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ashwhowrites · 2 days

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Requesting for cliche story fuck boy eddie simping over a nerdy girl. Maybe angst in the middle?

Ugh one of my favorite dynamics to write. I hope this is what you wanted and you enjoy it! Thank you for requesting 🫶🏻

⚠️no actual smut but talks of it

She's different

Eddie spent years being made fun of and being insecure. In ways, it helped him build a tough shell and made him stronger. But it also made him void of any feelings. He turned cold-hearted and didn't let anyone get close enough to him to hurt him.

He was still a teenager, and he had his own needs. And when his hair grew out and he dressed in chains and leather, more girls were at his feet than he had ever seen. Most girls were from the hideout, groupies that lived to watch him on stage. They threw themselves at him for a chance to get backstage and be under his touch.

Being in a band was the happiest thing that happened to him and he loved the easy access of girls to choose from. School was hell, but the second he was on stage, he was what all the girls wanted. And no one would take that feeling away from him.

~~~

Eddie was half asleep as he sat in class. His hand on his palm as he felt his eyes grow heavier. He had a late night with a girl's name he didn't remember. He moaned in discomfort as he felt her marks still stinging on his back.

"Hi," a soft voice spoke in front of him. He snapped open his eyes to see a girl in front of him. She had glasses, and her hair was down. She wore a little sweater and a skinny pair of jeans.

"Can I help you?" Eddie yawned

"Um..." She said as she looked around the classroom. Everyone is moving to sit with their partners. "We are partners. Were you listening?" She asked with a little giggle.

Eddie couldn't help but smile as the sound left her lips. He had to admit, for a quiet nerd, she was adorable.

"I was not, but take a seat," he said with a smile. He used his foot to push out the chair next to him. She moved delicately as she put down her books and sat next to him. He smelled her perfume and examined her even closer. She had these big curious eyes, a soft nose, and incredibly pink lips, and her skin looked soft.

"Well..." She began to explain everything he missed. He tried to listen, but he couldn't stop watching as her lips moved to form the words. He nodded along as she continued to talk.

She turned her head to look at him, she felt her face burn as he stared at her with a small smile on his face.

She coughed and removed her eyes from his. "So! Let's start."

~~~

By the third day of working together, Eddie loved saying her name. He loved how sweet it sounded as it left his tongue.

He was shocked to find himself so lost in her. Not that being a nerd was bad, he used to be one. But he never thought of himself being attractive while being a nerd. But God, did she do it well.

He was captivated by how smart she was. Way too smart to be in his class. She was mature and he could tell by the way she spoke with a high vocabulary. She didn't make him feel dumb, which was different. She was sweet and took the time to explain anything he didn't understand.

He was smitten.

~~~

Five days into working together he wanted more. He wanted to see her outside of school, outside of her shell. He wanted to see how she looked in the outside world and how her personality might change. He wondered if she had another side of her. A side that didn't stress about grades and let loose.

"What are you doing tonight?" He asked, not realizing he cut her off as she explained another part of the project. He was too lost in his head as he thought about her.

She closed her mouth and gave her answer a thought.

"Well, it's Friday so nothing." She laughed, "Why do you ask? Are you worried we won't finish? Because we have five minutes and just one last paragraph." She explained as she pushed up her glasses.

"Nah, respectfully, I could care less about this project," he chuckled, "I want to hang out, just the two of us and not focus on the project."

She froze as she looked over at him. His eyes sparkled and the sun shined perfectly on his face.

"Why would you want that?" She nervously asked. She couldn't form a single idea why he would want to hang out with her. She wasn't anywhere near his usual crowd of friends.

"Because I want to get to know you. I was thinking about a date?" He offered. He felt a little nervous and didn't understand why. Asking out girls was something he could do in his sleep, but she had his stomach fluttering and his hands sweaty.

He felt more nervous as he waited for her answer.

"Why not," she smiled. She clicked her pen and grabbed his hand. He flinched a little as the pen tickled his hand as she wrote down her phone number.

"Call me," she smiled as she picked up her stuff. A second later the bell rang and she was gone in a flash.

Eddie bit back his smile as he looked down at his hand. Her number and a little heart written next to it. He jumped out of his seat, a bounce in his step as he walked out.

Eddie didn't realize he was causing much of a commotion until Wayne walked into his disaster room.

"Edward, what in the hell are you doing?" Wayne asked as he took in the sight of Eddie's room. Clothes were thrown everywhere, and shoes were missing their pairs.

"I'm trying to find a nice shirt but everything is a band!" Eddie cussed to himself.

Wayne couldn't help the smile that went across his face, "And why do you all of a sudden need a nice shirt?" He was young once, and he knew exactly why his nephew was stressed.

"Don't look at me like that," Eddie groaned as he yanked off his shirt and added it to the no pile.

"What's her name?" Wayne asked, he leaned against the door with his arms crossed.

"Y/N," Eddie sighed, "I asked her out and I have nothing to wear!"

"Looks to me like you have a lot of options," Wayne laughed, "But what if we go get a nice shirt? I'll take you."

Eddie looked at his watch, he had a good few hours before he needed to leave.

"Fine but we don't speak of it," Eddie said as he pointed at Wayne.

Eddie's leg shook in the car as they pulled up to the small strip mall.

"How come you are this nervous?" Wayne asked as he got out of the car. "We share a wall so I know you aren't shy with many girls."

Eddie blushed in embarrassment, and he mumbled an apology.

"She's different, I guess." Eddie shrugged, he walked behind Wayne as they walked into the shop.

Eddie stood in front of the mirror as he sprayed on cologne. He used water to pat down his hair, and he ran his hands over his new button-up.

He was nervous but he was excited.

Wayne wished him luck as he walked out the door. Eddie got in his van and headed to the address she gave over the phone. His heart raced when he talked to her for a few seconds. He was not sure what he was going to do when he was with her all night.

Before he knew it he was outside her door and knocking.

"Hi, Eddie," she smiled as she opened the door. "You look very handsome." She was surprised to see him in something else other than a band shirt and ripped jeans.

"Oh, thank you," he smiled, "you look wonderful." His eyes skimmed up and down her body. She wore a simple and casual dress. It was white with little sunflowers. It matched her personality. She wore her glasses and light makeup.

"Thank you," she smiled.

Eddie gestured for her to walk in front of him, they walked to his van and got inside. She listened to his music as he drove to the location of their date. She was nervous. She had never been on a date before and definitely not with a guy like Eddie.

"I hope you like water," Eddie said, Y/N looked out the windshield and saw that there was a little pond. He got out of the van and opened her door. She thanked him as she got out. She waited as he grabbed a basket from his backseat.

He led them down a little hill, his hand holding hers as she wobbled.

Once they made it to the flat ground, he let go of her hand. He reached into the basket and pulled out a blanket. He threw it on the ground and offered her to sit first.

She smiled as she sat down, smoothing down her dress to cover her thighs. Eddie sat next to her and took out a few snacks from the basket.

Within an hour they were talking like they knew each other for years. Eddie was learning so much about her and it made him like her even more. She had an amazing personality and she was funny. She made Eddie laugh so hard that water came out of his nose. Which made her laugh so hard she had to hold her stomach.

She didn't think she had ever been so happy to be with someone.

And for once, Eddie loved getting to know someone.

As another hour passed, Eddie's urgers got the best of him. She was telling a story and he was lost in her eyes. The way the moon shined down on her and the sound of the water, it couldn't get more romantic in his eyes.

Eddie didn't notice he was leaning in until she froze. He looked down at her lips as he closed the space between them. He softly kissed her lips, and his hands reached forward to wrap around her waist.

She was nervous but she kissed him back. Her hands shook as she moved her arms around his neck. She was new to this and she wasn't sure how to kiss him back. But as he kissed her harder, she got the hang of it.

The kiss got heated as he slipped his tongue into her mouth, she shivered and was surprised to hear a moan slip from her throat.

Eddie took the moan as a green light to move forward. His hands moved down to her thighs and began to slip under her dress.

Her lips stopped and she yanked back. Her hands stopped his hands from moving even further.

"Don't be nervous," he whispered, he went to attach his lips to hers again but she turned her head.

"I'm not, It's our first date, Eddie. I don't want to rush anything." She explained honestly.

"It's not rushing. I do this on all my first dates." Eddie shrugged like it wasn't a big deal.

Y/N felt a blow hit her chest. All of his dates? How many has he been on? How many had he brought to this exact spot?

"You're a pig," she scoffed as she shoved him off of her. She stood up.

"Woah, what's going on?" He asked as he stood up. He wasn't aware his fuck boy ways were sneaking out of him.

"Absolutely nothing anymore," she glared, "take me home." She marched to his van without a glance back.

The car ride was silent. She didn't speak a word, just stared out the window.

She should have known better.

"Did I do something wrong?" he asked as he pulled up to her house.

"I'll see you Monday." She spat as she got out and slammed his door.

"Y/N!" he yelled after her as he got out. He grabbed her arm and turned her around.

"What did I do?" he asked genuinely.

"I do this on all my dates," she mocked, her voice deep as she repeated his words. "I should have known it was all an act."

The realization smacked him in the face.

"Shit, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to push like that." His eyes were soft as he apologized. "None of it is an act! I really like you and I'm not used to feeling that way. I'm used to something different, you know?"

"Maybe you need to figure out everything you feel, and maybe we can talk when you are ready to face those feelings." She smiled sadly and pecked his cheek. He watched as she walked inside.

~~~

The next night Eddie was all over the place. He performed and ran straight to the bar. He wanted to drink his sorrows away. He had one shot and he blew it. He showed just how washed up he was. He slammed down his shot and called for another.

"Hard night?" A random girl asked as she sat next to him. He turned his head to take in the blonde.

"Yep," he said, slamming down his second shot.

"Let me make you feel better," she whispered into his ear.

Eddie sat in the back of his van with the random girl on his lap. Her lips were on his neck, but everything felt wrong.

He wasn't enjoying it, and it wasn't making him forget about her. He tried to close his eyes, but all he saw was her sweet smile as they laughed by the water.

He stopped the girl's hands as they went for his belt.

"I can't do this. I'm sorry," he said, he didn't look at her as he grabbed his shirt and slipped it on.

"Are you serious? Since when?" the girl scoffed

"Have you ever really liked someone? Not like being in love, but in that area where you can see yourself falling in love with them?" He asked, the girl sighed and slipped on her shirt.

"Yeah. Chances are if you can already see yourself falling in love, it'll happen. You stuck in that spot?" She asked

"You know my reputation around here. I fuck and move on. She's different. I asked her out and we had an amazing date, then I fucked it up." He sighed, "Not sure how to fix it."

"Admitting it to yourself is the first step,"

"And the next?" he asked

"You admit it to her."

~~~

Monday morning arrived and Eddie was ready to win her back.

Since the project was finished, she wouldn't be sitting next to him. But that was not going to stop him.

He wrote a little note this morning, asking to meet outside during lunch. He walked in and saw her already sitting at her spot. He took a deep breath and handed the note to her.

She looked up at him but didn't say a word.

Eddie walked back to his desk. All throughout class he kept looking back at her.

Eddie waited outside and checked his watch. Lunch started ten minutes ago and she wasn't there. He was nervous he might have messed up too much and that she didn't care to fix it. She probably realized he wasn't worth the hassle or the emotions he caused.

He crunched the flowers in his grip as he looked over his shoulder.

"Hi,"

He heard her soft voice before he saw her. He turned around and smiled as she walked closer.

He was nervous as he handed her the flowers, "these are for you."

"Thanks," she said quietly as she took the flowers from his hands.

"I'm really sorry for acting like a dick. You were right, I needed to figure out everything I felt. I went to the bar and I met someone."

Y/N ignored the pain she felt as she listened.

"My plan was to do what I always did. Sleep with someone until I forgot why I was there in the first place. But I stopped it because it felt wrong. I hated myself for being with her. I kept thinking of you." He stepped closer as he held her hand.

"I was doing the wrong thing and with the wrong person. And it made me realize, that I really like you. And I want my main focus to be just on you. I want you." He looked deep into her eyes. "I would love to have the chance to take you out again. I've never actually been on a date, that was my first real one. I know I fucked up the beautiful night we had, but I really think I can make you feel special."

"I guess there's no harm in giving it a shot." She smiled

Eddie jumped to his feet with excitement.

"Thank you!" he crushed her in a hug as she laughed.

~~~

They had been dating for a month and Eddie was true to his word. She felt more special than ever and it was all because of him.

She felt a little nervous as they walked into the hideout. He was honest about his past here and the reputation he had. But she wanted to be a supportive girlfriend and watch him perform. She had to try to forget about all the girls there and just focus on her man.

"The second I'm done, I will be coming straight to you," he smiled. He leaned in and pressed his lips against hers. She was in a territory where Eddie was never taken, and she wanted to prove herself.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him harder. She wasn't shy as she snuck her tongue in his mouth. Her body rocked against his as his hands landed on her ass.

He felt his head spin as she pulled away. His eyes slowly opened as he caught his breath

"What was that?" he asked, his eyes dark as he drank her in

"Good luck kiss," she said with a shrug and smirk

"I'm going to need luck hiding the front of my pants," he teased as he adjusted his tight jeans.

"I'll help you faster," she whispered in his ear. She enjoyed the way he shuddered.

He kept his eyes on her as he walked into the back.

She understood why so many girls adored her boyfriend. The way he performed was incredible. It was hard to look anywhere else.

She waited at a table in the back as he wrapped up. His sweaty body came walking towards her but a girl stepped in.

Y/N couldn't hear the conversation but she could tell the girl was flirting by the way she ran her hand up Eddie's arm.

Then another girl came after that one left. And then other.

Y/N felt sick as she watched countless girls walk up and flirt with him. It was a painful reminder of what Eddie's past was.

She was quick to run outside, needed fresh air and to be away from the scene she was stuck watching over and over.

Eddie was quick to push everyone aside and follow her out.

"Hey baby," he said softly, she was leaning against the wall.

"You were amazing!" she praised as she pulled him into a hug. Eddie hugged her back and thanked her. He pulled back but kept his arms around her.

"Want to tell me what happened in there?" Eddie asked

Y/N sighed and looked down at her feet

"I was just a little jealous."

"Why? You are my girlfriend, they've got nothing on you." Eddie explained

Y/N scoffed and unhooked her arms from him.

"They have all had sex with you, Eddie! They've got plenty on me. I mean, I am nothing like those girls."

"Exactly!" Eddie said as he placed his hands on her face. "I don't want you to be anything like them. I want you because you are you. Yes, I've been physical with them, but that is all. There is no connection or emotional ties. It's different with you because I really see myself falling in love with you."

"Really?" she smiled as she looked up at him.

"Of course." He said as he crashed his lips on hers. She moaned as she kissed him back, her hands in his hair.

After a few seconds, she pulled away. Smirking as he chased her lips. She had him right around her finger.

"You know..." she started, her hands slipped down his body and rested on top of his jeans. "Maybe I'll eliminate the one thing they have on me." Her smirk made Eddie shiver in excitement.

