#speak now tour and she confirmed they were glimpses of how she was feeling

[finnickodaiir]

Maybe I'm just weird but I really really don't like how some fans pretend to know how & why Swiftyn broke up and how Taylor has felt every day ever since? It was creepy when it started and it's creepy now 6 months later

You're not weird, anon. You have a good dose of common sense, which is lacking in the fandom these days and I agree.

[vnti-vntiety-recs]

Oo how about a yeosang x reader smut? He's an idol she's a fan but she has never met an idol before. So she gets nervous etc. And she's a hybrid so since she's nervous she goes into heat and he quickly takes her away from the crowd sensing her distress. After speaking with management takes her back to the hotel and asks Seonghwa what to do. So he tells him how to help her and get back to clear (creampie her) and so he does but he makes her squirt for the first time and he ends up asking to go again etc? Please

These asks were similar enough i combined them. This was my first crack at writing hybrid so hope its on brand.

Unprotected sex, creampie, mature, MDNI (lowkey I forgot what I wrote and I don't feel like proofreading sooooo WARNING WARNING)

Hybrid! Reader's first heat with Yeosang (M) ₊˚౨ৎ˚₊

Today was lively, filled with people bustling in and out of the shopping district. You had planned to run a few errands and pick up some clothes, especially since you had recently been paid—and shopping was your guilty pleasure. As you were window shopping, you caught a glimpse of him through the shop's glass pane: Yeosang from ATEEZ. You were so taken aback that you could hardly move. You had known they were on tour in your city, but the tickets had been out of your budget at the time, so you hadn’t been able to attend. It was shocking to unexpectedly encounter a member in such a casual setting; you would have thought they would be on the road by now.

You felt a wave of nervousness wash over you; you had never seen an idol in real life before. Yeosang was accompanied by what appeared to be his manager. As a huge ATEEZ fan and Yeosang bias, this was an incredible, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to speak with him. You knew you had to seize the moment.

The store was bustling with holiday shoppers, making it challenging to navigate through the crowded aisles. You carefully maneuvered your way in and out of people, your heart racing with every step. The closer you got to him, the more intense the feeling became. It wasn’t just nerves; something deeper stirred within you, but you pushed forward nonetheless.

“Excuse me,” you manage to say, your voice weak and shaky.

Yeosang, who was engrossed in a rack of clothes when you approached, turned to look at you. A small smile spread across his face. “Yes?” he replied.

“Are you Yeosang from ATEEZ?” you asked, wincing at your own question. Of course, he was; you wouldn’t have approached him otherwise.

He chuckled softly, his eyes sparkling, and nodded in confirmation. “Yes.”

“I’m a really big fan, and I just wanted to say hi and tell you how much I love your mus—” You suddenly feel lightheaded and clear your throat, forcing yourself to finish. “Music,” you manage to add weakly.

“Are you okay?” Yeosang asks, concern etching his features. His hands reach out to steady you, and it dawns on you that you’ve been swaying.

When he touches you, it's as if your skin ignites. A wave of tingling warmth rushes through you, leaving you unable to concentrate. The noise of the crowd swells around you, becoming almost deafening, and it feels like your ears are ringing. Your vision starts to blur, and suddenly there are two or three fuzzy images of Yeosang before you.

Then everything goes dark.

When you wake up, it feels like your body is ablaze. You writhe in discomfort, the heat radiating off you so intensely that you throw off the covers you hadn’t even noticed before. As you sit up with some difficulty, it dawns on you that you’re no longer in the bustling mall. The room around you resembles a hotel suite—tastefully decorated yet overwhelmingly unfamiliar.

You strain to hear, catching the faint sounds of muffled conversation coming from the bathroom.

“I couldn’t just leave her there!” Yeosang’s voice carries through the door, laced with urgency. After a brief moment of silence, he continues, “I don’t know what’s wrong with her. Seonghwa came and said she was a hybrid… He thinks she’s in heat.”

A heavy silence follows his words, and confusion swirls in your mind like a thick fog. You’ve heard whispers of hybrids before—beings that blend human and animal traits—but what could it mean for you? You’d always believed your parents were entirely human; could they have concealed something so significant from you?

An unsettling realization washes over you. What kind of hybrid could you possibly be? You think back to the odd things about yourself—things you’d always brushed off. Unusually keen senses, a strange affinity for certain animals, but nothing overtly visible. Usually, hybrids had telltale signs like tails, pointed ears, or even sharper teeth, all characteristics that would have required concealment.

But you don’t recall anything like that in your life. What was happening to you? As your mind races, you find yourself grappling with questions that feel far beyond your understanding. You try to calm your racing heart, focusing on the warmth you still feel radiating from your skin and the lingering memory of Yeosang’s touch. Would he have really brought you here? And why would he think you were in heat?

Just then, the bathroom door creaks open, and Yeosang steps out, his expression quickly shifting from concern to relief when he sees you awake. “You’re okay,” he says softly, as if trying to soothe both you and himself

Your eyes land on him, and it’s as if all your senses have been cranked up to a hundred. Every nuance, every detail about Yeosang is amplified, and your body feels strangely magnetized to him, an overwhelming urge to pounce surging through you.

“Ughhh,” you groan, curling in on yourself. You’re not writhing in pain anymore, but rather it feels like an instinctual restlessness coursing through your veins, one that’s unfamiliar yet potent.

His scent wafts toward you, a heady mix that sends your senses into overdrive. You find yourself clawing at the covers, desperately trying to keep yourself grounded. “What’s happening to me?” you ask through clenched teeth, the words escaping in a breathless whisper.

“I think you’re in heat,” he replies cautiously, his eyes searching yours for understanding. “I can help you, but you have to let me.”

His voice sends a shiver down your spine. “I don’t care,” you insist, your voice forceful despite the chaos inside you. “Do whatever you have to—just make this go away.”

He nods, but there’s a noticeable hesitation in his demeanor. “Okay, um… You’ll have to get undressed,” he says, his voice quiet and uncertain. “I can help relieve you, but… only if you’re okay with that.”

He glances away as he fidgets with his hands. “I don’t want to pressure you, but I really think it would help ease your discomfort.” There's an almost palpable tension in the room as he waits for your response, hoping you’ll trust him amidst the chaos swirling inside you.

You quickly shed your clothes, desperation driving your movements. Crawling to the edge of the bed on your knees, you looked up at him, your breath quickening. “Please… help me,” you panted, the weight of your need pressing heavily upon you. You were gradually losing your mind—literally. Every ounce of your being was screaming at you to devour him. You needed him to do something fast.

You see him take a deep breath before he sheds his own clothes. His touch is light as he guides you to lay on your back but the moment his hands touched your skin, you lost it. Your body reacts like a spring-loaded trap and your limbs cage him in. Your legs wrap around him and you pull him flush to your body. He lets out a groan, his already hard cock slipping through your impossibly wet folds. You were soaking.

“Fuck, should we go slow?” he asks with a shuddered breath.

“I can’t wait. I feel like I'm dying every second your not in me” You growl primal instincts screaming at you to let him breed you.

He leans back as far as you let him and slips a hand between your bodies to line himself up at your entrance. When he pushes into you, it's like nothing you've ever felt before. Yeosang must have felt like that too because his grip tightens and he's driving into you at a bruising pace and you're grateful because if he gave you anything less, you would have cried.

You still do cry, but these are tears of pure, unfiltered pleasure. It was like he was made for you, made to fill you up and fuck you over and over. He pulls away and your hands reach out to grab him but he's quicker than you; he presses you back down into the mattress with your legs pressed up against your chest before he's thrusting back into you. The room was filled with lewd noises, his throaty groans, your unabashed moans and the slick sounds of your core slapping against his balls.

“Im close” You whine.

“Me too,” Yeosang moans, not letting up for a second.

Soon he's spilling deep into you. The feeling of his warm seed filling you up pushes you over the edge and you're riding that wave with him.

He doesn't pull out right away, and you savor the feel of the way your bodies entertwine. Hes pulling out and you think hes about to get off of you but hes thrusting back into you with a new hunger.

“Ah! Yeosang,” you moan. You felt a lot better now but you weren't complaining as he continued to please you. You felt that familiar tug in your gut and you knew you were close again but this time felt different. You can feel your legs start to quake and then you were making a mess.

Yeosang tried to fuck you through it but the pressure of your release pushed him out. You squirt all over his thighs, surely ruining his sheets.

Your embarrassed but when you look up at him, he doesn't seem phased.

“Can we go again?”

[storiesforallfandoms]

drunk fun ~ machine gun kelly & yungblud

word count: 2164

request?: yes!

“can you do a MGK x Dom x reader.. smut👀"

description: some friends getting together to drink turns into something a whole lot more when said friends get a little too drunk

pairing: machine gun kelly x female!reader x yungblud

warnings: swearing, drinking, smut

masterlist

Another show, another celebratory afterparty. Except, instead of it being a crazy party with essentially anyone who would show up, Colson and Dom decided to have a more tame party. Just the band members, their tour managers if they wanted to come, and Colson’s girlfriend, (Y/N), who had recently joined them on tour.

They were gathered in Colson and (Y/N)’s hotel room, drinking whatever alcohol was in the mini fridge, plus some extra beer that their tour managers picked up for them before the show.

Everyone else ended up turning in not too long after the get together started, leaving only Colson, (Y/N), and Dom.

“Are you gonna pussy out and turn in, too?” Colson asked him as he finished his fifth bottle of beer.

“Not unless you two want me to,” Dom responded. “I’m so full of energy from the show honestly I can’t imagine going to bed right now.”

Colson looked up at you, perched on his lap with a drink mixed from the alcohol in the mini fridge and a Pepsi she had picked up after the show. “What about you, baby? You tired yet?”

She shook her head. “Not really. I took a nap before the show so I’m basically wide awake right now.”

“Alright then, it’s been decided. We’re a party of three now.”

Colson held his beer out. (Y/N) and Dom laughed and tapped their drinks against his before the three of them held their heads back and finished the contents of their drink.

Hours passed, but by the first passing hour the three of them were properly drunk. So much so that at one point Colson even got a text from his manager that they had to keep it down or else the hotel would kick them out due to a noise complaint.

(Y/N) produced a deck of cards from her bag, one of the things she brought with her to keep herself occupied on busy days, or when she wasn’t feeling up to joining Colson at after parties, and the group decided to play a game of poker.

“Let’s make it interesting,” Colson decided as (Y/N) began dealing the cards. “Strip poker?”

(Y/N) eyed Colson. “Really? Strip poker with your best friend and your girlfriend, who is awful at poker?”

“You’re not awful at poker, you just have a shitty bluff face,” Colson told her. “Just try to not be as shitty and you won’t be the one stripping down.”

(Y/N) didn’t believe him too much about that, but she decided to go ahead with it anyways. Maybe Dom would be courteous enough to throw a few games so that (Y/N) wouldn’t be the one to end up getting naked.

She was so wrong.

Within the hour, she was stripped down to just her bra, underwear, and her t-shirt, meanwhile the furthest either of the boys had gotten was the loss of their shirts and socks. Colson would smirk at her every time her turn came around, knowing that by the end of it she would be stripping another article of clothing off. And of course, he was always right.

“Take that t-shirt off, baby!” Colson exclaimed, reaching for the hem of her shirt to take it off for her. (Y/N) batted him away, an annoyed look on her face.

“Shhhh! We’ll get in trouble!” she reminded him. “I don't wanna play this anymore.”

“Come on, (Y/N), one more turn. If you lose again we’ll stop.”

She sighed heavily. Maybe it was the alcohol throwing her inhibitions out the window, maybe it was the fact that she felt so comfortable with both boys, or maybe it was just a touch of bravery that she was suddenly starting to feel. Whatever the case, (Y/N) pulled her t-shirt off without any hesitation and threw it with the rest of her clothes.

Dom’s eyes widened. This was the most exposed he had ever seen (Y/N). She was wearing a lacy black bra, that barley covered anything and pushed her boobs up in a way that made them look bigger, with matching black underwear. His eyes raked over her body for some time, unseen by (Y/N) as she was looking back at her cards. When he realized what he was doing, he quickly looked away.

Colson looked up at Dom briefly, seeing the young Brits face turning a bright red. He smirked to himself as he asked, “Something wrong, dude?”

Both Dom and (Y/N) looked up, and (Y/N) caught the same glimpse of Dom’s face Colson had. She giggled to herself as she looked away.

“N-no, everything’s fine,” Dom told Colson. “Just a little warm I guess.”

“That’s cause you have too many layers on,” (Y/N) told him. “Maybe you should take some of them off.”

“No, no, that’s alright,” Dom said, his eyes quickly going back to his cards. “I’ll turn down the heat or something.”

“No man, she’s right,” Colson said. “You can take off more clothes if you want. In fact...”

Colson stood and unbuttoned his jeans, pulling them down his legs and discarding them to the side. (Y/N) giggled and crawled over to Colson, setting herself on his lap again. He brushed her hair over one shoulder and began to kiss her neck. Dom looked away again.

“Don’t be shy, Dom,” (Y/N) told him. “This isn’t new to us. We often have company during...intimate moments.”

Dom’s eyes widened. “Wha - really?”

(Y/N) nodded, a slight moan erupting from her lips as Colson found a sweet spot on her neck. Dom looked down at the cards in his hand, although it was obvious that the game had been long abandoned.

“I’ve always been the adventurous type when it comes to sex,” she explained, “and Colson was always into it. We have parameters, obviously, like no exes, no former crushes or people that have or had a crush on us. Friends can be a grey area, it depends on how long we’ve been friends.”

“But no groupies,” Colson added, finally pulling away from (Y/N) long enough to speak. “The last thing we want is for someone to post about our sex life or to tell the media that we like to have a third party sometimes.”

(Y/N) shrugged nonchalantly. “It’s fun to experiment, to go beyond the comfort zone for some people. Like you, since you’re fidgeting and can’t look at us while we’re talking.”

“It’s just something I’ve never really thought of,” Dom told them. “Like I’ve never really talked about a threesome with any of my girlfriends or anything. They were never interested and because of that I never brought it up or anything.”

“Some people aren’t interested,” (Y/N) said. “Some girls would rather not have two dicks the one time, or have a female partner due to jealousy, some guys just wouldn’t want to fuck a girl with another guy in fear of...you know, stuff they’d consider gay or whatever. And some people would just rather have one sexual partner at a time. Which, is something else I should add, we only ever have sex with someone else while the other person is willingly involved. If the other people isn’t willing, or isn’t involved in some way, we don’t do it.”

“That’s right, my heart and my dick belongs to one girl,” Colson confirmed as he planed a kiss on (Y/N)’s cheek.

Dom shuffled awkwardly. He wasn’t really sure what to do with this information. Of course, he had nothing against his friends adventurousness, but why were they telling him this?

“Are you asking me if I...?” Dom started to ask them, but his words trailed off as realization hit him.

“Not if you don’t want to,” (Y/N) told him. “I know it’s a bit much considering the fact that we’re all best friends, and I’m your best friend’s girlfriend. And this wasn’t our original intent with asking you to stay, by the way. I don’t want you to think we’re just trying to get you into bed.”

Dom would be lying if he said he didn’t find (Y/N) beautiful, in a respective way of course since she was Colson’s girlfriend. He especially found her beautiful now, wearing just her matching lingerie, laid out in Colson’s lap with his hands wondering her body. Of course he had never thought about her in a sexual way, but if she was offering...if Colson was okay with it.

The smile on (Y/N)’s face brightened as Dom stood and began to take his own pants off. Colson cheered as he took another mouthful of the last beer he had. (Y/N) stood from his lap and took Dom’s hand, leading him towards the bed. She pulled his boxers down around his legs and began to pump his shaft. Dom’s head lulled back in pleasure as he let out a moan. He grew hard in (Y/N)’s head, and when he had she put his tip in her mouth, causing Dom to gasp.

She began to ease his length into her mouth slowly, watching as Dom came undone so quickly. She began to move her head back and forth, and Dom’s hand quickly took a fist of her hair. He tried to keep his moans quiet enough that they didn’t get any more noise complaints, but it was hard to do so when (Y/N) was making him feel so good.

Colson barley seemed bothered in his seat as he continued to drink the last of his beer. When he finished the bottle, he placed it with the others and stood, drawing the attention of Dom and (Y/N). He looked only at his girlfriend as he told her, “On your knees, baby.”

(Y/N) excitedly popped Dom’s dick from her mouth and got up on all fours on the bed, still leaning over the edge enough to take Dom in her mouth again. Colson knelt on the bed behind her and pulled down his boxers just enough to let his own dick spring free. He took it in his hand and pumped himself a few times before lining up with (Y/N)’s entrance and pushing his cock into her. The feeling of Colson filling her caused (Y/N) to moan around Dom.

Colson began thrusting into her, causing her head to move up and down Dom’s shaft without her having to move herself. Her moans of pleasure were muffled by Dom, who was biting his lip to keep from moaning himself. His hand was tangled in her hair and he couldn’t help but move her head faster. Colson’s thrusts became faster as well as he gripped her ass, leaving fingerprints do doubt.

After a while the three of them forgot about the noise complaint and soon enough both Colson and Dom were moaning so loud they were sure their neighbours could hear, and Colson started to thrust so much harder that the hotel room bed began to creek and hit the wall behind it. (Y/N) felt her orgasm quickly approaching, but kept Dom in her mouth as she hit it, her moans vibrating around him.

This was enough to make Dom hit his own high. He threw his head back and thrusted his hips forward, filling (Y/N)’s mouth. She took him deep in her throat, shooting the contents directly down her throat and into her stomach as she swallow. Colson continued to thrust into her, feeling her walls tightening around him as she hit her orgasm. The feeling, plus hearing both her and Dom hitting their own climaxes, drove Colson crazy and his followed not too long after.

As Colson rode out his orgasm, leaning over to place sweet kisses on (Y/N)’s back, she pulled Dom’s dick out of her mouth and smiled up at him, suddenly looking so innocent despite what they had all just done.

Dom’s head was spinning, both from the alcohol still in his system and from his orgasm. He was starting to feel tired, almost like he could pass out on the floor right then and there. He picked up his boxers and slid them back in place, pulling on his pants as well.

“I’m gonna head back to my room, I’m kind of tired,” he told the couple, who were now untangling from one another. “I’ll...I’ll see you both in the morning.”

(Y/N) was settling into the hotel bed as he left, giggling to herself. Colson cleaned himself up and got into bed next to her, wrapping his arms around her.

“How weirded out do you think he is?” she asked Colson as she rested her head on his chest.

“Right now? Very,” he responded. “Tomorrow morning, probably not as much.”

“Do you think he’ll want to do it again?”

Colson smirked as he kissed the top of her head. “Oh, definitely.”

[firstofficertightpants]

In Your Honor - CH. 2

Luz has wanted nothing more in life other than to join the ranks of the Emperor's Knights - the highest rank of royalty defenders, but after a disaster of a first impression with the bratty princess, she starts to wonder if it’s worth it.

Previous Chapter

The Blight Castle was even more extravagant in person. Tall white stone walls surrounded the beautifully crafted towers, lined with gold that sparkled in the sun. Stained glass windows with murals of the past Blight family members doing acts of greatness could be seen from the front gate, the gate itself made of polished brass shaped to look like roses.  Standing on each side of the gate were two members of the Emperor’s Knights. Their white capes flutter in the mid day wind and faces obscured by their expertly crafted bird head shaped helms. The two guards didn’t so much as move as Luz approached, her aunts lunch in hand.

“Uh, Hello! I'm here to see Lilith? She’s my aunt.” Luz explained nervously, holding up the lunch her ma had made. “I'm supposed to bring her this?”  The two guards looked at each other, one nodding its head before the other turned to pull a lever. The large brass gates open effortlessly as one of the guards motions Luz to enter.

“You’ll find your aunt on the second floor, in the study.” The guard explains as Luz walks through the gates.

Luz gives the guard a quick nod, her excitement from meeting an Emperor’s Knight barely contained, before she heads to the castle's main entrance. She heads up a large flight of stairs to the main castle entrance where she meets two more guards. Luz opens her mouth to explain herself but one of the guards simply holds up their hand to silence her. The other guard opens the door and ushers her inside before closing the door behind her with an echoing loud thunk.

If the outside of the castle was beautiful, the inside was breathtaking. Large marble columns reached up higher than Luz had ever seen. The sun shining through the stained glass windows cast gorgeous colors along the white marble floor. Satin purple runners lead to and up a large set of stairs at the far end of the room. If this was the main entrance, Luz couldn't wait to see the rest of the castle. Quickly she headed to the large stairs and up to the second floor where she was greeted with even larger halls filled with doors leading to who knows where.

Luz wandered the halls, looking for the study she was told to meet her aunt in. Along the way she ran into the knights training hall, followed by the medical ward where she got to visit her mom for a short bit of time before she had to head back to work. She managed to get exact directions from her mother on where to find her aunt. She followed the hallway she was currently in until she reached a fork, where she took a left and found the third room on the left hand side. She stopped outside the large wooden door. The handle and hinges were a polished brass while the images of ravens in flight were carved into the solid wood. Luz reached up to the knocker in the center of the door, a ring hanging out of a ravens mouth, and gave it a gentle clunk against the wood. She waited a moment before trying again. When no one answered she simply grabs the handle and twists it, peeking inside.

Standing in the middle of this room is a single person, her back turned to Luz as she looks over a book. She mumbles something Luz can’t quite hear then flips the page of her large tome. The girl looks to be about Luz’s age with green short hair pulled back. She’s wearing a lovely pink dress that complimented her pale complexion. Luz catches a glimpse of her face as she turns to look at another tome she has to her side, grumbling again as she turns another page.

“Que bella ..” Luz whispers as she leans against the door, the hinges creaking as it shifts under her weight. The sound alerts the girl to her presence and she whips around. Her face melts from surprised to mild irritation as she looks over Luz. The girl's simple garb giving away her commoner status.

“Who are you?” The girl asks. Her voice is as elegant as her features, though it was also stern and demanding.

“I'm Luz," the witch in training introduces herself, holding out her hand. "Luz Noceda." The other girl simply looks at it, her golden eyes hovering on her hand momentarily before meeting Luz’s eyes.

“Amity Blight.” The girl curtsies slightly out of sheer politeness, but it's apparent that that's the only reason. “So.. are you lost or something? I can call the stable master to come get you since it seems to be your first day.”

“I'm sorry, what?” Luz tilts her head in confusion. Was this girl calling her a stable hand?

“Well, you obviously don't belong here so.. shoo.” The elf girl makes a single shooing motion with one hand as she returns to her tomes.

“Excuse me?” Luz scoffs. “For your information, I’m looking for my aunt."

“Your aunt?” Amity returns her attention to the commoner girl, single eyebrow raised in judgement.

"Yes, my aunt." Luz confirms, matching the other girls facial expression. "So freaking rude.." The brown haired girl mumbles under her breath.

Amity whips her body to face Luz in agitation, clearly having heard that - she opens her mouth to protest -

-“I'm sorry to keep you waiting, your highness.” Lilith enters the room as if summoned by her title, arms full of scrolls.

“Auntie!”  Luz squeaks as she launches herself at Lilith, hugging her tightly.

“Auntie?” Amity echoes Luz in confusion as she watches her teacher pat the other girls head. She looks between the two. Her teacher, and elegant and well dressed member of the Emperor’s Knights and fellow elf, and Luz the.. human.

The gears in her head are turning more now than they ever had in all of her years of studying.

“I brought your lunch, just like mami asked me to.” Luz smiled, a beaming ray of sunshine in the otherwise dim room.

“Thank you, Luz.” Lilith returned the smile as she laid out the scrolls on a nearby table. She removed the lunch from the younger girls hands then thanked her by ruffling her hair. Luz giggled as Amity still stared in confusion. "You know.. while you're here, how do you feel about a tour of the castle?"

"What, really?" Luz exclaims, bouncing slightly with excitement. "That would be so cool!!"

Lilith steps out into the hall for a moment, hush voices following as the door closes. Amity simply huffs and crosses her arms as she awaits her mentor's return. For a brief moment she wishes her two companions Skara and Bascha were here to fill the silence with their bickering. Instead she was stuck with a human. Not exactly ideal to the young elf girl. Amity risks a glance at the strange being, the other girl simply bouncing with anticipation.

"Alright, Luz, if you go down the hall you'll meet with a girl named Willow." Lilith finally returns to the room, giving Amity a chance to relax as the human girl follows her aunt out the door.

Luz makes her way down the hall as her Aunt had described, taking in all the little details she could. She turns a corner a little too quickly and runs right into another person. The two tumble to the ground, a tangle of limbs.

“I’m so sorry!” Luz stands up first and goes to help the other person up, another young elf girl around her age. This one was slightly shorter than Luz and had fluffy dark hair. A pair of glasses laid skewed on her face as she dusted herself off with Luz’s help.

“No no, it's my fault.” The young elf girl says, adjusting her glasses. “Oh wow! You’re human.” She gasps, eyes lingering on Luz’s ears.

“Yeah, I’m Luz.” The bubbly girl introduces herself. “I was just looking for the girl who's supposed to give me a tour.”

“Thats me, I'm Willow!” The smaller girl circles Luz with excitement. “You must be Mrs. Noceda-Clawthornes daughter, then.” Willow deduces as she faces Luz once again. “It's been a big buzz around the castle, a human healer is kind of a big deal.”

“That’s my mom.” Luz beams proudly. “And one day I’ll be the first human to join the Emperor’s Knights.” She holds her hand out as if wielding a sword and swishes it around, the elf girl giggling at her antics.

“Well, let me show you the castle," Willow loops her arm with Luz's "Since you'll be working here some day."

Luz and Willow continue their walk through the castle, this time stopping every so often for Willow to give information on parts of the castle and Blight history. Finally they reach a room where the doors are wide open. Inside Luz could see a few students accompanied by a large purple horned woman who had to have been the teacher. Luz watches as the teacher ends the class, giving the students homework that insites a unified groan. The human girl waits to the side as Willow explains the Illusions class they had just witnessed. As she talks, a small elf boy who was in a very animated conversation with a set of twins, doesn't notice Luz standing there and runs right into her.

"I'm sorry!" He blurts out as he jumps back. He looks up at Luz and gasps, immediately reaching for his ears and pulling on his lobe. "Your ears! You're a human!"

"I'm starting to realize that's strange around here." Luz laughs. "I'm Luz, by the way." The girl introduces herself and holds out her hand. Before the boy can shake her hand the twins he had been talking to push him out of the way and both reach for her hand.

"Edric."

"Emira."

"Pleased to meet you." Luz shakes their hands respectively.

"Your highnesses." Willow bows to the twins, the two giving a small nod in response. "Ed and Em are the prince and princess." She explains as Luz tilts her head in confusion.

"Oooh!" Luz smiles before bowing as well. "I apologize , I'm still learning about the elven kingdom."

"Oh it's completely fine." Emira laughs. "We aren't really that big on royal stuff anyways."

"Too stuffy for our tastes." Edric adds on with a wave of his hand.

"That's only because you two get in trouble all the time." The small elf who had ran into Luz speaks up finally before returning his attention to Luz. "I'm Gus, by the way."

"Wow, you guys are all so nice." Luz smiles as she shakes Gus's hand. "A lot better then the first girl I met…"

" First girl?" Willow tilts her head.

"Yeah! She was really rude and thought I was a stable hand!" Luz grumbles, crossing her arms. "Do I look like I'm good with horses?"

"What did she look like?" Gus asks, still amazed he was getting to speak to a real life human.

"Oh, she was pale, had short green hair, and a really bad attitude." Luz counts out the descriptors on her fingers. The twins share a knowing look and Luz raises her brows in question. "Do you know her?"

"You could say that.." Edric chuckles.

"Though I never thought I would hear someone describe Mittens so plainly." Emira adds.

"Mittens?" Luz is now very confused.

"They're talking about their younger sister, Princess Amity." Gus clarifies.

"SHE WAS A PRINCESS?!" Luz practically yells before slapping a hand over her mouth. "I mean, she's a princess?"

"Mittens is actually the heir to the throne, believe it or not," Emira explains. "Mom and Dad couldn't pick between us so they picked her."

"There's more to it then that." Edric corrects his sister. "But who cares about that! Let's talk about you." Edric points to Luz.

"Me?" Luz mimics Edric, pointing to herself.

"Yeah!" Emira agrees with her brother. "A human in Bonesburough, that's exciting."

"It's been kind of terrifying, actually." Luz chuckles nervously. "But I'm happy for my mom, and ma seems to be excited to be home."

"Well, you should totally hang out with us sometime." Emira winks at Luz, getting a blush from the human girl.

"How about this weekend?" Gus speaks up, casually reminding the group that he was there. "You can come as one of our plus ones to Skara's birthday party."

"Great idea Gus!" Willow practically bounces in place. "You can hang out with us and learn about elves."

"Brilliant!" Edric and Emira speak in unison.

"So we'll see you this weekend, Luz." Gus smiles as him, Emira, and Edric leave to their next class.

"Alright, I think this brings our tour to a close." Willow claps her hands together. "I'll take you back to the front gate."

"Sure thing! And thanks for the tour!" Luz loops arms with Willow again before they both set off towards the castle gates. Willow bids Luz farewell before the human starts her trip back home.

The sun begins to set just as Luz reaches home. She enters the front door and announces her return, Eda responding with a greeting as the young girl enters the kitchen. Luz takes a seat at the table and begins to fill her Ma in on everything that happened. Eda listened intently as she prepared dinner, interjecting here and there. Eventually the two were joined by Camilia, the older woman sitting at the table across from her daughter. Luz excitedly tells her mother about all the new friends she made and their plans for this weekend.

Luz went to bed that night with plans to pick up something nice to wear to Skara’s birthday, thoughts swirling with all the new friends she just made.

Except, you know, for the princess.

[personasintro]

adaywithoppa (m) | jm

–– 𝒔𝒚𝒏𝒐𝒑𝒔𝒊𝒔; adaywithoppa is a website where you can book a tour guide, what happens when you book one without you knowing?

–– 𝒑𝒂𝒊𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈: jimin x reader

–– 𝒈𝒆𝒏𝒓𝒆: smut, fluff

–– 𝒘𝒂𝒓𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔: strong language, light dirty talk & spanking, nipple play, protected sex, oral sex [female and male, receiving & giving], denied orgasm, switch!jimin [kinda], one night stand au [kinda], jimin is angel and devil at the same time

–– 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒅 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒕: 16.5k

𝒎.𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒕 –– 𝒌𝒐-𝒇𝒊

–– this story is inspired by ohmyoppa.com website

© 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒓𝒐 (𝒏𝒐 𝒓𝒆𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒕𝒔 𝒐𝒓 𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒔𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒅)

Crinkled eyes. 

Cute nose. 

Plump plushy lips.

Beautiful smile.

Dark fluffy hair. 

That’s all you notice as you stare at the picture Jiyoo sent you four minutes ago, while walking towards Gangnam station. There is a lot of people on the sidewalk, despite of the chilly weather that comes with September. Why can’t they just stay in the comfort of their homes?

to: jiyoo

is that him?

You quickly text Jiyoo before stuffing your phone into the pocket of your thin jacket to avoid of bumping into someone. Cracked screen and the embarrassment is the last thing you need. There is unsettling feeling in the pit of your stomach, indicating the nervousness you feel. You don’t like being in the crowds in general and definitely not in Seoul which is crowded with so many people. Not only citizens, but foreigners as well. You guess it’s because of k-pop which brings even more tourists to South Korea in general. There is not a store where isn’t some k-pop star promoting some cosmetic product, or even their merchandise on the side of walk in stands. You can find a lot from different k-pop groups in almost every store. And you’re on your way to meet a stranger, who you don’t know nothing about. Great.

Your pocket vibrates, letting you know that you got a message. Pulling out your phone out of your pocket, you still eye the road in front of you just in case. 

from: jiyoo

yeees, isn’t he cute?

You would scoff, if there weren't a bunch of people around you, so you keep your reaction to yourself. Another message pops up, before you have time to check the time.

from: jiyoo

are you there?

Checking the time, you realise you have only four minutes to get there. Surely, it wouldn’t mind if you were little bit late but Jiyoo insisted you to be on time. She was almost too persistent about it and you had to even promise her that you would be on time. 

to: jiyoo

yup, three minutes away from the station

You reply back, your heart picking up its pace when you realise that you’re on your own. As much as you wanted to spend your free day off today, Jiyoo asked you to pick up her friend. Apparently her friend whom you’re still not sure about. You’ve never heard about this friend, whom is supposed to come here and visit Jiyoo. He’s not from Seoul and he came as a tourist, wanting to see a little bit of this wondrous city. Unfortunately, Jiyoo had to go to work, asking you if you could do it for her. Of course, your first reaction was panic and fast ‘no’ echoing in your common small apartment. Why should you be the one guiding him around Seoul? You’re still getting lost whenever you’re supposed to take the train, leaving you to ask strangers what is the right way. It’s already stressful doing that. But the good friend and roommate you are, you said yes after a whole hour of her begging you. She even sent you a picture, so you could find and spot him better. It’s not helping the guy is incredible cute and handsome, and your awkward self isn’t ready to face him. You should have put more effort into your outfit and make-up, but there’s nothing you can do about it now. 

from: jiyoo

yeees! hurry up, don’t be late

You push the urge of rolling your eyes at her message, hearing those words for a hundredth time today. 

from: jiyoo

oh and his name is jimin

With a huge sigh, when reality hits you that you’re really doing this, you put your phone back into the pocket, when a huge sign of Gangnam station appears in front of you. There are too many people going in and out from the station, your mind already panicking from the hectic place. Eyeing your surroundings, you try to find exit ten which is the exit he should be at. You notice the huge digital clocks on the building, showing it’s two in the afternoon. 

