#the text boxes took the longest time

[snowthedemonfox]

i figured out how filters work in firealpaca and just threw this together as a test

[moonlightisdancing]

Like A Virgin/ j.t.k

Pairing: Jake Kiszka x f!Reader

Word Count: 2.4k

Warnings: NSFW 18+ MINORS DNI practically smut w no plot, mentions arguing/drinking/parental issues, sneaking out, consumption of weed, pure awkwardness, some fluff, oral sex (m+f receiving), loss of virginity (m+f), penetrative unprotected sex

as always please lmk if anything’s missed

inspired by my dear nick & this song

a/n: sorry if this is kinda cheesy/short/whatever… just needed to write a virgin jake fic

——————🌸——————

“Yeah, maybe we can hang out this summer!”

Those were the last words you’d hear from Jake Kiszka after graduation as he scribbled his phone number and a smiley face next to his picture in your yearbook. He must have known you had a small crush on him that may or may not have developed during senior year calculus after some group work.

His number was saved to your contacts that day but it wasn’t until August came around before you ever texted him, but he wasn’t your first thought. You knew he lived relatively close to you, one block to the left and over the train tracks, all the way at the end of the street. Meanwhile, you only lived a block away from your best and really only friend, Kiera, so she’s who you’d spend most your time with.

Today has been the longest day of your life. A screaming match with your mom over the gap year you decided on last minute, your dad drinking again, an entire summer of pent up anger bouncing around the walls of your home had finally bursted at the seams. You spent all night crying, your mind traveling to the darkest of places. It just felt like you needed a hug, for someone to hold you and tell you it would all be okay.

“Hello?”

It took five rings before Kiera answered her phone. In her defense it was roughly two in the morning and you should have been asleep, too.

“Kiera? I-I could really use your company if you can.” The sobbing hadn’t stopped, the words barely coming out.

“Y/n… My parents won’t let me out this late, you know that.”

“Even if I walk there? I-Kiera, I just need a hug or a blunt, something. And I don’t know anyone else.”

“Well, you know Jake, and his mom’s much nicer than mine.” She sounded irritated but you knew she was trying her best to be patient.

“I haven't talked to him since grad, I can’t just hit him up.”

“Just text him? He posted on Snapchat like fifteen minutes ago and he lives right there.”

“Okay, okay, fine. But what if he thinks-”

“Just do it and let me know, okay? I love you, good night.” She hung up before you could even respond.

Breathe, Y/n, it’s fine, everything is fine.

You: Heyyy Jake it’s Y/n

Jake K: Hey stranger, what’s up?

You: So super awkward, but I’m in desperate need of a blunt and a hug

Jake K: Done and done. Remember where I live?

You: Yeah

Jake K: Come on by, porch lights on

How could you forget where he lived? Sure, you went once for Jake and Josh’s graduation party, but after learning how close your highschool crush lived to you, you’d never forget. You fixed your hair in the bathroom and splashed your face with cool water in attempts to bring down your swollen red eyes. A little bit of deodorant and some perfume would be the finishing touches before returning to your room. You couldn’t leave through the front door, the dogs would bark and it would add one more thing to the list of arguments yet to be had. It doesn’t matter you’re eighteen, as long as you lived under your parent’s roof, it was their rules. You opened your window and climbed out, using the junction box outside your window for leverage.

It takes eleven minutes to walk from your house to Jake’s, where he’s already standing on his front porch waiting for you. He’s in basketball shorts, slip on Vans and a pullover hoodie, and somehow he still looks good as ever. You weren’t half way up his driveway before he began walking towards you with his arms wide open. At graduation he only offered an awkward side hug, so this sure was new to say the least. Jake wraps both his arms around your shoulders, pulling you into his chest. You inhale his scent, he just smells like home. Not yours, most likely his, but home with a hint of worn off cologne. Your heart begins racing a lot faster than you want to admit as he holds you until you let go.

“Shall we?” He asks in a deep silly voice as he leads you through the gate to his backyard. There was a firepit in the middle of some chairs and a cute little picnic table off to the side. You follow him towards the mahogany stained wood and sit across from him. The only light was that of the full moon washing over everything in a blue tint.

“Do you know how to roll?” Jake asks as he empties the contents of his pockets on the table.

“Uh-uh.” You shook your head.

“S’okay, I can show you.” Jake turns the flashlight from his phone on, handing it to you to hold. He walks you through the process, admittedly you paid more attention to the way his fingers moved than the actual task itself.

You watch as his tongue parts his lips and licks across the blunt, sealing the weed inside. Jake reaches for his phone, his fingers brushing gently against your knuckles. The two of you stand awkwardly from the table, the moonlight illuminating Jake’s soft features.

“C’mere, I know a spot.” He holds his empty hand out towards you and waits until you place your palm in his. Jake guides you to the side of his house and down a tiny path that leads to a creek. There resides an old metal bench that Jake directs you towards. He places the blunt between his plush pink lips and brings the lighter to the end, the red hot cherry casting a golden hue against his cheek bones. A couple silent puff, puff, passes happen before you speak.

“I’m sorry I didn’t text you sooner. Life’s just been kinda…” You trailed off.

“Hey, don’t apologize,” He shifts to face you, bringing his one leg up. “We’re here now, that’s what matters.”

More silence occured as the blunt was worked down to nothing, but the silence was comfortable. You didn’t want to talk about your problems and ruin the safe bubble that naturally surrounded Jake’s existence, opting to ask him about his plans instead.

“So, is the band doing good or are you gonna go to college?” You ask, matching his stance by turning to face him.

“Band’s going places, I think. I dunno, gotta wait for Sammy and Danny to finish school, then we’ll really know. You?”

“Taking a gap year, but who knows? Maybe I could be some rockstar’s girlfriend.” Sheesh, the weed had you feeling ballsy.

“Yeah, maybe.”

The comfortable silence had now grown awkward as you struggled to even look in Jake’s direction.

“You should hear me play some time. I-I mean if you wanted to I can right now.” Jake stumbles over his words, presumably a mix of anxiousness and marijuana.

“Sure, yeah, that sounds good.” You nod and stand at the same time Jake does, taking his hand once again as he held it out for you. His palms feel warm and clammy, usually you’d be off put but his nervousness is endearing.

He opens the little side door to the garage and flicks on the light. It smells very garage-y, the whirring of the fluorescent lights really tying it together. He walks to the opposite side and grabs his acoustic guitar before suggesting you sit on the couch next to him.

“We’ve been working on this one for a little bit, it’s called Flower Power.”

He plays chords to a song you hadn’t heard, singing chunks of lyrics alike. It was a beautiful song nonetheless, maybe even one you’d listen to on your own accord.

“Wow, she must be a lucky girl.”

“Think so? Why’s that?” Jake giggled as he discarded his guitar. He flicked on a lava lamp before shutting the flourecent light off and returning awfully close beside you.

“Are you kidding me? If someone wrote that about me, said that to me?! I think every girl wants to be loved that way.”

“Yeah?” He laughed again, shaking his head.

“Yes!”

“And what if I told you someone did?”

“What?” Your cheeks flamed red, matching the color of the lamp beside you.

“That’s your song, Y/n.” Jake reaches his hand out to yours again for the third time tonight, this time interlocking his fingers with yours.

“Mine?”

Jake nodded before some force pulled the two of you together, your lips crashing into his. After months of wondering what he tasted like, the flavor of weed and spearmint on his lips was one you’d never forget. The kissing grew quickly heated as Jake’s hands found purchase on your hips, his knee planted between yours as he hovered over you. You found yourself rutting your hips up against his as he did the same, the feeling of his hardening length against your clothed center driving you places you’d never been. The kissing led to shirts being removed, ultimately leaving you in your bra and underwear, Jake in his shorts.

“What d’ya wanna do?” He whispered between kisses, his hands migrating to your breasts.

“Um, not sure… I’ve never-”

“No, me either, it’s okay.”

“I can- do you want head?”

“You okay with that?”

“Yeah,”

Jake sat beside you again as you stood between his legs, lowering yourself to your knees. You’d never given head before, or done anything along these lines. Your body filled with an unfamiliar sensation as you progressed, dipping your fingers past the waistband of his shorts and boxers. His length sprung straight up and your eyes widened at the sheer size of him. Never would you have thought he’d pack so much heat. You gently wrap one hand around the base of his cock, slowly stroking his length as you work your lips over his blushed tip. You watched a few videos here and there to sort of have a general idea, trying to remember anything from those as you bobbed your head up and down. Jake’s hands cupped either side of your face as he moaned and whined before grabbing your hair into a makeshift ponytail.

“Is this okay?”

“Mhm.” You hummed with him in your mouth, his dick twitching in response.

“Can I give you head?” He asks, lifting you from his length. You nod eagerly as Jake laid you down on the sofa, kicking off his shorts and boxers. He kisses up the inside of your thighs before hovering over your center. You’re embarrassed by the polka dot cotton panties you wore, but he doesn’t seem to care as he tucks his fingers into the elastic waist. He looks up at you and waits for approval before pulling them down your thighs, tossing them amongst his.

It’s a matter of seconds before his tongue begins exploring you alongside his fingers. Jake’s mouth marries perfectly against your aching bud as he switches between flicking his tongue and sucking. His fingers tease your entrance as he finally pushes a finger in, his mouth continuing its task. You watch him grind his hips against the cushions, his groans growing louder the faster his mouth and fingers move.

“Jake?” You whine, writhing under his touch.

“Hm?” He pulls away, staring at you with his soaked chin and lips.

“Do you wanna have sex?” Bold. The weed was giving you all the courage you could ask for.

“I don’t know where there’s a condom.” He kneels on the cushions in front of you, stroking his length.

“You don’t have one like in your wallet?”

“Why would- I’m a virgin.”

“Right, sorry.” It was kind of implied earlier, but hearing the words leave his mouth felt foreign. It truly astounded you that he was a virgin. People said he got around a lot, it was one of the reasons you felt you had no chance.

“Maybe just the tip? Just to feel?” He shrugged, placing his hands on your knees.

“Yeah… But what if it feels too good? And we wanna keep going?”

“Pull out?”

You knew that was almost always a bad idea, but you let yourself think with the wrong head as you agreed to the idea. Jake pushes your knees apart and slowly brings his hips forward, the pillowy head of his cock rubbing against you. You reach a hand down and situate him at your entrance, bringing your legs up to ease him in. Jake places his hands against the armrest of the couch above your head, his chest hovering over your face as he slowly introduces his length.

“More.” You begged through a breathy moan, wincing as he did exactly as you asked. Jake feeds his entire length inside, his thighs flush against yours as you both revel in the feeling.

“Fuck, this is so… You feel so good.” Jake places a kiss on the top of your head before trailing his mouth down to yours.

The pain of his thick cock stretching your tight pussy quickly subsides as he begins slowly moving his hips back and forth, his lacking rhythm quickly being found. His lips remain on yours, only pulling away from time to time to check if you were okay. Your nails find a home digging into his back each time his hips crashes into yours. With each thrust came the familiar warmth washing over your body causing you to tighten around Jake.

“Are you close?”

“Yeah,” You respond, hardly able to breathe.

“Suck for me, baby.” Jake brings his middle and index finger to your lips, pushing them into your mouth. After you coat his digits with your saliva, Jake brings them to your clit, rubbing circles over your bud. That only brings you closer to your orgasm, one that feels more powerful than any other. The pleasure that rips through you simply could never be replicated by your own fingers again.

“Jake, fuck, mm,” Your moans begin to sound like cries as your body shakes beneath his.

“S’okay, I got you, pretty girl.” He brings his hand back up, wrapping his arms behind your back as he hugs you to his chest. “I’m gonna cum, too.” Jake removes himself from your aching pussy, resting his cock on your belly as he lowers himself and begins thrusting again. It takes seconds for his hot release to paint your skin, being spread by his weight against yours.

“So do you wanna be a rockstar’s girlfriend?” He asks kissing up and down your neck, occasionally sucking on your sensitive skin.

“I would love to.”

[jjunberry]

⋰˚☆ same time tomorrow?

with moving to a new town all hope seemed lost until you meet a certain neighbor boy.

kim jongseob x fem!reader

genre ☪︎ slice of life, angst, fluff, neighbors to lovers

warnings ☪︎ arguments, seob is mean at one point, typical high school drama

wc ☪︎ 2.9k mlist ☪︎

packing up your life and moving away was not in your life’s bingo card. yet here you were placing the last few items into boxes. taping the box, you walked it outside of your childhood home and to the huge moving truck. your heart felt heavy as you took one final glance at the house you grew up in. part of you was hoping your mom would change her mind on the new job.

the honking of her car horn was just another nail in the coffin. she was ready to leave this town, but you? you weren’t ready to leave your childhood home, your friends, hell, even your school. your whole life was here. with a heavy sigh you got in the passenger side of the car.

your mom patted your shoulder, “cheer up sweetie! this is a good thing. a new start, a better school.” she tried so hard to make this move an exciting thing. it just wasn’t to you. “i liked my old school,” you grumbled before placing your headphones in to drown her rambling out.

the drive seemed to take the longest. you were quiet the whole ride, still secretly wishing she’d turn around and refuse the new job. your friends we’re texting you the whole time, but it wasn’t the same. the car came to a stop in a driveway, the house it was connected to was decently sized.

the moving truck pulled up out front, the workers quickly getting to work. you decided to just take your things in. grabbing a box you got to work, taking in one at a time. it wasn’t until the last box, the universe decided to screw you.

when you lifted the box the bottom gave out, successfully spilling the contents inside. “no, no, no,” you mumbled. you got down on your knees to gather the items, which were mainly trinkets from your bedroom. a lot of them memories with your friends. “let me help.” you looked up and seen a boy leaning down.

“it’s okay.” you replied, both of you grabbing a small turtle figurine. his hands were soft, you thought. “i don’t mind,” he grabbed the last few things, putting them back inside the box. “thank you,” you said standing up. the boy smiled. “it’s no problem,” he stuck his hand out “i’m jongseob, i live next door.” he pointed to his house.

you took his hand in yours, “i’m y/n, i also live next door.” you smiled pointing to your new house. he released your hand, laughing slightly. “well it’s nice to meet you, sorry i should have brought a casserole.” he laughed. “oh my god.” you snorted.

“y/n, sweetie who’s this?” your mom asked as she approached the truck. “this is jongseob.” you introduced them. “nice to meet you.” your mom said before taking another box in. “anything i can help with?” he asked. “i mean sure, we have few boxes left. they’re labeled by room.” he nodded before grabbing a box.

you took your box in, carefully this time. on your way downstairs, you were met with jongseob holding a box. “says y/n’s room.” he said holding the box up. “oh um, follow me.” you turned and went back up, jongseob following. he sat the box on your bedroom floor. his eyes scanning the bare room full of boxes. your twin sized bed pushed against the wall.

“hey cool, your window is across from mine.” he pointed. you looked out the window, his window was across from yours. “the curtain is closed but that’s probably for the better,” he scratched the back of his neck “ i have to clean.” he joked.

“it’s okay, no judgment here.” you turned to your boxes. he looked at his phone. “it’s getting pretty late, i’ll see you soon okay?” he asked. you nodded and watched him leave. “bye.” he yelled, running down the stairs.

it took a few weeks before everything was unpacked, but only a day for you to become friends with jongseob. he got home that night and opened his window, “hey neighbor.” he grinned. you leaned towards the window, “hi neighbor.”

“y/n,” jongseob called. you peaked out your blinds before unlocking your window and opening it. “hi seobie.” he smiled, “your mom invited us over for dinner tonight.”

“really? she didn’t mention anything to me,” you frowned. “i guess my mom saw her at the grocery store.” he shrugged.

“not too excited are you?” he leaned closer. “it's not that, just i wish she’d tell me things before doing them.”

jongseob frowned, “this isn’t about dinner is it?” you shook your head. “i know you aren’t happy about the move and starting school, but the brightside is you met me.” he smiled which made you laugh. “thanks seobie.”

“now cheer up, i hate seeing you sad,” he stepped back from the window “i’ll see you at dinner.” you waved bye and closed your windows. you closed your curtains and walked to your closet. eyes scanning the outfit options, you decided on a nice summer dress. this was your first time meeting jongseob’s parents and you wanted to make a good impression.

when it was finally time for his family to come over you couldn’t shake your nerves. it was just dinner, why were you so nervous? the door bell caught your attention, “honey get the door please.” your mom yelled from the kitchen.

you opened the door and was greeted by jongseob’s smiling face behind him was his parents. his smile was contagious, “hi welcome.” you stepped to the side letting them in. your mom walked around the corner brushing off her shirt, “hi welcome.” she greeted.

taking a seat next to jongseob, he smiled at you. “hey neighbor,” he bumped his shoulder with yours. “hi neighbor.” through dinner you were in your own little world with jongseob, occasionally talking with your parents. “so y/n are you excited to be starting school here?” jongseob’s mom speaks. your eyes snap to her, “uh yeah, a little nervous though.” you admit.

