#sorry the song ones aren't that decisive

[raekensluver]

a guarded romance (1)

part two

description: you are a famous billionaire's daughter and your father has hired you a new bodyguard. his name is spencer reid and he used to be a part of the fbi's behavior analysis unit.

pairing: bodyguard!spencer reid x famous!reader

contains: age gap (everyone is 18+), fake relationship, mentions of a stalker, talk of parental death, overprotective father, lmk if i missed anything!

song rec: you don't own me by SAYGRACE ft. g-eazy- "don't tell me what to do, and don't tell me what to say."

w.c: 2.4k

an: i hope you all enjoy!! i feel like there aren't many bodyguard!spencer fics on tumblr. please give me feedback! good or bad, i appreciate it!

in the grandiose study, the scent of aged leather and mahogany filled the air, a silent testament to the wealth and power that had been cultivated within its walls. the room was dimly lit, the setting sun casting a warm glow through the stained glass windows, creating a mosaic of colors on the polished floor. your father's office was a sanctuary, a place where he made decisions that shifted the course of empires, but today, it was where your world was about to be upended once again.

"honey," your father's firm voice called out as you stepped into the room, his eyes never leaving the paperwork scattered across his desk. he looked up, the stern lines on his face softening slightly as he took in your appearance. "this is spencer reid, your new bodyguard."

spencer stood by the door, his posture ramrod straight, and his eyes met yours. there was a flicker of something in them, an intensity that made you pause. he was tall, with a lean build and a sharp jawline that spoke of discipline and experience. his suit was impeccable, but there was a hint of something else beneath the surface, a wildness that the tailored fabric couldn't quite conceal. he looked older than you, maybe thirty-five, if you had to guess.

"daddy, i don't need another babysitter," you protested, crossing your arms over your chest. "i'm twenty-five, not five. i can handle myself."

your father sighed heavily, setting down his pen and folding his hands together. "sweetheart, it's not about that. it's about keeping you safe. with everything that's been happening, i just want to make sure you're protected."

you rolled your eyes, feeling the familiar ache of frustration in your chest. "what's been happening? i've had one stalker in the last year, and that was just some lovesick fan. i can handle myself."

spencer cleared his throat, his gaze shifting between you and your father. "miss carter, if i may, i understand your concerns. i've studied the case files and the potential threats are minimal. but in the line of work i've been in, it's always better to be safe than sorry."

his words hung in the air, and you felt a spark of curiosity. there was something about the way he spoke, a calm confidence that was hard to ignore. maybe he wasn't just another incompetent bodyguard your father had hired.

"fine," you relented, unable to argue with his logic. "but i don't need you following me around like a shadow."

spencer nodded, a slight smile playing on his lips. "i understand, miss. i'll do my best to respect your privacy while ensuring your safety."

the week flew by in a whirlwind of meetings and social engagements, with spencer a constant presence at your side. your father had informed you of the annual gala in a week's time, a grand affair where the crème de la crème of society mingled and networked. "you need to make an appearance," he'd said, his tone brooking no argument. "and i expect you to look the part."

"spencer," your father announced, his voice carrying a hint of finality, "you will accompany my daughter to select a suitable gown for the gala. it's an important event, and i want her to be dressed to the nines."

you felt a pang of annoyance at the thought of being dragged around by a bodyguard to pick out a dress, but the idea of escaping your father's scrutiny was tempting. "fine," you said with a resigned sigh, "but i can't believe you're making me go to this thing."

spencer's eyes met yours for a brief moment before he nodded. "i'll be there to ensure nothing goes wrong, miss."

the shopping trip was a delicate dance of wills. you wove through the racks of haute couture, your mind racing with thoughts of the gala and the dreaded encounter with the man your father insisted on setting you up with. spencer remained a silent sentinel, his eyes scanning the room, his presence both comforting and stifling.

you slid a sleek, black dress from its hanger, the fabric whispering against the others as it glided through the air. it was perfect for the gala, elegant yet understated, a stark contrast to the flashy outfits you knew the other attendees would be wearing. you held it up to your body, the soft fabric brushing against your fingertips. "what do you think?" you asked, not bothering to hide the challenge in your voice.

spencer's gaze flicked over the dress and then back to your face, his expression unreadable. "it's… appropriate," he said, his voice measured. "but i suspect you're looking for something more than just appropriate."

you couldn't argue with that. you wanted to make a statement, to show the world that you weren't just a billionaire's daughter to be bartered off to the highest bidder. you wanted to be seen as a woman of substance, not just a pretty face in a sea of designer labels. "i need something that says 'hands off'," you murmured, your eyes searching the racks for the perfect dress.

spencer's gaze sharpened. "you worried about someone in particular?"

you nodded, your thoughts drifting to the smug grin of the man your father was so keen on setting you up with. "his name is alexander. he's… persistent."

spencer's eyebrows shot up, the first real sign of emotion you'd seen from him. "oh, i know the type," he said, his voice tight. "well, let's make sure you're dressed to make him understand that you're not interested."

you felt a strange thrill at his sudden protectiveness, and you found yourself smiling slightly. "okay, let's do this."

as the gala night approached, the tension in the air grew thick. your father had been dropping hints about alexander, reminding you of his wealth and status, and his potential as a suitable match. you, on the other hand, had been preparing your speech, rehearsing the perfect way to tell alexander that you had no interest in him without causing a scene.

the evening of the gala arrived, and you found yourself in a whirlwind of hair and makeup artists, turning you into the picture of sophistication. the dress spencer had helped you choose was a stunning blood red that made your eyes pop and your skin glow. it hugged your curves in all the right places and had just the right amount of flair to make you feel powerful.

as you descended the grand staircase, your father's eyes widened with approval. "you look… incredible," he said, his voice filled with pride. "exactly what a future lady of the house should look like."

you bit back a retort, choosing instead to smile sweetly. "thank you, daddy. i'm sure reid will make sure i'm well protected tonight."

your father nodded, his gaze flicking to your bodyguard, who was standing a respectful distance away, watching the exchange. "he better," he said, his tone leaving no room for argument.

the gala was a dizzying array of lights and sounds, the chatter of the elite echoing through the opulent ballroom. spencer was a silent shadow at your side, his eyes never still as they swept the room, looking for any sign of trouble. you felt a strange comfort in his vigilance, his presence a buffer between you and the world that so often felt suffocating.

as the evening progressed, you spotted alexander cutting through the crowd, his eyes locked on you like a hawk on its prey. your heart sank, but spencer was there, his hand lightly on your elbow, guiding you through the throng of people with an ease that belied his size. "just keep walking," he murmured in your ear, his breath warm against your skin. "ignore him."

but alexander was not so easily deterred. he reached you before you could escape, his smile as plastic as the flowers adorning the tables around you. "so, the elusive miss carter," he said, his voice oozing with false charm. "how are you enjoying the gala?"

you felt your heart race, his presence setting your nerves on edge. "i'm enjoying it," you replied, your voice cool and even. "thank you for asking."

alexander's gaze slid to spencer, a hint of suspicion in his eyes. "and who is this charming man at your side?"

your heart pounded in your chest, your mind racing for a way to shake alexander off. without missing a beat, you reached for spencer's hand, squeezing it tightly. "this is my fiancé, spencer reid," you blurted out, the words surprising even you.

spencer's eyes widened slightly, but he recovered quickly, his hand closing around yours. "hello, alexander," he said smoothly, a polite smile playing on his lips. "i've heard so much about you."

alexander's gaze darted between the two of you, his confusion clear. "fiancé?" he repeated, his voice skeptical. "i had no idea, your father said nothing about this."

you felt your cheeks heat up, but you held your ground, flashing spencer a desperate look. "it's a recent development," you said, your voice surprisingly steady. "we wanted to keep it private for a bit."

alexander's smile faltered, his eyes narrowing slightly. "recent?" he echoed, his grip on his champagne flute tightening. "how recent?"

you swallowed hard, your mind racing. "very recent," you said, the lie slipping off your tongue with surprising ease. "we just got engaged."

spencer squeezed your hand in reassurance, his eyes never leaving alexander's. "yes, it was quite a whirlwind," he said, playing along flawlessly. "we didn't want to make a big deal out of it."

alexander's expression shifted from skepticism to something darker, his grip on his drink tightening. "well, congratulations," he said, his voice tight. "i wish you both the best."

you felt a wave of relief wash over you as he turned and disappeared into the crowd. you looked up at spencer, your heart still racing. "thank you," you murmured, your voice shaky. "i can't believe that worked."

spencer's smile was tight, his eyes still scanning the room. "it's not over yet," he said, his grip on your hand still firm. "let's get you somewhere quieter, away from prying eyes."

you allowed him to lead you to a secluded corner of the mansion, the music and chatter of the gala fading into a distant buzz. the walls were lined with floor-to-ceiling windows, the moon casting a soft silver light over the manicured gardens outside. it was a stark contrast to the bright, flashy lights of the ballroom, and the calmness of the night seeped into your bones.

spencer's hand was still wrapped around yours, his eyes never leaving the partygoers as he scanned for any sign of danger or unwanted attention. "are you okay?" he asked, his voice low and concerned.

you nodded, trying to compose yourself. "yeah, i just… i didn't expect to lie like that." the words felt heavy on your tongue, but the truth was, you had no intention of letting alexander near you again.

spencer's gaze softened, his grip on your hand loosening slightly. "it's alright," he said gently. "i've seen worse at these types of events."

you couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt for dragging him into your personal drama. "i'm sorry," you whispered. "i didn't mean to get you involved."

spencer's gaze finally left the crowd, his eyes meeting yours. "it's part of the job," he said, his voice gentle. "and i'd rather be involved than see you miserable."

you looked down at your hand in his, feeling the warmth of his skin. "thank you," you said again, the words feeling inadequate. "i just… i don't know why my father can't see that i'm not a little girl anymore."

spencer's eyes searched yours, filled with understanding. "he's just trying to protect you," he said. "it's hard for parents to let go, especially when they've lost someone as important as your mother."

his words hit you like a ton of bricks, and you felt the familiar ache in your chest. your mother's death had left a void in your life that no one had ever truly filled, not even your father's overbearing attention. "i know," you said softly, "but it's like he doesn't trust me to make my own decisions."

spencer's expression grew serious. "it's his way of dealing with his fear," he said. "but you're more than capable of taking care of yourself, and i'm here to support you in any way i can."

his words resonated with you, and for the first time in a long while, you felt seen. "really?" you asked, hope flickering in your eyes.

spencer nodded. "really," he said, his voice firm. "you're a strong, independent woman. and if your father won't give you the space you need, i'll do my best to make sure you have it."

his words echoed in the quiet corner of the mansion, and you felt a sudden urge to get out of the suffocating atmosphere of the gala. "can we leave?" you asked, your voice small. "i don't think i can handle much more of this."

spencer's eyes searched yours for a moment before he nodded. "of course," he said, his voice calm. "let's go."

you felt a wave of relief as he led you through the throng of people, his hand at the small of your back a reassuring presence. the cool night air hit you like a slap in the face after the stifling heat of the gala, sending a shiver down your spine. the stars twinkled overhead, a stark contrast to the artificial lights of the mansion.

spencer opened the door to the sleek black sedan waiting outside, his hand on the small of your back as you slid into the passenger seat. you felt his eyes on you as he took his place beside you, the leather seats sighing beneath your weight. "are you okay?" he asked again, his voice low and concerned.

you took a deep breath, the cool leather calming your frazzled nerves. "i'm fine," you said, your voice shaky. "i just… i hate those kinds of events."

spencer's eyes searched yours, and without a word, he reached over and gently took your hand that was resting on your lap. "i promise," he said, his voice filled with a quiet resolve, "i will talk to your father. you're an adult, and you deserve to make your own choices."

his hand was warm and comforting, and you felt a sudden surge of gratitude towards him. "thank you," you whispered, your eyes welling up with unshed tears. "i just want to live my life without feeling like i'm under a microscope."

spencer squeezed your hand gently before releasing it to start the car. the engine purred to life, the smooth vibrations of the vehicle a stark contrast to the chaos of the evening. as you pulled away from the mansion, the lights of the gala grew smaller in the rearview mirror, and you felt a weight lift from your shoulders.

edited 8.21.24

[icanseethefuture333]

PAC: What makes you so sweet + who's sweet on you? 🍓🍰♥️

This spread was inspired by Strawberry shortcake :D! A childhood favorite of mine. You are allowed to choose one or more pile for each question! Use your intuition to decide 🥰 Please leave a tip if you can $$$

Pile 1:

Your songs -

I Don't Wanna by Aaliyah

Konclusions by YG & Kehlani

Crushcrushcrush by Coco & Clair Clair

Your dessert -

Pumpkin spice latte 🎃

What makes you so sweet?:

The Empress, Three of Pentacles (reversed), & Six of Pentacles

You are so loving and caring pile 1! 🥰 people could think that you have a "big heart" and wish they could give back all that you do for them. You could have venusian qualities or Libra/Taurus placements. You are a very selfless person and for that in exchange you just really desire friendship and loyalty! Your love language could be acts of service or gifts. You could also be very physically attractive 🤭 but you may not realize this??? You could be more self conscious about how you look and possibly put others on a pedestal for their appearance. You might question if you're actually pretty at times because people might not compliment you much but it's just really because you make them shy 🥺! In private, others could consider you their muse. People could like to draw you or write songs about you. It's giving girl next door energy. The way that you dress could be modest too. You could like to wear long sleeve shirts, sweaters, cardigans, flowy dresses, etc. Fall/autumn could be your favorite time of the year because it fits your taste in style! People could think that you give off a very warm and cozy aura. So comforting 💞

Who's sweet on you?:

Page of Swords, Ten of Swords, & Two of Swords

Lmao poor pile 1 😭 I feel bad so your secret admirer is someone who's ghosted you recently or who you just lost contact with. This person has attachment issues (avoidant I'm feeling?) Whenever they get close to love or start developing feelings for someone, they run away. They could be younger than you or they're just inexperienced when it comes to relationships. This person feels regret for ghosting you and wishes they could just reach out. They wish to tell you how they feel romantically but everytime they try to type out a text or get close to calling you, they chicken out. This person will eventually have to make a decision on if they should contact you or not but they're kind of stubborn 💀 good luck!

Pile 2:

Your songs -

Daisy 2.0 by Ashnikko & Miku Hatsune

Black eye by Vernon

Little Bit by Drake & Lykke Li

Your dessert -

Dark chocolate 🍫

What makes you so sweet?

The Devil (reversed), Ace of Cups, & The moon

Pile 2, you could be alternative??? Or just have a very intimidating/non-conventional beauty. Your style or overall appearance could be unique and that makes people weary to come near you. You possibly have a resting bitch face or you have "hunter eyes" (feline, snake, etc). Your features could go against European beauty standards as well. Contrary to what people think, you are actually so compassionate and sensitive. You could be secretly a hopeless romantic and be into romance novels, films, etc. I'm getting that you like to read or are into reading mangas. You could also like to watch anime or do cosplaying. Your geekiness is adorable 🤓! People like to hear about your interests and want to get to know you more if you feel comfortable. I see that you could have wounds from the past or currently are dealing with depression :( I'm sorry to hear that ❤️‍🩹! Just know that you aren't alone and you have people who care about you (including me!) Your guides want to tell you that you don't have to be so secretive dear. I'm getting that you possibly might have been bullied growing up? And they want you to understand that not everyone is going hurt you. People could think that you are beautiful in the nighttime or your beauty reminds them of the moon. Your skin could be luminescent and glowy when the light hits or your irises are big or have a unique color. You could possibly have Capricorn or Cancer placements. When you allow people to get close to you and gain trust, they appreciate it so much! Your talents, hobbies, and skills is what makes you so special 🥰 This could be only for a few people but some people here are musicians or should learn to play an instrument.

Who's sweet on you?

King of Cups, The Lovers, & Queen of Swords

This is good news for your love life :D! This person wants to come in with a offer and ask you either to be their partner or go out on a date. They are willing to court you and show how much you mean to them. You and this person could be very different than most couples. I'm getting that you guys could be a interracial couple, same sex couple, or just express yourselves differently when it comes to styles, aesthetics, and love languages. Don't be afraid to let this person in pile 2! They seem to really care for you and I can see once you fall in love with them, you're never gonna want to let them go ❤ What's cute about your dynamic is that this person is affectionate and outgoing while you're the more protective and reserved one LOL. I guess opposites do attract.

Pile 3:

Your songs -

While We're Young by Jhené Aiko

Child's Play by SZA & Chance The Rapper

Come by Doja Cat

Your dessert -

Lemon meringue pie 🥧

What makes you so sweet?

The Fool, Three of Wands, & Four of Wands

I feel like my pile 3 people are good singers 😳 if not, their voices are very soft and melodic 🤭 You love to listen to music a lot, for some of you I'm seeing that you like to listen to indie music or r&b. You're a very mellow person and radiate this down to earth energy. There is a lot of yellow on these cards as well so you could be connected to your solar plexus or that could be your favorite color/it suits your skintone. I'm seeing sunflowers 🌻 some of you might worship Oshun or should start doing research on her. You could be spiritual or religious. You have a carefree attitude because you know that the universe got you - period! You could be very knowledgeable on manifestation as well. People wonder what's your secret to life because you seem so lucky. I heard people even want to "rub you for good luck" 👀😂 you could like to dress in a bohemian or hippie style. You could wear like vegan leather backpacks, sandals, beads, feathers, rompers, and also dye your hair unnatural colors like blue, pink, etc. People could like that you're well traveled as well or you're knowledgeable about others cultures. You could speak more than one language. They like to hear about your travels or want to hear about your stories. I'm getting Leo, Sagittarius, or Virgo placements. You make friends where ever you go and it's very easy to talk to you 🌞! You radiate such a positive and divine energy. I just love that!

