#they go on like dinner dates like. every week but none of them realize that they like each other

[mo49ko]

(fengqing) contains main story spoiler!!

it takes them another 200 years to get together 🙄 both of them talk before thinking, i think its very silly!!

[distantdarlings]

TRY THAT AGAIN // t. nott

RATING: R / 3.7K WORDS

Theodore Nott x Fem Reader Insert

+ SUMMARY - *Requested, based on this* Pansy finds out that a group of Gryffindor girls has had a lot to say about you and your relationship with Theodore Nott. They think you won’t do anything about it, but you prove them wrong.

+ WARNINGS - Fighting, depictions of a fight, punching someone in the face, bloody nose, wound descriptions - very brief, language, gossiping, fem reader, not proofread (lmk if I missed any)

+ MUSIC (listened to while writing) -

IDGAF - Yeat

(Sorry I used Lavender as the 'mean girl,' she's just who I chose! I'm sorry if you like her :'))

---

The Great Hall echoed with hundreds of voices, each one rattling the glasses on the table. You caught yourself zoning out, staring in the general direction of the Gryffindor table. You blinked and shook your head slightly, knocking yourself out of your miniature daze. 

As you came back to yourself, you noticed a group of Gryffindor girls with judgemental expressions printed on their faces. You realized they seemed to be looking right at you. You glanced around, trying to see if there was anyone else around you who might be warranting such a reaction from them. There was no one. 

You waved gently—your eyebrows furrowed confusedly together. Once you did so, one of the girls sitting the closest to you rolled her eyes and turned back to her group of friends. Her long dark hair caught the reflection of the sun and flashed as she turned. You were taken aback at her behavior. There was always the possibility that she and her friends hadn’t been looking at you, but it seemed unlikely. 

A sigh left you as you turned back to your group of friends

“Did any of you guys see that?” you asked. Pansy, Enzo, Mattheo, and your boyfriend, Theo, stopped their chatter and looked over at you.

“See what, baby?” Theo asked.

“Those girls over there at Gryffindor—they just glared at me like crazy,” you said. 

“Those girls at the edge of the table?” Pansy asked, pointing.

“Yes, do you know them?”

“Not really, but they’re just plain drama,” she explained. “Getting involved with them practically ensures you’ll be dragged into something by the end of the week.”

“Why do you think they were looking at me?” you asked.

“I have no idea,” Theo interjected. “But if they’re “drama,” they’re likely going to try and involve anyone, no matter if they’re as sweet as you.” He flashed you a charming smile. You rolled your eyes in response, giggling a bit with Pansy. 

“Do you have any plans for after dinner?” Enzo piped up, leaning into the table a bit.

“Not really,” you said. “I think Pansy and I are gonna have a bit of a girl’s night, though!”

She smiled widely and agreed. The two of you tried to get together and chat and paint each other’s nails every once in a while—just to keep each other up to date. She was your best friend after all—well, one of them.

“Yeah, and none of you are invited. It’s girl’s time only.”

The three boys sitting in front of the two of you rolled their eyes simultaneously. You both laughed in response. 

When your group of friends had completed your meals, you all agreed to head your separate ways with you and Pansy headed back to your dormitory and the boys headed to Hogsmeade for a Butterbeer. 

The two of you made your way out of the Great Hall and began to head down to the Slytherin common room. 

Pansy pushed her short hair behind her ears as she turned to you. “Actually, I think I did see those girls staring at you earlier.”

“You did?” you asked. She nodded and began to fidget with the straps of her backpack. 

“Yeah, when they came in. I’ve kind of been keeping an eye on them.”

“What do you mean?” 

“I, erm…” she trails off, turning her head towards the floor.

“What? What is it?” you asked, coming to a stop in the middle of the empty hallway. She paused as well, staring at you with a bit of concern in her eyes, almost like a kid caught with their hand in the cookie jar. “Pansy Parkinson, you tell me what—”

“Alright!” she exclaimed. She blew air through her lips, sending a few strands of her bangs flying into the air. “So, the one girl in Gryffindor…that’s Lavender Brown…”

“Okay…” you asked, pressing her on. 

“Lavender Brown has an enormous crush on Theo,” she said, pressing her lips together awkwardly. 

“Theo who? My Theo?” you asked. She paused for a moment and then gave a brief nod. You considered laughing. Why on earth would you be threatened by some random Gryffindor girl who had a crush on your boyfriend? Number one, of course, they did. He was Theodore freaking Nott. Number two, he was your boyfriend. He was taken, and he was loyal. You weren’t concerned with the possibility of Theo cheating on you at all. He was a spooky Slytherin boy from an old money family. And if there was one thing that spooky Slytherin boys from old money families valued more than being the best, it was loyalty. Theo would not cheat.

“Ha, I get her,” you snorted. “I have a crush on him, too.” Pansy stared at you blankly. She said nothing for a moment, then smiled nervously. You could tell something was very off. 

“Look, all I’m saying is Lavender Brown has a bit of a track record around Hogwarts,” she shrugged. Your eyebrow quirked. “A track record of…home-wrecking, if you will.”

“Please, I’m not going to let some desperate Gryffindor bitch take my man from me,” you said, rolling your eyes. “How pathetic.”

The two of you began walking again, headed down to the dungeons. 

If Lavender Brown thought she could give you the slip, she had another thing coming. You didn’t care what people thought of you or how they viewed you as “Theo’s girlfriend.” But one thing was for certain, you weren’t about to get fucking played. 

The two of you rounded the corner and jogged down the steps. The Slytherin common room entrance stood before you, awaiting the password. Pansy and you tittered on about the little quirks of Lavender and her friends. However mean that was, you didn’t care. If she could glare at you and act like you knew her at all for absolutely no reason, you could talk shit about her with your best friend. It was girl code. Basically. 

Pansy spoke the password, and the two of you walked through the entrance, arms looped in each other’s. If there were one person in the whole world you’d share your entire life story (secrets included) with, it’d be Pansy. She knew you better than anyone—except maybe Theo. 

Pansy slid her robe off of her shoulders and set it on the back of the lush green sofa set before the fireplace. It was already lit and crackling comfortably as you took your seat next to her. You loosened your tie and set your feet up on the small table before you. 

“So, out of curiosity, when you say ‘homewrecker,’ what exactly do you mean?” you asked, crossing your arms.

“Well, do you remember Alaina and Joseph from fourth year?”

“Yeah, they were together forever.”

“Exactly,” Pansy said. “Until Lavender got involved.”

“What do you mean?”

“What I heard was Lavender developed a crush on Joseph and started flirting with him,” she started. “Well, on the realization that he couldn’t be worked away from Alaina, Lavender decided to take matters into her own hands. She started spreading a rumor about Alaina.”

“You don’t mean the Alaina cheating thing was spread by Lavender?” you gasped, pressing a hand over your mouth.

“Yes, I do mean that. Because she’s the one that started it.”

“I always had a bad feeling about that,” you sighed. “Alaina definitely didn’t seem like the type to cheat.”

“Yeah, but Joseph still broke up with her. He definitely believed the rumors. But when Lavender went to pursue him, he wasn’t interested in a relationship.”

When Pansy was done with her story, she sighed and glanced over at you. Your lips were slightly parted in shock as everything came to a climax. You couldn’t believe that someone would actually do that to a person over some dumb crush. When it was obvious that Joseph didn’t reciprocate Lavender’s feelings, why didn’t she just back down? But most importantly, would she try to do that to you and Theo?

“Ah shit, do you think she’s going to try and do that to me?” you ask, nervously nibbling on your bottom lip. Pansy shrugged. That was all the answers you needed.

“Fucking bitch!” you shouted, abruptly getting to your feet. “I can’t believe she would try that with me. How fucking embarrassing. Nobody’s interested in you, so you waltz around, screwing up other people’s relationships for a few minutes’ attention from a boy. Ew. She’s disgusting.”

“Yeah, I know,” Pansy agreed. “And nobody ever does anything. Alaina got kicked out of her own relationship. I don’t want to see that happen to my best friend.”

“Aw, Pans,” you sighed, smiling a bit. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” she said, returning your smile. She opened her arms wide, and you fell comfortably into them, wrapping yours tightly around her waist. 

“I still can’t believe her,” you said. “That’s like a bad movie plot. She’s actually pathetic.”

“I know!”

The two of you continued to chat until the sun outside had set far below the horizon. Students had walked past the two of you, back and forth, for the majority of the evening. But when the traffic had finally stopped, the two of you realized that it was probably getting really late. 

With a few stretches and yawns, the two of you followed the other up the stairs to the girls’ dormitories and slipped into your beds. After the evening you’d had so far and the shit you’d talked, you were exhausted and ready for bed. 

You collapsed against your pillow and crossed your hands over your stomach. The green canopy over your head shimmered beneath the moonlight.

Despite, how tired you are, you kept going back to what Pansy had said. That Lavender had lied and spread rumors about Alaina, that she’d ruined her relationship and might try to do it to yours. The thought of Theo thinking you had cheated on him and hooking up with Lavender later made you sick. You had to roll over to avoid the thought. Surely, he’d know better, right? You weren’t sure. How would you react if someone had told you that Theo had cheated on you? You groaned and pressed one of your pillows over your face. 

Everything within you was saying to quiet the nerves in your head as quickly as you could and to fall asleep. These sorts of thoughts were doing nothing but making you panic. Imagining Theo with another girl made you panic. You couldn’t stand the thought of it. Especially if it was Lavender Brown—certified homewrecker. You didn’t think you’d make it. 

As the thoughts of anxiety and jealousy swirled through your head, you found yourself drifting further and further off. The light of the moon was becoming dimmer by the second as you lay there. It wouldn’t be much longer until you were out like a light. You figured it was going to be a rather peaceful sleep despite your current worries. 

Your eyes shut, and you were asleep.

x x x 

The next morning, your eyes opened just before your alarm. Besides the fact that that never happened, you had a strange feeling in your gut, like something was different today. You didn’t know what exactly, but it made you nervous. You made a mental note to ask Theo if everything was okay as soon as you got downstairs for breakfast. 

You tossed a robe around your pajamas, not bothering to switch into your school uniform yet. There was still around an hour before classes started, and you figured you’d have plenty of time to change. In fact, you thought, you might just run down and grab a quick nibble of something to eat. You’d talk to Theo as soon as you could. 

The stone floors were cold as you slid your feet into a pair of woolen socks, then a pair of personal boots. As small as your dorm room was, you’d imagine that the firepit in the center of the room would do more for the temperature. But, you always found yourself freezing in the mornings as you were preparing for first period. Maybe it was just you—

“Good morning, friend,” Pansy said lowly, her voice still raspy from sleep. She jogged over to you from her bed on the opposite side of the room.

“Good morning,” you returned. “Wanna grab some breakfast?”

“Sounds good to me,” she yawned, looping her arm through yours. You found that she was always the one who initiated that small show of affection, but it felt good. The fact that you had a female friend who genuinely cared for you made your heart light up. With all of the worry over those girls last night, it made you realize how truly grateful you were a friend not involved in drama. At the thought, you flashed her a smile, to which she returned with a goofy expression. 

The two of you giggled a bit as you turned the corner and climbed the main staircase, headed directly for the Great Hall. You could practically smell all of the food from here. On second thought, maybe you would stay for a full meal. If there was one thing you truly loved about Hogwarts—besides the obvious—it was the food. 

As the two of you made the final walk down the grand hall, you noticed something. Perhaps it was all in your head or had something to do with the odd feeling you had when you woke up, but you felt like everyone was staring at you. It felt like every face you glanced at already had eyes directed at you. You broke the contact awkwardly each time, trying to ignore the strange attention. Whatever was going on, you really were not a fan. 

“Pansy, is everyone staring at us?” you whispered, nudging her side with your elbow. She glanced around.

“It kind of seems like it, doesn’t it?” she said. “Hold on.”

She pulled away from you suddenly, leaving you to stop in the middle of the hallway. She approached a small group of girls gathered in the corner just before the Great Hall. You watched from where you were standing, trying to overhear what she was saying. She tapped one of the girls’ shoulders and began conversing with them. 

You thought you recognized a few of them—some Slytherin girls from your Potions class. 

After a few moments of you loitering awkwardly in the middle of the hallway, Pansy finally jogged back over. Her face was flushed, and her eyebrows were drawn tightly together. She looked as if she was deep in thought.

“Pans, what is it?” you asked, grabbing her arm. 

“That bitch from yesterday…” she trailed off. Lavender Brown?

“What about her?” you asked. 

“It seems like she has a bit of an issue keeping her mouth shut.” She pointed toward the wide-open doors to the Great Hall. You glanced over at the huge room. Your stomach sank a bit at the feeling of being involved in drama. Sure, you and Pansy chatted about drama around the school all the time, but you didn��t want to be involved in it. Was that bad? You didn’t know. A sigh left you.

You clenched your fists, feeling pops ripple through the knuckles. You were going to handle whatever was going on right now. There were thousands of things way more important than some stupid girl trying to disrupt your life. And, the worst of it was, she hardly knew you. What was her fucking problem? The thoughts ramped up your anger, but you pushed it down. You were just going to talk to her. 

You walked through the doors of the Great Hall and quickly surveyed the room. Still, it felt as though everyone was staring at you. You tried to ignore it as you spotted Lavender and her group of friends. They stood around the Gryffindor table, with her sitting on the edge of it with one leg crossed over the other. She appeared to be telling them each something, but how she sat up straight and glanced around so often gave you a bad feeling. You swallowed thickly and calmly walked over to her. 

As you came within a few feet of her, her friends began to notice and alerted her to your presence. Her eyes found yours, and she immediately shut up. 

“Hey, Lavender,” you said politely, forcing a smile. Each of her friends gave you a different type of glare.

“Hey,” she said bluntly. Her expression was very hesitant. 

“Can I talk to you?” you asked. She said nothing. “Alone?”

“Anything you need to say to me, you can say around my girls,” she said, a bit of an attitude shining through. She pursed her lips.

“Okay, well, what I have to say is for you, not your ‘girls,’” you mocked. Her eyebrow quirked. With every word that left your mouth, her friends reacted in some way. It seemed they were only egging her on. 

“I think I’ll stay right here,” she said. You refrained from rolling your eyes.

“Alright, well, have it your way. I’ve just heard a bit of a rumor flying around. A few people have told me that you’re saying some…rude things about me, and I wanted to ask why. I mean, I don’t even know you.” You chuckled slightly. A few of her friends rolled their eyes.

“I’m not concerned about that,” she said. “I’m concerned about something else.”

“Then why are you saying things about me?” you asked. She sighed and got to her feet, closing the distance between the two of you a bit. You took a small step back. The last thing you wanted was for her to be right in your face. Her friends gathered behind her a bit. 

“Um, because I can do what I want,” she said, crossing her arms. “Free country, right?” 

“Sure…but I really would like you to stop,” you explained. “It’s upsetting me and my friends.”

“I don’t really give a fuck,” she said. Her friends laughed a bit at your shocked expression. You were struggling to wrap your head around why she would have a reason to talk about you if you’d never even had a conversation with the girl. 

“Last time I’m going to ask, or I’m going to the Headmaster’s, Lavender,” you threatened.

“Do what you want—I’m not fucking scared of you,” she challenged, crossing her arms. “It’s not like you’re actually going to do anything.” Your fists clenched. 

“Lavender, I’m asking you nicely. Stop talking about me, or I’ll make it a problem.”

“Ooh,” she teased, her friends tittering along. “What are you going to do? Are you going to run to the Headmaster’s just like you always do? ‘Oh, Professor Dumbledore, please help! There are students who are being mean to me—”

“Shut up, Lavender,” Pansy said, appearing behind you. “You’re fucking pathetic.” 

A shock of pride flew through your chest at the bit of backup Pansy provided. You were feeling a bit outnumbered with Lavender’s posse. 

“Was I talking to you, bitch?” 

“Hey! Don’t fucking call her that!” you said, your voice raising a bit.

“Aw, I don’t think I’ve ever even heard you say a bad word,” Lavender mocked you. “You know, considering you are such an insufferable loser. Theo must be so fucking embarrassed of you.”

“What the hell did you just say?” 

“I said, your boyfriend—” she took another step closer to you; you were practically chest to chest—“is embarrassed of you, little girl. Maybe he should try a woman on for size.” She laid a rough poke to your chest. Your arms rippled at the feeling.

“Don’t fucking touch me.”

“What, like this?” she poked you again, her false nails digging into your flesh. Before she could drop her hand away from you again, you’d turned and swung a violent punch at her.

Her friends screamed loudly as she crumpled to the ground, her hands pressed to her face. She shrieked at the top of her lungs, quieting everyone in the Great Hall. Per usual student behavior, groups of the Hall’s occupants raced over to try and get a glimpse at you beating the shit out of Lavender Brown.

Her friends fell away from her quickly as you dropped down on top of her, thighs straddling her chest, and wailed on her. So much for them standing by her. Punch after punch landed on her dumb fucking face. You were at the point now where the pain in your fists was hardly detectable anymore.

Jeers of encouragement erupted around you as fellow students circled the two of you—Pansy had been pushed back in the midst of the commotion. As you glanced around for your friend, the girl below you managed to shove her fist upward and land a lucky strike right to your nose. Your head snapped back at the motion, your hands coming up to cover the blood that spurted from each nostril. 

You tasted metal and sweat as you leaned back down and continued your assault on her face. 

“Not so confident now, huh, bitch?” you shouted in her face, laying a swift slap across her cheek. 

Suddenly, you felt rough hands beneath your armpits as you were yanked backward. Despite the resistance, you fought against the unknown person, trying to get back at Lavender.

“Yeah, you fucking cunt, you wanna fuck with me?” you yelled, thrashing against the person behind you. “Wanna try it again? How about any of your fucking friends?”

“Hey, stop, stop!” Theo grabbed your wailing fists, forcing you to look directly into his eyes. He yanked you away from the crowd just as a few professors began to arrive. Enzo and Mattheo were hung back along the Ravenclaw table, waiting for their friend. Amused expressions were pulled across their faces.  

“Merlin!” Enzo shouted, a smile printed on his lips. “That was bloody brilliant.” You refrained from laughing.

“Fuck, baby, I must be rubbing off on you,” Theo chucked. “You’re fighting just like your boyfriend.” A swell of pride flowed through you. He selected one of the fabric napkins from the table behind him and began pressing it beneath your nose. 

“Whatever,” you said, hiding a smile. “I’m just tired of people walking all over me because they think I won’t do anything about it. And I didn’t touch that bitch until she mentioned you and touched me.”

“You don’t have to defend yourself to me,” Theo laughed. “But I don’t think you have to worry about anyone messing with you anymore.” 

The three boys before you smirked darkly at his words. 

*Tag List: @mypolicemanharryyy, @angelfrombeneth, @clairesjointshurt, @bunbunbl0gs, @acornacreacure, @niktwazny303, @thestarlithideout, @sarahskakskskskajakwwnwjw, @yhiiil, @ravenclawprincess33, @xxrougefangxx (if you would like to be added to the tag list for any future works, please comment on this post, dm me, or send me a message in my inbox. Thanks!)*

[waldau]

giving them the silent treatment when they forget something — seventeen | 2,661 words | hurt/comfort, fluff

first work in this format! comments would be really appreciated :D

gender neutral reader. warnings: none.

seungcheol

cannot stand your silence. he'd rather you scold him, or say anything to him, but he absolutely hates the silence that fills your house when he stops talking. he's thankful you're sitting across him while he's having dinner, but keeps interrupting his eating by asking for your forgiveness over and over. how could he forget your date night tonight? knows you need your personal space and makes you sit at the table while he does the dishes, but he gives in at the end of the day because what's the point of sleeping in the same bed if he can't wrap his arms around you? keeps whispering apologies into your hair and promises not to be this forgetful again. literally lights up when you turn around with a grumble and slot yourself into his arms. is okay with you being upset with him as long as you let him hold you.

jeonghan

thinks it's payback for the time he hid the last of your snacks a week ago. is fine with you rolling your eyes at him when he calls you by your nickname. realizes it's serious when you share your dessert with him, because you never do it without a little playful fight. realizes he's messed up big time when you don't retort back to his teasing about how your hair looks right now, after you've spent some time rolling around in bed. the final straw is when you wish him goodnight without even calling him any form of endearment. suddenly understands why you're being like this — it's because he left for practice without waking you up this morning, even though you asked him to. peppers you with kisses and it's only a matter of time before you stop resisting. tries explaining that your health and your sleep are more important to him than his own, but he's thankful you wake up with him the next morning and prepare breakfast for him while he gets ready.

joshua

is a gentleman. 99.99% of the time. but the 0.01% he's not is today, when he forgot to buy a bouquet of flowers you wanted to take while visiting your mother. he'd assured you he'd do the task because the flower shop lay right in the path he took while jogging, and now you've returned home with no smile on your face. there's a thousand apologies at the tip of his tongue, but none of them are going to be enough. you wish him a good night, but he knows he's messed up pretty bad. hates it when you don't even say anything about it, because he knows it's affected you more than you're letting it show. gets a call from you the next afternoon asking him why there's a bouquet of flowers on your desk and why your mother also had one delivered to her doorstep. picks you up from work and surprises you with a single rose that he tucks behind your ear, brushing away your concerns about it looking silly. loves you, and he'll get you flowers every day if it makes you smile the way you're doing right now.

junhui

is not used to one word answers from you. he watches you a bit closely as you take off your shoes, wash your hands, get a glass from the cupboard and pour yourself some water. feels like you're giving the glass more attention than him. starts feeling nervous. around you. hates it more than anything. but he doesn't know what's wrong, so he ends up doing something that flusters you both — he cages you in his arms, because he'd much rather you tell him off than push him away silently. you try to wriggle out of his grasp, but he pulls out his c-drama moves of seduction and slams his hand against the wall behind your head. you just stare at him before you shake your head and tell him he didn't kiss you goodbye this morning. he feels absolutely shocked. he did! or at least he thought he did. you're always on his mind, regardless of the time of the day. kisses you five times to make up for the one he didn't give you. sticks close to you for the rest of the night, as it's his rightful place.

soonyoung

is oblivious at first. he's the more talkative one between you both, so he doesn't find anything wrong when you come back home, or don't give him the usual kiss you do when you come back home — you're probably just too tired! guides you to the dining table and makes sure you're eating well. talks about practice, talks about this photoshoot that's coming up, talks about this interview he'd given earlier in the day, around afternoon, which made him super hungry because— well, shit. he was supposed to bring your lunch to work because you'd forgotten to take it yourself, and you'd even texted him about it. he promised he would, and now he's left wondering what you had to get for yourself because of his forgetfulness. throws himself to his knees in front of you and grabs your thighs, shaking you like it's going to transfer the sorrow he's feeling into you so that you can forgive him. loves that you crack a smile before you hide it and continue having dinner. promises to wake up early next morning so he can be the one to make you lunch and pack it. loves the sight of the empty box he sees when he calls you during your break.

wonwoo

feels like absolute crap when you get home and all he has to show you for his time spent is the game he's finished and a regrettable lack of food on the table. he'd promised to cook for you, this recipe he'd taken from mingyu just so he could try it himself. he'd even laughed at your surprised face in the morning, but now he thinks you were right to have doubted him. it's not even time for your usual grocery run yet; you're pretty much out of groceries because his friends had come home a couple days back and you'd spent time making a lot of dishes. sits you down and makes you eat a banana as a peace offering, all the while ordering takeout from the closest eatery to your house. sits with you and feeds you bites of your meal, not touching his own till you're done. still feels terrible when he sees you putting away the leftovers, because you're not supposed to be doing that in the first place. comes up behind you and wraps his arms around your waist, murmuring apologies in your ear and asking if you want him to get you anything else. wakes you up to breakfast in bed the next morning. you laugh and tell him you're not willing to have breakfast without brushing your teeth, so he picks you up and carries you to the bathroom. he thinks he should make time on his days off for breakfast in bed if it means you'll cling to him the way you're doing now, adoration in your eyes.

jihoon

is just in his chill™ mode half the time he's home. when he's not working, he's either listening to music or watching your favourite shows together to maximize the time he has with you. for jihoon, and you, actions are more prevalent than words. so it's with a sudden drop of his stomach that he realizes he was supposed to wait for you, till you came back home, to start watching this new anime you'd been keen on seeing. he can't exactly undo the past three episodes from his memory, so he's also silent like you are when you get back home and see what he's been up to. dinner is had in an awkward silence till you push your chair back and take the plate to the sink, letting jihoon know you're turning in for an early night. he knows he's fucked up. he's glad you're not kicking him out on the couch to sleep, and he apologizes by softly humming a song he's been working on for you, in the silence of your bedroom. it's like he's wearing his heart on his sleeve, too easy for anyone to see, but it's worth it when you sigh and pull him down for a kiss, telling him it sounds wonderful and that you can't wait to hear the full thing.

minghao

is disappointed with himself already, and you being disappointed makes it worse. he could blame jet lag for being the reason why he forgot to show up at the cafe to meet your friend you've been him to get to know for a while, but he knows it's a flimsy excuse. you cover up for him with the excuse of a fever, even though he's far from feeling down. doesn't know what he can say to make it better, so he peels an orange for you. only to have his heart hurt when you say you're not hungry. but you end up taking a few slices anyway, because you don't want it to go to waste. tries to pull you into himself but hates it when you don't reciprocate. he knows this friend is important to you, but are they so important that you have to ignore him for the rest of the night? offers to sleep on the couch, and is surprised to find that's what breaks your silence and makes you glare at him. promises to fly you out soon to meet your friend where they live as an apology. wakes up to you combing your fingers through his hair.

mingyu

puppy #1. knows he's done something wrong the moment you step inside the hallway of your house, even if you've said nothing — mainly because you're not rushing to him the way you always do, and you're not excited to see him, the way he is to see you. takes all the stuff from your hands and makes you sit on the couch and offers you a massage and pouts when you decline him gently. tries making conversation with you during dinner, but gets discouraged when you reply in short sentences. you're not...angry, but you're upset, and it's bugging him terribly. offers to help you with your nighttime routine, sitting on the counter and watching you go about it, until you sigh and tell him exactly what he forgot about. your plants in the balcony that he promised to water this morning and forgot about because he had to rush for an early practice. he throws himself to the floor on his knees, hands clasped, and promises never to forget it again. feels relieved when you laugh through a mouth full of toothpaste, pulling him to his feet and ruffling his hair. his alarm now has a label that reads: "plants :)"

seokmin

puppy #2. can feel his smile drop the second you walk through the door of your shared house drenched in water like you fell into a puddle and climbed out. and the worst part is you're not even asking him to help you dry up. he tries to offer you towels and fusses about your hair and you catching a cold but ends up sitting against the door of your shared bedroom when you gently push him out of your way and opt for a nice, warm shower. he's glad he ordered takeout so that you wouldn't have to cook, but he's not happy with the way you're ignoring him. no, you're not ignoring him. you're...disappointed, almost. somehow it's worse than having you be angry with him, because he knows fights can be resolved sooner or later. but you being disappointed in him? makes him feel like the worst person in the world. heats up your blanket in the dryer and gives you his hoodie to sleep in. he's never going to take your umbrella to practice again. drags you out to shop for two distinct umbrellas so he never forgets to send you off with one again.

seungkwan

he's busy. it's not an excuse; it's just how his daily schedule is. yet it sounds like nothing but a pathetic excuse when you get back home, avoiding even looking at him. you look amazing, and he wasted his entire afternoon wondering when you were going to call him, when you were out watching a movie he'd suggested the two of you watch together. hates it when you tell him you've had enough popcorn to make you skip dinner. hates it when you don't even hug him, much less kiss him. hates it when you have a polite conversation with him about the movie, as if you were just his friend telling him you liked his recommendation. you sit with him and watch a volleyball match he'd pre-recorded, but his mind is not interested in the commentary at all. pouts. straight up asks you how long you're going to ignore him. you say you're not, that you just need some time now to get over it. he nods like he understands but wraps himself around you barely twenty minutes later when you're getting ready for bed. will not sleep without coming to any kind of resolution. asks you to spoil the movie for him as a punishment and gets a pinch to his cheek in return. promises never to forget a date again.

hansol

is also oblivious. takes your silence as a sign that you're just tired, so he makes sure you freshen up and don't do any work for a while and have some water or light snacks instead. it's only when he puts on a movie you've both watched many times he realizes you're not talking to him, because you don't lean into him the way you usually do. he takes the initiative this time and tries pulling you on his lap, but you resist. he feels uncomfortable, and it's new. he tries focusing on the movie but his mind is on you, and it's only because of the sheer number of times he's seen the movie that he can remember the dialogues without paying attention. it's only when the main characters get into a car and start driving that he realizes he'd promised to pick you up from your friend's party. immediately switches off the movie because he knows you're not paying attention either, and kneels in front of you and looks into your eyes till you blush and look away. brings your head back in place with his fingers on your chin and asks you to remind him when he forgets so that he doesn't have a chance to let you down again. holds your hand through the night when you sleep. clings to you a bit more whenever you're home.

chan

devastated. at himself, at you for not reminding him that he'd forgotten to pick up your outfit from the dry cleaner's last night, at the fact that you're not even scolding him. hates that you won't even look at him except to give him some space to move around in the kitchen. having twelve older brothers, he's used to being kept in shape by them and remembering a lot of things about all of them, so why couldn't he remember this small thing you'd asked him to do? compliments you on how good you look, and is physically hurt when you just nod at him with a small thanks. asks if there's anything he can help you with. hates that you shake your head and say you're just going to read a book. tries making you laugh but ends up embarrassing himself when he trips on the bathroom mat and ends up diving into the bathroom face first. it's not funny, but it gets a smile out of you, and he thinks he's on the path to getting your forgiveness. won't go to sleep till you run your fingers through his hair, holding him close to you.

taglist: @bookyeom @wootify @strnsvt @cloudycaramel @thepoopdokyeomtouched @minnieminshi @nonononranghaee

[bluejutdae]

• friend Stray Kids saving you (or being saved by you) from a bad date | Jeongin x Noona!reader

Chan , Minho, Changbin Jisung , Felix, Seungmin

genre: friends to lovers

Warnings: none

The restaurant is nice, the food is delicious. Your date is horrible.