“don’t worry sweetie, jongseob will be there.” your eyes turned to jongseob as he started choking on his water. out of instinct you began patting his back, “are you okay?” you asked. he held his hand up nodding, holding back to many coughs.

bidding your goodbyes, you helped your mom clean up dinner. “that was nice, you seem to really get along with jongseob.” she nudge you, “i mean yeah he’s my friend.” you answered ignoring the rapid beating of your heart. she continued to talk but you drown her out, your mind thinking back to jongseob.

he was all that was on your mind all summer. the late night talk through the windows, the ice cream dates, the walks around the neighborhood. nothing could of prepared you for how hard and fast you fell for him.

as the summer days started to fade, you knew school was approaching. “are you nervous?” you asked. jongseob shook his head, “no not really.” he vaguely answered. you furrowed your eyebrows. “i guess you wouldn’t be, i am though.” you admitted. “it’s just school.” he mumbled, but you heard him.

“i think i’ll go to bed now, same time tomorrow?” you asked. jongseob nodded and closed his window, before you could even say goodnight. ignoring your heart you closed your window, laying down. what had gotten into him?

jongseob wasn’t at the window the next night, the next few nights to be exact. you had left yours open in hopes he would come but he never did. it made the night before school a million times worse. your nerves at an all time high, yet his window was shut. he didn’t answer any of your texts, it was like you had made him up.

“y/n,” your mom said opening your door. you were already awake staring out your window. “come on sweetie it’s time to get ready, jongseob’s mom said the bus comes around 7:30.” your stomach churned at his name. “i’ll be down,” she smiled and kissed your head before leaving.

after getting dressed you met your mom for breakfast. “oh sweetie you look beautiful,” she pulled you into a hug. your arms lazily wrapped around her. “eat up, you have a wonderful first day.” she waved, grabbing her work bag and leaving.

your legs carried you to the bus stop, where there was a few different kids in uniforms. jongseob was around a few other boys. your eyes met his briefly before he looked away. the boys around him were laughing at something on the phone. you took a breath and texted him simply saying hi. you heard his phone ding, he looked towards you but didn’t say anything.

he didn’t reply either, you sighed putting your headphones in. it wasn’t enough to drown out the ache in your heart. fate seemed to be not on your side, you shared a few different classes with jongseob. your other classes seemed to have at least of of the other two boys. it’s like you couldn’t escape it.

“hey i saw you at our bus stop this morning, are you new? i’m intak,” he stuck his hand out. you looked up, “um yeah i’m y/n.” you shook his hand. “nice to meet you.” he spoke before joining up with his friends.

when the end of the day finally came, you were releaved to be back home. “how was your first day?” your mom asked while plating dinner. “it was good,” you lied. “i’m so happy to hear that, did you share any classes with jongseob? i’m happy you made a friend like him.” she gushed.

“yeah jongseob is great,” you lied again. your mom smiled happy with your answer. once she dismissed you from dinner, you took off to your room. with a heavy heart you opened your window. jongseob’s bedroom light was on but his window and blinds were closed.

you kept your window open for as long as you could, but the night got later. sadly, you closed your window. of course he wouldn’t come to his.

unfortunately the next few weeks got worse, a group of girls decided you were public enemy number one. making your school life a living hell any chance they got. the worst part is no one said anything about it, the teachers did nothing to stop it.

it happened at lunch, you were waiting in line when they approached you. “hey y/n,” you ignored them. you couldn’t ignore the cold liquid that ran down your back. you jumped forward and screamed, “what is wrong with you?” the laughed.

your eyes scanned the cafeteria looking for an escape, your eyes landed on jongseob.

you looked at him sadly once his friends joined in the laughing. your feet carried you out of the cafeteria, not missing the chance to bump jongseob’s shoulder with yours. what were you expecting him to do? play hero, give you his jacket? of course not.

it took about twenty-five minutes to dry your shirt, and get a new one from the secretary. the walk back to class was a long one, of course you didn’t want to go back but your bag was there. the sound of laughter caught your attention, your feet frozen at the door when you heard what was being said.

“jongseob is so sweet, i just wish he’d look at me the way i look at him,” giggles. “stop it.” your heart started to race hearing jongseob’s voice.

“i’m not finished seobie,” the girl said. “he doesn’t even keep his curtains open anymore, oh my god she’s a creep.” more laughter filled the room. tears welled in your eyes. “i just wished he liked me how i like him,” jongseob snatched the little book containing your deepest secrets and feelings.

“i don’t like her i never will.” he snapped shoving the diary back in your bag. once the laughter died down you rushed in with your head down, quickly grabbing your bag. you checked to make sure all your stuff was inside. “don’t worry your stalker diary is still there.” the girls laughed again.

you made eye contact with jongseob. only when he noticed your tearful eyes did he start to feel bad. “y/n,” he started but you walked away before he could finish. how could you have been so stupid? of course he doesn’t like you. were you over bearing? did you scare him away?

the walk home was long, thankfully it was the weekend and you could have two days of peace without those girls, without jongseob. your mom didn’t question your absence at dinner, and you were thankful.

jongseob sighed seeing your window shut and curtains closed. his heart ached. all he wanted to do was apologize. even if you rejected him at least he’d get to apologize. he needed to do something.

it was jongseob’s turn to hopelessly wait for your window to open. he’d wait everyday after school, during the weekends. he sent countless texts that were always left unanswered. how could he have been so cruel? his heart ached when he remembered how bad he treated you.

his eyes searched the school to catch a glimpse of you, but he never got one. you had gotten too good at avoiding him. “i don’t know what to do,” he groaned laying his head on the table. “what are you on about now?” shota asked. “y/n, she’s ignoring me, “ shota scoffed, “ i’d avoid you too if you openly said you’d never date me. that’s heart breaking dude.” jongseob groaned, “dude that’s not helping.” shota sat up, “well you broke her heart, why were you ignoring her anyway?” jongseob sighed, “ i thought the guys would laugh if i was friends with a girl.” shota smacked jongseob’s shoulder. “you idiot,” jongseob groaned holding his shoulder.

intak approached the pair. “hey guys, seob what’s up with you?” he sat next to them. “jongseob is trying to win y/n over again,” shota explained. intak laughed, “ good luck dude she’s super upset with you.” he opened his bag of chips.

jongseob sat up quickly, “how do you know that?” intak ate a chip and shrugged, “i share a class with her.”

jongseob sighed, “what do i do? she won’t even talk to me.”

“have you tried throwing rocks at her window?” intak asked shoving more chips in his mouth. jongseob’s eyes widened, “intak you genius.” he spoke scrambling up before rushing off.

he waited until your bedroom light came on, his pile of rocks by his sneakers. heart practically beating out of his chest. this was his one shot to get your attention. the rock felt heavy in his hand but not as heavy as his heart, letting out a sigh he tossed the first rock. it ticked off the window but the sound wasn’t loud enough. a few more duds were thrown before he moved onto a bigger rock.

he wasn’t expecting that one to shatter the glass. his eyes went wide and he cringed hearing it. a few seconds later your window flew open, “what the hell jongseob?” you whisper yelled. your eyes were furious but he didn’t care because you were finally looking at him again. “y/n,” he said your name. your heart ached. “what do you want jongseob?”

“i want to apologize, i’m sorry for hurting you,” you scoffed. “it’s going to take a lot more than that, you really hurt me.” jongseob’s heart felt like it was going to beat out of his chest. “i’ll do anything y/n, just please don’t shut me out anymore.” he was begging at this point. “maybe you should of thought about that before shutting me out,” you wanted to slam your window closed but you couldn’t bring yourself too.

“i know and i’m sorry, i was scared. i know that’s not an excuse but i’ve never liked anyone before i never had a friend who was a girl. i was afraid of what people would say.” he felt ashamed. “you should of been honest with me.” you began to carefully pick up pieces of glass from the window.

“y/n?” he called. “yeah?”

“same time tomorrow?” he was hopeful. “goodnight jongseob.”

your window closed, he felt like his whole world just crashed down around him.

for a week, he waited with his window open everyday after school. it was friday, jongseob had skipped school faking being sick. in reality he couldn’t go another day of being ignored by you at school, and his friends giving him the look of pity. he sat at his desk mindlessly tapping a pencil, his window open.

your window opened, “jongseob.” you choked out. his eyes snapped to you, taking in your puffy eyes. “y/n, what happened?” he asked. “t-they ripped up my journal and made copies of the pages.” you cried, regret filling you for ever taking it to school. “oh y/n i’m so sorry.” he said. you sniffled, “it’s not your fault, those girls are cruel.”

“still they’re being mean and i should have stopped it way before this.” he was upset with himself. “it’s okay really, it would have painted a target on your back, defending the new girl.” you let out a bitter laugh. “i should've been your friend.” he snapped. you sighed, “what’s happened, happened we can’t change the past.” you shrugged.

“no but we can change the future, i’m sorry for hurting you y/n, i really care about you and i would love it to be your friend again.” he admitted, he was practically holding his heart out to you. “seobie, i would love nothing more than to change the future with you.”

he smiled at you, and for the first time in months you smiled at him in return. “same time tomorrow?” he asked. you smiled, “same time tomorrow.” you answered.

🗒️: like what you’ve read? send a request! guidelines for requesting here.

tag list: @304files @jjunieworld @miaroseindreamland @sirenla @pancakesfriesfrog @milxed @allieyaaa @mimiibear @kookley77-blog @cyberdragon1789 @anaisalive (if your name is bold, i couldn’t tag you)

love, echo ☁️⋅♡𓂃 ࣪

© jjunberry - all rights reserved. please do not repost on any social media sites, translate, or modify any of my works.

[incorrectbatfam]

dickie and jason headcanons pretty please

Everyone thinks Tim and Damian are a nightmare to have in a room together, but it's actually Dick and Jason. Tim and Damian still need to work through a thing or two and subconsciously pull their punches because of that, but Dick and Jason have no such thing. They've been siblings the longest and at this point it's an undisputed fact that they love each other, so there's zero limit to them being absolute menaces

They've been in a Toy Blast standoff since last year. Dick keeps speedrunning the levels and Jason keeps deleting the app from Dick's phone until he catches up

The bathroom switch in the Bludhaven apartment is outside the bathroom. Barbara kept telling Dick to get it changed and he kept procrastinating, so when Jason broke in and turned the lights off in the middle of Dick's shower, all Babs said from the other room was "Told you so"

Jason: "Alfred, tell Dick to quit breathing over my shoulder"

Dick: "Tell Jason to quit blocking the screen with his big helmet"

Alfred: "Sort it out yourselves, this is not in my job description"

Dick wrestled Jason for an Oreo but also gave him the comfier sleeping bag in the span of five minutes while they were on a stakeout

Jason is absolutely the sibling that chases Dick around the house with a knife for fun when Bruce and Alfred aren't around

Dick: "Get out of my room"

Jason, lurking outside the windowsill: "I'm not in your room"

Dick's outfits aren't truly considered nice until they pass the Jason Test, which is getting a "meh" instead of "you look like you were drawn by a fourth grader"

To brag that he got the last slice of pizza, Jason slapped it across Dick's face

The most accurate ruler in the world is the one they use to split the last candy bar (but Dick secretly lets Jason have an extra millimeter)

And the most accurate measuring cup is the one they divide the last of the apple juice with (though Jason generously gives Dick a few drops more)

The tension is palpable—even the Subway guy cutting their sandwich can feel it

Alfred sends them out to do yard work and they start sword-fighting with increasingly bigger sticks until Dick grabs a rake and Jason whips out the All-Blades

Jason: "I was here first!"

Dick: "I was born first!"

Jason: "I was adopted first!"

Dick has two Instagram accounts—Dick Grayson and Nightwing. Jason has three—Jason Todd, Red Hood, and the verified Nightwing

When the Cave is colder than usual, Jason brings Dick his favorite peppermint hot chocolate but always takes the first sip

Together they stole the bat-plane, flew to Lebanon for food, received a hefty fine after nearly colliding with a fighter jet, got a huge scratch on the side, paid someone under the table to fix it, and put it back where they found it in the span of Bruce debriefing the Justice League

Dick will go through Jason's leftovers, pick out what he likes, and leave the rest. Later he'll hear Jason walk out of the kitchen shouting "Who the FUCK took the shrimp out of my shrimp fried rice?!"

When they were kids Jason's bedtime was half an hour later than Dick's. Dick still has beef with Bruce about that

Dick is Player 1. Jason is Player 6 because the first time they played he grabbed a random controller from a box of dozen

Jason: "Help me bury this body"

Dick: "Sure"

Jason: "Also I need to delete all record of this guy's existence"

Dick: "Will do"

Jason: "And can you get me a drink?"

Dick: "Get it yourself"

When he first arrived, Jason was resistant to the idea of having an older sibling until he realized he has Younger Brother Privilege

Dick hides the remote with a sword swallowing trick and Jason hates it

They use texts for personal conversations, WhatsApp for vigilante business, and Snapchat for unhinged memery. It's like talking to 3 separate people

They also have their own text abbrevation: DTB (Don't tell Bruce)

They don't apologize, they just sulk in their rooms for a couple hours until Alfred calls them down for dinner and they forget all about it

Goon: "Who's that blue fella? Youse was fightin' real loud"

Jason: "Nightwing. He just pisses me off sometimes"

Goon: "I can take care of him"

Jason, lighting a cigarette: "Go ahead, I'll be here when you get your ass handed to you"

[withwritersblock]

Be My Forever

~Be My Forever by Christina Perri and Ed Sheeran~

Author's Note: requested :) Summary: Cole and Y/N are having a baby Warnings: some mentions of body image issues Word Count: 2,000 Cole Caufield x fm!reader

She was alone, staring at the pregnancy test on the bathroom counter. Watching the small black bar blink as it was awaiting the results. She wasn’t sure on how she should feel. Whether to be excited or scared or disappointed. She was in her mid-twenties, it was not like she would be alone. Her boyfriend Cole would be supportive no matter what. 

She was alone but it was because she couldn’t wait anymore. He was going to be home in a couple hours. But she had already spent the last three days unsure of if she was pregnant or not she couldn’t wait any longer. She flipped the test over, unable to watch the bar blink any longer. 

She leaned away from the counter, pulling her phone from her pocket and stared at the text from Cole. On my way up xo. She checked the time and furrowed her eyebrows harshly. She swallowed hard as she tilted her head back, she felt her eyes fill with tears. 

Quickly, she shoved her phone back into her pocket as she took a hold of the test. She stared at the blinking black line again. Longest two minutes of her life. Yanking open the drawer, she dropped the test inside. 

“Y/N?” Cole’s voice rang out throughout the apartment. She felt her hands start to shake as she pulled the bathroom door open. “Where are you, Gorgeous?” Cole called out, the sound of his duffle bag hitting the floor. 

She cleared her throat, blinked back the tears in her eyes. Forcing a smile to her lips she walked towards the kitchen. Cole was standing in the center of their apartment, staring at his phone. The soft sounds of her footsteps lifted his gaze. He smiled once he saw her. She forced a smile to her lips but her puffy eyes gave away her feelings.

“What’s wrong, Gorgeous?” He quickly walked towards her. She took a shaky breath as she rolled her eyes. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her against his chest. “What’s wrong?” he asked again. 

“I can’t-I can’t say it,” she muttered as she pulled away from him. He scanned her features as she took her hand in his. She guided him towards the bathroom. 

“What’s going on?” he asked as they stepped into the bathroom. The empty pregnancy test box was on the counter. She wiped the tears that fell onto her cheek. His eyes widened as he looked towards it. “Oh,” he let out barely above a whisper.

She bit her bottom lip as she tilted her head back. “Have you-uh-have you taken it yet?” he asked barely above a whisper. 

She nodded her head, “I haven’t looked,” she mumbled. He nodded as he pulled her towards him. She shifted her gaze towards him. He nodded as he slowly ran his hand up and down her back. 

“We’ll look together,” he whispered before he pressed his lips to her forehead for a few seconds. “It’ll be okay,” he whispered once more before he tilted his head back. She pointed towards the drawer. He pulled it open to reveal the upside down pregnancy test. He quickly reached for it and pulled it towards him, keeping it upside down. 

He tightened his hand around it, dropping towards his side. He shifted his gaze towards her, “Whatever it says, we’ll be fine,” he whispered as he scanned her teary features. She nodded as she clenched her jaw. 

Taking a deep breath, he brought the test closer to their faces as he flipped it over. It read pregnant: in bold letters impossible to not read it. 

At first, a gasp left their lips as they read it. 

The feeling of dread she thought she would feel was filled with overwhelming joy. “I know-I know this is not great timing but-” Cole let out with his voice breaking. She shifted her gaze to his as she started nodding. She started crying, not out of fear but out of joy. She quickly wrapped her arms around his neck as she jumped into his arms. 

She giggled as he spun her around. “We’re having a baby,” he whispered into her ear. 

~four months later~

She sat on the barstool eating toast as she rested her hand on her small growing bump. She scrolled through her Instagram feed. “Good morning, Momma, how are you feeling?” Cole asked as he was walking towards her. She rolled her eyes.

“Oh god,” she let out as she tilted her head back to meet his gaze. He smirked as he licked his lips nervously. 

“Seriously, how are you feeling, my love?” he asked as he walked towards her. 