Just on time. You think as you feel slightly proud for not being late. It’s probably because Jiyoo basically kicked your ass before she went to work saying ‘you better not be late’.

You stop in your tracks, in a perfect distance to analyse your surrounding and localise that guy. There are people mindlessly going however they like, not paying that much attention to everyone else on the street. Just when you think you’ve failed, the idea of waiting and trying to find him irritating you, you spot him. He leans against the street lamp, his eyes gazing over his surrounding – probably trying to find you – before he adverts his eyes back to his phone. You caught a quick glimpse of his plushy lips and you feel your heart shivering. Fuck, does he have to look so good? He wears some loose grey sweater with blue jeans and black boots, looking comfortable but stylish at the same time. His dark hair is covering his forehead, a few strands falling into his eyes as he looks down on his phone. You’re not sure if it’s really him, but it definitely resembles the guy from the picture Jiyoo sent you. So with hesitant steps, and the last sigh of desperation, you slowly walk towards the guy. 

Please, let it be him. Please, let it be him. You pray, not wanting to feel the embarrassment of mistaking him for someone else. 

And just when your eyes are set on him, not paying any attention to anything else, he looks up. His eyes meet yours so fast, that you almost have a whiplash but you remain cool. 

Fuck. It’s him. He even looks better than in the photos.

It only confirms it when he probably realises you’re the one who he’s suppose to meet, his pink shiny lips stretching into friendly smile. He straightens up, ready for you to be closer to him and once you are, your breath hitches in your throat. 

“Hey, are you Jimin?” 

You want to pat yourself for not letting your voice shiver, sounding way more confident than you probably are. But you still could put more effort and empathy to your nonchalant voice. Wanting to remedy it, you send him a crooked smile. 

“Hello, yes that would be me.” He lightly laughs, confirming your thoughts once again as he slightly bows his head. You do the same, feeling a rush of embarrassment in you. 

You’re taken aback from the sweet melody leaving past his lips – his voice. You weren't thinking about how he might sound, but you definitely wasn’t expecting such a soft calm voice leaving his already handsome body and face. Not only this guy looks perfect, he even sounds like it. 

Where are your manners, Y/N?! You scold yourself mentally, hoping he doesn’t seem how awkward you are. But he probably does, when you only stand there looking at him before shifting your eyes on the people passing by, not reacting in any way. 

“So,” He starts, eyes not leaving your totally embarrassed and nervous figure, saying it with a light friendly tone as before. “You booked a Gangnam tour, but it’s fine if you’ve changed your mind. We can do whatever you want for the past two hours and thirty minutes.” 

Blinking, you stand there dumbfounded trying to catch his words. Booked? Gangnam? 

“Pardon?” You let out, still looking at him as if he is some freaking lunatic. Have you heard him right? 

“Well, we could go to coin karaoke, shopping, game arcade or we could just go eat. Whatever you want.” He says, a friendly expression not leaving his face even thought you’re looking at him as if he grown two heads.

“What are you talking about? Jiyoo told me I should show you around.” You tell him, your brows raising at him in question.

This time, his brows hidden behind his bangs furrows in confusion. “Jiyoo? Who’s Jiyoo?” Great, you’re not the only one who is fucking confused by this. 

“Your friend? And my friend?” You ask him dumbfounded, having him stare at you like you’re some lunatic this time. 

“I don't know anyone named Jiyoo.” He speaks, his brows still furrowed, probably equally confused like you. 

Narrowing your eyes at him, you eye him suspiciously before knowing smirk appears on your lips. “Is this some prank?” You ask him, crossing your arms over your chest. If it is, you’re going to kill Jiyoo and probably Jimin as well. She’s just wasting your time with this bullshit when you could've been in your bed, scrolling through your phone. 

“No, not that I know of.” He answers gently, slightly shaking his head. Maybe he’s just great actor causing you to think where Jiyoo found him. She never took an acting class in her whole life. But when you simply stare into Jimin’s eyes, you see how truly confused he is by this. Something is wrong. 

“Wait,” You speak up, your arms unfolding as you brush your hair out of your face. ”My friend, Jiyoo, asked me to come to meet you, so I could show you around before we go to our place.” You explain as best as you can, watching him blink at you couple of times, processing your explanation.

“Woah, no, I’m definitely not allowed to go to your place.” He says, raising his arms in surrender. 

Sighing, you pull out your phone and scroll through your messages with Jiyoo, finding the picture she sent you. “This is you, isn't it?” You ask, showing him your phone with his picture in it. 

“Yes,” He nods, once he scans the picture. But then his eyes slightly widen, when he notices something about the picture. He lets out a soft chuckle, shaking his head as finally understanding something, which you’re clearly still clueless about. “I'm supposed to take you to Gangnam and show you around, because you, but I have the feeling you’re not who did it, booked me.” He explains, causing your jaw to drop. 

Booked him?

“Are you a prostitute?” You almost screech, the thought of Jiyoo booking you a prostitute causing you to feel uncomfortable. Yeah, you don’t go out and hang out with guys that often, but you’re not that desperate. It slowly unfolds to you and you know, that Jiyoo is behind all of this. But you’re not sure what ‘all of this’ means yet. 

“What? Of course not!” He is quick to refute your assumption, his eyes widening. 

“Than who the hell are you?” You burst before you can shut your mouth, your politeness long gone.

“Ever heard about mydaywithoppa?” He asks, causing you to slowly shake your head. “It’s a website where you can book someone, a guy, who will show you around and spend some time with you.”

“So I am basically renting you?” You ask, still processing his words but you have a slight idea of what he is talking about.

“Yeah, you could say that.” He confirms with a small nod.

“This is weird.” You think out loud, having no clue why Jiyoo would do such a thing. This is so fucking awkward and you’re embarrassing yourself in front of this handsome guy, who is probably too sweet and polite about this whole situation. 

“I get it that your friend probably made this booking for you without you knowing.” You don’t know whether he talks because he just wants to say something, so you wouldn't stay in the awkward silence, or because he is figuring it out on his own. 

“Yeah, I think you’re right,” You nod, pulling out your phone to call her but her phone is turned off. She never turns off her phone. “Why would she do something like this? I’ve been living here for three years, I don’t need this. No offence,” You speak, his hands motioning you that it’s fine and he’s not offended. “Although, I do get lost a few times and mostly spend my time in bed but I don’t need this. I’m sorry she dragged you into this, I will personally kill her when I see her. I’m sorry for wasting your time.” You apologise, scowling at the image of your friend. God, you’re going to strangle her once you see her.

“You’re not wasting my time. You, your friend, booked me for two hours and thirty minutes.” He corrects himself, stuffing his hands into his pockets. 

“Well, I think there is no need to do this. I think we should go our separate ways since this is not my doing. I think there is someone else needing your services more than I do.” You’re rumbling, too eager to get out of this awkward and humiliating situation. 

“It’s already payed for.” He says straight away, his eyes set on you.

“What? She even payed for this? She’s such a bitch!” You exclaim, not thinking about your words but it’s too late. You curse out loud, causing a few elders people to scowl at you and you embarrassingly smile. Jimin doesn’t seem too phased by it, giggling at your reaction causing your own lips to twitch. Well, at least he doesn't think you’re fucking lunatic. And maybe he does, but he doesn’t let it show. 

“Well, consider this as free money.” You shrug. 

“I can’t do that,” Jimin shakes his head. “I would feel bad. I’m getting payed for this, so let’s just enjoy this together. I mean, I could show you the right way so you wouldn’t get lost.” He suggests, causing you to bite your inner cheek. 

You’re not sure about this. You’re already fucking embarrassed and as much as handsome angel he is, you hope you never have to see him again. But on the other hand, he is really nice and even if you just spent ten minutes trying to figure out what the hell just happened, his company is nice. And he is looking at you with brown eyes, not letting you feel like an idiot which you feel like. Instead, he is nice wanting to spend his time with you. Maybe he is doing it for his own consciousness but it still feels nice. Having someone wanting to spend their time with you, even though he is getting payed for it, but it’s nice. Although, you just spent a few minutes of humiliation, embarrassment and probably more mixed feelings together, you realise that you don’t feel that panic and anxiety which you initially went here with. 

“I don’t know, this is so freaking embarrassing.” You admit, whining a little bit and stomping your foot to prove your point, not noticing the small amused grin on his lips. 

“I won’t force you into anything. If you really don’t want to do this, we can go our separate ways and forget about this. But I’m giving you the money back. I don’t think I deserve them.” He tells you, scratching the back of his head. 

Having no idea why, you feel the slight guilt inside of you. This is his job, and all he wants to do is his job, which is not only beneficial for him, but for you as well – it depends on how you look at it, of course. And the whole idea of spending some more time with him, finally communicating with someone else beside Jiyoo, your parents and Hoseok – your best friend – doesn’t seem so bad. And maybe it’s just Jimin’s aura that makes you comfortable talking with a complete stranger. 

Although, you do feel irritated with Jiyoo and still plan her murder in your head, you’re already here, standing in the middle of Gangnam full of interesting activities on every corner. Gangnam, location where you’re getting lost too much. 

“Fine, let’s do this.” You tell him finally, letting out a nervous chuckle but all the negative emotions disappear when Jimin’s lips form into a shiny smile, the same he has on the picture. 

“So, is this what you do for your living?” You ask Jimin, who takes a sip from his strawberry milkshake. You can’t help, but grow curious about his job. You’ve never heard about those services but as Jimin explained to you, it’s pretty new in South Korea, but it already is very popular amongst women. As Jimin said, their website is the number one Korean private tour platform. It’s something fresh and modern compared to usual touring guides, like bus tour or just simple guide person who shows you around. This way, it seems closer and more personal. You kind of get people using these services, especially tourists who feels lonely, but you still wouldn't use them yourself. But that’s just maybe from your natural fear of strangers.

“Ah, no. I’m still studying at one of the universities here. It’s a nice way to earn some money.” Jimin answers, playing with the thick straw in his hand. 

You notice silver rings adoring his fingers, which are decorated with veins disappearing beneath the material of his sweater, which looks cuddly and comfortable. You even notice his small pinky finger, causing you to think he’s even way cuter than you previously thought so. He’s not that tall but his height is just perfect – for you, but that’s beside the point. 

“Are you popular?” Jokingly, you wiggle your brows at him causing him to slightly chuckle at you. 

“Hmm, I don’t know. They didn't fire me yet, so I think I’m good.” He shrugs with a grin, adoring his thick lips and you have to look away from the sight, when you feel something jumping in your chest. Fuck, this guy has a talent. 

Pulling and unlocking your phone with your fingertips, it opens to your messages with Jiyoo, which she still doesn’t responds to. 

to: jiyoo

what the fuck jiyoo

is this some prank?

a tour guide really????

Sighing, you close the conversation knowing she still probably keeps her phone turned off, just in case you would go livid and call her until she picks up. “What is the website?” You ask, waiting for his answer as you sip from your banana milkshake. 

“Adaywithoppa.” Jimin answers, watching you as you type it into your search bar and clicks on the website, since it’s the first thing to show.

“Am I suppose to call you Oppa?” You ask, wiggling your brows again with a grin, cringing how it sounds from your mouth. For all you know, he could be younger than you. 

“You can, if you want to.” He says, shrugging his shoulders not really voicing his own opinion. You get it that he’s doing his job, which is satisfy your time and tour spent with him. You would like to know his opinion about it. Does he like being called like that? You want to know, but he’s not here for you to get to know him as if this was date or friend meeting. 

You don’t respond, adverting your eyes back to your phone instead. You’re welcomed with modern minimalistic website and nice picture with some Asian guy who’s holding a tour flyer with a map on it. “BOOK NOW” is shown with a few points saying bookings must be made at least forty-eight hours in advance. There is couple of different sales and discounts as you scroll down, a pictures of guys following right after. 

Alex. 

Lucas. 

Minho. 

Daniel. 

Namjoon. 

All of them has their name and picture below it, showing their faces. Those guys are cute and you know they must be picking them up because of their looks. As sad as it sounds, it’s true. They wouldn’t employee someone not as attractive for people. After all, girls wants cute and hot guy to guide them around Seoul. All of them has some small bio, followed with description of their personality, interests and their favourite places. As you continue with scrolling down, trying to find someone, you find him. 

It’s the picture Jiyoo sent you, claiming it’s her ‘friend’ but you already know it was bullshit. Grinning, you show Jimin your phone screen causing him to shrink in his seat with goofy grin, probably embarrassed. Going back to his page, you start to read it. 

>>L A N G U A G E<<

Korean ∙ Japanese ∙ English

You’re surprised by the amount of languages he speak, and for some reason you find it interesting – attractive, even. Moving to another part of his page, your eyes stay glued to your phone not noticing Jimin’s eyes watching you. 

‘Hello, my name is Jimin :) Welcome to my page & Seoul. I’ve been living in Seoul for more than five years. Currently I’m studying at one of the universities in Seoul. I’m here to guide you to the unknown places for foreigners, which locals usually visit. We will have fun, I promise. Hopefully, I get to see you!’ 

It’s brief and cute, showing some of the Jimin’s cute personality, although, you don’t know him but you can tell he wrote it. Although it’s short and brief, it’s still enough to let you have an idea of who he is.

>>P E R S O N A L I T Y<<

friendly ∙ open-minded ∙ warmhearted

>>I N T E R E S T S<<

Socialising ∙ Music ∙ Dance ∙ Animals 

>>P L A C E S<<

Gangnam ∙ Han River ∙ Itaewon 

Swiping right, you look at a few pictures of Jimin. The first one is on a boat, where he wears blue swimming shorts with a white t-shirt. The next one is him at some restaurant, wearing a black turtleneck with silver earrings in his left ear. He looks freaking good, but you don’t let it show on your face. Moving to the third one, it’s him wearing a Mickey-hat, probably at Disneyland you guess, considering all the lights and carousel behind him. He grins so widely, that his eyes are crinkled showing his teeth in full display. 

Moving to ‘GO OUT WITH JIMIN’, you’re quick to realise it’s price list. 

Customising [2 hours 30 mins]

Make your own traveling with Jimin. If you want to have your own journey with him, contact us now. ₩116 687,00

“What?! 116 687,00 won?!” You screech so loudly, that you shift on your spot uncomfortable when customers in the coffee show you’re in, gives you a weird glances. “She really payed that much?” You huff out, not believing your friend paid so much just so you could spent your time with some stranger. 

“There are some cheaper options.” Jimin answers lightly and he is right. They aren’t much cheaper, but you guess it depends on the time you want to spent with him and the journey you’ll choose. There is plenty to choose from as Han River walk and picnic, Gangnam exploring, visiting Lotte Tower and many more. It’s very flexible for foreigners and you like the idea of it. 

At the end of the Jimin’s page, there is ‘Messages’ written on it. People who probably used his services has written their reviews on him. 

‘He was so friendly and made me feel like we’ve known each other for so long’ 

‘If I ever come back to Seoul, I’ll definitely choose Jimin again :)’ 

‘Thank you Jimin for nice day spent with you’ 

‘Y’all you have to choose Jimin if you are ever considering this, trust me you won’t regret it!!!!’ 

‘He is so beautiful inside and out, wow I think I’m in love lol’ 

It goes on and on, leaving his page with hundreds of messages. Positive messages recommending and praising him. 

“Wow, you’re so popular...” You tell him, locking and putting your phone away, focusing on Jimin’s warm eyes and pink cheeks. “Those girls love you.” 

“Ah, no!” He exclaims, shaking his hands in disagreement before he covers his mouth with stretched hand and palm, giggling. Again, it sounds like sweet melody coming from him and you’re not sure if you ever heard nicer laugh before. 

“Are there any rules on what you can and can’t do?” You ask, once he calms down and you watch him with a slight smile playing on your lips. You’re growing more curious every second about this, finding it rather interesting than weird. 

“Conversation and getting know each other is fine, I mean, you can’t really do this without talking. Holding hands and hugging is fine, but there is no kissing allowed. Also, we can’t give our phone numbers to our customers, they’re only allowed to know our public social media, if we have any and are fine with giving it away.” He explains, using his sweet tone reminding you of hones, for some reason. 

“Are you fine with holding hands and hugging with strangers?” You ask with slightly widened eyes, plopping your chin on your palm. 

“Yeah, I don’t really mind it. I think after almost three hours you get to know that person a little bit more, so it’s not that weird. At least not anymore. We are here to give you a great time and it’s not like holding hands and hugging is too much. Kissing and... activities like that are strictly prohibited.” He answers politely with a shrug, while you nod in understanding. 

“Have you experienced some trouble? Like some girl would try to kiss you?” You ask him, praying you’re not crossing any line with this. “You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to.” You add quickly, but he only smiles at you. 

“No, it’s fine,” He assures you with yet another smile, calming you down a bit. “Yes, it happened a few times.” He answers, surprising you. 

Of course, Jimin is attractive and all but you didn’t think someone would actually do it since it’s against rules. Jimin mentioned you earlier that once you violate the rules, you’re prohibited from using their services forever. 

“What? It did?” You almost screech, imaging the whole unpleasant experience it must've been for Jimin. “What did you do?”

“Usually, I would pull away just in time, reminding them of rules. It’s never in my intention to be rude, so I try to do it as politely as I can.” 

“Aren’t you suppose to report it to your company?” You ask him, causing him to nod. 

“Yes. We need to report everything that violets the rules, so they can prohibit those people from coming back. The company really cares about out safety as much as they can.” 

“So, you reported those girls?” You ask him, making sure. You expect him to nod, but he seems freeze in his spot before he shifts uncomfortably. 

“Not every time.” He admits. 

“Jimin!” You exclaim with opened mouth and furrowed brows. Why didn’t he report them? It can get dangerous, you don’t know what desperate women could do. Not mentioning he actually has to report everything. He basically risks his job for women who can’t follow rules nicely.

“They are lonely. They can get the feeling that I’m their friend or something. I kind of understand it, that’s why I try to explain that to them as nicely as I can. They’re not bad people, Y/N.” He says, his brows raised slightly.

“Have you ever reported someone?” You ask him, causing him to nod.

“Yeah, you can think about this whatever you want, but I wouldn’t let it go if I knew I was in some danger. Those women were quick to apologise and never repeated it again.” 

“They come back?” You ask, your mouth falling open. It just confirms your previous assumptions that he’s very popular. You’re not surprised. You’ve spent the last twenty minutes with him and you already got a feeling he’s in the stage of being your friend, which is ridiculous and you know you’ll never meet him again after this. 

“They do.” He chuckles little bit at that. 

“And about those women you reported?” 

“They actually kissed me.” He answers with shrug and you feel sorry for him immediately. It must be awful being touched and kissed by strangers and without your permission. As much as lonely they can get, you don’t kiss someone without their permission. Not when it’s against the rules and that person is practically a stranger for you. 

“I’m so sorry, Jimin.” You pout slightly, without realising causing Jimin to smile sweetly at you. 

“I told you that I’m thinking about my safety.” He reminds you with cheeky grin and you jokingly roll your eyes at him, causing him to laugh again. 

Reaching out for the raspberry cupcake he bought you, the two milkshakes as well, since he insisted on paying, you take a bite. The soft texture of dough is melting on your tongue and you roll your eyes in delight, causing Jimin to chuckle. 

“You wanna taste it?” You ask with full mouth, quickly covering it with your hand even though you think he caught a glimpse of the cupcake in your mouth. 

He surprises you when he nods, causing you to hold the bitten cupcake to him. What surprises you even more is, when he doesn’t take it and instead bites into it as you’re holding it. His eyes flickers to you as his thick lips are wrapped around the small piece of cream and dough. Your breath catches in your throat, causing you to swallow it right after. He pulls away, licking the remained cream on his lips while his eyes are burrowing into yours. You watch his tongue swiping against his pinkish lips before he leans back, giving you an innocent smile. 

What. The. Fuck. Was. That. Your mind is racing just from the simple act. Is he aware of what he has done? 

“Tell me something about you, Y/N...” He speaks up, cutting off your wild thoughts.

“What do you wanna know?” You ask him before you take another bite of the cupcake. Your eyes taking a glance onto the spot Jimin bit into for a brief moment, before you look elsewhere. 

“Anything you’re willing to share.” He says, plopping his elbows onto the table, leaning towards you closer. You’re still in safe distance but you can't help but notice the small freckles on his cheeks and dewy skin. 

“I’m boring.” You answer with a shrug, not really knowing what you should tell him about yourself. You’re not interesting and he might think you’re boring. You’re sure he had much better company, the women before you were probably attractive and talkative. Probably had a great sense of humour as well. 

“I’m sure that’s not true,” He is quick to respond with a shake of his head, eyes slightly furrowing. “Come on, it can be anything.” 

Sighing, you look at him in defeat knowing you would feel awful for declining him, since he shared a few informations with you. Informations which aren’t just basic to tell. 

“I’m twenty-three and I graduated last year,” You begin, seeing the corners of his lips twitch. “What?” You ask nonchalantly, thinking he already finds you boring and regretting asking you to tell him something about you. 

“I’m twenty-five.” He says. Oh, so he is older than you. 

“You’re still in college, right?” You check with him, causing him to nod. Wasn’t he supposed to graduate before you? Well, it depends at what age he entered university. As if he can read your mind, or simply just sees you thinking, he speaks up.

“I had to take a year off, because my mom got sick. I took care for her.” He tells you, surprising you. Your eyes widen and mouth gapes open at the new information. Is he always this opened about his personal life? 

“I’m so sorry to hear that.” You tell him sadly, pouting slightly at him.

“You don’t have to feel sorry, she’s fine now.” He smiles, touched by your empathy. 

You smile back, glad to hear his mom isn’t sick anymore even though you don’t know her. You don’t know Jimin at all as well, but it still caused you to breathe in relief from his information about his mother’s health. 

When you swallow the last bite of the cupcake, your milkshake glasses empty, you sigh in content as you thank Jimin again for paying all of it. He assures you It’s fine and not a big deal as he did previously before he speaks up again. 

“Come on, I have something to show you.” He says, standing up as you do the same.

You don’t feel even a hint of nervousness as in the beginning, excitement replacing it instead as you both walk out of the coffee shop, telling him something about you because once again, he tells you to do it.

“That’s so unfair!” You exclaim, laughing as Jimin scores another point, throwing the basketball ball into the cage smoothly without touching its construction or web. 

He turns around with amused smirk, obviously proud at his another win. “It’s fair, I wasn’t cheating.” He tells you with grin which you rolled your eyes at, before you grin at him again. 

You’re surprised how easy is to hang out with Jimin. You were pleasingly surprised how open he really is. Someone would have thought that he wouldn't share too much of his personal life, but he already told you he is from Busan and came to Seoul to attend one of the universities. But you’re still slightly worried that he shared so much information with you, causing you to wonder if he tells it to everyone. It’s not very safe, but you appreciate it nevertheless. Another thing you were quick to notice is, that he is very attentive. When you were talking about yourself, as he asked, he listened to carefully every word you have said. He nodded along even the most boring thing you probably told him, smiling at you and asking you more questions. He looked really invested in whatever you have told him. Maybe it’s all an act, and he’s just doing his job. But the more time you spend with him, you doubt it. 

That guy even showed you the right way to the bus station, so you wouldn’t get lost again. 

“So, Y/N, do you have a boyfriend?” 

You almost choke on your coke, once you both sit down to rest a bit. “Does it look like I have one?” You mutter, adverting your eyes to him before you look away quickly. 

“I don’t know, that’s why I am asking.” He shrugs, answering your question with easy and soft tone. 

“No, I don’t,” You answer, as if it isn’t obvious. If you had a boyfriend, Jiyoo wouldn't probably book you a freaking tour guide. You’re so lonely, isn’t is obvious? Can’t he see how awkward you were in his presence? Luckily, you’re not as awkward as you were in the beginning but that’s only because of Jimin’s personality. “What about you?” You ask him, looking up at him once again. 

You’re guessing he probably has someone. How can he not? He has all the good qualities, at least that’s what you think from the hour spent with him. He could be totally different person in his personal life – you still have this on your mind. You’re not a person who easily trusts someone, so naturally, you’ve doubts. But would be his someone comfortable with him doing this job?

“No,” He lowly chuckles, looking down to his plastic cup of coke, before looking back at you. There is a question in your eyes which he probably sees, when he even explains himself. “I don’t really have time to have a girlfriend.” 

You don’t know what possesses you, but you feel the rush of joy when he says that and disappointment right after. Fuck, are you getting soft for him? You’ve never felt about anyone like this – at least not about anyone you know for one hour. This is dangerous game to play, not when you heard his terrific stories about women violating the rules and his personal space. 

You spent at the game arcade a good hour, ending with Jimin paying for all of it. Again. He told you they all pay, something he forgot to mention the first time. 

You’re sad to hear, that your little adventure to Jimin is coming to an end, when you notice it’s the last hour you’re able to spend with him. When you see the time, you can’t but bite your lip to prevent a small pout appear on your lips. You notice Jiyoo’s message and your sadness is replaced with annoyance, although, you’re not angry at her. 

from: jiyoo

okayyy, you're not home so I guess you are still with him???? 

I'm sorry but I think you needed this

also jimin is cute isn't he 

You don’t admit it, but you’re thankful for this. It’s nice to spend your time in Jimin’s presence, causing you to think that you should spend more time outside rather than staying in home, wrapped in your blanket while watching k-dramas. That’s still what you will do anyway, but you’re already thinking about balancing it with healthy amount of time being outside. 

“Are you sad, Y/N?” Jimin asks, once there is silence filling the air between you, while you take walk alongside of Han River. There are a lot of couples sitting on the benches, hugging and cuddling each other. You scrunch your nose at the big amount of PDA, causing Jimin to laugh at you once he notices it. 

“Ah, no,” You shake your head, lying straight through you teeth. You would be pathetic if you would tell him that you’re indeed, sad. “This is just nice. I don’t get to have such a fun day too often, if ever to be honest. I’m too busy...” You trail off, not wanting to continue about how pathetic your life really is. 

“You should still relax,” Jimin says softly, his brows lightly furrowed as he stares at the river.  “When was the last time you got drunk? Or just relaxed and did something nice for yourself?” He asks, adverting his eyes on you again. 

“Hmm, last night.” You tell him, causing him to raise his brows in surprise. 

“Really? What did you do?” He asks, once again – the interest in his voice present. 

“I ate some junk food and watched Netflix.” You shrug, causing him to snort. 

“That’s not what I meant.” 

“I don’t get drunk at home. It makes me feel lonely and like an alcoholic.” You tell him honestly, remembering the last time you were home alone, Jiyoo visiting her parents that time. Thinking it would be a great idea to open one soju bottle, but then you opened another and another. You even lost count of how many bottles you drunk, the only thing you remember how you were a crying mess. 

Avoiding Jimin eyes, you still look at him to find him staring at you. And there it is – a look of pity adoring his handsome face. 

“Let’s go for a drink.” He says suddenly, causing you to stop as you gape at him. 

“But you’re not suppose to–” Remembering one of the rules, Jimin cuts you off.

“Doesn’t matter, come on.” He doesn't let you protest, grabbing your wrist with his warm hand. It feels nice and soft against your skin, causing you to blush.

He doesn't let go of your hand until you both stand in front of some bar lightened up with purplish colour. Sitting down, he asks you what you want and when you give him a shrug, still look of surprise visible on your face, he orders soju. 

“Are you hungry?” He asks, checking his phone before he puts it back to his pocket.

Maybe you would be, if your stomach wouldn’t be so shrunken. There is nervousness, excitement and curiousness washing over you every few seconds, an awful mix to even let you think about food. So with a soft smile, you shake your hand and bow to waitress who brings you soju. 

“Can’t you get in trouble for doing this?” You ask, once you take the second shot. Jimin acts like this is not weird at all, like it’s totally not against the rules. But somehow, he ignores it until you ask him straightforwardly. 

“Why do you care so much?” It doesn’t come as bitter from his mouth, instead he grins at you. 

“I’m not worth the trouble, Jimin.” You tell him honestly, watching him gulp the third shot. He licks soju off his lips as he brushes his fingers through his hair, showing you his forehead for a brief moment. He sure does look cute and hot with his current hairstyle, you can’t imagine him having a different one where he shows his forehead.

“Come on, drink up. I’m one shot ahead of you.” He says instead, ignoring you for the first time. 

“Are you trying to get me drunk?” You ask him, narrowing your eyes at him. He chuckles, but it doesn’t come as sweetly as previously, a low sound leaving his lips. 

“No, I’m trying to get you relax. It’s up to you how many shots it will have to take to let you loosen up.” He says mischievously, causing you to roll your eyes but you still grin at him, taking the third shot.

It’s not until the, whatever shot you’re about to take since you lost count, you notice the time. 

“Shit, our time is already up.” You tell him, causing Jimin to look across the table to the time on your phone. 

Yeah, your time ended like three hours ago. Jimin thinks and giggles at you causing you to look at him. Jimin’s cheeks are flushed and they resembles to you as well. You’re both tipsy but not that drunk. 

“Don’t worry about it.” He waves his hand at you, motioning for you to let it go but you frown instead. 

“But–”

“Y/N, stop thinking about it. I’m spending some time with you, in my free time because I want to.” He says, your breath hitching in your throat.

“Are you doing this with all the girls?” You ask him, frowning at him again. This time he frowns at you, not liking the way it sounded from your mouth. 

“No, I don’t.” He answers simply but doesn’t give you any explanation. 

You don’t know how to feel about it. Should you be happy that he’s spending his free time with you? The time he’s not getting paid anymore? Because once those words left past his lips, your heart picked up its pace and you panicked. So you took another shot right after, your nose scrunched at the taste. 

“Okay, I think you’ve had enough.” He tells you, once he notices the grimace you just made.

“You wanted me to relax!” You exclaim, reaching for the bottle and what’s left in there, but Jimin snatches it just in time. 

“But you’re relaxed.” He says, drinking it instead as you glare at him. He only laughs at your expression, causing you to do the same. You can’t be angry nor annoyed with him. 

When he pays for all of it, causing you to have a small argument about who’s paying, which of course Jimin won, you walk out of the bar to be met with cold air and rain. You hug yourself almost immediately as he does the same, the goosebumps rising on his neck. 

“Fuck.” Jimin curses for the first time that he’s been with you, eyeing the rain. You’ve the same reaction as him, not even surprised by his sudden curse. There is no way you both have an umbrella and you both will be drenched in rain when you step out from under the roof. 

“My place is near, I’ll call you a cab there.” He says, thinking out loudly. You ignore the way you heart jumps at the ‘my place’, meaning he’s inviting you over. 

“I can call a cab right now.” You tell him anyway, already pulling out your phone but Jimin grabs your wrist, stopping you. 

“It’s cold. You’ll warm yourself a bit and then you can go home. I wouldn’t want you to be sick. It was my idea to go to the bar, so please, let me take care of you.” He says, his eyes sparkling in the daylight and sighing, you know he won. 

The idea of you coming to his place seems inappropriate but you can’t help, but nod at him as he gives you a winning grin. 

It probably wasn’t Jimin’s best and smartest idea to run to his place without any umbrella, causing the both of you to be wet by the rain, dripping on your clothes wetting your hair as well. You don’t notice Jimin’s place too much, too occupied by taking off your shoes. But once you do, you’re surprised how tidy it all looks. It’s small, one of the smaller apartments, but it still looks welcoming. 

“I’ll make us some tea,” Jimin says, taking off his sweatshirt as you’re watching him, revealing his white t-shirt which rides up, giving you a glimpse of his slightly tan skin and v-line. Gulping, you look away, noticing a small frame laying on the small commode in the entrance. He’s hugging older woman, who smiles widely and after a few seconds studying that picture you assume, it’s his mother. “Are you wet too much?” He asks, his tone innocent and you feel guilty when you start coughing, thinking about something else. 

He seems to catch on you quickly, his lips stretching to a huge grin as he shakes his head at you. “Y-yes, but it’s fine.” You wave him off, not wanting to be even bigger burden than you already are. 

But of course, Jimin has some other plans. “Nonsense, I’ll give you some clothes you can change yourself into. You’ll get sick if you will stay in those drenched clothes, come on.”

He’s right and you feel uncomfortable in those clothes ever since the first drops fell on you. Your clothes are sticking to your skin, causing you to uncomfortable shift on your spot every now and then. That’s why you don’t protest, simply trailing behind Jimin. 

A fresh smell of mint is present in his apartment, probably caused by the round diffuser in the corner of his living room. He leads you to his bedroom, which is small, pretty similar to yours with size. His double bed is taking almost all the space in his room, causing only his wardrobe fit in his room. There is nothing too much to notice, other than some clothes hung on the end of the bed and simple lamp on his nightstand. 

“Sorry, it’s a mess in here. Didn’t think I would have someone over.” He apologises as he opens his wardrobe and starts pulling out some clothes for you to wear. 

“I thought you live in dorms.” You think out loud, wandering your eyes to his window. A nice view of buildings can be seen but other than that, it’s nothing special but still nicer than your view. 

“They pay me well, so I thought about living on my own.” He explains, handing you some of his clothes. 

“Thank you,” You smile, taking it from him. “Aren’t you lonely alone?” You ask him. 

Jiyoo is annoying you most of the time, but you can’t imagine living alone. At least not this moment. It’s nice having someone home, someone you can always talk to and knock on their door, knowing they’re just in the other room. And Jimin sees like a very social person, that’s why you’re surprised by him living alone. 

“Funny for you to mention that, because yes, I get lonely. But luckily, I have this job so I get to spent some time with my clients, also I hang out with my friends a lot and if not, I’m usually studying.” He answers with so much ease, causing you to be slightly jealous about how well he manages the loneliness. 

“Can I ask you something?” You ask him, looking at him through your lashes as he nods. “Why did you invite me over? And why did you spent your free time with me? You could've just left after those two and half hours.” You ask him what’s been bothering you ever since he proposed those drinks. 