"As in sex?" Eddie choked out. His eyes lit up like Christmas as he practically bounced with anticipation.

"Van, now." She said as she turned around and walked towards his fan.

He watched her walk away with a dopey smile on his face.

"YOU COMING?" she yelled as she turned. She walked backward and kept her eyes on him. She laughed as he seemed to snap out of his daydream. He fished out his keys and dropped them on the floor.

"SHIT, I'M COMING!" he screamed as he bent down and grabbed his keys.

She giggled as he ran straight to the van.

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#eddie munson x reader #eddie munson #eddie munson fanfic #eddie stranger things #eddie munson x female reader #eddie munson request #eddie munson fluff x reader #eddie munson angst #eddie munson angst x reader #ashwhowrites #fuck boy eddie munson! x reader #fuck boy eddie!

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ceilidho · 5 months

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Ceilidh, I keep thinking about soap and ghost who are absolutely pro omega rights (soap in particular, or at least he’s more vocal about it). Like fuck those old, conservative assholes who think omegas should be seen and not heard, whose only purpose is to lie back, listen to their alpha and take a damn knot when they’re told.

They’ve both worked with omegas that got shit done – civilians AND military operatives, they know better and they’ll damn well shut anyone up who starts spouting that regressive shit.

But their own omega, well that’s a different story. Poor little thing doesn’t know what’s good for her, best if she gets rid of all those silly notions of hers and just let ghost and soap take care of her like they’re s’posed to.

ok in total honesty you almost lost me in the first half because as much as i would love that irl, it doesn't interest me so much in fiction where i want them to be deranged freaks. but you GOT me in that last paragraph.

neither being particularly activistic, but they also don't indulge in the casual omega denigration that some of their colleagues participate in. if an alpha says something shitty while Soap is around, Soap will usually snap back something about how maybe the alpha saying it should take notes from the omega civilian and military operators on base because "at least they're actually proficient at their fucking jobs". he'll genuinely get in fights when his temper flares up just enough - loves sparring when he's taken a particular dislike to someone because it means he has permission to beat the shit out of them.

Ghost doesn't have the patience for verbal fights, but he'll request an immediate transfer of any alpha sergeant or private with the misfortune of thinking that someone of Ghost's stature and size and general look would agree with their primitive beliefs. or he'll riddle them with hard labour and assignments that'll leave them exhausted and broken.

but when it comes to their omega? oh no, she's kept off base in the house they've purchased. they even contemplate retirement after finding her, neither of them comfortable with being away from their omega for extended periods of time. she's taken off her suppressants the second they get her locked up, the two of them helping her work through the withdrawals, getting her nice and relaxed on their knots.

despite the fact that the two of them are alphas, Soap always defers to Ghost, so Ghost is the one that knots her first. Soap gets to work her through the worst of her heats though, stamina letting him go for hours, overstimulating the both of them to the point of pain.

poor girl probably had a job and friends and maybe even volunteered before those two brutes stole her from whatever former life she was living. Soap is so enamoured with her temper tantrums, the way she demands they let her go. pinches her cheeks and coos when she gets worked up to the point of tears. she doesn't understand how they can have so much respect for the omegas in their field while keeping her locked up in their house, but the cognitive dissonance just works for them. their omega is just too soft and breakable to be out in the world (regardless of how tall she is or how she's built, how muscled or tough. to them, she's breakable)

i love writing them as hypocritical assholes :\\\\

#ceil writing #cod x reader #cod mw2 #simon ghost riley #soap x reader #cod simon riley #ghost x reader #ghost/reader #ghost cod #soap mactavish #ghost/soap/reader #ghoap x reader

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vamphrrr · 4 months

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Hi!! i loved your tough love fanfic of clarisse! so i decided to ask if you can make a clarisse la rue , (aphrodite child) reader, but she’s not some normal teenager… she’s a princess if you get what im saying??? lets say that aphrodite dated a princess and had a child with him before she left, and so that’s where reader grew up, no one knew that the reader was a princess u til she told clarisse, she was really worried clarisse was gonna hate her but clarisse is like “Woah me mad at you? no way” and clarisse supports her! (Including some kissing, flirting, it would be super nice if the reader was shorter the clarisse probably up to her chest like in the tough love fanfic!)

notes ; omgggg this is so cute!! i’m so glad u liked my last fic i was nervous about posting 😭. also i’ll be making clarisse call reader princess too now knowing SHE IS ONE! they’re already dating in this. i used the same banner bc i’m too lazy to create new ones based on plot LMAO. i wrote this so soon but sometimes if anyone requests it might take me a couple of days bc of school and stuff! think i went a little overboard with this one. i should probably start counting how much i write lol.

%% are you mad?

in which your super attractive girlfriend finds out the secret you’ve been hiding from her for so long. also, she accidentally meets your dad.

— clarisse la rue x f!aphrodite!reader

warnings ; reader has doubts, tall & buff clarisse / short reader (again), flirty!clarisse flirty!clarisse, a little angst?, kissing, two swear words, flustered reader (oh how the turned tables), ooc clarisse? (i’m never sure if i write her right), one suggestive thought in the first paragraph (nothing happened tho!). a little too much background i think… too much father, did my daddy issues come out? made reader’s dad a king bc plot reasons, maybe more emotional than requested srry😭

You couldn’t believe you were doing this. Sneaking off from your girlfriend’s warm bed in the middle of the night. For a minute, you wondered how’d that look to anyone watching. A girl hastily running from a cabin that she very obviously did not belong in, a long shirt —it was Clarisse’s— accompanied by small shorts, (which were not visible might you add). Oh and how could you forget, you were barefoot. Who’s bright idea was that? Oh, yeah, yours. Why?

Gods were you cold. Should’ve brought a jacket, you thought.

The bottom of your feet hurt, stepping on rocks and sticks and who knows what else would do that to you. Next time, you would definitely bring hiking boots or something. And a jacket. In the forest, you were far away from anybody that might disturb you. Pulling Clarisse’s shirt up until your shorts were visible, you dug your hand inside the pocket, meeting with a drachma. You approached the round well, splashing water mist being met with sunlight from below, creating a rainbow.

How? It was the middle of the night. Why was the sun inside? You decided not to think about it.

This well was old, dirty from not being used much. See, not many people knew about it. Apparently, it was for those that needed to talk to somebody reallyyyy privately, that’s why it was hidden in the forest, only appearing at night. You weren’t sure how that worked, but you stumbled upon it a couple of years back when you were being chased by wood nymphs for being out at night. They found you, obviously. Punishment was not escapable and you ended up having to clean the stables the day after you got your nails done. Yuck.

Now here you were again, this being the only place where you could speak to your father without anyone finding you. It’s not that you were embarrassed of him per say, it was that you really didn’t want anyone to know that you were a royal. I mean, how ironic was that? A daughter of Aphrodite, a Princess? Forget it. You’d get made fun of for the rest of your life. You especially didn’t want Clarisse to know. She was your girlfriend yes, and this was something very important that you needed to tell her about, but you weren’t sure how’d she react. You knew she wouldn’t make fun of you like others would, but you didn’t know if dating a literal Princess was too much of a deal breaker for her.

Being with a royal was too stressful, there was so much that they’d get criticized for and so little people that they’d be accepted by. Your dad was a King with many past lovers, Aphrodite included. The people loved her, I mean, who wouldn’t? But then she was gone, disappearing the same night she gave birth to you. Your dad knew of her, of this. He knew she’d be gone by the time the sun rose. Yet, he did nothing. Who was he, than just a mortal man? He could not stop a goddess from leaving.

He got with others after that, your dad had a lot of love to give. Maybe that was something that attracted your mother to him. Public lovers were not taken well, the people respected the King, sure, they just didn’t respect his partners. Constant judging, constant eyes following their every move, constant hatred being thrown, constant stress on their shoulders. In the end, they could never take it. Running away or completely disappearing seemed to be something they all had in common. Your father had to give up on love, small secret romances blossomed for a while, but never enough for it to go public.

That is why you were so scared to tell Clarisse of your status. She was smart, she’d realize being with you would not be worth the hassle. She’d leave you just like everyone else left your father. Clarisse was the love of your life, you don’t think you’d be able to handle it if she left.

You threw the drachma in, calling for the rainbow goddess to let you see your father.

“Dad,” you said, once the back of his head was visible.

He jumped, turning around. “Oh! My dearest daughter, you scared me.” He laughed a bit, looking at you with such soft eyes it almost made you cry. “Why are you Iris messaging me at this hour? Isn’t it time for you to be resting?”

You swallowed, a sudden knot appearing in your throat. “I just needed someone to talk to.” Playing with the ring around your finger that Clarisse gave you for your one year anniversary, you choked out. “I have this amazing girlfriend, she’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me here at camp and—” You stopped talking, taking a small breath, not noticing the familiar figure of Clarisse standing a couple of feet behind you. “—and I’m scared to tell her that I’m not who she thinks I am. That I’m not this girl that just so happens to be a daughter of Aphrodite. I love her so much and I want to tell her about you. I want to bring her to you in person because I want the two people I love the most to meet. But how do I do that when I haven’t even told her I’m a Princess and that the only way you two could meet is if I took her to our royal palace?”

Your father widened his eyes, not expecting his little girl to burst out her feelings just like that. He sighed, glancing behind your shoulder. “If this girl you love so much really loves you like you do her, she wouldn’t care about your status.” Staring at who he assumed was your girlfriend behind you, he continued. “She wouldn’t care that you hid this from her. Instead, she’d try to see it from your point of view.” Moving his eyes away from Clarisse, he looked at you, eyes squinting in light mischief. “You should tell her, she’ll understand. I love you.” Is all he said, before he was gone.

You’re left staring at a rainbow, your dad nowhere in sight. Suddenly, a branch broke from behind you. Turning around quickly, heart beating rapidly, you’re met with the eyes of your girlfriend. You immediately let out a gasp, not knowing she was there.

Clarisse speaks up. “You’re a Princess?”

You felt your mouth dry up. With wide eyes, you respond. “Please don’t hate me! I didn’t know how to tell you!” Walking closer to her, you reached your hands out, grabbing one of her own with both of yours. “Please, you have to understand. I didn’t want this to ruin us.”

She stayed silent.

Silence was haunting, especially coming from Clarisse, someone who was always provoking people and boasting loudly everywhere. You gulped, with lips shaking you asked, “A-are you mad?”

She lets out a huff. Was something funny? Was she annoyed? Angry? Did she not care at all? Those were the questions running through your mind. You’d find out the answers soon enough.

“Woah,” she shook her head, letting you see the slight amused smile on her face. “Me? Mad at you? No fucking way.” She reached her free hand towards your face, moving away the strand of hair that fell slightly over your eye. “It just… surprised me s’ all.”

You let out a breath, relaxing and putting your head against her chest. “Thank the gods, I thought you were going to break up with me or something.”

Reaching out again, she placed her forefinger below your chin, raising your head to meet her eyes. “How could I ever break up with someone so beautiful?” She leaned down, your lips grazing against each other’s. “Why would I leave when I can now be your knight in shining armor?” Closing the distance, your eyes fluttered shut. Butterflies were in your stomach just like the first time you two ever kissed. Without your lips separating, she put one arm around your waist, the other grabbing below your thighs, hoisting you up.

“Ah!” you screamed, separating your lips, not expecting it.

Clarisse smirked, seeing you get flustered. “You don’t have any shoes on.” You pouted, putting your arms around her neck so you wouldn’t fall while she walked back (not that she would let you fall off in the first place). “Didn’t think I’d notice, did you, princess?” Teasingly, she used the pet name, now knowing how much truth was behind it.

You whined, pressing your face against her neck. “You’re so unfair. I’m supposed to be the one flustering you.”

“Awe, the princess is mad,” she cooed, letting her lips touch the tip of your ear. “You want me to get on one knee and apologize?”

Clarisse laughed when you let out a loud groan, hitting her lightly on the chest. Smiling, she knew the only way she’d ever leave you was if she was six feet under. And even then, she’d find a way to get back to the land of the living just to be by your side.

The only things heard in the dead of night were the grasshoppers, chirping their little melodies into the darkness. That was until you muttered sleepily, letting out a yawn. “I love you.”

Clarisse repeated after you. “I love you.” Feeling your eyes fluttered close, she followed it with an almost silent “goodnight.”

Now that you were asleep, she felt panic slowly rise, steps quickening to reach the Ares cabin faster. She could only think about two things now.

Holy shit, she’s a Princess. Oh my gods, I met her dad.

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ppumeonae-bigvibe · 5 months

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seventeen's reaction to you texting them "i'm tired."

↖ navigation: seventeen masterlist || main masterlist

pairing: boyfriend! seventeen x gn! reader

a/n: merry new year to all my readers, here's my last post for this year (i moved my 1st jan post to today just so i could say this lol)

,, for those who have been supporting me through 2023, thank you all so much <3 let's step into a beautiful 2024 together !

scenario 1:

you: i'm tired. him: *missed call* him: pick up the phone him: *2 missed calls* him: where are you? i'm coming over

⤷ seungcheol, seungkwan, chan

whether you were having a tough time physically, emotionally or even mentally, these boyfies want (no, absolutely needed) to see you for themselves, to see that you were truly okay

are the types to have your texts as high priority notifications: if you didn't pick up immediately they would try and try and try until they get through you because they are so worried for you

their minds would be racing and all thoughts of rationality might just be thrown out of the window; they are scrambling to get their keys/ bus pass or whatever mode of transport they are taking and they will be at wherever you are, no matter how late

if it was physical tiredness, then you best believe they will be at your beck and call, anything to help you unwind/ relax

if it was something more mentally or emotionally taxing, they will hold you tight and whisper sweet nothings into your ears, reassuring you all while comforting you

scenario 2:

you: i'm tired. him: what happened? want to talk about it? i'm here for you, okay? i don't know what's going on but if anything please talk to me. if not...should i come over? if you don't want to text we can call too. don't be alone right now, let me share your burdens with you, let me be your strength. him: even if not today, then tomorrow, or whenever you are ready. i'll be here waiting for you.

