#that's such a funny expression when you think about it sounds like innuendo

[biggest-gaudiest-patronuses]

I'm sick in bed, someone rub my head and read me a story

[kaleldobrev]

Old Man

Pairing: Dean Winchester x Fem!Reader Summary: Dean never had a problem with the age gap between you two; not until now any way Word Count: 3.4k Warnings: Age Gap, Cursing (13x), Sexual Innuendos, Dean talking bad about himself, Frat guys giving Y/N the disrespect she doesn’t deserve Authors Note: Me and Jensen have a 17-year age gap – what’s your age gap? | This came out A LOT longer than I expected | I don’t know how to write frat guys xD | If you liked this, don’t forget to like & reblog. I really appreciate it! Feedback is always welcome ♡

You and Dean pulled up in front of a gas station; needing to stop for gas and maybe a few snacks before the two of you continued your almost four-hour long journey back to the Bunker. You and Dean had just spent the weekend in Lawrence, due to the very rare occurrence that there were no cases. You had told Dean that even though you’d been living at the Bunker with him and Sam for the past couple of years, you had never once been to Lawrence even though you could have easily made a day trip out of it. With that being said, Dean was more than happy to take you and show you around, reminiscing about some of the things that he remembered doing all those years ago back when he was four; back before everything. But that’s not all the trip was, you had done some other things too; like visiting the Biodiversity Institute and Natural History Museum – which was considered to be one of the best museums in the entire state of Kansas, along with Grinter Farms – who prided themselves on their sunflower photo-ops. You enjoyed both places immensely, and were happy that Dean did too, even if he wasn’t initially keen on going to either place at first.

“I’m gonna grab us some snacks while you do the pump.” You said, grabbing your wallet from the glove compartment. Once you closed it and before you exited the car, you looked over at Dean, who was currently giving you the most serious look on his face. “What?”

“You already know what I’m going to say Sweetheart.” His tone sounding just as serious as his facial expression had looked. 

“Pie.” You said in unison.

“Cherry or apple?” You asked, the two of you getting out of the car at the same time.

“Like you have to ask.” Dean stated, opening up the fuel cap.

“Just making sure Dean. I mean, I don’t want to come out with apple when you really wanted cherry.” Your comment earned a slight chuckle from him.

“I’ll be getting some cherry pie later, don’t you worry.” He winked.

“I don’t think that applies to me anymore.” You smirked.

“We can always pretend.” He started fueling Baby just then. 

“Now that’s a roleplay idea I can get behind.” You winked at him before making your way into the store.

As soon as you walked into the store to grab some snacks for the two of you – one of which needed to be pie; a car pulled up the next pump over with a group of about four men who all appeared to be from the University of Kansas solely based on their Jayhawks apparel. “I don’t know dude. I’m pretty sure that chick was into me.” One of the men said, causing the one that he was talking to, to roll his eyes.

“No dude. She was into me. She was giving me the old fuck me eyes. Did you not see that? Or were you too busy looking at her ass?” He laughed. It was the other guy’s turn to roll his eyes.

“Can you blame me? You could bounce a quarter off that thing.” The young man replied.

“Hell yeah you could!” The other one agreed, giving each other a high five. 

There was a part of Dean that found their conversation funny because he had remembered when he was like that; but it hadn’t been for some time. Yes, there were times when he was still like that, but it was solely reserved for one woman: and that woman was you.

“Check out that piece of ass in the store there.” Another one of the men who hadn’t talked before was talking now. His comment caused Dean to turn in their direction and then back into the store. There was no other person that they could be talking about but you, as you were the only person in there besides the clerk behind the counter; and Dean was pretty sure they weren’t talking about the balding clerk.

“Bet she’s a good fuck.” One of the men said. Oh you have no idea. Dean thought to himself. 

“I’ll bet you thirty bucks that I can convince her to have sex with me.” The first guy said, the one that had noticed you in the first place.

“Dude, there’s no fucking way she’d have sex with you.” The next guy said. “Look at her! She’s way out of your league. Plus, even if you could pull her, where are the two of you gonna do it uh? The dirty gas station bathroom?” 

“Sure why not? I bet she wouldn’t mind it at all.” He winked. His comment caused Dean to chuckle a little to himself, knowing how wrong that guy was. You and Dean have had sex in a variety of different places, but never a gas station bathroom. “Dean, as much as I love you, I’m not fucking in a gas station bathroom. That’s honestly my only limitation.” You once told him. “So, Waffle House bathroom is okay then?” He joked back, causing you to give him a playful smack on the arm from his remark. 

“Dude, she’s not gonna give you the time of day. She needs a real man. And that ain’t you.” The man started walking around to the other side of the pump and started making his way toward the store. You ain’t a real man dude. Dean thought to himself. None of them were what he would call a man, only boys pretending to be.

“Watch and learn boys!” The guy said using his most charismatic voice. Dean wasn’t worried at all; he knew that you would never give the guy the time of day. You two had been together for the last couple of years, and the group of quote on quote men weren’t remotely your type in the slightest. Dean had seen pictures of your previous exes or have worked cases with them before. All your previous exes besides about one were all hunters; not varsity jock looking guys, and that’s what those guys were.

“Hey kid, I wouldn’t if I were you.” Dean finally chimed in. At first, he wasn’t even going to say anything. He had almost wanted to see the boy come back out the store with the look of utter embarrassment on his face when you had rejected him; which he knew was going to happen. But the jealous side of him won in that moment. He knew that you were more than capable of handling yourself – you were one of the best hunters he’d ever seen or worked with. He’d seen you get hit on plenty of times either when you two went to the bar together or while working a case; but those men never seemed like threats to him. But this time, this time felt different for him.

“I’m sorry?” The guy questioned.

“I said, I wouldn’t if I were you.” Dean said, his voice a bit more stern than usual.

“What’s it to you?” The guy asked, giving a slight snort.

“She’s going to reject you buddy. Trust me.” Dean finished filling the car up and put the pump back in its place. “Just trying to save you the embarrassment in front of your buddies here.”

“Oh yeah? Why do you say that?” The guy turned to look at you. You were currently standing at the counter laughing, probably at something the clerk had just said with two apple pie containers in your hands. Although Dean couldn’t hear your laugh, the sound of it echoed in his brain. God, he loved the sound of your laugh.

“That piece of ass” Dean began to say, hating using the words that they had used to describe you, “is my girlfriend.” Dean smirked. He had hoped that his usual tactic would work like it had done in the past. In the past, whenever Dean was with a woman; regardless if she was his girlfriend or not, the minute he said the word girlfriend to another guy that was hitting on his girlfriend, date, etc. the guy would usually back off, not wanting to get into any trouble. But his usual tactic didn’t work, it had simply just made the guy laugh.

“Your girlfriend?” The man laughed again. “Yeah, okay Old Man.” 

“Old, Old Man?” Dean was caught off guard. No one had ever really called him an old man before; the only one who ever did it was Claire, but she was the exception, because she was basically family to him.

“Yeah. What are you? Like 50?” The guy behind him chimed in.

Dean turned around. “50? You think I’m 50? I’m 42 dude.” Yet more laughter from the men.

“Close enough.” The man that was close to the store said. At that moment Dean had saw you wave goodbye to the clerk and started to head out toward the door. The man looked at you, and then eyed his buddies, making his way toward Dean. “Listen, tell her that if she wants someone that can keep it up without the use of meds and doesn’t go to bed before 6, to give me a call.” The guy said, giving Dean’s shoulder a slight pat before going into the car with his other three buddies.

Dean started to take out his gun just as the guy in the driver’s seat started the engine. Before he could fully take out his gun you were standing next to him, two boxes of pie in your hands and a slight look of worry on your face. “Can I shoot them?” He asked you. 

“Not in public.” You responded, handing him one of the boxes. “What did they say to you?” You were curious, and you had every right to be. Even though you were accustomed to Dean pulling out his gun, you were confused as to why he had wanted to pull it out in that moment, especially since you were pretty sure that the men in the car weren’t any kind of monsters.

“Nothing.” Dean was quick to respond, but his response sounded angry, almost hurt.

“It didn’t look like nothing. Especially since you asked if you could shoot them.” Dean handed you back the box of pie that you had just given him, causing you to give him an even more worried look.

“Can we just leave?” His voice was panicked now, maybe with a small hint of embarrassment.

“Yeah.” Was all you said as the two of you got into Baby.

There was a strong silence between the two of you, and it wasn’t the comfortable kind like you were used to. That was one of the things that you had loved most about Dean; that you and him didn’t constantly need to fill the silence with talking. It was something that you enjoyed because your past boyfriends always needed to have some kind of conversation going because they hated the silence. “Y/N, can I ask you something?”

“Always.” You turned your attention to Dean.

“Am I…Am I old?” He asked. His eyes flicked in your direction and then back onto the road.

“Old?” You asked, not sure if you had heard him right. Him asking if he was old was something that had caught you off guard.

“Yeah. Am I old?” He repeated again.

“Did those guys back there say you were old Dean?” This conversation topic was something that Dean would have never brought up, not unless someone had specifically said something to him. The last time he had this conversation with you was because Claire had jokingly called him an Old Man.

“You didn’t answer the question.” Dean stated. You were positive that’s what it was.

“No. You’re not old Dean. I don’t even know why you would think that.” You knew why he would think that; you were pretty sure that the men back at the gas station had said something to him about it. But you didn’t know why they would have said something to him.

“Those guys back at the gas station called me…Old Man.” His voice sounded slightly defeated, like he was embarrassed even though he had no reason to be. “I caught those assholes looking at you, making comments.” He turned to face you for a slight moment before looking back at the road, his knuckles started to turn white as his grip tightened on the steering wheel. “They were trying to make a bet about who would be able to pick you up. When I confronted them about it, telling them that you were my girlfriend, that’s when they laughed and called me an old man.”

“Dean –” You began to say, but he cut you off before you could finish.

“Sweetheart, I know you could have handled that yourself. You have a black belt in three different martial arts and you don’t take any kind of shit from anyone. Hell, a part of me had wanted to see you embarrass the guy because I know for a fact that he isn’t your type but…he was your age.” He was your age. 

“Well, you’re not old. It’s not like you’re 90 Dean. You’re 42. That’s still young.” You stated, putting your hand on his thigh, a small gesture that you knew he loved. You had hoped that your comment would make him feel slightly better.

“I’m not young Sweetheart, you are. I got like 15 years on you.” His response made your face drop.

“That’s never been a problem for you before. I mean, it’s not like I’m 17 Dean, I’m three years shy of 30.” When you first met Dean, it was roughly five years ago when you were 22 and he was 37. Initially when you had first met him, you had figured that the two of you would be nothing more than just friends due to the semi-massive age difference that there was between the two of you, despite the fact that you did find him attractive. For the first couple of years that you knew him, you didn’t try to pursue anything; and neither did he, although the two of you had similar feelings. Dean had figured that you wouldn’t want to be with someone his age, and you thought that he didn’t want to be with someone your age. It wasn’t until Cas said something and both of you almost dying on a hunt that caused you two to realize that maybe you should give it a shot – and you’ve been together ever since.

“Exactly. You’re three years shy of 30. I’m far, far past that. You know what I was doing at 30? Trying to stop the Apocalypse. When I was 30, you were still in high school. You weren’t even on my radar back then.” 

“Would have been pretty good jailbait though.” You joked.

“Not funny.” He responded.

“I’m not laughing.” You said back.

“Can I ask you another question?” His knuckles were still white against the steering wheel. 

“Of course.” What else could you possibly say?

“Why me? Why out of all the guys you could possibly be with, that are your own age, that you actively choose to be with me? I mean, I know I drink too much, I have way, way too many screws loose, I’ve been to Hell, Purgatory, been possessed more times than I can count, I have major trust issues, PTSD.” He looked over at you again. “The list goes on and on. I’m all kinds of fucked up Sweetheart.” Your heart sank at Dean’s comments. You hated more than anything when he talked bad about himself, because there was no reason for him to do that. 

“Pull over.” Was all you said.

Dean looked at you with a confused expression. “What?”

“Did I stutter? I said pull over.” Your voice was stern now, but it made Dean pull over on the side of the road.

“Dean, the fact that you even have to ask me why I’m with you shows me that you don’t actually realize or understand the reasons why I love you. You’re right, I could be with someone my own age. But you know what? I don’t want to. I’ve dated people my age, and they honestly suck. Hunters or not, men my age or even a year or two older have no fucking clue what they want in life. The only thing they’re positive about is wanting to fuck anything that has a pulse and gaslight women.” You let out a frustrated sigh. “My parents used to tell me, ‘not all men,’ and I knew that. You may have a slight case of alcoholism –”

“A slight case?” Dean interrupted, raising an eyebrow. He thought you saying that he only had a slight case of alcoholism was a tad too generous.

You pointed a finger at him. “Don’t interrupt me.” Dean put up his hands in defeat. “As I was saying. You may have a slight case of alcoholism, are insanely prone to nightmares, get angry more often than you probably should, enjoy murder every now and then, have been to Hell and Purgatory and back, but wanna know something? I’ll take all of that, gladly! Because you are honestly the best man I could ever ask for. Yes, you have some flaws, but who doesn’t? I mean look at me for example.” You went into your jacket and pulled out your hunting knife. “I’m someone who brings a hunting knife wherever they go like it’s a security blanket. No normal person does that Dean.”

“As you should. You need to be prepared at a moments notice.” He agreed.

“Exactly! No sane person would agree with me.” You said, putting back your hunting knife.

“Y/N, are you saying that part of the reason you’re with me is because I’m not sane?” He raised an eyebrow. He’s been called crazy or insane more times than he could count, so this wasn’t particularly newsworthy for him.

“I was thinking more…cautious.” You shrugged. “I mean…No, cautious isn’t the right word. You are cautious but…” You were really trying to come up with the right word to tell Dean, and you could feel it on the tip of your tongue. “What I’m trying to say is, any other guy would be freaked the fuck out if they saw me walking around with a hunting knife in my jacket. You? You couldn’t give two fucks. And you wanna know something else? I’ve worked with a lot of hunters over the years before I met up with you and Sam, who just looked at me and laughed because of my age, thinking that I don’t know the difference between rock salt and holy water.” You took one of his hands in yours intertwining your fingers. “You, not including Sam of course, accepted me as someone that actually knows a thing or two about hunting despite my age. You treated me like your equal. Hunter or not.”

You treated me like your equal. Your words rang in Dean’s mind. “Of course I treat you like my equal Sweetheart. What man wouldn’t? ‘Sides those other hunters and the Jayhawks spirit squad back there.” He chuckled, and you let out a small laugh too.

“Exactly. You’re a feminist icon.” You smiled.

“A feminist icon uh? Who knew?” Dean finally smiled.

“In all seriousness, I could give a rat’s ass about your age. You treat me right and my parents love you. What else could I possibly ask for?” You gave his hand a slight squeeze as you shot him another smile, but a softer one this time.

“Still amazed that your parents love me.” He said, starting to lean in closer to you.

“You treat their daughter right. That’s all they care about.” You confessed. When you had first told your parents about Dean, one of the first things they asked is if he was treating you right, they never asked about his age. And when they had met him, they still never commented on that fact, even when he wasn’t in the room.

He caressed your face. “I really am lucky to have you.” He smiled and leaned in fully to kiss you. “I love you so much.”

You smiled. “I love you more.”

He let out a slight chuckle. “Show off.”

“Always.” You responded, leaning in to kiss him again.

[tokyo-daaaamn-ji-gang]

Hello! Whenever you get the chance, Haitani brothers and hairstylist s/o interactions :3

I kinda based these on the crushing stage, before dating but this is what I've got!

Ran

100% always requests you as his stylist, will complain to the salon if they give him someone else 

Wants you to compliment his hair a lot (he actually just wants any kind of compliments from you)

Closes his eyes and relaxes as you work on his hair, humming in approval at your touch.

He occasionally makes innuendos and flirtatious remarks while grinning at you.

Always gives you a big tip as well as his number before leaving

He was already going to the salon a lot but turns up even more often now that you're there.

He doesn't even hide why he's there, he'll just be like "just wanted to see my favourite stylist ♡"

Talks to you a lot during the appointments, talking about past things like gang fights and his work now (he hopes you're impressed)

Invites you to his club constantly

You wasn't expecting to fall for him but he is rather charming. You're not sure if it's ok for you to date a client though which makes you hesitate. 

One evening he calls the salon in a panic, saying it's a "hair emergency!" And requesting that you do a home visit, normally you wouldn't but he offers so much money that your boss basically makes you go. You turn up and instead of an emergency you find a candlelight dinner and Ran grinning at you. He says he had no other choice to get you to go to dinner with him.

You quit your job the next day and Ran helps you start your own salon

Rindou

He wasn't sure he liked you at first, he liked his old stylist fine and wished they hadn't of retired. But he soon changes his mind after spending some time with you.

"No one else can get it right" that's all he says when he walks into the salon before sitting at your station. 

He likes to watch you while you work, keen purple eyes watching you work and observing your expressions. He thinks you look cute when you're concentrating.

Refuses to ever tell Ran about you, you're his and he won't let his brother steal you.

Sometimes he'll show up randomly, bringing you a drink and some lunch. He always says it's just to keep his favourite stylist looked after. 

Asks you a lot of questions and likes to listen to the sound of your voice when you work. He's very good at remembering details too.

Has flowers sent to the salon for you sometimes

He holds his breath and almost forgets to breath the first time he heard you laugh. After this he tries to figure out what you find funny so he can make you laugh and hear it more.

Gives you a lot of freedom with his hair, he trusts you.

Also invites you to the club but more casually then his brother, he's interested in you hearing the music he plays.

You really didn't want to like him as much as you do. You know your boss won't be happy with the this but you can't stop thinking about him. But you also need this job.

Until one day something unexpected happens, someone tries to rob the salon. You stand there, holding your breath as the guy waves a knife in your direction. Then he's suddenly on the floor and Rindou is on top of him, knocking him out. You have no idea how he did that so fast but you're thankful. You quit on the spot and head out with Rindou's arm protectively round your shoulders.

[fayes-fics]

Innuendo Bingo

Pairing: Benedict Bridgerton x fem!reader, modern AU

Summary: Crack fic. Modern AU. Someone knows a LOT of stupid synonyms for orgasms...

Warnings: Teen and up. Sexual humour, a lot of stupidity. Non-explicit references to sex acts. Basically, I'm sorry.

Word Count: 0.8k

Authors note: Request fill for @sorryallonsy, who asked for Benedict crack fic with him coming up with stupid names for orgasms (ask HERE). I'm sorry this took SO LONG, especially as it is so short. However, I was in the mood to polish off (heheheh) something silly today, and this was just the ticket. Unbetaed cos it's ridiculous. Thanks, and err, enjoy, I guess? <3

Bridgerton family brunch happens once a month and is always memorable. The family usually takes over some swish eatery in central London for a few hours with their unique brand of noisy, chaotic camaraderie. Being Benedict's girlfriend, you are now a part of this melee. It’s one such Sunday when you are finishing your quite delicious but oversized meal that Benedict leans in.

“I can't wait to have you naked again,” he rumbles right in your ear.

You almost spit your last mouthful all over the table. After a few beats, you recover enough to reply.

“Your mother is right there!” you chastise sotto voce, nodding imperceptibly across the table, pulling a pointed expression, even as your mind is filled with images of him waking you up just this morning with his tongue between your thighs.

“Please,” he withers good-naturedly. “I have seven siblings. Do you really think this libido isn't genetic?” he jests, a hand on your knee now. 

“Stop it!” you giggle, not wanting to think of his mother that way.

 “Also, she is not paying us any mind,” he points out, crowding closer. 

Indeed, she is engrossed in a chat with Kate and has one of Daphne’s kids ensconced in her lap, diverting all her attention.

“Besides, are you telling me you don't want to have another orgasm today?” he goads, lips warm on your neck as those fingers spider higher up your thigh, knowing precisely what your weak spots are and exploiting them.

“Well, now… I didn’t say that…” you counter, eyes fluttering closed briefly at his onslaught. “But I might need a few hours after all this food,” you mime a bloated stomach.

It's his turn to chuckle, a warm sound that skitters over your skin. “That's fair,” he assesses. “Can't be releasing the Kraken if you have a food baby…”

You can't help but emit a bark of laughter at that. Everyone at the table looking briefly askance at you before resuming their discussions.

“The what?” you wheeze.

“You heard me,” he quips warmly. “Don't like that? I've got a million more,” he vows, eyes twinkling with mischief.

“Don't…” you warn softly, but that just seems to goad him on.

“Making waffles? Popping the weasel…?”

“Waffles?” you frown, “I thought it was whoopee?”

“That too,” he smiles, eyes crinkling in that adorable way as he continues. “Petting the cat? Nulling the void? You can cuff my carrot, and I’ll dial your rotary phone?” each phrase is delivered full of mirth, close to your ear, and you can't help the stupid grin on your face.

“Stop it,” you protest weakly, nudging him gently with your elbow but having to muffle your laughter into his shoulder.

“I’ll stop when you stop finding them funny…” he counters genially. “Marching the penguin? Downstair DJing? Turning on the sprinklers? Debugging the hard drive?”

Each one has you hopelessly sniggering to the point you can't breathe, and little tears form at the corner of your eyes.

“What in God's name are you doing to your girlfriend, Benedict?” Anthony’s voice suddenly rings out from the head of the table. “It looks like she is about to die… hands where I can see them, please!”

Everyone at the table twists to look at you and laughs as both of you instantly raise your hands as if being held hostage; you mortified by the idea everyone thinks you might be up to things in front of them all, even though you know Anthony is joshing. 

But then Benedict murmurs a quiet parting shot out the corner of his mouth. 

“Chastising the family… jewels...”

And yeah, your loud snort is definitely undignified.

—

You are back at his place relaxing on the sofa a few hours later - When Harry Met Sally is playing on the TV - when he wraps an arm around your shoulder.

“Fancy doing a Meg Ryan?” he whispers, his tone laced with levity.

“Bit late for that. We left the restaurant a few hours ago,” you sigh in mock disappointment, a playful smile tugging at the corner of your mouth.

“I don't mind a private performance,” he breezes, trailing a hand over your neckline and nuzzling your cheek. “I rather like the idea of watching you paddle your pink canoe….”

Yeah, no, you definitely lose it at that one. 

Collapsing into him, your laughter does not even subsidise when he unzips your dress with his practised skill.

“Please… one ticket to the solo show just for me?” he implores, kissing along your jaw. “Visit that safety deposit box? Orbit Venus? A little double-clicking?”

“You are going to need to stop…” you object faintly, an odd mix of lightness from giggling so much and arousal coursing through you as his fingers circle over your underwear.

“Never…..” he teases in that gravelly tone that always persuades you.

“Fine, but only if I can watch you polish your bannister…” you throw back, pushing off your underwear with a comic flourish.

His laugh is deep and all-consuming, racking his whole frame as he suddenly scoops you up and strides towards his bedroom.

“Deal!”

Benedict taglist: @foreverlonginguniverse @colettebronte @aintnuthinbutahounddog @severewobblerlightdragon @writergirl-2001 @heeyyyou @enichole445 @enchantedbytomandhenry @ambitionspassionscoffee @chaoticcalzoneranchsports @nikaprincessofkattegat @baebee35 @crowleysqueenofhell @fiction-is-life @lilacbeesworld @broooookiecrisp @queen-of-the-misfit-toys @eleanor-bradstreet @divaanya @musicismyoxygen84 @benedictspaintbrush @miindfucked @cayt0123 @hottytoddyhistory @truly-dionysus @fictionalmenloversblog @zinzysstuff @malpalgalz @panhoeofmanyfandoms @kinokomoonshine @causeimissu @delehosies @m-rae23 @last-sheep @kmc1989 @desert-fern @starkeylover @corpseoftrees-queen @magical-spit @bunnyweasley23 @how-many-stars-in-the-sky @amygdtjhddzvb @sya-skies @balladynaaa @urfavnoirette

[jjkeverlast]

it stays | jhs

-> pairing demon!hoseok x f.reader

-> genre/aus smut (18+), angst, horror, teeny tiny bit of humor, it follows au, college au

-> summary after some unexpected events at your campus, you're determined to find out what exactly has been lurking behind these walls, or more so who.

-> warnings swearing, mentions of sex, supernatural innuendos, illusions, disturbed experiences, sacrifices, unrequited love, grinding, handjob, neck kisses, hoseok calls reader 'darling', riding and unprotected sex!

-> word count 5.7k

-> author's note happy halloween everyone!!! and thank you to the lovely author's who let me be a part of the halloween collab this year!! i'll add a link to the main masterpost, if any of you would like to read some more horror by talented authors! or else, i hope you enjoy red haired demon hobi :)

masterpost for Bangtan Cinema: Horror Nights

“Listen here darling, I don’t have all day.” 

He lets out a sigh, his body chained up to a chair as you stand in front of him with crossed arms. You really haven’t thought this through. 

Maybe we should rewind a bit… 

༉‧₊˚ 🖤 ❀༉‧₊˚.

‘’Have you heard?’’ Na-rae whispers to you while your head is about to drop from your palm, the class completely tiring you out. You hum, notifying you’re present at what she has to say. 

‘’Yuri got sent home. Some overheard that the reason she got sent home was because she saw things… It got messy.’’ Yuri. Perfect girl, perfect boyfriend, perfect grades and of course – perfect life. You almost didn’t believe Na-rae when she brought Yuri up. 

‘’Yuri? Are you sure?’’ You had to make sure. There’s a very high chance Na-rae just got the name wrong… or information. 

‘’I’m sure. It’s all over campus. Everyone is talking about it.’’ Your mouth drops, the news sinking in as you sink deeper down in your chair, your arms now crossed as your head begins to think how Yuri, of all people, got sent home. 

‘’Wait– you said ‘saw things’. What do you mean?’’ Na-rae looks at you in question, not carrying the answer herself, although Park Jimin sitting in front of you had a better hearing than anyone and sadly, overheard everything since Na-rae decided now is a good time to gossip. 

‘’She saw people.’’ Jimin turns, his brows furrowed, confused by the somewhat rumors spreading across campus from left to right. 

‘’P-people? I mean, this might sound incredibly stupid… but don’t we all?’’ Your tone dropped to an ironic one, something Jimin caught faster than lightning and normally he would’ve laughed. He always found you incredibly funny but at this moment? His lips continue to be pressed into a thin line, making you grow embarrassed of your statement. 

‘’Listen. This is just from what I heard. Taehyung got jumped by her where she was screaming all kinds of nonsense about an old lady standing naked by the end of the hall. It was apparently walking slowly towards her, but Taehyung? He saw nothing.’’ 

‘’Spooky.’’ Na-rae comments, snickering at her own joke but Jimin just turns with a huff, seeing there was no point in sharing with either of you two, because it was too good to believe. Right? 

Taehyung, Kim Taehyung. Yuri’s perfect boyfriend which made them the perfect couple. He must’ve been traumatizing for Taehyung to see his girlfriend rash out this way. But then again, was Yuri telling the truth? Are there such things as… ghosts? You gulp at the thought, every horror film creeping up by your spine and the room squeezes itself tight on your form. You feel sick. 

‘’Y/N? What’s wrong? You look like someone who just saw a ghost.’’ Na-rae takes a firm grip on your arm, a worried expression plastered in front of you and then Jimin turns once again. 

‘’Jimin. Have you spoken to Taehyung since?’’ 

Jimin doesn’t respond, letting his eyes fall to the ground. 

‘’He–’’ Jimin stops himself, shaking his head as if he knows you and Na-rae won’t believe what’s about to slip out from his lips. 

‘’I believe you. Jimin you can tell us.’’ Na-rae doesn’t question your sudden change of behavior, supporting you instead. Her curiosity always gets the worst and the best out of her. 

‘’He hasn’t left his room since.’’ It almost sounds cliché, but the room turned an ounce colder and now you’re determined to find out what exactly is happening. Instead of constantly gossiping about the perfect pair, you’d stop it. With Na-rae’s help.

It’s what you do best. 

༉‧₊˚ 🖤 ❀༉‧₊˚.

It had been a week since the conversation with Jimin. You and Na-rae noticed Taehyung’s disappearance since it was told he never left his room. The rumors about why Yuri got sent home never stopped. Some said she was possessed, others meant she decided to pull a prank on everyone and drag it out till everyone believed it, yeah no. That was absolutely false. You knew for a fact the people behind that rumor are scared of everything that’s inhuman. 

You were scared yourself, how couldn’t you be? This might actually be real. Ghosts, vampires, demons… anything that lurks at night or day. 

Na-rae was a bit too excited when you planned with Jimin to check up on Taehyung later today. You had friday nights, sharing popcorn and watching Supernatural till you both dropped. It definitely grew interest for the both of you regarding anything supernatural. 

Na-rae was in love with Sam whereas Dean owned your heart. 

Jimin was late, you and Na-rae were already waiting by the entrance to the hall that leads to Taehyung’s room. He had still made no appearance and it became troublesome. Taehyung loved swimming lessons yet he skipped the last three. Something was definitely off about the whole thing. 

‘’Okay! Okay I’m here!’’ Jimin pants as he reaches you and Na-rae. 

Jimin decides to take the lead. It is his friend after all. You and Na-rae were mostly there for emotional support and because you were both driven by curiosity and fear. 

Jimin knocks lightly, yet no one responds to it. He lets out a sigh, turning to meet you and Na-rae with a disappointed face. He saw this coming. 

‘’Taehyung?’’ You call out, Jimin's eyes popping out of their sockets as the name slips out from your lips. He hadn’t expected that and neither did Na-rae when you move closer to the door, repeating his name till you reached the door handle. 

‘’I’m coming in.’’ When the door handle is about to be pulled down, Na-rae pulls at your arm, her face extremely pale as fear is eating her from the inside out. She has a bad feeling about all of this. 

‘’Y/N maybe we should just–’’ 

You open the door, revealing Taehyung to all three of you. He’s sitting on his bed, rocking back and forth as his calves are red and swollen, marks of endless scratching covering them. His eyes were barely visible, dark under bags covering them as if he hadn't slept for over a week. 

When you all three moved closer, Taehyung’s eyes that were glued to the ground, hastily lifted towards you. Eyes red and puffy, you couldn’t recognize him anymore. Jimin turned after catching a glance at Taehyung, too upset to see his friend's state. 

‘’Taehyung.’’ 

‘’No.’’ Taehyung whispers, his finger slowly lifting itself to point at the door behind Na-rae. The ambiance in the room had already turned alarming by the simple word that left Taehyung’s mouth. He hasn’t even noticed all of you, looking past as if you were invisible. 

‘’You let him in. You let him in!’’ Taehyung abruptly moves as far away from you, the sheets wrinkling under him as he moves at a rapid pace. He’s screaming all kinds of nonsense but you try to move closer, helping him only to get pushed far away and screamed at. 

‘’He’s gonna take me. You can’t let him take me. Please.’’ Taehyung’s eyes widen, Jimin running out of the room to call for help whereas you and Na-rae look around to find anything that Taehyung is referring to at this moment. 

‘’Please.’’ A tear slips from Taehyung before he drops down, body tense and eyes wide. 

Na-rae is crying, moving towards Taehyung and shaking his body but he isn’t responsive. You stay put, too stunned about what had just occurred that your body can’t move. You can’t think, breathe or even process what happened since you decided to open the door. You feel guilty, would this have happened if you didn’t open the door? 

Your thoughts are cut short when Jimin runs in with paramedics following close behind, the three built men walking past you to reach Taehyung in a hurry and studying him with a flashlight to his eyes, checking his breathing and continuously asking questions. 

‘’He’s still breathing.’’ You’re still drained from the episode but at least Taehyung is alive. You don’t know what you would’ve done with yourself if he wasn’t here anymore. 

Jimin holds onto your shoulders, comforting the both of you as the paramedics take him outside to the ambulance. 

‘’We need to find out what’s going on. This can’t keep happening.’’ Na-rae speaks when she dries her tears in her sleeve. Body cold and motionless. 

‘’Na-rae is right.’’ You respond, as Jimin tenses behind you. 

‘’I feel like we might not have enough time.’’ Jimin whispers, his hold loosening on you as he takes a step back. 

༉‧₊˚ 🖤 ❀༉‧₊˚.

The following day, you, Na-rae and Jimin are taking up all the time in the library. You’ve all settled to determine what happened to Yuri and Taehyung. Everything wasn’t forgotten, you all came to an agreement to keep your heads high and not let yourself feel guilt-tripped by the Taehyung episode from yesterday. The doctors have told you he’s stable but he’s not able to speak, like his tongue got stolen from him. Whatever is going on, you will find out and you’ll do anything to stop it. 

‘’There’s nothing about the supernatural in this library, other than fictional books.’’ Jimin explains as he joins your table after having walked around the library, studying each shelf. 

‘’We should start with what we know.’’ If you were going to find out how exactly the previous incidents happened, you’d have to set yourself back to the beginning. 

‘’Well, Yuri started acting out since she got together with Tae.’’ Jimin starts off, pulling out his phone to scroll through his and Taehyung’s old messages. 

He reads out the texts that Taehyung sent him a week after he and Yuri had started dating. ‘’He said she would talk in her sleep, whispering repeatedly ‘leave me alone.’ When Taehyung brought it to her attention, she brushed it off. Up until a few weeks ago when she was seeing naked people walking towards her at a slow pace.’’ Jimin furrows his brows before continuing as if he stumbled onto something unsettling. 

‘’What?’’ 

‘’Something was following her, just like Taehyung when we opened the door. Maybe that something got in when we opened the door and that’s why he kept—’’ Jimin can’t finish his sentence, the look in his eyes tearing up at the memory of yesterday. 

‘’Jimin, maybe you should rest. Na-rae and I can take it from here.’’ Jimin nods at a slow pace, picking up his bag and phone. With a wave and a half lifted smile, he walks out of the library leaving you and Na-rae to continue your studies. 

‘’Okay. We need to find out how Yuri got into that state. Do we know any of her friends? Maybe they know something?’’ Yuri was a very open person, with not only her flattering smile, she was a good friend to many. 

‘’I have psychology with Marie. She’s been friends with Yuri since we started.’’ Na-rae opens her phone, scrolling through her contacts and miraculously she has Marie’s number. 

‘’Call her. Hopefully she isn’t too shaken up to talk about it.’’ Na-rae hums as her phone now stands in contact to her ear, letting it ring before Marie picks up. 

The phone call cuts short, but despite that, Na-rae got an interesting answer. 

‘’So?’’ 

‘’Yuri went to a summer camp, right before entering college.’’ While she continues to spill details about the phone call, you find the name of the summer camp whereas Yuri stayed during the summer and what pops up, only leads you closer. 

In bold, an article had the following heading. ‘Camp Jasmine ends short because of disturbed students.’ There was so little information, almost bringing you back to base one with few details. 

Although, one sentence caught your eye. ‘’Na-rae, listen to this, a witness explains how a student was screaming all kinds of nonsense, one of them being that they were being followed, by naked forms walking at a slow pace.’’ 

‘’Fuck.’’ 

‘’So it started at this camp.’’ But then what made these students paranoid? 

‘’We need to find out what kind of monster is behind this. This can’t be the acts of a human, Y/N. This is something completely supernatural.’’ If someone had told you and Na-rae that you would ever believe in what you’ve seen countless times on TV, you would’ve laughed. Yet here you are, believing and frightened over the hidden world that is lurking on your campus. 

‘’Let’s get to work.’’ With a crack to your knuckles and a stretch to your back. You and Na-rae dig deeper into the supernatural world and anything that matches to the chilling events that happened in the last few weeks. 

༉‧₊˚ 🖤 ❀༉‧₊˚.

‘’I found something.’’ The library had turned dark, lights on all around you when the search was finally over by Na-rae’s hopeful words. 

‘’It’s a demon.’’ Demons. Evil spirits that can take form as humans by possessing them. There are many kinds of demons, but they all feed from one thing, fear. 

‘’Does it say what kind?’’ 

‘’No. It states to be unknown, but it matches the description perfectly. Seeking people who’ve caught the so-called curse, by transforming into different people, all dressed in nothing and approaching them at a slow pace.’’ Na-rae reads out the description which she found on a self-made website made by an unknown writer. 

‘’Does it say anything about how the curse is transmitted through people? Many aren’t affected by it, so there must be a specific way to end up in that shithole of craziness.’’ Na-rae clicks her tongue, scrolling longer down until the answer stands tall and direct to her eyes. 

‘’Shit. Y/N, this– this is crazy.’’ She turns her computer towards you, too stunned to read out the description of how the demon seeks chosen ones. 

‘’The curse is created by unknown means. If the demon reaches the person who is carrying the curse, the person will not be able to speak, walk or talk. If a whole week has passed, the person who has been taken by the demon will die. The curse can be passed onto someone else by having sexual intercourse with the chosen person.’’ 

‘’The clock is ticking. Na-rae if we don’t stop that demon, Taehyung he’ll–’’ Your words get clogged by the end of your throat, Na-rae grabbing ahold of your hand for reassurance. 

‘’Nothing is going to happen to him. We will catch this son of a bitch.’’ Na-rae starts, before continuing to pinpoint every information you’ve gained. ‘’It makes sense. Fuck, okay, Yuri went to a summer camp, meaning she probably had sex with someone who was already carrying the curse. Then when she got with Taehyung…’’ 

Your mouth drops as the dots connect between the following reasons for the chilling happenings. 

‘’Wait… has Taehyung hooked up with anyone after he’s been with Yuri?’’ Na-rae shrugs, slumping back on her chair, hoping deeply that Taehyung wasn’t cheating on Yuri and spreading the curse to others. 

‘’We need to talk to Jimin. Now.’’ With a nod, you quickly grab your belongings and leave the library. 

༉‧₊˚ 🖤 ❀༉‧₊˚.

Loud knocks were sent from your fist and onto Jimin’s dorm room. After knocking for some time with a hasty pace, Park Jimin appeared, shirtless and confused. You gulped at the sight in front of you, forgetting all about the reason why you furiously knocked on his door. 

‘’Y/N?’’ His voice was hoarse, indicating he had probably woken up from a nap and with a quick kick to your shoulder by Na-rae you snap back to reality. 

‘’Um— right. Jimin we have answers, you might wanna sit down for this.’’ When he opens the door wider to let you and Na-rae in, she throws an unexpected comment. 

‘’And put on a shirt.’’ You side eye her, her cheeks puffy from her laugh at the edge of slipping, when she caught you earlier losing track because of Jimin’s abs. 

When Jimin sits down, a loose fitted t-shirt on, you and Na-rae start from the beginning. After you’ve explained the whole situation, the unresolved question appears. 

‘’Has Taehyung ever cheated on Yuri?’’ Jimin’s eyes widened at the question, now scratching his head out of nervousness. 

‘’Taehyung got drunk one night and… one thing led to another.’’ 

‘’Shit. It’s still here then. Na-rae we need to catch it.’’ You turn to meet her eyes and with a quick nod, she pulls out her phone to find solutions on how to catch or more likely kill it. 

The website from earlier only described the demon itself, but no solution at the bottom of the site. It almost felt like a dead end, but the clock was ticking and you weren’t even close to giving up yet. 

‘’Fuck okay. It says here, demons who are connected to sexual acts, will only dissolve by having sex themselves. They will turn to dust but—’’ Na-rae closes her eyes, regretting what she had just read. It’s a dead end. 

‘’What? What does it say Na-rae?’’ 

‘’Y/N I don’t think—’’ Her voice trembles yet handing you her phone so you can read it out yourself. 

When you find the segment she was reading from, you continue. ‘’They will turn to dust but stay engraved in the person's heart, meaning this person will never be able to love someone other than them.’’ 

Without missing a beat you say as the room turns quiet, ‘’I’ll do it.’’ 

Love. A funny thing for you, not because you haven’t experienced it but because you’ve found yourself feeling more alive than ever by simply loving yourself. The pressure of saving Taehyung was more important to you than ever being able to love someone else. People, especially your family, always admired you for putting people before yourself yet always being incredibly strong. 

‘’Y/N, please let’s find another way.’’Jimin pleads, his hands grabbing onto your cold ones and the glance he gives you is hopeful yet shattered. 

‘’Jimin. Taehyung’s life is at risk.’’ He drops his head at your words, the pressure from the situation cramping around his form. 

‘’Na-rae, can I talk to Y/N? Alone?’’ Jimin’s request is unexpected but Na-rae gives you guys some time alone, going back to your dorm. 

When the door shuts, his hold in your hands tightens, like he’s scared you’ll leave. 

‘’Jimin—’’ 

‘’Do you have any idea how much people care and love you?’’ You don’t see where he’s heading with his speech, but you remain silent letting his words sink in. Of course people love you, your family, friends, old teachers, family friends that have watched you grow up… They all are held deeply into your heart. Which is why you want to do this, for this to stop. For it to stop hurting the people around you, people who have so much to live for and give to others. 

Taehyung will live and you’ll make sure of it. 

‘’It’s my choice. I know the consequences but I am willing.’’ 

‘’No, Y/N you don’t understand. I– I care about you.’’ It’s then that everything clicks for you. Park Jimin likes you, a lot. You feel like you’re dreaming when he openly admits this, but you can’t let yourself get carried away. Not when you like him as well. 

The tears form at the corner of your eyes, your hands dropping from his warm touch to your knees. 

‘’I really, really wish things were different Jimin. B-but this— there’s nothing else to do. Taehyung’s life is on a fucking clock and so is Yuri and that person he slept with. Please, this needs to stop.’’ 

Jimin chuckles dryly, sniffling right after because he’s lost. You’re gonna go through with it regardless of what he tells you and he wishes deep down that he hates you, but he can’t. Not when you’re sacrificing a part of yourself for others. 

‘’I’m gonna go.’’ With that you get up, your wrist getting grabbed by Jimin before you reach his door and you flinch from the comforting contact he gives you. 

‘’Jimin–’’ 

‘’Stay. Please stay.’’ It’s all he’s asking of you. Just one night together before everything turns to pure horror for you. A moment like this makes you wonder how your life would be with Jimin by your side. All of the fun dates you’d be able to share, the cuddles, cooking meals together and long drives at night while letting the wind breeze through your hair as you scream to the lyrics of any song you’ve grown fond of while together. 

‘’Okay.’’ You fight back your tears, enjoying the last moment you’ll have with Jimin while your heart still flutters for him. 

The soft touches of Jimin’s fingers trail against your cheek at a slow pace, both of you now laying in his bed as the room has turned dark. 

‘’Let’s not think about anything else right now.’’ 

‘’Okay.’’ The heat from Jimin’s body takes you back to a day earlier in the summer. You were laying on a chair in the sun, letting yourself feel the heat and your mind to ease. Whenever you felt upset or down during college, you’d remind yourself of that day. The situation becomes overwhelming for you, clutching tighter to Jimin, so tight you’re able to hear his heartbeat. 

You lay in silence, embracing each other for the first and last time. Tomorrow, everything will change and your heart will settle onto someone else.

You arrive at your dorm room early in the morning, leaving a sleepy Jimin behind. Na-rae gets woken up by you taking off your shoes by the entrance, she looks worried and exhausted. Her eyes are barely open, her mumbling in her drowsy state. 

‘’We’ll be okay Y/N.’’ Your heart warms up by her words, smiling to yourself that this will soon end. 

When you lay under the covers, you let yourself rest, knowing tomorrow is a big day for everyone because you’re gonna have to catch it. 

༉‧₊˚ 🖤 ❀༉‧₊˚.

‘’I talked with Jimin, apparently the girl he was with was on the girls swimming team.’’ You nod as you both are standing out front of the huge glass doored building, the main entrance for the swimming pool on campus. 

You haven’t gotten the name of the girl who was with Taehyung. For this to work, you’ll need to find her and inform her of the following. Hopefully you’re not too late. 

When you enter, a group of girls are dressed in swimsuits, paired with a swim cap and goggles. Their coach is very strict, whistling constantly as they stay put in their positions, all forms of conversation shut down. 

You follow behind Na-rae, walking to sit by the bleachers as their morning practice is about to start. 

All girls have now crouched down onto the diving board, as they stretch their legs, one furthest away stops and looks up in fright. 

‘’Coach!’’ She removes herself from it, running towards her coach and pointing fingers to the end of the hall. 

‘’Call someone! There’s a literal naked creep!’’ Her coach repeatedly tells her to calm down and that no one is there, but she doesn’t seem convinced.  

‘’We found her.’’ You both hurriedly walk over to the frightened girl, Na-rae speaking with her coach while you drag her away to the dressing rooms. 

‘’Hey, hey it’s okay.’’ She manages to calm down a bit, her breathing steadying slowly before slumping down on the dressing room bench, looking away. 

‘’I’ve gone fucking insane…’’ She scolds herself, removing her swimming cap with a harsh grip. 

‘’You haven’t.’’ Your words catch her attention, her eyes now looking hopefully up to you as if you’re the first person who’s told her otherwise. With all the rumors already lurking on campus, it explains why she seems distressed, not wanting to go home herself or end up in the hospital like Taehyung. 

When Na-rae walks in, you crouch down, explaining to her everything and with luck, she believes you. She’s willing to help you stop the curse, because neither you nor Na-rae have it so it’ll be hard to catch the demon behind it all. 

‘’I’m Ari, by the way.’’ She forces a smile, everything tumbling down on her since you’ve spoken about supernatural creatures. 

‘’I’m Y/N and this is Na-rae.’’ With a fond smile from you both, Ari loosens her grip on her swimming cap and lets herself feel at ease around you. 

‘’Okay, this is what is going to happen…’’ 

༉‧₊˚ 🖤 ❀༉‧₊˚.

Dusting off the chalk from your fingers, you’ve managed to draw a Devil’s Trap on the roof of the school’s cellar. Na-rae was certain that it was an actual thing and not just Supernatural being the most creative TV show there is. 

A Devil’s Trap is a drawn circle that manages to keep the demon trapped. If the drawing is broken or altered, the demon will be able to escape as it has lost its power. Not only is the demon stuck, but it will show its true form in the trap. 

Ari is nervously fidgeting with her fingers behind you, paranoid and frightened from what is currently happening. When Na-rae takes a hold of the chain, ready to throw it around the chair while the demon appears, you wait. 

The demon is seeking Ari, resulting in you placing her in front of the Devil’s Trap. This motherfucker will learn from what he has done. You’ll make sure of it. 

‘’Fuck. It’s knocking on the door. Guys, guys I’m scared.’’ Ari’s legs start to shake, but you keep her calm as you reassure her that nothing will happen to her due to the Devil’s Trap above her. 

When Na-rae opens the door, Ari turns pale, holding in a scream that will likely scare the whole campus.  The sound of a sudden rush of air appears and finally, you come eye to eye with the demon behind it all. 

It doesn’t fight back, instead calmly lets itself sit down on the chair while Na-rae wraps the silver chain around it. When the demon has settled down, you move in front of Ari and take a hold of the situation. 

Locking eyes with Na-rae, she gets your signal, dragging herself and Ari out of the room. When the door smacks, the show officially begins. 

༉‧₊˚ 🖤 ❀༉‧₊˚.

And that is how you ended up with a red haired demon in front of you, chained up and calling you darling while you stood with crossed arms. 

He’s impatient, hence his choice of words towards you. 

‘’You know why you’re trapped. Save your bullshit.’’ You’re fuming, because it seems to him that killing people is his job and absolutely destroying them from the inside. 

‘’Feisty, I love it.’’ He chuckles perfectly, the voice low and hot. Yeah, he’s definitely a sex demon. He radiates everything that is erotic and sexy. You want to kick yourself in the head for even admitting that he’s attractive and hard to resist. 

‘’So, you’re an unknown demon.’’ You raise a brow to state your sentence. 

‘’Aw, how cute. You googled me.’’ He adjusts himself, the chains rattling as he does so. ‘’Let’s skip the small talk darling, we both know what’s going to happen.’’ He flashes his white pearly teeth, two of them with small fangs. 

‘’Wait, what?’’ Your eyes fall open, paired with your mouth. Does he really know? 

‘’You think I like this? Killing, seeking, possessing?’’ Every word he drops, you’re reminded of Yuri, Taehyung and Ari. 

‘’I mean, isn’t that your… thing?’’ He rolls his eyes at your comment, dropping his head in the process — you’re not easy to comprehend the supernatural world and he’s quickly taken notice. 

‘’It’s more complicated than you’d think.’’ His eyes meet yours, ‘’I’ll lay it out simply for you. I absolutely hate this.’’ Staring into his eyes, they show sincerity and anything besides the horrendous monster he’s seemed out to be. 

‘’I’m Y/N.’’ You smile, him staring at you blankly, not expecting to know your name. 

‘’Hoseok.’’ 

‘’Pleasure.’’ You bow and the atmosphere turns more light despite it being cold not long ago. You move a bit closer, sensing Hoseok won’t bite you. 

He gulps nervously at your presence, catching a glance of your exposed legs dragging themselves closer to him. Your smell reaches his nostrils, vanilla. It covers your aura and turns you automatically sweet in his eyes. You haven’t even reached the tip of his feet and he can already feel himself getting worked up on catching a simple sniff. 

‘’Let’s help each other and stop this chaos.’’ You speak, the clock ticking behind you, a reminder of Taehyung’s life at risk. 

‘’Yes.’’ Agreement. Uncommon for a demon, especially the ones from Supernatural with attitude and flirty personalities. Hoseok is different. 

You take it further, your hands dropping on his leather covered knees, Hoseok gasping from the contact. Almost as if he’s fire and you have to be cautious to not burn yourself. 

‘’Have you… ever been touched before?’’ 

He gulps out of nervousness by your question. ‘’Well, not by humans.’’ The thought of you being the first to, creates butterflies in the pit of your stomach, yourself growing anxious of the situation. 

‘’You feel… soft.’’ He compliments you as your hands have yet to move further up towards his bulge. Your smile never fades, gaining courage to continue and go farther up. 

Hoseok spreads his legs in front of you, accumulating more space for you to sit in between them. You bite your lip at the eagerness seeping through him from your touch and with enough anticipation from your end, you finally give Hoseok what he wants. 

‘’Fuck–’’ The first touch feels estatic for Hoseok, as you palm him through his pants. He’s already hard and you know it won’t be long until you'll have his cock inside of you. The thought excites you, sending a thrill down your spine and a rush to your core. 

You move upwards again, lifting your skirt as you place yourself down onto Hoseok’s hardened bulge. He groans from the closed contact of your wet slit on his refrained cock, swallowing a clump of spit that accumulated from his mouth being parted for too long. He’s losing himself completely, letting the moment happen between you. 

Everything becomes clouded for both, your surroundings transparent, the only thing visible is each other at this very second. 

You grind yourself on Hoseok, your hand grabbing a hold of his face, your fingertips tracing on his sharp jawline. You finally take time to admire his beauty and his features that make him attractive. Your gasps turn in sync when you continuously grind yourself on him, letting your slit feel the outlines of his cock. 

The chains rattle along with your movements, Hoseok still strapped to the chair, making you in control of the situation. 

“You feel really good.” It’s the first you’ve said since you’ve touched him. His cock twitches at your words, likely sensing he loves receiving compliments as well. 

Even though you and Hoseok are complete strangers, you feel as if you know him. He’s soft, warm, quite the opposite of something evil and possessive. It eases the situation for yourself, letting your desires take over. Hoseok is unbelievably hot, his sharp jawline and how his tongue slightly pokes whenever you grind slower than before, allowing him to feel you better. 

