#sunset oc masterpost

[sunsetsnz]

sunsetsnz's oc masterpost

>> this post will serve as a masterlist of my original characters (at least the ones i've introduced on this blog!) and will direct you to each of their individual bios/introduction posts for more detailed info on them. i will update this post when new ocs are introduced. also, some of this is just normal info, but please do not reblog to non-sneeze blogs! —

jonathan (he/him) [bio] - a soft-spoken, introverted microbiology student. tall, quiet nerd, certified yearner full of gay panic | #oc: jonathan seph (he/they) [bio] - a laid-back athlete whose confidence is matched only by their warm, infectious laugh | #oc: seph theo (she/her) [bio] - a grumpy psychology student, and jonathan's best friend. snarky, sarcastic, but extremely loyal micah (he/him) [bio] - a geeky, upbeat game design student, seph's roommate, and friend to all three of them. loud nerd, openly kind and a chatterbox

[oddinary4bts]

Chasing Cars | ch 5 (jjk)

☆summary: when your brother goes to study on a semester abroad, your life collides with his best friend Jeon Jungkook, who's coincidentally your roommate. Will you survive the collision, or will you crumble into dust?

☆pairings: brother's best friend!Jungkook x younger sister!female reader

☆rating: 18+ (minors DNI, some chapters have mature content)

☆genre: forbidden love?au, college!au, slice of life!au, smut, angst (as usual a lot of it), fluff

☆warnings: mentions of throwing up/having a hangover, cursing, mentions of cheating for an exam, Sam Hwang (long, blond hair skz Hyunjin is who I had in mind for Sam), jealousy, alcohol, explicit content: mentions of jungkook fingering oc with his cum, of oc having sex with hobi

☆word count: 12.1k

☆a/n: the end of the power outage :') hope you guys love this one <3 thank you to @moonleeai for beta-ing, you're the best <3

☆series masterpost

☆add yourself to the taglist here!

☆☆☆☆☆

If I lay here If I just lay here Would you lie with me and just forget the world?

Chasing Cars, Snow Patrol

☆☆☆☆☆

Saturday, February 16th 

It takes most of Saturday before the power comes back on. You’ve been anticipating the sun slipping under the horizon, wanting it to disappear so that you can go back to what it was like yesterday night. Because, when the sun rose this morning, Jungkook disentangled himself from you, and he hasn’t touched you since then.

Maybe because he too realized the enormity of what you did yesterday. But you’ve been expecting the sunset, hoping it would bring you back to what yesterday night was…

The lights in your apartment flicker to life as you sit on the couch, under your bed cover and Jungkook’s. You’ve been reading a book – he’s still on that same book you saw him read on Thursday – and you blink a few times as if not quite believing that the power is back.

That whatever happened between you and Jungkook will now have to be put in the past.

“Finally,” Jungkook says, and he turns his head towards you, as if expecting you to agree. 

You don’t say anything, pursing your lips as your eyes dip down to your book, remaining stuck on a word that doesn’t make any sense to you.

If Jungkook senses your unease, he doesn’t let it show. Instead, he says, “Can I turn on the TV? I miss having some sound around here.”

So he’s not leaving. For some reason, you expected he would. It reassures you, and you offer him a smile.

“Sure,” you answer. “But don’t put on one of your lame anime.”

Jungkook’s mouth falls open, and he frowns in offence, fake or real. You can’t really tell, because it makes you laugh, and the moment you start laughing, the expression melts on Jungkook’s face, replaced by a softer look.

“Anime isn’t lame, I’ll have you know,” he says. “You just don’t know how to enjoy superior cinematography.”

You cock an eyebrow. “Oh, can’t I, now?”

He nods forcefully, and he grabs the remote control where it was abandoned on the coffee table. “I’ll show you an anime you’ll actually like.”

“Good luck,” you tease.

He throws you a no-bullshit look. “As if I need any luck.”

You hate that he was right. You hate that, a little under two hours later, you’re crying, trying to hide it from Jungkook. Though, when you glance towards him, you see fat tears rolling down his cheeks, and it makes you forget all about your own tears.

“Are you crying?” you ask, voice so surprised it startles even you.

“I can’t help it!” Jungkook lets out. “I love this movie.”

“Jeon Jungkook crying over some anime?” you tease, and you start laughing. “Why is that so adorable?”

Jungkook chuckles, drying his cheeks. “You think I’m adorable?”

The way he says it makes you flush red, and you quickly look away. “No. But crying over the movie Your Name is.”

“You just said that I’m adorable,” Jungkook singsongs.

You shake your head. “I did not.”

“You did.”

“You’re annoying.”

Jungkook bursts out laughing, and he gently pinches your cheek. You try to shrug him off, but when his fingers linger on your cheek, you turn to meet his gaze. 

You don’t think you were ready for the seriousness of his features. Because it feels like you hit a wall of bricks, and your own smile slowly dies down.

“What’s wrong?” you ask, and you gulp around the sudden lump in your throat.

Jungkook frowns, and his hand falls on top of the blankets between you and him. “Nothing?”

He says it like a question, and it makes you worry at your bottom lip. You wait for him to say more, but his gaze slides away to the TV screen. An awkward silence rises between the two of you, and you think this is it.

This is where the little idyllic whatever-it-was ends.

“We can’t pretend we’re just doing this for warmth anymore,” Jungkook says matter-of-factly. 

“Right,” you let out.

He nods once, and he flashes you a grin, though it’s lacking the authenticity of the smiles he’s shared with you since the start of the power outage. “So, let’s go back to normal now.”

He says it as if it’s the simplest thing in the universe, and it strikes deep. You wonder, were you the only one who felt like you did? 

Did you imagine the whole thing?

You must have. Because a moment later Jungkook is getting up from the couch, claiming he wants to check if the gym has power as well and go work out if he can. You watch him go, dumbfounded, not knowing what to say.

Not wanting to admit that him leaving like that, him pretending that he doesn’t care, hurts. But then again, he’s Jeon Jungkook – why would he care?

When he comes back to the living room with his gym bag and phone in hand, Jungkook offers you a smile. It’s tentative, fake, and you wonder if he put a mask on.

Because this is not the man you’ve spent the last two days with.

“Gym has power, so I guess I’ll see you later,” he says.

You swallow the lump in your throat, nodding once. “Okay.”

He doesn’t say anything else, instead moving to the closet to grab his coat from it. He’s put his boots on by the time he glances towards you again, and he offers you a smirk. “Don’t miss me too much, peach.”

You want to punch him for that sentence alone. It feels like it means more. It feels like he’s telling you, ‘Yes, I put my mask back on. What will you do about it?’ And you know there is nothing you can do. He’s Taehyung’s best friend, and though you’ve enjoyed the days you’ve spent with him, they weren’t real life.

And though the wake-up call is unwanted, you think you badly needed it. 

So you nod once, letting your lips grow into your own smirk, before you reply, “Don’t worry, there’s nothing to miss.”

You see it in his eyes. The temporary flash of hurt, or maybe insult. But he pushes it away, just as well as you, and just like that you know he wanted you to say something, wanted you to chase him. But you don’t chase men – the last time you did left you with a severe fear of running into a certain Sam Hwang. So you don’t do it anymore, and you think it’s more peaceful that way.

Because no matter how great hanging out with Jungkook was, you know it’s just a matter of time before Taehyung comes back and you have to return to your previous distant relationship.

Sunday, February 17th

“Bitch, you went full-on MIA,” Ria says. “You can’t tell me nothing happened.”

You’re in a study room at the library, and Ria has been bothering you ever since Jungkook showed up to his shift, nodding stiffly at the sight of you. You’d waved, and he’d smiled, but he’d then wandered off to do whatever it is that his job here implies.

Obviously, Ria noticed the exchange, and she really doesn’t want to let it go.

“Genuinely nothing did,” you say, shrugging your shoulders. “He’s Tae’s best friend.”

“But he’s Jungkook,” she counters, sighing dreamily. “The rumours about him in bed…”

You flush red, and you throw an eraser at Ria, who starts cackling like she’s crazy. “Shut the fuck up,” you tell her.

“No but,” she insists. “You’re blushing. You cannot tell me nothing happened.”

“But I am,” you answer. “Drop it. I’m only blushing because you want to talk about his sex life rumours.”

“I hardly call it a rumour when Shelly’s been so vocal about it.”

It takes you a moment to connect the dots. A moment too long, but then you remember the texts Jungkook had received. 

Shelly. The girl he ghosted on Valentine’s Day because he was with you. Because you ended up kissing him, straddling his lap on a kitchen chair, and he’d later fingered you with his cum.

You push the thought away. You push it so far away you wish you’d forget it, and then you reply, “Who’s Shelly?”

“She’s the two-doors-down dorm neighbour, remember?” Ria supplies. “The one we got shitfaced drunk with before Halloween last semester.”

You barely remember the girl. All that you can think about is her dark skin and the pretty almond eyes that had lured you to your demise. Indeed, you’d thrown up before you’d even reached the party, and to this day it’s still the worst hangover you’ve had in your whole life.

Because obviously, she provided you with plenty enough of shots at the party after that, too.

It’s strange. To realize that you know the girl Jungkook’s been fucking. Before he fucked you…

Another thought you push away. Because did he really? The distance that’s reappeared between you and him is a clear indication that you probably just dreamed up the whole thing.

“Don’t remind me of the Halloween party,” you whine, and Ria bursts out laughing.

“Not your proudest moment.”

You jokingly glare at her, and then you look down at your laptop again. “Where’s Nabi anyway?”

Ria laughs. It’s an innocent laugh, a laugh that means she’s up to no good. Your eyes immediately snap up to her face, and you lean towards her. “What?”

“Not telling you,” she says.

“No way.” When she remains silent but grins wildly, you add, “No fucking way! When?”

“Friday.”

You squeal, and even though you’re in a study room, you earn a disapproving look from the girl sitting at the table outside. You wince in apology, and then meet Ria’s gaze again.

“What did they do?”

“They went on a walk,” Ria admits. 

You wonder if they saw you and Jungkook. Though you figured you would have heard about it if they did.

“And?”

Ria shrugs. “She told me she wanted to tell you herself.”

“Bruh.”

Ria laughs at your expense. “You should have just come yesterday, she would have told you everything. But no, you were too busy doing God knows what with Jungkook, but obviously nothing happened…”

Your eraser is gone when you reach for it to chuck it at Ria’s face. “Holy fuck, let it go,” you groan, but all she does is laugh.

Because if there is one thing that can describe Ria well, it’s her easy laugh. Indeed, you think that’s why you became so close to her so quick – she’s good at changing your mind, at making you smile. And though she definitely is able to have a serious conversation if needed, she’s also easy going, and it’s a relief to have a friend like that when your other closest friend is anxious as can be.

But you love Nabi to no end as well, needless to say.

“I’ll let it go if I can also find someone to fuck,” she says, sighing dramatically. “It’s unfair that you’re both getting some when the last time I did was in December.”

“I’m not getting some,” you grumble, resting your arms on the desk in front of your laptop so that you can hide your face in them.

“Hobi?” Ria lets out.

You’d forgotten all about Hoseok. It surprises you so much that you straighten, meeting her gaze. “Oh. Right.”

She snorts at your expression, before saying, “I tried hitting on Yoongi, but that guy’s colder than ice.”

“He is,” you agree, nodding your head. “But I’m sure he’s a good guy if you make it through all the ice.”

“Not my type,” Ria says. “I don’t want to have to chase.”

“Amen!”

On that note you both burst out laughing, before focusing on your studies again. You both have midterms next week, and though the power outage was a needed respite, you need to get your mind in the game again. At least both of your exams aren’t in your hardest class, especially considering Namjoon provided you and Nabi with a… rather well-guided study guide for the biochem midterm.

Not that you’ll look at it before you’re convinced you could ace the test anyway, if you have to be honest.

And so you study with Ria, the minutes ticking on the clock. Soon enough the minutes turn into an hour, and when Ria suggests taking a break to go grab something to eat, you immediately jump on the occasion, needing a break anyway.

You’re almost out of the library when you run into Jungkook, and Ria stifles a laugh next to you when Jungkook steps to the side, letting you pass. He frowns at the sound your friend makes, and you punch her in the shoulder, which only entices her further.

You roll your eyes, before meeting Jungkook’s gaze. “Ignore her.”

He nods. “Noted.”

And though you should walk away, you can’t bring yourself to take a single step forward. All you can do is hold his gaze, remembering his lips on yours and the way that he touched you like he knew the maze of your body by heart already.

Pink tints your cheeks, and you wish you’d find something to say. Unfortunately, all you can do is watch as a pretty girl, all lean limbs and flowing hair, stops next to him. 

“Hey, JK, I need your help with something,” she says. She barely spares you a glance, and Jungkook nods your way, before turning towards her.

“What’s up?” he tells her, and then they’re walking away.

You’re out of the library when Ria hums, before snorting. “What was that?” she asks.

“What was what?” you counter back, even though you know exactly what she’s referring to.

The longing look exchanged between you and Jeon Jungkook was pretty noticeable, wasn’t it?

“With Jungkook?”

You sigh. “Honestly, nothing,” you answer, and it sounds so genuine you realize that maybe it truly was nothing. Maybe what happened meant nothing, and you need to let it go. “I guess we’re sort of friends now.”

“Sort of,” Ria repeats in a teasing tone.

“You really are a pain in the ass, aren’t you?”

She links arms with you. “And that’s why you love me.”

You begrudgingly agree, letting her lead you outside into the frigid air, towards the café on the other side of the street closest to the library building. She pulls you inside, and the warmth is a relief, as are the aromas of coffee and pastries swimming through the shop. You breathe in, and you follow her to the bar.

You think you almost drop dead when you see the barista on the other side, waiting for you two with a smile plastered on his face.

On those pretty lips you’d worshipped once, and that had turned to poison before you could realize it.

“Hi, what can I get for you?” Sam Hwang asks. 

He freezes when his gaze connects with yours. Maybe he only noticed Ria – you wouldn’t be surprised, Ria is drop-dead gorgeous – but when Sam Hwang sees you, he physically blanches. You wonder what he’ll do or say, if you should turn around and leave, but then Ria orders a latté and a sandwich, and she turns towards you.

“What do you want, I’ll pay for you?”

You still haven’t looked away from Sam. You loved him, deeply. You believe some part of you will always love him. But he hadn’t wanted you. Had taken what he could and left, claiming that he wanted to be single to have the full college experience.

You think about the girl you saw him with at the party a few weeks ago. Is she his new girlfriend, or just someone to give him the full college experience he so desperately wanted?

You gulp, looking away from him. Your eyes fall to the vitrine on the counter where pastries and sandwiches are shown. You blank for a few seconds, and then you motion to an almond croissant. 

“I’ll have this please,” you say.

Ria furrows her eyebrows, looking at you in confusion. “Anything to drink?”

“Just water.”

Her frown deepens, but she shrugs it off before turning to Sam. “That’ll be all.”

He nods, and he punches the order in on the cash register, making her pay before he starts getting everything ready. Ria pulls you to the side as he does so, and you avert your eyes from her, not wanting her to know.

You’ve never told them about Sam. You didn’t see how mentioning a seventeen-day long summer fling would amount to anything, so you just didn’t tell them. And maybe it’s dumb luck, but before this day you were never really faced with Sam. He’d always been easily avoidable, and so it really wasn’t necessary to tell your friends.

“What’s wrong?”

Ria’s question goes unanswered as you keep avoiding her gaze, looking towards the tables. You motion to one in the back, as far away from the counter as possible. “Do you want to sit there?”

Ria doesn’t even look that way. She grabs your wrist, gently, trying to gain your attention. “Girl, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” you lie, and you offer her a tight-lipped smile that you know doesn’t meet your eyes. 

No, your eyes are filled with memories of the past, of a summer that meant far too much and yet meant nothing, or at least you’ve been telling yourself that ever since you moved in with Taehyung and left your hometown behind.

You think it’s a sick and twisted trick of fate that Sam is going to the same college as you. But then again, you’re not surprised – it’s one of the best colleges in this part of the country.

“Bitch,” Ria lets out, but then Sam calls her to say the order is ready. She frowns, before telling you to go get the table.

You do, mostly because you can feel Sam’s gaze on you, and you really don’t want to have to interact with him anymore. So you head to the table, and you sit with your back to the rest of the café even though you usually prefer sitting in a position that allows you to see the whole place.

Ria is quick to meet you at the table, and she puts down the tray of food in front of you, before plopping down in the chair across the table from you. You watch as she rids herself of her coat, and you mirror her, draping yours over the back of your chair, avoiding glancing towards the bar.

“Who’s that?” Ria asks once you’re facing her again. 

You watch as she grabs the plate with her sandwich and her latté before pushing the tray towards you. You busy yourself with biting in your croissant, but soon enough you know you’ll have to answer.

You just don’t want to revisit your story with Sam. Maybe because it was so short, yet hurt so fiercely you decided to forgo relationships for a good while.

“Just someone from my hometown,” you tell her.

She cocks an eyebrow. “And?”

“There’s no and.” 

You say it sternly, authoritatively, with not a single ounce of teasing. It makes Ria’s eyes widen, and she glances towards Sam. She doesn’t say anything for a while, taking a sip from her latté before she looks at you again. 

“I’m assuming we hate him.”

You sigh, looking down at the croissant in your hands, before sliding your gaze to the cold world outside. “Honestly, not really. We just don’t speak of him.”

“Yeah, that’s it, I hate this dude.”

It makes you snort, and you slightly shake your head. “You know I love you, right?”

“Don’t get sentimental, ew,” Ria teases, though she smiles a wicked smile when you roll your eyes at her. “I love you too.”

After that, you carefully drive Ria away from the subject as you eat, and by the time you’re returning to the library, this time with the goal of meeting up with Hoseok and Yoongi, Ria seems to have forgotten all about it. Or she’s just being a good friend, not pressing you on a subject she can sense is sensitive.

You reckon it’s stupid that it is, but you can’t really control your feelings, can you?

You walk in the library, eyes skimming over the place. Yoongi and Hoseok claimed to be in a study room, yet your eyes don’t go towards them, instead turning towards the counter where you can rent books. Jungkook is sitting there, looking bored as all hell, scrolling through his phone mindlessly.

As if he can sense you, he raises his head, and his lips spread in a small smile even in the distance. You reciprocate it, and thoughts of Sam slowly dwindle away as his smile broadens, and he waves at you. You’re about to wave back, stifling a laugh, when Jungkook’s smile dies, and even in the distance you can see him clenching his jaw.

You only understand why when Hoseok stops next to you, draping his arm over your shoulder.

“Hey girls,” he says, and he pulls you in a little closer. 

You don’t look away from Jungkook as you give Hoseok a half-assed hug, before stepping away from him. Yet Jungkook doesn’t seem relieved, doesn’t seem happy…

Does he care?

You’d ask him. You would ask him what he thought about the last few days, but then again you reckon you shouldn’t. Because he’s your brother’s best friend, but also because he’s your roommate. You can’t afford things growing awkward between you and him, not when you don’t feel like moving to the dorms.

You’d rather keep your apartment, thank you very much.

Hoseok explains that he was on his way back to the study room from filling his water bottle, and Ria and he fall into conversation as he leads you two to where Yoongi is already sitting. Yoongi offers you a curt nod, but he doesn’t smile or say anything, going right back to what he was doing.

He’s got headphones on, and you assume he’s mixing something for a production class from the sight of the screen of his laptop. You end up sitting next to him, as Ria claims the spot next to Hoseok, which you don’t mind all that much.

You think you’ve had enough of men for today, even though Hoseok didn’t do anything wrong.  

So studying it is.

*****

It’s late when you finally decide to head home, figuring you’re done cramming information for your midterm. You’re starting to get a headache, so you decline your friends’ invitation to grab a drink before heading home, and you make your way home alone, hands hidden deep in the pockets of your coat, searching for a small hint of warmth. 

Needless to say, they don’t find any, and you get home feeling like you’ve turned into an icicle. To your surprise, Jungkook is sitting on the couch when you get there, and from the shoes by the door, you understand that Jimin is here too.

You didn’t even notice Jungkook leaving the library. But then again, his shift probably ended a few hours ago, so it makes sense that he came home.

Are you a little disappointed that he didn’t even tell you? Maybe. Do you feel foolish for it?

Definitely.

“Done studying?” Jungkook asks, and he takes a sip from a beer. 

You nod, shrugging your shoulders. “I can’t retain any more information,” you joke half-heartedly. “My head feels like it’s going to explode.”

Jungkook smirks. He fucking smirks, and you want to punch him, yet you stay rooted to your spot. Even more so as he says, “Maybe I could help you with that.”

He’s a mystery. A real fucking mystery, and it’s driving you crazy. You glance towards the bathroom door, but you know the walls are too thin. You know you can’t admit that yes, Jungkook could help.

So you reply, “You wish, JK.”

He pulls at his piercing, his eyes trailing to the bathroom door, before nodding once, as if understanding that you can’t say more because Jimin is here.

“Want a beer?” he suggests.

And though you said no to your friends, though you should say no to Jungkook, the way his big doe eyes hold yours make you fold, and you nod your head. Jungkook smiles, and you think you see a hint of what you saw during the power outage, but it disappears like it was never there when Jimin opens the bathroom door.

“Hey, Y/n!” he greets you.

You begrudgingly look away from Jungkook. “Sup, Jimin.”

He motions towards the living room, and your eyes trail back to Jungkook. “Want to chill with us?”

“Just a beer,” you answer, and Jimin smiles brightly.

“Well then get out of your coat and go sit, I was heading to the kitchen already.”

You thank him, and you do as he says, shrugging off your coat and kicking off your boots. You hang your coat in the closet before walking to the living room. Jungkook is sitting in the middle of the couch, and you sit on his left, as far away as you possibly can. 

If he notices he doesn’t say, instead motioning to the neatly folded blanket on the coffee table that he’s undoubtedly brought from his room. 

“Feel free to grab this if you get cold,” he tells you, offering you a smile. 

You see the glint in his eyes. Not quite mischief, but recognition. Like he knows what the last days were, like maybe he did feel something as well. You gulp, unable to hold the weight of it, and your eyes drop to your lap.

“We should talk about…” you whisper, not finishing the sentence in fear of Jimin hearing.

Maybe it was the wrong thing to say. Because you feel Jungkook tense next to you, and you know his big eyes have probably narrowed as he frowns from your words. 

“What about it?” he asks, not bothering to lower his voice.

You shoot him a warning glance, and his lips tilt in a lazy smirk. Thankfully, he doesn’t say anything else, though you don’t have time to say something either as Jimin comes back from the kitchen, with a beer for you and one for himself in hand.

He gives you yours before sitting back next to Jungkook, and you find yourself watching an episode of an anime you don’t know, sipping on your beer, trying to pretend that you didn’t notice Jungkook shifting a little closer.

That you don’t notice how he pressed his thigh against yours, not once looking at you. It makes you feel far too warm, but you know it’s too late now for you to claim you’d rather head to bed than drink your beer. So you suffer through the episode, even as Jungkook slowly leans into you.

Jimin will notice. It’s all you can think of. When you’ve finally had enough and you scooch away from Jungkook, he throws you a confused look.

You just glare at him, and then resume your attention on the TV. It goes like that for the whole episode, and you’ve never been as thankful as you are right now about the fact that anime episodes are so short. Because as soon as the episode ends, Jungkook straightens, acting as if he wasn’t half sprawled on you.