Who's sweet on you?:

The Emperor, Page of Wands, & King of Pentacles

This person could be older than you. They can be athletic but also act childish. They might have Aries traits or they have have it in their birth chart. They are creative, hard working, and . They take on traditional masculine qualities and would want to be a provider for their family. You could depend on this person and build able to form a secure and stable relationship. This could also signify that you and this person could get married in the future! Expect good news when it comes to your romantic endeavors.

Pile 4:

Your songs -

Favorite by HUNJIYA

Little Little by Red Velvet

Hymn For The Weekend by Coldplay Ft. Beyoncé

Your dessert -

Angel food cake 🎂

What makes you so sweet?

The Star, Strength, & Knight of Cups

Pile 4, you're giving me very much earth angel or starseed vibes 🌈🕊 something about you is very ethereal and angelic to people. They admire your elegance and healing energy. You could look good in the color white or pastel colors. You could have a nice physique as well 😋! Your hair could be very long with waves or curls. Some people fantasize about you naked because of how naturally beautiful you are 😅 It exudes something in them and your sex appeal is very arousing. I'm getting that you could also be nurturing and motherly, very wise. You could have Aquarius, Leo, or Pisces placements. People like your awareness on things and your acceptance of how people are instead of trying to change them. You could be very observant as well. You notice the little things in life and pay attention to the fine details that other don't. You have a keen eye for art or fashion. You could care for the environment and have a connection to animals or babies 🦋 You just embody a lot of divine feminine qualities and that makes people feel welcome and at ease around you.

Who's sweet on you?

Ace of Wands, Queen of Pentacles, & Nine of Pentacles

For you pile 4, I see that you're actually sweet on yourself (period self love)! I feel like as for right now in your love life, you're not looking for a commitment or should be focusing on committing to yourself and your goals. You could be coming out of a relationship or have been single for quite some time - no worries! I'm seeing finacial abundance coming to your life and your personal endeavors. I see that you're mostly gonna keep your options open for now and see different people. I'm seeing a lot of good sex as well ❤️‍🔥 There's gonna be fun dates and partying happening in your life. (Clarified by Justice) this could be for a few but some of you might hear or will start dating a Libra. I'm not seeing anything too serious but I'm getting that they could help you further your career. They could be a sugar daddy/mommy, you know them from work (boss, supervisor, or coworker), or they could work as a counselor, legal advisor, lawyer, etc.

Pile 5:

Your songs -

20/20 by Lil Tjay

On My Own by Darci

Into It by Chase Atlantic

Your dessert -

Red wine truffle 🍷

What makes you so sweet?

Nine of Cups, The World, & Temperance

Your self assurance, patience, and drive for success is what makes you so sweet pile 5! I'm getting badass energy from you and you have a very nonchalant, idgaf, rebellious attitude. I feel that growing up those in authority underestimated you and you managed to prove or will prove them all wrong with your achievements. You could have trophies, good grades, or receive a lot of praise for your work at school or your job. You could possibly be an athlete or participated in some sort of competition (dancing, mathlete, etc). You're beauty and brains, pile 5, the total package! You could have Scorpio, Gemini, or Aries placements. People wonder how you did it or overcome such hardships. You're someone people can look up to. You motivate them and make them want to do better. You could be the older sibling in your family or could have cousins younger than you? I'm having a vision of little kids looking at you and they're just in awe, how cute 🥹! Your independence and self confidence is so admirable.

Who's sweet on you?

Four of Swords, Knight of Wands, & Eight of Wands

Pile 5, when it comes to romance it could make you nervous or give you anxiety. You may not have time for it or whenever you go out on dates you overthink about it. There's no need to be nervous! Just be yourself sweetheart 💕 I feel that you know this person as well or already currently seeing someone. They could be on your team or they are in some sort of team (at work, in sports, etc). They like to move things pretty fast. You both could hate the talking stage and just wish to skip to the part where the both of you are best friends in love! I'm getting like coming of age love story and it's adorable ☺️ This person could like your hair or compliments you a lot on your hair. They could like your tattoos or piercings. There is going to be a lot of passion early on in the relationship and they will be very infatuated by you. Just be careful not to rush into thing if you want more of a serious relationship! If not, I feel that this would be a fun fling.

Pile 6:

Your songs -

Jasmine by DPR Live

I Wanna Be Down by Brandy

Who Can I Run To by Xscape

Your dessert -

Galaxy raindrop cake 💧

What makes you sweet?:

Ace of Pentacles, Seven of Pentacles, & Wheel of Fortune

Pile 6, I see that you're someone who's very generous with their wealth. Very similar to pile 1, you could be good with your finances, and have a lot of high quality material items. You're someone who takes value in the finer things and show gratitude for everything you have because there are those who are without. Whenever someone is struggling or is in need of help, you're always there! You're someone people can count in terms of an emergency. When people get asked about you they have fond memories of how much you been there for them (shit even me, I need more friends like you pile 6 😭). You're a down ass bitch! I feel that fortune is always on your side because of how selfless you are. Like pile 3, I feel that you could also know about manifestation, and use it to improve your life. You could do this without knowing. You could visualize yourself being rich or you affirm that you're lucky when it comes to money. I heard that your parents are very proud of you as well! You could really have an old soul pile 6. Your style could be more casual or reminiscent of the 80s/90s. I'm seeing mom jeans, crop tops, high top sneakers, jelly bracelets, henna tattoo chokers, gold chain, and mini hoop earrings.

Who's sweet on you?:

Six of Swords, The World, & Ace of Cups

Aw pile 6, so I see that a lot of people can depend on you but you don't have many people that you can turn to when you need help or need to take a load off 🥺 you could feel stressed because of this but don't worry someone will be coming in your love life soon! You could meet them overseas or while traveling. I'm getting military vibes so either you or this person will be in the military, if not the job requires traveling or dealing with foreign people/places. You and this person will have a harmonious relationship. So expect a new chapter and a good change in your love life!

Pile 7:

Your songs -

Generous by Doja Cat

No Silhouette by DPR Ian

Brooklyn Baby by Lana Del Rey

Your dessert:

Cannoli 🥖

What makes you sweet?:

Pile 7, your style is reminding me of mirror palais, summers in spain/Italy/mexico, or "bible study" outfits. Your style could cater to your religious beliefs or it's reminiscent of a holy figure. I feel that you could also dress very preppy. I'm seeing crosses, rosaries, cloaks, scarves, concho belts, a necklace with some sort of significant pendant (crystals, cross, buddha, etc), slippers/flats, stockings, long skirts, headbands, and button up tops. You have a very innocent and holy appearance. Some of you could be very sophisticated as well (its giving "my name is Bella Hadid"). People could think you're so pure that they're afraid of tainting you (in a nsfw way 😭). You make people blush because of how attractive you are. You could have a babyface, look younger than your actual age, or you have a youthful personality. People consider you "God's favorite" because of how perfect you seem or think God took their time with making you. You could be into modeling or you look like a model. Your lips could be nice and plump. They have a alluring shape with a vibrant color (they could be cherry red or they have a nice pink in the center of them if your lips are two toned). I am reminded of Monica Belluci in the role Milena where she had ginger hair and all the men were so seduced by her without her even trying (the scene where they were lighting her cigarette) and Salma Hayek in Desperado (where she caused people to crash their cars because of how hot she was 😂). You exude this femme fatale energy and could be becoming more "grown woman/man/person fine". This could also mean if you're underage, you could have major glow up after you're finished with puberty. You could also pray or be very devoted to your faith and people find that admirable.

Who's sweet on you?:

Five of Cups, The High Priestess, & Knight of Pentacles

You've been disappointed a lot in when it comes to your love life. You feel as though no one can satisfy you. You could have had your heart broken in a previous relationship so therefore you decided to stay single. I do feel that someone wants to come in though to show their love for you and will back up their words with action taking. They could be intimidated by you but they won't let their self esteem get in the way. They're gonna be persistent until you give in. Although pile 7, I suggest you heal wounds from your past relationship as well, it could cause you to self sabotage in your dating life, and prevent you from ever moving on. You deserve to be loved and receiving the pleasures of being in a happy relationship. So make sure to give them a chance when they come along.

Pile 8:

Your songs -

Headlines by McClenney

10% by Kaytranada & Kali Uchis

Jungle by Drake

Your dessert -

Creme Brulé 🍮

What makes you so sweet?:

Five of Pentacles, Justice, & Ace of Swords

Wow pile 8, you are someone who is fair and fights for equality. You hate to see people being kicked down and mistreated so you would do anything in your power to make sure others are safe. You're honestly a hero. For some people in this pile, you guys could have been abandoned by your parents, or was a orphan so because of this would you do your best to make sure that doesn't happen to anyone around you. You could do community service or take time out of your day to do activities with the kids that come from low income families. That's so sweet and I'm sorry that you went through that 🥺. If not, you have had really greedy people in your life. Whether it's a family member or authority in the workplace, they take from you a lot. Whether financially or emotionally. You could use your knowledge from these past situations for activism or fighting legal battles. You could work as a social worker, activist, politics, human relations, or in the legal system. Also people appreciate you for your great advice! You are very logical but at the same time optimistic. You know how to balance your brain and your heart, which not many people can do. You are a very strong person, pile 8.

Who's sweet on you?:

Ten of Wands, The Chariot, & King of Cups

You and this person could have broken up? I feel that this an ex who is wanting a second chance with you or a friend of yours who wants to be more than friends. You could have rejected them and they feel burdened by this because they still have feelings for you. It made them retreat and hide but they are not going to give up on this connection. You could have broken up with them because or their lack of vulnerability. They could have been uncomfortable with talking about their feelings or avoided having serious conversations, it triggers them. They are going to come back with a open heart to tell you how much you mean to them. For some people in this pile, this person might even propose to you 😲 if not a proposal for marriage, they could just ask you again to be their partner.

Pile 9:

Your songs -

Don't Hurt Me by DJ Mustard, Nicki Minaj, & Jeremih

Come Into You by Jimmy Brown

I Like U by Niki

Your dessert -

Gingersnap cookies 🍪

What makes you so sweet?:

Six of Cups, Page of Pentacles, & Seven of Cups

Pile 9, you are so cute😆! I feel like out of all the piles you are the youngest either in age or maturity. You could be someone thats very bubbly, clumsy, and full of energy. You have a childlike charm and your expressions are very sweet. I'm getting like how when little kids ask a question and they tilt their head while they do it. You just have this innocence to you but I also feel that you can be very mischievous. You could like to tease your peers and people find it very funny 😂. You could be very smart as well and do/did well in school! I'm getting that you're a teacher's pet and you always get good grades. You could give your teacher a hard time sometimes too (some of you could have talked too much in class and that would stress your teacher out LOL 😭). This pile honestly has me cracking up. You could also have a very big imagination. You could daydream a lot or fantasize about things a lot. People often wonder what you're thinking about when you do that. You could also have a lot of goals or are very creative. This pile gives off main character energy. It reminds me of Devi from Never Have I Ever or Jess from New Girl.

Who's sweet on you?:

Four of Wands, The Lovers, & Ten of Pentacles

I see that there's two cases for this pile. On one side you guys have a crush on someone or the other side they have someone who has a crush on them but despite that I'm seeing that the feelings are mutual for both parties! You know this person already and could be in the talking stage. I'm getting like a light, fun, flirty, playful energy between you and this person. You guys might have even already go on out on a date or will make plans to go out on a date soon. Which is so cute because as things develop and get more serious you both will realize that you're in love with each other 🤭. I'm having a vision of a couple blushing and being nervous to make eye contact 😭💓. This is going to be a long term relationship for sure and your families will be happy to see you guys together. I'm seeing like your families getting together for the holidays or coming together for dinner. For my younger kids in pile 9, this could mean your parents will allow you to date them, and when they introduce you to their parents, they will approve of the relationship so yay! 🥰

Thanks so much for reading! Have a nice day, here's a little treat 🍭🧁🍨🍬🍡🍦🧋🍧🍩

[importantstudentbusinessspy-blog]

Hey, neighbor

Pairing: Jason Todd x (f)Reader

Summary: Jason has no choice but to investigate the cute grad student in the apartment below his.

Tags: some blood & gore (for the plot), mystery, eventual smut, pwp, incorrect science (im so sorry to women in S.T.EM.), morally ambiguous Jason Todd, neighbors, nerdy reader, smoking, forced proximity

Chapter 2 - One of your experiments inadvertently gets someone killed. You have no choice but to go into hiding. Good thing the red hood has a safe house!

Jason tailed you and your friends on your nighttime walk to the club.

He stealthily smashed the window to the back room, sneaking by staff as they carried crates of alcohol and hid in the shadows above the dancefloor where you were.

You had quite a bit to drink. It showed that when the music hit, as you began freely to move to the beat.

Some people enjoyed the music. Others actually felt it, allowing themselves to let go. You were one of those, Jason noted as he watched you close your eyes (which was a dumb decision, you were so lucky he was there to protect you) and swayed your hips whichever way the melody carried you, moving your arms in elegant waves around your body. When you knew a song, your performance would get more passionate as you'd mouthed the words.

Several times, some creep brushed your waist, and someone even grabbed you by the hand and pulled you towards them. Jason reached for his knife, ready to slice the asshole's fingers clean off, but thankfully, you woke up, just as one of your friends shoved the guy who touched you, and the rest formed a tight circle around you. He'd noticed that was a ritual you girls would often do to save each other from creeps.

Deciding he could leave you to your circle for a bit, he took some time to go out of the club, check the area, and, you know, patrol until he got a ping in his earpiece and Oracle spoke, "Your girl’s leaving the club."

Jason, having just shot a guy, he caught palming himself outside of a schoolyard soccer game, let out a dark chuckle. "Are you tracking her?" He was turning in the direction of the club.

"Aren't you?"

“Touche,”

He'd thrown a small chip into your purse when you shoved past him earlier that evening. So long as he still saw a green dot flashing on the corner of his lens, he wasn't worried.

He found your group walking out of the club, shadowing from the rooftops, unnoticed by the girls enjoying their evening out.

As you all turned into a dimly lit alley, Jason's instincts went on high alert. The urge to grab you and drag you out of the obviously sketchy area was stronger than hed expected.

Someone emerged from the shadows, leering at the girls and making vulgar remarks about their dresses.

You and your friends exchanged nervous glances, your laughter fading into unease. One of the three men who'd surrounded you reached for your bag, you pulled it back, actually managing to land a punch into his face, which made him grasp at your bag harder, the contents of it spilling out.

Jason had seen enough. Dropping silently from the rooftop, he landed in front of the thugs with an intimidating presence. His combat boots barely made a sound as he approached them with practiced silence.

"Gentlemen," he drawled, "You've wandered into the wrong alley."

The thugs turned their attention to the intimidating, masked figure, who warfed them all, and worse had seemingly appeared out of thin air.

"Shit, it's him!" One of them shook the other, whose mouth had nearly dropped to the floor. The third thug reached for his gun.

Jason moved swiftly, incapacitating them one by one. The fight, if you couod call it that, was quick and embarrasingly one-sided, a testament to his years of training and their obvious lack thereof.

You and your friends watched in awe as the last thug crumpled to the ground.

The masked figure turned to you and asked, “Are you alright?”

You blinked at him, wide-eyed with the wonder of a child in a museum. “You’re the Red Hood!”

He nodded.

You wiped your hands on your dress before reaching out to offer a hand shake, stammering, “It’s uh… it’s- I mean - You’re my hero!"

You gave yourself a mental facepalm. Speaking of your face, you were certain that by the heat you were feeling, it was probably red. Great, you were off to a great start with him. You dreamt about meeting him ever since that night, and you finally got your wish, but you had the conversation going differently in your head. Your friends beside you stared at him.

He found your star nervous mutterings rather amusing. Wondering how you'd react if you only knew that the man in the Red Hood was none other than your next-door neighbor.

He indulged your delusion, his gloved hand completely covering yours as he shook it firmly. You looked back at your palm when he drew back, vowing to never wash it again.

As you recovered from the commotion, you caught something out of the corner of your eye that made your heart race. You felt a sharp sting on your side and realised that a vial you had carried had broken inside your purse and spilled onto the ground. Confusion clouded your mind. You were certain that you left the vial in your fridge in the hazard container...

Panic surged through your veins as you shouted. "Everyone, get back!" You rushed to tear off your sleeve.

Your friends were confused, unwilling to leave your side. One of them reached out to you, and you jerked away, tears welling up in your eyes. "No! Nicky i’m serious! Get away from me!"

One of the criminals, emboldened by the chaos, grabbed your discarded purse off the ground and pulled out the vial. He taunted, "This? Honey?"

Your eyes widened. "Put that down! Im not kidding! This is dangerous!" You went to reach for him, but the Red Hood was there in a second, holding your back.

The thug cackled, turning to his men. "I told you guys, these rich kids always got good stuff! What is it? Heroine? Shrooms? Something new?"

"No!" You shook your head. "God, please listen to me. It's - "

Ignoring you, he swiped his tongue across the vial.

You struggled against the Red Hood to try to get to him, which was futile. He held you steadily, hard muscle a wall against your limbs. He lowered his head, his mask brushing your cheek when he asked. "What's in the vial?"

His closeness sent you spiraling in confusion and heat. You swallowed nervously, opening your mouth to answer, but at the same time, you wanted to pay attention to the thug.

He clicked his tongue, waiting for the effects to kick in. All of a sudden, he began to choke and scream in agony. Vines burst forth from his body, twisting and turning in grotesque contortions until he resembled a nightmarish hybrid between a human and a tree.

You screamed as you watched the substance you had worked endless hours researching tear a man apart from the inside.

The sight sent chills down everyone's spines, and the thug’s buddies fled in terror. Jason pulled you behind himself, shielding you from the scene as he aimed his guns at the... thing, prepared for a fight. Eventually, it stopped sprouting until it was the size of a small tree. His gaze fixed on the horrific transformation. The screen in his helmet ran an analysis on the scene, bringing up overwhelming results.

