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#she's in the first now. her mental state is now crumbling and she is what you would call ''an antagonist''
cidnangarlond · 2 years
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want 2 talk about my girl shiloh some more but (1) her backstory is nuts like every single one of my wols (sans fortuna hers is the most normal) and (2) I don't know how else to word "she's railing nero on the side because she saw a man she deemed pathetic in a hot way and had to have him" but that's also part of her character. which happened for whatever reason
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ja3yun · 3 months
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Melting Point | P.SH | CH.7
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brother's rival!sunghoon x fem!reader warnings: smut (mdni), unprotected sex, oral (f. rec), fingering, spitting, dirty talk, praise kink, petnames (good girl, baby), anything else lmk. ch. 7 synopsis: minhee comes to you with the missing pieces of information you need, leading you to find the courage to speak to sunghoon, hoping you can reconcile. wc: 14.9k previous | masterlist | next a/n: hi! this chapter is filled with plot and answers to questions so i am hoping it all makes sense. again, thank you for the love on the last chapter! next week is the penultimate chapter so everything is starting to tie up so please enjoy <3
Scanning the next customer's shop, your shoulders are heavy with sadness. It’s not ideal to be working the day after you just lost the love of your life but reality doesn’t stop for your problems. If you weren’t in desperate need of the money, you would have just neglected to show up.
You haven’t slept, your eyes are a darker shade than before, and the smile you couldn’t stop plastering over your face the past couple of months is non-existent. 
Last night, you went home just like Coach Lee had instructed but you don’t know if it was the best idea. The journey home with your mum was filled with her yapping about how true love never existed and how she knew his plan was this all along. There was no sympathy from her, not a surprise considering her face yesterday looked like she just won the lottery. 
Minhee, on the other hand, sat silent, fizzing from head to toe. Honestly, you expected him to be fuming since Sunghoon was the factor in your current drift from one another, however, you did expect an undertone similar to your mothers gloating; he should be telling you ‘I told you so’ but instead he seems less boastful and more resentful. 
"Your total comes to £54.35," you murmur in a monotone, extending your hand for the payment from the elderly woman. As she counts out each pound coin, you find yourself retreating into your thoughts once more, replaying the events over and over again.
Sunghoon looked so sincere when he told you it wasn’t him on the recorded phone call. The biggest question that twirled in your mind was how your mum got the audio in the first place. Sunghoon's assertion that he was only friends with Jay and Jake, who wouldn't betray him, seemed plausible, he hadn’t ever mentioned anyone but them in all the times you have spoken. So, who could have provided it to her?
That’s what you should have questioned when you had the chance, instead of letting your mind loop in on itself and confuse you to the point you didn’t even hear Sunghoon out. 
You want to reach out and ask him to meet you but it wasn’t just you that got hurt yesterday.
If there’s one image that’s sticking in the forefront of your brain right now, it’s Sunghoon’s face when he found out you lied to him. Perhaps you should have questioned everything then, considering how shattered he appeared. Someone who set out to betray you wouldn’t look so devastated that you hurt them, would they?
You're also gripped with anxiety that getting in touch with Sunghoon would make things worse and he'll reveal Minhee's actions to the National Board. It scares you to think of your brother losing his chance to skate and being disqualified from competition. 
Space might be just what you all need.
But finding that space is proving to be a challenge when your mind is consumed by these thoughts incessantly. You feel utterly overwhelmed, your mental state crumbling, leaving you feeling helpless.
The old lady hands over the money, and you mechanically carry on with your shift.
Once it's over, you contemplate your options for where to go next. Normally, the rink would be your refuge, but it feels too loaded with memories right now. Rina's occupied with her anniversary date with Allen, leaving you with no one else to turn to. The library, despite being open 24 hours, holds no appeal; the idea of sitting in silence, trying to study, feels like torture.
With a tired yawn, you realise there's only one place left to go: home.
______
Kicking off your shoes at the door, you trudge up the stairs, each step feeling like an effort as exhaustion weighs heavily on your limbs. The lure of your bed grows stronger with each passing moment as if it's calling out to you louder with every step.
You notice that your mum's bedroom light is off, signalling that she's already asleep, while Minhee's room emits the usual blue glow of his computer screen. If it weren't for the ache in your heart, this could easily pass for a typical Wednesday night.
Entering your room, you're greeted by an unexpected sight. It's not as you left it; the bed is neatly made, your stuffed toys lined up by the pillows, your desk reorganised the way you like it, and all your clothes tidily put away. Someone has cleaned for you, a rare occurrence unless you're sick.
The one prominent feature of your newly organised room is the gleaming glass trophy on your windowsill. It stands proudly, displaying your achievement to everyone as they enter the room. 
This had to be Minhee’s doing, your mum would never go to these lengths.
Unfortunately, the award just serves as a memory to Sunghoon rather than yourself. It was the night you became officially his, the night you threw all guilt and caution to the wind so you could claim him as yours. 
Taking the trophy, you toss it in your top drawer and shut it roughly, not caring about the damage you could cause it.
With no energy to shower, you change into pyjamas. It’s a bad idea to slip into one of Sunghoon’s hoodies but as it envelopes you in warmth on the cold night, you don’t think about it twice. The smell of him still lingering as you put up the hood punches you in the chest. You miss him, it’s as simple as that. 
As you sink into the welcoming embrace of your bed, the weight of the day gradually begins to lift from your shoulders, only to be replaced by a hollow ache that settles in the pit of your stomach. Closing your eyes, you attempt to banish the tumultuous thoughts swirling in your mind and drift into sleep.
You toss and turn, trying to find a comfortable position, but your mind refuses to quiet down. Images of Sunghoon's smile and the warmth of his hugs dance behind your eyelids, taunting you. Every time you close your eyes, it's like you're transported back to happier times. 
For what seems like hours, your heart and brain fight with one another, much like the night before. Your heart aches to be with Sunghoon, to trust him completely while your head rationalises the evidence presented to you by your mother. 
Just as you begin to resign yourself to another sleepless night, a soft knock at your door interrupts your thoughts. Minhee's concerned voice cuts through the silence, drawing your attention, "Y/N? Are you still awake?"
With a frustrated huff, you turn your back to Minhee, a silent declaration of your anger and hurt. Acting this way may seem childish, but this is how you’ve always acted towards him when conflicts arise between you, like you regress back to being kids.
Minhee sighs, walking to the edge of your bed before helping himself to a seat beside you, “You don’t have to speak to me but you can listen.” He looks down at his hands, wondering how to broach the situation, the words aren’t coming so easily, “I…I know I did something really shitty, okay? I shouldn’t have fucked with his skate like that, Mum just…” 
When he pauses, your intrigue is piqued and you twist your head to look at him. You can see his internal battle whether to tell you something or keep it to himself. The rooted anger towards your brother grows a little, “This is the only opportunity I’m giving you to explain yourself,” you warn him with a hidden urge for him to continue.
He breathes out slowly, his voice carrying the weight of a burden, "Mum just put so much pressure on me to win, like all she’s spoken about was how I need to place first,” his words quiver slightly, a reflection of the self-doubt flooding his body.
It's astonishing how one woman can make both her children feel so worthless.
As you turn to face Minhee, his expression mirrors the familiar blend of anguish and self-doubt that you've seen on Sunghoon's face countless times. It's a painful reminder of the weight their mothers' expectations have placed upon them.
"Mini, you could easily beat Sunghoon at Nationals. You didn't have to listen to Mum," you offer, your voice laced with both empathy and frustration.
The issue has never been Sunghoon or Minhee; it's always been their mums.
Minhee takes a deep breath, steeling himself to reveal the truth that he's been carrying with him all this time, "Listen to me," he begins, his voice tinged with bitterness, "Mum needs me to win."
Your confusion deepens, leaving lines of bewilderment etched on your face as you struggle to comprehend his words, "What?" you ask, all tiredness suddenly leaving your body.
"The odds of me winning aren’t in my favour, so she put on a bet. She'll get shit tons of money if I win. She put basically all her savings into it, all my money too," his jaw clenches as he recalls the conversation they had.
Your confusion escalates further as Minhee's revelations continue to unfold before you. "Since when was Mum into gambling?" you ask, the disbelief evident in your voice.
Minhee sighs heavily, his frustration palpable as he struggles to find the right words, "There's so much you don't know about her, Bubs," he admits, his tone tinged with regret, "The gambling isn't even above board. It's all underground-type shit with high rates. I swear I didn't know anything about any of it until she guilt-tripped me into going along with her scheme."
There was no denying your Mum was a little secretive, especially after your dad left, but this is not anything like you could have imagined. You had always wondered where your Mum got the money to support Minhee’s skating but his brand deals were good enough to keep you all afloat, so you just presumed it was that.
Minhee sees you calculating in your head and decides to continue, “Once she told me, I started practising like crazy, I trained almost every day just to be in with a chance but she wasn’t confident enough so she told me-”
"To break Hoon’s skate," you finish his sentence for him, the pieces of the puzzle snapping into place with a chilling clarity.
You knew something was off that morning - the way your Mum was extra harsh on him, telling him to make sure he ‘gets it done’. It was such unusual phrasing that you should have clocked on to it sooner.
This is exactly why you didn’t want to tell Sunghoon about it. You wanted to get to the bottom of it all because you were filled with suspicion from the get-go. The thought of your own mother putting Minhee in a position like this fills you with a mixture of anger and disbelief. 
“Why did you go along with it? If she doesn’t get the money, that’s her problem, no?” you query, trying to tie every string of this situation together for your own peace of mind.
Minhee sucks his teeth and looks away from you, “You know how much effort and time she put into my career, she sacrificed everything for it, her old job, money, even the breakdown of her marriage was because of me. I owe her this.” He’s withholding some information, using this as the sole his sole reason for helping, but there is more to it, you can tell that much.
Your chest fills with hurt as you speak, “The divorce wasn’t your fault, Mini. Mrs. Park started that rumour and it drove Dad to leave. That has zero to do with you. Plus, she pushed you to go professional when you were a child, you didn’t exactly beg her to let you compete. You owe her nothing.”
You know for a fact it’s her words that have made him believe he is the route of all her problems. If only you paid closer attention to what was going on, maybe you could have counteracted her venom with something, anything, to help him believe he wasn’t tied to her like this. 
Taking one of his hands, you scoot closer to him, the warmth of his presence a balm to your troubled soul. Resting your head on his shoulder, you feel the weight of the world pressing down on both of you. "You should have told me, Minhee. I could have helped you."
He shakes his head before encircling an arm around your back, pulling you closer to him as if seeking solace in your embrace, "I wanted to protect you. She would have dragged you into it as well if she could," he confesses, his voice tinged with regret, "I regret it. I wish I just didn’t let her manipulate me into doing that to Sunghoon. I can’t tell you how relieved I was when I saw him at the rink that day we were doing the peer reviews."
It shocks you to hear him say that, considering he’s usually cursing the boy's name every time he was forced within 10 feet of him.
There was one thing that didn’t add up though, “Wait, if mum put the bet on, wouldn’t the bet be just to beat him? Why did she try and knock him out altogether with the skate? Surely that would cancel out the bet and she wouldn’t win the money?” you query, hoping your brother has the answers.
He shakes his head, “She never wanted him out of competition, just to injure him enough that he wouldn’t be able to compete to his usual standard, y’know? I would be in with a chance of beating him then,” he tells you, stroking your side, “It was touch and go for a minute, I don’t know what she would have done if he couldn’t compete.”
Underneath your head, you feel his shoulders tense up again, causing you to lift your face to look at him, concern etched into your features. "Is there more?" you ask, dreading the answer but knowing you can't avoid it.  He knows more than he is letting on, you can tell.
“Look, I’m going to say something that sounds so batshit crazy, okay, but you gotta believe me,” he says, his tone urgent, “And you know I’m not Sunghoon’s number one supporter, so you know I wouldn’t lie to make him look good.”
