaning over he pressed a kiss to your forehead, much to the indignation of Oliver, who twittered away as normal. Still, it was better than it had been before. And, if Scaramouche could admit it to himself, he didn’t mind the idea of you pouring out to Oliver how much you missed him. It made him feel important, feel whole. And if your rude bird had helped at all, then Scaramouche could find it in him to respect Oliver, though only a little.

“I’m glad you thought of me.” He whispered to you. “And I’m glad you still had a confidante to talk to.”

And if the result was a parrot who no longer called him “Electro Boy”, then all the better.

 Xiao

Honestly Xiao couldn’t really see the appeal of pets. Something that was only cemented when he met your cat.

“And this is Honey.” You’d said softly, picking up the orange feline and cradling her in your arms. The cat made no sounds, instead it stared straight at Xiao, eyes narrow, gaze untrusting. Xiao was equally out of depths in this matter. What was he supposed to do? Pet it, presumably. Reaching out with hesitant fingers Xiao almost immediately pulled away, dodging an onslaught of clawing.

Ever since then there seemed to have been an odd hierarchy established, at least in Honey’s mind. She never let Xiao sit next to you, oh no, that would’ve been too generous. Instead Honey squeezed into the space between you two, no matter how small and wow was it small sometimes, meowing angrily as Xiao passed his arm over her head to hold your hand. Sometimes she’d try the tactic of walking all over you, lying on your lap, wrapping herself around your shoulders, and all the time glaring at Xiao as if he’d brought some sort of catastrophe on her for daring to try and get close to you.

“Your cat hates me.”

“She does not!” You exclaimed. “Honey doesn’t hate anyone! She just needs to get used to you.”

“She hates me. She thinks I’m beneath her.”

Xiao glared up at Honey, who was looming over the conversation via the bookshelf in your bedroom. Honey’s eyes narrowed and for a moment Xiao felt as if he’d somehow spilled the cat’s secrets. It wasn’t his fault that he knew what she was thinking. After all, hadn’t Xiao been like that for a time? An ornery soul who found most interactions beneath him? Who knew he’d be on the receiving end of that relationship someday. He certainly didn’t appreciate it now.

“You just need to get used to one another.” You continued to assure Xiao. “Honey’s a little bit possessive. It’s nothing personal. She’ll get over it.”

Well it’d been four weeks since that conversation and unfortunately Honey showed exactly zero signs of “getting over it”. Though perhaps she wasn’t clawing at him anymore, maybe because you’d actually scolded her for it, the gaze never left her eyes. The fact that she meowed loudly whenever Xiao made more contact than hand holding also didn’t help her case.

 Xiao sighed, staring at the sky as the sun began its descent beyond the peaks of Liyue. A cluster of trees ringed the back part of your house – trees apparently planted by your grandparents – and Xiao enjoyed perching in them to watch the sunset.

“At least here the cat will leave me alone.” He muttered.

It’d been a tiring day. Honey had been in a particularly bad mood – probably the result of Xiao staying the night – and the atmosphere in the house had become somehow so tense that Xiao figured taking a hike wouldn’t be a bad idea. Even if he found the whole exercise a bit demeaning.

“I’m losing to a cat.” Xiao called flatly out into the air. There was no reply of course, but he didn’t mind that. Imagine what his fellow adepti would think of him now, flailing around, trying to win the affections of a furball whose favorite pastime was being as irritating as possible.

Now Xiao heard a familiar yowl. Glancing down he spied Honey, hair standing on end, gripping a branch as if her life belonged to it. An old conversation rose to the front of his mind. Something about cats being able to go up trees very easily, but not so much down. What an idiotic creature, he thought to himself.

Still it’d be ill form to leave the poor idiot clutching onto the branch, so fighting his smugness as beset he could Xiao leaned over and attempted to wrench the cat from the branches. Honey let out a series of shrieks, claws digging into the bark, but eventually she relinquished and Xiao pulled her up onto his lap. Almost immediately she began pawing at his chest, meowing her indignancy.

“I know.” Xiao glared at the cat. “But they wouldn’t be very happy if you got stuck.”

As if to reply Honey narrowed her eyes, turning around to look at the skyline, rather than acknowledge the adeptus she was now laying on. Xiao hummed in response.

“You know things would be easier if you weren’t so aggressive.”

A meow in response.

“I don’t understand you. I don’t understand why you’re so territorial.”

Another meow.

“I suppose I’m like that. I also want them to myself. Things would be easier without you clawing at me. But they love you, and that’s what matters. I don’t know why but they do.”

Silence, perhaps Honey was insulted by the way Xiao spoke.

“I can’t say I’ll love you. But I’ll try to like you. As long as you try to like me.”

Silence again, but this time Xiao took it as an assent. Letting out a sigh he turned back towards the horizon, gaze drifting towards the peaks that Honey too was watching with interest. The night was alive with the soft chirps of insects, and a faint breeze ruffled Xiao hair, dancing through Honey’s fur. Xiao let out a sigh and, nemesis on his stomach, allowed himself a little rest.

You stared at the mismatched pair, a smile playing on your lips. How funny they looked, curled up together. Like two cats, one a panther, the other a tabby. And yet somehow the tabby was running the shots.

They look so peaceful, you mused to yourself, who knows what they might be like in the morning.

At the very least, you’d be sure to enquire about the nature of your partner’s conversation with your cat, something which had seemed very important to him.

[fayemarvels]

Please come pick him up

Spencer Reid x fem!reader

Summary: After a hard case, Spencer and the team go get drunk to forget about it. Spencer gets drunk and this leads to (Y/N) accidentally meeting Derek.

Warnings: mentions of death, murder, unsub, consumption of alcohol – not specified, 1 sexual joke, / please inform me if I missed something

Word count: 2k

! Please don't repost my work anywhere without my permission. Thank you!

My masterlist : *******

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

Spencer and (Y/N) have been dating for 9 months. Everything was going great, they met each other’s parents and Spencer even met (Y/N)’s parents. But she still hasn’t met his. It wasn’t because he was ashamed or embarrassed by her.

He just knew the team would make a huge deal about it, and would probably embarrass him or make a huge deal out of it. He knew he would have to introduce them eventually. But for now, he wanted to keep the relationship a secret from the team.

(Y/N) knew the reasons as to why she didn’t meet the team, and she was okay with it. He wanted to introduce them on his own terms, but he didn’t think she would meet them because of his alcohol intolerance.

It was 1 am and (Y/N) was waiting for Spencer to come home. He and his team went out to get their minds of the latest case in California. It was physically and mentally very draining. It took them 4 weeks to catch the unsub, who killed 9 people before they got to him. And as usual, everyone on the team blamed themselves just a little, for all the lives that were lost, especially Spencer. Scratch that, Spencer fully blamed himself for the killings, and it broke (Y/N)’s heart.

“I should’ve known where he was hiding, it was on the geological profile and I glanced over it! They would still be alive if I saw it sooner.” Spencer was sitting on the ground with his back to the couch sobbing. His hands were tugging at his hair, his eyes full of tears, his cheeks red and blotchy and he tried to catch his breath.

“Bub, please don’t do this to yourself,” (Y/N) begged as she tried to get his hands out of his hair. She took him into her arms and he leaned against her.

“It’s okay, it’s fine,” she tried to calm him down. He put his face into the crook of her neck and breathed in her scent. His breath started to calm down and his eyes started to close.

“Bub, we have to get to the bed, your back will hurt if we sleep here” She slowly walked him into his bedroom and helped him into his pajamas. When they flopped onto the bed, Spencer immediately laid his head on (Y/N)’s chest and wrapped his hands around her waist.

“Goodnight bub, it’s gonna be better tomorrow, I promise.” She whispered and ran her fingers through his hair. He fell asleep quickly that night.

Originally, Spencer didn’t want to go to the bar with his friends, but (Y/N) persuaded him. She said it would be good for his mind, to get his mind off the case.

She dropped him off in front of the bar and kissed his cheek.

“Call me when you want to go home, have fun, get your mind off the case, don’t drink too much please, your head hurts when you are hangover.” He nodded and got out of the car.

“I’ll call you, Love you bye,” he said and walked into the bar.

He came to the bar at around 9 pm. Penelope, Emily, and Derek were already there and they saved him a place in the booth. They talked about work, personal lives, and the rest of the team. Rossi and JJ came at around 10 pm and Hotch came 15 minutes after them. The alcohol started coming their way, and Derek persuaded Spencer to drink.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

3 hours later, Spencer couldn’t stand on his own properly. He was really tired and wanted to go home and cuddle with his love.

“Okay pretty boy, I think that’s enough for you,” Derek said and Spencer shook his head.