⤷ jeonghan, joshua, wonwoo, jihoon, myungho, dokyeom

sweet loving boyfies like these would send you paragraphs after paragraphs of affirmations

respects your personal space ! but is antsy and wishes they could do something for you; definitely would be thinking about your text the entire time until you reply to them

as soon as you start texting back, they are putting down everything to reply to you, letting you talk and reading your messages carefully before texting you their hearts truest intentions

or if you call them back, same thing ! they will stop whatever they are doing so that they can listen to you, and will even switch on their video cams so that you can see them

in the case whereby you want to meet up, they will find you at their soonest availability and get you over to theirs so that you two can have a private, cozy space to talk

scenario 3:

you: i'm tired. him: let's go get something nice to eat ~

⤷ soonyoung, junhui, mingyu, vernon

these silly goofy boyfies probably mistook the text and attributed it to physical tiredness; they would probably be struggling to write a response and hence would reply a lot later ("did you mean tired or like tired tired or like..." is what is going through their heads)

surely decided to bait you to come out so they can talk to you (and to make sure you aren't alone too)

take it as a distraction ! they only want to make sure you're comfortable and they want to shower you with all their attention and love; they don't want to bring your focus to how tired you were

not good texters but good do-ers (does this make sense?) they will show to you how much they care for you through their actions

#ppumeonae-bigvibe #seventeen #seventeen imagines #seventeen reactions #seventeen scenarios #seventeen x reader #seventeen seungcheol #seventeen jeonghan #seventeen joshua #seventeen junhui #seventeen jihoon #seventeen wonwoo #seventeen soonyoung #seventeen seokmin #seventeen mingyu #seventeen minghao #seventeen seungkwan #seventeen vernon #seventeen chan

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reyla-the-black-wolf · 1 month

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My heart speaks for you (Part 2)

✴︎✦・✴︎✦・✴︎✦・✴︎✦・✴︎✦・✴︎✦・✴︎✦・✴︎✦

Pairing: Eris x f!reader

Word Count: 3.6k

Warnings: angsty fluff?, angst, hints of anxiety, anxiety attack, nightmare

Summary: Y/n is the youngest child of the High Lord of the Night Court and lives a slightly different life than the rest of her family. But what happens, when an unexpected visitor enters the stage and decides to completely change her life?

A/N: Hey guys! It took me a bit longer to write this chapter than I had planned to (accidentally deleted a part of the story ups) but finally did it! And I recommend you listen to "Remember that night" by Sara Kays and "The night we met" by Lord Huron.

Anyway, enjoy reading! 😙

Part 1 ⎮Part 2 ⎮Part 3⎮Part 4⎮

✴︎✦・✴︎✦・✴︎✦・✴︎✦・✴︎✦・✴︎✦・✴︎✦・✴︎✦

Six days. Six days had passed since the incident in the conference room. Six tough days and not a single glimpse of him. No word, no letter, no message of any kind.

The water of the Sidra washed up on the shore in mesmerising waves, each time stealing a bit more of the glittering sand. Sunlight reflected off the mirrored surface, magically illuminating the facade of the River House.

The hammock I sat in swayed gently in the afternoon breeze and, thanks to Elain, the sun didn´t bother me too much. My aunt had planted two Illyrian oaks in our garden the year I was born, providing shade now that they had grown from tiny sprouts into strong, sturdy trees. As I became older, I found my favourite reading spot underneath them. They stood a few feet from the River House and were the perfect place to relax and simply be.

A piece of bark crumbled onto the pages of the book I was holding right now. `Feathers and Fire´ was written in large, ornate letters on the leather-bound cover. Nesta had borrowed me one of her novels to keep me company, as I had spent the last few days mostly by myself.

I give up! After reading the same paragraph for the third time in a row, I finally slammed the book shut. I had really tried to concentrate on the story in the last hour, but my mind had drifted off more than once. And always back to the same place.

✴︎✦・✴︎✦・✴︎✦・✴︎✦・✴︎✦・✴︎✦・✴︎✦・✴︎✦

I was in shock. Or so I thought, as I couldn´t think clearly. My mind was racing and my heart was pounding so loudly that all of Velaris must´ve heard it.

Mate. Eris Vanserra was my mate.

I couldn´t believe it. I mean, he doesn´t even know me?

The beige sofa under my legs felt too soft, as if it wanted to pull me into a hug and never let go. And the ticking clock on the opposite wall made my ears twitch in annoyance, so I decided to get up and pace around the living room, trying to quiet my mind. I was massaging my temples to ground myself a little when a soft touch stopped me in my tracks. Small, gentle fingers starting to trail along my shoulder in a soothing rhythm.

„Sweetheart, look at me, please.“ My mother´s calm voice made me turn to her. „Everything´s going to be all right.“ She radiated pure love. „Whatever happens next, I want you to know you´re not alone. I´m here for you, okay, honey?“ It helped slow down my racing heart a little, but not enough. I sincerely hoped my father and his brothers hadn´t beaten Eris to death just out of anger.

Just as I thought of them, three men winnowed into the living room. With long strides, my father rushed towards me, some of his darkness still clinging onto him, and cupped my face with both hands. „Darling, are you all right? Are you hurt? Do you need anything?“ He asked worriedly as he inspected me for any injuries, whatever he was looking for.

I withdrew from his grasp, spun around once to show him I was fine, and put on my most reassuring smile to calm his worries, making his tensed muscles relax. „I´m so sorry. I never wanted you to see this.“ Regret seeped into his voice. „But…“ He paused, visibly struggling to find his next words. „Did the bond snap for you too?“ The question caught me entirely off guard, as I thought he was angry with me, trying to argue. I could almost feel my family holding their breath, dreading my answer. Silky hair fell around my face, casting tender shadows on my features as I shook my head. A quick glance at my parents and I knew they were having a silent conversation. Sweat formed on my palms as I unconsciously clenched my hand into a fist. With each passing second, an unpleasant feeling returned to my stomach, making me want to throw up.

It spread even further when my father turned his attention back to me, and my heart sank as I noticed the sudden change in his expression. A completely blank canvas. The mask of a High Lord. Others probably wouldn´t see through his masquerade of deceit. But I could. I did. I had studied his features over the years, every time he put it on. How his jaw tightened just an inch, noticeable only to the trained eye. How his eyes shimmered in a more vibrant shade of violet. I´d seen him in his role so many times that I´d learned to watch out for him. The real him. Not the High Lord, but my father. He kept his face sealed, but I could see what he hid behind that mask. Fury over Eris. His worry. But the strongest emotion was his love for me.

„I want you to stay away from him. Or even talk to him.“ Someone had just knocked all the air out of my lungs and punched me in the guts. I hadn´t been braced for what was to come. My pulse skipped a beat and the blood in my veins began to boil. He can´t do this! Voices shouted in my head and a lump formed in the back of my throat. But why? I didn´t even know Eris, even though he was my mate. I shouldn´t be so disappointed. He is practically a stranger.

At a loss for words, I stared at my parents. „We don´t want to make decisions about your life, but Eris is a... complicated man.“ my mother interjected. You mean dangerous.

„Wait, Eris is your mate?“ I flinched and turned around, only to spot my brother hidden in the darkness with a shit-eating grin on his face. „Finally something interesting is happening.“ he chuckled, earning him a slap on the neck from Cass. „Hey!“ he cried out as my father shot him a warning glare before continuing his lecture. „Darling, listen. We only want to protect you and make sure you don´t get hurt. And Eris is not good company. He has proven that several times in the past. So please believe us when we tell you to stay away from him. We have our reasons.“ And what are they? A knot tightened in my stomach when I heard Azriel whispering from behind: „Especially after what he did to Mor.“

But he is my mate! Even if we don´t know each other well, don´t I have the right to figure out what´s happening between us? My mind screamed at me. Say something! Anything! You know you can! I forced my thoughts to shut down. We would not have this conversation now. Fight back! But I didn´t. I understood that my parents were trying to protect me. They were angry, no doubt, but with the love in their eyes, I couldn´t argue against them.

So I only looked up and nodded, giving them a coy smile, even though it felt wrong. So terribly wrong.

✴︎✦・✴︎✦・✴︎✦・✴︎✦・✴︎✦・✴︎✦・✴︎✦・✴︎✦

This moment had been stuck in my head for the past few days. Although I´d agreed not to approach Eris, somehow I still hoped he would talk to me. Maybe to explain when and how the bond had snapped for him.

Starlight? Az is waiting for you in the training ring.

Oh, right. I looked at the sun, which was already sinking deeper into the sky. Uncle Az had asked me yesterday if I wanted to train with him. We usually met at the same time every week to train, but over the last few days he had become more careful around me, giving me more space.

I quickly stowed the book away, not wanting Nesta to get upset if something happened to her beloved book. Changing into my fighting gear, I winnowed to meet Azriel.

„Faster!“ Azriel shouted, lunging forward, but not fast enough. I sidestepped his punch to the right, and in the brief moment his defence was down, I landed three swift blows to his ribs. He groaned in pain and tried to sweep me off my feet in one smooth motion. Just as I was about to dive again, my back hit the sandy ground, Truthteller at my throat. A sweaty Azriel lay on top of me.

He pulled me up, brushing the sand from my clothes. „That wasn´t too bad, but you´re less focused today.“ A questioning look crossed his face for a second as he looked down at me, then it returned to his usual straight expression.

I opened my mouth slightly as if to reply, but shrugged instead and walked towards the edge of the training ground, breathing heavily. Az only threw a knowing look in my direction. He knows. He knows how I feel.

We had been training for about two hours and I didn´t know how my muscles were still able to keep me standing, but anyway, I was grateful for them when I winnowed us back to the River House for dinner.

✴︎✦・✴︎✦・✴︎✦・✴︎✦・✴︎✦・✴︎✦・✴︎✦・✴︎✦

After a quick shower, I now sat opposite to my brother at the wooden table eating dinner and it was truly a symphony for the senses. Wine glasses clinking. Knives scraping against plates. The aromatic scent of grilled steak and vegetables wafting through the room as my family engaged in a huge debate about who had the biggest wingspan. All I could do was smile at the silliness of it all and feel it seep into my soul.

My father stroked my back lazily beside me, probably to keep calm, as Nyx started throwing peas across the table at Cassian, who dodged them. It really was ridiculous. „Seriously! A little decency, please!“ Amren hissed at this `display of strength´. Mor chuckled, „They´re Illyrians. Do you really think their egos would just ignore it if someone with bigger wings came along?“ My mother nearly choked on her wine at this comment, earning an amused look from her husband. „Can we all just calm down a little before the whole dining room is decorated with pieces of food?“ A quick, stern glance around the table from the High Lord and everyone resumed eating, interrupted now and then by a few giggles.

Ten minutes had passed, and the others had just finished chatting about upcoming events in Velaris, when Amren apparently decided to break the comfortable silence. „So y/n. Has anything been happening with the Autumn Heir lately?“ The wicked smirk on her face made her look like a cat that had caught a mouse to play with. All of a sudden, the room fell silent and everyone stopped eating. I felt my father stiffen beside me, his muscles tense. „Amren.“ Azriel warned, a low growl escaping his throat. „What? Just a sincere question.“ Not impressed by his threatening face. Not in the slightest.

Of course, the incident with Eris had spread around the River House throughout the last few days, fuelling rumours, but the others hadn´t said anything to me yet. I should have guessed that it was only a matter of time until the tension would blow up.

I think I might throw up. I certainly wasn´t in the mood to talk about it with my family. Not today. My blood froze as I gathered the strength to look into Amren´s cold, steely eyes, which were fixed directly on me. She didn´t even flinch when my father shot her a terrifying glare that would send shivers down your spine.

Words began to flow into my mind, begging to be heard and a familiar feeling crept through my entire body, making my nerves go blank. It felt like I couldn´t breathe.

„Are you all right, dear? You look a bit pale.“ she said, making me feel even more nauseous. „Amren, don´t.“ Everyone had stopped breathing by now. „You don´t have to answer her question, darling.“ My father´s hand darted out to graze my fingers, but I pulled back at the sensation. „You are his mate y/n, aren´t you? Must be desperate to know why.“ „Enough!“ Pure darkness collected in the corners of the dining room, ready to consume everything. I´d never seen my father so pissed off. „Why would you say such a thing?“ Mor uttered. „Exactly! She´s my sister, I´m the only one allowed to make fun of her!“, Nyx joined in. „I´m in the mood for some trouble.“ she responded honestly, taking a sip from her wine glass, completely untroubled.

Everyone began to talk over each other, making it difficult to distinguish the individual voices. Tears welled up in my eyes as I covered my ears. The noise was becoming too much to bear. I sniffled, holding back a cry as I stood up and took a few steps away from the table. My chair scraped along the floor, causing everyone to turn around to me and all the shouting stopped. The tears began to trickle down my cheeks as my mother noticed them first, „Sweetheart, we´re so sorry.“ She stood up too. „We didn't mean to make you cry.“ Mor tried to reassure me, guilt clouding her voice. Everything felt too overwhelming. Leave. Walk away. Get out of this situation.

„Starlight, come here. It´ll be fine.“ He took a few steps in my direction, but I quickly held my hand up in front of him to keep a distance between me and my father.

„Y/n. Darling, we´re…“ But he stopped when I shook my head and scowled at him. Stared at all of them, anger written on my face, before I winnowed to my room. Leaving them all guilty and silent.

✴︎✦・✴︎✦・✴︎✦・✴︎✦・✴︎✦・✴︎✦・✴︎✦・✴︎✦

With my back against the door, I sank to the floor, tears streaming down my face. It´s my life! I get to decide how I deal with Eris! Why do they keep talking about it like it isn´t my decision? Like it´s not my life?

My nails scraped the floor, attempting to hold on to something, anything, as I spiralled down a path I didn´t want to go. A guttural sound escaped my lips as my hand clenched into a fist and slammed into the expensive wood panels beneath me. Pain shot through my knuckles, making me want to scream. Anger. Fear. Emptiness. These emotions ran through my mind as my body shook with sobs. Why can´t I just talk? I want to, but I can´t... I don´t know... the words just won´t come out when I try. It made me even angrier when I thought about it. Do I not feel safe enough around my own family to talk to them? Or is there something wrong with me?

A knot formed in my stomach. I had never had a big problem with myself before. Not with my body, nor with my inability to speak to others. But now I wished, longed to talk to someone. Just someone who understood me. Someone who...

A certain scent wafted through the room making me pay attention. Was that smoke? I sat up straighter to observe my own bedroom. Books were scattered across the floor and the door to the neighbouring bathroom was open. My bed was made, covered in indigo silk sheets that shimmered slightly in the moonlight streaming in through the closed windows. A few plants hung from the frescoed ceiling. Nothing more.

My eyes were no longer watery and my heartbeat had stabilised. But I could still smell that there was... something. Parchment.

I looked over at my desk, which was littered with various rolls of parchment, papers and pencils of all kinds. But right in the middle. Something had changed.

Slowly, on shaky legs, I got up and walked over to my desk. A crimson envelope lay there, and next to it a shiny golden feather with light brown spots. I couldn´t remember putting anything like that here. It smelled of an open fire, fresh rain and a hint of vanilla.

Deep down I knew who must have sent it. I opened the letter with trembling hands.

・✧✵✧・✧✵✧・

Hello Princess,

Do you remember the night we met? To be honest, I can´t forget you. Standing on the balcony in your stunning gown, watching the stars fall upon you, even though they couldn´t diminish your appearance. At first I wasn´t sure how to approach you, but I did it anyway.

And it turned out to be one of the most wonderful nights I have ever had, and I wanted to thank you for it.

I could almost hear him chuckling to himself as a warmth filled my heart.

As you probably know by now, I'm your mate, but I don´t want you to feel obligated to anything that concerns me. It is your decision whether or not you wish to meet with me. ( Though I wouldn´t mind, of course)

A blush spread across my tear-stained cheeks and I instinctively smiled. He had thought of me. He really had. My heart melted like snow in early spring. Something about him made me feel complete and understood.