He chuckles and looks down for a second, before giving you all of his attention. “I saw how lonely you are.” You’re surprised when he says it so straightforwardly, causing you to feel embarrassed. He noticed it even though he didn’t know you? He still doesn’t, but he could catch a glimpse of your personality.

“So, it’s just because you feel sorry for me?” You frown, crossing your arms over your chest watching his eyes widen but you don’t budge. You actually feel offended by that, although, you know he’s right. You are lonely. And he showed you today, that you don’t have to be. All you have to do is to go out whenever Jiyoo asks you, and find new friends. But it doesn’t change the fact that you mostly feel offended, because he’s doing this because he pities you. You don’t want anyone to feel pity about you.

“No!” Jimin says immediately, his eyes still widened as he dryly swallows. “That’s not why, I swear! I think you reminded me of me, when I get home and there’s no one. It’s just me and I get lonely too much sometimes. And I actually like your personality.” He says, smiling little bit at the end.

You snort at that jokingly, but still feeling satisfied with his answer – that is, if he’s telling the truth. But the more you see the warmth and kindness in his eyes, you start to have the feeling that he’s telling you the truth. “Thank you.” You almost whisper, your smile disappearing and honesty filling your face instead.

He smiles, so georgeously, that you bite the inside of your cheek to prevent to react in some other way. “Now go to change or you’ll get sick.” He says, shooing you with his hands and you laugh, while he shows you the bathroom you can change in.

It’s small and minimalistic, but still clean which is slightly weird for a guy. But you don’t want to have some stereotypical thoughts, so you just settle in with the thought that Jimin is neat and orderly. When you are done, Jimin is already changed waiting for you on his small sofa with two cups of what seems like a tea.

“Sit down.” He says, but instead of coming it like an order, it sounds sweet and pleading. So you do, plopping yourself next to him, your knees almost brushing because his sofa is small, suitable for only two people.

Reaching for the tea, you tell him soft ‘thank you’ which he only smiles at, grabbing his own. The smell of mint fills your nose once again, but this time it’s coming from the tea. Blowing some air into it to make it not so hot, you take a careful sip from it, moaning at the taste of it. It’s minty but he added a sugar into it, making it taste fresh and sweet. It constantly warms you up. Sitting down on his sofa, staring at the small frames of him and his family, Jimin sitting next to you, the guy your friend booked for you to give you a tour of Seoul – it’s almost unbelievable what happened today. It’s ridiculous you’re at his place right now, but you feel excited about it although, you shouldn’t. A chuckle leaves your mouth while Jimin gazes at you with the question in his eyes.

“Isn’t this just so weird and funny at the same time?” You ask him, chuckling once again once you look at him. The guy who has his picture on the website, the picture you admired – and hundreds of girls – is now sitting next to you. Not only that, but he even took you to his home and borrowed you his clothes, which feels softly against your skin and the smell reminds you of flowers, caused by his fabric softener.

“What do you mean?” He asks, cocking his head at you once he puts down the tea. He turns to you, comfortably laying against his plushy sofa. It’s small but very comfortable and your ass feels like in heaven.

“Well, just look at how this day turned out.” You say, his eyes crinkling as he laughs at that. He knows what you’re talking about and he nods, agreeing with you.

“Actually, I like how it turned out.” He speaks up after a moment of silence, his eyes settling on you. Your whole body shivers once he looks so honest and serious as he says it.

“You are?” It’s pathetic to ask, but you still do with a little voice looking at him with your doe eyes and lips half opened. You wish you could read Jimin’s thoughts, but he’s very opened, reacting straight away with a gentle smile.

He doesn’t say anything, his eyes wandering on your face and although, you do feel slightly nervous under his intense gaze, you don’t budge and instead do the same to him. You watch him opening his mouth, teeth nibbling on his plump bottom lip before he licks them, just like he did when he took a bite from the cupcake he bought you. Dryly swallowing, you watch the movement not able to look away. The corners of his mouth curls upwards in faint smirk, an act of confidence when he sees your observant eyes. His hair is parted in the middle, showing you a different vibe than when you met him. He looks almost devilish, the cute boy you saw hidden somewhere under it. 

“Y/N,” He drawls, looking at you through his hooded eyes shifting from your eyes to your lips. You blink at him as you feel your heart somewhere in your throat, wondering what is he thinking of. Why is he looking at you like that? He has a weird look on his face, almost as pleading you for something. He watches you with hunger but he stays put, not moving an inch closer to you. “Can I kiss you?” He asks so softly, that your heart melts before you hear your heart drumming in your ears. 

“W-what?” You’re dumbass. You always knew it but you can’t help but ask him, not believing your own ears. He surely didn’t say that. Jimin doesn’t react with chuckle like he usually does, instead he leaves his eyes fixed on you.

“Can I kiss you?” If he feels self-conscious, he doesn’t let it show as he is confidently staring at you. 

Jimin wants to kiss you? This surely isn’t real. You never got the vibe that he sees you more than just a woman that her friend booked him. And he was the same to you, even though you weren’t the one wanting his services. Yes, he caught your eyes immediately and his plushy lips, gosh, you wanted to kiss them from the first moment. It’s that one detail on his face that catches everyone’s attention and you wonder how they taste like. Are they soft as they look? Shakily, you take a breath straightening yourself. 

“Yes.” You answer, regretting it as soon as it leaves your mouth when Jimin doesn’t move. You thought he would launch at you, taking the chance and kiss you quickly.

But you’re proved wrong when he takes his time, his hand lightly touching your cheek, moving to your cheekbone before he tucks a strand of hair behind your ear. He cups your face with his one hand, scooting closer to you as he brushes his thumb against your skin. “Come here.” He mumbles softly.

You move your body into action right after his words, maybe too eagerly but you can’t help it. You scoot closer to him, so close that he grabs you by your hips and puts you on his lap, causing you to yelp in surprise. 

“Is this fine?” He asks, shifting on his spot to make himself and you more comfortable. Biting your lip to prevent a whimper coming out of your mouth, when your crotches brush against each other, you look at him causing him to suck in breath. 

“Yes,” You nod, hastily wrapping your arms around his neck. “Is this okay?” You ask him this time, wishing you could be confident. Unfortunately, it’s been a long time since you were this close to another man. More accurately, two years. 

Two years ago, you got your heart broken by a dumbass that thought you’re boring and that he wants someone who can enjoy themselves more. He didn’t say that when he fucked you and you had to fake your orgasm. Your relationship became unnatural and fake. Rather than being heartbroken because of your long relationship, you were more hurt by the insults. He disappointed you because you never thought he would be able to say such a hurtful things to you. 

“I’m going to kiss you right now.” Jimin cuts off your unwanted thoughts by cupping your face into his both arms. Fortunately for you, your awful unappreciative ex is long forgotten when Jimin gives you a smile.

You’re so close to him that you can smell his fabric softener mixed with his faint cologne, suddenly making it feel like the best scent in the whole world. He smells nice, that’s a good thing. 

“Kiss me, Jimin.” You whisper, causing him to smile widely showing you his white teeth before he dives in. Before you can proper register his closed eyes, you do the same as you feel the softest touch of his lips. 

He kisses your lips a few times, a faint smell of soju on his tongue, before he pulls away. Opening your eyes, you’re met with his shining eyes and warm smile. You blink feeling your lips tingle and you push the urge to touch them away. You wouldn’t even have time to when he dives again, this time moving your lips against him, putting more pressure. Your fingers tangle into the back of his head, grabbing his hair as your hold on him tightens. Your skin feels hot, just from the single making out but you can’t make yourself stop and neither does Jimin, when he grabs your thighs, gripping them tightly in his hands. A moan slips out of your mouth, right into his mouth and you hear him chuckle against your lips. You kiss for a few seconds before you both pull away, having to catch a breath.

And again, when you open your eyes you’re met with Jimin’s subtle eyes and smiles. His thumb graces over your bottom lip, which is swollen by all the kissing. You don’t know what takes over you, but you dive to kiss him first, wanting to feel his lips against. No one ever kissed you this good and your mind is clouded with the urge to feel him again. 

“I think we should stop.” Jimin says smoothly, causing you to stop and gape at him embarrassingly. Fuck, maybe he thinks you’re an awful kisser. Or he didn’t like it so he just wants to stop. 

“O-oh, okay,” You mumble, obviously embarrassed and caught off guard by his rejection. “Um, I should call the cap.” You tell him without looking at him, even though you feel his eyes set on you. Wanting to get off from his lap, and save yourself from the embarrassment, you’re surprised when his arms hug your waist holding you tightly not letting you go. 

“Y/N.. It’s not like I don’t want to kiss you because, shit, I really want to.” He tells you with saddened gaze after seeing your reaction. You’re like an open book for him, which is funny, because he met you just couple of hours ago. And maybe you’re just easy to read. 

“No, it’s okay.. I got it.” You don’t but you want to leave and forget that this ever happened. Not when you feel so freaking embarrassed for wanting to kiss him again. One time you’re finally confident to do the first move, you’re rejected which hurts your ego more than you’re willing to admit. 

Jimin doesn’t let you go, holding you even tighter when you squirm in his lap and he bites his lip. “I can’t kiss you again because I can’t promise you what would happen after.” He says and you frown, cocking your head at him in confusion. What the hell is he aiming at? 

When he sees your oblivious face, he looks away for a moment before he bucks his groin into yours causing you to gasp. Your panties already stick to your heat, ever since he kissed you and grabbed you tightly. Maybe that’s why you initiated the kiss again, your body filled with lust causing you to feel more confident than usual. And when you feel the slight tent in his sweatpants that he changed himself into, the realisation hits your face. Because you’re not the only one who feels the lust. 

“Are you hard?” You ask just in case you got this all wrong. 

“I’m getting there.” He chuckles, massaging your hips with his fingers.

“I want to kiss you.” You’ve no idea where this shameless is coming from, but you don’t mind it. 

“I want to kiss you too.” He tells you truthfully. 

“Then kiss me. What are you waiting for?” You chuckle, not understanding why he is holding back. 

You can feel the darkened gaze as you say those words but it disappears when he looks away with sigh. “Y/N, I don’t think...” He trails off, not being able to continue. 

This causes you to frown at him and you grow irritated with him because he was the one who kissed you. He was the one who wanted to touch and kiss you. Why is he suddenly backing off? Because he thinks he won’t be able to stop?

And that’s exactly what he tells you, not easing your deep frown.

“I don’t want you to stop.” You tell him confidently, eyes boring into his showing him your other side. 

“I don’t want you to regret this..” He says, the concern evident on his voice as he still keeps touching you, his fingers moving against your hips in comfort way. 

“I won’t.” It comes right after you hear him, causing him to grin as he lightly shakes his head at your eagerness. 

It takes him three seconds to kiss you again, this time with much more rush and intensity, hands on your hips gripping them so tight that it starts to hurt but you don’t mind. He bites into your lower lip, pulling it slightly before kissing you so hungrily that you barely catch a breath between his kisses. Gripping his shoulders, you mindlessly buck your hips into his, feeling the small tent in his sweatpants. He sighs into your lips, before trailing kisses down your cheek, chin and then neck. You shamelessly moan while Jimin brings out your wild side you never thought you have. He makes you feel so many new emotions and you’re scared but eager to feel more at the same time. When he comes back to kissing your abused lips, this time he involves his tongue and you welcome him, kissing him back as much as you can while grinding your hips into his. He groans, his length visibly hardening as you can feel it and you shamelessly curse a low ‘fuck’. 

“I think I’m gonna cum in my pants.” He says breathlessly, this time you’re the one who kisses his neck, sucking his skin there. You feel proud – proud to know that you’re having that effect on him.

Jimin probably doesn’t know, but your panties are sticking to your heat, the wetness between your legs becoming uncomfortable and arousing at the same time. You’re caught off guard when you're being lifted in the air, Jimin holding you tightly in his arms, not struggling with your weight at all. It surprises you because despite of his height, which isn't actually that short, he is quite strong. It looks like he is working out and takes care of himself well. 

“Where are we going?” You ask breathlessly, your arms secured around his neck fearing he might drop you, although his hold on you is tight and strong. Even you know he wouldn't drop you, at least not intentionally. 

“I’m not gonna fuck you on my sofa.” He chuckles, your heat clenching at the dirty words. 

He struggles with opening the door while still holding you, but he manages to open it after all, causing you to giggle at that which he only playfully rolls his eyes.

The fresh smell of his sheet is filling his bedroom, as he carefully places you on his bed. He is quick to crawl to you before he hovers you, showering you with his sweet and intense kisses all over your face, trailing down your jaw, neck and then ending at the collarbones. You arch your back, wanting to feel him more. Although, his kisses are nice, you need more. This is not enough to satisfy the lust in the pit of your stomach and Jimin probably feels the same, when you look down noticing his pretty much hard length. 

“So impatient...” He mumbles against your skin and you annoyingly groan at him. He’s teasing you, you’re of that when you hear a smirk in his voice. 

“Jimin, please,” You plead him, looking into his dark eyes, sparkling with mischief and lust. 

“Please what?” He smirks, holding himself at the sides of your head, causing the mattress to dip. 

“Are you seriously doing that?” You grumble, causing him to laugh while he slightly throws his head back. 

“Hmmm... what?” He hums, fingers gracing over your exposed collarbones and your breath hitch at the feeling of the soft touch.

“Jimin,” You speak up, while he hums letting you know he’s listening but still carries on with slowly tracing your skin. “Fuck me.” 

His eyes find yours, the smirk disappearing from his lips and lust overtakes his features. He is sure his cock just twitched and he growls, before he kisses you hungrily. Moaning into his lips, you feel his hands under your t-shirt, or more like Jimin’s which he borrowed you, gripping and touching your skin there.

“Can I take it off?” He asks, fingers fidgeting with the hem of his shirt which you’re wearing and you eagerly nod, already taking it off by yourself. He chuckles, the sound so beautiful that you chuckle as well before his eyes snap at your chest.

He is met with your black lace bra, pushing up your breasts perfectly. Biting his lips, he questions you, glancing between you and the bra. You nod, giving him permission to take it off as well and he is quick to move, his hands skilfully taking it off without struggle. You raise your brow at him and he only shrugs with a grin, not commenting it. Once he takes your bra, he holds himself not to stare at your naked and exposed breasts, but he is a man with current hard on which is almost uncomfortable so naturally, he does look and his breath hitches. He has seen breasts, a nice ones. And maybe it’s because he liked you from the very beginning, finding you attractive, but he thinks you’ve the most beautiful breasts. The perfect size with hardened nipples which only turns him on even more, his cock twitching the proof of it. But he doesn’t say that to you, scared that you would find his thoughts weird and probably running away. But he doesn’t know that there is anything that would lead you to run away. Not when the most beautiful man is hovering over you, staring with you so much hunger and lust that you’ve never felt this way. You’ve never seen anyone wanting you this much. 

Before you can think about how perfect Jimin is and all the incredible emotions he makes you feel, you hear him latching onto your right nipple, tongue circling around the sensitive bud causing you to gasp. He grabs your other unoccupied breast, moulding it into his palm. He starts to suck your nipple, your his bucking up again but this time he doesn’t let you, pressing his one hand on your bone hip to pull you down. He does the same to your other breast, causing you to whimper every now and then under his touch, your heat clenching as you feel more spilling out. When Jimin pecks your two breasts, he pulls away with his lips being more swollen than usually, with satisfied smirk. You’re panting watching Jimin with hooded eyes. Fuck, you almost came just from his mouth on your breasts. 

“Can I continue?” He asks, his fingers playing with the hem of his sweatpants that you’re wearing. Gulping, you eagerly nod not trusting your voice. However, Jimin isn’t satisfied with that and he leans down to peck your lips, but he doesn’t pull away, his lips inches from yours. “Tell me.” His breath fans your mouth, causing you to bite into your lower lip.

Letting go, you lick your lips while Jimin eyes the movement. “Please, continue.” You whisper while Jimin smiles, hooking his fingers under the hem of sweatpants and pulling them down, surprising you when he pulls down your panties as well. You weren’t expecting that and you let out a yelp of surprise.

But the first thing that comes to your mind isn’t about how nervous you might be. This is first time Jimin sees you down there. What if he thinks he you’re not pretty down there? What if you stink down there or he simply doesn’t find your smell pleasing? But even that isn’t the first thing to occur your mind. It’s – thank god I shaved this morning. You snort at your thoughts causing to Jimin look up, gazing at you questioningly. 

“Continue.” You tell him instead, trying to hide your smile. He frowns in confusion but chuckles after, not questioning you. Instead, he spreads your legs and you self-consciously go to close them but Jimin doesn’t have any of it. He stops you before you can close them, glancing at you with warm eyes. 

“Do you trust me?” He asks, the question catching you off guard. And the lust behind his eyes disappear for a moment, kindness and caring replacing it. 

“Of course I do,” You tell him softly. “I just... it’s been a while since I, you know, have been intimate with someone and...” You trail off finding it difficult to find the right words to properly explain yourself. 

“Hey, I get it. I haven’t been with anyone in months.” He admits, causing your eyes to widen. That’s not possible. There is no way he isn’t having sex with anyone. Just look at him. He is perfect inside and out. 

“You’re lying.” You mutter. 

“I am not,” He says, frowning at you. He doesn’t like the fact you think he is lying. “You don’t trust me?” He asks, sounding so small suddenly. The confident and cocky Jimin leaving for a moment. 

“It’s not like I don’t trust me,” You speak up, trying to defend yourself when you see the hurt on his face. “It’s just hard to believe.”

“What is hard to believe? That I’m not having sex with anyone?” He almost chuckles at that, but the frown is still present on his features. 

“Yeah, isn’t is obvious?” You ask but he only cocks his head, not really understanding you. It’s funny in a weird way, because he sits between your legs, your wet cunt on display in front of him and here he is, having a conversation with you. “Jimin look at you. You’re attractive, not only outside but inside as well. Women must be swooning over you.”

“They do,” He admits, grinning at that almost proudly but you know it’s all an act, a joke from his side when there is nothing just gentle smile on his lips. “But that doesn’t mean I’m using that to my profit.” He points out and you start to feel like an idiot. 

“Fuck, I know, I didn’t mean it like that. I just thought... you know what I’m trying to say.” Sighing, you frustratedly hide your face into your palms.

A gentle touch pulls away your hands, Jimin’s eyes meeting yours. They’re so soft and nice, not a single hint of frown in them. 

“Y/N, I could say the same thing about you,” He speaks up, releasing a sigh. You’re the one who is confused right now and before you can question it, he continues. “You’re so beautiful, but not only that. You’re funny and so interesting to listen to and just spend the time with. I’ve never felt like this about anyone. That’s why I invited you here, not because I wanted to have a sex with you. Don’t get me wrong, I do want that because look at you. You’re gorgeous. But I invited you because I wasn’t ready to let you go and not to see you anymore. I wanted to spent more time with you, even if it meant us sitting awkwardly next to each other and having nothing to talk about. But that wouldn’t be the case, because we clicked off almost immediately. So, I’m the one who is surprised you don’t have anyone.” 

You’re blushing throughout the whole time he talks, your heart hammering so fast and loud that you’re scared he might be hearing it. “Are you serious?” You ask him quietly.

“Dead serious,” He looks straight into your eyes, keeping his gaze fixed on you to let you know, that he really is serious.”I wouldn’t lie to you.” 

Your heart warms at that, natural smile appearing on your lips before you can properly register it. He strokes your knees, moving down your thighs slowly opening your legs more. He doesn’t look between them, his eyes solely focused on you as he waits for your permission, and when you nod while biting your lip, he drops his eyes with almost too much difficulty. Your glistening heat is still on full display to him and his mouth drops open before he leans down to lay comfortably between your legs. Plopping yourself on your elbows you look down at him, his mop of hair right in the middle, making you torn between finding it incredibly arousing or ridiculously funny. 

“What are you doing?” You ask him instead, even though you have an idea what he is about to do. And he answers you with licking a long stripe against your cunt, collecting your wetness and ending at your clit, which he pecks as soon as he swallows your wetness. You gasp, your elbows not being able to hold you anymore and your back collides with his soft mattress. 

He doesn’t stop, nor you want him to. Not when he repeats the whole process a few times before he basically makes out with your cunt. Dirty sounds of slurping and kissing fills his small bedroom, causing you to blush. You hope there aren’t too thin walls but not that you care when he starts to flicker his tongue over your clit, making you to see stars. Your fingers naturally sink into his dark hair as you pull them harshly when he enters you with his tongue. 

“Jimin... fuck,” You moan out shamelessly, all the shame and shyness you had before is long gone. He makes you like you know him for a long time and you completely forget the fact that you just me him today. You don’t know whether that’s good or the actual opposite, because you should feel ashamed. But you don’t and your thoughts are forgotten yet again, when he starts suck and fucking your glistening hole with much pressure. 

You feel the familiar yet unknown knot in the pit of your stomach, knowing he’s bringing you to your edge. And you’re ready to take everything he has to give and when you start bucking your hips into his mouth, thighs clasped around his head while chanting his name, you’re taken aback when he pulls away.

He sits down, his whole chin and lips wet from your arousal but you can’t feel any embarrassment, not when he looks like a fucking God. “W-wha... I was close!” You stutter and end up with exclaiming frustratedly, the fire in you slowly fizzling out. 

But Jimin doesn’t feel sorry, not even when he sees your dark eyes watching him to wipe your wetness from his face with the back of his hand. “I want you to cum around my cock.” 

Gasping, you’re caught off guard by his dirty tongue, surprising you that the sweet boy you’ve spent you day with is absolute devil between the sheets. He brings different aura and light into the room. Not letting his words to affect you that much, you close your mouth and playful smirk appears instead.

“Then what are you waiting for?” You ask, stretching your legs more so he can look at the mess between your legs. A mess which is all for him and he knows it, that’s why he growls before he takes off his shirt. 

Abs. It’s the first thing you notice way before he even takes the shirt over his head. Your little assumption about him working out was right and his body is nice. Way nicer for a girl like you. But you don’t let your self-conscious to get involved, not when Jimin is looking you that way. Like he wants to destroy you. A deep v-line disappears in his sweatpants, where his huge bulge is hidden behind the material. Sitting down, you want to be the one who takes him out of those, you’re met with his slightly surprised face and you motion for him to lay on your previous spot. And eventually he does, but not before he stares at you for a few seconds. 

Slowly, you palm his knees seeing his muscular thighs clenching under his sweatpants, moving up to them. They’re firm under your hold, clenching and unclenching every now and then. You watch him carefully, waiting for any reaction from him but other than occasional thighs shifting he doesn’t react too much. He’s holding himself back or you’re just doing a shitty job of making him feel good. So you decide to palm his firm bulge. It’s bigger than your palm and you have to move your hand more to touch all of it.

“Don’t tease.” He breaths out, finally reacting somehow. Looking up under your lashes he curses under your breath, seeing your eyes more darker from this angle. He is frowning and you smirk at that. He is frustrated.

But you feel playful tonight, the pleasing tingle between your legs appearing again, so you continue, ignoring him. Deciding not to wait, since you’re too eager and horny, you hook your fingers under his sweatpants and boxers at the same time like he did. His length springs free and as much as you want to admire him, you feel his eyes on you, so you decide to take the clothes off him first. And when you throw it somewhere behind you, you focus on his naked body sprawled in front of you. You’re both naked, admiring each other as you finally take a proper look at his manhood. You don’t have much to compare it with, other than you ex which you don’t really want to think about, and some porn you saw few months ago, but you know he has a good cock. He isn’t extremely long, just in the right size in a perfect curved angled, his head glistening with pre-cum. His girth seems to be thicker than average and it only confirms, when your hand doesn’t wrap around it fully.

Jimin gasps, mostly surprised by your sudden move and touch, his head thrown back with mouth opened, as you stroke him. “Shit, you’re quick.” He breathes out making you chuckle, a proudness washing over you. 

“Are you complaining?” You ask, a hint of confidence in your voice as you’re watching him while he has his eyes shut, enjoying your stroking. You never thought you could be so shameless, but here you are. 

“N-no, I’m just surprised.” He says with his usual light and innocent tone, his whole persona shifting back to the Jimin you met. Where is the devil you just saw a few minutes ago? 

“I am full of surprises.” You hum, causing his eyes to snap open as you lean down, tongue circling over his head, tasting him for the first time. It’s bitter and little bit salty, but it’s not that bad. Not too bad for you to pull away with disgusted face. 

“Fuck,” Another curse leaves his mouth as he keeps his eyes opened, looking straight at you. “I can’t wait to find them out.” He says shamelessly, his jaw prominent as the dark look in his eyes is back and it causes you to blush. Hoping he didn't see that, you take his head into your mouth, sucking it like a lollipop. Man, it’s been a long time since you’ve given a handjob, not talking about a blowjob but you probably do well, when Jimin curses again. 

It makes you proud and confident, seeing him falling apart in front of you, a weird feeling of dominance washing over you. So you decide to take another step, trying to take him into your mouth more. It’s difficult because he is thick, your jaw already hurting from the way you’re stretching as you slowly try to take him into your mouth. You can’t take all of him, when it becomes too much and your eyes sting with tears, a gag reflex coming. Before it can, you slide your mouth up before continuing right down, not letting yourself to take too much. As much as you would love to, you’re not ready to choke yourself on his cock. Jimin’s fingers find your hair just like your found his, when he was the one between your legs, causing you to moan when he pulls them. Groaning, he tries to lay down no to buck his hips up as you feel his cock twitch inside of your mouth. 

Continuing with your movements, your head bobbing so fast that you don’t even catch a breath, Jimin’s curses in form on your name resounding between his nonchalant wall colours. 

“Stop, stop, stop, fucking stop.” He tells you suddenly, pushing your head away, but still does it gently not to hurt you. 

You wipe the spit with your palm, wiping it into your naked thigh, Jimin whimpering at the sight. “What?” You ask him, seeing him breathing heavily as he lays back down, his hair sprawled across his beige sheets. His cock is still standing upward, screaming for attention and you’re very close to give it to him. 

“I almost came.” He mumbles, not looking at you and you almost have a difficulty to properly hear him, but you do, your lips stretching into a triumphant grin. He almost came? You’re that good? You can’t wait to tell Jiyoo. There is a silence between the two of you, his chest heaving as you are watching him but then it clicks. He is embarrassed as he hides the rosy cheeks from you and you can’t help but giggle. He frowns, finally looking at you. 

“Jimin, I almost came too. If you didn’t pull away, I would have cum.” You tell him through your giggles and Jimin can’t help but the slightest smile appears on his lips. 

He wants to tell you the reason he is embarrassed. It’s because he never felt something so intense and this hot towards anyone. No one made him cum just from a five minutes handjob and blowjob. He feels like he’s fifteen again and it embarrasses him. But when he sees nothing but relatability in you as you giggle, not making a big deal out of it, he doesn’t want to ruin it by talking this out. So instead, he sits down, pulling you by your hips closer to him. There is a sweat creating on both of your skins, but none of you care. You have to feel each other. And that’s exactly what you do when Jimin turns you around in swift motion, your back hitting his mattress again.

“I want to fuck you so so bad,” He almost whimpers into your neck, sucking your skin there while you throw your head back in ecstasy. Your nipples are perched up, rubbing against his chest, while his free hand grazes over the curve of your ass. “But I need to ask you – do you really want this?” He asks, pulling away with almost painful look. 

His caring and humble personality should warm your heart, and it does, but the hunger you feel for him is much stronger at the moment, your denied orgasm irritating you and making you even more eager. 

“Yes, yes, yes. Please Jimin, just fuck me.” You never beg. At least that’s what you thought, thinking about it as some kind of humiliation but you don’t care, putting all your previous opinions away.

“Fuck, okay.” He says, reaching for the nightstand beside his bed, with one leg on the floor while the other one stays on the mattress, causing it to dip under his weight. He rummages through the nightstand, the sound of things slamming against each other can be heard, but it doesn’t look like Jimin cares. You finally hear him shutting the drawer, a box of condoms in his hands. 

Raising your brows at him, you look at him causing him to sheepishly nod. “I have them just in case, I haven’t used them.” He answers, opening the box up. 

He is right. It’s a new box of condoms, unused, a foil protecting the box ends up somewhere on the floor while you watch him pulling out a condom. He’s quick to put it on as he makes himself comfortable between your legs.

“Is this okay?” He’s asking you about the position. Missionary position must seem boring but you want to see Jimin when he finally fucks you, and you’re sure he wants the same, so you nod pushing your hips up to emphasise your need. 

Chuckling, he breathes out a relaxed breath as you feel the tip of his cock nudging your sensitive clit. Whimpering, you grab his forearms which are beside your hips. He collects your wetness with the tip of his cock, trying to lubricate it for easer entering. And once he finally slowly pushes in, you bite your lip to prevent it from another whimper escaping your mouth. Your witness is helping him slide in easily, but you still feel the burn since it’s been a while you’ve been stretched this much. As Jimin slowly pushes in, inch by inch, he carefully eyes you in case he would hurt you, despite the long need to close his eyes and enjoy your tightness around him. 

Fuck, he feels like he is going to burst now. 

He fills you to the brim, his brows scrunching mimicking yours, as he waits. He stays there, letting you adjust as you slowly breath in and out. Nodding you nudge his arms, letting him know it’s okay to move. And he does, but not until plopping his hands at the sides of your head, causing you to grab his shoulder. Wrapping your legs around him causes you to feel him brush against your walls in a different way and you gasp. Jimin goes down to kiss you, his lips meeting yours shortly before he slowly pulls out just to push right back in. 

It’s slow and oddly romantic, letting you both adjust of the feeling of each other. You wish there wouldn’t be any plastic between you two, so you could feel him better, but maybe next time. If any next time will be. Not wanting to focus on these thoughts, you rather focus on the way Jimin starts picking up his pace, still eyeing you if you’re fine. When he sees nothing but lust in your eyes and moans spilling from your mouth, he clenches his jaw and starts to bucking his hips in animalistic speed. 

“You’re clenching me so tight,” Jimin groans, not stopping for a second as his eyes keep on locked on you. “You’re taking me so well.” He continues, causing you to clench around him, his face burrying into he crook of your neck.

You feel his hot breath on your skin, your bodies wet from sweat but none of you care, as you wrap your hands around his frame, your nails digging into the skin of his back. It’ll probably leave red marks, but you kind of hope it will. It will be a nice remainder of you for him. You let your hands room his back and even his perky ass, feeling how he is rutting into you with synchronised thrusts. 

“Fuck, Jimin.” You curse as he brushes past your g-spot, causing you to see the stars. You forgot you even have it in the first place. It’s like you’re having your first sex for the first time, just without all the unknowing feelings and uncomfortable burn you feel during the first time having sex. 

“You like my cock?” He asks through his teeth, the dirty words spilling from his mouth. “Tell me.” He urges you. 

“Yes, I like your cock so much.” 

People closer to you, would have never guessed you would say such a dirty words and even you are surprised by your shameless dirty talk. Suddenly, Jimin pulls out, the coming pleasure slowly leaving away, but it happens to fast when Jimin turns you around, your stomach laying against his crumpled sheets. He pulls you by your hips, your ass up as you feel him entering you again. He is fast, impatient to satisfy your both’s needs. He starts to buck his hips roughly into you, causing you to slipping him and he growls, before he grabs you harshly by your ass. You moan out, feeling a slap on your ass right after. You would never guessed Jimin is a spanking type, and neither you thought that about yourself, but you’re getting used to Jimin bringing your unknown desires. 

“I– close.” You manage to stutter, hoping he heard you and he probably did, when he slaps you again before he reaches down between your legs. Finding your clit, he pinches it couple of times and you feel the familiar knot, your ass bucking into his abdomen in desire to reach your end. 

“Come on, cum for me, baby.” 

Baby. 

Your heart twists in a weird way, a butterflies enveloping your body as you let out the biggest moan mixed with groan in a form on Jimin’s name, letting go. Your walls clench around his cock tightly, making it hard for him to fuck you fast. He fucks you through your orgasm, your face pressed into his pillow, probably smudging it from your mascara and make up. You’re getting too sensitive and you whimper, when he stills fucks into you. 

“W-wait, I’m close.” He manages to tell you, his own movements getting sloppy before he lets out a low groan, spilling himself into the condom. It’s the hottest sound you’ve ever heard and you naturally clench around him, causing him to stroke your ass. When he starts softening, he slowly pulls out causing both of you to hiss. 

He kisses you into your hair, before you don’t feel his warmth anymore. Turning yourself on the back, you look at the plain ceiling trying to catch your breath. You haven’t had sex too many times, but you’re sure, this is your best one. Jimin comes back with wetted cloth and familiar warm smile. He is still naked, his length back to its usual size which is still quite big, despite of it being in its natural state. Blushing, you look away when you catch yourself admiring his soft cock. If Jimin noticed it, he doesn’t let it show and crawls to you. He probably went to grab your the wetted cloth and dispose himself of the ruined condom. 

He kisses you, so softly as if it was your first kiss before he gently starts washing you. You blush, but Jimin only gives you a faint smirk and continues to wipe away your cum. So you enjoy his delicate hands and touch, and occasional handsome smile your way before he lays next to you, pulling you to his chest. 

It surprises you, but you welcome it with opened arms, finding it oddly calming and domestic. 

“Is it weird that I feel like I have known you for so long?” You ask quietly, filling the room which reeks of sweat, sex, your perfume and Jimin’s cologne. 

“I feel the same.” Jimin says softly, playing with your hair gently.

You’ve never had one night stand, is it even one night stand? Even when you first saw Jimin, you knew he is perfect, but you never thought you’d have sex with him. And it seems kind of funny and weird to meet him this certain way, because he was only supposed to be your tour guide. A tour guide you never booked and thought you need. The sudden realisation hits you and you pull away, sitting up from Jimin’s touch. But he stills find you, hand slowly caressing your lower back.