“Noooo I want some more, she told me to have fun,” Spencer whined and Derek looked at him confused,

“Sorry pretty boy, but we need to get you home, you said you have someone who will pick you up, give me your phone, I will call.” Spencer pouted and mumbled,

“I want to go home, she will be worried, I told her I won’t drink.” Everyone looked at him with raised eyebrows.

“Her? Who is her? You have a girlfriend we don’t know of?” Derek teased and Spencer nodded dreamily.

”Yeah, her name is (Y/N) she is the most beautiful person in the whole world. She is my ride home, call her.” he instructed and Derek rolled his eyes.

He fished out Spencer’s phone from his back pocket and dialed the contact with the name “My (Y/N)”

“Hey love, everything alright?” he heard a cheery voice from the other end and he chuckled.

“Hey, this is Derek Morgan, Spencer is very drunk and he says that you are his ride home, can you come to pick him up please?”

“Um, sure yeah I’ll be there in about 10 minutes, bye.” She said and ended the call.

“So, pretty boy, tell me about this girlfriend of yours.” Derek teased and Spencer grumbled.

“I won’t tell you anything, you will make fun of me”

“I won’t, I promise, I just want to know everything.” Derek tried to get any information out of him, but Spencer didn’t budge.

“No, if I told you anything, I would regret it tomorrow.” Spencer shook his head and Derek shrugged his shoulders.

“Ok, but just now, I will get it out of you.”

Just as he finished his sentence, a car pulled up next to them.

“Hey lover,” The woman in the car called out to Spencer and his eyes widened in happiness.

“My honeybun, you are here,” he slurred and (Y/N) laughed in embarrassment. She got out of the car and walked towards Spencer.

“Well hello,” Derek greeted and she smiled at him.

“Hi, I’m (Y/N), it’s pleasure to finally meet you, ” she shook his hand.

”I would like to say the same but considering I just learned about your existence, I would be lying.” He glared at Spencer and the genius wrapped his arms around his girlfriend’s shoulders from behind.

“I missed you so, so much, honeybun” he mumbled.

“I missed you too Bon Bon,” she teased and he glared at her. He always called the weirdest nicknames when he was drunk, and she loved it.

“Okay lover, let’s get you to bed,” she said to Spencer and he wiggled his eyebrows and she smacked his forehead very lightly.

“Not like that you idiot,” she shook her head and his shoulders sagged.

“Come onnnn,” he whined and she started to push him towards the car. When she finally stuffed his long body into the car, she turned to talk to Derek.

“Thank you so much for calling me, do you need a ride home?” she asked him and he just waved his hand.

“No, I have a ride, thanks for asking though.” She nodded and thanked him once again.

They said their goodbyes and (Y/N) sat in the driver’s seat. She turned towards Spencer and saw him passed out with his head against the window. She covered him with her jacket and started the car engine.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She drove through the empty streets and listened to the random song on the radio, which played through the car quietly. The bar wasn’t far away from Spencer’s apartment, only about 10 minutes. She pulled up to the parking lot in front of his apartment and turned off the engine.

“Baby wake up, we are at home,” she softly stroked his cheek and he slowly opened his eyes.

“Already?” he asked groggily and she hummed in agreement.

“Yeah, come on, I’ll help you” she got out of the car and went to his side. She opened the door and wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

“Come on, up.” She struggled to get him to stand up, but they finally made it. His limbs were like jelly and didn’t listen to him at all.

“m’ really tired” he whispered and she rubbed his side.

“I know my love, we are nearly there,” she tried to comfort him.

They slowly walked into the building, and towards the elevator. After they stepped in, and Spencer pushed the floor number, she sighed in relief. Her back was killing her, and her arms hurt from holding Spencer’s body weight.

The elevator came to stop and (Y/N) dragged him down the hall towards his apartment. When they got to his door he slumped and she fished out keys from her pocket.

When she finally opened the door he stumbled in and slid down against the wall, and stretched his long legs in front of him. (Y/N) laughed when she saw him and he made grabby hands towards her.

“What is it bub?” she asked and crouched down beside him. He pulled her towards him and she sat on his lap. She moved some hair from his forehead and he kissed the inside of her palm.

“I love you so much, you know that?” he asked and she hummed.

“You told me quite a few times.” She put her forehead on his and pecked his lips softly.

“I love you so, so much.” They stayed like that for a couple of minutes before (Y/N) pulled away.

“Come to bed” she whispered against his lips and he nodded his head. She could see that Spencer sobered up a bit. When she helped him up, he could stand on his own and move quite easily.

They walked into the bathroom first. (Y/N) put some toothpaste on both of their toothbrushes while Spencer pulled out the things each of them needs for their skincare routine.

“Thanks love,” He thanked her when she handed him his toothbrush. They brushed their teeth quietly and occasionally bumped their hips together. When they spit out the toothpaste and flossed their teeth, they did their skincare routine.

They started by washing their faces, put on some cleanser, toner, eye cream, and moisturizer. They put it away and shuffled into the bedroom hand in hand.

“What do you want to sleep in?” (Y/N) asked Spencer, who was already laying in bed, trying very hard not to fall asleep.

“Pajama pants and your pink sweater, you know which one” Spencer replied and (Y/N) threw the clothes at him. He caught them and changed into them.

“Come cuddle me please.” He requested softly and she complied. In her pajamas, she walked towards the bed and slid under the comforter. She opened her arms and Spencer put his head on her chest.

“The headache tomorrow is going to be huge,” he sighed softly and she ran her fingers up and down his back soothingly.

“Don’t worry, I’m gonna take care of you.” She comforted him and he snuggled deeper into her side.

“You know, you have to introduce me to your teammates now that they know I exist.” She teased and Spencer nodded

“I’ve thought about it quite often lately.” He confessed and (Y/N) looked at him shocked.

“You have?” she asked in disbelief.

“Yeah, I want them to know all about the girl I love.” He said and she kissed his cheek in gratitude.

“I can’t wait” she whispered.

“We should sleep, so we can go to the market tomorrow.”

The market thing was their tradition. It started about a month before they officially started dating, back when they were just friends. She membered it like it was yesterday. They were watching doctor who at Spencer’s apartment and she wanted some apples in caramel.

They went out and wandered around quite a bit before they stumbled on the little farmer’s market. It was October and apples were everywhere. It turned out great, (Y/N) got her apples in caramel, and they got a tradition that would last for a very long time.

(Y/N) came back into reality, when she heard a snore come from Spencer. She smiled at the sight of him, looking so peaceful. He looked so beautiful when he slept. All of his facial muscles relaxed, and with his mind at peace.

“Goodnight my love, sweet dreams” she whispered softly, tucked the comforter up to his chin, and kissed his forehead one more time. Her eyelids closed and she drifted off into sleep.

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

I am sorry this took so long, but I have been so busy, we are back in school, homework and everything piled up and I didn’t have time for writing.

Also, thanks for 57 followers, I am so, so happy you are enjoying my work.

I want to write some more one shots around this one ((Y/N) meeting the team, the farmers market tradition origin), would anyone be interested in reading it?

Thanks for reading my work, and if you enjoyed this story, please check out my other work, like, reblog and follow.

If you have any ideas or requests for fanfics, blurbs, or headcanons, you would like me to write, please write me and I will do my best to write it.

Also, would anyone be interested in a permanent taglist? You can let me know

I would really appreciate it if you left some feedback, so if you think I could improve something, please let me know.

-Faye xxx

[jisungsmochi]

traitor - lee jeno

starting my SOUR series !! based on songs by olivia rodrigo, here is the first installment. 

player (?) jeno x female reader // friends to lovers but then goes all downhill from there

word count: 7.1k 

summary: “god i wish i had thought this through, before i went and fell inlove with you”

you were more than aware of jeno’s inability to keep it in his pants, but after a reckless one night stand, you finally understood what it was like to be on the receiving end. but when jeno slips back into his old habits, will you have the heart to move on? i mean how could you get over somebody you didn’t even date...

a/n: sorry for any mistakes as usual oop

tagging bestie: @skrtbabe <3

//

Brown guilty eyes, and

Little white lies, yeah

I played dumb, but I always knew

//

“god what did you do now?” you shook your head at the raven haired boy with a blank expression. he shrugged his shoulders, eyebrows perking up,

“i just decided we were better off as friends” ah yes, lee jeno’s code for ‘she was just a fling, i couldn’t care less’. you only nodded, how else were you supposed to respond? you weren’t exactly his closest friend, but he considered you enough of a friend due to your closeness to jaemin.

you knew that he was a player, finding some sort of entertainment, getting girls to fall for him. you couldn’t really blame them, he was strikingly handsome and had his way with words. the only reason he hadn’t tried anything on you yet was because you didn’t exactly “fit his type”. also, jaemin pleaded him not to, in order to avoid any awkward situations within your friendship. jeno was occasionally playful with you, but you viewed it more of a sister-brother type thing, rather than him trying to flirt.

jaemin has introduced you to jeno near the end of high school. the three of you attended plenty of parties together ( well as many as you could before college started ). your first semester of college consisted of intense study sessions with jaemin in the library, jeno occasionally tagging along. you were both sure he was failing his classes but he didn’t seem to care much. his main focus consisting of getting wasted at as many frat parties he could. 

finals were done and dusted so after your last exam, you got ready for some random frat party being held tonight. you were meeting up with jaemin prior,

“time to party or what?” you gleamed at your best friend, jumping onto his bed as he curled into a ball. you frowned at the sight,

“i’m not feeling so good, you should go without me! go with jeno” jaemin groaned, his stomach pains getting the best of him.

