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starry-bi-sky · 2 months

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Danielle and Danyal's meeting... very, very quickly goes very sour from, basically, the moment Danny steps into his room and finds Ellie sitting on his bed (strike one) and reading the comic books Tucker introduced him to (strike two). By the time she's looked up to address him, Danny has the door locked, and a hand hovering near the knife hidden under his shirt.

She gets her third strike when Danny, in a voice that could make the mountains tremble, demands to know how she got into his room, and she lies (with uncertainty of her decision growing in her chest) that Jazz let her in. Danny's hand shifts closer to his weapon, and he turns towards her fully, and says that Jazz would never let someone he didn’t know into his room, and who was she.

(Vlad Masters had underprepared Danielle for her meeting with Danny -- not out of any completely direct malicious intent, but he failed to mention just how... 'touchy' Daniel could be -- he failed to mention the scars littering up his arms, unhidden by the hoodie tee he meets Ellie in. He failed to mention that along with those scars, that Danny was visibly lean, capable of doing very real damage without the use of his powers.)

(He tells Ellie that he’s adopted, and that he is observant and clever, but ungrateful and has a bad attitude.)

Her final strike occurs when Ellie, trying to keep her facade of cheeriness, tells him that she’s his third cousin once removed. Immediately, Danny has his dagger pulled out, and Ellie finds herself with the cold metal of a blade pressing against her throat.

Danyal 'A.G' Fenton hasn’t killed since he arrived in Amity Park. At first it was because mother told him to keep a low profile, and killing would do the opposite of that. But, he's been slowly learning from his sister and friends over the years the value of human life. So it's become a combination of keeping his head down, and also that life has value to it.

But. That doesn’t mean he can’t kill, nor is he opposed to doing it if the situation calls for it. It just means that he doesn't do it. And ‘Danielle’ is an unknown in his room, claiming to be family to him, and appearing uncannily similar to him and his family. Either someone hired her and she was trying to pass herself off as a relative to him because that someone realized Danny was the biggest threat, or, his false death has been compromised, his mother was unable to tell him, and the league was aware he was alive.

No matter how he looks at it, this Danielle was a threat to him, his sister, his friends, to Damian, and to the Drs. Fenton. Danyal Fenton doesn't kill, but he has no problems doing so.

(Ellie, pinned under Danny’s knee and the blade to her neck, is too terrified to think of phasing out of his hold. Not that it would help, he would just chase after her.)

“You have broken into my home, dared to lie to my face, and when I demanded to know the truth, you dared lie to me again." Danny's scowl could cower even Skulker, his glacier blue eyes burning. "Your continual breath has been a favor from me, that I have graciously allowed, from the moment you entered my room, dahkil."

"So I will ask one more time," he hisses, "who. are. you."

Danielle, only a few months old, unprepared for the ice storm that is "Daniel" Fenton, and his clone in only flesh and blood, and not memories, immediately breaks. And tells him that she was his clone, that Vlad sent her to come capture him, and to please not kill her.

Danny's face twists with anger, Ellie thinks he's going to kill her anyways. Instead, he withdraws his knife and gets off her, stringing out curses in Arabic as he sheathes his weapon back into its hiding place faster than Ellie can blink.

He switches to English as she is collecting her bearings (and contemplating fleeing), and Danny paces the room like a tiger in a cage. "--of course that wretched, arrogant, peacocking little ingrate would do something so infuriating. I should have driven my sword into the shrivel of his heart when I had the chance--"

Ellie, for a moment, thinks of leaving while he is distracted. And starts to slowly creep away. But Danny notices instantly, and whirls on her. His too-bright eyes bore into her head: "Where do you think you're going."

"...I'm leaving."

And Danny scoffs at her, "Why? So you can fly back to Masters and tell him that you failed to capture me, and that I know that he cloned me?" He says, and Ellie remains silent -- that's exactly what she was going to do. "He will destroy you within seconds."

Of course, Ellie rears back in offense, and she finds the footing to glare at him. "He would not! He's my dad, he loves me!"

Danny gets in her face, glowering back with an equal intensity. "He does not." He snaps, "Vlad Masters has not a soul in his body nor a heart in his chest. He would sooner cut off the hand that helps him stand, than to take it along with him."

"If you're really made of my blood, then I will teach you only this: we bow not our heads nor our hearts to anyone." Danny's too-blue eyes narrow, and his voice dips into a hiss, "Especially not to a conniving snake like Masters. Your heart: cut it off, or cut it out. He will sooner leave you to bleed."

Then, he unlocks the door and drags her out before she has much time to act. And as he drags her down the hall he shoots Sam and Tucker a text, and they meet up at Nasty Burger. Ellie is a spitfire, but Danny has her too intimidated to leave.

"This is Danielle," he tells them bluntly as he corners her into the booth, "she's my clone. Masters created her."

Ellie is with them for a week, and somehow throughout that time, Danny manages to actually get her to like him throughout that time. He's callous, blunt, and full of sharp edges that you can cut yourself on. But when he's not spitting venom, he's fretting.

When he drags her back to the house after being with Sam and Tucker, he pulls her to Jazz's room and opens the door to tell her the same thing. "This is Danielle." He says upon abruptly opening the door, interrupting Jazz's studying as he pulls Ellie inside. "She is my clone, Masters created her. She needs clothes."

Then he turns and leaves, shutting the door behind him. Ellie, in that moment, thinks that now's her chance to flee. But Jazz then squeals, and she is trapped in new arms, shaken around by Jazz Fenton, excited for a sister.

(Ellie finds herself complaining to Jazz that night, shoved into old pajamas. She's in utter disbelief that Jazz could care about a jerk like Danny.)

("He's rough around the edges, but Danny does care." Jazz tells her, combing through her hair with her fingers. "We've been working on it ever since he joined the family, but Danny warms up slowly. He's usually less stoney; I think your arrival spooked him.")

("Spooked him?" Ellie repeats, she doesn't believe it at all. "He has a funny way of showing it, he threatened to kill me!" And she turns around just in time to see Jazz's press her lips into a line.)

("He's... very protective. He'll deny if you ask him, but he worries a lot." Jazz's fingers find her hair again. "What I do know for certain though, is that he wouldn't have kept you here if he wasn't worried about you at least a little bit.")

(Ellie doubts it.)

But Ellie is indeed there for a week, and the day after her initially rocky introduction with Danny, he is a little bit kinder to her. Still kinda a bitch, but he's less harsh to her, if... almost uncomfortable around her. Flighty, kinda.

Whenever she gets mouthy at him though, he looks oddly smug about it and, infuriatingly enough, praises her attitude. He is very, very annoying. And still kinda terrifying. But hearing him shout insults via puns at someone during a ghost fight that happens that week lessens the intimidating factor,,, a little bit.

Things go about,,,, relatively,,,, similar to canon. In the sense that it ends with Ellie defecting from Vlad because she finds out that Danny was right and that Vlad didn't actually care about her. (And that Jazz had been right too; Danny, in his weird, mean way, had been worried about her as well)

Danny looks out of his depth as she talks about how he was right, and he cuts her off with a vaguely uncomfortable clearing of his throat. And gives her the most awkward, but genuine apology he can muster.

"I should've used more tact when telling you about Masters, and I... apologize for threatening you when we met. I was..." he makes a face like he's sucked on a particularly sour lemon, "worried. First about my family, and then later about you."

(Ellie will be damned: Jazz was right)

Before Ellie leaves, Danny puts a hand on her shoulder and tells her: "I wasn't kidding about what I said to you when we first met: you are of my blood, and as such, you do not bow your head nor your heart to anyone."

Ellie looks at him, thinks about the last week, and smiles like she's caught him in a trap. "What about Sam and Tucker then? And Jazz?"

Danny smiles, it's awkward and tilted, like his face isn't used to the gesture. "We bow not our hearts, but that doesn't mean we can't share."

#danny speaks in formal english when he's pissed. he goes full on 'i shall eat his heart in the marketplace' levels of formal #not quite a ficlet not quite a post talking about the idea but a secret third option: its both of these at the same time #dp x dc #dpxdc #danny fenton is not the ghost king #dp x dc crossover #dpxdc crossover #dpdc #danyal al ghul au #dc x dp crossover #dc x dp au #dpxdc au #dcdp #dpdc au #dp dc crossover #older brother danny #danny is an asshole with a heart of gold #the writing feels all over the place but since its not a fic i dont feel that self conscious about it lol. very much spitballing here #morally gray danny fenton #poc danny fenton #look ellie MIGHt - and thats a big if - have gotten away with the cousin lie if it weren't for the fact that she's danny's clone #danny who is not white nor remotely white-passing in this au. she might have gotten away if he had been and she claimed she was #from jack's side of the family. but alas. danny is adopted. the fentons are whiter than sunscreen. and danny is not.#dani and danny's meeting in danyal al ghul aus have the potenial of being IMMEDIATE dumpster fires which is very funny to me #on the basis of if danny knows he's adopted or not and if dani claims to be related directly to him or to jack.#dani: im your third cousin once removed :)#danny. is adopted: i kNOW YOU LYING. CUZ YO LIPS ARE MOVING #i got fanart for this au on haunting heroes discord and it kickstarted my thoughts about danyal again. they gave him the BATWING EYEBROWS #ellie has the batwing eyebrows too that was the mind killer thats what fucked her over /j. those are UNIQUELY BRUCE WAYNE BROWS FOLKS #fuck i wish tumblr told us on laptop when we run out of tags because i just lost like 4 of them. good thing i got screenies those were FUNN

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be-good-to-bugs · 2 years

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Hav decided that plumb is genderfluid n use all pronouns cause they keep changing her gender and its swag even though i jate the newest design

