#thank you for inviting him to the show sheds a tear

[lancermylove]

Their Baby Calls Them Papa (HC)

Fandom: Twisted Wonderland

Pairing: Leaders x gn!Reader.

Warning: None.

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Leona

Leona tries to maintain his cool demeanor, but a soft smile betrays his true feelings.

He pretends not to hear it at first to see if his mini lion will call him papa again.

Deep down, he feels a strong surge of pride and attachment. You will hear him talk about this later on, and though he pretends it is normal, you can see the sparkle in his eyes.

Malleus

Initially, he stares at the baby in disbelief. But soon, the prince feels happiness beyond what words can describe.

You walk into the room to see Malleus gently lifting your child, whispering words of love and promises to protect them forever.

Malleus tries hard not to let tears fall out of his eyes as he hugs the baby close and looks at you with a wide grin.

Vil

He gracefully accepts the baby's words and shows a warm, genuine smile.

Vil Kneels in front of the baby and caresses his/her/their chubby cheek.

After a while, he texts you about what happened and says he wished he was recording it. But then says he is determined to get them to say papa again.

Riddle

Riddle is speechless for a moment. But once he is over the shock, he is overwhelmed with joy.

Gently picks up the baby and expresses how proud he is of them for saying their first word. He also promises the child to not be harsh with them and give them freedom. But then asks the baby to not be upset with him in case he gets strict with him/her/them once in a while.

Once he sees you, he sheds a few tears and hugs you, thanking you for giving him the best gift of his life.

Kalim

Kalim can't believe his ears. He picks the baby up and starts to kiss his/her/their cheeks and forehead.

After showering the baby with affection, he calls you and tells you what happened. He can't stop gushing over the moment and says his child is very intelligent.

In the end, Kalim ends up organizes a small celebration to commemorate the moment, inviting close friends.

Idia

Initially, Idia is shocked and unsure how to react. He calls Ortho and asks what he is supposed to do. Idia even calls you and asks what he is supposed to do.

But when the baby tugs on his jacket and repeats the word, Idia warms up. He hesitantly kneels in front of the baby and pokes his/her/their cheek.

Idia asks Ortho to research baby development stages and activities that can help him understand the baby and develop a better bond.

Azul

Azul is surprised and momentarily loses his composure, showing a rare, vulnerable side.

After regaining his usual calm, he thanks the baby in a soft, gentle voice. Then, whisper to the baby to also learn how to say mama, as you will be upset if the baby only says papa.

When you return home, the baby points to Azul and says papa, then points to you and says mama. All the while, your husband gives you a proud smile.

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[slaasherslut]

Simon Ghost Riley x SoapsWife!Reader

Simons heart felt as heavy as his boots as he stood on your front step. He had met you before, only a handful of times, but he remembered your face well. He had been here before. Your husband Soap was always one to try and outdrink the rest of his teammates. Simon had brought his friend home in a drunken haze multiple times while he slurred about how his pretty wife would laugh at him for being so pissed. You'd always thank him with a laugh and a smile as he handed Johnny over to you. Or how you had convinced Johnny to invite the boys over for dinner after they had fought together, saving him on multiple occasions, being his family away from his family. You were a good woman and a good partner. Good for Soap. Good for Johnny. Now he was standing at your door, alone, without your Johnny. He shouldn't be there. Johnny should be walking through this door right now and scooping you up into his arms as you cried tears of happiness. He was going to shatter everything you knew and loved, and he was scared. No tears of happiness would be shed today, only tears of anguish and loneliness. The wait between his knock on the door and waiting for you to open it tore his heart apart. He knew what he had to tell you. That your husband, the man he thought of as his best friend even if he didn't show it, Johnny MacTavish, was KIA. He had rehearsed it in his head many times on the way over from the base but the beating of his heart punched it out of his skull. You opened the door with the same bright smile that he had met years prior and his mouth went dry. Every inch of him ached. But seeing him standing there, and not Soap, he watched as you broke inside. Simon didn't have to say a single word for you to know. He had lost the words anyway, he couldn't bring himself to say it. One of his scarred hands reached up to grip the dark beanie on his head, pulling it off in a sign of respect as the tears welled up in your eyes. His throat seemed to swell up and his eyes began to slowly leak. Simon wasn't one to cry but he couldn't stop as he watched you collapse onto floor.

"I'm so sorry, Mrs. MacTavish."

[thewritingrowlet]

The Lost Sweetheart, ft. tripleS Kaede

tags: creampie, first time, strangers-to-spouses

word count: 14k+

author's note: this was harder to write than I had thought it would be but I'm glad I managed to finish it anyway. Next fic will very likely not be about tripleS, by the way (still exploring my options).

“Kae-chan”, says Mrs. Yamada as she knocks on Kaede’s bedroom door, her warm voice the opposite of the cold winter, “your dad wants to have dinner together to celebrate your birthday, sweetheart”. Kaede seems reluctant to go but answers the door anyway. “W-we won’t talk about marriage arrangements, will we?”, she asks. Her mother doesn’t answer her question, opting to show a soft smile that Kaede can’t decipher the meaning of while retreating from Kaede’s sight. Seeing that she got no answer, Kaede bows nervously to her mother in respect before going back to her room.

The way Mrs. Yamada refused to answer makes Kaede nervous: her parents aren’t the cleanest of people and have ties with organized crimes and the sort; what would happen if she was ordered to marry the son of one of their sketchy (and occasionally violent) business partners? Kaede paces the bedroom, feeling very uneasy about potentially meeting her arranged match tonight. After considering her options carefully—including escaping the country—she decides to play along and accept her dad’s invitation to dinner and braces for whatever event might unfold—Kaede has an abundance of filial piety and obedience towards her parents, but orchestrated marriage frightens her.

Kaede opens her wardrobe and eyes the few dresses she has. She opts for the elegant white dress hanging in the wardrobe, hoping that she’d be able to impress the man of her future. Kaede closes her eyes and prays, “papa, mama, I trust your judgement; please don’t put your daughter in danger”. Kaede, despite the cold sweat running down her body, tries to convince herself that everything will be okay. She proceeds to take off her clothes and puts on the dress. After putting it on, she moves to stand in front of the mirror and puts on makeup. No matter how hard she’s gaslighting herself, her heart simply can’t be lied to as Kaede starts shedding tears. “Please, please don’t put me in danger—I’m begging you, papa”, she says, her voice quivering in fear.

After soothing herself, she walks out of her bedroom and goes down the stairs. “Ah, there you are”, Mr. Yamada greets her as he puts a handgun into the holster under his suit, “are you ready to go, sweetheart?”. Kaede eyes her father’s movement carefully, “m-may I ask why you’re bringing a-a firearm,p-papa? W-we won’t be in immediate danger, w-will we?”. Mr. Yamada approaches her and pets her head softly, “I’d rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it, my sweetness”.

Mrs. Yamada joins them and announces that she’s ready to go, and Mr. Yamada takes them both in each arm and lead them to the car, where the chauffeur, Mr. Fujiwara, and a handful of Mr. Yamada’s men are waiting. “Attention, gentlemen”, Mr. Yamada calls out to his men, “my family will be heading to The Zen for dinner; you know what to do”. His men bow to him and move to do their assignments: the chauffeur opens the car door for them while the others get in an escort car.

“Master Yamada”, Mr. Fujiwara politely asks for Mr. Yamada’s attention, “I would like to give the heir a humble present for her birthday”. Mr. Yamada turns to Kaede with a smile, “come, my dear, Mr. Fujiwara has a present for you”. Mr. Fujiwara pulls out a small box from his suit pocket, “Kaede-sama, please accept this brooch that my wife has made for you”. Kaede opens the box and gasps in fascination, “this is very beautiful, Mr. Fujiwara! Thank you very much”. Mr. Fujiwara smiles and accepts her praise with a bow before getting in the car. “Papa, can we repay their kindness?”, Kaede asks her father, and gets a smile and a nod of approval as an answer.

-

Mr. Fujiwara stops the car in front of The Zen and opens the door for the Yamada family. Kaede looks around the area and sees that his men have assumed different positions in the perimeter of the restaurant to keep the family safe. “Come on, sweetheart”, Mrs. Yamada steals Kaede’s attention and leads her into the restaurant. Kaede has been to The Zen multiple times, but the glamorous interior never ceases to amaze her. Mr. Yamada chuckles hearing Kaede’s endless wows, “we’ve been come here a lot, my dear; why does it keep fascinating you?”. Kaede giggles softly as she moves to hug her dad, “I like this place, papa; thank you for taking me here”.

“So, Kae-chan”, Mrs. Yamada starts the conversation as they’re eating, “your father wants to introduce you to this excellent young man”. Kaede panics and looks around the restaurant, thinking that the man is in the room with her. “He doesn’t live in this country, sweetheart”, her mother says to Kaede’s relief, “we’re arranging a meeting next weekend for the two of you”. Kaede musters up her courage and nervously ask what kind of man he is. “He’s the eldest son of my overseas business partner”, Mr. Yamada answers her in a stern but calm tone, “we’re thinking about having you get married to him if the prerequisites go according to plan”. In Kaede’s mind, the words “business partner” can only mean that they are as violent and dirty as her parents, no matter how “excellent” they might be, and the thought is terrifying.

Kaede can’t help but look down at her plate in silence, yearning for words of assurance that this man is at least a good person and wouldn’t hurt her in any way. Those words never come out of her parents’ lips, however, and she thinks of another idea. “My deepest apologies, papa and mama, but what if I say no?”, she asks. Mr. Yamada looks at Kaede coldly, “then you must leave”. Kaede is about to open her mouth when her dad cuts her off, “by leave, I meant the house and the country”. Kaede doesn’t want to leave her parents or country, but the inconclusive nature of the situation doesn’t help her come to a decision. “You have until morning to tell us your answer. We will put two things on the dining table at home and whichever you choose is your answer—choose carefully”, Mrs. Yamada tells her.

-

During the ride back home, Kaede stayed silent, floating about in the sea of thoughts. She couldn’t be bothered to listen to what her parents were talking about; she was too busy to pay attention to anything else but her future—with or without this man. “Go to your room, sweetness—your mother and I need to talk about some things”, her father commands. Kaede nods wordlessly and heads to her room, changing clothes immediately before lying in bed. Kaede is never a fan of uncertainty, and the overwhelmingness makes her shed tears. Kaede opens her diary and starts writing today’s entry, pouring all emotions and thoughts into it. Unbeknownst to her, her tears have wetted the paper, a testament to her pure heart.

Kaede takes her sweet time to think, squeezing every last bit of brain capacity to consider every possibility. No other conclusion but to call a friend for help comes to her. Kaede unlocks her phone and scrolls to find her friend’s contact on her phone. “Hello?”, her friend says over the phone, the sweet voice soothes Kaede immediately. “He-hello, I-I’m sorry for calling so late into the night”, Kaede says, tears start running down her cheeks again. “No, it’s okay. My fiancé and I just came home from dinner—why are you crying, though?”, her friend asks. Kaede stifles her weeping before talking again. “I-I want to run away”, she says. “Run away!?”, her friend says, the tone high in disbelief, “have you gone insane?”. Kaede breaks down crying again, “I-I just can’t do this anymore—I’m such a disappointment to my parents”. The friend denies Kaede’s self-accusation but is wise enough to not pry too hard, offering her all the assurance that Kaede has been pining for all night long.

Instead of feeling relieved, Kaede is more determined to leave everything behind and start anew somewhere else, away from her parents and their empire. “I-I must go. Tha-thank you for letting me call you. I’ll see you on the other side”, Kaede ends the call and throws her phone away. Kaede decides to write a letter of farewell to her parents, praying to the heavens that they would understand.

“Dear papa and mama,

I would like to humbly apologize for being a disgrace to the family; I have turned out to be the disobedient daughter that papa and mama are ashamed of.

I ask that papa and mama worry none, as I will do as you wish and leave the family in hope that no more dirt will be thrown upon the Yamada family.

I humbly thank you for everything that papa and mama have done for me in my life, and I wish eternal happiness and safety upon both of you.

There is no need to look for me, as I’ll most likely be in a different country by the time papa and mama read this.

Please refrain from punishing anyone for my actions, for none of this was their fault.

Formerly, the Heir of Yamada

Yamada Kaede”

Kaede wets the paper with her tears and brings it to her lips. “I’m so sorry, papa and mama”, she utters with tears on her cheeks; the same ones that her parents have kissed in love and adoration over the years. Kaede packs her two suitcases and backpack full of her belongings and cracks open her piggy banks—Kaede might be wealthy and is never short of money, but she has always been wise with her money, saving a percentage of her allowance every month for future use. She sees that she has accumulated a decent sum of money over the years and puts everything into her wallet.

Kaede walks down the stairs to the dining room and sees that her parents have indeed put two things on the table: an open velvet box with a ring in it and the box her father uses to keep his handgun in. Kaede picks up the box with the gun in it and shoves it into her backpack, not forgetting to put her letter in its place. To her cluelessness, her parents have been watching her every movement through the peephole of their bedroom door. “She chose the gun, dear”, Mrs. Yamada announces to her husband. “I pray for your happiness and safety, my little princess”, Mr. Yamada says softly, his words not reaching Kaede’s ears.

Kaede drags her suitcases outside and meets Mr. Fujiwara who is sitting on the steps. “Fujiwara-san, please take me to the airport”, she says. Mr. Fujiwara smiles softly and nods as he opens the door for her and helps her with her stuff. He then starts driving to the airport as Kaede has told him to, staying silent throughout the ride.

“Will I see you again, Heir-sama?”, he asks, seemingly sad about her departure. “Maybe one day, I honestly don’t know. Keep me in your prayers, Fujiwara-san”, she says as she gets off the car and head into the airport building. Mr. Fujiwara bows to her one last time before leaving in the car.

Kaede sits on the empty bench and opens her phone to find a ride out of the country. “South Korea, hm?”, she says to herself, “yeah, I guess I can do that”. Kaede buys a ticket for a plane that will leave in about two hours before laying on the bench, finally able to catch her breath and compose herself. A part of her expects one of her father’s men to appear and drag her home, but no one actually came, and for the first time in her 20-something year life, she feels like a regular person and not the heir of a business empire.

-

After landing in a new country, Kaede opens her phone again to book a hotel. No hotels allow midnight check-in, and she has no choice but to sleep at the airport until the sun rises. “I hope my parents won’t have closed my account by the time I wake up”, Kaede says to herself before closing her eyes to take a quick nap.

Kaede wakes up after a few hours and decides that she should call her friend again. “Good morning, Kae-chan”, the friend greets her over the phone, “feeling better?”. “Actually, I’m in Korea right now—you’re here as well, aren’t you?”, Kaede reveals. Judging by her friend’s tone, Kaede can tell that her friend doesn’t really approve of her actions. “Where are you? I’m going to pick you up”, her friend says, and Kaede tells her that she’s still at the airport. Kaede is told to stay put and wait until she’s picked up.

Kaede didn’t need to wait long, as after a quick and refreshing bathroom trip, she receives a text from her friend saying that she has arrived at the airport. Kaede sees that her friend is standing next to a fancy car with a dark window tint. “Kotone-chaaaan”, Kaede runs towards her friend and hugs her, “wow, you look so pretty”. In the corner of her eyes, Kaede sees a man get out of the car and start approaching her. “Kae-chan, this is my fiancé, Jeon Yunho. Love, this is my friend, Yamada Kaede”, Kotone introduces the two. Since Kotone is speaking in Japanese, her fiancé doesn’t know what she’s saying but he smiles every time his name is mentioned.

Yunho asks Kotone to translate for him, forwarding his invitation to a group breakfast to Kaede. “But aren’t you guys dressed for work right now?”, Kaede asks. Kotone looks down at her outfit before bursting out laughing. “We have a subsidiary under Yunho-oppa’s parents’ company; I think we’re allowed to miss work every once in a while—isn’t that right, love?”, Kotone turns to Yunho. “Huh? Yeah, sure, whatever you say”, Yunho chuckles and pecks Kotone’s forehead. “Is this what being in love is like?”, Kaede thinks to herself as she gets in the car.

“So, Kae-chan, what’s your plan?”, Kotone asks as her fiancé starts driving. “Find work and learn the language—not sure about the order, though”, Kaede says. Kotone speaks to her fiancé about some things before turning back to Kaede. “Yunho-oppa offers you the chance to work at our company and we’ll pay for your expenses until you can stand on your own feet”, Kotone says. Kaede types in what she wants to say into a translator and has the app say the translation out loud. “I appreciate the offer, but I feel bad about getting freebies”, the app says, making Kotone and Yunho burst out laughing. “We want to help you, Kae-chan—no offense to you, but we are all you have in this country”, Kotone says.

The car stops on the side of the road after a short ride in front of a small restaurant. Kaede aims her translator app at the text above the door; “House of Congee”, it says. Kaede follows the couple into the restaurant and sits with them. “Yunho-oppa brought me here when we were in college. He bought a plate of chicken gizzard and liver that day”, Kotone says. “Kotone fell in love with me after I bought her congee”, the translator app on Yunho’s phone says, shocking the two women as they burst out in sudden laughter. Kotone playfully slaps and scolds her fiancé in embarrassment as her cheeks are painted red. Yunho grabs Kotone’s chin and comes in for a kiss, causing Kaede to cover her face to hide her unforeseen blush. While Kaede is happy to see her friend be in love, Kaede also hopes that one day she’ll be able to love someone as much as Kotone loves her fiancé.

A waiter brings three bowls of congee and a plate of gizzard and kidney and puts them on the table. Kaede immediately picks up a piece of gizzard and puts it in her mouth, instantly exclaiming in excitement at the taste. Kaede sees Kotone and Yunho smiling at her, thus covering her face with both hands in embarrassment. Kotone shakes her head in amusement and tells Yunho to start eating. “I love this, Tone-chan—the tea is great too”, Kaede says, her mouth full of congee and chicken liver. “I know, right? We have breakfast here at least twice a week”, Kotone says.

