#I took me a week to get past the sketching stage
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I made myself laugh with the "Vampire Weekend" pun
(anyways I love this show and I can't get enough of it)
• Click for better quality (05/09/2023)
(flat colour version below vvv)
#I fuckin love this show#I already struggle with side profiles#but drawing brand new characters too???#I took me a week to get past the sketching stage#what we do in the shadows#wwdits#what we do in the shadows art#wwdits art#wwdits fanart#nandor the relentless#laszlo cravensworth#nadja of antipaxos#colin robinson#art#digital art
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The Making of ONE BOY WATCHING
Did you ride the bus to school? What do you remember about it? What did you see? How did you feel as a passenger? These questions were the starting point for my new picture book ONE BOY WATCHING, published this week by Chronicle Books. Riding the bus was an experience that felt both personal and universal - a perfect subject for a story.
I rode Bus Number Four from Kindergarten through 10th grade. From my neighborhood on the edge of a Kansas suburb, the bus took me past fields and farms on country roads to my small-town school. At times, the school bus was a place of commotion and chaos. The long ride was sometimes boring. But it was also an opportunity to watch and reflect on the world outside the window.
As a quiet kid, I was most content looking out at the passing landscape, daydreaming. On cool autumn mornings the windows fogged and dripped with dew, which I wiped away to better see the scenery. Looking, counting, and imagining were ways to pass the time, but they also helped deepen the experience of wonder I felt at seeing the trees, fields, farmhouses, and wildflowers of rural Kansas.
I used my lifelong habit of observation and reflection to create ONE BOY WATCHING. I wrote down my memories, good and bad, of riding the bus to school through the Kansas countryside. The time we got stuck in a muddy ditch and had to get picked up by another bus. All the times a long train made us late for class. The nice seatmates and the not-so-nice ones. The loud teenagers in the back. The ever-changing soundtrack: upbeat 90s pop, sad old country music, moody alternative rock. And outside, the ever-changing Kansas weather, as varied as the music.
In an effort to immerse myself in the experience of a childhood bus ride, I even made a playlist of songs I remember from 107.3 KKRD, Wichita's Top 40 radio.
In planning the illustrations ONE BOY WATCHING, I got to retrace my old bus route with camera and sketchbook in hand. I would pull over next to a field of rusty tractors or a patch of roadside sunflowers and sketch or snap a photo. It must have looked strange to any passing cars. From my sketchbooks, I was able to capture small, realistic touches to deepen the world of the book.
The iconic yellow-orange American school bus was a joy and challenge to draw. The bus itself became a character in the story, bumping down dirt roads and stopping to load and unload. One of the most difficult parts of making ONE BOY WATCHING was correctly drawing all the details of the flat-nosed Blue Bird bus: keeping the proper number of windows on each side, noting the exact placement of lights and mirrors, and matching seats with bus riders from page to page.
I spent a morning at the Mulvane, Kansas bus barn sketching and taking reference photos. I can confirm the vinyl seats still smell the same way they did thirty years ago. And there’s still not quite enough leg room for a tall person.
All the details help create a convincing picture book world, though I did have to create an impossible Escher-esque interior for the scene of all the kids inside the bus. Please don’t try to match up the seats and windows on that one! Still, I think it captures the energy of a full bus as it approaches its destination.
To be a passenger is to be an observer. To be a keen observer is the first step to becoming an artist. I think the long morning rides of reflection helped lead me to my career as an author and illustrator. And they helped pave the way for one book about one boy, watching.
Thanks to all the people who helped make this book possible. My wife Kayla is a tireless supporter of my work and an astute first reader. My twin brother Gavin gave feedback along the way and shared some of his bus memories (though I didn't include him in the book, as I would have had to make it TWO boys watching). My agent Judy Hansen is a great support for my career and a sounding board for my far-flung ideas. And my editor Ariel Richardson helped guide the book from its early stages, encouraging my art and writing explorations throughout the process. I hope ONE BOY WATCHING finds its way into the hands and hearts of bus riders past, present, and future.
For more about my experience creating ONE BOY WATCHING, listen to my interview on The Yarn podcast with Travis Jonker. And I'm excited to launch the book with a storytime at Watermark Books next month!
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@tahitiwoke said: five times kissed 🔪🔪 but maybe platonic besties 🔪🔪 or maybe not 🔪🔪
one.
of all the ways for them to make their snl debut, this wouldn’t be chris’s first choice. there’s fleeting moments that tease towards a bit more sophisticated humor and chris catches himself fighting a smile once or twice, but it’s primarily meant to be an on the nose commentary on claire hale leading what kate mckinnon dressed as a reporter refers to as “ most operatically horny display in politics since the clinton administration, “ with overdrawn silences made less silent by the rousing laughter of the audience as the sexual tension builds in time with the music.
the tightly framed close ups of suggestive looks amount to the guest star who’s meant to be phil ( what he lacks in resemblance he makes up for with the same enthusiasm he’d brought to his lip sync battle, which chris had thought done britney some real justice ) grabbing colin jost by a tie that chris would have never worn on his neck in real life , and ...
“ wow. “ chris’s voice startles the trio of chuckling interns into slamming down on the space bar of the keyboard and pausing the youtube clip of the sketch right as they start to see some tongue. “ they’re really going for it. “ the three of them turn, red faced and apologizing throughout the coughing fit that had become of their laughter, just in time to catch phil’s approach at chris’s shoulder.
“ hey. you catch this? “ chris says to him and watches every stage of grief pass across the each of the interns face as they part to make space for phil’s looming figure to lean in towards the computer screen. a few moments pass before the chief of staff says anything, and when he does, it’s only to complain: that guy doesn’t look anything like me.
two.
“ holy shit! “ chris’s hand took what slack it could find at the front of phil’s shirt and wound it tightly into his fist. it’s a one hander, a downcourt hail mary that sinks the net at the last stroke of midnight. the sound of the buzzer through the tv is eclipsed by the uproar of that becomes of the bar.
now, phil doesn’t give as much of a shit about basketball, and chris is mindful enough of that to feel a little grateful that his truimph is enough to propel them both off of their barstools. his smile catches the apple of phil’s cheek with a celebratory smack as peanut shells rain down like wedding rice.
three.
there’s a prickliness in phil’s broody mumbling that is usually reserved for things that fall under the claire and i had a fight category, which chris has expressed in the past is hard for him to be entirely objective about so there’s just shit phil doesn’t bring up to him. shit that chris doesn’t feel secure enough in their friendship to run the risk of repeating that two week long freeze out by prying after.
whatever it was this time had phil’s near drunken deadweight hanging off of chris’s side in a way that was painfully awkward with their height disparity. they’d barely made it through chris’s front door and the trek from the foyer to the bedroom felt miles long. one step down, twenty more to go, and phil’s body was already swaying its weight onto his outside foot, almost sending them into the console table where chris had just deposited his keys.
“ you have to work with me here, phil. “ chris said.
phil straightened his spine and shaded his brow under a two finger salute before using the full extent of his ungodly fucking height to survey the area.
“ this isn’t my place. “
“ nothing gets past you. “ chris bent down to help phil step out of his shoes. “ mine was closer. “ there was a turning point where phil stopped being consoled by the top gun soundtrack and got fussier the longer he had to sit in the car, so chris made an executive decision.
there was some back and forth about whether or not phil was going to let chris offer him the bed that got settled by chris having to swear on someone’s grave ( he gets the feeling that phil just picked a name, any name, because they don’t have a tonya in common ) that he really did like sleeping on his own couch. then, mercifully, phil planted face first into the mattress. at first it seemed as though he fell asleep in that same instant, but then he groaned at the sound of chris’s wastebasket sliding across the floor towards the head of the bed.
“ i won’t throw up. “
“ just don’t do it on my bed. “
“ i will not throw up. “
“ i believe you. “ that doesn’t even sound true to chris’s own ears. “ bathrooms through that door. “ something phil already knows, but a reminder can’t hurt. “ there’s water and an aspirin on the nightstand. i’ll be up for a while. come get me if you need something. “
he’s almost out the bedroom door.
“ chris? “ phil lifts himself up onto his arms and turns to look at chris from over his shoulder.
“ yeah? “
they sit there for a moment, phil’s expression softly obscured under the darkness but with one eye narrowing against the glow of the street light coming in from the window. chris waits, and he realizes he might wait all night if phil needed him to even if he would never let phil do the same for him. what he gets in return for his patience is phil’s sloppy grin turning into an air kiss, a wink.
that was a little too cute for chris not to grin back. he catches the kiss with one hand and tucks the gesture in his back pocket with a wink of his own before turning the light back off.
“ sleep tight, maverick. “
“ g’night, goose. “
you shake my nerves and you rattle my brain. even after he closes the door, chris can hear him humming into the pillow. too much love drives a man insane.
four.
" what is it about your attraction to phil coulson that makes you uncomfortable? “
dr. garrick is stoutly built. his face has aged into a perpetual frown of intense contemplation over a set of deep set eyes that glister with their acquired intelligence and curiosity for more, and he’s been chris’s therapist since the shooting in dallas a few years ago. something about garrick reminds chris of his grandfather, a man he’s never met in the flesh and only knows through the stories told by his mother from before she’d run away from home. connecting with a therapist is not something that came very easily to him. it was a great deal of trial and error for garrick and him get to the point where they are now.
“ when i say attraction ... i’m not speaking of a strictly sexual, or physical attraction at all. “ garrick clarifies with a wave of his hand. “ the ... incident you’re describing sounds a little more complicated than that. “
the panic attack had come out of nowhere. in the dark of his office he’d found the empty cave he’d made of the back of cassidy’s head, claire’s face slack and empty through a stain glass mosaic of blood and bone, only she couldn’t see him back. the air was no good and sour as it left his lungs in scatters until phil set his hand on chris’s chest and willed his breathing towards a measure of five beats with the low steadiness of his voice. cassidy’s been dead for almost two years. he doesn’t know why the image of him had suddenly come back like that, or what had warmly turned his mind away from that lapse in reality when phil settled him with a stare. some of the details had to rearranged in his admission to garrick, obviously, but chris was better at omission than he had been before he took the job at the white house.
the couch in garrick’s office reminds chris of the one he has in his living room at home. the yield of the leather is right at that sweet spot that he appreciates but getting comfortable still feels like something he’s having to talk himself into. as the moments continue to pass without much of anything offered from chris’s side of the room, garrick shifts in his chair, resting his hand on the knee that crosses over the other. the notepad he uses is a ridiculously tiny thing that fits entirely in his palm. one of those richly green, tactical notebooks that doesn’t hold more than a hundred sheets, and chris has only seen him write anything inside it a handful of times.
“ hearing you talk about it, i’m reminded of.. other times you’ve expressed a struggle to identify the, um ... i think you described it as the thrill of your own vulnerability, the intention behind it. “
chris becomes reminded of them too, even before garrick recalls them aloud. “ the nature of your relationship with audrey shifted quite ... dramatically, because you had allowed her further into your life when you felt no judgement from her for your relapse. we haven’t discussed it very much but i think you had a similar experience with your friend, grace? “
“ i’ve never wanted to sleep with grace. “ giving garrick claire’s real name wasn’t an option when they started to broach certain discussions that fell outside of the realm of the assassination attempt, and he was obviously quite limited in his ability to be perfectly candid about how much deeper their relationship ran than what was easily explainable. easy isn’t the point of therapy. he knows that. garrick knew as much as chris felt he could safely tell him and still yield what he considered to be useable results.
“ keep in mind that a desire for intimacy doesn’t start or stop at sex, chris, but grace is another situation where you were drawn to the security of having not been rejected for having allowed yourself to be seen in a certain light that you don’t typically afford to people. “ again, chris falls silent, pensively chewing on the inside of his cheek as though that was where he was meant to find the truth inside that morsel of thought, so garrick continues. “ it may be difficult to make that distinction if most other times you’ve faced a situation like this has been with someone who had those certain expectations of you afterwards, the way audrey did. but i think that’s a fairer estimation of what you’re struggling with, here. “
he knows how much garrick hates to be the one doing all the talking during these sessions, how counterproductive it is to the whole point and moreso a waste of three hundred dollars for the hour, so chris clears his throat.
“ that makes sense. “ he scratches at a phantom itch of the word seen where it sits just behind his ear. “ it was just ... it felt really intimate. when we locked eyes. “
“ that’s not surprising. you’re familiar with the expression that the eyes are the window to the soul. i like to consider how the optic nerves serve as something of a natural extension of the brain. that when two people are capable of looking at each other while willingly stripping themselves of their private defenses, it’s something like ... a kiss between two minds. a very vulnerable experience. “
with a look, garrick reminds him of the rarity of chris allowing himself that experience.
the clock on the guitar pick table clicks to indicate that they only have a few minutes left of their session, which is usually when garrick prefers to turn the conversation towards a lighter mood so that chris doesn’t leave the office with a tremendous weight over his head.
“ phil sounds like he’s a good friend, when you let him be. “
that’s why you called me and not the cops.
“ he is. “
five.
“ as always i’ve got chris, meech, and scott. “ says phil from behind him.
chris turns just in time to catch a bounce pass and tucks the ball under his arm. the sun hangs directly over their heads so their shadows don’t stretch very far across the asphalt. one of the interns who they can always count on being goaded into a game of pick up puts enough stretch into his lunge to make chris smile despite how unwell he feels.
“ i think i’m gonna sit this one out. “ he says and passes the ball back to phil. waves off the look of interest he meets on ed’s face. “ its hot. i’m tired. “
there had been a brief discussion earlier in the day about how little sleep chris had gotten the night before. that may be why phil doesn’t fight him.
“ you can be our cheerleader. “ phil says. “ shame you don’t still have the skirt. “
“ what makes you think i don’t have the skirt? “
phil pauses mid jump shot, and chris meets his eye from over the textured curve of the basketball.
“ don’t toy with me, brady. “
chris blows back that kiss he’d been saving in his back pocket. phil takes one hand off the basketball to catch it in mid air with a wink and uses it put a little umph into the three pointer that the intern makes a comment about it absolutely not counting.
#tahitiwoke#v. when i go disappearing into that goodnight.#( this game could ill afford to lose him. how bout you? )#1) i am aware of how long this is#2) yes the fifth one is directly stolen from our discord chat lol#3) don't read this ... don't look at it in the eye. .... lmfao#4) yes that is clark gregg in the snl skit#5) claire's fake name is grace for grace kelly bc of all of the inspo pics of her in cal's pinterest board for claire's imagery#6) again ... do not read this ...#7) garrick is played by brian cox#8) do not look this in the eye
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DFX 452 Post 6:New Ideas, Storyboard, Ect.(Mar 1, 2024)
Hey, I am back. It has been a while, but I have been working and also go some new ideas. This post will include things like, new blog format, reformatting, storyboarding, edited the walls a little, Made the save point star (from Undertale), and new decisions.
New Blog Format:
I Have been thinking, and thanks to group critiques, and I found a format that I want to try for blog posts. I want to have some in-between blogs to help focus on, and capture, what I am currently working on the specific day I am working on it. For example, if I am working on lighting for the windows on Sunday, then I will make a mini blog post focusing on the lighting, on Sunday. I think this will heavily benefit me for time capsuling more of my work, while also going into more detail on what is currently being worked on.
Reformatting Outliner:
For some reason my Maya file for the Judgement Hall was messed up. There were extra models in the scene, and the organization of the outliner was messed up so I had to fix it, format it better, delete extra models, and more. Now it looks better, cleaner, and should be easier to work with for me, and any client that could use the model in the future.
Images of Cleaned up Maya File:
Storyboarding:
I have been busy thinking of how I want to storyboard my demo reel. I took some paper, watched different scenes, from different movies, demo reels showing off environment, and animations, to do research. I made a draft storyboard, on paper, of some of the main shots I want. This will be revised and tidied up once it gets closer to making the demo reel, but I am happy that I now have an idea of what important shots I want in it, even if the sketches are basic. There is a reason why I am a digital artist over a non-digital one... my drawing skills. I remake it when the time comes and either scan it or make it in Photoshop, but at this stage, it is good as it is.
Image of basic storyboarding draft:
Wall Edits:
I realized that the walls were too thin and It was affecting the overall appearance of the scene, when the windows were connected to them, so I extruded out the walls for the future window redesign.
Extruded Walls:
Save Star Model:
I also decided to add another item model to use in the scene. If anyone reading this has played Undertale then you know what this is. How can you keep resetting/coming back after death? well the save star of course! this is a pretty iconic thing in the game since it is how someone saves their game. Here is a reference of it's shape:
I decided to model a basic version of it to show off in my Judgement Hall scene. I started with a cylinder, got it to the size I wanted, the took a set of vertices. I then selected them and selected the next set of vertices every 2 sets, then I scaled them down to get the star shape. This is what I got.
After that I added surface shaders, and also made another version then took a render:
Now the star, in the 2D game, twinkles. I want to emulate that, if time allows, for the demo, by animating it(the model I choose) rotating continuously, or twinkling. I will fiddle with that later, but I just wanted to have the model done, and there are more pressing matters to deal with, like finishing the updates to past models, and finish the ceiling. If I do decide to have them moving in the demo, then I will make a post involving me messing with getting the animation right.
New Decisions:
After seeing what others are presenting, and taking feedback, I have decided that it might be a good Idea to start messing with Unreal Engine 5 for this project. This week, I am going to import what I have so far into Unreal and see how it looks. I will test out lighting, and the camera to see if I find it better than Maya's tools for delivering the renders I want. I will also see what textures would transfer and what ones would not, because i would have to remake textures that don't transfer, and depending on which ones, it might take to long for what time I currently have, and maya might be the better option. This will be a basic test to see which program would be the better option to work in for shots, lighting, and rendering.
Conclusion/TLDR:
I have taken a look at a new format for these blogs which involves possibly updating it more frequently. I have also made a basic draft of my storyboard for important shots for the demo reel in the future. I have extruded the walls so the scene looks less flat, made two different models for the Undertale save star, and will fiddle with Unreal Engine 5, later down the line, to see if it would be better for certain things, like camera movement and lighting, than Maya for the demo reel. I am on break, so I have way more time to focus on updating this project so expect more updates this coming week as I finish up remodeling some past models, make celling, and (if the week isn't over by then), take a crack at fixing my lighting, or testing the Unreal Engine 5 exporting.
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eueueu hi 👁️👁️ i seen one of your latest posts with the tag mentioning me, and i know simply saying i understand and don’t mind at all prooobably won’t quell your unease about not finishing my request yet, so if it helps to know, i started an art trade with someone two weeks ago now. and uh, y’know, i still haven’t gotten past the sketching stage of it yet LOL… my trade partner is such a fucking saint about it too like. she’s like. oh yeah i understand bro don’t worry everyone has a life ^-^ meanwhile i’m imagining throwing myself into a volcano over it being still unfinished every night. anyway it’s cool i understand your plight like. literally you do not owe me anything. we’re all just horny mfs unleashing their thoughts about pixels with each other it’s cool. take your time. mwah i love u cutie
— 🌻 anon (hopefully you had lots of fun cosplaying!! i’m trying to get into it as well, but i still can’t even put on a wig properly LMFAOAOO)
YOU'RE SUCH A SWEETHEART MWAH ilysm 🌻 anon, so real that we're just horny mfs over some colourful pixels orz...
(WAHOO join me in the cosplaying rabbit hole! I totally relate w the cosplay wig thing,,, it took a couple tries for me to get it too, I still struggle w it sometimes even now HAHAHA)
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Week 4 ªªªª
In preparation for the presentation on Thursday I wanted to finalise one of my drawings by expanding it in some way. I took the structural piece I made that was an expression of surroundings and I wanted to place it in the centre of a much larger circle. In the end I just opted for a small canvas piece and I spray painted it black in the workshop, though with a layer of touchups with the drawing on the canvas I accidentally sprayed the drawing and ruined it. Oh well.
Instead I decided to take another piece and follow the perimeters of ‘Adaptation’ by incorporating it into another piece. Fran was very kind to allow me to include my piece in with hers, which was a hanging installation containing various pieces of art her daughter made and gave to her over the years.
Only until I mentioned it did anyone realise that it was tucked in. I really enjoyed showing my work in this way as it felt like it was belonging to something rather than standing on its own. Fran mentioned that you had to look at it close up to see what was happening, and that intimacy is something I am definitely striving for in my work between work and audience.
I’ve been struggling with continuity, and all that I am wanting is to create small spaces. This is a bodily reaction I desiring rest, or perhaps enduring spaces that don’t make sense. So even though I do want to find out a way to progress, I think its beneficial to listen and express the headspace I’m in at the moment.
Homework:
Last year I touched on concrete poetry. Trying to figure out how to incorporate words in a way that didn’t feel tacked on, instead flowed with the piece and help build its narrative.
I want to create something sculptural with this sketch and have this as an idea, but I’m still constructing that (it seems that works aren’t able to get out of their idea stages this semester).
The works by Tom Phillips in particular have been a source of inspiration for how text can be displayed. The writing and the imagery in his work find unification that takes emphasis of either side and creates something more cohesive and more captivating.
Assignment preparation:
I’ve been looking back at the artists that I’ve been inspired by and I have noticed that I have failed to document them in my journals of the past couple of weeks - not sure way - lets just call it being lazy.
The artist I have the strongest connection with at the moment is Loie Hollowell, an abstract artist that expresses the body through swirling and vibrant imagery. Her acrylic/oil work documents the personal journey she goes through, it’s about her bodily reaction to the external world, and because it’s a documentation of her space she feels open and confident enough to discuss it without the consuming feeling of doubt taking over her work.
Her portrayal of truth and the confident expression is what attracts me mostly to her work. She dives into analysing the self and makes it an external act for others to appreciate.
I won’t to build a stronger and more confident external space in my practice, one that I know I can return to and enter. I need that bit of security in art.
Naudline Pierre is another artist that I have admired for a long time (also somewhat envious of). Her works are so open and free. Figures roam around the space, over landscapes that aren’t there to impress but just existing in their own way. This naturing of the imagination is something I feel strongly about - having he canvas as a sort of religious act in worshiping an art god (though I try to distance myself from god-mentality, it does feel very religious).
I want to venture into more pieces that allow the unexpected to flourish. To not feel ashamed by free form, and understanding why shame even exists in that space to begin with.
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Demigod MC Series: Athena
So. I have to deal with the virgin goddesses… By mythos, there really shouldn't ever be children of Artemis, Hestia, or Athena (yes, Athena was a virgin goddess). PJ got past that by making it canon that Annabeth and her siblings were born from cracking open Athena's skull (yes, that's also more or less the canon explanation). They gloss over it real quick but I remember, Rick. I've always remembered and that mental image has haunted me for years...
I can't, in good conscience, ignore the history around Athena's worship (call it an academic restraint) but I REFUSE to do the skull thing. So, since I make the rules here, I'm going with magic adoption. They still get magic powers, they're just more human than demigod. Cool? Cool.
Demigod MC Series: Intro, Aphrodite, Hermes, Hades, Dionysus, Demeter, Athena
Lucifer
The human that popped out of the portal seemed to have enough sense not to attack everyone in the room for a change, but even Lucifer could tell that was more of a strategic choice than for lack of ability...
Their very existence was highly unusual… and quite worrisome. He wasn't even aware Athena could have "children" of her own, but apparently she had been taking in some particularly bright humans to raise and train like her own...
Unbeknownst to him, a surprising amount of human scholars, diplomats, and generals have her to thank for their trade… and that alone should speak to the level of intrigue at play here.
Was this an accident or Athena's attempt to plant an Olympian spy in the Devildom too…? Either way, he didn't trust them from the get go…
Look, Lucifer isn’t stupid. Athena is a goddess of Wisdom and War and war happens on more than just the battlefield…
Since they've shown up records have been going missing, official documents keep getting misplaced, and he swears that there's some kind of bug in the student council room...!