#the bin #i HATE the new stuff and also the stuff before that from 2009 i think #2007 had some designs i that were a bit downhill imo but overall its ok #i love 2003 with all my heart and i do think the designs were still goid then #i think the decision to put most of them in pants was interesting but it also makes sense #they were all very active so pants make the most sense cause the alternative is dresses with bloomers and the kids watching it #wouldnt know what bloomers are #and they kept the big hat trend althout they arent quite as big but still #2007 had a lot of similar stuff to 2003 and they are largely the same era but 2009 is totally different and i hate it #i wanna take the designs from that era and chamge them to fit the designs from the 1980s cause some of them are actually kinda cute #but they are all so flat and slicked down and i hate it #also they ruined raspberry who was my favorite #and they changed orange blossoms hair to be straight and used the exact same hair model as all their white characters which is infuriating #and they got rit of almost all the big hats! if i remember correctly strawberry still has her hat but everyone else just wears headbands #looking at the clothes its pretty evident why they chose them and its because they were easier to 3d model and that sucks #looking at the newest stuff its all so incredibly lazy. they are making it so boring looking cause its quicker and therefore cheaper t make #obviously i have a nostalgia bias but i also grew up with the 2009 cause that was the one that was being made when i was little #i also had the hand me downs from older siblings and i always like the 2003 better #i was also very fond of the 2007 though looking back i think the 2003 is better #i was so sad when i was watching the new stuff and they ruined all my favorite things. raspberry wasnt mean anymore.#they changed oranges design and they got rid of the hats #also custard doesnt talk anymore which i hated too #i dont know a whole lot about the 1980 version but i do think it has the best designa #but i think they also modernized it in the 2003 successfully while still having it feel like strawberry shortcake #oh my god these tags are long. wow. i have a lot of feelings about strawberry shortcake ok #i will. stop now. i wanna draw some strawberry shortcake gggg

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dashitsxx · 17 days

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if only | various male characters x fem!reader | mha

summary. Maybe leaving him wasn't the best decision to ever do.

genre. dark. explicit smut. nsfw. 18+

word count. 1.7k

characters. aizawa shota (eraserhead). chisaki kai (overhaul). takami keigo (hawks). todoroki touya (dabi).

warnings. dubcon/noncon. all in an established relationship. quirk au. vulgar language. cunnilingus (aizawa). rough fuck. penis in vagina sex. overstimulation. multiple orgasms. creampies. stomach bulge (dabi). manhandling. forcing. evident male dominance. yandere themes. possessive. obsession. mentions of killing (dabi). selfish behaviour. egoistic behaviour. indicated the use of quirk. breeding kink (dabi). praise kink (dabi).

notes. finally done with this! been itching to post this as quick as possible. i definitely didn't like how i wrote them but enjoy sluts, tried to make it spine-shivering as much as possible! reposting 'cause i found out that tumblr didn't kind of added it into the no. of my posts?? idk why

shota aizawa (eraserhead) — If only you weren't clumsy enough.

Oh love. That was the biggest mistake you have ever made to him. Do you think that you could easily slip away from his sight? Oh my. How dumb of you. You may have a strong quirk but it doesn't surpass his level... and he'll make sure to let it stay that way.

A trembling shaking rattled on the bedframe as you arched your back from the pleasuring sensation. Pants and moans vibrate against the wall of the room. No matter how much you want to try to push the head away from your cunt, your hands prevented you from doing so as it is tightly tied by his binding cloth, whereas with each forceful pull you create, it suddenly stiffens its fabric.

You moan loudly as you squirm under his touch. "Stop moving," he ordered in a vicious tone. Then, a warm wet long stripe was placed on your cunt, making you hold your breath. A strangled moan left your lips as you attempted to break the cloth that was chaining you.

"I-I can't—ah! No, n-ngh! Ah! no, s-stop. Aizawa!" you exclaimed, panting in the process.

"I said stop squirming." he painfully held your hips in place as he halted his motion. Your eyes slide down to him as you find him with a raging fire, "You wouldn't been in this position if only you had been obedient to me."

Then he slowly rises from his position as he continue to glower down at you, "You know you can't escape from me, love."

You heard a rapid swish of fabric as you found your legs bound up in a lewd position, wide open for him. "N-not like this! A-Aiza—" A painful feeling slapped your pussy which made your back arch. "Shut up."

A sinful smirk slowly formed on his lips. Who would have thought that his fantasies would come true? He was thankful that you attempted to escape, but it still does infuriate if you wanted to leave him. He didn't like that idea, nor would he let it happen. Maybe... it is time to mark you.

Then, he quietly placed his hands on the middle of his pants before unzipping it. A look of fear and shock was evident on your face as you knew what it meant

"Aizawa! No, no, no!" you attempt to back away from the raging man, but he grabbed your thighs and pulled you down to him to let you feel his hardened cock with your bare vagina—you moaned at the sensation. Pride was evident on his face as he spoke in a possessive tone.

"I'll always find you, love."

kai chisaki (overhaul)— If only you were fearless.

Darling, darling, darling. Why did you ever think that you would be able to escape from his grasp? He didn't do all those cheesy courtship with no purpose just for you to leave him. He did it all in his satisfaction to have you caged within him despite that you were a great benefit to the yakuza. Hence, you are his possession—and there is no way for you break free.

"Fuck—so... t-tight. Fucking tight." A deep growl emitted from his chest as he thrusts his fat cock into your gummy walls. You moan from your taped mouth and warm tears fall on your cheeks from the overstimulation.

A pleasured moan left his mouth as he stared down at you, a contemptuous smile was plastered on his face. You looked so pretty taking his godly size dick—it fits well with your pussy. Although he's been fucking you for who knows how many rounds, his rage hasn't been satiated yet.

The fact that you tried to leave him really fucking blood-boiled him. He has never felt this way after the heroes attempted to meddle in his business. Upon the thought entering his mind, his eyes darken immediately as he pushed the back of your thighs to your chest.

Your felt your eyes widen at a new sensation as your chest rose, heaving at the new position he put you into. It was the position you knew that would make you feel his size.

Feel him more.

You attempt to push his hands from your thighs with your taped wrists, but it keep slipping off from the body sweat formed. Then, he harshly flicked his hips onto you. Your body jerked as you felt the tip of his dick kissed your womb.

The smile remained on Kai's face as he leaned forward, "Feel that, darling? You're not dumb enough to know what it means." a chuckle erupted from his chest as he pulled out until his tip before slamming back deeply, making your body jerk again and a moan leaving your lips.

Then a sudden shivers crawled on your body under his, making his cock more slick from your cum. Kai lets out a short deep laugh before he slides his hand from your thighs to your clit, having one of your legs hanging on his shoulder.

You try to take in deep breaths as your eyes make contacts with his lust-filled ones. He tilts his head slightly with a naughty smirk.

"You can release one more, right darling? After all, you deserve this punishment."

takami keigo (hawks) — If only you weren't slow.

Sweetheart, you knew that you could never outrun him—so, why did you still do it? You are one dumb girl with a mediocre quirk, but he still loves you. It's just that your stupid mind persuaded you to leave him. Says who? He gave you no order about that—in fact, you have no rights to step away. Once he laid his eyes on you, he knew that he had to fly and catch you.

"Ngh-ah! Fuck! K-Keigo!"

"That's it. Moan my name, sweetheart."

He grabbed your hips before pulling it to his hips with a tight grip, hitting your g-spot perfectly. You hiss at the sensation as you gently place your forehead on the wall, trying to catch your breath. Hawks continued to thrust in your pussy, but it wasn't the usual way he does. He never would have acted so rough to you if you hadn't tried to hide and run away from him.

It aches his heart to put you in this position, but you need to learn your lesson.

Pants and groans escaped his lips as he pushed you more to the wall, drunk in bliss. He snakes his arms around your chest, grabbing one of your tits to twist your nipples and waist to hold you—he wants to feel your skin. Only moans are emitted from you as you try to pull away from him while clawing his arms.

"Ah, ah, ah. Sweetheart, you'll only make it worse. Hah... s-shit. J-Just allow me–ngh–to fuck you like this," he pauses as he pulls his hips until his tip is in you before slamming it deeply to your cunt, you arch your back greatly as you moan—uttering curses beneath your breath. "You'll eventually like this..."

Yes, you will like this. He'll do anything to keep you and a good hard fuck may help him hinder your ability to walk and run.

Maybe, that is a good idea—it'll let him keep watch of you. The thought of that made him more aroused as he slowly quickened his pace. Yet, you were too fucked up in pleasure to notice the malicious intent your boyfriend had in mind.

But it's okay, as long as he has you—he'll do anything.

"Sweetheart, you know I am the only man for you, oh—ngh? Ah—fuck... hmm, right?"

todoroki touya (dabi) — If only you were strong enough.

Dilly dally doll, such a beauty you are. Yet, you are such a fucking pain in the ass. You dare to escape from him—were you insane enough to consider that he'll never find you? Doll, you are wrong there. You have such a weak body with a weak quirk, he definitely doesn't want you to go to unknown places because he actually fucking cares about you. Maybe... there is another method to keep you by his side.

Deep grunts and vulgar words escaped the scarred lips of the villain as he gripped your plump sides, shooting thick ropes of white sticky liquid in your womb.

"Take it all like a good girl, doll. That's it." he licked his lips in satisfaction as he watched the erotic scene before him.

You look so pretty under him, just being a perfect cumdump for him. Although, he just hated your pettiness—who told you that you could leave him? Just because he accidentally put on a show of his ruthless killings of heroes in front of you, you had the nerve to escape. He is just doing his job, it's not really a big deal.

His eyes darken at the thought.

He pulled his dick out of your swollen pussy, letting the cum leak from your hole and giving a painful smack on your ass. A smirk forms on his face as he slides the leak sensually back into your hole, "That's the right place. Keep it in, doll. I really don't want you to piss me off again after that silly little stunt you've pulled."

You yelp in pain when you feel a stinging heat place on your clit as you comply with his order, carrying your body in a doggy position.

A boost of confidence fires in Dabi's core as he looks at your pussy clenching to hold his essence in you. But his ego wasn't the only one that fired in you, his huge cock was standing up again. He contemplates methods

Maybe, there is a way to let you stay with him.

Before you even attempted to get up from your bruising position, your face was suddenly pushed on the bed mercilessly, your ass at a higher height with an inviting pussy, and you felt a prodding tip in your entrance as it was gone in.

A loud moan from you echoed the room smelled of sex and sweat as Dabi let out a hiss to your tightness even if your mixed essence with his served as a lube.

"Touya! Wait, I-I just came!" you exclaimed, turning your head to the side.

A deep chuckle emitted from his chest as he snapped his hips against yours. You felt a protruding bulge on your belly when he snapped, jerking your body in reaction. His eyes held a purpose behind those lust and temptation as he leaned down, marking you with hickeys.