“What’s wrong?” He asks sweetly, continuing to caress your naked skin as if he hasn’t worship it enough. 

“Jimin, we broke the rules. You could get fired for this.” You tell him, looking at him while widened eyes while his eyes are focused on your back, before he calmly stares back at you. 

“So I’ll get fired, I don’t really care.” He shrugs and your mouth falls open by his unbothered state.

Doesn’t he need the money to pay the rent and college? He said it himself that this job pays well. Probably way better than some part-time job he could find. 

“But we, you, could get into a lot of troubles.” You point out, surprised by his calm behaviour. This just must babe surely important for him but now he's just acting as if it was nothing. 

“Technically, our meeting ended way before we even got here. I don’t think there's any trouble for the both of us, since we can do with our free time anything. The rules only applies when we’re working,” He shrugs, remaining his calm state. He pulls you by your arm, your body falling next to his as he kisses you into your hair. “And honestly, I don’t fucking care. As long as you let me take you out.” He says and you swear you stopped breathing. 

Did you hear him right? You’re frozen, barely blinking as you slowly look up at him. He bites the inside of his cheek anxiously, waiting for your response. 

“Out? You want to take me out? Like a... like a date?” You don’t want to assume anything, nor want to embarrass youself by asking him that, but you have to be sure you’re both on the same page. 

“Yes,” He answers in a heartbeat, confident with his answer. Your heart picks up its pace that never seemed to left in the first place. “I want to take you on a date. Would you like that?” He asks, suddenly looking so small, waiting for you reaction. 

He looks at you with doe eyes, and you can feel his heart beating against his chest aggressively. He’s nervous. You smile, not wanting him to feel that way. Not when you want to jump from the happiness. “Yes, I would like that very much.” You tell him, his lips stretching into a widest smile you’ve ever seen. He’s  enveloping you in a hug and showering you with many kisses, causing you to giggle from the ticklish feeling. 

“Ew, Jimin you stink.” You push him away, the smell of sweat and sex lingering on his skin. You’re sure you smell just like him. And you like it. 

“Alright, alright. I’m gonna take a shower, you wanna join?” He asks, sitting up while looking at you from behind his shoulder. 

“Hmmm, yeah. Let me just text Jiyoo.” You tell him and he nods, standing up completely shameless about his nudity and you admire his perky ass once more, before he disappears behind his bathroom’s door. 

Standing up yourself and putting on one of his shirts that ended up thrown on the floor, you hide your shivering body. It’s cold without Jimin. Slowly walking to the living room, you find your phone laying on Jimin’s coffee table. As soon as you unlock your phone, Jiyoo’s messages basically jump on you. 

from: jiyoo

where are you

omg you were supposed to be home like four hours ago 

seriously 

where the hell are you I am getting scared

y/n this is not funny

I'm sorry for doing that to you but please text me

I am scared something happened to you

if this is some prank you got me just text me

I am this 👌 close to call the police

to: jiyoo

calm down, I’m okay

Her message comes in a minute, meaning she probably was waiting for your message.

from: jiyoo

thank fucking god

where are you?????

to: jiyoo 

I’m with your friend ;)

You reply with a smirk on your lips, seeing a dots appearing on your screen right away. 

from: jiyoo

my friend?? who are you talking about?

you mean jimin?

y/n????!!!

But you don’t reply, locking your phone with a smirk still present on your face and putting it back onto its previous spot. You hear your phone vibrate with another messages, but you don’t bother to open them wanting Jiyoo to taste her own medicine. You know she’ll investigate you as soon as you come home, but for now, you just focus on one thing. You find the bathroom quickly, hearing the water flowing behind the door enough clue for you to know where it is. Stepping into his already steamed bathroom and already pulling the shirt off you, you step into the shower with Jimin. It’s tiny and you both barely fit there, but you both smile at each other. 

“You know I won’t keep my hands for myself seeing you like this.” He says, chuckling little bit at himself and you do the same. 

Your hands find his hard abs, which clench under your touch. “Who said I want you to keep them for yourself?” You ask with raised brow and Jimin smirks, already backing you into the wall, his body pressed against yours.

Who would have thought a tour guide site would find you your potential future boyfriend. You make a mental note to thank Jiyoo for that.

[getthesamovarready]

First Sight

Owen x Michelle

@ana122892 had the idea of Owen and Michelle meeting in a bar the night before their first shift... so here it is! 

also on ao3

Chapter 1: nice to meet you

He's sitting at the bar, turning his now empty glass in his hand when someone appears in the space next to him. Shifting over to allow them more room, he thinks nothing of it, and is about to signal the bartender when the person starts to speak. "Hey Chris!" She calls, and Owen's head snaps up. "Can I get a double?" He tries not to let her notice him while he tries to get a good look at the woman next to him, her turned head denying him a glimpse of her face. The bartender, Chris he guesses, lifts his hand in a wave, before confirming her order.

He can't see her face, but he knows enough to know that she's gorgeous. He knew that even before he saw her, saw her hair falling down her back, saw her fingers lacing together on the countertop. He knew it when her voice washed over him in a wave, shocking his system and sending him straightening in his stool.

He takes out his phone, pretending to scroll while he watches her wait on her drink, watches her thumb trace patterns in the back of her hand. His own need of a fresh drink is totally forgotten in his focus on the presence beside him. She starts to look around herself, and his eyes snap firmly to his phone when he sees her head turn to his side.

He can feel her eyes linger on him for a moment, and he almost opens his mouth to talk to her, when Chris sets her drink in front of her. "Ya'll back soon I hear?" Chris asks her, and Owen's interest is piqued.

"We'll be causing trouble again in no time, I'm sure." She replies with a weak, but affectionate, smile in her voice. Owen can hear it even without looking at her, and he so wants to see it.

"You make sure to bring them round, Michelle. I wanna meet em." He tells her, before turning to attend another customer. The woman, Michelle, lets out a heavy sigh, drooping onto the counter as she lifts her drink.

"So you come here often?" Owen asks, before cursing himself for not thinking of something better. The woman stiffens, turning to him slowly with a confused, concerned, and slightly amused frown. And she is... Stunning.

"What gave it away?" Blue eyes pierce him, and her lips draw into the most attractive smirk he has ever seen. "The bartender knowing me by name?" She cocks her head at him. "Or are you just a really bad flirt?" She looks him up and down, and he nearly shudders.

"I'm gonna go with both." He admits, after a moment of floundering. She nods at him, eyes narrowing. He can't seem to hold his tongue under her gaze. "I was curious." He starts, stomach tightening. "And it was a conversation starter. A bad, clichéd one, I'll admit." Her brow furrows, and it feels like a challenge. "And I would really like to try again." He flushes, before nodding at her. "Hi, I'm Owen." He holds out a hand, and she examines it for a moment.

"Michelle." She offers, still frowning. "But you already knew that." She smirks at him again. It pricks at his skin, making him want to squirm under her gaze.

He shakes it off before he speaks. "So what has you sighing into a double tequila?" He asks casually, finally summoning the bartender to order another drink.

She drops her head for a moment before answering. "I'll tell you, if you tell me why you're alone in a bar…" She looks him up and down again. "A long way from home?"

He doesn't ask how she knows that, just laughs a little before answering. "I start a new job tomorrow, I guess I'm pretty nervous." He takes his drink gratefully from Chris. "Your turn." He sips.

"Same as you I guess." She shrugs. "But I suppose it's not a new job. Same job as before. But it's different now, everything's gonna be so...different." Her eyes dim their sparkle. "So here I am." He gestures around the bar. "Pretending it's not different." In reality, it's not the kind of bar she'd normally go to on her own, but it felt like the right place to come tonight.

Owen watches as she tries to bring back the light tension from before she answered his question. "Ah, we have something in common." He offers with a smile, raising his glass to her. "To new jobs." He toasts, chest blooming with light when it earns him an actual smile. "You've got a good eye." He tells her when he's sipped his drink. "How did you know I'm a long way from home?" She actually laughs at him, a twinkling thing that dances around her before it fully reaches him, pulling him to lean towards her.

"It's just...really obvious." She smiles apologetically. "Sorry if you were trying to blend in. It's everything about you really." He just looks at her questioningly, before looking at himself, pressing her to elaborate. "Your clothes are too tight." She starts. "Not like...too tight, too tight, just like...not loose." Even in the low light she blushes, her eyes tracing his biceps. "The way you were sitting." He blushes at how tense he was when she appeared next to him.  "You just look a little out of place, that's all." She brushes it off, as though she's worried she has offended him.  

"I'm definitely out of place." He looks around at cowboy hats and flannel. He looks back at her. "It's not so bad now though." He quirks his eyebrows, and she shakes her head with a blush. "You though, you're right at home." He smiles at her. "Something tells me you're just the kind of friend a guy wants when he's new in town." It's forward, and he worries himself for a moment before she leans back on the counter, smiling.

"Ah, you want a tour guide." She muses. "Someone to show you around town." She clasps her hands in front of her, examining him, as though she's considering what he might actually mean.

So he clarifies. "I'm sure you know all the best places in town." He leans towards her, cocking his head to the door. And she understands, nodding.

She glances towards the door herself, before delaying. "You don't know me," she points out. She signals Chris for two more drinks. "And I don't know you." She says it with a smirk, leaning towards him now.

"What do you want to know?" He asks her, taking a swig of his fresh drink.

"Anything." She shrugs, finally settling on the stool next to her. He tells her about New York, skimming over the details of his life, and focusing instead on his places, his apartment, his street, his favourite cafes. He doesn't let her know him at all really, but he knows all she wants is to pretend she does.

She does the same. She tells him about Austin. Where she grew up, where she moved, where she drinks when she isn't here. He knows he doesn't know her, but he knows she doesn't want him to.

He doesn't ask her about her work, which she is obviously trying not to think about,  and she doesn't ask him about his. Eventually, he tells her a joke and she leans forward as she laughs, steadying herself with a hand on his thigh. She doesn't move it.

So he tells her a story of his drunken 20s with her hand on his thigh, tingling as he desperately tries to focus on anything else. Preferably something that isn't her eyes. But they are difficult to ignore.

Which is how he catches the moment she decides to take his hand, lacing her fingers with his. She doesn't say anything as she picks up her bag, standing from her stool. He doesn't say anything while he follows her.

Neither of them say anything when they step outside, or while he turns her to face him, or before he takes her by the back of the neck, kissing her fiercely against the wall of the bar. He's been desperate to do it since she first started to speak, and his skin tingles when she responds to him, a slight whimper rising in her throat. "I've wanted to do that all night." He admits, breaking away from her. She nods, forehead resting on his.

"You want to start your tour of Austin?" She asks him with the tiniest of grins. He nods, releasing her to call a taxi, which she manages even with his arm sneaking around her waist.

They keep their hands, mostly, to themselves in the taxi. Her hand rests apparently innocently on his thigh, while his traces light circles on her shoulder and they try their best not to embarrass the poor driver.

Neither of them show any such restraint when they arrive on her porch and the taxi is gone, and she barely has the door unlocked before she's tugging him inside and slamming it shut behind them.

Later, she lies staring at the ceiling, brow furrowed. He can see the cogs turning in her head, and he starts to worry about everything he's done tonight. "Fuck." She whispers under her breath, the heel of her hand coming up to press on her forehead. "What the fuck did I just do?" She asks the air, and he pulls himself further away from her. She jolts and the movement, immediately reaching her hand out in apology. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that I just…" She sighs, sitting up, taking bedsheets with her in some imitation of modesty. "I don't do this. Ever. And I've been really… it doesn't matter. I'm sorry." She squeezes his bicep before pulling away from him, her hands dropping to twist together in her lap. "I keep doing stupid things." She tells them, squeezing her fingers together. "Carlos is gonna go crazy."

Carlos? Owen panics, if this woman has a partner this just went from amazing, to awkward, to horrible really fast. "He's had to arrest me fourteen times and now I've taken a total stranger into my house." She drops her head, bringing a hand up to catch it. "I'm supposed to be the smart one. What the hell is wrong with me?"

"You've been arrested fourteen times?" It mustn't be for anything serious, but he does wish he'd known this before she took him home. He assumes Carlos isn't a partner, but maybe a friend, or a relative. So he's left not with adultery, but run-of-the-mill bad decisions. So he tries to relieve the tension. "Not to pry, but how does that even happen?"

"A lot has happened." She offers, wiping at her eyes. "I'm so sorry Owen, I shouldn't have…" She's not really sure what she shouldn't have done. She probably shouldn't have taken him home, but that's not what she wanted to say. Shouldn't have reacted like this, probably. "You should go." That's not right. "I mean, you don't have to stay, and listen to me ruin the night."

"Nah." He smiles, settling back on the pillows. "I can't leave a woman's bed while she's upset, what kind of guy would that make me?" He grins at her, and she manages a weak chuckle. "Besides, I could probably help. I know a thing or two about regrets. I've been married twice." Regrets aplenty there. Especially the second time. He doesn't like to think about the second time. "This stuff that's happened? You can tell me about it if you want? No harm in telling a stranger."

She hesitates, as though she wants to take him up on his offer before she shakes her head. "Okay." He concedes. "Can I tell you my thing though? Cos I've got a thing, that I haven't told anybody about. And you seem nice." She flushes, she had certainly seemed nice half an hour ago, moaning beneath him. She pushes the thought away, and settles back next to him with a nod. "I've got cancer." She jolts beside him, concern radiating off her. "It's not serious, it should be totally fine." He waves her off. "But I haven't told my son yet." He has a son? She shifts again, now knowing too much about the man next to her. "Or my new boss. I took this new job down here because my son needed to get out of New York. And now I'm scared, because I brought him here with this secret, and now I don't know how to tell him." Even telling her, this total stranger, sends a rush of nerves through him, making his whole body tremble next to her, and she lays a soothing hand on his arm. She rubs her hand up and down his arm until he stops shaking.

Behind him, she watches the clock on the table flick over to midnight, and her chest tightens. "It's my sister's birthday." She chokes out, her eyes screwing shut to force back the tears threatening to break through them. "She's been missing." She explains, and it's his turn to be concerned, his hand reaching out to grasp hers. "For almost three years. Her boyfriend," she scoffs, her lips almost turning to a weak smile. "He has a restraining order against me. That's why I keep getting arrested." He nods understandingly, the tiniest hint of amusement pulling at his cheeks.

"I'm sorry." He offers weakly, unsure what else to say. His health seems so trivial, so easily fixed. Even withholding the truth from TK has such a simple solution. But Michelle? There's no easy way out for Michelle, if there is a way out at all.

"It's not your fault." She shrugs, biting her lip. "I'm sorry about you too." She offers, and it lingers in the air.

His chest tightens, something pulling at it, and he knows that he can't walk away from her now. A beautiful woman from a bar? Yes, he could move on from her, with a memory to smile about. But her? This woman, the first one to hear about its cancer. This woman who offers no advice, only comfort. Whose own troubles are so devastating behind her smile. This woman he couldn't walk away from. So he leans up to kiss her softly, and she stares at him dumbly when he pulls away.

"See?" He smiles at her, unable to contain the light fluttering in his chest. "The night isn't ruined." She smiles down at him, sighing before she lets herself lie down next to him. He takes her hand in his, squeezing lightly. "You doing anything for your sister's birthday?" He asks casually. As though she would be able to take the woman out for a drink.

"I don't know." She shrugs. "I'm working till late. Maybe I'll have a drink for her after, I don't know." It actually lightens her chest, the thought of celebrating for Iris. "Maybe I will." She stares at the ceiling with a tiny smile, her thumb stroking his hand. "You should tell your son." She turns to him. "You should tell him before something happens. You need someone to know."

He nods. "Thank you." He whispers, and she leans in to kiss him. It isn't the rushed, delirium from before. But she hooks a leg over him, moving to straddle his waist, and it is a slow desperation that he lets himself reciprocate.

Xx

It's early, but probably not early enough for Owen's son to not wonder where he spent the night. "I probably shouldn't have stayed till morning." He sighs, eyeing the dim sunrise. She hums from the bed, not opening her eyes. "TK will never let me live it down if he catches me sneaking in."

Her stomach rolls at the new information. It must be short for something, but even this half-identity presses her to ask more about him. "So, TK?" She starts, rolling to face him. "Tell me about him. How old is he?" She's imagining a young teen, too street-wise for his age, in need of some access to the countryside, while still having the familiarities  of the city. So Owen's answer shocks her. "Twenty six? Twenty...so he's...an adult?"

"Well yeah." Owen chuckles. "Pretty sure twenty-six is an adult. But he makes me question that constantly." She doesn't dare ask how old he is, but she knows it must be considerably older than she first thought. She hopes to God that he was born when Owen was young, but either way he must be easily ten years older than she is.

"Kids always seem like kids." She laughs awkwardly. "No matter how old they get. Iris is ten years younger then I am." She laughs properly now. "She's always seemed like such a kid."

"Wow, some age gap." He tugs his shirt over his head.

"My parents were really young when they had me." She tells him, sitting up in her bed. She eyes him, his back turned to her. He drops his head back with a sigh.

"Oh, that's tough, I was twenty-two when we had TK." She lets out a tiny, relieved sigh. Not too huge an age gap, maybe Carlos won't absolutely kill her when he finds out about this. Because Carlos always finds out.

Owen drops onto the bed, shoes in hand. It occurs to her that it would be rude to make him walk himself out of her home in the early hours of the morning, so she slips out of bed, grabbing the robe hanging on the bathroom door. She doesn't settle back on the bed, but stands, leaning against the wardrobe, watching him put on his shoes.

Something in her stomach drops when she hears the taxi pull into the driveway. But she shakes it loose before he turns his head to smile at her. “I guess that’s my ride.” She nods silently, following him when he makes to leave her room.

He stops at her front door, and she waits behind him for him to turn around to her. She can’t help the smirk playing at her lips. He doesn’t want to leave yet. But he has to, so he turns back to her.

“Thank you.” He steps towards her. “For last night, for everything.” His hand brushes at her arm lightly.

She grins, blushing. “Welcome to Texas, Owen.” She chuckles, leaning to kiss him softly before she leads him to the door.

[deadlynightshade-and-hyacinth]

Fruit, Seppuku and the Flying Bugsy

 Late September 1971, the Tokyo Hilton in Japan. A trip to remember.   **this is the short story of how and why Led Zeppelin was banned from the Tokyo Hilton for life**  I hope you all enjoy the ride. 

Jimmy’s P.O.V. 

    Speeding down the corridor, the service cart in hand was the beast, a rampant, intoxicated Percy atop it. I took another swig of my beer, watching them in amusement from the end of the hall.  

“Woohoo!” Robert screamed, flailing his arms in the air. “You better move Pageykins!” He slurred.  

   I leaned against the wall, my arms crossed, the cart heading straight for me. Behind the handles; Bonzo - face red with delirium - roared car sounds as if he were in a drag race. 

“VROOM, VROOM.“  

   Under John’s thunderous voice, a loud muffled sound vibrated with the buggy. Just as they almost reached me, Bonzo flicked his wrists, turning the cart to the left, making a loud sharp noise at it skidded to a stop.  

“AGGHH!” Robert yelled, his face covered in a sloppy, Cheshire grin.   

   Through the rush of the adrenaline I caught the glimpse of a flash from the corner of my eye. Out from the bottom compartment of the service cart rolled Jonesy, taking the curtain that wrapped around the buggy with him.  

“Ow.” Jones rubbed his head.  

“Man up!” Bonzo laughed, beating his chest like an ape.  

“So, what do’ya say, Page? Wanna go for a ride?” Percy’s bright, hopeful smile shone brilliantly considering the terrible yellow light of the corridor.  

   I shook my head laughing. “Do you think I’m an idiot?” I raised my eyebrows. “You piss pots are gonna get us kicked out of here if you don’t stop muckin’ about.”  

"Spoil sport.” Jonesy scoffed. “You know and we know that you have done worse!”

   I shrugged carelessly. “I have someone waiting for me.” I chugged the rest of my beer and lifted the glass to cheers them goodnight.   

“Who the hell are you shagging?” Robert piped up, stumbling off the cart.   

“Some bird I found parading in the lobby. You know she asked for you too” I slyly invited him hoping the others wouldn’t notice. 

   He gave me a shy smile.  

“Ay where's Phil? The ol’ bugger owes me a beer!” Bonzo jumped in between Robert and I. Phil Carson who ran Atlantic Records in England was on the tour with us. 

“Went into the shower about 10 minutes ago. I guess he figured since you three were out of sight he could have a peaceful 20 minutes in the wash.” I informed them wryly. “Don’t disturb us.” I waved them good night, heading for my room.   

                  ��                                       * 

Bonzo’s P.O.V. 

“What do’ya say we pay an ol’ visit to Philly with our new pal Bugsy?” I pointed my thumb toward the torn apart buggy.  

“Ah man I think I’m gonna uh... hit the sheets. Pagey kinda crushed the mood.” Percy murmured suspiciously keyed up.  

“I’m up for it!” Jones bounced up from the floor, the buggy curtain floating delicately with him.  

   Percy, the little twit ran off in a hurry while Jones and I found good ol’ Philly’s room.  

“So, what are we gonna do?” Jones excitedly twiddled his fingers.  

“Well mate, you are gonna open the doors and I am gonna… improvise… But Bugsy over ‘ere is gonna… well we’re gonna improvise that too!"  

  Jones nodded and opened the door to Philly’s suite. He entered first, confirming that the coast was clear so I pushed ol’ Bugsy in. We listened intently and heard the shower running. So far, the mission of Bugsy was a success. I nodded to the bathroom door and Jones happily opened it quietly. 

   After taking a quick deep breath, inspiration flooded me. At full force I ran for the bathroom, pushing Bugsy in front of me, screaming the opening wail of Immigrant Song. "AhhhAhhhAHHHHHHHHHHahhhhhhh AhhhAhhhAHHHHHHHHHHHahhhhhh.”  

   At the threshold of the door I let go of the cart and watched it ram into the shower occupied by Philly. He jumped to the side dodging the death cab.  

“Bleedin’ hell!” He yelled clutching onto the shower curtain for coverage.  

“Aye Philly, I jusssth wanted to stop by fer that beer!” I smiled widely.  

                                                        * 

    The next day I woke up, not able to remember if I got that beer or not. And Bugsy was nowhere to be found… come to think of it, I never did see another service cart on our floor the rest of our stay.  

   I met Richard down in the car as he had promised to take me out. On the town! Just us pals! It would be bloody grand!   

   After a day filled with random stores, supper, a little nose candy and a pub stop, we were on our way back to the hotel when we saw the light! It was a street lamp that shone its brilliant luminescence on a store with a big sign in beautiful Japanese lettering. Of course, we had no fuckin’ idea what it said but in the window of this little blessing of a store was just what we needed to have a good time. Quickly we crossed the street and entered the store only leaving once we had purchased two beautiful samurai swords.   

   Heading back to the hotel we took another snort of coke and found our way up to our rooms. Screaming random words that sounded like they could be in a Bruce Lee movie, Richard and I tore both our rooms to splinters. Smashing the tellys, cutting the bunks up, tearing down the curtains, slashing the carpet to pieces and slicing the walls with our majestic swords.   

“Korosu!” Richard yelled at the telly as he smashed the screen into pieces. “Daijoubu!”  

   When our rooms were no longer recognizable, we left for the corridor, sword in hand.  

“… I wonder what Jonesy’s up to…” I smiled slyly at Richard who returned the devious grin.  

   We ran to his room and tried the knob but it was locked.   

“Who needs doorknobs… when we have these!?” I held up the sword like king Arthur. 

   Richard caught on and stepped away from the door.  

    I swung the weapon back and like a baseball bat, swung it forward again. It hit the door with a loud crack. We both looked at each other and broke out into laughter before we both started whacking the door until the shards of wood lay in a big pile at our feet, the door barely standing on its hinges.  

   We entered the room to find Jones drunk and unconscious in his bed. 

“Grab his leg!” I smacked Richards arm and grabbed Jonesy’s other leg. We dragged him out of the room and left him passed out in the corridor then repeated seppuku on his room. When we finished, we backed away to the door and gazed at the disaster we had created with our newly found toys.  

“Kachi! Katsu!” I yelled raising my sword in the air to clank with Richards. Proud of our success we had a beer and celebrated then headed off to new, fresh rooms to sleep.  

                                                       *  

Jonesy’s P.O.V. 

“Mr. Jones…” An annoying voice kept repeating my name over and over.   

   I could feel the haze of the inevitable awakening fog my brain. My head pounded and my stomach felt queasy. I just wanted to sleep.  

“Mr. Jones…” The voice continued.  

   In a huff I opened my eyes and found a maid standing above me, poking at my shoulder.   

“What in fuckin’ hell do ya bloody want?” I yelled. “Can’t you see I’m trying to fuckin’ sleep!" I was madly irritated, my tone and words too rash and harsh but a hangover was ensuing and if this woman didn’t leave me alone to continue my slumber I was going to hurl.   

"But Mr. Jones.” Her face looked terrified. She took a step back and tried to speak again but I cut her off.  

“Why the hell are you in my room anyway?” I asked outraged, rubbing my eyes as I sat up. When my eyes focused, I realized I was not in my bed. “Why in the bloody hell am I on the floor?” I asked mostly myself. I looked around and realized I wasn’t even in my room. “Where am I?"   

   The maid crossed her arms, her expression not happy. "You are in the corridor sir. I believe that is your room.” She pointed to a chopped-up door.   

“What the fuck happened?"  

"I don’t know.” Her tone was livid. “But I’m not cleaning it!” She turned on her heels and walked away.  

                                                      *  

Percy’s P.O.V. 

 The next night, after the concert, ran pretty much the same way the previous nights had. But instead of dangerous weaponry or flying carts from hell, us mates and the roadies gathered in the dining hall for a little snack after a hard-working evening. Some idiot, probably Richard, decided to take all the food up the corridor on the floor we inhabited and once we were up there, with belly’s full of booze we started throwing food at each other.   

   Watermelons denting walls, apples smacking people in the head. Poor Page got a banana smashed into his precious hair.  

“God dammit!” He cried trying to pull the chunks out. “Who did thi–” He started but one of the roadies threw a grape in his gaping gob.  

   He eyed the roadie suspiciously then grabbed a handful of tangerines and started whipping them at him. The roadie, hit a couple times by the tiny oranges, started ducking and dodging. Sticky orange splatters covered the walls behind him.  

   Bonzo off to the side was smashing grapefruits and kiwis into the carpet. Jonesy was in a banana battle with Cole and I was throwing more mushed up food into Jimmy’s hair while he was still pinning the same poor roadie with pears now.   

   When none of us could take anymore we took hideout in Pagey’s room. Page spent the rest of the night fixing his hair while the rest of us, sopping wet and sticky with fruit, continued drinking until we passed out.  

   The next morning, we were all awakened covered in dried fruit juice and lint, our hair matted and sticky. Early in the morning we were all summoned to the lobby where we found all of our equipment and luggage sitting at the door.  

 “You have made a disaster of my hotel, giving it a bad reputation. I am now to ask you all to leave and never return!” The manager of the hotel who once welcomed us with smiles and open arms now sneered at us. “Led Zeppelin is banished from The Tokyo Hilton for life!"  

   Peter paid the original bill with a few extra thousand for the damages caused by all of us all while attempting not to laugh at the ridiculousness we had created and the fact that us rambunctious group of lads and imbeciles were now banned for life from a prestigious hotel and good ol’ Tokyo, Japan.  

   We left groggy and sore, not bothering to argue. It was an adventure we would remember forever. Once we made our way to the airport and sat ourselves in our seats we broke into an uncontrollable laughter. It was one hell of a trip.   

[freddiesaysalright]

The Most Dramatic Season Ever - Week 6

Summary: It’s your time now! You are ABC’s new Bachelorette and this is your journey! All these men (including our fav BoRhap boys and then some) are competing for your heart! Will you find love? Will you get engaged at the end? Or will you end up heartbroken? Find out, on the most dramatic season ever!

Word Count: 10.1k (this one’s a DOOZY)

Tag List:  @psychosupernatural​, @someone-get-a-medic​, @bensrhapsody​, @deakyclicks​, @crazylittlethingcalledobsession​, @minigranger​, @crazyweirdocalledfriday​, @the-moving-finger-writes​, @assembledherethevolunteers​, @rose-writes-prose​, @queenlover05​, @moon-stars-soul​, @danadeacon​, @deacyblues​, @thesundrop​, @cupidben​, @lostlittlenerd​, @delilahmay39​, @timmvrphy​, @queenmylovely​, @loveandbeloved29​, @free-pool-trash​, @fairestkillerqueenofall​, @local-troubled-writer​, @babyalienfairy​, @littlecarowrites​, @allthethingsicant​, @im-an-adult-ish​, @mirkwoodshewolf​, @squishy-gay-astronaut​, @sherlollydramoine​, @butlegendsneverdie​, @dogmom2014​, @rocketrhap917​, @26-7-49​, @lelifesaver​, @frozenhuntress67​ If you’d like to be added, let me know!

A/N: A note on the names in this chapter! So, I went with Ben’s family name being Hardy since we all know him with that name. I understand that in reality, his parents would be Mr. and Mrs. Jones. And with Rami’s sister, I couldn’t get a confirmation on whether her name is spelled Jasmine or Yasmine so I went with the J spelling because that was what I saw first.

Warning(s): Mentions of racism.

Night 1  Week 1  Week 2  Week 3  Week 4  Week 5

Week 6 here we go!!!

Your first hometown date was with Ben in Sherborne, UK. You met him at the center of the town, which was small and quaint. But you liked it. Especially once you saw Ben walking over to you. You ran to him and leaped into his arms. He caught you with a laugh and a sweet kiss.

“I can’t believe you’re here,” he said, shaking his head. “In Sherborne.”

“I can’t believe it either,” you replied. “But I’m so happy that I am!”

“Me too,” he agreed as he set you down. “I thought I’d just give you a bit of a tour so you can see where I grew up before we head to my parents, yeah?”

“Sounds perfect!” 

He took your hand and started down the road. At the end of the street was a vintage car. It was a black convertible, like you’d seen in old movies. It looked glamorous.

“This,” Ben said, walking up to the car. “Is our ride for the day.”

“Are you serious?!” you cried. “Oh my God!”

“Glad you like it,” he chuckled.

“I love it!” you told him.

He opened the passenger side door for you and you slid in. Then he walked around to the driver’s side and got in beside you. He looked at you, smirked, and then started the engine. He looked so sexy behind the wheel you had to turn your attention to the road so he wouldn’t see you blushing.

He drove slowly. There wasn’t much traffic, anyway, so you really could see all the places he was pointing out to you. He showed you the church he attended as a kid. Where he went to primary school. The tree under which he had his first kiss. It was all so sweet. It was all so Ben.

“I wish you could be here in October sometime,” he said. “We’ve got the Pack Monday Fair, which is always a great time.”

He told you about the fair and all his fondest memories, especially attending with his father. You were melting.

“So, how often do you get here to visit your family?” you wondered.

“As often as I can,” he said. “I’m all the way in London, and it’s not like I’ve got weekends off. But I definitely get here for special occasions and holidays.”

“Do you think you’d want to settle down here?” you asked. “When you’re ready to start a family?”

“As much as I love it here, I’d rather stay in London,” he said. “There’s more opportunity there and more diversity, which is something I want my children to experience. But believe me, they’ll be coming here to visit Nan as often as possible. My mum can’t wait for me to have kids, so she’ll be all over them.”

You giggled. “I like that. I want an involved family.”

“You might regret saying that one day,” he joked.

You drove on, and by the end, you felt you had seen almost the entire town. You stopped at the store to pick up a bottle of wine and some flowers for his mother, before at last going to the house. It was a cozy little home, and it looked inviting. You took a deep breath before starting up the driveway.

“Nervous?” Ben asked.

“A bit,” you admitted.

“Don’t be,” he said and kissed your cheek. “They’re gonna love you.”

Before you could argue, he reached out and opened the door, allowing you inside first. 

“Hello!” Ben called.

Seconds after his voice rang out, a swarm of people were upon you. All rushing to hug Ben and get a glimpse of you. He introduced you to his mother and father, and then to his aunts and uncles who were there. His grandmother remained seated on the couch, so you all made your way back to her so Ben could say hello.

“These are for you,” you said to Mrs. Hardy, handing her the wine and flowers.

“Oh, thank you, darling,” she replied. “They’re beautiful!”

You smiled as she disappeared into the kitchen to put them in a vase. Then Ben’s father approached you. You smiled and shook hands again.

“Y/N, right?” he asked.

“Yep, that’s right,” you told him.

“Come on, let’s get you a drink,” he said.

“Won’t say no to that,” you replied.

You followed him into the kitchen. Mrs. Hardy had already set out the flowers on the counter, and she was fussing around the food, which was evidently almost ready. Mr. Hardy poured you a glass of wine and handed it to you.

“Thank you,” you said.

Ben’s parents were surprisingly easy to talk to. You offered to help his mother with dinner, but she insisted you just relax. His father was a lot like Ben. A bit reserved, but friendly. So you chatted with them for a bit while Ben got caught up with the rest of his family.

When dinner was ready, you all sat around the dining room table. Mrs. Hardy served up a delicious meal, and then told you all to “tuck in.” You had a great time during the meal. His family was funny and warm. They welcomed you with open arms. You felt comfortable with them immediately.

“So, Y/N, can we have a chat?” asked Mrs. Hardy once the plates were clear.

“Of course,” you agreed.

You followed her to the sitting room. You sat together on the couch, and she gave your knee a maternal pat.

“How’s it all going?” she asked. “With Ben, that is.”

You smiled. “Ben and I have something really special,” you told her. “He told me that he’s falling in love with me, and I feel the same. Which I’ve told him.”

“I’m glad to hear that,” she said. “Has he told you that he’s never been in love before?”