Jimin doesn’t comment on it. But you know from his momentary slight frown that he noticed, and you can only hope it won’t reach Taehyung’s ears.

You’re as good as dead if it does.

“Well,” Jimin says, glancing at his phone. “I’ll need to go, Sera is waiting for me.”

“Sounds good,” Jungkook says. “Thanks for coming.”

You wave Jimin goodbye as he gets up from the couch, taking a sip of your half-empty beer. Jungkook walks him to the door, and when Jimin finally leaves, Jungkook turns around to look at you, leaning back against the door.

“So you wanted to talk?” he says, cocking his head to the side.

Your throat feels dry, so you take another sip of beer before nodding once. “Yeah.”

“I’m listening.”

You wonder if he’s told that to a lot of girls in the past. Jungkook is the type to run at the first sign of emotion from a girl. You know it, you’ve seen the results on campus. But he can’t really run from you when you share an apartment, can he?

“What should we do about Taehyung?” you ask, pulling at some dry skin on your bottom lip.

The space between you and Jungkook fills with something you’re not quite sure you like. It’s cold, bitter, and it tastes awfully like regret. Especially as Jungkook answers, “Nothing. We just pretend nothing happened, no?”

For that is the logical solution – you know it just as well as he, but for some reason, you don’t like it. Don’t like the way your heart clenches in your chest at the thought.

“Is that what you want?” you ask him.

He slides his hands in the pocket of his pants, shrugging. “Yeah. I don’t see why it would need to be a big deal.”

“It’s not a big deal,” you say. “I’m not trying to make it into a big deal.”

He lazily smirks. “Right.”

You shut your eyes in annoyance, slightly shaking your head. “No, for real,” you insist. “If you want us to just pretend that nothing happened, then we do that.”

“You awfully  sound like that’s not what you want.”

His tone has changed. It’s not playful anymore. It’s serious and you wonder, is that how Jungkook ends things with the girls he fucks? Pretending like he doesn’t care, like you’re just another name to add to the long list?

“I just don’t want things to get weird,” you choose to reply, though your first instinct is to agree with his statement. “Since we live together.”

“Don’t worry about it, peach,” Jungkook says, and he sounds more like his usual self now. “I won’t make things weird.”

You nod, meeting his gaze again. There’s a moment where it feels like the distance between you and him dwindled to nothing, like you’re about to fall into his big doe eyes. You think you spy sadness in those eyes, emotions hidden beneath a thick wall, but he blinks and it’s gone, and you’re back on the couch in a reality you’re not sure you like.

The distance feels grander somehow. Like, maybe the couch moved back. Like a crevice was formed, and you don’t know how to cross the distance anymore. But it’s safer here, safer not to admit to Jungkook that being with him made you feel something. Not only because of Taehyung, but because of Sam Hwang, and of your life before, and of all the little fucked up things in your head that make it so you just aren’t the type of person to date to begin with.

You’re not delusional enough to think Jungkook would want to date you anyway. You were just the forbidden prize, and now that Jungkook has had you, you’re pretty sure he’s just going to move on to the next.

The thought hurts, and you wonder if he sees it in your eyes. Because he’s still there by the door, carefully watching you as if his gaze can convey what words can’t.

But life doesn’t work that way, does it?

You blink, sliding your eyes away from him and down to the beer in your hands, and you take a long sip, letting the bitter taste chase away the aftertaste of the conversation. It doesn’t really do anything, but Jungkook decides to leave, wishing you good night with a half-smile over his shoulder.

When he’s disappeared into his room, you let out a long sigh, trying hard not to reminisce the blackout, and the moments you’d spent in his arms. 

Yet that night, when sleep evades you, you think about that first kiss. About the weight of the emotions, about the way he’d held you. And you feel like, maybe he blindsided you all along.

Maybe you were stupid to think Jeon Jungkook had a heart.

Friday, February 22nd

The bar is filled to the brim with drunk party-goers, and the music is loud enough you can’t hear your thoughts anymore.

“This is a frat party,” you state as Ria grins and nods her head to the beat.

She shrugs. “Who cares, you love frat parties.”

You chuckle, and your eyes slide to Nabi. “Are you sure you want to stay here?”

“Namjoon said they’re in the back,” Nabi replies, but you can tell she looks uncomfortable with the amount of people present. “I’ll tell him to come get us.”

You watch her as she types away on her phone, glancing towards Ria.

“What’s the plan tonight, baby?” she says mischievously when your gaze connects. “Hobi, or do you want someone else?”

Ever since Ria’s learned about Sam, she’s been pushing you towards Hoseok even more. Maybe because she wants you to forget, or maybe because she thinks Hoseok is what you want. And though sex is always good with him, you haven’t reached out since the power outage and the evening of studying you’d spent at the library with him and Yoongi.

He hasn’t reached out either, so you figure it’s all good.

“I don’t know,” you reply. “I’ll see where the night goes.”

Ria nods. “I desperately want to get fucked tonight.”

Nabi surprises you by bursting out laughing. “Saw Jeon Jungkook get in before we did, just go to him.”

You keep your features cool and composed as your gaze slides to Nabi, before going back to Ria. Ria watched the whole thing carefully, yet when you don’t say anything, she replies, “Honestly, I might. Shelly said he’s free to hit on now.”

Because of course Shelly had called dibs on Jungkook. Not that you knew, and not that you cared. You’ve never considered her a friend to begin with, and you’d be lying if you aren’t a little happy that Jungkook decided to stop seeing her after he had sex with you.

Even if you’re pretending nothing ever happened. And he’s good at that – barely even speaking to you except for the formalities, though he did tease you once about looking tired. 

You clench your jaw as the memory fills your mind, and you believe you can hear him say, ‘Need help with that’ all over again. Which, you reckon, you might. Because every night, like clockwork, Jungkook invades your thoughts, and you’re forced to relive the moments he’d breathed against your skin, fucking you like he had all the time in the world.

Maybe then he did. Maybe he even believed it, though he’s been good at pretending he didn’t. So have you. Or at least you hope so.

“Then my plan is to fuck him tonight,” Ria declares solemnly. “I want to know what all those girls are on about.”

You know. You know exactly what they’re on about, yet the jealousy feels like it’s searing through you as you do catch sight of Jungkook when you look away from your friends.

He’s looking this way. He’s leaning against the bar, a pretty long-haired girl next to him. His arm is behind her, and she’s tucked into his side, saying something you’re pretty sure he’s not listening to. Indeed, he doesn’t blink, doesn’t look away, his eyes burning on you. So you make a show of eyeing him up and down before looking away.

Do you feel a certain sort of satisfaction when you notice Hoseok heading this way, which means Jungkook will see you with him? Maybe. 

But you’d never admit that in a million years.

“Hey,” Hoseok says, leaning against you.

He reeks of alcohol, and you reckon you probably won’t have sex with him tonight. But when he goes in and presses a drunken kiss to your temple, you let him do it, eyes sliding back towards Jungkook.

Even in the distance you see how Jungkook clenches his jaw. He’s quick to compose himself though, features relaxing as he turns to the side, facing the pretty girl. She beams at his attention, and your nails dig into your palms as he pushes a strand of hair behind her ear, his fingers lingering on her cheek.

Ria and Nabi hug Hoseok in turn, and they both earn the same kiss you did. It makes you laugh, though Jungkook doesn’t see that, his attention fully on the girl. Hoseok tells you all to follow him, and then he leads you to the back of the bar, where you find Yoongi, Namjoon and Seokjin. Namjoon’s gaze immediately connects with Nabi’s, and he mouths an apology as he motions to his current position as an explanation as to why he couldn’t go get you and your friends by the door.

He’s stuck next to Yoongi, and you highly doubt Yoongi wanted to get up. Yet, you feel like you are intruding on the mute conversation between Nabi and Namjoon, so you look away, your eyes landing on Seokjin.

Seokjin is attractive. Handsome, in a simple, elegant way that only people born into money have. When he smiles at you, nodding his head once, you echo the gesture, though you let Ria slide into the booth so that she can sit next to him.

Because if there’s one thing that you know, it’s that Seokjin is right up her alley. And if that means she won’t go for Jungkook…

You don’t explore that thought further, instead sitting next to her. Yoongi begrudgingly gets up to let Nabi sit next to Namjoon, and Hoseok goes to the table next to yours to ask if he can borrow a chair. He comes back with one, sitting at the head of the table.

Conversation slowly starts around you, Seokjin and Ria speaking with Namjoon in front of them. Nabi is silent, but she listens intently. You can’t bring yourself to join in, instead meeting Hoseok’s gaze and smiling secretively.

His eyes dip to your lips, though they do not darken the way that they usually do, probably from the alcohol in his system. 

“How were midterms?” he asks, with that same slightly slurred speech he sported earlier.

“It was chill, but I’m glad they’re over now. You?”

He chuckles. “Got fucked in a couple of them, but I honestly don’t give a fuck.”

You snort, and before you can say anything, Yoongi chimes in, “Is that why I found you crying the other day?”

Hoseok turns a colour of red so deep you think it’d put a tomato to shame. “I did not!”

Yoongi snickers. “Right.” His eyes slide to you, and you think it’s the first time he’s ever regarded you with something other than animosity. Indeed, he’s got a playful light to his eyes, and you reckon he looks good like this.

You can understand why Ria tried to hit on him.

“He totally did,” Yoongi says, and then he lets out a small, pained sound from the kick Hoseok undoubtedly landed on his leg.

“I hate you, man.”

Yoongi winks, and you burst out laughing, slightly shaking your head. “Honestly, Hoba,” you say once your laugh has dimmed, “there’s nothing embarrassing about crying over your grades. I did it all the time when I was younger.”

“I wasn’t crying!” Hoseok insists.

You and Yoongi exchange a glance, before bursting out laughing again. Hoseok pouts, a frown clinging to his features. Though you don’t really feel bad, you still brush his thigh under the table, and he goes wholly still, his frown melting away.

“Anyway,” he says, clearing his throat. “You want anything to drink?”

You do. You’re thirsty for something to smooth the stress of midterms and Jeon Jungkook away. So you nod, smiling wickedly.

“Lead the way.”

Hoseok chuckles, and you end up taking everyone’s order before getting up to head to the bar behind Hoseok and Yoongi. You’re squeezed behind Yoongi, Hoseok on the other side of him, as you wait at the bar a few minutes later, eyes skimming over the array of alcohol on the wall. You’re planning to order a pitcher of sangria for you and the girls, and Yoongi and Hoseok are taking care of two pitchers of beer. They’re deep in conversation, and you just stand behind them awkwardly, unable to hear them over the sound of the music.

You don’t mind. You focus on your phone, trying to see if Taehyung has replied to the message you sent him earlier. It was late for him in Paris, so you’re not surprised to find he hasn’t, the message only showing delivered. You turn off your phone and slide it back in your purse, before stepping closer to the bar as Hoseok and Yoongi get what they ordered.

“Do you want us to wait for you?” Yoongi asks, taking you by surprise.

Since when is Yoongi friendly with you?

“No,” you answer, eyes darting to Hoseok who’s just smiling with his cheeks flushed red. “All good, I’ll meet you guys back at the table.”

They nod, and you slip past them to lean against the counter, trying to get the barman’s attention. He’s currently on the other side, serving a suspiciously familiar tattooed hand, and you feel like rolling your eyes as you realize Jungkook is clearly buying a drink for the pretty girl at his side.

You forget all about Jeon Jungkook when a certain Sam Hwang slides into your vision, leaning against the counter right in front of you.

You startle. Eyes going wide like a deer in headlights, heart rate picking up to an uncomfortable level. You don’t like that he still has a physical effect on you, and it only increases tenfold when he breaks into an easy smile.

“Y/n!” he says, as if there aren’t months between you, as if on that dreadful day in August, he didn’t just leave. “I thought it was you.”

You freeze. You don’t know what to reply, only look at him as if he’s a jack in the box that’s just exploded in your face. He takes it in stride, chuckling lightly in that gentle way of his that used to make you go crazy.

“How have you been?” he asks, features falling a little more serious, brows slightly scrunched as if your answer will be the most important thing he’ll hear all night.

“Why are you talking to me?” you blurt out, and he slightly widens his eyes as if in surprise.

“Should I not?” he replies, easily tilting his head to the side in that nonchalant way of his. His blond hair falls like a cascade, and you can’t help but averting your gaze to it.

“You don’t wear your hair in a ponytail anymore?”

You want to curse yourself for the stupidity of your question, but Sam’s always been nonchalant. Someone that goes with the flow, that likes the weird things in life. You think maybe that’s why he had been interested in you back then. 

Until he wasn’t.

“No, ponytails are cold in the winter,” he jokes. 

You can barely smile in answer. You wish you hadn’t told Yoongi and Hoseok to go back to the table, and you glance over your shoulder, hoping that they’d sense your unease and come back. They’re nowhere to be seen though, hidden by the crowd populating the bar.

“Are they?” you say, not a single ounce of joy in your tone.

Sam nods. “Yeah. But enough about that. How are you?”

“I’m okay,” you lie, because frankly standing in front of him like this is making you feel anything but okay. You don’t want him to know though, so you try to plaster an indifferent mask to your features.

You highly doubt it works. Because it never works with Sam Hwang.

“I’m glad,” he replies, smiling softly. He turns his head to the side, and you only then notice the barman has stopped next to you. “I’ll have a rum and coke and she’ll take…” he trails off as he looks at you. “A Soho cocktail?”

You blink once, not really believing that he remembers. That though you lasted all of seventeen days, he still remembers your favourite cocktail.

Needless to say, you haven’t drank any since he walked away that night.

“A pitcher of red sangria and three glasses,” you say, looking at the barman. “Please.”

The barman nods once, and then busies himself with making the cocktails. You try your best not to look at Sam, but his piercing gaze lingers on you, and you can’t help but glance his way.

“You don’t drink Soho anymore?”

“This is not a Japanese inspired bar,” you say, trying to avoid the truth. “Highly doubt he’d know how to make a good cocktail with it.”

You know Sam can tell you’re lying, but he shrugs it off. “Oh well. How’s the bio major going?”

You purse your lips, gulping once. Because why does he remember so much? He’d made it pretty clear that he didn’t care… did he?

“It’s not too bad,” you answer. “You? The college experience is up to your expectations?”

If he hears the bite in your voice, he doesn’t care. Instead, he chuckles lightly, shaking his head, before saying, “I really was an ass last summer. I’m sorry.”

It’s like the world stops turning. Like you’re taken back to the warm summer evening, to the docks and the group of friends you hadn’t seen once after that night. You still feel the warm breeze, still can smell the salt in the air, and you almost believe you can hear the waves.

“What?” is all you manage to get out.

He laughs, like it’s the best joke you’ve ever said in your entire life. “I’m sorry for how I treated you. I was a dick.”

“Honestly,” you say, feeling your heart constricting in your chest, “I don’t want to be talking to you right now.”

He furrows his brow. “Oh, come on, Y/n. It’s water under the bridge.”

But it’s not. Because that night he left you alone, and you were far from home not knowing how you’d get back. You’re lucky nothing bad happened – one of the dock workers happened to be your mother’s ex, and he drove you home telling you that the docks weren’t a playground and that you shouldn’t be hanging around there.

You didn’t have the courage to tell him that you had been with friends and had gotten dumped out of the blue.

“Is it though?” you answer, and venom starts to sip into your tone. “You left me alone that night.”

“I know,” he says. “And I’m sorry about it.”

“So, did you get the college experience?” you ask, crossing your arms on your chest. 

Sam scoffs, looking up to the ceiling as if searching for salvation. “Come on, don’t be petty.” He looks back at you, that same insufferable smile on his lips, and he shrugs. “Not really. I realized that none of them compared to you.”

You think the sun has flared and the consequential magnetic storm has fried Sam’s neurons. Because it doesn’t make sense. After months it doesn’t make sense, and you don’t want it. Yet it makes you freeze, and you remember the texts you’d sent him. You remember calling him, even showing up at his job because you wanted to apologize. You remember the embarrassment of his coworkers laughing at you, remember leaving and promising yourself you’d never chase after a man again.

To this day, you’ve held up to your promise.

But his words send you tumbling down a steep slope, and you think you’ll splatter on the rocks at the bottom. Your heart hurts so much it’s hard to breathe, and you wish you could grab a glass on the counter and throw it at his pretty face.

The violent instinct makes you recoil, and you take a step back, only to bump into someone.

“Hey, everything okay here?” Jungkook says, his familiar voice like a safe haven. 

You glance over your shoulder, and at the look on your features, he immediately steps even closer to you, mindlessly wrapping an arm around your waist. 

It’s worth the shocked expression on Sam’s features. His eyes dip to Jungkook’s hand, now resting on your hip, before looking back up to your features. His eyes widen, and he barks out a short, bitter laugh that resembles nothing of his usual cool charm.

“You’re fucking your brother’s friend?” Sam says, and his words hit like darts straight on the board, though the board is your heart. He hits bull's eye, and you immediately push Jungkook off of you.

“I am not,” you reply. “Maybe he just tried to step in because you can’t fucking take a clue, can you?”

Sam seems so startled by your words that he falls silent, mouth wide open. He looks like a fish, a stupid fish, and you wonder how you managed to actually love him once.

“Excuse me?” he finally says.

“You heard the lady,” Jungkook jumps in. “Fuck off.”

“I don’t fucking need your help,” you throw towards Jungkook.

You feel bad. You feel bad the minute the words are out, especially as you watch Jungkook’s features crumbling into a frown. You hold his gaze, slightly shaking your head as if to say ‘Please understand that this is nothing against you’. You’re not sure he understands, and before he’s able to say anything else, the pretty girl who was with him earlier appears, pulling on his arm.

Sam laughs bitterly, all at your expense, as the girl pulls Jungkook away, saying something about how she’s been waiting for him. Jungkook looks like he wants to resist, to stay by your side, but the look on your face does the deed, and he turns away from you, heading to wherever the girl is bringing him.

From what it seems, they’re heading to the bathroom, and it makes you feel like you’re going to be sick, like you might need to run outside to breathe in some air.

“You know,” Sam says, attracting your attention. “I was right when I dumped you last summer. You’re fucking crazy.”

He leaves without another single word, not even waiting for his drink to be ready. You just stand there, stunned, only shaking out of it when the barman says something next to you.

“Oh,” you let out as you glance towards him. He’s put down Sam’s drink and the pitcher of sangria on the bar, and you don’t know what to do for a few seconds, blinking back tears. “Uh, I’ll pay for everything, but I won’t need the rum and coke.”

You assume the barman has seen the entire altercation as he shrugs. “Hey, don’t worry about it. I’ll keep it for myself, no need to pay.”

You offer him a tight-lipped smile, and you pay for the sangria before stacking the three glasses, leaning them against your chest to make sure you won’t drop them on the walk back to the table with your friends. You’re lucky – the trek back to the table is uneventful, and you put the pitcher and the glasses down amidst your friends’ chatter.

Nabi glances at you once before saying, “What’s wrong?”

Maybe you didn’t realize your eyes were filling with tears. But they sure are, and you furiously blink away, plopping down next to Ria.

“Nothing.”

Nabi furrows her brows, right as everyone’s focus slides to you. The embarrassment of suddenly being the center of attention thankfully pushes your tears away, and you shrug once, taking a deep breath.

“Just some asshole at the bar,” you vaguely explain at everyone’s curious expression.

But it wasn’t just some asshole. There was Jungkook too, and you know you owe him an apology. Yet you don’t know how to apologize to him. Not when the grounds between the two of you are so uncertain, like one wrong move will send you straight to the bottommost pit of the ocean. 

“If you tell me it’s that dude from the café I will go feral,” Ria grumbles next to you.

Right. She knows about Sam.

“As much as I’d love to see you going feral,” you tease, “let’s just drink.”

“So it was him?”

You purse your lips, refusing to answer, as the boys all intently listen to the conversation. 

“It was who?” Nabi asks, looking confused.

You’d assumed Ria would have filed her in, but it seems she hasn’t, for Nabi clearly doesn’t know about Sam Hwang. Not that Ria knows a lot to begin with.

“Someone from her hometown,” Ria mimics in her best impression of you, which only makes you snort.

“Let’s just drink,” you insist, and you immediately busy yourself with pouring the three glasses.

Your friends look like they want to press you for further explanation – especially Hoseok – but no one says anything. It’s a little awkward, but the moment you clink your glasses together, the weirdness fades away, replaced by a will to revel like only college kids revel.

And so you do. You lose track of the amount of alcohol you’re drinking, taking shots after shots after shots with Ria, while Nabi cheers on you standing right next to Namjoon. Namjoon, who stands just a tad too close to Nabi for it to be casual. You’d make jokes about it, but Ria drags you away, and you find yourself squeezed on the dancefloor, letting Ria grind on you as people look your way.

You don’t care. You can’t bring yourself to care when you’ve drank so much, when all there is is the music and the lights and the throng of bodies that endlessly moves like countless waves on the ocean, the pull and push of the moon inevitable. At low tide, when the crowd disperses in the night, you find yourself blinking, realizing that Ria is not with you anymore.

As a matter of fact, you suddenly can’t see any of your friends, and if it wasn’t for the alcohol in your bloodstream, you’d be worried. Instead, you pull out your phone from your purse, furrowing your brows at it.

[00:56 am] JK: what’s ur problem lol

You stare at the text, not knowing what to reply. Not trusting your drunken fingers to convey a good enough apology. So you ignore it, instead aiming for the group chat. 

[02:54 am] You: wher arr u

You press send, uncaring for the typos, trusting your friends to be able to decipher. To your luck, Hoseok immediately shoots you an answer.

[02:54 am] Hobi: I’m outside with yoongi, idk about the others

And so you make your way outside, stopping at the coat check to grab your coat. While you put it on, a too-familiar blond guy, along with two friends you recognize from last summer, arrives and Sam shoots you a look, lips slightly curling in disgust.

You frown, and unable to resist, you close the space between the two of you, pulling on his arm.

“What’s your fucking problem?” you tell him as he turns towards you.

“What do you want?” he fires back.

You feel your throat closing up, yet you can’t stop. Not when old emotions resurface, though you reckon they aren’t all that old to begin with. “Why did you leave me alone at the docks?”

He freezes for a few heartbeats. Long enough for his friends to retrieve their coats, and then they turn to look at you. The redhead you recognize for being there that night, yet you don’t direct the question at him. Not even as he sneers at the sight of you, as if you’re just some disgusting trash.

“Y/n,” Sam lets out, and you tell yourself that he sounds apologetic. 

Otherwise you don’t think you’ll make it. Not when you loved him like you did, like only a heart that’s never been broken can.

“Why though?” you press him. “It was dangerous. I could have gotten hurt.”

Sam purses his lips in a thin line, shrugging. “Was it though? You seem perfectly fine.”

You blink away tears, and in a surprising moment of memories of you and him, Sam truly does look apologetic.

“I was in love with you,” you whisper, alcohol forbidding you from preserving any ounce of dignity.

Sam glances over his shoulder. His friends seem to get the cue, because they disappear, heading outside. “Listen, I know,” he says. “I was a dick. That’s why I approached you earlier, but you weren’t really looking to speak to me.”

You take a deep breath, nodding once. “You took me by surprise.”

“Do you want to grab coffee soon?” he suggests.

You’re a fool. A drunken fool, because you say yes. You say yes and to text you whenever, and Sam promises he will, before leaving you alone, like he’d done once all those months ago. But when he leaves, you notice Hoseok by the door, close enough to have heard the conversation.