"Oh my god, Mini, just tell me, please," you plead, unable to bear the suspense any longer.
"The phone call was fake," he confesses, gingerly meeting your eyes as you give him a look of astonishment
Your mind reels at his revelation, struggling to comprehend the implications of what he's just said, "Fake? How? Don’t tell me you were a part of this too?"
“Fuck no, I was as shocked as you were,” Minhee protests, taking a deep breath before divulging what he knows, “I went searching after it all didn’t add up. Like, who the fuck records conversations like that in the first place, never mind sending them to Mum?”
You have to agree with him, the question also did come to your mind once you calmed down.
As he takes out his phone, Minhee's expression darkens with seriousness, his fingers tapping across the screen to reveal a series of emails. He shows you the correspondence between your mum and someone named Soohyun, highlighting the transactions and agreements outlined within.
"She paid him money to use some sort of AI to make it sound like Sunghoon was saying all that stuff about you and your relationship," Minhee explains, his voice laced with disbelief and anger, "It was one last attempt to fuck with him before the competition. She really needs that money, Bubs."
Shock courses through you, a tidal wave of disbelief crashing against the shores of your consciousness. The realisation sinks in slowly, each email adding another layer to the intricate web of deceit woven by your mother, "I-I can't believe this," you stutter, struggling to process the enormity of what he's just revealed.
Minhee gently takes the phone from your hand, returning it to his hoodie pocket with a sigh, "I know. It's like something out of a bad TV show, but it's true," he admits, his tone heavy with resignation. As his hand finds yours, a sense of solidarity washes over you, his touch offering a small measure of comfort amidst the chaos.
"To be honest, I had kinda knew it was fake," Minhee continues, his words slow and measured, "Don't get me wrong, I was livid at the idea of anyone using you that way. But on the drive home, I realized, this is Park Sunghoon we're talking about. He wouldn't dare to do that to you."
Confusion clouds your features as you furrow your brow, struggling to make sense of his words. "Huh? What are you talking about?" you ask, your voice tinged with uncertainty.
Minhee's expression softens as he meets your gaze, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "He liked you for so long, like for years. You were just so oblivious to it," he explains, his tone gentle yet matter-of-fact. "If he has the chance to date you, he's not going to take it for granted, and certainly not use you just to mess with my head."
As Minhee's words sink in, a flicker of realisation dawns upon you. Memories of Sunghoon's lingering glances and subtle gestures flood your mind, painting a picture of unspoken feelings that had gone unnoticed for far too long, "Do you know he asked me for permission to date you when we were like 15 maybe? I can't really remember exactly…but anyway, I told him to get lost," Minhee adds with a wry grin, his words punctuated by a hint of nostalgia.
Now this was new information. All you knew was that Sunghoon had knocked you back when you asked him out about that age.
“I had my reasons.”
His voice echoes in your brain as you recall what he said at the ice rink on your first date as an official couple. All this time, you had believed Sunghoon's rejection was solely his decision, unaware of Minhee's influence behind the scenes, “You told him to say no to me? Did you know I was going to confess?” Anger rises within you, not real anger but the one that siblings have for each other when one steals the remote control or eats the leftover food they were saving.
"Whoa, yeah, okay, but you have to understand I was protecting you. I don’t even know what Mum would have done back then if you started dating him, especially because it was so close after Dad left," Minhee's voice is laced with remorse as he hangs his head. "I know I had no right to tell him to leave you alone, but…"
The anger in you subsides as you see him slump a little.
"You're the most important person in my life, Y/N. You're my little sister, my best friend," he continues, his voice trembling with emotion, "He took championships and brand deals from me, fine, but if he took you away from me, particularly back then, I think I would have died." He avoids your gaze, his admission laden with shame at his insecurities.
His words weigh heavily on your heart, the depth of his love and fear for you leaving you speechless, “I’m your sister, Mini. He could never tak-”
“Hasn’t he?” His interjection silences you, “You stopped coming to my practices, we don’t hang out anymore, it’s like I barely see you,”
His words strike a chord, piercing through the haze of your own emotions. Suddenly, the gravity of his words sinks in, and you realise the toll that recent events have taken on your relationship with Minhee. You were so caught up in yourself that you hadn’t factored in how the distance would affect him. 
Being caught up in your newfound relationship, you inadvertently left behind the one person who had always been there for you, the one who needed you the most. Guilt washes over you as you realize the depth of Minhee's loneliness and isolation in your absence. You and Minhee had been each other's rock for so long, but now, it feels like you're drifting apart, and you can't help but feel responsible.
A heavy silence envelops the room, thick with unspoken regrets and untold truths. You feel the weight of Minhee's gaze upon you, his eyes pleading for understanding.
"I... I didn't realise," you murmur, the words catching in your throat, "I didn't mean to drift away from you, Mini. I just... I got caught up in my own guilt, and it was easier to avoid you altogether."
Minhee listens quietly, his understanding washing over you like a soothing tide. His empathy is palpable in the gentleness of his gaze. "I'm sorry for putting you in that position. I guess I hadn't realised that trying to keep you from him was actually doing the opposite of what I thought it would," he admits, his voice filled with remorse. Bringing you closer to his side, he rubs your waist in a gesture of comfort. "I pushed you away and blamed it all on Sunghoon."
"You'll always be my number one, Mini. You don't have to worry about that," you assure him, offering a heartfelt smile in return.
If there were such a thing as twin flames, you and Minhee would surely be just that. In every universe, you both burn together, facing every trial and tribulation that comes your way. You're deeply thankful to have him as your brother.
“Did he actually like me this whole time?" You can't help but beam at the thought of the Ice Prince harbouring feelings for you all these years.
With a groan, Minhee pushes you away playfully, "Ugh, yes. He would NOT let it go either. Even asked me if he could take you to prom," he recalls with a mixture of exasperation and amusement.
“PROM? He wanted to take me to my prom?” You squeal at the thought, imagining Sunghoon awkwardly mustering up the courage to ask Minhee for permission to take you to prom. It's a surreal image, but one that fills you with a strange sense of warmth, “I had no idea he was that into me back then,” you idly play with your hair, trying to stop yourself from reverting back to your 14-year-old self as you imagine Sunghoon crushing on you too.
Minhee shrugs, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Probably just desperate, to be honest," he teases, earning an annoyed gasp and a few playful slaps to his shoulder. "Ow! Look, just because I’m not against you dating him anymore doesn’t mean I want to hear you gushing over him, okay?"
Your eyes widen in surprise at his revelation. "You... you aren’t against it?" The words feel fake as if you've stepped into an alternate reality where Minhee's acceptance of your relationship with Sunghoon is not only possible but welcomed.
Minhee sighs, raking his fingers through his hair, “I’m still not happy that you lied to me about it, and I am not his biggest fan,” he starts, eyes pointed at you with annoyance, “But he makes you happy and that picture you accidentally sent me was…well he clearly loves you,” It burns him to say it, you can see it in how his mouth cringes, “And after everything that’s happened, maybe I should let go of some of the grudges.”
You might have to clean out your ears to make sure you’ve heard correctly. 
In one swoop, you hug him tightly, “Thank you, Mini,” You hadn’t realised the weight that you had been carrying all over your body regarding this whole secret boyfriend situation, but it’s finally gone.
“Don’t thank me just yet, you need to make up with him first,” Minhee says, “That should be easy though.”
Ah, there was that little hiccup, “It’s a little more complicated than that,” you say sheepishly as you scratch the back of your hand. Your brother stares with questioning eyes, “When we argued at Belmore I might have accidentally told him you broke his skate and that I knew,” your shoulders rise as you speak, face spreading with awkwardness and guilt. 
“You’re so fucking stupid, Y/N. Why would you tell him that?!” He is exasperated by you, his hands rubbing up and down his face to exhibit his frustration with you.
“It slipped out! Come on, I could have told him well before yesterday. Give me some credit,” you argue back.
Both of you stare at each other, and the room’s silence quickly fills with your outburst of laughter. The tension dissipates as laughter bubbles between you, the weight of the conversation lifting momentarily. Despite the gravity of the situation, there's something strangely comforting about being able to find humour in the midst of it all.
"Okay, okay, fair point," Minhee concedes, a grin tugging at the corners of his lips, "But seriously, you need to sort things out with him, if he tells the board I’ll never be able to skate again,” you look at him incredulously to which he just laughs, “Yeah, I am aware of the irony, okay? Just please sort it out. If not for me, for yourself.”
Nodding, you cross your fingers, “I will.”
“I love you, Bubs,” Minhee stands and kisses the crown of your head, smiling in relief that he has his best friend back, “Tell him if he hurts you for real, I’ll break his legs next time.” Your mouth hangs open as he walks away shrugging.
The weight of the situation settles over you once more, but this time, you feel a renewed sense of purpose. You just hope you can fix this. 
______
You find yourself standing at Sunghoon's doorstep, your hand poised to knock, yet inexplicably frozen in place. Why has the simple act of chapping on his door suddenly become so daunting?
A nagging voice echoes in your mind, whispering doubts about whether he'll even care, convinced that the damage has already been done. The weight of the colossal secret you've kept from him bears down heavily, compounded by the regret of not believing him when he insisted the audio wasn’t him.
Yesterday, confusion clouded your judgment, leaving you unable to think clearly, grasping onto every detail at face value. But amidst the chaos, you failed to afford the same trust and belief in his earnest pleas and declarations of love.
Now, the fear grips you tight: What if he doesn’t want to mend things? What if, because of some senseless scheme concocted by your own mother, you've lost the love of your life?
But you’re a big girl, you have to face this no matter the outcome.
With that mindset, you finally chap the door, breathing out slowly as you do so. The nerves sit in your throat as it dries out, the idea of losing him was just inconceivable.
The door swings open to reveal Jay, clearly just awake. His hair is sticking to one side and he hasn’t bothered to put on clothes, boxers being the only thing keeping his dignity. You suppose turning up to the flat at 6am on a Thursday would grant some disturbance.
“Y/N? What are you doing here?” Jay asks, one eye still closed.
“I need to speak to Sunghoon,” you try to convey the urgency in your voice but it comes out breathlessly. You hadn’t realised you were holding in the air until you spoke.
Jay's sigh echoes in the room, his gaze drifting upwards as he considers your request. "I don’t think it’s a good idea, Y/N, he's kinda pissed," he cautions, his tone tinged with concern.
You understand Jay's apprehension, but you can't let the rift between you and Sunghoon deepen any further. The longer you both remain trapped in this mess, the harder it will be to mend your relationship. Time might heal some wounds but it won’t fix them.
“Can I just talk to him? I need to explain,” you plead, tapping your fingers together, you avoid his judgmental gaze. 
Jay's response is swift, his conviction clear as he defends Sunghoon's character. "You didn’t actually believe your mum, right? Like anyone with a clue can see how much he loves you. He wouldn’t do something like that," he states, offering a comforting gesture by rubbing his shoulder slightly. It's evident that Jay is trying to rebuild Sunghoon's image in your eyes, a testament to the unwavering bond between him and his best friend.
As you stand there, you can’t explain your thoughts during your fight with your boyfriend because you still can’t make sense of them yourself; however he was right, you should have seen his love past the lies of your mother.
Nodding with a hint of shame, you admit, “It was all just too much to process, and I handled it poorly. But I have to fix it.” Despite the weight of your guilt, a steely determination underlines your words.
Jay sees it, he understands you didn’t want to hurt Sunghoon the way you did. Maybe he’s a bit more understanding of your own grief because his best friend neglected to mention that you lied to him about Minhee and his skate. 
When Sunghoon arrived home, Jake and Jay greeted him eagerly, anticipating news from his check-up. However, their excitement quickly turned to concern as Sunghoon stormed in, slamming the door behind him with such force that it caused shelves to rattle.