It's infuriating watching the MC suck up to Diavolo when he's almost certain that they're running their own agenda behind the scenes! And he can't prove any of it!! They cover their tracks too well!
Lucifer has one of those corkboards covered in newspapers and string in a secret wing of the Castle - 100% dedicated to just tracking the MC's activities…. The longer they're there, the more obsessed he becomes...
He swears between Simeon, Solomon, and MC he feels like a shepherd wondering why the sheep are growling… The Devildom has never been in more danger than it is right now... Send help.
Mammon
To be honest, he kind of thought that they were just going to be Satan 2.0 but that's not really true.
They're more than just a book sponge! Though they do read, like a lot. Let’s just say from one schemer to another… Game recognizes Game.
They come up with plans and ideas soooo fast, it’s insane! Honestly, there are times where he has a new money-making plot and he just brings it to the MC first to run it over.
Nine times out of ten, not only do they sniff out any problems but they have a solution for him in a matter of minutes! His scheme game has been on point since they’ve shown up!!
They’re also even better tutoring than Satan is, so he’s even managed to get a couple A’s for the first time in his life! Lucifer actually told him he was proud (which he secretly recorded and now uses as a ringtone much to his brother’s regret...)
So yeah, he likes them... buuut that doesn’t keep him from thinking they act a little weird sometimes...
Mammon: *points to a unused tower close to the RAD building* Over there is the Tower of Sorrow. We use it for storage.
MC: Ah. Interesting… *starts writing in a notebook, muttering* It may need a few minor tweaks but the location is defensible...
Mammon: *stops* Ya say somethin’?
MC: *looks back up* Nope! Say, you’ve been to the Castle a lot haven’t you? Do you know any good ways in?
Mammon: Uhm… Why do ya want to know that…? *starts looking around for Lucifer*
MC: In case of emergencies. I like being prepared. 🙂
Mammon: Look, I don’t know what Lucifer might’a told ya…
MC: I’ll pay you a thousand Grimm for it.
Mammon: Well shit, ya want those maps with or without color?
... Yeeeah, that’s pretty weird… But it’s probably fine. I mean, as long as they keep giving him money, who’s he to complain? 🤷♀️
Leviathan
Also thought that they’d be a lot more like Satan but was pleasantly surprised that they were into more than books.
What else did they like exactly? Military strategy!!
It’s been a looong time since he’s been able to talk to someone who’s actually interested in all the battles he’s fought, both in the Celestial Realm and the Devildom, and their curiosity is kind of flattering...! Not a lot of people take his strategic prowess all that seriously anymore...
Plus, they are the BEST partner to have any turn-based strategy game. Hands down. He once got stuck on a level of D-COM for weeks until the MC walked in and mopped the floor with the AI!! They have a serious head for probability and tactics.
The House once made the mistake of letting these two be on the same team during a Hell Game and they absolutely demolished the competition. Mammon didn’t even get a single shot off before half his team was lost to a rigged paint grenade… It took a whole day to clean up…
However, Levi’s also noticed some odd things about the human… He likes that they’re interested in his past but maybe they’re a little… too interested?
Levi: -and that’s how we defeated the Four Horsemen before they escaped from Purgatory.
MC: Wow, Levi that’s seriously impressive!! *furiously scribbling on a notebook*
Levi: Well t-thanks… 😅 But, uhm... are you writing that down…?
MC: Hm? Oh no, just doodling. *they lift up the notebook to show a bunch of cute little sketches on the page… and not the magic-based invisible ink all over them…*
Levi: Oh you draw too? Can you do fanart???
MC: Eh, sometimes. But say Levi, can you tell me about your naval ranks again? I’m still really curious… *gets the pen ready again with a smile*
Satan
Oh, it's been a long game of cat-and-mouse between these two… and unfortunately, it’s been pretty addicting too.
He honestly had every intention of tricking the human into making a huge mess do he could bother Lucifer, but at every turn they proved just a hair too clever for him...
He once gave them a cursed book to “lend” to Lucifer, but they saw through it the moment they touched it and lifted the spell before handing it over.
He rigged a podium to spray glitter during one of Lucifer's speeches but the MC disconnected the trigger mic before he even got on stage. It was pretty dang frustrating...
At one point he got so desperate that, just as a test, he tried to trap them in the House's Music Room. Fortunately for them, it only took a few minutes to work out an escape. They even passed by him in the hallway with a wink!
It's confounding! It's infuriating!!
...and it's so damn sexy... He should be furious but he’s just in awe!!
Add on that they know their art, literature, and multiple different crafts thanks to the tutelage of their adopted mother and that’s it. He’s finished. This boy is in love.
Truthfully though, a part of him is 90% sure that they’re also gathering state secrets… Like, they’re watching Barbs and Diavolo far too close for comfort - but he just can't bring himself to care. 🤷♀️
The MC could walk into his room one day and say, "Hey, do you want to help overthrow the monarchy with me?" and he dreads it because deep down he knows that he wouldn’t say no…
Take some notes, kids. Some bad influences get you to drink or do drugs. Others pull you into a centuries long conspiracy to destabilize and topple rival realms from within… But he has fallen for their brain hard. Devil help them all…
Asmodeus
They’re pretty clever, he’ll give them that, but uh… Are they a little off to anybody else?
Asmo is a charmer by birthright so he has a bit of nose for when someone’s just a liiittttle too nice… Not much of a nose mind you, because he can be thrown off by compliments himself, but enough to think that the MC might be a little too… “kind” for their own good...
First off, who wants to spend that much time with Levi?? They don’t even seem that interested in anime! They just keeping asking him for old war stories…
Then all the sucking up they do to Diavolo and Barbatos? Look, he gets it. Diavolo is a delicious piece of man-hunk and his butler could give him a lesson or two in sweet-talk (and he has), but they seem to be just a little too… nosy.
Of course, Asmo’s suspicions disappear pretty quickly after they start to spoil him with spa nights and beauty secrets they picked up from “casual research” into the subject.
And you know, get a little Demonus in Asmo and start massaging his back? Oh, sweetie he’ll sing like a bird!! … with gossip. Singing with gossip.
Asmo: So I’ve heard that Lucifer has been spending more time at RAD than usual… His whole club is talking about it, they think he’s meeting with some witch!
MC: Hm, is that so? *works on a knot near his shoulder blades* What do you think?
Asmo: Ooh~! Right there, MC! *purrs and lays his head on his arms* Well come on, this is Lucifer we’re talking about! I’m sure he’s just working.
Asmo: Hmm... though come to think of it, I think I heard him asking Barbatos for the spare keys to the Tower of Sorrow…
MC: Oh really? Huh. *works out the knot and gets up* I just remembered that I left some papers with Satan... I’ll be right back.
Asmo: You’re going already??
MC: *waves him off quickly* I’ll be right back, Asmo. *hurries out the door to do totally on-the-up-and-up things… surely*
Beelzebub
Honestly he doesn't like this one… But not for the reasons you'd expect.
He agrees with everyone else that they seem a little shady, but Solomon and Simeon are too so it's not like that's anything new... 🤷♀️
No, no. He dislikes them because they're the person who FINALLY figured out how to keep him from eating all the food in the kitchen!!
Turns out that the trick was to put a teleportation charm on the fridge door that would send all the food away if it’s opened after a certain time of night…
And where does it go? The Purgatory Hall fridge. And where does the Purgatory Hall food go…? The HoL fridge…
It doesn’t sound so bad until you remember that it means half of their fridge is now Solomon’s leftovers…. 🤢
After they put the same kind of spell on the pantry, it was all over… He couldn't get midnight snacks from the House anymore… Everything was contaminated by Solomon…
The MC is a nice enough person, he doesn’t have a lot of complaints about them, but he wants them to leave. Now. This is inexcusable… He’s so hungry… and he doesn’t want to die by “goulash” or whatever Solomon calls his latest culinary catastrophe… He’s still too young for death… 😓
Belphegor
In a way, he absolutely could not have asked for a better person to help him get out of that attic.
… In another way, he got one of the worst possible people to try and kill... Like. They saw through his scheme sooo fast…
How was he supposed to know that the human had training in body language and sniffing out lies???
Getting the door open was a piece of cake for them. They knew enough magic to undo the seals and just rummaged around Lucifer's stuff long enough to find the key to the door. He could not have found a more competent individual for a break out, really.
It’s just… well he didn’t expect to go from locked in a room like a prisoner to tied up in enchanted rope, still like a prisoner but now mobile. 😑
They even used his own hug ruse against him! They caught his wrists when they got close and tied him up before he could shake them off...
Admittedly, it wasn't exactly the best look for them either - what with walking Belphegor downstairs to the others like a one-man-prison-caravan but they're as silver-tongued as they are sly so they talked their way out of it beautifully…
And like hell was he going to trust them after that!! And not even Beel liked them so something had to be up...
Well, you want a detective? Look no farther than Belphie (no seriously, it’s in the canon). He can put things together pretty fast when he puts his mind to it and watching the MC for a while gave him enough proof to work off of...
He always knew that, humans were bad news and the MC just proved it to him all over again. They are bad news, bad bad news and they’re going to-!
Overthrow… Diavolo…? Is that what he is getting from them…? Huh…
Wait a second, MC. You might just have him interested… 😏
#you say athena mc is smart#i say athena mc is spy#because where better to use your smarts#in war#obey me#obey me shall we date#shall-we-date-obey-me#obey me lucifer#obey me mammon#obey me leviathan#obey me satan#obey me asmodeus#obey me beelzebub#obey me belphegor#obey me demigods
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Nerd Love
After years of working together, Pete still manages to break you.
Request: “Hi! Can I get a Pete imagine where you guys work on SNL together and you have few skits together and during one of them you can’t stop laughing”
Pete Davidson x Reader
Warnings: Cursing
Word Count: 2237
“Live from New York, it’s Saturday night!” You hear Kate and the host of the week announce before Lorne motions that the cameras had cut for commercial break. You and Pete had a sketch together in exactly 12 minutes and 45 seconds, and you were trying to cool your nerves.
You loved your job, writing on SNL was something you had dreamed of since you were in middle school, and now it was your reality. Of course, it was hard, the hours were long and the work was demanding. But having Pete by your side made it all bearable.
You had met on your first day, getting hired one season after him. You two were deemed the “babies” of the cast because you were the youngest, so naturally you got paired up. A lot.
At first it bothered you that you only really ever worked with one person, but after your first few episodes you grew to love Pete. Your energies matched so well, and whenever you wrote together you easily built of each other.
After 6 years of working on the show together, you had become really close friends. You were with him through all of his hard times, and you were one of the few people he let visit him in rehab. In return, he stuck by your side through everything, even when the internet tried to cancel you for an interview that was taken completely out of context.
You couldn’t pinpoint when, but at some point, you had developed real feelings for him. Obviously, you’d never tell him, not wanting to mess up your amazing friendship. But they still flourished, especially when you would be up until 6 am writing sketches and goofing around in the writer’s room. Of course, the comments from fans didn’t help your feelings either. They loved you guys. Anytime you posted Pete on your social media, they were all over it.
But you guys had denied the dating rumors countless times since they’d started 5 years ago. Even though having to hear the words “we’re just friends” over and over killed you.
You were lost in thought when Pete came up behind you, hands grabbing your shoulders and shaking you slightly. “Ready bookworm?” He asked, moving to stand next to you.
“Only if you are, Mr. jock-man.” You laughed, rolling your eyes.
The sketch you and Pete had written was a young couple on a really fancy date to celebrate their 6-month anniversary. Your character was going on the date with Kyle Mooney’s character. Both of you were the stereotypical nerd couple with glasses, suspenders, and everything else. Pete was playing your waiter, who obviously did not give a shit about his job. He was the stereotypical jock character. Your character was super attracted to him and kept paying attention to him. He loved the attention and would do things like show you his (reaaaallllyyy) lame tattoos, tell you about sports, and everything that nerds don’t like. Kyle obviously didn’t like that and kept trying to get your attention in the weirdest of ways.
It was pretty funny in rehearsals, almost too funny. Seeing Pete act so out of character was hilarious to you and having to overdramatically flirt with him felt ridiculous. You barely made it through in rehearsals without laughing, so you had to hope you could do it on stage.
“Y/N, Pete, and Kyle. You’re up.” The stagehand told you, and you grabbed Kyle’s hand, walking to the stage.
The sketch started and you were doing okay. You and Kyle had your conversation about your anniversary and your favorite Star Wars movies. But then Pete walked onto the stage in his ridiculous waiter getup. His white shirt was unbuttoned at the top and wrinkled, his black pants hanging low on his hips, and his apron only half tied. You bit your tongue to keep yourself together.
“Welcome to White Oyster, what do you want?” He said in a very bored voice. You acted interested, eyes raking up and down him. You felt ridiculous and had to swallow a laugh.
Kyle pushed his glasses up on his nose, “me and my girlfriend are here for our six-month anniversary, so we would like the couple’s special.” His nerd voice was incredible.
“Okay. Anything else?” Pete’s voice remained monotone.
You bit your lip, “do you recommend anything else?” You asked, trying to sound nerd-sexy.
You could see Pete struggling to contain a smile. “I mean, whatever. Food here is shitty anyways.”
Kyle’s mouth gaped, “can you not speak like that around my girlfriend, please?”
The sketch continued with you making flirty remarks towards Pete, him being very bored and unaware, and Kyle trying to direct your attention. After your second attempt at flirting with him, you could feel yourself breaking down.
“So, I was wondering. Do you have any tattoos?” You asked him, your elbow on the table, twirling a piece of your hair in your finger.
Pete nodded, pulling up his shirt to show the big MOM tattoo on his side that was drawn on earlier. You felt a giggle slip out, completely out of character.
You tried to cover it up and continue, “wow, you really must love your mom, huh?” Another chuckle leaving your mouth, “that’s kinda hot.”
Kyle looked at you with wide eyes, “Linda!” He screamed the name of your character
Pete shrugged, “Nah, I did it myself. It says WOW, like world of warcraft.”
You couldn’t help the laugh that fell out of your mouth, and one followed from Pete. This was a disaster. You tried to regain your composure, knowing Kyle was probably really frustrated right now. “I just think tattoos are so cool. You don’t have any, do you Darren?” You asked Kyle’s character, eyes narrowing at him. You heard a chuckle from Pete beside you and you bit your cheek.
Kyle faked looking flustered, “N-no. But I have all 7 of the Harry Potter books and 4 collectors wands.”
Pete nodded, “Oh cool, I have a Harry Potter tattoo.” He pulled up his arm to show his real tattoo.
Your eyes went wide, “Wow. That’s way cooler.” You batted your eyes up at Pete, making him break even more. Watching his face go red and his mouth lifting up with laughter made you squeeze your eyes to hide your laughter.
“But babe!” Kyle was starting to break now too. “You love my Harry Potter stuff!”
“It’s cool, I guess.”
The sketch continued with you and Pete laughing anytime you looked at each other, your energies feeding into one another. You both tried really hard to keep it together, but something about flirting with Pete made you so giddy inside that you couldn’t help it.
Eventually the scene ended and the lights went down. You knew the cameras probably caught an extra few seconds after the close of the sketch, meaning they caught you and Pete breaking down into fits of laughter.
You somehow made it offstage, faces red. “We’re so gonna get fired.” He said through giggles.
“I’m so sorry,” You started, trying to take breaths through your laughs. “I don’t know why I couldn’t hold it together.”
“You looked ridiculous.” Pete laughed, pointing at your glasses.
After the show you made your way back to your dressing room, changing into your day clothes and getting ready to leave. You finally checked your phone, which had been off the duration of the show.
Your twitter feed was filled with clips of you and Pete laughing through the sketch.
They’re so cute together #goals
Love their friendship
Get you someone who looks at you like Pete looks at Y/N
Poor Kyle ☹
The way they can’t get through a skit because they’re too in love
And they say they aren’t dating…
Can’t believe the unprofessionalism
Pete and Y/N are dating… no one can convince me otherwise
The flirting!!! The looks!!!
I would like Pete and Y/N to get married and adopt me please
Your heart melted at all the comments, a sigh leaving your mouth. You watched the video and noticed the way he looked at you anytime you broke character, it was the same way you looked at him all the time.
You shook your head, convincing yourself you were imagining it. You couldn’t afford to think like that, it would ruin your friendship.
A knock at your door pulled you out of your thoughts, “Y/N, wanna go grab a drink with me?” It was Pete.
“You can come in.” You called, and he did so. “I don’t know, I was thinking I might just go home. I’m pretty tired.” You really just wanted to go home and sort through your feelings for the umpteenth time that month.
He nodded, watching as you tossed various items in your bag, “you were great tonight.”
You giggled, “Pete I barely made it through our sketch, it was a disaster.”
He rolled his eyes, walking over to where you were at your vanity. “I messed up too, but it was fine. No one noticed.”
You leaned into the mirror, fixing your makeup slightly. Pete was very close to you, watching you through said mirror. “Trust me, Petey. Everyone noticed.” You laughed, standing up straight again.
Your back was inches from his chest, and you could suddenly feel a different sort of tension in the air. But you didn’t make any move to shift away from him. He gave you a quizzical look through the mirror and you took out your phone, turning to him.
You took in a breath at the proximity. You weren’t close enough to kiss or anything, but his chest was only a few inches away from you. You shook away the thoughts you were having and opened your twitter, letting him scroll through the tweets. He chuckled and shook his head as he read them, eventually handing you your phone back.
“People really like us together.” He said, smiling.
You rolled your eyes, “They have for the past like, 6 years, Petey. We’re funny.” You smiled moving to turn back to grab your bag, but his hand grabbed your hip and made you stay facing him.
Your mind went blank at his touch, trying to figure out if this was real or if you were just really really tired. “That’s not what I meant.” He said, quieter.
You laughed, looking away from his eyes, not really knowing what to say. “I mean, people have always thought… stuff like that.” You mumbled, trying to figure out what the hell was going on.
Pete’s eyes were searching your face, taking in every detail. “Have you ever thought about, like, why people think we’re…” He trailed off, but you knew what he was implying.
You blushed, looking down at your toes. “I mean, I guess we’re together a lot and we get on well. People just like to make assumptions, I guess.”
“Yeah, and I’m sure it doesn’t help that I can never keep my eyes off of you, even when the cameras are rolling.” He said, a chuckle following.
You smiled, looking back up at him, your brain trying to process what he just said. After a few moments of silence, you spit out a “why are you bringing this up?” Your voice was soft, almost a whisper.
He sighed, hand moving from your hip and rubbing his face lightly. “I don’t know, I’ve just been thinking a lot.” You gave him a look that told him to continue. “I mean, I think it’s kind of obvious that I like you.”
Your mouth dropped, “obvious? Pete Davidson you have been far from obvious about your feelings.” You really thought you were dreaming, hearing those words from him was just impossible.
“Are you kidding me? How many sketches do I have to write just so I can flirt with you? Have you not picked up on the fact that literally every sketch I write for you to be in we’re playing some sort of couple?” He laughed, stepping towards you, and grabbing your hips again. “Dude, and I thought I was oblivious to this shit.”
“In my defense I’ve spent the past like 6 years trying to convince myself you didn’t feel the same way.” You said, a smile crossing your face.
Pete rolled his eyes, leaning closer to you, “now why would you wanna do that?” There was a playful tone in his voice, but you couldn’t help your serious answer.
“Because I didn’t wanna read the signs wrong and mess up our friendship.” You sighed.
Pete’s smile softened, “Y/N I literally want to kill you right now for making me wait this long.” You giggled, leaning closer to him. “But you’re cute so I guess I can let it slide.”
“If I kiss you will it make up for it?” You asked, batting your eyelashes.
Pete pretended to think about it, “hmmm, maybe. You should definitely give it a shot to see.”
You rolled your eyes, wrapping your arms around his neck and pulling him into you. Your lips touched his and it was like everything in the universe suddenly aligned. His mouth moved against yours in soft, perfect motions. His hands pulled you closer into him, your bodies molding together like it was meant to be.
When you finally pulled away for breath, he pressed his forehead against yours, a wide grin on his face. “So, about those drinks?”
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Seven Stages of Being thrown into Teenage Superherodom
Stage 1: Panic
@marijon-week Day 1: Blue Eyes / Identity Reveal
@t1dwarrior-of-earth
Here *** Second
~~~~~~~~~~
Ever since Fu made her Guardian she left Paris. The Kwamii convinced her that the stress of being ladybug and the mental, and now physical, abuse of her classmates has become too much. Her parents also noticed her shift and they supported her leaving.
This was how she found herself in Blüdhaven. She was a student at Gotham Academy, but with Gotham's high crime rate they wanted somewhere safer for her. Sure she could have also chosen Metropolis, but the commute from Blüdhaven was shorter.
She will be the first to admit that it wasn't ideal, but for her mental health it was great. And with complete honesty and sincerity she wouldn't change a thing.
You see one thing that apparently gets overlooked is that Nightwing is the resident vigilante of Blüdhaven. Even more is the fact that he happens to be her neighbor.
OK so maybe a little bit backtracking here. Marinette may have figured out that her next-door neighbor, Detective Richard Grayson, happens to moonlight as Nightwing at night.
So the building they had chosen for her was extremely safe, however they didn’t take an account Marinette's extremely packed and late work schedule. With how Marinette would still be awake in the early morning hours, and if she heard a thump of boots on the balcony next to hers regularly, she is going to look out the window eventually.
When she does, she sees Nightwing at her neighbor's apartment. Which could be one of two possible reasons why Nightwing could be there. One, his significant other lived in that apartment and he just came regularly. Or two, he lived there and assumed every sane person was asleep.
Her question was eventually answered one night when she was at the desk next to her balcony door, she heard boots like normal, but this time they were closer than normal, this time they were on her balcony.
The door moved, causing her to turn and focus on the door. That was when a male voice muttered, I thought I left it unlocked like always.
So most people would have quietly left, but she wasn't most she opened the blinds. She is pretty sure she had a stare down with him but its difficult to say because at the mask.
However after countless akuma attacks, you tend to figure out who the target is, which is what she did. Same height, same rough build, same hit and skin tone, combined with her ability to recognize figures for fashion, that gives you Richard Grayson. Without breaking eye contact she got up, stepped to the door, opened it and pulled him in, shutting it and the blinds, turning to face him. Then is when she noticed the blood near his hair line and down his neck.
“There better be an extremely good reason why this happened Mr. Grayson.” She looked innocently at him, “because I don’t know how to explain.” She gestured to him now seated at her desk. She pulled out her first aid kit and started checking him.
“How did you find out?”
“Night owl,” she shrugged. “I hear you come in every night and well um, well...”
“Curiosity got the best of you.” She nodded.
Of course this was when her phone would go off, she grabbed it, opened it, and groaned, because of course she was being called a Paris in the middle of the night, morning over there.
“You know what you're still alive, just a superficial head injury, but I have to go.” She said moving towards her bedroom when Mr. Grayson finally reacted.
“I’m supposed to… you said you were 14 right?” She nodded. “I’m supposed to let a 14 year-old leave in the middle of the night?”
“I am, I can explain in the morning.” She tried to justify, but he wouldn't let go of her wrist. So in a leap of faith, she gave him a quick rundown of the Paris situation and why she had to leave. If after this Blüdhaven had another vigilante well no one else knew why, Trixx loved it though. And she had someone who not only knew who she was but knew how to help and train her. Even if he acted more like a brother to her.
After all the eyes are the windows to the soul, and as a true guardian and a pure soul of creation, she knows that she can trust Richard ‘Dick’ Grayson’s.
- - -
It’s almost humorous that the next pair of eyes she would this come to trust were a blue so electric that they seemed to hold Lightning itself. Those eyes belong to one Jonathan Samuel Kent.
