#her name was Juliet … i loved her so much but she suddenly died last weekend too | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

meditatemoremedicateless · 6 years

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Rachel Has Two Hands (Hell is Empty pt. 2)

Fandom: Life is Strange Pairings: Amberrich, Pricerich, Amberprice, Amberpricerich Tags: polyamory, pining, fluff Words: 5,400

Summary: Steph struggles with her feelings about Rachel and Chloe's performance in The Tempest. Her starts spending more time with Chloe and Rachel, leading to an unexpected kiss and an even more unexpected conversation.

Read the full story on Tumblr, Ao3, or ff.net.

By the time the cast party had officially started, Steph was sure she had it figured out. She was also sure she could explain why she was totally okay with what happened and how genuinely beautiful the performance had been. She'd just talk to Rachel sometime during the party and say that she and Chloe would make a beautiful couple and even though Steph liked her, she wasn't going to toss away a friendship out of jealousy. Queer girls have to stick together. They can't afford to burn bridges just because someone fell for someone else, else they would all become islands, as alone as Arcadia Bay on the coast of Oregon.

The cast party was at Hayden's house because it was the biggest and his family was already used to the Vortex Club using it from when his older brother had been a member. Everyone was split up into their little cliques, like Nathan, Victoria, and their friend Taylor on the stairs after returning from smoking weed in the bathroom, or Steph, Dana, Juliet, and Hayden hanging out on the couch and piano bench. Hayden's mom apparently had the biggest goddamn grand piano Steph had ever seen outside of an orchestral hall, which immediately explained a lot of things about him. Rachel was supposed to get dropped off by her parents, so she was running a little late, and the crew kids like Brooke and Luke mostly kept to themselves, so it felt kind of weak for a cast party.

Dana got a text and checked her phone. A second later, she asked out, "Hey, Hayden - Rachel's walking here with Chloe, is that cool?"

What?!

"Uhhh yeah, totally. Do they need a pick-up?"

"I dunno, let me check."

Rachel sent texts faster than Steph could talk, so only a few seconds later Dana called, "Nope, they're almost here."

Oh shit.

Steph had been mentally preparing this whole time to talk to Rachel because Rachel would already be hanging out with her. But the prospect of pulling her away from Chloe to have the conversation about how totally cool she was with them getting together was on a whole new level. Steph considered herself a pretty tough cookie - stoic, even, when she had to be - but she could only make so strong a face in so little time. She wasn't ready. She wasn't ready to hear why Rachel chose Chloe over her.

"Wow, the fire's getting pretty crazy," said Taylor from the hall. "The air quality outside is getting really bad, and containment's dropped to 10 percent. Apparently we're advised to stay in-doors until air quality improves? Crazy."

No. No no no this cannot be happening. Steph wanted to leap to her feet and flee, just walk home in the dead of night, but she knew no one here would let her - walking outside while ash rained from the sky was a stupid idea and she knew it. She was going to be stuck here until morning with Rachel like she had planned to be. Unless. Unless.

Steph stood up and said, "Hey, uh, Hayden, I kind of . . . feel sick. And with the fire, I don't think I should walk home . . . do you think you could give me a ride?"

He sat there and blinked for a few seconds, looking Steph up and down, probably picking up that she looked perfectly fine.

Still, Hayden was a cool dude. Finally, he shrugged and said, "Yeah, I guess."

Rachel: i didnt see you last night.

Rachel: hayden said you were sick Rachel: how are you feeling?

Rachel: steph?

Rachel: i'll see you at the showing tonight, OK? i want to talk to you.

Rachel: you ran off again Rachel: are you mad at me?

Steph: I'm not mad

It was midnight, Saturday night giving way to Sunday, and they had two shows to run the next day. Steph didn't have time to stay up tonight, but once she was back in her bed again, in the dark, alone, she had started crying. She absolutely hated how upset she was. She had absolutely no fucking right to be ignoring Rachel. This was exactly the sort of behavior that could devastate her hopes for a small circle of queer friends - being jealous and petty and slinking away into the night to be alone.

She had just been caught off guard. She had gotten her hopes up, sitting alone and flirting with Rachel in the dressing room. She had taken Rachel's fun and flirtation as an indicator of her feelings, when she knew that was just how she acted. She liked that about Rachel. She liked the way she could charm and dazzle her way through anything, how she always picked herself back up when she started feeling insecure, how she could make anyone feel special.

Rachel: are you avoiding me?

Steph: Yeah. I haven't known what to say to you, and I still don't.

Rachel: did i do something wrong?

Steph: no, it's nothing like that.

Rachel: do you want to be left alone?

Steph didn't answer that, which proved to be enough of an answer by itself.

The Culmination Fire died suddenly in the night, and by the time Steph left for the school the next day, the air quality was almost back to normal. At the very least, Steph didn't have to come on stage and announce that audience members with asthma or other breathing difficulties would be given tickets for next week or full refunds if they wanted to leave. Steph kept herself busy constantly, and for most of the day she felt normal, no time to think of Rachel when Prospera was the one needing attention. They were never alone long enough to have a conversation that wasn't immediately about the play, and Steph biked off by herself during lunch time.

And that is how, on this ashy-gray Sunday afternoon, Steph ended up getting her lunch at the Two Whales diner only seconds before Chloe Price walked through the door.

Steph anticipated dread when she ran into Chloe again, but to her surprise, it didn't feel any different than the other few times they'd seen each other on campus.

"Hey Steph, what's up?" Chloe asked, sliding into the other side of the booth as if they'd planned to meet up. "Heard your cast's been crushing it."

Steph smirked. "Oh, they have. Maybe not quite as hard as Friday, but our troupe isn't slouching. The Tempest's script, on the other hand . . ."

"Pff, yeah, that thing is, uh, and don't tell the Bard I said this but, it's kind of a mess."

Chloe had dyed her hair since they talked on Friday - just a streak of blue among the blonde, like Rachel's feather earring. It looked goofy, but cute. She'd come in wearing a beanie but dropped it on the table, making them look a little less like the lead members of an alternative girl band together, if not by much.

Steph quirked her eyebrows, bemused. "This - coming from the girl who learned like a dozen lines in a few minutes and improv'd her way into the Beacon and Totem? You sure seemed to jive with the mess."

Chloe leaned back in the booth, pleased at the praise. "I guess it's just in my nature to surprise people. For instance, Principal Wells? Not the happiest dude when it turned out I was reppin' Blackwell on the front page the same day he kicked me out. The message he left my Mom was . . ." she pressed her fingers close to her lips as if she were holding a joint and inhaled, then let out a dreamy sigh. "Epic. Totally worth the expulsion."