The transformed man lay lifeless on the ground, a grotesque showcase of the power contained within the vial. Tears gathered in your eyes as you realised the consequences of your inadvertent actions.

The vigilante turned to the others, growling, "Leave,"

Your friends turned to you while you couldn't rip your eyes away from the scene. You swallowed down bile and gave them a faint nod. They walked off, leaving you alone with the red hood.

●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●

Jason tapped his comms device. "I need backup and containment on my location," he relayed the address.

Nightwing's voice crackled through the intercom. "On my way."

Jason fixed his eyes on the grotesque tree-like figure that was all that remained of the man who had fallen victim to the vial's contents.

You, paralyzed by fear, had not moved since the horrifying transformation had occurred.

Just as he was about to break the silence, your voice trembled. "I can't be here when the cops show up,"

Jason’s tone was stern. "This is exactly where you should be. You're a witness. You need to give a statement. Most importantly, you know what was in that vial."

Desperation filled your eyes as you begged, "You don't understand! The vial, it's part of a project at my university. If I'm found with it... oh no, and my professor... she'll…."

Jason inquired, "What kind of project?"

You hesitated, your gaze locked onto the tree-like creature before you. you knew you had to trust him, even if he was the intimidating vigilante you had heard about.

"It's a genetic experiment," you admitted. "The vial contains a modified plant DNA with regenerative properties. We were studying its potential for recovery after wildfires. If- if it could be contained."

Jason frowned, piecing together the puzzle. "So, your professor was involved in this? Is she the one who gave you the vial?"

You nodded, then shook your head, your voice trembling. "No, I- it's my formula. I only started running tests this week... I didn't know..." You looked over your shoulder at the horror before shuddering and turning back to face him again. "You have to believe me. I didn't know!"

"I believe you." His tone sounded genuine, but you still didn't feel the relief you should have.

You flinched at the sound of sirens in the distance. "... are you gonna take me in?"

"I dont know." He admited after a long pause.

You looked at your discarded purse. "I could have sworn I left it in my fridge." You said to yourself. "And even if I haven't, why would I take it to the club?"

Jason noticed something off. "Why aren't you moving?"

You carefully lifted your arm to reveal a cut above a small, bleeding wound. "When the vial broke, that guy cut me."

Jason froze, taking a step away from you. "Why is what happened to him not happening to you?"

You shook your head. "My guess is it has something to do with the way he ingested it. But im not sure."

His mind raced as he considered his options. He couldn't let you become a plant-like creature, but at the same time, he needed information to understand the extent of the danger posed by these vials.

"What's your name?" He asked.

"y/n."

"I can help you, y/n, but only if you promise to give me answers. Tell me everything you know about these vials and the experiments."

You nodded fervently,your fear mixed with relief. "Okay, I can do that."

Jason carefully approached her, holding out a small device. "This is a freeze tool. It will keep everything in place, but we need to act fast. You might get frostbite. You may need medical help. I don't know. Once I use it, there's no turning back."

You took a deep breath and steeled herself. "Do it."

With precision, Jason used the freeze tool on the wound, encasing the cut and preventing any further damage. You gasped, twisting in agony as you tried your hardest not to flinch. When he finished, you relaxed slightly, as much as the ice would let her.

“Do you know how to handle this?” He nodded towards the wound.

You nodded, “I need a kit. We've got one in the research center.”

A figure jumped from the roof, making you squeal when he landed perfectly on the ground. Jason turned to see his brother in his patrol armour.

Your mouth gaped. “You're Nightwing, aren't you?"

“The one and only” Dick gave his signature flashing grin. “Well how can I help you tonight, miss…?”

You registered to kate that he was addressing youm “Uhm, Y/n-”

“You can help by staying here and assisting the cops while they quarantine the area." Jason cut in. "Im taking her to get her wound treated. You didn't see her.”

“... okay." Dick muttered, his voice raising in question. "Quarantine?”

Jason pointed his gun at the dead man tree thing.

Dick followed his direction, eyes focusing on the corpse. “Jesus... I thought it was a tree.” He approached it, assessing the impact. “Ivy?”

Jason took you by the hand. “No."

Dick turned to him. "Who else then?"

You swallowed nervously, turning to the Red Hood and expecting to be given up, but his response surprised you.

"That’s for us to find out," he said, steering you towards his bike.

As the Red Hood seated you on his bike, placing a helmet on your head, he turned to Nightwing. "Tell Gordon that Batman is taking over this case."

"Says who?" Nightwing returned.

"Me." Was all he said before getting on the bike in front of you.

As you two rode off, you couldn't help with your confusion, and you whispered the question in a panicked tone. "Why didn't you tell him it was me and not Ivy?"

He didn't respond as he sped away from the scene.

●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●

Jason stood in the dimly lit laboratory, his eyes fixed on you as you slowly and carefully sterilized your wound of the vial liquid, careful not to let it intro your bloodstream.

The silence made you anxious. You felt like you were the one under inspection. You spoke up, your voice quivering, "I didn't know that the nectar was so dangerous… We were just studying its regenerative properties." You weren't sure why you sounded so defensive. He hasn't even said anything.

"Regenerative properties of what?" His voice cut into your thoughts.

You looked uneasy under his scrutiny. "My thesis was to research a potential solution for ecological restoration. To be used to help regrow trees after woldfires." You were babbling.

"Yes, you've mentioned that,"

You blushed. "I know, sorry."

"Who patroned this research?"

"Our department head. Elizabeth Langstrom." You supplied. “She's brilliant... ever since I was a kid, I read every paper she's written." You sniffled, thinking you turned out to be a criminal instead of someone whose research helped others.

Jason itched the name you said into memory to look into later. A movement behind the door caught his attention, and a second later, a woman in her early forties entered the room.

The woman's eyes widened when they landed on you. "Y/n, what are you doing here so late?"

You jumped when you heard your voice, eyes searching the room for Jason, though he'd hidden pretty well behind a nearby book case, using the darkness the blend in with the corner.

It was for the best. The professor, he assumed that's who the woman was, would find it less suspicious to see her chemistry-loving student working in the lab at three am, than to see said student working in said lab at said time while talking to the fucking Red Hood. He'd trusted you to lie your way out of this one on your own.

You hid your wondered wrist behind your back and cleared your throat. "Doctor Harrison! I just needed to test out a new theory... I couldn't sleep until I did it. You know how I get."

Good girl. Jason nodded behind the bookcase, knowing you'd catch the movement.

"That I do." Your Professor smiled fondly. "I understand your enthusiasm, hun but it's three in the morning. The research can wait until tomorrow,"

You nodded, begininv to clean up. "You're right. I'll just clean up and go on home."

"Good," Harrison smiled. "I'll leave you to it."

She headed out the door, leaving you alone with him again.

●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●

After the tense confrontation in the lab, Jason told you to meet him a block away from the center entrance. He went out the window himself in case you'd run into Harrison in the halls on your way out.

When you two met up again, he handed you a helmet and motioned towards his motorcycle.

"Get on," he instructed, his voice low and commanding.

You complied, straddling the bike behind him and securing the helmet in place. He sped through the city streets.

Being so close to the Red Hood was a bittersweet experience. On one hand, his presence made you feel safe. On the other, you knew his usual M.O. with bad guys. And after tonight's events, you definitely felt like a bad guy.

He winded the streets through alleys and passageways until finally reaching what looked like a loft. He helped you down from the bike, placing his hand on your back to guide you towards a single door at the back of the the building. He tapped in a long code into the keypad near the door, and the two of you entered the safe house.

The space was tidy with minimal and simplistic furniture and a large window overlooking the lit up block at night.

You were still processing that these were the Red Hood's living quarters. As you entered the kitchen, your nerves got the best of you, and you blurted out, "You know, if it weren't for the circumstances, this would be a dream come true."

He didn't respond, but you could almost sense a hint of amusement in his posture. He pulled out a mug from the pantry, filling it with water and handing it to you. You accepted, sipping much needed water eagerly.

"You need to stay under the radar for the next couple of days while the investigation goes on." Jason nodded curtly, giving you his phone. "Type in your address. I'll bring you your stuff tomorrow. You should keep your distance from thebresearch center and from your professor too. I dont trust her."

You nodded jerkily to whatever he said, your heart still racing from the adrenaline of the night's events. "Believe me, I don't wanna touch another beaker ever again..."

He stayed quiet for a moment, then sighed. "Don't say that."

An image flashed in his mind. He recalled the way your eyes lit up when you were explaining the work to the neighborhood kids.

"Clearly, you love what you do." He went on. "Don't let someone else's mistake ruin it."

You shook your head, tearing up once more. "What about someone's death."

His gloved hand took your chin and lifted your face to his. "Dont you dare blame yourself." He nearly growled. "You've given him ample warning, and he ignored you. He willingly drank the contents of the vial. He killed himself."

You swallowed back your tears, nodding up at him, partly out of persuasion, partly out of fear.

●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●

You had finally fallen asleep, exhausted from the evening's traumatic events.

Jason left you in his oversized t-shirt, tucked into his couch, and locked the safehouse as he got back onto his bike. His night far from over.

After a quick exchange with Barbara, which resulted in his requested coordinates, he dropped by Harrisons’ apartment to take a look. The woman was clean, unmarried, and with no children.

As he went through Harrison’s research notes on her desk, Jason discovered her calendar, filled with meetings involving yourself, Elismzabeth Islington, and the vials. Jason scanned the calendar with his lens, along with a few notes he'd found interesting. He walked around looking for more.

His mind ran with the following: Harris saw you tonight. He didn't know who she was instructed to notify about your whereabouts. He had no idea who she was loyal to. That made her a liability.

He weighed his options. Killing Harrison would be both cruel and counterintuitive. It would cast further suspicion on you, the last person to have seen her alive. That left out murder. Jason seldom took such mercy, already disliking the circumstances.

He decided he'd leave it to good old-fashioned blackmail. He set out to find whatever dirt he needed to guarantee Harris’s silence and your safety.

[bandgie]

Desire

President!Jongho x fem!reader

Synopsis: The company dinner was meant to destress your busy corporate life, but it seems like you'll have to make room for dessert.

warnings: slow burn? public fingering, cum eating/swapping, pussy play mostly, intoxication mentions but everyone is pretty much sober

song! 3.7k words

Choi Jongho is not necessarily hated, but he isn't liked either. There's an air around him that screams dominance and demands authority. He strives for perfection and expects everyone to give their all. As stubborn as he is, even with as much unwarranted fear he instills in everyone, you respect his drive.

You're on the opposite spectrum of Mr. Choi. A bit more lenient with the staff, not as ambitious, not as...scary as Seonghwa has once said. Despite the differences, you hardly bump heads with Jongho. Working so close with him, you the director and him the president, you've got to see sides of him others don't.

A more human side. 

Working in a corporation may be exhausting, especially in a law firm, but connecting with your subordinates is what makes it enjoyable. Though Mr. Choi doesn't share the same sentiment, you think he secretly enjoys the fruit basket you leave on his desk each time he secures a client.

You may not be able to buy Jongho another one of those baskets this time though. Stress eats at you from the most recent decisions of a particular client. They go against your financial advising, blaming you for the bankruptcy they will most likely endure. It'll make a bad name for the firm and you don't want to imagine Mr. Choi's displeasure. 

"What a bunch of fucking idiots," you groan under your breath. 

Yunho lifts his head from his computer at your mumbling. He peers over the little wall that divides your desks and waits until you notice him. When your eyes meet his brown ones, he raises an eyebrow, "Who?"

You scrunch your nose as you answer, "That Dreamy Day company. They're complaining about losing money, but it's literally their fault. Putting stocks when they shouldn't and over-drafting loans. So they hire us to make sure they don't go out of business right? But they do the opposite of what we're advising them to do. So they're wasting even more money and blaming me! Me! You should see the emails, Yunho. They're a bunch of fucking assholes too."

From the stunned look on Yunho's face, you think you've said too much. You close your eyes and let out a deep sigh, reaching up to pinch the bridge of your nose, "Sorry. I'm just stressed." Yunho nods understandingly and shrugs, "Aren't we all? I think you'll be happy to know that Mr. Choi said he'll pay for the company dinner tonight."

This makes you perk your head up, eyes wide open. "Dinner? Tonight? No no no I can't do that. I have too much work and-"

"And you'll have to save it for tomorrow. Boss's words, not mine." Yunho smiles at your defeated look, an innocent gaze in his eyes. "You need this." He continues. "We need this. At least one day to relax. If Mr. Boss can tell you're overworked, then there's a problem."

You sigh again, though it's not as heavy. Since you've been working overtime to create a business strategy for Dreamy Day, you've only been eating takeout and convenience store food. Maybe it would do you good to eat something cooked with someone else's money. 

"I guess there's nothing I can do then. What restaurant?"

-

The restaurant, Arriba, smells of spices and meat. The warm lights make you feel cozy and you enjoy the subtle chatter from the people around you. An abundance of food sits in the middle of your table, already halfway gone. Yunho's face is flushed from alcohol, but he still takes another swig of his drink.

"Damn Seonghwa! I didn't think you'd eat this much. You're so thin!" You chuckle as the said man blushes from the attention. He shoves another piece of cooked meat in his mouth, "I eat well."

"Ah, that's nothing," Jongho gestures to Seonghwa's plate. "In college, Park used to apply for cook positions just to eat the nightly leftovers. He used to purposely make the customers' food wrong so he could remake it and eat the one they sent back."

That sputters a laugh from you. One reason is that Seonghwa's gluttony runs deeper than you thought, the other now knowing that the senior associate used to flip burgers. 

"No way," you manage to subdue your laughter. "Did they ever find out?"

Seonghwa, even slightly tipsy, doesn't like to be the center of attention. He picks up his bottle and takes a strategically long drink just to avoid your question. However, he can't escape your curious eyes waiting for an answer. He finally sets his drink down and swallows loudly, "Yes...I didn't last longer than four months."

Yunho laughs at the honesty, wrapping an arm around Seonghwa's shoulder. "It's okay Hwa. We don't want to pay for leftovers anyway."

You chuckle at their interaction before glancing at Jongho beside you. Only his ears and what's exposed on his neck are flushed. Rather than the serious look you're used to, his eyes are softer. There's a sense of calamity rolling off him that makes you look at him in a different light. Even if he's working in such a high position, you can't help but notice how young he is in a moment like this.

"You too Jongho, you can handle your liquor pretty good." You notice your mistake a bit too late. Your boss is pretty stern about properly addressing him and even outside of work you think he might correct you. Instead, he turns his head to you and his lips twist into a smirk. 

Your heart flutters. 

Jongho raises his shot glass to eye level and looks at it almost affectionately, "Alcohol is a man's best friend." He brings the glass to his lips and shoots it back. He licks his lips and lets out a satisfied sigh once he's gulped, "Every good president should know how to drink well."

The night continues with drunk laughter and playful banter. Though you've worked with these men for years, you feel as though you're finally getting to know them as they share stories of their youth. Yunho is obsessed with Harry Potter, Seonghwa prefers Star Wars and Jongho...Jongho...

Was he always this handsome? Did he always have such a cute, gummy smile? It has to be the light bouncing off his tan skin that captivates you. It's the warm food and cozy environment that makes you sit hip-to-hip with him. That yearning for contact is because of the soju. The way you shiver when his hands brush against yours when he reaches for seconds is because you're just hyper-sensitive.

It's anything but him, you remind yourself. 

It's a mantra you repeat while Jongho pays for bills, while he holds the door open for you four to shuffle out of, as he asks if everyone wants to go to a bar. 

You blink yourself out of your thoughts, "Huh?"

"It's a shame to waste the night. Plus we don't do this often. But I understand if it's too late for you guys," he looks amongst the three of you, waiting for an answer. 

Even if you weren't suddenly crushing on your boss, it would be foolish to turn down a higher-up's offer. Yunho and Seonghwa seem to think the same thing as they agree quickly. "I could go for another round," Yunho nods. 

Jongho smiles in a way that makes you tremble so violently that Seonghwa asks if you want his jacket. 

"Sounds good," Jongho claps his hands a few times. "I'll keep a tab open, but do your best to remember we have work tomorrow.

-

It's a completely different environment in the bar compared to Arriba. Seonghwa mentioned the place MATZ his old friend runs to go to. Maybe you expected some level of decency, but you're shocked to see what feels like hundreds of people standing, drinking, dancing. Then the foul smell of beer and what you hope isn't vomit fills your nose. You cover your mouth and blink away your tears. 

The crowd eyes the four of you judgingly as you push your way to an empty booth. It's mostly likely because of your attire. While everyone wears either skin-tight or little clothing, you four wear business casual. 

You jump when a hand settles on the small of your back. You're about to, not so nicely, tell the perv to keep their hands to themselves when it's Jongho you see close behind you. He doesn't so much as look at you when you peer up at him, face heating. You whip your head back around and let him guide you to a dirty, but empty table.

''I think this is a club rather than a bar, Mr. Park!" Jongho shouts over the loud music.

Mr. Park...oh he's pissed. 

Seonghwa's eyes widen in fear as he sneaks glances at you. Help!

You would rather not risk enduring the anger of Jongho, but Seonghwa has such a begging look in his eyes that you cave. "Maybe this is a good thing!" you shout in Jongho's ear. "I mean, you took us out to relax, right? And like you said, we don't do this often."

Jongho raises an eyebrow as he turns to face you. Since you were leaning in his ear, his face is mere inches away from your own. You swear you can feel his warm breath on your lips. Jongho looks at you up and down in a way that makes your skin crawl. He isn't just looking at you, he's observing you. You think he's debating on demoting you when he laughs instead, "Using my own words against me, huh? Shouldn't expect anything less than my director."

Seonghwa visibly relaxes at the diffused situation, but now you're the tense one. All you can stare at is Jongho. Different lights, different smells, different places, yet he still captivates you. You tremble at his intense stare, feeling the way his eyes eat you.

His tongue pokes out to moisten the side of his bottom lip.

