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godslino · 5 months

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IN BLOOM | jisung first date series. second chance lovers.

pairing: jisung x fem!reader word count: 13.2k genre: childhood friends au, angst, fluff, songwriter!jisung, florist!reader warnings: swearing, minor character death, grief/loss (nothing to do with any of the members!) summary: it's february. the tulips are in bloom. jisung is back.

a/n: *taps mic* hello?? is this thing on?? oh good. yes. hi. hello! it's been a while, as most of you can tell. thank you all SO MUCH for sticking around. if you've been reading my asks you'll know that march and april were rough months for me personally. shout out to my anons and mutuals who kept my spirits high and made my days brighter. uhhh, this was originally supposed to be a stand alone fic but i figured hey, what the hell, and made it into jisung's first date chapter. it's pretty heavy stuff. lots of feelings, lots of love. i hope you guys enjoy reading it as much as i did writing it! again, thank you so much for waiting for me. i'll be back soon with more updates! all the love <3

also thank you kenzie for being such a light during all of this. i hope all my screaming in your messages was worth it!

“All of these had to be pulled.” Hyunjin huffs, dropping a few crates just past the doorway.

“Again?” you ask, hands on your hips as you stare at yet another wasted supply. “I don’t understand, they sold so well last year.”

Hyunjin gives you a sad smile. “It’ll pick up eventually, don’t worry. I mean the holidays just finished and business usually slows down in the months after anyways.”

He’s being sincere, you know that. But there’s a part of you that also knows it’s a lot more than just the usual ebb and flow of sales. He’s being nice for your sake.

“Maybe we could try coming up with other ideas?” he suggests, because Hyunjin is nothing if not kind. Always willing, always finding a way.

He moves past you to grab a fresh pair of gloves. The ones he’s wearing are dirty, pollen-stained and ripped at the edges.

“You’ve always been really good at basket arrangements. We could try to make some for Valentine's Day. Different sizes, maybe? The big ones will probably do well for online orders since they’re more optimal for things like office deliveries and stuff like that.”

You hum in approval. “True. I mean, I was kind of worried we would have to skip out on deliveries this year since we don’t have the manpower to handle all of that, but I think Jeongin’s been looking to pick up hours around here again. He said something about his program giving them a month of independent study, so he’ll be home for a bit.” you say, scribbling down a reminder in your notebook. “I could ask him to help with driving the truck in his free time?”

Hyunjin lights up– he always does when Jeongin is mentioned.

It’s been a lot quieter ever since he left for college. There were so many tears and so many hugs that were met with countless 'you guys are dramatic's in return. But it’s hard to not feel sad when people leave town; when they decide the borders lined with apple trees and rice fields aren’t enough to stop their dreams from blooming into more than what’s capable of being pursued here.

That, unsurprisingly, is something you know all too well.

“Can’t believe he’s driving.” Hyunjin laments as he wipes his floral scissors with a rag. “I used to spend my days changing his diapers and spoon feeding him redbulls– but now? Driving? My baby is all grown up.” he fake sniffles. “By the way, I’m gonna take my fifteen after I’m done snipping these tulips.”

You snort, bending down to take the crates of wilted flowers to the back for disposal. Hyunjin moves to help but you shake him off.

“Sounds good. Also, don’t let Innie hear you say that. I’m about a thousand percent sure he has the strength needed to throw you into the dumpster with one arm now.”

“My baby would never do that to me!” Hyunjin calls out as you round the corner, bumping open the back door with your hip.

February brings a lot of rain in Jeju. Today is no different; fat drops landing on your head as soon as you stumble out into the alley behind the shop. Footsteps heavy on wet brick, you curse under your breath as you run as fast as you can to the dumpster.

There’s still a few supply boxes from yesterday’s shipment laying around. You meant to bring them in, but you were so exhausted that it slipped your mind while you struggled to make sure everything inside the shop was figured out.

Scrambling, you haul them in one by one, shoes squeaking against the floor as you alternate in and out, soggy cardboard pressed against the front of your apron.

Hyunjin’s on break. A necessary one at that. You can’t bother him, especially not when he’s done enough by taking on more responsibility both as a physical worker and a newly actualized business partner recently. A few stacks of boxes and wet hair seem like a fair trade off for what he’s had to sacrifice in the past year now.

“Idiot,” you mumble, cursing yourself for carelessness. Your slip ups have been more frequent lately, evident in the way you constantly forget things and can’t seem to push away the haziness clouding your mind.

If it weren’t for the timing of it all, you’d blame it on the weather. The gloominess. The overcast skies probably have some sort of hand in your lack of clarity. Shrouded.

But it’s February. And in Jeju— it rains.

By the time you make it back inside, you’re drenched.

“You look like you just got dunked in a pool.”

You frown, ringing your hair out into the trash bin by the door. It’ll definitely take time to dry off, both your hair and your clothes are soaked through.

Hyunjin watches with an amused look, arms crossed as he leans his back against the counter.

“Might as well have. It’s insane out there.” you sigh. “How was your break?”

You look up to find that his face has gone unreadable.

“Yeah, about that…” Hyunjin trails off, voice suddenly smaller than before.

“Everything okay?”

“Yeah, yeah it’s just–” Hyunjin chews at his bottom lip.

You push past him into the supply room to switch out your apron just as he says, “Do you mind if I leave a little early today?”

You scoff, turning to face him. “Hwang Hyunjin,” you scold, lips twitching when he visibly startles at your tone, “You don’t have to ask me that. We’re partners now, remember? We run this place.”

He shifts on his feet, still unsure.

“Besides,” you huff, tying a knot behind your back, “We were friends way before that, too. You don’t have to be all proper with me. Of course you can leave early. It’s slow today, I can take care of it.”

Hyunjin sighs after contemplating for a second. “Are you sure you’ll be okay, though?”

When he stares at you for a moment too long, you know the real reason for his hesitation. It makes something twist deep in your gut.

Guilt, maybe, amongst other things.

“Of course.” you shrug, doing your best to seem nonchalant.

Hyunjin’s ability to read people is kind of intense, a little scary at times. You happen to be one of his favorite subjects in that regard.

“Have fun. Tell Minah I said hi.”

He pales, sputtering around words as he struggles to say something. It’s cute, his plump lips opening and closing, eyes wild.

“I’m not going to see her! I’m–it’s just a movie! How did you—God, you’re so annoying. I should’ve made you trim the tulips. Hah!”

You giggle. “It’s funny that you think I wouldn’t know, especially with the way you love to actually make yourself look busy whenever she stops by to say hi.”

“I am busy.” he mumbles, looking away. “I just emphasize it a lot more when she’s here.”

“Sure,” you roll your eyes, “Let’s go with that.”

He whines a couple more times, trails after you around the shop and laughs when you swat him away with a rolled up newspaper that’s used for wrapping vases.

It’s loud. Easy. Hyunjin is a gentle reminder that normalcy still exists in your day to day, even if it’s hard to find.

When he finally decides to leave, he lingers for a moment, triple checks that you’ll be okay. You roll your eyes for what feels like the millionth time today, but deep down you’re grateful.

“Love you,” he says, one foot out the door. “Call me if you need anything.”

You shake your head, ignoring him. “Love you too.”

And then he’s gone, a skip in his step as he heads down the sidewalk, leaving you with nothing but freshly-trimmed tulips and the sound of rain.

“Herb snips, shears, tape…” you mumble, scanning the supply shelf.

There’s not much to do in-shop right now. Almost all the arrangements have been tended to by Hyunjin already, his specialty being his keen eye. That’s why he handles the appeal of the shop, leaving you to figure out all the logistics. Learning it all was easier said than done.

In reality, it was never your intention to take over the shop at all.

“When I die,” your grandma would always say, ignoring the way you groaned and begged her to stop bringing it up, “Sell this place. Use the money for something worthwhile. A trip to Greece, maybe?”

“Nana,” you would scold, glaring at her where she stood next to you, trimming a batch of roses.

Wrinkled hands that still held all the skill of youth. Fingers moving at a speed others could only ever dream of having– you included.

Your grandma handled flowers with the same amount of care she did everything else. It’s no wonder that when they grew they would lean in her direction, drawn to her like they would be the sun.

“I’m not selling this place. It’s too special, too important. A vacation only lasts so long, Nana. This is forever.”

She would smile, turn petals over in her hand. Sometimes the marigolds would match the glow in her eyes, a testament to the belief you harbored as a child that she had the ability to sprout blossoms from her fingertips.

“The one thing you shouldn’t do, my dear, is rely on forever. Because that, too, is uncertain.”

You wish you hadn’t been so hard headed. Wish that you would’ve believed her, taken the time to listen, cherished the moment a little bit longer instead of relying on the promise of tomorrow.

I’m sorry for your loss.

Your grandmother was a wonderful woman.

She’ll be with you in your heart, forever.

Oh, what a lie forever is.

The shop stays empty for the rest of the day. There were a few passersby, all of whom simply stopped to scan the arrangements along the windows before giving a polite nod and carrying on their way.

Realistically, the shop has no problem with attracting customers. It’s a sight to behold: mid-floor to ceiling windows with various displays, hanging baskets of winding greenery, countless arrangements that fill the shelves and add a pop of color, and a wide assortment of flowers for each season.

The real issue lies in your inability to sell. Most people regard the place as being good for nothing more than window shopping and the usual photo-op.

Business has slowed since your Grandma passed; since you took over as the sole owner and were suddenly face to face with the task of making decisions in the shop’s best interest– both integrity wise and from a business standpoint.

“I know, I know,” you say around the pen cap between your teeth, “You used to be the brains around here, not me. I’m not creative enough for all of this, you know? No matter how much I try to be.”

You look up from where your notebook lays open, dozens of scribbles for arrangement ideas and planning. The picture on the wall stares at you, unmoving, eyes as bright as marigolds.

“Don’t give me that look.”

She stares. A gaze that holds all the answers while also saying nothing at all.

“Ugh.” you groan, leaning your palms on the desk.

You allow your head to hang forward, defeated, exhaustion flooding your bones.

Just as you’re about to speak again, to complain about yet another thing that probably has her rolling around in her grave, the bell at the front counter dings.

The clock on the desk reads 6:55pm, five minutes until close. You hadn’t even heard anyone come in.

“Be right there!” you call out, rushing to grab your apron from where you’d thrown it on one of the chairs.

In your haste, the box of seed packets you’d been inventorying goes tumbling to the floor.

“Fuck,” you mutter, bending down to pick everything up. One more thing to add to the list today.

Off-kilter. Disoriented. Exhausted.

You sniffle a few times, blinking against the sting behind your eyes as you stand up to put the box back in its place.

One deep breath, a shake of your shoulders. Just enough to chase it all away until later.

“Sorry about that,” you say cheerily, pushing past the hanging beads that separate the front of the shop from the back. “How can I help you?”

There’s a stranger, his back turned, attention focused on a batch of tulips. Freshly cut. White, blue, purple.

You realize, belatedly, that you’d forgotten to grab your apron in your haste to clean up the seed packets. Another slip up. Nana always prided herself in her apron, wore it like a badge of honor, raised you to do the same.

Just as you spin around to grab it, the stranger says, “It’s okay. I just, um, I wanted to say hi.”

You freeze. There’s a long moment where his voice rings loud in your ears, reverberates against the walls of your brain until it travels through your blood, the feeling like wildfire in your veins until it settles deep in the pit of your stomach.

Slowly, you turn, heart clamoring in your chest, threatening to stop altogether as soon as you come face to face with the one person you never thought you’d see again.

Because there, at the front of the store, is Jisung.

Jisung, with wide eyes and parted lips. Jisung, with hair that still curls at the ends and falls in shags around his face. Jisung, broader, more actualized, now grown into his features but still undeniably soft around the edges. Jisung, with thick framed glasses pushed up his nose and silver hoops dangling from his ears.

A stranger. But undoubtedly Jisung.

“You look…nice.” he says, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly with his free hand.

Three words is all it takes. Ice turns to fire. The blood that had drained from your face returns with the blaze of a thousand suns, anger burning your throat.

You reach forward, grab the remote for the neon Open sign and click the power button. Jisung watches in confusion.

“The shop is closed.” you manage on a shaky breath.

Jisung sighs, something heavy. “Listen, I’m—”

“The shop–” you try again, louder, “–is closed.”

Jisung stares. His eyes are still the same velvety brown; big and round and just as you remember.

There was once a time where the sight of Jisung in your Grandma’s shop made your heart sing. A soft tune, the thrum of a thousand harps, a song only for him.

His heart-shaped smile as he helped her hammer some of the shelves onto the wall. The sound of his laughter whenever you’d enter a sneezing fit from accidentally rubbing your face with a gloved hand. His rosy cheeks, burnt from the wind whipping past his face as he ran on foot to make sure you were okay the one time an angry customer smashed a vase on the floor and you called him crying.

But now, seeing him here, a stranger in a body you once knew like the back of your hand— it feels wrong.

“I…” he trails off, registering the way your fists are clenched at your sides.

“Okay,” he resigns, licking his lips. “I, uh– have a good night.”

He gives you one last look, bottom lip pulled tight between his teeth, and then slips out the door. You watch his retreating figure through the glass panel, dark gray skies muting the sound of your rattling heart.

It’s February. The tulips are in bloom. Jisung is back.

And in Jeju– it rains.

There’s an apple tree in the middle of town where Jisung told you he loved you for the first and last time.

Off the corner, a few minutes down the road from where your houses stand a mere five hundred feet away from one another.

Your grandparents were farmers. Your grandma started her floral business a few years before you were born, a dream she always had that your grandpa urged her to pursue once he decided to sell the animals to a younger, more capable couple that could take care of them.

Jisung’s parents, new residents on the island, looking to settle down and start a family.

That’s how it happens. Yours and Jisung’s story, two authors of the same book, destined since the start.

Jisung was born on the same night your mother left you at your grandparents’ doorstep. One note, an apology, is all you’ve ever known about her. Your grandma never cared to indulge you. You’re glad in a way. She provided more than enough love to make sure you never felt an absence in her wake.

The townspeople used to say you and Jisung were soulmates. Something about the heavens knowing he would need a friend, hence why you were delivered that night. From that moment on, the two of you were inseparable.

Attached at the hip, you and Jisung grew up together. First steps, first birthdays, firsts for everything under the sun.

Jisung was there in the morning to walk with you to school and he was there at night when the two of you tucked into bed, sleepovers a regular occurrence, both of you counting the pale green stick-on stars dotting his ceiling until you fell asleep.

Jisung was always around. He held your hand and walked with you to the nurse’s office the first time you got stung by a bee. He wiped your eyes when the boy you liked told you he only ever saw you as a friend, your first rejection. He sat with you under the stars the night your grandpa died, your face tucked into his neck as you stained the collar of his shirt with tears until you were too tired to cry. In the years that followed, he took care of you and your grandma like the two of you were his own.

Jisung, for lack of a better word, was your first forever.

“You could come with me, you know.”

Under the stars, real ones that time, Jisung had turned to you and offered the world.

The air was cold. The apple tree was bare.

“It’ll be fun. We’ll be together, we’ll experience new things. I can do music and you can study all that history stuff you like to learn about. You know, nerdy things.”

“They’re not nerdy things, Ji. Don’t you know everything we have now is because of what’s happened before us?” you’d asked. “Doesn’t it make you wonder? Learning about the past helps us better understand the present, and ultimately the future.”

Jisung had hummed softly, an agreement. “I don’t care about the future, though.” he’d said. “I care about right now. You, me, this.”

When you turned to look at him, he propped himself up on one elbow and stared down at you from above as the moon casted a halo around his head.

“I love you,” he whispered, “And I want you to come with me.”

Jisung, with all the stars in his eyes and a heart full of dreams. Jisung, with the world at his fingertips and the ambition to make it his own.

You, with all your hopes stuffed tight into a suitcase and chained to a boulder, thrown into the ocean. Sinking and sinking until it hit the bottom.

“I love you too,” you whispered back.

Images of marigolds flashed behind your eyes when you closed them, a tear rolling down your cheek. Jisung’s mouth was soft when he kissed it away, salt on his lips. Burning.

“But I can’t.” you choked.

Under the apple tree, Jisung told you he loved you for the first and last time. He promised that the distance would be no match for him, that he would traverse oceans to find his way back. He promised forever.

It was February. The tulips were in bloom. Jisung left to pursue his dreams with a guitar on his back and your heart in his hands. Your understanding of forever was shot at point blank. The bullet passed clean through you.

And in Jeju– it rained.

“I think you should talk to him.”

The sun is out today. Perfect weather for another field harvest. The distributor had called you early in the morning to ask if you’d be willing to accept a drop off even though it’s the weekend. You’d agreed, calling in your most reliable help for the job.

“And I think you’re not helping.” you huff, snipping the head off another hyacinth.

“Agreed,” Hyunjin parrots from beside you, currently in the middle of putting together an arrangement, “This guy sounds like a total dick.”

Chan sighs from behind the two of you, his knees knocking against the legs of the desk when he swivels back and forth in the chair.

Besides Hyunjin and Jeongin, both of whom moved into town after you’d already graduated, and of course, Jisung– Chan is your oldest friend.

Chan was also a neighbor of yours. Three years older than you and Jisung, he was the one who acted as a role model for the two of you when growing up. Nowadays he helps his parents run the largest orange grove on the island during the day and DJs one of the clubs in the tourism hub at night.

“Jisung’s not a dick, he’s just–”

“An asshole.” you finish, smirking when Hyunjin cackles.

Chan sighs. Again. “Yeah okay, I’ll give you that one.”

“Listen, I know I’ve never met him, but isn’t it weird that he just, like, showed up?” Hyunjin asks, setting down his scissors. You continue trimming the hyacinths, listening halfheartedly.

“I mean, think about it. Dude disappears to pursue music, right? He’s gone for what– three years?”

“Four.” you correct.

“God, even worse.” he grimaces.

“But yeah, okay, four years. And then boom! He just strolls in through the front door without so much as a word during the time he was gone? No letters, no phone calls, not even a damn visit. Nothing! All so he can pop up and go ‘oh, you look nice’? Come on.” he scoffs, crossing his arms.

You wince, caught off guard because you’ve never really heard it phrased as bluntly as Hyunjin put it just then. It’s no surprise that he’s annoyed, having only just heard the full story thirty minutes ago. He’d been shocked, partly because you never told him and also because he just couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

“Okay, yes, he was wrong for that. But isn’t part of you even just the least bit curious as to why?”

You pause mid-snip, mulling Chan’s words over in your head.

The most frustrating part about it all is that you are curious. You wish you weren’t, though. Not when you’ve spent the past four years trying to convince yourself that you don’t need to know what Jisung’s been up to, don’t need to know if he’s been okay since he clearly held no concern for you in that regard anyways.

“What?” you ask when you realize that both boys are staring at you.

“Well?” Hyunjin pushes. “Are you?”

You shrug. “No, not really.”

There’s a total of five seconds that pass before Hyunjin is stomping over and hauling Chan up out of his chair, pushing him towards the front door as he protests.

“Out! Out, out, out, we have important business matters to discuss.”

“But we were supposed to get lunch—!”

“We’re taking a rain check!” Hyunjin fights back, shoving him out of the shop before he has a chance to answer. He drops the shade to cover the glass, Chan’s sad figure left alone on the other side.

You gape at him. “What was that for?”

Hyunjin scoffs. “You think you’re convincing? Think again.”

He hops up on to the counter and gestures for you to do the same. When you do, he pulls you closer, grabs your hand in his, and pushes your head down until it’s resting on his shoulder.

“Tell me the truth now,” he says, soft. “I know there’s more to it.”

Hyunjin’s warm to the touch. The heat seeps through the fabric of his shirt, igniting the skin of your cheek until you feel like you’re standing too close to the sun. A star. Hyunjin is a light in your tunnel.

“I am curious,” you start, “About him, I mean. I’ve– I don’t know. It’s been so long. I tried to pretend I didn’t care when I saw him, but the minute I looked into his eyes it was like I was eighteen again. Eighteen and happy and looking at someone that I always thought would be there, you know?”

Hyunjin hums but doesn’t say anything. He squeezes your hand once, a signal to keep going.

“I’m scared, though. Part of me doesn’t want to know.”

Hyunjin takes a deep breath. “What are you scared of?”

Through the gaps in the beads you can see into your office, the picture of your Grandma hanging on the wall. She stares at you, unblinking.

“What if he tells me that it’s true?” you ask, lifting your head to look up at him. “What if he says that I was right, that he didn’t care? That he left and didn’t want to call because it no longer mattered to him? That he loves his life there and only came back to clear his own conscience?”

“Oh honey,” Hyunjin soothes, pulling you into his chest. You hadn’t realized you were crying, that the anger and fear had bubbled over until there were tears falling down your cheeks, wetting the fabric of Hyunjin’s sweater.

He lets you cry for a while. It’s nothing new; Hyunjin has seen you break down countless times. He’s been there through the worst of it, held your hand even in the aftermath. He’s picked you up off the floor more times than you can count, has grounded you when you felt like the world was gonna open up beneath you and swallow you whole. Salt of the earth, returning you to its core.

Once you’ve quieted into nothing more than shallow breaths and a few scattered hiccups, Hyunjin speaks again.

“Can you be honest with me?”

You nod, the hair stuck to your cheek with tears rubbing against his shoulder.

“Do you love him?”

It nearly knocks the wind out of you. This concept, so foreign to you now, shoved to the back of your mind to make room for the things that matter most. Hospital visits, labor cuts, wage increases— none of it left any room for love, let alone the thought of someone else. Especially someone as all-consuming as Jisung.

Slowly, you inhale, breath shaking on the exhale. Hyunjin squeezes your hand to remind you that he’s there.

“I don’t think I ever stopped, Hyune.”

The silence stretches thin. The realization is dizzying. Years of suppressed emotions, of telling yourself and everyone around you that it wasn’t a big deal. The sad eyes of the townspeople whenever they’d see you sitting beneath the apple tree. The gentle touch of your grandma’s hand when she’d find you on the front steps alone, staring at the stars. The soft hum of the radio in the shop, set to a playlist of all the songs he’s written, the only reminder that somewhere out there he was doing well.

The final crack in the dam, its water pushing until it gives way.

“Then you owe it to yourself,” Hyunjin says. “You owe it to your heart to get an answer. Free yourself from this pain, love. Don’t let yourself suffer forever.”

Forever. That word again. No matter how many times you’ve tried to escape it, it always comes back.

“It’s gonna hurt.” he sighs, tightening his grip when you sniffle. “It’s gonna hurt so fucking bad, babe. But you can take it. You’ve got people who love you enough to stand in front of you and soften the blow from time to time. But you’ll be okay. I’ll make sure of it.”

He hops down from the counter and moves to stand in front of you, right between your legs. Placing both hands on your shoulders, he pushes until you’re sitting with your back straight and lifts your chin.

“You deserve an answer.” he says, with conviction this time. “Okay?”

He lets his thumb swipe beneath your eyes, smiles softly. Unconditional— that’s what he is. Hyunjin burns brighter than any star in your sky, the heat wrapping its arms around you like it’s too scared to let go, to watch you freeze and die out like so many others.

“I don’t deserve you, though.” you say, laughing wetly when he rolls his eyes.

“Shut up,” he chuckles, pulling you in for a hug, “You deserve everything and more.”

When Jisung comes into the shop two days later, you’re ready for it.

Chan had talked to him. No surprise, really, not when he’s been letting him crash in his spare room ever since he figured out that he was holed up in one of the hotels out in the tourism hub.

If there’s one thing about Chan, it’s that he’d rip the shirt off his back to clothe anyone in need. Housing a friend is nothing, especially when that friend is Jisung.

“I don’t know how much of a consolation this is,” he’d said nervously, watching as you regarded him with an expectant look, “But he’s pretty cut up about you not wanting to see him. Which, I know, is stupid. He is the one who fucked up. But I just– I don’t know. I’ve never seen him like this, I guess.”

It’s not a consolation, not really. Knowing that Jisung is struggling is far from anything you want to hear.

Sure, there’s anger present. Anyone would be stupid to not feel the least bit frustrated with what’s happened. Years lost, time stripped away. But you’ve long since come to terms with it, the anger turning to sadness in the meantime.

“Also, he leaves tomorrow.” Chan smiled sadly. “He really wants to talk to you before then.”

Hyunjin left early again today to give the two of you space. Not before making a show of his own though, threatening to incite violence with his arms that are supposedly ‘shredded’ from years of lifting boxes filled with petunias.

The shop is slow again, not many sales nor a lot of foot traffic. Usually when the sun is out there’s more to do; people to see, smiles to give. But there’s nothing, just the chirping of birds and the sound of cars rolling by.

Maybe the world knows that this is what you need. The calm before the storm.

Five minutes until close. You’ve spent most of the day pacing back and forth. Waiting. Anticipating.

Chan had said Jisung planned on stopping by, trying again. You’d told him that was okay, and his eyes lit up. Too much hope, maybe, that something might come of this.

You’re seated in the back office, staring at marigold colored irises when the front door opens. You hear it this time, ears fine tuned, waiting.

Slowly, you stand, make your way to the front. You don’t realize you’re holding your breath until you pull back the beaded curtain and Jisung’s figure comes into view.

He looks the same as he did the other day: curled hair, thick glasses, parted lips. His sweater, fluffy and striped, hangs off of his shoulders in a way that boxes off his tapered waist, one that you know is hidden beneath all the layers. The sleeves are way too long judging by the way it curls over his fingers.

“Hi.” he breathes out, watching as you step into full view.

You blink. “Hi, Jisung.”

His name feels weird on your tongue. Bitter. It’s been years since you uttered it, forbidding yourself from the luxury out of fear that it would make his absence more real. Talking about him in the past tense always scared you off before you could even get the chance.

“How– How’ve you been?” he chews on the inside of his lip.

You want to scold him, tell him to stop the habit just like you always would in the past. He’d make a joke then, tell you to kiss him so that he had something else to do instead. You would laugh, feign disgust, but in the back of your mind you’d wanted it more than anything.

You’d waited for it, the day you could kiss him without warning and melt into his touch as he kissed you back. Another stupid bet on forever; the belief that you had all the time in the world for things to get to that point.

“I’ve been better.” you say, taking a deep breath. “What about you?”

Good, you think. He’s been good. He looks good. He doesn’t need this place.

“Me too.” he says instead. “I’ve been better.”

You don’t know what to say to that. Silence fills the room, heavy on both your chests. The anticipation feels like it might kill you before anything else does.

“I’m sorry that–”

“Is that all you came here to say?” you cut him off.

“What?” he asks, confused. “No, I– no.”

“What, then? What is it you want to say, Jisung?” your voice is firm. He winces when his name leaves your mouth. “Because, honestly, I’ve waited all this time to hear literally anything from you, and if all that comes out of this is that you’ve ‘been better’ I might actually lose my fucking mind.”

The words tumble out faster than you intend. You can’t help it, not with the way anxiety has been bubbling over in your chest since the moment you woke up this morning. You could barely sleep last night, not when you were playing out every possible scenario in your head, the anticipation of it all making your sheets feel scratchy against your skin and the lumps in your pillow more discernible.