Your eyes are still brimmed with tears, and Hoseok offers you a tight-lipped smile. 

“Everything okay?”

And because this is Hoseok, because he’s already been in the aftermath of what Sam was to you, you shake your head no, unable to keep the tears from rolling down your cheeks.

“Let’s get you home,” Hoseok gently says as he crosses the distance between you and him, gently pulling you into a hug.

He rubs your back as you sob into his chest, gently rocking you from side to side. Or maybe it’s the alcohol, and the ground feels like it’s tilting under you. But Hoseok doesn’t let you go, and he lets you cry in his arms until the bouncer tells you you have to go out.

You do, eyes undoubtedly red and stained with your runny makeup, yet you don’t care. You really are drunk, and you think maybe you won’t even remember all of this tomorrow.

“You think we can drop her at her apartment?” Hoseok says, and you offer him a confused look, only to realize that he’s speaking to Yoongi, who seems like he’s been waiting outside this whole time.

“She can hit the couch,” Yoongi suggests, shrugging. “I don’t think the Uber driver will be down for the detour.”

And even if you don’t say yes or no, it’s still what you end up doing. You go home with Hoseok and Yoongi, and Hoseok holds your hand while rubbing soothing circles on the back of it. You’re not crying anymore, instead feeling empty and oh so tired. Hoseok helps you out of your coat once you’re in his apartment, and Yoongi goes to the kitchen to pour you a glass of water.

He meets you and Hoseok in the living room, where Hoseok pulled you after you finished removing your coat.

“Here,” Yoongi says, offering you the glass.

You thank him with a slight bow of your head, grabbing the water and downing it in one shot. Hoseok and Yoongi chuckle lightly at the sight, and then Yoongi plops down on the couch next to Hoseok.

Maybe you’re a little too drunk to notice Hoseok leaning into Yoongi, and Yoongi draping an arm around Hoseok’s shoulder. Maybe you’re a little too gone to realize you’re sitting alone on your side of the couch now, but you don’t care.

“Who was that guy?” Hoseok gently asks.

You take a deep breath and then launch into the story. You spare them no details – you reveal everything about how you’d met through friends from high school, most of them not having followed you here to college. You’d met at a party, had a love-at-first-sight moment, and you’d spent the following seventeen days glued to his side. You tell them about the docks, about what he’d told you, and about the way he’d left you there, with no way to go home. Hoseok bristles as you tell them, but he stays silent as you continue, admitting that you said yes to grabbing coffee with him.

“No way you’re going on a date with him,” Hoseok says, and he surprisingly sounds offended.

“I don’t know,” is what you reply.

“Y/n, that guy is an asshole,” Yoongi intervenes before Hoseok can say anything else. He tightens his arm around Hoseok, and you furrow your brows. “You deserve better than that.”

You look at Hoseok, before sliding your gaze to Yoongi, and then back to Hoseok. And then, even though your brain is foggy and you’re confused, and nothing seems to be making any sense, you blurt, “Is something going on between the two of you?”

Hoseok startles, sitting up from where he was leaning against Yoongi. He flushes deep red, and Yoongi lets out a low chuckle. You’re not surprised when Yoongi says, “So what if yes?”

You meet Hoseok’s gaze. He looks apologetic, like he’s somehow doing something wrong, but you start laughing. Maybe it’s an anxious laugh, like a ‘what the fuck is this evening’ kind of laugh, but you still laugh, and Hoseok just looks at you like you’ve grown horns or something.

“I’m going to need an explanation,” you say once your laughter subsides. “Not that I’m not cool with it.”

“See,” Yoongi says. “I told you it would be okay.”

“It’s more than okay,” you add. “I am actually so relieved.”

“Relieved?” Hoseok lets out.

You shrug. “I didn’t want to hurt you more,” you admit. 

And it’s true. You think, the moment you slept with Jungkook, you knew you’d never have sex with Hoseok again. Not that you didn’t like it, but Jungkook is Jungkook, and you reckon you’ll need a moment before you can fuck someone other than him.

“You weren’t hurting me,” Hoseok says, and he looks down at his hands in his lap. “Maybe in November, yeah. But not this time around.”

“I made sure of it,” Yoongi offers as an explanation. 

You slightly shake your head. “Wait, wait, wait. What happened?”

“Power outage,” Hoseok offers as an explanation, and he’s still so red you think he’ll burst into flames. 

You almost blurt out ‘same’, yet you keep it down at the last second. Maybe because you’re sobering up, or because the subject is sobering you up. Maybe because there’s something just so strange about Yoongi and Hoseok together, especially after you’ve been with Hoseok too. But then again, if he’s happy, then you’ll be happy for him.

Realization hits you a second before you say, “Is that why you haven’t been a dick to me anymore?”

Yoongi bursts out laughing. You’ve never heard him laughing like this, and there’s something so cute about it that you get it.

You get why Hoseok would be into him. And you also get why Ria wasn’t able to ask Yoongi out – he’s been into Hoseok all along.

“Maybe,” Yoongi says, shrugging. “Honestly… I was jealous of you for a while.”

You cock an eyebrow. “Dude, I thought you hated me.”

“I did a little,” he admits sheepishly. “But not anymore.”

“Can you guys stop?” Hoseok bursts, and he hides his face in his hands. “Fuck, this is so awkward.”

You laugh along with Yoongi, leaning forward to pat him on the shoulder. “Sorry, I guess as people that both fucked you, we immediately get along well.”

“That’s crass,” Hoseok whines, while Yoongi just keeps on laughing behind him, though his cheeks have turned pink.

“But it’s true!”

Hoseok shakes his head, and then finally looks up to you. “Are you sure you’re okay with this?”

The sudden seriousness makes you rein in the joking tone, and you offer him a small smile. You hope it’s as genuine as you feel, though with you being drunk, you wouldn’t be surprised if you just look dumb.

“Of course I’m okay with it,” you reassure him. “We’re friends, aren’t we?”

He tentatively smiles, nodding once. “We are.”

And maybe you’re just relieved they offered a change of subject from Sam Hwang. Especially as Hoseok glances towards Yoongi, his eyes probably conveying unsaid words because Yoongi gets up, wishing you good night. 

You watch him go, and once he’s out of sight, you turn your head back towards Hoseok.

“How did it happen?” you ask with a small voice.

“We got a little drunk on Valentine’s Day,” he says, shrugging, his cheeks still deep red. “I think I said something about you…” His eyes trail to the screen of the TV in front of you, and it reflects you and him like a black mirror. “Yoongi confessed. Said he’s tired of watching me get hurt. I was drunk and I kissed him.”

It reminds you of Jungkook. Of the way he’d gazed at you the instant before he’d kissed you. The weight of the emotions in his eyes had been too much to bear, and you wonder if everything was just a mistake anyway.

“And?” you press, trying to avoid thoughts of Jeon Jungkook and Sam Hwang, though you know it’s useless. 

They’ll come haunt you as soon as you’ll close your eyes tonight.

“And then…” He chuckles awkwardly. “Yeah. It was my first time with a guy. I didn’t even think I could be attracted to men.”

You smile wisely. “College is all about trying new things and discovering new things about yourself.”

“Amen,” he echoes, and you share a short laugh. Once it subsides, Hoseok leans back into the couch, turning to look at you. “Be completely honest with me though. Are you really okay with this?”

You nod, your lips gently curving upwards. “Of course, Hobi. If you’re happy, then I’m happy for you.”

He sighs in relief, and it seems like a weight has been taken off his shoulders. “I’m happy. I never saw it coming, but the last few days have been great.” He pauses for a few seconds, letting out a small laugh that’s only meant for himself, and maybe Yoongi if he was still here. “It’s still early to tell where this will head, and we don’t plan to tell anyone before we’re sure of it but… I figured you at least needed to know. Considering our history.”

You nod. “Makes sense. I promise my lips are sealed.”

“Thank you.”

The following silence is broken up by a yawn, and you hide your mouth behind your hand as to not look like a fish out of water. Once you’ve blinked a few tired tears away, you say, “Does that mean I can sleep in your bed and you share one with Yoongi?”

Hoseok runs a hand through his hair, smirking playfully. “Wouldn’t you like it?”

You cock an eyebrow, snorting. “Are you not sharing a bed?”

“Not yet,” Hoseok admits. “We’re really trying to take things slow.”

And it would make sense. Especially for Hoseok, you reckon.

“Fair enough. I’ll miserably sleep on the couch then.”

He laughs, pushing you playfully. “I’ll have you know this couch is really comfortable.”

“Will you at least give me a blanket?” you ask, pouting and bashing your eyelashes, trying your best to look like a begging puppy.

“Stop,” he says, laughing again. “Yeah, I’ll get you a blanket.”

You thank him as he gets up, heading to his room to grab something for you. He comes back with a sweater and a blanket, offering you both without saying anything.

“Sweater?” you ask, unable to form a full sentence.

“If you want to change out of your clothes.”

Ah. Makes sense.

“Thank you,” you say. 

He nods, smiling softly, and then turns around to head back to his room. Before he’s out of the living room, he turns back around, meeting your gaze.

“What about you though?” he asks.

You furrow your brow quizzically. “What?”

“What happened during the power outage?” he specifies. “You just disappeared.”

You keep your features as blank as your drunken ass possibly can when you reply, “Nothing happened. Just didn’t bother to charge my phone.”

“I saw how Jungkook looked at you at the library last Sunday,” Hoseok says. “You can’t tell me nothing happened.”

And maybe because this is Hoseok, maybe because you think he’s becoming the closest friend you have, you reply, “I don’t think it really matters if something happened.”

“Why?” he asks, leaning against the wall as his hands disappear in the pockets of his pants. 

“He’s Tae’s best friend,” you explain, shrugging your shoulders. “It’s not like I have any future with him.”

“Right.” Hoseok purses his lips, holding your gaze as you let him read the truth in your eyes. “The only thing I have to say is, please be careful. Jungkook doesn’t really have a good reputation.”

You gulp around a sudden lump in your throat. “Fuck, I know. I’m a mess.”

“You aren’t,” Hoseok reassures you. “You said it yourself, college is all about trying new things. Some of the things won’t necessarily work out, and that’s okay. Just try not to put yourself into situations where you’ll only get hurt.”

“Jungkook wouldn’t hurt me,” you say, quick to defend him even though you know he totally would. Even though he already did, when he asked you to pretend like nothing happened.

“Maybe.” Hoseok wets his lips, scrunching up his nose a little. “Or that Sam guy would.”

The reminder of Sam Hwang makes you hide your face in your hands as you groan. “I really am a fucking mess.”

“Don’t go out with him,” Hoseok says. “I’m sure there are plenty of other guys out there that would like to go out with you. Don’t settle for someone who’s already treated you like shit in the past.”

“So, don’t go for Sam or Jungkook, is that so?” you say, laughing awkwardly.

Hoseok frowns. “Don’t. Or do. I’m not your mom. But as a friend, I’d say you deserve better.”

“We’ll see,” you say after a few seconds of silence. “Thanks, Hobi.”

And you mean it. Because you know he cares, even though you might only be a friend now.

“Of course,” he says. “And I’m sorry.”

“About what?”

He looks behind his shoulder, towards what you assume is the door to Yoongi’s room. “About me and Yoongi. About the fact that it happened on the day we were supposed to go on a date.”

“Oh, don’t worry about it,” you reassure him again. “It’s really okay.”

He nods once, before pushing up from the wall. “Good. Yeah. I guess I’ll head to bed, then.”

There’s awkwardness in the air. Maybe because a little over a week ago you would have gone to bed with him, would have gotten your guts rearranged by him. But somehow you don’t feel any ounce of disappointment or regret at the thought that it’s done. Maybe because he truly has become a friend, and you reckon you need friends more than you need to get fucked.

“Good night, Hobi,” you say, offering him a small smile.

“Good night,” he echoes, and then he disappears into his room.

Once you’re alone, you quickly change into his sweater, wrapping yourself up in the blanket. You realize you don’t have a pillow, but you figure it’ll be okay, not wanting to bother Hoseok or Yoongi right now. So you lie on your back, looking up at the ceiling, frowning slightly.

Right. You forgot to turn off the light. You get up to do so, and once you’re lying back down, you grab your phone from your purse. You’ve gotten a few more texts in the group chat, from Ria saying that she told you she was leaving and you’d said it was okay. You frankly don’t remember, but maybe that’s because you had been too busy dancing with a group of girls that had welcomed you in their ranks as if you weren’t just a stranger.

It doesn’t really matter. What matters is the text that Jungkook sent you, and with a sigh, you click on it again. The conversation thread opens, and you scroll up, just to see that the last thing he texted you was something about getting gochujang sauce for him at the grocery store one of the rare times that you went. That text dates back to December, and the text before that was about him asking to go pick him and Taehyung up at a party in early October because Taehyung was too drunk for an Uber ride.

Taehyung had ended up throwing up in your backseat, and you made him clean three times before you’d forgiven him.

You reread Jungkook’s latest text. And you wonder, what was your problem? Why were you so inclined to bite at him, too, when he was just trying to help? It’s a haunting question, and you can’t bring yourself to apologize yet. 

You tell yourself you’d rather do it in person, but as you try to sleep later, the real reason taunts you, haunts you, forcing you to lie awake late in the night.

You’re just too much of a coward to face Jeon Jungkook.

Prev | Chapter 5.5 | Next

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What did we think of this one? I don't think a lot of people expected that yoongi x hobi twist hahaha I hope you liked it! Let me know what you think:)

All rights reserved to @/oddinary4bts, 2024. Do not copy, repost or translate.

[katuschka]

Olalla Chapter Eighteen

Jake Kiszka x f!OC, Josh Kiszka 6.400 words

Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction, intended for adult readers. Any resemblance to real persons is purely coincidental. Also, if you're under 18, go find some other entertainment elsewhere.

Warnings (are spoilers): mentions of sex (nothing graphic); petting and teasing; strong emotional distress; some very fluffy passages; allusions to a great loss; anger, arguing, confusion and nighmares; allusions to the possibility of suicidal thoughts; and as always, an unhealthy dose of heavy emotions and feelings

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Previous chapter Olalla masterpost

There's a treasure I once held Band of silver coiled in my palm That vanished under the water Shimmering as it fell Gone forever, not in my heart 'Cause I know there was more that you wanted us to share You rowed out in the stillness of morning to find me there Slow days, I remember a summer without a care, without a care

The evening sun, now unexpectedly warm after the chilly rain, illuminated Jake’s bare chest and high brow in the most delightful way, and for the very first time, Neszka dared to take a good, appreciative look at him without the bitter aftertaste of feeling guilty. No, not guilty. No, not at all. Moj kochanek. She couldn’t help but smile the moment she saw him in the doorway sporting his signature, dishevelled look. Uncombed hair, still a bit damp from the shower they took together; the flannel shirt just barely buttoned. He looked wild and sinful, and just the right amount of effeminate to be perceived as ‘cute’. Exactly how she liked her men.

Man, she corrected herself quickly. With the capital M. 

My lover. Those words rested on the tip of her tongue like a piece of sour candy. Sweet enough to make her want to keep sucking on it despite the growing stinging sensation of the irritated flesh. Just like the inside of her pussy, after he used four fingers just to see how much she could take. All of it, that’s the answer!

Still, he left her tired and a little bit raw. The truth is, though, he could just lift an eyebrow and she wouldn’t say no to another round. 

However, he didn’t. He didn’t even return the smile. His eyes rested on Neszka’s bare shins when he spoke. 

“Josh is coming.” It barely escaped Jake’s lips in a near whisper, so as not to disturb the tranquility of that golden sunset. It still did, though, and the sudden unease caused by those three simple words spread through Agnieszka’s chest like hot gas. She put the mug down and pulled the blanket more tightly around her shoulders, as if to brace herself. 

Why now? What happened? Is there something wrong with my papers? These, and many other more or less rational questions suddenly raced through her mind like one overlong string of thoughts, and Neszka dared to voice those aloud. That’s how she should react now, right? To be sensible. Jake deserved that. 

Because she had given him promises… because she assured him he could trust her… because she truly did love him. Very much. She only just realized how much. 

But above all of this, she could still hear the echo of her own words from a long time ago. Oh, my sweet Joshua. My dear… friend. Kocham cię. That pure affection still kept running through her veins; it had transformed somehow during the past few months, but it never faded. 

Agnieszka had spent days… no, weeks… wondering what he really was to her now… or ever, honestly… and whether the real Joshua, in flesh and blood, still matched her memorized idea of him. Inherently ethereal. Still sweet, still dear, hopefully still a friend. And if not, then what? She still loved that memory of him. Very much. She had barely enough time to realize that it was Jake’s embrace that brought her peace and that Joshua’s absence no longer hurt the way it used to. But what about his presence; the real, physical proximity? Their connection was very physical once, and the loss of it literally made her ill. Could it hurt again, for one reason or another? She had no answer to it yet, so the fear was still very real. Even more so now, when she was finally, fully and truly, someone else’s wife. That alone made her heart beat wildly. Again.

She wanted to talk to Jake about that lingering fear. After weeks spent worrying, it finally felt safe to do so, even though this new level of intimacy between them was still young and fragile. Brought by the sunset. 

So much had changed since the mournful, grey dawn. Neszka’s heart had been beating wildly ever since she had opened her eyes in the morning, feeling both physically and mentally hungover. The sudden yearning to run away – from herself, mostly – was like an itch that had made her muscles spasm and teeth clatter in a vain attempt to shake it off. Like hair catching on fire, or like a giant spider crawling up her spine. 

It was just too much. Too much of all of it. Loss, separation, anger, hatred, desire… and love. The contents of her mind had turned to a hoarder house since last year.  

Agnieszka drove fast, clutching the wheel convulsively and screaming her lungs out. It helped a bit; the tension falling off like chips of cracked and corroded crust that was once her mental armour. It left the skin underneath exposed and raw, but thankfully breathing. 

The rain soothed it while she stood on that gravel parking lot in the middle of the woods, and the smell of wet earth filled her with longing for all the things she had lost, and even more for what she could get back. Home. 

Shivering with cold, she closed her eyes and hugged herself, but it wasn’t enough. The loneliness felt real this time. It was no longer the melancholic kind of solitude she used to wallow in. This new isolation really hurt. 

One by one, Agnieszka imagined all the people who meant home to her. Some of them long gone. Others only far away. All except two people. 

Both within reach and standing almost side by side in that strange, private world behind her eyelids. One, the preacher of love that opened her heart again, and the other, the giver who wanted to fill it. 

And all of the sudden, she yearned for Jake to touch her and comfort her. It still lingered on her skin: his hot breath that made her head spin more than the whisky, the weak and blurry memory of his hungry lips and tongue that cancelled the whole world for a split second, and the ghost of his caresses when he tried all he could to soothe her troubled mind. She needed more, she always had, but now it was just him her mind and body gravitated towards. She loved them both, but there was no dilemma anymore. This realization brought with it a strange kind of peace; as if things were really, truly meant to be this way. The vision of Joshua just smiled and nodded, just like she hoped and believed he really would; with a twinkle in his eyes, just like she remembered it. A loud sob ripped out of her throat, and with it came sudden agitation. 

She had no idea where she actually was or what time it was, as the dark clouds still made it look like early morning. But the sudden vision of Jake being already up and looking for her made her stomach drop. She had felt completely lost during the whole past month and all that time, he had been trying to help her find her way back to herself. And this is how she kept repaying him!

That rare moment of clarity laced with panic made her just back in the car and drive back immediately, trying to find her way back on unknown roads. The world was still spinning way too fast, but at least she hoped she could finally take control of her life again and navigate her way through. Just that freeing feeling… oh god, that feeling… Still unsure if it was all true… but time would surely tell. She just had to let it happen.

And now the fear returned as that illusion of being in control slipped through her fingers and the newly found peace was suddenly gone with a puff, replaced by a brand new kind of anxiety that hadn’t been there before. Because more than ever before, Agnieszka feared the slightest possibility that she might hurt Jake. While still fully aware of the inevitability of that encounter, she now secretly hoped for more time to be able to process all what-ifs. Maybe just a phone call first? Small, gradual steps… just to be sure… but what now…?

“Veela, are you listening? You look as if you’ve seen a ghost…”

A ghost… bezspornie! Lost in all those thoughts, Neszka realized she was looking through Jake with a stunned expression plastered on her face, until his voice suddenly brought her back to earth. “Um, sorry, what?” 

“I said… that everything’s ok. Don’t worry.” That’s exactly how he looked now, though. Worried. “He’s just… going to visit. That’s, um… all.” 

“But… why?” The question made Jake purse his lips and, knowing him, Agnieszka already feared the answer. “Jake!”

“Because I told him to.” 

All her previous mental processing came to a halt like a jammed record. It made her want to throw the tea in his face, but she knew better. Just as Jake was repeatedly guilty of doing things behind her back, her temper tantrums always just made things worse. 

She stood up slowly, feeling his gaze on her. It was just as unbearable as her internal reaction to what he had done. “I need some time alone,” she muttered, moving past him back into the cabin without looking at him. No scenes, no visible emotions. She just closed the bedroom door behind her silently, the message unspoken but very clear: Don’t you dare follow me.

He gave her an hour before he knocked on the door. The bedroom had grown chilly and almost completely dark by then, without her bothering to close the window or switch the light on. Soon she wouldn’t be able to see a thing. Hello darkness my old friend, she hummed softly. He knocked again. 

“Agnieszka…?”

“Come in.”

Jake opened the door slowly, letting some warm light in. Peeking inside with apprehension, he found her lying on her back in the middle of their bed with her gaze fixed on the ceiling. She had put on her leggings and a tank top, but that was not nearly enough to keep her warm and Jake already knew her well enough to know that was some sort of self-punishment. Clearing his throat, he stepped in with caution. “I made us dinner.”

Yeah, she could tell. The aroma already filled the whole cabin and it smelled way too good. “I know.” Without moving, her eyes met his for just a brief moment before she closed them. “I’m sure it’s delicious, but I’m not really hungry.” She could hear his footsteps, and felt the mattress dip right next to her a second later. Her breath quivered when Jake touched her arm lightly, but she remained still. 

“You’re cold, babe. Are you still mad at me?”

Neszka opened her eyes again and found him sitting on her right, watching her intently. “No… well I’m trying not to be. I’m sick of being mad at you, Jake,” she sighed. “So tired of it, but… what’s even more important… I’m tired of feeling trapped.” She immediately wished she had chosen a better word, but at the same time, it was true. Jake’s expression quickly transformed from worried to angry and Agnieszka sat up so as not to feel so vulnerable. She hugged her knees, but met his gaze boldly.

“Trapped?!” he almost hissed and clenched his jaw. 

“I’m sorry Jake, that was a very poor word choice. And don’t think for a second that I don’t appreciate all the things you keep doing for me. The thing is, I’m completely powerless right now, completely dependent on you. I have three pairs of jeans, a few photographs and one chipped mug.  And that’s ok… for now. It was my decision. All I’m asking for is to keep my free will and some hope that it will get better eventually.” 

Jake huffed through his nose and ran a hand through his hair impatiently, making Agnieszka feel dejected. “Just a few days ago, you yelled at me because I told him to leave you alone. And now I’m at fault again! I mean, I thought you wanted this.” 