Steph snickered, taking a bite of her food. Chloe's eyes very obviously followed her hands down to her plate, begging for fries without asking for them.

Steph took the hint and said, "Here, how about as a thank-you for saving my ass, I buy you lunch?

"Deal," Chloe replied without hesitation. Grinning, she leaned back forward in her seat and stuck her hand out of the booth. "Yo, Mom!" she called.

One of the waitresses, a middle-aged blonde woman with the red-purple bags under the eyes of an insomniac, approached the table with an already-irritated, "Yes, Chloe?"

Chloe gestured across the table. "This lovely lady would like to treat me to lunch, for which I'll have chicken tenders, please."

The waitress - Joyce, her name tag said - put her hands on her hips and turned to Steph. "Now, is my daughter extorting you or is these chicken tenders given of your own free will?"

Steph held her hands up, as if surrendering. "Hey, Chloe deserves a lunch for saving The Tempest. I don't suppose you got a chance to see her in action?"

"I didn't even know she could act," Joyce replied with a scathing look, Chloe smiling back innocently. "But I'm glad she helped out. Maybe that'll make Mr. Wells think twice about his decision to expel her."

She sighed wearily, then said, "But chicken tenders, got it. It's nice to meet you . . .?"

"Steph. Stephanie Gingrich. It's nice to meet you too."

"Hello Stephanie, I'm Joyce. And I'll be right back."

As Joyce walked away, Chloe's attention rounded back to Steph. There were a few seconds of pause while Steph glanced around the diner, but Chloe brought her back with a sudden, "So, how did things go with Rachel?" Steph's blood ran cold. "Did you shoot your shot or what?"

"A-are you serious?" Steph asked, dumbfounded.

Is she insensitive as hell or just stupid? What?

Chloe blinked, surprised. "Uuhh?" she asked, sitting forward in her seat again. "I mean, yeah . . . you made it seem like you were really itching to do it, so I figured you would this weekend . . . while you've been around her so much."

Steph had a growing suspicion she had made a terrible mistake. "Aren't you . . . dating her?"

Now Chloe looked even more confused. "What? No . . . didn't we already have this conversation on Friday?"

"But . . ." Steph tried to pull all the disparate details, all the things that absolutely confirmed to her that they had been dating. "But, the play. That improv wasn't just in-character, that was you two talking. It was, like - fuck dude, it was seriously romantic. And then you two walked to the cast party together, like . . . like . . ."

Steph faltered as Chloe's face changed from 'I'm confused' to 'Are you an idiot?' Steph had watched Chloe give that face to almost everyone, but she hadn't ever had it directed at her. It was just a look, but it stung.

Chloe glanced down at the table for a second, clearing her expression, then back up at Steph. "Dude, what? That wasn't Rachel asking me out, that was her offering to run away with me."

What.

"Why . . . what?"

Chloe said, "Look, I don't really want to get into details or anything, but things have been . . . shit for me at home recently. For Rachel, too. I ran away from home for a few days and her family kind of took me in. That's why I was wearing, like, that jacket that was three sizes too small, and why I needed to go to the dorms. We walked to the party together to talk about running away but we didn't, like, do it. Running was only going to make our problems worse."

"I . . ."

Fuck!!

Steph pushed her plate into the center of the table so she could just drop her face straight onto the table. "I'm so fucking stupid!" she groaned. She hit her head once more in agitation. When she looked up, it all came out in a rush: "I thought you were wearing her jacket because you like, stayed the night. Like, stayed the night not had a fucking sleepover. And the whole improvised bit looked and sounded so much like a proposal it was like you two were about ready to just, start a life together or something. I - fuck!" Steph clutched the sides of her head. "I'm dumb! And I've been avoiding Rachel all weekend because of it!"

Chloe looked overwhelmed and doe-eyed, but all that came out of her mouth was a scoff: "Dude, what?"

Steph didn't have an immediate answer, and before she could think of anything to say, Joyce swooped in and dropped a basket of chicken tenders in front of Chloe. It distracted Chloe long enough for her to say, "Oh, hey, can I get barbecue and ranch, please?"

Her mother rolled her eyes and said, "I'll be right back," before continuing her loop around the diner.

Chloe took a minute to shove some fries in her mouth before remembering that they were having a conversation. She wiped her fingers on a napkin and said, "Alright, Steph, so. After Friday I was under the impression you were like, really good at communication and stuff, but it looks like you totally over-thought this into a problem that didn't need to be a problem. Even if our scene was like, kind of romantic or whatever, and even if she does like me back at all, it still seems like you should talk to her about it instead of . . . whatever you've been doing."

Chloe gave an abashed smile that quickly disappeared. "Weird advice, coming from me, I know, but seriously."

Steph's head was still cradled in her hands, but at least she was looking across the table instead of actively self-destructing. "So you do like her?" she asked.

"I'm only human," Chloe replied with a shrug and another fleeting smile. "But right now, I think she needs a friend more than . . . something else. From me, at least."

Steph shook her head. "I may be an idiot, but if you think she just wants to be your friend, so are you."

"I know," Chloe replied, like an admission of guilt.

Chloe turned to her food, and Steph took a minute to herself, to self-flagellate over how badly she'd fucked up and how it would be no wonder if Rachel's interest in her vanished like Steph had vanished on her. Whether or not Rachel would ever return her feelings, though, wasn't the point anymore. She had a friendship to salvage.

Steph: hey Rachel. I ran into Chloe during my lunch and I realized I totally blew it. After the play Friday night I thought you two were together and I thought you were just going to explain why you'd decided to go out with Chloe. I made everything in my head a way bigger deal than it was and I've been acting like a dick. I got so caught up in my version of what was going on I didn't even try to talk to you and that was so, so stupid, and I'm really sorry. I don't know how you feel about me or Chloe, but I know I really want to be your friend and be supportive.

Rachel texted back less than a minute later.

Rachel: steph, you are deep down kind of an idiot. but i get it. Rachel: im with my mom right now and its not a great time to talk but can we please talk later?

Steph: yeah, of course. I'll see you at the next show.

Steph sighed as she put her phone away.

"Wha'she say?" Chloe asked through a mouthful of food.

"Just that she wants to talk," Steph replied, leaning back in her seat, now resigned.

Chloe swallowed her food so she could talk properly and said, "Well, that doesn't sound like you've totally screwed the pooch. Maybe there's hope for you yet."