Since Yunho doesn’t speak Japanese, Kaede feels comfortable talking to Kotone as she doesn’t need to worry about Yunho judging her. “I envy you, Tone-chan; Yunho­-oppa seems to be so in love with you”, Kaede says. Kotone is reminded of the fact that she hasn’t asked why exactly Kaede left her parents and moved here. “What are you looking for in this country, Kae-chan? You have everything you need at home", Kotone asks in genuine curiosity. “My parents told me that they were going to arrange a marriage for me, and this is the cost of refusal and disobedience”, Kaede reveals, her voice getting smaller due to sadness. Kotone sighs audibly before telling Yunho what Kaede just told her, and Yunho joins her in sighing. “I must take responsibility for my actions, and I ask that you give me the chance to figure things out on my own. That way I won’t be too big of a disgrace for my parents”, Kaede adds. She then asks the couple to take her to a language school so that she can start learning Korean.

Kotone stops Kaede at the door of a language school and hands her a credit card, not taking no as an answer. No matter how persistent Kaede is, she can’t sway Kotone from helping her. “Never hesitate to call us if you need help. We’re here for you, Kae-chan”, Kotone says while hugging. Kaede expresses her gratitude before pulling away and entering the building in front of her.

“Good morning. Is there anything I can help you with?”, the staff at the desk greets Kaede in Korean. Once again, Kaede types in what she wants to say and shows the translation to the staff. “Ah, of course!”, the staff switches to Japanese and pulls out a pamphlet. He then starts explaining everything related to the course, from length, schedule, and eventually, the cost of it. Kaede thinks that this is a good investment and decides to pay in full up front, despite the staff’s suggestion to put down a down payment and pay the rest as the course progresses. “The first class starts tomorrow at 5 pm, Kaede-san. Please feel free to leave. Have a good day”, the staff bids his farewell as Kaede leaves the institution.

Kaede realizes that everything from this point onwards is going to be trial by fire; she’s in a different country which language she doesn’t speak a lick of, there’s no one to hold her hand all the time unlike her Heir of Yamada days, and she needs to be able to fend for herself—Kaede now understands that it’s just me, myself, and I in a whole new world. “Mama, papa, I hope that you look at me in kindness and forgiveness as I start a new journey in this land of hope. I pray that we can meet again soon”, Kaede says softly while looking up at the sky, hoping that the planes flying above will carry her message to her parents.

Kaede takes a deep breath and looks around; there’s a bus stop across the street. Kaede crosses the street and opens her navigation app to figure out how she can get to her hotel by bus. She eyes the route and stops shown on her phone, burning the unfamiliar letters in her memory. From the right, she hears a bus rolling towards the stop; “this must be it”, Kaede says as she makes sure no belonging is left behind.

Kaede keeps an eye on her surroundings, trying to remember what is where while still paying attention to her phone to make sure she doesn’t miss her stop. Despite being a workday, the bus is still decently packed. “I wonder if everyone is lost like I am”, she thinks to herself. If someone was to read her mind, they would see that her head is full of determination and hopefulness. While yesterday’s Kaede feared uncertainty, today’s Kaede embraces it, taking it as a chance to shape herself into a brave and strong girl.

-

It’s been over two months since Kaede arrived in Korea and around 6 weeks after she left her hotel and moved to a small apartment. Kaede is now relatively familiar with the layout of the city, especially where her favorite grub spots are located at. Not only that, but she is also somewhat fluent in Korean, thanks to the language school, and today, she aims to find a job.

The sound of her morning alarm violently shakes her awake. Kaede still hasn’t gotten used to waking up alone, but that’s one of the many side effects of leaving your parents behind that Kaede will need to get used to. She jumps off the bed and heads towards the shower to get her day started. As she stands in the shower, her head starts getting filled with excitement and nervousness at the prospect of getting a job like a regular person in their 20s. “I hope people like me”, she says to herself.

She leaves her unit after putting on a white shirt and a black knee length skirt. Kaede then makes her way towards an all-you-can-eat barbecue restaurant at the other end of the block. “Good morning, madam”, Kaede greets a woman who she guesses is the owner, her accent thick but adorable. “Good morning to you as well, young miss”, the lady smiles warmly at her, “can I help you?”. Kaede looks at her feet, shyness creeping back to her. “I-I’m looking for work, madam. I-I’m hoping I can work for you here”, she says.

The lady takes Kaede’s hand softly and pulls her to sit down at a table. “What’s your name, sweetheart?”, the lady asks. The endearment shorts Kaede’s brain momentarily—that’s the same name her mom used to call her. “M-my name i-is Yamada Kaede”, she introduces herself—she slaps herself internally for saying her last name and hopes that the lady has never heard that name before. “You can call me Mrs. Park, Kaede-yah”, the lady smiles at her warmly, “what is a gorgeous girl like you working here for, though?”. Kaede involuntarily lets a tear escape her eyes, “I-I ran away from home, Mrs. Park, and now I need money”. Mrs. Park wipes the stray tear softly, “I’m not going to judge you, sweetheart, but I do sympathize with you”. Kaede shakes her head, “thank you for your kindness, madam, but I brought this upon myself. C-can I work here, please?”.

Mrs. Park reveals to Kaede that the restaurant is only open three days a week and if Kaede is down for it, she can also work at Mrs. Park’s sister’s café when the restaurant is closed. “Thank you for giving me these opportunities, Mrs. Park. I will not let you down”, Kaede says, the fire of determination visible in her eyes. “The pleasure is mine, Kaede-yah—are you okay with starting today, though?”, Mrs. Park says. “Of course, madam. What is my first task? Take out the trash, maybe? Peel some fruits?”, Kaede says as she looks around the restaurant for ideas. Mrs. Park chuckles in adoration, “we need to go to the market, sweetheart; we almost run out of a handful of things—your enthusiasm is inspiring, Kaede-yah”.

-

Mrs. Park hands Kaede a list of items that they need for the restaurant. Kaede reads the list as they walk into the market area: soy sauce, salt, premium grade sliced beef, boneless chicken thighs and breasts, and giant prawns. Mrs. Park wraps an arm around Kaede’s and guides her towards one stall after another, crossing out the list one item at a time. Mrs. Park says that there’s no need to worry about choosing the best beef or seafood as she is good friends with the stall owners, and they always give her the best stuff. “You trust them that much, Mrs. Park?”, Kaede asks. Mrs. Park nods, “yeah, I’ve known these people and their families for so long, we’re basically family too”.

Back at the restaurant, Mrs. Park shows Kaede where to keep stuff. She specifically tells Kaede that everything should be organized neatly. “We have a few hours before we open; please clean the restaurant”, Mrs. Park says as she shows Kaede where the cleaning equipment is kept. Kaede was reaching for a mop and a bucket when Mrs. Park stopped her. “Your clothes are too good for cleaning, sweetheart; don’t you want to change first?”, she says. Kaede agrees to Mrs. Park’s suggestion and heads back to her apartment to change into something more comfortable.

-

“Sweetheart, we’ll pick you up at the airport tonight, okay? Love you”, your mom texts you as you’re rushing towards the airport building, feeling impatient to go home after a business trip overseas that ended up fruitless. You reply to her quickly before making your way towards the toilet to freshen up. “Man, that was such a waste of time—so damn counterproductive”, you say to the mirror in front of you, sighing in annoyance after.

You sit in the waiting room until you hear the announcer say over the speakers that you’re now allowed to board the plane. Once seated, you pull out your tablet to write a summary for your parents and since you’re sitting next to the window, you don’t need to worry about people bothering you. “I can’t believe we’re working with these people”, you shake your head as you start jotting down key words. Your concern is warranted; the company that your parents want to work with is dumping hazardous waste carelessly and illegally, and the only reason that they’re getting away with it is because they’re actively bribing city officials, per the private investigator you have hired.

Your focused and annoyed mind makes the 2-something hour flight feel like it was 15 minutes long, and you hear the stewardess announce that you’re about to land and need to fasten the seatbelt to prepare for the landing process. You lock your tablet and fold the seat table, somewhat feeling annoyed because you’re being interrupted.

Since you only have a tablet, you don’t need to worry about waiting for baggage claim and head straight towards the exit. You see that your parents and sister are waiting for you right outside. “Oppa, welcome back!”, Juyeon greets you with a warm smile on her face. You walk up to your family and hug each person present, getting a kiss on each cheek from mama. “We need to talk”, you say to your family. “Aren’t you tired, though?”, your dad asks, and you shake your head in response and tell him that this is an important matter. Juyeon suggests talking over dinner at a restaurant because she’s hungry. “Yeah, sure, we can do that”, your dad says.

Juyeon said she wanted to have barbecue, so here you are, sitting at a barbecue restaurant of her preference. A waiter comes up to your table and takes Juyeon’s order since she’s always the one in charge of ordering whenever your family goes to eat together. “So, what is it that you deem to be important?”, your mom starts the conversation. You sigh as you unlock your tablet, “where do we even start? They’re so damn shady, mom”. Everyone pays attention to you, and you start by telling them about the alleged tax fraud that this business partner does. “You have proof, yeah? We don’t want to accuse them blindly, dear; we’ve had this partnership for a while now”, your dad says. You assure your dad that everything you’re about to say is based on proof that the private investigator has collected.

You keep rambling on as everyone puts one thing after another in their mouths until Juyeon interrupts you. “Sorry for cutting you off, oppa, but you haven’t touched your food. Here, try this”, Juyeon picks up a piece of wagyu and guides it towards your mouth. You want to keep talking but the taste of meat stuns you, “wow, that is really good, Juyeon-ah”. Juyeon laughs at you, “this family can’t run without me, oppa—we both know that”. You give credits where they are due, and Juyeon deserves some right now. You peck your little sister’s head in adoration, “I love you, you little rascal”. You see your parents smile lovingly as they watch your interaction with Juyeon, feeling happy that the two heirs of the family’s empire get along well with each other.

You resume your lecture after finishing the food on your plate, and if there’s one habit of yours that your parents dislike, it’s how you subconsciously talk so loudly when you’re passionate about the subject. “I think the most fucked up thing that they’re doing is that they illegally dump hazardous waste into the air and river, thus poisoning the community. They bribe officials from top to bottom and send out hitmen to retaliate against whistleblowers—excuse my language, by the way”. Your parents sit in silence as they rub their foreheads to process what you just told them. You look at Juyeon and see that she has a concerned look on her face. “Listen to me, please”, you say, “I understand how important this partnership is, but the Yamada family is a fucking mess. We need to be careful; we can’t be caught doing illegal shit with them”.

In the corner of your eyes, you notice that a female staff is looking directly at you. When you turn your head towards her, however, she breaks eye contact and turns around. You quietly pray to God that she’s not one of Yamada’s spy or something like that. Juyeon catches on to what you’re doing and asks you if anything is wrong. “No, it’s okay. Sorry for being too loud; I just wanted to express how serious these things are”, you say to her.

Your parents and Juyeon stand up to pay and head out while you finish your drink. As you stand up to join them, the same female staff from earlier stops you in your tracks. “Excuse me, sir”, she says softly, “I don’t mean to be nosy, but I heard you talk about the Yamada family”. You slap your forehead, “I’m sorry for speaking so loudly. Please keep it—wait, do you know about them?”. Your question stuns her, and she struggles to answer you. “I-I’m from Japan; I-I’ve he-heard about them before”, she says, her speech stuttering. “Ah, sorry; should’ve known from your accent”, you reach your wallet and pull out some cash, “here’s for you, miss. Please keep what you’ve heard to yourself, okay? See you soon”. She tries to decline politely, but you insist on giving the money to her, and you go back and forth until she accepts.

Your dad is waiting for you outside the restaurant with a knowing smile. “You spoke too loudly and had to give her some shut up money, huh?”, he teases you. “You guys really need to warn me whenever I start raising my voice”, you shake your head in annoyance. Your dad lets out a laugh as he wraps an arm around your shoulder and guides you to the car.

-

“Oppa, wake up”, Juyeon slaps you in the foot repeatedly to wake you up. “Huh? What time is it?”, you ask her, still half asleep. “It’s 7 am”, she says, “mama and papa want to have breakfast together and then you guys are going to have a meeting with Yamada representatives”. Her words send shock to your body, making you jump off the bed and onto your feet. “What the fuck? Why wasn’t I told about this?”, you ask her. Juyeon shrugs in cluelessness and tells you to get ready before making her way out of your bedroom. “Juyeon-ah, wait” you call out to her, “the waiter I tipped last night was looking at us when we were talking; I’m thinking she could’ve been a Yamada spy”. Juyeon laughs at you, taking your words lightly, “sure, whatever you say, oppa”. You roll your eyes in frustration, “just make sure security is tight, okay? That’s all I need from you today”.

You head towards the dining table for breakfast after showering. “Hi, baby. I hope you had good sleep”, your mom greets you with a peck on your forehead. “Juyeon-ie told me that we’ll be meeting Yamada today”, you say. Your mom dismisses your concern, “they’re just sending representatives to follow up on your visit. It’ll be fine, baby”.

Your dad and Juyeon join you after getting ready—your dad has put on a three-piece suit. “Dad? Going somewhere?”, you ask him. “Oh, it’s for the meeting later”, he says, “do I look good, by the way?”. “I swear mom is going to fall for you again”, you say, earning explosive laughter from your family. Your parents, while they’re no longer young, are extremely good looking and fashionable, and they have inherited their good genes onto you and Juyeon, creating a perfect mix of mom and dad in the both of you.

-

“Good morning, directors”, Miss Lee, the secretary for the directors (you and your parents) greets you at the door. You reply to her with a smile and ask her to follow you to your office. “Miss Lee, do you know why the Yamada are visiting?”, you ask her as you take off your suit jacket. Miss Lee looks at her tablet before answering you, “according to the emails, sir, they want to discuss a bigger partnership with you and your parents”. You fish out your tablet from its carrier and send materials and notes to her. “Read them, please, Miss Lee. We need to get you up to speed—oh, and please make sure that we’re safe in this building; there’s something in my mind that I can’t share with you just yet”, you say to her. Her eyes widen as she sees the file names. “Certainly, sir. I will see you at the meeting”, Miss Lee says before leaving your office.

Your brain can’t stop thinking about the girl from the restaurant; there’s something about her that is piquing your interest. You promise yourself that you’ll flip every stone to find her. “We run this city, young miss; you’re not getting out of this place”, you say to the empty chair in front of you, imagining that she’s in front of you right now.

-

Miss Lee notifies you that the guests have arrived, so you walk towards your parents’ office to get them. “Papa, mama, they’re here”, you say to them, “I know I’ve told you all kinds of stories about them, so we must speak carefully”. Your mom laughs out loud, “you’re one to talk, Son Daehyun; if there’s anyone who needs to speak carefully, it’s you”. You sigh in defeat, “yeah, sure—can we go now, directors?”.

On the way to the meeting room, you see a lot of security personnel guarding different parts of the floor. “Dear, why are there so many guards here?”, your dad asks. You dismiss your dad’s question and tell him that it’s simply for safety. You can tell that he’s not satisfied with your answer, but he doesn't feel like pushing for closure and lets it go.

When you enter with your parents, there’s only Miss Lee in the meeting room. “Miss Lee, bring them in, please”, you say to her as you walk towards the far end of the table. “Your dad used to sit at that spot when you were a kid, and now it’s you”, your mom says, seemingly emotional about it. You hold your parents’ hands with each of yours, “Juyeon-ie and I wouldn’t be here without the two of you. Thank you for everything you’ve done for us”.

You let go of their hands as you hear the door open slowly; it’s Miss Lee followed by two Yamada representatives. Your parents stand up to greet them, but your attention is still locked on one of the guests. You can tell by his tattoos that are peeking out at you from underneath his shirt that he’s not a regular joe. You glance under the table and see that there’s a gun hanging underneath it, ready to be used in case things go south. “Forgive my rudeness, gentlemen”, you say as you get up from your seat, “welcome to Korea. I hope you had a good flight”. You and your parents take turns shaking the guests’ hands and exchanging pleasantries. “Director, please accept this humble gift from Yamada­-sama”, he says as he hands a box with a gold ribbon on it to you. You see through the plastic cover that it is a Yubari King Melon. “Ah, thank you very much. I’d like to give him a gift as well; please tell Miss Lee when you’re leaving so I can prepare one for Mr. Yamada”, you say to him.

Once all the giggles are out of the way, you start the discussion by first asking them what exactly they’re aiming for. “Most importantly, we want to expand to a new market, director. In exchange, we can help you establish a foothold in our home country”, he says plainly. Your family’s company has been trying to expand to Japan for a while now, and this partnership sounds too good to miss out on. You put every single brain cell to use and think about the plus and minus of this relationship. Sure, the Yamada has massive influence and can put you on with the right people, but at the same time, they’re quite the shady bunch—your mind is still gripping the fact that they’re poisoning the surrounding community.

“We trust that you’ll make the right decision, Director Son—Yamada-sama would have offered you his daughter had she not run away”, he adds. You’re dazed; Mr. Yamada wanted to offer his daughter to you, but she had run away before he had the chance to? Did you hear that right? “Excuse me?”, you ask him. “By giving you his daughter, director, Mr. Yamada thinks that it’ll help build a productive and profitable relationship between the two families”, he says. “Giving me his daughter, he says”, you say in your head, “what on God’s earth is he yapping about”. You notice that your parents have been looking at you and waiting for you to break the silence. You tell them that you can’t give them a definite answer before looking into this extended partnership proposal further, so you ask them to hand over some documents that you hope might be able to help you turn a blind eye to their dishonest practices.

After the guests have left, you tell your parents that you want to go outside and clear your head; “I’ll be back in a few hours; I want to treat Juyeon-ie to lunch”. On your way to the lobby, you decide to call Juyeon and see if she’d like some food. “What are you up to, Juyeon-ah?”, you ask her as soon as she picks up. “Just finished a class, oppa. Why?”, she asks. You ask her if she’s interested in getting lunch together. Unexpectedly, she declines; “I have another class in an hour, and I know eating with you takes longer than that”.