But if that´s the case, winnow to the border of Autumn in two days. I´ll be waiting for you under a birch tree when the sun sets. You can´t miss it. Sleep well, Princess!

His letter also contained a small note.

(Oh, the feather and the paper you write on will appear on my desk as soon as you write back).

・✧✵✧・✧✵✧・

I was speechless. Not just because he had thought of me or wanted to meet me. No. But because he would let me decide for myself. He wouldn´t force me to accept the bond, even if it hadn´t snapped for me yet.

Not wanting to think clearly at the moment, I did the only thing that seemed right. I broke the agreement with my parents.

I pulled out the chair, sat down, picked up the quill and wrote back.

Half an hour later, I was lying in my bed, surrounded by fluffy pillows and a gentle night breeze caressing my form. A few candles were lit to provide some sort of night light.

Just as I was falling asleep, footsteps came from the hallway and my bedroom door creaked as it slowly opened. I quickly closed my eyes and pretended to be asleep, not wanting to talk to whoever it was. „Darling, are you still awake?“ My father´s voice echoed through the room as he peeked out from behind the door.

Just breathe. He won´t recognise it.

And he didn´t. He only walked over to my bed and tucked a few loose strands of hair behind my ear, while the last thing I heard was him whispering: „I´m deeply sorry, Starlight.“ before he silently walked out of my room, leaving me alone.

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Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Not the slightest flicker of light. Total darkness consumed everything around me. No light, nor sun, nor any kind of something... soft. Something to keep me warm as the cold crept up my body, like a hidden shadow from the depths of darkness.

I gasped for some air to reach my lungs, but all I could inhale was dust. Air! I need air! My lungs began to burn from the lack of oxygen and a tingling sensation shot through my entire being.

I felt like a flame being smothered as a deep, dark wave crashed over me, trying to drown me, as if I were nothing. As if I didn´t matter.

The darkness drew closer with each passing second. Minute? Hour? Time didn´t matter in this place of emptiness. A place without walls or windows or even solid ground. The only things that trapped me were my own thoughts and the giant beast I couldn´t see, but felt. It swallowed everything around it as its claws raked along my skin, my soul, leaving scratches all over me.

I screamed, but all that came out of my mouth was... nothing. Every sound, no matter how small, was absorbed by the emptiness of this place.

My body was drenched in sweat and my voice must have been hoarse by now from screaming my heart out for I don´t know how long. Slowly my body was losing consciousness and I was drifting further and further into the devouring void as I frantically tried to breathe. Please! I need to breathe! My heart stuttered for a moment. Help... help me! Somebody! Please, I... Hot tears streamed down my face and my eyes slowly closed as I was suffocated and drowned by the beast that guarded this place. My body went limp, tired from fighting.

A gentle brush of soft fur against my back was the last thing I felt as I drifted into nothingness.

✴︎✦・✴︎✦・✴︎✦・✴︎✦・✴︎✦・✴︎✦・✴︎✦・✴︎✦

I jolted out of my sleep, my heart racing and the sheets beneath me damp with sweat. You´re awake! Everything is fine! I placed my hand over my chest, feeling my pulse slowly steady as I realised it was all just a nightmare. The silver curtains swayed slightly at the open windows and the moon shone so brightly I had to blink my eyes. `Shh, it´s all right, Little one. I´m here´ it yearned to say. My breathing had normalised and I ran a hand through my sticky hair. It was just a dream. I lay back and tried to sleep again, but I knew it was going to be a long night.

✴︎✦・✴︎✦・✴︎✦・✴︎✦・✴︎✦・✴︎✦・✴︎✦・✴︎✦

@tele86 @circe143 @impossibelle @st4r-girl-official @cherry-cin

#acotar #acotar fanfiction #eris vanserra #eris x reader #acotar fandom #chapter 2

104 notes · View notes

ellaa-writes · 4 months

Text

Good Dog

author note: Part 3 yay!! Series list found here. I actually edited this one, I know! Probably still mistakes lol, I love writing this type of Simon but mean Simon is still my favourite. Reader and Simon parts are going on at different times, weeks apart, just in case of any confusion of time line. Enjoy!

summary: His favourite words include; down boy, good dog, heel, fetch and his most favourite, get 'em. Well trained, and listens good. Loyal through and through. Always striving to be the absolute best. Ready to attack at all times, always on guard. Loves discipline, either giving or receiving. Working for a criminal mastermind, lurking in the shadows. You both trying not to be seen or noticed but after one unlucky night, all you both can see are the ghosts. He invades your life, if you both like it or not.

tags: Alternative Universe. Female reader. A/B/O dynamics. Alpha Simon, Beta Reader, Bad Scottish lingo (I tried). Very tame and a chapter filler.

You hadn't seen Simon in a few weeks, must have gotten bored you thought, eventually everyone leaves so why wouldn't he. Things felt different with him, like timed slowed down and life finally had a meaning.

You stopped in front of a news stand, big bold letters. OMEGA POPLUATION HITS AN ALL TIME LOW; leading scientists may have found a solution. You snatched the paper and handed the worker $5 telling him to keep the rest as you rushed back home paper in hand. The title wasn't what caught your attention, it was a few paragraphs down the words doctor and experimental procedure. Tossing your belongings on the dining table soon as you entered your grungy apartment.

Reading the article fully, then once more. Doctors have developed a experimental drug that could alter a Beta women's chemistry. Tricking the body into thinking its an Omega, a few experiments have been conducted and results have so far been proven successful. But they are searching for more Beta women to submit themselves into the program.

Those words playing over and over in your head, becoming an Omega, and having a loyal and supportive Alpha. Not having to worry about all the small things, not having to work and struggle to make ends meet. You could leave your pathetic life behind.

All Simon did was follow orders, being the good dog, he is. A successful mission out of the way, the Boss left before he did. Having to hurry back cause of his Omega. Simon used to have dreams about settling down, but that was before he became ghost. Stupid child aspirations, but mostly because he felt like he didn't deserve one. And who would want him as an Alpha, all teeth, and hard edges. It would be a punishment to be stuck with him until death, and death would be the reward.

You jotted the number down on a piece of paper and stuck it to your fridge. You didn't have to decide now, but you were tempted to.

Dealing with Makarov was easier than expected most of these men act tough on the outside but soon as you start pulling out their insides, they change their tune. He wasn't in too much of a hurry to get home, it's been two weeks since he last saw her, he's been keeping his distance, not wanting to poison her cause that's what he was poison.

It was very late into the night when he finally arrived in the city, driving down the desolate neighborhoods till he found himself parked in front of his apartment. Not the one across from hers but the one he bought himself soon as he had enough money too. The only thing that remained from his previous life. Cutting the engine and walking inside.

He still had a landline, hard wired into the wall next to the thermostat. He's never used it and has never had anyone call it. Not like many people have the number anyways, emergency he told himself when he bought and installed it all those years ago. Having the number updated in his file, but now it hangs there mockingly. Much to his surprise when he walked into his quiet home, a little red dot glowing from the device.

He ignored it at first, taking his clothes off to take a quick shower. To wash away the memories that still plague him, the water never being hot enough. He stood there in nothing but a towel around his waist. Staring at that glowing red light, missed call.

He should just delete it, but he decided to play the message. A voice came through the small speaker, one that he thought he'd never hear again. John Price.

"Oi Simon, it's John. Ain't sure if this dog and bone's still on the go. Tried your mobile, but it's saying it's disconnected. Anyways, thought I'd drop you a bell 'cause we're gonna be in the city for a bit. Fancy a chinwag, like the old days, yeah? So, give me a call, same digits as ever. It'd be proper nice to catch up, Simon."

It was silent for a while afterwards, only Simon's heaving breathing filling up the space. Not once did they call him while he was locked up doing time, not once did they reach out and say they cared. They were family once, at least he thought they were. Stupid.

All the rage simmering up inside of him finally boiled over the edge. Simon grabbed the stupid phone and slammed it into the wall as hard as he could, again and again until there was nothing left but broken pieces of plastic, wiring and now a hole in his wall.

It only took you three hours of pacing back and forth in your tiny apartment, the small piece of paper stuck to your fridge door taunting you. As the line rang you debated on hang up, forgetting any of this happened but it was to late. The reception answered your call, redirecting you to the head of the project. Giving a little info over the phone they scheduled you in for the same day if you could make it. It was on the other side of town, the side you hardly went to cause there was no need. Unless you wanted to make yourself feel even more shitty about your life.

He debated if he should call, be the bigger person the little voice in his head called out. They had their reasoning for abandoning him, for treating him like the plague, they had to, right?

You were on the bus, watching as the fading sun descended and the moon turned brighter. The glow of city coming to life, some many people out and about. You barely had enough money to and back, getting off at the stop further away. Walking the rest to save a bit of cash and take in the scenery. The air was crisp, it never got too cold during the winter season. Also, long as the wind stayed away it was a mild year so far.

To say this was awkward was an understatement. Simon sat across from the beta Scottsman, not much has changed he thought. The group of men still joking around like nothing happened like good ol' times, they kept trying to get him in on it. Simon soon realised that this was a mistake, all of it. Calling Price and picking out this bar. They weren't his pack anymore, they ditched him soon as things went south.

Simon's grip on his glass of bourbon tightened when Johnny yelled "Right Lt." the group getting quiet afterwards, Johnny knew he fucked up. Simon got up abruptly, taking a big gulp of the burning liquid amber, polishing off his drink before slamming it back down.

"Goin’ for a smoke." as he grabbed his jacket off the back of his chair. Marching towards the front door. He could hear Kyle's faint call of his name, the beta man always playing mediator, Price holding Johnny back like an Alpha would a misbehaving puppy as Simon made his way outside.

"Bunch of fuckin' pricks." it was a whisper to himself, digging out his pack of smokes and shoving one into his mouth. Lighting it with ease as he sucked in a big lung full. The door to the bar opened and closed, fully expecting to smell the cigar-soaked Alpha but instead it was Johnny tail between his legs.

"I ken ye dinnae wanna gab about it." he tried but Simon cut him right off. "I don't." blowing a huge cloud in the betas face. "Weel, someone's gotta." he just wanted some fucking peace and quiet. "The start talkin’ or shut the fuck up." dropping his finished cigarette to the ground, giving it a good stomp before putting another to his lips.

"Things have changed, ye've changed. Ah ken everything's aw fucked up right now. We tried-" Simon huffed out a stiff laugh, not believing a thing the Scott was saying. He could see his lips still moving but he couldn’t hear what he was saying as a familiar scent caught his nose.

Before Simon could think a small body collided with Soaps as he stepped out towards the curb with a hand to the back of his neck. "Ah, fuck, sorry ‘bout that, lass." Simon watched in slow motion as you got knocked off balance. Johnny reaching out to help the poor thing but before, he could feel the growl coming from his chest and throat. Pushing the Beta to the side as he took a hold of you, bring you to his chest.

He could hear your lower whimper, there was something different about you. Your scent was sweeter, it was pulling him in like a bee to a flower. "Simon?" letting out in a shaky breath. "What are you doing here?" you looked up into his eyes. Your hands resting against his chest, the hard muscle underneath flexing, a low rumble coming from within. You’ve never seen him like this, so casual but also feral, eyes blown and panting.

"Am I interrupting ye in the midst of somethin'?" Johnny didn't know what the hell was going on. Looking at the Omega flushed against the old Alpha, he was just happy that after everything that happened it was nice to see his old lieutenant finally settling down with such a sweet thing. Simon finally broke his gaze from you, settling it on the Beta. “It was a nice chat, gotta go.”

"Come, I'll drive you home." he stated, gripping your upper arm as he moved you towards his car. The more you stood outside surround by people the more Simon got irritated. He couldn't put his finger on it, the changes within you. He'd been away from a couple of weeks; it was hard staying away but he had a responsibility and a job to do. "I can take the bus." you tried moving around Simon, spotting the other man who was now gawking. "Like hell." Simon held onto you firm, walking you to his car.

"See you around." the Scott yelled from somewhere behind. He couldn't wait to tell the other two men of what he witnessed. The grumpy old Alpha had found himself a sweet Omega.

The drive home was in silence, not even the radio to help ease the awkward tension building up in the car. When Simon pulled onto your street you gathered your belongings. "Wait." you snapped your head to the driver's side.

"What were you doing out so late?" he was trying to interrogate you "I had an appointment." you held your hands in your lap, fidgeting with your fingers. "Hmm" Simon grunted out, the whole way back to your apartment he had to stop himself from pulling the car over and pouncing on you.

Something wasn't right and he didn't like it or maybe he did. It confused him nonetheless and he wanted answers.

"You want to come up?" you don't know why you asked, why those words spilled out of your mouth. Simon was surprised too, cocking his head to side. "Sure." he cut the engine.

Once inside your apartment you didn't bother asking him if he wanted anything to drink. Unless he's into expired milk or tap water. The hulking man walked around your small place, picking things up and putting them down. Take in his surroundings, he already didn’t like you living in this area. He’s scoped out your apartment, the front door was a piece of shit, with a little bit of a jiggle and it popped open.

Walking towards your dingy couch he noticed the paper on the table, picking it up he scanned the words. You didn't.... His eyes found your form, busying yourself around your small kitchen. Shoving dirty dished into the sink to be forgotten about till later. Simon sniffed the air again, there was that familiar scent again. The smell of an Omega, the similar one that clung to his Boss, that filled every space of his home.

Omega.

He felt is heart quicken, his blood run thin. He's only had this feeling a few times, he was going to throw up and pass out at the same time. You noticed his completion pale, worrying you, grabbing a glass and filling it with your last bottle of water. Rushing to his side and calling his name.

Simon was so far away; he was in the middle of the raging ocean. The waves crashing over him, pulling him deeper under every unforgiving wave. Lungs full of burning salt water, gasping with arms stretched to the sky.

You could do the only thing you could think of you climbed into his lap. Curling yourself around him, rubbing your scent glad over his nose and mouth.

#cod ghost #ghost cod #simon ghost riley #simon riley #simon ghost riley x reader #simon riley x reader #simon riley cod #ghost x reader #ghost mw2 #cod mw2 #cod mwii #simon riley x you #simon ghost riley x you #simon ghost x you #simon ghost x reader #alpha simon riley #alpha ghost

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plotandelegy · 10 months

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Practical and Unique Post-Apocalyptic Shelter Design Ideas for Fantasy Writers

You've decided to destroy civilization in your fantasy novel? Sucks to be your character. Now let's make their situation a little better or worse but at the least unique, practical, and resourceful.

Use What's Left Behind: The end of the world doesn't mean the end of human ingenuity. Think of what materials survived your apocalypse and how to reuse them. Crumbling skyscrapers can be reinforced and turned into vertical communities, or broken-down cars can be transformed into steel-tough barricades. Old school buses or train cars?

The Importance of Defense: Your characters aren't the only ones who have survived. Threats lurk everywhere. Design shelters that have built-in defenses. Your skyscraper community may have drawbridges between floors, or your train car home can be easily detached and sped away in case of danger. Remember the secret exits!