“No, no, of course I wouldn’t do that.” he says quickly. “It's just that I didn’t know where to start. I don’t know how much you’ll allow me to say, what the boundary is here. I didn’t want to just barge in and demand you listen to me. You don’t owe me that. You don’t owe me anything. Not after what I did.”

What I did, his voice rings loud in your ears. He’s aware of it, of the pain he caused.

He takes a step forward, and then another, again and again until he’s right up against the front counter, an arm’s length away.

Your breath catches then, when you see him up close for the first time in four years, see the way he’s grown and changed with your own eyes.

Stubble dotting his chin, laugh lines around his mouth, the dip and curve of the bow above his lips that you always loved. Brown eyes, soil and stardust.

“Tell me what your conditions are,” he says quietly, “And I’ll give you every explanation I have.”

The sincerity on his face is blinding. Your stomach twists at the thought of hearing what he has to say, that same fear brewing in the pit of it. You take a deep breath, feel the phantom ghost of a hand squeezing yours and a crescent moon eye smile.

“I waited four years for you.” you say.

“I know.”

“I trusted that you’d be back. That you would keep in touch during the time you were gone.”

“I–” his voice cracks. “I know.”

“You lied to me.”

Jisung tips his head back then. Swallows down a lump in his throat. Blinks rapidly at the ceiling, veins of ivy crawling along the expanse of it.

“I know.”

“So you owe me everything. I deserve that. I deserve answers.”

When he brings his head down to look at you, it’s unreadable. A mix of emotions that you aren’t familiar enough with anymore to decipher. Fear, guilt, sorrow. Hope, too. Maybe.

You stare at him head on, fully letting your eyes meet for the first time in what feels like an eternity. He holds your gaze, unwavering. Determined. The sight makes your heart clench.

“Okay,” he says after a beat of silence. “Okay. I can do that.”

Despite the ever-growing mountain of things to address, you decide that the first thing you want to hear from Jisung is about his time in Seoul.

You’re only human, after all.

Best friends from the start– you can’t stop yourself from wondering what life has been like for him. Jisung’s always been good at storytelling, animated in his features and gestures to the point that you’d be rolling around and clutching your stomach from laughter. It’s one of the things you missed the most, just talking and being present in one another’s lives.

The two of you end up at one of the diners down the road. The owners, an elderly couple, coo as soon as they catch sight of you.

“My flower girl,” the old lady, Mrs. Kim, greets.

“Mrs. Kim,” you beam, moving in for a hug. When you pull away, Jisung is behind you, hands clasped behind his back and feet together like he has his tail between his legs.

“Halmeoni,” you say, gesturing at him, “Do you remember Jisungie?”

His eyes go wide at the nickname, and you try to ignore the heat creeping up your neck, avoiding his gaze and instead watching as Mrs. Kim blinks in surprise.

“Oh! Oh my goodness, our Jisungie? Honey! Honey, look, Jisung is here! Oh you crazy boy,” she scolds, rushing forward to hit his shoulder and pull him in for a hug. “Where have you been? It’s been ages!”

Jisung lets out an oof! as her body slams into him, all of his anxiousness dissolving into laughter as he hugs her back.

“Hi Mrs. Kim, how have you been?”

“Me?” she asks, pulling him away to hold at arm’s length, “Nevermind about me! I’m old! How have you been?”

Good, you think again, a mimic of earlier. Jisungs eyes flit over to yours for the smallest of moments before he answers.

“Better,” he says. “I’m doing better.”

Once both Mr. and Mrs. Kim are done doting over the both of you, they seat you by the window.

The island is always beautiful on sunny days: trees swaying, golden rays painting the rooftops in hues of pink and orange, the indigo shimmer of the ocean off in the distance.

“So,” you say, catching Jisung’s attention, “Tell me about Seoul.”

He hums. “It’s busy. Stinks. Lots of people.”

“Dream come true, yeah?” you joke, taking a sip of your water.

Jisung chuckles. “You could say that, I guess.”

“I mean, it was yours.”

“It was.” he sighs, looking down at the table. “I don’t know. It’s nice. I met good people, made even better connections. I live in this one bedroom studio apartment just outside of Itaewon, so I’m close to where all the foreigners hang out. I’ve learned a lot, gained a lot of inspiration for my music.”

You follow along, staring at him intently. His mouth, still heart-shaped, twitches when he catches you in the act.

You clear your throat, glancing away. “Yeah, I’ve– uh, I’ve heard some of your songs.”

He raises his eyebrows, almost like he hadn’t expected you to say that. “Really?”

“Yeah. I mean, I hear them on the radio sometimes.” A lie. “It usually takes me a second to realize that it’s you.” Another lie. “But they’re good, you’re doing well.”

Pink dusts the tops of Jisung’s cheeks as he turns back to the window, clearing his throat.

He looks younger like this, like he’s still the same boy who would sit across from you all those years ago. Cherry-stained lips and a smile so bright it put the sun to shame.

He talks a bit more about his music, about how he’s with a good company that gives him creative freedom and enough support to pursue more if he desires.

His eyes light up when he tells you about his studio, a small room on the fifth floor of a building in the middle of the city where he does all of his writing. It’s equipped with an entire soundboard, full of instruments that he says he’s been able to get signed by artists that come in and out. Most notably, his guitar, the same one he left with.

Slowly, like a flower blossoming, petals opening one by one, you feel yourself falling back into step with him.

Everything is so familiar: the curve of his smile, the tilt in his voice when he gets excited, the rumble of laughter when he recounts an embarrassing run-in with an A-list celebrity in the company’s cafeteria. He shares stories that fill your heart as the two of you fill your stomachs.

But with the ease comes something more, something you recognize as longing. You hadn’t realized how much you longed to be there through this part of his life, how you wished you’d been the one to answer a video call as he showed off his apartment the first day he moved in, his company badge when it was newly issued, every moment of happiness that you’d been absent for just as much as he was absent for yours.

He seems to share the same sentiment then, when he sets down his fork and stares at his empty plate.

“You run the shop now,” he says, “How’s that been?”

You purse your lips, nodding your head slowly. You knew this conversation would happen, that it was coming.

“It’s good, I guess. Been almost a year now since, uh, it was left to me.” you shrug. “I’m not alone though, Hyunjin is a big help. I don’t know what I’d do without him.”

Jisung noticeably bristles. Eyebrows pulled together, staring more intently at a crumb on his plate. It looks like there’s a lot he wants to say, like he can’t find the words to say them.

So, naturally, you do it for him.

“I assume Chan told you so I wouldn’t have to, by the way.”

He looks up then, as if he wasn’t expecting you to address the very obvious elephant in the room.

“He did, yes.” Jisung says after a while. His voice is quiet, gentle, like he’s walking on eggshells. “I– I didn’t know how to bring it up. I assume you’ve heard it all already but– I really, really am sorry to hear about Nana.”

The way her name sounds coming out of his mouth turns your mind to static.

Suddenly you’re in the hospital again, monitors beeping, hands as soft as petals cradled in your own and wishing that you could bury your face in a familiar neck as you cried and watched the marigolds wilt.

“I don’t need an apology for that.” you croak, blinking back tears. Jisung is somewhere in your periphery, your vision blurry around the edges.

“It wasn’t sad. Her life, I mean. It was full. Of love. Of light. She left this place happy. That’s what she told me, at least.”

You take a deep breath. “So don’t be sorry about it.”

Jisung sniffles, and the sound shoots straight through your chest.

“I know. I just– I’m sorry I wasn’t here. I should’ve been. I had no idea that–”

“Nobody did, Jisung. Don’t punish yourself for that.”

He sees it then, when you finally meet his eyes, the acceptance. You’ve come to terms with things a long time ago, have fought tooth and nail to come out on the other side of all the guilt and resentment and grief alive. Scathed, but alive nonetheless.

“You’re right.” he sighs, wiping at his eyes quickly. “She’d probably yell at me for saying that.”

You laugh, suddenly, the noise startling him. Jisung looks at you like you’re crazy.

“I think she has a lot more to yell at you for than being sorry that she died.”

The bluntness punches a chuckle out of him, and you giggle at the thought.

Your grandmother was always such an outspoken person. She always said what was on her mind, speaking it loud. There’s no doubt that if she was here she’d be berating Jisung, smacking him upside the head before pulling him into a hug and cooking his favorite meal. Tough love, but still, love.

“She would’ve loved to be able to see you.” you say once your laughter dies out, the air a bit lighter between the two of you. “She always wondered if you’d grow your hair out without her around to nag you about keeping it short.”

He reaches up to run a hand through his curls, the strands falling around his face in a way that has your heart stammering in your chest.

“Well, clearly I don’t know how to listen.”

“No, you don’t.”

Jisung smiles softly. “Maybe I’ll cut it now. You know, since I’m here. And because I know she’d want me to.”

You watch him carefully, searching his eyes. For what, you don’t know. All that’s in them are stars.

“Yeah,” you say quietly. “You’re here.”

By the time the two of you leave the diner, stomachs full and enough bags of extra side dishes hanging off of your arms to last you at least two weeks, courtesy of Mrs. Kim, the sun is almost fully set.

The ocean is calm, the evening breeze just barely brushing the surface of the tide. Jisung walks in step with you down the street, one side of his face cast in a glow from the sun’s fading rays.

“Do you think you’d maybe want to stop by the arcade that Old Man Park runs? Just for a little?”

You snort. “Why? So I can embarrass you?”

“Hey!” he puts a hand on his chest, offended. “I’ll have you know that I let you win all those times.”

“How do you let someone win after spending hours practicing while I worked at the shop?”

“I was being nice!”

“Uh huh.”

“Don’t believe me?” he grins. You try not to look, afraid of how bad your blood pressure might spike from the sight.

“I’ll have you know that I’m one of the best Kart Rider players in the PC Bang scene back in Seoul.”

“Jisung,” you scold, “That’s a computer game. These are coin-ops. There’s way more skill needed.”

“No there isn’t!”

He knocks his shoulder against yours, tucking his chin to his chest to hide his smile when you try to fight back.

It’s easy. Nice. There’s a soft melody echoing in the dust-covered chambers of your heart. You still know all the chords.

Old Man Park’s arcade is a few doors down from the shop. You stop there to drop off the food, spare a glance in the mirror hanging in your office to fix your hair.

Your grandma’s picture stares at you from the other wall, eyes bright.

“Love you,” you say, kissing the skin of your fingertips and pressing it gently against the frame.

Jisung is toeing at a few rocks on the sidewalk when you walk back out. He doesn’t see you, too busy with his eyes casted down at the concrete, hands shoved into his pockets.

It’s still hard to believe that he’s here. Flesh and bone. For a long time it felt like he was nothing but a distant dream, someone who only existed in the memories that you kept locked deep within your heart, the key somewhere on the streets of Seoul.

“Ready?” you ask.

He looks up, his glasses moving when his cheeks round into a smile.

Something passes across his face– a myriad of emotions in just a fraction of a second. Hesitantly, he holds out his hand. Long, delicate fingers.

You stare at it, swallowing roughly around the butterfly wings flapping inside your throat.

The one thing you shouldn’t do, my dear, is rely on forever. Because that, too, is uncertain.

Forever isn’t promised. But even then, there are things you know for sure:

It’s February. The tulips are in bloom. Jisung is here. Living, breathing, in the flesh.

So you take his hand, watch as relief floods his features, and let yourself feel.

The wind in your hair, the calluses on Jisung’s palms, and the warmth radiating out of the smile that threatens to split his face into two.

And with that certainty, the two of you start walking. A silent agreement to focus on the now.

You. Him. This.

“God, I can’t believe everything is only one coin.”

You laugh, watching as the multi-colored lights cast a glow on Jisung’s face.

“Stop acting like you don’t remember this place.”

“I don’t!” he argues, smiling. “We stopped coming here, what, in middle school? Once Chan hyung started driving? We would always ask him to take us to the other one out in the big town!”

Chan’s first car was an old Camry with leather seats and enough room for the three of you to pile into after school. Used, but still with enough juice to satisfy three young kids who felt like they were on top of the world.

You used to sit in the back, the wind whipping your hair every which way while yours and Jisung’s hands lay side by side in the middle seat, pinkies brushing but neither of you willing to take it further.

“Oh, shit!” Jisung gasps, letting go of your hand as he runs up to the space invaders machine.

“Here we go,” you sigh, following after him. He’s like a kid in a candy store, face filled with innocent wonder and joy.

“Aren’t there, like, I don’t know– things better than this in Seoul?” you ask as he shoves a coin into the game.

Jisung turns to look at you with a devilish grin. “Obviously,” he says, “But I can’t beat anyone’s high score over there. Here though? Ha! This place is ancient. I can finally be at the top of the leaderboard in something.”

“We’ll see about that.” you mumble, the noise of the game booting up drowning you out.

Jisung sticks his tongue out when he focuses really hard on things. It’s cute, the way the end of it sits between his lips, spit-slick and parted just a little bit.

He’s glowing, probably because of the lights, hues of red and green and blue flashing across his face. But then again, Jisung has always shined brighter than anything.

The game beeps to signal that he has one life left. He grunts a few times, his fingers tapping the buttons madly as his other hand handles the joystick in a frenzy of movements.

When it ends, he groans, throws his hands up in defeat..

You shake your own head knowingly, watching his eyes bug out of their sockets as soon as the leaderboard appears on the screen, the 8-bit letters blinking at him.

“You’re joking.” he laughs in disbelief, turning to stare at you. “Please tell me you’re joking.”

There, on the screen, is your name. The highest score. Jeongin and Hyunjin’s names sit just below you, respectively.

“What was that again about finally being able to be at the top?” you mock him, smirking.

“Since when did you get good at this?”

You shrug. “Had to find something to do in my free time.”

“No,” he says, rolling up his sleeves. “Nuh-uh. No way. This is not happening. I will beat you.” he holds out his hand for another coin, to which you roll your eyes and place one in his palm.

“You might as well give up now. We’ll be here all night.”

“In your dreams.” he scoffs, assuming his position as another round loads onto the screen.

Jisung has always been competitive. It’s one of his more hidden characteristics.

It persists still, you realize, as you watch him burn through the styrofoam cup of coins that Old Man Park had given the two of you. Free of charge for old time’s sake.

Fort-five minutes. All he’s managed to do is bump Hyunjin down to fourth.

“Ugh!” he groans, kicking the machine lightly with his foot.

“Look at you throwing a tantrum.”

“I’m not throwing a tantrum.” he pouts. You raise an eyebrow.

“Okay fine. I’m throwing a tantrum.”

“Thought so.”

“Can you blame me?” he asks. “This is, like, our first date. And I’m sucking. Hard.”

“Our–” you stop, eyes wide. Jisung mimics you, almost like he didn’t mean to say what he did.

Heat rushes to your cheeks. Your mind goes blank. But the world doesn’t end. Time keeps moving. Jisung is still here.

“I didn’t–”

“I like the sound of that.” you say quickly. “Of this being our first date, I mean.’

He smiles. Slow and sweet like molasses. Blinding.

“And the fact that you suck.”

The moment is shattered, his resulting whine echoing throughout the arcade.

“Come on you big baby,” you laugh, grabbing his hand. “I know a game you can beat me at.”

He lets himself be pulled, pretending that he’s upset, but you can see the smile tugging at his lips when you lace your fingers together.

The feeling is still new, this ease you have with him. The wounds you sported all those years are still healing, some more fresh than others. But with each laugh that comes out of Jisung’s mouth and shared glance, every note that your heart sings, you can feel them beginning to fade. A balm to soothe the burn.

The Pac-Man game is situated in the back corner of the arcade, right next to the jukebox. It used to be your favorite, because Jisung would always use his own coins to play songs for you while you tried to score higher than twenty-five thousand points.

When you get there, he frowns. “The only game you think I can beat you at is Pac-Man?”

“I don’t think,” you say, grabbing a coin before shoving the cup into his chest. “I know.”

The game boots up instantly, and you smile softly to yourself when Jisung moves wordlessly behind you, slips a coin into the jukebox.

“Play something good, Jisungie.”

He freezes. Out of the corner of your eye you watch him stare at you for a long moment. And then he smiles. Stardust.

“You got it.”

In a matter of seconds, Lovers In A Dangerous Time by Bruce Cockburn rings throughout the arcade, the speakers on the ceiling fighting past the static.

An old song. The same one your grandparents would dance to in the mornings, eggs on the stove and love in the air.

Your grandma used to say it was written for them, because when they fell in love the war was at its peak and she didn’t know if he’d ever come home.

After he passed, she still played it, except those times it was Jisung who twirled her around and painted a smile on her face as you watched from the same spot you grew up in. Always there.

Jisung, Jisung, Jisung.

When the game starts, you try your best. It’s hard. You’ve always been terrible at anything involving quick decisions. Focusing on everything at once isn’t easy for you, that much is still true.

“Shit.” you mumble, the top right corner of the screen reading ten thousand points as the ghosts run into you.

Jisung lets out a low whistle. “Harsh.”

“You wanna go back to space invaders and waste the last of our money?” you raise an eyebrow.

He holds his hands up in surrender. “Sorry, sorry. Go ahead.” he says, holding the cup out for you to take another coin.

You try a couple more times, failing each and every one. You can tell that Jisung is growing more and more amused with every attempt, and the smugness radiating off of him is starting to rub you the wrong way.

“If you’re so good,” you say after a particularly sad attempt, turning to glare at him. Jisung has his lips pulled tight to stop himself from laughing. “Then why don’t you try?”

He chuckles then. “I’d rather help you, if you’ll let me.”

“How are you supposed to do that? We only have one coin left.”

Jisung doesn’t say anything. He puts the cup down, the last coin held between his fingers. You watch as he slips it into the machine, move to get out of his way once he’s done, but he stops you by grabbing your hand and spinning you back around, his fingers placed over yours on the joystick.

With your back flush against his front, caged in by his arms on either side, Jisung takes a deep breath.

“This okay?” he asks right next to your ear, the curls on the side of his head brushing your cheek when he leans down to get a better look at the screen.

Warm. He’s so warm. The material of his sweater only worsens the heat, and the faint scent of vanilla makes your head swim.

It’s more than okay. Great, even. It’s Jisung. Everything and more.

“Yeah,” you say, letting him control your hands as he flicks the joystick. “It’s okay.”

The hair against your cheek moves when he smiles. “Good.” he says, and then hits the start button.

The game begins but you’re barely processing what’s happening, too aware of the feeling of his body pressed against yours.

A firm chest, different from what’s observable on the outside, what with the fluffiness of his sweater and soft features. His arms too, encasing you, the bulge and flex of his biceps every time he moves.

It’s all so intoxicating, so much so that you don’t even realize you’ve beaten the highest score in the system by the time he loses his last life.

“What?” you blink. “What the hell?!”

You laugh, spinning to face Jisung who’s grinning from ear to ear. In your excitement, you jump, flinging your arms around his neck. He’s surprised, but catches you nonetheless, circling his arms around your waist.

“Holy shit how’d you do that!” you squeal while he swings you around, feet off the ground.

“Magic, I guess.” he chuckles.

The closeness of his voice brings you crashing back down, suddenly aware of what position you’re both in. You pull back quickly, clear your throat, and watch as his face falls from the loss of contact.

It’s been a long time since you hugged Jisung. The thought transports you to that day four years ago, standing under the apple tree, the future uncertain. Forever promised.

Things are different now.

“Sorry,” he backtracks. “I didn’t– um, I wasn’t trying to–”

You cut him off by throwing yourself at him for a second time. Intentional. Breathless. Tired of running and acting like it’s not the thing you want most in the entire world.

Jisung doesn’t react until he feels your face against the skin of his neck. On instinct, he hugs tight, hands around your waist, breathing in the smell of your hair.

“Hi.” you whisper against him.

One word. Simple. However the weight of it sends a chill down his spine. It feels like home.

He tightens his hold. A silent understanding. The two of you never had much of a need for words anyways.

“Hi.” he whispers back.

The apple tree is much bigger now.

Long, thick branches, a wide trunk, a slight tilt in its shape.

It’s bare. The season is long gone. But it’s okay, because it means that the view of the stars isn’t blocked when you and Jisung lay beneath it.

It’s the same but it isn’t. There’s gaps– periods of time where the two of you grew separately. There are moments and memories tucked away that neither of you know about, whole lives to discover.

But even so, it feels right. His arm wrapped around you, your head on his chest. The stars and the moon. You and Jisung.

It’s nice. Perfect, even. But there’s a conversation that needs to be had. One that can’t be put off any longer.

“Ji.”

“Hm?”

“Can I ask you something?”

Jisung shifts beneath you, tightening his hold. The grass is damp. Neither of you care, too caught up in each other to stress about whether or not it’ll stain.

“Of course.”

“Am I ever gonna see you again?”

He takes a deep breath. “Yes.”

“You said that last time.”

“I know.”

“So what makes this different?” you ask, sitting up. He watches you carefully, eyes trained on every movement like he’s scared you’ll get up and run away.

When he realizes you’re waiting for an answer, he sits up too, pulls his knees to his chest and wraps his arms around his legs.

He doesn’t say anything, just wordlessly reaches into his pocket. Silently, he hands whatever he grabbed to you. A guitar pick.

It’s white, a marbled design. Golden flecks infused into the lines. There, on the front, is a singular marigold. When you flip it over, you’re met with a tulip.

“Do you remember that one time, when you called me crying at midnight because Nana told you that she didn’t know if she’d be able to afford school in the city?”

You nod silently, still turning the guitar pick over in your hand.

It was one of those nights where the rain was relentless. Monsoon season always tagged on to the tail end of the school year, bringing with it a more intense gloominess than usual.

You’d been angry. Stressed. Irritated that other kids at school were making plans to go to the mainland for college and you were stuck helping your grandmother trim foliage and wrap vases in newspaper.

“You told me that you couldn’t do it anymore.” Jisung whispered, staring up at the sky. “That you were tired of being here. That you needed to get out.”

You remember. Jisung had walked through the rain to show up at your window. Had climbed in with muddy shoes and sat on the floor of your room with you until the downpour stopped and your tears dried.

“And I said that I would make it happen, that I would invent a way to live amongst the stars so you could be as far from here as possible.”

“So what?” you ask, looking at him. “Did you finally do it, then? Is that why you came back?”

“Don’t be like that.”

“No, Jisung, I’m gonna fucking be like that.” you scoff, rising to your feet.

There’s a fire in your veins, stoked until the embers are burning hot against your throat. Too good to be true. You should’ve known that there was no explanation left for him to give.

Jisung scrambles to his feet. “It wasn’t like I wanted to–”

“Oh like hell you did.” you say, turning to face him. “Four years, Jisung. I waited four years and you just– you come back and decide to tell me about some make-believe bullshit to save yourself and feel less guilty about the fact that you left.”

“It wasn’t make-believe to me,” he argues. “It was real. Everything I said was real. I left and I tried for years to make something of myself so I could come back here and get you.”

“Oh so it’s my fault? I made you leave, is that it?”

“That’s not what I said.”

“So then say something else!” you yell. The stars rumble, threatening to fall out of the sky. “Say something else, then, Jisung. Why didn’t you call? Huh?”

“Because I–” he stops, licks his lips. “God. Fuck. I couldn’t face you if I had nothing to show for myself, okay? It wasn’t fair to you for me to leave you behind just so I could fail.”

“Ha!” you laugh, running a hand through your hair in disbelief. “So you decided to go radio silent instead? Decided to not only leave me alone but let me suffer and wonder about where you were because that’s so much better than telling me that you were struggling, right? Great choice, Jisung. Really.”

He blinks a few times, watching as you pace back and forth in the grass.

Anger bubbles deep in your gut. This whole time, he knew. It was a conscious decision. Jisung deliberately didn’t contact you because he chose not to.

“Did you ever even love me?”

The words tumble out before you can stop them. Jisung’s entire body goes rigid, his face falling and eyes hardening within a fraction of a second.

“Watch what you say.” he says, his voice low in his chest.

“I wouldn’t have to if you’d just be honest.”

“I’m trying.” he pleads. His eyes are glossy. Big and round behind his glasses. Illuminated by the moon.

“I fucked up, okay? I prioritized myself and the way I felt over you and fucked everything up. But I tried. I tried so fucking hard. And I’m sorry it took me so long but I wanted– no– I needed to make sure that I had everything figured out before I came back. I promised I would.”

“No, Jisung, you promised me that–”

“I’m not talking about you.” he says then, taking a deep breath. “You weren’t the only one I made promises to back then.”

Before you have a chance to speak, Jisung says, “I promised her. I told her I’d get you out of here. That I’d give you a life that you deserved, because she knew she couldn’t.”

You drop to your knees when the first sob hits, the force of it racking your body so hard you feel like you’re drowning. Jisung catches you on the fall, holds you up, lets you bury your face into his neck like he had so many times before.

“She told me you believed in forever. She wanted me to give that to you. I’m sorry it took me so long.”

Jisung lets you cry. He holds you through the storm, your wails as loud as thunder and tears as heavy as rain. Four years in the making; the sky and the earth colliding until the dirt and layers of sediment give way to the molten core that’s been hiding beneath the surface all along.

Pain. Grief. All of it pent up and leading to this moment.

“You should’ve told me.” you cry, beating a fist into Jisung’s chest. “You idiot. You fucking idiot. You should’ve told me.”

Jisung pulls you in closer, takes each hit as long as it means that it’ll soften the blow on your heart. He whispers apologies in your ear, runs a hand through your hair.

When it quiets again, the worst of the storm gone, he shifts so that your head is in his lap, his legs crossed and tucked beneath him. A few stray tears wet the fabric of his jeans, your eyes focused on the field of flowers across the street.

“I won’t ask you to come with me.” he says after a long while, when your breathing has evened out. “I know that things are different. You have a life here that you’ve made for yourself, responsibilities to bear as well.”

He pauses to push a few strands of hair out of your face. His fingers are gentle against the skin of your cheek.

“But I promise it’ll be different. I spent too long away from you, was too selfish for my own good. I won’t disappear again. I’ll call every day. I’ll visit. You’ll get every part of me that I kept away from you all this time, and I’ll get every part of you in return.”

Your heart thrums. The thought of having what you’ve wanted for so long. Of having Jisung.

“And when you’re ready, when you feel like you can’t do it anymore, there’ll be a place for you.”

His voice is firm. Confident. More sure than he’s ever sounded before in his life.

When you turn to face him, he’s already staring back. Jisung, with all the stars in his eyes and a heart full of dreams. Jisung, with the world at his fingertips and the offer to make it yours.

Under the apple tree, Jisung leans down and kisses you for the first time. Twenty four years in the making, soft and slow, his lips a perfect fit against yours. A starboy and his flower girl. His glow is so bright it makes blossoms sprout from her fingertips.

Soft curls tickle your eyelids when he pulls away to rest his forehead against yours. You reach up to run a hand through them, smiling softly when he presses a kiss to the tip of your nose.

“I love you.” you say first this time.

He reaches out a hand, closes it over your fist that’s still clutching the guitar pick. A marigold and a tulip, both working together to make a perfect harmony.

“I love you, too.” Jisung whispers back. “Forever.”

Jisung stops by the shop early to say goodbye.