You initially wanted to walk to a nearby restaurant, but you’re reminded of the girl from the barbecue restaurant a few days ago. Since the restaurant is quite a distance away from your office, you decide to take the car. “Would you like to be driven for, director?”, Mr. Seo, your parents’ chauffeur, asks as you get in your car. You politely say no to him before driving away, citing that you want to be alone.

When you arrive at the restaurant, you see a “closed” sign hanging on the glass door but there’s someone on their phone inside. You knock a few times and manage to get a middle-aged lady’s attention. “We’re only open on Friday to Sunday, young man”, she says after opening the door. “Madam, I would like to talk to the female staff who attended the restaurant on Saturday evening”, you say to her. “Ah, Yamada Kaede?”, she mentions the girl’s name, “she works at my sister’s café when we’re closed”. You raise your eyebrows in shock, “Yamada? Did she say Yamada?”. You ask her where her sister’s café is and slam the gas pedal, looking to get there as soon as possible.

You stop in front of a small café called Mellow Shack, “this must be the café”. You investigate the café from inside the car, and as you scan the interior, you see Kaede drop off someone’s order at their table. You turn off your car before jumping out of it and heading inside. “Good afternoon”, you say as you enter the café. Kaede, who initially had her back turned against you, turns around. “Good after—“, she cuts herself off as she’s surprised to see you, “w-what can I ge-get for y-you, si-sir?”. As much as you want to cut to the chase, you don’t want to make her feel uncomfortable, so you show her a gentle smile. You look at the menu board hanging above the register and tell Kaede that you’d like to have some fries and caramel latte. “Cer-certainly, s-sir. P-please have a seat”, she says. You’re not sure why she’s acting like this, but that’s a question for later—well, actually, you have an idea why; she’s a Yamada and you talked shit about her family (even if it was based on facts).

You choose to sit at the table that is the furthest away from the other customer. The whole time you’re waiting for your order, you see Kaede occasionally steal glances at you. Your order finally comes after about 15 minutes of waiting, and you see Kaede put them on a tray and bring them to you. She puts down your fries in front of you, and you take the chance to hold her hand. “Please have a seat, miss”, you say to her softly. Kaede sits down on the chair in front of you, visibly nervous about it. “I’m sorry, I don’t mean to make you feel uncomfortable. My name is Son Daehyun, may I ask what yours is?”, you say to her in the calmest tone you’ve ever used. “M-my name is Ka-Kaede, s-sir”, she says. “That is a beautiful name, Kaede-ssi”, you smile at her—you want to hold her hands but she’s currently using them to hug her tray, “I apologize for speaking about your family so carelessly”. Her eyes widen in shock, “e-excuse me, sir?”. “You’re a Yamada, aren’t you, miss?”, you say to her, “that’s why you were looking at me when I was talking about them”.

Kaede looks down at the table without confirming or denying anything. You stay silent and wait for her to say something, but instead you see her shed a tear. “I-I’m no longer a Yamada, sir”, she says. You ask what she meant by that, and she reveals that she left her family as a gesture of refusal of an arranged marriage proposal. “So this is the girl that Mr. Yamada wanted to offer me”, you think to yourself—as much as you think that she’s attractive, you sympathize with her. You put your hands on the table and offer them to her in case she needs comfort, and she holds them immediately after putting her tray to the side. You rub the back of her hands softly as you shower her with comforting words, telling her that there’s nothing to worry about.

“I-I’m sorry, sir”, she says as she lets go of your hand, “it was rude of me to hold your hands like that”. You lean forward and wipe her tears, “I’m sorry for being presumptuous, but I just wanted to offer comfort—and please stop calling me sir; I’m no one important”. Kaede says that she doesn’t think it’s right to call you by name, and after finding out about your age, she says she’ll call you “oppa". “I need to get back to work”, Kaede says, “thank you for your kindness”. You’re not sure what sort of kindness you’ve shown her, but you accept her thanks anyway. You walk up to her after finishing your fries and latte. “Here’s for you. You can keep the change”, you hand her a few banknotes and walk out. She chases you outside and holds your hand before you can get in your car. “I-I’d like to see you again, sir—I mean, oppa”, she says. A simple “sure” is your answer, and she tells you that she’ll be off work at 7 pm. “See you tonight, Kaede-yah”, you say to her.

-

You’ve been busy reading and signing documents for the past few hours. You look at the clock on your computer and see that it’s well past 7 pm. “Oh, shit, Kaede”, you grab your jacket and keys and run towards the escalator in panic. You see that your parents’ office is dark, so you assume that they’ve gone home. That doesn’t turn out to be true, as you see your parents standing next to each other at the lobby. “You were so busy and we didn’t want to interrupt”, your dad says, “why are you running like that?”. You tell your parents that you have an impromptu meeting with someone and suggest that they go home without you. Your mom and dad take turns pecking your cheeks before letting you go. “I’ll see you at home, sweetheart”, your mom says, and you reply to her with a nod.

Kaede is sitting on the steps in front of the café when you arrive, shivering from the cold. “I’m sorry, I was caught up on work”, you wrap your jacket around her to shield her from the night. You’re (delightfully) surprised when she decides to hug you. “Thank you, oppa. I’m freezing”, she says. You apologize to her as you guide her towards your car. “May I treat you to dinner, Kaede-yah?”, you ask. She seems hesitant to say yes, but her rumbling stomach is making it hard for her to say no. “S-sure, oppa. I-I’d like to have something warm, please”, she says.

You take her to a diner that is known for its variety of soups. In there, you see Juyeon sitting alone, seemingly savoring the bowl of soup in front of her. “Kaede-yah, that’s my sister, Son Juyeon”, you whisper to Kaede as the two of you approach Juyeon. You playfully slap her in the back, and Juyeon almost knocks over her bowl in shock. “I hate you so much, oppa”, she pouts. “Alone, sweetie?”, you ask her—you forgot for a moment that you’re not alone, and the endearment might daze Kaede. “Yeah, kind of. Who is the lady, oppa?”, Juyeon asks. “Juyeon-ah, this is Kaede”, you say, “Yamada Kaede”. Juyeon’s big eyes widen hearing the last name, “Ya-Yamada?”.

Seeing Juyeon’s reaction to the introduction makes Kaede look down in sadness, and you’re starting to feel bad. “Kaede ran away from home when her parents wanted to arrange a marriage for her”, you explain, “she said to me that she doesn’t consider herself to be a Yamada these days”. Juyeon nods in understanding and reaches her hand out to shake Kaede’s. “My name is Son Juyeon, I’m his favorite little sister. If he ever tries anything stupid with you, let me know”, Juyeon introduces herself. Kaede shakes Juyeon’s hand passionately. “Please don’t hate me; I promise I’m not a bad person”, she says. Both you and Juyeon put on a kind face, “we don’t hate you, miss; it’s just that I didn’t expect to see someone important like you here—oppa, you’re treating her to dinner, right?”.

You invite Kaede to sit at a table a few steps away from Juyeon. “Oppa, you’re close with your sister”, she comments. Kaede’s flat voice makes it hard for you to figure out her emotions—her accent is very adorable, though. “Yeah, we spent a lot of time together whenever our parents were away when we were kids”, you explain, “she was my first and only friend until I reached middle school”. Kaede tilts her head in confusion, “you didn’t have friends until middle school, oppa? Were you not popular for being the child of a rich couple?”. You shake your head and sigh, “I remember one kid specifically told me that he didn’t want to be friends with me because he thought that I was a spoiled brat—I didn’t even do anything to warrant such rejection”. Kaede nods wordlessly, so you take the chance to ask how it was for her. “I-I didn’t have many friends either, and-and I think you can guess why”, she says, “the best friend I’ve ever had moved to Korea for college and got engaged with a businessman like you”.

Your conversation gets cut off by a waiter. “Here’s the miso tofu soup, and here’s the noodle soup”, the waiter says as he sets two bowls in front of you and Kaede. Kaede picks up a piece of tofu, sniffs it, and puts it back in the bowl again. “Are you okay?”, you ask. “I was taught that it’s impolite to start eating before someone older than you does”, she says. You let out a chuckle, “oh, please, there’s no need to do such a thing—look, I’ll eat”. You put some noodles in your mouth and chase it with a spoonful of broth. “Oh, that is so good”, you groan, “your turn, Kaede-yah”. Kaede takes a bite of tofu and chases it with some miso broth, smiling sheepishly at the taste. “Th-this is very similar to my mom’s cooking, oppa”, she says.

You wish you knew any other method to comfort someone other than holding their hands, but you have no alternative as of now. You notice that Kaede gradually moves her right hand closer to the middle, subtly asking you to hold it. You reach over and rub the back of her hand softly with your thumb. “What do you think would happen if you put a ring on that finger, hm?”, your brain asks you, “you find her to be attractive, and she seems sweet”. Kaede is looking at you straight in the eyes as if trying to read your mind. “I know we just met, but I think you’re a sweet person. Can we meet again after this?”, you say, telling her what you were thinking about. “Ye-yes, I’d like to see you again, oppa”, she says, her plump cheeks tinted in red.

Juyeon gets up from her seat and walks towards your table. “Oppa, scoot over; I want to be friends with Kaede-chan”, she says. You do as she asks and move to the empty chair next to you. You turn your head as if looking outside the restaurant and whisper to Juyeon’s ear, “I think I like her”. Juyeon smiles and pinches your thigh softly in response. “So, Kaede-chan, what are you up to nowadays?”, she asks. “I-I’ve just been working; my parents blocked my card s-so I need to earn money myself”, Kaede says. Juyeon offers her a higher paying job as a secretary at your company. Juyeon might not be part of the company yet, but she knows it as well as you and your parents. Kaede shyly agrees to Juyeon’s offer, the reason being that, well, she needs money. Juyeon shakes hands with Kaede before turning to you to shake yours. “Congratulations, director; you have a new secretary, thanks to your sweet little sister”, she says with a grin—she has always been an enabler for you and your parents to chase whatever you desire. You pull Juyeon into a side hug and peck the top of her head, “I can’t imagine a life without you, Juyeon-ah”. When you look at Kaede, you see that she’s smiling widely at you and Juyeon, seemingly in approval of your closeness with your little sister.

-

You hand Juyeon some money and tell her to get a taxi home as you’re going to take Kaede home first. “Be nice to her, oppa. I like her as much as you do”, she whispers to you. You nod in understanding and open the passenger door for Kaede. “Kaede-yah, I’m offering to take you home. I promise I won’t do anything stupid and Juyeon is my witness”, you say to her. Kaede high steps towards you and hugs you, “thank you, oppa. You’re so kind”.

Throughout the ride, all you can think about is how soft Kaede’s hand was when you were holding it and how warm her hug felt. “Oppa, what are you thinking about?”, Kaede says, disrupting your train of thoughts. “I think I like you, Kaede-yah”, you confess to her. Kaede doesn’t say anything and looks down at her knees, and it makes you think that you’ve overstepped. “I’m sorry, I know we just met and all that, but something is telling me that I should be honest with you”, you say, trying to salvage the moment that you’ve just ruined.

Kaede stayed silent throughout until you arrive in front of her building. You get out of your car and rush to the passenger side to open the door for Kaede. You hold out a hand to help her get off, but she doesn’t take it. Once again, Kaede’s flatness makes it hard for you to figure out her feelings. She starts walking towards her building right away after getting out of the car, and you don’t have any choice but to close the door and walk towards your side of the car. As you do, however, Kaede holds your hand and makes you turn towards her. “I like you too, oppa”, she says softly with a smile, no stuttering this time—she’s determined.

Your heart instantly melts after hearing her confession, and your eyes involuntarily release tears. Kaede wipes them off your cheeks the same way you’ve done for her, “you have such a good heart, oppa. I wouldn’t have left my family had they arranged for me to marry you”. You hold her face with both hands and press your forehead against hers. “I was so scared that you’d push me away”, you sigh in relief, “thank you, Kaede-yah”. “No, oppa—thank you”, she says, pulling away from your embrace, “so when can I start working for you, director-sama?”. You shake your head rapidly to shake off other thoughts, “next Monday, please. That way you can say bye to your boss”. She retreats a few steps and waves at you, “see you next Monday, oppa!”.

-

“Oppa, wake up! Your alarm is literally blaring in your ears”, Juyeon slaps your thighs repeatedly, “you’re so bad at waking up, I swear to God”. You get up and pull her to the bed to join you. “Quiet, please”, you say to Juyeon, your arms and legs hugging her tightly. “Aaaaaah, we have things to do, oppaaaaa”, she whines as she tries to free herself, “come on, let’s get up”. Juyeon can tell if you’re being playful or not, so when she sees that you’re not budging, she decides to play along and stop yapping. Your dad opens your bedroom door after knocking a few times. “Oh, there you are—how cute”, he chuckles, “come on, children, we’re waiting for you”.

Juyeon pokes your cheek, “come on, oppa, you heard him”. You groan and let her go, “alright, fine, let’s go”. Juyeon holds your hand and guides you towards the dining room. “Sorry, oppa was being difficult”, she says to your parents. Your dad wants to start talking, but you cut him off, “if it isn’t about Kaede, I don’t want to hear it”. Your dad smiles, “it is about Kaede, Daehyun-ah. I was told that she’s starting today—I was also told that you like her”. The prospect of working with Kaede draws a smile on your face, “yeah, I do. Can’t believe I’m falling for someone at first sight”. Your dad looks at your mom, “I mean, I also fell for your mom at first sight, it’s just that she hated me at first”. Your mom bursts out in laughter and covers her face to hide her embarrassment.

You and your family talk about business during breakfast, a habit that you initially hated but have learned to enjoy since it comes with the life that you’re having. You leave the dining room to take a shower and get ready for work. The feelings are mixed today; you’re tired and want to sleep again but it is Kaede’s first day working for your company, and you don’t want to show her a bitter face. “I understand that you’re tired, but this is the life that we pray and work for”, your dad said after your first day of taking office as one of the directors.

-

You see Kaede standing next to Miss Lee in front of the building when you arrive with your parents. “Miss Lee, starting today, you’ll be taking Miss Yamada under your wings and teaching her your ways”, you say to her as they follow you to the escalator. “Directors, Mr. Yamada is inviting the three of you to a meeting in Japan and they hope that you’ll be able to visit in the next 2 weeks”, Miss Lee says. “Are they forcing our hand?”, your mom wonders out loud. “Probably, but we need to keep an open mind and assume that they mean well”, you glance at Kaede to gauge her feelings and see that she has that flat face on, “we need to talk, Miss Yamada”.

Miss Lee follows your parents to their office to brief them while Kaede follows you to yours. “What do your parents like, Kaede-yah?”, you ask her. “Well, first of all, they’re evil and barely hesitate to do illegal stuff as long as they get what they want—I must say, however, that they have this good businessman façade to hide their true nature”, she says, mishearing your question. “What the f—no, no, no, what do they like, not what are they like”, you correct her. Kaede slaps her forehead, “I’m sorry, sir. I meant to say they like expensive stuff”. “The most expensive things I can think of right now are Cheonsam ginseng and Hanwoo”, you say to her, “talk to Miss Lee and buy them, please”. Kaede, who has no prior experience of being a secretary, stands still and looks at you in silence. You let out a chuckle after coming to realization, “Kaede-yah, that was your task”. She blinks a few times rapidly before running out of your office to find Miss Lee.

-

You arrive at the Yamada Corp building with Kaede on a Friday to have a meeting with them. Kaede was initially against the idea of going with you, but her professionalism as your secretary took priority. Everyone in the building is looking at you and Kaede like you were aliens but you guess that’s just them being surprised to see Kaede in Japan again after being missing for the past few months.

You hear someone running behind you to chase you and Kaede. “Heir-sama!”, he exclaims, “it’s truly an honor to meet you again”. You look at them in confusion as he speaks in a different language. “Oppa, this is Mr. Fujiwara. He’s my parents’ chauffeur and their most loyal employee”, Kaede introduces you to him. “Tell him I’m glad to meet him, Kaede-yah”, you tell her. Kaede relays your message to Mr. Fujiwara, and he shakes your hand firmly before guiding you towards the escalator. “What made you return here, Heir-sama?”, he asks. Kaede tells him that she’s now your secretary and that she has a crush on you. “You are very lucky, sir”, he says to you in awkward Korean, and you smile at him, not really catching on to what they just discussed.

Mr. Fujiwara continues guiding you towards a closed double door. “They are waiting for you”, he says as he opens the doors. The Yamada couple seems to be surprised to see Kaede, and whatever Mr. Yamada just said startles Kaede. An interpreter joins you in the room and shakes your hand, “we have been waiting for you, sir”. You pull him towards you and whisper in his ear, “if they say anything that offends Kaede, warn me”.

You let him go and head towards the empty chairs, “Mr. and Mrs. Yamada, it’s such a pleasure to meet you”. Mr. Yamada gestures to the empty chairs, indirectly telling you to have a seat. Kaede sits close to you and puts the gifts on the table. “You were so kind when you gave me that melon, so allow me to give you some stuff in return”, you say. Mr. Yamada laughs softly, “there was no need for that, director”. You’re surprised to find out that he speaks Korean fluently, but you quickly compose yourself and focus on the task at hand. “I hope you don’t mind seeing Kaede here, sir and madam”, you say to them. “We’ve missed her, director; every single day we’ve spent without her felt like hell”, he says. You can’t tell if this is the façade that Kaede has told you about, but you feel like they’re being genuine.

Mrs. Yamada takes her turn to speak, “I hope you’ve thought about our proposal, director”. You take a deep breath before speaking, “with all due respect, sir and madam, but you don’t have the cleanest records”. Mr. Yamada laughs in amusement, “that is correct, director, and I must inform you that we’re going to prison for that”. The disclosure stuns you and Kaede. “We realized that we couldn’t go to the graves with all this dirt on us, so we have decided to ditch our old ways and gradually clean ourselves up”, he adds. “And how do you plan on doing that, sir, if I may ask?”, you try to not offend them with your question. “The reason why we’re chasing a partnership with your company is that so we can start doing things cleanly”, he says before sighing, “but our sweet Kaede left us before we could start”.