Steph shrugged, then said, "Well . . . thanks Chloe. For the heads-up. This could have gone worse, amazingly."

"No problem," she said, waving away the thanks. "I make a great supporting character."

Steph and Chloe both snorted.

After a short pause, Chloe said, "Hey, wait, don't you have to be back at the school like . . . now? The next show starts at 4:00, right?"

"WHAT?!"

Steph pulled out her phone and checked the time. Sure enough, it was 3:20, and she was supposed to have been back at the school five minutes ago at the latest.

"OhmyfuckinggodyouhavetobekiddingmehowamIthisbigofanidiotI'lldie-"

"Steph, yo, chill," Chloe interrupted. "Just get the check and I'll give you a ride."

Steph stared at Chloe with anxious befuddlement. "Since when . . . do you have a car?" Steph had literally seen Chloe get dropped off at school on Friday.

Chloe shrugged. "I kind of fixed up an old junker yesterday; it's mine now. You've had your tetanus shot, right?"

Steph didn't like the sound of that question.

The conversation with Rachel was much more 'Rachel talking about what was going on with her' than Steph had anticipated, and very little on why she was turning Steph down. As soon as they got into things, though, Steph just felt embarrassed and ashamed for putting another thing on her when she already had so much going on. She had just found out her mom wasn't her biological mother a few days ago, and that her father withheld her mother's e-mails and letters because she abandoned her as a toddler. She had been a heroin addict during the 1990s opioid epidemic, and although she had assured and re-assured Rachel's dad for years that she was clean now, she had respected his wishes to keep her away from Rachel. That was, at least, until this past week.

When Steph had asked her about the whole 'running away with Chloe thing', she talked about how she and Chloe met for the first time on Tuesday, about Chloe's mom's boyfriend moving in against her wishes, and how Rachel had asked her parents to take Chloe in for a while. How they only treated her nicely until she revealed she knew about Rachel's bio mom, and how Rachel's dad flipped on her and treated her like a street rat. Rachel nervously confessed how she had found Chloe, and Chloe had found her just in time for their lives to fall apart, and for them to be there for each other when they did.

Steph had been so caught up in her own life, and all the stuff going on with Mikey and Drew and their dad, it hadn't occurred to her how much could be going on outside of what she could see. She always felt like she could see things more clearly than other people, could see how pieces fit together - it was why she made a good stage manager, why she was a good artist. But there were some things she couldn't just piece together from context.

Rachel said she wasn't ready for a relationship right now, and Steph admitted she wasn't ready to date Rachel, that she didn't know her well enough to make a good girlfriend. They agreed they wanted to get to know each other better, and hugged each other tight, and that was it for a while.

Once The Tempest was over, Steph thought she'd have more free time to spend with Rachel, but as classes began to ramp up into finals and Rachel spent more lunches and weekends off with Chloe, they saw each other less for a while. At first that made her sad, but Rachel kept coming back happier, shining brighter than she did before.

Chloe and Steph started to hang out more, too. Chloe's de facto step father, David, proved to be an anthropomorphized kick in the pants, nevermind one of the most pro-authority bootlickers Steph ever had the displeasure of meeting, so Chloe showed up more and more at Blackwell to pick Steph up from the dorms and go for a drive.

Somewhere down the line from watching Bladerunner together and shitting on dudes from 4chan, the two of them realized their mutual love for cyberpunk and deep disdain for most men who professed to like cyberpunk. Mikey and Drew were not those men, though, so sometime in the middle of May the four of them started up a game of Shadowrun after bidding farewell to Calimastia and Elamon. After Chloe's ork street samurai, Mikey's elf mage, and Drew's human decker pulled off their first run, Chloe and Steph managed to peer pressure Rachel into joining as well. She showed up with a dryad shaman and, to no one's surprise, she and Chloe quickly dominated the roleplaying part of the game, although with very different angles (re: their characters were like, super mean to each other).

And this is how, the game night after school let out for the summer, Steph, Chloe, and Rachel ended up bringing backpacks full of homework to the fire ring next to Arcadia Bay's light house. There they drank beer Rachel managed to flirt into her possession and lit the past year on fire, cursing it and all of the shit it had brought them. They all drank too much and Chloe needed an hour or two to be sober enough to drive, so they ended up sitting on the beach, watching the waves roll in and out and the moonlight glimmer over the restless ocean. Chloe, as she often did after drinking, opened up a little, talked about her old friend Max, who had loved pirates and photographs, the girl she'd thought would become her high school sweet heart and marry, but they'd never even kissed and then she fucking left. And she turned petty to keep from turning sad and said how annoying it was that she'd never kissed a girl, didn't even know what it was like.

"It's easy," Steph told her, and held the side of her face as she kissed her.

Chloe was too stunned to even kiss back at first, but she got on her knees and turned so they could face each other properly, and the kiss was rough and they were a little drunk but it was warm and good. It was cute - Rachel even gave a little 'aww' - until Chloe's hand dropped high up on Steph's thigh and she squeezed and Steph moaned into their kiss.

Eventually, Rachel said, "Um, guys?" and they realized what they were doing, and Chloe laughed but Steph was crimson, invisible though it might be in the night.

Steph got dropped off at home first and tried her best to be quiet, but Meiser wouldn't stop barking after she got through the door and she had to shush him and feed him until he went back to bed. She fell asleep still half-clothed and exhausted, but woke up for the first time at 5:30am to a new text message from Rachel.

Rachel: hey, steph? chloe and i kind of just had sex and im having a lot of confusing feelings. Rachel: but i want to talk to both of you tomorrow, or this weekend at least Rachel: i like you and i just want a chance to talk to you both before this one thing makes a decision for me

Steph was jealous, of course. Insanely jealous. Rabidly jealous. But she was more sleepy than even that, so she fell back asleep without sending a reply.

She didn't wake up again until almost 1:00pm, and by then she had several more messages.

Rachel: just lmk when youre up and OK to talk? Rachel: i hope youre not mad at me

And from Chloe.

Chloe: Hey dude i'm really sorry if i kinda... escalated that kissing situation last night esp. when we were drunk.

Steph decided it was best to hold off replying until she'd had breakfast and coffee. Thus, it was almost 2:00pm when she texted them both.

Steph: heya Chloe. it's honestly okay. i liked it, but we don't need to make a thing of it, it was just nice.

Steph: hey Rachel. idk what type of conversation you're looking to have, but last night was weird and i'm not mad. i'm jealous, for sure, but, like, who you have sex with is none of my business.