He was really testing her resolve not to yell at him again, pulling it like a rubber band. But Neszka had promised herself to try to be better, so she did all she could to keep her voice down. “Because things have changed, Jake! So much has changed in just the last 24 hours and I haven’t had enough time to process it all. And just a second ago you asked me if I was still mad, so you know very well I have a reason to be! I thought we already settled this, but you still keep treating me like a child. I’m… I’m glad Joshua’s coming… scared too, but… well, we’ll see… but I loathe the fact that – once again – you didn’t think it necessary to ask or tell me first. You, of all people, should know what it feels like when someone makes decisions without you!”

Neszka struck a nerve. Jake’s jaw dropped and his eyebrows furrowed in pain. “Damn right I do,” he whispered. He clearly wanted to say more, but the words got stuck in his throat. And she realized… ‘Please don’t become just a memory.’  

Neszka finally understood the full meaning of those words. It was not just his fear of her running away, and she was also quite familiar with the kind of pain that hurt so much it made people hurt others in self-defense. “Is that the reason why you’re like that? Jake, you can’t control me, and taking care of me has its limits. But I promise I’ll never do what I did this morning again. I don’t want to hurt you. I… I could never do that. To myself… AND to others. I know what it feels like. I’m sorry.” Her voice broke at those last words. She touched Jake’s face gently and he leaned into it, closing his eyes as he tried to fight off the tears. 

“I’m scared,” he choked out and swallowed hard. “I hate to admit that. I shouldn’t admit that… it’s not…”

“Oh, bullshit!” Getting on her knees, Neszka moved up closer to hug him and he rather unexpectedly collapsed into her arms. “So am I, but we’re in this together, right?” Jake nodded against her shoulder and they stayed like that for a few minutes. 

“Should I call him to…” he murmured after a while and Agnieszka quickly shushed him. 

“No… no, let’s do this.”

She was ready.

April 26th 2026

__

Sunday morning started early for Agnieszka. The years-long habit of opening her eyes before dawn was not one she could get rid of so easily, but most days she just cuddled up to Jake’s sleeping form and tried to enjoy the moment of silence and peace. A few times she even drifted off again. 

Not today. 

She went to bed quite early the previous evening, leaving Jake on the porch with his notebook and a guitar after he got immersed in some new ideas, only to spend a few hours just tossing and turning. The grandfather clock in the main room struck midnight with Neszka still balancing on the verge of sleep, almost there a few times… until her restless brain pulled her back again. At last, the realm of disturbing visions swallowed her for a while. 

Falling asleep in Jake’s arms proved to be both a blessing and a curse, as the nightmares didn’t haunt her as much as they used to. However, without him close to her, she found herself falling into the same abyss once again, swirling in a messy vortex of fire and tears chamois with broken legs. She woke up panting at around 2 am, no longer alone, and no longer surrounded by complete darkness. The room was softly illuminated by a single lamp on Jake’s nightstand. 

Jake himself was sitting next to her, leaning against the headboard with a book in his hands, though no longer reading. When Neszka shook off the initial confusion with a soft groan and�� looked up, she already found his eyes fixed on her, laced with concern. “What’s going on, Veela?” He stroked her hair gently. “You’ve been whimperin’. Restless dreams?” 

In response, she snuggled closer and wrapped her arm around his waist, muttering something incomprehensible into the pillow behind his back. With a little bit of help from a whisky shot and Jake’s tongue, she managed to get back to sleep an hour later, finally blessed with the desired dreamless slumber. But not for long.  

Around five, she stirred again to find herself in a twilit room with Jake’s naked warm body sleeping soundly by her side. While not really rested, the moment she opened her eyes and remembered what day it was, the sudden rush of adrenaline in her veins kept her awake despite her fatigue and all efforts to calm down. As soon as the sun came up, she gave up and sneaked out of the room to make herself some coffee. 

The rising sun set the treetops aflame and Neszka watched the scene in silent awe through the kitchen window. Nature never cared about mundane affairs and human tragedies. It had its own rules that stood above greed and hate and even love. Nature always made Agnieszka feel insignificant, and somehow that was exactly what she loved about it. It meant that even the greatest tragedies shall pass, but at the same time it never made joy nor sadness any less real. Just bearable. 

And that was a lie. Nature’s indifference never made pain any more bearable. Perhaps just worthy of bearing, even when you tumble under the weight sometimes. 

As long as there’s still enough fresh air to breathe, we have to keep on trying. – Her late grandmother’s words rang in her ears once more as if she stood right next to her, while in reality she lay buried thousands of miles away. The burden seemed almost too heavy to bear in the early morning hours, so after a while, Neszka wiped away the stray tears and resorted to the most effective defense against gloom she knew: she started cleaning up and cooking. 

It had to be done anyway. The cabin was a bit of a mess. She and Jake had spent the last two days more or less naked. When they didn’t fuck, they cuddled, lips roaming over every piece of exposed flesh; and when they closed their eyes, it felt almost like a honeymoon, although the notion still seemed a bit too luxurious. Still, the place bore a witness to some unrestrained sexual debauchery, to put it bluntly. 

Looking around, Agnieszka puffed in exasperation, although the self-deprecating sneer quickly turned into a genuine, and slightly wicked smile. Grandma would surely laugh if she saw it, having absolutely no doubt as to how it happened.

It was indeed a sight to behold. Throw blankets, bathrobe belts and various other pieces of clothing scattered haphazardly all over the place; dirty plates and bowls, coffee cups and wine glasses, left on the table or piled in the sink because they simply couldn’t be bothered with something as mundane as doing the dishes. There were always much more important things to do… 

But today was different, and Neszka’s mind needed some cleaning as well. 

She started with the porch, so as not to wake Jake. The tranquility of early morning made her linger for a while and just absorb the surroundings with her whole being, just like she sometimes used to do at home. Bittersweet, bittersweet, bittersweet. The smell of dew-stained wild grass was just as intoxicating and the birds sang in the same language everywhere. It was easy to forget… but at the same time, completely impossible. So, with a sigh, she got back to work. 

After that, she cleaned up the main room, while still moving like a mouse. The bathroom was next and then the kitchen. 

The sun was already high up in the sky when Jake emerged from the bedroom door, woken by the sound of clattering pots and pans. He scratched his bare chest absentmindedly while overlooking the room, before his eyes finally rested on Agnieszka and the ridiculous quantity of food on the small kitchen island. 

“Veela, what are you doing?”

Neszka didn’t notice him at first, and the sound of his voice made her jump. “Cooking! What do you think it looks like?”

“For the whole town?” Jake raised his right eyebrow in mock aggravation and leaned against the doorframe lazily. He too, was quite a sight, even this early, wearing just his sweatpants, but already bedecked by his numerous pendants, looking as casually rockstar as he could possibly manage. 

Neszka dismissed the jab with an eyeroll, although – truth be told – she gasped internally. He should have gotten used to this by now… although – truth be told – she was also only just getting used to sharing the same space with such a rascal. “Taking care of visitors is common decency, Jake,” she mumbled.  “And it’s a long way. I’m sure they will be hungry.”

“Yeah… I mean, there's a shortage of restaurants and drive-ins along that way. They’re not supposed to be here until late afternoon. I’m pretty sure, they’re gonna stop for lunch somewhere.”

“So at least we won’t have to worry about supper,” she replied stubbornly and Jake raised his hands in defeat.

“Yeah, whatever. And what about the rest?” he nodded towards the centre of the room. “I kinda liked the mess we made. It was… cozy.”

“I’m just making this place a bit more presentable. It was NOT cozy, it was a mess. A MESS!” Neszka looked almost possessed as she bulged her eyes at him to strengthen her point, and Jake laughed out loud, tilting his head back. He moved gradually closed until he was right behind her, hugging her from behind and burying his nose in her hair. 

“It’s Josh that’s coming. Not the Pope…,” he mumbled against the skin of Neszka’s neck. She tried to ignore that, still fully focused on cutting the carrots. But Jake was relentless. His thievish hand moved gradually upwards until he cupped her breast, circling her nipple with the tip of his thumb. Neszka closed her eyes and bit her lip to stifle a moan when Jake launched a full scale attack on her earlobe. At last, she put the knife down. 

“I don’t want him to see this either. And… not now Jake… please.”

The atmosphere in the room shifted in an instant and Neszka could feel him loosen his grip immediately, though he didn’t completely break the embrace; it just suddenly felt a bit uncertain and she hated it. The sudden silence felt oppressive, too. As much as she tried to find the right words to soften the blow, they just didn’t come. ‘Later’ was all she managed to add. 

A soft kiss on the hair, a gentle pat on the shoulder, and then he was gone, slowly disappearing from her peripheral vision. “Jake…”

“I get it,” he replied softly before he disappeared in the bathroom and closed the door behind him. 

After lunchtime, the hours just dragged on. Jake grabbed his guitar and went outside, respecting Neszka’s need to have some time alone. 

In reality, it didn’t do her any good. She tried to read one of Jake’s books, but her mind kept wandering and replaying all the things she wanted to say, and her anxiety grew with each passing minute. Jake moved past her a few times, to grab a beer from the fridge, or to use the bathroom, but she barely registered his presence. By the time the grandfather clock struck 3 pm, she was just a bundle of nerves. 

The day grew gradually warmer, the unmistakable smell in the air announcing that full-blown Spring was finally here. Agnieszka lay on the couch in just her leggings and a ribbed knit tee, listening to the sound of the guitar coming to her through the open door. 

Suddenly, the music stopped, replaced by the rustling sound of tires on the gravel and Jake’s footsteps on the wooden floor outside. Agnieszka sat up quickly, but her legs refused to move. With a racing heart, she listened intently to the muffled sounds of low voices outside the cabin, unable to catch the meaning; all while fighting off the sudden unreasonable urge to hide behind the closed bedroom door. 

It was him, at last. Still unseen, but the sound of crystallized honey blew upon her like a chilly breeze, giving her goosebumps. 

Being in love with your fear is a strange feeling. 

At last, she got on her feet and moved towards the open door. Without making herself known just yet, Agnieszka watched all three of them outside the car in which Joshua and Christopher just arrived. She had forgotten how tall the man was, towering over both Jake and Joshua by at least 15 centimetres. Despite his pretty, rather effeminate face, he exuded strong authority and bold self-assurance that only strengthened her idea of him as a disruptive force. It wasn’t hate; he just made her feel small. 

Joshua’s hair grew significantly since the last time she saw him in person. It was damp and pulled back with a headband during their brief video chat a month ago. Now the unruly curls danced around his head like soft dandelion fuzz. The time seemed to slow down a little bit as she watched him take a step from the shade of a nearby tree towards Jake and the late afternoon sun turned the tips of his curls into a golden halo. You look like an angel, she once said to him. It was still true. 

An angel in an oversized striped long sleeve and a pair of skinny black jeans that made him look like a boy, instead of a man that just turned thirty.

He handed his brother some small package and it quickly disappeared inside Jake’s pocket. Then at last they spotted her standing in the doorway. Jake first, and Joshua followed his gaze just a split second later. 

His eyes were soft, but he didn’t smile at first. Clenching his jaw, Joshua lowered his gaze momentarily before their eyes met again. Unsure what to do with his hands, he put them in his pockets and swayed on his feet in a silent playful ‘well, here I am’. She couldn’t help but chuckle at the sight and Joshua finally reciprocated, flashing her with a bashful yet toothy grin while shrugging his shoulders diffidently.

Agnieszka always wondered how he did that. How he could light up and fill the whole room with his brash and loud presence while still managing to remain so unpretentious and genuine. A walking paradox sometimes; and he used that gift well, winning people’s hearts and even managing to better a few. Pretty much imperfect himself, but constantly trying to be better. 

With all the three pairs of eyes fixed on her, Neszka finally dared to take a few steps down the wooden stairs. No one seemed to know what to do next, so she just willed her legs to keep on moving. “You look like Maya the Bee,” she blurted out as soon as she reached the three men by the car in hope that it would break the awkward silence. At first it didn’t really do the trick. 

But then suddenly Joshua just stepped closed and hugged her tight. “And you look beautiful,” he whispered in her ear. “And… happy?”

The unexpected query startled Agnieszka even more than the hasty embrace, because she still didn’t know the answer. Maybe… probably… Could she? Should she? It wasn’t just a polite question; he really wanted to know. However, unsure how to answer, she just nodded slightly, bumping her chin against his shoulder, and Joshua tightened his embrace in response. 

Neszka opened her eyes to see Jake and Christopher watching them. The whole situation turned from awkward to unbearable and she slowly pulled away, unsure where to look. It was overwhelming even without these two cruel witnesses, with their eyes full of apprehension that could be only partly justified. 

Seeing how she started chewing her lower lip frantically, Jake quickly got the message and, clearing his throat, he squeezed Taffy’s shoulder. “Beer?” Not waiting for the answer, he started towards the cabin, and Christopher reluctantly followed. 

Agnieszka watched them disappear inside the cabin, unaware of the movement behind her until she heard the car door slam shut again. When she turned back to Joshua and squinted against the sun, he was already handing her what looked like a small silver bar. “I brought you this.”

“A phone?” she asked incredulously. She had imagined their first reunion numerous times, and this seemed slightly underwhelming. 

“Well, yeah!” he gestured frantically, slightly startled by her expression. “I figured you might want a new one since yours got cracked when they… uh, well Jake said…” Instead of finishing the sentence, Joshua gently touched her jaw with just his fingertips. The now greenish bruise already faded significantly, but it still made his stomach turn. 

Agnieszka didn’t want this kind of pity. And they didn’t… “I sat on it,” she said matter-of-factly. 

Joshua’s eyebrows went up. “Really?”

“Yeah, in Sam’s car. I felt… a bit distracted. But it no longer worked anyway, so…”

“So I got you a new one!” Joshua blurted out enthusiastically, as if he was handing her a birthday present, but his face sobered again just a second later. “I already added some contacts you might want and… need. Maya, your parents… and… well, me. I hope you don’t mind. I’d love to… well, the…the…” 

“I don’t mind,” she interrupted his babbling and reached out to stroke his forearm. Joshua took a deep breath and visibly relaxed. 

“I’m so sorry, Olalla,” he sighed, while stuffing his hands back in his pockets. “I tried to think of something deeper to say, but this is just it. I’m sorry. I’m sorry I wasn’t completely sincere with you, but I didn’t lie either. But I didn’t treat you right… I know that! And… and… I missed you. Very much. I know, uh, that… that you didn’t really wanna see me again, but you… you’re gonna now, and… uh, I… I just hope you’ll forgive me.”

Now it was her turn to cup his face. “I already did.” Joshua didn’t respond; he just bit his lip, visibly startled by her sudden touch. “Let’s take a walk,” she added and they set off slowly side by side.

Words didn’t come easy, but at last she gathered her thoughts together and broke the not entirely unpleasant silence. “You’re right that I was angry, even though I tried to hide it…”

“You’re generally quite bad at hiding it, Olalla,” Joshua chuckled. 

“Yeah, but you have to admit it wasn’t as messy as it could have been.” She cringed at those words the moment she said them, remembering the scene Jake had made on the stairs shortly afterwards and how she had curled up on the floor so as not to hear it. It was messy. All of it. But Joshua didn’t say anything, so she continued. “At first I thought we were just doomed and the whole thing was one huge mistake. But for everything there is a season, and I believe the universe just wanted me to meet you.” 

“Why?”

“Because you were right. I was lonely, and running from happiness in a stupid attempt to avoid any hypothetical future pain. You’re the reason I’m here.”

Joshua stopped in his tracks and she followed suit, turning to face him. His eyes reddened with suppressed tears and he blinked a few times to get rid of the stinging sensation. 

“Can you hold my hand, Joshua?” Neszka whispered and looking down at her hands, he slowly took them in his, stroking them gently with his thumbs. 

“This was the best thing about it, anyway, wasn’t it?” he muttered while still looking down. 

“Yes, I think so… and I missed it the most,” Neszka sighed, earning a smile when their eyes met again. 

“And now you have it back,” he cleared his throat. “You’re my Mary Austin.”

“Who’s that?” Joshua didn’t respond. Once again, he replied with a smile and a hug. It felt good. SO good. Extraordinarily nice… but to her great relief, her response was purely emotional. Having him near like that felt more than enough. It felt almost like a blessing. “I think it’s time to go,” he mumbled into her hair all of the sudden. 

“So soon?” She tightened her grip in defiance, but Joshua chuckled and broke the embrace. 

“I promise I’ll be back tomorrow. We’re staying in town for a few days, But… tonight’s not the right time.”

“Why? I made dinner…” 

He squeezed her hand and laughed, because he could vividly imagine what that meant. “Enough to feed the whole legion, I’m sure. I’ll have some for breakfast tomorrow. Deal?” She nodded, albeit reluctantly. 

“Alright. See you tomorrow.” With that, he leaned forward and kissed her forehead before he turned back towards the cabin. She watched him leave, but – suddenly emboldened by how things turned out – she called after him one more time, making him stop in his tracks and turn towards her with an inquisitive smile. 

“Joshua?”

“Yeah?”

“You were good.” 

His soft smile transformed into a wicked grin. He winked at her before he turned back and gestured to Taffy that it was time to go. 

Despite Jake’s insistence that he should give them some privacy, Taffy stood on the porch, drinking his beer and watching Josh’s and Agnieszka’s interaction in the distance with a solemn look on his face. He hadn’t said much since their arrival and he wasn’t planning to change that, but when Jake finally joined him, one thing came to his mind after all. And judging by what he just witnessed, it felt safe to do so. “I wanted to thank you,” he uttered with his gaze still fixed on the ex-lovers. 

“For what?” Jake asked rather disinterestedly and took a sip of his own beer. 

Christopher sighed. “I think he’d still keep lying to himself if you didn’t interfere.”

Jake huffed in annoyance, earning an equally annoyed look from Taffy, but he didn’t care. “Well firstly, I didn’t interfere. A part of me tried to do the exact opposite while the other part just kept sabotaging it. And secondly, he wasn’t lying… to himself, her, or to you. You just refuse to accept that.” 

Taffy remained silent, his expression a mix of defiance and melancholy, so Jake felt obliged to add one more thing. “He loves you.”

“No, you’re wrong.” Jake responded with a daring glare and Taffy continued, while watching Josh walking back towards them: “He loves me back. He loves love.”

“Well, now you seem to get it.”

Taffy finished his beer and without another word, started down the porch stairs to join his boyfriend by the car. 

Agnieszka sat on the edge of the bed wrapped in a bathrobe and combing her damp hair, when Jake entered the room and sat down next to her, quite visibly on edge for some reason. 

“What?” she asked while trying to comb out one particularly stubborn tangled mass. Jake let out a ragged exhale, making her increasingly nervous. Raising her eyebrows, she pressed again: “What’s going on Jake?”

“Can you please put it down for a second?”

Without a word, she threw the comb on the bed behind her, waiting. Jake took another deep breath and Neszka finally noticed he was holding a small box in his hand. “I promised you a proper one. And I feel it’s time I should ask again. Properly, too. Not on the phone or next to a vending machine…”

“Jake…” She suddenly suspected where this was going and her heart started beating wildly. He was right, there's a huge difference between formal and right. 

He slowly opened the box to reveal a golden ring with a huge faceted aquamarine, designed in an art deco fashion. “It’s my grandma’s. Well, it was. Since we were small boys, she kept saying that the next new Kiszka girl should wear this.”

Agnieszka swallowed hard, her throat suddenly parched. She looked up from the ring to meet Jake’s already waiting eyes. “Will you marry me? I mean, for real this time. For real real, I mean…”

“Tak,” she whispered and started crying. 

As the sun went down and the stars started shining, they made love again and it felt new. There were no more restraints or spaces in between them that prevented them from getting close. He was her howling wolf and she was his shrieking siren, and all the emotions they had held back in the past collided. 

For the first time in months, Jake woke up with a smile on his face. Soft cool breeze was coming to him through the open window, caressing his naked skin. It smelled like new life, mixing with wafts of freshly brewed coffee as the aroma of breakfast made its way in the room through the half-closed door. 

Behind it, he could hear Veela’s voice talking. That was expected, and he smiled at the idea that she’d take any opportunity to talk to her sister, now that she could. 

But something felt wrong… terribly wrong, as the tone of her voice gradually changed. “Co ty mówisz?” she practically wailed now. “Powiedz mi, że to nieprawda?!” 

Panicking, he scrambled from the bed – disregarding that he was completely naked – and stormed out of the bedroom towards the source of that agonizing sound. 

He found her crouching down behind the kitchen island, rocking back and forth on her knees, shaking and bawling her eyes out. He quickly slid down next to her and grabbed her by the shoulders. “What happened? Hey…. HEY! Talk to me, baby!”

“Daaad,” she wailed again with her eyes squeezed tight, refusing to look at Jake. It took him at least fifteen minutes to calm her down, if one could only call it that. For a while, she remained sitting on the floor, resting her head against the wooden counter and choking on sobs. And all the while, Jake remained kneeling next to her, patiently waiting for her to tell him more, so that he could comfort her properly. 

At last, she finally opened her eyes and with a trembling hand, took the ring off her finger. “I can’t do this…,” she whispered shakily. “I have to go home.”

@thewritingbeforesunrise @fleet-of-fiction @writingcold @lvnterninthenight @its-interesting-van-kleep  @takenbythemadness  @edgingthedarkness @myownparadise96  @gvfstuddedmajesty @josh-iamyour-mama @jazzyfigz @tripthelightfantastix @sanguinebats @wetkleenex-gvf @peaceloveunitygvf @kiszkas-canvas @fleetingjake @lizzys-sunflower @hollyco @emojakekiszka @gvfmarge @Dayumclarizzel @lipstickitty @clownstarr @musicislove3389 @i-love-gvf @blankvz @psychedelectable @allof--mylove @Joshylanefleet @thewaythatshebreathes @Ironlotus90 @justwantjosh @stardustsam @livviaaa @Irenereedcane-mamagreta

[phoebepheebsphibs]

Pheebs' masterpost!

COMMISSIONS: CLOSED

Commissions info

Original Stories

The Future and a Robot

CHARACTER SHEETS

Origin comic

Animations: Sonic 1, Sonic 2, Sonic 3, Sonic 4

Socials

My username is the same across all platforms: PhoebePheebsPhibs

Instagram

TikTok

Twitter

ArtFight

Portfolio site

YouTube

Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Fics

TMNT Write-Fight Compendium

Hide & Seek: fic, short story, compendium

Until I Found You: an ROTTMNT separated AU (Masterpost)

NFIF/UIFY Crossover / Alternate Ending

Double-Mutated Mikey Masterpost

Comics

Draxum's Nightmare

Matching: a Turtle Tots comic

Sunset Duo: Carry Me Home

No Fun in Fungus (written by @boots-with-the-fur-club): Chap. 1

Extra

Peaches - ROTTMNT OC

VelCro Duo - ROTTMNT OCs

Berryl Draxum - ROTTMNT OC

Fix You — A Portal Pals Animatic : 1, 2

Lou Jitsu's Kids AU: Character designs, origins, tiny plots, rambles, inspiration artwork, sketch comic, Adoption photo

[fantasy-things-and-such]

Intro Post/Masterpost

These amazing dividers were made by @cafekitsune. go check them out! My banner was made by an IRL friend of mine. if you see this(which i doubt you will but maybe), thank you!

Hello! The name's Enju. This is my introductory post. Welcome!

I'm a aspiring author and poet living in the US. I mainly write Fantasy and am dipping my toes into dystopia.

i have three projects, listed later.