Kaede slams the table in front of her parents, “you were going to arrange a marriage for me, papa and mama; how could I have possibly stayed?”. The Yamadas don’t seem to be offended by Kaede’s actions as they just smile at her. “That is correct, my beloved”, Mrs. Yamada says, “Director Son Daehyun was the one we wanted to introduce you to”. Your and Kaede’s jaws drop to the bottom floor hearing Mrs. Yamada’s words. “We have built good relationship with the Sons before through a joint venture and we saw the opportunity to, as my husband has said, start over cleanly through them”, she explains to you, “we’ll gladly go to prison to atone for our worldly sins as long as it means that Kaede will be safe with you”. You lean back in your chair as you try to process what you were just told. “I’m so sorry, sir and madam, but that was a lot to take in”, you say, rubbing your head in bewilderment. Mr. and Mrs. Yamada chuckles at you, seemingly amused with your reactions. Mrs. Yamada fishes a box out of her handbag and shows it to you. “Remember this, sweetheart? This is the ring that you left on the dining table”, she says.

Kaede looks down at herself and starts crying. “S-so you’re s-saying that I was supposed to marry Daehyun-oppa?”, she asks her parents. “Well, yes, but you left before we had the chance to introduce you to him”, Mr. Yamada says, “what do you think now, sweetheart?”. You pull out a handkerchief out of your pocket and wipe Kaede’s tears with it, “you don’t have to agree to this, Kaede-yah. We can keep working together even if you decline”. Kaede slaps your hand away and hugs you, “I will gladly marry you, oppa, no matter if it’s arranged or not”.

The way everything is turning out bewilders you; you’ve gone from doubting Yamada Corp because of their shady history and now you’re about to marry their daughter. You see in the corner of your eyes that Mr. and Mrs. Yamada are wiping tears off their cheeks. “Kaede-yah, will you be down to date me first before we talk about marriage? I think we need to get to know each other better first”, you ask her. She pulls away from your arms and returns to her chair, “I’ll date you as your beloved wife—how about that, oppa?”. Mr. Yamada walks over to you and asks you to stand up. “I believe you’ll be needing this, director—please take care of my lovely daughter”, he says as he hands you the velvet box, “I wish you two a very happy and prosperous life ahead”. You wipe your tears as you accept the box from him, “I wholeheartedly promise that I’ll devote myself to making Kaede happy. Her tears will only be shed for nothing but joy”.

Mr. Yamada pulls you into a warm hug, “we look forward to hearing good news from the two of you, my son”.  You pull away from the hug and kneel in front of Kaede. “I understand that everything has been so sudden, sweetie, but I swear to you that I’ll be the best man with whom you want to spend the rest of your life”, you say as you open the box in front of her, “will you marry me, Yamada Kaede?”. Kaede puts her forehead on yours, “yes, oppa, without a shadow of a doubt”. You slide the ring onto her finger as the dam in your eyes break and release every drop of tears, “I love you, my beautiful wife”. You promptly hear claps from Mr. and Mrs. Yamada—and the interpreter as well—as they also let out tears of joy. “This is the hardest I’ve cried in so long”, Mr. Yamada says with a chuckle, seemingly amused with himself.

After taking around 10 minutes to regain composure, you’re now ready to talk about business. “I believe we have things to talk about, sir and madam”, you say to them. Mr. Yamada shakes his head, “we can talk about business some day else, director; today is your and Kaede’s day, not ours”. You peck Kaede’s forehead before turning to your new in-laws, “if you don’t mind, we’ll be heading home right away; we need to inform my family about this”. Mr. Yamada nods in approval, so you pull out your phone to text Miss Lee, telling her to gather your family in the house.

-

“Oppa, oppa”, Kaede says as you walk towards the airport exit, “how many children do you think we’ll have?”. You chuckle, “it’s a bit too soon to talk about that, don’t you think, love? This is our first day”. Kaede instantly blushes after hearing you call her that, “o-oh, y-you called me love”. You stop in your tracks and stand in front of her, “that is because I love you, love”. You try to calm her down when she starts sobbing again. “I’m so overwhelmed with emotions right now, oppa”, she defends herself, “this is all your fault, by the way—just so we’re clear”. You giggle softly, “I’ll take the blame as long as you’re happy”.

Your parents look at you in confusion when they see you holding hands with Kaede. “What happened to you?”, your dad asks. You ask him to take you home and promise that you’ll tell them all about it. “You’re not going to give us a hint?”, he says. “No, dad. Let’s just go home, please”, you demand. Your dad does as you wish and starts driving towards home. You whisper to Kaede very softly to make sure your parents don’t hear it, “I love you so much, honey”. How do you expect Kaede to not cry when you keep showering her with such words?

Anyway, you finally get home after a short ride and are met with Juyeon who also just got home. “Oppa, why so sudden?”, she asks, “wait, you’re holding hands—are you guys dating?”. You ignore her question and ask them to sit on the living room sofa. “Ladies and gents”, you start, still holding Kaede’s hand, “I had a meeting with Mr. and Mrs. Yamada this afternoon, as some of you already knew. The biggest thing we talked about was that they had wanted to arrange a marriage for Kaede, but she ran away before things could start going”. Your family looks at each other, unsure of where this is going. “They then revealed that thanks to a good relationship that has been established through a previous partnership, they have decided that they want to start over cleanly”, you explain, keeping the direction of the story vague, “so to do that, they want to establish a new partnership with us”. “Okay, but what does that have to do with you and her?”, Juyeon asks.

You look at Kaede with a smile and she looks at you with a smile. “They wanted to introduce her to me in hope that I’ll keep her safe in case they’re thrown into jail for their past wrongdoings”, you say, “the arrangement was for her to marry me”. Your revelation stuns everyone as you see their jaws drop to the floor. “Y-you want to run that by me again?”, your mom says, “they want you to marry their daughter? Did I hear that correctly?”. You nod, “so here we are, trying to get to know each other better before we make it official”. Your dad takes off his glasses and looks at Kaede. “Do you think that he’ll be able to make you happy, Kaede-yah?”, he asks. “I hope so, sir”, Kaede answers, looking at you with hopeful eyes, “he promised me that he’ll try his hardest to make sure I’m happy”.

Your dad stands up and hugs each of you, “I’ll help you make sure he keeps his promise, sweetie—I’m sure my family will too”. Your mom starts shedding tears, “oh my God, my son has grown into a man right before my eyes—when did this even happen?”. Juyeon warns Kaede about your habit of sleeping through the alarms and not waking up without the help of someone, and Kaede giggles at her, “I’ll make sure oppa wakes up on time every single day, Juyeon-ssi”. Juyeon pinches Kaede’s cheeks playfully, “we’re family now, unnie; there’s no need to be so formal from now on”. You let Kaede’s hand go and see from the side how your family has accepted her as their own. It brings absolute joy to you that they like her as much as she likes them. “Alright, I think we should let them go. I’m sure they have plenty to talk about”, your dad says as he pushes Kaede towards you, “remember, Son Daehyun: we raised you to be a proper man. Do not let us and Kaede down”.

You told your family that you want to have dinner with Kaede and Kaede only, and they undoubtedly agreed to let you go. “Oppa, I want something warm again”, she says as soon as she gets in the car. You grant her request and take her to the same restaurant that you had your first date at (if you even can call it that).

 If Kaede sat across the table last time, she now sits next to you, hugging your arm and resting her head on your shoulder. “Are you in love with me, baby?”, you ask her. “You’re my husband, oppa. How can I not be in love with you?”, she says with a blush. “That is great to hear, baby, because I’m in love with you”, you peck her head and start opening the menu book, “what would you like to have, sweetheart?”. Kaede rubs her cheeks against your shoulder like a cat, “choose for me, oppa. I’ll eat whatever”. You call the waiter over and tell him that you want 2 noodle soups. “Why noodles, oppa?”, Kaede asks. “Well, noodles are long, and they don’t stop delivering flavors until the end bit. That’s like you and me; we don’t stop loving each other until the end of time”, you explain—you don’t care if it sounds cheesy. “Oh my God, oppa”, she blushes, “didn’t know you had it in you like that”. “Neither did I, love. It’s you that brought this side of me out of its hiding place”, you say to her before showering her head with pecks.

You lovey-dovey with Kaede as you wait for your order. Kaede tells you that she wants to go to amusement parks and arcades on the weekends. “Baby, the company is ours; I’m sure we can skip work every now and then”, you say to her. “Oh, speaking of work: will you look for another secretary?”, she asks. “Why would I do that? My beloved wife is my secretary, I don’t want or need anyone else—well, except Miss Lee”, you say, earning laughter from Kaede.

“Kaede-chan, is that you?”, someone behind you calls out to Kaede, making the two of you turn around to see who it is. “Oh, Kotone-chan!”, Kaede waves excitedly, “hiiiii”. You see a familiar face next to this Kotone person. “Jeon Yunho?”, you squint your eyes, trying to make sure if it is him, “long time no see, man—what are you doing here?”. Yunho walks towards you with Kotone and shakes your hand, “I can say the same, Daehyun-ah”. They then sit across the table from you and Kaede.

“Kae-chan, who is this?”, Kotone asks. “This is my husband, Son Daehyun-oppa”, Kaede says, and hearing the introduction surprises Yunho and Kotone. “H-husband?”, Kotone can’t believe her ears, “did you say husband?”. Kaede, in her excited state, struggles to string together an explanation, so you do it for her. You tell them the same thing that you’ve told your family earlier, and they can’t help but listen in silence. “So this is a double date, huh?”, Kotone says, letting out a chuckle after.

A waiter drops off your orders on your table and Yunho takes the chance to order food for him and Kotone. “Noodles, Daehyun-ah?”, Yunho asks, “there are other things that this place is known for, you know”. “I’ve explained my reason to Kaede and I’m not saying it again—I know you’ll make fun of me if you know”, you say. Yunho laughs out loud, “I bet it’s something cheesy”.

Since your food came earlier than theirs, Yunho and Kotone told you to start eating first. Kaede asks you to feed her, as if trying to brag about the new relationship to Kotone and Yunho. You place some noodles and broth on your spoon and guide it towards Kaede’s lips. You see Yunho and Kotone give you four thumbs-up of approval, and you’d be lying if you said that you’re not embarrassed doing this in front of them. Kaede wants to embarrass you just a tad more, however; “the food tastes better coming from my beloved husband”, she says with a grin. “Okay, baby, you’ve teased me enough. Let’s start eating properly now, hm?”, you put an end to Kaede’s mischief.

-

“We’ll be heading home”, you tell Yunho and Kotone, “see you guys soon!”. You start driving away after exchanging goodbyes with them. Kaede asks if you can stop by her apartment, citing that she wants to grab some stuff. “Oh, oppa, I haven’t asked: where will we be living in?”, she asks. You tell her that there’s an empty fully furnished apartment near the company office and invite her to live there for now, and Kaede agrees to your idea. You stop in front of Kaede’s building but since she tells you that she’ll be quick, you stay in the car. True enough, she’s back within minutes while carrying a backpack. “Alright, let’s go to that apartment, oppa”, she says.

-

You enter the passcode and open the door for Kaede, and she exclaims in excitement when she sees the interior. “There’s no way I could afford this with my previous pay”, she comments as she lays on the sofa. “Well, you don’t have to pay anything by yourself from now on”, you take off your jacket and cover Kaede with it, “I don’t want you to get cold”. You sit on the sofa and have Kaede rest her head on your thighs, “what do you want to do now, love?”. Kaede rubs her chin as she thinks of an answer, “I want to have my first time, oppa”. Your heart starts racing, “your first time? Are you sure?”. Kaede moves to sit on your lap, “is that not what newlyweds do? Consummate their marriage with their new spouse?”. You ask her if she’s sure one more time before taking her to the bedroom.

Kaede looks at you lovingly as you start taking off everything but your boxers, showing off the subtle curves of your muscles. “I love you so much, my dear husband”, she says. You get on top of her and hover your head above hers, “baby, aren’t you tired? We just got back in the city a few hours ago”. Kaede shakes her head rapidly, “no, I’m not—can’t you see how excited I am for you?”. She said she’s excited, but judging by her tone, you can tell that she’s quite nervous about this—maybe it’s a mix of both excitement and nervousness, it is her first time after all.

You pull her to sit and ask for permission to undress her, and she grants it right away. You start by unbuttoning her shirt patiently one by one and free her arms from the sleeves. “You’re being so gentle with me, oppa”, she says softly. You peck her in the lips, “it’s my responsibility to take care of you, love”. You tell her to lie down so that you can free her from her skirt. Once it’s off, Kaede starts breathing heavily. “Are you okay, love? We don’t have to continue if you don’t want to”, you pet her head softly to soothe her. “I-I want to continue, b-but I’m scared”, she points at your bulged boxers. You lay down next to Kaede and cuddle her. “I’m as excited as you are to have my first time, love”, you comfort her, “but I won’t force you into doing it if you’re not in the mood”. Kaede snuggles into your chest as if trying to hide from your boner.

“If you promise to be gentle, oppa, I’ll do it”, she says while pulling away from your embrace. You show her your pinky, “pinky promise, love?”. Kaede chuckles as she ties your pinky with hers, “pinky promise, oppa”. You lay Kaede on her back and ask for her consent, your hands ready to pull her white panties down. As soon as she says yes, you start lowering her panties until it’s completely off. You find the thin bush on her crotch to be cute and arousing. “M-my mom told me to not sh-shave, oppa—I-I hope you don’t mind”, she says. You tell Kaede that she’s perfect just the way she is before leaning in for a kiss.

“L-let me see you, oppa”, she says, placing her hands on the waistband of your boxers. You take off your boxers and throw it over your head, thus freeing your cock from its restraints. “Are-are you sure that-that will fit inside me?”, Kaede bites her lip in nervousness, “y-you will destroy me”. You assure her that you’ll take it slow and be gentle, prioritizing her comfort and pleasure over your own.

You get in between her legs and offer her your right hand. “Hold my hand as we go, sweetie. You can squeeze it if you’re feeling uncomfortable”, you say to her. You use your free hand to line up your cock with her untouched pussy. Despite lacking experience, you manage to find her entrance with relative ease. You push forward until your tip is in Kaede’s pussy and stop there. You see that Kaede’s eyes are shut tight, so you take it as a sign that she’s trying to adapt to the foreign object in her vagina. You start pushing forward again, and the way Kaede lets out a grunt tells you that you’ve broken her seal. She taps your hand a few times to get your attention. “Ki-kiss me, oppa, please”, she says as tears start coming out of her eyes.

You lean forward and put your lips on hers. You break the kiss for a moment to ask for permission to keep going down there, and Kaede shows you the green light. You start moving your hips back and forth and the sensation you’re feeling is anything but familiar, “baby, you’re so tight”. Kaede holds your head and chants “I love you” and “I’m yours” repeatedly right into your ears. You hug your new wife tightly and pick up the pace of your thrusts, earning louder moans from her. “I love you, baby—I love you so much”, you say to her, stifling your tongue from letting out a profanity.

“Oppa, my love”, she says between moans, “s-something is about to pop”. You let out a deep groan when you feel her tightening around your cock, “I-I feel it too, baby”. You’re curious what is waiting for you at the finish line, and you really want to get there as soon as possible and aim to take Kaede with you. The two of you moan loudly together as the first ever orgasm in your lives finally hit. You release deep into Kaede’s trembling frame and instantly fall limp onto her body. You hear Kaede sobbing a few times and it makes you panic, “baby? Baby, are you okay?”. Kaede nods, “i-it was p-painful but-but also so good at the same time”. “I’m glad it was pleasurable for you, love, because it for sure was pleasurable for me”, you sigh in relief, “let’s catch our breath for a few minutes and then I’ll run you a shower, okay?”.

Apparently, your brain thinks that “catch breath” equals to “fall asleep”, and you’re only shaken awake because Kaede’s poking your cheeks repeatedly. “Oh, I’m so sorry, love”, you rub your eyes to get yourself together, “I’ll get you cleaned up now, okay?”. Kaede giggles softly, “it’s okay, oppa. I also fell asleep—your hug is so warm, oppa, I like it”. You peck her temple before straightening your back. You lock your sight at your cock as you slowly retreat from her warmth, earning a soft moan from Kaede as you do. You’re not too worried about the blood on the insides of her thighs or the leaking cum as you’ll be cleaning her up anyways.

You take Kaede to the bathroom and make her sit on the toilet while you wait for the bathtub to fill up. “Oppa, you took my first time”, she comments, pointing at the blood on your cock. You get down on one knee in front of her and take her hands in yours. “You also took my first time, love, but I don’t have anything to show for it”, you say, “I love you, my gracious wife”. Kaede smiles at you lovingly, “I love you too, my precious husband”. Honestly, calling Kaede your wife and having her call you her husband feels odd to you, and she feels the same. “On a scale of one to ten, oppa, how serious do you think our relationship is?”, she asks. You rub your chin as you try to come up with a response, “I mean, just because we’re not officially registered on the government’s computer doesn’t make us love each other less, right? So, for me, it’s nine out of ten”. Kaede asks you why you said nine and not ten. “Well, because I’m the one you need”, you blindside Kaede with another cheesy line, forcing her to cover her tomato cheeks.

You’re back in bed with Kaede after getting cleaned up. “Oppa, does your family visit this place often? It’s pretty clean even if no one lives here”, she says. “We take turns cleaning this place to make sure it’s ready for use any time, darling”, you explain, “I’m sure they won’t mind if we claim this place, though”.

Kaede yawns loudly after hearing your answer, “I think I’m sleepy, oppa”. You hug her tightly to make sure she doesn’t get cold considering that she barely has anything on her body, “let’s go to sleep, baby. I love you”. You’re a bit sad when you hear nothing from Kaede, but it’s just that she has fallen asleep.

“I promise that I’ll be the man that you deserve, my love, so God help me”.

[suashii]

୨♡୧ YOU SHINE LIKE STARLIGHT— dan heng x reader. sfw. fluff.

note! this is my first time writing for the fandom + dan heng so pls be kind! enjoy ૮ ˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶ ა

dan heng's limbs feel heavy when he boards the train. he offers himkeo and mr. yang a short nod before making his way to the passenger cabin. his body is practically screaming for him to get some much-needed rest but there are a few things he wants to review in the data bank before he does so.

the door to the archive room opens with a quiet whoosh. dan heng sheds himself of the armor on his shoulder and leans his spear in the corner while he slips out of his shoes. he inhales a breath of air through a yawn, tears forming in the corners of his eyes as he walks up the two steps to get to the computer.

