#nine DESERVES to win no matter what | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

eunoiathewriter · 1 year

Note

hi <3, i am a big fan of your writing for xavier and i wanted to request something!

maybe one where the reader is in the fencing club too and she is like the best (but stil very nice) and xavier has a big crush on her? and when they fence togeher he always loses but he enjoys, when she’s happy, so he doesn’t care?

and if thats not to much, she loses against him once (bcs shes sick or like flustered around him) and he is confused/worried and idk but they confess?

<33

X. THORPE X F!READER

Sypnosis: When it came to fencing, she was good, but fencing against him made it hard to keep up and not get flustered.

Word count: 2.4k

Xavier watched without looking away; he was always going to be amazed at her skill. y/n never lost to any of the other fencers.No matter how many times she fought against any of them or they against her, she was always able to win, and they were never able to win.

What had made y/n a bit special, however, was how kind she was about it all. No matter who her opponent was, she would compliment them and their skill, and anyone who dared to say anything negative about their fencing to her would be met with an immediate protest. She was gracious towards everyone, never wanting people to see her as above them.

Sometimes Xavier even thought she was a bit too gracious towards people who did not deserve her respect. He remembered a guy about two years back who, since having graduated from Nevermore, refused to salute y/n before their second round, all because she had won the first point. Not saluting your opponent is a sign of respect, no matter what your personal opinion of them as a person is, so that was a big no. Yet, when y/n had won and the older boy had bitterly thrown off his mask, she still gave a smile and said it was a good match.

So Xavier stood off to the side, saber in hand, as he just watched y/n and one of the other boys, Will, fence with one another. Their bout was soon over, but y/n was close to getting the fifteenth point before the time was up. Just one more touch, and she would win this.

To no surprise, y/n was able to get in a last touch before the nine minutes were up. As soon as she had touched Will's chest with the point of her saber, she stepped back and made sure to give the boy room.

"Well done, l/n." Coach praised her with a clap of his hands, and Xavier was also clapping at her.

"It was nothing," y/n said as she removed her mask. "You almost had me for a second."

"Almost." Will pointed out that he too had taken off his mask to reveal his face.

"Don't be like that; you were awesome." And there was that graciousness in her. She was all too kind towards people, but that was also one of the things that he liked about her.

As y/n started to converse with Will, Xavier could not help but glare a little. But he soon did not have to glare anymore as Bianca pulled y/n aside, giving her a bottle of water while they began to talk instead, and Will walked off, but not before shooting a questioning look at the taller boy.

It was actually surprising to Xavier that even Bianca did not have any grudges against y/n. It was such an odd duo that had occurred when they first started at Nevermore, and it was even more odd that the siren had never been irritated at the other girl; she was more impressed by her.

"Thorpe," the coach said, drawing Xavier's attention away from the two girls, one of whom was his ex and the other a longtime crush. "Wanna go for a bout? You've been standing around most of the time."

"Uh, yeah, sure."

"Good. L/n," the coach said as he approached the girl. "Care for another bout?"

"Of course," Her smile was bright as Bianca patted her shoulder, as if to say she would win.

"Well then, Mr. Thorpe, l/n, middle."

At the mention of Xaviers' last name, y/n turned your head towards him, eyes just slightly wide. She found that he was already looking at her before he shrugged and walked towards the middle of the strip, waiting for her to do the same.

But she just stood there, looking at Xavier, and her mind was running wild. She did have a weakness when it came to fencing, and it was one she did not want to say out loud to anyone, especially not to Bianca. Xavier had just, in some way, slithered his way into her heart and gotten comfortable there. She felt bad for liking him; honestly, he was Bianca's ex, and Bianca was her friend.

Before she could come back to reality and out of her own mind, Binaca had nudged her shoulder, which made y/n turn her head towards her. With a twinkle in her eyes, the siren motioned her head toward Xavier and the coach. The way y/n had just kind of frozen in place while staring at the brunette boy waiting for her made Bianca suspicious. There had been a few more instances like this, which also made her start putting two and two together, though she was not mad.

"Right," y/n mumbled, shaking her head and walking to the middle of the strip.

Standing up straight, y/n moved into position, standing about twelve feet from where Xavier stood on the strip. Taking a quick glance up at him instead of at one of the pillars behind him, she was met by a smirk as he brought his blade up to salute her. y/n quickly copied the salute, fighting the heat growing in her cheeks.

Putting on her mask, y/n tried to get into her mindset as always when she was fencing. Biting her cheek, she got into stance, waiting for the signal to start. All while y/n was fighting to stay focused, Xavier was preparing to lose. He did not have a problem with losing, not to her. He liked how happy she would get and the fact that she would interact with him, talking and being all cheery.

"Pret? Allez!" Coach signalled their start, and y/n had a touch at Xavier within seconds.

After resetting in the middle, they started for the next point. Just as usual, y/n was able to get in a few touches at first. Each time Xavier bit back his smile, knowing he would most likely lose, but it was entertaining to have her fuss about how she thought he was good.

The first period ended with her having five points, and, to his surprise, he had gotten in two touches, which earned him two points. y/n took off her mask and swallowed, going to grab her water bottle just as Bianca came up to her.

"What's going on?" The siren asked her, filled with confusion, as she took a big gulp of her water while peeping over at Xavier, who too looked over at her with a curious look.

"What do you mean?" She lowered the bottle from her lips with a puzzled expression.

"Girl, he has two points." Bianca states the obvious. "No one ever gets two points when facing you in the first period only."

"I don't know why it matters. Maybe I'm just not that good and he's catching up."

"Really? So there isn't any other possible reason, because you seem a little flustered."

"No!" y/n quickly exclaimed, eyes wide as she turned towards her friend before putting down her bottle of water.

She was not able to say anything else before the coach called her over for the second period of the bout. Her heart was racing as Xavier was eyeing her in a muddled way, not being able to connect the dots on why she seemed to have a hard time looking at him. Usually, she would not have a big problem with it.

Putting their masks on after saluting and going for the second period, her mind was running amok. The way the side of his mouth had tugged into a smirk before putting on his mask had her mind occupied, so occupied that she was shocked at the sudden feel of a touch to her body by Xaviers' sabr tip. Which also made Xavier more and more confused.

The next couple of points from the second period mostly went to Xavier, leaving him with seven points and y/n with eight. As soon as the second period was over, all the other students were watching them fence. Instead of going to get some water, she just stood and mentally cursed herself out. Fearing that she was making it obvious that he was a distraction.

She had not taken off her mask, so Xavier tapped her shoulder, which caused her to finally take it off, her heart speeding up as she turned to see him standing beside her. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, yes. Why wouldn't I be?" She gave a tight-lipped smile, which was a bit uncharacteristic, seeing as the majority of her smiles were radiant and genuine.

"I was just wondering if I was improving or if you were letting me win." Xavier joked, which did cause the reaction he wanted—a bright smile followed by a laugh that broke onto her face.

"What if I was letting you win? Then what?" It was a way to play along and not show why she was actually not fencing her game.

"Oo, then I'd be disappointed." He told as the second minute break ended and it was time for the third and final period of the fight.

"Hm," y/n hummed as she put on her mask, her cheeks burning as a wide grin pulled across her face as she moved to stand in the middle for the final period.

This time, it was even between the two. Xavier was having a harder time getting in a touch than before, as y/n tried as hard as she could to keep herself concentrated. It worked a good while to imagine him as Binaca, who would, without hesitation, try and rile her up, so it would be a more intense match.

But it was becoming harder and harder as the three minutes of the last period slowly got to an end, with Xavier and y/n being equal in points, a shock to most of the other students who were watching intensely.

Before she could even register what was happening, Xavier got in a last touch right before the time ran out, making him the winner with the most points. As soon as she felt the touch of the saber, she stopped, breathing hard and whispering a low "dammit" for letting her mind slip.

"Thorpe, you win." Even the coach seemed surprised as he announced him as the winner. Lowering his saber, Xavier took off his mask, and his whole face was twisted up in confusion. His brows were furrowed, his eyes suspicious—no, they were worried.

"That was fantastic," y/n said as she removed her mask, worried that the heat in her cheeks would be visible.

"Yeah," was all Xavier could utter before y/n turned to walk over towards Bianca with a nod.

"You alright there, l/n?" The coach asked before she could get much further.

"Of course." She said it as if it were obvious, taking a quick look around to see the others who had been watching slowly move to get back to theirs.

"Okay, what is going on?" Bianca was quick to snatch her by her wrist, pulling her in close.

"Nothing."

"Oh, really, nothing? Because I think you have a little crush on Xavier." Scared that Bianca had said it so loudly, y/n swiftly covered her mouth, which made the siren let out a muffled sound of protest.

"No, I don't!" She whisper-yelled at her friend.

"Oh, please, the way you look at him, say something else. And every time you fence against him, he scores more points every time; he makes you flustered." Bianca took a piece of the terrified girl's hand from her mouth and kept her voice low so as not to alert anyone.

"No, no, no. I would never! He's your ex; I would never do that in my entire life." Her fearful tone made the other girl tilt her head. She cared that much about their friendship that she was afraid to even admit having a crush on Xavier.

"You think I'm mad?"

"Yes, why wouldn't—"

The sudden tap on her shoulder caused y/n to turn around; an amused smile was on Bianca's face. y/n's hands dropped from her friend's shoulder as she faced the taller boy, giving a small smile to conceal the fact that she had just been talking about him.

"I'm just gonna... yeah." Bianca pointed to the current bout going on on the second strip and slowly backed off, leaving the two alone.

"Is there anything?" y/n asked sweetly, internally swearing at herself for not just following Bianca.

"Ehm, yeah, I just..." Xavier paused, glancing over at Bianca, who was watching the two. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yes, like I said earlier, I'm just fine."

"You're fine, yet I beat you in fencing? It does not sound as if you're fine." His eyes watched her attentively, noticing every time she tried to start speaking but the words died on her tongue, and every time she would look off to the side.

"I was just.." Her eyes raised to meet his but quickly averted. "Distracted."

"Only distracted?" He moved slightly closer, gazing at her intensely

"Yep," Her cheeks were growing warmer with each passing minute as she heard him hum at her, suddenly feeling his hand brush against hers.

"You know, I was just wondering," Xavier started off, earning her attention. "Maybe you'd want to do something, sometime."

"As in just hang out, or as in a..." Her pause made Xavier chuckle a little and shake his head.

"Do you want it to be a date?"

The way she bit the inside of her cheek and completely avoided eye contact gave him the answer he needed, but he still also got a verbal answer. "Maybe."

"Sure, it's a date then."

"Okay, I'll see you then, Xavier." She slowly backed off, earning an amused look from the boy as he could clearly see she was flustered.

"Yeah."

As she turned for the third time, y/n got janked by the arm by Bianca. Pulling her friend close, the siren took a glance back at Xavier, who smiled to himself before going to fence against another of the students.

"So?" The siren asked.

"I have a date."

"Oh, you do?"

"Yeah, with your ex." There was a slight fear in her voice.

"Don't even worry about that girl."

"You sure?"

"Yeah. You got a date." Bianca mused.

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be-with-me-so-happily · 1 year

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hows my babies doing??? i miss themmmm <3

Eeeeek! It makes me so happy when someone misses and asks about EWTNC Harry and Stylist YN! I love them so much! So here's a little update.

~~~~~

Photo credits to the owners.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HARRY

Harry hears the bedroom door creak open, keeping his eyes closed and pretending to still be asleep. He can hear the giggles getting closer, and feels the bed shift as two little bodies try to subtly crawl up on top.

"Quietly, okay?" You whisper. "One... two... th-"

"Happy Birthday, Daddy!"

"Hap Bir-day, Daddy!"

Harry pops up in the bed, and turns over to see Winnie grinning, Milo picking at a booger, and you holding a cup of tea, and placing it on the bedside table next to him.

"My goodness! Thank you, my loves!" He exclaims. He grabs both of his children into his arms and tackles them on the bed, causing a burst of laughter.

"Ah! Daddy! No!" Winnie exclaims, her eyes squeezed shut and her smile stretching across her face.

You can't help but feel your chest fill with warmth as you watch them all interact. Doesn't matter what they're doing, if it's together, you always feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude and joy.

"Alright you three, time to get up."

"No…" Harry whines, quickly matched by the children.

"Okay, I guess I'll just head to the kitchen and eat all of the delicious birthday breakfast by myself then." You state, slowly turning around as you pretend that your intention is to walk away.

"Oh no you don't!" You hear behind you, as you feel Harry grasp your wrist, twisting you around and pulling you onto the bed. Winnie and Milo quickly pounce, using their little fingers and giving their best efforts to tickle your sides. You glance over to Harry, being met with a look of pure admiration, and he gives you a sweet smile.

"You win! I surrender!" You throw up your hands and they maneuver off you, giggling at their victory. "How about we have that breakfast now."

Winnie and Milo hop off the bed, and you watch as they shuffle out of the room. You turn back to Harry, who still has that same beautiful look on his face, and you sit up on top of the sheets.

"Happy Birthday, Rockstar." You reach your hand up to his cheek and lean in for a kiss. "Who would have thought that the boy in bandanas would be a husband and dad at twenty-nine! Feel old yet?"

"No, just lucky."

A blush forms on your cheeks and you still don't understand how he can manage to do that to you, after over eight years of being with him.

"Alright, you sap, let's get out of bed before they make a mess."

You grab his hand to pull him up off the bed, but he lets out a low growl, pulling you back down and shifting his body to hover over you.

His short curls fall into his face, his necklaces hang down in front of you, and his lips meet your neck. That same spot that he knows so well.

"Maybe later we can get back into bed and make a mess of our own."

"You need to-" You take a quick breath, as he seems to have taken it out of you. "You need to focus. You've got a show to put on tonight."

"Oh, I can definitely give you a show."

"Harry!" You exclaim with a chuckle, weakly attempting to push him off of you, though not much of your strength is put behind your effort.

"It's my birthday…" He replies, lowering his entire body onto yours, and you wish you could give him exactly wants. And, frankly, what he deserves. You run your fingers through his hair, pulling his face closer for a deep, passionate, and lustful kiss, causing him to let out that low growl once again.

One of his hands squeezes your hip, pressing his own into you, and you let out a quiet moan. At this point, you don't care how the kitchen looks, you just want to look at him, like this.

However, you both pull apart as soon as you hear a little yelp from Milo and Winnie instantly telling him that she is sorry. You sigh, feeling the heat between your legs and the bulge between Harry's. He gives you one last, quick kiss and then moves off of you.

You scoot off of the bed and swiftly turn around, meeting his gaze, showing that he hadn't taken his eyes off of you.

"To be continued." You quietly tease, and his eyes widen along with a grin.

"Well, Happy Birthday to me!"

~~~~~

"Are you fucking kidding me?"

"You don't like it?" He dramatically hits his palm against his chest as his mouth drops open, knowing full well that you love his outfit, considering the way your eyes are traveling up and down his body. "Winnie helped pick it out. I think she's following in her mummy's footsteps."

"Mhm." You hum, still running your gaze all over his body, focusing on his bare, toned, tattooed chest, that you wish you could lick all over.

"Sunshine, I've worn stuff like this before…" Harry chuckles, stepping forward and placing his hands on your hips.

"I know. There's just something about it tonight…" You reply, letting out a breath you didn't even realize you had been holding. Even after all of this time, after the thousands of outfits you've seen him in, and styled him in, he still somehow manages to take your breath away. You look up to him, placing your hands on his chest and running them down his smooth skin. "But… I have to say… I do prefer you in your birthday suit."

"Fucking hell, YN." He whimpers, leaning down to take your bottom lip between his teeth. "Already ripped one pair of pants on stage… I'm not 'bout to go out there with m'dick standing straight out!"