“Y/N— we don’t have much time.” Hoseok doesn't want to frighten you by reminding you of the pressure behind the situation but he’s right. You’re both under clockwork.

You fiddle with his belt, along with the zipper while Hoseok lips touch your sensitive neck. You moan from the contact of his plumb lips, along with his wet tongue on your skin. Along with a clicking sound, his buttons come undone, the outline of his boxers showing. A swift pull from your end and you finally get a glance of his cock, the tip already glistening with pre-cum seeing you worked him up earlier by your mindless grinding.

He feels soft, firm and hard all at once. Hoseok moans from the feeling of your fingers wrapping around him and stroking him at a slow pace. 

He encourages you to keep going, his mouth continuing its ministrations on your neck, causing you both to get as worked up as possible for what’s about to happen.

When Hoseok bucks his hips in your palm, you find strength to pull your thong aside, your wet core now exposed. Slowly, you position him at your entrance, sinking down as you take him deeper. A strangled noise escapes Hoseok as he feels how warm and tight you are. 

You’ve never felt as full as you have in this moment, the fulfillment causing your brain to stop functioning and your body to start moving. 

You start slowly, still coming to terms with Hoseok’s cock deeply buried inside of you. It’s an indescribable feeling, fog still clogging your mind from reality. 

Even though Hoseok is chained up, he manages to take some form of control, meeting your hips halfway, causing the sounds of skin slapping to erupt in the room. 

When the pace quickens, you feel the tip poking at your g-spot repeatedly, your body floating along, beads of sweat collecting on your bodies when you both try and reach for an orgasm. 

Whenever Hoseok hits your g-spot, you clench around him, sending him into orbit. Repetitive curse words are the only words exchanged between the two or you, your high reaching beneath you. 

“Hoseok! Fuck!” A final snap to your hips and you both come undone. Hoseok's red hair is wet by the strands, as well as his jawline glistening with sweat. 

You both pant, the eye contact remaining between you until Hoseok speaks, one last time. “Farewell, darling.” 

His form turns to dust, as if he was never in the room to begin with yet your body still feels as warm as it did when it clung itself to him earlier. 

It’s done. The curse is gone.

༉‧₊˚ 🖤 ❀༉‧₊˚.

“Wanna come join Jimin, Tae and I to the cinema?” Na-rae asks you while you’re still in bed, mind and body tired from your classes today. 

“I’ll pass. Have fun though.” You toothlessly smile before turning in your covers and letting your eyes fall, your vision turning dark.

It’s been around six months since the curse ended. Ari managed to get back onto her swimming lessons. Taehyung got signed out of the hospital after he got out of the unbroken trance and Yuri got sent back on campus. Her therapist gave her the green light to let her take back her studies. 

Although you don’t think about Hoseok during the day, you still see him in your dreams and your heart skips a beat, only for him. 

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[portaltothevoid]

For Whom the Bell Tolls - Chapter Seventeen - Run To The Hills

Pairing: Eddie Munson x OFC (Kat Ramsay), sequel to Foolin’

Summary: After getting away from Jason, the couple hid under the cover of skull rock for the night. They took a risk to find a way to contact Dustin and maybe find some food, which leads to Kat causing a ruckus at a construction site.

Warnings: established relationship, little innuendos here and there, port-a-potties and... well, blowing up bathrooms, life on the run, a tiny sprinkle of fluff (it’s been a while since i’ve loved a chapter as much as this one!)

Word count: 3.7k

Chapter song: Run to the Hills by Iron Maiden

Tag list: @munchabunch @madaboutmunson @michele131 @riffcrusader @prettyboyeddiemunson @literarypeachtea @mickkmaiden333​

The grinding of the rowboat sliding on the shallow sand jolted Kat forward. She threw her hands down on the seat to steady herself now that she reluctantly reentered reality. No longer lost in the lake of her own thoughts.

“We’re gonna have to go on foot from here,” Eddie said quietly. “Can you, uh, hide us? Or do you–” he started to ask but was cut off by the nodding of her head. “Yep. Okay. Um, it’s… It’s this way.”

This time she only gave him one nod to acknowledge what he said. Wordlessly, she took his hand in hers, then took a deep breath, before she finally nodded once more signaling that he could lead the way. Silently, they meandered through the woods. The only sounds coming from their cautious footsteps. 

Despite knowing that their noiselessness was necessary, it worried him. Kat was never this reserved. He kept casting quick glances at her, but her expression didn’t falter. Her eyes stayed staring straight ahead, making sure to avoid any seemingly loud branches, twigs, or any other ground obstacles. Only when the trees cleared enough to reveal a massive rock formation, did he decide to coax her out of her dissociative state. 

“So, uh, do you, um, wanna talk about…?”

“No,” she answered flatly as she dropped his hand and surveyed their newest hiding spot. “You sure no one comes out here?”

“Doubt it. Not this time of year,” he answered as he sat down and scooted his back against the rock.

“Good. Now take off your clothes,” Kat demanded, standing over Eddie.

He could only stare up at her and blink. “Uh, what? Now? Dunno if now is the–”

“Your clothes need to dry and body heat will hopefully be enough to keep you from getting hypothermia,” she said, shaking her head with the faintest hint of a smile on her face.

“Oh, right, yeah, okay, good point,” he nodded while shrugging off his signature leather jacket and homemade Dio vest combo. “You sure you can’t, like, zap a fire or somethin’?” he offered as he tried to shimmy his jeans off, but the water had plastered them to his legs. 

“I mean, I could, but I don’t think I could hide it. Probably would be like the bat signal saying ‘Hey the fugitives wanted for murder are right here!’” she said as she waved her hands to drive her sarcasm home. 

“Urgh!” he exclaimed as he sat with his arms crossed, eyebrows pulled down in frustration. “Help?” he asked, pouting, as he looked up at Kat. 

Her laugh was breathy as she placed her folded up jeans and t-shirt beside her.

“It’s not funny!” he continued to pout as she wrestled the stubborn pants from his legs. 

She laid them out on the ground behind her, really hoping they’d be dry by morning. Crouched in front of him, she devilishly grinned up at him. Crawling forward, she was inches from his face before she said “I mean, no, it’s not, but you know how cute I find your little tantrums,” she teased as she tapped his nose. 

“Oh my god,” he groaned as she just smiled even bigger.

She giggled in response as she swung her leg over him and curled up beside him. Reaching behind her, she grabbed her oversized jean jacket and used that as a makeshift blanket for their top halves. After snuggling against him and getting as comfortable as their hideout allowed, she let out a huge sigh.

In response he tightened his grip on her, gently rubbing her arm. Even if her laughter was his expense, he felt it was a good sign to see her lightening up. On the other hand, he knew the silence was probably causing her mind to spiral again.

“Hey, if we end up getting chased out of here and I have to run through the woods in my underwear I’m gonna–”

“You’re gonna what?” she laughed, looking up at him expectantly.

“I’m gonna… uh…”

“Throw a tantrum?” she suggested with a sly smile.

“Ya know what…” he laughed as he pulled her even closer and ruffled her hair.

“No one’s gonna chase us out of here. We’ll find a way to get in touch with Dustin tomorrow,” her voice sounded more distant with each word.

“We’re gonna find a way to stop him. You’re gonna stop him.”

Kat only scoffed.

“Kat, I don’t even think you know how powerful you are. There’s no way that bastard can win.”

“Eddie, just stop…” she whispered. “If I’m as powerful as you’re saying, I would have found a way to save Patrick. And now Max is having visions and–” she cut herself off feeling the tears start to bubble their way to the surface.

“We’ll find a way,” he repeated.

“But do you actually believe that? Seriously. You’ve never even heard of anything close to this level of weird. This isn’t a D&D campaign. This is fucking real. And it’s fucking terrifying.”

“If you weren’t here, I wouldn’t believe that at all. Look, when you actually let yourself use your power, it’s… It’s electric. That’s the only way I can describe it. Do you think Eleven would have been able to send Vecna to another dimension without you?”

“Probably,” she scoffed again. “They always paid just a little extra attention to her. Always encouraged her more. 001 saw it. Hell, I saw him always talking to her when he was acting as an orderly. They all favored her.”

“So did they not see you or were you just good at blending in?”

“Blending in?”

“Yeah, doing the bare minimum to keep yourself out of the spotlight.”

“Like hide? I didn’t hide. I was learning just like the rest of them.”

“You’re literally one of the most talented musicians I’ve met, aside from me, of course. But you’ve never once mentioned having your own band or deal or anything. You worked behind the scenes. Sure, you partied and jammed with all these bands back home, but no one – and I don’t even know how – no one pushed you into the spotlight.”

“Of course not. It was all a bunch of wasted dudes. No way they’d let a talented girl steal their thunder. I was a threat,” she said with an eye roll.

“Exactly. You’re a threat. So they held you back.”

“Wait, is that the real reason you repeated senior year so many times?” she laughed dryly.

“Kat, seriously. Promise me, when the time comes, you won’t hold back. No matter the cost.”

“But what if–”

“Promise me,” he murmured.

She wiggled out of his grip enough to look up at him, searching his eyes for something that wasn’t the underlying meaning of what he was saying. What was the cost? Him? Her own life? Was she capable of sacrificing herself for everyone she’s grown to love? Is that even what he meant? The bottom line was that he believed in her. If she couldn’t do that for herself, she had to at least try for him.

“I promise,” she muttered with a hesitant nod. In acknowledgement, Eddie leaned down and kissed the top of her head. 

Kat closed her eyes, for what she thought was just a moment, but the next thing she heard was birds singing their morning songs and the light streaming through the trees. Gently she nudged Eddie until he was awake. 

“What? What is it?! Do we gotta–” he started to groggily say as he shot up frantically searching for any signs of danger.

“No, no, everything’s fine. It’s just morning. We should probably get dressed and either find a new spot or try and get a hold of Dustin or I don’t know,” she trailed off.

Eddie rubbed the sleep from his eyes and sighed. “Yeah, okay, are my clothes dry?”

“Yeah, I mean, they’re dry enough,” she shrugged.

“What the hell time is it anyway?” he asked, looking at his watch on his wrist. “Oh, great. Who the hell knows since my watch got soaked when I fell in the lake.”

“Today’s off to a great start,” she said with an eye roll and a sigh. 

“So, a few miles over they’re putting in some development or some shit. Someone from there’s gotta have a walkie,” Eddie planned after they were both dressed and pacing around.

“Um, a few miles?” Kat repeated incredulously. 

“I don’t think it’s that far. I mean, I wonder if…” he said as he started to climb the rock.

“Eddie! What the hell are you doing?!”

“Tryin’ to get a better view,” he grunted as he pulled himself up.

“If you fa–”

“I’m not gonna fall, sweetheart. But if I did, I know you’d stop me,” he smiled cheekily at her as he surveyed the area. “Yep. There. Okay, so, if we go… that way… and then… Got it. Okay.” He nodded as he made his way off the rock.

“Got it? Just like that? Really?”

“I’ve been coming to this spot since, like, middle school, ‘kay? Trust me, I know where we’re going.”

“Alright, if you say so,” she muttered as she trailed behind Eddie who had already taken off. “I just hope there’s a damn bathroom.”

“Might be a port-a-potty.”

“I’ll take anything that’s not a hole in the ground.”

“Desperate times…” he teased.

“Ugh,” she whined as her stomach growled loud enough for even Eddie to hear. “Hey, if we’re already wanted criminals, do you think it would be bad if we stole someone’s lunch?”

Eddie just turned and gave Kat a quizzical look. 

“What! A girl’s gotta eat. Desperate times, ya know,” she teased back.

“Touché,” he chuckled. “We’ll just have to see what’s down there.”

They walked in silence for some time. Each making sure to stay close to the other. In the morning light, it was a lot easier to avoid stepping on anything excessively noisy. Neither of them spoke about last night. Really, there was nothing they could say. Their only goal right now was to make it to the next day. The fear of being found loomed over them.

Eventually, Eddie couldn’t take the silence and the distant look that had taken over Kat’s face. She welcomed the distraction of his voice seeing as how her mind only replayed Chrissy and Patrick’s death. It was a constant loop and with every replay, she tried and tried to analyze how she could have possibly saved either of them.

“So, uh, is it okay to talk or do we need to be quiet?” he asked innocently.

“You’re the one who knows where we’re going. You tell me,” she quipped. 

“Did I interrupt a serious train of thought?”

“No, no. I– Sorry. I didn’t mean for that to sound harsh. Think it’s the hunger talking,” she said, offering him a meek smile.

“Oh, okay. ‘S alright. Make sense. I was just gonna ask if you slept okay. Didn’t know if you had any nightmares or anything.”

“Surprisingly, no. I think now that I heard him when P– I heard him last night, so I’m guessing he doesn’t need to communicate through my dreams anymore.”

“You think you’re getting more of your power back now that you’re using it a lot?”

Kat avoided Eddie’s eyes and looked down, chewing on her bottom lip. “No, I mean, yeah, maybe, because I don’t hear that sharp piercing sound anymore. I can listen to the other frequencies of the Other World. I mean the Upside Down. But…”

“But?” He encouraged her to continue. 

“But it really means he’s only getting stronger.”

“You think so?”

“Eddie, come on. He can filter through the people here and find the ones he wants. He’s not randomly choosing these people. I think it’s just a bonus for him that somehow I’m always around when he… when he strikes.”

“Oh…” was the only thing Eddie could manage to utter. Before Eddie scrambled to make the topic of conversation lighter, they began to hear the faint sound of machinery and men yelling. Instinctively, they reached for the other’s hand. Kat tightened her grip on his hand as they quietly inched closer and closer to the construction site. 

When they could see it through the trees, Eddie watched waiting to see any patterns of their comings and goings. Kat hid them in the nearby brush as an extra precaution. When Eddie finally came up with a plan, he whispered “I’m gonna get the walkie. You see how that guy just left his belt there? You do what you gotta do, okay?” in her ear. She nodded. 

“See that rock over there? When you’re done, meet me there. It’s probably best if we just head back to where we were before ‘til we hear from Dustin.”

“You sure splitting up is a good idea?”

“I’ve stolen bigger things than a walkie before. We’ll be fine.” He planted both hands on Kat’s shoulders and lightly shook her to make her peer up into his eyes. “We will be fine,” he said, enunciating every word as best he could in his hushed tone. 

She reached up and put her hands atop his, rubbing her thumbs across them. “Okay,” she whispered, nodding along. She gave his hands a squeeze before she stepped out from under his grip. When she turned away from him, she marched forward without looking back. 

Eddie slowly made his way out of the coverage of the foliage. Silently, he crept over to a pile of discarded two by fours near a forklift. Conveniently there was a single port-a-potty only a couple yards away. From there he patiently waited for a worker to drop their tool belt on their way in. Peeking his head over to find Kat, she had vanished completely.

She charged right through the site looking for an abandoned lunch pale, just hoping some unlucky person had left it out in the open. On her way past someone looking at blueprints, she stood close to him to see his watch. It was just past 11:00 AM. 

Quickly she darted back out of the way when a worker came barreling straight for her.

“Hey Eric, I’m takin’ five.”

“You just took five,” said the man with the blueprints.

“Yeah, well, tell Milo to go easy on the onions next time,” the worker laughed. 

Really hoping he had those onions on his lunch break, she surveyed the area trying to locate anyone who seemed like they were going on break. It was then she noticed two guys sitting down, smoking a cigarette. Right beside one of them? A beautiful site for her hungry eyes:  a small personal cooler.

As she made a beeline for the two guys, Eddie slowly moved out of his hiding spot once he heard the door to the port-a-potty shut. He reached over, tongue pressed up on his top lip in concentration, and grabbed the walkie from the man’s toolbelt. His eyes quickly scanned the area for any sign of Kat. Seeing nothing and that no one was looking over in this direction he hastily made a run for it, back into the woods.

Kat marched towards the workers on their lunch break. Thinking on her feet, she knew she needed to distract them. She grabbed a few nearby small stones and hummed it at someone that was right in front of the two men smoking. When the stone made contact in the middle of someone’s back, he immediately turned around.

“Charlie, what the fuck, man?”

“What are you talking about?”

“Don’t play dumb with me, I know it was you,” he said as he began to charge forward.

“You tryin’ to start somethin’ Freddy?” The man next to the mini cooler stood up and calmly walked toward the man Kat through the rock at. The second man sprung up to try and deescalate the situation.

Kat lunged for the very unfortunate man’s cooler and bolted back towards the edge of the construction site. She only hesitated when she saw the man who talked to one with the site’s plans exit the portable bathroom. Noticing someone else make their way towards it, her heart sank. Did they have time to wait? It was risky… but then she heard, “Hey man, unless it can’t wait, I’d stay outta there for a few minutes.”

The other man rolled his eyes and retreated back to his work station. Kat made a run for it. It was now or never. 

“Damn, Milo really does need to hold the onions next time. Oh my god,” she mumbled to herself, practically gagging. Either way, she had enough time to do her business. Now she just had to make a run for it without being seen. Well, she thought she had enough time. As she turned to leave, she heard a hand on the door.

As it opened the one who apparently couldn’t wait any longer was back. Immediately upon seeing the inside of their restroom, he made a disgusted noise and the door slammed shut. 

“Jesus, fuck! Johnny blew up the fuckin’ toilet!” she heard him call out along with the sound of his retreating footsteps. 

Swiftly she slid out of the door, cooler clutched to her chest. She smiled smugly knowing that she not only could make people not see her, but she could also apparently make people see what she wanted them to see. She had conjured up the grossest thing she could imagine for the inside of that port-a-potty and judging with how quickly that construction worker ran away, it worked like a charm. 

“Who the fuck took my lunch!?” She heard a voice boom over all the machines, trucks, and hammering.

Without wasting a moment, Kat made a mad dash into the woods behind the site. She breathed a sigh of relief when she found Eddie waiting at the rock. 

“Come on, we gotta go,” she said as she ran past Eddie, grabbing his hand. Hurriedly, they dashed through the trees, not caring how much noise they made. 

Eventually, when they couldn’t keep running, they slowed to a walk, and tried to catch their breath.

“I see you got us lunch,” Eddie panted.

“Yup. Caused a fight between some guys to get it. And even used the bathroom.”

“That’s my girl,” Eddie chuckled breathily. 

“You get the walkie?” she asked, taking breaths between each word.

Eddie just nodded. He held it up to show her, giving it a little shake.

“Okay, good. Please tell me we are almost there,” she wheezed.

“Yeah, look,” Eddie said as he pointed with the hand that was still holding the walkie. 

They pushed themselves to make it up to their new homebase. Once they were under the safety of the enormous rocks, they collapsed into each other as they sat down.

“I see… why… they call it… Skull Rock…” she breathed.

Eddie nodded, his chest heaving.

“Very… metal,” Kat added. Eddie could only nod again.

A few moments went by and they finally were able to catch their breaths. Kat sighed once more, before saying, “Okay, let’s see what Charlie packed for lunch,” as she opened the lunchbox. Her eyes almost welled up from happy tears. There was a turkey sandwich that was already cut in half, a bag of chips, a small tub of potato salad, and a bag of oreos. Next to the ice pack was even a can of Mountain Dew. “Fucking jackpot!” she cried.

Kat divided the food evenly between her and Eddie. They ate silently as they devoured their food. Eddie didn’t even realize how hungry he was. Kat was doing her little happy dance when she finished her half of the sandwich and began eating the potato salad. 

“I love Charlie. I love him so much,” she said as she shoveled some bites of the salad in her mouth. “Here, finish this before I do,” she added, holding out the container to Eddie.

He wordlessly took it, all but inhaling it. Kat cracked open the soda, taking a big gulp. Of course, between how quickly she ate and the carbonation of the soda, she let out a belch that caused a nearby bird to fly away. They both watched the bird and then looked at each other before they burst out laughing.

“Jesus Christ, Ramsay! We’re hiding you know! Nothing like letting the whole forest know we’re here!” Eddie heartily laughed. Kat just buried her head into Eddie’s shoulder while her body shook from her laughing so hard, she was silent. 

“Holy shit,” she said, looking up and wiping the corners of her eyes. “I’m actually crying. Would you believe that actually scared me?” she started to giggle again.

“Abso-fucking-lutely. I know you can be loud, but goddamn,” Eddie said, his hair swaying side to side as he shook his head, still laughing.

“Okay, okay, we need to see where Dustin is,” Kat said with her voice now breathless from laughing.

“Least we had fun for a few minutes,” he sighed as he put the walkie on the frequency they agreed upon. “Dustin, can you hear me? Wheeler?” he asked, speaking into it.

“Eddie. Holy shit. Are you guys okay?” Dustin’s voice crackled over the speaker.

“Finally!” Kat cried out. Now wanting to cry again of relief hearing her favorite little twerp’s voice.

Eddie made a fist and mouthed like he was gonna say “Yes!” at the sound of his friend’s voice, but he quickly brought his hand up to rub his eyes that he had shut tightly as all of the past events came rushing back to him. “Nah, man. Pretty… pretty goodman far from okay.”

“Where are you?” Dustin questioned.

“Skull Rock. Uh, do you know it?”

“Uh, yeah. That’s near Cornwallis and…” Dustin started.

“Garrett, yeah. I know where that is,” Steve finished for him.

“Hold tight. We’re coming. We’re coming!” Dustin said.

Eddie nodded to himself, placing the walkie on the ground. He rubbed his face as he felt Kat’s arms encircle his waist. She leaned her head on his shoulder. Now that reality had slapped them both in the face, her stomach was once again in knots not knowing what was ahead of them.

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[vikingmagic33]

My birthday celebration for @headcanonheadcase is this snippet from an upcoming chapter in my new Elucien fic, The Fox and Alice… Chapter 1 was posted today on AO3, as the start to Part 3 of the In The Name Of Science Series but can be read as a stand alone.

What happens when our duo find themselves alone in the pantry and the bond is thrumming between them?!

Warning: Spoilers for my fic below the appropriate/highly inappropriate & funny (his socks) gif & NSFW

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

‘What, pray tell, is all of this?!’ Lucien attempted to stifle his chuckle as he entered the kitchen and took in the sight before him. Elain just sighed and attempted to blow a golden curl stuck to a bit of damp skin above her eye. It didn’t work and Lucien struggled to keep his smile even.

‘Chocolate tortes. The twins and I have been making them all day. They are for the delegation tomorrow.’ Lucien cocked a quizzical brow at the hard edge in her tone.

‘I see.’ He slid both hands into his trouser pockets and set about inspecting the kitchen. ‘…And where are the twins?’

‘Those two? They got called away.’ Her eyes narrowed. ‘Or more likely, the cowards ran.’

‘Hence the flour in your hair.’ Lucien nodded his understanding and gestured with a finger toward her lovely face. ‘And the grim expression.’

‘Hence.’ Elain huffed her agreement and swiped at her brow with the back of her wrist.

‘Does this mean that the lady is in need of assistance?’

‘Do you bake?’

‘I cannot say that I’ve made a habit of it, no.’ Lucien moved closer into the kitchen. ‘But I have two working hand and I promise to follow your every command. If the lady would just show me where she needs me.’ Lucien started to glance around the kitchen for an apron, but Elain’s eyes were locked on his. Her chest rose with a steadying breath. What had he said to offend her?

His mechanical eye whirled as it took in her dark eyes and short breaths. On edge, indeed.

They worked for the better part of an hour. Melting chocolate and tempering the egg and milk. Rolling dough and slicing ribbons for fluted torte tins. Their silences were perfectly companionable, but their conversations also flowed easily enough. That had become their way of late and Lucien was grateful. If only he could get his body under control, but it was nearly impossible. The bond tugged at him to touch her, to move close enough to scent her, to taste her.

‘Lady, I daresay that if you have any hope of attending the party tomorrow without chocolate somewhere on your person, you will need to start bathing immediately. You are positively covered.’

‘And how is it that you are so pristine.’

‘Perhaps I am just more careful with my hands than you are?’

‘I bet you are.’ She mumbled and then bit her own lip. Had he heard her correctly? ‘Always so careful.’

Lucien averted his gaze and his mind spiraled at the innuendo. She was not helping his control one bit. He was distracted, but not so distracted that he missed the sounds of her sneaking up on him from behind. He was ready when her sticky fingers reached for the monogrammed lapel of his custom tailored shirt. He caught both of her wrists and hauled her hands well above her crown of soft curls.

He towered over Elain. Her mischievous giggle faded as her breath caught somewhere in her elegant throat. He watched as she dragged air in through her nose and her chest began to fill. The tips of her breast dragged against the front of his shirt and his eyes rolled at the whispered touch.

The rise of her breasts visible against the pale blue fabric of her gown were flushed petal pink. He watched the color spread and breathed in her delicious scent. It filled his nose, his lungs, and every corner of his unraveling mind. It made thinking difficult. It made speaking impossible. His mechanical eye whirled to capture every detail that any other male might miss.

Elain’s eyes landed on his lips and she licked at her own hungrily. ‘Please.’ She whimpered and his resolve cracked.

If she dared to let him, he would take her right there in the kitchen for any soul to see. The bond demanded it, but Lucien’s pride bristled at the sense of urgency. This was not a stranger in the Great Rite. It was not about one night. This was his mate and he still hardly knew her. If he claimed her now, if she accepted it now, what were they to become?

‘Please, Lucien. I need…’ She tried again. ‘It won’t stop…’

He felt her pain down the bond. He felt her frustration pulse alongside his own. Noises echoed down the hall. They both turned at the sound of Feyre speaking with the twins. Their voices were growing louder as they neared the kitchen. Elain paled and he felt shame through the bond. The physical need was still there. He felt her rage at being interrupted and he almost laughed. His mind struggled with the waves of conflicting emotions. Hers and his own.

Then he was decided. Lucien hooked a muscular forearm into the small of her back and spun her body easily, letting only one wrist fall. He pushed past the elegantly patterned curtain that hid the elaborate pantry room. Casting a ward around them, he marched Elain backward until her rear reached the farthest wall.

‘I should think Feyre would be pleased by… whatever this is.’ Elain countered. He loosened his fingers, but she didn’t remove her wrist from his grip.

‘I think that depends on whatever this actually is.’ Lucien observed. Stopping short of asking.

Elain’s face held no clues and Lucien’s eyes drifted shut.

She still didn’t know what she wanted. She just needed. The bond was tormenting her, the same as him. A slight tremor laced down her legs. Her eyes locked to his and she brought to mind a deer caught nibbling the peas or taking a cold drink at a farmer’s creek. She parted her lips to speak, but he knew that she had no answers to offer him. Nor had he any to offer her. Not now. Not here in a Feyre’s pantry.

Still the mating bond charged through his veins and roared in his ears.

‘Shh!’ He ordered and she nodded eagerly. He felt relief through the bond. ‘Take Elain. Take what you need. I don’t mind.’ She moved to kiss him, but he jerked his face out of her reach. ‘Not that. You can have anything, but not that.’

‘I’m not some wilting flower, sir. I won’t fall in love after one kiss.’ She hadn’t said his name this time and he realized he longed to hear it fall from her stunning lips again. ‘I’m not even a virgin.’

He snarled and shook to clear the surge of rage that danced through his senses at her words, a lion swatting at the pesky buzzing at his ear.

‘But I might.’ Lucien breathed and she stilled. ‘Now, show me what it is that you need. What do you require?’ At his simple request, her legs fell open against him and she shifted only slightly until her core pressed onto the widest part of his thigh on pure instinct. She moved in slow tentative strokes and her eyelids fluttered and closed. Her lips parted in a small, satisfied sigh.

‘Why won’t it stop. Why won’t it leave me be. For weeks, it aches constantly.’ She sounded close to tears. Lucien’s body surged and pinned her more thoroughly against the wall of shelves. Glass jars rattled and her tiny slippered feet sought for purchase against the tile floor. Pulled flush against him, his chin rested the soft curls of her hair.

A fresh wave of her arousal hit him and he snarled down into her body.

‘Then move, Elain. Take. I’m offering you release. Take it from me or do not. It is your choice.’ Lucien leaned his body further into hers and lowered his forehead to rest against a shelf.

‘It’s this bond. It pulls at me.’

‘I know. Trust me, Elain. I know.'

‘How do you stand it?’ She blurted.

‘Who says that I can?’

It came out more harshly than he had intended, but even he heard the plain truth in his words. Her head turned sharply up toward his face and he saw both the hurt and the challenge warring there. ‘Now. If you keep chatting, this all stops.’ He vowed.

Elain had the audacity to giggle.

Her hand flew up to cover her mouth and her eyes looked to him in surprise. He grinned down at her and tisked his tongue. She’s managed to smear melted chocolate across the rise of her delicate cheek and he couldn’t remember having this much fun.

‘Take what I am offering. Or. Leave me be.’ If the lady liked commands, he would be happy to keep her well stocked.

Elain started to move in earnest against his thigh. She dipped and pressed, exploring her own pleasure as he watched. It was his turn to still against her with his breath clawing roughly in his throat. He watched every bit of movement and every inch of flushed skin. His ears savored every sigh, grunt, or moan. She was losing control against his body and he’d never felt anything more powerful or enthralling in his long life.

It terrified him.

Elain rode his thigh unto her own undoing. He felt the moment her body found what it had been apparently chasing for weeks. He felt it on his thigh and down the bond. As she stilled, Lucien lowered his head and reached for her chin. Before he could second guess the impulse, he pulled the flat roughness of his tongue from the corner of her mouth until he felt the fine hairs at her temple.

He tasted the sweet bite of chocolate ganache, but also the salt of her skin and he felt her legs flutter against the muscles of his own trembling thigh.

‘Delicious.’

‘Did we just…’

‘No, milady. Do not be confused. I have waited centuries. My mating bond will not be accepted in a pantry. It will not be accepted by accident. When a mate offers me food, I expect a whole roast pheasant. I expect potatoes, herbed and smashed and fried to a crisp. I expect tiny savory puddings, churned butter, and elderberry jam. I expect a massive spread laid out before me. Do you understand me?’

She nodded frantically and he saw the hint of a smile. Then he took his leave of her. Lucien took his leave of that pantry, of the damn River House, and anything that reminded him just how much he finally, actually wanted from this fucking life.

[cloudbattrolls]

Dear Mr. Thoughtless

Jikiro Takami & Jameth Abnale || Civitrecce || Present Night

In the wealthy high-rise apartments of Civitrecce there sat one section distinct from its fellows in their glistening silver skyscrapers; colorfully decorated and with hardly a set of stairs to be seen, instead filled with ramps and slides, miniature hovering elevators powered only by advanced electromagnetics or other high-tech sources.

Wearing suspenders and an increasingly done expression, the cobalt who owned the place laid on his back and stared at the ceiling as his tealblood companion went on about how fun watching movies with his friend Viltau was. Eventually, events forced him to interject.

“I want to hurt you so badly right now.”

Jikiro, sitting on a plush chair some feet across the room, looked at his friend with dry amusement and a hint of annoyance.

“Why, because I talk too much about it? Grow up, we can always watch something together too.”

Jamie gave a dramatic sigh, stretching out on his deep blue couch and carefully turning on his side, looking at the tealblood with mild exasperation through his glasses.

“Oh, Jikiro, this is why I like you; your endlessly lovable stupidity. No, I want to hurt you because if one of you doesn’t ask the other out soon I’m going to scream. This is just painful.”

The other businessman laughed heartily, leaning back in his own chair.

“Sure! Viltau would love to ask me out, right after he finished laughing me into the ocean. I’d love to ask him out too, it really does it for me when a guy could snap my neck with a flick of his wrists and would if the cracking sound was funny enough.”

The cobalt’s voice acquired an unusually hard tone and his heterochromic eyes glared at his old friend as he crossed his arms.

“Are you really that stupid? Regardless of anything else, your underdeveloped little brain believes he’d hurt you unless you actually crossed a line? I haven’t culled you and you’ve had way more chances to annoy the pants off me. Listen to the sound of sweet sincerity, Jiji, I am not making an innuendo.”

Jamie crossed his arms, and Jikiro grew still in the silence that stretched on for several moments after the higher blood stopped talking.

“I don’t know where all those lines are, Jamie.” He finally said. “I’d like to think I know a lot of them, but you can never be sure with him. And - ”

“Indigo!” Sang the cobalt. “Yes, yes - congratulations, your ink-blurred eyes work a smidge, you have noticed his color. Now stop judging his entire existence by it! You don’t enjoy when people tell you to get back to the courts, laddie o’lads. There is a big difference between you, who consistently entertains him, and some annoying little nobody who doesn’t have much to live for anyway.”

“What if I stop entertaining him, Jamie?” Demanded the tanuki troll, arms laid on his chair as he gripped it slightly. “Do I get gently let go? God, if I was lucky! I’d probably end up a party centerpiece instead.” He muttered.

Jamie glared at him further. “Don’t make me get up and hobble over there, you rat’s arse. I just got comfortable, but I will get my cane and do it.”

“I’ll grab your crutches for you, I’m a gentleman.” muttered the tealblood.

“So kind. So dense. Viltau will only hurt you if you hurt or deeply irritate him. Evidence? He spends time on you, you moron. Time outside of business, time that he absolutely does not have to spend - a baffling amount, really, there are infinitely more handsome faces with far more charisma out there - and he is not a man who invests time and energy for a return that isn’t good enough. Please tell me you know he’s smarter than that, or you are a total loss.”

Jikiro sighed, fiddling with his ponytail.

“Okay. That tracks.”

“He sticks the landing, ladies gents and otherwise! Who knew he had it in him when he’s shaped like a brick and about as agile?”

The cobalt threw confetti into the air during this proclamation and the teal rolled his eyes, shrugging.

“Blame Viltau, he keeps feeding me his cooking.”

Jamie sighed and wagged an accusing finger.

“You are not blaming Espino for the fact you are a hefty boy, because we both know that is pure rot.”

Jikiro grinned, got up, and stole his friend’s glasses, provoking several slaps and complaints from the cobalt.

“Have I mentioned you’re the worst lately? You really are. You are a tumor in the body of troll society and I’m going to throw you in a biohazardous waste bin where you belong.”

“Scary.” Yawned the tanuki troll, placing Jamie’s glasses back slightly crookedly on purpose. “I’m gonna have daymares when I go to bed now.”

“You’d better.”

One last poke to his nose came before the midblood retreated, laughing as he went to the room’s tv and put on a show.

[springalwayscomes]

Not even a gift

Plot: Since the moment Jungkook saw your ass he swore he never saw something that beautiful. But then you turned around, and well, that was a total different thing. The poor man couldn’t even stand beside you without embarassing himself or embarassing you, and evey time seems to get worse and worse and...worse. 

Pairing: Jungkook x Reader

Genre: Dancer AU, Fluff, Humor, Smut, One Shot

Wordcount: 30k

Content Warning: Jungkook can’t stop embarassing himself, swearing, sexual innuendo, sexual tension, awkard situations, masturbation, sexual fantasies, a lot - a lot - of fluff, Reader with stress issues, overwhelming parents, trust issues

A/N: I wrote this when I was just joining the fandom, last year for Kookie’s birthday. I remember wanting to pst this so badly but it stayed in my drafts because I wasn’t sure it was good enough and I was a little insecure about the ending. I told to myself that someday I’d rewrite a new ending and post this, but knowing myself and how I work with my writing, I know that that day will never come because even if did so, I’ll probably end up with not liking my style of writing anymore and editit all out, leave it like this or delate it. So I told myself that I’d rather prefer to publish it. cause at the end this story was incredibly funny to write - sometimes I would laugh all alone like an idiot while writing it - and to be honest I think it’s pretty good. It’s the very first fanfiction I wrote about BTS so it’s also very meaningful for me. For reasons as the ones I already mentioned I decided to not edit this, so you might find some grammatical errors, please understand that this was the first time I wrote something from scratch in english. If you’d like to read it in episodes I’m going to publish it on youtube as a series too, where you’ll be able to live the full experience of the story since there you can visualize it too, as for the story it’s exactly the same as here. Enjoy reading this one, I know you’ll have fun!

Watch the first episode on Youtube

Since the moment Jungkook saw your ass he swore he never saw something that beautiful. It wasn’t just fit and solid, it was the way you were moving it on the beat, making it look like something he’d die to touch, squeeze, hold.

That was the very first thing he noticed about you.

He couldn’t help but fantasize how you’re face would look, watching your back from the doorframe of the ballroom. He imagined you sweat, little drops forming on your forehead caused by the the movements. He tried to focus his attention on the other dancers, fixating his gaze on the girl beside you making the exact same moves as you, but something about your presence kept on calling him like you were a mermaid and he was a poor sailor.

His dark doe-eyes ended again on your body, being in the last row it was hard for him to find your reflection in the mirror, other bodies moving endlessly making him grimace. He was running out of time, the poor man got stuck in traffic on his way here, already twenty minutes late, and god knows why he stopped looking at you dancing.

He shook his head when even after the music stopped your back was still facing him, not that he minded, but he was really dying to know how your face would look like.

Someone must have been both incredibly hungry and in love with him, cause a second later, you were bending over, resting your elbows on your thighs and giving him an even more beautiful view of your ass while trying to catch your breath. 

Breath stuck in his lungs, Jungkook gulped hard, making his adam’s apple jump up and down.

The girl next to you said something that made you laugh, back invaded by the spasms of your laughter, something he couldn’t hear because of all the talking that was going on in the room. He wished he could. He imagined your voice, soft and sweet, and soon enough is mind was already wondering about your features.

Snorting and getting out of his trance, he remembered himself he had to practice. Ready to take the first step away from the ballroom which he didn’t belong to, he shook his head a second time and turned, ready to leave his thoughts about you in that room and never meet them again.

But a second song started. And this time, he recognized the beat. Holding his breath again, he faced the entrance with a speed that got him shocked by himself.

Your hips were moving again, slowly and sensually, hands drawing abstract shapes in the air, hair attached to your skin. Your sweat shorts were doing nothing to hide your skin from his dark eyes, all he could think about was the way it seemed to shine under the lights of the room and the way your sweat would make it look even more glowing.

He hissed through his teeth, trying to push away the though of his hands against your skin, the way he’d like to trace your thighs with his fingers, leave pecks against your body and mark your hips with his lips. He brought his gaze back on your ass, sinful eyes burning against your skin and jaw clenching, Jungkook licked his lips and watched you arch your back before bringing your left leg to your head, holding it with your hands as you tiptoed your right foot.

«How long have you been here?»

He literally jumped, locking his gaze with whoever gave him a heart attack. Standing beside him, looking at him with his eyebrows furrowed and his eyes wide were Yoongi.

«I-»

«You know this is the wrong room, right?» he looked at him with a blank expression, trying to understand what Jungkook was actually doing standing at the doorframe of a different studio, without even caring about the fact he should be practicing with him and the others.

«I know, I was just... looking around.» he managed to let out, before taking a deep breath and stepping towards Yoongi.

The moment he realized he was rocking a half-hard just by his previous sight, he clenched his jaw and gulped again. If Yoongi had already noticed his situation then he wouldn’t know cause his face was no longer on him, neck turned to peek into the room that stole the maknae’s attention before. The youngest one used that moment to bring his bag in front of him, and then headed to their dance class trying not to draw too much attention.

That was the first time he saw you.

Jungkook dropped his bag to the ground as soon as he entered his bedroom, removing his sneakers and his socks he headed to his bathroom in a matter of seconds, begging to feel the cold drops of water wash away all the sweat on his skin and the heat of his body, even though the last one wasn’t because of the workout.

His cock was aching, so damn hard and throbbing against his sweat pants.

He wished they finished their practice just a few seconds sooner. Dancing was a pain in the ass today, all he wanted to do was head back to your doorframe and peek at you, loose his gaze on your body, trying to steal a glance of your face.

But still, it didn’t happen. He couldn’t help but think about how’d you look during the three hours of rehearsals, he thought about it so much that now he had a clear image of you in his mind. And it was pretty platonic, almost inaccessible.

He removed his shirt and his pants, letting them fall on the ground, and then turned on the water, already hooking his fingers under the elastic band of his boxers. He was so hard that it ached.

Jungkook took a deep breath and palmed himself through the material, immediately hissing at the touch. Deciding it was not enough he let the cloth slowly fall to the ground, creating a wall around his ankles that he surpassed in a second getting in the shower.

He didn’t waste time on lathering, he just shut the glass door and closed his eyes while bringing his hand to his shaft. The fingertip of his thumb collected the precum leaking out of his slit, moving over his head and making him clench his jaw shut, breath already uneven.

He though about the way you moved your hips, he’d like to hold them tight and down on the bed while fucking into you. He’d take such a good care of you. He’d fuck you so good, making you whimper and moan every time he’d hit your g-spot, he’d squeeze your ass in his big hands, leaving marks as a reminder of his touch. He’d kiss your skin, he’d kiss your neck and he wouldn’t even mind tasting the sweat caused by your rehearsals today, but in his mind, that’d be caused by what you two are doing.

Jungkook groaned and stroked himself, bringing his hand now to his base and tightening his grip around his girth. Throbbing, pulsating cock begging to release all his seed.

His movements were firm and clear, his fist moving so fast that his wrist was hurting, head falling back, mouth agape and eyebrows knitted together. The sound of his movements blended with the clatter of the water, his shoulders raising from time to time because of the heavy breathing, hips bucking against his hand. He wished it was you, the only part he’d seen of you, he desperately wished he was fucking your ass, so, so hard he’d make you whine and cry in pleasure. He imagined the sounds you’d made, and even though he didn’t even know how your voice sounded or how you looked, he already knew that it’d be his new favorite sound.

«Fuck» he groaned, fucking his cock in his hand even harder, moving his hips and meeting his hand halfway. He bit his lower lip, flesh aching and almost bleeding under his teeth, bringing his free hand to his heavy balls and massaging them. His pace fastened even more if it’s possible, his hips were snapping so hard into his hand picturing your ass in its place, he was so close he could taste it. He pictured your body bent over his bed, taking him so nicely, moaning out loud and clenching around his greedy cock, so needy and so damn wet for him.

«God, fuck» he growled, shoving fast into his hand. He wished he knew your face, he’d like to picture you taking his big cock in your lips. He already know they’d look so damn beautiful around his girth, gagging and drooling for him, he’d hold your head still and fuck himself into your pretty lips so good, letting you eat all of his seed.

That, that was what brung him to his apex. Abs contracting and rough breath, muscles tightening and eyes squinting, lips open letting out low groans.

«Fucking hell»

Hot white spatters stained his hand and chest as he rode his orgasm, keep shoving himself into his hand. The water washed away his seed, it disappeared so fast he didn’t even see it, and when he opened his eyes he took some time to catch his breath leaning against the wall behind him.

His mind went blank, for just a little. He couldn’t think of anything else than the idyllic orgasm he just had, just the thought of it made his cheeks flash red.

Then, the thoughts hit him. He didn’t even know your name, and here he was, masturbating over you. He was going to change that.

The second time Jungkook saw you he did  not rush out of his house thirty minutes earlier than he was supposed to. He couldn’t help but ask to himself what was going on with him, he certainly knew he never felt the need to see someone he didn’t even know. God, you didn’t even noticed him. Standing at the doorframe of your rehearsals room, looking at you move your body in such a charming way he swore he never see someone dance like that. Why were you in the last row? You deserved to be in the first one, that wasn’t fair. But, in that way he couldn’t see you, so he stored the information at the back of his mind. When you stopped your movements and you suddenly disappeared into the crowd, he again remembered to himself that he didn’t even know what he was doing.

Come on, was he really going to stand there for about other ten minutes and watch  you dance without doing nothing? He desperately wanted to know how your face looked, by now he could say he had a perfect picture of you in his head. And if he was right, you were probably the best thing he ever seen. 

Just the thought made him lick his lips, taking a deep nervous breath. He needed to talk to you. But what would he say? “Hi, I’ve been watching you dance”? Ew, definitely no. He tried to come up with other possibilities but his mind was totally blank, panic making his way through his thoughts and taking every part of him, leaving him only with sweaty hands and an adam’s apple gulping in his throat.

«Jungkook»

A voice made him turn, his gaze suddenly traveled to his right side.

«Oh, hey» he blurted out, Taehyung was staring at him with an arched eyebrow and inquisitive eyes.

«What were you doing?» the oldest one got closer, his hands in his pockets and a slight smile forming on his lips. Jungkook shook his head.

«Mh- I- waiting» he stuttered. His friend knitted his eyebrows looking at him for just a few seconds, then his gaze met the ballroom in front of them, where Jungkook’s was again scanning bodies, trying to find yours.

«Are you looking for someone?» Teahyung asked, receiving just a shake with his head from the youngest. But he knew better than that, he knew Jungkook well, maybe too much, he couldn’t even try to hide something from him.

When his eyes finally found you again, Teahyung knew it was you, he could just tell by the way he opened his lips, forming a little “oh”, his eyes never leaving your body.

«So you were waiting, uh?» he scoffed.

«Yes?» the maknae wanted to punch himself in the face, that was not supposed to come out as a question.

«Do you know her name?» Taehyung asked. He turned away in the blink of an eye, staring at him with wide eyes. It took him a few seconds to understand he’s been caught, but eventually he decided to just sigh and shake his head again. «Well, I know it» he shrugged like he had just said nothing. Jungkook looked at him with an unreadable expression, trying to understand if what he just heard was real or if he just imagined it. He studied Taehyung’s face like he was some kind of poem, carefully and thoughtfully, wisely looking for a hint to tell him he was just playing with him, but he really seemed serious.

«I can introduce her to you?» he turned to look at him, the youngest was playing with his fingers, eyes staring at the floor, all of his confidence seemed to fade away.

«Why?» he asked.

«What do you mean why?» Taehyung almost laughed at the maknae’s words, and he almost felt guilty. Almost.

«I- I don’t know...» he sighed. Why was he even acting like this? He wanted to talk to you, desperately wanted to know how your face looked like, his imagination was sending him crazy. How did he even ended up like this? He just saw you dance and his mind wasn’t his anymore, constantly wondering about your face. There was just something about you that was making him insanely curious.

«Oh, come on!» unexpectedly, the hyung grabbed him by his arm, making him almost loose his balance while dragging him into the room, taking big steps towards you. No one seemed to notice what was happening externally or inside of Jungkook, heart beating a mad pace, slippy hands like he just dipped them in the water, mind shocked and freaking out attempting to find anything, literally anything that could’ve helped him. Anything would’ve been good, anything for saving him from who knows what his mind was thinking, neither he could understand himself. He never felt more afraid to speak to someone in his life, he swore. Why was he even freaking out? He couldn’t find an answer in those few seconds that divided you from him, and he ended up behind you sooner than he realized. His body instantly tensed.

Teahyung, like the amazing friend he was, tapped your right shoulder, making sure to keep his grip tight on Jungkook’s arm, afraid he would’ve run away at the first opportunity. And he would’ve.

«Yes?» turning, you met the hyung gaze, two deep dark eyes staring at you, breath held in his throat. Damn, you were beautiful.

Oh, God.

That was the first thought that passed Jungkook’s mind when he finally saw your face, all of his fantasies immediately falling to the ground, breaking into a million pieces. He didn’t even know someone that beautiful could exist. His eyes staring at your face like some kind of piece of art. He definitely did not expect you to look like this, he did not see it coming. He thought you were beautiful, but God, not like this.

«Bye» that was the first and last word Taehyung blurted out, finally releasing Jungkook’s arm. Then, he simply walked away, like he did not just leave you two alone, like nothing. You raised your eyebrows, stunned by what just happened looking at the man head to the door and then simply disappear in the hallway. When you realized you were left with someone you couldn’t help but feel uncomfortable, shifting your gaze from the corridor to the man in front of you.

In that moment, Jungkook’s heart started beating even faster, if that was possible. His dark doe-eyes stared into yours for a few moments, not even blinking, mouth agape and breath caught in his throat. He looked like he just saw something... something really-

«Am I that ugly?» you blurted out.

When he realized you were actually talking to him, he felt the need to hide, run away, he wanted the earth to open under his feet and engulf him in. His cheeks flashed red, eyes finally starting to blink.

«No I-» his throat was dry, so he swallowed hard and tried to get a little bit of his nerve back.

«I-I just didn’t expect you to be like t-this»

What? Now he really wanted to hide, what the hell was he thinking? Nothing, his mind was totally blank. He didn’t even remember how to create an actually real sentence.

«Sorry?» you asked. Only then, he realized how your voice sounded, definitely lower than he thought. And he loved it.

«Uh- Oh God. I’m sorry»

And that was it, the end of your first conversation. Jungkook looked at your face for just a second more, than his legs did the job for him, he wasn’t even thinking straight, mind totally blown away and panic invading every rational part of him. He simply turned and started running away, disappearing in the hallway just like his friend did a matter of seconds before.

You grimaced, left standing in the rehearsals room, eyes following his tall and muscled figure until you were left with nothing but confusion.

What had just happened?

That was the second time Jungkook saw you.

He was drawing again, eyes fixated on the sheet in front of him, colors over colors over colors, sketches and shapes that apparently didn’t have any meaning. It was just a mess, overlapped lines with circles and circles with blurred shapes that he didn’t even know could exist.

He was desperately trying to take his mind off of what he had done, but it didn’t seem to work.

Probably, he was just taking everything too much to heart, and he knew that. He knew he was making a big deal of something stupid but he couldn’t help the way he was feeling.

Why did he have to act like that? Why did he walk away in that way? You possibly thought he was just some jerk playing around, and only that thought made him clench his jaw. But that was his last problem. Not only he did made you think he was an idiot, but he made you feel uncomfortable without even trying. The words you said and the sound of your voice kept on echoing in his mind like one of those stupid songs you can’t seem to send away.

Were you joking? Probably? Did he really made you think he was looking at you in that way cause you were ugly? God, you were way too far from that for him.

And above all of that, why did he even say something like that?

“I didn’t expect you to be like this”, God, what was he thinking about? And what did you think of that stupid sentence? Jungkook let out a low groan, the thoughts invading his head were making it impossible to focus on the drawing.

What the hell did Taehyung do? He said he was going introduce you to him, why did he left like that?

When Jungkook entered their rehearsal room the hyung simply smiled at him and winked in his way, like he had just made some kind of magic happen between you too. Well, it didn’t happen. Everything was just a fucking mess, and the biggest thing heaving on Jungkook’s shoulders was that that was the first time you ever saw him, the first impression you had about him. Now it was gonna be three times harder for him to even talk to you, let alone make a move on you. Jungkook didn’t even answer Tae’s wink, only wanting to end the rehearsals already and go straight home to drown into sleep. But it was late, and he certainly wasn’t sleeping.

Jungkook huffed letting his pencil hit the wooden table.

Was he going to try to change what happened or was he going to leave everything like that? Sure as hell, he wanted to know you. But he just couldn’t help himself, he never felt more frightened in his life to talk to a girl as now, and that feeling made him feel helplessly under pressure. What was he even going to say if every time he opened his mouth, all that was coming out were awkward words? Your face added to the sound of your voice made him look like a poor moron, and he knew deep inside of him that that was your effect on him. It was going to happen again, he knew it. He needed to find a way to not ridicule himself and not make you uncomfortable every time he opened his mouth.

«What?» Yoongi’s eyes have never been wider than now looking at Jungkook. Now, the maknae was desperately looking for advices, and he knew that Jimin and Yoongi were the right persons for this kind of situation.