"hey." the unexpected sound of a voice makes dan heng's shoulders jerk up in surprise. he whips his head in the direction of it to find you situated on the floor with a book in your hand. but you aren't just in just any spot on the floor—you've gotten comfortable in his makeshift bed. "how'd it go?"

he doesn't think it should, but the sight makes his mouth go dry. for a moment, all the man can do is stare with parted lips. you've been in and out of here plenty before but he can't say he's ever seen you so snug—not in the desk chair and never under his blanket. dan heng isn't sure why the view makes his palms sweaty and his cheeks warm.

he clears his throat and continues on his path to the desk, answering your question with one of his own. "what are you doing here?"

"reading." you gently wave your book in the air to emphasize your statement. "you said i could stop by whenever."

he did tell you that and he meant it but dan heng never expected that the invitation would have extended to his sleeping quarters. he doesn't bother elaborating on the context of "here" in his query, only nods and taps away at the keyboard in front of him in a poor attempt to stop thinking about how cute you look in his bed and the strange way it makes him feel.

a beat of silence passes before you speak up again. "you dodged my question."

lithe fingers dancing along keys still for a split second with your statement. dan heng hums as he continues with his search. he should have known you wouldn't let that slip; for as long as you've been on the express you've been perceptive. it's an admiral trait, he thinks, although, during moments such as these, your keen eye seems to be working against him.

"you didn't run into too much trouble, right? no injuries or anything?" you ask.

there's a heavy thump against dan heng's chest that follows your voiced concerns for him. he's still getting used to that—someone asking about him, worrying about him. it's foreign, the care you seem hellbent on showing him, but he'd be lying to himself if he said it didn't make him feel warm inside. still, dan heng hasn't found an effective way to express his gratitude quite yet. "you really consider little of me if you think i walked away with anything more than a scratch."

you close your book with a cheery laugh that drifts through the air and kisses dan heng's ears. the sound is light and sweet and one the man doesn't hear nearly as often as he'd like. even now, you're readying to leave.

he turns in his chair to watch your rise from his mat and stretch your arms above your head. you meet his sparkling blue eyes as you do so, offering him a sleepy smile. "well, make sure you get a bandaid on that scratch."

dan heng can't help the quiet huff of air that comes from his nose at your words. he appreciates that too, the way you entertain his dry humor.

"and maybe think about sleeping in an actual bed tonight instead of on the floor." you gesture to his setup as you comb the bookshelves for the empty spot where you pulled the leather-bound journal from. the next part of your sentence comes while you carefully return the book to its rightful place. "your muscles will thank you."

the door to the archive room slides open with your prompting. before you take your leave, you turn back to the man and raise your hand in a wave. "good night and sweet dreams."

the room is blanketed in silence after your departure. dan heng's mind wanders back to you and your presence as he wraps up his research. the cabin felt much more lively and far less cold with you in it. tranquility has never bothered him but he's slowly beginning to learn that he prefers the illumination that radiates from you. he'd choose that over the stillness any day.

less than an hour passes before the fatigue catches up with dan heng. as he stands from his chair, he glances at his mat on the floor. he hasn't considered touching the room set aside for him since he boarded the express but, at your suggestion, he just might.

thanks for reading! consider commenting or reblogging if you enjoyed ❤︎

[bunnys-writing]

Hi aether!!

Would it be okay to ask for a Lyney x reader whos insecure about their face because they think that lyney is WAYYYY prettier than them and is overall just insecure abt their looks ever since before they met? Thank you !!

"My Shining Star"

...in which you, a self conscious Fontainian, feel as though your lovely boyfriend is too lovely for someone like you, and he just can't have you thinking like that on his watch.

(a/n at the bottom!)

Lyney is a man easily described as charismatic and charming. He encapsulates what it means to be confident, and his every move is flawless by design. His show run with his siblings has been deemed dozens of times over the best show in the Court of Fontaine, and what's more, he has clear set goals, ambitions, bonds, and ideals.

And then there's you. You're quiet, more reserved than he appears to his crowd. In a world of dazzling gems, you feel like you're more akin to a jagged rock, and yet, he pursued you.

For months, really, you thought he was joking. A trick to lure you into his mind games, a ploy to make fun of you, but there was a quiet sincerity in his eyes that made you wonder if maybe it wasn't as fake as you believed.

And it wasn't. Months of courting you eventually had you lower your guard and take him up on his invitation. A date.

Well, the date went far better than either of you could've hoped, and it was shortly after that you became partners. He was your loyal, joyful boyfriend, and you were his favourite thing in the world.

For a while, it was great. You attended his shows, and he dedicated every single one to you and his family. He always made sure he knew where you were sitting in the crowd so he could blow you a kiss, even if the people near you swooned on your behalf to insist it was for them.

Was it for them?

That thought planted the seed.

It took days for Lyney to notice your withdrawals; the way you avoided his eyes, didn't linger on his kisses or cuddles. It was about as subtle as a house on fire, in his defense.

Then you stopped attending as many shows, stopped spending nights at his house, started looking in mirrors and numbers on scales and spots on your face, and by the end of two months of Lyney hoping for you to tell him, he decided he couldn't stand watching his partner tear themself apart like this.

"Knock knock," Came a singsong voice at your door. He didn't want to scare you, so he kept his tone jovial. "Hope you don't mind me letting myself in, my dear."

You looked at the magician in slight surprise, then at your mess of an appearance with embarrassment. "Lyney! I'm so sorry, I didn't know you were coming over, I would've tidied up a little more if I did..."

"Nonsense, dove! We've been dating for months now, you don't owe me a saving face." Lyney walked over to you, closing the door behind him and sitting on your bed next to you.

The second the door was closed, your boyfriend shed the persona he held. His eyes softened, his stature relaxed, and he lost the formalities. He brushed a hand to your cheek lovingly, and when you shifted to move your face away, he immediately retracted to his own disappointment.

"(Y/N)...I need to talk to you about something."

You felt fear and guilt crawl up your stomach to infect your lungs. Tangled in this dread, you said nothing. Lyney took it as an open invitation.

"You've been acting strange lately...You weigh yourself, you're less inclined to eat or to leave the house, you seem...you seem low."

Lyney didn't touch you. He put a hand next to yours as an offer and left it there. He could tell something was wrong, even in the darkness of the room. You looked so...sad. It ached for him to see you like this.

"Did someone say something to you? Do something?"

No. And that was the stupid part. This was entirely self afflicted. You drove yourself down this spiral.

"...no." You despised the way your voice sounded so gravelly. "I'm just...not feeling great."

"What happened, (Y/N)? Please, talk to me."

You unfurled yourself, your knees left your chest to splay onto the mattress, and your hands travelled to fridget in your lap. Lyney moved to face you a little bit more.

"It's just...I don't know. You're really pretty, and I see how people look at you, especially when you're with me. The people at your shows, at the markets...they know I don't deserve you, Lyn."

There was a long silence. Then, a cautious hand on yours.

"Can I tell you a secret?"

You looked at your boyfriend, who seemed to be saddened a great deal from your words, but still smiling stubbornly despite.

"...Anything."

"I'm quite self conscious myself."

Now you were sure he was lying. You watched him carefully for any hint of a lie, but you couldn't discern it. With widening eyes, you realised he was telling the truth.

"Wha-...How? You're so beautiful and charming, and your smile is so bright it warms anyone who sees it!"

"Funny, that's exactly what I think of you."

A deep red burns your cheeks as you realise you've been caught, and your boyfriend laughs, bringing you closer in his arms.

"I know how it feels to feel like you're lesser than the people you love. To feel like the world would continue without a change if you were to fade away. But you're my shining star, and I love you so much. All of you."

Lyney plants gentle kisses on your palm, to your wrist, then to your cheek, catching you off-guard and flustered. He gives a sort of half chuckle at your expression. You see love fill every bit of his eyes as he gazes at you.

"I love you so much, (Y/N). Don't ever think any less, 'kay?"

"Yeah...I love you too, Lyney."

Man oh man I apologise for how long this took! Writing for Lyney was super fun, so I hope you enjoy reading it just as much as I did writing it.

A gentle reminder that you are never not enough, and you're perfect just the way you are no matter what anyone (including you yourself) has to say about it! ♡

Thanks for reading! 🫶

REQUESTS OPEN, check pinned for more info!

[wontheworld]

bae-bae forever | 41

Sunghoon smiled at Yn as she smiled back at him.

It had been 2 years since they became MCs and started dating. Today was their last day of MCing.

"I can't believe this is our last day, Hoonie. I can't believe we're ending Bae-Baetastic soon. I feel like we just started," Yn pouted.

He nodded. "It does feel unreal. I might shed a few tears when we announce the winners," he spoke.

"I know I'm going to cry," she sighed. "I'm happy we have so many memories here from filming. I just know I won't get to film with you again anytime soon, so it's going to feel foreign to me, not having my beautiful boyfriend on set with me," she said, playing with her fingernails before looking up at him. "I can hear those sad edits miles away right now."

He smiled before pecking her lips. "We'll MC together on the end-of-the-year music shows for most of them, so don't feel too bad. Plus, we'll have more time hanging out if our schedules aren't busy," he grinned.

She nodded slowly before her (new!) manager told them it was time to go out.

🧸.

"And the winner is..." Yn said as the points gathered on the screen between two groups.

"Loossemble!" Sunghoon and Yn said together as the confetti popped loudly.

The girls gave their speeches as Jaehyun from Boynextdoor gave them their flowers.

Sunghoon smiled at Yn after the girls finished their speeches. Now it was time for theirs.

"You guys, it's the last day for Bae-Bae and Music Bank in general!" Yn said, tearing up while speaking into the microphone. "The two years of MCing here were so amazing, especially with Sunghoon. He made it so much better, and so did the fans! I'll miss Bae-Baetastic and MCing so much. Thank you so much, thank you," Yn cried as Sunghoon put his arm around her.

"MCing here was the best. I'm happy I was invited again, and I was happy to bring Engenes enjoyment through the variety show and then MCing! Please don't be as sad as I am. Always remember Bae-Bae! Thank you guys so much, and thank you to the groups for such an amazing experience," Sunghoon bowed.

Yn made a heart while sobbing hard. "Bae," she spoke into the mic.

"Bae!" Sunghoon completed her hand heart, smiling sadly.

"Forever!" they both said before the Loossemble instrumental started playing, signaling the idols to exit the stage.

Bae-Bae forever.

prev behind the scenes next

And that’s a wrap! I had a lot of fun w this smau and I’m sorry if on the last few chaps I lacked and I lacked alot in being funny and more which I’m sorry for hopefully if I write another smau it’ll be 100x better until then please stay tuned to my short fics I love each and everyone of you guys Thank you so much have a Bae-tastic day/night! -Reign (Rei)

🏷: @deobitifull @hoonstxr @seulgipage @purennn @haechansbbg @minetaphobe @badasgirlfriend @riksaes @hyuzaa @ttylxox2 @desistay @nyfwyeonjun @who-tf-soddhi @pcheyes @wanderers-archive @luvlyniya @akuspic @nxzz-skz @minhosprettywife @wonik1ss @bee-the-loser @baevsxii @wooziswife @meowmeowhoon

[isuckatwritingsobenice]

Hi there! How are you? I hope your doing well! I wanted to send in a request if that’s alright with you, if your requests are closed feel free to ignore this—! Anyways, your writing is also really good as well ^-^ Also quick question but do you take matchups by chance? Anyways, 시작하자!

Could I request Alastor and Vox (together or separately if you like) with a Male! Or GN! Reader who’s was a really famous rapper back on earth but sadly died because they were shot outside after finishing a concert? also the reader raps about true stuff like king von did.

Thank you and have a great day! さようなら！

A/N: Hii! Thank you so much for requesting this & I’m so glad you like my work (i was in a writing slump & was afraid i fell off)!! As of right now I’m not currently doing match ups, but possibly in the future I might! As someone who doesn’t listen to rap all that often this was a bit of a challenge, but we got this 😝

(Inspired by several artists)

Warnings: Headcannon format, headcannoned male reader but can be read as GN, SFW all the way, mentions of shootings, mentions of smut but not in detail,

Songs you can listen too while reading: The World is Yours by Nas. Hail Mary by Tupac. Crazy Story 2.0 by King Von.

Navigation!! // Masterlist!!!

Vox is actually a fan of yours, that’s kind of how you two met

Valentino had been trying to get in contact with a girl on your security team, so he decided to take Vox to a show of yours, the show had just ended and you had been getting asked questions about your life and cameras were everywhere

Now, vox controls the media, television at least, so he decides what makes if on air and what doesn’t and this is how you two talk

you ask him to make a deal with you, nothing negative about your human life gets out into the media and when he asks you to clarify, you tell him

to say he was a bit more than shocked is an understatement

he was TOTALLY shocked to his core and in all honesty he felt bad

so he decides to help your friendship is short and sweet towards the beginning,

your team handling most of the contact the two of you shared so it was usually business talk

untilll he’s invited with valentino to go to a party of yours where the two of you get wasted and end up sleeping together

he’s embarrassed, not of you but of his emotions, is this even right?? did you care at all??

WELLLL turns out you did because the next day when he woke up still at your house you calmly told him of your feelings, and that despite only speaking about business you felt like you two could become more

he almost sheds a tear poor guy is SO OVERJOYED HE WASNT THE ONLY ONE, and from there you two develop a relationship 🫶

your biggest supporter, he is always at concerts and interviews with you to make sure everything goes smoothly ,

he’ll even talk to Velvet to make sure your socials are covered and no one posts anything online about you

want a day to yourself? paparazzi just got a report you’ll be somewhere you totally weren’t thanks to velvet

a crazy fan lied about you? valentino is already on it

you literally never have to worry with Vox around

trust whoever killed you while you were alive WILL be dealt with

Now, Alastor is a tricky man meaning

he hates anything that isnt Jazz or from his time

so he definitely didn’t like you at first

like he wouldn’t even care to listen to music let alone YOURS he’d just walk away or hum something to himself

Charlie is the one that actually gets him to listen, and she explains that your different from other artists, uniquely you

so he caves and decides to sit and give it a listen

ten seconds in and he’s stopping the music getting up and walking away claiming he still doesn’t like it but again,

Charlie is charlie and REFUSES to stop so she makes him restart the song and listen yet again

by the end of it he still doesn’t particularly like the music you make, and a part of him actually hurts your feelings

“Why share your issues to the world? Sharing that side of you makes you weak. Horrible taste!”

Cue Vaggie rolling her eyes and Husk just scoffing because what is this dude yapping about?

Doesn’t help this all happened before you left for a show so your nervous the entire time

Charlie gets upset and scolds him, telling him it’s wrong to say that and it is in fact your music so you can do what you want and he agrees, it is your music, but he’s not gonna listen to it

he’s definitely more personality based out of the two, he does think your a nice person, and after hearing you got shot he almost chokes, it triggers his memory

you catch him sitting in the library of the hotel reading and try talking to him

the conversation is light before you somehow land on the topic of your death and when you learn Alastor too was shot you feel a bit more connected to him

surprisingly enough alastor is the one to approach you about a potential relationship and you’re like extremely excited because how often is it the radio demon asks to date you?!?!?!

he does start going to your shows more often after you two begin seeing each other, and though he isn’t entirely too crazy about it, he goes to support you <3

[agirlwithdemonblood]

The Celebrity Next Door: Chapter 4 - Coffee, Compassion, and Healing Hearts

Pairings: Jensen Ackles x Reader

Chapter Summary: A little coffee & conversation goes a long way.

Warnings: Mentions of panic attack, anxiety

Series Masterlist here!! & Main masterlist here!

After returning from Jensen's, sleep escaped me entirely. The night replayed in my mind like a vivid movie: the warmth of his hands, his head leaning gently against mine, and the heartbreak engraved across his face.

I didn't know what he was going through or the events that had led him here, but seeing him in such pain tore me apart. I've always been empathetic—too much, some would say. When someone cries, I cry. When fear grips someone, I'm afraid too. But with Jensen, it was intense. Even when he didn't shed tears, I felt an urge to cry for him.

Morning arrived unnoticed, and I groggily checked my phone, relieved to find it was already 11:00. Thank goodness for the day off.

My thoughts immediately turned to Jensen. He had invited me for coffee today, but was that still on? I didn't want him to feel obligated after last night. Yet, without his number, I couldn't confirm our plans. Frustrated, I rolled out of bed and searched through my closet, debating what to wear just in case.

I couldn't help but laugh at myself at the fact that I was stressing over what to wear. Despite our rocky start, I couldn't deny the flutter of feelings whenever I thought of him—a silly crush like a schoolgirl. But I decided against dressing up, opting for casual wear. I didn't want him to misinterpret my intentions, especially after his fangirl comment the other day.

It took three attempts before I finally made it to his doorstep. Each time, anxiety almost sent me home. But taking a deep breath, I gathered my courage and knocked. The door swung open almost immediately, revealing Jensen's handsome face.

"Hi, Jensen, I wasn't sure what time—" I started nervously.

He smiled warmly, cutting me off. "Now is perfect. Come on in."

I nodded gratefully, stepping into his home and taking in the daylight-lit surroundings. Last night hadn't given me a good look, but now I could appreciate the cozy kitchen which was three times larger than mine with its welcoming blue cabinets, surrounding the area like a warm hug.

Jensen pulled out a stool for me and started preparing coffee, and taking supplies out.

"So, how was the rest of your night?" I questioned awkwardly, unsure what to say.

"It was alright," he replied softly, meeting my eyes briefly. "I checked on the kids after you left. They were okay once I explained what had happened."

I nodded, accepting the coffee he handed me with thanks. "And your'e night?" he asked, sitting beside me on a bar stool.

"It was alright, I didn't get much sleep," I spoke quietly.

