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#rares spring breakers

musical-shit-show · 11 months

Note

I loved your teacher!reader oneshot with dewey finn! I’d love to see more, maybe with #1 and #6 from prompt list 3 if you’d like?

no rules in breakable heaven

Pairing: Dewey Finn x Teacher!Reader

Inspiration: Prompts #1 (“i missed you, you idiot.”) and #6 (“i don’t care about them, i just want you.”) from Prompt List #3, spiritual sequel to close enough to touch

Warnings: anxiety, sexual references, fluff, dumbasses in mutual pining

Word Count: 2,299

Author’s Note: So sorry for the delay on this, sweet anon! I have been very busy with a show that I’m in, as well as just…not having a ton of inspiration for a bit. But I think this is a nice sequel to my first Dewey x Teacher!Reader one shot, so I hope you enjoy! As always, check out my Masterlist, About Me page, and Prompt Lists for any requests you’d like to make! I’m gonna be busier for next couple months, but will be working on requests and any other fics that spark my creativity. Thanks again to everyone who reads these silly little one shots, your support means the world!

You were never a rule breaker. It just wasn’t in your nature.

You never had a rebellious streak or disobeyed authority. Hell, you rarely ever talked back to your parents when you were younger.

But here you were, a full-grown adult sneaking around with the music tutor like you were lovestruck teenagers.

It had been a couple months since you and Dewey had started seeing each other in secret, and it was getting harder and harder to hide the truth from the rest of the staff at Horace Green.

Not only was Dewey constantly finding ways to visit your classroom or chat with you at lunch, you knew the other teachers were catching onto your incessant flirting whenever there was a development meeting or other afterschool function.

With the end of spring break, you knew it was only a matter of time until someone overheard you and Dewey in the hallways, and that would be the end of it. Gossip travels fast when the faculty is equal parts snooty and nosy.

On the last day before you were thrown back into teaching introductory poetry and essay structure, you waited for Dewey at your apartment, your knee bouncing nervously as the seconds ticked on. Not seeing him was starting to have an effect on you, which only made you feel more pathetic.

You and Dewey hadn’t exactly defined your relationship. Yes, you went out on dates, and hung out, and slept together, but you hadn’t had the talk. It made you feel juvenile just thinking about it, but how could you not?

You liked him, and you thought he liked you but…what if you were wrong? What if this was just something that filled his time? A meaningless fling? Dewey didn’t seem like the relationship type, despite the way you caught him looking at you.

Maybe sneaking around with the new teacher was just a way to add more excitement to his life. Not that you could really blame him. It was just as exciting for you, even if the thought of getting caught caused a wave of nausea to wash over you.

Your anxiety spiral was interrupted by a confident knock that rang in your ears.

Instantly, your heart jumped to your throat. Opening the door, you couldn’t help but light up as Dewey enveloped you in a bear hug, the scruff on his face tickling your neck.

“Hey there, stranger!” he boomed, his voice tired but giddy, “And here I thought you might’ve forgotten about me while I was gone.” He put you down, his scent lingering on you; he smelled like cinnamon, a noted change from his usual body spray.

You shook your head at his teasing. “I don’t think there’s anyone on this earth that could forget you, Dewey Finn,” the two of you laughed, and you noticed a familiar tinge of pink on his face. He still didn’t know how to be cool the minute you started flirting, which made you hopeful. How could someone blasé about a relationship blush every time a compliment or teasing remark was thrown their way?

The two of you sat down on the couch, your knees bumping against each other. “But seriously,” you said, feeling your hands start to sweat, “I missed you, you idiot.” He chuckled, draping his arm behind you.

“I missed you too,” he replied, “And remind me to never go on a road trip with Ned again. I love the guy, he’s my best friend. But God, he is not a ‘sleep-in-the-back-of-a-van-for-a-week’ type. Too high maintenance.” His tone was light, even as he complained.

An unspoken tension hung in the air, and even though you were both happy to see each other, you couldn’t help but sense that Dewey was uncharacteristically jittery. Why did you get the feeling there was something he wasn’t telling you?

“I told him about us, by the way,” he tacked on, a sheepish look falling across his face, “Ned, I mean. But don’t worry! The only people he talks to are me and Patty, and she’s, well, terrible and doesn’t have any friends so—”

“Dew,” you interrupted, before he jumped into a rant about how much he hated his best friend’s girlfriend, “It’s okay, I understand.” You wiped your palms on your jeans, finding the courage to jump into a potentially disastrous line of questioning.

“But uh, what did you tell him?” you could’ve had a heart attack right on the spot. “I mean, what did you say that I am to you, exactly?”

Now it was Dewey’s turn to take a ride on the Uncomfortable Express.

“Uh, well, that we’re seeing each other, ya know, enjoying each other’s company,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck. A nervous tick you had picked up on over the past weeks. “And that you’re awesome and smart and I like you and…” He trailed off, his brown eyes flickering over your lips.

Without much warning he kissed you, slowly and tenderly. Your let out a small sigh as he wrapped his arm around your waist, pulling you closer to him on the couch so you were practically in his lap.

Very smooth, Finn.

Not smooth enough to fully distract you from the conversation at hand, but he was certainly trying.

‘Seeing each other’? You guessed that was the best phrase for whatever it was you were doing, wasn’t it? Casual. Light. Fun. Easily ended if another, better prospect crossed his path.

The thought made you tense up, and Dewey noticed. He pulled away, delicately brushing a few stray strands of hair away from your face. “Are you okay?” his eyes instinctively flickered down your frame and back up to meet your gaze, “If you don’t want, I mean, we don’t have to right now if—”

“Oh, no it’s not that,” you assured, patting him on the chest unconvincingly. Your eyes shot to your coffee table, which was strewn with papers. “I just…god I have to grade the kids’ essays before we get back to it tomorrow.”

Dewey was never the most perceptive guy on the planet, but even he noticed a shift in your demeanor. Before he had a chance to press you, an alarm blared on his phone, startling you both. He swiped it from his back pocket, his face flashing with panic.

“Shit,” he muttered, “Completely spaced, but uh, I have a private lesson I gotta teach in a half hour.” You inwardly thanked whatever higher power was intervening. You peeled yourself away from Dewey, your shoulders landing gently on the back cushion of your sofa.

He hopped up from the couch, quickly locating his wallet and keys. You got the feeling that he was secretly thankful for the interruption too. Not that you could blame him; if the roles were reversed, you’d want to get out of there as fast as possible too.

“I’m sorry,” he said, “I shouldn’t have…I’ll see around, okay?”

You gave him a sad smile. “Don’t you always?”

Dewey’s lip curled, and he gave you a small kiss on the cheek before bounding out your front door.

***

Not being a rule breaker did have its benefits. Years of following and listening had given you the tools to become an effective teacher. You loved your students and you loved teaching, and those two things made the long days go by just a little bit faster.

Before you knew it, it was nearly a week since you had seen Dewey; he had been suspiciously absent from your usual meet-up spots, and you felt your spirits droop with each passing day.

You couldn’t help but feel sour about that night, but you knew it wasn’t Dewey’s fault; even with all the security you had in the other aspects of your life, relationships were always your weak spot.

Who among us wasn’t terrified of rejection?

As the final bell of the school week rang out, you breathed another sigh of relief as your class clamored out the door. Your job was rewarding, yet tiring; the prospect of seeing Dewey in the halls would at least make your day more interesting.

As you peaked your head out of your classroom to watch dozens of children head towards the exit, your eye caught one of Dewey’s pupils.

“Katie!” you called, and watched the fifth grader whip her head around, her pigtails bouncing, “No School of Rock today?”

The girl shook her head. “Not today,” she called over the chatter, “Mr. Finn canceled.”

Your stomach twisted, and you slipped back into your classroom to collect everything you needed for that weekend. You figured Dewey wasn’t one for confrontation, but did he really cancel lessons with the kids to avoid you?

You didn’t think the conversation you had went that poorly, but the thought buried itself deep in your brain and refused to leave. Bag slung over your shoulder, you angrily pushed open the doors to the parking lot. Most of the other staff were leaving as well, with a few small groups of teachers chatting by their cars.

How could you have been such an idiot? At any point you could’ve been honest with Dewey, told him how you felt. Even if he didn’t feel the same way, it would’ve been better than the purgatory you were in now.

You stared down at your feet as you walked, running through the last time you saw Dewey over and over again in your head. Lost in your own personal shame spiral, a familiar voice snapped you back into reality.

“Hey, stranger.”

It was Dewey, leaned up against his beat-up van, which took up the spot next to your car. His expression was mellow, a delicate smile on his face as you neared. He was holding a bouquet of flowers in his hand, “These are for you.”

The arrangement was simple but still lovely. Hydrangeas, tulips, baby’s breath: all your favorite flowers.

“How’d you—?”

“I have a good memory,” he smirked, “And I owe the girl working at Trader Joe’s big time for actually putting it together.” You giggled, taking in the fresh scent as he handed the flowers to you.

“I feel like such an asshole for being MIA this week, I’ve just been helping out a few kids with solo lessons, and I couldn’t get these until today but…” His shifted his weight from one foot to the other. “I could tell something was off the other night. You seemed stressed so…I figured I’d try to lift your spirits. Did it work?”

A laugh bubbled out of you, touched by his kind gesture. You even felt your eyes getting misty, gratefulness filling your entire body.

“Oh shit,” Dewey said, noticing the tears pooling at the creases of your eyes, “Sorry, I didn’t think about the rest of the teachers seeing, I can totally bring them over later on if you—”

It was your turn cut him off with a kiss, sweet and reverent and warm. In your mind, the parking lot was empty, deserted; You could’ve been the last two people on the planet.

You slung your arms around his neck, the bouquet still clutched in your hand. After a few seconds, Dewey broke from you, a confused but enthused look on his face. “But…I mean, are you sure you want to be seen with me?” He looked around, and a few staff members had noticed your close proximity.

Glancing back at the group of teachers, you shook your head at him. “I don’t care about them,” you breathed, a new sense of confidence surging through you, “I just want you. Us. Together, for real. If you want, that is.”

His mouth spread into a wide grin. “I thought you’d never ask, hot stuff.” He gave you another peck on your lips.

“I’ll tell Rosalie first thing Monday morning,” you said, wanting to be above board now that you were official, “We wouldn’t want to break any more rules than we already have, right?”

“I guess not,” he mused, reluctantly releasing you from his grip before too many gossips saw the two of you together. News would spread like wildfire; They didn’t need too much of a show. “But I still intend on taking you out tonight. As my girlfriend.”

You feigned elated surprise at the word. “I could get used to that, you know. Has a nice ring to it.” You shimmied your shoulders happily, and Dewey couldn’t help but bark a laugh.

“So, I can definitely say my not-so-big romantic gesture worked, then?”

You smiled, pulling him closer. “And then some, Finn,” you pressed your tongue between your teeth, eyeing him up and down, “But I guess you’ll have to wait until tonight to find out just how much I appreciate it.” He smirked, enamored with your newfound assuredness.

“You’re torturing me, ya know.”

“I know,” you teased, “But don’t they say that good things come to those who wait?”

“True,” he retorted, “I think we’ve both done plenty of waiting. What’s a few more hours?”

You giggled at him one last time before he kissed your hand, bowing dramatically, “Until this evening, my lady!” He jumped into his van, and it sputtered to a start. “And by the way: thanks for finally finding the nerve to do what I couldn’t.”

“It was torture, believe me,” you joked.

“You have no idea,” he said, gazing at you, “I’ve wanted to do that since the first day I saw you.”

Your heart practically leapt out of your chest. “That makes two of us, Finn,” you said, still hanging onto the flowers that set everything in motion, “Now get outta here before I change my mind about tonight.”

He shifted gears almost instantly, giving you a wink as he sped off out of the parking lot.

*****

thanks for reading! please like/comment/reblog if you enjoyed :)

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sebastianswallows · 1 year

Text

Dangerous and Delightful — Chapter 2 — A trip to the museum

— PAIRING: Sebastian Sallow x F!Reader

— SYNOPSIS: Sebastian is a purveyor of forbidden artefacts, a dark arts researcher, and a curse-breaker for hire. Ominis, desperate to save him from himself, hires Reader in secret to persuade him, by any means necessary, to leave his illegal activities behind.

— WARNINGS: Seb being an absolute public menace, but otherwise nothing.

— WORDCOUNT: 3.8k

— A/N: Here's the second chapter, my dears, I hope you like it! 💚 As a disclaimer, I have never been to the British Museum, especially not during the Victorian era, so I have no idea how accurate my description is of its architecture or setup 😂 I apologise for any inaccuracies.

— TAGLIST: @micheruhime @sarcasticpluviophile

She paced around a measly little park, in front of the same empty bench, as she waited for him. The little timepiece at her waist told her it was almost 2 o’clock, the time set for their meeting, but she had arrived fifteen minutes prior just in case. She was in the heart of Muggle London, where she and Sebastian had agreed to meet. Since graduating from Hogwarts, she had been very happy to live in a little town and forget that so many people could exist in the same place. Now that she was in such a large city, she felt as if her every move gave her away, and she expected a Ministry Obliviator to jump out from every bush.

It had been two weeks since they met, and in that time Sebastian had kept his word — looking into the sort of items that had been known to appear in the Aeolian Islands, and even into the rare magical fauna of the area that could have drawn Melancthon and his search party there. He seemed optimistic in his last owl and invited her to do a bit of research together at the British Museum.

It had seemed like nothing to agree to it then, but now she realised the weight of what they were about to do, and she wondered whether Ominis was even informed... Then again, he knew Sebastian better than she did, and probably knew of things far more daring and dangerous than this.

“It’s going to be alright,” she told herself as she paced up and down the same battered six feet of dirt. “Nothing bad will happen…”

She checked her little pocket watch again, as she had compulsively done for the past ten minutes. This hadn’t been the sort of thing she imagined herself doing after graduation — going on relic hunts in muggle museums with dangerous smugglers under false pretences — but life had a way of surprising you… She would keep one eye on Sebastian, and another on herself — she could pretend for an hour or two that she was just another frail young lady in awe at the breadth and depth of dark magic and the power of the relics that contained it, all alone in the world, worried about her brother… What Sebastian didn’t know won’t hurt him.

The watch barely showed that it was 2 o’clock when he stepped through the tall iron gates of the park and made his way toward her. Sebastian was wearing a formal black frock coat, a top hat as per the latest fashion, and exceedingly well-polished shoes. In his right hand, he held a walking cane by the neck, which made it look rather like an unhilted sword. Its ivory body was carved with strange runic symbols, as if he’d done it himself, but this was the only thing about him that stood out. All in all, he looked the very picture of a Victorian gentleman.

He smiled widely as he saw her. “Miss, it's a pleasure to see you again! You look positively radiant.”

She smiled with relief upon seeing him. Sebastian moved with such confidence among crowds that he could make himself seem to belong anywhere he chose.

“Hello, Mr Sallow. I was beginning to think you'd changed your mind.”

“Don't be ridiculous.” Sebastian winked at her. “My word is my honour.” He held out his arm for her to take and said with a grin, “Shall we?”

It was a cool spring day, and the trees were barely in bloom around them. She wore a raw green dress to fit the season, her hair piled atop her head and capped with a broad-rimmed hat to shield her from the sun. They walked to the Museum together and quickly got lost in the sea of people. Her dress had never felt tighter, but having Sebastian at her side did ease her worries, just as she hoped it would.

The building was enormous, seeming to be a place fit for giants, taller and broader than it had any business being and held aloft with great stone pillars. It was more marvellous than anything a wizard could have built, although Hogwarts in its antiquated enormity came close. And even if the art inside it did not move and all the glowing lights were an artifice of electricity, it was still wonderful to behold.

“Not too bad, is it?” asked Sebastian, grinning when he saw her stare.

“It’s beautiful,” she said with a gasp. They walked slowly through the first art gallery on their way. She let go of Sebastian’s elbow to fold her arms at her waist, fingers squeezing each other in an attempt to calm her nerves. “Almost… almost makes me feel like back at school,” she added, turning to him and smiling.

“Resembles some of the nicer corridors, right?” he grinned.

“I suppose you’ve been here many times. Nothing left to impress you…”

“Oh there’s always a thing or two,” he said as he looked her up and down, folding his arms behind him. “But yes, I’ve had the pleasure of coming here often.”

“On business?”

“Why else?” he laughed.

“I suppose muggle achievements don’t move you,” she whispered with a tilted smile.

“They don’t,” he shrugged. “Nor should they you. Now come, the room we want is this way.”

They passed by portraits and pastures, noble busts and twisted nudes — as if going through the history of human thought and feeling, and their expression of beauty. She caught sight of as much as she could while Sebastian led the way in large hurried steps to the Natural History section.

Compared to the art galleries, these parts of the museum were darker, furnished in black wood fittings and lit only selectively. In place of the proud statues looking down at them, now there were skeletons of toothy beasts, and petrified remnants of trees held up by wires like puppets on a stage. Behind glass cases all around them were items organised according to their size and place of collection. Some were mere fragments of fossils, others were blooms of stone in bright colours, while others still were indecipherable formations of perfect geometry.

Sebastian stopped them in front of a quite long exhibit. A series of items that looked almost like toys, carvings so rough they could not have served any purpose. The note beside them said they had been excavated at a tomb in Normandy. Sebastian looked at them with fascination. He knew most things weren't exactly what they appeared to be.

“Quite a sight, isn't it?” he said as she joined his side. “There are many secrets hidden in plain sight for those who have the right eyes. This room, for instance, holds many artefacts created for a different purpose than they currently serve.”

“Such as?”