Whatever else happened, she wasn't going to let this blow up her friendships. She'd been steeling herself against the possibility of Rachel and Chloe getting together this whole time, and she wasn't going to freak out again if that's how today ended. These friendships were new, but they mattered to her, and she'd fight for them.

Chloe showed up at Steph's house first, to her surprise, so they hung out downstairs and absolutely did not talk about what was son their minds. Instead, they played Super Smash Brothers and waited, even holding back on the smack talk because they were both fragile at the moment and they knew it. Even when Rachel finally arrived, they just switched to Mario Kart Wii and continued to avoid the conversation for a good hour.

Eventually, though, Rachel would not let this stand any further.

After they finished their third 150cc cup, Rachel set her controller down and said, "Guys? We need to talk."

Steph winced. Even if that was the reason why they were here, those were precisely the words she didn't want to hear. Nonetheless, she shut off the Wii and TV. Rachel patted the ground in front of her, and Chloe slipped from Steph's couch to the ground beside her. Steph followed suit, crossing her legs then dropping into her self-made seat.

How do you even start a conversation like this?

Rachel took a deep breath. "First, I just want to acknowledge that we were drinking last night, and things got a little messy and I may have things kind of askew in my head. But the thing is, on my end at least . . . I liked how last night went."

Chloe glanced between them. Her jaw was set and tense, like she was grinding her teeth, her brow furrowed. She asked, "What are you . . . referring to?"

Rachel brushed her hair behind her ear. "Well, um. I told Steph that we . . . were together last night. And I liked that. But I liked all of it. Like, when you two kissed," she tapped her finger-tips together, as if to mimic their kiss, "- that was pretty nice. And just. The whole thing."

"I thought that made you really uncomfortable?" Steph asked, puzzled.

Rachel shook her head. "No, not, uh, exactly. I thought it was cool, I just . . . maybe liked it too much and I thought that might go weird places."

It took a few seconds to Rachel's meaning to sink it, but it clicked into place with an, "Oh," from Steph.

Rachel started speaking faster now, "Yeah, and I liked it but I also felt pretty jealous because I'd never kissed either of you and that did go kind of weird places," she gave Chloe a pointed glance, but Chloe clearly didn't know how to emote in response.

Visibly uncomfortable, Chloe asked, "Rachel . . . what are you trying to say?"

Rachel put her head in her hands and rocked back and forth for a few seconds, collecting her thoughts. Then she said, "Look, I know that I like both of you. I've known that the whole time, I just . . . I thought I had to decide who I really like or I was going to fuck everything up. But I think going about things that way is where I'm fucking up. I think I just have to tell you both that I like you and I want to know if that is a thing that could be okay with you."

Steph blinked, another piece of the puzzle clicking into place. "Wait, are you saying you want to date Chloe and me?"

Rachel nodded vigorously, visibly relieved that Steph had put it into words. "I do. I know we've only been hanging out together for a few weeks but I really like this. I'd just like to . . . add some stuff. Like. Kissing and having sex . . . please."

Steph was dumbstruck. She wasn't repulsed or anything, she just had absolutely not expected the conversation to go this place and had not been prepared in the slightest. She hadn't even pictured this as a possibility. She wasn't even sure it was a possibility. How do you date two people concurrently?

Chloe raised her hand as she were in a classroom, and Rachel nodded at her. Chloe said, "Yeah, well, if Steph's into it, I am. I like you - you know that. I'm willing to talk about it, at least."

How is it that easy for her? What?

Rachel's attention turned back to Steph, and she made her nervous hair-brush tic again. "Steph?"

"I . . . I have no idea," Steph said, making a huge shrug. "I don't know what this would look like. Dates, hangouts, holidays - what would any of it look like? And what would Chloe and I be to each other then?"

"I dunno, friends?" Rachel said, shrugging in response. "Or . . . you could also . . ." she made another gesture like she had for their kiss, but more tentatively. She was blushing bright red, somehow more embarrassed about whatever she was trying to say now than all the bold stuff she'd already said.

"Also?" Steph asked. "Kiss? Or . . . date?" She grew increasingly perplexed with each question.

Rachel nodded again, tiny, nervous nods. Steph didn't think she'd ever seen her this meek about something, and knew she was stumbling into something Rachel wanted, but didn't know how to say.

Steph started to get caught in the same bog of embarrassment as Rachel. "I don't . . . think Chloe would be into dat-" but something about the way Chloe was looking at her gave her pause, and silence reigned for a moment.

"D-do you?" Steph finally stuttered out.

Chloe scratched the back of her head and replied, quiet, her voice mostly vocal fry: "I'd be down . . . if you are." When Steph just blinked at her, Chloe continued, more confidently, "You're like, really dorky and cute and hot, dude. Why do you think I was so into our kiss last night?"

"Because . . . because . . . we were drunk and . . ." Steph blinked dumbly for a few seconds, then just dropped onto her back. "BECAUSE I'M DUMB, OKAY?"

Today was too much. This whole conversation was entirely too much.

Eventually, from the floor Steph said, "Look, okay, yes. I like you both differently but I know if you asked separately I'd totally say yes. But is there like, a manual, or . . . something? I don't know what to do with the idea of two girlfriends."

"Actually," Rachel said with a self-conscious chuckle, "I kind of . . . was looking it up on my phone in the middle of the night, and there's like, a whole relationship-help genre for polyamorous people, and I was thinking if you two said 'yes' we could maybe buy some and read them together?"

Steph let out the longest sigh and then, "You're serious, aren't you?"

Rachel said, "I am."

"Chloe?"

"Hm?"

"I don't have a lot of date ideas yet, but if you're going to be sleeping over as often as you have been, we should . . . do that."

"Works for me."

Rachel scooted into Steph's field of view, raising up a finger for attention. She asked, "Steph?

"Yeah?"

"You and I are the only ones who haven't kissed yet. Would you mind if we did?"

Everything was already so crazy. And if there was any part of this that would make all the crazy feel worthwhile . . . maybe that was it. "Sure," she said. "Like, yes."

And Rachel leaned over and kissed her gently, sweetly, her curtain of hair falling over the both of them, blotting out everything but that long, lovely kiss.

When it ended, Rachel whispered, "Girlfriends?"

"Girlfriends," Steph whispered back, her voice filled with wonder.