Incorporate the Natural Environment: Trees, caves, and mountains offer robust options for post-apocalyptic shelter. A hollowed-out hillside, for example, provides cover from harsh weather and is easily defensible. Make sure the natural element isn't in a highly radioactive environment. The trunk of a massive, ancient tree could house an entire family. Underwater habitats in the middle of a lake or an ocean?

Reinvention of Basic Utilities: How will your characters access fresh water, dispose of waste, or maintain a consistent food supply? A river or rainwater could be cleverly directed and filtered, or a salvaged solar panel can provide electricity for a makeshift greenhouse. Composting toilets aren't glamorous, but they get the job done. I may be too used to modern comforts because that last one is a big ew.

Adapting to Your Apocalypse: If you have a nuclear winter scenario, consider shelters with radiation shielding and heat sources. Alien invasion? Consider camouflage or underground dwellings. Zombie outbreak? Elevate your shelters; zombies can't climb! Well, I hope your zombies can't climb. If they do, you may be a sick unhinged person. Keep it up. Makes for better fiction.

Remember, It's Home: This is where your characters will spend a lot of time. Personalize these spaces to reflect the inhabitants. Maybe one character is obsessed with salvaging books, so there's a small library corner. Perhaps another is a mechanic, and there's a well-stocked tool area. Little details will make your post-apocalyptic shelters feel more like home. Or not. A lack of home-related details could add to a sense of impermanence. Having to pull up and run a lot, maybe leaving things behind in your haste, adds to the suspense.

No long ending paragraph today. Have fun writing!

-Indigo

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puckleberryfinnie · 5 months

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covey!reader in the quarter quell (introduction)

ok so because of the amount of likes I got on the post where I shared my idea for a fanfic (thank you so much to each and every one of you), I decided to write my first ever fanfic based on it!! this is just a little introduction to your character and the story that goes with it- I promise I have more in store if you guys want it, like reader meeting everyone. I’m sorry that this isn’t very good, I’ll hopefully improve with more practice <3

summary: an introduction to covey!reader’s story and your time in the 73rd Hunger Games and her reaping into the Quarter Quell

(based on my idea from this post: click me!)

warnings: fem!reader, killing, drowning, basically just me yapping for a bunch of paragraphs!! also this is pretty short lol

Nothing could’ve prepared you for getting your name called as the female tribute of District 11.

You only had minor guidance through the stories that had been told in your district. Passed from parent to kid, and so on, what the capital had tried so hard to erase was still present among the people of the lower districts. The Covey knew more than anyone. Your grandparent had been part of the group when Lucy Gray disappeared, you knew that much. They travelled, escaping the wrath and second-hand anger of Snow after he came into power.

They landed in District 11, growing small farms with even smaller houses. The Covey wasn't what it used to be, more quiet, adapting to a life of agriculture, still humming their ways through their work. You’d do anything for them, though. They were your family. So when your name was called, you knew you’d do what you could to survive for them. They needed you- and you needed them.

The whole experience was a blur. Getting paraded around was one thing. And you were used to the attention, being a performer and all. You sang. You sang every chance you could get- that was your leading attribute and you were going to spend your last days alive doing what you loved most. Caesar just ate it up, too. Your interview infront of the capital was no interview, but a last concert from you to the crowd, a sending-off to your death.

But this wasn’t your last performance. Your voice had more songs to sing, more stories to unfold. You miraculously made it out alive- thankfully without a single kill under your belt from the experience. You hid, others killed. And when it was down to the final two, you survived the final event: a storm in the arena strong enough to wash away any sign of living within it. The other tribute (a boy from district two) was not so lucky, drowning in a moment of panic.

The non-killer image made you very popular in the capital after you stepped out of the arena. Your victory tour was filled with victory songs at each stop, spreading a message of positivity for the districts. Everyone seemed to be appeased by your performance- even Snow.

You didn’t watch the games the next year. Any mention of the games left an uncomfortable taste in your mouth and feeling you couldn’t seem to shake. This feeling only grew with the announcement of the Quarter Quell. You’d only just left the games, and now you would be led back into them?

Even with the other female winners in your district, you still felt uneasy about it. Not a single one of you should have to go through this again. You said your second goodbyes, this time with less hope of return. Everyone in the Covey cried (even the older boys who tried so hard to act tough).

The walk to the selection stage was silent- no one dared to say a word.

A piece of paper was plucked from the container

“And the female tribute from District 11 for the 75th Hunger Games is…”

It was slowly unfolded

“Y/N L/N.”

uh oh!! that’s not good!! I wonder what happens next!! seriously though thank you so much for reading through all of this, I know it’s kind of just me yapping the whole time- feel free to let me know what you think in the comments! if anyone wants a part two, let me know (I’ll also create a tag list if people want it <33)

Im planning on doing everything leading up to everyone actually entering the arena for the next part (like the training, the ability tests, the interviews), so let me know what you guys want to see!!

I’m also not really sure if I want to have the reader shipped with- I’m leading towards johanna but I’m open to suggestions <33

love ya!!

#tbosas #the hunger games #quarter quell #finnick x reader #finnick odair #johanna mason x reader #johanna mason #the covey #katniss everdeen #peeta mellark #lucy gray baird #guys I hate the way I write it’s so bad #I hope yall at least kinda like it tho #love you guys

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sunscreenstudies · 3 months

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A Step-by-Step Guide for Socially Anxious Email Senders

Read the horrible, horrible email you have to reply to and then feel relief at the fact that "well, at least it's not a phone call!"

Determine what parts you have to reply to i.e. if they asked you a question about something or if there's a part where you need to ask them a question about something

Set a timer for 2 min, 5 min, or 10 min depending on the importance of the email, but no longer!

Write your greeting: "Hi [their first name]" for friendlies, "Dear Mr/Ms/Dr [their last name]" for acquaintances

Write your ending (Yes, we're doing this now before we write anything else): "Best wishes, [your first name]" for friendlies, "Kind Regards, [your first and last name]" for acquaintances

Write "Hope you're well!" This is a game changer because now they know you're thinking of them BUT they don't feel like they have to answer in the way that typing "How are you?" does. Plus, the exclamation mark always helps to lighten up an email that otherwise might feel stuffy.

Answer their questions. If they asked multiple, then split up your answers with filler phrases such as "In relation to...", "In regard to...", "As for...", etc. Finish your paragraph with "I hope this helps, but if you have any further questions, please feel free to ask!"

Ask your questions. If you don't have any questions, then find the most complicated/unclear part of their email, rephrase it, and throw it in after a "Just a quick note to confirm my understanding of the project: [the rephrased bit]". This will let them know that you did thoroughly read their email, and it also provides them with an excuse to email you back with "yes, you're right" or "actually..." which removes the awkwardness they might be feeling as to whether there's any need to reply to your email or not. Finish your paragraph with "Thank you!" (it never hurts to be nice)

Check for spelling or grammar mistakes (if you don't have an extension like Grammarly, then copy and paste your email into Google Docs/Word doc/LibraOffice doc/etc. to check for errors there. Once you've corrected them, copy and paste the corrected text back into your email, replacing the original text)

Reread your email three times. Look at me. Look. At. Me. Three times. That's it! No more and no less! Your timer should have gone off by now, so times up, tough luck, you have to send it, the timer said so. If your timer hasn't gone off yet, then congrats! You beat the clock! Now let's celebrate by sending that horrible email immediatley.

Check your "sent" email box once - just once - to make sure that your email did successfully send and to shut up that part of your brain that's going "but what if they didn't get it?!" They got it. Exit your email browser/app.

Turn your phone/laptop on "do not disturb", leave your desk, make yourself a big mug of something hot (I personally prefer black tea, but you could make tea, coffee, hot chocolate, soup, etc. - whatever you enjoy the most!). Bonus Points: If you're at home or in an enclosed office, then throw on your favourite song or a dancing playlist, and spend five minutes dancing and shaking off that nervous energy before getting back to work. Congratulations: You did it!

#studyblr #email writing #social anxiety #how to write an email #anxiety tips #you've got this #just take a deep breath #and always remember #at least it's not a phone call

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wooawrites · 2 years

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love or letter: wonwoo version

pairing: j. wonwoo x fem! reader

summary: hopeless in her endeavors, [name] turns to a radio show for love advice and somehow causes her situation to become worse.

word count: 10k+

genre: childhood friends to lovers, fluff

playlist

love or letter series

“Welcome to Love or Letter, a segment of BSS Radio Show dedicated to answering and advising our very own university students with their current (and maybe even future) romantic ailments! Depending on your story, we’ll either deem it a success by claiming it as a love or will call it a letter if our experts believe the sender should reconsider.”

Collective clapping could be heard in the background, courtesy of the grainy mics provided by the university. “Our first sender seems to have a pretty big problem—the paper is almost three pages long!”

Chuckles could be heard. “Wow, I’ve never had someone even send me a paragraph through text message.”

“That’s because you don’t have anyone to let them do that to you, DK.”

A chorus of shouting soon followed after, though a sharp hush ended the argument before it could continue, prompting the previous host to start speaking. “Dear Love or Letter team, my name is Sender A (F22) and I’m undoubtedly in love with my childhood friend (M22). He has always been a part of my life—from the minute he helped me to the bench when I scraped my knee at the local park to even now, where we both attend the university.”

“That’s so disgustingly cute.”

“But…”

“...But I think my childhood friend sees me more as a sister than he does a girl friend.”

“Girlfriend?”

“No. Girl space friend. Do you think Sender A would be writing to us if she was already his girlfriend, Seungkwan?” The host reading clears throat, ready to continue the note. “Whenever we go out, people always assume we’re related in some way since we’re roommates and apparently the only explanation for opposite sexes to become roommates is if one or both are gay or if they’re related.”

A hiss of annoyance followed soon after. “So outdated.”

“I know.”

“While I tend to correct people that we’re actually childhood friends, he, on the other hand, doesn't bother to correct anyone. In fact, he even seems to like that idea by mentioning that ‘it’s practically the same thing’ when I asked him why he never bothered correcting it to anyone.”

“Oof.”

“On top of this, he has a tendency to lean on me when it comes to relationship advice. He’s only dated a few girls casually here and there throughout our years of knowing each other all these years, however it's become more frequent ever since we started attending the university. While it’s not by much, I’ve heard enough of his stories about his previous girlfriends more than I’d like to admit and it doesn’t help with my situation.”

“Talk about a punch to the gut.”

“Right? Sender A continues by mentioning that she’s been wanting to say something to him but all these signals are pointing to a completely opposite direction and believes she might need to move out if something doesn’t get done. Sender A ends it with ‘I usually don’t ask three random strangers on a radio show to help make decisions like this, however none of my friends know about my situation. Please help me out, BSS Radio hosts. Sincerely, a hopeless romantic’. Man…”

“That’s tough. Thank you for choosing us to help you out though!”

“Dokyeom, you punk! They clearly said we were her last resort so speak carefully.” Seungkwan’s voice chimes in, followed by an irritated sigh. “From the sounds of things Sender A, you sound like you’re at odds with this situation at the moment. You want to tell someone you’ve known your whole life something serious while also keeping whatever dynamic it is you have the same, which will no doubt change if you do end up following through with your plans. In my opinion, I’d consider this a Letter, since you aren’t entirely sure how he feels yet.”

A hum followed, clearly agreeing with Seungkwan’s response. “I think this feels like this might be a Letter, too—but that doesn’t mean you should give up! Afterall, just because you don’t know how he feels doesn’t mean anything, right Hoshi?”

The host who had read let out a strained cough. “Y-Yeah… Definitely not the end of it just because we deemed it a Letter. Like Seungkwan said, you just seem unsure of your decisions and this Letter can turn into Love with the right course of action. This has been the Love or Letter segment of BSS Radio Show, onto other campus news—”

The quick shut down of the radio show invited the bustling noise coming from the cafe that [Name] had forgotten she was even in. Frustration bubbled up in her stomach as she thought back on the declaration of her current predicament. For a moment, she had the childish belief that the BooSeokSoon Radio hosts had the answer she actually wanted; that all came crumbling down as she listened to her submission being read out loud.

Embarrassment flooded through her as the story relayed in her head. Had it sounded that obvious he wasn’t into her? If it was, then why did she even bother sending that kind of message for a huge crowd to hear? [Name] could only ponder this question as she took a sip of her coffee, mouth pursing as the bitterness washed the piece of cake she had eaten just a few minutes ago.

Her eyes glanced over at the cafe’s door, body shaking in anticipation. She felt as if she had been at the cafe for hours on end, though she was sure it was only less than an hour. The radio show had taken up the majority of her time, her term paper long forgotten the minute she noticed an email saying BooSeokSoon would present her message for this week’s segment.

“A waste of time that is…” [Name] hissed under her breath, blowing at a fallen stray of hair.

“What’s a waste of time?” A voice asked. [Name] nearly froze in her spot, eyes flicking back to the door before going back to the owner of the voice, who stood so close, her face nearly ran into his stomach. [Name] gave him a slight shove, ignoring his humored chuckle and the fact he clenched his abdomen when her hand made contact with him.

“Being here and waiting for your class to end.” [Name] responded, motioning for him to sit across from her, a cup of coffee similar to her’s waiting for him. “I don’t know how you can enjoy that coffee so much. It tastes like sadness and dead poets.”

Wonwoo laughed. God it’s a cute laugh. “That’s… Actually a good way of putting it. How’d you figure out I was a tortured artist?”

[Name] watched him sit down, his larger frame towering over the small chair as he shifted. She almost laughed at how he hunched himself over, something he always had done since they were children to appear smaller than he originally would. However, it looked as if something was poking at his lower back and he was avoiding it.

No matter how many times [Name] pointed out to Wonwoo how strange he looked, he never failed to put himself into that position. She wasn’t sure if it was to be considerate of others or just to make her laugh at this point.

“Maybe because we’ve known each other for 15 years of our lives? Or you’re a literature major. And you dress like someone’s grandpa. You even sit like one—”

“I get it, I get it.” Wonwoo replied, raising his arms in surrender. He shuffled through his bag, pulling out his laptop and notebook, casting a glance at [Name]’s unopened laptop and earbuds. “Did you get any far with your paper?”

“Huh? Yeah, yeah…” [Name] said dismissively, looking away as she snatched her phone. Wonwoo narrowed his eyes at the action. As if on instinct, he offered his hand. “Won—”

“Phone. Now.” He commanded, face stern for a second before a pacifying smile made its way to his face. “Please. We made a deal, remember? No phone until you get a page done.”

“Yeah, yeah.” [Name] grumbled, handing her phone over to him, breath hitching for a second when she felt the tips of his fingers grazed her wrist lightly. Wonwoo let out a gentle thank you before shoving the phone into his pocket, a smile still settled on his face. He pulled out an earbud, handing one half over to [Name] as he played one of her favorite songs for the both of them.

Work followed soon after, [Name] typing furiously at her term paper while Wonwoo flicked through pages of a book written by some writer older than their own grandmothers. Every now and then, [Name] glanced across, taking in her friend’s appearance.