“oh damn, want me to keep you company tonight instead?” you sat next to him, forcing him to sit up with you.

“no no, i’m probably going to take some meds and then knock out for the rest of the night. just go with jeno, it won’t be so bad! i’ll tell him to take care of you” jaemin assured, making sure you were on board. you let out a soft sigh,

“it’s so awkward between jeno and i, right? does he even like me, as a friend?” you lay your head on jaemin’s shoulder, feeling him softly chuckle at your words.

“jeno just thinks you’re really sweet. like you have this innocence to you. he doesn’t wanna be a bad influence or anything, that’s all” you just nod, that was somewhat comforting to know. before you could respond, there was a knock on jaemin’s door. the one and only, lee jeno was standing there in all this glory.

“yeah y/n, i don’t wanna be a bad influence” he smirked as he entered the room. you felt slightly embarrassed he had eavesdropped on the conversation but jaemin decided to interject.

“take her to the party tonight, she needs to have some fun” jaemin shoved you towards jeno, causing you to bump into

his shoulder. he just smirked, nodding along to his friend’s wishes.

“come on, i’ll show you a good time” jeno practically dragged you out of the room. his grip on your wrist was quite firm, he didn’t let go until you both reached his car. jeno opened the passenger side door for you, gesturing for you to enter. jeno made his way to the driver’s side, a constant grin on his face.

“surprised to see you so dressed up” he started the car. you were taken back at first, but this was just part of your usual banter.

“so glad you noticed, i did this all for you” you grinned, feeling quite flushed in the face. jeno just let out a soft chuckle, finding your confidence amusing.

“you’re not drinking tonight?” you questioned, looking over to him.

“nah, kinda trying to cut out alcohol from my diet if i wanna have a healthy liver you know?” his eyes flicked towards you, watching as you started fixing your makeup using your phone camera.

“but don’t worry sweetheart, i’ll take good care of you so jaemin doesn’t beat my ass. don’t get too wasted or you might do something you regret” jeno warned but his words went in one ear and out the other. you knew he was going to ditch you midway through, probably off with another one of his hookups. you didn’t need a babysitter, you were perfectly capable to party on your own.

long story short, you got bored after a few drinks, now sitting on a swinging hammock on the porch of the house. as expected, jeno had left your side a while ago, off to greet his own friends. you were scrolling on your phone, thinking of texting jaemin about how he wasn’t missing out on much. but you were interrupted when jeno sat down next to you.

“bored already?” he snuggled a little too close to comfort, softly swinging the both of you in the hammock.

“you could say that” you shrugged, switching off your phone, giving him all your attention. he looked really handsome in this light, strands of his hair sticking in random places, a slight flush to his cheeks due to the cold.

“wanna get out of here then? i’ll take you home” he stood up, offering you his hand.

“wow you’re being such a gentleman tonight” you snickered, taking his hand in yours as you strolled to his car.

“i’ll always be a gentleman for you”

why did he keep saying these things?

the ride to your apartment wasn’t as awkward as you initially thought. jeno insisted you play some music, his fingers lingering near your knee, tapping ever so softly on the surface of your skin. you held your breath at the touch, he was just being a good friend...right?

as jeno pulled up to your apartment building, part of you didn’t want the night to end. he looked over at you with his glorious brown eyes and you were mesmerised. jeno noticed the way you were looking at him, feeling quite giddy with himself. he had always thought you were pretty, in a cute, dorky way. but tonight, you looked electrifying. he was in awe.

as you looked into his eyes, you felt yourself lean closer to him. jeno couldn’t hide his grin, leaning to meet you in the middle.

“may i kiss you?” you asked nervously, which only added to how adorable jeno found you. his hand met your cheek, softly stroking your skin before nodding,

“don’t even need to ask me, love” he quickly pressed his lips onto yours, giving you instant butterflies.

it finally hit you, holy shit, you were kissing lee jeno right now.

you allowed his tongue to enter your mouth, deepening the kiss. it felt like his lips were meant for yours, in a non-cliche way. he was so gentle, yet so passionate with you. he pulled away, leaving you feeling empty inside.

“how far do you wanna go tonight?” that question had you stunned. you weren’t the type for one night stands, but this was jeno. it was like second nature to him. you almost didn’t even have to think twice, you just needed his lips on yours again.

“all the way” you bit your lip anxiously, awaiting his response. jeno’s eyes widened, taken aback by your new found confidence.

“say less, but we should probably get into bed or something” he chuckled, giving you a warm feeling in your stomach. you could practically hear jaemin’s warnings going off like a siren in your head. but when jeno pulled you into your apartment, gently placing you on the bed, lips constantly attached to yours, you drowned out any other thoughts that were occupying your mind.

college was all about new experiences. so naturally, having a random hookup with an attractive guy would be on the list. just for once, you wanted to know what it was like to hookup with lee jeno, even if you were just another number to him.

//

the very next morning, your eyes fluttered open, taking a few moments to fully immerse yourself in the new day ahead. your gaze finally drags over to the sleepy boy next to you. you couldn’t help but admire his side profile, especially his plump lips.

“stop staring, you’re making me shy” he suddenly grumbled, pulling you closer to him, nuzzling his face in your chest. you immediately froze, of course he was awake.

“last night was fun” he mumbled into your skin, softly smirking to himself. you just sighed, he wasn’t wrong per se, you just weren’t sure what this meant for your friendship.

“y-yeah, it was” was all you managed to say, jeno felt there was something off, moving his head to face you. he pulled your chin to meet his face, placing a gently kiss to your lips.

“did you like it?” you knew he was just being cocky right now, but you couldn’t help but engage in his banter.

“nope, worst hookup of my life!” you exaggerated before burying your face into his chest. he shook his head playfully, stroking your hair as you wrapped your arms around his torso.

“what will happen once jaemin finds out?” jeno started to worry, the last thing he needed was jaemin beating his ass for hooking up with his best friend.

“he’ll be mad for like five seconds and probably scold you too” jeno raised his eyebrows, preparing himself for the confrontation.

“there isn’t much he can do about it though” he placed another gentle kiss to your forehead, continuing to stroke your hair.

“let’s do something today, just you and me. you can pick what we do” jeno suddenly offered, causing you to perk up and sit against the headboard.

“well i need to do some grocery shopping, and some chores around the place, it’s kinda messy if you haven’t noticed. but that’s gonna be so boring-“

“i’ll keep you company”

“come again?”

“i’ll help you go shopping and clean, it’s no biggie” jeno smiled softly at you, making your knees go weak. you hoped he wasn’t just been nice because you had slept together...

//

your trip to the grocery store was surprisingly fun. jeno pushed the cart as you mentally ticked off your list of items to buy. he would make small conversation, giving his opinion on which brands were better. he always made sure to walk very close to you, despite pushing the cart. it was like he never left your side the entire trip. and once you got back to your apartment, jeno offered to carry all the bags, making you flustered. he didn’t have to be so...nice?

“you can just leave the bags on the bench, i’ll unpack” you smiled at him, gently tapping his back. jeno nodded, quickly pulling you by the waist, your breath hitched as he placed a gentle kiss to your forehead.

“i’ll make some brunch” he smiled softly, pulling away, starting to heat up a pan on the stove. you were still in shock by his display of affection. is this what he did with all his hookups?

you didn’t have the heart to tell jeno to go home, but he seemed to have understood that he had overstayed his welcome.

“i should probably get going, you know, to

shower and all” he had a smug look on his face that you couldn’t help but giggle at. you led him to the door, the sun having just set.

“i’ll see you around i guess” you tried to make this send off as normal as possible, but jeno had other plans.

“no goodbye kiss?”