His gaze fell on me, guilt spreading across his face nearly causing me to choke on my coffee. "No no, not because of you. I just couldn't shut my brain off.

He nodded in understanding, sipping his own coffee in thoughtful silence.

"I'm sorry," I sighed, anxiously twisting the mug in my hands. "I'm not great at this."

He smiled gently, turning to face me. "You're doing fine. I'm sorry about last night, though. That's not how I wanted you to see me, or anybody to see me for that matter."

I nodded sympathetically, feeling for him. He usually radiated confidence, strength, and humour—the typical charismatic celebrity. Showing himself in such a vulnerable light must have been very difficult for him.

"Well... I don't think any less of you for it," I assured him quietly.

He chuckled softly, his mile returning briefly. "You still see me as the famous guy next door?"

I smiled shyly as my head dropped to my fingers. "We should clear that up."

He froze, his smile fading. "I was just kidding."

"I know," I replied gently. "But before we get too neighbourly, I need to say something. I can't imagine what it's like to be in your shoes, meeting someone new and wondering if their a fan who is trying to intrude in your life."

He interrupted quickly, touching my arm lightly, sending a warm shiver through me. "Y/N, I was out of line—"

"Let me finish," I insisted, placing my hand over his, captivated by his green eyes. "Even though that's not what you meant, I'm sure it crossed your mind when we first met. I saw it, Jensen. I know there were doubts, especially that night you offered to pay for my window and I declined. You looked surprised, like no one had ever expected nothing from you."

"Yeah... you're right," he admitted quietly, his gaze dropping.

"I'm not your fan," I confirmed softly, locking eyes with him. "I'm your neighbour, and I hope we can be friends."

A spark flashed in his eyes as he met my gaze. "I'd like that," he said sincerely.

We fell into a comfortable silence, sipping our coffee and discussing unimportant things. Eventually, Jensen suggested we move to the backyard for some fresh air. It felt easier now, less awkward than our previous encounters.

"So," I began as we settled outside, catching his attention. "Do you want to talk about last night?"

He sighed, pushing his hair back with a hint of embarrassment. I quickly spoke again, "If you don't it's okay.."

He shook his head and leaned back in his chair. "No, I really should talk about it, if you don't mind."

"Of course," I assured him, waiting patiently as he gathered his thoughts. Noticing the way he fiddled with his fingers, intrigued by the way he was so careful with what to say and how to say it.

"I... guess everything just overwhelmed me last night," he started slowly, his hands fidgeting. "It's been tough since my wife and I split almost a year ago. It blindsided me. Almost a year ago, my wife told me she wanted to split up, break up, whatever you want to call it. We were having problems, but I didn't know we were at that point."

He paused, his gaze focusing on his fingers before he cleared his throat and continued. "Uh, so since then we have been sharing custody of the kids, and with my show ending, I've been trying to balance focusing on the kids and going to auditions. Yesterday when you heard me shouting outside, she promised to take them and she went on a date instead. I had to find that out through a friend, it triggered everything."

I instinctively reached over and grabbed his hand, noting the small smile spread across his face as his eyes flickered to mine, then back down. "So, I missed the audition, my agent was pissed, and my wife.. ex wife, is moving on while I feel stuck in place. Along with the fact that I'm pretty sure my kids hate me, it just all... overwhelmed me."

I squeezed his hand in sympathy. "Your kids don't hate you, Jensen."

He chuckled sadly, eyes downcast. "I'm not so sure about that. Katie's too young to understand, but Kevin... he's been distant, acting out."

I didn't know what to say, my own experiences with parental separation different from his. When my parents got divorced, it was a relief, finally the fighting stopped.

He ran a hand over his face, his hand releasing mine to grip his mug tightly.

"What led to the breakdown last night? It was early," I asked gently.

He nodded, a remorseful smile crossing his lips. "Stupid, really. A friend sent a photo of my ex with her new boyfriend online. We'd been keeping the divorce quiet. Then my agent called, furious that I hadn't told her, like my marriage falling apart was an inconvenience for her. It all crashed down at once, and I... I couldn't breathe, couldn't see straight. I just lost it."

My heart ached for him. "And how did your kids end up coming to get me?"

He shook his head and wiped his face as regret and shame filled him. "When I broke down, I collapsed and accidentally broke a glass. They came downstairs, bombarding me with questions. I tried to tell them that I was fine, but Kevin saw right through it. The kid is smarter than I give him credit for." he chuckled sadly. "He insisted on calling 911, but I told him not to, that I would be fine."

"I'm glad he came to get me," I said softly. "You didn't look fine."

"Just a panic attack," he muttered, his defences returning.

I rolled my eyes playfully. "So what? Panic attacks are terrifying. When I have them, it feels like I'm physically dying. You don't have to downplay it."

He looked at me in surprise. "You get panic attacks?"

I nodded, feeling vulnerable. He smiled sadly, and thought carefully. "When's the last time you had one?"

I stared down at my hands as embarrassment filled me, "Yesterday afternoon, actually."

"After our porch interaction," he whispered, realization spreading across his face, along with a deep set of regret.

He sighed and shook his head, "God, I really am an asshole. I have been spiraling and you didn't deserve it."

I avoided his gaze and smiled back "It's okay. We're okay now, right?"

He smiled gratefully, his demeanor softening. "Yeah. We're okay."

After we put our mugs away, Jensen walked me to the door. I expected to say goodbye there, but he surprised me by following me out, escorting me back to my own door. It was a small gesture that meant a lot.

"Um..." he started awkwardly as we stood at my door, staring at the ground. "I really can't thank you enough for last night, for the kids—"

"Don't," I interrupted gently, waving off his gratitude. "I'd hope someone would do the same for me."

He nodded and smiled politely. "I would. I will." he spoke softly, before pulling out his phone and handing it to me. "If you ever need anything or just want to grab a cup of coffee, reach out."

I smiled gratefully as I entered my number and returned it to him, our hands grazing momentarily in the shuffle.

"Well... it was nice to officially meet you, Y/N," he said with a shy smile.

My cheeks flushed, head dropping slightly under his gaze. "It's nice to officially meet you too, Jensen."

I watched him walk away, stealing glances back at me until he disappeared from view. And that was it.

That was the moment I realized I was in deep.

Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed it! Chapter 5 coming soon stay tuned!

Like, comment, and reblog, feedback is my fuel 💕

[letsgetrowdy43]

The Timeline—

Au Masterlist!!

Lucia Fantilli was kind of lonely in the sense that her brothers have always been considered one and she's always been the other.

The boys grew up in billets families in the States and she remained at home in Ontario with her parents.

She visited Chicago often when her brothers played for the Steele, the city holding a special place in her heart, so obviously when thinking about colleges University of Chicago was a big contender.

The boys tried to get her to go to Umich with them, but she knew Michigan wasn't the school for her.

Chicago offered her a soccer scholarship, so the decision was practically made for her

She lived her first year in a single dorm and worked at the library, she met her best friends and future roommates this year.

Christmas rolled around and so did the WJC which was taking place in Halifax, as we know Adam played, meaning that Lucy and the rest of the Fantilli family all found their way to the East Coast to celebrate Christmas and to watch the boy represent his country.

This is where she meets Connor for the first time, just a simple greeting at the beginning of the championship, and a warm congratulations after they take home gold.

She was a little starstruck by it all as he smiles sweetly and heads back to find his family.

Lucy then says her goodbyes to her brothers and parents as she makes her venture back to Chicago to finish out her freshman year.

The rest of the school year is very calm, she flies down to Tampa to watch the Frozen Four, they lose, and then Adam wins the Hobey Baker.

Many tears are shed as he gives his is speech, mentioning her as she cries with Luca in the crowd.

She truly does love her brothers, but sometimes it's a little bittersweet

She flies back to Toronto after exams end to work and hang out with her hometown friends, Luca is with the Umich boys in Florida, and Adam is headed off to Worlds then to the cup playoffs for prospect media and then finally the combine.

Next, it is the week of the draft, and the Fantillis are in Nashville, they'd been invited out to the NHL awards.

She gets lost in the crowd and separated from her family as they walk the carpet, her eyes find Connors as he ushers her over after seeing the panicked look on her face.

They walk the carpet together, he shyly compliments her dress as he greets fans and stops for interviews. Both of them were overwhelmed by the chaos that surrounded them, but both of them kept their smiles as they entered the building where their respective families were waiting for them.

Luca does not like the look of whatever that was, Adam thinks Connor is harmless so he's fine.

Draft Day is more chaotic than the night before, tears in her eyes as she watches Adam get called up into the stage 3rd overall.

He took her by surprise as he pulled her into his chest first, before Luca, a short “I'm so proud of you, I love you Mo,” leaving her mouth as he hugged his twin, a quiet “thank you for being my best friend,” leaving his mouth as she squeezed him even harder.

He's on that stage, displaying the little “Momma • Dad • Luca • Lucia” on the top of his vest as she cries even harder as he looks up to his family and he takes in his moment.

After the tears are dried and the media is in progress the Fantillis leave the crowd in search of the boy.

Lucy runs into Connor once again, congratulating him on being first, he makes a little comment about her dress and how she seemingly looks prettier every time he sees her, she's red in the face but she sums it up to the adrenaline he must be feeling in that moment.

After the draft ended all of the families headed out for dinner and other celebrations, and just after that was a draft party for all of the draftees held by the league.

It's a great time, she somehow finds her way next to Connor as she talks to Rutger’s older sister about the concert at the award show the night before.

She follows him out into the hallway as he's taking a break from the noise and the pictures that are currently taking place between draftees, their families, and past teammates.

“You okay?” she asks a little worried, “been a long day, that's all,”

It was very quiet between them as she sat down on the hall floor next to him, back pressed against the wall, “can't even start to imagine what you've been dealing with,” she whispered, “I would crumble,” she jokes as he shrugs and tells her that it's just part of the bigger picture, he's put up with it for his dream.

She finds him inspirational, he's the same age as her, yet he's so much more than her in the way that he has established a name for himself and he's living out his dreams. She doesn't have dreams, just a need to never be forgotten.

Heavy tipsy flirting follows the vulnerability as he whisks her away from the party, and they somehow find their way to his single hotel room.

Both of them wake up very early, in a bit of a panic because whatever happened between them is not normal behaviour for either of them. She rushes to get dressed and to find her hotel so her family doesn't go looking for her.

Fast forward a few months and she's moving into her apartment, her new roommates Lily and Daisy are unpacking the car as they take the plethora of boxes up the elevator to their new home for the year.

In Lucy’s hands is the last box out of the car, she waits for the elevator, excitement in her chest as she awaits the decorating process upstairs in her new room. She gets in the elevator and the doors begin to shut but not before someone slips in at the last second and presses the button for the floor above hers.

A very familiar “sorry” leaves his lips as they both look at each other with shock in their eyes.

A breathy “hey” left her lips as he stared at her in shock before a quiet “Lucy,” left his mouth, almost sounding like something of a relief.

“You live here?” she nods, “I'm moving in right now,” she subtly shakes the moving box in her hands as she smiles at him.

The elevator dings and the door opens, “please don't be a stranger, text me and maybe we can get coffee or something,” she says coolly as she walks off of the elevator and turns to him with a sweet smile.

But the second that door shuts her jaw drops and her eyes go wide as she stands in shock for a second before making a beeline to her apartment to tell her roommates.

-

-

-

[undreaming-fanfiction]

Unlikely But Welcome

Hey, Duffers? Give me more Harrington-Byers content. Let me give you a suggestion.

Give me Jonathan who realizes that Steve has really grown as a person and eventually decides to give him a chance, they start a reluctant friendship. It's not easy or fast, but they often drop the kids off to the Hellfire Club campaigns and they sometimes have to wait together outside, maybe share a cigarette or something and chat about anything and everything.

Jonathan talks about the life he had in California and maybe admits to Steve that he never feels that carefree here, it's like having constant weight on his shoulders. It feels weird, talking to the former King Steve about the guilt and paranoia, but Steve actually listens and understands, he just chuckles and takes a drag from the cigarette, admits to Jonathan that he is going out of his mind whenever the kids don't walkie him for several days. "But that's what we're here for, right?" he smiles at Jonathan and passes the smoke back, "we're scared shitless for them and worry about every stupid thing so they can have a good time. As much as possible after all that."

They start hanging out at Steve's house, planning outings for the little shitheads, fairs, Halloween parties, anything with the promise of giving the kids back at least pieces of their lost childhoods. The rest of the young adults join in too, Argyle with his constant enthusiasm, Eddie and his manic energy, Robin with her undying sarcasm and Nancy who is ridden by the same guilt as the two of them, seeing what the Upside Down did to Mike and his friends.

It's there that Jonathan notices Steve's house is devoid of any personality, he only has a few polaroids in his room and those are carefully stored in his drawer, as if he's ashamed of them. So Jonathan picks up his camera again, after the long break in California, and gets to what he knows the best. He snaps pictures of Steve and Robin giggling, drunk on punch, as she re-creates the YOU SUCK / YOU RULE scoreboard on a random paper, he captures the exact moment Eddie tackles Steve into the pool when they're sweating like crazy while preparing a barbecue for their gaggle of kids. He smiles to himself as he captures Eddie shotgunning with Steve for the first time, documents Steve's wide smile as he's high as a kite and discussing very important topics with Argyle, such as whether tabby or ginger cats are superior. There are more pictures - Steve with Nancy as they argue about the format of the Halloween party invitations while Eddie sketches suggestions in the background, Dustin jumping at Steve to hug him, the reluctant fist bump between Steve and Mike, Steve sitting between Erica and Max, all three with sunglasses and a sign that says "the cool trio". When he knocks on Steve's door on one day and gives him the photographs, Steve's face lights up like a Christmas tree. He gets all of them framed and completely covers the walls of his room with his found family.

There is a stupid assignment that has Dustin frustrated, presentations on their families - apparently a male influence is needed, a single family member isn't enough, so Jonathan nudges him and whispers "what about Steve? Does an older brother count?" and Dustin's face lights up, drags Steve over for a picture for his presentation. They pose for several pictures, Steve holding Dustin in the air, leaning on each other like partners in crime, and everyone's laughing, maybe sheds a tear or two.

If Jonathan had any doubts about Steve, they disappear the second he takes the last picture and Steve comes over to him, hugs him with a quiet thank you. And then he taps his camera and asks: "hey, show me how to operate this thing? I'm pretty sure I need to take over for a second." Jonathan is confused for a moment, but then he sees Will looking at him with a shy expression and realizes - oh. Maybe this is why they work so well as friends, because they have this in common - filling in the roles they were never supposed to have, but would not give up for the world. He gives Steve a quick rundown and then drags Will to the living room, posing for pictures and reenacting Steve's suggestions, fighting with imaginary swords and slaying dragons (or Dustin who offered to stand in for the legendary creature). In the end, Steve's pictures are a bit blurry, but Jonathan treasures them.

And then there's the incident outside of Hellfire, they're smoking together again, laughing about the secret Santa they're organizing for the kids ("I swear to god, Jonathan, Dustin's learning to knit. He's determined to send Suzie-poo a handmade scarf and I'm trying to be supportive, I really am, but it looks like a blob of cotton"). The kids barge outside, excited as always, and Will is beaming too, he found so much in common with Eddie and they're rapidly talking, exchanging ideas for the next sessions. But of course, there's no rest for the freaks - the basketball practice ends around the same time and one of Jason's lackeys bumps into Will, snarls at him. "Of course you two get along. A freak and a fag, hard to tell which one is which." The smile instantly drops from Will's face and Eddie's straightening up, glaring at the sophomore, and Jonathan's blood runs cold when-

It's Steve who takes the first step towards the boy and even though his legend is long gone, the boy staggers back. Memories flash in Jonathan's head, remembering how he lost the first camera, how terrifying Steve's anger could be, but Steve only grasps the boy's shoulder and smiles at him, as pleasant as possible. "I remember you, kid. Aren't you the one who always tries to sneak into the adult section of the Family Video, hm? And smokes in front of the store. Now if I recall, your mother is a very strict lady, I've met her once or twice...does she know?" And when the bully shakes his head, Steve's voice lowers to a growl. "Do you want her to know?" Another shake. "That's what I thought."

And with that, the bully his gone and Jonathan wants to check on his brother, except there is something happening in the group before him - Steve is whispering something into Eddie's ear and the older boy nods, his face serious and determined. Steve shoots an apologetic look at Jonathan, mouths "just a second" at him and they take Will to the side, talk to him in hushed voices. The rest of the party is chatting again, recalling their latest adventures, but Jonathan only has eyes for his younger brother and the strange new friend he made. He watches as Steve reaches under the collar of his shirt and pulls out a familiar looking pendant with a guitar pick. Watches as Eddie moves his watch to the side and reveals a fresh looking tattoo of a spiked bat. Will's eyes water and he hugs both of them, laughing into the embrace and Jonathan finally understands what Nancy meant, that Steve's grown up and he's a different person now, in more ways than one. He sees Steve and Eddie's fingers brush against each other, the shy glances masked in their usual teasing. And Will looks so much happier now, so much more confident that he knows - he could never hate Steve Harrington again.

When they both manage to get the kids (and Eddie who rides with Steve, of course he does) into their cars, Jonathan and Steve smile at each other, and then Jonathan, the distant Jonathan who is used to only observing, never initiating, embraces Steve. "I don't know how to repay you for what you did for Will, Steve," he admits.

Steve just laughs and pats Jonathan's back. "I only did what felt right. The kid deserves the world. But," he adds and grins at Jonathan, "if you're insistent on the repayment, how about you pick up some good beer for this week's movie night? I don't think I can survive more experimentation, Eddie and Robin are competing who can get a more obscure brand and I'm too old for that crap."

Jonathan snickers and gives Steve a thumbs up. Lame, but he doesn't seem to mind. "You've got it."

[j-nope-not-today]

Ok, so I've got quite the doozy for you! how would each of the turtle brothers try and help their bro if one of them was getting married and they're trying to put together a wedding ceremony?

TMNT helping with their brothers wedding

A/n: thanks so much for requesting! I hope I got what you were imagining and sorry it took so long!