Asks and tags are always welcome, but please please please don't be mad if i dont answer right away. I'm alittle slow on the upkeep + life outside of writing is pain. Ill get to asks eventually, I promise!

Although i treat this like my Main blog, my dumbass made them in the wrong order when I first got here. @i-hate-happy-endings is my main, and its quite empty lmao.

#Sunset things: Related to my WIP, Sunset #Ailan's Legacy: Related to my WIP, White Candy #Frontline: Related to my WIP, Frontline #meet my OCs: A little series where i go into depth about my OCs #Enju's Worldbuilding: Stuff pertaining to worldbuilding(usually tagged with #Sunset things or #Ailans Legacy) #Greeted the Messenger: Replying to Asks

Master list for my WIP posts + taglist

Whenever i make a WIP post I'll make it pretty clear what kind of stuff is in it. CW mentions will always be at the top for mature themes and I'll try to put tone tags as well if i think there's any sorta stuff that might disturb people in there. And Lastly, Here be Dragons. I wont always remember or know what judgement to make, so Here be Dragons is my go-to warning label.

My WIPS:

Sunset: Sunset is a high-fantasy medieval romance series and the main topic of this blog.

White Candy(Ailan's Legacy): White Candy is a mystery novel with solar/steampunk elements.

Frontline(Placeholder name): Frontline is a dark fantasy dystopia with mature elements. Interact at your own risk.

this'll get updated as I do short stories.

An Eternity With you: A short story on a immortal guy and his journey of love

I'm afraid to tag my moots bc i interact with like two of them regularly. but they're all amazing people so here goes: @theliteraryarchitect @garden-of-runar @the-ellia-west @saturnsconstellation @wyked-ao3

@dandelionflowery @mae-occasionally-reads

@themortalityofundyingstars @thisisntrocket

@bookish-karina @elizaellwrites @the-golden-comet @illarian-rambling @a-pretty-damn-good-narrator

@leave-a-message19 @aesthetic-writer18 @rivenantiqnerd @humongouskittentraveler @emilynotfound

@the-alywickd @vyuntspakhkite-l-darling @melo-writes @agirlandherquill @heymacareyna

@poethill @angst-is-love-angst-is-life These are all amazing people and you should go follow them.

Emotional support post

[demphix]

Charif Master Post... 2!! (It's all plot this time)

The original Charif Master Post can be found here, and is basically a (rough) timeline on her development in concept, design, writing, and music.

For a quick summary, Charif is a Deltarune OC I made based on the angel doll Rudy mentions Kris and Asriel making as kids for the church's youth group in Chapter 1 (screenshots of that dialogue in the OG Masterpost). She acts as the Secret/Shadow Boss for the Church Dark World in my version of Chapter 6!

Plot Guide Below:

General stuff for the normal route.

(Formatting is weird on this one. Start where it says "OK PLOT NOW", read down the full row, move to the row to the left, and repeat from there. The rest are formatted normally.)

Basic rundown of her Secret Boss fight.

Gaster shit.

And lastly, a summary of her involvement in the Weird Route.

I also made themes for her and Vesper (the shopkeeper).

("Worth the Wait!" and "Warm Welcome!" share their cover art.)

(This uses the same cover art as "Your Greatest Gift.")

You can find the YouTube uploads in this playlist! Any future Deltarune USTs will also go in the playlist.

[allmoshnobrain]

𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐫: 𝐞𝐩𝐢𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐮𝐞

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

part 06 of 06 | masterpost

word count: 9,8k | ao3 link | fic's playlist

✦ on this chapter: NSFW!!!, dave mustaine x female!oc, james hetfield x female!oc, oc is cliff's cousin, +18, language, slice of life, pregnancy, breastfeeding, mxf sex, threesome mentioned/implied, poly relationship mentioned/discussed, oral sex, pregnancy sex, small pov change at the end, an actual happy ending ♡

✧ Blue hydrangea, cold cash divine / Cashmere, cologne, and white sunshine / Red racing cars, Sunset and Vine / The kids were young and pretty

Where have you been? / Where did you go? / Those summer nights seem long ago / So is the girl you used to call / The queen of New York City ✧

August 17th, 1992

I blinked open my eyes, letting out a sleepy yawn as sunlight crept through the curtains, brightening up the room. A small grin tugged at my lips when I realized Dave was still fast asleep beside me, snoring softly with his arms wrapped around me, his bare skin pressed against mine. With a groan, I stretched out, feeling how sore my muscles were.

Honestly, even though I’d caught some shut-eye, I was totally wiped out from last night. James and Dave hadn’t given me a break for a second, making it their mission to push me to one mind-blowing climax after another in a wild competition for my attention and pleasure that had lasted all night long. But I wasn’t complaining; in fact, it probably had been one of the best nights I've ever had up to that point.

I glanced over to the other side of the bed, sighing when I saw James wasn't there; reaching out, I noticed the mattress was still warm, so he probably had left not too long before. I carefully slipped out of Dave's arms, got up, and headed to the bathroom. After washing my face and brushing my teeth, I absentmindedly ran my fingers through my hair as I checked out my skin in the mirror. It was covered in bites and little bruises that were starting to show. I sighed; I'd definitely need to slap on some makeup to cover those up before we hopped on our flight back home.

I threw on one of Dave's t-shirts, my shorts, and my shoes before snagging my pack of cigarettes and lighter. I slipped out of the room quietly and made my way up to the hotel's terrace. The place was nice, offering a panoramic view of the city with a few tables and chairs scattered around. Surprisingly, even though it wasn’t that early, it was still empty, which was a relief. Leaning against the railing, I lit up a cigarette, taking slow drags with a sigh.

"Figured I'd find you here," a familiar voice chimed in. I glanced up, meeting James' eyes as he strolled over. Turning to him, I rested a hand on his chest as he wrapped his arm around my waist. Letting out a sigh, I melted into his kiss, his tongue gently exploring my mouth while his hand cradled my face.

"You bailed on me," I murmured against his lips, and he grunted, kissing me once more. I chuckled softly. "Jamie..."

"I couldn't sleep," he confessed, pulling back slightly, his thumb stroking my lower lip gently.

"Come back to the room with me," I whispered, and he raised an eyebrow, a slight smile playing on his lips. "We don't have to split just yet. We've got until tonight. I'm sure Dave won't mind picking up where we left off yesterday."

"Now that he's sober? Doubt it," he murmured, then brushed his fingers gently across my face. I closed my eyes with a sigh, resting my hand over his. "Babe... You realize this thing between the three of us won't last beyond these walls, right?"

I blinked open my eyes, my reaction to his words written all over my face — a messy mix of feeling betrayed and totally lost. I shook my head no, and he responded with a smile, though it was a sad and resigned one that tugged at my heartstrings. He sighed as I reached out, cupping his cheek, drawing nearer.

"We can give it a shot," I murmured, my voice pleading. He clasped my hand in his, pressing a light kiss to my palm before letting go.

"And how exactly would that work?" he inquired, his tone gentle. "We're both public figures, Nore. You're making waves in your career now. What happens if the industry catches wind of you being with two guys at once? If just by you dating Dave, your face ends up plastered across magazine covers?"

"I don't give a shit about that," I shot back, and he scoffed.

"Well, I do. Not sure if you remember, but I made a promise. Promised Cliff I'd look out for you," he said, gently lifting my chin to meet his gaze. "Even if that means letting Mustaine win this round."

"So you’re walking away from me?" I questioned, my voice cracking, a scary emptiness gripping my heart. As messy as things were between James and me, he'd never thrown in the towel before. The thought sent a shiver down my spine, especially coming right after the high of last night — after finally admitting to myself that I didn't want to choose, that I loved both Dave and James, that I wanted them both, not one or the other.

He nuzzled into my neck, his hand sliding down to my hip beneath the t-shirt. Such a simple move, yet so familiar. A familiar vulnerability that reminded me of the boy he used to be.

If Cliff were still around, would things have gotten so strained between us? Would James' anger and my own self-destructive tendencies have wormed their way into our relationship like poison, tearing us apart until we barely resembled the young lovers we once were? I'd pondered that question countless times. Guess I’d never know the answer.

"I couldn't leave you. You know that," he murmured. "But I can't handle this, Nore. I can't share you. Especially when I know it could mess things up for you. Especially when I know it could fuck up your thing with Mustaine. I know you couldn't handle losing him again. You think I don't see how much you love him? How much he loves you?"

"But I love you too," I pleaded. "And you love me."

"I do. And that's why I'm doing this," he said, holding my face in his hands and brushing away the tears I hadn't even realized were streaming down my cheeks. "You're gonna be happy, Nore. As time goes by and the hurt fades, you'll find happiness with him. I know you will, 'cause you already did."

"I don't want to lose you."

"You're not losing me. I'll still be around," he whispered, pulling me into a tight hug. "I'll always be by your side. Always. I just can't stand to see you hurting anymore because of me. You've been through too much."

"It's not fair," I sobbed. "I want you to be happy too."

"I will. But I gotta get my act together first, so I can stop screwing things up for the people I care about," he said with a sad smile. I gripped onto his arm with one hand, wiping my tears away with the other. I didn't want this. It wasn't fair. But James' eyes held a determination I'd never seen before, and I knew I couldn't talk him out of it. James reached up to touch my face, running his thumb along my lower lip. "I gotta do this. You get it, right?" he asked, his voice shaky. I hesitated, but nodded before trying to force a smile — one last smile for the man I loved.

"Want to give me one last kiss?" I asked, and he laughed quietly. "You know, for good luck."

He leaned in, pulling me close, his lips brushing against mine slowly, savoring every moment. I tangled my fingers in his hair, closing my eyes and pressing myself against him, trying in every way to convey everything I felt; how much I loved him, how long I'd loved him, and how a part of my heart would always belong to him. How I wouldn't be who I was without him. He ended the kiss with two gentle pecks, then planted two small kisses on my cheek and forehead before hugging me tightly.

When I opened my eyes, he was gone.

When I got back to the room, Dave was there, fresh out of the shower, his hair still wet and a towel wrapped around his waist.

"Hey, babe," he greeted me with a smile, but it faded when he saw the look on my face. "What's up? Something happened?"

I nodded, heading over to him and wrapping my arms around his waist, burying my face in his chest. Dave hugged me back right away, holding me close as he ran his fingers through my hair.

"Hey," he murmured, lifting my chin so I'd meet his gaze. "What's going on? Did I fuck anything up?"

"No, no," I reassured him, pulling him into another hug and nuzzling into his neck. He let out a soft, worried sigh, holding me close.

"Tell me what's going on, honey. I'm freaking out here," he urged, his voice filled with concern.

"I'm being selfish," I murmured, my voice shaking. "I'm being selfish because after yesterday... I thought... I thought that you, me, and James could figure it out. I've been torn up for so long about having to pick one of you, and… And yesterday it hit me, I don't really want to choose. But James... He's not on board. He said it wouldn't be good for my career if people found out. That I'd be better off without him." I pulled back, meeting his eyes, pleading. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you with this, Dave..."

"You're not hurting me," he said, cupping my face in his hands. "Do you really think I don't know you love him, Nore? After all these years together? I was the one who walked away, and he's the one who’s been there for you this whole time. As much as I hate it, I get it. I'm not mad at you. It's okay."

He helped me sit on the bed, pulling me close against his chest. I let out a sigh, giving him a light kiss, and he let out a low, contented sound as he held me tight. He smelled nice, all warm and woodsy; just being near him helped me relax.

"I love you," he whispered, leaning in to kiss me gently on the lips, his fingers brushing against my tear-stained cheeks.  "But you know it's different for people like us," he said softly, studying my face as he traced it with his fingertips. "Behind the scenes at a gig, a private party... We can get carried away in those moments, do things we wouldn't do anywhere else. But then we go back to the real world. We put on our masks. We're their idols, babe. And those private moments become vulnerabilities that these media vultures would kill to get their hands on, to twist who we are into whatever they want. A wild drunk. A messed-up junkie. I get why James wants to shield you from that, I'd do the same. But if you wanna go back to him..." he furrowed his brow, his brown eyes filled with a restless sadness that tugged at my heart. "There's still time. And I won't hold it against you."

"No way. I'm not ditching you. Don't even go there, Dave," I said, my tone firm and cutting. James had a point about one thing: I couldn't handle losing Dave again, and I wasn't about to take that chance. I looked at him, pleading. "You know I love you. Don't even think about telling me to bail."

Sure, part of me was hurting and torn up, but I wasn't about to do anything that might push him away.

If it came down to choosing, my decision had been made long, long ago.

"Then stay with me," Dave said softly. "Stay with me, and I swear, even if you're still hung up on him, I'll love you just as much."

"I love you. I'm not going anywhere," I replied, locking eyes with him and holding his face in my hands. His breath hitched, relief and longing shining in his eyes as he pulled me effortlessly into his lap, his lips edging closer to mine. "Don’t ever dare to push me away again. You're stuck with me, Mustaine," I whispered, our mouths almost touching, and he grinned.

"You know you're the only one I love... Losing you is the last thing I'd ever want," he said, his hand tangling in my hair and pulling me closer as his lips met mine.

✧ But if you send for me, you know I'll come / And if you call for me, you know I'll run  / I'll run to you, I'll run to you / I'll run, run, run / I'll come to you, I'll come to you  / I'll come, come, come ✧

October 9, 1992

Ever since I was a kid, the ocean had been a great presence in my life. Growing up in Long Beach and then moving around to San Francisco and Los Angeles meant I was always near the beach. Whether I was feeling great or down, the sea was like a silent companion, there for me through thick and thin. So when Dave suggested we hit up a beachside cottage in San Francisco for the weekend, I was totally stoked.

The past couple of months hadn't exactly been easy. After Leanne's wedding, James and I went back to being cool with each other, but his choice to step back still stung. Trying to keep up a friendship after being together for years was bittersweet, and way tougher than I thought it'd be. But having Dave around made it all a bit smoother. Even when I still felt down sometimes, I knew I'd rather deal with that sadness over and over than go through the heartbreak of losing him again.

Things were looking up for our careers. On my end, I was hashing out the details for a role in my first movie, which was gonna be a whole new ball game compared to everything I'd done before. The series I was headlining was wrapping up filming, and it seemed like smooth sailing all around.

Dave had been riding high with all the concerts he'd been doing since Megadeth had dropped their latest album, Countdown to Extinction. The album had been a hit, which was awesome news for both of us. The following year, the band would hit the road for an international tour, and although we knew it was gonna be tough being apart for that long, we figured we'd make the most of the rest of '92 by squeezing in as much time together as we could, starting with our little weekend getaway.

At Dave's urging, I’d let him take the reins on planning everything. I grinned as he pulled up to the small beach cottage, instantly recognizing it. Even after all these years, some things in San Francisco still remained the same.

"That's the cottage you took me to that time, right before you went on that trip to New Jersey with the guys," I said, grinning at Dave as he pulled the car to a stop. He flashed me a smile in return.

"Yep, that's the spot. Good memory," he leaned in for a quick peck on the lips. "Wanted to whisk you away to a place that's got some history for us both."

And he’d totally hit the mark; the little cottage was quaint yet comfy, a throwback to the best days of my life, a time when we were just two young lovers, exploring what it meant to be together. Back when I was learning what it meant to have a family beyond blood, with all my friends by my side, back when Cliff was still around, all witty remarks and calm smiles. Back before Dave and the guys had their falling out and things had changed forever, for all of us.

Dave tossed me the key, asking me to pop open the doors and windows for some fresh air while he hauled our bags inside. I happily obliged, instantly recognizing the layout of the small house: cozy living room leading to the bedroom, bathroom, and kitchen. The bedroom had an old double bed and a wardrobe, plus a TV that definitely wasn't there last time. And then there was the balcony, right out to the beach, where I could see the sea glimmering in the morning light.

I grinned as Dave strolled in, dumping our bags on the bed before coming over to wrap me in a hug and plant a soft kiss on my lips.

"You like it?" he asked softly. I nodded. "Yeah, it's a bit smaller than I remembered, but I hope it’s still cozy enough."

"It's perfect, Dave," I said, cupping his face in my hands and giving him another kiss. He grinned, looking like he was about to say something, but then hesitated, which caught my attention. "What's up?"

"I was just curious... if you had any cool stuff planned for this weekend," he said, trying to keep a straight face, but I could tell he was about to crack a smile. I grinned back, a bit puzzled.

"I didn't plan anything fancy, babe. You were supposed to take care of all that, remember? But we can chill at the beach and then figure out something fun to do together, sound good?"

"Well, actually..." he started, his grin spreading. "I had something else in mind."

"Oh, really? You know I'm down for whatever," I answered, and he smiled playfully before taking my hands in his, leaning his forehead against mine.

"Even marrying me tomorrow?" he asked, his tone low.

I blinked, totally caught off guard, wondering if I'd heard him right. I leaned back a bit, a shocked grin breaking across my face as my heart started racing. Was he serious? Dave grinned back at my reaction, giving my hands a gentle squeeze, his soft touch grounding me back to reality.

"What do you mean, tomorrow?" I asked, dumbfounded, and he laughed.

"I mean tomorrow," he replied, genuine happiness and excitement in his voice. "Nore, I... I've spent too much of my life away from you already. And it sucked," he chuckled, and I couldn’t help but laugh too, feeling my heart completely out of sync as butterflies fluttered in my stomach. "Next year, when I go on tour... I want to know I’m coming back home to you. Every single day of my life, I want to be sure I'll come back to you."

I gasped in surprise as he knelt down on one knee, still holding my hands before letting them go and pulling out a small box from his pocket. He opened it to reveal a beautiful ring, gold with a large dark blue stone and small diamonds around it.

"This might just go down as the quickest engagement in history," he whispered with a smile. "But seriously, I've never been more certain about anything in my life than wanting to spend it with you. Eleanore Marie Burton... Will you mar-"

"Yes," I blurted out, barely letting him finish, a grin spreading across my face as I brought my fingertips to my lips, giggling like a little girl with tears brimming in my eyes. Dave beamed, his own eyes misting up as he got to his feet. "Yes, I’ll marry you," I confirmed, and he took my hand in his, slowly slipping the ring onto my finger before pulling me in close by the waist, drawing me into a slow, passionate kiss. 

"Thank goodness you said yes," he whispered, his breath warm against my lips. "I mean, I've already forked out for the whole thing. Would've been a bit awkward if you'd turned me down."

I couldn't help but laugh, joyous tears streaking down my cheeks as I cupped his face in my hands, his arms enveloping me tightly, our lips finding each other's again, and again, and again.

✧ The power of youth is on my mind / Sunsets, small town, I'm out of time / Will you still love me when I shine / From words but not from beauty?

My father's love was always strong / My mother's glamor lives on and on / Yet still inside, I felt alone / For reasons unknown to me ✧

October 10, 1992

We got married the next day, on a sunny autumn afternoon. The morning was a whirlwind of activity as we scrambled to get everything just right: first, a crew showed up bright and early to set up the beachside ceremony, arranging tables and chairs, decking out the altar with decorations, and pitching tents for the guests to hang out in during the reception. Then came the chefs Dave had enlisted to whip up the feast; our little cottage just couldn't contain the festivities, so it was all hands on deck to get everything outdoors-ready.

Soon after, the guests began trickling in. My family was the first to arrive: Uncle Ray, Aunt Jan, and my parents. Then, to my utter delight, Leanne and Joe made an appearance. I hadn't expected Leanne to come, with her pregnancy moving along, but clearly, I’d underestimated her determination. When I mentioned my surprise, she just chuckled.

"Are you kidding? Wouldn't miss it for the world. Plus, you're gonna need a maid of honor, right?" she teased, and I couldn't help but beam with genuine happiness.

Leanne and my mom pitched in to get me ready; Mom tackled my hair while Leanne took charge of my makeup. The master bedroom turned into a makeshift beauty parlor, and before I knew it, the clock was ticking away as I was treated like royalty: my hair was coiffed and styled before a quick snack break, then Leanne got to work on my makeup before I slipped into the dress Dave had taken me to pick out the day prior.

All of this happened amidst all the hustle and bustle of getting the party ready and Dave getting himself sorted in the tiny bathroom. The cottage turned into a bit of a madhouse, mostly because Leanne and Mom were on strict guard duty, keeping everyone out of the bedroom until I was good to go. But, despite the chaos, the vibe was just pure joy, and nobody seemed to be sweating the small stuff.

Finally, when I was all dolled up, Leanne swooped in and covered my eyes with her hands, while Mom propped up a full-length mirror against the wall. Turns out, she'd had the foresight to pick one up just for the occasion. When I asked her about it, she just gave me an exasperated look.

"Imagine not being able to see yourself in the mirror on your big day. This is a once-in-a-lifetime deal, and I wasn't taking any chances on there not being one around. So, I came prepared," she explained.

Well, this time Mom had definitely hit the mark. The cottage was pretty basic, and a full-length mirror wasn't exactly on the inventory list. When I finally laid eyes on myself, I couldn't help but gasp in amazement. My hair was swept up into a loose bun, with bits of it cascading around my face, adorned with these adorable little yellow flowers nestled into the brown locks.

Leanne's makeup skills were on point, giving my eyes, lips, and cheeks just the right pop. And the dress was like it was made for me, light as a feather, sleeveless and elegant, hugging my curves in all the right places, even making me feel a bit taller. Grinning ear to ear, I took the bouquet from Leanne — a gorgeous mix of white roses and sunflowers, just like the ones Dave had handed me that first time we caught up after reuniting.

I was stunning. But it wasn't just about the looks: this overwhelming sense of pure joy seemed to radiate from every inch of me, lighting up my eyes and my smile. And for the first time in forever, there wasn't a shred of worry weighing me down.

"You know, when your fiancé called, I'll admit, I thought you two might've been rushing into things. But now... seeing you like this... You really love him, don’t you?" Mom asked, giving one last gentle tug on the dress zipper. All I could manage was a silent nod.

In that moment, one thing was crystal clear, and it was my love for Dave.

"Okay, it's showtime," my dad barged in out of nowhere, freezing in his tracks as he caught sight of me. His eyes welled up with a mix of shock and pride, his jaw practically hitting the floor. I couldn't help but grin, the excitement sending shivers down my spine, my heart pounding, and tears threatening to spill from my eyes. "Ellie, you... You look stunning," he said, grasping my arms and beaming at me before turning to my mom. "Clémence, sweetheart, you and Leanne better get a move on... The ceremony's about to kick off."

"Okay," Mom gave my hair one final tweak before she and Leanne settled my veil in place. Lea squeezed my hand tight.

"We'll be right there, Nore. See you in a bit," she said reassuringly.

I nodded, but inside, my stomach was doing somersaults. All morning, I'd been riding the excitement train, but now, with the ceremony about to kick off, a tidal wave of nerves hit me like a ton of bricks. Dad noticed, gripping my arm a little tighter, offering silent support as he sensed my jitters.

"You got this, Ellie. Dave's just waiting on you," Dad whispered, giving me a reassuring squeeze.

I nodded, feeling the adrenaline pumping through my veins, a nervous smile breaking out on my face. And with that, the music started up, and Dad guided me down the aisle to where Dave was waiting at the altar.

As I emerged into the back of the cottage, I couldn't help but be taken aback by the sea of familiar faces gathered for the ceremony. Charlotte and her boyfriend were holding court, joined by a bunch of my college and work buddies, along with Dave's band mates. Lars, Kirk, and Jason flashed me a grin. But my heart dropped a bit when I realized James wasn't among them. I couldn't help but wonder if he'd opted out, if my wedding would just add another layer to the hurt between us.