That’s what you get for trusting dating apps and giving in the peer pressure of your colleagues and downloading the aforementioned app. On paper, this guy is perfect: tall, pretty, loves animals and has an interesting job. In reality he’s an incel and, despite your protests, decided to sit on your side of the table so he can try and cop a feel every now and then.

You even tried texting Changbin for an easy way out of this date but your friend isn’t answering. It would have been useful having him here, since he’s good at looking like a bad guy… and his arms and shoulders help a lot. You have half a mind to text Chan, or Minho, since they’re also good at scaring people off, but you’re not sure you want to bother them.

The one person you’re absolutely not going to text (and not going to tell about this date to) is Jeongin. It’s already awkward enough that you have a massive crush on him, you’re not going to ask him to rescue you.

Your crush will go away eventually. Doesn’t matter that you could celebrate its first birthday in just a few weeks, it’s just a silly little crush. This is what you tell yourself, at least.

Your feeling started growing little by little but, the moment you realized, you also realized you were fucked. And not in a fun way. Why did you have to fall for the pretty, younger, talented guy who is guarded by 7 hyungs like they’re bodyguards? On top of this, you’re pretty sure Minho’s onto you. You can see it in his eyes anytime you laugh a little too loud at Jeongin’s jokes and you look at him a little too long.

Unbeknown to you, Jeongin is looking at you right now. And he’s boiling. He’s so ready to jump the guy that keeps scooting closer to you, uncaring of the fact that you keep scooting away from him. The same guy keeps touching your arm and your hair despite you asking him not to do it.

Jeongin is a time bomb. And he’d have intervened sooner, but how is he going to explain the fact that he’s here because he followed you after he heard you talking about going on a date? One thing is having a crush on his noona, another thing is following her to make sure she’s not going home with her date safe.

To Jeongin, his noona is so pretty, so kind, so perfect, no one deserves her.

Sadly, not even him.

Not that he has a chance.

He can’t forbid you to go on dates, but he can make sure you’re okay and that you’re gonna think of him while you’re with other guys. So he takes out his phone and quickly types a text.

You spot Jeongin in the restaurant and a thousand questions start wandering in your mind. Why is he here? And why did he text you knowing you were there? What was that about the guy being a loser? In your peripheral vision you see him pay for his dinner and come closer to your table, so you prepare yourself to pretend he’s your cousin or friend whom you haven’t seen in a while and you want to catch up with. What you don’t expect is for him to sit so close to you he’s almost in your lap, with an arm around your shoulders and a sexy smirk on his face.

“Noona, you’re too pretty to be wasting time with this guy.” he says, and his voice is loud, too loud. Your date starts to protest his words and ask questions, but you’re too taken aback by Jeongin’s behavior to answer. The younger guy is cocky, his usually cute smile is now a cruel smirk when directed to your date and when directed to you is… flirtatious?

“Innie” your tone is almost admonishing, but you don’t really have it in you to reprimand him.

“And who is this kid?” asks your date, after having tossed his napkin on the table. His stand is one of dare towards Jeongin and his tone is provocative.

“This kid is the one who’s taking her home.” Jeongin replies, a mocking smile on his lips. It’s time you step in, or this can get ugly way too fast. With a hand on Jeongin’s shoulder you try to tell him to tone it down a little and with a polite and contrite expression you turn to your date. “I think our night should end here. I’m sorry if I’ve wasted your time, but we’re not really a good fit.”

“And you’re really gonna go home with this kid?” You take a deep breath. You might put up with someone insulting you, but you don’t like the tone he’s using to talk about Jeongin. You roll your eyes and signal Jeongin to get up so you can leave. Reaching into your purse you grab your wallet to pay for dinner. “Yes, I'm gonna go home with him. Try to be less of a creepy pushy asshole and maybe one day some girl might consider going home with you. In the meantime, I hope women will recognize quickly what type of men you are.”

You grab Innie’s hand, who in the meantime is giving the guy a gloating smile, and make him follow you outside or the restaurant. You try to let his hand go but he holds your with determination and leads you to a close playground. You sit on the swings and for a minute you’re silent, swinging in the night, enjoying the fresh air.

“I need you to explain, Innie.”

“Do I have to, Noona?” What is he going to tell you? The truth or a lie? You nod in his direction and then occupy yourself with trying to spot a few stars in the night sky, waiting for him to explain. He seems to think about what to say, hands fidgeting in his lap and his teeth worrying his lip.

“I followed you.” Your head turns towards him so fast you give yourself whiplash. “You what?”

“I was worried! You decided to go on a date with a guy you met on a dating app!” His tone sounds accusing, but you know him enough to know there’s something more. “And I was right. The guy was an asshole. I wanted to punch him when he kept touching you even though you tried to get at a safe distance.”

“Innie… I’m a big girl, I can take care of myself. You don’t have to worry about me. You don’t have to… to protect me.” He makes a face like he just ate something he hates. “How did you even find out about the date?”

“I heard you talking on the phone. Sorry I followed you.”“It’s okay, just don’t do it anymore, uh? Let Noona worry for you, not the opposite. I’m the older one.”

You thought it was the right thing to say, but apparently it was not, because Jeongin stopped swinging on his swing and he’s making an expression you don’t want to see in his face. He looks sad and almost in pain.“Jeonginnie?” You ask in a tiny voice, trying to understand what was that you said that can justify his reaction.

“Is this all I’ll ever be? Just a dongsaeng?” He kicks softly at the sand at your feet, head bowed down and words hushed.

“What do you mean? You’re my dongsaeng. Why is that bad?” He shakes his head and doesn’t answer but you can hear him sigh.

“It’s not bad, just…” he shakes his head again and gets up. “Never mind. Let’s go.”

“Wait, Jeongin…” despite your words, he keeps slowly walking away from you, so you follow him quickly until you reach him. Walking side by side you try to think back to yours and his words, but you can’t seem to grasp the problem.

“Jeongin, what’s wrong?” He keeps walking and when you try to hold his hand to slow him down and face him, he takes it away. Uh, this hurts.

“Innie, c’mon, talk to me. Noona’s sorry, okay? Tell me what I did wrong and I’ll fix it.” Maybe he’s angry he feels like he has to watch your back? “I won’t make you worry anymore, that’s my job since I’m older.” The moment your last word is out of your mouth, he stops on his track.

“Stop saying that, you’re making it worse!” He's loud now. Which isn’t uncommon, but not in this kind of circumstances.

“I don’t understand.”

A gust of wind makes you shiver and, to fight the sudden cold, you hug yourself. You hate fighting with Jeongin, and luckily it doesn’t happen often, but now you’re having an hard time understanding what even the fight is about.

Seeing you shiver, Jeongin takes off his jacket and puts it on your shoulders. “No, Innie. You’ll be cold like that, you need it more than I do!” He holds it around your shoulder with more force.

“Stop, stop, stop it! Stop treating me like a kid. I know I’m younger and I’m just a kid but stop always making it so painfully obvious. I know I’ll never be more than your dongsaeng, I know you’ll never look at me and see a man, but fuck, stop doing this all the time. Once, just once, let me take care of you. Let me be something more than just a kid in your eyes.”

“But-“

“No, I get it, okay? It’s embarrassing knowing a younger guy has a crush on you, you probably laugh about it with your other friends because it’s pathetic, I’m pathetic, but Noona… today I got to help you and I was so proud of myself but then that asshole called me a kid and you didn’t correct him. And I realized that, no matter how hard I try, I’ll always be just a kid to you.”

Being young, being considered the youngest and therefore the one who needs coddling and help is one of the things he hates the most. And you knew, you talked about how he hates being babied by his hyungs. You prided yourself for being someone who wouldn’t treat him like that. Yes, you let him get away with things cause he’s endearing and your dongsaeng, but you didn’t realize you’re part of the problem.

On one thing he’s wrong, tho. You don’t see him as a kid, you do consider him a man, but telling him wouldn’t be effective. So you do the next best thing you think will send the right message. You kiss him.

His lips are warm against yours and, after the initial shock, he’s kissing you back. Your hands raise to reach around his neck and rest there, holding him close to you

Soon, too soon, he’s moving away a little to look at you.

“What’s this?”

“You’re wrong about something, Jeonginnie. I’ve always looked at you and seen a man. I didn’t know you have a crush on me, or I would have done this sooner. Because I have a crush on you. And I felt like I had no right to want you.”

His smile is blinding, and you love to see him like this.

“You have a crush on me, Noona?”

“I do. Is that okay?” Instead of answering you with words, he kisses you again and his smile can be felt in the kiss.

“Innie, I know you’re not a kid. But can I still call you my baby?” The wind carries his laugh and you feel so happy you want to dance.

“As long as I’m yours, you can call me whatever you want.”

Hand in hand, his jacket still on your shoulders, you walk home and you’re the happiest you’ve been in a while.

(The day after, he wakes up with a sore throat and a mild fever. You don’t have it in you to scold him, and you promised yourself not to baby him, so you let his hyungs do that and you play the role of a good girlfriend and you cuddle him in his bed.

When Minho enters the room and sees you this close, you swear he’s threatening you in Morse code or telepathically: if you hurt him, you’ll have to answer to us all. But you’ll do the same, so you nod and give him a little smile. Deal.)

[yoongiseesawmp3]

anything but - jeonghan

summary: roommate!jeonghan. you thought living with your best friend, jeonghan, would be easy. fun. like a sleepover every night. but as he watches you struggle week in and week out with crushes that don't like you back or dates that never seem to go well, he decides to take matters into his own hands.

word count: 8.2k

warnings: none rly, afab reader, unedited, sry

masterlist

jeonghan is ready to go to sleep. he had a long day, followed by a good, but tiring, night with friends, and he's been thinking about his soft sheets for the past two hours now. he's also been thinking about you, thinking about how happy he gets seeing your face light up when he walks through the door, but he knows he won't see that tonight. you're going on a date, dinner with some loser who's not him. he knows he could treat you so much better, but he can't just say that. things would get weird, and jeonghan can't afford the rent on his own. so selfishly, he keeps you and his feelings at arm's length. he's still thinking about you as he puts his key in the lock, wondering if he can stay up late enough to make sure you get home safe. when he opens the door, he changes his mind.

"what are you doing here?" jeonghan asks with a bit of anger in his voice, finding you laid out on the couch scrolling through your phone. "you told me you were going on a date tonight. did you cancel on him?"

"nope," you reply, popping the p as you sit up to stare at your roommate. "he cancelled on me. ten minutes before he was supposed to pick me up, actually, so i got ready for nothing."

that's when jeonghan notices the nice clothes you have on, your hair done up but mussed now that you've been laying on it. and, with a pang in his chest, he notices your makeup that looks smudged with tears. he knows you've been having dating trouble lately, and it's definitely been getting to you. but it makes his heart ache to think that you've been home all night crying over some loser who couldn't even bother to take you out.

"why didn't you call me?" he asks softly, joining you on the couch as he lifts your legs to lay them over his lap. he keeps a comforting hand on your calf as you explain, a slight tremor in your bottom lip as you say, "i didn't want to interrupt boy's night."

"baby, come on," he sighs. "you should have told me. you could've come to boy's night!"

"right," you scoff, rolling your eyes. "and hear all of them talk about their beautiful girlfriends and being so happy in a relationship? i'd rather eat drywall."

"we talk about other stuff," jeonghan laughs. "i told them about you getting us tickets to that soccer game and now i think they like you better than me. mingyu might be calling to see if he can take my ticket."

"never," you smile at him, sitting up and swinging your legs from his lap. "well, it's late. you're probably tired."

"eh," jeonghan shrugs, looking over you carefully to gauge if you're upset. "i could stay up a little longer, if you wanted to watch something."

"we're caught up on all our shows though," you pout. jeonghan sees an idea cross your face, so he asks, "what are you thinking?"

"nothing," you shake your head. "i remembered i didn't watch project runway last week, but you don't like that show-"

"put it on," he nods to the tv, looking over you one more time and noticing your clothes must not be that comfortable. "or you go change, i'll set it up."

"you don't know what episode i'm on though," you squint at him, and he shakes his head.

"nope, you're two weeks behind," he says. "i remember, because we went out the week before and you were ticked off that you were missing it."

"you pay too much attention to me," you mumble as you finally get up from the couch, jeonghan barely hearing you as he checks you out from behind. you're right, he does. too bad you haven't realized why.

when you come back from your room, you're wearing a hoodie that's seen better days and shorts that aren't quite doing their job. jeonghan clears his throat, trying not to stare, but when you sit down and put your legs back over his lap he can't help but skirt his hand over your skin, getting too close to your thigh without realizing.

"that tickles," you giggle, pushing his hand away. "you're annoying."

"ha, sorry," he laughs nervously, not sure what to do with his hands now so he reaches for the remote to press play. not far into the episode you curl up on your side of the couch, your knees tucked up beneath you as you lay down. jeonghan keeps an eye on you the whole time, attune to all your reactions and movements. he notices when you shiver, up in an instant to get a blanket.

"where are you going?" you call out, and he comes back wordlessly with the comforter from his room. he wraps it over you, using the rest of it to cover himself as he gets comfortable again. you find yourself dozing off, waking up every few minutes to see the progress on your favorite designers. you sleep through a whole section of the show, whining that you need to rewind, but jeonghan quietly explains what's happened and you're satisfied enough.

"do you want me to turn this off?" jeonghan asks after he sees your eyes closed again after you just complained about missing part of the show. you shake your head, not much of it visible outside of his blanket. you're noticing how nice his blanket smells, recognizing it as the same fresh scent that follows jeonghan around. it makes you feel at home, and that's part of what's making you so sleepy.

"i don't wanna go to my room," you admit shyly, feeling the tears from earlier just a moment or two away. "i'll stay awake, promise."

"do you want to sleep out here?" jeonghan asks, and you think about it for a moment. it wouldn't be the first time you had a little sleepover of sorts, both of you squished awkwardly on the couch or sleeping far apart from each other on someone's mattress that's been dragged out from one of your rooms. your silence decides it for jeonghan, and he says, "i'll go change, and then we can go to sleep." all you do is nod, getting comfortable beneath his comforter again as jeonghan slinks back to his bedroom to get ready for bed.

he comes back out and laughs to himself, your messy hair and scrunched sleepy face pulling at his heart. he knows someday he should tell you how he feels. he knows what you're looking for, and he knows he's perfect for you. it's just a matter of time before you figure that out, too.

-

a few days later, jeonghan was in the middle of a nap when he heard mumbling in the hallway and the sound of someone slamming doors. he was worried for only a few minutes, thinking it could possibly be an intruder, but as the mumbling gets closer to his door he knows there's a very frustrated y/n on the other side. he groans as he hoists himself up, shuffling to the door so he can peek out at you putting laundry away in the most irritated way possible. it's like you're trying to punish the towels for existing, and jeonghan can't help but laugh at the annoyed look on your face. it's cute, he finds himself thinking, but his chuckle pulls you from your dark thoughts and brings your anger to a new victim.

"what."

"nothing," jeonghan says defensively. "i thought someone was breaking in, you know, with all the banging around."

"shut up," you mumble, shoving the washcloths into the hall closet before slamming the door. you turn to your best friend and roommate, finger pointed accusingly, "i'm in a bad mood so don't piss me off."

"that explains the stress cleaning," he notes, and you ignore him.

"i'm going downstairs to put the dishes away," you grumble as you pass by him to get to the stairs, and he puts a timid hand on your shoulder.

"maybe do something that involves less breakables," he says coolly. "go punch a pillow or something."

"that's a good idea," you say, face lighting up slightly, and he laughs nervously as he finally asks what's wrong. "you remember that bitch of a dude who i was talking to a couple weeks ago?"

"gar bear?" jeonghan asks, and you roll your eyes.

"gary, yeah."

"what about him?" he asks, watching you unlock your phone and scroll to find something. you shove it into his hands, open to a very disturbing picture of a very ugly dick. "no."

"yeah. at three pm on a fucking thursday."

"stop making me look at it," he whines, pushing your phone back to you. "that's what made you mad?"

"yes!" you shout. "how did that thought process work? oh, this girl who i led on and then gaslit and then weirded out, she really needs to see my dick right now. it's the middle of the day! get a job! contribute to society!!!"

"why's he posing like that?" jeonghan asks, noticing more about the photo since you haven't locked your phone yet. "he looks so stiff."

"please stop," you say, but jeonghan sees a smile pulling at your lips.

"so what did you do?"

"i said 'what is your problem' and then i blocked him," you shrug, and he laughs.

"remind me to never piss you off," he says as he wraps an arm around you. "i'm sorry guys are assholes."

"i think i'm gonna become a nun," you mumble into his shoulder, staying in his hold maybe a minute too long. he presses a quick kiss to the crown of your head before letting you go, a blush on your cheeks that he takes pride in.

"you'd suck at being a nun, you're not nice enough," he jokes, and the way you glare at him makes him smile. "plus you fuck too much, aren't they supposed to be celibate?"

"forget punching pillows, i'm gonna punch you."

"sure baby," he chuckles, looking back at you as he walks downstairs. "you want food or something? i'll do the dishes. you just focus on not burning down the patriarchy."

"no promises," you mumble as you follow behind him. "but yeah, i wanna try this recipe i found the other day..."

it's over dinner that night that you realize how perfect jeonghan is. if only you could find a guy just like your best friend. someone who supports you, makes you smile, know how to get your heart to skip a beat. take, for example, his compliments. you like to joke to jeonghan that you need validation on your cooking, like tinkerbell, so whenever you cook for him the praises are nonstop. he's nothing if not supportive, so he tries to find things to comment on that he knows will make you blush. it works, and you do your best to tell him to stop without making it obvious that your heart is doing somersaults at his words.

this is what you want from a relationship, you find yourself thinking. you want to be comfortable with them, feel supported, all the things that jeonghan gives you. that night, you scroll through your dating apps, looking for a guy you think could meet those standards. in reality, you spend the whole night comparing the men on your screen to your roommate, subconsciously thinking of all the things you like most about jeonghan that these losers don't possess. you fall asleep like that, phone open to an empty chat, with jeonghan still on your mind.

-

so, a downside to living with jeonghan is you get the brunt end of all his weird energy. sometimes it's fun, and manifests itself in silly ways. like when you go thrifting, he takes it upon himself to find the weirdest thing in the store and insists on bringing it home. it means your apartment is decorated uniquely, but some of the stranger things you make him keep in his room. you haven't figured out yet that he only does this to make you laugh, loving how you smile sweetly at all the funny trinkets littered around your house. anything that goes into his room is eventually donated back to goodwill, its purpose served, doomed to delight another unassuming shopper some day.

other times, his weird energy comes out in worse ways. like today, he's not home, but you can feel that something's wrong. you know jeonghan is helping his friends with some video shoot, and he won't be home until much later. but there's a vibe in your apartment when you walk in. something is off, and it doesn't take you long to realize it. jeonghan has moved everything around, the couch where your kitchen table should be, the chairs from the table lined up in place of your couch. he's a strange one, your best friend, but it makes you laugh nonetheless, sending him a picture of the chairs and asking, "how am i supposed to fall asleep watching tv on this?!"

jeonghan smiles when he gets your text, shooting back, "watch tv in your room if you know you're just gonna fall asleep!"

really, he did the switcharoo for you to let your guard down. yes, moving furniture around is something silly that he would do, but he hid something further in the house that he wants you to find. he's hoping he'll be home when you do, but just the mere thought of your reaction has him chuckling. he goes back to whatever vernon wanted him to do, curious at each buzz from his phone, wondering if it's you.

jeonghan got the best of you, like usual. you did just go to your room, putting on one of your comfort shows so you could relax after a boring shift at work. you only get up to make a quick meal, dozing off again with the empty plate beside you. when the tv wakes you up you figure it's just time for you to go to bed, so you shuffle to the kitchen and notice a light coming from under jeonghan's door. he must have come home while you were napping, but it's late, so you go about your business. you drop your things off in the kitchen, returning upstairs to grab a washcloth and towel from the closet before you lock yourself in the bathroom. jeonghan is listening intently as you move around, waiting for the sound of the shower curtain pulling back and-

"JEONGHAN?!"

with sock clad feet that send him crashing through the now open bathroom door, he greets you with a shit eating grin. "you rang?"

"what the FUCK is that doing in here," you bellow, pointing at the plastic skeleton jeonghan found at the party store earlier that day. he thought it would be funny to hide in the apartment, at first just thinking about propping it up in the kitchen like the dead guy was making a meal, but the idea of scaring you a little was too good for him to pass up.

"man, when was the last time you cleaned your bathroom?" jeonghan jokes, "he must've been in here a while."

"fuck you," you spit, heart still racing from the surprise. that's when jeonghan notices something: you're naked. well, not entirely. like, you definitely don't have clothes on, his eyes flicking down to see your discarded panties and sleep shirt on the floor. he can't see the goods though because you're dangerously holding a towel over your body, one edge of it slipping as you reach out to try and punch jeonghan.

"what, you don't like him?" jeonghan pouts, stepping out of the bathroom to protect himself. "i thought you said you wanted to start decorating for halloween."

"this is not what i meant and you know it, you jackass," you try to say meanly, but jeonghan finds it cute. "it scared the shit out of me."

"i'm sorry," he says finally, hands twitching to reach out and grab you by the waist so he can rub comforting circles on your skin. but he can't. he physically shakes his hands out, a thing he does often enough to reset his mind that you look at him quizzically.

"why'd you do that?" you ask, and he clasps his hands behind his back defensively.

"felt like it," he shrugs. you roll your eyes and reach for the door, grumbling more expletives at him as you try to shut it in his face. "um, y/n?"

"what."

"you gonna shower with him?" jeonghan asks, pointing to your new friend. "i gotta admit, i'm a little jealous-"

"oh my god," you groan, grabbing the skeleton and throwing it at jeonghan with a comical clangor of plastic bones. "i hate you."

"love you too baby," jeonghan laughs as he closes the door for you, hefting the skeleton over his shoulder to go hide him in another corner of the house.

-

a few days later (jeonghan has hid the skeleton twice now), you come home from a date, dopey smile still on your face. you gasp when you see a body on the couch, thinking it's that stupid skeleton again. you breathe a sigh of relief when you realize it's a snoozing jeonghan instead. he looks angelic, his soft features shining brightly even in the dark room, illuminated by the tv. you don't realize that you're staring, nor do you realize jeonghan is peeking at you, the sound of the door waking him up.

"hey," he calls quietly, startling you. "sorry. i can go back to sleep and you can keep staring."

"i wasn't staring," you say defensively.

"sure," jeonghan nods, checking you out. "you look nice."

"who's staring now?" you ask as you cross to the kitchen. "i went out to dinner, but the portions were too small. do you want something to eat?"

"no, i'm good!" jeonghan calls. "was it a fancy place?"

"what?" you ask, coming back into the living room with a bag of chips. "i couldn't hear you."

"where you ate," he clarifies. "you dressed up, the servings were small, must have been a fancy place this guy took you to."

"how'd you know i was on a date?" you pout.

"y/n, i know you better than anyone else," jeonghan chuckles. "it was obvious. how'd it go?"

"good," you nod, ears burning under jeonghan's close attention. "don't wanna jinx it though."

"ok," jeonghan nods. "well i'm glad it was a good date. you deserve one of those."

"how was your night?" you ask. jeonghan shifts on the couch so there's room for you to sit and join him. once you're settled he explains how his friend seungcheol had come over for drinks, but he left a little while ago.

"i think he's got a girlfriend and doesn't want to tell me," jeonghan says, "because he feels bad that i'm not seeing anybody."

"you want me to find you a lady?" you tease. "you know my friends love you, i'm sure it'd be easy.''

"no," he shakes his head so some of his hair falls in his eyes. it makes it easier for him to stare at you without you noticing. "i'm good."

"well, it's a standing offer," you say as you get up to return the chips to the pantry. when you walk back through the living room, you ask, "where's jack tonight? i'm about to shower, i don't want another heart attack."

"i put the skeleton in your bed," jeonghan smiles with an impish glint in his eyes. "i figured it would be a nice surprise for the poor sap you might have brought home."

"you're annoying."

"thanks!" jeonghan chirps, and you laugh before telling him goodnight. he watches you go, smiling at something on your phone. jeonghan feels a pang in his chest ever so slightly, but he shakes it off, turning the tv off before he goes back to sleep trying not to think about you.

-

the following week, you're acting off. jeonghan notices immediately, but he doesn't bring it up to you at first. he's not sure if maybe work is stressing you, or maybe you've got family stuff going on...whatever it is, he'll give it a day or two before he checks on you, knowing how you like having time to yourself before someone swoops in to help.

the reality is, you really like this guy you've been talking to. that first date was amazing, and you wanted to go out with him again as soon as possible. you talk all the time, always ducking into your room when he calls while you're around jeonghan. you're actually ignoring jeonghan a lot, which you feel bad about, but you just can't get enough of this new guy. even though you're talking a lot, it's hard to set up another date with him because you're both busy with work. you've got plans to hang out on sunday, and for the first time in a long time, you're excited for a date. not nervous, not dreading it, just pure schoolgirl crush excitement.

that's why it's so crushing when, a few hours before, the guy texts you and cancels. you play it off at first, asking when he's free to reschedule, but his response is basically telling you to get lost. it hurts your feelings more than it should, because he is just some loser dude, but you also didn't know him that long. you have no reason to be so devastated over this, but you are.

jeonghan knew about your second date with this guy, so he made plans to be out of the house for as long as possible on sunday. as selfish as it was, he didn't want to be there for the giddy getting ready (you always ask him for outfit advice and he always tells you that you look great) or for the nervous pacing while you waited for the guy to pick you up (jeonghan always distracts you with jokes to calm your nerves). he also didn't want to be there after the date, if you happened to bring the lucky guy home. so he's out running errands, bothering his friends, and killing time until he's sure he won't walk in on anything he doesn't want to see.

when jeonghan gets home, it's late. after his day of farting around he went to his friend wonwoo's apartment for a while to heckle him while he played video games, and wonwoo finally kicked him out.

"don't you need to go home to your girlfriend?" wonwoo had teased, and jeonghan kicked him from his spot on the couch.

"y/n's my best friend and my roommate."

"so basically your girlfriend," wonwoo smiles that little smile of his, and it annoys jeonghan.

"she doesn't think of it like that," jeonghan mumbles, looking for his phone so he can head home anyway.

"because you're being too subtle."

"i'm not trying to be anything!" jeonghan says defensively. "i don't want her to know."

"why not?" wonwoo asks, finally turning to look at his friend. "you afraid she'll say no? because we all think-"

"i'll see you later, ok?" jeonghan says quickly, his shoes barely on as he tries to unlock the door. "hope cheol doesn't kill you again."

"in his dreams," wonwoo mumbles, his attention effectively back on the game and off of jeonghan.

jeonghan comes home to a mostly dark apartment, the stove light in the kitchen the only indication that you got home before him. he stops at the door to make sure there's no...unpleasant sounds coming from elsewhere, and when he's met with silence he kicks his shoes off carefully before heading to his room. he's exhausted, hiding from you all day being a good way to wear a person out. when he passes by your room something catches his ear, and his heart stops. were you moaning?

jeonghan knows he shouldn't, but he presses his ear against your door, telling himself he's only doing this so he can decide if he needs to stay somewhere else tonight. he's waiting to hear another voice, a man's voice, but he's met with a quiet whimper, followed by some sniffles. his heart roars back to life hearing that, almost breaking to pieces when he realizes you're not moaning, you're in your room crying. he's opening the door before he knows what he's doing, and you jump out of your skin at the unwelcome intrusion.

"go away," you whisper. jeonghan ignores you, coming to your bedside and looking down at you with concern in his eyes. "jeonghan, please. go away-"

"why are you crying?" he asks, and you don't say anything. "what did that asshole do?"

"nothing," you sniff again, willing your tears to stay back as you try to appease your roommate long enough for him to decide you're fine and leave you alone. "h-he was bu-busy and had to cancel-"

"fuck him."