"Right… it's a family show…" You smirk, leaning up to place a kiss on his earlobe. "But it won't be tonight."

"Oh my god." He mumbles under his breath.

"Daddy! Daddy!" You suddenly hear Winnie's little voice coming from the hallway and Harry gives you a quick kiss on the lips before stepping back and swiftly adjusting himself. Then he looks over and gives you a smile with so many meanings. Lust, adoration, maybe a little disappointment, but also happiness in its purest form.

"I love you, Sunshine." He utters.

"I love you too, Rockstar."

Winnie comes through the doorway, rushing over to the two of you, with Milo trying to keep up behind her. "Look what Milo found for you!"

Milo moves in front of his sister, with his hands in front of him, holding the blue balloon that the two of you clearly spotted as soon as he walked in.

"This is for me, Bub?" Harry asks, kneeling down to his son, who hands him the string.

"Ba-woon, Daddy!"

"It's for your birthday!" Winnie squeals, with just as much excitement as Milo, showing off some pride for her younger brother.

"Thank you, darlings! I love it!" Harry expressed, with a smile as wide as theirs, and his heart full of joy. He looks up to you, smiling with all the love he can portray through just an expression, and then wraps Winnie and Milo into a big hug. "And I know exactly what m'gonna do with it."

~~~~~

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gilverrwrites · 3 months

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Their Perfect Dates HCs [Demon Edition]

Well.. demons + Benny

Rating: General

Angel Edition | Human Edition

Please remember: you can do hard things!

Belphegor

No gift, he’s from a time before that was a thing and does not care enough to check what the current trends are.

If you ask nice enough, he might bring you something next time.

Weirdly obsessed with humans however. (Just not in a ‘I wanna be like them’ way)

Find a cafe with outdoor seating in a highly populated area, and people watch.

Laugh at his jokes, and don’t be precious over your food/drink cause he’s gonna help himself.

‘Hot, not, not, HOT, extra hot.’ ‘This is so good, have you tried this?’ ‘It was yours? Oh shit, sorry. At least you have good taste… in multiple ways’ (he’d wink at you then, if he could.) ‘Ew have those pants ever in fashion?’ ‘Haha, did you see that kid face plant the side walk?! Get rekt’

Benny

He’s an old traditional man really, he’ll bring you a bouquet of daisies. Legitimately, if he could, he would ask your father for permission to take you out.

Cooking as has always been, and continues to be a big part of Benny's personality.

It doesn’t matter that the food no longer sustains him, because it keeps him connected to his home, and his history.

Plus, the way to any person's heart is through their stomach,

You’ll be in the kitchen together, cooking gumbo or jambalaya, and bananas foster for dessert.

If you don’t know how to cook, don’t worry. Benny is gonna take the lead anyway, he’ll teach you as much as you think you can handle.

He’s very respectful, but if you just so happen to brush against each other while working in the same space, well, that just can be helped now can it?

Or if you’re slightly in his way, sometimes he just needs to rest a gentle but firm hand on your hip and guide you to the side.

Or if you accidentally get something on your cheek? Your lip? He’ll have to get that for you.

Crowley

I’m picturing a rustic but sophisticated cabin in the woods.

Somewhere private, a safe space just for the two of you.

Something with a big, roaring fireplace.

A big, plush, velvety sofa, and an array of fluffy blankets, pillows, furs, rugs.

A fully stocked bar. ‘Don’t worry darling, you won’t have to lift a finger.’ He or a lesser demon will make all your drinks for you.

Just some real, 1 on 1 quality time together where you can both be vulnerable.

Whether you spend all night in deep conversation, cuddling, or getting even more intimate is your choice.

Meg

Would forget to bring you a gift, but if it goes well, she’ll likely give you one of her many pieces of jewelry, ‘Whatever you like most hun, just take it.’

I feel like she would actually really enjoy something creative, the messier the better.

Like finding a big open space, lowering the lights, laying down a big canvas, cracking open a bottle, and getting busy with some paints.

No brushes, just hands (or other body parts if you like).

Rowena

Gracing you with her presence is gift enough.

If anything, you should be bringing her a gift. Jewelry is always best, but she will settle for roses or red wine.

Rowena knows her worth, and if you don’t, then don’t waste her time.

She deserves nothing less than to be wined and dined somewhere very nice.

Followed by a show. The ballet or the opera.

Just imagine, the both of you dressed to the nines. Holding hands over the table, good food and drink, Rowena sharing stories from her time on earth.

Coffee or dessert? Both. Please and thank you.

Ruby

Would bring you candy, but you have to share.

Also a big foodie, but more eating, less cooking.

Like a street food market, or a boardwalk.

You can compete on the water guns and ring toss games to win each other prizes.

She’s only letting you win if there is something in it for her. – Particularly a prize that she wants.

Regardless of who wins what, you’re gonna be the one carrying everything.

Then stop at every food stand on the way.

Bonus points for somewhere that has proper french fries in large portions.

Afterwards, you can chat at the end of the peer, and/or make out under it.

#spn belphegor #belphegor x reader #benny lafitte #benny lafitte x reader #spn crowley #spn crowley x reader #meg masters #meg master x reader #rowena macleod #rowena macleod x reader #spn ruby #spn ruby x reader #supernatural #supernatural headcanons #gilverrwrites

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tinytinyblogs · 8 months

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It's Called Love

The demon has set his sights on you and will stop at nothing to have you.

⚠Demon!Seungmin⚠

Stray kids masterlist here

Seungmin watched you from the shadows, his eyes following your every move. He admired every little detail about you, from the way your hair fell around your face to the way your shoes tapped against the floor. He had been on Earth for years, doing nothing and watching nothing interesting. But then he laid eyes on you and everything changed. He had never felt so excited in his life. He was a demon, and he had seen many things, but nothing had ever captivated him like you did. The demon wanted to hold you close, to listen to your sweet voice, and to keep you all to himself. He was selfish, and he wanted whatever he wanted. And what he wanted was you.

He would do anything to have you. He would drag you into his world, even if it meant taking you away from your own. He would not let you go. He knew that you were different from him. You were human, and he was a demon. But he didn't care He is only interested in his own needs and desires, and he will not hesitate to step on others to get what he wants. He loved you, and that was all that mattered. That night, Seungmin saw how cruel the world could be. He saw how people treated you like dirt, even though you were such a kind and gentle person. He saw the tears well up in your sparkling eyes as you ran home, crying as loudly as you could.

Seungmin felt a burning rage inside of him. He didn't know how anyone could be so cruel to someone as sweet as you. He didn't know how the sound of your crying, which had once made him so satisfied, could now make him so angry. Seungmin gave those who made you cry a lesson. He made them scream and cry in terror, as they relived their worst nightmares. He had a grin on his face that made him look even more crazy, and his clothes were stained with blood. He felt justified in what he had done. He headed to your place, knowing that you would be taking a shower to refresh yourself after crying so hard.

Seungmin wondered what your reaction would be when you saw him. He knew that you would be surprised, but he didn't know if you would be scared or angry. He hoped that you would be happy to see him he is resigned to the fact that you will never accept him for who he is, so he does not even try to win your approval. When you saw him, you were stunned. You froze in place, your eyes wide with terror. You had never seen him before, and you didn't know why he was in your apartment. "Who are you?" you asked, your mind racing. It was the stupidest question you could have asked, but you couldn't think of anything else. "Oh, the one who likes you a lot," he said. "No, it's called love." The sound of your voice is like a balm to his soul, and he feels a sense of peace and contentment when he hears you.

The demon had an angelic figure and voice. His voice was smooth and soothing, and it seemed to wrap around you like a warm blanket. "They call me a demon," he continued. "Because I am." In a blink, he was gone. He was no longer in front of you, no longer in your sight. You were starting to think that you had imagined the whole thing. But then you heard a voice. "I'm here to check how my lover is doing." The voice was right behind you, so close that you could feel his breath on your neck. You turned around as fast as you could, and there he was. Being so close to you made him lose his mind. He couldn't believe he had waited so long to act on his feelings. He was a fool for waiting. Your scent took him to cloud nine, and he felt like he was in heaven, even though he knew he didn't deserve it.

He was standing there with a smile on his face, even closer than before. You could see every detail of his face, and you shivered. "And I think you're doing fine now, right, Y/N?" The way he said your name made you shiver even more. You didn't know what to say. You were scared, your body remains motionless, as if you are unable to control it. You can only sit in silence, savoring every word he says. He loves it when you have all your attention on him. "Well," he said, leaning closer and erasing the space between them. "I never knew that seeing you this close could make me want you even more."

"I should have come to get you sooner," he said, laughing in a way that made him sound even more insane. "Waiting made me feel like I was going crazy even more." He didn't touch you, but you couldn't move away from him. You were under his control, and he had you focused on him only. You couldn't think straight, and it was hard to let out a word. "Why?" you asked, but your voice was barely a whisper.

He finally put his hand on your cheek, creasing it as he held your small face in his palm. "Sometimes I wonder, too, why this human are so interesting," he said. He made you feel so small and weak. You wanted to scream, but you knew it wouldn't do any good. He was a demon, and you were alone. "But it seems like it's because you're you," he continued. "And all I need is you. Together, we're going to make this world a fun place, love."

That night, he took you with him. He finally had you in his possession. No one saw you after that night. No one knew where you had gone, because Seungmin would never let anyone take what was his. He led you through a portal into his world. It was a dark and twisted place, unlike anything you had ever seen before. But Seungmin seemed to be at home here. "Love is interesting, isn't it?" he said. "Being in love with you could be this sweet. My love, you're not going anywhere. Welcome to the demon world."

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dbnightingale24 · 11 months

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Sneak Peek To ‘A Huckleberry Is Nothing Without His Hummingbird’

A follow up to ‘It’s Ridiculous, But I’ll Always Love You’ A Lloyd Hansen Love Story

I’m back! Thanks for all the congrats and well wishes! So much writing has been going on since I got back, and I can’t wait to start posting again! Thank you, as always, to @fuckingbye for the amazing moodboard and just being amazing in general! I love you! I hope you all enjoy this snippet, and I hope to have the full story up soon!!

Warnings: Swearing, Family Drama, Angst, Drama, Arguments, Lloyd being Lloyd, Slight Mention of Drinking

Word Count: 1,014

Lloyd’s P.O.V

“Trav, you and I need to have a talk,” I sigh as I take seat his computer desk.

He’s nine years old, why the hell does he have such an intense computer setup?

“Aren’t you supposed to knock before you come in? Mom knocks,” he mutters, not even bothering to look up from his book.

“She’s the nicer one.”

“Didn’t she punch my gym teacher in the face just for making a remark about my attitude when it comes to leading team sports?”

“I said she’s nicer one, not the more sane one, and put the damn book down. I’m talking to you.”

“What?”

“Watch your fucking mouth. What’s going on at school, and why didn’t you tell me about it?”

“In order for me to tell you about anything, you’d have to be here for that,” he snaps.

Ah yes, that’s why he has an insane computer setup. Guilt.

“I’m here now.”

“Good job.”

“Travis, I swear to God-”

“You’re never home, Dad! Before, you were always away on missions. Now, you don’t do missions but you’re always at work, and when you are home, you get pissed off about every little thing. If you don’t give a damn, why should I say anything?”

“That’s not true and you know it. I’m just adjusting. I know I’m not good at it, but I’m working on it.”

“Are you capable of apologizing to anyone besides Mom?

“I apologize to you when you deserve one.”

“Now seems like a pretty good time.”

“Jesus, you’re so much like your Mother sometimes. I swear that sometimes I think you two work together to drive me insane.”

“Well, I’m the one who got sent to my room, so it can’t be all that bad.”

“You owe your Mother an apology.”

“Yeah, I know,” he sighs.

“Sit up and tell me what’s going on.”

“I don’t feel like talking about it.”

“Yeah, I don’t care. Get up and talk to me. Why didn’t you tell me you were getting bullied?”

“Didn’t we just discuss that?”

I swear he’s just like Y/N.

“Travis.”

“Some of the kids at school think it’s funny that I’m scared to go to gym class, or that I jump when a book drops, or that I have panic attacks.”

“Why the hell are youi afraid of gym class?”

“A ball bouncing off the wall? A basketball bouncing-”

“Okay okay,” I sigh, sitting back. “You can’t let the bullies win. That’s not how your Mom and I are rasinging you.”

“I fought back and got suspended and, I’m sorry, isn’t that the Hansen way?”

“Are we sure you’re only 9?”

“I learn from the best.”

“That you do. Do you want to be home schooled?”

“Not forever,” he mumbles and I roll my eyes. “What now?”

“Speak up, I’m not raising you to be shy!”

“Why isn’t Mom having this talk with me?”

“Because she’s making dinner and I’m your Father.”

“You should’ve ordered something,” he goes on, completely ignoring the part about me being his Father.

Great, my kids hates me too.

“I offered to and she said that you prefer home cooked meals.”

“It doesn’t matter, she’s stressed out. You just have to do it.”

“How do you know this?”

“When she gets really upset over the things you do, I make dinner or talk her into ordering food,” he shrugs as if it’s no big deal.

“I’m trying to do better-”

“Don’t try, Dad. Just do it. Mom is here all the time and she deals with all of it, and then has to deal with your mood swings on top of it? It’s not fair.”

“Yeah, I know,” I mutter as I get up.

“Now who isn’t speaking up?”

“Watch it,” I warn ib the voice that lets him know he’s got no more buttons left to push, “and watch the swearing around your Mom. You know how much she hates it.”

“But why?”

“You’ve spent time with your grandparents, that’s not how she was raised. You’re too young to swear.”

“That’s not what you think.”

“You’re gonna swear anyway, so who gives a damn when you start? However, your Mom doesn’t like it, so cut it out.”

“I preferred when you two lived apart.”

“Well, get used to how things are now, because it’s how they’re staying.”

“Not if you keeo going on like this,” he mutters, picking up his book.

“Stop being a little shit and get ready for dinner. I’m taking everyone out.”

“Where?”

“Wherever your Mom wants. Get up and get dressed.”

Yeah, I owe him an apology, but he’s not getting one while he’s being a little shit.

It also doesn’t help that he’s right.

Trying to think of the romantic way to tell you that I’m taking you both out, I make my way downstairs and into the kitchen to see you sitting outside at the patio dinner table, smoking a cigarette and drinking wine.

How did I fuck this up? We were doing good and then, as usual, I got in the way. I’m the one starting the arguments, I’m burying myself in an attempt to keep the bit of sanity that I have, I’m not there for Travis like I used to be...

I keep fucking it up.

You’re right: this isn’t college and we can’t go on raising Travis like this. I have to start giving and stop taking. I’m not afraid of much, but I am terrified of losing you again, and I can tell that you’re on your last leg. I’m unforgiving and an entitled asshole, and you knew that when you fell in love with me, but the charm was that I never treated you like everyone else.

Well, never to this extent.

Now, I keep taking too much and don’t even think of giving anything back, and I can’t be mad that you’re ready to call off the wedding. Hell, I haven’t even seen you look at a bridal magazine in months.

If this is gonna get better at all, it’s gonna have to start with me.

taglist: @emerald-evans, @maroonsunrise83, @nomadstucky, @autumnrose40, @fuckingbye, @companionjones, @whiskeytangofoxtrot555, @mazda098, @pono-pura-vida

#lloyd hansen #Lloyd Hansen fic #Lloyd hansen fluff #lloyd hansen smut #lloyd hansen x reader #Lloyd Hansen x y/n #lloyd hansen x you #The Gray Man #The Gray Man Fanfic #the gray man fanfiction #Preview #Sneak Peek #fanfiction #fan fiction #fanfic #fan fic #chris evans characters

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ilovelosersandshortmen · 9 months

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Dating Todd Tolansky Headcanons