"Imma gets some drinks," Yunho's announcement breaks the stare-off. Jongho turns his attention to the tall man and reaches into the pocket of his coat. You watch as his nimble fingers dig through his wallet to pull out the company card and hand it to Yunho. 

"Just put it under my name," he instructs.

Yunho scoots until he's out of the booth, leaving you three at the table before someone catches Seonghwa's eye.

"Oh!" He quickly shuffles to his feet. "I see my friend. I'm going to say a quick hi. If you'll excuse me." Jongho gives a nod before Seonghwa disappears into the sea of bodies. 

Then there were two. 

You don't know where to look, where to pretend to look. You choose the dance floor where people shamelessly rub against each other, spilling drinks and hollering with deaf-tone singing. It's somewhat overstimulating to your semi-sober mind, but it's better than the burning presence of Jongho beside you.

"Do you like to dance?" that burning presence speaks. A part of you wants to pretend that you didn't hear him over the loud atmosphere, but you know better than that.

"Yes!" You yell in his direction but refuse to meet his eyes. "I don't go out anymore, but I danced when I did." You see the outline of Jongho nodding. Awkwardly, you meet his eyes, "Do you like to dance?"

He shrugs, "I don't care much for it. I prefer singing."

A look of surprise molds into your face, "Singing? Since when?"

"Since forever," he smiles. "I should have chosen a karaoke bar instead. Not this shit fest." Jongho laughs at his crudeness, waiting for your response. 

"I mean, it would have been more quiet. That's for sure!" You smile at his joyful expression. "But I don't mind this. When Yunho comes back with drinks, I think we'll be having a much better time."

Jongho nods, but there's a somewhat youthful expression in his eyes you don't think you've ever seen. 

"Maybe we should go dance," you propose. "Just until Yunho comes back." There's an immediate feeling of regret when the question slips from you. You want to blame the atmosphere for getting to your head, the drunk energy making its way to your veins. 

But when you see him smile curiously when you see him nod, when you grab him by the wrist and lead him to the middle of the floor, you're buzzing with excitement you know is far from those things. 

Jongho is a better dancer than he claimed to be. He runs his hands up and down your torso, pulling you close or moving his hips with yours. He even trails the tips of his fingers down your neck when you tilt up to the ceiling.

Yunho and Seonghwa are more than likely back at the booth, wondering where you two went. If they were to see you dancing like this, to see Jongho's moving against you this way, you think they'd never let you hear the end of it. 

You can't seem to find the energy to care though. Not when Jongho's letting you grind against his thighs. He encourages it, keeping his hands at your waist to help you ride him. The two of you have already crossed so many lines by doing this, you might as well see how far you can get. 

You can feel his erection through his work pants, poking your leg. As much as you want to twist a hand between and 'help,' it would be too obvious. You settle with feeling your wet underwear rub against your cunt, staining your pants. 

Good thing it's already dark out. 

Jongho lets you rest your head in the crook of his neck. He can hear every pant, every whine, feel the way your tongue laps at his sweat. He can feel your warm cunt through the fabric, but he doubts it'll be enough for him.

He snakes a hand between your bodies undo the button of your slacks and finds the zipper. 

"Jongho!" You gasp in his ear. You glance down to see him working his fingers down until they cup over your clothed mound. You tremble in his hold, softly moaning at the contact before you come to your senses. 

"There are people!"

"There are."

"They're gonna see!"

"They might."

You're going to reply when his hand rubs up and down. Your hips rock before you can think, chasing the pleasure Jongho so willingly gives you. 

"I don't know why you're worried." He shakes his head. "You're so wet. Did you want me to ignore that?"

The only response he gets is soft moans in his ear. He giggles at your desperation, opting to move his palm in circles. 

"I saw the way you were looking at me during dinner," Jongho admits. "At first, I thought it was because of the drinks. You know how some people get like when they have one too many. But now that we're here, I wonder if you've been wet this whole time."

Were you that obvious? Could Jongho see you eye-fucking him? Could he feel the desire that wrecked you these last hours? He must, even if it weren't for his confession. Jongho must feel the same way if he's letting you hump his hand without care.

"Mmm sorry. Sorry," it's all breathy against his skin when you speak. "D-don't fire me."

That sputters a laugh out of him. You grip onto him a little tighter by the shoulder. His hand is drenched, and it's so easy to slide back and forth on it. But the fabric of your underwear is starting to get irritating. It's too rough on your sensitive flesh and you're trying to slip his hand inside your panties. 

Once his laughter subdues, he smiles down at your frenzied state. "I wasn't even thinking that. I'm sure HR would get a laugh out of my director humping my hand like a bunny."

You whine in his neck, both from embarrassment and need. Even as he teases you, Jongho relents and slips his fingers past your panties. The feeling of his bare fingers rubbing against your cunt makes you shiver, humming in satisfaction.

Jongho runs two of his fingers up and down your slit, getting familiar with how your body reacts to his touches. He moves the pad of his fingers up to rub circles over your clitoris. You let out an airy moan, thankful for the loud music concealing your mewls.

"I won't tell them," Jongho promises. "A little secret between us two."

The people around you have gotten the clue that you two are more than dancing. Some move to a different spot, others giggle at the desperation, but most roll their eyes as if this is a common occurrence at MATZ. Either way, you don't care. Not when your boss's fingers dip between your folds, spreading your lips and using his thumb to apply pressure on your clit. 

You could cum from how Jongho plays with your pussy alone, but your walls keep clenching down on air. It leaves you feeling frustrated with nothing inside you. His fingers feel thick, they can do the job.

"Can...can we keep another secret?" You bite on your lower lip, looking up at Jongho whose eyes never left your face. The colors of the strobe lights bounce beautifully on his face, capturing his already-knowing smile. "Depends. You have to tell me first."

Strategically, you trail kisses from his neck to his ear, biting on his earlobe as you whisper, "I wanna feel your fingers in me. Creaming around them. God, fuck, I just want to cum on them."

That playful air around Jongho seems to darken, turning into something akin to desire. He teases your entrance with the tips of his fore and middle finger. Circling and barely dipping them in before pulling away. "I thought there were people?" He flashes a gummy smile. 

"Jonghooo."

He smiles wider at your whining, but it's what makes him oblige. Two thick fingers finally make their way inside you carefully. He slides them in with ease from how wet his entire hand already was and with how relaxed your body is. He slightly wiggles his fingers to find a comfortable position for both of you, adding to the already stretching stimulation. 

You clench around his digits eagerly, loudly moaning from finally being somewhat filled. Everything about him is warm, from the fingers finding a pace, to his palm that smacks against your entire pussy. Slick drips down your thighs, collecting onto the fabric on your work pants. If you thought they were soaked before, they are utterly drenched now.

Jongho doesn't bother with a slow pace. He can tell from how you're bouncing on his hand that you need more than what you started with. With his free hand, he hooks one of your legs up to rest on his hip so he has better access. With this opening angle, it's easier for him to piston his fingers in and out of you.

It's loud, it's wet, it's obscene. 

You should feel disgusted or ashamed at the very least. But Jongho's so good at finger fucking you. He doesn't seem to mind your loud whines, your rocking hips, and his dirty sleeves getting wetter by the second. After all, a good subordinate follows in the footsteps of their superiors.

His fingers aren't necessarily long, but they still build that fire in your belly. Your orgasm approaches, affecting how your riding turns into messy humping; How you make a conscious effort to try and quiet your louder moans. Your walls repeatedly tighten around Jongho and he drives it home.

Harshly, Jongho drives his fingers as far as they can go, wiggling just the tips to prod that rough spot in your pussy. It feels as though it's in your stomach, reaching even deeper than you know is possible. Your hips come to a complete stop, opting to spasm uncontrollably. 

A few more harsh pumps, some clit play with Jongho's thumb, and you feel yourself coming undone. The tightly coiled pleasure blossoms in your stomach, spreading its heat to your legs, your chest, and your sensitive cunt. You gasp in his ear, torn between staying awkwardly slightly or embarrassingly loud.

Jongho decides for you. He captures your parted lips in a messy kiss, eating your wails and moans. You pant in his mouth, trying to match his stroking tongue with yours. It's difficult to kiss him back when your orgasm floods your senses, but Jongho hardly seems to care about your tired lips.

You squeal when he gently pulls his fingers downwards. The drag makes your eyes roll, still delicate at every move. Jongho doesn't take them out all the way, but instead drives them forward. He maintains a slowly pumping speed to help you ride off your high.

It's overwhelming to have both your lips occupied, so you make the difficult choice to pull away from Jongho's kiss and rest your head on his chest. He frowns at first, but upon seeing your droopy eyelids and constant moans, he accepts that he's drawing your orgasm too far out.

That doesn't mean you don't whine when he finally pulls his fingers out, cunt cold and empty. 

With hazy eyes, you watch as he brings his fingers up to eye level, glistening in the artificial lighting. Wordlessly, he traces those same fingers across your bottom lip, wiping your essence in the process. You open your mouth so he can further push them between your lips. 

"How do you taste?" Jongho questions, eyes stuck on where your tongue swirls around. 

You hum in response, leaning forward to reach his fingers to the knuckles. Slowly, you pull away, letting his fingers out with a 'pop!'

"Try for yourself."

You snake a hand around his neck and bring him forward, putting your tongue in his mouth immediately. Jongho groans at the taste, cupping your face with both hands as he pulls you closer. He digs his tongue deeper and sucks on yours to get every drop of cum you have. It's not until you're gasping for air that he pulls away, licking his lips. 

"Fuck," he swears. "Hiding that from me all this time, huh Director?"

With glossy, cum-stained lips, you smile. "Didn't think it was part of the job."

As if on cue, Jongho's phone begins to vibrate between your bodies. He removes a hand from your face to reach his pocket and look at the caller. He glances at you and then at the phone before silencing the call.

"We should find our table."

a/n: omfg I have been so dry im so sorry school is kicking MY ASS I have like 1000 words due every week for one class then 300 a week for another and there's so much articles to read omfg ANYWHO I hoped you all liked this one!!!

[project-sekai-facts]

hello! i’m planning to make a video essay on the problems with ENsekai. i obviously have some bigger ones already, (typos, translations, etc) but i was wondering if you or anyone else in the community had some ideas of smaller bugs/problems within the game that i could touch on!

hi, sorry this response is a bit late, hope it's still okay

Here's some stuff I can think of:

There's been multiple instances of area conversations being fucked up, either them implementing straight up untranslated content which happened quite recently with a niigo Len area conversation, or just leaving it blank altogether which happened with a conversation unlocked from the current event. usually this happens with niigo for some reason.

the ads straight up don't work on some devices. i had to get a new phone recently and they work fine on it now but my old one literally couldn't handle them. it broke the UI entirely and force crashed if i tried to watch two in a row.

For some reason they sometimes do the reruns late or early. It's not really much of an issue (aside from when they reran Evillious like 3 months early), it's just a weird oddity. Like the spojoy rerun should've started a week ago and it still isn't here

The May mystery song. Got pushed back to June, pretty sure they put a tweet out about the delay but it's gone now if it did exist. Didn't release in June either with no word on it. July stream didn't even happen so god knows what's going on with it now

They keep having bugs that aren't present on JP. Falsely banning players, that thing the other day where it locked challenge lives. There's a lot more if you go through the backlog of issues.

Also they had to delay Awake Now due to "technical difficulties" when BFBY ran on EN. Not sure what those issues were.

Inconsistent song names

Using the wiki as a reference/for placeholder translations. I think they might've stopped it as of this event? But still it went on for 4 months lmao.

Okay the next ones aren't really to do with the game, moreso, the management

They were ridiculously behind on 4komas until like. Yesterday. This might be linked to staff layoffs, I know some of their social team got cut. Also just after that happened they opened applications for discord mod volunteers. Lol.

The absolutely disastrous contests. Mainly the halloween one.

For starters the halloween fanart contest was only open to players in america, canada and britain, despite being for the "global server', but also: they gave third place and promoted the account of someone who creates nsfw of the IP. Funnily enough, this was not against the rules. But, it's still a questionable decision, like this person was openly an nsfw account, and they're giving them promotion on the official twitter for an all ages game. Oh well, what can you do, they were fully within their rights on both sides.

Also p sure the cosplay contest is the only one to date that's actually been open for worldwide entries. South America keeps getting excluded.

Remember when the twitter mod made fun of the game's translations? Actually embarrassing tbh.

[bsverryin]

: ̗̀➛ Healthy breakup with HSR men

who?

╰┈➤ Jing yuan, Blade, Welt, Gepard, Loucha, Dan heng (separately)

situation?

╰┈➤ you're their lover but nothing are just meant forever.

✎ ANGST !! ⚠️I think I rushed blade too much its bad idontreallylikeit...They like you and you like them and you started dating but you aren't meant to be. This was the first thing that came to my mind when I heard laufey's song "promise" so I recommend that you guys listen to it while reading <3 I tried my best to make it a really healthy breakup so I hope everyone's satisfied with it <3😔 I cannot assure you of perfect grammar so please enjoy!!

: ̗̀➛ BLADE

Dating blade wasn't easy, it never was. Blade doesn't know how to show his love and his genuine feelings to you, at first it was fine. Knowing that blade feels the same way for you, it was more than enough. You dated him for months and you're the one who's really affectionate towards him, he hates physical touch which you love. He doesn't let his guard down but for once he did, to you and for you.

However this time it's different, it's not the same anymore. You dated blade for a few months, you didn't expect that it would end this soon. You can't meet blade everyday which was fine for you at first but hardships came and came where you just need him for yourself. You talked to blade about running away together but he hated the idea because being a stellaron hunter was his thing, you fought that night that you both didn't talk for weeks. That was the time where you thought you were about to break up but you fixed it afterwards, you both didn't want to end your relationship that time but this time,

You both were just so sure to put an end into whatever you both had. It was a mutual decision. He wanted to break up because he couldn't focus enough whenever he was with you and he wasn't used to your affections and he couldn't get used to it whatever he does he's scared that he'll hurt you more in the future that's why he thinks it's better to break up now. You on the other side had to break up with him because you could see that he wasn't comfortable with you, it feels like you're giving him more responsibility when you're with him.

"thank you for this past months, Y/N." He said while you're both standing in a dark hallway in xianzhou.

"I can say the same." You gave him a weak smile but your tone was sad and low.

"Let's just meet again. Okay?" You nod as he left you alone.

The feelings came when he finally left you alone, you wanted to run and say you still love him and just come back. But it's not something you know you should do, you have to let it go because you're a busy person yourself. It's part of your life to meet people who aren't destined for you but you still wished to. You both weren't just compatible for each other and you had to accept it to finally move on.

: ̗̀➛ LOUCHA

During the first month of dating Loucha, there were no flaws at all. This man is really sweet whether you both are in private or public places. He always tries his best to show you how much he appreciates and loves someone like you. He says sorry first whenever you fight, he's the greenest flag that you'll ever have. He's sweet and there for you all the time.

However this time, you're the problem. No matter how many times he assures you that it's fine that you don't see each other for awhile, you couldn't bring yourself to just accept it. You're a traveller and you have a long road ahead of you. It was hard for you to include Loucha while thinking about the future for yourself, you have a dream that you want to achieve without anyone's help so when you told Loucha that you wanted to break up because you want to pursue your dreams, all he gave you was his gentle smile.

"No need to apologize for prioritizing your dreams, Y/N. I understand how big this is for you and I want you to feel contented and fulfilled, keep chasing your dreams and I'll support you in any way I can."

"I knew you'd understand, Loucha. I promise I'll come back once I achieved my dream. I hope you'll be waiting for me by then, but if there is any chance that someone caught your eye then make sure to be happy, I love you." You couldn't really stop yourself from crying but you really did try, Loucha gave you a big hug. He left after making sure that you're not crying anymore.

You knew this day would come when you have to put your dreams first, making sure there was no distraction. Loucha wasn't a distraction but the more you look at him, the more you want to achieve your dreams, but still you know yourself that you'll feel much happier with him but the happiest when you reach your dreams while you're in his arms.

: ̗̀➛ GEPARD

Loving Gepard was so pure and innocent. Citizens often compliment you both whenever Gepard has his day off and you're walking around belobog with him while taking a picture. One thing you love about being in a relationship with him was taking a picture together on your polaroid then sticking it in your room wall. Your room was full of gepard's blushing photo and stolen polaroid pictures, then your pictures together. Words are never enough to describe what you both had because it was just so perfect.

You shower each other with sweet words every single day so why is it that you have to break up with him before your 1st year of relationship together? Yes, your relationship was young,wild and free. You love him everyday like there's no tomorrow and you can be yourself especially around him.

So when you found out that you had to move nations from belobog to xianzhou you immediately called him the next day and cried into his arms, you didn't want to leave him and if you had the choice whether to stay or leave, you wanted to stay beside him. But then, you had to for your family and for your future. You can't do anything about it so all you did was tell him that you'll miss him. The good thing was the phones exist so it won't be much of a problem as long as you contact each other everyday. However, you really can't force someone if they're not meant for you.

Weeks have passed since you moved to xianzhou, you still decorated your room with each other's photographs because it's all that you ever had. You call and chat with him everyday but it's never the same.

"You see, Y/N.. Something recently happened here in belobog that requires my whole attention, my guarding became more stricter than usual. I have to do this for the sake of our nation. It's the best for us to part ways for now." You're in a call with him, you weren't expecting him to end it all through calls but where else can he do that when he can't really see you? You felt more hurt knowing in just a few days you'll have your 1st year anniversary together.

"It's alright, you have your duties and I do too, recently I've been helping around xianzhou. It gets busier here too. I understand, Gepard. This is for the better." Was all that you can say, in reality you weren't that busy at all because, no matter what happens you will always put aside your work for Gepard.

When you're looking at the box full of photographs you had with gepard, you found a picture that you've never seen at all. It was a picture of you holding the flowers that Gepard bought for you for the first time. It has a note in the back of the picture saying.

"You're as beautiful as the flowers I bought today. Y/N." And the date of the 1st month you had together.