"yeah, whatever," you say shakily. "it doesn't matter. i'm fine. now leave. please." your eyes are closed, trying to hide the tears that are welling up, and jeonghan is so quiet you assume he left, but he's trying not to let his own emotions show as he calls your name.

"y/n," jeonghan whispers, and when you look up at him you can't help it. you start crying again seeing him so upset over you being so upset, and before long you're back to bawling your eyes out. you barely register jeonghan cooing softly at you, climbing into bed and scooping you up into his arms. his lips are pressing soft kisses up and down your hairline, and it makes you cry even more. this is what you want, you think. this is what you need, what you've been missing. you want a boyfriend that will care for you like jeonghan does, that will be there for you like jeonghan is. it physically hurts you to think that you may never have that, that there's a possibility you'll never feel that kind of romantic love from someone. and you want to say that, you want to tell jeonghan why he came home to you pathetically crying so much, but he doesn't care. he just wants you to stop, so he'll hold you in his arms whispering sweet jokes to you until there's no more tears. he gets the slightest smile out of you right before you doze off, hands bunched into his shirt holding on for dear life. jeonghan holds you tighter, pressing one last kiss to the tip of your snotty nose before he drifts off to sleep with you.

-

you wake up later, not quite in the morning, but a few hours have passed. you're not used to sharing a bed with someone, especially when that person has such a vice grip on you as jeonghan does. once your mind has registered that you're awake, you also feel the burn of someone's eyes on you. sure enough, when you peek into the darkness of your room you see jeonghan staring back, eyebrows creased and teeth nibbling his bottom lip.

"stop chewing your lip," you tell him, reaching out to tug it from between his teeth. "i'm fine. you don't need to worry about me."

"wrong," he replies, watching you intensely as he brushes a strand of hair behind your ear. the quiet that follows has your face heating up, and the heat spreads through the rest of your body. it feels like every point where jeonghan's body is pressed against yours is on fire, and you want to pull away. but you don't.

"why aren't you in your room."

"because i wanted to sleep here," he replies. "i hope that's ok."

"it's not-"

"bummer," jeonghan cuts you off. "i'm not leaving."

"i'm not crying anymore though," you point out. "so. i'm fine."

"nope," he shakes his head. his bangs fall back into his eyes, and you think briefly he must need a haircut, but you hope he doesn't get one. the long hair suits him, even if it keeps him from seeing sometimes. you don't think about it, your hand unclenching his shirt and instead reaching up to brush his hair out of his face. jeonghan watches you carefully, and your breath gets caught in your throat when you look back down to his eyes. he's staring at you so intensely you can feel it in your chest, and that's when it hits you: jeonghan. you want a boyfriend like jeonghan. well! jeonghan's right here! what are you gonna do about it?

"jeonghan, i..." you trail off, staring at him like you're seeing him in a new light. he waits patiently for you to go on, thinking you might explain the situation a little more, but you don't know what to say. you just get hit with the intense need to bury your face in his chest, breathing in his scent and listening to his heartbeat as you fall back asleep.

"what?" he asks, trying to encourage you to keep speaking.

"um, can i just-" you try, but instead of speaking you just nuzzle into his chest, nose at the base of his neck tickling his skin. "i want to go back to sleep."

"then sleep baby," he whispers as he squeezes you tighter, afraid to let go. as you fall asleep, you let your hands relax against his chest, one of them laid right over his racing heart.

-

the next morning, you wake up to an empty bed and almost convince yourself you dreamed up jeonghan last night. like an oasis in the desert, he came to you when you needed him most. a little part of you wishes it wasn't real so you could go back to a time where you didn't know your true feelings for jeonghan, but your mussed sheets proves it wasn't a dream. jeonghan's scent is still lingering on your extra pillow, and you take a deep breath and remember how it felt to be wrapped up in your best friend.

jeonghan comes back into your room with two coffees in hand and he sees you nuzzling your face into the spot where his head laid just minutes ago. he lets you wallow for a moment before he calls your name softly. you jump up, cheeks warming as you look at jeonghan in your doorway.

"morning," he smiles. he hands you your coffee, your cold hands brushing his and sparking warmth across his skin. he stops himself from leaning down to kiss your forehead, knowing that whatever intimacy you shared last night is probably left in the past. you were sad, and jeonghan was there to comfort you. he'd happily do that a million times over, but he doesn't think you feel the same way he does.

"jeonghan, i'm sorry about last night," you try to apologize, but he shakes his head.

"don't," he stops you. "i would do it again if you needed it."

"well if you find me crying over some loser again tonight you have full permission to slap me," you tell him. "one night was enough."

"noted," he laughs, awkwardly standing in your room, unsure if he can get back into bed with you. you pick up on the way his eyes keep flitting from you to his spot, and you pat the empty space so he'll sit down.

"stop being weird," you say, bumping shoulders with him once he's comfortably next to you again. "so how'd you sleep?"

"pretty good," he starts out, "but there was this really annyoing sound coming from your side of the bed?"

"oh you mean me crying?"

"no, like this really loud, obnoxious snoring, kinda like-" jeonghan starts demonstrating, sending you into a fit of giggles and a pushing match to get him to stop.

"i think that was you!" you shriek, carefully trying not to spill your coffee. "don't spill that in my bed, i'll kill you."

"and then who are you gonna cuddle at night?" jeonghan asks, regretting it when he feels the tension between you both.

"i could always cuddle with jack," you joke to break the awkwardness, and jeonghan rolls his eyes.

"i hate that you named the skeleton."

"the skeleton is a guest in our home," you tease him. "show him some respect."

"whatever, freak," he says before downing the rest of his coffee. he gets an idea then, turning to you to ask, "what are you doing today?"

"um, nothing except work," you reply. "but you know my job is barely real so i'm basically doing nothing."

"let's go get coffee," jeonghan says, a playful look in his eyes.

"we just had coffee," you point out.

"no, no, we'll get good coffee, you can do some work, i'll watch you do some work, it'll be great," he insists, getting up and pulling you out of bed with him.

"if you're still trying to cheer me up i swear i'm fine," you say through your laughter, pressing back against jeonghan trying to push you toward your closet. "you don't need to take me for coffee or do anything else to make me feel better. i'm fine now."

"glad to hear it," he smiles softly, squeezing your hand that's clasped firmly in his. "but i still want to get coffee, so get dressed or everyone at the cafe will see you in that god forsaken t shirt."

the t shirt in question is one that jeonghan found for you during one of your goodwill visits. for whatever reason, it says 'i shaved my balls for this' and it got the biggest laugh from you all night, so jeonghan had to bring it home. despite being awful colors (light blue paired with neon yellow) it's actually quite comfortable, and you love the way it makes jeonghan laugh every time you wear it. it's unironically become your favorite sleep shirt, but you are mortified at the thought of anyone aside from your best friend seeing you in it. you quickly change, grabbing your work laptop from your desk before you head into the living room to find jeonghan waiting for you.

it's not unusual for him to take you out on random adventures, but this one feels different. he stays closer to you than normal, insists on buying your drink, and you catch him actually watching you work.

"get a hobby," you mumble, looking down at your laptop so he hopefully won't see your blushing cheeks.

"this is my hobby," he says. "i'm hanging out with my favorite person."

"seungcheol's going to be very sad to hear he's been demoted," you tease.

"he knows where he stands," jeonghan says, still watching you intently. you can't take it anymore, staring back at him.

"seriously, pretend to read or something! you're distracting me."

"i'm distracting you?" he smiles. "why? i'm not doing anything."

"i'm sending this email and then we're leaving," you say, and he shrugs.

"if you want, baby."

baby. it hits you harder this time, jeonghan's silly little nickname for you. you thought it started off as a sarcastic thing, but recently you feel like it sounds sweeter and sweeter coming from his lips. after last night, it makes your heart skip a beat, and that's when it hits you: are you on a date with jeonghan right now?!

"wait. waitwaitwait. hold on," you say, pointing at jeonghan and then yourself. "is this a date? are we on a date?"

"what? no baby," he shakes his head, and now you're confused. "no, if we were on a date you'd know."

"what's that supposed to mean?" you squeak out.

"do you want us to be on a date right now?" jeonghan counters, and you know your blushing cheeks have you in trouble. "you do?"

"i-i don't know-"

"hm, you wanna go on a date with me," jeonghan says matter of factly. "well, that's good to know."

"what are you doing?" you ask as he starts cleaning up his space.

"oh i need to go back to the apartment," he says. "gotta get my laptop so i can start planning a date that's worthy of you. i'll see you at home?"

"jeonghan, what?" you're left sputtering as he heads to the door, not looking back even though he knows your staring. he's afraid you'll see the excited/nervous shake in his hands, so he needs to go cool off. well, that and plan the best date of your entire life. he's got a lot of ground to cover. thankfully, the idiots you usually grace your time with have set the bar pretty low. jeonghan is determined to bring it higher, so high in fact that you won't be able to go on another first date without comparing it to his. if things go right though, maybe you won't have to go on a first date ever again.

-

jeonghan left the coffeeshop before you, so it would make sense if he was at the apartment when you got back, right? wrong. you come home about an hour later to an empty home, no sign of jeonghan. you think that's fine, it gives you a chance to actually get some work done. but jeonghan being mia has you a little nervous. what's he doing? he said he was going to plan a date. for you. and him. you and jeonghan...on a date? that's crazy.

you've done a good job ignoring that whole concept, trying to get ahead on a project you need to present later this week. you're so hyperfocused that the whole day goes by before you realize it, and when you finally emerge from your room you really expect to find jeonghan in the living room. he's still gone, so you decide to text him, asking casually if he would be home for dinner. the domesticity isn't lost on you, and it makes jeonghan smile when he gets it. he decides to call instead of texting back, balancing his phone against his shoulder and his cheek once you pick up.

"you miss me or something?" he asks, and you can hear the smile in his voice.

"i was just curious," you reply nonchalantly. "you've been missing all day."

"i've been busy."

"oh ok."

"i'll be home soon though," he tells you. "don't make dinner, just make sure you're dressed in an hour."

"for what?"

"a surprise."

"i need more information and you know that," you scoff, and you hear jeonghan chuckle.

"dress nice, but not fancy. and wear something blue so we'll match," he explains, and you feel your cheeks warm. "i gotta go, but i'll see you soon, baby."

hearing that coming from jeonghan now makes your heart skip a beat, and it makes you wonder if you've always felt like this and you just didn't notice. you keep thinking about him as you get ready, steaming out a dress you were planning to wear on a date that didn't happen. it's a soft blue with long sleeves and a low tie in the front. you worry for a moment that it might be too revealing, but checking the time rushes you into action. you're almost ready when there's a knock at the front door, which you ignore. there's another knock, this time louder, so you grumble your way to the living room to peek through the peephole. you gasp when you see what's on the other side.

you throw the door open, revealing a visibly nervous jeonghan with a bouquet of flowers in his hands. he's wearing a blue shirt, almost the exact shade of your dress, and he openly stares at you with a happy smile and a look in his eyes that you've never seen before.

"jeonghan?" you ask, pulling him from his intense focus on your chest.

"y/n," he smiles, eyes flicking up to yours. "you look stunning."

"i'm not ready yet," you pout slightly, checking the time on your phone. "you weren't very specific about when you were coming home."

"you look perfect," he says, checking you out again. "what else could you need to do?"

"wouldn't you like to know?" you tease, and he rolls his eyes.

"i can give you ten minutes, but any longer than that and we'll be late."

"late for what?" you ask as he passes you the flowers. "these are beautiful by the way, carnations are-"

"your favorite, i know," he smiles softly. "you buy yourself a bunch almost every time you're at the grocery store."

"i can't remember the last time someone bought me flowers either," you mumble, opening the door enough for jeonghan to come inside. "what are you still doing out there? it's your house, come in."

"finish getting ready," he laughs at you, reaching for the flowers again. "i'm putting them in a vase, weirdo. you'll get them back when you're done getting pretty."

"i'll be back," you whisper, running off before he can see how nervous you just got. you try to calm your nerves as you finish your touch ups, panicking last minute over which shoes and purse go with your outfit.

jeonghan is sitting on the couch, your flowers in your favorite vase on the coffeetable. he perks up at the sound of you shuffling down the hallway, but he pouts when he sees you holding up all your shoes.

"y/n, we're gonna be late."

"i don't know which ones to wear," you say simply, and he smiles as he comes up to you, analyzing the choices. he picks the white shoes and the white purse.

"glad we're still keeping this tradition alive even though i'm the one taking you out this time," he says proudly, watching you get situated. you stand back up, mussing your hair one last time before he asks, "ready to go, beautiful?"

"i don't know why i'm so nervous," you tell him, taking his arm as you leave the apartment. "we hang out all the time."

"yeah, but this isn't us hanging out," jeonghan says as you wait for the elevator. "i'm taking you on the best date of your life. nerves are completely valid."

"are you nervous?" you whisper, leaning in so jeonghan gets a good whiff of your perfume that he loves finding traces of all through his life. he holds your gaze, eyes flicking down momentarily before he shakes his head.

"no, i thought i would be, but i'm not," he replies simply as you get on the elevator.

"ok good, so i'll just freak out for the both of us then."

"would you? that takes a lot of pressure off of me," jeonghan jokes, and you pinch his arm. "ouch! so mean to me when i've made the perfect night for you."

"and what does this perfect night entail?" you ask. jeonghan just shakes his head, leading you out into the lobby of the building. he takes you a different way, not walking to the parking garage but instead to the main entrance of your building. "jeonghan, are we walking there? i don't think i can make it in these shoes-"

you stop mid-sentence, spotting the shiny baby blue mustang convertible parked outside. you look at jeonghan, mouth open in surprise. he has to tug you down the hallway and out into the cool night air, helping you into the passenger seat with ease. you watch on in shock as he gets into the driver's side, finally cutting through the fog in your mind to ask, "do you even know how to drive this?"

"yeah," jeonghan says coolly, opening the glovebox to hand you a scrunchie of yours that he stole. "here, you might wanna put your hair up."

"you're insane," you tell him, playing with the scrunchie in your lap as he starts the car. you can't believe this so far, and the date's barely begun. what other surprises could he possibly have in store for you?

-

after a quick ride out of the city, you find yourself at a retro drive in that's completely empty. you have a sneaking suspicion jeonghan rented it just for the two of you tonight, but you don't have a chance to ask. once he parks, he's asking you to open the glovebox and you smile when you see the stack of movie theatre candy boxes he's stashed away. you take them out, turning back to jeonghan to see he's produced a tub of popcorn from somewhere and a couple of your favorite sodas. you stare at him with your mouth opening and closing like a fish and he just smiles proudly in return.

"jeonghan, what did you do?" you finally ask, and he laughs.

"do you like it?"

"what are we doing here?"

"watching a movie," he says obviously. he shifts the snacks, the drinks going into the holders by the radio and the popcorn and candy going on the dashboard. "come closer," he mumbles, tugging your arm. the smooth vinyl of the seats sending you flying into jeonghan's side, and you giggle nervously as you adjust your dress. jeonghan lays the snacks out over your laps and drapes his arm across your shoulders for good measure. he looks at you to gauge whether you're settled or not, and when he decides you're ready he presses on the horn once. the screen in front of you lights up, and you gasp as you see the opening credits for your favorite movie flashing before you.

"where did you get the idea to do this?" you ask him with a smile, taking a few pieces of popcorn to give you something to do with your hands.

"just thought it would be something different," he shrugs, and you leave it at that. you can barely focus on the movie, hyperaware of how warm jeonghan is next to you and how every glance he casts your way sends your heart racing faster and faster. a few minutes into it, you remember your hair is still tied up from the ride, so you shuffle out of jeonghan's grasp to pull the scrunchie down and reset yourself. you know jeonghan is watching, so you mumble, "watch the movie, weirdo."

"i've seen it before," he whispers back, eyes still heavy on you. "i'm not missing anything."

"you've seen me before too," you point out, leaning back into his side once you're done moving around. "quite a lot, actually."

"yeah, but i've never seen you on a date before," he says. "and on a date with me? whoa. i gotta soak it all in."

you turn to look at him then, admiring the way his hair falls so slightly into his eyes, the way his lips stretch over his shy smile, how his eyes glisten when they meet yours. you could kick yourself for not noticing any of this sooner. who knew you had exactly what you were looking for right here?

"jeonghan, i-" you start, but realize you don't have the words to tell him what you want to say. you stop, staring at him with your brows furrowed cutely.

"what, baby?" he laughs, his thumb coming up to trace the creases in your forehead. "you're gonna give yourself premature wrinkles like this."

"why are you doing this?" you ask quietly. "why are you so...wonderful? all the time?"

"because," he shrugs, his hand falling from your forehead to rest just below your chin. "i've been trying to show you what it would be like. took you long enough to come around."

"show me what?" you ask confused.

"what it's like being loved by me," he smiles back. you feel your breath catch in your throat, and you want to say something. you want to tell him how you feel, how you're sorry it took you so long, how you love every moment you spend with jeonghan by your side. instead you just lean forward, lips brushing over his. you bring your hands up to his neck, wrapping them in the soft hair at the back of his head as you scoot impossibly closer and try to press all your love into this one kiss. jeonghan keeps his hold on your chin, thumb stroking softly at your cheek. he's the first one to pull back, laughing when you try to bring his lips back to yours so quickly. he leans his forehead against yours, soft hair tickling your skin as he asks, "so you get it now?"

"yeah," you nod, knocking your heads together and sending you both into a fit of giggles. jeonghan steals a few more kisses, and when you finally calm down he pulls you back into his side, squeezing you as close to him as possible. you lay your head down on his shoulder, pressing your lips into the closest part of him you can reach. "thank you, jeonghan. my jeonghan."

"my y/n," he sighs, tucking a strand of hair behind your ear. "my beautiful, kind, funny girl."

"stop staring," you whisper bashfully. "you're missing the movie."

"i'm not missing anything," he repeats, but he takes one last look at you before he kisses the top of your head and finally turns back to the screen. this might be your first date with jeonghan, but it certainly won't be your last.

[lumosinlove]

Vaincre

June part v

You and me Sunday driving

Not arriving, on our way back home

~

Finn couldn’t remember the last time it had been just him and Logan for more than a couple hours.

Leo had seemed content if not exhausted when he’d let them drive him to the airport to meet his parents. The fact that he had only packed his weekend bag made something settle in Finn. He still felt guilty about the way he had reacted. He was better than that now. He knew he was.

While they were saying goodbye in departures, Logan and Leo wrapped up in each other, Eloise had pulled Finn aside.

“Finn, honey,” she’d said. “We’ll take good care of him. He’ll be back to you in no time at all.”

Finn had smiled. “Don’t I know it.”

Eloise had just put a hand on his cheek. Those blue eyes saw right through him, just like her son’s. “I know my Leo. I know him better than anything or anyone in this world. And I know Logan’s going to be busy, but you give him a week at home with me, you let me take care of him, and then I swear, on my most secret sauce, he’s going to want you.”

Finn hadn’t known just what to say.

Finn opened his eyes in Logan’s New York bedroom. His realized that his head didn’t hurt. His shoulder ached a little but with none of the sharpness. Usually when he woke up he had to clear all the pain away with gentle blinks, water, and small rolls of his shoulder and neck.

Finn had taken Logan out to dinner last night and watched him laugh at his jokes and sip red wine. There was just something about Logan with a delicate wine glass in his hand. They’d curled up in bed and they had talked until they were too tired for complete sentences.He felt clear.

He felt good.

It only got better when he turned his head to look at the source of the soft, even breathing beside him.

Logan was beautiful in sleep. He always had been. His head, as usual, had migrated off of his own pillow and onto Finn’s good arm. Finn slept with two barnacles, and maybe sometimes he woke up sweating, way overheated, but he wouldn’t move them for the world. Careful not to shift his arm too much, Finn turned on his side and settled a hand over the dip of Logan’s waist. He was at the height of his strength right now, the season had done all of its work on him. Finn drew a thumb along the cut of muscles that slanted down from his hip bone, disappearing below his pajama pants.

Almost immediately, Logan stirred, thick eyelashes moving as he began to wake up.

“You know what I remember?” Finn whispered.

“Mm,” Logan said, still half-asleep. He hadn’t even opened his eyes yet.

“Every morning when I would wake up early for my run. You know, back at school. I would keep my eyes closed for a second. Because some of my mornings were good, but some of them were great.” He reached out for a perfect curl of Logan’s hair and gently pinched the end of it between his fingers. “Guess what the difference was?”

Logan turned his face so that his mouth brushed Finn’s skin. Eyes still closed. Face still the picture of peace.

“I’d look over across the room at your bed. Sometimes you’d have your back towards me…Those were good mornings, don’t get me wrong. You have a very nice back.”

A small smile overtook Logan’s face, even though he was still lulled with closed eyes—Finn knew his voice did that to him.

“But sometimes,” Finn said quietly. “You would be facing me. And I’d get to just lay there and look at you for as long as I wanted. Sleepyhead.”

Logan inhaled slowly and opened his eyes.

Green.

“Good morning, gorgeous,” Finn whispered. “It’s you and me today.”

Logan shuffled closer to him, freeing Finn’s arm as his head shifted to his chest. Finn curled his arm low on Logan’s back, dipping his fingers below the band of his pajama pants—Leo’s. They had pooled around his feet as he walked around the apartment last night.

“Take you on a date,” Logan said, voice deeper from sleep—Finn didn’t know why that happened but he hoped it never stopped. “Show you the city.”

Finn laughed. “You show me New York City.”

“Ouais.”

“Hm.” He traced a finger down Logan’s spine and felt him move into the touch. “Whatever you say.”

“I know it better now. Than you.”

Finn smacked him on his hip. Logan just smiled and pushed his face into Finn’s neck. He said something unintelligible in French.

“Par-don?”

Logan pulled back to look at him. “I say I love you in my bed.”

“Oh. Well, I fucking adore you, you know, wherever.”

Logan pressed a kiss to Finn’s mouth and then nestled back down against his chest, close to the thump of his heart.

Finn smiled.

“Are you smiling?” Logan asked from his nook.

“Yeah.”

“What?”

Finn didn’t answer right away. He slid his fingers through Logan’s hair. “Because I got you.”

Logan looked up at him, his chin propped on Finn’s chest.

“Nice not having the sling in the way,” Finn said, rubbing his thumb over the high of Logan’s cheek. “What’s that look you’re giving me?”

Logan just kept looking at him.

“What?” Finn laughed. “Hold still.” He brought his thumb up to ever so gently touch Logan’s eyelashes. When he pulled it away, there was a single, dark lash on the pad. “Make a wish.”

Logan looked down at the eyelash, then reached out and took it from him. With it balanced carefully on his own fingertip, he let it fall against Finn’s own cheek, a small, dark line among all the freckles.

“I don’t think that’s how it works,” Finn said, but his heart had picked up.

“Ouais.” Logan pushed forward, settling his weight on Finn’s chest but keeping it off his shoulder, and kissed him again. “Good morning, Rouge.”

“Morning.”

Logan pushed forward more to kiss Finn again, hand appearing from beneath the warm comforter to tangle in Finn’s hair. “Stay here for now.”

“Hm?”

“We stay here for a little longer.”

“Good,” Finn said, following it with a playful bite to Logan’s lower lip.

Logan made a slightly disgruntled sound. “My back hurts a little.”

Finn frowned. “Oh?”

“Not bad, but can you…” Logan gave Finn’s foot a little kick and Finn laughed.

“Yes, sir.” Finn reached down to dig his fingers into the hard muscle of Logan’s lower back. Logan groaned and dropped his forehead down against Finn’s chest. Finn smiled. “There?”

“How did you know? Fuck, that hurts—non, non, it’s good, keep, keep…”

“I know everything about you,” Finn whispered—his best attempt at creepy. Logan just went limp against his chest and let him ease the tight knot. “Jesus, Lo. Put some heat on that.”

“Ouais,” Logan said. He lifted his head again. “You do know everything about me, don’t you.”

Finn smiled. “Yeah. Now, what else can I do?”

Logan’s eyes brightened up a little. “I want to kiss you.”

“Oh, you’re looking for a little make out sesh?”

Logan wrinkled his nose. “Sesh.”

“Little college action.”

“Action?”

“As though we were in our old dorm,” Finn said, giving the mattress a thump with his good hand. “This bed’s bigger than that one.”

“Hm,” Logan laughed softly, looking over at the spare mattress. “Leo.”

“He’ll be home soon.”

Logan nodded. “Imagine how much time we would have spent just…in one of our beds. Back then.”

“Maybe we would have pushed the two of them together,” Finn said.

They could have. It sent a little thrill up Finn’s spine just thinking about it. Anyone who would have walked in their room would have known they were each others.

Finn tucked a curl behind Logan’s ear. “And we’re just all settled in. There’s no practice tomorrow…First day of summer. No homework.”

Logan rolled his eyes but he was grinning. “Percy’s gonna knock on our door and ask if we want to go to the bars, and we’re gonna ignore him…” He dragged his lips over Finn’s jaw to find his mouth again. “Because you’re such a good kisser. And I can’t stop.”

“Huh.” Finn’s hand smoothed over Logan’s hip, pushing the elastic band down closer to the swell of his ass. Smooth, tan skin.

“I never want to stop,” Logan said. “And Perc finally leaves us alone, and we get food delivered and we watch that show you love—what…I don’t know but we’re not watching anyway because I can’t stop kissing you…” His kisses were hard and relentless and Finn was on fire. The most perfect burn, whiskey-like. “You’ve been mine since the first day.”

Finn felt his brows draw together as he kissed Logan. He loved him talking like this. Everything in him loved it.

“I didn’t really expect you to play along,” Finn said.

“Not playing,” Logan said. “This is our life now.”

“Oh,” Finn whispered. “Oh, Lo…”

“Go to a bagel shop this morning?” Logan mumbled.

“I love the way you say bagel.”

Logan bit his lower lip and pulled gently.

“Bah-g-elle,” Finn whispered and hitched Logan’s leg up further over his hips. He knew it would stretch out his back nicely—and he knew he was right when Logan hummed happily. He moved his hand from Logan’s ass and dug two knuckles against the knot in his lower back.

“Yeah,” Logan breathed. “B-ay-gal.”

“No, don’t say it like me, say it like you.”

Logan bent to mouth over Finn’s mending shoulder. “Bagel.”

“Hm, yeah.” Finn snorted. “I really want Le to call and we’re just like, bah-gel, bay-gal, bah-bay.”

Logan laughed probably too hard at that, but Finn could tell they were both a little giddy. Logan was filling his chest up with happiness that was going to spill right out of him. Once he started laughing, he found that he couldn’t stop. Logan was shaking against him, hiding his grin in his neck. It got Finn going all over again.

Logan leaned back, smile wide. “Bah-bay.”

Finn put a hand over his eyes. “Oh my God, I can’t breathe. Bah-bay.”

“It’s not even funny,” Logan said, which sent them both into silent laughter again.

They quieted slowly, temples leaning together. Breathing in sync. This. This had never been in question—this part of them. Even in the times when Logan had taken Finn apart, told him no, told him nothing…Finn had never felt like they’d lose this part of them. Maybe that didn’t make sense, but it was true.

“You gonna win a Cup for me?” Finn whispered. He traced patterns on Logan’s back. A one and a zero. An L, E, O.

Logan nodded. “Mhm. Wr—r…” He sighed when Finn smiled. Finn felt kiss-stupid. “Rather win it with you.”

“Oo-wa-rather,” Finn whispered, and then took Logan’s chin between his fingers and melted Logan’s protests right out of his mouth. He kept Logan in place, kept the kiss gentle, tracing his tongue along Logan’s bottom lip. “I love everything you say.”

“How ‘bout them apples,” Logan mumbled and then cracked himself up.

Finn pressed his smile right into Logan’s cheek, making him turn his head to be caught in another kiss. “Mfh—okay, you’re just sticking your tongue in my mouth now.” Logan got back at him by licking a strip up his neck. Finn’s voice cracked when he said, “Weirdo.”

The bagel shop was one Finn hadn’t been to before. Logan had found it. He’d known Finn would love the black and white tiled floor and he had been right. Finn had scored them a table outside while Logan waited for their orders. Finn watched him through the window. He had taken two Advil and was stretching out his back when their order number was called. Finn caught the way the girl who handed him the bags looked at him. She and her friend had been watching the flex and stretch of his arms, too. Finn smiled to himself. Ha-ha-ha.

“Extra capers. Crazy.” Logan said when he sat down. He had two iced coffees as well. Finn’s was black, Logan’s was a light, light brown with milk. There were three sugar packets on the table and Finn watched as Logan ripped them open, popped the lid on his cup, and shook them in. Logan’s hair was still wet and he wasn’t wearing a hat. He had a sort of rust colored shirt, almost pink, and Finn couldn’t really stop looking at him. It was so different from his dark grays and greens. The breeze ruffled his curling hair.

“You look…” Finn said, then bit his straw between his teeth.

Logan arched a brow, unwrapping his bagel. He stuck a finger in his mouth when he got cream cheese on it. “Quoi.”

“Is that shirt new?”

“Ouais…” Logan looked down at it. “What’s wrong?”

Finn shook his head quickly. “No, no…You look good, baby.”