“huh”

“ah i see, you’re just shy, see you around y/n” he pulled you in for a side hug, waving softly as he made his way out the door. this had to be a one time thing.

//

it had been over a week since you had last seen jeno. and naturally you filled jaemin in on all the events of that night. to say he was shocked as an understatement,

“i cant believe YOU slept with HIM. you’re gorgeous, the prettiest best friend ever, but really? jeno?” jaemin shook his head. you weren’t sure if he was disappointedly or just surprised.

“i-i know. it didn’t mean to play out that way. he’s just really charming. and he’s kind of a gentleman” you couldn’t help but feel some heat rise to your cheeks. jaemin picked up immediately, of course you were already smitten.

“i say this in the most loving way possible, don’t get too involved with him. yeah you guys hooked up, but he is not the relationship type. at all. i don’t want to see you hurt” jaemin pulled you to his side as you both sat with your backs against the headboard of your bed.

“yeah, i’ll be careful” you say out loud...‘or atleast i’ll try to be’ you thought to yourself. this was going to be harder than you anticipated.

seeing jeno around campus was bound to happen. you assumed he would just shoot you a wave or a head nod to greet you but you were wrong. he would offer to walk with you to your classes, even hold your bag for you. he’d even ask if you wanted to go off campus to have lunch. you didn’t exactly reject any of these offers, but you couldn’t help but feel a little uneasy. did he suddenly like you? or is he just trying to not make things awkward between you both? whatever it was, it wasn’t helping your growing crush on the dark haired heartthrob. you were in trouble.

//

one day, jeno had invited himself over to prepare for his upcoming economics quiz. you tried your best to help him study, but then you remembered...lee jeno doesn’t ‘study’, he winged almost every exam and barely passed. C’s get degrees (atleast that was his mindset).

“i’m tired, let’s pick this up again tomorrow” jeno yawned, pushing his textbook to the side as he sprawled his whole body onto your bedroom floor. you were seated on your bed, looking down at the hopeless boy.

“are you sure? we only have one more set of practice questions to go through” you pout, actually finding enjoyment helping him study. jeno shook his head profusely,

“no i’d rather hang out with you” he jumped onto your bed, landing right next to you, wrapping you in his arms.

“i mean, if that’s okay with you” you just nodded, feeling yourself relax in his embrace. jeno gently pulled you down so you were both laying down, facing eachother.

your eyes flickered over his features, his structured nose and jaw, his glimmering eyes and his soft lips. your fingers made their way to graze over his lips, causing him to pout.

“you’re so cute” he mumbled. you moved your hand to hide your face, feeling more flustered than ever.

“why are you getting all shy with me now? did you forget that we had sex? or was that just a really good dream?” he continued to tease, poking at your sides, causing you to let out a loud laugh. you immediately placed your hand over your mouth, feeling embarrassed by the sound that had just left it. jeno raised an eyebrow at you, slightly frowning.

“hey i like making you laugh, so i expect to hear it!”

“s-sorry, i really don’t know why i’m being like this. i-i just, it’s all catching me off guard you know?” you sighed, allowing jeno’s fingers to intertwine with yours.

“it’s alright, i find it endearing” he smiled as he started stroking your hair with his free hand.

“c-can you spend the night?” you suddenly asked, feeling his hand stop in your hair.

“i was hoping you’d ask me that” jeno ducked his head to press his lips against yours. you didn’t want to admit how much you had missed that feeling. but something about the way he kissed you, washed all your cares away. even if there wasn’t any romance behind it, it still felt electrifying.

this was how most nights were spent with jeno. some light studying, some making out, dinner, cuddling, and then more making out before you fell asleep. it was a constant cycle that you didn’t want to stop. he would always compliment you, whether it was your hair or your makeup or your outfit. practically anything he thought you should be praised for, he would compliment you. his words held greater meaning to you than they did to him. you could feel yourself getting flustered each time you received a compliment, while jeno seemed nonchalant. maybe that was just how he was.

one night, jeno decides to stay over, claiming that his heater was broken at his apartment and your bed was warm. but it was code for ‘let’s hook up and fall asleep in eachother’s arms again’. you laid beside him, wrapped tightly in your blanket as jeno pressed soft kisses on your forehead. you started tracing random figures on his chest as he quietly hummed random tunes to get you to sleep. but something was keeping you awake. jeno was hard to read, he never truly expressed his honest feelings towards people. maybe that was just his way of not having to cope with drama. but the constant push and pull between you two had caused many sleepless nights and constant doubt for you. confessing to jeno never crossed your mind prior, but it was the only thing occupying it right now. if you kept it to yourself any longer, you’d probably explode.

you had noticed that jeno’s attendance at frat parties had declined, opting to either hanging out with you or jaemin. he had already quit drinking, not finding much enjoyment anymore. he had also been trying to get above a C average in his classes. you’d say something switched in him, so could it be possible that he may like you too?

“what’s on your mind, pretty girl?” jeno suddenly snapped you out of your thoughts, causing you pull your fingers from his chest.

“nothing” you whispered flatly, but jeno was not convinced.

“come on, something is going on in that

pretty little head of yours, i can see it on your face” he smirked.

“what do you mean?”

“you have this cute frowning face whenever you’re over thinking” you suddenly changed your expression, pulling

yourself to side up as he remained still. you let out a deep sigh, knowing that your next words will change everything.

“i think i like you”

you felt jeno stiffen under the covers, his demeanour suddenly becoming cold. of course you had expected this type of reaction, but seeing it right infront of you, made you want to cry.

“y/n, i don’t think you mean that”

your breath hitched, your throat felt tight.

“i mean, i just- i think you’re amazing. of course i do. but i don’t do relationships. i don’t do feelings or love and that bullshit. atleast not right now, i don’t think i can handle it” each of his words felt like a stab through the heart. how did you misjudge this so badly?

“i fucked things up, didn’t i?” jeno looked you in the eyes sympathetically. of course he felt pity for you.

“no you didn’t. i’m still going to be around. i just can’t be the guy for you” why did you have to go and make things so complicated?

jeno senses you were still overthinking, he smoothed bits of hair from your face, gently tucking them behind your ear.

“don’t frown, pretty girl. i’m not going anywhere” he pulled you closer to him, making you lay down, face to face with him. you wanted to avoid looking into his eyes but he maintained the intense contact with you.

“i’m tired” was all you could think of saying. jeno just nodded,

“rest well” he pulled you into just chest, softly stroking your hair as you closed your eyes. you felt a singular tear stream down your face, landing on jeno’s forearm. he sighed, knowing he hurt you. but he was selfish, he just couldn’t let you go. he wouldn’t let you go.

//

You talked to her, maybe did even worse

I kept quiet so I could keep you

jeno hadn’t been around lately. it was probably for the best, you guessed he just didn’t want you to get attached.

you were walking to your final class of the day, passing by multiple students rushing off in different directions. you were careful not to bump into anything or anyone, but you had the worst luck, feeling yourself slam into a firm figure. your eyes focused on the boy infront of you.

“jeno” your eyes lit up unknowingly, as he greeted you with a smile.

“oh hey, careful there” he helped you remain stable, placing his hand on your shoulder.

“it’s been a while, i was thinking you could come over tonight and we cou-“

“there you are! been looking everywhere for you!” you watched as an unfamiliar girl came up to jeno, leaning into his side. her gaze waved over you, a slight scowl forming.

“y-yeah i’m just talking to a friend, uh this is karina” he introduces to you. what the hell was this? a new girl already?

“i’m y/n, jeno may have mentioned me before” you kindly smile, or atleast you tried your best to.

“oh he’s never mentioned your name, but nice to meet you” she looked over to the boy next to her, “jeno, can you walk me to my class? i’m still kinda lost” she frowned. jeno just nodded in compliance, leading her through the hallway as he sent you a small wave. so this was how it was gonna be.

//

“i mean, who the hell is she? how does she just waltz up in here and suddenly have jeno’s attention like that?” you frustratedly rant to jaemin, who was innocently eating his lunch as you approached him. he practically saw smoke coming out of your ears from how annoyed you were. he had never seen you like this before,

“hey, back track. explain properly” jaemin sighs, pulling you to sit down next to him as he continued eating. you finally got a hold of yourself, taking a few deep breaths,

“her name is karina or something, she’s suddenly hanging around jeno now. and he’s been avoiding me lately” jaemin’s eyes widened slightly, sirens going off in your mind.

“what do you know that i don’t?”

“it’s not my place to say” you scoff,

“not your place? since when have we kept secrets from eachother. i admitted to you that i’ve been having sex with jeno yet you can’t tell me this thing?” jaemin knew you were partially right, but he didn’t want to crush your spirit more than it already was.

