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guess-my-next-obsession · 2 years

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A Warm Bed

pairing: joel miller x f!reader

rating: E (18+ only, mature descriptions of death/apocalyptic life, blurry infidelity, unprotected PIV, dirty talk, cum play i guess, unedited/proofread bc I REFUSE)

word count: 3.4k

joel masterlist

It was freezing out today in Boston but you didn’t notice, not with the flames that burned beside you as you hoisted dead child after dead child into the makeshift mass crematorium. Ash turned your hair grey, hiding away it’s natural color until you’d shower it off later on tonight, and even then it would never completely go away, just like the smell of burning flesh would never fully leave your nostrils.

This hadn’t been the life you imagined for yourself as a child before the outbreak. You always thought you’d go into something that helped people—teaching, nursing, maybe even social work—but life couldn’t have turned out more different. Joel, your work partner, assured you once after a particularly tough shift that in a way, you were helping people. You struggled to believe it.

“Take your break,” Joel approached you, swatting your hip lightly with the back of his gloved hand as you stood watching the little girl no older than five burn in the pit, unable to take your eyes off the destruction you had a hand in causing. “Hey,” he called firmer, finally pulling your eyes from the scene, “Go take a break.”

“Can’t,” you sighed, pointing behind him at the new truck of arrivals, Joel’s head shaking just enough for you to notice it before he brought his eyes back to yours. You spotted something deeply apologetic in them, Joel having graced you with a rare bit of empathy as he studied you. “Shifts almost over anyways. Let’s just hurry up and get this truck cleared so we can all go home.”

“You’re cryin’,” he pointed out, almost angry.

“It’s the wind,” you snapped back at him as the truck backed up towards the two of you. “Come on.”

You and Joel worked more efficiently than any other duo on cremation duty, Joel’s strength and ability to shut off his emotions at will pairing excellently with your speed and determination to get the job over with. He handled the adults, you the children—it was a system that you had down pat. Two hours and at least six more trucks later, the two of you were off.

Usually, you’d go one way and Joel would go the opposite, the two of you never really interacting with each other outside of work except when you had to. He had Tess for that, and you had…well, you had yourself.

But today, Joel stuck beside you, walking with you as you left the payout line after your shift. He said nothing as he joined you through town, his shoulder grazing yours every now and then as he moved over to let someone pass on the sidewalk.

“Gotta stop and get some bread,” you announced, pointing at the general store you were approaching. Joel nodded, his eyes flickering to you.

“Should stop and get somethin’ to eat myself.” You found his company to be both strange and comforting. Joel always made you feel safe, or at least as safe as someone living in a world this unpredictable and cruel could feel.

Walking inside, he followed you as you perused the aisles, your brain working as quickly as it could to work out the cheapest plan for dinner given the throbbing headache you were dealing with from the fumes and smoke.

“Pasta,” he suggested with a point of his finger, seemingly reading your mind. “Always my go to.”

“I do have some canned tomatoes.” You reached for the loose spaghetti noodles sitting in a plastic bin in the shelf and took a guess at how much you’d need to feed you, not wanting to spend more than you absolutely needed to.

“Why don’t you come over and we can share it,” he suggested, albeit shyly. You gave him a quirked eyebrow and he rolled his eyes. “I’ll split the bill.”

“So Tess eats for free?” You chuckled and shook your head. It wasn’t that you didn’t like Tess, you just resented her for having everything you ever wanted: someone to come home to, someone to make living in this dark world worth all the strife.

“Tess is out on a run,” he informed, his tone betraying him and exposing his loneliness. “Won’t be back for a few days.”

Did he want you to be his mistress? Though you admittedly were desperate for even a semblance of affection, you were no home-wrecker. Especially not Tess’s home.

“Joel, I hope you’re not—“

“I didn’t mean it like that, I just…” He shook his head and mumbled, “Forget it.”

Feeling overwhelmed by your own need for company and the pained look in his eye, you sighed, reaching one hand over to touch his shoulder.

“Sure. Let’s share.”

“Knock, knock,” you called as you pushed open the door to Joel’s apartment, having only been there once before to his flask that he’d left at work by mistake.

“Come in,” Joel’s indifferent rasp welcomed you.

“Brought some beers, too.” You gave him an unsure smile as you watched him buzz around his kitchen, a pot boiling the pasta from earlier while he tended to the sauce in another pan.

“Thank you,” he gave you a flicker of a smile as you set one of the beers on the counter beside him.

“Got a bottle opener?” You knew the answer to that was clear from the amount of beer bottles in his trash can, but didn’t want to snoop around for it without his consent.

“Yeah,” he left the stove and walked over to a drawer, pulling out the metal tool and handing it over to you so that you could open yours first.

“Ran into your brother on my way over,” you announced, watching as he scoffed and rolled his eyes. “He’s getting in deep with Marlene’s group, huh?”

“I told him to stay far away from all that,” he scolded you as though it was your doing. “Boy don’t listen for shit.”

“Just saw them hanging three Fireflies yesterday,” you lamented with a shake of your head. You weren’t sure if you bought into the group’s ideology, and you especially weren’t a fan of their methods for going about change, but you knew they didn’t deserve to be executed.

“Yeah, well, if you see Tommy up there, do me a favor and keep it to yourself.” Joel walked back to the stove and kept his eyes focused on the food, a silence falling over the two of you for a while.

“Thanks,” you finally spoke as Joel set your plate down in front of you at his tiny dining table before seating himself in front of you.

“You doin’ alright?” he asked in between bites, his eyes now seemingly unable to look anywhere else but directly into yours. You felt flushed at the attention he was showing you, but tried to pay it little mind.

“Yeah, I’m…fine,” you lied. “Just waiting for my own Tess to come along, I guess.”

“Tess and I aren’t Romeo and Juliet for fucks sake,” he lowered his eyes to his plate and spun his fork around to collect the pasta. “Just two people.”

“Yeah, but at least there’s someone,” you argued. “When I go home…it’s just me and my cold bed.”

“Believe it or not, but my bed gets cold too.” There was something in his voice tonight, something that hadn’t ever been there before, or at least not that you’d noticed. Your eyes locked and you felt something stir inside of you that both thrilled you and filled you with immense guilt.

Of course the one person in Boston you wanted to get into bed with was taken.

Not knowing what to say, you let out an airy chuckle and looked down at your nearly empty plate, missing the way Joel eyed you like a man on a mission.

“Look if you’re worried about Tess,” he started, sitting back in his chair and stretching his legs out underneath the table. “Don’t be.”

“Oh yeah? Would Tess say the same?” You lifted your eyes only to be punched in the gut by his rugged handsomeness. Working with him as long as you had had conditioned you to his above-average looks, seeing him dirty and covered in ash everyday made it easier to pretend he was just like every other man in town, but with him clean, sitting in front of you, having just cooked you a meal, and now nearly begging you to consider sharing a bed with him tonight? It wasn’t so easy.

“Tess and I ain’t—,” he started, pausing to let out a soft sigh. “We both have gone outside of this…before. Her more than me, but that’s ‘cause I’m not much for all that.”

“You and Tess are open?” you asked in amused disbelief, having never imagined the couple in their fifties, although neither of them looked too old by any means, spreading their love throughout the zone.

“I didn’t say that.” He tapped his fingers on the table. “Just said it happens.”

“Joel, I don’t want Tess at my door,” you sighed, finding it harder and harder to stick to your morals the longer he stared at you.

“She won’t,” he promised. “Besides, I ain’t asking for—look, I’m just offerin’ a warm bed. That’s all.”

“Just a warm bed?” You hated that that disappointed you.

“Just a warm bed.”

You knew the minute you curled up next to him that tonight wouldn’t simply be about staying warm together or keeping each other company. The ache between your thighs was incessant as you rested your head on his chest, his natural scent that might have been considered musky pre-outbreak sent you reeling. It had been years since you felt another person’s warmth this way, let alone a man. You found yourself moving closer and closer, tossing your leg over his and hugging your arm around his waist to soothe the building desire for more. Joel didn’t seem to mind.

“Here—“ He shifted onto his side, pulling you flush against his body. Your leg rested over his hip, his thigh planted firmly between yours as he gave you space to bury your face in his neck. “Better?”

“Joel—“ you exhaled shakily, not sure you even wanted to finish the thought. Joel pulled back just enough to look into your eyes, both of you staring at each other in silence for a few tense seconds before he started to lean in. His lips simply grazed yours, not even molding with yours yet, but he managed to pull a needy moan out of you.

“Sweet thing,” he cooed, kissing his way across your chin, his beard scratching at your skin and his lips pressing against your pulse. “How long has it been?”

“Years,” you confessed breathily, your eyes closed as you allowed yourself to enjoy the feeling of his lips against your skin, the heat of his palms as they ran up and down your side, the increase of pressure of his thigh against your core.

“That’s too damn long,” he husked in a mumble as he rolled you onto your back, his warmth never leaving you as he rolled right on top of you.

“You’re sure—“ Your words were interrupted by his hips pressing into yours, the barrier of your clothes doing little to prevent you from feeling him. “Fuck, you’re sure Tess won’t kill me for this?”

“I’m sure,” he soothed, pressing his lips to yours finally, one arm holding him up while his other hand slid up your side, dragging your sweater up with it. “This somethin’ you want?”

“Yeah,” you nodded, lacing your fingers in his salt and pepper waves. “I think it’s something I need.”

“I need you too,” he confessed, sitting back on his ankles so that he could look at you spread out beneath him. Even covered in your dingy, well-worn winter clothes, Joel devoured the sight of you unabashedly, his hands roaming from your sides down to your hips and to your thighs as they spread to give his hips room to fit. “Been imagining’ this for years now.”

“Yeah right,” you chuckled a scoff, rolling your eyes.

“Don’t matter if you think I’m lyin’,” he replied, his hands sliding the hem of your sweater up until he was lifting it over your head. “I know I’m tellin’ the truth.”

You wanted to believe that all these years Joel had harbored a desire for you, but the concept just seemed too unrealistic, too fantastical to be true.

“Look at you,” he praised, hands smoothing over the long-untouched skin of your stomach until he was cupping your breasts through your worn-out bra, his eyes exposing his reverence.

“You’re good at flattery,” you teased as you tried not to let yourself read too much into his praise. Just a warm bed. That’s all this was.

Joel said nothing. Instead, he lowered his lips to your sternum, kissing every inch of you he could reach as he slid your bra straps down your shoulders before reaching underneath your arched back to pop the hooks undone.

He looked like a crazed man as he took in the sight of your bare breasts, a subtle growl slipping from his lips as he leaned down to capture one of your nipples in his mouth, the feeling of his tongue swirling around the sensitive bud causing you to buck your hips up against his.

“Take these off,” he ordered, tugging on your belt loops as he pulled himself away from you to stand up off the bed and strip himself.

You struggled with your jeans as you tried not to miss a moment of watching him shed his layers, your hands shaking as they fought with the rigid denim at your ankles before finally freeing yourself. Joel nearly pounced on you as his eye caught a glimpse of the wet patch on your underwear, his hips fitting between your open thighs as he covered your naked body with his own, his cock prodding at your covered mound as he kissed you breathless.

Nothing about him was graceful, nothing about him was tender, but you didn’t want him any other way. You needed to feel his desire for you, to feel how animalistic your body turned him. His rough palms and scratchy beard burned your skin, and you found yourself hoping you’d feel him for weeks to come.

“Can I taste you?” he asked against your pulse as he littered your neck with tiny marks, society far past caring about scandalous things like that.

“Only if you want,” you answered, having never actually experienced a man going down on you before. Joel sat back on his ankles and gave you a wicked half-smirk, his calloused thumb stroking over your kiss-swollen bottom lip.

“Trust me,” he rasped. “Been thinkin’ about licking you clean since the moment I met you.”

“And yet you never thought to tell me,” you teased, your cheeks heating from his confession.

“You’re at least half my age, sweet thing,” he reasoned as he kissed down your stomach until he was laying between your open thighs. “Never thought you’d want an old man like me in your bed.”

“You need to get your eyes checked, Miller,” you brushed his hair out of his face as he slid your panties off. “You’re beautiful.”

“For an old man?”

“For any man.” Joel turned tender for a moment and met your eyes, his hands that were gripping your thighs now rubbing softly.

“You’re too good for this place,” he murmured as he leaned in, licking a broad strip up your cunt and flicking the tip of his tongue over your clit. Your back arched off the bed from the jolts of pleasure, your reaction earning you another smile.

“You asking me to—oh—to run away with you, Miller?” you asked between his sloppy laps at your cunt, his tongue feeling better than you could have ever dreamed it up to be.

“I ain’t that crazy,” he husked, voice thick with arousal before he dived back in.

Joel ate you out like a man starved, even though he’d just cooked you the best dinner you’d had in a while. You wanted to run your hands through his hair, to watch him as he shed a layer of himself for you, but you controlled yourself.

“Fuck,” he hummed as his tongue flicked at your swollen bud until your thighs were shaking around his face. “You gonna cum on my tongue, baby?”

Your eyes were squeezed shut but you pried them open to look down at him, nodding furiously. Joel grinned and sucked your clit, the tiny change in pace sending you over the cliffs of bliss without much warning.

“Shit,” you choked out, body shaking and spasming from the first orgasm you’d had in a long time. Joel kept licking at you, but he was soft, gentle, tender.

“You taste like heaven, you know that?” he rasped as he kissed his way up your body until he was sharing your taste with you with his tongue down your throat. You could only mewl and grab at him as he held himself up with one arm and used his other to guide his cock up and down your slick center. “Bet you feel like heaven, too. Can I?”

“Take whatever you need from me, Joel. I’m yours tonight,” you promised, still stuck in a post-climactic haze. Joel moaned as he stuck the tip of his cock inside of you, just enough for you to feel him. “Don’t tease—

“M’not teasin’, just don’t wanna hurt you.” Joel waited a beat before inching in a bit more, his brows screwing up in pleasure. “Also don’t wanna finish as fast as I think I am.”

“I don’t care,” you cooed, drunk on him being only halfway inside of you and still showing up every man you’d ever slept with. “You have all night to impress me.”

“I haven’t already?” he asked, tone hinting at playfulness but it went missed by you as the tip of his cock prodded at something blinding inside of you. “Fuck, that’s it, ain’t it?” He thrust against the spot proudly, a smirk growing on his otherwise wrecked face. “Flutterin’ against me every time I hit it.”

“Joel, fuck,” you whined, gripping him by the neck and pulling him down for a kiss.

He rested on his elbows, your thighs draped high over his waist as he rocked into you deep and purposefully until you were seeing stars.

“So tight,” he panted in your ear. “So warm. Fuck, you are heaven, ain’t ya?”

“Joel, your cock is so fucking—“ He stole every ounce of coherency from you as he sat back on his heels and pressed your thighs against your chest. With an open jaw and blurry vision, you cried out for him, his thrusts growing harder and more brutal with every plea for more that slipped from your lips.

“God damn—“

“Joel, I’m gonna—“

“Come on, baby. Let me have it.” Joel snarled from the exertion it was taking to fuck you into bliss, but he showed no signs of stopping, his firm hands gripping your thighs to keep them pressed to your chest.

“Oh my god,” you slurred as you entered euphoria for the second time, this time being washed over in it like a cleansing. A sinful, lustful, dirty cleansing.

“Yes!” he growled, grinning with pride. “So fuckin’ good for me. Gonna cum, too. That what you want baby?”

You nodded through your daze. “In my mouth.”

“Jesus—“ he choked on his approval and pulled out of you to crawl over to where your head rested on the pillow, his fist stroking his cock all the while. You opened your eyes, stuck your tongue out, and with a smile you pushed him over the edge. He moaned without care for his volume as his cum painted your tongue, face, and chest with every drop of what he had to offer.

“Mm,” you hummed as you cleaned some of the mess off your chest with your finger and sucked it off. Joel crumbled into the bed against you, his lips cheek against your shoulder while he recovered. “That was nice for just a warm bed.”

“Yeah,” he huffed out a chuckle. “I could…give you a warm bed another time…if you’d like.”

“Well, it is going to be a long winter. Might as well stay warm when I can.” You rolled your head to the side to watch him, his eyelashes fluttering against his cheek as he laid there with his eyes closed, half asleep. “Goodnight, Joel. And…thank you.”

No response came, his snores signaling he was already lost in dreamland. With a content sigh, you stood up and walked into his bathroom to clean yourself off and get dressed.

You didn’t stay in the warmth of his bed that night, or any night thereafter, but you did come back. Over and over again, you came back.

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on-a-lucky-tide · 2 months

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Lambert returns to the bar and tries again. Another part of Architect!Bert and Barman!skel. Part 1.

CW: mutism, Lam-butt is cringe.

Lambert had a late conference call with a contractor in Japan the following evening and grabbed a pot of noodles from the takeaway on his way home. He told himself it was easier than going out of his way for his usual dinner at this time of night, and the bar would be crowded by drunks anyway, and his reluctance to go was absolutely nothing to do with making a tit out of himself in front of the new barman. The noodles ended up cold and in the bin, and his mind wandered away from the schematics on his desk to the mental schematics of a broad shouldered, scarred hunk of hotness.

Fixations weren't anything new. Lambert was used to them. From the six months in secondary school when he had become obsessed with jazz music to the point Vesemir caught him planning to shoplift a saxophone, to the year he raided religiously on World of Warcraft every night to the detriment of his social life. His brain craved dopamine and latched onto anything that could provide it. Eskel was a big, handsome shot of it; novel, interesting. Like a fucking laser pen to a tomcat. It would pass.

Lambert’s next two trips to the bar went much the same as the first, but without the foot-in-mouth moment of being an absolute prick to someone who definitely didn’t deserve it. Lambert watched Eskel work, desperate to talk, but too worried about being a dick again to open his stupid mouth. Aiden ribbed him for it out of Eskel’s earshot, muttering something about steak and thirst, or—an attempt at wit and humour that left Lambert scowling, his skin prickling with a deep awareness of being in Eskel’s presence. He couldn’t explain it. It was more than the pleasant hum caused by a good saxophone solo.

There was an irritating air of mystery around Eskel. That was it. Lambert could see the intelligence and character lurking behind his eyes, like a lion napping in the sun, fierce and sharp but happy to bask lazily as the antelope gallivanted around it. The sun. Yeah, those eyes, not quite the piercing white yellow of the sun, more a deep, honey-gold that reminded Lambert of the foil packets that came with expensive coffee; the kind that made you feel warm and comfortable on your cushioned window seat while it poured with rain outside. And Lambert would have sworn blind he could hear Eskel humming sometimes; a low, soft rumble carrying a familiar tune, but barely audible beneath the bass of the bar’s music system.

Even while he was at work, Lambert’s mind kept drifting to Eskel. During one particularly laborious meeting, he ended up sketching a quick outline of Eskel’s face at the corner of his designs before he even realised what was happening. He scrunched it up, threw it in the bin, only to extract it for his portfolio before he left for the bar that night. It was a good likeness and—just shut the fuck up and stop judging him, alright?

Eskel was working that night, of course, and greeted Lambert with a wave of the hand. Lambert’s whiskey was on the bar before his arse found the stool, and he cleared his throat. “Hey, Eskel, I… uh. I think we started off on the wrong foot. I’m… what I said, that wasn’t… that wasn’t… cricket.”

There were those glittering eyes again. Glittering. Yeah, that was amusement. Lambert hid his scowl with a swig of whiskey and prodded the beer mat in front of him. His mac and cheese arrived within fifteen minutes, the bacon still sizzling on the surface, and he tried again. “This is weird for me, alright? Sal and I, we used to chat shit all night. He was a blockhead, but he was good company. He knew stuff, you know? Kind of stuff you only learn—” Lambert waved his hand vaguely at the door, “—out there.”

Eskel’s gaze dropped briefly, and Lambert was worried he’d managed to upset him, for real this time. When Eskel looked up, he tilted his head in apology. Lambert chewed on the inside of his cheek, which seemed to prompt a flash of inspiration. He leaned down from the stool, arse cheek balancing precariously on the edge, and yanked his notebook free. “How about writing? You can write, ye—? You know, forget I just asked that.” Lambert felt his ears warm, but Eskel didn’t seem to be offended. The same soft shine, the head tilt. He reached for the pencil that Lambert had placed beside the pad, and wrote two words, ‘Sounds good.’

Lambert grinned. “I’m… uh, Lambert. I shoulda introduced myself earlier, but… you already knew my dinner order, most interesting thing about me, really—the dinner part.”

Eskel looked thoughtful before he plucked up the pencil again and scratched a question. ‘What’re the drawings for?’

“Boring shit,” Lambert murmured, nudging the tightly bound scrolls with his toe. “I’m an architect. Residential. You know, houses, flats.” Of course, he fucking knew what residential meant. Lambert felt the heat under his collar again and took another fortifying sip of whiskey.

‘Can I see?’

“You want to see a bunch of angles and pencil scratches?”

‘Yes. Don’t have to if you’re shy.’

“I’m not fucking—all right, move the bowl—”

Lambert stooped down to snatch up the first scroll he came to and then hesitated… his passion project was a mere inch to the left. And that was the most impressive, wasn’t it? Eskel didn’t need to know that no business in their right mind would fund something so extravagant for the poorest in society. It was an easy flex. Lambert tugged the scroll free and unfurled it on the bar. He weighted the edges down with his bowl and half-drunk tumbler of whiskey and glanced up at Eskel for his reaction.