Raphael

Alright so for starters..he's gonna tease the all living hell out of his brother... doesn't matter who it is.

Their getting teased.

Then he's gonna throw in the sincere congratulations, but it's only gonna be him and said brother.

Raph isn't getting sentimental with anyone else around. No way

He isn't the best planner

Let's be so for real he'll probably need help from everyone else to plan any sort of wedding ceremony

The only thing you can guarantee he'll have done is his speech

Ohh..he's gonna have a bomb ass speech and he's definitely gonna have someone shedding tears

But despite his planning fallbacks he is really happy for his brother and I can definitely see him secretly crying at the wedding and defending himself with

"what? Did someone cut an onion?"

He's a softie..we all know it..but he's gonna act all tough.

Leonardo

Surprisingly I think Leo would be the life of the party..which hear me out

Yes he's all serious and leader-ish

But when it comes to his brothers wedding he lets loose

He plans the fuck out of the wedding

He goes all out with everything

It's definitely gonna fancy

One word..well two: chocolate fountain

Yeah.. that's right he's got one for the buffet table.

He'll invite everyone he absolutely can

It's gonna be a blast for everyone present

He's gonna freeze up on his speech though but float past it because he planned a great ceremony

And when the night winds down before his brother takes off with his new partner..

Leo is going to be shedding a tear and squeezing his bro in a death grip hug with the words

"I'm so proud of you.."

Donatello

Let's start off by saying he is very happy for his brother

But he isn't gonna be the best at showing it

Donnie can't really express his joy completely..he's weird like that

But he does put in a lot of effort to help plan the ceremony

He'll help with the banquet and who will sit where..

Donnie will take on the unfun planning stuff and plan it so his bro can be stress free

That's donnie's way of showing his happiness for his brother

He isn't gonna give a speech unless he's thrown into it

Then it's gonna be a stuttered mess of a speech but at least he's doing it

And he's probably gonna pull his brother to the side where no one can hear to tell him

"sorry if I'm being weird..it's just hard, because I'll see you less..and I don't know what to do without you around.."

It is then and only then that he'll crack a smile and hold his brother tight

Michelangelo

Mikey is HYPED

All caps because he is just so beyond happy for his brother

Though the planning of the ceremony is going to be absolutely hectic

He is chaos

So someone is going to have to keep him on track

Otherwise Mikey is honestly pretty good at planning

Though don't ask him why the buffet has like five different types of pizza

Because he doesn't know how that happened?

His speech is all over the place and he's crying in the middle of it

Full on crocodile tears

"I'm so happy for you..I can't wait to see you have little babies bro and i-"

He could go on and on all night

But he's truly super happy!

[fortisfilia]

Promised Part 6 - Tom Riddle x reader

Info: This is a rewrite of a story I've posted on my old account years ago. If it sounds familiar, that might be why :)

Summary: In this story, Tom didn't grow up as an orphan, but with his grandfather and uncle. Reader's sister got very sick and the Gaunts offer their help. But not without asking for something in return.

Warnings: Arranged marriage

Word count: 2k

Masterpost | Masterlist | Part 5 | Part 7

Part 6 - Of Vows and Wrangles

Winter came suddenly this year, and so did Christmas. With all the schoolwork you had been doing for the upcoming N.E.W.T.s in June, the weeks had passed by as quickly as a snitch on the Quidditch field. The holidays were a much-needed break and to see your family again was an even bigger delight.

Elsie did great. She looked like nothing had ever happened to her. No curse, no apparent illness that had almost taken her life, apart from some occasional coughs here and there. She ran around the house like the years before, excited for Christmas to finally come. The house elves seemed glad to have her and all her shenanigans back as well, much to your parent’s dismay, but they let most of it slide. They were thankful their daughter was healthy enough to fool around again.

Christmas day was as cosy and joyful as ever. You spent the whole day with Elsie and your parents, exchanging gifts and playing together. Elsie got her first broom and started her first attempt at flying, which resulted in a knocked-over vase, that split into a million pieces, and a crash landing into the fireplace. Some tears were shed and dried again, and a “no flying inside” rule was established, which resulted in another crying fit. Oh, how you had missed it all.

Mother had waited until the late evening to tell you that the Gaunts would come to visit for lunch the next day. She must have known that you would pepper her with questions again. It was necessary and polite, she said, to invite the future family and show them your interest.

There was certainly no interest to be given to Tom’s grandfather and uncle, but now that you thought of Tom, you had to admit that you missed him. How he had held your hand, how surprisingly cautious and gentle he had been. This memory was embedded in your brain. You would have expected anything but this from him. Anything but that soft and coy demeanour. And still, it made you nervous thinking about meeting him along with his family again. They were the ones that must have made him so cold. So you fell asleep, anticipation and tension crawling through your every vein.

The Gaunts arrived in a rush and brought in a whiff of cold air that couldn’t even be drowned out by the fire in the chimney. Tom acknowledged you this time though. Not like months before when they had come to your house. You could have sworn that there was even a hint of a smile on his lips when he laid his eyes upon you. A smile that you reciprocated, rather faintly as well.

Lunch was alright. A lot of forced formalities and small talk, some tired attempts to get to know the future family. Tom was quiet, as usual, only talked when someone asked him something directly, while Morfin and Marvolo ate so voraciously, the house elves had trouble filling up their plates in time.

The Christmas spirit was spoiled when presents were brought up. Marvolo asked about Elsie’s new broom and why on Merlin’s green earth your parents would gift such a thing to a girl. He held back his laughter and shook his head when Elsie explained so excitedly that she couldn’t wait to learn how to fly in Hogwarts. Bastard.

Marvolo noticed the look you gave him and seemed to take it as a challenge, so he stared back at you, his filthy grin still in place. His head leant sideways as he waited for you to say something, his eyes squinted as if to tell you to go on and tell him what bothered you. 

How you would have loved to smash his face against the table or curse him into oblivion. Your teeth hurt from how hard you clenched your jaw. You couldn’t. You wanted to tell him so badly what an awful, disgusting, obsolete excuse for a man he was. But you mustn’t. He still had Elsie’s life in his hands. So you stayed silent when he whispered, “That’s what I thought.”

“Anyway,” Father said in an attempt to ease the tension. “What are your plans for the remaining holidays?”

“There’s not a lot to do these days, is there?” Marvolo answered. “But now that you bring it up, we had something special planned for today.”

Morfin grinned as he shoved the last spoonful of mashed potatoes into his mouth.

“And what is that?” Father asked.

“Well now that your little one is doing much better, which I assume you’re very thankful for,” he paused to wait for your parents to agree. “We decided to accept your invitation for today to bring our mutual pact to the next stage.”

Mother quickly told the elves to take Elsie upstairs, while you looked over at Tom in question. He only shook his head, letting you know he didn’t know what was going on either.

“The next stage?” Father asked. “What do you mean by that?”

“Since we’ve done our part of the agreement already, exceedingly fast and precise might I add, and the wedding is still months away, we want to make sure we will get what we asked for. You see, I respect you and your family of course, but one can never be sure enough. We don’t want to be tricked or exploited. So we’re asking for an unbreakable vow. Between Tom and your daughter.” 

“A vow?” Mother was appalled. “What for?”

“For the marriage of course,” Marvolo said. “A promise that the marriage will be solemnised, that cannot be withdrawn from either side.”

A breath got stuck in your throat. First the marriage and now this? If you agreed, the Gaunts would have both Elsie and you under their control. Infringing an unbreakable vow resulted in death and they would never stop asking for things if you agreed to this. 

“Marvolo,” Father sighed. “Don’t you think it’s enough? That we agreed to do this for the sake of my youngest child? You haven’t broken her curse entirely so you can use her as leverage. And now you expect me to bring my eldest daughter in mortal danger as well?”

“There’s no danger if the plan proceeds as we agreed,” Marvolo answered. “The vow can’t harm her if she plays by the rules.”

“She played by the rules,” Mother said. “She still does. Everyone’s been playing by your rules, so why do you want to add the vow?”

“As I said, I don’t want to be tricked. It’s merely a way to protect my family. And with all due respect, your reaction makes it seem like you’re up to no good already. Who knows? Perhaps you’ve changed your minds.”

Protect his family… He would sell both Tom and Morfin for a galleon and a half if he could. He was paranoid. Tom watched you in silence, his face void of emotion as your eyes met. What could you possibly reply to such an insane proposal? Every word that could leave your mouth right now would be filthy and full of anger, and Marlovo was already waiting for you to burst. 

He turned to you. “What do you say, child? Don’t you want to prove your loyalty?”

You sucked in a breath and were about to answer when Tom suddenly stood up. 

“Enough! I want a word.”

“You want a word?” Marvolo laughed disparagingly.

“Now,” Tom turned to your parents. “Is there a room we can go to?”

“The reading room, right across the corridor,” Mother said and showed them the way.

You followed the three men and watched them enter the reading room before Mother turned towards you. “Don’t eavesdrop, darling,” she said. “Give them some privacy.”

“Do you really think Marvolo deserves privacy?”

“No. He’s an awful man.”

“He is,” Father said as he joined you.

“We’re not going to let him do this to you,” Mother promised. “You’ve already done enough. Marvolo is out of his mind.”

“He’s greedy,” Father added. “Unreasonable.”

You leant your head against the door to the reading room and pressed your ear onto it, trying to hear what they were talking about. Mother motioned for you to stop, but didn’t prevent you from listening.

First, you heard nothing. Silence, then footsteps tipping across the room. Mumbled words that were so washed out you could barely understand what they meant.

Tom’s voice echoed from the walls. “You can’t be serious. Why would you ask for more? And why didn’t you tell me?”

Marvolo answered quietly. You could only guess what he was saying. Something like “Why would I?”

Mother appeared next to you, visibly displeased with herself as she flicked her wand and cast a spell that diminished the sound barrier, so you could hear every word that was spoken inside the room. Privacy has to be earned in this house.

“I’m not going to let you go through with this,” Tom said.

Marvolo snickered. “And you think I care what you’re allowing me to do?”

“I know you don’t,” Tom answered. “But I won’t comply. You can’t force anyone to make an unbreakable vow. Not even with the Imperius curse. And you know that.”

“What are you doing this for?” Morfin suddenly participated. “For the girl? You know things will only get worse if you refuse.”

A moment of silence occurred.

“Oh would you look at that,” Morfin chuckled. “You do like her, don’t you? Well, at least Father’s letter wasn’t in vain then.”

Tom didn’t answer.

“And her? How will you make her fall for you?” Morfin asked. “If you need a little love potion, I can provide that.”

“How dare you bring that up?” Tom spat. “You're very brave today, uncle. Comparing me to her.”

“Well, Father,” Morfin went on. “Looks like Tom thinks he can do it all on his own.”

“Now listen to me, son,” Marvolo said. “If you think you can disobey me like that, without any consequences, you must take me for a fool. To say that I’m disappointed is an understatement. Just know that there will be more to it.”

They scurried around. Marvolo and Morfin seemed to leave through the Floo Network. You assumed Tom would follow them but could hear him roaming around the room for another minute until his steps wandered towards the door. 

Both you and your mother stepped away quickly. Mother fixed her hair and you had suddenly found a deep interest in your nail beds, studying them as if your life depended on it.

Tom stood in the door frame, chest heaving slightly, with the doorknob in his hand.

“Grandfather and uncle left through the fireplace,” he said. “I’ll go too, I just need a minute, if you’ll allow.”

Mother looked at him like she looked at Elsie when she grazed her knee or hit her head. Her eyes weren’t as stern as you expected them to be, but soft and full of pity. 

“Why don’t you stay for a bit, Tom?” she asked. “We still have so much food left from lunch, we could need a bit of help before it goes to waste.”

Tom looked at her and nodded slowly. He must have known that she didn’t invite him to prevent wasting food. But apparently, he didn’t care what her reasons were. He just accepted it and that was fair.

“Would you show him around, darling?” Mother asked you. “While I tell the elves to prepare the guest room.”

Masterpost | Masterlist | Part 7

[cloverdaisies]

hi.. please could you do a juyeon angst with the song nearly witches by panic at the disco i love your writing by the way, thanks

sending all my love ;)

🧸 - anon

NEARLY WITCHES ☆ L.JY

a lee juyeon angst ! only read if you would like to shed a tear or two ! f! reader !

# GHJH 🧸 anon you little gem, thank you so much! i love this song a lot as well i couldn’t believe my fkn eyes when i saw the request ! how do you know i liked p!atd ?? WHO ARE U ?? YOU ACC KNOW ME but sorry for the long wait! here it is <3 THE SENDING ALL MY LOVE?? MY SIGN OFF?! reveal yourself at once ?? who are you >:(

Ever since you’d met, he’d only shoot up with your perfume, it was the only thing that made him feel as good as you do. The sweet scent of vanilla, pine, sandal wood surfaced every sweet memory. The exact way the little things in life would bring the biggest smile to your face, holding hands walking through a local park lit up in a pinky-tangerine blend from the sunset. Watching as you giggled when a small butterfly landed on the tip of your little nose lightly blowing it off with loving laughter. Or how you'd huff and puff in little fits of cute frustration when things didn't go your way, because there sure was one thing, you never admitted when you were wrong.

After what seemed like heaven, a relationship gifted to you by god's most important angels, things soon turned into glamorous hell. You two fought over trivial things like money, who is cheating on who, where the fuck had he put your car keys. Arguments soon outweighed the bliss, going to sleep on separate sides of the bed and failing to whisper goodnight to each other. The little actions, that made you leave him, forever.

A small envelope had been shoved through the metal slot of what used to be both Juyeon’s and yours home, but now it was just him the entire place was desolate. Like Jay Gatsby, the grand walls of his home were built entirely for you, his Daisy. Without you, between the polished spruce walls of your victorian style home, it was completely empty, eeringly quiet. He never let a spot of dust touch your paintings, inspecting them everyday knowing how hard you’d worked on him. The hole in his heart couldn’t bare to remove them, it was the only thing you’d left, along with a small bottle of your perfume which he sprayed when he felt he was the most lonely. The pain he felt without you, was unbearable, everyday he perfected his appearance hoping one day you’d show up at the door and return to his arms - but after 5 years, he decided there was no hope.

Juyeon reached to pick up the letter, immediately recognizing the handwriting on the front and scrambling to tear the envelope.

DEAR JUYEON LEE

you have been cordially invited to a night service to celebrate the wedding of:

(your name) & partner

at: oak tree hall, west avenue

date/time: Wednesday 17th January, 7:00pm

RSVP: 000-000-000

Immediately, he felt his heart shatter like fine glass, falling to his knees, with tears threatening to spill from his familiar cat-like brown eyes. Crumpling the page into a tight ball before booting it across the halls, landing with a light thump on the preserved wooden flooring.

You’d found someone knew, even worse, you’d been planning to marry someone that wasn’t him. He’d tried to do the same, but every woman that lied in his satin sheets were gone the next day because they could never compare to what you were, an angel sent especially for him - you were perfection in its finest form, everything he ever wanted and he still couldn’t give in after all these years. He only had one regret, and that was you. The love he felt for you, he would never feel again.

For days, Juyeon moped in your memories, finding a small scrapbook of yours that he’d kept neat ever since you’d left. With messy black hair laid between the pillows of the bed that once belonged to both of you, he flicked every page of photos that captured your happiest memories. With a bitter sigh, he reached to his night stand to grab that small bottle of perfume you’d left, which he used so sparingly to prolong its life. However, as he held the bottle up in front of his face and whined to himself when he saw that there was no more than a small drop left in the bottom of the glass container.

4:00pm, the miniature grandfather clock on his bedside chimed, it was Wednesday 17th January, while Juyeon refused to accept the invite you’d sent him, thinking it was above unordinary that you’d dare invite your ex to a wedding with your new partner, he was still in cahoots with his conscience on showing up.

He’d waited years to see you, despite the setting, it was his only chance to see you after all this time and perhaps maybe there was just one chance he could win you back, however he knew that was impossible, this was you showing him that you’d moved on, this was your spiteful move after all this time, the pain he caused you, you were giving back after years and yes it hurt him - like a shit load of bricks collapsing on him all at once, that was your intention, despite the fact you didn’t know that all he wanted was you, he waited all this time.

Juyeon couldn’t pass up on the chance to see you, for the first time in 5 years, probably the last time he’d see you in many to come. So he rose from the cream satin sheets of his grand bed and waltzed to the bathroom with a glint of ambition in his once dull eyes.

Showering, shaving the stubble he’d grown after days of not looking after himself so much since he knew you wouldn’t be visiting anytime soon. He neatly organized every strand of his hair to perfection before sighing and observing himself in mirror. A gorgeous man, he was, however over the years he was seeing that less and less, feeling more lonely and unwanted everyday which made him lose any sense of esteem he had left.

Juyeon had collected a huge wardrobe of clothes for himself, filled with neat shirts which the maid had ironed every day by his request, along with dresses for you which he’d bought in your size to surprise you with when you returned. Browsing each suit he owned, navy, maroon, pin stripe, grey, he eventually settled on a neat black suit he’d bought in case he ever had to attend something like a wedding - never guessing it would be yours. It had double rows of buttons and was paired with a long sleek black tie, the color complimented his every feature.

And by the time, he’d decided with himself it was around 6:20pm, he went to collect the chauffeur from his quarters and was met with a high look of confusion from the man when Juyeon had mentioned he needed to attend a wedding.

“Who’s wedding are you attending sir?” The chauffeur noisily asked from the front seat of the car, the sound of rain pattering on the metal roof drowning out his gruff voice.

“It will be (your name) and her new fella of sorts.” Juyeon attempted to separate his emotions from his speech, using a calm tone in order to avoid spitting the words from his lips.

“I’m so sorry sir, I thought one day she would return to you, not dare meet somebody new.” He replied with a saddened tone in his voice, attempting not to sound like he was sucking up to his employer in any way.

“Yeah, well I guess it’s life, people move on.” Juyeon grumbled closing off the conversation as they arrived outside Oak Tree Hall, the place you’d always decided you would be getting married. An old but grand building decorated in marble, surrounded by foliage and every kind of flower the earth has to gift.