“fine, karina was jeno’s first girlfriend. like first love type bullshit. he never really got over her, even when she moved away. i guess she’s back for good” your heart started to ache. gosh, this stupid infatuation with jeno was getting out of control.

“you think he still loves her?” jaemin looked at you with solemn eyes,

“i don’t know, he doesn’t really talk about her much. if anything, i sort of want him to choose you. i think you’re good for him, even if he doesn’t see it yet” you took this as jaemin just trying to cheer you up, you didn’t believe a single word he said. how well did you really know jeno? he had never mentioned karina to you before, nor that she was his first love. i mean, why would he? you were barely friends...right?

//

And ain't it funny how you ran to her


The second that we called it quits?

And ain't it funny how you said you were friends?

Now it sure as hell don't look like it

jeno was at your apartment once again, his legs dangling over yours as you both typed on your laptops. your mind was trying it’s hardest to focus on your assignment that was due in less than five hours, but you were too distracted by jeno’s presence. it wasn’t unusual for him to hang out with you, but you felt slightly uncomfortable, knowing he had also been hanging out with karina more often. maybe you were just being paranoid, but how could you not be?

“quit staring and finish your work” jeno poked you playfully, shutting the lid of his laptop before moving to lay next to you. he leant against your shoulder, making your heart flutter.

“i-i am. why would i want to look at your gross face anyway?”

“stop denying it” he just snuggled closer to you. of course you couldn’t deny it. before you could respond, jeno’s phone started ringing. he quickly jumped out of your bed, hoping you hadn’t seen the caller ID. but you did. it was the one person you were hoping he had stopped talking to.

“sorry about that, it was uh just jaemin” jeno walked back into your room, acting as if nothing happened. you pierced your eyes at him, was he really going to lie straight to your face?

“i know it was karina. you don’t have to hide it from me” you shrug, pretending to type on your laptop.

“o-oh uh sorry. we’re just friends, you know. incase you were worried” was he being for real?

“why would i be worried? just because i confessed to you doesn’t mean you’re entitled to like me back. if you wanna see her then go see her, don’t use me liking you as an excuse” you felt pure frustration take over your body. you had never experienced this feeling before, even jeno was shocked.

“it’s not like that, i swear. i don’t want stuff between us to...end” jeno moved closer to you, placing his hand to your cheek, gently stroking the skin. there he goes again. these small gestures had you swooning, you just couldn’t help it.

you scrunched your nose at the contact, causing jeno to smile softly.

“so cute” he tapped your nose before engulfing you in his embrace. your assignment was long forgotten once he started kissing you. this was all too overwhelming emotionally, but physically, this felt just right.

//

just when things were beginning to feel normal again, jaemin had a few words for jeno.

“you can’t keep playing her, it’s time to come clean”

“give me time, y/n’s sensitive, i don’t wanna hurt her too bad” jaemin rolled his eyes.

“you’re being a real dick about this. if you have feelings for karina, end it with y/n now, or else i’ll tell her myself” jeno grabbed his arm, pleading him to hear him out.

“please don’t. promise me you won’t. i know it’s going to hurt her, but i want to do it on my own” jaemin wanted nothing more but to call you right now and have jeno confess over the phone. but he knew you deserved to hear it from jeno in person. all that the two boys could think about was how crushed you’d be after hearing the truth. but the truth will always come out one way or another.

//

y/n: hey jeno, i’m officially assignment free! come over and hang tonight :))

jeno: hey sorry, hella swamped with a group assignment at the moment. will make it up to you tomorrow!

you nodded to yourself after reading his message. you were proud of him for working so hard in his studies nowadays, it really seemed like he was improving. you opted to spend a night to yourself, switching on the television and eating an excessive amount of snacks from your kitchen cabinet. as usual, you were on instagram, wondering what others were up to now that most assignments were done and dusted. lee donghyuck had the most wild and sometimes, disturbing, instagram stories but you were always curious as to what he was up to. but this time you regretted it greatly. seeing a video of jeno making out with karina against the wall shattered you. you immediately locked your phone, switching the tv off completely. your body felt numb, why weren’t you reacting? why weren’t you crying? or even mad? how could you be mad...you weren’t even dating him. how pathetic of you to believe he would be loyal after practically rejecting you. you felt like a fool for falling for him. there was no way he could sweet talk his way out of this. the pain was too much for you to bare, resulting in you deciding to take a social media detox...well a detox from everyone really. you became more sheltered and isolated than ever. it was just too good to be true.

//

You betrayed me

And I know that you'll never feel sorry
For the way I hurt, yeah

You talked to her when we were together

Loved you at your worst, but that didn't matter

“y/n, honey, you need to come out and eat okay?” you regretted giving jaemin a spare key to your apartment. he would enter as he wished, cooking you a warm meal before sitting outside your bedroom door as he begged for you to come out. you hated making him worry like this but you physically couldn’t get yourself to leave your bed. the same bed you and jeno had slept in together many times. you swore you could still smell traces of his scent on the pillow sheets.

“please just go home, jae” you groaned.

“no, i’m your friend and i need to see that you’ve atleast showered and taken care of yourself” his words made you want to cry. he cared for you so much, but he wasn’t the one you wanted to hear these things from. for the first time in what felt like weeks, you stood up from your bed and shuffled towards the door. you turned the door knob slowly, gaining jaemin’s attention. he immediately stood up, eyes scanning over your state.

“oh honey” he pulled you into his chest, gently stroking your hair.

“has he said anything?” you manage to murmur, catching jaemin off guard.

“n-no. atleast not to me. i’m sorry”

“why the hell are you sorry? he should be sorry. he should be grovelling to me to forgive him. but now he’s off, with some other girl. like i never meant a damn thing to him” you scoffed, pushing past jaemin as he trailed behind you with the tray of your now, cold, meal. you sat down on your couch, wrapping yourself in a small blanket.

“do you think he liked her this whole time and just didn’t tell me?” jaemin’s eyes shifted from left to right, which he only did when he withheld information.

“y-you knew?” he slowly nodded, the guilt eating him up inside.

“i wanted to tell you, i promise. but he insisted that he would let you down in person” jaemin tried to explain. you couldn’t even be mad at him. it must have been so obvious that jeno was into karina the whole time. you were just another name to his list. nothing more.

“am i pathetic for still liking him?” jaemin let out a sigh, unsure of how to answer. but that reaction was a good enough indication that you were indeed pathetic, for wanting a guy that didn’t want you. lee jeno was a traitor.

//

another night was spent alone. you were simply catching up on your usual shows, using it as a distraction from the pouring rain. what you didn’t expect was a series of loud knocks on your front door. who the hell wanted to visit you in the early hours of the morning? you proceeded with caution, twisting the door knob, allowing the door to slowly swing open. your eyes met those of the boy who broke you. you wanted nothing more than to shut the door right in his face, but he stopped you before you could even move.

“i-we need to talk” he slurred his words. he seemed drunk, but you weren’t fully sure. you could have sworn he quit drinking months ago, but the sight infront of you was telling you otherwise. jeno suddenly slumped towards you, his weak figure now latching onto you. you quickly shut the door, dragging him to your couch.

“i cant believe you’ve been drinking again” you felt disappointed. he was doing so well.

“couldn’t help myself, life is shitty. i lost you, karina and i are fighting. jaemin is giving me the cold shoulder. oh and i failed my last assignment, guess i can’t even finish the year” you had never seen him so defeated like this, you started feeling pity for him.

“but that’s no reason for you to drink yourself to this state. i’m really disappointed in you. i know you can do better” you sighed before rushing to your kitchen, grabbing him a bottle of water. jeno took slow sips from the bottle, eyes avoiding yours. there was still one question lingering in your mind,

“why are you even at my apartment? don’t you have your own?” you didn’t want to come off as rude but jeno couldn’t deny he felt a pang of guilt in his chest.

“i-i don’t know. i just feel comfort whenever i’m here. y-you gave me comfort. and i messed it all up” you felt tears begin to swell in your own eyes. why was he saying these things now? the timing was terrible.

“you’re babbling nonsense. just go to sleep, i want you gone in the morning” you grab him an extra blanket and pillow, watching as he slowly started drifting to sleep. you weren’t sure if he really meant the things he was saying, but you’d rather keep it that way. you didn’t need any more reasons to hold onto jeno. this was just a one time thing, you weren’t completely heartless. this was the night you saw jeno at his worst, and if you were being honest, you couldn’t be with him like this. you now knew, that you deserved better than lee jeno.

as expected, he was gone by the time you woke up, leaving you a small note,

“thankyou for everything”

you quickly scrunched the piece of paper, tossing it into the bin. you felt slightly relieved, this was a sign that you were finally starting to get over him.