There’s less tears this time, less of a reason to be sad. But still, when he wraps his arms around you, vanilla filling your nose and curls against your face, you feel your composure crumble.

“Every day.” he says, repeating the same thing he did all night. “I promise. Morning and night. Also at lunch. Oh, and on your days off. Matter of fact, you can call when you’re on the toilet too.”

The last part earns him an elbow to the ribs, his laughter bubbling up and out of his throat as he tries to dodge any and all subsequent attacks.

He kisses you stupid before he goes, Chan rolling his eyes from his car out front. You flip him off blindly, Jisung’s lips still attached to yours, earning a loud honk in response.

When he leaves, the shop is quiet, the only sound being the buzzing of your phone as Jisung blows it up with text messages the second the car pulls away.

You’re too busy replying, giggling to yourself when a slew of cute emoticons start appearing one by one, that you nearly fall over out of your chair when Hyunjin bursts through the door.

“Jesus Christ Hyune, did you have to–”

“What the hell are you doing here?” he asks, breathless.

“Uh,” you blink, glancing round. “Working?”

“Is Jisung not on a damn plane right now?”

“I mean he’s on his way to the airport. Chan is–”

“Chan hyung told me that Jisung wanted you to go with him.” Hyunjin says, brow furrowed.

You sigh. “He didn’t want me to go with him. Well, okay, he did. But I told him I can’t just pick up and leave. He knows that. Nana left this place to me and–”

“You are so stupid.” Hyunjin sighs.

“Excuse me?” you ask. You stand up, crossing your arms as you walk closer to the counter.

“Come on. We have to go.”

“Go where, Hyunjin? I’m not leaving to–”

He cuts you off, places an envelope on the wooden surface. “And I am not letting you stay here and pretend that this is what you want.”

“What is that?”

“A plane ticket.” he says, pushing it towards you. “To Seoul.”

Your mouth opens and closes, lost for words. Hyunjin is already moving around the counter, pushing past you with an expression the most serious you’ve ever seen on him.

“Hyunjin I– I can’t– where did you even…?”

“Chan hyung has a friend.” he mumbles as he begins pulling stuff out of the office. Your planning notebook, your apron, the picture of your grandma off the wall. All of it thrown into a small box he managed to snag from somewhere off to the side.

“His name is Seungmin or something. Met him out in the tourist hub. Dude’s super rich with tons of miles and apparently owed Chan for a drunken night where he needed to be escorted to his hotel. So thanks to him, you’re leaving.” he explains as he grabs the box with both hands and starts walking towards the door.

“Wait.” you stop him, watching as he turns to regard you with a look that says his patience is running thin.

“I told you I can’t leave, Hyunjin. This place is where I need to be.”

He huffs, places the box on the ground in front of him. His hair falls in waves around his face, a shimmery dark brown beneath the rays of the sun poking into the room.

“Can you be honest with me?” he asks.

You nod, slowly.

“Do you love him?”

Hyunjin watches you with careful eyes. Reads you like a book, something he’s always been good at. You don’t doubt that it’s written on your face. Star-kissed cheeks and eyes as bright as marigolds.

“So much that it hurts, Hyune.”

Hyunjin smiles, eyes watery. “Then you deserve to go. You deserve your chance to be free. Don’t worry about this place, I’ll take care of it.”

The familiar sting of tears sits behind your eyes. Your heart swells full of love for this friend, this light, this beacon of unconditional love in the shape of your best friend.

“I don’t have clothes.” you manage to say around the lump in your throat.

Hyunjin shakes his head, tears spilling down the bridge of his nose.

“I’ll send them to you.”

“There’s a lot to do around here for just one person. What if you need me?”

“I’ll manage.”

You round the corner quickly, throwing yourself into his chest. He catches you with ease, wraps his arms around your body as the both of you cry into each other.

“I’ll miss you.” you say weakly.

Hyunjin’s throat bobs against the top of your head. “I’ll always be here in our little corner of the world.”

The two of you stay like that for a while. Hyunjin’s warmth seeps into your skin, lights you ablaze. By the time he pulls away, his hands on your shoulders, you feel like you’re floating. Unreal.

“I don’t have a way to get there.” you say quickly, glancing at the clock.

Jisung’s plane leaves soon. The airport, the only one on the island, is a thirty minute drive. You’re at a disadvantage the more time you spend not moving.

“Don’t worry,” Hyunjin chuckles. “I’ve got that taken care of.”

You open your mouth to ask him what he means when you’re cut off by the sound of honking from outside. Confused, you run to the door, your jaw dropping as soon as you realize who’s waiting for you.

“Hurry up people we don’t have all day!” Jeongin calls, his upper body hanging out of the window. He’s parked outside in a beat-up truck, arms waving wildly when he spots you.

“Innie!” you scream, pushing through the door to run at him. He jumps out of the truck just in time for you to barrel into his chest, laughter loud in your ears as he spins you around.

“You’re here! Oh my god I thought you weren’t coming for another two weeks.” you say in disbelief once he puts you down.

He looks older, more sophisticated. His hair is rusted and falls past his ears, the ends just barely touching his shoulders.

“Yeah, well,” he shrugs. “I figured I’d show up earlier. You know, see you before you leave, catch up with my parents, help Hyunjin break into your house. The usual.”

“Help Hyunjin break into my what–” you say, but you stop when your eyes fall on the small suitcase in the backseat. Your own bag, the one that’s been sitting in your closet untouched for years now.

“For the last time,” Hyunjin says from behind you, carrying the box in his arms. “It’s not breaking and entering if I have a key. Which, by the way, I told you would come in handy one day.”

He sets the box down next to the luggage and dusts his hands on his pants. When he turns to face you, he’s smiling, eyes disappearing into crescent moons.

With tears threatening to spill once again, you stare at the both of them, your heart bursting at the seams. “I love you guys.”

Jeongin grimaces, opts for getting back in the driver’s seat as you laugh. Hyunjin rolls his eyes and ushers you inside of the truck.

“Yeah, yeah. Save it.” he says. “Right now, you have a plane to catch.”

The airport is crowded.

There are tons of people everywhere, some saying hello and some saying goodbye. Hyunjin explained the gate system to you before you left him and Jeongin on the curb, and you keep glancing down at your ticket to make sure none of the information has changed in the past thirty seconds since you last looked.

Thankfully, your gate isn’t far. With twenty minutes to go until boarding, you can feel the sweat building up beneath the hand that’s curled around your suitcase handle.

It’s scary thinking about the fact that this is it. That you’re finally leaving.

It’s bittersweet, too. There’s an excitement in the pit of your stomach as well as a feeling of dread in your chest, both of them meeting in the middle somewhere.

You let your eyes scan the crowd, searching for wavy hair and thick-rimmed glasses. However, the first thing you see is the familiar neck of a guitar, strapped right on to a back that you would know and recognize anywhere without warning.

Jisung is seated near the gate, his eyebrows furrowed and lips set in a pout as he glares down at his phone. You realize that he’s probably wondering why you won’t answer, why all of his emoticons are going ignored.

Quietly, you come up behind him, reach into your pocket, and say, “Excuse me? I think you dropped this.”

Jisung startles, his eyes falling on to the guitar pick being held out in your hand. Slowly, he lets his gaze follow upwards, wide-eyed and shocked.

“What– what are you doing here?” he asks.

You place the pick in his hand. “I'm on my way to Seoul. There’s a guy there that I’ve been trying to find for a while.” you say.

Jisung catches on quickly. “Oh, really?” he asks, moving over so you can sit beside him. “This guy must be pretty great if you’re leaving for the mainland.”

The rain starts hitting the tarmac outside right as you sit down. “Hm, yeah. He is. He really likes the stars. He says that he found a way for me to live in them, too.”

He laughs, the sound making your stomach flip. “Sounds like you’re excited.”

You nod. “I am. He promised me that we’d do a lot together, experience new things. Apparently he’s gonna write songs and I’m gonna be a nerd.”

Jisung snorts and reaches across to link his hand with yours.

“He’s really lucky.” he says, leaning over to plant a kiss on your lips.

You smile into it. “So am I.” you whisper into his mouth, your heart stuffed to the brim with flower petals.

And when Jisung smiles back, his other hand coming up to cup your cheek and give you another kiss with the force of a thousand suns, you feel the key you’d been searching for finally click into place.

Salt of the earth. Soil and stardust. A boy who glows so bright that his girl sprouts blossoms from her fingertips.

Forever isn’t promised. But then again, with Jisung by your side, there are things you know for certain:

It’s February. The tulips are in bloom. In Jeju– it rains.

And no matter what, despite all odds, you and Jisung will always find your way back to each other in the place where marigolds grow.

[tags: @skzstarnet @snowyquokka @palindrome969 @summergirlsmj @n1staytiny @drhsthl @strwbrrychannie @shays-library @giuliadesu @iknowyouknowminho @linocz @pynchkilledme @jisunglyricist @itsgghowitsgg @alician87 @skzms @meloncremesoda @ilychee08 @allaboutsan @legally-lixs @stayceebs97 @candyquokka @chans1aptop @liknws @realrintaro @beeracha @vxllxnsworld @feelikecinderella @caitxx1 @lilac13 @sebastianswhore13 @classiclitandmemes @hyunverse @linosazuna @lastgreatamericandynasty1 @bubbly-moon @cookiesandcreammy ]

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whoskimii · 1 month

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I'M HERE! - FT. G.S ~ N.K ~ F.T 𖹭

- masterlists -

- fluff masterlist -

just you and your fav takin' care of each other <33 based on this ask!

˗ˏˋ gojo satoru ´ˎ˗

"i promise i'll come back, 'toru." you reassured him with a soft smile on your face. "we'll be together again." he was horrified. his heart was beating so fast. so fast he believed that it was going to explode.

but the worst is that he couldn't move. at all. all he could do was talk, and talk— just trying to convince you not to jump off that roof. it was like he was stuck to the ground. "baby, look at me, lookatme," he fumbled with his words. "don't do this, okay ? y'hear me ? we're already—" you simply smiled. "i love you, satoru."

he woke up the second you let yourself fall back. his bare chest was heaving up and down rapidly, glistening with a fine layer of sheer sweat. he instinctively looked to his side— only to see you there, safe and sound. sleeping peacefully, tucked into his side.

he breathed out, relieved. he attempted to take deep breaths but he couldn't calm down. he needed to feel you, needed to know you were indeed okay. he slowly laid on his side, facing you. he gently caressed your cheek with his thumb before wrapping his arms around you. your soft body instinctively reacted to him, prompting you to wake up. "'toru...?" you mumbled, still half-asleep. he didn't respond.

weird.

"satoru ?" you tried again but he only tightened his hold on you. "yes...?" he whispered. "is something wrong ?" he sighed. "i just... jus' had a bad dream, baby. don't worry 'bout me." you hummed. "what was it ?" you were curious. "it was... nothing. it was nothing." you frowned softly. "'toru..." you mumbled, your tone indicating that you desired to know. you were worried.

with another sigh, he braced himself on his elbow and glanced down at you. "you... it was about you. you were on a roof, and... i... i really tried, but you still..." he couldn't say the rest as his throat tightened and began to burn. "you still jumped. it... it felt real, y'know..." you wrapped your arms around his neck and he instantly reciprocated the embrace before burying his face into your neck. "m'here, 'toru... it was jus' a bad dream. it wasn't real. i'm still here..." you murdered, gently playing with his undercut.

he nodded. "i know... but it felt so real, i... i didn't know what to do." he placed his forehead on yours and gently caressed the side of your neck. "i already lost a lot of people, y'know ? but i can't lose you. not you. if you die, i die." his lips met yours. you both shared a slow kiss. "i love you." you murdered against his lips. "i love you more." he rushed to say.

˗ˏˋ nanami kento ´ˎ˗

"ken, i'm so sorry," you cried. "i'm so sorry, it wasn't supposed to finish that way." he froze. was he about to witness his lover's sacrifice ? yes. but no. it couldn't happen. they were supposed to have kids, and grow old together. it couldn't go this way, it was wrong. "my love—" you shook your head with tears in your eyes. but you were smiling.

smiling.

you were always smiling. kento admired you for this. you always had a reason to smile. even during the darkest days, you managed to cheer him up, lift his spirits. "we'll meet again," you assured him. "in another universe. i love you."

kento jolted awake, his usual well-kept and neat hair sticking to his damp forehead. he was drenched in sweat— even the sheets were soaked. he looked over his shoulder to glance down at you. and here you were. sleeping the night away. your husband could stare at you all day, just appreciating your beauty without ever getting tired of it. even conscious, your words haunted his soul.

he sighed and ran a hand through his sweaty hair before laying back down. as he shifted, you woke up. "ken...?" you yawned. "my love... go back to sleep, alright ? it's late." he placed his hand on your waist and kissed your forehead. you moved closer to him but you frowned as your hand met the sheets. "why are—" he sighed. "i'm sweating."

you frowned softly. "you're sweating ? but it's cold... are you okay ? do you have a fever ?" he shook his head. "no, i just... had a nightmare. i'm okay, baby, don't worry." a small hum left your pretty lips. "you had a nightmare...? do you want to talk about it ?" you suggested. "it's... it was about you. something bad happened, and..." a deep sigh escaped him. "i don't want to say the rest."

you could clearly notice how tense your husband was. even a blind man could see it. it was obvious. "something bad happened to me, mhm ?" you guessed. "it was just a bad dream, ken... nothing more. i'm still here." he placed his head on your chest, holding your waist tightly. he listened to your heartbeat. you were still there, beside him. alive. "it was horrible." he admitted in a whisper. "i don't know how i'd keep going if you weren't there anymore. you're a part of me." he grabbed your hand and kissed your knuckles. "we'll die together. it's a promise."

˗ˏˋ toji fushiguro ´ˎ˗

"s'for money, doll. a damn lot of it. m'sure you understand, huh ? 'course you do." your eyes widened as you tried to find an escape. but there was none. your surroundings were completely white. it was just him, you and his gun. "toji, don't do this. please. i... i thought you loved me—!" he chuckled. you usually loved when he laughed, but this time, it only sent a shiver down your spine.

it didn't sound like the usual laughs he'd let out around you. it was cold. almost condescending. "i do, lil' one. i do. but you understand, right ? c'mon, don't be difficult now." he pointed his gun at you and before you could even do anything, you woke up.

you jolted awake with a racing heart. as you finally took in your surroundings, including the big man sleeping beside you, you sighed. you glanced at him as his snores finally stopped. "mhm...?" he mumbled sleepily. "why're you up, huh...?" he whispered and sat up groggily, letting out a small groan as he did so. "i had a nightmare." you muttered, eyes glued to the wall in front of you.

he scoffed softly. "yeah ? did the little thing dream about monsters and—" you shrugged. "you killed me. for money." oh. "goodnight."

he blinked once, twice— three times. when you finally settled on your side, you couldn't help but feel bad. it was almost like your nightmare had planted a small thought in your head. the thought that you didn't matter to him, and that he could actually do this. "what...?" toji had seen and heard a lot in his life, but never this. "you know i'd never do that, right ?" he frowned. you didn't respond so he laid beside you and wrapped his muscular arms around your warm body. "hey. y'hear me ? i'd never do that." you shrugged.

"you did that many times. what would stop you from doing it to me ?" he scoffed. were you dumb ? "you said it, dollie. 'cause it's you. i'd never kill the woman i love. not even for a big amount of cash." you sighed. "i don't know, it felt... real. promise...?" he couldn't help but roll his eyes. "are you serious ? that's really what you think of me ? you think i'd—" you kissed him before he could finish his sentence.

he melted into the kiss, gently squeezing your waist. "i love you too much to do that shit t'you." you hummed against his lips. "love you."

yayyy do you guys want me to do this with other characters :33

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coff33andb00ks · 3 months

Note

Osc + 1!!

1: tiny hands in big hands <we love a size difference>

requests closed until I catch up <3

You don't like loud music. You hate people being close to you. You suck at dancing, unless it's in your kitchen. And you like alcohol but you don't like losing control of yourself so you only drink enough to relax. Flashing lights give you a headache, and dim corners give you anxiety.

But here you are, drink in hand, music pounding in your ears and lights flashing obnoxiously around you. There's a group of men that you've never seen before here, and their added yells and revelry are adding to your brewing headache.

"Let's go celebrate your promotion!"

When you see her again, you're so killing your best friend. This was celebrating? You'd be so much happier with some good pasta and a binge watch of of your favorite tv show. Maybe a mani pedi. Something relaxing and enjoyable not...

Whatever the hell this is supposed to be.

You sigh and wish you were at home, eyes scanning to find your friends. They went to dance three songs ago. You think they'll be easy to spot, but--

"HOLY SHIT!"

You stumble backwards to avoid being crashed into by one of the men partying hard. He's laughing, almost cackling, and you wince as your drink splashes over your front, staining your light pink top because of course you'd ordered a rum and Coke. The guy laughs, catching himself before slamming into you, and he looks at your empty glass.

"Sorry!" You can barely hear him above the music and he can tell, motioning wildly in a drunken pantomime that isn't too hard to decipher.

C'mon I'll buy you another.

Why not, you decide, nodding. He grins and grabs your forearm, practically dragging you with him towards the VIP section, and you think you see your friends' shocked faces when you're pulled past a group.

The music isn't quite as loud here and you wave off his apologies, taking the napkins he shoves at you to sop up the mess of your top.

"I'm Lando," he tells you, sniffing your empty glass then walking off.

"So pleased to meet you," you mutter under your breath, nose wrinkling as you try to inconspicuously fish the thin straw out of your bra.

"You alright?"

Seriously what is with all the accents? You yank the straw out, squeaking when it slips from your fingers and hits the guy's cheek. He makes a face, cheeks tinging pink.

"I'm fine," you promise. "Sorry, it was - Lando? He bumped into me and, well."

"Sounds like him." The man in front of you smiles ruefully, and as he watches you it fades. "You're not one for clubs are you?"

His accent is so nice. You shake your head, looking around for some place to put the napkins. He takes them from you and shoves them onto a table, then blushes again.

The next thing you know he's taken a jacket off the sofa and is draping it around your shoulders. "Um, your top is kinda..." His cheeks darken even more and he rubs the back of his neck. "See through?"

You almost giggle, finding his embarrassment more than a little endearing. "Thank you." You slip your arms into the sleeves and pull it closed. "Really, thank you. I don't want to flash a bunch of strange men."

"So women would be alright?" he asks with a grin and you do giggle this time, accepting his offer to have a seat.

His name is Oscar and you're so glad he's not a grouch. The only sport of any kind you've ever been interested in was little league softball and you'd been horrible at it, so when the brown eyed man from Australia says he's a race car driver you nod. Lando comes back with a drink for you and it's not a rum and coke but you drink it, enjoying the conversation you're having with Oscar. And when your friends start texting you you sigh, almost sad to go.

"My friends," you say, texting them that you'll meet them at the front of the club. You start to take off the jacket, surprised when he reaches to close it. The spill is dried now, your top sticking to your skin.

"Nah, keep it. Don't want you flashing a bunch of men." He smiles softly and stands, holding out his hands to you.

You don't need his help to stand but you slide your hands into his. They're large, swallowing yours, and you think you may have had a little too much to drink because the difference in size makes you feel fuzzy. He pulls you to your feet, hands still holding yours as you stare up at him. "Thanks," you tell him. And, emboldened by the small amount of alcohol, you lick your lips and lean up on your tiptoes, pressing a kiss to his cheek. You feel his little breath of surprise and his hands gently squeeze yours as you pull back.

"Can - Christ," he groans when his voice lifts an octave in the middle of the word. His cheeks are red and your phone is buzzing with an incoming call. You ignore it, wiggling your fingers against his. "Can I walk you out? And maybe get your number?"

Later, after you're home and showered and have exchanged several texts with Oscar, you think that maybe you like clubs after all.

#inbox #f1 x reader #oscar piastri x reader #Oscar Piastri #oscar piastri fluff #drabbles

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coffeejellou · 5 months

Text

･｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

Romance can also be disastrous - Chapter one

Pairing: Kusuo Saiki x fem! Reader

What to expect: Fluff and Crack/Comedy

Things to know: "Saiki speaking telepathically to people"

"Saiki speaking with his mouth"

"Everyone else speaking"

(Sometimes) Narrator speaking

"Bye mom! Remember I'm going to the park with Kusuo after school so eat dinner without me, alright?" You said to your mom as you waved goodbye to her.

"Bye sweetie! Have a good day! Make sure to tell Ku that I said hello!" And with that you were off, closing your front door and making your way to none other than Kusuo Saiki's house.

Your name was Y/n L/n, a high school student at PK academy. Right now, as stated before, you were going to your best friends house to walk with him to school.

He was a pretty average guy, average grades, good parents, good friends (though he didn't consider them friends, but deep down you knew he did). Pretty 'normal' right? Expect there's one more thing about him that wasn't.

Saiki, was a psychic. He had all sorts of powers and he could do just about anything. Telepathy, psychokinesis, x ray vision, precognition, teleportation, clairvoyance, etc. Honestly it hurt your head sometimes trying to remember how much he could do.

See, you and Saiki have been friends since pre-school, and you didn't know he could do these things until your second year of middle school, where you had caught him using teleportation.

At first, you had just thought your mind was playing tricks on you, but the more you watched him from afar, the more you saw him use his powers.

And after confronting him you had gotten the answer. Saiki was a psychic. He showed you a lot of his powers while you sat on his floor with your jaw practically hitting the floor.

You chuckled slightly as you remembered, it felt like that was yesterday, and ever since then it was like playing hot potato each time you were around him.

You had to be careful on what you thought, or else thinking the wrong thing could lead to embarrassment, humiliation, and awkwardness...

As you approached his house you snapped out of your thoughts, you saw him standing right outside his front gate, waiting for you.

His pink hair made him stick out like a sore thumb, and his pink antennas, well to you anyway.

"Good grief, I'm not a sore thumb, I look fine."

"What happened to hello huh? I thought you were classier than that." You teased as you both started to walk towards your school.

"Jeez, why am I even walking to school with you." He responded in his usual monotone voice. "And can't you speak to me at least, it's been a while since I heard your voice." You gave him a slight glare, and he didn't even look at you in return.

"I speak to you all the time and you hear my voice perfectly." You scoffed and blew a raspberry at him.

"You know what I mean, whatever it'll happen again eventually. I'll just have to keep waiting and be patient!"

"Well you're going to be waiting a long time." And that was that. You groaned and looked away from him. As you continued to walk your mind wandered off again, recalling old childhood memories with Saiki...

"Saikoo!!" You ran up to Saiki in your adorable little kindergarten uniform, you were short and had a couple of scars on your face. But you were also smiling, big and wide.

Little kindergarten Saiki looked over at you as you caught your breath. "Don't call me that.." He replied his monotone voice just like the one he has now. Only more high pitched.

"But I love the name! I came up with it myself remember? Kusuo and Saiki combined! Am I a genius or what?!" You said as you started to giggle.

"I know, you've told me so many times..what do you need anyway?" You looked up at him with a slight smirk and grabbed a small white popsicle from your pocket. It was still in its packaging and it surprisingly hadn't melted.

"Let's play rock paper scissors! If I win I keep my popsicle, if you win I'll give it to you! Deal?" You waved the popsicle in his face and he nodded.

"Best out of three.."

....

Saiki stared at you as you held in your tears, but obviously it didn't work. You were sniffling, wiping boogers and tears that would come out as you tried not to cry.

"Y-You won..!" You managed to croak out as you handed him the popsicle. Saiki looked at it and looked back at you. He felt something, something he never really felt before.

He felt bad.. he had used his telepathy to win, which is what he always did, but he had never played rock paper scissors with you. And he didn't know you would cry from losing.

He took it out of your hands and started to unwrap it. You stayed there, trying to stop yourself from crying. And suddenly you saw the popsicle being shoved in your face.

"Let's share..it was yours after all...." He mumbled out, you saw a dust of pink paint his cheeks, it was definitely not as pink as his hair, but it was pretty close..

You stared at him, you'd be lying if you said you didn't feel your heart race. I mean c'mon, someone sharing something they won fair and square with you? How could you not feel flustered as a little kid.

You gave a big grin, similar to the one you had one before when you had run up to Saiki. "Thanks Saiko!! You're the best friend I could ever have!!"

You gave Saiki a big hug and started to giggle, he stayed still until you let go. He took a taste, then handed it for you to try, then after you, you handed it back. And that's how it went..until a teacher approached you two..

You looked up to see your school, which caused you to stop your memory early. You hadn't noticed but Saiki had on a small smile, as he was reading your mind.

And as you watched the memory play in your head, he also watched, he would never admit it to anyone, but that was probably one of the best days of his life..

"Hey, I didn't ignore you did I? Sorry I got to thinking..!" You said with a worried smile he shook his head.

"No, I was enjoying the peace anyway." You seemed to have forgotten for a moment that Saiki could read your mind. "Good. Oh right! Isn't today the school year opening ceremony?"

"Yeah, pretty sure." You started to grumble nonsense in frustration, "Cmon man! It's gonna be super boringgg!! Oohh!! Can you use your powers to like..I dunno, make it not happen?"

Saiki stopped as he got in front of his locker to change into his school shoes, he looked at you briefly before rolling his eyes.

"Hey! What was that for!" You scoffed and walked to your own small locker, which was only a couple rows away from Saiki's.

When you finished putting on your shoes, you closed your locker and headed straight to class, where the teacher would lead all the students to the gymnasium for the ceremony.

Jeez...how boring!!

★

You stood in the gymnasium with everyone in the school. Everybody was in rows, while the principal talked on the stage into a microphone, you honestly didn't know what he was rambling about.

Your mind was begging for something interesting to think of or for something interesting to happen. As you looked around you saw Saiki in front of you, only about 2 rows away from you.

You then saw somebody come up behind him and realized it was Riki Nendou, he's a guy no one likes but has strangely taken a liking to Saiki.

You knew Saiki didn't like him, not because he always hung around him, but because poor old Saiki couldn't read his thoughts. And everyone has thoughts Saiki can read.

Random people he sees on the street, people who speak different languages, young people, old people, hell, he can even read the minds of animals.

But when it comes to Nendou? Forget it. You had heard him rant about it a couple of times already and just the other day he told you he figured out why he couldn't read his thoughts.

Nendou is a moron, you can't read a mind if there's nothing on it. Which to Saiki, can be a weird experience, maybe even scary.

Out of nowhere, a green haired guy passed out in the middle of the floor, everyone gathered up around him and Nendou screamed.

He rushed over to the passed out guy and started shaking him, punching him, even giving him mouth to mouth.

During all the commotion, you walked over to Saiki. "Hey I think there is a god because he just answered my wish. Wait, you might be God right..? Did you do this for me Kuuu...~?" You teased and bursted out laughing.

You swore you heard Saiki's eyebrows twitch as he glared at you, "Why would I do something like this? I mean sure, maybe to get away from Nendou but he wasn't really bothering me too much."

"Well whatever, all that matters is that something interesting happened! Hopefully they cancel the ceremony because I was practically dying of boredom.." You shrugged your shoulders and Saiki sighed.

"Nendou! What do you think you're doing?! Take him to the nurse!" A teacher yelled out as he saw Nendou giving the green haired boy mouth to mouth.