She had actually met John while in class at Gotham Academy, but nothing much more than their initial meeting and a good morning in the halls. This was pretty much because he seemed to stick with Damian Wayne, the ice Prince of Gotham. And green eyes always hurt her in the past, so she mostly stayed away from them.
However the fates had another plan for them. A group project, yay was sarcastically running through her head because of course, the two people she was partnered with happened to be two pairs of eyes that made an impression on her originally.
“So, should we go to your place, or should we go to the library, oh maybe we should go to Damien’s, or maybe mine to work on this.” Jon rapid fired at her and Damian, as they well she moved in order to talk about the project.
“I um... I’m not exactly...” she couldn’t even finish the sentence before Damian butt in.
“Tt figure this out and inform me later.” With that he go up and walked away. And go figure her assumption that everyone with green eyes were complete and total dicks is just reinforced. Because if you’ve never had a good experience with anything or anyone who shares the same traits why would it be any different now.
“Maybe we should just meet at the café or at the library just get this over with.” She got up with the bell, turned on her heel, leaving Jon sitting at the desk she just vacated.
She heard of a soft, “oh ok” as she walked away.
But of course nothing ever was easy in her life. Because the next thing she knows she hears foot falls behind her, they were actually picking up speed, and then stomps as if they were trying to stop right behind her. That was when I hand wrapped itself around her wrist making her spin and face the person who grabbed her.
In that moment she didn’t think, she reacted, she reacted like every other time one of her classmates decided to hurt her. It was a motion that came as naturally as breathing while in her civilian form, so much so that she would bet her heartbeat wouldn’t have changed. She dropped the books and book bag from her arms and shoulder lifting her arms defensively to protect her head and she pushed her shoulders forward , defend her head, in an attempt to stop a blow. But the swing never came, no weight, no pressure, no kick, no pain, just silence.
She tentatively opened her previously shut eyes eyes and looked forward, towards where the hand had originally pulled her, to the person who pulled her, she saw Jon, shocked at her reaction and then that turned to fear almost, it seemed to her, as if he was wondering if he did something wrong, if he hurt her, quickly she tugged her arm away from him and dropped to the ground and tried to pick up her items. However what shocked her was that he also dropped down and tried to help her pick up her things.
She looked up as he handed her a stack, “I forgot to ask you for your number so we can do a group chat. Are you OK?”
“Oh yeah yeah I’m fine.” She pulled a pen quickly from her bag and a sticky note, she usually uses to annotate her sketches and class notes come on, “here.” She handed him the piece of paper, Marinette got up and started to walk away again, as to not miss her next class.
By the end of the day, she found out that Jon can can text her head off. She always tries to respond to text quickly but this boy spammed the chat trying to get to know her better. If she was Damian, and she figured he did, she would’ve silenced the conversation, but it would be rude of her not answer.
Eventually they did figure out a an arrangement, Damian was going to go meet a brother after school so he wouldn’t be available meaning that she and Jon would start the project. So they decided to open a chat just between the two of them and figured it out from there.
Seeing as both of them lived outside of Gotham they decided it would be a little bit safer to meet at Marinette’s and John would leave from her apartment. And that is what they did, together the two of them left Gotham Academy after school, took the train to Blüdhaven and got into study mode. They worked in relative peace, researching and writing down ideas until there was a knock on the door. Marinette made her way up to the door, looked through and there stood Dick. So she opened the door, yet what got her attention was not just her pseudo Brother but the person who is with him. This person just happened to be the missing member of their project group, Damian.
“Hey Mari, I thought I would introduce you to my baby brother!” He beamed then noticing the other person in the room. “Hey Jon.” He greater and then took a double take “Jon!!!”
“Hey Dick, Damian.” He smiled.
“Tt. Anyone care to explain this.” Damian glared between her and his brother.
“Wow something the boy wonder doesn’t know.” She muttered under her breath, apparently it wasn’t quite quiet enough as some reacted.
“She knows?!?” Jon directed towards Dick and Damian.
“Know what?” She bit the bullet.
“Boy Wonder!?!” He seemed to shout just loud enough to get their attention. This did cause a reaction, Dick almost looked proud but Damian seemed ready to attack her.
“Okay I knew you were clever but seriously?!”
“Not the time Dick!” She moved so the kitchen island was between her and Damian. That was when something clicked Boy Wonder, Robin, Damian is Robin. Dick is Nightwing, both work with Batman. Jon heard her the others didn’t, Robin is close with… oh sweet honey iced tea. “ Dick please please tell me that I’m wrong!”
“I’m going with no your right.” Thump went her head as it fell onto the counter unrestrained.
“Why can’t my life be normal?” She asked no one in particular.
“You are a magical girl who can use the power of mini sized gods who you also protect.” Dick supplied ever so helpfully.
“Not helping!” She glared at him.
“Your life wasn’t normal long before we met.”
“Still.” She grumbled. Damian and Jon were now watching her and Dick interact as if trying to figure something out. Ping. Her phone went off. “Oh come on.” She fell back on the counter.
“Who is it this time?” Dick asked.
She tossed the phone to him. “I hate elementals.” A livestream of Stormy Weather ravaged the city of Paris.
“Cookies?”
“Cookies, I’ll be back.” He tossed her a box from her pantry. Special macaroons for the kwamii.
“Wait! Let me come with you.”
“And how many times have I told you that would be a bad idea.”
“But…”
“No, don’t make me call Honey Bee to venom you again.”
He slowly backed up and sat on the couch dragging Damian with him. “I’ll um… I’ll hold down the fort. Don’t call Goldie.”
“I won’t.” She turned to go to her room. “Oh there is fresh cookies in the jar.”
She silently transformed and portaled away. Luckily her team was already there and they made quick work of the Akuma. Meaning she was back near instantly.
“That was quick.”
“Viperion was there.”
“How many times?”
“Dunno.”
“Liar.”
“Am not.”
“You are.” Jon interjected into their bickering.
“Who’s side are you on anyways?” She asked out.
“I have no idea.”
“Great we broke Superboy.” She plopped down on the couch next to a stunned Jon. “If only… Fluff.”she smiled, and knowing that smile Dick panicked. “Fluff. Hey Fluff.”
“Oh no time travel is what got you into this time travel will not get you out.” Dick jumped landing on her keeping her seated.
“What it’s going fine?!“ Jon screamed at them, looking pretty close to a mental break down, she should know.
“You didn’t explain anything did you.” She looked on up from her position under a pile of a Dick and pillows.
“I was meaning to come up with the cookies were good and kind of had my mouthful.”
“OK great so here’s the rundown. Hello my name is Marinette Dupain-Cheng and I was chosen at the age of 13 to wield the Miraculous of the Ladybug which grants me the power of creation and healing. I moved Blüdhaven and enrolled into Gotham Academy because of my utterly deteriorating mental health as a result of bullying in my previous school. Not to mention the magical terrorist who prays on sad or negative emotions, who happens to be using the Miraculous Butterfly or the miraculous of transmission. My partner uses the miraculous of the black cat which grants them the power of destruction, but he’s a total and complete asshole, but that’s not surprising. I was then given full guardianship of every single miraculous in the Chinese zodiac box, the most powerful of all of them the tender age of 14. I figured out that Dick was Nightwing about a month after I moved in and afterwards I have been going out into with him as he’s in as the vigilante Vulpes. And I literally just figured out you are Robin,” she pointed at Damian. “And you are Super Boy,” she pointed at Jon, “because of you’re a little outburst. I would not have figured it out otherwise! And I’m totally not I am going crazy because now there is a total of three people who know my identity in another country, no less, and I’m sure I can figure out the rest of the Bat family from here but I so I don’t want to.“ She was able to breathe now, after having explained this in just under a minute.
She looked between both Damian and Jon noticed they both looked as if she was either crazy or that certainly made a lot of sense, or a mixture of both she really can’t tell.
“You were bullied.“ Jon seemed to only take away. “That actually explains earlier.” He said just load enough for her to hear, as they were still next to each other.
“I’m not going over this again.“ She huffed, causing Dick to roll off of her laughing onto the ground and she followed suit. “You know there’s a reason I’ve always trusted blue eyes.” That was the beginning of and inseparable friendship between her and Damian, and something more between her and Jon.
None of them quite knew that at the time.
Next
~~~~~~~~~~
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until dawn; pt. II - ljn
part I | part II
⤑ summary: basic number one rule of the museum is not to touch the art. but no one told jeno that falling for one of them isn’t allowed either.
⤑ pairing: jeno x female reader
⤑ word count: 12.2k
⤑ genre: ANGST, fluff, romance, smut (f receiving, dom!jeno waow, dirty talk, wrap it everyone) | broke architecture major!jeno, historical figure!reader, enemies to lovers!au, college!au, night at the museum-inspired!au
⤑ warnings: references to actual historical figures, explicit language, graphic details, major heartbreak caused by another party, expect time jumps too
⤑ author’s note: happy jeno day!! i’ve been so excited to post this part, and i’m happy we’re here!! perhaps, this is the last long fic i’ll write for a while so i can rest, but i’ll still be posting short stories within the weeks to come! i’m excited for may to say the least hehe
btw, for the smut scene (indicated with **), i highly recommend you listen to strange (feat. hillary smith) by kris bowers!! this song is from the bridgerton soundtrack, and oh man, the feels!!
with that, enjoy!
italicized text either means they are personal notes or flashbacks.
this was meant to be more angsty, but either way, i screamed every time i wrote something gut-wrenching.
⤑ taglist: @renjunniehome
⤑ ctto above!!
⤑ leave me some feedback, constructive criticism, or hellos!
“You ready to get your butt beaten by me, Lee?”
“Prepare your final words when I win instead, (Y/L/N).”
Mischievous banter exchanged between you two became a new norm. Almost every night, someone within the art pieces established a contest over anything and it released the competitive sides of you two. So far, Jeno has been winning. Not like it hurt your pride, but maybe just once, you could conquer one game to feel better. Not only that, there’s a mini penalty for the loser. So far, you’ve cleaned up the lobby yourself and acted cutely to everyone the entire evening (or aegyo as Jeno called it).
Tonight, a game of archery was held by the Greek gods. They pushed away any extra pieces away, leaving the whole room vacant with two boards right beside Zeus’ throne. Numerous arrows were produced and sharpened, Zeus in the center announced to everyone participating.
“It’ll be 1 on 1 games. First to go are Jeno vs (Y/N), followed by Athena vs. Hermes, Cleopatra vs. Freddie, and last would be Hades vs Aphrodite.”
Cutting the chase, you didn’t expect Jeno to be that good at archery. Sure, he told you that he took classes with his friends for fun when he was younger, though it showed that he’s a fast learner and even hit one bullseye in the middle of the game.
Not slightly threatened until the last rounds, you fixed your aim and lessened your overthinking when preparing to shoot. Thus, you scored 2 bullseyes shot. It was a close fight, having the audience on the edge on their feet again because it’s the two of you. Your dynamic with the night guard always elevated the mood, shifting their bets over and over again.
By 1 point, you received your first victory against Jeno. Unlike you, he showcased his sportsmanship sweetly without any comments of disbelief. He’s never bragged about anything big in his life, not unless it’s a high grade for his plate. Normally, he celebrated wins in a laid-back manner. But don’t be fooled: he loves giving penalties.
“This is why I don’t make bets with my friends because I really go for their weak spots.”
“You’re cynical, Lee Jeno.”
“Only if you’re close to me, (Y/N) (Y/L/N).”
“Aren’t we already past that stage?”
Almost halfway through his job, he sustained a meaningful friendship with you. Out of everyone, you were his default person to hang out within the nights he had a shift. If he wasn’t present, he made sure to give you small treats or gifts as much as possible. An innocent friendship, it was that the world would’ve never believed in.
Or was it?
“To celebrate your win, what do you want me to do?”
“You’re too kind for me to play around with, even if you’re the complete opposite of me.”
“I’ll make it simple and worthwhile since I don’t know when I’ll win a game again.” As your finger tapped your temple as you pondered deeply, a smart idea came through. “Grant me 3 wishes.”
He chuckled, lowering himself to view you better. “Am I like some genie now to you?”
“No room to complain, I won, didn’t I?” You grinned, raising one brow to show your dominance.
“You’re petty in your own way, aren’t you?”
“Perhaps. Now come on, I want to use my first wish.” You shrugged it off like no big deal, loving the high feeling of triumph. You lead him to the center of the lobby, where a beautiful grand piano only selected people get to play during exhibits. “Open the museum piano.”
Ever since you were brought to life, you never used it. Tempting but because people from the outside might here, maybe it’s time to try something new. A new challenge, and besides, you missed entertaining people through it. The last time you touched the delicate piano keys was to your family before you ran away.
It’s a good thing that in the shackle of keys Jeno held, the needed key was there. Unlocking the lustrous black instrument, you sat by the matching black bench. Crackling your fingers, you tested by pressing a few keys to get the hang of it again.
“What are you planning to play, (Y/N)?” Jeno leaned against the side, his arms crossed.
Humming the first notes of your piece, the nostalgia ran through your veins. “Nocturne No. 2 in E flat by Chopin.”
Your fingers took off and played each chord slowly and calmly. This piece reminded you the most of your mother, who sat by the couch in front of your old piano with your father while guests from the party they hosted crowded around you. Being the youngest, they often requested you to perform as entertainment so you always put your best foot forward. Or so you tried.
Nevertheless, no one else in your family was capable to play this piece as perfectly as you. By the way your eyes closed and your body swayed to the mellow tune, Jeno observed how you memorized this piece by heart. A passionate flame you were, outshining every pianist out there.
He wasn’t surprised at how multi-talented you were, though there’s a different kind of aura you present when you played the instrument. From your hard and tough front, you could be soft and sweet to the right people.
In a way, you showed your comfort toward the boy by serenading him with the piano. Sketching him with him in the past was one thing, but this was another. You’d sketch with people you’ve grown used to, but you play piano to people you want to cherish in your life. As dangerous as it seems, Jeno was someone special to you, only wanting to have good moments with him.
Junmyeon will always have a huge part in your museum life, but Jeno filled the emptiness that he left behind. This loneliness for a human friend vanquished thanks to Jeno, and you didn’t want to jeopardize it at all. Sure, whenever he acted like a gentleman around you, let you inside the Foreign Art Room, or brought you food sometimes, you couldn’t help feel honored.
Though lately, every time he showed off his strength when he defeated Zeus and Hades during an arm wrestle game the god held again. You seriously had to catch a breath at every flex his arms made, like the goddesses. Maybe how he pushed his black hair back when he’s drawing another plate, you’d give yourself a few extra seconds to see his long fingers skim through them. He’d bit his lower lip when he’s in too deep with his creativity, wondering if he’d bite the lower lip of the girl he’d ki-
All right, (Y/N), relax. Maybe you’re thinking this way because it’s been decades since your last relationship. You wouldn’t want to fall for another possible trap and hurt yourself again, right?
Ever since this job, Jeno’s university life drastically changed. Yes, he still hung out with his friends and performed extremely well in his classes, though he prioritized anything related to the museum wherever he was. If they were drinking out, he’d buy an extra bottle of soju for you on his way back to the dorm. Rarely does he get shitfaced anyways.
If he and Renjun visited the bookstore to purchase pens or any art-related materials, he always bought either an extra sketchpad or set of pens. Even if you were simply a figure to everyone else, he appreciated the bond you both developed.
Every night, he’d tell you about his day from the start. Normally, it consisted of a lot of schoolwork and coffee, some stories about his roommates too. Speaking of them, he’d insert a lot of humorous words about his entire group of friends, whom you learned their names too.
Mark, Jaemin, Renjun, Jisung, Chenle, and Donghyuck, each of them presented a different color in their group. Jeno, who’d admitted to being shy and quiet, grew out of his shell because of them. A friend of Jeno’s would automatically be a friend of yours, if only you were allowed to leave the museum or become a human.
Jeno learned more about your past explorations that never got documented because you no longer had an interest in jotting them down. They were adventures you’d kept to yourself, memories only close to you then would know. Except now, Jeno was another addition. You’re not the type to instantly open to people, though again, a sense of relief surrounded him every time you encounter each other. It grew gradually like a warm hug, softening your heart and breaking your walls.
The more he spent time with you, nothing feared Jeno the slightest. He’s always maintained himself intact, avoiding lines to be crossed and giving respect to those who deserve it. However, he began to question himself where exactly his feelings lie with you after Jaemin tried to set him up on a blind double date just so the best friend of his date wouldn’t feel left out.
He’s rarely one to get crushes on people, even when other girls in his college openly showed their affection towards him. Valentine’s Day or his birthday, several girls sent him chocolate or flowers. Jaemin and Renjun got sick of girls reaching out to them first so they could reach him. It’s not because he’s not the dating type, but because he’s so goal-oriented that unlike his roommates, he doesn’t have a slight clue about dating.
Though one-night stands while at a party and dating were completely different, he’d still say he had experience with girls. Plus having an older sister, he never took advantage of them. He’d rather tell them in person that the feelings weren’t mutual than ghosting them. He’s not like Jaemin anyways.
With that, he’s so lost when his heart beats twice as fast the second you’ve woken up from your posing slumber. He doesn’t comprehend how flustered he’d be when you highly insist to help him with his plate or how cute he finds it when you’re playing fetch with Mochi. On top of it, when you chose to sketch each other for one of your sketching sessions, he’d take a longer stare at your visage before he drew some strokes.
A lot of historical accounts mentioned how your beauty was the standard of the Victorian era, wherein you were the jewel of your neighborhood and numerous men wanted your hand. Women envied you, especially having high intelligence skills that were equivalent to a man. That time, that felt like a threat to most men. Though surprisingly, it turns out there were men who liked intelligent girls.
Jeno knew he liked you as a friend, though liking you past that he didn’t intend. Nor was it allowed because it’ll break one of the golden rules. Before he’d go beyond contemplating, he had to stop himself. This was so unlike him. The feelings will fleet away, he’d repeat to himself. Don’t waste a great friendship because of your silly emotions.
Individually, both of you swallowed these harboring feelings down your guts and simply kept your friendship status safe. Doing your typical activities or whatever else you could think of, none of you minded to change it whatsoever.
Unknown to you though, it was obvious to the other art pieces ones that you two practically passed off as young lovers. Although they know that pushing one towards the other went against the rules, Aphrodite begged to differ.
“Holding them back from expressing what they really feel just because of the law here is a tragedy. They should at least try, you know?”
On another typical night, Jeno invited you to the Theater Room for a movie marathon. After finding out that you’ve never seen any moving pictures, he wanted to be there to introduce it. Luck was on his side to not have plates or requirements due for the week and everyone was behaving themselves, so he started with rolling out short films from the 88mm projector. Having premade popcorn and drinks, the two of you shared roars of laughter and emotional tears.
Switching to the cd player for longer and clearer films, you’d opt to believe that you were born at the wrong time. With all these advancements, it came with a lot of new beliefs. One of them was allowing women to study and work. Then again, she was a pioneer according to historians. Without her, it wouldn’t help shape society as it is today.
Nonetheless, this movie Jeno played on the big screen was what he defined as “one of the classics”, 10 Things I Hate About You.
This outspoken character named Kat was presenting a poem to her class, trying to hold in her raw emotions towards Patrick, the boy who broke her heart. Too engaged, you didn’t notice how Jeno stretched his arms out so he could wrap one around your shoulder. Not that you were complaining, his warmth reassuring you safety.
“I hate the way you talk to me, and the way you cut your hair. I hate the way you drive my car. I hate it when you stare. I hate your big dumb combat boots and the way you read my mind. I hate you so much it makes me sick; it even makes me rhyme. I hate it, I hate the way you're always right. I hate it when you lie.” The way she attempted to keep her strong ground only reminded you of where you were weeks ago, especially once she excruciatingly broke down.
“I hate it when you make me laugh, even worse when you make me cry. I hate it when you're not around, and the fact that you didn't call. But mostly I hate the way I don't hate you. Not even close, not even a little bit, not even at all.” Only when you leaned back to the chair, you felt his arm. His thumb caressing your covered shoulder, you peeked him a little bit. His eyes fixated on the screen, absorbed in the acting and how Kat’s tears weren’t scripted as she stormed out of the classroom.
Not that you were her, but it sparked the past memory of how you merely disliked him because of his job. But as a person, not even close, not even once did you hate him. How blessed that he never judged you for it, staying patient all this time.
Right before he could look back at you, you moved your face back to resume your watching. Jeno definitely noticed what you did, though not sure as to why. Whatever it was, it wasn’t harmful.
Once the film ended, Jeno checked his watch for the time. 4 am, he wanted to do something else now instead of film viewing. You were on par with it, wanting to walk it out after being seated for hours. As you both cleaned up and bid the posters outside goodbye, the doors to the museum were locked unexpectedly. Impossible on Jeno’s half because he had the keys for every room, but he double-checked his bunch.
Alas, the keys for these doors specifically were missing. But there was no other way anyone could’ve gotten it, plus it’s not like the last person he talked to, which was Aphrodite, would need it.
Or did she?
Rather than putting any blame on each other, your only wish now was to return to your section before sunrise. You and he could just relax momentarily before yelling for help.
“Maybe we should watch another film first?”
“Alright, you choose while I return the rest.”
As Jeno inserted the cd of Cinema Paradiso inside, the background music of the opening played. He hummed the first notes, already feeling the love from this film. Another must-see classic as recommended by Renjun, he wanted to rewatch it with you.
Slowly returning each cd and film roll to their respective drawers, the melodious theme had you waltzing in the small space. Even beyond your life, classical music never gets old. Aging like fine wine, sounding spectacular as time passes because of people’s creativity.
Jeno gazed over your sudden movements, smiling uncontrollably at how immersed you were as you multi-tasked. However, you took a wrong turn by the desk and almost dropped a priceless film roll. But before you fully slipped and fell, a pair of strong arms caught you at the right time. Panting from the nerves, mostly when he was inches from your face. Never has he pressed his body this close to you to protect you, and never have you seen his captivating eyes this up close.
As enchanting as the background music of Ennio Morricone was, it only became noise once Jeno took ahold of the film roll on your hand and placing down on the desk. Taking another step closer, you were backed up by the edge. Not to mention how his height dignified his impact on you, your arms were still situated by your side with nowhere else to go.
That was until his finger elevated your chin so he could meet you on eye-to-eye level. His other hand gripping your waist, you became brave enough to place your hands by his broad shoulders. Licking your lips, you glanced at his lips quickly. But he noticed it, and as risky as this was, it was a leap of faith to take.
“May I kiss you?”
Always such a gentleman, even when he already knew how much you desired him through your returning affections. Calming your breath patterns by the speed of everything occurring, you came back to your senses. He’s the one who constantly told you not to forget your roots, so you were going to take this one.
You trust him, and he does too.
“Yes.”
Since the first film, some kind of tension increased the closer he moved or intimate his actions were towards you. You kept pushing it back in hopes not to ruin what you both have. But it only turned out to be mutual, especially how none of you held back as soon as his lips passionately clashed yours.
Tangling your arms around his neck, you stood on your tiptoes to press even closer to him. Feeling his lively heart pumping against your hollow chest, you bit his lower lip. Something you’ve secretly craved to do, he growled from the pleasure. He hoisted your waist to the desk, his impatient hands earnestly traveling all over your body. While your legs locked around his torso, your feisty nature leaned back so your entire body lied on the small desk.
Jeno was on top, placing one hand down to hold himself while the other squeezed your waist firmly. Even if you’re made of wax, you’re like an actual living woman at night. Everything about you becomes real until dawn. You emitted vulgar moans, giving him more access to your neck. Peppering a mix of soft to hard kisses, your hand teasingly snaked under his shirt. He really wasn’t joking when he bragged that he was quite ripped since he enjoyed sports and going to the gym, cupping a part of his toned abdomen.
“If you want something, all you have to do is ask.” He sluggishly sucked the area between your ear and neck, one of your weakest spots. “What’s on your mind, baby?”