She took a deep breath, “Still the only thing I can keep down,” she mumbled. He nodded as he slowly ran his hand up and down her back. He nodded as he scanned her features, “Our parents are visiting this weekend, do you think it’s time?” she asked him. 

He tilted his head back, a chuckle leaving his throat. “How lucky are we that both our parents are staying with us,” he let out sarcastically. She chuckled. 

“Well, you're the one that offered our bed to your parents. And your the one who invited my parents to come visit at the same time,” 

“I wasn’t going to let one of our parents sleep on the pull out bed, but now I don’t want my pregnant girlfriend to sleep on the pull out bed either,” he let out a dramatic groan as he leaned his body against the countertop. 

“I’ll be fine, Cole,” she mumbled as she took another bite of toast dramatically. He huffed as he leaned towards her pressing his lips against her cheek. 

The weekend quickly came up and so did the impending doom of having to tell their parents that they were having a baby; and that they were excited about it. She walked into the living room in a baggie hoodie and sweatpants. He smiled towards her as he lifted his gaze from his phone. 

“Does it look like I’m pregnant?” she asked as she spun in a circle. He chuckled.

“Yes,” he let out, she pouted as she tilted her head to the side. “When have you ever worn an outfit like that in front of anyone other than me?” he expressed while throwing his arms to the side. She rolled her eyes playfully. 

“So you think they’ll catch on?” She walked towards him and sat down beside him. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder. She leaned her head onto his shoulder. Before he had a chance to answer, the doorbell rang. “Who’s here first?” she whispered. He chuckled before they both stood up from the couch. 

They both walked towards the door. They stared towards one another for a few seconds before Cole pulled the door open to reveal both of their parents. Y/N’s eyes widened. “Wow,” she mumbled.

“Look at you two! This apartment is a lot nicer than you described Y/N,” her mother said as they all walked inside. Y/N chuckled nervously as they all walked inside. They all dragged suitcases behind them. Cole kept his hand on the door as he forced a smile. 

Both of their parents' eyes scanned the apartment excitedly. Cole slowly shut the door behind him as he met Y/N’s gaze. “Bandaid?” he whispered towards her. She took a deep breath as she shook her head. He nodded slowly as he walked towards her. 

They spent the next hour, letting their parents settle in. But it was starting to get harder to not say anything. Her mother continuously kept asking if she was too hot in her outfit. She kept denying it but she definitely was obviously overheating in her attire. 

“Honey, what’s going on?” her mother asked as she pulled her to the side. Y/N eyes widened as she swallowed hard. She looked across the apartment towards Cole, who was also struggling trying to keep the secret at bay. Cole nodded. 

“Can you guys sit down?” Y/N asked the room. The four parents all shared glances before they went towards the couch. After a few minutes of their parents discussing the different things that it could be. She interlocked her fingers with Cole’s as they looked towards their parents. 

“We’re having a baby,” Cole blurted out. She squeezed his hand. All of their eyes widened as they shifted glances towards one another. “And we’re happy about it,” he continued. Letting out a long dramatic breath as he met his mom’s gaze. 

“You should be happy about it!” her mother let out excitedly. “We’re having a grandbaby,” she stood up and all four of them started hugging excitedly. 

“How far long?” his mother asked as she walked towards them. Cole and Y/N stood up from the couch. 

~Two month later~

She was seven months along, her bump was showing and she was starting to show it off more. Reluctantly. She groaned as she tried to zip up her jeans but they barely passed her thighs. “What the hell!” she yelled out as she sat down onto the mattress. 

Cole walked out of the bathroom, as he threw on his jean jacket. “What’s wrong?” he asked, his breath caught in his throat.

“My jeans don’t fit,” she let out, a sob rising in her throat.

“That tends to happen with growing a baby inside of you,” he let out as he walked towards her. She dropped her gaze towards her lap as she let out a sob. “My love,” he mumbled. 

“These are my favorite jeans,” she let out barely above a whisper. He pouted as he tilted his head to the side. “What if they don’t fit after I have the baby?” she asked. He frowned.

“Then you’ll find a new favorite,” he said as he ran his hands up and down her exposed thighs. She nodded slowly as her lips quivered. “Your body is beautiful,” he mumbled as he leaned towards her, taking a hold of her chin. “You’re beautiful,” he said as he delicately kissed her lips. 

“I love you,” she whispered as he pulled away, he smiled softly. 

~

“I still cannot believe you guys don’t know if you’re having a boy or girl,” Nick mumbled before he stabbed his fork against his salad. Cole chuckled as he took a sip of his water. 

“Y/N doesn’t want to know and if she doesn’t want to know then I’m cool with it,” Cole offered as he leaned back against his chair.

“You hate being in the dark about dinner plans, what do you mean!?” Nick expressed. Cole rolled his eyes playfully. 

“This is my kid, man, I would like to just at least have a name picked out before they’re born,” he let out while shaking his head. 

“What are your options?” Nick asked before shoving a forkful of salad into his mouth. 

Cole took a deep breath as he ran his hand over his chin, “Skyler, Cameron, Avery, and Jordan. We’re doing names that can be for a boy or girl,”

“Cameron Caufield sounds pretty sick,” Nick expressed with a wide smile. 

Cole smiled softly as he nodded. Caitlin and Y/N walked towards the pair. Caitlin frowned as she saw the food on the boys’ plates. 

“Seriously?” she let out as a small smirk toyed to her lips. She sat down beside Nick, he kissed her cheek as he loosely wrapped his arm around her waist. Cole kissed Y/N’s cheek as he winked towards her.

“I’m eating for two and you couldn’t have waited?” she teased and Cole laughed awkwardly. 

“Did you ask Caitlin about the names?” Cole asked, Y/N nodded slowly. “Cause Nick said Cameron,” he continued. Caitlin and Y/N smiled widely. 

“I think we just named our baby,” she let out barely above a whisper. Cole smiled as he quickly wrapped his arm around her, hugging her. 

“I can’t wait,” he mumbled.

[w2soneshots]

The uncles -Miniminter

words: 1.3k+

warnings: pregnancy, mentions of birth.

summary: your and Simon’s journey to becoming parents: finding out, telling the boys, the gender reveal and welcoming your little baby into the world.

notes: hello loves! Here’s the request🫶🏼. Sorry for the lack of posts recently but this is a long one so I hope you enjoy!!🧸💓

I've known the sidemen for years. And I've been in there videos since they first started out. That's how I met Simon, we were just friends at first but eventually we started dating. We got married a few years later and we started trying for a baby four months ago. We knew it probably wouldn't happen straight away but I was starting to get a little worried, until the other day I took a test and it came back positive.

Today I'm telling Simon. I had to wait a few days since he was away for a sidemen video, which was torture but it gave me time to think of a cute way to do it. I decided that I was going to make a cute present containing some little ugg boots, a baby grow and the pregnancy test.

I placed the box on the kitchen counter then waited for Simon to arrive home. "5 minutes away x" he text me and my heart rate sped up. After the longest five minutes of my life he finally walked through our front door.

"Hi!" I smiled as we shared a tight hug. "I missed you." He whispered into my hair. "I missed you too. I have a surprise." His brows furrowed. "Come." I led him over to the kitchen, pointing to the little box. We sat down and he slowly opened it. His eyes widened and his mouth dropped open as he stared at the contents. "You're- oh my god!" A bright smile graced his features as he stood to pull me into a hug. "I'm gonna be a dad!" I could hear in his voice that he was getting choked up, which was very rare since he never cries. "Yes you are." I replied, my heart filled with pure happiness.

The next few weeks were... tough. I had awful morning sickness and felt terrible all of the time. Simon did as much as he could to be supportive and look after me but there wasn't much he could actually do. We were also trying to keep the fact that I was pregnant a secret until twelve weeks but it was proving quite difficult.

When it finally came time to tell everyone I felt relieved that I wouldn't have to hide it any longer and also so excited that we could finally share the amazing news with our favourite people. Faith and Ethan were the first to find out since I had bumped into them at the hospital while leaving an ultrasound (that unfortunately Simon couldn't be at). They were there with Olive for a check up and I didn't really have an excuse so I just told them. Faith practically screamed as she pulled me into a tight hug. Ethan was just as happy.

Simon was a little bummed that he didn't get to see their reactions but he understood why. Next up was the rest of the boys and the side girls. We decided to do them all in one go so we arranged a little get together to surprise them.

After buying food, cleaning the downstairs and making a playlist I got ready. Simon ran out to get a few last minute things while I took a shower, styled my hair, applied some makeup and got changed into a cute outfit. I only had a small bump as of yet so thankfully that wouldn't ruin the surprise.

As people started to arrive I greeted them and led them towards the living room. Soon everyone was here and it was time. "Ready?" I asked Simon, whispering into his ear. "Yeah." He smiled back at me. I took a deep breath. "We have a little surprise for you all!" I announced. I saw Faith's face immediately light up. "I'm pregnant!"

Cheers filled the room as Freya began crying, JJ practically jumped onto Simon and Ethan proudly bragged to Harry about the fact he already knew. As everyone calmed down they all congratulated us. The party was amazing, the vibes were impeccable and we all had a great time.

As my bump began to grow and people were starting to suspect us on instagram we decided it was time to tell the fans. We announced it with a mirror selfie of me and Simon in our bedroom. He had on his best thumbnail face and I downed a bright smile. He held the most recent ultrasound photo in his hand. Both of us dressed in comfy clothes, my sweatpants placed underneath my bump. The internet went crazy.

Just a week before the gender reveal the baby began kicking. It was a lovely moment. It happened just as I was about to fall asleep. Simon's hand placed comfortably on my bump as we lay in a comfortable silence. Then I felt it, it was strange but so comforting, I knew he or she was ok. We'd been expecting it since the doctor had told us that it would happen soon at our last appointment. "Simon," I turned around in his arms. "I think the baby just kicked!" I whisper shouted. His eyes widened, hands immediately on my stomach. Kick. He looked up at me with pure adoration.

We wanted to find out the gender in a fun way so we decided on a balloon pop; simple but cute. We had a company come round to set up a balloon arch with different sized pink and blue balloons but Faith and Freya helped me to decorate the rest our garden. It looked so cute by the end. It was just going to be mine and Simon's closet family along with the troops and their girlfriends.

Me and Simon both dressed in white, everyone else wore whatever they wanted but most of them wore ether blue or pink depending on what they thought the gender would be. I was fully convinced that it was a boy but Simon thought that it was a girl, nether of us really minded though.

My heart raced as we stood in front of everyone. Simon holding the balloon while I held a needle. Everyone counted down, "5! 4! 3! 2! 1!" I popped the ballon and blue confetti filled the air. Simon pulled me in a warm embrace, my eyes began to stream and the boys jumped around excitedly. "I knew it man! I called it!" JJ shouted. "I was right." I whispered into Simon's ear with a sniffle. "You always are."

The pregnancy flew by and soon I felt like a whale out of water, I was uncomfortable and just wanted to meet our baby boy. We'd finished the nursery and all of the baby shopping, we were now just waiting.

"Simon! Simon wake up!" I shook my boyfriend awake. He shot up. "Wha- what's wrong?!" He panicked. "My water broke!" I said with a smile. I wasn't stressed at all, just excited. Simon on the other hand was a mess. He was frantically running around our home trying to get himself ready. I calmly got dressed then sat on the couch next to the pre packed hospital bag. "Ok, let's go!" He grabbed the bag then helped me up.

Just a few hours later I held our baby in my arms. Thankfully the labour was quick and after getting an epidural I absolutely fine, well other than the fact I had to push a human out of me. None of it mattered now though because me and the baby were both fine and healthy.

A week later -after I had mostly recovered- the boys came round to meet Louie (which is the name we chose). "Oh my god! He's so cute," Faith gushed as she held Louie. "We're gonna need to make another one of these asap." She turned to Ethan. His eyes widened. I chuckled. "Ok, My turn!" JJ shuffled so he was straight in his chair, placing his arms out ready. Faith passed the baby over.

Everyone one got a turn. While me and the girls chatted, the boys playfully argued over who was the best uncle. Though they're all equally as amazing as each other.

[lifeofpriya]

So Long, London - Jack Draper

[gif credit goes to @pyotrkochetkov]

a/n: this fic was heavily inspired by @pyotrkochetkov's post a few days ago about a jack angst fic idea she wanted someone to write 🤭 this is probably the longest fic i've ever written, so sit down, grab a drink and some snacks, and buckle down for the ride, y'all!

summary: what once was a vibrant relationship begins to fade, leaving both of you to drift apart and question your future together...

You woke up to the soft patter of rain outside the window, the sound barely audible over the steady hum of the city below. Stretching, you felt the stiffness in your body from the long hours spent at the office, the tension that had become a second skin to you. Your apartment in the heart of London was a sanctuary from the outside world, a place where you could shed the mask of the day and just be.

Jack's side of the bed was empty, the sheets cold to the touch. You knew his schedule by heart now: early morning training sessions, a quick breakfast, and then off to the courts. You had met him at a charity event a few months ago, and it had been love at first serve. His hazel eyes had pierced through the bustle of the crowd, his smile a warm embrace even in the chilly London air. He was everything you had ever wanted: successful, charming, and attentive.

But lately, something had changed. The texts grew shorter, and the phone calls less frequent. His dedication to tennis seemed to have swallowed him whole, leaving you with the crumbs of his attention. You tried not to let it show and pretended everything was fine, but the cracks in your relationship had started to widen like a fissure in a frozen lake. The apartment that once echoed with laughter and shared dreams now felt more like a museum of memories, each room a silent exhibit of what used to be.

As his career was reaching new heights, your world was slowly shrinking. The thrill of watching him play had become a distant memory, replaced by the cold reality of his absence. His victories no longer filled you with joy, but instead, a sinking feeling of loneliness. You had become an afterthought in his life, a box to check off his to-do list. You missed the way his eyes used to light up when you talked about your day, the gentle way his hand would brush against yours, the way his laughter could fill a room.

The effort you put into maintaining the façade of happiness grew tiresome, like a dance you had learned by heart but no longer enjoyed performing. You'd stay up late into the night, scrolling through social media, watching as his life played out in highlight reels and sponsored posts. The more successful he became, the more invisible you felt. You tried talking to him, but he'd always dismiss it as work stress, promising things would get better once the season was over. Yet, the seasons changed, and so did nothing else.

One evening, you decided to surprise him at his match. The stadium was packed, the air thick with anticipation as he took to the court. You watched him from the stands, his muscles flexing with each powerful serve, his eyes focused solely on the prize. He didn't see you there, not even when you cheered louder than anyone else. After his victory, you waited for him by the exit, clutching the bouquet of flowers you had bought. He walked by, surrounded by an entourage of fans and colleagues, and for a moment, his eyes met yours. But they didn't linger. They slid away as if you were just another face in the crowd.

The ache in your chest grew sharper with each passing day. You found yourself questioning every little thing: every unanswered text, every late-night training session, every time he chose the courts over you. The silence between you had become deafening, a void that swallowed up the love that once thrived. You knew you couldn't go on like this, living in the shadow of his career, but you were afraid to let go. The thought of ending it all was like contemplating the destruction of your own heart.

The rain had stopped, but the gray sky remained a gloomy backdrop to your mood. You decided to take a walk, hoping the fresh air would clear your thoughts. The cobblestone streets were slick under your shoes, and the scent of wet earth and the distant waft of a bakery mingled in the damp air. Each step took you further from the apartment, away from the reminders of the life you had built together, and closer to the realization that it was all falling apart.

As you strolled through the quiet, tree-lined streets, you passed by a small café. Through the steamy window, you saw a couple holding hands over a cup of coffee, their smiles a stark contrast to the sadness you felt. You thought about the times you and Jack had sat in places like this, sipping hot drinks and sharing your hopes and fears. It seemed like a lifetime ago. Your eyes stung with unshed tears, and you quickened your pace, not wanting to be caught in a moment of weakness.

You found yourself in the park, the same one where you had shared your first kiss. The leaves were turning gold, a poignant reminder of the autumn of your relationship. You sat on a bench, watching as children played nearby, their laughter a bittersweet symphony that taunted the silence in your soul.

You had enough. You knew you deserved better, more than the fleeting moments of affection and the empty promises of quality time. So, you gathered your courage and decided to confront Jack. You waited for him to come home, your heart racing with every tick of the clock. When he finally walked through the door, sweat-soaked and exhausted, you couldn't hide the sadness in your eyes anymore.

"Jack, we need to talk," you said, your voice steady despite the turmoil inside.

He looked up from his gym bag, surprise etched on his weary face. "What's up?"

You took a deep breath, the words you had rehearsed so many times now poised on the edge of your tongue. "This isn't working anymore, is it?"

Jack paused, his hand hovering over the doorknob as he processed your words. The weight of the unspoken hung heavily in the air, a silent testament to the distance that had grown between you. He sighed, a heavy sound that seemed to carry the weight of the world, and dropped his bag to the floor. "What do you mean?"

You could see the exhaustion in his eyes, the lines around his mouth that had deepened since you last had a real conversation. But there was something else, too. A flicker of guilt that confirmed what you already knew. "I mean," you began, your voice wavering slightly, "that we're drifting apart. That your tennis is consuming everything, and I'm just… I'm just here, waiting for you to come up for air."