Usually, people puffed their cheeks out in confusion at the architectural scribbles and mumbled some vague comment of appreciation. But Eskel examined it for a long moment, head tilting to and fro. When he picked up the pencil, Lambert held his breath as if awaiting the verdict of a shareholder, and—

‘Reminds me of the KAEC.’

Lambert’s jaw metaphorically hit the bar. “You know about the KAEC?”

‘I’ve been there.’

The KAEC—or King Abdullah Economic City—was an architect’s paradise. A complete flop, of course. With a target population of two million by 2035, it was currently a ghost town of just seven thousand. But it was meant to be one of five sustainable mega cities built in Saudi Arabia, aimed at placing the country in the top ten investment destinations. It was the kind of sprawling vision that could manifest when money was no issue, with some of the most cutting-edge structural designs and engineering in the business. It had been Lambert’s dream to go and visit, but the company kept him busy, and he used his holiday to go look after the old man, you know. He’d get there, eventually… “Really?” Lambert croaked.

‘Yeah. About 10 years ago.’

“Why—? How—? What did it look like?”

‘Big.’

Eskel didn’t smile with his mouth, but the way his eyes shone like that, Lambert knew he was being grinned at. Lambert huffed and folded his arms across his chest, his own eyes narrowed.

Eskel wrote again, ‘Sorry. It was quite something—‘ he tore the page off to start another, ‘—I’ll bring some photos next shift’.

Lambert’s lips quirked in one corner. The first glimmer of a smile. “Sounds good. You know, I think I’ll treat myself to a dessert. One of those tall, chocolate-y fuckers that’ll give me early onset diabetes.”

‘One tall chocolate fucker coming up.’

Turned out that Eskel couldn’t only make a good mac and cheese, pour a good Godfather, but he could also make an absolutely cracking sundae

#witcher eskel #witcher lambert #modern au #lambskel

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rinixo · 1 year

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tailspin

Tech/Reader | 5.4k | Rated E | afab reader, smut, oral sex, face-sitting, vague student/teacher relationship, themes of sexual insecurity and regret, body worship, NPC makes a pass at reader

Concerned for your well-being, Tech proposes a theory he would like to test out - with you as the subject.

part 2 to pendulum

a/n: For your advisement - This has themes/discussions of sexual regret and sexual uncertainty, as well as what I would describe as an invocation of the student/teacher relationship trope. However, there is no intention for any age gap/power dynamic imbalances - Tech is not 'responsible' for Reader, and all sexual situations are done with clear consent from all parties.

read on ao3

You chewed absently on your food, sitting under the canopy of the greasy noodle stand you often frequented. All around you, people wandered through the crowded market, haggling or looking for the place with the cheapest liquor. No one paid any attention to you, or to each other for that matter. It was a perfect place to ignore and be ignored.

It had been a couple of weeks since you had been rescued from the abandoned science facility - weeks since you had been dosed with that weird substance and subsequently slept with Tech. You had brushed off the rest of the crew’s questions once back on the Marauder as you dosed yourself with a bacta concoction, hoping it would purge whatever remained of the drug out of your system. Likewise, Tech kept mum and insisted nothing ‘out of the ordinary’ had happened.

“Man, spending a whole day cooped up with just Tech for company must have been boring,” Wrecker had joked. You had nearly choked at the comment, choosing not to reply, and tried to sleep the rest of the way back to Ord Mantell. After reporting to Cid, you hadn’t seen any of the crew.

“Hey,” a smooth voice brought your focus back to your surroundings. Glancing to your side, you raised a brow at the Devaronian male leaning on the counter. He cast you what you guessed was supposed to be a smoldering look, and you resisted rolling your eyes before returning to your noodles.

“You come here often?” The Devaronian pressed, clearly not getting the hint you weren’t interested in conversing with him. “Name’s Qarl - what do I call you, beautiful?”

“Not interested,” you mumbled through a mouthful of noodles. Qarl smirked, scooting closer and you leaned away in response.

“Playing hard to get? Don’t be like that, baby,” he simpered. “Hey, I’ve got a table in the VIP section of that club over there. How about you join me, we order some drinks, and see where the night goes?”

You knew where this was going. People like this were all over the underbelly of the galaxy, and Ord Mantell was no different. They went around trying to find easy marks and plied them with alcohol, drugs, or the promise of pleasures. The victims would then wake hours later to find all their possessions stolen, or worse.

Finishing up your food, you pushed your bowl towards the droid manning the stall. “No thanks,” you said firmly, getting up to leave the uncomfortable situation. Unfortunately, the Devaronian was not keen to let you leave so easily.

“Come on,” he purred, standing and snaking an arm around your waist. “I’ll show you a good time, promi-hey!”

Just as soon as he had pulled you into his side Qarl was flung away. You froze, watching him stumble to the ground as a taller figure stepped between the two of you.

“I believe she said she was not interested,” Tech stated, staring intently at the grumbling Devaronian brushing dust off his clothes. “You should go.”

“Get out of here, specs,” Qarl spat. “Can’t you see we’re talking?”

You noticed Tech’s hands twitch towards his holster, and without thinking you reached forward and grabbed one of his wrists. He turned his head slightly to view you shaking your head and mouthing ‘no’. Sure, the guy was a jerk, but you didn’t want this to turn into a blast zone.

You felt some of the tension in Tech loosen as he flicked his eyes back to Qarl. “Perhaps your translator is malfunctioning,” Tech challenged. Instead of his gun, he pulled out a spanner and made it spark. You couldn’t help to smile at the way Qarl’s face blanched, backing away with a grimace. “Allow me to repair it for you.”

“Whatever,” Qarl mumbled over his shoulder and disappeared into the crowd. To their credit - and probably because they were used to seeing worse on a daily basis - no one around you seemed to realize or care about what happened.

“Are you all right?” Tech turned to you after making sure the Devaronian had indeed fled. You nodded.

“Yeah,” you replied. “Not the first time scumbags like that have hit me up, and knowing this city it won’t be the last.”

The corner of his lips dipped into a frown, and Tech put away his spanner. “That is…unfortunate.”

Shrugging, you crossed your arms. “It’s life.” There was a beat of silence between the two of you. You had told yourself every day for the past two weeks that you would go back to Cid’s and talk to Tech, go back to normal, but you had yet to motivate yourself to do it. And now, here he was, coming to your aid once again.

“What are you even doing here?” You had never seen any of the Batch more than a few yards from Cid’s parlor. This greasy market was not the kind of place you would have expected seeing any of them, especially Tech.

“Looking for you,” Tech answered. “It has been exactly sixteen days since we returned from the mission and you have not returned to Cid’s once during that time.”

“I’ve been busy,” you deflected. You had been busy…busy avoiding him.

He adjusted his goggles. “You are embarrassed about what transpired at the science facility.”

You frowned, crossing your arms tighter. “No,” you insisted weakly. Leave it to Tech to get straight to the point.

“I suspected you would,” Tech continued, ignoring your lame attempt at a rebuttal. “I did some research on amatory agents, and-“ you cut him off by dragging him down a nearby alley, heart pounding.

“Not so loud!” You hissed and simmered at the confused look Tech tossed you.

“I thought you said you were not embarrassed,” he teased lightly, and you huffed in response.

“I’m not - I just - not in public, ok?” You sputtered. “Come on, follow me.”

—

You had a small apartment on Ord Mantell. Nothing luxurious, mostly just a spot you could get some rest in. It was sparsely decorated, as you didn’t own much outside of the necessities, but it was a more private location than the market street.

You let Tech hover just inside your entryway as you kicked off your shoes and headed further inside. Passing through your small kitchenette you flicked on your kettle to boil water for tea, more of a reflex than out of a desire to actually consume anything.

Tech followed you into the rest of the apartment, and you sat on the edge of your bed. “Don’t have a lot of seating options,” you apologized, motioning to the single chair you had opposite your sleeping space.

“I am familiar with small spaces,” he commented and sat down. “Between the Marauder and barracks, this is actually quite spacious than what I am used to.”

“I see,” you breathed out. Another pause, and you twitched your hands nervously. Tech’s eyes roamed around your apartment, and you wondered what he thought about it - and why you were so nervous having him here.

“So…,” you ventured, after waiting another moment. “What did you want to talk about?”

Clearing his throat, Tech re-focused back on you and raised his finger in a familiar lecturing gesture. “Right. As I was saying, I did some research on amatory agents. Specifically on the psychological after-effects on those impacted.”

Leaning back, you crossed your arms. “Why?”

“I knew you would not want to say anything about it in front of the rest of the crew. When you did not show up to Cid’s in the days after, however, I began to wonder if you were experiencing latent side effects from the drug, or avoiding an uncomfortable confrontation with me.” He tapped his thigh absently. “Have you?”

You shrugged half-heartedly. “No, I don’t think I’ve had any side effects. But…yeah, I guess I was avoiding you a little bit. I’m sorry.” You hadn’t realized he would have even noticed and felt a twinge of guilt at the thought of him worrying.

He put a hand up. “No need for apologies. Much of the literature I looked at talked about feelings of regret, loss of agency and control, and other unpleasant psychological impacts. Additionally, I thought about how that incident coincided with your first sexual experience - an event that can also have elements of regret or unease, especially for women.”

“Putting those together, I surmised that despite the emotions of the moment, you could be experiencing significant distress post-incident, as a result of having your first experience with sexual intercourse under such circumstances.”

As Tech spoke, you wondered again if he was lying about not being a mind reader. Though you had barely begun to admit it to yourself, he was right. You had been struggling with coming to terms with what had happened back in that storeroom. You didn’t regret it, not in the exact way that he was alluding to, but it was still complicated.

“Am I correct?” Tech questioned, pulling you back to the present.

“Yeah,” you replied shortly, and he hummed.

“I rarely am not.” That got a snort out of you, and Tech smiled softly at your humored outburst.

“I’m fine, though,” you added. “I appreciate you coming by, but this…I think it’s something I need to work through myself.”

Tech raised a brow and stood. “I…understand,” he said, and you wondered if you had really detected a tone of disappointment in his voice.

You walked him to your door where both of you hesitated, waiting for the other to say something. Clearing your throat, you wished him goodnight but as you went to close the door he stuck out a hand to stop it from shutting all the way.

You eyed him hesitantly. Stars, he was tall. You sometimes forgot about it.

“Respectfully, I did not mean to imply that something was wrong with you,” Tech said lowly, leaning in so that he would not be overheard. “But in a way, I do feel somewhat responsible for what occurred - “

“Tech,” you protested, but he continued on.

“-And in the interest of your comfort, I was curious if you would like to revisit the experience,” he offered. “Without the effects of the drug in your system.”

You stared at him, blood rushing to roar in your ears. Was he saying what you thought he was saying?

“I believe it would help in creating positive associations around sexuality,” Tech added, fingers tapping against your doorframe when you did not answer.

You had convinced yourself that Tech had done what he did out of a sense of duty, and concern for your health, and that there were no lingering thoughts of affection or desire in him. He had said he was not opposed to sleeping with you again, but as you replayed the conversation in your head over and over you told yourself he had done it in order to ease some of the tension and awkwardness of the moment.

“I-“ you stammered, unsure of what to say or what you wanted.

“You don’t have to answer just now,” Tech said softly. “Or at all. It…will not change anything. But if you are interested in the experience of having an…instructor, I would like to offer my services.”

With that, he dropped his hand and wished you goodnight, disappearing into the back alleyways of your neighborhood. You retreated back into your apartment and turned off your lights before laying on your bed. Your stomach and mind both twisted with what had just happened.

To say you hadn’t been thinking about your time with Tech would be a bold-faced lie. Every night since you had returned you had fallen asleep with the memory of him over your body, the warmth of his mouth on you. The soreness you had experienced from the size of him had faded into an ache of emptiness, an echo of the desire you felt in that intense moment weeks ago.

Maybe you had been drugged by that Devaronian, and this was the vision your mind played for you as you lay under a dirty club table while some scumbag stole your things.

Closing your eyes, you brought yourself back to Tech’s gaze. Usually so sure, but there was a hint of some vulnerability in their yellow-tinged depths.

He has nice eyes, you thought absently, sighing into your pillow. You hadn’t had a chance to notice the last time.

—

Two days later, you paced nervously around your apartment, waiting for Tech to arrive. You had sent him a message asking him to stop by, finally having built enough courage to press ‘send’ after debating with yourself.

A soft knock at the door made you jump slightly. Patting down your clothes, you let out a breath and invited him in.

He was dressed down - as much as a former clone trooper could be. Still the same goggles, you noticed. You wondered if he had an indent where they met his skin.

“You’re here,” you greeted, immediately wincing at how stupid that sounded.

“I am,” Tech agreed. “Did you doubt I would come?”

“I - I don’t know,” you confessed, rubbing your arm where you had been injected with the drug absently. It was a habit you had taken to recently, and you did not miss the way Tech’s eyes narrowed at the movement.

“You said you wanted to talk,” Tech leaned against the archway that lead from your kitchen to your living/sleeping space. “Am I correct in assuming it’s regarding my proposition from a few days ago?”

Nodding, you let out a breath. “Yes. I’ve been thinking about it, and…” you trailed off, chewing over your words. You had gone over what you had been wanting to say for the past two days, but it was still getting caught on the tip of your tongue.

“I will not be offended if you decline,” Tech reassured. “If that is what you are nervous about.”

“No, it’s just-“ You crossed your arms again and sighed, stepping closer to him.

“What do you get out of this?” you interrogated. “I’m thankful you helped me, Tech, but you don’t have any obligation to continue to…assist me. I like you, and I don’t want to be some kind of…research project for you, or a way for you to alleviate some kind of misplaced guilt."

You chewed your lip, flustered at your own candor. Tech tilted his head, eyes darting to the side before they landed back on you.

“Back in the storeroom,” he said slowly. “You said something that I have been thinking about. At the moment I attributed it with your enhanced state of mind, and deflected in order to focus on bringing you relief.”

‘Teach me how to touch you’. “I…remember,” you affirmed quietly.

Tech cleared his throat again. “Yes. And…despite the circumstances that led to us having sex being from an artificial hormonal source, I must admit…I have been thinking about it quite often.” He reached out a hand, hesitant, and softly stroked the side of your jaw as you stared up at him.

“I want to assure you that I find you…incredibly enticing,” he breathed. “And what I have proposed, I do both in the interest of your comfort and - selfishly - for my own desires.”

Closing your eyes, you leaned into his cupped hand.

“I-,” you whispered softly, “Truthfully, the more I’ve thought about it, the more I’ve realized that I did enjoy sleeping with you. I think it’s because even considering the circumstances, I trusted you. And even if I had been given the option, I would have wanted it to be you that I experienced it with.”

“I - that is a privilege,” Tech enthused quietly. He stepped closer to you with a curious, intense look. You reached your hands towards him, and as you pressed together he leaned down so that your noses bumped.

“Tech,” you breathed. “Show me what to do.”

He pressed his mouth against yours, swallowing your surprised gasp. You relaxed into his firm hold, the two of you stumbling back so that you hit the edge of your bed. You laid back as Tech leaned over you, climbing up over your form.

“My clothing” he directed, pulling away from your mouth. You shifted, hands going to the top of his trousers, and you tried to hide the nervous tremble as you unbuckled them. You drew them down his thin hips, revealing a sliver of golden skin and his dark base under layers.

You paused, unsure of where to go next. Peering down at you, Tech raised a brow and shifted so that he was laying just to the side of you, your legs entangled.

“You can touch me,” he said gently. Your eyes darted from his back down to where the black underlay protruded slightly. You brushed your palm over him curiously, surprised at how his cock twitched in response. You rubbed him more firmly through the fabric, emboldened by the sharp inhale from the man before you. He dipped his head down again, pressing another open-mouthed kiss against you.

Biting your lip, you reached down the top of his blacks and danced your fingers around his length. Dark hair, kept neat, scratched at your skin. Tech let out a sigh as you grasped him, and you echoed it in kind. It was such an odd feeling, you decided, as you touched his cock. How could something be so soft and pliable while also being so kriffing hard?

You pulled his blacks down further so that his whole length was freed. You briefly wondered what it felt like to have a cock - Tech’s was long and heavy enough that it bowed under its own weight, growing in your hand.

“What does it feel like?” You questioned, and Tech hummed against you.

“What does what feel like?” He queried. You blinked up at him through your lashes.

“What does having your cock stroked feel like?”

That got a choke out of him, which turned into him clearing his throat. “Well it’s…not something easily described,” he began. Clear liquid was beginning to leak from the swollen head, and you used your palm to spread it along the rest of his cock. It made a slick noise as you stroked him up and down.

His eyes fluttered briefly, and you watched as he chewed over his response. If there was one thing Tech couldn’t resist it was a chance to explain something, but even he was not immune to a drop in concentration under the circumstances.

“It’s…satisfying," he decided after a moment. “When I am aroused, there is a kind of…ache for sensation. It’s almost like a pulse - persistent, insistent on being stimulated.”

“Mmm,” you acknowledged, still steadily handling him. "Does it make a difference if it’s you touching yourself versus someone else touching you?”

“Yes,” Tech answered. You could feel his abdomen flex under your arm. “When you know your own body, you know how to bring yourself to completion most efficiently. I know how I like to be touched. Though of course -“ he let out a rasped groan as you increased the pressure you were holding him with - “there is something unique about having someone else do it to you.”

“I think I understand,” you mused. His arms tightened around you as you twisted your wrist, enjoying the way his cock twitched in your grasp.

“Take me into your mouth,” he instructed. “Try-try your tongue first.”

You spared him a glance before you slid down to sit between his thighs. Gripping the base of him, you darted your tongue out to lick hesitantly over his swollen cockhead. That got another rasped groan from him.

“I- very good,” he stammered.

You licked over his head again, finding that the taste of him was not unpleasant. In fact, the feeling of how his pre-spend pooled out of him and onto your tongue made you feel pleasantly flushed. You were discovering that there was satisfaction in being the cause of someone else’s pleasure.

Emboldened again, you took him deeper into your mouth. He was far too large for you to fit the entirety of him, but you swirled your tongue around what you could and sucked gently.

One of Tech’s hands came up to push your hair out of your face, holding it out of the way for you. “You’re doing well,” he enthused, and you shivered a little at the praise. He noticed immediately and huffed out in slight amusement.

“I confess - your enthusiasm is incredibly arousing,” he remarked. “You are a quick learner, aren’t you?”

You moaned at his words, your own arousal increasing exponentially. Tech’s hands stroked your cheek as his cock pressed against the spongey roof of your mouth. With a groan, he eased your mouth off of him gently.

You leaned back, wiping spit from your lips with the back of your hand, panting a little to catch your breath. “What’s wrong?” You questioned, thinking had you done something he didn’t like.

“Nothing,” Tech assured, leaning forward to cup your face in his hands. “I just do not want to finish too quickly - I have much more to show you.” You flushed again, thighs squirming as your core pulsed.

“Take off your clothes,” he instructed. You pulled your leggings down, kicking them off with your underwear. You lifted your top off and threw it to the side, kneeling bare in front of a still mostly clothed Tech. He leaned against the headboard and motioned for you to come closer, grabbing your hands to pull you up into his lap.

“I want you to sit on my face,” he directed lowly, noticing your wide-eyed confusion, and you squeaked in surprise. Grasping your hips, he led you up his chest until your core was over his eager mouth.

“I-I’ll smother you,” you protested, tensing as he tried to pull you down. His brow furrowed in chastisement, and you felt his fingers tighten over your skin.

“That’s the goal,” he drawled and pulled you down so that he could lathe his tongue through your dripping folds. You gasped, one hand reaching out to grab the headboard and the other coming down to clutch his soft hair.

This angle wasn’t what you were expecting, and the way his tongue flicked over your sensitive clit made your legs shake. Your thighs ached from trying to avoid sitting too far down on his face, a task made impossible by how he wrapped an arm around your waist to seat you more firmly over his clever mouth. He ate you like someone licking a plate to get every last bit of their last meal, and you could feel an orgasm approaching rapidly.

You grasped his hair and curled into yourself as you came, thighs shaking as you finally failed to keep them tensed. Tech did not stop and suckled your clit until you were writhing in almost-painful pleasure. He finally released you after what seemed like an eternity of coming, sliding you down to sit on his abdomen.

“I thought you were teaching me how to make you feel good,” you panted, and Tech smirked. He pressed a wet kiss to your mouth, arms coming around your waist to press your body closer to his.

“I am,” he rasped against you. “Part of sexual satisfaction is pleasing your partner. Their reactions, the sounds they make, the way they taste-“ he shuddered slightly against your mouth. “And you, my dear, taste delectable.”

Trailing his mouth down your chest, he nipped at your breasts. You gasped and arched into it, letting him take more of your sensitive flesh between his teeth. Tugging at his top, you helped him pull it off over his head, immediately running your hands down his chest. While not as built as Wrecker or Hunter, he was still deliciously toned and firm.

Groaning against your skin, Tech laid back and let you drag your hands down his body. Glancing up, you smiled at the glazed look in his eyes, his ruffled hair, and his lopsided goggles.

“A scar,” you noted, pressing a finger against the mark just above his hip. His body jerked at the motion, and his hands went to adjust his goggles as he watched you explore him.

“Y-yes,” he muttered. “A piece of shrapnel clipped through my armor.” Shifting his hips, he let out a strained noise as you scratched it lightly with a fingernail. “That, ah - I am sensitive there,” he confessed.