Keep in mind, this is my personal opinion. So if you think any of these headcanons are wrong, feel free to share your own! I'm asexual and Todd is a teenager, so no NSFW. I know I'm cringe, and there's no insult you could say to me that I haven't said to myself! This is also the first time I've ever posted on Tumblr, so I'm sorry for any mistakes.

With all that out of the way, let's start;

• Genuinely shocked if you don't reject him. Like:

Todd: Hey gorgeous, how about we go out tonight?

Y/N: Sure.

Todd: ... seriously?

•Would literally give you the shirt off of his back to keep you warm. But, because of his mutation, he's much more sensitive to the cold. So he's shivering and refusing to take his jacket back, no matter how hard you try to make him take it.

• Hopeless romantic and actually a gentleman. Never lets you open a door, and always makes a big show of it. He'll be bowing and kissing your hand and talking about how "a beautiful person should be treated"

• Puts so much effort into your dates. Flowers, chocolate, gifts, the whole nine yards.

• Blushes a lot. Then tries to deny that he's blushing. But he definitely is.

• His friends constantly make fun of him and say that you deserve better. Todd will love you even more if you defend him.

• Wanda actually doesn't mind you. She likes that you got Todd off of her back. Even if you do gush about Todd a lot, she likes having you around. Wanda would kill Todd if he ever hurt you.

• I think Pietro would flirt with you to make Todd mad.

•PDA. Everywhere, all the time, no matter what. He literally doesn't care. He likes showing you off, bragging about how such a gorgeous person is dating him.

• Loves cuddling. He just sleeps so much better when you're in his arms.

• Kisses literally everywhere. Neck, lips, forehead, everywhere.

• "I love you more" fights. Will never let you win, because he just loves you that much.

• He will absolutely melt if you play with his hair.

• Always offers to pay for everything, even if he's dirt poor.

• Actually a pretty good cook, and he will definitely brag about it.

• Constant compliments. He loves everything about you.

• Most people call him Toad or some other insult, so he loves it when you actually call him Todd. You make him feel like a person.

• Cheesy date nights. Movie marathons, picnics, dinner dates, milkshakes with two straws, etc. Usually watches horror movies in an attempt to scare you into his arms. Won't admit that he's terrified.

• Calls you every pet name under the sun. Like, he literally can't go a sentence without using a new one. Classics of course, like honey and darling. But prefers super cheesy names like lovebug or sweetums (this one is actually canon)

• DEFINITELY does that "oh I'm yawning but I'm actually putting my arm around my date" move. He thinks he's so slick too.

• All in all, he's extremely cheesy because he loves you so much. And he's totally clueless when it comes to romance, so he learns all of his moves from romance movies.

I'll probably make more of these, because I'm totally obsessed with him and literally no one else talks about him.

#todd tolansky #xmen evolution #x reader #todd x reader #dating headcanons #xmen headcanon #mortimer toynbee #love of my life #actually mentally ill

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notpaloe · 4 months

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nine years;

i’m sorry that I couldn’t save you;

I spent nearly 2 decades of my life going to church every Sunday with people that go against everything that I look for, just like you did. I was caught off from social media for two years straight just like you were for five months. I barely have acceptance from my family of my gender identity. Just like you did. struggling with my gender, dysphoria, and keeping my GPA at 3.0, just like you did;

so how the fuck am I still alive and you’re not;

my guiltiness stretches farther than ever;

I figured out when I was trans at 14 I was able to move all of my verbally and physically abusive father after two years when I graduated horribly. During my senior year, I went through two suicide attempts. I overdosed on 14 doses of Adderall, and had my stomach pumped to save my life; I am now with my mom still not perfect, but I’m still keeping going for you. You inspired so many people Leelah. Ever since you have a street of the highway you died in named after you. you have four cities in your home state agreed to ban conversion therapy. I was barely 9 when you’re died, I didn’t even know what suicide or LGBTQ in general was back then. Now at 18 I’m an openly, trans woman, and suicide survivor that still deals with these thoughts. I fight every day for you. I’m now in my freshman year of college. I’m in therapy support group called. transbody positive:) I really wish my 18 year old self could save you. I really wish my 18-year-old self new you. I would do anything to bring you back if I could. And this is coming from a stranger that you never met. But I’m continuing to live my life forever in your honor. you deserved better. You will get better. justice. There is never enough justice. we will fight for the day where you can finally get your wish so you can rest in peace. Until then, we fight;

And you’re right, there is no win but I’d rather choose to live my life as a lonelier woman trying to take on a journey to find my happiness;

and since I’ve been with my mom I found a love interest a month later that gives me so much gender euphoria it makes me feel more of a woman that anyone will ever treat me as such. No matter how much I don’t pass or How low my voice is that I hate, I always have them to reaffirm me. I hope you found the man that you love wherever you are. I hope you’re looking down on me smiling, and even if you’re not, I’m looking up at you always;

thank you for existing,

until next time, the transgender queen of hell<3

#thelazerprincess #lgbtqia #leelah alcorn #transgender #transfem #transgirl #transisbeautiful #trans woman #mtf trans #mtf girl #mtf hrt #mtf women #mtf positivity #lgbtq community #lgbtq positivity

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anisespice · 1 year

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“ dumb love ” || hq!

synopsis: the usual stoic and unbothered being absolutely lovestruck for their s/o.

pairing: various x gn!reader [ iwa, sakusa, kags ]

warnings: sfw, mature language, my attempt at writing something cute lol

notes: so this idea struck me in the middle of the night while i was listening to music, and sean kingston’s “dumb love” came on and IMMEDIATELY i was like “hells yeah” - figured i’d throw something together, so this isn’t really proofread either ALSKDJAJS but hope u enjoy!

iwaizumi ッ

When it came down to it, Iwaizumi had excellent control over his emotions. Spending years dealing with the shittiest, pretty boy known to man to then later on have to wrangle up various grown men for intense training, and make sure they’re actually doing the shit right, Iwa would confidently say he had the nerves of steel.

Until you skipped your happy ass into his life.

Now, anytime you even crossed his mind, this man wouldn’t be able to hold back a goofy-ass grin. There was just something about you that drove him absolutely insane, got him feeling like a dopey fool that can’t even look you in the eye, even when you got on his last nerve sometimes. You gazed at him as if he’d created mountains and moved rivers with his bare hands, or literally like he’s the only person in your world.

But, hey, no shame innit. He be looking at you the same way. No matter how embarrassed he’d get when caught slippin’.

“Iwa-chan~! Quit ogling [______] already, you haven’t blinked for a whole minute!”

“Fuck off, Shittykawa.”

sakusa ッ

He barely tolerated people as a whole. Sure, he’d gotten better compared to his high school days, but there was still a little pushback that lingered in the outside hitter. He didn’t like to mingle, never favored gatherings that had too many people, nor did he like meaningless small talk. So imagine his absolute dread when he felt someone tap him on the shoulder while in line at a coffee shop.

He stiffened instantly; touch from strangers still something he was getting used to. At least he wore a jacket to shield him from the actual contact. But, that’s not all he was worried about. You tapped him again, this time with a little more urgency. Sakusa exhaled heavily—It was too damn early for this. He turned thinking that you were just a fan or something, already prepared to give a rehearsed response that his publicists drilled into his head for moments like this. Because, y’know, this was about to be just another boring, pointless-

“Hey, so who d’you think would win in a fight: a bear with no arms and legs, or a blind tiger with no teeth?” WHAT.

He thinks back to that at least once a day, very fond of the memory. Even six months later of dating, he can’t believe how things turned out this way. Sakusa didn’t know what possessed him to not just ignore you, but he was glad he entertained your unique approach at conversation. It was...refreshing? Intriguing? At least, that’s how he justified it to his gobsmacked teammates when they found out you were, in fact, real.

“The question didn’t even make sense, yet you had me thinking about it all day. It caught me off guard. Rarely do people do that, so...good job, I guess.”

“All I heard was that you thought about me all day ♡.”

kageyama ッ

One time, you held onto his pinky instead of grabbing his whole hand during an outing together and he hadn’t gotten over it since. Early on in the relationship, although he tried his best, Kageyama wasn’t that affectionate and appreciated how you never pushed him beyond his conform level. He was nervous when it came to skin-ship, tiptoeing his way around it by simply keeping people at arm’s length, or using soft violence as a love language, like hard pats on the back and being tossed around like a ball (poor hinata lol).

It took a lot of courage for that man to eventually start giving you the affection he felt you deserved, and you cherished those moments deeply. However, nine times out of ten you’d be the one initiating it, still rendering him completely flustered since he was getting accustomed to being mushy with someone he loved dearly. So when you subconsciously latched onto the setter in the most smallest, most precious way possible…homie wanted to gift you the sun. (poor hinata pt. 2)

“Tobi, baby, you good? Why’s your face so red-”

“It’s j-just hot out here, ignore it.”

#🍁vanilla #hq!#hq fluff #hq headcanons #hq scenarios #haikyuu #haikyuu fluff #hq iwaizumi #hq sakusa #hq kageyama

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foxymoxynoona · 1 year

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Tell Me What Changed (Part 11 A)

Banner and lines by the talented @awrkive

Summary: Alex and Jungkook have been best friends since childhood –actual best friends. She is NOT in love with him, for real, and wishes people would stop assuming that. Why does no one question if he’s in love with her? Huh? But it might have to do with his successful fuckboy status, while Alex is very much… not that. Which is fine and doesn’t matter! Until Jimin’s impending wedding leaves her eager for a date and willing to put herself out there, and Jungkook can’t believe what happens next.

Fuckboy Best Friend JK x OC

CW and tags: fuckboy behavior, jealousy, pining, heartbreak, angst, bad language, explicit sex, sexy photos, alcohol, f2l, who knows what else I'm making it up as we go

Read on AO3 here or below cut

Previous Chapter | Masterlist | Read Epilogue

Note: I did it again, the chapter is too long for tumblr so I have to split it into three parts. Make sure you read A first!!!

Jungkook wasn’t nervous for his date with Alex. Why would he be nervous? It was Alex. He knew everything Alex liked. He knew how to have a good time with her. He knew how to make her laugh until she’d yell she was going to pee herself and go waddling to the bathroom while he shouted things after her to try and make it happen. He knew what food she liked and how long she could tolerate standing in line for an attraction and that she didn’t mind the cold but she didn’t like to get wet in the rain because she didn’t like her hair and clothes sticking to her skin.

Once he had wanted to test that, run naked through the rain with her. She had of course refused and punched him in the stomach for the suggestion. He wondered if now he had a better chance of convincing her… for science, obviously! Did she still mind the rain if her hair was in a bun and she was totally naked in it? What if he was on top of her, blocking some of it?

But in all seriousness, he might not really date other than an occasional activity preceding a good fuck but if he was ever going to go on a date, Alex was the easiest partner for it. They could have fun –and had!-- anywhere: the grocery store, a furniture store, CVS to get their flu shots, McDonald’s at 2am, urgent care that time his ears were stopped up so badly and his fever was so high he started to cry and she forced him to go and kept referring to him as “my son” to the nurses and he couldn’t stop laughing despite the pain.

So yeah, why would he be nervous about a date? He had no doubts about success. He was going to take her to minigolf, school her ass, then tacos from the best truck in town which he had confirmed would be at Hoff Memorial Park; they’d eat sitting in the cold on a picnic bench and then he’d take her home to his bed before the rain started around nine and he’d, you know. Spaghetti her. He’d put a lot of thought into what positions he’d use too. A lot. Needed to be sure he’d maximize her pleasure and not bend or twist her in a way that hurt her. Stroke her just right. He wanted to win a scream! Leave her a trembling melted mess in his arms. Ah, it’d be so good… she’d be all fuck, Koo, I finally get it now, you’re really fucking good at this. Make her eat her words alongside his dick, that thing she’d always said with a laugh, damn, if the insta-girls could see the real you they’d be heartbroken.

He needed to show her what’s good.

He had a plan.

And then the comments started.

Nate: “Oh damn, you actually have a date with her? Wasn’t that last guy really good at dates? Good luck, my man.”

Namjoon: “Oh. That’s the date you planned? Isn’t that just… what you guys normally do?”

Taehyung: “Yeah this is the time, you can really show her that you’re serious and mature and want to do this, so like, whole nine yards, something big and– oh. Minigolf? Um…”

Sabina: “Don’t take her to minigolf. She deserves more than minigolf.”

Anita: “Hm, I think minigolf just seems a little easy and impersonal. But you know her best! If you think that’s the kind of date she likes, then…”

Jimin: “You messaged me on my honeymoon for this? It’s fine, Alex will think it’s funny.”

Fuck. Fuck! As Jungkook paced his apartment the afternoon before the date, he realized his plan was no good. He didn’t want Alex to think their date was funny. He wanted her to think it was romantic. He wanted her to be awed by his charm and suaveness… suavity…. State of being suave. He wanted her to be swept off her feet. He wanted her to forget Hobi was ever a guy she dated and it sucked because Nate was right, Hobi was good at dates. He showed up and showed out and Alex was always all flustered and bubbly after their dates. Jungkook wanted Alex to be like that afterwards. Not just like “yep that was an ok time hanging out with my good buddy JK.” He wanted blushes and giggles and then bam, spaghetti!

This called for a fucking re-plan. And fast.

He showered so he’d smell fresh and lotioned and not like the mall, slapping on cologne and spot-fixing his acne in between looking things up on his laptop perched precariously on the bathroom counter. A few google searches and phone calls later and he’d completely redone their plans for the night, pulling out all the stops. Was it going to hurt his bank account? Yes. Was she worth it? Also yes.

Much more at ease about the whole thing, Jungkook took one more look at himself in the mirror, snapped a selfie, and posted it to his socials for the pep talk he needed.

[TheJK.1997]: look good feel good treat her good, ready for the surf and turf. Best wine recs for Hollyoak Vineyard go

He checked himself one last time, ran over a spot he missed shaving real quick, and was out the door in plenty of time to pick her up early, just to really surprise her. Definitely not because he was getting a stomachache from nerves and needed to do something other than pace from living room to kitchen and pick at his lips.

She wasn’t ready. There he was with a fucking bouquet of flowers even though it made him feel like a fucking idiot because Hoseok gave her flowers so it would look like he was copying but obviously he couldn’t not show up with flowers –there he was with a fucking bouquet of flowers, sitting in a living room he’d been in at least one thousand times since he’d known Alex, while her dad sat in the chair and watched a Planet Earth documentary and her mom made tea in the kitchen even though he had assured her he didn’t want any. They had said hello to him and not much else, both like this was any other time that he’d come over and also like it wasn’t and they weren’t supposed to acknowledge his presence as he just sat there on the couch in slacks and a button up with fucking flowers to give their fucking daughter who was fucking late. It was mortifying. Jungkook wished he could melt into the cracks between the couch cushions. He wished Dilong would come running out and scratch his throat or piss on him or something so he had an excuse to just leave.

“How’s work?” Baba Song asked him over the sound of flamingos feeding.

“It’s good. Busy at the holidays.”

“How is your dad’s– ah, I will just ask him, I’ll see him tomorrow.”

Jungkook nodded. He wasn’t actually sure what about his father was unwell right now, so he should ask. He pulled out his phone and saw they were going to have to hurry to make their dinner reservation.