"Wow, never thought I'd see Nendou kiss someone.." You muttered as Saiki nodded in agreement.

"Huh? What? The nurse? Okay, right!" Nendou yelled as he picked up the boy and wrapped his arms around his shoulder.

"Hey Saiki, L/n, why don't you both go with the two of them? I don't trust Nendou to find it.."

"Damn it.." Saiki hissed into your head, as you sighed in annoyance.

★

As Saiki opened the door to the nurses office, nobody seemed to be in there. No nurse, no students, and no teachers.

"Huh that's weird..is the nurse dead too? Guess I'll have to do mouth to mouth of you myself.." Nendou said as he clung onto the passed out boys shoulder.

"Please don't.." Saiki muttered, he looked sick and you laughed slightly at his expression. You decided to look around for any medicine or something that would help in this situation.

And as you had your back turned to everyone you heard a loud thud. You gasped slightly and looked over to see Nendou on the floor, the green haired guy ran over to the sink, yelling at Nendou.

"I don't need mouth to mouth you stupid idiot!" He started throwing up into the sink, grabbing onto it for dear life.

Well...this was an interesting turn of events..did you know he was faking? You thought to Saiki as you helped Nendou up.

"Obviously. But I couldn't really say anything or else Nendou and this kid would question how I knew.." He responded, using his powers to only speak to you telepathically right now.

"You're better! Well that's nice to see!" Nendou cheered with a small smile on his face. You felt bad for him, all he did was try to help, and this is the thanks he gets?

Though you also understood why the kid was throwing up..I mean..getting kissed by Nendou was definitely bad..

"Course I'm better! I was faking it!" He continued to throw up and started gargling water into his mouth.

"Wasn't worth it though since I got kissed by you!" The boy yelled as he turned to all of you, he looked disgusted and you rolled your eyes.

"Well if it makes you feel better I'm sad too..you were my first kiss.." Nendou said, sounding a little heartbroken as he tried to help the situation.

Oh wow...that's unfortunate isn't it?

"You're only making it worse Nendou..." Saiki added as the boy threw up even more. You wondered how much longer this was going to go on. He's thrown up so many times by now.

"Now everyone's gonna think Nendou and I are in love..." He wiped his mouth with his sleeve as he sat on the floor.

"I absolutely guarantee you no one is thinking that.." Saiki said as you chimed in, "I mean c'mon dude...did you really think there would be no consequences for doing this? If the nurse was here, and she found out nothing was wrong then what?"

The boy looked at you and stayed silent for a moment before glaring at you, "Hey, you better not tell anyone my fainting was fake..I don't care if you're a hot chick"

"Say what now..?" You stared at him with a blank face, now you felt like throwing up. Suddenly you heard something start to shake, you looked over to see the medicine cabinet shaking rapidly.

You let out a small scream and it suddenly stopped just like that. "Woah..this place is totally haunted dude!!" Nendou yelled, walking away backwards, far away from the cabinet.

You looked up at Saiki, who seemed unfazed. Was this your doing? You asked with a raised eyebrow, he didn't answer, due to being interrupted by the gym teacher who barged in.

"I heard it all!" He yelled as he glared at all of you. What, the faking or the ghost? "MATSUZAKI?!" The boy screamed out, he looked extremely scared. Of course he would be though, he had just been caught.

"So your fainting was a con job huh..?" He glared even harder, mostly at the boy who had faked passing out.

It felt like he was betting bigger and bigger towering over all of you. "That's not what happened sir! It's his fault! He forced me to collapse so he could skip out of the principles speech! And my sickness is actually a ruse!"

He suddenly started to fake cry and pointed a finger at Nendou, who bless his heart, was confused as hell. "Nendou is that all true?!" Matsuzaki looked over to him.

"Pinning this on Nendou isn't a half bad idea.." Saiki only was speaking telepathically to you now.

Yeah but I feel bad..he was just trying to help. You thought as you looked up at him.

"Huh? Saiki, L/n, what are you both doing here?" Matsuzaki questioned as he stopped yelling at Nendou for a moment.

"What?" "Oh! We were-" You both weren't even given a chance to explain yourselves before he started to speak again.

"Takahashi! Are they also a part of this?!" Ah, so the boy's name was Takahashi, the name sounded familiar to you, so you wondered if he was in your class and you just never noticed.

"who? Uh..yeah sure.." He stopped fake crying for a moment and you glared at him. Oh that little piece of sh-

"That's it! I want all of you in my office!" He screamed, which is all that he seemed to do. It was honestly starting to give you a migraine, seriously how can his voice not get tired of it?

"Dragging me and Y/n into this is a bad idea pal.." you looked up in surprise when you heard Saiki say that, but you realized quickly that he just accidentally forgot to stop saying things in your head.

He also realized what he had done and looked away.

Hey don't be embarrassed it's fi-

"I'm not embarrassed." He quickly answered and you looked down at the ground. Why can't he just admit things from time to time...jeez...why do I even lik-

"Hold on a sec teach!" Nendou called out, interrupting your thoughts.

"Wait finish that sentence.." Saiki said to you, in return you blushed. Crap! I always forget he can...- Dammit! Stop reading my mind Kusuo!

"His fainting is real...didn't you just hear him say it? Roots sickness.."

"........"

"Holy crap he's dumb! How can anyone mistake ruse for roots?!" You stayed silent in shock... Saiki's right ..how can anyone be so..dumb...?

Roots sickness is a deadly virus that infects the victim through their follicles.

"Oh that one..!" Matsuzaki puts his hand to his chin, thinking about what to do next, you on the other hand, sit down onto the black bench that was tucked in the corner and sigh.

You had a massive headache, you didn't know from what at this point.. Matzuzaki? Nendou? Takahashi? Saiki? It was hard to tell..

"You need help?" You heard Saiki ask you through your head.

No..you're just gonna make the pain go away right now and it'll come back to bite me in the ass tomorrow...I'd rather just deal with it now..

He looked at you and saw how much pain you were in, before he could think about what he was doing, he pet your head softly.

The gesture made your eyes widen with shock and you swore you could feel your face heat up.

The three guys were doing something you didn't really pay attention to, taking Takahashi's temperature you assumed because you heard Nendou say something about that.

Saiki then sat next to you, the closest he ever has actually. Is he trying to kill me..?! You thought without thinking, No! Wait! Stop! You didn't hear that right?! Dammit Kusu-

"Stop your whining, it's giving me a headache, you're loud in your head y'know..." He whispered next to you. Everything in your body stopped, like you were a robot who had been unplugged or something.

"92.8°c" You heard Matzuzaki say as he looked at the thermometer, which caused your little moment to end..wait...did he just say....?

"SOMEONE CALL AN AMBULANCE NOW!!!!" He yelled, and loud. Next thing you know, medics came in with a rolling bed and they were taking Takahashi to the hospital in an ambulance.

You looked over at Saiki, who had a flame at his fingertip. "Phycocinises, my ability to manipulate fire." He showed you the thermometer, loud and proud. Which was something he didn't do at all.

"pfft..showoff.." You elbowed him playfully and smiled. "Hey, you melted the tip.." you pointed to it and he did indeed melt it.

"oops..better hide the evidence" He quickly balled it into his hand and set fire to it while making sure to keep it in his palm.

"Woah..." You heard Nendou say as he walked through he door.

"He saw..!" Saiki yelled out to you, both of your faces painted with worry. "You..have a fever too..?!" And just like that, Saiki was also brought to the ambulance, leaving you alone in the nurses office.

You laughed softly to yourself, "It's like bad luck just follows him I guess..."

"Oh hey Saiki, I totally forgot to tell you yesterday, but my mom wanted you to come over to talk to her. She said she wants to talk to you about something important." You told Saiki as you shrugged your shoulders.

Saiki finally looked up at you from his seat, after talking to him for a couple minutes already. "Something important? Are you sure she didn't mean my mom?" He questioned, as you looked down on him and saw his purple eyes.

You blushed as you looked into them, surprisingly you didn't turn into stone yet. "Good grief, stop staring and answer my question..." He pulled up his glasses so you wouldn't see his eyes anymore and you stood up straight as you blushed harder.

"S-Sorry..but no she didn't say your mom, she said you specifically. She said you could come by whenever you had time. It's not urgent..I don't think."

You looked away as you scratched the back of your neck, I need to stop getting flustered by him..at this rate he'll figure it ou-

"Did ya hear? A deadly snake escaped from the local zoo!" Somebody said loudly from behind you.

....why does someone always have to interrupt her when she's thinking about..that? Saiki thought to himself, he'd gotten fed up with people causing you to lose your train of thoughts whenever he was reading your mind. I mean, it's been happening since middle school, and it was getting old.

"Huh? A snake..?" You mumbled to Saiki as you looked over to the group of students. "There's a poisonous snake on the loose?!" The students friends eyes widened as he took in the information.

"Are you boys sure it escaped..this is just the kind of plan they'd come up with..fear not I the jet black wings are never fooled by their evil deception..someone must have set that snake free on purpose.!" You turned around to see none other than Shun Kaidou, who is someone you had met back in elementary school.

For a couple of years in elementary school, you and Saiki had drifted apart, and you had met Kaidou during those years. He was your best friend for a while until you and Saiki reconnected.

But you two still considered each other great friends, hell you are the only who, (only sometimes), played along with his persona.

He was always there to help you, no matter what you needed, he was right by your side.

"Hang on! You know the guy who did this Kaidou?!" One of your classmates yelled in anger as he slammed his hands onto the desk and got up.

"Some wannabe supervillain called the black wings?" Another guy asked in confusion, you snickered slightly, Kaidou's little world was hard to keep up with.

"No I'm jet black wings, the hero! The villains are a secret organization named dark reunion..and this escaped sake thing is the first of their evil plot to sort mankind!"

"Dark reunion?!" Everyone gasped and you cringed. "Are people really buying this?" You muttered to Saiki.

"Who?!...Jeez Never heard of them..." Everyone who was listening walked away in boredom as Kaidou stood there, his hands crossed and a smug smile on his face.

"Hah..once again the fate of the world into our super powered laps..say Saiki?" He walked over to the two of you and continued to smirk.

"Hey Shun! You gonna go save the world from the snake now or what?" You teased, he jumped back in surprise from seeing you and you heard a little squeak come out from him.

"Oh Y/n! Why of course, I just need to find it and I'll kill it in a matter of seconds..!" You rolled your eyes with a smile. "Right, well just be careful, kay?" He stuttered a small "O-Okay..!" Before walking off.

"You're close with Kaidou?" Saiki asked you as you looked at him. "Huh? Yeah why?" You tilted your head slightly in confusion.

"You called him by his first name."

"Ohhh!! Yeah we are, he's my best friend! Second to you of course." You smirked slightly.

"Really? That's surprising. I've never seen you two interact much."

"Yeah we kinda got out of touch when middle school started, but despite that he's still there for me when I need him."

Saiki didn't say anything more and just nodded. He honestly was not expecting that, you two were complete opposites, but he got over the small shock after a couple of minutes.

Kaidou was now saying some speech about what he had named the snake and something about the dark reunion having something to do with it. He was also saying how he was going to stop it, no matter what.

Well that was before somebody interrupted his day dreaming.

"Hey good news they caught the snake!" A classmate of yours entered the room and announced. "Well that's a relief! Where did they find it?" A girl asked him with a smile.

"At the schools front gate..it was just kinda laying on the ground, half dead." You saw Kaidou's face turn into shock.

"Kay but why was it dead?" The girl asked. "Some first graders had been whipping it around.." The guy responded, his face turning into a slight smirk.

"That's one weak ass murder snake.." Saiki said to you and you laughed slightly. "Sounds like we beat dark reunion this time!" Another guy said while snickering.

"Be careful what you say! They're a powerful secret society!" Someone else chimed in. "Who knows what they'll do to you once they sort man kind!"

Everyone in the classroom started laughing hysterically at Kaido, mocking him. He turned his back to everyone headed for the door. "Go ahead and laugh..this is the clam before the storm. D-Dark reunion is coming..! I tried to warn you all..I swear!"

You heard his voice break at the end and you frowned. "He's going to the bathroom to cry.." you sighed and started walking after him. "Where you going?" Saiki asked as he also stood up.

"Going to find Shun, obviously." You muttered before running off in the direction he went. Suddenly Saiki felt something coming, his eyes widened slightly.

"Hold up, I'm coming with."

★

"He's in the bathroom you said?" You looked around you with a worried look as you walked in the hallways, towards the boys bathroom.

"Yeah, but it was probably best he left." Saiki said, you looked up at him in confusion. "Huh? What do you mean?"

"Well the snake that they were talking about, it's in somebody's sleeve..." Your eyes widened, and you let out a small gasp. "How did it end up in there?!"

You stopped in your tracks and Saiki saw a small hint of fear in your eyes. "No clue." He shrugged his shoulders.

"Wait how do you even know this? I know your psychic and all but-" Before you could finish your sentence, you heard screaming. "Guess they found the snake..hold on, bear with me for a moment."

"Huh?" You then saw Saiki cross his eyes and you couldn't help but snicker. "Good grief..stay quiet and let me see what's going on."

Back in the classroom, everyone was screaming and yelling, most people were even on top of desks, trying to stay far away from the snake.

"What a bunch of dorks!" Nendou suddenly yelled out during all the commotion with a smug smile as he had his feet up on the desk and one of his hands behind his head.

"Nendou when did you get in here?!" Somebody yelled as Nendou laughed. "Your guys' balls still attached?"

"Worry about yours!"

"Mine feel weird.."

"Well obviously they do!...the snakes on your crotch.."

Nendou's head looked like it stopped working and his eyes went blank, his mouth even frothing a bit. "Nendou!!!" Everyone yelled.

"What the hell is going on in there..?!" You asked as you heard people yell Nendou's name. Saiki still had his eyes crossed which you figured was one of his powers that helped him look somewhere else where he wasn't present.

The power of Clairvoyance! By crossing his eyes, Kusuo is able to remotely view distant locations!

Saiki then took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes, you quickly looked away at the sudden movement. Every time you see even a hint of his purple eyes you can't control your blush or heartbeat.

"Nendou was making fun of everyone for being scared..until the snake bit his crotch.." You looked back up at him in surprise. "C-Come again...?"

"Don't worry it didn't bite through the fabric.." You sighed in relief before hearing more yelling. "Everybody get down!" You gasped in shock, you'd recognize that voice anywhere.

"K-Kaidou?! That idiot..!" You hissed before running off back to the classroom. "Y/n wai-" Saiki called out, but it was too late you weren't going to listen to him.

As you slammed the door open you saw him, protecting everyone by standing in front of the snake like bait. He stood tall and brave, he even had his arms out. "I'll take care of this snake!"

"Kaidou! What the hell do you think you're doing?!" You knew that no matter how tough he was acting, he was scared inside.

"Alright murder dragon snake, it's time you face me! The jet black wings! Let's go.." He got into a weird pose, acting all cool.

You cringed at the scene, everyone else was debating on fleeing and leaving Kaidou on his own.

The snake suddenly started to move towards a girl, she screamed in horror. But before anything could happen Kaidou got in front of her to protect her. "Take this! Judgement night sun!" He yelled out.

And just like that the snake was electrocuted, "What..?" You mumbled, no way Kaidou had powers. The snake landed on the ground, he was basically charcoal now.

Everyone cheered for Kaidou, at first he looked shocked but then he had on a huge grin. You smiled, you knew that it probably wasn't him who did that, but he still had the guts to protect that girl.

"I see why you wanted to protect him." You heard a voice say, you saw Saiki standing next to you, he smiled slightly. "He's stupid, he might not have real superpowers but he definitely has real courage..don't you agree?"

You smiled at Saiki and he nodded. "That's exactly what I was thinking."

Thus the great snake attack came to an end!

★

"I don't care for this new attitude of yours Kaido." The teacher said to him with a glare. Kaidou was now acting like the king, doing whatever he wanted now.

"You better watch what you say teach, it isn't a pleasant thing to get blasted with the judgement nights of thunder...." He said with a deep voice and a smirk.

"That's it! Go to the principal's office!"

He got more immature!

"I take back everything I said..."

"woah look at her.."

"Wow..."

"Oh my gosh.."

You turned around to see what all the commotion was about, only to see one of your Classmates, Kokomi Teruhashi.

"Oh wow!"

"She's so pretty..!"

You have to admit, Teruhashi is very beautiful, and she was sweet to you too. But you aren't very close. Still you don't hate her. I mean, it's a literal fact that she's pretty, and you weren't afraid or annoyed to admit that.

Hell, if you were a guy you'd probably say 'Oh wow!' too. After a couple of seconds looking at her you turned back to look ahead of you. Right now you were walking back home, after shopping for a couple things for your room and cat.

"Saiki! Hi! I couldn't help but notice you looked sad.." You heard Teruhashi say in a sweet chipper voice. You turned around and saw she was talking to Saiki.

He's here? Why didn't he say anything to me? Probably his alone time or something. Wonder how he'll react to Teruhashi..this should be interesting...

But instead of reacting like any other guy, he bowed respectfully and continued walking. THAT'S IT?! Both you and Teruhashi thought.

No way...I mean I don't know why I'm surprised, it's Saiki after all. But seriously? Not even a hello?

"Saiki! Silly..! You know it's not polite to ignore a girl..!" She poked him, trying to be cute and sweet. But he dodged..

Your jaw dropped slightly, before you started to chuckle. You quickly shut up as you realized some people were staring.

Should I help him? Nah, he's a psychic, he's got it covered. You continued to walk, bags in hand and with a slight smile.

"Saiki! Don't leave me alone!" You saw from the corner of your eye that she tried to catch him in a hug. But again he dodged.

You thought about it for a moment and shrugged your shoulders. Eh, I'm bored. And it's not like I'm doing anything wrong. I'm gonna see how this unfolds..

You saw Teruhashi stay in the same position, ready to hug him, she stood still with her jaw open and wide eyes.

"Oh brother..stop watching and help me out already.." You jumped up a bit as Saiki startled you. Why should I help, you're living every guy's dream y'know? A pretty girl chasing after you? I mean c'mon, look how much attention you're getting... You said sarcastically, teasing him.

"Saiki!!" She called out again, running after him. "Here she comes..the one thing this arrogant girl won't consider is that I'm ignoring her. Thought to be fair, if I was the type of guy she thinks I am I probably react the way she wants me to, Nendou as well. And from what I heard, you too right?"

Yeah obviously, I admire her y'know? But from what you just told me, her thoughts are much different from what she acts.

"You got that right...now get her away from me, she's attracting so much attention to me."

Teruhashi kept trying to touch him, and you didn't really understand why. "Do you mind if I tag along? I promise it'll be fun Saiki!"

Jeez...she's determined...

"To answer your question, she's trying to prove to me that she's real, since she thinks that I think she's an illusion.."

Right...well how can I help? If I talk to you to get you out of this situation, you'll have to talk to her or at least notice her existence.

"Talk to her then. Not me."

Hell no, if I make her mad by distracting her from her goal, you, then she'll be after me for the rest of my life!

"Good grief..wait...is that? Nendou! This is bad...if he acknowledges her, I have no choice but to acknowledge her too..! I'll be checkmated my social convention.."

I think this is the most I've ever heard you talk...

"Sorry, I don't really have time to separate my thoughts and what I want to say out of your head."

Don't be...

"What..?"

Nothing!!

You felt your face heat up and you took deep breaths, trying to keep yourself from thinking about anything embarrassing any further.

"Oh no! Where did Saiki go?! What's going on?!" You heard Teruhashi say to herself. You made eye contact for a second and she quickly walked over to you.

Crap..!!

"L/n..?" She turned over to you and you tensed up. "H-Hey.." You mumbled out, trying your best not to sound nervous. "Do you know where Saiki went?"

"Huh? N-No sorry, I don't think he was here, I would've seen him, he sticks out to me..hehe.." You felt yourself starting to sweat a bit, lying to Teruhashi was like playing with fire.

She suddenly looked down at her hand, her face went red, and her eyes seemed to sparkle more than usual.

"Y-You okay?" You saw put her hand over her chest, where he heart was and your mind went blank.

D-Dont tell me.....that's exactly how I ooked when...

"Am I falling in love with Saiki..?" She whispered very quietly to herself.

H-HUH...?!!!!

★

You sighed in frustration as you approached your house, never in a million years would you have thought that Teruhashi would like Saiki.

"Hey." You screamed and jumped in surprise, you turned around to see the psychic himself.

"Well looks like you're a ladies man aren't you?" You chuckled, assuming he had been reading your thoughts. "Don't remind me..this is such a pain..she's going to be a new problem for me now..."

You rolled your eyes with a smile before opening the gate to your house. "You coming in? If you have time of course.. remember my mom wanted to talk to you?"

"Right but first I.." He looked down at the ground and handed you a small pink paper bag. "What's this?" You asked, but he stayed silent.

You took it from his hands and opened it, it was a small brown cat plush, that looked just like your own cat, coffee jelly.

"Oh my gosh! It looks just like coffee! Where did you get it? And why?" You smiled big and hugged the plush.

"I saw it when I was out, and you technically did help me escape from Teruhashi.."

"Ahh..I see." You nodded as you realized. Saiki hated being in debt to someone, and since you helped him, he wanted to get you something to say thanks.

"Thank you so much Kusuo! I love it!" You smiled and giggled a little, he nodded. "Anyway, I might as well talk to your mom while I'm here..."

★

"Mom! I'm home! And look who I brought!" You called out as you walked in. "Hi sweetie! Who did you bring by?" Your mom walked out from the kitchen and she gasped slightly before smiling as she saw who was with you.

"Kusuo! How are you? How's your mom been?" She asked as she walked towards you two. "I'm fine, and my moms been good, she's been asking how you've been."

"Oh well you tell her I'm doing just fine! And make sure to mention that I'll be waiting on Saturday for our shopping day!"

Saiki nodded, while you put all your shopping bags down. "Where's Coffee? He asleep?" You asked your mom.

"He's out like a light in your room! Why don't you go check on him while I talk to Saiki here?"

"Sure, call me if you need anything!" You waved goodbye and walked up the stairs to your room.

"Saiki dear, sit down, won't you?" He sat down on the dining table as she handed him a coffee jelly and a spoon. "Thank you." He said as he opened it and ate a spoonful.

"How have you been controlling your powers honey? Been staying out of trouble?" He nodded as he continued to smile and eat.

"Good, I'm glad. Now let's get to the point." He tensed up slightly as he heard her tone change into more serious, and she glared at him.

"My daughter, I'm aware you know of her feelings for you? It's not rocket science, you're a psychic and I'm sure she's thought about it before. And I know you've heard her talk to me about you right?"

She crossed her arms and stared dead into his eyes, if he didn't have powers, he'd probably be terrified right now.

"Now let me get one thing straight..if you ever hurt my daughter in any way shape or form, I will not hesitate to harm you, I don't care if you're a psychic..my daughter comes first..okay?"

Oh wow... He thought, he didn't know where all this was coming from, he suddenly didn't really have an appetite for his coffee jelly. All he did was nod again.

"Phew! I'm glad that's all sorted out! You better hurry home now, I'm sure your mother is worried sick!"

She quickly stood up and grabbed Saiki by his arm, rushing him to the door. "Have a nice night sweetie! Be sure to come visit again, Kay? Night!" She closed the door on him as he stood there, dumbfounded for a couple of seconds.

He sighed and started to walk off. Where did all that come from? It was honestly kind of terrifying.

He stopped walking and looked up at your window, where your room is located. He used his clairvoyance to look at you, sleeping peacefully with your cat and the plush he had given you.

Your room was decorated with all sorts of things, but something caught his attention. He hadn't been in your room for a while, so he figured you had just put it up.

There was a newspaper attached to your wall with thumb tacks...it had a picture of you two, you had a big toothy grin on your face and held up a peace sign with your right hand. And with your left you held Saiki's hand as he had no smile on his face whatsoever as he looked into the camera.

The title of the newspaper was called, Rock-Paper-Scissors kids.

He then took off his glasses as he rubbed his eyes, his clairvoyance always made his eyes feel weird after using it. He smiled slightly before teleporting back to his house.

"I'm home.."

Next part -> Romance can also be disastrous - Chapter 2

Summary: Looks like Saiki's popular with the girls as yet again, another girl falls in love with him. Leaving Y/n to bottle up her feelings and shove her jealousy deeper and deeper into her brain. Later on, he practically begs you to come with him to the beach with Nendou, because as he puts it, "It'll be less annoying with you there to get me away from all the other nuisances." And to the top of this whole chapter, Nendou starts acting weird a couple of days later, leaving you and Kaidou's imaginations to run wild.

#saiki x reader #the disastrous life of saiki k.#x reader #new writter #saiki kusuo #saiki k #kusuo saiki x reader

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thatfreshi · 1 year

Note

Can you make an Angsty Astarion x mortal!reader fic where Astarion realizes that one day the reader will pass and he’ll be alone again🙏🙏🙏 I need more Angst of this man😭

TW - Talk of death, graveyards

Recommended Song: Halley's Comet - Billie Eilish

Astarion often visits graveyards. It's some form of therapy, a place where he can let it all out, a place where he can mourn what he never had, what he doesn't remember. You don't usually go with him, deciding it's best to give him something just for him. Occasionally he'll ask you to come with him, if it's been a particularly rough time or if it's a special day. At the very least he goes once a month, and it's never a question of where he's going, you just know. You worry about him sometimes, being alone in some graveyard. You are all each other have, all you cherish, all you love. It's not often you're apart, but it's not all that difficult to stick to someone like sap when you can't be in the sun.

It's the anniversary of the death of some family member he doesn't remember, who died centuries ago, but some part of him feels as though he should at least go. Not like anyone else goes to see his family anymore. You're in the living room, setting up the fireplace for when you return. Astarion comes downstairs, and you hear his shoes tap each step. You turn to find him in all black, you are as well.

"Are you ready to go?"

You ask, grabbing your trusty knife off the table by the front door, sheathing it under your jacket. It's been quite cold as of recent.

"Mhm."

He doesn't say much. He doesn't have to say much.

"Then let's go."

You smile warmly and wrap yourself around his arm. The graveyard you're visiting isn't too far from the house. It's where most of the Ancuníns were laid to rest, including Astarion's 'grave.' When you arrive, he knows right where to go, and you simply follow along. A while back he memorized all of these people, their death dates, who they were, trying to remember anything he could from a life he lost long ago. The two of you sit in front of an ornate grave, a second cousin of his, or something of the like. You feel guilty that you don't remember like he does.

"I appreciate you."

He'd been silent the entire walk here.

"You always come with me when I ask. I know it may not make sense, I just feel as though it's right, to at least try."

"Of course my love. Whatever you need."

You rest your head on his shoulder and read the inscription on the tombstone. Apparently this man got a terrible illness, died sometime in his 20s, extremely young for an elf. You wonder how much Astarion remembers, if he knew this man at all. You never pry though. He always shares when he's ready. Suddenly, he squeezes your hand.

"I'll miss you. I don't miss these people, but I'll miss you."

"That's hardly a fair comparison. You barely remember them."

