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fictionplumis · 3 years

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A Lambert/Aiden Thing

Okay, bear with me here, this might be long. And maybe at one point I'm gonna try to RP this but unfortunately there's no one on the Lambert/Aiden RP tags on the site I use. So I'm just gonna put this here for now. And if anyone wants to, oh I don't know, write a fic or whatever based on this, PLEASE link me 'cause I wanna read it but anyway.

Set after the Wild Hunt, one of those rare AUs where Aiden genuinely did not survive.

While traveling together as super cool witchers, Geralt ends up telling Ciri all about helping Lambert get revenge for his Cat friend, right?

Time passes, and Ciri starts trying to really solidify her control with her ability. Geralt ends up spending more and more time at Corvo Bianco and Ciri is out on the Path, but every so often a girl needs a break, y'know? So sometimes she'll disappear for a couple days, maybe a few weeks, just off in another world. It's a good way to practice.

In one world, she ends up running into this man named Aiden. (This world being our world. Not a modern Continent thing, not some point in the future, I mean OUR world.) They talk, and he ends up mentioning his roommate Lambert, and the more he says about Lambert, the more it becomes obvious that it's LAMBERT.

Now Ciri has absolutely no intention of doing anything about this. It's not her place, telling Lambert would be an AWFUL idea, and going to meet that world's version of her uncle just seems like a bad idea. But she is curious about what kind of man can inspire such a strong sense of friendship in Lambert, so she decides to pop into that world every so often, "accidentally" find Aiden, and just kind of get to know him a little bit. Plus it's another way to practice her abilities, not just pin-pointing and traveling to a specific world, but to where a specific person is.

She does that on and off a few times, enough where her and Aiden are sort of acquaintances.

Now in this world Aiden isn't a saint, okay? This boy pretty much grew up on the streets. He has a past that he's trying to get away from. He knows his way around a knife fight, has ample experience running from the cops, and has been through so much therapy. (I don’t get into detail here but any kind of modern Aiden I usually have some kind of neurotypical. Might be something as simple as ADHD, though I do love bipolar!Aiden and psychotic!Aiden as well. I’d imagine at this point he’s good at managing it, with the help of therapy and medication. Now the therapy wouldn’t be all that accessible with where this is going, but Ciri could help him make sure he has his medications. Hell, if wanted to have him keep things consistent with his therapy too, he could move down to appointments maybe once a month and Ciri could make sure he could get to them, the same way she helps attain other things later on in this snippet. I absolutely support positive and accurate depictions of mental illness, I’m not just using the terms bipolar or psychotic lightly.) And unfortunately his past ends up catching up with him.

Ciri happens to get there just in time. Before Aiden can end up with a bullet in his eye, she's teleporting him to the first safe place that comes to her mind: Corvo Bianca.

Now poor Aiden has no fucking idea what happened. One second his old "friends" have him backed into a corner with a gun to his face and the next he's experiencing the worst motion sickness of his life and throwing up in a pot that smells like shit. He spends the next two days sleeping off some major jet lag and when he comes to, he had no fucking idea where he is.

Then comes Geralt and Ciri having to awkwardly explain the whole witcher thing to him, the Continent in general, the time period, the fact that monsters and sorceresses and magic exists in this world, all that happy shit. And it's a lot to process. Before they can even get to the whole "do you want to go back to your world and handle the deal with people trying to kill you thing" Lambert shows up.

At first Aiden doesn't even think, he's just like oh thank fuck a familiar face, I know you hate hugs but I think this can be forgiven because I've had the weirdest most stressful week of my life.

And then he's like, wait a second. Lambert is... Thicker.

Like Lambert's always been a very physically active guy, he's a mechanic or whatever you want a modern day Lambert to do, but his shoulders weren't THAT broad before and under those spiky metal arm things are some impressive biceps. Also what are those spiky metal arm things? Lambert, what are you wearing? How the fuck did you get here? Holy shit your eyes--

He puts two and two together. Right, the name Geralt sounded familiar because Lambert's mentioned the name. That's his adopted brother. So if this Geralt is a witcher, then Lambert in this world is a witcher. And Lambert is also having a minor breakdown because, y'know, AIDEN.

Let's just say Geralt warned him. Explained the whole situation and asked Lambert to come back to help with this, and Lambert was very torn because it's not HIS Aiden. It'll hurt too much, to see someone so much like Aiden but just slightly to the left. He knew it would. He just didn’t expect this Aiden to be SO MUCH like his Aiden. By this point Aiden has had to change his clothes into some of Geralt's trousers with a belt to hold them up and a loose tunic, but it's fucking him.

They all talk a bit. Aiden pretty much admits that yeah, there are people after him. And they probably won't stop until he's dead. That's how gangs work, y'know? You can't really... Get out. He tried, he really fucking did, but even if it's not the ones that cornered him before, it'll be someone else. So yeah, Ciri saved his life and going back is probably not the best idea.

Now I absolutely don't want to fuck over another world's Lambert just to make Continent!Lambert happy, so we're gonna say the two were really good friends. They were roommates, they were close, Lambert was pretty much Aiden's only friend, but they weren't lovers. Lambert was with a woman named Keira. A doctor. They were good for each other, y'know? When Lambert first started dating her, Aiden thought she was kind of a bitch but as time went on she kind of mellowed out. It wasn't that she became less full of herself, but more that she actually felt confident enough that she didn't feel the need to try to take on the world anymore. And Lambert's happy with her. So leaving Lambert behind in that world kind of sucks, yeah, but he'll be okay. And this Lambert is so similar that to Aiden, it doesn't feel like he's losing someone.

Now we have Aiden getting to experience the Continent for the first time. Getting to experience witchers for the first time.

Lambert. Sword fighting.

And that's so fucking cool. Can you please teach me that?

Which of course has Lambert a little iffy, because this Aiden is human and no fucking away is he letting this Aiden anywhere near a monster, but Aiden is like, nah, relax, I just want to learn because sword fighting is really cool. Look, I'm really good with a knife, teach me some cool sword stuff.

So Lambert gets to teach Aiden some cool sword stuff. And how to make bombs, which Aiden LOVES. And maybe some alchemy, too, because Aiden asks about the potions and Lambert is very adamant that he never drinks any but Aiden likes at least knowing how to make them. It's fascinating. You all fucking know you would love to make potions out of gross monster parts and herbs if you had the chance, don't even lie. Lambert even shows off some signs and Aiden is delighted.

This eventually leads to one of those serious conversations about what it takes to become a witcher, and what all Lambert went through, and how people view witchers. And Aiden gets it, maybe not completely, but he gets the just of it. Because he knows about the other Lambert's past, and his shitty father, and all that stuff. And Aiden's brown, and people don't like that. And he's gay, and people don't like that either. Lambert's whole thing kind of reminds him of the X-men.

And Lambert doesn't know what the fuck that is so Aiden explains comics and superheroes and the X-men to him.

Because in his world they don't have witchers or magic, so they make up stories that have people like witchers, that have magic, and in those stories, those people sometimes face very similar prejudices. So to Aiden, Lambert is a lot like a superhero.

And Lambert's like uh huh, no way, definitely not any kind of hero, that's pretty boy's job.

To which Aiden responds, no, I definitely think you're a hero, even if you don't, so suck it up.

And they probably kiss and stuff.

Eventually Aiden gets restless and he's curious about the rest of the Continent, and he's tired of wearing Geralt's ill-fitting clothes because he's used to skinny jeans and shit so he gets Lambert to take him into Beauclaire for clothes.

And Beauclaire is fucking beautiful, he loves it.

The clothes are okay. Eventually he just asks Lambert what he used to wear and they go see the armorer instead. Aiden's not entirely sure about it, because Lambert looks like he's swallowed a mouthful of tacks when he sees Aiden in the Cat armor, even without the chest piece or the gauntlets, but Lambert assures him that he's fine.

It just doesn't quite ease the restlessness. So the next time Ciri pops in, Aiden asks for her help and together they scheme. The next day, Aiden tells Lambert to go find something to entertain himself with for awhile because he needs to spend some quality time with his BFF.

A few hours later they find Lambert sulking out in the vineyard, Aiden looking fine and fresh in a brand new pair of skinny jeans that show off his very nice ass, and some well-fitting combat boots that aren't nearly as durable as actual leather boots on the Continent but they have studs and buckles and look really cool.

Lambert is torn between thinking Aiden looks like a fucking idiot and thinking that he's never wanted to fuck Aiden more in his life.

Then Aiden drops the news that he also put together an outfit for Lambert because in his world, when you're interested in courting someone, the first thing you do is take them on a date. And he wants to take Lambert on the most stereotypical first date. What's that? Why the movies, of course! There's an X-men movie that just came out (I don't know which one, okay? I don't watch the X-men. You figure it out.) and he thought, maybe, he could show Lambert a little bit of the world he came from. They wouldn't be there for long, and they wouldn't be going to a theater anywhere near where Aiden's old gang would be. Nothing would be tied to Aiden's name, and he would be with Lambert, so he would be safe.

It's a big change from the Continent.

Lambert's never seen so many fucking people in his LIFE. Aiden had warned him about cars and technology and Lambert is pretty quick witted so while he's absolutely amazed, he manages to take it in stride pretty well. The thing that throws him off the most is when they go to buy popcorn and the girl at the counter goes, "Oh my god, I love your contacts! Where did you get them? They look so real!"

Lambert doesn't know what the fuck contacts are, but Aiden steps in all smooth-like, "Fuck, Lamb, you've had those forever, haven't you? I think he got 'em off some cosplay site."

Then he has to explain later that sometimes people put these little discs in their eye to help them see better or to change the color of their eyes for costume purposes. To which Lambert has the understandable reaction of, "Who in their right fucking mind would CHOOSE to do this to their fucking eyes?"

Well, y'know, they can take contacts out whenever they want. It's a cosmetic thing. They don't know what you had to go through to get your eyes to look like that. You'll probably have some old conservative people eyeing you weird, thinking you're some Satanist or whatever, but most other people will just think it's a cool choice you made, to put those in to go to the movies.

The world is weird. Lambert can't decide if he likes it or hates it.

He definitely likes the movie, though. And the popcorn. Probably finds the soda to be a little too sweet for his taste. There's still a lot of people, which makes him a bit on edge, but they came to the theater at an off time and not many people are actually in the room with them. They sit at the back and hold hands and Lambert decides he loves it. Ciri picks them up like a proud parent driving her kid and her kid's date home, only instead of driving she's teleporting and neither of them are her kids but whatever.

But Aiden isn't done scheming. When they get back he tells Lambert to stay put and gets Ciri to take him back for one more little errand.

A couple hours later they clang back into Corvo Bianco. CLANG back because each of them has a weird metal cart piled high with items and they're laughing their asses off.

So you might be wondering, how did Ciri and Aiden afford clothes? They stole them. How did Aiden afford movie tickets and popcorn? He pick pocketed. Boy grew up on the streets. He knows how to steal wallets. And now they performed the greatest "run out the doors of Walmart with carts full of shit" EVER. Because as soon as they were out of sight, they teleported, no one the wiser.

Aiden is thrilled with his non-purchases. Firstly, he has about a year's worth of toilet paper. he throws a package at Lambert, who's like, what the fuck is this. Toilet paper. What do you use it for? To wipe your ass after you shit, Lambert. Trust me. Once you use it, you'll never go back. It's a blessing, you'll thank me for it. There might not be indoor plumbing here, but god dammit, I want toilet paper.

He then hands Ciri two boxes of pads. Yeah, she was there shopping with him, but he just kind of dumped stuff in carts without explaining anything, and while Ciri knows what most of the things are, do you really think she's thought about how other worlds deal with menstruation? Because I menstruate, and the thought would genuinely not cross my mind. I would continue using whatever method I used back in my original world. So Aiden leans in to whisper what they are, because he's polite, and he becomes her favorite uncle just like that. And when Geralt and Lambert are like, uh, what? She tells them it's for menstruating and, "Oh, don't make that face at me, Geralt. I bleed, it happens."

Aiden admits that most of the other purchases are for Lambert, and when Lambert tires to protest Aiden makes it very clear that everything he bought is NORMAL in his world. Not even luxury, just NORMAL, so Lambert just needs to shut up and let Aiden make his life a little easier.

First up, sunglasses. Because Lambert mentioned how painful it can be to take Cat and then step out into sunlight before the potion has run out. He tosses a pair at Lambert, who tries them on with a frown and is like, "Oh. Huh. Alright. These might actually be pretty useful." Aiden got himself a pair too. They match. There's also a tent. It folds up pretty small, but witchers travel, right? And Lambert mentioned how shit it is to camp in the rain, so here's a tent that’s better than the shit you can buy on the Continent. You lay out your bedroll in it, and you don't have to worry about bugs, and it helps protect you against the weather. It's small, but it looks kind of easy to put up, should be durable enough.

And maybe just big enough for two, because Aiden isn't stupid. Eventually Lambert will need to take to the Path again, and Aiden wants to comes too. He wants to see the Continent. He can't help with the monsters, he knows, but maybe he can do something else to help them earn money. Who knows, right? This world isn't run by capitalism. He could make a living doing nearly anything. He can figure something out.

He even got a water filter, and a couple filter replacements because witchers can probably drink any kind of stagnant water they want but he would rather not die of dysentery, thanks. And he got himself a sleeping bag. And he got Lambert a very, very soft fleece blanket just because he thought Lambert would like it. (He does.) Oh, also, Lambert, smell this soap. And this shampoo. Using a bar of soap has not done Aiden's hair any favors, he got actual fucking shampoo. The BIG bottle. And now Lambert has some nice pomade to use in his hair instead of bear fat. Won't make his hair greasy plus it smells better. Also there's bubble bath, just because. And beard oil for Lambert. Some moisturizer. Here, Lambert, put on some chap stick. Trust me, you'll love it.

They set out on the Path and it's not always easy because Aiden worries CONSTANTLY. But Lambert is good at what he does. The few times they're ambushed, Lambert always keeps Aiden safe, because in this household everyone fucking survives.

Aiden likes seeing Lambert in action. He swoons and calls Lambert his hero.

There are some stunning places to visit on the Continent. Aiden's favorite are the elven ruins they sometimes come across. Only after Lambert deals with the wraiths, though.

Aiden learns how to play Gwent. He's not that good at it. Aiden learns how to cheat at Gwent. He's VERY good at it. Lambert teaches him how to fish with bombs. Aiden is fucking delighted.

Eventually he realizes how he can make money. He copywrites Disney.

He's no bard. He can't sing or play an instrument. But he CAN tell stories, and no matter how much you hate Disney, there are probably a lot of Disney movies everyone can quote by heart, and they're either already time-period approved, or they can easily be adapted into something time period approved. Lambert comes back from a hunt to find the entire tavern listening to Aiden with rapt attention while he's in the front of the room putting on a one man performance of the whole, "I am Inigo Montoya, you killed my father, prepare to die," while jumping back and forth to play each part. He's clearly having a blast with it, because who doesn't love telling other people every little detail about their favorite movie?

As he's heading upstairs with Lambert, he just keeps raving about how he can't believe he actually made money with that. He hands Lambert a handful of coins, just like, "I don't know how much money this is, but look, it's money!"

Which probably leads to some conversation about capitalism and how easy it was in his world to feel insignificant, to feel like everything is pointless, and how much happier he is with Lambert. How it's even given him a new outlook on the world he came from. He doesn't want to go back, per se, but he doesn't want to completely leave either. He wants to show Lambert the best parts of it, to re-experience his world through Lambert, to really feel the amazement of it all the way he's supposed to, the way that's so easy to stop doing when you're actually living there. It's so easy to take it all for granted, but when you're showing it to someone who's experiencing it for the first time, you can really appreciate it all.

So every winter they head back to Toussaint and Ciri takes them back long enough for them to do something FUN. They play laser tag. They rope Geralt, Eskel, and Ciri into doing an escape room with them. They go kayaking. They do one of those rope courses and zip-line things. They go to an amusement park. A water park. They walk around a nature trail. They go to a comic convention. (Lambert wears his armor and so many people want pictures with him. He's just sad Aiden wouldn't let him bring his swords, the kids would have fucking loved to see a sword.) They have so much fun. And Aiden stocks up on modern supplies for the year while he's there. Another year's worth of toilet paper, a new tent, another fuzzy blanket, a few pairs of sunglasses because Lambert always ends up breaking his, a nice backpack because Lambert really likes having a bunch of different pockets in his bag for organizing things.

And you know what? Give it ten years, Aiden's bordering on his forties, and he finds some way to make himself functionally immortal. Magic, fairies, a curse, a blessing, I don't know, I don't care. Their plan becomes to live until one of them dies of something--probably Lambert, because he's the one Aiden always has to patch up (he now always buys a very large, well stocked first-aid kit from his world too) what with fighting monsters and all, and the other will follow. It's morbid, sure, but it works for them. With the way things are going, neither of them thinks they'll need to do that anytime soon anyway.

Basically, they live happily ever after, okay?

HAPPILY EVER AFTER.

#laiden #lambden #lamden #the witcher #lambert aiden

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hilarioushilarity · 4 years

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(not) lost in translation pt. 2

{I am a lying liar who lies, 2-3 days my ass. You can read Part 1 here.}

The second time Alexei meets Kent Parson is at the All Star weekend that season.

When Mama and Papa had flown back to Russia, Alexei had rapidly realised that he was effectively a thousand miles away from everything he had ever known, and that:

1) Nobody around him spoke Russian; and 2) He couldn't speak English.

Alexei hates English. With a passion. He's not stupid enough to tell anyone this particular fact, but he thinks it every time he sits down for his English classes and wrestles with prepositions and adverbs, or heaven forbid, attempts to conjugate a verb. Every rule had a million exceptions, so what was even the point of the rule? English as a language was just unfair, he had decided, and he tells Mama this over the phone one month in.

She is sympathetic, in her typical Spartan manner. "You'll learn," she tells him. "Practise for at least three hours every day."

Alexei is appalled. "Mama, when am I meant to get three hours of practice each day?"

"There is always time."

He honestly doesn't know what else he expected. "Okay Mama," he says, and then turns the conversation to how stupidly big portion sizes were in America. Criticising the diets of North Americans was always guaranteed to catch her attention.

To his dismay, his father just laughs at him.

"Papa." Alexei may or may not be whining.

"Your Mama told you to just find time, didn't she," he says, when he's finally stopped cackling for long enough to take a breath.

Alexei hangs up on him.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Papa says, when he calls back a minute later. The wheezing laughs have stopped, which is a relief.

"Okay," Alexei says warily.

"I mean it." His father is abruptly serious. "I'm sorry for laughing, you're in a tough situation right now. English is not an easy language to learn." They both know that his father never truly gained fluency in it - never had the chance to need it.

"It's really hard, Papa." He doesn't think he's just talking about English anymore.

"Things worth doing usually are, Alyosha," his father says gently.

Alexei chews his lip. "I don't know if I'm doing anything right."

"Are you playing good hockey?" Papa asks.

"Yes, Papa."

"You aren't bullying anyone on the ice?"

"No -"

"Working hard? Doing your English lessons? Going to all your practices on time, practising anything your coach says you need to work on?"

"Yes -"

"Then you are doing it right. And I am proud of you."

His father's voice is warm, and it curls around Alexei. He suddenly, desperately, wishes he could hug his father tightly. "Okay Papa."

"Now go and practice your English," Papa says, and Alexei does.

So hockey is the only thing he has besides torturous English lessons, and he devotes himself to it. He racks up goals and assists every game, plays a clean defensive game, and keeps his stats glowing. English smalltalk remains his nemesis but he's getting there, one pleasantry at a time. Before he knows it, he's being invited to the All Stars Weekend. He dithers over the invite for a few days, until the head of Capitals PR eventually corners him on his way out of the locker rooms.

"You should go," LaRue tells him. "It's good for building up your fanbase." He continues to go on at depth about social media presences and ticket sales. Alexei dutifully nods his way through the lecture, and ends up promising to go just to escape.

For some unknown sin in this life or a past one, he is roomed with a D-man from the Aeros who talks loudly and snores louder than a chainsaw. Alexei realises this on the first night when he lays in bed, staring at the ceiling as the red digits on the bedside clock tick over from 11 to 12, then 1. There's a snore once every three seconds, accompanied by whistling through some gap between teeth. Alexei kills half an hour searching up English sayings to describe snoring and deciding that his roommate "snores like a foghorn" before he finally gives up and rolls out of bed.

The hotel they've been put up in has an indoor gym and swimming pool. Alexei slings on a towel, sneaking out of the room before taking the lift down. On first glance, the gym is deserted, because any sane person is currently asleep. Alexei, running on no sleep, does not qualify.

Except, when he's halfway through his reps on the elliptical, a quiet voice behind him says: "Um. Hi, Alexei?"

Alexei turns around and comes face to face with Kent Parson.

What they are is nebulous at best. More than acquaintances - Kent Parson had talked to his Mama and Papa and his Mama had said Kent was a Very Nice Person. But less than friends, certainly. After the draft, Kent had gone west to the Aces and Alexei had gone east to the Capitals. He hasn't really kept track of Kent's career, but he would have to be under an actual rock to not know Kent is the only other rookie at the All Stars weekend and the NHL's current leading scorer.

"Hello," Alexei replies. There's a drop of sweat slowly rolling down his face and he's painfully aware that he probably stinks a little. Meanwhile Kent Parson looks fresh as a daisy at one in the morning. The limits of his smalltalking abilities in English remain breathtakingly small despite the benefit of six months of English tutoring, so he kind of hopes Kent takes pity on his poor, sweaty form.

Kent does not. "It's been a while. Good to see you."

Goddamnit, they're smalltalking. "Good to see you, too."

Kent looks unbothered at the lack of scintillating conversation. He rolls onto the balls of his feet, fiddling with the strap of the duffel slung over his shoulder. "So uh. How's your mum?" he says, then immediately blanches. "Shit. I didn't mean - I just -"

"Good," Alexei says, mostly to put him out of his misery. "She good."

Kent looks earnest. "Oh, that's really good to hear." And then he seems to waver a bit.

"How is family?" Alexei says, when the silence stretches on. "They come visit after draft?"

"Ah yeah." Kent visibly brightens up. "They did! It was great, we had dinner and hung out a bit, and I gave my sister your mum's autograph - she's so cool by the way, but I bet you already knew that - I'd love to thank her again."

There are just - so many words. Alexei takes a few seconds to work through the sentence. "Glad to hear sister like. Maybe you see Mama again at game with Aces?"

"Definitely," Kent says, and Alexei's heard so many people say that over the past six months, but he thinks this time he could believe it. "So, uh. What's keeping you up?"

Only the loudest snorer on the entire American continent. "Roomie." Alexei searches for the words. "Snoring like foghorn."

Kent winces. "Jeez, I know what you mean. Did you try poking him to get him to roll over?"

"To scared to poke," Alexei admits. "Big guy."

"Who are you rooming with?"

"Winkler?"

"Fuck, yeah, he's a big dude. Better not poke him."

Alexei sighs. "Snore so loud - and whistle too. Like train." At Kent's blank look, he tries: "Choo choo?"

"Choo - oh god, you mean like a steam engine?"

Alexei pulls out his phone in answer. "How spell that? Steam engine?" He dutifully plugs in the letters Kent rattles off, and hits translate. "Oh. Yes. He steam engine."

"Heh," Kent says. "I double dog dare you to say that to him." He must catch the look of utter incomprehension on Alexei's face, because he quickly backtracks. "Not up with the slang yet? Sorry. I meant, you should tell him that."

"But why?" Alexei doesn't want to get punched.

"As a joke," Kent adds hastily. "It's funny, because we know it's stupid so we wouldn't do it."

English was just ridiculous. "Okay," Alexei tries. "Double dog dare you cycle on elliptical, see who faster."

"That's not..." Kent trails off. He smiles, then shakes his head. "That's not how it works. But we'll work on it," he assures Alexei, with a firm pat on his shoulder.

It's worlds away from the way the Caps' coach tends to roll his eyes heavenward when Alexei goes left when he should go right, or his English tutor, who is nice enough but is prone to banging her head against the table a little when Alexei fumbles the conjugation on a verb. "Not now," Alexei says. "Later?"

Kent checks his watch and he actually looks surprised, like the complete lack of other people didn't clue him in. "Wow, it's pretty late, isn't it?"

Unbelievable. "Why you up?"

"Got caught up practising."

Alexei sideeyes him. "Practising?"

Kent flushes a little. "Practising my stick handling. Shooting accuracy."

Alexei can't help but boggle at him. "You practising? At 1AM?"

"I couldn't sleep," Kent says, a little defensively.

"You crazy," Alexei decides, but there's a lot of fondness that must be apparent to even Kent, who looks less offended than he does a mildly grumpy, like the family cat when he accidentally stepped on her tail as a child. "But you wipe ice with everyone, so you champion crazy."

"Damn straight I'm the champion crazy," Kent says, planting his hands on his hips like a dork. "Yeah, laugh it up, I'll definitely be wiping the ice with you."

Alexei pretends to cower. "Okay, Kent Parson, I try best not cry on ice then."

"You will be bawling your eyes out," Kent says with promise, and then looks so affronted when Alexei just doubles over, breathless with laughter.

"I believe you," Alexei says to the ground, from where he's still bent over trying to catch his breath. "Cry many tears."

"You better," Kent says, but then he's laughing helplessly too, dropping his duffel. "Oh god, I really am champion crazy."

Alexei reaches over to pat him on the back. "Is okay, still like, even if Kent Parson practice hockey at one in morning."

"You don't think I'm too crazy?" Perhaps it's meant to be joking, but Alexei can't help but look up sharply.

"Never. You think Crosby best because he slack off?"

"I don't think he's ever stayed up until 1 because he was nervous about All Stars," Kent says, then bites his lip.

"You nervous?" Alexei asks. Kent hesitates. "Why you nervous?"

"I just - it's been a lot," Kent finally says. He's looking to the side, staring at the elliptical. Alexei waits, and Kent says in a rush: "I feel like I have to be the best, or - or else -"

"Not have to say what," Alexei says gently. "Not make you say."

Kent scowls. "It's stupid. Everyone's thinking it, they just don't say it. That I'm the second choice."

At the Draft, Alexei had known vaguely that Kent Parson and another boy called Jack Zimmermann had widely been slated to go first and second - in either order. It was true that every analyst had put the latter in first place, and that when Aces called Kent Parson's name there had been a slight pause in the audience's murmuring. Kent's smile had been strained as he left their table.