His hair was windswept from the autumn breeze, clearly slicked back just a few moments ago before entering the cafe. He had just recently changed his glasses prescription, finally listening to [Name] when she suggested a pair of circular glasses instead of his usual blocky choice. It framed his face nicely, highlighting his cheekbones whenever he smiled, though it always drew [Name] to look at his lips right afterward.

How can someone be so… Wonwoo? A strange way of putting it, yes, but what else was [Name] supposed to compare him to? She could imagine all the beautiful and fascinating things possible and all of that pales in comparison to him. For some reason she couldn’t make up her mind if he was one or the other at this point.

“Were you listening to the BSS Radio Show again?” He asked all of a sudden, making [Name] jump back to look at her paper again just in case he looked away from his book.

“It’s scary how well you know me so well.” [Name] commented with a shiver.

“What’s so interesting about their radio show anyways? I’ve never seen you pay attention to that until now.”

[Name] knocked her fingers against his, a smirk etched on her face. “Maybe I think one of the hosts is cute. Y’know one of them, Seokmin, is in my Speech 101 class?”

Wonwoo frowned at the notion, gently flicking his fingers at the tips of her’s as a response. “You can’t even talk to someone if you find them remotely attractive.

That’s what you think. [Name] stuck her tongue out at him. “They’ve got… Insightful moments.”

Wonwoo raised an eyebrow. “They only say insightful things when they’re doing Love or Letter, which I know you definitely don’t listen to.”

[Name] almost threw up at the mention of that dreaded segment. She straightened her back at the comment, however. “What’s that supposed to mean? That I’m not romantically available?”

Wonwoo gave her a shocked look. “No—like, I mean like you’re not the type to be into listening to that kind of show.”

“What type of person do you see me as then?” [Name] challenged, eyes glinting for a moment as she gave Wonwoo a pointed look as he opened and closed his mouth for a second. For a second she wondered if he understood her double meaning, her thoughts completely flying out the window when he let out a sigh of defeat.

“I offended you, didn’t I?” Wonwoo asked. “Sorry, I just meant to say that you usually don’t pay attention to people’s plights for entertainment, especially if it’s personal like romantic issues.”

This idiot. Maybe [Name] shouldn’t stick to dropping hints. If she continues on with this kind of confession style, Wonwoo would most likely be in a grave by the time she has the courage to confess her feelings. [Name]’s stomach dropped at the idea. She wasn’t sure she wanted to wait that long; she’s waited long enough.

“Wonwoo—”

“Oh my God, Wonwoo is that you?” A new voice chimed in, making [Name] stop her words, glancing over at a girl—a pretty girl—waving her hand at the lines their way. [Name]’s stomach nearly dropped as she watched Wonwoo’s face light up and wave an arm in return, pushing himself off his seat.

“I’ll be right back.” Wonwoo said quietly, making sure to be quick with his strides as went up to talk to the girl. A frown settled on [Name]’s face as she recalled him never being so hasty with his actions with her like he had with the girl. She did her best to go back to the paper instead of putting all her attention on the two people in front of her, who looked painfully good together.

His mouth was quirked up, being attentive to whatever the pretty girl was telling him by providing a nod or simple response to her as they spoke. They didn’t speak for long, Wonwoo pointing at their shared table. [Name] cast her eyes back at the screen, pretending to be focused on her essay instead of them. Her eyes didn’t let up from the screen until she noticed Wonwoo come back, a content look etched on his face.

“Friend of yours?” [Name] teased, half hoping he’d give her information and the other half to dispel the drop in her gut as she thought of the best and worst things possible.

Wonwoo only let out a hum, smiling down at his work. That certainly wasn’t an answer [Name] expected. Or wanted, for that matter. She wasn’t sure what to respond with so she made sure to look back at her own work, typing nonsense instead of actual meaningful words that might help affect the course of her grade.

The silence lasted for only a moment, however, as Wonwoo’s gaze lifted towards her, eyes alight as he asked, “What did you wanna ask me again?”

“Huh?”

“Before I went up to Chaewon. You had something to say to me, right?”

[Name]’s mouth fell open for a moment, unsure of her circumstances anymore. If it had been just a moment ago, she was sure to have told Wonwoo about her affection. After witnessing his reaction to that girl—Chaewon—though…

“I… Can’t remember.” [Name] said, feigning an apologetic smile. Wonwoo only let a hesitant nod, eyes not leaving her face. Unwavering, [Name] motioned to his book. “You better keep reading unless you expect the book to write your analysis, do you?”

An exhausted sigh escaped [Name]’s lips once she found herself shutting the door of her apartment. If she hadn’t been at school or studying for exams, she found herself working on campus, a task that is almost as exhausting as studying and attending classes.

If it hadn’t been for the millions of accidents coupled with the slow coworkers, maybe her work day wouldn’t have been as stressful as it had been that day. [Name] could already feel her eyes drop heavily as soon as she stepped foot into the comforts of her home. She had almost missed Wonwoo lounging in the living room had she been any more tired.

“Welcome back.” Wonwoo greeted, a smile erupting when [Name] groaned in reply. She wasted no time tossing herself over the couch he was sitting on, staring at the ceiling as she felt Wonwoo’s leg shake beneath her head from the laugh he let out. For a second, [Name] shut her eyes, relishing in the laugh. “That tired, huh?”

“You don’t even know. How can someone be in their twenties and not know how to be an effective worker? Am I in some alternate universe where I’m in a constant state of being Punk’d?” [Name] complained, not stopping to take a breath as she let her bottled up irritation finally burst. A hum could only be heard from her friend, urging her to continue.

“Not to mention how irritating customers can be—ugh, don’t even get me started on them, Woo. One of them got mad when I asked if she already purchased an item that was set aside and started grilling me on some bullshit about ‘not believing her’. I was just making sure she bought the item! The nerve of some people…”

“That sounds frustrating.” Wonwoo agreed, reaching out to grasp at the hair tie on [Name]’s head and gently pulling it off. A hand ran through her hair, putting a pause on [Name]’s rambles. She wasn’t sure how long they stayed that way—Wonwoo basically giving her a massage to help destress. She kept her eyes closed either way. She was unsure if she wanted to risk getting a good look at her best friend, who was most definitely staring at her right now.

She wasn’t sure why it was such a habit of his—the incessant staring. It was a bad habit Wonwoo had; [Name] lost count of how many times she had to drag him out from places when his staring habit put him into unnecessary trouble.

[Name] hadn’t minded his staring—he was usually lost in his own thoughts and not bothering her since he was so quiet. Not to mention he had killer massaging skills.

She opted to let the silence continue. Wonwoo seemed to not mind, equally enjoying her presence as much as she had with him. His fingers, deft and soft, worked out the tangles in her hair. He was careful to be gentle when facing harsh knots, massaging at the tender spots if he tugged too hard, earning a small hum in appreciation of his efforts.

“You’re spoiled, you know that right?” Wonwoo suddenly commented. [Name] responded with a sharp slap to his knee. “Ow! I’m just saying! Who gets treated like this by their roommate?”

“Oh so we’re just roommates now, huh?” [Name] teased, opening her eyes. “Let’s just throw away a decade worth of friendship. I see how it is, you heartless jerk.”

“Ahh, you gaslighter.” Wonwoo groaned, poking her side in retaliation. A laugh escaped from [Name], fighting off his hands as she tried to get herself off of her friend. He seemed to have known what she was doing, though, from the way he dropped his other arm to wrap around her shoulders and bring her to his side to keep poking at her sides with his other one.

“Woo, I swear to God—AH!” [Name] shrieked, smacking at his arms to get him away from her after his fingers coincidentally found its way to a certain spot that made her laugh a little harder than she liked. “I swear if you tickle me anymore I will be putting honey in your hair while you’re sleeping.”

“Oh really?” Wonwoo asked, turning her over and holding her arms in place.

“Yes really—”

Her voice caught in her throat as Wonwoo looked down to stare at her. Usually, she had been pretty good at hiding her feelings toward him—a quick change in facial expressions when she caught herself smiling for too long when he was failing at cooking eggs in the mornings, keeping her glances fleeting when they studied together, opting to tease him instead of complimenting his appearance to keep up with appearances.

[Name] wasn’t exactly sure how she could evade this moment. Or if she even wanted to move at the sight in front of her. Wonwoo had clearly been home hours before [Name] came home. Besides the soft pajamas underneath her head, his hair had not been touched and was angled every which way. His glasses looked like they were on the verge of falling as he kept his gaze down toward her. It didn’t help that his chest—Jesus, did his chest always feel that muscular?—was taking deep breaths, clearly just as winded as she was of their wrestling match.

The sight was endearing. She was more than sure Wonwoo could do anything and make it look beautiful in her eyes, though, so she might have a bit of a bias. [Name] chewed at her lip as an all too familiar thought passed through her head. Now’s your chance. Her mouth opened for a split second, trying to form the words she’s been so desperate to let out for the past few months.

“I’d consider this a Letter, since you aren’t entirely sure how he feels yet.”

A Letter. A chance of rejection is probably high. Should she really risk a friendship over a love confession? Maybe. It’s highly tempting, especially with how he looks right now—so effortlessly handsome, it was irritating, honestly.

Wonwoo’s eyes softened for a brief moment. Carefully, he brushed the tips of his fingers against her cheek to grab her attention. “You good?”

[Name] felt her throat dry up, immediately getting up from her spot. “Y-Yeah. Just remembered I need to take a shower. I’ll make dinner tonight!”

Wonwoo looked as if he were ready to reach out a hand to stop her, but [Name] made sure to keep a distance from him. “Are you sure? You seemed pretty worn out today, though. I can make—”

“No, it's fine! I’ll get my energy back after I wash the stink out of me. I’ll be back soon!” [Name] interrupted, making her steps quick as she turned around to run to the bathroom.

Once she found herself in their shared bathroom, [Name] slid down the door in a huff. Her heart was nearly ready to jump out of her chest as the moment replayed in her head. She could feel her face heat up as she remembered her original task of confessing, which was a complete failure again.

“I’m so screwed…” She whispered to herself.

Three weeks. It had been three weeks since [Name]’s embarrassing attempt of admitting her feelings to Wonwoo. The moment replayed in her head more times than she’d like to admit, constantly beating herself up at missing the opportunity of confessing again.

“Hey, if you’re going to have that lovesick look on your face all day, you might as well take the rest of the day off. You’re gonna scare the customers.” Chan chastised, words harsh, but the smile on his face indicated he wasn’t at all irritated in the slightest.

[Name] huffed. “I do not look lovesick.”

Chan snorted in response. “You must think I’m stupid then.” A crumpled up coffee filter found its way bouncing off his dark hair and a blank stare from the girl as a response. Chan let out a sigh. “You don’t have to talk about it if you’re not comfortable. You just seem… Sad lately.”

“Sad?” [Name] inquired, Chan nodding. It had only been a week and half since [Name]’s second failed attempt at her confession and if she were to be honest, [Name] was a little upset with herself after she managed to overcome her embarrassment. The moments continued to relay in her head, letting her self pity overtake at times.

But was she that obvious? [Name] worried if Wonwoo ever caught on; he always had a tendency to read the room, especially when it came to her. He always seemed to understand when she was overdoing or uncomfortable before she was even able to comprehend her emotions. What’s the possibilities if he picked up on her recent habits? A high chance, only making her question why hadn’t he mentioned anything to her?

This only sparked her worrisome behavior even more, eyebrows furrowing further, though she wasn’t able to spiral any further when the sensation of a sharp poke to her forehead brought her back down to reality. “Ow?” [Name] prompted, hand covering her forehead as she looked at Chan.

“You’re doing it again.” He admonished, frowning too. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Honestly? No, not really.” [Name] admitted, leaning back to watch the entrance of the café to see if anyone had walked in yet. “It’s kinda complicated.”

“Complicated how?”

“A guy kind of complicated.”

“Ah…” Chan hummed. “I have no idea what that means.”

[Name] only groaned quietly, fighting off the urge to waste any more work products to throw at her younger coworker’s head. “Nevermind. It’s hard to explain.”

“We’ve got five hours until our shift ends. I think I can grasp difficult concepts.” Chan reassures, chest puffing up proudly

“Fine, fine. I don’t even know where to start. There’s this guy…”

[Name] wasted no time explaining her hopeless conundrum—her seemingly unrequited love to the Love or Letter segment and even the embarrassing, half-hearted attempts of her confessions.

Surprisingly, Chan managed to keep up with her, despite her lack of tracking with the timeline and needing to run back and forth between explanations. She’d pause for a second, watching to see if he was even hearing her despite his nods, receiving encouraging hums whenever they made eye contact.

For some reason, this brought her to relax more as she began to speak freely. At one point, she even brought up the Chaewon girl from their study session (or study “date” from Chan’s point of view—again, he was served a hit to the leg with [Name]’s towel). Chan had been kind enough to provide a third party viewpoint, mentioning that she could more likely have been a project partner with Wonwoo and nothing more.

By the time she finished, [Name] could almost feel the tears prick at the corners of her eyes. She hadn’t exactly expected herself to pour her thoughts and feelings into one night, albeit someone she hadn’t really expected—the sarcastic first year Lee Chan who always seemed to keep himself guarded with his own feelings despite having the most expressive display of emotions.

“Wow…” Chan said. “That sounds like a lot of unnecessary stress.”

“Lee Chan…”

“But I can see why you’re so caught up on your feelings about him.” Chan said, making [Name] raise her eyebrows at him. “Trust me, I’m having similar issues. I’m honestly making more mistakes than you.”

[Name] only nodded as a response, knowing when to not ask questions. “Idiots in love.” She sighed out in despair, Chan holding out a fist for her to bump in solidarity.

“Idiots in love.” The younger man chanted back. “I think you should tell him, though. Despite getting a Letter.”

“...Why though?” [Name] asked, a look of horror crossing her face.

“Because you’re undeniably in love with this guy and from the sounds of things he’s acting like you’re the center of his universe.”

Chan was quick to dodge the towel thrown at his head. [Name] could only watch as the towel dropped on the ground, not ready to move just yet as she fought off the embarrassment rising from her neck.

“You—I—What part of me saying anything to you made you think that?" [Name] asked.

Chan only patted her shoulder. "You're literally hopeless. How are you about to graduate in less than a year?"

"I'm being practical."

"You're being in denial." Dino corrected, head turning when the sound of a door squeaking came to life. "If you're not going to accept it, let's just go back to work."

[Name] didn't respond, only watching as Chan walked up to the register to greet customers. Her? The center of Wonwoo's universe? In what way did she make it sound like that? [Name] could only scoff at the comment, turning away to continue with work, doing her best to find herself engrained in her tasks instead of Chan's words.

From [Name] 😒:

at the location. where are you? Sent 07:50 PM

From Wonwoo:

close by. why did i have to grab the blanket? hao was already at the apartment looking for something you asked him to get 😭 Sent 07:50 PM

From [Name] 😒:

wasnt answering my text. where now? Sent 07:52 PM

Wonwoo let out a sigh at the last text. Impatient as always. Especially when she was excited about something, It’s almost as bad as her memory when she’s in a hurry, which also seems to be something she does when she’s excited.