"I'll remember you forever. Even if I were enslaved for two hundred more years after this, I couldn't ever forget you."

He kisses the top of your head, lingering for a moment to take in your scent, the feeling of your hair, every little thing he'll remember when you're gone.

"The truth is darling, I don't think I'll ever love again, once you're gone."

He begins to cry. You hadn't thought about him with future lovers, lying with another soul.

"That's not fair though."

"What makes you say that?"

"You deserve to love after me. You deserve to be loved after me."

He sadly chuckles to himself.

"As if anyone could ever compare. You're the sun, and I the moon. Without you, no light would ever reflect off me again. A dark husk of a man, that's what I will be when you're gone."

He sounds so sure of himself, as if beyond you there is nothing. Then again, you've made this entire life together. Who else would fall in love with a vampire spawn with no master, a monster who's never going to be quite right? You're not sure what to say.

"To be honest, I don't think I could fall in love with someone else, even if I tried my damnest. You've made me feel safe in a way that is so foreign, fabricated just for me. You can't replicate that. You can't find someone so willing to be this patient, this kind, to not only love me for my body."

"You have so much more to love though."

"I don't think anyone would see it the way you do my sweet."

You shift to turn and look at Astarion, taking his hands in yours.

"You know what I love most about you?"

He softly smiles.

"What?"

"That you can change. It's something many people forget to do, to change and evolve, to find more in life than their misery. You've changed, for the better. Very few can do that the way you have."

"It's you who changed me."

Sometimes it frustrates you, how little credit he gives himself. Then again, it's much better than it used to be.

"Just promise me something? Once I'm gone, find another way to be happy. Find something that makes your heart flutter, that causes those precious creases when you smile. Find something else, if not for yourself, for me."

He nestles into your neck, giving you a soft kiss.

"I promise to try my love, that's all I can do."

His eyes are still misty, the tears get onto your neck. You try hard not to cry yourself, but it's hard when your heart is breaking outside of your body. You pray in that moment, although you're not sure to what god or power, but you pray that he'll be okay when you die, that it's a long time away from someone driving a stake through his ribs, that he finds joy in the small things like he does now. After all, hope is all you have when the afterlife comes to get you so soon.

"I hope I get to watch over you, wherever I end up."

"Like some kind of angel or something?"

"I guess. Like your guardian."

"Do you think I'll know?"

"Yes, I think you'll know. Maybe I'll take on the body of stray cats, follow you on the streets, lead you down paths with less heartache."