Alexei's stood across from Kent on the ice before. He's watched countless hours of tape of the Aces' play and by proxy, of Kent. Kent Parson on the ice is a force of nature, skating circles around defence and sinking pucks into the net as easy as breathing. And in his heart of hearts, he thinks the margin between first and second had been far smaller than most people thought.

But now, under the harsh gym lights that highlight the remaining softness of his jaw and the dark patches beneath his eyes, Alexei realises that Kent's still just a kid. Alexei's just a kid. They're both just teenagers. And there's very little of the player who had breezed past Alexei at the last Caps game with the Aces, or of the player who had mercilessly crushed their four game winning streak without batting an eye. Under the padding and past all the hype, Kent was far from the figure he cut on ice and as vulnerable as any other human.

"Even if people say second choice, what matter?" Alexei says. "You first. You here now. Play well. Maybe bit annoy on ice but not bully. And seem nice, polite to Mama. Thinking of sister even at draft. Get autograph for her. That matter. Not other people."

He hopes he hasn't overdone it - perhaps Kent wasn't looking for a heart-to-heart in the hotel gym at 1AM. But instead of taken aback Kent looks - a little watery.

"Why you cry?" Alexei is horrified.

"I'm not crying," Kent sniffs. "I'm not."

Alexei bites his tongue. "Uh okay." He politely looks away as Kent wipes his eyes.

"I'm not saying I can't cry," Kent begins, which Alexei takes as his cue that it's safe to look back at him. His eyes are just slightest bit red, and even that's only if you know what to look for. “I just try not to cry in front of others.”

"Okay," Alexei says cautiously.

Kent takes a deep breath. "Thank you."

"Welcome," Alexei replies automatically, then says: "But. For what?"

Kent stares at him. "For - listening? For not being an asshole about the fact I'm still some nervy rookie?"

Christ. People thanked each other for things like that in America? "No need thank," Alexei says. Then, desperate to change the subject, he adds: "So we agree! No need for nervous! You real KVP."

"The what?"

"KVP." Alexei gestures. "I see on Twitter - they calling you 'the Real KVP'".

"That's not - " Kent splutters. "That's my name, Alexei."

Alexei tries not wince. "Oh. Oops, sorry."

"Why are you sorry?" Kent brings out his phone, thumbing at something on the screen. He eventually holds out his phone, open to a websearch. "See? It's a joke on MVP. That's 'Most Valuable Player'."

"Oh," Alexei says again. "Make sense. Sometimes miss reference - thank you for explaining."

Kent stows away his phone, corners of his mouth twitching upwards again. "You've only been in the US for what, six months? Your English is great. If you put me in Russia I would probably just turn around and go back to the US."

"You miss good food then," Alexei tuts. "Russian food is best food."

"Hell no, I've seen what you guys count as soup. I'm not touching borscht with a ten-foot pole."

"Borscht is best soup!" Alexei tries to sound outraged.

"Look man, all I'm saying is that anything that pink should not be eaten."

Blasphemy. "You try pirozhki then? Small, baked -" He gropes around for the word, then gives up and calls up the translator app on his phone. "Dumpling."

"I've never had that," Kent says, but he at least looks intrigued. "What did you call it? Pay-roz-kay?"

His accent is actually appalling. "Pirozhki," Alexei corrects.

Kent frowns. "Poe-roz-ki?"

"Pirozhki"

"Poh-rosh-ki?"

Alexei nods in approval. "Good, sounds good."

"I like the sound of baked dumplings," Kent says. "Mm. Pirozkhi. I might go see if there's any places that do it in Vegas."

"Let me know if yes." Alexei nudges him. "I come try when Caps play Aces."

"You got it."

Alexei cuts off any further conversation with the embarrassingly loud yawn that escapes him then.

"Shit, it's like 1:30AM." Kent winces. "We have to get up at like 7 tomorrow - today? Holy crap we better go to sleep."

Alexei levers himself up, gathering his towel and bottle. "Hope not fall asleep on skates tomorrow."

"How about I check you if I see you dropping off," Kent suggests, then snickers at Alexei's raised eyebrow. "Bad idea?"

"Sure can check me?" Alexei makes a show of looking Kent up and down. He holds his index finger and thumb about ten centimetres apart. "So small."

"You asshole," Kent says, but he's laughing. "I'm not short, you're just a giant."

"If say so," Alexei shrugs. They start towards the elevator banks. "If help sleep at night."

"Fuck you, I sleep really well at night," Kent says petulantly. Alexei eyes the shadows beneath his eyes.

"I believe, I believe," he says instead with his best shit-eating grin. They get in the lift. "Okay, floor?"

Kent reaches over and pushes the button for 15. "You?"

"Twelve. Thank you." Kent nods, and they start moving up.

"So see you tomorrow, yes?"

"Yeah." Kent shoulders his duffel a little more firmly. "Be prepared to cry like a baby."

Alexei flaps his hands, just as the lift doors open on his floor. "Yeah, yeah, I cry so much."

The smile Kent gives him is small, but very real. "Good night Alexei."

"Good night," Alexei says, stepping out and turning to wave goodbye. The doors shut on Kent's smile, and Alexei stands there for a second, the airconditioning cool against his slightly sweaty neck.

"Hopefully not cry too much," he says to himself, before heading back to his room.

#kent parson #alexei mashkov #(not) lost in translation #patater #capichewrites

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ktheist · 5 years

Text

maybe, maybe

a series of coincidental meet-ups lead to an unlikely relationship between two people.

characters: smiley jeon jungkook word count. 4.8k genre: college au / slice of life au

It couldn’t have gotten any cornier than this.

A girl bawling her eyes out on the bench in the dark, letting out sobs that may or may not be the cause of the park being named ‘weeping willow’. There isn’t a willow tree and though Harry Potter is an evergreen series that lives on in every millennial, that is not the reason for the park to be named that. It’s a place where people - girls, boys and non-binaries alike - go to bawl their eyes out because assignments and exams are taking up college students’ time so much so most, if not all, doesn’t have the time to socialize.

Tonight, you are one of those weeping college students.

You don’t need to worry about it being weird. It’s an established fact that if anyone heard someone crying while passing the park, they would go on with their life. Not everyone likes to be comforted, especially not by a stranger and though yes it’s a good gesture but it really is unnecessary. Most people who came here just want to bawl their eyes out and trudge back to the library and continue their work.

So yes, you’re 99% sure no one was going to look at you as though you’re insane even though the bench you’re sitting on is right by the walkway. Nobody’s passed here for the last five minutes, you think you might be able to get another five in and be done with it.

But as it turns out, for a reason only known to the cosmos, someone asked, “Um, excuse me?”

At first, you think you’re imagining it but after thirty-seconds, you look up with puffy red eyes and possibly some snot running down your nose. You suck it back in.

“Y-yes?”

He’s quite good-looking but that may be because the closest lamp post is three feet away and it’s situated right behind him, hence the rather attractive shadow cast over his face. At the present though, you’re fuddled by him smiling at getting your attention as though help has come.

“Hi, I’m here to send some stuff to my sister but I’m a little lost, could you maybe point me in the right direction to Alpha Pie?”

“Phi. Alpha Phi.” You stare him dead in the eye, uninterested, as though you’ve been cut off just before a good orgasm because the guy didn’t know a girl’s anatomy.

He echoes the words correctly this time with a smile you didn’t think could get brighter but it did. Standing up and wiping the tears (and ugh, you really did have snot on your face) off, you gesture for him to follow you.

The campus is lit by the same kind of dim lamp post that accompanied you awhile back while you bawled away. Some students passed you by and you can somewhat understand the hollow look in their eyes and silently acknowledge the mutual feeling of being tired and wanting to go back and lay on your comfortable bed.

“So, you live on campus?” He breaks the silence with - now that you’re actually looking at him - a dimpled smile.

“Sometimes,” you answer shortly, not giving any indication to elaborate further - whoever his sister is, you can only hope she’s not crying her eyes out in her room because of assignment season.

Other times you spend your nights at McDonald's or some bar that opens till 6.

Silence sets in again and though it may not be wholly comfortable but it’s preferred - by you at least. But it’s short lived, it seems as you hear another question come from him.

“Any reason why you were crying just now?” The corners of his lips are curled cutely and he’s looking at you as though he’s asking to make small talk which he possibly is and don’t really care about the reason.

You don’t really mind either as you shrug, eyes still puffy but you’re halfway to looking like you didn’t just cry at the Weeping Willow.

“The usual. Assignments, datelines. We’re here.”

He seems to be satisfied with the answer and the both of you seem to have arrived in front of the sorority-looking building with the alphabets ‘Alpha Phi’ written proudly on top of the entrance.

“Thanks, I couldn’t have found it myself now I’m five minutes early from the time we bet I would show up.”

You don’t particularly care.

“No problem.”

And with that, you wave a hand as in to dismiss the fact that he’d taken up the 5 minutes you could have gotten to continue crying.

You almost forgot you helped a stranger find his way when you met the aforementioned stranger again as you walk out of the wooden doors of Alpha Phi. He’s donned in a crisp white button down with the cuffs of the sleeves rolled up to just below his elbow and his hands in his pockets.

“Hi, we meet again.”

It takes you half a minute to register who he is and you’re surprised he remembers your face what with the baggy clothes and unkempt hair the other day. Not to say that you’re looking any better today but your eyes are lined and winged and your lips are glossed - that’s as far as you’re willing to go to look presentable during the daylight.

“Yeah and I’m assuming you manage to find your way without bothering a crying soul this time - I hope.”

He laughs, the dimples more prominent in the light and you confirm your suspicions that he wasn’t good-looking because there was not much lighting that night - he really is, simply, good-looking.

“You live here.” It’s not a question, it’s a statement - an affirmation to his question from last time.

“Sometimes.” The corners of your own lips upturn as you repeat your previous answer.

“About the other day -”

You wave a dismissive hand, this time really meaning it when you say, “Don’t mention it.”

“No, I was about to ask you to coffee but you left so fast and I was worried I’d get lost again if I went after you and you happen to turn my advances down. Where else would I get a guide?”

That manages to make you smile wider. Alright so he’s chill.

“What makes you think I won’t turn you down right now?”

He shrugs and only then do you realize how his sleeves wrap around his arms nicely.

“Maybe in the light I look less like a creep?”

“Maybe.” You echo though he looked nothing like a creep then and he looks less than a creep now, “but I’m good.”

The tiniest stretch of his smile tells you he’s surprised but he keeps it on and nods.

“I understand. Have a good day.”

“You too.”

That day, you go to class with the same amount of concentration and determination to pass and graduate. You’re in your third year and third years either make you or break you - as what the people a year above you have said.

“I hardly think this is a coincidence anymore.” At this point you can recognize the playfulness in the tone and you whirl around to see the same man whose offer for coffee you turned down.

“I’m meeting a friend,” it all comes together quite easily and you wiggle your hand in front of him with the same level of playfulness in his tone, “Sooyoung is your sister.”

The second year isn’t as close to you as she is to your roommate, Seulgi, but on one fine night when you just got back and she was hanging around in your room, she had implored you to go to this coffee shop which chocolate chip cookies - as she claims - are to-die-for. It’s not as odd anymore why Seulgi had plans and couldn’t accompany her and she sent you the address instead of going with you since you’re both going the same direction from the same sorority.

He whisks past you and places an order before turning to you, inclining for you to place your own order. You do and it turns out the place doesn’t sell cookies and it’s actually famous for its muffins.

“I hope everything’s well.” Though his tone is light as the night you thought he was making small talks when he asked why you were crying alone, you realize now that it’s genuine concern.

He’s just that type of nice guy that gets his sister into getting her best friend’s roommate into go to a coffee shop just because he wants to make sure you’re okay.

“Really, when you saw me, I just had a lot and needed to let it out. It’s not that deep but I appreciate you checking up on me.”

His eyes twinkle a bit as he takes his first sip of Americano, “it’s not easy - it’s gonna take a lot of tears but you’ll get through it someday.”

Raising an eyebrow, you scrutinize him through your lashes with a twitch of your own, “I might be wrong but did you really not know your way or did you just not want me to be crying alone but also didn’t want to look sympathetic so you asked for directions.”

“I really was loss.”

Not that you care so much so you lean back against the chair and take your first bite out of chocolate chip muffin.

Jeon Jungkook. He told you his name and you subtly noted that Sooyoung’s family name rhymes with mark but they could be half-siblings or step-siblings. If the two occasions (including this one) of meeting him in button downs and black or navy blue pants didn’t tell you, then he’s telling you now that he’s working for a company. From the looks of it, he seems like he’s able to come and leave anytime he wants but you can’t.

It’s not disappointment that crosses his face but it’s the kind of smile that looks like he knows you’re going to up and leave, if not the moment you see him, then half an hour into enjoying your coffees.

“Student council, director of the magazine club. I understand.”

“What else did Sooyoung tell you about me?” You raise an eyebrow, this time genuinely curious about what a stranger - maybe he qualifies as an acquaintance now - knows about you that you haven’t told him.

“She didn’t tell me, I saw your picture on the board when I was heading to Prof. Kim’s office.”

Judging from where Prof. Kim’s office is and his possible connection to the aforementioned professor, you squint your eyes, curiosity piquing by the second.

“You went to Yonsei?”

The wink he gives is uncalled for and paired with that cute smile, is a deadly combination. You almost want to sit in this coffee shop longer with him just to know more - enough to satisfy the curious cat within you before you erase him from your memories because you really can’t afford to get distracted right now.

“I’ll tell you if you agree to go to dinner with me.”

Though he’s a tad more cute and a little bit interesting than the men you’ve been on coffee dates with - back in your freshman days, now you barely have time to sleep - the fascination ends here. If you were going to fall for dimples and smiles, you would have been with Professor Kim’s son, Namjoon by now.

“Some other time then.”

“Meaning never.”

You almost look like you’re caught off guard but you mimic his curled lips and wonder if all the smiles that got your heart melting each time was a facade but coming from a man who looked at you like you were a person instead of a wreck back at the park, you somehow believe that his smiles are sincere, though sometimes they look sad.

“Here’s my number.” You hand over the poorly scribbled handwriting of a napkin to him and for once, wrote the digits correctly without intentional amendments.

He takes it between his index and middle fingers, waving it in the air as though he’s saying he accepts the treaty.

On the way to the group meeting - the essential reason you couldn’t stay long - you curse yourself out for leaving with a ‘see you later’ instead of a - as he mentioned - ‘maybe never.’

“Someone’s calling.” Namjoon nudges your elbow and true enough, the screen lights up and vibrates with a sequence of unfamiliar numbers which may not be of grave importance at the moment unless if Namjoon brought it to your attention because it’s distracting him from studying.

You have a tendency to not pick up unknown calls which to this day have proven to be equally advantageous and disadvantageous but you never learn.

“I almost thought you gave me the wrong number.”

There’s this urge to smile at the playfulness of the voice.

“Why would I?”

He lets out a short laugh as though not believing it completely but whether he places his trust on you or not is not particularly your concern. His omission to answer clearly says he and you share the same understanding of why people give fake numbers but it’s pointless to talk about that.

“Where are you now?”

“Studying.”

As though he expected the generic answer or perhaps maybe it’s just a conversation starter to get to his next point, you will never know.

“Come out. I’m at the bench from that night.”

Though odd and rather unlikely for him to be there right at this moment, you tread down the walkway, more curious than excited if he’s telling the truth of his whereabouts.

You don’t know why you thought he was lying at the first place but it would be a lie if you say you’re not surprised to see that familiar flock of dark brown hair on the same bench you spent bawling your eyes out two weeks ago. He waves at you when he sees you and pulls out a paper bag that’s been on his side to sit between the two of you.

“What is this?” You ask even though you have a sneaky suspicion already.

“Stusket. Study basket. Except it’s in a bag.”

The pride in his eyes when he mentions the first word is overly adorable so you opt to pay more attention to the items inside the bag instead of that smile. The bag comes in two hot Americano, a muffin, a bundle of colored pens, energy bars and a neck pillow which surprisingly fits all that.

“I was buying one for Sooyoung but I figured I should get two. Another one for you.”

You’re a little disappointed that you’re just an add on but it’s only a given that his someone as familiar as family comes first. You don’t know when you even started caring.

“I appreciate this but are you setting me up to fail because there’s no way I can stay awake with this.” You laugh as you put on the neck pillow and note how it’s the softest suede you’ve ever touched and also the fluffiest.

He shrugs, the sleeves fitting as nicely as usual around his arms and you realize his pink lips turn into a skin-colored hue under the lamp post.

“But really, thank you.” You say and you really mean it.

He waves a hand in the air in a familiar fashion which is confirmed to be yours as he echoes the words you once said to him, “don’t mention it.”

“What’s that?” Namjoon eyes the bag with an arched brow, wondering how you went out with only a ringing phone in your hand and came back with a bag.

It doesn’t take much for him to know what’s in the bag and who it’s for.

“Someone gave me a stusket. Study basket. Except it’s in a bag.” You echo Jungkook’s exact words and recall the twinkle in his eyes.

“I never knew you got a boyfriend.” Namjoon emphasizes on the last word but there’s something in his tone that sounds like an insult - just because you were busy doesn’t mean you couldn’t find a potential love interest even though that is completely and 100% true. And Jungkook isn’t a boyfriend -

“He’s Sooyoung’s brother.” That somehow doesn’t sit right, “A friend.”

Now, that doesn’t help at all and if there’s anything Kim Namjoon is good at, it’s reaffirming your words which more often than not manage to make it sound more ridiculous as you try to elaborate.

“You’re friends with your roommate’s best friend’s brother?”

This time, you really can’t say anything else because you are nowhere close to your roommate’s best friend let alone join any functions with her that would require for her brother to be there with her. But the facts are there and what are you if not friends?

“Yes.”

“____, my brother texted me to tell you he wants to see you.” Sooyoung bursts into your room at midnight in her yellow duckling pajamas and a sheet mask, you almost didn’t recognize her from the frequency of people walking around in sheet masks and printed pajamas if not for the mention of a certain brother.

“Why doesn’t he text me?” You check your phone, eyebrows almost knitted together at the absence of any text from him.

“There’s this thing called knocking.” Seulgi throws her alpaca plushie and Sooyoung surprisingly manages to catch it.

“I don’t know girl, but get your ass down there before one of the sis notices I’m up here in your room and not talking to my brother!” Are Sooyoung’s last words before she throws herself at Seulgi despite the latter’s desperate protest.

You slip a cardigan on before closing the door on the two girls who are starting a pillow fight on Seulgi’s bed with your pillow as Sooyoung’s weapon.

That dimpled almost has you skipping like a little girl.

You shoot him the same question you did with his sister as you gesture for him to follow you and away from the sorority. Before you get far, the hood covering part of your head pools at the back of your neck and a grinning Jungkook is standing just a few inches behind you, no doubt the culprit.

“Are you ashamed to be seen with me?”

“I just prefer to have my hood on.”

He sees through your lies and chuckles - whether he knows the exact reason for you reluctance to be seen with the same man more than once on campus besides your usual set of friends, you’re not sure.

Though you love the sisterhood you share between the girls of the sorority, you can’t deny that there are ears ready to eavesdrop and it’s never good when someone outside of your circle knows about anything especially if it concerns you and a boy. All this time, it’s established that you feel absolutely nothing for the male specimens that often become the talk of the house. If they knew - God help the overboard ‘support’ your sisters are more than willing to give you.

“How was your day?”

“Good.”

There’s a familiar silence that’s more comfortable than whatever it was the first time you walked him to the house.

“I was scared to text you. You might not come.”

He says out of the blue and so out of character, you have to pause and look at him to make sure he even said anything in the first place. His gaze is already on you and you can’t help but take a moment to digest that someone as composed as Jungkook would have fears and because of you for that matter.

“Why wouldn’t I?”

This time, there’s no tricks or games. The answer might have been obvious but it isn’t for you and the corners of Jungkook’s lips curls as he nods to himself as though he’s coming to terms with himself and realizing there was nothing to be afraid of.

“I get nervous texting the girl I like.”

Jungkook has texted you three days later and asked you if you were free Thursday night and you have no choice but to turn him down. Not that you want to but most of your days are planned out and are subject to your timetable. Though, this type of ‘no’ hasn’t let you sit well through out the day.

If you would be a little be more honest, you daresay you want to see him.

“Why didn’t you say yes?!” Seulgi cries and you have to toss a pillow on her face to remind her to lower her voice in case anyone hears.

You thank the universe that Sooyoung likes to keep to herself which is why you get along with her even though you don’t share her passion for cute bras, cats and male phallus - a quirky combination but you’re not about to kink shame. Seulgi on the other hand knows what to say and what to keep from people’s business - the two of them together makes an unlikely friendship which if you look closer, seems just right.

“You know I’m too busy for boys.”

Seulgi throws you a look which warrants an eye roll. You already know what she’s about to say.

“He’s not a boy, he’s a man.”

You’re not going to admit the significant difference between the two categories because 1) you’re not going to give her any room for more innuendos and 2) you’re not ready to face Jungkook after nodding and responding ‘cool’ to his confession.

Then your phone vibrates.

For a solid 5 second, you and Seulgi are at a stare off before she leaps across the five feet gap between your bed and hers - and in an attempt to shield yourself from a human cannon ball, you try to roll off the bed but alas, the human crashes right into you.

You take a moment to register whether any bones have been dislocated before reaching for your phone which is too late by the way. The damage has been done and as you know it, the blue text on your part has already agreed for another day which is Saturday.

For a moment, you debated correcting your statement by telling him the truth but when his smile flashes at the back of your head, and you decide against cancelling the plan.

“You’re choosing a guy over finishing up a paper you need to submit two days from now.” Namjoon states in-a-matter-of-factly.

“Chill, I got like two days more.”

You almost squirm under his scrutiny because he’s the one person who’s been with you through your lowest, been your pillar of strength and sanity when you need a word of advice. The one week he wasn’t here, you almost lost your mind which was the reason you ended up breaking down at the park.

So if there’s anyone who knows you would be freaking out because the date line is nearing, it’s Kim Namjoon, your childhood friend slash study buddy who doesn’t even need to study but waved a dismissive hand at you when you told him he didn’t need to accompany you at the library till it closes almost every night.

“5 years from now, are you going to regret not going on a dinner with some guy or handing in a possibly imperfect paper which you could have perfected and bump your A to an A+ if you didn’t go to the dinner with the guy?”

The paper isn’t written yet but you’re halfway into your research and you can finish up with the important points later after dinner assuming it ends before 10 and your journey would only take about an hour or so to get back. Apparently, it’s transparent that you don’t want the dinner to end early which before you know it, you’ve already gotten the answer to Namjoon’s question.

He shakes his head and packs up his things. You thought he was disappointed at you enough to ignore your presence altogether but he looks at you again and you find yourself holding your breath.

But he doesn’t say anything and you watch as he leaves the library. In that moment, everything comes crashing in - your life plans, your college goals. None of them includes Jungkook but if his inclusion means the distraction of your goals, then, Jeon Jungkook is just an insignificant part of your life.

You stop in front of the diner so sure that you value your friendship with Namjoon more than a man you known within just two months. With that, you send Jungkook a text that you’re outside. He struts out in a matching navy blue tuxedo with a black button down underneath, that cute smile on full display. His eyebrows arch when he sees you in an over-sized sweater, shorts and this time, kept hair. You pride would be scarred if you showed up any less presentable than this but you’re here for one reason and that’s to properly tell him you’re not going to entertain him anymore.

“You’re here.” He comes to a stop in front of you but just when he was about to gesture for you to go inside, you speak first.

“Here is fine.”

He accepts your decision with a nod, hands pocketed as though ready for what you’re about to say.

“Did something happen along the way?”

“No, nothing happened.”

The look of relief on his face makes it harder to stand your ground. Showing up severely under dressed to a five star restaurant is already disrespectful as it is but he’s more worried that something might have happened to you that warrants you unable to don a suitable dress for a dinner.

“You must be hungry, let’s sit and talk. At least have some water.” He adds when you’re about to protest.

With the last part, you relent and the dimple smile carves its way to his lips as though your compliance is enough for him.

He places two identical orders and dismisses the other as his extra plate but it would be embarrassing to have two sets of servings for himself. When the food does come, he doesn’t even touch it. In fact, his eyes never left you as though your presence is more appealing than a medium rare steak prepared by a Michelin chef.

“How was your day?”

“Good.” You shrug.

“I’m glad you’re here.”

If the dimple wasn’t enough, you start to wonder if his eyes have always crinkled when he smiles.

“I can’t stay.”

“You never seem to be able to.”

For a split second, his lips are set in a thin line but then he smiles but it’s not the same smile you’ve been receiving until now. It’s the kind of smile that makes you want to take back your hostility and swallow your pride but you wouldn’t be you if you did that so instead you swallowed the water the waiter set aside for you.

“I have assignments to finish and exams to prepare for. I have to go.”

He stands up a second later than you, wiping his mouth with a napkin.

“I’ll send you back, let me settle the bill first.”

The cosmos must have hated you from the moment since you were born and it’s all unraveling right now as you yearningly take a last look at the untouched steak and how much of a waste it was because the extra platter was just a facade because Jeon Jungkook was too nice to let you watch him eat or let you stand outside in the cold while you two talked.

“There’s really no need to send me back, I can walk. The campus is really close.”

He thwarts your last ditch attempt to leave with, “I have something to pass to Sooyoung too. My car’s in the workshop so I’ll walk with you.”

“You just said you were going to send me back which implies you have a car. So it just suddenly transferred itself to a workshop?” You eye him suspiciously and without any effort to hide it, he chuckles, head dropping.

“Yes, if you believe in magic.”

You don’t expect him to entertain questions to an obvious answer the way he always didn’t. It only adds to the feebleness of the whole situation. So you opt to walk in silence and struggle to either remain a step in front or behind from him. If he notices your diligence, he doesn’t mention it until you’re at the Weeping Willow and his fingers suddenly wrap around your wrist.

He takes a step closer and another until you’re only a hair’s breadth away. You’re staring at his eyes and he’s looking at your lips. Just before he kisses you, he pauses and meets your gaze but this time he catches your lingering stare on his lips.

“If you say no now, I’ll leave and I won’t ever show up in your life but if there’s a smidgen of chance that you’re acting like this because you’re not good with handling emotions -”

So you kiss him.