“The ones before us, for instance,” he said, his grip tightening around the cane while the other hand gently held her elbow, pulling her along with him as he described each item beneath the glass in close whispers. “Here, Miss, are tokens of Malevolentia, each a curse that is planted like a seed and takes root — not in the one beside whom they are placed — which would be a corpse in his coffin — but in his descendants too.”

She swallowed thickly at his description, which held a tone of admiration in it for its evil ingenuity, but she stood by his side and made no move to lean away, listening patiently as Sebastian continued.

“As this majestic room holds no persons on a constant basis, the curse is broken. But should anyone take one of these into his home, he might find, whether during his lifetime or later, all manner of misfortune befall his loved ones.”

“Horrifying,” she gasped.

“Yes,” grinned Sebastian.

“You’ve come across such things often in your travels?” she asked as they walked slowly together.

“Naturally,” he said. “The world is filled with dangerous items. There are about as many curses as there are benevolent spells, and more cursed items than one might imagine, created and lost to time only to be found by some unsuspecting scholar centuries later. The desire to harm others is as old as humanity.”

“It might be morbid of me to ask, but, can you tell me more?” she said, looking up at him with large, curious eyes. “What sort of things have you encountered?”

Sebastian didn’t need to be asked twice. He leaned in closer to her so that the muggles around them couldn’t hear, and began telling her of some of the most horrifying things he’d experienced.

“I've seen a curse that would kill everything in a thirty-yard radius, and which was impossible to break. I've encountered curses which turn their victims into monsters. Curses which drive a man insane, curses which make him a slave to his own obsessions and desires. Curses that, if not handled carefully, can bring about endless torture.”

She looked at him quietly, staring with large eyes at him, and Sebastian couldn’t help but grin — that was certainly one way to get a lady’s attention.

“Do you want me to stop?” he asked.

“No,” she said, “go on.”

“I've encountered curses that can only be defeated by a specific kind of magic, or by a specific kind of person, or by a specific kind of word — that one was the most terrifying, I think, for it was no word in a language anyone still speaks. And the sound that filled the air around the object of the curse — an ancient tree in the middle of a barren valley, where you thought the wind was howling… only it was not the wind. It was a ceaseless incantation that drove you mad to hear for long. It was... incomprehensible. Like looking into infinity. I nearly lost my mind. It was terrible.”

“Why would you even approach such a place?” she asked, clinging to his arm as they walked slowly together.

“A wealthy wizard wished to build a mansion there. The tree was in the way, and all the men he hired to cut it down went insane, turning their axes on each other.”

“How did it end?” she asked, almost afraid of the answer.

“The tree was cursed, the earth was not. It took several of us, but we could lift several feet of dirt from around the tree, roots and all, and planted it elsewhere.”

“Elsewhere?”

“We charged extra to curse his neighbour,” he grinned.

“That’s horrible,” she said, but started laughing, and Sebastian laughed too. His grin was bright and charming, and she could only look at him with a chastising smile, wondering whether he was telling the truth or only teasing her.

“I have to ask, Mr Sallow... how did you get involved in this career?”

“Oh, I've always been very curious, even as a boy. Always wondering what sort of things were kept beyond reach, what our professors weren’t teaching us... And I’ve always been fond of books. Books do not distinguish between ‘good’ knowledge and ‘bad’ knowledge. They were my most honest teachers,” he said, smiling fondly.

“And your family doesn’t find your interest dangerous?”

“The way your family does?” he grinned. “My parents passed away before I could consult them about it,” he continued, looking away from her. “My sister was just like me, but became more disapproving of it over time — encouraged in that view, no doubt, by our legal guardian, our uncle… Unfortunately, she has not had the chance to berate me about it for many years,” he sighed, speaking quite intentionally about his sister as if she were dead — because he was dead to her.

“Oh… I’m sorry to hear that,” she said, laying a sympathetic touch to his elbow. “It sounds as if your sister might have been a good influence,” she smiled.

“She tried to be, but not hard enough, I suppose,” said Sebastian, turning to grin at her again. “Losing her was... difficult. It’s been a challenge, honestly. Still is, every day. But I like to think she’d actually enjoy some of the things I’ve gotten up to. If anything, I think she would be proud.”

“I’m certain she would,” she smiled.

“Are you proud of your brother?” he asked, smiling slyly as he brought the conversation back to her.

“I think I might be once I see him home safe. Until then, no,” she said with a tense laugh. “What is he off doing, do you suppose?”

“Do you know for a fact that he’s hunting for a cursed object?”

“I know he’s been hired to retrieve something, and that he was told it’s dangerous. He was saying before he left how we would be able to afford that expansion to the house we’d been talking about for two years… And he’d been borrowing the strangest books for months before he left. I’m convinced it has something to do with dark magic.”

Sebastian nodded as he listened to her.

“How do you even go about it? Getting rid of a curse, I mean?”

“Well, that is only half of the work, breaking curses. Sometimes, it’s not even possible. The other half, the more challenging one, is keeping them sealed away. Curses are useful, you see. A curse can be an asset in the right hands, but if handled improperly it can destroy a whole town. It calls for the most delicate sort of magic work.”

“Useful?” she frowned.

“Well, very often they’re created for protection. To keep thieves away, or punish them,” he chuckled. “It can serve to protect an item, or a person, but it can also be used to do the opposite — and to do it in the worst possible way. It has terrifying versatility, which is why such items are so sought after, and so expensive both to retrieve and create.”

She recoiled from Sebastian the longer he spoke. By now, the warnings Ominis had given her seemed understated.

“This is not just a profession for you, isn’t it?” she said. “It sounds more like a passion.”

Sebastian gave an easy smile and leaned in closer. “I think we should continue this line of questioning in more private quarters,” he whispered, then looked up as they were walking and said cheerfully, “Oh look, that’s what your brother’s after.”

As if guiding her through a dance, Sebastian brought the two of them in front of an exhibit of volcanic glass. They looked at first glance like black stones, but some had been polished quite deliberately, even left with a little handle on top through which red tassels were tied. In their round and flattened shape, they looked like mirrors, reflecting a perpetual dark.

“Obsidian, polished to a shine. Serves as what is sometimes called a spirit mirror. The wizard John Dee used to have the largest collection of them in England,” he said, looking down with admiration.

“And… and this is —?”

“—What I believe your brother is after. They’re used for divination, of all things,” he chuckled. “But, I suppose, the environment that creates them is extreme enough that they can fetch a nice price.”

“No cursed treasure?” she asked, looking at Sebastian from the corner of her eye.

“Not unless you count the volcano’s fiery wrath,” he shrugged. “I could be wrong, of course. But from what you’ve told me — where he is, what he’s after — these spirit mirrors are the only thing that comes to mind.”

“It shouldn’t be so difficult then, should it?” she said, breathing heavily as she looked at the dark, cool, quiet items sitting behind the glass. “To go there, pick some up…”

“Who knows what he’s run into,” said Sebastian, circling the display. “Perhaps the volcanoes are active and they’re barred from going up. Perhaps there are rival collectors there… The journey is long, and all manner of things could happen between here and there.”

“Oh, don’t tell me that,” she fretted, squeezing the fingers of one hand in the other.

“But I trust that at least seeing them has helped alleviate your concerns?”

“Yes, somewhat,” she smiled, the tension slowly leaving her.

“I’m glad to be of service,” smirked Sebastian, circling back to her side. “Now we can enjoy the rest of the museum.”

She let him walk them onward, giving one last look to the display of obsidian.

“I still don’t know why he isn’t answering any of my letters,” she mumbled.

“Perhaps he’s distracted,” offered Sebastian. “Maybe he’s having too much fun.”

“Fun?” she said, sounding offended at the idea. “There’s plenty of fun in correspondence.”

“I’m sure there is,” he chuckled.

“Don’t patronise me, Mr Sallow.”

“I’m not,” he said, laying a warm hand over her upper back. “Alright, maybe I am a little, but I can’t help it. It’s endearing to see a sibling so worried about the other. Although…”

“Although?”

“Are you sure it’s just worry on your part, and not simply an inability to let your brother go?”

She looked up at him, frowning, her lips parted in an attempt to say all manner of scathing things, but none came out.

“Believe me, nobody would understand you better,” he added quickly. “After growing up together, being each other’s childhood, always having that other soul there to confide in, to trust, to rely on, when all the adults around were busy with their own disconnected concerns…”

She looked away, letting him walk the two of them slowly through the exhibits of fossils and petrified trees and skeletons as if advancing together through history, forgetting about the meaningless multitudes around them.

“Thinking you will always be able to rely on one another… And then, one day, to have that gone. No warning, no time to plan for it or to prepare, just have that other half of you get taken away. It’s worse, too, if it’s at their initiative. A loss seasoned with betrayal.”

She walked, unknowingly, closer to him, wishing she could hold him and convey her sympathy. His hand, by now, had fallen from its place at her back, and she felt colder for it. She looked up into his warm brown eyes that moved quickly from her to the exhibit of ancient skeletons before them, smiling but distant.

“I, too, have a hard time letting go,” he said quietly, looking intently at the bones arranged before them.

They were a couple, small and bleached, put together with nails and wires and fitted into rigid poses, their insides on the outside for all the world to see.

She cupped his elbow, the closest thing to an embrace that she could dare in public, and looked quietly at the display with him. The remnants of two human lives. The tag beneath their case said they had both been found in the Scottish Highlands in 1875, and that they were believed to be five thousand years old. Had they known each other? Regardless, all that they had been through in life amounted to this — that they stand side by side, in this distant unfamiliar year, reduced to bare and empty bones. All their rivalries and hatred and loves were turned to dust, faded into nothing, and all that remained… was this cold, eternal, companionship.

She looked at them, lost in her own thoughts, when suddenly with a little tremble and a creak the two skeletons began to move, and their arms came up to encircle each other.

She looked at Sebastian and smiled. From the corner of his eye, he looked at her and gave a little wink. Beneath, at his waist, she could see him deftly move his wand — it had been hidden in a holster at his chest, not within the cane as she initially suspected. It was an elegant piece of white wood with a checkered black and green pattern at the handle. Before them, stuck inside their cases, the skeletons fell away from their metal supports to lean on one another, skulls laying on each other’s shoulders.

“You like playing with fire, Mr Sallow.”

“Call me Sebastian,” he whispered.

Behind them, a shrill and raspy cry startled the constant flow of murmurs from the crowd. They turned to find a woman, thin and tall and with a wide froggy mouth, her face littered with black moles like rat droppings, staring and pointing at them — or rather, at the embracing skeletons in the case. She was holding a little dog with ruffled grey fur like a pile of rags, and in her shock, she clutched him to her chest as if he could protect her. The little ragdoll thing began to yap, drawing even more attention.

“They moved, they… the bones…” the woman rambled in a rough voice.

Sebastian and his companion looked at each other, then back at the woman. When they saw other people begin to stop and stare, they decided to slowly make their exit. Sebastian stepped to the side and she followed, walking in small brisk steps, then faster, and faster.

“That was a mistake,” she muttered under her breath, which came out in gaspings as her corset began to feel ever tighter.

“We’ll be fine, it’s alright,” said Sebastian lowly, navigating them through the museum.

More screams rang out behind them as Sebastian’s spell fell away and the skeletons reverted to their original pose. They looked over their shoulders, but nobody was following them. Still, Sebastian took her hand and they began to walk even faster.

“Come on, this way,” he said.

“You careless, thoughtless, irresponsible…!”

As she muttered curses, she let him whisk them away from trouble. Soon, they found themselves at a back exit, far from the fuss they had caused. Sebastian looked left and right before he opened the door, letting her go out first. He followed, closing the door behind them. They found themselves in an enclosed yard filled with ladders and buckets — trapped. She looked around, ready to ask where they were supposed to go now, when Sebastian took her hand again.

“Hold on tight,” he said, giving her another of his confident smiles.

Before she could blink, the scenery before them disappeared, and the barren landscape at the back of the British Museum turned into a green and grey expanse of wide sky over green fields, cold and open and lonely. A little house stood before them as if it had grown out of the ground, all grey stone crawling with ivy. He had Apparated them somewhere.

“Ah,” said Sebastian, turning to look around. “A bit further than I intended, but…”

“Where are we?” she asked breathlessly.

“Feldcroft,” he said, and immediately started walking away from the little house without any further explanation. It looked unlived in for many years.

“So you mean we’re close to —”

“Close to Hogwarts, yes. Although I doubt we’ll be welcome. Middle of the school year and all... Hogsmeade is not much further, if you feel like walking there.”

She threw an incredulous glare at him, but he just kept walking — backwards, so he could grin at her. There was not much left for her to do but to shrug and follow him.

#Sebastian Sallow #hl #Sebastian Sallow imagine #Sebastian Sallow x reader #Sebastian Sallow x MC #Sebastian Sallow fanfiction #sswallow;made a thing #sswallow;fanfics #fanfic;danger and delight

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solarwonux · 1 year

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Love Letter To Miami || Jung Hoseok

pairing: fashion designer!hobi x latin f!reader || exes to lovers au

Genre: fluff, angst, suggestive, slow burn,

W.C: 18k

Warnings: slow burn, angst, lots of Miami references, maybe actually a little too much ( I am not sorry I miss home lol) alcohol, language, mentions of pregnancy, arguing.

Thank you so much to @astronaut-jin-moon for beta reading this. It means a lot!

Synopsis: Hoseok unexpectedly uprooted his life in Miami for a chance to chase his life long dream. But he sacrificed the only thing that kept him rooted...you.

Now, he’s back home after six years.

AO3

a/n: Hello, I am back after 672389238 years. If you guys didn’t know I moved to the other side of the world on my own for work. I was supposed to finish this and upload it back in March. But settling down was harder than I expected and other factors came into play around April. So, this story is very near and dear to my hear.

Please let me know your thoughts. I am also thinking about writing a second part. But again I am a full on adult now so it’s a bit harder to write as much as I used to. Still, I have no many ideas please let me know and thank you for taking the time to read this.

Enjoy!

Miami International Airport is Jung Hoseok’s least favorite place in the world.

It has nothing to do with the humidity seeping through the thick concrete walls, the smell of summer rain all year round. Or the crowds of spring breakers ready to ruin the lovely beaches he rarely frequented when growing up.

No, Miami International Airport is Jung Hoseok’s least favorite place in the world because it means he’s back home.

It’s not that Hoseok hates Miami per se. It’s home to his family and best friends, and how could he hate a place that harbor’s many of his favorite people?

Hoseok’s love-hate relationship with The Magic City has nothing to do with his upbringing, but everything to do with feeling out of place everywhere he went. It’s not like he didn’t fit in. Growing up he was loved by everyone, everywhere. His sunshine attitude and bright smile always managed to make everyone’s day a little bit brighter.

At school he wasn’t the odd one out, nor was he bullied for being different because everyone around him was. His classmates came from different backgrounds and different parts of the world. Some–like Hoseok–came from immigrant families, immigrant parents, or were even first-generation immigrants themselves. They flaunted, celebrated their cultures whenever they could, and spoke their native tongue with pride, not fear.

But yet, it wasn’t perfect. Miami, for many people including Jung Hoseok, was a safety bubble, despite the minor prejudices one would face when regarding the older generations. Still, it was safe and that’s why he needed to leave. At some point in his life, the comfort became almost suffocating. He knew the names of each street like the back of his hand. Even the ones he had yet to discover. Everywhere he went, every party he attended there was at least one person that knew of him.

Hell, even the workers at the Regal Kendall Cinema–the setting for his first kiss at fourteen–knew who the fuck he was.

It always started the same way:

“You’re Hoseok, right? Your cousin told my cousin’s friend, who told my friend’s friend, who told me that you’re studying fashion design right?”

It didn’t make sense to him, because Miami wasn’t the smallest place in the world. (See population of 454,279) Yet, somehow everyone just seemed to know each other?

Hoseok didn’t mind it at first. It’s what he was used to growing up. The local Publix workers loved to pinch his chubby cheeks and coo at him as if he were a doll. (He earned a few free cookies that way). He loved basking in the attention. But after the last New Year’s Eve he spent at home, the excitement he would always feel when counting down from ten and eating all twelve grapes the second the clock struck twelve. Seized to exist.

He couldn’t fake one of his dashing smiles any longer. He couldn’t ignore the growing doubt and regret in the pit of his stomach any longer. He felt stuck. Everything around him was slowing down. He was slowing down. Working at Trendy Studio didn’t fill him up with the same amount of joy it first did when he got the job. When his portfolio and designs were accepted with great admiration and care. That’s when he realized that he had finally finished outgrowing Miami.

So, that night after everyone had gone home and to bed. He stayed up, hovered over his desk, nursing a headache due to all four glasses of champagne he had snuck and practically chugged after his realization. He submitted his work resume anywhere he could find available. The only criteria was that it had to be far away from his safety net; Miami.

Here’s the thing. He was entirely surprised that he hadn’t had this realization sooner. As a child whenever Hoseok dreamed and envisioned his future, Miami, Florida was never a part of it. It was such a clear vision to him. Everything he did, every straight-A, every AP class, every college acceptance letter, every goal and award he received in life was meant to get him out. That is until he met you and his crystal clear vision of his future was replaced by you.

Well, let’s backtrack, it wasn’t exactly the moment he first laid eyes on you. Hoseok had known you far longer than he had loved you. You went to the same elementary, middle, and high school as him. Sometimes you even shared a class with him. To make matters worse, you went to the same ballet studio as his older sister–Jiwoo–did. And for years, until you turned fifteen and spontaneously quit; his mother–bless her heart–would give you a ride to the studio while your parents were too busy running the quaint gift store they named after you. Their pride and joy–next to your little brother of course–and the reason they made the life-altering move from Colombia to Miami when you were just two years old.