Logan didn’t look convinced and Finn laughed.

“No, I just never see you wear that color. I thought it was Leo’s. It surprised me. And—yeah, I just think you look good.”

Logan looked down at his bagel, his cheeks going a little pink to Finn’s delight.

“I went shopping,” Logan said grudgingly.

Finn’s eyebrows rose. Logan didn’t like clothes shopping. At all. Any other type, fine, but the kind where someone looks at you and tries to help you? No way. “Really.”

“Yes.”

“Really.”

“Yes.”

“Really…”

Logan huffed. “Finn.”

“With who? Alex?”

Logan took a big bite. He chewed. He took a sip of his coffee.

Finn gasped and slapped the table with his hands. The metal thrummed beneath his touch. “Oh. So Luke Deveaux gets to take you shopping but when I try—I see. Okay. I see.”

Logan was biting back a smile and Finn turned his chair sideways, away from Logan. Logan laughed and reached across the table to catch his hand.

“Non. You can take me shopping if you want.”

“Well, I don’t see a purpose to it now.” Finn was having fun with this. He angled his chin completely away from Logan and yanked his hand away with a flourish to pick up his coffee. “I see how it is.”

Logan groaned through his laugh. “Fi-i-nn.”

“He takes you shopping, he takes you running…”

With a scoff, Logan scooted his chair back. He stood over Finn. Finn put his sunglasses on.

“When Luke and I go shopping, we buy clothes,” Logan said. He leaned down, one hand braced on the back of Finn’s chair. Those green eyes didn’t let Finn look away from him. Not when he was this close. “We try on our different outfits and we’re in and out within the hour.”

“Good for you two. Very efficient.”

To Finn’s surprise, Logan turned to the side a little and sat himself right in Finn’s lap, all the warm, heavy strength of him. His arm went around Finn’s shoulders, the other flat-palmed against his chest. He could probably feel the way Finn’s heart picked up when he leaned in close and brushed his lips over Finn’s jaw. God, Finn hoped those girls were watching. Ha-ha.

“When you take me shopping…I want to pull you into the dressing room.” A soft kiss pressed to Finn’s neck. “I want to lock the door behind us and I want you to fuck me right there…” Another kiss. “In front of the mirror…” A gentle bite and, behind Finn’s glasses, his eyes slipped closed. “Where I can see how good you look when you’re about to make me come. When you’re trying to keep me quiet…”

Finn’s hand snapped to Logan’s hip. Logan smiled—Finn felt it. “You’d be so good at keeping your voice steady when someone knocks on the door…” Logan put on a slightly higher voice. “‘You finding everything okay?’” Logan pressed his mouth harder against Finn’s throat. “You’d be so good at it. ‘Oh, thanks so much…We’re fantastic.’”

“Logan.” Finn was starting to get hard in his shorts, pressing up against Logan’s thighs. He eased his palm over those strong thighs, fingers creeping up the inner seam of Logan’s shorts. Logan was sporting a semi and he knew Finn could see.

“So, please,” Logan said. “Take me shopping.”

And just like that, Logan was off of his lap. Finn swung his chair back inwards with a groan, shuffling his legs underneath the table. He took a sip of his iced coffee then held the cup to his cheek. “What the fuck.”

Logan returned to his own chair much more smoothly. God, if he had looked good in the dark pink a second ago, it was nothing compared to how he looked with that color flushing his cheeks. Finn needed a second. He picked up his food and tried to get his insides to stop throbbing.

“If it was one of those doors,” he said around a bite, “that don’t go all the way to the floor—”

“That would be so embarrassing,” Logan said, then grinned. “For the person who caught us, I mean.”

Finn just shook his head. “You liar. You’d be so nervous.”

“Try me.” Logan took another bite of his bagel and Finn swore, he swore, Logan made a show of licking the cream cheese. Logan looked at him all the while, green eyes playful. Finn didn’t know what unimaginably hot thing was going to come out of his mouth next. Did he want to go to the bathroom right now? Did he want to go home? Did he want to go shopping? Because Finn would. He would.

“Bah-bay,” Logan said.

Finn laughed so hard he dropped his coffee.

~

They had cleaned out their lockers. They had said see you at the lake to Remus’ parents. They had had one last dinner with as much of the team as they could—minus any New York stragglers—Kasey, Finn, Leo… They closed up their Gryffindor House. Sirius’ eyes had followed Remus around as he filled out his checklist. They had a final breakfast at their diner spot before hitting the road. Julian had been standing on the wrap-around porch, waving both of his hands as they pulled into the driveway. The grill had been going, his father raising the tongs in salute.

“Mm,” Sirius said, turning off the engine. “I’d kill for your dad’s steak.”

Remus laughed as he popped the door. “You know, I think he’ll just give it to you easily enough.”

After everything, those first two days felt like a fever dream. Afternoon swims. Sirius’ smile in the campfire light, laughing at something his mother had said. Sirius, wrapped up in the old-as-time blankets, snug in the bed Remus had been sleeping in since he was a child. Julian and Sirius tossing a football on the beach. Playing street hockey in the driveway. Watching people recognize Sirius in the little harbor breakfast spot—and, Remus had to keep realizing, watching them recognize him. Sirius’ big hands around a sharpie as he knelt to sign a little kid’s shirt.

Remus was now in the kitchen mashing up avocados for guacamole while his mom mixed a pitcher of margaritas. The dining room table was covered with place cards, flower combinations, and menus from the restaurant down the road. In just over a month, they’d bring their grills to the house for pulled-pork. They’d mix huge bowls of coleslaw, they’d chop up watermelon and make it into ice cream during dinner. Remus hadn’t had any time to worry about these things, and then suddenly he’d had nothing but time. Thank God for Hope Lupin.

“So, Lily and James are arriving in a week, right?” Hope said. “And Harry of course.”

“Yeah,” Remus said. “Sirius thought Harry would love the beach.”

“Lakes are good for babies,” Hope said. “Nice shallow water. Easy to watch. I always loved bringing you and Jules here. It’ll be sweet to see little Harry again.”

The back door slammed and Remus looked up at the sound of Julian’s laugh. He saw his mom smile.

“Shoes off!” she called. “No sand in the house, please! Or you’re doing the sweeping!”

There was a scuffle of shoes coming off and hockey sticks being leaned against walls, and then Julian bounded into the kitchen. Sirius followed a moment later.

Remus didn’t even think Sirius was making a show of how he leaned back against the refrigerator, sweating. “Jesus, Lupin.”

“Yes?” Remus said.

“Non,” Sirius panted. He jerked his chin at Julian. “That one.”

Remus raised his eyebrows. “Julian Lupin? Did you beat up my boyfriend?”

Julian swallowed a long drink of water and raised his eyebrows right back. “You mean your fiancé?”

Sirius laughed, using his t-shirt to wipe his face. Remus let his eyes catch on his stomach for a moment.

“Yes,” Remus said. “I mean my fiancé.”

“Then yeah,” Julian said. “I did.”

“He did,” Sirius agreed. When Julian wasn’t looking, Remus raised an eyebrow, and Sirius’ grin gave him away.

Sweetest boy on Earth.

“I’m going to take a shower if I have time?” Sirius said, eyes on Hope.

“You certainly do,” Hope said. “We’re on lake time, honey! Woo!”

“D’accord.” Sirius paused as he passed by Remus and settled a hand on his hip. “Salut, mon amor.”

“Hi,” Remus said.

“Be back soon.” Sirius pressed a kiss to his neck and disappeared towards the stairs.

“Re, will you take the clothes in from the line and bring them upstairs? I think it might rain a little tonight. Julian, finish up that guacamole, hon.”

“Kay,” Julian said. “Can I have a sip of a margarita?”

“You can have a baby one because you’re my baby,” Hope said.

Julian rolled his eyes, but he kissed her cheek. “Thanks, Mama.”

On his way out, Remus kissed her other cheek.

Outside, the breeze did smell a little like rain, but the sun over the lake felt like summer. The wind was warm. The small nets were still set up for Sirius and Julian’s game of hockey. Remus walked around the side of the house towards the lake and found the clothes swaying in the breeze. A few of Sirius’ t-shirts hung together. Worn Lions ones from seasons past. Remus took one down and held it. He remembered this from Sirius’ second season. He brought it to his nose. It smelled like Sirius and like the cottage. Like the lake air and the detergent his mom used here.

Remus could have wrapped himself entirely in that smell.

He heard the shower cut off right as he reached the top creaky step. He set Julian’s clothes on his bed, his parents’ on theirs, and brought the basket into their own bedroom. He set Sirius’ shirts on the bed to fold. He was laying out a sweatshirt that hadn’t quite dried when the Sirius came in with a towel wrapped around his waist. Like always, he stubbed his toe on the frog-shaped metal doorstop.

“Merde,” Sirius cursed.

“You think you would have learned by now.”

Sirius nudged the heavy metal frog a little under the old dresser. “Me too.”

Sirius stole a shirt off of the pile Remus was folding. Remus watched quietly as he dropped his towel and shook it through his wet hair a few times. He’d gotten it cut before they left. He had a bit of a tan line, the part of his neck which his hair had covered was pale, but the sun would change that soon. The summer would change change many things. Sirius’ body still held every ounce of muscle built up throughout the season. Remus knew what each ridge and valley felt like. His shoulders and back looked like heaven in the light coming through their bedroom window. That would soften over the next months.

Sirius turned once he’d pulled his shorts on and laughed. “You keep staring.”

Remus looked down and smiled. “Oh, I just like your haircut, that’s all.”

“That’s all?”

Remus eyed the way the t-shirt stretched across his chest and shoulders. “You’ve got play-off shoulders going on.”

Sirius stepped towards him. He tossed the sweatshirt Remus was holding away and settled his hands on Remus’ hips. “So do you.”

Sirius’ kiss was heavy and slow. They hardly broke before a new one sent Remus’ head spinning.

“Remus!” Julian’s voice called up the stairs.

Remus didn’t reply. He wrapped Sirius up tighter against him. The bed creaked as Sirius pressed him against one of the posts. The wooden carved flower dug into the small of Remus’ back but Remus didn’t care. He felt like they hadn’t been alone in decades. Regulus in Gryffindor, his family here…

“I wish…” Remus panted as Sirius leaned down to kiss his neck. “You’re so…” His eyes slipped closed.

“Re-mus,” Julian called. “Mom won’t let me have a margarita and chips until everyone’s here.”

“Okay, okay, okay,” Remus whispered, sounding almost forlorn to himself. With all his strength, he gave Sirius’ chest a little push. Sirius barely moved and Remus caught a flash of his smile when he dragged his mouth along Remus’ jaw to kiss him again.

“Remus!”

“Yeah—one second!” Remus called down, hoping he sounded at least a little normal.

“It’s been like fifty seconds!”

“On our way, Jules!” Sirius called—then he went right back to kissing Remus. Long, deadly-good kisses that made Remus feel like he was about to lose his footing. That was a good move, though. Julian never talked back to Sirius.

“Okay, cool!” Julian called back, much more happily.

Sirius laughed softly. Remus pushed his hands under Sirius’ shirt and rested his forehead against his shoulder. He spread his palms over Sirius’ stomach before sliding them around his hips to his back.

“Is this helping you?” Sirius asked. He was standing there almost patiently, dark eyes amused.

“Not even a little, but it’s nice anyway.”

Sirius took Remus’ hands in his and kissed his knuckles. “Allez. We’re holding up dinner.”

“What took you so long?” Julian dug his chip into the guacamole and sighed happily as he chewed. At least someone was satisfied.

“Sorry, I was getting dressed,” Sirius said. “Re was just putting away the laundry.”

“Jules,” Lyall laughed. He’d come in from the garden. “Leave them alone.”

Julian seemed to think this over. “Do you guys want to play another hockey game after dinner?”

“Sorry, Jules, Sirius is all mine after dinner.” When Julian stuck his tongue out at Remus, Remus did it right back. Beneath the table, Sirius took his hand.

[infoactionratio7]

call it fate, call it carmen pt. 2 - c. berzatto

summary: carmy gives a small tour of the neighborhood to the pretty girl he met in the cafe, they realize they could get used to eachother.

pairing: carmen berzatto x fem! teacher! reader

word count: 2,657

note: carmy talking about mikey, cursing, a lot of describing food and restaurants in chicago! not really proofread, excuse any mistakes pls. could be read as a stand alone but you can read part one here! read part 3 here!

thursday afternoon -

The only thing anyone could hear was the sound of second graders screaming, the music you had put on was drowned out by them yelling your name and playing around the large art classroom. Some of them were running up to you with their finished drawings, wanting to show you the finished pieces. You checked the clock, fifteen minutes until three, fifteen minutes until you were free from the kids screaming, and fifteen minutes until you could see Carmy again.

The last time you saw him was at The Beef, when he had given you his number and a free dinner. One of the most delicious dinners you had the pleasure of eating in an extremely long time. You couldn't stop thinking about it. And you couldn't stop thinking about him, he was pretty, and even that was an understatement.

You were pulled out of your thoughts of the talented chef by a tug on your pants, looking down a little girl was holding a painting up above her head trying to show it to you and get your attention.

"Miss, I tried to paint the Mona Lisa." You had taught the class about some famous artworks today, and they were tasked with the job of recreating their favorite one.

"Well Iris, that is a beautiful version of the Mona Lisa!" You smiled, taking the painting out of her outstretched hands, crouching down to her eye level. "You know, I think I like it better than the original. I'm going to hang it on our wall if that is alright with you."

Iris's eyes lit up, "Oh, yes Miss I'm so excited!" She giggled and went to sit back down at her assigned seat in the classroom. Proud to tell her classmates she was getting her art hung up on the wall.

You checked the time again, ten minutes to three. The student's teacher would be coming soon to pick them up and get them out of the art room. You clapped twice, a sign the students needed to stop and listen, instructing them to clean up any of the supplies they were using, the classroom got quiet. The only sounds were the pitter patter of feet and the students putting away their pencils, paper, and pushing in their chairs to line up. Their teacher was at the door waiting and you gave her the sheet detailing what the students did in art class to give to the parents. As the students filed out of the room you were met with many cheery goodbyes and well wishes to have a good rest of the day. Waving to the students, you closed the door and took a breath, looking around the classroom.

There was a soft buzz that came from your desk, situated by a tall window filled with small stained glass projects some of your older students had completed. You made your way to the desk, relaxing into your plush chair and picking up your phone,

from: carmen

'hey, headed out of the restaurant. meet you in front of school at 3'

A smile blossomed on your face, excited to see what exactly the man had in store for the day ahead of you. Neither of you had really specified if this was exactly what someone might call a date, but it might as well be. After that sunday night, you had called the blue eyed chef every night since then, telling him about your day and the new restaurants or cafes you had tried. Some good, some bad, but none hit the spot like that lucious slice of chocolate cake you had eaten almost a week prior from Carmy's kitchen. He had told you a pastry chef named Marcus made it, and you told him that you would have to meet the man who makes the sinful slice of cake.

With both of your schedules being so demanding, there was never a spare moment for him to do as he promised and show you around the city. The two of you finally settled on a calm thursday afternoon, blocking out the whole night and dedicating it to the man you just couldn't wait to see again.

The school bell ringing over the loudspeakers alerted you that three had finally come and you could get out of the school and breath in the crisp winter air. You put on your puffy coat, one you had had for years after going to college on the east coast, you needed all the warmth you could get. The bag you brought with you to school had not been the typical one you usually had, knowing you would be going out with Carmy that night. You opted for a simple tote with your trusty sketchbook and pencil, and any other essentials you might need to use at any time in the upcoming evening.

Turning off all the lights, and locking your classroom door, you were met with the screams and giggles of the elementary students who were leaving the school to go home. They were just as excited as you were. You followed the crowd, exiting through the front steps of the school you heard your name being called by a soft child's voice. You looked up and saw Iris, pulling an adult who looked just like her, you assumed it was her parent. Iris caught up with you, letting go of her parents hand and hugging your leg,

"I just wanted to say goodbye to you Miss, I had such a fun time in art class today I am so excited to show my parents what I did in class!" She let go and looked up at you with a toothy grin.

Smiling at her parent then glancing back down at the little girl you remarked. "Well Iris I am just as excited that you had such a fun time in class, I can't wait to see you again next thursday." You waved goodbye to the little girl and turned around to see Carmy. Lounging on the stone fence next to the school, with one hand in his pocket and one hand holding a crinkled up brown takeout bag. He was wearing a wool checkered jacket and black work pants, with his signature Boston Birkenstocks (not his work shoes, but the ones he bought for everyday wear after he saw Fak wearing them one family holiday). As he looked up from the sidewalk he caught your eyes and you could feel your face get warm, you couldn't believe you had just met the man less than a week before. It seemed like fate, starting your new job and moving into the city, happening to stumble across this brilliant chef you still had so much to learn about.

You walked over to where he was standing and he stood up to his full height, holding out the brown paper bag, "I thought we could start at the park, nobody will be there cause of the cold." He shuffled his feet scanning your figure as your stopped in front of him.

"Yeah. Yeah that would be great Carmen" You smiled grabbing the bag from his outstretched hand, "What's in here?"

"Um it's from this cafe just around the corner on West Oak, Doma. It's a uh, Croatian Cafe" He rubbed the back of his neck, seemingly anxious to tell you about whatever might be inside the bag. "They opened around 2020 and have some really cool food. I um- I know the owners, got a chocolate croissant and baklava. They're some of my favorite pastries in the city." You opened the bag, smelling the sweet butter and honey that was combining from the two pastries, still warm, insulated from the cold in the bag.

You closed the bag, holding it by your side, "They smell heavenly, do you wanna walk to the park?"

He nodded and turned around, toward one of the many parks in River North. You thought for a second and decided to loop your arm through his own still in his coat pocket. He didn't seem to be expecting any physical touch, flinching before relaxing into your touch. He looked looked at you with a relaxed smile then started walking.

It was a beautiful snowy day, the night before there had been flurries of snow, leaving a blanket of white across the city. You could see your breath in front of you as you exhaled, "So, tell me a little bit about Chicago, have you been here long?"

He nodded, you could see the gold of the chain hidden in his shirt peeking out against his smooth skin, "I was uh, I was born here, yeah. When I was around 19, I moved out to New York, worked in a ton of restaurants there tryin to uh, sorta work my way up." He paused as you came up to a corner, and hit the arrow to cross the street. The walk sign flashed on the street corner. You looked both ways on the street and kept walking.

"Eventually, I got to this place called Eleven Madison Park. That was when um, I got my award. But uh, that's around the same time Mikey, my brother he was an addict, killed himself." He took a deep breath as the two of you walked into the park and found a picnic bench free of snow, under a small covered area. You both sat down, you across from Carmy, and opened the bag with the pastries, placing them on the table in front of you.

"Oh god Carmen, I had no idea, Jesus." You were shocked, you had never expected for him to open up to you so quickly. He picked up the chocolate croissant and took a bite shrugging, "You don't have to call me Carmen you know, everyone calls me Carmy." He looked to you expectantly, waiting for a response.

"I like it, it makes you sound more mature," you met his gaze, softly smiling as he shook his head and laughed. "I can't believe you, ya know, calling me by my legal name just because you think it seems more mature." You shrugged, taking the croissant from his hands and bringing it to your lips. You could smell the sweet chocolate and see the delicate lamination throughout the pastry. You bit into it and knew that Carmy knew what he was doing. He hadn't even made this but it was delicious, and if he had a good taste for food, his food must be even more delicious. Thinking back to the dinner he had given you, there was no question he was a master in his craft. He watched as you melted into the pastry, looking at him with eyes full of adoration for him and the croissant you had just taken a bite of.

"You like it huh," You nod and moan out a yes, "Knew you would, now you gotta try this baklava."

He offered up the fork he had gotten a bite of the desert on for you to taste, he brought it up to your mouth and nudged it to your lips. They seemed to open on command as he brought the pastry into your mouth. You closed your lips around the fork, taking the flavors of the pastry in as he pulled the fork from your lips.

"Fuck me Carmen" You couldn't contain yourself, it was mouth wateringly delicious. It was probably the best desert you had ever put into your mouth, apart from the chocolate cake you had that past sunday night. "Jesus how did you even save any while you were waiting for me? That was fucking amazing." He was beaming, proud you loved the desert so much. This was his love language, food, the one thing in his life he could have some control over. He had been waiting for this night since the second you texted him about taking you on a tour of the city. He thought the food tour would be the best. It was such a simple gesture, him picking out these restaurants for the two of you to try and experience together, but it meant everything to him and soon he hoped it would mean everything to you.

"I'm officially impressed, I don't think anything could top this. How the hell are you going to top this Carmen?" He glanced up at you through his thick lashes, "You know, I'm not too sure."

He took another bite of the croissant, "That was the best reaction to a pastry I've ever seen. I'm intrigued to see what you think of the rest of the places tonight."

"Well if they are even close to being as good as this, I can tell you that I'm going to go home very satisfied tonight." Taking the last bite of the baklava and putting your trash into the brown paper bag, you watched as Carmy pulled out his phone. He was looking at a list in his notes app, you tried to sneak a peak but he pulled the screen just out of your vision. He wanted to keep the next stops a surprise.

"Alright," He met your gaze, "Do you want to do appetizers or drinks first?" You contemplated the question, knowing that it would be better if you ate some more before you had any drinks. That's the best way to keep yourself clear minded around the handsome chef, you didn't need any slips of the tongue embarrassing you in front of him.

"Hmm, appetizers?" You were unsure of your answer but he nodded, making your choice seem like a good one. Standing up he grabbed the remains of your pastries, throwing them into the brown takeout bag, and tossing the whole thing into the trash. You stood in quick succession with him. Knowing he wanted to get going so the two of you could continue with the night he planned so meticulously. As you stood up next to him, he outstretched his tattooed hand, implying he wanted you to take it.

You flushed, realizing his intentions, and slipped your cold fingers into his. His grip was firm, but kind, the two of your hands slotting together perfectly. You shot him a smile, he returned it and started walking onto the sidewalk, pulling you along with him. Your joined hands were creating a perfect amount of warmth that shot straight into your stomach, making you feel fuzzy inside. You could walk around this city forever with him, he just had this aura around him, making everything feel so warm.

The two of you walked through the streets, making your way to the next stop on his mini food tour of River North. He told you all about his siblings, taking over the restaurant, and learning about all the chefs who worked in The Beef. You could tell that he cared so deeply for his craft and for each and every person he surrounded himself with. You told him about your move to the city, why you came here, moving out of your hometown had been hard, but you think you found a quiet sense of home in this large city. You didn't mention that he was that quiet sense of home, but he didn't need to know that. It took about ten minutes to get to the next stop, Carmy stopping suddenly and dropping your hand.

Looking to your left, you saw a large line of people waiting to enter a restaurant on a street corner, illuminated with warm lights hanging from the ceiling, and intricate architecture. Carmy walked up to the host, standing at the door letting people in, had a short conversation, then turned back to you. He lifted his hand for you to take, leading you into the restaurant. You were met with a burst of warmth and the smell of bone broth overwhelming you.

This was going to be an amazing night.

-

another note: i hope you guys enjoy this little mini series, i'm just doing it for some fun! i would totally recommend trying some of these places if you are from chicago or happen to be going there for any reason. they all are so amazing! i'm going to write at least one more part for this to just wrap it up! thank u all ♡ .

[justagalwhowrites]

New in Town - Ch. 2: First Date

Joel takes you on an actual date. A continuation of New in Town Ch. 1 found on Tumblr here.

Pairing: Best Friend's Dad!Joel Miller x Female Reader

CW:  Smut. Just... all the smut, OK? They fuck. They're fans of that. It's why we love them. Mild violence. No use of Y/N. Age gap (reader is 35 Joel is 47, not a focus of the fic). Minors DNI, 18+ only

Length: 7.9k

AO3 | Previous Chapter | Next Chapter

A/N: Hi all!

So yeah, this was originally intended as a one shot but here's the thing... people really liked it? I got a lot of requests for more on Tumblr so y'all are getting more :)

This will be a relatively short series but a series none the less. I hope you enjoy it!

You didn’t have a great reason to be nervous. You felt pretty stupid for feeling nervous, in all honesty, but your stomach was in knots all the same. 

You were going on a date. A first date. 

A first date with Joel.

Your best friend’s dad. 

Who, it seemed, had done nothing but fuck you senseless in the two weeks since you’d met the man. 

And that’s all it had been. Fucking. Just ridiculous amounts of fucking. Like it was a miracle that you could walk amounts of fucking. 

Not for lack of trying to do other things. Joel had come back the next day with the intent of actually fixing your sink. Which, he did. And then he fucked you on your couch. 

You invited him over for dinner to say thank you for fixing the sink but the steaks sat out on your counter while the two of you ripped each other’s clothes off. You’d gone to his house to watch The Room and you’d made it all of five minutes into the movie before the two of you were naked on his living room floor, his cock stretching you open and making you gasp as he filled you. 

Finally, he came to your apartment to pick you up to go for drinks and to listen to live music. You opened the door in the short, tight dress you’d picked for going to bars and he damn near growled before he grabbed you and kissed you. You pulled him into your apartment and, before you knew it, you were naked and entwined on your bed. 

“Next time, I’m not bein’ a gentleman and comin’ to your door,” he said, panting for breath, your leg still over his hip. “You’re meetin’ me at the damn car. Only way we’re gettin’ out of the damn house is if we make it so I can’t just take your clothes off.” 

He was picking you up in five minutes and you’d realized that, since you’d started fucking Joel, you’d hardly spoken to the man. Your mouth was usually otherwise occupied. And so was his, for that matter. Because fuck, that man could do amazing things with his mouth. 

So you were nervous. Butterflies in your stomach, pacing your living room, checking your phone every 15 seconds nervous. 

Because what if he didn’t like you once he actually talked to you again? Once you were in a place where you couldn’t just get naked and you had to rely on conversation to keep him interested, would he still be interested? 

Sure, the night you’d met had felt… Well, unlike anything you’d ever experienced, really. If you had, you wouldn’t be single that was for damn sure. You’d never been able to just talk with someone the way you could with Joel. It had been electric. He was so smart and funny and kind. 

The thing that stood out to you most was that he noticed things about people. In a way men - especially men who were the strong, physical type - didn’t really seem to. He was worried about one of the guys on his team at work who’d been having problems at home. He’d noticed that the guy wasn’t laughing the same way he usually did at the joker on the crew. 

“I’m so bad at that shit,” he’d taken a sip of beer, shaking his head. “Not like I can talk anyone through marriage troubles. Kid troubles, maybe. But these guys never want to talk about their shit, you know? So busy tryin’ to handle it themselves they fuck their lives up.” 

And you’d had so damn much in common. The love for terrible movies and rock music and spicy food. You could have talked to him all night. 

You just weren’t sure if he felt the same way. 

Your phone dinged in your hand. Because you were so nervous and excited you’d actually taken it off silent for the first time since you’d had the thing. 

“Here,” he texted. He was two minutes early. You smiled.

Another ding. 

“Very weird not coming to your door. Not a fan.” 

You texted back. 

“Me either. See you in a sec!” 

Joel had planned the whole day, only telling you enough that you knew what to wear and what to bring. Which apparently required a change of clothes. 

“Promise you can get changed somewhere I can’t just jump you,” he’d texted. “Going to do my best to keep my hands to myself.” 

“That’s a damn shame,” you’d texted back. “I like when you don’t keep your hands to yourself.” 

“Fine woman,” he’d replied. “I’ll keep them to myself until the end of the date. Would like to actually get you out in the world at some point. Sound fair?” 

“That’s better,” you smiled as you typed it out.

“You drive a hard bargain,” he replied. 

“Not the only hard thing I’m interested in.” You’d added a winking emoji to that one. 

He texted back immediately. 

“Dangerous for me to be distracted by you with hard things while I’m at work so I’m going to stop this before I hurt myself… See you in the morning.” 

He’d told you that you needed good walking shoes and something you’d be comfortable moving in for the morning and something that made you feel good for the afternoon and evening. You tried to be smart about it, picking hiking boots with jeans and a t-shirt for the morning and just changing the shoes and the shirt for the rest of the day. Like maybe if you kept your pants on it would keep you from jumping into bed with Joel. 

At least right away. 

“See, this is why I can’t come get you at your door,” he shook his head as you climbed in the passenger seat of his truck. He was half smiling, his head propped against his hand and you had to fight the urge to kiss his damn dimple. 

“Oh really?” You asked, brows raised, as you buckled up. “Why’s that?” 

“You got no business looking that damn good in jeans,” he said. “Couldn’t risk getting you behind closed doors right now, we wouldn’t get anywhere.” 

You rolled your eyes and smiled, shaking your head. 

“You’re insatiable.” 

“Just with you,” he winked. 

Joel took you to a park in town, grabbing a pack out of the back seat of the truck and leading the way to a trail. 

“Said you liked hiking,” he said. “Figured this way you’d have a place you’d know if you wanted to come back. But only if you want.” 

He was watching you like he was waiting for you to reject the idea but you just smiled. 

“This is perfect hiking weather,” you said, starting on the trail before looking over your shoulder back at him. “You coming?” 