Concern etched across their faces, his friends inquired about the situation with genuine worry as Sunghoon recounted the events involving your mother and the recording. However, he purposefully omitted any mention of the skate. He didn't want to tarnish your image in the eyes of his friends with his own anger-induced bias. He understood all too well that they might harbour animosity toward you for your deception, and the mere thought of it was unbearable to him.
So he didn’t bother to spill it, still protecting you even amidst his fury.
"I heard him leave this morning. I think he went to the rink, like he usually does to clear his head," Jay offered, unsure if he should disclose this information but feeling a strong intuition that both you and Sunghoon needed it.
Your expression softens with gratitude as you look up, "Thanks, Jay," you say, appreciation evident in your voice.
As you begin to turn, preparing to make your journey back to your side of town and into Belmore, Jay's voice suddenly pierces the quiet morning air, halting your movements, "Wait there, I'll give you a lift," he calls out, his offer catching you off guard.
Before you can even muster a response to decline his kind gesture, Jay is already striding purposefully back to his room to get dressed.
Left standing alone in the tranquillity of the early morning, the absence of Jay's presence allows your mind to wander freely. You had prepared yourself to talk to Sunghoon at this very moment but now you have a whole 40-minute drive to contemplate his reaction all over again. It’s scary, the idea of this being the end of you both.
When Jay finally emerges, dressed and ready to go, he motions for you to follow him as you both make your way to his car. You don’t know why he’s doing this but you’re thankful for the saved time, the time to get here was already long enough, never mind making the same painstaking journey back.
The drive begins in silence, the gentle hum of the engine merging with the rhythm of your own racing heart. Jay's quietness feels unfamiliar, a subtle shift in the energy between you since your last encounter, though not entirely unexpected.
With some courage, you figure talking to Jay might help you later on when speaking to Sunghoon, “I think deep down I knew he didn’t say it.” 
It’s a simple confession but one you had to say out loud.
Jay spares you a quick glance before keeping his attention on the road, “He’s doted on you, like literally obsessed with you. Do you not see that, or?” There's a hint of irritation as he speaks. He can’t fathom why you would ever believe one shitty phone call rather than your boyfriend who would drop the world at your feet if you asked. 
He hasn't witnessed every facet of your relationship, but from what he has seen, he can't help but envy it. He longs to experience the kind of connection Sunghoon has found with you, hoping to find someone who reciprocates his feelings in the same way. What frustrates him about the situation is the apparent disregard you show for his best friend's love. It's as if you fail to grasp the profound depth of Sunghoon's affection, while there are others out there yearning for even a fraction of such devotion.
You angle your body to face him before speaking, “I know. There was just a lot going on and…you should have heard it, Jay. It sounded so fucking real,” you almost plead with him to see your side.
Even Sunghoon had mentioned how authentic the audio sounded, so Jay knew what you were talking about. He simply nods to acknowledge you, his expression showing understanding, “What was it then? How did she do it?”
"Some AI guy. She hired him to grab snippets from Hoon's interviews and make the audio," you tell Jay, omitting any mention of the gambling or other family drama
Jay's eyes widen in surprise. "Damn, seriously? She stooped that low?" he says, his astonishment visible in his tone. All you can do is nod, aware of how absurd and unsettling the situation is, "AI is so fucking scary, man," Jay says, shaking his head in dismay.
You agree wholeheartedly, a shiver running down your spine at the thought of the lengths people would go to manipulate technology for their own agendas, "It’s so bizarre," you murmur, still trying to wrap your head around the whole ordeal.
The silence that settles between you both now feels different, no longer heavy with tension but rather mutually comforting. Each of you understands the gravity of the situation and the complexities it entails. 
In this shared moment of understanding, surrounded by the quiet of the morning and Jay's silent support, you feel a sense of calm wash over you, in stark contrast to the turbulence that has plagued you since Tuesday. If Jay understands your side of the story, perhaps Sunghoon would as well.
Pulling up to Belmore, Jay stops the car at the entrance, “Y/N,” he pauses, collecting his thoughts, “You’re good for one another, and Jake and I like having you around, so fix this, yeah?” 
You nod, determined and empowered by his words, “I will.”
_____
As you step onto the rink, your eyes lock onto Sunghoon, gliding with so much velocity that it sends a shiver down your spine. You can't help but feel a pang of worry, knowing he's pushing himself to the limit, risking injury once more. As you approach, beads of sweat glisten on his face, his hair clinging to his skin, a visual confirmation of your concerns.
He propels himself into a jump, the sharp sound of his skate slicing through the air, reverberating across the arena. However, his landing isn't smooth; his ankle bends awkwardly, causing him to fall onto the ice.
"Sunghoon, be careful!" you call out, running to be by his side. Ignoring the impracticality of your footwear, you shuffle onto the ice and kneel beside him, "Are you out of your mind?"
Much to your dismay, Sunghoon’s ankle is thumping, a superficial heartbeat pulsing through it. He might be able to go back on the ice but he’s over-exerting himself. He doesn’t look at you, focusing on his ankle, but he also doesn’t push you away, letting you undo the bandage to assess the damage. 
Seemingly, his ankle is okay, nothing torn or hurt beyond what was already there, the bruise from a few weeks ago dying into a faded yellow, a promising sign but it still pains you to see.
Standing up, you offer him your hands for support but he shrugs you off, opting to stand on his own and skate over to the exit of the rink, ��What are you doing here? Come to mess up my other skate?” His tone is sharp and accusatory, indicating that he’s still angry.
“It wasn’t me and you know that,” you defend yourself, slowly walking behind him trying not to slip.
You both successfully make it off the ice, Sunghoon plonking himself onto the bench outside. Going back to his ankle, you kneel and start the process of re-wrapping the bandage tightly, again with no protest from him. Hopefully, that’s a better sign of forgiveness compared to what his voice is suggesting.
Carefully, you discard his skate to the side and gather the bandage, your cold hand sparks a jolt in Sunghoon as you hold the start of the wrap to the back of his ankle. You take your time to eliminate any cause of discomfort which for the most part you succeed in. 
“You kept it a secret, Y/N. Lied to my face,” he says through gritted teeth which you don’t know if it’s from anger or pain, possibly a mixture of both, “Everything wrong in my life seems to be because of your family.” The words sting because you know it’s true. As much as you would love to be excluded from the accusation, you know he’s right.
“I know,” You say lowly, putting all your attention on his ankle. 
Looking at you, Sunghoon sighs, his body heavy with mixed feelings. Just looking at you now he wants to wrap you in his arms and tell you everything is okay, that he forgives you, but he can’t do that without some sort of explanation. 
“Why didn’t you just tell me?” he asks softly, staring at you as if trying to reach into your brain and pull the answers out himself.
Adjusting the bandage with a gentle twist, you offer your explanation, “Honestly, I thought I was protecting you. You had so much going on; not knowing if you would make nationals, the argument with your mum, there was just never a right time.”
Sucking his teeth, he nods, “Feels like you were protecting your brother.”
“I was, in some ways. There was something so strange going on I wanted to try and figure it out before I told you. I wanted an excuse so you wouldn’t blame him for it,” you explain your thought process to him but he won’t get it, not unless he was you in that situation.
Yet, to your surprise, Sunghoon grasps the sentiment perfectly. Protecting your brother is second nature, ingrained within you, even on the first day when everyone discovered they would be combining the rinks, you tried to protect him from doing something stupid. 
The only thing he doesn’t understand is why Minhee did it.
“Did you ever find an excuse for him? Or can I blame him for this?” he points to his ankle with his other foot so you see it. You haven’t looked at him once since you started to tend to his injury.
“You can blame him for it,” you start, pausing your actions as you wonder whether you should tell him what transpired, why Minhee did it, “Minhee…My mum put him up to it, to get you injured for Nationals so Minhee had a better chance of winning.”
“Shit, okay.”
Knowing Sunghoon, he’s trying to piece it all together to save you the explanation, but this is far too complicated for him to work out on his own, “This is going to sound so crazy, but I need you to listen. My mum is struggling to make ends meet and she got into some gambling scene. She put loads of money for Minhee to win, specifically to beat you and if she wins, it’s like thousands of pounds, enough to get her out of the debt she’s in. I don’t know how it works but it’s shady. She didn’t trust Minhee to get the job done on his own so…” You trail off, hoping he’ll put the puzzle together now.
Taking the safety pin, you secure the wrap and pull down his trouser leg, yet, you still don’t look at him, scared of his reaction. If you were in his shoes, you would not believe anything about what was just said.
But unlike you, Sunghoon knows what crazy sports mums are willing to do for their kids to succeed, his mum being a prime example, “Y/N, seriously, you should have told me.”
“I didn’t find out about the whole gambling thing until last night when Mini told me. Sunghoon, please believe me when I say he didn’t want to do it, he just…he thinks he owes our mum like he’s the one that put us in debt for chasing this dream, that he’s the reason for a lot of things outwith his control.”
“Sweets,” Sunghoon breathes out, grabbing your chin, forcing you to finally look at him, “I get it, I mean, I’m not particularly chill with it since my career could have ended but the way Minhee is feeling, I do understand.” 
His eyes hold yours like they’re hugging you, trying to pull you from your worries and somehow it works. You feel a little lighter, his hand now etching its way to your cheek to cradle it. Instinctively, you lean into his touch, seeking his comfort.
“I’m sorry, Hoonie,” you state solemnly, angry and hurt that he was just a pawn in your mother's game, the relationship between you both strained because of her and yet you were the one apologising on her behalf. 
You’re sorry for your own mistakes, but nothing was as bad as her tricks.
Sunghoon offers you a small smile, ushering you to sit next to him on the bench so he isn’t looking down on you. The symbolism of you feeling lesser is evident to him and he can’t stand it.
He turns to face you as you take a seat next to him, his hand resting comfortingly on your leg. “That phone call, I didn't say all that. That wasn't me, you have to believe me" he begs you to trust him.
"Yeah, I know," you respond with a bitter scoff, recalling the manipulative tactics of your mother. The skater's expression shifts to confusion as you continue, "My mum did that too, another thing that’s going to sound even crazier than breaking your skate."
You recount the incident with the AI recording, detailing your mother's desperate attempts to win her bet and her willingness to destroy your relationship in the process. With each sentence, his bewilderment deepens, his eyes widening and narrowing, and his mouth opening and closing in disbelief.
"Wait, seriously? It was AI?" he interjects once you've recounted every bizarre detail.
As he grapples with the revelation, you seize the opportunity to provide some comfort, gently wiping the sweat from his brow and pushing his dishevelled hair back from his face. The tension seems to ease from his features.
You pout at him, the weight of guilt settling heavily in your chest. "I'm really sorry for not believing you when all of this came out," you admit, your voice tinged with remorse.
He reaches out to take your hand in his, his thumb brushing lightly against your skin, "No, no, Sweets, it's okay," he reassures you, his tone soft and understanding, "She even gaslighted me for a second,” he suddenly starts to chuckle, “I thought my biggest worry was people making those ‘If Sunghoon sang Chase Atlantic’ AI TikToks.”
You laugh with him, knowing what he’s talking about. One day he came to you and showed you a video of him singing Slow Down which creeped you out and impressed you all at once. 
The moment of laughter dies down, the break in tension creating much-needed relief for both of you. This whole scenario is so fucked up it’s hard to believe, you’re just thankful Sunghoon is so understanding.
“What about Minhee?” he asks suddenly, passing the confusion to you, “Like, how is he in all of this?” 
Sunghoon’s concern for your brother, whether big or small, makes your love for him pound in your chest. Even after everything, he was still asking about Minhee which meant he might not hold a grudge, and more importantly, not go to the board.
Is it selfish to think that right now? To still be concerned about Minhee’s career?
Your boyfriend sees your eyes twitch, his telltale sign that your mind is racing, “Sweets?”