Jack leaned against the door, his posture deflating as he took in your words. He rubbed the back of his neck, a habit he had when he was stressed or confused. "I know I've been busy," he started, his voice low and sincere, "but I thought we were okay."

You felt a knot in your throat, the years of pent-up frustration and love tangled together in a mess that was difficult to unravel. "Okay isn't enough," you said firmly. "I need more than okay."

Jack's eyes searched yours, looking for a hint of the spark that had brought you two together. He took a step closer, his hands reaching out tentatively, as if to bridge the gap that had grown between you. "What do you want from me?"

You hesitated, the question echoing in your mind. What did you want? You wanted the love you had felt in those early days, the excitement of discovery, and the comfort of shared experiences. But that seemed like a distant dream now. "I want you," you said finally, the words coming out more as a plea than a demand. "I want the person I fell in love with."

Jack's expression softened, and for a moment, you thought he might understand. But then his eyes clouded over again, and he took a step back. "You know I can't just quit tennis," he said, his voice a mix of frustration and resentment. "This is my life. This is what I've worked for."

You felt the sting of his words, but you didn't flinch. "I'm not asking you to quit," you replied calmly. I'm just asking for balance—for us to be a priority again."

Jack looked at you, his eyes searching yours for understanding. He ran a hand through his damp hair, leaving it in disarray. "You know how much this means to me," he said, his voice strained. "But I'll try."

You nodded, hope flickering in your chest. Maybe there was a chance, a glimmer of the love you had lost. But the doubt remained, a persistent whisper in the back of your mind. The next few days were filled with tentative gestures and half-hearted attempts at connection. He'd stay up later to watch a movie with you, or surprise you with breakfast in bed, but the underlying tension remained. You could feel it, a tightrope you both danced upon, afraid to misstep and send everything plummeting into the abyss.

One evening, Jack came home earlier than expected. He had lost a match, his first in months. The defeat etched on his face was raw, unfiltered. You wanted to comfort him, to tell him it was okay, that you were there for him no matter what. But when he saw you, his eyes darkened, the weight of his failure crushing the fragile peace you had constructed.

"What are you doing here?" he snapped, his voice laced with frustration. "I need to be alone."

You felt the rejection like a punch to the gut, but you remained steadfast. "Jack, it's okay to lose," you said softly, reaching out to touch his arm. "It doesn't change who you are."

He shrugged you off, his eyes burning with anger and disappointment. "You don't get it," he said, his voice tight. "This isn't just a game to me. It's everything."

You took a step back, the coldness of his words sending a shiver down your spine. You had never seen this side of him before, the side that was consumed by the sport, the side that didn't have room for you. "I do get it," you said, trying to keep the hurt from your voice. "But you can't let it be everything. You can't let it eat away at us."

Jack didn't respond, instead, he turned away and headed to the shower, the door slamming shut behind him. You stood there, unsure of what to do next. The apartment felt smaller, the air thick with the unspoken. You knew you had to give him space, but the walls seemed to be closing in on you, suffocating you with the weight of his pain and your own fear.

You wandered into the living room, the silence deafening. You picked up a book from the coffee table, trying to find solace in the pages, but the words blurred together, indistinct and unimportant. Your thoughts kept drifting back to the conversation, to the coldness in his eyes when he pushed you away.

The sound of the shower finally stopped, and you could hear Jack moving around in the bedroom. You set the book down and took a deep breath, steeling yourself for what was to come.

When he emerged, his face was scrubbed clean, but the sadness in his eyes remained. He saw you sitting there, and for a moment, the anger was gone, replaced by a look of regret. He sat down next to you, his elbows on his knees, and leaned his head in his hands. "I'm sorry," he said, his voice cracking. "I didn't mean to push you away."

You put the book aside and turned to face him. "Jack, we can't go on like this," you said gently, taking his hand in yours. "I can't keep pretending everything's fine when it's not."

He looked up at you, the regret in his eyes deepening. "I know," he murmured. "I've been so focused on tennis that I've neglected us. I've taken you for granted."

You shook your head, "I can't live my life fueled with empty promises anymore." The words hung in the air, a stark reminder of the chasm that had formed between you.

Jack's gaze dropped to the floor, his grip on your hand tightening. "I know I haven't been the best partner," he admitted, his voice a hoarse whisper. "But I want to change. I want to make it work."

You studied his face, searching for the truth in his words. You knew he meant it, but the doubt remained, a stubborn shadow that had taken root in your heart. "I've given you so many chances," you whispered, your voice trembling. "I'm done fighting for a relationship that feels one-sided."

Jack took a deep breath, his eyes meeting yours with a newfound vulnerability. "I know," he said, his voice thick with regret. "And I've let you down. But if you give me one more chance, I'll prove to you that I can change. That we can find that balance."

You felt your heart ache, torn between the love you still had for him and the pain of his neglect. "Jack," you began, your voice barely above a whisper, "I don't know if I can do this anymore."

He looked at you, the reality of your words sinking in. He leaned over and took your face in his hands, his thumbs brushing away the tears that had started to fall. "Please," he begged, "just one more chance. I'll do whatever it takes to make it right."

You stared into his eyes, the green of the leaves outside the window casting a mottled light over his features. The love you had for him was still there, a dull throb that wouldn't go away, no matter how much you wished it would. You wanted to believe him, you really did. But the doubt was a heavy burden that you had been carrying for too long.

"I'm sorry," you whispered, pulling away from his grasp. "But I can't keep doing this." Your voice was shaky, but your resolve was unwavering.

Jack's eyes searched yours, desperation pooling in their depths. "What do you mean?"

You took a deep breath, the words sticking in your throat like a mouthful of dry toast. "I mean, I can't keep holding onto something that isn't working," you said, your voice firm despite the tears threatening to spill over. "I've given you all of me, and I need more than just the leftovers of your time and attention."

Jack's expression fell, the realization of his actions settling on him like a heavy fog. He opened his mouth to protest, but no words came out. Instead, he dropped his hands to his sides, his shoulders slumping in defeat. The silence that followed was a physical presence in the room, a thick and heavy blanket that suffocated any semblance of comfort.

You stood up, the tremble in your legs betraying your inner turmoil. "I need some time to think," you said, your voice barely above a whisper. You turned and walked to the bedroom, each step feeling like you were walking away from a piece of yourself. You shut the door gently, leaving him sitting on the couch, alone with his thoughts.

In the bedroom, you leaned against the closed door, your chest heaving with the effort to hold back sobs. You took a moment to compose yourself, to breathe in the air that was now thick with the scent of their cologne, a smell that was once comforting but now a stark reminder of the empty promises and unfulfilled dreams. You looked around the room, at the photos of happy moments together, the trophies that gleamed in the soft light, and the empty space on the nightstand where your picture used to be.

You grabbed your phone and dialed your best friend's number, the one person who knew every detail of your relationship, every high and low. You needed her calm voice, her unwavering support. She picked up on the first ring, and without saying a word, you could feel the empathy radiating through the line. She knew something was wrong.

"He's not changing, is he?" she asked gently.

You took a deep breath, the truth of her words a heavy stone in your chest. "I don't know," you managed to choke out. "I want to believe he will, but I can't ignore the feeling that it's just going to be more of the same."

Your friend's voice was a soothing balm, offering comfort without judgment. "You've done everything you can," she said. "It's time to think about what you need."

You nodded, even though she couldn't see you. You knew she was right. You needed more than just a promise of change. You needed action, a commitment to the relationship that matched the one you had been giving all along. You sat down on the bed, the mattress squeaking under your weight, and took a deep breath. The rain had started again, the droplets tapping a solemn rhythm on the window.

Jack's side of the closet was a testament to his life on the road, a chaotic mess of suitcases and rumpled clothes. You stared at his tennis shoes, the ones he had worn when you had watched him win his first major tournament. They were pristine white, now scuffed and worn from his relentless pursuit of greatness. You felt a pang of sadness, wondering if his dedication to the sport had cost him more than just your happiness.

With a heavy heart, you began to pack a bag of your own. You didn't know where you'd go, but you knew you couldn't stay here anymore. Each item you placed in the bag was a symbol of your own strength, a declaration of independence from the shadow of his success. The sound of your zipper closing was the final act in a play that had gone on for too long.

You walked out to the living room, your bag slung over your shoulder, and found Jack still sitting on the couch. He looked up at you, his eyes red and puffy, the weight of his own regret etched into his features. "I'm sorry," he murmured again, but the words felt hollow in the face of your resolve. "I guess this is it," he said, standing up.

You nodded, not trusting yourself to speak. The words you wanted to say, the anger and hurt you had bottled up for so long, threatened to spill out in a flood of accusations and recriminations. But you knew that wouldn't change anything. You had made your decision, and it was time to move on. "I need to go," you said, your voice calm despite the storm raging within.

Jack stepped aside, allowing you to pass. As you moved through the apartment, each room whispered memories that now felt like ghosts. You paused in the kitchen, the sight of the mug tree bringing a lump to your throat. So many mornings you had made him tea, hoping the simple act would be enough to keep him grounded, to remind him of what he had waiting for him at home. It was a futile hope, one that had been shattered by the relentless pull of the courts.

You took one last look around, the walls now echoing with the silence of your unanswered calls and the emptiness of his promises. The door clicked shut behind you, a finality that resonated through your bones. The cool air outside was a stark contrast to the stifling atmosphere you had left behind.

You wandered the streets, the rain now a gentle patter that matched the rhythm of your thoughts. Each step took you further from the apartment, from the life you had built with him, and closer to the unknown. The city lights reflected off the wet pavement, casting a shimmering glow that seemed to mock the darkness of your heart.

You called a taxi, the neon lights of the car blinking through the mist like a beacon of escape. The driver looked at you in the rearview mirror, his expression a mix of curiosity and concern. You gave him the address of a hotel you had found online, one that offered a quiet refuge from the tumultuous storm of your emotions.

As the city passed by in a blur of lights and rain-slicked streets, you stared out the window, the cold glass pressing against your forehead. Your thoughts swirled like the wind outside, a chaotic mix of doubt, anger, and sorrow. You wondered if you were making a mistake, if you were giving up too quickly. But the weight of the decision settled in your stomach like a lead ball, a sure sign that you were doing what needed to be done.

When the taxi pulled up to the hotel, the doorman rushed to open the door, offering you a sympathetic smile as you stepped out into the damp night. The lobby was a welcome respite from the storm, warm and quiet, with a faint scent of vanilla and fresh flowers. The receptionist offered her condolences for the weather as she checked you in, her eyes flicking to the bag slung over your shoulder, but she said nothing about the tears that had streaked your cheeks.

You took the elevator to the top floor, the ride up feeling like an ascension to a new chapter of your life. The room was small but cozy, with a plush bed that beckoned you to rest and a view of the city that reminded you of the vast expanse of possibilities ahead. You set your bag down, and for a moment, you just stood there, listening to the rain tap against the window, feeling the weight of the silence that was now yours alone.

You called your friend back, her voice a lifeline in the sea of your doubt. She talked you through the pain, her words of encouragement and understanding a salve to your bruised heart. She reminded you of who you were before Jack, of the dreams you had put on hold, of the life that was still waiting for you outside the shadow of his ambition.

You took a long, hot shower, letting the water wash away the tension and the tears. You felt the warmth seep into your skin, rekindling a spark of life that had been all but snuffed out. When you emerged, you wrapped yourself in a soft towel and looked in the mirror. The person staring back at you was tired but determined.

You pulled on a pair of comfortable pajamas and climbed into the bed, feeling the cool sheets against your flushed skin. You lay there for a while, listening to the rain outside, feeling the sadness wash over you in waves. But as the night grew darker, something shifted. The weight of your decision began to feel lighter, replaced by a quiet sense of relief. You had stood up for yourself, and that was something to be proud of.

As you drifted off to sleep, your mind played back moments of your relationship—the laughter, the tears, the passion. You felt the ache of loss, but also the flicker of hope. Maybe this was the end, or perhaps it was just the end of a chapter. Either way, you knew you had made the right choice.

The next morning, you woke up to the sound of the city waking up. The rain had stopped, and the sun peeked through the curtains, casting a soft glow over the room. You felt a strange mix of emotions—sadness, relief, fear, and a hint of excitement for the unknown. You knew you couldn't stay in this hotel forever, but for now, it was your sanctuary, a place to heal and decide your next steps.

You ordered room service, and the comforting taste of tea and toast was a gentle reminder of the life you once knew. You spent the day in a daze, watching movies and scrolling through social media, trying to distract yourself from the reality of your situation. But every notification, every article about Jack's latest match, brought the pain back in full force.

In the quiet solitude of the hotel room, you allowed yourself to grieve the relationship you had lost. The highs and the lows, the love and the neglect, all culminating in this moment of solitude. You cried until there were no more tears left, until your eyes were puffy and your throat raw.

As the days passed, you began to feel the tentative beginnings of strength. Each time you checked your phone and saw a message from Jack, you resisted the urge to respond immediately. Instead, you took a deep breath and waited, letting the words sit unanswered, giving yourself the space to think and feel.

You started to explore the city again, the same streets that had once been the backdrop to your shared life now a canvas for new adventures. You visited museums and parks, wandered through markets and cafes, rediscovering the joy of doing things on your own terms. The world didn't revolve around his schedule anymore, and the freedom was both exhilarating and terrifying.

Meanwhile, Jack's life continued on the tennis tour, but the sting of your departure remained. He found it difficult to focus, his mind often drifting to the emptiness of the apartment and the echo of your voice. His performances on the court suffered, and the whispers of doubt grew louder in his ears. He knew he had lost more than just a partner in you; he had lost a piece of himself.

"Game, set, match, Alcaraz," the announcer's voice boomed through the stadium, and Jack's shoulders dropped in defeat. His eyes searched the stands, but there was no sign of you. It had been weeks since you had last spoken, and the void in his life was a constant reminder of his failure.

The applause from the crowd seemed muted as he made his way to the locker room, the weight of his loss heavy on his shoulders. His coach tried to offer words of encouragement, but Jack knew that nothing could fill the emptiness that your absence had left. He had pushed you away with his obsession, and now he faced the stark reality of a life without your warmth and support.

In the quiet of his hotel room, Jack stared at his phone, the screen lighting up with messages from his agent, his coach, and his friends. But the one message he craved was from you. He knew he had to make a change, to prove to you and himself that he could balance his career with the love you both deserved.

The weeks passed in a blur of matches and press conferences, but Jack couldn't shake the feeling of emptiness that had settled in his chest. His game suffered, his focus scattered. His entourage noticed the shift, their worried glances and hushed conversations a constant reminder of his personal turmoil.

One evening, after a particularly crushing loss, Jack found himself unable to face the empty hotel suite. Instead, he wandered the streets, seeking solace in the anonymity of the city.

He ended up at a small, dimly lit pub, the kind of place where the locals gathered to drown their sorrows and share their stories. The warm, woody scent of beer and the comforting murmur of conversation wrapped around him like a blanket. He took a seat at the bar, the polished wood cool against his palms.

The bartender, a middle-aged woman with a kind face and a knowing smile, approached him. "Rough day?" she asked, her voice a gentle rumble.

Jack nodded, his eyes downcast. "Rough few weeks, actually," he murmured, the weight of his words heavier than the silence that followed.

The bartender leaned closer, a hint of concern in her gaze. "Love troubles?" she ventured.

Jack sighed, the tension in his shoulders easing slightly. "Something like that," he replied, staring into the amber depths of his whiskey.

The woman nodded, her eyes filled with understanding. "It's tough when you lose someone important, especially when you know you're the one who messed up." She wiped the counter with a cloth that had seen better days. "But you're young, and you're talented. You've got time to make it right."

Jack took a sip of his drink, the burn in his throat mirroring the ache in his heart. "I just don't know if I can," he said, his voice thick with regret. "I've lost so much already."

The bartender's expression softened. "You can't change the past, love," she said, her voice a soothing balm. "But you can learn from it. Sometimes, you have to hit rock bottom before you realize what you truly want."

Jack nodded, the whiskey warming him from the inside out. He knew she was right. The pain of losing you had brought a clarity to his life that he hadn't felt in a long time. Tennis was his love, his passion, but it couldn't be his everything.

The next day, Jack took a deep breath as he walked into the gym, his eyes scanning the familiar space for any signs of change. His coach noticed the determination in his stride and nodded approvingly. They began to work on a new strategy, one that didn't just focus on his serve and volley but also on his mental fortitude. Between sets, Jack's thoughts drifted to you, to the way your eyes would light up when he talked about his matches, the way you'd listen intently and offer insights that often proved invaluable. He missed that connection, the way you understood him in a way no one else did.

As he swiped the sweat from his brow, Jack made a silent vow to become the person you deserved, to find the balance between his love for tennis and his love for you. It wasn't going to be easy, and he knew that he couldn't expect you to come running back with open arms. But he had to try, for both of your sakes.