“Lead the way, Beautiful,” he smiled. “I’m just enjoying the view.” 

The trail was a loop that went out to a lake with a nice overlook. On the way out to it, you told Joel about camping with your Girl Scout troop as a child, how you’d found a sense of peace in nature ever since. Joel told you about camping with his brother, Tommy, as a kid and taking Sarah when she was little. 

The trail was quiet - almost shockingly so considering the weather - and the overlook was empty when you got there. Joel picked a spot and sat down, opening his pack and pulling out a few paper bags, bottles of water and bottles of iced coffee. 

“Not sure if you’ve come across these yet,” he handed you a bag. “They’re kolaches, these Czech pastry things. Don’t ask me why they’re popular here, couldn’t fuckin’ tell you, but they’re damn good. I’ll trade you flavors if you want, wasn’t sure what you might like…” 

“I’m not picky and these look incredible,” you bit into one of the sausage ones. You were right, eyes rolling back in pleasure as you chewed. “Fuck, that’s good…” 

Joel smiled, looking a little proud. 

“Yeah, Sarah told me you’d be finding the best restaurants in town real quick so I only have a few weeks to impress you with shit like this,” he said, taking a bite of his own roll before he frowned a little. “Not weird if I talk about her, is it? I’ve never…” 

“Fucked one of your daughter’s friends?” You finished for him, smirking a little, when he went quiet for a moment. 

“I was gonna say dated one but,” he laughed. “Both are true. Generally don’t go for younger women. Believe it or not.” 

“It’s not weird if you talk about Sarah. Well, it kind of is, but it would be weirder if you didn’t. We both love her, just in different ways. Pretending she doesn’t exist is just… not the way to go. And I’m not that much younger,” you elbowed him lightly. “Besides… you’re kind of my exact type.” 

He looked surprised by that. 

“Really?” 

“Yup,” you smiled a little and opened the iced coffee, taking a drink. “If I redownloaded my dating apps I could show you my age range preferences and you are right in the sweet spot there, Miller.” 

He just looked at you for a second, a crooked smile on his lips. The damn dimple. 

“What?” You laughed, taking another drink of coffee. “Why are you looking at me like that?” 

“You deleted your dating apps?” 

You felt your eyes go slightly wide. You hadn’t meant to admit that. 

“OK let’s pretend I didn’t just say that, alright?” You winced. “This was going so well…” 

“Why would I pretend you didn’t say it?” He frowned a little. 

“Because it’s weird,” you looked back out at the lake, needing to look away from him for this conversation. “And I don’t want to put any pressure on you or anything, I really don’t want to make it weird. I just… I’m not trying to get you to be in a relationship or anything, I just didn’t really feel like trying to see anyone else after I met you so I deleted them and…” 

“I like it,” he cut you off. 

“Yeah?” You smiled a little. 

“Yeah.” He leaned in, smiling back. “I like it a lot.” 

He kissed you, soft and almost chaste at first, but that didn’t last long. One hand moved to the back of your neck, pulling you close, the other to your waist, sliding down toward the hem of your shirt, seeking out your skin. You moaned into his mouth, a familiar needy ache settling inside you. His tongue dipped into you and you pressed closer to him, trying to put your body against his when someone cleared their throat from behind you. 

The two of you jumped apart and you looked back over your shoulder to see a man, a woman and two kids standing there, staring at you. You pressed your lips together and tried not to laugh out of the sheer embarrassment of it all, your face getting hot. 

“Morning,” Joel said, clearing his throat a bit. 

“C’mon kids,” the woman said, glaring at you. “Quick look at the water, then we keep moving…” 

You cleared your throat awkwardly and took a drink of your iced coffee while the family spent a minute at the overlook before the parents started herding their children away. 

“Mom, why are leaving so quick?” The little girl asked. 

“Because honey,” the woman glanced your way as they headed back down the trail. 

The second you couldn’t hear their footsteps anymore, the two of you burst out laughing, you grabbing Joel’s thigh to keep from falling over with it. 

“Oh my God!” You gasped for breath, almost crying laughing. “What the actual fuck is our problem? We’re adults! This isn’t what adults do!” 

“This is your fault!” He was trying to stop laughing and failing. Miserably. 

“My fault? How is it my fault!” 

“Those damn jeans,” he kissed the delicate skin behind your ear, making you laugh even harder. “How am I supposed to resist you when you’re lookin’ that good?” 

He kissed you again, making you moan for a moment before you pulled back from him. 

“I thought you were keeping your hands to yourself until the end of the day?” You nipped his lower lip. “It’s not even noon.” 

“Argh,” he groaned, his forehead falling to your shoulder. “You’re right Beautiful, I’ll behave. Or try to, feel like I should get at least some credit for makin’ it this long.” 

Joel made you drink an entire bottle of water before you left the lake (“Can’t have you runnin’ on just iced coffee and kolaches, we got three miles back to the truck…”) and he seemed to be OK letting the dating app comment lie. Which worked for you because you were vaguely horrified to actually have that discussion. 

Because you had deleted the apps. And you were really hoping you wouldn’t need to download them again. At least, not for a while. You were pretty sure that you were crazy about Joel. Like could fall head over heels for the guy in a way you hadn’t since you were 21 and a stupid college girl kind of crazy about Joel. 

But it was so early that it seemed immensely stupid to feel that way about the guy. Even though you felt like you’d known him for years, even though you thought about him all the damn time. You’d still only known him for two weeks. 

And if you wanted a relationship - an actual, honest to God relationship - you’d have to reckon with the fact that you’d met him through your best friend, his daughter. This was a conversation you’d need to wait to have, until you had some sense of certainty that what you were risking was worth that risk. There was no way you could actually be that certain after two weeks. Even if you felt like you might be. 

There was a small hitch in Joel’s plans for the day, though. The bathrooms at the trailhead were closed and he sighed. 

“I promise this ain’t a scheme to get you back to my place and out of your clothes,” he winced a little. 

“I can just change in the car,” you winked and patted his chest. His broad, strong chest. Goddammit. “Just keep your eyes on the road while I do.” 

You climbed in back and waited for Joel to start driving (“Not getting arrested for indecent exposure at the park because you just climb in the back seat to feel me up, Miller. Now drive.”) before you took your t-shirt off. You may have left your shirt off and only been in your black lace bra for longer than you really needed to, letting your hair down from its loose bun and touching up your makeup before pulling the black, deep v-neck silk top you’d grabbed for the evening from your bag. At a stop light, you felt eyes on you and you looked to the rearview mirror, catching a glimpse of Joel watching you before he quickly looked back at the road. You smirked, tugging the shirt over your head and climbing over the center console and into the passenger seat, kissing Joel on the cheek on the way. 

“Told you to keep your eyes on the road, Miller,” you smirked, leaning over the console to wipe your lipstick off his cheek with your thumb. 

“You try focusin’ on the road when there’s somethin’ as pretty as you in the car,” he smirked a little. That fucking dimple. “I’m doin’ a damn good job, all things considered. Seat belt.” 

You smiled and buckled up. 

“Whatever you say, Miller. Whatever you say.” 

***

Joel briefly considered making himself come in the restaurant bathroom. 

There was no way in hell he was making it to the end of this fucking date, he didn’t know what the fuck he’d been thinking, planning something that was a day long with you. A whole day where you’d be right next to him and he couldn’t properly touch you. That was a stupid thing to do. A damn stupid thing to do. 

Because holy shit you were pretty. So fucking pretty. And sexy. So goddamn sexy. So pretty and so sexy that looking at you - knowing just how damn good you felt, knowing he could just have you if you were in his bed or he was in yours - was torture. Fucking torture. 

He knew a whole day was a mistake the second he saw you. He should have known before that, too, but sometimes he was a fucking idiot. 

Like when he decided to fuck his daughter’s best friend to begin with. 

But you looked so damn good just in jeans and a t-shirt - v-neck deep enough that he could see the soft flesh of your breasts as you climbed into the truck - that someone ought to make it illegal. And then walking behind you when the trail narrowed, wanting nothing more than to grab handfuls of your ass and pull you against his aching cock so he could find some damn relief. 

As soon as the concept of a date came up though, Joel knew he’d need to start it in the morning, plan a whole day. He didn’t want to stay away from you all day just to only get you for a few hours in the evening, not if he could help it. 

And it’s not like he only wanted to fuck you. Not that he didn’t love fucking you. God himself could strike Joel down while he was inside you and he’d die a happy man but he wanted to spend some time actually talking with you. He wanted to know you - desperately, longingly wanted to know you - but doing that when you were there, perfect and tempting, was no easy thing. 

Even you changing out of hiking boots and into some cute, girlie shoe was somehow sexy. How was he supposed to keep it in his pants when you looked that damn good doing anything at all? 

“OK we can’t both get the ghost pepper wings,” you looked over the top of the menu. “We need to split one order and get an order of something that isn’t going to potentially melt our tongues off.” 

“You’re no fun,” he smirked a little. 

“No, I’m a great time,” you replied. “I’m just also not insane.” 

The two of you shared the wings - both agreeing that they weren’t nearly as spicy as the menu led you to believe - and Joel took you to the next stop on his plan for the day. 

“Are you kidding me?” You jumped out of the truck looking practically giddy. “An escape room? I’ve always wanted to try one of these!” 

“Yeah, I keep seeing this one, thought I should see what all the fuss was about,” he smiled a little, putting his arm around your shoulders and kissing your temple. 

Joel was a little surprised at how much he liked the escape room thing. He’d googled it when trying to come up with something to do with you besides the cliche dinner and a movie shit and it seemed more like the kind of thing Sarah might try to get him to do. But, as it turned out, you and Joel made a great team. And he loved watching you gleefully shout the answer when you figured out a puzzle. You did a happy little jump when something unlocked or pieces fit together and shrieked and threw your arms around Joel’s neck when the room was solved in less than the two hour time limit. 

“You seriously planned even more than this?” You asked, brows raised, as the two of you got back in the truck. 

“I promised to keep my hands to myself until the end of the day,” he winked. “Can’t expect me to do that without something to distract me.” 

He took you to a winery tasting room in town next, the two of you each sampling a different variety of wines. 

“This one has a nice bouquet,” you said, nose in the glass. “Definitely smelling… um… rich mahogany?” 

Joel choked on the sip of wine that was in his mouth, trying not to shoot it out of his nose. 

“I’m sorry!” You laughed. “I really like drinking wine but I don’t know much about it at all!” 

“That’s OK,” Joel smiled. “I don’t know shit about it either.” 

“But it would sound cool to know about it, right?” You said. “Like, you take a sip and know something about it besides ‘oh yeah, that’s good and it is the color red.’” 

“OK now we just have to learn about wine together,” Joel set his glass down. “So we can sound cool.” 

“Together?” You raised your eyebrows. 

“If you want,” he shrugged, only realizing then that he was getting ahead of himself. “I want to…” 

You smiled a little. 

“I want to, too.” 

At dinner, you excused yourself to the restroom and Joel checked his phone for the first time since he’d picked you up that morning, only to see a text from you come through as he checked his other messages. 

“Need your help,” it said. “Last door in the hall.” 

Joel frowned, pocketing his phone and went to find you, knocking once on the door before you opened it, grabbed a fistful of his shirt and pulled him inside, locking the door behind him. 

“What are…” 

“I figure if our clothes stay on it counts as keeping our hands to ourselves, right?” You pressed yourself against the front of him, kissing him. 

“Definitely,” he said, already breathless. 

He pushed you back into the wall and put his knee between your legs, his cock - at least half hard for the entire goddamn day - against your hip. Your arms went around his neck and you kissed him. His tongue slipped into your mouth and he moaned into you as you started to rock your hips against his thigh. 

“Fuck Beautiful,” he groaned as he kissed down your jaw to your throat. “You been needy all day?” 

“Since you picked me up,” your head went back against the tile wall of the bathroom, voice breathless and wanting. 

“Fuck, me too,” he nipped your throat and pressed his cock into you, grinding against your body like a goddamn teenager. “Think you can come from just riding my leg?” 

He pulled you down on him, making you groan. He could feel the wet heat of you, even through the fabric. Fuck, he wanted to feel you there, wanted to bury himself inside you there. 

“Yes,” you managed. 

Joel’s hands slid down your body to your ass, his fingers sinking into your flesh, pulling your body tight to him as he cursed the fabric between his skin and yours, fucking up against you. You rode his leg, breaths coming in stuttering gasps, working your pussy against him harder and faster, your body pressed flush against his own. 

“Joel, fuck,” you fingers tangled in his hair as he buried his face in your neck. “I’m going to come, I’m going to fucking…” 

“Good,” he groaned, his cock leaking and achy and all but ready to spill into his fucking jeans. “Do it, come for me, come on my fucking leg…” 

You obeyed with a desperate moan and he clutched your body to him as he felt your pussy pulsing against his thigh, the heat of your pleasure, the soft give of your skin pushing him over the edge as he came, his cock throbbing against you. 

“Fuck,” you panted, breathless, your body limp. 

“Not sure it still counts,” he dropped his head to your shoulder. 

“No, it does,” you nodded. “Definitely counts, we’ve been very well behaved all day. We’re basically angels.” 

Joel laughed before he kissed you and the two of you sheepishly made your way back to your table, no one at the restaurant seemingly any the wiser that the pair of you had all but fucked in one of the bathrooms just feet away. 

The not-quite-fucking in the bathroom made it so Joel felt like he could actually survive the rest of the evening, finally taking you to a bar to listen to live music like he’d been wanting to do since the night he met you.

The place was loud when you arrived, the band just getting started, and Joel found an open table toward the back. You held it while he got drinks and he could see a hint of the lace of your bra whenever you leaned over to tell him something over the sound of the band. 

After the two of you made it through a drink, you put your hand in his, tugging him toward the crowd clustered around the stage. 

“C’mon,” you smiled. “I feel like dancing!” 

He followed you - starting to feel like he might just follow you anywhere - and put his hands on your waist as you pressed your body against his, moving in time with the music, the whole crowd pulsing with the same energy. 

When the band slowed it down, you looped your arms around his neck and smiled, your eyes bright with the lights from the stage. 

“Can’t believe you actually planned all this,” you shook your head a little. “I don’t know that a guy has ever put this much effort into… damn, anything at all for me.” 

“You’ve been dating the entirely wrong kind of men then,” he replied, wondering how the fuck someone wouldn’t try to do anything and everything for you, just for an excuse to see you all the time. 

“Probably true,” you laughed a little. “Or you’re just a breed unto yourself, Joel Miller.”

“It’s for the best,” he smiled, trailing his fingers up your arm. You kissed him, all soft and sweet, different from every other kiss he’d shared with you so far. It was the first time it felt like he was kissing you just to kiss you, not because it was leading to your bed. He liked it, the gentle intimacy of it. 

The song ended and the band said they were taking a break but would be back up soon and you pressed your lips a little firmer to his for a second before pulling back from him. 

“Why don’t you go hold down the table for a second?” You smiled. “My turn to get the drinks.” 

“But…” 

“I insist,” you cut him off. “Not letting you into my apartment later any other way.” 

“You drive a hard bargain,” he kissed your cheek. “But I accept.” 

Joel went back to the table and watched you from across the bar, not much different than the night he first met you. Except now he got to go home with you. He smiled to himself and shook his head a little. How the hell had he gotten that lucky? 

Sarah had texted him at some point in the evening, asking what he was up to the next week. He texted her back, still not quite sure how to broach the subject of you with his daughter. He’d have to at some point. He wasn’t about to give you up, he’d have to talk to Sarah about it eventually. The both of you would. He sighed and put his phone back in his pocket, looking up to find you at the bar as you stared down some guy who was almost Joel’s size, the man’s hand on your lower back. Your mouth was drawn low into a frown and Joel was half way across the bar before he fully realized what he was doing. 

He reached you in what felt like a second, pulling you back from the bar and putting himself between the man and you. 

“Hey man…” the guy began but Joel cut him off. 

“You botherin’ my girl?” He snapped. His blood was hot, he could feel it moving through his body. He’d looked away from you for a minute, just a minute, and some guy had decided he could just touch you when you didn’t want it. 

“Sorry, she didn’t say she had a boyfriend…” 

“Don’t matter. She say you could touch her?” Joel shoved him. “‘Cause sure didn’t look like she appreciated that shit.” Joel shoved him again. “You like bein’ touched without permission?” Another shove. “Not so fuckin’ nice when it’s a man doin’ it to you, is it?” 

The guy was either stupid or drunk. Maybe both. Either way, he telegraphed his next move by a fucking mile, pulling his fist back to take a swing at Joel. He dodged it, easily, before punching back, catching the man across the jaw and sending him sprawling to the floor. 

“Joel!” Your voice snapped him out of it. He relaxed his fist and shook some of the stiffness out of his hand, turning to you and realizing for the first time that the whole bar was staring. Shit. The guy on the floor groaned and started sitting up. 

“Why don’t you go on home before we need to call the cops,” the bartender said, his hand balled in a fist on the bar top. 

“Come on, Joel.” 

You looped your arm around his and tugged him along toward the door, the two of you going to his truck in silence. 

“I’m really sorry about that,” he said after he’d been driving in awkward quiet for a few minutes. 

“What happened?” You asked. He glanced over at you. You didn’t look pissed, at least. 

“Saw the look on your face,” he focused on the road, flexing the hand with the sore knuckles. “I just looked down to check my phone, text Sarah back real quick and the next thing I know that fucker’s got his hand on you and it sure as shit didn’t look like somethin’ you wanted…” 

“It wasn’t something I wanted,” you said. 

Joel nodded. 

“Just saw red,” he ground his teeth. “Don’t know why some men think they’re just entitled to… Look, not exactly proud of it, but if something pisses me off in just the right - or wrong, I guess - way, I just…” 

“It’s OK, Joel.” 

“Need you to know that it’s never happened with a woman,” he said, glancing at you again before looking back to the road. “Not someone I was seein’, not Sarah, not anyone else. I’d never react like that to you no matter what you did, never…” 

“I said it’s OK, Joel.” 

The knot in his stomach relaxed just a bit. 

“Didn’t freak you out?” He asked, looking your way just long enough to catch you shaking your head as you answered. 

“Didn’t freak me out.” 

“Because I really don’t want to…” 

“Joel,” you cut him off. “I’m not afraid of you because you lost your temper on an asshole at the bar who deserved it.” 

“Yeah?” 

“Yeah,” he could hear the hint of a smile on your voice. “It was… actually, it was kind of nice. I dated a guy for a bit in Seattle and he literally watched a guy grab my ass when we were at a baseball game and he didn’t do a damn thing, didn’t even back me up when I handled it myself. It… it was kind of nice to not have to handle it myself.” 

“Shouldn’t have to handle it at all,” he said. “Assholes need to learn to keep their hands to themselves. But you definitely won’t need to handle it if I’m there.”

You looked at him for a moment when he didn’t park the truck outside your apartment, instead pulling up to your front walk. 

“Thought the whole point of earlier is that we were leaving our clothes on until this point of the night,” you said. “Makes it a little difficult if you’re in a different house.” 

“You really still want me to come inside?” He raised his eyebrows. 

You rolled your eyes. 

“Get in my house so I can take your pants off, please.” 

He smiled a little. 

“Yes ma’am.” 

Your front door had barely even closed behind you before you were pulling at Joel’s shirt, his mouth on yours, his cock already hard and aching for you. 

His shirt wound up somewhere on the floor of your living room, yours in the hall. He left the bra on for a bit, your nipples firm against the lace. His pants wound up in the doorway to your bedroom, yours next to your bed as he pressed you back against the mattress. You fell onto it before crawling back, putting yourself in the middle of the bed and he followed, his mouth on yours, tasting the cocktail from the bar on your tongue. 

He kissed down your throat to your breasts, his tongue dipping between the gaps in the lace to find your skin, your back arching below him when he licked closer to your nipple before he gave it a sucking kiss. He trailed his lips over your breast bone to your other breast and gave you the same treatment there, your breaths starting to come in gasping little pants. Your bra clasped in the front - thank fuck for that - and he opened it, revealing your soft flesh. He cupped your breasts, the heavy weight of them silk against his calloused hands, before he traced down your body with his mouth and fingers to your hips. He took a second to appreciate just how fucking pretty your pussy looked in your black lace panties before he hooked his fingers around the top of them and tugged them down your body, casting them aside and crawling between your legs. 

He put a thigh over each shoulder and pressed a kiss to your clit and you took a deep, shuddering breath before you spoke, your voice sounding almost strangled. 

“You don’t have to do that,” you were practically squirming below him. 

“I know,” he ran his tongue slowly from your hole to your clit. “But I want to. Been wanting to, shame I haven’t yet, taste so fucking good…” 

You moaned and he smiled a little before dipping his tongue into your wet heat. He moaned too, couldn’t help it. He hadn’t been lying, your pussy tasted good, heady musk with a hint of sweetness to you. He clutched one of your thighs against his head with one hand and teased your clit with the other, making your hips rock into him and your back arch. 

“Sorry,” you panted, going still. “I’m… fuck, sorry…” 

“For what?” He pulled his mouth away from you just enough to look up your body and properly see you. “You think I don’t want your perfect fucking pussy coming all over my mouth? Think I don’t want you riding my fucking face? Want you come all over me, Beautiful, want you to do whatever it takes to make you come all over me.” 

He went back to eating at your pussy, devouring you as you moaned and arched below his touch, your sex getting wetter and wetter as his tongue worked you open. He added a finger to your tight, slick hole and he felt you start to contract around him, your breath picking up, your fingers clutching at your bedspread. He pressed harder against your clit, hooked his fingers into your inner wall, his tongue pushing deep as you came around him with a strangled cry. He smiled against you as he worked you through your orgasm, not easing up on you until you went limp below him, whimpering as you did. 

“You can’t seriously think I didn’t enjoy that,” he panted as he trailed his mouth back up your body, his lips still wet with you. You just laughed, breathless. 

He went to reach for the drawer where you kept the condoms but you grabbed his wrist. 

“Wait,” you said, breath still heavy. He frowned but obeyed, his fingers lacing with yours. He gently guided your hand with his to your breast, holding you gently. You moaned slightly and closed your eyes before you gave your head a small shake. “Sorry, trying to focus…” 

“Want me to stop?” He smirked. 

You glared at him. 

“No. But… I was thinking… I’m not… I haven’t been sleeping with anyone but you and I don’t know if you’re sleeping with anyone else…” 

“I’m not.” 

You smiled a little. 

“You’re the first person I’ve been with since I tested last and everything was clear,” your voice was hesitant. “And I’ve got an IUD…” 

“You asking me to fuck you bare?” He asked, his eyes searching yours. You bit your lip and nodded. “Fuck Beautiful…” 

“Assuming you don’t have anything I should know about,” you said, a little hesitant. “And if you’re OK with it…”

“More than fuckin’ OK with it,” he brushed your hair back with his free hand and held the crown of your head in his palm. “Love the thought of that, of bein’ that close to you.” 

He pulled his hand from yours and slid it between you to your dripping slit, making you gasp. He closed his eyes for a second, trying to focus on something aside from the thought of sinking into your body with nothing between you. 

“Want to feel you that way,” you said softly, reaching up and running your fingers through his hair. “Joel…” 

He kissed you then, sliding a finger into you and making your hips rock against him. He gathered your slick and brought it to his cock, coating himself in you. You already felt good - fucking exquisite - when he brought the head of him to your tight, grasping hole. 

Joel pushed inside you slowly, gently, easing you open as you arched into him and your hands splayed over his back. 

He licked into your mouth softly as he pressed into you, trying desperately to focus on something besides just how incredible it felt to be inside you bare. 

Because it was incredible. Beyond incredible. He hadn’t been inside someone without a condom in years, no relationships lasting long enough for him to trust someone enough to fool around without one. Knock up one woman by accident and you learn your lesson real damn quick. 

But you were different. You were you. It was safe to want you this way, have you this way. He could trust you, he could feel that. More than that, he wanted to feel you this way, feel you from inside, feel the very core of you as you took him into yourself, vulnerable and wanting. 

He sank into you and you were so fucking wet, so fucking soft, so fucking warm. He’d never felt anything as good as this, didn’t think there was something that could feel as good as this. But it made sense that he’d find it within you, perfect fucking sense that something so exquisite would be found inside of someone so fucking exquisite in every other way. Your laugh, your skin, your way of thinking, of course being inside you would be almost painfully incredible. 

“Fuck, Joel,” you panted as he bottomed out in you, his hips flush to yours. He could feel every detail of your muscles stretching around him, the way your body seemed to cradle his own. “Fuck you feel… you feel…” 

“I know baby,” he kissed you, holding himself inside you as he gave your channel a moment to adjust to the size of him. “Fuck, I know…” 

He kissed you again when he started moving in you and you moaned into his mouth, your hips rocking up to meet his own. 

Joel started slowly - he had to or he’d come far before he was ready to, you felt too damn good - savoring at how acutely he could feel every part of you as he thrust into you. 

But he gave in before too long, thrusting into you harder, faster, swallowing the delicious noises you made as you clung to him, your fingers pressing into his back, your legs entwined with his. He could feel you starting to tighten around him, your movements getting faster, sloppy. 

“Not going to last when you come,” he managed, pressing his mouth to your throat before continuing. “Where…” 

“Inside me,” you panted, desperate. “Please, Joel…” 

He nodded into your neck, fucking into you harder and faster and your fingers clung to him as you came, your back arching into him. He looped an arm below you, holding your body tightly to his own as his cock pressed deep inside you. 

“God, fuck, that’s right, come for me,” he said, inches away from coming himself, your walls pulsing around him harder and tighter than they ever had before. “C’mon Beautiful, doing so good, taking me so well…” 

He managed to hold out until your orgasm began to weaken and, with a tortured moan, filled you, pumping rope after rope of come into your desperate, aching core. Your hand flew to as close to his lower back as you could reach and you somehow pushed him deeper into you. He was already leaking out of you, spilling onto his balls and legs before he was even finished coming. 

He collapsed onto you, his head over your shoulder, your hands running in little trails up and down his back as you both panted for breath. The moment he had the energy, he lifted his head enough to kiss you and then rolled you so you were both on your sides, facing each other. He tucked a stray hair behind your ear. 

“Fuck that was incredible,” you smiled a little at him. 

He smiled a little back. 

“You’re stuck with me now,” he said. You laughed. “Can’t recover from sex that damn good, it’s impossible.” 

He held you like that for a long time, the two of you eventually disentangling from each other enough for you to fall asleep on his chest, Joel’s hand splayed wide across the soft skin of your back. 

He woke up before you in the morning, feeling more well rested than he remembered feeling anytime in the last decade, at least. He’d never slept over before and you’d never slept over at his place, always going your separate ways after sex. He didn’t think he could let that keep happening either. 

Joel gently extracted himself from you and you made a groggy little sound but he shushed you, kissing your temple and urging you back to sleep, giving you a pillow to wrap around. He went to your dresser and grabbed a t-shirt from a drawer you’d tossed him a shirt to wear home before. He looked at it and smiled a little, the shirt from a Halloween-themed 5K you’d done with Sarah in Seattle. He remembered her gushing to him about it. He pulled it on, grabbed his jeans and the keys to your place and his truck. 

You’d mentioned a coffee shop down the road, how you liked their skim lattes, a few times and he thought he found it. It was early enough on a Sunday - church still in session - that the place was pretty quiet. He pulled up a picture he had of you on his phone - a selfie you’d sent from the office when he’d asked to see you one afternoon when his job was being particularly shitty - and asked the barista if she knew you and what coffee you usually got. She did know you and smiled a little at Joel before making you an Irish cream latte. He got a cappuccino for himself and breakfast sandwiches before going back to your place and letting himself in. 

You were still in bed, asleep but not deeply. He set your coffee and sandwich on your side of the beg, kissing your forehead as he brushed your hair back. You smiled. 

“Thought you might want coffee,” he said quietly. 

“Mmmm, always want coffee,” you smiled and opened your eyes, looking him over. You smiled wider. “That shirt fits you a whole lot better than it fits me.” 

“Probably looks better on you though,” he smiled, climbing into bed next to you. 

“Did you really go to my favorite coffee place?” You gaped at him as you sat up. He shrugged. “Joel, I swear, you’re going to ruin me for all other men…” 

“Don’t mind that one bit,” he smiled. 

He’d only gotten a bite of his bagel sandwich in when he felt his phone vibrate against his leg. He frowned, pulling it out. Sarah was calling. His frown deepened. 

“I’m so sorry,” he began, showing you the screen. 

“Don’t be, of course pick up, it’s Sarah,” you said, picking up your coffee cup, your eyebrows knitted together. 

“Hey baby girl,” he said after he answered. “Everything OK? Never mind hearin’ from ya but it’s awful early out by you…” 

“Where are you right now?” She asked. 

He frowned. 

“Home,” he said, not thrilled about lying but… 

“No you’re not,” she said. 

He frowned deeper. 

“What d’you mean ‘no I’m not?’” 

“I mean,” he could hear the smile on her voice. “I’m in your living room and neither you nor your truck are here, what the heck Dad?” 

“You’re in Austin?” He looked at you and your eyes went wide. “What are you doin’ here!” 