«You really did that?» Jimin let his mouth hang open, eyebrows raised.

«Yes» Jungkook sighed «I don’t know what’s wrong with me, God.» Yoongi and Jimin looked at each other, both of their expressions stuttered by what the youngest had just told them. «How can I fix this? I mean I-»

«First, stop dwelling.» Yoongi interrupted his endless rambling, firm tone and eyes pointing directly in his. Jimin nodded. «You’re thinking too much. I mean, do you even think she noticed all of this? Are there any chances she probably already forgot your face?» his words made the maknae feel better for just a bunch of seconds. Maybe you already forgot him. It was a good thing, right?

«You think so?» why did he sound disappointed? Yoongi raised his eyebrows and nodded.

«And if she remembers you, all you need to do is go and talk to her, you can fix this Kookie» Jimin smiled at his friend.

«And say what?» his voice came out louder than he thought, almost breaking in the middle. He was just not that positive. He messed up, and there was something inside him telling him that that was not goin to be the last time.

«Anything?» Jimin made it seem so simple «I mean, anything is better than what you said» he added. Jungkook shook his head. «Sitting here is not gonna fix this» he said again, then taking a sip from his hot coffee.

«I can’t-» his voice suddenly stopped working, his throat holding the words in. His eyes shifted from the wall he was staring to to you, walking into the cafe on your high heels, jeans sticking to your legs like they were handmade just for you, a little bit of messy hair because of the wind running through the streets of the city, hanging from your shoulders. Eyes moving into the cafe like you were desperately looking for something, maybe someone.

«What? It’s her?» Jimin whispered, slightly stretching on the table to get the maknae’s attention. Yoongi simply avoided asking, he knew he wasn’t going to get any answer. So he just turned around looking for your figure in the crowded little shop. When he finally found you, he knew it was you. He had already saw you the other day, and he saw Jungkook’s pants too, but he kept it to himself.

Smirking, he stood up, eventually bringing back Jungkook from his own world. He watched his friend take long steps and cross the room, and his hands started to sweat again, even more than the day before. Yoongi surpassed you just a step before you were in line for the bar, almost making you step on him.

Rude.

Jungkook could already feel himself going crazy, him and Jimin staring at the scene in silence dying to know what Yoongi had in mind. He saw you stretch over his shoulder trying to take a look at the pastry, in the meantime Yoongi stepped towards when another client left the line. Time seemed to slow down for how much it was taking for every single client to order, Jungkook’s agitation growing bigger every second.

When Yoongi’s turn arrived he still couldn’t understand what was going to happen, watching him through the crowd and shifting his gaze from him to you from time to time was definitely not working. He caught Yoongi talking to the employee and a second later he was paying and turning around with who the hell knows what in his big paper cup. Keeping his eyes on the floor and faking distraction, he stepped on your foot and when he raised his head all he did was giving you a shocked look.

Then he did it, making the maknae line wide their eyes like they were four lighthouses, Jungkook literally hold his breath for what it seemed to be like years. His drink was on your clothes, soaking you, your drenched black shirt dripping on the floor. Your face shattered when you realized you were actually soggy, Yoongi gave you an apologetic smile and then he walked out of the cafe as if nothing had just happened. He really hoped Jungkook would understand it was his turn. Well, again, he didn’t. He just stared at you, your face still in shock and your moth forming the shape of an “o”, people surpassing you on the line without even glancing at you. Jimin shook him awake from his trance making him grimace and pushing him from his chair.

«Go, go, go!» he silently screamed moving his hands in the air. “Oh, lord” was all he could think while looking at you standing still and a scared Jungkook walking uncertain.

You stepped to the side when you noticed people kept on surpassing you giving you upset looks since you wouldn’t move from the line, it only took you a few steps to the side to rush into someone. Your shoulder hit his chest and you couldn’t help but roll your eyes. It was just not your day.

«I- I’m sorry?» the voice came from beside you, the man standing still against your right shoulder without even moving. What was supposed to be a statement came out as a question and Jungkook wanted to punch himself again. You had to back away to create a little bit of distance before lifting your gaze to him.

When you saw him, it took you nothing to remember him.

«You? Again?» you couldn’t help but roll your eyes. You were not this rude usually, you just weren’t that type. But today definitely wasn’t your day. First, someone surpassed you, you just said nothing because you weren’t the type to argue for something so stupid, you even justified him thinking maybe he didn’t notice you. Then he spilled his tea on you, and without even helping you he just ran off as if nothing had happened. Now, him. Was this some kind of joke?

Jungkook couldn’t help but frown at your words, silently and slowly making their way through his body until they reached his intestine and tangled every part of his guts together.

«I- I’m sorry?» he said again. What? You locked eyes with him, cocking a brow at him.

«What are you even sorry for?» you sighed, bending over the table in front of you and grabbing a tissue from the plastic container. He brought his gaze to his friend, eyes still wide and throat completely dried. Jimin showed him a thumb up and suddenly shifted his gaze, in a second he turned around with his cheeks now red. When Jungkook turned again he hissed through his teeth, you did not just caught them and you weren’t staring at him with an even more confused look.

«I- I can buy you some coffee?» he blurted out, his voice cracking in the middle of the question making it almost seem like a prayer. Your lips formed an “o” again, suddenly looking down at your clothes and rushing to clean them with that little tissue. You were just thankful it wasn’t hot, whatever thing it was. Jungkook stood there still like a rock, scared of moving and making everything even worse.

«No, but thank you.» you sighed at the sight of your drenched black shirt, drops on your jeans. What were you going to do now? You had to go to work in thirty minutes, you didn’t have time to go back home and change into something else, your boss was already going crazy with all the work he had to, his reaction at your delay wasn’t something you wanted to experience.

«Please?» Jungkook’s voice seemed to light something in you, lifting your eyes and locking them again with his. That was the moment you really noticed his beauty. And he was just that beautiful. In the meantime, he was really trying not to break out and scream, his tongue was just moving by itself. His mind was totally blank and his hands were so sweaty that they would probably as wet as the shirt you were wearing.

«I don’t have time for coffee now, but thank you.» you declined again, trying to bring a smile on your lips but failing. You sighed and turned, making your way out of the cafe in a matter of seconds. Jungkook stood there with his eyes still wide, watching you walk away and trying to catch just that little bit of air enough to make him survive. It was only when Jimin’s face appeared in front of him that he seemed to realize you weren’t there anymore, and in a second his legs made the work for him again, running out of the cafe like a mad man. What was he even doing? What the hell?

Jimin followed him rolling his eyes, all his hopes that his friend had made it hitting the ground. He had never seen Jungkook like that, not even when he dated that girl he had a crush on for a year. Jungkook had always been charming, he never had that much problems with a girl, there had been times he was more shy, but he had always found a way of breaking his barriers.

This time there was just something different.

When he saw you on the sidewalk his legs fastened even more and he only stopped when he was behind you, quickly grabbing at your wrist and turning you around in an abrupt yank that got Jimin to stuck on place and grimace. He even heard you squint from where he was, and he certainly didn’t miss the smack of your hand on his face once you turned and faced him.

Jungkook’s face heated up, suddenly loosening his grip on your skin and blinking a few times, staring into your eyes, his features unreadable. Silence suddenly seemed to fill the crowded street while you two looked at each other, your face looking regretful the second you realized it was him and not someone who was trying to steal your purse or rape you during full day.

Jungkook was at a loss of words, and when he realized now he had to say something, he panicked again.

«I’m sorry?» that was not happening again, he wanted to scream.

«You’re sorry?» you erupted like a volcano, your arm still in the air even thought his grip was no longer on it. Jungkook’s head slowly shook up and down, gulping harshly.

«What are you sorry for?» your question made him knit his eyebrows. Was it really so hard for him to form a real sentence? The answer was yes. His brain just didn’t seem to work.

«About the coffe?» now, he really wanted to scream and tear his hair out.

He had just scared you and hurt you and all he managed to say was “about the coffee”? What was that even supposed to mean?

«The coffee?» you narrowed your eyes at him, he brung his hand to the back of his neck scratching it.

«The drink?» he said again. For god sake.

«Uh?» you just couldn’t understand. What was he even trying to do? He was sorry? Everything was just so confusing, and if last night you thought just a little bit about what happened yesterday with him, you were sure this was going to be in your head for the rest of the day.

«The drink Yoongi spilled on you?» why was every single one of his sentences a question?

«Who is Yoongi?» you whined without even thinking, but then you grasped it. The rude man was someone he knew. Was something wrong with his friends? First that one yesterday, now this Yoongi.

«Yoongi is-» Jungkook seemed to realize what he had just done and he stopped talking, letting out a tremulous breath. He just told you he knew the man who basically ruined your day. Great job.

«So, are your friends all like this?» you didn’t even know what you were doing, but the stress was just too much to handle at that moment. The man stared at you again, eyes shifting to every feature of your face.

«Uh? Wha- what?» he babbled. Jungkook was loosing it. And Jimin could see it from a block away. He wished he could do something to help him, anything to save the situation, but he just couldn’t. What would he even say, anyway? “Sorry, he just likes you so much that he doesn’t even remember how a normal human acts”? That wasn’t going to work.

«Are you friend with this Yoongi?» you asked. Jungkook nodded slowly, almost uncertain of what he was doing.

«And the one from yesterday was also your friend?» you asked again. This time he frowned, making you narrow your eyes.

«Taehyung?» he wondered, confusion blinking in his eyes.

«I don’t know, maybe? Was it his name? The one that poked me and ran away?» you sighed.

«But he- Oh. I can’t-» Reality hit him, and he had to take a deep breath to stop his dwelling.

«What?»

«I’m- I’m sorry?» there he was again. Was he kidding you? Just when he seemed to know other words, they were there again.

«You already said it, even though it doesn’t seem like you are.» you were really going crazy. Late for work, drenched, without your breakfast and with a charming guy talking nonsense in front of you.

«I am» his voice came out louder than expected, making you unconsciously squint and ward off a little bit.

«Well, thank you, I guess?» you glanced at the sidewalk, then again bringing your gaze to his face. The way the light of the sun hit his eyes made yours stare deep into them, the black pupils and irises almost fading with each other, the little sparkles of the light reflecting in them made them seem like one of the darkest nights, but with the brightest stars you’ve ever seen.

Your mouth ran dry when your gaze met his lips, a soft glow making them look even more captivating, you wondered if he was wearing a lip balm, a part of your mind wondering how it’d taste.

«I’m gonna be late for work» you mumbled. Jungkook shook his head.

«Okay» What? Are you serious, Jungkook? Okay? He visually grimaced at his own words, and for god knows why the corners of your lips raised up just the slightest at his awkwardness.

«I should go now» you gave him a little gentle smile and then turned, finally heading to your car. You had just taken a few steps on the sidewalk across the street when you turned away and realized he was standing still, eyes still fixated on you, but he wasn’t alone anymore. Maybe a friend of his? You hoped he wouldn’t hit you in the head, given the others. You crossed the street again, walking back towards the man and glancing at the ground feeling your cheeks reddening under his sight. 

You stopped a few steps away from him, raising your head and finally facing him. «I’m sorry too» you said, slightly smiling. «You know, for the slap» his lips formed an “o” but he quickly managed to smile, for the first time. And lord, what a smile he had. You swore you never saw something that beautiful. Your breath got stuck in your throat, heart madly beating in your chest, threatening to come out. And you didn’t even noticed, but your smile became a real one, wide and shining with its own light and reaching your eyes. Jungkook’s heart skipped a few beats just at the sight, his legs shaking under his body and a sudden feeling of warmth invading his chest, it was like his guts were back in place.

A drop of rain hit your forehead and in that moment you realized you really had to go, rain wasn’t something you could deal with now, not with your already soaked shirt and your delay. So you just turned again and walked away.

That was the first time you and Jungkook actually spoke to each other, kind of, I guess you could say.

«Didn’t you two talk?» Yoongi asked running a hand in his blonde locks. There they were again, but this time, thankfully Jungkook would say, they were in his house. He really didn’t know how to handle another one of his friends’ mishaps in your presence, not that he would’ve met you anyway, but here he felt more comfortable. It was normal for them to meet at someone’s place on a Friday night, it’s something they’ve always been doing for a long time that now it was like a tradition. Every Friday they would met and talk, even though they’ve been seeing each other almost every day. And now, it was no difference. Or maybe just one. You. Jungkook wasn’t talking about how much he was excited to perform or how much he loved the new choreography, he was talking about how embarrassing that moment was. Wait, those moments. Thanks to Taehyung, Yoongi and himself, now he had collected a few moments that really made everything seem awkward.

«We did but...» he groaned «Why did you have to spill your drink on her?»

«For you to go help her?» Yoongi made it seem so simple.

«How could I have helped her with her soaked shirt? She had to go to work and you ruined her morning. And if it wasn’t enough now she knows I know you! And you!» Jungkook’s voice cracked in the middle while pointing his accusing index finger towards Yoongi and Taehyung.

«What? How?» Yoongi couldn’t believe his ears. He gave him a chance and he let it slip through his hands like it was a cool chunk of ice.

«He told her» Jimin got in the conversation briefly glancing at his youngest friend. Jungkook was really going crazy.

«And? What’s the end? Tell me you got her number?» Jin rested his forearms on his knees, waiting for an answer that just wasn’t meant to come out.

«You don’t even know her name, do you?» the maknae brung is gaze to Taehyung, his dark eyes almost seemed to surrender in front of all the mess of the situation. The friend sighed, guilt already invading his throat. When he pushed Jungkook in that situation, he thought he was gonna handle it, to him he just needed a little bit of motivation. He didn’t think it would’ve ended like this. He shook his head.

«Great.» Jungkook stood up, unreadable features and body tense.

«But at the end it was good, she smiled at you» Jimin helplessly tried to bring back a little bit of positivity.

«Yes, after I made everything uncomfortable and awkward. How am I even supposed to make a move after what happened? First Teahyung, then Yoongi. Then me!» he bursted out. «The first time was already hideous, but this? I hurt her, let her know that basically all my friends are weird and when she said “I’m gonna be late for work” my answer was “okay”. Who am I even kidding? I-»

«Oh, come on!» Joonie decided to open his mouth, his loud tone made Jungkook shut up, everyone now looking at him. «This is all in your head, Kookie. Stop it. You need to take a deep breath and face this in a different way. Clearly, shutting your mind off and letting your body do the work it’s not what you need.» he raised his eyebrows at him. Jungkook had started pacing, he really wanted to fix things, but every time it seemed to get worse and worse and worse and... worse.

«It’s so frustrating, I swear! It never happened to me, never. I can’t control it, my brain just doesn’t work when I’m with her» he groaned locking his dark locks in his fist and pulling a little.

«Oh, cheesy» Hobi wrinkled his nose receiving in exchange a death stare from Jungkook.

«So you don’t even know her name?» Jin seemed to realize his words only now, eyes wide and moth hanging open. Jungkook clenched his jaw before letting his body falling to the couch. Not even the soft material of the cushions seemed to make him feel better, not even the slightest.

«I don’t know her name» he answered, saying those words more to himself than to his hyung. All of this seemed so stupid.

«Then start from it. Give to this beautiful woman a beautiful name, you can’t keep rambling about someone for about an hour without even knowing their name.» Namjoon’s tone was firm, making its way through the maknae’s ears, his words seemed like playing with him. He was right, he didn’t even knew your name, how the hell was that possible? He had the biggest crush and didn’t know the basics.

What Jungkook didn’t know and never could imagine was that you were thinking about him in the same moment as he was talking about you to his friends. What happened that morning was still replaying in your mind like a short film, from the moment that Yoongi spilled what you figured out was tea on your clothes to the moment you headed to your car. There was something about that awkward meeting that you just couldn’t seem to shake off. That man was so awkward and charming at the same time that the match sounded both weird and interesting.

Still, you couldn’t hide your annoyance towards him that morning. You couldn’t quite discern if he was just playing with you or if there was a meaning behind his actions and words, I mean, he apologized for his friend so much but he didn’t really act different than him, he yanked you. And apparently without any meaning. He already apologized for Yoongi before, so why follow someone you don’t even know to do it again?

Remembering your slap against his cheek you unconsciously squint your eyes, drowning in the dark. You really wouldn’t have punched him if you knew it was him, but the moment you felt someone’s touch against your skin you panicked. Not that he didn’t deserve it, well, actually he didn’t, but you don’t usually punch people like that, you really thought someone wanted to steal your purse or rape you, You puffed.

You just wished to not bump into him or his friends again, or at least to not be the main character of their misfortunes again.

Summer was finally coming to an end, and with the end of a season comes the beginning of a new wardrobe, at least for you. You already had clothes for the imminent autumn but with all the money you had saved you could squander a little bit and reward yourself, you worked hard and didn’t even leave for the holidays this year, sad but true. So now you were lowly humming in the street without even realizing it, the music invading all of your senses, the melody taking control of your body like it was made of a thin sheet of glass that could be broken anytime with the slightest pressure.

You entered the shop and removed an earphone, slowly making your way through the crowd and getting ready to buy something as a reward for all of your sacrifices. The sight of the soft fabric of a white dress made your eyes sparkle and your feet started moving towards the mannequin like they were apart from your body, bringing your hand to the cloth you touched the smooth material.

There was no way you were not buying it.

The shape seemed perfect for your body, you could already see yourself wearing it so you were quick to cross the room, ready to grab your hanger. Apparently, not quick enough, but you didn’t notice right away.

Looking through the dresses for your size made you frown, everyone of them either too big or too small. You were almost giving up when your gaze met the tag you were looking for, eyes widening and happiness already creeping up in your body.

Then, a hand came in the way. You watched it grab the crutch, dark ink marking the light golden skin, long fingers closing around the hook. Your breath got stuck in your throat and you really felt all your hopes falling to the ground now. Sure you were not gonna argue with whoever just took away your dream dress, you didn’t even have the right to do it, you should have been quicker before rather than staring at it with dreamy eyes. You were already starting to turn and look for something else with a knot in your throat but you couldn’t help your eyes and followed the arm of the stranger, the skin almost glowing under the light of the shop. You met two broad shoulders, the cleavage of the light shirt he was wearing showing his collar bones and making your fingers tingle at the sight, but if you knew who was waiting for you at the end of that neck you would have already ran away.

The previous night after his friends left Jungkook had spent at least three hours trying to find a way to make a third impression on you, if that was possible, this time preferably good, and he figured out nothing. Eventually he felt asleep all tensed and annoyed, remembering the next morning he had to buy something for Namjoon’s birthday coming in exactly two weeks.

When he woke up today and headed to the shop three blocks away from his house he did not expect to find you there. From the moment he saw you at least a hundred of different emotions had run through his body, starting from worship and ending up with panic, but this time his mind didn’t switch off, or maybe not at all. Listlessly choosing something for Namjoon, Jungkook came up with a plan, and it was apparently clear: buy you a dress and give it to you as both a present and an apology for everything that happened the day before, from Yoongi’s drink on you to the way he kept on making things awkward, and maybe finally ask you out.

So when he saw you staring at that dress with dreamy eyes he instantly walked towards its reproductions, sure as hell that now he had something to work with in his hands. But it was only when you approached the same counter as him that he realized he didn’t have any clue about your clothing size. I mean, he could have guessed it, but it wouldn’t have been the same. He was supposed to ask you and tell you something like “let me offer this to you for making up for yesterday’s mess” and “would you like to hang out sometimes?” but when he tried to speak his voice got stuck in his throat, his hands badly sweating. So he tried to understand what you were looking for, careful not to get caught, and possibly keeping it in mind for buying you something else, and it all worked until he saw your eyes full of that joyful light again. In that moment, his heart skipped a beat as he understood you had found what you wanted.

As I said, this time his brain didn’t stop working, he knew he couldn’t grab the dress practically from your hands, that would’ve been the worst third impression of all times. He just needed to remember the measures printed on that little tag and look for something else. He knew but his hands moved by themselves and Jungkook felt himself stiffening again.

When you locked eyes with him you couldn’t help but snort. What was going on with the universe? You were sure you didn’t do anything that bad to deserve this. And why was he involved in all of your misadventures? Him, him, him, him and him again, couldn’t at least the gods send someone else once in a while to punish you? The fact that it was him made the knot in your throat grow even bigger and you instantly felt a flame of anger burning in your chest. If he was someone else you would’ve probably let go, but not with him and not when he was holding the dress you wanted to buy after long days and late nights of work, stress and a little bit of panic too.

So you did the first thing that came to your mind, you grabbed at the hanger he was holding in his other hand and immediately walked away leaving him with his mouth agape and his gaze digging holes in your body.

You turned the corner and went straight to the changing room, desperately trying to keep yourself from bursting out in the middle of the shop. You closed the curtain behind you and finally took a look at what you were holding. A men’s hoodie. You were going to buy it, wether you liked it or not. Not a big deal, you already had men’s clothes in your wardrobe, right?

Taking a deep breath you sat on the little couch in the fitting room, you were really starting to think he was playing with you. That had to be it. He was just enjoying himself, having fun with making you feel like an idiot. Unintentionally, some tears streamed down you cheeks, all the accumulated stress from work and from the rehearsals you were having almost every day, all the sleepless nights you had in the last three months trying to save money, some days even working your ass off until the first lights of the morning would appear, all the times you felt like you didn’t belong; everything was coming out in the shape of little drops. You hadn’t been crying for a long time and stopping now seemed like light years away, so you got up and went out of the dressing room heading to the checkout without even glancing around.

Jungkook was still in the same place you had left him, and when he saw your cheeks sparkling just in time before you could wipe the tears away he knew it wasn’t because of the sweat this time. His heart broke, features screaming nothing but regret. If only you had turned around you would have seen it even from there.

But instead, you paid your new hoodie and went out, ready to burst out once again you’d be surrounded by the safe walls of your apartment.

«God, I can’t believe it» Jungkook groaned again for about the tenth time since the beginning of the phone call.

Jimin and Namjoon had been meticulously chosen for today’s vent, and this time he was sure he had something real to ramble on about, it wasn’t all in his head anymore. He had made you cry.

«It was the worst third impression of all times! My plan was good, damn, why do I have to be like this around her? Every single time, it happens every damn time» he hissed through his teeth. On the other line, Jimin was staring at his white ceiling with his eyebrows furrowed and his lips pursed, trying to help his friend as best as he could, but he knew there was nothing he could do. Jungkook had to fix this, again. And Namjoon felt the same way as he took a sip of his coffee, his hair still messy from the long sleep he had just awakened from.

«I know you don’t need to hear it, but you’re the worst suitor on earth» he blurted out rubbing his face with his hands. «How can you expect to be more to her than an awkward weirdo if you can’t even talk or act normally in her presence? At least did you get her name?» Namjoon knew his words were doing nothing but emphasizing the horrible situation but he just couldn’t contain himself anymore. Jungkook didn’t need to be pitied, it would have led him nowhere. The maknae grunted in frustration. That was the only answer Joonie needed.

«Stop everything you’re doing» his words made Jungkook frown.

«What?»

«I said stop everything you’re doing» he repeated again, then taking another sip from his coffee. The youngest stared at the screen in disbelief.

«I am doing nothing!» his high-pitched tone made Jimin squint his eyes.

«Okay, then come to my place for lunch and bring that freaking dress with you» he ordered, now getting up and putting his mug in the sink.

«Can I-»

«Yes, Jimin, no need to ask» the hyung interrupted his friend already expecting his question.

«I’m gonna shower, but please be careful with that dress Kook» Namjoon’s tone softened and his words almost sounded like a prayer, Jungkook couldn’t help but glance at the piece of cloth laying on his couch with a worried face. That was not the right place for it.

«Okay, I got it, I got it» he said more to himself than to his friend.

«See you later» Namjoon got off the phone in a second, already on his way to the bathroom.

«Kookie, I know you can do it, okay? We can’t do more than what we are already doing, we can’t fix this for you, you have to fix it. But we’re here to support you.» Jimin’s words gave birth to a bittersweet smile on Jungkook’s face and he internally thanked God for his friends.

«Thank you Chimin»

They talked for another ten minutes before finally getting off the phone, Kookie’s eyes shifting again to what was supposed to be your dress now and shutting down.

He needed to fix this, again.

«So?» Jimin patted his fingers on the wooden table moving his gaze between his three friends. Unexpectedly Taehyung had knocked on Namjoon’s door just before they were about to sit down and have lunch with an expression that promised nothing but bad news.

«I wanted to buy you something for making up for what happened yesterday and the day before, but apparently I screwed up again. This is for you.» Jungkook repeated for the fourth time, then reached his hand out on the table, his chopsticks holding an amount of chicken noodles not even possible to put in his mouth. Namjoon opened his all of a sudden and gobbled them in just one gulp, making Jungkook frown.

«You just ate her dress!» Jimin bursted out laughing at the scene in front of his eyes, the corners wrinkling, his melodious laugh even took over Taehyng’s brooding face, the hyung smiled like a baby.

«I’m hungry and it was the third time he was doing that! He practically saw it coming!» he claimed, already taking with his chopsticks another amount of inhumanly impossible food to eat.

«You have yours!» the maknae tried to sound as serious as he could but his smile fooled him.

«Don’t bother me, I’m feeding you and giving you advices, this is the least you could do in return.» he mocked him with a new beaming smile on his face, Kook shook his head and took a bite of his meal.

«I think it could work?» Jimin brung the conversation back to where it was supposed to be, glancing at Tae and Joonie.

«Just try to stick to that» Taehyung said nodding «and don’t forget to breathe. And please, don’t panic again.» he added. Kookie nodded, this time had to be good. «You think you can do that?»

«I have to» he sighed, already feeling under pressure. Jimin and Namjoon smiled at him, trying to reassure him.

«Alright, now Taehyung could you tell us what’s wrong?» the hyung suddenly shifted his gaze to the other maknae seated next to Kook, who raised his eyebrows and shook his head faking a smile. «Come on, we can see it. Tell your favorite therapists what’s wrong and let us help you.» Jimin nodded at his words.

«Alright, I...» Taehyung took a deep breath, his long slender fingers ran through his hair and fisted a dark strand, slightly tugging it.

«Oh my God, this is so hard to say out loud» he groaned. Now, if there was a tiny possibility that they’re friends weren’t worried about him, his words certainly did their job.

«TaeTae, come on» Jimin widened his eyes.

«Alright. Do you all remember Gillyflower?» his words only brung more confusion to their faces. «The girl with pink hair?» he tried again, and this time a bunch of “ooh” and “yes” made him nod. He took another deep breath. 

«Well, I asked her out and she was about to answer when Tannie suddenly started barking and puling at the leash. I tried to mke him stop but he kept getting worse to the point he yanked me. I- I stumbled and trying to grab onto something I...» he harshly gulped, silence invaded the room.

«What did you do? It can’t be worse than what I did, right?» Jungkook’s doe-eyes were staring at his friend’s face trying to catch a hint of his actions.

«I don’t know, it’s the first time something like this awkward happens between of us, but it’s just...» he puffed letting his shoulders fall and then again shaking his head.

«What?» Namjoon were desperate to know now.

«I groped her breasts. But I was just trying to hold onto something and- Oh my God this is the worst thing I could have ever done» he groaned and hid his face behind his hands trying to cover his cheeks flashing red. Jungkook’s eyes considerably widened, Jimin’s lips formed the perfect shape of an “o” and Joonie shut his eyes , almost forgetting how to swallow. Almost.

«What did you do after that? Tell me you apologized, tell me you did it?» Chimin’s gaze was basically begging him.

«Of course I did, but I was still shocked and... I may have left my hands on her for too much time» his voice was muffled by his hands, still covering his reddish face.

«Oh, God» Jimin let out, tilting his head back. «What the hell is happening to us?» he whined, earning a death stare from Namjoon.

«You mean what the hell is happening to you? This things don’t happen to me, luckily.» he stated.

«Oh, please Joon, your face is dirty for all the eggs you have on it. You know you have your bag stuffed with blunders» Jimin whined again and Namjoon pointed his index towards him.

«That wasn’t supposed to come out!» he argued.

«It didn’t! But I’ll blurt out all of your secrets if you don’t admit you can be a weirdo too!» the hyung puffed.

«Please, everyone knows I’m an oddball, there’s no need to argue on that. But my blunders are far beneath theirs!» he pointed at Jungkook and Teahyung the youngest was now trying not burst out laughing for his high-pitched tone. Jimin groaned.

«What was her answer?» Jungkook asked, carefully looking at TaeTae. He gulped.

«She started laughing and I apologized myself again before entering home. I thought she was making fun of me but I realized it was an uncomfortable laugh just after I shut the door. Now every time I see her in the hallway I hide behind the corners and avoid her. She must think I’m an idiot.» Teahyung’s words made Jungkook feel slightly better, maybe it was selfish but he felt less lonely.

«You need to talk to her» Namjoon mumbled with his mouth stuffed of noodles.

«We’ll make up a speech for you too after lunch, alright?» Tae shook his head.

«No need for it, I can handle it. I think» he sighed for the hundredth time.

The Sunday that followed got Jungkook incredibly frustrated. In two days it was gonna be his birthday and he and his friends had all agreed to take a day off from the devastating rehearsals to celebrate it together, so now there he was,  meticulously watching his figure dancing in the mirror. He hadn’t slept well and his eyes were praying for just a bunch of minutes of rest, body already tired only after an hour of movement. When the music stopped he thanked Jin with a grateful smile before approaching the bench on the side of the room to grab his towel and gather his sweat.

«I think this-»

«Kookie!» Jimin shouted with his eyes wide, his voice echoed in every single corner of the room and in a second Jungkook realized why. He didn’t really do it, please.He let his hand fall at his side, and yes, there it was. Your dress in his hand, now moist and clammy.

His voice burst in the loudest tone he’ve ever used: «Who the hell pulled it out of my bag?!»

The group immediately got closer to take a look at what he was talking about, Namjoon and Taehyung held their breath when the maknae opened the folded cloth revealing the white peace of dressing he had carefully putted in his bag just in case he’d met you here, even though it was quite impossible being Sunday.

«Oh my God, I thought it was a towel and-» Jin started explain himself but got interrupted again by Jungkook’s low groan.

«I am screwed, I give up.» his chest swelled like a balloon and his shoulder raised almost to his ears just to heavily fall a second later. «If this isn’t fate then I don’t know what it is» he complained letting his body go limp after he seated on the bench. And as if what had just happened wasn’t enough his eyes caught your figure in the hallway, your body managing to move graciously on your high heels even though at a speed that seemed almost impossible for you not to fall, your hair swinging with every step.

«Bad luck?» Hobi kneeled in front of him and Jungkook scoffed, shifting his gaze on his muscled legs once you disappeared behind the corner, his dark locks creating a curtain to hide him from the rest of the world while he rested his elbows on his knees.

«Bad luck? This is a tragedy. And not just because of the dress. Everything I did until now is a tragedy. This is just the cherry on top of it all. Maybe this is just not meant to happen and that’s why I keep messing things up.» he grumbled with raspy voice. And he really believed that for a moment, maybe he was right. Everything, every single thing he had done so far had just messed things up more, even though he was desperately trying to do the opposite. He still didn’t know your name but had however already managed to made you feel uncomfortable, hurt you and made you cry. What a charming suitor he was. At this point he could’ve-

«If thinking about it like this makes you feel better.» Namjoon spoke with his gaze on the maknae. He licked his lips and waited for Kookie to raise his head, but it didn’t happen. «You don’t have the dress, who cares? It’s a peace of cloth, Kook. Your apologies are more important and you still have your speech. You can do it.» he kneeled in front of him beside Hobi, finally catching his gaze. What he didn’t expect was to actually find his eyes shining because of the stressed tears he was desperate to hold.

«He’s right, Kookie. Come on, you’re the golden maknae. And if it goes wrong we’ll have finally found something you’re not good at» Jin smiled at his youngest friend, his words made him lightly giggle, Yoongi nudged him.

«Just try again, okay?» Hobi smiled at him and Jungkook had to take a few moments for himself to finally answer.

Probably, no, wait, sure as hell the easiest thing was to give up. You already had a clear picture of him by now, there was no way you were changing your mind with just an apology. He had already apologized for at least five times the other day, and he had made you cry the day right after. So the possible answers now were two: yes or no. Such a big difference between them but such a thin line for him, especially now that he had lost the only thing that maybe would’ve helped him. He didn’t want lie to himself, he knew it was easier to give up and go back to being a normal acting human, not embarrassing himself anymore and feeling like an idiot all the time. But it was too easy like that, and just the thought made him frown. He couldn’t explain what it was to himself, but there was something about you that made him fatally, hopelessly curious. Since the very first moment he saw you, something turned on inside him, and I’m not just talking about his cock.

«Okay» he whispered to himself, the air of his breath fanning the golden skin of his hands. He took a deep breath and stood up.

«What?» Yoongi asked looking at him. Jungkook nodded.

«Okay, but you promise me you won’t do anything?» he pointed his finger against Yoongi’s face and then moved it back and forth pointing at everyone of them. When they all nodded Jungkook knew it was the moment to leave the room. 

Jimin pursued his lips when he saw him walking towards the door and quickly sided him. «Wait, you’re doing it now? Is she here? It’s Sunday!» he spoke so fast and his tone changed so many times that Kook turned to face him with an amused smile, almost forgetting about what he was about to do. «Do you remember the speech?» he asked again. When Kookie nodded and finally left the room Chimin stayed still with his gaze on him, acting like a mummy leaving her little child for the first time to the kindergarten.

«He can do it» Yoongi patted his shoulder.

You weren’t supposed to be there, not on a Sunday morning when all you wanted to do was drown in your bed and never let go of your sheets without the clock pointing at least at eleven. But you didn’t have any choice when you realized what day it was. It wasn’t just an usual Sunday, your family was coming at your place for lunch in about two hours from now, and you had promised them to cook something special, or at least to try your best. You were already feeling under pressure and your parents weren’t exactly the definition of easy-going people, always ready to judge everything you would do and every step you’d take. No wonder why you’ve grown to be their total opposite, never daring to judge anyone, and you knew they hated it. But you didn’t care and kept doing your thing, without worrying too much. Luckily, distance had made everything so much easier, until this kind of moments. The stress was running through your blood like it was part of your body, you were practically on the edge. You really didn’t want to hear them complaining about your stupid passion and how you should stop chasing your dreams just to find an even more steady job than the one you already had, so you had quickly decided to bring your gym bag here. You had grabbed everything you could find in your house that could have led their thoughts to your athletic side and just stuffed all in the bag now hanging from your shoulder, from your pointe shoes to your sweat shorts.

The lockers were safe and you knew it because you had already done this at least five or six times, so you simply opened the steel door and placed your bag in it with loose motions before shutting it and locking it with you keys. You let out a breath you didn’t know you were holding. The stress of your job, the rehearsals, all the money you wanted to save to buy your house and what happened in the last days were hovering on your mind so much that you knew you would have bursted out if you had to worry about your parents too. So this was the easiest way.

Heading to the door you fastened you pace until you got out, the sun made your skin burn and you harshly puffed, already wishing the winter to come.

At the same time, Jungkook was looking for you in the whole building, he even took the stairs and went to second floor once he figured out you weren’t in your usual rehearsal room. He thought you’d be in the changing rooms but he couldn’t afford himself to the risk of finding you half naked, even though the picture of you he had in mind was making his mouth drier every second more while taking the stairs again. It was when he distractedly looked out of the window that he saw you crossing the street. His feet never ran faster than that moment, praying for you to stay on the main street so that he’d found you more easily. He crossed the hallway and made his friend’s heads turn when he rushed in front of their door, that stupid speech replaying in his head over and over again like a prayer.

«Oh man» Namjoon covered his eyes with his right hand at the sight.

Once the maknae was out of the building he welcomed the light of the sun by squinting his eyes, his already sweating body heated up even more while desperately trying to get to you. The street was not that crowded at this time of the morning with the sun almost at his highest spot and the hot breeze threatening whoever was out, so he thought he could make it. Then, he saw you stopping on the sidewalk. Maybe you noticed him? Impossible.

A second later you were opening the door of a taxi and he didn’t know if rather laugh about his bad luck or cry. He could’ve just let go and talk to you the next day, you were definitely going to rehearsal on Monday, or maybe even on Tuesday. But it’s Jungkook we’re talking about, and by now we all know a part of his brain seemed to switch off when it comes to you. Or maybe this time, it turned on. The stress he felt those days had built up so much that he just wanted to burst out once and for all. He was tired of dwelling about his clumsiness and weirdness when he was beside you and didn’t want to feel guilty for making you feel uncomfortable anymore. So he sped up, his legs almost gave in for the big gap he wanted to close in a matter of seconds. 

But he made it. He knocked at your window with his fist, hands sweating and chest raising desperately gasping for air. When you turned and squinted your eyes because of the light of the sun he again swore he had never seen something, someone that beautiful in his life, the rays of sunshine painting little sparkling stars in your pupils and your skin gleaming.

You knitted your eyebrows at the sight, the charming but odd man staring at you as if he had just seen who knows what. What did he want now? You didn’t have time for his teasing, not with all of the things you had to do before the hurricane that your parents were would show up and take over you for the next hours.

«Please» he managed to say, or at least he mouthed it, and a part of him thanked your shut window for not giving him away, but just a little part. If hearing the lack of his voice would’ve made you listen then he would’ve talked with his hands.

With everything he did he was not really expecting you to listen to him, not when he was making things awkward once again, not in this situation. He was hoping it with all of his heart, but he knew it was not going to happen. Indeed, it didn’t happen.

The taxi started and you fixated your gaze on the street without a second thought, already brushing away the weird feeling that his gaze made you feel. You checked your phone screen: 11.34. Great. You were praying every god in heaven to save you from your parents’ likely early arrive when a thump made you both frown and hit the backrest with your head harshly enough to wince. You realized your taxi just hit the one in front of him in a second. Someone was definitely mad at you.

That was Jungkook’s moment. He widened his eyes at the sight and rushed on the sidewalk before he quickly approached your cab. His heart was beating so fast that for a moment he feared for his life. He opened your door without a second thought, you were hissing through your breath, eyes shut and pursued lips. While he took in the sight you felt a gentle hot breeze on your skin. Opening your eyes you gasped when you saw him standing there. Definitely really, really mad.

«I can’t do this» you bursted out loud, more to yourself than to the men that now were both staring at you.

«It’ll only take ten minutes» the cab driver gently smiled at you. The poor man then brung his gaze to the other standing at your door, holding it so tight with his hand that his knuckles were white. You tried to fake a smile as best as you could.

«I’m sorry but I’m running out of time, I’m gonna make it on foot.» you claimed. Before waiting for any answer you shifted your gaze back to the man who was blocking you into the car, his body stiff and not giving you hits of movement. You waited for something, anything, but he just kept staring at you making you feel like a fish out of water and you didn’t have time to deal with his awkward behavior now, you were really late. So you stood up anyway, almost stepping on his toes, and you held your breath while making your way through his body and the car. The way he kept his dark doe-eyes into yours without any sign of backing off made you shiver.

Jungkook harshly gulped when your body slightly touched his, his skin tickled at the feeling, the lightest of touches creating the strongest of the addictions. «I- I can give you a- a ride?» he stuttered, finally removing his hands from the door of the car. You started walking without even turning at his words, too much overwhelmed by the awful morning you were having. Kook was staring at you still in the same place as before, mouth agape and eyes sparkling at the way you were moving your hips, but when he realized you were already on the sidewalk he forced himself to follow you.

«I’ll give you a ride?» why did he keep doing that? That was supposed to sound more sure, more like a statement maybe? You snorted.

«Please, stop it» his presence beside made you even more nervous, what did he want? Why was he doing that again?

«I- I can drive, I can ride you-» what the hell was that? God, he kept making things worse without even trying. Your face immediately shot up, eyebrows knitted together and blood boiling in your veins.

«What I meant is-» he stopped talking again, his feet did the same and for a moment he considered letting you walk away and just give up. With how fast you were walking you were already disappearing into the crowd. But he sided you again.

«Look, I don’t have time for your teasing now, you can do it tomorrow.» you didn’t need to shift your gaze from the sidewalk to know that he was again there.

«What? I- No, I want to do it now!»

Did he really said that? Turn on your damn brain, Jungkook.

You rolled your eyes. «I can’t belie-»

«Can I just give you a ride?» he suddenly blocked your way with his body, arms outstretched and dark eyes praying yours. «Not in that way» he added, desperately trying to fix his stupid mistakes.

You couldn’t understand what the hell he was doing, standing there in front of you, in the middle of the crowd, praying to give you a ride after everything that he had done in just... three times you met? 

«No.» you shook your head and quickly got over him. «In both ways» you added, slightly smirking at yourself for your words. Jungkook sneered too, following you again like a puppy.

«You’d get there faster, please. Just- just a ride?» his continue pleads made you whine and stopping your steps you turned to face him, realizing just now how much he was taller than you.

«I don’t even know your name» you stated, ready to claim your victory. Jungkook let his mouth fall agape while looking at you standing so close to him, not that it was that close, but the rays of the sun were making everything too much to handle for him.

«Jeon Jun- Jungkook?» he managed to say, to ask, voice cracking in the middle.

«You don’t sound so sure of that» strangely, you smirked. Jungkook’s heart almost stopped right there and then.

«I’m Jungkook» he repeated trying as best as he could to smile without showing his nerves on the edge. You took in the sight squinting your eyes at him.

«Okay, Jungkook. I still don’t know you, so the answer is still no» you smiled at him and were about to start walking again but he got in the way a second time. His brain panicked again when he realized he had to say something now, eyes widened and throat dry. Mind blank, totally blank.

«I wanted to buy you something for making up for what happened yesterday and the day before- oh, shit not yesterday. I mean, yesterday and the day before but the day before that too.» he lowly groaned and shut his eyes, already feeling his face heating up. He watched your features change from annoyance to curiosity and then slightly smirking, but he couldn’t quite define if you were just having fun seeing him struggle or if you were actually smiling for his words.

You can do this, Jungkook. You can do this. Just go on.

«Apparently I screwed up again. This is for you.» the only sentence he wasn’t supposed to say came out like it had its own life and the maknae’s eyes widened even more while staring at your unreadable expression.

«So?» you asked folding your arms.

«I- i can’t- oh God» Jungkook wanted the earth to swallow him in. The embarrassment was eating him alive. «I can’t give it to you» he blurted out without even trying anymore to contain his voice.

«Jungkook, I really, really, don’t have the time to deal with this now. My parents are coming over for lunch and I still have to cook, they’re gonna start a-» you started blabbering but stopped when you figured out you were saying too much. «I don’t have time.»

«I can cook.» he claimed «I can cook, I’m- I’m good at it and I’m fast» His face has never been more red than in that moment, not even when he asked her first crush ever out. Never than when he was with you.

«What are you trying to say?» you sighed, again checking your phone, the bold characters of the time made you whine.

«I can- help you with the lunch?» he tried again.«You can trust me. I swear- my friend is a chef. He-»

«Are you serious?» you interrupted his endless speech with a hint in your voice that neither the both of you quite get. Your question didn’t sound like an annoyed one, it sounded more like... Surprised? Kinda. Desperate? Oh, hell yes.

Jungkook nodded, and in a second your wheels brain worked like crazy. It was almost 12.00 and you knew that your parents wouldn’t arrive at the established time, they were probably already in the car looking forward to the moment you were going to open the door and ready to start complaining about how late you were for everything, how your life wasn’t good for you, how you should’ve been more like them. No, you weren’t playing they’re game, not today.

Going to your apartment now would’ve meant arrive in twenty minutes, then you had to make sure everything was in place and absolutely remember to lock your bedroom, your mother had this weird habit to always pry and snoop in your drawers as if you were still a teenager, you hated it. You had to cook and set the table too.

Oh, lord. You couldn’t believe you were really thinking about this.

«I’m Y/N» you sighed, locking eyes with Jungkook. The information you had just given him seemed to make his features even more shocked. 

Y/N, he repeated to himself, finally having a name for your breathtaking face. You had really told him? After all he had done so far?

«Are you really serious? Cause please, I don’t really have time for your teasing.» now it was you the one almost begging.

Jungkook’s eyes widened so much that they almost fell out as he forced himself to nod. «Yes, I- I’m serious. I can help you?» his voice was shaking.

«If you promise your friend won’t set fire to my kitchen?»

Jungkook’s features lost all their hope in a blink hearing your words. He really thought you were letting him in your place to help you considering all the awkwardness between you two? Well, he hoped it. It would’ve been a good way to prove you he wasn’t a jerk and maybe get to know you a little better. It wasn’t fair to be that much head over heels for someone you don’t even know. But that thought vanished in an instant. It took him a few seconds to understand he had to call Jin.

Please, please. He hoped the rehearsals were over and that he had already taken a shower.

«I promise, I swear he won’t do it» Jungkook’s sweaty hands went in his pockets and grabbed the phone. «I- I’ll call him»

You let yourself sigh when he brung the phone to his ear. This was all too overwhelming, the nervousness was eating you alive and the fact that now you had to worry about his friend too made you hold another sigh. Please, tell me he’s not teasing me again. This was your prayer, the words echoing through your mind like a mantra while the man talked to his phone taking a few steps to distance himself from you.

«Jin, please. You own me this for the dress. And I promise I- I will do whatever you want me to do. Just, please do this for me» he prayed lowering his voice and staring at you.

«You’re lucky I just changed. Alright.» Jin nodded on the other side of the line, everyone was staring at him waiting to know what happened.

«Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you. I love you» 

«I know, how can’t someone love me?» he scoffed «Where are you?»

«A few block away from the studio, in front of the crossroad, but please hurry up. Really, she’s running out of time»

«Alright, alright. I’m on my way. Don’t say or do awkward things.» that was the last sentence he left him with.

Jungkook stared at you for a little bit before putting his phone back in his pockets, studying the way you were biting your lips and snorting from time to time, fingers playing with each other in nervous movements. He couldn’t help but ask himself why you were so nervous. Your parents were coming over, shouldn’t you be happy to spend some time with your family?

You were desperate, totally overwhelmed from your parents’s judgement, still thinking about their faces when they would see you hired a chief just for a stupid lunch. “Couldn’t you do this on your own?”, “This is ridiculous.”, their voices were already playing in your mind.

You turned to look at Jungkook, his gaze immediately leaving your face and his cheeks flashing red. You approached him in a second.

«He’s coming» he let out a deep breath, and so did you. You didn’t have to worry about lunch anymore, thanks God. «I- why... Can I ask you why are you so nerv- nervous?» his question made your mouth fall agape. Was it that obvious? 

«I’m not»

«Oh» he puffed «O-okay. I’m sorry» you frowned.

«Why do you keep saying that?» Jungkook gulped harshly.

«I- I shouldn’t have asked.» and now he was looking like a puppy for the first time in front of your eyes. For a moment he didn’t seem the charming awkward man that had made you feel uncomfortable anymore. The silence filled the air even though the streets were chaotic. 

Seeing him like that made you speak: «You won’t tease?»

«Wha-What? Why?» Kook thought the conversation was already over, so when you asked him he really didn’t had his brain working. «I mean, why should I t-tease you?» doe-eyes staring directly into yours.

«You always do it» you shrugged. In that moment, Jungkook really felt awful. You really thought all he had done was because he was teasing you?

«I don’t»

«Yes, you do»

«No, I don’t» his voice sounded firm for the first time. Your eyes left his.

«Then this is you? You usually act like... you acted yesterday? And the day before? And the-»

«No, I- I don’t» he sighed «but I’m not teasing you. I never wanted to?»

«Why are you asking me?»

«I’m not! It’s just-» he let the sentence disappear like a speck of dust blown off by the window. «I won’t tease» his voice made you look back into his eyes and the silence filled the space between you two again, your face lost his brightness.

«My parents are not easy-going people. It’s just that.» Jungkook raised his eyebrows.

«Yes, but a chief?» he let out without even thinking, the second he saw your features changing he wanted to slap himself.

«I know, it’s desperate» he held his breath, the guilt already sneaking in his body for letting you think he thought that.

«No!» his voice came out louder than expected «I-It’s not. I was just curious. Maybe I should hire Seokjin too when my parents come to my place. He cooks better than me» you scoffed and his heart sped up like crazy. Finally, he thought. He was dying to hear that sound escape your lips, and now that he was the cause of it he wanted to hear it more.

«Jungkook!» Jin’s voice remembered him what you were really doing and he couldn’t help but feel disappointed when he turned to watch him get closer with each step. Your mouth hanging open at the sight. Tall, broad shoulders and a charming face. Was it a thing running in his group?

«I’m Kim Seokjin, but call me Jin. I’m your chief for today.» he introduced himself once he stood in front of you.

«I’m Y/N. Thank you for doing this, I’m aware I didn’t give you time to-»

«Don’t worry, really. It’s not a problem.» he smiled. You nodded and gulped nervously before glancing at Jungkook, who was standing there shifting his gaze between you and his friend, praying everything would work out fine.

«Let’s go, you can tell me about what you’d like to eat while we get to your place»

And with that, you nodded at him and gave a smile to the maknae. Jungkook’s heart skipped a few beats.

«I swear, she has the worst parents ever.» Jin claimed, eyes wide and shocked features. «They really aren’t easy-going people.»

«Did they complain about the food?» Namjoon asked, the hyung raised his eyebrows.

«They didn’t dare, luckily for them,» he scoffed. «but from what I heard from the kitchen that woman really has the strongest self-control ever»

«What happened?» Hobi sat beside him on the couch.

«You mean what didn’t happen. First, when they came in they didn’t even greet her, they just gave her their coats and ran past her like nothing.» he raised his index finger while shaking his head. Jungkook’s eyes widened.

«Then they started complaining about her apartment. “I don’t really know how you like this place so much”, “it’s so small”, “do you even have a second bathroom in here?”, “you should move”. I mean, let her breathe!» he imitated your parents’s voices, an high-pitched tone for your mother and a weird twang for you father. His middle finger went up.

«After that, her mother tried to break into her room as if she’s a fifteen years old teenager. What the hell was that? She even locked it before they came in, I saw her.» and now his ring finger too.

«What?» Yoongi couldn’t believe what he was hearing, and neither the others. Everyone’s expression was only screaming shock, staring at their friend like he was telling them a crime novel. Jungkook had his eyebrows knitted together, mouth agape and an emotion neither he could quite get running through his blood.

«I swear I’m not making this up! They’re the worst!» Jin shook his head. «When they saw me serving the plates her mother raised her eyebrows and waited for me to go into the kitchen before she started spitting out all her venom. “Couldn’t you do this on your own? Of course not. You’re still trying to dance, right? That’s why you don’t even have time to learn how to cook”, “your mother is right, you should start to act like an adult, Y/N. I think it’s time for you to stop with that”. It was like being in hell, and I was in my heaven, you know I love standing in front of the stove. I honestly don’t know how she managed to stay calm.»

«Oh, God. She must feel so much pressure» Hobi muttered, Yoongi and Taehyung nodded.

«I know. I could see it in her eyes when I left, she was acting like nothing happened but she really seemed wrecked. She insisted to pay me but I refused her money, I told her she’s fine since is your “friend”» Jin looked at Jungkook, who weakly smiled as a thank you for his actions. He already knew that your parents were not that easy from your words and the way you acted that morning, but God, he never though they’d be like this. How did you even manage to not burst out at them?