But all of that was shoved to the backburner the second I locked eyes with Dave. He had this intense, serious expression on his face, which might've been a bit intimidating if I didn't know it just showed how emotional he was. His gaze was glued to mine as I made my way over, and when Dad handed me off to him, Dave let out this deep breath, a huge grin spreading across his face that I couldn't help but mirror.

Our vows were straight from the heart, short and sweet, but bursting with love. I gotta admit, I tried my hardest to keep the waterworks at bay, but a few rogue tears still managed to slip out. And when the officiant asked if I took Dave as my husband, I found my voice all choked up. But I managed to squeak out my acceptance, which just melted Dave's eyes into a puddle of warmth and affection.

When he slid that ring onto my finger, it was like everything clicked into place. Like I'd finally found my spot in the universe. Through all the rough patches, all the time we’d spent apart, I guess deep down, I always knew we'd find our way back to each other. I always knew that I loved him, had loved him all along, right from the start, and that love wasn't going anywhere till my very last breath.

I let out a soft chuckle as Dave leaned in for a kiss, pulling me close, his hand gentle on my cheek, brushing away the tears of joy that had welled up. I sighed contentedly, wrapping my arms around his neck, never wanting to let go.

It was done. And in that moment, it hit me — I'd never have to go through losing him again. Our love had seen us through, brought us back together, helped us learn to forgive, and most importantly, to fall for each other all over again.

I was his, and he was mine.

The party after the ceremony was nothing fancy, but it was a blast. Our wedding wasn't a huge affair, just our nearest and dearest, but honestly, it couldn't have been any better in my book. I was practically beaming with joy as everyone came up to chat with me.

"Nore!" Lars burst out, champagne in hand, with Kirk right by his side, sporting a grin. I couldn't help but smile back, chuckling when they both practically tackled me with hugs. "Congrats, Mrs. Mustaine," Lars said with a twinkle in his eye, and I let out a laugh.

"Mustaine-Burton," I smiled. "I'm going with a double-barrelled name... Didn't want to ditch the Burton part, you know? It's got history with Cliff," I explained, which earned approving smiles from both of them.

"You know, I never really got what's up with you and Mustaine until I saw you two in the same place at the same time," Kirk mused. "It's like you two are in your own little world when you're together. And seeing him all smitten like this is a funny sight. Congrats, babe," he continued, pulling me in for another hug. I let out a soft chuckle in response.

"Can I crash the congrats party?" a familiar voice piped up, and I lit up as I spun around to find James, a hint of a smile on his face.

"James!" I blurted out, pulling him in for a hug, which he met with a soft laugh. "I thought... I thought you were gonna bail on me."

"A dude can't even be fashionably late these days?" he teased, and I laughed. "Of course I was gonna show up. You think you can shake me off that easily, Burton?"

"Mustaine-Burton, actually," I corrected him, and he just rolled his eyes.

"As if I'm gonna go with that," he quipped, caressing my hair softly, which made me giggle. "So, where's your... husband?"

"Last I saw, he was chatting with my folks. Ah, there he is," I grinned as I caught sight of Dave, shooting the breeze with his sister while clutching a flute of champagne. He spotted me, then James by my side, and immediately made a beeline over.

"Hey, honey. Hungry yet? I had 'em whip up that salad you're into," he said, slinging an arm around my waist, pulling me in snug. It was a sweet move, not without a hint of claiming me as his own.

"Oh yeah, I'm starving. I was just chatting a bit," I answered, planting a light kiss on Dave's cheek. He grinned and then turned his gaze to James, who met it without saying a word. I watched their silent exchange, feeling a bit on edge, but my eyebrows shot up in surprise when James reached out his hand to Dave, who shook it.

"Congrats, dude," James said, and Dave shot him a tight yet polite smile.

"Thanks."

"I'm thinking of snagging a brew... Catch you later, Nore," James said, giving me a nod. I returned it as he made his way towards the makeshift bar set up for the guests.

"Hey, James!" Dave called out, stopping him in his tracks. James turned back, eyebrow raised in question. Dave hesitated for a moment before speaking up. "I'll take care of her, man. You have my word."

"I know you will," James replied, offering a faint smile. I watched with interest as the two of them seemed to reach some unspoken understanding. Then James turned and headed off.

The party dragged on till way past bedtime. By the time the guests cleared out and the crew tore down the setup, I was beat. My eyes were practically glued shut with exhaustion as I wiped off my makeup and let down my hair. I couldn't help but laugh when I felt Dave sneak up behind me, wrapping his arms around me and planting a slow kiss on my neck, my body warming up at his touch.

"You happy?" he whispered, and I grinned, turning to meet his gaze, our hands intertwining. I couldn't help but smile at the cool touch of his ring against my skin.

"Over the moon," I murmured, letting out a soft chuckle as he fumbled for my dress’ zipper, planting a kiss on my shoulder and pulling me close. His lips trailed up my skin, and I couldn't help but smile when they met mine. "And you?"

"Absolutely," he murmured back, gently nipping at my lower lip.

I let out a sigh as he lifted my dress' hem, settling me on the vanity while taking off my panties. A quiet laugh escaped my lips as he started undoing his pants. He pressed his forehead against mine, parting my thighs with one hand. I moaned softly as he pushed into me, my fingers tangling in his ginger hair as he moved slowly. I tilted my head back as his lips traced the curve of my neck and collarbone.

"Couldn't even wait to get me in bed?" I managed to gasp out, and he smirked, easing himself inside me with slow, deliberate movements.

"What makes you think I won't fuck you in bed too?" he countered with a low growl, and I couldn't help but laugh, the sound melting into a moan as his lips crashed against mine, his thrusts growing more urgent by the second.

I melted into him, fingers tangling in his hair as my lips trailed down to his neck. He let out a deep groan, his hold on my hips tightening as his breathing grew heavier, his movements getting more frenzied by the second. I couldn't help but moan as he slipped a hand down to my clit, working it with such skill that sent shivers down my spine.

"My beautiful wife," he growled, burying his face in my neck as I clung to him. He grunted as he felt me tighten around him, my climax building rapidly. His movements grew more urgent, and I shuddered as the pleasure became almost overwhelming, my body convulsing with each wave as I moaned his name. He pulled me close, his rhythm faltering as he released inside me, his forehead resting against my shoulder, his breath coming in heavy pants. I giggled as he peppered kisses along my shoulder, then my neck, nibbling lightly on my ear before whispering again, "My beautiful, beautiful wife."

I had never been happier.

✧ But if you send for me, you know I'll come / And if you call for me, you know I'll run / I'll run to you, I'll run to you / I'll run, run, run / I'll come to you, I'll come to you / I'll come, come, come

And if you call I'll run, run, run  / If you change your mind, I'll come, come, come ✧

December 31st, 1992

Two months later, we headed back to San Francisco for Lars' annual New Year's Eve bash. Dave wasn't exactly jumping for joy at the thought of ringing in the new year with his old band mates, but I promised him he didn't have to mingle with them if he didn't feel like it. I mean, Lars' parties were notorious for being massive. Dave was trying his best to wrap his head around the fact that having me in his life also meant having some sort of contact with Lars, Kirk, and James. Surprisingly, he was handling it better than I thought he would.

I let out a sigh, a little smile playing on my lips as we pulled up to Lars' vacation home. Last time I’d set foot there, getting back with Dave wasn't even on my radar. If someone had told me then that a year later we'd be married, I'd have probably burst out laughing. It was like in the past year, all my wildest dreams had decided to come true.

I grinned as we stepped into our guest room and spotted Lars' handiwork of choosing the perfect outfits for his guests; this time, a stunning blood-red gown for me, paired with a slick black suit and shirt in the same shade for Dave. Dave let out a low whistle at the sight of our getups, slinging an arm around my waist.

"You’ll look absolutely gorgeous in that dress, babe," he said with a smile, leaning in to brush his lips against my ear. "Can't wait to take it off you later."

I laughed, giving him a playful shove, and he planted a kiss on my lips before stepping back.

The party was off the hook, as usual. Even Dave seemed blown away by the spread of food, drinks, and all the big shots milling around, though he tried to play it cool, which just made me smile. We worked the room together, hand in hand, stopping here and there to shoot the breeze with some familiar faces.

At one point, we split up when Dave went to grab us some drinks. That's when I felt a hand on my shoulder, and when I turned around, a smile spread across my face at the sight of James. He was rocking an all-black outfit, his blond hair flowing and his face looking healthier than I had seen in years.

"Thought you were gonna bail this year. You know, since your husband's not our biggest fan," James said, a slight grin playing on his lips. I rolled my eyes.

"Don't be ridiculous, James. I wouldn't miss hanging out with you guys for anything," I retorted before pulling him into a hug. He let out a satisfied sigh, keeping me close for maybe a bit longer than strictly necessary, his hand resting at the small of my back as he buried his face in my hair.

"You look stunning," he whispered in my ear, and I swear I could feel my cheeks flushing. "Missed you, Nore," he grinned, those blue eyes twinkling with a certain mischief that sent my heart into a flutter.

Guess I wasn't entirely immune to James' charms after all.

Later, after the party wrapped up, Dave and I ended up back in our room, his hands all over me, his body pressing me against the wall, his tongue tangling with mine as I let out soft moans, my fingers entwined in his soft ginger hair. He suddenly pulled away when we heard a knock on the door. I blinked, curious. Dave groaned, irritated, rolling his eyes, and I couldn't help but chuckle under my breath.

"I'll get it," I offered, and he grunted, stepping aside to let me reach the door. Swinging it open, I was taken aback to find James standing there. His eyes swept over me, a faint smile playing on his lips as he noticed my flushed cheeks and mussed-up hair.

"Bad timing?" he quipped, and I felt the heat rise to my cheeks once more.

"James, what's up? Need something?" I inquired, and he let out a low laugh, that same hint of mischief as before flashing in his eyes.

"You know why I'm here, sweetheart. Mind if I come in?" he murmured, his voice dropping. My skin warmed when Dave's arms wrapped around me, pulling me close as he planted a kiss on my neck.

"What do you think, babe?" Dave murmured, his proximity sending my pulse into overdrive. James observed, desire flickering in his blue eyes as he let out a soft sigh. Butterflies fluttered in my stomach as I realized what was about to happen. "Should we let him in?"

I glanced at James, who flashed a playful grin before closing the gap between us, lifting my chin with his fingers before pressing his lips to mine.

Believe it or not, that was the kick-off to some of the happiest times of my life. James, Dave, and I kept our meetings going for a few months, and I gotta say, it was pretty amazing to experience loving both of them at the same time.

But James had a point in the end; keeping our thing under wraps, away from the public, got tougher and more draining by the day. And even though he didn't outright say it, I could tell Dave wasn't thrilled about sharing me. Plus, James and Dave still had a lot of resentment between them; not even the possibility of both of them having me eased the wounds they still needed to heal. So, as time went on, our three-way nights became rarer until they just fizzled out completely.

Surprisingly, that didn't wreck my bond with James, thanks to something totally unexpected: him falling for someone else. Strangely enough, it didn't bug me as much as I thought it would. I had a long history of feeling jealous of James' girlfriends back in the day. But now, it was like our connection had matured into something peaceful. I was genuinely glad to see him finding happiness, just like he was glad to see how happy my marriage made me.

So, believe it or not, I found myself happy. I had a husband who adored me, a successful career, and friends who were like family. Sure, Cliff's loss was like a shadow that never quite left, but I wasn't going through my mourning alone. Some days hit harder than others, but ain't that just life? We all coped in our own ways, not always the healthiest, but bit by bit, I learned to live again.

Bit by bit, I allowed myself to be happy again.

✧ Blue hydrangea, cold cash divine / Cashmere, cologne and hot sunshine / Red racing cars, Sunset and Vine / And we were young and pretty ✧

November 14, 1993

It happened not long after my first wedding anniversary.

The past year had been smooth sailing for both me and Dave. Hardly anything threw a wrench in the works; I kept climbing up the ladder in acting, and Dave was killing it in his music gig. His band was hitting new highs, even if that meant he was on the road more and we were apart a bunch. But, in the end, it just made every second we had together even sweeter. 

Somewhere in the last few months, I’d ditched the birth control pills. Not 'cause Dave and I were mapping out parenthood or anything, but just because we figured we'd want kids somewhere down the line. Seemed like a good time to let nature take its course — if it happened, cool. If it didn’t, that was okay too.

I just wasn’t ready for it to happen that fast — but the two lines that appeared on the pregnancy test didn't lie.

I was pregnant.

Maybe it wasn't the smartest move to take that test while Dave was still laying down tracks at the studio. Because now, a full-on panic started to set in as I stared at that little plastic stick. I only grabbed it because I'd been feeling like garbage — tired as hell and sick to my stomach round the clock. Plus, I couldn't even remember the last time I'd had a period. But even with all those hints, the result still caught me off guard.

I rested a hand on my belly, staring at my own nervous reflection in the mirror. I had no clue how I was gonna break the news to Dave. And with the band gearing up for another album, I couldn't predict how he'd take it either. Albums meant tours, and I was freaking out, thinking I might mess up Dave's whole career and plans.

Chill out, I told myself. He's been wanting this as much as you have.

And it was true. Actually, it was Dave who'd thrown out the idea of me ditching the birth control pills. I tried to keep that in mind, shutting my eyes and taking a deep breath. It kinda eased some of my nerves. I absentmindedly noticed my face was all flushed.

"Nore?" I jumped when I heard Dave's voice. I hadn't even noticed he'd gotten back home, but then again, I was holed up in the bathroom upstairs. I heard a couple of taps on the door. "You in there?"

"Yeah, I'm here!" I called out, shoving the test back into its box and tucking it away in the cabinet under the sink before swinging the door open. Dave grinned at me, his ginger hair pulled back into a ponytail, and reached out for a hug. I chuckled softly, some of the tension melting away as I wrapped my arms around him, nuzzling into his chest. "Hey there, baby. Welcome home."

"You feeling any better?" He ran a gentle hand through my hair.

Now it was clear why I'd felt so sick — another day where I just couldn't drag myself to work because of the nausea. Dave would've stayed put if I hadn't practically pushed him out the door to the studio. Didn't want to throw a wrench in the works of the band's new album. The idea of being a hassle to him brought tears to my eyes, which kinda ticked me off. Guess my hormones were already all over the place.

Which meant one thing: I had to tell him.

"Dave..." I started, my voice shaky, meeting his gaze. He brushed his fingers over my face gently, a flicker of worry in his eyes.

"What is it?" he whispered. I tried to speak, to put into words what I needed to say, but I found myself speechless. Instead, I reached for his hand and pressed it against my stomach under my shirt. He looked at me, puzzled for a second, before realization slowly dawned in his eyes.

"Wait, seriously? Is this... Is this what I think it is?" he asked, his voice filled with disbelief. I nodded, a grin spreading across my face.

"Yeah, it is. We're... We're gonna have a baby," I confirmed, finally managing to say it. "I'm pregnant... You're gonna be a dad."

"Holy shit, are you serious?" he beamed, cupping my face in his hands and planting a bunch of little kisses on my lips, making me giggle. "I can't believe this!"

"It's true, Dave. Just took the test."

"Oh man, we gotta tell everyone!" he exclaimed, grinning from ear to ear. "And we gotta start prepping the baby's room... You think it's gonna be a boy or a girl?"

I smiled, feeling my heart light up at Dave's enthusiasm. I'd been worrying for nothing, I realized. He'd never see this pregnancy as a setback. That guy had shown me his love time and time again, way more than I could ever measure, way more than I ever thought I deserved.

I knew he was gonna be an amazing dad.

July 27, 1994

Elise Rose Mustaine-Burton came into the world in the early hours of a summer morning.

When I finally got to hold her, sweat and tears mixed as my whole body ached, it was as if my world had shifted for a moment; holding her, I just knew – life would never be the same again.

I fell for her right away, a fierce, raw, and unconditional love that just flooded through me. It wasn't like I had to make room for her in my heart; it was more like her arrival had stretched it wide open, carving out a piece of my soul that was hers and hers alone, forever.

I could tell Dave felt it too. When he held her, a grin lit up his face, tears welling in his eyes as he cradled her against his chest. She was so small, and so unmistakably ours — her little tufts of hair already matching Dave's, her eyes a deep blue that could only have come from me.

First time breastfeeding hit me harder than I thought. I sat there, cradling her close as she suckled vigorously, trying to push through the pain. But the hormonal roller coaster I’d just gone through suddenly overwhelmed me. I blinked, tears welling up, and Dave slid in beside me on the bed, planting a gentle kiss on my cheek.

"You alright?" he asked, his voice laced with worry.

"Yeah, just stings a bit," I answered, my voice shaking. He gave me a gentle squeeze, careful not to jostle me too much.

"Want me to buzz the nurse?"

"Nah, I'll tough it out," I said, sniffling, and he wiped away the tears from my cheek. I let out a sigh of relief when Elise finally finished feeding, and Dave scooped her up while I got myself together, handing her back to me soon after.

"You're crying," he noted, and I looked up to meet his worried hazel eyes. "You sure you don't want me to call the nurse, babe?"

"I'm good," I said, wiping my face with one hand while holding Elise close with the other. "Just blame it on the hormones. Can you believe she's finally here?" I asked softly, my voice still shaky, and Dave grinned. "She looks just like you."

"She's got my hair, but that cute face is all yours," he remarked, gently holding her hand. Elise latched onto one of Dave's fingers right away, and I couldn't help but marvel at how tiny she was — five small fingers so delicate they almost looked like they belonged to a doll.

"How can you tell? Babies all look so similar at this age," I wondered, and Dave chuckled. I glanced up at him, tears welling in my eyes again as I smiled. "She's just perfect, Dave."

"She sure is. Just like her mom," he replied, and I let out a quiet laugh before resting my head on his shoulder. Feeling Elise's warmth against me was something entirely new, yet utterly wonderful, calming me down completely. Dave traced a finger lightly over her cheek, and she stirred in her sleep.

"My sweet Lizzie," he murmured, and the nickname sounded so perfect on his lips that I knew he'd hardly call her anything else from then on. He grinned, his eyes brimming with pure love as they met mine, and he planted a gentle kiss on my temple. "Can you believe we made her?" he whispered against my skin. "I didn't think it was possible to love you more than I already did, but you keep proving me wrong. How do you do it?"

“It’s easy,” I smiled. “You do the same for me.”

Dave smiled softly, giving me a light kiss before drawing me in closer. I let myself sink into his embrace, with our baby snug against me, and let out a contented sigh.

"I think I'm about to fall asleep," I mumbled, feeling my eyelids drooping.

"Course you are. You need some shut-eye," Dave chuckled, his smile practically audible, before gently transferring Lizzie to her crib. I grumbled softly, already missing the feel of her in my arms, but knowing it was best to wait until I was more awake to hold her. Dave settled back beside me on the bed, wrapping me in his arms, resting my head on his shoulder, and I let out a contented sigh, soaking in the warmth of his skin against mine. “I love you, Nore.”

"I love you too," I mumbled back, already drifting off, smiling as his lips brushed my forehead, and letting out a quiet laugh.

"What's on your mind?" Dave asked, grinning, and I shook my head.

"Just feeling damn lucky," I murmured, blinking open my eyes with a yawn. Dave cupped my face in his hand, stroking my cheek gently, a gesture so familiar, so him . I grinned, giving his jaw a light kiss, and he sighed. “I'm so lucky to be loved by you.”

It was actually kinda funny, you know, how lucky I was. The world might see Dave as this guy with a short fuse, sharp tongue, and a chip on his shoulder from all the crap life threw at him, but I didn’t. My Dave was not like that.

My Dave was sweet, affectionate, and thoughtful. He loved me, and he made damn sure I felt it, every single day of our lives.

And me? The longer I spent with him, the more I was sure that some things between us were simply meant to be.

We were always meant to fall in love. We were always meant to find one another. We were always meant to be together, for me to save him, for him to save me, every day, again, and again, and again.

We were always meant to love each other.

And I loved him.

God, how I loved him.

September 29, 1999

It was early morning when I finally rolled back home, tour fatigue dragging me down like a ton of bricks. No matter how many times I'd done this, coming back after weeks on the road always hit me like a truck. It was like all the exhaustion caught up to me at once, weighing me down.

The only thing stronger was the longing to see her.

Stepping inside, her voice coming from the kitchen welcomed me right away. I grinned, feeling like a kid again, head over heels in love with her. It was like my heart couldn’t quite wrap its head around how lucky I was to have her as my wife. Every time I laid eyes on her, it was like seeing her for the first time all over again — pure excitement and enchantment that I'd never felt with anyone else.

"What’s next?" she chirped as I strolled into the kitchen, her voice all sing-songy, setting off giggles from Lizzie, our little girl. I grinned at the sight; Nore was at the table, ingredients scattered about, while Lizzie sat on a stool, peeking over the table, her ginger hair tied up in pigtails, her blue eyes sparkling as she beamed at Nore.

"An egg!" Lizzie answered, so hyped up it cracked me up, catching both of their gazes. They both lit up with identical smiles when they spotted me, one a bit smaller and with a few less teeth than the other. "Daddy!" Lizzie squealed, beaming as I walked over, and I chuckled when she slapped her tiny hands on my chest, bouncing in her chair until I scooped her up, settling her on my lap. "We're making pancakes! Mommy said you get super hungry when you come home from work."

"No kidding?" I grinned, pulling her in close to my chest. She seemed taller and heavier since the last time I’d held her, but still the same gorgeous girl, a perfect mix of me and the woman I loved more than anything. "Well, she got that right. I am super, super hungry!" I nuzzled my face into her tummy, and she erupted into giggles, grabbing onto my hair as she cracked up, tossing her head back. Nore joined in, her laughter contagious, plastering an immediate smile on my face.

I plopped Lizzie back on her stool and turned to my wife, who flashed me a sweet grin as I cradled her face in my hands. I was itching to kiss her, to wrap her up tight in my arms and feel her melt against me, to trace every inch of her skin with my lips and my touch because no matter how close we got — it never felt close enough.

But Lizzie was watching us, so I settled for a quick peck on her lips. The more intense kisses would have to wait until night, when I’d take her clothes off and shower her with love, turning her into the most delightful mess of moans under my touch. She grinned into our kiss, her smile sweeter than ever (though honestly, every smile of hers just kept getting sweeter to me), and I couldn't resist kissing her one more time.

"Good to have you home," she said, and my heart swelled with warmth.

Later, after Lizzie had crashed out and we'd retreated to our bedroom, I finally got to pull Nore close, my lips trailing along her neck while she giggled softly, her arms snug around my shoulders as she perched on my lap.

"So, it's just you and me now?" she asked, all sweet-like, and I grunted, my hand drifting down to the little bump already poking out from her belly with our second kid on the way.

"Just you and me," I confirmed. With the tour wrapped up, I'd be sticking around until the new baby was born and the tough early months were behind us. Balancing the rockstar life with being a present dad and husband wasn't always easy, but I gave it my all. And man, was I lucky to have an understanding wife, who was also a wonderful mom, and one hell of a strong woman. No idea what I’d done to score such luck.

That night, every kiss I planted on her skin was filled with nothing but worship. I soaked up every second I got to touch her, her hushed moans echoing in the room as my tongue delved into the wetness between her legs, then her heavy breathing brushing against my cheek as she rode me slowly. Her chest pressed against mine, her arms locked around my neck, my hands guiding her hips in a steady rhythm as we moved together. Slow, tender kisses mixed with the sweetest moans I could ever wish to hear.