Hoseok grew up with you. He always thought of you as Jiwoo’s annoying best friend. He went to every single one of your ballet recitals. (He has no idea how he was able to sit through the Nutcracker every year.) He went to every single one of your dance competitions after you joined the school’s dance team with his sister. He saw you at your absolute worst; the hideous bob cut, the acne, the first time you got your period the summer before seventh grade, and the depressing year after you turned fifteen. He saw it all but never thought about it twice.

So, it surely came to him as a surprise when you kissed him in your backyard the day before the start of a new chapter; college.

After Jiwoo moved out years prior, the two of you surprisingly got closer. You found solace in him and in turn, he found it in you. Talks about hopes and dreams happened way more often than they should’ve, especially when filling out applications together. The two of you planned to move out and far away, but luck was never on either of your sides. Or maybe it was faith’s twisted way of bringing the two of you together, but neither of your families had the sufficient funds to be able to send you elsewhere. The money earned during part-time jobs, or the scholarships weren’t enough. So, at the last minute, the two of you applied for an in-state university. One that was fifteen minutes away from both of your homes, and got in. Staying together with not just each other but with your family and childhood friends.

Inseparable; until death do us apart…or something like that.

The romance didn’t bloom right away. For days you didn’t speak to him. Not even when he was doing you the favor of driving you to school. It wasn’t until weeks later when Namjoon called you out on your odd behavior around his best friend. You budged and confessed your lifelong crush on your best friend’s little brother.

To say that Hoseok’s ego wasn’t inflated would be an understatement. He felt like a King ready to rule a kingdom. It sparked something inside of him that for the better part of his life remained dormant until the night that you kissed him. It only got worse upon hearing your confession, prompting him to do the one thing he could think of, and he asked you out.

Hoseok had only gone on a number of first dates before you, but he made sure to pull out all the stops. The bouquet of roses much to your dismay was the first one. Then came the dinner at The Cheesecake Factory at Dolphin Mall, topping it off with the movie at the cinema just an escalator ride away. He even did the whole fake yawn, arm over the shoulders thing, and paid for the whole night.

No wonder he couldn’t afford college.

You didn’t make the effort to kiss him that night, leaving him utterly speechless and disappointed. For a second he thought he had fucked everything up. After going home he laid awake in bed, thinking of where he had gone wrong. Then his phone vibrated next to him with a text from you thanking him for the entire night. It erased all thoughts of failure and disappointment that he had. His heart swelled in his chest as he read the text over and over and over. Memorizing it to the point of reciting it word for word. Soon he was imagining a whole future with you, settling and forgetting his plans of leaving and never coming back.

It’s crazy how life works because he left. Six years ago to be exact and now he’s back. Not by choice but by obligation as best man to Park Jimin. As much as he wanted to decline the offer, he couldn’t do that to one of his best friends. Especially when it was Park Jimin–Mr. Casanova, Number One Heartbreaker of the 21st Century, Mr. I’m Never Settling Down, I’m Going to Be A Sugar Daddy When Grow Up–Park Jimin. He was finally tying the knot. And of course, it had to be to your cousin–Nathalie–of all people. It doesn’t stop there because to overcomplicate things further, you just had to be the maid of honor.

Jung Hoseok knew the decision he made in accepting the internship with Vogue Australia would have its pros and cons. One of the cons, the biggest one in his opinion, was that he had to move to the other side of the world. He had to make the choice in staying in his comfort bubble with his family, with his friends, with you. Or leave the only life he had ever known behind and start over in a foreign place like his parents did. It wasn’t easy, mainly because the issue lied in telling you.

So he chose not to. Not his best move, he admits, but he didn’t know what else to do. He spent weeks practicing whatever he wanted to say to you in the mirror. Yet, whenever he tried he just couldn’t. You were going through a hard time, and he didn’t want to add to all the troubles you were facing. Though he’s not sure how you finding out through your mother, who was told by his mother in a conversation entirely made up of Korean, Spanish, and broken English would’ve helped. He’s also not sure how refusing to answer your questions when you came running into the airport while he was in the line to check-in would’ve helped either. He also supposes that breaking off a five-year relationship entirely, after walking away and never looking back didn’t help either.

But he did that, and he had six years to repent for his sins. Probably more if Jimin hadn’t decided to switch it up on everyone and get married. He wasn’t ready. Six years away. Six years he spent watching his parent’s age through his phone screen. Six years in which he missed the birth of his first two nieces. Six years in which he secretly texted your mother every once in a while to see how you were; wasn’t enough to prepare him.

The twenty-hour flight wasn’t enough.

Your anger was one of his biggest fears because it was silent until you couldn’t hold it anymore and would explode. You had six years of anger, silently brewing inside of you. All directed towards him just like he deserved, and he wasn’t ready for any of it. Not the last-minute fittings, the bachelor party, the rehearsal dinner, the wedding. Not the gawking from strangers that somehow knew him. The familiar streets he spent years driving down, or the spring breakers getting ready to destroy his beaches. Not his parents, his friends, or you.

Perhaps, he lied before. Miami International Airport is Jung Hoseok’s least favorite place in the world because it means he’s closer to you and the future with you that he selfishly left behind.

Spring Break is the worst time of the year.

Not only are the normally overly crowded areas, more crowded than usual. But your hometown is filled with outsiders coming to destroy the most precious part of the city.

The beaches. Or more specially Miami Beach.

Now, it’s not like you actually liked going to the beach per say. There were a lot of factors to consider. For example the heat, the humidity, and the white sand sticking onto your body like second skin due to the copious amounts of sunblock you’d lather yourself in. But most importantly it was the parking cost at Ocean Drive.

In your humble opinion $8 dollars was too much.

But watching the news during Spring Break broke your heart more than usual. College students let loose littering the streets and beaches. Taking advantage of their week of freedom to get drunk as hell and start destroying property left and right. The beach wasn’t your second home like most Miamians but it still held a special place in your heart.

Why Jimin and Nathalie wanted to get married during the most horrifying event of the year—next to Halloween of course—was beyond you. They’re both spontaneous and a little insane so it was poetically on brand for them. Still, you really wish they would’ve waited at least a week.

“This is going to be a disaster.” You mumble to yourself, slumping back on Jimin and Nathalie’s couch.

They invited you over to discuss wedding plans over pizza and ice cream, which ceased to exist. They had been all loved up in the light pink love seat of their living room, leaving you to witness it like a fly on the wall in pure and utter disgust.

Sometimes you think they do this on purpose. Invite you over with a promise of something only to rub it in that they’re completely head over heels for each other. It’s as if they were telling you to go out and find someone. But it’s not your fault that you’ve tried and all the men you’ve met are complete asshole’s, who don’t understand that in order to be friends with benefits. You have to do the friend part first.

“No, don't tell her yet.” Nathalie says doing a terrible job at keeping her voice low enough for you to hear. Though, you weren’t paying attention to anything they were saying earlier. You are now. And you have a terrible suspicion that they were talking about you.

“Tell me what?” You lift your head up enough to see them. Frozen in their embrace exchanging wide eyed looks and silently yelling at each other.

Jimin groans in annoyance, throwing his head back hitting the back side of the love seat. “I told you, you were being too loud.” He all but whines, throwing an arm over his eyes dramatically.

“I thought she was sleeping.” She retaliates by hitting his chest lightly, making him flinch.

You sit up crossing your arms. “She is still here. What aren’t you going to tell me yet?”

Nathalie clicks her tongue and stands up. “It’s not that important. Only that Hoseok just arrived in Miami and his parents are picking him up.” She shrugs her shoulders in nonchalance, strutting her way to the kitchen.

Oh.

“And he’s coming over later for pizza and ice cream and wedding stuff.” Jimin chuckles awkwardly at the end.

Oh.

With the way he has his eyes completely trained behind you. You know him and Nathalie are having a silent discussion. But that didn’t matter because your ex boyfriend. The person you once loved with all of your heart and you now loathe was coming and they didn’t want to tell you?

“I see.” You fall back on the couch again. Your silence is loud and it’s a little bit frightening at how well you took the news, they seemed to think. It’s indicated with the sighs of relief they both let out simultaneously. What they don’t know is that inside you’re completely falling apart.

It’s the weight of the situation, and you need to come up with an excuse fast in case he shows up in the next five minutes and you’re still here.

“Oh looks like I have to go. I forgot to feed my cat.”

You don’t have a cat and they know that so that excuse is off the table.

“Oh god. I totally forgot that I needed to clean my apartment.”

No, that one wouldn’t work. They know you strictly clean your apartment on Sundays to start the week anew. And it’s Friday night. Fuck!

In the end though, you pick the worst excuse out of the book. “No, it’s Friday. I forgot mom wanted me home for dinner since Danny is visiting from college.” You stand up, furrowing your brows so they know you’re serious. But you know them as well as you know your brother. And they know that he won’t be in town for another five days, which is why he can’t attend the wedding. But you won’t let them see you falter.

Your escape was now or never.

“Babes.” Nathalie sighs, dropping her hands to the side. Her face is morphed into pity and you hate that it is, because you know she’s only looking at you like that because Hoseok was mentioned. “You don’t have to leave, Jimin can tell him to come over tomorrow.”

You scoff brushing her off whilst grabbing your things from the coffee table. “Nah, it’s fine. I have things to do anyway. Joon is having a new artist come in and record soon. So I want to get the paperwork done as fast as possible.” Huh, maybe you should’ve used work as the excuse. It would’ve been more believable. They know you absolutely love your job at RKIVE RECORDS and they know that Namjoon—your boss—tends to overwork you sometimes. They would’ve bought it in an instant. Plus they don’t need to know that you’ve finished the paperwork before coming over.

“But we still have to discuss the bachelorette party.” She pouts, clasping her hands in front of her begging like a child.

You offer a smile, grabbing your purse. “Drinks tomorrow at my place and we can discuss it then.” You walk towards her, tapping her nose lightly before looking back at Jimin who’s looking at you with equal amounts of pity.

God, when will this nightmare end.

You face Nathalie again, putting one hand over your mouth like you’re about to share your deepest darkest secret with her and use your thumb to point behind you.“We don’t want him to listen to how wild the night is going to be.” You joke, making his ears perk up.

“Hey, I said no stri—“

“Goodbye Jimin, I love you.” You say, stuffing your feet inside your shoes at their entrance. Opening the door before they continue their protests.

Needless to say, you're relieved that Hoseok is not standing on the other side when you do. You have a lot that you want to say to him. Six years worth of things that you’ve been wanting to say to him. But you wouldn’t know where to start. And yes, ignoring him would be impossible, but at least you’d have one more day to get all your thoughts in check.

This wedding was going to be a disaster.

Hoseok doesn’t know what he was expecting when he came over to Jimin’s place but it certainly wasn’t the cold shoulder and menacing glares from your cousin.

The discomfort settled deep within him as soon as he sat on the couch, sipping on the vanilla latte he had bought when exiting the airport. His parents had picked him up, tears filled their eyes as they reunited with tight hugs. Despite the jet lag he was currently experiencing and his mother’s protests to please go home with them so she can cook him the best home cooked meal in the world.

Hoseok still ended up at Jimin’s place, which now he wishes he hadn’t, but he had to attend to best man duties. Something about Jimin wanting to check his best man speech for the rehearsal dinner, just in case.

The trust his best friend had in him was miniscule. Hoseok had reassured the now blonde that he didn’t add anything embarrassing or widely inappropriate to the speech. It was mainly because he wasn’t done with it. But even if he was done, the idea of letting the entire world know that Jimin once had a threesome in a public jacuzzi back in college had not crossed his mind.

Maybe once.

“How’s Australia treating you?”

Hoseok jumps at the sound of Jimin’s voice. He’d been so focused in his thoughts and Nathalie’s glares that he had practically forgotten about the groom in the room.

He clears his throat, “It’s wonderful, I never want to leave.” He responds, setting down his empty cup on a coaster on the coffee table.

Nathalie scoffs before standing up in what seems to be like a protest, making Hoseok’s eyebrows come together at the center of his forehead. His mother’s home cooked meal sounds way better now than before.

Jimin sighs, watching his fiance make her way to the dining room before turning to face Hoseok. “Don’t mind her, she's stressed about the wedding.” He says, offering him an almost forced smile.

Hoseok sighs before leaning into the couch further, his nose jumping at the slightly familiar perfume it picks up. A scent he’s all but avoided for years, but still lives permanently implanted in his brain. It smells like you. Well you mixed with a hint of another cologne. A much manlier one than he’s ever worn, but he doesn’t let his mind dwell on that for too. It’s the only thing that lets him know that you could have possibly been here in the same spot he was in earlier. It helps him understand Nathalie’s coldness towards him.

He can’t stop himself from asking. “Jimin, I’ve been away for six years. I’m not stupid. She was here right? He leans his elbows against his thighs, peering at Jimin sitting on the floor in front of the coffee table.

The blonde sighs before throwing his head back in frustration. Sometimes he wishes his life was easier and drama free. Then again this was better than the new season of The Bachelor. “Naty and her were supposed to discuss bachelorette ideas since they’re both finally free. But she left as soon as she heard you were coming.” He confesses with a long deep sigh and Hoseok can’t help but feel awful.

Obviously he’s not forgotten what he did to you. It’s something that lives permanently rent free in his mind. He was a coward then and a coward now.

“You should’ve told me I would’ve come by another day.”

Jimin smirks only a little. Enough to know that he had been plotting something all along. “Kinda wanted to see the two of you in the same room before the rehearsal dinner. I love the two of you very much but you were the biggest douchebag for what you did to her and she’s obviously still angry. So maybe if you guys met beforehand you would just hash it out here and the rest of the week would run smoothly.” He shrugs in nonchalance that it almost fires Hoseok up.

Of course, he’s not going to admit that out of all the ideas Jimin has had in his life. This one seemed pretty reasonable. The only problem is, that it would've blindsided the two of you if you hadn’t found out that he was coming. And he’s sure that Jimin would’ve had to find a new best man to replace him if his plan had played out exactly the way he wanted it to.

“You’re fucking insane Jimin. Do you want to see me dead?” He says shrugging, leaning back into the couch again. His head swarming with thoughts of you, your smile and your laugh, and he’s come to realize that a part of him is a little disappointed that you weren’t here ready to murder him.

“I mean you deserve it.” Jimin chuckles before shutting his laptop and leaning his arms on top of it. “Your speech is fucking awful by the way.”

Hoseok springs up, arms up in the air in confusion. “Hey! I’ve worked on that thing for three weeks and made the revisions you asked for.” He counteracts. His frustration causes Jimin to finally break into a fit of laughter, making Hoseok pout.

“That’s the problem.” He says after calming down. “It’s too formal now. There’s no personality.”

Hoseok crosses his arms in front of him in protest. “I’m not rewriting it.”

“I didn’t ask you to rewrite it. I’m just saying maybe add something to make it more Hobi. Right now it reads like it was written by the fucking Duke of England or something.”

“I’ll see what I can do.” He sighs in defeat.

“I’m telling you he’s not as attractive as he used to be.” Nathalie yells over the sound of your blow dryer. She’s sitting behind you on your bed, scrolling through her many pinterest boards. This one is named Appropriate Bachelorette Party Ideas.

Sadly, strippers dressed as firefighters were officially out of the question. But the penis shaped cake was not. Nor were the little penis straws and balloons. This all being your mom, her mom and Jimin’s mom’s idea. You swore their minds permanently lived in the gutter.

You shut off your blow dryer, placing it on the ground in front of you. “You don’t have to lie to me. Mom follows him on Instagram and she sends me pictures sometimes.” You grin at her through your full length mirror. “I’ve always known he was going to age like fine wine.” You joke, earning an eye roll from your cousin.

“He’s not even thirty. That saying doesn’t apply to him yet.” She shakes her head, turning her attention to her laptop again. “My statement still stands, he's not that good looking anymore.” She mumbles more to herself as she scrolls, making you laugh lightly.

You stand up, your hair half blown out and the other wet and curling. “You don’t have to lie to yourself just cause you’re being loyal to me.” You sit next to her on your bed. “You and I both know that he’s the best looking one out of our friend group.” You say bumping your shoulder against hers.

She looks up in alert, almost as if offended. “I think you’ve mistaken him for Jimin.” She scoffs, eyes full of hearts. This had been an ongoing joke between the two of you for years. Even before Hoseok left and she and Jimin got together. Back then her infatuation with Jimin was nothing but a school girl crush. So imagine your surprise when she told you months after they slept together that they were secretly seeing each other.

It had kept you up all night. Mainly because oddly it made you miss Hoseok. A feeling you had pushed away since the moment he turned around at the airport leaving you in tears. A feeling that returned last night as you met up with Yoongi for the third time in the span of a week. Nothing he did could get you out of your head so after many failed attempts of trying his hardest to give you the big O. The two of you just sat in your bed and talked.

Friends with benefits with more friends than benefits is the best way you could describe your relationship with the well renowned producer. He was a great listener and gave great advice and last night he had told you to just give Hoseok a piece of your mind. Even gave you some pointers. Some that you would take and some that you would totally avoid.

Like having hate sex.

You don’t hate Hoseok. You resent him. Plus wasn’t having sex with an ex something you should one hundred precent avoid?

“Whatever, I’m tired of boy talk Naty. Can we finally start planning before the mom’s take over and give us penis shaped everything.” You practically whine leaning your head against her shoulder, only to have her shove you off.

“Only if you agree to wear the lavender strappy dress.”