He breaks your thoughts, “Oh, he’s uh, he’s just stressed I think. I need to properly speak to him at some point and figure out what he wants to do,” you shake off the idea that Minhee won’t get to achieve his dream, scared that you might manifest it by accident.
Sunghoon nods, sighing deeply as he sheds any of the weight that was held over him. He wishes you would have trusted him when you heard the audio, but he does understand. Sometimes, he can be too understanding and he knows this, but it’s so easy to forgive or find reasoning for your actions.
Which will help you with your next request.
"Please don't go to the board," you finally confess, your voice barely above a whisper. It takes every ounce of courage you possess to voice the plea, but you know you have to ensure your mother hasn't irreparably damaged Minhee's chance at the Olympics. You need to see him succeed - he deserves it more than anyone.
Pressing his forehead against yours, he smiles, the warmth of his breath mingling with yours, "I won't, I promise. For you though, only for you."
The weight that's been pressing down on your shoulders suddenly lifts, replaced by an overwhelming sense of relief. You almost cry at how patient and understanding Sunghoon is, you wonder if you’ve ever met anyone like him before.
There’s a comfortable calmness in the air, his nose nuzzles against yours as he smiles contently, happy to have you back beside him. The past two days felt like weeks. It made him realise just how important you are to his life. He can’t live without you and never wants to be apart.
“So is Minhee…cool with us?” he asks gingerly.
Your face lights up as you lean back, “Actually, he’s completely fine with it, well, he said he still doesn’t like you but you make me happy. That’s all he wants.” 
Minhee and you will forever prioritise each other's happiness above all else. These recent events have underscored that sentiment, even if it took some time to fully grasp. Ultimately, you both want nothing but the best for each other.
Sunghoon appears genuinely surprised by your declaration, his eyebrows shooting up, "Really? No resentment or anything?"
"Really," you confirm, observing his reaction closely. "He... he actually told me about forbidding you from seeing me all those years ago," you add, realising his astonishment at the news about your brother being on board with your relationship likely stems from the years of Minhee pushing him away from you.
Flushed, Sunghoon shuts his eyes, “No, he didn’t,” he winces at the idea of you finding out about his long-term crush on you.
“He did. Told me how you begged him to let you take me to prom too,” you gloat, a massive triumphant smile on your face, “You loooved me all those years ago, you have to admit it now,” you joke and his face turns even redder. 
Typically, Sunghoon is being chased, so to have this hanging over his head in your relationship, he knows you’ll never shut up about it. He will admit though, that the look of delight on your face is almost worth the embarrassment.
“Okay, yeah. But blame Minhee for making us miss so many years together, okay? He was shit scary back then. I thought he was going to skin me alive,” Sunghoon recollects asking him if he could ask you out to the cinema, an innocent tiny date and Minhee, the scariest 14-year-old there was to ever live at that point, well to Sunghoon anyway, practically ripped his head off.
Prom was a mistake, he was simply asking if you had a date to prom. Yes, he was going to ask you if Minhee said no, regardless of what your brother would say, but the fire in Minhee’s eyes wasn’t one to be messed with and by this point, he was a gym-attending 19-year-old with an extra protective layer over you. Enough said.
You giggle and take his hand, offering him a sympathetic smile, “He was scared to lose me.”
"Who wouldn't be," he responds without hesitation, his tone serious and sincere.
His immediate reply catches you off guard and you do a double take, surprised by the sudden intensity in his voice.
Sunghoon wasn’t just saying it; he was petrified at the thought of losing you, especially after your mother's deceitful phone call. The look of betrayal on your face had cut him to the core, a pain he never wanted to inflict upon you. He loved you too much for that.
As you process his words, you realise there's a deep emotion behind them that you hadn't fully grasped before. Sunghoon's admission hangs heavy in the air, revealing a vulnerability. Your heart clenches with empathy, knowing that his dread of losing you is deep. You softly squeeze his hand, silently expressing your empathy.
You felt the exact same way about him - terrified of losing one of the people who means everything to you.
"I'm sorry," you say quietly, your voice full of regret, "I never want you to feel like you're going to lose me."
Sunghoon's gaze softens as he meets your eyes, a flicker of emotion dancing in the depths of his own. He brings your hand to his lips, pressing a tender kiss against your knuckles, "I know, Y/N," he murmurs, his voice filled with reassurance, “I’m not letting you go anyway, you’re stuck with me now.”
You laugh, shaking your head. There's a silent vow between you both to cherish and reassure each other whenever you have to, “Can we start again?” 
“Yeah, of course, Sweets.” He plasters a genuine grin on his face, elated with the idea of putting all the negativity and lies behind the relationship and starting fresh.
You stretch out your hand, teeth showing as you smile, “Hi, I’m Y/N Kang. I’m your biggest fan.”
Sunghoon’s heart pounds loudly, you are his fan but to him, you’re more like an extractor fan. If you don’t have one of those, things go rotten and that’s exactly what it felt like without you. He needed you to such the poison and pain from his bones, he selfishly needed your love to make him feel alive. 
He wants to provide you with that same feeling.
Taking your hand he smiles widely, mirroring your enthusiasm, “I’m Park Sunghoon. I am your biggest fan.”
________
The bleacher seats are your makeshift study space, textbooks and notes scattered haphazardly around you as you bury yourself in preparation for the looming winter exams. The chill of the air contrasts with the warmth of your determination; you had an award to uphold after all.
Meanwhile, your boyfriend is focused on a different kind of preparation. With just four days until nationals, he's dedicated himself to ensuring his ankle is in peak condition. Despite having twisted it just a few weeks ago, he's pushing himself hard, determined to perform at his best on the ice. When he pushes himself a little too much, you’re there to pull him back, or rather nag him to be careful
You steal glances at him whenever you can. Despite the injury, he moves with a fluid grace, his dedication evident in every precise movement. If you didn't know better, you wouldn't even guess that his ankle had been injured at all.
As you bury your nose in your books, a sense of admiration washes over you. His resilience and commitment inspire you to push through your own challenges. Granted, yours is a little less intimidating, the exams you’ll take will be confined to a week inside a study hall whereas Sunghoon is skating in front of thousands and being broadcast on TV. 
Lost in your studies, you're suddenly jolted back to reality by a soft tap on your paper. Glancing up, you're met with a warm smile from your boyfriend, his eyes twinkling with affection, “You’re so serious when you’re focused,” He laughs, leaning over the barrier of the ice rink. 
“Are you done?” You ask enthusiastically, hoping to get out of here and get the dinner he promised you 3 hours ago; your stomach wasn’t prepared to be denied food for so long that it started to speak to you about an hour ago.
"Just about, baby. You wanna go for Italian?" Sunghoon suggests, his eyes twinkling with mischief. His suggestion makes you smile; you've been raving about gnocchi for the past two days, and he's clearly been paying attention.
As you agree, his grin widens, and he leans in close, "Great, I'll go get changed and be right out," he declares, excitement bubbling in his voice.
Leaning over the barrier, Sunghoon puckers his lips in anticipation of a kiss to which you gladly oblige, pressing your lips to his in a sweet, lingering kiss. The brief moment of affection leaves you both with a warm, fluttering feeling in your chests. With a final smile and a promise to meet you outside, he disappears to change, leaving you to gather your books and laptop.
Packing the last of your highlighters into your bag, you hear the entrance door open. Peeking over the seats, you see a familiar face walking down with his gym bag slung over his shoulder and earphones in.
"Minhee?" you question, hoisting your bag onto your shoulder before walking over to him. "Mini?" you call out louder, ensuring he hears you.
Your brother jumps a little, clearly not expecting to see you at the rink. "What are you doing here?" he asks, a hint of surprise in his voice.
"Sunghoon's taking me for dinner. I was just studying while he trained," you explain, hoping to alleviate any concerns he might have.
Your reasoning earns a thoughtful hum from Minhee. It's still strange to talk about Sunghoon so casually with him, especially after keeping your relationship a secret for all those months.
"Is he here?" Minhee glances around, searching for any sign of Sunghoon.
"He's getting changed," you reply, nervously biting your lip. Despite Minhee giving you the green light for dating, there's still a lingering apprehension about them being in the same room together, especially after "skate gate," as Sunghoon dubbed it in an attempt to lighten the situation.
There is still some part of you that dreads them in the same room together, apprehensive to what they’ll do. Minhee is overprotective of you and Sunghoon is, well, he’s got a wrap on his ankle thanks to your brother. 
Suddenly, the door to the dressing room swings open, and Sunghoon emerges, looking refreshed and ready for your dinner date. His expression is bright, his tunnel vision for you renders Minhee nonexistent to him. It’s not until he gets closer that he notices your older brother.
Once his eyes shift to Minhee, Sunghoon’s smile falters ever so slightly. He also doesn’t know how things will pan out but he knows he doesn’t want to make you uncomfortable.
“Minhee,” Sunghoon nods towards him which Minhee returns, “Are you training tonight?” You appreciate the civilness your boyfriend is trying to engage in, you know he’s doing it for you but hopefully, later on, he’ll do it because he and Minhee are actually getting along.
You can only dream of the day.
“Yeah,” he says sharply but there’s a wave of something in his eyes, something that happens when he’s thinking, “Actually, since you’re here can I talk to you? Privately,” Minhee glances at you as he says privately, indicating that he no longer wants you in the conversation.
Sunghoon looks to you for approval which you grant him obviously, hoping he’ll tell you what Minhee wants during dinner, “Sure. Coaches office is free,” he suggests, pointing with his head.
Your two boys stride over to the office and lock the door behind them.
Now, you could eavesdrop, and make sure no one throws a punch, but you’re trying to be optimistic about their relationship, so you leave them be.
Taking a deep breath, you remind yourself to trust in their ability to handle the situation maturely. After all, both Sunghoon and Minhee care deeply for you, they wouldn’t want to make this any more uncomfortable for you. 
Fighting the urge to pace, you take a deep breath and try to distract yourself with thoughts of the upcoming dinner. Maybe you’ll have a glass of wine with dinner tonight, and try something new. You could get dessert if you convince Sunghoon to cheat on his meal plan for a night. 
Who are you kidding? All you can think about is what is going on in that office, no attempt at distraction will help you now.
It’s increasingly difficult for you to resist chapping the door and pestering them to let you in on the gossip. What could be so important they couldn’t talk about it in front of you?
15 minutes pass but it feels like an eternity as you anxiously await their return. If one of them comes out with a black eye, you’re ditching them both, leaving them high and dry. You really hope it doesn’t come to that.
Finally, the door to the coach’s office swings open, all limbs and eye sockets intact, which is a good sign at least; however, their expressions are unreadable as they walk towards you. There's a subtle shift in the air, something lingering between them, though they try to maintain a facade of normalcy.
"Ready to go?" Sunghoon asks, his tone gentle as he kisses the top of your head lightly.
You nod and look between both of them, “What did you guys talk about?” There’s no grace of subtlety when it comes to you and your curiosity; you know it has something to do with you, you just wanted to know what.
Minhee and Sunghoon exchange a knowing glance before your brother answers, “Just giving him some brotherly warnings…right?” he says it so casually but his tone is cryptic. You know there is more to it than that.
Linking your fingers with his, Sunghoon grips your hand tighter, offering you some reassurance amidst the swirling thoughts in your mind. He knows you're probably considering every possible conversation they could have had.
"Nothing to worry about, Sweets. Minhee was just swinging his big brother ego around," Sunghoon says, his voice gentle but firm. There's a playful twinkle in his eyes that eases your nerves, if only slightly.
Rolling his eyes, Minhee sighs, "Whatever, Park. Remember what I said, yeah?" he tries to pass it off as banter, but there's a serious current weaving through his voice, catching you off guard.