He wasn’t exactly sure how many times he had to head back to their apartment to retrieve whatever it was [Name] forgot on her way to the campus grass but he hadn’t bothered to count after she frowned at him when a refusal almost slipped off the tip of his tongue.

“You’re lucky we’re friends.” Wonwoo grumbled as he handed off his backpack to [Name], who was gracious enough to offer to hold it so he didn’t need to drag it back to their home. He watched as [Name] hiked the large bag onto her shoulders, a smile forming when he noticed how much the bag stuck out from her, reminding him of a snail.

He was careful to tug off a strand of hair that was trapped under a strap as [Name] smiled up at him. “Don’t act like you don’t treat everyone with the same fake courtesies.” She teased, knocking her fist onto his arm.

Wonwoo rolled his eyes in response. “With you, I don’t think I can treat you the same way as everyone else.”

He had left shortly after that, not wanting to see [Name]’s face when he said the last part, which almost sounded as awkward as when he thought of it. Wonwoo could have died right then and there if he didn’t turn to run back to their apartment. His brain hadn’t allowed him to stop thinking about it until he got a call from Minghao, who they both deemed trustworthy enough to have a key for their apartment, mentioning he was inside to retrieve another item [Name] left behind and needed to have.

They had spent less than five minutes looking for the items before trudging back, Wonwoo with a bag full of chips and blanket and Minghao with [Name]’s portable charger in their hands. Wonwoo struggled to text [Name] back, mentioning they were nearing the clearing on campus where they agreed to meet everyone else.

“You know she can wait on that text, right?” Minghao reminded him. “Your chips are about to fall.”

Wonwoo was quick to hit send before readjusting his hold on the chips. “Yeah I know. I guess I’m just used to responding so quickly to [Name] I don’t want her to think I’m ignoring her or anything.”

Minghao hummed. “[Name] always takes forever to respond with my messages.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. It took her a day to respond to a message from me asking what she wanted from the nearby bakery.”

The last time [Name] had taken so long to respond to him was only an hour because she was out on a lecture. “Huh…”

Minghao only opted to shoot an expressionless smile at Wonwoo’s curious hum, speeding up when he took notice of Jun’s towering figure next to [Name]. Minghao muttered something to Jun quickly in Mandarin, prompting the older man to land a slight nudge to his shoulder as a wordless response.

[Name] let out a laugh at the banter, making Jun offer an embarrassed smile in response. Wonwoo couldn’t help but frown at the small interaction, a feeling in his gut dropping. It disappeared once [Name] recognized him moving closer to them, the grin on her face never leaving as she ran up to him.

She tugged the blanket off his hand. “I promise I don’t need anything anymore.”

Wonwoo only shot her a doubtful look as they spread the blanket out together. Once all four were settled down, [Name] was quick to make the center of the blanket her spot, laying down as she stared up at the empty sky.

“How much longer?” She grumbled at Wonwoo, who settled himself to her right.

“So impatient.” Wonwoo jokes, prodding her side. [Name] squeaked, though she didn’t bother moving away from him, only keeping a hand on his wrist to keep him from doing anything else. “Vernon said they’ll start at 8:30. It’s still 8:20.”

[Name] groaned in response, rubbing her eyes. “I might be asleep by then…”

“Stay awake.” Wonwoo reprimanded, tugging her eyelid up.

“Gahhh.” [Name] grumbled, earning a “Gahh” back from Wonwoo. Regardless, she kept her eyes closed for a moment, breathing in the air. "When was the last time I laid down like this?"

"Summer before we started high school. Your brother threw a mud pie at your face and you went to my house for some reason to cry about it." Wonwoo responded. From beside them, he spotted Jun and Minghao engrossed in their own conversation, both their eyes shifting to a pair of girls on their phones a few blankets away.

"That's because I knew you'd let me play your games out of pity." [Name] responded, laughing at the memory. "I can't believe you even remember that."

"I remember a lot of things."

"Hopefully I'm in most of them." [Name] respondes cheekily, scooting closer to Wonwoo to nudge his shoulder.

Actually you're all of them. Wonwoo wanted to say, but he wasn't stupid enough to say that, despite it being the truth. No matter how far back he can fish for memory, [Name] was always a constant in every single one of them.

In every good or bad moment Wonwoo experienced, he always managed to remember that [Name] was with him and would do something so spectacularly outrageous or kind that he couldn't help but etch her into his mind.

His stomach turned again, all those memories rushing back in, hyperfocused on [Name]'s presence than whatever life lesson he was supposed to learn from them. He kept his gaze up at the sky, hearing a loud whizzing noise shoot up before colors burst out of seemingly thin air.

Everyone gasped. Jun's mouth dropped open wider and wider at the fireworks, grinning excitedly at Wonwoo when their eyes met for a brief period. Minghao was nowhere to be seen—Wonwoo guessed it might have to do with one of the girls he and Jun were eyeing.

Wonwoo let himself get lost at the bright skyline, marveling at the colors illuminating the campus fields. Whistles from other groups were heard, making Wonwoo laugh at their amusement.

“Ahhh, there’s always fireworks for any event the university hosts and everyone acts like it’s the first time anyone’s seen them.” Wonwoo jokes.

He had half expected [Name] to just hum or say a joke in passing, too occupied with the fireworks to hear what he’s saying. No such actions were made. Wonwoo turned his head down, curious to her silence, but was quick to learn why.

“Of course you fall asleep before the fireworks.” Wonwoo whispers to her, brushing off the curtain of hair that fell over her face. Everything was completely still for him, the sounds of cheering and fireworks falling deaf to Wonwoo’s ears as he watched a newer, more fascinating sight.

[Name]’s breathing was heavy and deep; a clear sign she hadn’t been sleeping too well. Wonwoo should be concerned at the thought, but he couldn’t help but appreciate the chance to see her this way—so relaxed, so unguarded around him.

Recently, [Name] seemed so… Distant. Wonwoo wasn’t sure if it was something he had done and she was just waiting for him to acknowledge any mistake he made or if she was just preoccupied with school and he was reading too much into her actions. Regardless, he felt as if he hadn’t seen his best friend in forever and he was just seeing her now—beautifully flawless despite her antics.

A breeze passed by, making [Name] shiver. She stirred only slightly, though, turning her body to the closest heat source: him. Wonwoo didn’t fight against her as she curled herself into his side, letting out a sigh of relief once her head pushed itself to his shoulder.

Wonwoo froze only for a second—majority of that second consisting of him internally screaming like some lovesick school girl—before he maneuvered his arm carefully around her back, pulling her closer to him as he wrapped his arms around her.

[Name] was quick to move her head onto his chest instead of his shoulder at the new position, her arms wrapping around his middle and her legs tangling with his by the time Wonwoo finished adjusting himself. Again, Wonwoo let himself stop moving for a moment to internally wonder what life he saved in his past life to put himself into this position.

“Oh?” A voice beside him says. Wonwoo peaks over the mass of hair in front of him to see Jun grinning their way, not paying attention to the fireworks anymore.

“Shut up.” Wonwoo warned, eyes narrowing behind his glasses.

“I didn’t say anything.” Jun defended.

“Just shut up anyways.”

Jun rolled his eyes, turning his attention back to the fireworks with a smirk. “Whatever. Text me once you tell her how you feel by the way. I made a bet with Hao and I wanna pool in my prize money.”

Wonwoo felt his jaw drop. “You made a bet on my love life?”

“Yeah,” Jun admitted with a shrug. “Don’t worry, though. Once you’re done with your little pining we can make a bet against Hao and that one girl he’s working with. Something tells me he’s worse than you about admitting his feelings to someone.”

“You—”A groan could be heard beside Wonwoo as he started talking. [Name] was stirring in her sleep, clearly feeling his voice reverberating against his chest as he spoke. Wonwoo was quick to stop himself, squeezing [Name] gently to keep her from waking up. “You’re lucky she’s asleep.”

Jun chuckled. “You’re lucky she’s asleep.”

Damn Jun. Was the only thought that went through Wonwoo’s head. He gave up on his argument with Jun, half afraid of waking [Name] and half afraid of admitting the truth that, yes, he’s the biggest idiot alive for not realizing until now just how undeniably in love he is with his childhood friend and all those years of him watching her back wasn’t just out of friendly courtesy.

By the time the fireworks died out, Wonwoo was still pondering on his next move. Minghao came back, a small smile edging on his usually stoic face. He made no argument against Jun as they helped pack Wonwoo and [Name]’s stuff while the taller of the three men woke [Name] up.

“Hey, come on.” Wonwoo urged, grinning when [Name] opened her eyes. “We have to go back home.”

“Did I miss the fireworks?” [Name] grumbled, staring at the nearly empty field. Wonwoo nodded. “Damn…” She knocked her head against his chest. “At least you’re a really comfortable pillow.”

God take him now. “Thanks.”

[Name] groaned as she picked herself up, offering a hand to Wonwoo to help him up. She only offered small conversation with Jun and Minghao, too focused on trying to find her footing after napping for so long. Wonwoo was quick to put an arm on her shoulder, leading as best as possible.

He shot Jun and Minghao a warning look when he heard one of them snicker to one another, conversing in Mandarin through hushed whispers (though, he was more than sure he heard [Name] and the word money be passed around a bit).

“You okay?” [Name] asked suddenly, making Wonwoo jump at her sudden concern. [Name] gave him a funny look. “You look constipated.”

“I’m fine.” Wonwoo said, voice a little too stiff for his liking. [Name] didn’t seem to buy into it either, though she didn’t bother to push further, most likely for privacy’s sake.

“Whatever you say…”

Wonwoo let a comfortable silence they were familiar with wave through them, the scraping of their sneakers against the pavement being the only sounds to come from them. Every now and then, he shot glances their way, watching as [Name]’s eyes blinked a little too hard at street lights.

Heh. Cute.

“What?”

“Huh?” Wonwoo asked, heart hammering out of his chest as he realized he just verbalized a very, very private thought. “I said, ‘Huh. Cool.’ at that star over there.”

[Name] glanced up at the sky, a frown on her face as she attempted to find whatever star it was Wonwoo was pointing at. “I don’t see a star—”

“You’re just blind then.”

“You—!”

She was about to cry. He didn’t even need to look at her to tell that she was crying; he could hear her sniveling all the way from the kitchen. Peaking over the window counter, Wonwoo glanced over at [Name] narrowing her eyes at her computer screen.

Yeah, she's definitely going to cry. And she definitely hadn’t eaten yet. No matter how many times Wonwoo warns her about her health, [Name] had a tendency to avoid eating until she was finished with whatever assignment it was she was working on. And crying was just a natural response out of her for papers at this point—meaning she was dehydrating and starving herself at this point.

Wonwoo glanced at his plate, which consisted of a sloppy looking burger at what Mingyu had attempted to teach him earlier.

“How can someone so independent be so useless at something like cooking?” He remembered Mingyu complaining after another failed attempt at making a burger with him the other night. Wonwoo had essentially trapped his poor underclassman, under the guise of offering to edit his literature papers for the rest of the next semester if he helped him achieve the impossible: cooking a decent meal.

“What even made you want to do this in the first place? You never found it interesting until now.”

“Something came over me.”

“Well let’s hope it passes over soon because you’re an impossible student at this point.”

Wonwoo was surprised he hadn’t managed to burn down a portion of their kitchen when he made the meal. Still, it didn’t stop the fact it looked like it was going to come to life at some point.

He sighed. “Even I wouldn’t eat something like this…” He mumbled, looking over at [Name], who is still engrossed in her paper. Her hair was down, a sight he was the only one he was able to see often since she kept it tied up and away when they weren’t at home. Her eyes were watering, from the computer screen or tears of frustration, Wonwoo wasn't sure anymore.

[Name]’s lips were chapped too, obviously neglecting any water despite the water gathering behind her eyes. She licked at them in an attempt to ignore the growing sahara in her throat. Wonwoo swallowed down his nervousness, the burger thrown into the trash and a cold glass of water in his hand as he made his way to [Name].

Gently, he placed the water against the back of her neck, causing her to jump up with a scream. [Name] gripped at her laptop screen as she spun around, eyes wide awake now. Wonwoo could only offer a dismantling smile, offering the water to her wordlessly. [Name], still quite offended at his sudden presence, took it gratefully, chugging the water without question and setting it down on the table.

“Let’s get some food.” Wonwoo suggested, nudging her arm with his hand gently.

Surprisingly, those words alone were enough (or it could have been the part when Wonwoo offered to pay for her meal). Wonwoo could only watch in amazement as [Name] seemed to have some sort of skip to her step as they made their way to their favorite restaurant, a hole in the wall noodle shop known to be open in the late hours.

The server, an older woman who seemed to practically live there, offered a smile and wave to the both of them as she set a bowl down to a table where a lone man sat. “It’s been a while.”

“It’s the time for finals.” [Name] admitted, flinching when Wonwoo placed his large hand on her head.

“I’m just dragging her out to eat.”

The older woman smiled. “How sweet of you. I’ll get your usuals out and you can take a seat anywhere.”

Both nodded, situating themselves against a wall as they sat and waited for their food. [Name] mindlessly tapped at the table, humming an English song—Taylor Swift?—to herself as she examined the people in the restaurant. Her eyes stopped a little longer at the table the woman stopped at earlier, eyes narrowing slightly as she examined the man.

Wonwoo recognized him, but wasn’t entirely sure where exactly he was from. Regardless, it’s hard to even notice him with the copious amounts of black he’s covered himself in, making him blend into the dark wall. A red watch was around his wrist, which seemed to constantly light up with messages he didn’t bother to look at as he sipped mindlessly at his noodles.

A frown settled on his face as [Name] continued to stare, though he bit back whatever jealousy was bubbling up in him. “You think he’s cute?” Wonwoo teased, hoping the smile on his face didn’t match the bitterness he bit back.

[Name]’s widened, face morphing to embarrassment. Clearly, she wasn’t expecting him to be watching her long enough to notice. “No! Nothing like that; I just know him. He’s one of the producers for BooSeokSoon Radio. I can’t remember his name. Lee Jimin?”

“Jihoon.” Wonwoo corrected, finally remembering him. “Isn’t he the one that got popular around campus because Hoshi posted a selfie with him when he wasn’t looking?”

“Yeah and everyone thought he was hot?” [Name] whispered quietly. They both looked back this time, examining the man’s side profile. “I mean, they aren’t wrong.”

She laughed when she felt Wonwoo tug at a strand of her hair. “Superficial.”

“I’m just saying something we’re all thinking, Woo.” [Name] answered with a cheeky grin. Wonwoo rolled his eyes, though the bitterness was well pushed aside in favor of the easy going conversation.

Time flew by as they continued to speak, most of it being meaningless conversations, though Wonwoo hadn’t minded. He wasn’t much of a talker, meaning [Name] was the one who continued with the rambles and he was more than willing to not talk if it meant just watching and listening to her.