"I need to make sure that my baby mama doesn't waste a drop of my cum. I am certain you'll be a great mama, doll."

all dividers are from @cafekitsune, thank you <33

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arthenaa · 5 months

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My pookie wookie bear please make the modern! Mizu x reader a series I beg 🙏just the thought of all the possibilities and domestic fluff has me foaming at the mouth. Your writing is literally Shakespeare to me😭

mizu as your roommate — mizu x f! reader

synopsis: you're not sure why and how people got the idea that you and mizu are dating but you're not. she's just your roommate.

context: prequel to blurred lines. pre-relationship. fluff. absolute fluff.

a/n: heyaaa guysss tysm for enjoying blurred lines and nocturne! ive already got an outline on how to continue the series. here's a little contribution to roommate!mizu hehe. prompt is highkey inspired by true events.

pre-roommate!mizu:

being roommates wasn't a decision that the two of you came to right away

it took quite a while and your relationship wasn't something that instantly clicked on the first try

to give you context, you and Mizu met at your freshman orientation afterparty

Mizu majored in industrial design while you studied (course) and was fortunate enough to be placed in the same sector as her

you knew no one and people closest to you were her and Ringo who majored in culinary.

you could tell that Mizu wasn't really into social interaction as much as you and Ringo did (at least on the same level).

although, she did reciprocate some type of conversing, some of it ultimately ended with her drifting away or tucked away into some corner.

you never really bonded with Mizu at first, finding her offhanded nature and cold reciprocation of your tries in interaction a bit too rude for your taste

and it wasn't like you saw her often around campus, your chances of interaction only relied on the fact that she lived in the same dormitory as you

it was around 2nd year, mid 1st semester that you overheard Mizu's problem with her roommate. She had personally reported it to your landlord when you had just returned from a walk break from reviewing for your midterms

apparently Mizu's roommate had been abusing the visitors rule in your dormitory and constantly brought their one night stands in their shared space which infuriated the blue eyed girl.

the landlord was tight on accomodations and so you had stepped in and brought up the opportunity to be roommates

it took some coercing and persuasion on your end as you wished to be on better terms with Mizu and also because well, she really had no other option

and so, on the second half and the rest of your stay (life maybe) in college, you became roommates with Mizu from ID122.

roommate!mizu

living with mizu was something you didn't expect to work so well

you were quite surprised by your shared dynamic, not ever having to deal with the fact that you had to adapt a huge gap between you and your roommate just to be able to coexist in one space

it surprisingly didn't take long for mizu to warm up to you

she was the epitome of a black cat—there are days she prefers silence and days she'd warm up to you with her gentle smiles

she's also pretty accommodating to you as her roommate

opting to go by where you're most comfortable with

she says that its because you've given her so much but she gives you too much credit

not with the way she acts around you

the domesticity that came along with you and mizu's natural chemistry in living together was something that just came

you suppose that mizu's constant gratefulness towards your accepting demeanor in providing her a home eventually led to this dynamic

the gal does housework with ease, has become a close confidant in just a matter of weeks, walks you to your classes when your schedules are aligned, and buys you food whenever you're feeling down

it isn't too long before the distance between the two of you gradually became closer

skinship became a common affair and while mizu's touches evoked a change of cogs in your relationship, the type of skinship that she shares with you is more of genuine appreciation or concern over your well-being

extending her hand as she assist you on going down the stairs, a hand on the small of your back when you're in a crowded place, running her hands mindlessly through your hair when you're having one of those movie nights, gently leaning your head to her shoulder when you're feeling quite sleepy during the commute to school

she also does the most simplest acts of service that often leaves you melting and warming at the thought

placing your favorite food on your plate when you're eating out, having late night drive outs just to clear your mind or hang out, getting you the most random trinkets and claim that she saw it on her way home from work or class and bought it out of impulse bc it reminded her of you

she always either has to be within a meter of your presence or a part of her skin touching against hers

and she isn't the type to be clingy, it just brings her some sort of comfort that you're within her line of vision

it was pretty much safe to say that mizu was your best friend and someone you held pretty close to your heart

your friend group with akemi and taigen came about during the 3rd semester of your 2nd year.

The three of you were placed in one group during a gen-ed class that all students of your college had to take

You were quite surprised to see mizu's hostility towards taigen after he had tried jokingly flirt with you

akemi was the one who apprehended him though

with mizu and taigen's weird rivalry and akemi's naturally captivating personality, soon enough the five of you became close friends

mizu often tells you her regret of letting taigen stick around and that it's causing her headaches from all the pain of having to see his face

most of their fights as well rooted from the fact taigen finds you cute and mizu does not like that

not when there's a weird relationship between him and akemi

you asked akemi once about it and how it doesn't bother her the slightest

she just gave you a smirk and rolled her eyes, "Taigen's a boy, Y/N. I'll never settle for that."

you think she's kinda cool

anyways, the suspicions started during one of the school events that your college was hosting

it was a battle of the bands event and really was a chill night for students to hang out and vibe to music

your previous roommate was performing and so you wanted to show your respect

taigen is a party person, ringo's good for anything, and akemi's part of the event core that's handling the flow of the event

mizu tags along bc she has nothing better to do but we all know she goes anyway bc you're going

anyways, you guys are seated at the front vibing and what not

due to the naturally loud acoustics of the place, mizu has to be leaning close to you to hear you while you're gushing about the performance of the bands

she sits close to you, chair and body angled to your direction while her head is leaned close to you. She smiles softly and replies with a gentle tone of her voice to your musings and taigen can't help but notice your dynamic

He sees you clinging to her arm, hand gently patting the top part of mizu's hand to the beat of the song that rests peacefully on your knee. if anyone saw the two of you right now, people would immediately assume that the two of you were dating and well, while the you were all in a friend group, taigen really hasn't gotten to know the two of you beyond your present selves and so he asks the closest person that got to know them before him and akemi did

"Hey Ringo," Taigen asks as he leans towards the tall man seated on his right—his eyes still trained on the duo absorbed in their own world. "Are they—?"

Ringo glances at the two of you before looking back at Taigen then shrugging with a smile.

Somehow that was the precedent to the on going inside joke within your group

After that night, you often find yourselves in random situations wherein people would be curious what the relationship between the of you is

it was a shock at first and you felt like all these questions were definitely something that these people considered but eventually arose due to Taigen's very loud mouth

the guy had tons of friend groups, blame him.

(Mizu almost decked him if you and Ringo weren't there to stop him)

while the predicament was certainly awkward, your relationship with mizu didn't really falter bc of it

it kind of grew stronger??? for some reason

you think its because you find it amusing when ppl are kind of 'oh wow now I get it' and mizu's nonchalant reaction to it unless they were really being very adamant in getting to know the details

you've since grown to get used to the comments and didn't really bother the jokes casted by akemi and taigen towards the two of you

akemi once joked to mizu if it was okay that she'd steal you from her and mizu just gives her a once over before chuckling at her joke.

you're not sure why her response was like that and eventually curiosity got ahead of you

you asked her about it after akemi had gone to order a set of macarons for her roommate, leaving the two of you alone at your booth

mizu only leans forward across the table and pinches your noise. you let a noise of annoyance before the raven-haired girl chuckles at your reaction.

"She can't." Mizu peers at you from under her lashes. She crosses her arms over her chest, eyes trained on you with an unreadable look in her eyes. There's some sort of confidence with the way that she carries herself. "I would know."

the jokes ranged from ringo calling you mom and dad, taigen cringing at your natural domesticity when they all came over at your dorm, akemi trying to get a rise out of mizu by coddling you

the jokes also came from the two of you

it was just fun getting a rise out of the people around you who were constantly rooting for the two of you to get together

you always joked that the moment you and mizu would be together would be a monumental achievement not to the two of you but to taigen and akemi's constant meddling

you teased mizu with endearments and the gal would only roll her eyes

eventually, that prompted the two of you to call each other bon or bonnie as an endearment. you claim its only for fun but akemi's giving you that side eye that tells a lot of things.

overall, mizu's just a wonderful roommate and someone that you could find a safe space in and be able to fully trust in. her character and personality speaks of direct truth and genuineness that allows you to fully warm and soften around her

so it really wasn't a surprise to you when you've realized that you've fallen in love with her

her existence, the way she talks, listens to you with her undivided attention, her accommodating nature, love for silence, and those eyes that always seem to find its way back to yours

even though your relationship wasn't something that was established until recently

you knew that she was yours as much as you were hers.

a/n: wahhh setting series off mwehehehe, feeling a bit productive tonight after finals so im multitasking comms and mizu requests! expect another one shortly maybe if im feeling it hehe

#arthenaa #mizu x reader #mizu blue eye samurai #mizu x you #the blue eyed samurai #the blue eyed samurai x reader

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sassypossumm · 2 months

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Wow

art cred: mossbun_

You got hurt on a mission, and Miguel realizes something.

Y/N is sooo touched starved, I'm dying

“Miguel,” you said, trying to catch his eye. His frown deepened as he bandaged your hand. “Miguel,” You tried again. “Please look at me.” He raised his head to look at you. You gave him a weak smile. “I’m okay, Miguel.” Hopping off of the table you spun slowly in a circle. “See, barely a scratch.”

“Barely, she says.” He muttered, running a thumb over the gash on your cheek. Clenching his jaw, he easily lifted you back onto the table. “Stay put.” He ordered, reaching for the hydrogen peroxide. “If I had left you to do this, what would you have done?”

“Probably just uncorked a bottle of alcohol and poured it on the cuts.” You shrugged. Miguel felt the heat of anger rising up his neck. Grinding his teeth, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “Miguel, really, I’m okay. I bounce back easily.” You chuckled. The straw that broke the camel's back. Miguel’s eyes shot open, and he looked from your bandaged hand to your face. He searched your eyes. Stubbornness. The inability to back down. He recognized those traits in himself, so why, when he saw them in you it infuriated him so much? Shaking his head, he put down the peroxide and began pacing.

Your brows scrunched together. What on earth is going on with him? You were thoroughly confused. The mission had been a success. No casualties. Why was he so angry? True, you normally stayed behind the scenes maintaining the comms, but it had gotten really bad, and you’d been pulled into the fray. You’d not done anything that everyone else had been doing. Yet, you were the only one he was angry with.