“There was a cheap last minute flight deal so I figured why not surprise my favorite old man,” she said. “So where the heck are you! I need a Dad hug, it makes getting to the airport at like 4 a.m. worth it.” 

“Shit!” You whispered. Joel winced. 

“I’m on my way back home after runnin’ some errands,” he said quickly. “I’ll be there in just a few, I can’t believe you’re here baby girl! Missed you so much!” 

“I’m going to make coffee,” she said. “And then drink it all before you get here so you can’t have any. See you soon!” 

Your eyes were still wide when he hung up the phone. 

“Have you…” you began. He shook his head. “Yeah, I haven’t said anything to her, either…” 

“We can try and figure it out but I have to go,” he kissed you, deep and desperate, the only thing that could possibly pull him away from your bed right now coincidentally being the person who just showed up in his living room. “I’ll text you, I’m so sorry but…” 

“Go,” you kissed him again, a quick but soft kiss. “Go home, see Sarah, keep me posted?” 

He nodded, grabbing his coffee and his sandwich and going to the door before turning back to you. 

“I had…” 

“Joel, I swear to God if Sarah finds out about us because you were standing here too long I will never fuck you again,” you laughed. “Text me about it when you have a minute. And I had a great time, too.” 

He smiled. 

“OK. See you soon.” 

He half ran to his truck, jumping in the driver’s seat and flooring it back to his place. 

He totally forgot about the shirt. 

Next Chapter

A/N: OH NO NOT SARAH! Even though we love Sarah. But this will be a wrench in things. Wonder what will happen now???

I hope you all enjoyed a cameo by Feral!Joel because I love him.

Thank you so much for being here and for reading! Love you!!!

[suzukiblu]

Day twenty-five of fic NaNoWriMo, obligatory sugar daddy Tim/sugar baby Kon AU.

Tim makes sure to not take any longer than a week to plan an actual first date for Kon because he doesn’t want Kon to think he’s lost interest in him and also wants him out of that damn lab yesterday, so spending a lot of time with him while aggressively buying him material things and whatever else he wants to slowly ease things into apartment-buying territory–or cul-de-sac-buying; Tim still hasn’t ruled out the cul-de-sac–seems like the pragmatic approach. 

His operating concept of "slow" is Bart-level at best right now, admittedly. 

Probably that’s actually Bart's fault, Tim decides. Probably definitely, actually. Hanging out with a speedster is rubbing off on him. 

Hopefully it’s also rubbing off on Kon. 

. . . Tim should’ve phrased that differently. Very, very differently. 

Kon shows up five minutes early for their date–no cats up any trees this time, Tim guesses–and Tim nearly self-immolates at the sight of him. He’s wearing dark slacks and a matching vest with shiny black shoes over a sky blue button-up shirt with the sleeves rolled up and the collar at best half-buttoned, and also layered black leather and silver chain bracelets and a couple of rings. He even changed out the omnipresent gold hoop in his ear for a dangling silver earring. 

Tim technically recognizes all of the clothes and accessories that Kon is wearing right now, because he bought them all for him himself. He even saw Kon try them all on, if not specifically together. There are absolutely no surprises in his outfit whatsoever. Tim suggested that earring to him, even.

The delicate lines of soft brown eyeliner that are bringing out his eyes and the dark blue nail polish with the barely-there shimmer to it are both definitely a surprise, though. 

Tim doesn’t look good enough for this date, he realizes in resigned dread. Tim has never in his life looked good enough for this date. Full gala-mode Tim Drake would not look good enough for this date, in fact. He wore nice slacks and decent shoes and a turtleneck with a peacoat, and he looks like an absolute schlub next to Kon. 

“Hey there, babe,” Kon says, flashing him a smirk with just the slightest flicker of nervous insecurity in it. Tim cannot actually respond to him with incoherent babbling, but it is very difficult not to. 

“Hi,” he manages, using absolutely every drop of his Undercover 101 training to sound like a normal person. “You look prett–nice! You look nice.” 

Tim might need to take Undercover 102, he’s realizing. 

“You too,” Kon says as his expression just barely softens and the flicker of insecurity, thankfully, fades out of his eyes. Which is clearly a filthy lie but not one Tim is going to call him on right now. Then he bites his lip and grins around it, just a little. “‘Nice’, or . . . ?” 

Smolderingly gorgeous, Tim does not say, because that would sound incredibly stupid and try-hard. 

“Pretty,” he says instead, which is . . . well, a slight improvement. Maybe. Not really. “Uh–pretty nice, I mean! Uh. Hi. Again. I–got you something?”

“You did?” Kon asks, leaning in a little with a flash of surprised curiosity crossing his face. Tim has no idea why he would be surprised, at this point. Like, literally none whatsoever. 

Clearly he needs to buy him more stuff. 

“Yeah,” he says, then holds up the fancy little gift bag in his hand. “Flowers seemed inconvenient since I wasn’t picking you up, so . . .” 

Kon turns red. 

“‘Flowers’?” he echoes awkwardly, then looks incredibly embarrassed to have said anything. 

Note to self, Tim thinks: as soon as he’s picking Kon up from his own place instead of meeting him on random street corners, there’ll have to be flowers. Always flowers. So many flowers. He’ll look up some native Hawaiian ones, maybe. 

“I didn’t wanna make you carry a wilting bouquet to dinner,” he says apologetically, holding out the bag to him. “So, uh, hopefully this’ll suffice for now."

[cutecherrygirl]

Felix - Love you Goodbye

Warnings: Angst, smut.

Summary: The year is 2020, and Skz is going through hard times. This causes the members to start overworking themselves and go through waves of stress. Your boyfriend Felix is persistent but you can see everything is starting to take a toll on him. Scared of becoming a burden, and also wanting Felix to be able to give his full focus on the group you decide to end things. Before that happens though, Felix wants just one more night with you.

You and Felix have been together for a year. To be honest, you both have never been happier. Felix had never felt so much love from one source alone. Being together was like something out of movie scenes, that is until recently. These past couple of weeks have been more than hectic. Hyunjin went to Hiatus ,while skz were trying to figure out how to perform Cover is Du4 without Hyunjin.

You’ve attempted to help in any way you possibly could. You would bring lunch and dinner over to the boys dorms when you had time, and when horrid rumors about the members started to suffice you would try to be there emotionally for them as best as you could. There were also plenty of nights where none of you would get any sleep thanks to due dates or practice. You truly tried your best, but you were only one person. You could see how not only exhausted Felix was, but all of the members. 

Even though everything was rigid, they continued to work hard. You felt bad, only being able to watch from afar. That’s when you started to think, how hard it must be for Felix to try to juggle a relationship & his work. He shouldn’t have to worry about not being able to make time for you then feel bad because of his career. You also had just received a job offer in a different country. You knew first hand that with both of your already crazy schedules, a long distance relationship would not be possible.

You sighed, looking up at the ceiling. You had to carry out the toughest decision of your life. You had to do it. It would be harder later than now. Still though, you laid in bed, deep in though. Is this really where it’s going to end? Just like that? The situation didn’t seem real to you. Suddenly your thoughts are interrupted by your phone ringing. It’s now or never. You gulped and answered the phone.

"Hey Lixie..."

“Baby…” Felix whined from the other side of the line. You couldn’t help but smile. “Yes bub?” He was so cute. “I miss you. Come see your cute Chicken boyfriend.” Felix spoke with a sweet tone. You giggled. “I’ll be there in 10.” With that you hung up the phone. You sat up from your bed, realizing the reality that was about to hit you both. You rushed and grabbed your car keys, heading out.

“Hello there, my sweetie.” Felix greeted you at his room door. He pecked your lips, smiling afterwards. You looked down, allowing your thoughts from earlier to eat you up. Felix noticed something was off and looked down at you. “Are you okay baby?” He asked, concern clear in his voice. Your eyes looked up to meet his own. “Felix we need to break up.” Your words lingered in the air. The room was suddenly silent, your breathing being the only thing audible. Felix was looking towards the ground, unable to say anything. “What are you talking about? Is it me? Was it something I did? Y/n I promise I can-'' You stopped his babbling, “No Felix, it’s nothing you did.” Your voice started to become shaky and your vision blurry. You took his hands in yours and he held on tight. “I’m moving out of the country, I got a job offer. It just wouldn’t work. And you should be able to focus on Skz.”

You smiled as you continued, trying to hold back tears. “Plus, I don’t doubt Skz will conquer success.” It was the truth, they were the strongest group of people you’ve ever met. You had every bit of faith in them. “But it’s not fair to the both of us if we can only hold each other back. It’ll be better if we both just ended things here.” There was no doubt Felix’s heart was breaking at this very moment. But he understood your every word. You were right. He couldn’t argue with that.

“Where are you going?” He asked trying to focus on the more positive. “If I tell you that, you’d just end up at my doorstep.” You forced a smile at your remark. “So? I love you Y/n.” Felix couldn’t contain his tears anymore. He grabbed your waist, pulling you into his embrace. Felix held on tightly, letting his cries become vocal as he sobbed into the crook of your neck. “I love you too.” You joined him in woe. You caressed his back, trying to sooth him by any means. Felix lifted your chin up with his fingers. He planted a soft tender kiss. But even that couldn’t stop the tears. The kiss became more sloppy but longing at the same time, the taste of your salty tears mixed in added additional wetness. You suddenly pulled away, looking him in the eyes.

“Stay with me… one last night.” Felix requested. How could you deny him? Tonight would be the last of each other, why not spend it in pure sensual love?

You nodded in response and once again Felix’s lips met yours. This time it was more passionate, more heated, but still full of heartbreak. Felix’s hands began crawling up your shirt, rubbing small circles into your bare waist. His touch was something you had never gotten used too, goosebumps spread all over. His tongue slipped into your mouth, twirling around with yours. After being like this for a good minute, the heat became too much for Felix. He pulled away, a tiny string of saliva pulling between you. He lifted up your shirt.

His lips rushed to kissing your exposed skin. He was sucking, licking, biting all over your neck and collarbones, while unclamping your bra. Your breathing became heavy. You couldn’t help but moan softly as Felix found your sweet spot. It was a good thing some members were gone for a family visit, & the rest of the members were out of the dorms.

Once Felix got your bra off he picked you up and laid you on his bed. He hovered over you kissing you again. 

You were still his for the time being. You tugged at his shirt, usually he would smirk at your eagerness, but he just bit his lip trying to refrain from a look of bitterness. He pulled his shirt over his head. You sat up and began kissing his upper body, small sweet pecks. Felix sighed at the feeling. Everything was hot but his mind kept going back to the fact this would be the last he would be able to feel your lips all over him like this. Felix grew frustrated and pushed you back down into the bed.

He pulled your jeans off with haste, you gasped at his swift motions. He went down and kissed your hardened nipples. He grinded down on your heat while his tongue swirled around your breast. “Felix..” You moaned his name, letting him take over every inch of you. “What baby? Tell me what you want.” His voice was breathy, trying to mask the shakiness. You grinded up into him, creating heated tension. You moaned again, “Felix, I want…” You trailed off. You pulled Felix’s face down, you bit his ear softly, a moan escaping his plump lips. “No. I need you.” You stated. With those words, he unbuckled his pants, stripping off the last remaining clothing. 

Before he could move further you grasped his member in your hand. Felix sucked in his breath quickly. You bent over leaving wet kisses up and down his shaft. Felix closed his eyes as you took him in your mouth. He loved when you sucked him off. “Just like that baby.” He exhaled. You detached your mouth and smiled up at his scrunched up expression. His hair already clung to his sweaty face. Oh, how you were going to miss him. Felix went back to hovering over you and slipped off your panties. You let out a shaky breath, remembering for the hundredth time that this was the last time.

It’s like you were both connected, because Felix felt it too. He looked down, making direct eye contact. His eyes held nothing but both, love and melancholy. “I love you so much.” He said, You smiled sadly at him, too scared to respond to anything, scared because this was becoming real. Felix aligned himself with your entrance and slowly pushed in. You moaned loudly. Felix kissed you passionately. Once he felt you adjust he slowly pumped in & out at a slow pace. Even though you were lost in the euphoria of the moment your heart continued to ache. Felix made love to you slowly and lovingly. He made sure that you could feel his love for you, even as his chest felt like it was being ripped open. “Felix..”

You moaned his name, gripping his hair. He grunted lowly. He quickened his pace. “You feel so good Y/n. Keep moaning my name baby.” He was engulfed in these hot flames of arousal and despair. He clung onto your body because this was the last time he’d be able to hold you this close again. You shut your eyes, a single tear rolling down as you moaned. You kissed Felix’s shoulder, relishing in the feeling of him inside you. The thought alone was enough to send you over the edge. Your body shuddered as you came undone around him.

Pretty soon you felt his movement become unsteady and sloppy. With a few more thrust he pulled out, letting out low moans as his hot liquid released on your lower stomach. Your heavy breathing was the only thing audible in the room now. Once Felix calmed down he grabbed a towel and cleaned you up. He laid beside you pulling your body close to him. He pecked your temple and closed his eyes. He knew yours remained on him but he ignored your gaze on purpose. He didn’t want to come to terms with the reality in front of him. He didn’t want to let you go.

He didn’t want to hear you speak a word because he would fall apart all over again. Maybe if he just held you close & shut his eyes all of this would’ve been a bad dream. He’d wake you up to the smell of pancakes, you’d strut into the kitchen with his shirt on, and he’d be able to see your beautiful smile once again.

Serenity had taken its course as you engulfed yourself in the feeling of his arms wrapped around you. You closed your eyes and fell into a slumber by the boy you who would soon become a memory.

Your eyes fluttered open. Your first instinct was to look towards the window. The color of the morning was a taint greyish blue. Meaning, the sun hadn’t come out yet. Your head turned towards Felix’s sleeping body. His blonde hair was sticking up in all sorts of places, his lips swollen were puffy, and the duvet outlined the silhouette of his body beautifully. You smiled, mentally snapping a picture of his state in your head. You pecked his forehead tenderly. The feeling of overwhelming heartbreak returning. You stood up gathering your things and putting your clothes back on. You grabbed your keys and turned the doorknob to leave. You looked back at Jimin one last time and frowned. The tears formed in your eyes but you hastily walked out, leaving before you could turn back and do something stupid.

A couple hours later, when the sun was peeking through the windows Felix slowly opened his eyes. He smiled remembering the events of last night. He turned to look at your sleeping body but he was met with emptiness. And there was his cruel reality. The loneliness had hit him like a ton of bricks. His heart clenched in his chest and the tears built up in his eyes again. Could you really be gone? For good? Forever?

Felix looked around the room in panic looking for any piece of you. Suddenly your existence itself felt like a dream. A dream that was never true. A dream that was disappearing from his memory. To his dismay, not a trace of you was found. It was like you were never there. Felix wept aloud, his hand gripping his chest tightly. The pain was too much to bear. He fell to his knees as the tears ran down his face nonstop. His worst nightmare had come true. This really was the end.

🩵🩵🩵🩵

[bbanghiitomi]

| your dreams are mine

synopsis: after graduating, you land your first job at a company and end up working with kim minji; the company's renowned grumpy, quiet, and mysterious senior.

—nonidol!senior!kminji × nonidol!junior!fem!reader

(⁠*⁠˘⁠︶⁠˘⁠*⁠)⁠.⁠｡⁠*⁠♡(⁠*⁠˘⁠︶⁠˘⁠*⁠)⁠.⁠｡⁠*⁠♡(⁠*⁠˘⁠︶⁠˘⁠*⁠)⁠.⁠｡⁠*⁠♡(⁠*⁠˘⁠︶

minji feels her fingers stiff as she pulls her hands away from the keyboard, minji groans and tries to stretch the bones in her fingers by moving but immediately feeling how frozen the tips of her fingers are. maybe it's the cold air of the office cubicle? could it be the hard surface of her table? or the stiff, old, and small keyboard? minji does not know anymore, she's been sitting on the swivel chair for so long that she doesn't realize how late it has been. the muscles in her buttocks are hurt, almost to the point she can't feel them anymore. minji's sat for so long that her calves are practically begging to be moved, her forearms are screaming for some rest.

it's been so long since the last time minji actually felt happy, where she felt like she's free. hell, minji doesn't even remember the last time she held a book in her hands, she never got the time to do something she actually loved after she had this horrible job of hers.

4 years ago, minji is a fresh graduate from college, free from the stress of university. the first thing she did was have fun and it lasted for a few months only before she had to find a job and eventually landed herself in a pretty decent company with a decent pay. everything was going well the first few weeks, everyone was nice to her, they're all smiling, it felt like minji actually found the place she really was meant for.

but oh was she very wrong, after a month everything started going downhill. her boss started to actually be a boss, everyone is stressed and are always frowning — people actually started seeing her as a kid and not an adult. and starting from that point, nothing ever mattered to minji other than finishing stuff and just going home.

her life revolved around waking up, taking a shower, breakfast, work for who knows how long? then home, less than 4 hours of sleep, then the same shit. again and again.

it's not like she was ever happy doing this, minji had always dreamt of being an author, writing a book and publishing one some day. minji is typing but instead of her thoughts, it's loads of emails and crap for her company. at this point, minji had never hoped she'd ever find herself again, maybe never? it's just later or never at all.

whenever minji finishes stacks of papers, tabs of report, analysis of data — she doesn't feel relief anymore, all she knows is she's going to do the same shit over and over again next time. company trips don't excite her, none of her coworkers are friends with her, and she refuses to make one. it's like living hell through the present. the time feels like a loop of the same things, she's always in the same space at the same time. spatiotemporally continuous lineages of the same events, the same expressions of bitterness shared by the employees and the same curses she mutters everytime she fucks up.

minji never had the time to even go on a date or dinner with someone, never had the time to be in a relationship, not even hang out with friends. it's like she's tied to the computer inside her cubicle, she's got no reason to escape the trap that is the working space. every night, minji grabs the chance to curse the world for how cruel it is, not having any reason to actually live like a human anymore.

"excited for ai, those scums are probably going to replace us anytime soon. great." as minji stands up to grab her flask and get a good amount of water, she hears her coworker in the other cubicle say. ignoring him, minji grabs a glass on the counter and fills it up with fresh, cold water — chugging it down almost immediately.

"oh for fuck sake, with how shit this work is, i doubt even a robot would last under all this pressure. probably would explode after an 18 hour shift." one coworker butts in, minji hears a few chuckles but still was uninterested and went inside her cubicle once again with her flask and sat back on her swivel chair with a sharp groan.

minji takes a few minutes trying to regain herself back and her consciousness by swiveling her chair a little, cracking the bones on her hands before starting to type away the rest of the papers she needs to print by the end of the day. it's only 6pm, which means she still has a few hours left before the end of her shift and it's probably a nightmare on her way back home too.

"the only bad side of having artificial intelligence replacing us is that we won't have anything to get money from. but other than that it's solid, we're treated like robots anyway, so what would be the difference?" the first guy chuckles, minji blinks her eyes and hears the ticking of her clock.

her eyes are once again glued to the screen, scanning every word she's typing on the paper, looking for any mistakes or errors before continuing. she's conditioned to do this and we'll be continued to keep doing it after a few more years, which should be equivalent to a tremendous hours of torture.

the office is once again quiet but loud at the same time, minji can hear the mixture of her clock's ticking, the sound of the air condition, the tapping of keyboards scratching the ridges of her brain and footsteps from other employees walking around.

it feels like they are in a jail, everything is dull and lifeless, with the brightest color being the lights and the white walls — everything else is dead.

everyone in the office feels like they have no personality other than the work they're doing, it sucks and they're no fun at all.

"everyone, listen! attention all on me!" the boss shouts, his voice echoing around the walls of the hell also known as their office. everyone turns their head, or stands up to see him — whilst minji just stops from what she's doing.

the boss clears his throat and speaks. "starting tomorrow, we will have a newest addition to the office working with us. aren't you all excited? she's a fresh graduate too, working under the graphics office. i hope you all welcome her with the warmest greetings." he stops abruptly, looking around the office before continuing.

"and may i remind you of all the papers needed today, if there are missing papers i will make sure that lazy idiot gets fired. understood?" he does not ask, more like demands with his stone hard tone and his killer glare. everyone mutters their reluctant agreement before heading back to what they were once doing again.

minji sighs and runs her luscious hair back, furrowing her thick brows in frustration.

another addition to this hell of a place, isn't that great?

everytime minji thinks about it, there's just nothing positive about another annoying figure inside the office who knows nothing. it''s sad that the poor girl might just end up getting her dreams crushed too.

but minji doesn't really care, does she?

of course not, at least that's what minji thinks.

on the way home, her brain is plagued by thoughts of the new addition. a girl, a new graduate too — great, how lucky the graphics office really are. it's safe to assume that she's no different to minji, just like every other girl. she must be someone enthusiastic to start a new journey — maybe one that isn't so good.

whilst minji watches the buildings from afar inside the bustling train, she thinks whether she should care enough and be that good senior, warning the younger girl to stay out and live a life somewhere else except this cruel city they call seoul.

ironic, for it's name — everyone seemed to have none of that soul, just a body without a clear purpose in this world.

why is minji even like this?

minji asks herself that question almost everyday.

when she arrives in front of the apartment complex she stays in, she lets out a small sigh, not even looking forward to her sleep as it just welcomes another day of suffering. minji steps a foot in the comfort of her home, pushing her shoes off and making her way inside the corridor to her bed when she laid and curled into a ball.

minji doesn't even know why she's so caught up, there's no reason for her to be feeling like this over some girl she doesn't even know — why is she so worried?

she hasn't spoken a word today, and maybe not tomorrow too.

it's best to just be quiet and keep things to herself.

that's how her life has been.

it's lonely inside an empty home,

not even her presence can fill the spaces.

maybe it's time for her to make a room,

inside her heart.

so someone can give her that emotion she's been lacking for so long.

and the night's so cold too, that the breeze of the cold air is embracing her just like it did in her office.

the next morning, minji finds herself partaking in the same routine once again. although it's tiring, there was no space for changes — no time for such commitments.

"loneliness is the capacity to love."

"that space left by loneliness can be filled by someone you will love. it's time to open that heart of yours."

minji scoffs when she reaches for the remote and turns the television off.

always the same bullshit, there's always a time when some kind of thing reminds her she's lonely, in need of help.

transcendence, they say, is when you overcome a challenge.

how will she achieve transcendence when factors of challenges find their way back to her, every single time?

vulnerability, loneliness, love, and it keeps going.

she wonders if her other self in the other universe goes through the same problems as she does in the current one.

to the office, she's locked inside her cubicle, stuck in her own world of emails and statistics. it's quite impressive how minji still has a great vision even after burying herself in loads of work, eyes practically burning in the monitor of her computer.

but she couldn't care less.

the same footsteps, but now two pairs make their way in the office.

minji assumes it's the new girl with their boss, minji pays them no mind and continues to type away.

"hello to everyone, i would like everyone to meet the newest addition to our family."

minji's eye twitches at the mention of the word, and she turns around to take a peek.

her eyes — she swore it was playing games on her.

the girl is a lot shorter than their boss, hair adorned by clips and neatly styled. her choice of clothing is… impressive, the blouse — the frilly collars. how does minji describe it?

it's cute and pretty, with her pencil skirt firmly hugging her figure.

everything about this girl screamed fresh, even the smile on her face.

such energy was like chugging water after walking on a desert.

"good morning! i'm l/n y/n! i will do my best and i hope everyone takes good care of me."

after that, minji finds herself nervous every now and then.

you walk around the office quite often, initiating conversations with other officemates every now and then. you're so peaceful but not in a way it's hard to approach you, considerate, kind and joyful.

you're like the water and the sun.

minji can't get you off of her mind,

and it's only the first week.

it's a torture.

the second week came.

like a game, when you spot minji getting a drink, you offer her the coffee you made, you watch as her eyes examine yours — her reddish ear tips went unnoticed but she slowly takes it from your hand and walks away. she starts to wonder whether you can read her mind, afraid you might read along her lines.

not only your coffee tasted heavenly, your voice is like the call of angels.

your outfits were always on the same level of cuteness, it seems like you're always ready for the day.

you go to work happy and go home the same.

everyone likes your energy and for the first time, the boss wasn't trying to torture a newbie.

she should be mad, jealous, insecure or whatever.

but she can't bring herself to hate you.

your eyes, your smile, your hair, your perfume — the flower patterns in your socks you wear every thursday. even the bear in your phone case and lock screen.

oh how bad it would be for minji to find out you're taken.

but she doesn't realize it yet, she doesn't realize that she's wishing you're single.

"hi ms. kim, i thought you'd like another cup of my coffee so i brought you one again." you peek from the walls of her cubicle, eyes burning on the back of her head as you watch her type in a steady motion.

minji stops and breathes a small huff before turning her head a bit. "just place it on my table, thanks." she mutters, eyes trying not to graze over your figure who walks slowly towards her cubicle and stops right in front of the table, gently placing the cup of copy on top of the wood painted table.

it's been 4 weeks since you've started. the office tried planning to conduct a small party to welcome you but you declined saying that all the time can be given to work so no one gets burdened.

how dare you…

how dare you snatch minji's heart just like that?

you're so understanding, caring and pretty. minji's mind whirlpools when she sees you, her heartbeat races in your presence and her knees fall weak at your smiles.

"ms. kim? you've been working for quite some time and you haven't thought of going out of your cubicle at all… is everything going out fine?" you ask her, your voice ever-so-lovely when those words slip out of your lips. minji pauses and leans on the table, her eyes everywhere but yours.

"i'm alright here, i don't really go outside. so i'm fine." she says, you couldn't help but nod yet you feel compelled, you really did want her to have a conversation with everyone as she's always alone in her own little world.

you nod in understanding, not forgetting to beam a smile at her.

when you left, it felt like there was a cold wisp of air blowing on her face— now, it truly felt lonely inside her small space. minji stares at the screen, wondering what you might be thinking right now as she turns around to see you talking to a male colleague of the same age. her heart clenches in worry, realizing how much she needed your presence to ease her tense feelings.

you continue on your own little job, working on designs and papers inside the office, printing posters every now and then and talking to the chief.

minji goes out of her cubicle, not forgetting to peek and she makes her way to the small kitchen of the office, where you were hanging out with other office mates during break. the others spot her, all being left in surprise when they spot the quiet, reserved and cold girl.

"o-oh! minji…" this was the first time they saw her out during the hour where others were out too. you can clearly see the shock written on their faces, you smile at minji and grin. "oh my, ms. kim good to see you!" you tell her.

minji nods at you before excusing herself for some coffee and you follow.

"hi, i can make the coffee for you and you can sit down for a moment ms. kim, i don't mind." minji and you stand in front of the counter, where minji holds a cup reaching out to the coffee machine. her eyes follow yours, feeling flustered. "u-uhm, it's okay." she mutters.

"no really! i don't mind, i'll be making your coffee as long as you want me to." you smile as you reach out to the cup in her hand, your delicate fingers touching hers.

truth to be told is that you like your senior, her presence puts you in a trance, you love her passion in her work but at the same time worried for her. she's so calm and collected, clearly not in a rush like the world is, she's so intelligent.

you love checking her cubicle to make sure she's doing well, like getting her to talk to you so you can hear her voice call your name.

you love doing things for her, that salary doesn't matter much when you're working — you just love her that much.

her hard work pays her well, but she's very lonely and you can tell that, hearing from the others that she often comes home to an empty house and does all the work herself.

that leads her to being independent about any stuff.

when both of you got promoted, the boss insisted on a party and a small dinner at a restaurant. you were happy but worried minji might not be up to it, so you decided to speak up and say.

"if it's fine, we can ask ms. minji if she's okay with it. i'm fine with whatever though." you tell everyone, turning your head to minji's office — now that she's promoted, seeing as she's busy once again.

your boss sighs and looks up at you.

"how about you ask her? she might not care if it came from us."

so you did,

you knock at the walls surrounding her office, peeking your head.

when your eyes meet hers, you feel your heart melt. you take a deep breath, preparing yourself before speaking.

"hi ms. minji, are you busy?" she only stares at you before standing up.

"not really… why?" she asks you, her voice patient.

you feel your face heat up at the intensity of her gaze.

"well, the boss was planning to hold a small dinner later to celebrate and i was worried you might not want to come. because i can postpone it if you want."

minji shifts her gaze.

"why? if you want to then go." she says, you frown and bite your bottom lip.

"no it's because… i want you to be there."

minji holds her breath before clearing her throat.

"oh, i — i guess, i'll come. if you want."

you couldn't help your smile as you hop, before laughing and putting a hand on your mouth.

"wait, really?" you look up at her, eyes glimmering in happiness.

she nods and gives you a small smirk.

"yeah."

the dinner was kind of awkward, almost everyone wanted to say something to minji but were all holding back in fear of pushing a button or two,

except of you of course.

you're sure she likes your presence, sitting beside her at dinner and asking her things — the type of work she enjoys, what's her favorite drink, food and more.

she answers them occasionally and sometimes just looks at you as you converse with other people.

you drank a little too much…

and minji excused herself to the restroom in which you followed, seeing her washing her hands.