Your pillow was doing nothing to muffle your sobs, they could be heard even with the sound of the TV on and the sheets hiding you from the light light of the screen. Useless to say, you were feeling like shit. You always tried your best but always fail with them. You were used to it, so why were you crying? Again? You wished your parents were different, more amenable, you even wished you were different, the daughter they expected you to be. But you weren’t, and all you were left with was hope, every time. Maybe the next time will be better, that was what you usually told to yourself, and that was probably why you ended up crying this time too. You needed to stop it and face the fact that it was not going to be better. You weren’t the problem, and deep inside you you knew it.

You simply needed to face it.

Finally, here comes today. It’s weird for you to think this, but you actually want to meet Jungkook, to thank him. The awful night you had made you think of how hard you try with your parents even though you keep telling yourself it’s not true. After having a chief cooking for you, the only thing you can do is cope with it. You can’t deny you were being anxious for the whole time, still skeptical about the situation, afraid that Jungkook was maybe teasing you again and his friend was no one but a someone looking for fun him too. But he wasn’t, he’s been nice for the entire time, always smiling and trying to make you feel comfortable, he sure knows how to marvel a new client. You saw him blinking a few times because of your parents’s words, but you’re grateful he didn’t tell you anything. He was professional and friendly, and you feel so sorry about not paying him and making him deal with the awkward lunch of you and your parents.

Thus, you are now walking in the studio hoping to find Jungkook or maybe one of his friends, not sure of what exactly are his schedules. You look for him until you realize you’re already five minutes late for your rehearsals so you decide to rush back in your room. What you didn’t expect is to find him at your doorframe, eyes shifting from person to person. His figure makes you hold your breath, his features taken by whoever his looking for, lips pursued, tall and muscled body wrapped in a pair of black jeans and a gray shirt.

«Jungkook?» you call. Jungkook’s heart drops when he realizes it’s your voice, then in a second the embarrassment is there again, making his ears and cheeks flashing red.

«H-hi?» he slowly moves his stare until it’s on your face.

«Were you looking for me?» his eyes wide, he weakly raises his eyebrows and now his lips are slightly parted in a pout.

«N-no? Yes, I mean no, I- fuck» he mutters, shutting his eyes at the end of the uncommon answer and hissing under his breath. You knit your eyebrows. Once he opens his eyes again you can’t help but smirk, just a little bit. With the half-gone sensation of him teasing at you it’s more easy to do it.

«I- what was the question?» he really doesn’t know how to answer you. You scoff and shake your head.

«Never mind, I was looking for you but now I really can’t talk. Do you have some time later?» your uncertain tone makes you cringe, again feeling weird in front of him. You can’t help it, it’s just something that happens every time in his presence.

His brain stops working again. «Oh, yes? Y-yeah»

«What- what time do you get off?»

«I- well, I- uhm... Yoongi!» he suddenly screams, panicking and widening his eyes when he shifts them from you to his friend, his tone radiates nothing but frustration.

Thanks God, he thinks, but a second later he’s already regretting it. You quickly turn to see his friend approaching you in heavy footsteps, and when you link his face to his name another wave of uncomfortableness sneaks in your body.

Yoongi looks at you only when he sides his friend, gulping harshly and trying to fake a smile as best as he can. «Hi, I’m Yoongi?»Why do they all speak like this? 

He shifts his eyes from you to Jungkook and viceversa, hoping someone to talk and tell him what the hell is he doing there with you two. When Jungkook finally speaks his voice his shaking. «What dime do- do we get o-off?» his eyes are basically praying Yoongi to answer.

«I think at seven?»

«Oh» he lets out, lowering his gaze on you again. You try to shrug off the mix of emotions his dark eyes give you.

«Okay, I... I’ll wait for you? I guess, if you tell me-»

«13» Yoongi interrupts your blabbering seeing that the maknae’s face is as blank as a white sheet paper, still in shock from what’s happening, he probably wouldn’t have known how to answer you.

«Thank you. See you later then» you try to smile without letting your uneasiness creep in and quickly enter the rehearsal room, letting out a deep breath.

«You know you’ll have to talk to her later, right? And what was she talking about?» Yoongi asks as soon as you can’t hear him. Jungkook shrugs.

«She- she wants to talk? I’m gonna die in the awkwardness, I know it. I’m gonna embarrass myself so much I won’t even be able to breathe, fuck.»

«Y/N?» Jungkook stares at your reflection in the mirror, his movements suddenly stop nd Hobi frowns at him.

«Jungkook, what are you doing?» he screams over the music. The maknae blinks a few times before he understands you’re looking at him and he’ll make everything more awkward if he keeps standing still like this with his eyes on you. Thus, he takes a deep - deep - breath and  counts the time again before catching up with the moves.

His body makes you hold your breath, his movements are clean and outright, his style is impactful, even the small details incredibly focused and accurate. His muscles twitch under the clothes, and you can outline the muscles of his legs even without even trying. Only the sight makes you shudder. His body is something you really didn’t dwell on, too much taken aback from the way he usually acts around you, but having a show like this in front of your eyes is something you can’t really turn away to. The way he moves his hips in a particular move has you clenching around nothing, and you suddenly blush at the thought of how he’d move them in a different situation, your heart beats faster.

Jungkook tries to not let your presence influence his rehearsals but he can’t help to steal a few glances at you while he moves on the rhythm. When he sees you blushing and glancing down his body he can’t help but smirk a little bit, even though his heart beats louder with every second. He glances away again when you eventually raise your eyes to his face, body stiffening in an second.

When the music finally stops and you seem to wake up from your trance you find yourself looking at the others, realizing only now that you probably should have asked before coming in the room like this, so you stand up and go out in a second.

Yoongi suddenly runs behind you.

«Y/N? Right?» you have no chance but to turn and nod.

«I’m sorry, I sho-»

«You can stay.» he smiles at you «And I’m sorry for the tea, the other day»

«Are you sure?»

«About the tea? I’m really sorry» he bits the inside of his cheek.

«No, I mean are you sure I-»

«Oh, yes. Jungkook would like it if you stayed» he suddenly points his thumb to Jungkook, who’s staring at the two of you with his lips parted and apparently in trance like you were just a few seconds ago. When your eyes lock with his you shrug to hide the weird shiver sneaking into your back.

«Okay, then» you smile at Yoongi and head back to the bench at the side of the room. 

You spend at least twenty five minutes staring at Jungkook, your eyes rarely meet the figures of his friends, completely taken by the way he moves and the emotions he makes you feel with every song. At the beginning the maknae feels his cheeks heating up and his body as stiff as a trunk, but with the time passing by and the seconds becoming minutes he slowly gains a little bit of confidence, and when you see him even more free and secure you can’t help but take in the sight releasing a deep breath you didn’t know you were holding. He’s like a magnet, some weird kind of energy attracts you to him, maybe it’s the way he speaks with his face or the way his eyes seem even darker and deeper when he sometimes glances at you and immediately glances back. Time seems to run and before you know it the music stops again and the group is lets out uneven breaths, heading to the bench you’re sitting on to grab their towels.

You feel your cheeks heat up when you notice almost every one of them glance at you with a look you can’t really read. Jungkook is still in front of the mirror, eyes completely focused on the way his body moves and repeating movements like a mantra. When he finally stops and turns around his gaze locks with yours, his heart pounds in his chest, palms sweaty all of a sudden.

«Kook, here!» one of his friends throws him a bottle of water and the man quickly catches it bringing it to his lips and taking a few sips. You watch the way his adam’s apple moves from your seat. He closes the bottle and finally heads to the bench, he feels so nervous he’d do something awkward and make you both feel uncomfortable that he almost thinks of running away. The others seem to quickly disappear to go to change and when he finally stands beside you you don’t really know how to act. The silence fills the room and makes you wince, your tongue comes out to wet the petals of your lips, Jungkook holds his breath.

«I like your style of dancing, the way you move» you blurt out. The maknae seems almost shocked at your words.

«I- I like it too» and here we go again. «I mean, I like yours too?»

«You watched me dancing?»

Jungkook groans. «I- oh, ye- yes?» he quickly gives up on lying «I watched you»

«Oh, I didn’t notice» you nervously smile. «Thank you, then»

Jungkook brings his white towel to his neck, wiping the sweat from his skin. That stupid action hits you like a wrecking ball.

«I’m- I’m sorry for everything that happened,» he speaks without thinking «I- I never wanted to tease you. I’m really sorry it- it came out like that. Really sorry.» his tone is shaky and he still can’t believe he managed to let out a full sentence without embarrassing himself or you. For some kind of reason his words make your gaze deepen in his, the weight of your irises almost crashing down Jungkook’s mind.

 You shake your head. «You apologize every time» a smile breaks through your mask.

«I don’t want to... make you feel uncomfortable? It’s just... I’m really so- sorry if it came out in the wrong way. I always end up embarrassing myself but I wanted to make a good impression, it’s just-» he suddenly stops talking, feeling all of a sudden even more nervous to say the words he was almost spilling out, he scraps at the back of his neck.

«You make me nervous» he really said it. 

His words hit you like a train, fast enough to make you doubt you really heard them and hard enough to stun you. «I make you nervous? Oh, I’m sorry I-»

«No, no, no, no» he quickly complaints «In a good way, I- I guess?» 

«What do you mean?»

Jungkook opens his mouth to speak a few times but always fails and closes it, before putting the towel on the bench and harshly gulping. «I- Can we talk about something else? Please?» he almost whines, making a weird smile form on your lips.

«Do you want to go to the cafe?»

He nods at your proposal, lifting his index finger. «Just give me a minute to change and-» he lowers to grab at all his stuff on the bench but unintentionally hits the bottle of water which falls to the ground. He lets out a deep shaky breath, the words I’m so bad at this echoing in his mind. You manage to bend over and grab it but at the same time he takes a step towards it to do the same, stopping when he sees your hands holding the bottle. When you raise back, the view you meet with makes you hold your breath and your cheeks red like peppers, Jungkook is not quick enough to rush back, and you can’t help but feel uncomfortable again, but this time there’s a different emotion too that you’re not quick enough to grasp.

It happens in a matter of seconds, but it seems like minutes when you glance at him, standing tall and looking at you bewitched by the sight of you like this. And he needs to remember himself you’re actually here to hold back the dirty thoughts that are already filling his head. You gulp hard, your eyes scanning his beautiful features and saving the breathtaking sight, his crotch almost touching your cheek because of the lack of distance. And you can’t deny, your thoughts take you to a different dimension that makes you fucking throb.

«Just- give me- give me a minute?» Jungkook stutters with a deep low voice, heavy breath and cheeks heating up.

«This are the kind of things that makes me think of you teasing me» you don’t even know where your words came out from, how’d you manage to make a full sentence still watching him from the same position.

«I swear, I didn’t want to-»

«It’s okay» you unintentionally lick your lips and he finds it even harder to keep a clear head, his cock already hardening. «Go?»

He slowly nods waking up from his trance, and manages to rush back into the fitting room with fast steps and heavy breathing, hoping that the others are not there. Not now that with every steps he takes he feels harder with the image of your eyes looking at him from down.

«Fuck» he hisses letting his bag fall to the bench. Luckily, no one’s here anymore and he’s only left with his boner. What is he supposed to do now? He can’t just change and go out, you’d see it, definitely.

Fuck.

Jungkook quickly heads to the door of the bathroom and takes a deep breath before locking it, lowering his sweat pants and his boxers on his thighs. The second the material doesn’t hug him anymore his cock jumps to his stomach, tip already red and dripping with precum. How do you manage to get him this hard without even trying?

His hand immediately wraps around his shaft, squeezing himself a little bit, just enough to make his head fall back and his lips part letting out a strangled whine. 

«Fuck» he hisses before he starts moving his hand, his mind going back at you and how damn good you looked before at the height of his cock. The first time he masturbated thinking about you sucking him dry he didn’t really think he would ever have a picture of you to accompany his actions to. And now that he has it, he can’t seem to get enough of it. You’d look so fucking good giving him the blowjob of his life, hollowing your cheeks and wrapping him in your mouth, he’d fuck it so good you’d be drooling and gagging for him. His thumb slowly caresses his frenulum and he twitches under his hand, stroking himself faster and harder. He doesn’t even realize it but the image of you he has in mind is making him louder than he usually is, panting and hissing, begging to explode.

«Oh my god, fuck.» he groans.

You can’t hear him from where you are, but your tights are tightening anyway. What happened just a few moments ago is replaying in your mind over and over again. The view he gave you of him staring directly into your eyes while you were basically facing his cock it’s making you go out of your mind. You can’t deny he’s charming, with features that make you feel dizzy, but this was too much to handle even for you. Your mind can’t help but fantasize how he’d fist your hair while you’d lick him, and just the thought makes you clench around nothing, the wetness between your folds already soaking your knickers. You try to push the image away, but the way you’re desperately squeezing your thighs for some kind of friction tells a total different story.

Jungkook bites his lips, his abdomen twitching and his shoulders heavily raising.

«Y/N» he whines, picturing you on your knees for him. In his mind, your hands are one on his inner thigh and the other playing with his nipple, twirling it between your index and thumb and making him even more sensible.

«Shit, so good» his voice is husky, sure as hell it would make you shudder and fall on your knees if you’d only hear it. His movements become more sloppy, the knot in his stomach almost about to burst. He groans and speeds up even more, hips practically hitting his hand with every stroke. He imagines your thighs tightened, the wetness in your folds, the way you’d taste, and he feels even closer.

«So fucking good»

Jungkook spits in his hand. His breath stutters more, and he suddenly doesn’t remember how to breathe anymore as he strokes himself harder, the lewd sound of him shoving in his fist becomes louder, the only sound feeling the bathroom and the fitting room.

The thought of you cupping his balls and massaging it makes him do the same thing, he pictures your tongue licking and swirling around the head of his cock. That is the last chunk he needs to come undone in his palm, spatters of white hitting his chest as he fucks himself through his orgasm until he’s too sensitive to even make one more stroke, letting his head resting on the door behind him. Eyes closed, heavy breath and mouth completely dry, Jungkook takes some time to recover from the heavenly climax he just reached.

God, what he’d give to know that he had the exact effect you had on him, but you’re just too shy to do something about it here. If you were home, well that would be a different thing. You’d help yourself with your vibrator, fucking it into you like it was him. But now, now you’re just trying to contain your thoughts, waiting for him to come out and go to the cafe.

When you realize it’s been a while since he disappeared you decide it’s better to go and see if everything’s okay. Standing up you unsurely walk to the door of the fitting room, the structure of the building being always the same makes finding the way easier. You knock at the door.

«Jungkook? Are you okay?»

«I- uhm, I’m coming, give me a second!» he answers back with a high-pitched tone, so you nod and go back to your bench, waiting for him. It takes him another three minutes to finally come out, his hair are a little bit messy and you think he must’ve ran his hands through them a few times.

«Are we- are we still going?» he asks. With your worries at the door of the fitting room he thought you might have heard him before, but when you nod and smile he lets his previous thoughts fade.

You head out of the studio and to the cafe, trying to ignore the way your panties practically slips against your folds. Jungkook tries to think about what to say and how to begin a safe conversation for the both of you without feeling uncomfortable or awkward but he just can’t seem to find nothing else than the question he asks.

«You wanted to talk?» lowering his gaze to his side he looks at you walking in silence. You quickly nod.

«I wanted to thank you, actually» you turn to smile at him, the butterflies in in stomach invading every part of his body.,«You know, for Jin.»

«Oh, no- no problem» he smiles back, his eyes sparkling and you can’t deny the sudden warmth you feel in your chest. «It’s the least I could do, for what happened?» his sentence sounds again like a question, but by now you’re kinda used to it. You scoff.

«Let’s say I forgive you for the dress and the awkward meeting» you tease. His eyes squint and he wrinkles his nose.

«That wasn’t my fault» he murmurs.

«Your friend?»

He nods. «Teahyung»

«Well, then I forgive Teahyung and you for the dress» you smile again, his heart is beating like crazy.

«How much do I have to embarrass my-myself for the drink Yoongi spilled on you?» he’d like to giggle but he feels so freaking nervous that all he can do is let out a puff.

«I don’t know, you’re pretty good at that. I’d end up enjoying the show eventually and it wouldn’t be fair, I’d let you go on» you tease again. Jungkook’s cheeks heat up. His brain trying to understand if you’d say something like this because you like the way he acts around you or just for the fun of teasing him. The truth is, neither you know it now.

«It’s the thing I seem to be better at» your giggle makes him feel lighter.

«I was kidding» you stop your steps and he realizes you’re already in front of the cafe.

«You’re forgiven, more than forgiven. I actually feel like I owe you something now» you explain looking directly in his dark eyes, and damn, he’s really beautiful.

«Oh- no, no! Don’t, please» he shakes his head. «I- I wanted to make it up to you, you don’t owe me anything»

«Well, let me get you a coffee or something you’d like at least?» you point at the shop behind you. Jungkook licks his lips and takes another deep breath before nodding, following you in and trying to look elsewhere but the way you swing your hips with every step. You’re gonna be the death of him, and he’s slowly falling even more with every word you say.

Thanks to the time the cafe is almost empty, only two or three clients are sit on the chairs at the counter. Nevertheless, you sit at your favorite table, the one in the corner always forgotten by practically everyone. There’s something about this table that makes you feel safe, maybe it’s because no one seems to look at it, sometimes even the waitress forgets it.

«I’ll get a tea» you announce without even glancing at the menu, Jungkook tilts his head to the side and hides his head behind it. You wait for him to choose what he wants and when he’s done you raise your hand to the waitress behind the counter. The woman quickly walks to you, giving you a gentle smile.

«What can I serve you?»

«A tea for me»

«I’ll have a Red Velvet latte» Jungkook says, leaving you amused by his choice. The waitress quickly nods and leaves you with another smile.

«Red Velvet?» you ask «I’ve always wanted to try it but I always end up with tea or coffe» you reveal, Kook raises his eyebrows.

«I like- I like it. Maybe you want a sip?»

«Don’t worry, I’ll get it the next time»

«We can switch drinks if you want» he says as the same time as you.

«Really, Jungkook, don’t worry» you smile at him.

«Anyway, I really am thankful for Jin yesterday. He helped me a lot, without him I’d probably end up having a breakdown» you scoff at the end of your sentence even though it’s true. Jungkook watches you as you speak, completely taken by your words and the way you move your lips, your voice seems to be the only thing catching his ears now, not even one of his favorite songs playing in the background gets him.

«Thank you for being so nice and help me, Jungkook. It was Sunday and-»

«Hey, no problem» he cuts off your rumbling with his hand on yours, and the second he realizes what he has just done he takes it away with wide eyes. The only trace he leaves on your skin is the dampness of his sweaty palms.

«I’m- I’m sorry»

«Stop it, please» you almost whine and his features instantly sadden, afraid he just made another mistake. He tries to hide his expression but fails, and the guilt sneaks into you making you shake your head.

«I mean, stop being so stiff. Tell me, what is it?» you ask.

«What?»

«What do I do to make you this nervous?» you ask again. «I can try and-»

«It’s not you.» he cuts you off again. «I- I mean it is you, but it’s me. I-» he stutters.

«I can try to hide my face if you want» youironically propose as you grab the menu and cover your face with it. Jungkook frowns but immediately smiles at your silliness. «Does it work?»

«It- It’s not making any difference» he holds back a laugh.

«Are you sure?» you giggle. He shakes his head.

«I am, just- please, look at me» his words play a strange trick on your mind, making you harshly gulp as your heart skips a few beats. It’s noy like he had just said something that important, but your mind goes blank for a second.

«Y/N?» he calls, eyes fixated on the menu you’re holding. He stretches his arm out and grabs at the paper, slowly lowering it from your face. Your eyes, your nose, your lips. Jungkook stares at every feature of your face taking in the sight in front of him, the power you have on him is fucking scary, and he’s realizing it for the first time now looking in your eyes.

«What happened?» he lets out in a whisper, not really certain of his voice at the moment. You gulp and shake your head. You don’t even know what happened, how are you supposed to explain him?

«There you go, your tea and your Red Velvet» the waitress comes in the way, and you thank her in your mind for saving you from the awkward situation you just putted yourself into. However, the interruption is fast and she leaves in a matter of seconds leaving you with your drinks.

You can’t help but glance at his glass, the crimson color of the drink intrigues you and the chocolate chips on top are the perfect frame. Jungkook lifts it from the table and stretches his arm again towards you, putting the drink basically under your nose.

«Try it» he manages to say holding his breath. He doesn’t even know where he gained all of this boldness, he just did it without thinking. And now that you stare at him he’s beginning to think he’s making things awkward again.

Your hands cover his, giving birth to another session of butterflies in his stomach and a shudder running down your spine. Jungkook understands he has to remove his hand from the glass to make you drink and he slips away like he just got burn by a blazing fire.

Taking a sip you let yourself taste the sweetness of the latte and the chocolate chips before giving him his drink again, deciding this will definitely be your next order at this place.

«It’s so good» you whine, Jungkook smiles.

«It’s one of my favorite drinks, Jin- he always tries new things and likes to feed us like babies. He introduced me to this»

«I really like it» you bring your cup of tea to your lips, taking a sip. «My tea is so boring now» his smile widens.

«We can really switch drinks if you-»

«No, don’t worry, really»

He nods, taking the first sip of his Red Velvet.

«So Jin is kinda like the mama of the group?» Jungkook smiles at your comment.

«He is the oldest» he nods. «He likes to take care of us and we like to eat» you giggle at his words.

«His cooking is really good, I haven’t eaten that good in months. I should have insisted more on paying him» you take another sip from your tea.

«Trust me, it’s fine. Don’t worry about it» Jungkook smiles at you, and it’s a matter of seconds before he finally noticed he’s not stuttering anymore. In fact, he feels more comfortable. «He was happy to help»

«Oh, trust me, he helped me a lot»

You try to think what would’ve happen yesterday if it wasn’t for him, the result would have been even worse than it already is. Jungkook’s heart warms up knowing he was really able to help you, he made something right. The smile you have on your face makes him want to work even more to create a brand new one.

«What about Yoongi? Does he spill his drinks on everyone?»

«No, he doesn’t» Jungkook scoffs and avoids telling you the reason why he actually spilled it. «He’s the second hyung. Actually, he’s usually very quiet. His stage name is Suga»

«I heard about him» you raise your eyebrows. «Someone told me he injured his shoulder fighting over a first prize but I didn’t think it was him they were talking about, and honestly I didn’t know if it was true» 

The maknae shakes his head. «It’s not true. He actually got injured while working, he had to find a job to pay for his dance lessons and eventually he started a delivering job. He got hit by a car.» Jungkook stares at the wooden table «People often say that or that he tried to beat one of the judges and got kicked in his ass. I don’t get why they like to make up something so stupid» an heavy sigh leaves his lips.

«Last year I broke my uncle because I was pushing myself too hard for a contest and eventually I didn’t perform. I heard people say I couldn’t ‘cause I was pregnant» you tell him, the memory still makes you wrinkle your nose. Jungkook’s eyes widens before he opens his mouth.

«I hate rumors» he mumbles. «Who- who do you want to know about now?» he stutters a little bit, deciding to bring back the conversation to a positive vibe.

«Taehyung? Was it his name?» you squint your eyes.

«Yes» he nods. «Taehyung is the second maknae and a fashion icon in the group, we always try to look as cool as him but he just has that something that makes you give up and stay in your sweat pants.» you giggle at his comment and he can’t help but smile at your sparkling eyes.

«He doesn’t usually act like the first time we met, he’s pretty confidential.» Jungkook takes the last sip of his Red Velvet and you do the same with your now almost cold tea while you take in all the informations.

«Namjoon is the dad of the group, he’s always willing to give you advices but at the same time able to give you a good shake. He and Jimin are my go to when I need to talk to someone, but the others are pretty good at listening too. Jimin is the third maknae»

«Who’s the first?»

Jungkook puckers his lips. «Me» 

«How old are you?»

«I’m twenty two» he answers, remembering this is the last day he gets to say it. For a little moment he thinks of you at his birthday, but he forces himself to push the picture away, it would be weird to invite you when you’re talking fr the first time.

«I’m older than you!» you can’t help but exclaim, Jungkook licks his lips.

«Really?»

You nod.«I’m twenty four»

«How- how should I call you then?» he bits his lips, a little bit of nervousness sneaks again into him, worried you don’t like the way he has been talking to you.

«Oh, please don’t call me noona!» you shake your head and smile at him.

«Are you sure?»

«Yes, Jungkook. Don’t change the way you were talking to me, I liked it. It was natural» you smile at him, your heart beats faster when a smile shines on his face and lights up his features. Jungkook is trying to be as natural as he can, trying to speak without blubbering still stunned by your presence in front of him, and hearing those words make him less tense.

«Hoseok is the only one left. He’s a ray of sunshine, always able to make you smile and laugh. His stage name is J-Hope. He’s a spring, his movements are as fluid as water. Oh, and he can’t hide his expressions whenever he’s angry, even though it’s difficult to annoy him. His face goes like this» Jungkook’s try to emulate his friend is quickly cut off by your bursting laugh because of his expression, and he can’t hold back his giggles at the sound of your happiness.

«Sounds like a beautiful group» you say when you finally stop laughing, your cheeks are hurting while you take a look inside your mug, realizing only now it’s empty.

«It is, they’re my family» the tone he uses makes a knot built up in your throat, smiling melancholic. And who the hell knows why, Jungkook notices it. 

«Is- is something wrong? Did I say-»

«No, no, no. It’s fine, I’m fine» you quickly say smiling again. He would like to ask you what’s wrong again until you’d probably end up answering him but he thinks he’d invade your personal space and annoying you.

«Are you sure? I- I know I ask this a lot but-»

«I’m sure, thank you for asking» you interrupt him with another gentle smile. Jungkook knows it’s not true, but he nods anyway, bringing his gaze to his empty glass. His action makes you bring yours to your phone, unlocking the screen and realizing only now it’s almost eight and a half.

«I should go now»

He raises his glance, the feeling in his chest it’s telling him to not let you go but he can’t do that.

«I’ll see you tomorrow at the studio?» you ask him while getting up from your chair, rummaging through your purse looking for the wallet. Jungkook is about to say yes when he remembers tomorrow it’s their free day.

«No, not tomorrow» he smiles at you getting up and producing a shrill sound with his chair against the floor, his cheeks heat up for the fiftieth time only in an hour.

«Oh, I guess I’ll see you on Wednesday then? Or whenever we-»

«Could you give me your number?»

If he thought his heart already risked a heart attack many times with you, then now he should be dead from the way it’s beating. Blood running through his body so fast that he can hear it his in his ears, the tip of them and his cheeks flashing red, palms sweating more than before. Maybe he shouldn’t have asked you.

You stare at him for a few seconds, completely stuttered by his question as you gulp harshly and blink a few times.

«You- you promise you won’t send me nudes?» you joke, and this time you are the one who’s left with her mouth agape, wondering where the hell that just came out from. «Oh my-»

«If you don’t ask for them I won’t» Jungkook scoffs, the fact you just said something like that is making him feel lighter. You raise your eyebrows at him.

«I won’t, I surely won’t» you quickly rebut but you’re afraid he might be offended so you keep adding words making everything worse. «I mean- not that I wouldn’t like them, it’s just-»

«Y/N» he interrupts your dwelling. «I- I won’t send or ask for nudes» he laughs at his own words at the end of the sentence, making you grimace.

«I’m- I’m sorry, I don’t know why I said that»

«It’s okay» he smiles at you and you let out a shaky breath before putting ten bucks on the table and heading to the door with him.

Jungkook dials your number on his phone and quickly sends you a message to let you save his, still freaking out in his mind for what happened in just an hour of being with you.

The afraid of being awkward he felt at the beginning is still there, but he feels more comfortable now that he knows a little bit about you. He’s still nervous, palms still sweaty and heart still beating like crazy, gaze still trying to lock with yours just to shudder and blush under it. He likes the way his nervousness shaded with the comfortableness you made him feel talking to you, his chest both threatening to explode because of the tension but still tasting the sweetness of the naturalness and ease, the combo is one of the weirdest to ever exist, but it’s true.

«Goodbye, Jungkook» you smile at him after putting your phone back in your purse. You think about your actions for a moment before quickly tiptoeing and leaving a soft peck on his cheek that makes him almost feel dizzy. The way your soft lips touched his skin will haunt him even in his dreams tonight. He’s not rapid enough to smile at you while you turn and walk away, too shocked by your actions, but he smiles anyway.

This is the first time Jungkook realizes he just had a bite of the cake, and now he wants to eat it all.

«Are you kidding?» Taehyung’s deep voice resonates through the stairwell and Jungkook can hear it even by pulling his phone away from his ear.

«I’m not, Tae» he rushes to the door and hangs up before opening it sure that his friend is already there. In fact, he is. Standing still in front of him in his Gucci palazzo trousers looking like a model.

«Happy birthday, Kookie» he smiles at him and hugs him tight making Jungkook chuckle.

«You just said it on the phone»

«I know» he pats his shoulder. «Where are the others?»

«They’re coming» Jungkook takes a look to his lounge, the table is already set and the food is almost ready, Jin will be proud of him.

«Is she coming too?» Taehyung asks, Jungkook turns like top.

«What? No»

«Why not?»

«I don’t know... we don’t have that much of intimacy. And with you?» he knits his eyebrows thinking of the possible ending of doing something like that. «She’d probably feel like a fish out of water and you’re gonna embarrass me if I’m not the one doing it» he shakes his head.

The bell rings and Kook rushes to the door to welcome his friends, Hobi and Jin are standing there with the biggest smiles on their faces and hands full of envelopes, smiles as bright as the sun.

«There will be a day when you’ll be old and people will make fun of you, and it’s coming! Happy birthday!» Jin hugs the maknae laughing for his own words and Jungkook does the same. Hobi joins the hug, making Tae grimace and run to them.

«I feel alone» he mumbles before wrapping his arms around the three of them, Jungkook in the middle is almost dying, being the burger in the middle of the bread.

«Happy birthday!» Hobi screams, his voice echoing in the hallways remembers Jungkook the door is still open.

«Okay, now set me free» he laughs. «Where are the others?» their grip on him loosen and he finally closes the door.

«They went to buy you a cake, Seokjin made you one but Joon ate it last night without knowing it was yours» Hobi burst out laughing.

«It was obvious! He should’ve known it!» Jin screams frustrated with his eyes wide.

«Look at that!» Jimin points at the cake through the glass, his eyes sparkling at the sight and his mouth begging to taste the sweetness of the sponge cake. He looks like a baby.

«Ugh, Chimin! It’s for Jungkook, not you!» Namjoon scolds him making the corners of his mouth drop.

«I know what he likes!» he says back. Yoongi shuts his eyes, they’ve been in here for almost ten minutes now, fighting over which cake they could buy and not really getting anything.

«Do you-»

«He’ll like that» Yoongi cuts off Joonie’s words and point at the cake nodding to the pastry chef behind the counter who quickly smiles at him.

«Could you write “Jungkook” on top of it?» Jimin asks with a kind smile, the baker nods and he raises his eyebrows at Namjoon.

«See? It’s gonna be perfect, you need to listen to me!»

Namjoon sighs and shakes his head, taking a glance out of the shop to see his girlfriend still in the car waiting for them, eyes fixated on her phone.

Your parents had decided to ring your doorbell without telling you they were coming over. Luckily - or unfortunately - it’s Tuesday, and on Tuesday you’re usually home for lunch, but when the doorbell squeaked you didn’t really think it was them. Maybe the postman or a neighbor, but not your parents.

«Surprise!» they both screamed. It was the worst surprise ever. You didn’t know they were coming so you didn’t make lunch for them, didn’t tidy up properly, didn’t hide your things and didn’t lock your door. Plus, you weren’t prepared for another mental breakdown, not so soon after they gave you one just two days ago. And you still aren’t now, listening to them talking while you eat your salad.

«Your mother decided to come visit Ailiseu for a few days and September is already here so we decided not to wait until next month, it’ll be too cold» your father explains, his smile going from ear to ear. You instantly pray for the mental health of your cousin knowing how your parents can be, she’s gonna go out of her mind.

«Exactly! And we’re staying at her place, since she has a big house. Sorry honey, we would’ve asked you but we thought we’d be too much in here.»

«No problem» you try to sound as kind as possible. This is the good side of having a small house, at least.

«How long will you stay?»

«Three days» your father says «but we’re going to Ailiseu for dinner, we’d like to spend today with you»

«Take a day off of work.» your mother points her index finger at you. «We’ll have fun! We could go to the mall and buy some clothes, I really don’t like the shirt you’re wearing»

You stop eating fixing your gaze on your meal and trying to stay calm. This is a nightmare. How are you supposed to not go to work when they saw you were fine this morning? And notify them in half an hour? Your boss is going to go out of his mind and kill you. You won’t even be able to rehearsal today, obviously.

«Mom, I-»

«Please?» your father cuts you off.

You give up. It’s scientifically proven that you can’t beat them at this game without bursting out, that would definitely lead to an argument and you really are not in the mood for it. So you nod and finish your lunch listening to all their stories, your mother complaining about everything: the broken electric hand dryer at the gas station they stopped in, the way your father drives, your shirt - again -, your salad, your house and again your job. All of her words only make you wish to end this day as soon as possible but against your desire, time only seems to slow down while you wait for your her to come out of the bathroom.

You’re ready to go to the mall, you already called your boss and told him you had a setback and couldn’t go back to work this afternoon, and like you predicted before he didn’t sound happy at all, groaning things you couldn’t understand and quickly hanging up. Your mother is been in the bathroom for twenty minutes now making you frown and sink in your couch. When she finally comes out you head to the door in a second.

«Let’s go shopping!»

Your feet are hurting, if they could talk their exact words would be “fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck” at every step you take. You’ve been in here for almost six hours now, dragged from a shop to another, from a salon to a shoe store and you’re pretty sure that by now you entered all the shops in the mall.

«What’s the time?» your mother finally stops walking at your father’s question, taking a glance at her golden watch.

«It’s almost eight,» she answers raising her eyes to you «we should probably go. Do you mind giving us a ride to Ailiseu’s place?»

You try to fake a small and force yourself to nod despite your tiredness, all you’d like to do now is lay down and sleep. Your brain health is being put to serious danger today, with all your parents endless rumblings and complaints, your mother even tried to buy you a shirt just for you to go change the one you have on in the public restrooms.

You head to your car with big strides and yawning, your parents’ words behind you about how beautiful your cousin’s house is  and how much their parents must be proud of her are making your chest heavy and your head pound.

You hope not to stay stuck in traffic once you get in your car and get out of the parking lot. You only make it to a few blocks before your wishes and hopes totally fade away, the cars blocking the street and the sounds of the honking filling your ears.

«We’re gonna be late, Ailiseu is waiting for us» your father sighs.

«Can’t you take a different road?»

«How am I supposed to take a different road now? There are cars behind me» you huff at your mother’s words.

«Then honk!»

«It’s not gonna change a thing, everyone is doing that!» you claim. Your dad shakes his head.

You wait at least five minutes before you move again, the silence only filled with your mother’s huffs and annoyed muttering. When you think you finally made it and you’re gonna be home soon, a loud thud makes you shudder and not even a second later you’re being pushed against the wheel because of the swing of your car, hitting your forehead against the glass of the windshield.

It takes you a few moments to realize you just got hit and before you know it you’re already putting on your hazards and heading out of your car. How is it even possible to witness to accidents in just a few days? 

You take a look to your parents while they do the same as you and when you see they’re fine you let out a sigh of relief that lasts as quickly as it came out. Your car is devastated at the back and there is no way you can walk home without shedding parts along your way, you only feel grateful that you and your parents are not hurt.

The man in the car behind you approaches you with fast steps and a worried face, tired eyes and shaky voice.

«I’m so sorry, I should’ve been more careful»

You don’t even understand how he managed to make such a mess to your car with the traffic on the streets now, he probably came out from one of the small roads where there weren’t cars and you were the lucky one to welcome him in the jam.

The man leaves you his number telling you to call him once you know how much this is going to cost you and quickly leaves, you end up calling a taxi for your parents and a tow truck for your car, trying to stay as awake as possible. After forty five minutes of waiting you’re so tired that you could lay down and sleep in the middle of the road if it wasn’t for the cars threatening your life, but apparently someone is hearing your prayers and the tow truck comes to rescue you. Your car is brought to the mechanic and you say goodbye to another one hundred bucks for the tow truck. You’re left alone in the middle of the jam, so you move to the sidewalk ready to call a cab. You had the worst day and you’re already thinking of how much you’ll have to work to get all the money you just lost back.

«Y/N?»

You’re being caught off guard when someone calls you while you’re bringing the phone to your ear. When you turn and find Jin smiling at you you quickly hang up.

«Jin, hi»

«What are you doing here?» he looks down at you as if he’s the Eiffel Tower and you’re the grass.

«Uhm, my car broke, I was going to call a taxi»

«If you want I can give you a ride? Can you wait a little bit? Just the time to sing happy birthday to Jungkook and give him the gifts, we’re looking forward to embarrass him» he laughs.

«Oh, it’s Jungkook’s birthday?» Jin nods realizing only now that Kook probably didn’t tell you. «I don’t know... I don’t want to bother, I wasn’t invited and I don’t have a gift and-»

«I think you’re thinking too much» he quickly cuts you off. «I don’t think it will be a problem for Jungkook or the others, he’ll be happy to see you»

You sigh. You could call a taxi and wait for it, spend another fifty bucks and head home. Or you could wait a little bit and spend the time you’d spend waiting on the street with them and maybe have a little bit of fun after this awful day, maybe. If things won’t get awkward again. It’d save you money you could use for the groceries, after all.

«Lead the way» you end up saying thanking him with a warm smile. He nods and soon you’re in the elevator waiting for the doors to open, hoping not to look as awful as you feel right now. You still feel sorry to break into his birthday party without an invitation, a gift or even a little bit of more intimacy between you two, so when the doors open and you hear the laughters coming from one of the apartments you think of getting back outside and call a cab. But it’s too late, one of his friends already holds the door open for Jin, glancing over his shoulder with curious eyes and widening them at you.

«Jimin, this is Y/N» Jin introduces you to his friend gesturing with his hands an impossible language for you to understand, not that it does have meaning, he’s just trying to tell him to contain his expressions.

«Y/N, hi!» his voice is soft and it makes you smile without an apparent reason. You link him to Jungkook’s words yesterday, the third maknae and apparently, the friend he often chooses to ramble on to.

«Jungkook!» he screams over the laughters coming from the other room, eyes still fixated on you.

«Teahyung won’t let me come!» At the sound of how happy is voice sounds, laughing and cracking in the middle you can’t avoid the warmth in your chest.

«Come in» Jimin steps aside and lets you and Jin in the house. «You can give your coat to me»

You thank him and give him your coat before you’re following Jin in the other room where the others are. Their laughters stop in a second when they glance at you, now filling the place just with silence. Jungkook’s heart stops beating for a moment, totally shocked and overwhelmed by your presence, mouth agape and eyes widened. He wasn’t prepared to see you, he totally wasn’t. He stares at blankly as if he just saw a ghost and not even when Taehyung finally sets him free from his hold he’s able to say something. Your cheeks are burning like fire under all their gazes.

«I’m Taehyung» the guy who was holding him smiles at you and takes a few steps before reaching out his hand. «I’m sorry about the awkward meeting»

«Oh, don’t worry» you shrug at the memory.

«Jungkook?» a deep voice seems to wake him up from his trance, Namjoon is telling him to do something with his eyes.

«I’m Namjoon»

Soon enough all of them gather around you and shake your hand welcoming you into the house with bright smiles and kind words. The only girl in the group tells you to call her Kitty and tells you she’s the Namjoon’s girlfriend, she seems pretty nice and you end up talking for at least twenty minutes, all of your tiredness seems to disappear. The only one you still didn’t talk to is Jungkook, and you’re afraid he’s annoyed by your presence. The thought makes your head throb, but you wouldn’t blame him after all. It’s his birthday and sure he’d like to spend it with the people he loves, not with you that he doesn’t know much and weren’t even invited.

«You should go talk to her» Namjoon whispers in Kookie’s ear.

As if he hasn’t thought about it already. Jungkook knows he should talk to you, but as I said before, he really isn’t prepared for this. And seeing you talking with his friends and smiling makes the feeling in his chest even more uncontainable. You’re smiling and you seem at ease with them, sipping from your glass from time to time and laughing at Jin’s jokes. He likes this picture, you in his house, all bright and happy. He could get used to it. And all of this, only makes his anxiety grow until it’s skyrocketing.

«I’m gonna say or act awkward and ruin things again, I’m not-»

«And do you think that staying here won’t? She’s in your house, it’s your birthday and you didn’t even greet her. It surely...» he trails off when you take a few steps towards them. Jungkook bits the petal of his lower lip feeling the usual but still new mixture of emotions rushing through his blood until it reaches his chest and totally takes over him. Namjoon pats at his shoulder and glance at you with a kind smile before standing up from the couch with Hobi and heading to the kitchen. Jungkook stares at you for the millionth time, wishing to say something, anything, but the words are caught in his throat.

«Happy birthday» you stop in front of him, glancing down at the pillows beside him. «Can I?»

 He raises his eyebrows and opens his mouth even more before nervously nodding.

«I’m sorry,» you say softly after sitting on the couch «I didn’t want to break in and annoy you, my car broke and Jin offered me a ride home and-»

«You didn’t annoy me, you don’t annoy me. Never- you never annoy me» he blurts out. «You- you can stay as much as you want» his cheeks are heating up, and you don’t even know why but you suddenly smile like a baby, his words make you feel more at ease.

«I don’t have a gift»

«It doesn’t matter» he smiles at you, your heart both stuttering when you lock eyes.

«If I’m being honest, I-» he stops talking, eyes shifting from yours to meet the ground.

«What?»

Jungkook stays silent for a moment, thinking about what he wants to say over and over again, trying not to make it sound as cheesy as it sounds in his head, but the truth is that there aren’t other words to express it.

«I like you here»

«What?»

«I-» he gulps «I like you here, with us?» he wants to slap himself. Why did he even think about telling you something like this?

«You seem happy?»

You squint your eyes at him, something about this conversation is making you more nervous than usual.

«I think I am?» why are you asking him?

Jungkook scoffs at your tone, it comes out so naturally that it makes your heart flutter. «You don’t sound so sure about that» he quotes your words, a bright smile creeping upon your face.

«Everyone is so nice and easy-going, and they made me feel comfortable even though I wasn’t meant to be here» you shrug. «You weren’t joking when you talked about them»

«Actually...» he clears his throat «I though of invating you yesterday but I- I didn’t cause I though it would be weird? I mean-»

«Jungkook, you don’t need to explain me why you didn’t invite me. Don’t justify yourself»

«I’m not» he replies fast enough to make you knit your eyebrows.

«But I’m happy you’re here now» the sound of those words are like sugar to your hypoglycemic heart, hearing them makes you feel something you never experienced, something that you missed since you were a little girl. The simple act of being happy to have someone near you and not expect anything from them is something you never witnessed, neither from your parents, even though they love you under those cold masks they wear. People always seemed to expect something from you, always. Jungkook is not telling those words without meaning them, he’s not expecting a thing from you. Not even a gift.

«Jungkook!» Hobi screams from the kitchen, tone breaking into a laughter and soon joined by others too. Jungkook shuts his eyes for a moment and then smiles before standing up from the couch. With boldness he didn’t think he has, he stretches his hand out for you to grab it, waiting with held breath and unsure dark doe-eyes staring directly into yours.

It’s a matter of seconds before you loose up and reach out to his hand, fingers intertwining with each other’s and a shudder running down your spine.

Jungkook stands still for a moment, his hand is limp against yours, he didn’t really think you’d grab his hand, not in this way. You’re not holding it to help you stand up, you’re intertwining your fingers with him. It’s different. The heat rising in your cheeks makes you feel like a teenager with her first crush and only now you realize that that’s why your heart is pounding and your brain is overthinking more than usual. You’re about to split away since he doesn’t tightens his grip on you, mentally slapping yourself for doing something like this. You’re fingers leave his and Jungkook’s chest feels suddenly more heavy. Reaching out again, he grabs your hand, fingers intertwine with yours and this time in a tight and sicure grip. His hands are a little bit sweaty for the nervousness, but so are yours. Your heart stutters, breath held as if you were free diving.

Both of you stand still for a moment before turning to look at each other, not even the time to say something that Hoseok is calling again from the kitchen.

«Jungkookie!»

«Happy birthday!» the screams fill the apartment, Jungkook’s features are priceless with his eyes squinted and his cheeks flashing red, trying as best as he can not to die under everyone’s affections.

«Blow out the candles!» Jimin shouts «I’m the one who choose the cake!»

The happiness and the intimacy in the room is so overwhelming that you feel out of place for a moment, but Taehyung grabs you by your arm and brings you closer to the group.

«Come here, embarrass him with us» he winks making you laugh. Jungkook shakes his head, he’s still at ease for the happy birthday song but he can’t fight the big bunny smile taking over his face. And when he sees you laughing with Teahyung, it takes him just a second to let go of the uncomfortable feeling in his chest only to be left with the desire of the sweet taste of the cake, and not the one on the wooden table.

Taking a deep breath he blows out the candles, eyes fixated over you making your heart skip a few beats. He doesn’t even think of a wish, all he wants it’s here tonight; the warmth of his friends, the love they feel for each other, maybe the new beginning of something, anything.

The candles die out, leaving the room in the dark for a few seconds before someone finally turns the lights on.

«Time for the presents!» Namjoon screams.

«Oh, please!» Jungkook whines and the laughters of his friends grow even more. Yoongi disappears to bring all the bags with the presents in and everyone except from Jungkook and Hoseok seats on the carpet in front of the couch even though it’s empty, you guess it’s one of their habits.

«I’m gonna cut the cake» Hobi announces turning around to face the table and start his task while Jungkook makes his way through the bodies of his friends, apparently towards you. He stops in front of you, still standing still a little bit out of place.

«You wanna sit on the couch?» he points at the sofa and you end up asking yourself why you didn’t do it sooner. You sit on the cushions, eyes fixated in front of you even when he follows you and sits beside you under everyone’s gaze, his friends staring at him before gazing away.

«Here comes the cake!» Hobi is a ray of sunshine with his bright smile while he distributes the dishes to everyone and soon enough you’re closing your eyes and letting out a whine at the taste of the sponge cake.

«It’s so good» you let out with your mouth full, words almost puzzling. Jungkook bursts out laughing and you need to gulp trying not to choke.

«Ah! See?» Jimin points at Namjoon «I choose it!» he turns to you with bright eyes and a big smile reaching his eyes.

«My taste buds are thanking you» 

Yoongi enters the room with his hands full of bags and places them beside Jungkook.

«Alright, let’s begin» he sits in front of the couch. Jungkook takes a deep breath and turns to grab the first bag.

«This is from?»

«Ugh, I forgot to write it again» Hobi murmurs making everyone laugh. Jungkook opens all the gifts, every single one of them makes you know him a little more, a little better, a little deeper. From the sweater of Hoseok to the set of products for his skincare by Jimin, they all tell you something about him. It’s Jin’s turn when he suddenly gets up from the carpet and shakes his head in the jumpiest of ways.

«Wait, wait, wait!» he almost screams. When he realizes what he’s doing he try to fake a smile. «I need to talk to you»

«What?»

«I need to talk to you» he repeats.

«Now?»

«Jungkook ya! Yes, now!» Jin looks at him with eyes widened almost as if he’s trying to communicate with him but Jungkook can’t really understand what is happening, so he just wakes up and follows Jin in another room, not a second later the hyung comes back just to bring his presence for Kookie with him.

«Alright, I’m gonna take another piece of cake» Namjoon says, her girlfriend gets up from the carpet with him to do the same. Taehyung smiles at you from the ground and quickly gets up, sitting next to you. You end up talking for at least ten minutes, conversation as fluid as the water and a comfortable feeling of naturalness you haven’t been feeling for a long time. You think you’d like to hang out with them more, they make you feel good with their positivity.

Jungkook finally comes back in the room after fifteen minutes, gaze and smile that now you can identify as nervous. He sits on the couch beside you grabbing Jin’s present again, digging in the bag until he finds it. Ripping the paper off, the new set of kitchen tools lights up his eyes. Now that the presents are all discarded, Jin looks at you.

«Do you want to go home now?»

Would that be wrong or weird if your answer was no? You glance at Jungkook, his eyes already on you.

«Wait, wait!» he bursts out, now standing up and heading out of the room. Your expression is blank until he comes back, wondering what just happened. Jin seems to smile when he see his friend rushing back with a bag in his left hand.

«Come ou- out, please?» Jungkook asks. You nod still uncertain and you follow him to the balcony, he makes sure to close the door behind you so that nobody can hear you.

Silence fills the air just for a little bit, the only sound that can be heard is the night, so peaceful and quiet, the light whistle of the wind. Jungkook is again repeating to himself that he can talk without embarrassing himself or making you feel awkward, he did it until now, kinda. He clears his throat and raises his gaze, hand scratching his neck. This can’t go worst than the first times you met, after all. It’s a simple action.

«I-» he stops without even starting.

«Am I making you nervous again?»

His expression changes, eyes widening and mouth hanging agape as he starts to shake his head.

«No, I- I mean...» he trails off and you don’t know why, but you feel the need to reassure him. So you smile at him, one of those warm smiles that makes his heart stutter and wonder if he’ll ever get to see another one, if this one doesn’t kill him. He gathers all his strength to talk through the smile that wants to take over his features.

«I’ve got your dress» he lifts his hand.

«What?»

«I’ve- I’ve got your dress. This is your dress, the dress you wanted» his cheeks are burning.

«It-it’s not my dress, it’s yours»

«I-» his eyes widen at the thought of the explanation he has to give you, so many words he wants to groan.

«I saw you liked the dress and-»

«You saw I liked the dress?»

«Yes, I mean- I was in the shop when you came in.» he claims. «I saw you looking at the dress and I thought you’d like it as an apology gift? So I- I was trying to understand the size you were looking for and praying that there was on- only one or that you’d let me buy it for you.» he quickly blurts out.

«There was, but you had already found it and I- I should’ve just walk away but I didn’t and-» he stops again.

«You know the end»

He had already told you what happened but you really didn’t think it was this, with the little details it sounds totally different. The silence makes his way again and Jungkook feels like he’s about to explode for the way his cheeks are heating up, so he’s quick to place the bag in your hands.

«I- I wanted to give it to you and I took it at the rehearsals. Jin- he mistook it for a towel and- this- this is a new one don’t worry. I tried to search for it online but apparently they only sell it in his store and Jin found it today and-»

«Thank you» you cut him off, your warm smile reaching your eyes and now setting on fire his. He’s sure he’s gonna burn by the end of this.

Opening the bag and raising your hands to look at the cloth you realize that you couldn’t care less now. It’s beautiful, but it’s just a piece of cloth. It’s the action behind it that you find more beautiful, even though you would’ve never think about it this way just a few days ago. Jungkook searched for it online, and he grabbed it from you because he wanted to buy it for you. Well, maybe he should learn how to contain himself, but it doesn’t matter. He never wanted to tease you or make you feel uncomfortable, it’s just a consequence of him being around you. And that’s exactly why he acted like that.

«I’m sorry»

«We need to stop to say that» you scoff. «I don’t care anymore, not now that I know what happened»

«So- you- you’re not mad at me?» 