“Did I hurt you?” You asked, lifting your hands. He shook his head almost a little too fast.

“Keep going,” he replied, pulling his goggles off and letting his head fall back on your pillows.

Settling between his thighs once more, you placed the pads of your fingers just above his navel. You stroked down Tech’s body, applying different levels of pressure as you grazed his inner thighs. He was making some delightful noises, you mused to yourself. You wanted to hear more.

His cock was still leaking pre-spend, a clear strand connecting from the head to where he bobbed against his abdomen. Leaning forward, you continued your soft tracing of his skin, the lines of his muscles, the patterns his soft body hair made, and took the head of his cock into your mouth.

A muffled curse from above, and you felt Tech’s body twitch again. “You clever girl,” he ground out, clearly impressed with your interpretation of his pleasure. His praise continued to ignite your own need, and you slipped a hand from his body to slide through your slick folds.

Opening one eye, Tech watched you teasing yourself. “I can hear how wet you are,” he breathed, and you moaned, too aroused to be embarrassed at his candor. “Another, ah - benefit of being genetically engineered…”

With more of that belied strength Tech grasped your forearms and pulled you back up his body. He licked into your open mouth, and you whimpered at the sensation. You were on the edge of something, tensed like a prey animal. He had a way of pushing you from one extreme to another, from control to submission. He played with your body like he had been memorizing it for years - a nod to his experience, his intellect, both?

He shifted under you, and you felt his cock press against your inner thigh. Grasping himself in hand, Tech broke away from your mouth to watch your reaction as he guided himself to your entrance, eyes locked on to the way your own fluttered shut and your mouth opened into a small gasp.

You were still tight - not from lack of arousal, but from the mere size difference between your bodies. Tech grasped your hips, easing you down his length, paying close attention to every minute change on your face.

The stretch was delicious, right on the precipice of being too much. The further he pushed in, the more full you felt, and you swore that you could feel him all the way up into your throat.

“Magnificent,” Tech praised lowly, solid inside of you. “Look-“ he grabbed your hand, pressing it to where he entered you. You glanced down and swore that he twitched purposefully so that you’d feel it.

“That’s me inside of you,” he intoned.

“Tech,” you whimpered. Your hands came down to his abdomen, trying to find leverage. Even with his entire length filling you it felt like he just kept going, the head of him bumping almost painfully against the seal of your womb.

“Move, darling,” he crooned, rolling his hips to urge you on. “It will help.”

With a deep inhale, you shifted and met the roll of his hips tentatively. The stretch and slide of him up and then down, and then up and then down - the smug know-it-all was right, it did help.

“Good girl,” Tech breathed again. “Keep going.”

You rocked against him. Your brow, once furrowed in concentration, relaxed as you found a rhythm. Shifting, Tech moved his hands from your waist to knead at the plush flesh of your ass, adding to the pace of your movement. Your chests met again as you leaned toward him, and closed your eyes as his nose nuzzled against your cheek.

“How does it feel?” Tech husked, moving your hips to slide up and down his length.

“Good,” you breathed, and let out a hiss as Tech snaked a hand down to tweak at your swollen clit.

“Good,” Tech repeated with a hum. “My dear, you can do better than that.” You felt his abdomen clench as he propped up his legs and met your rocking with a firm thrust up into you.

“Again,” he instructed, leaning his head back to look at you expectantly.

You clawed at his shoulders, mouth opening with a choke. How could he expect you to form coherent sentences with the way his cock was ramming up into you? Every thrust drew you further from focus - and based on the gleam in his eyes that was precisely the point.

“Your cock,” you choked. “It…it’s so big, Tech. I like how you’re filling me up. The way you s-stretch me feels so good…”

Pleased with your candidness, Tech’s lips lifted into a short smile. “You’re drenched. Your little cunt is taking my cock beautifully.” You burned at the way he voiced his approval, your pussy fluttering around him.

“Do you want to hear a confession?” Tech groaned as he pulled you closer, and you nodded feverishly.

“I like that I’m the first man to fuck you,” he rasped. “I like knowing that my cock was the first one to split your tight little cunt. That it’s my seed that you took -“ He panted, pace increasing, and you felt the beginning of your own finish.

“Do you want it again?” Tech pressed, and you rambled ‘yes yes yesyes-‘

“Good girl, come on,” he urged, hand returning to press on your clit, drawing you over the edge. You cried out his name as your orgasm washed over you, pussy fluttering around as he continued to piston up into you. Grasping your ass in his hands once again, Tech pushed himself into you as far as he could go, eyes roaming your face as he relished the feeling of your cunt pulsing around him. He held you there, breath held until his own climax hit.

If you felt full before, it was nothing to how you felt as Tech throbbed inside of you, cum painting your insides. You shivered as he pulled you tightly against his chest, your name escaping from between his gritted teeth.

Your heart pounded from exertion as you lay there together. You felt Tech’s hand coming up to stroke your shoulder softly, and you lifted your head from where you had pressed it against the side of his neck to blink at the surprisingly tender look in his eyes.

“Apologies,” he murmured. “But I am going to adjust slightly -“ You winced as he shifted so that the two of you were laying side by side again, and as your thighs rubbed together you felt where his spend leaked out of you. You weren’t sure if you liked the feeling, but in a way it was satisfying.

You felt Tech sit up, looking for his goggles. “Are you all right?” He asked, pushing his goggles up his nose.

“Yes,” you said, pressing your face into your pillow. “I think so?”

Instead of getting up and leaving, Tech settled back down on your bed. You tilted your head up to eye him curiously.

“Are you?” You inquired, and saw him glance down at you.

“Yes.” Tech cleared his throat, and you raised a brow. Was he blushing?

“So Tech,” you lifted your head, propping an arm so you could rest your chin on your elbow. “How did I do?”

“P-pardon?” Tech sputtered, and you sent him a lazy grin.

“Did I…meet your standards?” You teased.

“That was not the purpose of this…entanglement,” Tech chided, flustered. Adjusting his goggles, he shot you a stern look. “In fact, ranking my sexual encounters would be counterintuitive to your well-being.”

You frowned, a small pout gracing your lips. “Not getting a good grade, then, am I?”

Tech sighed out your name, and rolled over so that he was hovering over your still-bare form. “You are impossible,” he chastised, not unkindly, and dipped down to kiss the smirk off your face.

#tech x reader #tbb tech x reader #tbb tech #tech smut #tbb tech smut #the bad batch #tbb

346 notes · View notes

mi-rae07 · 1 year

Note

arranged marriage trope with cold hongjoong! but he gradually softens up when the reader got hurt by another man hehehehe

Kim Hongjoong : Take Me Home

Pairing : Kim Hongjoong (Ateez) and named character (Jung Hyein)

______________________

A/n : birthday post cuz posting on my birthday is mandatory. Also yes, I was born on American Independence Day.

_______________________

Hyein sighed as she entered her house, a house that was not really home. Because her home was with a person, that person being her husband. Except this one did not love or care for her, as you would expect husbands to. For theirs was a forged marriage, forged for the benefits of their own respective companies, it was the usual for families like them.

Except jung hyein had always wished for love, against all the odds. But in the end, she was trapped in a loveless marriage. And even worse? It was one-sided. Or so she thought.

Hyein : did you have dinner?

Hongjoong : no.

Hongjoong did not even look up from his laptop as hyein kept her bag on the living room couch next to the one hongjoong was sitting on, his eyes focused completely on the task at hand.

Hyein : do you want to eat, hongjoong?

Hongjoong : mm.

Hyein : is that a yes?

Hongjoong sighed and closed his laptop, standing up as he walked towards the dining table before saying

Hongjoong : yes.

And soon enough hyein and hongjoong were sitting on the dining table, having their dinners quietly. Until hongjoong broke it.

Hongjoong : there's a party tomorrow.

Hyein : mhmm?

Hongjoong : and I wish for you to attend it with me.

Hyein smiled, looking down at her food as she whispered

Hyein : as your pretend wife.

Hongjoong : you are my wife, hyein.

Hyein : legally, yes. Not really though, no?

Hongjoong sighed, looking away as he took another bite of his noodles. For him, she was everything. Hongjoong didn't know when and how hyein had morphed from almost a stranger to someone hongjoong cared for within the span of 5 years, but she had. He didn't know how to define love, since he had never really been in love with anyone before. But he knew hyein was different to him, in ways he could probably never explain to her. Which is why he kept his mouth shut.

Hongjoong : will you attend the party with me, hyein?

Hyein : of course I will. Just as you have attended parties for me, I will do the same for you.

Hongjoong hated the way hyein made everything between them sound like some barter system. One for one, and another for another.

Hongjoong : also, your mother called.

Hyein : daily check ins to know about where our baby-making system's reached, I'm sure?

Hongjoong : something like that. It's been 2 years since she's been doing this, hyein. Don't you think we-

Hyein : what, have a child? Hongjoong, I don't mind having a child. In fact, I'd love to be a mother. Except I don't want to raise a child in a situation where their parents are married because they were forced to. You and I don't love each other, and our child will grow up seeing us, and believe that love does not exist in this world. They will believe everything is done for the sake of benefits. I do not want to raise a child like that. I want them to have a family, an actual, family.

Hongjoong sighed, closing his eyes as his hands clenched on the fork.

Hongjoong : so, we're just going to have to keep lying to your mother?

Hyein : we've done it a million times before, what's another one more time.

Hongjoong : hyein-

Hyein : I will attend the party tomorrow, hongjoong. I hope you have a good night.

Before hongjoong could say anything more, hyein stood up and left the dining table, the only thing lingering in the dining room being her perfume.

______________________

The party was not what hyein had expected it to be. Of course, she had attended a gazillion parties before but this one was different. It was less formal, less crowded and less to her liking. Hongjoong was sitting next to her on the table, having his dinner as he talked to his friend. Hyein wasn't paying attention. Instead she was shifting in her seat in discomfort, her eyes glancing to and fro at the man who had been staring at her since the second she had stepped into this party. It wasn't a nice stare, and hyein wasn't liking it. But who the hell was she going to complain to?

Hongjoong : hyein!

Hyein flinched as she looked at hongjoong, who was now staring at her with…concerned eyes? Did she just zone out?

Hongjoong : are you alright? Is something wrong-

Hyein : no. no, nothing's wrong.

Hongjoong : I need to go and talk with one of my business partners over there, do you mind being here alone?

Hyein looked at her plate, realizing she hadn't take a bite of her food.

Hongjoong : you haven't finished your dinner, which is why I asked. If you do not want me to leave-

Hyein : no it's alright. Go and talk, I'll be fine.

Hongjoong : you're sure?

Hyein gave hongjoong a small reassuring smile before saying

Hyein : very.

Hongjoong nodded and walked away from her, going over to talk to his partner. Hyein let out a breath as she picked up her spoon, determined not to look at the creepy guy who was now at the bar counter. Still staring at her, of course.

But after a few minutes hyein started getting anxious as the man's stares started to run along the exposed curves of her body. And she finally couldn't handle it anymore. And so hyein got up from her seat, walking towards where hongjoong had gone earlier. She needed him, because even if he was cold and didn't love her, he always protected her. And she needed that, or even just standing next to him.

But before hyein could walk any closer she felt someone pull her away, a hand covering her mouth as her eyes widened. She tried fighting in the person's hold while screaming but the music was too loud and she too weak compared to the person behind her.

Hyein felt tears in her eyes as the person dragged her outside the hall, banging her against a nearby wall as he chuckled at her state. Hyein whimpered as she tried pushing the man away, that only causing him to pin her hands against the wall with a groan.

??? : You've looked too good to be sitting in that table alone since the second I saw you, love.

Hyein : I am not alone, I have a husband.

??? : Really? I can't seem to care, though?

Before Hyein could say anything further the man's lips went to hers, sucking on it as Hyein felt tears roll down her cheeks. She desperately tried fighting him, not opening her mouth for him. But when she felt the man touch her hips, Hyein let out a sob, that allowing the man to kiss her even deeper. But even then she turned her head away before squeaking out

Hyein : please no. No no stop! Please!

??? : Shut up, princess.

The man was about to dive in again when someone punched him right in the face, causing the man to move away from Hyein as he fell on the floor with a cough. Hyein looked up with teary eyes, the sight of Hongjoong glaring at the man with fiery eyes coming into her view. Hyein quickly stepped behind hongjoong, tears flowing down her cheeks as she felt a sense of relief wash through her tensed body. He was here now.

Hongjoong moved to further shield hyein's body with his, still glaring at the man as he asked

Hongjoong : did you consent to this, hyein?

Hyein : no! No I could never.

Hongjoong : then he's going to pay for this.

Hongjoong stepped forward and pulled the shocked man up by his collars before saying

Hongjoong : how dare you touch my wife, you filthy bastard.

Hongjoong punched the man's face, causing him to groan as blood trickled down his nose. Hyein flinched, her lips trembling as she clenched her hands.

??? : who the fuck are you?

Hongjoong : her husband.

Hongjoong landed yet another punch on the man, this time his fists coming in contact with the man's guts as he fell on the floor with a hoarse cough. Hyein stepped back as she stared at hongjoong with wide teary eyes, never having seen this side of him.

??? : Stop! St-stop please!

Hongjoong : you didn't fucking listen when she said the same exact words to you, did you?

Hongjoong kicked the man's stomach again with his shoes, causing the man to double over as he now coughed up blood. Hyein needed to stop hongjoong before he killed the man.

Hyein : ho-hongjoong.

Hongjoong turned to face hyein quickly, his eyes showing worry at her tone of voice.

Hyein : I-

Hyein cut herself off as the man got up and ran away from them, holding his stomach in pain. Hongjoong was about to go after him when hyein said

Hyein : no! No please don't...please don't leave me.

Hongjoong walked towards her, shaking his head before saying

Hongjoong : I would never leave you, hyein-ah.

Hyein : I was so-I was so scared. I thought he would-

Hongjoong : no. No I would die before I let anything happen to you.

Hyein crashed into hongjoong's arms with a sob, her heart racing as she shut her eyes tightly from fear. Hongjoong's arms quickly wrapped around her waist, holding her close to him before whispering

Hongjoong : I will always protect you, hyein. I'm sorry I couldn't come earlier. I'm so sorry, I let this happen to you-

Hyein : it isn't your fault. Just...just stay with me, please.

Hongjoong nuzzled his head into her shoulders, stroking her hair gently before saying

Hongjoong : I won't leave, I promise.

___________________________

The fear still hadn't left hyein. Hyein was now sitting on the passenger's seat of hongjoong's car as he drove back home at a steady pace, not wanting to scare hyein further. But she already was, the man's touch still lingered in her body. Hyein's breathing was unsteady, her hands clenching and unclenching against her sides. And she thought hongjoong hadn't noticed but he did, he always did.

Hongjoong : hyein.

Hyein did not respond. Hongjoong sighed, bringing his free hand towards hers before laying it atop of hers. Hyein flinched at that, quickly looking up at hongjoong

Hongjoong : you're not breathing properly, hyein.

Hyein looked back straight, biting her lips as she shook her head.

Hongjoong : hold my hand.

Hyein : hongjoong-

Hongjoong : just do what I say, hyein.

Hyein held hongjoong's hand in hers, his thumb immediately caressing the top of her hand as he said

Hongjoong : now breathe. Forget that monster, and breathe for me, hyein-ah.

Hyein : I can't, hongjoong. I've tried-

Hongjoong : yes you can. You're my hyein, you're the strongest person I've ever known, you can do anything.

Hyein looked at hongjoong with shocked eyes, not having expected those words from him. Hongjoong brought his hand to her face, tucking a strand of hair behind her ears before he whispered softly

Hongjoong : please, for me. I need you, hyein.

Hyein bit her lips and tried breathing properly, her hands clenching around hongjoong's as she tried to calm her mind down. And for some reason now, she was successful in doing so.

_________________________________

She was successful in being able to breathe properly, but not forgetting the things that man had done to her body.

Hyein entered their house as hongjoong locked the door behind them, hyein's hands still clenched together. She now felt weird, she felt disgusted at herself. An unknown man had kissed her against her will, and the feeling of his lips on her still made her want to throw up.

Hongjoong : hyein?

Hyein looked up at hongjoong, his eyes still showing worry as he kept the key away.

Hongjoong : hyein-ah, what's going on. You're still not okay, tell me what's wrong?

Hyein looked to the floor, her hands fiddling with each other. She decided there was no point in lying to hongjoong.

Hyein : do you...do you feel disgusted with me?

Hongjoong's eyes softened as it grew wide, quickly shaking his head as he held her hand desperately. He hated how she could even think something like that.

Hongjoong : no! No hyein, don't you dare speak that way about yourself. You are the most dignified, respectful woman I've ever seen. None of this is your fault-

Hyein : but I kissed another man.

Hongjoong : no you didn't. He forced you, sweetheart.

Hyein looked up at the use of that nickname, hongjoong cupping her cheeks before whispering

Hongjoong : don't do this to yourself, you cannot.

Hyein : how can you even want me after all this-

Hongjoong : because I love you!

Hyein flinched at that, her eyes widening.

Hyein : wh-what?

Hongjoong : god, I love you, jung hyein! I love you and I cannot see you hurt like this, knowing it's my fault I couldn't protect you.

Hyein : you…you love me?

Hongjoong : I've loved you since as long as I can remember. And I will love you as long as I can remember, hyein.

Hyein's eyes teared up at his words, a small whimper leaving her lips as hongjoong pulled her towards him and whispered

Hongjoong : you're the best wife I could ever have asked for, there's no one and nothing I want more than you. And I do not care if another man kissed you, but my love for you will not lessen. I will not let that happen.

Hyein looked up at hongjoong, her finger coming up to slide along the corner of hongjoong's lips as she whispered shakily

Hyein : then kiss me. Make me forget, take me home, hongjoong.

Hongjoong : do you really want to?

She had always loved him, and it turned out he had too. What more did she want?

Hyein : yes I do. I want you, all of you. I need it.

Hongjoong let out a breath, leaning forward and capturing hyein's lips in his. Hyein wrapped her arms around hongjoong's neck as he lifted her up, carrying her to their bedroom. Hyein kissed hongjoong all the way up to their room, this time feeling like she was floating in plain air. There was no disgust, no unhappiness, only bliss and desire.

Because he was what she wanted, he always has been. He was her home, just as she was his.

______________________

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mobiused · 6 months

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you didn't even mention this in your post, but to me personally, what has asserted my trust (not blind tho!) on ctd over modhaus is definetely how the two companies handle diets

like i will NOT forget how haseul had to do exercise (2 times in a day if i recall??) right after she ate a cup of noodles or whatever it was; and how on the other hand, we see ctd staff actively encouraging yeojin to eat (and tangently at least 3 loossemble assemble episodes in which the girls were given free rein to cook and eat... yeojin doesn't make as many depreceative comments about food now. hyeju mentions constantly how she exercises but eats healthly, and the other day gowon was talking about eating sugar frequently for energy (well. watermelon is mostly water but the intent is. there.) even though they have a cb right around the corner..... (this gowon comment was particularly rewarding i think. sugar is usually seen as the devil for diets and thinness, and seeing a member aware of its actual biological function....i liked that)

thought of this as i was writing but i also cannot ignore the white washing. like, on one hand we have ctd being "yeah whatevs girl!" to hyeju tanning, on the other modhaus editing artms pics *like that* uhm....

and another thing bc i've seen too many ouriis just going "well go ahead and unstan, you have looble and chuu and yves" when orbits rightly critisized the voting system.... the voting system is actually.... fine? it's the way it's handled that is wrong. the girls should be aware of what polls are happening, and what is being voted on at all times. hell, they should be the ones making the polls, because they'd handle it in a way we would KNOW that they'd be happy with the results regardless, and the poll would act only as a way to generate a bit of entropy and get a feel on how the fandom (well. the paying and with nfts part of the fandom) feels about concepts, music, etc....

sorry this grew a tad long.....i think i'm done. sorry for the spelling mistakes.....

nono is okay honestly speak on it I totally agree with most of this

#if the girls had more control over the polls that would be better yes #tw diet

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isara0408 · 8 months

Text

Some Sibling headcanons between Shiromi and Kaga.

I've always liked the idea of these two being related. The most eccentric people in the school being siblings? A lot of drama 👀

I see them as half-siblings. They share the same father but different mothers.

They are two years apart.

Kaga is 5'5 feet and Shiromi is 4'11.

The main reason why Shiromi's mother decided to mess with Kaga's father was for money reasons, and their whole... fun was a mistake, but Kaga's father still wants to give his daughter the best, knowing how hard her mother works to get more money.

Kaga was disappointed in his father, but he tried moving on from it since now, he had a sister to keep him company and use as a test subject.

Kaga became close to Shiromi as they grew older and very eccentric from their parents.

Kaga's last name is from his parents, while Shiromi's last name is from her mother.

Kaga looks like his mother while Shiromi looks like her mother, so it's very hard to see how these two are related until they reveal it.

These two got in a lot of trouble from Kaga's genius plans and Shiromi's ridiculous ways of having fun.

Shiromi suffered a horrible accident that almost cost her life ( This is canon, I believe). She was in a very bad state. She lost a lot of blood and needed blood to be able to do the surgeries she needed, so Kaga, along with Shiromi's mother, gave the doctor the blood they needed to save Shiromi.

Kaga was always the golden child between Shiromi and he. Shiromi doesn't really care.