"ms. kim." you call out to her, you see her turning her head — eyes recognizing you immediately. "hey, y/n." she says almost as soon as she sees you get closer.

you reach out to her forearm, caressing her as you lean to her shoulder, taking her off guard.

"u-uh… uhm. hey, ms. l/n?"

you huff, smelling her fresh perfume.

"ms. kim? do you like me?" you ask her in a hush whisper.

meanwhile you reek the smell of mixed alcohol with a peach scent, the scent wafts around the restroom and sends minji into an orbit.

she feels a sharp breath inside of her.

"w-what do you mean..?" she asks.

you laugh at her and clutch her arm, leaning closer.

she would like to lean in for a kiss but you are drunk.

maybe one would taste better if you were sober.

"you know what i mean, dummy." you giggle.

minji looks away, blushing — she clears her throat and tries to push you away but you hold her wrist. "no! ms. kim! answer me." you lean closer, this time minji reaches for your waist and squeezes the body under her palm.

the action made you weak.

"you're drunk." she reminds you, but you shake your head and put a hand on her shoulder, refusing to back down. "no, you just have to answer me." your persistence really shakes her core.

minji sighs.

"yes, you're really cute. that's all."

your eyes shift to her plump lips and you smile, leaning in but minji was quick to turn her head so your lips touch her cheek instead.

you can't stop giggling after, making minji frustrated.

"i'll accompany you home."

contrary to popular belief, you do remember what happened— it's quite vivid, the memories of that night.

you think maybe, she really just sees you as nothing but the cute junior in work and that's all…

you didn't want to make it that deep but it made you sad, quite.

at least she acknowledges you, but it really doesn't feel enough.

does ms. kim really just don't like me?

minji on the other hand, was weird because you didn't visit her office like you usually did.

did something happen?

well something did happen.

she makes a mission to reach out to you and when she sees you, you're alone in the kitchen — staring at the wall.

you don't notice her footsteps as she gets closer, stuck in your little own world where you imagine a different (maybe?) universe with her, living in one home, sharing stuff, doing the laundry together and cooking for her…

"ms. l/n." her voice is firm, you shoot up and look at her with wide eyes.

"ms. kim?!" you place a hand on your mouth before standing up. her eyes show worry, but she brushes it off and puffs her chest. "is something the matter? you're not your usual self today." she says, as if she knew.

well, she does.

doesn't she?

you shift your gaze with a small sheepish laugh.

"i'm just occupied with stuff on my plate right now, do you need anything, ma'am?" you ask her, in which she shakes her head and leaves, slightly regretting not confronting you about the last time when she just heard your small but vague confession.

"fuck." she whispers when she closes the door to her office, planting her face on her palms, feeling the slight sweat.

packing your things to head home, you bid your goodbye to your colleagues with a warm smile. you make your way to an elevator and when it was about to shut a hand sneaks its way inside, a rather familiar large hand by the way. when the doors were forced to open, it reveals your senior now turned into manager.

"ms. kim!" you were surprised, because she usually doesn't take the same route as you do.

minji looks at you with her round eyes and enters inside, pressing a button to the ground floor. it was quiet for a short amount of time only, with minji trying to gather all the courage inside her to talk to you.

"do you have plans tonight?" she asks, after she saved enough money to get a car (which she used to take you home last time), she's been wanting to take you somewhere else.

you look at her, clearing your throat as you smile and push strands of your hair behind your ear.

"no. not much." you answer.

"good, i want to tell you something." she says, exactly when the elevator opened.

you walk out and turn around. "about what?"

you notice how her hand flinches.

"something… about that night." your eyes widens as you shake your head — smiling at her.

"actually — i remembered i have something… up, tonight." you say, walking immediately away from her. minji noticed the behavior and followed suit until both of you were in the parking lot where the exit was found and her car was parked.

"ms. l/n, what's the matter? did i say something wrong?" minji asks, catching up quickly and you stop before shaking your head rapidly and frowning on her. "no! it's just that… i'm so sorry i put you in that situation and i'm so stupid for saying such things it's just because — ms. kim i love you. you don't have to love me back because it's okay. i understand that… but all i wanted was for us to be something — i wanted to be your girlfriend and do things for you, like i want to cook for you and do your laundry. make you coffee and fix your collar. everyday."

you pause and feel your cheeks heating up.

"but of course you don't like me that way and maybe i was so drunk and i really didn't mean to sound off putting but i did really like you. it's true." you add before looking down.

"i never said i don't like you." minji mutters, you slowly look up to her and see her approaching closely.

with slump shoulders, she continues.

"i said yes, you're cute."

you blink and reply. "but that's all, right?"

minji chuckles and shakes her head. "no, not quite. it's because you're drunk and you might not get it, but i do like you as much as you do, maybe more. yeah, i appreciate what you do for me and what you will do."

you feel tears prickling in the corner of your eyes, sobbing.

"you love me too?"

minji laughs, eyes turning crescents with her cheeks red.

"yes, i love you too."

with that, you rush towards her and embrace her in a hug, she catches you and wraps her arms around you.

your lips touch hers in a kiss, with her still holding you tight in her arms where you nestle closer for warmth.

feeling so happy, minji realizes she's never felt this type of happiness ever before — clearly missing out your existence. there's always been a space for you in her life, maybe she just didn't find it earlier — but there it is! with everything for you to have, she gives up the loneliness she's always had for a long time before you came into her life and makes a space for you to settle in forever.

she's not the same old grumpy, quiet, and mysterious colleague anymore.

well—

maybe still grumpy, but less sad and not lonely anymore.

[flyawaybird444]

[11:11] make a wish

✩•̩̩͙*I see forever in your eyes*•̩̩͙✩

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⋆⁺｡˚⋆˙‧₊‧˙⋆˚｡⁺⋆ ⋆⁺｡˚⋆˙‧₊☽ ◯ ☾₊‧˙⋆˚｡⁺⋆ ⋆⁺｡˚⋆˙‧₊‧˙⋆˚｡⁺⋆

{Description} Stray Kids with a spiritual S/O

This was just a ✨shower thought✨ i had earlier, and I figured it was the perfect thing to kickstart my blog or whatevs 🤷🏻‍♀️

{Warnings} None? Maybe religious themes? Tarot reading?

——— ⁺⋆ ⋆⁺｡˚⋆˙‧₊☽ ◯ ☾₊‧˙⋆˚｡⁺⋆ ⋆⁺ ———

When you first brought Hyunjin home, he spent a long time looking through all your crystals. He was interested to learn what they were, but he didn’t really care about the spiritual properties. Our boy just likes pretty things ok TT

Even years later he still loves going into crystal shops and apothecaries to see the handmade jewelry and other trinkets. He 100% thinks it’s so cottagecore. He takes candid polaroids of you while you’re meditating or walking around your favorite metaphysical shop because he thinks you’re so beautiful when you’re in your happy place, and your devotion to it is attractive to him. Hyunjin really likes candle spells because he says they’re romantic. He asked you once as a joke if you put a love spell on him and you said yes. He didn’t realize you were kidding at first and had to contemplate his life for a second.

Han is always happy to talk about the things you love. He likes the surface level stuff like crystals and meditation/manifesting, and even some spell work, but do not show this man any type of divination because he will be terrified. You once pulled out your pendulum to ask it a question, and as soon as it started swinging he was ready to call a priest. He’d probably take a lot of convincing to let you read his tarot cards. He has a lot of anxiety about the future as it is, and he also doesn’t understand how a deck of cards could possibly know him that well.

Supportive boyfriend award goes to Felix on this one. He wants to know anything and everything, will ask to look at your grimoire, wants you to read his tarot cards literally all the time.

“Y/N, I don’t know what i wanna eat for dinner, can you ask your cards what i should have?”

“I- Lix that’s not how that works”

He absolutely love’s apothecaries and metaphysical shops because he says they feel happy inside. You ignited such a love for incense in him, when you guys go out he always smells like smokey vanilla and it’s great.

Chan Is an old soul. If he hasn’t already delved into spirituality himself, he’s the most likely to become spiritual when he starts dating you. He’s very respectful and mature about it, and knows not to touch anything on your altar. Chan also loves to meditate with you in the mornings. You told him once that you felt a connection with the moon, and since then he always sends you photos of the moon when it looks pretty. 110% he wants to get high with you and talk about your ideas on the afterlife and the multiverse. Tarot readings help ease his mind when making tough decisions, so every now and then, the two of you will sit down with a glass of wine and do a reading.

Changbin doesn’t believe in it at first. He thinks tarot readings and divination is an act, and he’s definitely the type to ask the typical “well how do you explain __” questions. Then the day you gave him a really detailed tarot reading and the situation played out exactly as the cards said it would the following week, he started to realize it was very real. He’s really interested in divination because it challenges his logical brain. He likes looking at the forged weapons at your local metaphysical supply shop, and is secretly dying to play with the Tibetan singing bowls.

For Minho, he likes candle spells, but not for the same reason hyunjin likes them. He thinks they feel powerful when you do them, and that’s the thing he likes most about your practice. Wants to learn about hexing. He likes the comfort in your protection spells, and he thinks money and luck spells are really cool. He once watched you do a money spell and then find a $100 bill in your coat pocket, and he was sold immediately. Tries to manifest really random things into happening like finding stray cats to pet when he goes on walks.

Seungmin is so attentive with you, and he’s supportive boyfriend number three out of the group. He’ll ask you questions all timidly because he doesn’t wanna accidentally offend you or sound dumb when he doesn’t know something. He also frequently brings home cool rocks he finds for you because he knows you like them. Seungmin likes that you’re grounded and connected to the earth, and really loves going on nature walks to forage with you.

Jeongin is confused. But he’s also easily impressed by everything you do. The first time he sees you open a circle before doing a spell, he’s so hype.

“WOW NOONA THAT IS SO COOL, but also what is it?”

He acts like you’re doing a magic trick when you’re reading his cards. Will literally give you a round of applause when something you say resonates with him. He’s also the type to want to touch and play with literally everything in the apothecary. Once, he accidentally put his candy wrapper on your altar without thinking and was paranoid for like a month after.

[AN: Hi, if you like this ily and you should send me requests for more. Mwa 💋]

[cinnajun]

ᵕ̈ ೫˚∗: like clockwork | njm

summary | fights with jaemin are impossible because he never takes them seriously. so, when you get into a relationship-ending fight with him, you decide on an ultimatum: if he doesn’t apologize first this time, you're going to cut the string of fate.

genre | non-idol! jaemin x fem reader. angst and a little fluff like at the end (if you consider it that)

warnings | over-dependence (from both sides), generally just a toxic relationship whoops sorry jaemin

wc | 2.1k

a/n: this is like a part two? i guess? to nct dream after a fight, except i don’t think jaemin is very nice when it comes to arguments

jeno’s ver

YOU’VE BEEN SITTING in your ex-roommate’s living room for three hours, crying into her blankets while she tried to console you. You weren’t sure what to feel—anger, sadness, confusion, or maybe all three—at this point.

Jaemin was, in all senses of the phrase, a perfect boyfriend. Your friends fawned over him and his consideration, the way he bought you bouquets and little teddy bears from time to time, the way he agreed with you on everything you said. They fawned over the way he planned out your whole future, from beginning to end, as if you were never going to break up.

And, to be honest, you thought there’d never be a chance you would break up. Seriously, you’d started dating in your last year of high school, and you’d never gotten close to breaking up in the years that followed.

Now, you weren’t so sure.

You had to fight sometimes. No matter how unargumentative he was, how he never cared about how late you stayed out or who you were friends with, there were always going to be bumps.

Your roommate helped you realize that, after every single fight, you were the one to apologize. Without fail. An hour ago, you’d gone through every single argument you had (you could count the number on one hand), and, no matter who started it, you always had to be the one reaching out for forgiveness.

None of those fights were as big as this one, but you knew it would stay the same.

Today was your fifth anniversary of being with him. You’d spent weeks saving up for a gift for him, working extra hours and budgeting so he wouldn’t notice such a big purchase in your shared expenses. It was simple, a thin bracelet with a few fancy gemstones and his initials engraved onto it, but it meant a lot to you.

Jaemin didn’t get you anything.

You’d never especially celebrated anniversaries, at least not with presents, but you had made it clear that five years was a big deal to you. On the day of, today, you spent hours preparing your apartment, even taking the day off so you could prepare.

Then, at around 5, Jaemin sent a text saying he was going to get drinks with Donghyuck. Then, you hinted that you’d prepared dinner. Then, he asked you to put some in a tupperware for him so he could savor it the next day.

By that point, you were near tears, and the only thing you managed to type out was: what about our anniversary?

He caved at that, saying he was on his way home. By that point, though, the night had been ruined for you; maybe you should’ve let him go so you could calm down, take a few deep breaths, and complain to your friends. But, something in that naive mind of yours said this could be fixed, and you believed that inkling.

Jaemin returned home looking annoyed. You watched as his face morphed from mild discontent to shock as he stared at your decorated kitchen, with flowers everywhere and a cute sign you’d spent the whole morning making.

“Babe, when did we do stuff like this?” was the first thing he asked. At that moment, you saw concern, guilt, but that was the only time that night you saw remorse at all.

“We didn’t,” you agreed briefly, taking a sad bite of the cookies you had made. Your dinner was cold now, uneatable by your standards. “But five years isn’t a short amount of time, Jaemin, and I have been talking about it for months.”

The rest of the fight was a blur. When your voice raised, he implored you to calm down, to just listen to him. He kept a level head throughout the whole thing, spitting logic and reasonability at your emotional outburst. Things about how he hadn’t budgeted for gifts, how he never thought it would be this big of a deal, how you never told him it would be this big of a deal.

The way he spoke to you was condescending, as if he had everything under control, everything figured out, everything according to his wants. You recognized his tone of voice well because it was nearly identical to the tone your superiors, male superiors, took when they spoke to you at work. You knew he felt like he was the rational one, and that you were overreacting.

Nothing was fixed. You remember grabbing your jacket, slinging it over your shoulders, all while Jaemin told you to stay and “figure yourself out.” You didn’t listen, yanking one of the kitchen drawers open and pulling out the small, velvet box where the bracelet lay. In your anger, you threw it at him, leaving him to stare while you took yourself (and the pretty dress you’d put on) elsewhere.

“I think you need to tell him to apologize,” your ex-roommate suggested, handing you a bowl of popcorn intermixed with M&Ms. “I’ve never heard of Jaemin acting like that much of an asshole.”

That night, you set an ultimatum. If Jaemin couldn’t take your concerns seriously, your needs seriously, then you obviously couldn’t be together. If he could not take this seriously, then you would not be together.

So, you sent a text:

If you aren’t the one to apologize this time, we need to have a talk about our relationship. I’ll give you a week.

-

Four days pass, and you’re regretting it. Jaemin has been your entire adult life, and you’re not sure if you can live without him.

All your friends are on your side, telling you that, if this is the end, they’ll be here to help you recover. They give you tips on separating your bank accounts (when you and Jaemin decided to do that about a year ago now, you had been giddy, thinking this meant marriage was now in the picture), how to find an apartment on your own, ways you can keep yourself safe and sound when you were home alone.

Still, you were nervous. His only response to your text had been a small “okay,” all lowercase, with no emotion behind it. You hadn’t even opened the text at your ex-roommate’s behest, as she claimed “opening it means he knows you’re thinking about him.”

You were going to regret this, one part of you said. The other part insisted this was good for you, that you couldn’t live your whole life dependent on someone who wasn’t dependent on you. That your relationship with Jaemin might’ve been toxic anyways, maybe even suffocating, because who wants their entire life planned out at 22?

Deep down, you know that your breakup will destroy your life. You’d probably go back to your parents for a bit, wondering if Jaemin talked to his friends about how you always told him that you’d never been too fond of them. You’d watch as his life sailed on perfectly fine without you, always planned to a T, always ready for an unexpected iceberg or two.

Jaemin’s life was like clockwork: constant, yet moving forwards with no chance of looking back. No matter the clock he was adorned by, his ticking would not end until the clock was destroyed beyond repair.

Yours was not. Yours was planned around his planning, every move decided upon with his opinion, every decision made with his watchful eye leading you through.

You were his clock.

No clockwork could exist without a clock, though. 

- 

You stood outside your apartment door, key in hand, ex-roommate parked outside. Part of you didn’t want to go inside, didn’t want to face reality if reality meant the end of your life’s only constant. But, a week had passed, and you would not let yourself fall now.

You shoved the key into the doorknob, clicking it open with the slow turn of your wrist, and pushing it open. Jaemin was sitting on the floor, scratching the chin of your shared cat.

“Are you ready to talk now?” he asked, not turning his attention away from the cat. He assumed the tone of voice he’d kept that night, a tone that made your stomach churn.

“I don’t think you understand this, honestly,” you replied, slipping your shoes off and trudging farther into the apartment. He rose from the floor, following you into the living room, where he’d sorted your flowers into one of the many vases he’d bought a couple of ago.

“Enlighten me, then. Let me understand,” he replied, sitting down on the sofa. You sat in the single chair across from him, leaning your elbows on your knees.

“I took extra shifts to buy you that bracelet, Jaemin. I talked about our anniversary for months, and you pretended to listen to every word I said, but, down to the wire, you don’t even acknowledge it,” you breathed out, trying to keep yourself as level-headed as he presented himself to be. “You didn’t even plan on coming home for dinner.”

“Who said I was pretending? Listen, [First], your months of talking were just little ideas and hints. You never said anything outright, so I didn’t think it would be such a big deal—”

“I’m not here to fight again,” you cut him off, clenching your fists and biting back the tears in your eyes. “I’m here for an apology, and if you can’t give me something as simple as that, I am going to break up with you.”

Jaemin’s eyes widened as if that was the last thing he expected to hear. The whole room went silent, save for the quiet meows of your cat, who was currently rubbing her back against your leg. Jaemin didn’t seem like he knew what to say, or what to do, which was the last situation he wanted to be in in most cases.

He opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. He squeezed his eyes shut, covering his face with his hands, as if he was in some sort of shock. Not wanting to speak until he decided on his response, you just leaned back in the chair, staring at him.

Jaemin dropped his hands from his face, staring at the coffee table. Your cat took off elsewhere, blissfully unaware of the gravity of your situation.

Finally, he said, “You can’t do that.”

“Excuse me?”

“You can’t break up with me now,” he repeated, looking up at you. “Not after—”

“After what? You planned out my entire future for me, to fit your tastes?”

“Not after I planned my whole life around you.”

You went quiet at that. Something in that statement didn’t feel right, at least not to your mind. There was no way Na Jaemin’s perfect life plans had you in mind, not at all. He was the center of the universe, and you were the stick threatening to pop his perfect balloon. In what world had everything been planned around you?

“If an apology is what you need, I will give it, but you have to promise you won’t leave now. Not over something like this,” he continued, letting his voice crack. A single tear fell down his face, and, you swear to god, you have never seen him panic like this. “I’m sorry, [First]. It’s my fault your anniversary plans fell through, and it’s my fault I didn’t think the ideas were anything more than ideas. I loved the bracelet and will never treasure anything more in my entire life. Okay? Is that enough?”

You didn’t know what to say. Jaemin immediately began wiping at his tears, sniffling, trying to get himself in order, trying to keep the clock ticking. Slowly, you stood up, approaching the sofa. You took an awkward seat next to him, trying to hold back the reactionary tears at him crying.

So, instead of verbally agreeing, you wrapped your arms around his waist, holding him tightly. He kept wiping at his tears, desperately striving to return to his usual calm self. After a few seconds, though, he gave up, returning your embrace in earnest. He buried his head in your shoulder, repeating “I’m sorry” every few moments.

“It’s okay,” you whispered, shocked that he was just as scared as you were. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” he responded, pulling you closer. “Our sixth anniversary will be the most extravagant thing you’ve ever seen. Same with our twelfth, our eighteenth…”

“I can’t wait,” you hummed.

At the end of the day, you learned that, although they are separate in theory, a clock can’t work without its clockwork, and the clockwork has no function without a clock.

thank you for reading!

[bluebayousblog]

RUMOR HAS IT (pt. 7)

(Drew Starkey one-shot)

This is not a full on story but if you want more l'll be happy to add on upon request

Plot: in which drew and isobel address a false rumor in the most abstract of ways

Setting: dinner with the cooper’s and starkey’s

Disclaimer: Isobel is an OC, 18+

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

PART 6

The holidays’ with the Cooper and Starkey family were filled with a multitude of dinners, business events, and surprises that did not seem to dim as the years have passed by. Since Isobel and Drew left for college they made it a tradition to host a dinner in honor of their return from fall semester of school. Each year they alternated hosts, and since Drew’s family hosted last year they were having dinner at Isobel’s.

She loved coming home for the holiday’s and spending time with her parents. Being so far away gave her a lot of opportunity to miss them, and most of the time when her mother, Lora, came up stairs to question her until she worked her way up to asking about a possible boyfriend she didn’t mind, but this year was different and the reason was because of the boy who was downstairs hopefully keeping his cool around their fathers.

“Isobel, I just refuse to believe no man has tried to get your attention at University.” Her mom exasperated, her hands waving in the air with so much sass. She was so animated, something Isobel always found endearing about her. She also has inherited this dramatic characteristic, but it came out most when she was around her, when she was the most comfortable to truly be herself.

She hated how it was inevitable that she was going to have to lie to her mother over the course of the break. Sure, she didn’t have to share all of her personal business with her, but it didn’t make her feel any less guilt for pretending like she wasn’t involved with her father’s business partner’s son. The relationship they had with the Starkey family added a layer of complexity to the entire situation, and only added to her anxiety about the truth coming out.

“I’m not gonna settle for what that school has to offer, Mom.“ Isobel responded. Apart from her dwindling interest in dating since her last relationship, she’d always lived by this sentiment ever since being exposed to what her college had to offer. There were cute guys of course, but none she would enter into a serious relationship with.

Drew did not fall into that category of men that attended her university for a multitude of reasons. She’d known him going on ten years now, he was the son of a very successful man that happened to be in business with her father, and above all else he was a friend—something she was realizing meant much more to her then it did a few weeks ago.

It was an effort to meet her mother’s gaze, but when she did it her eyes were filled with what seemed to be pride. When tears slithered onto her water line she knew her mother was about to start gushing and getting all sentimental as she did every time they were apart, “I just don’t know how I got so lucky to have such a resilient woman as my daughter.”

Isobel’s heart squeezed, her mother always had the ability to appreciate the things about her that truly mattered. She still complimented her beauty more than anyone she knew, but from a young age before she matured physically, she always felt special with what she had to offer internally because of her.

“Mom, I’m the lucky one.” She wrapped her arms around her in a gentle hug, Isobel knew her mom would be the most understanding when it came to finding out about Drew, even if their relationship never progressed past what it was currently, but she also knew it would hurt her to know Isobel felt she couldn’t confide in her. She’d always known Isobel had trouble expressing her feelings, and because of that she never pressured her into it—but still when Lora found out she’d waited weeks to tell anyone she was being cheated on, she held her in her arms so long it made it up for all the time Isobel had spent hurting in silence, “I promise you will be the first to know when there’s another guy.”

Drew had always been in her life, and though he seemed to now view her as more than a friend, that’s all it was at the moment. Lust and pure infatuation. Neither one of them had expressed wanting more, and to Isobel a few hookups was not worth spilling the beans to her family or friends—especially with his past. She’d already been the girl who was blindly cheated on, and she did not want to be viewed as just another one of Drew’s conquests. She knew she wouldn’t be able to take the pity this time because she knows what she is getting herself into and how it could potentially end—and to Isobel that was far worse.

“You only tell me when you’re ready.” Her mother stated, sighing before standing to walk into her closet to fetch the dresses she purchased for her to wear to different occasions over break. Isobel knew she was spoiled, but her mother took pride in refreshing her closet when she was away, and if she objected she would only be ignored, “Okay, my darling girl black satin or white satin with pearls.”

The emphasis on the last option told her which dress her mother was leaning towards, “Mom, I’m twenty-two I can dress myself.”

“I know you can, but let me have my fun during the holidays, this was my favorite thing to do when you were a little girl.” She gave Isobel the the widest smile, one that she passed down to her, raising the white dress up higher in the air now completely revealing her preference of the two choices.

Isobel playfully rolled her eyes with a sigh before taking the hangers from her hands and slipping in the bathroom to get ready.

Drew’s parents and brother were on the way when he went into one of the guest rooms of what had practically been his second home for the last decade. He packed a suit so he could just get ready and save the hassle of driving to his house and back.

Clad in a casual dinner attire, black slacks and a green button up with no tie, he stepped out of the room he’d spent so many nights in. As soon as the door latched shut his father’s voice could be heard from the formal den where they always had cocktails before dinner, “…everything is set up for him, let’s just hope he doesn’t go back on his word in the next five months.”

He knew his father was talking about him and the job offer that had been waiting for Drew ever since he walked across that stage at his high school graduation. He’d been allowed a grace period before he accepted his fate, in which he tried to find different passions in college but nothing ever stuck—everything led back to Cooper & Starkey Inc. Charles Starkey didn’t like Drew’s hesitation in joining the family business, he’d always made that known, especially in the last four years, and when he wasn’t verbalizing it you could see the disapproval set deep in his eyes. He still had a great relationship with his father, but he hated how the topic of Drew’s future could so easily damper their bond.

“Well isn’t it the man of the hour, Drew.” Richard Cooper’s deep voice barreled through the room, a smile spread across his lips that reminded him of the girl that had been clawing at his mind for the past few weeks.

Drew greeted him with a handshake, to which the massive man yanked his arm and pulled him into a hug. They patted each other on the back as men tended to do, and Drew once again found himself wondering how Richard found himself in finance when he looked like a competing body builder. He’d always reminded him of Mr. Bubbles from Lilo & Stitch, it was his first impression of him that first day he came over to meet with his father to start their company. He always appreciated that Richard never pressured him into making a decision about the job offer, though he wasn’t his father, they were so close that his opinion did mean something. And those days when Charles was coming down on him about procrastinating, Richard simply telling Drew to take his time meant more than he knew.

“How are you, Cooper?” Drew smiled as they pulled away and sighed in amusement when he began dramatically inspecting him for anything out of place as he always did. Richard always thought that Mr. Cooper was too formal for how much time their families spent with each other, so they settled on Drew just calling him Cooper years ago. His eye twitched at the idea of him somehow picking up that he’d been messing around with his daughter just from the simple once over.

“I trust you got Isobel home without any issues.” His father interjected completely killing the moment—just as he was serious about the company he had the same attitude toward’s Richard’s daughter, especially if Drew had anything to do with her. He swiftly stood up from the sofa and walking over towards them with his younger brother Chandler following behind. Charles also looked extremely well for his age, not as built as Cooper but still youthful nonetheless.

Chandler’s eyes brightened at the mentioning of Isobel and it took all of Drew’s restraint not to visibly show his annoyance at how pathetic his little brother’s crush on her was. It started two years ago when he turned sixteen, they were all home for the summer in the back by the family pool when Isobel showed up in a little black bikini that would push him over the edge if he ever saw her in it now. But it was his little brother who’d taken a long, thorough look at Isobel and hadn’t been the same since. Everytime she was around Chandler’s face turned entirely red while his mouth was hindered useless in her presence.

Everyone found his little crush endearing and harmless, she was obviously older so nothing would ever come out of it—and it definitely was not reciprocated on her end. The entire family teased Chandler about it, but now that he was maturing and graduating high school this year Drew hoped his infatuation for her would die down a bit. He found it pathetic to be in a situation where he was jealous of his little brother crushing on the girl he was hooking up with, though the fact that he saw Isobel in a romantic aspect before he ever did was at the very forefront of his mind.

Drew had gotten to her first in a physical way, but actually noticing her for all she was and the little things that really mattered—he’d came up short—and that made him feel like the biggest fool.

“Relax, Charles, she’s upstairs in her room with Lora getting ready.” Cooper cracked a smile at how unnecessarily serious Drew’s father could get. His father just shrugged his shoulder’s as if he were saying ‘can you blame me for asking?’

The boy ignored his old man, taking a sip of his whiskey to simmer the annoyance rumbling in his chest, he knew he could be unreliable, but if there was a thing they could trust him with it was Isobel. “How’s it going, kid?” Drew asked Chandler, who always seemed to be on their dad’s good side.

“Everything’s good, it’ll be even better soon.” He gave Drew a lopsided grin, his eyes stuck on the entrance to the den, obviously anticipating someone’s arrival.

Cooper and his father had broken off into their own conversation near the bar, so Drew decided to mess with Chandler a little before everyone came down, “You know you’re eighteen now, don’t you think it’s about time you stop obsessing over the girl?”

“I actually think the opposite, that just means I’m now man enough to handle a woman that fine.” Chandler finally settled his sole attention on Drew, most likely just interested in the subject of the conversation, “You do know she is a woman right, Drew?”

He knew Chandler wasn’t referring to Isobel’s age, but his obvious blindness towards her. All the time they’d all spent together, and Drew had never shown any attraction towards her. It had never been a thought between the families, no encouragement for the two to date—if anything his father subliminally insisted on the exact opposite.