//

Now you bring her around just to shut me down

Show her off like she's a new trophy

And I know if you were true

There's no damn way that you

Could fall in love with somebody that quickly

“hey so there’s gonna be a bonfire tonight, wanna come with me?”

“i don’t know, jaemin. not really up for hanging in big crowds at the moment” jaemin frowned, wanting nothing more than to see his friend happy again.

”i’ll be next to you the entire night, if that gives you more ease” he pleaded with his big eyes, rubbing his shoulder against yours. you eventually gave in, wanting nothing more than for him to stop giving you those creepy eyes. maybe something good will come from the bonfire.

you spoke too soon, the moment jeno and karina showed up, it was like somebody was impaling you with a stake to the heart. you physically couldn’t move, eyes avoiding having to meet those of jeno’s. you felt someone’s eyes on you, but refused to look up from your feet which were buried in the sand. soon enough, you felt the gaze escape, along with the two people you wanted to avoid the most. jaemin awkwardly coughed,

“this is going to be harder than i thought” you sighed, causing jaemin to press his lips together in a tight line.

“i know, but it’s not the end of the world” he shrugged, pulling you closer to him as you both soaked up the heat from the fire. you hated how jeno was showing her off like his new trophy. he constantly had his arm around her, laughing with his friends loudly, pressing soft kisses to her forehead. it made you sick.

your mind drifted to the conversations where jeno insisted he was not the ‘relationship type’. you remembered how he avoided your confession, how he only wanted your company when he felt alone. how he always interrupted you with a kiss when you would ask about his feelings. it all felt like some sort of sick joke to you. if you knew jeno the way you thought you did, there was no way he could fall inlove so quickly.

but you knew that he was inlove, or atleast falling inlove, because he looked at her the way you used to look at him. you couldn’t help but laugh at yourself, you got played. plain and simple. lee jeno was never meant to be a permanent figure in your life, he was a lesson to be learnt. you had to let him go, no matter how much it hurt, you knew it would be for the best.

//

it was finally summer break, instant weight lifting from your shoulders as you handed in your final paper. although this year had its ups and downs, you were beyond proud of how you managed to stay on top of your school work, and shove any thoughts regarding jeno, from your mind. it had been radio silence from

his end, not having reached out to you in weeks, until some of your classmates invited you to some drinks at a local club. you couldn’t pass on a night to finally let loose, so you gleefully accepted their offer. it was also nice way of making new friends for the following year to come.

“hot damn, who the hell is that?” your newest friend, minjeong, swooned. you shifted your eyes to the figure in question. jeno stood there in all his glory, leather jacket hung loosely on his shoulders as he greeted your classmates one by one. he was slowly making his way to you and minjeong, you wanting nothing more than to rush to the bathroom. but he definitely would have seen you,

“long time no see” he grinned, taking a seat on the bar stool next to you. minjeong noticed that you were beginning to feel uncomfortable. she tapped your arm gently, asking with one simple gaze if you needed her with you. you shook your head in response, this was something you needed to sort out, once and for all.

“it has been a while” you sighed, turning to face the boy who tore you to pieces. jeno stiffened at your tone, part of his heart aching to hear you speak to him in such way.

“how have things been? i-i kinda miss hanging out together-“

“are you serious right now?” you practically scoffed, taking a large gulp from your drink. you needed some liquid courage for the speech you were about to give.

“who do you think you are to come up here and act like everything is all good between us? i know that jaemin has told you how hurt i was over you, gosh, it was probably one of the most painful heartbreaks i’ve ever experienced. can i even call it that? a heartbreak? i mean, we never dated so technically we never even broke up” jeno slowly gulped at your words, hoping no one else was eavesdropping on your conversation. but he allowed you continue,

“we hooked up, i confessed, and it all went to shit. once something new and shiny came by, i was old news. i really thought we were going to be something. how naive i was to even believe that someone like you could be with someone like me. i guess you didn’t cheat, but you’re still a traitor, lee jeno. and i hope you never forget it” you could barely look at him, feeling hot tears fill your eyes. you clenched your fists as jeno cleared his throat before speaking.

“i-i’m sorry okay? i didn’t mean for things to go so far with us. i never want you to think that you aren’t important to me. at the time, you were one of the best things that had ever happened to me. but we just weren’t right for each other, i told you that from the start” you finally built the courage to face him, his gentle eyes meeting your pained ones.

“god i wish you had thought this through, before i went and fell in love with you” those words hit him like a truck. he knew he had messed up, there was no going back from the damage he had done. he broke someone that he truly cared about. he hurt one of his only friends. he could never forgive himself for that.

“y-you’re going to find someone. someone way better than me. someone who sees how beautiful you are, someone who will hold on for dear life because they’re scared of losing you. i’m sorry i couldn’t be that guy for you. i am so sorry” you could sense the sincerity in his voice, but there was only so much an apology could fix.

“may i ask, are you happy?” he already knew his answer, and he knew it would hurt you if he answered truthfully. but he was done with lies,

“yeah i am, are you?” you pondered for a moment,

“i will be” you firmly answered, feeling a small grin grow on your face. although this entire interaction was pure torture, you were glad you were able to air out your conscience to the one person who was filling it. you and jeno agreed to cut contact for the time being, wishing each other the best. of course you would think about him every now and then, but you were onto bigger and better things. lee jeno was just one chapter on your book of life. there was so much more out there for you, and you couldn’t wait to experience it.

[cleoirvine]

Random Headcanons: Captains Addition

Just some quick hc's I was thinking about the other day. I will absolutely make more if anyone wants them:)

Daichi:

I picture Daichi to be someone who is genuinely protective when in a relationship

The type of person to text you good morning on his way to school/ good night as he’s about to go to bed

If he’s at your house studying with you and you fall asleep he will put your phone on the charger so it doesn’t die

Walks you to class and carries your bag on top of his own

Definitely the type to put a hand on the small of your back when you’re walking in tight or crowded places

I don’t see him as someone who is especially physical in public, like I think he keeps his pda to a minimum

But he’s still a teenage boy so all things considered I do think he would get *clingy* from time to time

If he stays after school to practice and he can’t walk home with you/catch the train he will ask you to text him when you get home just to make sure you arrived safely

He has the best communication skills out of all the captains, and he is incredibly patient, so if he gets frustrated or angry I think his first plan of action would be to talk things out and see where it goes from there

Dates with him are usually pretty casual, but what you don’t see is him panicking the day before he invites you because he wants everything to be perfect

Like I hc him as someone who won’t show it, but he plans everything down to the last detail to make sure everything is in order before he leaves his house to meet you

Probably picks up flowers for you because his mom said something about how romantic that would be

Is much more responsible than the average high school student and will always remind you to eat, take your vitamins, get enough sleep, etc

Buys you orange juice and slips a vitamin c tablet into it before giving it to you

Volleyball is a priority for him, but his team and the relationships he makes are what matter the most. At the end of the day, I think he realizes that you win some and you lose some, and he would rather be in your arms while thinking of those losses, than moping around on his own.

He seeks comfort in the most odd ways, like lifting your hand and placing it on top of his head

Or sticking his hands in the front pockets of your sweatshirts

Overall I think Daichi is a sweetheart, and that would show through while dating

Oikawa:

Bruhhhh this boy is so mf whiney

Like he will complain about everything that is surface level, but if something is truly bothering him he will keep it pent up

Part of the reason why his past relationships didn’t work is because he didn’t know how to balance volleyball and an s/o and always prioritized one (ahem, volleyball) over the other

So if he asks you out or vice versa, you need to be ready to give him unconditional support

Regardless, Oikawa is someone who is caring by instinct. I think that after becoming captain, be began to realize that it was better to lead his team on equal footing, so he took notice of any and everything

He applies this technique while dating, and sometimes has to remember that you’re not a volleyball opponent, you’re his s/o

He strikes me as the type of person to hold the door for you and then right as you’re about to reach the handle, will let it slam closed in your face while laughing from behind the glass

If you’re shorter than him, he will make fun of your height

If you’re taller than him, he will make fun of your height

You don’t win either way

I think he likes receiving confessions on the outside, but deep down he knows that these girls don’t really want anything special from him, and that bothers him to an extent

He’s still a teenage boy with a massive ego though, and while confessions may be one way to stroke it, I think he would want something genuine and passionate

I think he would also be the type of person to walk you home and then realize half a mile in that he got the both of you lost cause he was rambling about aliens or something

Definitely listens to true crime/supernatural podcasts

Probably has a Buzzfeed Unsolved addiction and watches Shane and Ryan in between study breaks

He is someone who has a lot of drive, and would want someone who is equally if not more hardworking than him