Whenever Kaga is part of a competition (science), Shiromi is always there to cheer him on and talk back to anyone who messes with her brother and his work.

Kaga always did Shiromi's homework when she forgot or was too lazy to do it herself. He doesn't mind doing it for her.

Once Shiromi was 15, she would start taking Kaga's gadgets and leave a note behind with her saying thanks and a noodle of herself on the bottom. Kaga finds it annoying, but Shiromi always finds a way around his security system. (This continued even during Akademi)

Shiromi would always run up to Kaga and jump onto his back when Kaga was distracted. Free piggyback ride! 😌

Shiromi is ready to fight anyone who messes with her brother: biting, hair pulling, kicking, punching,etc. She will do it all for her bro bro. One time during a science competition, Kaga's work was sabotaged by another individual, but Shiromi was able to see this and immediately started to fight the person.

The way they show each affection is through touch and words, mostly touch. They are not shy to hug each other.

They have nicknames for each other. They are mostly insult nicknames.

Kaga is close to Shiromi's mother. He doesn't see her as a bother or the evil one that got in the way of his parents' marriage. He sees her as a second mother. She's cool :>.

Kaga and Shiromi's mother grew closer when they began to take care of Shiromi during her recovery from the accident. It was a way for them to bond.

Shiromi is there for Kaga whenever he feels anything negative, and Kaga is there for her when she needs someone to lean on.

These two are inseparable.

Shiromi is willing to give her life away to be able to protect Kaga. Shiromi is not afraid of death.

When Kaga ends up having a crush on Megami, Shiromi always teases him about it but refuses to tell Kaga anything about her to tease him some more.

Once Kaga and Megami have their children, Shiromi is the favorite aunt.

The student council doesn't know Shiromi and Kaga are related. The only people who know are the staff, the guidance counselor, headmaster, and Info chan.

#yandere #yandere simulator #yanderesim #kaga kusha #shiromi torayoshi #slibings #half siblings #headcanon #i like them as half siblings :D #only if it was canon ;-;

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umichenginabroad · 3 months

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Week 2: Getting Intense(ive)

Howdy y'all, it's me Connor back after, quite frankly, an exhausting week of classes. When I learned I was going to be taking class here I thought I would be taking ✨Classes✨ but in reality I am going to the library most days. That being said I don't think I have ever been more interested in what I am learning than I am right now.

This is a picture of me and my dorm-mates walking to our first class together.

Intro to Japanese has been nothing but spectacular. Although the class is moving a bit slower I have chances everyday to practice what I learn so I am getting quite confident in my abilities. Also the teachers are so nice and helpful in class even though they do not speak almost any English.

In the afternoons we have Automotive Engineering class, now these are the tough ones. Having a 4 hour lecture every afternoon is not for the weak. What is entertaining though is the people the University bring in to special lectures. We have met employees from Nissan, Toyota, Mitsubishi and more. All of them gave given us amazing lectures on the future plans for these companies and what to expect if we ever end up working there. All of the lectures have been passionate to a point I have never experienced in the United States, everyone truly seems to love what they are doing and it makes the class so much more fun.

With about 5-6 hours of lecture a day I will at least concede the point that the amount of homework we have is light, often only a one page reflection on the information e learned, which is quite nice as I often find myself exploring in the afternoon/night with friends.

Another huge upside of this school is the cafeteria, the food is absolutely wonderful and dirt cheap:

Two of the lunches I've had. On the left a spicy miso ramen and I do not quite remember what the ride noodle bowl was called but it was equally delicious. Both of these cost me about $3 USD and they were amazing.

This first week we also had special tours of a number of different research labs here at Nagoya University.

These are two concept cars designed and created within the university. On the left you can see a small Toyota fitted with lidar and camera sensors, this is one of the universities forefront autonomously driven vehicles. On the right is a built from scratch "Slocal' (A slow locally driven vehicle which often gives verbal directions to the driver) vehicle which has the primary purpose of helping the elderly get around safely.

In addition to the research cars they have multiple highly technical driving simulators used for the research. These things are crazy big and so cool. I was even able to drive in one of them for a short while and the amount of modifications that are available via. software editing is ridiculous.

That was about it in terms of the technical knowledge and class stuff for this week so now we get to FOOD REVIEWS!!!!! <3

After being in Japan for over a week at this point I still had yet to have sushi so me and my roommates went and found this little hole in the wall place.

You can see me and my friends sitting at the bar on the left and the finished food spread on the right. We were the only ones in here for dinner which made sense as the sign outside only said すし which just translates to sushi (So still don't know the name of this place). We had an amazing time and the food was great and we even talked to the chef a bit in Japanese.

Around midweek I was craving something super spicy, and my girlfriend Olivia recommended me aa curry chain before I left called Coco Ichiban so we tried it out

This is the spread of each of our orders. Mine is in the bottom left (The one that is several shades darker than the others) I did not understand how the spice level system worked here and ordered a level 8. It turned out that meant it was about 24 times spicier than level 1. My spice cravings were definitely satisfied and then some. Still we had an amazing dinner and I do want to go back to try the level 10.

The next spot also came recommended from Olivia and it was a cream puff spot called Beard Papa.

This is a photo of all of their types of cream puffs. I got three different kinds: vanilla, peach, and green tea filling all with the original pastry. They were rich, decadent, and sweet; Everything you could want in a cream puff. (My favorite was the peach)

Lastly I did just a little bit of sightseeing towards the end of the week.

This is me at a Chunichi Dragons baseball game. Baseball is huge in Japan and this is the local Nagoya team. This night they won 1-0 against the Hiroshima Carp. The energy was super high the entire game, fans constantly cheering, music playing, it was so much fun. (I ended up buying a jersey because the starting pitcher did so well).

I have felt so much more comfortable in my surroundings this week and cannot wait to keep learning about and exploring this amazing country.

Until next time, さようなら, また来週

Connor Gilfillan

Mechanical Engineering

NUSIP Automotive Engineering in Nagoya, Japan

#umichenginabroad #IPENagoya #ConnorGilfillan #IPESummer24 #Japan

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ladykeane · 2 years

Text

A Late Night in Toad Town

This party is an absolute snore. Princess Peach's shindigs are always the same: ballroom dancing, finger food, champagne. Never any strippers, poker, or even strip poker. Waluigi wanders the upper halls of the Palace alone. He trips on a rug and goes crashing into a potted fern. So far, no sign of Princess Daisy.

He's here in Toad Town for the Premiere Exhibition of the Summer tennis season. Earlier that day, Daisy pulverised him on the court, and took first prize in the singles competition for her efforts. And he has now found the gold trophy winner, draped upon a moonlit balcony and crying her little heart out.

Waluigi is fairly certain about the source of her sorrow. Not only did that rat bastard Luigi and his Beanish Prince win silver in the doubles competition - they've also spent the evening sweeping across Peach's ballroom, swooning in one another's arms. Apparently, today is the couple's first formal public appearance at the Mushroom Palace. A few paps were buzzing about earlier, before being chased off by Toadsworth. Waluigi can only imagine the imminent cheesy headlines: 'Luigi & Peasley: Beaus of the Tennis Ball!'

Daisy weeps loudly, lost in her tears. He approaches as gingerly as he can, softly scraping footfalls convey his presence. His long fingers grip the marble railing, and he stands next to her silently. The night-blooming flowers in the Palace Garden are fragrant. The Princess' crying gradually softens. Waluigi murmurs, 'Your Highness...? I can get you some ice water, if you want.' 'I want chocolate and vodka.' Daisy's voice is hoarse.

It's hard for Waluigi to repress his smile, the woman is so reliably forthright. 'Maybe nix the vodka, but I can go grab you a dessert from the buffet.' As he turns to leave, Daisy's dainty fingers grasp at his sleeve. A jolt of lightning courses through his nervous system. 'On second thought... I'd rather not be alone...' She suddenly sounds so small. 'Misery loves company,' Waluigi quips, and the joke falls flat.

He leans on the railing, and she flops to the ground, sitting with her head tucked into her knees. At length she speaks again. 'This was what I wanted. This is what I fought for. A happy ending for the both of them. You know, I'm actually angry at myself for... getting this way. Luigi and Peasley are happy. They're my friends - I should be happy for them!' She swipes at her runny nose. 'Instead it's... I'm so childish.'

Waluigi takes a slow breath. 'It's the first time you've seen them make a public appearance as a couple, isn't it?' She nods. He drops down to sit beside her. 'The last few times I saw you, Your Highness, you were dead set on reuniting that green pipsqueak with his fancy-pants boyfriend. A perfect matchmaker. You didn't care at all about your own feelings for the scrawny little dweeb. Do you think that maybe... now that your job is done, your feelings are catching up with you?' Normally, talking about feelings is somewhat challenging for Waluigi (and it certainly isn't encouraged under Wario's roof). But tonight, the gods of poetry and patter are loosening his tongue.

Daisy scrunches up her face and shakes her head. 'But... I made peace with all this long ago. Even when we went out together, held hands and everything... I knew I was only kidding myself. Luigi loves me as a friend. Nothing more. He's engaged to Peasley now. He'll never, never fall in love with m-' Before she can get the last word out, another surge of grief takes her. She curls in on herself, her shoulders shaking.

A large, careful hand rests itself on Daisy's upper back. Waluigi closes his eyes, and with every cracked sob, his heart wrenches painfully. The next time he faces off with the skinny green dork, he's gonna wring that noodle neck of his. She has not flinched at his touch. He dares to rub his hand gently across her shoulder blades, hoping that his action will not be misinterpreted. He just wants her to be soothed, to be happy. The soft scent of her perfume is hard to ignore; citrus and jasmine. Once again, her tears slowly recede.

'It's okay to love someone,' He finds himself saying. 'It's okay to be heart-broken. You're not childlish.' She huffs. 'You're being awfully sweet. Watcha doing, trying to ruin your edgy bad-boy image?' Letting out a cackle, he removes his hand from her shoulders, not wanting to overstay the welcome. 'I dunno... it just sucks that you have to go through this. It's probably better if you don't go through it alone. Anything that will make you feel better...' He trails off as she catches his gaze.

The Princess declares: 'I wanna get outta here.' Waluigi nods. 'Then let's bounce!'

* * *

His 200cc model 8 Flame Runner is exactly where he'd left it, parked askew just outside the Palace walls. He doesn't have a spare helmet, so he offers his own helmet to Daisy. 'Just drive', she commands. She hops on after him, and her warm arms clasp about his midsection. After a joyride through the deserted streets of Toad Town, ending at a 24-hour diner on the outskirts of Rogueport, Daisy's mood has improved.

He sips at his coffee while she finishes a spoonful of the large chocolate sundae sitting before her. 'I like driving along the coast at night', she says. 'It's so nice to have the road all to yourself.' 'Well, we were mostly alone. Remember that guy on Blooper Bridge going twenty under the speed limit?' Daisy laughs. 'That old timer in the station wagon? He gave the dirtiest look when we overtook him! Reminded me of Wario that time you beat his record at Diamond City Raceway.'

Waluigi leans back in his seat. 'I remember that tournament. You got the bronze by annihilating Mario with one well-aimed shell. Nicely played.' 'Thank you.' He takes another lengthy sip of his surprisingly decent coffee, and allows himself to sink further into the memory. 'Then there was the after-party held at Club Spice. No ballgowns or posh pastries there... I know you probably don't wanna hear it, but you are a fantastic dancer. I'm just thankful that Luigi didn't know the tango.' 'You should be thankful that I didn't deck you for pulling me out on the dance floor like that,' Daisy shoots back. Waluigi giggles uneasily. That wild, all-too-brief tango is one of his most cherished memories, kept in a hallowed place at the back of his mind. The Princess' eyebrows lower. Her gaze hits him like a knife. '...Look, Waluigi. If you're trying to get into my pants, tonight is probably the best chance you're ever going to get.'

Wait. What...? 'I'm drowning in self-pity, I'm lonely, and still a little drunk from the champagne. Your piddly attempts to make me your latest conquest get on my nerves. I'm not too proud to admit that I'm a little desperate for a warm body, any warm body. If you want, I'll pay for the motel, and we can get it over and done with.'

He is immobile. A guttural hint of lust cracks through his shock, his carefully guarded and cultivated fantasies about what he would do with this beautiful, passionate athlete if she was willing. But the cheerless look on her face quickly makes him realise that he doesn't want this stoic transaction. '"Conquest"? No-one could conquer you. Besides, you'd hate yourself in the morning. You know you would.'

She softens, her expression mild and a bit surprised. 'Hm. You're probably right. Well... let's leave it there, then. And thank you.'

A waitress appears with a basket of fat fries, fresh from the vat. She places them before Waluigi, and after blowing on one chunky fry, he wastes no time dipping it in the remains of Daisy's half-melted sundae. 'Ew! What are you doing?' 'Trust me,' he says around a mouthful of sugary potato. 'Perfect ratio of carbs, salt, sugar, and fat.' He gestures to the basket. 'Help yourself.'

Her mouth twitching, Daisy plucks a fry and dips it briefly in the ice-cream soup. She bites down reluctantly, and then her eyes widen. 'Not bad!' The contents of the greasy, paper-lined basket slowly dwindle, as the two linger over their midnight meal.

* * *

The drive back to the Palace is slower and more relaxed. Peach's party is long since over, and the courtyard is hushed. The only sounds are the mellow trill of crickets, and two sets of feet crunching on the gravel drive. Waluigi sees her to the grand front door. 'Will I see you at Peach Dome again soon?' she asks him. 'Whenever you like.' 'Good, 'cause I can't wait to whup your ass again.' They share a quiet laugh.

'You know, the role of gentleman looks good on you,' she says, and leans up to place a tiny, chaste goodnight kiss on his cheek.

He rides back to his hotel suite, wallowing in warmth and citrus jasmine perfume. He has a new cherished memory to add to his collection.

AO3 link to this story

#waludaisy #waluigi #princess daisy #luisley #waluigi x daisy #luigi x prince peasley #here i am in the midst of bowuigi mania posting fics of my mario rarepairs #idgaf #fanfic #super mario

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scuddle-bubble101 · 4 days

Text

I swear this had something informal or good on it- oh! YEAH NOW I REMEMBER-

#serif talks #serif doodling #the mainverse #but not the mainverse #the noodles and company system talks #You two have somehow made my life harder- and lose more focus than I may ever GET back.#Firstly- YOU! your not suppose to be even that active- AND YOU-#How dare you steal my heart- and I can't even be MAD D:<!!!!#Don't get me even started on the dancing man that won't stop jiving to my misery -_-#I hate it here/hj #also hey- we are back briefly... How's it goin?

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i-am-bitterly-jittery · 2 years

Text

On Death’s Doorstep (pt 18/?)

[<<First],,,,[<Prev],[Next>] [ODD Masterlist]

Word Count: 1607

Rating: Teen

Pairing: Anxceit

Warnings: past abuse, past death, I didn’t edit this at all before posting

~~~START~~~

Janus found themself in Virgil’s apartment at least once a day. They liked his company — shut up Remus — and they were pretty sure he enjoyed theirs too. Sometimes one or both (or even more) twins were there, sometimes it was just Janus, Virgil, and Patton.

They’d been attempting over the last few weeks to teach Virgil how to cook. He’d mastered pancakes, but a healthy diet needed a little more substance.

Virgil was awful at cooking. Like, to the point where Janus thought he might be self sabotaging on purpose. Cookies seemed to go from undercooked to burnt in half a second, any and all pasta was somehow way overdone even though Janus told him how long to boil the noodles for, and meat always seemed to be burnt on the outside and undercooked — sometimes cold — on the inside.

But every time Virgil got something right, every time his food even resembled being edible, he seemed so pleased with himself…

Janus had it bad.

Today, they’d been planning on showing Virgil how to use a rice cooker — very hard to misuse a rice cooker, just scoop rice, fill to the line, and hit cook, how hard could it be? — but Patton had other plans.

“Daddy, can we go to the park?” Patton asked, wrapping his arms around Virgil’s leg and staring, pleadingly, straight up. The glasses Logan made him gave him the unfair advantage of having enormous eyes.

“Sorry, kiddo,” Virgil grimaced. “I don’t think we can go today.”

Logan was very strict about when Virgil could leave the third floor and journey up to the rooftop park, and he usually required at least a day’s notice before allowing the trip in order to make sure the roof’s safety systems were still working properly. And besides, Logan hadn’t left his lab in days — at least, as far as Janus knew he hadn’t, but it was entirely possible that he was still mad at Janus and therefore just avoiding them.

Patton, however, was allowed to go up to the rooftop at any time so long as he had a responsible adult with him (which in this case just meant anyone other than Remus, who was great with children, but terrible at being responsible).

“I can take him,” Janus was offering before their brain had the time to catch up with their mouth.

Why had they said that? They were awful with children! The first time they’d interacted with Patton, they’d only served to make his distress worse!

But Patton was staring at them with those big blue eyes, and Virgil looked so relieved.

Janus had it so bad.

So now Janus was on the roof with Patton trying not to be a complete failure as babysitter. Patton wanted to go on the swings, so Janus worried the whole time that they’d accidentally push him off the swing completely. Patton wanted to play heroes and villains, so Janus struggled to make even the most basic of dialogue — despite literally being a supervillain. Patton wanted to play tag, so Janus tried to run slowly enough to not tag Patton immediately, while also quickly enough to tag Patton eventually.

None of this came naturally to them, but Patton seemed so happy that they thought that might be ok.

“M. Janus,” Patton said eventually, tuckered out from their game of tag and lying on the foam play mats that lined the playground area. “Can I tell you something?”

“Of course,” Janus answered. They’d been lost in thought debating whether to stay standing or to sit on the ground with Patton, so the child’s serious expression startled them.

“I don’t think my papa’s coming back.”

What were they supposed to say to that!? “What makes you say that?”

“Daddy doesn’t talk about him anymore,” Patton answered, frowning at the sky. “And he gets sad when I ask.”

“Oh,” Janus said, dumbly.

“You’re nervous,” Patton observed. “Like daddy when Mr. Franky is around.”

“I’m not!” This kid was starting to freak them out, there was way too much intelligence in those eyes.

“Lying is bad,” Patton pouted, and just like that, he was a little kid again.

“I’m very sorry.��

“No you’re not!” Patton giggled.

“No,” Janus agreed, finally deciding to sit. “I am not.”

“You’re silly!” Patton laughed.

Janus cracked a smile at that. Maybe this is why people like children so much, they thought as Patton continued to giggle.

“M. Janus, do you have a daddy?” Patton asked once his giggles subsided.

“No,” Janus answered. “At least, not one that I ever knew.”

“A papa?”

“No. I used to have a mama, but she’s gone now, like your papa.” The smile slipped from their face at the memory of their mama.

“I don’t have a mommy,” Patton said. “Daddy doesn’t have a mommy either.”

“Oh.”

Asking Virgil about his old life had felt like crossing a line, but Janus was curious, and Patton was offering information…

“Have you met your grandparents?” They asked

“Uh huh!” Patton nodded happily. “Grandpa and pop pop visit a lot! Um, daddy couldn’t see them last time cuz he was busy, but Miss Sophie took me to see them in the visiting room and grandpa showed me a magic trick!”

“That sounds fun,” Janus said before their brain fully caught up to what Patton had said. “Visiting room?”

“Yeah! It’s got all sorts of games, and coloring books, and chairs for everyone to sit in! One time pop pop said it reminded him of a waiting room at the doctor’s office!”

“Oh…” Apparently, no matter how much Janus learned about the superhero program, there would still be details that managed to hit them like a ton of bricks. There was a reason they’d picked the side they’d picked, but they really thought the ‘good guys’ would at least put some effort into looking like good guys.

“Why are you sad?” Patton asked, cocking his head to the side innocently.

“It’s nothing you need to worry about, dear,” Janus reassured him gently. Patton was definitely a little too perceptive for a young child.

Patton climbed into Janus’s lap and wrapped his arms around their neck. “Don’t be sad.”

Oh, Janus thought as a wave of contentment washed over them. He’s an empath.

Their mama had been an empath, so they were quite familiar with the feeling of empathic soothing. It felt a little like being a kid again, they could almost hear their mama’s quiet humming and their sister playing in the other room. For a moment they let themself revel in the smell of bread baking and the faint sound of the fan whirling overhead.

But then Janus opened their eyes, and they were back on the rooftop. Nothing but a memory.

“Thank you, Patton,” they smiled, valiantly ignoring the faint misting of their eyes. “You are a very good cheerer-upper.”

Patton beamed proudly at the compliment.

“Now, are you ready to go back inside, or would you like to play one more game?”

“Um, can we go on the big slide?” Patton asked, once again using his large eyes to his advantage.

Virgil had mandated the first time they’d been brought up to the rooftop playground that Patton could only go down the big slide if someone was going with him. He hadn’t asked for it yet this time, but he usually asked his dad or one of the twins to go down with him at least once a trip.

“Of course, Patton.”

Patton held Janus’s hand the entire way up to the slide, and showed Janus how to sit properly so that they could hold on to Patton without the toddler going flying.

“Okay,” Janus said once they were all settled. “In three. Two. One!”

Patton screamed in delight the whole way down.

“Again, please!” He begged once he was standing on his own two — wobbly — feet.

“Hmm, I suppose one more time won’t hurt,” Janus mused. “But after that we should get going; we don’t want you daddy to worry too much.”

Patton nodded seriously as he dragged Janus back up the play structure.

“Jus’ one more time,” he agreed. “Then we have to check on daddy.”

One more trip down the slide seemed to be all it took to wear Patton out. He held his arms up for Janus to pick him up once he’d finished giggling, and showed Janus how to properly hold him so that he was settled on their hip; to Janus, it wasn’t the most natural hold, but Patton settled immediately into the crook of their neck and was out like a light.

Virgil was right there to take Patton from them as soon as they opened the door to the third-floor apartment, and Janus had a sneaking suspicion that he’d been hovering nervously by the door ever since they’d left.

“Looks like you two had fun,” Virgil commented as he transferred Patton onto his own hip. Patton mumbled something, but settled down quickly.

“Well, roughly speaking, I believe we played all of the games,” Janus joked quietly. “And we finished it all up by going down the big slide.”

“That’s nice.” It was a good thing Patton was mostly asleep otherwise he’d have been called out for lying. “I should put him down for his nap.”

“I should get going,” Janus said, turning back towards the door.

“Or,” Virgil interjected. “Maybe you could stay for a while?”

When Janus turned back around the hero’s face was bright red. They considered giving a teasing reply — why my dear Knightcaster, it almost sounds like you’re fond of me — but they didn’t want the invitation to get rescinded.

“That sounds lovely.”