“He has,” you said. “And I’m still a little worried about that.”

“Worried? Why?” she asked.

“Well, because I don’t want him to feel like there’s more out there,” you said. “Or to get confused. I don’t want him to wake up say, ten years from now and wonder if he made a mistake because he didn’t really know what he was doing.”

“I don’t think you need worry about that,” she said. “Ben is...a unique man. He’s struggled to find love because he’s quite aware of his feelings. He has told me about girls he’s gone with and expressed things like ‘Mum, I liked her, but I don’t think she’s the one,’ or ‘Mum, she’s beautiful, but I can’t go forward just because we’re attracted to each other.’ If he’s falling in love with you, then he means it. He isn’t confused.”

“That’s a relief to hear you say that,” you said. “Because I just wasn’t really sure if he knew. But you’re right, Ben is a self-aware person, and I have faith that what he’s telling me is true. I did promise him I’d never doubt him.”

You explained to her what Luke had once said about him.

“That’s ridiculous,” she scoffed. “Ben’s honest and kind. And, Y/N...he’s ready. He’s ready to find his partner and settle down.”

“I think he’d be a wonderful husband,” you told her. “And I suppose I have you to thank for that.”

She giggled and took your hand. You smiled at each other.

Meanwhile, Ben was talking to his father. They stood out on the back patio, each smoking a cigarette. You didn’t like that Ben smoked, but he did it pretty rarely since he was an athlete. And he also told you it was his goal to quit by the time he had children.

“So, Benny,” Mr. Hardy said. “How’re you feeling?”

“It hasn’t been easy,” Ben said. “I’ve...well, I’ve fallen in love with her.”

“Has she fallen in love with you?” Mr. Hardy wondered.

“She says she’s getting there,” Ben told him. “But there are still three other guys.”

“They good blokes?”

“Yeah, actually, I like them a lot. Consider them friends, even.”

“That’s good, it shows she’s got taste,” Mr. Hardy joked.

Ben chuckled. “Yeah. I’m just worried. I want to tell her that I love her. But I don’t want to get my heart broken.”

“There’s no way to fall in love without taking that risk,” Mr. Hardy said. “If you love her, love her with everything you’ve got. Pursue her. Let her know why she should choose you.”

Ben smiled. “Thanks, Dad.”

You switched parents, so Ben went to speak to his mother, and you went to speak to his father. You looked at Mr. Hardy and saw Ben’s features in his face. It was like looking through time and seeing Ben as an older man. Only, Mr. Hardy had brown eyes. Ben got his eyes from his mother.

“Can I ask you how you feel about Ben?” Mr. Hardy asked.

“I care a lot about him,” you said. “He’s probably the sweetest person I’ve ever met and...well, I’m falling in love with him.”

“He’s not hard to look at, either,” he joked.

“Well, he gets it from somewhere,” you returned, pointing at him.

He laughed. 

“You seem like a nice girl,” he said. “I think you’d be a good wife to Ben, if that’s what you both want. I’m just happy if he’s happy. And he seems quite happy with you.”

You looked at Ben through the window, where he was sitting with his mom.

“You guys must miss him a lot,” you said.

“Terribly,” Mr. Hardy said. “But once again, he’s happy.”

“I’ve so appreciated you welcoming me into your home,” you said. “A home as loving as this shows me what I can expect from Ben. Thank you.”

He opened his arms to you, and you gladly accepted them.

Inside, Ben was telling his mother exactly what he’d told his father. That he was in love with you and was nervous about telling you.

“I agree with Dad, darling,” Mrs. Hardy said. “I think if that’s what you’re feeling, you should be honest with her.”

“It’s just scary since...well, I’ve never done it before,” he said. “How do I…” he trailed off with a sigh.

“Do you think it matters to her how you say it?” she asked.

“No, I think she just wants me to be honest,” he returned.

“Then there you have it, love,” she said.

The night wound down and it was time for you to go. You said fond goodbyes to Ben’s family and he walked you out to the van already waiting for you.

“Today was such a great day,” he said. “They really seemed to like you.”

“I really like them,” you told him. “You have a great family, Ben.”

“I hope you come back,” he said.

“Me too,” you replied.

A beat passed. Ben pulled you into a tight hug. Then he lowered his lips to your ear.

“I love you, Y/N,” he whispered. “I love you so much.”

You wrapped your arms around his waist and gave a small squeeze. 

“It means so much to hear you say that,” you said.

You desperately wanted to tell him that you loved him too. Because you did. But you knew it was a bad idea. All you could do was convey how you felt through the embrace. And then when he kissed you...it was nothing like the way he’d kissed you before. This was something else entirely. It felt more like a promise.

“I’m gonna miss you,” he said.

“I’m gonna miss you too,” you told him.

With that, he opened the car door for you. You slid into the back seat and smiled at him once more before he closed it. He stood on the street and watched you go, feeling like you were taking his heart with you.

Your next hometown date was with Gwilym. Like Ben, he currently lived in London, but his hometown was Sutton Coldfield, where much of his family still resided. Gwilym had told you a little bit about his hometown, so you were excited to see it in person. You met him at Sutton Park.

He looked dashing where he stood waiting for you, despite only wearing a sweater and jeans. You ran up to him and he caught you in his arms. He planted a warm and welcoming kiss on your lips. You held him a little tighter.

“I’m so glad you’re here, cariad,” he said as you parted. 

“I’m glad to be here,” you replied.

“I figured I’d show you Sutton Park,” he said. “It’s a staple of the town and quite lovely on a day like today when we’ve got nice weather. Fancy a walk?”

“Sounds perfect,” you agreed.

He offered you his arm, which you took. It really was a pleasant day, with a rare bit of sunshine. As you walked, he told you who you would be meeting that day. His family kept it small, so it would just be his parents and siblings. Gwilym was the youngest. It was difficult for you to picture him the youngest sibling, since he always struck you as mature and grown up. He assured you that his childhood was normal, and that he and his siblings were very close now that they were all adults.

You walked together in the park for about an hour. Then he told you there was another stop to make before going to his parents’ home. You emerged from the park, walked another fifteen minutes or so, and then you saw it - a library.

“Since you saw my personal collection, I thought I’d show you where I first gained an appreciation for literature,” he said. “Right here at the Sutton Coldfield Library.”

“I can’t wait,” you told him.

He smiled, took your hand, and led you inside. The library looked fairly typical. It wasn’t grand or beautiful, but it had some charm to it. You tried to imagine young Gwilym poring over the books, trying to decide the one he’d like best. You smiled at the thought.

You were just about to tell him so when a distraction in the shape of a little girl came hurtling over, throwing her arms around Gwilym’s legs. She was maybe six years old. Her blonde ringlets settled against her face.

“Mr. Gwilym, you’re back!” she cried, clutching a handful of his jeans. “We’ve missed you!”

You blinked, shocked at the sudden appearance of the girl, but even more surprised that she knew Gwilym and was comfortable enough to hug him so tightly.

“Hello, Rosie,” Gwilym replied, patting her head. “I’ve missed you all too.”

Suddenly, more children emerged from a section you saw was the children’s library. Their little faces lit up at the sight of Gwilym, and they all followed Rosie’s example of throwing themselves on him. He laughed and then saw your bemused expression.

“I come home twice a month to read to the kids,” he told you. “To give back to this place.”

A little boy had clamored onto Gwilym’s back.

“Where’ve you been, Mr. Gwilym?” he wondered with a pout.

“Well, you see, children,” Gwilym said, nodding toward you. “I’ve met someone very special.”

In a swarm, they detached themselves from him and walked over to you, staring. You bit back a laugh.

“Hey, kids,” you said kindly. “I’m sorry for keeping Mr. Gwilym away.”

“You’re pretty,” Rosie said. “Are you Mr. Gwilym’s girlfriend?” 

“I am,” you told her.

“Are you gonna get married?” asked another girl beside you.

“Maybe!” you said. 

You met Gwilym’s gaze as the children demanded more information and you did your best to answer them. A future with him was suddenly much clearer.

“Alright, everyone leave Mr. Gwilym and his friend alone,” said the librarian, an elderly woman with her silver hair in a long braid down her back.

“Hello, Joan,” Gwilym said warmly, bending down to kiss the woman’s cheek.

Joan smiled at you as Gwil introduced you and she asked how everything was going. You told her it was all wonderful, and Gwilym agreed. Then Rosie returned and tugged on Gwilym’s pant leg.

“What are you going to read for us today?” she asked.

“Oh, Rosie, I’m sorry, we just popped over to say hello,” he told her. “We don’t have a story today.”

Tears shone in her big, blue eyes and you nearly started crying yourself. 

“Please,” Rosie begged.

“Please!” the other children echoed.

“Read them a story, you monster,” you teased, punching his arm lightly.

“Alright, I’ll read you a story,” Gwilym said. “If Miss Y/N reads it with me.”

“Please, Miss Y/N!” they cried.

You laughed. “Alright, then,” you agreed. “Story time it is.”

They all cheered, returned to the children’s library, and settled into the back corner. It was a cozy little set up, with bean bag chairs and cushions and stuffed animals everywhere. A wide bench was placed under the window, where the reader would sit. The kids picked out a story while you and Gwilym took your places. 

He started off the story, and his enthusiasm was not something you had seen him yet. He did voices, he made faces, anything to amuse the children. They giggled and snickered, enjoying themselves to the fullest, and totally riveted by him. You were too. You knew you were reading the words and doing your best to be convincing, but your mind was on Gwilym and how impressed you were with him. It showed you how much he valued learning, and the kind of father he might be.

When the story was over, you had to say goodbye and head to the Lee household. The kids were sorry to see you go, but their parents were arriving to pick them up. Gwilym even knew their parents, and said quick hellos before guiding you out and down the street.

“That was….” you trailed off. “So amazing. I feel like every time we’re together, you show me a new side of you. And I think that one is my favorite.”

He chuckled. “I just want to give back to the next generation,” he said. “Maybe they’ll go on to be great writers or professors. Maybe they won’t. But no matter what, they’ll support their local library.”

“You’re the actual sweetest, you know that?” you said.

He only laughed before throwing his arm over your shoulder and leading you away.

For the evening, you went to his parents’ home. It was a bit larger than what you were used to seeing in the UK, but looked inviting. You met Gwilym outside, and he hugged you tightly. You did your best to return it with the flowers and wine in your hands.

“Are you ready, love?” he asked.

“Ready as I’ll ever be,” you replied.

“Let’s go in.”

Together, you walked across the threshold as Gwilym called out to his family. The first person to round the corner was his father, who wrapped his son up in the friendliest bear hug. His brothers and sister were not far behind. His mother approached you first.

“Hello, dear,” she said kindly. “I’m Ceinwen. It’s lovely to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you too,” you replied. “I’m Y/N.”

Gwilym introduced to his father, Tom, his brothers, Geraint and Owen, and his sister, Rhiannon. They were all very friendly and gave you hugs as they met you. You followed them into the kitchen, and as you walked, you observed your surroundings. This family was undeniably Welsh, and proud of it. Gwilym told you that both his parents were from Wales, and he connected strongly to that heritage. Seeing the home, you understood why. You envied that connection a little bit.

“You have such a lovely home,” you said to Ceinwen. “Thank you for having me.”

“We’re glad to have you,” she replied. “Come, sit down for dinner.”

It was already on the table when you arrived, so she said you had perfect timing.

“I’m relieved,” Gwilym said. “We got a bit delayed at the library.”

“Oh, did you take her to see the children?” Ceinwen asked.

“I did,” he told her. “We had a wonderful time with them, didn’t we?”

He looked over at you and took your hand. You beamed.

“We really did,” you said. 

They asked how your day was overall, and you were excited to tell them that it was great. You always felt like you could gush about Gwilym. His family exchanged happy glances at your every word.

After dinner, Rhiannon asked to speak to you. You happily agreed and followed her into the sitting room. You each took a seat on the couch.

“How’s this whole process been for you?” she asked.

“It hasn’t been easy,” you told her. “I’ve had to make really difficult decisions, but I’m just following my heart the best I can.”

“How many men are left?” she wondered.

“Including Gwilym, there are four,” you said. 

“And how are you feeling about him as compared to the other three?” she pressed.

You swallowed. “That’s difficult to say. I sort of have to compartmentalize each relationship and evaluate it on its own strengths or weaknesses. I know that Gwilym and I have been strong since the beginning. He’s really opened up to me, as I have to him, and we’re falling steadily in love.”

“And has Gwil expressed his feelings for you?”

“He’s told me that he’s falling in love with me,” you said. “Which made me so happy because I’m falling in love with him too.”

“Have you told him that?”

You shook your head. “I haven’t. But I plan on letting him know soon.”

“As long as you’re honest with him, he’ll be honest with you,” she said with a smile. “Gwilym’s reserved, but not afraid of the truth.”

“I definitely see that about him,” you agreed. “We’ve always been totally honest with each other.”

You smiled at each other. You spoke to his parents next. His mother sat on the couch beside you and his father in a chair across the coffee table.

“Can I just start by saying what a wonderful man you have raised?” you began. “Honestly, Gwilym has been such a dream and completely unafraid of the risk involved in this. He’s great.”

They both grinned.

“Thank you,” Tom said. “We hope that means you’re feeling strongly for him.”

“I am,” you assured him. “I told Rhiannon that I’m falling in love with him.”

“That’s wonderful,” Ceinwen said. “He told us the same about you.”

“Now, there are still other people involved in this,” Tom said. 

“I know,” you said. “But believe me. I care so deeply for Gwilym. The last thing I’d ever want to do is hurt him.”

“You must understand,” his mother said. “As his parents, that’s our worst fear. After he lost his fiance, he was a wreck. I don’t want him to return to that.”

“I understand,” you assured her. “I will do what I can to keep him from that. But please understand my position as well. I can’t make any promises right now.”

“Right, of course,” Tom said. 

You chatted a little longer, and you once again told them how much you admired Gwilym. Meanwhile, he was talking to his siblings.

“So, how are you feeling about her?” asked Owen. 

“I’m falling in love with her, for sure,” Gwilym answered. “I really could see her being my wife.”

“But you’re not completely in love?” questioned Geraint.

“I dunno if I could say that with other men involved,” Gwilym replied. “I want to be down on one knee before I give myself that completely.”

“She seems like a great girl, Gwil,” Rhiannon added. “You two seem compatible. She’s got a good head on her shoulders. But are you sure you could propose after just a few weeks?”

Gwilym looked at his wine glass and swirled the deep purple liquid around, just for something to do while he considered this question.

“You all know how seriously I would take an engagement,” he began. “I think, if within the coming weeks, Y/N and I find ourselves at that point, then yes. I could see myself proposing.”

The siblings all exchanged a look. If he was that serious about you, they would support him.

Overall, Gwilym’s hometown went well. It wasn’t as smooth as Ben’s, but given Gwilym’s history, you understood his family’s skepticism. Even so, they seemed genuinely happy for him. As Gwilym led you out, you swung your clasped hands with joy. He smiled at you.

“Gwilym,” you said. “You told me back in London that you’re falling in love with me.”

“Yes, I remember,” he said.

“Well, I just wanted to tell you that….I’m falling in love with you too,” you said. “Hard and fast.”

His smile widened.

“I’m happy to hear it, cariad,” he replied.

With that, he turned you toward him and pulled you in for a kiss. His lips pressed into yours with a need you had not felt from him before. His gratitude for your validation was deeper than you thought. Perhaps his feelings were as well.

When you broke apart, you coiled your arms around his neck and held him close. You stood there for what felt like hours. Despite everything you had been through with him, and the beauty of that moment on the London Eye, this was the most romantic moment you felt with Gwilym. Just you and him. Outside his childhood home, knowing each other without even speaking.

“You need to get going,” he finally said.

“I wish I didn’t,” you replied.

“I do too,” he agreed. “But there’s more to this journey.”

You stood on your toes and kissed him again.

“I’ll see you soon,” you whispered.

“I can’t wait,” he replied.

He walked you to the car and opened the door for you. With one last kiss, you got in. As you drove away, you felt your heart breaking without him.

After Gwilym’s hometown, it was time to leave the UK and head back to the states. Your first stop was in New York for Joe’s hometown. He was from Hyde Park, which you knew nothing about. You were excited to see it though and understand Joe better.

You arrived at Hyde Park and met Joe on what appeared to be a random street. You sprinted to him, eager to be in his arms. You had missed him desperately while you were apart. He caught you and spun you around with a laugh before he kissed you.

“I’ve missed you so much, baby,” he said. 

“I’ve missed you more,” you returned.

“Wanna bet?” he shot back.

You laughed. “What are you going to show me today?”

“Hyde Park isn’t exactly known for tourism,” he said. “We’ve got the Vanderbilt Mansion, sure, but other than that we’re just your average town.”

“So, are we going to see the mansion?” you wondered.

“Actually, I thought we’d do something better,” he said. “Come with me.”

He took your hand and began to lead you down the street. This community was clearly close-knit, as several people stopped Joe to talk to him and catch up. He introduced you as his girlfriend and they all smiled happily for him. Finally, you stopped outside a restaurant. The name on it was Mazzello’s. You grinned.

“Your family’s restaurant!” you cried. “I’m gonna get to see it?!”

“Absolutely!” he returned. “My brother, John, has been handling things since I’ve been away, so he’ll be the first family member you meet.”

“I can’t wait!”

You followed him inside. A wave of voices overtook you as Joe walked through the door. It seemed his whole family had surprised even him by showing up at the restaurant. His mother was there, as were his brother and sister. His nieces and nephews raced to hug him and he miraculously scooped all of them into his arms. 

There were hugs all around. The Mazzellos had spared no one in coming to meet you. Joe’s grandparents were there. His aunts and uncles. Family friends. Even restaurant regulars. It showed you how well Joe was loved in his community. It made you love him even more.

Joe introduced you first to his mother, Virginia, his sister, Mary, and then his brother, John. They were all thrilled to meet you. As you made your way through the crowd to meet everyone else, you felt there was a missing piece. When you looked over at the counter you realized what it was. A picture of Joe’s father hung behind the register.

You turned your eyes to Joe and saw that he was looking at it too. He shook his head and then looked at you.

“Come on,” he said with a small smile. “Let me show you the kitchen.”

“Alrighty,” you agreed.

You walked with him behind the counter and into the back of the restaurant. The kitchen was huge, with everything you could ever need to make Italian food. And it was authentic. Joe showed you where they made dough, how they turned it into noodles or pizza crust. The massive cooler for all the fresh vegetables. They also had a garden behind the restaurant where they grew their own herbs.

“Joe, this is incredible,” you said, still looking around in awe.

“My dad was dedicated to being authentic,” he said. “So we’ve kept it the way he started it.”

“You shouldn’t change a thing,” you told him.

You were alone together in the kitchen, so he took this opportunity to pull you into his arms. He held you for a long moment, and you felt him shake as he released a breath. You wrapped your arms around him and squeezed him gently.

“Thanks,” he sniffled. “Being back is just bringing up a lot of emotions.”

“I’m here, baby,” you said. “I’m so sorry.”

“Come on,” he said. “I’ve gotta show you how to make all this.”

“We’re gonna cook?” you asked, surprised.

“Course,” he said with a wink. He tossed you an apron. “You gotta learn if you’re gonna be a part of the family.”

You smirked. Then you tied the apron on, rolled up your sleeves, and got to work. His family joined you to help out as well, and Joe took every moment he could to flirt with you. When he showed you something, he stood behind you and put his arms around your waist. If he helped you get something, he reached over you, putting his chest to your face. If he was passing you and no one was around, he gave you a light pat on your ass. You had never had so much fun.

Together, you and the Mazzellos prepared a huge meal for everyone there to see Joe and meet you. Joe’s family was just as fun as he was. They poked fun at him - in the most loving way possible - and welcomed you warmly. As you all sat down to eat, Joe said a quick prayer. Then you dug in to the food.

“Oh my God,” you moaned as you took the first bite. “This is delicious!”

They laughed with you. Sharing a meal with them was like nothing you had ever experienced. Everyone at the table got a say in any discussion, even the children. In fact, Joe frequently consulted them. It seemed that Uncle Joe was a popular person. Many people had questions for you, and Virginia made a special effort to make you feel included. Not that she had to try too hard. You already felt like one of them.

After your meal, they opened a bottle of wine. When the glasses were distributed, you made a toast. Then, Virginia pulled you aside. You followed her to one of the small tables on the patio and sat across from her.

“It’s so nice to finally meet you,” she said. “Joe’s been talking about you since he got home and we were all so anxious.”

“I’m glad I don’t disappoint,” you replied.

“Never,” she said. “All I want is for Joe to be happy. He’s been burned in the past and I just want to protect him.”

“Of course you do,” you returned. “You’re an amazing mother. I can’t promise you that Joe and I will end up together because I’m not sure how this will go yet.”

“How do you feel about Joe?” she asked.

You took a moment to form a response. There were so many things you admired about Joe. His humor, his wit, his good heart. The way he made you feel understood and loved. The way you could rely on him. Tears suddenly stung your eyes.

“Oh!” Virginia gasped when she noticed. “Well, then. That tells me all I need to know.”

“I love him,” you choked out anyway.

It felt good to say it to someone. You were in love with Joe. But he hadn’t said it to you, so you weren’t sure about saying it to him.

“I’m glad to hear that,” she said graciously. 

She paused a moment before continuing.

“It’s funny, seeing you two together,” she said. “I’m reminded of myself and Mr. Mazzello. The way you seem so at ease with one another and have fun. But behind all of it...I see the depth of what you feel. I know you’d be there for him when things got rough, just as he would be there for you.”

“Joe has been the most solid connection I’ve had,” you said. “He’s never let me down. Truly, Mrs. Mazzello, I see a future with him. Especially after today.” You took a moment to take a breath since your emotion was threatening to overwhelm you again. “I see it so clearly.”

“I’m touched that he means so much to you,” she said, opening her arms. “Come here, Y/N.”

You melted into her and let out a small sob. It hit you so suddenly how much you loved Joe and it had caught you off guard. When you settled down, she wiped your cheeks before kissing them. You beamed at each other.

Joe spoke to his mother next, while you went to chat with his siblings. Virginia took her son in her arms and held him for a quick moment before they sat down together.

“So, how’d it go with Y/N?” he asked.

“Wonderful,” she replied. “She cares for you, Joe.”

“I hope so,” he said with a chuckle.

“No, listen to me, honey,” she said. “I asked her point blank how she felt about you. And she started to cry. You mean a great deal to her.”

Joe flushed, both pleased and distressed by his mother’s words. He hated that you had gotten upset, but he was also touched by the sentiment. He had confessed that he was falling in love with you. Was now the time to tell you that he was there? He was so madly in love with you that he’d do anything in the world for you?

Inside, you had begun talking to Joe’s siblings, but his nieces and nephew quickly interjected.

“What’s your favorite thing about Uncle Joe?” you asked them.

“He’s fun!” his oldest nephew cried. “He always plays with us when the grown ups are being boring.”

“What’s your favorite game to play with him?” you asked.

“Tickle monster!” they all agreed.

“Do you want him to get married?” you wondered.

“Yes!” said his niece eagerly. “That way he can have babies too, and we’ll have even more cousins to play with!”

“Do you wanna have babies with Uncle Joe?” asked his other nephew.

You blinked, a bit taken aback. Then you smiled.

“Very much.”

Out of the corner of your eye, you saw John and Mary grin at one another.

All too soon, the sun went down and it was time for you to go. You said warm goodbyes to everyone before Joe led you out to the car that was waiting for you.

“What a great day,” he said, before leaning forward and kissing your forehead.

“It was wonderful,” you said. “Do you think if we asked nicely, they’d let us do it again?”

He chuckled. “Afraid not, babe. But hey, I’ll see you again soon.”

You looked into his eyes. He felt the brutal urge to tell you now that he was fully in love with you. He opened his mouth to let it out, but then closed it again. Something in his heart was telling him to wait.

Your brow furrowed. You were hoping Joe would say “I love you.” When he didn’t you were a bit disappointed.

“Everything okay?” you asked.

“Yeah,” he said absentmindedly. “Yeah, I just...I had such a good time today and I’m gonna miss you.”

“I’m gonna miss you too,” you said.

You rested your head against his chest, not ready to let him go. You got a sudden burst of bravery.

“Joe, I -”

You stopped yourself. Why were you hesitating?

“Yes?” he pressed.

“I...I really am gonna miss you.”

His face fell, and you felt terrible. Why was this so hard to say? Perhaps because it meant so much.

“I’ll see you at the rose ceremony,” he said with a smile.

He kissed you once more. Then he opened the car door and you slid inside. You whispered a tearful goodbye to him, which he returned. Then he closed the door. The driver started down the street. You hung your head in your hands. 

“That was stupid,” you said to the camera. “I should have just told him.”

Little did you know, Joe was giving himself the exact same lecture. His only regret in the journey so far was not telling you just then that he loved you. He hoped it didn’t cost him a rose.

From New York, you flew back to Los Angeles for Rami’s hometown. The first three had gone so well, you had high hopes for the last. Rami’s family lived in Sherman Oaks. Most of his extended family was in Egypt, so - like Gwilym’s hometown - you would just be meeting his parents and his siblings. You were a bit nervous going in, since he had mentioned that his sister was protective.

All nerves melted away when you saw him. You surged forward to get to him and planted an enthusiastic kiss on him. He laughed into it, and held you tight.

“I’m so glad to see you,” he said. 

“I’m glad to see you too!” you returned. 

“I know you’re familiar with Los Angeles, so I wasn’t sure what we could do today,” he said. “But I thought of just a tour of where I grew up.”

“That’s perfect,” you said. “The whole idea is to get to know you better.”

“Awesome, let’s get started!”

For your tour of Rami’s corner of Los Angeles, you had scooters. They were ridiculously fun, even though frightening at first. Rami took you all over Sherman Oaks. He showed you his high school, where a few big name actors had also attended. He took you around his neighborhood, pointing out houses where his friends once lived, and the times they had together. You stopped at a park, where you got some ice cream and sat on a bench together.

“So, it seems like you enjoyed growing up here,” you said.

“I did,” he replied hesitantly.

You frowned. “What is it?”

“Y’know, growing up here was amazing,” he said. “But after 9/11, things changed. People say California is so progressive and welcoming, but after that happened, my family was treated differently, even here.”

“I’m so sorry,” you said, taking his hand. “That’s terrible.”

“We stopped speaking Arabic in public,” he said. “We tried even harder to assimilate. My father took down the Egyptian flag we used to hang outside. Even though we aren’t Muslim...or from the country that attacked that day...we were Middle Eastern enough for people to suddenly suspect us.”

“I don’t even know what to say,” you told him. “That’s just...horrible. And so brutally unfair.”

“It is,” he said. “Eventually, things settled down again, and our neighbors warmed back up. But it was never really the same. In school, I always felt like I was struggling. Having to tell people how to pronounce my name, only to have them butcher it or say it with some offensive accent. It wasn’t easy.”

He took a deep breath.

“But I’m really proud of my heritage,” he said. “I am Egyptian. No matter the generation or where I grew up. It’s part of me.”

“That’s beautiful, Rami,” you said. “You should be proud.”

“Thanks, Y/N,” he replied. “I just wanted to tell you this because my hometown isn’t all great memories. Parts of growing up were very difficult for me. And I wanted you to understand.”

“Believe me, I’m glad to listen to every part of how you grew up,” you said. “The good, the bad, and the ugly. I want to support you and help you through it.”

“You’re amazing,” he said.

“You’re even more so,” you returned.

You kissed him with a smile.

You didn’t stay out too much longer before you headed to his parents’ home. It was a decent sized suburban house, and you hoped his mother would appreciate the flowers. Rami told you to skip the wine because his parents didn’t drink. Out of respect for their home, you decided you would not partake while there. Rami told you how much he appreciated it.

When you walked up to the door, you gulped. You were always nervous right before meeting them. Then Rami kissed your cheek swiftly before opening the door. 

As soon as you were into the foyer, Rami’s brother crashed into him.

“Rami!” he cried, engulfing him into a hug.

Though he and his brother were twins, they had their distinctions. Rami was slimmer and just an inch or two shorter. Sami was broader with a more relaxed air about him. 

“Oh, this must be Y/N,” Sami said as he released his brother. “I’m Sami. It’s nice to meet you.”

You shook his hand. “Nice to meet you too.”

“Sami, are they -” Rami’s sister, Jasmine, came into the hall and stopped herself. “They are!”

She went to Rami and hugged him similarly to Sami. His parents appeared behind their daughter and grinned at the sight. You went over to them and offered the flowers.

“For you, Mrs. Malek,” you said.

She grinned. “Thank you, Y/N.”

His father also shook your hand before calling his children back with him to the kitchen. Mrs. Malek, whose name was Nelly, put the flowers into a vase. Mr. Malek, whose name was Said, checked on something in the oven which smelled delicious. You told him so and they thanked you.

“So, how’s it been so far?” Sami asked. “Been anywhere exciting?”

“We’ve been to Asheville, North Carolina,” Rami said. “Then we went to London.”

“Oh, I love London,” Jasmine interjected.

“It was amazing,” Rami told her. “And after that we went to Killarney, Ireland.”

“How fun!” Nelly said.

“We had a great time in Killarney,” you said, looking fondly at Rami and recalling your magical one on one date. 

“It was beautiful,” Rami agreed. “Especially the company.”

He put his arm around your shoulders and squeezed you as you giggled. You caught a disgusted look on Jasmine’s face, which discouraged you. You had the sense that she would take a while to warm up to you. Unfortunately, you only had one evening to change her mind.

Rami’s parents were incredibly kind. His mother was already teaching you some Arabic as you helped her prepare more food. It was just simple words here and there, but she told you that you were doing a great job. Meanwhile, Rami spoke to his siblings in the living room.

“Rami, I hate to be the wet blanket here,” Jasmine said. “But what are you doing?”

“Enjoying an evening with my girlfriend and family,” he replied. “What do you mean?”

“You’ve known this girl barely two months,” she continued. “All while she’s been dating thirty other men.”

“I know what I signed up for,” he said.

“I still don’t understand why you even signed up,” she snapped.

“Hey, calm down,” Sami said. “Love happens in crazy ways. Who's to say this isn’t how it’s meant to work out for Rami?”

“Because it’s ridiculous,” Jasmine said. “How can she really love you if she is also falling in love elsewhere? And what about your career?”

“What about it?” Rami demanded.

“Don’t you think you should wait for marriage and a family until you’ve established yourself more as an actor?” she wondered. “This is a huge commitment.”

“We’ve talked about it,” he said. “She knows that we could balance it.”

“Probably not the way she’s thinking,” she said. “I saw her on the last season. This girl is ready to settle down properly. Is that something you want?”

“We can talk more about it,” Rami said. “Right now, all I need for you to do is be my sister and support me.”

“I am doing that,” she said. “And one day, you’ll see just how much.”

With that, she swept from the room. Rami scowled.

“She’s making some good points, Rami,” Sami said. 

“No, she isn’t,” Rami argued. “This is something Y/N and I have already discussed and worked out.”

Sami sighed. “Alright then.”

Dinner was ready within the next few minutes. It went smoothly. You liked Rami’s family and the way they interacted. Teasing and fun, but with lots of love. Rami was clearly the apple of his mother’s eye especially. 

When dinner was over, Jasmine asked to speak to you. You were glad for the chance because you wanted to be close to her if it was you and Rami at the end of this. Together, you went out to the back porch and took seats on the cushioned wicker furniture.

“Y/N, I want to start by saying that I don’t have a problem with you personally, but this process makes no sense to me,” she began.

“I understand that,” you said. “It’s difficult for lots of people to understand unless you’re in it. But it’s just a way for people to find love. Like any dating app or even the traditional stuff. It just happens to be on TV as well.”

“But the expectation is not traditional,” Jasmine said. “The idea is to get engaged after just two months.”

“It seems fast, but believe me, the feelings are real,” you told her. “What I feel for Rami...that’s real. Whether other people understand it or not.”

“But you also have real feelings for three other men,” she pointed out.

That stung. You understood why the families were concerned about this. They didn’t want their loved one to be the one to get hurt. But this was the process that you all signed up for, and you were growing tired of this being thrown in your face.

“I do,” you said. “But every relationship is different.”

“So, tell me what you and Rami have discussed about life outside of this,” she said. “You know he wants to be an actor.”

“He already is an actor,” you replied. “We’ve talked about how we would balance schedules with each other and if we have children.”

Jasmine sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. Then she looked at you, a hard expression in her eyes.

“Rami is ambitious about his acting career,” she said. “Now isn’t the time for him to be getting married and starting a family.”

You wanted to flare up and scream at her, but you held back.

“Don’t you think that’s something Rami should decide for himself?” you countered.

“Y/N, listen to me,” she said. “I’m not saying this to be a bitch. I’m saying this for both your sakes. Let’s say this goes well and you and Rami get engaged. If you have to wait for his acting career to take off before you can be a mother, you are going to resent him. If he sacrifices his aspirations in order to stay where he is and be with you, he is going to resent you. He’s not ready.”

“Why would he come on this show if he’s not ready?” you challenged, trying not to let her words take root in your heart. But you couldn’t deny the truth of them.

“Probably because - like anyone - he does want love,” she said. “But he’s not ready for the commitment you want from him.”

You let that sink in. Tears welled up in your eyes. You were still falling in love with Rami, and hated the thought of saying goodbye to him.

“Excuse me,” you said, getting up from your seat.

You walked out into the yard and around the side of the house, sniffling. A tear slid down your cheek. This was the last thing you expected from his family. For them to tell you that even if you and Rami love each other, these things would get in the way. It hurt so much to hear because Jasmine was right. You were afraid of resentment building if either of you had to wait for your dreams.

“Hey.”

You turned and saw Rami standing there, a little winded and looking concerned. 