: ̗̀➛ JING YUAN

Jing yuan is the greenest flag ever, He makes sure to balance his work and you and the attention he gives you is always just ENOUGH for the both of you. He's so soft and well spoken. Sometimes he's just too good for you. He gives you all his needs and wants because wealth is never a problem to him.

But this time you're just drained, really drained that you can't think straight. Life can't just be good to you whatever decision you make. These days, It gets harder and stressing and the fact that you can't meet Jing yuan was hard too. You're studying medicine for almost 9 years. Whenever exams happen, you can't pass them. Your life was mentally draining you, plus studying medicine was hard too. If you had the chance to change your life decisions and choose another career, you would. The only good thing in your life was Jing yuan but these days just felt like you're losing a glimpse of him more and more.

"Y/N, my love? Why did you call me all the way here?" You were in a place where you could clearly see the night sky, the night was starry and bright. You wished your life was that bright and pretty too.

"It's just that..I want to be good enough for you." He raised his eyebrows, he didn't seem to understand what you said.

"What do you mean, my love? You're not just good enough, you're more than enough and I love you. Y/n tell me is there something wrong?"

"I have to put myself first, I don't want to fail my exams this time. You're a big part of my life and I don't want to lose you but in my perspective it seems like I've been losing you more when I try to heal myself, Jing yuan allow me to-" He gave you a hug in the middle of you explaining your feelings towards him.

"I'm glad that you're putting yourself first, my love. I'll wait for you I'll always do." You didn't continue your words when he said those words instead you buried yourself into his chest as tears started to fall down.

Being with him was a blessing, when you felt like you're nothing and never enough he's there to reassure you that all he ever needed was you and only you and that no one in this world has the ability to replace someone like you. It's never selfish to put yourself first and it's okay to give yourself the time that you need.

: ̗̀➛WELT

Welt is really sweet on private and private only. He's not a big fan of physical touch too but he lets you do you because it's the only way to show that he loves you and he's comfortable with you. He doesn't know how to show his love so misunderstanding happens most of the time but you both never thought of breaking up ever but this time it was just different.

You're a traveler and he's part of the astral express so whenever you visit him it's a hobby to run to him and give him a big hug, everyone on the crew thinks it's cute but welt himself just wants to be private with you and said that you didn't have to be so affectionate with him either way he loves you. but still it's okay because you both never thought about breaking up until this time.

While he's looking at the moon, you made your way beside him and stared at him for awhile knowing that today was the day that you had to leave him for good, you weren't the only one that was thinking about breaking up but him too.

"Welt, I have to go back to my hometown, I have to stop travelling and I can't meet you for the upcoming years, they have no signal there and the last thing I want to do is the first thing that I have to do. Welt, we have to put an end to this." Welt didn't look surprised or sad. He had that usual look and it looked like it didn't bother him but that's just how he was.

"I knew we had to break up sooner, I also have to focus on something important to me." You both were silent for awhile and no one dared to speak. You hated the fact that you had to break up because all you ever wanted was to be right by his side, an hour passed and you both were only looking at the moon thinking about each other.

"See you later, Y/N." He said before he kissed your forehead and left that when your tears started to fall.

Thinking about how he didn't say goodbye put you in the hope that someday, you'll meet him again and fall in love without worrying about anything. The morning before you left he gave you a letter and he said that you can read it after you leave, though he hated public affection he still gave you a forehead kiss.

The body of the letter was about how he felt the first time meeting you, dating you and losing sight of you since you're going somewhere far, in your hometown. You smiled as you read the letter as you reached your destination hoping for a better future

: ̗̀➛ DAN HENG

Dan heng doesn't mind whether you like private or public affections as long as he sees that you're happy. Loving him wasn't easy or hard but you can see that he's trying his best to make you comfortable and happy. You barely fight because he's not a big fan of it, if you did something wrong he'll wait patiently for you to apologize but if he did something wrong he'll immediately apologize to you but this time you didn't know if you're at fault or he's at fault because you just started fighting out of nowhere.

It was supposed to be your 1st year together but now you both were fighting because he didn't seem interested about something that you're telling him about and it seemed like his mind was somewhere else. You got mad at him for it, he said sorry but you still got mad because you wanted his affection and not just apologizing however after acting mad at him for long he stopped apologizing and said something else.

"I don't think I'm ready for this, Y/N." You raised your eyebrows thinking you misheard him but you didn't.

"I'm just kidding, Dan heng. You're forgiven." He felt relieved by what you said but he still continued saying something.

"I'm glad but Y/N, I'm not ready yet. I know that today marks our 1st year together and you're good enough for me, it's just that you have so much that it was too much for me."

You felt like your heart sank when he said those last words to you but you knew you had to be mature, and let him do what he needs to. It's gonna be hard for you but it's already hard for Dan heng.

"I understand, Dan heng." It felt like the time was frozen, what he said didn't feel real at all. He was your safe place, though he wasn't affectionate as long as he's listening it's enough for you, you can feel that he's trying very hard for this relationship but he can't just give up anything for you and you knew it too.

When you finish talking to him and when you're finally alone that's when you started crying like a baby, you didn't know what else to do alone in your home. You let your thoughts and tears flow thinking if you can just change everything, you would. You agreed to him breaking up but there was a part inside you that wanted to say that you both didn't have to but you had to do it, for Dan heng and for him only.

[siriuslysmoking]

Hi! I’ve never done an ask but I love your writing and I was just vibing to my autumn playlist and there’s this song by the backseat lovers, I don’t know if you know of them. But it’s called Maple Syrup and I guess creative part of my brain is on because I immediately thought of something based off of that song with Eddie. Like “I saw you dancing at the show tonight, I stood in the back and I think that we both know why” or “did it hurt? When I kicked you to the curb? Now I’m all alone. I guess I’ll never learn” has some pretty good lines. Sorry this is long I’ve never done a request before, but I hope you take a listen and it sparks something for you too! x

Cutting Ties

A/N: it's ex Eddie. Steve and Reader aren't dating, bu they are both there for each other on extreme levels. Also, I know that this trope is overused.

Pairing: Eddie munson x Reader | Steve Harrington x Reader

Warnings: fem!reader, she/her pronouns, talks of miscarriage, hurt/no comfort

Summary: When bad memories come strolling back into town you try to protect the few things that you hold sacred.

-Did it hurt when I kicked you to the curb? Now I'm all alone I guess I'll never learn-

He made it big, you always knew he would, you used to talk about it when you both were in high school.

It’s been four years since he left, not wanting to be tied down. Or whatever that means.

You were twenty when he left.

Now, you had your life put together, you had a job with a stable income, you had a roof over your head. You are able to support your daughter in anything she wants to do. She’s in gymnastics and she loves it, it’s a way to get her energy out during the day.

Steve… Steve is your rock.

From the start Steve has been by your side, supporting you in every decision you make. Holding your hand while you sit in doctors appointments. He held you as you cried when the doctor left the room after announcing that you might lose her.

He sat next to you during your twelve hour labour, rubbing your shoulders are you tried to breathe.

You made sure Wayne was in Mia's life, he deserved that much, Eddie doesn't call him anymore.

You didn't know he was in town, you wish you would've. Steve agreed to meet you at three to pick the both of you up after Wayne had made the both of you lunch. The three of you started a tradition, every sunday Wayne would pick you up and either take you out to lunch or one of you would make something.

It was nice. Steve worked sundays so he would pick you up after work.

You wish someone had told you he was in town.

But when there is knocks on the door at 2:30, you meet Wayne's curious eyes, "Did ya boy get off early?"

"I don't think so." You hand Mia her brownie that Wayne had made for dessert, giving her a kiss on the forehead while Wayne goes to get the door.

"Eds! W-what are you doin' here?"

"That's not the welcome I was expecting, old man."

"Wasn't exceptin' ya."

"That's usually what a surprise visit is." Wayne looks to you and it's not like you can't let him in, so you just nod, giving him permission.

Mia has noticed the disruption, stopping mid chew as a strange man walks in. You try to obscure Eddie's view of her the best you can.

Eddie walks in and meets your eyes. He opens his mouth say something but Mia interrupts him. "Mamma, I can't see."

Eddie's eyes go wide as you slowly move over to the side. "Hi! What's your name? Are you grampa's friend?"

"I-I don't understand."

You just sigh, turning to Mia, "Baby, I'm gonna go outside and you're gonna stay and eat this delicious brownie that Wayne made you, okay?"

"otay." and just like that she begins shoving her face once more.

You softly close the door behind you after motioning for Eddie to go outside. "What- Who is that?"

"That's my daughter." You cross your arms as Eddie moves to the picnic bench, you just sit at on the bench while he paces back and forth.

"How old is she?" He knows the answer, you don't have to give it to him, but you do.

"Three."

"You should've told me." Eddie finally meets you eyes, "You should've fucking told me!"

"How?! How was I supposed to tell you? Call you? I didn't have your number, I didn't get an address. You left and said you didn't want to be tied down. What more to tie you down more than a child?" You huff, rolling your eyes at his audacity.

"Even Wayne knew?"

"Once I had her, it was hard to keep quiet." You run your hands through your hair, "It didn't take him long to connect the dots."

"He didn't tell me." Eddie looks angry, he's completely fuming.

"You stopped calling!" You throw your hands in the air, looking at him from across the table.

"Does everyone know?"

"No, they think-" You get cut off by a door opening to your left, it's not the trailer door, it's a car.

"Hey hone-" Steve pauses, looking to you, then meeting Eddie's eyes, "Munson."

"Harington?"

"Steve, will you go get Mia?"

"Uh-yeah."

"Her name is Mia?" Eddie's expression goes soft at that.

That's when Steve walks in the trailer, the door open enough for the words Mia shouts to echo out to the two of them. "Dada!"

"Hey pumpkin."

Eddie meets your eyes, "Is that my daughter calling Steve Fucking Harrington Dad?"

"She's not yours."

"She isn't? So she doesn't have my hair and my eyes?"

"She was and will never be yours, you threw away that chance when you kicked me to the curb."

"I-" He doesn't know what to say and you have no more words for him. So when Steve comes walking out the door with Mia and your bag in his arms, you just turn and get into the car.

-

-

likes are reblogs are appreciated <3

[auncyen]

I make an attempt at writing for Loop. This has 2hat spoilers from the get-go so it's allll under a cut, but actually takes place in act 3 (with Bad Touch).

That little song and dance Stardust does with the Fighter in every loop is so funny, so pathetic! They recite their pun every time to make him laugh, and then he reaches out, almost touches them, but he doesn't! He won't! He's not your Fi--Isabeau. This one is the Fighter because he's not your Isabeau.

(And you can't forget Isabeau's name. Not again.)

It's a strange difference between your Isabeau and this copy of him. Your Isabeau was willing to touch you. You remember a cautious but warm touch on the shoulder, sweaty hands holding your gloved ones and grounding you. ...You hold your arms more tightly. You miss that. Hah, no wonder Stardust is so needy! His Fighter won't touch him at all. But...you do wonder why their party seems to have that idea, that they're made of glass. Yours didn't.

...

...

You don't...think they did? They didn't on the third floor. You know that. (But even your Isabeau was cautious, wasn't he?)

You...try to put that out of mind. Stardust is coming. Wouldn't do to be muddled and maudlin when you have a Siffrin hanging on to your every word! Honestly, what would he do without you?

(He'd be going numb, because he'd be constantly dying to the King. Bastard doesn't know how blinding lucky they are.)

They start the old little song and dance. Pun, not-quite-shoulder-touch, lunge forward--whoa whoa WHOA WHAT IS THAT IDIOT DOING?!

The kiss is broken the same second you register what's happening, Isabeau pushing him away, and right then you know, the Fighter is your Isabeau, your Isabeau is still here, you remember--

the world shifts.

"Hi Isa, I need to do the Favor Tree thing!"

"Oh! Sorry, I'm in your way then, aren't I? I'll get out of your hair, see you at the Clocktower!!!"

No, but that's not what...

...Ha.

HA!

Oh, your Stardust really is such a coward! You can't help but make fun of them when they finally drag themself to the tree, their eye already downcast because they know you saw their shame.

"What were you afraid of? For him to finally see you? To see what kind of person you truly are?" You taunt him, but toss in as a kindness: "Maybe he would have accepted you, you know. Maybe you're not as disgusting as you think you are."

Because that's what your Isabeau did. He pushed you away in shock, and then he apologized, worried he'd bruised you physically or emotionally when you were already a husk that had just. You'd wanted to feel something nice for a moment, you'd wanted the warmth he kept teasing you with. You hadn't feared the consequences, it probably wouldn't even have fazed you if he'd punched you for trampling over his boundaries. The King fight had broken any scale for pain.

Is that why you didn't loop back, and Stardust did? You're still not quite sure how his loops work--but if that's the reason, oh, how funny! Their own luck cursed them. But it's still his fault for being so fragile.

"Or, stardust... Maybe you ARE that disgusting. Not letting the poor fighter make his own decisions! Who would do that! Or--"

"SHUT. UP."

...You ignored him the first two times, but this time he sounds mad enough to start a fight, so you pause the taunting.

"I don't want to talk or THINK about ANY of this." He glares, his eye squinting, trying to hold back the more fragile emotions. "Especially not with YOU."

But you're the only one who'd understand. You did nearly the same thing. You were disgusting too.

But that'd be telling far too much, so Stardust doesn't get to know~!

Next loop you stare at the Fighter. You've never let yourself before, but now you feel compelled to. That is Isabeau. When you were Siffrin, when you'd kissed him, he'd pushed you away, and then he'd panicked and apologized. You...think you had enough presence of mind to apologize too, aware what you'd done was wrong, even if knowing hadn't stopped you. Isa had laughed a little. Said it was-- 'well, kind of sudden, warn a guy next time maybe, but also could next time maybe be now?'

'better watch out then,' you'd said, and somewhere in you there'd still been a real smile or something close enough, and you'd moved in more slowly, not quite sure how you were actually supposed to do it in a romantic way, but Isa had made it easy for you by meeting you halfway.

You'd kissed a lot, that afternoon. And you're pretty sure you talked more in that loop than any other, because even if Isa liked kissing you he was a little worried about what had possessed you to be so daring, especially when he thought you didn't like touching. You'd explained that no, you had no idea you'd been flinching when people tried touching you, you wish they would (it'd be such a nice difference from the King beating the life from your body, please please please), and Isa had groaned hilariously loud into his hands 'THERE COULD HAVE BEEN SIF HUGS THIS WHOLE TIME?', his face darkening with hilarious fluster as soon as he caught himself.

You'd loved that afternoon.

You'd never dared repeated it. You might have done something wrong, made Isa upset as he rightfully should have been. You might have broken the next time he asked you what was wrong and told him about the loops. You'd made sure. To just stay in the timeline where Isa knew it was okay to touch you and passed it on to the others. You drank in those precious touches.

...And then you'd forgotten that afternoon.

And then you'd accidentally ruined the sleepover that now had hugs and a 'congratulations, you figured out communication' headpat from Odile (you can't remember if she actually said that or not, but it certainly seems something she'd say) by getting overwhelmed and crying once, and you'd made sure to never do it again by claiming you were tired early and never repeating the sleepover because YOU COULDN'T LET THEM KNOW, and so you'd just loop through the House, and you'd cut those loops shorter and shorter, with fewer and fewer of those precious touches until you were only going through one floor, but at least they didn't know, and--

oh, oh, oh! Stardust is coming! This is no time to unravel, you've got a show to watch. Pun, almost-shoulder-touch, and ah, Stardust improvises a small step away from Isa so they don't get tempted. They don't plan to try again, then? ...Maybe that's for the best. Don't want them getting distracted from breaking out of the loops! You have to keep them on task. And if they won't make a move...maybe, if you ever get free, Isabeau could be your Isabeau again?

You realize how ridiculous that thought is almost immediately. He has a crush on mousy little Siffrin, not a star. You look away from him, and remind yourself, the Fighter the Fighter the Fighter. He will never be your Isabeau again, because you are no longer Siffrin.

[tibby]

i think it's partly bc of rerecording her albums and having fans love the vault tracks that she now feels she cant leave anything on the cutting room floor just in case

i definitely think that's part of it, but - and i say this as someone who likes a majority of the vault tracks - i think it was a good thing that they were initially left on the cutting room floor. including them originally would have detracted from what the albums were trying to say.

speak now and 1989 are the best examples of this. the point of speak now was two things: taylor wanting to prove she could do it on her own, and each song referencing a specific person or scenario. with the exception of when emma falls in love (the weakest of the lot imo) and castles crumbling (which has a feature), the SNTV vault tracks are more...vague in who/what they're about. and sure, if they'd been released on the original album with the secret messages we might have more context, but that isn't something we can say for certain. speak now is the only album that's about multiple people and we can pinpoint who or what each song is referencing (except maybe sparks fly which was included for the fans, and haunted but that could be because i've never cared enough to investigate if it's about john or joe).

as for 1989, i think the vault tracks are definitely stronger than some of the songs that made the cut (as much as i love WTNY and HYGTG, they're not her best work), but i don't think they would have fit into the story she was trying to tell. whether taylor successfully made an album that is about independence and not love is up for debate, but she claims that was her intention. IION and say don't go aren't great fits for that story, especially since it was one she was trying to tell within the secret messages.

i think red's biggest problem is that it was already too long of an album (which is also part of speak now's problem). i think the red vault tracks fit the theme of all the varying degrees of love, but red TV clocks out at over two hours. it's possible that forever winter in particular was too raw a song to release at the time (has she played it live yet? i haven't kept up with eras tour that much).

and while i love the fearless vault tracks, i do wonder if including them would have earned it less acclaim. they're good songs, but fearless is by far her most polished album imo. even the deluxe tracks, which i also adore, kinda take away from how well rounded the standard album is. it's very possible it's only capped at 13 tracks because cds back then could only hold so much, but i also think that it was a better decision for the marketing of the album itself.

but now, with ttpd and the eight million versions of midnights, it's harder to find the good shit because it's surrounded by so much filler. and yeah, part of it is that some of the songs on those albums are just...not good (bejeweled my deepest enemy), but i think a culling would have greatly benefitted them. ESPECIALLY with ttpd. taylor's always been songwriter who releases stuff that could be diary entries, but at least before it was like...you at least edited this. now it just seems like we're getting every single journal entry as is. and it's tiring. 31 songs is too much. hell, 16 songs for lover was too much.

ultimately i think it comes down to the fact that she no longer gets any push back from the people she works with, and fans are both willing to accept quantity over quality and (for many swifties, but not all) there's just a refusal to criticise her work at all. and i think taylor's desire to constantly release new content (which i think is a combination of a constant need for relevancy combined with the fact she's always writing) combined with being surrounded by yes men and adoring fans is impacting her work negatively. which has been the case since lover if not earlier, but i think midnights/ttpd are her most glaring examples of it.

anyway lmao sorry this got long. sorry for never being on here and then finally showing up to have opinions about taylor swift. do you guys still think i'm hot.