“AHh I had better check on her–” Jungkook mumbled, starting to stand. Mama Song was just setting tea in front of him and took it upon herself to shout for Alex followed by Chinese. Alex answered in short Chinese, then came down the hall.

“I’m ready, ok? What’s the rush? I was doing my makeup– oh?” She stopped in front of him and her eyes went right to the flowers. “You brought me flowers?”

Jungkook was instantly mortified. She was probably comparing them to the ones Hoseok had bought her.

“They’re for your mom,” he quickly corrected, thrusting them towards Mama Song.

Who let out a cackle of a laugh and said, “I will put them in water for Alex. I have a perfect vase. They are beautiful.”

“Wait, I want to see them,” Alex cried, leaping after her mother. She bent down to look close and Jungkook felt like she might as well be examining his limp dick, he was so embarrassed. They were supposed to be nice. He’d bought really nice ones at the standalone shop next to the Starbucks –not the one she worked at, not the one Hoseok worked at, a different one! He didn’t know what kinds of flowers they were but there was lots of color and some spiky looking ones because they looked fun and he thought spiky flowers made sense for her.

“They’re really pretty,” she said.

“You’re really pretty,” he countered automatically, an old way they had of teasing each other except this time he’d accidentally been nice. Baba Song coughed on the couch and Jungkook thought it had to be related. Cool, he already felt like he was dying anyway as Alex grinned wide and looked him up and down and he was sure she was laughing at him. Baba Song laughing at him too was exactly what he didn’t need.

“You look like you’re going on a date,” Alex mused.

“Uh…” The panic was instant. “Aren’t I?”

“Koopa,” she laughed and hit him on the arm. “You’d better be! Let’s go, weren’t you in a rush a minute ago? You know it takes time to do my makeup without you to help.”

“It looks good,” he said, though the points weren’t quite even which he only noticed because sometimes it took her ten tries before she’d give up and ask him to do it. He started to offer to fix it now but she was already headed towards the door and it didn’t matter.

“Goodbye Mr. Song. Mrs. Song,” he called. Should he promise to have her home at a certain time? Even addressing them that way felt weird but like, he was taking their daughter out on a date, he had to seem sort of respectful and responsible, right? “Thank you for the tea!” He hadn’t even touched it.

Alex’s skirt was very short, he noticed as they went to his car. She had fancy green tights on underneath it so he couldn’t see skin or anything but it did occur to him that if she bent over, he might not even need to hike it up. Not that he was just thinking about fucking! It really felt more like a nervous impulse to think about it, because he was way more nervous about the not-fucking parts right now as he hurried around and slid into the driver’s seat. He wasn’t even trying to fuck her tonight! He just wanted to hit it out of the park, this whole “date with the goal of earning another date” thing.

“So where are we going?” she asked as he started the car. It was cold and he wished he had thought to run out and start it early so she wouldn’t have to sit in it; she was wearing a new coat, not her usual bulky one that made her look like a burnt marshmallow. You know, in a cute way!

“Um… you know that steakhouse over on–”

“Steakhouse,” she repeated, eyes going wide. “You can’t afford steak!”

“You don’t know what I can’t afford. I’m taking you to a steakhouse!”

“Ok ok geez.” She wiggled in her seat to get comfortable. “I figured you’d just take me for tacos or something. Steak is fine.”

He scoffed, “Come on. I’m a better date than that.”

“All right James Bond or whatever…” she mumbled. “Didn’t know you had something you were trying to prove or whatever.”

“Yeah well…” He didn’t know what to say to that. Yeah, of course he had something to prove. “Is it warm enough for you?” He made it warmer, just in case, even though he was starting to sweat.

They lapsed into silence. The roads were icy so he didn’t want to be too distracted but it made him nervous for her to just be sitting there staring out the window. Silence was bad on a date, that was something everyone knew. Silence was definitely not going to leave her starry-eyed and weak in the knees.

“So uh, how’s work?”

“Ugh, next question,” she snorted, and reached for the radio dial.

“No, don’t turn music on. Let’s just… talk.”

“O…k….”

He started talking just to fill the silence. He told her about his own work, and about Appa thinking he wanted to do Christmas lights and throwing one lit net over a bush and calling it a day, and about his new nephew who was still pretty useless but starting to look cuter now. He realized they had seen each other a few days ago so these life updates weren’t necessary but he wanted some sort of connection.

“Uh… well, there’s not much going on with me… well, Hobi brought a box of my stuff to work today, so that kind of sucked–”

“He brought it to your work?!”

“Well he waited in the parking lot but yeah… I mean we agreed to do that today but still that sucked in the morning and then I got home and Dilong puked on my bed and I stubbed my toe while I was getting ready… but you brought me flowers, so that’s the best part of my day so far,” she smiled.

“They were for your mom…”

“Oh yeah? For Mrs. Song?” she teased.

But he didn’t feel like being teased because this was a date and they were supposed to be getting to know each other and charming each other, so instead he suggested, “Ok let’s not talk about Hobi or uh, other exes or anything tonight.”

“Um… ok… Geez, sensitive much?’

“It’s my date with you.”

“You just asked me how my day was and I told you.”

“Ok so now I know and I’m just saying we can talk about other things now.”

“Ok like what?”

“Um…” Jungkook wracked his brain, but everything that came to mind wasn’t the kind of thing he wanted to talk about on their first date. Funny but inappropriate memes, friend gossip, political outrage, bemoaning the economy, a really bloody anime he’d started and thought she might like too, none of it was the way he wanted to represent himself right now as a respectable and respectful guy. Boyfriend material.

“We’re here,” he announced. Saved by the drive time. He pulled into a spot near the water’s edge –just a pond, but definitely something the steakhouse capitalized on for atmosphere. Fairy lights hung above the walkway through a little windy garden to reach the front of the restaurant.

“Woah, this place is nice,” Alex murmured, bumping into him as she looked around. “Are you sure about this? It’s really fancy… I didn’t dress for something this fancy…”

“I’m sure.” He took her hand and looped it through his arm. “You deserve something like this. It’s our first date. Right?” He looked eagerly down at her, needing to hear her agree that it was in fact their first date and that was in fact a big deal to her too.

“I guess but you really didn’t have to go to so much trouble. You know me, I’m easy–”

“I don’t know you. This is our chance to get to know each other,” he corrected. “As –you know, this new way of seeing each other.” As romantic partners, he couldn’t bring himself to say.

He thought her smile looked unconvinced but at least she was smiling. They reached the front door –and now he saw a side ramp they could have taken right to the front door instead of wandering through the garden. Uh well. He opened the door for her and they walked in to easily the nicest restaurant Jungkook had ever been to in his life. The host was wearing a tux.

Shit this place was going to be expensive.

“Good evening,” the host greeted them as Jungkook shirked his coat off.

“Hi. Um, Jungkook Jeon, table for two. I have reservations for 6:00.”

“Ah, yes, Jeon, hm…” The host didn’t move as his gaze trailed down Jungkook and then slid to Alex. “My apologies, Mr. Jeon, but were you aware that there is a dress code for dining here?”

Jungkook glanced down at his slacks and dark blue button up and nodded, “Yeah. We dressed nicely.” He glanced at Alex and realized he hadn’t told her to dress nicely but yeah, she looked great: short red skirt, dark green legs, a fluffy white sweater with… pearls? Had she really worn a sweater with pearls all across the chest to their date– ok, but she hadn’t meant anything filthy by it, he was sure of that. Just because his mind went there didn’t mean hers did.

“I’m sorry, the dress code is formal. That means at least a tie and jacket for the gentleman and formal evening dress or pantsuit for the lady.”

“Uh…” Jungkook glanced at their outfits again. “Well this is what we have on so…”

The host looked performatively apologetic as he said, “I’m sorry, I cannot seat you.”

“But… but I made a reservation,” Jungkook argued. “No one’s going to die because I’m not wearing a jacket.”

“Neither of you is dressed appropriately for the restaurant, I’m afraid–”

It was embarrassing, sure, but he also didn’t want Alex to hear someone insinuate she wasn’t dressed nicely, so he ignored that she was grabbing his arm and argued, “Ok but she looks like a million bucks so I don’t– you just need me to put on a jacket and a tie–”

“Jungkook, let’s just go,” she said, trying to push him back towards the door.

“But I made reservations. This isn’t the ‘50s. No one under 50 has a jacket and tie for dinner at a shitty suburban steakhouse on the swamp–”

“Koo, let’s go,” she grunted, and managed to push him back against the door. He pushed it and stepped back out into the cold and felt the anger flare up freely now.

“What the fuck kind of place– am I crazy? Who fucking cares whether I have a jacket and a tie on for–”

“Well they care, it’s their rule!”

“It’s discrimination against young people!”

“Yeah, did you see the people eating in the restaurant?” she laughed. “I don’t think they want young people eating there. They want like rich uppercrust people.”

“Those people don’t live here.”

“Well this place is kind of famous, isn’t it? Maybe they drive in…”

“Is it?”

“I think it was on a TV show,” Alex admitted, before pointing to a plaque beside the door. Apparently it had, and won a bunch of awards. No wonder they cared about the way they looked or whatever.

“Yeah well showing all that by the door is tacky,” Jungkook scowled. Waves of anger and embarrassment rolled over him. “My money is as good as the next guy’s.”

“Ok but who cares, we don’t have to eat at a place like this. Let’s just pick somewhere else,” Alex said, nudging him towards the ramp.

Ugh, Hoseok would definitely have worn the suit and tie.

“Maybe we can just run back to my place and I can grab the suit I wore to the wedding–”

“No, I’m not dressed like that either and I don’t want to change. I spent way longer than I want to admit figuring out what to wear that would be cute and comfy,” she protested.

“But I want to take you to this nice place–”

“I don’t care about the nice place!” she snapped. He really did think she snapped at him, and it shut him up. They marched in silence down the ramp back towards his car. They got into the car. They buckled their seatbelts.

Bad start to the date.

“We can go to Taco Bell for all I care,” Alex suggested.

“That’s a shitty date,” Jungkook sulked. “That’s the kind of date you think I am?”

“There’s nothing wrong with Taco Bell…”

“I’m not taking you to fucking Taco Bell,” he groaned and pulled out his phone and began scrolling again. What was close, and nice, and not a fucking Taco Bell, and not going to turn them away at the door because they weren’t dressed in some shitty elitist outdated formal dining attire. Fuck, he was so angry about it! Even if that was a rule, they couldn’t bend it? They couldn’t seat them somewhere private or something? He was trying to impress a girl here!

“We could do Italian… is that too much wine though? We’re going to a wine tasting afterwards.”

“A wine tasting?” Alex repeated. “Um…”

“You don’t like a wine tasting?”

“No no it’s fine!” Alex assured him. “That’s cute. You really… yeah, it’ll be great,” she smiled at him. “And sure, Italian is fine! Let’s do Italian. What place are you thinking?”

“Tomasso Trattoria and Enoteca,” Jungkook read, and handed her the phone as he started to drive so she could look at it.

“Woah… this place is still really nice though… I was thinking like Olive Garden–”

“Alex, can you please let me take this date seriously? I realize maybe you don’t care but–”

“I care! Care about this being our date? I care!”

“I want it to be a special date!”

“I get it! This place looks very special,” she told him, setting his phone in the cradle with the GPS up.

He knew his frustration was a wall between them but she didn’t break it down this time. Usually she was good at that. He didn’t know what it meant, that she didn’t try. He wasn’t sure how to do it on his own, because if this was a date with someone else he wouldn’t care, he’d just change the subject and move on and vent about it to Alex later, or invent an excuse to take the girl home and go home. To Alex. Obviously she knew how he was, inside and out, but as he drove in the silence he started to feel a deeper embarrassment, like she’d seen him do something wrong. It wasn’t wrong for him to be annoyed with the restaurant for not letting them in! They had told him formal dress when he made the reservation sure but they didn’t explain that meant anything other than just looking your best! He looked his best! Alex looked her best! What, were they going to wear their wedding clothes or something?

“You know I was thinking about how crazy it is that just everything is Christmas this time of year,” Alex mused. “It’s not like I didn’t know everything is too Christmas and that there are lots of people who doesn’t celebrate who have to deal with it but I guess because we celebrate without being Christian, I didn’t really think about how fucking annoying it is for people who really don’t celebrate. Rebekah was telling me people always act like they’re sorry for her…” She continued to talk about it and he took the moment to breathe deeply. Ok. Change in plans. But Alex wasn’t demanding he take her home, so it would be ok. Even if he didn’t know why the fuck this was what she decided to ramble about, at least it was something.

The Italian place was busier, smaller, not on the water, but still nice and they didn’t get turned away at the door. The host took their coats for them. The tables had real candles, which Jungkook didn’t realize he cared about until they sat down and he saw the actual flicker from the breeze of their motions. The menus were short, which a Reddit thread had taught him meant it was a sign of a good restaurant. Their waiter had a bowtie and a black vest and offered to call over a sommelier to guide their wine selection.

“We’re going to a wine tasting after this,” Alex informed the waiter. “So I’ll wait on the wine.”

“We can have a glass or something here,” Jungkook argued.

Alex shook her head and tapped the wine menu, maybe trying to show him that the cheapest wine was $15/glass at a glance. But he had brought her to an Italian restaurant! For a fancy dinner! Wine was part of a fancy dinner!

“You don’t have to, but I’ll have a glass of something, send the sommelier over,” Jungkook insisted.

Alex decided she’d have the glass too. They had to show their cards and mused as they always did about how old they would have to be before the stopped getting carded. The waiter brought them bread and promised their calamari appetizer would be out quickly.

“Wow, it’s so romantic here,” Alex murmured. Jungkook felt the sigh of relief radiate from his chest. The candle light danced across her skin as she studied the elaborate murals on the walls, partially obscured by heavy red curtains. Elegant music played over the low din of dining. They were towards the edge of a large room, tucked into a little booth by the window with a view of nothing but trees. A grand piano stood in the center of what looked like a dance floor, tables sparse on the wooden floor.

“I feel bad,” she continued. “I didn’t realize you wanted to do such fancy things, I would have dressed nicer.”

“I think you dressed nice.”

“I did too until I saw you,” she laughed. “I guess I forgot…”

“Forgot what?” he asked, not following.

“What you look like.”

“Whaaaat?” he grinned, warmed by the flattery. The compliments from her felt sincere in a way they hadn’t before. He was used to teasing, so he almost didn’t trust it, but she didn’t look like she was teasing him. Now he found himself hungry for more. Did she really think he was hot? Not just aware that other people thought so, but she thought so? She liked the way he looked? She liked the way he dressed?

“Oh my god,” she snickered and rolled her eyes. “Do you always take your ego on dates with you?”

“No, I left it at home tonight with my jacket and tie,” he joked. She smiled and looked so pretty in the candlelight. He draped his hand across the table, palm down, to see if she’d take the hint and put hers on it. Would they be the kind of couple that held hands at dinner? Obviously not on a first date, but someday would they sit on the same side of the booth? Well, in a more serious way than when they did that at Wendy’s so they could both put their feet up on the other bench, that was different.

“The mood lighting is so… romantic,” she said again. “I feel like I should have worn high heels.”

“Your boots have heels.”

“Yeah but you know what I mean…’

“Do you want to dance until our food gets here?” The question was impulsive. No one else was dancing. But that could mean she wouldn’t have to feel nervous or pressured about dancing on beat with him. They could just hold onto each other and sway, here by the table or over on the dance floor. Maybe other people could join. He had enjoyed dancing with her so much, it would be a nice thing to add tonight.

But her eyes went wide as she cried, “Hey, don’t make fun of me!”

“What–”

“Oh god, don’t joke about it,” she laughed and covered her face. “How fucking humiliating…”