«Why should I be?» you frown at him «Jungkook, I’m not. Honestly, I-» you stop talking to glance at him. And the only thing you can feel is your heartbeat raising until it’s skyrocketing, you can feel it in your ears. An insolite warmth, a weird sense of happiness you never got to really feel. And something inside you is telling you to fucking let go of your armor, break it apart and take a risk for once, just one and just now. Damn, how much you would like to know what’s the taste of his lips, of him. If only you were more bold.

«Trust me, I’m not mad at you» you almost whisper, so low you’re not even sure he heard it.

Jungkook shifts his gaze from you to the dress in your hands, and before he can stop himself the words are already leaving his mouth. 

«Do- do you want to wear it?» he wants to slap his face again.

«Now?»

«You’re right, do- don’t. I mean, if you want to wear it I-»

«Jungkook, stop talking»

You look into his dark doe-eyes fighting the urge to drown in them, but it’s just a matter of understanding it, you already are breathless and desperately swimming to get to the surface.

«I don’t think it’s the right dress code for tonight and Jin is probably waiting for me»

«I- I can give you a ride if you want? I mean, you can stay more, you know that?»

«I wouldn’t like to both-»

«You don’t.» he states, eyes never leaving yours.

«Please, stay? Just a little more. Or let me take you home?» he’s almost imploring for a little bit more of your presence, but he doesn’t care anymore, not now. There’s something inside him that doesn’t want to do anything else than let you know the effect you have on him, what a strong power.

«Alright» you breath out. «I’ll stay, but tomorrow I have to wake up at six, I’ll probably have to go in a little bit»

Jungkook nods and feels the guilt sneaking in at the same time.

«Oh, I didn’t know it. You- you can go»

«Jungkook, I’ll stay for a little bit more. Don’t worry.» you lightly scoff, his worrying for you causes a weird feeling in your chest. «I’d be happy to eat another piece of cake.» you smile.

«Plus, I like being with you» 

Jungkook feels his chest warming, the thought of him making you feel good almost sends him dizzy. He knows that he can’t answer you now, he’d just say or blubber something without any sense, so he just smiles. One of those smiles that you really don’t know what they do to you, but you can feel it.

You end up talking for another five minutes before he goes in to bring a piece of cake to share and to tell Jin he doesn’t have to leave now to take you home, you didn’t tell him if he can give you a ride, but Jin usually leaves pretty late, so it’s not a problem for him.

When he comes back again he’s sure he has never seen someone as beautiful as you. The way the light of the moon lights up your features and the shadows of the night make them look even more charming, the way the light breeze makes you hair swing.

Jungkook sits beside the table and you do the same, body facing the city lights that make you feel a little more small.

«Here» he gives you a spoon. You eat the cake, air filled with light laughters from time to time and light conversation. His presence really seems to make you feel good, lightweight. Like you haven’t felt in months. The end of the time you gave yourself quickly arrives and you end up standing up and ask him for the bathroom before you go home.

The tiredness is taking over you again, but you’re not regretting staying more, not even a little bit. Placing your phone and your purse on the washbasin you start to think of how fast things can change in just the slightest amount of time. Just a couple of days ago you thought he was trying to make fun of you with his friends, and now you’re enjoying their presence and wishing the night would last just a couple of house more, so that you could go to sleep later. But it’s not possible, so you quickly grab your purse and rush back where Jin is waiting for you. You told him before you would be leaving with him, even thought the thought of Jungkook giving you a ride home was screaming to come out, you don’t want to ruin the party by bringing away the birthday boy. Saying goodbye to everyone is like a promise of seeing each other again and you end up sharing your numbers with Namjoon’s girlfriend and with Teahyung, telling each other you’d like to hang out together.

When it’s Jungkook’s turn he hands you your bag with your dress in it knowing you left it on the balcony to go to the bathroom.

«I’ll see you tomorrow?» he asks with a low tone as if it’s a secret.

Thinking about what happened today with your car, you’re not quite sure if you’ll make it to the rehearsals tomorrow, you have to work until midday and if your boss lets you, you’d like to work overtime to save more money, you already spent a bunch of them for the tow truck and you still have to fix your car. You’re just glad your mechanic is a friend of yours and will probably give you a discount.

«I’m not sure I’ll make it, I’ll probably work overtime» you grimace. Jungkook‘s features fall a little bit but he’s quick not to show you and nods. You’re about to tiptoe and leave two pecks on his cheeks like you did with everyone when his hand reaches yours and your heart do cartwheels. Your fingers intertwine for the second time tonight and you can feel your cheeks heating up with his.

Jungkook keeps telling himself to not make you feel uncomfortable, this is a bad idea, but he really doesn’t understand you feel everything but uncomfortable right now. The warmth of his body is so close to yours that you’d like to crush in his arms without any hesitation. Looking up at him, he stares at your face, marveled by the way you make him feel before quickly tilting his head. The action is so fast you don’t have time to understand what’s happening, and in a second his lips are pressed against your forehead, gente and dangerously soft that you’d die to feel them on yours.

Without even realizing it your arm wraps around his back and he feels himself stiffening at the contact, he wasn’t expecting it, and neither his cock, now throbbing in his jeans and remembering him that its better if he lets you go. So he does so, trying to smile as best as he can and ignore the reddish of his cheeks. Thanks to God no one is watching you, or he’d be dead by now.

«Good night, Jungkook. And happy birthday.»

And so you smile at him and turn around to head to the door with Jin.

What a birthday.

It’s only the next day you realize you don’t have your phone. You want to yell at yourself for adding another piece to the puzzle of your stress. You did nothing but run like crazy for the whole morning at work and you thought that at least you could relax during your lunch break but apparently, it’s not possible. You have two free hours and you don’t have any idea about what you’re going to eat for lunch, but you repeat to yourself it doesn’t matter. You’re just praying you told the right address to the cab driver and hoping that he is home. You’re going to Jungkook’s, and the thought alone makes a fluttering sensation rush through your chest, and now you’re even more nervous. You usually wouldn’t break in people’s house like this but it’s the only way, you really need your phone today considering your car is at the mechanic’s and your parents are in the same city as you. You can’t wait until tomorrow and hope he’ll bring it to the studio, this is the only way.

When you find yourself opening the car door and taking a glance to the building in front of you it’s safe to say you feel relieved. At least the address is the right one. Your steps are smooth and you make it to the entrance door without any problem, but when you search for his name on the intercoms you suddenly feel stuck in place, your heart beating faster than usual. Repeating to yourself you need your phone, you press the button and wait for him to answer. A few seconds pass by and you’re already losing hope when finally a bzz signals that the entrance door is just being open. You expected him to ask you who you were but he simply quitted so you stare at the name on the button wondering if you should press it again. Your fingers move faster than your thoughts and a second later you’re waiting for him to answer to tell it’s you, but Jungkook seems to have a different idea and again, he just re opens the entrance door. Sighing gently and giving up, you enter the apartments and get in the elevator.

The thought of being here again is making your chest warm, so warm it feels like a summer day. Last night since the moment your head touched your pillow you thought about him shamelessly, trying to understand the way he made you feel and to categorize it in some kind of way. You found no answer, you don’t even understand yourself when you’re with him. Yesterday has been one of the worst days ever but it took him nothing to make it better for you, even with his stuttering and nervousness, he was able to make you feel... mattered? Since the moment you met him for the first time Jungkook screwed up almost every time you talked, but he always found a way of making it up, maybe with a little bit of unease and already on his way to screw up one more time, but he did. And just the simple fact he cares enough to try even though he knows you so little makes you smile and worry at the same time. You’re not used to all this attention, you’re usually the one who’s always trying to hard, at his place.

The doors open and and you have to go out to let the person in front of you get in the elevator, so you end up staring at his door.

«I’m going now!» a yell comes from inside, you don’t have time to understand whose voice it is or what it’s happening that Jimin is already standing in front of you with his eyebrow raised and a smile forming on his lips.

«Hi, Y/N»

«Jimin, stop teasing me!» Jungkook screams from inside. Jimin widens his eyes and then his lips in a shocked expression as you smile at him.

«Hi, Jimin»

Just the sound of your voice and the maknae is losing it all, rushing to the door to see if his mind played a trick on him. Apparently it didn’t, since you’re staring at him with your mouth open and your breath stuck in your throat, and Jimin has pretty much the same expression.

Why are you... Oh-

«Fuck, I’m sorry» his cheeks heat up and Jimin shuts his eyes as Jungkook realizes he’s not wearing his shirt, fast enough to run to his bedroom that he could challenge the wind. His friend shakes his head.

«I should go, see you» he holds the door open for you to enter and then goes out with a warm smile. The second he shuts it you’re left in a house that now seems ten times bigger than yesterday night, maybe for the lack of people, maybe for the silence. Or maybe because you feel so little in this moment you wouldn’t be surprised if someone stepped on you.

«I’m sorry to break in your apartment like this» you speak out loud, not sure if he hears you. Jungkook bites his lips.

«I forgot my phone and-»

«Here» he shows up from the corner of the short hallway, your phone in his hand.

«Thank you» you grab it and put it in your purse.

«I charged it for you yesterday night»

«Oh, really?» he nods. You smile as another thank you and Jungkook opens his mouth to speak when a low grr fills the air and this time it’s you the one with your cheeks reddening.

«Are- are you hungry?» What a stupid question, of course you are. «I made some pasta if you want it»

«I should be back to work in an hour and a half and I’m not sure I have the time to eat, I have to wait for a cab too»

«I- I can take you? If you want?» he licks his lips. «It’d save you time and the pasta is ready»

He’s right, and your stomach is dying to be filled.

«Alright» you nod and he smiles triumphant, the way his eyes seem to smile at your words makes you wonder.

«Why are you so kind to me?»

Jungkook’s smile turns into a slight pout that makes you want to peck his lips as he raises his eyebrows.

«What do you mean?»

You struggle to find the right words. «I- You... you always try to help me or worry about me, even for little things like when we went to the cafe and you kept on asking me if I wanted to switch drinks. When things become awkward it’s because you try to make a good impression and fail, but you’re always trying.» the tone you’re using makes Jungkook grimace. He can tell you’re not used to this from the way you’re shifting your weight from foot to foot as you speak.

How can he explain it to you? How can he tell you he’s so head over heels for you he can’t even think of stop trying? Jungkook bites the petal of his lips furiously as his mind tries to find the right answer, but there is not and he lets out a strangled groan as he realizes it.

« I... I- I really like you» 

Your expression is blank, totally. His words almost seem not to touch you as he studies every part of your face for a reaction.

«You’re not used to this, ri- right?» he scratches the back of his neck.

«I’m really not» you breath out. Jungkook knits his brows together.

«Do you- you want me stop it?»

«I-» you shake your head «I don’t think so? I’m really not used to it, Jungkook. It may sound incredibly stupid but I never had someone who asked me if I wanted to switch drinks just because he wanted me to taste the best one and not to actually steal it from me.»

«Well, now you have me» his words are firm, so incredibly firm it makes you clench your jaw, and his eyes are the same.

«I- I charged your phone because I was worried you would need it today and couldn’t use it. I’m offering you a ride because I like spending time with you, I don’t want something in return other than you, your time.» his voice his calm and his shoulders seem to loose with every word he says as if he’s letting go of a heavy weight.

It’s all striking you in a second, and the hit is so hard you end up holding your breath. It’s not really the fact he likes you that makes you this stunned, it’s the fact he actually cares. Your parents never showed their affection to you without expecting you to give them something back, wether it was a high grade or a good impression on your neighbors, and when you stopped trying to always give back something their affections towards you had simply stopped, replaced by fake “honey” and other nice words just to cover the fact they didn’t really believe in you enough to show it. And with your friends and coworkers is pretty much the same, always waiting for something in return.

The sudden realization makes your eyes tingle and you vision blurry.

«I’m sorry»

Jungkoook shakes his head and gets closer, the thought that no one ever cared enough to show you how much you matter or acted just for the simple intent of doing something for you and not actually for them wrecks him apart. His mind flies back to when Seokjin told him about your parents and how they acted or spoke to you, he can clearly see the weight of every single word of them in your shiny eyes now, hurting you and making you question his good actions just because you’re used to the most selfish ones. It makes him want to bury you with attention, show you that people can do something for others too and not just to feed their egoistic side.

«Come here» it’s as low as a whisper, but you don’t hesitate a second to let his arms wrap around you, hiding your face on his shirt and soaking it with the tears that are now streaming down your face. His grip is tight and you can hear the stuttering of his heart against your ear, one of his hands gets to your hair and starts to softly, sweetly stroking at them to make you calm down just a little bit, head tilted over yours. His heart is aching seeing you like this.

«I’m sorry»

«Shh, stop saying that. We apologize too much» he holds you even tighter as you fist his shirt in your hands. Jungkook leaves a soft kiss in your hair and your heart skips a beat at the intimacy of the action. It’s only then that you realize you’re really letting someone see this side of you, the one you always try to hide because it’s to fragile to break, the one you hide even from yourself.

Slightly tilting your head upwards to lock eyes with him, Jungkook tries as best as he can to smile at you, even though his chest is has heavy as yours. His hands cup your cheeks, his thumbs caress your skin and wipe your tears away.

«Jungkook»

«Yes?»

«Please, kiss me»

His lips crush onto yours, Jungkook groans at the feeling and you instantly bring one of your hand in his locks as he tastes the salty taste left by the tears. As you lightly bite the petal of his lower lips Jungkook feels like he’s dreaming, and he prays not to wake up. His tongue slides in your mouth, wet and warm against yours, tracing and exploring each other and making you slightly tug at his locks, he moans in your mouth and brings one of his hands to your waist, bringing you closer to his body. The kiss is passionate, so damn needy, but not only in a sexual way. You need love, affection. Jungkook is more than welcome to help you with that, letting you waste all of your insecurities and frustrations on him until you feel completely dried, left with nothing but the realization of his taste on your lips, his hands against your skin, his embrace around you, him. And you need to push away to take it in, letting his forehead hover over yours and his heavy breath crush down on your face. His eyes are looking into yours and they make you feel things you now are able to categorize as humanly impossible, so dark and deep but so bright at the same time, lips still brushing against yours as you both take deep breaths. The frustration in your body is gone, your tears are dried, the only thing left is the need you feel to have him again on you, the desperate desire to taste him again. His mind prepares to the thought of a possible rejection, the idea you begged for him to kiss you just to drift your thoughts away storms his mind but he repeats to himself that whatever thing will come, this was definitely worth it. He’ll just have to face the fact that he just got only one bite of the cake. How can he even believe in it? Your lips are addicting, and he’s already craving for more.

«I could get used to this» you whisper. Jungkook never felt so relieved in all his life than now, letting out a shaky breath heavier than the others.

«Please, do it» he whines making you giggle and bring your lips on his again. This kiss is different from the other, more slow, more sweet, more intimate in a different way cause it’s just about you two. There aren’t emotions to run away from and to waste on the other, the only emotions are the ones you feel for each other. His lips move cautiously on yours as if he wants to taste every single part of you and imprint in his mind, your hand leaves his hair just to reach his neck and then his cheek, resting on his jaw. When you move away he rests his forehead again on yours and tilts down just to leave a few more sweet pecks on your lips, totally addicted to your taste. As you look at him you think this man we’ll send you out of your mind, if he didn’t already.

«Could you get used to me caring about you too?» he breathes. Your smile is bittersweet.

«It might take me a little bit» you answer. Jungkook strokes your cheek with his thumb, showing his bunny smile and making your chest a warmer and happier place.

«Then we’ll practice together, uh?»

«I’d like that»

[bloodwrittenballad]

No More Hiding | Drukarri x Gn!Reader

Summary: The relationship between the three of you has been a secret from the others for years now. Or… so you all thought.

Warnings: Fluff, mentions of sneaking around, secret hiding, fear of an unsupportive/judgmental family, suggestive content, innuendos, mentions of sex, swear words, not proofread or edited.

*Note* okay but I really liked this one I think it’s so funny and cute, I hope you enjoy it too! Lemme if you do!! And feel free to send a request if you have one!!

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It was never like you wanted to keep your relationship a secret. In fact, if you three could all be out in the open, you would be. However, being a throuple, you all knew the possible backlash you could receive from the other Eternals. Thus leading to the decision to stay quiet about your relationship. It wasn’t ideal, not being able to express your love for them freely, but keeping your love safe from judgement was more important to you than holding their hands in public.

It got easier over time, keeping it secret. The three of you worked around those who didn’t know of your arrangement, as you only kept kissed and pet names for when you were all in complete and utter privacy. Even then though, there were still days were one of you would slip up and almost completely out what the three of you had.

Like the time you had accidentally said “baby” in front of the other Eternals, and both your lovers turned around expectingly. Or like the time Druig playfully slapped your butt around everyone else, and it was both a mixture of confused and disgusted facial expressions, as Makkari sat there trying not to burst out with a laugh.

You had all managed to come up with excuses for those types of moments, claiming they were either pranks to make the others uncomfortable or that it was just because you three were such close friends. For the most part it worked, convincing them that there was nothing else further than friendship between the three of you. At least… so you thought.

Turns out they all knew. They had for a while. Which now, in this exact moment, would’ve been great to know, considering you felt like you were about to die from embarrassment after being walked in on while all three of you were in the middle of a particularly compromising position. Oh, you were screwed, and not in the way you wanted.

“Wait a second,” Druig started, looking half close to bitch slapping someone. After being walked in on by Sprite - the poor, now traumatized kid - she quickly realized the scene that had begun unfolding in front of her and left the room. Minuets of pacing around your shared room, a knock sounded on the door and the sweet voice of Sersi called out to ask if you three could talk. You already knew what it was going to be about, but agreed regardless.

The mood you three had worked up on was ruined anyways, might as well just rip the bandaid off now and tell the truth. Leading you to this exact moment, where your boyfriend was speaking quite passively. “You knew all this time and yet, you didn’t let us know?” Druig concluded, obviously annoyed.

“Well, yes,” It was Serisi who spoke. “We respected you guys and didn’t want to pressure you to tell us until you were ready.” Phastos exclaimed. You shared a look around the room, and then at your partners. “Well,” you said chirpily, “at least we don’t have to keep sneaking around!” To that, your lovers nodded, though Druig still looked unhappy that it had been known and no one said anything. Though you also didn’t miss the other look on his face, the look of relief that everyone accepted what you three had.

“Yeah, I guess you’re right,” Druig spoke, “Now I get to kiss you both in public.” He said, giving you and Makkari cheeky winks. You and Makkari smiled big and bashfully, all while the others in the room had made faces. “Okay just because it’s known that we know and are cool with it, doesn’t mean we need to see your make out sessions,” Said Kingo. “Agreed. Just because we know you’ve been doing it in private for the last couple thousand years, doesn’t mean we wanna see it ourselves now that you’re going public.”Spoke Sprite, who still looked very grossed out by what she’d almost seen before this conversation.

“Sure, sure, whatever,” you three waved off. “Speaking of which,” you hopped off where you had been sitting on the counter and grabbed both your lovers hands, tugging them along. “Now that we’ve got this settled, shall we continue you where we left off?” Smirks grew on both of their faces as they let you lead the way back to your room, the chorus’s of “ew’s” following you all the way until you made it back to privacy.

This time, locking the door so there’d be no further interruptions. “Well,” Makkari signed and smiled slightly in leftover embarrassment, “that’s one way to come out.” Druig and yourself laughed and agreed. It might’ve not been the most conventional way, or the way you wanted your relationship to be fully out there, but at least now you could hold their hands without hiding, and that’s all that mattered.

[shotorozu]

hello! how are you? Hopefully you’re doing fine! But may i request for todoroki and bakugou where their s/o does the trend in tiktok where they’re cutting cucumbers, carrots, sausages while syncing the lyrics to “happier” of olivia rodrigo.. ty!!!

‘‘happier’ with what?’

character(s) : bakugou katsuki, todoroki shouto (bnha)

based off this tiktok

legend : [Y/N = your name] they/them pronouns used; gender neutral, quirk not mentioned

headcanon type : crack, fluff (x reader)

note(s) : i didn’t know what you were referring to until i stubbled across the trend on my fyp 💀 i decided to do this one because two characters 🤩 and im kinda busy working on another thing— but then i also didn’t wanna disappear for 6 days like last time (and also because i had more inspiration for this idea)

»»————-　♡　————-««

bakugou katsuki

this trend appeared on your fyp, and you decided to do this, because all of the reactions looked way too funny for you to skip out on

plus, it’s a relatively harmless tiktok prank— compared to the other pranks you’ve pulled on him, it’s not like it’ll endanger the stability of your relationship

the most it’ll do is have him wincing and uncomfortably squirming because yeah, implications and innuendos 💀

you said you were going to make another tiktok, and that you wanted him to watch you make it

and katsuki acted like he didn’t, care at all like “🙄 do what you want, just don’t drag me in”

but then, he ends up follows you— just to watch whatever you’re about to do. like i’ve said in the past, he doesn’t actually hate it when you bring him into your tiktoks.

raises an eyebrow, questioning when you pull out the cutting board from the drawers, and a mini knife

and a raw hot dog from the fridge

“the fuck’s the hot dog for?” he asks from the sidelines, but you smile— propping your phone up to rest against the kitchen counter

then you start filming, the song resonating throughout the kitchen— katsuki thinks he’s heard of this song before

but the thought’s immediately discarded when he sees the frequent stares you’re shooting at him, cutting the hot dog up with specific slices

and the way you speed up with your slices, as you recite the lyrics “i hope. you’re. happier.”

“why would i be happier—” is what he tries saying, but the sound of your tireless chopping cuts him off

your chopping doesn’t slow down in the slightest, and his expression scrunches up at the sight

he’s confounded because what the hell are you doing 🤨❓ looking at him while chopping a hot dog aggressively

he finally intervenes “what the fuck- stop that shit, you’re not even chopping it correctly!”

without harming you, he forcefully takes the mini knife, aligning the remaining pieces of the hot dog into a straight line, cutting the hot dog in his way (the correct way, basically)

katsuki finally looks over at you, and his face is like 🤨❓❓❓he’s bewildered by your sudden burst of laughter

you end the tiktok, which also him to actually question you “what’s so funny?” he asks firmly, and rightfully so

who wouldn’t question their s/o, who just walked into their kitchen, started vigorously chopping up a hot dog, and then laughed like a madman 💀❓

and then you explained it all to him— the trend, the song meaning and why you were shooting stares at him while chopping up a hot dog

katsuki’s like 😐 ‘why would i be happier with some extra? who’s not even in the damn picture??’

“so that’s why you were chopping like that?” honestly, he’s more concerned about your chopping skills— katsuki says you should know better since he drags you into the kitchen whenever he cooks something

“wait, you weren’t concerned about the fact—”

“i mean, now that you’ve mentioned it, it’s shitty.” he squints, referring to the trend’s implications “i think i take more offense to the idea of you using a hot dog of all things.”

“because you know i’m way bigger than some hot dog—”

“kats—”

“i didn’t lie, now help me clean up this clusterfuck.”

todoroki shouto

similar to the scenario with bakugou— you came across the trend on your fyp

at first, you didn’t exactly get it. but when it finally came to you, it made you fall onto the floor, crying from laughter

you then scrolled under the sound for more reactions. you saw all kinds of versions (cucumbers and sausages) and they were all equally fun to watch

so you wanted to do the trend too— and yes, your boyfriend was going to be your subject, since all of his reactions are so amusing and authentic

it’s also because the thought of todoroki shouto cringing over a sausage being torn apart makes you giggle like a 12 year old.

you weren’t sure if he’d understand the innuendo, or if he’d react at all— but you decided to take your chances :))

waiting for you to settle down, shouto sees your movements to and from the kitchen. with his interest quipped, he asks “what are you up to, love?”

“oh, i’m gonna make a tiktok,” you mention with a smile, knowing that he’s interested

“can i watch?”

“you’re more than welcome,” you go back into making the impromptu setting for the tiktok, and you smile when he stands by your side

there’s a mini knife, a cutting board, and a banana sitting on the counter. so seeing all of the cooking materials, shouto assumes you’re going to make a snack for tiktok

he’s more than wrong

though he’s curious, he chooses to not verbally question you about this— i mean, all of the context clues are there, so what is there to ask?

then, you start filming, the audio’s clear as day, and it definitely surprises him. the song doesn’t sound very.. upbeat.

“but she’s beautiful,” you go along with the lyrics, taking a look full of ‘emotion’ at him as you make an incision, “she looks kind” you make another cut in the banana

“she probably gives you butterflies,” your actions against the banana grow more and more forceful, and he’s just left staring.

“i don’t know who ‘she’ is, but no, it doesn’t give me butterflies.” you ignored his comment, and proceed with the chopping like normal though you did want to cackle at his comment

he really said ‘it’ instead of ‘she’😭

shouto’s slowly growing more bemused by the second, because one— who’s ‘she’ 😃❓ who are you referring to? what are you referring to??

and two— why are you cutting up the banana with so much force? did you wake up wanting to cut a banana up with all of your might?

he’s worried about your insinuations, and he’s reviewing, reliving everything he’s done that past week, even though his face is like 😐 on the outside

but at this point, shouto’s worried about the chance of you hurting your arm💀

he’s on the right track, because you started chopping up the banana with such intensity, while emphasizing the lyrics with a chop

now, you’re not even looking at where you’re cutting anymore— and you’re just cutting wherever the knife lands on the banana

so your concerned heterochromatic boyfriend intervenes, finally “love, you’re gonna hurt yourself,”

unlike bakugou in his scenario, he carefully takes the mini knife away from you— grabbing your wrist so your oddly aggressive chopping would halt

“chop like this,” shouto demonstrates like a cooking show 💀 cutting the poor banana slowly, and with caution

this is the breaking point, because you burst out laughing— which makes him stop everything

like,, he knows he’s sorta slow at some moments, but HUH 😃❓❓ literally what? is the punchline?? pls tell him, or he’ll suffer

“i know i’ve said i was getting better at understanding the punchlines but.. could you explain?” and of course you explain, because he’s so genuine with his curiosity

you explain to him that it’s another trend on tiktok, and no you weren’t mad at the banana, and no you weren’t making a cooking tiktok with sad music

and that the banana was supposed to be his 😳🥵 /hj (for the second emoji)

he laughs when you’re done explaining, “i was starting to think i did something hurtful.”

“no of course not, i just wanted to see your reaction!”

“as expected,” he shows you a small smile, pressing a kiss onto your temple “but you can’t do that ever again. with that kind of force, you might lose a finger or two.”

you smile at his scolding, “yeah yeah, i won’t cut up my bananas like that again.”

he’s not worried about you implying that his 😳🥵 was like a banana because he knows it’s nowhere close to one 💀

the tiktok blows up once again, gaining 800k likes and 1.2M views. since everyone is thirsty for your tiktoks that feature the two of you but they’re mostly there for his reactions

the comments being like ‘love how he’s not offended about the banana 🤩’ ‘dude the way he held them 😔🖐 haha im so lonely’ ‘are you sure.. his thing is like a banana 😃❓’

the comments were super funny lowkey invasive but still funny and it came to the point that you and shouto spent 3 whole hours just,, reading all of them

but because of this trend in particular— shouto now monitors your activities in the kitchen and especially when you’re cooking while making tiktoks

likes and reblogs are appreciated, thanks for reading!

i do not own bnha/mha and it’s characters. boku no hero academia/my hero academia belongs to horikoshi kohei, i only own the writing and i do not profit off of my hobby

do not plagiarize, reupload, translate, or use my works for audio readings without permission :))

[mysterystarz]

spellbound:

summary: fate sure had a way with screwing with you, especially when it put oikawa tooru into your life as your rival and the #1 thorn in your side. it was another thing altogether when the two of you are paired together for a potions project, and manage to get detention for two months...together. for being one of the most accomplished students at hogwarts, it's a mystery how you can't succeed at dodging oikawa

pairing: oikawa tooru x fem!reader

word count: 14.8k (ahhhh sorry!!!!)

genres + themes: enemies to lovers, fluff, angst, a bit of funny stuff, hogwarts au!

warnings: some swearing, innuendos, kuroo being a conniving little shit™, iwaizumi being amazing, and makki being a lovely bastard™

It seemed like everywhere you looked, there was some little clue that hinted at destiny’s writings, a prequel, maybe, to the fate that awaited you at every turn. Of course, said clues only showed up if you paid enough attention, but the first contradiction to this was when you boarded the Hogwarts Express.

It had been a pleasant morning by all means, boarding the train with your best friend (who could almost be considered your brother) Kuroo Tetsurou, as well as waving goodbye to your parents and the muggle life that they had lived. Being eleven years old and finally getting to live the stories that their mothers had always talked about had shot excitement up into their spines, a tingle that never subsided until they sat down in the train compartment. Sun shone through the open panels of the glass, and in some distant part of you, you wondered if you’d ever miss home.

“It was about damn time!” Kuroo had yelled as the train began to move. “We’re finally off to Hogwarts! You and me, living the dream and–”

“Shut up Tetsu.” You had offered in response, hoping that the grin on your face was smug and not excited. You began to lift up your bag, checking for all the school books that were required when two people came bounding down the aisle.

“Hey,” the gray haired boy had greeted, shooting a gentle smile their way. “My name’s Sugawara Koushi, and this is my friend Sawamura Daichi.” At that moment, the boy with dark hair offered a friendly nod. “If you have any extra space in your compartment, would you mind if we sat with you?”

“Of course not.” Kuroo had responded, patting the seats across from him. “The more the merrier.”

“Thank you.” Sawamura had thanked them, before he and Sugawara sat down. “It’s a relief that you managed to find an actually peaceful compartment. Near the back of the train, it’s absolute chaos.”

“Hmm?” You hummed. “Why’s that?”

“Girls.” Sugawara and Sawamura had groaned simultaneously. Taking a pause, Sugawara glanced up at you, before his eyebrows shot upwards. “Shoot, how rude of me. What’s your name?” He had added frantically.

You chuckled good naturedly, as you slid a hand over Kuroo’s shoulder. “No worries Sugawara. I’m Y/L/N Y/N, and this idiot here is Kuroo Tetsurou.”

“Y/N, you’re insulting me too early!” Kuroo teased with his usual smirk. Turning sideways, he began digging through his pockets for the wizarding change he kept somewhere. “Any idea what house you’re going to end up in Sawamura?”

“Daichi is fine.” He added. “I’m hoping for Gryffindor, but Hufflepuff wouldn’t be too bad.”

“Those are good houses.” You added thoughtfully. “I personally want to see where I’ll end up. A little mystery is fun every now and then, right?”

What a mistake it had been to say that.

“Hmmm, I think mystery is overrated when there’s a clearer path ahead.” A voice sounded out from behind you. Turning around, you were met with a boy taller than you by a decent amount, with chocolate brown hair and warm brown eyes. Cute. “Besides, you should have studied enough about the houses if you hadn’t been exposed to them your entire life.”

“And why’s that the case?” You shot back. “It’s not like you’ll always be right about your guesses.”

“Oh, but I am.” The boy drawled. “It’s hilarious how you’re not even able to bring yourself to take a guess.”

You felt yourself stiffen from the tension of it all. Who even was this prick? “Well, I’m not exactly sure how this concerns you…whoever you are, for wanting to do whatever I’d like to.”

The boy’s eyes slipped into a practiced grin, his eyes intent on boring into your own. “I’m Oikawa Tooru.” He had said. “Let’s see if we’ll see more of each other, ‘kay?” He sauntered away, leaving a wink in your direction as he left.

“Who the hell even is that guy?” You grumbled, feeling the anger in your veins simmer down to a low boil. “I said something completely normal and he went and turned it into...whatever that was!”

“Oh, Oikawa is the son of the Head of the Department of International Cooperation. He’s usually been nice the times we’ve talked though.” Sugawara explained.

“I’m not sure what I'd call that.” Kuroo added. “But whatever it is, don’t take it too seriously Y/N, okay?”

“Mhm.” You said, though your mind was working in overdrive. For someone who believed in finding clues to fate everywhere, this seemed less like a clue and more like an entire reality forced upon you. If there was one thing you knew for sure, it was this.

You did not want to be in the same house as Oikawa Tooru.

“Gryffindor!” The hat had shouted into the Great Hall, the applause deafening as Kuroo joined the houses that their mothers had been in. As he walked, he left an assuring smile in your direction, and a part of you was nervous. What if they were separated?

“Y/L/N, Y/N.” Professor McGonagall eventually called. Taking deep breaths, you settled yourself onto the stool, and let the Sorting Hat cover your eyes.

“Slytherin!” The Hat bellowed, as you gleefully stepped off the stool, and walked towards the Slytherin table who offered the greatest applause that they could. You felt quite homey already, and settled into the seat as you watched the other sortings go by.

“Oikawa, Tooru.” McGonagall had said, as the boy from the train stepped onto the stool, grin blinding. You anxiously tapped your toe and crossed your fingers. Not here, not here, not here, not-

“Slytherin!” The hat had cried out, and another wave of applause overwhelmed the hall as Oikawa took broad, confident steps towards the table, slipping into one of the seats as the girls around him sighed.

Fate was a monster.

And it seemed like you were it’s victim.

Now in your sixth year, you had adjusted to the eccentricity and wonder that the world had to offer, finding exciting new things at every turn. It was the typical cliche of how the students from the muggle world were far more immersed in the magic culture than the kids that had grown up in it.

However, with the normalcy of magic, you also had gotten used to the blinding annoyance that Oikawa Tooru subjected you to day and night. He was a thorn in your side, and at times, you wondered how he was attractive to anyone, since his personality was absolute garbage.

“I don’t know how you put up with him Iwaizumi.” You sighed as you flipped through the pages of the book you were using to complete Binns’ essay on the Goblin Revolution. “He just gets more and more insufferable every time you see him.”

“I don’t know how I do it either.” He responded. The Gryffindor stalked over to one of the bookshelves, pulling out yet another book for himself to use. “But the library is peaceful without him.” The two of you chuckled lightly as you gestured for him to sit down across you, dipping your quill into the ink just by it.

He was right. Today, more so than usual, the library was a calmer space, with the occasional student scribbling away onto their parchment or collecting a book from the massive archive of shelves. It was cloudy outside, but the shadows casted inside the library felt more comforting than eerie. Pausing to read one of your sentences, you dropped your quill and stretched your arms.

“If only he wasn’t intelligent. Then I’d be able to happily learn in pea–”

“You think I’m intelligent Y/N?” You whipped around to see Oikawa sitting at the table right behind you, shit-eating grin on his face. At your silence, his grin widened further. “Ahhh, it’s okay. I know you’re so in love with me that–”

“Shittykawa, why the hell aren’t you at Quidditch practice?” Iwaizumi groaned. “Seriously, for somebody as motivated as you, you don’t have your priorities straight.”

“But Iwa!” He pouted. “It was canceled, and I was out of things to do.”

“So you decide that it’s a good idea to terrorize unsuspecting people?” You deadpanned. “Creative.”

At this, his grin fell off his face a bit, but the calculating stare was still there. “Hmmm, well, it seems like you need help. After all, getting an E on a Binns’ last essay is nothing short of pitiful. Need a little help dear?”

At this remark, you flushed, glaring at him. “That was because of something that was beyond my control. Now if you don’t mind, Iwaizumi and I have much better things to do then interact with the likes of you.”

“But Y/N.” He cooed, voice dangerously low. “You do think I’m intelligent after all. Why not just admit that I could beat you in any way possible.”

“Hey there,” Kuroo greeted, walking in at just the right moment. The piercing glare of Oikawa’s eyes mellowed down into something a lot more normal. Kuroo turned, looking at the scene in front of him before he pulled up a chair to the table that you sat at. “Oikawa, you are the captain of the Slytherin Quidditch team. As much as I want to pummel you at the championships, you should probably attend practice.”

“You Gryffindors never pay attention to the updated practice schedule.” Oikawa sighed. “Well thanks for your concern Kuroo, but I don’t have practice today, and needed to get a headstart on reviewing the ingredients for Amortentia.”

“Fucking Amortentia.” You groaned. “It’s going to be fun to brew, but god forbid you end up with someone who doesn’t know how much peppermint you need to add in.”

“On the contrary, Amortentia is by far one of the most fascinating potions.” Oikawa countered. “The fact that you can literally make anyone obsessed with you with just a sip is something amazing.”

“It’s overrated.” You responded. “Obsessive love isn’t real love, and quite honestly, it can be dangerous if the two are confused.”

“Y/N, maybe you’re just not as well read, but–”

“How come you only call me by my first name?” You interrogated. “For someone with high class parents, you’d think you’d never put anyone on the level to call them by their first name.”

That hit a nerve.

Oikawa’s face morphed into something unrecognizable. Hurt?

“My parents have never taught me anything like that.” He said seriously. “And it seems like yours never taught you common decency.” With that, he gathered his books and left the library, an awkward silence in his wake.

“That….” Kuroo began hesitantly. “That was….”

You felt the pit of your stomach drop with the realization of what you had said. You had overstepped your boundaries.

“He’ll get over it.” Iwaizumi’s eyes held a softness as he looked at you. “Don’t get too hung up over it.”

“I….overstepped.” You had managed. “I shouldn’t have said that.”

Kuroo stared down at the floor, eyebrows furrowed in deep thought. “Y/N, if you want to apologize, I don’t think that would be a bad idea.”

“I’ll write a note.” You said simply as you grabbed a piece of parchment and scribbled your apology. Grabbing your belongings, you waved goodbye to your friends as you headed to the Owlery. You could never manage to reign your pride in enough to apologize in person, but at least for your conscience, this was enough.

The owl soared away gracefully, and you watched it go off into the distance as you left the room. You still had quite a bit to accomplish, and the meeting with Oikawa had reminded you of the advanced Potions lesson that Snape had mentioned he would be teaching tomorrow.

Potions had always been the most complex subject, with the various ingredients creating concoctions with varying effects. Since the minute you had stepped in Hogwarts, you knew that you would enjoy it immensely. However, the coil in your gut seemed to imply one thing.

Whatever Snape was going to assign tomorrow would have some sort of catch.

You had no idea what it could be.

Oikawa had received your note. At the Slytherin table, he had run a thumb over the hastily written words, but surprisingly never commented on it. Something about his quietness rubbed you the wrong way, and you should have known how it would set the tone for the rest of the day.

Potions class was doubled with the Gryffindors, and you sat next to Kuroo in the hopes that you’d be paired together for whatever it was that Snape was going to assign.

“Your assignment today has been approved by the Ministry of Magic so that way they’ll have more experienced potioneers in the future to mass produce and hopefully improve upon this fairly recent potion.” Snape began.

Right away, everyone who wasn’t paying attention before shot up, interested.

“Now, with the base ingredient of aconite, can anybody tell me what you’re tasked to brew?”

Immediately, you shot your hand up into the air, along with Oikawa, who had previously been drawing on the side of Iwaizumi’s parchment.

Snape quirked his lips upwards, amused at the typical display of rivalry between them. “Mr. Oikawa, Miss. Y/L/N, hands down so the Gryffindors can answer.”

Slowly the two of you dropped your hands from the air, light giggling coming from the girls of the class, mumbling something along the lines of “Oikawa is so dreamy and smart.”

Snape surveyed the room until he landed on someone with spiky white and black hair next to Daichi in the back row.

“That’s Bokuto Koutarou.” Kuroo whispered into your ear. “This will either be extremely good or extremely chaotic.”

“Mr. Bokuto? Any idea of the potion?” Snape asked.

Bokuto had shot up quickly, and nodded. “Uhhhhhh…...Wolfsbane.”

Snape looked a bit shocked himself. “How did you deduce this?”

“Oh,” Bokuto had started excitedly, “Aconite is also referred to as wolfsbane and….I know someone who needs to take the potion.”

“Enlightening.” Snape added blandly. “I have chosen your partner for this project of yours. As you all have probably read, the process of making Wolfsbane potion is not easy and it requires months of diligent brewing. This will count towards your exams at the end of the year, so I suggest you take this seriously.”

Iwaizumi’s hand was gently raised in the air, attracting the attention of Snape almost immediately.

“Mr. Iwaizumi?”

“Professor,” Iwaizumi started, “In the scenario that you have disagreements with your partner, what happens then?”

“The pairings were chosen by the Ministry and myself so that way they could have a better output of successful potions. I’m afraid disagreements will not be tolerated.” Snape responded bluntly. Waving his wand, he tapped on the board at the front of the class. “Above is your pairing and table number. Please join your partner and wait for further instruction.”

Slowing your breath, you cross your fingers to look up and the board and oh. Oh no.

Oikawa.

Out of all the people in the room.

You turned to look at him wide eyed, only to be met with the same expression. Oh no.

Kuroo snickered beside you as he headed towards Iwaizumi, giving him a good natured pat on the back. Lucky bastard.

“Miss. Y/L/N and Mr. Oikawa, please take a seat at Table 14.” Snape called out. “You’ll have plenty more time to stare at each other.

Still shocked and appalled, the two of you walked to Table 14, still in disbelief.

“Please tell me I’m asleep.” Oikawa pleaded. “This is just a nightmare right?”

“I hope so too.” You shivered, sitting on the stool.

Oikawa’s eyes widened even further. “Did you just agree with me?” He whispered. “This is definitely not real.”

“I’ll only agree with you when hell freezes over.” You hissed. “Sit down before Snape kills us!” Oikawa quickly obeyed, sitting down in his shell-shocked state.

“Oh lord, save me. I’ve been paired with a gremlin.” Oikawa smirked. “Well won’t this be interesting?”

“Save me, I’ve been paired with a human leech.”

“Is that the worst you can come up with?” Oikawa teased. “Well, that can be expected from a–”

“Oikawa, care to share your thoughts with the class?” Snape interjected. “Such interesting conversations should not be kept a secret. Especially when in the midst of an important project.”

“Sorry sir.” He apologized sheepishly.

Snape ignored the murmurs. “The ingredients for the potion are rare and expensive, so when I instruct you to go to the cabinet, you will take your time and take only your allotted amount. Wolfsbane specifically takes about two and a half moon cycles to cook, and needs to be spun counterclockwise on the days that is a new moon. The final result should be a blue and smoky substance when placed in a goblet. You will spend the rest of the class gathering and preparing the base of the potion, and will be required to meet up outside of class to work on it’s maintenance.”

With that, Oikawa had soundlessly gotten up, being the first to retrieve the appropriate amount of all the ingredients and returning with full arms, and a concentrated expression.

“Oikawa. I’ll take care of pulverizing and sifting the Black Quicksilver. I think it’d be good for you to work with the aconite, and create the base so we can add the rest.” You said.

Oikawa nodded, as the two of you began the preparations. Staring back at the Black Quicksilver, you began shooting an assortment of spells to pulverize it, then found yourself digging through the cabinets to find a sifter.

Oikawa looked at you puzzled. “Aren’t you a witch? Why do it manually?”

You simply kept sifting, until it was a fine dust. Finer than even magic could achieve. “Because it’s better for me this way.”

Oikawa looked at the dust and nodded as he continued to extract the aconite and pour it’s contents into the cauldron. “Even a dimwit like you seems to be able to show competence in some small instances.” He mumbled something that sounded a lot like “intelligent.”

“You think I’m intelligent?” You immediately added a smirk. Ah, vengeance was always so sweet. “Wow, would you look at that. Looks like you didn’t mean the dimwit part.”

“Don’t let it get to your head Y/N.” He smoothly countered, as he continued to stir the contents of the cauldron counterclockwise. “Go make yourself useful and add the moonwort.”

You grabbed the moonwort, picking the leaves off the stems and gently adding them into the base that Oikawa stirred. Surprisingly, the two of you held down the fort well enough. “Does this work?”

Oikawa, ever so focused, began stirring clockwise, the base simmering to a tealish color as he left it to boil. “Good enough I suppose.”

“Is nothing ever good enough for you?” You had asked offhandedly. This wasn’t the first time you had noticed this. As much as you despised Oikawa for all his pomp and show, he was a very meticulous worker and always stressed about the littlest details. The smallest slip up could easily send him hurtling into the waters of overworking. You’ve heard the stories of Iwaizumi fishing Oikawa out of the library one too many times.

He looked back at you, slightly cautious. “Well I suppose if I were to lower my standards to fit the likes of you, then it may be.” You sigh loudly. That was nothing close to what you expected.

Professor Snape ceased everyone’s progress, and they filed out the door, not bothering to look back upon the Potions classroom. It had certainly gone much better than you had anticipated. Walking up the stairs, you decided that you’d spend your free time outside at the Great Lake. Hearing murmurs a bit ahead of you, you quickly climbed the extra flight of stairs only to see Iwaizumi restraining Oikawa.

“Iwa!” He yelled. “Give it back.”

“No,” Iwaizumi tucked whatever it is that he had been withholding from Oikawa into his pocket. “I’m not going to let you do this to yourself Oikawa.”

“But I can’t do what I normally do without it.” The look in Oikawa’s eyes was almost pleading, and you could see Iwaizumi’s sadness etched onto his face.

“Then maybe, you need to take a rest from it.” Iwaizumi suggested. Oikawa tensed, a hard set in his jaw, and suddenly, his wand was whipped out of his pocket and into the air.

“Then it looks like we’re doing this the hard way.” He said gleefully. “Rictusempra.” Iwaizumi dodged the spell immediately, grabbing the wand from his pocket and creating a shield for himself as Oikawa fired jinx after jinx at him.

“Tarantallegra.” You whispered as you aimed at Oikawa. Noticing the beam of light, he side stepped it, glaring at you with a venom you’d never seen from him.

“Y/N. Don’t be nosy and get out of here. This has nothing to do with you.” He deadpanned, his stare, reaching a dangerous level of intensity. Iwaizumi stood on guard but breathed a sigh of relief when he saw you standing, arm extended and pointing the wand towards his best friend (however that came to be was beyond you).

“Actually, you attacked him, and seeing how Iwaizumi is my friend, I’m not exactly going to let you walk away scot-free.”

“Y/N, you should probably get out of here.” Iwaizumi added. “Getting in trouble now would only ruin everyone’s chances of participating in the Interhouse Tournament or doing anything useful.”

“No!” Oikawa and you retorted simultaneously. The two of you used every charm, jinx, curse, and countercurse you could until the hallway was filled with nothing more than the shocked eyes of the other students and Iwaizumi trying to calm the two of you down as you shot more and more spells at each other.

This felt good. To be able to put all the frustration that had boiled up through years and years of torment had an almost therapeutic effect. Besides, with every flick of his wand, Oikawa was actively combatting everything you threw at him while effectively attacking you. It was by no means a one sided duel. Students began to crowd the halls as you continued, not letting up in the slightest.

Dodging Oikawa’s stunning spell, you put up yet another shield. “Running out of ideas?” You taunted, sending a disarming spell his way.

Oikawa defended against that almost too easily and shot back a reply of his own. “You’re dueling someone you can’t win against Buttercup.” He shot a body-bind curse at you, which you diffused with a spell of your own.

“Try me then.” You shot yet another spell, until Professor McGonagall thudded through the hall with so much purpose that the students around you felt like they would combust.

“What in the world!” She scolded. “Two sixth years having a duel in the middle of the hallway, disrupting classes, and being a bad example for the younger kids. I didn’t believe it when I heard it. And Iwaizumi!” Iwaizumi blinked fiercely before making eye contact with her. “How come you didn’t do anything to stop this?”

“He did Professor,” You immediately interjected. “It’s just that Oikawa here had no concept of respect and began attacking him. I merely swooped in as a means of self-defense.”

“Is this true?” McGonagall asked Oikawa, glare unwavering.

Some sort of switch flipped in Oikawa, and suddenly he was the all too charming model student that the rest of the school saw him as. “Professor, I acted out of turn when Iwaizumi, my best friend, took something that belonged to me and kept it from me even when I requested it be returned. As for Y/L/N, she cut in without context of the gravity of the situation.”

McGonagall exhaled tensely, looking between the three of them. “Iwaizumi, why did you take whatever it was that you did from Oikawa?”

Iwaizumi’s confidence returned full strength. “I did it for his well-being professor. I personally do not regret my actions one bit.”

“I do hope that you will make better choices in the future Iwaizumi,” She lectured. “As for Y/L/N, and Oikawa, I think I shall leave Professor Snape to deal with you since he is your Head of House. Please, follow me.”

A sense of dread pooled in your stomach of the thought of being subjected to Snape’s punishments. The fact that you could be banned from the magical world or even doing magic by expulsion from Hogwarts made the anxiety that thrummed inside you grow into a larger feeling of all encompassing fear. To think that you could lose everything just because you had witnessed Oikawa’s outburst was almost too much to bear. Turning to Oikawa, you could see his face set in stony impassiveness, knowing full well it was merely a facade. His wide eyes and twitching brow was a testament to this.

“Severus.” McGonagall had announced into their Head of House’s office. “I believe you must have heard of the earlier events.”

Snape emerged from the corner, clutching a quill in hand. “Hmm. Oh yes, I believe I have. It was the talk of my Potions class.”

Oikawa and you cringed at the statement. Snape glanced back at them. “Well, do come in Miss. Y/L/N and Mr. Oikawa. Thank you for escorting them here Minerva.” With that, the two of them walked in while McGonagall walked out, back to wherever she had meant to go before they were caught.

Snape’s office wasn’t exactly comforting when the air of dread and anxiety seemed to taint the air around them. Every breath you took sent the pit in your stomach even lower. Oikawa fiddled with his fingers as he stared down at the floor. Snape finally sat down at his desk, gaze unwavering as he stared at the two of them. “So,” He started, “Please inform me as to why two of the house’s most accomplished students were found by the Head of Gryffindor and dueling in the middle of the corridor.”

Oikawa rose his head to face Snape, a regretful look plastered on it. “Sir, I...my best friend took something that I needed and refused to give it back to me. He was doing it for more personal reasons, but the consensus was that he did not return it to me when I asked. I was desperate and resorted to a tickling charm to quickly distract him long enough to take back what was my possession, but Y/L/N interjected and she shot a spell at me in defense of my friend. The duel had escalated from there, sir.”

Snape contemplated this information, before moving his eyes to you. “Miss. Y/L/N, why exactly did you feel the urge to interject in this situation?”

You felt your hands clam up as you gulped back your nervousness. “Professor,” You said at nearly a whisper. “Iwaizumi is a good friend of mine. When I saw the exchange, I fully planned on walking past and ignoring it when I saw Oikawa shoot the tickling charm at him. From there, it had been instinct and just my urge to keep my friend out of harm.”

Snape nodded once, an indication that he had grasped the full extent of the situation, before his eyes settled between the two of you again. “Why was it that you two decided to duel in the middle of the hallway, even though the goal of protecting Mr. Iwaizumi had been fulfilled?”

“Well, it felt nice to duel her, sir.” Oikawa had said almost sheepishly. “Although at the time, I was more worried about my possession, so her interjecting merely stopped me from regaining it.”

“Likewise Professor.” You added. “I had been angry at Oikawa for hurting a friend for whatever it was that was taken from him, and felt like jinxing him was the only way to keep him from doing anything further.”

“The two of you do realize that dueling is forbidden and can result in expulsion, yes?” Snape pursed his lips as they both dropped their heads in anxiety. “However, I believe the petty rivalry between you two caused you to make an inaccurate judgement. I believe two months of detention is punishment enough.”

“Thank you sir!” They both thanked him, feeling the relief flood their veins.