He was always content with their lack of interest in their relationship, especially with going to a prestigious high school where teenagers were being coerced into modern day arranged relationships like it was a sport. Now thinking back it would’ve felt nice if their family felt he was suited to to take care of Isobel, because the way his head was turning now it would be his absolute honor. Though, he couldn’t blame them for never seeing the stability in a potential relationship between Drew and Isobel. Not once had he shown them an instance where he could be man enough to be a good boyfriend to a woman, let alone to their precious gem. They didn’t deem him worthy of possessing such treasure, as he wasn’t sure he was either.

He’d shown he could protect Isobel but not love her the way she deserved to be loved.

“That girl is so gorgeous, Richard, you and Lora created an angel.” His mother’s velvety voice flowed into the room before he could respond to his brother whose attention was now back on the entrance where Lora and his mom, Catherine stood, “Drew, baby, come give your mommy a hug my little bear.”

Drew immediately walked over despite his head hanging low, ears burning in embarrassment at the nickname she insisted using at all times. He loved her regardless of the various endearments because where his father put fear of him being a disappointment she always made up for, “I missed you Mom.”

The way that his mom loved him made him feel like he was capable of spreading that same feeling to someone else, because if he could love his mom that much he could definitely love another woman just as effortlessly. When they finally pulled apart she grabbed his face in admiration before quickly falling back into conversation with Lora about whatever they’d been doing upstairs with Isobel.

“Get all your compliments out about Isobel before she comes down, you know she hates being the center of attention.” Lora softly smiled, they were both extremely reserved at times, and for a split second Drew saw an uncanny glimpse of Isobel in her. Of course they’d always reminded him of each other but now seeing the similarities left more of meaningful impression.

“I find that extremely ironic seeing as she’s always the last person to be ready.” Cooper’s humor pulled a laugh out of everyone in the room as it always did.

He could put a smile on everyone’s face even when it wasn’t his intent, it made him all the more likable to more than just their family, and Drew wondered if a man like Cooper would approve of him being with his daughter.

��Let’s have another drink before the princess gets her hand’s on the champagne.” Even her parents knew about her tendency to be a lightweight. Isobel had accidentally over served herself, and by over served that just meant having two glasses of champagne one night at a business event their father’s hosted after she turned twenty one. Drew tried to keep her intoxicated state under wraps, but when she got up to go to the restroom and knocked over the welcome sign it was no use. No one took it too seriously if anything it made the night that much more enjoyable, that’s what he enjoyed about his family when they were surrounded by the Cooper’s, everything felt so much lighter.

It was similar to how he felt these past three weeks with Isobel, and it was nothing like he felt before.

“What are you all laughing about?” Isobel suddenly graced the room with effortless strides.

She was wearing a silky black dress that adorned her body in a way that made Drew’s stomach twist in a knot and heart squeeze in his chest. He knew from the sight of the bronze gleam on her naked shoulders that she smelled divine and his nose itched to smell her intoxicating scent. Her hair was pulled from her face, falling behind her back with the tips most likely grazing the top of her backside. He’d noticed that about her the other night at his party, how her hair swayed just above her ass in a tempting gesture as she walked away from him to leave the house and take the girls to the bar.

“Nothing to worry your head about my girl.” Cooper answered as he stared at her with evident pride in his eyes saving her the embarrassment of bringing up her little drunken indiscretion.

It always baffled Drew how Isobel could walk into a room like she didn’t have the ability to steal everyone’s very last breathe from their lungs. Always so coy and oblivious to how much of a force she truly was.

Cooper referred to Drew as the man of the hour, but the only way to appropriately describe Isobel in this moment was as the woman of the entire century.

“I hate to admit it but she’s always had better taste than me.” He heard Lora mumbling to his mother and he smiled knowing they’d been up there trying to dress her up. “Stop that Lora, the white dress will be perfect for the cocktail tomorrow night.” his mom comforted her friend.

He forced himself to look away from Isobel before he did something she would deem obvious to their situation, looking over to see Chandler’s face red with heat as expected, his blue eyes wide with awe, “Think you’ll be able to actually form a sentence for her this time Chan?”

Isobel rushed to to hug everyone, she genuinely missed every person in his room while she was away and the time it took to get through all of them said as much. Chandler cheeks bloomed as he shyly wrapped his arms around her, giving her a simple wave and a quiet ‘hi’ when she pulled away, and she couldn’t help but giggle to herself as she turned towards Charles to greet her second favorite man.

She saved Drew for last and as she approached him bearing a suit on his lean body it dawned on her it probably would’ve of been easier to just get him out of the way first because she knew no matter how short she was in his embrace it would leave lasting effects on her body long after. She moved towards him before she could overthink and draw more attention. She all but tripped into his arms, Drew catching her body so swiftly no one seemed to notice her little stumble.

“Careful there, Is.” Drew whispered while his hands held her waist, but for her that may as well have been a sound bath as the words caused the deepest vibration to rumbled out out of his chest right against hers.

She turned her head and placed her ear on his chest as he squeezed her in a comfortable grip, when she heard the steady pattern of his heart beat she wondered if he could feel her’s erratically beating in her chest. She didn’t relax in his arms, she couldn’t or she would melt. The material of her dress was thin, and right now every part of his body and stitch of his suit felt like it was pressing against the entirety of the front of her. She felt both of their hearts pumping when she heard the intake of breathe from above her head, knowing he was smelling her and as weird as it may seem it only made heat rush down her spine. Her fingers gripped the back of his suit tightly, and just as he she began to melt and Drew started to release a shaky exhale, he stepped away.

She quickly sobered, Drew standing behind her as she turned towards everyone. They had a three second hug filled with what felt like an eternity of emotions, and needed to pretend like it was nothing.

“Would you like anything to drink tonight before we go into the dining room, Honey?” Isobel’s mother asked while walking over to the counter to refresh her drink.

Alcohol would definitely ease her nerves and slow the blood that was rushing to her heart from that hug, but under these circumstances she knew it wasn’t in her best interest. She quickly glanced at Drew who was staring blankly into his glass before she turned back to her mother, “No, I’m not drinking tonight.”

Everyone proceeded to burst into laughter from all around the room and Isobel’s cheeks flushed, now more than aware of what they were talking about before she came into the den, “You guys are annoying.” She groaned before walking out of the room to the dining area, her hair swaying just as he expected.

Drew stood there amused as everyone fell in step behind her, Cooper and Lora apologizing to her with giggles spilling out after each word.

“Drew and I will join everyone shortly, don’t wait up.” His father stated, catching Drew off guard as he twisted to face him with furrowed brows. He really wasn’t in the mood for a ‘talk’ with his father that would ultimately end in both of their moods being ruined.

When he saw the pointed look on his face he relented and walked over to the sofa.

“I’m really proud of you, son.” His father’s words came off as genuine as he topped off Drew’s whiskey. Drew wanted to fully appreciate this moment, but the alcohol signified something was looming.

“Thanks, Dad.” He smiled, the two tilting their glasses as he sat adjacent to him on the feathered filled cushions.

His father sat silently, but his eyes said a thousand things as they studied him. He didn’t want to fidget under his gaze, he just wanted to sit comfortably with his dad without judgement coming from him. Drew hated how he had become used to their conversations turning sour to the point where he was bracing himself for it.

Cooper’s hearty laughter bellowed into the room from the dining area and as if on cue his father spoke, “I really am pleased that you accepted the job offer, all I ever wanted was for you to be apart of the company with us.”

In all honesty Drew had done everything he could to avoid working in the family industry. Looking back he wasn’t so sure why he’d been so adverse to the idea. It could’ve been the silver spoon he had in his mouth since he was a young boy or he could attribute it all to just plain boyish immaturity. But now with graduation a semester away it seemed like the only thing that made sense in this impending period of change. It was the same calming feeling he got the first time he kissed Isobel, as soon as he did it the feeling of facing the effects of their actions the next day didn’t scare him.

And now that two weeks had passed each intimate moment between them made him a little bit more accepting of the future.

“Yeah, it felt nice to take that next step, I’m looking forward to it.” He truthfully spoke, though he could relate his sentiments to more than just the job. As messy as getting involved with Isobel was he would never go back, it was a risk he was willing to take. He went with a curious feeling in his gut, and the more that feeling developed the more it felt like a sure thing.

Charles pulled him into a hug and in this moment Drew felt fulfilled, for once he felt like he’d made the right choice. Although, his father words from earlier rang in his ears.

Let’s just hope he doesn’t go back on his word in the next five months.

Then suddenly Isobel’s giggle flowing in the air as it traveled down the hall pulled him out of his thoughts before he spiraled in a fit of self doubt. He needed to exceed his father’s expectations but on his own terms because at the end of the day it was what Drew wanted that mattered.

“I hope nothing is happening that will jeopardize your transition to C&S, Drew.” Charles expressed after pulling away, a layer of animosity stitched within his tone.

Drew knew better than to react, he needed to tread lightly because he knew how his father moved when he was trying to get information out of him. He didn’t know exactly what he was getting at, but he didn’t want to give anything away before he could find out, “Dad I’m committed to the company you don’t have to worry about that.”

“Good because otherwise I’d advise you to end whatever could affect that.” He spoke hypothetically, but the the look in his eyes held exactly what Isobel was trying to avoid. She would have a freak out if she knew this conversation was going on. Or was he just being paranoid? “I’m positive it won’t come to that.” Drew reassured him then knocked back the rest of his drink, making the lie all the more bitter on his tongue.

Charles got up with a laugh and glanced at Drew, shaking his head in amusement at whatever was going on in that wandering mind of his, “You’re really quick with your hands you know, but that’s what I should expect after all those years of baseball right?”

His father again chuckled to himself at his own words. Drew had felt a a number of things during that short hug with Isobel, and he was sure she did too—like a mutual feeling between the two that they kept to themselves. Though it only took Isobel’s tiny stumble and him catching her to raise his father’s suspicions.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PART EIGHT

[freesia-writes]

What do you think Gregor would be like on a first date, especially with someone who hasn't dated in years and maybe feels a little unsure of themselves?

Awwww yeah, let's go on this one! :D Buckle up, reader -- you're going on a date with our favorite amnesiac! I'm putting them on Pabu (or Santorini, take your pick) just because Gregor deserves a beach vacation after his years on that empty sand planet.

No content warnings. It's frickin adorable. ;) And it totally got away from me so it's 2.5k words...

*insert Gregor giggle*

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

You take your hair down again, for the eighth time it seems, letting out a frustrated huff that it seems to be defying your every wish. Glancing at the clock, you feel the anxiety begin to rise, and you make one last attempt at twisting your hair into a half-decent updo. Standing in front of the mirror, you smooth the front of your clothes, studying yourself top to bottom with a critical eye. Why did you agree to this, again? Well, you didn't, you suppose, but you did make the bet, which you lost, and here you are. You cringe as you remember your friend's laughter as he reassured you, "Don't worry -- he's not like the other clones."

Whatever that meant. Either way, it had been ages since you'd been out with anyone, choosing instead to enjoy your quiet life of career, nature, and home. Yet, to spice things up one week, in an impulsive moment of bad judgment, you had taken your friend up on his bet and had wagered a blind date. Deciding this was as good as it's gonna get, you grab your bag and head for the door.

It's a warm, breezy evening, and the enticing smells of a wide variety of dinners being prepared makes your mouth water as you walk through the winding paths of the village. Built on a mountainous island, everything is condensed and vertical, with a seemingly endless maze of walkways and alleys. Your friend made the reservations for the two of you and told you to look for a "guy with eyebrows". You can't possibly fathom this going well, and you realize as you make your way to the restaurant that you're working yourself into a fuss. You reach the doorway and, taking a deep breath, decide to try to let it all go and just see what the night holds. "Try" being the key word.

You enter the restaurant, a rectangular building set on the side the mountain with a bar in the middle, tables scattered throughout, and a balcony along the edge that provided a handful of tables with spectacular views of the houses below, all the way to the water that stretched out into the horizon. You pause in the entryway, scanning the tables for anyone seated alone, and start to feel concerned as you see none. A sudden burst of laughter erupts from the bar, catching your attention.

A man with dark hair, cropped short on the sides but longer and swept back on the top, claps two Pantorans on the back, enjoying a few last chuckles with them, before turning to look around the room. Well son of a Hutt... there's the eyebrows, arched in curiosity. He's a clone, alright, but has an odd way about him. His movements are slightly erratic, and he seemed to be the life of the party a second ago but is now shifting awkwardly on his feet. It's got to be him. You take a deep breath again, and make your way toward him.

"Are you... Gregor?" you ask, once within hearing range, and he whirls to face you so quickly that you're almost startled.

"Depends who's asking!" he says, and a little giggle escapes that seems wildly out of character... well, for any other clone you've met thus far. "But I sure hope you're the one I'm supposed to meet here!" You can't detect any hint of sarcasm or flattery in his voice; it just sounds like a genuine statement. You've been rehearsing a million different scenarios leading up to tonight, anticipating all types of characters, but this one's got you baffled so far.

"Well, if you're Gregor, you're stuck with me!" you say, trying to sound playful but immediately wanting to cringe.

"Lovely!" he claps his hands together, inviting you to the table on the corner of the balcony; it's still relatively early for dinner, so the place isn't too busy, and the tables nearby are empty. But as you get closer to the table, you notice a small bouquet of flowers on one of the place settings, tied neatly with... a napkin?

"Ah, yeah..." Gregor says, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "I have no idea how all of this is supposed to go, but I saw those on the way here and picked them for you... off people's porches!" He giggles again, and you find yourself relaxing a bit, put at ease by his unapologetic glee. "But I didn't have anything to tie them with, so... I'll cover for you if you want to steal the napkin," he winks.

"That's really sweet," you say with a smile, and he beams back at you, plopping into his seat and scrambling back to his feet just as quickly with a little muttered "oops", instead coming to stand behind your chair, beckoning you to sit and carefully pushing the seat in behind you as you do. Now you're uncomfortable again, feeling suddenly as though you have no idea how to act in these situations after all.

The waiter comes, dressed to the nines, holding a bottle in his hand with a white towel draped over his arm. He holds it out to the two of you, eyes moving slowly from you to Gregor, lips pursed in the snootiest expression you've seen in a while.

"Oh! Yes please!" Gregor says enthusiastically, pushing the two crystal glasses on the table toward the waiter, whose brow drops at such a plebeian reaction. He removes the cork with a flourish (and a little "ooh!" from Gregor), then pours a tiny bit into your glass, straightening up expectantly.

"Aww, no need to be shy!" Gregor chimes in, taking the bottle from him and filling both of your glasses to the absolute brim. "We're good for it!" He grins and gives the waiter a thumbs-up, but the only response he receives is a stifled look of horror as the server slowly hands him a menu. Gregor plunks the bottle down onto the table, taking the menu and opening it excitedly.

You do the same, stifling a chuckle of your own, and try to focus on the food options, but you're distracted by the steady stream of muttering coming from behind your date's menu. Peering over the edge, you see Gregor not only reading the options aloud, but providing quiet commentary on each of them... to himself. You almost want to be critical of it, but it's so endearing that you instead discover a warm and fuzzy feeling growing in your chest.

Snapping his menu shut, Gregor returns his attention to you, catching you by surprise. He smiles, tilting his head and regarding you warmly, "So... eh... tell me about yourself?" he invites sheepishly, saying it more as if he's asking if it's the right thing to say rather than actually asking you.

You find a smile on your own face as you launch into what you hope is a very exciting and thrilling account of your career, interests, and story so far, realizing perhaps a bit too late that you've been going on for a while. You drop off rather quickly, stammering an apology, and his face changes from attentive listening to puzzled confusion.

"Why'd you stop?" he asks, with genuine curiosity.

"I... eh... I was kinda going on and on," you admit.

"Well I loved it all!" Gregor replies, and you are surprised to see that he means it. He opens his mouth to continue when the waiter returns, a distasteful look on his face as though he's just swallowed a Bantha hair when he sees that Gregor has repurposed the bottle into a vase for the small bouquet he brought for you.

"And what will you be having this evening?" the server inquires, turning to you first, and you panic, realizing you hadn't actually finished reading the menu. Surprisingly perceptive, Gregor chimes in, "We'll take two of this, please!" He points to the menu and gives the waiter a cheerful nod, followed by a little wave as the stern little man strolls off toward the kitchen. "I hope I wasn't out of line there," he says to you, eyebrows curving up in an impossibly concerned expression.

It all happened so fast, you're not quite sure what to say, but his authentic consternation is so charming that you can't find anything but reassurance, "No! I'm not normally one for surprises, but I guess we'll see if you have good taste!" You've impressed yourself with your witty response, and you smile with a bit more confidence now.

"Excellent, excellent..." Gregor muses, raising his eyebrows and lowering his chin a tiny bit, "I hope you like womp rat stew!"

"What?" you say in shock, unable to fathom that they'd serve something like that here... or, well, anywhere... but your dismay is short-lived as Gregor bursts out into another giggle. You're unable to suppress a grin, and you give him a look of mock sternness.

"Oh, excuse me," he says in response, putting his hands up in surrender, "I'm forgetting my manners." He returns his hands to the table, looking up at you from those expressive eyebrows, and invites you to continue your story from where you left off.

The food comes, empty plates go, and the two of you find yourself lost in conversation. He listens eagerly to your stories, asking questions and seeming to delight in every last detail. You finish your glasses, feeling warm and rummy with bellies full of food and brains sparkling with the slight influence of drink. The conversation turns to him, finally, and you are highly curious to hear what has brought him to this point.

"Ahh, that's quite a story," he says, shaking his head, "but I believe our time here is up!" He stands, beckoning you to join him, and you feel anxious immediately. Did you talk too much about yourself? Was he calling it, just like that? You thought you'd been having a great time, laughing and chatting, so this was an abrupt surprise.

Speechless, you follow him to the doorway of the restaurant, and he offers you an arm, which you take, feeling slightly reassured at the gentlemanly gesture. Without asking, he begins walking, guiding the two of you along a myriad of paths toward the water, talking about a few local birds that he apparently found hilarious. It takes you far too long to realize that he's not walking you home, and you kick yourself for getting all paranoid for nothing.

"So," Gregor says, strolling with ease next to you, "I was a Clone Commando for the Republic..." and he proceeds to tell a nearly-unbelievable account of war, defeat, death-defying survival, amnesia, remembrance, and explosions. You feel shocked that he let you talk for so long when he's got a story like this, and you share as much, earning another one of those little chuckles that you're coming to enjoy quite a lot.

"Well, that's what got me here, but it's definitely not who I am now," he says, still smiling but voice taking on a somber tone. "I mean, my voice wasn't the only thing changed in the explosion; I took a pretty hard hit to the head, you know. So sometimes I get a bit... forgetful." His bouncy composure has softened a bit, revealing perhaps a bit of shame?

You turn your head to look at him more fully, temporarily stopping the leisurely stroll, and discover an expression on his face that moves you to the core. His animated eyebrows have settled low across his brown eyes, which are downcast to the ground in front of you, and his lips are together in a firm line. You feel compelled to speak, though wildly unprepared.

"Well... Who are you now?" you ask, almost cringing again as it comes out. It sounded better in your head, and you begin to try to come up with something better, but he looks at you with a gaze that takes the words right out of your mouth.

"I... I don't really know," he says, with a chuckle that seems more reflexive than intentional. "I guess I'm kind of starting over, in a way." He is suddenly pensive, eyebrows working overtime with all the thoughts rushing through his mind, and you feel another warm rush in your chest at his unguarded truthfulness.

"For what it's worth," you say, feeling emboldened, "I think you're delightful." You hope it's encouraging, because you struggle to wrap your mind around what his existence must be like, but it's also honest, you realize -- you've completely let your guard down and have been thoroughly enjoying your time together.

He smiles, dropping his eyes with a bashfulness that makes you want to squeeze him, and squeezes your hand against his side with the arm you've been holding onto. "I might say the same about you!" he answers, a bit of his playful spark returning, and the two of you continue down the last cobblestoned staircase to the water.

The sun has set and the sky is glowing with a tranquil twilight. Pink and blue hues cast everything in a dreamy glow, and Gregor leads you to a large piece of driftwood, sitting in the middle of it and patting you a seat next to him. You join him, leaving a good few inches between you, and enjoy the warm sea breeze in silence for a moment.

He shifts awkwardly, moving his hands from his lap to the log behind him, then back to his knees, then folding them together. He finally sits up, turning to you, and holds your gaze as he slowly folds one arm in toward himself like some kind of weird praying mantis before extending it out behind you. "Eh?" he says, hovering his arm over your back, one eyebrow arched and a closed-mouth grin on his face.

You smile, scooting closer to him and nestling up against his side, and he takes that as a yes, wrapping his arm around your shoulders with the most endearing little "ha!" you've yet heard. He runs his other hand through his hair, gazing off into the distance as though he's conquered the world. He continues to surprise you with his quiet contemplation, content to simply enjoy the beauty without any need for words and also without it feeling awkward in the slightest.

The cold fog starts to roll in, so he walks you home with your hand snugly tucked into the crook of his arm. The chatter is lighthearted, playful, calm... You feel more relaxed and delighted than you have in as long as you can remember. As you approach your door, a bright blue that contrasts the white arched stucco all around, he gently unfolds his arm and takes your hand in his, lifting it to his lips to place the most tender kiss on the back of it.

"I... ah... I hope we can do this again," he admits, eyes large and eager. "And again, and again..." he laughs.

"I would love that."

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Author's Note: Did I just fall in love with Gregor?!

Just might have.

Thanks a lot, @drafthorsemath ;) <3 <3 <3

[atimeofyourlife]

Whumptober day 9

rated: t | wc: 1743 | prompt: Polaroid | Mistaken Identity | “You're a liar.” | cw: homelessness, implied neglectful parenting Steve becomes homeless after his parents sold the house. He tries to keep up the lie that everything's okay.

Steve knew he would get caught in the lie eventually. It wasn't something he'd be able to hide forever. That his parents had sold the house from underneath him, no offer for him to move with them, no offer of assistance to find somewhere new to live. Leaving him living out of his car until he was able to find somewhere new to live. Having to use the showers at the community pool, which he had access to because he'd never returned the keys after the last summer he'd worked there. Surviving off of to go meals or non-perishable food that he could eat without heating it up. Unless he was at work, then he could use the microwave for something hot. He just wanted to hide the lie long enough to be able to find a place to rent, preferably a place that didn't need a reference.

Robin would have picked it up immediately, but she'd left for college. They had a weekly phone call arranged on his Tuesday night late shift at Family Video. Originally it had been to his house, but he started claiming that his parents were home with no end date to cover up that he was no longer living there. He'd told everyone else the same lie, telling them they could reach him on the walkie if they ever needed him. Robin hadn't been happy, but she'd accepted it, knowing what his parents were like.

The kids grew a little suspicious when he started refusing to give them rides all the time, because he didn't want them to see how stuffed his car was with all his belongings, but they quickly got over it as they were old enough to drive and some of them had cars of their own. He made various excuses, from the price of gas to working over time to needing to help his parents with something. He wasn't sure how much they believed him, but none of them called him on it, and eventually they stopped asking.

It was harder lying to the adults, Mrs Henderson, the Sinclair's, Joyce, and Hopper. Steve felt like they could see right through every lie he told them. Especially as they stepped up and started offering more help to him. Hopper and Joyce inviting him round for dinner at least once a week, often more. Mrs Henderson offering the use of the guest room whenever she saw him, if he ever needed a place to stay. Mr and Mrs Sinclair extending an open invitation for him to show up whenever he wanted to, and always tried to force him into taking leftovers after every visit. He didn't think they knew he was homeless, as he was certain that they would make a bigger deal out of it, but it was obvious they knew something was wrong, most likely that he was having a hard time with his parents being home.

He moved his car regularly, never staying in the same spot for more than two nights in a row. Not wanting to get caught by the police, especially not Hopper. It was awkward, but again he made it work. He had to, if he wanted to get any sleep. On more than one occasion, if he was on a closing shift followed by an open, he would pull his car around to the back of Family Video and sleep there. And there'd been a night during a particularly bad storm where he'd done all the closing duties, and locked himself in for the night, crashing on the lumpy couch in the breakroom so he wouldn't have to try to sleep as the wind and rain battered his car.

But it was only a matter of time before it started to fall apart. He got caught sleeping in his car by the police twice in a week. First time by Callahan when he was parked at the edge of the quarry, then a few days later by Powell up near Lovers Lake. Both times he gave the same excuse, that he'd gotten into it with his parents and needed to get away from them for the night. He realized later that he should have known that information would quickly make it's way back to Hopper. That outside of government mandated ones, there weren't many secrets kept in Hawkins. After that, he tried to find different parking spots, resorting to the dark corner of a parking lot for a motel that was just outside of town. But he only got a couple of nights there before it all crashed down.

It started with Dustin calling him on the walkie just after he'd finished work one day. Declaring there to be a code red, and that Steve needed to meet everyone else at Joyce and Hopper's place immediately. Steve broke a few traffic laws on his way over, horrified that it might be starting again. For what it would mean for the town, for his loved ones.

When he got there, the place seemed strangely quiet and subdued for the Upside Down potentially starting again. He climbed out of the car, and made for the trunk, stopping when he noticed Hopper watching him from the porch.

"You don't need the bat, kid. Just come on in."

Steve felt uneasy as he followed Hopper inside, unsure what was actually going on.

Once inside, everyone was calm. Too calm. No one was panicking, no one was planning, no one was organizing weapons. They were all just sat around waiting, with the tv on low in the background.

"What. What's going on?" He asked hesitantly.

"Steve, honey, we need you to talk to us. Tell us what's happened." Joyce said softly, guiding Steve into the room.

"I. What?" Steve was confused. "I don't- what happened? Is it the Upside Down?"

"Why would it be the Upside Down?" Mike asked from where he was stood against the wall.

"It. Henderson said-"

"You called a code red?" Lucas hit Dustin in the arm. "Why the hell would you do that?"

"We needed to get Steve here without him asking questions." Dustin protested, hitting Lucas back.

"Okay, all of you, pack it in." Hopper warned the kids, before turning to Steve. "Don't worry, Harrington. It's not the Upside Down. We just needed to talk to you."

"Steve, is everything okay at home? Are you safe?" Joyce asked, and Steve froze for a second, terrified that they had found out.

"Yeah, everything's fine. Why wouldn't I be safe?" Steve lied, fighting to keep his expression neutral.

"Powell and Callahan have both told me that they've caught you sleeping in your car on different nights in the last week. That you'd got in a fight with your parents or something." Hopper said cautiously, as if he was trying not to sound accusatory.

"Well, yeah. But you know what they're like. Me and dad clash heads a lot and it's easier for me to leave so we can both cool down. It's not the first time it's happened. When I was younger I used to crash at Tommy's." Steve replied, not exactly lying this time. Because it had happened so many times, even leaving him sleeping in his car or outside before.

"You're a liar." Dustin burst out.

"What?" Steve asked, unsure where Dustin wasn't following the lie.

"You're a liar. You're lying to us. I tried calling you a few days ago and the line's been disconnected."

"My parents wanted to get a new number because they kept getting harassment calls. I guess I just forgot to let you guys know that. I'll get it to you soon." Steve still wanted to dig his way out of it, even though the look on everyone else's face said they didn't believe him.

"The kids told me that calls weren't going through, and they were worried something had happened. So I went round to do a welfare check. It wasn't your parents that opened the door. It was a new family, and when I asked about you, they said they'd brought the house and moved in two months ago. So what is going on?" Hopper said firmly, and Steve knew he was caught.

"Look it's no big deal. I'm managing." Steve got up and tried to leave, but Hopper grabbed his arm before he could.

"Harrington. Steve. You're not going anywhere until you tell us exactly what's been going on. How long you've not been at home, how you've been coping, where you've been staying?"

"We're worried about you, we just need to know that you're okay." Joyce added.

"I'm fine." Steve insisted, but knew he'd have to explain at least some of it. "My parents sold the house. I didn't want to leave, but I've not found a place to rent yet. But it's all fine, you don't need to be worried about me."

"So you're homeless? Have you been sleeping in your car the entire time?" Hopper asked, but Steve didn't answer.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Dustin demanded. "My mom has always said that you can use the guest room whenever you need it. You could have stayed with us."

"Because it's not a big thing. I've been coping just fine. No one needs the burden of me staying with them until I can find a place to rent." Steve snapped his mouth shut as he realized that he'd admitted that he saw himself as a burden.

"Honey, it's not a burden on anyone. We all care about you, and it's never a burden to make sure that you're safe." Joyce replied, her voice tinged with sadness at his answer.

"You're going to stay with us." Hopper said firmly, giving Steve a pointed look when he opened his mouth to protest. "No buts. It's safer for you, for everyone. You can have the guest room for as long as you need it. And if you want me to, I'll cosign for you to get an apartment once you've found somewhere."

"I. I couldn't accept it." Steve started, unsure of what to say about the offer.

"If you don't accept it, we'll tell Robin that you lied to everyone about your parents being home, and that you were actually homeless." Dustin threatened.

Steve knew he was stuck. Robin would just about kill him for not telling her that he'd been made homeless. "Fine. I'll take the guest room. But only until I find a place to rent."