[unicornsannie]

Park Seonghwa-Rockstar

Genre:Fluff

I'm back with another story. I hope this cheers you up this morning/evening

You walked towards the entrance of the concert where you had to pass through the crowd of fans at Seonghwa's concert today You are not interested in rock but who else brought you other than your friend who is really interested in Seonghwa

"Y/N, I promise to make you happy tonight. Just don't expect to run away from this concert again" You just looked at your friend who was holding your arm instead of running away

"The situation here is crowded and noisy. But I like it" You gave a tight smile to your friend making her laugh.she took your hand and dragged you forward to see a good view"You think your sarcasm can change the situation? Don't expect it. This time you will be with Me all through the night"

You just sighed and glared at your surroundings.All the lights went out making Seonghwa's fans shout excitedly and wait for his arrival.When the lights focus on Seonghwa. Seonghwa makes eye contact with you and is stunned for a while.

When you seeing your friend back, Seonghwa regained focus and apologized to his fan"Everyone, I actually have news and it's about me randomly choosing one of you to be my lover"

Everyone screamed like crazy making you laugh. Your friend noticed and grabbed your shoulder."Why are you laughing Y/N?"You shook your head and tell him something." I don't want to laugh at anything but the way he wants to find his lover is weird like he will choose randomly"

Your friend laughed and whispered in your ear"Imagine if Seonghwa chose you"You just glared at her and looked back at Seonghwa"Shut up and listen to what song he wants to play later"Your friend slapped your shoulder playfully making you smile widely.

Time skip

After being at the concert for 2 hours (I have never been to a concert ༎‿⁠༎)Everyone still has the energy to wait for who Seonghwa will choose.Even your friend started to hope that she was chosen by him which made you just sigh

"As I promised, I will choose..." Seonghwa called security and whispered something then the security nodded and ran.Before Seonghwa started choosing security entered your area and picked you up and took you out of the crowded area

Your friend shouted your name but you couldn't fight back, instead you just crossed your arms and walked away without being grabbed by security.You walked towards the back of the stage and saw Seonghwa adjusting his bass guitar"Oh hi dear, how was my concert"

You just walked and sat on the chair. Crossed your arms and just looked at him sharply. Seonghwa chuckled and rubbed your cheek." I'm sorry my love but you're challenging me aren't you?"

2 weeks ago before the concert

You and Seonghwa fight strained your relationship."You are always busy with your career than me" Seonghwa stood up and trapped you against the wall "Y/N, please understand me, I did this for us. why are you still childish"You looked at him before taking your bag"You go find someone else who isn't childish like me"Those were your last words after you left him

When you heard that your friend was interested in Seonghwa, he took you to the concert, which disgusted you but you had to follow her

End of flash back

You were still silent and looked at him."Eh? Can't talk anymore.Y/N"You saw his hand slowly touch your cheek and bring it to his face.He kissed you deeply makes you not fight and continue to kiss him

He broke the kiss and looked deep into your eyes."I hope you talk back to my magic kiss."You just looked at him before opening your mouth"I hope you are happy with your decision"Seonghwa smirked and held your thigh and brought his face closer to yours

"I already chose" You raised your eyebrows waiting for his answer to come out of his mouth and he smiled"I choose you" He gave a quick kiss makes you smile

"I still love you. It's impossible to replace you. You're special to me Y/N" You looked at him who was gently stroking your hand "I want to apologize for focusing too much and forgetting about your existence"

"I also forgive you Hwa, it's my fault for making you stressed" Seonghwa smiles and hugs you." So, what about your fans out there with your promise"Seonghwa just stared at you and bit his lip

"I'll take care of it later, right now I have something to do which is you" Seonghwa pinched your cheek making you smile "I knew you would come to this concert and be jealous right"

You laughed and nod between his hands on your cheeks"Don't worry my love,no one can replace you" Seonghwa smiled before kissing your nose

__________

I just want to make a little plot twist🙂👍

[i-literally-cant-with-this]

A/N ::: I don't know that I've ever written anything so quickly. I have a cavity from how gosh darn sweet this is.

C/W ::: Aged up Kirishima (20's dating 27 yr old, single mom, plus size reader), FLUFFYYYY, romantic, unprotected P->V (twice), lovey dovey schmuvvy. Sorry not sorry.

WC ::: Under 950

Thinkin' about Kirishima in his early 20's, in college to become a child psychologist. He gets paired up with you, a 27 year old, cute and kinda chubby, single mom of one. You’re going for your PhD in addiction studies. You’re both in the same basic intro to psych, 3 times a week.

You've been working together on the project for a couple of weeks now and the sexual tension between you is so palpable you could strangle someone with the invisible string that spans the distance between your bodies.

You take your daughter to your mom's house and leave her there for the night. Kirishima is supposed to come over tonight, and you’re going to do the finishing touches on editing the paper and putting the report together.

You cook up something that he mentioned in passing that he loved eating and casually set the coffee table. Nothing fancy, a votive candle that smells like vanilla and some thrift store placemats. When it gets closer to the time he’s supposed to be there, you turn on the fireplace channel on YouTube and put on some music that you know he likes. One day, he dropped his earbuds, and you picked it up to see what he was listening to before returning it to him. He thought it was so cute how your face lit up when you recognized the song (The Beach, The Neighbourhood).

He comes over about 5 minutes to 5 with a small bouquet of mixed wildflowers in a pink crystal vase (he thinks - it's really just cheap glass. But you love it because it's just so damn cute how he thinks it's crystal).

Dinner is full of emphatic conversations about your childhoods. About your best friends. Your bad decisions. Your best decisions. How can you not have good conversation with Kirishima around. C'mon.

He helps you clear the table of the few dishes you used. Offering to help you wash and dry them, but you tell him just to sit them in the sink, you'll get to them tomorrow.

You both stand at the front door, averting your gaze from one another because the night is obviously coming to a close. And neither of you know how to say that you aren't ready to do the old 'See you in class Monday'. You both wanted to sit on the couch for hours just learning everything you can about the other. No matter if it took all night or not.

That awkward moment when you both start to say something at the same time happens. Neither of you know what the other said, neither of you are terribly interested in hearing it repeated.

"Well," he rubs his forearm with his gigantic hand, squeezing it a couple of times, like he was trying to ground himself. "I had a lo- hmph!!!"

You pull him down for a kiss because standing there, listening to his sweet, happy voice and watching him move his mouth - you absolutely cannot stand another second of not pressing yours against it.

"M-me too. Thank you for the flowers, Kirishima. They're beau- mmm!!!"

This time, he pulls you into him and kisses you back with such force and passion that you feel your lungs empty and your legs go weak. He lifts you up and carries you over to the couch, gently perching you on his massive lap. He brushes the loose strands of hair from your neck and starts kissing you so deeply and slowly that you're sure you're going to die before the sun comes up.

"Kuh-eer-ee", you force what little oxygen is left in your body out to say those 3 syllables. You settle yourself over him, knees bent, sitting on your legs. You know they’re going to go numb if you keep sitting like this. But it’s just not as important as being in his arms.

Tangling your hands in his hair, you pull it loose from the bun it's in tonight. His hands explore your body, starting at your love handles. He's squeezing and pushing your hips around, caressing your sides and running his nails up and down your back.

The two of you make love on the couch, and then again in the bedroom. You both fall asleep in each other's arms, too exhausted to even move.

In the morning, Kirishima makes breakfast and does ALL of the dishes. He asks you questions about your daughter (what's she like, what's her favorite toy/color/animal/flower/ice cream/band/Disney character/Disney princess/has she been to Disneyland?/favorite kind of pizza/favorite & least favorite vegetable and fruit/does she like to drink water/all the right questions). You both get dressed, and you fix your hair for the day. He tells you to keep his t-shirt because it looks better on you right now than it ever did on him. Eventually, you said goodbye to each other. 

He leaves you with a long kiss on the cheek and a promise to meet you at the library - or your place?? - later that afternoon to work on the project (because oops, nothing got done last night. Maybe the library is best?).

You look out the window as he tosses his backpack over his beautiful, hoodie-clad, broad ass shoulder, and blows a kiss to you with one hand and waves with the other. You can't help but smile because you know that stuff like that takes coordination and you've seen him trip around campus a lot.

You're absolutely sure that you're going to fall in love with him, if you haven't already.

Taglist ::: @thenamesmiz @darkstarlight82 @millennialmagicalgirl @arlerts-angel

[not-goldy]

At this point. There will be requirements to even speak to me about your ship moving forward and unless they fullfil these requirements, then don't speak.

Has your ship given confirmed Hickeys they claimed on the other?

Does you ship Spend couple holidays days together CONFIRMED?

Did your ship Enlist together as companions?

Does your ship make life changing decisions together?

Does your ship drop all honorifics consistently?

Does your ship send gay bday thirst traps?

Has your ship used a queer love song on their couple travel vlog?

Has your ship written a gay love letter confession song?

Did your ship take several alone trips, spending their last days together before enlisting?

Have members ever asked your ship if they were dating, a couple, together multiple times?

Has your ship dedicated a 2 hour live to each other, watching all their content publicly while blushing & kicking their feet?

Listen. Jikook has set the bar so fucking high. I don't care about your ship or their friend group outings. I don't care about your ship spending time together. I don't care if your ship talks about each other in interviews. Or sings songs to each other (cause all members have done this). I don't care if your ship teases each other and jokes around. These things aren't enough to debate your ship is real to me, Vmin, Taekook, Yoonmin, none of them, when this is normal friend behavior and shit they do with Wooga and 97 line and or other members or Jimin does with his friends. Unless your ship is making plans together or moving like a real actual couple, with parent's stamp of approval support (Greeting with I love you, instead of Hi. Making traditional seawood soup for your 'sons friend's' bday in their household, showing public support for the two of them at their businesses) don't speak. And especially don't talk to me when one half of your ship will go down as the idol who savagely shot down his own shippers twice and confirming PUBLICLY his girlfriend of 2 years & confirming with confirming the rumors, by taking a IDGAF hand holding stroll with her in the city of love. Even Taennie supporters got more proof, real proof, then you ever will. They can SPEAK, but you can't, esp if Tae is part of your ship, cause that is just laughable, after Paris and all those leaks. So again, don't speak to me about your ship, until your ship starts to act like a for real couple and not just friends. This whole private, but not secret shit don't fly. That's just a way of trying to stay delusional and keep your ship afloat, esp when your ship is doing public couple things with other people. Sorry not sorry.

🥂🌈🌠

[sunnyie-eve]

19 | Annoying Triplet

Series: Unexpected

Paring: (Matt Sturniolo x OFC Brock!) (Chris Sturniolo x OFC Brock!)

Word Count: 1.1k

Warnings: none

| MASTERLIST |

"Hey hey, it's me Dani and as you can tell by my title, I have a guest today." Dani smiles over at Chris.

"Chris Sturniolo!" He shouts throwing his arms up.

"Yeah, I'm with the most annoying triplet today." Dani looks over at Chris, who throws a straw's paper into her backseat, "Chris! Why are you throwing trash in my backseat? There's literally a bag right there for trash! That's how you repay me by being the first on my channel?"

"Sorry," He laughs, "Sorry Dani," He sings to her, "I'll make you a song." He starts so pretends to make music, "Like it?" He laughs more.

"I'm regretting my decision having you." She looks over at him, "And I want you here."

"Yes?" He asks with a playful look.

"Eww, the way you said yes." They both laugh, "Yes." She mocks how he said it making him laugh more, "That's how you sounded. A creepy old man."

"Oh sweetheart." He says in the same tone.

"Ahh! I'm having flashbacks to a man Nick and I walked past the other day. He was so creepy and he followed us to." Dani whines thinking back.

"He did?"

"Yeah, he did." She nods her head, "So Nick talked about my boyfriend."

"Should've called and I would've ran to save you from that situation." Chris tells her.

"Yeah?"

"I'd be like; Sir, I know my beautiful girlfriend is good looking." He explains to her so she tries not to blush.

"That's actually crazy." She covers her mouth. "You would run not even have Matt drive you?" She asks, "We were far from the house."

"Matt would have not driven me to save the day. Only because the he would want to save the day." Chris explains.

"That's true,"

"He always does." Chris huffs.

"He's done it twice." Dani laughs at him being moody.

"But it seems like he's done it more times."

"Not to me." She tells him.

"Seriously? Really?"

"Yeah, the phone and bowling." She explains the two times.

"And inviting you to move in." He adds.

"If you count that then you have to count all the times he's had my back in the podcast too. If that's the case, you have saved the day at times too." She explains to him, "Which I appreciate but you don't literally have to run to help me out. Saying your girlfriend is not gonna stop a creepy old man."

"We don't know that for sure so let's go test it out." He laughs then sees Tanner in the distance walking to his car and he sees them as well. "Oh shit, it's T-Clown." Chris says so Dani looks up to see him as well.

Dani flips him off as she starts the car, "Can you get the camera for me please. We gotta find a new stop to finish up."

"Bye bye till we cut back." Chris goes to grab the camera.

"Jackass." Dani groans.

Once they find an another parking lot with less cars they park and continue for Dani's video, "Excuse you." She says as he burps.

"You know he still gives me shit." He says then burps again.

"Excuse you," She says again for him.

"I just read them and laugh." He adds.

"Why haven't you blocked him?" She asks confused a little not understanding why he hasn't if he constantly sends shit.

"Because it's my daily routine to read and laugh. He's so stupid like it's ridiculous." He tells her.

"I have him and her both blocked. I don't need stalkers. Unlike you loving the attention." Dani makes Chris laugh.

"You aren't successful if you don't have haters." He says trying to make a point to her and something catches her eye.

"Something is on your face." She reaches over trying to get it off for him.

"Yeah attractiveness." He smiles causing her to laugh super hard, "But to asshole, I'm ugly like him. Dude, I just have a bad hairline." Chris says about himself.

"You have edits so..." Dani points out giving him a smile.

"And he doesn't."

"Exactly." She says so he laughs a bit.

"Do you have a favorite edit or one that sticks out?" He asks trying to catch her so she looks at him with a smile.

"I do actually." She pulls out her phone, "Let me show you my favorite one of each of y'all." She goes to her bookmarks and he sees each one of then had their on folder.

"You have more than one?" He laughs as she nods her head playing his first.

"This is my number one out of all of yours I like." She turns her phone towards him more so gently can watch it.

"The song is a choice..." He gives her a look with a cocky smile.

"Shut up before I throw you out of my car." She glares at him.

"Okay, now show me Matt's."

Dani goes to her Matt folder but doesn't play the one she favored the most and Chris catches her skipping that one.

"No, no! You skipped one." He takes her phone from her.

"Chris stop it!" She tries to get it back as he watches it. "And no, I'm not showing y'all which ones." Dani looks up at her camera.

"You got secrets." Chris laughs at her.

"No I do not!" She snatches her phone back. "They don't mean anything in that way." She explains getting embarrassed.

"Oh really?" He leans towards her.

"Yes, really." She smacks his forehead, "Most of my Nick one are funny edits. I fucking love them." She shows them to him and he laughs as well.

Getting back home, Chris follows Dani into her room, "You know you can tell me if you have a thing for Matt right."

"Well I don't so." She turns to face him, "A stupid edit means nothing so don't overthink it." She tosses her stuff onto her bed. "And I don't know why you think that either because your edit was very similar. So why aren't you asking the same about yourself?"

"Because I don't think you have a thing for me." He laughs at himself.

"And if I secretly did?" She crosses her arms.

"Well do you?" He steps closer to her.

"No, but why do you think I wouldn't like you like that?" She steps back from him.

"Because I'm super annoying. We have the least amount in common. I don't seem like your type." He uses what mostly sticks out to him personally.

"Yeah, we have the least amount in common but that doesn't matter. And yes, you're super annoying at times but that's what I love about you. You can always lighten up the mood and just by your laugh too. And you have no idea what my type is so don't say you're not it."

"You love that I'm annoying?" He gets a stupid smile.

"At times I do. So don't push it." She points her finger at him, "Now get out of my room."

[taylorswiftstylequestions]

Hi Sarah! I'm sorry to be leaving something so negative in your inbox—it's unfair and I apologize, I just trust you to engage with it in a thoughtful way that'll broaden my perspective (if you choose to engage at all!)

I'm let down by TTPD, for a lot of reasons, but mostly I think it's just how unsympathetic Taylor is on this one? I recognize it was the point, but it doesn't work like it did on other self-critical songs like "Dear Reader" or even songs like "Getaway Car" or "Ivy." It just lacks in self-awareness—writing a song calling fans pearl-clutching "vipers" for not supporting the awful things MH did, taking shots at decades-old enemies and bringing their kids into it, responding to (some very fair!) criticisms on "Who's Afraid..." by blaming everyone else for "making her this way" and then doubling down, the jabs at OR... it's just an incredibly difficult album to empathize with. I know she said it was meant to capture what it feels like to be in that space, but you can do so without lashing out unnecessarily at very founded critique and/or people who had nothing to do with it. The highlights, IMO, are the songs where she balances gray morality or chaos with the self-reflection she's always been known for, i.e. "I Can Fix Him...", "Guilty as Sin?", "Florida!", or songs like "Clara Bow" and "The Smallest Man..." which aren't punching down. Idk. I've been reading fan takes and hoping it'll grow on me!