“But I can’t breathe in that dress. It’s so fucking tight.” You cross your arms in front of you pouting. She stays unfazed, scrolling through her pinterest board, your eyes pick up on makeshift photo booths. All with different themes.

“Idiot, it’s only for the pictures. Then we can change into our sweats and eat all the sweets.”

“I can’t believe you’re convinced that the moms won’t take us out to the club that day. It’s like you don’t know them at all.”

Nathalie rolls her eyes before putting her laptop to the side and turning to face you, putting both hands on your cheeks and squishing them. “Oh I know what they’re going to do. I overheard my mom and your mom on a three way call with Jimin’s mom the other day while I was over. They have it all planned out. But I’m limiting them to one club, so please wear the dress.”

You sigh, shoving her hands away standing up. “It’s like I didn’t grow up with you. I know one club means like five in your head.” You say walking to your full length mirror and sitting down on the floor again. “Fine, but that means I’m cutting you off after three drinks. I don’t want you hungover at the rehearsal dinner.”

“With how things are going with you. I think it will be the other way around.”

Hoseok doesn’t miss clubbing and he doesn’t miss clubbing in Miami. Most importantly he doesn’t miss clubbing in Miami during spring break.

It’s awful here. E11EVEN has never looked more crowded. There’s barely space to walk, or breathe. The humidity doesn’t help either.

It’s been two days since he’s arrived in Miami. And his days have been filled with fixing his sleep schedule. Helping his mom around the house and staring at the blank document that’s supposed to contain his best man speech.

He can’t write anything. All his best ideas have been turned down by the groom himself. He has no fucking idea how to make something more Hobi. He just is Hobi. Truly, he wishes he never came back home. His days have been filled with nothing but disappointment and memories he’d rather forget. Just last night he went for a walk around the block and ran into your mother walking your family dog, who coddled him to no end. Acting like he didn’t betray her only daughter.

Acting like he was still part of the family.

She talked his ear off for almost an hour and nothing Hoseok did to get away worked. It also didn’t help that your family and his were neighbors. So escaping home wasn’t an excuse because then they’d just end up walking the same way.

It was good to see her though. She still looked the same with some new wrinkles here and there, but still the same.

Now, he’s at a club with Jimin, Jungkook and Taehyung, all celebrating the groom’s bachelor death. Something none of them saw coming. Needless to say he’s overwhelmed. His sleep schedule still needs a good fix and the music is blaring against his eardrums, so he can’t think properly. Though, it’s probably due to the fact that he’s a little over four drinks in and well on his fifth one.

It’s too early to tell if he’ll regret this later on, but a part of him is sensing it already.

“We have to go.” Jungkook yells over the music as he leans over the table with his forearms. The rest of the men sitting in a booth babysitting their drinks with absolutely no energy to go out onto the dance floor unlike the youngest who's been breaking a sweat every time his favorite song comes on.

His words catch their attention and Jimin sits up straighter than before. “Why?” He yells, cupping his hands over his mouth like that’s going to help him with volume. It doesn’t, but somehow the younger male picks up on his confusion.

“The girls are here. I just saw Tae’s wife trying to twerk.” He says turning to face the brunette. “Sorry dude, she kinda sucks at it.” He adds apologetically, earning an eye roll from the man in question.

“Don’t look at her then.” He retorts, crossing his arms in front of him, turning to face the crowd in an obvious search for his wife of three years.

Jimin though springs up fast, standing on his toes with a huge smile on his face. “I knew they were going to come here. This is the club Nathalie and I hooked up in, in the bathroom.” He says like it’s the best love story in the world and not the most unhygienic one. Though, Hoseok can’t judge. Once post break up he had sex with some random girl in a dirty bathroom club. Worst experience of his life. One he will never ever ever bring up again.

“Dude, the whole point of a Bachelor party is to not meet your future wife at hers.” Jungkook yells in annoyance, taking his bottom lip in between his teeth, playing with his lip ring.

“Who fucking cares.” This time it’s Taehyung who speaks, standing up and checking his reflection in the black vinyl wrapped column behind him. No doubt ready to go hit on his wife. It’s entirely obvious that Jimin has the same idea because the second he spots his fiancé wearing a pink beaded necklace with a bunch of tiny penises dangling around it. He’s running out onto the dance floor with Taehyung trailing closely behind.

Jungkook plops down next to Hoseok sighing in defeat. “We’ve lost them, they’re fucking whipped man.” He shakes his head, placing his elbows in front of him on the table.

“Yeah.” Hoseok answers halfheartedly. He doesn’t mean to give Jungkook such a half assed answer but he’s finally spotted you. Finally saw you in person for the first time in six years, laughing at the way Nathalie and Taehyung’s wife jumped when their significant others snuck up on them. Both of them earned well deserved hard slaps against their chest.

You’re wearing the most beautiful dress. Lavender and strappy and it hugs your body just right. He notices that you look a bit more skinnier than before and it makes his heart sink a little because grabbing onto you was his favorite thing in the world. Still you look so good. So damn good that he’s starting to regret ever leaving for Australia in the first place and finally starting to enjoy the fact that he’s back home.

That is until your eyes meet his. And they’re only met with one thing.

Pure solicited rage.

Hoseok gulps and quickly downs his drink. Already mapping out a route so he can get his sixth one.

Jungkook whistles next to him, slapping an arm around his shoulder making Hoseok jump. “I saw that, you’re fucked dude.” He laughs nervously, patting his shoulder gently. The action lacks all the comfort in the world. But it’s a nice gesture? He thinks.

“Trust me I know.”

You’ve managed to avoid Hoseok for a good thirty minutes. After meeting his eyes for a brief second you did everything in your power to disappear, pushing your way to the bar.

That is until a gin and tonic appears in front of you.

“Yoongs, I didn't order this.” You look up. The smirk you’ve come to know well over countless nights of meaningless pleasure, greets you. The cute bartender was the reason why you convinced Nathalie to come here tonight. He was in your bed last night and always gave you and the girls free drinks because of your very transactional relationship with him.

Yoongi shrugs, placing the white rag over his shoulders and leaning against the bar with his elbows. “I know but he did.” He nods his head towards the left, making you shift your gaze in that direction. Only to regret it when your eyes find Hoseok’s behind his yellow tinted shades.

He looks different, a different kind of different. A different that screams expensive. Dripping with confidence. “Don’t leave me here alone, Yoongi.” You rush out. He catches onto the panic laced behind your voice and that only makes him smile wider.

He leans into you, lips hovering over your ears. “Can’t believe you’ve replaced me already. Was last night really that bad?” He jokes, before pushing himself away from the counter and the drink towards you, walking away.

He’s cynical.

You groan, threading your fingers through your hair in frustration. “Don’t do that you’re going to mess up your hair.” You jump, Hoseok now standing next to you leaning against the bar, looking everywhere but you.

“Doesn’t matter, nights’ already ruined anyway.” You sigh, grabbing a hold of your drink and taking a sip. You’d be an idiot to decline a free drink.

“Ouch, that hurt.”

You ignore him, making him fall silent. The music pounding around the two of you, acting as a buffer for the awkwardness floating around the two of you. All the things you’ve been wanting to say to him since that night disappear with your confidence. Drowned out by the two gin and tonics you drank earlier.

And just like always, Hoseok breaks the silence.

At least one thing is still the same.

“You look nice.” He says, leaning in slightly for you to hear him. His glass of whisky sits untouched in between his hands.

“Thanks.” You answer, placing your drink down and finally turning to face him.

Mistake number one.

He looks better up close and unfamiliar which makes your stomach drop a little. Once upon a time you always believed that no matter what. Hoseok would always be someone familiar to you. Now, you’re being proved wrong and because you never admit defeat. You’re blaming it on the alcohol, his simple black t-shirt, light washed jeans and the orange tinted glasses, sitting on the bridge of his nose.

“You too.”

This is awkward. More awkward than what the two of you expected, because a part of Hoseok and you still assumed that everything would be the same. Regardless of what happened. It was a conversation the two of you would often have. Full of what if’s, and false fantasies. That ended up becoming reality.

“How have you been?” This time it's you who breaks the silence, catching Hoseok off guard. That much is obvious since his eyes grow wide. You’ve never been one to initiate a conversation. At least not during the first few months of your relationship. The minute you started getting comfortable with him. Nothing in the world could shut you up and your tangents about everything and anything.

He takes a sip from his drink. And it burns down his throat. Obvious that it wasn’t very diluted. “I’ve been good.” He shrugs, mentally slapping himself because that is what he could come up with? A generic ass answer when he has endless stories about the last six years, that he’s always been wanting to tell you.

“And you?” He clears his throat, setting his glass down and running his index finger over the rim.

You nod, biting down on your straw in contemplation. Small talk was never your forte but it is your fault for starting it up.

You should have run away the second Yoongi placed the drink in front of you. You would’ve dealt with the embarrassment later. It would’ve been better than your current situation.

“I’ve been good too.” You answer, nodding, folding your hands on top of the bar, shifting your eyes from his, to his nose and then the wall of expensive liquor behind the bar.

“That’s good, I’m happy you’re doing well.” He all but whispers and it's amazing how you’re still able to hear him over the loud thumping of the bass. “Do you come here a lot?” Another stupid question. He might as well just publish a whole book series on them, because apparently he’s filled with a lot. Can you blame him? Yes, you can because he didn’t have to come to you. He could’ve stayed with Jungkook and listened to him complain about how he isn't pulling enough girls like usual. Or he could’ve found you.

So, he chose to do the latter. And now he’s regretting it. Only a little bit though. You look so pretty in your lilac dress, your cheekbones, arms and cleavage sparkling with the kind of glitter usually used for music festivals. Letting him know that your kid-like spirit is still alive. Something he feared you would lose on the night he left you broken and pleading on the airport floor.

His guilty conscience will never let himself forget it.

“I don’t.” You finally answer, pushing your drink away. In a different circumstance you would’ve finished it. Now, finishing it would be a mistake because once it was empty he would order you another one. Not necessarily trying to get you drunk. He knew your limit better than yourself, but more out of chivalry.

“Oh, then how do you know the bar guy?”

You should’ve known this question was going to come. Yoongi always made sure everyone knew you and him were somehow intertwined. Whether it was subtly or in the most obvious way possible.

“Work.” You say, like it's the most obvious thing, but then when you spot the confusion written all over Hoseok’s face. You realize that what you just said didn’t make sense at all, so you clear your throat to clarify. “Yoongi is a producer at RKIVE, he only bartends on the weekends for his brother.”

“Ah, that makes sense as to why the two of you are so close.”

“We aren’t that close.” You say, waving him off. It’s a lie, he’ll be able to know that it’s a lie with one look. Which is why you avoid his eyes all together.

“Please he’s basically eating me alive right now with one look.” He scoffs, taking another sip of his whisky. He usually only drinks one but maybe today’s the day he makes some changes. “And he smells like you.” He adds, hardening his face to keep himself from pouting.

“Okay, so maybe we hook up sometimes.” You say, raising your voice a little bit. “Why does that matter to you?”

Hoseok grips his glass with one hand, while pushing his glasses up with his other one. “You’re right it doesn’t matter to me.” He says before standing up from the barstool. Rethinking his choices and reasonings from before. He definitely regrets coming up to you. He was already suspicious about your relationship with the bartender, when he saw him lean into you a little too close for his own comfort. Hearing the confirmation come from your mouth makes him feel even worse. Then again, this is all his fault and his price to pay.

He should’ve just stayed with Jungkook.

The neon lights and cigarette smoke are distorting his reality. Hoseok thinks.

Are your arms really wrapped around his neck, reeling him in? Or is this a figment of his imagination? Is your body so close to his that he can smell the scent of your perfume?

Daisy by Marc Jacobs

It’s still the same and it's driving him insane. Apart from the heat of your body dancing so close to him. His hands are on your waist. Like they belong there, because they once did.

He’s not sure if you're conscious about what you’re doing. If your smile is a fake one or not. If you’re letting the lights, the music, the smoke, the alcohol that you consumed–provided by your kind friend Yoongi–is also distorting your reality. If that’s the case. He should be the bigger person and push you away. You get touchy and needy when drunk, making a part of you want him right now. He knows that when the sun is up and you’re a bit more sober, you won’t want him anymore.

Still, it feels good to be wanted by you again. None of the others that came after you could compare to what you would make him feel back then. What he is currently feeling right now.

On top of the world, wearing rose colored glasses to hide away from his reality.

“Let’s get out of here.” You lean closer to his ear, yelling over the music. A weird remix of Usher’s DJ’s Got Us Falling In Love Again.

How fitting.

He should say no. You don’t want this, he knows this. But his heart is yelling louder than the pounding of the bass against his eardrums. So, he caves into his desires, knowing very well he will suffer during the morning after.

“Okay,” He agrees, pulling you closer, letting your head fall against his shoulder.

Karma is going to come for him just like he deserves.

When Hoseok left, he left everything he could ever want behind. His parents, his sister, his cousins, his dog, his friends and his future with you. That’s why he closed himself off. For the longest time he lived on auto pilot.

Gym, work, home. Hit the clubs every Friday to Sunday and sleep with someone new almost every weekend. There were no feelings involved. He never allowed himself that luxury because they were all left behind when he boarded the plane. He never treated his weekend conquests like they were pieces of gum on the bottom of his shoes. A luxury weekend away in one of those fancy five star hotels. Penthouse suite and all. They dined like kings and queens, took advantage of the room service, mini fridge and luxury spa. He made sure they felt special for at least a little while. And plus there was an unspoken rule. Everyone involved knew that nothing more would come out of the weekend.

So maybe he’s just confused. Or maybe he forgot how to be with someone that he genuinely likes, because you're straddling his lap, with your lips attached to his neck. And he genuinely is frozen with his hands by his side, and his heart in his throat. He only knows that he is still alive because he can smell the alcohol from your breath.

“Why are you acting so weird?” You pull away, flipping your hair to the side and resting your palms on top of his chest. You’re aware that sleeping with your ex is a hard no in the rule book. Especially one that absolutely destroyed you. But tonight you don’t care. Yoongi was an asshole earlier and Hoseok looks so good. Your moral compass might be five steps out the door. But after tonight.

After the wedding.

Hoseok will go back to Australia and you will go back to lying to yourself. Sleeping with Yoongi because you’re trying so hard to avoid the heartbreak Hoseok caused you, instead of confronting it like you should.

“I’m not, it’s just–” He stops, bringing his eyes up to your face. He’s searching, he has that look on his face. The one you know so well because whenever he didn’t know what to say he would just look at you, eyes running between yours and past them, searching for the right thing to say.

“Haven’t slept with anyone in the past ten years?” You quirk an eyebrow.

It finally clicks , his face morphs into disbelief before gently pushing you off his lap, leaving you stunned, confused and a little bit heartbroken. Maybe he didn’t want you after all. The reality check kicked in, hitting you harder than it should have as he rolled his eyes while standing up. It should’ve been your signal to just shut your mouth, but you are stubborn. A fact you and Hoseok know very well.

“Hit a nerve didn’t I?” You sit up on the once perfectly made bed, tugging your knees in and wrapping your arms around them, avoiding his gaze. Maybe you didn’t want to see the evident anger in them or maybe you didn’t want to know the truth. That he actually found solace in someone else that wasn’t you. So you braced yourself for the hit in your gut.

It never comes. Instead he lets out a sigh, the bed dips next to you, making you look up at him again. His angry eyes morphing into understanding as he props himself up against the headboard. “I was nervous about seeing you again.” He whispers, looking down at the white duvet. The tiny stitches serve as his focal point. “I didn’t know what to expect, I didn’t know if I should say hi or ignore you. I didn’t know if I should go up to you and ask you how you were. Or if I should apologize for what I did even if it was six years too late. But I saw you tonight and I completely forgot myself.” He confesses, shaking his head lightly, letting out an almost soundless chuckle.

“W-”

Hoseok holds his hand up, stopping you from continuing whatever you were going to say. Something he never dared to do when you were together. He always let you speak your mind and get your word in before he said something himself. He valued your opinion and never let you run away from your emotions. But that was six years ago, this is now. And the now Hoseok was completely different in every sense of the word..

“Leaving you behind was the hardest thing I ever had to do in my life. It wasn’t leaving my mom, dad, Jiwoo or the guys, it was you. I tried telling you many times, but I just couldn’t, because we were talking about getting married and the names for our kids and the nice little house by our parents houses. And it was suffocating. I couldn’t stay here but I couldn’t take you with me either. Your life was already here, that dream that you had of going somewhere else was gone because of me, and the comfort we found in each other. So, I couldn’t tell you and I couldn’t leave you and the only solution I saw was to just disappear.” He finishes, finally looking up at you. He knew what he was going to find and the anger was burning brightly. Even though you were older, you were still the same firecracker he grew up and fell in love with.

You scoff, “You’re unbelievable.” You stand up, fixing your dress, shaking your head. “You’re so fucking unbelievable it makes me want to scream.” You walk up to the window, a humorless laugh escaping your now smudged blood red lips. “I was fucking miserable after you left, and I can’t believe that you’ve actually convinced yourself that you did the right thing by not telling me. Do you think I wouldn’t have let you go? Do you think I would’ve begged you to not leave me like some hopeless little girl? Because you’re so wrong.” You turn around, arms crossed in front of your chest, pulling in tighter for comfort. “I didn’t want to have this conversation now or maybe ever. I don’t want to say something I don’t mean because of all the anger I have towards you that’s just been inside of me for the past six years. But let's have it because you have no idea how much I truly do hate you.”

The bite shouldn’t have hurt as much as it did, he thought he was over you. He thought he was healed enough to hear you say the one word he hoped he’d never have to hear come out of your mouth. Yet, there it was, lingering in the air like poison.