One day, while he was in line at the coffee shop, Jack heard a familiar laugh. His heart skipped a beat, and he spun around, only to see you with an unfamiliar man, smiling and chatting away. The sight of you with someone else was like a knife to the chest. He quickly averted his gaze, pretending not to notice, but the pain was acute. He realized he hadn't seen you in person since that rainy night you left.

Jack's hand trembled as he took the coffee the barista handed him. He stepped aside, watching you from a distance, feeling like an outsider in a scene that used to be so intimately his. The stranger put his arm around your shoulders, and Jack felt a surge of jealousy that surprised him. He had known you needed more, but seeing it with his own eyes was a different story.

But you didn't miss the way Jack's eyes lingered on you, the desperation in his gaze. You felt a pang of guilt, but you steeled yourself. You had moved on, hadn't you?

You couldn't deny it, your heart skipped a beat when you saw him. You wanted to run into his arms and tell him you'd made a mistake, that you could work it out.

"You still have feelings for him, don't you?" You heard Alex whisper, a sad smile playing on his lips. You nodded, sipping your hot beverage.

"It's hard not to, but…I've moved on," you replied, trying to convince yourself more than anyone else.

"Have you though? Really moved on?" Alex's question lingered in the air, his gaze holding yours as you took another sip of your beverage. You swallowed hard, the warm liquid doing little to soothe the sudden tightness in your throat. "It's okay if you do," he added gently, "but maybe it's time to talk to him."

Jack watched you from across the street, his heart hammering in his chest. He had hoped that with time and distance, the pain would lessen, but seeing you with someone else brought it all rushing back. The months of training, the endless matches, none of it had filled the void you left behind. He knew he needed to make a change, to find a way to balance his love for the game with the love he had for you.

With a newfound resolve, Jack approached you, his sneakers squeaking on the damp pavement. You turned, surprise flickering in your eyes before they clouded over with caution. Alex stepped aside, giving you space. "Can we talk?" Jack asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

You nodded, leading the way to a nearby park bench. The rain had stopped, leaving the air fresh and clean, the scent of wet earth and leaves filling the space between you. You sat down, leaving a respectful distance, your eyes avoiding his. "What is there to say?" you began, your voice tight with unshed tears.

Jack took a deep breath, his eyes searching yours. "I've been thinking about us," he said, his voice raw with emotion. "I know I've hurt you, and I'm sorry. I never meant to make you feel like you weren't a priority."

You remained silent, watching the children playing in the distance, the sound of their laughter a stark contrast to the heaviness of the conversation. "It's more than that, Jack," you said finally, your voice steady. "It's about feeling seen, heard, and valued. It's about being a team, not just having someone to come home to when you're done with your day."

Jack nodded, his eyes never leaving yours. "I get it," he said, his voice low and earnest. "I've been so focused on my career, I lost sight of what's truly important. I want to change that. I want to be better for you."

You studied him, looking for the truth in his words. The old Jack, the one who used to make you feel like the center of his world, seemed to be peeking out from behind the tired, burdened exterior. "What does that mean, exactly?" you asked, your voice laced with skepticism.

Jack took a deep breath, bracing himself for the hardest conversation of his life. "It means that I'll make time for us, really make time," he began. "I'll schedule breaks in my training, show up for dinner without my phone, and actually listen when you talk about your day." His voice grew stronger as he spoke, the conviction in his eyes growing brighter. "I'll do whatever it takes to fix this."

You felt a flicker of hope, but it was quickly doused by the memory of his past promises. "Words are easy, Jack," you said, your tone measured. "It's the actions that count."

Jack's expression grew serious, the lines around his eyes deepening as he nodded. "You're right. I know I've said a lot of things I didn't follow through on, but I'm different now." He paused, searching for the right words. "I've missed you. I've missed us. I can't stand the thought of losing you for good."

You bit your lip, trying to hold back the tears that threatened to spill over. "Jack, I want to believe you," you said, your voice wavering. "But I've been here before. How do I know this isn't just another fleeting moment of clarity before you're off to the next match?"

Jack reached out and took your hand, his grip firm but gentle. "Because I'm going to prove it to you," he said, his eyes never leaving yours. "I'm going to show you that you're not just a part of my life, you're the most important part. And if that means taking a step back from tennis, then that's what I'll do."

You searched his eyes, looking for any sign of deceit or doubt. But all you saw was sincerity and pain. "I don't want you to give up your dreams," you whispered. "But I need to know you're willing to make me a part of them."

Jack nodded solemnly. "I understand," he said. "And I'm not asking you to come back right now. I just… I want you to know that I'm willing to make changes. To make us work."

You felt the warmth of his hand, the familiarity of his touch sending a shiver down your spine. You had missed this connection, but the fear of history repeating itself was stronger.

"Jack," you began, your voice shaky, "I want to believe you. I really do. But I've been hurt too many times. I can't just jump back in without knowing it's for real."

Jack's grip on your hand tightened slightly, his thumb stroking the back of your hand in a comforting gesture. "I know," he said, his eyes never leaving yours. "And I don't expect you to. I just need you to know that I'm ready to fight for us. To make this right."

You sighed, the weight of your decision pressing down on your chest like a boulder. "Okay," you finally said, your voice barely audible. "Let's take it slow. No promises, just…see where it goes."

Jack's face lit up with hope, a small smile playing on his lips. "I can do that," he said, squeezing your hand. "We'll take it one day at a time."

The days turned into weeks, and Jack kept his promise. He made an effort to be present, to listen, to be there for you without the distraction of his phone or his thoughts of the next match. He started to include you in his training sessions, even asking for your advice on his game. It was a tentative dance, both of you testing the waters, feeling for the old rhythm that had been lost.

You found yourself slowly letting your guard down, the warmth of his attention thawing the icy walls around your heart. But the fear remained, a persistent shadow that followed you, whispering doubt into your ear every time he had to leave for a tournament.

One evening, as you watched him pack his bag, the memories of the past filled the room—his hasty goodbyes, the forgotten anniversaries, the missed phone calls. You took a deep breath, trying to ignore the sinking feeling in your stomach. "Jack," you said, your voice wavering, "are you sure this is what you want? That you can handle it?"

Jack looked up from his suitcase, his eyes meeting yours with a fierce determination. "I've never been more sure of anything," he replied, crossing the room to stand in front of you. "I love you, and I'm going to prove it every single day." He wrapped his arms around you, holding you close, and for a moment, you allowed yourself to believe him.

The next few weeks were a whirlwind of improvement. Jack's dedication to the relationship was evident, and his performance on the court reflected the newfound balance in his life. The press took notice, praising his renewed focus and maturity. His wins started piling up, and the whispers of a potential comeback grew louder.

But it wasn't just his game that had changed; it was Jack himself. He had become more thoughtful, more attentive. He'd surprise you with flowers, leave sweet notes around the apartment, and ask about your day with genuine interest. He was the partner you had always wanted him to be, and you felt yourself falling back in love with him.

Yet, the doubt remained, a quiet thief in the night that stole moments of happiness. You would catch yourself waiting for the other shoe to drop, for the day when he'd slip back into his old ways. Each time he picked up his phone to check his schedule, you'd hold your breath, waiting for the apology that usually followed.

But the apologies didn't come. Instead, Jack made plans with you, around you. He talked about the future with a warmth that had been absent for so long, his eyes lighting up when he spoke of trips you could take together, the life you could build outside of tennis. It was as if he had finally realized that there was more to life than the scoreboard.

One rainy afternoon, you found yourself nestled in his arms, watching a movie you'd both seen a hundred times before. His fingers traced idle patterns on your skin, and you felt a sense of peace that had been elusive for months. As the credits rolled, Jack leaned in and kissed you softly, his eyes searching yours for reassurance.

"I'm going to miss you," you whispered, as the reality of his upcoming tournament loomed.

Jack pulled you closer, his arms a warm cocoon. "I'll miss you too," he said, his voice thick with emotion. "But I promise, I'll make it up to you when I get back."

The days leading up to the tournament were filled with sweet gestures and stolen moments of intimacy. Jack took you on surprise dates, showered you with affection, and even cooked for you, a rarity in your usually hectic lives. His dedication to making amends was palpable, and you found yourself feeling hopeful for the first time in what felt like an eternity.

[into-the-hellaverse]

Spoiled

Proofread and co-written with my lovely mutual, @razzle-n-dazzle

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Vox groaned as his monitor vibrated and beeped, sounding off his alarm to get up. He started to sit up, before getting smacked in the face by Valentino, who was still deep in dreamland and had no intention of getting up at the ever-so early hour of 8 AM.

Vox growled, now fully awake. He tossed Val's arm off, sitting up and stretching as he turned off the alarm. He looked to his side, noticing how his boyfriend took up half of his large bed. And that their girlfriend was missing. It was usual for her to be the first one out of bed, so Vox thought nothing was wrong.

When the Vees started their throuple, they developed unspoken rules or agreements, things they would do for each other. One of those things, food. Velvette took care of breakfast, since she was usually an early riser. She was usually up at 4 or 5 in the morning, so why not put together something quick for her boys? Vox would take care of lunch for the three of them, usually just ordering something from a nearby restaurant and having it delivered. He wasn't the best in the kitchen. And, by order of elimination, Valentino would make them dinner. He was fairly skilled and everything he made was good, so they had no complaints.

Vox stretched and yawned loudly as he walked to the kitchen. There was no sound of sizzling bacon, or the smell of fresh pancakes, or the beeping of the Keruig finishing their coffee. It was a little odd. That when he noticed the note written on the whiteboard on the fridge.

Busy schedule. Every demon for themselves. Love you, lazy fuckers.♡♡♡

Velvette

Vox smiled gently, starting the Keruig as he looked for something easy to make for him and Valentino. It didn't happen often, but they were used to the times when one of them had to skip their meal. Sometimes work just got in the way and there wasn't much you could do.

He found a box of pancake/waffle mix and followed the instructions on the back of the box, hoping that he wouldn't find a way to burn them this time. He turned and looked over his shoulder as best as he could when he heard foot steps coming towards the kitchen. A familiar groan and sigh filled the air as Vox felt two pairs of arms wrap around his torso. "Coffeeeeeee..." Valentino whined, pressing his forehead against the back of his monitor.

"Made it fresh," Vox said with a little smile, reaching up and grabbing Valentino's ridiculously large coffee mug.

"Where's Vettie?" Val asked with a yawn, taking his mug and filling it to the brim with black coffee.

"She had a busy schedule. Her note is on the fridge," he said, gesturing over to it as he finished up the last waffle.

"So you decided to burn breakfast?"

Vox glared at him. "One more comment like that and I'm breaking your dick. She'll probably get things sorted out in a couple days."

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One month. Velvette had been busy for one whole month. The longest time any of them had fend for themselves for a meal was two weeks, when Valentino had to work late for some porno he just had to finish. Velvette would leave before Vox or Val had gotten up and come back long after they were in bed. The couple of times they stayed up to wait on her, to try and get some explanation, she worked 50+ hours straight and passed out in her studio. If they tried to visit, all they got was "she's busy and not taking visitors", and her assistants wouldn't take any excuse or threat they gave. If they texted her, she would ignore it for hours and only give a response like "srry I was bsuy" and not give any other explanation. It was started to get really fucking sick. And they missed her cooking. You can only have so many almost-burnt waffles and half-cooked pancakes before you will willingly starve yourself until lunch.

Today at lunch, Vox ordered from Velvette's favorite restaurant and brought the food up to her studio. He ignored the interns trying to sheepishly explain why he couldn't go in, and he just barged in through the doors.

The studio looked terrible. It was like a hurricane came through and wrecked the place. Clothes, fabric, and various accessories laid strewn across the floor, and every surface was covered in similar messes. And the only sound echoing throughout was Velvette screaming some jumbled mess at her underlings.

Vox could finally see how badly this past month had affected her. Velvette always put thought and effort into her appearance. She wanted to keep up with the trends and look fabulous. But this look... It was disgusting, to say the least. Her red hair was thrown up into a messy bun. Not an aesthetically pleasing messy bun, an actual messy bun. Her hair was unwashed and unbrushed, just thrown up into a ball on top of her head and held together with a couple of hair ties. Hair was falling out of the "bun" and falling on her face, making her look almost deranged.

Vox got a better look at her face as she whipped around to yell at someone else. She wasn't wearing any makeup, which never happened with Velvette. Without any makeup, you could finally see all the stress on her face, the bags under her eyes from the lack of sleep, and what looked like the start of crows feet.

Her outfit looked so out of style, as well. She would put thought and dedication into each outfit she wore, making sure to stay up on the latest trends and wearing what was in style. But this? It was like she just grabbed a random outfit and changed as she was walking to her studio. And Vox was about 50% sure that her clothes were on backwards. Velvette looked like a mess. Vox knew he had to do somethi-

"WHAT THE EVERLOVING FUCK DO YOU WANT?!" Velvette screamed, finally noticing his presence. "GET THE FUCK OUT!!!"

"Yes ma'am." Vox put the food on the nearest table and practically ran out of the studio. As he walked back to his control room with a heavy sigh, he called Valentino.

"Hello, my darling~" Val said, making no big deal of throwing in the background. "How was our little princesa?~"

"Terrible, to put it bluntly," Vox said. "We seriously need to get her home tonight."

"Understood. Are we-"

"We're gonna have to. Cut your shoot early."

"Yes, sir~"

"Now is not the time, Val! Just cut the shoot and meet me outside in ten minutes."

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"Are you sure you don't want me to start cooking yet?" Valentino asked. Him and Vox had spent the whole afternoon shopping around, getting wine and ingredients and various gifts for Velvette to have a relaxing night in.

"Yeah. You'll have enough time when she gets back," Vox said as he paced by the bar. "She'll probably come storming in and rant for a while, at least 15 minutes but definitely close to 30. And then she's gonna take a shower-"

"And that will take close to an hour because she needs to clean at least a week of dirt and grime off her body," Valentino cut in, heading over to the bar.

"Yeah, probably closer to a month of dirt. I swear, she looked like walking shit...." Vox commented. "I can't imagine how stressful this month has been for her... Don't touch that!" Vox smacked Val's hand away from the full decanter of wine. "All of that is for Velvette. She's gonna need it. Get your own bottle."

Val rolled his eyes and grabbed another bottle. "You know she's going to drink half of it and throw it at the wall."

"And you know that she learned that maneuver from you," Vox said accusingly. "Just head into the kitchen when you hear a slamming door and work your magic, ok? This is for Velvette."

"I know, I know." Valentino sighed and chugged his glass, pouring a glass for Vox as well. "She's never pushed herself this hard. I just wish we knew what was going on..."

Vox took the glass and kissed Valentino's hand, gently rubbing his thumb over his knuckles. "We'll figure out tonight. It's gonna be ok..."

Valentino gave him a gentle smile, staring lovingly into his eyes. "You always know what to say..."

"That's why I'm the forefront of the fastest growing tech company in the city, possibly all of hell," Vox said cockily, taking sip while Val let out a laugh. He was about to let out another smart quip, when the front door slammed open and a certain someone stormed in.

"HOLY FUCKING HELL, I AM GOING TO KILL SOMEONE!!!" Velvette yelled, storming into the living room. Valentino turned tail and went to the kitchen as quick as possible, while Vox started pouring one of many glasses of wine for Velvette.

Velvette snatched the glass out of Vox's hand and drank it all before throwing the glass at the wall, just like Valentino said she would. She pulled at her hair and screamed at the top of her lungs while Vox poured another glass.

"Bad day?" He asked simply.

"Bad day?!" Velvette said with a murderous grin. "BAD DAY?! IT'S BEEN A BAD MONTH!" And off she went, yelling and screaming about everything that went wrong. Incompetent staff, late shipments, and worst of all, Claire. Fucking Claire. She was the worst model Velvette had. She was more demanding than Velvette herself, somehow! She had gotten the job because she was friends with another overlord, some hoity-toity bitch ass from a club in the entertainment district. Sophia or Sarah or whatever the fuck her name was.

"Anytime I try to fire her, she runs to that stupid little club with her stupid little friend and they come parading in the next day, demanding I put her in the next fucking show or on the cover of the next fucking catalog," Velvette said, finally slamming the wine glass on the bar rather than throwing it against a hard surface. Vox simply took the glass and refilled for her to pick up the next time she passed.

"And you know what?! There may not be another fucking catalog because that bastard Geoffrey CAN'T SEND A SIMPLE FABRIC SHIPMENT TO SAVE HIS SOUL!!!!!!" Velvette yelled, chugging the glass again. She stood in the living room, surrounded by little piles of glass while she panted. She finally looked at Vox, copying his blank stare. "Well?"

Vox was silent for a moment, trying to pick something to comment on. "Claire sounds like a bitch."

"Trust me, she is a nightmare." She approached the car and sat down, sighing and laying her head down on the counter. "I swear you would think it's Lucifer himself in disguise. I would think so too if I didn't know he staying at that...Hackshot Hostel with his daughter or whatever..."

"Hazbin Hotel," Vox said, pouring another glass for her.

Velvette shot her head up and glared at him. "Don't correct me."

"Yes ma'am."

Velvette gave another heavy sigh and took a little sip from the glass this time. "I'm just so tired..."