“What did she say?” he demanded when he saw you crying.

You broke down and told him. He heaved a sigh and pulled you into his arms.

“Y/N, don’t listen to that,” he said. “We can figure out how to plan our lives after an engagement. We don’t have to get married and have kids right away, we’ve got a lot of time.”

You pushed him away.

“Is that what you think I want?” you asked. “To just be indefinitely engaged? Without a plan? To basically be dating each other after this?”

“No, I’m sorry,” he said. “I understand you want a serious commitment, and I’m willing to give that to you if I have to.”

“If you have to?” you questioned. “Rami, I need someone who really, really wants that. I’m upset because I think Jasmine is right. We don’t want the same things going back into the world after all this.”

His eyes filled with tears too. “I want you, Y/N. I love you.”

You blinked and looked at the ground. “I don’t know if that’s enough.”

He sucked in a sharp breath at your words, and you couldn’t look at him.

“So...what do we do?” he asked.

“I don’t know,” you whispered.

You stood there a brief moment, wondering where to go from here. 

“I’m not ready to say goodbye,” you said. 

“I’m not either,” he said.

“At least we can agree on that,” you said with a humorless laugh.

Another beat passed.

“I need to go,” you said. “I have a lot to think about.”

“Y/N, please…” he trailed off.

“I’m sorry,” you said. “I just have to go.”

With that, you walked out to the front of the house. You couldn’t say goodbye to his family like this, not when you were falling apart. Alone, you went to the car that was waiting for you and climbed into the back seat, closing the door behind you. As you pulled away, you looked into the camera.

“I don’t know what I’m going to do,” you said. “I really just don’t know.”

The next day, you woke still conflicted. You had a rose ceremony that night, and you had to decide who to send home. Rami’s hometown date had been the least successful, but it opened your eyes to what might happen if you went down this road with him. But you also felt confused about Joe because of the moment before you left and he didn’t tell you he loved you. But Gwilym hadn’t either. The only one you were sure was getting a rose so far was Ben. His family was sweet, and you had no doubts about where you stood with him. You were absolutely ready to move forward with that relationship. The others...you had to consider and weigh your options.

You were meeting the men back at the Bachelor Mansion, where the journey began. Chris stood out front, where you had been night one to meet the men. The remaining four were arriving one by one before going into the rose ceremony.

Joe was the first to arrive. He smiled at Chris as he walked up to shake his hand.

“Joe, how are you?” Chris asked politely.

“I’m feeling pretty good,” Joe answered. “I think my hometown could have ended better, but I hope that’s not enough to lose a rose tonight.”

“Well, good luck, my friend,” Chris said. “Go ahead inside.”

“Thanks,” Joe replied.

He walked through the house and into the courtyard. He stood to one side and looked at the little table with just three roses on it.

Rami arrived next. He couldn’t smile just yet. 

“Rami, how’re you doing?” Chris asked.

“I’m anxious,” Rami said. “Things didn’t go well on the hometown date and I...I wish I had more time to talk to her before all this.”

“If the connection is there, she knows how to move forward,” Chris said. “Go ahead inside and good luck.”

“Thank you, Chris,” Rami said.

He followed Joe’s path. He finally grinned when he saw Joe and the two embraced. Then Rami spotted the roses and swallowed, wondering if he would get one.

Ben was third to arrive. He had a wide smile on his face.

“What’s up, buddy?” Chris asked as they shook hands and clapped each other on the shoulder. “You look happy.”

“I am happy,” Ben said. “I think things went really well, so I’m feeling confident about tonight.”

“That’s great to hear,” Chris said. “Go ahead inside and best of luck to you.”

“Thank you,” Ben replied.

He walked into the courtyard and he was pleased to see Joe and Rami already there. He gave them both quick hugs before taking his place in line.

Finally, Gwilym arrived. He straightened his tie as he stepped out of the limo and approached Chris.

“Gwilym, how are you?” Chris asked as they shook hands.

“I’m nervous,” Gwil admitted. “But I think everything went well enough. I just hope she feels the same way I do.”

“I hope so too,” Chris said. “Go ahead in and good luck.”

“Thank you so much,” Gwilym returned.

He too made his way to the courtyard, where the other three men stood. They all embraced him when he arrived, but quickly resumed their spots. Things had changed between them now that it was more serious. They all considered each other friends, and they respected one another, but there was some tension now. They waited.

You were the last one to get there. As you walked into the courtyard in your gown, you took a deep breath. You had made up your mind, but now you had to go through with it. You were going to hurt someone you cared a lot about - someone you loved - and that was never easy.

“Hi,” you said meekly as you looked at the four men before you. “Thank you all for being so gracious and allowing me to meet the important people in your life. I felt truly honored. I got a glimpse into what the future would be like with each of you, and it really helped me see who has the most potential to be my husband.”

Rami hung his head at these words. Then he looked at you again as you picked up the first rose. 

“Ben,” you said.

He let out a sigh and walked up to you.

“Ben, will you accept this rose?” you asked.

“I will,” he replied.

You pinned it to his jacket. You picked up the second.

“Gwilym,” you called.

His body relaxed at the sound of his name and then he approached you.

“Gwilym, will you accept this rose?”

“Of course I will.”

You pinned it on and he kissed your cheek before returning to his spot. Your heart began to pound inside your chest. Chris came out and put a comforting hand on your shoulder.

“Y/N, gentlemen,” he said. “This is the final rose tonight. Whenever you’re ready.”

He let go and you inhaled deeply. The exhale was slow and shaky. With a trembling hand, you picked up the last rose. You looked at Rami and you looked at Joe. Your eyes watered.

“Joe,” you choked out.

Joe’s relief was written all over his face as he walked over to you.

“Joe, will you accept this rose?” you asked, trying to keep your voice even.

“I will, Y/N, thank you,” he replied.

He had to help you put it on since your hands were so unsteady. Then he gave you a quick hug before returning to his spot.

“Rami, I’m sorry,” Chris said. “Take a moment, say your goodbyes.”

Rami was shaken. He had hoped that you could move past what Jasmine said and work through those issues together. Especially since you told him you weren’t ready to say goodbye. And here you were, saying it anyway.

He gave short hugs to the remaining men, who all whispered some words of comfort to him. Then he slowly walked to you. You had tears streaming steadily down your face. You tried to inhale, but you were short of breath.

“Can I - can I walk you out?” you asked through a sob.

“Yeah,” he said gently.

You took his hand and started back inside the mansion to exit through the front door. When you got to the driveway, you stopped and sat him down on a bench.

“I’m so sorry, Rami,” you whimpered. “I just...I don’t ever want to hold you back. You’re so talented and you’ve got so much to give, and I never want to stand in your way.”

“I don’t think you would…” he said.

Rami was numb. He still could hardly believe it was ending.

“I would,” you sobbed. “I want to settle down and have someone who comes home every night to me and the kids, y’know? And with what you want out of your life, that could never be us. As much as I care about you…”

He blinked and you saw a tear roll down his cheek slowly.

“I love you, Y/N,” he said.

“I love you too, Rami,” you replied. “But that kind of love isn’t enough to have a successful marriage between people as different as we are.”

A beat passed and you sniffled again.

“I want you to know that you’re amazing,” you said. “My feelings for you are so deep and so real, and that’s why this hurts so much. You deserve a successful career and someone who can be there for you through it. But that’s just not me.”

“I understand,” he said.

He began to move, as if suddenly gaining feeling back in his limbs.

“This is where we say goodbye, then,” he said.

“Goodbye, Rami,” you returned.

He hugged you. You held him for a moment, but you knew you had to let him go.

“When you win an Oscar, I’ll be cheering for you,” you teased, forcing a smile through your tears.

He chuckled halfheartedly. “Thanks. Bye, Y/N.”

“Bye,” you breathed.

With that, he opened the door and climbed in. You closed it and watched the tail lights disappear through the gate. You let out one final sob and dabbed at your eyes.

Rami, once inside the car, put his head in his hands and tried to breathe. He released a small whine, but kept his face covered. Then he took a deep breath and moved his hands to wipe his face.

“God,” he sighed. “I’m...I hate this. I really wanted to be with her and I hate that she couldn’t see a future anymore. F**k.”

He paused.

“I still love her.”

Back at the mansion, you had your makeup touched up before returning to the three men you had left. Your nose still ran and bit, and your eyes were still red and puffy, but you went to them anyway. They offered sympathetic smiles as you walked up.

“So, um,” you began, voice shaking again. “That was really difficult. But, I really am happy to be moving forward with all of you.”

Joe handed you a glass of champagne. They all already held one.

“Next week is a big week,” you said. “It’s fantasy suites, and where we’re going really is a fantasy.”

“Where is it?” wondered Ben.

“Gentlemen, we are going to New Zealand!”

They cheered and toasted to that. You hoped you were ready for the overnight dates. But you looked at the faces of each of these men and smiled. You were ready. You absolutely trusted them with your heart.

[slitherofgold]

Truth or Dare?~ Sam Fender

You had been on tour with Sam exactly 1 month, and although you spent a lot of time together, you wished you could’ve spent more time alone. It was safe to say, you were becoming really good friends. You both had such a strong appreciation for each other’s music, good banter, and the conversations always seemed to flow naturally- whether you were sober or drunk. You could genuinely say that supporting him was an honour. It helped that you were really good mates with his band too, cause with them around, there was never a dull moment. 

It was Tuesday night, and the only night where the both of you weren’t performing. You and the guys sat in the pub, drinking pints and sharing chips, whilst talking about upcoming plans for the band. It was nice not having to worry about performing that night. You loved it and it was truly your passion, but each night took a toll on your voice, and you were grateful for the night-off. 

“Hey, since we got loads of time to kill, do you wanna hit the town. I heard the night life here is crazy,” Dean said. 

“I would, but I’m kinda tired, I might just head back to the hotel,” you said in response, hoping they wouldn’t rip into you for heading out early. 

“Really y/n, you out of all people. I thought you’d be well up for tonight.” You shrugged your shoulders as confirmation. Your mind was not gonna be swayed tonight. 

“Actually, I might have to join y/n on this one. I’m fucking knackered.” Sam said. He smiled at you, as if he was saying this to back you up. You smiled back, appreciating his decision too. 

Dean through up his hands in frustration. “Well, you’re all fucking wet wipes then. Please tell me the rest of you are up for it. I’m not heading back to the hotel at 8.” Everyone else laughed and nodded, buzzed to get out. At least you weren’t the only one not going though, but it also meant that you and Sam would be alone in the taxi together, and although you were friends, you hadn’t spent any time alone. Your palms started to sweat, already nervous for the dreaded taxi ride home. 

Soon after, everyone piled out the pub heading for the town, all apart from you and Sam. The both of you hopped into the cab. “So are you really knackered or are you just not in the mood to party?”, you asked curiously. 

“Bit of both really. Never thought I’d say this, but I just don’t fancy drinking tonight.” You both laughed and joked on the way home, making small talk until the taxi pulled up outside the hotel. As you headed down the corridor towards your rooms, Sam quickly stepped in front of you, stopping you from moving any further. You gave him a questioning look. “Do you wanna just chill tonight? I don’t really fancy heading to bed yet and I could use the company. I promise I won’t bore you to death.” Your heart skipped a beat. You could handle a cab ride home with him, but a whole evening. The thought of it made your heart race. But you knew you’d kick yourself if you turned down the offer, and you were just friends anyway. He certainly didn’t like you like that. 

“Yeah sure, why not,” you shrugged, trying to act cool. He smiled in response, and the both of you headed towards his room. 

 It was later in the night and the both of you had had such a laugh. You had ordered room service, and had stuffed your faces with the biggest burgers. Then you had spilled all of your secrets, your most embarrassing memories, and had taken the piss out of each other as well as Sam’s band mates. It was all going smoothly, until Sam had suggested a game to lighten up the night. At first, you had laughed at the idea. Truth or dare? That was such a childish game. The kinda game you play at your first house party, where horny teenagers get the chance to experience their first sexual encounter. Yet you agreed nonetheless, what was the worst that could happen anyways, you thought. So far, you had posted the ugliest mug of yourself on your insta, messaged Van Mccann for a bootycall, and told Sam about the time you pissed yourself, cause you had locked yourself out of your own apartment. It was safe to say you had lost all of your dignity. Sam, however, had ‘accidentally’ sent his mum a kinky message (which he definitely regretted when she messaged him with how disgusted she was), showed you his search history (which was quite average for a single lad in his 20s), and told you about his worst and most embarrassing sexual experience. Now the two of you sat on the floor, next to each other, with your backs against the bed, tired but still up for another game. “Truth or dare?”, Sam asked as he looked over at you, smirking. 

“Ummmm dare”, you grinned back. He hummed, as if pondering what to dare you, a mischievous glint obvious in his eyes. 

“I dare you to take off your top”. You lifted your eyebrows, smirk in play, as if saying really, but willingly obliged. Internally, you thanked yourself for choosing to wear one of your nicer bras that day. Sam stole a glimpse of your chest, and nervously bit his lip, before making eye contact once more.

“Truth or dare?” you asked. 

Without hesitation, Sam responded with dare. “I dare you to take your top off”. He raised his eyebrows in amusement, almost as if he was saying really. This was definitely some kind of challenge between the two of you. To see who would give in first, and you sure as hell wasn’t gonna lose. He took his top of off and your breath hitched in your throat. He grinned as he realised the effect he had on you. It was clear to say, you liked what you saw, and already temptation to reach over and touch him, was hard to resist. The game went back and forth, before the two of were sat in nothing but your underwear. 

“Truth or dare?” Sam asked, barely above a whisper. You swallowed, nervous but eager, having waited long enough for this. “Dare”, you replied. 

“Kiss me”, Sam said. Without thinking, you attacked his lips hungrily, craving his touch. Sam didn’t waste time, before kissing you back. He grabbed you behind the head pulling you closer to him, wanting to feel you, and wanting to feel every part. His other hand roughly grabbed your waist tightly. You groaned into the kiss and you could feel Sam smile against your lips, clearly loving the effect he had on you. Still on the floor, Sam slowly stood up, forcing you to follow suit, still not breaking the kiss. You had wanted, had dreamed of this for a month, and now that it was happening, it felt surreal. You pulled away, as reality came crashing down. 

“Sam we shouldn’t be doing this, we basically work together.” Still holding you in his arms, inches away from the bed, Sam looked down at you, lust evident in his eyes. 

“You want this right?” you nodded in reply. “And I want this too. Problem solved. Thinking gets you nowhere, lets just enjoy what we have now.” He leaned down to kiss you again, almost cautiously as if scared you wouldn’t kiss him back.  Of course you kissed back, stupid with yourself for even considering a stop to this. Sam pushed you against the bed, kissing down your neck. You knew you’d wake up with marks tomorrow, which you definitely had to hide from the lads. No way in hell could they find out about this, you and Sam would never hear the end of it. Sam’s hand roamed down your body, embracing every curve. “You have no idea how long I’ve been waiting to do this,” he mumbled against your skin. His hand moved your panties to the side, giving him access to rub circles on your clit. You moaned breathy moans, Sam’s name a whisper on your lips. He looked down at you through his lashes, loving the sight of you underneath him. Naked, eyes screwed shut and moaning his name. He could just come undone himself seeing you like this. 

With great determination you stopped his hand, and looked up at Sam. You bit your lip and flipped the two of you over, so you were on top, catching Sam off guard. You leaned down and seductively whispered in his ear. “I want you Sam”. Sam didn’t need to hear you twice, he pulled down his boxers, eager, having wanted this all night. You shimmied off your panties and slowly slid down onto Sam. The both of you released sighs, your heads falling back. Having adjusted to the length, you started rocking your hips, slow at first and then picking up the pace. The two of you groaned in pleasure. Sam gripped your hips hard, his own hips bucking into you, helping you out and reaching angles inside you that not even your ex could achieve. Sweat glistened on your bodies, and the room echoed your moans. You prayed to God that people in the neighbouring rooms couldn’t hear, cause that would be hella awkward for them. But in that moment you didn’t care. You were in pure ecstasy. You picked up the pace once more, close to your finish. Sam was close too, by the way he groaned and the way his fingers dug into your hips. You both let out another moan as you finished and slowly rode out your high. Knackered, you slid off of Sam and flopped down beside him, the both of you panting heavily. 

Sam pulled his arm behind your head, and around your shoulders, bringing you closer. You rested your head on his chest, feeling his heart rate slow down and his breathing become slower. You traced small shapes on his chest, feeling as if you were in your very own safe place. Here with Sam, just the two of you, wrapped in each others arms. You didn’t need to speak, you knew exactly how you felt about each other. And you’d speak about it soon, but for now, you both embraced the moment. Enjoying the small comfort of each other, as the night drew to an end, and you drifted off to sleep in each others arms. 

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Dear God, I am very sorry for this sin I have just committed. I promise I’m a good girl really :) Anyways, so this was my first smut fic. It’s loosely based off another fic I read (surprisingly called truth or dare) that I read from Wattpad. So go check that one out too, and creds to that writer. I hope you guys enjoyed and give me some feedback (or even some requests?) if you want. It’s crazy what quarantine can do to you. Love you guys, stay safe!! 

[angrylizardjacket]

the view from halfway down // charlotte&lola // 6 [Finale]

Summary: Lola sees Charlotte again, how strange.

A/N: @misscharlottelee i feel like this could be expanded upon, but i like the kind of open-endedness to it. i hope you like it!! also to everyone else... there’s time travel, read gabs stories to know more (also just read gabs stories please and thank she’s v talented)

"You look like someone I used to know," Lola goes to apologise to the woman she's stopped on the street who's the spitting image of a young Charlotte, reminding herself that in this day and age, Charlotte would be either dead or sixty, but the woman looks startled, looks caught out, and after a beat she fixes Lola with a calculating stare.

"Do I know you?" The woman isn't hostile, seems genuinely curious, and fuck she even sounds like Charlotte. Every woman in LA kind of sounds like Charlotte, Lola has to remind herself, just as the woman gives a strange little smile, "you look really familiar."

"I get that a lot," Lola gives a laugh, "I'm Lola Sixx; have you seen The Dirt? It just came out -" but as Lola speaks, the woman's mouth opens in surprise, and her eyes widen.

"Lola." No-one in the world says her name quite like that, apart from one Charlotte Lee. "I'm really sorry, I have to -" the woman starts, forcing a smile all of a sudden, "I did see The Dirt, it was great, it was- that's definitely how I know you-" words spill from her in a suddenly frantic mess, but Lola knows better, knows the truth in her heart, that Charlotte, this strangely-young, strangely-alive, strangely-here Charlotte is the same Charlotte she's been mourning for forty years. 

"Charlie, you look great," the words come out like a startled gasp, because what else is there to say, this can't be real - "am I going crazy?" Lola asks with half a laugh, and the nervous, flighty look on Charlotte's face melts to something soft. 

"You're not going crazy," instinct kicks in and already Charlotte's reassuring Lola, stepping in, a gentle hand on the older woman's shoulder; "do you remember that one weirdly themed birthday I threw for Razz?" Charlotte asks, and Lola's brow furrows for a moment before her expression lights up, "well if I rightly remember, that was the night Razz told me he was going on tour, and you and Nikki pulled the shower curtain railing down when you were having sex in the tub;" and its all coming back to Lola as clear as day, her vision clouding a little with tears as she smiles fondly at the memory, "and we were all dressed up like Razz, remember? Peach had died Vince's hair."

Even a devoted fan wouldn't have been able to sleuth out information that detailed, and with Charlotte's identity confirmed, Lola surges forward, wrapping her in a hug.

"I almost didn't recognise you with the suit," Charlotte's words muffle against Lola's shoulder, while the older woman was shaking with emotions she hadn't even realised herself capable of feeling.

"Charlie, holy shit," are all the words Lola can form, and Charlotte hugs her tighter. 

"Yeah," she answers weakly, a slight tremor in her voice. Lola's tearing up, but her grip's still like iron all these years later, which Charlotte takes comfort in. "Lols, you look so old!" Charlotte hears herself say, but only regrets it for the barest moment before Lola's pulling away, beaming. 

"Who would have thought I'd make it this far," she snorts, and gently dabs at her eyes, "let me buy you lunch." She insists, and Charlotte, who isn't quite sure what reaction she was expecting, but this wasn't it. Maybe she'd been expecting waterworks, or for Lola to start outright freaking out, but here she is, smiling, offering her hand, and Charlotte's half worried the reality hasn't hit her yet. With a strained smile, Charlotte takes her hand.

"Sure, sounds great," but the nervousness bleeds through her words and Lola's expression falls.

"I mean, if you'd rather, we don't have to do it somewhere public; I could cook us something, I'm sure Nikki would be so glad to see -" she tries, giving Charlotte's hand a gentle squeeze, but Charlotte shakes her head vehemently.

"No."

“Because you don’t think I can cook, I swear it’s been -” but Charlotte’s giving her a guarded look, not the least bit amused, and the realization hits Lola. She can't help her soft gasp, “no-one else knows you're here, do they?"

Charlotte shakes her head.

"Not even Penny?"

"This," Charlotte can't look Lola in the eyes, "this isn't the place to discuss this." But she doesn't let go of Lola's hand, "let's get lunch." She agrees, and lets Lola lead. The space between them feels like eons, and Charlotte's marveling at just how much Lola's changed, how stable she seems. She's carrying a purse, wearing a well-tailored black and she thinks she catches a glimpse of a red sole on the bottom of Lola's heels. She looks like she's got her shit together. There's still more earrings in her ears than months in the year, but Charlotte finds she's just glad Lola's not lost her personality in the modern world.

For all the internet articles and Instagram stalking Charlotte has done, none of it compares to seeing Lola before her, alive, successful, well-balanced. Of course she knows about what’s happened, all of Lola’s kids, her brief stint as Tommy’s wife and current status as one of Penelope’s legal guardians, but it’s jarring to think that only a few months ago for Charlotte - which was forty years for the rest of the world - she’d seen Lola passed out in a gutter outside of Izzy Stradlin’s house; times certainly have changed.

The cafe Lola takes her to is surprisingly rustic, and the man at the server's desk gives a warm smile before he leads both women out the back, to a more secluded back area littered with plants and sunlight, so green in the middle of the grey and blue urban jungle. He brings them a pitcher of ice water and two glasses and promises to be back after they've had time to look at the menu.

"They do a great lychee and apple juice," Lola's surprisingly nonchalant as she picks up the menu, but Charlotte's just watching her.

"They do?" And there's a hint of a laugh in Charlotte's voice, but absolute sincerity in Lola's answering nod, "you're so... grown up." Charlotte muses quietly, taking a hold of the menu on it's little wooden clipboard. Lola doesn't say anything, just makes an amused noise in the back of her throat, Charlotte's brow furrows; "you're taking this all surprisingly well."

"I've gotta say, I feel very vindicated right now," Lola smirks, still looking at her menu. 

"Vindicated?"

"I knew you were somewhere, I knew you weren't dead." Finally meeting her gaze, there's that recognizable spark of mischief in Lola's eyes and Charlotte feels her heart in her throat. Lola drops her gaze again, "have you seen Penny?"

"Not in person," Charlotte admits, and finally looks to the menu, "she's so gorgeous, Lols; she smiles just like Razz." And it's said with a chuckle, which Lola echos, before humming in agreement. "I think that's kind of why I never wanted her to see me, here and now that is..." Charlotte admits, "coming back without him, it would feel right, even though I couldn't control it, you know? I don't want to... mess her up."

"I always did what was best for her, always what I thought you'd want for her," Lola tells her sincerely, before asking tentatively, "so you... you know about Razzle?" She asks gently, and Charlotte nods, sighing deeply, "I'm so sorry, Charlie."

"Don't apologise, it was, what, forty years ago?" Charlotte forces a smile, but Lola drops her menu and reaches over the table to give her hand a reassuring squeeze. Charlotte's forced expression turns sad but genuine, "I lost everyone at once, Lols, I've taken my time to grieve, I promise." 

"I can't even begin to imagine what you've been through," Lola tells her, before frowning, "were- were you alone or -?"

"Peach and Eileen were are here too, still wreaking havoc, as we always do," Charlotte says with a smile, and Lola's face lights up, and then, suddenly, all at once, everything comes crashing down. In the back corner of a little, out of the way cafe, Lola, almost sixty years old, bursts into tears. She's babbling apologies, face in her hands, and the last thing Charlotte ever wanted to do was be the cause of Lola's sadness, but she's lost, trying to comfort Lola when she knows that no amount of comfort would help, that she just needed time to work through all this new information.

"Penny is older than you," Lola finally finds the words through her tears, and Charlotte's shocked into silence; strange as it is, she'd never really considered that, "how in the fuck am I supposed to reconcile these facts in my head? Because I've been talking to your gravestone for fucking years, and now you're here and you look the exact same as the last time I saw you; my oldest kid is older than you too, did you know that? The fact that you're here, looking the way you look, fuck, I know I'm going crazy, I know." 

The waiter goes to approach them, but immediately turns back around to give them space. 

Charlotte moves from her chair, tears in her eyes as she wraps Lola up in a hug.

"My mind doesn't believe it's really you; I know it is, because I'd know you anywhere, but it just... it doesn't make sense."

"I know." Charlotte murmurs, "I'm sorry; I never wanted to leave you guys, I promise, I promise." Which only makes Lola cry harder. "It was out of our control, Lols -"

"I know, I'm sorry I'm such a mess, it just... it doesn't make sense, and I'm just like, remembering every single time Tommy and I told Penny that you were out there, looking for her, loving her, and I was fucking right and part of me never thought I would be. We did a whole donation drive to raise money to try and find you and the girls, even though your fucking parents were telling us to let it- let it go," her head's resting on the table now, and Charlotte's got her forehead against Lola's shoulder blade.

"I'm so sorry, Lols, I never wanted to make you sad -"

"I'm just sad that you missed so much; none of us deserved that, least of all you."

"Tell me about them."

"What?" Lola's crying stops for her confusion, and she looks up; Charlotte's wiping the tears from her own cheeks.

"Tell me about all the moments; everything worth remembering, I wanna hear about them from you, not from the internet, not from a movie, from you," she paused, before giving a half smile, "or would you rather talk to my empty grave?"

"You, Charlie, fuck, always you."

[stokeme--aclipper]

Everything I didn’t say

"Kristoff was used to being alone. And he was fine with it. Until she came along and changed everything. But she wasn't for him, she belonged to another. Which was why he was stood on the wrong side of the castle gates, watching her being taken away from him, his chest burning with all the things he didnt say."

Oneshot where Kristoff leaves Anna at the castle gates and she shares her true loves kiss with Hans.

Originally posted on Ao3 

- 

Kristoff was used to being alone.

He’d known nothing else as long as he had known loneliness. And whilst he had Sven, even he had to admit that he was talking to himself in a goofy voice. He was just fine with it being the two of them, just as it always had been.

And then she had infiltrated their lives and made everything complicated and wonderful and a little ray of hope began to shine through, convincing him that maybe being alone wasn’t the path for him and maybe, just maybe, she could be the answer to all the questions he had never dared to ask himself.

But she wasn’t for him, she belonged to another. Which was why he was stood on the wrong side of the castle gates, watching her being taken away from him, his chest burning with all the things he didn’t say.

So yes, Kristoff was used to being alone. And he was fine with it. Totally fine. 

They’re halfway up the mountain when Sven makes a whiny sound and jumps in front of him.

What is it buddy?” Sven is more aggressive with his sounds now and moves towards him, fury resting in those large eyes. “Hey watch it! What’s wrong with you?”

Sven makes another sound, one he isn’t used to hearing and he already knows what this is about. If he can just ignore it- and him- a little longer, then Anna and Arendelle will be out of his mind, and heart, forever.

“I don’t understand you when you talk like that.”

But Sven isn’t one for backing down and within moments, he has Kristoff in his antlers and is pushing him down towards the mountains.

“Stop it! Put me down!” He’s thrown to the floor, snow covering all parts of him and he feels a warm breath of air coming from Sven’s nose. “No Sven, we’re not going back!” He wipes himself down as Sven makes another non-committal noise. “She’s with her true love!”

It breaks his heart to admit it out loud; he had been avoiding all thoughts of her since leaving her at the gates. He knew it was the right thing to do though; true love was the only thing that was going to save her now and well... that was Hans and not him.

“Come on Sven, it’s time to go home. Anna doesn’t need me anymore.” He says, pushing on without waiting for an answer from his reluctant reindeer.

He’s only vaguely aware of the wind picking up around him.

*

“I’m fine Sven, really. It doesn’t even matter. It’s been weeks now and I’m over it. I don’t even remember her name so it’s cool.”

It had been 4 weeks since the eternal winter had ended and summer had returned, so Kristoff was right in assuming that everything had worked out for the best and that Anna was happy with her ‘true love’.

He had returned to Arendelle a week ago; ice season was upon them and so he needed to make some contacts, ready for the harvest. Every part of him burned upon his arrival, it was like his body knew she was nearby and so had decided to remind him of every moment they had shared together.

Kristoff had been so determined to forget everything about Anna and their adventure up the North Mountain but he was kidding himself of course; he remembered every damn detail of her.

The way her eyes lit up when he agreed to help her, the way her freckles danced across her cheeks in the morning light, the way she had felt in his arms when he caught her. It was taking every bit of his willpower to not head over to the castle, break down those gates and her door and beg her to return to him. Not that he needed to break down any gates anymore, they were wide open now, allowing anything out and anyone in.

If he was a forceful man, he would storm that castle and find her. If he was a gambling man, he would risk everything and tell her how he felt. But Kristoff Bjorgman was neither a forceful nor a gambling man, so he just had to sit and hope that one day he would find his true love- one that wasn’t already engaged to another.

*

He should have known he would run into her at some point.

He’d been in Arendelle for 2 months now and so far had managed to avoid any of the royal ceremonies or festivities. He was only intending to stick around another day or so before heading off to start his ice harvest when it was announced the Queen and Princess were coming for a royal tour of the city.

He isn’t sure how long he’s got but he’s determined not to be seen by either one of them, knowing it’ll break him if he even captures a glimpse of her. He’s packing up his bag when the trumpets start and he’s desperate to stop the burning in his chest and where on earth is his rope? Everything is quickening and he can hear the trumpets ringing in his ears; she’s getting closer and closer and closer.

He looks up now and can see the carriage up ahead and if he’s quick enough he can grab Sven and leave but Sven is nowhere to be seen, because why would his loyal companion be nearby when he needs him, and he can feel the sweat breaking out across his forehead.

“Sven? Sven?! Where are you?” Kristoff is crying out now, whispers turning harsher and harsher as the carriage draws ever closer. He looks across the road and there he is! “Sven! Get over here!” He starts to make a move towards him at the same time the carriage stops and all at once his world stops spinning.

Her hair is just as red as it was the first time they met, he notices the blonde streak is gone (damn Hans and his true loves kiss). Her petite frame is swallowed by the large gown and cape she is wearing but she’s still just as perfect as he remembers. He knows he needs to move and hide but it’s like the ice has returned and frozen every part of his body. He forgets how to do anything; breathe, live, speak... everything is Anna, Anna, Anna.

He notices she’s chatting to Sven now and before his brain gets back into gear, Sven is nodding in his direction and she’s turning around and holy hell, she’s beautiful. It takes her a moment to find him in the crowd but then she sees him and her face lights up, just like it did on the mountain. She hasn’t changed, not really. Her face is a little gaunter than he remembers, and there’s a spark or two missing from her eyes, but she’s still Anna and she’s still the girl he has been longing for all this time. She wanders over to the carriage, mutters something he knows he’ll never hear and within seconds, the carriage is gone, the crowd is gone and it’s just the two of them, together.

“Hello Kristoff.”

“Hello... Anna. I mean, Princess Anna.”

They remain silent for minutes, or it could be days, Kristoff isn’t sure. Time is flying past as he stares at her face, drinking in every detail.

“How have you been?” Her voice is angelic, if not a little sad, and he knows she is different but he can’t quite put his finger on it.

“Oh you know, busy! Ice season is nearby so I’m just preparing for that. How’s... how’s life been treating you?” He stumbles on his words, desperate to ask about Hans and desperate to not ask about Hans.

“Oh you know...” It doesn’t escape him that she’s copied his phrase and a small smile tugs at the corner of his lips. “It’s been okay. Bit weird since the whole freezing of the kingdom thing but I think everything is going back to normal now. And you know Elsa and I are actually speaking again which is amazing, it was like we’d never been apart, well it took us a little while to get back to how we were but we’re almost there and it’s wonderful and oh Kristoff, it’s so good to see you!” She is looking at him full force now and all he can think is I miss you, I miss you, I miss you.

“It’s good to see you too, Princess.” He is dying to ask about Hans, dying to find out if she’s happy with him, dying to ask whether she misses their time together but that’s not his place anymore. He is Kristoff, the iceman and she is Anna, Princess of Arendelle.

“Kristoff, you don’t have to call me that. Please, just call me Anna.” Her voice breaks on her name and her eyes begin to fill with tears. “I’ve missed you.”

And there it is; the confirmation that he needs. She has voiced the words he could not bring himself to say and all at once, his heart and head hurt, he forgets how to breathe, think, and speak. She takes a step closer and is completely in his orbit, his axis change to centre her, nothing else exists anymore. It is only her.

She looks up at him, her eyes taking on the size of the moon and he finds himself falling deeper and deeper under her spell. He was a fool to believe he could ever be over her and that he could ever want to be over her. She was his everything, his entire universe, all of the galaxies combined into one fiery red-headed woman.

“I missed you too.” Is all he can manage to say, but it’s enough. For now.

*

It’s another week until he sees her again but it feels like years.

This time he takes the time to fully appreciate everything about her; her laugh, the way her nose scrunches when he tells a particularly bad joke, the way she always looks so soft when she’s listening to him tell a story.