"I'd like that, very much."

~~~

Decades later, Astarion gets ready to leave the house, your knife on the table. When he steps out onto the cobblestone streets, there's a pure white cat standing a couple feet away. It meows, almost melodically, and turns to a nearby alleyway. He walks to where the animal was standing, and turns to look into the alleyway, but there is no sight of the stray. He smiles.

"Thank you, my love."

#comfort #angst #astarion #baldur's gate 3 #astarion x reader #astarion x tav

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hd-junglebook · 6 months

Text

Falling For It

Part 7 - Word Count 5647

This is kind of a longer one than normal, but I have served a late-night snack that should keep you occupied.

Y/N walked into the patient's room, a warm smile on her face as she greeted the elderly woman lying in the bed. "Good morning, Mrs. Johnson. How are we feeling today?"

The woman, who had to be at least 80 years old, squinted up at Y/N, her wrinkled face scrunching into a scowl. "How do you think I'm feeling? I'm stuck in this godforsaken hospital with a bunch of people poking and prodding at me all day long."

Y/N bit back a laugh, used to Mrs. Johnson's cantankerous demeanor. "Well, I'm here to check your vitals and make sure everything is looking good. Can you sit up for me, please?"

Mrs. Johnson grumbled under her breath but complied, pushing herself up into a sitting position. As Y/N wrapped the blood pressure cuff around her arm, the old woman eyed her suspiciously.

"You're too pretty to be a doctor," she said bluntly, her gaze sweeping over Y/N's face. "Are you sure you know what you're doing?"

Y/N chuckled, shaking her head in amusement. "I'm a nurse aide, actually. And yes, I'm quite sure I know what I'm doing. I've been doing this for a few years now."

Mrs. Johnson harrumphed, clearly unconvinced. "Well, just don't go trying to set me up with any of those young whippersnappers you call doctors. I'm too old for that nonsense."

Y/N nearly choked on her laughter, her eyes widening in surprise. "I wouldn't dream of it, Mrs. Johnson. Your heart belongs to Mr. Johnson, I'm sure."

The old woman's face softened, a wistful smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. "Damn right it does. He may be gone, but he's still the only man for me."

Y/N felt a pang of envy at the love and devotion in Mrs. Johnson's voice. She wondered if she would ever find that kind of love, the kind that lasted a lifetime and beyond.

Shaking off the thought, she finished taking Mrs. Johnson's vitals and jotted down the numbers on her chart. "Everything looks good, Mrs. Johnson. Is there anything else I can do for you before I go?"

The old woman thought for a moment, her brow furrowing in concentration. "Well, you could find me a decent cup of coffee in this place. The stuff they serve here tastes like dishwater."

Y/N laughed, nodding in agreement. "I'll see what I can do. Maybe I can smuggle in a cup from the cafeteria for you."

Mrs. Johnson's face lit up, a mischievous glint in her eye. "I knew I liked you, kid. Just don't let those doctors catch you. They're a bunch of sticks in the mud."

Y/N grinned, giving the old woman a conspiratorial wink. "Your secret is safe with me, Mrs. Johnson. I'll be back later with that coffee."

With that, she turned and headed out of the room, a smile still playing on her lips. Despite Mrs. Johnson's gruff exterior, Y/N had a soft spot for the old woman. She reminded her of her own grandmother, with her sharp wit and no-nonsense attitude.

Y/N pulled her hair out of its bun, running her hands down the sides to slick it back before she walked down the sterile hallway of the hospital, her footsteps echoing off the linoleum floors.

As she rounded the corner, she nearly collided with one of her coworkers, a handsome doctor named Ethan. He reached out to steady her, his hand lingering on her arm for a moment longer than necessary.

"Whoa there," he said, a charming smile spreading across his face. "You okay?"

Y/N nodded, feeling a blush creep up her neck at his touch. "Yeah, sorry about that. Just lost in thought, I guess."

Ethan chuckled, his green eyes sparkling with mirth. "No worries. It happens to the best of us." He paused, his gaze sweeping over her appreciatively. "You look stunning today, by the way." Y/N felt her heart skip a beat at the compliment, a small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

"Thanks," she said softly, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

Ethan hesitated for a moment, as if gathering his courage, before speaking again. "Listen, I've been wanting to ask you something for a while now." He took a deep breath, his eyes locking onto hers. "Would you like to go out with me sometime? Maybe grab dinner or a drink after work?"

Y/N's breath caught in her throat, her mind reeling at the unexpected invitation. A part of her wanted to say yes, to throw caution to the wind and take a chance on something new. But even as she opened her mouth to respond, an image of Jack flashed through her mind, his piercing blue eyes and crooked smile sending a pang of longing through her chest.

She hesitated, torn between the desire to move on and the lingering feelings she still held for Jack. It had been a week since that fateful night at the lake house, a week since she had watched him kiss Lexi and felt her heart shatter into a million pieces. But despite her best efforts to forget him, to push him out of her mind and her heart, she found that he was still there, lurking in the shadows of her thoughts.

"I..." she began, her voice trailing off as she struggled to find the right words. "I'm flattered, really. But I don't think it's a good idea."

Ethan's smile faltered, disappointment flickering in his eyes. "Oh. Okay, no problem. I understand."

Y/N felt a twinge of guilt at the hurt in his voice, but she knew she was making the right decision. She couldn't lead him on, couldn't pretend to be interested when her heart belonged to someone else.

"I'm sorry," she said softly, reaching out to touch his arm. "It's not you, I promise. I'm just... not ready for something like that right now."

Ethan nodded, his smile returning, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "No worries. I get it." He glanced at his watch, a rueful chuckle escaping his lips. "I should probably get back to my rounds anyway. I'll see you around, Y/N."

With that, he turned and walked away, leaving Y/N standing alone in the hallway, her thoughts swirling with confusion and regret. She knew she had done the right thing, but she couldn't shake the feeling that she was missing out on something, that by holding onto her feelings for Jack, she was letting life pass her by.

But even as she tried to push the thought away, she knew that it was no use. Jack had left an indelible mark on her heart, and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't seem to erase it. With a sigh, she turned and headed back to her patients, determined to focus on her work and push all thoughts of Jack and Ethan out of her mind.

…

Y/N walked out of the hospital, her mind still reeling from her encounter with Ethan. She made her way to the parking garage, her footsteps echoing off the concrete walls. The garage was mostly empty at this time of day, with only a few scattered cars parked here and there. Y/N reached her own car, a small, sensible sedan that had seen better days, and unlocked the door with a sigh.

Sliding into the driver's seat, she closed the door behind her and leaned back against the headrest, her eyes fluttering shut. It had been a long day, and she could feel the exhaustion settling into her bones. She knew she should start the car and head home, but for a moment, she just wanted to sit and breathe.

Her phone buzzed from inside her lunch bag, startling her out of her reverie. She reached for the bag, rummaging through its contents until she found her phone. When she saw who the message was from, she felt her heart sink.

It was from Quinn, and she could already guess what it was about. He had been texting her all week, ever since the disastrous night at the lake house. He was still furious about what had happened between Jack and Lexi, and he had been taking out his anger on anyone who would listen.

Y/N hesitated for a moment before opening the message, bracing herself for the inevitable onslaught of anger and frustration.

"I can't believe he did that to you," the message read. "After everything you two have been through together. He's a fool if he thinks Lexi is better than you."

Y/N sighed, her fingers hovering over the screen as she tried to think of a response. She knew Quinn meant well, but his constant reminders of that night were starting to wear down on her. She just wanted to move on, to forget about Jack and Lexi and everything that had happened.

But she knew it wasn't that simple.

She typed out a quick response, thanking Quinn for his support. As she hit send, she leaned back in her seat once more, her gaze drifting out the window. The sun was starting to set, casting an orange glow over the parking garage. It was a beautiful sight, but Y/N couldn't seem to appreciate it.

With a sigh, she started the car and pulled out of the parking space.

…

Hugo's relentless purring filled the room, a comforting background noise to y/n's blissful slumber. Curled up in her blanket cocoon, she snored softly, oblivious to the world around her. Meanwhile, Hugo, the brown tabby cat, lay at the foot of her bed, methodically grooming himself for the third time that evening.

Outside y/n's bedroom, shuffling footsteps and muttered curses echoed through the quiet house, signaling the start of another restless night. Y/n peeked out from under her blanket, her one eye cracked open as she surveyed the empty room. With a grumble, she readjusted herself, sinking deeper into the warmth of her cocoon.

Y/N's peaceful slumber was suddenly interrupted by the loud bang of her bedroom door slamming against the wall. She jolted awake, her heart racing as she let out a startled squeal. Hugo leaped off the bed in a blur of brown fur, alarmed by the sudden commotion.

As Y/N's sleep-addled brain tried to make sense of what was happening, she heard familiar voices filling the room. Peeking out from her cozy blanket cocoon, Heather and Angie, standing in the doorway with grins on their faces.

"Rise and shine, sleepyhead!" Angie exclaimed, her voice far too chipper for whatever ungodly hour it was. "We've got plans today, and you're not going to waste away in bed!"

Y/N groaned, pulling the blanket back over her head in a futile attempt to block out the intrusion. "Go away," she mumbled, her voice muffled by the layers of fabric. "I'm hibernating."

Heather laughed, the sound far too gleeful for Y/N's liking. "Oh no, you don't," she said, marching over to the bed and yanking the blanket away. "You've been rotting and doom scrolling for a week and it's time to get out and have some fun."

Y/N squinted up at her friends, her eyes still bleary with sleep. "I don't want to have fun," she whined, making a grab for the blanket. "I want to stay here and wallow in my misery." Her friends exchanged amused glances, clearly used to her morning grumpiness. Angie chuckled.

"Come on, Y/N, you can't spend all day in bed. We've got plans!"

With a dramatic sigh, Y/N reluctantly pushed the covers aside and swung her legs over the edge of the bed. She glanced over at Hugo, who was peeking out from under the dresser with wide, curious eyes. Smiling, she scooped him up and gave him a quick cuddle before setting him back down on the bed.

"Wish Jack luck, buddy," she said, giving him a scratch behind the ears. "I think he’s going to need it."

…

The bass thumped through the soles of Y/N's strappy heels as she stepped into the dimly lit club, Angie and Heather flanking her sides. The air was thick with the mingled scents of sweat, alcohol, and expensive perfume, and the dance floor was already packed with writhing bodies moving to the pulsing beat.

Y/N tugged at the hem of her skintight mini skirt, the black leather barely grazing her upper thighs. She had paired it with a deep red corset top that cinched her waist and pushed up her cleavage, the lacy fabric and her makeup smoky and seductive.

"Damn, girl!" Angie whistled appreciatively, her eyes raking over Y/N's curves. "You look like you're ready to break some hearts tonight."

Y/N grinned, striking a playful pose. "That's the plan, babe.” Heather laughed, linking her arm through Y/N's. The trio made their way to the bar after saying hello to the boys, Y/N could feel the eyes of the other clubgoers on them, appreciative glances and envious stares following their every move.

It was a heady feeling, knowing that she was turning heads and commanding attention. As they reached the bar, Y/N leaned forward, flagging down the bartender with a coy smile. "Three vodka cranberries, please," she purred, batting her lashes for good measure.

The bartender, a handsome man with a chiseled jaw and piercing blue eyes, grinned back at her. "Coming right up.” Y/N preened at the attention, feeling a rush of confidence surge through her.

As the bartender slid their drinks across the counter, Y/N took a sip, savoring the tart burst of cranberry on her tongue. She turned to her friends, raising her glass in a toast. They downed their drinks in unison, the alcohol buzzing through their veins and adding an extra shimmer to their already glowing skin.

As they set their empty glasses back on the bar, a new song came on, the beat even more infectious than the last. Y/N felt it thrumming through her body, urging her to move, to lose herself in the music and the moment.

She grabbed Heather's hand, tugging her towards the dance floor. "Come on, let's dance!" Heather laughed, allowing herself to be pulled into the fray. Angie followed close behind, her hips already swaying to the rhythm.

y/n raised her arms above her head, her hips swiveling and rolling in time with the beat. She could feel the eyes of the men around her, could sense their hunger and appreciation, but she paid them no mind.

…

Once the song came to an end, Y/N, Angie, and Heather made their way off the dance floor, their skin glistening with a sheen of sweat. They weaved through the crowd, heading towards the table where their friends were seated.

Nico, Jack, Marino, and Dawson were already deep in conversation, a collection of empty glasses scattered across the tabletop. They looked up as the girls approached, their eyes widening appreciatively at the sight of them.

"Well, well, well," Nico drawled, a smirk playing at the corners of his mouth. "Look what the cat dragged in." Y/N rolled her eyes, sliding into the booth beside him. Y/N couldn't help but smirk at Nico's playful banter.

"Shut up, Nico. You know you missed us." She stated, shooting him a teasing glare before turning her attention to the others, her gaze meeting Jack's across the table. Marino chuckled, raising his glass in a mock toast.

"To the beautiful ladies of the evening," he declared, his words slightly slurred. "May they never leave us lonely again."

Angie snorted, snatching the glass from his hand and taking a sip. "Thanks, Marino," Y/N replied with a laugh, raising her own glass in response. "But I make no promises about future loneliness." Jack chuckled, his voice low and warm as he leaned back in his seat.

“Yeah, we’ll see about that,” he said, his gaze lingering on Y/N for a moment longer than strictly necessary.

Nico and Marino exchanged knowing glances, their lips quirking into sly smiles as they observed the interaction. Heather nudged Y/N discreetly, her eyebrows raised in silent encouragement.

Everyone fell into easy conversation, Y/N couldn't help but notice Jack's eyes on her, his gaze intense and unwavering. She tried to ignore him, focusing instead on the story Dawson was telling about his latest game. She felt a flutter of nerves in her stomach, but she held his gaze steadily, refusing to show any sign of weakness.

But Jack was persistent, leaning across the table to catch her attention. "Can we talk?" Jack's voice was soft, almost pleading, his eyes searching hers for an answer. Y/N felt a rush of emotions swirling inside her, uncertainty mingled with a hint of anticipation.

Y/N hesitated, a frown tugging at her lips. She glanced around the table, noticing for the first time that a certain blonde was conspicuously absent. "Where's Lexi?" she asked, her tone carefully neutral.

Jack sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I told her not to come."

Y/N's eyebrow arched higher, a skeptical expression crossing her features as she processed Jack's words. "Interesting," she mused, her tone laced with skepticism. "So, what? You're playing mediator now?"

Jack's gaze softened, a flicker of remorse flashing in his eyes. "Not exactly," he admitted, his voice tinged with regret. "She was your best friend, and she hurt Quinn's feelings."

Y/N couldn't help but scoff, a bitter laugh escaping her lips. "Mhmm."

Jack leaned forward, his elbows resting on the table as he fixed her with an imploring look. "I know you're mad at me. Just let me fix this, let me talk to you. I know I don't deserve that tonight, and maybe I shouldn't be here either, but..."

Y/N held up a hand, cutting him off mid-sentence. A wicked idea had taken root in her mind, a way to make Jack squirm, to make him feel even a fraction of the hurt and confusion she had been grappling with.

She leaned back in her seat, a devious smirk playing at the corners of her mouth. "No, you should stay," she purred, her voice dripping with false sweetness.

Jack blinked, clearly taken aback by her sudden change in demeanor. "Really?"

Y/N nodded, picking up her glass and taking a long, deliberate sip. She could feel the eyes of the rest of the group on her, could sense their confusion and anticipation. But she paid them no mind, her focus solely on Jack. She stood up from the table, her movements slow and sinuous, her hips swaying with every step.

"Enjoy your night, Jack," she said, her voice a husky whisper. "I know I will."

With that, she turned on her heel and sauntered away, leaving a stunned Jack in her wake. She could feel his eyes boring into her back, could sense the weight of his gaze on her every curve and sway.

Suddenly, she felt a hand on her waist, a strong grip steadying her as she stumbled. She looked up, her eyes meeting a pair of deep brown ones, a mischievous glint sparkling in their depths. "Careful there, gorgeous," the stranger said, his voice a low rumble that sent shivers down her spine. "Wouldn't want you to fall for anyone else tonight."

Y/N couldn't help but laugh. "You look like fun," she said, her fingers curling around the collar of his shirt, tugging him closer.

The stranger grinned, his hands tightening on her waist as he allowed her to pull him into the center of the dance floor. The crowd parted around them, the sea of bodies closing in once more as they found their rhythm.

From his spot at the table, Jack watched the exchange with narrowed eyes, his jaw clenched tight. He saw the way the stranger's hands lingered on Y/N's curves, the way he leaned in close to whisper in her ear, his lips brushing the sensitive skin of her neck.

It took every ounce of self-control he possessed not to march over there and tear the guy away from her, to finish the conversation they had started earlier. But Marinos hand on his shoulder held him back, a silent reminder that he had lost the right to interfere in Y/N's life.

Still, he couldn't tear his gaze away, couldn't ignore the jealousy burning in his gut as he watched Y/N dance with the stranger. Her hips swayed to the beat, her arms raised above her head as she lost herself in the music. The stranger's hands roamed her body, sliding down to cup her ass, pulling her flush against him.

Y/N didn't seem to mind, a coy smile playing at her lips as she ground her hips against his. She ran her fingers through the stranger's hair, tugging lightly at the strands as she leaned in close, her lips brushing the shell of his ear.

Jack's hands clenched into fists at his sides, his nails digging into his palms hard enough to leave marks. He knew he had no right to be angry, no right to feel possessive over a woman he had hurt so deeply.

But seeing her with someone else, watching her give herself over to the heat and the passion of the moment, it was a special kind of torture, a punishment he knew he deserved. He forced himself to look away, to focus on the conversation happening around him. But his mind was miles away, lost in memories of the way Y/N's body had once moved against his own, the way her lips had tasted, the sound of her laughter in his ear.

He had taken it all for granted, had thrown it away for a fleeting moment of temptation. And now, watching her dance with a stranger, watching her come alive in a way he hadn't seen in weeks, he knew that he would do anything to win her back.

Even if it meant swallowing his pride and admitting the truth.

Jack sat at the table, his eyes glued to Y/N and the stranger on the dance floor. He couldn't help but scoff as he watched the guy's hands roam over her body, his lips curled in a sneer. "Who does this guy think he is?" he muttered, taking a swig of his beer. "He's all over her like some kind of octopus."

Nico leaned in, squinting at the dance floor. "Wait a minute," he said, his eyes widening in recognition. "Isn't that Matt Rempe? From the Rangers?"

Jack's head snapped up, his gaze zeroing in on the stranger's face. Sure enough, it was none other than his longtime rival, the star player of the Rangers hockey team.

A surge of anger coursed through his veins, his grip tightening on his beer bottle. The Jersey Devils and the Rangers had been at each other's throats for years, their rivalry the stuff of legend. And now, seeing Matt Rempe with his hands all over Y/N, it was like a slap in the face, a personal insult he couldn't ignore.

Jack stood up abruptly, his chair scraping against the floor. His eyes scanned the club, searching for something, anything to take his mind off the sight of Y/N in Matt's arms.

And then he saw her.

A girl, standing at the edge of the dance floor, her hair the same rich shade as Y/N's, her body curved in all the right places. She was a dead ringer for the woman he liked, a doppelganger in every sense of the word.

Without a second thought, Jack made his way over to her, his strides purposeful and determined. He tapped her on the shoulder, flashing his most charming smile when she turned around. "Hey there," he said, his voice low and inviting. "I couldn't help but notice you from across the room. wanna dance?"

The girl's eyes widened, a flattered smile spreading across her face. "I'd love to," she said, taking his hand and allowing him to lead her onto the dance floor. Jack pulled her close, his hands settling on her hips as they began to move to the music. He made sure to position them in Y/N's line of sight, his eyes locking with hers over the girl's shoulder.

Y/N was still dancing with Matt, her back pressed against his chest, his hands splayed across her stomach. But her gaze was fixed on Jack, her eyes narrowed, her lips pressed into a thin line.

Jack smirked, leaning down to whisper something in the girl's ear. She giggled, her head falling back against his shoulder, her body melting into his. He could feel Y/N's stare boring into him, could sense the anger and jealousy radiating off her in waves. And he reveled in it, a twisted sense of satisfaction unfurling in his chest.

Two could play at this game.

He spun the girl around, dipping her low, his hand splayed across the small of her back. She gasped, her arms winding around his neck, her body arching into his. Y/N couldn't take it anymore. The sight of Jack with that girl, his hands all over her, his eyes locked on Y/N's with a cruel, taunting gleam, it was too much to bear. She mumbled a quick excuse to Matt, pulling away from his embrace and making a beeline for the exit.

She burst through the doors, the cool night air hitting her flushed skin like a balm. She took a deep breath, trying to calm the storm of emotions raging inside her.

Behind her, she heard the sound of footsteps, and she spun around to see Jack rushing out after her. He had a panicked look on his face, as if he had just realized the gravity of what he had done.

"Y/N, wait," he called out, his voice desperate.

Y/N scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest. "Explain what, Jack? How you were just using that poor girl to get back at me? How you couldn't stand to see me happy, even for a moment?"

Jack ran a hand through his hair, his fingers tugging at the strands in frustration. His shoulders were tense, hunched up to his ears as if he were bracing himself for a blow. "That's not what I was doing," he argued, his voice strained with the effort of keeping his emotions in check.

"I was just..." He trailed off, his eyes searching Y/N's face, pleading for understanding. "I saw you with Matt, and I couldn't stand it. It was like something inside me snapped. I lost control."

He took a step closer, his hands twitching at his sides as if he were fighting the urge to reach out and touch her. "I didn't mean to hurt you, Y/N. I swear, that was never my intention. I just..." He swallowed hard, his Adam's apple bobbing in his throat. "I miss you. I miss us. And seeing you with him, seeing you in his arms, laughing at his jokes... it made me crazy. It made me feel like I was losing you all over again."

Y/N sighed, the anger that had been burning in her chest sputtering out like a candle flame deprived of oxygen. "I miss you too, Jack," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "More than I ever thought possible."

Jack hung his head, his shoulders slumping as if the weight of his shame were physically pressing down on him. "I know," he said, his voice rough with emotion. "And I'm sorry, Y/N. I'm so damn sorry. I never meant for things to get this twisted, this messed up. I never meant to hurt you like this."

Y/N took a step forward, closing the distance between them until she could feel the heat of his body radiating against her skin. Slowly, tentatively, she reached up and cupped his cheek, her thumb brushing over the stubble that shadowed his jaw. "I know you didn't," she said softly, her eyes searching his.

Jack leaned into her touch, his eyes fluttering closed as if he were savoring the feel of her skin against his. "I want to be with you, Y/N," he said, his voice low and fervent. "I want to make things right between us. I want to prove to you that I can be the man you deserve, the man you need me to be."

Y/N's heart clenched in her chest, a lump rising in her throat at the raw honesty in his words. She knew that he meant it, that he truly wanted to make things work between them. But she also knew that it wouldn't be easy, that they had a long road ahead of them if they wanted to rebuild what they had lost.

Still, looking into his eyes, seeing the love and the longing that shone there, she knew that she was willing to try. Because a life without Jack, a life without his laughter and his infuriating stubbornness... that wasn't a life she wanted to live.

"I want that too, Jack,” she whispered, her lips curving into a small, hopeful smile.

Y/N's heart skipped a beat, her breath catching in her throat. For a moment, they stood there, lost in each other's eyes, the rest of the world falling away. But the spell was broken by the sound of sarcastic laughter, and they turned to see Matt and his friends sauntering out of the club.

"Well, well, well," Matt sneered, his lips curling into a cruel smirk as his eyes raked over Y/N's form, lingering on her curves with a lecherous gleam. "If it isn't the Jersey Devil's sloppy seconds."

Jack's entire body tensed, his hands clenching into fists at his sides as a wave of rage crashed over him. "Watch your fucking mouth, Rempe," he yelled back.

Matt scoffed, his friends snickering behind him. "Please. She was grinding on me like a bitch in heat back there. Face it, Jack, your girl's nothing but a filthy little tease." Y/N's cheeks flushed with anger and embarrassment, her eyes narrowing to slits. "Shut up, Matt. You don't know what you're talking about."

Matt took a step forward, his towering frame looming over Y/N in a blatant attempt at intimidation. "I know a slut when I see one, sweetheart,” he leered, his eyes traveling the length of her body with a nauseating hunger. "And sweetheart, you've got 'fuck me' written all over you."

That was the final straw.

Jack lunged forward, his fist connecting with Matt's jaw with a sickening crack. Matt stumbled back, his hand flying to his face, his eyes wide with shock. Matt was quick to recover, charging at Jack with a primal snarl, his own fists flying with brutal precision.

His friends joined in, their fists flying as they tried to defend their teammate.

Y/N watched in horror as the fight escalated, Jack and Matt trading blows, their bodies slamming into the walls of the alleyway. She turned to run back inside, to get help, but she was stopped by the sight of Nico, Marino, and Dawson rushing out of the club, their faces contorted with anger.

They threw themselves into the fray, their fists flying as they tried to defend their friend. Y/N watched helplessly as the fight turned into an all-out brawl, bodies slamming into each other, blood splattering the pavement.

She knew she should do something, should try to break it up, but she was frozen in place, her heart pounding in her chest, her mind reeling with the shock of it all. How had things escalated so quickly? How had a night of fun and flirtation turned into a brutal street fight?

She didn't know. All she knew was that she needed to get Jack out of there, needed to get him somewhere safe.

Heather and Angie burst through the club doors, their eyes widening at the chaotic scene before them. Without hesitation, they threw themselves into the fray, their high heels and manicured nails proving to be surprisingly effective weapons.

Heather grabbed one of the Rangers by the collar, yanking him off of Marino with a snarl. "Get your hands off him, you creep, he’s too small!" she yelled, her knee slamming into his groin with a satisfying crunch.

The Ranger howled in pain, doubling over and stumbling away, his hands cupping his injured pride. Heather dusted off her hands with a smirk, turning to help Angie, who was currently grappling with another one of Matt's cronies.

Y/N, meanwhile, had finally snapped out of her daze, her eyes locking onto Jack's form in the center of the melee. He was holding his own, his fists flying as he traded blows with Matt, but she could see the blood streaming from his nose, the bruises blooming on his cheekbones.

Without a second thought, she lunged forward, shoving her way through the crowd of brawling men. She reached Jack just as he landed a particularly vicious punch to Matt's ribs, sending the Ranger stumbling back with a grunt of pain.

"Jack!" she cried out, her hands reaching for him, desperate to pull him away from the fight. Jack turned to her, his eyes wild with adrenaline and rage. But as he took in the concern on her face, the fear in her eyes, his expression softened, the fight draining out of him.

"Y/N," he murmured, his hand coming up to cup her cheek, heedless of the blood staining his knuckles.

"Enough!" Heather barked, her voice ringing with authority. "Break it up, now, or I'm calling the cops." For a moment, no one moved, the tension crackling in the air like a live wire. But then, slowly, reluctantly, the Rangers began to disengage, their faces twisted with resentment and barely suppressed rage.

Matt was the last to back down, his chest heaving with exertion as he glared at Jack with pure, unadulterated hatred. "See you at the next game Jack," he snarled, his split lip dripping with blood.

But Jack just smiled, the gesture cold and humorless. "I'll be waiting." he said, his voice calm.

...

@clairezegras @rebelatbay @ivy-34

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hotteoki · 1 year

Text

drunk bf ateez headcanons - 2k celebration!

pairing: ateez x reader (no prns used)

cw: mentions of alcohol (obvie)

genre: fluff, established relationship, headcanon

notes: after watching drunkteez on wanteez and having yunho on my mind i just had to write this ( ˘ ³˘)

notes: this is my second celebration post! happy 2k followers!

hongjoong

he seems fine

at first

he's downing shots, glasses, bottles

at flash speed

but he's fine

even he says he's fine

"i just don't feel anything"

"well i mean some people just don't get drunk"

"maybe i'm just reeeeeally talented"

you're like thinking 'oh! he's not too bad'

...

did the 'reeeeeally' not give you warning signs in your head

you spoke too soon

next thing you know he's trying to shove his head down the billiard/pool/snooker table holes

it's more of gently ramming his head against the table edge than shoving his head tho

you were dying laughing by the time you reached him

"joong what are you doing???"

"i'm looking for thissssss"

"what is 'this', joongie?"

it's silent for a while and you're rubbing his back

then he just pops up

"this!"🫰🏻

(ಠ ಠ)

he thinks he's sooooo funny

you had to stare at him for a good few minutes before processing what the hell you just witnessed

he's upgraded from terrible dad jokes to terrible rizz jokes

i don't think i can decipher which is worse

he's also balancing the shot glasses on the back of his hand

which had you PANICKING

a whole migraine just from that

forget a hangover

your fear of him breaking one of those is enough for you to want to die

surprisingly he didn't break any

"see baby? i'm just tooooooo talented"

he's giggling so much

it's so cute :(

but add the worst aegyo in the world to the list

it’s near bang chan level of horrifying

i mean sure

joong is NATURALLY a giant tiny cutie

but when he’s doing it on purpose???

um.

well!

okay!

(유∀유|||)

have fun!

seonghwa

no thoughts behind those eyes

just blink blink (0_0) (-_-) (0_0)

i'm pretty sure he's on mars

and out of nowhere he starts singing along to i want it that way playing in the background (b99 ref (ʃƪ˘ﻬ˘))

singing along very loudly if i may add

BUT

as soon as the song ends

he's back to his (0_0) (-_-) (0_0) agenda

at one point

you’ve just gotten used to his giggles and clapping out of the blue

yeah he just applauds randomly

to whom and why?

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

he just wants to i guess

"hwa, i think we should go now it's like 4am-"

"HAKUNA MATATA YO"

oh he's singing again!

will not stop for the next twenty minutes

in his head it's a free karaoke bar

and he's just singing to his heart's content

he can also get pouty very quickly

and is very, very clingy

whichever one of your arm is nearer to him is not going to hear the bells of freedom for the rest of the long night

to be fair

if any of the other members are near him

he's also going to be clinging to them

just

a little less than you

he loves you the most after all! ><

all in all

he's pretty chill

every now and then

this is a bit short cause i don’t know what else i could say i’m sorry (╥_╥)

i'll make it up with a seonghwa drabble soon promise

yunho

where did this man's energy come from???????

one minute he's on the dance floor

he's 'boogying', as he said

the next he's running laps around the bar

you're just shocked he hasn't crashed into another poor innocent person yet

oh and now he's on the stage! ᕕ( ᐛ )ᕗ

are you ripping out your hair yet

( ˘ ɜ˘) ♬♪♫ (yunho!!!!!!)>ヽ(‵﹏´)ノ

he's singing what seems to be halazia

except it's literally just the word halazia being repeated

you're pretty sure he sang 'hala-hala-hala-hala-halazia' like about seven times

stream seven by jungkook

you had to physically drag him down from the stage

“nooooo baby you don’t understand i still need to sing hips don’t lie they need meeeeeee (ง'̀-'́)ง”

“yeah ok shakira let’s go”

his hand slips from yours and he’s sucked into the wardrobe of narnia

cause even tho he’s a literal giant

you can’t seem to find his usually sticking out head

the reason why?

he’s squatting while doing the dougie

why? i don’t know

i don’t think he knows either

but he’s dougieing!

he’s also spitting BARS

starts rapping to mingi’s part in guerilla while you’re trying to drag him out

at this point you’re beginning to suspect that he’s not actually drunk

maybe a little tipsy

but mostly just staying to cause chaos

and to give you a headache

but his little pout as you’re pulling him away

“yuyu come on we have to go >:(“

“but baby i don’t want tooooo”

does this face 🥺

yk that one time when ateez made faces imitating the emoji signs they were holding

and yuyu had the 🥺 one

THATS EXACTLY THE FACE HES MAKING

and how can you deny this golden retriever :,)

(if you can resist it you’re just a maniac frankenstein cheoreom georeo maniac maniac ha ha idk i don’t make the rules)

“okay fine… but no-”

“YAY i’ll be back”

he does in fact come back a few minutes later

HOLDING A PIGEON?????

“YUNHO WHAT ARE YOU DOING??? PUT THE BIRD DOWN-”

“i made a friend! :D”

you’re certain he took a few years off your life in just one night

yeosang

since we've never actually seen him drunk

cause he's a fairy

i'll go by what joong san and hwa were saying in their vlive like ages ago

cause apparently yeosang gets all cute

so let's imagine a very clingy sangie

just tugging and snuggling into your arm

mumbling your name too

his cute nose scrunches up whenever you try to move

he whines about how you don’t love him anymore

literally just because you moved to scratch an itch on your neck

“sangie what do you mean i don’t love you anymore of course-”

“you don’t LOVE ME ANYMORE :-(”

near tears because he’s convinced of his point

sigh

“baby why do you think i don’t love you anymore?”

“hm??”

confused blink blink

he’s forgotten what he was even saying

your hand brushing through his hair is just too distracting!!!!

he’s a simple man ok?

( ๑>ᴗ<๑ )

that’s how i imagine he looks

with a flushed face

but still looking like an angel sent from heaven

but yk

don’t forget about his muscles

（ΦωΦ）

atp he’s fed up with you moving around while trying to take care of the other members

so he just tightens his iron grip on your arm

good luck moving a literal koala clinging onto your arm

like hwa’s situation

you’re not moving another inch until he’s satisfied with the amount of love he’s showered you

which

he never will be

◝(๑꒪່౪̮꒪່๑)◜

again very short cause i have nothing to come from ;-(

san

literally the LOUDEST mfer in the bar

you can expect everyone within a twenty meter radius to be staring at the two of you

you just standing there like (ಥ‿ಥ) and he's just like ᕙ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ᕗ

flexing

he's not doing it on purpose

but like

come on

how can you NOT stare at the gorgeous man that is your boyfriend

gawddamn

what snaps you out of your daze was san suddenly pointing at you

"san what are you doing?"

"youuuuuu... are soooooo... not me"

🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️

oh he's so far gone

i don't think even he knows what he's doing

bro's just saying things

he's literally the walking epitome of speaking to speak

the worst, and i mean absolutely WORST case of asian flush ever

every exposed square inch of his skin is bright red

you're like

panicking trying to get him to sit down

cause he's stumbling around into every person in the bar

he's practically knocking them over like bowling pins

then immediately apologising in the cutest way possible

the second he's made it out of the human mosh pit tho

(╥﹏╥)

you're like (ಠ ''ಠ)

"sannie, honey, why are you crying?"

"i don't know"

sniffle

"i just love you soooooo much..."

"thank you i-"

"like SOOOOO much"

"okay thank you baby-"

"i love you like thissssssss much"

he's holding out his hands

and he's stretching them out as far as possible

and before you know it

oop! he's bear hugging you

his cheek is squished against the top of your head as he's mumbling incoherent words

the only thing you can make out tho is

"i love you so much"

you guys are such goals (;-;)

mingi

okay since we’ve never seen drunk minki

i’m going to go by the endoscopy ep

where he was breakdancing

at first he was convincing gaslighting you that he was fine

because fine means stumbling around and not even being able to walk in a straight line

but whatever suits him! :p

no seriously

he could not walk properly for the LIFE of him

he was crashing into strangers and waiters alike here and there

and by crashing

i mean practically throwing himself onto them

but the second he stands back up

he’s back to yelling into their faces that he’s sober

like mingi…

no one believes you

(￢_￢;)

you were following him right on his tail

frantically apologising to everyone he disturbed

and he’s bopping his head

he’s jamming!!!!!! 乁( • ω •乁)

he’s in his own little world

which is so adorable you almost want to cry :-(

but by the time you have to leave

and he’s STILL dancing around

you have to start pulling aggressively on his arm

he won’t go otherwise

he could stay there all night just to prove a point

the point?

that he’s sober

yes he’s still on that topic

because he’s 100% NOT drunk!!!!!!!!!!

“mingi we have to go-”

“BUT BRUNO MARS IS ON”

“MINGI ITS NOT EVEN BRUNO MARS ITS JUSTIN BEIBER”

“…o yea! ヽ(･∀･)ﾉ”

sigh moment from you

“i want bruno mars thoooooo do you fink i can request for bruno marsssss??????”