"I know, Vettie. Why don't you get cleaned up?" Vox said gently. "We got you some of that sugar scrub you like to use, and your favorite face cream." He went around the bar and helped her up, guiding her around the piles of glass to the bathroom.

"The one with the charcoal and brimstone mix?" Velvette asked with a smile.

"Mhm. And when you get done pampering yourself, I'll help you tame that rat's nest your hair has become."

Velvette covered her mouth and giggled. "Honestly, it's not that bad. It's certainly better than that hair catastrophe of '06."

"All I remember was you became a sobbing mess because you were going to have to shave your head," Vox commented. He stopped outside the bathroom and gave her a little push in. "Get yourself cleaned up, honey. Val should finish dinner soon after you get out."

Velvette smiled brighter. "Santa Fe Chicken with seasoned rice-"

"And garlic seared potatoes, yes," Vox finished for her. He smiled, watching her cheer to herself before shutting the door. He went back to the living room, watching as Val swept up the glass piles.

"I was gonna get them, Val," Vox said, taking the broom for him to finish sweeping up.

"I know," Val said. "I'm still waiting for that damn chicken to thaw, so I wanted to help. How's Vels?"

"She's doing better. She definitely needed to rant to someone." Vox took the dust pan, sweeping up the last couple of piles and throwing it all away. "She's in the shower now, if you wanna check on her."

"I won't interrupt her. She probably needs some along time." Val stood there, starting to stare into space while silence filled the room.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Vox asked, going back behind the bar to make them both a drink.

"How easy do you think it would be to get Claire to sell her soul to me?" Val asked, looking over at him.

Vox let out a laugh, pouring some alchohol and mixers into a shaker. "It won't be easy. If she's friends with Sophia, then she might have already made a deal or something. But...she could be accidentally caught in the crossfire of a turf war. Or accidentally get pushed off the roof."

"Or accidentally get shot 20 times," Valentino growled.

"Now, now, we can't shoot her. That's too obvious," Vox chastised, shaking up the drink and pouring it in one of the few glasses they had left. "Drink that and go back to the kitchen."

Val sighed gently and kissed his monitor, taking the glass and walking back to the kitchen.

And now, Vox was alone. He sighed as a comfortable silence filled the air. He searched the rows of bottles for something to drink, and pulled down a clear rectangular glass bottle, a little shorter and wider than most, that seemed to be delicately crafted; With smoothed out rigids and designs that capsulated the bottle. It smoothed out by the top and closed in to create a vase-like-opening, and sitting on top was the lid, square and designed to match the bottle. Vox smiled to himself and poured himself some of the amber liquor.

Velvette had gotten it for him a few years ago, when they first got together. She wasn't the best with words at the time, so she often expressed her love or gratitude with gifts. She said it was an "infinity bottle", and you would "sacrifice" the last two or three drinks of every bottle of whiskey or bourbon or whatever you drank, and you pour it into the bottle. Over time as you slowly fill the bottle with these "sacrificed" drinks, it would develop a unique flavor profile, built by memories and nights of drunken laughter.

Vox drank the small glass, and he couldn't help the smile that slowly appeared. He put the bottle back on the shelf and started to clean up to keep himself busy. He tidied up the bar area (and made a mental note to order more glasses), swept up any remnant pieces of glass, and cleaned up a few tiny messes in the living room. He got Val to help him move the coffee table as well before gathering up Velvette's hair care products and setting them on the side table in the living room. When there was nothing else for him to do, he finally got changed into some pajamas and sat on the couch, waiting for Velvette to come out.

Soft footsteps sounded through the living room, causing Vox to look over his shoulder. He smiled, seeing Velvette wrapped up in the new silk pajama set they had gotten her. It was a solid lavender color, with dark purple pentagrams sprinkled throughout. She wrapped herself up in the matching silk robe, with a black bonnet in hand and her hair in a towel wrap.

Velvette gave him a gentle smile. "You really went all out, didn't you?"

"Of course. You've worked so hard," Vox explained. "You deserve to be pampered, Vettie."

Velvette walked around the couch, plopping down on a pillow on the floor in front of Vox. "I think you two spoil me more than pamper me."

"Vettie, we don't spoil you enough." He took the towel off her hair, letting the tangled mess fall free of its cotton confines. He grabbed the paddle brush and some detangling spray, starting on a small section of the mess while Velvette searched the channels for something mildly interesting. She became enamored with some fashion competition, leaving her quiet and compliant while Vox slowly worked his way through the tangles.

After what felt like an eternity, Vox was finally able to pull the brush through her hair without snagging on a knot, and Velvette was criticizing the outfits the models were wearing. Well, she was criticizing the models more than their outfits.

"Blimp, elephant, fatass, skinny-ass, no ass, and.... Well, she just looks fugly," Velvette commented, drying some of the product out of her hair.

"Nah, she looks hot!" Valentino said as he brought in a couple plates of food.

"Hey! You should only have eyes for me, limp dick!" Velvette chastised. "She's not even that cute! Roadkill looks cuter than her!"

"She's hot because she looks like you," Val said with a smirk.

"Oh. Well, I guess I do see some resemblance," she said with a little blush.

Vox just laughed, helping Velvette get her hair in the silk bonnet. "But no demon in hell compares to you, my love."

"I know! You boys are fucking lucky you bagged me before some Sin did!" Velvette stood up and took her plate from Val, simply smirking at their laughter.

"Really? You think you're good enough for a Sin?"

"I'm good enough for Lucifer himself!" Velvette sat on the couch and got comfy, while Vox and Val cackled with laughter.

"Glad to have you back to your old self, Vettie," Val said as he calmed down.

"Well, when I get spoiled, I act spoiled." She smiled and leaned forward, giving Vox a kiss on his monitor. "Thank you. Seriously."

"It's no big deal, Vels. You deserve it."

"I cooked. Don't I get something?" Val complained.

Velvette rolled her eyes. "I'll suck your dick later."

"YES!"

And with that, they fell into a comfortable silence. Velvette made an occasional comment about some terrible tailoring, and the boys would agree, but not much else was said for the next few hours. After they ate, Val slowly migrated to the couch, sitting between his lovers and pulling them close. Velvette nuzzled up to his chest, and Vox did his best to lean his head on Val's shoulder. Having a tv head did make some problems when it came to cuddling.

Vox felt himself slowly falling in and out of sleep, hours passing in what felt like minutes. Late in the night, Val gently shook him awake and pointed to the girlfriend. The boys smiled, watching her mumbled about shoulder puffs and cravats in her sleep.

"Do you want her arms or legs?" Vox asked softly as he stood up.

"I'll take the arms this time." Val wrapped his arms around her torso and pulled her up. Vox grabbed her ankles and they carried her to the bedroom, gently placing her in her rightful spot in the middle of the bed.

Vox laid beside her, holding her close as his monitor darkened. Val joined soon after, throwing two of his four arms over them like he was trying to protect them, or trap them in the bed. It was probably him trapping them in bed.

▪︎□▪︎□▪︎□▪︎□▪︎

Vox groaned as his monitor vibrated and beeped, sounding off his alarm to get up. He held up a hand, catching Valentino's arm that was about to smack his monitor. He shoved the arm away and sat up, turning off his alarm as he yawned and stretched.

Vox looked beside him, noticing the absence of their girlfriend from the large bed once again. His heart sank slightly. Did Velvette run out again? He quickly got out of bed and practically ran to the kitchen. A smile came to his face when he saw Velvette at the stove, still in her pajamas as she made breakfast.

"Are you gonna keep standing there or are you gonna say hello?" Velvette said, breaking the silence.

"Just taking in this rare and beautiful sight," Vox said. He hugged her from behind and kissed the top of her head. "Morning, darling..."

"Good morning, my love." Velvette patted the side of his monitor. "I do have to head in to the studio, but it's just for a few hours. I'll be done by lunch and then I'm all yours."

"Good. You need a whole week off after that whole shit show," Vox pulled away, grabbing some mugs to make each of their coffees.

"Agreed," Velvette said with a sigh. "I just hope I can take care of Claire once and for all..."

"Oh, don't worry about it, Vettie. Me and Val have it handled," Vox said with an evil smirk.

Velvette turned and smiled at him. "I swear, you boys spoil me..."

[mellowquint]

Fanbinding Masters of Mayhem - a Ninjago and Lego Monkie kid crossover!!!

FINALLY after weeks of putting the project on the shelf i finally have the (motivation) free time to complete this amazing bookbind!!! Shoutout to my best friend who came to me and ask if i could bind it. So what better birthday gift than to bind her current favourite crossover story? At the time of this post i have not given the gift to her yet so fingers crossed that she likes this 🤞😖

Thank you FictionForLife_NZ for creating this absolute hilarious masterpiece!! I have been wanting to read an LMK crossover fic for the longest time and low and behold, the ao3 algorithm has answered my prayers lol. Me and best friend really love the character interaction that the Ninja’s have with the LMK crew 😂. Also the shipping!! Best friend absolutely LOVES dragonfruit but was sad that they didn’t have as much of a fandom dedication as opposed to spicynoodles. So imagine her suprised (and scream) that dragonfruit is the main pairing in the story and their many iconic moments together!! Also the climax truly had me at the edge of my seat!! And that ending?? Gosh couldn’t have asked it better myself Ninjago writers really should take notes ✍️!!! Anyways enough rambling here’s the fic if you would like to give a read, absolute 10/10

Flip through

Some close ups

also yes excuse me and my terrible phone and room lighting it did not do this book justice.

Unfortunately I couldn’t find any fanart that was related/tagged so there was no illustrations for the book. However thats when i had the idea of making the chapter title in the same font as the Ninjago font! To make it seem like every new chapter is an episode!

Also unfortunately couldn’t tag the author since i can’t find their tumblr. If any of you know if said author does have tumblr please let me know!

If you’re all curious on how i make this, i recommend going to the first bookbinding project that i did, its all the same process except with some new improvements that im gonna talk about under the cut

I definitely learned a lot from my mistakes from the last time that i did this, and of course gain new mistakes as well 🥲.

The edges aren’t trimmed

The cover isn’t aligned

The printing for the covers are garbage

Book would not lay flat, instead forever stuck at a weird 120 degree angle

Overall a lot of stuff

This was a given by the fact that i have no experience and was impatient. But since this is a gift for Best Friend ofc this has to actually look good, so here are the improvements that i made

Signature printing— i will admit it took some time and effort but after the old cannon printer finally died permanently jammed, managed to convince parents to buy a more advanced and better printer that can now do double sided printing!! No more wasted signatures from here on out 😮‍💨

Cover printing — not wanting a repeat of the last time that i did it i went to my local Officeworks to get it printed by them. Here i discovered the beauty that is known as ✨Poster Prints✨. Now all of my yellow lines and elements actually do show an pop against the darker background!! Unfortunately this does have a drawback because the prints are sensitive to any type of scratching. Not the scratch and all the colors come off way, more like the scratch it and lines will show up kind of way as you can really see in the front cover :') . Will work on improving this is future projects.

Trimming the edges — originally in book one i trimmed the edges using your typical box cutter and cut it myself. Bad BAD idea i was doomed at that moment. So imagine my surprise the Officeworks ALSO do CUTTING service!!! My jaw dropped and i immediately went back the next day with my text block and asked them if they could trim all edges. After some inspection they put it through the guillotine and all of my edges are perfectly trimmed. Saved me all the time, money, and storage.

Laying book flat — this was definitely the biggest pet peeve that I have with my first book. The way i do it now is i now put a one cm gap between the front cover, side cover and back cover. And also using the right paper (cardstock) to connect the text block with the covers. Now the book can actually fully open!!!

Cover alignment — I printed out the front and back in regular paper and use that as a template on where i wanna fold the prints to find the cover. Worked like a charm

once again shoutout to best friend for giving me the brilliant idea when making the covers!! had it not been for her to point out about clause's book of spells i would have never made the coolest cover page that I've made in my entire binding experience!! all in all im pretty dang proud of myself for being able to improve on my bookbinding skill.

[scarletwinterxx]

sometimes you just don't know the answer - jaehyun imagine

all the jaehyun content on my twt tl made me write this, my feels for yoon oh coming back stronger than ever😂

if you have a request or scenario you want me to do, just send me a message I'll see what I can do😊💌

For my other works you can check them out here, and for my other story series’ you can check them out here.

and if you want, u can buy me coffee (totally optional but any donation is very much appreciated!) thank you🥺💛

All works are copyrighted ©scarletwinterxx 2023 . Do not repost, re-write without the permission of author.

(gif not mine, credits to rightful owner)

"Hey, I'm going now"

You tell your boyfriend while standing by the doorway of his office. Jaehyun looked over at you for a second before turning his attention back to his work.

Ever since that night, your anniversary, he's been feeling a bit distant. How was he suppose to act when the love of his life, his long time girlfriend, the only woman he wants to be with for the rest of his life didn't give him an answer when he asked the ultimate question.

'Will you marry me?'

Those words still hanging in the air. Like an elephant in the room being ignored by the both of you.

"I'll be gone for five days, I cooked dinner already so you can just heat it up when you get hungry. Also I fed Bom already" you tell him, at the mention of her name the little puff of cloud picks her head up from the seat in the corner of the room before running over to you.

"Mommy will go now okay, I'll miss you" crouching down to pet her and give her a few more cuddles before going. Jaehyun glances over at you, his heart warming at the sight but he had to stay strong.

He doesn't understand why you didn't say yes, didn't you love him enough to marry him? did he do something wrong? was there someone else? Shaking those thoughts away he watches you give Bom a few more kisses before standing up, catching his gaze before he turns to his desk again

"Jae I..."

"I'll see you later" he says, finishing the conversation before it even started. You didn't push it any further, giving him the time and space he needed.

Then you went.

The first day you were gone, he didn't mind it much. You've gone to business trips before and so does he. The longest time you've been apart was 2 weeks when he had to attend a family trip when you couldn't come with him because of work. But never under this circumstances. Usually the two of you would text or call during free time but this time the only text he got was when you arrived at your hotel. It's been radio silence ever since.

He thought this alone time will do him good to clear his mind, but by the second day he missed you so much he's sure he was about to lose his mind. By the third day he almost bought a plane to where you were just so he could see you.

On the fourth day, he made himself busy. You texted him last night saying you've been busy with work you didn't have time to do anything else. He told you to eat dinner and a goodnight, the end. At this point he just wanted to have you back home. He doesn't even care anymore if you didn't want to marry him. He's never been this far from you, especially during a fight.

To distract himself, he cleaned around the apartment, did laundry, took Bom out for a walk and even went to the gym but still his mind was on you.

Stepping out of the shower, he got dressed. As he was putting on his shirt, he spots the red velvet box in his drawer. A reminder of what was supposed to be the sweetest night, but instead it now leaves a bitter taste in his mouth.

He pops the box open only to find it empty, thinking to himself if he lost it that night. Did he put it somewhere else?

Now he's frantically looking around the room, too busy to hear the front door open. Wheeling in your suitcase, you were welcomed by Bom running towards you

"Hey baby, did you miss me? I missed you too yes I did" you give her hugs and kisses, noticing Jaehyun wasn't in the kitchen or the living room.

Walking inside the house, you find him inside the bedroom

"What are you doing?"

Jaehyun jumps, surprised to hear another voice. He thought he went completely mad and now he's hearing your voice but then he turns around to see you by the door with your dog in your arms and a shiny ring on your finger.

He blinks once, twice. Even pinching himself on the arm to wake himself up, making sure he's not dreaming.

"Are you okay?" you ask him, putting Bom down before walking towards him. Jaehyun just looks at you, shaking his head before speaking

"You're home"

"Yea, I finished late last night. I chose the earliest flight back since I have nothing on my itinerary anymore. Is everything okay here? Are you looking for something?" you ask him, his gaze landing on your hand.

Noticing this, you follow his gaze. Remembering the ring you took before you went on your business trip.

"Oh I... I was going to..."

"Is that..." "Yea"

He's so confused, does this mean you say yes? but you never said anything, that night when he asked you you just stared at him. Too stunned to give him a simple yes or no

"This is not how I pictured it, I swear. I don't even know what I was thinking. But before I left, I saw the box then the next second I was wearing the ring. I was going to tell you, but you weren't talking to me"

"Well you did reject my proposal so yes I wasn't really in a talking mood"

"and I'm sorry, I wanted to say yes. My answer is still yes, I was just surprised that night I didn't know what to say okay. For years we've talked about it, so many nights I've dreamed about our future. And suddenly you were there, asking me, it was everything I've ever dreamed about and I got scared because what if I didn't deserve that. What if one day you find out I wasn't the one for you what if-"

"Marry me" Jaehyun cuts you off

"Huh?" at this point tears were already running down your face, but to Jaehyun you've never looked more beautiful.

"Marry me. Let's make those dream in reality, let's wake up together everyday, let's take walks with Bom every morning, cook dinner in your kitchen in the evening, make love at night. You deserve the world and more, and I promise you I'll work hard every day to be the man who deserves you. I want you, I've wanted you all these years, I'll want you for all my years. Marry me"

You didn't even say anything, you just ran straight into his arms. Jaehyun catching you, hugging you like his life depended on it.