You kiss him with all and every emotion that you have, the butterflies, the zoo, the anxiety, the fear and the excitement.

note: woooo so first fic after years of not writing, i’m a little rusty and i just finished this in one sitting. i have the most fun writing this, but my apologies for the errors and typos - i shamefully admit to not rereading this because i just want to quickly finish this and get it out there hahahah

credit goes to: before we get married drama (go watch, it tests your principles, and the characters all have their shortcomings which balances out the story line - but please for those who have watch the whole series don’t give spoilers i’m only on my 5th ep!)

and blackpink reference yooo :D

#jeon jungkook #networkbangtan #jungkook x reader #jungkook scenarios #bts x reader #bts scenario #jungkook fanfic #bts fanfic #jungkook x you #bts x you #jungkook fluff #bts fluff #jungkook scenario #jungkook imagines #bts imagines

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anonil88 · 4 years

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“This isn't prison break.”parts 1 & 2

Rue runs away for a night from rehab with a bunch of people she doesn't know. They go to a club, do some stupid stuff and adopt a cat.

wrote this and put it on AO3- lnk here- but also updating on here:

PART 1

Rue laughs absently at the other group of "degenerates" as Ali would call them. They are walking along the side of the road towards wherever a kid named Malcolm was leading them. She technically was supposed to be in her small dorm bed asleep and awaiting 4 am check in. But instead here she was being a fellow degenerate who had technically escaped the rehab facility. They all intended on going back to the treatment facility eventually. She hopes Sol would even though it meant they probably would be separated. They all just needed a night of more because everyone was on edge and needed a break. Everyone was aware that the consequences would be getting kicked out or all restrictions taken away. But, fuck it.

Her group of acquaintances, because they were not her friends, was made up of a random assortment of folks. One of which was some guy named Graham who was apparently the older "brother" of Angel. Angel was the only one out of the group besides her roommate who actually knew more than whatever she half assed in group therapy. Which was very little but it was enough to keep them.... interested. Rue shoves her hands in the pockets of a pair of baggy shorts that Angel threw at her in a parking lot after everyone met back up. Their escape plan was a plan but they all booked it through a hole in the fence and through a patch of woods at first. Some person named Bones, who had to at least be a sophomore in college, picked them all up in a hatchback and the Graham who opened a backpack filled with vices.

Rue steered clear of the opiates and went straight for the bottle of Coconut Rum. Even though she could practically hear the pills singing her fucking name. Most of them actually opted to be clean of whatever landed them in rehab but not sober. Not everyone though because Angel was definitely rolling a tiny bit and so were two other people out of the 5 fence jumpers. Including her roommate Sol. Rue just figured the slap on the wrist once they got back would be less harsh without a positive test. The rum was more than enough to stay kind of alert amongst everyone here. All these faces that might leave her dying face down in a ditch if she OD’ed....again.

She wasn't even in here because of an overdose. Just a basic relapse that made her mom's mind up for her and now she was forced into a stupid facility with strangers. They forced her to talk, made sure she ate, but she honestly felt worse being inside than out. It was probably working the 12 steps and quiet therapy sessions but in places she didn't see yet. This right here though the warmth of the air touching her skin as the packed car they'd all tumbled into hurtled through empty streets. Leaning her head back she mumbles along the lyrics while Sol pulls at the worn shirt collar.

"Beep beep go swerving in my, Beep been you want me riding in your...."

Rue sighs feeling sticky lips press against her clavicle and up her neck.

"Beep beep ghost busting in my,

Beep beep you want me riding in your....driving super fast."

Sol was cool people but Rue knew it couldn't be anything more than fooling around. Kissing when no one was watching or either of them came back from a therapy session sobbing. Sometimes Sol sneaking into her bed at night so they could have quickie sex sessions. This wasn't how Rue expected to explore her sexuality that was pretty dormant but it was what she had. It also wasn't with who she had in mind either. Lingering feelings aside the two of them were stuck in a juvenile inpatient program. With the same beds as the ones in college pamphlets, a no shoelace rule, and fuzzy socks ( that Rue secretly loves). This girl was like 3 inches shorter than Rue, dark skinned, neck tattoos and a short cut. Sol had been through so much more shit than Rue and it made her feel ungrateful. Ungrateful because at least she had a hard working mom who still loved her and hadn't abandoned all hope. Other people in the program who took it seriously though told her not to because her life sucked too.

Feeling Sol's lips on hers she kissed her back. She didn't feel anything but it must have felt amazing to Sol who deepened the kiss. The car swerved past what in Rue's mind had to be a pothole. Sol falls away further into her body clutching the fabric of her shirt and accidentally her chest. Rue hears Sol sigh and snaps her eyes open while Sol still kisses her. Rue grabs hold of the handle above the door and sits back up mumbling, what was that. She watches Sol roll her eyes and sit back into the tan seats.

"Oh FUCK," Bones yelled slowing the car down and pulling over. Bones had their black hair slicked all the way back and a cigarette falling out of their mouth. They were odd enough sober and everyone's dd, just a ball of chaotic a.d.d they'd laughed at her earlier as they walked her from the gas station bathroom back to the car. It was a nice gesture because apparently she seemed "kind of uncomfortable," which was true. The urge to escape herself dulled the fear of her mother's true unbridled anger. Or Fez's.

He was really upset when he found out she got a new plug after actually being clean for so long. She turns to look out the back window and sees two green eyes attached to a small grey mound in the road.

"What the....omg a cat omg," Angel is practically bouncing out of the car after pulling out a half eaten filet o fish. Rue watches him in an outfit she felt fit him so much more than the basic t-shirt and sweatpants he wore everyday. His platform sneakers lit up across the black asphalt as he inches closer to the obviously terrified animal. A glitter covered arm wove in front of him with food and Rue leans into the window in anticipation. The only thing that could make Angel seem even more angelic was wings or a halo above his half platinum half silver hair. He honestly seemed like the type to fit right into Jules's friend group. But instead he was the kind creative rave kid who drew her pictures of kandy he'd give her one day.

"Hey um...you ," she feels her shoulder being tapped. "Put this in your lap."

PART 2

"Yes! I love this song," Bones yells back rolling down the windows. The cool autumn air filling the car and the smell of weed being blown out the window.

Her heel is bouncing with a mix of anxiety and anticipation. With one more she could become triple A instead of alcoholics anonymous. She can feel a comfortable softness against her sole. It's from a piece of fabric she keeps stuffed in her sock. Her knee keeps bouncing in place with the sleeping kitten being stroked by Sol in her lap. Her current reality is so much more serene than the one she relives in her head.

Arrival nurses took her hoodie at this new place only letting it stay with her the first night. She was so fucking high on check in that she screamed please don't take my dad please as they explained it to her mom. Her mom who she clung to like they were about to skin her alive. Chest rising and falling quick enough someone said something about a shot. Too high to be cold and distant but not enough for her heart to stop. Just enough to be a paranoid fuck up. Leslie tried to calm her down but it only worked after her mom bargained with them, one night.

One night and then her mom visited the next day to say goodbye. Slipping a gray square in her pocket. It was worn in from a t-shirt that her dad wore in her baby pictures. Leslie hugged her so tight before leaving whispering we love you so much. That was the last time she'd seen her mom and every time she called Leslie said oh rue like her heart was breaking again. So those phone calls were short because her mom crying always fucks her up mentally for a few days. The silent pauses remind her of the little sister who always has faith in her but is turning into someone who doesn't even look at her.

"You okay," Sol whispers and rue nods because when was she ever. Her arm that sol is resting on is cramping but she lets it, not much arm space in this back row anyway. She should have just chosen the trunk with some 16 year old named Zach.

"On the left yesss we made it and on time too," Graham jeers next to Sol.

Rue looks at the dash clock crinoline her brow. "How is almost 1 am on time," she whispers.

Sol chuckles, "It is a club not a house party you knew that right ?" Rue bites the inside of her lip and shakes her head no. Sol puckers a bottom lip and kisses her cheek. Great pity Rue thinks. Sol leans in to whisper to Rue, "Don't worry Graham knows the bouncer. No fakes required."

Rue opens back up the glass bottle in the seat net and lets the clear liquid burn her throat a bit. Out of her realm was an understatement, house parties were something she was used to but never clubs. She didn't even know what kind of club this was but judging from the giant rainbow flag out front, angry repressed frat bros wouldn't be an issue. Which helped the nerves in her stomach unwind. The fur ball on her lap made a noise and she rubbed it through the sweater it's been laid on. Sol said the kitten was probably dumped because there was a tag scar and the kitten was super clean. But was she risking it....no.

Sol takes the bottle from her hand and screws the cap back on. "You gonna dance with me tonight Benny." Sol says as she nudges her shoulder.

"Maybe," Rue shrugs.

" Okay well how about anyone else," Sol grins coyly.

Rue looks away from her and out the window. She's more interested in the brick building as they get closer than someone's hot sweaty body. There's a line to the door with several guards standing with gloved hands and flashlights. " Idk maybe," Rue looks back at Sol who is rolling her eyes.

" Yes she is," Angel yells from the passenger seat. He's checking his makeup in the mirror and winks at rue. Which makes her tuck her hair behind her ear and cough to cover the blush. Angel turns around happily and says, "meee.'

Leaning forward Sol pecks Angel and says, " Bennett your goal tonight is to have fun, dance with someone. He, she, they, who cares, maybe you'll get a lil prison pen pal."

Rue rolls her eyes, that probably wasn't happening but it was about trying new experiences. Treatment was also not prison; it just was not freedom either. Bones pulls past the entrance and swings into the parking lot. Graham is behind them pointing as they follow directions. He's even saying fun facts like this is Knott's which Angel keeps mimicking. Bones slowly moves the car until one guard leans his hand in the window. The guard daps Graham up and they laugh for a second. His name is apparently DJ and he's their in. The only rules are no weapons.

In the parking lot they all get put and Rue notices other cars with clusters of people around them. She shakes her lap free of cigarette ash and cat hair. The cat now named sparkle is being in the trunk with a makeshift bed, a small can of tuna Bones just had and an old bottle lid filled with water. Rue leans down and ties the mismatched dollar store laces on her chucks. They had hot dogs on them which was kind of cute. A tire squeals close by of a car obviously moving way too fast and drunk singing out a window speeds past them. Idiots. Everyone else was finishing a shared bottle or blunt. Leaning against the side of the trunk she feels Sol rest against her arm warming it up.

Rue can hear a steady thump and beat coming from the brick building. It makes her head move which means the music might not be her thing but it'll be tolerable. Graham even said there's another section with actual seats that has a more contained dance floor with pop and hip-hop. Just in case she got overwhelmed by the rave scene and the lights. She doubles over as she laughs at Angel's jokes.

Kid was fucking hilarious, she stands up wiping her eyes and freezes looking in front of her.

#rue bennett #rue euphoria #jules vaughn #jules euphoria #original character #euphoria hbo #euphoria #euphoria fanfiction #euphoria fanfic #my wriitng #fanfiction #club tw #rue #jules #rue x jules

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i-am-regular-scenarios · 5 years

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Spending the Night - Jaehyun Smut

Pairing: Reader X Jaehyun

Words: 9300+

Genre: Smut

Warnings: Sexual / mature content and language

Summary: After a night of clubbing your drunk friend decides to pass on your plans of getting a taxi to take you home and calls her boyfriend to pick you up instead. Her boyfriend Johnny arrives a bit later, but isn’t alone. His best friend and roommate Jaehyun is driving and you about die because you have grown to have quite the crush on him. After your friend and Johnny start to get a bit touchy in the backseat, she recommends that you go home with Jaehyun. You are hesitant, but Jaehyun says he’s okay with it and you eventually go with him. What will happen when you two are finally all alone together? Does it just so happen that Jaehyun thinks of you as more than just a friend?

The chill of the night air hits your skin when you finally make it out of the club. You absentmindedly wrap your arms around your body, attempting to warm yourself, but discover that you just feel colder. You turn to find your friend Lisa, and sigh as she slowly stumbles up next to you, bumping into your side. The smell of sweat and alcohol pours off of her as she smiles happily at you. She slips her arm around your bicep and pulls your bodies closer.

Your clubbing experience was better than any you’ve had in a long time. Due to the fact that you don’t usually drink while coming out, you have inevitably found yourself to be the “mother” of your friends. You’re always trailing after them, holding their hair, helping them out, and policing any unwanted company. However, because this outing was just you and Lisa, you found it easier to just let loose and enjoy yourself. Of course Lisa still found herself drinking too much and almost falling on her ass from the alcohol a few times, but you still had fun nevertheless.

You study Lisa’s face as she continues to look at you as happily as ever. She looks dumb but in a cute way. You smile at her quickly before sticking out your free hand to hail a taxi. You feel Lisa release your arm and you turn to look over at her. Before you have time to react, Lisa gets up on her tippy toes and harshly slaps down your extended hand, practically tipping over in the process. She steadies herself with a huff and pulls out her phone.

“Lisa, we have to get home, what the hell are you doing?” you question harshly, rubbing at your stinging skin. Lisa shushes you before pressing her phone tightly to her cheek.

“I’m on the phone,” she mouths to you as her eyebrows pull tightly together. You place your hands on your hips and Lisa just turns to stare off into the street in front of her. You continue to look at her, with an eyebrow raised, waiting for an explanation.

As much as you love Lisa, she can be quite the handful sometimes.

You feel like a mom watching their kid as you stand here in the middle of the sidewalk glaring at Lisa. She begins to rock back and forth before finally turning her head to look at you. As soon as she sees your face, she laughs, obviously finding amusement in your annoyance. All you can do is huff and drop your arms to your sides.

We agreed before coming to the club that we would take a taxi home, but I guess she has decided against it now.

“Johnny...Johnny can you hear me,” Lisa slurs into the phone. You watch her with disappointment as she switches the phone to her other ear and wraps her arm around yours once again.

“Can you come get us from the club?” she questions happily. She begins to sway her body to the right and you have to pull her back towards your side.

You contemplate grabbing her phone and just hailing a taxi like your originally planned to, but you decide against it. You’d rather not have to deal with both a drunk and agitated Lisa.

You can hear Johnny’s voice but it’s too soft to make out any of the words he is saying. You know though that Johnny can’t say no to Lisa. He is for sure going to halt whatever he is doing right now to come and get us. Lisa has that tall dumbass wrapped around her finger. It’s not necessarily a bad thing though. They’re cute together and he treats her well.

You listen as Lisa exchanges a few more words with Johnny before she ends the call and looks over at you with the same shit eating grin that she had on earlier.

“Johnny is going to take forever to get here Lisa,” you groan.

With the amount of time it will take Johnny’s lazy ass to get into his car and drive over here, Lisa will probably be sober.

“We could just get a taxi, you don’t have to make him come all the way here to get us,” you state.

“He has had me come get him from the club countless times, the least he can do is return the favor for us, besides he’s free, a taxi isn’t,” Lisa replies matter of factly. You watch her readjust her purse that is hanging on her shoulder, before she tightly crosses her arms over her chest.

Your face falls at her words, because she’s right...but you’d never tell her that.

“Well you could have told me that before, you didn’t have to slap my hand,” you grumble, causing Lisa to giggle at you. You look at her out of the corner of your eye, before grabbing on to her arm to pull her towards a bench to sit.

You wait on the park bench for a bit as Lisa continuously tries to call for a stray cat she sees across the street. You are about to text Johnny, wondering where he is, when a shiny black SUV rolls up in front of you. You stare at it, as the passenger door opens and Johnny’s head pops out from behind it. He gets out of the car and Lisa squeals at him before running over to give him a hug. You reluctantly pull yourself off the bench and walk towards the car.

Johnny looks up at you and smiles before he feels Lisa start to fall next to him. He quickly grabs her arm, saving her from eating shit on the pavement and turns to give you a goofy look.

“Here Y/N, you can sit in the front, I’ll stay in the back with her,” Johnny states to you before he starts to guide Lisa to the back seat door. You stare at him a little confused before his words finally register with you and you feel like a dumbass having not realized earlier that he wasn’t the one driving. Curiously you peer into the front seat and lock eyes with Johnny’s best friend Jaehyun.

Shit wait what? Is it really him? Why is he here? Why does it have to be him?

You are well acquainted with him, I mean he lives with Johnny, so anytime you go there with Lisa, he is inevitably almost always there as well. He never fails to greet you with a warm dimpled smile and you two are able to get along quite well when you talk. It doesn’t exactly happen as much as you want it to though because of fact that he unknowingly intimidates the hell out of you with his handsome face and sweet and charming personality. It’s to the point where you always feel like screaming into a pillow anytime he laughs or even looks at you. Lisa has been able to pick up on your admiration and has tried to coax you to talk to him more, but you can never find the courage to actually do it. All he has to do is look at you and you feel all your insides go to mush.

Jaehyun’s face is distorted by the car window and the dim lighting, but you can tell yourself it is definitely him observing you with an expressionless face from the driver’s seat. A heat of embarrassment starts to rush over your body and you turn to look over at Johnny helping Lisa into the car. You’ve totally just been staring at Jaehyun without actually getting into car, and you must look about as drunk as Lisa.

You finally reach your hand out to pull the door open and Jaehyun’s face comes into perfect view. His features become illuminated by the dim overhead light above him and it makes him look angelic. The light catches itself on his skin and causes a soft hue to fall on him, making his complexion appear flawless and his eyes pretty enough to get lost in. You slip yourself into the passenger seat and your eyes meet as he offers you a warm smile. You return it softly before averting your attention to closing the passenger door. Once everyone is settled in, Jaehyun shifts gears and pulls out into traffic.

“What does he have to look so good for?” you question silently to yourself as the car starts to lurch forward. Jaehyun is wearing a simple gray t-shirt and some black skinny jeans; but what is really catching your eyes is his hair. It’s usually styled, but today its is messily parted to one side and is falling in a way that makes it look irresistibly fluffy. You’ve never seen him so casual, but it definitely a look you want to see more often.

The car starts to fill with the soft hum of the radio and you mindlessly look out the window. Lisa starts to giggle from the backseat and you notice Jaehyun shift in his seat. You turn to catch a glimpse of him and watch as his muscles flex as he turns the steering wheel.

“What brings you out Jaehyun? ” Lisa questions from the back. You watch Jaehyun glance at her in the rearview mirror before looking back at the rode. You do the same.

“Johnny had a couple beers and didn’t want to risk anything driving, so he asked me to,” Jaehyun replies softly. Lisa hums from the backseat and the car falls silent.

“You don’t seem as intoxicated as she is. Did you drink anything?” you hear Jaehyun question and you look over to find him looking at you.

“No, I didn’t have anything tonight. I don’t usually drink that often anyway,” you reply to him. He looks back at the rode with a nod and you admire the sharpness of his jaw. His lips part ever so slightly and his tongue pokes out to wet his lower lip.

Your eyes grow big at this and begin to trace along the edges of his face. A prickle starts to ghosts itself over your skin and you force yourself to look away.

He is just so hot. Everything about him is so undeniably attractive to you.

You continue to sit in silence when you feel your phone buzz in your purse and you quickly fish it out.

From: Lisa

talkj to himm you fuckin idiot!!212

You turn to glare at her, but come to find that she’s locked eyes with Johnny. She moves closer to kiss him and it quickly becomes more than just an innocent kiss. You turn back around in your seat and try to focus on the music coming from the radio in hopes to drown out the soft porn coming from the backseat. When it doesn’t work, you reach out to turn the volume dial up a bit. You peer over at Jaehyun to make sure he’s not objecting with this. He peaks at you for a second before muttering a quick, thank you, just loud enough for you to hear. You giggle at this and sit back in your seat.

You finally pull up to yours and Lisa’s apartment building and start to unbuckle yourself. You hear Lisa yelp from the backseat and you quickly turn to look at her. You notice the purple bruises that are appearing all over her neck and you feel a blush creep up to your cheeks. You watch Johnny smirk while his hands are on her hips, guiding her out of the car. Knowing those two as well as you do, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know what is going to go down inside that apartment later. You turn to Jaehyun who is already staring back at you with wide eyes. His face is twisted in pity and you can’t help but silently plea to him to help you. However, he doesn’t seem to make any sort of effort to come to your rescue. You can’t really blame him though, what even could he do to help you? You reluctantly look away from him and open the car door. You are about to swing your legs out when Lisa comes in front of you, Johnny in tow.

“Y/N, you should stay at Johnny’s tonight…” Lisa states boldly.

You look at her in shock with your mouth slightly parted, trying to come up with what to say to her statement. You don’t want to bluntly reject the idea, because you don’t want Jaehyun to think you don’t want to be alone with him at all. That is quite honestly the opposite of what you want. But you also want to know what the hell Lisa is thinking? You don’t want to back Jaehyun into a corner and make him feel like he has to allow you to come over. You would want nothing more than to miss everything that is going to happen in your apartment tonight, and spend time with Jaehyun, but you can’t just say that?

“I wouldn’t mind,” Jaehyun pipes in from behind you as you continue to have an internal existential crisis. Lisa smirks at you with one of her eyebrows arched high.

You feel Jaehyun get closer to you and his breath starts to tickle the back of your neck.

“You don’t have to if you don’t want to, but I really don’t mind and we both know you’d get better sleep there than with those two.” Jaehyun whispers this to you, causing goosebumps to rise on your skin. You turn your attention to him and he is looking at you with a soft expression. You like to think through all your days of observing Jaehyun, you now sort of know him well. You can tell from his words, and the look on his face, that he is being completely sincere. It makes butterflies erupt in your stomach at the thought of him making sure you feel comfortable and are okay with the situation.

You sigh to yourself.

Are you really about to do this? Are you really about to spend the night at Jaehyun’s?

“I would really appreciate that Jaehyun, thank you,” you finally say, feeling yourself relax back into the passenger seat. Lisa giggles from beside you and you bite your lip.

Johnny closes the passenger door for you and turns to walk up to the apartment with Lisa.

You watch Lisa happily wave goodbye to you as Jaehyun starts the car.

The ride alone with Jaehyun begins in silence and your lip starts to throb from you biting onto it so intensely. You can hear your own heart beating obnoxiously loud, and you just pray that Jaehyun can’t hear it.

You have never actually been alone with him before. Sure you two have had conversations alone, but Lisa or Johnny were always in the same vicinity to swoop in when the conversation ran cold. Now you are alone and not in your element.

You’re staring blankly at the the radio when Jaehyun speaks up, “Oh, you can play some music if you want.” He reaches into his cup holder and hands you his phone unlocked.

You look at his phone for a minute, wracking your brain for a song to play.

This is it ladies. We have to pick something good!

You start to look through the playlist he has going, and find a few interesting choices. Your eyes finally land on Beautiful by Bazzi and you choose it. As soon as the song starts up, you hear Jaehyun start to sing along and you feel content with your choice.

You continue to listen to him and realize quickly that he has a good singing voice. It’s very soft sounding but mesmerizing to listen to. This makes you start to bite your lower lip again.

What isn’t he good at?

You stare out the car window as the busy streets pass you by. The soft sounds coming from Jaehyun have somehow seemed to calm you down a bit and you feel more relaxed with the situation. You pull your phone out to shoot Lisa a quick text.

To: Lisa

You are so going to regret this tomorrow morning bitch. Just remember I know where you live…

You don’t expect her to reply so you are surprised when you feel your phone buzz a few moments later.

From: Lisa

Sorryy, cant talk. Getting the good d ;) You should too!1

You scoff at your phone and put it back in your purse.

Jaehyun must have noticed and stops singing.

“Is everything alright?” he questioned softly to you. You turn to look at him.

“Everything’s fine, Lisa just sent me a good night message,” you lie, feeling your cheeks begin to heat again.

Jaehyun laughs at this. “They done already?”

“I guess so,” you joke back.

You both fall silent again and Jaehyun starts to hum along with the end of the song. You scroll through his phone again to pick another song but can’t decide before the next song queued up comes on. It doesn’t take you long to notice that it is a A Whole New World from Aladdin and you can’t help the laugh that escapes your mouth.

“What?” Jaehyun questions with a smile, “a man can’t like the Aladdin soundtrack?”

“No, it’s not that. I just didn’t expect you to like the Aladdin soundtrack,” you reply with a giggle.

Jaehyun gives you a fake glare before he starts to belt out Aladdin’s part expertly. You watch him intently. The energy he is giving off seems to be seeping into you and when Jasmin’s part comes on, you can’t even stop yourself from singing along. Jaehyun seems amused and chuckles at you.

You gain confidence from this and start to make exasperated motions as you sing. Jaehyun begins to laugh hysterically at you and you can’t do anything but join in at the sound of his amusement. You both end the song together with your arms extended outward and you let out a few more quick laughs.

“You have a really nice voice Jae,” you comment. Jaehyun smiles cutely at your compliment.

“Thank you, you are not so bad yourself. We should do duets more often.”

You finish the journey to Jaehyun’s house will some small talk. You ask Jaehyun about his work and he rants to you about Johnny’s laziness. The atmosphere is relaxed and you don’t feel so bad about staying with him anymore.

You’re actually feeling so relaxed and comfortable that you don’t even notice that you have made it to Jaehyun’s house until you hear him turn off the engine and open up his own door to get out. You quickly do the same and walk swiftly to catch up to him at the front door.

You are left standing next to him awkwardly as he unlocks the door. He looks up at you for a split second and smiles before pushing the door open.

You step into his house and instantly notice that it is exactly the same as the last time you were over. The living room is well kept and clean, which always seems to surprise you. Whenever Johnny stays at your apartment, he seems to leave a mess wherever he goes. You guess that Jaehyun is always behind him here to pick up his mess.

The house smells like fresh laundry and the aroma seems to wrap around you. You follow Jaehyun into the living room, dropping your shoes and purse by the door on your way.

“Can I get you anything to drink?” Jaehyun offers, while continuing his way through the living room and into the kitchen.

“A water would be nice,” you reply after him. He disappears and you hear the sound the of refrigerator door opening.

You continue to look around the living room, admiring the few pictures placed around the room. There are scattered photos of Jaehyun and Johnny with their other friends as well as photos of their families. As you’re looking at one of the walls of pictures, Jaehyun returns back into the room with two bottles of water. He comes over to hand you one and you smile and offer him a small thank you.

He comes up to stand next to you, and follows your gaze to one of the pictures on the wall.

“Where was this taken?” you question. The picture is of Johnny and Jaehyun and their other friends Taeil, Taeyong, and Mark. They are all in what appears to be an ice cream parlor as they all pose cutely with cones in their hands. You met the three other guys at Johnny’s birthday last year and you actually wish you could see them more often. They were all really funny and nice to hang around.