He’s aware he’s becoming addicted to her and he’s aware that it is only going to end up badly for him but he just doesn’t care anymore. She owns every part of him and he is going to tell her, he is, just as soon as Hans Westergaard disappears. Kristoff hadn’t intended on meeting the man who had stolen Anna away, it had happened by chance.

And by chance, he means it was cleverly orchestrated so he could get a true understanding of why Anna had returned. He had purposefully left something in her purse, something which he couldn’t possibly cope without and so he had to go to the castle and collect it back. And once he was there, well it would have been rude of Anna to turn him away without a tour of the castle and something to eat. He was aware he wasn’t being entirely truthful with her but he needed to meet Hans, he had to see them together, know that she had made the best choice for her. He could see it, Hans was charming and polite and handsome and it’s not difficult to see why you would- and could- fall for a man like that. And yet there is something off about him, something that doesn’t sit well with Kristoff. He doesn’t seem to get Anna the way that you would expect your soul mate to get you. He doesn’t laugh at her silly jokes or understand why she has befriended the local iceman and his reindeer. He isn’t keen on Kristoff as well, something which pleases him greatly.

Anna walks him to the castle gate, just as the sun sets and there is still so much he wants to say and it’s all on the tip of his tongue, when Hans comes dashing out and steals their moment.

“Darling, you forgot this for Kristoff. I would be devastated if he wasn’t around on our special day.” He kisses her then, fully on the mouth, a small gasp escapes her lips and Kristoff can’t bear this. Envy courses through his veins and he isn’t a violent man but he imagines breaking Hans’ nose with a swift punch. Their kiss seems to last a decade and he’s just about to turn around and leave when Hans drops Anna and takes his leave.

“Well, that was nice. What did he bring anyway?”

Anna doesn’t look at him, only the envelope which is now in her hands, and he feels all the air escape his body. It’s a heavy set envelope and he can see the wax seal on the back and he knows exactly what this is and he feels as though he’s going to be sick but this is what she wants and he has to be happy for her.

“I get married next week. Tuesday to be exact. Hans wants to be married before the first snowfall; he wasn’t a particular fan of the last one and so he wants to back in the Southern Isles so we can start sorting out Arendelle’s affairs from there before we return next spring. I’ve heard the Southern Isles is beautiful during the winter time so I’m quite excited to see it. Although I suppose I won’t get to see too much of it seeing as I’ll be busy being married and what not...” She trails off, still not daring to look at Kristoff.

“Next week? You’re leaving next week... but what about Arendelle?” What about me? “Your kingdom needs you!”

She scoffs “Oh please, Arendelle will be fine. In case you’ve forgotten, Elsa is queen not me. And besides we’ll be back here next year, I’ll only be gone for 6 months...” She finally looks at him and his heart breaks all over again.

“6 months? You’ll be gone for 6 months? Right...” Yeah, he can go six months without seeing her face, without hearing her laugh, without the gentle brushes of her fingers against his skin... yeah, he’ll be fine. He focuses back in on her and realises she has been talking this entire time and he hates himself for not being there in the moment. “Sorry, what did you say?”

She gives a sad smile “We’ll be back in 6 months and then I’ll only be here for a month or so and its then back to the Southern Isles I guess. Hans is less keen on staying here now that he knows that Elsa intends to remain as Queen.” She shrugs slightly, her smile now non existent.

“Wait, you’re not going to be here at all? Anna, you can’t leave! You can’t!”

“Kristoff, I have nothing keeping me here. Well apart from Elsa, obviously, but she’s queen now and so she’s busy. And I’ll be able to keep in touch with her via letters and royal meetings so it’s pretty much going to be how it always was except this time, I know she’s happy. And she knows I’m... happy.” Her voice cracks on the last word, and he can see the tears slowly forming in the corner of her eyes. “Its better this way. Anyway, this is an invitation to the wedding; it’s for you and Sven, so if you can come that’ll be amazing, but I completely understand if you can’t. Or don’t want too.”

She doesn’t give him an opportunity to reply, just takes another step closer and goes on her tip-toes so she can press a kiss to his cheek. Her lips burn his skin and he would do anything to place his hands on her waist and drink her in forever. But as soon as her lips are there, they’re gone and he’s left outside the castle gates; once again, wishing he could follow her wherever she goes.

*

He had absolutely no intention of even being in Arendelle, let alone go to the wedding and yet here he was, stood outside her dressing room, heart pounding in his chest. Sven had pushed and pushed him to go and despite arguing his case thoroughly, he had lost. He hated losing.

He knocks ever so quietly as not to disturb the peace and he’s about to knock again when a small voice calls out ‘Come in’ and its now or never. He walks in and he can’t stop his mouth from falling open. Anna is stood in front of him in a white dress, her hair tied up into a delicate bun. She’s just adjusting her veil when Kristoff walks in and her face breaks out into a smile, lighting up the entire room. She is perfect in every way and he knows now he can never possibly let her go.

He goes to speak when Elsa walks into the room, and he can’t help but admit how beautiful she looks as well. Dressed in a sparkly blue dress, with a crown placed upon her head, she looks every bit the Queen and Kristoff has an overwhelming desire to bend down and bow. But he won’t; not yet anyway.

“Oh, Kristoff! What a pleasant surprise, I didn’t expect to see you here.” Elsa addresses him personally, her tone warm but her eyes cold. “Is there any particular reason you’re in the Princesses dressing room, on her wedding day?”

He swallows the lump rising in his throat and coughs before addressing her. “I have a gift for the Princess, your majesty. I wanted to gift it to her before I left Arendelle.”

“You’re... you’re leaving?” Anna’s tiny voice fills the room and he allows himself to look at her. She has moved across the room and is now standing directly in front of him, so the only thing he can see is her.

“Yes, my family needs me in the mountains so I’m to return there for the foreseeable future.”

They look at one another and it doesn’t matter that this is her wedding day; he couldn’t and wouldn’t stop loving her even if it meant letting her go.

A small cough breaks his reverie and he tears his gaze away from Anna to look at Elsa, whose eyes have now softened.

“Well Kristoff, I shall leave you and Anna to it. Please bear in mind the wedding begins in twenty minutes.” She walks towards the door, grabbing her sisters’ hand as she passes and he misses the words she mouths to Anna. She’s at the door when she turns and addresses him once more. “Oh and one more thing Kristoff. Thank you, for what you did for Anna and me during the unexpected winter. I don’t know what we would have done without you.” She smiles at him and gives a slight nod of the head and seconds later she has gone, leaving him alone with the woman of his dreams.

It takes him a moment or two to look back at Anna and when he does he can barely breathe. They are standing chest to chest; well chest to head as he is at least a foot taller than her and she is looking up at him, like he is the only person that exists.

“You have a gift for me?” She whispers, her sweet breath caressing his face. He shudders slightly at the sound of her voice and he will not kiss her, he won’t. He takes a step back and reaches into his pocket, pulling out a small jewellery box and hands it to her. Her fingers brush gently against his and he shudders once again, all the blood draining from his body and rushing to his head.

Anna opens the box and gasps. “Oh Kristoff, it’s beautiful. Wherever did you get it?”

“Grandpappie, kind of. He gifted me the gems and I... well I made it.” He can feel the blush spread to his cheeks and he lifts a hand to rub the back of his neck in embarrassment. She gives him the biggest smile he has ever seen and he can feel the smile spreading across his own face. “I wanted you to have a piece of the mountains and a reminder of, um, how we met. Hence the snowflake.”

“It’s wonderful, thank you. I want to wear it now.” She turns towards the mirror and removes the necklace she is currently wearing. He watches her struggle with the clasp for a few seconds and moves hesitantly towards her.

“May I?”

She nods and he takes the necklace from her grasp, bringing it around her neck and fastening it with ease. He allows himself to linger a few extra seconds, taking in the slenderness of her neck, wondering how it would feel under his lips. His fingers graze the back, as he moves a few wispy bits of hair and he feels her tremble beneath his touch. He looks at the two of them in the mirror and allows himself a small smile; they really do look wonderful together.

“Kristoff?”

“Yes Anna?”

“I can’t marry Hans.”

*

He isn’t sure how long has passed but he’s certain they’re running out of time.

He’s still stood by the mirror but Anna is no longer in front of him. She is currently wringing her hands together and pacing the room. He wants to say something, anything but it’s like he has forgotten every word he’s ever learnt. The only words he knows are ”I can’t marry Hans.”

She finally stops pacing and rubs her hands down her face. “I can’t do it, I won’t do it. Arendelle doesn’t need the Southern Isles and I sure as hell don’t need Hans.” She sounds more confident now. “It’ll be fine. I’ll just go out there and tell them and if it means that I’ve ruined everything then so be it. I’ll run away to the mountains, I’ve done it once before. I can do it again.” She’s rambling now and he knows she won’t stop till he says something but he has a lump in his throat that just won’t go away. “And who knows, maybe he’ll be fine with it. Maybe he’ll agree. Maybe he’ll laugh and be like ‘thank goodness’. Or you know, maybe he’ll threaten me with death...”

That snaps him out of his thoughts and he forces himself to speak. “Anna, I’d never let him hurt you. Never. But why don’t you want to marry him? I thought he was your true love?”

“He’s not my true love Kristoff. I know that much.”

“But the winter went away, the sun came back. I thought an act of true love could only fix it?”

She sighs and buries her hands in her face, before finding a seat. She remains like that for a few moments before looking back at him.

“I didn’t tell you this because I didn’t think I’d ever see you again. Then when I saw you and Sven in the city, I couldn’t bring myself to tell you the truth. I didn’t want you to think less of me...” She looks down towards her hands in her lap.

He strides across the room and bends down in front of her. He takes her hands in one of his, and tilts her head with the other so he can look at her directly.

“Anna, I would never think less of you. Tell me what happened.”

“Well I returned to the castle and found Hans. I told him that Elsa had frozen my heart and that only an act of true love could fix it. He suggested the kiss and so he sat me down and we kissed.” She blushes at that point and looks away. “But it didn’t work. I still had a frozen heart and I was getting weaker by the minute. Hans didn’t think anything of it and declared he was going to find Elsa so he could fix it. I was on my own for ages, Kristoff, just getting colder and colder when I had an idea. So I ventured back outside, into the oncoming storm and found myself on the frozen sea. I was wandering further and further away from the castle when I saw Weselton brandishing a sword. He was going to kill Elsa and I knew I couldn’t let that happen, so I changed course and stood in front of her. Well the effect of having a frozen heart took hold and I ended up becoming a statue.

“I wasn’t expecting it but Elsa’s love for me, unfroze me. I guess after all those years apart and thinking she hated me, I was wrong. She really did love me. So, yeah, she realised what she had to do to fix the winter, did it and there was no reason for me not to marry Hans.”

Kristoff couldn’t breathe, it hadn’t worked. Which meant someone out there could be her true love, could it be him? Would she allow it to be him?

“What was your idea?”

“Hmm?” She looks confused and nervously tucks a stray bit of hair behind her ear.

“You said you had an idea, whilst you were getting colder waiting for Hans to return. What was it?”

“Oh.” She blushes now and it is the most wonderful thing he has seen. Her cheeks look fuller and all of her freckles stand out. “I thought... um... well... I thought I would look for you.”

“Me?”

They look at each other and if he thought he knew anything of love before he was wrong. The look in her eyes lets him know that this, this was love and that he wasn’t being silly when he knew she loved him back. He just needed to hear it now, just needed to voice it.

“Yes. I thought maybe you would have an idea of how to fix it. Seeing as my kiss with Hans didn’t work. I thought maybe...” She breaks off and giggles nervously. She is so Anna and she’s perfect and she’s beginning to lean closer towards him and he can’t help but lean towards her and they’re so close, the lips almost meet...

And then a harsh laugh is heard behind him.

*

He turns around slowly, unable to hide the disappointment which flashes across his face and he sees Hans stood there, looking particularly angry, a hand hovering over his sword.

“Well, well, well, what do we have here? Oh Anna, I expected so much better from you. I really did.” Hans’ voice is a snarl, and he moves menacingly towards the two of them. They both scramble to their feet, and Kristoff puts a protective arm around Anna.

“Hans, this isn’t what it looks like. I was just saying goodbye to Anna, that’s all.”

“Oh do be quiet Kristoff. I know exactly what’s going on here. Do you think I’m stupid? Do you think I haven’t noticed the longing looks the two of you give one another when you think you’re the only one around? Do you think I didn’t notice that my kiss didn’t work Anna? That you then went out into the storm in search of him?”

Anna peeks out from behind Kristoff and stands beside him, taking his hand. He tries to ignore the way his pulse quickens at this small gesture and squeezes her hand in support.

“Get over it Hans, I don’t love you and I don’t want to marry you. There is only person in this room I want to be with and as I’ve just said, it isn’t you.” Anna stands proudly and stares her now ex-fiancée down.

“I should have made sure you died in that room.” Hans raises his sword above his head and Kristoff is sure this is how he dies, Anna’s small hand in his and although he never got to tell her how he feels, he knows she knows and that’s all that matters really...

But there’s no crushing blow, no blood splatter; just the sound of the door crashing open and Hans being slammed against the wall, in an icy blast. Elsa is stood in the doorway, flanked by guards, hands trembling.

“Anna, Kristoff, are you both okay?” She asks them, never taking her eyes of Hans.

“We’re fine Elsa, we’re fine. Thank you.” Anna speaks before he gets the chance and she cuddles closer to his side.

“Well Prince Hans, I imagine this isn’t quite how you pictured your wedding day going. As Queen of Arendelle, I banish you from ever returning. You shall be sent back to the Southern Isles and I will personally let your brothers know of your misdoings.” She turns away from him to address her guards. “Take him away and send him on the next boat home, I want him as far away from Anna as possible.” She turns to face him once more and leans close. “If you ever try and return to hurt her again, I will personally make sure that you never see the light of day again. Goodbye Prince Hans” She stands aside so the guards can escort him out and then it’s just the three of them.

Elsa finally looks at them and rushes over to hug Anna. “Oh I was so worried about you. Thank god I got here when I did. You sure you’re okay?” She places both of her hands on the side of her sisters’ face.

“Elsa I’m fine, thanks to you. I can’t believe I was due to marry him!”

“Well there’s no need to worry about that now, he will never be able to hurt you again. Come on, let’s get you home. It’s time to put this day behind us.” Elsa takes her hand and goes to lead her out of the room, stopping once she realises Kristoff is still stood there. “You too Kristoff, you’re coming with us surely?”

He can barely contain the grin that breaks out across his face.

It’s not till much later, when they’re sat together on her sofa that he realises that she hasn’t let go of his hand since she took it earlier.

*

It’s been two weeks and he is still yet to kiss her.

He keeps missing his opportunity, cursing Hans at every chance he gets, but he knows when the perfect moment arrives, it’ll be the most wonderful feeling in the world.

He hasn’t left her side since Elsa stopped Hans, except to go home and sleep, but he’s back in her life before they get a chance to miss one another. He can’t quite believe his luck, that Anna chose him over everyone else and every morning he thanks his lucky stars that he gets to love her.

He’s yet to tell her that as well but he knows, soon he will.

“Kristoff?”

“Yes?”

“Are you coming? I’ve got something to show you!” Anna has a huge grin on her face and is bouncing on the balls of her feet, and he knows that today is the day. Today he will kiss her and tell her everything he is feeling in that one simple act.

“Yeah, I’m coming.” He says as she exits the room, a bundle of nervous energy.

*

Kristoff was used to being alone and he was fine with that.

And then Anna came into his life and changed his entire viewpoint of what it meant to be alone. 

Because even when he was, he knew she was out there somewhere, being the best thing to happen to him and so he would never be alone again. 

[okimargarvez]

REVERSE - 1

Original title: Reverse.

Prompt: Penelope is the new girl on the BAU team and Luke tries to treat her cold.

Warning: A.U., possible OOC.

Genre: drama, romantic, family, friendship.

Characters: Luke Alvez, Penelope Garcia, BAU team, Derek Morgan, O.C. Sam Cooper’ team, Roxy.

Pairing: Garvez.

Note: oneshot 62 in Garvez collection.

Legend: 💑😘👓🔦🐶❗🎲🎈👻🎬🎵.

Song mentioned: Amici per errore, Tiziano Ferro.

Reverse- Masterlist

GARVEZ STORIES

Note: I written the whole story in just two days; yeah, I’m not normal. It was funny (but also not so easy) re-writing their main scenes and dialogues imagining that the situation was reverse: she the new girl, he with the team since… the beginning.

1 # In no way I would like to be elsewhere, that’s why I’m still here

About a month had passed since Christine left to follow her husband to another city. He couldn’t really blame her without feeling selfish: in her place he would probably have done the same. Not only had Rich risked dying from one of the madmen they were chasing (as had happened to Hotch, with a less positive ending), but at that moment she was actually pregnant. It had hurt him, that she hadn’t told him, to have to find out in such a brusque way. He was her best friend after all. Perhaps for a while, before Rich, he had even hoped for something more.

Her absence was not only noticeable in his heart, but much more practically when it came to solving a case. Hotch had called Kevin Lynch, with whom they had collaborated in previous years, but who for some reason he had never really liked him. Then, about a week ago, however, the man had announced that he was needed elsewhere and so his historic ex-girlfriend had replaced him (in the Bureau the gossip went wild, there was no concept of privacy): Penelope Garcia, the star of the behavioral analysis team led by the unscrupulous Sam Cooper.

Of course, he had already heard of her, not just through rumors. She was definitely the best in her field (as much as it bothered him to admit it, because he seemed to be doing wrong to Chrissie). Probably the best in the entire FBI or perhaps even in the world, without exaggerating. Someone said that CIA has banned her from its archives. Top level hacker, like any good computer technician. Even Agent Oller idolized her in a way he never really understood, since they were almost peers. Not before he meets her in person.

But there were other voices circulating, of another kind. Epic stories, almost to compete with the Arthurian and Carolingian cycles. With a co-star: Derek Morgan. The nicknames they had given themselves (and that people had added, as the wireless phone tour continued) were wasted. Her lines were at least as famous as her speed in finding the address of a suspect found untraceable. It had happened to him sometimes to meet Agent Morgan at the shooting range. He had wondered what was in her and was about to find out, at his price.

The elevator doors open halfway. The solitude in which Luke Alvez has taken refuge is about to be broken by a blond hurricane. -Hello!- Garcia exclaims enthusiastically, getting on board and positioning herself too close for his tastes. It is as if the lone wolf that was before joining the BAU had returned after Christine’s departure. Although his eyes remain fixed on the reflective steel surface, his nostrils cannot avoid capturing her perfume. The first time he saw her he was bent over studying a file; Hotch appeared on the balcony, calling them to the meeting. And he glimpsed at her backside, beginning to understand Morgan. Then the big boss made the presentations one by one. She was dressed in such an indecent way… not so much for the clothes, even JJ occasionally allowed herself something low-cut… and also Chrissie. But for the bright colors. He remembers what he thought at the time. But it would have been proven wrong more than once. Because her perfume is not at all exaggerated, strong and annoying as expected. Indeed, it seems an almost natural and damn stimulating aroma.

He erases the last thought and forces himself to be at least polite. His mother and grandmother would otherwise scold him, even if they have no way of finding out. -Good morning.- he replies, with a cold, distant and professional tone.

Because of the silence he can hear Garcia take a breath before opening her mouth. But he knows she won’t be able to hold herself; she can’t help it. She is certainly the least formal creature of the FBI. And Chrissie would love her. -How was your week-end?- here she is. Luke remembers how difficult it was to be grumpy and unkind when he shook her hand. Surely it would have been easier to hate Lynch for no reason… but he was a man. The overlap was not working.

He feels the woman’s gaze on him. Those brown eyes so dark and penetrating, as well as so large and apparently innocent, covered by a pair of fuchsia glasses, naturally paired with the flower in her hair and the three-quarter jacket. He cursed himself for being so adept at noticing a great deal of detail in no time. He may even feel her expectation while she is patiently waiting for him to answer. -I don’t see why I should talk to you about it.- he chooses to continue with the farce of professionalism. But then, despite Garcia continuing to keep quiet and good, he feels driven by an external force to add a detail. -But if you really insist…- he turns for the first time towards her, instantly catching her eyes. -I stayed with my girlfriend, who is beautiful and loves me.- inside he laughs deeply, because she can’t know he’s talking about his dog. It doesn’t seem to have been added to his file.

-Oh, fantastic!- her reaction, sincerely enthusiastic, confirms that she has fallen for it. Naivety is another of the things she is famous for. This often made her the victim of her team’s (light) jokes. He feels a little bad in taking advantage of her weakness, but if it helps to make her understand that with him he doesn’t work, that she won’t be able to become his friend… Garcia looks at him again, without any shame. -And you stayed at home or…- apparently not, he will have to play it heavier. He sighs.

He doesn’t even shake his head. -No, we went for a walk in the park.- he smiles maliciously, reflecting on how easy it is to exchange Roxy for a woman. -She loves it.- he adds. -What about your weekend?- he asks, considering that only one floor is still missing before they reach theirs. But has this elevator always been so slow, or is it doing it on purpose? Everything conspires against him.

She speaks with much more tranquility. Of course, she hasn’t lost her best friend. -I stayed at home with my boyfriend.- Luke feels a pang of annoyance at that answer, but doesn’t want to believe it’s the thought that she can’t have an affair. Kevin is proof of that, isn’t it? It seems to him that they have been together for about five years, back and forth. Of course it was JJ and Chrissie who talked about it all the time, they love the internal gossip. He has never been a superficial type and Garcia has all the credentials; her curves certainly don’t leave men indifferent. -It helped me improve my fingering techniques…- she continues, then realizes the way he is now looking at her. Eyes wide open and narrowed in amazement. Yet he knew it would happen. She is also the undisputed queen of double meaning. It seems that this time however it was not wanted. -On my clarinet!- she then adds, almost screaming. She defends herself with too much emphasis, the skin of the face even paler. -I swear, I meant the musical instrument.- finally, she seems to succumb and he is even sorry.

But not from the outside. Luke, on the other hand, chuckles, nodding, amused by the situation, he can’t help. As he wonders if Agent Morgan has ever been able to test the skill of her fingers. -There is no need to get agitated.- he says, but it doesn’t sound reassuring at all and in fact he didn’t want to be. -Whatever you do in your spare time, this is only about you.- he is amazed at the ease with which such nonsense comes out. Then he feels the cell phone vibrate in his pants pocket, just in time, even if he hasn’t programmed it. He extracts it and looks at the familiar message. -And, sorry- how damned fake he is! -but we have an important case.- without looking at her once, he goes down the elevator first. Really not very gallant. -Have a good day.- he adds as compensation.

-Wait!- she shouts after him. He hears the sound of her heels as she tries to reach him. -I can also play the ukulele.-

—————————

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[our-kendrick]

'Painful at times': Anna Kendrick on delving into her 'love life' in new series

© Jenny Cooney

Read here, or below.

Anna Kendrick is facing a conundrum. And it’s one that has left the 34-year-old actor uncharacteristically tongue-tied as she sits in her LA home in isolation, talking over Zoom about Love Life, her first television series.

Looking much the same way she describes herself to her 7.3 million Twitter followers – “pale, awkward and very, very small” – she is no stranger to self-deprecating humour, as a recent tweet suggests: “I guess I’ll never be able to lie to myself again about all the shit I would do if I just had the time.”

But the petite, Oscar-nominated star of Up in the Air and the Pitch Perfect franchise is also notoriously protective of her personal life and has never confirmed she’s even dating cinematographer Ben Richardson, whom she reportedly met while making the 2013 indie film Drinking Buddies.

Which brings us to the question that’s just brought the conversation to a halt: how can she talk about her romantic-comedy series without talking about her own love life? “Well, as far as keeping it private, it isn’t easy, as you are proving right now,” she responds. “But that’s just always how it’s been for me.”

With that awkward moment over, Anna returns to her chatty self as we talk about her other Love Life, the Stan anthology series. Anna’s character, Darby, a museum tour guide, is the subject of the first 10-episode season as we follow her relationships from first love to lasting love via everything in between.

“The real arc that we wanted was to show how we learn from each relationship,” she says. “Even though our relationships end, it doesn’t mean they are complete failures. People come into your life and you grow and they change you and what you learn from them might be really positive or it might be negative.”

The series shares DNA with Sex and the City and Girls as we watch a group of friends clumsily navigating the messy reality of pairing up. “It was painful at times and I cringed at the way that I, and so many women that I know, dated guys in our early 20s – the way we were so awkward and needy and clingy,” Anna says.

“Looking back now, it’s like, ‘Oh god, I acted like such a jerk in that relationship.’ Or all the times I didn’t feel strong enough to say, ‘You can’t speak to me that way.’ I’m just so happy that I’m clearer now about what I will accept from people in my life.”

As Anna grows more relaxed, we circle back to the dating themes of the show and how they resonated in her life. “When I was maybe 14 or 15, somebody gave me this specific example, that if you’re ever in a car with a guy, and he’s driving, and as a joke he lets go of the wheel and makes you grab it, that is not a guy you want to be with,” she recalls.

“He might say, ‘Hey, I’m just joking, why are you being so sensitive?’ But really, he’s testing your boundaries and what you’re willing to put up with and trying to make you uncomfortable."

“It sounds silly, but I dated a guy when I was 19 who tickled me all the time and I don’t like being tickled, because it makes me claustrophobic. So I kept saying, ‘This is a problem for me. Please don’t do it.’ "

“But he kept doing it and I thought, ‘He’s the guy with the steering wheel!’ So, I broke up with him and he told everyone it was because he tickled me. I was like, ‘No, dude, I broke up with you because you didn’t respect me!’ ”

Anna Kendrick grew up in the sleepy US East Coast town of Portland, Maine, the daughter of a history teacher and an accountant. At age six she scored the lead role in a community-theatre production of Annie. By 10, she was insisting her parents make the five-hour drive into New York City for stage auditions. And at 12 she scored a Tony nomination in the Broadway musical High Society.

Eventually, the fresh-faced brunette with big blue eyes transitioned into films, including the four Twilight Saga movies (2009-12). She has also put her theatrical roots to good use in musical films, including Stephen Sondheim’s Into the Woods (2014) and the 2016 animated film Trolls, including eight songs on the soundtrack.

Love Life also implies sex life, although Anna says she really hadn’t thought that through when she first signed on. “When we started filming, it dawned on me that in every single episode I was going to be doing a kissing scene or a sex scene with someone brand new,” she says, rolling her eyes. “It was definitely weird to know that we were going to meet and within a week we were going to be in bed pretending to have sex!”

That doesn’t mean, however, she’ll be going the full Kim Cattrall or Lena Dunham on the show. “My personal feelings on nudity – that I’m not really interested in nudity for me – stayed the same. I’ve never had a problem with simulated sex scenes – that feels like it’s about the character, whereas I only get one body, so nudity is more about me.”

Anna’s on a roll with this new screen persona, recently playing a woman who falls for a talking sex doll in the quirky, bite-sized series Dummy, available on the Quibi streaming platform.

“That gave me a new appreciation for people who are owners of sex dolls because it turns out that a sex doll is really heavy lifting, so there’s a certain level of commitment,” she says in typically deadpan manner.

“I have no judgment and I seriously tip my cap to those people,” she adds, grinning. “But the creator and director of Dummy, Tricia Brock, also directed an episode of Love Life where Darby uses a sex toy and I said, ‘Tricia, do you just like to have me doing something gross every time we work together?’ ”

As video chats become more the norm, stars are often sharing intimate glimpses into their homes. Not Anna, who is sitting in front of a blank white wall looking surprisingly glammed up thanks to a good blow-dry, immaculate make-up and a pretty floral dress.

“I could say I’ve been exercising every day and cooking,” she says, “but there’s definitely been days where I feel helpless because there’s something really terrible happening out there and I’m powerless to change it.”

For now, she’s happy to use Zoom to keep her loved ones close. “Twice a week I do family movie nights – my parents are in Maine and my brother is in New York – and we pick a movie like Robert Redford’s The Natural or The Princess Bride and all press play at the same time. We’re all texting each other during the movie, which normally would be a no-no, but under these circumstances it’s really sweet.”

That also applies to many of her co-stars. “In the last couple of weeks, I was on a Zoom call with some of the girls from Pitch Perfect [including Rebel Wilson and Anna Camp] and we were talking about when you get in fights with friends, how it’s the worst.

“I said, ‘If you just text me first to warn me you’re mad before you call, that would be great.’ And those girls were like, ‘What? We’re not going to get into a fight!’ I met them when we were around 25 and now we’re talking about being friends until we’re 80.”

It’s not surprising then, that Anna embraced the episode of Love Life devoted to a potential breakup with Darby’s best friend, Sara (Zoe Chao), instead of a beau. “Sometimes your girlfriends are the great loves of your life and they affect you so much,” she says. “I’m just grateful to have those kinds of relationships, too.”

[intotheshadowblog]

Chapter XIV  Where shadows meet light

Írimë was in the palace library.

 She had always found peace in the libraries in Alfheim and in Asgard things had not changed.

 Reading recreated her spirit but this time her reading had a different objective.

 At first she had tried to find out more about Heimdal, because even though it had been a long time since that meeting and how much it had cost her to recover from that episode, her heart was still clinging to the idea of ​​finding out what her fainting had meant.

 She couldn't remember anything more than that but she understood that there was something else and that everyone was trying to hide it from her, either because they were afraid it would hurt to find out or because they didn't understand it.

 But seeing that there was no progress on that topic and abandoning the idea of ​​someone helping her with that, her heart resumed her pirmer and only objective since she had memory and was to find out the whereabouts of her protégé, her helpless Jotun abandoned in that temple .

 She had traveled many worlds and searched all of them, perhaps in Asgard, whose library was the largest of the nine kingdoms, could find something that would bring her closer to her search.

 Also in the last two days she had not heard from Loki and this saddened her greatly.

 Since her arrival they had spent almost every day together, except for that estrangement after the visit to the temple in the mountains they had not separated again, until now.

 They had toured the gardens, had visited the outskirts of the city, gazed at the stars from the palace terrace, and had even dared to go further by crossing some portals to other kingdoms.

All this with the greatest complicity and provoking the inevitable approach that had led them to see themselves as more than just the guest and the host.

 Maybe this was what had caused the estrangement, she thought.

 And as she turned the pages of that book that told the story of the creation of Midgard and its inhabitants, Loki's harmonious voice made her heart beat. This feeling even though it was still new to her was becoming familiar to her and she had stopped wondering why she felt it.

 -This is my favorite place too ...

 He had said as he stood next to her.

 Irime bowed to him and turned her eyes to the book, Loki realized her indifference

 -I'm sorry I left these days, I had some business to attend to

 Irime looked at him for a few seconds and gave him a forced smile, she turned her eyes to his book, Loki sighed

 -May I know what you read?

 He said approaching her, but Írimë stepped back and closing the book she looked at him seriously

 -Why would you want to know?

 Loki shrugged but did not reply.

 -Why would you really want to be by my side?

 The prince's eyes denoted his puzzlement

 -I know how you feel Loki ...

 She continued with a frown and those words seemed to surprise him.

 -I am a guest in your world but I am not welcome ... I know that you have been kind to me and I have enjoyed each of our meetings but I am not going to ask you to feel the same, I release you from the obligation to accompany me only out of courtesy ...

 Loki smiled almost relieved because for a moment he had feared that she had entered his head again

 -I don't do it out of courtesy, I really appreciate our moments together ...

 Írimë looked at him and twisting her head to one side she smiled

 -You are still gentle ... I appreciate that but ... you don't have to keep pretending

 -I'm not pretending why do you think that?

Irime put the book back on its shelf and looked sadly at Loki.

 -I come from a different world from yours, my nature is not at all what you have known until now ... I am a stranger in Asgar.

 Loki listened to her in silence

 -I don't expect you to appreciate me, I know how you feel about the Jotnar ... our history separates us ...

 And saying this she walked away, she had only taken a few steps towards the exit when she heard his voice again

 -Sorry…

 She turned with deep sorrow and smiled sadly

 -I can understand it ... you don't have to worry ...

 Loki hurriedly shook his head

 -You don't understand ... it's not that ... I know you're a friend of the Jotnar and that you see them in a way that I can't see them but that's not what has kept me away these days ...

 Írimë shook her head at the sides in confusion.

 -Then what is Loki? I came to feel pleased with our walks, I feel comfortable with you but I want to clarify my ideas ... there is nothing to say ...

 And pointed to the library shelves

 -You know what I was doing? I was looking for something to take me to my protégé, my baby Jotun ... I am desperately looking for a Jotun ... And he is no longer a baby, I know that... if you helped me find him, what would you do? Would you greet him with a hug? What would Thor or Odin do? He would be an enemy and then they would face me ...

 And while saying this her eyes were wet, Loki remained silent.

 -You see it? This is my life, I am the last person you want to be with ...

 Loki ducked his head before speaking and when he raised it Irime could glimpse all his sadness but still his gesture was majestic.

 -And you think that we would be enemies if this happened ... because you would always choose him ...

And he said this with immense sorrow, Írime raised her eyebrows upon hearing it

 -It's my destiny Loki! What else could i do? I have chosen to protect the Jotnar a long time ago, at first it was because I felt indebted to them but then ... they began to be part of my family ... I knew that this was my place in the world ... it still is ... and if ...

 And as she said this s felt her soul break into a thousand pieces

 -I would choose him ...

 Saying this, Loki took a breath, seemed to want to overcome what he had heard, at that moment he knew how much he cared about that young woman and how much suffering it caused him to hear her say that. He had fallen in love with someone who would always see him as an enemy, that's what he felt.

 In turn, poor Irime felt that her soul was shattered into a thousand pieces, she could feel the pain of the tear. The pain of seeing Loki with sad eyes was terrible and she could hardly bear it, because in reality she had not answered him with the truth, she knew it just then.