~~~END~~~

AO3 comment: can’t wait to get a Janus and Patton “episode”

Me: oh yeah… that kinda needs to happen soon considering Janus is supposed to be Virgil’s love interest

So anyway, one more chapter after this in section 2 (it’s hella short, and I’ll probably post it in the next couple days)

For once in the whole time I’ve spent writing this fic the entire way forward seems clear to me, I know how to start section 3, I know what exactly happens in section 4, it’s all clear to me and I’m very excited about it (that doesn’t mean it won’t take me a while to write, but hopefully it speeds up the process a little)

ODD taglist:

@royalty-of-all-things-snuggly @pixelated-pineapple @arsonic-knight @misunderstood-shadowling @lost-in-thought-20 @remy-the-lemon-berry @jinxcrafter @apinkline2715 @gothfoxx @donutsarepartybagels @xoaningout @meganmoneky14

#sanders sides #ts sanders sides #virgil sanders #patton sanders #janus sanders #Anxceit #thursday writes #my writing #on death’s doorstep #parental moxiety #familial moxiety #superhero au

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popcornforone · 2 years

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The Innocent Boyfriends Fics:- How To Micromanage A Micromanager

Another new innocent boyfriend for you all today to make you all go a little bit crazy on this cold & rainy day.

Mostly fluff & pining & most of it being your head. Again we stop before things really get going. Some angst but not at him. Alcohol & swearing included. & reader is having a really bad time in life. Once again the story is based on the picture, it can be any man you like.

Let me know if I’ve missed anything out peoples.

It’s been a very long week. The meeting haven’t stopped & your just so out of it. You genuinely just want to go home, do a work out, have a shower & put on some catch up tv as you eat your noodles & then fall asleep. That would be ideal. But no.As you go to leave your boss screams at, you don’t forget our network mixer tonight. As the lift goes down you silently let the tears fall down your face. Your weekend start is now being ruined too.

When you get home you do very quickly have a shower & throw on a better dress (but not too much better a dress) than what you wear to work. You straighten your hair & actually do your make up for once, properly. You then send your boyfriend who’s away until Tuesday a msg *babes this weeks been hell, what I’d love is a face time but I’ve got to go to a mixer event, can we do that tomorrow xx* & you send it. You know it will just say delivered & just stay like that but you can’t complain, the man’s got a busy life.

You walk around the networking mixer at a saunter. Your feet just about clinging into the sexy heels you’ve put on, & you have been sipping the same glass all night of fizz, as the canapés are all fish or avocado based, food your can’t stand, so you don’t want to get drunk. Your boss comes up to you & asks what you’ve secured for the company so far & you round off some random numbers to make it sound half decent. he pats your hair patronising & says “well you had best be in tomorrow to put them on the system, to act on them on Monday.” His micromanagement really does your head in, but you love your independence & career & the actual owner of the company appreciates you more so you don’t say a thing & just move on. It’s just one more hoop to jump through, but right now your really wishing you were eating those noodles.

It’s gets to the part of the night when your boss is up on stage, talking about how all these different groups aspire to be more & are a better family… blah blah blah, you hear this every Monday morning from him as a rally cry to the office. You’ve completely tuned out when suddenly your ears pick up the words “good evening ladies & gentlemen”. You look up frozen to the spot dropping your glass to the floor making it shatter & various eyes turn to look at you as you stand there motionless, like a debugged sim. He’s here. Your Boyfriend is here.

He’s obviously used to the noise of the smash & the few tuts, as he continues his preplanned press endorsement of this mixer. It’s only when he goes to point at someone by the back wall that he realises you are here. He stumbles on his next 4 lines. Usually the consummate professional at everything, you in that dress having put in some effort, makes him feel certain things. You can see him really being effect by you & that makes you realise that he needs to see you as much as you need to see him. He glances at you bashfully when you both realise he’s mucked up. You your do a breath gesture at him. “I’m sorry” he states to the room “at least you now all know, us actors can’t just get it right on the first take” a stutter of uperty laughs fill the room, before he adjusts his tie & continues to the end. Altho he is now feeling more than just flustered.

The room fills with polite applause when he’s done & various people go up to him for a selfie & for 5 mins of his time. So many girls putting their hands on what rightfully yours. You head to the ladies to sort yourself out & thats when you check your phone. 4 missed calls from him & a few msgs, the last one consisting of *your boss is a wanker I can punch him if you like* he’s been watching you all night. His other msgs were he was back early but was at a boring press thing to & then others about omg your here, turn around. He’s finding this corporate event as pissy as you are but at least he’s getting paid to be here, you aren’t. But now at least knowing he’s here it’s bearable .

When you come out the ladies, your boss is almost lurking for you & says he needs you to network with someone every important, before walking you into a private part of the party. There he’s stood looking suave in that blue suit & the whitest shirt you think you’ve ever seen. Eyes that light up as he glances across which your pretty sure yours are mirroring. Your boss then introduces you to him & you both shake hands & then he starts talking about the company. He’s completely unaware that you know each other at all let alone that you’ve been dating for the last 18months. You both then drift off looking at each other, & ignore him talking, but it’s only when your eyes roll that he stops. “I’m sorry what was that?do your want to work Sunday as well & put in everyone’s contacts?” He bluntly asks. “Sir can’t you see that your brilliant member of staff is tired & would like nothing more than to go back to her flat & have a foot massage while she falls asleep” he states. It’s suddenly got very warm in the room for you. The idea of his hands starting at your feet & moving there way up your body gives you tingles that are hard to control. “Well shed best be in the office tomorrow “ “tell me miss…” & he pauses questioningly waiting you to respond with your full name, & like the pro that you are you do so. “does your contract say you work weekends?” “No it’s a 9to5 Monday to Friday” you respond. “But she…” “ahhh ah I’m not done yet speaking to her” he hushes your boss his celebrity status his slowly giving you a bit more power & confidence without asking for it.

“& does your contract, mean you have to attend networking mixers without being paid, or be on your laptop at 3am when he calls you, or telling you annual leave has to be taken on certain days” your proud of him for standing up to him but your boss just looks confused, he’s still not worked it out yet. “no it doesn’t” “& is this man,other than being a micromanager, actually pay your wages?” “No” “so in that case you need to go home & have that foot massage miss” he smiles at you & touches your shoulder, which sends shivers down your spine. ““I’m sure you’ve got a handsome other half to go home to who can look after you like a queen” his eyes dilate with lust & he nods at the door “she doesn’t have time for a boyfriend & how dare you chastise me in from of one” he put a finger to his lips shhhhhing him & his calm eyes turn dark with anger “your lucky to have her work for you, you should appreciate every thing she does to make you look good, because all I’ve seen from you tonight sir is poor management & I will actually be informing the company’s owner as to what’s happening in their business” he’s fucked him off now. For a man 5mins ago who was busy introducing your to your lover,as some kinda power trip was ,now he’s left standing there having small dick syndrome. You said to your boss good night & that you’d see him on Monday. You did stop before you left & turned around & said”oh & it was a pleasure to meet you.” He smirks at that as he heads toward the door to “I’m a fan of all your work & I think your skills are unmatched” his eyes, not seen by your boss, roll in his head in lust, biting his bottom lip. He can’t wait to get in to treat you like an angle, but he knows he can’t be seen leaving with you, especially after what just gone down.

You get a taxi but ask them to wait as you pop in a shop on your way home, which for once they do. & you but a new bottle of Chilean red & a bunch of tulips. If he’s coming back to yours, you want your place to look good. You get to your flat & see the light is on. You are sure you turned in off as you left earlier, although it was in a rush. You walk in & hear music playing from the bedroom. “Don’t worry I’m not a burglar but I know who’s stolen your spirit” is said out loud. You throw the flowers in the sink, they can wait & lock the door, stumbling to the bedroom.

There he’s sat, on your spare chair. The tie,shoes & socks are gone & he’s just admiring your dress. He gestures to the edge of the bed & you sit down & finally breath. “Was it you that wanted a foot massage then?” As you point at his large feet. “ oooh my needs can wait my love” & he bends down & slips you feet out of those sexy black heels & your silky tights. His hands work on the balls of your feet almost pushing you over the edge at nothing but his touch. Something that you’ve missed so much.

“So why are you back now & not Tuesday” you ask somehow, you’ve lost track of your senses. “I’m not complaining, & I also didn’t get your txts till after I saw you” he moves on the next foot & moves his chair closer to you. “I finished my filming, yesterday & then someone else couldn’t make the speech tonight, so my agent asked me if I could” his hands are so large & soothing making you coo. “Please tell me you got paid to deal with the majority of those wankers” your eyes are now shut just enjoying the attention. He was so right you needed this massage. “Yes I did, probably more than what your take home is a month” “is that’s pop at me?” You ask & you learn your head forward “no but you don’t need to work for that guy, he’s very manipulative & I will be calling the owner to say he doesn’t treat his staff properly” both your feet are now in his lap. & he’s worked his way to your ankles & he puts a kiss on both of them.

“& yes you did need a massage babes, but so did your ego & confidence” you can sense that the next few words your other half is going to say may tip you over the edge. “& I will give that to you whenever I’m here, day or night, because your deserve the world & im just lucky to be apart of your world” you slide off the bed & straight onto his lap, putting your feet behind the chair. It’s jolts him a little at the swiftness of your move, but he’s been very good not to go too far already. You put your hands on his cheeks & pull him in for a slow deep kiss. Something you’ve not had from him in 5 weeks. Something that as his tongue brushes across your teeth you let him in to engulf the two of you. You slide his jacket down while you’re embracing & rediscovering each other.

His hand is at the small of his back as he try’s to find your zip, & as he does & he moans into your mouth, you hear the snap. The chair breaks & crumples into a million pieces beneath the two of you. You let out a a small scream & you fall on top of him, your heart pounding for lots of reason. When you look at him he’s laughing “I’m guessing you’re okay baby?” You ask, his laugh is very infectious so you start to giggle too. “ oh darling, I’ve never felt so good in such a long time” he shifts his weight to his elbows & pulls himself up before taking your with him & depositing you on the bed. “I say that but we haven’t started the main activity for the weekend yet” he is now above you & is taking your lips once again to paradise. “& you are not going to work tomorrow, your boyfriend & your speech maker demands that.” “I wasn’t going to babes, the only thing I want to be working on this weekend is you.” You whisper back at him one hand in his hair the other reaching for his buttons.”I didn’t even have to micromanage you to get you to come for me” You close your eyes & sigh. It maybe late on Friday but you now never want this night to end.

#minifics #boyfriend fics #fluff #innocentboyfriend #smutt

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zannatykhatun · 8 months

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Local life live broadcast, a new "track" emerging?

In 2016, before Taobao Live was officially launched, the shopping guide platform Mogujie had quietly launched a live broadcast function. This model, which was similar to TV shopping, seemed very "alien" in the show live broadcasts that were full of shouting and dancing at the time. But in just three years, Taobao Live’s annual GMV exceeded 200 billion, doubling in one year.

From a show-like talent show to hundreds of HE Tuber millions of Chinese people’s new shopping carts, e-commerce live broadcasts have cultivated super anchors, which in turn have brought super sales, profoundly affecting the direction of China’s Internet business model.

But outside of "super", iResearch data shows that the online penetration rate of the local life track in 2021 is only 12.7%, mostly composed of a large number of small and medium-sized businesses. So, how can these local small and medium-sized businesses that focus on three meals a day, firewood, rice, oil, and salt participate in live broadcasts to gain revenue?

The answer is a new track, local life live streaming.

It is taking a completely different path from e-commerce live streaming - a complete local life live broadcast includes three stages: online live broadcast display, online ordering and offline consumption. Among them, offline consumption means the write-off rate, which is the most One of the important indicators is related to the sustainability of local life live broadcast.

For example, even if it is a national brand like Mixue Ice City or McDonald's, with the help of the exposure brought by local live broadcasts, it will eventually be converted into orders for different stores in various provinces and cities. Only when the write-off is completed, will the entire chain be closed-loop. . In other words, the main body of local life live broadcasts is specific stores, not brands.

Recently, according to media reports: Meituan App has launched a fixed entrance for live broadcast. Starbucks, Haidilao, Super Orangutan, and No. 9 Hot Spring Lifestyle Center have all tried Meituan live broadcast. Consumers can place orders at nearby stores and watch and buy at the same time. 30 Delivery is within minutes, and many merchants say their order conversion rates are 3-5 times higher than other platforms.

Coincidentally, last year, Wumart also launched hourly delivery service in the Douyin live broadcast room.

As local life live broadcasts become increasingly popular, this article attempts to explain, what is local life live broadcasts? What is the difference between it and e-commerce live broadcast and content live broadcast? For regional merchants, how to seize the new opportunities of local life live broadcasts to achieve low-cost and accurate customer acquisition?

1. Live streaming of local life, the key is “local”

Live streaming is becoming a standard feature in the retail industry.

Since last year, Ginza Supermarket, a long-established retail company in Shandong, has established a three-level live broadcast system of "headquarters-store-counter". It has developed more than 5,000 store anchors and has a KPI of "at least two live broadcasts per week in stores". The platforms are Meituan and Douyin.

"I grabbed a few barrels of cooking oil. When the takeaway boy knocked on the door and delivered it, the anchors on the mobile phone screen were still talking. It felt amazing." A customer in Qingdao tried the "see and order now" for the first time during June 18 this year. Instantly reach” local life live broadcast.

Compared with e-commerce live broadcasts that are a national game of chess and centralized delivery, local life live broadcasts are obviously closer to consumers. And this "close" distance also means that the customer source it needs to attract is not general traffic, but more precise traffic - the right people who see the live broadcast at the right time and in the right place.

For example, if you recommend Datong Sliced Noodles from a South Third Ring Road community to white-collar workers who work in Wangjing during the afternoon tea time, this part of the traffic will be invalid. Although it brings clicks, orders and write-offs cannot be placed.

Specifically, a complete local life live broadcast includes three stages: [A] online live broadcast display [B] online ordering [C] offline consumption, all three are indispensable. In contrast, the process of completing an e-commerce live broadcast is [A+B], and pure content live broadcast only requires [A].

It can be seen that offline consumption constitutes the core factor that distinguishes local life live broadcasts from the other two. The “offline” mentioned here includes both consumers taking the initiative to go to offline stores to redeem experience coupons for eating, drinking and entertainment, and also including goods being delivered to their doorsteps through takeaway riders.

All in all, the final service of local life live broadcast needs to be undertaken by offline physical stores, which drives the sales of offline physical stores.

When [traffic accuracy] forms the core of local life live broadcasts, the measurement criterion for live broadcast effects is no longer "how many people watch", but "how many people buy and cancel", which is the final conversion rate.

Data shows: On June 19, the transaction volume of Ginza Supermarket exceeded 300,000 yuan during Meituan’s live broadcast, driving the transaction market to more than double year-on-year. The TOP3 most popular products among consumers in the live broadcast room are Blue Moon laundry detergent, Luhua peanut oil, and Goodnon frozen durian meat—either large items that are difficult to pick up by yourself, or fresh food that requires timeliness, all based on Insights into the immediate needs of local consumers.

Comparing Douyin and Meituan, the two current players in the local life live broadcast track, it can be clearly found that Douyin's gameplay focuses more on traditional e-commerce live broadcasts, driving traffic and promoting popular products; although Meituan has less traffic than Douyin, However, due to the natural consumption attributes of platform users and the coverage of nearby stores, the conversion rate of order placement and write-off is much higher than that of other platforms.

According to third-party statistics, the average conversion rate of orders for live streaming by Meituan’s local merchants exceeds 30%, and the conversion rate can reach more than 80% in some scenarios. The write-off rate of these orders ultimately converted into store sales exceeds 90%.

“The number of viewers in Meituan’s live broadcast room is not large, but thousands of orders have been generated. The conversion rate is 3-5 times that of other platforms. Placing orders on the spot is equivalent to a 100% write-off rate, and the traffic is instantly converted into real money. sales volume," Gu Hongzhi, deputy director of the Ginza Group's Digital Operations Center, revealed.

It can be seen that merchants’ expectations for Meituan’s live broadcast are more likely to be accurate traffic and high conversion rate, rather than general exposure.

2. Recalculate an account

"How much will it cost?" This is a question most frequently raised by bosses in business interviews.

The retail industry is a tough business with gross profit margins that continue to hover between 10% and 20%. Every piece of steel spent must be priced.

Compared with fast-moving consumer goods brands that frequently invest billions of resources in anchors to bring goods, catering is a more regional and dispersed industry, with limited potential customers, and it pays more attention to conversion rate/input-output ratio.

However, for a long time, local businesses have lacked cost-effective marketing channels, and the cost of acquiring customers through the Internet has become increasingly high.

Let’s do a detailed calculation:

If local businesses want to build their own teams for live broadcast, they need at least three costs - labor costs, product discounts, and delivery fees. In the early days, most merchants’ labor costs accounted for 70%, product profits were 30%, and there were no advertising expenses. In the later period, labor costs will decrease and advertising expenses will increase. The "Douyin Merchant Survival Report for the First Half of 2022" shows that among the top 200 best-selling live broadcast rooms, 70% of the viewers come from paid streams.

An owner of a hotpot restaurant in Fujian said that the shelf life of platform traffic has "become shorter" and the launch cycle has accelerated from 6 months to 2 months. As Douyin traffic is diluted faster and faster, sometimes you may have to push it once a month to catch up with new dishes. And "the difficulty is that posting a few random promotions will have no effect at all. You need to submit dozens of posts each time, which adds up to the price."

Take Douyin's streaming tool as an example. The massive local promotion function is more powerful than DOU+. It can stop advertising, expand from 6 to 10 kilometers to 20 kilometers locally, and screen precise people. It is a tool that is more suitable for monetizing commercial traffic. .

But the question is whether local life live broadcasts with strong LBS attributes require traffic 20 kilometers away.

Massive local promotion is one of the streaming tools chosen by live streaming merchants (screenshot of official website)

In this sense, the traffic that is more friendly and stable to local physical merchants is the natural traffic that is already “nearby”.

After all, their business scope is only local, and at least half of the money spent on advertising on content platforms is wasted. They need a local life platform that reaches 3-5 kilometers nearby and directly leads to transactions.

In addition, merchants often need to pay pit fees, product commissions, brand fees, etc. for the live broadcast of the master. The master uses this part of the fee to buy traffic to increase the popularity of the live broadcast. But in the end, the master continues to accumulate attention, and the merchant must pay for each live broadcast. Pay.

Guohai Securities believes that: looking at the platform commission rate alone, Douyin group buying commission is lower than Meituan, but Douyin merchants rely more on local group buying experts to bring goods. The commission rate of the experts is superimposed on the platform commission, and the overall expense rate is higher than that of Meituan. group.

Take meal delivery as an example: Meituan’s commission rate is 3%, Douyin’s is 2.5%, and the master’s commission rate is 3%-8%.

Compared with e-commerce, local stores urgently need lower-cost and more efficient live broadcast customer acquisition channels. At present, most Meituan merchants participate in live broadcasts through "official live broadcasts" or "staff self-broadcasts". There are no advertising costs, so product discounts can be kept to a minimum.

Pandora is a hair salon chain brand in Shanghai. I have done live broadcasts of local life before, and 618 mainly uses Meituan’s official live broadcast room to sell goods.

According to reports, the average customer acquisition cost of Pandora stores is 100-120 yuan. More than 1,000 orders were sold during this live broadcast. Calculated based on the ratio of one-third of new customers, it is equivalent to saving more than 30,000 yuan in new customer acquisition costs. At present, the team has not tried self-broadcasting, and all the saved labor costs and delivery costs have been used for product discounts. "We have not given such a low price in the past three or four years."

3. The future of distributed live broadcast?

As Meituan, Douyin, etc. have entered the local life live broadcasting industry, the value of this new track needs to be re-examined.

“Attracting new customers depends on online, and retaining customers depends on offline.” A catering owner who has been live broadcasting on multiple platforms for three years summed up his business philosophy. Live streaming of local life is a more cost-effective and flexible customer acquisition channel, but the final retention depends on the quality of store service.