Hi! A note that this is from around release week, just had it floating in my drafts for a bit as I thought of ways to respond.

First off, I so appreciate you coming into this space in good faith and in the hopes that I'll be able to engage with your thoughts in a way that can perhaps, as you noted, broaden your perspectives and thus having the impact of changing your mind.

As a disclaimer, if you don't like certain songs or find certain things hit too close to home or are sensitive or they make you uncomfortable - that is okay! That is your right to feel that way. You're not obligated to like all or any of Taylor's art. It isn't imperative that you like this. At all!

That said, I'd say Taylor is making her art as brash and honest and uncomfortable on purpose because she's a complicated person. We as humans aren't always palatable all the time. We can be ugly and complicated and unflattering. I understand the desire to, but we also can't dictate her art. We can't ask her art to expose her pain — but with caveats.

Be vulnerable, but don't make me uncomfortable. Cry, but don't ruin your makeup.

To me, this album is ugly and it's ugly on purpose. And not to be annoyingly cliché but I really do think that's beautiful.

I can certainly share my thoughts, but it isn’t my intent (nor is it my job / goal) to change your mind or “make” you like it. I promise you can continue to have a weird / squiggly / not okay / uncomfy / dislike relationship with this art if that's where you're sitting!

In case it does matter, I don't think "But Daddy" is swiping back at people for not liking / not approving the person she was dating. We can critique and have opinions about her choices, but the song is not about wanting your approval - it's the opposite! It's saying that she doesn't care about your opinion and as a grown woman she has the right to make whatever decisions she wants to without a nameless mass of people thinking they are in a position where they can dictate those choices. If she's going to make a mistake, she is going to make it.

Imo, Taylor can bring up 2016 as many times as she wants to. I'd even make the case she hasn't talked about it nearly enough. As she continues to unpack and deal with that time in her life, she's allowed to realize things anew about how those situations had a long-tail impact on who she is as a person now. We even see that in a completely different way on "The Manuscript". Given Kim has recently shared content of her and her children dancing to Taylor songs I don't think the implication was out of pocket. It was Taylor saying I hope that in the small ways in your daily life like going out for a walk or making your kids lunch or sitting at a stop light that you're inescapably reminded of my legacy. And that kind of annoying jab is the I-hope-you-stub-your-toe-everyday petty remark feels very Taylor to me and not malicious or implicating her kids in a derogatory way.

All in all I really do hear you about wanting desperately to find something softer and more empathetic and pleasing about this album so that it doesn't feel like you're stretching uncomfortably to like it. But I'd just say that (and I really do mean this with sincerity) you don't have to! You can dislike it! You can critique it and find the things she's saying not oaky by you or that you disagree with how she's characterizing herself and situations. The thing is that she's writing from her POV and how things felt for her. And what's hard is that she doesn't have to be objective or fair about her own storytelling. She can put herself in the best light if she wants to - even if she's wrong! And it's so so so okay for you to not like that and to say, well ... no!

Again, I love and appreciate you feeling like TSS/Q was the safe space for you to come to to talk about this and try to find a new level or something to unlock and perhaps feel things over. Or, in the very least, just to share the difficult spot you're finding yourself in listening to this album. I'm grateful you wanted to share that in this space of all spaces.

[glaciertea]

Masterlist here

Tales the Songs Weave

Ch.19<< >>Ch.21

Notes: Miguel reflects on everything and nothing all at once.

CW: Slight mentions of masturbation. Miguel is sad.

Artwork done by Cassandra_zim on Insta.

Chapter 20: Oh Father, Tell Me...

Word count: 6.3K

He did the right thing.

He had to do the right thing.

 It was the right thing to do.

He hated that he had to do it. He always hates making the most ‘moral’ of decisions because that's how it presumably goes. He always has to make these gut-wrenching sacrifices, all because he was forced into this position.

Your face was now forever engraved in his mind. Those last moments of torturous vacancy and heartache. That repentance he was struck with the moment you closed the door on him. He replayed everything he told you. It was to protect you. He didn't mean to yell. He didn't mean to get so heated. He never meant to hurt you. He never means to hurt the ones he cares for, but it always happens. Every. Single. Time.

It was difficult. He remembers heading back to the HQ after standing in front of your door for a few minutes, debating on knocking, before coming to the conclusion that he did not want to cause you any more pain. 

How he begrudgingly called up Jess and Peter to his office, alerting them of the new status of the relationship, and despised how pitying of a conversation that was.

“We're sorry, Miguel. We really are. Letting go of someone you care for is one of the hardest things to do.” Jess rubbed her stomach, her eyes staring into his tensed back. “You're not alone; we will get through this. You will get through this.”

Peter's arms were crossed, his eyes darting back and forth between Jess and Miguel, determining what would be the most crucial and befitting thing to say, but he held back to let Jess do most of the speaking.

“But things should be back on track, right? Time heals all wounds. It may take a while, but it will come.”

But he doesn't know when it will begin. Does it begin with him? Or will it happen on its own? What happens if it never comes?

Jess rambled off more tasks and briefings before voluntarily dismissing herself, leaving the two Spider-Men alone.

“I'm not going to continue judging your choices. This was the decision you felt as if you had to make, and I understand. I want you to know that it's true; you aren't alone. It's okay to be scared of the unknown and to run from things that you feel will hurt. I'm not going to give you the whole ‘leap of faith,’ ordeal. I just- I just want you to know that I've been down this road before. And... and I'm here for you, Miguel.”

Peter waited for any response, only to turn and leave in the end to give him space.

And that was it.

Days passed as he overworked himself.

Dishing out more missions for himself and others, more reports filled out, and his eyes rarely vacated those burning orange, iridescent monitors. Always watching, always viewing, always seeing.

He was running himself ragged into the ground because that's where he belonged. Buried alone and away from wounding others. His temper flared up even more from astoundingly new extortions and nuisances.

The anomalies were still rampant as ever, and Gwen's perpetual badgering and long-winded palavers about visiting him ceased when he finally snapped, compromising that if there's an anomaly in that universe, she can go. He knew there was a one in a billion chance of that happening, but she seemed content with that answer.

And that damming itch.

The biggest hindrance was that the itch was vexingly meandering. He took care of the problem; he removed himself from your life, so he couldn't comprehend why it was still stationary. Was it because he still had strong emotions for you?

He thought they would have shaved away the second things ended. Well, he struggled to convince himself that, but he was well aware that's not how these eventualities occur. Far from it. They don't disappear overnight as much as one imagines. They don't vanish in a day, a week, or even a month. Some may never disappear at all.

And he wasn't helping that wound. He was only jabbing and ruining it even more.

He keeps your messages open, rereading all of the texts several times a day. It was godly unhealthy, and he knew it, but he didn't give an ounce of fucks in the world. A part of that dignity died when he walked out of your building for the last time.

He holds those moments of weakness by wanting to text you random things, but always shuts them down and backspaces his thoughts. He would stay on your page, praying to hear anything from you. Even if it was a purely hateful message, he wanted something. The pressure of guilt and his sins weighed down on his back.

He stopped going back to his own apartment because he would replay all of the record albums you gifted, especially the Selena album. He resorted back to sleeping in his office, a habit he slowed down on when you two got into a relationship, but now that you're gone, his damaging routines throttled full force.

He hasn't felt this way since he lost Gabi. He hated how this was for your own good. For everyone's own good. His own good.

And as those days became two weeks, things have been even harder around the HQ.

Before, the other spiders hopped along, usually avoiding the broken eggshells and glass whenever they were near him, and if one managed to slip and step on one, they bore the pain for a second and continued on as if nothing happened. It was common practice for everyone. But now, the field has gotten broader. Along with the remnants of eggshells and glass, mines now lay next to them. A volatile war zone whenever anyone even dares to step into that domain. One wrong move, and it will trigger devastating explosions.

The office appeared more scarlet, while others believed it appeared to be a cobalt blue. Either way, it certainly matched his mood.

Now only a handful of spiders would be brave enough to speak to him, yet they would still be terrified of his reactions. Some would have competitions over who would have to converse with him, as their spidey senses never turn off when he's around.

His office was thrashed more due to his new charged-up temperament and impatience. Claw marks made their way onto machines, and his yells when a poor spider would accidentally make a mistake could be heard halfway through the establishment. 

Things have been very difficult for everyone.

It got to the point where E-616 Peter scarcely brought Mayday due to his offsets.

But the rumors were still spreading. Word got out about why he could be easier to provoke and how his short temper increased into utter wrath.

“I heard he was dating a Spider-Woman, but Jess fired her.”

“I heard it as a regular human from a whole different dimension. Very much a Romeo and Juliet story.”

“Don't they die in the end?”

“Oh yeah. So not like that, but similar.”

“I heard he would sneak her in here. I wonder how they got in without being seen. Surely more would've noticed.”

The telephone line never ended; they made sure to keep hush whenever he stepped out of his den, which became even rarer at this point in time.

But there was a reason for his increased fury. Miguel had that moment of impotence. That hint of shame.

The day he saw you at the park.

It was a quiet night in his office when he decided to drag the video of him and Gabriella into view. He wanted something to smile at, but only for a tiny bit. He chatted with his osita as always, asking about her football game or any ideas on what they should have for dinner.

It was going fine until, in the corner of his eye, he caught sight of you beaming into the camera before it shifted over to him as you both shared that genuine laughter. It was an ingenuous moment you created.

That's when he blanked, knowing all of that was too good to be true. His brain taunted him, whispering how he managed to not only trick you but himself as well.

His hands acted faster than his brain when he sent that money off to you. He had to give you something; he needed to. 

He waited for you to respond. It took several minutes before he received a message from his bank stating that the money he gave was deposited back in his account. 

He remained staring at that screen.

And that's when those dots finally appeared. His heart nearly leapt out. Then it immediately cracked when he read those words about how you didn't want or need him anymore. He was fully glazed over. He needed that fresh air. He wanted to go to the gardens but decided against it. 

He walked out the back. The correct way. He let the rain drench him; he didn't care anymore. The park was his escape from it all, but now it's only a crucifying, hollow memory.

He sat at the bench where he first accidentally laid eyes upon you. That first mistake. That one slip-up that caused the downfall. The one that nearly ruined and destroyed everything. The one who took the perils away from him.

Miguel stared at the streetlights, the empty pond, the violent rustling from the trees, the shrubs with flowers that were pelted by the rain and were likely going to lose their petals…

And you.

He was stunned the millisecond your eyes met. The adrenaline of terror and tribulation that coursed through him was miserable. Even in the pouring rain, you were as enthrallingly beautiful as ever.

How he wanted to rush over and keep you warm, to protect you and keep you dry. How he wanted to question why you were out in your pajamas so late at night and how you needed to get home before you caught a serious cold were all stuck in his throat. How nothing was the right thing to say or do deeply stabbed him.

The profound stares you gave each other as a sharp pang of self-reproach hit him harder than any punch he has ever received. He didn't even remember how long it lasted, but he knew he couldn't be around you anymore. He was hurting both of you; he was still breaking you.

He waited and waited for you to blink, to avert your gaze onto something else, but that unbending persistence you held was proving itself. That vice grip you had, so he had to be the brigade.

The minute you slipped up and released that unnerving cry, he used his speed to conceal himself in the trees as he monitored your well-being. He didn't want to evade your space, but it was required. You didn't leave immediately, but he didn't mind. He would sit for hours if it meant he got to be near your presence, even if it was from a distance.

He kept his eyes open for danger; he didn't want a repeat of the first night you two crossed paths. When you eventually did head off, he followed you until you were safely back. You were okay and free from any harm. Free from any uncertainties that would have jeopardized your life in any way or form.

That was when realization struck him, when all the detrimental waves crashed into him. You were truly free from him. Unimpeded by his marred claws, mind, and body—all of him.

When he returned to his 'safe haven,’ he yanked one of your shirts from your drawer in his room, cuddling it and smelling it. Hot tears flowed down as Santana's Love of My Life joined in with its own flow. 

Miguel was cracking each and every day.

As a new week approached, things were still the same. The increased anger, the despairing sadness, the rife of anomalies, and that gutting itch made themselves all at home.

Miguel startled himself awake. His vision blurred as he rubbed some crust out of his eyes.

“Mi Luna?” He gazed around the room, trying to get some of his bearings back. 

He was all alone. His moon wasn't around anymore. He hates that his own head would conjure up those nightmares to frequently patronize him. How they have to be nightmares instead of wondrous dreams.

He cracked his aching bones from the uncomfortable position he slept in again. His body was sore all over, but he, of course, didn't care. Allowing a minute to pass so he was semi-up, he stared at his main monitor, expressionless. The two smiles he misses. The smiles he missed making.

He expanded the recording of Gabi, mostly maintaining his focus on her, barely observing himself.

“Buenos días, osita… Espero que hayas dormido bien. Te extraño mucho… I—remember that very sweet person you met a while ago? Well, she and I will... We are no longer together.” Miguel balled his fist and achingly shuddered.

“No, no, no fue tu culpa; te lo prometo. Papa made a very...” he tried to find the right words. “He made a very bad mistake. It was pretty bad. Yes, that big of a bad. But I didn't want to hurt anyone else, like how I hurt you, mi osita.” He found himself caressing the screen.

“I don't know if she'll forgive me, but I know she'll remember you. You are stil- would've been the bestest of friends. I just wanted to tell you if you ever ask about her.” His workstation held a few droplets. “Yes, I will miss her... Maybe. It was still too early, but I would've loved to have made her your…”

He froze, but had to continue on.

“I would've loved for her to have been your new mama.”

He tried not to peek; he didn't want to see it. It was there, hidden in plain sight. His hand began to gravitate toward the video before he caught himself. Rapidly telling Gabi he had to go, he exited the recording and pushed the monitor away to the side.

His trembling fingers began to type and swipe around, surveying the spectrum of dimensions. The eternal vastness of such fleeting lives for those who experience the ordeal of not knowing they're being guarded. How lucky they are to live out their mindless days without a fear of knowing what's truly out there. How they can go about and love freely without the consequences of the world collapsing on itself.

The sacrifices he has to make for them. 

He went on about his daily tasks; no one bothered him unless he would specifically alert them to missions or other duties to fulfill. But for most of the day, it was noiseless. Nothing. Keep watch. This is how it's expected to be.

“I'm surprised your platform is on the ground instead of suspended in the air.”

So much for a quietude time. 

Peter charily bounded his way over to Miguel, taking heed of the many empty coffee cups, styrofoam take-out containers, and a lone red blanket hastily shoved underneath the desk.

“Jeez, Miguel, when was the last time you cleaned? Do you want me to send one of the janitors or no?” He leaned in a bit, getting a good glimpse of his friend's face.

Miguel hasn't shaved from the very noticeable five o'clock shadow that overtook him; he reeked of empanadas and one too many cups of joe. And he obviously saw that he wasn't either barely getting sleep or if any at all.

“Miguel, when was the last time you exactly moved from your station?”

He ignored the spider, his eyes still attached to the screens, doing his best to pretend that Peter didn't exist. He refused to allow any more distractions in his life. That is a lesson he must abide by.

Peter cleared his throat and scooted closer, bringing his voice up some. “Miggy, when was the last time you showered or had any other forms of healthy nutrients running through your body?”

Miguel didn't avert his line of sight, but the scruffy spider was still in his peripheral view.

Peter was becoming marginally irked by his boss blatantly snubbing him. This wouldn't have been the first time he's done this, and Peter wasn't going to have him surrender to his own self-imposing defacement.

“Alright, let's go. To my dimension.”

“Go away, Peter. I'm not playing your stupid little games.”

“You call them ‘stupid games,’ I call it, ‘helping out a good friend who is very distressed and forcing him to do some self-care.’ So stop whatever you're doing and let's go.” He began to fiddle with his watch, setting it up to go back to his world.

“I'm not going anywhere. Leave. Me. Alone. I'm not repeating myself.”

“I'll tell MJ to fix an extra plate. I think we're having stir-fry.” Peter was playing Miguel's hand by brushing off his words. Miguel knew the tactic, and it pissed him off.

“Peter, I'm not going anywhere with you–”

“Oooh, she's doing shrimp stir-fry and hot and sour soup? Man, she is pulling out the stops tonight.”

“I'm not going!” Miguel was about to boil over.

“Maybe we can throw in some desert too. I can order a molten chocolate cake with some vanilla ice cream we have–”

“Peter. I'm not fucking goin-”

“What type of drinks do you like? Do you like lime soda? A good red wine? You know, maybe we should stick with water to help cleanse your system.”

“I'm not going anywhere, Peter! What don't you fucking understand?!” Miguel raked his talons through his metal, creating that ear-wrenching, grating sound.

“I'm not going to stand here and watch you suffer again!” Peter slammed his fist down, creating his own deep indent in Miguel's desk, startling the giant man.

Machines, other voices from spiders, and heavy breathing whisked through their ears as Peter tried to control himself.

“I'm–I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-”

“Don't. Don't bother apologizing.” Miguel slumped down, with Peter sliding down right beside him.

The two sat shoulder to shoulder, both starting ahead at nothing. They were still for a minute, knowing someone had to break the ice if they wanted to get somewhere, and Peter was aware it was going to have to be him.

“I'm worried for you, Miguel.”

Miguel held that deadpan look to him but still heard him out.

“I've been there; I've been here before. When you're faced with a challenge you don't know how to handle, you could either face it head-on and fight it, or run away.” Peter stared at his hands before closing them.