“That was taken on our trip to LA last year,” Jaehyun clarifies with a smile. The memory of the trip seems to be a good one, because Jaehyun continues to fondly look at the picture.

“Oh right, I didn’t know they all went with you. I thought it was just you and Johnny,” you state.

“Nope, all 5 of us went… it was probably the best vacation I’ve ever had,” Jaehyun replies softly. The smile still present on his lips.

(This picture is to cute not to add hehe)

“Well, I’m going to go change,” you hear Jaehyun state before he turns to head towards his room. A thought pops into your head because of his words, and you let out a rather loud “oh shit”.

Jaehyun turns to you, “what’s wrong?” He looks at you with his eyebrows knitted together in confusion.

“I’m sorry I’m such a dumbass but I didn’t bring anything to sleep in,” you say softly.

Jaehyun’s face relaxes at your words. “Oh, don’t worry about it. I’ll get you something to wear. Wait here and I’ll be done soon.”

You watch as he disappears around the corner into a hallway leading to the house’s bedrooms and you let out a sigh.

It doesn’t take him long to change and return to the living room.

“I left some clothes for you on my bed. You can go in there and change. It’s the second door on the left,” Jaehyun states to you before walking to the couch and taking a seat. You nod at him before making your way to his bedroom.

You slowly push open the door and step inside. His room is decently sized with a large bed in the far right corner, a desk with a few books on top, and a dresser. The space is kept as neat and tidy as the living room. It is not at all like how you image a young adult males room to look like, especially not one that is friends with the Seo Johnny.

You walk around the room slowly, looking at whatever catches your eye. You finally make it over to his bed and notice the large painting he has hung above his headboard. It is an acrylic painting of a wave and in your opinion it seems to tie the whole room together.

You look down to the clothes folded neatly on top of his bed and you pick them up.

You unfold them to surprisingly find that they are a long sleeve t-shirt and a pair of grey sweatpants, quite clearly belonging to Jaehyun himself. You had figured he would have found some of Lisa’s clothes that you know are somewhere in Johnny’s room, but you honestly can’t come to tell yourself that you are disappointed that they aren’t.

You slowly slip out of your dress and change into the new clothes. They are slightly baggy around your body, but are extremely comfortable. You sigh to yourself though because you know that you are going to have to give these back later, but you really don’t want to. They are much comfier than any piece of clothing you own.

Once you are all set and have folded your dress up, you make your way back into the living room. You set your dress by your purse and head over to the couch to take a seat next to Jaehyun. He turns to look at you and slowly gives you a once over. Once his eyes make it to your face, you swear you notice his ears grow pinker as quickly looks away from you.

“These are probably the most comfortable pants I have ever worn,” you blurt out before reaching over to coffee table to grab your water. Jaehyun chuckles at your remark.

“They are, aren’t they. You should keep them,” he replies absentmindedly before returning his attention to the tv.

“What? I can’t do that Jaehyun, they are yours,” you retort back while staring at him with a confused expression.

Jaehyun smiles, “they have gotten a bit too small for me, it’s really no big deal if you keep them,” he states back, still looking at the tv.

“How about you leave them here for me,” you begin. Jaehyun seems to grow intrigued at your statement and finally turns to look at you. His gaze falls on you and it causes a prickle to trace over your skin. “You know, in case I ever have to stay over again.” He looks at you for a second before nodding slightly. He retreats his attention back to the tv, and you notice the pink tint of his ears again.

Have they always been that pink?

You clear your throat slightly and take a sip of water. You turn your attention to the tv where a movie you don’t recognize is playing.

“Do you have an extra pillow I can borrow Jae?” you question. You wait a minute for his reply but it doesn’t come. You look up from the tv and notice that he is staring at you with a weird expression.

“What do you mean?” he questions.

“You know, those fluffy bricks you have on your bed. Do you have an extra one that I can use to sleep with out here?” you question again with a smirk while gesturing to the couch you are currently sitting on.

“Oh, I was just going to say you could sleep in my bed,” he deadpans, still staring at you.

You grow embarrassed at this. His bed did look extremely comfortable, but could you really allow yourself to sleep in it? Where would he sleep then? Is he going to sleep on the couch? You don’t want to just kick him out of his bed. I mean the bed is pretty big, should you offer for him to sleep with you?

“Where would you sleep?” you question softly. You start to pick at the label on your water bottle.

“I was going to crash in Johnny’s room,” he replies.

Your body relaxes at this. You really don’t know if you could handle sleeping next to him like that. You would probably just lay in the bed too scared to make any movement that would possibly wake him, and have to sit there feeling hyper aware of your surroundings.

“Oh, okay,” you begin, “are you sure?”

Jaehyun laughs softly. “Of course Y/N, don’t worry, I wouldn’t offer it if I wasn’t sure.” His words come out friendly and you can’t help the smile that comes to your lips.

“Well I am going to go and try to get some sleep then. Thank you again Jaehyun. You really saved me tonight.” You stand up from your spot on the couch and smile down at Jaehyun.

“Do you need anything before bed?” he questions while peering up at you.

“No, I’m okay,” you reply with a smile.

He returns the smile and his dimples pop out cutely. He parts his mouth slightly and you can’t help it when your eyes fall to his lips. You’ve caught yourself looking at those lips a lot and you’ve always wondered if they were actually as soft as they appeared to be.

You cut the thoughts from your mind and leave the room to make your way to Jaehyun’s bedroom and close the door behind yourself. You let out a long sigh before walking over to his bed and getting in.

The sheets feels foreign against your skin but are extremely soft to the touch. They make you feel like a cloud is engulfing you. You rotate your body a bit to get into a comfortable position, and you turn your face so your left cheek is laying on the pillow. The smell of Jaehyun finds it way to your nose and you close your eyes. It smells like citrus and fresh cut wood. It’s an intoxicating aroma and you don’t ever want to stop smelling it.

You lay like this for honestly what feels like hours. Finally you decide to reposition yourself but find that it doesn’t make you feel any more tired than you were before. You are able to see Jaehyun’s alarm clock now and notice that a half an hour has passed since when you came to bed.

For the next hour you find that your mind just keep racing itself to different thoughts, and you can’t keep your eyes closed for a decent amount of time. After another restless reposition, you finally sit up with a sigh. You kick your legs off the bed and slowly slide into a standing position.

You make your way over to the bedroom door and open it slowly. The light from the hallway comes flooding itself into Jaehyun’s room and you can hear sounds coming from the living room.

You were sure he would have went to bed by now. You actually kind of hoped that he was already asleep so that you could just curl yourself into the couch and watch some tv until you finally got tired.

You stand in his doorway for a second before finally telling yourself that it’ll be fine and you can just go out and watch whatever Jaehyun is watching.

You start making your way down the hall and stop as you are about to enter the living room. You are met with Jaehyun’s back as he is sitting on the couch. The tv is paused and you notice that he is on the phone.

Who on earth is he talking to this late?

“No John, but she’s wearing my clothes,” Jaehyun’s voice comes out softly, but his words hit you as if he was screaming. “I can’t handle it.”

“Well then you shouldn’t have given her your clothes if it makes you that uncomfortable neat freak,” Johnny mocks from the other line.

Is he upset that you’re wearing his clothes? Why the fuck would he offer his own clothes then if it made him uncomfortable. You could have found some of Lisa’s to wear instead.

If he is uncomfortable with you wearing his clothes, how does he feel about you sleeping in his bed?

“That is not what I mean, and you know it,” Jaehyun replies back, annoyance apparent in his tone.

This frightens you because it almost feels as if he was replying to you.

“Did you try and make a move?” Johnny questions. You feel a cold rush over your skin at his words.

“No, I didn’t want to make her uncomfortable. I really don’t think she likes me like that John,” Jaehyun replies.

“Well how are you supposed to know that unless you try something?” Johnny questions harshly. “You’ve liked this girl for what, a few months now, it’s time to try something.”

Like? He likes me? Am I just hearing things? He has never once showed me any signs that he has ever had an interest in me other than wanting to be my friend. Does he really like me?

“I don’t know John, I really don’t think she sees me in that way, and besides I wouldn’t have done anything tonight anyway. She came her to get away from your insensitive ass, not be uncomfortable because I tried to make unwanted advances on her,” Jaehyun states.

You can feel your legs start to shake a bit as you process all this information. It’s almost like you can feel all the blood in your body rushing straight to your lower half. You feel like an electrical current has sent itself through your limbs and you feel electrified.

All this time, he has actually seen you in the same way you have seen him.

“I have to do something. I need to do something,” you tell yourself silently, confidence snaking through you with every passing moment.

You take a deep breath before your legs are finally able to move. You start to walk slowly towards Jaehyun, thankful that he has carpet that masks the sound of your footsteps.

You make your way towards the back corner of the couch, and he has still yet to notice your presence. Before you can stop yourself you walk around the couch and grab the phone right out of his hands.

A shocked gasp escapes Jaehyun’s lips as he cranes his neck up to look at you.

“Y/N… I,” Jaehyun begins, extremely flustered. You can see the shocked look on his face as a blush rushes itself up from below his shirt to his cheeks.

You take your eyes off of him for a second to hang up on Johnny before throwing the phone onto the couch beside him.

Before Jaehyun can say another word you bend yourself down and connect your lips together. You let your right hand come up to glide across his cheek and you trace it to the back of his neck where you pull his face more towards your own. Jaehyun doesn’t move at first, clearly still shocked at the entire encounter. You are about to pull away when you feel his warm hands snake up to place themselves on your hips. His fingers bend to grab onto you and you feel a tickle erupt from where his hands are touching you.

Your lips continue to move together, and you bask in the feeling of finally having Jaehyun as close to you as you’ve always wanted. It still hasn’t quite hit you yet, that you’re currently making out with the man you’ve been silently crushing on for the last few months.

You take a step forward and climb yourself on the couch, straddling both of his thighs. Once you are up, you sit yourself onto his lap and he takes the opportunity to trace his hands up your back to rest on your shoulder blades.

Jaehyun’s hands start to squeeze at your back when his tongue swipes at your bottom lip. You part your mouth open for him, and he deepens the kiss hungrily. You can feel so much emotion rising itself from the pit of your stomach as your tongues swirls together. A heat rushes itself to your cheeks and as you tell yourself this is actually happening.

You can feel your chest screaming out for air, but you can not bring yourself to release Jaehyun’s delicious lips. They are in fact as soft as you had imagined them to be.

You start to tug lightly at Jaehyun’s hair when his phone begins to ring from beside you. Neither of you falter though and continue to kiss as hungrily as you were before. You detach your lips from Jaehyun’s before you plant a soft kiss to the inner corner of his mouth. You continue to move down his face to his sharp jaw, planting soft kisses as you travel. Jaehyun’s lips part and a sigh escapes them. Once you make if to his jaw you find a spot under it and start to suck on it harshly. The feeling of your mouth pulling on his skin causes Jaehyun to drop his hands from your back to your hips. He squeezes them strongly, signalling to you that he likes what you are doing. Once you feel satisfied with yourself, you release his skin from your mouth and begin to soothe over it with your tongue.

Before you can continue, another sound is heard from Jaehyun’s phone. You absentmindedly turn to look at it and Jaehyun notices this before reaching over to grab his phone. You release your hands from his hair and sit back on his lap. He gives you a quick look before starting to type quickly. You look down at the screen and see that he is typing out a message to Johnny. You trail your eyes back up to his face to admire him. The reality of the situation finally coming in to hit you.

You look at his skin as it glows in the light. His ears slightly tinted pink as they were before and his cheeks are flushed. His lips are swollen but look irresistibly inviting. You find yourself craving them. Your eyes travel down to the hickey that is sitting perfectly on his neck and it causes heat to pool in between your legs. The sight of something like that on Jaehyun’s beautiful skin is already enough of a turn on as is, but the fact that you are the one that gave it to him, just excites you even more. You don’t notice that Jaehyun has completed the text he was sending, or that he has been watching you stare at him. He notices the way your eyes look fondly at him and he can’t help the blush that creeps back onto his skin.

“So beautiful,” you whisper, causing a shutter to rush through Jaehyun.

You trail your eyes up to Jaehyun’s and are surprised to see them looking back at you. You part your lips slightly and let out a short breath. Jaehyun’s eyes fall to your lips as he snakes his hands to wrap around your lower back. He uses his strength to pull your towards him until your fronts are touching. You can feel the rise of his chest as he breathes heavily under you. He leans his head in and connects your lips softly, much lighter than the last kiss you two shared. Your eyes flutter shut as your head starts to grow light. Jaehyun lets go of your lips before reconnecting them at a different angle. The kiss is soft, but causes a cold rush to flood through your chest.

Jaehyun lowers his hands to your ass and he gives it a playful squeeze. You let out a soft gasp and push yourself closer to his chest. A delicious groan falls from Jaehyun’s beautiful lips as your clothed heat grinds itself onto his growing member. The soft and thin fabric separating the two of you isn’t leaving much to the imagination and is causing a wetness to pool itself in your panties. With the idea now in your head, you pull your chest from his and rest your hands on his shoulders to steady yourself. Jaehyun takes your new position and grinds his hips upward into you. You both watch each other, studying the others reaction to the rough friction. Jaehyun’s tongue slips from his mouth, and he traces his swollen lower lip. His eyes become hooded and you look to find them to be the darkest shade of brown as they fill up with lust.

The image of Jaehyun now with lust filled eyes, rosy cheeks, and swollen lips will surely be one you never hope to forget.

You dig your nails deep into his shoulder as he roughly grinds into you again. You let out a sharp moan and your head lulls back. The feeling coming from Jaehyun’s bulge is enough to make your head spin.

He continues to roll his hips expertelly under you, as he leans forward to encapture the skin of your neck into his teeth.

His hands slide up to your hips and he pulls your body down to meet with his thrusts. His actions seem so foreign to you but feel so fucking good. You are use to the pure and warm Jaehyun. The one who smiles at Johnny’s cheesy jokes, and always makes sure to ask if you are alright or need anything. This new Jaehyun holds so much power and is so dark. He is making you feel pleasure you’ve never felt before, just by the skilled movement of his hips.

A breathy gasp escapes your mouth at Jaehyun and you can feel him smile into your neck. The heat of your body starts to become too much, and you find your hands falling from Jaehyun’s shoulders to the hem of your shirt. You start to pull it up and Jaehyun removes his lips for a second to allow you to discard the clothing. His eyes immediately dance across your exposed chest, and he roughly snaps his hips up into yours again. You let your hands travel to the bottom of his shirt and tug at it. Jaehyun pushes himself from the back of the coach and sits so you can pull his shirt up and over his head. Once it is gone, you trace your eyes up his toned chest, his skin looking smooth and delectable.

Jaehyun looks up at you and seizes the movement of his hips. You look at him in protest but he gives a smirk before his warm hand finds itself lightly touching your stomach, just above your belly button. He slowly traces a figure eight into your skin and you feel a rush of excitement at his feather like touch.

You are surprised when he speaks, his voice coming out rough and scratchy. “Are you okay with this?” He takes his soft, petal like fingers, and glides them down your stomach to the waistband of your sweatpants.

“Of course Jaehyun, I’ve wanted this for so long,” you reply softly. Trying to mask how breathless you actually are.

“You have?” Jaehyun questions, digits tugging at the string of your pants, untying them.

“Yes, I’ve liked you for quite a while now. Ever since Lisa introduced us, I haven’t been able to get you out of my mind.”

Something in Jaehyun seems to flip at your words because his hand roughly slides past your sweatpants and immediately comes down to your dripping heat. Your body shutters at the feeling and you pull your lower lip up between your teeth. Jaehyun allows one of his fingers to trace up your folds, testing you, watching your reaction.

“Fuck, you’re so wet,” he breaths out as his finger swipes past your heat again.

You moan at his words and bring your hands up to tangle into the soft traces of his hair.

He swipes his finger down to your entrance and slowly pushes it in. You let his name fall from your lips and you tug at his hair. He slowly fucks you with his long digit and you can’t help the sounds that fall from your lips. You look down at Jaehyun’s face to see that his eyes are focused down to where his hand has disappeared into your sweatpants. You follow his gaze and watch how his wrist bends with every thrust of his finger. You lean down to catch his lips in a heated kiss, and Jaehyun takes the time to add in another finger.

He takes his left hand and brings it to your back to unhook your bra. You let the article fall of your shoulders before throwing it behind you. You two break from your kiss and Jaehyun immediately brings his mouth down to show your exposed chest attention. He starts to suck harshly on your erect nipples and you throw your head back from the pleasure. He continues to bite and lick you as his fingers slide delightfully into your heat.

The feeling of him stretching you while playing with your chest feels so good and you find yourself rotating your hips to meet his fingers, eager to chase the orgasm that is steadily rising in your stomach.

“Mm,” Jaehyun begins to hum, “you’re so tight princess, so tight for me.” The words seem to roll of Jaehyun’s tongue like pure sex, and they cause a shiver to run down your spine.

You come to remember a time when you talked about kittens with Jaehyun for what seemed like hours. He just seemed so sweet and pleasant during that conversation. His words coming out pure and calculated. Never would you ever have thought that, that same Jung Jaehyun would be the one who is now filthily whispering to you as his hand is making you feel so good.

“Are you close?” he questions.

“Yes,” you breath out in reply.

You let your left hand slide down from Jaehyun’s hair, to rest on his collar bone. You pull your chest up closer to Jaehyun’s, allowing more room for the movement of his hand. Due to the restriction of the sweatpants, he can’t quite fully pulls his fingers out of you, but the proximity permits for the sharp flicks of his wrists to allow his fingers to go so deep within you that you can’t seem to contain your moans.

As you shut your eyes, lost in pure bliss, you feel Jaehyun bring his left hand up to rest on your cheek, angling your face with his. You open your eyes and see him looking at you.

“I want to watch you as you come princess, I want to see what I’m doing to you,” Jaehyun’s words come out sultry and smooth.

You do as you are told, keeping your eyes on Jaehyun as you feel him add in a third finger. The new stretch feeling so good, and your first orgasm of the night hits you hard. You squeeze at Jaehyun’s shoulder as his fingers continue to roughly slip into you as he helps your ride out the euphoria. You feel your stomach start to clench and Jaehyun slips his fingers out. He delicately removes them from your sweatpants and immediately brings his fingers up to his mouth. You watch him as he sucks you from his digits with an animalistic glint in his eye. He doesn’t take his eyes off you as he cleans his fingers and then removes them with a satisfying pop. You feel your legs try to clench together at the sight of Jaehyun passionately enjoying your taste.

With a rush of emotion you lower your face to crash your lip into Jaehyun’s, tasting yourself on his tongue. You continue to kiss him roughly as he slides his hands to your ass and lifts you both off the couch. You feel him start to walk, but you don’t open your eyes. You are too engrossed in the feeling of his lips. The way his kiss is making every nerve ending in your body fire rapidly.

You feel his left hand leave you for a second as he pushes open his bedroom door. Once you are inside he carries you to his bed and drops you down. The feeling causing butterflies to tickle your stomach as you let out a loud giggle.

You watch with a strong gaze as Jaehyun's hands fall to his own sweatpants and he begins to drag them down his toned legs. You rise yourself onto your elbows to get a better view of his actions. You trail his thighs with your eyes, the honey like skin and the outlines of definition looking amazing on him.

Once he steps out of his pants he comes over to the bed to stand in front of you.

“I think it’s about time we take these off,” he states smoothly, looking at your pants.

You watch him hook his fingers into the waistband before pulling the pants down in one quick motion.

Once they are off, Jaehyun grabs one of your ankles and gently spreads your legs open. You watch him cautiously as he starts to pepper soft kisses on your leg. His lips begin to travel up to your knee and your breath hitches in your throat. Jaehyun looks up at your face and smirks. Once his lips pass your knee, and are on your thigh, he starts to apply more pressure to the kisses. Every so often his tongue will dart out to wet your heated skin. You feel your hands grip at the bedsheets as your body electrifies from Jaehyun's touch.

You’ve been with a few other partners in the past, but none of them have ever paid as much attention to you as Jaehyun is right now. Jaehyun is working you up and teasing you, while also showing you passion and pleasure. The feelings are mixing together so well and you never knew someone could make you feel this way just by kissing your thigh.

He finally makes it up to your hip bone and his lips reluctantly leave your skin. You start to squirm your body, desperate for any sort of relief.

“Please Jaehyun,” you plead. Your voice coming out weak.

“What do you want princess?” He questions cockily as his hand comes up to rub at the skin on your hip, above your underwear.

“I want you Jae, please,” you whisper out, desperation clear in your voice.

Jaehyun smiles down at you before turning to his nightstand table. He pulls out a condom and rips open the wrapper. You watch as he pulls down his boxers releasing his erection. He rolls the condom on and turns back to you. You quickly bring your own hands to pull down your underwear.

Once you are both fully exposed to each other, Jaehyun comes over and climbs up on the bed. He brings his face up to yours and plants a soft and gentle kiss to your lips.

“I want you to know before we do this, that I really like you. You’re so beautiful. From the very first moment I saw you, I knew that there was no way I’d ever get you out of my head. This isn’t just some hook up to me,” his words trail off and he looks deep into your eyes.

“I feel the same way Jaehyun. I’ve wanted this… I’ve wanted you for a long time,” you reply, earning a peak of Jaehyun’s dimples as he smiles at your words.

He kisses you once more as he starts to slide his length into you. The stretch burns you but feels the best in all the right places. You release Jaehyun’s lips and let out a sigh as he pushes all the way in. You flutter your eyes open to look at him again and plant a kiss to his cheek, silently telling him that he can move.

Jaehyun starts to slide in and out of you at a slow but calculated pace. Once you both seem comfortable, he starts to pick up pace, hitting deeper within you at every thrust.

Luscious groans fall from Jaehyun’s lips and you watch his arms flex as he holds himself up.

“Fuck, Y/N,” he groans into your ear, his voice sounding sexier than anything you’ve ever heard.

His hips increase in speed as he thrusts into you, hitting your g-spot with ever motion. You bite down on your lip, trying to anchor yourself.

You can feel your orgasm coming swiftly and you can tell Jaehyun is getting close too by the motion of his hips become more erratic.

“I’m so close Jae,” you breath out. You bring your arms up from the bed and wrap them around Jaehyun. You let your fingers trace up his back.

“Me too princess,” Jaehyun replies. He brings his right hand up and starts to rub circles over your clit.

After a few more powerful thrusts you feel your orgasm rush over you. You hold on to Jaehyun tightly as he two comes to his own high. His hips start to slow until you are both done and he pulls himself out of you. He looks down at you and presses a soft kiss to your lips before leaving you to dispose of the condom.

You let yourself lay there, breathing heavily, as the memories of what just happened reel through your head. Jaehyun returns with a towel and a shirt, his lower half now covered by a new pair of boxers. He helps you clean yourself before handing you the shirt to slip over your head.

You two crawl up into the bed and you lay next to him with your elbow propped up and your head resting on your hand.

“I guess Lisa was right the whole time,” you comment while bringing your hand up to take a small section of Jaehyun’s hair. You feel it between your fingers, admiring how soft it is.

“What about?” Jaehyun questions while turning his body to face you.

“She always said I should just talk to you, because she said I’d never know if you liked me or not if I didn’t try. I always just figured that was her trying to get me out of my shell, I never figured she would actually be right,” you laugh to yourself as the words leave your lips. You drop your hands from Jaehyun’s hair and rest it on his chest.

“She sounds like Johnny, but I guess we both should have listened to them, we could have done this a long time ago,” Jaehyun replies as he grabs your hand to intertwine your fingers.

You can feel your eyes getting heavy as you continue to look at Jaehyun. You bring your head down to rest it on Jaehyun’s chest and he wraps his arms around you to bring you closer.

“Are you free tomorrow? I want to take you out on a proper date,” Jaehyun questions softly. His words causing his chest to vibrate against your cheek.

You hum to him and he chuckles.

You feel his body relax underneath you and you smile to yourself.

The light from the window wakes you the next morning and you slowly open your eyes. You look around the room and all the memories of last night flood themselves into your brain. You look down to your waist and see that Jaehyun has his arm wrapped tightly over you. You turn to look at him and are met with his broad and toned shoulders. He is laying on his stomach with his head turned away from you. You smile at him and slowly start to move yourself out of his grasp. He must have felt this because he slowly turns his body and pulls you in closer to him. His eyes are now open and staring at you.

He hums to you, “don’t leave just yet.”

You giggle at this, “I need to pee though.”

“Wait a minute, please, I want to hold you,” Jaehyun’s words come out so soft and delicate that you can’t find it in your heart to say no. You snuggle yourself into his chest and he pulls you in even tighter. You smile and kiss right about his heart.

You lay like this for a few seconds before a laugh from the doorway causes you to jump.

You look up with wide eyes as Lisa and Johnny stare into Jaehyun’s room at you.

“See, I told you,” Johnny states confidently, giving you a big smile.

Jaehyun turns over enough to look at the doorway. He lets out a groan before returning back to his previous position. You decide to not say anything either and snuggle back into Jaehyun’s chest.

“We’ll have breakfast ready soon,” Johnny states to you before you hear the bedroom door close.

“They aren’t going to let us live this down, you know that right,” you state a few moments later. Jaehyun just chuckles and plants a kiss to your forehead.

“I know.”

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masterthetackle · 4 years

Text

A Magical (or not) Academia

A Various Magia Record x Male!Reader Fanfiction

One: The First Day

Word Count: 4,732

A two hour train ride to your new home for the next four months. Honestly, you just wanted fresh air at this point.

Kamihama City University was your first choice when it came to universities across the country, although there were ones much closer to home. A change of pace is exactly what you needed though, and you couldn’t be more excited to step on campus. Luckily, the university had graciously provided you with most of the essentials in order to stay in the dorms, so all you really had to bring was a few things from home. Instead of having a problem with necessities, you had a different problem on your hands.

Being that you were a two hour train ride away, none of your friends from back at home went with you. All of the other campuses around your home city would be filled with your friends, but you were the sole attendee from your graduating class. Unfortunately for you it meant that you had no friends, at least not yet. Hopefully over the week you’ll get acquainted with a few other freshmen from your class. That’s why the campus had implemented a week-long event for the freshman to come on campus early and experience what life is like before classes officially begin for the semester.

And boy, would that be a blessing.