“no”

“why not!!!!!! ;-(”

“cause we have to go (˘∀˘)/(ㅠ~ㅠ)”

pushing him out of the bar now

he’s a fun person to be around when you’re drunk as well tho

wooyoung

witch cackle amplified by 2611%

it’s so funny tho

he laughs over literally NOTHING

a stranger walking in the bar?

HILARIOUS

someone passing by?

howling on the floor

the toilet door opening?

he’s wiping away tears

hongjoong tripping over a chair in his drunken state?

he’s getting a 10 pack at this rate

to be fair

you also cackled at poor hongjoong pretending like his dignity didn’t just get absolutely annihilated

at the same time

he’s also just fumbling around

he’s not very sober

not sober enough to recognise you

“oooooooh you’re soooooooo good looking we should go outttt”

“wooyoung this is the fifth time tonight we’ve been together for over a year”

“say whaaaaaaaaaat???!!!!?!!?!”

starts coddling you after that

he’s so sweet but in a loud way

well

louder than usual

cant stop kissing you (ﾉ´ з `)ノ

no literally

i’m not exaggerating

he will CHASE you around the pub to kiss you if needed

he has done that before (in my head)

“wooyoung people are staring-”

“COME BACK LEMME KISS YOUUUUUUU ε=┌(;･д･)┘”

now

you might be thinking

skits, why would i ever deny kisses from wooyoung????

yeah see

he thinks he’s kissing you

he’s not

he’s biting you

like full on CHOMP CHOMP CHOMPERS

it’s not even cute lil :3 nom noms

ITS LITERALLY FULL ON TEETH RAWRS

so unless you want a chunk of your skin gone

start running! :p

jongho

you really think he's going to be the drunk one?

him??????

bro has not seen a day of being drunk

he could be downing bottles of every kind of alcohol known to mankind

and still be fresh as a daisy

(≖ᴗ≖) ✿

he'd be the one challenging the entire bar into drinking too

he handles his alcohol very well

let's be honest, you're probably the one drunk

he's going to be taking care of you instead

BUT you never told him how he once drunkenly went up to the bar stage

and started shooing off the performers

before flaunting off his vocals

so that was fun

let's say he hypothetically was wasted tho

i'll use the endoscopy ep as an example like mingi

he's just going to be asleep

just

snore mimimimi snore mimimimi

he might wake up like every half hour

and get all confused

but it's so cute :(

like he's just lifting his head up from your lap

◝(´Ｏ｀)◜

probably definitely drooling tho

it's going to be pretty short for him cause he just doesn't get drunk

he's invincible

networks - @kflixnet k-labels kbookshelf neverendingdreams-net straykidsland @k-films

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stariekis · 7 months

Text

love novels.

pairing : non idol! jungwon + librarian!reader . genre : fluff . cw : none ! let me know if i should add smt . wc : 2.6k not proofread

— synopsis : who said that you can't live those things you always read in your romance novels ?

— note : long ass hiatus damn ... sorry for being so inactive babies but i've been pretty busy with uni and resting too ngl but i promise i'll repay u🤞🏻 <3 n e wayyys here u have a lil woni one shot :D hope u guys enjoy it! all kinds of feedback and reposts are always appreciated as u know 🤲🏻⭐

This new semester you decided on working for your college's library. You loved reading and you go there pretty frequently so you thought that this was the perfect job for you and you can also have some extra credits

The first days there you notice a particular student entering the library at the same time every day, five o'clock to be precise. At firts you didn't pay much attention to him, he was like every other students after all.

But as the time passes by you find yourself looking for him every afternoon, hoping to see him again at the same time.

He was pretty - a pretty handsome guy to be fair - so it was obvious that he would eventually catch your attention. He also has a unique and calm aura, making him more interesting to you.

This is how we ended up in this exact day. The day was pretty boring, not many people entered the library and you spent most of your shift seating behind the desk and organizing the shelfs.

The sound of the door opening caught you attention. It was him, the boy with pretty eyes. Looking at the clock you smiled, five o'clock, right on time.

He, as usual, when straight up to the 'romance novel' shelft. You wanted to talk to him so bad, but how he will react if you just approached him out of the blue ?. So, when you saw him grabbing one of your favorite books you knew you couldn't let this opportunity slide away.

— 'That's one of my favorites books' you said, standing behind his back. He turned around as soon as he heard your voice, smiling at you. He was tall, his frame almost towering you, and he was even prettier up close.

— 'Really? i didn't know that you were into this type of books' actually he knew it perfectly, he saw the same exact book on you desk the other day that's why he choose it.

You didn't notice but since the first time he entered the library he was enchanted by you. Images of you behind your desk with your glasses on and you hair up in a messy bun keep repeating on his mind since that day, he then started frequenting your workplace more.

— 'I actually love romance novels but this one is amazing really, the characters are so well written that you empathize a lot with them and the plot is like strangers to loves and-' you looked at him for the first time and you were shocked to say the least when you found him looking directly at you, totally hypnotized while listening to you. — 'I talk too much don't i?' you look at you feets trying to avoid his gaze.

Jungwon giggled, putting on of his hand under your chin and lifting your face until your eyes met again. You almost melt under his touch. — 'Not at all, i love hearing you talk' he said almost whispering, you didn't realize how closr both of you eere until he backed up a bit.

He handled you the book — 'Sadly I have to go now i have some things to do but i will come back to rent this book okey?'. You nodded, you were completely out of words and your heart was beating fastly. — 'See you around pretty librarian'.

Then he made his way towards the door and, before closing it, he gave your the sweetest smile ever showing his pretty dimple.

You stood there with the book in your hands. When you were about to put it back on the shelf you saw a piece of paper sticking out tje side.

You picked it up and opened it. You put your back against the shelf and slid down until you were sitting on the floor smiling at the note.

i've always wanted to talk to you so, if you want too, text me :)

+ xxx xx xx xx

pd. you are really pretty btw <3

att. jungwon

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ch3rriiii-bunn · 1 year

Note

I'm here again (⁠.⁠ ⁠❛⁠ ⁠ᴗ⁠ ⁠❛⁠.⁠)

I was thinking of headcanons for the hantengu clones with a black s/o

Like I see aizetsu as a boob man, he just likes the feel of a boob and they are soft and he likes to suck on em he likes resting his head on your chest, wants to fuck your titties

Sekido is a lil bitch and likes your ass, he stares at it intensely but also smacks it very hard just to watch it move, sit on him trust me he will be so thankful, he won't show it though, once got the balls to ask if he can try anal with you

Karaku, horny mf likes your thighs, they squish and mush, he likes the feel of it (and he wants you to crush him with them) will also fuck your thighs (ain't that a bonus)

Urogi likes everything about you, your ass, your thighs and your boobs, although he likes the squishy parts of you and he's always eager to touch you in some way (it can be nsfw or not when he touches) but he likes you for you

Plus it wont matter since he fucks you anyways

Well I just came to share some things about this cause it has been in my mind eating me alive and I wanted to see your own headcanons on this 🙏🏾

Tits, ass or all?

LITERALLY WE HAVE THE SAME HEADCANONS AJDHEJD but since u asked for mine here's a very detailed version I got carried away with 🙈🙈🙈

Warnings: fem!reader, mention of stretch marks, chubby reader, cellulite, body worship, spanking, praising, marking/possessiveness, size differences (?)

Aizetsu

Aizetsu holds your boobs for comfort more than you do. He's not picky with the size, but what matters most is that you'd let him touch and hold your boobs whenever he wants

Aizetsu is too shy to admit this but when your boobs are tender around the time of your period he'd offer to message them which dose feel rexlaing to you but he's only doing it for his own pleasure to have his large hands on your breasts. He also loves how your veins show on your boobs

Aizetsu likes to randomly put his face between your boobs. Your demon slayer uniform had your chest exposed like mitsuri so when he sees you come back to the house where him and his brother live at he'll go to you and shove his face first then wrap his arms around you not caring if people are looking or not

Aizetsu will lay on your boobs a lot for comfort, but it always ends up sexual no matter how many times he apologizes. He won't take your unform off, instead he'll just move it enough to have your boobs exposed and gulp at how your nipples will harden from his touch and even his staring "I'm sorry y/n... j-just give me a few minutes." Liar

Aizetsu purposely forgets when you tell him not to leave marks on your boobs. So when you scold him for still leaving marks, he frowns more than usual. "But y/n... what if those other male slayers look at your boobs? I need to show everyone your mine... even if I have to have my marks here.."

Aizetsu will get on top of you and holds your boobs together himself as he slips his cock between them, stroking it between your boobs being a moaning mess. "Your boobs are just so soft a-and so pretty" his voice becomes broken moans "your boobs are going to look s-so much prettier when I cum on them, stick out your tounge, that's it. Good girl" he throws his head back, feeling your warm tounge touch his tip each time he thrusts making him cum on your boobs and mouth moments later

Aizetsu loves to watch your boobs when his hips snap hard fucking his cock deep inside you. When you cover your boobs to stop the intense bouncing they make he'll grab both your wrist and pin them above your head "please don't hide yourself from me. You're so pretty, so beautiful I love seeing how these beautiful tits bounce when I fuck you. Your nipples are so hard for me too" he sucks on them "be a good girl and cum on my cock" he'll say while sucking on your boobs

Sekido

Sekido was furious with your demon slayer uniform when you guys first started going out. "What kind of perverted human makes you wear this? The skirt is way to short I'll kill him" he said but after some time he Forbid you to wear pants since he had a obsession for your ass and loves how your skirt showed your ass when you'd bend over

Sekido will never admit he loves your ass but won't deny that he isn't obsessed with it. He would always ask you to pick up unnecessary things for him and be in the right place just to stare at you from behind, looking at your skirt ride up just enough to see the underline of your ass. "Don't pull down your skirt when you pick that up. No one's looking, " he'll say, but it's him looking, having his eyes locked on your ass

Sekido will get "mad" at you and "punish you," but it's just to have a reason for him to slap your ass and that's the only place he'll slap you. When he slaps your ass he'll watch as your butt jiggles, and he makes sure to slap each cheek. "Sekido, that hurt!" You pout lifting up your skirt to see a redness "humph. Stop being a baby it wasn't that hard, " he'll say, but spank your ass again

Sekido would pull you back to him and rub your butt with his hand after he spanks it and giving your ass little squeezes. "It's your fault. Don't make me angry like that again, " he'll say, but have a smirk on his face

Sekido secretly loves it when you surprise him by not wearing any panties. There will be times where you will come into your shared room with him, sit on his lap when he's sitting on a chair and write your report for the demon slayer core but not have any panties on

Sekido will take notice when he feels your bare ass on him. He won't say anything but lift up your skirt and watch his cock grow against your ass. He'll have you ride his cock, reverse cowgirl style and watch when you jump on his cock or bend you over the desk snapping his hips harshly while spanking your ass "don't you have a fucking report to write?" He asked and spanks your ass hard "get to it. Y/n"

Sekido always cums on your ass, he likes to watch his cum run down from your ass to your legs

Karaku

Karaku has no shame when he talks about his physical attraction to a person, and that's the thighs. When he started dating you, he loved how your unform was designed as shorts for the bottom. That way, he could see your plumbed thighs

Karaku will actually get upset if you wore the regular pants like what most demon slayers have on. "Karaku, I only have these on because it's cold. I still have a job to do, " you said,"so!? I like seeing your thighs jiggle every time you step... these pants hide that!"

Karaku never minded the cellulite on your thighs and would make some very unsettling threats about anyone who would think badly about them. He'll even trace his nail over them, which would always make you jump and shiver, but it always brought a smirk on his face

Karaku found it fun to always grab the back of your thighs when you stood up and put his hand on your thighs when you sat down since he love how your thighs spread out when you sat down even on his lap

Karaku loved having his head between between your thighs. Most boyfriends would lay on your chest or stomach for comfort, but for Karaku, it was lying between your thighs. You could be reading a book or just laying down, and Karaku would lay between your legs in silence and even wrap your legs in a criss cross way to lock his head between your thighs

Karaku will call out when you're in the mood when his head is rested between your thighs and will turn around, taking off your panties and going down on you. "Feels good, princess? I know it does. " Karaku will hold your hands when he eats you out because he loves it when your thighs lock his head in when you're close

Karaku loves to leave marks on your thighs. "What? Are you worried your slayer friends will find out your fuckin a demon? Don't worry princess I'll leave my marks right here" he'll say trailing his fangs to your inner thighs and leaving his fangs marks and love bites there

Urogi

Urogi almost lost his mind when you came to him with a new unform. Your uniform had your chest exposed, arms exposed, and you had on a skirt with slits at the sides. He says this often, but he loves it when you're confident about your body since he found you very attractive both in the face and body

Urogi was never the jealous type when it came to your physical appearance since he knew other men in the demon slayer core would fond over you because of the stories you'd tell him. "Well, I can fight, so I'll just fly high and drop them down from the sky." he'll laugh

Urogi's big claws take up a good amount of your body. When he puts his claws on your sides, he'll examine your body, holding you still and moving his claws up and down. "Are you done yet?" You giggled, and he chuckled, "nope. Need more time to feel you"

Urogi's sharp talons will rome on your body but mainly your love handles, tracing out the lines of your stretch marks and is very grabby when it comes to your love handles. You can tell when his touch is innocent and when it's not because when he's in the mood he won't tell you, you'll just know from how he touches and kiss you "if you want to do it just say so" you'd spit out but too shy to say you want it too "what about you baby? Your thighs are squeezing on my claw. You won't let me go, " he'll chuckle

Urogi worships your body. Before fucking you he'll always kiss your body from your lips all the way down to your legs, praising you each time. "You're so fucking gorgeous" he kisses "my pretty slayer" another kiss "let me make you feel good baby, spread yourself for me. Good girl look how wet this pussy is for me~"

Urogi likes to have you riding his cock but always loves to give you a hand by placing his claws on your ass and moans deeply from how your pussy clenches around his cock. "I'm hitting the right spot aren't I? My cock is so deep inside you you can't help but squeeze me can't you" he whispers in your ear and nibbles on your neck

Urogi will let out a surprised moan when your hands are on his broad muscular back and you accidentally grip onto his wings "Fuck~ not the wings" he'll grab your ass harder thrusting his hips up into you, filling you up with his cum.

#demon slayer smut #kny smut #aizetsu x reader #karaku x reader #sekido x reader #urogi x reader #aizetsu smut #karaku smut #sekido smut #urogi smut #upper moon 4

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pseudophan · 1 month

Note

different anon but similar feels, also also how do those stuck up people think dnp got where they are? Like do you have any idea how many phuckin millions they've made out of us being unhinged and cringy like I don't go to their fuckin house but I damn well bought the t shirt and read the rpf and drew the whiskers and watched them get more and more famous and like make ALOT of money and attention off us. And that's ok! It happened! We've all come out the other side, literally in most cases

yeah no people reallllly don't like to admit that the shipping and unhinged phandom behaviour played a major part in getting dan and phil to where they are today. it seems like there's this idea that if shipping had anything to do with it that means their content and dnp as people didn't which is just? stupid? several things can be true at the same time. dan and phil make good and engaging content that people love AND all the shipping gave them a boost and helped with people sticking around for as long as a lot of us have. it's not even that the shipping itself is the main contributor (though it is a big part) but everyone snooping into their personal lives desperate for "phan proof" by default strengthened the parasocial bond we have with them and it's that parasocial behaviour that really keeps people around. and dan and phil are so extremely aware of this, they always have been. they are willing to play into their audience's insanity because it's hugely beneficial to their careers. that isn't to say that's the only reason, they're very good at telling us to fuck off if we do cross a line, plus it's evident they find it amusing, but you're incredibly naive if you think dan and phil aren't aware of how much they're benefitting from our fujoshi tendencies lmao. and that's fine! it's good even. it's very much a win/win situation. we get to be unhinged within reason and they get to profit off that within reason

the 'within reason' part is also important though. a lot of creators have tried to mimic that success but they often go too far, they play into it too much and try to capitalise off every single aspect of their relationship and make the audience a little too involved. and then they break up, naturally. dan and phil work cause they put their relationship first and preserve their privacy, while still letting us in Just enough to make us stick around. which again isn't saying no one would stick around without the shipping that would be absurd, but the casual viewer to unhinged stan account ratio would be very different lol

all these things also apply to the fact that they're two conventionally attractive men. definitely not the sole reason they're popular, but it is a contributing factor, and it's kinda silly to pretend otherwise. especially with the amount of thirsting i have to endure on a daily basis good fucking lord you people are annoying. carry on though i suppose, live your truth, i'll live. maybe.

#answered

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luveline · 2 years

Note

maybe for zombie Steve au, there’s some sort of emergency at the college so there’s like a lockdown ish but Steve & reader get split up & then have an emotional reunion? 🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍

thank you so much for your request! I took a smide of inspo from scenes of twd (specifically when the prison fence gets it shit rocked) steve zombie!au ♥︎ fem!reader 5k words

"And you…" You pause, tongue sticking out as you struggle to tuck your shirt into your jeans. "You smoked?"

Steve laughs where he's shrugging into his own jeans. You're both very late.

"Everyone smoked junior year."

"I didn't."

"No, of course you didn't," he says, laughing more. It's a nice sound to hear so early in the morning. You can almost pretend you're well-rested.

"I didn't," you say emphatically, leaning against the wall by the door to slip on your sneakers.

It doesn't matter if you're telling the truth, Steve clearly doesn't believe you. He mirrors your actions and puts on his own pair of sneakers. They were white, once upon a time, but now they're a gritty grey. You stand tall in unison and pull open the door.

"Wait," Steve says.

He brushes your hair out of your face, looking over each of your features casually before his fingers dip down to your belt. You startle on instinct, though he's only fixing the mess you'd made of your tucked shirt. His fingers push under your belt methodically, efficiently. In less than a minute he's done.

Neither of you bother with a jacket. Steve pockets the keys and the door locks behind you, the two of you half jogging out of Little Hawkins to the front of the building.

"I'll be at the north fence all day, okay, so if you need me, come and find me. You're–"

"In the pantry where I always am," you say, "and I'll be fine, so you don't let anything bite you and I'll see you at dinner."

"Wait, wait, wait," Steve says, catching your wrist before you can part ways.

He pulls you in by the arm until he can grab your shoulders. He does altogether too much looking, eyes raking over your face, your neck. He meets your eyes, cups your cheek in both hands.

"I love you," he says quickly, "I love you," —he kisses you wonky, lips way too close to your nose, "I love you. See you at dinner."

He's sick in the head. He doesn't give you any time to answer or bestow the heaping of affection he deserves, simply splits and power walks away from you.

You sigh, wringing your hands together. "Steve! I– I love you too!"

He turns around, his smile ridiculously big, and waves at you. You wave back.

He races out of view. You try not to make eye contact with the people milling around outside of the dorm building and pick up the pace, running down the street to the cafeteria building.

The town hall is alive in the mornings, and class is in session, more kids than you'd ever expected to see again in your lifetime all bundled up in one room. You think it's nice, the way they teach them here. They don't bother with algebra or arithmetic, though Sammy the 'teacher' offers tutoring to anybody who wants it, they just draw and play and talk about emotional wellbeing. Sometimes there are survival classes, but they don't really talk about geeks. They show the kids what wild flora is edible, or how to wrap a cut. You think it's probably more for routine than actual teaching.

"Hi, Sammy," you say.

She smiles, and you're horrified as she says, "Hi, baby. Class, say good morning."

All the kids say good morning to you. You flush with heat from top to bottom. Their cute little faces beaming up at you is an instant disarming.

"Hi, kids," you say, waving.

Hands holding crayons and pencils wave back at you.

You make your way into the kitchen, which is a huge industrial affair connected to an otherwise small cafeteria. Maybelle and Pauline are already inside cleaning up the leftover breakfast and preparing for community dinner.

Breakfast is specifically for the people inside the community who can't manage to make it themselves, the disabled, the injured, the elderly, but dinner is for everybody.

"Sorry I'm late," you say.

"Hun, we don't care," Maybelle says.

"Did you want breakfast?" Pauline asks. "I'm gonna wrap this up otherwise. Somebody's gonna eat it."

It sounds like a threat. You take some of the breakfast they've set aside, which isn't a breakfast food at all, just boxed mac and cheese that tastes slightly stale. You barely notice it anymore, though the texture gives you the heebies.

You move into the pantry and check everything still there, the easiest and most useless part of your job. Then, Maybelle and Pauline try to put together a meal that's both cost effective (the cost being the energy expended to retrieve the food, and the likelihood that this food will be seen again) and not disgusting. Oftentimes they have to make a bunch of different stuff that doesn't go together, but it's better than nothing. You like this a whole lot more than if they just gave everybody a can a day and said there's your lot.

You mark down the things they've taken. You mark down things you might need in Hopper's next supply rub. It's a super cushy job, the kind that isn't strictly necessary, but there are a lot of people in the community and the majority are willing to do what needs to be done. They ran out of jobs quickly, and you're sure Hopper had felt a little sorry for you, so here you are. You're not like Steve. You're not a survivor. You're lucky.

You sit down after a while, no use pretending you have anything left to do, left side pressed to the side of the industrial oven.

"You know, we used to live in Mississippi?" Pauline asks you.

"What?" you ask.

"Mm-hm, we were only in Michigan for vacation, if you can believe it. We had a good time."

"Before, the uh, the apocalypse," Maybelle says with a tittering laugh. "We were hiking in the Porcupine Mountains when some dude tried to bite me. We thought he had rabies."

The room smells like jarred pasta bake, a rich, garlic-thick smell that threatens to make your eyes droop. In the cafeteria, through the open shutters, you can hear the kids singing. Sammy hates nursery rhymes, so they learn the words of old songs by Louis Armstrong. Today, they're a discordant, too fast chorus of What a Wonderful World. It's a racket.

But no matter how loud the kids sings, they can't cover the reverberations of a gunshot.

A hush falls in the kitchen.

You stand up. You aren't panicked, exactly. More like you've stepped into a heavy overcoat, trepidation a weight that settles like a second skin. You move to stand by the sink with Maybelle. She pushes it open, and the three of you stare outside.

Trees rustle in the wind. The kids descend into giggles as Matthew, one of the rare teenagers who deigns to join in, busts out a Louis Armstrong impression, his voice deep and bending. The oven hums.

The second gunshot sounds. After that, you can't count them.

Maybelle slams the window closed and twists the handle down to lock it.

Your heart beats. None of you know what to say. Your pulse bumps, and bumps, and bumps.

"Lock the doors," Maybelle says. "Lock the windows. Just in case."

Gunfire comes fast and ferocious as a sudden downpour, popping in the near distance. Your footsteps clip over the linoleum floor, firm rubber soles like an elastic band as you bound into the cafeteria and meet Sammy's eyes.

The kids are perturbingly quiet.

"I'm gonna lock the doors," you say tentatively.

Dread fills her face. "Okay. Alright."

You fizz around the room, locking the front and side entrances one after another. You're thinking so many things at once that you can't seem to focus on any, and instead your attention is drawn to the inconsequential. How cold the metal on the door's emergency push bars are. The colouring books on the floor.

You're standing in front of the last door with shaking hands as it gets thrown open. You gasp and scrabble backwards, hands in front of your chest to protect yourself.

It's Joyce. Breathless, red in the face Joyce.

"Lock the kids in the kitchen," she says. "The north fence has a leak. They're getting in."

—

Steve is not having the good day he thought he'd be getting.

You'd been exceptionally pretty this morning, tired eyed and disorientated but adorable through and through. You and Steve have fallen into a routine, and you talk so much it's a surprise your throats aren't sore. There's so much to say and never enough time to say it; you've taken to trading stories in the morning while you get dressed. Today was Steve's turn. He'd told you all about his birthday party during junior year, how his dad had almost killed him because somebody left a hole in the wall, and how he still can't eat Dunkin' Donuts without feeling queasy. You'd asked him when the last time he actually got to eat a donut was, and it hadn't been sad, like you might expect.

He'd said, "I don't need any extra sweetness, are you kidding? Got all my sugar right here."

You'd laughed at him (not with him) and nearly choked on toothpaste.

That's a perfect morning for Steve. That's as good as they get. It might be silly, but he'd felt damn good, and foolishly tricked himself into thinking the rest of the day might be similarly great.

"You're a fool, Harrington," he mutters to himself.

"What was that?"

Steve looks up. Jonathan and Christopher are staring at him.

"He's going crazy," Christopher says. "Best take him out to the back shed."

"Funny." Steve kicks the dirt in front of him. "So bored I'm talking to myself," he admits.

"It could be worse," Jonathan says. "We could be on latrine duty."

Steve would rather not think about latrine duty. God bless the communal bathroom in Little Hawkins.

The day is breezy but surprisingly warm, not a cloud in the sky. The sun bears down and heats Steve's skin in waves. He likely should've stopped for his jacket this morning, but he'd been super late. He doesn't want a citation. Another citation.

This is the slowest day they've ever seen on fence duty. Usually the general hubbub of the community catches the attention of a handful of geeks, and fence duty stabs them through the brain with lethally modified crowbars. It's gross, but it's necessary. It keeps you safe. Yet today they haven't seen a single undead.

"Maybe they're dying," Christopher says.

"They're already dead," Jonathan says.

"How do you know? You felt for a pulse?"

"They decompose," Jonathan says, laughing softly. "They're corpses."

"I'm just saying." Christopher shrugs.

Steve ignores them both without malice, staring through the section of chain link fence he's standing in front of and out into the streets. The north side of The College faces the surrounding town. From here, he can see a pharmacist's building, a sandwich shop, and a small veterinary clinic. Shells of cars long dismantled line the road. Natural works to reclaim them slowly, tires threaded with long grass. A few days ago, a deer ran straight up to the fence and stared at him. He promised you he'd come and find you next time, even though you hadn't really minded. He wants you to see it. There's more out there than just geeks and bad people.

He shivers and fiddles with the holster on his hip, checking for the tenth time in as many minutes that the gun held within has the safety mechanism on. He really doesn't wanna shoot himself in the foot. That would majorly suck, though, he thinks, you'd look after him. That might make it worth it.

Not that he'd shoot himself in the foot for your attention, that would be totally backwards. But he thinks you'd look cute as a nurse, with the little hat—

"Do you hear that?" Jonathan asks.

Steve pulls away from his questionable thoughts and turns to see his kind of friend. Jonathan stands with his nose to the fence, straight brown hair curling at the bottom of his neck. He needs a trim, but who is Steve to judge?

"Hear what?" Steve asks.

Though you can see the town through the gaps, the fences are blanketed by trees. Old trees with thick trunks, the kind that protesters would chain themselves to if the government ever suggested cutting them down. The ground around them is more dirt than grass, like the packed earth under the fence and Steve's shoes.

He assumes Jonathan's talking about the creaking of a thousand branches in the wind. Brown and orange leaves fall in droves, crinkly and scratchy as they litter the floor.

"I can't hear anything," Steve says.

"It sounds like a car engine," Jonathan says.

Steve cannot agree. Now that the world is silent, car engines sound like jet planes. They shake the ground. There are no vibrations to be felt, but… there is something.

"I'm gonna walk the perimeter," Steve says. A creeping unease takes shape over his shoulders like the winding suffocation of a python. He can feel the pressure of it against his throat.

It's nothing, he thinks to himself.

Sections of street flash between the trees. Tree, empty street. Tree, empty street. Each tree blocks the sun, and goosebumps erupt over his skin, the hairs on his arms standing up with each footstep into the dimness. Steve pulls his crowbar close to his chest.

I'm paranoid, he promises himself, even as the strange sound Jonathan had heard begins to rise. He knows what it is, he knows, but he doesn't want to know. The wet suck of meat being pulled off the bone, and the dry rattle of lungs that won't fill. He lets the sun kiss his cold face for a moment, and then he stops behind the cover of a huge sycamore tree and leans, carefully, slowly, to the left.

The sun hasn't warmed the sparse grass. Each blade is frosted into spikes. The leaf litter has turned to mulch, disturbed and churned by the body splayed open atop it. Blood emulsifies the dirt, a black mud that covers the hands, arms, knees, and mouths of a sizable herd.

Steve flinches backward, covers his nose to shield himself from the stink, and swiftly presses stiff fingers over his mouth to stop himself chucking up.

There must be fifty or more geeks huddled there, fighting for scraps of ligament, falling over chunks of inedible veel.

Steve wants to retreat quietly. His hands have other ideas.

He drops the crowbar, fumbling for it with every centimetre it falls, and ends up knocking it a couple feet away with a horrified gasp.

The fences are hammered into the ground so they can't be moved, but there aren't many fence posts between sections. Flimsy chain link is all that separates Steve and the herd.

They look up. They start to move.

Hands reach for him, hands force themselves through the holes of the fence, skin peeling back over muscle like the delicate rind of a pear. He watches in horror as the herd congregates, as the herd leans its collective weight against what's basically chicken wire, as dessicated flesh shaves off of their dead bodies, as the fence begins to bend.

The geeks use each other like ladder, pulling and climbing, heaped like jenga tiles until a gnarled hand closes over the top of the fence.

He wants to run. He needs to stay. He needs to separate them, he needs to thin the weight. He scrambles to take up his crowbar again, taking a step forward, but the tattle tale sound of metal scratching against metal squeals in his ear, and he leaps backward as the fence tips forward.

He should scream.

He trips as he grabs the crowbar, palm aching as it smashes into the ground. He barely touches the floor, pushing himself back up and using his momentum to sprint toward the rendezvous point.

"Jonathan!" he shouts, his voice strained. "They're over the fence. Section twenty one is coming down!" The fence has already come down, but Steve isn't thinking straight.

Jonathan barely looks at Steve. He only needs one glance before he's looking past him. Steve looks back, too, and then he keeps on sprinting.

Jonathan unholsters his gun. Christopher does the same.

Behind Steve, across the stretch of the college campus, a wave of geeks snap their gored maws. Steve runs harder than he's ever ran before, faster than he's ever moved, even faster than that night in the woods with you, scroungers on your tail, laughing and cussing, their flashlights shining at your heels like the beam of a prison guardhouse.

Steve vaults himself over an overgrown hedge and right into the centre of the campus. There aren't many people out, but any at all is too many.

"Get inside!" he shouts without explanation, shoes sliding over stone as he leaps for the civil defence siren nestled against the gym building. "Get inside! There are geeks inside the fence!"

Jeremy and Dustin had jerry-rigged the broken siren months ago for situations like this to only play for two seconds. Not long enough to attract anything that isn't already here. Steve slams his hand into the button and stares up at it in a petrified awe as the siren begins to cry, one long and wailing wave of sound that careers over the community.

It might be his imagination, but he thinks that the silence after it stops is imbued with impending doom. One empty, fragile moment, before the shouting begins, and the following pop of gunfire is impossible to ignore.

He thinks of you in the kitchen across the quad. He thinks of running to you, of hiding you somewhere nobody will ever get to you.

He runs back the way he came.

—

All these little faces in disarray. You huddle amongst the youngest ones and try your best to keep them quiet, whispering a story as the sound of gunshots cracking over asphalt rivets the quiet.

"Me and Steve, we saw all kinds of fish. We saw carp, and salmon, and koi fish in the lake. They looked like huge, gorgeous goldfish, they had–" everyone jumps as something close by takes a hit, a fence perhaps, split apart— "these huge black eyes and these popping mouths. You know how fish pop their lips together?"

You look around the circle and beg one of them to answer. If Sammy weren't such a wicked shot she would've stayed and handled this a hell of a lot better than you are.

"I know," says one of the youngest girls. She can't be six years olds.

"Yeah? How do they do it?"

She starts to pop her lips. You grin despite your welling panic and nod encouragingly. You'd clap if your hands weren't full of smaller hands.

"Yeah, like that! They were swimming so close to us, I could see their gills."

Your story isn't true, but it is distracting. You hold their attention for as long as you can. Pauline stands in the doorway, eyes flitting between the three entrances to the cafeteria, and Maybelle haunts the sink, hiding just behind the other overhead spray to try and find out what's going on. The storm siren hasn't sounded again, and Hopper hasn't come around to tell you it's safe.

It might never be safe again.

You swallow down the urge to scream and squeeze the tiny fingers curled over your palm. They belong to a little boy, white and brown-haired with pretty hooded eyes. He looks like Steve.

You could've sworn, just before the siren, that you'd heard him yelling, but you'd raced to the sink and looked out and hadn't seen him.

You can't help thinking about it. About everything — he could die. He could already be dead. Joyce swore she hadn't seen him, and had only managed to speak to Christopher, who'd split off to alert the older group. She said Jonthan was holding off a group of geeks. She couldn't stay, determined to go help him.

So if Christopher was looking for Hopper, and Jonathan was by himself at the north fence, where was Steve? Where exactly was the leak?

You lean forward toward the kids and whisper, "Does anyone else have a story? From a vacation?"

"We went to Niagara Falls, once," Becky says.

"You did? What was it like, huh? Was the waterfall really loud?"

Becky starts to tell her story. You try to listen. You can't think of anything at all besides Steve, though your priority is keeping everybody here safe, your brain won't stop. You can't shake the feeling that you'll lose him, and it's a bright red branding behind your eyes. You're gonna lose him.

This can't be happening.

It's been a month since Connor, an ex-member of The College with delusions of grandeur, dragged you underdressed and freezing through miles of forest with your wrists bound, wondering if you'd ever see Steve again. A month of nightmares and hot flashes and reaching out for Steve in the dark.

You'd thought, if you died, if Connor killed you, that it would ruin Steve's life. He'd waste it looking for you. You'd thought that was the worst feeling in the world, knowing you'd leave him behind.

You hadn't understood what this part felt like. How Steve must've felt, wondering if you were dead. How he must've argued with himself as you do now.

Steve hadn't hesitated. Robin mentioned it once, casual but earnest. Steve tore the place apart looking for you. He assembled a search party and went looking for you on a hunch. Steve says he's lucky they chose the right direction. You know it's more than that. You know you're the lucky one.

He knew you were in danger, and he came to get you.

"Maybelle," you say, standing up. "I'm gonna need a knife."

—

Steve isn't sure what the fuck they're doing. Hopper shouts instructions but they're confusing and nobody knows what's happening. Geek gore drips down his arm and he prays he doesn't have any broken skin as he ploughs the sharp of the crowbar deep into a grey mottled eye socket.

It shucks out, the geek's body collapsing in a heap at his feet. Tens more stagger forward.

"Everyone should be inside, but that doesn't mean everyone is inside!" Hopper shouts, his booming voice echoing over the din of shots and slick stabbing. "We need to contain them. Joyce, Jonathan, I need you back here. Bernier, Taylor, McCoy, push for the fence! We need to get it back up and standing before this gets worse. Harrington!"