Public reports indicate that Ginza Group has upgraded its channel requirements for live broadcasts and currently requires stores to broadcast at least two live broadcasts per week. This means that consumers anywhere in Shandong who open Meituan may see live broadcasts from nearby Ginza supermarkets. The content of the live broadcast may be the ultra-low price of Blue Moon laundry detergent, it may be a tasting of spicy crayfish, or it may be news that Guangdong lychees have been flown to the store.

There will be more and more regional small-scale live broadcasts like this. Consumers go to Taobao to stock up on branded, low-price products, Douyin to buy good products they like based on their interests, and Meituan to find nearby stores for immediate consumption. This difference determines that the main body of Meituan’s live broadcast is physical stores. The platform will not focus on official live broadcasts, there will be no star anchors, and national brands will not be the protagonist.

More and more local businesses have joined Meituan Live (Screenshot of Meituan app)

According to news on the evening of July 11, Sina Technology learned that a fixed entrance to "Meituan Live" appeared in the recommended position on the first screen of the Meituan App. In addition to official live broadcast rooms such as "Shenshou" for food delivery merchants and Meituan Travel Live Broadcast Room, there are also many self-broadcast live broadcast rooms for local merchants.

It can be seen that the ultimate form of Meituan's live broadcast may be: in any region and at any time, nearby stores will spontaneously set up mobile phones to conduct small-scale "distributed" live broadcasts.

This is the future of local life live streaming.

columnist

Daozong Youli, WeChat public account: Daozong Youli (ID: daotmt), everyone is a product manager columnist. Formerly known as Wai Daodao, he is an independent writer and an in-depth observer of the Internet and technology circles.

This article was originally published on Everyone is a Product Manager and may not be reproduced without permission.

The title image is from Unsplash and is licensed under CC0.

The opinions in this article represent only the author's own. The Renren Product Manager platform only provides information storage space services.

#HETuber #Music #Gaming #Entertainment #Sports #Science And Technology

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tsuki-sennin · 1 year

Text

Attention! CipherDefender.exe has intercepted an unknown transmission, "Shinobi46.txt" from A.R. World untouched by the Desire Grand Prix. Extracting this file can cause damage to your GlareOS/GazerOS system. DGP Management will immediately and painfully replace you in the event of network compromise or Master Suel's game of PUBG lagging. Proceed anyway?

->Yeah sure, why not? Heck no at all!

Running Shinobi46.txt...

Nin-Pow! Episode 46 of Shinobi! Sniff... oh Kanjo... How I miss you so... may Geiz Revive from Decade Season 2 carry thee to thy rest.

I thank you all for accompanying me these past 45 episodes. We laughed, we cried, we made new friends and foes. I got to date a smoking hot kunoichi and now we get paid to laze around and do nothing... life is good.

Spoilers, I guess...

-Oh don't remind me! Sniff... these damn recaps...

-You're the most evilest son of a bitch I've ever done seen in a Ninja show, Amakusa. I mean, Jesus Christ! ...literally.

-Ganbare, Rentaro-san!

-They got Bomb Chick, Kusarigama Dude, Kunai Lady... and my babygirl... Sai Guy...

-Whoa wait a sec OTHER WORLD NINJA RIDERS????

-Who the hell is this doofus?

-Keiwhat now?!

-TYCOON???

-I thought he was the Geats guy!

-Oh thank god, Izanagi. I feel better.

-Icchi..... I miss you...

-Oh that's nice, Dork-on and his cute sister got added to the intro.

-Oh man... showing me episode 3 knowing I'm crying... I hate this show sometimes, I swear.

-Oh that's a cool belt. I wonder what kinda toys you sold in your world?

-Jamado?

-OH FUCK THE GENIN

-Do you need a reason, Keita? Or whatever your name is?

-Oh, down he goes!

-Bro doesn't know about the Ninja Act lmao

-Rentaro-kun...

-Gamano-sama!

-...this dude talks to lawn ornaments. Weirdo. Not like us, we talk to wall scrolls!

-Oh that Gamano. Always so well informed.

-Y'know I wish that neechan was the Ninja Rider from your world. She seems to have a backbone!

-That kagemusha is my friend, Geronimo.

-Oh wow, he can just... instantly tell from that Daikon guy's belt, huh?

-Amakusa's a gold digger.

-Things have gotten real bad for us all, Keitai.

-Boooooo! Booooohoooooohooooooo!

-"Hah... Dumbass."

-Rentawooooo :((((

-He hungwy :((

-I still can't believe we've gone this long with Iroha still knowing nothing about Shinobi's identity. Not like in [REDACTED] Sentai [REDACTED]. Sun Wukong and pals are the most open and functional of friends!

-Shinobi-samaaaaaaaa~!

-Ah, a noodle boy? You do seem like you drop your spaghetti a lot.

-No ninja wedding? Okay, sure.

-...Something tells me K-Touch's sister gets fridged somehow in her world. Poor lass. I don't even get told your name.

-Oooh, fuck 'em up Iroha!

-Oh right, Amakusa's magic glass lotus thing.

-So, Ketamine hides his secret too. I wonder how hard Trigon has it with those Jamiroquai guys?

-Diet Ryuki, huh? I bet you're wishing for something cringe like "world peace" or whatever.

-NINPO! ...Nin-No!

-Gotta hand it to Canine, he seems to know his way around a fight.

-Rickshaw express to Konjou Company!

-Oh, there's neechan.

-Amakusa would have a private Christian wedding. Great attention to detail there, Kaori-sensei.

-Stop the wedding!

-There's Keijo's belty thingy.

-Oh shit!

-FUMA HOLY FUCK

-Movie Riders showing up in-series never happens unless it's Decade or Decade 2!

-Who... who's this green guy though? The Great Prophet Master Woz, who served under the wonderful Geiz Revive, never had a watch for this lime dude. ...he looks cool, I'll give him that. Also... strangely familiar...

-Bro doesn't even know about Rider Fights lmao

-And Kayfabe hits the floor!

-C'mon Kagenari, you've got a daughter!

-And youuuu.... Green Guy! You have somebody you care about, right?

-OH FUCK THERE HE IS

-Shun Sugata! The man! The Ninja!

-You're looking great, Ryo!

-Ooooooooohoohohohohoho, goes hard!

-He's helping us!

-"C-Cyborgs?" Indeed he is, Kiddie Kong!

-Excellent technique, Neesan!

-GET FUCKED

-Freeee!

-"...this isn't Madoka's track meet."

-"...Kento????? Bro????"

-...why do I know that name?

-"Oh man, Niichan...I hope you stop sucking soon."

-ZX's ninja gadgets are always so sick <3

-Ooooooh!

-It's nice seeing Kagenari do good :)

-Oh, this green guy's a book guy, huh?

-:OO

-ISAMICHI

-AMAKUSA YOU FUCKER

-Another Hattari!

-...is there retooling from Yaminin in that suit?

"-Icchi, come on man! I don't wanna fight you again! Remember how much we were fighting in the 20 mark?"

-Oh, there's Senhor Geronimo.

-Oh wow... Taiko's got a cool form. ...that buckly thingy he's got on his belt looks fun to play with too. Kinda like the Shuriken Starter!

-Get in there, Shinobi!

-Well, he's down! Oh, not yet!

-Whoa... you're cool.

-Get in there, Rentaro!

-OH HELLO

-Shinobi Buckle!

-Keiwa-kun! ...no, Kamen Rider Tycoon! Show that jerk who's boss!

-IZANAGI TIME

-Twinsies~!

-...WAIT A FUCKING SECOND THAT'S LORD WOZ'S SHINOBI ARMOR

-...have I been shit-talking his successor?

-Ohhhhhh, that's so sweet, they're singing it together :3

-At last... the holy ninjutsu!

-Rider Double Slash?

-The other Ninjas...

-Ninja Riders, Squad Up!

-Kamen Rider ZX! Kamen Rider Fuuma! Kamen Rider Kenzan! ...apparently! Kamen Rider Tycoon! Kamen Rider... Shinobi!

-Go forth, Ninjas!

-Holy Ninjutsu! Five Footed Assault!

-Isamichiiiiii

-ICCHIIIIIIIIII

-Noooooo, nooo Icchiiii...

-Noooo...

-Amakusa, you fucker!

-Thank you... Ryo-senpai...

-Little Bro Keiwa, vanishing whenever there's trouble.

-Thank you, Keiwa :)

-See you around, Keiwa-kun.

-OH?

-OH SHIT THIS GUY'S GOT HIS OWN THEME SONG

-Damn, I bet the guy in Geats World must freak out whenever he hears it.

-Pffft... Geats... bet he's some kinda Beowulf type.

-...bet his actor's a real fox though.

-Wait for us, Icchi.

-Shirou, you monster

-SON :O

-Oh man, I can't wait to talk about this on social media with all my Rider Bros.

-I heard that up and comer Fuku Suzuki is a big fan!

[This concludes the decoded transmission. The World of Shinobi has been added to DGP Record as potential stage for next DGP Series upon World of Geats reaching Grand End.]

#kamen rider #geats #kr geats #geats spoilers #kamen rider geats #kr shinobi #kamen rider shinobi #shinobi spoilers #the world's next round: trick shot of desire for the grand victory #the blade of one's heart: dancing beyond the sky #(hi it's tsuki i have an explanation for all this)#(i accidentally got like EVERY cool thing from this special spoiled for me so...)#(i'm coping by envisioning a reality in which i got nothing spoiled for me~! hot time!)#(by the way I absolutely LOVE the sheer 'commit to the bit' behind the Shinobi stuff)#(It's like if Goncharov had ninjas)

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ahundredtimesover · 2 years

Text

The Light of Dead Stars (06) | KSJ

Pairing: Seokjin x (f.) Reader; side Seokjin x (f.) OC; side Reader x Namjoon

Genre/Tags: arranged marriage, fake romance, boss/workmate aus; angst, drama, fluff, smut; slow burn

Chapter Warnings: Foul language, alcohol consumption; sensual jokes; feelings (18+)

Chapter Word count: 12k

Series Masterlist | Muse Moodboard | Setting Moodboard

Status: Complete

Series summary: Your unconventional arranged marriage with your company’s President, Kim Seokjin, is necessary, practical, and simple - both your families benefit, and he minds his own business and so do you. But when a slip-up causes his parents to believe that you and he are in love, you have no choice but to pretend you are, especially with the trip to France for his brother’s wedding coming up. When you get back to Seoul, things start to change, and Seokjin is faced with the most difficult decision he has to make.

A/N: Hmm things are starting to really pick up now!

So all these years–since when?–he had been seeing the light of dead stars, long extinguished, yet seemingly still in their appointed places in the heavens.

You’re greeted with a large bowl of ramyeon when you enter your best friend’s apartment, exciting your senses. For all the Korean ingredients at Jin’s grandparents’ holiday home, instant noodles is what they didn’t have, and you’d been too busy at work since you got back that you hadn’t thought of making it yourself.

You spent yesterday at your parents’ for a day trip and it’s now Sunday, your deserved day for your friends to catch up. You give Jungkook the set of essential oils you got him for his 2 dozen diffusers; Dara gets her fancy wine because she thinks she needs more sophisticated booze in her system; and Jimin is gifted with a pair of earrings that are as pretty as he is.

“Aww, ___. You didn’t have to, but these are so pretty,” he chirps.

“Yah, don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love this but aren’t you saving up to pay off your debts quicker so you can get out of that sham marriage of yours?” Dara asks.

You chuckle, missing her bluntness. “Well, I set aside money for this since I didn’t want to seem pitiful to Jin. Plus, he would’ve spent for me if I didn’t buy anything,” you explain. “Also, it’s not a sham marriage, okay? Just an unconventional one.”

“An unconventional one with feelings,” Jungkook says, slurping his soup.

You glare at him.

“What? You’re not denying it,” he glares back.

“Well, I’m denying it now,” you state.

“That could mean refusal to admit the truth,” he says.

“Or a declaration of untruth,” you arch a brow. “Why are you trying to outsmart me, Kook? Jin and I had 2 weeks in France where we pretended to be in love. Sure, it wasn’t hard; we sort of just had to be our usual comfortable selves with some hand holding and kissing, no big deal.”

“If those plump lips touched any part of me, I’d be in love,” Dara, unsurprisingly, says.

“I’m not you, so there’s that,” you counter.

“Fine, if you don’t wanna talk about Jin, then let’s talk about the other fine ass man in your life, aka Joonie boy,” she says. “How was seeing him? What did you talk about other than him suggesting that you run away with him?”

You sigh, recalling that day. It feels so far away yet the scent and the touch and the sound of him still linger.

“Stuff,” you shrug. “Some things can be said over the phone or written in letters and some, you just have to hear and see them, you know? He’s well, doing lots of amazing things and enjoying every minute of it. He asked if Jin treats me well and I said yes, and he looked pleased. And I just talked about work and mundane things.”

“Wow, years of not seeing each other and you just caught up?” Dara asks, unimpressed.

“I know,” you sigh, leaning on Jimin’s shoulder and hugging the pillow for comfort. “I thought maybe he’d bring up coming home or seeing how he and I could work out. But he waited until the last minute to ask if I wanted to go to Italy with him, start a life there, as if he just thought of it right before we had to part again.”

“God, what is up with that man? Why can’t he just make a decision?” Jimin groans.

“He did,” Jungkook chimes in. “He decided to stay then, and then decided to leave, and he decides every day that whatever his life out there is better than the one he could have next to her.”

“Ooh, that burns,” Dara pouts.

“I keep thinking that maybe that last-second invite to elope meant he’s still holding onto the rope by its edges,” you say, ignoring Jungkook’s statement.

“Yeah, just so he doesn’t lose you completely, but he’s not pulling you back in, either,” he counters.

You release a long sigh and play with your fingers, which is your usual tell that you’re holding back from crying, so Jimin snuggles you - the rare time you let him - and you drown in his embrace. You’ve been trying hard to keep your emotions at bay since you saw Namjoon, not knowing what to think or feel about seeing the man you’ve wanted for so long walk away again.

“Did you ask him to come back? I mean, he asked you to run away with him, but there’s another option, which is him being with you, here,” Dara says.

“I don’t want to be disappointed so I don’t ask, because he’ll just say it’ll be soon like he always does, and I’ll wait because what else is there left to do?”

“Well, it’s a good thing you didn’t ask again. At least then you didn’t give him a chance to make another promise he can’t keep,” Jimin tries to comfort you. “But you gotta be realistic, too, you know? How long will you be waiting? You’ve got a life here, with your husband who's a pretty great guy.”

“A husband who has a girlfriend,” you correct.

“Hmm, let’s see how long that lasts,” Jungkook says, yelping when you throw the pillow on his face.

“What! I’m just saying. You spend 2 weeks in France with your husband being all lovey-dovey and you can’t tell me that neither of you are looking for that same intimacy you had there. It’s not like he could get that from her daily now that you’re both back,” he continues. “Which brings me to my question - how have you guys been since you got back?”

“Hmm, the same I guess? We've been so busy at work, we barely see each other. We haven’t had dinner for the past 3 days since he’s always in meetings or probably seeing Seri and then I went to see my parents yesterday.”

“And now you’re here with us,” Dara cocks an eyebrow.

“I miss you guys,” you flutter your eyes.

“Yeah, whatever. But Kook’s onto something, though. You went through college faking smiles at me so I know when it’s genuine. And those photos with Jin tell me just how much fun you had with him. Who knows what he’s thinking, too?” She adds. “But just to remind you, there’s wedding ceremony #2 coming up. Are you ready for another night of faking? If that’s still what it is?”

You disregard her last question but agree with being ready. Honestly, Jin is the one who feels quite far away from you. After 2 weeks of sleeping next to him and waking up to his soft smile, the past few days feel different.

It’s not that you miss him. You definitely don’t because that’s just insane, but it’s like reality truly hit you - you’re back to living under the same roof but separately; he still has a girlfriend and there’s still a man who chooses everyday to not be with you. Jin has barely spoken to you since you both got back, and there’s that part of you that wonders if those 2 weeks had just been a dream, and you hate that it suddenly matters; you hate that you wish it didn’t.

Jin isn’t avoiding you. Or more like, he convinces himself that he isn’t avoiding you.

The night you both got back, he didn’t get a wink of sleep. He tossed and turned in bed when he’s usually a stiff sleeper. He kept shifting to his side, telling himself he didn’t wish that it was your snoring that he was met with.

It felt like he’d just closed his eyes and then his alarm was going off, which was also rare since he always woke up before it. It was obvious that he didn’t sleep and he knew you’d notice and he wouldn’t know what to say so he rushed to work and didn’t wait for you. He was filled with meetings that next day until the late evening and had Yoongi look for a nice restaurant that was still open at 11PM. Jin did the same thing the next day.

He woke up late that Saturday to a text of you saying that you’d be taking the train to Gwangju, and he completely forgot about it because if he actually spoke to you, you’d remind him, but he’d been chickening out even just texting you so he wasn’t able to have Mr. Lim drive you there, so he spent that day worrying about you instead.

Yesterday, you went out with your friends. He figured that you were trying to spend time with others after those 2 weeks with him and he doesn’t blame you. Maybe if he took up Seri’s invitation to meet up that weekend, he’d have something to do, but it didn’t feel right being with her. That, and he really had to sleep, so he spent it playing games the whole day and then passing out in bed after.

It’s now Monday and he feels like he’d just run a marathon. He’s still exhausted, and while he psyched himself up to see you in the morning, you’re the one who was out early to attend a food expo just outside the city.

He’s about to snap at Yoongi for chiding him for avoiding you when you suddenly call, and Jin almost drops his phone in surprise but then lets it ring thrice before he picks up.

“Hey, ___. Everything okay? How is it there?” He asks, trying to sound calm.

“Yeah I’m fine, and it’s nice here. I’m getting a few ideas but I’ve mostly been eating,” you chuckle. “And you?”

“Good, just running through some things with Yoongi,” he replies. “It’s midday but I feel like I’ve barely done much.”

“Well, you’ve been so busy. I checked on you last night to see if you wanted to have dinner with me but you were passed out in bed. Please tell me you’ve at least been eating,” you sigh.

You went to check up on him last night? Damn it.

“Yeah, don’t worry. Eating is something I cannot miss,” he says.

“Okay, good. So, uh, will you be free tonight? I’m craving pizza. I’ve been thinking about the one we had in one of the alleys in Grasse,” you reply dreamily. “So maybe we can have that, if you’re not too busy?”

“Tonight?” Jin asks, checking his tablet after Yoongi makes an “X” sign to see what he’s gonna have to reschedule. It’s a late afternoon meeting with one of their Asian distributors and that usually lasts hours.

“Sure, I can see you tonight,” Jin says to Yoongi’s dismay, who merely shakes his head because he really doesn’t like talking to that man’s secretary. “Will you still drop by here or I’ll meet you at the restaurant instead?

“I can meet you at the restaurant; it’ll be a while before I get to leave here.”

“Alright, I’ll see you then,” he says, hanging up after you say your goodbye.

Yoongi’s arched eyebrow is what meets him as he looks up.

“Didn’t you just postpone dinner with Seri because you wanted tonight’s meeting to be done with?”

“Uh, well. ___ is my wife,” he says. “I’ve barely seen her since we got back.”

“Yeah, from your 2-week vacation together,” Yoongi reminds him. “Looked like you enjoyed your time there, then.”

There’s no malice in the secretary’s voice or any hint of something suggestive. It’s merely a statement of an observation, one that Jin immediately confirms.

“I’m glad you did,” Yoongi mumbles. “You deserved that break and at least you spent it with someone you like being with.”

Jin can’t help the smile that graces his face until he catches himself. Thinking about you the past few days has been giving him stress, but hearing you again after what feels so long and finding out that you checked up on him in his room - which you barely do - makes him feel better, like all is right again in the world.

Almost.

“I can’t believe I’m saying this but just… don’t forget to schedule that dinner with Seri, okay?” Yoongi states. “I saw her this morning and she told me to make sure you’re eating and taking your vitamins since she assumes you’re stressed and busy.”

“Yah! Of course I am!” Jin scowls. “When am I not?”

“You are today but you’re rescheduling a meeting for dinner with your wife.” Yoongi walks closer and faces the phone lying on the desk with 3 unread messages from Seri towards Jin. “I’m just saying, if things are changing, you’re gonna have to make a decision soon. You can’t do this to either of them, even to yourself.”

You anxiously wait at the Italian restaurant that you told Jin about earlier, somehow counting the minutes until he arrives.

After your talk with your best friends yesterday, you knew you had to stop avoiding him, too, because in a way, you were. For one, you weren’t bugging him like you usually do, and you weren’t texting him either.

As your longest friend, Jungkook had been firing from all cylinders, pretty much since the beginning of this whole ordeal; he’s just doing it less subtly this time. But he hugged you before you left his apartment last night and reminded you that choosing yourself doesn’t always mean hanging onto the only things that are familiar, that the next person who could love you may just be right around the corner. Dara and Jimin had been the ones to suggest to just try to go back to how things were before the trip - you and Jin minded your own business but still had nights or days that you’d spend together.

You thought it would be last night but he was fast asleep in bed. Mrs. Kang had said that he spent the entire day playing his games and you wondered, for the briefest moment, why he chose not to spend it with Seri, since you heard from Mrs. Kang that he was also just at home but that Seri wasn’t there. But you remind yourself it’s nothing you should worry or even think about.

You didn’t want to go on being strangers or ghosts living under the same roof because it would be more awkward once you have to pretend being in love again this Saturday. The thought makes you dizzy, especially since there will be more people around, including her, and you do need to strategize with your husband. The last thing you want is to make it seem like you’re rubbing in her face that he’s legally with you, even if deep inside you know that it’s only on paper. He’s hung onto Seri long enough.