Jungkook hadn’t meant it as a joke. He thought it would be romantic. He certainly hadn’t meant to embarrass her just by the suggestion of dancing together. Unsure what else to say, he racked his brain trying to think of topics. The problem was that the lists of things to talk about on your first date were things like ask about where they grew up and ask about their hobbies and ask them what makes them unique? And ask them where their favorite place in the world is. But Jungkook knew all of these things about her! He wanted to learn something new about her. He wanted to seem new to her.

“Uh… what’s your favorite place in the world?” he asked as she untangled the little legs of their calamari appetizer.

“Mine? I don’t know… my parents’ house? I guess it was our old apartment.”

“Oh. Really?” he frowned.

“Why are you frowning?!”

“That’s just kind of sad.”

“Ok. Ouch.”

“No! I mean because we don’t live there anymore.”

“Oh. Yeah. How annoying,” she sighed. “So what’s Namjoon like as a roommate?”

“He’s a good roommate,” Jungkook said because he didn’t want to gossip or vent or seem complainy. Namjoon was a good roommate! Sure, he had a household aesthetic and a lot of Jungkook’s stuff didn’t meet the mark so he was kind of crowded into his room.

“That’s it? That’s all you have to say? Come on, you complained about living with me all the time.”

“Ah, yeah, sorry about that…”

“Huh?”

Embarrassed that she’d bring that up, he sipped his $15/glass wine. Yeah, he was worried about that. Alex was his best friend and he’d always treated her like a best friend but that wasn’t the same way you wanted to treat a girlfriend. He had a lot of things to undo. Actually, that was it, their first date wasn’t about learning, it was about unlearning all the things he would never have let a girl see about him.

“You’re being so weird,” she laughed, and nudged his foot under the table. “Is something wrong?”

“Hm? No, why would something be wrong?”

“Don’t let that other place bother you. I like this place a lot better anyway, this calamari is really good! I hope you still like me when I’m bloated from too much fettuccine…”

Instantly he assured her, “Of course I do. I mean, not that you’ll be bloaty or– I mean, obviously the body naturally looks different after a big dinner but it’s not– I won’t notice that kind of– it’s just normal…”

“It was a joke,” she said. “I’m wearing a bulky sweater, you won’t be able to tell anyway. Unless you get me naked.” She arched her eyebrow.

“We, um– tonight it’s um… were you thinking that? I thought we’d just have a nice date–”

“Oh. That’s not… nice? OK, I mean I’m half joking, I didn’t realize you had such a tight schedule for tonight!”

Jungkook had never felt so awkward and weird around Alex in his life. The only thing he knew to do was try and get the conversation back on track to Impressive Date Approved topics:

“Hey, so I was watching a really interesting show the other day. It was about the brain and all the changes it goes through from like a baby to a dead person– an old person.”

“The brain does very much still change after you die,” she pointed out. Yeah, dead people and rotting brains was definitely not on the approved list. No girl went home from a date and was like oh boy he was so handsome and charming and funny and we talked about decaying brains. I’m so in love.

She had not said that to him yet. That she loved him. There hadn’t been any real confession or labeling and he was obviously fine with that, he didn’t need labels, but still, it would be cool to get her to say something he could be sure of.

“No, don’t be like that, it was really cool to see– oh thank Christ the food is here.”

“You in a hurry or something?” she laughed. Which reminded him that they did have a scheduled start time for the wine tasting. He checked his phone as the waiter set their food down.

“Our wine tasting is at 7:30.”

“What?! Then yeah we don’t have much time!”

“Yeah.” Hm, he hadn’t really done the math right– or well he had when he’d made reservations for six at the other place, he just hadn’t counted on needing to change restaurants. Actually they have very little time. “Uh, well, ok, let’s eat fast then…” Eating fast was not romantic. “Or we can miss it. It’s fine.”

But she waved her hand, already twirling pasta around her fork, “No way, we’ll make it. You worked so hard planning all of this! I can eat fast. Damn this is good pasta…. You want to try this?”

He did, but he already envisioned the noodles swinging down and getting on his dark shirt. And then she’d want to try his, which was spaghetti and meatballs (it was one of the cheapest things on the menu, ok?!) and he’d drop one and it would bounce onto her white sweater. It wasn’t worth the risk.

“Nah, we can just eat our own food,” he assured her.

And promptly knocked his glass of wine to the ground, shattering it.

Alex had never seen Jungkook acting so weird in her life. He swung back and forth between distracted and too intense. One moment she’d think he was bored and the next he’d ignore whatever she just said and start telling her a play by play of some brain documentary he watched! He was clearly pissed about the first restaurant turning them away but then didn’t seem to care about the next place even though it was really nice; they had to leave so quickly to get to the wine tasting that they didn’t even get dessert.

He wasn’t acting like himself at all. Honestly, she felt like another day he might have still been able to sweet talk them into that first restaurant –though she was glad he hadn’t because she wasn’t really comfortable in a place like that anyway. It was bad enough being at the Italian restaurant where Jungkook insisted on paying and the waiter gave her a menu without prices so she didn’t even know how much damage she was doing to Jungkook’s bank account. He didn’t want to talk about any of the things they normally talked about. He didn’t respond to any of her jokes.

She couldn’t figure it out. Did he just not want to be here? But that didn’t make sense, because if he didn’t want to be here, he wouldn’t be! Jungkook had no problem peacing out of a situation he didn’t want to be in. He’d bailed on her plenty of times, that wasn’t hard for him.

They rushed across town to get to Hollyoak Vineyards for this wine tasting Jungkook had booked them for –and she was confused, because they couldn’t do a vineyard tour in the cold and dark or anything– and made it just in the nick of time. He kept saying over and over that it was fine if they missed it, which seemed to mean it wasn’t fine.

And then, checking in, winded by the sprint from the car, Alex made a terrible discovery: she had left her wallet and ID at the Italian restaurant. Which might have been fine if Jungkook wasn’t with her, because often she didn’t get carded on her own. But Jungkook made her look younger with that charming babyface of his. The woman asked to see their IDs before they could join the tour and tasting.

“I left it at the restaurant,” she admitted quietly, turning to Jungkook.

For a moment he just looked at her.

“You don’t have your ID?”

“It’s at the restaurant.”

“Uh…”

He froze. He looked between her and the employee and Alex knew that look: somebody fix this for me because I don’t know what to do now. Usually she didn’t see that look unless he was drunk or in emotional crisis. Neither was true now, except that he still wasn’t saying anything.

“Is there another tasting tonight?” Alex asked the employee.

“No, I’m sorry. I can reschedule you for another day?”

“Could he start the tasting now and I’ll go and come back–”

“No, you’ll miss the whole thing,” Jungkook said, reanimated. He pulled his ID off the counter and tucked it back into his wallet. “Ok, we’ll go. Thanks anyway.”

“I’m sorry, I guess it fell out of my purse under the table,” she explained as they left the place. He didn’t say anything. She couldn’t tell if he was pissed or disappointed, but she felt bad either way. “I’m really sorry, Jungkook.”

“It’s fine. It doesn’t matter,” he sighed. “Uh…” They reached the car and he closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. She didn’t know what he was thinking about or if he was just trying to control his emotions or what. “You want me just to take you home? This is all kind of a bust, huh?”

“Wha? No, don’t take me home yet!”

“You sure? ‘Cause this a pretty fail date so–”

“Oh my god are you serious right now?” she laughed. “It’s fine! Things go wrong sometimes, it’s not that serious. Can’t we just find something else to do?”

He let out a deep, heavy sigh.

“Hey look, I’m sorry I fucked up the wine tasting. We can just do that on another date, I’ll book it.”

“Yeah but…”

“Let’s just go to minigolf or something–”

“I’m not taking you to minigolf,” he huffed, and crossed his arms and leaned against the car, and rolled his eyes.

And frankly, Alex had had enough.

“Why the fuck not? What’s wrong with minigolf? What’s wrong with Taco Bell? I don’t want to be a bitch because I know you put all this effort into planning all of these things but why are you acting like we’re suddenly too good to– ok, we tried this fancy stuff and things went wrong so let’s just do something else! It doesn’t have to be a big deal!”

“It does have to be a big deal, Alex! It’s our first fucking date!”

“So?!” she shouted, throwing her arms up.

“What do you mean ‘so’?! It’s our first date! The first date we ever go on!” he shouted back.

“Yeah I know that! But it doesn’t have to be like some big…” She couldn’t think of the right words. Her shouting fizzled a bit as she thought through what he’d just said, and how actually very sweet that was.

“I wanted it to be big,” he insisted. “Hoseok always took you on these big fancy dates, right? Yeah, I can do that too!”

“Oh, Jungkook,” she sighed. And walked around and grabbed his coat and headbutted his chest and let her head rest there. “You dummy.”

“What?”

“Don’t worry about what Hoseok did. Who cares?”

“You cared.”

“Past tense,” she pointed out, craning her neck to look up at him from so close. “Now I’m out on a date with you. I don’t have this like high expectation of–”

“Of a good date? You should. That’s shitty, I don’t–”

“We can do anything and it’s a good date. I just wanted to spend time with you. We already know all kinds of things we like doing together.”

“Yeah but this isn’t just hanging out, Alex. It’s a date date. I wanted it to be special.”

“It is special, you idiot.” She hit him on the arm several times to try and make him smile. “It’s us. Obviously it’s special.”

“No, we’ve always been just friends. This needs to be big so you know it’s different–”

“Do you think I’m a stupid little baby? Is that why you were telling me about baby brains? I know this is different! You brought me flowers and looked all nervous and awkward on my couch!” It was more fun to tease him than admit her own nerves as she’d dressed and redressed and then redressed again. But the excitement for her had been a thousand times louder than the nerves. Nervous-excited, not nervous-afraid.

He sounded nervous-afraid.

“Yeah but–”

“I put on sexy underwear and eyeliner! The pointy way you said looks good!”

“I know that– I mean not about the underwear but–”

“So why are you being so weird about our date? There’s no point if you don’t actually enjoy spending time with me.”

“What are you talking about?” he demanded, eyebrows furrowing into the little V she had predicted. “Of course I like spending time with you.”

“Yeah? What do you like doing with me?”

“I don’t know, just… stuff. Like… but it’s just been friend stuff before–”

“I’m no expert, but I think dating is kind of just doing the same things we always did except we say it’s a date now,” she pointed out. “You don’t think so? Or are you worried you don’t actually like me or something?”

“I like you, Alex, that’s why I’m nervous. Pretty sure I used a word stronger than ‘like’ before too.”

She let that sit for a moment. Hearing Jungkook admit he was nervous was a completely different lens to look at the whole evening. Hearing Jungkook reiterate that he liked her was like, nauseatingly unbelievable.

Ok, now she was having a harder time not being nervous-afraid because yeah, this was pretty crazy, being on a date date with Jungkook that he was taking so seriously because he liked her and she liked him too. Oh god.

“Are you… are you just cranky because you’re worried about having a bad first date?” she fumbled out.

“Yeah! Obviously! Jesus, it’s like you– are you fucking with me right now?!”

“Oh my god, you are so high strung right now,” she sighed and pulled on his jacket. “Jungkook! Chill! Are you serious?”

“I just…”

“Baby,” she said, and reached up to grab his face in a burst of confidence fueled by all of his nonsense. “Baby Koo.”

“Shut up,” he grumbled.

“No, don’t be grumpy. Look at me.” He begrudgingly did so; he didn’t have much of a choice with her holding his head. “Thank you for a wonderful dinner and for scheduling the wine tasting I fucked up. This whole evening is really special to me. The fact you worked so hard to make it special makes me feel really special. I don’t want to say goodnight yet, so I’d really like ice cream and minigolf with you.”

“Why are you so obsessed with minigolf?” he mumbled.

“I don’t know, I just think it’s a cute date idea and I like doing dumb things like that with you,” she shrugged, letting her hands fall away. He caught hold of them though and held. His fingers were cold. “I’m still allowed to like it, even when it’s a date date.”

“Yeah, well…” His mouth twisted in thought, so cute. “My original plan was to do minigolf,” he confessed. “And the taco truck. But then everyone acted like that was really lame and low effort so I wanted to do something bigger so you would know–”

“Fuck that!” Alex cried. “And fuck them! I like minigolf and tacos!”

“I know you like that but I wanted to like… I want you to be all giddy and stuff, you know? No one gets giddy over minigolf.”

“They do when they win,” she beamed. “You wouldn’t know about that. Since you never win.”

His eyes narrowed. “Uh, pretty sure I always beat your ass. I can’t let you win, just because it’s a date.”

“Who said anything about let?”

“Ugggh but see? I can’t beat your ass, that’ll be a bad date.”

“Then let me win.”

“You’d hate me forever.”

“I wouldn’t hate you! I’d just be shocked you were down that bad for me– I don’t think your ego could let someone–”

“Hey, I let girls win that shit all the time,” he interrupted. “I don’t let you win because I respect you so much.”

“Yeah or because you aren’t trying to get into my pants.”

“No, but I do want into your pants now.”

“Well… sounds like you know what to do then…” She grinned and wiggled her eyebrows and felt full body relief. Everything made so much more sense now. She should have figured it out sooner that Jungkook was just nervous and frustrated that things weren’t going to his plan when he was trying so hard! But how could she have guessed he was this worked up about impressing her? It was just her!

“Alex,” he whined her name. She started to walk around the car but he was still holding her wrist and pulled her back. “We can’t play minigolf. Forty years from now we’ll be talking about our first date and I’m going to say I took you to play fucking minigolf?”

Damn. Damn that sounded serious.

“Um, well,” she stammered, distracted at the casual way in which he’d basically just been like yeah we’re going to be together forever. “Well first you’ll probably tease me about forgetting my wallet and then you’ll probably tease me about being easy or childish because I wanted to play minigolf.”

“Ah, that’s true… you asked for it. I’m just giving you what you wanted.” His voice lowered as he said it, as he pulled her closer, no secret about the innuendo.

“Giving me what I want is always the right move,” she agreed, and lifted her face so he wouldn’t have to crouch too far for the kiss she thought he was leading into. There was only a moment of hesitation during which she worried she’d read him wrong. Maybe this just wasn’t normal yet, but they wanted it. He smiled into the kiss, giving too much teeth against hers, but she tilted her face and the kiss softened and Alex forgot to breathe. You know, just Jungkook, kissing her in the parking lot, nose pressed against hers, warm breath and saliva mingling with hers.

She overbalanced on her toes and they fell back against his car but he caught his own weight and towered over her.

“Maybe you should go back to being pissy and mean,” she breathed.

“Huh?”

“You’re making me dizzy,” she admitted with a laugh. “I know we kissed the other night but–”

Jungkook cut her off with another kiss that made her toes curl and her heart stutter.

“Yeah?” he murmured, sounding a bit breathless himself as his nose gently nudged hers. “Am I giving you butterflies kissing you in the parking lot of the wine tasting we didn’t get to do?”

“Yeah.”

He sighed, wine-scented breath warm across her face. “Can you please be a little more high maintenance? I’m giving you permission to be demanding!”

“Oh, I will be, without your permission,” she assured him with a cheeky grin. “You seem to be forgetting– well, I won’t remind you. You just keep those rose-tinted glasses on for a while. At least until I make you cry at minigolf.”

“Ok, are you just forgetting that you’re really bad at minigolf? Because I have not forgotten it–”

“That’s not true! I’ve won before!”

“Yeah, by sabotaging me,” he pointed out.

“Mm-hm and now I can sabotage you even more, right? Like… oops I dropped my ball!” she joked and slid from his arms to bend over and pick it up. So he had a nice profile of just how high her skirt would go. She was wearing tights, it wasn’t going to show anything but look, she’d learned a few things over the years about what Jungkook liked. He liked the tease. The suggestion. Maybe he liked it more than the real thing.

She hoped he didn’t like the idea of her more than the real thing.

Also he really liked ass, so at least that was a safe bet.

He grumbled and demanded, “How many dates do we have to go on before I’m allowed to spank when you do something like that?”

Oh god be cool she begged herself because, you know, Jungkook had basically just asked to spank her. Jungkook. Spanking her. Just… spanking her. Cool. Cool cool.

“Um… three.”