It seemed like forever when the food arrived. Wonwoo wasn’t exactly concerned with however long it took, if he were to be honest, but something in his stomach flipped when he watched [Name]’s eyes widen in excitement when favorite noodles were placed in front of them. [Name] made sure to smile up at the old woman and provided a grateful thank you before turning to her food.

Wonwoo watched her push her loose hair out of the way as she slurped at the noodles, not caring how messy it looked. She had been hungry and clearly hadn’t realized until now. A laugh almost escaped him at how her cheeks looked filled with noodles. Kind of like a chipmunk. A very cute chipmunk.

[Name] turned her eyes up, nearly making Wonwoo’s eyes widen when he realized two things: 1) He had yet to put his head down to eat his own noodles and 2) he was definitely smiling like an idiot right now.

“You okay?” [Name] asked curiously.

Wonwoo only nodded, wordlessly dipping down to eat his meal, so he wouldn’t be able to say no, he most definitely wasn’t okay. Especially when someone like her was always around him and he couldn’t seem to find any sort of courage to do anything about it.

“Wonwoo’s acting weird.” [Name] muttered. She was currently frowning at her paper, eyes practically glued to her computer. Chan nodded, clicking at his keyboard loudly as he listened to her.

After [Name]’s cry session with him, their friendship had graduated past the usual ones co-workers fall into—polite conversations turned into confession nights about their respective tumultuous love lives. Chan liked to call it a newly found kinship, while [Name] liked to call this an emotional support coworker situation.

There were even a few times both met outside of work settings to study together when no one else was able to come with them, like right now. They were sitting in a library, [Name] mulling over her research paper while Chan studied for his physiology final.

“What do you mean by that?” Chan inquired.

“He’s just been… Weird.” [Name] frowned at the word, not liking the sound of it to describe the taller man, though she hadn’t been wrong.

It was no secret that Wonwoo was quiet. But not as quiet as he’s been as of recent. [Name] could be sitting in their living room or eating whatever was left in their fridge in the kitchen and she wouldn’t notice him suddenly standing behind her, which frightened her a little too much.

Naturally, she would chastise him for making her jump, but he’d only reply with a quiet apology with a follow of silence afterwards once he made himself comfortable.

His eyes were always seemingly focused elsewhere, too. Wandering or gliding somewhere else whenever she found herself staring at him. Usually [Name] would come to some kind of conclusion as to why he was acting so differently, but even after a week of trying to figure him out, she couldn’t figure him out.

“Maybe he’s mad at you.” Chan suggested, eyes still trained on his notes.

“Mad at me for what?” [Name] muttered, mainly to herself. A buzz from her phone brought her back, looking down and sighing as she read her text. “Speak of the devil.”

Chan lifted his head, eyes trained on [Name] as she typed a response to Wonwoo. A grin spread on her face as her phone buzzed again from whatever message it was Wonwoo sent back to her. “Jesus, just date the man already. You’re grinning like an idiot. Also, you said no phones until 7:00PM.”

[Name] rolled her eyes. “It’s 6:54.”

“Yeah. Still not 7:00PM.” Dino responded, holding his hand out, to which [Name] maneuvered herself away from him. “Hey, you can’t break the rules!”

“It was a roommate situation.”

“A roommate situation or a Wonwoo is the one texting situation?”

[Name] offered a glare his way. “Roommate. Apparently something happened with the air conditioning in our apartment and we need to talk to our landlord, like, right now.”

Chan narrowed his eyes, clearly trying to see if she was fibbing. He let out a sigh, waving his hand away. “Yeah, yeah. Go deal with it then. You better be finished with your paper by the time I see you again.”

“Yeah, yeah…” [Name] said dismissively, packing her bag quickly.

She nearly lost her grip on the bag, however, when Chan added. “And you better turn that Wonwoo texting situation into a Wonwoo kissing situation.”

“Chan—”

“Bye.”

Chan turned his head down, popping an earbud into his ear, visibly turning the volume up on his laptop so he couldn’t hear her anymore. [Name] muttered a quiet groan, face heating up as she stomped out to make her way to her shared apartment with Wonwoo.

From [Name]:

how exactly bad is the a/c situation? Sent 06:58PM

From Wonwoo 😶:

tundra. Sent 06:59PM

From [Name]:

…what? Sent 06:59PM

“Yeah, your A/C is broken.” The landlord commented. [Name] only blinked at him while Wonwoo could only respond with a stiff nod.

“Well… Duh.” [Name] said, motioning to her and Wonwoo, who were both covered head to toe in the fuzziest blankets known to man. By the time [Name] made her way home, Wonwoo had been near the door to drape a blanket over her and offer a warning that it was too cold to not have one on at the moment. “How long do you think it’ll take for the system to be fixed?”

The landlord hummed, not taking his eyes off his phone. An annoyed irk stung through [Name], only fighting off the urge to argue with him when Wonwoo placed a comforting hand on her lower back. Their eyes met briefly, [Name] clearly a bit confused but Wonwoo spoke up, albeit calmer in comparison to [Name].

“We just need to know so we can take precautions.” Wonwoo explained. “It’s starting to become colder outside and we’re at a higher part of the apartment complex…”

“I’d say maybe a week then.” The landlord said.

“A week…” [Name] mumbled to herself, wondering how they could possibly deal with something that long.

“I’d suggest maybe finding a friend to stay with for the time being or maybe even just rent a hotel room for now.” The landlord, making both only stare at him as a response. Clearly, he forgot they were college students living on a budget.

“We’ll manage.” Wonwoo said, proceeding to speak with the landlord while [Name] sat off to the side, doing her best to will the cold away with her blanket. She waited to say something until their front door closed and Wonwoo’s soft footsteps found themselves making their way toward [Name].

[Name] didn’t fight back when Wonwoo sat as close as possible to her, enjoying the heat that radiated off of him. “So… What now?”

Wonwoo only sighed, rubbing at the spot where his glasses sat as he tried to think. “I mean, if you’re really cold I’d say maybe follow the landlord’s suggestions? I can stay here and wait for when the electrician comes next week—”

“I’ll stay.” [Name] responded. “I’d feel bad if I left you alone here in the cold.”

Wonwoo nodded and they both slipped into an awkward silence. [Name] shifted slightly, not sure what to do next. Some part of her wanted to confront him, ready to ask him what was up with him for the past few weeks. Another part of her wanted to do something she’s been holding back on for so long: to confess.

From the corner of her eye, she can feel Wonwoo staring at her, as if anticipating something as well. [Name] bit at her tongue, deciding on neither as she picked herself up. “I’m going to get ready for bed. I’ll make sure to get you more blankets after I’m done.”

She walked off before she could hear Wonwoo talk. As much as she enjoyed his presence, the unaddressed pressure felt like it would have suffocated her if she stayed any longer. Maybe a warm shower might help calm her down? Maybe. [Name] wasn’t sure if something physical like that would help her in any way but it definitely was better than sitting and waiting for one of them to talk.

[Name] wasn’t sure how long she was in shower, but by the time she had been out, Wonwoo was already in his pajamas, pouring hot chocolate into two cups when she trudged into the kitchen. “Here. Drink it before you sleep.” Wonwoo offered, handing the warm cup into her hands.

Wonwoo was mesmerized. Well, for the past few weeks he’s been like that, a little mystified for his liking, but he couldn’t help it. No matter how small of a task she did, [Name] somehow managed to do it in her own kind of quirky way and Wonwoo picked up on every single habit.

Even when she was drinking the hot chocolate, he couldn’t help but notice the way [Name]’s fingers tapping at the ceramic cup every time she tilted the cup to tske a sip. He was sure his mouth dropped a little at the sight, but he was quick to close it when [Name] looked up at him. He averted his eyes to something else as well, not sure how he would react if she found him gaping at her like some lost puppy.

[Name] motioned a quick thank you, breathing in the sweet scent coming from the chocolate as she eyed the stovetop. “Did you try cooking again?”

Wonwoo was quick to hide the pan of eggs he accidentally burned earlier. “...No.”

“Jeon Wonwoo, what is with you and cooking these days?” [Name] chastised, walking around him, eyes widening in shock at the destruction behind his tall frame. She looked up at him, eyes filled with concern. “Are you sick of my cooking or something?”

“Wha—No!” Wonwoo countered. “I was just trying to learn so I could—”

He stopped mid sentence, biting back his next words. So I could impress you.

[Name] raised an eyebrow. “So you could…?”

“...cook for myself while you’re gone?” He said, hoping it sounded convincing enough.

[Name] examined him for a moment, eyebrows knit together as she processed his words.

“Are you sure?”

At this moment in time, Wonwoo wished he could just turn back time and not make up a lie like that again. “Mhm.”

“Okay then…” [Name] said, turning away, cup still in her hands. “Well, I’m going to sleep now. Goodnight.”

“‘Night.” Wonwoo said, keeping a stiff smile one his face until he couldn’t see her anymore. He dropped his head into his hands as he muttered to himself. “Jeon Wonwoo, you big idiot.”

[Name] wasn’t sure what else to do besides sleep. The energy meant for her paper flew out the window once she made it to her home. Most of it went into trying to think of their plan and the rest went into figuring out the mystery that is Jeon Wonwoo. If it hadn’t been so cold in her room, [Name] would have gotten a headache by now.

“Is he mad at me? Maybe he’s upset that I scolded him for the eggs?” She whispered to herself, thinking of Chan’s words. She shook her head. No, definitely not. But then why lie about his reasoning to start cooking?

Again, maybe it was a good thing the A/C wasn’t working for them. She’d rather focus on trying to get as warm as possible instead of what was beyond her door at this moment. She closed her eyes, thinking warm thoughts and warm places until she felt herself succumb to sleep.

At least, she tried to at least for the next two hours. She wasn’t sure how, but the cold managed to find its way under her large pile of blankets. [Name] could feel her own bones shaking at this point. She stayed under there for what felt like hours, feeling as if her body was going to freeze any time soon if she didn’t do anything about it.

A thought crossed her mind; a thought so seeded in desperation and exhaustion that [Name] thought she might be going crazy. She shook her head the minute an image flooded her mind.

If the circumstances weren’t so strange, [Name] wouldn’t even think twice in her decisions. Right now, [Name] was more than happy to stay curled up in a ball instead of whatever idea she just thought of.

[Name] was resolute with her ideas for several minutes, trying to convince herself it was warmer to stay where she was instead of ruining the little cocoon she made for herself. She had only given up when she felt a final cold breeze making its way through her back, causing goosebumps to erupt in her arms. She was quick to kick off her sheets and wrap them around her as she picked herself up and walked out her room and into Wonwoo’s.

He hadn’t been sleeping when she barged in, his glasses still attached to his face and whatever book he was reading was currently hanging off his fingertips as he looked up at [Name].

“What are you—” Wonwoo started, but was greeted with [Name] essentially flinging herself onto him.

“I’m cold and you’re the only other heater left in this place. Now, stay quiet and let me sleep because my bones won’t be as iced over when I wake up tomorrow.” [Name] responded in a rush, body pushed close enough to his body to the point that her cheek was resting against her shoulder.

Wonwoo could only look, not sure what to do next as she pulled her own blankets over his, trying to trap in as much warmth between them as possible. He set his book aside, hands hovering over her body as he tried to figure out what they should be doing next.

He decided to keep them at his sides, body barely moving as a million thoughts rounded off in his head. Why is she suddenly here? Was she that cold? God, what if he needs to use the bathroom? Her hair smells nice—

A slap to Wonwoo’s chest brought him back to reality. [Name] glared up at him. “Stop tapping your arm so much.” She grumbled, grabbing the arm against her’s. He hadn’t known it was moving so much. “Aren’t you uncomfortable laying like that? I know you sleep like you’re strapped to some target.”

“I’m fine like this,” Wonwoo answered. “I don’t want to make you uncomfortable.”

[Name] offered him an amused look. “I’m never uncomfortable if it’s you, Woo.” She responded honestly. A warm feeling erupted from his chest at that confession. “Even if you’ve been acting weird lately.”

Wonwoo laughed. “Who said I was being weird?”

He yelped when a painful sting came to his forehead. [Name] sat up onto her elbows, glaring at the tall man as if he said something offensive. “Don’t play dumb. I don’t get why, but you’ve been staring off into space lately and won’t look me in the eye sometimes. It’s a miracle we’re talking right now.”

His playful gaze softened immediately when they met her sharp ones. “Sorry, I didn’t know I was doing that so much lately. It’s just… I’m a coward.”

“A coward?” [Name] asked, raising an eyebrow.

Wonwoo nodded. “A big, fat coward.” He echoed back. “Call me an idiot, but why did it take me twenty-two years to realize I was in love with someone I’ve known my whole life?” [Name]’s eyes widened, but not a sound came from her. Wonwoo took it as his chance to keep going. “We grew up together, now we’ve lived together for almost four years so how come now is it that I realized that I’ve been hopelessly in love with you?”

“I—”

“Even before I realized, I was so annoyed when guys came up to you and I never once felt like I had to put something up whenever you’re around. And it took me this long to realize it wasn’t just because you were my best friend.” Wonwoo continued, not sure when he’ll have another opportunity to say something like this. He was scared, especially since this was so spontaneous—a trait he wasn’t exactly known for.

“Woo—”

“Look, you can reject me tomorrow but can we just stay like this—”

He wasn’t able to finish his sentence. How could he? A pair of lips slotted against his stopped him before he could utter his last words. Wonwoo stared up in shock. Half because he just confessed and half because oh my God, [Name] is kissing him. His mind blanked when she let up, a grin evident on her face.

“We can stay like this however long you want.” She offered, smiling. “Just, at least let me say that I do wonder, too, why it took you so long to figure that out when I’ve been waiting for a while now.”

Wonwoo’s jaw dropped. “You—Like romantically?”

“Would I have kissed you if it wasn’t?” [Name] countered, the pretty smile never leaving her face as she spoke. “If it makes you feel better, I didn’t really pick up on your actions either; but that’s just because you’re a big oaf with no sense of emotional direction sometimes.”

“How long have you been waiting?” Wonwoo interrogated, turning his body fully towards her,

“Last year of high school. You earned high awards for all of high school and your parents threw you a party for high achievements. You didn’t even hesitate to take out that permanent marker and write my name down next to yours on that congratulations banner.” [Name] revealed, pushing some strands of hair out of his space as she spoke.

Wonwoo groaned. “That long?” He asked, embarrassment running through him. He laid his forehead against her shoulder, which shook from her laugh.

“Better late than never.” [Name] offered, though she wasn’t sure if she should be saying much either. She was more than ready to let her feelings for him die with her if he wasn’t going to say anything. Not to mention, she hadn’t exactly listened to anyone when they were pointing things out about him either (she had a feeling Chan was going to say something snarky when they meet again).

Wonwoo pulled her down to him, pressing himself as close to her as possible as he hugged her tightly. “Well, I guess I’ll have to make up for the four years of leaving you hanging like that.”

“That’s fine with me.” [Name] agreed, humming when she felt his lips press at the top of her head.

“That is, after you finish your essay, I mean.”

“Why do you like ruining nice moments…”

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