The growing moistness in between your legs left a stain in your panties, trying to close your legs out of embarrassment. It’s been decades since you’ve been stimulated like this. However, Jeno beat you to it as he trailed the hand that was on your waist and lowering it right above your covered sex. He cupped it agonizingly slow, making you folding your leg from the pleasure. For a man who doesn’t date around, he knew exactly what he’s doing.
“I just kissed you, and you’re already this soaked. Can you handle me, baby?”
As the strong woman that you present yourself to be, it would selfishly take the right touch from the right man to weaken you. With his savage lips back on yours while your hands clutched on his shirt, he was simply waiting for a verbal answer, yet driving you completely mad. Everything was happening so fast, and here he was to please you in anywhere you seem fit.
You were deprived, and oh, you needed it more than ever.
However, seconds before you replied, there was loud rumbling from the main doors which stopped your devilish antics. As Jeno moved back from you to see the ruckus, you lifted yourself back up, pulling back your dress sleeves and flattening out the creases. The last thing you wanted was a trail of familiar red marks from the aggressive male, finding any reflective surfaces to check.
“I wouldn’t be that dumb to leave you hickies now, would I?” Jeno ended your worries as he placed his hands by your side again. His face leaned towards yours again, reliving the warmth in your cheeks. His lips were plumper, catching traces of your coral lipstick smudged there down to his jaw. He slotted himself again between your legs, grazing a hand on your waist and the other to your warm cheek. “The door’s unlocked now, and it’s 5 am. Do you want to clean up now?”
You playfully scoffed, aware that neither of you had plans to do that yet. Such a player while in the heat of the moment.
“Spare me 15 more minutes with you first.”
Hiding the romance you’ve both built failed without trying. Aphrodite spotted all the signs from your open physical affection and words of admiration, calling you two out in front of everyone without shame. She is the goddess of love, after all. You couldn’t fool her even if you tried.
Plus, she’s the one who locked the two of you up in the Theater Room that night. But neither of you know that.
“Sketch my ideal home?” Jeno bent down to the table, testing out his newly bought pens so they wouldn’t spill.
“Isn’t that why you decided to pursue Architecture in the first place? Come on now!” You pestered across him, opening your new sketchpad since your last one ran out of pages. As expected, Jeno bought you one when he went to the bookstore. As much as you insisted not to because he should use the money somewhere else, he did it anyway. He loved your works, encouraging you in any way he could.
When he was reminded of his humble beginnings of his passion for architecture by you, never had he envisioned exactly how his perfect home would be like. Settling down was so far beyond his mind, only focusing to graduate university then study for the licensure exams. However, he did miss drawing something for fun, not as a requirement. He also was the one who took charge of designing his dorm.
“Fine, only if you draw what your ideal home would’ve been if you never left London.”
Now as lovers, the only addition to your relationship were the public and private exchanges of affection. Deep conversations, film viewing, back and forth banter, you’re both still the same competitive duo everyone expected to be together. In public, the two of you held hands, hugged, kissed each other cheeks too when it felt right. Cleopatra’s face of fake nausea was priceless every time, while Princess Diana, Anne, and Katherine enjoyed it. It’s been years since they’ve seen this glow of adoration in you. Bit by bit, you’re going back to the old you. Except now, you’re a lot stronger.
Perhaps, this version of you proved wrong for the need for romance. Even if you made the choice not to settle down then, it would’ve been different if Jeno was in your universe then.
“Are you done there?” Jeno asked while you were finishing up your masterpiece. Life in London sounded fun when you were younger, having all these ideas on interior design and the like. An innocent time.
Instead of replying, you strode to his side and compared your pieces together. He pictured a two-story home, with a backyard and rooftop area. He definitely wanted to stay in the city as his whole life was based there. Although you preferred living in the countryside more for more freedom, you gave it a shot by pinpointing every detail of a wealthy typical Victorian-era home you liked. You desired a spacious lobby with a grand staircase in the middle, a crystal chandelier there too. The living room would have a small library and a grand piano, where wide doors leading to the grasslands were beside it.
Considering you two lived from different times, in a way your ideal homes were similar. Somewhere private, surrounded by nature and minimal furniture, you’re curious as to how it would look if the two of you fused them together. A mix of old and new, will it look pretty?
“What will look pretty?” Jeno questioned your random thought, looking back and forth at your sketches. “You know who’s pretty though?”
“If you say what I think you’re going to say, I’m lea-”
“You.”
Jeno has gotten flirtier since that night, always finding the right opportunity to flatter you. Although you denied them out of embarrassment, the butterflies in your stomach can’t lie to you.
You’re so smitten, and so was he.
Jeno’s always one to follow the rules, but so far, he’s been breaking some of them already.
Just last night, he gave Renjun access to the lively museum because he needed more research regarding you. Initially, he practically interviewed Jeno for every piece of information he gathered because he used to be so deep in the books to study everything about you. Now in the past, Renjun still couldn’t forget how Jeno drunkenly admitted how crazy he was going to be over you and your coldness whilst sobering up in the dorm.
He didn’t understand one bit by that, especially when you’re technically dead. But by the sight of the first piece Renjun saw alive, which was Zeus, he almost passed out. Piece by piece, he viewed these artworks come to life from his fresh eyes. Right before he could’ve screamed when Athena shot a lightbulb in their exhibit, you happily called out Jeno’s name.
Renjun froze on the spot upon seeing your wax figure come to life. He’s browsed through this museum numerously due to the new exhibits, but lately, he checked your section out to find any tiny details that were linked to your life. Aside from the sketchpad, compass, and hairpins, he wanted to know if there was more to your life as an explorer.
As human interactions except the night guard weren’t allowed, Renjun needed help for his project in Women Studies. Just like Jeno’s assignment, you aided him. Fruitfully answering every question he gave you, Athena popped out of nowhere to inspect Jeno.
“I see you’re breaking another rule.”
“I’m sorry, Athena. He was desperate, and it would be selfish of me to let him fail.”
“This is the last one I’ll let slide, alright?” Athena huffed, not impressed by the reckless behavior Jeno acquired over time. She saw this coming, but for a change, she couldn’t punish him. He was a young adult, still learning more about life. Only will she step in if things turn for the worst. “I can’t believe I’ve gained a soft spot for you.”
Jeno laughed, hugging the figure like his older sister. “You love me though!”
Glad to say, Renjun aced his project and kept his word of not telling anyone about the happenings in Jeno’s job. Jeno even made a makeshift non-disclosure contract so Renjun wouldn’t spill the slightest details.
Lately, so much has been happening in the museum that having alone time with each other was rare. And when you did, the two of you made sure to maximize it and make every intimate moment count. From each touch, each longing kiss, each moan, and groan, never were you left hanging whether you’re at the Theater Room, Jeno’s office, or the Foreign Art Room.
The only time the two of you went beyond the boundaries was at the indoor garden. Jeno managed to get the key to it, lighting up some candles before you invited you inside. Thanks to the magic of the Greek gods, the cameras were bewitched to display fake imageries when security checks in the morning after.
Upon your deep conversations, you’ve mentioned once or twice about the indoor garden. It was the latest addition of the museum, opening in the early 2000s. Because it was a sacred place, no art piece was ever allowed inside.
Yet again, Jeno challenged the rules again when he invited you inside. A few minutes before, he set up some lights along the hallway of the garden, where he placed a blanket, a picnic basket, and his laptop right at the end of it. The best place to view everything, he just knew you’d love it.
He was undoubtedly right once you gasped at such a pretty sight. Seeing the silhouettes of various flowers and plants together with the night sky with all the stars sparkling, it was like you’re attending another ball with your sisters, who were looking for suitors then.
Once Jeno leisurely led you until the end, he brought out all the delicacies from the basket. One of them was this Italian savory dish of dough with toppings such as cheese and pepperoni, or pizza as they named it. The next ones were fresh strawberries and melted chocolate, followed by grape juice.
“I’d drink actual alcohol with you again, only if I didn’t get shitfaced and do my job properly.”
“Point taken. Besides, this is close enough. So pour me a drink please.”
Perhaps this was the closest to a date Jeno could ever ask you out to. With the restrictions and being constrained with time, he brainstormed all sorts of ways to bring the outside world to you. From simply letting you wander around this fascinating room, he unleashed the inner romantic in him. None of his friends would’ve thought since they never asked him about it, so he kept it to himself only. Finally, he’s satisfied with what he prepared. After eating, the two of you would watch more films before the sun rose again.
You’re just the right person for him at the moment he can act that way.
After your quiet stroll and sitting back down, Jeno surprisingly handed you a tiny box.
“A gift?”
“Open it.” He sipped on his juice, paying attention to your actions. Gently untying the box, the amazement in your eyes couldn’t fathom such a lovely present. No words were required to verify that Jeno outdid himself again, just your facial expression alone is enough.
When Jeno said that he pays attention to the tiny details, he doesn’t bluff. Throughout your growing relationship, you’ve cited how you wanted another special flower in your life. Just because you couldn’t view lavender roses the same way ever again, it didn’t mean you wanted to kick them out of your life. Flowers were one of nature’s beautiful creations, so you’re wishing to find the love you once had for lavender roses in other ones.
Thus, you came across what you thought held the highest form of meaning: red roses. Despite its thorns, it’s still a marvelous flower. Innocently, you told him that just because of the memory of your father giving them to your mother on her birthday yearly.
Red roses represented true love and romance, a discreet message only those eager would know.
Jeno was one of them, which was why he reserved this gift for this very moment. It was a necklace he found through a college fair recently, a subtle red rose pendant in the center. Since he couldn’t give you huge gifts, he settled for something light. Something none of the guards or the director wouldn’t pinpoint out when they do their inspections.
“Do you like it?”
Not one utter from your mouth since you’re so hypnotized, your lips quirked up in a charming smile. “Is that even a question? This is astonishing, Jeno.”
After you attempted to put it around your neck, Jeno sighed and stepped in to help you out. “Turn around, (Y/N). Let me.”
The tension gradually heightened once you held your hair up so Jeno accessibly viewed your clean neck. Clasping the lock, it took all his might to hold himself back from you. Even from behind, your silhouette was attractive to him. The lights he set up weren’t helping the slightest of what he’s thinking to do with you.
“Done.” He breathily whispered in your ear.
**
If he thought he was the only one feeling something powerful, he’d be more than wrong. The lingering sensation of his slim fingers gracing your décolletage area unhinged another kind of want, the one you’ve only imagined in your mind when you were needy and alone. It shouldn’t be a sin unless you’re with the person you’ve fallen for, right?
Facing him again, the eye contact didn’t last long when you were the first one to strike a move. Jeno kissed back right away, his hands pulling you closer by your waist. Whatever sultry music Jeno played, it gave you the perfect momentum to grind on his lap. He groaned against kisses, adding his tongue. His thumbs sensually rubbed your hipbones, one of your hands toying around with his hair while the other one balled up his shirt by the chest. None of you cared if anyone caught you.
The last time you’ve been this aggressive was at the Theater Room, which eventually increased the hidden lust you’ve had towards each other. Taking things slowly at first, it’s about time to delve in for more. The mood was already set from the start, even if Jeno didn’t plan this to happen here. But being the prepared man he is, he did have a condom in his back pocket.
Your fingers trailed from his neck until his crotch. He was hard, sensing how suffocated he must be. But he kept himself in control. Locking eye contact, you sweetly spoke.
“Grant my second wish, Jeno.” That same hand of yours held one of his, planting it in your breast. “Make love to me.”
Giving the go-signal, he crashed his lips on yours while stripping you off your dress. Carefully, he turned you around to untie your tight corset. Once it fell, your neck leaned sideways as his lips attacked it madly. Your breaths were tremulous, placing both his hands on your freed breasts to knead with. His touch felt like fire on your skin, yet you couldn’t stop.
“Jeno,” Obscene moans from your lips choked out. You desired more, shifting back to face him again to attack his lips. Slowly feeling one of his hands laying you down, you spread your legs with ease just for him. He parted after your head landed on the cushion to unbutton himself. The way your mouth dropped to selfishly stare at his bare body, flexing them before getting back into position. He was fit and toned just as Cleopatra predicted.
As much as Jeno knew how wild your thoughts were getting, he was more taken aback by your perky chest.
“Fuck, you are divine.” He sucked one nipple as his fingers ventured to slip your panties down. So much was going on, you didn’t know which stimulated you more. You tried to close your legs around his hand, but he slapped your inner thigh to stop you.
The cool breeze shivered you, especially from your core. Jeno’s fingers adventurously grazed from your hip area to your lower lips. He teasingly rubbed it up and down in your essence, his index finger settling it right at your needy clit. Another moan escaped your lips, an opportunity for Jeno to slide his tongue in your mouth. Enjoying the moment, his fingers dipped inside you. A gasp broke your kiss, making him giggle in your ear.
He knew exactly what he was doing.
“Oh, angel. The things I want to do with you.”
Sliding them back and forth, curling it even, you squirmed for more. Dropping himself to meet your core, Jeno placed your legs on his shoulder. Pushing you closer, his steamy breath felt like friction. Your hips grinded against it, so he gripped on them so you stay put.
“Angel,” He chuckled darkly, his crotch tightening at how powerless you looked. “You’re so pretty.”
You were drenched from arousal. But to Jeno, you were glowing under the lights. He wanted to take his time to admire what he had done to you. His independent girl, only weak for him.
His fingers unfolded in your lower lips, diving in to your orbit. You could hardly speak from his skilled mouth, especially his tongue savagely lapping your clit in numerous paces. You’ve only daydreamed about what it could do aside from kissing, and it exceeded your expectations. By the heated sensation that had the heels of your feet digging his back deeply, you affirmed to have seen more stars than the night sky above you.
Your back arched uncontrollably while his hands grasped your hips to stay in place, the tears in your eyes formulating while tugging on his hair. Your thighs clenched around his face, but his broad shoulders widened it to taste more of you. No use of pulling away when his grip on you was tight, so you could only cry out from the pleasure.
“Fuck!”
The ringing sounds in your off were going off, your throat drying up from moaning once another orgasm was about to hit. Once the knot in you snapped, nothing could hold back your screams of pleasure whilst panting for air. Sensitive as he licked every remaining essence he caused, he smirked as he got up to unbuckle his jeans.
Oh, boy. He got quite a package behind his boxers.
Even while you were overly sensitive, you had to grasp it in your hands. He was yours, and you were his.
The way you clenched around his protected length, pausing to readjust yourself to the feeling. The foreplay deemed helpful, though the girth of him overwhelmed you. He stretched you out so good.
“Are you okay, (Y/N)?” The stunned face you made was expected, still feeling worried that it may be too much.
Biting your lip, you moaned once everything felt bearable. “You can move, Jeno.”
None of you could track exactly how many rounds you went through. Even in the semi-public area, it didn’t hinder either of you. There’s that thrill, and surprisingly enough, you both shared the liking of it. Always switching the positions, you decided to call it quits after another sloppy round in missionary. Something seeing Jeno on top, fully submitting yourself to him, made you feel calm to be vulnerable. It’s really the trust you’ve established from the start, making you rely on humans again once you’ve let the past be.
Jeno brought out another blanket, initially meant for cuddling. It was still applicable though, curling your body into a spoon towards his racing chest. Music was no longer noise, the intimacy creeping back instead of lust this time. The afterglow of Jeno, sweaty and knackered as his legs sprawled under the sheet, was a sight for sore eyes. He’s always been handsome while on duty, but post-sex gave him an extra boost.
Plus there’s pride from the red marks courtesy of you on his chest, grazing over it softly.
Jeno chuckled softly at your smooth fingers, lifting them up to kiss them tenderly before kissing your lips again. Only humans were capable of and to love, but you’re some kind of an exception. Regardless of the magic from the plate, you’d be able to love too if it weren’t for your background.
There’s so much love Jeno wanted to offer you, even if he hasn’t said it out loud yet.
Perhaps one reason was because time was beginning to tick. Finals were a few weeks away, then the one-month long semestral break until a new semester kicks off. Time really flew by, and his bank account and heart expanded too. Enjoying the now was all he could think of doing, but those uncertainties bothered him.
The biggest would be where you and he would stand when his job ended.
Jeno was too absorbed in his internal debate, as portrayed by his eyes staring off in space and running his hand in his hair repeatedly. Something was disturbing him, and you’re concerned as to what it was.
“Jeno,” Around his arm, you tapped his chest to get him out of it. “What’s going on in your head?”
Jeno approached every obstacle he faces straightforwardly, not wanting to let him hold back. Rarely did he keep secrets, especially from you. Instead of hiding away, he voiced it out.
“(Y/N), will we work out?”
“What do you mean, Jeno?”
You’re so occupied in the present that thinking of the future was never in your field. Like him, you’re just enjoying being in the moment. Though after tonight, it’s making you wonder if there’s a future.
“Well,” He placed his hand on top of yours, affectionately observing you. “Times flies faster when you’re having fun, and well, the semester is ending.”
His last words crushed a part of your heart, remembering his initial plan. None of you expected your friendship to bloom into what it is now, but life was just full of surprises without a schedule. At the same time, none of you wouldn’t have it any other way.
It may have been a few months since you two committed to each other, but the spark was still strong. It wasn’t like a summer romance kind of feeling. Time was not a determinant of love either, which you were certain of it with Jeno. A lot more than Junmyeon.
It should’ve frightened you when you realized your love for Jeno, but it didn’t. Even if you didn’t age physically, your mindset did. You’ve learned to forgive your younger self, and through Jeno, you let your guard down completely. From that, you let love in. Platonic to your fellow art pieces, and all of the above to Jeno.
Throughout your relationship, you regained all confidence in yourself and everything you set your mind to.
“I wouldn’t want to worry too much about it if I were you.” Your body flipped to lie on your stomach, resting your head on your palm.
“Why shouldn’t I, angel?”
Gazing back at him, you left a velvety kiss on his lips to rest his thoughts. His hand wrapped your neck, deepening it. But you pulled away with a giggle, all too knowing of his secret intentions as his cock began to harden again. His eyes narrowed down and his lower lip stuck out at your attempt of being a tease.
But enough about sex, you wanted to address a point.
Lee Jeno was going to be the biggest risk you wanted to take and fight for, and no one should try to stop you.
“I’ll ask Circe for a potion. For me, for you, for us.”
If it weren’t for insistent questioning towards every art piece, who kept their mouths shut, only Circe herself banished him from his suffering. Her series of potions varied, and the one you requested years ago which you threw out was capable of turning any art piece into a living human. No potion of Circe ever failed, so you entrusted your life for the day you do drink it.
“Are you sure, angel?”
Jeno knew about that one specifically, and as great to hear that you never threw it out, he never put pressure on you. He wanted you to do whatever felt right, even if deep down, he wished you’d use it. He was only worried about how the flow of the entire museum would be disrupted.
Typical Jeno always looking out for you, but you saw right through his concern. Here you were, caressing his check as reassurance. With an honest smile,
“I’ve never been more certain with anything in my life here until you came, Lee Jeno.”
Jeno opened up more to his life outside the museum, telling all sorts of experiences not just his days as a university student. From his childhood, his family, his travels, heck you even want to meet his friends at this point!
Newly, he shared with you how the sunrise and sunset looked like in Seoul with much vivacity. It’s a luxury as a human to witness as day breaks and ends, so you could imagine by yourself how it would look like. Sure, you had drawings and all, but that was from the real (Y/N) (Y/L/N).
This version of you wanted to live more; that’s your greed now.
“You’ve never touched snow too, right?” Jeno, who had his arm wrapped around you, silently watched the first batch of snow from inside.
“Yup, that’s the thing when you’re imprisoned in this place.” You sulked by his side, earning a chuckle from him who pulled you in closer.
“Don’t tell me now that you despise this place.”
“I don’t, but it hinders me to experience new things. The whole pattern of being awake at night by a plate gets tiring, Jeno.”
All Jeno would do when you’re frustrated was placing your head on his shoulder, listening as you talk.
“I know, angel. But it won’t be long until you leave this place with me, right?”
“You know it!” You interlocked your hands with him, eyes trained at every falling snowflake.
Sometimes, moments in silence with Jeno were all you needed for the night. Being within each other’s presence, focusing or admiring something from afar, it was all the peace you’ve needed from the bustling art pieces.
This week was the last of the semester, and Jeno’s off duty for tonight to focus on his exams. You’ll see him tomorrow night, which was his last shift ever, and also yours too.
Perhaps the biggest milestone you’re committing to without any regrets.
However, it took an unnecessary conversation you accidentally eavesdropped on to rock your decision.
You needed more ink after running out mid-way of sketching the sculptures as a secret parting gift. Before you could take a single step inside your exhibit room, a series of voices were full-on arguing. Booming back and forth, you peeped your ear out whilst hiding against the door.
“Athena, how dare you did to her?! She’s done so well from moving on from it, falling in love even! And now you’re telling me this?!” The distinct voice of Princess Diana, who spoke sweetly most of the time, boomed towards the Greek god. “You’re heartless.”
“I did what I had to do for the sake of this place, Diana!” Athena raised her voice, the lightning in her hands holding back from lashing out. She hated it when anyone argued with her, especially when she does things according to what she believed was necessary. Out of everyone, she had more leadership. “She had to know that her place is here as a wax figure, not outside. Talking Junmyeon out of it was for the best, plus it’s ideal when he drank the potion of memory loss from Circe.”
“But it tore her apart when he left her, and it’s going to tear her again if you do the same with Jeno.”
“How else are you going to approach the situation then, Diana? Those two have broken the highest golden rule, so they need to wake up.”
Right when she celebrated within herself for healing, hearing the unbearable revelation behind the past devastated you. This whole time, she internally blamed herself for being ageless and lashed out at others. The scary past barged back in, and you couldn’t handle it anymore.
Somewhere in the corner, you wept without a trace. You could care less about Athena’s opinions, but you found yourself agreeing to some of her words. You had a role to fulfill, and leaving that behind would be selfish and it could make the museum go topsy-turvy. As painful for Junmyeon to leave you, it was because the truth hurts. Nothing could change it, even if Circe could be your solution because it’ll leave a lot of questions. You didn’t want Jeno to be seen as a suspect.
Oh, Jeno.
There’s nothing wrong with falling in love either, you didn’t intend it to happen. But it becomes unfair when it compromises with your purpose, and that’s not how you are. You’ll always remember Jeno as your biggest risk, though it’s time to end things. Treacherous as it was to accept for you, risk-takers have boundaries too.
Fast forward, on the night of Jeno’s last shift, you’ve cherished every second with him. Playing around, chatting with other art pieces, kissing in private, you made it count. Before dawn broke, that’s where you chose to come clean by the garden, your sacred place. Not even your self-reassurance could prepare you to witness the hurt and confusion Jeno felt.
“You’re a mortal, and you still get to choose your path. Mine is already predetermined here as a wax copy of a historical figure.” You advised as you held both his hands, your voice shaking at the reality.
A few days ago, you were beaming with exhilaration at a new journey but now you’ve permanently backed out. Jeno couldn’t comprehend, and as much as he tried, he couldn’t. A life without you by his side would be empty and dull. “Even so, there are things about you that the original person didn’t have.”
Arguing with him wasn’t your favorite, and it’ll leave the two of you in a bad mood. But there is no way to negotiate this; you’ve already made up your mind. “We must end this, Jeno. You need someone who can grow old with you, and I can’t be that person for you.”
“But we can make it work!” His hands gripped on your slumped shoulders, whilst your face avoiding his to spare yourself from the heartache. “There’s still Circe.”
“I know, but recently, I found out that she’s an indirect cause of my misery.” Pulling away from his touch, you belted with frustration. “I cannot do this anymore, Jeno.”
You’ve always fought for whatever you wanted in life, and Jeno knew he was one of them if it weren’t for you telling him that. So he did the same, thinking of ways to make you feel whole. Now, he couldn’t tolerate the sudden crumbling of his heart from your outburst, and all he wanted to know was why you felt this way. How could he help you?