As much as you wanted to have a roommate, you decided against it. There were plenty of single rooms left in your dormitory, plus your parents were gracious enough to pay for your housing when your scholarships wouldn’t; you’d have a room all to yourself, but you didn’t mind. It just meant more private space for you to do whatever you wanted with. The only downside (or upside, depending on how you look at it) is the dormitory being co-ed, meaning there’d be quite a few girls living on your floor across the hallway.

The only thing you were really worried about was making no friends and having to be alone most of the semester.

Oh, Kamihama is the next stop, you thought. The beautiful scenery from before was gradually changing from fields to a cityscape, like a panorama. Skyscrapers, a radio tower, restaurants galore… there were so many things to like about the place. You’d only been there a handful of times with your family, and once alone whenever you initially visited the campus, so you’d hadn’t explored certain parts of the city. What better time to get well-acquainted than the extra week you’ll get?

The train came to a halt as passengers started getting off, and you did the same, small suitcase in hand as you maneuvered through the crowd. The station was quite busy, a few workers getting ready to board while others were getting off to go to work. The way to get out of the station was simple enough, and soon you found yourself breathing in nature once more.

“Ah, it feels so good to be out of that cramped train!” Smiling with arms stretched wide, you cracked a wide smile. However, it soon faded once you realized your predicament. “But really… I still have to trudge to the campus. Well, I guess having my smartphone handy was a good idea.”

There was a lot to see along the way. Children were still on their breaks and were running around with each other, enjoying themselves to the fullest with the biggest smiles on their faces while their mothers were trying to round them in for lunch. Stray animals crept along the sidewalk and played Frogger trying not get hit by the incoming traffic, mostly cats. They all had one thing in common, though; they weren’t alone.

And then there was you.

The Satomi Medical Center was your first indication that you were walking the right way. Being a ten minute walk from the school campus, it was definitely the first place to go if you had a life-threatening injury, although there was a smaller branch located on the campus in case of immediate assistance. Rumor has it that the director’s daughter was going to be attending Kamihama City University as well, but it hadn’t been confirmed as of late. Maybe you’d see her around.

Ten more minutes until I step on campus for the second time. Your mind was in a jumble, wondering what sorts of people you might meet on your first day of orientation. Surely you wouldn’t be the outcast trying to find his way among the others? There had to be somebody, anybody who’d be your friend in this new, strange environment. Looking around, there weren't many others your age out and about at this time, which was a bit out of the ordinary to you. More than likely they were out working their jobs or even setting up their dorm rooms.

You were so lost in the head that you didn’t pay attention in front of you and ended up bumping into somebody. Falling down on her butt, the girl looked up at you and blinked. Speak of the devil, a girl that’s actually my age!

“I’m so sorry about that, I wasn’t paying attention to where I was going and accidentally bumped into you.” Smiling, you offered her your hand, which she graciously took and stood. Dusting off her skirt, she took a moment to compose herself before speaking.

“It’s fine. You don’t look to be from Kamihama, what with your smartphone out while walking absentmindedly.” Getting a good look at her, the woman in question had blue locks that fell just a few inches past her shoulders and piercing blue eyes to match. “If I had to guess, you’re on your way to the university?”

“Oh, yes. I just got off the train about fifteen minutes ago and I was on my way to drop off my stuff at the dormitory…”

“That’s quite the coincidence. I’d just left some of my housemates at the university for orientation myself.” She moved a strand of hair away from her face as she spoke, surveying you up and down. “Anyways, that’s not the point. What is your name?”

This was the perfect opportunity to make a potential acquaintance. I can’t mess this up.

“It’s Y/N L/N. No formalities though, just call me Y/N.” You outstretched your hand for her to shake, hoping that she would at least do you that much.

“Yachiyo. Yachiyo Nanami.” Yachiyo’s soft hand clasped over yours and she shook it firmly, looking you straight in the eyes as she did so. “Anyways, I apologize for having to leave so soon, but I have to get going. I have a photoshoot that I need to get to.”

Photoshoot? What is she, a model? “Oh… well, it was nice to meet you regardless of the ill timing. I’m sure I’ll see you more in the future.”

“Probably so. Well, I suppose I’ll see you later, Y/N.”

“Yeah.”

Letting go of your hand, Yachiyo started walking the opposite direction that you were supposed to be going and leaving you to yourself yet again. Dammit. Moping about it wasn’t going to do you any good, so yet again you were walking towards the campus. The amount of people around started to pick up drastically when you were in the vicinity of the university in question. Young adults were scattered about and talking with their friends, others were carrying boxes to move in.

To think that you were one of them now. What a curious thing indeed.

There was around an hour until you had your first official event for orientation, and you still had to grab your dormitory key and place your bag there. An hour should be enough time to get my stuff sorted out. Students were loitering about and busied themselves with one another as you walked into your particular dormitory. One of the Resident Advisors was handing out keys to the first floor, which thankfully you happened to be living on. Smiling, he looked to be enjoying his duties. Either that, or he was just dreading it so much that he didn’t want to come off as rude or boring.

“Hey there! You must live on this floor, right? What’s the surname?” On the table in front of him were the keys placed in a flourish, probably for show. His fingers tapped on the wood harshly, waiting for a response from you.

“Oh, sorry. It’s L/N.” Monotonously and with no feeling, you bore a stare at him, awaiting your key. It’s not like you couldn’t see it in plain sight, but a few forms were slid in your direction along with a pen.

“Okay, so you’re just going to have to sign this paper saying you got the right key to your room, and then this other form says that you got the right key to your mailbox. I’m surprised they’re letting you live in the room by yourself, though. Usually you’d have a roommate, but they must have made some sort of exception for you.”

“Nah. I mean, since I guess the other guy who was supposed to be rooming with me bailed at the last second, my parents decided to pay for the rest of my room so I could have it to myself…”

“Ohhh. That’s quite lucky, I suppose!”

Smiling with a hint of malice, you snorted. All you really wanted to do was finish signing the forms, but he made it really hard for you to concentrate on writing your name because of how much small talk he was trying to make. Not responding to his previous sentence, he didn’t try to speak up until you were nearly done. One last stroke-

“Don’t forget about the floor meeting tonight. It’s mandatory, since there’s gonna be another form to sign and all.” This time you did look up, glaring daggers straight into his soul. “S-Sorry, I should have let you finish before speaking up.”

“No… it’s fine. It’s not like I messed my name up or anything.” You hissed your words through grit teeth and accepted the exchange of forms for your keys, picking up your bag from the ground and trudging to your room without another word. The hallway was quite narrow in retrospect to the building, the only ‘decorations’ on the walls being the emergency exit routes and flyers talking about the different resources the university has to offer.

But none of that matters right now. All you wanted was to get to your room and throw your bag down so you could go attend the events outside.

Making it to your room labeled one hundred nineteen, you made sure you had the right key in your hands before slipping it into the door, opening it. The first thing you noticed was the light breeze that was brought into the room by the open window on the opposite wall. A dresser was leaning against the adjacent wall next to the door to the small personal bathroom, a complimentary television sitting right on top of it with the remote placed beside it. Your bed was simple, linen sheets laid atop it for you to put on yourself along with two standard pillows. It was in direct sight of the television, making easy viewing access. Canvases with inspirational quotes such as ‘not all who wander are lost’ and others of the sort were hanging up above your desk to make the room feel more homey, akin to your room back at home. Not to mention the plug-in internet that you thankfully brought an Ethernet cable for was placed conveniently close. The finishing touch was a small succulent in the corner of the windowsill, sitting there with as much sunlight as it could possibly get.

So, this is going to be my home for the next four months… You almost had the nerve to say those words out loud, but what good would it do? There wasn’t anyone in earshot who could hear you, save for the neighbors and one girl who was struggling to get her stuff down the hallway. It was no wonder, given that she couldn’t even see in front of her.

Maybe I should help her. It could be my good deed for the day to make up for running into Yachiyo earlier.

Quickly doing what you intended to do earlier and placing your bag on your bed, you shut and locked your door at an alarming speed before bolting down the hallway towards the girl.

“Hey, you look like you could use some help. Let me get one of the boxes for you.”

“O-Oh, um, I mean, if you really want to help me, I would appreciate it! My roommate would, but uh, she says she doesn’t have time because she has her own stuff to unpack before orientation starts.” She grunted, clearly struggling to keep hold of the cardboard. You took no time slipping the top box off and into your grasp, and you were finally able to get a good look at her. A petite girl with a small blush on her face, probably out of embarrassment, was looking back at you with golden, almost honey brown eyes.

“That’s a shame that your roommate didn’t want to help you. Not to offend you, but you look smaller than other girls I’ve seen.”

“I’m not offended in the slightest. I mean… you didn’t seem to mean anything rude by it… I think?”

“So, where’s your room at?”

“One hundred seventeen should be the number on the door…”

Making a mental note of the number, you started walking back down the hallway towards your own room. To your own surprise, one hundred seventeen happened to be the room right across from your own. Lucky coincidence, or possibly fate? You didn’t know.

The door was already ajar from a box keeping it in place. Instead of barging in without consent, you waited a few seconds for your companion to catch up to you so she could enter first. When she did, you were surprised to see how much more thought and decoration was put into their shared room. Just as she had said earlier, her roommate was unpacking everything that she could out of totes and boxes, stacking most of the contents on her bed. Her light blue hair contrasted with the other girl’s reddish brown locks, but you were more interested in the glare she had when you stepped in the room.

“Who’s he?” was the only thing she could muster to say as she haphazardly kicked an empty box across the room and towards the recycling bin.

“It’s not nice to be rude, Rena… and he helped me carry the last of the boxes down the hallway that you wouldn’t!” Huffing, the girl whose name was still unknown to you gestured to an empty spot beside her. “You can place it here, um…”

“Y/N. Just call me Y/N. And by the way, I live right across the hallway from you, so if you happen to need help again… don’t hesitate to knock on my door. I’ll answer if I’m there.” Smiling, you set the box down exactly where she told you to put it, and you were met with an equally broad smile.

“I’m Kaede Akino, and my roommate over there is Rena-”

“I don’t need you to introduce myself to him.” Placing one last thing on her bed, Rena turned to you with a flat expression. “Rena Minami. I guess I should at least try to get along with you if you’re going to be across the hall. Heh, maybe if one of our neighbors makes a lot of noise, we can just file a report on you since we actually know your name.”

“Rena, that’s not nice! Y/N wouldn’t do anything like that… right?”

“Right. There’s nothing to worry about.” Giving Kaede and Rena a thumbs-up, you took out your phone to check the time once more. Thirty minutes until orientation… “It was really nice to meet you two, but I was planning on trying to… socialize a bit more before orientation actually started.”

“You could have said you were going to go take a nap and I still would have bought it. Whatever.” Rena rolled her eyes, which seemed to be something common for her as Kaede looked to be used to it by now. They were probably one of those freshmen who went to high school together and decided to be roommates so they didn’t have to get to know a stranger.

“Oh, um…” Kaede looked like she wanted to say more, but shook her head at the last second before giving a polite wave. “I’m sure if we don’t see each other during the day that we’ll see each other at the floor meeting. It was nice meeting you too!”

Taking one more brief glance at their room, you stepped out and, putting your hands in your pocket, started making your way out of the dormitory and back onto the main part of the campus.

You never really got a good look at it before, but the lavish greenery spread around really did liven up the place. Some took advantage of them, sitting under the trees as the branches shielded them from the sun, while others were just gathered around to take pictures in front of the massive beauties. There was a part of you that really wanted to do it, too. Stand under the tree with friends and take a picture together for the hell of it.

But… in reality, you still had nobody to call your friend. They were all acquaintances, nothing more. You were still, in a sense, utterly alone. You hated this, so much in fact that you kicked a loose pebble on the ground and hit someone else’s shoe. He didn’t seem to notice though, which you were thankful for. But, really… you were one out of thousands standing around on campus, but you were the only one in sight who was by their lonesome. There wasn’t an empty table for you to sit at and mope, nor a bench.

Guess I have to do this the hard way.

Walking forward a few more steps past the front doors of the dormitory was a challenge in and of itself. You weren’t normally a sociable person when it came to strangers, and the only reason you happened to talk to others today was by accident and by courtesy, nothing more. If someone asked you, ‘Hey, can you go ask this person a favor for me?’, you’d probably freeze up and not be able to say anything, thus making you look like a complete idiot. Why couldn’t you just be a normal guy like everyone else and just… well, talk to others? Anxiety, you think it is. But isn’t it natural to clam up in social situations?

You didn’t seem to notice the hand sitting on your shoulder until now, and the surprise mixed with your thoughts from earlier came crashing down and caused you to jump and move forward. Turning around, there didn’t seem to be anyone there, or anyone who looked guilty of pulling a prank you should say.

There it was again. This time you kept your hand on the other persons’ and turned around, keeping a vice grip on it until you saw exactly who it was. An unfamiliar face nonetheless, but a woman. You let go out of embarrassment from the situation, and all she could do was let out an excited giggle. Her brown hair was tied up to the side in a ponytail, with bangs framing her face and orange eyes that seemed to mimic flames… whatever that was supposed to mean.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you the first time, but when I got that reaction out of you… I just couldn’t help myself to do it the second time!” Pointing her thumb behind her, she stopped her giggles and smiled. “My friends thought you looked a little bit lonely just standing there, but I was actually getting ready to leave the campus myself and thought that you could keep them company in my stead!”

Does she really have to be so loud? You could feel your eardrums wanting to burst just from this woman’s apparent volume control, or should you say lack thereof. Grimacing, you nodded your head without even thinking of the real reason she said that. Looking behind her, you saw a group of three girls: a blonde, a pink-haired, and a mint-haired girl. Wait a minute, her friends were just a bunch of girls!

“Thanks a lot! Truth be told, I just decided to stick around because somebody didn’t want to… well, actually she had something to do, but that doesn’t matter! I’m not even supposed to be here since I’m not a freshman!” As if you thought it couldn’t get worse, her giggle from earlier turned into a hearty laugh. “Anyways, have fun!”

She turned around without a second thought, nearly running into someone before turning back around. This woman is full of energy.

“Oh wait, before I forget,” she started, thrusting her hand forward for a handshake. With the force of it, she probably could have knocked you over if she tried hard enough. “Tsuruno Yui, the Mightiest College Student! Pleased to meet ya!”

The initial shock of the situation before you left you speechless. You just stood there and looked at her outstretched hand as she waited, an unwavering smile plastered on and refusing to turn into a frown. It had been at least ten seconds now and she still waited for you to shake her hand without skipping a beat. Prolonging the situation would only make you look like an ass, so you gave her hand a firm shake before pulling it away.

“Y/N.”

“Y/N? I’ll be sure to remember that! Okay, this time I’m gonna leave for real, but my friends can definitely keep you company!” Once again turning on her heel, she made quick strides in order to step off the campus, waving at her friends quickly as she ran past. You followed her only up to said friends, who were watching the entire ordeal go down with mixed reactions.

“I’m… really sorry about Tsuruno,” the pink haired girl said. “I didn’t think she was actually going to go up to you so easily like that. We just thought you looked a bit lost. Are you from Kamihama?”

“No, not really. If I was, I probably wouldn’t have ran into that woman earlier and caused her to fall as I was looking at my phone for directions to get here…” Sighing in defeat, your shoulders decided to slump down on their own. “I don’t have any real friends here. All of them went to universities closer to home.”

“That must be hard…” She glanced over at the blonde, who started pestering some of the nearby wildlife on campus while she wasn’t paying attention. “Felicia, don’t pick on the wild animals like that! They didn’t do anything to you!”

“Whatever, Iroha! Don’t look at me like they won’t come at you at a moment's notice if you have your eyes closed!” Felicia pouted, crossing her arms and walking back over.

Noticing that the only other girl left hadn’t spoken up, you turned to face her. It didn’t seem like she wanted to talk, at least not yet, as she had clung onto Iroha without a moment to spare. Even though she was your age, you had to wonder if she had somewhat of a sheltered lifestyle, or maybe even some emotional trauma that made her this way.

Iroha and Felicia continued to have their own debate about the wild animals as you and the girl had a staring contest of sorts. Her green irises stared you down, but her lips remained tightly sealed as she examined your figure. Deciding to break the silence yourself, your lips moved on their own.

“Are your friends always this way?” A small question was the best way to break the silence, and it seemed she agreed, as her lips finally opened to formulate a response.

“Sometimes… but usually it’s Felicia and Tsuruno and not Iroha... “ Quiet, yet refined. She was a nice breath of fresh air compared to Tsuruno, who wasted no time both scaring you and making your ears bleed in less than two minutes. “Sometimes I wish they wouldn’t argue or have debates, but they usually don’t listen to me. It’s… almost as if I’m invisible to them when they do that.”

“I understand that feeling. Trust me.”

A gentle smile for a gentle girl. It made you crack a smile of your own, though it was short lived as Felicia broke the small silence.

“We have ten minutes to get to that huge auditorium and take a seat! We need to hurry before we have to sit all the way in the back!” This seemed to have startled your potential friend, who jumped in response to the sudden change in tone. Felicia noticed this and waved her hand. “Sorry, Sana!”

“Felicia’s right. You should come with us, Y/N.” Iroha clasped her hands together in a warm gesture. Tsuruno was loud enough for the entire world to hear, so it was no wonder Iroha knew my name without having to ask. I’ll have to wait for a formal introduction, though. Right, because the three girls were already making a small move ahead of you and towards the auditorium in question, leaving you in the dust. Probably Felicia’s idea, if you’d have to guess.

It only took a minute to arrive in the auditorium, and you took a moment to glance around and observe your surroundings. Thousands of seats in a stadium-like fashion lined the space, as well as a top balcony with extra seating above in case they ran out. On the main stage, a podium stood in front of rows of foldable chairs, seated with staff who wore official clothing prepared for the ceremony. A banner with the mark symbolizing Kamihama City University hung from said podium, which made the small welcome speech they were going to give for orientation seem all more official and real.

Even though seats were filling up quickly, the four of you were able to snag seats in the middle section about fifteen rows back from the main stage, making it easier for you to see. With only three minutes to spare, too. Felicia and Iroha sandwiched Sana in between them, while you sat on the edge of your group beside Iroha. There was another girl next to you, but you weren’t able to hear what she was saying to her friend beside her in the midst of all the talking. Iroha and the others were having a conversation of their own at the moment and you didn’t want to be rude and interrupt them, so yet again you were contemplating your thoughts.

It was nice to feel like others worried. Even if Tsuruno did it in a way that you couldn’t explain, she still thought you could use a friend or two just to get by. As you glanced around you spotted Kaede and Rena, who were chatting up a storm. You could have gotten away with going with them and even helped Kaede unpack her boxes. I wonder if she even got to unpack any? Although… amongst the handful of familiar faces, there were still thousands around you that you didn’t know. Most of them you didn’t have to know, but yet they were still in your class, so you had to at least acknowledge that much, right?

No, you thought. It would be a struggle to keep up with so many people. Only a handful. That’s all.

The eerie sound of someone testing the microphone placed upon the podium shook you out of your trance, and you looked up to see that the president himself was getting ready to speak. Sitting up straight, you were ready to hear the first words come out of his mouth, expecting them to be stale and tasteless. The words he used to open the ceremony with reminded you of where you were, and why you were here. They were simple words, really, but through his diction you could understand the emotion behind them.

“Welcome to Kamihama City University.”

#magia record #magia record x reader #various x reader #madoka magica #madoka magica x reader #pmmm #pmmm x reader #a magical academia #fanfiction

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urflowersdied · 4 years

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junebug

Long time no see! I’ve had a really rough past few months regarding finding the motivation and creativity to write, but I’ve been really wanting to get back into it. I wrote this piece in January of last year - 2019 - but left it to rot in my Google Drive... It’s not the best piece of writing, I’d say, but I feel the need to just put it up so that I hopefully can move on and post a more recent piece of writing soon-ish. Quarantine is boring me to the brink. Hope you’re all well and can get some enjoyment out of this! x

He had never cared for an animal on his own before, but Harry was convinced that every pet owner gained some sort of extrasensory perception - or rather, a sixth sense - upon deciding to house a little creature. With previous family cats, or even the hamster that his sister had convinced their parents to adopt when he was about 4 years old, his mother had handled all of the arising problems herself, usually trying to keep her children out of the sad aspects of living with a pet. Therefore, 23-year-old Harry didn’t have any pre-existing experience with spotting illness in animals, yet when he woke up one morning and saw Juniper - his little Jack Russell Terrier - not already impatiently sitting by her bowl, tail wagging about, that he sensed something was... off.

Now, two days later and Juniper still refusing to move about more than absolutely necessary (usually she would join him on his morning runs, zoom around his apartment after tennis balls and properly beg him to take her on another walk when he got in from lectures and classes), an immensely worried Harry knew he had to take action. The only issue was that veterinarian visits weren’t exactly easily affordable on a student budget. Sure, he could always contact his mother and request a little support, but he was well aware of her current financial situation and had previously made the decision to help her out rather than ask for money.

It seemed as though the stars aligned for him when he brought up his struggles to Adam, who often spared him an ear to let him vent about various issues. He had been Harry’s friend ever since they found themselves seated next to each other in the introductory lecture to their Psychology degree. In their two and a half years of friendship Adam had offered lots of (sometimes unsolicited) advice to Harry, which had rarely been useful. But this time around, Adam’s proposition might have the actual potential of leading towards a useful solution for his problem.

“Do you remember that girl David used to date? I think…. Emelie? Erica? Can’t really remember. Anyways, one time at pre-drinks I got into conversation with her - wanted to know who was silly enough to go out with that git. She told me she was studying to become a vet! Can you believe? She seemed really smart so I don’t really know what she was doing with… Not that important, actually. Few weeks later Sarah’s cat wasn’t feeling great and apparently she came by to do a check-up for free. Think I’d be able to get you her number if you wanna give that a shot!”

So here he was, stood in his kitchen at 7 am, waiting for this vet student to reply to the text message he’d sent her. Turns out Adam got the name wrong during their conversation and apparently she was actually called Emma, but that wasn’t really of any importance to him. What was important, instead, was that she would get back to Harry as quickly as possible. He was eyeing his little pup nervously, having just spent an exhausting night alongside her, and even though he knew it wasn’t really proper etiquette to contact someone before at least 8 in the morning, he really couldn’t help himself. Hopefully this Emma would be able to fulfill the high praises Adam, and upon inquiry their friend Sarah as well, had sung about her.

It seemed as though she was off to a good start, because no more than 10 minutes later he was alerted of a new text message through the bell-noise of his phone. Harry had been crouched next to Juniper, who seemed to currently prefer residing in the dog bed he had placed in the living room, but quickly shot up and slid towards the device on the kitchen counter.

“Hello Harry! Yes, this is Emma! I could come by and take a look at your pup after classes, which would be around 5. Would that work for you? I don’t want to promise that I’ll be able to do much, but I can definitely tell you what other steps you should take. Send me your address and let me know if that time works for you! x Emma”

_______________________________________________

The light succession of knocks on his front door startled Harry. He had gotten in about an hour ago, after attending two lectures which he hadn’t completely focused on. While waiting for who he was hoping he would dub “saviour” by the end of her visit Harry had busied himself with cleaning the place up and doting on his poor doggo.

As he pulled the door open, some information lodged itself into place in his head. How could he have not made the link before? She had attended some pre-drinks and various night out’s on the arm of David, a tosser that was - sadly, really - the roommate of one of Harry’s better friends. He had never been fond of David, but remembers the moment distinctly in which he had laid eyes upon this girl now standing in front of him.

Remembers how his heart had beaten a little faster, because she truly looked like the sweetest girl around. Remembers how she had shot everyone the kindest smile as she was being introduced. Remembers how he had been convinced she must be mad and incredibly naive, for he knew no other reason why she would hang around his asshole acquaintance.

“Oh, hi! I figured it was you, but wasn’t entirely sure!” Her voice pulled Harry out of his little daydream. He felt a little taken aback, but reciprocated her enthusiastic smile and tone of voice while greeting her.

“Hey! What a surprise, didn’t know you were studying to be a vet. Thank you for stopping by, Emma.”

She toed off her shoes, discarded her winter jacket on the coat rack by the door and turned back towards him. He pretended to not notice the small once-over she gave him, for the sake of not making her uncomfortable before she just did him and his dog a huge favour. “So, where’s your pup? Juniper, is it?” Harry immediately led her towards the living room. Upon catching sight of the miserable looking animal, Emma, seemingly not being able to hold back, let out a tiny coo and immediately moved towards her.

“I’m honestly not really sure what happened. One day she was fine, coming on runs with me and going ballistic in the flat and then the next she was barely able to get up. I’ve never really cared for a dog myself before so I didn’t really know if she was just in a mood or hurt, but her situation didn’t really improve so…” Harry trailed off, keeping his eyes fixed on his dog as Emma lowered herself to the ground. The extreme amount of nervous energy coursing through his body almost made him want to chuckle. If this was how badly an ill dog affected him, how would he be able to deal with his own children in the future?

Hovering a hand over the dog’s head, Emma addressed Harry. “Are you alright with me touching her?” The young man hummed in agreement, willing to do just about everything at this point. “As I already mentioned in my text, I can’t really promise I’m gonna be able to help. I also just wanna let you know that I’ve obviously not finished my degree yet, so I’m not a legit veterinary yet. So I really need you to be aware of that. I won’t do anything that I’m not one hundred percent sure of, but I can definitely give you an assessment of her situation, at the very least.”

Harry was aware of this. It was also the information that his friend Sarah had given him. Emma was still at university, therefore not a licensed vet yet, but apparently extremely careful and trustworthy. And because taking at least a look at some other student’s sick animals was a great way to put all her training into practice, she did these sort of check ups for free. He appreciated Emma’s reiteration of this disclaimer though, and immediately let her know that he was alright with the situation.

And to be honest, had he not previously been made aware that she was still in the process of getting her degree, he probably would not have noticed any difference between her and the fully fledged veterinarian that had come round to his mother’s house a few times when he was younger. Emma had an extremely calm aura surrounding her, which put Juniper - who had been jittery every time Harry approached her - at ease quite quickly.

The next few moments introduced a concentrated silence to Harry’s living room. He didn’t quite know what to do with himself as her hands softly reached out towards different parts of Juniper’s little body, so he started gnawing on his lips and continuously shifting his weight from one leg onto the other and back. This seemed to amuse the girl on his living room floor, because she took a second to let her gaze move from the intense focus on the animal towards its agitated owner. “How about you sit down on the couch? Think you being stationary might help calm the pup down a little bit.”