Sunghoon nods in acknowledgement, a silent knowing between them, "I got it," he replies, his gaze locked on Minhee with a sense of respect and understanding. This newfound dynamic between Sunghoon and Minhee is unfamiliar, and you can't quite decipher whether it's a positive or negative development. 
"Enjoy your dinner, Bubs. Make sure he pays," Minhee points to Sunghoon before waving you both off and heading to the changing room.
As Sunghoon pulls at your hand, leading you out of the arena, the silence hangs heavy between you. He doesn't offer an explanation so easily, much to your dismay. 
"Your brother is a shark, can I say that in the most respectful way?" Sunghoon finally speaks up, breaking the silence with a hint of amusement in his voice.
You chuckle softly, nodding in agreement. "Yeah, he's super protective," you acknowledge with a touch of pride in your voice.
"He really is. He’d do anything for you…" Sunghoon trails off, his expression thoughtful. You want to ask what he means but you resist the urge to pry further.
"Are you guys okay? You didn’t fight or anything?" you venture tentatively. 
Sunghoon offers you a reassuring smile, his eyes warm with sincerity, "I think we're besties now," he quips, trying to lighten the mood. You can't help but smile at his attempt to ease your worries, "C'mon, let's go eat, I'm starving," he suggests, kissing you quickly as you reach his car.
You are grateful they managed to have one discussion without throttling one another, even going as far as to make lighthearted jokes and playful jabs.
Baby steps, you suppose.
_____
Emerging from the restaurant and making your way to Sunghoon's car, your face radiates with laughter, tears glistening in your eyes.
"Did you genuinely believe she was asking for your autograph?" you tease, barely able to contain your amusement.
Sunghoon rolls his eyes, “Baby, it isn’t that funny. She literally ASKED me to sign it.”
“Yeah, the bill because you used your card,” as you say the words, another heaved laugh comes out, “You were so confident to think she was your fan.”
Crossing his arms, Sunghoon huffs playfully, feigning annoyance, but he can’t stop the smile from creeping on his face as he looks at you. With your face so bright and that beautiful song of your giggles, Sunghoon can’t stop looking at you, admiring you in this moment.
As your laughter subsides, you catch him staring at you intently. "What is it?" you inquire, noting the uncharacteristically serious expression on his face, devoid of its usual sarcastic pout in situations like these.
"I just love you so much..." he trails off, halting by the passenger door of his car, his voice tinged with vulnerability, "The thought of losing you was terrifying."
Sunghoon understands that you've both overcome the misunderstandings and manipulations caused by your mother, and you're in a better place now. Yet, the prospect of almost losing you because of it still haunts him.
You pout at his words, bringing your hands up to stroke the apple of his cheeks gently, “I hated it too. You’re so important to me, Hoonie,” you whisper, eyes softening at his words.
The months you’ve spent with him have been the best of your life, you could never deny that. Your relationship with him hasn’t been easy, interference from too many outside parties threatened to ruin it all, to rip you from your soulmate, but you will never let it happen again.
You place a timis kiss on his nose, “I promise that nothing will ever take me away from you again, okay?” you look at him with sincere eyes, hoping he truly listens to your promise.
He nods, closing his eyes with a serene smile, his graceful hands enveloping yours, imparting a comforting warmth. Foreheads touching, he savours the moment, soaking in the palpable connection between you both. He just wants to feel your love.
Never in Sunghoon’s life did he ever imagine finding love like this. Although he always knew he loved you, he didn’t know how intense his feelings were until suddenly you weren’t there anymore.
He smiles, eventually opening his eyes to look at you, your gaze holding nothing but love, “Will you come back to mine?” he asks as though this is the first date and he’s testing the waters to see if you’re interested.
“Actually,” you smile, pulling away from him slightly, your hands trailing down to fix the collar of his coat, “Minhee went out with Jungmo and my mum’s recently been going out at night so…”
Sunghoon's heart skips a beat at your implication, "Are you inviting me over?" he asks, his ears buzzing with anticipation.
You nod, a hint of nerves sneaking through as you bite your lip. "Yes, if you want to."
Considering the offer, he weighs the options carefully.
On the downside: it's a risk with your mum potentially returning home soon, the early morning departure could be awkward if he encounters your brother, and there's the potential for discomfort in the morning.
On the upside: it's a shorter drive to your place, he's curious about seeing your room, and it's the only location where he hasn't fucked you yet.
"Alright, let's go for it," he grins, the allure of the last pro eclipsing the rest.
Sunghoon opens the door for you and you settle into your seat and fasten your seatbelt while he slides into the driver's seat, starting the car.
As the car glides down the dimly lit streets, Sunghoon steals glances at you, a mixture of excitement and nervousness flickering in his eyes. The anticipation within him builds with every passing moment, the silence between you thick with unspoken desire.
With a playful smile, you break the tension, "Why do you look nervous?"
Sunghoon chuckles, his fingers drumming lightly on the steering wheel, "Not nervous, excited,” he corrects you.
You eye him up and down, “Okay then, why are you excited?” 
Sunghoon lounges back as you hit a red light, taking the chance to look at you, “It’s like I’m entering enemy territory, like on those video games Jake plays all the time. I’m entering the red area, risking my life while I got on stealth mode,” he explains, getting even more giddy as he speaks about it.
“Hoonie, no one else will be home, I’m hardly sneaking you in.”
“Shhh, it’s no fun if you put it that way,” he chuckles, placing a hand on your thigh, “When I forward roll into your entrance, leave me be,” he plays.
Luckily for you, when you both arrive, Sunghoon refrains from spy rolling into your house like he’s an elite operative. Instead, he is waiting to be invited in like Stefan Salvatore.
“Baby, come on in, nothing gonna bite you,” you giggle as you take off your shoes.
Following your orders, he walks in and takes a look around the familiar entranceway. Nothing has changed since he was last here, just before your ceremony; aka, he’s noticed not one of your award pictures has taken pride of place next to your brothers. 
You hadn't shown your mother the pictures, nor did she inquire about how it went. Her indifference was something you had learned to accept, albeit reluctantly. It wasn't the ideal situation, but like Sunghoon, you had found solace and love in other places where your mother left a void
Coming to that acceptance was cathartic.
You lead him up to your room, a bright smile on your face. It was surreal to have this opportunity to have him amongst your creature comforts, like finally all the pieces of your life have come together.
Sunghoon stops you as you go to reach for the handle, “Wait!” he rushes out. Inhaling deeply as he jitters around like a boxer about to walk into the ring, each little jump and hand tremor making you laugh. You would mistake it for nervousness again if he wasn’t beaming at the door like an idiot 
“Will you calm down, this isn’t anything spectacular, It’s just my room,” you shake your head, looking at him as he continues his jumps of glee. Nothing you could say to him would stop him from acting like a child on Christmas morning, “You’re such a dork,” you snort, placing your hand on the handle.
Before opening the door, you mentally hope you tidied up before meeting him today. To your relief, the room is cleaner than you recall, albeit with a stray sock and some shoes strewn where your wardrobe is. You signal for Sunghoon to come, and he enthusiastically skips inside, looking about with inquiring eyes.
His attention moves across the shelves filled with books and trinkets, the cosy bed with its assortment of plushies, and the desk cluttered with papers and pens. Sharing this space with him creates a sense of intimacy and vulnerability, as well as elation among you both. Having him here feels like you can finally call this your home.
Sunghoon's smile widens as he takes it all in, his eyes sparkling with delight, "This is nice," he remarks, his voice soft with appreciation. 
You nod, feeling a surge of happiness at his reaction, "I'm glad you think so," you reply, watching as he moves further into the room, exploring every nook and cranny as if it holds some secret treasure. 
Just looking around your room is giving him further insight into your life. As your boyfriend, he knows a lot more than most, yet, seeing your soul laid bare in these four walls is opening him up to understand you deeper. 
From the 2 minutes he has spent in your room, he has just found out that you collect far too many earrings, your favourite highlighter to use is pastel pink, you had an emo phase that you neglected to tell him, and you’ve been to 4 fan signs for TO1. It’s tiny, insignificant details, but Sunghoon wants to know it all.
His eyes happen to fall on a picture of you and Minhee when you were kids, “I remember this!” he exclaims, fangs showing as he twists the picture to show you as if you don’t see it literally every morning, “This was the Youth of Skating competition when we were 13,” he reminisces.
"Wasn't I just adorable?" you remark, playfully cupping your cheeks and flashing a wide grin as you try to mimic your younger self captured in the photo.
With a laugh, Sunghoon gently sets the frame back on your desk, nodding in agreement, “The prettiest one in the crowd by far,” he murmurs in a soft tone, mirroring your joy. It's as if your face radiates sunlight, and he basks in your vibrant glow.
Closing the distance between you, he replaces your hands with his own, leaning in to kiss you. His lips are tender as they meld with yours, his touch gentle as he affectionately squishes your cheeks, “You’re still the most beautiful person I have ever seen.”
Your heart quickens as he whispers sweet nothings into your mouth, his words mingling with the gentle exploration of his tongue, "I don't buy it," you tease, playfully pushing his hands away from your red cheeks, "You'll have to prove it to me," you challenge with a mischievous glint in your eyes.
A playful smirk dances across Sunghoon's lips as he accepts your challenge, his eyes sparkling with determination. With a soft chuckle, he gently captures your hands in his, intertwining your fingers as he pulls you closer.
"Oh, I intend to," he murmurs, his voice husky with desire. Leaning in, he presses another lingering kiss to your lips, his touch sending shivers down your spine. Slowly, he trails his lips along your jawline, leaving a trail of feather-light kisses in his wake. 
He takes off his jacket, tossing it on your desk chair all the while he’s nipping at your neck. As his hands swiftly remove his t-shirt, revealing his sculpted bare chest, your eyes are drawn to the faded hickeys scattered across his skin. You had really done a number on him a couple of weeks ago, the purple still tinting his pecks. 
Before you can fully appreciate the sight, he bends down, effortlessly scooping you up, his lips showering kisses all over your face. Your breath catches at the warmth of his touch sending a flush to your cheeks, "Sunghoon," you gasp, feeling his urgency mirrored in your own desire.
Laying you gently on the bed, his chest pressed against yours, he trails his hands up and down your body, igniting flames of longing with each touch, "I know, Sweets," he murmurs, his voice laced with possessiveness, "You want me to fuck you, yeah? Prove to you that you’re the most gorgeous girl?"
“Yes,” you huff out desperately.
“Then be a good girl. You can do that for me, baby, can’t you?” he whispers into your neck, licking a stripe up your vein.
His words dance down to your pussy, arousal pooling between your legs as you eagerly nod in agreement. His confidence mixed with his praises only fuels your desire, the promise of being his good girl setting your pulse racing.
In a flurry of movement, his trousers and boxers are discarded, and he wastes no time in removing your jeans and underwear, leaving you bare and exposed to his hungry gaze. As he kisses up the tender skin of your inner thigh, his proximity to your centre sends waves of anticipation coursing through you.
“My beautiful girl, you’re all mine,” Sunghoon’s voice is low and smooth like butter.
The vibrations from his words send a jolt of need straight to your core, the ache for his touch almost unbearable. As he teasingly presses a delicate kiss to your clit, you whimper in longing, your body yearning for the fulfilment only he can provide.
His hands slide up to the top of your thighs, holding them down and apart as he nibbles gently at the sensitive skin of your inner thigh. A shiver of anticipation courses through you as your hips instinctively push up, yearning for the touch of his mouth where you need it most.
Sunghoon responds with soft, warm kisses across your core, each one sending waves of pleasure rippling through your body. Then, with deliberate slowness, he traces his tongue upwards, sending a shudder of delight through you as he explores every inch of your pussy.
Kneading your hands through his hair, you grip tight as you beg for more and Sunghoon has no problem granting your wishes, kitten-licking your slit as he laps up your wetness. 