“You didn’t do me any favor by not telling me. Instead, you destroyed me. I spent so long searching for answers by myself because you wouldn’t answer any of my texts, calls or emails. All I wanted was some sort of explanation so I could stop the hate that I have for you from growing even further. And I couldn’t, instead I just let it grow.” You wrap your arms around yourself tighter, swallowing hard to keep your voice from trembling due to all the different emotions growing inside of you. “And it took me so long to just accept the fact that you never really loved me as much as I loved you.”

“That’s not true, I–”

You hold up your hand just like he had done to you. You let him have the floor but now it was your turn, “No you didn’t because if you did you wouldn’t have left the way you did. You wouldn’t have pretended like I didn’t exist when I was simply just asking for an explanation that day. You wouldn’t have ignored me because it felt better to not confront your mistake.”

“I couldn’t stay, I was fucking dying knowing I was going to die in a place I never considered home.” He said, breaking his composure, finally letting the screw of the bottle break loose.

“And do you think I ever considered this place my home?” You throw your hands up in the air. “I didn’t go to New York for school because of you, I turned down the scholarship to my dream school because of you but I had somehow convinced myself that because I had you I would always be home even if it meant being stuck in the suburbs of Miami for the rest of my life. It brought me comfort that maybe one day together we could decide to leave everything behind and just go. But we didn’t ever get the chance to explore that topic because you already had a plan for your future and it never involved me.”

“You don’t know how wrong you are.” Hoseok bites back standing up. The bed keeps the two of you apart. He wasn’t oceans away anymore, but somehow he felt even farther from you now that he was in the same room as you. It was stupid to expect that everything was going to be fine. “Even now, after ten years you’re still the only one I see myself growing old with. I fucked up, I was young, but I’ve had many sleepless nights beating myself up about it. I’m sorry, I’m sorry for not telling you, I’m sorry for thinking that maybe your life would be so much better without me. I’m sorry for not feeling guilty after I realized how much happier I was in Australia, but even then I still wish I had you with me. And I will always want you with me.” He breathes out, rounding the corner of the bed, finally standing in front of you.

“I will never stop being sorry, and I know you won’t forgive me for as long as you live. I knew that if I told you I wouldn’t have been able to go, because it would’ve only taken you to tell me to go, to not go. You would have supported me through and through, but it just felt easier to just leave and disappear. I loved you so much, more than everything I have ever loved in my life. But I knew our reality. I knew that phone calls wouldn’t have been enough. I knew that slowly we would drift apart and I couldn’t go through that. I couldn’t stomach the fact that we would’ve become perfect strangers over time, that we would’ve slowly dissolved into nothing. I didn’t want you to be fine and then start hurting over time. I didn’t want to fight and not be there physically to make it right.” He stops in front of you, hands by his side, eyes dropping low in a gentle form of sadness.

“But we could’ve talked, we could’ve figured something out. For a while after you left I just wanted to talk to you and listen to how amazing Australia was. But you pushed me out like I meant nothing, and it fucking hurt Hobi.” You choke out, looking away. You always hated crying in front of him, because he would try everything in his power to make you feel okay.

Right now you don't want to feel okay.

“I know and I will never stop apologizing for it, but don’t you think it would’ve been harder if we just became strangers over time while still being in each other’s lives?”

You shake your head. “I just don’t think it would’ve happened, we always had faith in each other when we were together. Why was this any different? I know we would’ve somehow made it work.” You suck in a breath, closing your eyes, as the tears slowly fall down. Hoseok’s hand itches to reach out to you and wipe them away, but he doesn’t have the right to anymore. So, he stuffs his hands in his pocket.

“Maybe I just didn’t trust myself. Changes are scary and I was uprooting my entire life for a dream that I wasn’t even sure would come true. I was scared that you’d think less of me if I didn’t achieve it or that you’d get frustrated with me. Or that I would resent you for some reason. I guess it just felt easier for you to hate me.” He sighs.

“I wouldn’t have let you.” You shrug, wiping your tears away. “I would’ve taken the first flight to you if I knew you were having a hard time.

Hoseok lets out a humorless chuckle, angry at himself, “That was the problem. I couldn’t have asked you to do that. I had to start over from scratch but I couldn’t ask you to do the same for me. You were growing and finally doing something that you liked. You were starting to finally enjoy your life outside of me. I couldn’t have asked you to drop the comfort of your inner support system just to be with me, because then you really would have resented me. I know you say now that you wouldn’t have, but it happened to our parents when they moved here. Who's to say it wouldn’t have happened to us?”

You shrug, furrowing your brows into the stubborn look he knew so well. “I don’t know but we would’ve figured it out.”

“We wouldn’t have, it would’ve been something that would have gradually built over time. And I couldn’t lose you in that way.”

You scoff, pushing past him, walking quickly towards the door of his hotel room. You were done, said everything you needed to say. You had no business in staying somewhere you weren’t ever welcomed in. Wordlessly you put on your heels without tying the buckle, and grab the handle of the door. His gaze burns holes into your smooth back.

“At the end of the day you still did.” You say turning the handle before turning to face him again. “It was nice seeing you again Hoseok, I hope Australia was everything you had ever dreamed for.” You open the door as he opens his mouth to say one more thing. He couldn’t let you leave again. At least not in this way.

“I think it’s best if we don’t talk to each other for the rest of the weekend.” You swallow, stopping for a second almost as if you had something else to say but decide against it. “Fitting is tomorrow at 10am, don’t be late or I’ll have to listen to Nathalie have another meltdown.”

That was the last thing you said to him before walking out of his life. It was Earth shattering, everything between the two of you left unresolved and worse. Farther apart than before and it was suffocating. Maybe Miami wasn’t the problem in the first place, maybe it was always him. Either way if this was how you felt when he left you behind. Then truly he was the biggest asshole he had ever had the unfortunate privilege of knowing.

This hurts more than the heaviness of life itself.

Nathalie lets out a deep sigh for the fifth time in the last ten minutes. You had tried to ignore it at first but it was really starting to get on your nerves. Especially because you knew she had something to say and instead of just going out and saying it, she was waiting for you to ask.

Why did everyone always expect you to reach out first?

“If you have something to say just say it.” You mention, looking at yourself in the mirror once again. The sage green, off the shoulder bridesmaid dress wasn’t very flattering on your form. But this wasn’t your wedding, you weren’t there to make a statement in the loveliest gown that made you feel on top of the world. It was once your dream, now you aren't so sure it will ever become a reality.

Nathalie sighs sitting down on the velvet couch with her wedding dress unzipped, gently clinging onto her body. It was tight. The wedding diet she had been on was apparently ruined by Jimin with all the delicious food he had been cooking for dinner recently.

“I saw you leave with Hobi last night, anything happen?”

There it was the million dollar question that everyone and their mothers wanted the answer to.

You sigh, reaching behind you to unzip the dress. It was now suffocating, too tight around your ribcage making it impossibly hard for you to breathe. “Nothing happened, we talked.”

Nathalie cocked an eyebrow, “Only talked?”

You hum, letting out a small sigh of defeat, dropping your arms by your side. “More like fought.” You shrug trying to seem as unbothered as possible. The truth was that after you left you went to see Yoongi. Hoping to let out some steam. But as soon as he saw the state you were in. He brought you inside and let you cry on his couch, while he watched a movie on Disney+.

When you were done, he paused the movie and finally spoke to you, harshly. In a way he had never spoken to you before. A slap in the face but a much needed one. Making you come to your senses. It took everything in you to not call Hoseok again and apologize. But just as you were about to dial his number you realized that you had nothing to apologize for. Everything you had said and felt was valid.

So, you just stayed on his couch, makeup smudged all over your face as you continued watching the movie he was watching. It was where you woke up this morning, joints aching in discomfort, listening to Yoongi’s soft footsteps as he prepared for the day ahead of him. At the sight of you he didn’t say anything, didn’t make fun of your appearance. Instead, he simply gave you a bowl of raisin bran cereal, a meticulous sliced orange and a large cup of coffee. Telling you to drink up and energize since the day you had ahead of you was long.

He was right, it had only been one hour and you already wanted to go home. “Just fighting, not hot and steamy make up–” She pauses for a second and looks around, putting her hand to the side of her mouth “--sex.” She whispers, sending you a mischievous wink.

You roll your eyes before looking at yourself in the mirror again, cringing at how unflattering the color looks on you. “You’re annoying.”

Your cousin lets out a loud laugh before putting her hand over her mouth. “It totally did happen.” She practically squeals. “I knew something must’ve happened, the two of you were practically clinging onto each other when you left and your eyes are so fucking swollen. Must’ve been a wild night.” She rambles, standing up and holding her dress up to her body, jumping in front of you. “You have to tell me everything, was it the same or better than before?”

You close your eyes in frustration, “Naty,” you start, balling your hands at your sides “Nothing fucking happened, we made out for a little bit and then we fought. He practically told me he left to save me from him or some stupid reason like that.” You sigh, looking up at the sky blinking a few times. “He basically hinted that I wasn’t enough of a reason for him to stay and then I left, went to Yoongi’s and now I’m here.”

Her face drops, bottom lip protruding outward. “Well, did you at least sleep with Yoongi?” She cocks her head to the side, making a small smile appear on your face. You know she’s only asking to lighten up the situation.

You shake your head before sitting down on the pink crushed velvet couch of the fitting room. It had only been the two of you for the past hour, the rest of her bridal party had left with your mom’s and Jimin’s mom’s for an early lunch. The two of you stayed replaying that small fantasy the two of you had as children while playing with your mom’s fancy dresses. It had been fun until reality kicked in.

“If you can count sobbing on his couch while he ignored me and watched Thor sleeping with him then yes.” Your smile widens as she falls next to you pulling you into a bone crushing hug, her dress slipping down, revealing her nude strapless bra.

The two of you stay like that, laughing for a while. Recounting the end of your night as best as you could. It was absolutely amazing how much your heart was still broken after six years. Maybe that’s what happens when you truly lose the only love of your life.

“I’m sorry for inviting him.” She whispers after a few minutes of quiet.

You look down at her for a split second before looking up at the mirror in front of you. Maybe the color didn’t look as bad on you as you had once thought. “It’s fine,” you pause before smiling down at her again. “I’ll be fine.”

“Bu–”

“Naty, I survived six years without him. I can make it a lifetime. I'll be fine. I’m okay.” You try to say as reassuringly as possible. Though, you know she’s not entirely convinced she drops the subject before standing up and extending her hands out to you.

“We still have like six hours to kill before the rehearsal dinner. Want to disappear for a while?”

You grab her hands letting her pull you up. “Does it involve ice cream?”

“Is that even a question?” She playfully rolls her eyes and lets go of your hands, before disappearing behind the curtain to the actual changing room leaving you alone in the lobby of the private room.

Maybe disappearing and pretending like nothing was wrong was what you needed now. As much as you wanted to, it would've been impossible to ignore your ex boyfriend for the rest of the weekend. Thankfully you hadn’t needed to see him this morning as Jimin and his groomsmen were in a separate room. Just knowing that he was a door away after everything that had conspired between the two of your hours before. Made you feel uneasy.

You didn’t lie to Nathalie. Hoseok was your past and who knows who your future would be. You had done well surviving without him all these years. A weekend wasn’t going to break you.

“If you want to say something you should just say.” Hoseok says to Jimin who was sitting on the steps of the private fitting room in front of him. Hoseok ignores him, fixing the lapels of his black formal tux. The dainty little sage green pocket square was a bit unsettling to his eyes. Not that he didn’t like the color, it was fairly nice. But he also knew you had been the one to suggest it. Afterall it was one of the color options you wanted for your own wedding.

Jimin’s eyes go wide, almost like he’s been caught. “I have nothing to say, what makes you think I have something to say? I’m perfectly at peace sitting here admiring your handsome features. Has anyone told you that you are handsome? I bet your mom did a lot when you were younger, it must've been nice to grow up with lovely parents. You know I only had my mom after my dad die–”

“Jimin,” Hoseok exclaims, shooting him a glare at his rambling. Jimin did that every time he lied, which is why he didn’t do it often. “I don’t need to hear your life story again. Just say what you want to say before the guys come back.”

Jimin sighs, pushing himself off the floor. “Did something happen last night with you an–”

“No,” he interrupts him before he can finish asking and it throws him off his course again.

“Are you sure? Naty, I and the entire fucking planet saw the two of you leaving last night. Giggling like drunk little teenagers very obviously sneaking away.” He pauses for a second, pinching his bottom lip between his thumb and forefinger, “you know if you guys did something that's okay. Sometimes in moments of weakness between two exes things happen. That’s completely normal, I just hope that…you know… were safe and it was consensual and like the two of you know it was just a one time thing since you’ll be going back to Australia at the end of the month.” He finishes, nervously stuffing his hands into the pocket of his slacks.

His suit jacket had been off for hours and the first few buttons of his shirt were undone, while the sage green silk tie hung untied around his neck. Hoseok was grateful he didn’t have to wear one, it would’ve made walking down the aisle with you in his arms ten times harder than it already was going to be. The unfortunate privilege of him being the best man and you the maid of honor. Ignoring you was simply just impossible that much had been proved to him last night.

Last night. The first sleepless night he had in a while. He wasn’t sure if Jimin’s statement had irritated him or if he was already irritated from his lack of sleep.

Either way, even if Jimin always means well, Hoseok was beyond annoyed now. “We didn’t sleep together, Jimin.” Hoseok looks away from the mirror and at his best friend. “We were going to but I got in my head about it and then we started talking and then we fought. And honestly I might’ve fucked it up more than it already was in the first place.” He says, pulling off his suit jacket. It was hot. Maybe it had to do with the bright lights shining down on the two of them or maybe it was just him.

Jimin stood silent for a second before opening his mouth again. “What did you say, did you apologize?”

Hoseok lets out a bitter laugh before finally deciding that the suit jacket was perfect and shrugging it off, tossing it on the pink crushed velvet couch. It was so annoyingly pink that it actually hurt his eyes.

“I did, but then I couldn’t stop. I tried explaining myself and why I did what I did but I just ended up making everything worse.” Hoseok claims before sitting down on the steps in front of the wall of mirrors. There were at least three versions of him staring back at him and each single one of them looked worse than the other. Reflecting all his inner turmoil perfectly.

He was a fucking mess.

“Do you know how it feels when you hear the only person you have ever loved tell you they hate you and for very valid reasons?” He looks up at the groom, tired eyes shifting into deep sadness. He didn’t have to pretend in front of Jimin. At least not anymore. Nor did he want to because it was honestly getting exhausting. He had lived his life pretending for the past ten years. Pretending that his life was better when only certain parts of it were. Pretending that he didn’t have a gaping hole inside of his heart.

“Did she say that?” Jimin whispered, taking a seat next to his best man.

“She did but she didn’t need to, I already knew she did, but just hearing her say it made it so much more real.” Hoseok sighs and looks up at the ceiling, blinking away the spots of light in his vision and the tears that had started to form.

When he left to australia he had only let himself cry for a full month. He refused to cry after that month no matter how hard life was progressively getting. After last night all he wanted to do was cry and scream and disappear again.

Jimin puts his arm around his shoulders patting him softly. “If it makes you feel better Nathalie and I once broke up and she said those exact words to me. They’re awful, but we made it work and look at us now.” He whispers.

Hoseok shakes his head, looking down at his palms. “We aren’t like you and Nat. We were never meant to be together forever. It was stupid to ever dream that we could ever be each other’s forevers. Once she decides on something, she doesn’t go back. Which is why I know she will hate me for the rest of her life and I guess it’s just something I have to live with. I thought I was helping out by leaving, because I was afraid that I would lose her overtime. But in the end I ended up doing just that and this time there’s no chance of reconciliation, because that is something she doesn’t want.” He finishes, letting the sought out tears fall onto his open palms.

He’ll cry just for now, just for this moment and then he’ll pick himself up again. Just like he had been doing all this time.

Jimin pulls him into a hug. “I don’t believe that’s true. I’m sure that one day the two of you will sit down together and really talk it out. No bad blood between the two of you. I’m sure she doesn’t actually hate you. If she did she wouldn't have gone to Australia three years ago to attend the grand opening of your studio.” He spills in a hushed tone, making Hoseok’s eyes grow wide as he quickly turns to face him.

“You’re fucking with me, I would’ve seen her if she was there.” Hoseok scoffs, pushing Jimin’s arm away before standing up. “This was a mistake Jimin, a friend wouldn’t lie to me to make me feel better and you’re doing just that. I can’t fucking believe you.”

Jimin chuckles before standing up. “You know I’m not good at lying. Naty and I never asked her about it. It was like an unspoken secret the three of us had with each other. But apparently Namjoon was invited and she went as his plus one. When she came back she was so happy and glowing, it was something we hadn’t seen in such a long time. That we decided not to pry any further.” Jimin walks closer to him before putting both his hands on his shoulders, forcing him to look at him. “She was so proud of you. I think it helped her seeing how happy you were. And things just felt lighter after she came back. Naty and I didn’t have to walk on eggshells around her anymore.” Jimin continues, smiling brightly and Hoseok isn’t so sure if he’s just gotten really good at lying in the past six years. Or if he was actually telling the truth.

Either way this new piece of information is so overwhelming that he feels like he’s about to collapse.

“Why wouldn’t she tell me, if she was there why wouldn’t she come up to me and tell me?”

Jimin furrows his eyebrows and opens his mouth but it's quickly interrupted by another voice, making Hoseok look behind him. Namjoon stands by the doorway, a take away bag of coffee in one hand with a brown paper bag of what he assumes is pastries, par to Jimin’s request in the other.