“Miguel?” He froze at the sound of your voice. Taking in a sharp breath, he turned and looked at you, chest heaving. And then it hit him. He was in love with you. Blinking rapidly, he tried shaking the thoughts loose in his head. Much as he wanted to do to you. Shake some sense into you. Rolling his shoulders, the next thing he knew, he was standing in front of you, just staring. Cocking your head to the side, you looked up at him and furrowed your brows. "Miguel?" He didn’t remember making a conscious decision, but he felt his restraint snap. Reaching out, he slipped a hand around your jaw and cupped the nape of your neck.

“Y/N.” He rasped, shaking his head. Resting his other arm on the med table, he came nose to nose with you. You felt your breath hitch and your mouth go dry. Averting your eyes, you looked anywhere but at him. “Y/N.” His voice lowered. Eyes widening, you looked back up at him.

He was so close, too close. Shaking your head, you closed your eyes. Miguel O'Hara was overwhelming your senses, dominating them and taking their spot. You shivered when you felt his thumb gently slide over her cheekbone.

“Please take care of this face,” He softly kissed your forehead. You felt yourself begin to shake. Opening your eyes, you looked back into his and felt your heart drop at the intensity in the reddish brown of his eyes. There was a tangible gravity there that you could have sunk your teeth into. “Take care of these hands,” He raised your bandaged hand to his lips, never breaking eye contact. You opened your mouth to respond, but you could only manage a squeak. “For once, listen to me, please Y/N?” You could only nod. Satisfied, he kissed the tip of your nose and started to pull away.

“Wait,” You breathed, lightly touching his hand. Miguel paused and leaned back in. You just knew that your face was well on its way to turning purple. “I want,” You gulped. “I, I, I’m sorry, I.” Miguel raised his brows and shook his head.

“Y/N, I don’t understand what any of that means.” Fanning your face, you closed your eyes and took a deep breath.

“I want,” You tried again, but felt yourself on the verge of tears.

“What do you want, cariño?" At that you broke. Miguel gently cupped your face and turned it up towards his. Slowly he wiped the tears from your eyes with his thumbs.

“I can’t, I can’t, ” You looked at him with pained eyes and shook your head. Miguel felt his neck heat. He couldn’t believe he made you this shy. You looked helplessly at him as your grip on his arm tightened. Closing your eyes, you huffed.

“You can touch me, Y/N.” Miguel gently reached for your hand and placed it on his cheek. He felt your fingers flex against his skin. He kept his fingers over your own so that you didn’t pull away. He saw something flash in your eyes. Emboldening yourself, you leaned up to graze his cheek with your lips, but at the last minute he turned so that your lips landed on his.

You gasped. Miguel merely smiled against your lips and cupped your jaw, tilting your head further back to press a trail of hot kisses down the column of your throat. You lost yourself in his warmth and sighed. When he pulled away, he rested his forehead against yours, and noticed that your eyes had taken on a new fire.

“Wow.” You whispered. Miguel could only nod. This had not been how he’d expected his day to go.

#miguel o'hara #atsv miguel #miguel o'hara x reader #atsv #spiderman 2099 x reader

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windvexer · 5 months

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On what I'm going to call "peer positioning" in witchcraft, and the scary empowerment it can bring you

I think a lot of people who get into witchcraft have a problem with being able to see themselves as peers & equals to the powers they cultivate around them.

I see this most often discussed when it comes to gods. "Just because your god asks you for something doesn't mean you need to do it!" Etc. I think we've all heard that.

But today my thoughts are on the tarot, and how some people seem to treat tarot readings as "the truth" or "the answer" that then must be followed, even if they (the living, breathing, human practitioner) don't really agree or don't really want to do that.

I'm really big on the analogy of a witch as a monarch, and the concept of various powers (like gods, spirits, tools, and spells) being counselors in the throne room.

In this context, it's easier to adopt the mindset that all of these powers have their own personalities, abilities, and goals - and that they can & will provide conflicting information when you ask for advice. (Especially ancestors - so opinionated!)

Imagine Captain Picard sitting in the meeting room with Geordi, Riker, and the rest of the space nerds.

Captain Picard is like, "the power core is failing and the away team is stranded on the planet. I think we should use the nebula to hide until the Gromflomites stop searching for us." And then Geordi is like, "but Captain, the engines would never make it! We have to go rescue the away team immediately!" And Captain Picard is like, "damn... Wow. I really wanted to go to the nebula, I thought it was the best choice :/ but if you're saying we literally don't have to worry about the Gromflomites..." Then Riker is like, "Captain, no. Geordi isn't saying the Gromflomites aren't a problem, he's just expressing his top concerns as Chief Engineer." And then Picard is all, "oh, so... this is conflicting information? Did that mean I did a bad reading on Geordi, or that negative spirits are stopping me from being able to communicate? Is Riker possibly a trickster?"

If you're captain of the ship, monarch of the kingdom, (etc.), then it might be important to ask yourself:

Am asking for input from my counsel of allied powers, and then making choices for myself?

Or, have I inadvertently signed over my decision-making process to these powers?

And I think it all kind of comes back to "peer positioning," or, witches being able to develop a spiritual framework within which they are equals to the powers around them.

Since beginning practicing witchcraft in earnest, I have often demanded a course of direction. Instead of asking, "how do I accomplish this?" I would ask, "what do I do?"

And the answer was the same every time, deeply infuriating, but also very scary: "Do whatever you think is best."

I think that's the problem of being the captain of the ship. Once your counselors are done giving their input, you are the one who has to make the final call.

Lately I've really been on a kick about witchcraft as a path of empowerment, and I think that viewing spiritual input as just that - input - is a vital part of the process.

Even if you are a true-blue believer in the magical power of tarot, tarot is still just one counselor sitting in your throne room.

Even if you have tutelary spirits, guardians and guides, gods and angels, providing blessings and support - they are not sitting at the head of the table.

You are.

I think that a framework of allied powers as peers and equals is relatively basic, and does have its flaws. But I also think it can be helpful in a variety of ways:

It can provide a system of understanding why allied powers can give conflicting advice, or even seemingly bad advice that doesn't align with our personal desires.

It can provide a tool for processing spiritual input.

It helps restore a sense of personal authority to a practitioner.

It can help a practitioner reclaim control of a path that's grown a mind of its own.

It aids in practicing that most oppressive of skills - liberated autonomy.

I just think it's something to consider. At the end of the day, most of us have probably got to make our own calls.

[I'm making this post because in the past few months I've been helping witches consult the tarot, and they've been giving feedback like, "so this is what I should do, right?" or, "what is it telling me to do?"

I can basically see the huge reblogs where people are explaining that a period of time where they signed complete personal autonomy over to their god was the most empowering and spiritually electric time in their lives,

and I want you to know, I'm not speaking about vows and oaths made to entities that gives them control over your life. I'm talking about situations where witches put down their autonomy so they can have both hands free to shuffle tarot.]

#witchcraft #witchblr

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writing-house-of-m · 9 months

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The Rescue

Wanda Maximoff x Reader

Genre: Fluff (mostly hurt/comfort)

Warnings: Talks of torture and hurting Wanda, nightmares, yelling at Steve, Civil War drama

Word count: 2446

Summary: You rescue Wanda from the Raft

A/N: This was supposed to just be rescuing Wanda from the Raft but I didn't know where to end it so it's a little bit more than that and very fluffy in my opinion 😌 Inspired by this post. Have fun reading and let me know what you think!

When you found out what happened after the announcement of the accords, to say you were angry was an understatement.

You had to leave before even getting to say your bit on why you wouldn't be signing any paper that had to do with the new contract. Through some gossip from a random agent on the mission you were a part of you found out about how out of control the whole situation had gotten.

As soon as you heard about the splitting of the team and that half of them were imprisoned on the Raft you left your post. You were thankful it was only the debrief left that you would miss, making it easier to approve your own dismissal, not caring how frowned upon it may be seen by your superiors.

It took many hours over several nights to calm Wanda down after the events of Lagos, convincing her she wasn't the bad guy. Even when you tried to explain to her, if it wasn't for her the blast would have been even more deadly and that Steve shouldn't have gotten distracted, she still blamed herself and the lack of control she had over her powers.

"Where is she?" You demand impatiently. After not getting an answer from Sam, you didn't care if he didn't know, you were beyond pissed at him too, you asked Clint, ignoring the new guy, who's name you learned was Scott.

When Clint tells you about his suspicions that Wanda was two floors below your current location you waste no time in getting down there.

You know why she was separated and put on a different floor from the others but it is still infuriating to you. The moment you find out whose decision it was to keep her isolated you would break some skulls. Right now you need to find her and you need to get her safe.

Speeding past empty cell after empty cell, you almost miss her.

Seeing her back facing the glass window separating you makes your heart break, more so when you can see she has been restrained. That, along with the collar around her neck does nothing to calm the adrenaline rushing through your veins.

Using the badge you acquired from a guard you knocked out when you first entered the prison, you easily gain access to the unit.

Wanda doesn't move an inch, making you afraid of what kind of state she is in. Slowly, you approach her, "Wanda?" Even when rounding her body, she still doesn't move. Her eyes are staring at a single spot on the ground.

Your eyebrows furrow in anguish seeing Wanda look so broken. Her sunken eyes and the red marks around her neck from the metal collar has you thinking of a million ways to torture the person who put her here.

Moving in front of her, you crouch down to meet her eye level, but she is frozen in place and your worry for her deepens.

You speak quietly, calmly, "Wanda, I'm going to unbuckle you. Starting with your arms, okay?" You are met with more silence.

Keeping your movements slow you continue to undo the restraints from her body. Seeing her like this makes you want to cry for the empty looking figure before you.

It was bad enough Wanda lost the innocence of her childhood to war, her adolescence and young adult life to regretful decisions and now, she continues to pay the price for the people around her.

You hear rushed footsteps coming from the direction you came. When you look up to the entrance of the cell you see Natasha and Steve. Stretching out your arm, you put your hand up and shake your head to stop them from coming any closer.

Steve taps the watch on his wrist, indicating you need to quicken your pace. The Raft's backup must be on its way. Despite knowing this the action still makes you want to wring Steve's throat, Wanda is here because he got her involved in his fight, shouting at him when you finally found him wasn't enough in your eyes.

There is no time for that now though, you are on your final task and need to concentrate on removing the metal ring from Wanda's neck.