"Is that a yes?" he mumbles, hearing a giggle from you before breaking away from his embrace

"Yes yes yes a million times yes" you tell him in between kisses, you kiss his cheeks his chin his nose his lips. Jaehyun smiles as he hears those words from you, picking you up to spin you around.

"So this means I don't have to give the ring back, right?" you ask him. He smiles down at you before going in for another sweet kiss, "That was only ever yours anyways"

[junnieverse]

BEST PART (PART TWO) ➳ P. JONGSEONG

➙ synopsis: after a trip down memory lane and a 'coincidental' run in with your ex after moving back home, you thought you would be able to move on but sparks seemingly started flying once again between you and jay.

pairing: park jongseong x gn!reader

genre: fluff, friends to lovers to exes to lovers (again) au

word count: 1.3k

request: " I almost cried reading Best Part, may I request a part 2 with a happy ending?? "

warnings: not proofread

a/n: I had initially wanted to leave this as a oneshot with a bittersweet ending but because you so kindly asked, here it is anon, enjoy :)

a/n (2): please be sure to read part one [ here ]

You were finally back home after being overseas and for the past two weeks you've been settling back in into your new apartment and catching up with your friends and family.

It felt great to be back and seeing everyone you love in person again but after the day of your trip going through your box of keepsakes, you would catch yourself thinking about Jay once in awhile wondering how and where he was.

Although a big part of you also knew maybe it was best not to see him because you wanted to, no, needed to move on from him and start a new page in your book called life.

Your new apartment still needed some decorating with a personal touch and you thought adding a few vinyl pieces could make your space feel more like home.

Walking into the old music shop you had been introduced to by Jay in the past, you kindly greet the store owner in the front and begin to browse through the various vinyls picking out some you wanted to get.

The store bell rung alerting the owner and you, seeing as you were currently the only customer, that someone else had come in.

You had obviously paid no mind to this simply paying attention to this box of vinyls looking for a new album.

"(Y/n)... is that you?"

Turning your head you immediately recognise the voice you'd missed but also wanted to forget for the longest time.

"Jay... h-hi." you say weakly as your voice cracked.

It felt as thought your entire world was crashing down and in that moment you were just holding back tears and wanted the ground to swallow you whole.

"How've you been, it's great to see you again. When did you get back?" he asks calmly trying to make small talk but little did you know his heart was beating uncontrollably fast.

"Uhm yeah haha. I've been good I guess. Got back about two weeks ago so I've just been settling in." you tell him wanting to run away.

"It was nice to see you too but I have to uhh... unpack some of my other things back home." you excuse yourself avoiding eye contact with him fiddling with your fingers nervously.

Just as you turned around to leave to go pay for the vinyls you picked out, Jay stops you gently grabbing your wrist and you notice a particularly familiar bracelet on his wrist.

"I hope it's okay if I message you again if you don't mind... maybe we can catch up over a coffee sometime." he suggests letting go of your arm and scratching the back of his neck nervously.

"Y-you still have my number..?" you ask him suprised by this.

"Yeah. I kept them... you know just in case." he said smiling sheepishly.

"Oh uhm, okay then, you can text me. I'll see you soon then."

Your heart and mind were both racing at this point.

You didn't know whether it was the right move to let Jay back into your life but having met him here again has to be some sort of sign right?

Fate?

And the bracelet you made him, not only had you both broken up but he was still wearing it too...

You plop down onto your couch, after arriving home, letting out a deep sigh trying to figure out how your life suddenly took an entire 180.

Jay did in fact text you that night and talking to him again brought back so many emotions you'd tried so hard to let go of.

You felt like a giddy high schooler experiencing her first love all over again.

You both had agreed to meet at a cafe not far from where you lived the following Saturday and you were quite nervous.

Seeing Jay again after so long only proved to you that you were still undoubtedly in love with him and you were secretly hoping he was too.

Walking into the cafe that afternoon, you catch Jay sitting across a table near the window looking beautiful as the sun hit him at the best angle making his skin glisten.

"Hey Jay." you greet him about to sit down but before that he abruptly pulls you in for a hug.

You feel yourself melting in his embrace taking a whiff of the vanilla scent you missed still proceeding to hug him back despite how awkward you felt.

"It's great to see you again, thank you for agreeing to this." he says pulling away first as he pulled out your chair to let you sit as you thanked him taking your seat.

"Wow, this place sure has changed, felt like just yesterday we were here on one of our dates." you say looking around admiring the new interior of the place as you reminisced about the past.

"Yeah, it feels good to be back here with you, it didn't feel the same coming alone." he admits shyly as a waiter suddenly places your drinks and food down.

"Why am I not suprised, you still remember my go-to order." you say trying to hide your smile as Jay chuckles.

"I wanted to make a good impression. Although I was worries maybe it might have changed, glad it didn't." he says feeling relieved watching you enjoy your food.

"So how was it studying overseas, anything memorable?" he asks trying to make conversation.

You were glad Jay was able to make you feel comfortable, it felt like talking to an old friend and catching up.

You both then exchanged stories of what has been going on for these past two years you'd been away from each other and yet, you hadn't picked up any romance in his story.

"So you didn't meet anyone while I was gone..?" you ask clearing your throat.

"I wasn't really interested in anyone. Plus I'm still I love with y-" he stops himself realising what he just said as your eyes widen.

"I-I'm so sorry, uh, I don't want to put you in a difficult position. I completely get it if you've moved on-" he rambles and you stop him trying to calm him down by laying your hand on his across the table.

"It's okay Jay, I feel the same way." you admit as his ears turn red and he had the biggest smile on his face.

It felt so relieving being able to finally get that out to him and even better to know he felt the same way.

You both then spent the entire day catching up more and visiting old places you'd go to making new memories there.

"Thank you for today, I had a great time." you tell Jay as you stop in front of your door both your hands in his as you gently sway them.

"Wait uhm, I actually have something for you." he says gently rubbing your hands with the pad of his thumb letting go briefly handing you the small letter from the inside pocket of his jacket.

"Oh, thank you." you accept the letting wondering what it was.

"But open it only once you're inside and I've left." he says smiling shyly.

"Okay Jay, goodnight." you tell him nodding in understanding.

Letting go of his hands, not really wanting to though, you decide to make the first move planting a short peck on his cheek leaving Jay in awe as you went inside.

You look at the letter once more opening it and reading it's content feeling yourself about to burst into tears.

At the end of the letter it read:

'Day 01: I love your presence, no matter how much time passes, I still feel myself loving you more and more and now we can finally start over together.'

He still remembered the letters, you thought to yourself with the biggest smile.

Maybe things would work out just fine.

[kyotakumrau]

2023.11.06 DIR EN GREY at CLUB CITTA

The beginning of the ending as Kaoru said.

The doors opened at 18:00, the start of the show was scheduled for 19:00.

The final sound check started 18:58 so it was certain the show won't start on time xD they were 14 mins late xD

The animated intro A book titled Phalaris opens and for a brief moment we see the text on the first page. Phalaris was always renowned as extremely cruel. (googling the sentence took me to Wikipedia, they actually simply copied the Wikipedia entry about Phalaris xD) In the intro Phalaris is portrayed as a parasite, changing it's forms one by one, from a larvae to an insect to a monster to a dragon to a brass bull, changing its hosts into something evil until they infect the next victims. The parasite growing inside their bodies into something grotesque and transforming them. A set of dice next to the book. Priests and prayers mixed with torture and dying girls, women. Is Phalaris a sickness of cruelty and hatred causing people lose their humanity? The members walked on the stage as the intro footage was shown on the front screen. They played Otogi as the images continued on the screen. The screen went down as Otogi ended.

Die had his fabulous hair and a black jacket with red stains. Shinya wore white shirt with silver decorations. Toshiya had a sparkly jacket with one sleeve only, shorts and long leather boots. Kaoru's hair was silver? grey? He had some kind od painting on his face but from my place I couldn't see properly what was it, like lines over his cheeks and forehead? (apparently he cosplayed Father Pucchi from Jojo😆) Kyo came wearing a black Adidas tracksuit, he removed the jacket a bit later on, staying in a white cotton tank top. He's growing a mustache or a goatee I think? His hair was parted and sleeked back a bit, not so much hair product to make it flat.

The set list was so interesting. The energy went up with the few following songs, then Oboro shifted the mood and finished with the Inward Scream. The sound/musical part of the inward scream was new. Kyo ended it with '壊れて・broken' cried softly. And after a brief pause they continued the set with The World of Mercy. The first line of 誰が知る？本当の私 本当の心 Kyo changed 'kokoro' to '意思・ishi' (intentions).

During Rinkaku's 'Minerva' we got to shout for him as he turned with his arms stretched to the sides.

The following flow with 13, keigaku, different sense and Eddie was so good! Kyo moved around his box to get fans to let go even more and give him more😁

The main set ended with Kyo leaving quickly. Fans were clapping and shouting encore. Btw we had to wear masks for this show but singing and shouting was allowed (so hot with a mask on😂)

Encore started with Increase Blue, very nice as Kyo got us singing and dancing. But when I heard the first notes of NATIONAL MEDIA BOYS I almost cried. I hoped they will do something as a tribute and they did😢❤️ Interestingly a lot of people didn't recognize the song and thought it was a new dir's song😂

TDFF and Rubbish Heap were pure 🔥 Toshiya climbed to the back of the stage so he stood at the bottom of the back screen, showing off his looooong leather boots and shorts.

Finishing with Kamui changed the mood drastically though. The footage matching the style of the intro started on the back screen. Some images of the war they used before but the main theme was different. A girl standing inside the sinking boat, the sea being so angry. Small group of people walking through a desert. A praying jew. A bible. A cross. A closeup of the chest of Christ, a trail of blood and next to it a trail of tears. So much death.

The footage ended with the tour title on the black background.

Kyo left very quickly after the song ended (usual for him, especially at the start of the tour). But Shinya did as well? Did I miss him throwing stuff or he really didn't? Die and Toshiya walked around the stage throwing picks, all smiley. Kaoru stayed the longest having fun spraying fans with water, then throwing those bottles into the crowd. I bet he was in the celebrating mood with Hanshin Tigers winning Japan Series. Before Kaoru left he pointed at the screen in the back to show there will be some announcements, waved and left :)

First we got 19990120 and then the special January tour info. We tried briefly for the second encore but the staff insistingly kept announcing that the performance is over so we clapped one last time and it was over.

[astraystayastayastray]

Straykids as Your Boyfriend (Hyung Line)

Pairing: fem!reader + idol!straykids!hyungline

Genre: fluff

A/N: first time doing imagines!! sorry if its a bit rusty ;(

[HyungLine!] | MaknaeLine

Warning: Nothing here is real! All fictional!

Description: straykids love language with girlfriend (you!)

DO NOT COPY WORK.

BANGCHAN - CHILDHOOD FRIENDS/SECRET RELATIONSHIP

♤

- Friends ever since u guys were born

- Confessed to you and now in a secret relationship!

- Texts you sweet messages every single day

- He's so delulu about you

- Thinks of you 24/7

- Usual relax chill dates are at the recording studio

- You're always either sitting on his lap or laying comfortably on top of him at the couch

- Gets caught by other members and always teased

- Shy and clingy around you!

- Hold hands

- Careful in public but gives you all the love you deserve all the same <3

- Talks about you nonstop with the members

- Sometimes when you walk out of your apartment in the morning for work, there's coffee and breakfast in a to go box at your front door with a note...

Eat up and goodluck at work today darling~ Love you with all my heart!

- channie

LEEKNOW - ENEMIES TO LOVERS

♡

- If someone dare asks you two who confessed first, the both of you'll get into a fight immediately

- You'll say that Minho used to bully you at school

- And Minho'll defend himself that you fell head over heels for him and asked him out

- But you vividly remember Minho dragging you into an empty classroom, trapping you between his arms with your back against the wall, and demand that you be his girlfriend

- He acts like none of that ever happened as if you guys just somehow met and started dating <3

- You love his cats and always spend time at his house everyday

- Always tends to nudge you farther away from the cars in the street whenever walking together outside

- Asks for a kiss on the cheek once in a while

- Private insta account is filled with pictures of you

- Back hugs and kisses!

- When you're having a bad day, you smell delicious food coming from your house as you slowly walk towards it.

- Right before you open the front door, a text always dings from your phone...

"You take forever to walk home hurry up the kids miss u!! Lets eat!"

- ur minho

CHANGBIN - LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT/SCHOOL

☆

- You never really beleived in soulmates..

- Until u met changbin

- Introduced from a friend

- Acts loud and strong around u but inside hes a nervous wreck

- He kept insisting that his camera was for the school newspaper but actually took pictures of you

- Gets jealous easily! ^^

- Scoots himself closer to you whenever someone else starts talking to u too much

- Carelessly puts his arm around you which makes u get hot in the face

- One day you forgot ur umbrella..

- Changbin was waiting for u in front of ur locker to let u "borrow" his

- Ended up walking home together

- Confessed his feelings for you before you entered ur home!

- Restaurant dates (ofc)

- Movies

- holds ur hand and slips it into his hoodie pocket to keep u warm

- always says the cutest cheesiest stuff to you (but u secretly like it)

"I never believed in love at first sight.. but luckily for me it's right in front of me. Right here, right now."

- binnie

HYUNJIN - SCHOOL CRUSH

♧

- Always brings up last year christmas in the middle of dating

- The day he confessed to you <3

- Started off as school desk partners

- Always made you the main subject of every painting he ever did in art classes

- Whenever you ask who that person is, he always replied, "Someone I like."

- Loves talking tea with you

- Judges anyone and everyone together

- The big sass duo

- Took THE LONGEST TIME EVER to confess, couldve filmed a kdrama

- Finally was able to get himself in front of you and confess

- On Christmas Eve night, under the glowing moon, when the first snow of the year fell <3 eek so romantic

- You have an addiction with ice cream so ur hands and body feels cold often

- He clasps your hands with his to make it warmer

- Keeps all painting he ever drew of you and all photos he took of you and stores it all in an album

"I want to be someone's last love than their first because love is meant to be eternal. I'd like to spend that 'eternal' with you."

- jinnie

◇

Check out masterlist for more.

REBLOGS ARE APPRECIATED! THANKS FOR READING!

[bigwishes]

New Profession

This is my half of a trade with @idesofrevolution​

Make sure to keep an eye out for when he drops my transformation story. ------------------------------------------------

It had been probably the longest work week you’d had in months, the holiday season meant lots to get done and lots of over time without the bonus pay. You’d heard talk about a new bar that had opened up down town and thought you should go check it out. As much as you wanted to stay in and rest there was a nagging in your head, telling you that you had to go out and it had to be tonight.

You texted a few friends trying to organise a group thing but everyone was busy. You had no choice but to go alone.

-- It was about 10pm when you finally made it to the bar, you’d checked the set line up and seen mostly indie folk bands performing until about 10:30 so you thought it’d be a good idea to skip that snooze fest and show up a bit before the alternative rock bands came on.

Inside was your fairly standard bar, nothing too out of the ordinary although you weren’t sure what you were expecting, it felt like you were still waiting for something, something different about this place but you just couldn’t put your finger on it. You weren’t entirely sure were to put yourself the sea of indie folk fans were moving out and a horde of alternate rock fans were pouring in. It was like a mismatched zoo of hipsters and stoners colliding. You clung to the bar anchoring yourself in the room and ordered a drink.

The bartender attempted to do a cool glass slide over to you but put too much force behind the swing, you watched as the glass shot into you hand and whilst you caught it the momentum was too much for the liquor inside. The dark liquor ran up the side of the glass like a mini tsunami and flew right into your lap. You weren’t sure what you were mad at more, the fact that it looks like you’ve now pissed your jeans or the fact that you paid $22 for a drink you didn’t even get a sip of.

“aw fuck man” you yelled out looking at your wet crotch and the puddle on the barstool. “yo man, I, Im so sorry” the bar tender sheepishly responded  “What the fuck am I gonna do?” “Hey listen, go use the staff bathroom round the back, clean up. There should be a pair of pants in the lost and found” The bartender took you round the back of the shelves and up to a slim metal door. Inside was a nice looking bathroom, well kept wooden aesthetic. This place definitely looks after its staff you thought to yourself. In the corner of the room was a small plastic box with lost and found taped to the front. You began digging through the clothes for something in your size and found a pair of shiny purple pants with a studded belt attached. Sure those pants were definitely....a statement and they smelt like they hadn’t been washed in a few weeks but it was better than going back out there looking like you couldn’t find a bathroom.

You took your wet jeans off and slipped into the other pair of pants. They felt grimy, like someone had spent the day sweating in them and then simply dried them out instead of washing them. You clicked the belt up and felt a chill run up your spine. You watched the muscles and sinew pulse under your skin. You legs and ass filled out the pants whilst your arms tightened into lengths of lean muscle tissue. A slight burning sensation was felt on your chest. Opening your shirt you saw small tattoos begin to form.

In shock you undid the belt and watched as your body reverted to normal. standing there in your underwear for a moment a devilish thought crossed your mind. The perfect chance to cut loose was right here, you could pretend to be someone else, act however you wanted and then go back to normal when it was all over. You did the belt up once again and smiled as you watched the changes unfold.