So that’s what Harry did. Took a seat on the cushioning and waited for any potential questions he knew she was bound to ask him. When Emma spoke up after a few more moments, the questions she asked seemed pretty standard to him. How old was Juniper? What did she weigh? How often would he usually take her out on a walk? Did she still eat like usually? What was her behaviour like when she wasn’t feeling poorly? He answered every question she posed to the best of his abilities, but couldn’t really help and inquire himself after a while: “What do you reckon is the problem, then?”

She gracefully angled her body towards Harry’s sitting form. That was something he had been noticing the entire time she had conducted the little examination - Emma exuded grace and tranquility. She had only directed the most delicate of touches and softest words towards Juniper, and even though she had not made any sort of body contact with Harry, he had also felt immensely soothed simply by her presence. He wondered if that was just her natural demeanor or a way of handling herself she had acquired during her veterinary training. “From what you’ve been telling me about her being really energetic and playful usually, just like any Jack Russell Terrier really, I’d say it’s very likely she had some zoomies and hurt herself during. Looks and feels to me like there’s a little issue in the back of her vertebrae.”

Emma’s explanation made a lot of sense to Harry. Juniper was a very lively dog and often had little bursts of energy that she released by dashing in and out of every room in his small flat, jumping on various pieces of furniture and gliding around the wooden floors. It was likely that she had been a little overzealous and one point and gotten herself hurt without him noticing, even though that made him feel a little inadequate as a pet owner. “And… so… what happens now?”

With a few light pats on the top of Juniper’s head Emma parted from the animal and got back on her feet. “Well… Gotta be honest here, I don’t feel comfortable doing an osteopathic procedure on my own because I haven’t really mastered that training yet, but you’re in luck.” Harry motioned for her to follow him and the two of them stepped into the kitchen. He wanted to let his dog rest a little bit, and because he was sure animals understood the human language more than they let on, he located their conversation about her health to another room. “My dad’s got an animal osteopathy clinic up in Manchester. He’s supposed to be coming down to London for dinner tomorrow anyway, so if I butter him up well enough he’d probably be happy to take a detour before that and do a little session on Juniper.” After taking a little glance at Harry’s increasingly worried face - because he hadn’t ever really been aware that there were osteopaths specialised in animal care and also would any of this this hurt his pup even more? - Emma quickly added: “And don’t worry about paying him. He owes me a favour for helping out in the clinic for free during busy weekends.”

Harry hadn’t planned to tear up, he really hadn’t. Such a reaction wasn’t usually in the cards for him - sure, compared to his friends he was quite the emotional fella, but he was studying to be a psychologist and usually had his wits about him - but the gratitude he felt towards this tiny helper, who had just randomly appeared in his and his dog’s life, was indescribable. Here stood this gentle young woman, who had made time in her probably super busy and hectic student schedule to take a closer look at his dog because he struggled to afford a real vet visit, and who had miraculously calmed Juniper, who had been nervous and in pain, down seemingly by just entering the building, and now she was offering him her dad’s osteopathic services, also free of charge? How could he possibly hold it together in the face of such kindness?

Apparently, his depiction of emotion was a little surprising to Emma. With widened eyes she observed as he tried to get a grip, seemingly not really knowing how to approach this man who she had only spoken to a couple of brief times.”Sorry, sorry. That’s… Yeah, that’d be amazing. I’ve just been really stressed about this and you’re being really nice and just… thank you, really. Sorry.” Harry shot her an appreciative smile while willing the moisture in his eyes to subside quicker.

Catching a glimpse of the digital clock on his microwave, Emma let out a surprised noise and made a move towards the front door. “You’re alright, don’t worry about it. I’ll text you early tomorrow to figure out what time would be good for you, yeah? I’ve got to dash now, though. Got a paper to finish for this class of mine”, she said as she tucked her feet back into the black boots she had entered his flat in.

The last thing she said to Harry as they parted ways for the night made his cheeks light up with a rosy glow. Because he really had tried to clean his living space up well enough before she arrived earlier, wanting to seem put-together and rational for this (as he then had believed) stranger. It seemed as though he either hadn’t done a good enough job or Emma had, in addition to all of her other attributes he had taken notice of, a keen eye for observations. “Oh yeah, I think it’s super endearing that you’re willing to sleep on your couch to make her more comfortable. You seem like a great owner, don’t stress about it.”

________________________________________________

The shrieking laughter of his friends still reached Harry, even as he distanced himself from them and closed the door that connected Adam’s living room to his kitchen. He hadn’t really been in the mood to get hammered tonight, much less to make an appearance at some random bloke’s birthday party, but here he stood anyways. Already empty wine glass in his left hand, waiting for everyone’s intoxication levels to rise so that they could make their way out. The sooner Harry and his mates got to that celebration, the sooner it would be acceptable for him to duck out and return to the safe, warm, and especially calm confines of his flat.

Harry really didn’t pay attention to his surroundings as he was scavenging various shelves for the bottle of wine Adam had shooed him off of the comfortable armchair for. Adam was always a keen but awful host. He didn’t have any quarrels about their group of friends hanging out at his little apartment, but would make everyone else in attendance tend to any arising hosting duties - like sticking your head into the deep unknown of his cluttered cupboards to locate a new bottle of red. When a charming giggle erupted from behind him, a startled Harry turned around immediately. As his gaze fell upon his current favorite person in the world - yes, he was aware that he had a knack for dramatising - the alarmed heartbeat in his chest declined towards a way slower thud. “Don’t scare me like that.” He raised his hand to his chest theatrically in an attempt to garner a repeat of that wonderfully melodic giggle, and succeeded. After a few short seconds of exchanging glances and smiles, a thought crossed his mind: “Not to sound rude, but what are you doing here?”

Emma took a step closer to him and grabbed one of the long-stemmed wine glasses that had been placed on the kitchen counter by Sarah earlier in the evening. “Honestly, not completely sure. Adam - he’s your friend, right? - texted me out of the blue and so did Sarah. Said that even though I’m, and I quote, ‘thankfully’ not seeing David anymore I’m still invited to hang out with the gang so… Here I am, I guess.” The bright smile which appeared on her face was almost enough to lessen the annoyance rising up Harry’s throat. Almost.

No matter how hard he tried to keep mum, the endeared exclamations about his new acquaintance just broke past the barrier his lips had tried to keep aloft. Sitting in another early morning lecture, Adam had asked how the meeting with “little miss doctor” had gone - because of course that nosy shit was going to pester him about it - and Harry just… erupted. Had entertained his friend’s digs for information and explained how much of a calming effect the vet-in-training had supplied not only to his dog but him as well. How (pleasantly) surprised he had been to learn that he actually kind of knew the woman that appeared by his front door. And Harry didn’t really regret bringing Adam up to speed on that first meeting - he had arranged it, had he not? -, but rather he was embarrassed by his retelling of the following evening.

Emma and her dad had knocked on his door shortly after 6, excuses spilling from the woman’s lips about her class had run late and the older man slightly eyeing up Harry from behind his daughter’s body blocking the doorway. After a few initial moments of awkwardness, which Harry wasn’t really sure of why they had arisen, the trio moved towards Juniper’s sleepy figure, still located in the living room.

While her father went to work on his new patient - and now Harry was aware from whom the girl standing next to him had inherited her vast amount of calmness - Emma turned towards its owner. “She’ll be back to knocking into all your furniture during her zoomies in no time.” And man, had Harry felt assured by these softly spoken words.

During the whole procedure Harry fought a little battle in his mind. He didn’t really know this girl at all, did he? Hadn’t interacted much with Emma other than run-ins with her latched onto David’s arm - he had thought about that relationship quite a lot the previous night and he really could not come to a logical conclusion as to how that had established itself, but he was grateful that she seemed to have seen the light and dumped him a while back - and her visit to his sick dog which had taken place a mere 25 hours back. Yet she had displayed such an openness to him, that he just felt incredibly indebted to her.

He had wanted to repay her in some way, and perhaps selfishly use that opportunity to spend more time in her enchanting presence, but with her father there he could not find the right words to extend her a casual dinner invitation. And exactly this sentiment had Harry really hung up when he described the events of the past two days to Adam. Harry had wanted to ask Emma out, but in the end just couldn’t gather up the courage and he felt his chance had now passed. Juniper felt a lot better and there was no need to seek Emma’s veterinary advice.

Turns out, Harry’s friends weren’t as complacent as him and had decided to take matters into their own hands, inviting her to their get-together not purely out of kindness but also to create another opportunity for their friend to get off his arse and ask the sweet girl out already. And Harry was grateful, for sure, he just wasn’t prepared. He would have appreciated a little head’s up.

As it currently stood though, the evening was shaping itself up to becoming intriguing.

#harry styles fanfiction #harry styles #fanfiction #harry fanfiction #one direction fanfiction

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jamesmarlowe · 4 years

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『ANTON THIEMKE ❙ CIS-MALE』 ⟿ looks like JAMES MARLOWE is here for HIS SENIOR year as a FINE ARTS student. He is 21 years old & known to be CLEVER, INVENTIVE, UNRELIABLE & EGOTISTICAL. They’re living in NOLAND, so if you’re there, watch out for them. ⬳ SLOTH. 25. EST. SHE/HER.

hi hello welcome 2 my twisted mind ☺️ marlowe is a character i’m still fine-tuning bc he’s brand-new, so this is unfortunately.... a bit of a mess.... and mostly made up on the spot.... c’est la vie!!

(a late addition but u can also peep his weheartit collection here 4 some vibes)

his government name is james marlowe but he only goes by marlowe & only introduces himself as marlowe like he’s madonna or sting.... most ppl who know him (apart from like close friends) probably don’t even know what his first name is. maybe he doesn’t have one!

hails from Appalachia, specifically a trailer park in a poor-as-dirt stretch of Virginia where he was born n raised, baby. he’s Appalachian white trash and not afraid to admit it. marlowe’s very casual about his upbringing and his dumpster fire of a family (no less than three relatives are currently incarcerated, one of which is his older brother who’s probably serving a minor sentence for whatever dumb shit Tim Riggins got got for in FNL or like, selling illegal fireworks out of his trunk :/ ). the only thing he’s a little self-conscious about is his twang which he’s mostly suppressed by now, but other than that, he’s got no shame in where he comes from bc lbr no authentic artist ever came from money anyway!

born sandwiched in the middle of five siblings, marlowe’s always been wild and creative and impulsive, a loud-mouthed kid with too much to say for his own good, prone 2 getting in trouble but learning absolutely nothing from it. it was his mission in life to be Different from all the other kids who grew up where he grew up, with the way he talked, dressed, acted, because he knew that he was destined for bigger n better things so it was just a matter of getting other ppl to believe it, & then seeing how far a little talent and a lot of charisma would take him >:)

from age 8 onwards, he told people he was an “artist” and that became his primary identity. when he was 16 he completed an independent sculpture project (called “Skyscraper”) where he constructed a 20-foot tower made out of junk collected from around the trailer park and then glued Barbies n other dolls all clawing over each other to get to the top, smack dab in the middle of Main Street and refused to take it down even when the local fire department showed up 2 threaten him with fines. it did eventually get taken down bc it was ‘structurally unsound’ and someone nearly got concussed by a falling mannequin head, but at least it got some attention from local newspapers and w/ that as the crown jewel in his portfolio, marlowe got into a few different art/liberal arts schools the following year. radcliffe was the only one who offered a partial scholarship and the east coast sounded nice n far from home, so anyways lets go ✈️ college

FAST FORWARD its senior year babey and marlowe’s been making the most of his time here at radcliffe. he’s a fine arts major but specializes in mixed media sculptures (and probably is really shit at most of his other classes, like art theory where u actually have to read textbooks? still life drawing? boring. yawn. won’t do it.) his entire profile as an artist i’m cribbing from Rachel Harrison bc I saw her exhibition at the whitney a little while ago and her sculptures made me go ?????¿¿¿¿¿ which i think is exactly the kind of bizarre nonsense that marlowe is going for with his “art”. feast your eyes on these masterpieces. the joke of it all is that marlowe is the first to admit that his art isn’t like.... good. but his philosophy is that if people respond to it & praise it like it’s art, then by definition, it’s art. and if it gets him places (like it got him onto Cultured Magazine’s “30 Young Artists To Watch This Decade″ list), then yeehaw!

When he’s not busy creating new monstrosities, marlowe takes one fat nap per day (usually at a time when he has class) and is otherwise a very social creature who needs constant attention. he’s got a lot of friends and is always looking to make more, not in a #fake way but just as a person who genuinely likes being around people. he very quickly gets bored if left on his own, so he’s prone to following people around campus like a stray cat regardless of whether or not they tell him to shoo. he dorms at Noland but is almost always found in other houses, often crashing in other people’s rooms (needs to be close to his friends or He’ll Die), and he definitely frequents parties, bc marlowe never passes up an opportunity to drink other people’s booze and get a lil messy and Chaotic. he’s [jim halpert voice] not a slut, but who knows? he’s kinda a slut! he’s also definitely pulled another stunt similar to Skyscraper by taking over the quad for a guerrilla art installation with his sculptures (and without the school’s permission oops) which may be the basis for some connections if ppl know him from that particular exploit!!

in summary..... marlowe can be a bit up his own ass at times, but being around him is generally a Good Time bc he’s easy-going and friendly and always down for anything, always. litcherally zero impulse control so nothing gets in the way of a dumb idea that might potentially make for a good story. perhaps he’s not the most reliable person, so don’t expect a prompt text back if ur in a life or death situation, and he doesn’t care very much about anything, so ur setting urself up for disappointment if you do expect him to care about something (the fact that he’s never been in a long-term relationship... very telling). all he wants to do is just have! fun all the time! he’s trying to scam his way into the American Dream with his dumb art, so that he can live a good life and maybe get rich and famous and eventually party at Art Basel in Miami with Frank Ocean! is that really so much to ask!

appearance: marlowe’s very vain and a lot of thought goes into his appearance even when (especially when) it doesn’t look like he’s done anything but roll straight out of bed. all of his outfits are as outrageous as his sculptures are ugly. think mismatched prints and loud colors, silk shirts gaping open like he got tired after the first three buttons, a pawn’s shop worth of jewelry, weird dangly earrings w/ feathers or tiny charms, tinted yellow or pink sunglasses, sometimes a bandana around his neck, just for extra flavor. his hair always has to look perfectly tousled; u can catch him checking out his reflection in pretty much every mirrored surface. at least half the surface area of his body is covered in tattoos & he’ll suggest getting more during every drunken night out, which... is why he has so many by now!

connections: to be quite honest its 2 am and i feel all of my higher brain functions shutting down so i’m gonna make these very simple n straightforward, but we can always workshop!!!! pls feel free to message me even if none of these strike ur fancy :0)

peers in the arts - friends, acquaintances, rivals, probably some former group project members holding a grudge....

fellow party animals who don’t mind sharing when marlowe inevitably mooches off their alcohol and drugs :)

unlikely friends!!!!! it’d be fun to have a friendship dynamic with someone who’s very different from him!!

a roommate in Noland... possibly one he’s not on good terms w/... even tho marlowe hardly EVER sleeps in his own dorm room, he uses it as a storage locker for all his “found” art materials. i can imagine that living in that mess would try the limits of anyone’s sanity :)

enemies - they can hate his whole Genius Artist shtick and they’d be valid :/

fellow insomniacs! marlowe is very much a night owl (regular naps during the day may be 2 blame but oh well) so he needs a fellow nocturnal to hit up the late-night McDonald’s drive thru with him and then lay on the grass lookin at the stars and contemplating life’s great mysteries while eating chicken mcnuggets

exes - idk if u can even call them tht when his past “relationships” have all had a lifespan of six weeks or less, but hey there’s drama in that too!!

fwb - i don’t think marlowe’s the type 2 be juggling too many fwb/hook-ups at one time simply because That’s A Lot of Work. that being said... he never likes to sleep alone ;)

#radintro #im working on some gif icons but full disclosure.... they gon be sparse and shitty!#so instead we have this pic where it looks like he passed out on a lawn and woke up w/ shit scribbled all over his face #and u know what? on brand #anyways plot w/ me!!!!!!#about

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ladyherenya · 4 years

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Books read in March

An unexpected month all round.

I didn’t read everything I planned to read because life was busy and the news was hugely distracting. I ended up looking for other things to read -- books that sounded comforting.

Favourite cover: No strong feelings about any of these covers.

Reread: Some of The Austen Playbook by Lucy Parker.

Still reading: The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul by Douglas Adams.

Next up: The Art of Theft by Sherry Thomas.

(Longer reviews and ratings are on LibraryThing and Dreamwidth.)

Moontangled by Stephanie Burgis: A romantic novella about a couple of minor characters from Snowspelled and Thornbound. It’s a slighter story than I was expecting… but I’m not sure whether dragging out the misunderstanding between Juliana and Caroline into a longer story would have given it more depth or just been annoying. And as this story stands, it fits thematically right in with the rest. I hope Burgis returns to this world someday.

A Heart So Fierce and Broken by Brigid Kemmerer: This follows on from one of my favourite books from last year, A Curse So Dark and Lonely, with different POV characters: Grey, a former guardsman to Prince Rhen, and Lia Mara, who has been overlooked as her mother’s heir in favour of her younger sister. I very much enjoyed spending time in their company. The dilemmas they faced -- about loyalty and leadership and being at odds with loved ones -- were engaging and thoughtfully-explored; tense without being stressful. My enthusiasm is somewhat muted because the ending offered less resolution than I was anticipating, but I’d prefer that Kemmerer took another book to deal with things properly instead of rushing. I trust her to have another story worth telling.

Elizabeth and her German Garden (1898) by Elizabeth von Armin (narrated by Nadia May): I had heard of this long before I read The Enchanted April last year, and I don't know why I hadn't seriously considered reading it... maybe the description didn't grab me or I had confused it with something else? It is utterly, unexpectedly, delightful! There's very little plot but I loved the descriptions of Elizabeth's garden, of her experiences gardening, of her small daughters and her observations about being introverted. I was less entertained by details about an irritating guest but that's a minor quibble.

The Two Monarchies Sequence by W.R. Gingell:

Spindle: After four hundred years, a princess is awoken with a kiss -- except that she wasn’t the princess and the curse isn’t fully broken. This reminded me of Diana Wynne Jones in the best possible way. Like Jones, Gingell doesn’t explain everything and expects her readers to keep up. It’s a style which particularly suits Poly’s story -- scrambling to retrieve her memories, catch up on major historical events and work out why she was targeted in the first place. The wizard who woke her isn’t inclined to stop and explain everything! It also fits with Poly’s experiences of magic. I loved this.

Blackfoot: Annabel, her cat Blackfoot and her best friend Peter are pursued by a sinister figure and hide in the ruins of a castle. I had an idea of who Blackfoot was, and Peter too, and knew what Mordion was capable of, but Annabel doesn’t and this is very much her story, as she discovers more about herself. Once again, Gingell’s style of not explaining everything works really well because Annabel is caught up in something confusing and magical and weird. Less compelling than Spindle but I loved Annabel and the way this captures her reactions to things.

Staff & Crown: Three years after Blackfoot, Annabel is sent to finishing school, where she and her new friend Isabella get up unexpected -- and sometimes unexpectedly dangerous -- adventures. Annabel and Isabella are an utterly delightful combination. I enjoyed their friendship, and the way Annabel renegotiates her relationship with Melchior. The latter relationship is important and, given their history, not exactly straightforward. I thought Gingell handled that deftly. (My only quibble is that Annabel’s adventures with Isabella are so lively, so much the focus, that other parts of Annabel’s school experience began to feel a bit too vague and misty by comparison.)

The Eagle of the Ninth by Rosemary Sutcliff (narrated by Charlie Simpson): As I suspected, listening to the (unfortunately, abridged) audiobook pulled me right into this story. I found it vivid, captivating and intriguing... which was not my experience of trying to read the book myself. I don't know how abridged it was but if the story was leaving out important bits, it wasn't obvious. (Although I did wonder whether I would have understood some of the character's choices better had more of the story was included.) The abridgement felt smoothly done and the audiobook was well narrated, with nice use of music.

Uptown by Ruby Lang: A trilogy of short romances set in New York.

House Rules: Seventeen years after their divorce, Lana and Simon run into each other at an apartment inspection. With some reluctance, they become roommates in order to rent a decent place. I liked the bits about their careers (she's a noodle maker in a restaurant, he's a music teacher), their ease with each other, and the sense of place. Things resolved very quickly in the end, and while I wanted more, given their history, that felt believable. This was a comfortable distraction in a week when I really needed it.

Playing House: When Oliver runs into Fay, an acquaintance and fellow urban planner, on a tour of showcase homes, she needs him to pretend to be her boyfriend. Just for a few minutes. I like how Oliver and Fay share a passion for architecture and enjoy each other's company -- I think Lang has a knack for portraying a couple who are very comfortable around each other but still feel excitement and uncertainty about their developing relationship. This is a slight story but I enjoyed reading it. Sometimes that's enough.

Open House: As a romance, this was my least favourite, probably because I'm much more interested in couples who know each other than in rivals: Magda is a broker responsible for selling a vacant block while Tyson is an advocate for the illegal community garden currently on the block. But even though it doesn't involve one of my favourite romance tropes, I found Magda's experiences in selling real estate and everything about the community garden interesting. The only thing I felt was really needed was more about the aftermath of Magda standing up to her (well-meaning) family.

Thief of Time by Terry Pratchett (narrated by Stephen Briggs): A cleverly constructed story. My favourite parts, the parts which struck me as particularly insightful or where the humour appealed to me the most, were Susan as a schoolteacher and the conversations between Lu-Tze and Lobsang. I don't care for the Auditors but suddenly in the middle I started hoping that their part of the story would play out in a different way -- and then I was disappointed when it did not.

#Herenya reviews books #Stephanie Burgis #Elizabeth von Armin #W.R. Gingell #Brigid Kemmerer #Terry Pratchett #Discworld #Ruby Lang #Rosemary Sutcliff

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thehoodsweetheart · 5 years

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Twin Flames.

A/N: This is something that popped up in my mind. I was feeling a little uninspired lately but knew I wanted to get some type of content out. Tell me what you guys think. Should this be something I continue? I hope it’s not total crap.

Summary: Sometimes you can’t shake a person, no matter how much you try to let go. However, you hand can be forced. This is the case with Isis and Erik. (I don’t want to give up too many details).

Word Count: 2.1k

Warnings: ??? There are none. I write for Black audiences, Black women in particular. My main characters are Black and that’s that on that. Isis is and will remain a Black woman.

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Isis sat perched up in the middle of her oxblood colored crushed velvet couch legs folded beneath her as she diligently clicked away on her MacBook Pro. Isis was dressed in a black mesh panel Ivy Park crop top with the matching leggings. Her wash and go was on day 2, which was honestly her favorite due to how much volume the fizziness gave her hair. Isis’s fluffy coils created a large halo like fro around her head almost like a crown. It hadn’t even been an hour since she landed in Los Angeles from her 21-hour flight from Johannesburg and she was getting straight to work. The soft murmur of Martin re-runs played on the wall of her condo from a projector and providing most of the light in the room. The projector was Isis’s idea after debating with her best friend, who also happened to be her roommate, over an obnoxiously sized flat screen TV.

She glanced up from her work on your laptop to give a soft laugh at Martin & Gina sneaking into Tommy’s apartment attempting to find out if he was apart of the CIA. It reminded Isis of how nosy her own best friend could be when she felt like Isis was hiding something from her. It was no offense to their friendship. Isis was an only child and somewhat of an introvert. She grew up with the struggle of overly sharing or not sharing herself at all with ‘close friends’. She learned fast it was best to be picky with who and what she shared of herself. Isis was private in nature and her current job only added to it. Isis was awarded the once in a lifetime opportunity of being part of the visual director team and personal photographer to Beyoncé. Yes, the one and only Queen Bey.

It was 11:11 PM, which Isis considered peak working hours. She knew that she’d be awake editing pictures until well after 3 AM. Isis wanted sort through all her captured footage from her last trip and edit the best images. Seemed like a simple task but any artist will tell you it’s the most challenging part. What if a photo she absolutely hates is one that her client loved? Or Vice versa? The longer Isis looked at the image the more flaws she could find, but wasn’t that the beauty in art, photography in particular?

Isis played around with the gradient and shadows of the picture trying to highlight its depth using Adobe Lightroom. She was so fixated on editing that she didn’t even hear the front door open, but the sounds of giggling and the door slamming sure caught her attention. Her best friend Brea was home and she were not alone. Brea was accompanied by a large male figure that towered over her petite frame. Isis gave them a quick glance before returning her attention back to the work before her. Despite not getting a clear view of Brea’s male ‘friend’, Isis felt an odd sensation of familiarity. Isis knew Brea hadn’t even noticed she was there yet because she was too focused on her male companion who was actively kissing and groping her.

“Aye, who is that?” His gruff voice questioned. Brea shot him a confused look before turning on her heels to face the couch. She let a loud gasp followed by a squeal.

“OH MY GODDD ISIS!!! YOU’RE HOMEEE!” She ran over to Isis giving her a bear hug, completely disregarding the laptop on her lap. Isis let out a small chuckle, fumbling with her MacBook Pro so it wouldn’t crash onto the floor, yet still trying to reciprocate Brea’s embrace.

“I know…finally right?” Isis’s light voice followed. She spent two weeks in South Africa, and she had only been home for four days prior to that after a trip to New York. During those four days, Brea was away on a business trip for the NPO she worked for, so it was safe to say they hadn’t had a chance to see each other in a solid four weeks.

“Soooo, how long do I have the pleasure of having my bestie back?” She nudged my elbow.

“We never know. Until duty calls again I guess.” Isis shrugged.

“Well you have to tell me about South Africa! Any fine niggas?” Brea attempted to whisper the last question. Isis couldn’t help but let out a hearty laugh, which Brea soon joined in on. Leave it to Brea to be so bold in front of her male company.

Erik cleared his throat catching Isis and Brea’s attention silencing their laughter completely. Isis’s eyes locked with Erik’s. She finally zoned in on his face. This was Erik that Isis has heard Brea talk so much about in the past months, but nothing of substance. Brea just pretty much boasted on his good looks and sex drive but no concrete details of the ‘mystery man’. Not even a screenshot of a picture of the man had been offered from Brea. The three seconds that they held eye contact felt like nearly an eternity. Her heart began to pound in her chest so much so she could hear it in her ears. It was as if they could see through each other’s exterior and see straight to the core. Brea’s guest was indeed handsome…strikingly handsome yet familiar.