“When MJ first said she wanted kids, I was so scared. I was so scared of bringing another being into the world because I genuinely didn't know if I would be ready to face such a huge responsibility.” He chuckled at the irony.

“So I ran at the first sign. I ran, and I was so afraid to look back. I told myself that it was okay, that this was the right thing to do and it'd blow over, and that no matter what, I would always keep getting back up because that's who I am and that's what I'm supposed to do.

“But there was… something so funny about that. Physically, I was able to get back up and up and up with ease, but mentally… mentally I was down. I was kicked and on the last leg, struggling to keep that stance. I lied to myself every day, saying to myself that I was in the best tip-top shape that I could ever be in and that all I needed to do was keep going.” Peter ran his hands through his hair.

“That was the most hurtful thing I could have ever done. I didn't care for myself; I didn't care about a lot, actually, but I kept sticking those white lies in my head to keep moving ahead. Those temporary markers that I would attach onto, and if one fell off, I would tack another right in its place.”

Peter hesitantly grabbed Miguel's hand, weary about the talons sticking out, but didn't care if he accidentally poked him.

“I'm not having you go through this agonizing pain again. You are hurt because you had to do what you believed was the right thing.” He squeezed it tightly. “I know you're scared, I know you miss her, and I know you love her–”

Peter felt Miguel's claws dig into the back of his hand, but he fought through the unpleasantries. “And she loved you. And I would like to believe that she wouldn't want you to rot away. Even if you aren't together, I know she would want you to take care of yourself.

“Others would want you to take care of yourself. Many may not show it here in the society, but it's there. I want you to care for yourself. So please, don't fall into the same despair. Let others help you, Miguel. You aren't alone; you don't have to face this alone. Even if it's just a smidgen, a peek, let those few see inside; don't try and keep it all in. It will only fester more sorrow than the lies of convincing yourself that you're okay.”

Peter saw right through the mask. Right under the engraved stoicism of a leader lies the dispirited hero, who's worn down, afflicted, and fearful of the outcomes that entangle themselves in his webs. For the ones who don't know the true faith that has befallen upon them when they get caught in it.

Miguel peered down at their entwined hands. His brain was in a frenzy. He didn't know what to do; he knew he shouldn't leave from here; that one step out of line will have it all cave in. Yet Peter's words rebounded in his ears and his thoughts. Has he not learned from you?

No. He hasn't.

“Only for tonight. But then you leave me be for the rest of the time.” Miguel removed his hand from Peter's, who was beaming and wiping that invisible drip of relief off his forehead.

“Deal. But I don't think you've had MJ's cooking; ah man, it's the best. And I'm still ordering the molten cake. She told me that we can't give Mayday too much sugar, but this is for a special night, so I think she'll let it slide.”

Peter rambled on as he thought about what Peter said about you. Would you still care for him? Are you still caring for him after all he did to you? He knows he would still want you to take heed of your health.

Disturbed from his thoughts, he peered up at Peter calling his name, and a portal opened up leading to E-616.

“I said, are you ready?” He nodded his head at the multitude of swirls and colors, confirming that everything was okay.

“Uh, I-I suppose I'm ready…” he stood up before gazing back one more time at the monitor. “Yeah. Let's go.” He plucked his phone up and gradually made his way into Peter's world.

• • •

“So that's when Webslinger went, ‘hands in the air, Parker,’ so me, and like thirty other Peters, we all threw our hands up and simultaneously yelled, ‘We're reaching for the sky!’ In the crappiest country drawl. And I swore I saw him die a little on the inside, but it was all in good, positive fun.”

MJ and Miguel nodded along as Mayday laughed while being fed by Peter. The two were uncertain on how exactly they got on this subject, but they spared him from the questions, not wanting to ruin any excitement or entertainment he was creating.

When Peter and Miguel strolled through the portal, MJ was ready with shampoo, conditioner, a strong body wash, fresh razor blades, and more for Miguel to go clean himself. He attempted to dodge the products, claiming he was only joining for dinner, but that stern, earnest outstare she presented and the assertiveness in her tone made him suddenly reconsider that a shower and other things were beneficial to him.

The water was nice on his skin, despite how he'd nearly towered over the showerhead itself. He didn't register how grimy he was on the outside, but he undoubtedly knew he was inside. The sounds of thunder rumbled along with the shower, Miguel being lost in thought throughout the duration as his mind kept leading back to you.

He dazed into the streams that rushed or trickled down the sky-blue walls, eyeing the inconsistent patterns in how they ran down the drain. He began to think about how you would see something as simple as water going down. Would it be grand? Or would it be that simplistic notion of water leading to the sewers?

He then ventured further downward. Those shower discussions would lead to scrubbing each other thoroughly as he imagined lathering your body, making sure to take his time running his calloused claws over each dip and curve. Purposely slowing his movements over your sensitive spots, hearing your soft whimpers and whines, bringing out that primal reaction from him. He would grope and cup every part of you, pushing you up against the wall and pinning you until you were fully trapped.

Hearing your needy moans, he'll bring his head down, crashing his lips into your soft, pretty ones, your nails raking against his harsh skin, your cries echoing around him, your gentle body pressed against his as you will beg out for more of him—

Miguel had to cut the shower short when he realized he was tugging and his body was hot and sweaty, despite the water being freezing cold.

He was still as disgusting as ever.

He was cleaned and given fresh clothes from Peter's dresser; they were a bit tight on, and he did complain, but eventually came around. When dinner was served, Miguel didn't eat much at first, but Peter coaxed him by dramatically saying the reason why Miguel wouldn't eat was that he was implying that his wife's cooking was atrocious. 

He only ate to shut Peter up.

But Miguel was appreciative, even if he wouldn't admit it. MJ was cool and collective throughout the meal. The two chatted about Peter's habits and other ordeals at the establishment, as Miguel helped out with May's not wanting to eat her vegetables. Peter was a bit jealous when Miguel got her to eat two-thirds of her carrots and peas, but held his tongue as he didn't want to snark on him too much.

“Oh, MJ, even though we didn't really talk about this, I'm ordering dessert—mmm, that's some good mushy rice, isn't it Mayday?” May babbled and wiggled her fingers.

“Peter, hun, we talked about this.” She drolly said, gesturing to May.

“Okay, yes, I know! But—and hear me out—special occasion.” His blithe tone and smile tried to overpower her while gesturing to Miguel, who wanted no part in this.

The two went back and forth in a lighthearted disagreement as Miguel awkwardly finished the rest of his soup. They eventually settled on a compromise that Peter will deal with May if she suddenly goes hog off the walls.

Another train of imagination rode through his head. Would there have been moments of you and him having silly debates about feeding the kids too many sweets? Would you have caught on if he snuck them a few extra? A dour look on your face as a roguish grin will be placed on his. But he will promise to handle them if they start ricocheting all over the place.

“Miguel!”

His head snapped out of his reverie, and attention was all on him.

“Do you like cherry vanilla or just plain vanilla?” Peter held up the tubs of ice cream, weighing them up and down.

“I- plain, please.”

Peter nodded and pulled out the ice cream scooper, blathering away about whatever as Miguel hardly paid any attention to it. MJ and Peter exchanged a shared glance as Peter went on, adding Miguel to the mix and forcing him to mingle.

Dessert went exactly as expected. Peter barely gave May even a teaspoon of ice cream and cake, and she was scuttling on the walls. MJ and Miguel examined the scene with plenty of amusement, as he did everything to wheedle her into her pajamas and to drink some water.

“Do we help?”

“I usually give it five more minutes.” MJ nestled herself on the couch, sipping her tea. “He'll learn one of these days. We'll get there eventually.”

Miguel joined beside her, still observing the humorous incident. “Thank you for having me over.” 

“Of course. I'm not going to let anyone suffer through something like this alone. Especially when one is a good friend.”

They listened to Peter cooing Mayday over, only for her to shoot a web directly at his face and scramble up the wall faster, screeching with laughter.

“Things like these have to pass, just as time does, but as someone who has been there, you start to lose that faith that it will never pass. Your days will still come by, but it will still dangle.” MJ kept a keen eye on her child as Peter began to shoot his own webbing at Mayday, but she managed to dodge every single one.

“Maybe this is how things presumably go, and you'll have to be forced to live with it.” She glanced down at her tea, staring at her reflection. “Or it can lead to more, and what you expect can lead to the unexpected.” She turned back to her husband and child, a twitch of a smile showing on her face.

“Okay! You win! MJ, please help!”

“Alright, I'm coming. Did you learn now?” 

Miguel blocked out the two and turned to the lone teacup on the coffee table. That is how the canon works. It dictates the outcomes of not just his life but the other spiders’ too. There are no unplanned paths; there's only a foreseeable future.

That's how it goes. That's how it'll always be.

Then, when he turns to MJ and Peter, cradling and soothing May down for bed, he floats back to you. You were unexpected. You were not meant to be, yet, everything fell into place, and everything was okay.

He needed to leave.

After MJ finally settled May into her crib, Miguel made an excuse about heading back to his post when Peter forced him down on the sofa with his strength, coercing him to spend the night and to relax. Miguel broke out in a discourse, and when he was met with two pointedly blazing looks, he figured he wasn't going anywhere, much to his dismay.

Peter and Miguel were slumped on the comfy cushions, senselessly watching some baseball game. MJ went to bed, and Peter decided to keep his boss company, not wanting him to sneak off or be alone with his thoughts for too long. Not many things were shared—a question and a quick answer—but that was about it. Peter tried to lure him out of that pit, but nothing seemed to work.

So he decided to try the worst of plans: small talk.

“Thanks for coming again. I hope the food was to your liking.”

“It was fine.” Miguel didn't bother to look.

“Just fine? Come on, there must be some other adjectives loitering around. It was only fine?”

“Delicious. Grand. Tasty. There. Does that satisfy everything?” He huffed and scrunched his face into a scowl.

Peter wasn't giving up. “How about the dessert? That cake was super sweet. My gosh, it tasted like they added thirty pounds of sugar! Maybe that's why Mayday went bonkers. I… should've seen that coming.”

“It was fine.” The water was already at the top of the pot.

“Come on, Miguel, there has to be more adjectiv-”

“What are you–!”

MJ flung a door open, a scathing glare directed at the two. Miguel knew that face all too well. The very iconic, ‘in the name of all that is holy, if you wake my baby,’ look.

“My… apologies. I'm sorry.” Miguel gave a remorseful nod as she slowly went back into the bedroom.

Miguel glowered at the man as Peter twiddled his thumbs, his eyes burning into the television. “What are you getting at here, Peter? I respect that you're trying to help, but you pressuring me into having dinner with your family and spending the night? Do you really think this is helping?”

A draining exhale releases from Peter. “I don't want you alone. That's all. Like I said, I've been here, Miguel. Secluding yourself from others and telling yourself shams that you're fine will destroy you.”

“I don't need the help. I am fine. This is what my canon says. I'm only letting you ‘help’ just so you can get off my back.” He muttered the last sentence.

“I swear, you are so stubborn. It's okay to admit you aren't fi-”

“Will—will you please just stop?! Just stop! This is how it's supposed to go. It will pass. She will pass! She will just be another thought. This was an error that's been fixed, so we can all move on.” Miguel's talons popped in and out, doing everything in his power to not slice the furniture.

Peter was ready to refute him about you being this ‘error,’ and how you're clearly more than just some drifting conception, when Miguel's phone pinged loudly and buzzed on the coffee table, startling Peter.

They both stared at the device before Miguel swiped it up and turned it on.

And that's when his heart nearly exploded. 

“Who texted?” Peter tried to pry, but Miguel didn't answer.

It was you.

His mind was instantly unbridled with floods of aches and emotional discomfort. His hands puppeteered to your name and clicked it. His fingers responded just as fast as he received.

Then he dropped the phone in horror. His ears rang as Peter patted and shook his shoulder, trying to bring him back, until he snatched up the phone for himself. His brown eyes nearly launched out of his sockets when he saw exactly who it was and what Miguel did.

“She's asking if you want to grab your things.” His head twisted toward his friend, who was having an internal panic attack.

Miguel was far gone. His eyes were bulging out, there was turbulent heaving in his chest, and his leg bounced crazily. Peter went between the cellphone and his boss on the verge of a full-blown breakdown. He sat it down and went to console his friend.

“Hey, it's okay; I'm here. Breathe, relax.” He hovered both his hands in front of Miguel, but created enough space to not overwhelm him further.

He tried to swallow, but a giant cork seemed lodged in his throat and head. He didn't know how to unscrew and pop it out without it rebounding all over, spewing the contents that'd been shaken in the already damaged and tenuous glass bottle. 

A mess that would manage to spray all over, and if he were to unlodge it, would the cork just fly off as streams of liquid words would pour out, flowing onto the floor? Or if the bottle would simply rupture, as hazardous shards and the stickiness would tarnish the surrounding area.

Miguel was stuck; he didn't know what to do; he didn't even know why he replied with zero hesitation. Peter never took his sight off Miguel; he carefully took his hands when he noticed that his own claws were penetrating the sweatpants and his thighs.

“Okay, here, big guy. Come on, I got you.” Peter scanned the holes and the impaled wounds. “Miguel, I'm here; you don't have to face this by yourself.”

He bit his lip when Miguel's talons pressed into the back of his hands, but he persevered through the excruciating pricks. “Ready?”

Miguel's irises were redder than anything Peter's ever seen, his pupils enlarged, and his face inflicted with tension and anguish. Peter began to inhale and exhale, letting Miguel take his time before he started to mirror. It took a few times, but he was able to get him to do it and calm him from his high.

“There we go. Okay, doing better?”

He could only nod.

“Alright, good. Good. Now tell me, did you mean to respond, or was it a spur of the moment thing?”

Miguel side-eyed him and sunk himself back into the couch.

“Right, stupid question. Well, do you want me to text her and tell her I can pick it up? I think it'll be easier for you both to not try and see each other, even though I would advise you to try and talk it out, but right now, I think it'll be-”

“Tell her I'll come by and pick up the stuff... And I'll drop her things and the key off.” Miguel didn't even bother to look at the screen.

“Are you sure? I really don't think that'll be healthy for you to try and see her no-”

He seized the cell from Peter, wrote the message out, and sent it. All Peter could do was quietly gape at how Miguel was acting out on impulse. Eyeballing his hands, he typed out a long-winded paragraph about something before deleting it all and returning a message with three straightforward words.

“I'm seeing her. I'm going to see her in the upcoming week. I'm–” Miguel's claws found his head, sharp stabbings in his skull. “Dios mío, Peter... ¿qué he hecho?”

The TV was the only noise in the living room as Peter cradled Miguel, fearing what could possibly happen next.

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

@elle-janehaven @sanguwuxyoonbummy @prozacgooble

[gingerjolover]

Wait would you like to share more thoughts on the boys and their commitment styles 👀

i would be happy to pretty anon! sorry if it is jumbled or messy, as always we can discuss!

i am 1000% going to contradict myself, like yes i FULLY believe these but i am not opposed to writing/i currently have marriage-related fics in the works. I also want to write an addition to this where it's their love languages 👀

phoebe - gives me married vibes all the way. maybe it's because she was previously engaged, i just feel like she loves with every fiber of her being and i can't imagine her with someone for a long ass time and not committing herself to them like mind, body, and soul without govt documentation lol

i think way before you're engaged, you would already be maxine's mama or second parent, there's no way you wouldn't be building a home together. she strikes me as a lover who just wants to share things with you. she's involving you in the care of maxine, in decisions in the home, she's involving you in her career whether it be on the album or on a tour, she's including you in her friend groups and it just gives like chosen family/little family vibes.

again, i think she values commitment, and not in such a traditional way where she like needs to be married to feel connected but like she just loves waking up and knowing that she's your wife. IDK i could be wrong about this i just have her in my brain really valuing your relationship, but enough that if you were against marriage, she would happily be engaged forever or even just be your life partner contentedly.

lucy - i have moments where im like yes, lucy is a WIFE but other times i feel like she is so vehemently against tradition in the way that you don't need to be married for her to be committed to you. i think if you were against marriage she would be fine, If you really wanted to be married I think she would do it without a shred of doubt. I imagine a scenario where you both aren't sure but maybe there's like some perks of being married legally. like i feel like if you DID get married, it would be for like tax purposes which i know sounds so fucked but it would be so funny she would definitely lovingly call you her beneficiary, but i don't think she would do a courthouse wedding, even for legal reasons she would love a small ceremony with your family and friends and it would just be a whole vibe.

rn i think she has roommates in Philly (go birds), but as i write her often i think she also values a home base and regardless of how long you've been together, she would be building a home with you and like taking into consideration your style and interests and making you comfortable. i think apartment hunting with her would be so cute! she is such a deep thinker and i think her opening up and letting you really know her and her quirks in a way that maybe only a few others know her would be her way of committing to you. Like waking up, rolling over, and realizing that you know everything about her and love her anyways would mean more to her than a wedding ring.

julien - same with lucy, sometimes im like yup she wants to be married in a small backyard ceremony in the fall and she's wearing a beautiful suit and your guys' dog is the ring bearer and lucy and phoebe sing for you both and it's not a religious ceremony, i think it would just be all vibes, like no pressure just truly a celebration of your love and commitment to one another.

other times i think she is not going to get married but she is buying yall a house and taking you to places in the world you've always wanted to go and getting your initials tattooed on her ring finger and tattooing your name over her heart or writing a song where the title is just your name and its about unfiltered love and gratefulness. she is obviously (like all of the boys) so loving, she loves the boys so much, she has a great outlook on life now (that speech she made where she said the boys gave her her voice back had me BAWLING) and like all of them, i don't think she NEEDS to be married to show her commitment. Julien, in my mind is a very small actions everyday type of lover, like yes, the tattoos are grand gestures, but she's playing your favorite songs in the morning or washing your hair when you're tired, she's making you your favorite meal when you're sad, and she prides herself on knowing you so well that she can just kiss you in the right places and know she doesn't have to put a ring on your finger for you to know she loves you.