The duo stay at the door keeping an eye out for any movement, letting you give your full attention to the broken woman in front of you.

Just as you have been doing so far, you dictate to Wanda your next move, trying to find a way to unlatch the collar. As your hands get closer to her face it is as if she finally snaps out of her trance grabbing your wrist out of reflex. Her eyes glaze over as if she is seeing you for the first time since you arrived.

"Y/n?" She asks, confused. Flicking between both your eyes trying to figure out if this is real or not.

"It's me, darling." Her grip loosens on you, allowing you to place a palm to her cheek. She leans into the touch a tear escaping her eye as you kiss her forehead, "I need to get this off so we can get you out of here," you whisper to her, afraid that if you talk too loud it may trigger her to panic.

"It hurts," Wanda whimpers, frowning. You feel the burn of tears that want to fill your eyes as well as a twinge in your chest indicating your heart breaking all over again for her.

"I know baby, I know. But we need to be quick, okay?"

She nods her head sluggishly and allows you to lower your hands to the device. The marks peeking out from behind the collar make you screw your face as if you can feel the soreness on your own skin.

You hear Natasha call your name, the urgency is evident in her voice so you quicken your pace while remaining careful.

As you make contact Wanda flinches and her breath hitches. You pause your movements, "It's okay, it's been disabled already. I just need to remove it," you say calmly. Wanda nods and keeps her eyes on you, trying to distract her thoughts about the possibility of getting shocked. She looks at your face full of concentration, two lines between your eyebrows where if it was any other situation she would rub them away.

When you get the collar off you see Wanda's shoulders lower as she releases a breath, "We really need to get out of here, love. Can you stand?" You ask, helping her from the ground.

She stands on shaky legs while you get her to lean her weight on you. Once she is up, you realise Wanda will not be able to make the run to the jet. In one swift movement you pick her up and begin your trek out of there.

With Steve leading the way and Natasha trailing you, the four of you rush towards the quinjet. There are sounds of guards trying to gain entry coming from behind you but you keep your eyes forward. You have every faith in Natasha's abilities to watch your back, the only thing on your mind is getting Wanda to safety.

You hear Natasha fire some shots from her gun when the sounds of a few soldiers make it through but you are already stepping onto the quinjet to even think about turning around to look.

All your attention is on Wanda, sitting her down you kneel in front of her while everyone around you is doing their best in defending and getting the jet ready for flight.

The front of your uniform is damp with her tears from when you carried her and even as the jet flies off Wanda's tears don't stop. Your arms are wrapped securely around her telling her she is okay now and that you will never leave her side ever again.

…

It is weeks later. Her dark circles have faded, her neck is almost back to its original color but the scars to her mental health will take longer to heal.

Wanda wasn't able to sleep the first few nights. Afraid a guard would wake her up with a shock from their electric baton or maybe banging on the glass not allowing her to sleep. For them it was some fun while working. You are glad you showed no mercy when you took down every one of those guards.

Ever since you arrived at the safe house you were currently in, somewhere in the countryside of Spain, you have been doting on Wanda hand and foot, making sure she was getting better.

As soon as you got the chance you yelled at Steve for including Wanda in his little disagreement with Tony and for not getting her out of that prison cell sooner.

When Natasha tried to stop you from lashing out, you lost it even more, 'No! He needs to hear this!' You shouted in Natasha's direction.

You laid into Steve about the fact that Bucky was safe now but at the cost of his teammates, the people who you considered were a family, but with the way this had all been handled this 'family' was in fact just a ticking time bomb.

It didn't stop there, you told Steve how selfish he acted, putting Clint and Scott under pressure with their families and how they were now dealing with the consequences while he runs off playing a hero. Putting Natasha and Sam on the most wanted list, it didn't matter to you that Nat made the decision on her own because it shouldn't have been something to make in the first place.

'And don't get me started on Tony and his ego!' You finished your rant. If it were possible, steam would have been pouring from your ears.

Since that day they have left the two of you alone. Mostly because you won't let Steve near Wanda. What you did allow was Natasha checking in on you both occasionally.

After about a week there you moved to an isolated house in the fields of Hungary where you have been residing until today.

Steve approaches you in the morning with an envelope, Natasha by his side while you and Wanda are eating cereal. New identities and tickets to get to Norway along with keys to your accommodation are all found in the brown packet.

You nod your head as Steve explains his plan, that is until he continues, "-and when things have settled down or when we need you again, we'll come to get you."

Swallowing the chewed cereal in your mouth harshly, your face is stern, "No." You snarl, teeth pressing together tightly.

Steve is taken aback by your response, a little confused, "What-"

Before he can start again you cut him off, "No, you won't come for us when you need us," you retort. "Wanda and I are done. After a little time in Norway, you won't find us," you conclude, telling them your plan to disappear ambiguously.

Having to watch Wanda suffer through nightmares and flinching at the slightest of noises, you voiced your idea to her. She told you that the thought had crossed her mind but she didn't want to take you away from the job you spent your whole life training for. But for you, Wanda was worth more and meant more than anything else you had ever prepared yourself for in the past.

It was a decision you and Wanda finalised days ago, sick of getting your hands dirty for other people. It was time you thought of yourselves and the life you wanted to build together.

Steve sighs and looks down, you know he would do the same if he could. He looks over the two of you and nods his head, understandingly.

The rest of the day passes by with you all packing your things ready to leave before nightfall. You have butterflies in your stomach when you realise this will be your toughest mission yet; trying to live a normal life. Your nerves are settled whenever you look over at Wanda doing minor tasks, a soft smile gracing her face when she catches your eyes lingering, reminding yourself that everything you have done has led you to her and she is the best thing to have ever happened to you. Despite your rocky start when she warped your mind.

As you hug Steve and Natasha goodbye everything feels very real, saying goodbye to the two people who you consider your closest family after practically growing up with them. There would never be any hard feelings against them, just tough decisions to make.

The nervous feeling is back in your stomach until Wanda takes hold of your hand while you wait for the jet to land. You wave one last time to the people you are leaving behind and take your first steps on the vehicle into your new life.

…

Two years. That is how long you and Wanda have been moving from place to place. From Denmark and Poland to Cyprus and Egypt, you were making your way around.

Now, you have settled in a little town in Edinburgh which, if you were being honest with yourself, you could see yourself raising a family here.

It is cold compared to some of the places you have been in the time you two have been separated from the Avengers but it is cosy and because of the rain you have found yourself inside snoozing the day away.

Your head is resting in Wanda's lap as she reads a book. When you wake up and see Wanda still reading you smile lazily as you stretch. Noticing your movements Wanda puts down the book on the coffee table with her other hand still on your head.

Her fingers thread through your hair and you hum in content, "Morning sleepyhead," Wanda mumbles into your forehead before she deposits a kiss there, making you scoff.

"I feel so lazy, we should have done something today," you say, groggily, your voice heavy with sleep.

"Maybe after dinner we can walk through the town. It's supposed to be a full moon tonight," Wanda strokes your hair back making your eyes droop and close from the calming action.

"Yeah, that will be nice," you reply with a silly smile on your face, "it already sounds beautiful."

What you didn't know was taking that stroll in the evening would have you back into the life you let go two years ago. With an alien searching for powerful stones you didn't know existed and a catastrophic outcome no one could have predicted.

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perfectsunlight · 6 months

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( 𝟮𝟮 ) ✏ 𝗶 𝗸𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗲

𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀: manipulation, mentions of sex

𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀: 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘃𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲

kim minjeong never broke rules. she would color in the lines, look both ways before crossing, and followed instructions to the letter.

for minjeong, rules provided a sense of security. they created boundaries within which she could navigate life, making decisions based on logic and order rather than impulsivity. the structure assured her she was on the right path. breaking rules felt like stepping into the unknown, a territory fraught with risks and uncertainties.

it was unsafe. minjeong liked playing it safe. she couldn’t get into trouble if she followed the rules.

trouble, in all of its forms, was something she tended to avoid. until she met the personified version — a girl named kiran kwon.

from the moment kiran walked into the first lecture of the semester, minjeong knew she was going to be nothing but trouble.

“this seat taken?” minjeong couldn’t even finish forming a response before kiran took a seat next to her. kiran plopped down in the seat and rested her feet against the chair in front of her. she yawned and stretched her arms before resting her head back against her arms.

“um,” minjeong stuttered as she tried to process what just happened. “i don’t think that’s allowed.”

the brunette turned her head to look at the other girl, a small grin playing on her lips. “oh yeah? says who?”

the scholarly girl was at a loss for words. she truly didn’t know how to respond to the girl sitting next to her. caught between disbelief and intrigue, minjeong couldn't help but study kiran. there was an air of nonchalance about her, and it rubbed minjeong the wrong way. but it was a quality that both fascinated and bewildered her.

she didn’t know trouble could look so good, either.

“i just... i mean, we're in a classroom,” minjeong finally managed to say, her voice a little stronger, though uncertainty still lingered in her tone. “there’s etiquette, like the unspoken rules.”

kiran arched a perfect eyebrow towards the scholar before chuckling. “and are you the enforcer of these rules?”

fortunately minejeong didn’t have to come up with a response because the professor began speaking. the entire lecture was going in one ear and out the other. all she could focus on was the girl next to her.

that, and the fact that the professor had announced that their current seats would be the seating chart for the rest of the semester.

minjeong didn’t think much of it at the time. she simply wanted to focus on school and the upcoming student council elections. it was only freshman year, but her only goal for the year was landing a spot in the student council.

but kiran was making that goal very difficult to focus on.

“morning, loser.” the arrogant girl said as she sat down in her desk, resting her head on her chin as she looked at the girl next to her.

minjeong could only roll her eyes, huffing in annoyance. she just wanted to focus on her class, not the girl who was constantly flicking her during lecture.