When he is going down on you, he is like a man possessed but now it’s much worse. He hasn’t tasted your essence properly since the breakup/makeup. Your boyfriend doesn’t like to go too long without your taste on his tongue, so here he is making up for lost time as he lays his tastebuds flat against your cunt, savouring every drop of you.
You pull his head back by his hair, eliciting a moan from him as you do so, the sensation of each strand being in your command causes his dick to jump in, “Fuck, Sweets,” he hisses, licking his lips clean as he looks up at you through hooded eyes, “Tell me what you want.”
But he already knows what you want, because, without your answer, he’s gathering saliva in his mouth before spitting it on your throbbing pussy, his fingers lathering you in it, “Go on, tell me,” he mutters onto your clit, digging his teeth onto it just enough for you to buck your hips onto his face.
“Fingers, Hoonie, I want your fingers. Please,” you plead, holding your hips up to his mouth in a desperate attempt to get some release of your friction.
“Not only are you gorgeous,” Sunghoon’s fingers find their way to your entrance, circling it teasingly, “You’re my obedient, perfect girl.”
Sunghoon smoothly slides his fingers inside you, opening you up and filling you with a sweet sensation. His attention never leaves your face as he looks for your reactions, making every movement pleasurable for you.
He sees your lips falling wide and your head cocking back in ecstasy as an indication to continue. His fingers hook into you, gliding back and forth in a smooth and luring pace that matches the rhythm of your desire, and caressing you just the way you like it. Each stroke sends waves of pleasure through your body, creating a fire of passion that becomes hotter with each enticing movement.
You're a moaning mess as Sunghoon expertly finds your sweet spot, thrusting his fingers harshly as he works it with precision, "Let it all out, baby," he encourages, his voice sending your head into a tizzy, "Show me how I'm making you feel."
His words alone could send you tipping over the edge, but it's the sensation of his tongue flicking your clit and the gentle suction that has you screaming his name loud enough for the whole neighbourhood to hear. Sunghoon doesn't stop you, revelling in the melodic sound of his name falling from your lips like a symphony of desire.
"That's it, angel, you're doing so good for me," he praises, his words only spurring you on further. The two fingers inside you continue their relentless rhythm, driving you to the brink of ecstasy with each delicious stroke.
Your hands instinctively push him further into your cunt as you ride his face, Sunghoon's skilled ministrations bring you closer and closer to your climax, and his tongue and fingers dance in perfect rhythm, driving you to contentment with each delicious motion. The overwhelming sensation clouds your thoughts, leaving you lost in a haze of pleasure that makes your mouth water with anticipation.
With a final, electrifying thrust of his fingers and a gentle nibble at your clit, you hit the edge of release, your chest and tummy tightening. And then, with a guttural moan that bounces throughout the room, you finally succumb to the overwhelming wave of pleasure that crashes over you, leaving you trembling and breathless in its wake.
Sunghoon continues to worship you with his mouth and fingers, guiding you through the aftershocks of your orgasm with tender care and devotion. Each touch, each kiss, each whispered word of praise only serves to deepen the connection between you.
He sucks and swallows your juices, smiling as he does so. Your walls have trapped his two digits inside you as you squeeze him tight, “Baby, relax for me,” he kisses up your stomach in an attempt to get your body to yield but your orgasm is too intense, “Shh, Y/N, breathe out for me beautiful,” he whispers as his face meets yours.
Opening your eyes, you see his gentle smile and etch a blissful one onto yours, his adoring gaze instantly rippling through your bones, helping your muscles to unknot themselves. The power he has over you is crazy.
"Told you I would prove it," Sunghoon chuckles softly, pressing a peck on the tip of your nose as he finally frees his hand from you. Shaking your head with a satisfied smile, you exhale deeply, prompting him to tilt his head inquisitively.
"Oh? Have I not done enough?" he questions, his expression filled with amusement.
"Nope," you reply smugly, popping the 'p' for emphasis, "You could do more to prove it."
Sunghoon feigns contemplation, his lips quirking to the side in mock thought, "I see, hmm…" he muses, his gaze scanning you from head to toe before he suddenly sits you up and onto his lap, taking your useless top off.
His favourite playthings are now sitting directly at eye level and Sunghoon feels spoilt for choice of what one to show attention to first. Left has always been his favourite, there wasn’t a particular reason as to why, he just instinctively went for it every time.
Before he can delve his mouth to attach to your perky nipple, you surprise him by gripping his shoulders with one hand while the other strokes his cock between your bodies. In reaction, his shoulders and back hunch over, his head now buried between your mounds. 
Your slicked hand pumps him at a vicious pace, yet the gentleness of your hand causes no discomfort. After all these months together, you know how he likes it, fast and rough with extra attention to his tip; so that’s what you do, after every fourth stroke you swipe your palm over his head, the soft skin now tinted red with need.
“Sweets,” he murmurs between your breasts, his tongue licking the valley like a helpless dog, “Let me be inside you, fuck I need it so bad,” he almost whimpers as you squeeze him.
Part of you wants to keep going and tease him but your heat is leaking for him, crying out to be stuffed by his cock. 
You lift your hips and guide him to your entrance, slowly sinking onto him, “Jesus,” you hiss out, his cock stretching you much wider than his previous fingers.
The pace you set is deliberate and unhurried as you savour the feeling of his thick shaft piercing into you, battering your cervix each time you slam down onto him. Sunghoon groans at the way your channel is enveloping him, moulding around him like a perfect fit. 
With each withdrawal, the tip of his cock catches on your entrance, teasingly, before he plunges back in, eliciting desperate pleas for more from your lips, "Hoonie, please, faster," you beg, your desire driving you wild.
It’s time for Sunghoon to take charge, his hands clasp around your back as he pulls you further into his chest, gripping onto your skin as he goes at you relentlessly. He delves so deeply inside you that the sensation becomes overwhelming, a heady mix of pleasure and need. Sunghoon's hand moves from your back to brush against your overstimulated clit, sending jolts of electricity coursing through your body, causing you to writhe on his lap, "Sunghoon, please," you whimper, your voice laced with desperation.
"What is it, baby?" Sunghoon's voice, soft-spoken and tender, stands in stark contrast to the force of his thrusts, each one pounding relentlessly against your core.
"Close," you gasp out, the intensity of your impending climax threatening to overwhelm you once again. If it were any other time, you might feel embarrassed by how quickly you're reaching the peak of ecstasy, but you know Sunghoon would understand. And he does because he feels the same way. 
Both of you have tangled in sheets for long enough that you both know one another’s body like the back of your hands. That, added in with the withdrawals, of course you were both cumming quickly. Neither of you particularly minded since it wasn’t exactly a hindrance but rather served as just another notch to add to the endless list of climaxes you could potentially have. 
The day that one orgasm halts your sexcapades for the night, is the day Ghostface will stop being hot. Never.
Sunghoon spits on your folds, his movements primitive but intentional. His fingers rubbed saliva into your delicate skin, focusing their attention on your swollen clit, pushing you to the verge of your high. These sensations are almost too intense to take, with his rough touch on your bud and the power of his cock ramming into your walls battering you in the most delicious way possible.
The other hand on your back trails its way to your left hand, clasping it in his as he intertwines your fingers, kissing your knuckles as he stares at you, love shining through, “I love you so fucking much,” he whispers out, his hips faltering slightly as he declares his adoration for you.
Nodding, you bite your lip, prying your eyes open to look into his, “I love you too, Hoonie,” you confess back to him, hips also losing their rhythm as you struggle to focus on anything other than the coil in your stomach.
You bring your lips to his hand, mimicking his earlier actions, “Cum with me, Sunghoon,” you whisper into the back of his hand, your lips parted as you suck in a deep breath, ready for release.
Your body convulses with pleasure as waves of ecstasy wash over you, leaving you trembling and breathless in their wake. Sunghoon holds you close, his touch gentle yet possessive as he guides you through the aftershocks of your climax with tender care.
Sunghoon kisses you hungrily, his lips engulfing yours in a passionate embrace as your words push him over the edge. With feral zeal, he releases his seed in you, the white strands of his desire flying straight into your depths and blending with your own release.
Your bodies melt together in the heat of passion and you both cry one other's names along with a stream of curses, lost in the throes of pleasure and need. Sunghoon punctuates each passionate proclamation with two simple utterings of "I love you," ensuring that his words are conveyed sincerely
As you come down from the euphoric high, you find yourself enveloped in Sunghoon's embrace, his love and adoration surrounding you like a warm blanket on a cold night. In this moment, with him by your side, you feel truly complete, knowing that you are loved and cherished beyond measure.
Laying you down, Sunghoon, slides out of you gently, making sure he doesn’t hurt you, “Sweets, where is your bathroom?” he asks but you’re still too fucked out to comprehend his question, leaving him to figure it out on his own, “Stay here, baby, I’ll be back,” he instructs, putting on his boxers and tucking his semi-hard cock into them. 
Leaning an ear to the door, Sunghoon assesses if anyone magically came home while you two were going at it like animals. The silence he hears elicits relief into his body as he opens the door, confident no other member of the Kang family will see his practically naked figure.
Opening a few doors through trial and error, he stumbles into Minhee’s room. The curiosity within him leads him to look around, hand searching for the light. Once he switches it on, he sees exactly what he was expecting, a clutter of mess placed in every corner. It’s similar to his room, decor-wise, but there’s one thing that he notices, standing prominent on Minhee’s nightstand. 
Sunghoon reaches for the picture of you at 3 years old, sleeping next to your older brother, hugging one another tightly. You’re wearing matching pyjamas and smiles with no cares in the world. He knows your bond with Minhee is strong, stronger than most siblings; he thinks perhaps that’s why it was so easy to forgive you for lying to him. Seeing this picture now only punctuates his thoughts.
And after his conversation with Minhee today, he knows you would both do anything to protect one another.
“What are you doing in here?” you ask, hugging him from behind. Your eyes stare at the picture in the frame and you laugh, “Oh my days, Minhee and I were so young back then,” you fondly pout.
Sunghoon wraps an arm around your shoulder, “I was looking for the bathroom to get you cleaned up but I came across his room,” he admits sheepishly, rubbing your shoulder.
“Hmm,” you acknowledge, taking the frame and placing it back on the desk. You pause your motions as you look around his desk. It had been a long time since you had been in your brother's room, possibly 2 years, but you don’t remember all of the clutter on his worktop.
Picking up the paper fortune teller, you can't help but laugh at the whimsical relic of your childhood, "I didn't know he kept all this stuff," you say wistfully, your fingers tracing the faded creases of the paper. Memories flood your mind as you recall the countless hours spent crafting these simple yet cherished treasures with your brother.
Your gaze then falls upon the painting, a colourful masterpiece that holds a special place in your heart despite its simplistic charm. "And look at this," you remark, your voice tinged with nostalgia. "I remember making this in nursery. It was supposed to be a house, but I’m clearly no Picasso," you chuckle, the memory bringing warmth to your heart.
Putting it back, you see the picture you sent him from your award ceremony, sitting proudly next to his mouse, “He printed this out?” you ask no one, “I thought this would be the last picture he would want to see every day.”
The picture didn’t just represent your achievement, it represented the lies you sat in for months without Minhee knowing. This picture was amongst the bunch that had you and Sunghoon sitting happily in love, an accidental click that exposed your deceit. 
Sunghoon kisses your temple, “He’s proud of you, baby,” he says, trying to ease your tense shoulders, “That night, sure, the aftermath was a shitshow. But you still achieved something amazing, and he’s proud.”
His words lighten you a little, a smile creeping on your face as you put it back. Shaking your emotions away, you look up at your boyfriend, “Let’s get out of here, I’ll show you where the bathroom is.” You push him out of Minhee’s bedroom, closing the door behind you.
“While you’re up,” Sunghoon follows you, hand in yours, “Why don’t we just take a shower?” he suggests, wiggling his eyebrows mischievously.