Steve pierces the skull of an approaching geek like an eggshell, springing back before a second can tear a chunk out of him. "What?" he yells.

"You should circle back to the quad, make sure there aren't any stragglers."

"Joyce already secured–"

"It's up to you, kid."

Steve appreciates what Hopper's doing. Everyone knows you and Steve are unhealthily dependent on one another right now considering the circumstances, and he'll admit that his heart wants literally nothing more than to be where you are. He thinks of you locked up in the kitchen with all this happening outside and hates it, but as long as you stay where you are, that's as safe as you can be.

He doesn't bother saying yes or no, throwing himself back into the throng.

It's the ultimate workout. Sweat stings his eyes, his brain pounds behind them. He has to stay vigilant and he has to be fast. He cuts down geeks with a practised agility, Bernier on one side, Taylor the other. They force their way to the fence, and soon there's a small army of survivors behind them, bullets burning his eardrum to the right.

When the fence is finally in view again, they buckle down.

It's a huge struggle. Hopper and Livingstone front a team of five of the older guys with a replacement fence on their literal shoulders. The woods are teaming with geeks who must have heard the gunfire and the siren. They cut down the old fence behind Steve and the youngers. The new one gets thrown up just as Steve spears a geek through the ear, hammers whacking into frozen earth with a sound like a car crash.

"Harrington, inside the perimeter!"

Steve eyes an imminent geek but does as Hopper commands, weaselling through the single gap they've left behind. They finish the inner hammering and Hopper and Livingstone set about chaining the sections back together.

Steve backs away from the fence and tries to catch his breath. He leans back and brushes the hair out of his eyes, chest heaving, eyes shuttering closed in relied. They survived it. They did exactly what they were supposed to do in this situation and the plan worked.

Somebody takes the crowbar from his hand and he lets them, scrubbing both hands through his hair, scalp cool with sweat as a gale of wind blows. He looks up, and the sky has darkened, that rare morning sunshine nowhere to be seen.

He opens his eyes. Christopher is sitting a ways away looking queasy. Joyce is hugging the life out of Jonathan, kissing his cheek, hand in his hair. Bernier and Taylor are stabbing the new wave of geeks. Steve isn't worried, there aren't a quarter as many as there had been.

The smell is barbaric.

"Don't relax too quickly, kid," Hopper says, "we still gotta round up the bodies."

Steve laughs morosely, secretly pleased when Hopper pats him on the shoulder. His back fucking hurts and he stinks of gore and zombie gunk. Dead material somehow slimy and dry as bark at once, Steve wants a shower, and a hug from you, in that specific order.

"You okay?" Jonathan asks him, squinting. There's blood splattered against his forehead.

"They had to do this today?" Steve asks. "This is my favourite shirt. I'm never gonna get the guts out–"

A scream splits the air.

"The quad," Hopper announces. "Taylor, Bernier, keep going. Everyone else, with me."

His blood ice in his veins, Steve runs with the rest of the group. He realises he's left his crowbar with Taylor and grimaces, pulling the gun from his holster and knocking off the safety mechanism. Steve isn't good with a gun. He only ever used one right at the start, when he hadn't known that sound to a geek is like a porch light to moths. That, and he'd run out of ammo.

"Oh, goddammit."

There's a crowd of geeks they must've missed around the side of the town hall. Hopper immediately starts yelling at a young teenager screaming in front of the gym to get back inside.

Steve's okay, his heart's fine, and then he sees you. You're wrist deep in brains, surrounded by bodies and coated in a black spray of blood. It's in your hair, your eyebrows, all over your cheek and your shoulder.

He nearly wrenches Livingstone off of his feet as he bursts forward to help you, gun raised and poised. He shoots and drives forward. One geek, two. Three, five, he loses count. He gets so close he can hear your panting breath, not panicked but struggling to keep going.

"Fucker," he says, one geek left between you and safety.

You scramble to the side. Steve shoots it point black in the back of the head. It falls down slow, and then it thunks against your shoes.

You reach for him on automatic as you pull your feet from under him, treading over the soft of the geeks shoulders and into Steve's waiting arms. He holds the gun away from you to click on the safety, shoving it back into his borrowed holster.

"You're okay?" you ask loudly.

"I'm fine, what are you doing out here? You should've stayed inside the pantry."

"Says who?" you ask, squeezing him so tightly he feels his skin bruising in the shapes of your arms.

"Says everyone!" he shouts, squeezing you back just as hard.

You catch your breath together. His hands rove over your back, checking and rechecking that you're real and you're not hurt. He pushes you away from him to check your front properly, hand on your face, your arms.

"I'm fine," you say, "I'm perfect."

"You have more blood on you than the rest of us put together."

You hum unhappily. "I think I got a fresh one in the artery. It sprayed like a fountain, it was–" You sigh, stroking a loose curl of dirtied hair from his eyes. "It was disgusting."

He wants to kiss you, but he's normal, and you're both plastered in blood. He's less normal as he wraps his forearm behind your head and forces your face into his neck, groaning in an exhaustive relief. Your warm breath against his skin is everything he could ever ask for.

"Stay inside, next time," he murmurs.

"Not a chance."

"Think I can give him a citation?" Steve hears Hopper ask.

Joyce gasps through a laugh. "They're cute!"

"This is a public space."

Steve huffs a laugh against your ear. "Holy shit, you scared the fuck out of me."

"I had to know you were okay."

His hand slides down your shoulders, searching for something he can't explain. "I'm okay. We're okay, honey. You can relax."

The last of your resistance ebbs away. You melt into his arms, and Steve pretends for your sake that he can't feel you shaking like a leaf. You just tore your way through a herd to make sure he was okay: you're the bravest girl he's ever met.

#steve zombie!au #steve harrington x reader #steve harrington x you #steve harrington x y/n #steve harrington #stranger things x reader #stranger things fic #steve harrington imagine #steve harrington fanfic #steve harrington fanfiction #stranger things #stranger things 4

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ahgasegotarmy116 · 8 months

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He Doesn't Deserve You | A Jeon Jungkook Series | Chapter Four

Summary: You paths cross again in an unexpected way and you're not sure what to make of it all. Pairing: Noona reader x Jeon Jungkook (She's 28 and he's 22) Word Count: 1.5K~ Warnings: Implied yändere and mentions of signs of trauma because of it. (nothing too extreme) a/n: I wanted to put out another chapter but felt like it ended at a good point so I stopped it a bit short but the next chapter should be a bit longer to make up for it. Thanks for all the love and support on this story so far 🥰

"I'll be there in a second" I yell towards the front door, grabbing my purse so I can give the delivery guy a tip. Ruffling through it I look through all of the possible pockets in it to try and find the cash I had set aside for times like this but I can't for the life of me find it.

"Perfect" I mutter to myself and roll my eyes, accepting defeat and walking over to open the door. "Hey Ian I'm so sorry I forgot to grab some cash I-" I start to ramble off before the person who I thought would be our regular delivery boy turns around. "You're not Ian" I say with a smile when I see who has happened to show up on my doorstep.

"No I'm not, but you can call me that if you'd like" Jungkook says with a warm smile. "Hello Jungkook" I say, crossing my arms and leaning up against the door frame.

"What are you doing here?" I ask eyeing him head to toe for a second before looking back up at him. "Um, delivering groceries?" he chuckles holding up the bags with a crooked smile. "Where's Ian?" I laugh, all my worries from today suddenly fading into the background. "Sick, I picked up his shift" he explains and I nod my head in acknowledgement.

"So should I leave these out here or?" he asks trialing off and looking past me into my apartment. "He's not here if that's what you're wondering" I say, widening the door and stepping aside so he can get a full view of the place.

"So can I come in? You know, so I can carry your groceries into the kitchen for you" he says, holding up the bags again. I stick my head out into the hallway, checking both sides of it and take a glance at the parking lot behind him before even bothering to say something.

"Y/n" he says and I stand up straight again, my posture gone a bit stiff from the suggestion. "If it makes you feel uncomfortable I ca-" "No! No, um, it's fine you can come in" I say before stepping back and letting him through.

"This is a really nice place you have here" he compliments, standing and waiting for me to lead the way. "Yeah, I like to keep things more on the simple side" I say in reference to the neutral color story I have going on in the living room. "It makes things a bit less distracting while I'm writing" I explain while he follows behind me.

"Understandable" he responds, nodding as he walks into the kitchen. I stand there and stop for a second, starting to rethink my decision of letting him inside. "Y/n?" Jungkook says knocking me out of my train of thought. "Yes?" I answer, blinking a few times to bring myself back.

"You're breathing really fast, are you okay?" he questions, putting the groceries down on the counter behind him. "No, yeah I'm fine" I say clearing my throat and turning around to grab a few glasses out of the cabinet. "Water?" I question and he nods his head wordlessly, leaning up against said counter while he studies me.

"What?" I asked with an amused smile, trying to cover up the weirdness I had caused moments ago. "No, it's nothing" he says while I walk over and hand him the glass. "I may not know you that well but I do know when people are lying to me" I say, raising an eyebrow at him before taking a sip of my water.

"I'm just trying to figure you out" he explains. "Care to elaborate?" I say and lean up against the counter opposite of him. "It's just that the way you've been reacting to me being here has gone from surprised, to pleased, to scared, to nervous, to downright terrified, and now you're clearly trying to mask all of that from me" he lists off.

"That is," I pause, clearing my throat, "That is quite an elaboration". "I'm right though aren't I?" he says, taking a sip of his. "In a few words yes, I guess you're right" I admit, deciding to be truthful since deep down I know he's someone I can trust. "Is that because of him?" he says, nodding towards a picture frame of tae and I from a couple of summers ago; when things were still good between us.

"Yes" I admit, "You know you don't have to be right? You shouldn't have to be with someone you're scared of" he says, clearly wanting to help me. "He's my husband Jungkook" I say, hoping he'll leave it alone. "Do you know how sad you look when you say that?" he questions, calling me out. "Why do you care so much? I mean I'm just a girl you met in a bar, why have you taken such an interest in me?" I question, crossing my arms over my chest.

"I told you. I'm in the market for a new best friend" he says giving me a sad smile and pushes himself off the counter. "You're leaving?" I question, following him as he walks out of the kitchen. "Well yeah, I'm on the clock" he says while fixing the vest and hat he's wearing with the grocery store's name on it.

"One more thing. You know you're a woman right? Not a girl" he says, making me tilt my head in confusion. "Meaning?" I question. "You said you were just some girl I met in a bar. You're a woman y/n. One that's more than capable of making her own decisions" he says walking towards the door.

"T-tell Ian I hope he gets well soon" I stammer, caught off guard by his statement. "And I'm sorry I didn't have the money to tip you. Seems like I-" "Forgot to grab some cash" he says, finishing my sentence for me. "Yeah" I say, happy to know he had been paying attention from the start. "I'll let him know" he says while opening the front door while I follow behind him.

"You know how you could make it up to me though?" he says with a lilt in his voice. "And what might that be?" I question, leaning up against the door frame just as I had done before. "Well you could start by answering my emails" he says, nodding towards my laptop on the desk behind me.

"I'm sorry I-" "Apology accepted" he answers, cutting me off before I can even try to come up with an excuse. "Whats your email address?" I ask, making sure I'll know exactly what I'm looking for. "I'm sure you'll find me" he finishes, sending me a wink before turning to leave.

I watch him as he goes, not even bothering to look back as he makes his way down the steps at the end of the hallway or even when he gets in his car.

"Who's the handsome gentleman love?" Mrs. Mitchell says, making me jump. "He's um, he's a friend" I say, watching him drive out of the parking lot before turning my focus to her. "Looks like he might want to be a bit more than friends though" she says, fully admitting to watching our exchange.

"You don't think I would-" "No I don't love, don't worry. Even if you did I wouldn't blame you." she says looking down and grabbing one of my hands that I didn't even realize had been shaking and holding it in both of her hands.

"I've never said anything to you because I was hoping that you would come to the conclusion sooner or later but you really should start thinking about yourself and your wellbeing instead of the loyalty you feel you must hold up when it comes to Taehyung. No one should have to live like this" she finishes and places a hand on my shoulder before heading back into her apartment, leaving me out in the hallway with my thoughts.

I stand there for a moment, taking a few deep breaths before finally heading back inside and closing the door behind me.

Sitting down at my desk I open my laptop and pull up my email account and start scrolling until I find one email address that stands out.

jkjkjk.97 with a subject line titled "Best friend application" "How charming" I mutter to myself before clicking on it.

Dear y/n,

I'm not even sure if you'll ever get a chance to read this but I hope you got home safe.

I enjoyed talking to you and I hope that maybe we could do it again sometime? As just friends you know, I feel like both of us are in need of a good friend. I know I am.

Anyways, I hope I'll hear back from you soon but if not then I hope you take good care of yourself and know that I'll always be rooting for you.

From your (best?) friend,

Jungkook

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clarisse0o · 2 months

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Camp Wiegman-Part 13

Lucy Bronze x Ona Batlle

Alternative Universe : Military School

Word : 5k

Masterlist

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Wednesday, November 4; 6:45 AM - Cafeteria

We’re all having breakfast together around the table in the cafeteria... well, almost. Leah is still missing. According to Alba, Engen got her out of bed this morning. I then had to explain how I got tricked by Bronze. They all had a good laugh at my expense, and they understood why Leah was absent. I don't regret my idea at all. I loved the evening we spent together. It could have ended badly, but it didn’t. The conversation we had allowed me to get rid of the knot in my stomach that I had all day. Leah finally shows up, slumping into the chair next to me. She must have gotten quite a scolding judging by her expression. Bronze had warned me she’d be in big trouble…

"Hey chica! You okay?" Alba asks him.

"You’re an idiot for asking that," Lotte sighs, rolling her eyes.

"Your mother’s the idiot," she mutters. "Stupid school. I have to deal with Bronze all day because of this crap!"

"Seriously?" I ask.

"Yeah," she sighs. "Thanks for trying to take the fall for me, though. Wiegman thought I forced you to do it, but Bronze defended me, saying it was your idea and you paid the price for lying," she laughs. "Did you really get punished?"

"In a way," I shrug. "Bronze knows how to find creative punishments… I had to do some rock climbing."

"Rock climbing? What a lame punishment!" she laughs.

"Oh, believe me, it was enough. I'm terrified of heights! She didn’t let me come down until I reached the top."

"Ouch, cruel," she mocks. "I hope I get the same kind of punishment."

I stick my tongue out at her in reply. She should just be glad she gets her breakfast. Bronze denied me more than one at the beginning. Leah barely has time to eat before it’s time. We all scatter to our obligations. Mine is to get to class on time. Bronze gave me a reminder this morning after yesterday’s events. She knows the reasons, but two tardies in one day are unacceptable according to her. Especially coming from her student. I'll try not to disappoint her too much today, especially since she seems to have a busy schedule. I'll try to keep quiet. I've managed before, so it shouldn't be too hard to do again.

Wednesday, November 4; 3:05 PM - School

I come out of my last class, relieved that my day is over. I hate classes. It's so boring to sit on a chair all day. One thing I was right about is that Bronze was indeed busy today. I didn't see her all day. Nor Leah, for that matter. Poor girl. I'm sure she’s giving her a hard time. Few people must understand what she’s going through. I do, and I feel for her. At the same time, I thank her. It's the first time I feel free at school. It’s a breath of fresh air. I walk through the halls with Alexia. We’ve decided to spend some time in the library on the ground floor to do our homework. I think I'll take the opportunity to catch up on my long backlog. It must be the Bronze effect. She makes me too serious. I could do without it, but I really need an update.

"Batlle!"

Alexia and I stop and turn to face my caller. I frown when I see Engen. We just walked past her office where the door was closed. She must have seen me on her way there.

"Yes?"

"Good timing. Bronze wants to see you. You have to meet her on the field."

I groan in frustration. I thought I was done with her for the day…

"Now?"

"What do you think?" she retorts sarcastically.

I sigh in annoyance. This is really bad timing. I would have preferred to work on my classes rather than go see her. I nod to Engen, who is waiting for my response.

"Yeah, okay. I'm going."

"Go now. She's waiting for you."

As soon as she says it, she turns back to her office. I smile foolishly as I watch her walk away. This image would definitely please Mapi. She’s totally her type of girl. My contemplation is interrupted by a little shove on my shoulder.

"Hey!"

"Sorry, but it was tempting," Alexia giggles. "What was that about? I'm starting to believe the rumors about you."

"What rumors?" I frown.

"About your sexual orientation."

"Oh, those rumors…"

Alexia looks at me curiously. Maybe she expected me to deny it. I should have, given the smile stretching her lips. I run my hand through my hair. I’m not ready to have this conversation.

"You know you can tell me anything, right?"

"Yeah, I know."

"So what? Are you into girls?"

I hesitate for a moment. I would have liked to give her an answer, but it’s hard to get it out. It’s not a trust issue this time, but rather about accepting myself. You never know how people around you will react. The few people who know about my orientation took it well, but there’s always that little doubt that lingers. Once the words leave your mouth, you can’t take them back.

"Can we have this conversation later? Bronze might not be happy if I don’t go to her right away. And it would be better to have this kind of talk in a more appropriate place."

" Ona, I won't judge you if that’s the case. I m gay you know"

I roll my eyes, regretting my overly intense look. It wasn’t even to ogle. Engen is beautiful, but she’s not my type. Now that I've planted the doubt in Alexia’s mind, she won’t let go without an answer.

"I don’t understand why these rumors started. It’s not like I’m interested in anyone here."

"Stop beating around the bush," she giggles. "You wouldn't have hesitated to reply if it wasn’t true."

"Okay, fine," I relent. "I might have dated a girl and I might be a lesbian"

« I knew it...," she whispers. "Why didn’t you ever tell me!?"

"I just did," I giggle, more at her reaction than my answer. "I don’t own up to it, and I don’t like the looks people give lesbians."

"That’s no excuse," she pouts. "It's not like I wouldn’t accept you! You should have known that."

I smile amusedly, seeing her cross her arms and pout. I feel like I’ve really upset her. Was I afraid of her opinion? Not really. I know she’s gay herself. It’s just that I’m not comfortable with the subject. I’ve never been, so I don’t bring it up.

"I never doubted, Ale. The only friend who knows is my best friend... who is also my ex."

"Nobody else knows?" she’s surprised.

"No, so if you could keep it to yourself, that would be cool."

"Of course," she smiles. « So why did you reject my sister » she jokes

"It’s mostly that I don’t want a relationship. I live on the other side of the country, and I don’t plan on staying here once school is over."

"Batlle!"

I jump when I hear my name echo in the hallway again. I turn to Engen, who doesn’t look pleased to see me still here.

"Do I have to drag you by the ear?"

"No," I stammer.

"Then hurry up before I change my mind!"

"I'll meet you at the cafeteria if Bronze doesn’t let me go earlier."

I slip this sentence to Alexia before hurrying towards the exit under Engen’s disapproving eyes. I slow down once outside, taking a deep breath. I can’t believe I just shared one of my biggest secret with Alexia. I hope she keeps it to herself. If others are to find out, I want it to be from me. I quickly reach the field next to the school buildings. A smile comes to my face when I see Bronze overseeing other students besides me. I recognize Leah and another girl I don’t know well. It’s strange to see others in my place. I walk towards my supervisor, who is reading a book. I envy them! When it’s me, she doesn’t take her eyes off me for a second and encourages me if needed. I take a deep breath halfway to gather courage. I think I know why she wants to see me... I hoped she wouldn’t find out until tomorrow. I hope I’m wrong.

"Hey Bronze," I say as I approach her. "You wanted to see me?"

"There you are," she says, looking up from her book.

"Sorry, Alexia held me up a bit," I admit. "What’s up?"

"What’s up?" she repeats sternly. "You know very well what’s up."

"Oh, right…?"

I try to play dumb, but it doesn’t seem to work. She narrows her eyes in return.

"I know you talked back to your teacher and fell asleep in class, Ona. Does that refresh your memory?"

"Oh, that..." I say, nervously running my hand through my hair.

Damn, she already knows... I thought I had more time since she’s busy with other students today. Looks like I’m in for another scolding...

"Did you really think I wouldn’t find out?"

"Well, I thought… Just… not right away since you’re busy," I say, pointing to the two running students. "I promise it wasn’t intentional. He started speaking rudely to me. I just defended myself," I argue.

" Ona," she growls. "That’s not the point. You don’t disrespect your teacher. That was one of my main rules I told you from the start! Talking back and falling asleep in class is a big sign of disrespect."

"Two even."

"Stop treating this like a joke!" she yells.

"Sorry!" I jump.

I didn’t expect her to raise her voice. I lower my eyes to avoid hers. Damn, she’s really angry... I only glance at her when I hear her sigh. She runs her hand over her face, looking exasperated. I’ve disappointed her, I can feel it.

"Do I need to change and join them?" I ask softly, pointing to Leah and the girl.

"First, you’re going to explain what happened."

"What?" I blurt out in surprise.

"You heard me. I know the only times you talk back are to tease me or because you’re upset. So I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt by hearing your side of the story."

I’m taken aback. I didn’t expect this when I came here. I thought I’d be punished, not given a chance to explain myself. She crosses her arms, raising an eyebrow. I gather myself as best I can to her surprising request.

"I-I... He yelled at me for talking to Alexia," I start. "It was the first time in class, and it was about something she didn’t understand. I defended myself by explaining, but he just got angrier. He called me a liar and said I only think about myself and never respect anything... H-he added that my father didn’t raise me properly... That’s what made me lose control," I admit. "I responded with some harsh words..."

I stare at the ground, not daring to look at her directly. I don’t feel proud, but I can’t control myself when someone insults my father. I feel nervous. If she knows what happened, she must have read the report my teacher filled out about the incident.

"That wasn’t a reason to lose your temper like that. Your words were indeed harsh, as you said."

It's confirmed, she read the report. She wouldn’t have so much detail otherwise. I avoid looking in her direction, not knowing what else to say. She’s right. From an outside perspective, my behavior was inappropriate and exaggerated. From my point of view, it wasn’t.

- It’s about your father, isn’t it?

I lift my head, surprised by her question. My mouth opens, but no words come out. How does she always hit the nail on the head? I bite my lip. I feel like an open book to her.

- The only time I mentioned him, I got a sponge thrown in my face, she reminds me. This time, you were told your father raised you poorly, and you insulted your teacher. You were lucky it was the end of the class; otherwise, you’d have ended up in the principal’s office, and I wouldn’t have been there to defend you.

- I know…

- I want to understand why you acted that way, but for that, you need to talk to me.

I close my eyes and shake my head. I know what she’s trying to do, but there’s no way I’m talking about him.

- Sorry, but I can’t.

- Ona... she sighs.

- It’s too much for me. I-I won’t talk about him, so just punish me and let’s get it over with...

I feel shaky. I look anywhere but at her eyes. One thing I know for sure is that I can’t talk about him.

- Fine, she sighs. I can’t force you, after all.

- Sorry, I murmur. It’s really a taboo subject for me... I’ve never talked about it with anyone.

- I understand, which is why you lose your temper whenever he’s mentioned.

- Uh-huh... Well, I’ll go get my gear, I say, glancing at the others.

- No.

- No?

- I’ll spare you this time. In return, promise me you won’t lose your temper on this subject again. It’s your choice not to confide, but don’t forget I’m here to help. The teachers don’t need to bear the brunt. They’re just doing their job, sharing their knowledge, and that’s it.

- I can’t promise that, but I’ll try.

She sighs, realizing she won’t get more from me.

- Well, I guess I’ll have to settle for that for now. Do you have any plans after this?

- Catching up on my classes.

- Do you have everything with you?

- I think so.

- Good, you’ll stay with me then.

- What? No, but I was supposed to mee-

- It’s non-negotiable, she interrupts. Keep complaining, and I’ll really punish you for your behavior.

I shut up, not wanting to provoke her. I just avoided one punishment; I don’t want to get another one so stupidly. She calls back Leah and the girl. She releases the girl and asks Leah and me to follow her. We head to her office where Engen hasn’t moved. She’s typing on her computer, not paying attention to us at all.

- Sit there and get your stuff out, Bronze orders, pulling a chair out in front of her desk.

I comply without thinking, given her authoritative tone. I put my bag on the second chair to make it easier to use my things. I glance at her as she starts explaining filing to Leah. I suppress a smile at her dejected look. I don’t even want to know what she made her do today. She looks exhausted.

- Get to work instead of daydreaming.

I turn around as soon as I hear her order. I hate that she knows what I’m doing without even looking at me. I take out my notes as she finishes with Leah. I pretend to be busy when she sits down in front of me. She quickly pushes her stuff—like her pen holder or keyboard—aside to make room for me. I spread out the papers Alexia lent me to catch up. This time I really get to work. It’s easier for me to focus when I know she’s keeping an eye on me, even without constantly watching. The room is silent except for Leah’s groans and the sound of pages or the keyboard. Time flies without me counting the minutes. I’ve never worked so efficiently. I’m so engrossed that I don’t hear Engen approaching from behind.

- So, Bronze, what’s the commander making you do this time?

I sit up from my slouched position, meeting her hands on the back of my chair. She removes them to massage my sore shoulders. I freeze for a moment before relaxing and leaning my head to the side as she bends over my paper, looking at it curiously. She furrows her brows, probably not understanding the content.

- I didn’t punish her, Bronze responds. She’s catching up on her classes.

- You didn’t punish her? Engen exclaims. You’re getting too soft, she chuckles.

- Oh yeah? Ask Leah for her opinion, she retorts.

- Leave me alone and keep me out of this.

We laugh at her grumbling. She must be fed up. Her posture suggests she’s about to collapse any moment.

- It’s not that I’m soft. I was just understanding this time.

- You’re lucky then. If it had been during her period, she wouldn’t have been as courteous.

I was afraid I misheard. I realize I didn’t when Bronze throws a pen that just misses my head. Engen barely dodges it. I chuckle at the thought of Bronze getting grumpy because of her period.

- It’s just a matter of luck, apparently, because she wasn’t courteous with me at all, Leah chimes in.

- Sorry for you, but Wiegman specifically said not to hold back, Engen laughs. She was really mad at you. You dared to touch her precious building, oh my! she mocks.

Tonight’s atmosphere is different from other days. They seem… More open, more relaxed. Yeah, that’s the word. There’s no pressure, no rules. It’s like I’m dealing with different people. Engen puts my bag on the floor to sit next to me. I didn’t imagine she could be so cool and funny. She’s usually so serious. I glance at the door. The hallway light is off. It’s motion-activated, meaning no one has passed by in a while. The only students who might be in the building are those going to the library, but that’s rare after classes. I guess they’re letting loose because there’s no one else around. It makes me curious about their real behavior outside of the camp. They must be cool.

- She’d better go have a drink to get over it instead of taking it out on me! Leah spits.

- If only, Bronze replies. She’s been on edge lately, she says to Engen. We have her breathing down our necks more.

- Yeah, she’s become annoying. By the way, are you feeling better after your week? she asks me.

- Yeah, I’m better. I’m dreading going home now...

- Where are you from again?

- Barcelona.

- Really? You’re from Spain ? Leah interjects.

- Yeah. I mentioned it on the first day.

- I must not have been there then, because I didn’t know.

- I probably said it before dinner since we only met at that time.

- Certainly! I would have known otherwise. I’ve always wanted to go there, she confesses. Is it a nice place?

- Let’s just say we have better weather there, I chuckle.

- Oh, that’s for sure. Nothing like here, Engen laughs. You must have been thrilled to arrive.

- I was forced to come here, so I was already depressed before even landing, I share.

- Have you always lived there? Leah asks.

- No. I was born in Portugal and moved there when I was about twelve.

- Oh! We have another Portuguese then. Lucy is from Portugal, Engen says cheerfully.

It takes me a moment to realize who Lucy is. My eyes immediately fix on Bronze, who doesn’t seem pleased.

- Seriously, Ingrid ? she scolds harshly.

A smile spreads across my lips. I exchange a knowing look with Leah. We hold back laughter at Ingrid’s dismayed expression. She just realized her mistake.

- Crap, it slipped out, she says, biting her lip to hold back a smile.

- It’s not funny! It’s okay to relax, but you crossed the line.

I giggle to lighten the mood. This only earns me another glare from my supervisor. She should be intimidating, but I’m too euphoric for it to affect me. It must annoy her, given how strict she is about rules.

- It’s okay, relax, Leah intervenes. It’s not like we’re going to shout it from the rooftops.

- Look on the bright side, Lucy, I say, emphasizing her name. At least I won’t bother you about knowing your name anymore. It suits you, by the way.

She looks at me for a moment before sighing. I’ve been dying to know her name for so long. I knew I’d find out eventually. She hinted at it in one of our conversations. I think she didn’t expect it to be this soon. Maybe she just wanted to wait until the end of the year, which would also be understandable. Anyway, I mean it when I say it suits her. It’s unique, like her personality.

- Thank you, she replies. But I would have preferred if you didn’t know. We risk a lot by letting this kind of information slip out.

- I won’t call you by your first name if that’s what you’re afraid of, I roll my eyes.

- We both know you love breaking the rules.

- Yeah well, I giggle. I can’t help it if I enjoy teasing you!

- Of course. You can never help it.

- Hey, it’s fine, Leah says calmly. It’ll stay between us. This was by far the best evening I’ve spent ending up here. So I guess we can do this for you, she shrugs.

- Still, this rule is pointless.

- It’s there so you have more respect for us since we’re young, Engen explains.

- It’s to avoid you getting too familiar. We’re not your friends. Right, Ona? my supervisor jabs at me.

- I never wanted a friendship, I retort. Just a bit more friendliness, that’s all.

- Oh, she gives you more than you think, Engen laughs.

- I’m supposed to guide you to become better, that’s all, Bronze responds. Some students tend to forget that. That’s why I didn’t want to tell you my first name because I know you’re dying to use it.

I bite my lip. Yeah, she’s probably right. I feel targeted when she talks about students being too familiar, and it’s true that I’d love to use her first name. I understand better why this rule is important to her. I’m still the only student who dared to be so familiar with her. No one else even thought about it. To think it was just to annoy her at first. Now it’s more out of friendliness than anything else. I really appreciate Bronze.

- We won’t spread it.

- Good. Our surveillance has already doubled since the infamous relationship. The last thing we need is to defend ourselves over this, Engen says.

- What relationship? I frown.

- A relationship between a student and an instructor. Both were expelled, Bronze informs me.

- You’re actually the replacement for the student, Leah adds.

- I didn’t know that.

- Naturally, the principal kept it under wraps, Engen explains. We’ve had increased surveillance and additional rules because of it.

- That’s really lame.

- Let’s say you came at the wrong time, Leah says. You were cooler at the beginning of the year, to be honest.

- It’s not up to us. Believe me, if we could, we would be, Bronze admits. We were asked to be stricter with you because, according to her, there was a slackening.

There’s just too much information all at once. So the instructors are not only under control but also have to be less friendly and stricter with the students. It’s completely ridiculous. Okay, there was an inappropriate relationship, but that’s no reason to punish everyone.

- Anyway, Ona, Engen pulls me out of my thoughts. It’s rare to see a student come in the middle of the year. It’s actually the first time it’s happened. What did you do to end up here?

- Not much.

- Not much? Leah snickers. If you’re stuck with Bronze from the start, it’s surely not for nothing!

I frown, looking at the concerned party. It’s true that I was told she handles the worst cases since she arrived. She’s known for her cruelty. I shrug.

- If I tell you I didn’t do anything special. I found out my mother is friends with the principal, I explain. She just has no influence over me and wanted to place me somewhere. I never killed anyone or stole anything, I say ironically.

- Well. Strange way to place her daughter, Engen comments.

I smile slightly. That’s for sure. Well, the truth isn’t entirely there, but it’s kind of the summary. Lucy has been watching me from the corner of her eye for a while now. I avoid her gaze because I know she’s very observant. She’d quickly find out I’m not saying everything. I distract myself by putting away my copy that I just finished transcribing. I still have a lot to catch up on, but it’s starting to decrease slowly.

- Well, that’s enough for today, Bronze finally speaks. We’ll let you go. It’s dinner time.

- Hallelujah!

Leah drops to the floor the second she’s freed. We laugh, watching her. I think she’s had her fill for the day.

- Behave a little better, it’ll give us a break, she says.

- Oh, come on! We all know you love seeing us suffer, I tease her.

We laugh again as we pack our things. Leah gets up to put away the last folder she used. I sling my bag over my shoulder, waiting for her to finish.

- Batlle, my supervisor calls me.

- Yes?

- Since I didn’t punish you for your disrespect, you’ll do me the favor of coming here after your classes until you’ve caught up on all your coursework. Understood?

- I guess, yeah...

I’m in no position to complain. I know she’s punishing me in a way by reducing my free time, but I could have gotten much worse. If the other evenings go like this one, I’ll come willingly. Leah joins me at the door. We wish them a good evening and a good appetite before leaving. We decided to go directly to the cafeteria after checking the time.

- I feel like you might be the one to change things here.

- How so?

- It’s the first time since the incident at the beginning of the year that I’ve seen the instructors relax. It felt like going back a month in time but ten times better!

- I’m not doing anything though, I reply, shrugging.

- Yes, you are. You break the rules. That’s unheard of since she’s been here. The worst part is, she doesn’t even scold you every time you do it! I don’t even know how you stay so indifferent to the sanctions you receive. I just find it incredible. No one here reacts like you.

- If you say so, I murmur.

I don’t try to contradict her, even though everything she’s saying is false. It’s so much easier for me to play the role of the person everyone thinks I am. Apparently, I’m incredible and confident. Yet, I’m just a girl eaten up inside. I couldn’t be happier that Bronze is my supervisor. She’s understanding, and I feel listened to and supported. That’s what helps me accept my punishments. I know she’ll only inflict them if she has a good reason. I don’t find her as terrible as the rumors say after spending time with her.

- Well, I laugh. No one has ever been able to control me completely, and that’s not likely to change.

- Yeah, well, I don’t know how you handle Bronze. She made me endure some things today! I thought I was going to die more than once!

I giggle, thinking she’s exaggerating. Well, maybe not after all. Bronze did force me to scrub toilets one day. I think I’ll never forget that memory. Leah looks exhausted, so I don’t doubt she went all out. My supervisor is disliked by many students, if not everyone. Yet, they don’t know what they’re missing. She’s cool if you get past her cold side. Her punishments aren’t my favorite, but she’s always been fair with me. Our relationship has evolved too. We know each other now. I’ve reached the point where I’m starting to trust her enough to open up. She’s always been there to encourage and push me through my difficulties. That’s what I was missing, and that’s why I’m not afraid of her. I know she’ll be there for me if I’m feeling down. If I’m afraid, it’s only when she’s really angry with me, because then I know I’m in for a hard time. In those moments, I shut up and let her explode. Other than that, I know she’ll always be there for me. It’s with a smile on our faces that we pass through the cafeteria doors. Unlike Leah, I don’t think I’m the one who can change things here. A simple student like me doesn’t have the influence to change a school like this. All that matters to me anyway is finding myself, and I hope to achieve that.

#woso #lucy bronze #woso community #barca femeni #ona batlle #woso soccer #lionesses #sefutbol fem #leah williamson #ona batlle x lucy bronze

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