“hello, kiran.” she mumbled in defeat, focusing on only the professor setting up his slideshow. kiran seemed to take great pleasure in teasing minjeong, whether it was passing snarky notes during lectures or playfully stealing her pen during exams.

as the weeks passed, minjeong found herself reluctantly drawn into kiran's orbit. there was something magnetic about the way kiran carried herself, a confidence that bordered on arrogance, yet minjeong couldn't deny the spark of intelligence that lurked behind those teasing eyes. she was infuriating, yet undeniably intriguing.

one day, after enduring yet another round of kiran's playful jabs, minjeong finally snapped. "why do you always have to bother me?" she blurted out, her frustration getting the best of her.

kiran merely grinned, seemingly unfazed by minjeong's outburst. "because it's fun," she replied, her tone playful. "besides, you're not like the other students here. you're different. it's refreshing."

minjeong frowned, not entirely sure how to interpret kiran's words. she had been called many things before – dedicated, hardworking, driven – but "different" was a new descriptor. as much as she wanted to ignore kiran's antics, she couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to the rebellious girl than met the eye.

despite her better judgment, minjeong found herself engaging in conversations with kiran in class.

it had been weeks of this, and minjeong had to continually ask her friends for their notes in class because she was too busy being distracted by kiran’s presence. she didn’t think it was too much of a problem until she noticed her loss of focus continuing outside of the classroom.

“min? are you listening?” ningning asked as she waved her hand in front of her face. snapping out of her daydreaming, minjeong shifted her focus to her best friend. “sorry, what were you saying?”

the chinese girl furrowed her brows as she leaned forward. “what were you thinking about?” ning teased with a smile. “is it kiran?”

“huh?!” minjeong said in disbelief as her cheeks flushed. “what?”

ningning laughed, clearly enjoying minjeong's flustered reaction. “come on, unnie. it's so obvious. ever since kiran showed up, you've been acting all weird and distracted. i've seen the way you look at her.”

minjeong stammered, trying to come up with a denial, but the words caught in her throat. the truth was, she couldn't deny that kiran was a distraction. but that was all she was, just a simple distraction.

“okay, fine,” minjeong admitted, her shoulders slumping in defeat. “she’s just…interesting.”

ningning grinned knowingly. “well, they do say that opposites attract.” minjeong’s eyes narrowed at the chinese girl for a moment. “i said she was interesting, not that i was interested.”

the younger girl rolled her eyes playfully before going back to poster designing for both of their campaigns. minjeong was running for vice president, and ning was running for secretary. the two had been helping each other out with posters and practicing speeches.

“just be careful, unnie.” ning said after a few minutes of silence, a pair of scissors in hand as she glanced up at her older friend. “i’ve heard things about her…”

minjeong's brows furrowed in concern. “what kind of things?” she asked, her curiosity piqued despite her attempt to sound uninterested. she didn’t look up from the tape she was holding, fearing her red cheeks would betray her if she moved.

yizhuo’s cutting faltered for a moment before she forced a bubbly smile. “i don’t think it’s important. they’re just rumors after all.” she kept cutting for a few seconds before pausing to spare a glance at her friend. “i’ve heard that she’s not the best, is all.”

the candidate for vice president shrugged her shoulders, still not looking up. “i know.” minjeong smiled a little, grateful for her friend's concern. “but still, i promise, yizhuo. i'll be careful regardless.”

trouble had many forms, but so did love. however, the latter confused her more than the former did.

love was confusing for her, and the only other time she had heard the word used so much was at her brother’s funeral.

“we love you so much, minjeong. i’m so sorry.” “your brother was loved.” “we love you and your family.”

the word “love” was always followed with the word “sorry.” kiran was no exception to this.

their interactions were always a rollercoaster of emotions for minjeong. she felt a mixture of exhilaration and trepidation whenever she was around. kiran's magnetic presence seemed to pull her in, and despite her best efforts to resist, she found herself captivated by her carelessness.

kiran didn’t care, and minjeong guessed she liked that.

“what are you doing after this class?” kiran whispered, glancing at the candidate for vice president with a small smile. minjeong turned her head slightly to make eye contact with the girl next to her, ignoring the flutter in her stomach.

“uh,” she fidgeted with her notepad before glancing back down. “nothing. why?”

the brunette’s smile widened as she leaned closer, her voice barely audible over the noise of the classroom. “how about we grab a coffee together? there's this new café around the corner.”

minjeong hesitated for a moment, her mind racing with conflicting thoughts. she knew of the more recent rumors that followed kiran, the stories of her fleeting romances and broken hearts.

yet, there was an undeniable charm about her that intrigued minjeong, and it made it difficult to resist the invitation.

“i have to study,” she replied as she started putting her pencil pouch away, trying to sound nonchalant despite the racing of her heart. a mix of excitement and apprehension coursed through her veins. kiran gently pulled the chair minjeong was sitting in closer.

“i thought you said you weren’t doing anything after this?”

minjeong felt her cheeks flush as kiran's words hung in the air, her heart pounding in her chest. caught in a moment of vulnerability, she hesitated before finally meeting kiran's gaze, her eyes searching for sincerity.

“i do need to study,” minjeong stammered, her voice wavering slightly. “but i guess a coffee wouldn't hurt.”

“good. don’t be such a nerd. besides,” kiran's smile widened into a grin, her eyes sparkling with amusement. “i knew you wouldn’t say no,” she said, her confidence infectious.

as the classroom emptied, minjeong found herself walking beside kiran, the flutter in her stomach refusing to subside. the bustling energy of the campus faded into the background as they made their way to the café.

the autumn leaves crunched beneath their feet as they walked side by side. minjeong studied the way each leaf sounded differently when crushed, choosing to focus on that instead of the beating of her heart.

maybe if she looked up she would have seen the way kiran was eyeing the other girls they walked past.

to minjeong, it seemed like an ordinary walk to a coffee shop, but to kiran, it was a game she had played many times before.

as they entered the café, the warm aroma of coffee enveloped them. they settled into a corner table, and kiran continued to maintain her charming facade.

“so,” kiran’s velvety voice rang out as she tilted minjeong’s face towards her. “you’re running for vice president?”

minjeong's heart skipped a beat as kiran's fingers gently brushed against her cheek, her touch soft and inviting. “yes.” she rushed out quickly, ignoring the way her own voice sounded to her.

kiran’s chuckle echoed in the other girl’s ears as she brushed a piece of her hair behind her ear. “i think its cute that you do such boring things like that.”

minjeong blushed, caught off guard by kiran's teasing compliment. she tried to maintain her composure, but kiran's charm was disarming, leaving her feeling both flustered and strangely captivated.

“uh, thank you?” minjeong mumbled, her cheeks tinged with a deeper shade of red. she shifted in her seat, attempting to regain her confidence. “so, what about you? are you involved in any student activities?”

kiran's smile widened, green eyes twinkling with mischief. “you really think i care about that stuff?” she replied cryptically, her tone playful. “i do things outside of school. mostly just volunteering at the animal shelter.”

minjeong's curiosity piqued at kiran's unexpected revelation. “the animal shelter?” she echoed, her eyebrows lifting in surprise. “that sounds interesting. i didn’t think you’d be involved in something like that.”

the taller girl’s playful demeanor softened into enthusiasm. “absolutely,” she said, her eyes lighting up. “i just love helping animals.”

the small insight into kiran’s life intrigued minjeong. it was like there were layers to the other girl, and she found herself itching to peel back the next ones.

how could the arrogant girl who sat next to her every other day also help animals find forever homes?

“that's really cool,” minjeong said, a genuine smile tugging at her lips. “animals have a way of bringing out the best in people.”

kiran's eyes softened, and for a moment, minjeong glimpsed a vulnerability beneath the surface. “animals don't judge,” kiran said, her voice carrying a hint of emotion. “they love unconditionally, and helping them find homes where they can be safe and loved...it's fulfilling.”

the presidential candidate nodded, feeling a newfound respect for the arrogant girl in front of her. she realized that there was so much more to kiran than met the eye. the pair continued talking for hours, to the point where the shop owner had to tell them to get going because they were going to close up shop.

minjeong blushed as she let kiran drag her by the arm and into her car, mentally thanking the night sky for hiding her reddened skin. “where are we going?” she raised an eyebrow at the taller girl for a moment, who just flashed her green eyes at her in response.

“somewhere.”

the night was cool, the darkness broken only by the soft glow of streetlights as kiran drove in silence. minjeong felt a mixture of excitement and curiosity, wondering where they were headed. as they drove further away from the city, minjeong's anticipation grew, her mind filled with endless possibilities.

after what felt like an eternity, they arrived at a quiet, dimly lit street. kiran parked the car and turned to minjeong with a mischievous smile. “we're here.”

minjeong's curiosity piqued even further as kiran led her down a narrow path, surrounded by shadows and the distant sounds of crickets. they reached a gate, and kiran pushed it open, revealing a small, cozy animal shelter nestled behind a few buildings.

minjeong's eyes widened in surprise. “an animal shelter? at this hour?” she asked, her voice filled with amusement. “is this even allowed?”

kiran nodded, her eyes sparkling with excitement. “yes, they always need someone to spend time with the animals, especially at night. besides, i work here, so it’s not like we’re breaking in.”

they entered the shelter, and minjeong was greeted by the soft barks and wagging tails of the resident dogs. the taller girl led her to a room filled with a few puppies, their eyes shining with innocence as a few of them stirred from their slumber.

“pick any dog you like,” kiran said, her voice gentle. “we can wear them out so they can sleep better.”

minjeong hesitated for a moment before kneeling down to pet a small, energetic puppy with floppy ears. the puppy licked her hand, its tail wagging furiously. the kim girl smiled, feeling an overwhelming sense of joy and warmth fill her heart.

the two spent the next hour and a half playing with a few of the energetic puppies, laughing to themselves as they just simply existed in the moment.

after what felt like forever, the puppies eventually fell asleep from exhaustion, and the pair of students made their way back towards kiran’s car.

“you looked cold.” kiran said as she swung her jacket off her shoulders and draped it over minjeong.

minjeong shook her head, feeling a sense of warmth not just from kiran's jacket but from the night they had shared. “oh,” she said, her voice soft and filled with gratitude. “thanks.”

the brunette smiled, her eyes softening as she looked at the slightly smaller girl. for once, minjeong didn’t see the usual arrogant smirk on the taller girl’s face.

as they stood beside the car, kiran hesitated for a moment before taking a step closer to minjeong. the night air between them, filled with only the ambiance of crickets and the soft breeze blowing.

“minjeong,” kiran said, her voice barely above a whisper. “i’m not really good with words but…”

before she could finish her sentence, kiran gently cupped minjeong's face in her hands and leaned in, pressing her lips against minjeong's in a soft, tender kiss. time seemed to stand still as minjeong felt a rush of emotions flood through her, a mix of surprise, warmth, and a deep, inexplicable connection.

the kiss was gentle and fleeting, yet it held an unspoken promise of something more, something that went beyond the confines of friendship. when they pulled away, their eyes met, and minjeong saw a vulnerability in kiran's gaze, a raw honesty that mirrored her own feelings.