You roll your eyes and open up the bathroom door, “Fine, but only quickly, last time I started to shrivel up like a prune with how long you kept me in there,” you joke, turning the light on. 
Sunghoon smirks, “I promise, I’ll be quick,” he leans down to your ear, “I’ll just make sure I go at you rough and hard, hmm?”
taglist (closed!!): @heelee-01 @zerasari @beomgyusonlywife @iwaplant @monstanctiny21 @chiiiiiiiiis @minniejenseo @run2gyuz @jngwnlvs @haelahoops @capri-cuntz @nctislifue @jaehoonii @weyukinluv @skzenhalove @enhypenlovre @cherriruto @bambangan @who-tf-soddhi @nxzz-skz @nshmrarki @hotsforikeu @enhastolemyheart @erehkinnie30 @judeduartewannabe @neosexual @fakeuwus @positivelyinlovewithjungwon @tobiosbbyghorl @kimsunoops
441 notes · View notes
ssturniolo · 5 months
Note
could u write something where reader is going through a sort of depressive episode where like trader just kinda feels hopeless and stuff and is pushing chris away and so he doesn’t understand why until matt like points it out and so chris then feels bad and comforts reader sorry if this is long😭
Everything’ll be alright
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𝔭𝔞𝔦𝔯𝔦𝔫𝔤 - Chris x fem!reader
𝔰𝔲𝔪𝔪𝔞𝔯𝔶 - request <3
𝔴𝔞𝔯𝔫𝔦𝔫𝔤𝔰 - mentions of depression, bad mental health, Chris being oblivious, not proofread
Everything in your life has just been going wrong. Or at least it’s felt that way. Simple everyday tasks have grown increasingly difficult to do and every waking moment is it’s own battle. You’ve had no contact with the outside world in who knows how long, not even your own boyfriend. It just seems as though nobody cares and that, along with everything else is slowly destroying you.
Only leaving your bed to use the bathroom and grab another bag of chips that will eventually be thrown to the side uneaten, has been how you’ve been living for awhile now. You’re filled with this overwhelming feeling of despair and it just won’t go away. At war with your own mind, and there doesn’t seem to be a light at the end of this tunnel. Just a dead end.
*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** **
Chris lays on the couch, scrolling through Instagram while hoping that you’ll answer one of his million texts. He knows you’re pushing him away but he can’t figure out why. What did he do wrong? You’re his first girlfriend and he’s so afraid to loose you but he doesn’t know what’s wrong or what to do.
“Me and Nick are going to McDonald’s if you want to bring y/n,” Matt calls as he grabs his keys off the counter.
“No that’s ok, I don’t think she’d want to” Chris reply’s, not looking up from his phone.
“But I thought she loves McDonald’s? I haven’t heard from her in awhile, how’s she doing?” Matt asks, his voice laced with concern.
“I wouldn’t know” Chris mumbles, clearly hurt.
Every once in awhile you kind of disappear but you’ve never done it for this long, let along not talking to Chris at all.
“Did you guys break up?” Matt asks gently as he sits by Chris on the couch.
“No but she ghosted me” Chris starts, pressing his palms into his eyes. “She’s completely disappeared off of social media, and never answers my texts or calls even when it says she’s active.”
Worry is painted across Matt’s features as he watches his brother fight off tears.
“Chris I think you should go check up on her. Y/n wouldn’t do this without a really good reason and I think she’s really struggling right now. I’ll bring you on the way to McDonald’s ok?”
Chris never thought about that fact you might not be doing well, he was more concerned about you ignoring him.
“Ok, let’s go.”
*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** **
You’ve been curled up on your bed, staring at the same spot on your wall for what’s seemed like forever. How long exactly? You have no clue. Your only telling of time was whether there was light peeking through the blinds, or if everything was just swallowed in darkness.
The creak of the door to your room opening startles you out of your dazed state, confused as you hadn’t heard anyone come into your apartment.
“Hey there princess” a familiar voice whispers as he shuts the door behind him.
Chris.
Without another word, he climbs into your bed, snaking his arms around you, holding you close against his chest. And that’s all it took for you to burst into tears, wetting his t-shirt as you cry into his chest.
“I’m trapped Chris, I’m trapped” you manage to cry out in between sobs.
“I don’t know what to do”
“Everything will be alright baby, we’ll figure this out together, I’ve got you” he whispers soothingly into your hair.
There’s a terrible pressure on your chest, you feel everything and nothing at the same time, and your whole life seems to be crumbling down in front of you, but Chris is there. Right besides you through it all just like he’s always been. The world could be falling apart and he’d be there, ready to hold you in his arms and tell you everything will be alright.
Right now, all you need is Chris and he doesn’t plan on leaving anytime soon.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thank you for the request my love 🫶🏻
XOXO - Zoe
Tag-list ⬇️
@dwntwn-strnlo @soleilsturniolos @mbbsgf @gabbylovesreading @0-r-a-y-0 @sturn3g1rl @lvrsparadise @taylorssfilmsss @emssturniolo @ilovemattsturn @nickenthusiast @itsaaliyah2 @thetriplets3 @urfavstromboli
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thefallennightmare · 6 months
Text
Just Pretend-nine
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*gif created by me. feel free to use, simply give credit*
Parings: Noah Sebastian x Musician! Reader
Warnings/Tropes: language, angst, fluff, smut, star-crossed lovers, right person/wrong time, cheating, talks of mental abuse.
Summary: “I can wait for years, heaven knows I’m not getting over you.” A story about two star-crossed lovers, that always find their way back because their souls are entwined. The universe desperately attempts to bring them together, no matter what the cost.
Authors Note: PLEASE, we are begging you guys. Take your time with this one, so many different emotions throughout. Its a big fucking deal and read it slow, immerse yourself in this world while listening to the playlist. Enjoy my lovelies. 😉
Collaborating With: @thescarlettvvitch(better give her all the love as well)
Tags: @thescarlettvvitch @ozwriterchick @waake-meee-up @notingridslurkaccount @niicoleleigh @sammyjoeee @xxrainstorm @dominuslunae @notmaddihealy @malice-ov-mercy @crimson-calligraphyx @iknownothingpeople @writethrough @thebadchic @blackveilomens Claudia on Tumblr @tobe-written @blacksoul-27 @loeytuan98 @loverofagoodbeard @comfortcharactercraze @lma1986 @plutonikchaos1 @spicywhenspeaking @lyschko666 @somewhere-diamond
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NOAH
"I'm so fucking glad we're staying in a hotel the next few days," Folio groaned as we walked down the long hallway of the hotel.
I nodded in agreement. "I can't believe the tour is almost over; our last show is tomorrow night."
With our last show tomorrow night, we were spending the next few nights in a hotel and we all planned to take flights back home so we could get there faster. Hollow Souls were also staying in this hotel but they were a floor beneath us but it seemed the farther I went from Y/N, those imaginary pull strings inside of my heart tightened. If it hurt this bad when she was a floor underneath, how bad would it hurt when she was a state away?
As far as I knew, she still had plans to go back to Vegas because that's where her home was, granted it was with Trey. There wasn't a part of me that was worried she would go back to him; I knew she wouldn't. Ever since they fired him, Hollow Souls has been thriving. They posted on their social media pages that Trey was kicked out of the band due to personal reasons and while most of their fans complained about them kicking out their main vocalist, there was a select few that were excited to see what the future of Hollow Souls looked like.
Y/N was upset at first that so many of their fans were boycotting them now because they decided to kick Trey out.
"Seems like they only care about Trey's vocals when I'm the one that actually wrote our songs."
It took a while of Malcolm and Chase talking to her to realize that their future together as a band was looking bright. They could reinvent themselves.
I filled in for the last two shows but after playing my set for thirty minutes before their hour-and-a-half set, my voice was getting raw and sore so Matt thought it be best if I didn't fill in for the last show. I was going to argue, not wanting to let them down, but Chase reassured me they'd figure out what to do for the last show.
Y/N has been glowing since Trey left, slowly becoming a better woman in front of all of us; to me, she'd always been perfect. But we could all see her confidence growing. With her face in the dirt far too many times with Trey, she finally said enough; it doesn't hurt anymore. As all of his lies crumbled down, Y/N found a new life.
To say all of us were proud of her was a fucking understatement.
"Hey," Jolly bumped shoulders with mine, pulling me from my thoughts as we stopped in front of the door to his room. "Bryan wants us ready to go in twenty minutes."
Oh, right.
We were currently in Oregon and Bryan planned some time today on our off day to visit one of the national parks here to take some promo photos of us.
"Yeah, I'll be ready to go. I need to change quickly and I'll meet you guys down in the lobby," I said as I walked down a few more doors until I stopped in front of my room; the one I was sharing with Nick.
He patted my shoulder as he walked past me into the room. "You should ask if Y/N wants to come with."
I shrugged off his words, trying not to make it seem that I'd been tossing around the idea for the last hour when Bryan first told us about his plan.
"She might have plans with Chase and Malcolm," I said while tossing my suitcase onto the bed, quickly rifling through the clothes to find something to change into.
"She doesn't. Last I heard, Chase and Malcolm are going out tonight so Y/N will be alone," Nick raised a suggestive brow.
With a long sigh, I turned to face him. "You already planned this, didn't you?"
"It was Chase's idea," he answered.
Rolling my eyes, I pulled out my phone to send a text to Y/N.
Get dressed, I'll be by your room in fifteen minutes.
She responded quickly before I had the chance to set my phone down.
Care to tell me where we're going?
All you need to know is to dress warm, angel.
You're full of surprises. See you soon, mochi. Room 245.
"Mochi?" I chuckled to myself while pocking my phone.
With a smile playing at my lips and my heart pounding loudly in my heart at the nickname, I tossed on a fresh hoodie and my tan jacket, opting to leave my hair down. Nick finished getting dressed when I did and once we stepped out in the hallway, Jolly and Folio were already waiting for us right outside our door.
"Fuck," I cursed while clutching my chest. "You scared the shit out of me, Folio."
"Too busy thinking about Y/N, huh?" He gave a playful smile.
Shoving him on the shoulder, I mentioned we needed to stop by her room before heading down to the lobby.
Jolly adjusted the guitar bag on his back. "She's coming with?"
I hesitantly nodded. "Is that alright? Nick said she was alone, and I felt bad if we left her while we did something."
They all smirked at my rambling as we took the stairs down one floor, our footsteps echoing in the small confined space.
"Of course it is, we don't mind when she tags along," Jolly said.
Coming to a stop in front of door 245, I gently rapped my knuckles against it and waited for her petite voice to carry through the wood. It was silent for a few moments, nerves ate away at my stomach as I wondered why she wasn't answering yet.
I knocked once again, this time with a bit more force, and breathed a little when a loud curse sounded from the other side.
"Hang on, someone's at the door."
I looked over to Nick with a raised brow, and he merely shrugged. "Chase and Malcolm are gone so I don't know who she's talking to."
The door opened with a quick brush of air, and my heart skipped a beat at the sight in front of me. Y/N was dressed in a pair of black tights, and a deep orange sweater that rested to the middle of her thighs, and her hair was pulled back in a high ponytail. I had to resist the urge to wrap my fingers through it to pull her back to me as she turned back into the room.
"Give me two minutes, I have to get my shoes," She said while clutching her phone to her ear. "No, Dad. Not you. I've got plenty of time to talk."
While the rest of the guys hung out in the hallway, I leaned against the wall right next to her bed and watched her as she slipped on her typical Doc Martin, nodding every so often to something her dad was saying on the other end of the phone.
"Dad, you seem to forget that you're seventeen hours ahead of me right now," she laughed causing my heart to flutter. "It's only noon here. Wait, why are you calling me so early? Isn't it your day off?"
She paced around the room looking for something and realizing what it was; I grabbed her bag and slung it over my shoulder. "I got it."