Erik’s face was one Isis would never forget. His face was etched in marble in her mind. Her mind worked like a camera, her favorite vice. Capturing faces in a moment, associating them with particular narratives. Every face held a different story; all worth discovering yet Isis wasn’t much of a storyteller. She was the observer obsessed with the details of stories in a calculating way. This one in particular was mysterious and how it intersected with Isis’s was less than complicated but not in the least bit simple.

*********

They met what seemed like a lifetime ago during one Isis’s summer visits to the Bay, on Isis’s father’s birthday. It was the summer before high school. She met Bria that same summer during Summer Bridge, a requirement for the private high school they attended. He was her favorite boy cousin’s best friend. Despite her introverted ways, Isis and Erik linked as if they knew each other their whole lives. It began as a platonic friendship. It soon became obvious that they had crushes on one another but they didn’t say anything about it in respect to her cousin. Then her cousin died and Erik moved away the same year causing them to lose contact. But before he moved he told her, “Don’t trip, I’ll find you one day. I feel like I’ll always find you. No matter what lifetime it is.”That was the summer before her senior year of high school. And find her is exactly what he did, multiple sporadic times.

It was actually puzzling to say they never kept consistent contact with one another. Like the summer after her first year of college when she landed an internship in New York at the Staley-Wise Gallery, and Erik casually sauntered through the crowd of the gallery on a busy afternoon. He was notably different. More mature in his looks and moved more guarded than the teenager Isis once new, nonetheless his magnetic pull drew her in almost immediately. It was that force that never allowed her to shy away when she was near him, even if she tried. Isis was uneasy with idea of being attached to Erik, because life had a way of showing her that her best bet was on herself. Despite this, he made her feel safe. He was there when the gallery closed. They chilled with each other like there was no time lost between the two. Any time she was free during his two week stay, Erik made sure he spent it with her sparking that old crush letting it fully ignite. When he asked her, “You saved yourself for me?” It wasn’t much of a question. He knew she did.

Years passed and after graduating from undergrad, Isis moved back to Los Angeles. Isis like every woman has experienced a fair share of cat calling and unwanted extra male attention. When she experienced it one particular night, the ‘I have a boyfriend’ and ‘your man don’t let you have friends’ debate was brought to an abrupt end with a ‘Nah’ from a male voice behind her. Isis wanted to roll her eyes because she knew she didn’t have a man but she didn’t necessarily want to entertain the new unknown voice because he played superhero. She was in luck to find it was Erik. Isis was stricken with awe. She was sure their last encounter would be the final one. Isis came to terms with that.

Erik and Isis practically bound. What else could explain their unexpected reconnections? Their most encounters recent were in Johannesburg. It seemed like a lifetime had passed since she’d seen or heard from him. She knew of him being in the navy and his plans for Wakanda. Part of her thought he was dead. When attending a museum on a much needed off day, pictures of South Africa’s neighboring country Wakanda acted as a friendly reminder of her old friend.

“What do you know about Wakanda? Almighty Isis.” The familiar predatory voice purred in her ear. Isis whipped around to see a vastly different appearance yet Erik in the flesh.

********

Isis raised an eyebrow as a sly smirk crept onto her face. The same smirk that Erik held, mirror-like with arrogance. She turned her attention to her best friend. Isis waited for what would be a proper introduction. After all, Brea was oblivious to Erik and Isis’s acquaintance. She had no clue that Isis and Erik’s once-in-a-blue moon meetings sparked a flame consuming the flesh and spread like wild fire only to be put out not long after it starts. Neither Erik nor Isis was accustomed to the immense connection they possessed, like a shared soul internalizing each other’s pain without explanation, knowing things about each other that never needed to be verbalized. Something about it always savoring the essence of its natural flow and it was still so foreign. Yet, Brea did not know that her Erik was Isis’s N’Jadaka.

“Sorry, I’m being rude! Ice, this is Erikkkk” Brea sang his name. Isis chewed her inner cheek to keep from cringing. She wasn’t sure if it was the way Brea said his name or the thought of Erik fucking her best friend.

“Wassup” Erik said with a nod. Isis coach herself mentally not to roll her eyes. Should she tell Brea? Would it even matter? Could she even be mad at Erik? They never had anything exclusive, ever.

“Hello.” Isis kept her response curt.

“Yo…You look hella familiar like I know you from somewhere.” Erik tilted his head dreads falling more into his face as his tongue ran over his gold fangs. If he wanted to be petty, Isis could match all energy.

“Doubt it…Probably Instagram.” Isis said with a shrug gaining an uneasy look from Brea. Brea was accustomed to Isis being more polite in general, after all she deemed Isis as the ‘nice’ friend.

If this situation couldn’t get anymore awkward, Isis phone began to ring illuminating with the name Aaron and a picture of her and a handsome chocolate man making goofy faces with the Snap Chat dog filter. Isis sucked in a deep breath breaking her gaze from her phone immediately locking eyes with Erik. She couldn’t believe the situation that was unfolding before her. Her secret on and off ‘fling’ was in her home with every intention on fucking her best friend, despite having a two-week long mind-blowing sexscapade with Isis in South Africa just days prior. Her best friend had no clue and her current situationship was hitting her up for the late night action.

“Don’t ignore my brother-in-law. You know the drill.” Brea laughed. It was too late. Isis missed the call. Isis could only let out a nervous chuckle while avoiding looking at Erik altogether.

“Whatever Bree. I’ll get out of you guys’ way.” Isis said fanning them off while quickly texting Aaron she was on her way.

She sat her laptop down to get ready to leave. Isis quickly gathered her tote, which was packed with her essentials since she had landed that night. It was no need for Aaron to leave the door unlocked she had a key. He was far more invested than she was but she did care for him.

“This picture is dope. These scars look so familiar.” Brea squinted as she studied Isis’s MacBook Pro.

“Ehhh, you know ritual practices…just something I saw in South Africa.” Isis said looking directly at Erik with a smirk. She took her laptop from Brea as she headed towards the door. “You two have fun!” Isis shot them a wink.

#erik killmonger x reader #erik killmonger x oc #erik killmonger imagine #erik killmonger x black!reader #erik killmonger #black panther rec #black panther imagine #black panther #erik killmonger rec #erik killmonger one shot

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deniigi · 5 years

Note

There’s a tornado coming towards my town and we’re all huddled in shelters. Got anything lying around to distract me?

I sure fucking do now!

I’ll give you two, here’s the first under the cut. I wrote it today, it’s basically Matthew Murdock’s Steps for How to Make a Family:

How to Make a Family

By Matt Murdock

Step 1. Have a dad.

Step 2. Lose your dad. Bemiserable. Great job, everyone. We’re doing amazing so far.

Step 3. Attempt to find areplacement dad.

Step 4. Fail abysmally.Like, make that shit stunning. Literally ruin your life for the rest of alleternity. Make yourself physically unlovable by all potential foster families,church members, and living humans. Don’t worry if you get tripped up by thisstep, you can repeat this one as many times as it takes for you to learn agoddamn lesson, but be equally warned: you will not learn that goddamn lesson.

Step 5. Go to law schoolbecause fuck it, why the hell not?

Step 6: fall in stupid,hopeless love with your roommate

Step 7: do not account forthe fact that the roommate maybe loves you back. Fuck no. REPRESS. THAT. SHIT.

Step 8. No longer repressthat shit. Accept the roommate. Embrace the roommate. Maybe drunkenly kiss theroommate and then make extraordinarily poor decisions with the roommateinvolving, at least at first, truly horrendous sex on a twin-sized bed.

Step 9. Meet your soulmatein the form of a tiny, angry woman set up to ruin your life by the first faileddad figure.

Step 10. Do not commit murder.

Step 11. Wave goodbye toyour soulmate and sob helplessly on your roommate. Don’t worry. Roomie ain’tgoing anywhere. Cling to this because it is the only thing you’ve got going foryou for the next three years.

Step 12. Have a fuckloadof casual and unhealthy relationships.

Step 13. Graduate.Accidently make a nemesis out of your roommate’s girlfriend who knows more thanhe does and possibly you do that you would do anything to be with the roommate.Including steal him from a perfectly respectable internship with a perfectlyrespectable job offer at the end of it.

Step 14. Set up a lawfirm.

Step 15. Acquire a client.This is family member #2. You will now kill for her. Congratulations.

Step 16. Attempt tosemi-murder some Russians

Step 17. Get found by yourroommate!!

Step 18. Get abandoned byyour roommate!! Well done, everyone, we are back down to one family member.Let’s hope nothing bad happens to them!!

Step 19. Get re-found byyour roommate!! Attempt to make up. Lie a lot about being better and morehonest in future. That’ll show ‘em.

Step 20. Become aterrorist?? Maybe skip this step if possible.

Step 21. Make anintentional nemesis of the Punisher. Congratulations! You have found familymember #3! It doesn’t matter if you don’t fucking want him, he’s yours now,baby!

Step 22. Ruin everyone inyour family’s lives with a botched trial! Break up with the Roommate. Cut tieswith family member #2. Do not fuck her.

Step 23. Re-kindle yoursexual relationship with your soulmate. Oh, by the way, she’s back. We’re goingto call her family member #4 now, ‘cause she’s harder to kill than a fuckingcockroach.

Step 24. Make the mistakeof allowing The Punisher (nemesis) and the soulmate to join forces.

Step 25: Just fuckingmurder your soulmate. Do it, you coward. Yeah, suffer them consequences, youpiece of shit.

Step 26. Get smashed. Getangry. Go out and nigh-eviscerate some folks. Don’t worry, you’ve got a couplemonths for this step/spiral.

Step 27. Trip over theSpider. Menace him. Say it’s his fault. Ignore all apologies and tell theSpider to get and keep the fuck out of your city or else. That’ll fix him.

Step 28. Go on anotherbender. Drink too much. Forget to eat. It’s fine, you’re not alone, you’llalways have the Devil to talk to.

Step 29. Accidently kickthe Spider in the head. Realize now that the Spider is approximately 12 yearsold and you just kicked him in the fucking head. Holy fuck, you fucking disgrace.You fucking child abuser. You are no better from your sensei, not evenan iota.

Step 30. Feel bad.

Step 31. Go on, you ain’tdone yet. I’ll tell you when to fucking stop.

Step 32. Orchestrateanother trip over the Spider. Do it gently this time. Make the same kind offuss but, when his voice does the horrible wavering thing, clear yours andannounce obnoxiously that there’s only one thing to do to stop this and its toteach the Spider how to fight properly.

Congratulations! You have foundfamily member #5! Aw, he’s so happy. Oh wow, he’s still talking.

Jesus fuck. He’s stilltalking.

Step 33. Meet Deadpool.Make tracks. You are an idiot, but not that kind of idiot.

Step 34. Meet Deadpool.Nearly die. Admit that Deadpool might have just saved your goddamn life.Reflect. Reflect. Reflect.

Step 35. Accidently set afoot outside HK and find yourself in the crossfire between a load of morons,Deadpool and the Spider. Do what you do best. Bask in the awe and approval ofthe giant man and the Spider afterwards.

Step 36. Get charmed ontoa team.

Wait. What?

Step 37. Investigate: why the fuck is the Spidercrying? Who has made the Spider so distraught? He is 12. 15, whatever. Theymust die, whoever they are.

Eliminate the threat. Maybe, sortof, kind of, give away your identity. It’s fine, it’s a mutual exchange. Hisname’s Peter Parker.

Step 38. Alright, a bigstep made up of many little ones, so stick with me. In the absence of reliablesupervision, make shit decisions. Drink too much. Work too much. Sleep never. FuckDeadpool. Yeah, go on. We all knew it was going to happen with your goddamntrack record, pal. Kind of make up with the Roommate and family member #2. Moreor less get back onto speaking terms with them. Hire an office coordinator andan intern for the summer. But most importantly, meet a tiny angry woman with ascarf. Guess what! She’s family member #6. Hey, y’all are mutual functionalalcoholics. Drink to that, babes.

Step 39. Fuck, there’smore. Okay, well. You’ve always wanted a weird brother. Two weird brothers. Oneweird brother and one big, grumpy brother. Oh, yeah. That’s fine. That’s cool.Let’s call them family members #7 and #8.

Damn, it’s getting kind ofcrowded in here.

Step 40. Hey, so. Dunno ifyou’ve noticed with all the bad decision-making things going on, but Deadpool justwent on a bender with you and brought you home at the end of it. He’s kind ofcool with your whole deal with the Roommate. So, that kind of makes him yourbiggest, weirdest family member. So, welcome #9 to the family.

Step 41. THE SOULMATE ISBACK. Girl, did we miss you!! Yeah, totally go out with her to the bottom of apit. That’s safe.

Step 42. Die.

Step 43. Wake up. That’sright, sleeping beauty. Death is still too kind for the likes of you. Hey, bythe way, this lady? You know her and guess what??? She’s been your fuckin’ momthis whole damn time. Congrats, you’ve found family member generation 1, #2.But now, since you are a fucking self-absorbed, suicidal piece of shit, let’scall her family member #10. Or hell, maybe family member #1, since you’ve lostliterally everything you’ve ever worked for and which ever mattered to you.Hell, yeah. Since you’re gonna die like an idiot soon anyways, why the fuck notstart over?

Hello family member #1. Nice tofinally make your acquaintance. Give us a few days to shake off the shock andwe’ll be right with you.

Step 44. Get the fuck backon the rails. Say thank you and I’m sorry to your goddamn mother, for fuck’ssake, she’s been here the whole damn time.

Step 45. Wake the fuck upand appreciate that the Spider and Deadpool and Jessica and Danny and Luke wereall worried as fuck about you. Feel ashamed for that. Bad dog, no biscuit.

Step 46. Celebrate acouple holidays with the guys.

Step 47. Nearly lose thekid, once to Stark, then once to the city.

That’s your baby brother. Yeah,it’s normal to not stop shaking sometimes.

Step 48. The Roommateloves you, you asshole. He and family member #2 want to start up a new firm.Yeah, it’s pretty great, but don’t cry though, ya moron. People are around.

Step 49. Wake up onemorning and realize that your family looks like the following:

Slightly-estrangedbut well-meaning mother

Best friend withthe great hair and a nose for trouble

Frank fuckingCastle (whether you want him or not)

A highlyfunctional alcoholic who thinks you’re funny but won’t admit it

The strangelittle cult-brother

The strangecult-brother’s girlfriend

Your nursefriend who you fucking failed to appreciate earlier, you shithead

The big,sometimes grumpy bullet-proof brother

Your secretary

A spider

The Spider’s mom

The Spider’sbest friend

The Spider’sother best friend/your intern

The merc with amouth

His cat

Your soulmate

Yourroommate/best friend/life partner

And your dad, youfucking moron, he’s been with you in your heart this whole time.

Step 50. Rinse and repeatthe relevant/applicable steps from 1 to 49 for those persons who seem more orless worth it for the foreseeable future.

#fic #matt murdock #didn't post it because the timelines for the DFV are a pain in my ass #but take it and feel better!#let me find another one #ficlet

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notalwaysthevillian · 5 years

Text

A Different Side of Hogwarts

Warnings: Manipulative Deceit, crying, there’s a cat

Beta Readers: @hi-disappointed-im-daughter @solemn-vow @patton-croc-agenda @kilala2tail

Word Count: ~2k

Pairings: None (yet)

Masterlist

Chapter 20

Important Note: This is the last time I’ll be adding my general taglist to this fic. If you’re on my general and want to continue to be tagged, let me know via ask or DM - if it’s in a reply I likely won’t see it.

Chapter 21

The holidays came to a close quicker than Patton would’ve hoped. Despite this, he was bouncing off the walls the day they left to go back to school. He’d get to see his friends again. They could ride together on the train!

As soon as the Hogwarts Express came into view, Patton hugged his parents goodbye. He grabbed his trunk and bounded up the steps, heading towards the back of the train. Hopefully his friends were already in their compartment. He couldn’t wait to give them their Christmas presents!

Through the glass door, he could see Logan with his nose buried in a book. He slid the door open, bouncing on his toes. “Hi Logan! It’s me, Patton!”

“Hello Patton.” The corners of Logan’s mouth twitched up into a smile. “Did you enjoy your holidays?”

“Yeah! I had so much fun! My sisters and I made some snowpeople and went sledding and had some hot cocoa!” The words tumbled out of his mouth all in one breath.

Logan shook his head, constantly amazed by the amount of energy one person could have. “Do you need assistance with your trunk?”

“I think I got it.” His tone was uncertain, but Patton held up his wand anyway. “Wingardium leviosa!”

The trunk hovered for a moment before falling to the ground, sending Agatha darting up onto Logan’s shoulder.

Frowning, Patton pointed his wand at the trunk again, focusing harder on what he wanted to happen. “Wingardium leviosa!”

A loud bang sounded as the trunk slammed into the ceiling of the compartment. Redness rushed to Patton’s cheeks as he lowered it slightly, guiding it to the rack above them.

“Slightly overdone, but you did manage to levitate it.” A laugh left Logan’s mouth, but he looked mildly impressed.

Agatha crawled across Logan’s shoulder. With lightning speed, he had her in his lap. “Patton, did you take your potion?”

“You remembered?” Patton couldn’t help the squeal that fell from his mouth. He flung his arms wide, ready to hug Logan, but froze. His arms hovered in the air. “Is it okay if I hug you?”

“If you must.”

The air was knocked out of Logan’s lungs as Patton pulled him into a tight hug.

Once released, Logan straightened his robes. “I am slightly offended that you thought I wouldn’t remember something so important. We are friends after all. At least, I am friends with you and Virgil. Roman is - well at this point he’s more of an acquaintance. A friend of a friend.”

“You just have to get to know him!” Patton held his arms out, allowing Agatha to jump into them. She snuggled up to him immediately, her purr drowning out the rumbling of the train.

Logan looked on, unable to tear his eyes away from how adorable the scene was.

“I love her.” Patton whispered, petting her gently.

It was the quietest Logan had ever heard him.

“She appears to like you as well.” With a free lap, Logan was able to return to his book. “Do you know if Virgil or Roman will be joining us? I would like to gauge the noise level before I get too far into this.”

Patton frowned. He’d hoped that Virgil and Roman would come down here on their own. Maybe they didn’t realize that Patton wanted to sit with them all?

“I’m not sure. But I’m going to go look for them and see! I’ll be right back.” Patton got up and slid the door open. Agatha protested when he tried to put her down. “Lo -”

“You may take her with you if you wish.”

“Thanks Logan!”

Agatha snuggled further into his arms, purring like a motorboat. Patton rubbed his face into her fur, looking in each compartment as he walked down the corridor. He kept his eyes peeled for his roommate or his Gryffindor pal.

Boisterous laughter poured out of one of the compartments up ahead. Patton looked inside, finding six Gryffindors. Roman sat in the middle, a bright smile on his face. When he spotted Patton, he held up a finger and started to wiggle out of the group.

Slipping into the corridor, he reached out and gently stroked Agatha. “What’s up, cat and the Pat?”

Patton let out a giggle at the rhyme. “I was wondering if you were going to come sit with us.”

Roman hesitated. “Who’s us?”

“Me, Logan, and possibly Virgil.”

“I think I saw Dr. Thunder sitting with his brothers at the front of the train.” A hand knocked on the glass. A redhead made a ‘hurry up’ gesture. “I - I think I’m going to stay here. My trunk is already put away and everything.”

“Oh.” Patton did his best to not let his shoulders deflate. “That’s okay! I’ll leave you to your friends then, and go find Virgil.”

“See you.”

“B-”

The door slid shut with a click. Roman turned his back on Patton and crawled over his friends, sliding back into his spot.

Agatha shifted, licking Patton’s fingers. He gave her a sad smile. “Let’s go find Virgil.”

They walked further down the hall, finding Virgil in the second compartment. His oldest brother was next to him, with Devin was sitting across. The latter had a smirk on his face that only grew when he spotted Patton.

Before he could move, the oldest brother had gotten up and opened the door. “Come on in. Patton, right? Virgil has only said good things about you.”

Patton grinned, faltering when he saw the tentativeness in Virgil’s eyes.

“I’d shake your hand, but it appears to be occupied.” The brother’s voice had Patton redirecting his focus. “I’m Preston Night. We haven’t had the pleasure of meeting.”

“You’re Virgil’s oldest brother, right? The one who pranks?” Preston nodded at Patton’s statement, looking surprised when Patton leaned around him. “And you’re Devin. I hope we can get along.”

“Yeah, as if that would happen.” Devin scoffed.

Preston pushed his hair back. “Devin. He’s a pureblood, just like us.”

“I don’t care. He’s not in Slytherin.”

“Neither is Virgil.”

“Exactly.” Devin shot a look at Patton before choosing to look out the window instead.

Patton could tell he was still listening.

“Pat?” Virgil squeaked, getting his attention. “Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy to see you, but...what are you doing here?”

“I came to see if you’d sit with us.” Agatha let out a loud meow, making three of them laugh.

“Who - who exactly is us?” Virgil’s eyes darted to Devin and back.

“Me and Logan.”

“Logan and me.” Virgil corrected automatically. “I’m going to stay here...with my brothers. But I’ll see you in our room, okay?”

Patton forced a smile onto his face. He could tell by the guilt in Virgil’s eyes that it wasn’t believable. “Okay. See you!”

Tears burned in the corners of his eyes as he made his way back to his compartment. If he hadn’t taken his potion, he’d be able to blame it on allergies. He blinked harshly, trying to rid himself of the tears before he re-entered the compartment.

Hearing Patton enter once more, Logan looked up from his book. “Seeing as how you’re alone, I suppose it’ll be just the two of us?”

“Three.” Patton said, gently putting Agatha down on the bench seat before sliding in next to her. She curled up in a ball, her back against his leg. Patton began to gently stroke her fur, struggling to think of a conversation topic. “Um...how was your Christmas, Logan? Or do you celebrate something else?”

“My family celebrates Christmas. And it was satisfactory.” His nose was buried in his book once more. “I received next year’s books from my parents so that I can get a head start. Remy gave me a new jacket. He said that I need to dress more casually. Honestly, it’s more his style than mine and it’s big enough that it would fit him, so I question if it was really a gift for me after all.”

Patton frowned. “I like the way you dress.”

Logan flipped a page. “As do I. So for now, the jacket will stay in my closet until Remy inevitably asks to borrow it.”

“Did you get anything for Christmas?” Patton asked as he scratched under Agatha’s chin. She began play-biting his fingers, making him jump.

Logan glanced up, a tiny smile on his face. “Actually, she did. I’m planning on continuing my weekly updates to my parents, so I thought it would be wise to get her a coat. She is quite small. I don’t want her to freeze in the cold.”

Patton let out a cooing sound. “I bet you look adorable in your coat, don’t you girl?”

The two chatted for a while before Logan slowly began to respond less and less. Patton stopped talking. He stroked Agatha, getting lost in his thoughts.

He would have to try harder to get Roman and Virgil to join them when they headed home for the year. It would be so much fun to sit together before summer break.

With Virgil’s family situation, it was unlikely that he’d be able to visit. And based on Roman’s reaction, he probably didn’t want to.

Maybe Logan would.

Pinks and oranges started to fill the sky as they reached the castle. Patton couldn’t help but gasp as they got off the train.

“Have you not seen the castle at sunset before?” Logan adjusted his glasses. “It’s much more breathtaking when the stars come out.”

“That sounds so pretty!”

“It is.” Logan rubbed the back of his neck. “Perhaps we could stargaze sometime. As...practice. For our Astronomy homework.”

Patton nodded eagerly. “That sounds great!”

The two stopped at the stairs. Logan moved to the right and Patton to the left.

“See you tomorrow.”

“Bye, Logan!”

Patton bounded down the stairs, giddy from Logan’s offer.

His mood drastically changed when he saw his roommate sitting on his bed, hood pulled over his head and arms wrapped around his knees.

Patton held his arms open in a silent question.

Virgil’s face crumpled as he launched himself into Patton’s arms. He buried his face into Patton’s chest, and Patton could feel his t-shirt become wet with tears.

He half-dragged Virgil to his bed, putting him down and letting go only to draw the curtains. Once he laid down, Virgil latched onto him once more. Fat tears slid down his cheeks, but he made no noise.

It broke Patton’s heart.

“I’ve got you.” Patton whispered, rubbing Virgil’s back. “You’re safe now.”

It took the better part of an hour, but eventually Virgil’s tears stopped and his breathing evened out. Patton gently moved Virgil’s arms, earning a whine.

“I’m just going to get something to help you sleep. I’ll be back in less than thirty seconds. Promise.”

When Patton appeared out of the curtains, their other roommates all gave him the same concerned look. He waved them off, mouthing ‘I’ve got it’. They looked sceptical, but didn’t say a word.

Patton popped open Virgil’s trunk and lifted the lid. The bottle of sleeping potion was sitting on top of a rectangular package wrapped in black cloth. He grabbed the bottle and closed the lid before heading back to his bed.

“Here, drink some. It’ll help.”

Virgil reached for the bottle and did as Patton asked. When he handed it back, Patton put it on his bedside table.

“Do you want to sleep here or in your own bed?”

“I - I’d like to sleep here, but if you don’t want me to...I can sleep alone.” Virgil’s voice wavered.

Patton shook his head. “Virge, you can sleep here. It’s always okay.”

“Are you sure?”

Pulling the covers back, he nodded. They slipped under the blankets, Virgil cuddling up to him immediately.

The two of them fell into an easy sleep.

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#manipulative deceit #ts deceit #crying #cat mention #sanders sides #sanders sides fic #logan sanders #roman sanders #patton sanders #virgil sanders #preston night

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endoftheworldpaul · 5 years

Text

It's still technically Wednesday for me so looks like we got another close call update!

@dbhrarepairs Here's my submission for day 3, wrong blind date.

Both Convin and Elijah/Leo bc I shouldn't brainstorm when I'm tired.

If you would rather read on AO3, you can click here!

https://archiveofourown.org/works/20611682

Again, I apologize, but I'm having serious troubles with getting the read more break in here if anyone has tips I'm willing to listen Google isn't helping.

EDIT: I FIGURED IT OUT. Well, really, I just went on my laptop bc mobile, for all its benefits for my schedule, is super confusing when it wants to be.

Usually, Nines is rather reliable. Always prepared, always punctual, always one step ahead of everyone else.