Would ask you to baby sit with him

Unlike Daichi you’re gonna be the one plugging his phone in at night so it doesn’t die

Will fall asleep on top of you if you don’t move every once in awhile, so be prepared to hold it if you’ve gotta use the bathroom

Kuroo:

Kuroo is a menace in the best way possible

He is so sly and he loves to tease you to the point where it can be almost unbearable

But he definitely knows where and when to draw the line, and on the off chance he does cross it, he apologizes almost immediately

I think Kuroo in a relationship would be really playful and laid back

He’s not someone who takes things too seriously, and is extremely intuitive and knows how to match other people's vibes/wave lengths

But when you first start dating it’s going to be awkward asf let's be real

He probably trys to warm up to you with some chemistry pick up line that flies right over your head

And while you sit there and laugh awkwardly while you question everything you’ve been taught in school up until now

Kuroo is attempting to recover from such a disastrous fail

But if you do understand the pun, and shoot him one back that is equally as intelligent, he will get all red in the face and will hide his blushing cheeks behind his hands

Either way, he’s going to be flustered

Kuroo is someone who can pick up on other people's emotions pretty well, and is quite observant, which comes in handy when dating

Will ask you what’s wrong before you even realize you’re upset

Brings you little cartons of milk or coffee and drops them off on your desk before school if he thinks you’ll be tired when you arrive

Despite his boisterous attitude, Kuroo is like *smart smart* ok he knows his stuff

He probably doesn’t even study he most likely just pays attention in school and takes really good notes and then right before a quiz he looks them over once

He makes up songs in his head to help him memorize important information, whether for school or for volleyball

Will 100% attempt to introduce you to Kenma

But if the blonde doesn’t like you then he will drop you

Jokes jokes (kind of) but I think it’s important for Kuroo that his best friend kind of likes you, or else it would be really awkward among the three of you

He will carry a hair tie on his wrist for you if you need it

If you’re bigger than him he will steal your sweatshirts, regardless of what’s on it.

I can imagine him studying with you one night and leaving with a hoodie, and rolling up to practice with like Sailor Moon plastered on the front of it

Really gives zero fucks

[starfire-s]

here’s a list of the best, mediocre and worst kdramas i watched in 2020

no one asked for this but it’s happening because i have thoughts (also all opinions are my own if you disagree then get well soon i guess... no i’m kidding make your own posts about it don’t hate me please) ahsjsj anyways click to read a lengthy post and if you actually read the whole thing then thank you i hope you enjoy this wild ride! 

THE BEST KDRAMAS -

mystic pop up bar - this show had everything i ask from a kdrama literally i can name it all found family (to real family), well thought out characters, a mystery plot, special effects, soft romances that were well written, a happy ending! no show in 2020 even comes close to how good this one was! the writers literally guided you throughout the whole thing so you could come up with theories and didn’t do a ‘aha! gotcha’ thing where they want to prove the audience wrong but they wanted us to be right and satisfied! the worst part about the drama is that it’s still so underrated and people just brush it off as some random fantasy show but it’s so much more than that! 1000/10

flower of evil - who doesn’t want to see lee joon gi being the son of a serial killer, living with the name of a man who is in a coma, and hiding his real identity from his wife who is a detective? this show constantly had me at the edge of my seat on a weekly basis so the emotions i went through while watching this are unparalleled! the writers also did such a good job on writing a coherent story that made sense and tied up all the plot points in the end. just a really satisfying show to watch! 10/10

where your eyes linger - i literally bought a $8 viki pass to watch this show so it should tell you everything you need to know about how i feel ahsjsj the episodes were 10 minutes long but we got a good story with well written characters who got character development in a total of 80 minutes it’s insane! honestly it’s still hard to believe this show had rookie actors because they were just so emotive that you could feel all the happiness, sadness, yearning and pining! probably one of my fave kdramas this year because of the acting that i always constantly rewatch! would recommend 10/10

crash landing on you - okay so this drama was actually released on my birthday last year and it was a time in my life when i was going through a lot so maybe it’s the comfort this show provided me through that time this is why i have such a soft spot for it? like the romance was good, it was funny, there was found family, the nk soldiers were all softies, there were strong female leads, soft male leads!!! ahh!! no other show on this list made me think about the unification of south korea and north korea irl because i wanted se ri and jeong hyeok to be together 4ever! but the only issue i had with this show was the ending they gave seung jun if they didn’t do that i’d give this show a 10/10 but just for that they get a 9/10

psycho but it’s okay - this was one of those shows where you’re literally like ‘wow everyone here needs therapy’ but this show was amazing i loved the story telling and how each episode related to children’s book/fairytales! the writers also did a good job with how carefully they talked about mental health in depth without villainising their characters but actually tried to make the audience understand why they were this way which included all the side characters too who had a well thought out story in each episode! also the dynamic between moon young, kang tae and sang tae was everything to me the actors all did an amazing job portraying their characters, it truly was a healing drama. the only thing i didn’t like about this show was the whole plastic surgery plot with the mother like that was very far fetched but it provided drama so i’ll let it slide because the rest was amazing. this show is a solid 8.5/10

18 again - another underrated gem! who would’ve thought a remake of that zac efron movie could be this good!! lee do hyun stole this show for sure the way he portrayed his character and gave heart eyes to his kids (when he’s only 25 irl was the best thing i saw this year ahsjs) i loved the family dynamics in this show, i loved how it talked about what it’s like to be young parents and how society still think it’s taboo to be divorced! it’s a show that makes you laugh and cry at the same time and that’s why everyone should watch it! however, the biggest clown thing this show did to me though was that i got sls for the first time while watching a kdrama... hwang in yeop if u’re reading this i love u and u deserved better 🤡 that aside this show was a 8/10

itaewon class - i actually didn’t watch this drama as it was airing because i thought i wouldn’t enjoy the plot but when i watched it i binged the whole thing in 2 days and my biggest regret is i didn’t watch it sooner! everyone knows i have a soft spot for park seo joon since he’s my favourite actor i’ve literally watched all his dramas like he could star in the trashiest drama out there and i’d still watch it and be like wow (looking at she was pretty 👀) this show aside from the acting had one of the best revenge plots in a kdrama! just watching a character realistically hustle his way to reach the top while fighting the corrupt man whose son killed his father was so so satisfying to watch! however, the love triangle in this show was questionable idk what they were trying to do with that but it personally annoyed me! but still i’ll give this show a 7.5/10 because i enjoyed it a lot!

do you like brahms? - kim min jae and park eun bin.. that’s all you need to know about why this is a good kdrama! i’m usually not a big fan of melodramas and everyone knows i prefer rom coms but this show was just so perfectly melo that i loved all the angst and pain we got!! also just watching two introverted people awkwardly fall in love was amazing! the characters story arcs were also handled pretty well with song ah finally learning to speak up for herself and joon young learning to express how he truly feels! but... the love square? was probably the most annoying thing the rest in my opinion was nicely done! i know people had mixed feelings about the ending but i loved that after all the pain joon young and song ah went through they got a happy ending together! 7/10

find me in your memory - okay this show started off very slow and it was confusing at the start but as it progressed everything in the plot started to fall into place! i mean this show really took opposites attract to a new level where the male lead could remember every single detail from his life but the female lead had to forget some of her traumatic memories to help her cope with her life! they were also tied together through a mutual character who was a big part of their lives in a different way! just an interesting melodrama with interesting characters i liked it! and moon ga young... i love you queen!!! 7/10

THE MEDIOCRE KDRAMAS -

more than friends - was the storytelling in this show groundbreaking? no. was the acting decent? yes. also probably the main reason i stuck with this show until the end! i think we can all agree lee soo had the best character development on this show he started off as a bad boy who wore one ear stud to actually becoming a well liked character... who else did it like him? no one. also the chemistry between the mains was 🔥 but the second male lead was so annoying is there a opposite word for second lead syndrome because i had that for sure! i think the best part about this show was the people i watched it with on here... shoutout to the five of us ahsjsj also this show introduced me to a talented actor/singer like ong seong wu (y’all know my kpop knowledge is nonexistent so no i didn’t know he was in a band called wanna one) all in all a predictable show but i had fun watching it so 6.5/10

tale of the nine tailed - i didn’t actually watch this show i watched it through gifs and instagram posts ahsjsjs so am i qualified to talk about my opinion definitely no... will I talk about it anyways yes lmao. lee rang deserved better that’s all goodbye and take care. 5.5/10

start up - probably one of the most awaited opinions. y’all thought this would be in the worst kdramas section but i decided to give this show some rights. the show started off strong, lost it’s way after episode 6 and then the last episode gave me what i wanted so i have mixed feelings. the writing was not the best i think we can all agree, love triangle as a plot device? wow so groundbreaking 🤡 the characters on the other hand... i loved every single one of them i mean ship wars? i don’t know her. the show had a lot of potential that was wasted but we also got some cute moments between the characters so there was really no winning or losing with this show? but in all honesty you can’t put a talented cast together like this and then just decide to give the audience a mediocre plot but the writers did exactly that! i think i can redirect y’all to my ‘crimes this show committed’ post for a in-depth analysis. lastly nam do san was a GOOD and REFRESHING male lead and ji pyeong was also a GOOD and FUN second male lead!!! this show gave me the ugliest ship war ever that i was transported back to my high school tvd days so thank you for that!! but the cast was loveable and all had a lot of chemistry together so here’s a 5/10 maybe that's too generous but... i think the reason why i didn't enjoy watching this show as much was definitely because of the tag on here lmao