He looked unhappy about it but nodded, “Ok. So you’re just going to tease me a lot tonight then?”

“Yeah, probably. But if you cry when you lose, I’ll comfort you. I’m not totally mean.”

“Yeah, I’ll give you a hug when you lose,” he promised. “I’m a caring date.”

“You’re a nice guy.”

“Yeah, I’m a nice guy,” he laughed, then tried to tickle and poke her through her coat. “I am. Sorry if I was weird or whatever tonight.”

“Hey, why are you talking like the night is over? You are still on a date,” she argued.

“Right right, I have to make your dreams come true. Minigolf and ice cream.”

“And you,” she added, sort of without meaning to. At least the vulnerability of it hit her after she’d said the words. She just had meant to specify he was an important part of why she would like those things on a date!

But the thing was, she didn’t really feel vulnerable tonight in a bad way. She didn’t feel as nervous or impostery as she had feared. This was Jungkook! She didn’t think there was anyone in the world she was safer with and all his efforts and overthinking seemed to prove that. He’d taken on all the nerves for her. What a great guy.

He smiled, that goofy crooked toothy grin of her best friend, and said, “Well call me a dreamboy, baby, because I’m about to make all your dreams come true–”

“Ok you did not get laid with lines like that,” Alex said with a roll of her eyes.

“Yeah, sure I did!”

“No.”

“I did! Are you saying that did not make you cream your panties? What kind of panties did you say again–”

“Oh my god, just get in the car.”

“Fine, what date can I ask about your panties? Because I thought that one was ok since we talked about it the other night.”

“My panties?”

“Yeah.”

“You mean because you’ve been hoarding my underwear at your–”

“Woah woah I did not– I told you they were just mixed in with–”

“They?! How many of my underwear do you have?!”

“Get in the car, Song.”

She giggled and continued to taunt him as the car heated up and he looked up places. There was an indoor one at the mall they were familiar with but Alex wanted the outside one which was still open through the end of the month and served ice cream.

“You sure you’re ok with outside?”

“I’ll be fine! I have a coat and sweater tights.”

“Oh is that why they look fancy?”

“Yeah, they’re textured. Want to feel them?” she teased as he drove. But he took the advantage, letting his hand slide across her thigh. She got very quiet. His hand just looked so familiar and comfortable there, like that was his thigh.

“Yeah, I like these,” he nodded. “Your whole outfit.”

She waited, then sighed, “You noticed I couldn’t get my eyeliner straight, didn’t you?”

“Well, that’s why you have me now,” he laughed. “I can help next time.”

“Look you weren’t the only one nervous, ok?”

“Yeah? What were you nervous about, baby?” he asked, still rubbing her thigh. He might as well have been rubbing somewhere else with that firm grip. The devil part of her wanted to just ask him to let his hand run higher, maybe a sequel to the other night…

“Yeah don’t act all cocky now. I know your secret!” she retorted and adjusted her skirt.

“What’s my secret?”

“You like me.”

“You’re right, that is a very well kept secret,” he laughed. “Please don’t spread that around. There might still be a couple people in town I didn’t drunkenly blab that to in the last few months.”

She sighed happily at his expense. Maybe the craziest thing wasn’t being on a date with ex-best-turned-best-friend-again Jungkook. Maybe the craziest thing was that being on an actual date with him didn’t feel as crazy as she’d always expected it to. Would that come later? She hadn’t felt mismatched on his arm walking into either restaurant like she’d expected to. Yes, he was the hottest guy in any room. And he wanted to put his face between her legs, so what did that make her?

Ok, that part was still a little wild and crazy. Not only that he’d wanted to but she’d let him. Maybe she’d even let him do it for real next time.

“You ok?”

“Hm?”

“Is it too hot in here now?” he asked.

“Yeah, way too hot,” she agreed, reaching forward to crank the heat down. Jungkook cracked the windows. She drank the cool air in and pushed back against the warm tingling starting to build up.

“So what did your parents say when you told them I was picking you up for a date tonight?” he asked, throat clearing. It made her suspicious in two directions.

“Why, what did they say to you?” she asked, the safer question than: why you clearing your throat, boo? Whatcha thinking about?

“Nothing, they were just acting kind of weird…”

“I told them we were going on a date date and they were just like ‘oh really? That’s nice.’ I don’t think they believed me!”

“Well I was dressed up with flowers.”

“Plus you were acting super weird too,” Alex pointed out.

“Thanks, babe.”

His hand left her thigh as he took a sharp turn and Alex wished he’d read her mind and put it back, but he did not.

“Let’s get your wallet, dummy.”

Fifteen minutes and one returned wallet later, he pulled into the minigolf parking lot and pressed, “You sure you want to do this?”

“Why? You scared?”

“No, I meant because it’s cold–”

“You’re scared.”

“I’m not scared, Alex. You golf like a toddler.”

“It’s minigolf, that’s the point!”

“That’s not the… whatever, ice cream before or after?”

“During. I’m ready to doublefist a cone and a club.”

It really was fucking cold outside, but the course was lit and they weren’t the only ones. The snack bar served them the ice cream, the employee giving them a raised eyebrow but handing the cones over. Jungkook hit his first ball straight into a pond and Alex got a scathing look from a mom when she shouted what are you the fucking hulk? It’s minigolf! While he shouted accusations at her That was your fault! Why are you bending over like that to tie your shoe? Your boots don’t even have laces!

The truth was they were both pretty bad at minigolf tonight. Their teeth chattered and they huddled together from one hole to the next. They fucked with each other every single turn –dirty jokes, terrible impersonations, quoting memes and movies they knew would get a rise out of each other. Jungkook tried the same move she’d done in the beginning, even pulling his coat up to make sure she could see his ass, sulked when it didn’t work, and pretended like he was going to do a full on striptease –which would definitely have led to Alex’s premature death. Later she offered to suck his fingers to warm them up and he fell to the ground claiming he’d sprained his dick.

And then it started to rain.

“Are you fucking kidding me?!” Jungkook shouted as Alex grabbed his hand and ran with him into the mountain tunnel in the center of the course. “It wasn’t supposed to rain until 9!”

“The weather does what it wants.”

“Yeah but it’s fucking with my date. You don’t like getting rained on! Unless today is the day we try the naked thing–”

She laughed and pulled him down closer to kiss his wet face. His skin was so cold. Their lips and noses were stiff. The sweetness of his mint choco ice cream lingered on his tongue. Alex stood on the railing for height and lost herself in the taste. She thought she’d be taking this dumb fantasy to her grave and yet here they were, making out in the minigolf mountain like the horny teenages they hadn’t gotten to be with each other.

After several long, lazy, uncounted minutes had passed, they huddled together at the exit to survey the remaining distance. The rain was not letting up.

“Did you make it rain?” he demanded. “You’re that upset I’m beating you?”

“Uh… you aren’t beating me.”

“Alex, I’m totally beating you.”

“You totally aren’t.”

“Then what’s the score?”

“I don’t know but you don’t know either!”

“7-11.”

“You liar!” she laughed and tried to hit his ass. “Fine, we’ll count for real now.”

“Wait, what for real now? It’s raining!”

“It’s not raining that hard.”

“It’s hard enough!” he cried, then instantly laughed and wiggled his eyebrows, then groaned, “But I’m not, I’m freezing!”

“All right, let’s golf fast! Orrrr you could admit defeat.”

“Never,” he glared and grabbed his putter and took off.

The cheating was flagrant and largely futile. Putters were traded for kicking, rolling, and eventually just dropping the ball in the hole. They shouted numbers to make each other lose count. They were laughing so hard, doubled over at times as the rain grew heavier and colder. She really did hate the way her clothes and hair clung to her wet skin, but it was worth it to endure. This was a special night.

“We’re idiots!” Alex laughed, then shrieked as she slipped on a little bridge. Jungkook dove forward and rammed his elbow on the metal railing, didn’t help her, and sank to the ground like he’d been knocked out. “Get up! Get up! You’ll get hypothermia!”

Instead he took her putter and shouted, “Good luck winning now!” and limped forward, clutching his elbow. Alex ran ahead of him and managed to shove her ball into the final return hole just as he tried to kick his in. Instead he kicked her in the shoulder and shouted in horror. She tried to stand, he tried to crouch.

“Fuck!”

“Up up we have to get back to the car, we’re going to freeze to death!” Jungkook shouted at her, grabbing her arm. They half-limped, half-ran back to the parking lot, tossing their putters in the return rack without stopping.

“We’re such idiots, we’re going to get sick and die,” Alex wailed as they stripped their wet coats off and shoved them in the backseat. Jungkook cranked the heat up. “Fuck, I hate my bangs!” she laughed, swiping at the hair plastered to her face, poking her in the eyes. “At least I wore my contacts.”

Jungkook’s hands replaced hers, pushing them back, followed by his cold lips against her forehead, her nose and then her mouth, all one smooth motion that completely overwhelmed her. Her fingers tightened on his shoulders in surprise as he grabbed her arms and pulled her closer, like the laughter and running and cheating had turned into raw energy that he now funneled into a hard, desperate kiss. The joy in that kiss made the world spin around her. The windows were fogging up and she felt that desperation again. Touch me, taste me, take me, do anything to me, let me be the girl you want.

“Alex.”

“Koo.”

His breath warmed her frozen nose and stung her frozen cheeks.

“Was this the worst date ever?”

She glared. “No! It was good because it was with me, right?”

“We’re both going to get the flu.”

“Stop complaining and just kiss me again,” she ordered, pulling him across the console this time. He pressed her into the seat, contorted, mouth getting hotter against hers by the second.

“God I can’t believe this was the best date of my life,” he completely contradicted himself.

The giggles burst out of her, “Damn. Really? That’s sad–”

He shoved icy fingers under her sweater to tickle and she screamed and kicked the dashboard in her attempts to flee. He just wrapped his arms around her and pressed his frozen nose into her neck, squeezing tighter.

“You asshole, let me go!”

“Never.”

“Jungkook!”

“You said you wanted outdoor minigolf, you suffer the consequences! I’m warming my nose up.”

“I’m so uncomfortably wet!”

“Yeah baby–”

“No, in a bad way!”

“Love leaving a girl wet in a bad way on our first date–” She couldn’t hear what else he said, drowned out by her laughter. Someone was going to think they were fucking in here with the way windows had fogged up so quickly and they were shaking the car. She pushed him away and adjusted the heat and wiped at the condensation on her window. Now it was uncomfortably hot, and also her clothing really felt disgusting like this. The fluffy sweater was scratchy and gross. She pulled it away from her skin but it just clung right back.

Jungkook shook his head.

“What?”

“I tried so hard to make this date nice,” he laughed.

“Oh my god you’re so hung up on this. I’m having a great time!”

But perfectionist Jungkook. She should have known he’d have some specific idea in mind! He struggled when things didn’t go the way he planned, if he wanted them a certain way. Usually he’d insist he didn’t care and overcompensate in his frustration, make too much of a joke about things in an effort to be cool that was always obvious and annoying. He hadn’t done that! But she knew frustration lingered with him and she didn’t want that to be what overshadowed their date!

“Seriously. Please don’t remember our first date as a failure. Ok, how about this, what if we decide this was just a trial run.”

“Uh huh.”

“Our next date is our first date,” she explained, twisting in the seat. It was gross, her tights and skirt squished. “We’ll just keep having first dates until you’re happy.”

“Wait, but I’m happy. Don’t make it sound like I’m not.”

“Uh, you aren’t though, you’re the only one in this car who’s unhappy.”

“I’m happy,” he insisted, eyebrows going up, lips pouting. “It’s just not as good as I wanted to do for you, but I’m happy. Why wouldn’t I be? I’m on a date with Alex Song!”

“Oh please…”

“I meant that seriously.”

“You said it like a joke.”

“I meant it seriously,” he insisted. “I want to impress you, you know? You’ve seen the worst of me for so long, I want you to see the best of me too. Like that I can take you on a really fun, nice date, not that I’m just some lazy, sex-obsessed asshole–.”

“I see the best of you all the time too, or I wouldn’t be on a date with you in the first place. I already know we can have a great time even when things go wrong. This date was genuinely great but even if it was actually awful, I’d still have fun with you, it’s one of the things I’ve always… liked about you.” Loved about you.

She didn’t say it.

She balked.

She didn’t know why she didn’t say it. She had expected the words to just roll right off her tongue. Because she did, she knew she loved him, and not too long ago she could have said it without any hesitation.

But it meant something more now, and the words tangled up behind her cold teeth.

She hurried to add, “I know that you can be both a really sweet, thoughtful guy and a lazy, sex-obsessed–”

“Ok ok,” he huffed, pouting he’d set her up for a zinger like that. He turned on the headlights and sighed. “I’d better get you home so you can put on your jammies. I’ll feel like an asshole if I really do get you sick right before Christmas.”

“I’m the one who insisted on minigolf.”

“Ok, it’s your fault then.”

“Jungkook!”

“Hey don’t hit me, I’m driving! That’s just what we need tonight, a car wreck!”

“Fine, you’re safe for now…”

She curled up in her seat and tried not to make it obvious she was staring at him. The streetlights flickering through the rain on the windshield cast spotted shadows on his wet face but she could tell his nose was still red and sniffly.

He was cute. And sweet. It was endearing he’d been so serious and competitive about their date. She’d known him for so long but still she had learned something new about him tonight: he was not confident on a date. She had always known he had a gooey soft interior but he was so suave with women, she had assumed he would be all confidence and charm on a date. Instead he was a grumpy sulky baby when things weren’t going the way he planned.

Her grumpy sulky baby. Just like she’d always wanted. Hot as shit on the outside, sulky baby on the inside.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” he asked, glancing nervously her way at a red light.

“Nothing.”

“Tell me.”

“Nothing!”

He reached out and sank his fingers into her thigh like a claw.

“NO! Don’t tickle me, you’re driving!” she shrieked and tried to fend him off. Fortunately the light turned green, saving her. “Rude!”

“I just want to know what you're thinking. I’m on pins and needles here.”

She decided to tease him more. “Well… I’m thinking I’d like to see you again.”

“Oh? Yeah?”

“Yeah. Maybe at our joint family dinner on Christmas Eve?”

“Booo,” he scowled. “Before that. That’s not a date, that’s a duty.”

“You want another date before that?”

“Yeah.”

“Wow, I’m a really good date, huh?” she grinned.

“Yeah, you’re cute.”

“I was joking!”

“I’m not.”

“Fine. How about I’ll plan the next date. When are you free, is it on the calendar?”

“Yeah, it’s on the calendar. Any time I’m not working is yours.”

She didn’t comment. She couldn’t comment on any of these things. Because this was just mundane, joky conversation, but the fact they casually making more plans together hit her like a bus. Part of her brain was like yeah, making plans with Jungkook, totally normal while the other part reminded you’re dating Jungkook.

He pulled to a stop in front of her house and started to get out.

“No don’t walk me to the door, it’s still pouring.”

“Yeah, but–”

“No, seriously. My parents might be watching the door anyway.”

“Yeah but…”

“Hey,” she said. “Save it for the first date. I’ll walk you to your front door at the end of the night.”

“Oh you’re driving?”

“Yeah, babygirl, we are equals,” she grinned.

“Did you just… just ‘babygirl’ me?”

“Yesssss,” she started to laugh before his fingers even tried to wedge under her shirt again. He kissed her before she caught her breath; she laughed and squirmed and it made their lips slide, the messiest kiss.

“K, get out of my car, I need to get home and shower before I get sick,” he said.

“Hold on, Jesus, I’m dizzy.”

“Huh?”

“You can’t just kiss a girl like that and then kick her out of your car, I’ll trip and die–”

“Ok, I’m walking you in.”

“No, stay put.”

“You said you’re dizzy!”

She squeezed his face so full of concern, and shook her head, “Goodnight. Thanks for the amazing date, I had a lot of fun despite your whining about it.”

“Hey!”

His shouted protests were swallowed quickly by the rain as she held her coat over her head and ran into her house. She was right that Baba had been watching the door and swung it open to let her in quickly.

“Alex, you’re wet! Did you get caught in the rain?”

“Thanks, Baba, goodnight!” Alex sang as she yanked her boots off, tossed her coat, and floated to her room.

There in the privacy of her bedroom, she covered her face and let out a silent scream.

He tried so hard!

He cared so much!

He was so handsome!