#life is strange #fan fiction #before the storm #hell is empty #polyamory #fluff #pining #get together fic #ask out fic #steph gingrich #rachel amber #chloe price #amberrich #pricerich #amberprice #amberpricerich #ben writes stuff #long fic #request

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itsmajel · 7 years

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Majel Reads - September2017

[What is this?]

Supernatural - Destiel

Hell on Earth Verse by grey2510, ThayerKerbasy

Summary Verse: Crowley had always had a plan. Even when he lost, he won. And when he died, he made sure his affairs were in order and that the one person he liked trusted tolerated inherited his most valuable and prized possessions.

Dean wasn't sure he'd ever forgive the bastard.

Juliet couldn't believe she'd been stuck with a blind pup for a new master.

- - - - -

Summary First Story: I, Crowley, known in life as Fergus Roderick MacLeod, being of sound mind, body, and demonized soul, declare that this is my last will and testament. I hereby revoke, annul, and cancel all wills and codicils previously made by me, either jointly or severally. I declare that I am of legal age, and have been since before my lawyer's grandfather was conceived. This last will expresses my wishes without undue influence or duress, even — or, indeed, particularly — when said wishes are contrary to those of anyone who ever wanted anything from me. I hereby nominate, constitute, and appoint the demon Timothy Hubbard as Executor. If this Executor is unable or unwilling to serve, then I appoint the demon Harold Newman as alternate Executor. My Executor is empowered to settle any and all debts on my behalf, excluding soul contracts. I hereby bequeath...

[Teen And Up Audiences ] [ 38,138 Words ] [4 Works] [Read on AO3 here]

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To avoid undermining Sam and Eileen’s important weekend, they decide to keep their new relationship status a secret. They’ll keep the heart eyes toned down and their hands to themselves, but the struggle is real.

[Explicit] [ 18,447 Words ] [Read on AO3 here]

My Liege Lord by jhoom

From a young age, Castiel has been groomed to serve as Dean’s personal bodyguard. They’re inseparable as children and good friends as adolescents. When Dean ascends to the throne, though, there’s a subtle shift in their relationship. If only Castiel knew what to make of it…

[Explicit] [ 70,525 Words ] [Read on AO3 here]

I'm the Only by Desirae

Dean cleared his throat. “It’s just, if she did something really bad, maybe Charlie didn’t tell me for a reason. Like, say you cheated on me. If there was the slightest chance I was going to forgive you, I probably wouldn’t tell Charlie about it because I wouldn’t want to taint her image of you.”

“Woah, wait. You think about me cheating on you?” The outraged tone of Cas’ voice had Dean wanting to backtrack fast.

“No, no you’re missing the point. I am just saying IF you cheated on me-”

“If I cheated on you? If I cheated on my husband whom I have loved since high school, who I am utterly devoted to?” Cas’ face had pinkened in his ire and Dean wished he had kept his mouth shut.

When Professor Winchester makes an offhand remark on the way to his sexy husband's tattoo convention, it sends them both on a trip down memory lane, back to High School, where popular goth, Castiel, made it his mission to win the heart of quiet, bookworm Dean. A story of blooming first love that grew into forever.

[Explicit] [ 25,121 Words ] [Read on AO3 here]

Captain America / Marvel CMU - Stucky

The North Star by littleblackfox

“I heard rumour that William Fly is swinging from a gibbet in Boston harbour. They say the age of piracy is ending,” Steve utters softly, rubbing the tip of his thumb across his lower lip. Sam glances at him. “You got plans to retire, Cap? Find a nice little beach in the Indies and a good supply of rum? Couple of pretty girls in grass skirts to dance for you.” “Sam,” Steve mumbles, covering his face with his hand. “I’m sorry, a couple of pretty boys?” Sam grins wickedly. “Sam!” Steve looks scandalised, which gets him nothing but laughter from his Quartermaster. “You’re fired. Go throw yourself overboard this instant.”

[Explicit] [61,335 Words] [Read on AO3 here]

the cold never bothered me anyway by icoulddothisallday

Bucky Barnes has spent his whole life in a state of mild hypothermia. Steve Rogers has spent the last 70 years in the ice. The two things aren’t related until, suddenly, they are. Shrunkyclunks soulmate AU (AKA the awkward bb au)

[Explicit] [ 75,562 Words ] [Read on AO3 here]

penis for password by obsessivereader, talkplaylove, wearing_tearing

Bucky's had his wifi name since forever, courtesy of his friend Clint thinking he’s funny as shit, and he's pretty much forgotten about it—until he hears the enthusiastic shout of 'PENIS!' through the walls from his new next door neighbor.

[Mature] [ 1,557 Words ] [Read on AO3 here]

Death Doesn't Discriminate (Between the Sinners and the Saints) by sangha

James Buchanan Barnes died four years ago, while deployed to Afghanistan. An IED blew up his convoy, his left arm in pieces, his life ended. Eleven months later, his lungs filled with stale air. He was in a wooden box. He had never been this hungry. Somehow he clawed his way through the wooden lid, through dirt and sand. He didn't seem to need to breathe at all. All he knew was hunger.

Now, four years later, Bucky is just trying to make a life for himself, when he meets Steve and he is forced to decide how Steve is going to fit into this new life.

[Mature] [ 57,045 Words ] [Read on AO3 here]

The Northern Lights by ThisChairIsMyHomeNow

“I can’t feel my face,” Steve shivers.

“I can’t feel my left arm,” Bucky says, deadpan. Steve barks out a laugh. It’s all white puffs of vapor in the chilly air.

“This the spot?”

“Nah,” Bucky pants, breath ragged from the long ascent up a mountain. “Almost there.”

[Mature] [ 21,754 Words ] [Read on AO3 here]

to feel your skin on mine by obsessivereader

“Hey Buck, what's wrong?”

Bucky grimaces as he sits down next to Steve. “It aches sometimes,” he says, as he rotates his left arm.

Steve puts down the report he’s reading. “I could massage it for you? I had a physiotherapist after I came out of the ice. The massage really helped when I overdid things while getting back into condition.”

“You?” Bucky pauses mid-rotation, a look of patent disbelief on his face. “Overdo things? Say it ain’t so.”

“Very funny.” He tries to ignore the way his heart is pounding. “You want that massage or what.”

[Explicit] [ 2,484 Words ] [Read on AO3 here]

How to Seduce a Writer by obsessivereader

What's a determined master strategist going to do when the oblivious writer he's trying to woo keeps missing all the clues?