“When will each of us start?” Oikawa had asked, a little life restored into his previously shocked eyes.

“You both will be doing manual tasks around the school starting Saturday at eight p.m. I will see to it that Mr. Oikawa’s quidditch practices are not disrupted by this. It won’t do us any good if the Gryffindors win the match against us purely because of petty rivalries and foolishness.” Snape had concluded. “That is all.”

Oikawa and you raised from your seats and exited the office in pure gratitude. You were safe. Looking towards Oikawa, you found him staring at you a bit longer than usual. “Is there something on my face?”

Oikawa backtracked for a moment, his stare changing into something a lot more alarming. “Oh hell no.” He murmured.

“Wait….” You had answered. The two of you froze.

Detention. TOGETHER?

“We….have to…….detention.” He sputtered, the color rising to his cheeks. “Fuck Y/N, you almost got us expelled and now we have to be stuck together for two months straight!?”

“You’re the one who shot the spell at Iwaizumi to begin with!” You argued. “Don’t blame this whole thing on me!”

“Fine fine, but aren’t you bothered at all by THIS?” He paced around outside the office, before deciding to stride towards the Common Room. “Gosh, it’ll be a miracle if I’m still alive by the end of this year.”

You began to jog after him, wanting nothing more than the comfort of your dormitory, “Don’t act all high and mighty Oikawa. I’m just as bothered about this as you are.”

“Why did you have to be so nosy?”

“Why did you have to shoot a spell at my friend?”

“He was my friend first you know!”

“And yet you always terrorize him.”

“I don’t want your time with Iwa to poison him and I–”

“Oikawa. Y/L/N.” Snape had said, following them into the Common Room. “I knew this was going to happen. Please, keep your bickering to a minimum. There are others around you who are not as fond of it as you are.” With that, he exited the room, his robe billowing out like a bat’s wings.

“Later Y/N.” Oikawa said simply as he began to climb the stairs to the boys' dormitories. You watched his retreating figure as you mounted the stairs towards your own dormitory. Oikawa was an enigma of sorts, and he was complex in all the ways he pretended not to be.

You knew that solving that mystery wasn’t something you wanted to do.

Then again, isn’t there a saying to keep your friends close, but keep your enemies closer?

“Y/L/N!” Your roommate yelled. “You got a letter from Kuroo asking if you wanted to meet up at the Quidditch pitch for some flying.”

“Tell him to fuck off and bother someone else.” You groaned, shoving your head deeper into your pillow. After the shock of the events yesterday and the prospect of detention TODAY with Oikawa looming over your head like some sort of storm cloud, you found it easy to fall asleep and stay in bed. Plus, Kuroo knew full well that you were not the fondest of flying due to practical reasons, and most likely heard what happened from Iwaizumi.

“Well, it also says that he will personally request Oikawa to wake you up if you’re not there by nine-fifteen….which is in another fifteen minutes.”

Rolling out of bed, you quickly go through the motions of getting dressed, and sprinting to the Great Hall to grab breakfast. You had opted for some pumpkin juice and a strawberry tart as you navigated through the castle and eventually reached the pitch. Kuroo stood there happily, his hair a little more messy than usual, and a smirk on his face when he checked the watch.

“Impressive. A minute early.” He said, eyes glinting mischievously. “You must really be excited to spend some time with me.”

“Not a chance Tetsu,” You responded, grabbing him and heading towards the middle of the field, the grass tickling your ankles as you walked. “You threatened to use Oikawa on me, and considering the circumstances, I refuse to see him any more than I have to.”

“Oh yeah,” Kuroo chuckled. “What actually happened? Gryffindor and the rest of the houses are filled with so many rumors and Iwaizumi has refused to divulge anything to anyone.”

“What!” You found yourself saying before you could control yourself. “Iwaizumi didn’t say anything at all?”

“No, he didn’t. So you’re going to have to tell me what the hell happened because as your best-friend, I am entitled to know this shit.”

“Well…..Oikawa and I may or may not have had a duel in the middle of the corridor that’s maybe two minutes from Flitwick’s Charm’s class.” You mumurmed quickly. “And McGonagall caught us and sent us to Snape.”

Kuroo’s amusement was poorly hidden, his face contorted into a weird shape trying to suppress his laughter. “Iwaizumi let this happen?”

“Uhhh not exactly. He took something from Oikawa, and like the petulant child he is, he began jinxing Iwaizumi to get it back. I just didn’t feel right seeing the situation and letting Oikawa have the upper hand.”

“So what did he take?” Kuroo slipped his hands into his pockets as he walked a few steps behind you.

“I have no idea.”

“What’s the punishment?” Kuroo let out a breathy gasp. “Snape is usually pretty lenient with his house.”

You groaned loudly. You did not need a reminder of the horrid weeks you were about to be subjected to. “Two months of detention.”

“That’s not that bad,” Kuroo assured you. “It could have been way worse.”

“With Oikawa.” You choked out. “Together.”

Kuroo’s eyes widened incredulously before he doubled down cackling his hyena laugh. You found yourself wanting to kick him, or anything really, since the idea of spending four hours with Oikawa every night besides whatever they needed to do for their goddamned potions project…..well it made you want to commit arson.

“Shut up!” You growled. “What did you actually call me outside for Tetsurou?”

He slowed his laughter at the mention of his full first name and smirked. “Look behind you.” Pivoting around, you saw Oikawa, and the rest of the Slytherin quidditch team on the far end of the field, mounting their brooms and doing drills as Oikawa directed them, being a part of the action himself. Oikawa looked a lot more like the reputation he upheld when he was on the pitch….and it seemed his numerous fangirls thought so too. The entire stands were filled with girls of all ages from their house, crowded together and cheering for him when he caught the snitch in his hand, a childish and genuine smile on his face every time he did.

That wasn’t exactly the case when he saw you and Kuroo on the other side of the pitch. Oikawa slowed his speedy acceleration around the bleachers and almost fell off his broom from the shock of it all. When his fangirls discovered the direction he was looking, they sent a dreamy sigh in the direction of Kuroo (who had built up some odd reputation as a heartthrob) and a pointed glare in your direction (since no other female should be taking Oikawa’s attention, apparently). He dismounted his broom and began jogging to the end of the pitch.

“So this is what you meant.” You said, rolling your eyes. “You just wanted an excuse to watch Slytherin practice.”

“Can’t blame me for trying.” Kuroo smiled. “Besides, I think I got all the entertainment I needed today. He almost fell off his broom looking at you.”

“Looking at us, you conniving little shit.” You teased. Oikawa had reached you just as the conversation had closed, not even out of breath. Just how much stamina did he have?

“What,” He sighed out dramatically, “What the hell are you doing here Kuroo?” You quirked an eyebrow in surprise. This was a first.

“Spending time with my best friend,” Kuroo responded almost immediately. “It just so happened that our little dalliance coincided with your quidditch practice.”

Oikawa actually smiled at this, a teasing look on his face. “Seriously? I swear, you Gryffindors need to have the practice schedules spell-o-taped to every nook of that common room of yours.” He then turned to you, his gaze immediately switching to some other type of look. At this point, Oikawa had thrown so many types of looks at you that you didn’t even care which was what anymore.

“I think he invited you here, right?” He had asked simply. Your eyebrows shot up in surprise yet again. No insult? No witty comment? No cocky demeanor?

“He threatened me.” You laughed, glaring at Kuroo. “But I can get him off the field so that way he won’t be violating tournament rules.”

Oikawa smirked in his smug way, and you were already internally groaning because you knew what he was going to say. “Awww, you came all the way out here to see me?”

Kuroo snickered as you neutralized your face into a disinterested one. “Really? That’s the best you can do?”

“It doesn’t matter how I phrase it.” Oikawa defended. “Because you still came and you never come to these. Do you have a thing for me? Don’t worry, I won’t tell.” Oikawa winked.

“Disgusting. Has anyone ever told you that you’re an insufferably cocky bastard?” You tried.

“Has anyone ever told you that you’re a pretentious little argumentative slob?” Oikawa fired right back.

“No, you’re kidding me.” A voice hollered from over the field. Turning to face the practice, you found a pinkish haired boy (Hanamaki, that lovely bastard) using a spell to amplify his vocal chords. “Captain, as much as you love that girl, you need to get that Gryffindor off the field.”

Oikawa had an angry flush coating his cheeks as he flipped the boy off.

“So, it seems like you actually love me.” You grinned triumphantly. “If you have a thing for me, it’s alright.”

Oikawa scoffed. “As if.” He began sprinting back to the other end, yelling something along the lines of “MAKKI, I WILL END YOU!,” at the top of his lungs.

You decided to laugh it off and dragged Kuroo through the other end of the pitch before walking around it, and back towards the castle. The weather was actually good today, with soft clouds and a sweet breeze through the normally stiff air. It was a shame that you’d have to attend detention later that night, or you would have gone to the Astronomy Tower to catch a glimpse of the stars.

“Hanamaki Takahiro deserves a prize.” You said, your shoulder brushing Kuroo’s arm. “He reigned Oikawa within three seconds of teasing. I need to learn the art.”

“You are petty.” Kuroo chuckled.

“He got us detention.” You deadpanned. “He deserves all that misery.”

“But didn’t you also choose to duel him?”

“That’s a minor detail.” You waved off.

By the time that eight p.m. had rolled around, you had completed most of the assignments that were due and ate a decent amount of dinner before heading to Snape’s office, Oikawa staying a fair distance behind you. Snape had nodded at their punctuality before telling them that their assignment was filing and organizing the books in the Potions room, sorting out which ones were new and which were old by hand. Oikawa had nodded, but he seemed to be questioning a number of things in his head.

“The two of you have my trust, hence the lack of supervision. However, I will be verifying every morning, that you did not use your wands for any spells that could aid you in the tasks I am assigning. Be responsible.” Snape opened the Potions classroom door and ushered them in before he closed it behind them. The room was fairly cozy, illuminated by the lanterns and candles that Snape had lit prior.

“You’re good at manual work.” Oikawa remarked plainly as he surveyed the room, eyes calculating. It could have been mistaken as a compliment if not for the situation they were in.

“Everyone is if they have a basic comprehension of what it is like to live without magic.” You responded absentmindedly. “You’re probably good at it too.” That statement was true to some extent. Kuroo and you had always done each other’s chores, or anything to do with your hands really. It had always been a way to connect with what you were doing, and the sense of accomplishment from lifting something heavier than you’d normally be able to manage was better than doing the same with a simple spell.

Oikawa on the other hand had been exposed to spells his whole life. However, you’d see how he’d pick up the quaffles he used at practice, cut his parchment, and even move piles of books around by hand. He was nowhere close to magic dependent, and yet he pretended as if the lack of it was some weird phenomenon. You knew he put up a façade due to the years of observing him, and trying to find a crack in that armor that he made around himself.

Maybe this was one of those things as well.

Oikawa let out an exhale that sounded suspiciously like a yawn, but you didn’t think much of it while you made your way under the cabinets. There were nearly five hundred different copies of each type of book and at least four different types of textbooks. Oikawa followed you to that position, crouching down to see what you saw.

“No wonder Snape tasked us with this.” He chuckled mirthlessly. “He’s milking me for the four hours I’m putting in.” You grimaced in response.

“We are both putting in the hours you self-absorbed narcissistic–-”

Oikawa dramatically flailed his hands before placing them at his side, placing a pointed glare in your direction. “If Iwa had just given me my fucking...thing, then I wouldn’t have had to put up with you even more then I already had to.”

This peaked your curiosity. “What did he take from you?”

Oikawa blanched. “That is none of your concern Y/N.” He began rapidly taking sets of books off the shelves and arranging them on the table by hand. He had set them up into four piles, one for each set of textbooks. He looked back at you while you struggled to carry a large load of books and laughed. “Look at you. That’s not even a lot of books and your arms are shaking. How pathetic!”

Grunting, you stacked the books on the table opposite Oikawa and rapidly sorted through the books before wordlessly adding them to the piles Oikawa had established. “You were saying?”

Oikawa didn’t give you the reaction you were looking for. Instead, he merely went over to the cabinet and lifted an even larger stack of books than you had a few minutes prior with barely any strain. Putting them down at the table you had been at, just minutes earlier, he also sorted through them fairly quickly before placing them into piles. He then looked back up at you, his brown eyes filled with taunting intention. “I didn’t say anything.”

“How you manage to come off as even mildly likeable is some weird mystery.” You said. “Your fangirls must be deluded.”

“I guess that means you are too.” He hummed a tune under his breath as he grabbed another large pile of books and placed them before you. “You showed up to see our practice, and got Kuroo off the field since you didn’t want him to see the amazing skills that I’ll use against them.” He leaned a little closer to you, invading your personal space just enough to give you shivers. “Sounds like fangirl behavior to me, Y/N.”

You backed away from him, sorting through that giant pile and placing them in their allotted spots. “You’ve got it all wrong Oikawa. I can’t have you poisoning Kuroo by being around him all the time. Besides, I’d never cheer for you.” You took the chance to meet his eyes in what you hoped looked like a challenge. “Never in a million years.”

Oikawa’s observant face morphed into something a lot more daring. “Oh? You’re on.”

It had been twelve days since Oikawa and you had begun your shared detentions at eight every night, and you decided that it was single-handedly, the shittiest thing you had to suffer through. While the weekend was manageable, the weekdays brought loads of schoolwork that you simply did not have time to finish during the day. You sat up late every night, even forsaking sleep, to complete those assignments to the best of your ability before you collapsed. In the midst of that stress, it seemed you had forgotten to study for the History of Magic Test.

The marked-up piece of parchment stared back at you, a simple “dreadful” written in the corner. How a ghost corrected your test so harshly wasn’t even your concern at this point, because the score on your paper was nothing short of a disgrace. Tucking the paper within the materials of other classes, you left as soon as you were dismissed, almost sprinting, because if there was one thing you needed to avoid right now, it was Oikawa.

You rushed in front of the Fat Lady, and gasped for breath as you said “ad meliora.” She opened up for you, and you immediately sat in one of the chairs in the Common Room when Iwaizumi bounded down the stairs of the boys dormitory.

He caught you almost immediately. “Y/N? What are you doing here?”

“Ahhh,” You began sheepishly, “I needed to hide away from Oikawa.”

“Why?” Iwaizumi sat down on the chair opposite to you, green eyes piercing your own.

“Bad test grade.”

“So the detentions have become deadly.” Iwaizumi chuckled lowly. “You’re not the only one you know. Oikawa’s been worse than usual too. I can bet he got the same score as you, or maybe even lower.”

“I don’t feel like risking it Hajime.” You groaned. A few seconds of silence followed that. You looked up at Iwaizumi, who seemed to be happily thinking something through. “Did I do something wrong?”

“Nope,” Iwaizumi smiled. “You called me by my first name.”

“Oh shit,” You flushed, feeling the embarrassment set in. “Sorry!”

“Oh hell no.” He laughed. “It’s been long enough. We’ve known each other since first year Y/N. Hell, even I call you by your first name. It’s fine!”

“If you say so Hajime.” You shrugged. “Hmm, actually, that does work. We’ll stick to first names now.”

“That’s the spirit!” Iwaizumi grinned. “So, about those detentions...I kind of got you into them in the first place, so could I offer some advice?”

“Anything. I’m too sleep-deprived.” You admitted.

“After detention the two of you should work on homework and study together. You’re both incredibly smart and already have the bantering thing that you can use to swap ideas. It’d most likely also cut down the time it takes for you to finish. Why not try it?”

“More Oikawa?” You spoke lowly. “He’d hold this over my head for centuries.”

“I think the two of you have too much pride to admit that you need each other’s help.” Iwaizumi leaned deeper into the loveseat. “Just think about it, okay?”

“Fine.” Leaning deeper into the chair, you found yourself on the verge of sleep. “Hmmm, it would be nice to nap here. I bet you Gryffindors do it all the time.”

“I’ll let you test that out after you solve your homework situation.”

“You’re so mean Hajime.” You blinked, gathering your class materials. You didn’t have time to nap, and settled on going to the library to finish Arithmancy homework.

During detention, the two of you had to clean the awards of the school by hand and thankfully, Snape had convinced Filch to spend his time elsewhere, telling them once again that they needed to be responsible.

Oikawa looked worse for wear with his normally styled hair lying messy against his head and dark bags surrounding his eyes. He went an entire hour of detention not even acknowledging you, and you couldn’t even be happy about it because you realized Iwaizumi was right. You just didn’t want to be at his mercy.

“Y/N.” He had said. You turned to face him, ceasing the cleaning you were doing before. “This whole detention thing...well it’s not being kind to my grades. I can only assume that you’re in the same boat as I am.” He bit his lip in thought. “I got a dreadful on the History of Magic test today.”

You felt relief overcome you. So Iwaizumi had been right. Oikawa was suffering just as much as you were. “So did I.” You rasped. “I think we should stop fighting since we need to–”

“Yup, we do.” He finished your sentence for you, thinking exactly what you were thinking before you had even managed to say it. “And I know the perfect place to start.”

After you had both made every plaque in that room shine with your reflections, Oikawa had gestured for you to follow him up the stairs and down a few unknown corridors until you reached the outside of an ordinary looking room.

“Isn’t this just a classroom?” You asked him curiously.

“You’ll see.” He opened the door and gestured for you to come inside when suddenly, you were met with a room filled with an archive of shelves, a coffee table, and holy shit! A COFFEE MAKER.

“Coffee maker.” Was all you managed to get out in your shock. Oikawa regarded you with a confused pout on his face.

“What’s coffee?”

You stared back at him in disbelief. “You’re kidding, right?”

He shook his head. “No Y/N, I literally have no clue what that is.”

You felt a smile tug at the corner of your lips, and you let yourself head over to the lovely machine, going through the motions you had desperately missed doing. “It’s a muggle drink that helps to give you a boost of energy and improves your brain function for a while.” You extracted the coffee from the pot and poured it into the two mugs that had magically appeared, adding the extras until both of you had identical cups. “Here you go.”

Oikawa cupped the mug and nodded once before sipping it. His brown eyes shot with excitement when he took another sip. “Y/N...this stuff is amazing.” He whispered in awe. He took another sip and suddenly, Oikawa was smiling a genuine smile ear to ear as he looked at the beverage and back at you. “How have I never heard of this before?”

“Well you were born in a family of all wizards.” You reasoned. “My Dad is a muggle and my Mom is a witch, so I grew up the muggle way until I got that letter. I do miss things like this sometimes.” You cringed. Sharing that much personal information with Oikawa was bound to be disastrous, since he always teased it or used it against you, but this time he listened to you completely. His brown eyes were warm and seemed tired at most.

You realized that maybe Oikawa Tooru wasn’t as bad as you had originally believed.

“My family is all Ravenclaw.” He had said, dragging you to the coffee table. Sitting down, he placed his mug on the top and admired the beverage again before making eye contact with you. “When I was sorted into Slytherin, I had immediately broken years of tradition. I have to compensate for that.”

“Is that always why you’re working in the library at times you should be resting?” You asked him.

He seemed surprised that you knew this. “You noticed?”

“Iwaizumi has told me a few stories. You’re a dumbass if you think that you need to compensate. You already seem like you’re doing enough.”

“And you’d be an ignorant twit if you didn’t realize that you’re working towards something and not giving yourself the credit.” He fired back.

Realizing what they had said to each other, they began laughing. They had never fathomed a day where they’d be able to look each other in the eye and not spit out insults, but to joke around and share core parts of their personalities was another thing altogether.

“Are we only getting along because we’re sleep deprived or because we’re ambitious little shits who need to get work done?” You had asked rhetorically.

Oikawa smirked, but it wasn’t smug. “I’ll have you know that if anyone is a little shit, it’s you, since you can’t even believe that I have the ability to be nice.”

“Don’t blame me! You were an asshole on the train.”

Oikawa had the audacity to look thoroughly shocked. “Well...I was a little ego drunk.”

You almost spit out the coffee you had just sipped at the word choice. “Ego drunk?”

“Well yeah,” He finished the last of his coffee with a contented sigh. “I had never had the attention of so many girls before.”

You rolled your eyes. “Typical. You can really be a cocky bastard sometimes.”

“Like how you can be an insufferable know-it-all.” You took the time to analyze him calmly. He seemed relaxed, although you could tell that his mind was racing with unsaid thoughts. “But it’s never been a bad thing.” He decided to add at the end.

You let yourself chuckle. “I think I’ll clear the air here. I’m sorry for what I said in the li–”

“You were forgiven the moment you sent that note.” He said, absolutely serious. “I was pissed since I’m used to other people saying that sort of stuff, but not you. That note was probably the nicest thing somebody had done to apologize, even though that was a crappy thing to say.”

“Oh.” You hadn’t expected him to forgive you so easily.

“I’m sorry for anything I’ve said that’s hurt you.” He brushed a lock of hair out of his eyes. “I got caught up in the–”

“I forgive you.” You allowed yourself to say. “I mean it.”

The two of them sat in silence, contemplating the words they had shared between them.

“Truce?” Oikawa had asked, holding up his hand. “You don’t have to.”

“I will.” Gripping his hand with your own, you shook it gently, ignoring the feel of his calloused palms on yours. “Truce.”

*******

The night after Oikawa and you had called a truce, you had slipped into a routine of sorts. Attend classes, swap notes in between free periods, take care of their Wolfsbane potion, do their own activities, do detention, do homework, repeat.

By introducing each other’s viewpoints into your daily academics, you not only managed to retain even more information, but found yourself getting higher scores again. Oikawa had been overjoyed at the results himself, saying that he had never been quite this successful at Transfiguration since fourth year. However, they had decided to keep the arrangement a secret.

They were Slytherins. Who were they if they didn’t mess with at least one Gryffindor?

“So,” Kuroo had begun saying as you sat at the foot of the tree by the Great Lake, giant squid flailing about. “I’m not hearing much about Oikawa lately. Hell, you don’t even argue in Potions anymore. Did something happen?”

Damn it. He was perceptive.

“The bastard is still a massive pain in the ass.” You had decided on saying. “It’s just that we keep our bickering outside of classrooms now.”

Kuroo rose an eyebrow suggestively. “Hmm. Okay. Make sure the bickering is safe and consensual.”

Oh that bastard–

“Yoo-hoo!” Oikawa called out in his typical fashion. He looked better than normal today for some reason. Maybe he had slept better. He took long strides and plopped down beside you, ignoring Kuroo’s clearly shocked face. “How have you been Y/N?”

“I’ve been better.” You responded, fighting the urge to point wildly in Kuroo’s direction. “Did you add the myrrh to the Wolfsbane? I already stirred it counterclockwise yesterday, and it began transforming into a somewhat blue-ish looking color.”

“Yeah, I saw that when I was adding the myrrh. Good job.”

“Wait wait wait, HOLD UP!” Kuroo had burst, not able to contain himself. “Did you two just have a CIVIL conversation?”

“Uhh, yes?” Oikawa shrugged. “Why is it so surprising?” Out of the corner of your eye, you saw him wink with his left eye. Ahh. He wanted to spill the secret.

“Because you guys are rivals! You’ve never gone more than two minutes without arguing, and now you’re telling me that you’re being civil?!” Kuroo ranted. “HOW?”

“Oikawa is my study buddy.” You smiled as you poked his shoulder. It had been an innocent comment, but like the pervert he was, Kuroo’s face deviated into the smug smirk you knew so well.

However, Oikawa’s fangirls that had been walking by said something first.

“Hey, Yuki. Y/L/N and Oikawa are study buddies now.” A girl whispered to her friend.

“Oh? Well, I can’t say I’m surprised. They’ve always had this super crazy chemistry. I guess the banter’s just as good in bed.”

Oikawa and you simultaneously choked while Kuroo laughed, sending a wink at the two girls.

“We ONLY study!” You buried your head in your arms, begging the burning embarrassment on your face to subside.

“Are you sure about that?” Oikawa had said lowly, but still loud enough for Kuroo to hear. “We have done some other things.”

“Fuck you.” You mumbled, head still in your arms.

“How about we do that a little later?”

You groaned yet again as Oikawa and Kuroo erupted into a laughing fit so loud, you were worried they were going to suffocate. Raising your head from your arms, you had a view of both of their faces, breathless from laughter. “Cut it out you pigs.”

“No….way!” Oikawa gasped. “You’re too fun to rile up.” You giggled at his antics.

“Oikawa. We should get going if we want to finish the fifteen-inch parchment essay on the fidelius charm.” Grabbing your books, you headed towards the castle, turning back to see Oikawa telling Kuroo something and jogging to catch up with you.

After detention, they had sat at the coffee table in the Room of Requirement (as Oikawa had called it) and sipped their iced lattes as they played hangman on a sheet of paper.

“Oikawa!” You playfully scolded. “What obscure phrase in your mind is so embarrassing that you won’t let me find it out the normal way?”

“It’s no fun if you don’t guess the entire phrase at once.” Oikawa pouted. “Muggle games need to be amped for intensity.”

“You’ve been using those types of words all day.” You murmured. Wait. “Is it ‘I will make you cheer for me at the Quidditch Cup tomorrow and you will wear my scarf?’”

“Spot on!” Oikawa grinned as he drew a large smiley face on the paper. “I still remember how you said that you wouldn’t cheer for me in a million years. I guess I can make you now.”

“Scarf?”

“I’ll hand it to you before the match.” He looked serious, and you were touched by the gesture.

“I was only joking about that.”

“I wanted to give it to you anyway.” He mumbled, shoving his flushed cheeks behind his palm. Regaining his composure, he re-emerged. “We’re playing against Ravenclaw in the first round, and I have to show my parents that being on Slytherin doesn’t make me any less of a player. We were known for fouling a lot back then, but nobody on our team now would dare.” He took a deep breath, looking into your eyes with some sparkle of hope. “What I’m trying to get at is that I’d feel a lot better seeing you in my scarf.”

You found your face heating up at the statement. “I’ll wear your scarf, but no guarantees about the cheering thing.”

“You being there is enough for me.” He smiled. “Besides, your teasing is probably going to wind up being more motivational than the cheesy stuff the fangirls come up with.”

You hesitantly reached to brush a lock of his hair out of his eyes, watching him marginally freeze because of the contact. “I don’t know how that didn’t tickle your eyelid.” You shrugged, “And did something happen? You’re being flirty. You know it–”

“Doesn’t work on you, believe me, third-year you drilled it into my head.” He sighed. “I’m just in a good mood.”

“You better keep that mood until tomorrow.” You teased. “The Grand King must please his royal subjects.”

“Cut that out!” He laughed.

“Well, it looks late. You think we should just conjure some beds and camp out?” You suggested. It was the safest option considering the looming tendencies of Filch and also seemed like the best option so he could get the right amount of rest before the game. Oikawa nodded as he rolled into the plush bed that the room had created.

“Don’t roll into my bed at night, Buttercup.”

You sighed “I would never.”

“Yeah…never.” He wiggled his eyebrows.

“Go to sleep Oikawa.”

Sleep had never been so rewarding.

The next morning, you woke up refreshed and were able to quickly get through your morning routine. However, when you came back, you were met with the sight of Oikawa manning the coffee machine. Once he caught sight of you, he smiled gently.

“Morning Y/N.” He greeted, handing you a cup of whatever type of coffee he had decided on. Taking a sip, you were shocked to find the same exact coffee you had prepared the night they had made their truce. It was….amazing.

“Holy shit, this is so good.” You praised. “Good morning to you too.” Oikawa was dressed and freshened up, seeming thoroughly awake. “What time is it?”

Oikawa looked for a clock in the room until he found one. “Ahh...it’s 7:25. We should head to the Great Hall.”

Finishing their last sip of coffee, they set the mugs down on the coffee table and began their walk to the Great Hall, marveling at the general silence of the usually bustling castle. A look outside showed absolutely horrid weather with the rain coming down faster by the second. Oikawa looked pleased with this.

“This weather seems awful.” You remarked casually as you sat at the Slytherin table. “Why do you look so excited?”

“Because I had the team do drills like this.” He reasoned. “We’re more than used to playing in watery conditions. I’m only worried about visibility at this point.”

“Alright.” You grinned. “Do what you do best Oikawa.” He grinned back.

The Quidditch Pitch was no longer as rainy as it had been during breakfast, but it still thundered occasionally as the fog enveloped the area. Oikawa had been right to worry about visibility. You could barely see the bleachers at the other side of the pitch, and the rain didn’t make anything easier. The Slytherin team had emerged from one side of the field, looking decently professional with Oikawa at the front. You could vaguely see him clutching something to him as he walked, as the girls around you screamed when he looked in your general direction.

“Y/N!” He hollered, gesturing for you to come down to where he was. You smirked as you ran down to meet him, the girls around you being disappointed that they weren’t the ones acknowledged. He was taller than you by a good amount, and while you never let that bother you before, standing in front of him now made you feel a bit small. However, you could finally see what he was holding. The scarf.

“Hi again.” You smiled.

“Hey,” He exhaled. “I told you I would.” He took the green and silver striped scarf and gently slung it around your neck. It was warm, comforting, and even smelled like a mix of pine and lavender. You were never going to tell him anything about that.

You made eye contact with a genuine smile on your face. “Thanks.”

His eyes flashed mischievously in response. Uh oh. “So, where’s my goodluck kiss?” He asked. “I did technically give you my good luck charm, so I’ll need something lucky in return.”

You kissed your fingertips lightly before placing them on his cheek. “Do well out there idiot.” He could only watch as you laughed and found a seat on the bleachers as the teams were called to the center of the field to play. However, what caught your eye was Oikawa’s disgruntled expression as he fought with the Ravenclaw captain, who had olive-brown hair and broad shoulders.

“Who’s that?” The girl behind you had asked into the crowd. “And why is Oikawa so mad? He’s better than the entire Ravenclaw team.”

“Don’t get ahead of yourself.” You looked beside you to see a tall blond haired boy with glasses, staring intently at the field. “That would be Ushijima Wakatoshi. He’s a skilled chaser and has somehow always managed to keep Oikawa from catching the snitch in previous matches, despite the fact that he can’t even do anything directly to him. Raveclaw also has Kageyama Tobio, an academic idiot but a tactical genius when it comes to the game.”

“Oh! Kageyama is Ravenclaw’s seeker, right?” The girl said.

“That’s correct.” The blond haired boy had said. “It’s so unfortunate that he’s on Ravenclaw. It demolishes the entire reputation of the house for being clever, even if he is a magnificent seeker.”

“What do you have against him?” You had questioned. “And how come I’ve never heard of this? Oikawa’s conflicts are always front and center.”

“Ah,” The boy turned towards you, eyes golden and analyzing. “You’re Y/L/N Y/N, aren’t you? Do you really think your rival would give you the names of his other rivals? You could team up with them.”

“I prefer to fly solo.” You said cooly. “Who even are you?”

“Tsukishima Kei. Fourth year.” He introduced himself calmly. “Kageyama is in my classes. I despise him. Always so reckless. He should have been Gryffindor.”

“You seem to have a very set idea of what Ravenclaw should be like.” You insisted. “Otherwise you really wouldn’t care so much.”

“I know people on the Ravenclaw team.” Tsukishima shot back. “And they have difficulty controlling the King of the Court.”

They called Kageyama “the King of the Court”? Suddenly, Oikawa’s aggression towards Ravenclaw made sense. It wasn’t JUST his parents. It was the fact that Kageyama, a full two years younger, was a splendid seeker and on the house that Oikawa’s parents expected him to be in. It was Ushijima Wakatoshi’s chasing skills that put all of Oikawa’s persistence to shame. It was all these Ravenclaws pitted against the one Slytherin who wanted to succeed more than anything.

That was a gut-wrenching revelation.

The game started with a whistle, and suddenly everyone was in the air, in position, and ready to play. Hanamaki and Matsukawa frantically passed the quaffle to each other with Hanamaki shooting it through the hoop of the Ravenclaw side, effectively beating their Keeper. Ten points to Slytherin!

Their house cheered but quieted down when Ushijima weaved expertly through the players, narrowly avoiding a bludger from one of their beaters, and scored, earning points for Ravenclaw. Looking up, you could see the desperation on Oikawa’s face.

He flew upwards, trying to gain a large view of the field when suddenly, he dived, attracting the attention of Kageyama, who began to tail him. It was a race of speed and skill as Oikawa suddenly pulled up from the dive, narrowly missing Kageyama (who managed to save himself in time). A feint!!!

Slytherin yelled in praise as Ravenclaw cheered for Kageyama’s save. The Gryffindors were on the edge of their seats, and groaned when a beater nearly knocked Matsukawa off his broom. The Hufflepuffs on the other hand were cheering loudly as Ushijima sent yet another quaffle through their hoops.

Kageyama gritted his teeth as he tried to find Oikawa within the mix of players, finding him not even a minute later by the Gryffindors. The two of them frantically zoomed around the pitch, the sheer intensity of it sending shivers down your spine. The rain poured even harder, and one of the other chasers, a Ravenclaw named Akaashi Keiji had the quaffle slip from his hands before it was saved by Matsukawa.

You caught sight of a fleck of gold near the Hufflepuffs and it seemed like the Gryffindors did too before they all started yelling. “THE SNITCH!”

Oikawa had dashed towards the Hufflepuff bleachers so quickly as Kageyama followed behind. The two of them were neck and neck, changing their direction as the snitch constantly eluded them. You could vaguely hear Iwaizumi yelling “SHITTYKAWA, GO FASTER!” and found yourself gripping his scarf even harder.

He was almost there, his arm reaching, fingers grasping around the snitch, when suddenly, a bludger from Ravenclaw beater Aone Takanobu slammed straight into Oikawa’s broom, sending him free-falling.

Madam Hooch promptly screamed “Arresto momentum!” into the thundering skies, and Oikawa was saved from the fall, breathing still panicked, eyes widened. However, that wasn’t the only thing he seemed to panic about. Turning your glance, you saw Kageyama’s hand gripped firmly around the snitch, the Ravenclaws erupting in a bellowing cheer.

They had lost.

You immediately sprinted off the bleachers towards Oikawa, who was surrounded by teachers, as well by Kuroo and Iwaizumi while he was being examined for injuries. He looked so broken, that you felt your eyes burn at the sight of him.

“Tooru.” Iwaizumi said, voice unwavering. “You were extraordinary out there. That situation was out of your control.”

“I should have been a second faster.” He growled, the storm in his eyes more intense than the one they were currently in. “I was almost there. I should have gripped it harder. DAMN IT!”

“Oikawa, that wasn’t your fault! Kageyama needed your guidance to catch that damn thing in the first place!” Kuroo argued.

“But he still caught it!” Oikawa groaned. “We could have won. I screwed it up for everyone.”

“Captain,” Hanamaki yelled, running towards him. “That was an amazing game we played out there. That bludger was uncalled for.”

“No Makki.” He said, his voice strained. “You guys played an amazing game out there. You gave Ushiwaka a run for his money.” He laughed mirthlessly. “I just couldn’t beat them.”

The thunder was almost deafening as the teachers agreed that Oikawa was uninjured, and they walked away, leaving just them.

“Oikawa,” You said in almost a whisper. You crouched to meet him on the floor, his face set in stony impassiveness. “You were astonishing out there. I mean it,”

He looked at you, clearly trying to disguise the torment he was feeling on the inside. “I still wasn’t enough, Y/N.” He rapidly blinked his eyes. “I...wasn’t....enough.”

“Oikawa, that bludger wasn’t your fault. You were–”

“I should have practiced more.” He rasped. “I should have prepared for that situation. I should have spent more time at practice and less time doing anything else!”

“And overworked yourself?” You heard yourself ask incredulously. “How would that have helped anyone?”

“It would have at least meant our team had the chance to go play in the next round!” He groaned. “God, I should have spent less time with you in the Room of Requirement. Maybe then I would have been able to catch that damn snitch.”

“What does this have to do with me?” You asked, voice cold.

“You were a distraction.”

“So you’re saying that if you could, you’d undo that truce just so you could practice more?” You felt a sharp pain in your chest at the thought.

Oikawa glared at you. “In a heartbeat.”

You felt your heart clench terribly at the statement. Every second of laughter, every late-night discussion, every game of hangman played over different types of coffee...was a distraction? All the time they spent together was merely a hindrance?

“Fine.” You said, removing his scarf. “We don’t even have to be rivals. We can be nothing. I won’t be bothering you anymore.” You got up, walking away promptly, begging the burning sensation in your eyes to subside. He had never meant anything.

“Y/N wait!” He had called out, maybe realizing what he had said. You ignored him, sprinting off the pitch. You didn’t want anything to do with him anymore.

It seemed that fate was cruel to its subjects. It always seemed that way.

The next few days went on monotonously. You rose at the appropriate time for your classes, did all your homework in the library alone, and did your job at detention. Ignoring Oikawa was difficult.

He was an ever-present source of something in your life, whether it was misery or laughter, and the sudden absence of it was almost melancholy. You had realized that maybe the reason it hurt so much more was that you had begun to see a different side to the boy. The side that was funny and teasing, considerate and charming. You began to see what it was like when he was fond of someone.

You used to think he was fond of you.

Before you had even realized it, the Wolfsbane potion had been brewed to its completion, and much to the surprise of Snape and the rest of the class, it was perfect. You resisted the urge to grin at Oikawa, or yell “We did it!” because that’s what friends would do, and the two of them were nothing.

Detention had also been served and Snape commended their diligence before you walked out of his office, ignoring the pained look in Oikawa’s eyes as you sped past him, not even acknowledging his existence. You didn’t consider yourself to be particularly emotional, but you didn’t enjoy being used. That was where you drew the line.

You couldn’t sleep that night. You had been attempting to toss and turn for the better of two hours and found yourself wide awake and plagued with thoughts you didn’t want to have. You had realized over the past few days that you had certainly felt something for the brunette, otherwise, he wouldn't have been on your mind as often. Slipping on a pair of shoes, you wandered aimlessly through the castle before somehow landing in front of a familiar door.

“Get my mind off that prick.” You whispered, before opening the door.

The last thing you would have expected was to see said prick, asleep across the coffee table with a thick pile of paper around him. They were scattered all around the room, some listing quidditch strategies against….Gryffindor?

Right. Hufflepuff had lost to Ravenclaw in the first round, which was why Slytherin had to play Ravenclaw in the match a few days earlier. Gryffindor must have beaten Ravenclaw in the third round, and Slytherin must have beaten Hufflepuff to get back in the game. That meant the final round tomorrow was against Gryffindor.

Those weren’t the only types of parchment. Every now and then, there was a giant “I’m Sorry” written in the loopy cursive you knew so well. You had no idea who he was apologizing too.

Suddenly, the steady breathing that had been filling the room before stopped. You frantically turned towards the boy, shaking him gently.

“Oikawa.” You said, shaking him a little harder. “Oikawa. Get up.” When he didn’t respond, you began to check his pulse. The faint thrumming against your thumb only managed to panic you further. “Damn it!” You pulled out your wand, but realized you knew no spell to revive him quickly, considering he hadn’t been hit with any spell prior. You shook him one last time, tears running down your face. “Tooru!”

He flickered his eyes open, his eyes hazy and bloodshot. He had been awake, working or crying. Upon seeing you, his eyes softened into a look so fond that it unsettled you. He sat upwards, rubbing his eyes before he said anything. “Y/N.” He whispered, as if he didn’t believe it. “Is that actually you? Or am I dreaming again?”

He had been dreaming of you?

You walked over and made eye contact with him for the first time in days. “You’re not dreaming. I’ll get goi–”

“No!” He yelled, gripping your wrist. “Please stay. Please.” The look in his eyes was so desperate that you sat down across him, moving some of the parchment out of the way so his face wasn’t obscured. He sat up straight, before adjusting his hair slightly.

“I think you collapsed.” You breathed out, still shaken from his limp form a few minutes earlier. “I was so afraid.”

He hesitantly gripped your hand. “I’m sorry you had to see that.” The look in his eyes was earnest. “I’m sorry for telling you that I would have wrecked that truce in a heartbeat. God, that wasn’t true at all!” He let out a shaky exhale before he let his eyes flicker all over your face as if he was afraid you’d disappear if he looked away. “I missed you more than you could have ever imagined. I let my insecurities and torment push you away. I’m so sorry, I’m sor–”

“It’s okay Tooru.” You sighed, relief and comfort encompassing you. You had never meant to forgive him this easily, but the genuineness of his apology struck something within you. His face morphed into a face of disbelieving,

“You forgive me?” His eyes glittered with hopefulness. “You..”

“Yeah. I guess I do.” You smiled.

Oikawa’s face immediately burst into an expression of pure happiness and he squeezed your hand harder. He was glowing and a part of you realized just how much you missed seeing him. “I think I have a bit of explaining to do.” He almost giggled. “I’m so sorry. I’m just reli–”

You chuckled lightly. “Me too.”

He didn’t let go of your hand as he pushed a jar of ink away. “Two months ago, you found Iwa and I fighting in the corridor.”

“You don’t have to tell me if you’re not–”

“Nope,” He grinned. “You deserve to know. Iwa took away my last vial of Wideye Potion. I used to use it almost three times a week to stay awake and practice, or study. It was the only way I could work without falling asleep or collapsing. Him taking my last vial took away any chances of me doing those things naturally. That’s why I resorted to magic.”

All of a sudden, everything clicked into place. “That’s why you were always yawning during detention and needed Hajime to pull you out of the library.”

Oikawa nodded. “Yeah, he always had to keep me in check. That was until you came along.”

“Oh,” Was all you managed to get out before Oikawa began rubbing circles onto your hand.

He looked around the room before his eyes landed on the clock. “It’s already 3:00 a.m. You don’t have to, but could you stay here and just sleep with me? I haven’t been able to sleep for the past week.”

You raised an eyebrow. “We just resolved our conflict and you already want to sleep with me? I didn’t think you’d be someone of that sort, Oikawa.”

He blushed almost instantly. “Ugh, that’s not what I meant.” He placed his hands on his cheeks in an attempt to cool them down. “Tooru.”

“What?” You asked.

He looked back up at you, more composed now. “Call me Tooru.”

“But that’s your firs–”

“I’ve been calling you your first name forever,” He laughed. “Besides, my first name sounds much better when you say it.”

It was your turn to blush, the heat filling your cheeks. “You flirty menace.” You chuckled as you lied down on the mattress the room had provided. He only smiled from his own bed as the two of you fell asleep.

Maybe fate’s cruelties led to something a lot sweeter.

The Great Hall buzzed with anticipation before the final round of the Interhouse Tournament. Everywhere you looked, you could see the smiling faces of the players, as well as the competitive glances between Snape and McGonagall. The weather today was gorgeous with clear skies and the sun offering the perfect amount of warmth. It was the ideal condition to play, and you were excited for the turn-out.

During breakfast, you had flounced over to the Gryffindor table, waving hello to Iwaizumi and Kuroo. Iwaizumi had moved over so you could sit next to him.

“So,” Kuroo began. “Are you going to wish us good luck and hope for our victory?”

“Not a chance Tetsu.” You responded. Turning to Iwaizumi, you smiled. “Captain, I wish your team the best of luck in not falling off your brooms when your team faces mine.”

Iwaizumi’s face contorted into a playfully challenging glare. “Oh, you’re on!” You slapped him on the back as you headed back to your table, accidentally slamming into someone on the way.

“Shit, I’m sorry.” You said, only to be met with the hazel eyes of Sugawara Koushi.

“It’s okay Y/N. It’s been a while hasn’t it?” He asked good-naturedly.

“It has Koushi, hasn’t it.” The two of you began walking down the length of the hall. “I heard about the match against Slytherin. I’m sorry about Hufflepuff losing.”

Sugawara was still all smiles. “I think it was a good game all in all. Oikawa is no joke as a seeker when he’s focused.”

“Tell me about it.” You said, rolling your eyes. “Last night I found him sketching-out strategies and he actually passed out. His work is already impeccable, but he always goes the extra mile.”

“Ahh, so the rumors are true,” Sugawara smirked mischievously. “Who would’ve thought.”

“What rumors?” You asked before you felt a hand on your shoulder, turning around, you saw Oikawa clutching a glass of pumpkin juice. “Oh, hi Tooru.”

“Hey there, Y/N.” Instead of the usual smile or cheeky wink you usually got when he greeted you, you found his eyes in the calculating gaze you knew so well but directed at Sugawara. “Hello there Sugawara.”

Sugawara’s smirk changed into a knowing smile. “Morning to you too Oikawa. Best of luck in the tournament.”

You stepped off to the side to see Oikawa’s expression, but it was still guarded, the gears in his mind shifting as he put on a charming smile. “Thank you. We’ll do our best.” He then gently grabbed your arm and dragged you back to the Slytherin table.

“What was that?” You asked him as he sat across you, taking a sip of his pumpkin juice. “You weren’t jealous, were you?”

“Nope,” He smiled, his eyes still full of the fondness you had found from last night. “You two looked awfully chummy.”

“You’re definitely jealous then.” You winked. “Don’t worry, I won’t say anything.”

“I wasn’t jealous!” He pouted.

“You were!”

“Was not!”

“Y/L/N, Oikawa, get a room already!” Hanamaki yelled from the other side of the table. “This sexual tension is not appropriate for the Great Hall.

All the students laughed as Oikawa and you blushed.

The Quidditch pitch continued to be the source of much excitement as all the houses waited for the Slytherin and Gryffindor teams to emerge from the opposite sides of the field. The air was electric with excitement, and you could feel the nerves building up in your stomach.

Gryffindor began their walk onto the field, Iwaizumi and Kuroo attracting the most cheers as they strutted down the pitch. They both looked to you, and you shot them a thumbs up as they assembled near the center.

The Slytherin team appeared not even a minute after, and the air was filled with loud cheers for Oikawa as he jogged onto the field, not missing to throw a wink your way. Cheeky gremlin. Iwaizumi and Oikawa met at the center and to some of the students’ surprise began joking around, wishing each other good luck after shaking hands.

Madam Hooch blew the whistle, and they were in the air, a thundering cheer as they rose. Almost immediately, the quaffle was thrown back and forth between the two teams, the red and green jerseys clashing almost artfully as each fought for possession. Kuroo threw the quaffle through the Slytherin hoops, earning points for Gryffindor, the audible sighs of his fangirls heard all around the stadium.

Looking at Oikawa, you could see that the expression on his face was different...happy when he rose up on his broom to scour the stadium. In a flash, he began to dive, spotting the fleck of gold that was near the base of the pitch. The Gryffindor seeker by the name of Koganegawa Kanji blindly followed Oikawa into the dive but decided to turn when Oikawa hurtled straight near the ground, expecting a feint.

It wasn’t a feint.

Oikawa pulled out of the dive, snitch golden and fluttering against his hand with the widest, most amazing, grin on his face. Registering the victory, you stood with the rest of the houses and cheered as loudly as you could while the Gryffindors laughed at the short duration of the game.

You were running down to the pitch before you could even control yourself, and Oikawa was off his broom before anyone could even realize. The two of you raced towards each other, happy laughter coming out of the both of you.

“Y/N!” He yelled out with a wide and happy grin.

“Tooru, you did it, you beautiful bastard!” You laughed as he lifted you up and spun you around. It felt like it was just the two of you there when he put you down, looking deeply into your eyes.

“I guess we did, didn’t we.” He smiled boyishly. So engrossed in each other, they didn’t realize how the stadium had gone silent with the affection they had just witnessed. Hanamaki grinned deviously as Kuroo and Iwaizumi signaled to the other half of the stadium.

They all used their fingers to signal the countdown.

Three...two….one!

“OIKAWA!” The stadium bellowed at the top of their lungs. “JUST CONFESS AND KISS ALREADY!”

Oikawa was shaken from the sheer noise of it all, his face changing to a bright red realizing the words.

Confess? Did that mean…?

“Uhhhh Y/N.” He chuckled nervously. “You...you’ve been there for me during some of the toughest times of my life and got me through detentions and late nights. You always know what to say to me to get me to feel like an actual Grand King, and it always feels like I’ve conquered a kingdom whenever I see you smile. So...I guess what I’m trying to say is that I love you. A part of me thinks I always have.”

You felt the warmth bubble within you like your face split into the widest smile you’ve ever smiled. “Tooru. I love you too!” The stadium cheered as the two of them hugged, the feelings of relief, warmth, and comfort surrounding them.

When they pulled away, he looked at the ground shyly. “I...brought the scarf...would you–”

“Of course idiot,” You sighed. “That’s not even a question.” He pulled out the scarf, slinging it around your neck just as gently as he had done the first time, except this time the stadium was silent with anticipation.

“God, I’m so happy I could kiss you.” You admitted.

“So then why don’t you?” He teased.

So you did, leaning in and pressing your lips to his almost gently. You weren’t prepared for how soft his lips were, or how nice it felt to be able to put all your feelings into an action so delicate. You also weren’t prepared for the way he kissed you back, almost hesitantly as he poured in all the tension they had felt for weeks around each other.

The cheers of the stadium were audible as you pulled away, blushing. Kuroo and Iwaizumi gave you a thumbs up as Hanamaki clapped his captain on the back.

“God, maybe we’ve spellbound each other from the start.” Oikawa smiled.

“Maybe we did.” You laughed.

*******

spell·bound

verb

held the complete attention of (someone) as though by magic; fascinated

©mysterystarz all rights reserved, please do not plagiarize, translate, or modify my fics in any way even if credited

[pascalpanic]

Sweet Talk (Din Djarin x afab!Reader)

Summary: Din can’t hold back anymore, and decides to start flirting with you. Too bad he’s awful at it.

W/C: 3.5K

Warnings: lots of flirting, lots of innuendos, SMUT 18+, unprotected p in v sex (wrap it before you tap it, kiddos), fingering, squirting, cream pie... language? yeah uh there’s a lot. Reader is afab but no pronouns or gendered pet names are used. lots of dirty talk.

A/N: AAAAAAAA this was a request for @notabotiswear!! I hope you guys all like it, this is my first Din smut and I was rlly nervous bc uh Din smut is obviously something big in this fandom and I wasn’t sure if I’d characterize it properly. but here we are!

You don’t know what Din looks like under his helmet, but you think he must be smirking. There’s no way the man wouldn’t be, not with the words he just said to you.

You’ve been travelling with Din and his little green son for a while now. You’d brought everything good to the beskar man’s life the moment you met. You made him eat more, drink more water. The presence of another human on the ship encouraged Din to bathe more and to keep the ship tidier. All in all, things had massively improved when you entered Din Djarin’s life.

One specific perk brought relief: you were extremely in touch with The Force. So was the tiny little green bean. From you, Din had finally learned his son’s name. He didn’t really like the way Grogu rolled off the tongue, however, so he generally stuck to calling him what he had before. Your ability to communicate with Grogu made things like bedtime and baths much easier, and everything went smoother.

Yes, you were a Force user. Ever since you were a child, you’d had a special sensitivity to that force that flowed all around you. Even though Din was not aware of The Force, nor was he able to use it or speak with it, the energy of The Force made the man practically glow. You understood why Grogu liked him so much. The man radiated it, warm energy that seemed unnatural for a bounty hunter. Once you got to know him, it all made sense. His aura was indescribable, really, but it was fitting. He was a good man at his core. He was kind and even funny sometimes.

Let’s return to the present: Din Djarin just pulled a cheesy pickup line on you, and it made you stare at him with an expression of sheer confusion, even though you could feel your cheeks warm from his words. “What the fuck did you just say to me?” You ask, placing your hands on your hips.