He was so awkward about their date and god, she loved him for it. Didn’t he understand how perfect it was? It was exactly what she had hoped for. The effort. The attention. All for her.

She looked forward to teasing him about it for forty years.

Especially the photo he posted to his Snap and Insta story of him with a towel around his shoulders, shirt clinging to his body, hair damp and tousled, giving a thumbs-up with the caption yeah everything went wrong but I got a second date so… Followed by a text only post on insta lol she ain’t on here fam she deleted insta a while ago

So he wasn’t talking about their date on insta as some kind of game or lure or to signal to her that he wasn’t still trying to hook up with women? He did it just to… share? Brag? Signal to women on instagram he wasn’t looking? Was he just excited about his date and used to sharing things on social media and didn’t think through the impact on his free sex life because that wasn’t a priority to him?

“Grrrr why are you so fucking cute,” she grumbled. “I’m supposed to be the cute one. Stay in your hot lane. ”

She DMed him a kissy face emoji in response to the story to give him a heart attack and went to shower. And afterwards had a good laugh when the stories and the pre-date photo were gone.

[AlandPals]: 😘

[TheJK.97]: 😎

[AlandPals]: take off the sunglasses

[TheJK.97]: 😵🪦

[TheJK.97]: so uh when did you dl insta?

[AlandPals]: night bunny

[TheJK.97]: that is NOT my petname

[TheJK.97]: night earwig

[AlandPals]: night weevil

[TheJK.97]: night shrimp cocktail

[AlandPals]: night nutter butter

[TheJK.97]: night cheeto finger

[AlandPals]: night kookie crisp

[TheJK.97]: night booberry

[TheJK.97]: night pistachio

[TheJK.97]: night titmouse (that’s a bird look it up)

[TheJK.97]: did you fall asleep on me??

[TheJK.97]: I win 😁

Alex let him have this one. He’d earned it.

KEEP READING PARTY B

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bluebunnyears-08 · 1 year

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What Nine Represents In Sonic Prime

Ok, so far we've seen multiple Shattered Spaces and multiple variants of the main characters. There have been many speculations that each variant represents a part of the main crew. I agree with this. I can see each part of the main crew's personality split taken to the EXTREME. But there's one that confused me, and we'll get to him later. First, let's go over what each shattered version of the main crew represents.

Amy:

Rusty Rose: Amy's sense of loyalty.

Thorn Rose: Amy's love for nature.

Black Rose: Amy's love for adventure.

Rouge:

Rebel Rouge: Rouge's sense of leadership.

Prim Rouge: Rouge's sense of deceit and trickery.

Pirate Rouge: Rouge's sense of teamwork.

Knuckles:

Renegade Knucks: Knuckles rebellious and defiant against another control.

Gnarly Knuckles: Knuckles naivety and assuming to believe everything.

Dread Knuckles: Knuckles' sense of impulsiveness.

Tails:

Mangey Tails: Tail's sense of primal instincts.

Sails: Tail's dependence on others for guidance.

I know all of you noticed that a certain variant of Tails is missing: Nine. Nine was hard to place. He is Tail's sense of reliance on machines however due to how much we've seen of him that wouldn't be the main trait he represents. Re-watching the show I realized what he represents.

Nine: Tail's love, selfishness, and emotional need for Sonic.

This is mentioned originally by @animatedjunkfood in messaging, but they pointed out that while traveling through the ShatteredVerse for the first time, we hear each main character's statements that reflect their ideals. Amy's is her love for nature, Knuckles is his hot-headedness, but Tails is the only one that has two separate lines. One mentions that he doesn't need an army because he has Sonic and the other mentioning on how his and Sonic's bond can NEVER be broken, that they are INSEPARABLE.

The writers did that for a REASON, and I think that it shows how important Nine is going to be in the future. Tail's lines reflect his LOVE and BOND with Sonic, and Nine so far reflects that perfectly. He didn't show care towards anyone besides Sonic, he only takes Sonic to the Grim, and he shows an emotional need for Sonic despite how cold he tries to be, Sonic being the original Tail's emotional rock doesn't change for Nine; and in Nine's case becoming that EVEN MORE SO.

Remember I mentioned that each variant of the main characters is their traits taken to the EXTREME. Keep that in mind in the future, cause it might become VERY important in future episodes. But anyway, this is just what I think, let me know what you guys think about this.

#sonic prime nine #more sonic prime!#sonic prime #sonic prime spoilers #nine needs a hug #oh nine...#you need a hug #and some mint candy #sonic the hedgehog #poor nine #nine deserves to win no matter what

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extasiswings · 9 months

Note

You have me deeply curious, would you mind sharing about your love of Sarah Maclean's books?

Sarah MacLean, Queen of Romance, Legend, Icon. What is there to say?

As a general matter, she’s just a damn good writer. I am a voracious reader but also have high standards and that can be a problem when I read romance because there are a lot of bad romance writers out there (arguably because people think romance is easy and are lazy about it). But Sarah MacLean is the kind of writer where, imo, even her “worst” books are still on another level.

She knows how to write a good book with good plots and fantastic character dynamics and genuinely believable romance. I can make jokes about “the Sarah MacLean Cinematic Universe” but there’s a level of continuity with how all the different characters and books tie together despite all being standalone novels and series. And it’s really easy to fall back on tropes and conventions but she manages to make them feel fresh and interesting. Her books have stakes that by and large feel meaningful, and she understands human nature very well + isn’t afraid to lean into the flaws of her characters. But beyond that—

There is a tension sometimes within historical romance where writers try too hard to project modern progressivism and feminism and it ends up feeling anachronistic and/or preach. Sarah MacLean does a fantastic job of writing stories that are smart, feminist, progressive in their own ways, while drawing inspiration from real history instead of fighting with it and at the same time she recognizes that writing historical romance is about, in part, holding up a mirror to society and saying hey, we don’t get to pat ourselves on the back, there’s a lot of problems that we haven’t fixed in 200 years.

Anyway, I just love her and everything she writes and I can’t explain it more beyond saying just read her and find out! My unofficial ranked list:

1) The Day of the Duchess

2) Heartbreaker

3) One Good Earl Deserves A Lover

4) Daring and the Duke

5) Never Judge a Lady by Her Cover

6) Knockout

7) The Rogue Not Taken

8) Wicked and the Wallflower

9) Bombshell

10) Brazen and the Beast

11) A Scot in the Dark

12) Eleven Scandals to Start to Win A Duke’s Heart

13) No Good Duke Goes Unpunished

14) Nine Rules to Break When Romancing A Rake

15) A Rogue by Any Other Name

16) Ten Ways to be Adored When Landing A Lord

#chapel talks

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9leaguesofmirrors · 9 months

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More Inside No. 9 Hot Takes/Opinions

Because I can't stop talking about this show apparently

Reece's character in Random Act Of Kindness and Steve's character in Wise Owl felt like they were just there so the other could have a part in the episode. That's not to say they didn't deliver some really great performances, but RAOK already had a great twist without Reece's character and Steve's character in Wise Owl felt a bit random

Someone needs to cast Steve in a kitchen-sink/family drama because he was INSANELY brilliant in Love's Great Adventure and Random Act Of Kindness

Speaking of LGA, the fandom need to stop sleeping on it because it's not as dark as other episodes of IN9! The script feels so authentic, the entire cast is unfaultable and the use of the advent calendar is so clever - I wish more people appreciated how beautiful the episode is

If Steve didn't win the Best Actor BAFTA for Bernie Clifton's Dressing Room, he should've won it for LGA - in fact, he deserves it for both!

Regardless of the episodes themselves, Steve and Reece haven't had a single miss when it comes to their acting. Every single role they've played has been fantastic

Not an opinion or a hot take, but do y'all say "Shearsmith and Pemberton" or "Pemberton and Shearsmith"? I feel like, with other duos, there's an order that's agreed on (nobody says Wise and Morcombe or Teller and Penn, it's always Morcombe + Wise and Penn + Teller). When I use their first names, I say "Reece and Steve" but, when it comes to their surnames, I say Pemberton first

Reece's character was so well-written in Nine Lives Kat that it perfectly captured the stereotype of "unspecified mental illness portrayed in a caricaturish way"... but that also means he made me cringe so much that I can't watch the episode again - even though it's a great one

Speaking of episodes I can't watch again, Merrily Merrily was such a beautiful episode but it left me feeling so hollow that I can't bring myself to watch it again

Last post had me manifesting Daniel Rigby in season 9, this post has me manifesting Pheobe Waller-Bridge

What makes Inside No. 9 so good is that there's an episode for any mood; you'll always have an episode no matter what you feel like watching

#inside no 9 #in9 #reece shearsmith #steve pemberton #league of gentlemen

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hxneyhxrts · 2 years

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Sun Bleached || Jake “Hangman” Seresin (part 6)

Part 5

note: how are we already at part 6 oh my god. you guys, i really cannot convey how much joy it brings me to see your messages, comments, likes, reblogs, added tags, all of it. you guys are killing me. i don’t take compliments super well so i’m trying to play it off with humor but in a moment of seriousness, love you guys, thank you for looking at this.

warnings: explicit language, drinking, very vague sexual undertones for like a second

Sex on Fire

In retrospect, maybe it had been better that Jake thought Gwyn had a boyfriend.

Since their quiet talk in the back of the bar where she had mercifully quelled his fears that she was spoken for, it was like he had no control over himself. He found every excuse to be near her, talk to her, watch her, and lately touching her. Just small brushes against her when passing by or pretending to brush nonexistent lint off of her flight suit, but each caress felt like kindling.

Was it pathetic? Yes. Was he too far gone to care? Absolutely.

Weeks had passed of these light and awful touches exchanged between light coffee talk or field drills. He had gotten into the groove of being squadron leader with relative ease (and only minor complaints from some of the team, so he counted it as a win). Rooster would occasionally tease him about his little crush, though he didn’t know the full scope of Jake’s feelings. Not anymore, at least. Said crush had snowballed into something much more intense and less juvenile in the past weeks, and Jake found himself thinking of Gwyn more often than not. If he had a moment to think, it was of her. Of course, he understood what pursuing her like that could mean for the team and his career, and had resigned himself slowly over the weeks to the notion that it simply wouldn’t happen

It frightened him how rapidly she had infected him, but he figured it didn’t matter so long as he held it together for the team. No one had to know how he felt if nothing ever came of it, anyway. It would be his own secret to have and to keep, just for him (and maybe Rooster). So he selfishly sought her out, always reaching for her, content to have this and maybe only this.

—-----------

“That’s the lamest shit I’ve ever heard.”

Gwyn rolled her eyes. Alec’s incessant ranting had spurred a raging migraine that was sinking its claws into the space between her eyes and she had half a mind to tell him to kick rocks.

“It’s your 21st birthday and you want to just ‘go bowling’? Are you fucking nine?”

“Christ Alec!” she erupted finally, slamming her locker closed with a sharp and metallic ringing. “I don’t see what the big deal is! It’s just a birthday.”

The pilot scoffed, sitting up from where he had lounged out across a bench against the wall. “It’s your birthday, your 21st at that. Of course it’s a big deal. We should be at a bar all night while you get shitfaced and make decisions I can hold against you later.” He stood, crossing to her and running his hands gently up her arms. “You deserve to have fun. Just let me plan something for you.”

Alec had a face she rarely could say no to. Since the day they first met, all lanky limbs and too-wide smiles on their first day of flight school, he had a way of getting her to say yes to just about anything he asked. Slipping out after lights-out and skinny dip in the pond they had passed on their morning run? Sure. Make a game out of who could sneak into the admiral’s office without getting caught first? Absolutely. Conning her into distracting the tech who had been eyeing her for a month so he could take a girl out on a joyride? Say no more.

So, when Alec gave her that puppy dog face he knew she’d always agree to, she sighed, as much of an answer as he was going to get. Not that he needed more than that, raising his arms in victory with a small twinkle in his eyes.

“Well unless you plan on driving to the next city over, we don't have a lot of options. The only bar in town is the Hard Deck,” she complained, shoving at his chest affectionately.

“So?” he scoffed, grabbing her bag and hoisting it over his shoulder, ever the gentleman.

“So,” she started, leading him through the other lockers and to the door, “everyone we know goes there. Not very low key.”

She shouldered her weight into the heavy door, allowing Alec to slip past her with a grunt. “Who cares?”

“What if we run into someone from the team?”

The older male spun on her, searching her face for any sign she was kidding. “Isn’t that the whole point? To spend your birthday with friends?”

Gwyn groaned, pushing past him now. “They don’t know it’s my birthday and it would be weird to just randomly bring it up.”

The parking lot was still pretty full for it being this close to quitting time, but Gwyn was just grateful no one was around to eavesdrop on their conversation.

“Gwyn,” Alec stopped her with a hand to her shoulder. “I love you. Truly, I do. So please know that when I say this, it’s out of love.” He took a deep breath. “But that’s the dumbest fucking thing you’ve ever said.”

Another eye roll and she was stalking towards her car once again. Alec called after her but she ignored him in favor of unlocking her driver’s side door. She had just cracked it open, when he stopped her again with a hand across the metal. “Gwyn, I’m serious. Let’s go have fun tonight. We won’t invite anyone else, just us. But I want you to actually have fun.”

Every single bad decision she had ever made was echoed in his face, the same face that always whittled her down.

“Fine,” she groaned, sliding into her car seat and slamming the door on his obnoxious cheering.

—---

She wouldn't give Alec the satisfaction of dressing up. When she opened her front door an hour later to find him in a button down that looked too pressed and crisp to be casual, she had laughed at him. “It’s a special occasion,” he had insisted, but she had agreed to wear an old sun dress from high school and refused to budge.

A dress she was not slightly regretting as she sat in the passenger seat of his car tugging the hem down to her mid-thigh every few minutes. Granted, she hadn’t worn it since she was a teenager and had developed what Alec called “a woman’s body”, but she still turned pink at the sight of it slipping up her legs so much.

Some old R&B song she had never heard cranked through her skull at full volume along with her friend’s top-of-the-lung shouting along to the words, and she found herself already grinning at the night to come.

Bowling wasn’t a good idea, anyway.

Not that she’d ever admit that to him.

He screeched into the parking lot and killed the engine in a fluid motion, jogging around to open her door and shuffle her inside with fervor that could only be fueled by sheer excitement.

“Penny!” he called as he tugged her by the hand to the bar. “Let me get two drinks, something fruity. Anything you want.”

The older bartender quirked an eyebrow, but settled when Gwyn shyly handed over her I.D. Penny smiled and she could see why Captain Mitchell spent so much time at the bar when he thought no one noticed.

“Coming right up.”

Music faltered through the chatter, the old beat up jukebox stationed against the wall working overtime to accommodate the noise level. The mood was comfortable, if not a bit more relaxed than it had felt in recent visits. Maybe that had something to do with the distinct lack of naval aviators staking their claim on the pool tables, but it was soothing nonetheless.

Penny pushed two glasses filled with something eerily close to a smoothie towards them with a wink. “I’ll start a tab.”

—-----

Fruity was a bad choice.

Gwyn had finished it too quickly, the drink tasting like juice and not at all like the sting of alcohol she had anticipated. And once she had finished her glass, leaving nothing but clumps of whip cream in the bottom, Alec had swapped it out for a new drink.

And the cycle went on.

She and the culprit were now on the makeshift dance floor, nothing more than an empty space of hardwood near the jukebox, spinning out and hawing at each other at volumes that bordered obnoxious. Several patrons had slipped in to dance with them, leaving after a few songs, but a few had taken up near permanent residence with them, joining in on the spectacle.