“Hey, did I make you wait too long?” Jin’s low voice shakes you out of your thoughts.

“Oh, no, not at all,” you say, standing up, and you look at each other awkwardly.

“Are we supposed to hug?” He chuckles.

“Uh, yeah sure,” you respond, leaning forward to lightly wrap your arms around his waist while his wrap around your shoulders, taking in his spicy scent that you’ve been without these past few days. “Sorry, I thought we’re gonna have to get used to it again.”

Jin’s smile falls a little but he doesn’t think you notice. “Of course. Tae and Hyun-a are coming back on Wednesday and it’s last minute preps for Saturday. Mother and Father are the ones stressed about it since there are 600 guests.”

“Oh goodness. Do you think we can just say hi one time and then be done with it?” You ask, worrying about how you’re going to handle socializing with that many people because as Jin’s mother had told you before, your husband is now just as much the head of the family as his father is, and that extends to you, as his wife.

“Well, wouldn’t that be ideal,” he sighs. “It’s my brother’s wedding but I have to engage with guests as much as he does.”

“Speaking of which,” you mumble, “Seri’s gonna be there, right? How are we, uh… how are we supposed to, uh…”

“Act?”

“Yeah? I mean, she’s your girlfriend and–”

“And you’re my wife, that I’m supposed to be in love with,” he says much too sharply.

“Yeah, but you aren’t, and the woman you’re actually into, who got to you first, is gonna be there,” you point out. “It was okay before because she wasn’t around but now she will be and I don’t want to make her feel bad. I know you say she’s fine with the whole situation but she’s never had to see us be sweet or affectionate before, and after France, I’m pretty sure your family’s gonna be expecting the same or more.”

“I know,” he sighs. “I’ll give her a heads up and maybe caution her, ask her to not let it affect her too much. I’ll see her before Saturday.

“Okay,” you smile, somewhat feeling lighter now that you’re assured. “Now on to dinner.”

Your initial worry of things being weird quickly melts away. After those first few minutes have gone, it’s as if you and Jin didn’t spend the last 4 days unintentionally dodging each other.

You get 2 orders of pizza and pasta because you couldn’t decide, and then finish the rest of it over wine when you get back home, laughing and talking like you both don’t have work in the morning. But you both hold your liquor well and are only a tad bit tipsy when you decide to end the night.

It feels nice being this way again, being this comfortable and secure in this odd relationship with him, and despite the act you have to put on, you admit that there’s a tiny part of you that truly believes in the sincerity in all this, that somehow, it was meant to be like this. And you’ll take it, if only not to lose him as a friend.

Seri excitedly opens her door and waits for Jin to be inside her apartment before she wraps her arms around his waist.

“I miss you so much,” she sighs, feeling as if all is right in the world again.

It’s been too long, she thinks, from that 2-week trip to France to another week of him being busy with all the work that definitely greeted him when he got back. She didn’t expect that he’d ask to have dinner at her apartment, though, as she’d somehow gotten used to the guesthouse at his place that he shares with you, but she’ll take it. This isn’t the longest that they’ve been apart; there was a time when they were completely broken up, she reminds herself, and after they got back together again, she’d gotten used to whatever time that he could spend with her, knowing that she can’t really demand anything, especially since she isn’t the type of person to do that.

“Hey,” Jin responds, pulling away and smiling at her. “How have you been?”

“Good,” she beams, taking the bag of takeout from him and setting the table. “I mean, nothing new nor exciting. What about you? How was your trip, by the way?”

Jin looks visibly nervous, so she takes his hand and motions for him to look at her. “Hey, it’s okay. I’ve thought of all the possibilities of what could’ve happened there so you don’t have to worry. All I ever asked of you was to be honest with me.”

Seri has always been kind. It’s one of the things that stood out to him when he first met her as part of his management team. She’s bubbly and bright, easy to get along with, and incredibly charming. She’s caring and understanding, and he doesn’t recall a time when she ever frowned or got angry; even their rare little arguments from before never cracked her, neither have the 5 years of being his secret.

So he tells her everything - the one bed, the dances, the kisses, the fake couple photos, the food explorations.

“It wasn’t hard now, was it?” She giggles. “I remember you worrying how it was going to be since you and ___ aren’t that close or comfortable. But it seems like it worked out well. I’m glad you didn’t stress out too much about it.”

“Well, I had to be the calm one for her. She was worried about you,” Jin shares, “worried about what you’d think or feel.”

“Five years is a long time, Jin, you should tell her that,” she smiles, the irony unmistakable for him. “I’m still here with you, and nothing has changed that. She’s why I still get to be with you, anyway.”

Jin takes in Seri’s features - there’s innocence and maturity and care bursting from her entire being, from her eyes and her smile and the way she holds his hand like she understands everything that he says and doesn’t say, like she accepts everything that’s happened and is happening.

“But, uh, my whole family bought the act,” he continues. “And it’s the second celebration on Saturday. ___ and I will, uh–”

“Oh, I know. Don’t think I haven’t thought about that. There’s going to be a bigger audience there, and I totally understand. I’ll look away if I need to, but I’ll be fine.”

He nods, feeling a bit of weight has gone off his back, but the rest of it is still there.

There’s something different being here this time, after all that time with you where you both held hands and hugged and kissed out in the open, where you both got to enjoy amazing food and saw stunning views in paradise. A few times before he’d imagined doing that with Seri, but something else always blurred the vision, and he honestly doesn’t remember when the last time was that he thought about all those with her.

He realizes it when she kisses him goodbye, her soft lips that he used to look for no longer giving him that sensation, that pleasure, that excitement. He’d held onto those feelings of exhilaration and eagerness for years, and he realizes those are all it was for him - that high, that elation, that fleeting emotion that he could escape to.

He wonders, on the way home, if this is really it, if the feeling for her had faded just because he’d come back from something totally amazing and felt the alternative, or if the feeling had waned some time ago, and he’d just been holding on to what was left, hoping it would be enough to revive what once was.

Checking his phone, he sighs at his reality. Yoongi had texted: Thanks for the lobster risotto. I’m just going to pretend that I don’t know that Seri’s allergic to seafood, but I will point out that I’m only able to eat this because you made the wrong order; this is ___’s favorite, after all.

You look at yourself in the full-body mirror of the bedroom in the suite you’ve checked into for the wedding and you still can’t believe you could look this good, and you have the gown mostly to thank for that.

“Hey, Jin,” you call out to your husband who’s dressing up in the living room. “I’ve got my hair and make-up done and I look pretty amazing.”

“Oh yeah? That’s new,” he teasingly chuckles.

“Just letting you know in case I catch the eye of one of the celebrities there.”

“Ah, well you might catch their eye, but talking to them is altogether different,” he reminds you. “But I’ll give you the push you need, if you want. I heard Hyun Bin will be there.”

“Yah! He’s married,” you yell.

“Yeah, so are you.”

“Son Yejin in exchange for me; you win,” you laugh, opening the door and feeling the air knocked out of you. Of course, your husband always has to look more beautiful than you.

He’s wearing a textured charcoal suit with his hair pushed back, exposing his entire forehead. You’d think you’d be immune to him since you see him on a daily basis in fancy suits for work, parted hair and all. But he looks even more sophisticated and classy this time, and you didn’t think that was possible.

“Son Yejin gets me, so yeah, she wins, too,” he winks, knowing just how much he’d affected you.

“I concede, then,” you smile, letting yourself marvel at his beauty. Maybe when the socializing gets too much, you can just look at him and all will be okay.

“So, shall we, Mrs. Kim,” he takes out his hand.

“We shall, Mr. Kim. Let’s get this over with.”

You and Jin pass by the holding room, where Taehyung and Hyun-a are taking photos, before heading to the venue.

“You’re already married. Why are you still crying?” Seokjin nudges his brother.

“Because I’m even more in love with her!” Taehyung states. “Plus, we’re declaring our love in front of hundreds of people. It’s pretty special being able to do that, you know?”

The words hit Seokjin more than he expected, and if he knows any better, his brother is probably telling him something.

“What a romantic,” you remark, smiling at the lovely couple who look just as gorgeous as they were when they got married in the chateau a few weeks ago.

“Not like him, I know,” Taehyung motions towards his brother. “Sorry about that.”

“Not like I mind,” you shrug.

Their parents and grandparents arrive for family portraits and it takes a while for all the photos to be taken. You and Jin make sure there are those without you, too. When everyone is satisfied, you and your husband are the first to exit the room and head to the ballroom for the ceremony.

There are so many people, as the guest list is in the hundreds and it’s open to the public as well. Jin’s hand searches yours, and you get a firm grip so as not to lose him in the sea of people.

You hear your name being called and you turn to see your best friends there. Jimin is dashing in a black suit; Jungkook is wearing a navy blue one and is already turning heads; and Dara, in her body-hugging blush gown, looks so beautiful.

“You’re stunning,” Jungkook says as he hugs you.

Jimin says the same, in awe at how well you carry yourself with so much confidence, and Dara declares she’s officially crushing on you.

“Wow, did I really need to get all dolled up for you to compliment me like this?” You tease them.

“Nah. You don’t like being complimented so we don’t say it but your husband is here and we don’t want him to think that we find you unattractive,” Dara explains.

Jin chuckles next to you and you reintroduce him to your friends.

“Hi, nice to see both of you again,” he shakes Jungkook’s and Dara’s hands and nods at Jimin. “I know we don’t see each other much but ___ talks about you a fair bit.”

“Yeah, not enough I’m sure since she’s probably embarrassed,” Jungkook states, earning him an eager nod from you.

“Holy shit, you’re unreal,” Dara exclaims. “You look even hotter than the last time I saw you, which was during your wedding and you were already so hot then.” She turns to you, and you already know she’s gonna say something incredibly embarrassing, but at least she doesn’t yell it. “___, why the fuck aren’t you in love with this guy?”

“Oh, Dara. Never change,” Jimin chuckles. “Apologies for our friend, Mr. Kim. She’s, uh, she’s a very honest person.”

“It’s fine,” Jin smiles, glancing at you. “It’s quite refreshing, actually.”

“Do you have hot friends you can introduce me to?” She continues.

“I can introduce you to my secretary, Yoongi. He’s cool and he takes care of me well. I think we’re each other’s only friends,” Jin chuckles, gesturing towards one of the tables where the man sits on his own.

“Ooh, uninterested sexy man with a soft heart, I can tell, totally my type,” Dara swoons.

“Please, don’t traumatize him. Jimin can help you find others to pounce on but both of you behave,” you warn. “And Kook, please don’t be awkward when someone tries to flirt with you, okay? Jin and I have to go around and greet guests and I’ll get back to you all after.”

“Yes, maam,” they all salute and laugh at you while you roll your eyes.

“Go do your wifey duties and don’t forget to act like a couple,” Jungkook winks.

You pull Jin away and apologize for your friends. “They like messing with me and there’s no filter even when you’re around.”

“Ah, I’d rather they don’t. I like messing with you, too,” he teases.

“No, you’re supposed to protect me,” you pout, and Jin has to stop himself from pulling you in a hug because of how adorable you look.

“Fine, you brat,” he pinches your nose, and you realize that it’s been a while since he last did that.��

You’re about to squish his cheeks when a group of people greet both of you, and you and Jin turn to them and bow. Your smiles briefly fade at the sight of a familiar face who greets you with her soft, wide eyes.

“Mr. and Mrs. Kim,” Seri bows after everyone does. “Please send our congratulations to the Vice President and his wife.”

She sounds so formal, so distant, and somehow your heart breaks for her, and you can only smile and nod, following her eyes which briefly look at your hand engulfed in Jin’s. You quickly pull away, something your husband notices.

“Thank you, Ms. Wong, everyone,” Jin bows. “I’m sure they’re happy that his entire team is here. Taehyung did mention treating you guys out after all the wedding celebrations are over. He owes you a lot for all the weeks he missed at work.”

They all chuckle and agree, and even you can tell that Taehyung is loved by his team - Jin’s former team - as well. They bid their goodbye and Seri bows to you and Jin once more, sharing a lingering look with your husband.

You can’t imagine how it must be like for them, and for her especially, seeing the man she loves be open and affectionate with another woman, something he couldn’t do with her. You turn to Jin who looks visibly upset, so you nudge his arm to look at you.

“I’m so sorry, Jin,” you try to comfort him, though you don’t really know what to say.

“It’s okay. She and I have talked about it,” he feigns a smile.

It’s harder than you think, not so much because you think it hurts him not being the way he is with you with Seri, but because being the way he is with you is what’s starting to feel right, it’s what’s starting to make him happy.

The rest of the afternoon was as tiring as you expected. It literally took 2 hours for the guests to be completed and to get settled and that meant you and Jin had to spend that time greeting them on behalf of his parents and grandparents. It’s one of the “President roles,” you were told.

But you clung onto Jin the whole time - commending him whenever someone praises him for how well he’s been handling the company and smiling at him whenever someone congratulates both of you for your marriage.

It got a little awkward when the CEO of Song Corporation said how good you both looked together. You were at least appeased when she said that she’s heard you speak in a conference and was impressed with you, and such competence is “a good match to the Kim Foods Inc. President,” that is, until you saw Seri standing nearby, and you could tell she heard everything. There was that faraway look in her eyes, and she turned to you specifically with a smile before she walked away.

You hate feeling like you’re taking someone’s man, and sometimes you wished she was a cruel, jealous person so at least it didn’t feel this bad. But she’s nothing like that and somehow it makes it worse. You tried your best to brush off the thought and focus on your role for today.

The ceremony was beautiful. It was still emotional, as Taehyung really took his time in saying his vows, sharing bits about their honeymoon and how those 2 weeks just solidified how much he loves her. Hyun-a was a lot more candid, sharing how much of a whiny baby her husband could be, but that he’d made her feel so loved during that trip and she can’t wait for how the rest of their lives are going to be.

You were, again, starstruck by all the celebrities you saw. They were all dazzling and gorgeous, as you expected, and Jin had been the encouraging husband who said “you look more amazing” every time you commented how stunning they looked. He made sure to look into your eyes whenever he said them so you’d know he meant it, but somehow, that made you feel nervous more than anything, especially as you could tell that he wasn’t saying them just because.

But despite the exhaustion of walking around and greeting and bowing and conversing with hundreds of people, which carried over to the reception, it was a fun one, as you and Jin found ways to entertain yourselves in between, laughing and teasing and making jokes.

You were seated on the table with Sejeong and Hyo-seop, and from a few tables away, your best friends were seated together with Yoongi who seemed quite happy being with other people who weren't your husband.

“Make that Dara-Yoongi thing happen,” Jin had said, and you commented that your friend might scare him away.

“Well, let’s give them time to get to know each other, then, in a calmer and casual environment,” he suggested, and that’s why you’re currently here - at your suite’s living room, having drinks with your best friends with light music in the background.

There was a bit of music and dance at the reception after dinner and the program, and the hotel bar was rented out for the after-party. You all stayed there for half an hour before you and Jin decided that it’s really not your scene, and you proposed staying at one of the lounges instead.

But Dara complained that her feet were aching and honestly, so were yours, so Jin said it was okay to stay at your suite since it’s big enough to hold all of you anyway. Yoongi seemed to have warmed up to your friends so he joined you, and now you’re all enjoying the fancy champagne, charcuterie board, and platter of desserts that your husband ordered.

Dara’s shoes are off and so are yours, and your gown is loose enough for you to still wear it, despite all the food you’d consumed tonight. The men have removed their coats and are seated comfortably on the couch. Jin is next to you, polo sleeves now rolled up to his elbows and tie loosened, looking comfortable and at ease.

You’re all talking about how you and Jungkook met when you were kids because your parents were friends, and how you’d taken care of a drunk Dara in freshman year of college and how you became inseparable after, and how Jimin tried to set you up with one of your co-workers during your first year at the company but you and he ended up getting close instead.

Yoongi talks about being Jin’s secretary for years and turning down a higher position offer at another company because he liked working for the Kim family and well, both introverts seem to get along just fine. You’re laughing and sharing stories when Jin nudges your arm, alerting you that your phone is ringing.

You look at the table where it is and your photo with Namjoon fills up the screen, and your face lights up as you pick up the device, excusing yourself, and then heading to the balcony for the call.

“Who was it?” Jungkook asks.

“Namjoon,” Jin says dryly.

“How does that make you feel?” The younger man follows up.

“That they talk? Uh, nothing, really,” Jin shrugs. “I mean, they’re obviously something more than best friends and that’s good for ___, having someone who cares for her the way Namjoon does.”

“Yeah, well caring and not fulfilling a promise are two different things. It’s not enough to just say things and then not act on them,” Jungkook states bitterly.

“Do you… not like Namjoon? I heard you and him were the ones there for her during those tough years in college, and yeah, Dara, too,” Jin asks.

“I like him as a friend, sure. I owed him big time during ___’s toughest years because I couldn’t be there for her as often as I wanted but after everything and after all this time, he’s still a distant being who’ll continue to be far away, and it’s just calls and letters that make her feel close to him,” Jungkook says. “Is that a way to love someone?”

“But she still does, doesn’t she?” Jin asks nervously, unsure if he’s ready to hear the answer or not.

“Well, she hasn’t said it in a while. She hasn’t really talked about it much since you two got married,” Jimin answers this time. “And I was honestly surprised that she didn’t make seeing him in France as big a deal as I expected. But I guess it’s just how it is when so much time has passed and both people just get used to the monotony of the relationship, you know? Especially when it’s the same distance, the same act of hoping, of wishing things would change. Maybe the love just fades away and withers without them realizing that they have.”

“Yeah, I get that,” Jin mindlessly says, causing the 4 other people to look at him curiously, the tinge of surprise painting their faces because how could he get it unless it’s something he’s felt - or feels - too?

“You do, huh?” Yoongi arches his brow.

“I mean, it’s a universal feeling, right?” Jin shrugs, trying to get out of it.

Your friends decide to let it go, opting to talk about something else but Yoongi doesn’t want to let it go just yet.

“Does it maybe have anything to do with your girl of 5 years whom you’ve been distancing yourself from since you got back from France?” He whispers next to his boss. “Perhaps the feelings have faded and you’re now realizing that they have.”

Jin looks at his colleague, his friend who’s had his back for years and who perhaps knows him more than anyone. It’s a realization he doesn’t want to acknowledge or fully admit, primarily because he doesn’t want to face all the consequences of such thought and feeling. His sullen, guilty eyes say enough, and Yoongi just knows.

You get back inside before either man could say anything, and you smile at all of them and ask what you’ve missed. No one dares bring up the call, knowing you’d talk about it when you’re ready.

The conversation gets back to sharing embarrassing moments from your college days, Jin’s university life in SNU and post-grad in London, and all the office gossip from the past as filled in by Jimin.

It’s all laughter and new discoveries, and you like seeing this side of your husband - carefree, intrigued, and a little unfiltered. With all the stress he’s under, you enjoy seeing him be a little bit ordinary in a sense, enjoying drinks with people his age, talking about things that aren’t work or business related.

With the food and drinks wiped out and your friends having sobered up after getting drunk, you all say your goodbyes. It’s past 2AM and you’re exhausted, and Jin lets you get ready for bed while he cleans up in the living room.

You’re dozing off by the time he gets to your shared bed, but you wake up a little when he scoots closer and pulls the covers over your body.

“Hey,” you say sleepily. “Thanks for cleaning up.”

“Don’t worry about it. I know it took a lot from you to socialize tonight. Thank you for being next to me,” he smiles, affectionately pinching your nose.

“Of course, Jin. Where else would I be?”

His heart jumps at the sight of your tender smile, and he wants nothing more than to see that every day.

“Nowhere else,” he whispers, but you hear it and choose not to respond.

“The celebrations are over. We did it,” you say, pulling out his heart now and reminding him what all this is - fleeting, temporary, unreal. “Thanks for not making it hard for me. I appreciate it.”

Your eyes flutter close and he’s glad that you don’t hear the thundering of his heart.

“I don’t ever want it to be hard for you, even if it means it’s hard for me.” He whispers, caressing your cheek as his form of goodnight. “Sleep well, ___. I’ll see you in the morning.”

You get a good night’s sleep and wake up the next day with hangover soup that Jin prepared for you, and then spend the rest of the day in the bedroom resting again.

The days after that feel like a blur. You go back to your normal routine with Jin - going to the office together, waiting for each other if you’re able and then going home to dinner that Mrs. Kang had made. You still cook him breakfast that weekend while he cooks your dinner, and you spend those 2 days together doing the grocery, going to Taehyung and Hyun-a’s new apartment for a welcome dinner, and then watching a cooking documentary about Italy on Netflix.

On Monday morning, Jin leaves for a business trip to Qatar. The next 2 days feel a little lonely but he messages you photos of his meals and to talk about how the conference is going and how Doha is like, saying that it’s a place you should definitely visit.

You’re excited that he seems excited, but what’s striking is how this time, he’s expressive in how he can’t wait to get home, mostly to cook you this new recipe he discovered, and partly because he says that Yoongi hasn’t been the best companion. His secretary is always on his phone with Dara during post-work hours, leaving a lonely Jin to drink in the hotel bar by himself.

You choose to dwell on the fact that your best friend and Yoongi - quite an unlikely pair, if you’re being honest - are hitting it off.