And then, after we finished, she cuddled up next to me, her bare skin cozy against mine as she lazily traced patterns on my chest with her fingertips. That had always been my favorite part — having her right there with me, knowing she was mine, that she wasn’t going anywhere, that her love was like a safe haven I could always come home to.

"I love you," she whispered, and I grinned, locking eyes with her. Eyes so blue I drowned, being pulled right into her soul.

"And I love you," I replied, my voice low and raspy. She laughed softly as I planted a gentle kiss on her lips. How damn lucky was I to always have her to come back to, no matter what, no matter where. To know that I'd always find her, over and over again, no matter the distance or the obstacles.

To know that if I had a hundred lifetimes, I'd choose to love her in every single one of them.

And by some miracle of fate, she was mine.

Mother of my children.

Light of my days.

Love of my life.

✧ the story's over, but if you'd like to be tagged on any eventual extra chapters, let me know and I'll add you to the tag list! ❤ ✧

tag list: @killazilla777 @whatsupvic @70srogah @genswine9 @twice360noscope @ilovepapahet @decemberm0on

✦ a/n: And that's a wrap ❤

If you've been following along with this story, I just want to thank you with all my heart! It's been quite a journey for me, taking over a year to finish this fic. I've grown a ton as a writer, and I've had a blast interacting with all of you along the way. Honestly, when I first started posting, I never expected anyone to read it, so getting feedback from you all has been an awesome surprise. Your presence here has really kept me going, so thanks a million for that! 💖

So, we've reached the end of Nore's adventure, and it's been a happy one (just like I promised)! I might come back with a few extra chapters set in this universe down the road, but for now, I'm shifting gears to some other projects. If you want to stay in the loop, I'm always sharing updates about my fics right here on my blog!

If you've got any comments, feedback or reviews about the story, I'd love to read them. Thanks again for diving into Heartbreaker and enjoying the ride with me.

Catch you later! ❤

[sunsetthievescomic]

Sunset Thieves

Hello! This is a sideblog to archive the Kirby oc webcomic made by @kamalemons, following the adventures of Striga Knight and _____. This is a masterpost that will continue to be updated. Thank you!

Chapter 1 The Sunset Thief: Title 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Epilogue

Tags Guide:

#kamalemonsart - art by me

#sunsetthievescomic - main comic pages

#chapter_ - All pages of chapter, by chapter number

#title - Title pages

#epilogue - Epilogue posts

#letters - Asks

#extras - Extra works, may or may not be canon

[cyrusthemagician]

🔮CYRUS!🪄 TADC OC INFO/MASTERPOST☆

Name: cyrus

Age: 26 (joined at 20)

Gender: trans ftm

Pronouns: he/him ………………………………….

Likes: magic, wonder, amazement, performing, caring for and watching over the others, talking to his friends, chatting with sun and moon after adventures, writing, mermen, sparkles, going to the beach, rainy days, his MANNNNN (speedy), roses and flowers, romantic movies, sight seeing, sunsets

Dislikes: being alone, silence, thunder, his cards, accepting the future, accepting loss, Jax, mentions of the exit, abstractions, mentions of abstraction, arrogant(selfish, greedy, toxic, ect) people

Personality: Cyrus is a sweet and loving guy, he is always caring for those around him and using his magic to help anyone with their struggles. He is selfless and gentle, being patient with others needs and behaviors. He sees the good in almost anyone but this dosnt means he's oblivious to the bad in the world and its people.

Backstory: As a human he was rather well known, his names was Ciri Princin (pronounced: seer-e, Prince-In), he was a performer/magician. Often hired for birthdays or special events. One day he was reached out to by C&A. They had heard the buzz around Ciri's name and were hosting an opening event for their new headsets. C&A wanted him to test it out in front of their "guests and clients", show how it worked and introduce it to them, all of that, hype it up! after thinking it over he gladly accepted. when the night came he was buzzing, so excited and honored to be able to play such an important role, C&A promised to pay well too. When he got up onto stage and placed the headset on after a lengthy introduction to the headset and himself, it was lights out. one thing he didnt know or get to figure out for himself, was that the "audience" he was infront of, was just C&A staff to convince and trick Ciri into a false sense of security.

!Relationships chart!

!Extras!

has 6 cards (shown on ref and not including my other ocs/friends ocs as this is adjusted at times) that each have vauge almost riddle like explanations of each members futures (in the circus obvi)

………………………………….

the glass of his crystal balls changes colors to compensate for the lack of expressive facial features.. or any at all:

yellow: happy red: angry orange: hatred green: nausea blue: sadness light blue: worry purple: normal pink: love/flustered/embarrassed gray: null black: depressed/disasosiating white: scared/terrified/surprised

...........................................

playlists: Cyrus Speedball (Cyrus and Speedy) Cyrus (opposite au)

...........................................

he has been in the circus for the second longest!

...........................................

his hobbies include writing, wood carving, and ofc magic

----Now cyrus has magic right? but how far can it really go?---- cyrus's magic info!

!More art!(au vers included)

[ironwoman359]

A Thief's Gamble - Ch. 12

A Ghost From the Past

Prev: Ch.11 Misdirection || Next: Ch.13 Lacking in Virtue Fic Masterpost

Fic Summary: Brynjolf is certain that the only way the Thieves Guild will return to its glory days is by bringing in new, talented members. Unfortunately, Mercer doesn't agree, and it's not like Brynjolf's latest attempts at recruiting have gone well. But when he meets a stranger in the marketplace one morning, he's willing to take the risk and bring her on board....only time will tell if his gamble pays off.

Chapter Summary: Brynjolf is used to dealing with Mercer's temper, but when an old enemy of the Guild resurfaces, not even he is prepared for the explosion that follows...or for its fallout.

Content: Brynjolf POV, Thieves Guild quest spoilers, game typical violence.

Ships: Brynjolf x Dragonborn OC (slowburn)

Word Count: 3,602

Check the reblogs for a link to read on AO3!

— — —

“You forgot to get intel from the girl before she left?” 

Brynjolf closed his hands into fists, forcing his face to remain a mask of calm. 

It was difficult; he was sore and exhausted after his long day of travel. When he’d arrived back at the Guild, he’d intended to share the good news that the payout from the Markarth job was likely to be double what they’d expected and then take a well deserved nap. Before he could get out a single word though, Mercer had asked him about the Solitude job. 

Which of course, he’d completely forgotten to get an update on before sending Ariene off to Markarth.

“What do you mean you FORGOT?!” Mercer shouted, and Brynjolf rolled his eyes.

“Is there another meaning of the word ‘forgot’ that I don’t know about?” he asked lightly, and Mercer glared at him. 

“Don’t test me right now Brynjolf, I’m not in the mood for your games.” 

“I don’t know what else you want me to say,” Brynjolf said with a sigh. “We were being watched in town, and the job turned out to be just as dangerous as Ariene feared. In all the excitement, the mission to Solitude slipped my mind.”

“I seem to recall one of your main arguments for going to help her was so that we could get the intel from Gulum-Ei sooner,” Mercer snapped. 

“She had to rendezvous–”

“Rendezvous with the client in Markarth, I understand that,” Mercer interrupted. “What I don’t understand is why you failed to do the most basic part of your job and get a report from her before heading back here.”

Brynjolf didn’t answer, mostly because deep down, he knew Mercer was right. He should have thought to ask Ariene about what Gulum-Ei said before letting her ride off into the sunset, but after their near death experience and subsequent conversation, he’d been more than a little bit preoccupied.

Mercer, apparently taking Brynjolf’s silence as confirmation of his suspicions, shook his head, his face twisted with distaste. 

“This is exactly what I was talking about,” he growled. “Gallus was getting sloppy towards the end too, you know.” 

“That’s not fair,” Brynjolf protested instantly. “I told you–”

“That this won’t turn out like last time? You don’t know that,” Mercer shot back. He huffed, and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Look, regardless of our differences, I don’t want you getting a knife in the back because you got distracted.”

“She saved my life, Mercer,” Brynjolf hissed. “What, you think now she’s going to turn around and murder me?”

“More than once, I’ve been burned by someone who used to have my back,” Mercer said simply. “In this line of work, loyalty means nothing.” 

Brynjolf opened his mouth to protest more, but Mercer waved his hand dismissively. 

“I’m not saying the girl will turn traitor, Brynjolf. Just that, so far? You’re not doing a great job of proving to me that she’s not a liability.” 

“So you’re just going to ignore her record?” Brynjolf asked. “Take a look around, Mercer. The Guild is finally starting to gain some footing again, and it’s nearly all thanks to her. She’s even managed to win over Vex and Delvin. Just because she reminds you of Karliah–”

“Don’t say her name,” Mercer cut him off, his eyes flashing with anger. “This isn’t about her.”  

Brynjolf ground his teeth in irritation, biting back his urge to reply:

Yes, it clearly is. 

Instead, he took a deep breath and folded his arms, fixing Mercer with a steady look. 

“So do you not want to hear about the massive payout we got from the Markarth job, then?” 

Mercer’s expression was still glowering, but at the mention of money, he raised a curious eyebrow. 

“Payout?” 

Brynjolf’s assurance to Ariene that coin would cheer Mercer up didn’t end up ringing completely true. Mercer was still angry, and Brynjolf’s haul of septims wasn’t enough to totally soothe his temper. However, the promise of even more coin when Ariene returned was enough to spare Brynjolf any further scolding.

He retreated from the cistern, and decided that what he really needed wasn’t a nap, but a drink. He made his way into the Ragged Flagon and fell into a chair, burying his face in his hands and letting out a frustrated groan. 

Delvin looked up from his table and grimaced in sympathy. 

“Mercer’s in a mood, I take it?” he asked.

“What do you think?” Brynjolf quipped as Vekel approached with a tankard for him.

“I think that when even coin isn’t enough to calm that rotten old skeever down, then it’s in everyone’s best interest to keep clear of him for a few days,” Delvin said, and Brynjolf snorted.

He took a sip of his ale, then looked at Delvin thoughtfully. As one of the few holdovers from the time that Gallus had been Guildmaster, the old thief had been a constant in the Guild for as long as Brynjolf could remember. He knew the younger thieves in the Guild thought the same thing about him and Vex now, but that was hard for him to wrap his head around. 

Brynjolf had been only nineteen when Gallus was killed, and had only been with the Guild for a few years. Just long enough to come to idolize Gallus, Mercer, and Karliah, but not long enough to really get to know them. Delvin, meanwhile, had been one of the Guild’s top members even in those days. He was even the first person that Mercer had made a lieutenant, though he had always been firm that he didn’t want to lead anyone. A sentiment that Brynjolf hadn’t understood at the time, but now that he was a lieutenant himself, he couldn’t help but  sympathize. 

Being a thief was hard enough; it was so much more daunting when you knew that everyone else was looking to you for direction.

A thought struck him, and he found himself wanting to ask something that he’d never really considered before.

“Delvin?” he asked, and the older man looked up. “Why exactly do you think the Guild is cursed?” 

Delvin looked surprised at the question, but he leaned forward, eager to have someone listen to his theories willingly. 

“It just ain’t natural, Bryn,” he insisted. “I’ve been doing this a long time, longer than even you or Mercer. I’ve seen bad thieves, and I’ve seen bad luck. This? It’s different. It’s affectin’ every single member of the Guild, even the most experienced. Vex got made on a job, for cryin’ out loud. Vex!”

“There were over a dozen guards…” Brynjolf offered lamely, but Delvin waved his protest away. 

“Guards, yes, but guards that she should have noticed sooner than she did. The fact that she didn’t is just plain bad–” 

“Bad luck,” Brynjolf finished, and Delvin nodded. 

“Exactly. And it’s like that every time. Things that shouldn’t happen, happenin’ to folks it shouldn’t happen to. Look, I know you lot think I’m crazy, but I can feel it. Something out there is doing this to us.” 

Brynjolf thought of the crypt in Pinewatch, of the way Rigel had appeared seemingly out of thin air without either of them noticing. It had certainly felt unnatural at the time. But how on earth could you be sure of something like that? 

Delvin swirled his mug of ale thoughtfully, then he smirked at Brynjolf. 

“At least, that’s what it has been like. I can’t deny that over the last few months we’ve actually been on the up and up, for what feels like the first time in ages. Maybe that girl of yours is some kinda good luck charm.” 

“She’s not my–” Brynjolf began, and Delvin chuckled, cutting him off. 

“Don’t give me that, Bryn. Maybe it ain’t official yet, but everyone knows the two of you’ll be an item soon.”

“Are you going to scold me about it like everyone else?” Brynjolf asked tiredly, but Delvin shook his head. 

“Nah. As far as I’m concerned, she’s a good match for you. Besides, she’s nearly single-handedly pulled this Guild outta the gutter. How could I complain? A word of advice, though.” 

Brynjolf leaned back in his chair and raised an eyebrow.

“Vekel I could understand, but what makes you qualified to advise me on my love life?”

“Very funny,” Delvin said flatly. “Look, all I was gonna say is this: the girl’s a free spirit. And you’ve gotta be quick to make your intentions clear with ladies like that, or you’ll find that they’ve slipped through your fingers.” 

“Do I pay you to sit around and gossip?” a familiar voice growled, and Brynjolf suppressed the urge to roll his eyes. 

Mercer walked up and grabbed a piece of bread off of the plate that Vekel was bringing Delvin, before dropping one of the ledger books in front of Brynjolf. 

“Look over this, and see if your projected take on this oh so special Markarth job will allow us to pay a portion of what Maven plans to give the jarl. She’s not too happy with the idea of paying for the entire bribe herself.”   

Mercer turned and stalked out of the cistern, and Brynjolf sighed. He reached a hand to his forehead, massaging his temples, then grabbed the ledger and stood up.

“You’re not actually going to work on that now, are you?” Delvin asked.

“Gods no,” Brynjolf said. “I’m going to bed. And if Maven and Mercer are lucky, I’ll wake up sometime before the fifth era and I can finish crunching their precious numbers for them.” 

— — — 

Brynjolf did not, in fact, sleep for hundreds of years. However, he did make himself scarce around the cistern for the next several days, opting to do his accounting work from the relative privacy of what passed for his quarters down in the Ratway tunnels that surrounded the Flagon. 

Fortunately, the gold he’d brought back did provide the Guild enough extra funds to foot half of Maven’s “donation” to Mistveil Keep, and Mercer’s mood improved considerably after the guard patrols were pulled back to their normal rotations. He didn’t apologize, Brynjolf could count on one hand the number of times the Guildmaster had done that, but at least he’d cooled down enough for Brynjolf to walk through the cistern again without being treated to withering glares and backhanded remarks. 

Still, when Ariene finally returned from Markarth, Brynjolf made sure to pull her aside before she went to report to Mercer. 

“It’s my fault, not yours, lass,” he said quietly. “But Mercer’s not pleased that he’s had to wait an extra week for the news from Solitude. Tread lightly, alright?”

Ariene’s face twisted in a grimace.

“Honestly, he could be in the best damn mood of his life and he’d be more livid than a cave troll after getting this news. No sense beating around the bush.” 

“Gulum-Ei didn’t have good intel?” Brynjolf guessed, but Ariene shook her head. 

“Worse.” 

She headed into the cistern without another word, and Brynjolf followed, unease stirring in the pit of his stomach. 

Ariene marched right up to where Mercer was bent over his desk, and the Guildmaster frowned at her as she approached. 

“About damn time you got back,” he said in lieu of a greeting. “Please tell me Gulum-Ei gave up some information on our buyer.” 

“He did,” Ariene said bluntly. “It’s Karliah.” 

Mercer’s head snapped up and the room went dead silent. 

“She’s the lieutenant you told me about, isn’t she?” Ariene said, looking at Brynjolf. “The one who murdered Gallus?”

“Aye, lass,” Brynjolf said quietly. “If she’s back…” 

His blood ran cold at the thought.

“You’re absolutely certain?” Mercer asked, his voice low and dangerous, and Ariene nodded. 

“Gulum-Ei acted as a go-between for her with Aringoth, though he swore up and down he didn’t know it was her until after he’d agreed to broker the sale.” 

Mercer swore and slammed his fist down on his desk, and Brynjolf didn’t miss the way Ariene flinched before quickly regaining her composure. 

“Damn that Dunmer to Oblivion! I hoped we’d never have to cross paths with her again, but it seems she won’t be satisfied until she’s destroyed the Guild for good. Did Gulum-Ei have any information about her current whereabouts?” 

“Nothing concrete,” Ariene said carefully. “But apparently she told him she was going ‘where the end began.’ I pressed him for details, but he insisted that’s all he knows.”

“Where the end began…” Mercer repeated, his face darkening. 

He began to pace back and forth behind his desk, muttering the phrase to himself over and over. Ariene glanced at Brynjolf, a questioning look in her eyes, but he could only shrug in confusion.

“There's only one place that could be,” Mercer said finally. “The place where Karliah killed Gallus over twenty years ago…a ruin called Snow Veil Sanctum.” 

“That’s a few hours north of Windhelm, right?” Brynjolf asked, and Mercer nodded absently, still muttering to himself. 

“I’m the only one left who knows all Karliah’s techniques, all her skills. If she manages to take me out…” He looked up sharply. “We have to go out there and stop her before she does anymore damage.” 

“We as in…?” Ariene asked hesitantly, and Mercer glared at her.

“As in you and me, obviously. We’re going to go out there together and kill her. That should put a stop to any more of her attempts to bring the Guild down.”

“Mercer,” Brynjolf cut in, unable to hold his tongue any longer. “You can’t be serious.” 

“Do I look like I’m joking?” Mercer snapped. “This needs to be done, and I won’t hear any argument otherwise.”

“Aye, and I’m not saying it doesn’t, but the two of you can’t go on your own.” 

“I think you’ll find I can do whatever I damn well please, Brynjolf.” 

“This is Karliah we’re talking about, for Shor’s sake!” Brynjolf exclaimed. “She killed Gallus, and she almost killed you! Vex and I should–”

“I don’t need you to remind me what she’s done,” Mercer interrupted, shooting him a withering look. “I am well aware of exactly how capable she is.” 

“So don’t rely on one new recruit for your backup,” Brynjolf insisted. 

“A recruit who’s proven herself capable in combat multiple times over.”  

A part of Brynjolf urged him to back down. He argued with Mercer often, but he could always tell when it was best to put his own concerns aside in favor of the Guildmaster’s will. It wasn’t exactly good for morale if the underlings saw the Guild’s head and second in command fighting over decisions. This would ordinarily be the type of argument where he had to swallow his pride and concede. 

And yet, this time he found that he couldn’t bring himself to do it. 

“Not three days ago you were complaining that she was a liability,” Brynjolf pressed. “Now you want her to help you hunt down Karliah?”  

“She’s a liability for you, Brynjolf,” Mercer growled. “I’ll be just fine. Which is it, exactly? That she’s a competent thief who deserves my respect, or a green recruit who has no business putting herself in danger? It seems to me the answer is whichever is more convenient for you in any given argument.” 

Brynjolf’s face burned, more from anger than embarrassment, though he could feel the eyes of everyone in the cistern on the two of them as they argued.

“You’re making a mistake,” he insisted, forcing himself to ignore the staring. “This isn’t just another job. Leave the lass behind and let me and Vex come with you.” 

“Karliah is trying to destroy the Guild! I’m not putting my best lieutenants in her path.” 

“You’re too close to this, Mercer,” Brynjolf hissed. “You’re not thinking straight. You shouldn’t–” 

“I am your GUILDMASTER!” Mercer roared. “I’ve made my decision, and you are in NO position to question me!”

The shout echoed around the cistern, and any murmuring from the other Guildmembers stopped instantly. Brynjolf and Mercer openly glared at each other, but before things could escalate further, Ariene’s voice cut through the rising tension. 

“It’s fine,” she said quietly. “I’ll go.” 

“Damn right you will,” Mercer spat without taking his eyes off Brynjolf. “Get your things ready and meet me at the stables within the hour.” 

Brynjolf felt a muscle jump in his jaw, but he didn’t speak or break their eye contact, and eventually Mercer turned and stomped out of the cistern. Brynjolf had half a mind to march right out after him, but Ariene’s hand on his arm stopped him. 

“Don’t,” she said quietly. “It’s not worth it.” 

“It’s not right,” Brynjolf said through gritted teeth, and Ariene shrugged, flashing a smile that was probably meant to be reassuring, but came off as slightly manic.

“Well, look at it this way,” she said, her voice full of false cheer. “Maybe after this, he’ll stop seeing me as a liability.”

She turned and started walking towards the Flagon, and Brynjolf winced.

Damn you, Mercer.

“You don’t have to do this, lass,” he said, falling into step beside her.

“Actually, I do,” Ariene said, ducking through the passageway and into the dingy tavern. “I think he’d kick me out of the Guild altogether if I refuse him.” 

Brynjolf shook his head immediately. 

“I wouldn’t let that happen. Mercer may be too dense to see it, but you’re one of the best we have.”

“I can’t let you use up all your good will with him on my account,” Ariene protested. “You’ve done enough for me already. Syndus!” 

The last was to the fletcher who kept shop beside the Ragged Flagon, who looked up as they approached his alcove. Ariene pulled a coin purse from the satchel at her side and held it up for him to see.

“I need fresh arrows. Two quiverfull.” 

The Bosmer quickly filled her order, and she pulled out a few coins from the purse and handed them over. She turned to Brynjolf and held out the rest of the purse to him. 

“Here. The profits from Markarth. I didn’t get a chance to report to Delvin, but tell him that Endon is happy to open whatever doors are necessary in the city. With any luck, we’ll be able to use the foothold there to start operating more in Haafingar.” 

Brynjolf took the purse, not missing the way that Ariene didn’t quite meet his eyes as she spoke. 

“Are you certain about this, lass?” he asked in a low voice. “Karliah’s too damn smart to let slip where she was going by accident…this is more than likely a trap.”

Ariene sighed, running a hand through her dark hair. 

“I know, but that’s a chance we'll have to take. Mercer is an asshole, but he’s also right. Putting more of the Guild’s leadership in harm’s way than is necessary doesn’t make tactical sense. It’s…it’s better for everyone if I’m the one to go.” 

Brynjolf moved without thinking, stepping forward and taking one of her hands in his. She startled at the touch, but she didn’t pull away. 

“You’re not expendable, lass,” he said softly. “You know that, right? I– the Guild needs you in one piece as much as it needs me or the other lieutenants.” 

Ariene’s looked from where their hands were joined up to Brynjolf’s face. Reflected torchlight danced in her eyes, so deep and blue that he felt as though he could drown in them, and he felt his pulse quicken.

“The Guild needs me?” she repeated, her voice low, and he swallowed. 

Standing inches apart, it was like all rational thought flooded from his mind in an instant. Absently, he reached out and tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear, and he let his hand linger beside her face. It would be so easy to cup her cheek, lean forward and…

The creak of a door and sudden footsteps cut through the silence, and the two jumped apart on instinct. Brynjolf dropped her hand, wondering briefly if he was imagining the flicker of disappointment on her face. 

Damn this sewer’s lack of privacy!

“Well. Good luck, lass,” he said lamely.

She nodded, swinging one of the quivers of arrows she’d bought over her shoulder. The movement made her knapsack shift, and he saw the empty space on her belt where her steel dagger had sat. 