Hands slid across her arms and back as she was spun and twirled enough to make her nauseous, but Alec’s cackle always drew her back in when she wanted to tap out for the night. Her grin felt stitched into her cheeks, and she wondered if she had stopped smiling at all since they arrived. Her limbs felt loose and free, the complete opposite of how she’d felt earlier in the cockpit.

Hangman had been more… Jake lately. He still flirted with her in that silly way he did with every female counterpart he knew (although it never failed to make her stomach flip traitorously), but recently he seemed to go out of his way to do it to her. He was a creature of convenience, usually saving his quips for anyone who got close enough to hear them, but lately it felt like he was seeking her out to lay it on her. Gwyn wanted to see something there, something only for her, but she knew that was just how he was and how he approached women.

The touching was new, though.

Little caresses against her body when no one else seemed to be looking that felt more Jake than Hangman. He would flirt with anything that had legs, but those small intimate embraces seemed to be reserved just for her. The thought sent a pang through her chest.

So when he had walked her to her plane, chatting about different maneuvers he wanted her to try out during practice, brushing his hand against her shoulder while he rambled, she had spent the rest of the drill completely rigid. Between that and his teasing remarks through comms, she had all but fallen apart (something Alec took notice of immediately, refusing to drop his teasing until her cheeks were bloodshot).

So yes, she needed tonight. A night to just focus on the looseness in her body and the deafening roar of blood rushing through her ears. And not him. Not Jake Seresin.

She wondered if Jake thought of her the way she thought of him. If he guiltily wondered about where she was when she wasn’t around, scorning himself immediately afterwards. Or if he simply regarded her as another member of the team and nothing more.

Alec had insisted otherwise. “He’s trying to rail you,” he had teased before following it up with a crude joke about her using that to their advantage. “Flirt with him and get us a glowing letter of recommendation already.”

But that was just it. She could have a crush on him, sure, but letting it go further was a sure fire way to end her (and Alec’s) reputation before it even began. All the time she had spent proving herself against the men in her class would be for nothing if she wired herself out to the first higher up who dangled a promotion in front of her.

“Technically, he’s the same rank as you. Not really a higher up,” Alec had countered when she’d said as much to him, but it didn’t matter. How would it look if she slept with her squadron leader only a month and some change out of Top Gun? Hangman wasn’t exactly discreet in his conquests, and she knew news would get out somehow whether she wanted it to or not. This was a close knit group who were bound to share, and she didn’t know them well enough to know if they’d keep it to themselves. They were good and honorable people, she reasoned, but her gut wouldn’t allow her to trust that.

Her eyes scanned the throng of bodies that had started to crowd her as the nighttime rush flooded in. She had lost sight of Alec several songs ago, and didn’t stand a chance locating him in this sea of people that surrounded her on all sides.

She pushed through the crowd, offering small apologies when she could, and traveled in the direction she thought the bar might be.

When had it gotten so loud in here?

Rough hands fell on her arm, pulling her back rather harshly. She followed the hand up an arm to find she was face to face with someone about her age, the perfect picture of “frat boy douchebag” if she had ever seen one. The guy was immediately leaning in to her space, breath hot and sticky as it poured over her face. She cringed internally.

“Where you headed?” and even his voice slithered across her skin unpleasantly. She swallowed.

“I was gonna go grab another drink,” she lied, casting a glance sideways and praying she’d spot that familiar mop of hair over the crowd.

Frat Guy slid his hand down her arm in what she assumed was supposed to be a seductive caress but it only made her stomach hurt.

“Stay for another dance and I’ll go get you a drink.”

Red flags shot up immediately, her senses sharpening and honing in on how terribly wrong the words sounded coming from him. “That’s okay, I got it.”

“I insist,” he pushed, stepping closer to her and fuck, where was Alec?

“That’s enough,” came a stern voice from behind her and then there were large hands planted firmly on her hips. Hands that pulled her back against a very broad, very strong chest that immediately felt like safe haven.

Jake.

The pilot’s grip on her waist was almost bruising and she craned her neck to look up at him (since when was he so tall?) and the scowl that took up his face. He didn’t look at her, choosing to keep a stern glare at Frat Guy who had taken several steps back, raising his hands in defense.

“Sorry,” he sputtered. “I didn’t realize she had a boyfriend.”

Jake’s hold tightened even more, fisting the thin cotton of her dress in his grip. “And now you know,” he bit out with pure malice. “Fuck off.”

The other man skittered away, shoving between people until he disappeared from sight. Gwyn released a breath that had clogged itself in her throat.

They stayed like that for several moments, Jake’s hands flexing against her hips while she tried to calm her stuttering heart. Whether it beat because of the situation or the way he held her wasn’t important.

It wasn’t.

He leaned down, suddenly, breaths curling over the shell of her ear delicately as he spoke to her. “I’m taking you to the bar. I’m going to hold your hand so I don’t lose you,” he husked. “Is that-” he swallowed. “Is that okay?”

Fearing words would fail her, Gwyn nodded, and inhaled sharply as one of his hands slowly dropped from her waist to grab hers. His hands were calloused and strong, completely enveloping hers in a way that made her want to sigh. He tugged her behind him carefully as he expertly weaved through the hoard, and it almost looked like people were parting for him. Soon, she found herself at the bar where he once again grabbed her hips and lifted her into a stool before claiming the one next to her. His hard stare leveled across the bar and Gwyn found herself drawn into him, watching how his jaw clenched and unclenched under her eyes, and god maybe it was the alcohol but she wanted to touch him. She would have, had he not slid a glass of water across the bar to her.

“Drink,” he commanded, leaving no room for argument or negotiation. She did so without hesitation, finding herself suddenly eager to please him. He could’ve asked her to jump off a cliff for all she cared, especially after saving her from some jackass with wandering hands.

She downed the water in one go like she had been stranded, and had barely set the glass down when Jake was flagging Penny down for a second one. “Again,” he pushed, tone still hard. She raised the glass to her lips and prepared to chug but he stopped her with a small touch on her chin. “Slowly,” he ordered.

So she drank in small sips, desperately looking around the bar for anything to focus on instead of him. His knee bounced rapidly and she clenched down on the desire to rest her hand on it.

Damn fruity drinks.

“How did you find me?” she nearly whispered, but he heard it. His spine straightened as he leaned towards her and the closeness only brought on a new wave of neediness within her. The need to be closer, the need to touch him, all of it.

“Alec found me over at the pool tables and asked if I had seen you. I went looking around for you after that.”

He had gone looking for her. Heat bloomed in her chest at the sentiment.

“Happy birthday by the way.”

Her blood chilled at his smirk, and she threw her head back with a groan. “Did Alec tell you?”

Jake’s eyes suddenly glanced down to where his hands were wringing together against the bar top. “No,” he muttered.

“Then how-”

“I’m squadron leader, baby,” he smirked, but even in her stupor she could see the discomfort lining the corners of it. “A good one, too. It’s my job and right to know everything about my pilots.”

Gwyn matched his smirk, more playful than she could help. “You looked at my file.”

It wasn’t meant to be accusatory, but Jake smiled at the challenge. “Maybe I did.” He laughed, pushing the glass of water back up to her lips gently. “Even if I didn’t, it wouldn’t take a genius to see you’ve had a few drinks, and I know Penny is religious about checking I.D.”

Stupid brilliant wonderful Jake Seresin.

“Do the others know?” she muttered. Jake seeing her out on her birthday was bad enough, but having the rest of her team battering her with questions and teasing once she was fully sober wasn’t something she could face.

Jake smiled, hands sliding across the bar to run along the back of her hand which she subconsciously turned over so he could run his digits across her palm. He swallowed heavily watching the movement, taking several moments before answering. “I don’t think so. And they won’t hear it from me, if that’s what you want.”

This. This is what she never saw him give to others, this quiet reassurance and gentleness. He gave himself away freely by means of flirting and charm, but this was just for her. At least she hoped it was.

Just Jake.

Not Hangman.

It was that thought that spurred her into grabbing his fingers, settling their hands in her lap as she played with them bashfully. This was crossing boundaries they hadn’t breached yet, and fuck she hoped she hadn’t ruined everything, but then Jake was relaxing his grip, drawing small circles on her knee.

“I’m gonna call a taxi,” she said as nerves settled in her stomach.

Jake palmed her thigh, effectively stilling her completely. “I’m driving you home.”

And that was that.

She sent a text to Alec to let him know she had left and then another to Phoenix asking if she would call him a cab and make sure he got home safely.

Jake’s car was everything she expected and then some. Some cool classic convertible that screamed “look at me” with a full leather interior because of course it did.

He opened the passenger door for her and guided her in with a hand at the small of her back. They were on the road in minutes while the radio played the kind of music her dad would listen to on Saturday mornings while making breakfast. Tomorrow, she could panic at how right it felt to be here with Jake. How close to being “home” it felt.

Tomorrow.

For now, the wind was pulling at her hair softly as they cruised well below the speed limit through the streetlights. Jake had been noticeably silent, the kind of quiet that meant he was thinking hard about something. Gwyn had almost opened her mouth to ask about it when he lifted his hand from the wheel and settled it on her leg gently.

“So,” she started, mirth lacing the word as she attempted to break up the tension in his brow. “Boyfriend, huh?”

Jake’s face screwed up in confusion before he threw his head back in a full belly laugh. “He wouldn’t have left you alone otherwise, baby.”

‘Maybe he would’ve,’ she wanted to say. ‘Because it was you telling him to.’

Instead she turned her face to watch the lights and houses pass, a content smile pulling at her mouth.

—------------

Jake half-heartedly listened to Gwyn’s directions to her house, already knowing the way but not wanting to tell her that. Besides, he wanted to hear her talk.

Her skin was so warm. It was all he could do to not let go of the wheel completely just have both of his hands on her. The soft amber glow of passing streetlights framed her perfectly and the image of her in his car, smiling as she leaned against the window while his palm sat on her leg, was killing him. He wished he could take a picture of her, of this moment, and keep it forever. Tape it to the speedometer in his plane, frame it in his house somewhere where he could always see her, anything just to keep this very picture with him for the rest of his life.

It was like second nature to have his hands on her. Not in a sexual way necessary (though that train of thought had knocked the wind out of him several times over the past few weeks), but just feeling her. Seeing someone else put their hands on her- some fucking loser, at that- had nearly set him off. Had Gwyn not been there, pliant under his hands and leaning back into his chest, he probably would’ve put those navy workouts to use. And fuck, it was so possessive and out of line for him to feel that way, but it’s how he felt. He couldn’t pin the exact moment he had lost his mind, but he suspected it was around the time he had heard that goddamn laugh crackle through a shitty plane radio.

He pulled into her driveway carefully, glancing at the dashboard clock.

2 a.m.

The drive usually wouldn’t have taken this long, but he had selfishly driven below the speed limit just to stretch out their time together.

Once again, he opened the door for her and held the small of her back while he walked her to the door. She spent several minutes fumbling with her keys before pushing the door open. He followed her in without invitation, insisting that he just wanted to see to it that she got to bed safely.

He was nothing if not a gentleman.

Jake surveyed the space, the knickknacks and photos that littered nearly every available surface and sucked in a breath at how her everything was. He had just bent down to look at an old family photo when a small lump of fur pushed against his legs.

“You have a cat,” he observed, finally breaking the silence. Gwyn turned to him halfway through pulling her shoes off. Color spilled into her cheeks, as if she was embarrassed that he was seeing this much of her personal life.

“Disco,” she said simply, lazily raising her hand to gesture at the small creature now bounding its way down the hall.

He snorted. Of course.

Gwyn rose to full height again, looking up at him nervously. “Thank you, for uh, helping me out. And also driving me home.”

And then she was hugging him.

Her arms curled around neck and her fingers just barely grazed across the back of his neck. He shivered. Finding his strength, Jake lifted his arms to wrap them around her waist and greedily planted his nose in her hair. Only for a moment, that was all he would take. All he would allow himself was a moment.

But she didn’t pull away.

Instead, she clutched at the collar of his shirt and laid her forehead against his chest. He prayed she couldn’t feel the pounding of his heart against her cheek.

When she did pull away, he wanted to yank her back in. He wished she was more sober, just so he could kiss her, but he supposed it was a good thing she wasn’t so he wouldn’t mess this up.

Squadron leader.

He was her squadron leader.

And that was all he could be.

A lump had formed in his throat, and he forced himself to choke out the words that had been tugging at him all night. “I got you something,” he gulped.

Her brow furrowed, and God he wanted to kiss it. Jake reached for the box in his pocket, the weight of it like a stone in his stomach.

She took it hesitantly, opening it with a delicacy that killed him. Her mouth dropped open at the small chain inside, a small plane charm hanging from the metal. She gaped at him openly and he found himself more nervous than he had ever been. He had flown missions the likes of which the navy had never seen, finished top of every program he ever entered, and faced certain death more than what he could consider healthy.

Nothing compared to this.

Nothing compared to the way her eyes looked at him from beneath her lashes and the pretty tinge of pink of her cheeks. Nothing.

“A birthday present,” he stuttered out. “Consider it a gift from the team. Figured it was prettier than dog tags.”

She still remained quiet.

It was so silent he could hear his own heartbeat in his ears and he contemplated just turning around and leaving, praying she wouldn’t remember this when she woke up. He had waited all day to give this to her for that very reason, unable to face her sober while he poured out a small part of himself to her.

She closed her mouth finally, glancing back down at the necklace before looking at him again.

“Put it on me?” she asked gently.

She didn’t even have to ask. He would do anything she wanted at that moment. He would've raked himself across hot coals if it would have made her look at home the way she was just then. He had never wished to be anyone besides himself before, but he would’ve killed to just have a minute where he wasn’t squadron leader and she wasn’t his subordinate and they could just be Jake and Gwyn and he could kiss her and hold her and tell her how pretty she looked when she was looking at him.

He didn’t trust his voice, so he simply nodded and reached for the chain. Gwyn turned around and lifted her hair so he could slip the necklace around her throat and he allowed himself another few selfish seconds to trail his fingers down the column of her neck and across the tops of her shoulders. His fingers were shaking. When had they started shaking?

Gwyn faced him again, face soft and eyes clear when she looked at him. Without warning, she pulled him in for another hug, fiercer this time. Jake wanted to bottle up the feeling of her in his arms and indulge in it forever.

When she pulled away this time, he kept his arms around her waist. ‘Just a little bit longer,’ he told himself.

“Thank you Jake.”

His name was like honey on her tongue. No one had ever made his name sound like a melody but she did. God, he was in so deep.

She walked him to the door and leaned against the doorframe while he walked to his car. Before he could get in, she hollered after him.

“See you later, Hangman.”

He smiled. “Just name the time and place, Cheek.”

She grinned back at him, lingering on the doorstep for another moment. “Bye.”

Jake laughed softly as he finally leaned into his car. “Bye, baby.”

And if he sat there for a few more minutes after she had gone back inside, waiting until her lights had shut off and he knew she had made it to bed, well then nobody had to know.

Part 7

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