He doesn’t think it’s because he hadn’t signaled his own interest to Bucky. He’s pretty much done everything short of hitting Bucky over the head with semaphore flags by this point. There’s no way Bucky could’ve missed them. Unless… There’d been that one link he’d stumbled upon when he’d googled ‘how to talk to a writer’. It’d been written by a writer, who’d been candid about how oblivious writers could be, and how someone could go about seducing one. An idea starts to form. It’s ridiculous, but at this point, he’s willing to go with ridiculous, since subtle wasn’t getting him anywhere.

[Teen And Up Audiences] [ 2,111 Words ] [Read on AO3 here]

maybe bi guy by obsessivereader

Steve: i saw that guy again. i think i’m not as straight as i thought i was Unknown number: i hate to tell you this but you got the wrong number pal. but hey, i’m bi. i’ve been there. i can talk you through it if you want --- Or Steve embarks on a journey of self-discovery assisted by a helpful stranger who likes to make really bad puns

[Mature] [ 3,338 Words ] [Read on AO3 here]

Lessons In Chemistry by Brenda

Bucky Barnes is having a rough senior year of college: his girlfriend of two years just dumped him for being too boring, he's drowning in lab work and classes and assignments, sleep and free time are a distant memory, and all his friends seem to want to talk about is how he needs to out of his comfort zone.

But then his old high school buddy, Steve Rogers, drops back into his life, and suddenly classwork and studying and getting into a great grad school are the last things on his mind.

[Explicit] [ 42,388 Words ] [Read on AO3 here]

Dare to Dance: Leave Shame at Home by MarleyMortis

Having suffered an accident that left him with anterograde amnesia and an incomplete spinal cord injury, Bucky Barnes is determined to live his life to the fullest and meet the challenges of daily life head-on.

Steve Rogers, marine biologist and a retired Space Airman who led a squadron of F40 Avengers to save New York from an alien invasion, isn’t sure how to move past war until he meets the vivacious Bucky. He’s eager for a second date. Trouble is, his date doesn’t seem to remember him.

[Explicit] [ 86,660 Words ] [Read on AO3 here]

Summer Don't Own Me No More by alby_mangroves, Nonymos

Bucky Barnes, weary soldier, illegal immigrant, sarcastic sex worker. Steve Rogers, miracle of science, lonely man, disillusioned cop. Both of them on a collision course in this brave new world, like that's not gonna end in sex and explosions.

[Explicit] [ 28,349 Words ] [Read on AO3 here]

The Hobbit - Bagginshield - Bilbo Baggins/Thorin Oakenshield

It's a braid thing (you wouldn't understand) by authoressjean

After the last near "tragedy" (or so the dwarves are calling it, Bilbo's about done with them), Bilbo doesn't cut his hair and instead lets it go long. Except now, now he's almost home, his dwarves insisting on escorting him back, and he's got long hair he doesn't know what to do with.

When Thorin offers to braid his hair, Bilbo reluctantly agrees, if just to have something to remember the dwarf by.

Except it doesn't do Thorin any favors. Bilbo was already attractive enough, and now there are braids. In his hair.

And if Fili and Kili don't stop snickering, Thorin's content to return to Erebor without his heirs.

Prompt fic. One-shot. Sort of.

[Explicit] [ 6,102 Words ] [Read on AO3 here]

slow dancing in a burning room by fideliant

don't you think we ought to know by now? don't you think we should have learned somehow? don't you think we ought to know by now? don't you think we should have learned somehow?

[Explicit] [ 18,806 Words ] [2 Works] [Read on AO3 here]

- - - - - - - - -

(All summaries are the official summaries of the author. Stats and infos as according to hosting site or information given by the author)

Looking for more reading inspiration? Check out my fic rec tag here on tumblr, my reading list masterpost or just check out my AO3 bookmarks.

#fic rec #majels reads #reading list #september #2017 #supernatural #destiel #Marvel CMU #captain america #stucky #the hobbit #bagginshield

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dearmyloveleys · 7 years

Text

the night radio | a rose by any other name

taekook (3064 words)

Taehyung is plucking petals off a rose in broad daylight and in a library. In a fucking public library smack in the middle of Seoul.

Jeongguk steals a look at the older from behind the cover of his textbook, unable to comprehend the situation that has been going on since an hour ago. A stray red petal floats to the space on the table in front of Jeongguk and he switches his line of sight between it and Taehyung.

He knows Taehyung has been feeling down for the entire day already. He had entered the building in the morning to Taehyung’s pouts that had deteriorated to silent gazes into the distance by afternoon.

Taehyung’s metallic badge flashes as he flops onto the table top and makes a low frustrated moan. The sight makes Jeongguk question the other’s liability as a librarian. Not to mention, why he has been going to the same library that’s too noisy on weekends just for a glimpse of Taehyung.

How long has it been? A month? Two? He thinks it’s closing half a year that he’s coming here every weekend. Recently, Tuesdays and Wednesdays are added to his schedule as well since his classes end in the early afternoon on these days.

“Hyung, are you okay?” he finally asks.

The library is humming in low voices of its patrons in the background and Taehyung looks up from the table with an upturned mouth. He answers, “No.” The older picks up the rose stem along with what’s left of the hanging petals and his pout extends further. Jeongguk then rests his textbook on the table, gulping heavily.

“What is it?”

“Nothing,” Taehyung says as he stares at Jeongguk ruefully.

“Then why are you plucking the poor rose?”

“I—” The third last petal is pulled out. “—don’t—” The second. “—know.” And the last.

Taehyung crushes the bony rose stem in his hand and buries his face into his folded arms after a few seconds. Looking at how white his knuckles are, Jeongguk worries about the thorns possibly hurting the other’s palm.

Though, he’s more worried about why Kim Taehyung is looking like a kicked puppy instead of the pouncing puppy he knows. Taehyung literally resembles a kicked puppy with his overly long sleeves of a sweater and a nest of hazel brown hair that covers the tips of his ears.

And Jeongguk feels his mood sink along with Taehyung’s.

They’re seated about an arm’s length apart on the opposite sides of the table and Jeongguk contemplates reaching out to flick his hair in mischief. Taehyung always does that to him whenever he strolls by with the book cart. He guesses that it should lighten up his mood.

With his heart low-key thumping hard, Jeongguk stretches his hand over but just as his fingers brush against the wisps of his hair, another librarian swoops in and taps Taehyung on the shoulder. Hair in a ponytail, round glasses, Jeongguk recognises her as Seohyun.

“Taehyung-ah you need to get back to work,” she says, adjusting the pile of books in her arms.