“i've wanted to do that for a while,” kiran admitted, her voice mumbling a bit as she scanned the other girl’s face for any sign of rejection. “i hope that’s okay.”

minjeong didn’t remember what came over her, but she remembered pushing kiran into her car with her lips against hers. the kiss deepened, their hearts racing each moment filled with an overwhelming desire that neither of them could deny. kiran responded with equal fervor, her hands finding their way to minjeong's waist, pulling her closer in the already crammed space.

“it's more than okay,” minjeong whispered, her voice husky with emotion. “i think i wanted this too.”

a small smile lit up kiran's face, her eyes shining with unspoken affection. as they caught their breath, minjeong gently traced her fingers along kiran's jawline, memorizing the contours of her face. she knew others had done the same, ning had made her a list.

but minjeong didn’t care at the moment. she knew this was a bad idea, this was going against the rules, this was coloring outside of the lines.

she knew she shouldn’t. but god did she want to.

the next morning, minjeong told ning what had happened and the younger girl had screamed so loud in the library she thought the windows were going to explode.

minjeong winced as ning's scream pierced the otherwise quiet atmosphere of the library. heads turned, and curious glances were thrown in their direction. minjeong gestured for ning to calm down, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment. “ning, please, not so loud! people are staring!”

ning, wide-eyed and mortified, couldn't contain her concern. “unnie, are you stupid?" she squeaked, her voice still loud enough to draw disapproving glares from nearby students.

minjeong sighed, her face turning even redder. she lowered her voice, trying to salvage what was left of their dignity. “it's complicated.”

the chinese girl shot her older friend a disapproving stare before shaking her head and plopping down in a nearby chair. “well, we can’t focus on that right now. we’ve got our speeches to give, and i for one need to make sure my outfit is perfect.”

minjeong rolled her eyes playfully before giving her a small smile. “i think every pink dye in the world went into your outfit, ningning.”

“good! it will make people remember me better.” she said matter of factly as she paced around, mumbling her rehearsed speech over and over again.

ning was nervous. she acted confident, as usual, but minjeong knew her best friend was nervous.

“you'll do great, ning,” minjeong said, reaching out to squeeze her friend's hand reassuringly. “and your outfit will definitely make a statement.”

yizhuo grinned, her nervous energy momentarily pushed aside by her best friend’s encouraging words. “thanks, unnie. i'll try my best,” she replied, her determination flickering in her eyes.

with a deep breath, minjeong gathered her own composure. “we both will. let's focus on giving our best speeches. and afterward, we can deal with... the complicated situation.”

ning nodded, her gaze softening with understanding. “you're right. we've got this.”

as the time for their speeches approached, minjeong and ning stood side by side backstage, their friendship grounding them amidst the nervous energy of the room.

minjeong spoke eloquently about her vision for the student council, emphasizing unity, empathy, and understanding among the student body. her words resonated with the audience, drawing them in with her sincerity.

afterwards, the kim girl made her way to the nearby exit to get a breath of fresh air. she stared out at the student parking lot as the sun slowly set, catching her breath after the speech she gave.

“good job, nerd.”

minejong whipped around as she saw kiran leaning against a nearby wall, cigarette in hand as she smiled at the presidential candidate.

she couldn't help but roll her eyes at kiran's teasing remark. “smoking on school grounds isn’t allowed,” she replied, her tone light despite the flutter of nerves in her stomach.

kiran took a drag from her cigarette, the orange glow casting a soft light on her face. “i just complimented you and you’re telling me off?”

minjeong chuckled, her nerves slowly giving way to a playful spirit. “i can multitask, you know,” she chuckled, taking a step closer to kiran.

kiran's smile widened, and she let her cigarette drop to the ground, grinding it out with her heel. she leaned in closer, their faces mere inches apart. “you're something else, minjeong,” she whispered, her voice husky.

the distance between them closed as kiran pulled the younger girl in for a deep kiss. minjeong's fingers found their way into kiran’s hair, holding her close as their kiss deepened, their mouths moving in a slow, sensual rhythm.

when they finally pulled away, breathless and flushed with desire, their eyes met in an unspoken understanding.

“i guess here’s another rule we're breaking,” kiran murmured, a mischievous glint in her eyes. minjeong could only smile as she let the older girl drag her to her car.

minjeong missed ningning’s campaign speech because she was too busy in the backseat of kiran’s car.

the following week, ning spent a lot of time hunting down minjeong. her best friend had been oddly quiet, and the chinese girl was well aware of the fact that her friend had missed her speech.

kiran kwon was minjeong’s first ever girlfriend. but ningning knew her best friend was getting deeper into trouble with the girl who was known for nothing but trouble itself.

but kiran’s eyes were rose colored glasses, and minjeong couldn’t see any wrong when she looked into them.

“kim minjeong!”

the chinese girl in a pink skirt and matching hoodie stomped her way towards the presidential candidate, who was standing next to the infamous kiran kwon.

ningning's voice sliced through the air, sharp and filled with frustration. minjeong turned, her eyes widening in surprise at her friend's angry approach. kiran, unfazed by the tension, simply crossed her arms, her expression unyielding.

“hi?” minjeong said softly, her voice hesitant. “what’s going on?”

“you missed my speech, unnie!” ning’s eyes were ablaze with a mixture of hurt and anger. “i thought we were supposed to support each other. you've been avoiding me, and i know it's because of her,” she said, pointing her pink painted nail at kiran.

minjeong shifted uncomfortably under ningning's accusatory gaze. “ningy, it's not like that,” she began, her voice faltering.

yizhuo scoffed, her frustration bubbling over. “not like that? you're throwing away our friendship for her! she's trouble,” she hissed before getting pushed slightly by kiran.

“i don’t think that’s very nice, ning yizhuo.” kiran said in feigned innocence, giving the chinese girl a small smile.

“oh, you want to talk about being nice?” yizhuo scoffed as she glared at the taller girl. “tell minjeong where you were this weekend.”

the mentioned girl’s eyes widened in surprise at her best friend’s accusation. she turned her gaze towards kiran, her heart pounding in her chest. “what's she talking about, kiran?” minjeong's voice wavered with uncertainty.

kiran hesitated for a moment, her eyes flickering with guilt before she composed herself, a mask of indifference settling on her features. “i was just at a friend's place, i told you that already, baby,” she said casually, avoiding minjeong's eyes.

ningning crossed her arms, her expression skeptical. “funny, because i saw her at a party on saturday night with choi jisu sitting in her lap,” she retorted, her tone cutting.

minjeong's heart sank at ningning's words. she felt a mix of disappointment and betrayal, unable to comprehend why kiran would lie to her. “is that true?” minjeong asked, her voice barely above a whisper, directed at kiran.

kiran looked away, a hint of annoyance flickering in her eyes before she regained her composure. “ningning must be mistaken. i wasn't at any party,” she said, her tone convincing.

“unnie,” ning said in a frustrated sigh, stomping her foot for emphasis. “come with me right now. i will show you the pictures.”

minjeong's heart was torn between the friend she had known for years and the girl who had ignited a passionate but confusing connection within her. as ningning urged her to go see the pictures, she hesitated, torn by the choices before her.

kiran, noticing minjeong's inner conflict, decided to take a different approach. she sighed, her expression softening as she met minjeong's eyes. "look, minjeong, i was at a party, but i promise, nothing happened. i was just there with some friends," she admitted, her voice filled with sincerity.

ningning was still agitated, but she recognized the shift in kiran's tone. "let's just go check the pictures, minjeong. then you can decide for yourself," she suggested, a hint of worry in her voice.

minjeong nodded, her heart heavy with uncertainty. she couldn't ignore the evidence presented by her best friend, but she also wanted to hear kiran's side of the story. “okay, where are the pictures,” she said, her voice determined.

the youngest hesitated for a moment, “well i took them on my film camera so i have to get them developed…”

“see?” kiran was quick to scoff at ning. “she’s just reaching.”

ningning clenched her fists, her frustration mounting. "i'm not making this up, kiran. i saw you with my own eyes," she shot back, her voice firm despite the trembling in her hands. minjeong watched the exchange, feeling a knot tighten in her stomach. the tension in the room was palpable, and she struggled to make sense of the conflicting accounts before her.

the trust she had in both ningning and kiran was unraveling, leaving her feeling adrift and uncertain. kiran rolled her eyes dismissively, her confident facade momentarily faltering as she glanced at her girlfriend. “babe, you know me. i wouldn't lie to you,” she said, her voice carrying a hint of desperation. minjeong sighed, her head throbbing with the weight of the situation. “i need time to think,” she said, her voice wavering. “i can't make a decision right now. and i need to focus on tomorrow.”

the election results would be announced tomorrow morning. minjeong didn’t need this mess right now.

minjeong couldn’t distinguish “vice president” from “girlfriend,” and kiran only ever wanted the latter.

truth be told, kiran didnt care about the election. she found minjeong’s obsession with academics truly a turn off, and more boring than watching paint dry. but she forced herself to accept the “lousey” conversations in favor of getting to sleep with the future student council member.

but minjeong would never know that. kiran wouldn’t say it out loud. at least, not to her directly. but to a group of strangers at a party?

she just might.

minjeong spent the rest of her day pacing around her room, anxiousness from everything in her life surfacing. she had about 100 missed calls from ning, but none from her girlfriend.

torn between the duties of a presidential candidate and the emotions of a confused teenager, minjeong found herself unable to focus on anything other than the looming election results and the tangled web of relationships surrounding her. she knew that her decision could have far-reaching consequences, not only for her personal life but also for the student council and the school's atmosphere.

in the early hours of the morning, after a sleepless night filled with doubts and indecision, minjeong stood in front of her mirror, her reflection appearing weary and conflicted. her phone buzzed with a new message, and she hesitated before picking it up. it was from kiran.

i'm sorry abt last night. i didn't mean to upset u

the message was lacking the sincerity minjeong longed for.

gritting her teeth, minjeong replied, “we'll talk later. i have to focus on the election right now.”

it wasn’t until minjeong heard the knock on her door that made her sigh in defeat. she knew from the annoying pattern of knocking that kiran was outside.

with a heavy heart, minjeong opened the door, and there stood kiran, her expression a mix of concern and uncertainty. "can we talk?" kiran asked softly, her eyes searching minjeong's face for a sign of understanding.

minjeong nodded, allowing kiran to enter her room. the atmosphere between them was charged with unspoken emotions. kiran hesitated for a moment before speaking.