THE WORST KDRAMAS -

the king eternal monarch - i miss clowning this show so much. the amount of braincells i lost while trying to understand this plot... i should be compensated by the writers. however, woo do hwan was a treat to look at on a weekly basis... however the writers kept decreasing his screen time even though he had a dual role... make it make sense? and i cannot comment on the plot of this show because i still don’t understand anything? also in my opinion tae eul and lee gon were the most bland couple of 2020, there was no chemistry between them and there was just a random kiss in episode 5 and they randomly said i love you... where was the development? also lee gon was soooo boring and such a one dimensional male lead! literally all the side characters were so much more interesting and the cast was good... but this plot. 2/10

do do sol sol la la sol - i wanna fight the writer who decided that the plot twist on the show would be that jun is a minor? i had no expectations from this show but it looked cute and nonsensical but that plot twist made me run the other way so fast that i never looked back! just because jun is a boy they really thought this would be excused like lmao we all have critical thinking skills???? the clown behaviour. a solid 1/10

record of youth - i hate this show so much. imagine not utilising park so dam who just starred in the biggest oscar winning movie to her full potential. imagine just making her a love interest to park bo gum’s character in the year 2020. i watched it up until episode 6 and i kept waiting for her character to get development... but it never happened so i dropped this show. also this show featured the MOST useless love triangle i have ever seen in my life like what was the point? also park bo gum’s characters family was straight up annoying (minus the grandpa) but they got so much screen time like that should’ve been given to park so dam... also villainising a gay side character for no reason at all in the year 2020? this show was a waste of my time i want the 6 hours i spent watching this back. -100/10 

backstreet rookie - i watched one episode of this and literally wanted to rip my eyeballs out of my head. idk what ji chang wook was thinking when he signed this drama i think he lost his ability to read because that's the only reasonable explanation for why he chose to star in such a dumpster fire show! this show had a racist character... had a high schooler kiss an adult... sexist jokes... just the worst things you can think of in a drama... this show had it. i still can’t believe so many people watched this show to the point where it had better ratings than pbio... really made me question everyone’s taste? but sorry can’t relate my taste is excellent so here’s the rating this show actually deserves -1000/10

if you made it this far... thank you for reading. let’s continue to love some kdramas together and get clowned by others in 2021! looking forward to it 😅

[zhanyes]

My random pure fluffy headcannons on Zhanyi dating because I have no self-control and I love them too much

- Jian yi doesn't know they're dating, he just thinks Zhengxi is being really friendly and nice ever since finding out about his feelings

- Zhengxi thinks they've been dating ever since Jian yi confessed

- Queue teenage confusion and oblivious one-sided pining from Jian Yi

- Zhanyi going to a cafe together: 

Jian yi: "Ah this is so nice, Zhanxixi, it kinda looks like we're on a date. Not that I'm saying that we are of course!" 

Zhengxi, holding his hand and wiping a crumb on Jian yi's face: "What do you mean? Do you not like it here? We can go somewhere else."

- Zhanyi in a store:

Jian yi: "That scarf looks so cozy, right Zhanxixi? I bet it's expensive af."

Zhengxi: *already heading to the counter to buy it* “It is.”

- Zhengxi thinks Jian yi is just being shy about the whole relationship thing so he doesn't mind taking everything slowly. Jian yi's not shy, he's just clueless.

- Zhengxi flirting ranges from 'Did you eat yet?' to ‘I could eat you instead.' depending on his mood

- They text and call a LOT. It doesn't even matter who does it first but as soon as they're out of each other's range they would instantly text the other on instinct

- They're both spammers. When Jian yi doesn't answer in 5 minutes Zhengxi grows fussy and blows up his phone with multiple texts of "where are you? Why aren't you answering? Jian yi. Hey, answer. HEY. I'm gonna call you." Jian yi just sends multiple text under any context that's just the way he is normally

- They both fall asleep in class because they stayed up all night video calling and neither of them wants to be the one to end the call

- Sometimes Jian Yi falls asleep while video calling and Zhengxi just stares at him fondly through the screen, takes a screenshot and sets it as his wallpaper.  Zhengxi rarely falls asleep on calls so when he does Jian yi treats it as a blessing (and takes hundred of screenshots)

- They have a discord channel with He Tian and Mo Guanshan and they like to chill in the music spam with the music bot. He Tian joins sometimes but ultimately leaves them alone when Mo Guanshan isn't joining (I’m gonna make headcannons for the boys in a discord channel)

- They have a shared Spotify playlist and it's just songs that they think the other would like or relate to. Zhengxi keeps putting love songs and Jian yi keeps putting sad one-sided best friend songs in it. They're both very confused but they like the songs anyway

- Their classmates are confused because they asked them separately if they're dating and Jian Yi said no while Zhengxi said yes

- He Tian and Mo Guanshan knows what's happening and they like to laugh at them from the sidelines

He Tian to Jian Yi: "Do you think friends who kiss their friend, who confessed their long-time crush on said friend, stay as best friends?"

Jian Yi: "That's a lot of friends in one sentence. I get it, okay? I'm just friends with Zhanxixi, no need to rub it in my face."

He Tian to Zhengxi: "Your boyfriend's an idiot."

Zhengxi: "Yeah, but at least he's my idiot."

- Zhengxi likes to take Jian yi on dates. Like a LOT of dates. He's the type to have a folder dedicated for nice date places with good atmosphere and scenery because he knows Jian yi likes pretty things

- He also likes to braid Jian yi's hair because he likes how soft and smooth it is. Jian yi just thinks it's cute that he knows how to braid

Jian yi: "How'd you learn how to braid, Xixi?"

Zhengxi: *Flashbacks of a hundred saved braiding style tutorials in YouTube and practicing on his sister's hair* "It's natural."

- Zhengxi brought Jian yi to introduce him to his parents as his boyfriend and his parents just thinks they've been dating all this time

- They're very, very, supportive. They already saved marriage catalogs and readied their speeches for the two

- Jian yi finds it weird that Zhengxi introduced him to his parents considering they grew up together and he knew his parents like the back of his hand

- Zhengxi asks when he can meet Jian yi's mom and Jian yi thought he developed a thing for her and moped

- Zhengxi is confused™ why Jian Yi is moping but thinks it's because his mom is absent again and he misses her

- Zhengxi makes it his personal mission to cheer his boyfriend up and takes him out on a date in the arcade

- Zhengxi wins the two of them matching stuff toys (an Eevee and a Pikachu) and lets him win at all the shooting games

- Jian Yi uses all his tokens on the skee ball and every other game that isn't used by most of the people there, he got a lot of tickets though

- He uses it to get the sticker packs and two keychains of a ramen and a sushi. He gives the ramen keychain and a heart sticker to Zhengxi

- Zhengxi thinks it's adorable and clips the keychain on his bag and does the same for Jian yi's keychain. Now they have matching charms on their backpacks

- Later at home, Zhengxi sticks the heart sticker on his bedside lamp and just looks at it all the time with a fond smile

- Zhengxi gives him a gift every 1st of April and Jian yi thinks it’s an april fool’s gift but it’s actually their monthsary that day

Jian yi, thinking they’re not dating anyway so it’s a good prank: “I’m breaking up with you.”

Zhengxi, tearing up: “What the fuck?”

- Jian yi finds out more than six months later on a game of ‘Never Have I Ever’ with friends

Random friend: “Never have I ever had a boyfriend”

Jian yi: *puts a finger down*

Zhengxi: “Were you serious about breaking up with me?”

Jian yi: “What?”

Zhengxi: “What?”

- Then they talk and finally they’re on the same wavelength as everyone was forced to watch them act all lovey-dovey

- Tianshan are happy for them but Mo guanshan is pissed because he lost the bet on when they’ll figure it out