Taehyung lifts his face off the table and nods—gives Jeongguk a meaningful glance—then slides off the chair. He sweeps the petals off the table into his hand before bowing to Seohyun and trudging away to the shelves in the Young Adults section.

Jeongguk trails his gaze after the older, slowly retracting his hand. He’s left to look at the aforementioned rose petal and he blows at it, only for it to do a double loop in the air. It floats down onto the page of his opened textbook.

“I’m sorry I had to cut your moment. The manager is around today and he doesn’t take rests lightly,” Seohyun says in a hushed tone as she pushes in the now empty chair. Jeongguk shakes his head and manages a small smile. The young woman pauses in her actions and continues, “Taehyung’s a really nice guy. Don’t let him slip away.”

Jeongguk sighs, “I know. I know.”

“How long has it been? A few months?”

“Close to half a year.”

Seohyun nods her head and says, “Go talk to him. And ask him out. You two make a cute couple. Fighting!” With that, she walks away, leaving Jeongguk to stone and mull on her words in his corner of the library.

Meeting Taehyung was never part of his plan.

On his way to the university compound half a year ago, it rained and there was no umbrella with him so he had no choice but to seek shelter at the library. Even then, rain had no intention of stopping after an hour of waiting. He settled down to continue studying as he had planned for that day in order to not waste time.

He never meets Taehyung until night. It’s only because of his forgetful ass left his wallet on the seat in a rush to catch the bus that Taehyung manages to message him. By some lucky charm, he had left his number on a piece of scrap paper in his wallet which Taehyung obviously found.

Jeongguk had gotten his wallet, a cute guy’s number and his heart shot down hard by Cupid’s arrows when Taehyung greeted him to return his wallet—all in one night. It was crazy and it still is.

Suddenly thinking of the possibility that Taehyung has seen his crappy sixteen year old identification card picture while rummaging through his wallet, Jeongguk squeezes his eyes shut and shakes his head. Oh god.

This is quite embarrassing.

Opening his eyes a few seconds later, he considers the stray petal that’s a drop of blood on the off-white pages of his textbook. How in the world is Taehyung able to get a rose?

He pushes the question to the back of his head while flipping his textbook to a close. Coming to grips with a resolution to talk to the older, he gets up from his seat and paces towards the right where he had last seen Taehyung.

It takes Jeongguk four turns around the towering shelves, a flight of steps and two detours before finding Taehyung slumped on a bench hidden behind the children’s section. He traipses past the orange and blue rubber floor mats, swallows down a gulp, then glances at the other and the fresh stalk of rose in his hand.

Without shifting his line of sight from the rose, Taehyung spins it by the stalk and says, “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” He stops spinning it and looks up at Jeongguk. “Do you know where that line is from?” he asks.

Humour him, the voice in his head whispers. Jeongguk slides his hand into the front pocket of his jeans in an attempt to buy time to think and the answer fortunately apparates into his mind not too long after.

“Romeo and Juliet?”

“Mmm,” Taehyung says, nodding his head sluggishly. His face is a sheet of unamused blankness as he continues, “Everybody dies in that play.”

“Well not everybody. Their parents surv—”

“Shh don’t ruin my emo complex. Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy. A tragedy.”

The slightest feigned annoyance melts from the older’s face and he closes his eyes, hand holding the rose collapsing onto the bench with a thud. At this point, the concern in Jeongguk rises to a level higher than the Everest of melodrama in Shakespeare’s plays.

He sits down on the space beside Taehyung without hesitation. Gently, he asks, “Hyung what’s wrong?”

“The world is heating up like an oven, North Korea can’t stop playing with its toys and the most influential country in the world is ruled by a Cheetos chip.”

“Hyung.”

Jeongguk is almost sorry for his harsh tone when Taehyung purses his lips forlornly and lets out a soft sigh. After wetting his lips, the other relents as he sits up to a straighter posture. He says, “Parents. They fought again this morning.”

Oh.

Jeongguk can barely imagine that a ball of fluffiness like Taehyung has such a familial background. He watches the other hold up the rose again with a pout that makes Jeongguk want to suffocate him with a hug.

“They’ve been arguing since I was young. Things were quieter in my teens but, I don’t know why they’re starting again. It just makes me very…” Taehyung draws a long breath. “Very sad. Angry? I don’t even know. It just makes me question relationships. I used to think that they love each other but now it’s just all shit. Utter crap. As much as I believe in love, they make me question it so much.”

Jeongguk simply keeps quiet. He can neither say that he understands nor squeeze Taehyung’s hand because he isn’t in a position to do both, so he keeps quiet. Without warning, Taehyung thrusts the rose in Jeongguk’s direction. “Take it. This reminds me of my mother too much.”

Jeongguk stares at it with wide eyes and says, “Um maybe I really shouldn’t.” “Yah just take it that wasn’t a question,” Taehyung rebuts, smacking Jeongguk on the chest with the rose head.

There isn’t much choice when you are face to face with a fuming puppy. Puppies can be vicious and Jeongguk knows from experience. Taking the rose into his hand, he grouses, “You’re really scary when you’re upset you know.”

Taehyung sticks his tongue out at Jeongguk and he pushes the older’s head away with his index finger lightly while Taehyung sways along with the motion like a palm tree in the wind before sticking his tongue out again. Despite feeling his heart skip a beat, Jeongguk scoffs.

Conceal don’t feel.

“Where did you even get it from?”

“The information counter. It’s roses today.”

Just then, a voice crackles in the announcement system overhead, “The library is closing in half an hour. Please vacate the premises as soon as possible. Thank you.” Taehyung stands up from his seat and tells Jeongguk, “I have to go. See you outside.”

Then he disappears down the stairs. Jeongguk twirls the rose between his fingers before getting onto his feet as well. His books and stationery are still downstairs and in need of imminent retrieval if he wants to avoid them getting confiscated by the staff for the third time, aka Taehyung coming after his ass.

The library is nearly empty by the time he reaches his table and he stuffs his texts into his drawstring bag. All the action is to distract himself from Taehyung’s words earlier on, he knows.

Why does it feel as if Taehyung has been trying to hint something at him? Especially the petal plucking escapade. Jeongguk is slow at reading between the lines, he knows that too. Taehyung has told him that he should be doing better as a literature major.

Jeongguk puts on his jacket and swings his bag over his shoulder, then makes his way towards the entrance. At nine in the night, the street outside the library is unusually quiet like it always is. He guesses that it’s the effect of a studying district. One library building, a high school and two universities around the corner can do so much to the atmosphere.