“i didn't mean to lie to you, baby. i care about you, and i didn't want to upset you. but i also didn't want to lose you. i messed up, and i'm sorry.”

minjeong sighed, her shoulders slumping with exhaustion. “i don't know what to believe anymore, kiran. i trusted you, but i also trust ningning. i need honesty, especially now.”

kiran took a step closer, her eyes pleading for understanding. “i'll be honest with you. no more lies. i care about you too much to lose you over something like this.”

a few moments of silence passed between them before the presidential candidate spoke again. “kiran?” minjeong asked softly, eyes hesitant and conveying a plethora of emotion.

“have you heard the rumors about you and jisu?”

the taller girl’s expression flickered with surprise, but she quickly composed herself. “rumors? what are you talking about, baby?” she asked, her voice steady, but her eyes darting away for a split second before meeting the other girl’s gaze again.

minjeong's brow furrowed, suspicion creeping into her eyes. “there are whispers around school, kiran. i’ve heard people, who are not just ning, saying you and jisu have been spending a lot of time together, more than just friends,” minjeong said cautiously, watching kiran's reaction carefully.

kiran's smile seemed forced, her eyes searching minjeong's face. “babe, you know how rumors are. people talk without knowing the truth,” she said, her tone convincing, but minjeong couldn’t help but feel unease.

she wanted to believe kiran, wanted to trust her completely, but doubt lingered like a shadow.

“i need you to be honest with me, kiran. can you do that?” minjeong's voice wavered, revealing the depth of her vulnerability.

the taller girl gently cupped minjeong’s face, looking into the younger girl’s eyes. “i love you, i would never lie to you.”

kim minjeong had never felt this way before. those 3 words were supposed to feel euphoric, to feel right. neither of those things felt like this.

“i love you too, kiran,” minjeong replied, her voice soft and shaky. “but i need to be sure. i need to know that i can trust you completely.”

her green eyes softened, her thumb gently brushing against her girlfriend’s cheek. “you can, baby. i promise i'll prove it to you,” she said carelessly. “now let’s go, you’re going to be late for the result reading. i’ll drive you.”

when ning saw kiran and her best friend walking into the gymnasium together, it took everything in her to not ruin her perfectly pressed pink blazer by strangling kiran with it.

despite her frustration and suspicion, ningning decided to focus on supporting minjeong.

kiran, on the other hand, seemed completely unfazed by the tension in the air. she wore her signature confident smile, her arm around minjeong as they walked.

the school principal stepped up to the podium, capturing everyone's attention. the room fell silent as the results were about to be revealed. minjeong's heart pounded in her chest, and she clutched kiran's hand tightly one last time, before moving to take a seat on the stage.

ning took her seat on the opposite end, not wanting to risk the chance of having the sudden urge to swing at her best friend on stage.

“and now, the moment you've all been waiting for,” the principal announced, her voice echoing through the gymnasium. “this year’s new student council secretary is…”

the tension was palpable as the principal opened the envelope containing the results. ningning, seated on the opposite side of the stage, exchanged a knowing glance with minjeong. both of them held their breath, waiting for the verdict.

“ning yizhuo!”

ningning shot up so quickly as she squealed and bowed in every direction, waving as she took to the podium to give a quick congratulatory speech with an outfit even more pink than her former one.

minjeong felt guilty, since all she could focus on was her girlfriend’s figure slipping through the exit with a girl’s hand in hers. she tried to push the nagging thoughts away, telling herself that she needed to focus on ningning's achievement right now.

her best friend had won, and minjeong should be silently celebrating with her.

with a forced smile, minjeong turned her attention back to the back of ning’s pink figure, clapping along with the rest of the students as her best friend finished her speech. despite her efforts to be present, her mind kept drifting back to kiran and the mysterious girl she had left with.

she was only brought back to the present after the principal announced the election results for vice president.

“your student council vice president will be…” the woman smiled as she read out loud the name next to the new title. “kim minjeong!”

the cheers were all muffled to her, except for a very loudly screaming chinese girl that sat only 8 feet away from her.

as the newly appointed vice president stood at the podium to give her congratulatory speech, her eyes scanned the crowd briefly.

her mother wasn’t there. nor her father, or her girlfriend.

“i love you, kim minjeong!” yizhuo whisper-yelled from behind her.

but she had ningning.

minjeong smiled softly, as she heard ning’s numerous cheers of encouragement from behind her. “i’d like to thank the student body for their generous votes,” she spoke into the mic with a small smile still on her lips. “but most of all, i’d like to thank my best friend, and your new secretary, ning yizhuo.”

more applause erupted from the crowd as minjeong took a quick glance back at her best friend before resuming. “i promise to serve you all and give my best to this calling. thank you so much, go tigers!”

after the speeches, minjeong made her way through the jubilant crowd, congratulating ningning and her other fellow council members. however, her heart wasn't in it. she felt a gnawing sense of unease, wondering where kiran had gone and who the other girl was.

"hey, where did you go after the announcement? is everything okay?" she typed, her fingers trembling slightly.

minutes turned into an agonizing hour as she waited for a response, walking around in circles.

“come on unnie,” ning said as she dragged the older girl by the arm. “president jimin unnie is throwing a party at her place to celebrate. everyone is going, and we should go too!” she said with a knowing smile.

minjeong didn’t even get a chance to refuse before the chinese girl had dragged her across the street and down the block to yu jimin’s party.

the atmosphere at jimin's party was lively, with music blaring and students dancing and chatting animatedly. minjeong tried her best to immerse herself in the festivities, attempting to push aside the nagging worry about kiran. she joined in on the laughter and celebrations, but her mind kept drifting back to the unanswered message she had sent earlier.

as the night wore on, minjeong decided to step outside for some fresh air. she found a quiet spot in the backyard, away from the noise of the party. leaning against a fence, she took out her phone and checked for any new messages. there it was, a response from kiran, but minjeong's heart sank as she read the words.

just hanging out w a friend. don't worry abt me, babe. enjoy ur victory party. i'll talk to u later.

something in kiran's message felt off, but minjeong couldn't pinpoint what it was. she hesitated for a moment before deciding to trust her girlfriend's words and rejoined the party, trying to put her worries aside.

half an hour passed by and minjeong went to the bathroom, only to stop dead in her tracks at the scene in front of her.

her girlfriend was leaning against the wall with choi jisu’s lips on hers.

heartache wasn’t something minjeong thought could be felt twice. she felt it once when she lost her brother, and yet here she was feeling it again.

it was as if the ground had crumbled beneath her feet, leaving her suspended in a void of betrayal and despair. she couldn't tear her eyes away from the sight before her, the image of kiran and jisu entwined haunting her like a nightmare she couldn't escape.

every word kiran had ever said, every touch they had shared, now felt like a cruel mockery. the love she thought she had found had turned into a cruel deception, leaving her feeling raw and vulnerable. the realization hit her like a tidal wave, threatening to drown her in a sea of her own heartbreak.

ningning had followed her best friend when she saw her wander off, and now was witnessing minjeong's devastation.

she pulled her into a tight hug, providing a comforting presence amidst the storm of emotions. “i'm so sorry, unnie. you deserve so much better than this,” she whispered, her voice filled with genuine empathy.

minjeong clung to the younger girl, her tears soaking into her shoulder. “i thought she loved me," she sobbed out, her voice breaking with each word.

ningning held her even tighter, offering silent support. there were no words that could mend minjeong's shattered heart, but in that moment, the presence of her best friend was a lifeline, grounding her amidst the devastation.

the newly appointed secretary looked around before pulling minjeong into a spot outside, away from everyone at the party to spare her friend’s dignity.

the chinese girl let her friend sob against her for over an hour and a half. she let minjeong release the pain she had been holding in, allowing her friend's tears to flow freely without judgment or interruption. the night air was cool against their skin, but ningning's presence provided a comforting warmth for both her body and soul.

“i knew she was trouble,” minjeong's voice was hoarse from crying, her words barely audible through her sobs. her heartache echoed in the stillness of the night, the weight of betrayal pressing down on her. “i should have listened to you.”

ning gently rubbed minjeong's back, her touch conveying understanding and empathy that words could not. “love blinds us," she murmured, her voice soft as the bass from inside boomed loudly.

"it's not your fault, unnie. we all make mistakes when our hearts are involved."

minjeong nodded weakly, her fingers gripping the fabric of ningning's ruined pink outfit as if holding onto a lifeline. (ning didn’t mind though, only because it was her best friend.)

“why couldn’t i just leave?” she whispered, her voice filled with a mix of sorrow and disbelief. “i knew better…”

ningning pulled back slightly, her hands cupping minjeong's tear-streaked face, forcing her to meet her gaze. “you can’t blame yourself for that, especially since she lied, unnie.”

minjeong nodded again, her eyes searching ningning's for solace. “but it hurts, yizhuo. it hurts so much.”

yizhuo’s gaze softened, her thumb gently brushing away a stray tear from her friend’s cheek. “i know. just let yourself feel the pain now, but promise me you won't let it consume you. you’re better than that.”

minjeong let out a shaky breath, the weight of her best friend's words sinking in. “thank you, ning.”

as the two sat there, the kim girl could only think about how she never wanted to feel this again. if this was love, minjeong never wanted to feel it again.

she should have known that love never lasted, her parents taught her that years ago. but she was naive enough to think she could find her own version of love that didn’t end.

“yizhuo,” the vice president whispered, swallowing dryly as she let out a shaky breath. “i don't know what i'd do without you.”

ningning grinned, her eyes filled with unwavering determination. “you'll never have to find out. and even when you find someone who’s perfect for you, i’ll still be there.” she gave her best friend a sudden serious tone as she continued.

“unless they don’t like pink, then i don’t think i can give my approval.”

and all minjeong could do was laugh softly. maybe one day she’d believe in love again, but as long as she had ning, she’d always be okay with or without it.

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CLOSED.

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