“She knew that if you saw her, you would’ve dropped everything and had gone home with her. And she couldn’t do that to you. She saw how happy you were and didn’t want to ruin your big night by making her presence known. We only stayed until after your speech and then we got on the next flight to Miami.” Namjoon says, stepping further into the room.

Hoseok is at a loss for words. The only thing he wants to do; no, the only thing he needs to do is see you again. He needs an explanation because there was no way that the things coming out Jimin and Namjoon’s mouth are real.

They just couldn’t be. He would’ve known. How didn't he know? Your presence was so big no matter how small you made yourself out to be at times. You always shined like the brightest star in the night sky. He would’ve known if you were there. No matter how many lights were flashing in his face that night, he would’ve still been able to pick you out from the crowd. That’s who you always were to him. His one and only focal point. His light in trying times. And now he feels like complete and utter shit for not being able to find you on the day he desperately wanted to be with you the most.

The grand opening of his fashion studio. He wanted you by his side, showing you off like he always imagined he would. And maybe he would’ve been able to do that if he would’ve found you in the sea of people. Or maybe he wouldn’t have needed to look for you at all because the two of you would’ve been together in the first place.

He needs to see you, so shrugs on his suit jacket and runs to the exit, only to be blocked by Jungkook and his giant shoulders. “Move, I need to–”

“They left ten minutes ago. Told Namjoon and I to tell you guys that they would be off the grid until the rehearsal dinner.” Jungkook states, crossing his arms in front of him. “Plus you have a best man speech that I know you haven’t finished so I think it’s best if you just stay with us.”

“Off the grid?” Hoseok exclaims, his disbelief causing the groom to let out a loud laugh, which quickly catches his attention. “You’re not nervous about this, what if they run away to a different country?”

Jimin walks closer to Hoseok, knowingly patting him on the shoulder. “Off the grid,” Jimin says in quotations, “usually means getting vegan ice cream at their favorite shop in Hollywood Florida. They’ll be back before the dinner, and knowing them they’ll be like ten minutes late just to scare everyone.”

Hoseok rolls his eyes. You and your cousin were never good together, but it was something he had learned to live with. Now, he’s forgotten all the shenanigans he had to deal with when his life revolved around you. “But I need to talk to her.”

“Just wait until she comes to you.”

“But what if that never happens.”

“A lot has changed in the last six years, but not much. She’ll come around just like she always does.” Jimin says before patting his shoulder and disappearing behind the changing room curtain, leaving him behind in disbelief.

He stares at himself once more in the mirror, maybe the sage green pocket square wasn’t as ugly as he once thought. Jungkook and Namjoon awkwardly standing behind him exchanging awkward stares. His heart is against his throat, beating out of time. Feeling a little bit more hopeful once again. He had fucked up six years ago and last night but the next time he sees you and gets to talk to you, he will be sure that he doesn’t.

Afterall you were the only person he will ever be able to love for as long as he breathes.

Some say that when it rains on your wedding day it means goodluck, a sign of fertility and a lasting marriage.

Nathalie was not taking it that way.

“It’s ruined.” She crumbles sitting on the floor with her wedding dress surrounding her, making her look like a giant cupcake. Her half finished make-up is now ruined as the tears pour down her cheeks like the weather outside. “The weather channel said it wasn’t going to rain and now there’s a fucking hurricane happening outside.”

Her mom had stopped trying to calm her down and now it was up to you to talk some sense into her. “At least you decided against an outside wedding.” You say, earning a glare from your over dramatic cousin.

“Has anyone ever told you that you’re the worst?” She sniffles, a small smile appearing on her face. Ever since you were young you knew that telling her that everything was going to be alright would do the opposite to calm her down. Telling her to stop feeling the way she was and to ignore her feelings because there was always a bright side to everything, wasn’t of any help. More so because she always reached that conclusion herself. So, you always did the opposite, and tried to joke around with her as she slowly came to her senses.

“A few times, most of the time it comes from you.” You smile, leaning your head against her shoulder. Your maid of honor dress was still on the hanger, taunting you.

“Do you think mom is right?” She tilts her head, looking at you curiously with wide eyes and a pout on her lips. “That it’s good luck for it to rain on your wedding day?”

“I don’t know, you know how they are with all their superstitions, but it could be…mom already put an opened scissor outside for it to stop.” You raise an eyebrow, lifting your head. “But I wouldn’t think about it too much unless you don’t want to run your head up the wall, expecting things to go right or wrong.”

She nods looking down at her intertwined hands on her lap. There was something she wasn’t telling you, something she didn’t want to reveal yet. That much you knew from the way her brows furrowed and the tension in the air. Before you could ask she broke the silence, tears pooling in the corner of her eyes and you were terrified for what was about to come out of her mouth.

“I think she might be right.” She whispers and your curiosity grows. “Not about the goodluck thing but maybe the fertility thing.” She finishes, sounding smaller than before. If you didn’t know your cousin the way you do, you would’ve sure laughed in her face for believing such an outdated old wives tale. Especially because you were usually the one who did. Not her.

You raise your hand up to your mouth, in shock, afraid to confirm what she was hinting at with words. “You’re not–,”

“I’m pregnant, I found out last night after the rehearsal dinner, while you were sleeping.” She says her voice fading out into almost nothing at the end. The realization dawns upon you like a blanket. Everything makes sense. Her dress being a bit tighter than before. Her feeling sick at the dinner after taking a bite of the seafood pasta. Her saying that she had the biggest stomach ache before running down to the small convenience store in the hotel lobby. And the waterworks about the rain on her wedding day.

It wasn’t just the rain it was the fact that she found out she was pregnant hours before she walked down the aisle. “Does Jimin know?” You say, making her roll her eyes. Of course, he didn’t know, they hadn’t seen each other since they parted ways the night before. And she had been avoiding her phone all morning long.

“I don’t know how to tell him, what if he totally freaks out and leaves me at the altar. And then what, what am I going to do with a baby on my own? I can barely take care of a fucking succulent.” She breaks, putting her head in her hands in complete despair.

You rub her back gently, “first Jimin loves you more than he loves life so I don’t think he’d do that and if he does do that then I’ll help you out. After I hunt him down and tear him into teeny tiny pieces.” You try, feeling a small bubble of excitement inside of you. The first baby in the family after many years. And although you could tell Nathalie was terrified, her lifelong dream just like yours was to build a family. It was nice that one of you could at least have that.

“Please feed him to the dogs when you do.” She giggles lifting herself up and hugging you tightly. “I’m so scared, like I thought we at least would have a few years alone together before we added another little life, but I guess God has other plans for us.” She buries her face into your neck, hugging you tighter than before. “It’s going to be okay right?”

“Yes and if it isn’t then you can always count on me.” You whisper, bringing her closer. Only pulling away when there's a knock on the door. The two of you share a confused look until you hear the sound of Jimin’s voice through the wood.

“Naty, your mom, says you’re crying. I know I’m not supposed to see you yet but can you at least tell me you’re okay.” He says in a rush of panic.

Nathalie's eyes grow wide as she pulls away and starts silently speaking with her hands frantically, pointing to the door and then you and then the whole room. From what you can understand she’s telling you to go and talk to him, but honestly you were god awful at charades growing up, but given what she just revealed you could only assume that is what she was telling you. You nod as her hands fall down to her side. She scrambles to stand, tripping slightly over the tail of her dress, as she moves to the side of the room that’s less visible from the door.

You walk to the door and open it wide enough to poke your head out. You lock eyes with the groom to be, as he bites his bottom lip with worry. “She’s alright, right? She’s not getting cold feet right?” Jimin blurts out, running a shaking hand through his already made up do.

A smile appears on your face as you carefully walk out through the tiny open space of the door, closing it behind you. “She’s okay Min, the rain has her freaked out a little but she’s okay. I promise.” You watch as Jimin lets out a deep breath. His hands falling down at his side, in relief.

“Can I talk to her please? I won’t look, I promise I just need to tell her something.” He pleads, pulling his infamous puppy dog eyes and you cave.

You nod. “But don’t tell our moms, unless you want our heads on a stake.” You giggle, causing him to roll his eyes at your dramatics. He’s fully convinced that because you and your cousin are so close in age. Your dramatics have rubbed off on her…and him.

“I won’t.” With that you turn around and open the door wide enough to squeeze through, where you meet Nathalie pacing in the background.“He wants to talk to you.”

Nathalie’s eyes widen as she starts to shake her head quickly. “No, no, no I can’t. I can’t talk to him. I can't. It's too soon. What if I tell him about the—” she pauses, taking a look around before leaning forward and whispering, “the baby.”

You make your way to her, putting your hands on top of her shoulders. “Tell him when you’re ready, but I’ve never seen him so fucking nervous. I think the two of you need this.” You say softly, giving her a tight hug before stepping to the side.

She takes a deep breath and walks over to the door, resting her back against it and opening it a little. “Jimin,” she whispers.

You listen to the little nervous chuckle Jimin lets out before speaking. “Baby,” his hand appears through the little gap. Without hesitation, she reaches out and intertwines her fingers with his, visibly relaxing into her lover's warmth.

It’s an intimate moment between the two of them, and you want to look away, but something keeps your eyes glued on them. Maybe it’s the fact that their love brings you some sort of comfort. Or maybe it’s the longing of having someone like that again. When Hoseok left, you promised yourself that you would never let yourself fall. He was supposed to be the final period of your book, instead he left a comma behind. A sentence you will never let yourself continue.

If it’s not him, then it’s no one at all.

“Jimin, I’m so scared.” You hear Nathalie say, causing your head to snap up in an instant.

Jimin’s hand squeezes hers tightly. “Nothing’s going to change my mind about marrying you. I’d marry you over and over until the end of the world.” He whispers, his thumbs rubbing soothing circles over her knuckles.

Nathalie bites her lip, looking up and resting her head against the door. “That’s not why I’m scared, Min.” She blinks her eyes fast, wielding her tears away. “I-I’m pregnant.” She whispers, tightening her hold on his fingers.

You hear the moment Jimin’s breath gets stuck in the back of his throat. The hold on your cousin’s hand falters. And you know he’s fighting the urge to push the door open and finally see his bride's face.

“Naty, fuck.” He chuckles. “I want to kiss you so badly right now. I never want to let you out of my sight. But I know that if I do that our moms will walk down the aisle with our heads on a stake..” He laughs, making the two of you laugh along with him. “I promise you right here right now, before I promise it in front of our friends and family. That I will love you and our little baby for the rest of my life. I will never stop and I will work everyday of my life to keep falling in love with you over and over again. So, I can wake up with you in my arms and to the laugh of our five children.” He sniffles, and you have to blink back tears when you listen to his words. A part of you wishes you weren’t here, but the other half is happy that you stayed and didn’t occupy yourself with some menial task. Listening to him promise almost the impossible, is enough for you to realize that even though you still hold some resentment towards Hoseok. Even though you still hold so much anger towards him.

He’s it, he’s the end. Maybe it’s finally time to forgive him, and if nothing comes out of it again. It’s okay because at least he will still be in your life.

Nathalie throws her head back laughing. “Slow your roll daddy. I’ve barely carried this baby for a month. I will decide how many children we have by the end of this.”

His loud laughter is heard through the door. “Okay, okay it is your body after all. But like, think about it. Promise?”

She shakes her head in disbelief, scoffing. “I will as long as you promise not to tell anyone? I want to keep this between us for a little while longer.”

“I promise.”

Jimin and Nathalie are tangled up in each other's arms. Jimin has subconsciously been making small eye contact with her stomach. A wide smile appears on his face once he remembers their big secret. You’ve been secretly replacing Nathalie’s champagne flutes with sparkling cider flutes.

It’s fun, it makes you feel like a secret spy as childish as it sounds. And something in you has been awakened since witnessing the moment between the newly wedded couple in Nathalie’s hotel room. And the way the two of them broke down while sharing their vows at the altar.

You’ve been avoiding the alcohol all night, as well as Hoseok, but every now and then you catch a glimpse of his longing stare from your peripheral vision. You want to talk to him, but it’s too soon. At least that’s what you keep telling yourself because you’re scared.

Jimin stands up, doing the whole tapping the knife against the glass flute to grab everyone’s attention. His famous smile lights up the room instantly as he sets down the knife and glass down. “I’ve literally always wanted to do that.” He says, causing the entire reception hall to break out into light hearted chuckles. He clears his throat, “I want to thank you all so much for coming out tonight, honestly this is the best day of my life, so thank you for being a part of this new beginning for Naty and I.” He winks down at your cousin, before looking back at the crowd. “But now, it’s time for the speeches.” He says while looking between you and Hoseok, your nerves are getting set on fire. “I’d say flip a coin to see who goes first, but Hoseok said he wanted to go first before he forgets everything he’s practiced in front of the mirror.” The crowd laughs again, and you catch a glimpse of Hoseok rolling his eyes from Jimin’s side before he stands up fixing his suit and walking towards the stage.

Just like the first night you saw him again at the club. He looks expensive. You wonder what his first reaction to seeing you again was. Does he think you’ve let yourself go? Does he think you look better than before? Or does he not care? You aren’t sure and before you can dwell on it any longer Hoseok clears his throat into the mic, grabbing your full undivided attention.

“Hello…is that what people say before the start of best man speeches?” He tilts his head to the side, earning a few chuckles from the crowd. “Anyway, when Jimin asked me to be his best man I thought one of two things. One is that I was incredibly honored to have been considered, even though I honestly felt like I was his last pick. So, if any of you in the crowd were asked to be his best man first, don’t tell me or I’d actually be super offended.” He says pointedly, shooting a glare, earning more laughs. “And two, I was actually surprised that he trusts me so much, like you guys don’t understand how much dirt I have on this guy. I have years of sneaking out in the middle of the night together while we were teenagers and wild college parties permanently tattooed in my mind.” He sends a knowing wink to Jimin, causing the groom to send a deathly glare back, making the entire room erupt in laughter.

Hoseok rolls his eyes and clears his throat into the mic again. “But maybe I’ll write a book about the shit we used to do when we were young one day. For now, I just want to say to you in front of all our friends and family that I’m proud of you. I know I’ve been away for a long time but the man I am seeing now is not the same man I left behind. I think I’ve witnessed every important moment in your life. From the day you kissed Chloe Ramos during recess when we were ten, to the night you laid your eyes on Nathalie for the first time. You had called me after a few years of not speaking to one another, except for the occasional ‘I’m alive,’ texts and the memes that remind us of one another. But that night… you said that you met the most beautiful girl in the world, and that your heart literally felt like it was breaking and repairing itself at the same time, like you could breathe again with ease for the first time in years. I thought you were crazy especially when you told me her name. I literally had to remind you that you’ve met her many times before. But you said this time it was different. I think that was the night your heart started to beat for someone else that wasn’t you.” He swallows and looks down at the ground grinning, slightly shaking his head.

This entire time you’ve been holding onto every single word that escapes his mouth. Clinging onto each syllable as you feel your heart speed up and slow down at the same time. Your palms are starting to feel damp and you almost wish that you had had that one tequila shot Jungkook had offered you hours ago. You wouldn’t be feeling anything and everything all at the same time, overwhelming you as you see the love of your life open himself up to a room that once held so much pride and resentment towards him.

“I think I knew at that moment when you cried asking me for advice. I think I knew that this day would come. And maybe I have been writing this speech since that night without me realizing it because even though I rewrote it many times as per your request idiot, it is still the easiest thing I’ve ever had to write in my life.” He pauses, taking a deep breath before settling his eyes on you, making your entire being freeze. “I know this because that night I told you to not make the same mistake I did. Naty and you are perfect for one another. You bring out the best and worst out of each other, but also help each other grow. I had that once4, and I let it go. So, now that I’m here I’ll tell you the same thing I told you that night.” You feel yourself slowly spiraling into nothing, crashing down onto the ground as the tears start to flood the corner of your eyes. “Don’t let each other go. Support each other to the end, even if it hurts sometimes. Be each other’s start and end and if one day you find each other at a crossroads in which you don’t know if you can or can’t continue any longer. Talk to each other with the truth, because I didn’t and I’ve been paying for it since.” He stops, nodding his head in your direction and you feel it first before you can acknowledge it.

Your heart stops and restarts for the one and only Jung Hoseok once again, and you’re sure he feels it too because now the tears are running down his cheeks just like yours.

He shakes his head, clearing his throat. “Anyway, enough of that moppy shit. I’m so incredibly happy for the two of you, and I do expect little nieces and nephews some time soon so you can send them to spend summers with me in Australia.” He winks at the newly wedded couple, who are now melting into each other’s sides. Hoseok raises his glass of champagne in the air. “Cheers and congratulations Mr and Mrs. Park. The love you two have for each other is only seen in fairytales and I’m so happy that I can somehow be a part of this one.” He nods, before bringing the flute up to his lips and downing it in one go.

You’re shaking, and you should get a hold of yourself before you have to go up to the stage and say your speech. But all you want to do is run up to him and hug him tight. So, as he’s approaching the last step of the stage stairs you do exactly that.

It feels like jumping into cold water, but this time you aren’t drowning because he’s holding you just like he did before.

Hoseok doesn’t approach you again until the guests start to filter out one by one.

“I’m upset with you.” Is the first thing you tell him when he is standing in front of you again. You smile up at him and take the hand he had extended out to you. There was an upbeat pop song playing through the speakers. Jimin and Nathalie are locked in each other's arms in the middle of the dance floor, slow dancing and ignoring everyone who comes up to them bidding them a farewell. It was almost laughable, and you enjoyed every single eye roll that came from the couple whenever someone interrupted their moment.