He still holds the rose in his hand as he loiters around the entrance, not wanting to squash the flower in his bag. There aren’t many people walking past him which is a fortunate thing. He looks like he’s about to propose to someone.

The thought brings heat to his cheek when Taehyung’s name comes into his head. Proposing? Ha that’s funny. Jeongguk leans against the cement walls beside the glass doors at the entrance and wobbles his knees to keep himself warm. Although there is no wind, the temperatures dip close to freezing at night in autumn.

The hum of the glass doors opening stir Jeongguk from his trance and Taehyung steps out decked in a light brown, woollen trench coat with a red backpack that Jeongguk is accustomed to seeing. Taehyung offers Jeongguk a small smile before falling into steps with him.

They head to the bus stop without any conversing, then Jeongguk upon feeling the rough stem under his fingers, asks, “Do you still think Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy?” “Totally,” Taehyung answers, turning to look at Jeongguk seriously, “Everybody dies.”

Jeongguk chuckles at the older’s stubbornness. “Granted, some people die. But you’re forgetting the comic in front of the tragedy.” At this, Taehyung makes a face and says, “Yes smartass.”

And Jeongguk for the life of him cannot think of any other things to say although there’s that fiery ball of something which has been growing inside him the entire day. With the rose in hand and Seohyun’s words in his head, he’s tempted to say and do something stupid.

The white lights of the bus stop and advertisement boards begin to come into view after a few minutes’ walk and Jeongguk halts in his footsteps. Taehyung stops walking to cast a surprised look over his shoulder.

Hurrying back to where Jeongguk is standing, he asks, brows furrowing together, “Is everything okay?” His worried face is half illuminated by the street lights and Jeongguk thinks there’s nothing more adorable than Taehyung’s scrunched up brows and slightly reddened cheeks from the cold.

Jeongguk stretches his hand outwards with the rose in his grasp and clears his throat, “Take it back.” An amused smile eases the older’s tensed expression as he relaxes back on the heels of his feet. He asks, “Why should I?”

“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet. Romeo and Juliet, Act 2 Scene 2,” he replies. Taehyung cocks his head and Jeongguk recalibrates his expression, eyes looking into the other’s.

He doesn’t know what exactly he’s doing so the words spin off from the top of his head. “We’ll have a quote competition about roses. If you lose you take the rose,” he blurts. Taehyung gives him an incredulous look and says, “It’s 5 goddamn degrees out here my brain can’t work.”

“We only have five minutes until the bus comes. I’ll start. The fragrance always stays in the hand that gives the rose, George William Curtis.”

“Ah seriously… Love planted a rose and the world turned sweet, Katharine Lee Bates.”

“He that dares not grasp the thorn should never crave the rose, Anne Bronte.”

“Love is much like a wild rose, beautiful and calm, but willing to draw blood in its defence, Mark Overby.”

“The rose speaks of love silently, in a language known only to the heart, um. Shit I don’t know who this is from.”

“Ha too bad,” Taehyung mocks, “You can complain because roses have thorns, or—”

“Or you can rejoice because thorns have roses. Pablo Picasso,” Jeongguk cuts in softly. It’s the one he’s been waiting for. He’s seen the quote on Taehyung’s lock screen a few times and he hopes it means a lot to him.

Well at least it means a lot to him in this situation.

Taehyung opens his mouth to continue, the falters when he catches on to Jeongguk’s tone. He turns away from Jeongguk’s gaze after a meaningful minute. As his cheeks flush redder, Jeongguk knows that the older realises something is up.

Nevertheless, Taehyung complains, “Yah stop looking at me like that.” “Even a rose fades and dies with the winter, but their love is red through winter and strong in the frost,” Jeongguk pushes on, feeling the embarrassment catching up on him as his cheeks start to heat up. He holds up the rose for Taehyung.

“Wh-who said that bullshit?” the older says and eyes the rose, his eyes flicking between Jeongguk and the flower. Jeongguk answers, “Me. I wrote that bullshit for my critical analysis end of year paper. It wasn’t written with you in mind but but but—”

“But but but but but but,” Taehyung teases, “But what?” He then plucks the rose out of Jeongguk’s fingers.

“But—”

“But but but.”

“Oh my god I can’t do this anymore you know what I mean, right?” Jeongguk deadpans. He’s cringing too hard at himself but the sparkling in Taehyung’s eyes is intense by now. “I mean I really like you and you’re very pretty like this rose and maybe if you will give this a chance—”

The words in his mouth wither as Taehyung breaks away from his mask of coolness and laughs for the first time in the day. Before Jeongguk comprehends what is happening, Taehyung leans forward and wraps his arms around his stiffened body, engulfing him in a layer of warmth.

Jeongguk nuzzles his face in the crook of his neck and oh god, he can feel every hot puff of breath from Taehyung on his jaw. Then his head clears. A lot of cheering sounds inside his head and he hides a smile in the older’s hair while putting his arms around the other.

“You’re so annoying, Jeon Jeongguk.”

Breathing into the mess that is Taehyung’s hair, he asks, “Is that a yes ‘let’s date’ or no ‘I hate you Jeon Jeongguk’?”

“It’s called a ‘fuck you took really long I thought you weren’t interested in me you had me scared for a month’ you know I was questioning myself every day I even plucked those rose petals in front of you—”

With the warmth of the kiss on Taehyung’s forehead tingling on his lips, Jeongguk smiles at Taehyung who simply blinks as if he’s seen a magic trick that he cannot understand. The other opens and closes his mouth like a fish, unable to say anything. Jeongguk realises it’s the first time he shuts Taehyung up so completely that day and not the other way round.

Their faces are mere breaths away when the older says, “You’re really annoying, Jeon Jeongguk. Really annoying.” “Oh really? Then…” Jeongguk quips and pulls away from him, only for Taehyung to whine and latch onto him in a quick hop.

“Fucking annoying. Don’t do that again.”

“Hmm yes boss.”

“Kiss me on the lips.”

Jeongguk looks at Taehyung with false concern and answers, “Are you sure you want to go to that so fast? And we shouldn’t do it here in public.” “There’s nobody around and that wasn’t a question you—” Taehyung abruptly squeaks as Jeongguk tilts his head, lips locking onto Taehyung’s.

Second time. Jackpot.

[AO3 | the night radio]

#the night radio #taekook #vkook #taehyung #jungkook #jeongguk #bts #bangtan #bts fics #taekook fic #taekook fanfiction #bts fanfic

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