Exiting the car and telling the chauffeur to come back at a certain time, Juyeon took a sharp breath of hesitance before taking another step towards the building. Guests spilling into the building from the ceremony which he wasn’t invited to, the chaos of jazz music sounding from every window that had been pushed out ever so slightly.

The bar was a disaster, with men and women queued chaotically trying to purchase an ounce of liquor. The dancefloor already full with people jovially swinging to the tunes in the background. To Juyeon, it was a huge mess and could never imagine this is what his own wedding would be like, he knew deep down that you probably thought that too. You were a character of elegance and class not whatever this disaster in front of him was.

He looked around for you, scanning the crowd with hopeful eyes until he saw the beautiful satin white gown fit for the most gorgeous bride trailing across the ground. You too were looking around over the crowd, as if you were trying to spot someone, he noticed how gorgeous your every feature still was, unchanged, his heart felt as if it was putting itself back together until he met your gaze. Your eyes landed on him, you couldn’t believe he was there, how badly you wanted him there, yet you thought he wouldn’t show. He looked the same, unchanged, he was gorgeous, his every feature still perfect. You wished you could run to him, you wished you could escape what you’d fallen into but you were frozen in time.

“My parents are over there darling, shall we go see them?” Your newly wed, pulled at your arm it wasn’t a question it was a demand and you were ripped from the gaze of your past lover.

Juyeon sighed to himself, however this seemed to bring him some clarity, you had moved on, now he can too, there was no way he would be getting you back and that was how he saw the close of your relationship together.

He sat down at one of the tables, where his allocated seat seemed to be, retrieving a glass of red from one of the servers waltzing the room.

He watched you greet each table, anticipating your arrival at his own, eventually you would be walking over slightly not managing in the little heels you’d worn. You smiled politely at him when you caught his eyes, he smiled back with no concern as the groom looked him up and down with slight jealousy in his eyes.

“Who’s this?”Your new partner asked, pointing towards Juyeon with a stern voice, noticeably irritated by his well kept demeanor and good looking features.

“This is Juyeon, an old school friend of mine!” You lied, Juyeon didn’t react physically but was confused with the false introduction, yet he went along with it nodding to your words.

“Congratulations.” Juyeon smiled, shaking his hand firmly, seemingly shutting the mouth of your partner with a polite yet passively aggressive interaction.

“Thank you.” Your partner smiled, looking behind him slightly to roll his eyes before snapping back to the conversation.

“Mày I have this dance?” Juyeon asked bravely as the song changed to a slower ballroom song, looking at your new husband for approval before he nodded and Juyeon took your hand.

His hand cupping yours, set sparks flying through your every vessel and his too, the shear feeling of his warm skin refreshed every memory. His scent was masculine, the same aftershave he’d always used overwhelming your every sense. You’d also always worn the same perfume, Juyeon being able to take in the scent as he closed into your neck, clasping one of your hands with his and placing another hand on your waist.

“Hello there, liar.” Juyeon spoke first, causing you to chuckle slightly as he’d always maintained the same humor over the years.

“I had to lie, if he knew I invited my ex he’d kill me.” You replied, with a sad laugh looking up at his concerned expression.

“He doesn’t need sorting out does he? He’s not hurting my sweetness is he?” He asked snidely, almost hissing out the words, the terms of endearment flipping your guts upside down in excitement.

“N-no, nothing like that he’s just a bit of a control freak. I love him though, it’s tolerable.” You replied, squeezing his shoulder in reassurance, unable to look at him as you think you may pass out if you did, due to his beautiful face and nature.

"That's not something you want to be saying about someone you've just married." He laughed, sending joy to your heart with the shear sound of voice.

"I guess not, is it?" You replied sarcastically, still not being able to look him in the eyes, as you swayed on the dancefloor.

As the both of you moved across the dancefloor, it was evident the song was coming to a close. It’s been years since you’ve felt the comfort of him, years since you’d felt this way. Finding the strength to look him in the eyes and almost melt into his touch. It was magical, the way he held you, the way he looked at you as if you were the only woman in the world.

"I've waited years for you." Juyeon replied shortly before going to speak again. " So if you change your mind you know where I am. Goodbye my sweetness."

With one last squeeze of your waist he let you go on the last string of the song, stunned for words, you wished you could run after him and kiss him until time ended, but your new husband had already whisked you away. Pulled away from what you didn't know you'd always wanted. You’d made a huge mistake, and as you watched Juyeon leave the room you couldn’t help but feel your heart break. Years were wasted with a man that could never make you feel the way he did, an unforgivable amount of time had passed and it was your fault. You’d put him through so much pain you wished you could take back, but you were trapped, it was too late.

It was too late for you both, hands in his pockets he walked out into the night, maybe one day you’d return, a singular tear fell from his eye. It was time to move on.

[riddle-me-ri]

Hi, I was reading some of your writings, and instantly fell in love, especially the btas penguin ones also Gotham, so I was wondering as a request, how would the BTAS Dork squad + Oswald and Harvey propose to their S/O+ What their wedding would be like (Bonus if there were some chaotic/ funny shenanigans happening.) if you don't mind. Love your work!!!!!

A/N: Aww thank you so much! I'm glad you love my writing! That means a whole lot! and omg…the timing of this is impeccable lol. I just got done with the third wedding in a row of a family member (literally only months apart from one another rip) so this will be fun! I won’t be doing Harvey, I know I’ve done him a couple times, but that was more for friends and to keep a certain writing pattern going for a request I did... I don’t mind Harvey, he’s a close favorite but I just…don’t feel comfortable writing for him? Also sorry there weren’t any choatic or funny shenanigans lmao I got way too wrapped up in the sentimentality and intimacy of it, I hope you don’t mind!

BTAS Dork Squad + Penguin - Wedding Headcanons

BTAS Riddler: 

Engagement: 

- Obviously, Eddie is going to make a game out of it. 

- Whether it’s a series of riddles he asks on a dinner date

- Or a small little intimate scavenger hunt

- Or a short and sweet video game on the computer. 

- Maybe even a trip in virtual reality where he takes you down an actual trip through memory lane…

- All options lead to him getting on one knee before you. 

- He makes it known that you’re the answer to the riddle of his own life, just when he thought he would never find one. 

- Edward won’t admit it, but he was extremely relieved when you said yes, always slightly worried it was too soon or too late to ask. 

Wedding: 

- It’s somehow simultaneously both grand yet intimate. 

- Only a few close friends or family of yours show up (if at all given his reputation)

- Edward ensures to only invite a few of his colleagues that won’t cause a total commotion. 

- He really only invited them to show you off anyway. 

- Of course the colors have to contain green in there somehow. 

- It’s fairly a traditional wedding, everything is serene and just perfect. 

- It’s rare to see Edward cry, but he definitely was shedding a couple tears or more

- When he first saw you, when you walked down, when you spoke your vows. 

- He can’t believe just how lucky he got. 

BTAS Scarecrow: 

Engagement: 

- As the Master of Fear, he knew better than anyone that he was absolutely mortified. 

- Jonathan knew it was only a matter of time, and after so many years…it was the proper order of things. 

- You two have even spoke in hypotheticals on marriage, and when your eyes glimmered at the prospect he knew what he had to do. 

- It did nothing to calm his nerves though, worried that just one slip up could utterly ruin the foundations you two have built. 

- He gulps down his fear and bravely gets down on one knee on the porch before you too head back into your home after a date night. 

- Jonathan is so relieved and overjoyed when you said yes. 

Wedding:

- Autumn colors, autumn colors, autumn colors. 

- No doubt takes place in either late October or early November. 

- It’s small and intimate, only a few close relatives or friends. 

- Jonathan didn’t even invite Harley, Edward, and others but they somehow found out and joined anyway.

- Harley self-appointed herself your maid of honor (if you didn’t have one already, so just roll with it, she’s so sweet) 

- Jonathan finds you breathtaking in your outfit. 

- He surprises himself as he finds himself getting choked up sometimes.

- Watching you smile, laugh, the ring on your finger almost seems to genuinely glow from your love for each other. 

- He looks back on this day fondly, a memory that would light up even his darkest of days. 

BTAS Mad Hatter: 

Engagement: 

(I lowkey actually did a scenario where he proposes to reader albeit it was in lieu of a friend but still works)

- This man’s love for you knows absolutely no bounds. 

- Never one to shy away from any extravagant displays of affection. 

- The engagement is no different. 

- Whether it be the conclusion to a small hedge maze you conquered together. 

- A sweet surprise at the bottom of your tea cup during a tea party. 

- It’s thoughtful, it’s clever, it’s adorable, and it’s 100% Jervis

- You couldn’t ever say no. 

- Jervis is just as excited as you are when you say yes. 

Wedding: 

- LOOKING GLASS THEMED DRESS/OUTFIT REVEAL

(Sorry, sorry, but that idea has never left my head. I sat through with my sister looking for themes for her reveal photoshoot and just had the biggest lightbulb moment)

- He’s confused at first of the two way mirror, yet when he slowly sees you appear on the other side you absolutely take his breath away. 

- Your overall wedding theme is Wonderland, because of course…

- It’s full of beautiful colors, every since of the décor is in reference to the Carroll novels

- White roses haphazardly painted table center pieces, stacks upon stacks of tea cups and saucers of different shapes and sizes, playing card themed napkins…

- Okay I’m making myself jealous of an actual fictional wedding hang on…

- Practically everyone that you two knew that adores you two is there. 

- Which means a handful of the Rogues gallery and any friends or family that support you.

- Jervis is overwhelmed with elation that you’re finally his in every since, to where there’s an actual physical representation of it in your rings. 

- Wonderland is no longer a fantasy, but a reality of waking up to your love each day. 

BTAS Penguin: 

Engagement:

- Oswald has thought about this moment…longer than he cared to admit. 

- He honestly had been thinking about it since the whole year you two had been a couple. 

- That was the longest anyone had been with him. 

- When a year, turned into more and more years well…much like Jonathan, he knew it was a matter of time to properly ask for your hand. 

- Doesn’t make him any less of a nervous wreck about it. 

- Oz takes you out on a date, he doesn’t want to make it too obvious but definitely pulls out all the stops. 

- Your favorite restaurant, your favorite place to stroll, your favorite activity…it’s all about you. 

- He does his best not to fumble as he gets down on one knee and finally asks the burning question. 

- He feels like the weight of the world is lifted off his shoulders and is relieved by pure joy when you say yes. 

Wedding: 

(I know technically BTAS Oz doesn’t own the Iceberg Lounge but his TNBA version does so we’re kinda overlapping canon here rip)

- The Iceberg Lounge serves as the perfect venue for your wedding. 

- Oswald takes some joy in not inviting or allowing any of Gotham’s social elitists into the venue. 

- Yes, yes, only a certain amount of people are allowed to see who is being betrothed to the Penguin. 

- Everything is pretty formal, a black-tie affair all around. 

- You don’t have flower girls, more flower birds as they swoop in and toss the petals along the aisle. 

- Oz is in awe of you as your presented.

- He’s worried he will wake up and you and all of this would be a dream, a fantasy. 

- Everything is real as you exchange vows, and he tries not to cry. 

- The evening continues without a hitch, well except for some of the birds accidentally making an oops on some Rogues, particularly a clown that wasn’t invited. 

- Oswald is thrilled to begin this new chapter with you. A chapter he thought he could never write in his life, but now thankfully he has you to help him write it.

[retrobr]

Lazytown Shenanigans Pt. 3

I can state with all confidence that "The Holiday Spirit" episode is one of the best episodes in the whole show. I was smiling like an idiot while watching it and nearly cried out of joy in the end, THIS WAS SO FREAKING GOOD OMG-

But I need to calm down for a minute.

So,

"The Holiday Spirit."

This episode has very strong found-family vibes in my opinion. I just wasn't able to help myself but feel warm and fuzzy inside when I was watching characters interactions; they are so precious to me... And, as I mentioned in the very first "Lazytown Shenanigans" post, I absolutely adore Christmas atmosphere in the movies and such stuff, so it was the first signal that I might like this episode.

But let's talk about the most important detail of this episode: Robbie's behavior. I just- I- dudes. WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM?? HE WAS SO NICE AND SWEET, AND OH MY FREAKING GOD I AM ACTUALLY CRYING BECAUSE OF THIS?? 

He didn't even do anything bad at all. AT ALL. I mean yes, it all started with the fact that he wanted to get a gift, but the whole thing kinda snowballed and after that he started behaving better and better. I mean, he was pretty happy to help Stephanie and other folks, and oh my god, this excitement in his voice when he greeted the gang... 

And the fact that he actually wanted and tried to be nice for once. He didn't do any name-calling or nasty things; he didn't even react to Sportacus' appearance in the house (but we'll talk about it a little later, mmhhmm.) HE EVEN VOLUNTEERED HIMSELF TO COOK A FUCKING TURKEY, AND THE GANG ACTUALLY INVITED HIM TO THE CHRISTMAS PARTY, AND HE WAS SO FREAKING HAPPY!! This once again confirms that people love him even when he acts not that well and he also loves them too, secretly of course. I want to cry this is so precious 😭😭

And the final scene when the kids and others went to his lair to congratulate him personally, and the expression on his face when he saw them all... My heart is melting; I can't stand this amount of adorable interaction between kids and Robbie. God bless them 🥺

Speaking of adorable interactions, I literally shed a small and very manly tear in the scene when Santa visited kids without any presents, and they convinced him that it's totally fine. Santa is just so nice, and I can't stand it when such wonderful and kind characters are sad. I literally want to cry again while writing this (I'm a very sentimental and pathetic creature, you guys should be aware of that lol.)

But let's touch on the topic of a little funny thing. Robbie's turkey knocked out Santa's sleigh. THE WAY I SNORTED WHEN I SAW THIS OMG 😭💀 And Sportacus' reaction like "what the heck was that-" WAS JUST A CHERRY ON TOP I CAN'T-

And finally, my darling beloved Sportacus and Robbie. :]. Their interaction was, oh finally, pretty nice and normal, even from Robbie's part, which surprised me VERY much. As I mentioned before, he didn't even react when Sport appeared in the house to help the gang, and WAIT. About the helping part: the very first person who he helped was exactly Robbie; and please don't tell me that "um, actually Sportacus needed a ladder and Robbie was stuck in this ladder mlem-mlem-mlem 🤓", I WHOLEHEARTEDLY ADORE THOSE DORKS, JUST LET ME BE DELUSIONAL FOR A MINUTE OK?? 

And HOOHEE that moment when Stingy and Robbie didn't appear at the Christmas party, and Sport sent the gang to find Stingy and went to Robbie's lair himself. Sorry I have a heart attack and I can't think straight, but HAHSHJAKA HELLO 😭😭 AND THEN ROBBIE PEEKED OUT OF HIS LAIR AND HIS HAPPY LITTLE "Sportacus 🥹" KILLED ME AND MY POOR DUMB HEART. HE DIDN'T EVEN INSULT HIM. FOR ONCE. I already said that but I want to cry, this episode is a golden one for me

I think I need to stop right here because I can ramble a lot and well. Yeah I should stop. Thanks for your guys attention if you read it till the end, as always :D

[see-arcane]

Hi I just wanted to say I loved your Hellsing Jonathan rambling and if you ever want to ramble again I will slurp it up like soup. Thick, delicious blood soup. Your brain is amazing!

--comments that come either from a friendly Anon, a hungry ghoul zombie, or both

Regardless of which it is, thank you! Some questionable soup for you:

-Jonathan and Integra are mistaken for relatives more than once. Dark skin, platinum hair, piercing eyes, big on vampire hunting. Is he a secret cousin or something?? (For extra weirdness, since Hirano never bothered to give him and Mina real designs in the manga, it'd be trippy if Hellsing'verse Abraham van Helsing had a strong resemblance to Original Jonathan Harker. Just for the ?!?!?! meta of it all.)

-Because of the whole technical time travel angle, Jonathan gets called 'Doctor Who' a number of times before the Hellsing soldiers warm up to him. The latter happens quick--as per Jonathan's general friend-magnet vibes--but is especially helped when everyone, Seras in particular (who is delighted to be considered a Normal Human(ish) Expert on Modern Happenings), introduce him to all the contemporary things he's clueless on, being from the 1890s.

When the Valentine brothers attack, Jonathan takes it almost as hard as the original crew when the soldiers are ghoulified...though perhaps in much smaller numbers, what with Jonathan the Surprise Cryptid as backup. Even so. Tears are shed.

-Speaking of the Surprise Cryptid factor. No one knows what to make of him. Not a vampire, not a werewolf. Yet he's crawling the walls, deadlifting impossible weights, seeing in the dark, and carving through the undead with what should be an ordinary kukri knife. They examine the blade and Jonathan assures him it hasn't been blessed in any way. Alucard hands him, of all things, a trowel. And politely invites Jonathan to stab him with it.

Jonathan hesitates. Alucard slips into Count Dracula pitch and starts making Comments and Remarks about Mina.

Jonathan cracks Alucard upside the head. The mark is hidden under his hair...but it stays there. A real scar. From a garden tool. Whatever Jonathan is, he's playing the divine battery source with any weapon put in his hands. Interesting.*

*Alucard is about to vibrate out of existence with or without Schrodinger's poison.

-Pip is Pip. Heroic final moments or not, he is...a very particular case of Classically Manful/Boorish at times, and several steps shy of Quincey Morris-brand gallantry. Jonathan is still Jonathan. It takes a While+ for either of them to not grate against each other. Especially with regards to how less-than-gentlemanly Pip initially is to Seras.

Some of that is soothed a bit when, being the newcomer and still some form of professional in a grisly business, he's spared the worst of Jonathan's ire following the bloody business in Brazil. He likely has his own flashback to boyhood, his first tears over senseless aggression, his shocked horror at his father's violent suggestion of retaliation--but even that was only against an enemy. Nothing like the horror show at the hotel.

He and Seras (who has admittedly already started packing this latest trauma away for later) are most likely the only ones Jonathan can stand to listen to under that roof. Probably the only reasons he doesn't try to up and leave right then.