You don’t keep secrets from Jeno, but the truth behind your harsh actions cannot be revealed for the sake of the museum. Plus, you didn’t want him to despise this place he admired. Causing him pain wasn’t on your list, but keeping him safe was. It may be shown differently and he may not understand it now, but over time, he will.
“Jeno, you’ll find someone better out there. Someone with their whole life ahead of them, who’ll love you for everything that makes you who you are.” Repetitive punches in your guts urged you to barf at your half-lie, but you held it in.
“Why are you pushing me away? What happened to taking risks, (Y/N)?” Jeno interrogated, taking your hands in his hands again. They unconventionally quivered, like his lips. Jeno has never cried in front of anyone, not even when he was younger. Though for you, he just might. “Am I not worth it for you?”
Dear heavens, he was wrong. You internally screamed that, but you can’t let your selfishness seize the night. As Athena said, you had to wake up from your dream. “Committing to you was my biggest risk of them all, Jeno. Everything else that went along with it, I don’t regret it one bit. But time’s really up for us, and we must resume our normal duties.”
“I can’t lose you, (Y/N).”
“You never will, Jeno.”
He crouched lower to meet your height, his finger moving your head so you’d look at him back. Weakly enough, you did. “I want you to be a part of my normal life, angel.”
“I’ll always be here, you know. I’ll be standing in my usual spot upstairs, and you can drop by whenever you can.” You pressed your lips, lifting your head to avoid incoming tears. Meanwhile, he began shedding a few. You’ve hurt him big time, and you’ll never forgive yourself for this. “I still have one wish, right?”
Jeno’s sorrow was beyond his capacity, leaning his forehead against yours to kiss it. No matter what he could say or do, he already knew it won’t be effective. You’re affirmative in your choices, yet he still wanted to challenge it. All he wanted to know was why you’re doing this.
“Let me walk you one last time to your section.”
The black night sky had remnants of blue, motioning that dawn was approaching. Other figures gave their goodbyes to Jeno earlier, cleaning up their areas before they pose. Though none of them anticipated such a cold atmosphere between you two, they could only spy on what was bound to happen.
“My last wish is for you to let me go, Jeno.” You avowed, blinking your eyes with faux positivity. Your hands patted his blazer so it wouldn’t crease. “I already have a role to fulfill here, and you’re on the way to yours, future architect.”
“I love you, (Y/N) (Y/L/N).” Only tonight did he muster his courage to finally admit it to you after giving himself more time to analyze it. Timing was always crucial, and the badness of it showed.
Deep in your heart, you resonated the feeling. But it’ll make things more complicated, and it was the final thing you’ve wanted to occur. Someone had to be the strong one, and now, it should be you. With one more compassionate kiss on his lips, you stepped inside your section and readied your position.
“Goodbye, Lee Jeno.”
The sunshine brightened the room, and you’ve frozen to slumber again.
All Jeno could do was drop on his knees, sobbing over your rash actions. Unknown to him, a single tear left your eye as you posed.
Regardless of what status you were in, the pain of it all remained.
Jeno spent most of his semestral break with his friends to travel or whatnot, trying to forget it all. Even if he aced all his finals, his efforts felt like nothing if he never had you by his side to celebrate.
The sting over his short-lived romance with you never diminished the slightest, no one whom he could express his pain about it to especially when Renjun drank the memory wipe potion that Athena initially left for Jeno by his desk.
Forget it all, and live a peaceful life. You have so much potential, my mentee.
- Athena
Perhaps this was the same thing Junmyeon drank all those years ago, but unlike him, he didn’t have the guts to. He still wanted another chance.
So every day since the new semester began, he spent every afternoon break at your section. He’ll be seated by the bench, doing his assignments and talking about his day while sometimes stealing a glance of your figure. Some habits don’t change.
He never got sick of the same smile you exemplified, falling even more for you. He’ll often wonder what you’ve been up to.
What are your new sketches?
Are you taking care of Mochi well?
Have you apologized to Sanghoon yet?
Speaking of him, he surprisingly scooted over to Jeno’s side. This was the first time Jeno met the man, and politely enough greeted him. Sanghoon interviewed the boy, asking all sorts of questions that Jeno had every answer to. The biggest change that Sanghoon noticed since he left was your personality. You no longer bite, but treat everyone kindly without bias. You’re always active to help him out in cleaning the lobby, and you don’t go easily defensive.
Once he found out that Jeno was the reason for that, he was overjoyed at the start and wanted to meet him some way. You were a tough cookie, but now you relaxed. That was all that mattered to him, hoping to know more about him from you. That was until Diana stepped in and told him everything that happened. Mostly, the bad.
Playfulness eventually bore love. The last time you fell in love was in the 80s and Junmyeon pushed you away, he recalled. This time, you’re pushing Jeno away because you simply agreed with Athena’s points.
This wasn’t right, but it wasn’t his place to interfere.
But then again, he finally caught Jeno for the first time today and this time, he was open to hearing his side of the story. Lessen his misery too.
“No matter how stubborn she is, she loves you.” He advised him, bringing out one of your full sketchbooks. As Jeno opened it, the majority of the portraits were him. Sleeping, smiling, laughing, you drew him from every minor detail you could spot like the mole near his eye and his crescent eyes.
A handsome face I would never get sick until the end of time. Someone I want to wake up to every day in the morning if it weren’t for that plate.
- (Y/N)
Towards the end, a sketch of a house unfolded. The interior was a fusion of modernity and old royal design due to its white walls, wide space, and the placing of less furniture, plus an open backyard. There’s another tiny comment on the side from you.
I was right. Joining our varying designs together is pretty. Maybe Jeno and I could live in a house like this one day.
- (Y/N)
If you loved him so much, why did you let him go then when you had all these plans with him? Even if he tried to understand, he just didn’t.
“Don’t give up just yet when she told you to.”
“Are you just saying this or something?”
“Well, Princess Diana passed this message on but after everything, I believe that she’s right.” Sanghoon gave his opinion, but Jeno was reluctant to accept it.
“I never got a proper explanation why she suddenly changed her mind, Sanghoon.” He ranted, raking his hand through his hair from puzzlement. “Did I do something wrong?”
Sanghoon pitied him, having the upper hand and questioning himself whether to reveal the truth. However, since this boy took the job, he’s succumbed to secrecy. Without any transparency, it could drive someone mad. He’s too young for that, so Sanghoon breathed in defeat and placed his hand on Jeno’s shoulder.
“Promise me you won’t be mad when I tell you because I was when I found out; almost screamed even.”
Jeno nodded, listening to whatever Sanghoon had to say.
Of all people, he never would’ve expected Athena to do such a brash thing. Someone he respected and trusted, only to betray him by doing something she believed was good for all. Except it wasn’t, and it ended up hurting you all these years. The woman he loved, now he’s a clearer understanding of why you did what you did. Yet, it can’t fix his excruciation.
Heartbroken was an understatement; he had no one to rely on. With Sanghoon, he finally had a proper breakdown. The older man could only comfort his quietly, picturing him like one of his sons going through a hard time in school. But if it involves the heart, it’ll take more time to recover.
“You’re always the one adjusting, Jeno. But I think this time, you’re the one who needs space.”
A Year and a Half Later
“Jeno Lee!!!” Jaemin roughly wallowed his best friend in a hug when he arrived in their dorm room for the first time in a long time. “You dyed your hair blonde again!”
Renjun, who was behind the two of them, only rolled his eyes as he helped carry Jeno’s bags. “God damn it, Jaemin! You’re supposed to be helping me first!”
“I know, but give me a few seconds! I’m just happy our group is back together!”
Jeno laughed at his friends’ annoying yet silly dynamics, giddy to be back home. For a year, Jeno spent his 3rd year of university in Rome, Italy after one of his professors brought up to him about a scholarship program there for his course. At the time where he needed a change of scenery, he sent his application form and got interviewed.
Acing it, he had the opportunity to fly across the world to study and travel. His English skills surely improved, even picking up Italian words along the way due to a required class for it. He studied the history of different locations and how they were built.
He also went on field trips almost every day if it weren’t for the Italian students assigned to tour him around, academic and non-academic. Nights he spent on drinking wine on the rooftop of his dorm with them, screaming his complaints in the world with them.
It didn’t hit him that his stay was reaching its end until he submitted his final plate. His goodbye party didn’t even feel like one, but a see you later in the next few years after he becomes a licensed architect with money. His goal of it felt more realistic, motivating him to excel in his remaining years in university.
After unpacking half of his things, he was reminded of an email from one of the head professors, who requested another copy of his confidential documents from the Italian university he went to as soon as he’s back on campus.
He raced to the department with a folder of them and luckily encountered the said professor. Handing it to him, this professor questioned how he was and what experiences he gained from the trip. With excitement, Jeno spoke all sorts of tales from his adventures, highlighting how determined he was now to be an architect.
“That’s great to hear, Jeno!” He celebrated, checking on his watch, and widened his eyes. Frantic at his colliding schedules, he asked Jeno for a favor. It turned out that at the same time as his emergency meeting, he’s supposed to tour the new transferee student around campus.
“Only if you have time, Jeno! I could always ask another student, plus you just came back and need rest.”
“It’s not like I left for a decade, sir. No worries, I’ll do it.”
“Oh, bless your soul.” He put his hands together in prayer position, bowing back and forth with gratitude. “Wait, she’s right outside! Go ahead and introduce yourself.”
Jeno nodded, exiting right through the department doors. This girl had her back turned, inspecting her surroundings. She wore a black and white tweed blazer that matched with her skirt, black high heeled boots, and a black handbag. She must be a foreigner, Jeno thought.
“Excuse me, are you the transferee in the department of Architecture?”
Jeno didn’t brace himself for the surprise he’d face once this girl reacted to him calling her out. Her face was one he could never forget, no matter how many times he told himself to. The same face he convinced his heart to stop beating for, yet it lied.
This radiant face was none other than yours.
Jeno almost dropped his phone. He tried his best to hold on to your promise, but he failed. It was the main reason he studied abroad; to forget and focus on his career path. So the least thing he could’ve done was to study hard for his dream career.
Just a glimpse of you projected back every single memory you’ve had together. Beautiful yet heart-wrenching, he kept his emotions to himself.
You even wore the rose necklace he got you. Could it be?
“It’s been a while, Lee Jeno.” You took the metaphorical scissors to cut the tension, trying to contain the crushing feelings. The faculty center was a public place, yet it’s like the two of you were on the main stage.
“Do you remember me?” Astounded, you nodded. Every single detail.
Jeno could’ve ran away, but didn’t. He could’ve left you hanging, but didn’t. He can no longer count how many times you’ve appeared in his dreams, only to be disappointed when morning comes to not have you in his arms. He took one step closer, taking his time.
“How do you know me?”
“You’re the boy whom I helped with his assignment, argued with me over Romeo and Juliet,” You mimicked his move, making you one step nearer to him. “And most of all, the boy I once gave my entire heart to.”
Another step, leaving a few inches between the two of you. His heart palpitated without caffeine. What if he was napping in his dorm again? It was all surreal. “Is it really you, (Y/N)?”
Hearing your name from his lips lowered your guard, you pleased him with a hopeful grin. “I’d be dust by now if I didn’t drink Circe’s potion, right?”
That’s where Jeno unchained himself from his emotions. He engulfed in a warm hug, one that has no plans to let go when his chin planted on your shoulder. You returned the gesture, dropping all your worries away along with your bag and papers as your arms snaked through his neck.
You knew you had to part ways for a while after everything, though you were unsure how he’d feel about it. You recalled every time he visited you after his job ended up until his intense chat with Sanghoon, where he bawled his heart out. You couldn’t take it anymore after trying to stay strong, crying as soon as you woke up that night.
All your fellow figures could do was soothe you down like before to the best of their abilities, yet this time, it was unsuccessful. You’re filled with misery, realizing later how much of a big mistake you’ve made.
You’ve isolated yourself again for a while, but less rudeness and more silence. It was until Circe visited you. She doesn’t like getting involved with drama, though now was different. She, alongside Hera and Aphrodite, couldn’t withstand you tolerating the heartbreak again. So they went behind Athena’s back on this one time and created a potion together just for you. But with a compromise.
“This potion can turn you into a human. However, there’s only a 10% chance you’ll regain all your memories from this place.”
“So I’ll forget everyone and him?”
“Yes, unfortunately.” You’re about to shoo her away, not in the mood to do something drastic as that. But Circe grabbed your arm again. “I strongly believe that if you and he meant to be, then there will come a time these past memories will suddenly surge at you.”
“Must I need to forget to live properly?”
You’re stubborn, and Circe expected it. “You’ve broken so many golden rules, (Y/N), so it must be done. I’ve gone against Athena for this potion, and rarely have I done that. So rather than wallowing up in misery, you should focus on yourself. Do what makes you happy because this place is trapping you from every great thing out there.”
Those were the word that the actual (Y/N) (Y/L/N) lived by, nevertheless, you’re unique from her. You built a separate identity from her. “But Jeno-”
“At the right time, (Y/N). Pull yourself together and do all the things you’ve dreamt of before he came into the picture. I just know he loves you that much, and that he will wait for you.”
That same night, you gathered all your senses and drank it. The transition was fast as lightning speed, and behold, you were like a new person. You’re back in London, with a family that closely resembled your former one; only 3 older siblings, making you the youngest. You also had a new set of memories, from childhood until your adult years.
From (Y/N) (Y/L/N), you became (Y/N) Edwards.
It took one drunken night out with your university friends for the unlikely surge of old memories to speedily hit through your intoxicated state. Way beyond a dream, you’ve dropped your shot glass and broke down in the bathroom of your dorm room. You left something unaccomplished, and you had to do something before it’s too late.
Thus, you rushed to Seoul thanks to your parents’ support as they agreed that exploring outside your home country was a great experience. The only excuse you gave to your friends for the sudden transfer was you finding a new calling.
Sure, studying abroad was an exciting thing but you’re more determined to reunite with him. Even if this encounter was unforeseen, it was bound to happen one day. It so turned out that you had the same major in your former university and this new one.
Head to toe, you remembered everything.
“I’m so sorry I took so long.” You cradled your head on his chest, unaware of how your new life left Jeno so troubled.
“That doesn’t matter anymore.” Jeno tightened his grip, scared of releasing you again. Those two years felt like a breath of fresh air and a punch in the gut. “I tried to live up to your last wish, but I really can’t.”
“I want to take that wish back, Jeno. I wasn’t thinking right and only ended putting you through so much.”
“Oh, angel. I slowly understood why you did it.” Before he got too fragile, he softened his grip on you and showed his face again to you. He wanted a better look at his pretty girl, his fingers brushing strands of your hair behind your ear. Heart-fluttering, you bit your bottom lip. “What would you want to wish for instead?”
“Instead of you letting me go, I wish you could take me back and love me again. I can’t undo the past, but I’d still like to think I’ve tried my best.” That was the only wish you could ever think of. As huge as it was, it was something he may not accept. Yet you gave it a go, risking it all. “I don’t deserve you at all, Jeno.”
“Don’t say that, (Y/N).” One of his hands grabbed yours, putting it on his cheek. Cupping it, “I’ve never stopped loving you, you know.”
Oh, love. An all-too familiar emotion that either makes or breaks you. Of all the times you could’ve said those words, you held back, especially that wretched night you two broke it off. Although you showed it, being able to say it to someone felt more empowering.
This was finally the chance you’ve unconsciously waited for.
“I’m stupid for not saying this sooner.”
“What is it?”
With intimate eye contact, you drowned in the comfort of his brown orbs. You trusted him then, and you trusted him now. “I love you, Lee Jeno.”
Secretly, Jeno anticipated for the day you’d say those meaningful 3 words. Just like you, he showed more affection through actions than words. He only admitted when he lost you, and never would he do the same mistake again. If he felt that the love was strongly present, he will say it aloud.
“I love you still, (Y/N).” His arm around your waist tugged you in further. “I loved you as (Y/N) (Y/L/N) and I will continue to love you as (Y/N) Edwards.”
He peeked on your ID earlier, but regardless, he stood by his truth. You’re still the same (Y/N).
Finally, he closed the limited space between your lips. The memories of your past romance replayed in sync of every touching kiss, popping one leg up like in the movies. The Princess Diaries, specifically. Like in the museum from your unbearable parting, one warm tear freed itself down your cheek.
The sweetness of being reunited with you again beat the torturous wait of Jeno. Time really made your hearts grow fonder. As everyone said, if the love between two people is real, then it’ll find its way back to each other.
The world must be on your side too because no professor called you two out on your public display of affection. Jeno pecked your lips one time before stepping away, picking up the things you dropped.
“Now come on, I have to tour you around as instructed.”
You stomped on your feet, rolling your eyes from being left hanging. He’s still the same tease from before. “After that kiss though, I would’ve thought we could reschedule it.”
“No can do, Edwards.” Passing over your things, he wrapped one arm around you as he escorted you out of the building. The university was huge, with more buildings and green fields surrounded everywhere. “Left or right? There are a lot of places you missed out on all those years.”
“Point taken. Then you lead the way, my love.”
#nct#nct au#nct scenarios#nct x reader#nct fluff#nct angst#nct smut#nct imagines#nct dream#nct dream au#nct dream scenarios#nct dream x reader#nct dream fluff#nct dream angst#nct dream smut#nct dream imagines#lee jeno#lee jeno x reader#lee jeno au#lee jeno scenarios#lee jeno angst#lee jeno imagines#lee jeno fluff#lee jeno smut#jeno#jeno x reader#jeno au#jeno scenarios#jeno imagines#jeno fluff
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Overprotective, Much? - Bill Hader x Reader
Theme: Fluff + Angst
Warnings: Sexual Terms, Language
Summary: You and Bill have been secretly dating for two years now, only to complicate things one night when you partake in a very risque sketch unbeknownst to him?
Word Count: 2.8k
A/N: Ahhh Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays! This was a request sent in by @berkmansbabe I really hope you enjoy it! And it somehow fits what you were asking for! Have a good rest of your year everyone, hopefully 2021 is better?
It was nearly four in the morning the last time that you checked, and you were almost half asleep over your laptop. Squinting one eye open, you gazed around the room to find a selection of your coworkers staring at you with little smirks.
"You're drooling, Y/N," one voice calls out; it had to be Mulaney's.
"Okay, you didn't have to tell her that!" another one chimes out, Jost?
Furiously you wipe the drool that was currently dangling from your chin and give the two the meanest glare that you could possibly muster.
At four in the morning, Tuesday's were the worst. Okay, well, technically, it's Wednesday now.
Mulaney only smirked before sliding a post-it note your way. You grimace, reading the details of the message scrawled out in what appeared to be Jost's messy script.
P. G. A. D, weekend update, orgasms onstage.
You practically gape at the note in awe; you were a writer, weren't you the one who was supposed to write this shit? Not perform it.
"Um, I'm not complaining, but isn't this more up Kristen's alley?" you protest, trying not to sound whiny.
"She's on vacation this week, and honestly we think you'd be perfect for it." Jost says matter of factly, giving you a small smile.
"Fine," you sigh before flopping back onto the table to get some more sleep. Earning another chuckle from the boys.
-
It ate at you all week, but I mean, you had the potential. If anyone would understand your feelings, it'd be Hader. His anxiety always got the best of him, and it hurt you to still see the man so stressed and uncomfortable.
Often, you'd be the one to find him after a sketch, rubbing soothing circles into his back. While he stares off rigidly into the curtain, he was fantastic at his job; it just didn't sit well with his anxiety. Although you knew it followed him home, into the late hours of the night, disappointment settling in.
It wasn't public, but the two of you had managed to make things work for the past two years. You had met Bill back when he had first arrived at 30 Rock, as you had gotten hired the same year Mulaney did.
Seth, who was practically your best friend at this point, could tell within an instant that you harbored a small crush for Hader. Often picking at you with little side comments that'd make you stammer and feel your body heat up in embarrassment.
For some time, you didn't even realize that Bill had reciprocated your feelings until he asked you on a date. The two of you curled up back at his place while he showed you some of his favorite movies, it was nice, and the rest was history.
The only problem was, it was safer not letting the rest of the group know about this advancement. God knows what they would do to Bill onstage with sketches...you didn't wanna know.
Alongside the fact that the two of you had quite a bit of an age gap, it wasn't that big, but you knew that Bill often internalized the seven-year gap between the two of you. You were only twenty when you had started at 30 Rock while Bill was twenty-seven. You loved him nonetheless, but you could tell it made him stress a little.
So you both kept it a secret, although you were pretty sure that Meyers and Mulaney knew at this point. While Jost continued to remain oblivious towards your little endeavor.
For this sketch in particular, maybe it was best to keep this one secret as well. Rarely did you ever perform on the show, and you wanted Bill to be proud.
-
Seth, who had been motivating you all week, motioned you into his office early Thursday morning.
"Okay, just spoke to Lorne about this, we're gonna fit you into one more sketch due to Kristen's absence." you nod apprehensively.
"It's the easiest thing ever, all you have to do is sit there with Franco, and Hader, and read the cue cards about environmental issues. Keenan will cut you off, and you should be good." Seth explains before giving you a quick thumbs-up, causing you to smile slightly.
"God I am so nervous, is that normal?" you admit as Seth sits back into his seat.
"Oh my god yeah, it is not always easy going up onstage like that, but trust me you have the talent and potential. Lorne hired you for a reason, I'm sure if you brought this up to Bill he could give you a few tips on how to release stress." Seth replied as he gave you a warm smile.
You nodded, thanked him for the advice, and began heading back towards the writer's room to help the rest cut the left-over sketches that you all had mulled over during that week. Only to run straight into someone, their hands instantly going out to hold your shoulders steady.
"Oh I'm so sorry I didn't even see where I was going!" you yelp, only to look up and see Bill trying to hold in a laugh. Only causing you to laugh slightly as well at the situation the two of you were in.
"You okay?" he asks sweetly after taking in your somewhat frazzled state; without a second thought, you shook your head and went into his arms.
"I'm just stressed," you murmured into his chest as he quickly reciprocated the hug and wrapped his arms tightly around your waist.
"About what?" he replied softly, his hold growing just a little bit stronger, that is until the two of you heard nearby footsteps and quickly broke away.
A random production assistant walks past while you and Bill clear your throats awkwardly.
"Uhm, I am actually going on a sketch this week, you're gonna be in the same one actually. It's with Keenan, I just barely ever go on, since I am a writer, you know?" you exhale softly, only to look back up to Bill. Who is nodding furiously in agreement.
"Oh my god, I mean, you know me," he stops to chuckle, "Y/N, I am a literal mess, I mean don't act like I am totally oblivious to you and John changing the cue cards before Stefon sketches." Bill exclaims as you find yourself beginning to smile.
"I mean, it's really cute seeing you break babe," he fake gasps. "I mean you just make it look so easy sometimes even when I know you're stressing out." Bill sighs slightly before meeting your gaze.
"It's not easy, it never is. It's just you learn how to cope over time, if you want I'll meet you at the end of the sketch. Does that sound okay? Just like you always do for me, which I can never thank you enough for." he says, grinning as you slowly nod in agreement.
Giving you a quick peck on the forehead, he explains he has to go back to his costume fittings and that he'll see you later in the night.
He always knew how to help.��
-
You watched anxiously while Seth said the cue that would lead you on stage. Letting yourself take a deep breath, you allowed yourself to block out the situation's overwhelmingness.
Also, was it always this hot up here?
With the cue cards coming into focus, you delved into the script, finding yourself ease into it over time. It was comforting to hear the audience laugh at your delivery, often seeing Seth trying to hold back a grin.
Especially upon the time, you began to describe what made your character Tamara Parks go into orgasms from her specific condition, of Persistent Genital Arousal Disorder.