“Really?” He cocks his head to the side as he leads you towards the dance floor. “I honestly had no idea.” He says sarcastically as he places a hand on your waist pulling you close, while still holding on to your hand. You set your arm on top of his shoulder.

“Your speech was so fucking good and it’s not fair. I always helped you out with your papers so when did you get so good at writing?” You joke, swaying against the beat of the song. Thankfully most of yours and Jimin’s family have already gone home. Yet your friends stuck around taking advantage of the fully paid bar and the dessert table. You had kissed the luxury of leftovers goodbye when you spotted Jungkook shoving three scones into his mouth while Taehyung and Namjoon laughed at him, and Jimin recorded the entire thing.

It was certainly going to be going into the blackmail folder they all have saved on their phones.

Hoseok laughs, shaking his head, tapping his fingers to the beat against your lower back. “I had a lot of practice for many years.” He nods, moving a bit faster to catch up to the song. “After I left I started journaling whenever I could and I guess the habit just stuck.” He pauses for a second before looking down at you. “Thank you.”

You raise a brow in confusion. “Why?”

Hoseok spins you around so your back is facing his front and he pulls you close, leaning his head down. “You always told me to journal and I never listened until I was too far away. So thank you, it helped me out a lot.” He whispers in your ear, sending shivers up your spine. Before you can fully comprehend the position you are in he spins you back to face him. His cheeks pink with warmth.

You grin, pulling him down closer to you. “I never knew I’d see the day when Jung Hoseok admitted defeat and say that I am always right.”

He rolls his eyes, chuckling. “Now all I said was thank you, I never said that you were necessarily right.”

You give him a little shove, causing him to stumble back a little bit. “You’re so annoying.”

He smiles instead of replying. He pulls you in closer to him and holds onto your waist tightly, letting his head fall into your neck. This time the song has changed and it’s actually a slow one, from the Latin band Camilla, you know that was one hundred percent your dads doing.

“You were right.” Hoseok finally whispers into your neck. His breath grazes your skin, making the slightest of goosebumps rise all over your body. Before you can respond he keeps talking, with his face hidden within your neck. “I should have told you that I was leaving, instead of doing what I did. I don’t know if we could’ve made it work but at least I would’ve still had you in my life. I loved seeing you live your life, but I hated that you were finally living without me.” He takes a deep breath and lifts up his head, resting his forehead against yours. “I thought what I was doing was the right thing, but seeing the way you reacted two nights ago I knew I didn’t. I’m sorry.” He closes his eyes tightly, digging his fingertips into your lower back. He’s afraid that you’re going to run away from him again.

“I was so angry Hoseok, but I also think that if you hadn’t left the way you did I would’ve settled and just stayed in the spot I was at before. So even though it hurt like hell, I am grateful for it because I don’t think we would’ve been able to grow as people if we were still together. We would’ve learned how to resent each other instead of loving each other.” You say, twinkling your fingertips down the side of his face, before resting your palm against his check, smiling when he leans into your warmth.

It’s familiar yet new and it makes his heart race.

“Just don’t leave me like that again. I can only forgive you once.” You whisper, hugging him close, placing the side of your head against his chest.

His chest shakes gently with laughter as he runs his hands up and down your back. “I won’t, I will never be able to live another day if I did what I did then, and it’s taken a lot of therapy and journaling to be able to finally admit my defeat.” He leaves a light kiss on the top of your head before pulling away, putting his forefinger under your chin and lifting it up so that the two of you are finally looking into each other's eyes. “You were right.”

You smile, nodding your head. Like a winter blanket his warmth wraps around you calming your nerves down. Though things aren’t the same as before it just feels good to have him back. “So what now?”

Hoseok smirks at your question, mischief twinkling behind his calming eyes. “Come with me to Australia.” He says and before you can tell him your hard no because you can’t leave everything you built for yourself behind he finishes his proposal. “Namjoon wants to open a branch of RKIVE RECORDS in Australia. And since you’re his favorite employee and co-founder he was going to send you. So, come to Australia with me please?” He sticks out his bottom lip, almost pouting, making you scoff.

You’re about to pull away from him and speak to the menace you have as a boss, but Hoseok holds you close. “You can network with artists from my company and you never know, maybe you’ll like it enough to manage the Australian branch.” His eyes twinkle with hope and if he hasn’t done a good job at convincing you already he adds. “I just want more time to get to know you as the you now…please give me the chance to do so.” He finishes whispering the last part of his sentence and all you can do is hug him as tightly as possible.

He’s sure you have hugged him today more times than you have in the five years the two of you were together. Physical touch was always his main love language and you hated it with everything in your being. You preferred nice and encouraging words rather than physical touch. So, he learned to only initiate it if you did it first. Maybe that’s something that has changed too, still he hopes that he can find out soon.

“You’re fucking unbelievable Jung Hoseok.” You whisper, pulling him tighter.

“Of course I’ll go to Australia with you.”

a/n pt.2: I hope you’ve enjoyed this. If any of you follow Epitaph just know I finished writing the next part and I am just editing plus I am re-reading the entire thing and making some changes.

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theycallmeratt · 5 months

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Rarely did they bathe together. Zelda liked her water so hot that Link was tempted to go in wearing his flame breaker armor. She liked to shower, too, using a complex array of pipes based on Gerudo aqueducts that felt like bathing in a waterfall fed by a hot spring. Zelda's was especially nice, with a bench, plants hung in front of the window, and a tray inlaid with sapphires to keep drinks cold. Today, though, Link joined her, bringing his own bathing supplies; Zelda used the same soap for her hair, skin, and probably to clean her shower, too.

#posting some of my favorite lines from upcoming fics #zelink #totk fanfic #loz fanfic #fanfic #keys to corruption

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a-single-tulip · 7 months

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😏

For the oc ship game...

Dr. Cais Varru x Shaak Ti

AND

Dr. Waylon Vrand x Din Djarin

OC X Canon Shipping Headcanon Ask Game

Ohohohohoho, those are some good ones

Fair warning, I definitely did more than just five little headcanons because I had way too much fun with this and got suuuuuper carried away lmao

Dr. Cais Varru

Alright, for context for those who don't know Cais because I rarely talk about my OCs and oughtta make a post for them, he's my Zabrak therapist OC who practices on Coruscant, with a lot of his clients actually being clone troopers once the war started.

So, he and Shaak Ti likely would've met due to Shaak Ti hearing about him from clone troopers who still kept in touch with her, and it would've piqued her interest to hear about someone who seems to care a lot about the clones just as she does. Someone who is actually helping them work through their inner struggles. So the next time she finds herself on Coruscant, she decides to meet him herself. Upon meeting him, what actually surprises her is the feeling he gives off, one of complete cool, but also warmth at the same time. Like the way a breeze feels in the spring as the sun hits your skin.

It's after that first meeting that neither of them can seem to get the other off their mind. That leads to them finding excuses to speak to one another, and nobody really bats an eye at it. After all, a lot of Cais' clients are clones, and Shaak Ti works closely with clones, so of course she would want to be involved in something like their mental health. The clones know better though, they can clearly see it, the way the two of them stare at each other.

The way Shaak Ti will softly laugh at something Cais said, touching him on the arm, and the way he just smiles at her with a shimmer in his eye. They know that they have to do something to set them up. A few of them, along with the help of some of Cais' friends, manage to set them up on a dinner date. They are both quite surprised, and a little embarrassed, to see that they've been tricked. No wanting to waste such a nice thing that was done for them though, they end up spending the evening together and having a nice time.

Once they do actually settle into a relationship thought, thanks to the clones in their life, it's something that at first not many are even aware of. They both have their jobs first and foremost, and know exactly how to remain professional when in such a setting, along with how to remain focused on their responsibilities.

These two like-minded individuals though have a pretty nice balance when it comes down to their work lives and personal lives. Shaak Ti ends up spending plenty of limited her free time going to visit Cais at his apartment, and whenever they're away she ends up comming him when she can as well. Spending time with him at his apartment typically leads to some cuddling on the couch while watching a movie.

There are parts of Cais that Shaak Ti does learn about, something he tells her at the very start of their relationship because he wants to clarify if she doesn't mind those parts of him.

For one, while it isn't a deal breaker for him if she isn't into it, when it comes to being intimate with another person...he's not the most vanilla. He isn't ashamed of his interests in BDSM, but he wants to be honest with her regarding that sort of thing, and while she's never tried that sort of thing before...she finds herself willing to at least try it with him.

Something to note...Cais is about 6 ft 4, and a particular muscular guy, and it's once they get into this sort of bedroom play that Shaak Ti finds herself truly enamored by his domineering stature. She never thought she would be the type to be into the use of ropes or toys, and yet...Cais makes it quite exhilarating, experiencing something new.

And it wouldn't complete without some improper use of the force, so ofc she would end up using it to help him in getting off, a new experience for him that he finds to be nothing like he's ever experienced before with previous partners.

Something Shaak Ti likes most of all during this is how mindful Cais is of how she's feeling. Despite how dirty the whole ordeal is, with teeth sinking into her skin, nails raking along her thighs, and ropes keeping her from moving...he still looks up at her, flashing that sweet smile of his before asking if she's comfortable, if she needs anything, if she's enjoying herself.

She is definitely enjoying herself, and isn't afraid to let that be known with a few bites of her own.

Dirtiness aside, one of Cais' favorite things to do would be gently placing kisses up and along one of her lekku.

That perfect blend of being sweet and absolutely filthy.

Dr. Waylon Vrand

picrew used

Dr. Waylon Vrand is my medic OC who in his primary AU, actually works for the GAR. For the sake of him being paired with Din though, he'll be a doctor who still practices on his home planet of Dosuun! You heard right loves, we got ourselves a space cowboy here

I'd imagine that Din and Waylon likely would've first met on Dosuun, maybe with Din not only having to pick-up supplies, but also get an injury looked at after a job. That's when he first steps into the Vrand family practice where Waylon, his older brother, and his father all act as doctors for the village.

Din and Waylon both have pretty serious personalities on the surface with a sense of dry/sarcastic humor on the side, so it's funny to imagine them meeting and getting along fairly well once they get into talking while Waylon patches him up. Din is surprised to find himself able to actually speak with the young doctor in a way that doesn't feel forced, and Grogu doesn't seem to mind him either, especially since he ended up getting a lollipop from Waylon.

What they think is going to be a one-time meeting ends up with them, surprisingly enough, meeting each other once again off of Dosuun. Waylon reveals to Din that he's just been traveling, having always wanted to explore the galaxy and offer his services wherever they might be needed.

Grogu immediately tries to have a look in Waylon's bag as him and Din are talking, hoping to find any more lollipops, which earns an apology from the Mandalorian.

Waylon only offers that half-smile of his, telling him there's no harm to it before fishing around in his bag and handing a lollipop to the kid, earning a pleased babble in return.

Din doesn't know why he says it...maybe it's because of how nice he is with the kid, maybe it's because of how oddly comfortable he feels around him, but he asks if maybe he would want to possibly travel with them for a little bit.

The question surprises both Waylon and Grogu, who practically looks up at his dad in the most incredulous way.

He's pleased when Waylon agrees.

Din isn't exactly used to regularly traveling with someone other than the kid, so it takes so getting used to having someone else with him who can actually talk. Soon enough, he learns that he missed being able to have banter with someone who could actually keep up with sarcastic remarks of his own.

Waylon on the other hand finds himself intrigued by the pair, especially Din. Maybe it's a little bit to do with never seeing his face that's got some allure to it, but mostly he finds himself wanting to be around him when he can, whether it be sitting beside him when they're going over their supplies or finding himself standing just a little too close to him when they're out someone.

He doesn't know when it starts, but at some point his usual banter slowly shifts into bordering on flirtatious, because he's well aware of how much it gets a rise out of Din who will either sputter something out or lightly shove him away.

Hell, sometimes he'll even quickly press a kiss to the side of Din's helmet, which damn near makes the guy short-circuit. He doesn't know why he does it, he just...like doing it.

He's taken by surprise one day though when he has his back turned, going over some of his medical supplies when he hears Din walks up behind him. Nothing out of the ordinary, so he makes no move at first to turn around. Then...he hears the slide of something, a gasp suddenly leaving him at the sensation of a kiss suddenly being pressed to the back of his neck followed by what he now figures to be the sound of his helmet sliding back down.

Upon turning around, he's once again met with that all too familiar helmet, a blush creeping up his neck as he's left speechless and he can't help but wonder what Din's expression must be after that.

The only thing he gets after that is a, "Finally gotcha' back..." before Din turns around and walks away.

Things get muddled after that, and before they know it, without even really saying it out loud they've sort of settled into a rather affectionate relationship. Leaning into each other without even thinking about it, holding hands, holding on to each other's arms, and of course Waylon pressing kisses to Din's helmet along with Din sneaking a kiss to the back/side of Waylon's neck when he least expects it.

One of Din's favorite things though is catching moments where Waylon and Grogu are spending time together. It's the softest sight he's ever seen, with one such time being when Waylon was reading one of his medical books to Grogu as the kid sat in his lap, little hand pointing at pictures in the book while Waylon explained them to him.

That's probably when Din finds Waylon the most attractive, being so good with the kid.

The first time they're intimate with one another is a night that they somehow manage to get to themselves when Din makes a request of Waylon...asking him if he can kiss him properly, but not before placing a blindfold over his eyes.

He half-expects that to be a dealbreaker, mentally preparing himself, but he's surprised when Waylon complies. Upon him getting the blindfold fitted around his head, he sits there waiting patiently while Din swallows dryly, before gently taking him by the chin and bringing him in for a tender kiss.

What starts off as a gentle kiss soon after shifts to Waylon being pulled into Din's lap as they begin making out rather heatedly while yanking at each other's clothes, with Din ending up having to help Waylon maneuver out of his, what with his eyes being covered.

It's probably some of the most heated sex ever, because with his vision concealed, Waylon other senses are finely attuned to every other thing he's experiencing. Every single touch of his skin, the way he can feel Din's mouth suckle at his neck, kissing down his chest before making his way to his stomach...and then taking him into his mouth, grabbing a fistful of the Mandalorian's hair while crying out in ecstasy at the feeling of his mouth on him, and the way his facial hair scrapes along sensitive skin.

After that night, he definitely doesn't mind having blindfolded sex with him if it means feeling that good.

#ask game #tulip answers #OC: Dr. Cais Varru #OC: Dr. Waylon Vrand #star wars oc #shaak ti #din djarin #long post #smut

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swanconcerto · 11 months

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part 1 of my redacted classical music au- damn crew

as per @super-trouper-lights 's encouragement, here is an attempt at organising this classical music au that takes up 90% of my brain space at all times.

i've (hopefully) including links to a few pieces that i think suit each character as well :)

psa! i am a pianist, not an orchestral musician, so most of this is coming from anecdotal evidence that i've seen and heard as a serial concertgoer and music student. and my bonus powers of special interest and being right about everything ever.

freelancer: i usually alternate between clarinet and oboe, but i've settled between clarinet being their principal. i also think they've considered trying their hand at conducting! excels at an eclectic mix of classical/modern/jazz pieces- enjoys at the camaraderie of playing symphonic works with the rest of the orchestral, but prefers the freedom and craziness of 20th century music when playing solo. favourite composers are like bartok, prokofiev, shostakovich, stravinsky etc. turns on rite of spring at a house party like "this is my jam!!!" gavin is their go-to accompanist and together they are an absolute dream team because they work together so perfectly, even if they make eyes at each other the whole performance. really good composer too but they're too shy to show their work to anyone outside of the friend group at the minute.

pieces: bernstein sonata for clarinet and piano, templeton pocket sized sonata no.1 III : in rhythm

gavin: pianist, with a heavy focus on ensemble playing. gavin thrives when he can work off the other person(s) energy, and accompaniment really lets him have a lot of fun! really good at keeping up with the soloist even if they switch it up DURING the performance (i can see freelancer doing this...). annoyingly and effortlessly excellent at sightreading and transposing. he can play solo too but i think having all eyes on him alone on the stage makes him uneasy. if he is playing a solo work i can see him being really into all the basic romantic pieces he's definitely best at chopin and liszt. i can also see him being a fan of brahms! he's really not a fan of the earlier baroque stuff. BIG hand span so he's good at playing rachmaninoff as well. basically, he's a romantic and it shows.

pieces: liszt liebesträume no.3 (this piece is about a love that transcends death. thinking about gav's immortality vs fl's mortality...), chopin nocturne in g minor op. 37 no. 1, brahms intermezzo op. 117 no.2

damien: cellist. second chair (you'll see who is first chair later!) and slightly bitter about it, but he prefers playing solo anyways. very prone to injuries as he tenses up when he loses himself in the music, but he's working on it. REALLY scary to be in a chamber ensemble with. scarily good sense of time and will call you out if you are out by even a millisecond. thought about conducting but decided against it after he nearly made lasko cry for rushing a phrase. serial string breaker. gets a little starstruck around musicians he really respects. a real asset to the orchestra because his passion and drive is infectious. actually counts his rests LOL. has a beautiful tenor voice but rarely shows it off. has a notebook dedicated to cello and takes detailed notes after every lesson, rehearsal, and performance. loves having an art form to just throw himself into.

pieces: brahms cello sonata, elgar cello concerto

huxley: PERCUSSIONIST! him and xavier man the percussion section at the back of the orchestra- huxley has definitely gotten too into the music and accidentally launched a mallet into the orchestra before; apologised profusely afterwards. likes to play tuned and untuned percussion equally. goes ham on the timpani! amazing sense of rhythm. often taps out little bits of what he's playing whilst he's going about his day. often has a little dance when he's playing! is also super good at little jazz or bossa nova improvisations on the piano. huxley really doesn't play anything pre-19th century, but sometimes if he'll listen to some early baroque pieces whilst he's walking home or lying in bed, and hum along. really likes bach's cello suites to calm down. gets damien to play them for him while he lounges on the floor like a very happy cat. the most interested in music outside of the western canon- he thinks it's all super fascinating.