On impulse, he reached for his own belt, unbuckling the sheath of the dagger on his left side. He held the weapon out to her hilt first, and her eyes widened. 

“Here. To replace the one that broke in Pinewatch,” he said.

“I– Brynjolf, I can’t accept that. It was a gift!”

“A gift from Gallus,” Brynjolf agreed. “If you’re going out to avenge him, you may as well take a piece of him with you.”

Reluctantly, Ariene took the dwarven blade and strapped it into place. The silence between them stretched into awkwardness as she fiddled with the straps and straightened the sheath. 

“I guess I should go,” she said eventually. “Don’t want to keep the Guildmaster waiting.” 

She turned to leave, but before she could walk away, Brynjolf called after her. 

“Ariene.”

She looked back at him, and his breath caught in his throat. He couldn’t explain why, but he felt he had to say something before she left, something important, but for once in his life he couldn’t find the right words.

“Just…come back to me in one piece, alright lass?” 

She smiled, though the expression didn’t quite reach her eyes. 

“Of course I will,” she said. “You still owe me a drink, remember?”

— — —

Prev: Ch.11 Misdirection || Next: Ch.13 Fic Masterpost

[autism-autobot]

FloaPS OC Naming!

I need help coming up with names for Wukong's kids (and maybe grandkids)!

If you have/come up with any ideas, please comment, ask, reblog, etc.!

If you can, please add the meaning(s) of the name and specify if you want the other parent to be Macaque or Ao Lie.

I'll keep a list here:

Yuebei Xing

Jidu

Luohou

Paramita

Chang weihou (vervet monkey)

Chen long (orange dragon)

Shen yu (oracle)

Sha miantiao (silly noodles)

Yin long (silver dragon)

She yan hou (Snake-eyed monkey)

Thunder, Rain, Cloudy, Sunset, Dusk, Dawn,

Jin yi (golden one)

Thank you!

Masterpost

@weaverpop @istopaskingmemate @ainnur @starrclown @swkbiggestdefender @fruit-fight

[cimmerian1275]

My Character Masterpost

Constant WIP as things get updated <3 Im like 60% posting about rottmnt, and the rest is just *gestures* these guys and the odd commission or gift art.

Slapping this down here bc i wanna be able to navigate it all easily on tumblr and i bet anyone whos interested will want to aswell.

Also to help inform clueless people about who/what im often talking about/drawing, cuz unless its fanart yall will have no idea who (insert name here) is because theyre just a miscellaneous oc. Tumblr is now my designated place for rambling about these guys and other things, your gonna be subjected to random character lore and worldbuilding muahahahh.

Love asks/comments about them, just be forewarned i will probably reply with an essay bc i get carried away.

(If things dont have links, thats bc they dont exist yet)

─── ⋅•♦•⋅ ───

The main characters...

Sagara | Masterpost | #sagara -> Toyhouse profile -> Playlist

Sona, main oc, ✨dragon✨, can and will ramble about them anytime and all the time, theyre that blue furred noodle of a dragon that youll see scattered around all of my accounts, everywhere i am.

Jr | Masterpost | #jr -> Toyhouse profile -> Playlist

ROT/TMNT oc, still cant think of a name for them so theyre just nicknamed Jr (tagll be updated if i ever name them).

Wanna draw em? Go for it! Wanna draw them with your oc or someone else? HELL YEAH!! Go make em friends, and well watch them run off into the sunset to cause shenanigans together xD

To avoid confusion theyre NOT an iteration of Leo lmao, similar turtle species- yes, but not quite! Go google "Pastel" sliders.

The other guys youll often see on my page!:

From the DILLH AU!:

Tova | Masterpost | #tova -> Toyhouse profile

Shared between me and Chilaglia <3 im the most knowledgeable about their biology side of things, since im their designer and came up with the idea of adding them :P

From the TMNT as Oiraon's AU!:

Nyad | Masterpost | #nyad -> Toyhouse profile

The most likely one to eat your arm if you try to pet them <3

Sirje | Masterpost | #sirje -> Toyhouse profile

Reluctant adopted aunt to every wayward child they get stuck with. Apparently people really like Sirje's design and... okay, i kinda do too- but i still dont understand why ppl like them the most.

Ruaidhri | Masterpost | #ruaidhri -> Toyhouse profile

I dont talk about him much, but in my head i call him Ruai/Ru. Raph as a gryphon.

Morado | Masterpost | #morado -> Toyhouse profile

Ive had 2 people tell me his design reminds them of mardi gras??? Still in awe of how cool he looks, his design is peak and ill never get over how well the colors/markings fit so perfectly. Donnie as a gryphon.

Tzaoul | Masterpost | #tzaoul -> Toyhouse profile (My favourite)

Often call him Zee instead bc i feel bad for ppl trying to pronounce his full name. Cant reveal his full design just yet :) Leo as a gryphon.

Anatolius | Masterpost | #anatolius -> Toyhouse profile

Will often just be referred to as Ant or Anato bc im too lazy to type the full name every time >.> Probably the coolest design ive ever drawn imo. Mikey as a gryphon.

April | Masterpost | #april -> Toyhouse profile

Spontaneously made April into a gryphon within a day bc i have no impulse control. April as a gryphon.

(Accidentally turned the rottmnt cast into fantasy creatures oneday and now we have these C:)

─── ⋅•♦•⋅ ───

From the Dragonfruit AU!:

Raphael | Masterpost | #DF raph -> Toyhouse profile

Donatello | Masterpost | #DF donnie -> Toyhouse profile

Leonardo | Masterpost | #DF leo -> Toyhouse profile

Michaelangelo | Masterpost | #DF mikey -> Toyhouse profile

[lbibliophile-sw]

AI-less Whumptober 2024 - Masterpost

Another year, another Whumptober completed! This time, using the excellent prompts from @ailesswhumptober

My posting schedle was a bit of a mess this year, with about half front-loaded to the beginning of the month so I could cross-post with Corrie Guard Appreciation Week (13 fills, Fox was having a bad time... as usual), but I did manage the full 31 prompts by the end.

I ended up focusing more on ficlets rather than cutting them down to drabbles this year, which was fun. I also surprised myself by turning one of my headcanons into a comic, and completed my Fox plushie for 10.10 day.

Some stats:

30 works - 3 fanfics (600-1130w) 12 ficlets (180-550w) 9 drabbles (including one double drabble) 4 poems (150-265w) 1 comic, 1 craft

8,545 words - 305w average 475w average (fanfic/ficlet only)

Featured characters - Fox (13) Palpatine, clones as a collective (4 each) Anakin, Cody, Thire, Thorn, OC clones (2 each) Bail, Boil, Dooku, Echo, Fives, Plo Koon, Stone, Wolffe (1 each)

Fills:

This year, sorted by angst level into Crack (4), H/C with a happy ending (11), H/C with a sad ending (8), and Hurt No Comfort (5).

Crack

Formally-arranged Anidala  (AO3) | day 29: “Everybody will know that you’re mine” | Jedi Council & Anakin/Padme

Fox Needs a Hug | day 12: “Can you feel me, I’m right here?” | craft (plushie) | Fox

Proof of ID (AO3) | day 20: accidental de-aging, “I’m absolutely not qualified for this shit: | ficlet: 710w | Fox & Thire & Thorn

Lightning on Coruscant (AO3) | day 26/28: electrocution, “I didn’t think the wound was that bad” | double drabble & comic | Fox & Cody

H/C with a happy/neutral ending

Conduit (AO3) | day 15: “Don’t break down on me yet” | ficlet: 360w | Cody /& Obi-wan

First-time Reunion (AO3) | day 10: “You don’t need to earn this” | ficlet: 600w | CG OC & 212th/501st OCs

Hermit-crab Shells (AO3) | alt 4: zombies/eldritch | drabble | Coruscant Guard  

Hypothermia of the Soul (AO3) | day 9: hypothermia | ficlet: 210w | Fox

Multilingual (AO3) | day 30: “You’re not making sense” | drabble | Coruscant Guard

Names and Numbers (AO3) | day 7/13: “Hold on, we’re going to have to improvise”, defiance | ficlet & poem : 200w | clones

Reaching and Finding (AO3) |day 17: abandonment | ficlet: 260w | Fox & unidentified CG

Safety Line (AO3) | day 3: shared trauma, survivor’s guilt, co-dependency* | ficlet: 540w | Plo & Wolffe

Soundscape (AO3) | day 21: “This will make you feel better, ok?” | fanfic: 1130w | Fox & Bail (pre-Fox/Bail/Breha)

Taking the Bait (AO3) | day 13/alt 8: whumpee using themself as bait, kidnapped | Darth Sidious & Obi-wan Kenobi & Cody & Boil

Terminal Velocity (AO3) | day 24: relapse | ficlet: 810w | Anakin & 501st

H/C with a sad ending

Butterfly Effect (AO3) | day 19: I wish I could get your back | poem: 150w | Obi-wan

Close (AO3) | day 16: hostile environment | drabble | Fox & Wolffe & Cody

Fox's List (AO3) | alt 10: “If you weren’t around, I’d be long dead by now...” | drabble | Fox

Heart of War (AO3) | day 23: “Hey, stay with me, ok” | poem: 265w | clones

Just an Echo (AO3) | day 11/14: hallucinations, concussion | ficlet | 245w | Echo & Fives

Loyalty (AO3) | day 5: migraines, “take me instead”* | ficlet: 400w | Fox & Thorn & Palpatine

Rearguard (AO3) | day 6: multiple whumpees, self-sacrifice, “I’m the only one who can do this”, “You need to get out of here”* | ficlet: 180w | Thire & Stone & Fox

Sunrise or Sunset (AO3) | day 25: betrayal | drabble | Cody

Hurt No Comfort

Chain of Command (AO3) | day 22: Forced to kneel/watch, whipped | drabble | Fox & Palpatine

Cry for Me (AO3) | day 1: “If you cry, we’ll go easy on you” | ficlet: 225w | Fox & Palpatine

Faith (AO3) | day 4: painful transformation, “You’re a monster” | poem: 185w | Dooku

Monochrome (AO3) | day 27: before vs after, alternate universe | drabble | clones

Naming Conventions (AO3) | day 18: mind control | drabble | Palpatine & Fox

[red-winter-is-coming]

Cookie Run Kingdom OC / AU masterpost!

Because dear god we have so fucking many

(Always considered a Work In Progress! If it's been more then a week and we haven't updated it despite posting new shit, feel free to send us a message lol)

A Game of Life and Deceit AU (2/9 designs posted)

Four overlapping worlds, all filed with suffering. Two soldiers continue their escape from their prison of a 'Home'. Three Angels, set on very different paths of revenge. A small army, careful to keep themselves safe. Two children of different homes, trying to escape their very similar parents.

Void Starling Cookie - they/them

Choco Wolf Cookie - he/him

Forget-Me-Not Fox Cookie - he/him or he/they

Parrot Ice Cream Cookie - he/him

Shattered Soul Crystal Cookie - he/they

Dark Syrup Cookie - they/it

Sour Apple Angel Cookie - he/they

Cherry Angel Cookie - he/him

Charred Angel Cookie - they/he/it

PokeCookies AU (6/18 designs posted)

You didn't think the roles of Earthbread's Guardians were only filled by so few cookies, did you? No, the truth is, the world is filled with more guardians then it knows what to do with, but they sure as hell are trying their best.

First Sugar Cookie - it/its or he/him

Bitter Sugar Cookie - they/he/it

Onion Faerie Cookie - he/they

Wishing Star Cookie - he/him

Rotten Space Cookie - it/its

Eternal Nightmare Cookie - they/them

Crescent Moon Cookie - she/her

Skye Bloom Cookie - they/he/she

River Unicorn Cookie - she/her

White Chocolate Dragon Cookie -

Black Chocolate Dragon Cookie -

Life Fawn Cookie - he/him

Dark Falcon Cookie - they/he

Duel Snake Cookie - they/them

Forgotten Sword / Silver Sword Cookie (FS - they/it, SS - they/he)

Lunar Citrus Cookie - he/him

Solar Spice Cookie - she/her

Sour Lightning Cookie - it/they

Crystal Tortoise Cookie - they/them or he/him

Non AU specific OCs (can be slotted into pretty anything with some minor tweaking) (5/??+ designs posted)

--Plant based Cookies of dubious morality--

Yew Berry Cookie - she/her

Milkweed Cookie - she/her, she/they (Yew Berry only)

Dandelion Cookie - she/her (preferred), it/its (by home village)

--Twin Lights-- (note: the closest to an AU, however they don't really affect anything plot related)

Blue Raspberry Light Cookie - they/them, he/xe/they

Lemon Light Cookie - he/him

Sour Sunset Cookie - they/them

--Celestial Tree--

Star Deer Cookie - she/her

Space Dragon Cookie - He/they

Shooting Star Cookie - she/they

--AUs not focusing on OCs--

Thorn-Strangled Milkweeds:

An AU (and fanfic!!!!) centered around the idea of Vanilla being the only healer within his wing of Dark Enchantress's army, and also a twelve year old in charge of other child soldiers.

(Spoiler alert: it goes horribly)

Children's Record AU:

Vanilla, Golden Cheese, Stardust, Prune Juice, (and two others I never got around to choosing) set out on a mission to fight Gods and the education system. they're also all 14-15.

(featuring Plural!Pure Vanilla as written by us, a plural collective :3 )

Graveyard Awakening AU:

Something went wrong, and the Ancients never returned from the Dark Flour War.

Now decades later, Pitaya is stuck in a dragon graveyard, betting their life on the hunch that their captor doesn't know they've been hiding the Light of Passion ever since it's holder vanished.

CRK DnD AU:

A (mostly) silly goofy AU where the cookies are high school/collage students who have parent issues, no sense of self preservation, and a shit ton of found family

Garden of Floral Delights AU:

Pavlova Cookie gets Hanahaki-ed by Eternal Sugar to prevent him from leaving the garden. That's pretty much it. (A newer AU, and we're mostly waiting for the June update to get more info regarding ES and Pavlova!)

Shared Souls AU:

Basically, back before the Dark Flour War, Hollyberry, Golden Cheese, and Dark Cacao gave small shards of their Soul Jams to trusted allies. Later, after the events of World Exploration episode 10, Pure Vanilla gives Black Raisin and Strawberry Crepe their own shards as a peace offering.

And then everybody who had these fragments of the Soul Jams experience Awakening at the same time as the Ancients. To varying degrees of chaos.

[steamclouds]

Voradras Masterpost

Fighting prodigy turned Arcane Trickster

Name: Voradras Adravo of House Adravo, 15th House in Menzoberranzan during the 1480's, later Voradras Dekarios

Age: 52 in 1492

Class: Rogue

Origin: Character for the Lost Mine of Phandelver Module

Home: Menzoberranzan (exiled), Neverwinter Wood, Waterdeep

Alignment: Neutral Good

Likes: His friends, his weasel familiar Alva, sparring, kindness, Gale :)

Dislikes: Cruelty, hatred, water, spiders, bright days

Siblings: Zethir (younger brother, Wild Magic Sorcerer, student at Sorcere), 5 yet unnamed sisters

Unique Traits: Heterochromia, dark scleras due to some infernal intermingling way down his bloodline, filed sharp canines, Tear in left ear from a tavern brawl, huge elaborate spellscar on his chest from a resurrection spell, 2 scars across his nose, given by a priestess of Lolth as punishment

Deity: None, though he's aware of Eilistraee and her temples, he's become too wary of gods to worship any outright

Training: Graduate of Melee-Magthere, was top of the class for several years, taught himself spells from a surface wizard's spellbook he stole in Sorcere

Closest friends: Magpie Cackle (@dagoth-menthol's Kenku Druid), Sunset Walker (@titan-wolfdog's Tabaxi Ranger), Shadowheart, Wyll

Languages: Drow, Drow Sign, Common, Goblin, Thieves Cant

Tags:

oc: Voradras, Heartweave (ship with Gale Dekarios)

Art:

Ref Sheet, Menzo look and more in the tags!

Facts:

Got thrown off the back of the dragon Venomfang when his party fought him in Neverwinter, falling to his death -> Friends dragged him and another dead party member to the nearest temple to revive them

Cannot swim and gets horribly seasick on ships

intense sweet tooth

Very charismatic and talkative, WILL strike up conversation with just about anyone

Gentle and quiet voice (Voiceclaim: K from Blade Runner 2049)

bad at taking critique, especially fighting advice

limited palate, eats too much meat and not enough fiber or vegetables

Born into the cruel society of the Drow in the Underdark, Voradras did his best to fit in. From a young age, and spurred on by cautionary tales of the fate of those who left to become renegades, he knew that his heart wasn't in the endless tunnels of this lightless world, but the surface above. He followed every order for his own safety, though there was always an air of disobedience about him, much to the disdain of his Matron Mother.

After graduation, he spent some time patrolling the tunnels before finally setting the escape he had planned for years, into motion.

As one last show of his disdain for Lolth, he stole his familie's ceremonial dagger from the chapel and chopped off his long hair. Grabbing only the necessities like his piwafwi and rapier, he wandered along the tunnels for many months, finally emerging onto the surface in a cave near Neverwinter Wood.

After being turned away from every place he approached, and hunted by some, his saving grace was a strange and eccentric kenku druid called Magpie Cackle, who took him in and they became fast friends.

After taking on a quest in Neverwinter by the dwarf Gundren Rockseeker, they teamed up with the Aasimar Nephilim, Tabaxi Sunset and Woodelf Lisa, the group quickly becoming tightly knit on their way to Phandelver. Facing no prejudice from them, for the first time in his life Voradras felt content, he knew he could call this group his best friends.

After many shenanigans, including Lisa and Voradras losing their lives for a short while as they fought a vicious green dragon, they finished their quest to free Wave Echo Cave for the dwarves.

Life seemed well for them afterwards, everyone going about their own ways, though they all stayed in contact, . Voradras became a sellsword wandering about the wilderness as he wanted, together with someone he cared about a lot.

A handful of years later though, everything was turned upside down by a traumatic event involving his kin, and his subsequent kidnapping by the Nautiloid.

Worried by their friend's sudden disappearance, the group made it their task to find their lost drow friend again. Following the tracks all the way down to Baldur's Gate.

[esta-elavaris]

Flufftober Day 31: "You told your parents?" ~ Arthur Morgan/OC [1,105 words]

My Flufftober '23 masterpost can be found here 💜✨

Cora was having a downright glorious day. Although the days when she and Arthur broke off from the rest of the camp and roughed it alone for a week or two always were, but this was one of their best little solo trips yet. The weather was beautiful, they stopped off at the post office before they really delved into the wilderness so she had a letter from home, and they hadn’t run into even a shadow of trouble. Considering the way chaos had a habit of finding Arthur, that particular part was a true miracle.

At present, they’d made camp just a little ways away from a lake – close enough to easily take a dip, but not so close that they’d be exposed to any who drifted near the shore – and she sat with her back against a tree while the wild turkey, the one that had them affectionately bickering over who had been the one to actually shoot it, roasted on a spit over the fire. They were being treated to the sort of sunshine that promised a beautiful pink-red sunset, and it took all she had not to hum happily as she read her letter from her hometown.

“My ma says hi,” she called to him as she read.

Up ‘til that moment, he’d been firmly rooted in man-roasting-his-kill mode. Or her kill, as she kept insisting anyway. He always insisted on taking over the cooking for at least their first night out here – although it was usually more, unless she really fought him on the matter. She rarely did, though, because it was sweet. A man who was hell-bent on cooking her dinner personally. Who’d’ve ever thought one like that existed? It was a question she found herself asking a lot ever since she’d first fallen for Arthur Morgan.

Her words, however, jolted him out of that mode.

“Your mother?”

“Uh-huh.”

“…she said to tell me that?”

“No, Dutch. I was hoping you’d pass the word along,” she drawled.

He stilled, leaning back where he knelt on the ground, regarding her thoughtfully.

“You…told your folks about me?”

“The basics, sure.”

“The basics?”

“That I’m courting a man I’m crazy about – and that he’s kind, funny, good, and handsome to boot.”

“You lied to ‘em, then.”

“I fudged the details on the whole livin’ in sin aspect, but everything else I just said is true,” she frowned at him. “…Shouldn’t I have?”

After their first night together, they’d both agreed that this wasn’t a sneaking into each other’s bedroll for some stress relief kind of thing. That it was more than that. That they were making a real go of it, in their own way. But maybe he viewed their way as not being something that should be shared around. The camp was one thing, nothing stayed secret for long there, but she had a hell of a lot more control over whether or not her folks knew. She just…hadn’t thought it would bother him. Instead, he looked bothered.

Maybe she should’ve asked first.

“I’m not exactly the bring home to mom and dad sort, sweetheart,” he said finally.

Ouch.

“Well, they live so far away it’s a wonder their letters even arrive in one piece. You’ll never have to meet ‘em if you don’t want to.”

Cora tried to play it cool as she spoke, shrugging casually and lowering her head so that her long dark hair fell forward over her face, pretending to be fascinated by the letter in her hand. Of course he saw through it.

“Shit, Cora, that ain’t what I meant at all,” he stood, approached, and then knelt before her on the ground. “Just that…I’m not the sort that a respectable woman would want to bring home to mom and dad.”

Oh. This was around the time she knew he’d be breaking out words like ugly and haggard if she hadn’t entirely vetoed them some time ago. Folding the letter and setting it in the midst of her skirts, she regarded him softly.

“I’m not a very respectable woman, Arthur,” she snorted.

“I respect you,” he said simply.

“And that’s what matters. To me. To them, too – my folks aren’t the high and mighty sort. Do you think I’d be running with Dutch’s crew if they were? Ma’s just glad to have one less mouth to feed, and pa – god love him – is a drunk. If I brought home some, some heir to a fortune with a stick lodged up his ass, they’d think I lost my damn mind. They know whatever I’m up to out here isn’t squeaky clean, how could it be? But we all play dumb to avoid stressful conversations. I keep ‘em clued in on the good parts, and you’re the best part.”

He breathed a laugh, but when he met her gaze and found her dark eyes fixed on him almost sternly, so there could be no doubt as to whether she meant every word she said, the laughter disappeared and he leaned back to sit on his ass on the ground in front of her, leg bent so one arm could rest atop his knee.

“You don’t have to meet ‘em, ever, if you don’t want to,” she continued. “But you gotta know that if you did, I’d be much more concerned about what you were going to make of them, rather than what they’d think of you. Because that last part wouldn’t make a damn lick of difference to me. Ever.”

Shifting a little, she could see in his face that he was tempted not to believe her – whether he’d admit that fact or not.

“I mean it, Arthur. They’d love you if they met you, you’re just gonna have to take my word on that, but even if they didn’t, you’d still be stuck with me for as long as you’ll have me.”

He smiled slightly, scratching at the stubble at his jaw.

“That’ll be an awful long time, Cor.”

“Will it, now?”

“Forever, most like. If I have my way.”

As he said it, he looked almost tentative – because it was one thing to say they were making a serious go of this, and it was another to say that. Those words of his had implications. The type that involved gold rings and wedding bells.

Cora grinned, and those blue-green eyes of his that had been inspecting her face for any hint of a negative reaction lit up as she replied.

“That works just fine for me.”

“Well,” he cleared his throat, hiding his own smile. “Good. Go ahead and tell ‘er I said hi back, then. Better make a good first impression, if she's to like me when I meet 'er.”

Links: AO3 -- FF.net -- flufftober masterpost -- dividers by cafekitsune