"With the help of my physician I was able to find treatment, and today I can say that I am fully-" you let out a moan, trying not to break as you look down. Only to continue on the moaning and the appearance of discomfort as the script goes on. Seth progressively tries not to laugh as well.
It almost was shocking that you were pretending to be aroused on live national television. Still, clearly, you were doing something right given the reactions that had been intended.
You began to find yourself grateful for the ability to look down and away from the audience to compose yourself against the fake orgasms you were portraying. Seth's hand leaning to rest upon your shoulder, setting your character's orgasms off even more until the sketch was nearing its finish. The crowd applauded as Seth called you offstage.
-
You had let out a breath that you didn't even know that you had been holding the minute you had left the stage. Clearly, you had done the job just as Meyers and Mulaney had anticipated, the crowd going wild, it felt nice, but you also felt like you needed a nap. Many of your coworkers had come up to congratulate you, but all you wanted was just to see Bill.
Except, Bill and Fred were going up to another sketch for Weekend Update, you had asked a production assistant for some water as you took a seat in a nearby corner. It wasn't long before you had spotted Mulaney from out of the corner of your eye, within seconds; his eyes met yours, and he rather awkwardly stumbled over.
You had to stifle your laughter at how ridiculous he appeared in that moment, his rather tall figure colliding with the floor as he slid down beside you.
"You did fantastic out there! See, I knew you could do it!" he whispered enthusiastically while nudging you playfully in the side.
The two of you commented on the show's progress and or which sketch that you had written was your favorite. Until your stage manager had motioned for you to go on for your second sketch of the night. John gave you a reassuring smile before giving you a little push off into the side wing you were supposed to enter on.
-
The sketch was going well, that is until you felt an intense stare out of your peripheral vision coming from Bill, who was sitting beside you. Instead, it felt more dominant and tense than comfortable and safe as his thigh began to press up against yours. You gulped slightly before Keenan made his way over to you, feeling Bill's thigh against yours, almost making you lose control.
The skit's premise was that Keenan's character would never let the guests speak, which was probably a good thing as soon as the cameras went off of you; you had to stifle a moan of your own, a real one.
You were flustered beyond belief, and you couldn't tell why for the life of you that Bill was screwing with you on live television, but he was, and it was working. Of course, you appreciated the man's dominance but now was clearly not the time, except all you could feel was the heat pooling at the pit of your stomach.
While you were slightly annoyed with him, something about that leather jacket he was wearing was really turning you on. Or the way he did all of this was genuine ease like he wasn't putting you in complete arousal right now was so intimidatingly hot.
The crowd's cheering almost caught you off-guard as you realized the sketch was over, and Bill and Franco were getting up to leave the stage. You almost had to steady yourself as your legs felt wobbly and out of place, but you managed to maneuver yourself off the stage with as much grace as you could possibly muster.
It didn't take long for you to feel Bill's hand slip under yours and tug you along to a back room, his taller figure looming over yours with a side of him that you had never seen before. His lips practically hovering over yours as you inhaled deeply and ultimately tried to compose yourself only to stammer your words a little bit.
"Um, heh, what did you do that for?" you murmured quietly so that only he could hear you.
"You really think I would let you get away so quickly with that sketch, I simply had to remind you that you're mine babe, mine." he growled as he leaned down close to your height, whispering the words in your ear.
Your breath hitching at the contact, goosebumps spreading directly across your skin, and your heart skipping a beat. Except, you were in public, for crying out loud; why couldn't he have waited to save this for the bedroom later tonight?
"I-um, Bill did you forget that this is sorta a live show?" you retort back, stepping away from his slight hold. It finally hits you all at once, "Wait, Bill, are you jealous of my sketch with Seth?" you quickly ask, his eyes widening before quickly denying it.
"What? No of course not since when do I get jealous Y/N?" he says defensively, only to see you start to form a small grin.
"Oh my god you totally are!" you practically yelp, his eyes staring daggers at you.
"Hader, quick change happening for Daveheart in four minutes!" Bobby calls as he walks past the two of you unbeknownst to the little debacle going on.
Bill's eyes darting between yours and the dressing room, you sigh and motion for him to go-on for how you would somehow resolve this later. After the door closes behind him, you allow yourself to slide down against the wall once again, trying to compose yourself after everything that had just happened.
-
It doesn't take long for him to find you, this time in a Scottish get-up, you were assuming, and still painfully as ever, you still couldn't help but think that he looked hot, even with his long brown wig.
He sits down beside you, looking at you with a hesitant look in his eyes.
"Okay, so maybe I am jealous okay?" he admits quietly, completely catching you off guard. "It's just sometimes I wish we didn't have to have this weird age gap, or have to worry about judgement from others or the press. I guess, just seeing you like that today, it just really made me jealous. Proud of course, I mean babe you killed it out there, I didn't even notice that you were anxious. It's just hearing you moan like that, god that was so hot, the things you do to me." he says, no longer making eye contact as he goes into his little tangent.
God, you loved him.
You sigh before wrapping your hands around his, before slowly pushing forward to envelop him in a kiss. He hesitates for a split second before going in at once, his hands reaching up to cup your face deepening the kiss.
It was like a breath of fresh air whenever the two of you had kissed, whether in the late nights after shows and you can see the sunrise. Or in walks home from work, fingers entwined, and quick glances before sneaking a quick kiss, or even just whenever Bill can spare one.
The two of you pull away, only to catch your breath for a second. Bill's wig now tousled, and his eyes staring at you with admiration that you couldn't help but melt under.
"You know Bill, I wouldn't change a thing about us. I love you just the way that you are." you say softly, sneaking in a little kiss before pulling away to finish your statement, a small pout grazing his lips.
"Just maybe not during a live sketch, please?" you giggle softly, his eyes never leaving yours.
"Hey, Y/N, I just wanted to say that you killed it out there-woah, what's going on here?" Seth calls out, startling the two of you; you moving to jump away before Bill quickly stops you.
"We're dating!" you blurt out randomly, "we have been for the past two years, and its time that we probably tell others about it."
You clamp your mouth shut, ignoring Bill's jaw-dropping, and focusing on Seth entirely.
"Oh my god I knew it! Mulaney get your ass over here, we've been right this entire time! Hader and Y/L/N have been boning for two years." Seth yells over to John, who was busy cleaning up the cue cards as the show was coming to an end for the night.
You practically groan, digging your head into Hader's chest in pure embarrassment as Mulaney comes bounding over to cheerfully laugh at your combined misery.
"And to think that Jost said that we were lying about the two of them, guys come on we're gonna go tell Colin!" Seth exclaims, beckoning for the two of you to follow to the writer's room down the hall.
"Might as well join them," Bill whines as he pulls you off the ground and drags you along after them.
#@broadwayandnetflix#bill hader imagine#bill hader x reader#bill hader x you#bill hader#fluff#angst#snl#saturday night live#john mulaney#seth meyers#2020#request
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Running from the Past - Part I
Luke Patterson x Reader
Words: 1982
Series Summary: You and Luke became close friends months before he played the Orpheum with Sunset Curve....will he meet you again?
Chapter: 1/?
Part I / Part II / Part III
TW: Mentions of abuse
Author’s notes: Ngl Julie and the Phantoms is the cutest show ever and I just want all the boys to be happy okay - next part will be post-hotdogs aka time jump
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You had met your fair share of bands. Rock stars. Up-and-coming singers. Women who claimed they would make it big. Boys who wanted to be the next big boy band.
You helped your uncle manage the bands that played in his night club. And tonight, the club had booked a new up-and-coming band that had been making the rounds around town. But the lead singer was nowhere to be found. Your uncle sent you to hunt him down, which was why you were running around backstage breaking through door after door trying to find some wanna-be rock star teenager.
“Luke!” You yelled as you slammed yet another door open. A woman in the far back of the room glared at you as she wiped a makeup smear off a young lady’s face.
You mumbled your apologies, slowly pulling the door shut behind you, before taking off down the hall once again. As you rounded the corner, you ran headfirst into someone, both of you shrieking as you slammed to the ground in a jumble of limbs.
“Woah!” The shaggy hair boy in front of you exclaimed as he pulled away from you, stumbling ungracefully to his feet.
He offered you his hand, but you ignored him as you stood slowly.
You squinted your eyes as you looked him up and down. A smirk formed on his face as he watched you look him over. Just as he opened his mouth, probably to say something smart, you shoved a finger in his face and the smirk slipped off his face.
“Luke?”
The boy’s eyes widened and he nodded.
Without wasting another second, you grabbed him by the arm and began dragging him down the hall. The boy stumbled over his feet as you pulled him along behind you.
“Where are we going? Damn your grip is hella tight. Could you maybe let up?” He stopped as you threw him another glare, “....no? Okay.”
He managed to remain silent as you continued down the hall until you both passed by a grinning Alex, who had just stepped out of your uncle’s office. Luke reached out to him for help, but the blonde boy just held up his hands as you passed.
“Not cool, Alex!” Luke yelled. Alex’s laughter echoing behind you.
You finally made it through the door of your uncle’s office and shoved Luke right in front of your uncle’s desk.
“Oh, you found him! You can go help the stagehands set up now!”
You sighed, your head and feet throbbing from searching for rock star for the past two hours. Turning on your heel, you started out the door but skidded to a halt when Luke stepped right in front of you.
“Wait, can I get your name?” He said, offering you a lopsided smile.
“Y/N.”
“Y/N.” He said slowly, “That’s pretty- I...wait!” He stammered as you walked right around him and out the door.
He stuck his head out the door of your uncle’s office, “I’ll see you around!”
“No, you won’t!” You yelled back.
“Yes, I will!”
You smiled as you rounded the corner. Maybe one day you would see him again.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Two months passed and you arrived at your uncle’s club earlier than normal. It was too early to set up the stage, so you wandered around aimlessly backstage. As you rounded the corner, you tripped over something, slamming hard to the ground.
“Crap sorry!” The man scrambled to his feet and helped you up, “Y/N?”
Your eyes widened as you met Luke’s green eyes, “Larry?”
He rolled his eyes and held out his hand, “Luke.”
“Nah, I like Larry better.” You shook his hand quickly before taking a step back and running a hand through your hair nervously, “You playing here again?”
The boy nodded, a grin lighting up his whole face. He looked at you as if waiting for you to say something.
You stumbled over your words, “Um - well I should....” You pointed behind you and started to slowly back away.
“Wait! Keep me company until the rest of my band gets here?” He begged, pouting his lip out.
A smile pulled at the corner of your mouth, and with the roll of your eyes you motioned for him to sit back on the ground. He did. You plopped down next to him, settling yourself up against the wall.
“So you work here?”
You shook your head, “I help my uncle, I don’t really like staying at home, so he allows me to help out around here.”
Luke’s eyes grew darker as he nodded knowingly.
You both continued to talk and before long you were laughing as he stood in front of you, guitar in hand, trying to write a song that rhymed with your name.
“It’s not going to work.” You chuckled.
“It will. It will. Hold on I’ll get it.” He strummed the guitar again, his mouth wide open, but no words came out, “Okay, maybe not.”
“Y/N!” A voice echoed down the hall, “Your uncle needs you.”
Sighing, you stood up, brushing off your jeans. You hesitated for a second, turning to face Luke, “I’ll see you around?”
Luke smiled as you walked away and just before you rounded the corner he called out, “Hey if you ever need a place to stay that’s not here, we have a pretty comfortable couch in our studio.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A month passed and you saw Luke more than you thought you would.
You were friendly, but you tried to keep your distance. There was a reason you didn’t have many friends. And you didn’t want to drag Luke into your family drama.
When you heard footsteps around the corner, you curled in on yourself hoping whoever it was would ignore you. Your pencil continued to scratch lightly over the paper as you continued to sketch.
When the footsteps sounded closer, your shoulders stiffened as you saw Luke step up beside you.
You shot to your feet and darted away. But he followed after you, his puppy dog eyes wide as he tried to get your attention. When he lightly grabbed your arm, you turned your eyes flashing at him.
He took a step back.
You sighed, “Sorry.”
“No,” He stepped back a little more, “I’m sorry.”
You closed your eyes tightly, trying to hold back the tears that were threatening to fall, “It’s just...”
“You don’t have to tell me.” His voice was soft.
You sank to the ground, burying your face in your hands as you took deep breath after deep breath. A few seconds later you felt him settle beside you.
Luke began to speak, probably to apologize when you abruptly look up straight into his eyes, “I don’t have the best home life I mentioned before. It’s gotten worse and I don’t....”
He grimaced as your once bright eyes began to darken as bad memories were pulled to the surface. Your eyes glazed over as you turned to stare at the wall opposite you.
Luke was quiet for a few minutes before moving closer to you. He gently took the sketch pad that you held tightly to your chest.
He began to speak, softly and slowly about how he ran away from home because he and his mom had a horrible fight. And he wanted to go back because he missed her and didn’t want to disappoint her, but he needed to prove to her that music was his thing. As he continued speaking, you began to relax in his presence. Everything he spoke of was in a way similar to what you were going through.
As the weeks passed, you both grew closer and you began to trust him more and more, telling him more about yourself and your family. He was easy to talk to and you felt safe telling him your secrets because he had secrets of his own. He listened without judgment and offered support without forcing it on you.
You didn’t know how different everything would be after this.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You walked up to the garage hesitantly. Alex’s parents had explained where the studio was in the back of the house, and that you should just follow the sound of the music.
You gripped the strap of your bag tighter and raised your hand to knock on the door. But you froze. Sighing you turned. But before you could walk away, the door creaked open behind you.
“Y/N?”
You froze and turned around slowly, refusing to meet the boy’s eyes.
Luke was looking at you confused, his eyes darting to the packed duffel bag on your shoulder, to your downcast face.
“I...um.” You swallowed hard, still looking at the ground. You took a hesitant step back.
But before you could run, Luke stepped up to you, his hand raising, gently lifting your chin. Your eyes darted to the side, so they didn’t meet his.
His own eyes darkened when he saw the bruise on your cheek but knew better than to breach the topic.
“Can I stay here for a few days?” You said faintly.
Luke’s eyes roved your face, and for a moment you thought he would refuse. But then he pulled the bag from your shoulder, slinging it over his own. His other arm lifted to wrap around your shoulder as he led you into the studio.
“Boys! We have a guest!”
Alex and Reggie looked up, both smiling widely when they saw you. They ran over, about to pull you into a group hug, when Luke raised his hand causing them to skid to a halt. They both froze at the sight of your bruised face.
You cringed, waiting for the bombardment of question. But instead, they led you over to the couch and Reggie began a long rant about the new Star Wars that was supposed to come out in a few years, until you were giggling on the couch.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You snuggled into the couch, wearing one of Luke’s sweaters you had “confiscated” a few months ago. It was big on you and hung down below your knees. You had the sleeves rolled numerous times yet they were still long enough to fall over your hands.
“Y/N? I need opinions on what to wear for our Orpheum performance tomorrow night and- is that my sweater?”
You didn’t bother looking up as you continued sketching a new Sunset Curve Album cover, “That it is.”
When Luke didn’t say anything, you raised your head to look at him, your brows furrowing, “Are those my slippers?”
“Yes. Can I ask why you’re wearing it?” He said softly.
You tilted your head, confused at his statement, “What?”
“The sweater. My sweater. Why are you wearing it?”
You definitely blame your sleepy brain for your next response, “It makes me feel safe.”
After a beat of silence and a slight quirk of Luke’s mouth, you realized what you had said. Stumbling over your words you frantically spit out, “Nope, I didn’t say that. Ignore that.”
Luke’s smile took up his whole face. He looked you up and down before his eyes widened, “Wait. Isn’t that the sweater I was looking for months ago?”
“Well…”
“Y/N!” Luke exclaimed, “I asked you for weeks what happened to it! I can’t believe you had it all this time. Have you taken anything else I’ve been looking for?!”
You scoffed, lightly blushing, “What no of course not why would I ever do that….?”
Lies. You always wore his clothes. His shirts to bed. His pants during cold days. His sweatshirts. You loved his shirts and sweaters the best. They smelled like him. They made you feel safe. You loved being able to cuddle up at night tucked in something that reminded you of him. You loved falling asleep surrounded by his scent. Especially if you were feeling particularly down or sad, his scent would wrap you in a cocoon of safety until you relaxed.
#luke patterson x reader#Julie and the phantoms#jatp#jatp fanfiction#fanfic#my fanfic#luke x reader#luke patterson
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21 - colson baker
colson baker imagine
21 - Pete Davidson takes you out to celebrate your 21st birthday after SNL, and you make a new friend.
“this week a midwestern teenager was arrested for kidnapping livestock and hiding them in their neighbor’s garages. here to comment is our resident young person, (y/n) (y/l/n).”
you took a quick breath before you were pushed toward the weekend update desk. you rolled to a stop next to your castmate Michael Che before you dove into your bit with him about cows and the midwestern community.
you made your SNL debut last season when you were only nineteen. you quickly took over Pete Davidson’s former role as the “resident young person” among the cast, and you had formed a fast friendship with him over the last year and a half. he had been eager to take you out with his friends so that you could experience the true nightlife that New York could offer, and now that you were finally turning 21, he could do just that.
after you exited the stage from your weekend update skit, Pete caught you in the hallway as you headed back to your dressing room to get ready for your last skit.
“hey, next weekend,” Pete started catching your attention. “do you want to go out and celebrate your birthday? Maybe get shitfaced?”
“I don’t know. who’s gonna be there? I don’t really want to feel obligated to entertain people while you’re getting me drunk,” you said apprehensively.
“don’t worry. it’ll be a bunch of people you don’t know so you don’t have to worry about anything other than getting drunk. I’ll keep an eye on you, of course. keep you away from the creepos.”
“how thoughtful,” you say throwing yourself into one of the hair and make-up chairs. “but sure, it sounds fun.”
“great. I’ll get the party lined up for next Saturday after the show.”
you threw him a thumbs up before your attention was directed toward the make-up artist giving you an 80s look for your next skit.
--
“this week our very own (y/n) (y/l/n) turned 21. here to comment on finally becoming an adult is our resident young person, (y/n) (y/l/n).”
“hey Colin,” you call back to him when you roll up next to Colin Jost at the weekend update desk.
SNL did a similar skit when Pete turned 21 so the writers felt it was only right to do one for you.
“hey (y/n), how does it feel to finally be 21?” he asked tapping his pen on his desk.
“it feels great Colin. you know, it’s a bit of an adjustment, but I’m having a great time.”
“right, you’re finally legal now. you can do adult things.”
“yeah, now I can buy tropical fish at Randy’s Pet Shop by my apartment building. I have a fish named Chet now. he’s pretty cool.”
“wait, you have to be 21 to buy fish from Randy’s Pet Shop?”
“yeah, Randy’s got this weird thing,” you paused to make eye contact with Colin. “anyway, besides that, I don’t really feel like much of an adult, Colin. I’m like five-foot-something and still resemble a fourth grader. like look at me, Colin. I was given a kid’s menu at TGI F.R.I.D.A.Y.’S last week. I am not an adult.”
Colin laughed before looking at you. “(y/n), you really don’t think that you’ve grown in this past year? you haven’t felt like an adult in anyway?”
“no.”
“well, I think you have. you stopped ordering chicken fingers at every restaurant we go to for cast dinners. I think that’s a big step into adulthood.”
“yeah, well, joke’s on you because I have a bag of dino nuggies hidden in the back of the breakroom fridge.”
“what?”
“yeah, I just take a few out and wrapping them in tinfoil and heat them up in the microwave for four minutes-”
“wait, hold on, hold on,” Colin laughed waving his hand to stop you. “you put the nuggets in tinfoil before you put them in the microwave?”
“yeah, you just wrap them up in the tinfoil, and they cook really well. they get all sparky and stuff. they taste a little smokey though”
“you’re the reason why the breakroom microwave is always broken?”
“what?”
“(y/n), you’re not supposed to put tinfoil in the microwave,” Michael chimes in.
“you can’t put metal in the microwave. did you not know that?” Colin asked.
“what?” you put on the confused act.
“(y/n) (y/l/n), everybody,” Colin shouts turning to the audience and ending your segment on the update.
“who let me be an adult?” you laugh shouting to audience as Colin pulls you into a side hug. the crowd cheers as you wave to them.
“for weekend update, I’m Colin Jost.”
“And I’m Michael Che. GOODNIGHT.”
you continue to smile and laugh with both of the guys as the camera panned away from the stage and the recording light turned off. when you made it off stage, you started to head back to your dressing room. you had finished your last sketch of the night, so you planned on getting ready for your night out with Pete and whoever else he invited.
--
an hour later, you were crammed in the backseat of an uber next to Pete.
“where are we going?” you asked him as you check the battery on your phone.
“this club a few minutes away. it’s pretty lowkey. everyone’s going to meet us there.”
“okay, sounds good-”
“it’s actually right here,” he interrupts stopping the driver. “thanks, man.”
Pete opened the door of the car and climbed out. his lanky form towered over the small sedan. he leaned down to help you scoot over to open door. you took his hand as you scooted over to the door before sliding out of the car as best as you could in your mini skirt.
after both of your feet successfully hit the pavement, you adjusted your black leather mini skirt from riding up before you fixed you black turtleneck to make sure that it was still tucked into your skirt.
“ready?”
“yeah, let’s go.”
--
after making it past the bouncer, Pete led you over to the bar before dropping you off at a bar stool. you watched as he made his rounds saying hi to everyone. it was almost 1 am now. you began to wonder how late you were going to be out tonight.
you suddenly felt two hands on your shoulders causing you to slightly jump.
“you ready for your birthday drink?” Pete shouted in your ear.
“yeah, let’s do it,” you laugh turning to look at him.
“can we get four shots of Fireball?” he shouted to the bartender.
“four?” you shout over your shoulder at him. “I though you weren’t drinking.”
“I’m not. you are. you’re downing all of those.”
“oh god.”
he slapped his hands on your shoulders once more. “you got this, baby.”
the bartender placed the shots in front of you as Pete opened a tab.
“we doing this?” you asked staring at the shots.
“let’s do it.”
you grab your first shot before raising it as a cheers to him. you brought it to your lips and downed it. you felt it burn as it slid down your throat. you squeezed your eyes shut as you finished it.
“that was strong,” you cough.
“next one.”
you down the second one, and then the third one shortly followed. the cinnamon flavor left a burning sensation in your throat.
“last one, last one.” Pete shook your shoulders cheering you on.
“fuck this.” you downed the last one.
--
an hour into your party, it was clear to you that you were feeling very drunk. you had spent the last hour dancing with strangers on the dance floor before slipping back to the VIP section Pete had for you and some of the people at the party. after your first couple shots, he had introduced you to a few people, but at this point, you can’t remember your own name so how could you be expected to remember theirs.
you’re currently sipping on a tequila sunrise now that Pete decided that you handled enough straight liquor. you were slightly leaning on Pete as he stood next to you while you were sitting on one of the barstools for the high tabletops.
“yoooo,” you heard someone call as they approached your table. “dude, whassup.”
Pete leaned over to bro-hug someone before that person began to lean on your table next to Pete. you could hear their muffled conversation as you played with the straw in your drink.
“so what’s this party for anyway?”
“it’s a birthday party,” Pete yelled over the music.
“who’s birthday?”
“hers,” Pete said motioning to you causing you to look up at Pete and his friend. “this is my castmate, (y/n). she just turned 21 so we’re celebrating.”
your eyes met the stranger’s, and you smiled. he was pretty with his bleached-out hair. you gave him a small wave.
“I’m Colson,” he said extending his hand to yours.
“(y/n),” you said taking his hand.
“can I buy a drink for the birthday girl?” he asked flashing you a smile.
“sure,” you said before taking the last sip of your tequila sunrise.
when he brought you back a drink, you stood over your shoulder placing the drink in front of you.
“let’s fucking party.”