She had said out loud that she would choose the Jotun because that was her duty but within her soul, her voice had shouted the opposite. She had said in a desperate cry that no, that she chose him, Loki, that she broke with the eternal bond that bound her to her protégé and that with this she broke with her own nature.

 Loki had not heard her say this but knew that Iluvatar had heard her, all hope of reunion, of forgiveness, all possibility that her lord would allow her to meet again with that soul she had chosen so long ago, vanished in an instant and she knew she had definitely failed, she no longer had hopes of recovering her beloved Jotun but she also renounced that her love for Loki would see the light someday, again, like that night in Jotunheim, in a second she had lost what she loved the most in the world twice.

 She did not know that it was that interior response that had told Iluvatar that she was ready for the reunion with her protégé, because she had chosen him to Loki beyond what she supposed as her duty to Istari, Irime had chosen Again who to protect and it was Jotun himself, even though she didn't know it, her choice had been confirmed

And after all this, Loki sighed again and nodded approvingly at her words.

 -I understand that you feel that you would not be on my side ... and maybe you should face Thor and Odin but you do not know me Írimë, I am not on anyone's side ... my side is the side I choose when I decide to do it and if you asked me, I would be on your side to face whoever, even if it means being on the side of my enemies ...

 Írime frowned when she heard him, she couldn't believe that he was offering her help for something so opposite to him.

 Loki continued:

 -I have dealt with hatred, contempt and even with the desire for revenge, I have known how to defend myself from insults and I have struggled not to succumb to the pain caused by having forgotten my past ... I have never felt that I belong anywhere .. ... and I have accepted that ...

 Irime was deeply moved by his words, for the first time he was confessing his pain, his frustrations, it was more than she had expected.

 -I have acquired powerful skills, I have become more dangerous than anyone imagines ... but I have never felt safe ... until you arrived ...

 Irime felt a pain in her chest, a combination of joy and sorrow at the same time

 -And even when you see me as an enemy, I am not ... I would not face you because I have never faced anything like this ... I have been able to face the shadows ... I walked between them ... but I had never faced so much light ...

 He said almost as if his voice were tearing at that phrase

 -That's the answer why I walked away ... I'm afraid if I don't walk away my shadows will reach you and my darkness will turn off that light forever ...

 The Istari felt her eyes fill with tears, she stood there for a few seconds, saying nothing, then took a breath and slowly approached him, reached out her tremula hand and tried to touch his face while his own face came close enough as if to mix their breaths, he remained still and silent, she almost got dizzy from his proximity, she could not help approaching him and realemte she wanted to kiss him

-You are not my enemy Loki ... and if you can see my light maybe I can dispel your shadows ... let me help you ... don't stay away from me ...

 Irime's words reminded him of Frigga's advice, perhaps his mother had seen that this was possible, he did not know, but he could not accept it, could not risk destroying what had captivated him for the first time in life , so as soon as her hand almost brushed his cheek and her face had almost touched his he moved away avoiding her contact

 -You can not help me…

 He said firmly.

 The young woman felt terribly hurt by his rejection and also left his side, trembling, letting out tears that were gathering in her eyes, looked at him and broke into tears, walked away as fast as she could.

 She ran downstairs and crossed the halls of the palace, went out into the gardens and did not stop, even though she heard Loki's voice shouting her name did not stop running or crying.

 Loki stood there calling to her, standing, until his entire being forced him to go after her.

 He understood that if he did not do it he would lose her forever and even when he did not want to do it and he knew that extinguishing her light was the same as dying, and that he was willing to die but not to cause any harm to her ... even knowing that at that moment he surrendered at his will and he only knew that he had to go after her.

Irime got into that beautiful maze of ligustrines that was in the middle of the huge garden and kept running, until she felt someone grab her tight and push her towards one of the leaf walls of the maze.

  She was agitated and bathed in tears, and squeezing her eyes she tried to wriggle out of Loki's arms that held her tight

  -Sorry, I didn't want to ... let me go ...

  She said to him between sobs and with her head down because of the shame she felt for having come so close and showing her feelings

  -I can't ... I can't let you go, it's too late for that ...

  She felt how his hand forced her to raise her head and slowly opened her eyes, she saw Loki's eyes through her tears and he was also crying, suddenly the pain stuck in her soul and his crying was more important than anything else. she could have felt and felt terrible for provoking him.

  -We are lost ... both of us ...

  She heard him whisper as in her terrible confusion she saw him approach her and she almost lost consciousness when she felt the warmth of his breath mix with hers and his lips brushed her lips, they felt frozen like frost and she jumped when feeling them but he prevented her from walking away squeezing them in a tender kiss first and then passionate. Then they became hot and burned her like a burning flame.

With her eyes closed again she let herself be carried away by that strange but incredible feeling, she felt that kiss in every corner of her soul, every fiber of her spirit was shaken invaded by that intrusive and inexplicable feeling. Her soul searched the depths of that darkness and tried to dance in its shadows, she wanted to connect with that abyss that enveloped him and that for some reason was not alien to her. She faced that ancient pain and stroked it so that he would understand that from that moment her arms would always be there to shelter him. And before she returned, she left her torch on so that the mists began to dissipate.

   All that Irime did while that eternal moment of connection between the two lasted.

   When his kiss consumed her breath and each beat of her heart told her how far her incandescent spirit nature had fallen, then she opened her eyes little by little and at that distance Loki's wet eyes seemed like suns that exploded in the gap of the horizon , flashing a sunrise that she had never seen but that she wanted to continue seeing forever.

   Neither of them walked away as if they were tied by an invisible but powerful bond that bound them inevitably, entity.

   Words were not necessary.

   Then Loki began to walk away slowly and even brushing his lips with hers he said in a sensual murmur.

   -You have found the way to my shadows ... I can no longer let you go ... forgive me

   And Irime trying to catch some breath she forced herself to pronounce the words that didn't seem to want to stop dancing in her dizzy head.

   -Don't let me go ... never let me go ...

   She said and he kissed her again passionately

[squirrelly831]

He Cheats [Minseok, Junmyeon, and Yixing]

Angst for obvious reasons. This is long. The parts will be linked at the bottom of this reaction. 

Enjoy~

Minseok

He knew what he was doing was stupid and wrong, but it was because of that tiny taboo that made him do it. The idea that he could do it and get away with it… At least he thought he could get away with it. The girl didn’t even mean anything to him. She just flirted with him and he flirted back. Even took her out on a few dates. However, when the pictures were released and circulated through the fandoms, Minseok realized his error.

It was bad enough with all the controversy Tracey dealt with once their relationship was made public a year after the debut with her group. So many of the fans speculated on the scam of the relationship. They thought it was just a publicity stunt to rise her group’s popularity. Of course, it took them a while to accept, but now it was ruined.

Tracey didn’t even believe he was cheating on her until he appeared outside her dorm begging for forgiveness. Tracey bit her lip as she looked down at the pleading Minseok who had only confirmed the truth of the media. At first, she thought it was just the media trying to stir up problems, but seeing him tearful and begging, she knew it was true and it made her sick. Due to that, she ended the relationship. Surprising to Tracey, fans supported her through the break up. It was the thing that kept her going.

It had been a year and a half since the night Tracey’s entire world came crashing down around her. The night the four-year relationship with Minseok came to a heart-wrenching end. The break up left an awkward tension between not only Minseok and her, but his group as well, so she did her best to avoid him even though they worked in the same company. Then one day after six months, it wasn’t hard to see him around. She could give him a small smile and tell him ‘hello’. Maybe it was because she was moving on.

During that heartbreak period, Tracey landed an opportunity for a solo debut, something she only dreamed of, and she got SHINee vocalist, Taemin, to agree to work with her. With all the time she spent with him, all the dance practices, the time in the studio, and photoshoots that were more sensual than anticipated, The two of them bonded and became fast friends.

It would be a year and a half after her break up with Minseok, that Tracey began to date Taemin and only three months into the relationship, their relationship was caught on camera.

There was a picture of Tracey on the TV as Minseok flipped the stations one night. He caught of glimpse of it before flipping the channel back and he sat up as he read the headlines underneath.

Soloist Dating SHINee’s Taemin

He stared in disbelief as he listened to the entertainment report read Tracey’s and Taemin’s official statements. Hearing her confirmed the rumors made his heart stop. Minseok felt his whole world shake. He knew he had no way to ever try to win her back.

Junmyeon

Junmyeon was away on a four-month tour and he missed his girlfriend, Victoria, like crazy. However, no matter how much he missed her, he refused to call her as they got into a huge argument before he left that continued into the following weeks. They had been together for a year and a half and he wanted to meet her family, but Victoria was adamant that he didn’t need to. She wasn’t close to her family and preferred the distance, but Junmyeon didn’t understand. He assumed that it was him she was embarrassed of.

When he finally called, they ended up arguing again and Victoria had enough. “I think we should just not talk while you are away on tour” she announced through her tears.

Junmyeon fell silent and his throat felt raw, “Are we breaking up?” Even though they had been arguing, the last thing Junmyeon wanted was to lose her. He was sure Victoria was his soulmate. “Look, I won’t argue about it, but I don’t want to break up.”

“It won’t be a break up. Just time to calm down. I’m tired of fighting when we can’t sit and talk about it.”

Junmyeon agreed and by the third month he felt like he was losing his mind. While on tour he went to a bar, after one too many drinks and complaining to a stranger about the loneliness he felt, he woke the next morning naked and a note on the nightstand with her number. Junmyeon wish he didn’t remember what happened that night, but he did. He remembered it all which only made him feel regret and disgust. He dreaded the idea of going back to Victoria, he told himself it would just be his secret. His stomach turned with anxiety as he thought about the multiple outcomes that would happen if he did tell Victoria which only made him want to lock away the secret even more so.

However, when Junmyeon got back to Korea, he made it apparent that he hid something from Victoria. He avoided her and let her calls go to voicemail and texts go unread.

Victoria grew concerned, they were supposed to talk the moment EXO came back from tour, but Junmyeon had made it a priority to avoid her. After waiting around, she grew fed up and grabbed her winter attire before she headed to his place. She needed answers. Had he decided to break up with her without even telling her? She twisted her promise ring in fear. When Victoria made it to his place, she rang the door and shivered. The cold winter air chilled her to the bones as she waited. Her breath turned to smoke as she exhaled.

Junmyeon swung open the door expecting to see one of the boys, but when his eyes met hers, he stumbled. “Vic–” he stuttered. “What are you doing here?”

“You weren’t answering my calls or texts. Why?”

Junmyeon gulp as he swallowed the bitter pill. He knew he couldn’t keep running from it. “Let’s take a walk.” He suggested and grabbed his snow jacket.

The two walked in silence to the park of their first date. Junmyeon didn’t mean to come to such a memorable spot, but his feet had guided him there as he formulated what words he would say. He looked down at Victoria who looked to be holding her breath as she waited for him to speak. He shut his eyes and took her hands into his as he confessed to what he did. How he slept with a random woman from a club just because he let a momentary loneliness take over. He watched as Victoria froze taking each word that fell off his lips and a single tear cascaded down her face.

Her hands jerked out of his grasp. She looked to the snowy ground as she tried to steady her voice, “Why did-” her voice cracked too much to even finish the sentence. He destroyed her.

Junmyeon knew he did and he also knew no words could repair her, “I don’t know… I was lonely–”

“And I wasn’t!” She screamed through her tears. She hit his chest, “I missed you like fucking crazy. I wanted to call you and hear your voice. I wanted to hear you tell me you love me, but even so I would never–no– I never cheated on you!”

His fist clenched to his side as he looked down at her pound he chest with the side of her fists. “…I wish I could take it back” he replied solemnly.

Victoria glared at him not caring about the tears that fell, “And I wish I never met you.” She pressed her hand over her mouth to try stop the sobs as she backed away from him. Her hand grabbed at her chest, “It wouldn’t hurt this much if I could just hate you… I feel like my heart is being torn to pieces.” Junmyeon wanted to reach out and touch her, but he knew he didn’t have the right and he feared her rejection. She pulled off her promise ring he gave her and threw it at him, “We’re over.”

Junmyeon watched Victoria walk away. Her footprints almost immediately covered over by snow as if to keep her destination a secret from him. The sight became too much for him and he turned his head to the side so he couldn’t watch her leave him. He was completely ashamed of himself. He couldn’t believe he would hurt her so badly. He picked up the promise ring before it was buried under the harsh cold snow and pocketed before he went home.

Yixing

Yixing and Christina were together for two years and Christina thought of Yixing as her soulmate. Christina thought that their relationship was perfect, but she didn’t know Yixing held onto a secret. One secret that would threaten to tear their relationship apart.

Yixing grew bored of the relationship. Not of Christina , she was gorgeous and her smile was contagious. But everything was so predictable, so when the unpredictable force of Christina’s  best friend moved to be close to her, Yixing fell to the temptation. It started off as little flirty comments to small kisses that lead to make out sessions to actual sexual acts.

Christina noticed him drawing away from her, but whenever she questioned it he would just give her a smile and excuse it as he was just tired from the stress of his work. Then later, to confirm his love, he would take her out on romantic dates and would remind her how much he loved her in bed.

Christina let go of her suspicion go. She knew how hard Yixing worked and loved his work as an idol. She was out at the park with her puppy when she got a video call from Jongdae. She tossed the ball from her bag and watched her dog run after it. “Hello?”

“Heeeeeyyyyy!” Jongdae, Baekhyun, and Jongin greeted back.

She let out a laugh as her dog brought back the ball, “Hey! What are y’all doing?”

“We’re bored! You should come over” Baekhyun whined.

She threw the ball again and pulled her hair behind her ear, “Shouldn’t you be working with Yixing?”

The three looked at each other before Jongdae took his phone “What are you talking about?”

“Your album. I know you haven’t announced it yet, but you should at least be working on it.” Christina noticed the uneasy look on their face, “What’s up?” They said nothing which only made Christina worry more. “You don’t have an album coming out, do you?”

“ Christina … I’m sure he–”

“DO YOU!” They shook their head and Christina bit her lip, “Is he there?”

“No, but where are you? We’ll come to you.” Christina hung up the phone. Jongdae’s name flashed on her phone again and she declined it before she turned off her phone.

That rest of the day, she paced around her apartment as she went through all the possibilities. “Maybe he is planning a surprise?” She ran her hand through her hair in aggravation. She grabbed her phone and turned it on. There was a list of calls from Jongdae, Baekhyun, and Jongin, but she didn’t call them back. There was not a single call from Yixing which only made her angrier. She grabbed her keys and took off to her best friend’s place.

After waiting outside her best friend’s empty place for a while, she decided to go look for Yixing and her instincts led her to the dance studio. She saw a light from one of the rooms on and she peaked inside to see Yixing eyes closed and head back. She let out a breath as she felt relief until she walked inside to see he so called best friend sucking him off and his hand tangled in her hair. Christina’s gasp was what broke them up.

“Babe!” His eyes were blown out as he tried to figure out what to say. Christina lips were dry as she tried to wrap her head around it. She gave up on putting it to pieces, shook her head, and walked out. “Wait! Shit, baby!” Yixing fought on his pants before he ran after her with her best friend in tow.

They two saw Jongdae with Christina in his arms as she cried. Jongdae looked up at the two, “Let’s go” he whispered.

“ Christina, wait I can explain.”

Christina held up a hand, “Save it!” She mustered a stern voice. Jongdae led her away by her hand and Yixing stood there frozen.

Her best friend rushed to her side with tears in her eyes, “Please, Tee-tee, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” Christina felt rage when her friend grabbed her. “I’m sorry. Please, we’re best friends.”

Christina let go of Jongdae’s hand and swung at her best friend. She punched her in the face and she was sent to the ground, “WE’RE NOT BEST FRIENDS! BEST FRIENDS DON’T SLEEP WITH THEIR FRIEND’S BOYFRIENDS!” Jongdae wrapped his arms around Christina’s midsection and held her arms tightly against her sides. He dragged her fighting body down the hall away from the two who destroyed her.

Two hours after the incident, Yixing mustered up the courage to go to her apartment. However, when he typed in the code and entered, he felt the emptiness. He rushed into the living room. Photos and little things were missing. He ran into the bedroom and saw her clothes and bedding gone. All that remained was the big furniture, dishes and cups, and a note on the coffee table. He sat on the sofa and picked up the note to read it.

We’re through.

He bit his finger as he thought of how he could fight for Christina. Yixing only wanted her. He knew what he did was shitty, but he didn’t want to let her go. However, he would realize he didn’t have a choice in the matter anymore.

Part II || Part III

Credit to gif owners

Written & revamped by Squirrelly831

♕ REQUEST

☮ EXO MASTERLIST

∞ ULTIMATE MASTERLIST

[takingcourage]

The Girl Next Door

Pairing: Jaime x MC

Word Count: 3,550

Summary: Jaime gives Arden a tour of some renovations he’s made around his house, and they decide it’s time for a change in their relationship.

Note: I’ve had a draft of this story in the works since before A Prickly Diversion, so I’m super excited to finally share it with you all. It came out much cheesier than I intended, but I’m rolling with it. : ) 

This also fulfills the last two soft-prompt requests that I received from @krishu213 (reunion hug and family). If all goes according to plan, my other requested fics should be finished by the end of month. 

"Attention, passengers. We will now begin our descent into Northbridge International Airport. It's a cool fifty-seven degrees in the city and the local time is 6:43. We hope you've enjoyed--"

"Never thought I'd be so happy to be back in Northbridge," Ellen declared over the pilot's announcement. 

Arden pulled a pack of gum from her carry on and offered a stick to her business partner. "I'm always happy to be back."

Truth be told, she was especially glad to arrive on this particular evening. A series of flight delays had meant missing her lunch plans with Jaime and having to wait another full day before seeing Jinx and Opie. They'd only been apart for a week, but the time away had really started to wear her down.

Ellen rolled her eyes and folded the piece of gum into her mouth. "Of course you do. You'd happily live in the middle of the Sahara if it meant Jaime Lewis was there."

Arden wanted to argue, but the other woman wasn’t exactly wrong. Jaime had always been somewhat indispensable to her happiness, but over the past several months, he'd started feeling downright essential to her life. With a momentary flash of shame, she remembered the long sigh she'd given earlier in the day when their cancelled flight had meant eating yet another airport meal -- a meal without the boyfriend she'd been missing since they’d kissed goodbye at the terminal. 

It had been a long day -- the end to an incredibly long trip. From a business perspective, their venture had been incredibly successful. They'd secured all of the investments and partners that they'd been looking for, receiving little more than outright support for the groundwork they'd laid so far. The Ellen and Arden Show was scheduled to begin live tapings in Northbridge in just a few short weeks. 

Arden had been on cloud nine since they'd left their first meeting, except in the quiet moments when she remembered life outside of work. More and more, it was that half of life that seemed to matter most.

"I'm dropping you off at his house, right?" Ellen continued, breaking the silence. 

"That would be great. He can't pick me up from the airport, but he did promise to have dinner waiting for me." Arden straightened her back in a vain attempt to stretch out the kinks it had fallen into during their travels. 

Covering a yawn, Ellen consulted the view from her window. "You've got a real winner with that one."

"Which is exactly why I'm happy to be back in Northbridge," she responded lightly, predicting the other woman’s response even before it came. 

“Have I ever told you how cringey you are? Because you’re going to make me question my choice to take you on as my partner.” 

“That cringey-ness is part of why this city loves me. And we both know you’re not really regretting anything. We make a great team.” 

Ellen rubbed her forehead wearily as the wheels hit tarmac. 

_____

Arden had stayed in a lot of different places over the past week, but none of them had produced the same effect upon arrival as Jaime’s house. Her pulse shifted tempos when they finally made it to his driveway, her whole body light with the knowledge that this time, she was taking her suitcase somewhere familiar. The relief of not having to spend another night in a hotel was second only to the relief of not having to spend another night alone. 

“Thanks so much for the ride,” she acknowledged, cracking open the door. “I’ll have those drafts to you first thing tomorrow morning.”

Ellen gave her a peculiarly appraising glance. “No rush. I won’t have a chance to look over them until the afternoon.” 

“Okay. See you Monday?”

“Bright and early.” 

“See you then,” Arden promised, hefting her roller bag out of Ellen’s trunk. She wheeled the suitcase across Jaime’s sidewalk, smile breaking wide when the front door opened before her. 

“Hey!” Jaime greeted, reaching to take the briefcase that was slung across her shoulder. “Sorry I didn’t come out to the car.” I didn’t want to mess anything up. 

Arden’s forehead crinkled in confusion at his thought. “What is there to mess up?” As she uttered the words, she was met with the unmistakable smell of garlic wafting from the kitchen. “Oh, you mean dinner! We wouldn’t want anything to burn.” Again, she added mentally, recalling several of her own foiled kitchen attempts. 

Confusion flashed in his eyes, but he covered it quickly. “Oh, yeah. Burnt lasagna is a definite nope.” Jaime set the briefcase by the door, then he wheeled her suitcase into a nearby corner. “C’mere, Arden.” 

Dropping her purse to the floor, she was in his arms an instant later. She soaked in his warmth, his strength, his smell. Everything she’d been missing for the past week was fulfilled. 

“You okay?”

“I just missed you a lot.” She buried her nose into his shirt, breathing in the scent that had eluded her senses, no matter how hard she’d tried to imagine it. “And it’s good to be home.” 

His grip on her tightened. “Speaking of home, do you want to see the work I’ve done since the last time you came around? I could give you a little tour.” 

She nodded against him, lips curling up at the excitement in his tone. “I’d love to see what you’ve been working on.” 

He hadn’t told her the exact nature of the projects he’d completed, but Jaime wouldn’t be Jaime without some ongoing repair around the house. Even so, it was a little unusual for him to actually finish something significant enough to merit a tour. He’d spent years planning for future renovations, though most of his efforts were channelled into the work he did for others. 

Eager to see what he’d done, but reluctant to let go of him completely, Arden reached for his hand when they drifted apart. Slipping off her shoes, she followed him in past the entryway.

“You might have already guessed, but my first item of business was to get these floors refinished.” They crossed the threshold and Arden stopped short, thin socks sliding across the hardwood. 

“Jaime, they’re gorgeous! I can’t believe it’s the same floor!” She released his fingers so that she could squat down for a closer look. 

With a quiet chuckle, Jaime knelt down beside her. “It is a significant change, isn’t it? I went for a few shades darker than what was here before. It’s classy, but not dark enough to make cleaning it too much of a chore. I don’t think the upkeep will be too bad.” 

Arden’s fingers came to a standstill as she brushed the glossy panels. “Are you planning to hire me as your maid?” 

His cheeks flooded with color when her laughing eyes fell on him. “Of course not! It’s just...an interesting design feature.” 

“Uh-huh,” she replied, unconvinced. There was definitely more going on than Jaime was letting on. Is he asking me to move in with him? 

As they stood, his next thought practically confirmed it. 

It shouldn’t even show pet hair. I know they don’t shed that much, but still... 

Arden felt her heartbeat in her throat as they resumed the tour. If he was asking her to move in, her answer would come quite easily. She’d been wanting to move in together practically since they’d started dating, but Jaime’s good sense had encouraged waiting until they were sure that the relationship was actually going somewhere. Moving was an awful lot of hassle for something that wasn’t permanent. 

This is permanent, she thought, brushing away the strand of hair that had fallen across her forehead. It’s definitely permanent. 

Catching up to him, she locked onto his arm, pressing her cheek against his bicep while they walked into the dining room together. He glanced down at her, concern in his eyes quickly turning to affection when he saw the contentment in her gaze. 

It’s good to have you back, Arden. 

“It’s good to be back. And I hope it’s a long time before I have to leave you again.” 

There was a pause before his reply. “I do too.” Whatever was on his mind, he recovered quickly, and she didn’t press the issue. He gestured toward the gray walls behind his oak dining set. “I’ve taken down the wallpaper in here, but I was hoping to get your input before I put something else up.” 

“You have a much better eye for design than I do,” she countered, surveying the large swath of bare wall. “I don’t want you to end up with something you hate just because I picked it on a whim.” 

“I’ve got it narrowed down to a handful of options.” And your opinion matters a lot to me. 

“Then I’d be happy to take a look at what you’ve got. I’ll even help you hang it up if you decide on new wallpaper.” 

Jaime eyed her dubiously. “I wouldn’t put you through that.” 

“It could be fun,” she countered. “We’d stream some cheesy pop music and get wallpaper paste all over our clothes...”

His brow cocked even further. “Have you ever hung wallpaper?”

“Not even once,” she admitted with mock solemnity. 

“Then I wouldn’t put me through that either.” 

“Oh, stop.” 

She caught another whiff of dinner and sidestepped into the kitchen for a tantalizing glimpse of the lasagna on top of the stove. As she took in the sight of marinara and melted cheese, the airport sandwich she’d eaten so many hours ago felt even more paltry by comparison.  

Jaime noticed the shift in her focus. “It still needs to rest for a little while before we cut into it. While we’re waiting, we can take a look at another project I’ve been working on upstairs.”

Arden turned from the kitchen, taking in her boyfriend’s unsettled expression. Why does he look so nervous? She fell into their normal pattern of banter, hoping that it would relieve the tension she saw etched across his face. “Oh, I see. You’re just trying to get me into your bedroom.”

“Something like that,” he answered with a laugh.

“You’re lucky it happens to be one of my favorite places,” she commented, leading him up the flight of stairs. “But I’m not letting myself get too distracted. Dinner smells amazing and I’m hungry.” 

“I’m sure. Traveling can really take it out of you.” 

“You can say that again.” Arden couldn’t resist a quick smirk as they passed into his room. 

Some of her favorite memories from the past months had taken place between these four walls -- snuggling in the early morning before either of their alarms had sounded, half-forgotten conversations that occurred when one of them wasn’t quite ready to fall asleep... More than anything, it brought to mind the closeness they’d achieved over these past months. Physically, emotionally, spiritually -- there was no one she’d ever known more fully than she knew him.

She scanned the space for changes, stepping into the ensuite when she could see no major difference in the bedroom. Once inside, Arden noticed the sink first: a double vanity where a single basin had stood before. Jaime’s small collection of toiletries had been moved to one corner of the counter, leaving the other side completely empty save for the new hand towel that rested beside the rim. It took longer for her to see the additional set of towel hooks that stuck out from the opposite wall a solid half-foot lower than the existing pair. 

When she looked behind her, Jaime was leaning against the doorway, deep brown eyes fixated on her form. “I was thinking maybe it was time for an upgrade,” he told her quietly. “You’ve been ‘the girl next door’ for a long time.”

Arden’s heart thumped dully, the roar of blood pounding in her ears. “Are you asking me to move in with you?” She wasn’t nervous about asking the question, but her body still hummed in anticipation of his response. Please say yes. 

“Something like that,” he repeated a second time, standing up straight. “Let’s go downstairs. There’s one more thing I wanted to show you.” 

Suspicion dawned as they trod the stairs again. Jaime wasn’t usually one for evasive answers. Deflecting multiple questions meant he was definitely keeping something from her. Remembering his earlier unease, the nature of that something was suddenly incredibly obvious. 

He’s asking me to marry him, she realized with startling clarity. She’d caught his thoughts on marriage too many times for this to be mere coincidence. 

“I was kind of hoping to save this for last,” he told her as they reentered the living room, waving a hand toward a wooden inscription that hung above the mantle: 

The Lewis Family, established 2020

Even with her suspicions, her mouth still fell open at the simple message. There could be little mistaking just what he meant by such a gesture. 

Breath hitching in her throat, Arden turned from the sign to the man standing before her. All of his nerves were gone, replaced by a look of the most tender affection she had ever seen. 

“Arden, I want you to be more than just ‘the girl next door’ or ‘the girl who lives with me.’ I'd really like to call you my wife.” His lips quivered at the pause between words. “I’ve had you in my life for so long that I can hardly even remember who I was before I met you. Over the years, I’ve had the honor of standing by your side as you risked everything for what you believe in, I’ve watched how well you love and care for others, and I’ve benefitted from your thoughtfulness more times than I can count. You’re the funniest, most creative, most insightful person I’ve ever met, and I love you more every single time you cross my mind.”

“But more than all of that, you’re my best friend and the only woman I’ve ever wanted to spend my life with.” He knelt and withdrew the box from his pocket, holding it out to her as he opened the lid. “Marry me?” Jaime asked simply, emotions checking all but the most necessary words. 

Eyes fixed on Jaime, she was conscious only of his question and the stream of tears spilling over her cheeks. She tried to sweep them away, but they continued, unbidden. “Of course I will,” Arden whispered. “I think you knew before you even asked.” 

Confidence fully returned, he flashed her a self-assured smile. “I certainly hoped you would.” 

She’d always expected that getting engaged would be frightening -- that she’d be overcome with fear about what the commitment meant for her future. When she’d imagined permanence with anyone she’d dated before, marriage had seemed like something to bind her and hold her down.

But with Jaime, it wasn’t like that at all. In fact, she wasn’t sure when she’d felt more free or alive. All she wanted was to be gathered up in his arms, kissing the lips that had spoken the two sweetest words she’d ever heard.

Both longing for contact, they kissed soundly before she melted into his embrace, cheek sitting flush against the hammering of his heart. Arden heard the confessions of love he whispered into her hair, but she was too full of joy to recognize their substance. 

They parted, and Jaime swiped at the remaining tears with his thumbs, cradling her face between his hands. “That sign is just a symbol, by the way. You don’t have to take my name. I can take yours or we can use a hyphen, or --”

She shut him up with a kiss, arms winding so tightly around his neck that his body sagged with the weight of her. 

“Jaime, it’s perfect -- whatever we decide. No matter what the paper says, you’ll be a Gale and I’ll be a Lewis. We’ll be a family.”

His eyes brimmed with tears as she stressed the word. “I can’t tell you how much I want that with you.” 

“I’ve never wanted anything more in my life,” she agreed. “Even if it took a while to figure that out.” 

“We should probably put your ring on then.”

Arden could only nod, another fit of giggles accompanying her wordless reply. In the swell of emotions, she’d managed to forget the ring entirely. 

Jaime slid it onto her finger with ease, bracing her hand for inspection even after it was securely in place.

She’d caught him staring at the naked fingers of her left hand too many times in the past weeks for the perfect fit to come as a surprise. What she hadn’t expected, however, was to recognize the emeralds on either side of the central stone.

"They’re from my mom’s bridal set." She could barely get the words out around a second onslaught of tears. 

He looked up from her fingers to meet her gaze, brown eyes misting over. "I've had them since the day your dad found out we were dating. Apparently she gave him pretty clear instructions to pass it on once we’d finally stopped pretending.” 

“It couldn’t be more perfect, Jaime.”

“I love you, future-wife.” He kissed her hand and dropped it to her side. 

“You’re such a dork,” she laughed, tears still dampening her face.

“Hey, cut me some slack. I’ve been waiting a pretty long time to call you that.” 

“Let’s change that soon,” Arden suggested before catching his lips once more. 

_____

“Is this why you couldn’t come pick me up from the airport?” Arden inquired after dinner, thumb caressing the smooth metal band that circled her finger. 

She couldn’t see his face, but it wasn’t difficult to imagine the blush that was probably spreading over his cheeks at the question. He drew close, stubble tickling her cheek as he leaned down to her ear. “There’s no way I could have made it that entire drive without thinking something that would have given it away. I didn’t want to ruin the surprise.” 

“You really are a romantic at heart.”

“What can I say, Arden? You bring out that side of me.”

Arden pulled her legs up bedside her, turning on the couch to sit across his thighs. From this position, his silhouette was illuminated by the light of the fire behind him, casting a golden halo across his features. 

His lips curved into the boyish smile that had been doing funny things to her heart for years. In such moments, those striking eyes had never held anything but delight and care for her. But tonight, there was something else woven in -- something that spoke of forever. 

Smiling to herself, she allowed her gaze to fall back to the hands in her lap. As the firelight glinted off the stones of her ring, she sucked in a quiet breath. 

“What is it?” Jaime asked, noting her surprise. 

Her eyes flitted back to his face. “Walking into the studio with this rock on my finger is really going to damage my sex appeal. Not that I have to have sex appeal, but in the world of television, it certainly helps...” she backpedalled, realizing that the entire notion was somewhat ridiculous. 

“I think your sex appeal is just fine.”

“You’ve never given me reason to doubt that at all,” Arden laughed, threading her fingers through his hair. “Let’s just hope you don’t get bored of me after I move in.” 

“It won’t,” he persuaded, his tone growing serious. “After this many years together, I can promise you that’s never going to happen.” 

She nuzzled into his chest and slipped an idle hand beneath his shirt. His muscles tensed as she felt her way around his side. Still, it wasn’t long before he joined the exploration, his own fingers finding the sliver of skin exposed beneath the hem of her shirt. 

Nope, definitely not getting bored of you. And I’m definitely ready to have this all the time. 

His thoughts sent a thrill of heat through her. 

“Although I do have a few other projects to finish before you move in. I want it to be perfect.” 

“It will be,” she assured. “In fact, there’s just one more renovation I’d suggest.” 

His hands paused, as if waiting to add her request to his list. 

Arden’s cheeks throbbed with the force of her smile. “Don’t worry -- it’s nothing too big. I just think we should hang some blinds on this window so you can kiss me in every room of the house.” 

“I’m kissing you anyway,” he told her, hands moving once more to scoop her into his arms. He pressed a kiss to her cheek and carried her weight as he stood. “But I’m taking you upstairs before this goes any further.” 

“You can take me anywhere you like,” she told him, giggling as she recalled Ellen’s earlier comment about the Sahara. 

“Hmm?” His steps slowed as his face angled down to search for the source of her amusement.  

"It’s nothing,” she promised with a kiss to his chin. “Take me upstairs?” 

Jaime was only too happy to comply.