pieces: márquez danzón no. 2, reich mallet quartet iii: fast (this one sounds really earthy to me? for some reason.)

lasko: did you really think he would be anything but a flautist?! flute posterboy. amazing breath control, but often rushes phrases (he plays like he rambles!) likes being in the same section as freelancer as they always give him a little thumbs up before he has any solo parts. gavin usually accompanies him for solo work but sometimes lasko gets so flustered he breathes funny into his flute and all that comes out is this strange honking sound- gavin isnt sure whether it came from the flute or lasko himself. his favourite composers are ravel and debussy as he just loves the impressionist sound- always listens to debussy's preludes when he's winding down before bed. recently has been obsessed with debussy's la mer- perhaps it reminds him of a certain someone...? also quite the mozart fan! lasko gets really lost in the music when he plays and tends to lose all of his inhibitions- it's lovely for his friends to see him relaxed and happy like that, and it's also very therapeutic for him.

pieces: glick flute sonata i: fast, mozart concerto for flute and harp 2nd mov (with a certain water elemental playing the harp part...) , ravel valses nobles et sentimentales ii: assez lent (okay i know the flute isnt that prominent in this but it just reminds me of him)

bonus: caelum is a very enthusiastic piano student, hoping to take after his big brother gavin :D

#im so happy i can finally organise all my thoughts from my daydreams #this was so fun! i want to do at least shaw pack and solaire clan as well and perhaps some more groups too :)#feel free to tell me your thoughts!#redacted audio #redacted asmr #redacted freelancer #redacted damien #redacted huxley #redacted gavin #redacted lasko #lasko moore #redacted classical music au

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nineliabilityrisk · 9 months

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TRAIL lol for funtime fox

- 32. TRAIL : for one muse to notice the other has been following them. -

[[ i chose to interpret this one as " reverse " i.e. funtime noticing lolbit following him as that was the plot that worked better in my head, if thats not what you wanted just lmk and i can try to rewrite it with something else tomorrow ]]

-- [ asked by @muutos ] --

This week has to have been the worst of Funtime Foxy's career. If anyone other than her and the kids cared about the quality and showmanship of her performances, she would've been decommissioned before the nightshift even took over on Wednesday. She's certain she's going to be Scooped again by the end of the week, anyway - and none of it's even her fault! She's been performing at her best, as she always does, but it's like everything around her, everything absolutely essential to her shows, has suddenly formed a hivemind that's dead-set on ruining her acts and the birthdays of every single kid she's been rented out to entertain. Lights coming on at the wrong time, shining right in her face to blind her, music and sound effects blaring at their loudest volumes to drown out her lines, even her props malfunctioning... She hated it. She hated that she didn't know how to fix it, because she didn't even know where to begin. She had no clue what in the world could be wrong in the first place.

Tonight, she was curled up, tucked away in the back of her stage, as comfortable as she could possibly manage to be on the hard wood flooring. As far as she was aware, she was practically alone in the storage facility tonight. Her brother, the dumb bear, had gotten powered down and locked in the Breaker Room as punishment for acting out (again) and had taken Bon-Bon down with him too, leaving her alone in the Auditorium, and, judging by the fact that she couldn't hear Ballora's music box from the next room over, she was likely in for maintenance. Baby was... It wasn't important. Baby was doing whatever Baby does. There was no point in Foxy trying to find her during their downtime - it was like she disappeared the moment she was put back into her room. If it weren't for her rare appearances for maintenance and rental obligations, it would be easy to believe that she had just vanished. Therefore, Foxy was alone. She had no one to comfort her, to reassure her that she wasn't letting the kids down, to help her think through a solution to her tech problem...

Speaking of her tech problem, her ears twitched and eyes opened at the sound of machinery whirring to life. Seriously? In her own home?

Her stage curtains practically ripped themselves wide open, and the lights, aimed directly at her, turned up to their full brightness and drowned her in purple and orange light. Music blared and noisemakers sounded, but Foxy blocked them out, as she stood and zoned in on a shape she glimpsed through the lights. She was learning to see through them - they were losing their effectiveness with how often they keep getting used on her.

There, by the wall, a vulpine shape, just on the edge of what her vision could reach. She almost dismissed it as her own shadow, or a trick of the light - until it moved, head turning away from the fusebox its hand was currently shoved into to look over towards Foxy. Big mistake.

Her eyes narrowed, locking onto the figure. Her jaw dropped just slightly to let out a deep, mechanical growl from the very bottom of her voicebox, and she was off. Springing off of her stage, it didn't take her long to cross the room and reach the other animatronic. They couldn't even pull their hand from the wires before she pretty much rammed into them, her momentum sending them both to the ground.

In her rage, she didn't notice the way their form shimmered in surprise when they caught sight of her, re-solidifying mere moments before impact, or the loose way their parts clattered around when they hit the ground. Something obviously wasn't right with them, but she didn't care.

All she knew was that this was a fox, was someone who looked like her, exactly like her, and they were the one who'd been messing with her tech, her career, her life for all this time. She grabbed them by the shoulders and pinned them to the ground, satisfied that her weight would be enough to hold the rest of their body.

"Who the [REDACTED] are you?" she snarled. Yes, she automatically censored herself. It's hardwired into her code, same as all of the other Funtimes - it was seen as a necessity, as they were sentient enough to learn curse words but needed to remain child-friendly - but Foxy hates it. "Why have you been doing this to me? And why in the [REDACTED] do you look like me?"

#m | ic: threads ; funtime foxy #others | ic: threads ; L-O-L #interactions ; foxtwins #muutos #the girlies (gender neutral) are fighting... this is not what i expected when i started #also you can ignore the bits about lolbits animatronic body being Not Normal if you want #i just sorta headcanon them as like. regular animatronic half the time and silly floaty ghostly glitch thing that doesnt abide by the laws-#of physics the other half of the time #so their physical form is just. a little funky. yknow #[[ replies tag ]]

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sonic-elements · 11 months

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Team Wisp

After a long while I present to you the Finalized members of Team Wisp

New members have been added as well as New Wisps. Hope y'all love them, I will be posting individual pics and info drops of each member later on.

Hers a list of members

Matriarch Nana Hue (Nega Hue)

Kaleidoscope The Wisp

Monochrome The Wisp

Scarce (Bioid #1500)

Spozzy The Pitbull

Glint The Cheetah

Bore The Aardvark

Z.O.O.M. The Robot

Tine The Thorny Devil

Blox The Box Turtle

Drift The Hummingbird

Scorch The Sun Bear

Chomp The Tiger Shark

Feast The Horned Frog

Orb The Gyronaut

Waft The Swift

Racket The Snapping Shrimp

Volt The Torpedo Ray

Tremble The Giant Isopod

Nuke The Bombardier Beetle

Vision The Barreleye/Spookfish

Foam The Diving Bell Spider

Rapier The Scorpion

Briskly The Peregrine Falcon

Fuzzy The Christmas tree worm

Jug The Water Holding Frog

Cleanse The Sponge

Jaded The Glass fish

Mucky The Banana Slug

Ammonite The Comb Jelly

Topper The Mushroom

Grow The Sunflower Sea Star

Dust-Devil The Roadrunner

Arcane The Cryptid

Eon The Immortal Jellyfish

Iaira The Nymph

Breaker The Millicentipede

Mist The Giant Octopus

Radiate The Plasmos

Steady The Gorilla

ORO/Aurum Bot

Raider The Cachalot/Sperm whale

As well as a list of the New Wisps added in

Mother Wisp/Baby Wisp

Rainbow Wisp

Monochrome Wisp

Rare Wisp

White Wisp

Cyan Wisp

Yellow Wisp

Orange Wisp

Pink Wisp

Blue Wisp

Green Wisp

Red Wisp

Purple Wisp

Violet Wisp

Indigo Wisp

Crimson Wisp

Magenta Wisp

Ivory Wisp

Gray Wisp

Black Wisp

Jade Wisp

Azure Wisp

Electrum Wisp

Capri Wisp

Beige Wisp

Turquoise Wisp

Chartreuse Wisp

Vermillion Wisp

Phlox Wisp

Pearl Wisp

Cobalt Wisp

Rose Wisp

Tan Wisp

Amber Wisp

Brown Wisp

Ebony Wisp

Cerise Wisp

Grey Wisp

Scarlet Wisp

Aureolin Wisp

Goldenrod Wisp

Spring green Wisp

Veronic Wisp

Cerulean Wisp

Tawny Wisp

Snow Wisp

Platinum Wisp

Bronze Wisp

Silver Wisp

Gold Wisp

Note 3 Out of the Non Canon Wisps here don't belong to me I ask permission for there usage make sure to give there creators

Electrum Wisp Belongs to SeaSaltArt

Capri wisps Belongs to. @craftys127609

And Azure Wisp Belongs to LJSTAR

#sonic the hedgehog #sonic oc #aj the elementalgod #elementalgod aj #my art #sonic art #oc art #team wisp #sonic ocs #sonic fan characters

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starmaniamania · 1 year

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Starmania/Tycoon

I found some old articles about the Tycoon project that I thought you would appreciate, @wildishmazz! There's not really anything comprehensive but I think it shows a little bit of how it went down.

As soon as July 1990, the Daily Mail wrote : "Master song writer Tim Rice is behind a new £1.5m rock opera that will open in London in the spring. He has translated and adapted Starmania - sweeping score by Michel Berger and original lyrics by Luc Plamondon - based on a French show about a Donald Trump-type tycoon who wants his corporation to control the globe."

Back then it said he already had a producer (David Land) and director (Frank Dunlop) lined up, but obviously nothing came of it. Meanwhile Plamondon and Berger had moved on to "La légende de Jimmy."

Then in Nov 1992 a Globe & Mail profile of Plamondon explains that the songs had been shown at a showcase at Andrew Lloyd Webber's estate (I put a long segment under the cut.)

And then in 1994 Plamondon gives a press conference saying he's "close to selling the production rights" to Tycoon (again??)

The whole thing is pretty much a mess, but also it sounds to me like Rice basically single-handedly revised a bunch of the show to be what he thought would be palatable to an English-speaking audience, which meant sanitizing it a lot. (Also apparently he's a Thatcher-admiring pro-Brexit Conservative, which does sort of make sense when you see what kind of changes he made tbh.)

And then when the show didn't actually get made in the UK but came back to Paris as the once-a-week English version, they changed some of the songs again to fit them as-is into the Furey staging.

It's not fully clear of course, but that's what I think after reading about it!

-------------------

Image maker and breaker - Ron Conlogue - The Globe & Mail, Nov 7, 1992

ON the first weekend in September, theatre producers from around the world gathered in a converted church on composer Andrew Lloyd Webber's estate in Sydmonton, England, to hear runthroughs of promising new musicals. One was Webber's own forthcoming show, Sunset Boulevard. The other was a Canadian musical called Tycoon.

Its author, Luc Plamondon, sat nervously in the darkness and contemplated the English-speaking world he hopes to conquer. The denim- clad, 50-year-old Montreal lyricist is already a celebrity throughout the French-speaking world. His musical, Starmania (Tycoon in English) has played four times in Montreal and Paris, including one run in Paris that lasted for three years.

As a parolier, he has written important lyrics for Quebec stars like Diane Dufresne and French ones like Diane Tell. Composers who have set his songs to music include Claude-Michel Schoenberg, who wrote Les Miserables. Singers who have recorded him include Petula Clark and, improbably, actor Gerard Depardieu. And he has yet another musical, Sand et les romantiques, which opened at the Paris Opera last week.

But this resonant Quebec voice fades to silence wherever English is spoken. "The Americans won't listen if it's in French," he says with rare chagrin. "Their ears are stopped up." His words will have to be carried into the anglophone world by others.

These others won't be nobodies. Plamondon's first release in English, The World Is Stone, is sung by Cyndi Lauper and has already reached the top 10 in England. Tycoon has been translated by Tim Rice, the author of Evita and Jesus Christ, Superstar. Twelve of its songs were recently released as an album in England, sung by the likes of Tom Jones, Nina Hagen, Ronnie Spector and Peter Kingsbery. The potential rewards are great, but nonetheless it is a painful thing for a lyricist to entrust his words to others.

[...]

In this remarkable November, with Sand et les romantiques playingat the Paris Opera, La Legende de Jimmy set to open in Montreal, and negotiations continuing toward a possible production of Tycoon in London's West End next year, Plamondon can hardly keep his hands on everything.

Of all these projects, Tycoon seems to excite him the most. It's hard for English-speakers to grasp, but the dominance of English pop music is so total that writers in other languages feel that they are missing the party. Even if their own party includes 60 million French speakers. "If you don't sing in English," says Plamondon disconsolately, "you can only sing in your own country."

Enter Tim Rice.

It was in 1988 that Rice, on the advice of a friend, went to see Starmania, then the hit of Paris. "It's not easy to hear rock lyrics in another language," he recalls over the phone from London, "but I could look around and see what was happening to the audience. They were ecstatic."

Rice's hit shows, written before his rupture with Lloyd Webber, are in the past now. On his own he did Chess, which did not succeed. Suddenly, he found himself looking at "a dynamic show with an amazing number of strong songs."

Plamondon was, to put it mildly, flattered by Rice's proposal to translate the show. He hesitated when told that the title Starmania would sound banal in English, but acceded to the change to Tycoon. And as a lyricist, he understood that Rice could not translate word-for-word into English. Musically, it can't work. "Of course he re-conceived the songs and put his own mark on them," says Plamondon. "I was honoured by that." And he is tickled that the project has at least got Rice and Lloyd Webber having lunch together.

But there is one more problem. English-language pop, for a number of reasons which mostly read "American," is homogenized and timid beside French music. Plamondon, who once wrote a sardonic song called Disneyland, knows it. He has watched his friend Celine Dion agree to sing a monotonous range of songs ("love, love, love, it's all so standardized") as the price of breaking into the American market. By contrast, she recently recorded an album of Plamondon songs whose titanic display of voice and passion eclipses her English albums altogether. "I hope the people who like her in English once in a while will listen to her in French," he says wistfully.

He expresses no such reservations about Tycoon, of course. But listening to the album, I couldn't help but notice that Rice had deleted the bits he didn't think an English-speaking audience would listen to: the sex symbol doesn't talk about men masturbating on her photograph, for example; and the businessman who wants to be an artist seems to have lost his poetic edge.

And Rice is also concerned about the story being set in the future. "Our scene is not very kind to shows set in the future," he says nervously. "We've got to make sure we get it right."

Getting it right, making it work may mean losing what makes Plamondon Plamondon. The song of Monopolis, from Starmania, foreshadows a world where there is no room for different voices:

From New York to Tokyo / Same thing everywhere / We take the same metro / To the same empty square / Single file, right there / Who can think of the sun / When the neon flares / And the radio blares / And we all dance the same / Day is gray, night is blue

But in the end it will not really matter what happens to Plamondon in English. The essence of what he is and does happens in French.

#starmania canon #luc plamondon #tim rice #tycoon #meta #in the press

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albertfinch · 2 years

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Scripture Of The Day – July 31, 2022

"And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him, and said to him, 'The Lord is with you, you mighty man of valor!'" Judges 6:12

"Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!" Luke 1:28

As happened with Gideon and Mary in these two instances, it is time for God's children to step into their PURPOSE and CALLING. It's not just any courage, but a kairos kind of courage that empowers us to leap beyond the hope of our calling and into its appointed time of action and fruitfulness.

It's a crossing over of the mind, and an empowerment of the heart to fully believe, fully receive, and then to seize the purposes and promises we've prayed and waited for as the moment arises.

We are being presented "suddenly" moments, for such a time as this, to step into a breakthrough that is bigger than our hope can comprehend. These might be moments that look like immense risk or require vulnerability, but we have to seize that incoming wave at the opportune time with fresh courage.

"I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth; shall you not know it?" Isaiah 43:19

We must realize the breakthrough starts within us – so it can be brought to life all around us – by stepping outside our comfort zone and recognizing the new thing that He is doing now.

BREAKING OUT OF OUR COMFORT ZONE

"I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth; shall you not know it?" Isaiah 43:19

Often, the hardest thing about receiving something new for us is that it almost always requires something new of us. Those new breaker waves we pray and believe for rarely flow through our familiar comfort zone. They don't stay within our boundaries or control, rather, they are the move of His Spirit calling us to jump outside our self-imposed box and ride the wave of a lifetime.

How often do we turn a deaf ear to the question the Spirit asks us each day when He inquires, "Shall you not know it?"

Will we know the new thing God is doing in, through and around us? Will we recognize His fresh move, beyond our insecurities, critiques, or judgments? Will we be able to embrace the very thing we've been praying for when it passes by just outside familiar waters? If we will, it will take courage.

It will require us to be lion-hearted, found among those through the ages who have – like Gideon – lived a courage that is not so much about a valiant charge into battle but about a radical step of obedience to the leading of the Spirit of God.

YOUR MESSENGER OF COURAGE

You have a Messenger of Courage within you, a Helper, the Spirit of Truth, and He is calling to you like He did Gideon and Mary, already addressing you as beloved and a victor, not just hopeful of such. He wants to visit you, meet you, and call to the courage He already sees within you. He wants you to see yourself as He does, and He is imparting to you the courage necessary to leap out and seize the moment that is only just beyond your reach to step into the appointed time of your destiny.

ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

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