Just not this week. Finals week had, as always, was hellish for most students. Even Nines felt some of the end of the year panic. And by some, it was more along the lines of going into an over-studying craze.

One problem that accompanies what his close friends have dubbed The Dark Ages is that he takes on too many extra projects in a failing attempt to distract himself.

One such project is promising four very confused and stressed friends to set them up on blind dates. Four friends that, he decided, needed something new to distract from the stresses of life.

Friend number one—Gavin Reed, a police officer closing in on his second year out of police academy—was the one who unintentionally gave Nines the idea to play matchmaker.

On a cold Friday evening, their weekly "chill day," Gavin was complaining about his coworkers, as usual.

"So, there's this new guy, a transfer from Dearborn, who is so fuckin' annoying. Dude spends his entire fucking break, I shit you not, to gush about his wife. Just got married. Who cares? Lotsa people get married, why should it be such a big deal? So I say to him, "Why don't you spend less time rambling on about the missus, and more time solving fucking crimes?" And the asshole has the gall to tell me that I'd change my mind if I could keep someone around for more than a week! What a dick right?"

While Nines loved spending time with Gavin, he made conversations interesting and he was honest, he got into moods and would, for lack of a better word, be a huge bitch about things he didn't agree with.

Nines shot a glance towards Gavin, taking in his position sprawled out on Nines' couch, one leg dangling off the edge, fiddling with his phone. "I suppose the only option would be to prove him wrong then. Show that you can 'keep someone around for more than a week' and rub it in his face, good ol' Gavin Reed style." He scowled, "But who would be this mystery date?"

Gavin looked up from his phone, shooting Nines a confused glance. "Well, I 'spose it could be one of those friends of yours. You've got like a million, it can't be that hard to find someone who'll like me. Even if I am kind of a dick!"

Nines hummed in confirmation, mentally creating a list of potential dates for Gavin. He had a lot of pros and cons lists to make.

Friend number two—Connor Stern, a newer acquaintance of his—was the catalyst for the second half of what would eventually turn into Nines' biggest embarrassment.

Connor had been more forthright with his date searching. On one of their shopping trips, devised when they found out they both lived at the same apartment complex as well as frequently shopped at the same local grocery store, he had suddenly enquired as to whether or not Nines could find someone he could go on a date with.

"I suppose, since it's been so long that I've tried dating, that I should consider pursuing romantic relationships. Now that I am about to graduate from the academy, I have more time to do so. So you have anyone in mind whom you think I could form a serious connection with, whether it be more friendly or more romantic?"

At first, Nines was a little surprised. But he quickly overcame that because a wave of excitement washed over him. Since he began planning a blind date for Gavin three days prior, Nines had closely analyzed the personalities of all of his companions. In doing so, he had gotten closer to narrowing down who Gavin's date would be. To find Connor a potential date, all he would have to do is make minor adjustments to his list of complementary personality traits and hobbies.

He gave Connor a small smile in confirmation. "I think I can come up with a person or two."

After narrowing down his list of potentials for Connor, he had to ask friends if they would be available in the set few days Connor had confirmed he would be free.

Option one, a close friend and classmate, North Dufay, stated that she had to take over for a friend who was on vacation at the taekwondo studio she worked at.

Option two, local street artist Markus Manfred, was also unavailable. His father was accompanying him to an art gallery showing in Paris, where both artists would present new works.

That left one person. The third friend roped into Nines' disaster of a plan, Elijah Kamski, genius and programmer, and massive introvert. It had been at least three years, half of the time Nines has known him, since he had even attempted to socialize with anyone outside of his immediate friend group. Jumping from one project to the next, he had a habit of ignoring any of Nines' attempts at getting him to redirect his attention elsewhere and relax. Nines hoped that, by introducing him to someone new who would match his wit and appreciate his devotion to his goals, it would encourage him to pursue other minor hobbies and allow him to de-stress.

Connor, who was sarcastic and determined, seemed like a perfect match.

Finding Gavin a date took a little more thinking than it did for Connor; he had a less approachable personality. Grumpy and irritable, many of Nines' friends would be unable to withstand sharp jabs and brutal honesty long enough to get to see his protectiveness and ambition.

North might've been a good option, but she had prior engagements. Tina might've gotten along well with Gavin, but they had dated in high school and agreed that being friends was better for both of them. At first, Chloe seemed like she might be a good match, but she had recently come out as aromantic and asexual, so Nines ruled her out.

The only option left was the chaotic ball of energy that was Leo Manfred, Markus' half brother. When he was younger, Leo had been in a bad situation, but finding supportive friends and a good therapist that encouraged him to redirect his anger to something more productive had helped him find a purpose in life, create goals.

Now a full time student, well on his way to becoming a psychologist, he was likely to enjoy Gavin's sass and dorky jokes.

People paired up, all Nines had to do was organize the details of the dates. For Connor and Elijah, he decided that a less crowded, but not isolated café just off of the main streets would be perfect. Or, was that where he had planned Gavin and Leo's date? No, he was mostly sure that he had made reservations for them at a local restaurant by Gavin and Tina's shared apartment. He didn't have time to worry about it at the moment; he had a final to study for.

Connor had the feeling that something was going to go wrong. Nines hadn't told him his date's name to prevent him from looking him up on social media platforms and form any opinions on him before their actual date. He was just told that his date was about average height, with dark hair, often wore glasses, and had horrible posture.

So of course, when someone matching that exact description walked through the door six and a half minutes after their scheduled meet up time, he hesitantly waved.

The man, indeed wearing glasses, seemed slightly out of breath. He hadn't seemed to try to dress up, dressed in a faded gray, long sleeved sweater and wrinkled blue jeans.

Flopping down into the chair across from Connor, his date sighed, stuck a hand out to shake, and blurted out "I'm so sorry I'm late! My roommate let my cat outside accidentally and I had to chase her down the street so that I could get her home and by the time I did, I had lime fifteen minutes max, and I still had to shower and stuff and then i realized that my dryer broke in the middle of this last load so most of my clothes are either soaked or horribly wrinkled and I couldn't find a shirt that made my eyes look really good and I forgot to put my contacts in and… yeah. I'm so fuckin' sorry, I wanted to try to impress you but I'm doing a kind of shit job at that huh?"

Connor blinked a few times, trying to absorb the story his date, who still had yet to introduce himself, threw at him. He tried to smile reassuringly, and shook the still outstretched hand. "Well that seems like a horrible afternoon. It's a pleasure to meet you, I'm Connor. You're also a friend of Nines' then I suppose?"

"Oh yeah! Yeah I am. Uh, I'm Gavin. It's nice to meet you." Gavin shifted in his seat. "Sorry again for being late. It really isn't normal for me, I swear."

"Well it happens every one in a while. It's sweet that you care about your cat so much that you would go out of your way to looking for her like that. What's her name, if you don't mind me asking?"

Gavin gasped and frantically pulled his phone out, unlocking it. "Her name is Dana and she's a menace! Look, she's so fluffy!" He shoved his phone at Connor, who takes in the fluffy black mass, staring up at him through the photo. Her bright green eyes reflect a tiny image of Gavin, holding his phone to take the photo and squinting in concentration. Cute.

Connor smiles. "Well, that is the most gorgeous menace I've ever seen. She looks so soft."

"Oh she is. If I don't brush her every day, she gets violent." Connor snorts. "Ha, yeah it's funnier when you're not on the receiving end of her tiny little dagger-teeth. I should probably stop gushing about my cat; you'll think I'm crazy soon! So, uh, how did Nines describe me? Because he described you as, and I quote, a kind of tall, dark haired twink with a nice smile."

Connor chuckled. "It seems like the stress is really getting to him if he could only describe me as a twink with a nice smile. He was a lot more bland when describing you. He said you're average height, with glasses and dark hair and a horrible posture. Which, I mean, at least he's been pretty accurate with his descriptions, even if they do seem rushed."

Humming in agreement, Gavin asked, "Hey, what do you do? You got a job or you studying or what?"

"Oh I'm currently in the police academy. I wanna be a lieutenant someday."

Gavin wiggled in his seat. "Oh shit, I'm a cop too! I escaped the academy two years ago."

"Really? Oh that's amazing! Maybe we'll get to work together on cases. It would be nice to have made a friend or something when I graduate from the academy. So what do you do now? What's it like, being a serious police officer like that?"

They continued chatting for the next two hours, occasionally buying each other snacks and drinks. Connor was hesitant to end the date, suggesting they walk to the park or go watch a movie.

They spent most of the afternoon together, before Gavin offered to walk Connor home. Standing on the sidewalk by the front doors, Gavin slowly took hold of Connor's hands and stood on his toes to kiss Connor's nose.

"I had a lot of fun, I'd love to see you again" Gavin murmured.

A blush crept up Connor's cheeks. "Well it's a good thing I'm free next Saturday, because I do too."

"Oh, well that's good." Gavin sighed. "I'm gonna hafta leave soon, or else Dana'll throw a fit. I'll see you Saturday okay? Is seven good? I got a half brother who can hook me up with some fancy reservations if you'd like."

Connor squeezed Gavin's hand before hesitantly letting go. "Sounds like a date. I can't wait. Goodbye Gavin."

"G'bye."

Elijah was hesitant to go on Nines' blind date. In a hurry, he only said that his date was a smart kid, a couple years younger than Elijah himself, with dark brown, curly hair.

He didn't want the guy to think too highly of him or else he might want to schedule another date, and Elijah didn't have time for that. So, he decided to show up "accidentally" almost half an hour late. Pushing the café door open, his gaze immediately landed on a grumpy looking guy, maybe twenty-ish, who was slumped over his phone in a booth in the far back.

Shambling over to the grumpy kid, he asked "Are you Nines' friend? I'm here for the blind date."

Grumpy guy glanced up at him, grumbling a "Yeah that's me. You a little late there dude."

Slouching into the other side of the booth, Elijah quoted the excuse he planned out. "I'm sorry. My car wouldn't start, so I had to get a ride from a friend. Maybe I can buy you like a coffee or a sandwich to make up for it?"

"Well, you don't have to bribe me. If you're offering though, maybe a blueberry muffin and a caramel macchiato. And also a name?"

Elijah raised his eyebrows. This kid was more blunt than he was expecting. It was… nice. "Hmm I suppose that it makes sense to give you my name. Elijah." He paused. "Kamski." Some people knew who he was. It wasn't that surprising for a programmer as young as he is to catch the attention of mainstream media if they're successful, which he was.

"Leo. Manfred." Manfred, Manfred. Why did that name sound so familiar? "Are you gonna get my stuff or were you lying about that part?"

If he had wanted to make a better impression, he might've actually laughed at that. Instead, all he did was not and stand up, heading toward the counter. As he was walking, he glanced around the café, observing a small family, a couple teenagers working on homework, and Gavin? On a date. Hmm. That's something to tease him about later.

Returning to the table, he expected Leo to still be on his phone, but instead he was casually observing him. Might as well pass the time by talking. That usually pushes people away pretty fast. "You have a job? Studying?"

Munching on his muffin, Leo hummed. "Mhm. Psychology." Maybe this kid is smart. "Don't worry though, I promise I only psychoanalyze on the second date." Oh. He's actually funny. Maybe this won't be as bad as he thought.

Elijah allowed himself to smile a little at that. "Well, well, well, looks like I have something to look forward to." Elijah what are you doing? Did you just insinuate that you would like to go on a second date with this guy?

Leo chuckles and sets his muffin back down on its plate. "Well you still gotta impress me first. Bribery doesn't work with everyone. If this were the second date, though, I'd have a hell of a lot to say about the lying and avoidance of revealing personal details. But, like I said, that'll have to wait 'til the second date."

Definitely smart. More smart-ass though. That was more appealing than Elijah was expecting it to be.

He sighed. "Well, since you caught me, I suppose I'll have to share something for the class. I'm a programmer. I'm currently working on developing AI tools that will recognise voices to activate or shut down household items, like a stove that shuts off to protect young children from lighting their homes on fire."

"That sounds pretty cool actually. Gotta babyproof the fancy smart-technology. I was expecting you to be something lame, like a very antisocial plumber or a dentist or something, but you're not that boring I guess."

This time Elijah couldn't stop himself from laughing. Maybe, just maybe, he'll let himself enjoy this date. "'Not that boring I guess' is a compliment of the highest caliber, coming from someone as attractive as you." Why not go full flirt, if he wants this to go well.

"Keep talking like that and I'll be swooning into your arms in no time. Seriously though, be careful, I'm starting to like you. That would be horrible, wouldn't it?" Leo raised an eyebrow.

Elijah smiled a little. "I guess it wouldn't be that bad. I think I'm starting to like you too." He snuck a piece of Leo's muffin, then hummed in delight. "That is a phenomenal muffin. You've just been hoarding it all for yourself over there? You are a cruel and unjust monster. Gimme more."

Snickering, Leo smacked Elijah's arm away from the plate. "Only nice dates who ask nicely get to share muffins."

Elijah sighed. "Well I suppose if it's for a muffin of this quality, it will be worth it. I would like some muffin."

Leo didn't budge.

"...Please?"

At this, Leo broke off a large chunk of the muffin and handed it to Elijah. "Well, since you asked so politely, I guess I'm required to give you some now. It's good date behavior. Gotta be good if I want ya to stick around I 'spose." He smirked. Then he glanced at his watch, a rather shiny silver. "Oh shit, I gotta go. I'm house-sitting for my half-brother and I gotta feed his birds."

Elijah hesitated in saying goodbye, even as Leo rushed to clean up. Suddenly standing, he blurted out, "Maybe we can schedule that second date?"

Leo paused, looking up at him. For a few seconds, Elijah thought he was going to decline the offer, but then he straightened his spine, smiled softly, and said, "Meet me at that Italian restaurant off of Main, next Tuesday? 6:30?"

"It's a date. I'll see you then. I'll accompany you to your car." The both of them walked side by side, just close enough that every once in a while, their knuckles would brush up against each other. Parting with a wave, Elijah started planning what he would do to show his thanks to Nines for forcing him to do this dumb blind date thing, because it seemed that it wasn't as dumb as he originally thought.

When Nines ran into Connor in the hallway, he had to see how the date went. "So, what did you think of Elijah?"

Connor froze, turned to look at Nines, brow furrowed, and asked, "Who the fuck is Elijah?" Uh oh.

#dbh #dbh rarepair day 3 #dbh rarepair week #dbh connor #connor rk800 #gavin reed #Convin #elijah kamski #leo manfred #leo x elijah #leo manfred x elijah kamski #eli n gav are half brothers #everybody's human

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flashhwing · 5 years

Text

daylights and midnights and cups of coffee

pairing: DonnaKory summary: Donna, a down-on-her-luck photographer, is looking for a new roommate; Kory, a popular model, is looking for a place to live. It's a match made in heaven, right? please check the notes for ao3 link

Donna was going to need a new roommate. Which was a shame, really. She was starting to truly enjoy her newfound freedom after finally kicking Kyle out of the apartment (a whole month after they broke up, too; it was about time), but. Well. Two bedroom, two storey walk-ups in lower Manhattan didn’t exactly come on a bartender’s paycheck.

Stupid artist Kyle and his need for a whole-ass bedroom for “studio space.” He could’ve just set up his easel in the living room. They could’ve saved so much on rent. But no, he just had to insist. And now he’s fucked off and saddled Donna with this extra room.

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single woman in possession of an extra room must be in want of a roommate.

(Okay, maybe she could get a new apartment, but she quite liked this one. It had granite countertops, and good water pressure, and four cabinets in the kitchen. That was three cabinets more than her friend Roy had in his East Village studio.)

“Roy only has one cabinet?”

“That’s beside the point! I need a roommate, and I really don’t wanna look on Craigslist.”

“Hmm.” Dick sat on the customer side of the bar, wearing a thoughtful expression and brandishing an almost-full pint of Sam Adams in one hand. Donna didn’t like where that was going. Dick’s ‘thoughtful looks’ usually ended in spectacularly bad plans and possible bodily harm, and if he spilled that beer it’d be hers to clean up. Unfair. The bar wasn’t even open yet.

“Don’t give me that ‘hmm.’ What are you thinking?” Please don’t let her regret asking.

“Well. You’re in want of a roommate, right?” Dick raised one eyebrow. “I happen to know a fantastic lady in want of a room.”

How weirdly and coincidentally helpful of him.

“Sounds perfect,” said Donna. “What’s wrong with her?”

“What’s … wrong with her?”

“Yeah.” Donna shrugged. “What’s wrong with her? Why doesn’t she have a place to live?”

“Uhh, nothing? She’s new in town, just moved from LA.”

“Ohhh, so she’s one of your celebrity friends?” Dick had a habit of befriending celebrity-adjacent people. He was Rich (with a capital R), and hung out with models and musicians and people who worked on movies. People on magazine covers. He had VIP passes to most of the clubs in Midtown because he knew the owners of most of the clubs in Midtown.

Really, some of Dick’s acquaintances weren’t the sort of people who’d give a down-on-her-luck bartender the time of day.

Dick rolled his eyes. “I guess you could say that. She’s great though: she’s fun, she’s down to Earth, she’s stylish – just your type!”

“My type?”

“Of friend! She’s your type of friend.”

Donna didn’t sigh, but it was a close call. “That’s great, but it doesn’t tell me anything. Is she clean? Is she loud? Sounds like money’s not an issue, but is she responsible?”

“Yes to all of that.”

“Loud isn’t a good thing, Dick.”

“Okay fine.” Dick shrugged and leaned back. “If you can’t accept that one flaw, I guess you’ll have to just find some schmuck off Craigslist.”

“No, it’s.” Donna groaned. “It’s fine. What’s her name?”

“Kory.”

She’d heard that name.

“Kory. You don’t mean your ex, Kory?”

“Is that a problem?”

Donna pinched the bridge of her nose. “Why are you trying to set me up with your ex?”

“Hey, not all exes are created equal!” Dick said, maybe a little too quickly. “I know you’re still reeling from Kyle, but Kory’s not some slack-off jerk-face like him. Promise.”

“Well, if you promise.”

Dick tilted his head pointedly. “Oh, come on. We broke up like two years ago and I’m still friends with her. That should be recommendation enough.”

“That doesn’t mean much. You’re friends with all your exes. Roy … Babs …”

“Yeah, coz I don’t date assholes.”

Donna narrowed her eyes. What happened that patented Dick Grayson charm? Or was that reserved for strangers and reporters, old friends be damned?

He must’ve seen the look on her face, because he quickly tacked on, “Too soon?”

All he got in response was a small hmph.

“Sorry. But seriously, why are you being so resistant?”

Why was she being resistant? This was good, technically. She’d spent the last two weeks asking around for friends of friends of friends who were possibly looking for a place to live, with no luck. And here Dick was, suggesting someone who definitely (probably? How much did models make?) had enough money that rent wouldn’t be a problem. Someone he knew and held in high regard – and as much as Donna liked to tease him, Dick was a good judge of character. Kory should be, more or less, a perfect roommate. So, what was Donna’s problem?

Maybe it was that she’d met Kory once and could say, without exaggeration, that she was the most intimidatingly beautiful woman Donna had ever seen.

Not that she could say that to Dick.

“I’m not … I’m not being resistant,” Donna said. “Go ahead and give her my number. Have her call me if she’s interested. And either drink that beer or get out, we’re opening.”

Dick slid his glass across the bar and hopped off his stool with a mock salute. “Knew you’d give in. See ya tomorrow, Troy?”

“Later, Dick.”

Kory moved in two days later, on a Friday.

It wasn’t like Donna hadn’t met Kory before. She had, once, during her senior year of college. It was at some Wayne Enterprises banquet she had to attend for her scholarship. Dick had introduced them, and Kory had told some story about her sister and an angry pelican, and Donna had walked away from the encounter with a general feeling of holy shit.

But that was two years ago, and even the memory of holy shit wasn’t enough to prepare Donna for the sight of Kory Anders, popular instagram model, standing in her living room with two suitcases and a hairless cat.

She just seemed so … out of place. Donna’s apartment wasn’t bare by any means; there was a couch, a tv, curtains on the windows, and even some of Donna’s prints framed on the wall. She had a rug on the floor and a blanket thrown over the couch. It was all very tasteful – and of course it was, having housed pair of artists for nearly two years.

The apartment could be a Renaissance painting, all soft light and muted colors. And there Kory stood, with her dyed pink hair and flagrantly purple, sleeveless blouse. Like one bold, bright stroke of paint right down the center of the canvas.

And wow, Donna really needed to get Kyle out of her head. She was a photographer, not a painter, dammit!

“Your home is lovely,” Kory said with a small smile that crinkled the corners of her eyes.

“Thank you,” Donna replied. “Here, let me grab one of your bags.” They were both lime green, but otherwise mismatched. One was a large, hard-shelled roller, the other a half-sized canvas duffel bag.

Most of Donna’s accessories were black (or at least very dark jewel-tones). Black was practical. It went with everything, didn’t stand out, never looked dirty … an all-around useful color, really.

But all of thirty seconds in Kory’s presence, and Donna thought she could stand for more greens or purples or pinks in her life.

Best not read too much into that...

She led Kory to the spare room and gestured around. “So this’ll be your room.”

Kory looked around, humming appraisingly. She let the cat jump out of her arms, and Donna gave it a wary eye. The apartment was pet-friendly, and Kory had assured her that Silkie (seriously, the cat’s name was Silkie) was house-trained, but Donna had never lived with a cat before. She was more of a dog person, herself.

Plus his wrinkly, pink skin was a little off-putting. Still, she supposed he was cute in his own sort of disgusting way.

“What are those?” Kory gestured with her chin towards the ceiling.

Donna looked up and grimaced. “Yeah, those. This was Kyle’s studio and he wanted, uh, glowy stars? For some reason? I haven’t been able to get them down, sorry.”

“That’s fine.” Kory said airily. “It adds a bit of whimsy.”

Donna thought Kory probably knew a lot about whimsy. Amazingly, the thought wasn’t in her judgemental voice.

“I don’t have a bed or any furniture for you,” Donna said, eyeing the two (only two?) bags Kory had packed. “Do you …?”

“I’ll have to purchase them,” Kory said. “I left everything in LA and only brought what I need.”

“Sounds expensive.”

“You can always find cheap furniture,” Kory said as if it was the simplest fact of life. “I find it easier to replace things than to try and carry them everywhere.”

“Not me, sister,” Donna said, leading Kory back out to the living area. “That couch is staying with me ‘till the day I die.”

Kory looked at the couch with an inquisitive eye as Donna ducked under the counter separating the living room from the kitchen. The couch wasn’t anything special, Donna knew – not even a full set. Just a loveseat and an armchair, both a deep red color. They weren’t overstuffed, but they weren’t threadbare either. Overall, it was an exceedingly average couch.

“Does it have some sentimental value?”

“Nope.” Donna emerged with a three-quarters full bottle of Chianti. She popped the cork and poured two generous glasses. “I just like the color red.”

Kory smiled. It pulled one corner of her mouth higher than the other and made her eyes soft. Donna smiled in kind and handed her a glass.

“To new roomies,” Donna said, raising her glass.

“To new roomies,” Kory repeated, clinking her glass against Donna’s. As she took a sip, Donna couldn’t help but notice the wine matched Kory’s lipstick.

A thought occurred to her.

“Hold up.” Kory stopped, glass still held to her lips. Donna put up her thumb and forefinger, framing Kory’s face between them “Stay right there,” she added with a grin.

Kory seemed to catch on as Donna ran to her room for her camera. Dick must’ve told her Donna was a photographer.

It wasn’t like she was a professional or anything. Well, technically she was, had a degree and a practice and all, but mostly she did shoots for senior photos or family portraits or whatever. She’d tried to do freelance for some magazines, but apparently nobody was interested in pictures from some no-name bartender in New York. Something about them being a dime-a-dozen. Even attaching her name to Dick’s (he offered) hadn’t done the trick.

Not that she was giving up. She still sent out her portfolio and did interviews every chance she got. She had an instagram with a decent following. It just … wasn’t enough to live on.

Hence the bartending.

“So where do you want me?” Kory was perched on one of the kitchen stools when Donna came back out. Her legs were crossed and she held her wine glass delicately in the air, elbow resting on the counter.

“Right there, actually.” Donna grinned. She hadn’t worked with a subject who actually knew what they were doing since college. This was going to be fun. “You don’t mind, do you?” she added as she flitted around the room, adjusting the lights to be soft and flattering.

“Oh, not at all,” Kory replied. “I was actually going to ask how much you charge.”

“How much –” Donna stopped in her tracks. A popular model wanted to pay her for her services? Usually she had random strangers trying to get her to work for free. “Well, I was gonna give you the friends and family discount.”

“And how much is that?”

“Free.”

Kory’s eyebrows nearly disappeared into her hairline. “Free? Donna, do not undersell yourself. Everyone else will.”

Donna snorted. “Ain’t that the truth. But no, this is just for fun. Call it a bonding exercise or something. Besides, I’m not gonna charge you when you haven’t hired me. You don’t even know how good I am.”

“Dick showed me your instagram. I may be just a model, but I know good art when I see it,” Kory said with a wink.

“Oh, Miss Anders.” Don’t blush, don’t fucking blush. “Flattery will get you everywhere.”

“Will it now?”

“You know it.” It wasn’t what Donna wanted to say, but she didn’t want to scare Kory off ten minutes after meeting her. “Alright so … look at the door.”

“What’s my mood?”

Donna considered for a moment. “You’re on a blind date set up by your best friend, and it’s going great.”

Kory’s demeanor barely changed. Her posture straightened, her fingers curled a little looser around her glass, and her eyes seemed almost imperceptibly brighter.

“Are they funny?” she asked.

“Mm … they’re witty.” Donna snapped three shots in quick succession. “You’re vibing pretty hard.”

“Are they pretty?”

“Just your type.”

Two more shots. Kory sucked in her lips in what might’ve been the most adorable expression Donna’d ever seen a person bear. She took three more shots.

“Are we coming back to my place after?”

“Uh … you might wanna buy a bed first.”

Kory threw back her head and laughed. There. That was the energy Donna wanted. She took five shots before Kory turned to look at the camera.

“I think we’re gonna get along splendidly, Miss Troy.”

Donna didn’t bother holding back the grin spreading across her face.

“I think you’re right, Miss Anders.”

#donna troy #koriand'r #donnakory #korydonna #wonder girl #troia #starfire #kory anders #kori anders #teen titans #titans #fic #my stuff #my writing #this has been a post

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