“okay,” you shouted before knocking back the drink and taking his hand to lead you to the dance floor.
--
you spent the rest of the night with a set of hands planted firmly around your waist. when you had finally had enough of drinking and dancing, you made your way back over to the VIP section with your six-foot shadow following behind you with his hands still on your hips.
“I’m tired,” you say to Pete as you approach your seat the table. your shadow rested against your back as you hopped up onto the barstool.
“do you want to head home?” Pete asked leaning close to you and your shadow, Colson.
“kinda,” you said leaning your head back on Colson. your drunken state couldn’t careless that you were practically laying against a total stranger.
“do you even have a place to stay tonight?” Pete asked Colson as he looked up from you to the tall guy behind you.
“not really. I could just get a hotel,” you could hear Colson tell Pete.
“you guys can just crash at my apartment. I have a couch and a guest bedroom,” you interrupt as you stare off into space.
“are you sure?” Pete asked.
“yeah, let’s just go home.”
“cool with you?” Pete asked Colson.
“I’m cool,” Colson answered.
10 minutes later, the three of you were sitting in the backseat of a black car, which you assumed was an uber. you head rested against someone’s shoulder as you began to close your eyes.
--
you felt someone jostle you awake. you opened your eyes to find that the uber had parked in front of your building. Pete was leaning in the car once more to help you out. you blinked the sleep out of your eyes as you took his hands. he helped you out of the car just as he had when you got to the club. you felt a pair of hands gently adjust your skirt, and you whipped your head around to find Colson standing behind of you.
“your skirt was riding up, baby,” he said to you while he tapped your hip.
“thanks,” you murmur.
you slapped your keys into Pete’s hand as he went to buzz you in with your code to the building. you began to walk to the door with Colson resting his arm around your shoulder. he kept you walking upright as you both entered the building. you took the elevator up 12 floors.
when you finally stepped foot into your apartment, you stood in the doorway and ripped your heeled boots from your feet. Pete dropped your keys into the bowl by your door, and Colson closed the door behind the three of you.
you turned around to the both of them, almost tripping over your own feet.
“kitchen,” you said pointing to the kitchen, “couch,” pointing to the living room, “guest room,” pointing to the guest room, “bathroom,” you pointed to the bathroom door. “there’s extra blankets in the closet,” you said pointing to the small closet by the bathroom. “help yourself to anything. I’m going to sleep.” you gave them a salute before turning around to your bedroom.
they laughed lightly as you slammed the door behind you.
as you stumbled into your room, you plugged your phone into the charger on your nightstand. after your phone was charging, you slipped your skirt and turtleneck off before slipping on an oversized t-shirt. you quickly wiped off your makeup before falling face down in your bed.
--
the next morning, you woke up with blurry eyes and a fog in your head. you blinked a couple times before rolling over to fall back asleep. you had your eyes closed as you tried to fall back asleep.
that’s when you heard a crash in the kitchen.
you whipped yourself out of bed, and you grabbed the baseball bat from under your bed. you took a deep breath before throwing your bedroom door open. with your bat raised, you lunged out of your bedroom at the intruder.
instead of the intruders, you found Pete and some guy standing in your kitchen messing with your pots and pans.
“jesus fucking christ, Pete, what the fuck?”
“oh, sleeping beauty’s up,” the guy called waving his arms out to you with your skillet and spatula in his hands.
“who is this? and what the fuck are you doing?” you shout annoyed at Pete.
“This is Colson, my friend who you met last night, but guessing from your reaction, you don’t remember much. you let us stay over, and now we are making breakfast,” he said before going back to whatever he was doing.
you felt Colson’s gaze on you. you dropped your bat on your shoulder as you met his stare. you glared into his eyes as he intensely stared back into yours.
“nice bat,” he said still staring.
“thanks, I played softball,” you glared back. “I’m gonna go put some clothes on.”
“you don’t have to,” you heard Colson call back to you as he watched you retreat to your room. from your room, you could hear Pete yell at him in the kitchen.
you laughed lightly as you threw on a pair of sweatpants and put a bra on under your oversized shirt. you took a scrunchie and threw your hair up before heading back to the kitchen.
you plopped yourself down on one of the counter stools in your kitchen.
“what are we eating?” you ask the guys.
“I’m attempting to make pancakes with whatever you have,” Colson called back to you.
“fantastic,” you reply.
“how’s your head?” Pete asked from his spot at the counter.
“it’s not bad. I don’t feel very hungover,” you replied.
“that’s surprising seeing how much you drank last night.”
“what even happened last night?”
“you drank a lot. you danced a lot. then, Colson showed up. then, you drank and danced some more with him.”
“wow,” you mutter staring off into space before you felt Colson staring at you again. you met his eyes before speaking up, “I apologize for that and whatever I did.”
“I didn’t mind,” he said before flipping a pancake.
“it was so funny. you were like one of those velcro monkeys wrapped around him all night,” Pete laughed.
“don’t make fun of me,” you yelled before whacking Pete with a dish towel on the counter. “you’re the one who got me drunk.” they both laughed before you looked up at Colson once more. “I am definitely apologizing for that.”
“I don’t mind. I liked being your arm candy for the night,” he said plopping a pancake on a plate.
you rolled your eyes before opening your phone. “what’s the damage? was there any paparazzi last night?”
“weelllllll,” Pete drew out.
“what?” you whine dropping your head a bit.
“there’s a few from when we left the club, and they followed us back to your building so there’s a few from then too. there’s two articles running already.”
“just because we went out for drinks?” you ask motioning between you and Pete.
“no, because we,” Colson motioned between the three of you. “went out for drinks.” he dropped a plate in front of you. “apology pancakes for the tabloids.”
“how thoughtful,” you murmur. “what did the articles say?”
“nothing just speculation,” Pete said taking a drink. “it’ll go away. you just might want to keep away from Colson for a while.”
“you’re kidding,” you said opening your phone before typing your name into safari.
you scrolled through the new section before you found the pictures from last night. in the pictures, Colson had his arm wrapped around your waist as you were shielding your eyes from the flash. you assumed these pictures were from when you left the club. the other pictures were of the guys helping you out of the car. Colson was standing behind you, towering over you with his arm around you. it totally looked like the two of you were a thing with how touchy you two were. you were not a touchy person when you were sober. you could only assume that the alcohol turned you into a velcro monkey as Pete put it. you briefly skimmed the articles only to find that they were speculating that you and Machine Gun Kelly, Colson Baker, were in a relationship.
“Machine Gun Kelly. you’re Machine Gun Kelly?” you ask him, squinting your eyes at Colson.
he and Pete laughed at you.
“I was wondering if you were going to put it together,” Pete laughed. “that took you forever.”
“well, I’m sorry, but I was drunk.”
“you knew I was friends with MGK,” Pete laughed.
“I didn’t think you were going to invite him to my birthday party.”
“so I take it you’re a fan?” Colson said raising an eyebrow at you.
“I’m not actually. I haven’t even heard your stuff. I’m not really into rap,” you said to him.
“ouch. that’s rough,” he sighed.
“sorry,” you shrugged. “thanks for the pancakes though.” you give him a smile before taking a bite.
Pete’s phone buzzed before he got up from his stool.
“shit, I have to go. I have to take my mom to the airport. are you going to be okay if I leave you?” Pete asked staring at you.
“yeah, I’ll be fine. tell your mom hi for me,” you said looking up at him.
“okay, bye kid. happy birthday.” he wrapped his arms around you.
“thanks for getting me drunk. I had fun,” you said patting his arm.
“yeah, I know,” he called back as he headed to your door.
“be safe,” you shouted before he closed your front door, leaving you with Colson in your kitchen.
you and Colson took a pause as you both watched the door. he was the first to break his gaze as he turned to you. you both made eye contact as you both stared at each other.
“so,” you started.
“so,” he replied leaning down on your counter to stare at you at your eye level.
“so.”
“so, what do we do now?”
“we can watch tv, or you can tell me about last night,” you suggest before shoving another bite into your mouth.
you were not bashful when it came to eating, and you were not deterred by Colson staring into your eyes as you chewed, even if he was really pretty.
“what do you want to know?” he said. his gaze never leaving your eyes.
“we seemed very touchy in those photos,” you hummed taking another forkful of pancakes.
“can’t help that your kinda hot.”
“wow,” you scoff leaning back from the counter. “this is hot for you,” you say shoving the pancakes in your mouth.
“very,” he laughed.
you peered an eye up at him, skeptically. you couldn’t tell if he was being serious. there was no way that someone as pretty as he was would be interested in you.
he extended his hand out to you face as your eyes watched it move to your lip. he flicked a piece of pancake from your lip before smiling at you. you heart practically jumped out of its chest.
fuck. you were crushing.
--
the two of you hung out and talked for the next hour. you both flirted a bit back and forth. you felt this undeniable connection to him, and it made you feel sick. you were notorious for running from people and your feelings. you always chickened out before saying anything to them, and then when you finally got the courage to, that person had already found somebody else.
“fuck, I should go,” Colson said throwing his head back on the couch from where the two of you were sitting. “I don’t want to though.”
“I need to shower and get started with some pitches for work tomorrow,” you say lightly placing your head on the back of the couch.
“okay, I’ll go.”
“I’ll walk you down.”
he took your hand in his as he got up from the couch. he pulled you up as he grabbed his jacket from where it was placed on the arm of the couch.
you grabbed your keys before he pulled you out the door. you closed the door behind you before the two of you waited for the elevator.
you laced your fingers with his as you stepped into the elevator. here goes nothing, you breathed.
“I had a lot of fun with you,” you say staring straight at the doors of the elevator.
he turned to you with you fingers still locked with his. “I really like you.”
“cool, cool,” you say as you saw the number on the elevator tick to floor 6. you turn to him. “I should give you my number.”
he slipped you his phone, and you typed your number into his phone before handing back to him.
“cool, cool,” he started as he slipped his phone back into his pocket.
1
2
3
you counted before grabbing the back of his neck and pulling him down to your height. you stood on your tiptoes, and you placed your lips on his. he grabbed your face as he kissed you back.
the elevator dinged as the doors opened. you broke away from him as you shoved him out the doors.
“call me sometime,” you say as you stood alone in the elevator.
“aye aye captain,” he saluted you. he moved back toward the elevator before pulling you back to him. “one more for the road.” he kissed you until you couldn’t breathe.
you finally pulled away for air while he held his hands on your head.
“you’re fucking gorgeous.”
“you’re not too bad yourself. now go so I can work,” you said fully pulling away before the elevator alarm was set off. “Bye Colson,” you said hitting your floor button.
“Bye (y/n),” he waved as the doors shut.
--
as you made your way back to your apartment, your phone dinged.
unknown number: hi velcro monkey
you rolled your eyes as you entered your apartment. this man was going to be the death of you.
.
.
.
first Colson Baker imagine. feel free to send requests. - rose xx
#mgk#machine gun kelly#machine gun kelly imagines#colson baker#colson baker imagines#colson baker x reader#machine gun kelly x reader
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In the Steel Steeds Heart
Chapter 24: Slip of the Hand
Warnings: strong language, sexual themes, blood/gore, stitching/medical instruments, knives, sickness, light body horror
Summary: Juniper picks up an old hobby while Heisenberg makes a big mistake while working on a long-standing one.
Feedback appreciated, 18+. Sorry it’s slower everyone I’ll start posting a bit quicker next month
Juniper sat on the balcony, the sunshine warming her enough to be comfortable. In the recent weeks she and Heisenberg went back to damn near normal, or as normal as their life had ever been given the circumstances. She was fully healed and feeling bright and chipper.
Heisenberg even started to call her newer nicknames more often: like wifey, love and his Mrs.
Juniper got back into making sketches. She was very rusty and most pictures looked little more than doodles but it brought her joy. Heisenberg even found her a whole stack of empty notebooks.
She was using one of them, drawing a sketch of a raven. The bird of interest was sitting on the balcony ledge, watching her with bright eyes.
It cocked its feathered head, making curious gurgles as she looked between it and the paper.
“You are such a pretty bird.” Juniper complimented, earring a throaty little trill in return.
Juniper’s pencil scratched against the paper, “Just like that.” She cooed, “You’re being such a good bird.”
She concentrated on the drawing for a short while longer, looking up at her muse. Eventually she was happy with the finished product, shading in the feathers with the pencil.
She turned the notebook around, showing her work to her subject. “Do you like it?” She asks, holding it before the Raven.
The bird gave a little hop, almost in surprise, leaning in a bit to look over the portrait. It gave a throaty croak of approval, ruffling its feathers.
Juniper giggled, “Thank you!” She turned to look at it again, happy with her work. She closed the sketchbook, standing and stretching a bit.
“You were radiant.” She complimented the bird, reaching out a hand slowly towards it. The raven allowed her to give it a soft stroke down its onyx feathers, closing its eyes in contentment.
Juniper said her goodbyes to the bird, collecting her supplies and heading back into the factory.
The raven sat for a long moment, watching the closed metal door before hoping off into the air. It gave a few strong wing beats before it disintegrated into a moldy cloud, done with its tasks.
Unaware of anything amiss Juniper put everything away, tiring her hair up in preparation to find Heisenberg. She knew he was finishing up a Soldat, so wanted to give a hand if needed.
~
The smell of blood and oil stung Juniper’s nose as she neared the lower workshop. As she opened the door the smell grew so strong it almost fogged her senses for a moment.
Her stomach clenched, taking over the scene.
The most recent soldat was on the floor, head crushed into a bloody pulp. Dark liquid oozed out of it, mixing with the iridescent swirling of oil and the bright crimson of fresh blood.
Fresh blood?
Juniper’s eyes widened, seeing blood drip from one of the creature’s many drills. Her eyes followed the splatters until they found the source.
Heisenberg sat in a chair, eyes dilated and chest heaving in short strained breaths. His arm rested over the nearest desk. A deep gash ran the length of his forearm, alabaster peeked through the flesh of the bone within.
The wound welled blood across the table, staining papers and dripping onto the floor. Juniper saw medical supplies haphazardly around his vicinity, where he attempted to mend himself before the shock set in.
She rushed over to him, touching his face, trying to keep panic from overtaking her.
“Heis..honey can you hear me?” She asked, “You need to breathe.”
His eyes flicked over her face, jaw tight as he huffed out of his nose. She saw blood pulse from the wound as his muscles twitched.
Scrambling to get clean gauze she soaked it in healing fluid before pressing it over the wound.
Heisenberg took a sharp intake of air, pain rippling through him.
“Hold this.” Juniper took his free hand in her own, guiding him to press the gauze over the worst of the wound.
He complied, still looking forward, almost unseeing.
She looked around the mess, not seeing what she needed. Rushing to one of the supply cabinets she found thread and a medical needle. She’d only done things like this on dead bodies, never being taught the intricacies of mending living flesh.
Juniper hoped that her lack of skill would be enough for his healing abilities to take over.
Returning to him, the pressure he’d placed on the wound slowed the bleeding slightly.
“Still with me?” She asked, moving his hand away to clean the wound.
She saw his pale eyes shift to look at her for a brief moment before returning to their ordinal position.
“This is going to hurt.” She warned, threading the needle. She tried to pull the ragged flesh back together the best she could, sinking the needle in to make the first stitch.
He groaned, moving a bit. Juniper angled herself to hold him still as she worked. With shaking hands, she kept stitching up his arm, it becoming more difficult as she neared the worst of the wound.
“B-Butter…cup?” Heisenberg’s voice wavered, shifting a bit.
“Stay still.” Her tone was warning, “I’m trying to fix you up.”
She was able to close the wound, frowning at the divot left in his arm from the loss of muscle in the area.
Juniper cleaned the area more thoroughly, dabbing more healing salve over it.
The stinging sensation sobered Heisenberg’s mind ever so slightly.
“Breathe.” Juniper instructed, finding clean gauze. When she began to wrap his arm he was able to speak a bit to her.
“What happened?” She asked.
“Ba-bastard woke up…” he managed, “…too fast, di-didn’t real-ize…”
“It’s alright.” Juniper soothed, taping down the end of the wrapping, “Can you walk.”
Heisenberg swallowed hard, unable to answer.
Juniper stood, helping him to his feet. He swayed heavily, leaning on her. She grunted, getting his arm around her shoulder for support. It was hard getting to the elevator, his feet like concrete. But she was finally able to get him back to the apartment, sitting him on the bed as she took off his necklaces and boots. His glazed eyes watched her wordlessly.
She helped him lay back, covering him up so he could come down from the shock. His good hand clutched the wrappings of his opposite arm.
Juniper sat on the edge of the bed, reaching out to smooth hair from his face.
~
Heisenberg woke up in the bed, it was dark and his arm ached terribly. His memory was hazy at best, the soldat scraping his bone was the last clear thought. It wasn’t the worst thing he’d endured, but he honestly expected to wake up on the shop floor like so many times in the past.
His hand found his injured arm, fingers tracing gauze.
How the fuck had he managed that?
He tried to sit up, a painful spike jolting through his head. His mouth felt dry and a migraine was threatening him.
“Fuck.” He cursed, falling back onto the bed.
Soft hands found his face, and under the blanket of pain he didn’t realize their owner right away.
“Karl?” Came a sweet voice.
“I’m…f-fine.” He answered, blinking up into glowing green eyes. He winced as another ripple of pain wracked his brain.
“You’re a lying bastard.” Juniper’s lips pursed.
He tried to give a tight chuckle, “Tell me something I don’t know sweetheart.”
He felt her leave the bed, his mind clearing slightly.
Her finger lightly tapped him, rousing him to look. She offered him a glass of water.
“You’re dehydrated.” She said matter-of-factly.
He sat up enough to take the glass, downing it thankfully.
The liquid helped, allowing him the small mercy of thought. “Did you?” He gestured to his arm.
“Mhm.”
“Damn…thank you.”
“I cleaned a lot of the blood, but I couldn’t do much about the soldat.”
“That’s fine, I’ll toss him to the Lycans.” He shrugged. He sat up more as she settled on the bed near him. She made a sound as he ripped the gauze away from his arm. He looked over the rough stitching, “Well it’s together.”
He lifted his hand, one of the kitchen knives whizzing through the air, one of the lights flicking on.
“Hey!” Juniper’s stomach clenched when she saw him angle the tip of the knife into the stitching, “What are you doing?!”
“Shut up.” He grumbled, snapping the stitching, pulling them out with small winces. After he was done he showed her his arm. She made a small mummer of surprise.
The gash was now bright pink, in the earliest stages of scaring. It would be a bit more ragged than most of his but it was definitely healing over.
“Already?” She almost gasped, reaching out to delicately touch the new tissue.
“Ain’t my first rodeo, buttercup.” He gave her a toothy smile, “And ain’t my worse fuck up.”
“I didn’t think it would be so fast.” She admitted, meeting his eyes again.
He set the knife on the side table, “It usually is as long as it’s not too extensive. If you help it along with what you did, for example, even bad shit can heal within a day or two.”
“Like can you regrow limbs?”
“I’m not a fucking lizard!”
“If you still had the limb?”
“If you're fast enough, and get it back together right, it would probably heal.” He frowned, “I’d rather not test it….my intestines hitting the floor was the worst I’d like to deal with.”
Juniper’s eyes were the size of saucers, making Heisenberg bark with laughter.
“It was a long time ago, don’t worry about it.” He shrugged again.
“Don’t worry about it??”
“I was younger and thought my cock was big enough that I didn’t need to be careful.” He smiled, “I learned my lesson….mostly.”
“Hmmm.” She frowned.
Heisenberg eased back into the bed, his muscles still aching. He’d lost too much time with the current soldat now being a wash. Juniper watched him, knowing that look of determination that spread across his feathers.
She clung onto him.
“Rest for a bit longer.” She nuzzled into him, “You’re still healing.”
He snorted, “I don’t need rest for healing.”
“Please stay.”
“I’m behind schedule already, kitten…”
“Just a few more hours?” She begged.
He gave a deep sigh, feeling the tug of the warm bed and Juniper’s even warmer snuggles. “Just a few hours.” He pressed.
Juniper wiggled with victory, cuddling deeper into his side. He wrapped an arm around her, smiling when he felt her relax into the contact.
They settled into a much more restful sleep.
Something felt wrong the moment she woke up that morning. Heisenberg had long since gotten to work, he had to trash the old soldat and start prepping the next. But him being gone was not unusual.
Juniper went about the beginning of her day normally, trying to ignore the churning in her gut. The feeling worsened as she descended the elevator, the heat making her head swim.
As she came through the door to the workshop, the smell of organs and old blood hit her nose. It was a smell she was long since accustomed to. At least she thought she was.
Her stomach suddenly clenched and before she could react she curled forward, vomiting onto the shop floor.
Heisenberg looked up with alarm, dropping the liver back into the cadaver’s abdominal cavity.
“Shit, are you ok doll?” He asked suddenly, ripping off his soiled gloves.
Juniper’s head pounded as her body shivered with another round of vomit. Saliva dripped down her chin as she looked shakily up at Heisenberg, tears burning her eyes.
He helped her into a chair, handing her a bucket.
“What’s going on?” He questioned worriedly, putting a hand to her forehead. She wasn’t hot, no fever.
“I don’t know.” She shook her head, holding the bucket to her chest, “I felt queasy when I woke up.”
“Hmm.” He frowned, “It’s probably the cadou.”
Juniper remembered the night she stayed by Heisenberg’s side when he was sick.
“What do I do?” She asked, feeling another bout of nausea wash over her.
“Wait it out.” He said frankly.
She gave him a narrow look before retching again.
He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly until she was able to speak again.
“Let’s get you back upstairs.” He helped her stand.
Once she was back in the apartment, Heisenberg got her a fresh bucket and a glass of water. “You take it easy ok.” He pointed to the bed. Before she could protest he placed a walkie talkie on the bedside table, “If you need anything just call.”
The rest of the day she focused on staying hydrated, the feeling washing back away like the tides of the sea. It never quite left her, however, not being a brief bout like Heisenberg was accustomed too.
It was all very puzzling to Juniper…
#resident evil village#karl heisenberg#heisenberg x oc#re8 oc#heisenberg#in the steel steeds heart#resident evil
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Felinette Month 2020 - Day 12: Reunion
The prompts on @felinettenovember are gold and everyone should check out what the others are doing for this month!
Theirs are also most likely on time, and this one is only 3 minutes away from being posted on the wrong day... but it’s still the right day for me!
Approximately 3100 words of absolute Lila salt. Her character is poorly enough written in the show that I had to make her villainy almost cartoonish to a certain degree.
Also before anyone takes my word for it at the silk part, just know I have the bare minimum of knowledge about the intricacies of fabric as I’m just a data analyst. I did however read a really interesting article earlier this year discussing the difference in modern and ancient forms of fabrics (it was specifically discussing cotton, if I remember correctly) and how industrialization of fabric production had drastically reduced both the initial quality of the fabric and the durability. Which they were using as an explanation of why it’s still possible to find cloth artifacts in archeology, whereas it’s suspected that the “same” fabric now wouldn’t have survived due to the poorer quality. So I willy-nilly applied this logic to silk weaving. If you are an expert in this stuff and want to pass along actual knowledge, I’d love to hear about it.
Marinette had found that going to university for fashion design was both easier and harder than it had been doing it during school. There were similarities with the existence of homework and specific class times to schedule around. Working at a smaller fashion house had been another beast entirely. Marinette had been offered a 5 year contract as the only pupil to the head designer, working both with the team of designers and working apart from them. Her ideas first needed to gain the approval from the head designer before she could put them through peer review with the team. She was required to have her designs be closer to a final product before she would get approval to proceed to peer review than the designs of many designers on the team had after multiple reviews. Marinette kept her head high, as her designs often went through fewer changes in the review stage as a result of this additional standard.