He looks up at you and cocks his head to the side. “I said that I may not be able to feel the Force, but I wish I could feel you.”

Your mouth hangs open, trying to press down a giggle that rises in your throat. “Din, what the fuck?” You finally laugh, grinning. “That’s the worst pickup line I’ve ever heard. No wonder you’re single,” you shake your head. “Where is this coming from?”

Din’s last reserve has broken. He’s been planning this for days, planning the way he’d finally tell you everything he thinks. “Just… I wasn’t listening to you at all. Was looking at your face. You’re gorgeous, you know that?” He asks you, the black T-visor staring you down.

You frown as you see your own reflection in the shining beskar. “I wish I could say the same about you,” you tease and tap your fingers on the metal helmet he wears. “What do you look like under there? Can you tell me?”

“Why, so you can make fun of it?” Din rolls his eyes.

“No, so I can finally put a face to the man I think about at night,” you tease, leaning in closer. It’s instinctual, like you’re leaning in so he can kiss you. He obviously can’t, not with that damn helmet on his head that you know isn’t coming off any time soon.

Din’s breath catches in his throat. “Oh come on,” you smirk at him. “Two can play at that game, Din. What do you look like?” You ask, tracing your fingers across the indents of his helmet and down to his neck. “Can I see your skin?” You ask in a low, quiet voice.

Din nods. You pull the neck of his clothing down to reveal a patch of gorgeous, caramelly skin. “Oh,” you mumble before you can stop yourself. “I bet you have brown eyes, don’t you? With brown hair too, since your skin is this dark. Am I right?”

His breath is heavy now. “Yeah,” he rasps out through the modulator. You press a soft kiss to his skin, feeling how warm and soft it is.

A shiver runs through his body, making the skin prick up beneath your lips. “Oh. So you meant it when you were flirting,” you giggle, sitting back upright and looking at him. “Well, you’re gonna have to win me over the hard way, Mando. Flirting is how people usually do it, I’ve heard,” you tease and pat his helmet as you stand and make your way out of the cockpit.

His aura has changed. It radiates further, sucks in more energy and pushes more out, all at a quicker speed. If it had a color, it would be a deep pink. “You want me too, don’t you, cyare?” Din asks, voice low and husky.

“You’ll have to figure that out yourself, Din,” you laugh and make your way over to your little green child to wake him from his nap.

“Grogu,” you sing softly, and the little thing stirs beneath his absurd amount of blankets. Those big eyes blink open and he makes a little grunt of effort. “I know, baby boy. So sleepy,” you coo and lift him from his cradle. He cuddles into your chest contentedly. “Good morning, snugglebug,” you mumble and press a kiss to his head.

Your back is to the ladder, but you can hear Din climbing down. His feet hit the floor. “I’ve been thinking about you for so long,” he tells you. His voice is even deeper, raspier than the modulator makes it sound. “That body… you don’t know what you’ve unleashed by saying tha-”

You turn, holding Grogu in your arms. Din’s demeanor shifts. “Oh. Uh, hi buddy. Can he understand me?” he asks. He knows sometimes the child can, but not always. Not when he uses different words.

You shake your head, reading the baby’s energy. He’s too sleepy to comprehend anything. “No, he can’t. But really, is that so?” You ask, popping a hip and resting a hand on it.

Din nods. “I’ve always loved the color of your eyes. Have I mentioned that?” You shake your head. “Really, they’re so beautiful.”

That makes you genuinely smile up at him. “Din,” you coo and place a hand on one of the indents of his helmet. “Is there a way you can remove the helmet and I can’t see it that’s legal with The Creed? Like, if my eyes were closed, could you do it?”

He nods. “Yes. As long as you don’t see my face.”

You smile a little. “Good to know,” you nod and walk away, the baby in your arms.

-

The day continues like that, the two of you trading compliments and pick up lines, shamelessly flirting around the Crest. You cook dinner and Din comments that it smells nearly as good as you. Din fixes something mechanical and you comment that those fingers would feel really good somewhere else.

There’s a palpable tension between the two of you for the rest of the night. You and Din dance around each other, sneaking touches of the other’s arm or hand or back. He compliments you and you flirt right back.

When Grogu finally yawns, it’s like the Maker themself sent it. Din hurriedly puts the baby to bed, and finds you in the cockpit after, sitting in his chair. The pilot’s chair. “Din,” you sing-song to grab his attention.

“What?”

You look at him with purpose for a second, then close your eyes. Sitting up a little. Referring to what you said earlier- Din can remove his helmet if you can’t see his face. He can kiss you. You can touch his face, feel him. “I promise they’ll stay closed,” you tell him.

You can hear him breathe through the modulator of his helmet for a moment, then there’s a soft sound of the helmet being removed. Finally, there’s a clank of the helmet being set on the floor. When it’s just your little family of three on the ship, Din omits the full beskar regalia. Nevertheless, you can hear the soft noise of his knees hitting the floor. In front of you. “Can I kiss you?” He asks.

His real voice is like a song. It’s nowhere near as low, though it’s still a bit deep, a bit raspy. It’s beautiful, so quintessentially Din, and you nod with a small smile. “That’s why they’re closed, stupid,” you tease.

One of Din’s calloused hands finds the side of your face. He pulls it down a little, for his kneeling height, and kisses you. Slowly. His lips are warm and soft, surprisingly soft, against your own. You break away from him for a second, your eyes still squeezed tightly shut as if you may accidentally open them. “Can I touch your head?” You ask.

In response, Din takes your hands and puts them on either side of his face. It allows you to feel the stubble beneath your fingertips, the warm skin. “You have a beard,” you giggle softly.

“All the better if my face is between your legs, right?” He chuckles. It’s just so fucking perfect and real, the way his laugh sounds without the helmet. As much as you’re enjoying the sound, the words that his voice formulates make you gasp a little and shudder. “You want that?” He asks you, lips finding your neck and kissing it slowly.

“Goddamn,” you mumble. “No, Din, I wanna fuck you tonight. Can we? Will you keep your helmet off if I promise not to look?” You ask, voice desperate. You clutch the back of his head, digging your fingers into the thick hair there- it’s wavy, you can tell. “Maker, I’ve wanted you for so fucking long.”

Din makes a little noise of affirmation into your neck. “Yeah,” he nods. “Even better, just wait,” he says, pulling away and putting the helmet back on. “You can look again.”

You do, seeing just your reflection in his helmet. “Where do you want me, baby?” You murmur to him, a hand on the side of his helmet.

Baby. No one has ever called Din that before. He’s heard it a million times, in crowded cantinas, between lovers. Between two people who cared for each other. You two cared for each other, he supposes. Obviously, or you wouldn’t be in this situation. The thought of the word makes Din pause for a moment.

“Hello? Din, what’s in there?” you tease and rap on the helmet with a fist.

You can’t see it but he’s absolutely beaming beneath his helmet, overjoyed. “Where do you want me? In the bunk? In the chair?”

You lean in and smirk, your eyes reflected in the black visor. “Where have you dreamed of having me most?” You whisper, and you swear you can see the beskar-clad man shudder.

“My bunk. Get undressed and lie down for me,” he tells you, already climbing down from the cockpit and motioning with his head for you to follow. You nod excitedly and climb down after him.

Din is looking for something, though you’re unsure of exactly what. You remove your top and pants, and start to move to remove your breastband before two large hands find your bare sides.

Din has returned, and he turns you around. He looks down at you with a long and thin strip of dark fabric in his hand, and you shudder. “Is that what I think it is?” You ask, hands finding the sides of his breastplate.

As you start unlatching his armor, Din nods. “You can undress me, then I’ll put it on and remove my helmet,” he tells you.

You smile a little as you start removing his beskar, tossing it to the side onto a discarded cape. It still makes a soft clunk, but it’s not enough to wake Grogu, thank the Maker. Once the metal is gone, your hands run over his flight suit, allowing you to feel the strong muscles beneath them.

“Din,” you murmur, unzipping the front. It exposes his bare chest, his tan skin with dark hair across it. He’s muscular, of course; as a bounty hunter must be. His arms are just as strong as you push the sleeves off of his shoulders, then push the waist down.

He doesn’t wear underwear. Of course he doesn’t, it would be impractical you suppose, but it exposes Din’s surprisingly large dick. You bite your lip as you look down at it, at how hard and needy it already is. You give it a slow stroke and Din groans. “Alright mesh’la. Let’s get that off of you,” he says and lifts your arms, pulling off the breastband.

After that, he shoves your underwear down and you step out of them, kicking them to the side. “Fuck,” he grunts at how beautiful you look, naked before him. Din pushes you back until your ass meets the end of his bunk and he lifts you to sit on the edge.

He spreads your legs and stands between them, his cock pressing against your dripping folds. “Fuck, you’re so wet, and it’s for me?” He chuckles with hardly any air in his lungs.

“Of course I am. So fucking sexy,” you murmur as you let your face fall forward into his chest, kissing at the skin and working a mark into his pec. You pull away and sit back, giving him a little room. “Okay, put it on me. Please. I just wanna kiss you,” you admit, closing your eyes preemptively.

He nods and wraps the cloth around your eyes, using his deft fingers to knot it behind your head. It’s snug, but not too tight. “You do this often?” You tease, resting your hands on his wrists.

He shakes his head. “Never have. Always kept the helmet on. You’re just…” he pauses as he removes his helmet, “something special,” he sighs, finally kissing you again.

You wrap your arms around his neck and pull him tight against you, wrapping your legs around his waist as well. “Din… should’ve said something sooner. Would’ve done anything for you,” you sigh as his lips find your jaw and then your neck, slowly tracing his tongue across your collarbone.

He makes a little grunt. “Sorry,” he chuckles. “Let me make it up to you,” he mumbles as he cups your face and kisses you again, his tongue running along the seam of your lips. “Can I do this, baby? Will you let me fuck you?”

The word again. Baby. It slipped from Din’s lips this time, before he could stop himself. He really really likes you, so much so that he can hardly contain it. He’s never been one for names in bed, degrading or praising, but he’s never going to stop calling you his, his baby.

You whine softly and break the kiss. “Please, Din. Fuck me, wreck me,” you nod before reaching out to where you find his face.

While you trace the stubble of his jaw, one of Din’s thick fingers slips into your folds. He shudders at how wet you are, tracing a finger up and down through the wet skin. “Mm, fuck,” he groans softly as the pad of his middle finger masterfully finds your clit. He rubs small circles into it, causing your head to fall forward into his shoulder.

“Please, please,” you whine, your walls clenching around nothing. “Fuck me already, baby,” you plead with Din, gripping his hips now.

“Relax, cyare,” he murmurs and kisses your neck. With the helmet on, he rarely gets to experience anything pleasurable with his mouth. Your skin is so soft and warm beneath his lips, his tongue, and he just has to bite at it. Din nibbles at your earlobe, feeling himself grow harder. “Let me take my time with you.”

“I’ve waited so long for you, Din. Please don’t make me wait,” you beg, slowly stroking his cock. A bead of precum forms on the tip and you swirl it around the head with the pad of your thumb.

Din can’t hold back anymore. He pushes your hand away and lines himself up to you with the free hand, two fingers circling your clit now. “You ready for me?” He groans.

“Yes, just fuck me,” you whimper and grab both sides of his head, pulling him to kiss you. It’s deep and hot and it grows sloppy as Din pushes into you, splitting you open on his deliciously thick cock. “Fuck,” you cry out at the sensation.

“You think you feel good?” He shivers and barely breathes out. “Feel so fuckin’ good around me, so hot and wet,” he shudders.

Din’s still standing, and he has more leverage as he thrusts all the way in, then pulls nearly all the way out. “Lay back,” he orders you, and you comply.

His second thrust is even deeper than the first as he pulls one of your legs over his shoulder, allowing him to already hit the deep spot inside of you. You whine and he smirks. “There we go. Good job, baby, keep making those noises for me,” he insists as he starts thrusting in and out of you.

He’s fucking good at this. It’s no surprise really, the way he knows your body masterfully. It’s almost as if you’re using The Force to guide him, but he’s just that fucking skilled. His tip drags against that sweet spot against you with every thrust, and Din pulls your hips to his with one hard thrust.

It’s so hot, the sound of Din’s skin slapping into yours, the way the skin of his thigh drags against yours. “Fuck,” you cry out as he presses his fingers a little harder against your clit, making the circles he draws slower and more deliberate.

“Knew you’d sound so good,” he grunts. “Knew you’d love it when I’m fucking you. When I get to take you like this. Don’t you?”

“Yeah,” you nod frantically. “I wish I could see you.”

“I know, cyare,” Din assures, even though his voice is breathless and strained. “Come on, baby, you feel so close, don’t you? I can feel it, the way your walls are getting tighter around me. You gonna be good and cum on me? I think you can.”

His words are just as arousing as his actions. “I will, please, I can feel it, just keep going and don’t stop,” you whimper. You take one of his hands, lacing his fingers through yours.

Din smiles at the gesture. It’s soft, intimate. He likes it as much as he loves the way you call him baby. “That’s my good baby,” he nods and pulls your hips a little off of the bunk, so that anything that spills from you will collect on the metal floor instead of the mattress.

It grows and grows in the pit of your stomach, and you can feel it. It’s coming and it’s coming hard. “Din, Din please,” you whine, one leg wrapping tight around his hip. “Fuck, I’m gonna,” your voice barely manages out before it washes over you, the feeling flowing through your body like a high in your veins. “Din,” you cry out as you cum, toes curling from the intensity. It spills from you, all over Din’s cock, dripping onto the floor.

“Oh, good job, cyare, fuckin’ Maker, you feel so good,” he groans. “I’m not gonna last much longer. Can I cum in you?” He asks, still checking up on you.

You nod. “Please, please baby,” you groan and squeeze the hand you’re holding tight. “Need to feel it.”

He nods too, though you can’t see it. “Okay, okay, I-“ a strangled cry comes from deep within his throat as he finally lets go, his cum pushing deep inside of you. “Fuck,” he murmurs, interjected by shouts of your name.

The both of you come down later, panting and covered in sweat. Din pulls out and a little bit of his cum drips from you, joining your own release on the floor. It’s so fucking hot that Din nearly cums again. “Stay right there,” he tells you, gently stroking your hip. “Don’t take the blindfold off.”

He comes back a few moments later with a damp rag, cleaning you up before cleaning up the mess the two of you made on the floor. He puts it with the laundry then climbs into the bed next to you, cuddling into your side. “Fuck, Din,” you giggle and press a kiss to whatever skin is in front of your face- his jaw. “You’re good at that.”

“Just felt so good,” he chuckles too. “You’re fantastic. I like it when you call me baby,” he admits.

You grin. “Then I’ll have to call you it all the time, baby,” you chuckle and kiss his lips softly. “Din?”

“Yes, ner k’arta?”

“Can we sleep like this?” You ask. “I promise I won’t look at your face or sneak anything, I mean it.”

Din chuckles quietly. “Of course we can. I trust you.”

You give a happy little noise and cuddle into his warm body, his strong arms surrounding you. “I like this. You’re so cuddly,” you admit with a small laugh.

“We can do this anytime you like,” he laughs too, kissing your forehead. “Whenever, wherever. If it’s with you, I’ll do anything.”

-

@remmysbounty @mishasminion360 @softly-sad @blo0dangel @luxurybeskar @binarydanvvers @sleep-tight1 @apascalrascal @randomness501 @spideysimpossiblegirl @notabotiswear @pedro-pastel @sanchosammy @lv7867

[dreamsfreckles]

[8:34p.m.] High Hopes

~

Dream x reader

Suggestive, fluff

Dre being nervous hehe - enjoy!

“Dream...” Sapnap sighed into the phone for the upteenth time. “Just chill. Go with the flow.” Dream runs a hand through his hair stressfully, his phone held up to his right ear. “But I don’t know what to expect!” He growls in a hushed voice. “Whatever happens... Just don’t have a bad reaction.” Sapnap simplifies. “I think you’re over thinking this man, you’re probably just going to end up playing minecraft or something.” Dream sighs at his friend’s lack of good advice. “You are no help.” He groans.

Dream was sat in your bedroom, alone. You had departed from him to take a shower.

Why was Dream panicking you ask? Before you left for your shower, you may or may not have made a suggestive remark about what you were going to “do to him” once you were finished cleaning yourself up; successfully leaving Dream as a flustered mess.

You and Dream had a flirtatious friendship. This was driving him insane.

It could’ve been an accidental innuendo...

But it also could’ve meant something that is successfully making Dream’s hopes go WAY up.

“Isn’t it a little rude to leave your guest alone to take a shower?” Dream laughs nervously at Sapnap’s question, raising his arm up to rub the back of his neck. “Well..” Dream begins. “I kind of, accidentally, might’ve been the reason why she needed one in the first place..?” Dream mumbled, sounding more like a question. Sapnap’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion. He was too scared to ask what the hell Dream did. Thankfully, before Sapnap had the chance to speak, Dream began to explain.

“Okay, so, she was telling me about this one time, when Tommy called her to try and get her to be one of the embassadors of L’Manburg, and when Tommy didn’t get the answer from her that he wanted, he tried to bribe her with Tubbo’s stress relievers. This didn’t work, however, so he called Tubbo over to see if he could convince her; which was a smart move because she LOVES Tubbo. But anyway, Tubbo turned into “Big Law” and started using his Tubboat tactics to win her over and it worked. So I started laughing and then she started laughing and then that made me laugh even more because she has a very contagious laugh. And then I accidentally knocked her whiteclaw over with my elbow, and it spilled all over her lap.” Dream finished.

Sapnap immediately burst out laughing. “You-” Sapnap couldn’t contain his laughter, not being able to form coherent sentences. Dream began giggling himself, only to instantly sober up once he heard the shower turn off in the next room over. “Shit, Sapnap, I heard the shower turn off, she’s coming.” Dream stands up, panicking, not knowing what to do with himself. “Dream, weren’t you the one making fun of me for not knowing how to deal with girls? You were so cocky, but look at you now.” He pauses with a smirk. “Pussy.” Dream rolls his eyes at his so-called ‘friend.’ “Stop being an idiot.” He glares. “She’s different from the other girls I’ve known. She’s... weird.” Sapnap face shifted into a poker face. “You do realize what you sound like right now, right?” Dream facepalms. “She isn’t a dumbass Sapnap. I really don’t know how to do shit with her becuase it’s so different compared to everyone else. I can’t explain it.” Every time you and Dream are together, he feels like the best version of himself. You always have a new adventure for him to look forward to. Plus you were hot as shit and He had a MASSIVE crush on you. “It’s so weird Sapnap, its like I’ve never had a good time in my life until I met her.” Sapnap smiled in disbelief at his friend’s words. “You, Dream,” he continued. “are a simp.” Before Dream could snap back at Sapnap, the handle of your bedroom door jiggled, signaling that you were about to come in. Dream immediately ends the call with Sapnap and throws his phone on your bed in a panic.

Slauntering into your bedroom, freshly showered and dressed in one of Dream’s smile hoodies with some comfy shorts, you look up at Dream who was awkwardly standing in the middle of the room. “You good?” You start. “It looks like I just missed catching you in the act of something forbidden...” you suspect. Dream quickly shakes his head. “No! You just surprised me..” he half lies. You narrow your eyes at him, looking for any sign of dishonesty. Dream averts his eyes to the merch you’re wearing, starting to become smug with your choice of clothing. “Nice outfit.” He smirks. You let out a laugh and roll your eyes, already forgetting his weird vibes from when you first entered the room. “I won’t lie, this sweatshirt is one of my favorites.” You smile down at your hoodie, stuffing your hands in the pocket on the front. The hoodie was twice your size, giving you max comfort. Dream liked how it looked on you, it was almost like you were wearing HIS sweatshirt.

Yes, technically it is HIS merch, but it’s not actually HIS hoodie. He wanted to see you in one of his actual hoodies that he wears on a day to day basis. It would give him some sort of pride seeing you wearing his clothes. The merch was good enough, for now.

Seeing how Dream was still awkwardly standing, you directed him to sit on the edge of your bed while you sat in your desk chair. You rolled the chair away from the desk and towards the bed to sit across from him. Content with your and his positions infront of each other, you giggle at his nervous looking facial expression.

“You know I’m not mad at you, right?” You laugh.

Dream slowly nods, a little confused. “Yeah...”

“Then why are you acting like I’m going to bite you for spilling the whiteclaw?” You joke.

Dream laughs nervously. Oh. He didn’t really connect that the comment you made earlier could be because of the spill incident. “I don’t know...” he replies shyly.

“Well, chillax then.” You giggle, swatting his knee with your hand.

Dream scoffs playfully at your terminology. “Chillax?Chill and relax? Really?” You stare at him with a challenging look. “You are such a hypocrite. You have weird words too!” You retort. Dream lets out a hearty wheeze at your defense. “Like what?” He questions. Your brain short-circuts and you suddenly have no comebacks. “Uh..” you try to think of something, but ultimately have nothing. “Well!” You try to spit something out. “At least I didn’t vote for a stupid squid to be added to minecraft!” You clap back. Dream rolls his eyes playfully. “Oh, come on. That was the worst comeback I’ve ever heard come from you.” You cross your arms in defeat. “Today is an off day, your highness. I had a whiteclaw foolishly spilled all over my lap.” Dream groans in embarrassment. “I said I was sorry like a million times!” He retaliates, hunching over and covering his face with both of his hands. “I know.” You sigh, content with his reaction. “So,” you start. “What do you want to do now?” You ask him. Dream darts his head up to you from his hunched position, inwardly getting too excited for his own good.

...Then Dream realizes that your statement earlier about what you were “going to do to him” was probably a joking threat from the whiteclaw spillage. His face heats up from the memory. He can be so dumb sometimes. “Uh... I don’t know. What do you want to do?” He peers at you, lost of any hope he had before.

You smirk at him with mischief. You knew what you said earlier. You wanted to see if he would get riled up. News flash: he did.

“Hmmm..” you hum aloud, giving him a look that would make his knees buckle if he was standing up. “I have an idea of what we could do...” you stood softly from your chair and stepped closer to him, causing him to look up at you from the edge of the bed.

I guess you could say Dream was fucked right about now.

Literally

IM JOKING

LOL HOPE YOU ENJOYED

Made this one very suggestive lol, I thought it would be funny

Sorry for any typos! This sat in my drafts for a while, I didn’t know where to take it hehe

[anika-ann]

Attached: Word Is that We Might Work It Out

Type: Modern-college-professor AU - part of Attached series 

Pairing: professor!Steve Rogers x reader   Word count: 6850🙈

Summary: You said yes to Professor Rogers – Steve – taking you out for ‘coffee’. Ball’s in your court – and you decide to make your move. 

A date, maybe first of many, maybe not. A date with the gorgeous professor who happened to read your erotica about him. What could possibly go wrong? 

Warnings:  alcohol consumption, professor-student relationship and unspecified age gap, language, lots of fluff

A/N: Timeline-wise, this one-shot fits in after chapter four of Attached!!! At the end, you can find the reason behind me writing this. You can consider it one big flashback, if you will 😅 Gif by capchrisevaans.

Series masterlist | previous in timeline

⊱-◦-◦-◦-◦-◦-◦ ✉ ◦-◦-◦-◦-◦-◦-⊰

You lasted one day. One full day since the encounter in the office, since Professor Rogers admitted he would like to take you out for coffee or something similar. Since you two exchanged numbers.

It took you twenty-four hours – maybe less – to decide that so what if that might be a bad idea. It was not against the university rules and Professor Steve Rogers was a fucking specimen who also seemed to be a genuinely nice human being and if you allowed yourself to play chicken just because something only might go wrong in the future, you’d be an idiot.

Penny, your roomie, wholeheartedly agreed. She actually punched the air in victory as you were nursing a greasy lunch due to the wild-ish celebration of the end of the semester together the night prior and you just said to the void: “You know what, screw it. I’m gonna go for it.”

You didn’t even have to say what you were talking about – Professor Rogers had been the topic ever since the faithful Monday.

So you texted him that if the offer still stood, you’d like to meet up on Friday evening. Was he free?

Hey, Y/N :) Thank you for reaching out. Friday sounds great. Do you have anything specific in mind?

“Dude. He’s such a cutie. Who even texts like that?” Penny chuckled, a wide grin on her face as you couldn’t but read the text out loud.

“I texted him like that.”

“Touché. Because you want to impress mister ‘hot as fuck intellectual’ there.”

You just rolled your eyes, neither confirming nor denying. Mostly because Penny was right. But he was the first to use an emoji and… yeah, cutie indeed.

Well, I never say no to dinner and I’m down for almost anything-

“I bet you are,” Penny hummed to your ear and you swung after her blindly and thought of a better phrasing.

Well, I never say no to a dinner and I’m not picky. You choose. Seven-ish sounds good?

“Spoilsport.”

“Stop reading over my shoulder!” you chuckled and bit your lip as the answer came almost immediately.

Seven is alright. I’ll think of something to treat a girl right ;)

Your stomach made a small somersault, your face instantly radiating heat at the possible innuendo. The phone vibrated again before you could fully process the image your mind painted of him actually saying it in his gentle timbre.

Just so we’re clear, what is the nature of the dinner? It can be whatever you feel comfortable with.

Your heart leaped into your throat, hammering wildly.

That was the question, wasn’t it? Since you texted him, you made one thing clear with yourself. If you were doing this, it was going to be a date. You wouldn’t be doing things by halves.

Penny next to you made a noise that sounded as something between an aww and her gagging on nothing. “He’s disgustingly considerate for a man his age planning on going out with a girl your age.”

“He’s not that much older,” you protested instantly, frowning. He wasn’t. She knew that; you had both done your research. “And I think it’s amazing.”

You caught Penny’s smile from the corner of your eye as you typed.

“Well, it is kinda sweet. And I know he’s not, I’m messing with you. It’s just-- DON’T SEND HIM THAT!”

“Why?” you questioned, looking at her quizzically and totally clicking on send on purpose at the same time.

I’d be comfortable with a date if you are.

“It’s so lame. Of course he’s comfortable with a date, he suggested it. Duh.”

The reply came way too fast and Penny chuckled behind you as your jaw went slack.

“You know what? Don’t mind me. Good job. Keep it up,” Penny patted your shoulder as you stared at the screen where Professor Steven Grant Rogers just texted you a damn heart.

It’s a date <3

⊱-◦-◦-◦-◦-◦-◦ ✉ ◦-◦-◦-◦-◦-◦-⊰

It was a date indeed.

Steve texted you an address on Friday morning (along with an adorable good morning :) ), apologizing that he couldn’t pick you up, making sure you’d be alright getting there on your own. You found it absolutely sweet, considerate and smart. You suspected that his ‘inability’ to pick you up had something to do with the fact that you lived at the dorms and if he showed up there, it would be trending in the university chit-chat room within five minutes.

You spent a better part of the Friday afternoon researching the place and the weather forecast so you could dress accordingly and getting ready.

You were not ready for a date with Steve Rogers however; your nerves were a mess and nothing could ever prepare you for when he showed up perfectly on time in front of the restaurant---- wearing a suit no less.

How were you supposed to function when he was wearing such elegant clothing, a suit he filled up so fucking well?! And he looked just as breath-taking as always, stupidly perfect beard and slightly tousled hair you just wanted to run your fingers through and his smile was so gorgeous and--- Jesus Fucking Christ, the suit- how could you even put words together when looking at him-

“Wow, I feel so underdressed now.”

Clearly, you could speak just fine, only you lost your brain-to-mouth filter. Also, your mouth might have started watering and your heart was pounding like crazy. You would not survive tonight.

But, you also had a point. The restaurant was supposed to be a nice place, but relatively plain. And he showed up in amazingly fitting dress pants, white shirt, a tie and a suit jacket. So yes, you did feel underdressed.

“Oh no, no! You’re not,” he rushed to reassure you, eyeing your semi-leisure white dress with burgundy flowers with an attentive gaze that had you shifting your weight nervously. “I’m overdressed if anything. Sticking out like a sore thumb, I’m sorry.”

You could always just strip the suit jacket, was your first thought, but luckily for you, this time you managed to contain the words before they got out to the open.

“You’re fine,” you said instead, not knowing how else to react; needless to say you were grateful for the smile he gave you despite the double meaning.

Yes, he was fine indeed. Always. It was unfair, really.

“Thanks. You too. In fact, you look beautiful.”

Your heart stopped in your chest, your mind suddenly racing a mile per minute.

It was ridiculous. It was just a word. But for one, it was spoken so kindly and genuinely you couldn’t but think he meant it, for two, it was Professor Steve Rogers who told you that and--- beautiful.

You couldn’t remember a guy ever calling you beautiful.

Cute? Sure. Pretty? Maybe. Hot? Might have happened once or twice . But beautiful?

You might actually swoon.

And you were so lost in your head that you couldn’t but silently stare at the lethally handsome man in front of you and then it again registered in your brain that this was your fucking crush speaking to you and he was on a date with you and he had read your erotica, one that was about him no less-

Your face was set aflame in an instant and you… you couldn’t let out a word.

“It everything okay? Did I… did I say something wrong?” Steve asked hesitantly, a concerned wrinkle appearing between his brows and it reminded you of all the times you had seen him wearing such thoughtful expression in the two classes he taught instead of Professor Barnes and-

You were screwed.

Tonight was going to be a disaster.

“No, uhm, no, sorry--- maybe we should go inside or-“ you muttered, lightly gesturing towards the door and could you get any more awkward?

“Yeah, sure, sounds good.”

He let you walk in first like a real gentleman, the lightest skim of his fingers on your lower back, which caused your heartbeat to skyrocket; and only when the hostess seated you, you realized you never accepted his kind compliment.

It was too late for that now, you assumed, so you sipped at the still water which waited at each table, and repeated like a mantra to yourself that you needed to get your shit together otherwise you’d ruin your shot before the night even started.

But clearly, you succeeded at that already.

Whatever awkward aura you had around yourself, it seemed to extend now to him too – he shifted slightly in his seat (he had pulled out your chair for you before, because of course he had), his shoulders stiff. Despite that, he smiled at you over the menu.

“So… all exams worked out? Enjoying the freedom?” he asked casually.

“Oh, yes. Yeah.”

“Congratulations.”

“Thanks,” you uttered with a forced smile, your stomach twisted unpleasantly.  

For some reason, you felt like you were having a lame attempt at small talk with a professor, which you were, but it wasn’t supposed to be like that.

Not tonight. Not on a date.

What were you even doing here? What were you playing at? Professor Steve Rogers was entirely out of your league, gorgeous, funny, kind and smart and here you were, barely making conversation.

It was pathetic really. It was embarrassing for both of you.

“You up to anything fun?” he queried, the question less enthusiastic than the one before. He was already growing tired of making your uncooperative brain work at least a bit, it was obvious.

Your gulped as the memory of last night popped in your head – staying in, quiet evening, in a mood for some dirty writing--- oh bless, another reminder of why this dinner was and should be really weird.

Steve read your smutty story. The one about him.

“Nothing special,” you squealed silently, earning a plain nod. “Eh, we went out with Penny, my roommate and best friend in one person. But mostly I just stayed in and--- caught up on sleeping.”

“I know what that’s like,” Steve hummed, clearly as grateful as you were when the waiter appeared by your table to take your orders.

Silence stretched as the man left, your hand beginning to fiddle with the neatly folded napkin on the table, lump growing in your throat due to your nerves.

“What about you? Anything… fun?” you asked reluctantly, noticing a brief smile passing Steve’s lips. Pretty, sinfully pretty lips. Perfect. Untouchable for mere mortals like you.

“Oh, not much. Few exam sittings, faculty meetings – we had one now, hence the suit-“

“You came here right from school?” you blurted out, startled – and clearly surprising him with your rudeness. “Sorry.”

“Don’t worry about it. Yes, I did. We have a meeting every last Friday of the month.”

“Oh my god, you must be so tired,” you sympathized with him quietly, the uneasy feeling in your stomach only growing. He came here straight from work and for this? “Why didn’t you say something? We could have postponed or something.”

Steve swiftly shook his head, his warm hand landing on yours, gently stopping your restless fingers. This time, it was butterflies in your stomach erupting with life, the sweet comforting gesture warming your heart. He wanted to be here. He came here for you. He was interested in you.

And the feeling was mutual. So why was it being so weird then?

“Hey, it’s okay. I’m glad you reached out. I’m glad that you said yes in the first place,” he admitted, features softening despite the tension in his shoulders never leaving. His brows furrowed as he slowly withdrew his hand – it must have been an automatic reaction then. “I’m not that tired and… and maybe I was little worried that if I asked for a different date, then…”

He trailed off and your lips parted in surprise, your heart swelling in your chest at what he was implying.

Did he think you’d back out? Did he think that all the potential obstacles intimidated you too much? That you’d think it wasn’t worth it? That it wouldn’t work out anyway?

Seeing as you were now, you couldn’t blame him. Despite him being the world’s most charming man, here you were, being… not at all yourself, stressing for no reason.

It seemed to you that had had chemistry, back there in his office. This date made sense. When you imagined how this could unfold, well, it went a bit differently too. There was considerably less embarrassment going around.

This was why you preferred writing to speaking. That’s why you liked daydreaming. Because reality was often less than ideal, no script, awkward silences, misunderstandings…

“I’m sorry,” you whispered, your voice barely audible as your food arrived.

You both thanked the waiter politely and you hoped that at least now you’d have a good excuse for the lack of normal conversation.

“What are you sorry for?”

You sighed and nibbled on your lower lip, not missing the way his gaze instinctively flickered there, pupils dilating just a fraction – but enough for you to notice. Your heart skipped a pleased beat – but the undeniable physical attraction couldn’t be enough.

“For this,” you said, gesturing vaguely between the two of you. His features twisted in disappointment and something that looked a lot like regret flashed in his eyes. “I want to be here, Steve. I really do. I don’t know what’s wrong with me-“

“There’s absolutely nothing wrong with you,” he was quick to oppose and you couldn’t help it as a wry chuckle escaped you.

“Well, there’s certainly nothing wrong with you. And still, there’s this…”

“…tension?”

You wished.

“Sort of? But not the fun kind, for sure.”

He grimaced, but a spark of amusement lit up his blue irises. “Awkward air around us?”

“Yes!” you exclaimed victoriously as he voiced exactly what you were thinking. Then you quickly lowered your voice, looking around. Luckily, no one stared at you. You realized you leaned closer to him over the table, your heart racing at that, but you didn’t withdraw; it was a lovely opportunity to get even a better look at his perfect face. “But I don’t know why!” You knew why. “I like you, Steve-“

“I like you too. And I know I already said that, but you look stunning.”

Your cheeks burned again, but this time, you managed to stutter out a thank you at least. Stunning, Jesus, was he for real?

“T-thank you. You look incredibly handsome too. Then again you always do—why did I say that.”

One corner of his lips quirked up.

“Why thank you, I’m glad you did. The feeling’s mutual, believe me.”

“Then why does this feel like one of the most awkward dates I’ve ever been to?!” you whisper-yelled, causing him to chuckle, the tips of his ears turning red.

His hand once again landed on yours, this time deliberately, the gesture warming you in more than one way.

“Well… I’m nervous. You might be too.” You hummed in agreement. Was that all it was? “But the way you said it, at least it seems to me that it could have been worse, right? More awkward?”

You felt the corners of your lips rise at the remark, shrugging. He had a point there. And he squeezed your hand a bit and good Lord, it should not be making your heart race so much, but he was touching you and he was being really sweet and his fingers were nice and warm and long-

“Tell me.”

You blinked in surprise, realizing you had been staring at your joined hands. You raised your gaze, finding him watching you with a subtle smile.

“Tell you what?”

“Tell me about the most awkward date you have ever been to,” he clarified, his thumb caressing your wrist.

You only hesitated for a beat before you nodded in agreement, god knew why. Perhaps you did need a reminder that this could have gone much more disastrously and it was mostly your traitorous brain telling you that you were messing everything up.

Plus, Steve deserved whatever he wanted – so far, he was the only reason this date wasn’t as disastrous as it could be.

“Okay. You ever been to a speed dating event, Steve? Because I have.”

“Oh, this is ought to be good,” he noted with another squeeze to your hand, before he released you. Shame. He sipped at his wine and dug into his pasta. “I’m all ears.”

This is ought to be good, Steve said. Well, maybe. You certainly hadn’t thought so at the time.

Explaining to Steve that as you had been under duress from no other than Penny, you both went to the event which promised you meeting ten dashing men in only an hour. You’d get five minutes with each, as anonymous as you’d wished to be, receiving a folder with nothing but a table with the first names of the men and a yes and no option and a line for your own notes about them.

You weren’t sure what to think of it – but after three epically failed Tinder attempts, you agreed to try. If nothing else, you’d gain a new experience.

And an experience had it been. You even lasted a month with one of the guys, but you didn’t tell Steve that. It wasn’t important.

André was.

André Whatever-was-his-last-name – because that was how it worked, no last names – definitely believed he was important. With the guys moving around the tables from one woman to another, spending five minutes with each, you could already hear André closing to your station from two tables over.

He was hard to tune out, courtesy of the colour of his voice, extremely unpleasant to your ears, and him never letting the woman he faced talk. Always interrupting. Always turning the conversation around so it would be about him.

Asshole.

You liked to think you weren’t quick to judge people, but André was making you cringe before you were even introduced. And then you actually were.

A minute into his monologue to you, you felt like you were being tortured.

And then the waitress managed to stumble and spill a glass of white wine – partly over your table, but mostly on the floor. At least she caught the glass and you had but a tiny spot on your dress.

“She was apologizing so profusely and I wasn’t thinking, okay. I went for the napkins few tables over to help and— I didn’t realize I put the open folder down for everyone to see,” you explained, feeling like face-palming when you remembered the night.

Steve watched you in anticipation, a small smirk and a knowing look on his face as he guessed you had already circled ‘no’ for André at the time.

Oh, you wished it were that simple. You felt your cheeks burn hot as you continued.

“André read it, of course. Obviously, he already got a hard ‘no’ from me, but… I might have written a tiny note for myself as to why,” you admitted and Steve’s eyebrow rose minutely, his curiosity piqued even more.

You took a deep breath.

“I wasn’t exactly kind to him. It was something along the lines of self-important asshole who probably compensated for something.” Steve huffed in amusement. But oh, if he only knew... you sighed and continued. “And If Draco Malfoy and Gilderoy Lockhart had a love child, this would be him.”

No sound came from your companion this time and your teeth anxiously sank into our lower lip, your pulse wavering. What was Steve thinking? Did he think you had been rude? Mean even? Nerdy? All of the above?

He stared at you for full three seconds, clearly rendered speechless by your harsh judgement.

And then he burst out laughing.

Suffocating weight fell from your shoulders and you silently joined him as you explained yourself.

“I was in my Harry Potter phase! And in my defence, I think it was actually pretty accurate...”

“Oh, I don’t doubt that, sweetheart,” Steve chuckled lightly before laughing some more, irises twinkling with amusement and something… softer.

You shuddered upon hearing the endearment spill unwittingly from his lips, upon seeing the emotion on his face.  And maybe you were a little proud of yourself for making him laugh and lose the tension in his shoulders completely.

“It was one of the longest and most awkward three minutes of my life, the silence that followed,” you huffed, massaging your forehead. “He did not appreciate the comparison.”

“I bet,” Steve cackled, taking another bite of his meal, smile playing in the corner of his lips as he swallowed and continued. “But you’ve got to give it to him, he knew his Harry Potter characters.”

“Ha! My thoughts exactly. But that’s a little bit of weak base for dating, I think, especially since I kinda already hated him.”

“Oh, you did? I didn’t catch that,” Steve joked lightly, causing you to smile despite the horrid memory.

And funnily enough, telling him and remembering it… it did make you feel better and more at ease with him.

“Ha ha ha, laugh it up, Professor. Your turn.”

“I’m sorry?” he said, clearly puzzled. It didn’t escape your notice as his voice faltered, his Adam’s apple bobbing at the addressing.

Oh, so that’ s still a thing. You couldn’t but smirk a bit at that.

“An awkward date. You have to share now, it’s only fair,” you shrugged, only for a terrible realization to dawn on you. “Please tell me there is at least one awkward date story, Steve. Tell me this isn’t really your worst date ever.”

He shook his head with a soft chuckle.

“Oh, there’s plenty. I’m just trying to think about one that won’t scare you away from me. I’d hate that.”

One corner of his lips raised, he looked you up and down, lingering on your lips for a bit before meeting your gaze, something you could only hope was fondness and wanton in his eyes. Your breath hitched, heat pooling in your abdomen at the thorough onceover despite the gentle tone of his voice.

Fuck how could he make you feel hot and soft at the same time.

Unable to stand the intensity of his stare, you lowered your gaze and gulped, your stomach making an excited slip. He did want you. You had been being silly, letting your nerves get the better of you.

Clearing your throat, you willed yourself to look up, finding him still watching closely – and perhaps, there was a hint of a red to his cheeks, the tip of his ears burning as if despite the blatant flirting, he was unsure of himself too, because he didn’t want to mess up with you either.

You found it absolutely endearing and your heart swelled. The way you got to see there was more to him than his professor side and his dashing looks… you felt incredibly lucky. The more you got to interact with him, the more it wasn’t just your sinful thoughts belonging to him – he was quickly working on stealing your heart as well.

Plucking up your courage, you were the one to reach out this time, carefully sweeping your thumb over the back of his hand, smiling.

“I’m not scared off all that easily, Steve.”

He mirrored your genuine smile, a glint of something you couldn’t read lighting up his eyes.

“That’s good to know,” he said lowly and sighed, narrowing his eyes as if he was assessing you again. “Alright, here goes…”

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You actually managed to get one more awkward date story from Steve, because frankly, his experiences were hilarious. And surprise surprise, he was a great narrator. Plus, while he talked, you could ogle him shamelessly without fear of looking strange.

But you guessed that since you were on a date, you could ogle him anyway. He didn’t seem to mind; in fact, whenever he got the opportunity, he reciprocated it. It finally did feel like a date, the air growing thicker as you gradually shifted closer and closer, the light touches prolonging, feet meeting under the table without parting as soon as they made contact.

Your belly kept warming up with each smile and laugh, with every second of the intense eye contact, with every flicker of his gaze to your lips and vice versa. Sharing a dessert was a terrible idea, because you wanted kiss the crumbs sticking on his lips away. You teased each other, you complimented each other – with Steve absolutely winning the undeclared contest – and you realized that despite sharing your most embarrassing dates with each other at the beginning, this was the absolute best you had ever been to.

And you didn’t want it to end.

The light sweater you had brought with you did nothing to shield you from the surprisingly lukewarm wind. As you wandered the streets, Steve finally heard out one of your first thoughts you had had when meeting him today – he shrugged off his suit jacket.

Which… yum. The seams of his shirt were crying for help and you could only think fo one way of helping them – taking his shirt off too. But alas, Steve didn’t continue the striptease, probably because you were on the street. Instead, he did the most wholesome thing and held out the jacket for you to slip into.

You only hesitated a moment, teeth sinking into your lower lip. How could you say no to that?

“That’s awfully cliché and really sweet at the same time,” you muttered, causing him to shrug, one corner of his lips raised in a smirk as he helped you put it on, forefinger most definitely deliberately caressing the side of your throat before withdrawing.

A shudder ran down your spine, electrifying feeling going straight to your core. The whiff of whatever cologne he was wearing enveloped you, clouding your senses. Goddammit he smelled so good.

“Maybe I just want to see you in my clothes,” he hummed, the suggestive remark knocking the breath straight out of your lungs.

Stepping to your side from behind your back, you caught a glimpse of his expression – a little bit smug, a little bit panicked as it probably registered with him just how much suggestive it was, perhaps crossing a line.

It was absolutely not crossing the line, because the thought of wearing his clothes, preferably grabbing it because you couldn’t find yours after you threw it all around the room as you frantically stripped each other was making your head spin in the best way.

“Maybe I’d really enjoy wearing your clothes after you rip off mine.”

Steve’s jaw went slack, a choked noise leaving him and you couldn’t but laugh at his dumbstruck expression. Surprise, professor, you little shit. I can keep up.

“That was… mean,” he said, clearing his throat. Your eyebrows rose, pot calling the kettle back style. “But I see how I deserved that.”

“Damn right… but that doesn’t mean it’s a lie,” you shrugged, chuckling at the exasperated look he shot you.

‘Man, she’s gonna fuck you up on a whole new level and I’ll be here for it in the front row with a bowl of popcorn,’ Barnes’ words to Steve which you weren’t meant to hear echoed in your head, making you grin.

The teasing was intense, yet you felt comfortable in it. You blamed Steve and his nature – he already felt like a guy to go lengths to make you feel at ease enough; the way he had kept insisting on you choosing whether this was a date or not only proved it. He made it easy to be yourself, making you feel like you could.

And he made it perfectly clear that he was enjoying seeing you like that, that he appreciated you as you were.

But the closer you got to the campus, the more the reality was settling in, your laughter fading, butterflies and heat replaced by anxiety. He was still a professor. If you went for it, it wouldn’t always be uncomplicated like this. The awkwardness crept in as your steps grew slower, the inevitable arriving.

He couldn’t walk you home, to walk you to the dorm, even if the desire to do so radiated from every fibre of his being. He couldn’t do that for the same reason he hadn’t picked you up.

You came to a stop, feeling like there was this invisible border to a safe, students-free part of the city, the line you couldn’t cross side by side.

“So, uhm… this is it, huh?” Steve hummed, grim. You appreciated the lame attempt at a smile though and reciprocated, turning to face him.

“Looks like it.”

Heavy silence settled over you pair. Your eyes trailed all over him, lingering on his face, noting as he did the same. He was beautiful; you didn’t care you should say that about a man. He was. The light in his eyes dimmed compared to that just a few moments ago, but it was still there, expression soft, almost as soft as his beard looked, causing your fingers to twitch in need to run them over it and pull him in for a kiss.

Your lips tingled as the idea. You had never kissed a man with a beard and you wanted to know how it felt. The fact it was Steve only sealed the deal and made the need grow exponentially.

You wanted to kiss him so bad. But here you stood, unable to move, unable to speak. You sighed.

“Would you-“ “I want to-“

“Sorry,” you and him said at the same time again, laughing it off quietly, your fingers running through your hair.

Your stomach clenched when you noticed his eyes following the movement almost wistfully.

“You go first,” he prompted you gently.

You didn’t argue – if you learned one thing tonight, it was that Steve was a gentleman and that was so rare these days that you wouldn’t want to discourage him from being that way. Even if you really wanted to know what he was about to say, as soon as possible.

“I… I just want to say thank you. For the… for the date. I had a good time, so I hope you had too, at least a little,” you offered lamely, feeling blood rushing to your cheeks.

Like a schoolgirl blushing in front of her professor. Jesus, why were you being like this again.

Steve didn’t seem to find you as awkward as you felt however, your name slipping from his lips, kind and soft.

“I had a very good time. You’re amazing.” Your lips parted at the blatant and genuine compliment. His eyes went wide. “I’m sorry, that came out so strong, I didn’t mean to put you in spot like that-“

Stronger than ‘maybe I just want to see you in my clothes?’ you asked yourself. No, you didn’t think so. It was just that the playfulness had left at least two blocks back.

This felt more serious. More intimate.

“Ditto,” you whispered, gracing him with a shy smile he instantly mirrored. “But hey, I already knew that, so…”

He chuckled, shaking his head lightly, his smile only growing. When he looked at you again, his eyes were the beautiful warm blue that made you weak in the knees.

“Would you like to do something like that again?” he queried lowly.

Yes. YES. YES PLEASE. Minus the awkwardness at the beginning and the one a moment ago, preferably.  

“Yeah. I’d like that,” you agreed simply, taking note of how his face lit up even more.

How could a man be so indescribably hot and yet adorable enough to tug at your heartstrings?

“Good. I’m glad.”

He tugged at your hand unexpectedly, pulling you to your left, his other hand steadying you by gently grasping your forearm.

Before you could question his actions, a pair of men swaying in a drunken haze passed you, having no care in the world for whom they might crash into.

“Thanks,” blurted out lowly, sparing a second to shoot their backs a dirty glare.

But Steve’s hands were still on you, distracting, as you stood face to face, chest to chest, a little too close, a little too far. Your heart sped up in your ribcage, breathing picking up in anticipation. So close…

But all Steve did was to squeeze your forearm reassuringly, lifting your joined hands to his face.

Just like the day you agreed to get coffee with him, he kissed your knuckles, only this time it was much firmer. His smile was sweet and utterly irresistible as he kept looking at your face and you felt all the worries about the future melt away once again.

He was so precious and this felt so right and--- you didn’t want him to kiss your hand.

Well, you wanted it, but you wanted more too.

You had been aching to kiss that mouth since you had first set eyes on him, on that inhumanly gorgeous and hot creature. You were on a date, you both had a great time and clearly he was giving you the opportunity to decide how far you wanted to take this, because as much as every little touch of his made to crazy, the displays of affection were positively chaste.

And you wanted to take it very very far.

Your rational brain wouldn’t let you just hop into sac with him today, but fuck, you could do with a kiss. You wanted to feel that perfectly trimmed beard of his and you wanted to taste him.

Did he?

You stepped even closer as he let go of your hand, distracting you minutely; due to the sudden proximity, it landed on his chest and Jesus fucking Christ he was firm.

Your fingers clutched at the white fabric of his shirt as you observed his face, your gaze inevitably flickering to his lips. Glancing up once more to find him still watching you intently, pupils dilated, your breath caught in your throat, heat stirring in your belly.

Rising to your tiptoes, you gripped the fabric tighter and shortly pressed your lips to his.

It was a funny feeling – lips hot, soft and slightly chapped, a stark contrast to the beard, less rough than you expected, leaving a tingly sensation behind. It was different; exciting and addicting. Before he could react and before you could think twice, you kissed him again, this time lingering for a few seconds, your eyelids falling shut.

Your heart fluttered when you felt his lips reluctantly respond just as you withdrew, his grip on your arm tightening. You ran your tongue over your lips to savour the feeling, mouth instinctively curling up in a smile, gaze meeting his.

Little wrinkles appeared around his eyes as he smiled as well.

“You okay?”

You nodded, almost too eagerly, lowering back to your whole feet. Involuntarily, your gaze flickered to his mouth again, wanting more.

“Uhm… beard,” you piped up unhelpfully, pressing your lips together as soon as the admission left them.

Steve’s smile widened as he once again grasped your hand, leading it to cup his face – not before he dropped a kiss to your palm.

You almost let out a very embarrassing whine at the curious sensation, your mind, still enveloped in Steve’s warmth and cologne, wondering how the beard would feel elsewhere.

Your fingers unwittingly caressed the hair, thumb brushing his lips, unable to resist.

His Adam’s apple bobbed, lips parting, hot breath fanning over your skin as watched you.

“Sweetheart,” he breathed out and that was it – you pressed against the soft swollen flesh at the pet name, causing a low grumble echo in Steve’s chest.

And then his hand slid to your waist, the other sinking into your hair, and he pulled up into a kiss that had nothing to do with how patient he had been before. He was still a gentleman, but it was a close call – he angled your head to his liking, his lips dancing with yours in a sensual dance with just a tease of tongue licking at the seam of your lips, causing you to sigh in bliss, granting him access.