But you focus on your own thing while your husband is away. There are a few reports you have to review and a trip to one of the farms to make.

It’s Thursday by the time you feel it.

You’d gone to the farm and then the production site last Tuesday and ate a few things there and on the way, so it was probably something spoiled or contaminated that’s causing your stomach pain and severe headache.

You somewhat managed on Wednesday, going to the washroom a few times and feeling a little dehydrated. But by the next day, it had gotten too much. You decided to work at home instead and got a bit of work done, but you were too tired and dozed off instead.

The next morning, you wake up to several messages from your husband asking if you’re okay. You say you’re feeling under the weather after you call him, not wanting him to worry since he’s got a few important meetings lined up, but you spend the rest of it walking from the bathroom to the bed, feeling like you’re not improving despite the ginger tea you’ve been drinking and the hot pads all over your body.

It’s that same Friday in the early afternoon when Jin arrives, exhausted from the trip and the flight where he still had to work while on the way back. It’s the longest he’s been away from you since France, and that sinking feeling of what he’s feeling lays heavy on him.

There’s much to analyze and assess, as he’d told Yoongi during the night he finally got his friend to join him for drinks and the younger man had stated the obvious that of course he noticed that something has changed. But Jin didn’t want to dive into it yet, afraid of making a premature assumption or decision about what he needs to do.

It’s possible that those 2 weeks in France and the affection he felt towards you were meant to be fleeting, perhaps brought about by the romantic nature of the trip. It could be that you were close and Seri was far away, and maybe he was just missing affection and you were there, willing to give it to him, too. Maybe he’s just a stupid guy who doesn’t know shit and can’t understand what he’s feeling or can’t own up to it, but either one is just as bad.

But when he exits the plane, waits for almost an hour for Mr. Lim, and then gets informed on why the chauffeur was late, all those things don’t seem to matter as much, because all he can think of is you.

“I had to rush Mrs. Kim to the hospital,” Mr. Lim had said. “She hasn’t been feeling well for days and Mrs. Kang thought it would be best if she went to get checked already.”

“Take me there now,” Jin had told the driver. “And cancel the rest of my day,” he’d instructed Yoongi.

Jin arrives at the hospital, demanding you to be moved to the VIP room despite the nurse telling him that you insisted on staying at a private room because you’re just there for monitoring.

“I don’t care, she’s still sick. Move her there, now,” Jin demands.

You’re a little groggy when you feel the bed moving and hear chatter nearby. You also feel like you’re dreaming when you hear Jin’s low-tone voice asking the doctor some things. When you feel like you’ve stopped moving, you decide to open your eyes.

“Hey, who are you fighting?” You ask sleepily.

“The nurse who kept you in a private room,” he groans.

“Fight me instead,” you mumble. “I said I didn’t want a VIP room. Too big for me; you weren’t there anyway.”

“I’m here now. I’m sorry I didn’t come sooner,” he says.

“That’s stupid,” you manage to chuckle. “You had a work trip. But you’re here now though.”

“Yeah, and I’ll stay here, okay? Let’s talk when you don’t sound like an inebriated old man.”

“Ugh, you annoy me sometimes, Kim Seokjin,” you giggle. “Now stop being angry and wait for me to wake up again.”

You wake up 2 hours later, feeling not much better than you did some time ago, but there’s still an improvement somehow. You turn to your side and find Jin with one hand clasping yours and another, typing away on his tablet.

“Looks like you need your other hand,” you say, letting him go, but he doesn’t let you.

“How are you feeling?” He asks worriedly, sitting on the edge of the bed.

“Still terrible. Did they say where I got it?”

“Hopefully something you ate on the way there because the farm and production site is going to hear it from me if they served you contaminated food,” he frowns. “Though I had those places checked already and so far, everyone is okay.”

“Relax, I’m still alive,” you chuckle.

“Bacterial infection can get severe, okay?” He frowns again. “And you should’ve gone to the hospital the first day you started feeling unwell.”

“I had so much work to do. Plus, I thought the hot packs and tea were enough,” you shrug. “Do you know what they’re doing to cure me?”

“Antibiotics and some other medicines.”

“Great, so I can leave tonight?”

“No. I asked for another test to make sure this is all we have to worry about,” he responds. “And I’m not comfortable having you stay at home when I can’t be there to look after you.”

“I’m not a baby,” you pout. “And hospital food isn’t all that great. I want Mrs. Kang’s cooking, or yours. Take me home, please?”

“Just spend another day here, okay? Just to be sure. And then I’ll take you home.”

“Fine,” you smile. It’s a soft one, and this makes Jin feel a little more at ease. “Will you stay the night, then?”

“Of course, ___. I’m not going anywhere.”

Jin spends that Friday night with you. He instructs Mrs. Kang to send over both of your clothes and dinner as well. Your best friends visit and tell your husband that you can get a little stubborn when you’re sick so it’s best to follow what you want instead of you doing things on your own. There was one time you left the hospital and freaked everyone out just because you hated the food and you wanted to eat something delicious.

You take the test that Jin asked for the next day, and you spend the rest of it in the hospital to appease him. You’ve experienced way worse than this and never had to go to the hospital; even your parents agree, as you video call them and your mom says that if she lived nearby, she could just send you some soup and tea because those always worked.

“Aish, what would the doctors do but prescribe you things that cost thousands when my love doesn’t cost anything,” your mom says. “They’re just making money off of you, sweetie.”

You see Jin purse his lips and keep himself from saying anything.

He doesn’t get your attitude when it comes to health issues like this and you point out that some things can be resolved by home remedies. Your parents’ care has always been enough to cure you, but living the life that Jin does, you suppose every little thing needs to be taken care of immediately, and money gets you anything. So you follow, if only not to get him even more stressed out, as you see him take multiple work and non work-related calls.

It’s Sunday when you’re finally discharged and being off a hospital gown feels like a breath of fresh air. Jin carries your bags and takes note of all the medicines you have to take and the things you aren’t supposed to do.

“No work for the next few days,” he orders, as he pulls down the covers and gestures for you to lie down, but you remain standing with furrowed eyebrows and a pout on your face.

“What, you can’t make me do that! You’re not the boss of me,” you cross your arms.

“Uh, ___, I kinda am.”

“Rude,” you frown even harder.

“___, these are doctor’s orders,” he says, walking over to where you are. “If you wanna get back to work as soon as possible, then you follow them, and that means taking your medications and resting, and I mean resting.”

“Fine, I’ll follow. No need to talk to me like a kid.”

“I’m sorry, but I just wanted to get ahead of you before you argue with me again.”

“Excuse me, I don’t argue with you!” You gasp, earning you a chuckle.

“Come on, go rest first. I’ll see what I can make you for lunch,” he says, pinching your nose. “And I’m telling you as your boss and your husband - I need you well, okay? So get better soon.”

You survive your first day back at home without any more bickering with Jin. He makes you noodles for lunch and then stew for dinner. Your appetite still isn’t back to normal, and that’s become his indicator for your recovery. He said he wouldn’t believe you’re fully well until you’re able to finish a 3-course meal, and you know he’s got you backed in a corner; you can barely finish a 1/3 cup of rice.

That first night, Jin could barely sleep as he constantly worried about you. He’s not used to it, thinking about someone other than himself. Sure, he’d worried about Seri, but not the same way he’s worrying about you, and that’s just added to his stress about all the things he’s feeling.

He even snuck in your room at 2AM just to make sure you were okay, and there you were, sleeping soundly with your loud snores. He hates to admit that he’s missed that terribly more than anything.

It’s Monday morning and you’d just woken up from the incessant ringing of your phone. You’re about to pick it up when it stops, and you turn to the side to see Jin holding your phone.

“Yes, this is Mr. Kim. I’ve informed ___’s team that she’ll be off for a few days due to health concerns. I believe this can wait, yes?”

He turns to you and is greeted with your wide eyes. Surely, you’ve never heard of him taking work calls that aren’t his.

“I understand, I’ll let her know but expect a response next week. Thank you.”

He hangs up and greets you good morning.

“Uh, who was that?” You ask.

“Someone from Marketing, but it’s okay, I’ve handled it.”

“Sure,” you arch a brow. “And what are you doing here? You should be at work.”

“I am. Or, I will be. I’ll just get a desk in here unless it’s okay if I use yours?”

“Uh, why?”

“Uh… right, why would I be working in my wife’s bedroom. I’ll just go back to my room and work the—”

“Did you want to work here so you can look after me and make sure I don’t work?”

“Not really. I just, uh… I barely slept last night because I kept thinking you were still having your stomach ache and stuff, and I just… you know what, never mind. I’ll just—”

“Stay, please,” you say, knowing that the soft, closeted sweetheart side of him can’t bear knowing you’re still in pain, and you want to show him there’s nothing he should worry about. It’s just an infection, after all, and you already know that the medication’s working.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes. Just take calls elsewhere, but you can use my desk over there. I’ll put the TV on mute, don’t worry. I’m not in the mood to process anything, anyway,” you assure him.

“Okay then,” he smiles, feeling satisfied.

And that’s how your day is spent - watching a hotel reality TV show on mute, reading a book, and eating whatever Mrs. Kang has prepared. Jin works mostly on reports and other things and takes calls outside. He constantly checks in on you and eats his meals next to you while you both talk about random things.

Later that night, he tucks you in bed. You have medicine that makes you drowsy but you don’t really want to sleep yet. There’s a show you want to watch later on so you ask Jin to stay next to you.

“Wake me up when I doze off,” you say groggily.

“Why would I do that? I want you to sleep already,” he says, though he slides in next to you under the covers.

“So you can rest a bit, too,” you say, leaning on his shoulder that’s leveled with your head. “You kept working today while making sure I was fine. Watch with me.”

There’s a hockey game on and you’ve put it on mute. You know he likes watching sports this way.

You’re softly snoring not long after, and Jin shifts further down so you’re both lying more comfortably. He wants to stay here with you, with his arm wrapped around you in an effort to protect you from anything and everything. But he doesn’t want to scare you, seeing as how close you both are right now; he could basically hear the beating of your heart and he’s afraid you’d wake up and hear the beating of his - fast, erratic, and screaming for you.

So he sneaks out after and softly kisses the top of your head before he leaves, an affectionate act he’s surprised himself he did. There’s so much he wants to say but he doesn’t know how to, and the more he spends time with you like this, the clearer things get. And he’s never been more scared.

The next few days are painfully slow. You’re better by Wednesday but the doctor advised you to work from home for the rest of the week since the medicines would still make you feel weak and sleepy. Jin finally goes to work to attend meetings but he always comes home early and eats dinner with you downstairs.

It’s finally the end of the week and you convinced Jin to go out to see the Han River with you. You’ve been stuck at home, in your room for a whole week and you just want to breathe the air outside and look at the sky and watch strangers walking about. He agrees and picks you up at home after an evening meeting.

He takes you to one of your favorite Southeast Asian restaurants and he talks about work while you talk about the series that you binge-watched today. You go to one of the parks you liked to frequent when you still had the time, something that Jin isn’t that much familiar with.

“I’m into the outdoors in so much as fishing or golfing goes,” he shrugs, earning him a chuckle. “But going to the park or a river and just people watch like this? Not really my thing.”

“So do you go fishing or golfing when you want to think?”

“I fly somewhere and just walk around and find places to eat by myself,” he smiles. “Rich people things, I know,” he chuckles, “but eating alone helps me be in tune with myself, you know? Like, I don’t have to converse with anyone. If I do, it’s with a stranger who gives me something new to think about. But other than that, it’s just a foreign city and its food and me. That’s what I do to think.”

“Hmm, I like that,” you grin. “For some people, food is just sustenance. To some, it’s a form of love and service. And then there’s people like you, where food helps you discover yourself. It’s pretty amazing what food can mean to people.”

He drowns in your eyes and your smile and waits for a bit before he asks. “Is this what you do when you want to think?”

You nod.

“So what are you thinking about?”

You’re now both seated at a bench in a more elevated and secluded area. You can see the river against the buildings and the night sky, which is shining a little brighter than usual. You think it waited for you to be like this.

“Do you know much about astronomy?” You answer him with a question.

“Not really,” he responds, adjusting his position so he could see a bit more of the view. “Just the basics, you know, the ones we learn at school? I mean, the sky’s pretty, especially at night but it’s so permanent that I just don’t mind it much. I heard that the stars we see are dead, though. That one’s pretty mind-boggling.”

“Interesting,” you hum. “I think it’s that permanence that makes it intriguing to me because for all that it is and the fact that it’s always been there, the human mind just can’t seem to fully grasp it. Like the stars that we see - which aren’t actually dead because it takes about a billion years for them to die - are light years away. And we’re looking at what they were before.”

“Huh, I thought they were dead,” Jin frowns.

“It seems quite poetic and dramatic to believe that they’re all dead, isn’t it?” You chuckle. “But they’re very much alive, though they’ll still die. But the idea remains - they could be dead and people would still be looking at them when they were still alive, because it’s technically the past we’re looking at, like the star during its glory days.”

Is this what you think about every time you’re looking at the sky? He wonders.

“Hmm, isn’t that a nice thought though?” He says. “Something could be gone but we still get to see and appreciate the beauty of it as if it’s still alive.”

“You’re an optimist, Jin. And I like that about you,” you smile at him. “And while I do agree to an extent, I still think it’s more sad than anything. We get to see and appreciate it for what it was, thinking that it’s still how it is. And they may all still be alive but the generations after us who’ll see them will only get to see what’s left of the stars, and not the stars themselves. They’ll think that there’s something still there when there really isn’t anymore.”

The thought lingers in the air. It’s been floating in your mind for weeks, or maybe months and you just hadn’t realized it. There’s something hopeful about an entity that used to exist but now only does so in your mind or your memory - it was real at least, and that’s enough for anyone to appreciate its beauty.

But you can’t help but feel like the butt of life’s joke sometimes - that the beauty only exists in your mind when in reality, it’s long gone. You wonder if you’d just chosen to believe it still exists for your sake, or for the other person.

“You know what makes it all better?” Jin takes you away from your thoughts.

“What?”

“Accepting that fact, that what we’re seeing is how it was before but appreciating it either way. Then maybe finding something else that’s beautiful but closer. Like the moon. Sure, it doesn’t twinkle or shoot up or fall or whatever but just think - how many stars does it take to light up the sky? But all you need is one moon.”

A smile creeps up your face. How many years have you been loving the same man and hoping for him to come back for you? Those years have gone - maybe the love, too? You don’t want to think about it that way, though - and they’ll continue to shine brightly but all you’re remembering are what used to be. What - or who - is your moon now?

Beautiful but closer. Perhaps they’re much closer than you think.

“Hmm, didn’t know you’re a poet, Kim Seokjin,” you giggle.

“I’m not, actually. It’s just a thought that crossed my mind. I get why you like to come here and watch the sky to think. The vibe helps.”

He turns to you, your eyes still lost in the stars that are perhaps millions of years in existence and have millions more in them. You seem so far away, like there’s more you’re thinking about, like there’s more to say.

“Is this all you’re thinking about? Seeing the stars in their glory days?” He wonders.

“Joon called me the other night, after the wedding,” you say after a beat of silence.

I know, Jin thinks, but he lets you continue.

“He’s in Senegal right now, then he’ll go to Ghana in a few days, and then Uganda later in the month. He’ll be staying in Africa for a while to write about the contemporary art scene,” you share. “It’s an amazing opportunity and he’s so excited. And I’m really happy for him.”

“So that’s what the call was about? It was a pretty long one,” Jin says, cursing himself for sounding bitter, and he’s thankful that you don’t seem bothered.

“Mostly, yeah,” you smile, recalling how excited Namjoon sounded when he got the call from an art foundation about the opportunity. “The world is huge; he’ll never run out of things to do. And knowing he gets to do so many things he’s always wanted and explore what else is out there - it makes me really happy for him, like, I’m ecstatic. I just think, this is what it means to truly care for someone, it’s what it means to love.”

The lump in Jin’s throat gets bigger at the word, at the thought - of your love and care for someone who isn’t him, but he powers through, knowing you need a friend more than anything. Perhaps it’s why you asked him here in the first place.

“Where does that leave you, then?” He hates asking this, because he doesn’t want to seem like he’s forcing himself in your life that you’d imagined spending with someone else.

“Somewhere,” you chuckle. “Still in his life, that’s for sure. I always will be, he assured me that. That’s another thing he said during the call, that he regrets not being able to say more when we met up in France, that he wished he was able to spend the rest of the day with me. Missing me so much after reminded him that he’ll always want me to be part of his life; in what way, that’s something he didn’t clarify.”

“I’m sorry,” Jin mumbles. “I’m sure you were expecting more.”

“I’m not really sure. I guess I expected this again but I’m not as heartbroken as I thought I’d be,” you turn to him and take his hand, something you find yourself doing a lot, especially when you’re looking at the starry night sky. “Namjoon and I are up in the air. There are things we need to talk about when we’re together but I think we just missed each other too much in France that’s why we didn’t. But we agreed that if we see each other again, we will talk about it, about us, what we feel and what we’ll do - maybe close the book of our story that never really took off, or continue writing it, whether as friends or something more. I don’t know.”

“So, uh, you’ll see him again soon?”

“I will. I’ll have to.”

He squeezes your hand to let you know that whatever it is you decide to do, he’ll be there for you. And he means it wholeheartedly, regardless of what he’s feeling.

“I’m glad you’re feeling good enough to be out tonight. It was a miserable week for you, I could tell by the multiple text and voice messages I was getting everyday,” Jin chuckles.

“Yeah, well, there’s this man who’s babying me and wouldn’t let me work until I was better,” you nudge his arm. “But in hindsight, I’m glad he did. I feel so much better. And uh, it’s nice to be with you tonight, Jin, finally eating normally again and being out here to watch the sky. You’re really the best husband any woman could ask for,” you laugh, the irony hitting you and him in different ways you’re both unaware of.

Jin is unable to sleep again that night. All he could think about was the faraway look in your eyes and if he didn’t sound too hopeful, he’d say there was sadness in there, too.

He doesn’t want to take advantage of whatever it is you’re going through but he also knew at that moment when you were talking about Namjoon, all Jin could think about was how he wanted that place in your life - the one you’ll care for, the one you’ll love.

The fact that he’s been nothing but worried all week, wanting nothing more than to have you be well so you could eat all the delicious dishes you’re used to and watch food shows until the late nights with him; the fact that every night he’d been wishing to lay next to you and hold you in his arms and hug and kiss the pain away, tell him enough about how he feels.

The next day, you say that your brother is home for a quick trip and you’ll be going home to your parents’ for the weekend, and Jin takes the opportunity to go out, too. He invites Yoongi and Taehyung to a resort outside of the city to play golf, and calling both men on a weekend like this isn’t something that normally happens.

“So, uh, what are we here for?” Taehyung asks. “I did some golfing in Argentina, you know? I’m pretty great at it already so get ready to lose.”

“Your brother’s not here to compete,” Yoongi says as Jin walks back to their seat. “He’s here because he’s finally got the stick out of his ass and decided to actually make a decision. Right, Jin?”

Jin has always appreciated that his secretary is perceptive; it’s always helped the older man make good decisions at work. But as a friend, sometimes he hates it. Yoongi has known all this time and has been saying the right things but Jin tends to be stubborn, especially when he knows this is all on him.

“Okay, I feel like I should know but maybe I don’t,” Taehyung arches a brow. “Does this maybe have something to do with a woman whom you’ve kept around for years just because it was easy and also another woman who came out of nowhere but is making you realize that love can sometimes be hard and that’s how you know?”

It’s an oversimplification of the situation, Jin thinks. He’d kept Seri around for many reasons. Sure, it was easy and convenient. He never had to make excuses for whatever he’s lacking because she knew his duties and responsibilities. Despite it being a secret, he didn’t have to put in that much effort, he didn’t have to put in that much thought, there weren’t any expectations. It was easy and convenient and it worked. He thought that’s all it was, that what he and Seri had was all it could be.

And then there’s you, the woman he’s married to who’s suddenly making him see all the possibilities of what love could be; you with your infectious smile and silly laughter and your passion for food and your job and how comfortable everything is when he’s with you. You’re what makes him better, happy, free.

“It is,” Jin sighs. He feels like he doesn’t have to say much - as his brother and closest companion, he feels like Taehyung and Yoongi just know. “I’m falling in love with my wife and I don’t know what to do.”

“You do,” Yoongi says. “It’s just hard and we get it. But you see what happens when it’s easy? You get blinded by it that you think it’s what you care about, that it’s what you want when it isn’t. You’ve known it for a while, Jin. It stopped being Seri for a long time, if it even was her. You know what to do; she deserves more than this.”

“She’s deserved more than you all this time, hyung,” Taehyung says.

“I know,” Jin replies. “I’ve been incredibly unfair to her.”

“Just be honest with her, hyung. I’m sure she’ll at least appreciate that.”

It’s almost poetic, the way the rain just pours when Jin enters the neighborhood. He used to come here a lot at random hours of the night - after a long day at work, after a particularly stressful meeting, after a business trip that barely gave him time to unwind. It’s 9PM, probably one of the earliest hours he’d ever come, that’s why when she opens the door, Seri’s wide eyes get even wider.

“Jin, I didn’t expect you,” she smiles, letting him in as the rain is getting even harsher.

“Yeah, I, uh… We need to talk… about us,” Jin manages to say. “I haven’t been fair to you, Seri. I’m so sorry, but we can’t do this anymore.”

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