However with less than 10 designers doing all stages of the process, from researching ideas and sketching to actually assembling the final product and altering them for the models that would wear it, they were always busy. As a result, Marinette found herself more devoted to work outside of their standard hours, sketching variations on most outfits for potential changes she thought may be suggested while she sat at home.
At 25, Marinette found herself married to her career, with only two nights per week that she had set aside for her friends and her family and refused to budge on that time. This had left dating relatively untouched outside of some short high school relationships and a few first dates that never went further.
Alya never could understand why Marinette was so content on her own. She married Nino at 22 and had been happy in her marriage, but she was able to have her career and her relationship. Sometimes her journalism interfered but often she would just finish typing up any articles or notes she had while home and returned her attention to Nino.
Marinette often didn't disconnect from her sketchpad until late in the evening and then she simply wanted to eat, relax a little, and sleep. Dating required too much effort and time during the week and she only had so much time on the weekends, especially because of the occasional work event on a Saturday night.
This Saturday was one such event, a black tie party in a ballroom, where many designers were getting together under the pretext of a party, however most realized it was an important networking event. Designers would be discussing the styles that were in currently, some boasting about what they expected the next trend to be, and many would try to woo the various models in attendance to sign on for a certain number of shoots or shows in the upcoming seasons.
Marinette knew that she had to show her best at this, as she was entering the fifth year of her contract and would need to get her options in order. She was determined to have at least one outside offer waiting at the end of her contract, so she felt more free to decide if her current company was the best fit.
She had invited Alya over before to help her solidify her outfit by reassuring her choice in dress and accessories, as well as providing suggestions with make-up choices as requested. Marinette really needed a hype woman to get her in the right mindset for dealing with pretentious models and designers for her entire evening.
The ballroom hosting this event was as decedent as Marinette had anticipated and each designer eyed the others' appearance critically. Many of the compliments bestowed on others were backhanded, in the most subtle manner possible. The more inexperienced often missed the jabs but Marinette had expected them. Her mentor had arrived shortly before her and gestured for her to join his conversation upon seeing her entrance.
For nearly an hour, her mentor paraded her around, introducing her to each designer he personally knew and discussing with them her strengths. She was grateful for his support when he could have easily left her to flounder. The designers that had taken a liking to her brought others to meet her the moment he left her side to fetch a new drink. After dealing with their undivided attention for a while, she tried to find a polite way to excuse herself so she could breathe and let her face rest a moment.
The opportunity to slip away came when Gabriel Agreste entered, accompanied by his assistant and three others. The designers commented on his boldness to bring three young models and speculation started about which of the blond men was Gabriel's heir and if they knew the woman with them. He had brought Lila, Adrien, and Felix. She should’ve expected to see at least two of those three here. Time had allowed her to forget about their presence in this world.
Marinette murmured to the closest person that she was going to grab herself a beverage, then quietly slipped away while the designers speculated amongst themselves. She wouldn't contribute with an explanation of any person in that group, let alone bring an opportunity for her past relationships with them to come up.
She instead had snuck around, hiding amongst the various crowds filling the room to get to the hallway where the bathrooms were located. Rather than going into the bathroom, she walked around a turn in the hallway past them and stopped, leaning against the wall to take some deep breaths and think.
If Lila was here, she was definitely still employed with Gabriel and in good standing. She had cut contact with Alya and Nino after the graduation day incident so Marinette hadn't heard much about her since then. Luka didn't talk much about Juleka outside of their time together at the houseboat or in Kitty Section, but Marinette was sure he wouldn’t have let any news of her reach Marinette anyway. Mr. "High-road" Agreste was here so she would likely need to stay hidden or leave so he didn't try to be overly friendly with her. She didn't want to deal with his attempts to catch up and accusations about not staying in touch, even though he hadn't been a great friend of hers after trying to convince her to be a doormat, even if it nearly got her akumatized. Ice King Felix was a wild card. In school he had been a strange mixture of harsh and quietly supportive (primarily in dealing with Lila or Chloe). If Marinette had to deal with any of those three, he would be her preferred. He had potential to be on her side simply on the conditions that Lila still despised her and that Felix still disliked Lila or/and Adrien. Regardless, Marinette preferred if she could just make it through the night without needing to speak with any of them. Slowly she was considering going back to attempt navigating the party. Pushing herself off the wall, she took one more deep breath with her eyes shut.
And promptly fell to the floor due to the unexpected force of something ramming into her. Her head bounced off the carpeted floor and she felt like her brain was trying to restart.
“Oh, I’m sorry! I didn’t see you around the corner and ran into you. Are you alright?” The man leaned down next to her, while Marinette blinked a few times, trying to get her bearings. Then she slowly started to sit up. He spoke again, “Do you need to have your head examined? It looks like you may have bumped it and messed up your hair.”
Her hand came up and ran across the back of her head, over the hair, still blinking as her brain started running again. She turned to look at him and felt a little bit of dismay.
“Felix. I’m okay. My head is just pounding a little bit. I should really check to see what I need to do to make myself presentable again,” Marinette slowly moved towards getting up, hand reaching out to the wall. Felix took her hand and offered his other for more support. She took it without thinking, balancing herself as she stood. Then she turned her body, releasing his hands, and leaned against the wall again. “Thanks. It is Felix right?” Maybe if I play my cards right, he won’t recognize me and will think I just know from his ads.
“Yes Marinette. One and the same,” he smirked at her efforts and she groaned inside. “Did you know that you’re the hot topic in that room? Well actually you’re right behind whether Adrien or I will inherit Gabriel. As if the man is even considering retiring at this point.” Felix leaned one shoulder against the wall next to her, grinning like a cat.
“It seems that you made a splash socially, then disappeared right as Gabriel Agreste showed up. They’re speculating and Lila seems to have convinced enough of them that the two of you are friends. She’s so sure you have a surprise planned for her, even if she hasn’t figured out that you’re the same person yet. That only brought more speculation as to why you aren’t working at Gabriel. ‘Is it perhaps because she has an indecent relationship with an heir? Or is she the victim of nepotism?’ If you don’t make an appearance again soon, these rumors may live on past the evening.” His eyes had narrowed slightly as he brought up Lila and the rumors starting around her, trying to read the slightest reaction. Marinette just deflated. She had just been ready to go back before their collision and now she just wanted to curl up in a ball. With this last statement, she let out a little sound of exhaustion.
“Why did she have to be here? And how is it that even the people that are used to dealing with snakes don’t recognize her as one?” she groaned out, hands pressing her eyes. After a moment she straightened her back against the wall, breathed deeply and sighed. “Alright. We’re adults. Might as well act like it.”
“You’re going back now?” Felix stood, sounding more curious than before. Marinette had stood straight up, and was taking a step from the wall to walk back into the main hallway and looking at Felix as she replied.
“Of course I’m going to go back. I’m a professional that doesn’t lie and pretend to get places. I do the hard things and succeed--” she raised her eyebrows and smirked back at him “--Of course I need to fix my hair first, since you messed it up. Are you going to hide here longer?”
Felix faintly blushed at her expression as she told him he messed her hair up and thought about another way he could mess it up. As she slowly walked he turned to follow her. “Did you have a companion with you tonight? It’s not uncommon for designers to bring one…”
“I did not. I have been networking. Why do you ask?” Marinette slowly stepped towards the restroom door, nearly laughing at his stalling tactics.
“Would you like one when you’re finished fixing yourself up?” Marinette couldn’t believe how warm he was being with her, even with his mocking way of warning her what she was walking into. Is this really the Ice King I knew in school?
“I guess you’ll have to wait if you want to see…” Marinette pushed into the bathroom, walking up to a mirror. Luckily my hair wasn’t too extravagant and the back is just a little messed up. With a little bit of water on her fingers and some adjustments of her bobby pins, her hair looking untouched and she was exiting the bathroom.
Felix had moved to stand against the wall near the bathroom, and straightened to join her. Marinette liked the way he was acting with her now and made a split second decision that at worst, she didn’t need to keep him around if he changed his tune. She could push him back out of her life. She reached a hand out to beckon him and he offered her an arm. Their strides matched as they walked back to the party.
Whispers started in the groups closest to the door as they saw their up-and-coming sunshine designer enter on the arm of the model known for his aloofness and cold professionalism. Felix’s face slipped back into it’s icy indifference, looking harshly at specific individuals that dared to make too inappropriate of a comment in his earshot. Marinette smiled and nodded at different individuals that she hadn’t spoken enough with at length. A small squeeze to his arm and twist of her head had the pair walking towards one of Marinette’s first choices for her next employer.
Other groups had taken notice of the pair, drawing more eyes, and conversations turned to theories about their relationship. The two ignored stares and managed to strike up a pleasant conversation with a woman that could drastically improve her prospects. With the increasing curiosity of most guests, one young woman noticed and began to formulate a plan.
“Marinette! Over here! It’s me! Why didn’t you tell your best friend that you were coming?” Lila loudly exclaimed as she began prancing across the room and waving a hand wildly like a child trying to catch attention. Her dramatics went unacknowledged as Felix used his most winning smile, describing Marinette’s designs throughout their school years and then drawing attention to the dress she was currently wearing. She couldn’t help but blush that he had recognized her craftsmanship even after years apart. The woman seemed to be swept up in the warmth and friendliness he was using, as well as the atmosphere those two formed around their group. Others paid particular attention to the hand Felix had rested on her side.
Marinette had been gaining attention up to this point, however the entire party noticed the atmosphere tense as Lila appeared to trip, right as she was about to reach the designer. Felix moved behind Marinette, having her twirl in front of him to show off the patterns embroidered into her dress, and felt the liquid on his back before Lila collided with him. Felix had made note of Lila as he was gesturing to Marinette’s dress and guessed at her plan with a fair bit of accuracy. Marinette was completely dry and far enough forward to avoid being bumped by Felix when the force from Lila’s impact pushed him. The icy glare returned to his face as he turned to deal with her.
A few men from nearby moved over to help Lila, who faked a sob story about how clumsy she was, because she was just so excited to see Marinette since “our schedules have just been so busy that we haven’t gotten to see each other!” when Felix interrupted her.
“Strange that you say that. I actually remember Marinette getting a restraining order on you after graduation, when you tried to poison her food. You claimed to be allergic to shellfish and said she was trying to slip clam broth into your food. However you had the broth container in your bag, it was slipped into her food, and according to her up-to-date school medical records, she’s severely allergic to mollusks so she wouldn’t come near the container. At the time, you were supposedly diagnosed with a disorder that causes you to compulsively lie. Regardless, the courts didn’t seem to believe that a disorder like that, which was unknown to and unheard of by medical professionals, wouldn’t have been grounds to explain trying to harm her and granted the order. Do you not remember that?” Felix recited the story almost impassively, as though it was simply a reminder of what she ate for breakfast, however he gave a mock confused look with his rhetorical question. The crowd had gathered around with her fall and were well within earshot as Felix described one of the worst incidents of Marinette’s life. The pale expression she wore and the Lila’s furious expression as he described it convinced even those that would’ve been inclined to side with Lila.
With one final look of distaste, Felix turned to Marinette and reached for her hand. The onlookers were surprised at the obvious tenderness as he spoke to her, “We should get you away from here. Do you want to stay at the party and talk to some more people or would you prefer I escort you home? We can see about getting some contact information before we leave, if you’d like.”
The room was deathly silent, even Lila having the sense to wait, in case she broke the tense quiet that had formed. After a deep breath and a shaky smile directed at Felix, Marinette turned back to the woman she had been speaking with before Lila’s act and politely said, “I enjoyed our conversation and hope we have the opportunity to speak again soon. I would love to hear more about your work to more effectively create silk patterns by hand. I know you said it before but hand weaved silk really is so much nicer than the machine weaved and I’ve read that it’s much more durable. Thank you for your time this evening!”
Felix moved to her side and Marinette slipped her hand into his before stepping towards the coat room. With coat in hand, the pair swept out of the ballroom to leave behind the drama of the evening.
Suddenly the room burst into chaos and Lila was escorted to a private room to wait for Gabriel to decide how to handle this revelation. He knew he would lose the respect of his peers if he kept a young woman on staff that they all knew had tried to murder another one. The cherry on that cake would be that the would-be victim is an up-and-coming designer that nearly all were considering making an offer to. It was clear to him that Ms. Rossi would be fired. Now it’s just a matter of the other clean up that would follow. Additionally, it seemed Ms. Dupain-Cheng also had a close relationship with his son, considering the show that he was putting on since they arrived. He would have to dig into his sons’ involvements with the designer's misfortunes, as that would impact how they looked to the public. There was one other aspect that Gabriel Agreste was rather certain of, one of his son’s was smitten with a good match and if they were happily married, it would help their careers immensely.
Marinette’s night out ended with a private car pulling up to her building, a kiss placed on Felix’s cheek, and her hand slipping a piece of paper with her phone number into his jacket pocket. She was pleased to find he messaged her immediately to make sure she made it into her apartment alright.
Felix was too lovestruck to sleep that night.
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I'll Always Be Yours (Part 5)
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Fifth Song: Dahan (Gently)
You stop trying to fight your stubborn heart. Just wanting to live a lonely life without her.
A/N: Officially completed and I'm starting on my Wanda fic now!!
Might take weeks to finish that one though...
Oh well.
Dialogues that are in parenthesis are spoken in Japanese.
Warning: Angst
No more tears
I won't force it anymore
You are my love
Until eternity
No more listening
My mind is confused
I hope you know
You are the one I love
-
You hum as you draw. It took you a week until you can finally draw your sketches again. Another week to pick up a paintbrush and actually paint.
It’s been four months since then. Your only missing at least two more paintings so you could open another art exhibit. You hum as you take a sip of your coffee.
“Shouldn’t you stop?” You raise an eyebrow at Silvia.
“That’s your third cup already and it’s only 11 am.” You shrug at her and continue sketching.
“Will the last one be Natasha?” You stop and contemplate Miyuki’s words. You haven’t sketched her since you broke down.
“Most probably.” You’ll probably use one of your older sketches. The ones where the woman you draw was the one you knew. Not Natasha Romanoff, the Black Widow and Avenger but just Natalia, the little girl who turned into a gorgeous woman. Natalia whom you loved with your every being.
“Maybe sell it this time?” You frown at Silvia. “You rejected the last offer for the portrait!” You shrug. “It was 20 million!” Miyuki whistles at you and you smile.
“I still don’t want anyone to monopolize her.” Silvia sighs in defeat and Miyuki consoles her.
-
You start painting her portrait again and you can’t help but smile. You just hope that wherever she is. Whomever she was with. That you’re still holding onto your promise with her. You’ll always be waiting for her. Loving her. You stretch your body as you pause for the day. You really did meant forever.
“Silvia?” Silvia opens your door and peeks inside.
“Yeah?”
“Can you contact Professor Asuna? See if there’s any willing gallery that I can rent for a week?”
“Okay. Got it.”
“Thanks, even though you’re only my bodyguard.”
“It’s called assisting. I do that too.”
“I know!” You chuckle as she closes the door. You open your phone and lay down on the floor. You begin watching videos of the love of your life.
-
“Natasha.” Nat ignores Clint and stares at her portrait. “Hey.”
“What?”
“There’s a kid that wants to interview you?” Natasha sighs and turns around.
“Why?”
“About the painting, I think.”
“Where?”
“In front of Mona Lisa.”
-
Natasha approaches the kid who smiles at her.
“Who are you?”
“I’m Colette. A big fan of Master Y/N.”
“Have you met her?” Natasha sits besides the kid and they both look at Mona Lisa.
“Yes. Many times. Through her exhibitions. Never got to buy any of original painting though, just the postcards one.”
“What do you want from me?”
“Just answers.”
“To what?”
“Do you and Master Y/N know each other?”
“Knew.” Natasha answers with a sigh. “Before I became an Avenger, I knew her.” Colette hums.
“To what extent?”
“What?”
“Your relationship? Friends? Lovers? Enemies?”
“Lovers.” Natasha says with a sad smile.
“Ah. I knew it.”
“What do you mean?” Colette shrugs and smiles.
“Do you know that she still loves you?” Natasha gulps and looks at Colette. Colette smiles and gives Natasha an envelope. “It’s all just postcards but you can compare them to your portrait here. The strokes and the color aren’t matching. She must’ve spent days on your portraits and only hours on the landscapes. Granted they’re the ones she sells all the time.”
“She never sells my portraits?” Colette chuckles.
“Never. She said to a buyer once that she doesn’t want anyone to monopolize you. That you’re better taken care of if you’re seen by the world.” Colette bids her goodbye and Natasha looks at the miniature version of your paintings, she goes back to her portrait and her heart stops. Colette was right.
You do still love her. She can’t stop her smile and Clint smiles at her.
“You okay?” Natasha smiles.
“I’m good.”
-
And if it’s not for me
The love that you offer
Then I won’t hope anymore
To be kissed again
-
You sigh as Silvia and Miyuki cuddle each other while you were behind them. You insisted on this arrangement so you could deny that you know them. You pay attention to the screen and flinches when Steve appears. He says that warning that every movie theater does before showing the movie itself. You sigh and you look and see that the two are looking at you. You chuck them a piece of your popcorn and they look at the screen.
-
“The movie was so good!” You yawn as Silvia gushes about the movie.
“Yeah!” Miyuki agrees as you stretch your body.
“Boss? You going back?”
“Yep. You two go on a date or something.”
“You sure?”
“Yep. I’ll go take a nap before painting.”
“How many more days till you finish it?” You grin at them.
“Probably just one more.”
-
You wake up and see Natasha’s portrait staring down at you. You yawn and smile. Your phone rings and you see that it’s Asuna.
(“Hey.”)
(“You ready for it?”)
(“Yup. I’m just going to have the final one in center.”) Asuna hums.
(“Another portrait of her?”) You look at it and smile.
(“Always.”) After you hang up, you send an email to Tony Stark, confirming his invitation to your new exhibition.
-
Slowly release
My heart can't resist
Because once you left
It’s been Extremely difficult
-
You put on your suit and hum at yourself. You clean up nice.
“Is that an appreciative hum for my fashion sense or are you just being narcissistic?” Silvia asks and you roll your eyes. You get out of your room and Asuna smiles at you.
(“Finally. After hours.”)
(“Only an hour. Don’t compare me to you.”) Asuna gasps and Miyuki snickers.
(“Hush, you. Now, come on.”) You smile as you all leave the Ryokan and into your gallery. You laugh as you look around and your new paintings are displayed.
(“Asuna! Thank you! This is amazing!”)
(“On such short notice too.”)
(“Anything for the master. As long as you save me one painting.”)
(“Pick one.”)
(“Wait, seriously?”)
(“Yeah? There are a lot more than the usual so pick one.”)
(“This one then.”) She presents the portrait and you raise an eyebrow.
(“Anything except that one.”) They laugh and you shake your head.
(“This one then.”)
(“Ah. Your hometown?”) Asuna hums and you nod at her.
(“It’s yours. I’ll tell Norah not to auction that one.”)
(“Thank you, Y/N.”) She hugs you and you smile.
(“Okay, then! Two more hours till we open the doors!”) Miyuki shouts and you smile.
-
“Are you sure about this?”
“Of course.”
“It’s your call.” Natasha hums as she approaches the gallery with Tony.
-
You smile as visitors gush about your paintings. Exhibitions are still the one thing that you do make an appearance at. You were about to be approached when you see her. Natasha… she’s alone and looking at her portrait. Your heart beats faster and everything seemed to close in on you. FUCK. She’s here. DAMN IT!
“Boss?” Silvia calls out but you don’t hear her. “Y/N?” She shakes you and you finally look at her. “What’s wrong?”
“Air.” You simply answer and Silvia nods. She escorts you out of the gallery and Miyuki follows after.
-
You clutch your chest as you try to breathe normally.
“In and out, Y/N.” Silvia guides you through your sudden attack.
“Did something trigger it?”
“Not something.” You answer with hoarse voice then drink the water that Silvia gave you. “Someone.”
“Natasha?” You nod in confirmation. “Damn it.” You stop Silvia from going back inside.
“Don’t kick her out. Don’t be rude.”
“Then-“
“I’ll leave. I’ll come back tomorrow.” They nod and you sigh. “Tell them that I got sick or something. Just go.”
“You’ll be okay by yourself?” You nod and bid them goodbye. You walk back to the Ryokan to clear your head.
-
Natasha looks at the stage where Asuna got a hold of the mic.
(“I’m sorry to announce that Master Y/N cannot be here tonight.”) She hears disappointed murmurs go through the crowd. (“It seems that she suddenly got sick and had to leave early. She did say though that she’ll try her best to be here tomorrow.”) Asuna gives back the mic to the Dj and goes among the crowd again.
Natasha tries to find her and sees that Tony actually got to her first.
“Excuse me, Miss-?”
“Ah. Yuuki. Asuna Yuuki.” Natasha shakes her hand and they nod.
“What exactly happened to Master Y/N?”
“I don’t exactly know. Her bodyguards just told me that she got sick and left early.”
“Is she okay? Did something bad happen? Where is she-?” Tony gets ahold of her arm.
“Okay. Sorry for the sudden barrage miss Yuuki. We’ll be going now.” Tony drags Natasha away from Asuna.
-
I will not allow it anymore
You hurt me
That again and forget
Our past
Can't you hear
My chest throbbed
It's getting away from you
My feelings
-
You take a deep breath and fix your suit.
(“You ready, Y/N?”)You nod at Asuna and she opens the doors to your gallery once again. People immediately flock to you. They’re asking how you’re feeling. Some about the paintings. Some about the portrait.
“PEOPLE!” Silvia’s booming voice freeze them and she drags you away from them. (“Stop mobbing the master! She’ll talk to you if she’s feeling any better! Understood?”) They nod simultaneously and Miyuki gives you a glass of water.
“You okay?” You nod and drink the glass in one go.
“You sure about that?” You nod again and give the empty glass back to Miyuki.
“I’m fine now.” You tell them and go to a visitor.
-
You’ve managed to avoid both Tony and Natasha as you talk to everyone else and it’s the last day of your exhibition.
“Miss Y/LN.” You hum as Tony approaches you. “You’ve been avoiding me.”
“You’re with miss Romanoff.”
“Ah… do you not like her?” You scoff.
“It’s nothing.”
“She didn’t tell you?”
“Tell me what?” You sigh and wave your hand.
“As I promised, a million dollars.” He gives you a check and you shake your head.
“No. The exhibition is free for all. Keep it.”
“You sure?” You nod. “Then I’ll just have to bid all of your paintings.” You chuckle.
“And where will you put them?”
“Avengers’ Compound and Stark Industries.” You hum. He bids his goodbye and you smile.
-
You laugh as Tony bid 5 million on the last painting that Norah auctioned… he just spent 125 million dollars on all of your paintings.
“How about the portrait? A special gift for someone who just got you 125 million?” You go to the stage and Norah gives you the mic.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Stark. But that portrait will be donated, not bought.”
“Come on, Y/LN!” Silvia growls and you put up your hand to stop her. “125 million! Doesn’t that mean anything to you?”
“It means everything Mr. Stark. But that woman in those portraits also meant everything to me.” You get off the stage and get something from Miyuki.
“Instead of that, please accept this.” You give him the canvas that is covered.
“And this is?”
“A painting for her. I know she’s with you.”
“She had to leave early tonight because of an emergency mission.” You smile.
“And you can just half all of your bids, I don’t mind.”
“No. You earned those 125 million. Pepper will be happy with these pieces.” You hum.
“Mr. Stark.”
“Yeah?”
“Please tell her not to come looking for me again.” You bid him goodbye and leave.
-
Tony tried to find you again but he huffs in frustration. You were too good at hiding your own trail. He hoped to find you before Natasha gets back from her mission but as he hears the Quinjet land softly, he knew that he failed. He runs a hand through his hair and look at your paintings.
You really were a master.
#Natasha Romanoff x reader#Marvel#black widow#natasha romanoff x reader#Black Widow x Reader#mcu#natasha x you
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