He hummed appreciatively, the sound shaking your bones as he held you flat against him, the heat of his body seeping into yours – as if every nerve ending in your body wasn’t on fire already. He breathed you in, consumed you entirely – there were no other words for it.

There weren’t many words you could think of to begin with, too busy feeling his broad shoulders under your palm, fingers roaming to find the soft hair at his nape, revelling at the taste of him, just a smidge of tongue and you wanted more, your insides twisting in need--- and oh, your back was pressed against a wall now.

You let out a small startled sound which Steve instantly swallowed – but it was a good wake up call for you both. The motions of his lips slowed, softened, a gentle caress more than anything, his thumb stroking your cheek.

Breathless, you chased after his mouth when he retreated, earning one small peck and then another. He rested his forehead against yours, nose briefly skimming yours, causing you to smile and meet his gaze.

“Sorry,” he muttered and you genuinely wanted to slap his arm or something for apologizing for that. Because you knew what you’d be thinking about for the next few hours, days even, hell, probably weeks. “For springing out like that. I just… wanted to do that for a long time.”

The admission had your heart skip a beat and you couldn’t but lean in to kiss the corner of his mouth – and nope, you weren’t over how it felt, his beard against your lips. You wouldn’t be over it for a long time, you suspected.

“Me too.”

“So… we’re doing this again, right?“

You smirked up at him as he reluctantly released you. “You springing out like that or-“

“Don’t test me, babygirl,” he nearly growled, causing your eyes going wide as saucers, feeling as if you were sucker punched to your gut – and liked it.

Babygirl. Jesus, he was going to be the death of you.

“You can spring out like that again too,” you chimed, your voice sounding a bit strangled, because holy shit he just called you that. His gaze flickered all over your face, a shade darker than before. Your underwear was thoroughly ruined with that single look… and the earlier make-out session. “But if we’re talking second dates, I’d definitely do that too.”

He huffed and shook his head, a chuckle escaping him.

“You’re a minx…. I think I like it.”

You grinned at him and then sighed regretfully, reaching to slip off the jacket, which made him frown.

“You could give it back later.”

“Don’t tempt me… don’t want to rob you of it--- and there would be questions,” you explained, knowing that even walking around the campus like what would raise rumours of god knew what.

Like, maybe someone would think some gentleman like Professor Steve Rogers himself lent it to you or something, gee, where would that come from...

Steve nodded in understanding, accepting the jacket and shrugging it on.

“Plus, I’m thoroughly warmed up,” you added cheekily, causing him to chuckle incredulously again. With a sigh, he leaned in, cradling your jaw in one large hand and pressed a sweet lingering kiss to your forehead.

You could melt on spot.

“Goodnight, sweetheart. Let me know when you get home safe?” he asked of you gently, tugging at your heartstrings some more, because of course he did.

“I will. You too?”

His smile was soft and sweet as he promised to do so, clearly touched by your care. Well, that made two of you.

“Goodnight, Steve. Thank you for tonight.”

“Thank you.”

You breathed in deeply, dropping a last kiss to his cheek and quickly spun on your heels to walk away – because if you wavered a second longer, you might have not left at all.

Sure, you looked back at him several times, finding him standing where you had left him, his eyes following your receding figure. But you kept walking.

And once you couldn’t see him anymore, you broke into a fit of giggles, hiding your face in your palms to muffle your delighted squeal.

You were just coming back to the dorms from the date with Steve Rogers.

And despite the hiccups, it was the best damn thing in the world, leaving you giddy and already craving another date and more. Your cheeks hurt from smiling by the time you made it to the dorms, your heart pounding excitedly the whole time.

As promised, you let Steve know you made there safe, earning another text with a heart. It only made you squeal again, fingers frantic as you replied – and with a kiss for goodnight so he knew you truly enjoyed your night, ending included.

What he didn’t know was that maybe, just maybe, the next evening you wrote a tiny story in which you elaborated at what could happen if he ever pushed you against a wall and kissed your breathless ever again.

And hopefully, he would.

Soon.

⊱-◦-◦-◦-◦-◦-◦ ✉ ◦-◦-◦-◦-◦-◦-⊰

Attached masterlist

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...how it happened? I was asked about the first date, very kindly and in a no pressure manner.

S: Hey, just out of curiosity, you don’t really have to answer… how do you imagine their first date went?

me: Hm, let me think, I guess, mm, it would be like this--- oh shit. Oh no. It’s gonna be a fic again, isn’t it? Maybe I could finally write a headcanon or a drabble--- sigh.

As if I could ever.

Thank you for reading :-*

[prfctethereal]

bloodline. | james potter

thank u, next x marauders

alexa, play bloodline by ariana grande

pairing: james potter x reader (fake dating au)

summary: after lily breaks up with james, you offer to pretend to be lily over the christmas holidays

word count: 10k (i deeply apologise)

warnings: language, mentions of food and eating, sexual jokes and innuendos (nothing explicit or smut), a whole lotta angst but a whole lotta fluff

a/n: a can't believe i wrote so much for this man. anyway, this is probably my favourite thing i’ve ever written to enjoy - Kennedy

***

The common room was a ghostly quiet, but that was expected at this time of year. Tinsel decorated the mantelpiece by the fireplace, the smell of nutmeg and cinnamon wafting through the air. In the corner, a large, oak tree sat, it’s leaves standing tall and proud, juxtaposing against the scarlet walls. Christmas was the reason for this tranquil atmosphere.

Except, that wasn’t the case for everyone. Unfortunately, you wouldn’t be going home for the holidays this year, opting to stay at Hogwarts to get in more study time. It felt like nearly all students were going away this year and the ever growing loneliness was catching up to you, weighing your mind down, a foggy haze resting over your eyesight.

You turned your head, looking up at the clock on the wall. It was nearly one in the morning, which meant that there were usually more students in the common room. The train was leaving back to London tomorrow - well, today - so you assumed that they would all be getting some rest. The only sound that filled the common room was the fire crackling and some light whimpering.

Light whimpering?

That definitely caught your attention. Straightening yourself up on the chair, your eyes scanned the dim room, searching for the source of the noise. It was quiet, but prominent, and it definitely sounded like someone crying. The sniffling painted a picture in your mind of someone’s broken face, eyes red and puffy.

There was something wrong though. Your intuition was getting the better of you. You recognised that voice, but you just couldn’t put your finger on it. Sure, you had friends, but you weren’t close to anyone, close enough to know what they sounded like when you cried.

By now, the crying was loud enough to attract the attention of anyone that would pass by. Your book, laid forgotten on your lap, was brushed aside, as you sat up, ready to find the source of the crying. There weren’t many places to hide in the common room, so it struck you as odd that you couldn’t see anyone.

Following the whines, you crept to the corner of the room, where the cries never stopped and seemingly carried on through the wall. A smile stretched across your face, a mystery forming in your head. Pressing your palms against the wall, your tenacious fingers searched the wallpaper for anything, small incisions, lumps, maybe a door handle. In the lack of light, you didn’t notice the small hole in the wall, letting your finger slip through the wallpaper. Curling around your knuckle, you tugged slightly, opening the secret door you had just found in the wall.

Letting the light slip into the tunnel, you noticed the figure curled up in a ball. His suave messy hair, paired with the thin, round glasses on the ground gave away that it was James Potter who was crying in a secret tunnel at one in the morning.

Your heart broke in an instant. James was actually a very close friend, having helped him and his marauders out multiple times on their pranks and overall mischief. You had met James in the first year and you were the bestest friend he had outside the marauders; he had told you multiple times. Many times you had laid together in the common room, shoulders touching, staring up at the ceiling, enjoying each other’s presence. It was comforting. He was comforting.

But right now, he needed comfort.

A lone piece of parchment was peeking out of his arms, which you carefully plucked away, not focusing on the ink scratched in. Soothing his shaking muscles, you ran your hands up his arms, him immediately calming down at your touch. When you felt like he was feeling better, you reached down, sitting against the wall next to him, placing your arm around his quivering figure. Your fingers found his lonely glasses on the ground, bringing them up to his face, trying to coax his hands away from his reddening cheeks.

The moment you met his eyes, you could feel his pain. His normally bright, cheerful eyes were filled with salty tears, staining his freckle-covered cheek in a sheen of sadness. It was the envisionment of pure anguish.

“Jamesie,” you started, voice quiet as to not shock the obviously patronised boy, quivering next to you, “can you tell me what’s wrong? I want to help you, love.”

“It’s-” He sniffed, voice croaky, “Lily. It’s Lily.” He struggled to keep his gaze on your face, opting to look at his fiddling fingers in this lap. “She broke up with me. A few hours ago.”

Your heart failed. Lily broke up with James? But they were perfect together. For the past two years, it was always James and Lily, Lily and James, high school sweethearts. They were so happy, so why would she end it?

The sadness creeping up inside of you soon turned to wrath, a fire burning wildly in your chest. Red clouded your vision as you felt your fist curl up in anger, fingernails digging into your skin. You only stopped when you felt James’ hand resting on yours.

“Why?” You asked. It was a dumb question, but it was the only thing that came to mind, wanting to keep the attention off of your growing asperity.

“Dunno,” James shrugged, turning back towards his corner. “She said that she wanted to take a break. Had no idea why though. Thought everything was going swimmingly.” His voice was laced with sarcasm, a nice contrast to his tearful expression.

“What a bitch, right before Christmas.” The words fell out of your mouth without you registering it, your eyes scanning the room as you chew thoughtfully on your bottom lip. You didn’t know how James' face grimaced at the mention of Christmas, a pink tint growing on his face, but not from the tears.

Turning around, you saw James with his head in his hands, an excreted groan vibrating from his vocal chords. “Fuck!” He swore, “She was supposed to be coming to meet my parents this Christmas. Now, I have to owl Mum to tell her that’s she’s not coming, oh no-”

He paused, rubbing his eyes together. “This is going to ruin Christmas. Mum and Dad are going to be fretting over me all Christmas. I wish she could’ve just waited until after the holidays.”

It really did seem like James was in a predicament. You had never met Euphemia or Fleamont Potter, but you did know that they were described to be some of the most lovely people to be blessed on this Earth. Even through your tight friendship, you hadn’t met them yet.

Then, another problem rushed through your mind. Lily was now going to be staying at Hogwarts during the holidays, and your blood was boiling. It was going to be difficult to stay in the same room as her without lashing out in defence of James.

“I don’t want to have to deal with Lily for a whole week.” You muttered under your breath, unaware that James was hanging onto every word you said.

“You’re not going away over the holidays?” James asked, eyebrows furrowed together as he scanned your face for any insight. Sighing, you shook your head in response.

“Nah, normally stay.” You pondered for a moment. “Do you think that Lily is gonna be unbearable over Christmas? I might as well just stay in the Room of Requirement all Christmas.”

Then, a thought came to your head. It was almost genius, a bright light twinkling in your eye, your mouth slightly agape. You sucked in a small breath, watching as James eyed you curiously, before a slim smile stretched across your face.

“I have an idea James, but please, I want you to stop me at any point if you feel uncomfortable with this. You are grieving in a way and I don’t want to undermine that. Promise me you’ll shut me down if you don’t like it, okay?” You noted that his head nodded up and down, letting you continue.

“What if I pretend to be Lily? Your parents have never met her before, right? Or me, for a matter of fact. I can come to yours for the holidays and pretend to be Lily to keep the Christmas cheer. When the week is up, we can stop fake dating and you can send a letter to your parents a few weeks later saying that Lily broke up with you. Christmas saved, no pestering parents, and I don’t have to spend a week with the insufferable Lily.”

There was a silence that followed, James gawking at the ground as his mind churned over what you had just said. Then, he spoke.

“Yes.”

“Yes?”

“If that’s okay with you. I mean, it’s just fake dating, right? For like a week? Are you okay with that?”

You exhaled a deep sigh of release, followed by a hearty chuckle. “Of course I’m okay with it. I suggested it, remember? And besides, we’re friends. Best friends, if anything. Everything will be fine.”

“What about Sirius and Remus? They’re staying over the holidays too. Are you sure they can keep the secret? That, you know, you’re not actually Lily Evans. You’re Y/N L/N.”

“Yeah, I think they can.”

***

“We can’t keep that secret.”

You and James and just explained what the plan was. It was the morning of December 21st, a fresh layer of snow had just been laid on the ground. Wrapped carefully in many layers, students of Hogwarts had bundled up into the crimson train, ready to go back to London for a week.

After explaining to Professor McGonagall that last minute plans meant you could go away in the holidays, she had let you onto the train, where the four of you sat in a carriage, laying out the details of you and James’ awkward plan to fake date for the Christmas holidays.

Sirius had found the whole prospect of the situation immensely funny and had been laughing ever since you told him. Remus - the more serious one of the two, ironically - wasn’t too keen on the idea, a look of disappointment plastered on his face like an angry parent.

“You can’t just lie to Euphemia and Fleamont. They’re your parents, James. Surely they’ll know you’re lying?”

“That’s the brilliant thing!” James had surely brightened up overnight. After talking for a bit, you helped James into bed, hoping that a good night sleep would change his mood slightly. Unexpectedly, his mood changed more than slightly; almost drastically. He was cheerful, his teeth glowing in the daybreak sun, enthusiastic talks from across the common room. It was a rather stark constraint from the glum Lily Evans who was moping around, as if she was the one who got dumped only the night before. “They’ll never know! They haven’t met Lily, nor Y/N! Sure, they’ve heard about both, but they won’t connect the dots.”

Anxiously, Remus looked at Sirius for guidance, except Sirius hadn’t stopped laughing, glistening tears of joy beading at his waterline, a hand clamped over his chest. You rolled your eyes at his tomfoolery, focusing your attention on the still uncertain lycanthrope.

“Remus, please?” You begged, pouting your lips. “It’s just one week. Please just lie for one week.”

It seemed as if his brain was clicking into place because after a moment, a smile replaced with frown, with him sticking his hand out. Eagerly shaking it in agreement, your mood lightened significantly.

The rest of the train ride, you went over everything that you needed to know about James and Lily’s relationship, if it came up. Firstly, they got together in February of year five, 1976. You fake barfed at the fact that their relationship sprouted from Valentine’s day, an opinion that the others giggled at. Secondly, James had told his parents that Lily was a muggleborn, so you would probably get bombarded with questions about muggles. You didn’t mind though; you were muggleborn yourself.

Next, you had to make some rules to keep boundaries between James and yourself. First, let James answer questions about the relationship, while you have to make notes and remember. Second, only refer to you as Lily in communal spaces, as Euphemia or Fleamont could appear at any moment. Three, physical affection is fine, almost encouraged, but no kissing on the lips.

As everything was settled, the train pulled into King’s Cross Station, the horn blasting through, grabbing the attention of the energetic students, ready to stretch their legs. Nervously, you kept still in your seat, an anxious stomach ache coming on. You felt sweat beading at your forehead as you finally realised how nervous you actually were.

James took note of this though, grabbing your hand and rubbing the back of it soothingly, calming your tense nerves. It seemed impossible, this task at hand looming over you, but you had to keep calm. You knew you could; in all honesty, you didn’t know why you were feeling so worried all of a sudden. Giving in, you took James’ hand and followed the three boys out onto the platform.

You followed the gaze of the three of them before your eyes landed on an older looking couple. A lady was standing there, dark brown hair pulled tightly into a ponytail, streaks of grey peaking through. Harsh smile lines protruded through her skin, a warm and inviting look on her face. Next to her, a taller looking man stood proudly next to what you assumed to be his wife. His feathery hair was combed back and the same round glasses as James sat comfortably on his peaky nose. You could only assume that this was Euphemia and Fleamont Potter.

Walking over, you stayed quiet as James greeted his parents first, pulling them into a tight hug. Immediately, you noticed how much of a mummy’s boy James was when you saw him unconsciously seeking comfort from his mother. It hurt to see him not being able to get what he needed in the moment. You looked away, afraid that you might’ve started to cry if you continued looking for any longer.

Fleamont greeted Remus and Sirius like they were his own sons, engulfing them in a hearty hug, lovingly slapping them on their backs. You watched as the affection oozed from James’ parents, a warm feeling growing in your chest. It was admiration.

Then, you felt a tug on your sleeve, looking back to see James’ trying to grab your attention. Giving him an inquisitive look, you noticed Euphemia, arms open, a beaming smile on her face.

“You must be Lily. Come in, dear.” It felt wrong as you dove into her arms, letting her motherly love wash over you like a tidal wave. Pulling apart, you felt the guilt twang in your chest, the name of Lily echoing in your mind.

That wasn’t you.

But you continued to smile. You smiled through your greetings with Fleamont. You smiled through the light banter they shared with James’ friends. You smiled through the small talk. You smiled through aparating to the Potter’s house.

As you stepped through the front door, you were greeted with an adorning archway, the walls endlessly covered with family photos. Everything about the house was inviting. A lingering smell of fresh baking settled in the house, as the light from the window perfectly captured the chandelier, a thousand rainbows dancing around the room.

As you stepped into the entrance way, you watched as Euphemia gestured the four of you up the staircase, down a hallway littered with doors. She stopped at a room, a sign with ‘Sirius’ on it, labelling you it belonged to. You beamed, remembering how this was now Sirius’ new home.

“I hope you don’t mind Remus bunking with you Sirius. I pulled out a spare mattress.” Euphemia addressed the two boys, who eagerly piled into the bedroom, grinning like a kid in a candy store.

“You too, this way.” You looked over to James, but his face was contorted into something unreadable, only smiling when he noticed your staring, giving a reassuring squeeze of your hand. You brushed it off though, your mind blurred by the thought of following Euphemia.

“Here’s James’ room,” Euphemia stopped in front of a door that was decorated by a Gryffindor flag. “Make yourself at home, sweetheart. I hope you’re still okay with sharing the bed? James said that was fine in our last letter.”

You inhaled tightly through your nose, clenching your jaw. You looked back at James, whose face was once again turning a bright red, his lips slightly parted as stutters started to spill out. “Well- I- actually-”

“Sounds great, Euphemia. Thank you so much for your hospitality.” Impatient to leave the awkward situation, you gestured to James to enter his bedroom, trailing in behind you, keeping a faux smile on your face, up until the door closed behind you.

In an instant, apology after apology spluttered from James, trying to explain. You were vaguely listening, although you were more focused on the room around you. You liked the detail and the Gryffindor pride. Moving posters of different Quidditch players lined the walls, covering the red and white wallpaper. In a corner, a pile of muggle vinyls were stacked together, tied together by a pink ribbon, which you could only assume was gifted by Lily. The room was surprisingly tidy, different to the state of James’ dorms back in Hogwarts.

“I like your room.” You finally spoke, dragging a finger across a chest of drawers. A thin layer of dust rested on the pad of your finger, which you rubbed off on your skirt before turning back to the panicked boy before you.

“Did you hear anything I said?”

“Don’t worry about it, James.” You comforted him, placing a hand on his shoulder. “You forgot; that’s okay! I honestly don’t mind. It’s sort of what I signed up for anyway.” You laughed, hoping James would join in. He did.

***

Dinner went alright. You stayed quiet most of the time, only speaking when spoken to. You didn’t think Euphemia or Fleamont noticed, but you did get a peculiar look from Sirius, seemingly smirking at the way James and your seats were placed so close together.

After excusing yourself from the dinner table, you helped out in the kitchen with Fleamont, drying the dishes and putting them away in the cupboards. You were lost in your own thoughts, drifting off, keeping a smooth rhythm as you stacked plates.

“Lily, can you pass me the soap dispenser please?” You almost didn’t register what he was saying, a muted hum escaping your lips, until you realised you were being addressed. After apologising profusely for your tardiness, you handled the soap bottle to Mr Potter and carried on, hoping he wouldn’t start a conversation.

He did anyway.

“How’s James been treating you?” Fleamont quipped, a sly grin on his face. You knew what he was implying and shook it off, trying to keep the conversation as ambiguous as possible.

“Good. He’s been good.” He didn’t seem to buy it. “Lovely as always.” You gulped discreetly, disguising your nervousness as a yawn, which wasn’t missed by Fleamont.

“My dear, you look tired. You better retire for the night.” Nodding and saying your goodnights, you trod up the stairs, into the bedroom, where you were met by James, where only pajama shorts, reading Quidditch Through The Ages on his bed. You smiled, knowing that it was one of his favourites. He looked up when he saw you enter, smiling sheepishly, pointing towards the ensuite door.

“You can get changed in there, love.” Humming in agreement, you took a spare change of clothes into the bathroom and quickly returned, having brushed your teeth and washed your face as well. It wasn’t that late, but you felt inordinately tired, feeling as though you could pass out.

Collapsing on the soft bed, you pulled the duvet covers over your torso, letting your head hit the soft pillow. You nearly missed James whispering a small “goodnight darling” before falling into a dreamless sleep.

***

Tuesday 22nd December

Day two of whatever this was supposed to be had begun. Sunlight was streaming in through the windows, not uncommon as James had always been an early bird and must’ve opened them himself. He wasn’t in bed when you rolled over, but you did notice the harsh sound of running water and an overwhelming smell of apple shampoo seeping into the bedroom.

Getting into some fresh clothes, you heard the water stop, buttoning up the last button on your blouse as James waltzed back into the bedroom, before seeing you. He stood like a deer in the headlights, water running smoothly down this toned skin, wearing only a towel around his hips.

“Why is it that I always catch you shirtless?” You tried to end the awkwardness by making a joke, reaching into James’ drawers and pulling out the first shirt you saw, throwing it across the room.

Because of James’ Quidditch skills, his fast reflexes caught the soaring shirt, catching it in one hand, unintentionally flexing his biceps. You shouldn’t have been staring, but the situation was too hard to read.

After standing still for a moment, you regained intelligence, snapping yourself out of your gaze. Muttering a quick apology, you dashed out of his bedroom, closing the door behind you. Pressing your back to the newly closed door, you shut your eyes tight, trying to forget the fresh memory in your mind.

“Trouble in paradise?” You opened one of your eyes to see Remus standing there too, novel in hand, also having his back pressed against the closed door.

“Shirtless.” The only words that could fall out of your mouth, making Remus bark with laughter, before clamping his hand over his mouth, an inch of sympathy showing in his eyes.

“Can’t be that bad of a sight, can it?” He joked, egging you on. You clutched your hands up to your face, trying to hide the blush on your cheeks. It was so embarrassing, but the worse past was that there was still so much more to come.

“Shut up Lupin.” You stuck your tongue out playfully at Remus, before bolting down the hallway, hoping to help Euphemia out with breakfast, like you said you would last night at the dinner table.

You were efficient in the kitchen, once again keeping talk to a minimum. Except today, you were feeling more comfortable with Euphemia, a more natural conversation gracing your time. It felt easier to speak. Maybe it was the fact that you had just had a good sleep, or maybe it was that you were actually feeling somewhat at home at the Potter’s residence.

Just as the bacon seemed to be completely cooked, James bursted through the door, Sirius and Remus in tow. James seemed to be the only one nervous, as the other two boys sat down at the table gleefully. Dishing up the breakfast, you handed the plates out to everyone.

Lastly, you handed a plate to James, trying your hardest to not make eye contact. You only stiffened when you felt James’s soft fingers accidentally brush against yours, tensing your muscles immediately.

“There you go,” you spoke in a voice so everyone could hear, “sweetheart.” You hissed the last word out in gritted teeth. Instead of sitting next to James like last night, you opted to sit directly in front of him, something that didn’t go unnoticed by James himself, who gave you a curious look at your choice in seating arrangements.

But before he could talk with you about it, you had finished your breakfast, immediately bouncing back into the kitchen, avoiding all signs of the messy haired brunette who was lurking around the ground floor.

The rest of the day followed a similar pattern. Mundane tasks, followed by awkward conversation, and running away. It wasn’t what you had thought when you offered the idea to fake date, but you realised how hard it actually was to pretend to be madly in love with someone.

It wasn’t until later in the night, when you were getting ready for bed, that you overheard James talking with Remus and Sirius. You knew you shouldn’t, but after hearing him say your name, you were too curious not to eavesdrop in. Pressing your ear against Sirius’ door, you prayed that Euphemia or Fleamont wouldn’t walk past any moment now.

“How’s it going with the whole fake dating thing?” It was Sirius’ voice, and there was a cheek to his voice. You rolled your eyes at his blatant teasing.

“Honestly, I don’t know.” It was James speaking this time. “Everything was going so well, especially yesterday, but after today, I’m a bit worried that my parents won’t believe.”

“What do you mean?” Remus’ voice held a question, an obvious inflection at the end of the sentence.

“I just wish she was a little more, you know,” a pause, “tactile. At least, a little more affection. She’s not playing the part well.”

You should’ve been hurt by James’ words but instead, you felt immense anger, and for what? You didn’t understand why you felt so annoyed by James’ harmless comment, but you did.

Begrudgingly, you languidly stomped back to James’ room, burying yourself under the covers, pretending to be asleep. You didn’t want to talk to him at the moment, in fear that you would just snap at him for the comments that he was making behind your back.

When James came back in about half an hour later, you felt a feeling of pressure being lifted from your chest, breathing easily as James tucked himself on the other side of you. You didn’t know why, but you felt like it was so much easier to sleep now that you knew that James was beside you. And so you did.

***

Wednesday 23rd December

It was an accident. You didn’t mean to wake up at the piss crack on dawn, wrapped in James’ arms. Sometime during the night, your sleeping form must’ve found its way to James. Your head was tucked in the crook of his neck, the soothing sound of his heartbeat rippling out. You felt safe.

Until you remembered that you were supposed to be mad at James. Carefully so you didn’t wake him, you slipped out of his arms, letting yours legs fall off the edge of the bed. Your warm toes made contact with cold hard wooden floors, making you jolt up in surprise. Looking back, you saw that James was still asleep, so you sighed, peeling out of the bedroom.

It was winter, so it wasn’t even that early in the morning. The grandfather clock in the living room was showing that it was just about to be seven, and that was good enough for you. Taking initiative, you decided to start cooking breakfast yourself, remembering the open invitation Euphemia gave you to use the kitchen whenever you want.

Cozying up to the stove, you placed the palms of your hands just over the radiating heat of the stove top, reveling in the delicious warmth that was defrosting every muscle in your body. Your mind was working overtime, trying to remember what James’ favourite breakfast was.

If James wanted an affectionate girlfriend, then he was going to get himself an affectionate girlfriend.

Mixing together a sweet pancake batter, you welcomed Euphemia into the kitchen. Praises filled the room, as you poured the dough into the pan, letting the bubbles rise to the top. In the meantime, you took out the bowl of fresh strawberries in the fridge, letting them come to room temperature on the kitchen counter tops.

Once again, James entered the kitchen right as you were serving up. Making sure it was as noticeable as possible, you sent a massive wink his way, catching him off guard. Grabbing a chopping board from the cupboard, you started slicing the tops off of the strawberries, to which James stopped you.

“Let me help darling.” He spoke, his morning voice making you feel something in your stomach that you weren’t expecting. Butterflies? Surely not. You shook the thought away, focusing back on flipping the pancakes on the stove tops.

After serving another freshly cooked pancake, your attention was pulled to James, a dopey smile on his face, strawberry juice staining his lips. “Y/- Lily, come over here.”

A bitter feeling rose in your chest at hearing Lily’s name, but you pushed it away, walking over to James’ workstation. He had a strawberry in his hand, beckoning you over to taste it. An idea sprouted in your head as you sashayed over, swinging your hips slightly.

You did what James wanted you to do, bending over slightly to place your lips around the sweet berry, letting your loving ‘boyfriend’ feed you. What he didn’t expect was after you had eaten the strawberry, you latched into his hands, wrapping your mouth around his fingers and gently sucking off the rest of the strawberry juice. It had caught him off guard but that’s what you wanted.

Today he was going to get all the affection you could give him.

At the breakfast table, you sat beside him, resting your hand on his thigh as you ate, leaning into him as you laughed at a joke Sirius had made. It wasn’t that funny but you wanted to prove a point. You wanted to prove that you could play the part of the doting girlfriend.

Soon, after breakfast, the Potter’s decided to go for a walk, so everyone joined in. Wrapping each other up in as much warm clothing as possible, everyone bundled outside together, minding the brisk breeze that was blowing through.

Holding James’ hand, you strolled calmly together, leaning your cheek against his arm and shoulder. He didn’t seem to mind, but he didn’t keep sending you strange looks as you continuously clutched his arm, running your fingers up and down his skin. You couldn’t tell if the goosebumps were from hesitation or the cold.

It started snowing quite heavily so they decided to head back inside. James and Remus had been caught up in conversation for most of the walk, about who was better at wizard’s chess and had agreed to a competition to decide for once and for all.

Curled up on the couch, you sat beside James, one and curled around a mug of cocoa and the other places upon James’ thigh. He let you, nodding when you hesitated on placing your hand there the first time.

About an hour into their little competition, you felt a haze settle upon your eyes, rendering you tired. It was late afternoon though, not a good enough time to go to bed. Yawning, you placed your mug down on the coffee table, and stretched out over the couch, placing your head down on James’ lap. Subconsciously, his left hand followed the movements of your head, latching onto a piece of your hair and twirling around his finger.

You never slept, but you rested your eyes. You didn’t know for how long until you felt the familiar sound of Euphemia’s dream-like voice, calling you to dinner. Hurriedly, you placed a mushy kiss against James’ cheek and sat in the usual spot at the dinner table.

By now, conversation flowed more easily than it did the day before. You were now beginning to feel safe in the Potter environment, opening up to everyone more, letting yourself join the conversation.

When you were going off the bed, you placed one last public kiss on James’ cheek before lacing your hands together, pulling him up to the bedroom and winking at Sirius and Remus, knowing full well what it was suggesting.

Once you got behind the doors though, you were off him in an instant, searching through your bag for a spare change of clothes for the night. A comfortable silence settled between the two of you, getting ready for bed in your own separate bubbles. It wasn’t like you didn’t want to speak to James, it was more that you didn’t know what to say to him after today. You were afraid that you had crossed a line.

“What was that today?” James finally broke the silence, a crack in his voice as you spoke. You spin around, a fake smile creeping onto your face.

“What do you mean?”

“You know what I mean.” His voice was cool, sending shivers down your spine. Your smile dropped, replaced with a frown. You could almost feel a few tears edging at your waterline, threatening to spill over if you weren’t careful.

“I’m sorry.” You started, fiddling with your fingers. “It was just- I overheard what you said last night. You said you wish I was being more, uhm, tactile.” You felt embarrassed to say the word. “I just wanted to put in a bit more effort. I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable.”

James stayed quiet as he settled into bed. You followed suit, getting it just behind him. You faced away from him though, as your cheeks were now being stained by your tears.

“Y/N?” You heard James call from behind you, but you didn’t turn around.

“Hm?”

“You didn’t make me uncomfortable. It was just strange seeing so much affection from someone who wasn’t Lily.” He paused. “Thank you.”

“Goodnight Jamesie.”

“Goodnight Y/N.”

***

Thursday 24th December

Once again, you woke up in James’ arms. Once again, you weren’t sure how you got there, but you weren’t complaining either way. Once again, you moved out of his arms before he noticed.

A new occurrence this morning though was he woke up by your movement.

“Oh, good morning love.”

Your heart fluttered at the nickname, although you didn’t know why. You kept your eyes closed, as they were still heavy from last night’s sleep. Unfortunately, it was plagued by fluffy dreams, all lead by a familiar bespectacled boy. You shook the thought from your mind, trying to open your eyes, but you couldn’t. You could barely mutter out a greeting.

“Hmm.” You grunted in acknowledgment, burying you head in the pillow. It smelt like James. A smile crept on your face without you realising.

“Tired?”

“Hmm.” You let out another whine, this one more pitiful, as you nuzzled you head against James’ arm, wanting to feel his warmth once again. Chuckling, he wrapped an arm around you before placing a calculated kiss on top of your head.

“Stay here darling.” You didn’t have to be told twice. As James left the bed, you stayed put, falling down where James was previously sleeping, laying horizontally along James’ bed as you fell back into your slumber.

You didn’t know how long you were out for, but you didn’t wake up to the sound of the creaking door opening and the clinking off ice against a glass of water. You tentatively opened one eye, letting in as much light as you would allow, adjusting to the new found sunlight. Slowly, you opened the next eye, so you could properly see what James was doing.

In his hands, he carried a breakfast tray, adorned with fresh ciabatta bread, yogurt, and a bowl of strawberries. The clinking sound before was coming from a glass of icy cold water, sitting next to a vase of peonies. Your favourite flower. You flushed at the fact that James had remembered something so miniscule.

“Breakfast in bed for the princess.” James joked, letting you sit up filling before placing the tray on your lap.

“What does that make you then? A prince?” You continued the joke, folding back a bit of the duvet to let James hop back into the bed too. There was double of everything on the tray, so you assumed one helping was for James.

You gave him a plate of breakfast as you slowly miches on yours, your mind too preoccupied to think about breakfast. All you could think about was why you were feeling so nervous around James. Why was your heart racing? Why were your cheeks flushing? Why were your hands clamming up?

“Open wide.” You whipped you head around to see James with a goofy grin on his face, holding a strawberry in his hand. Remembering what happened yesterday, you took a bite of the berry, purposely not continuing how you did yesterday and licking his fingers.

A disappointed pout returned to his face. “No finger sucking? Aww what’s wrong?”

“Did you want me to suck your fingers, Prince James?” You poked him playfully on his side. “It would be highly inappropriate. We aren’t even married yet. What a scandal.” You spoke in an over the top British accent, mimicking stereotypical royal figures.

“Oh, don’t worry Princess Y/N, I wouldn’t mind have you in my bloodline.”

“Hm, Princess Y/N of the Potter residence.” You jokingly thought for a moment. “Has a nice ring to it, don’t you think?”

As you giggled together, you heard a knock at the door, followed by a “I’m coming in.” The doorknob turned and Euphemia emerged from behind the door. “How is my happy couple going?”

You kept the smile on your face, not letting it falter and break character. A little voice in the back of my mind was angry, upset that Euphemia had interrupted the moment, but ultimately you thought that maybe it was for the best. You needed to keep the flirting for the public eyes only.

“Hey Mum.” James cheered. You looked back to him and noticed the same smile on his face, like it hadn’t fallen. Like, he hadn’t even noticed that Euphemia had called us a couple.

“It snowed again last night so we’re snowed in for the day. Do you two have any plans?” She asked, her eyes flickering from between us.

“I have a lot of homework to do so I might do that today.” You spoke quietly, a little embarrassed that you wanted to do homework. You didn’t actually want to do homework, but you felt like you need to be occupied by something, to control an inner urge that was bubbling inside of you.

“Come on!” James whined, letting his head fall down on your shoulder. You got immediately warm from his touch. “It’s the holidays! You can’t seriously be doing homework?”

“I have stuff to catch up on.”

“Like what?”

“Like, um, stuff.”

“Would you kids like to do some baking for Christmas tomorrow?” Euphemia suggested, to which James lit up like a Christmas tree, completely infatuated by the idea.

“Yes, yes, yes.” James repeated, rushing out of bed, but carefully enough to not spill the tray everywhere. You followed suit, pulling on a dressing gown and entering the kitchen with an enthusiastic James.

That’s how the rest of the day went. You and James stayed in the kitchen all day, still wearing your sleeping pajamas, fooling around and baking.

You started with making Christmas cake, but soon found out that James was rather good at baking himself. He took the reigns, busily working as you helped out, doing the chopping and measuring for him.

At one point, James’ eyebrows were furrowed together in concentration for over two minutes. You were getting restless, the perfection needed for baking boring you, so you decided to have some fun. Pinching your finger together, you gathered up a handful of flour, flinging it at an unsuspecting James. He turned around slowly, his cheek covered in white powder, before an evil grin consumed his face.

“Oh, you’re on, L/N.”

That’s how most of the baking went with James that day. Joking around, flinging ingredients at each other. By the end of it, you could hardly tell the difference between the kitchen floor and your aprons.

At the end, you had made Christmas cake, gingerbread cookies, and a loaf of bread. Happy with your haul, you went into the living room to call the rest of the members of the household to inspect the food.

“Come see what we made.” You and James called, standing underneath the archway from the kitchen and the living room. As you were about to step away, you heard a halting sound.

“Uh uh, wait up.” You turned back around to see Fleamont with a cheeky smile on his face, pointing at the two of you. You didn’t know what he was pointing at but Euphemia, Sirius, and Remus did, following Fleamont’s arm and laughing when they saw it.

Gazing upwards, you looked to see what the big fuss was about. Your face fell in an instant. Hanging above you and James was a freshly picked mistletoe plant.

You grimaced at the thought, feeling guilty. It was one of the rules you had set. No kissing on the lips. Surely Remus and Sirius knew that, but they were too busy laughing their asses off to remember.

Looking back at James, you gulped. You stared up at his cerulean blue eyes, your hand shaking beside you slightly. James’ eyes were raking your face, searching for any sign of consent. You nodded soon after realising what he was doing and you let him cup your face, bringing you closer than you’ve ever been.

“Are you okay with this?” James whispered for only you to hear. You kept leaning forward until you were only millimetres away from touching when you breathed out your last word of consent: “yes.”

Your lips met in the middle. It was soft and sweet, not wanting to push what was already fragile. James’ left hand stayed cupping your cheek, holding you face still as his right hand wrapped around your waist, pulling you closer to his chest. It was magical, as if all your happiness you had ever felt was wrapped together and given to you right there. You had your hands resting on his chest, feeling his racing heartbeat underneath you like a song from the heavens.

When you pulled away, your eyes lingered a little longer in James’, the eye contact you were holding inescapable and passionate. Your head felt heavy, your eyelids weighing you down as a wave of exhaustion hit you like a freight train. Discreetly, you yawn behind you hand, a gesture that wasn’t missed by James, who reached out for your wrist, running his thumb up and down your hand.

“Let’s go get you some sleep, hm?” An affirming sound escaped your mouth as you trailed behind James. Back in his bedroom, you collapsed on the bed, your lips still tingling from the sensual kiss just moments before.

The two of you were silent as you got ready for bed. Working harmoniously beside each other, you changed, and did your repetitive nightly routine, just to end up in the same place as always; on opposite sides of the bed, unable to make conversation. Luckily for you, James was onto it.

“I’m so sorry,” he started, but when you tried to butt in, he cut you off, continuing his rant. “I knew that was one of the rules and I broke it. I should’ve just said no and I shouldn’t have taken advantage of you like that. You didn’t deserve to have your boundaries crossed. I’m sorry for pressuring you into something you weren’t ready for.”

You stayed silent for a moment, soaking in his words before you began yourself. “James, I didn’t mind. You didn’t take advantage of me. It’s completely okay. And what’s that famous saying, rules are meant to be broken.”

Your pathetic attempt to joke was shut down as James didn’t say anything, nor move, just staring up at the ceiling, lost in thought. Huffing, you rolled over, trying to let slumber take you away, but you couldn’t. There was a chill in the house tonight, another snow storm heading your way. You shuddered as a draft blew through.

“You’re cold.” James finally spoke, yet it was an obvious statement, as you were still shaking under a blanket, your teeth starting to chatter.

“Come here.” You turned around, seeming as if you had misheard him, but you saw what you were afraid of. James’ arms were wide open, beckoning you to fall asleep with him wrapped around you, keeping you safe.

So you did.

***

Friday 25th December

Christmas morning was perfect. As you fluttered open your eyes, you once again found yourself situated in James’ arms, the only difference was that he was awake too, his radiant smile beaming down on you, making you feel warm and cuddly on the inside.

Breakfast was simple, as everyone was mostly preparing for Christmas lunch. You tried to help out as much as possible but Euphemia always shut you down, insisting that you had helped out enough and that you needed a break. So, you sat patiently on the couch, munching slowly on an apple, the juice running smoothly down your face.

“Good morning Lily.” James had appeared beside you, placing a soft kiss on your temple. The words falling from his mouth were more acidic than the juice dripping from your chin. Your returning smile was filled with bitterness, something James picked up on, his nose scrunching up as he surveyed your emotions.

“G’morning Jamesie.” You slurred, gritting your teeth together, detesting the name you were just called. Still unable to figure out why, James gave you a look, a look that just said “what?” It hurt, knowing that he wouldn’t know why it spurred you on so much.

Fleamont soon joined you in the living room, taking the armchair in the middle of the room, burying himself in the comfort. Politely, you nodded towards him, acknowledging his presence, but there was a glint of mischief in his eyes.

“How did you two sleep?” He asked, gesturing between the two of you, to which you both smiled.

“Just fine, thank you, any you?” You responded for the both of you, feeling James’ hand curl around you own, his fingers intertwined with yours.

“Just fine, although, I was walking down the hallway during the night and I noticed something peculiar.”

Unsure of what he meant, you egged him on. “What did you notice?”

“Your bedroom door was open, son; the pesky draft must’ve opened it. There was moonlight streaming in from the window, and I noticed the two of you curled up together.” Fleamont looked directly at you. “I didn’t realise the two of you were at that stage of your relationship.

As Fleamont winked at the two of you, your mouth fell open, appalled, as James was laughing like a maniac beside you. It wasn’t until Euphemia came into the living room to break apart their banter to get together for Christmas lunch.

It was a peaceful meal of casual conversation and light jokes. You stayed quiet most of the time, actually rather enjoying listening in on the fascinating stories that Euphemia and Fleamont were telling about James when he was a child. Soon, the conversation turned towards the future, and all eyes were on you.”

“Dear, what would you like to do when you leave Hogwarts?” It should’ve been an easy question to answer but you were stumped, unsure if you should answer as Lily or as yourself. Unable to think of something Lily would say, you decided to answer as you would.

“Actually, I want to study in a muggle university. Literature, or maybe anthropology. I’ve always been interested in learning about the world and my heart has always been somewhat attached to the muggle world. It’s where I want to flourish.” Embarrassed by your little monologue, you flushed a deep red, before turning back towards your ham.

“How inspiring,” Euphemia said, clapping her hands together in delight, “and what about marriage? Have you thought about settling down?”

You almost choked on your food at the question, catching you completely off guard. All eyes were on you and James now, with Sirius and Remus trying not to disturb anyone as they laughed in the distance.

“Uhm,” you looked at James for guidance but he also seemed just as uncomfortable as you were. “I haven’t thought that far through, to be completely honest.”

“Oh, but dear,” Euphemia looked positively thrilled. “We would be absolutely delighted for you to join our family. Lily Potter, my beautiful and caring daughter-in-law.”

“Okay, how about we clean up now, yeah?” Thankfully, James had broken up the conversation, offering to clean up the plates. Eager to leave the uncomfortable situations you helped bring in the stacks of food, offering to split it up, and repackage it for later consumption. You worked efficiently, avoiding anyone with the last name Potter at all cost.

When everything seemed to be tidied up, the Potter parents insisted that everyone sit around together for the gift giving portion of Christmas. Quietly, you rushed back to the bedroom, getting out the small gifts you had brought everyone for the Christmas season while you were out the other day.

Sitting amongst everyone, it felt like everything was back to normal. No more awkward conversations about the future plagued the atmosphere, just joyous laughter and pure happiness circling the room.

Firstly, you gave small presents to Sirius and Remus, including some quills for school, and gunpowder for pranks. You gave Euphemia and Fleamont some Christmas fudge that you had found, as well as a thank you note, thanking them for letting you stay over the Christmas season. Lastly, you handed a small box to James, a lacy ribbon decorating it.

“Open it.” You spoke in an almost whisper, as James’ fingers fiddled with the ribbon. As it fell open, you heard the small gasp from James, as he took the chain out of the box.

It was a small silver bracelet, yet it was decorated by a tiny, dangling gem, the colour of the deep blue ocean, something that seemed to have enchanted the bespectacled boy.

“It’s a sapphire.” You said, running your fingers over the cold chain. “It’s supposed to represent honesty, trust, loyalty. Everything that embodies you.” You spoke with so much weight in your chest, speaking from the deepest depths of your heart. Everything you said was true.

Swooping down, James pressed a kiss to your cheek, whispering a hushed “I love you” under his breath, so faint that you weren’t even sure if you were supposed to hear it.

The rest of the presents were handed out, until there was only one left underneath the Christmas tree. With a smile on his face, Fleamont reached down underneath the tree, grabbing the package and passing it to you.

It should’ve been a happy moment, a moment where you truly felt like you belonged in the Potter house. It did at first as the smile seemed to never be able to falter, until you stared down at the packaging, noticing the name ‘Lily Evans’ written in cursive. A single tear ran down your face as you realised something harsh in that very moment. It was always going to be Lily Evans, never Y/N L/N.

The feeling got worse as you carrot undid the wrapping paper, revealing a collection of polaroid photographs. They were all different shots of you and James throughout the holidays. Curled up on the couch, baking in the kitchen, out on the walls, sucking the juice off of his fingers. The last one made you laugh as you remembered the memory that had now turned fond.

“I love them. Thank you so much.”

The day was mostly mundane, just filled with more activities, like chess, or cleaning to fill in the time. It seemed like everyone was just waiting for the snow to melt, so they could all go back outside again. You knew James was just itching to play with his Quidditch set outside.

Strangely enough, you found yourself outside in the snow, wrapped up tight from the weather. The snow had stopped falling for a peaceful moment, so you thought it would be the perfect time to get some fresh air, away from the overwhelming company.

You were soon joined though, as you heard the front door open and close from behind you. You didn’t even have to guess who it was as they stood beside you, taking in a deep breath, exhaling visibling in the frosty air.

“How are you doing?” James looked over to you, his eyes laced with concern. You shrugged, smiling that he seemed to care about you. It warmed you.

“Overwhelmed, but you’ve been perfect. All thanks to you, I think they might actually believe it.” You were now completely facing James now, looking up into his deep, aquamarine eyes, watching as the tint changed when the light hit the irises at a different angle. It was mesmerising.

You weren’t the only one mesmerised though. James couldn’t stop staring at your beauty. The way your eyes sparkled in the light. The way your skin catched the light snow that was starting to fall. Your lips.

“Can I kiss you?”

The question caught you off guard, but it left you feeling unsatisfied. Before you could even respond, you had James by the collar of his sweater, pulling him down ever so slightly so your lips could meet with his. It was light fire and electricity, a thousand gusts of wind blowing through you, spilling into you like an endless thunderstorm. You kissed him like it was the last time you were ever going to see him, hungry, desperate, passionate.

You were in love.

***

Saturday 26th December

You had fallen asleep on the couch, slumped with James as he cocooned your sleeping body between his limbs. Unfortunately, your slumber had been awoken in the early hours of the morning by banging on the front door. Groggily, James got up, rubbing his head with his hands.

Running your fingers through your hair, you got up with him, putting on a sweater to make yourself look more presentable. James’ sweater, to be exact.

The four other residents of the house had now awoken from the persistent knocking and had joined us downstairs. It was just after sunrise so everyone was sort of dazed and out of it. With one last eye rub, James swung the door open to reveal the person standing there.

Lily Evans, with her hair like a roaring fire, cheeks naturally rosy, and eyes glinting like a morning sunrise, she stood there, clutching her hands nervously. As soon as she saw James though, she flung her arms around his neck, burying her head in the crook of his neck.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry.” A string of apologies came out of her mouth as tears started running down her cheeks, dark mascara staining her porcelain skin. A confused look was shot my way as Euphemia just stared between the two of us, unsure of what to do.

“Hello darling.” Euphemia’s motherly voice was out to play. ”If you don’t mind me asking, who are you?”

“Oh sorry for not introducing myself.” Lily removed herself from James’ figuring, wiping her eyes on her sleeves, as she stuck her hand out to be shaken. “I’m Lily Evans, nice to meet you.”

Then, Lily noticed your looming form sending a curious look your way. It wasn’t the only look of confusion. Euphemia and Fleamont were almost unreadable as you flicked between the two of them.

It was time to come clean.

“This is Lily Evans, my ex girlfriend.” James had the same idea as you, introducing the red headed girl to his parents finally.

“And this is Y/N L/N, my close friend.”

Friend.

That’s all you were. That’s all you would ever be, compared to Lily.

It took a bit of explaining and sitting Fleamont and Euphemia down to fully explain the plan. You started off with the breakup and then talked about the devilish plan, saying that all you wanted to do was keep Christmas light and cheery. All you got were uncomfortable looks from James’ parents.

When everything was laid out on the table, Fleamont got up and left, obviously disappointed in the choices you and his son had made. Euphemia looked as though she had just swallowed a bee, lips pursed as she contemplated the next move.

“Well, Y/N,” the name fell bitterly for her lips; it sounded so foreign, so unnatural. “You are happy to stay with us until tomorrow. It was nice to finally meet you.”

That was the full extent of the conversation. For the rest of the day, it seemed as though Fleamont and Euphemia were keeping James and you away from each other, always asking one or the other to help with chores, or to do a mundane activity with them.

It wasn’t until night time dawned on the residence. The atmosphere had unfortunately changed after Lily’s short and unexpected visit. Her exit was speedy after her unprompted entrance, an uneasy ripple of tension in the house.

When it was time to sleep, Euphemia had shown you to a spare room, taking initiative to set you up somewhere separate, now knowing that you weren’t actually dating James. It was cold though, empty and alone, and as you tried to sleep, your hands kept trailing to James’ side of the bed, searching for him.

You took it upon yourself to take matters into your own hands. Creeping through the house, you found yourself outside of James’ bedroom door. Quietly, you knocked, waiting a few seconds before entering. James was lying in bed, eyes wide open, staring at the open curtain which was letting in trickles of moonlight. When you entered, he looked back at you, his lips parted slightly in shock.

“Can I…?” Your voice trailed off as you couldn’t bare to finish your sentence in embarrassment, but James seemed to know what you were alluding to, pulling back the covers almost immediately.

“Of course.”

***

Sunday 27th December

You woke in early hours of the morning. It was intentional, not wanting to be found in James’ bed again. It would be scandalous. You laid back in your new bed, closing your eyes for a moment, hoping you could go back asleep, but sleep couldn’t find you.

Before breakfast had started, you had packed you bags, ready to catch the train at ten o’clock. An early breakfast run was needed as you munched some Christmas leftovers, opposite sides of the table from James. You still hadn’t talked about what had happened. Even last night, you had only just cuddled until you both had fallen asleep. Your feelings till needed to be addressed.

Hurriedly, the four Hogwarts students were aparated back to King’s Cross Station by Euphemia and Fleamont, both with sorrowful looks on their faces. They were hugging their son goodbye, then moving onto Sirius and Remus, hugging them like they were also their children. You shifted awkwardly in the group.

“And we can’t forget you, now can we, Y/N?” It was still strange hearing your own name come from their lips, but you welcomed it, slightly happy to be the only receptor of the love now. As you were pulled into a jug by Euphemia, you could hear the last words she spoke to you. “Thank you for looking after my son. I’d be happy to have you as my daughter-in-law.”

Last minute goodbyes were said as you all bundled up onto the train, finding a carriage right in front of where Euphemia and Fleamont were standing. You waved cheerfully at them as the train pulled out of the station, a chapter of your life closing.

You hadn’t noticed Remus and Sirius had stepped out of the carriage, giving you and James some much needed privacy. There wasn’t much that needed to be said though. Everything that needed to be communicated had already been done through awkward glances and small looks.

“Hey.” His voice was almost silent.

“Hey.”

A pause.

“What are we?”

“Whatever you want to be.” You eventually said. James hummed in agreement, resting his head in his hand.

“Onwards?”

You smiled.

“Onwards.”