Leaving the bathroom you heard the bands begin to play and you wanted to get out in the crowd to see what you’d get away with. Hitting on as many guys as possible, dancing on tables, hell even a bar fight were just a few things that crossed your mind. But walking down the hallway you realised how hot it was in this bar, it must be from the amount of people packed inside. Your shirt started to cling to you...surely no one would miss it if you looked this good...and do you need to find body spray?, Nah, no one will notice in the crowd and who would care with you looking like this. You watched maybe the first 2 line ups on stage before you blacked out.

-------

You woke up the morning after in your bed. You felt groggy and hungover. Rubbing your head against your pillow your nose happened to drift past you pits and the stink of stale sweat and weed was so strong it made you screw up your face. You laughed realising you were still wearing the pants. As you took them off you expected your body to revert back instantly but it stayed the same, maybe the longer you wear em the longer you stay like this you thought. How long had you worn them for anyway? you picked up your phone to see it was 3pm.

“ha ha, fuuuuuck, what a night” you slurred out in a ratchet sentence

Your voice was grating, liked youd spent the past 12 hours you’d been blacked out for screaming. Maybe you did? as you tried to remember the past night you think at some point you found your way on stage screaming into a mic but you couldn’t be sure, but what you were sure of is after all that partying and sweating those pants must need a wash. You picked them up and took a sniff but to your surprise they smelt perfectly clean, in fact they smelt brand ned. The oily feeling of sweat in the fabric had gone and the smell of sweat and weed had been exchanged for the smell of fresh detergent....which is more than what can be said about you. Your skin felt oily from sweat being reabsorbed and your hair and pits smelt like you'd been smoking weed for a week.

You phone suddenly vibrated in your hand as you got a text. Boss: 3 people have gone home with food poisoning, I need you here in 20 minutes to cover the after work rush.

An unknown anger built up inside of you, you gritted your teeth and started muttering to yourself about corporate greed and cogs in a machine. Then you remembered, this body meant no real consequences right?

You snapped a pic of yourself and sent a reply.

“fuck you bossman, I ain’t doing shit for you, pay me my fuckin over time or I’m gonna smash your car windows in you fucking cunt”

You threw your phone on your bed and lit a joint left on your bedside table. With it gritted between your teeth you started pacing back and forth in your room venting out what felt like amazing lyrics that came to your head. “aaaaWWW FUCK MAN THIS SHIT WOULD SOUND SO GOOD”

You through on an old pair of jeans and dirty tee shirt and left the house knowing exactly where you had to go to vent this rage.

--------

It had been about 2 months since you quit your job and every day since then had been the same, wake up about 3-4pm have a lazy breakfast and then head to your bar to hang with a couple guys in the green room writing music. It felt like you’d know those guys for years. You’d perform every night for peanuts. The band was...okay-ish but in your eyes you were the best fucking singer and guitar player in the world, people just didn’t get your group’s sound or message you told yourself. Anyone that did say you sounded shit to your face ended up with a ring punch in the jaw. It was the same, wake up, rehearse, perform, drink enough vodka and smoke enough weed to kill an elephant then black out and wake up in bed.

You stopped expecting to change back, hell you couldn’t even remember what you used to look like merely 2 months ago, but with all the ass that was sitting on your dick from groupie guys obsessed with your cocky douchebag personality you didn’t care anymore, you wouldn’t want to go back even if you could.

[giuliadesu]

you were 22 when you wore his name between your collarbones.

... & THEN?

two more years had passed. the red string kept sitting snugly in front of your apple watch (another gift from atsumu on a previous birthday), not fading nor giving signs of wear. you took the habit of fidgeting with it whenever you felt stressed or when you were lost deep in focus. sometimes you’d bring the bracelet to your lips and give it a little kiss, as if he could feel it despite the distance — this would usually happen when you were watching msby matches or when you knew the setter had an exam.

it came a little bit as a shock when you realised that you loved him. and not in the way two friends love and care for eachother, but in the “i’d take the first plane to you and drop my life here if only you so much asked” kinda way. yet, it made so much sense: the fluttering in your chest whenever you spoke with him; how you cherished every text message, every silly little picture, every gift — despite telling him you didn’t want to be spoiled and that he didn’t have to waste (spend, atsumu would correct) money on you. he made you feel safe, accepted, loved in a way that felt magical. you’d never experienced such affection directed at you, so thinking and knowing someone would go out of their way just to be with you and spend time together was unreal.

at some point, you felt confident enough to reveal to him the full extent of the bad blood in between your family and you. starting from how they never supported any of the things you were interested in or you applied yourself to, going as far as making fun of it in front of friends and acquaintances alike. finally, when the acceptance letter from the university reached your inbox, it felt as if breaking free from heavy chains that constantly and painfully held you down. you moved, got a part-time job to support yourself and be completely independent from your family; despite that, they paid the university fees simply because you lied when telling them what was the major of your choice. that greatly helped in saving money and actually build your freedom.

when atsumu heard of all that, he became furious. he took it upon himself to never let you feel alone, unwanted or unsupported. you were his first thought in the morning and the last one before he went to bed; your pretty face was constantly on his mind. 

he quickly realised he was deeply, madly in love with you. there was no other possible explanation for the warmth he felt when he was with you — albeit virtually. the setter decided to show you every aspect of his life and personality. you were the first person he would call right after a match; showing you his famous pr smile when they won, or the dark shade of his eyes when they lost. your voice always managed to soothe him and bring him back from the post-loss frustration that made him see red.

considering how important you were to him, atsumu was determined to keep you in his life for the longest.

ŌSAKA, 10:00

atsumu had been thinking for a long time if the object in front of him was something appropriate to gift you. his profession as a pro athlete allowed him not to worry about the price of many things, so it was safe to assume the problem didn’t lay in the actual cost of it. there was a black, open box sitting on his bed; inside, his jersey and shirt sat neatly folded, and on thom of them a small velvet box, black as well. the real treasure was guarded in the smaller box: an only-platinum necklace consisting of the kanji making his surname (宮), completely studded in small diamonds. the chain was almost invisible, and he knew the length would have been perfect for it to rest precisely in the soft spot between your collarbones. 

glancing at the clock on the wall, he realised he had to cut his contemplations short: the express and private courier he hired to deliver the present would arrive by his apartment soon. sighing, atsumu closed the box and sealed it properly so it wouldn’t break (and to shield it from prying eyes). after the courier assured him the package would have top priority and be delivered within ten hours, the setter decided to make use of his day off and go to onigiri miya.

“i need you to teach me how to make a very specific kind of ramen.”

“you do realize i make onigiri, yes?”

“oh for fuck’s sake, osamu! we both know you are capable of preparing way more than onigiri!”

two hours later, a steaming cup of ramen sat on the wooden counter of the shop. it had a creamy color, being made with coconut milk as a base for the soup; the udon swam contently together with fried tofu, shiitake mushrooms, spinach, lotus roots, an egg and scallion.

osamu leaned on the countertop, white rag hanging from his shoulder. he had never seen his twin so focused on something that wasn’t volleyball. he was certainly impressed.

“is it for her?”

“... yeah. she once told me it was her favorite dish. man, i sound like an idiot, learning to make what she loves the most when i don’t even know if i’ll ever see her.”

osamu  was about to reply, when he felt his phone vibrate in the backpocket of his trousers. fishing out the device, he read the message.

“hey ‘samu, can you teach me how to make fatty tuna?”

YOUR LOCATION, 12:00

it was a surprisingly chill day. you went for a walk at a park near your house, got a new plant for your apartment, and finally managed to get a present for atsumu’s graduation. while you couldn’t be there in person the msby family (plus suna and osamu) made sure you were there: they kept a constant facetime call, so you could witness the setter getting his degree — and you could also see the look of pure happiness in his eyse when he noticed that somehow you managed to be part of such an important day.

when you reached your doorstep, you noticed a medium size box waiting for you. a smile made its way over your face: it had happened enough times to know that neatly placed and packaged boxes with a small japanese stamp meant atsumu had sent you something.

bringing the box inside, you went over to your bedroom, resting the present gently on the fluffy blanket you kept over the duvet and grabbing your macbook. you quickly shot the pierced guy a message, asking if he was available for a facetime and an unboxing.

“hey cutie! i get you received a little something?”

a pair of silver snakebites appeared on the screen, together with a happy smile and two dimples.

“you wouldn’t happen to know why there was this waiting for me, don’t you?”

you smiled back at him, taking in the fact that he just got out of the shower — a msby towel was around his neck and wet blond hair framing his features.

“me? i don’t know what you’re talking about.” the wink atsumu sent you made a swarm of butterflies take flight in the pit of your stomach. was it really that effortless for him?

you spent the few minutes it took you to open the heavily sealed box chatting a bit and keeping atsumu company as he finished his dinner.

when the lid came off, you weren’t expecting to see another small package. setting it aside (as the setter instructed you), your fingers came in contact with soft, black fabric; pulling it out, you realised it was his jersey and his uniform. the fresh smell of clean sheets was mixed with something more musky and cold, similar to mint.

“you can’t imagine how much i had to beg in order to have a new set! i had to pretend i lost part of my uniform.”

your eyes darted to the screen in bewilderment. this was his uniform. with his smell.

“atsumu, i don’t even know what to say… is it really okay for me to have this? you don’t have to get in trouble for me.”

chocolate eyes softened immediately, the smirk replaced by a sweet smile, and a little blush spreading to his ears.

“i remember you told me that sometimes you hate the fact that you can’t hug me, so i thought this would be a cool alternative, albeit not being the same thing.”

atsumu swore his heart stopped beating when he saw you hug the clothes tightly to your chest and bury your face in the fabric. maybe for your next call he could hope to see you wearing them (and that’s exactly what you did).

“now you can open the smaller box, bubs.”

the nickname made you giggle like a child. you kept the clothes on your thighs while reaching for the black velvety box. your mind brought you back to when he gifted you the red string that still adorned both of your wrists.

“atsumu, i swear to the kami i’m going to kill you. how much did this cost?!”

“do you like it?”

“of course i do! but that’s not the point-”

“it is; if you like it then the cost doesn’t matter.”

the kanji shone brightly, a stark contrast to its dark hiding place. 

“wait. it’s the kanji for your surname.”

to say you were confused was an understatement. in japan one’s surname was an incredibly important part of their identity; you couldn’t wrap your head around why he was giving it to you. your lovesick brain made the obvious connection that you would take his surname, like a married couple. you hoped your room was dark enough to prevent the bright red to show on the screen.

 “i want you to be part of my family. if your own family isn’t capable of understanding the beautiful, smart and perfect person you are… well, that’s on them. mom loves you, ‘samu treats you like a little sister, you are already a part of this family.”

warm tears started streaming down your reddened cheeks. a few drops fell on the necklace, making it shine even brighter. you took a deep breath. you weren’t ready to confess, but there were still things you wanted him to know.

“miya… it means shrine or constellation. you are my safe place, atsumu; the brightest star in any sky, the sun that warms me up on the coldest days.”

atsumu noticed how you didn’t mention his mother or his twin (despite knowing how deeply you cared for them). he watched you with a proud and love-filled gaze as you brought the necklace up to fasten it around your neck. the setter mentally high-fived himself when the pendant sat exactly where he wanted it to. 

and then he decided he could be even bolder. bringing his left wrist into view, his lips went to rest on the small string.

“i will always be your safe place. you are not alone anymore — i won’t let you go that easily, cutie.”

a smirk appeared on your face, between the tears, as you mimicked his actions.

“i wouldn't even dream of it.”

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honorable mentions

@arquitecturadelanada | @cup-of-fluff | @kyopmi | @melancholicautumnfever | @ohtokki

taglist

@alienvarmint | @cloud-lyy | @mommyourcall420 | @opalloveworld | @voidshoutsback

© giuliadesu. please do not copy, translate, use in videos or reupload on other platforms and sites. it is strictly forbidden to feed any part of my content to ai.

[icallhimjoey]

I really miss Joe in the bookstore 🥺 could you do a drabble (short or long one) of him rushing in after having been away for weeks and there's customers, and Anne's there, but he doesn't care and just scoops you up because he missed you so much? I just need more of them pretty please 😚

oh no, oh no no no, this is dangerous territory to be stepping into Wordcount: 1.1K

----

Forty-seven Days

If you didn’t count the text messages, the phone calls, and the facetiming, you hadn’t seen Joe for forty-seven days. Forty-seven days. Had it felt excruciatingly long? Yes. Were you absolutely fine all throughout it? Also, yes. The long periods of time before, where you wouldn’t contact each other at all, had really trained you into managing yourself through missing Joe.

It had also been nice that fans knew he was out of the country, and they stopped coming into the store to solely look for him. Although some of them learned your name and would try to strike up friendships you weren’t interested in, because their motive would obviously be to get closer to Joe, which was awkward. It really took some getting used to, but when your best friend had shown you how some of them would stick up for you online, you stopped worrying about it.

“Anne, could you help me get these up there?” you called out from a corner of the shop, ladder set in place, big cardboard box at your feet and an empty shelf high up above you.

Anne’s responsibilities had grown as she’d dropped out of college. You tried to encourage her to stick with it, but you remembered how much you had wanted to drop out of college when you were her age, so you didn’t berate her. Instead, you offered her more hours, because honestly, having an extra pair of hands just on the weekends wasn’t cutting it anymore.

Anne said goodbye to a customer before stepping around the counter and holding onto the ladder as you climbed up it.

“Can I take one of these?” Anne asked, eyeing the books that were going up as she handed them to you.

“Of course, put one aside.” You’d felt for the longest time you needed to have read every single book you put out in the store, because it meant you could help your customers best. It was nice that now it felt like a shared task with Anne which meant that you were putting more time towards cooking actual nutritious meals – something Joe enjoyed greatly. You know, when he was actually around to enjoy them.

The door opened and a mother walked in with two teenage boys. You both greeted them, and as Anne handed the last couple of books from the box, she made her way over to ask if they needed help.

They didn’t, they’d browse.

You still weren’t sure if Anne’s demeanour was the reason people hardly ever wanted any help from her, but you had to admit that she’d warmed up loads compared to when she’d first started at the store. She’d sometimes even smile – smirk. It was more of a smirk, with sort of an evil glint in her eyes as she did. But if you squinted, you could mistake her for looking friendly.

Anne stepped back to pick up the empty box from the floor and held onto the ladder as you started to descend them, when suddenly the door flew open forcefully, triggering the bell above the door with a bang.

“There she is,”

“Joe?”

You had heard him before you’d seen him, and just as your feet were about to take the last step down, two arms wrapped themselves around your waist and yanked you from the ladder.

“Oh my God, put me down!” you squealed in his arms, very aware that there were customers a couple of steps removed from you, but Joe didn’t care.

When your feet found the floor, Joe turned you in his arms and you didn’t even have time to look at him. His lips found yours fast, and Joe’s hands moved from your waist to your face, cupping and caressing. What could have been a cute welcome home kiss quickly grew deeper, inappropriately so for the time of day, the location you were in and the people you were around. Joe pressed his full body against yours and you fell back against the ladder that you’d just been perched upon seconds earlier. God, you had missed him.

“This is great,” Anne deadpanned sarcastically, still stood next to you. Joe comically placed his full palm over Anne’s face and pushed her away from him, then using both his arms to wrap around you in a tight hug, lips never leaving yours.

Anne could deal with it, you thought. She knew it’d been well over a month since you’d been able to share your affection for each other with her. You swore Joe would some days wait with his kisses or bum pinches until Anne would be around, just because she was so vocal about hating it.

When you felt Joe moving back, you chased his mouth and pulled him back into you by the back of his neck. You weren’t finished.

“These ones? Did you find everything you were looking for?” you heard Anne from behind the counter as she helped the lady who’d stepped in earlier and rung her up for the books she’d picked out.

“I thought you wouldn’t get here until tomorrow?” you spoke whilst Joe’s lips found different spots of you to press kisses into. “I lied,” Joe simply replied, not satisfied with the short absence of the feel of your mouth and getting straight back into it.

You were overcome by how many things you'd missed of Joe, a realisation you were happy to have now that Joe was there. You would've driven yourself mad had you had it earlier. You'd missed the way Joe's hips would press into yours, for one. And the way Joe's breath would hitch and sigh in your kisses. And, perhaps this was your favourite thing, the way you could leave Joe a moaning puddle by scratching your fingertips up the back of his neck into his hair. Doing it then, just to check if it still worked, left Joe moaning loudly into your mouth.

“Honestly, get a fucking room,” Anne spoke from behind the counter. You didn’t even care that she swore before you could hear the door close behind the customers that had just left.

Joe thought Anne’s suggestion was an excellent idea and you felt his hands grip the back of your thighs, hoisting you up in a tight hug around his body. You wrapped your legs around his butt and held onto him for dear life as he started moving towards the backroom. You couldn’t help but giggle into your kisses, and just before you were about to disappear from Anne’s view, you broke from Joe for a second and shouted, “Double-time wage!” at her, as Joe kicked open the door.

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read Like A Poem here read A Lot Like Love here

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