Y/N smiled her thanks before the conversation with her dad took her attention again. "No, I haven't talked to Mom in a while…. well, the last time she tried to guilt trip me into staying with her when the tour was over…I'm not staying at Trey's place anymore. We broke up.…..yea, long time coming, tell me about it….I'm sure I'll figure it out but I'm not staying in Vegas anymore…..hell yes I'm keeping Salem; asshole doesn't do shit for my cat."
I couldn't ignore the way my stomach flipped hearing that she didn't plan on staying in the same state as Trey.
"I can't move in with Malcolm or Chase because they're actually finding their own place together…Dad, they're dating; have been for the last six months…Yeah, that will explain exactly why Chase and I never got together."
I chuckled as I thought of her dad trying to set up her and Chase.
"You saw videos from the show last night?" There was a clear shock in her voice as she continued to talk with her dad as she rushed around the room getting ready.
"I'm surprised because you don't even know how to work face time," she giggled. "Oh, he's a friend of ours. We've been touring with his band for the last few weeks. Yeah, he filled in the last couple of shows….you think so? That's what everyone is saying online."
Her gaze flicked up to mine as her lips parted slightly, whatever her dad said made her give a long pause.
"Just a friend, dad." Then she turned swiftly on her heels away from me to whisper something low into the phone.
"I'm sorry," she mouthed to me with a pulled expression as she looked over her shoulder..
I waved her off. "Take your time."
"Dad, you know I miss you but I can't move to Japan; not now. But yes, I promise to visit you as soon as I can."
Eventually, after another minute, she said goodbye before hanging up with an audible groan. "Don't get me wrong, I love my dad but sometimes he forgets we talk almost every other day. He wants a play-by-play of my life every time."
"He wants you to visit?" I questioned.
She nodded while slipping into a jacket. "Yeah but its hard to find time. You need more than a weekend to visit Japan; there's so much to do."
"Yeah," I pushed her hand away when she went to reach for her bag. "I've got it."
"Noah, you don't have to carry my bag," she chuckled.
I shrugged. "I don't mind. Ready?"
"Yep," she smiled that heart-stopping smile.
When she walked past me towards the open door, my fingers grazed the inside of her wrist to stop her.
"Mochi?" I asked.
"Yes," she responded immediately. "Because you're the sweetest and your tummy is soft."
She poked her finger into my stomach before letting out a loud shriek of laughter as I wrapped an arm around her shoulders to bring her into my embrace, the both of us walking to the doorway where the guys were waiting.
"Malcolm and Chase are going to meet us once they're finished with their date," Y/N said.
"I'll text them the address," Nick said while pulling out his phone.
"Where are we headed?"
"The mountains," Folio answered with a smile.
"Ooh," she slipped out of my embrace, much to my dismay, to rummage around her suitcase for a book before she came back to me, lifting my arm and throwing it over her shoulder once again. "Now I'm ready."
Resisting the urge to press a kiss to her forehead, I set my sunglasses over my eyes and pulled her along with me as she let the door close behind us and ignored the smug look Nick threw my way as we walked past him; Y/N wrapping an arm around my back.
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NOAH
"Can you believe how many people are calling for us to collaborate? It's all over Twitter," Nick said while browsing on his phone.
"Shit, really?" Y/N peered over from the back seat so she could gaze down at Nick's phone, who sat in front of her.
I was driving the van to the location that Bryan chose for our photo shoot but Folio called shotgun before she could which earned a cute little pout on her lips; lips that I wanted so bad to taste once again. So she sat in the far back with Jolly while Nick and Bryan sat in the middle. It was weird not having Chase or Malcolm with us since we did everything together on our off days.
"What are they saying?" I wondered while keeping my eyes on the road.
"Fans want you to feature on Hollow Souls next album," Y/N grinned as our eyes locked in the rearview mirror for a few seconds.
I hummed while pulling the van to a stop at the park's entrance. "I'm around whenever you need me, angel."
Once we all piled out, I met Jolly and Bryan at the back of the van to help them unload the equipment while Y/N chatted quietly with both of the Nicks, and out of the corner of my eye; I marveled at how goddess-like she looked with the afternoon sun casting her with her own aura glow. Jolly caught me staring because he smacked my chest before handing me the guitar he brought.
"You could ask her out, ya know," Bryan smirked.
I snapped my gaze over to him. "I can't."
"Why not? It's clear she feels the same since she's here right now," he said.
A long sigh fell from my lips as I ran a hand over my face. "It's not that easy, guys."
Bryan rolled his eyes and then hung his camera from his neck. "I mean you've already kissed, how much easier could things be between you two?"
"You told him?" I seethed at Jolly, who held up his hands.
"I didn't say anything. You two give it away with all the romantic googly-eye shit," he chuckled while he and Bryan began walking up the long trail toward the top of the mountain where we planned on taking the pictures.
"Hey," Y/N smiled as she bounded up next to me. "Little photo shoot?"
Immediately the scowl that followed Byran and Jolly turned into a warm smile, matching Y/N's, and I nodded. We began walking step in step, hands brushing against each other every so often, and I nearly linked fingers with her more than once. However, when we reached some rocky terrain while walking up a hill, Y/N cursed herself for not wearing smarter shoes.
"Here," I bent low in front of her and patted to my back.
"No, you're not carrying me," she tried to laugh it off, but I knew she was nervous about me carrying her weight on my back.
"Angel."
I peered over my shoulder in time to see her place her hands low on her hips.
"Mochi," she teased back with a small smirk.
My heart skipped a long beat at hearing the nickname again. It sounded so fucking sweet falling from her lips; almost as much as my actual name sounded.
"We can do this the easy way or the hard way," I said, still bent low at my knees.
Y/N pulled at the bottom of her sweater dress. "I don't want to give these bozos a show."
She threw a thumb over her shoulder towards both Nick's who walked a few paces behind her. I rose to my knees and gave her a suggestive smirk while closing the distance between us.
"What color are they?"
"Uh," Y/N stammered but quickly recovered. "A cute olive green. Looks great against my skin tone."
A low noise vibrated in the back of my throat and I stood straighter as Folio walked passed just in time to feel the growing sexual tension.
"Either you hop on his back or I will," he joked as he and Nick walked passed us.
She stared up at me and slowly licked her lips, an action I watched carefully through my sunglasses. "Noah?"
"Yes, angel?"
"You have a cute nose," her voice was quiet, and I thought I misheard her.
I titled my head to the side. "My nose?"
"Yeah. It's just the perfect size for your facial structure," she finished with a boop to my nose.
I scrunched up my face. "Did-did you just boop my nose?"
"See!" She pointed to my face. "You look so fucking cute; it's insane."
"Angel, literally," I breathed a low chuckle.
"Mochi, literally," she mocked while sticking her tongue out.
My fingers itched to grab it but Bryan's loud voice echoed through the trees from far ahead. "Let's go you losers! You're holding us up."
I swear to-.
"What will it be, angel?" I asked.
Y/N dramatically sighed before motioning for me to spin around, which I did with a quick wink.
"If you drop me, I swear to Hades," She grumbled while adjusting her dress.
The warmth radiated from her in giant waves as her legs wrapped around my sides and I hooked my arms underneath her thighs to hoist her up.
"I swear to Hades that I will not drop you," I promised while walking up the steep hill towards the rest of the guys. "Do you actually pray to the Greek Gods?"
She flicked my ear. "No, silly. I just like to joke around with them. They're my favorite mythology."
"Will you teach me about them?
"I'm honored you asked; I'd love to," she ran her fingers through my long hair and I briefly let my eyes flutter shut at the calming feeling.
"Only if you let me braid your hair."
My eyes snapped open. "Uh, we'll see about that."
She flicked my ear again. "You're no fun."
Hooking her tighter against me, I closed the distance between us and the guys in a few long strides. Nick gave the two of us a look as I set Y/N down gently on her feet, she quickly pulling down her dress.
"You didn't see shit," she pointed a firm finger to all of us.
"Nope."
"Nothing."
"I have no idea what you're talking about," Bryan held up his camera and snapped a few pictures of Y/N; who in return, flipped him the finger.
I watched with a racing heart as she messed around with the guys, almost as if she'd been part of our little group for years.
"Alright," Y/N pulled the book out of her bag. "I'll let you guys do your thing. If you need me, I'll be reading over there."
She pointed to the edge of the mountain that looked over the small lake we drove past to get here.
"Be careful, angel," I warned.
"I'll be fine," Y/N rolled her eyes but as she turned, she tripped over a rock and stumbled a bit before standing straight.
I raised a teasing brow at her while crossing my arms over my chest. "What was that?"
"Fuck you," she taunted with her middle finger.
Don't tempt me, angel.
The next hour passed in a blur as we took countless pictures, just having a fun, relaxing time. Every so often, my gaze would fall onto Y/N as she leaned up against a large willow tree, book perched in her lap. The wind blew through her ponytail every so often and I marveled at how fucking breathtaking she looked when her face would scrunch in surprise with whatever she was reading.
I knew from the moment I stepped off our bus the first day of the tour when I saw her standing amongst the group; when we first met. It wasn't the typical love at first sight bullshit Folio talks about that happens in the movies. It was more like a familiarity, almost like 'oh, hello. It's you. It's always going to be you.'
"Noah, could you take a little step forward," Bryan directed.
Snapping my gaze away from Y/N reluctantly, I followed Bryan's orders for another long few minutes until he decided we got enough pictures. I motioned towards Y/N, who still had her nose perched in her book, and Bryan knew what I silently was saying because he snapped a few pictures of her.
Malcolm and Chase walked up just as we finished our photoshoot so a quick idea came to my mind.
"Angel," I called.
She looked up. "Hm?"
Not saying anything, I waved her, Malcolm, and Chase over to our position which they did hesitantly.
"If Bryan is cool with it," I pointed to him. "What do you guys say for a Hollow Souls photoshoot? New and reimagined?"
Bryan immediately agreed. "Let me change out some things and we can get started.
Chase and Malcolm also agreed with a nod. "I think it'll be good for us."
"You guys don't have to do this for us," Y/N stated. "You've already done so much for us, Noah by filling in."
I shrugged while stuffing my hands deep into the pockets of my jeans. "I take care of the people I care about."
She pondered my words for a long moment and eventually let out a long breath. "Alright fine."
Once Bryan returned, the rest of stepped back to give them space to work. Nick was the only one who watched me as Jolly, Folio, and I kept our eyes on Hollow Souls. We grabbed a few beers from the cooler Jolly packed and was nursing them slowly.
"You know, this would be a perfect opportunity to maybe slip away just the two of you," Nick whispered.
I peered over to him and rolled my eyes, shoving him in the shoulder. "Whatever."
"I'm just saying," he held up his hands in defense. "A night under the stars in the mountains. Anybody would kill for a date like that."
Nick's words weighed heavily on my brain and when she began walking towards me, I made the haste decision by grabbing the guitar that was leaning against the tree.
"Hi," Y/N smiled as I met her halfway.
My heart warmed at the sight.
"Do you want to go somewhere more secluded, just the two of us?" I suggested with a hopeful smile.
I didn't want to think how I would feel if she rejected me and walked away from me.
"Sure," she answered quickly with a glimmer shining in her eyes.
Ultimately, after walking for a few minutes, we decided on an area far from the rest of the group down the water's edge. We sat down in the sand, our knees brushing against each other, and held the guitar in my lap as I watched her stare out into the vast distance of the water. There was a faraway look in the depths of her eyes as she messed with something on her wrist, fiddling it between her fingers.
A hair tie; the one I gave her the last time we were on the beach together. I wondered where it went but decided that I never wanted it back. It's hers to keep; along with everything else I gave her.
"How are you doing, angel?" I asked, breaking the growing silence.
She didn't look at me, kept her eyes straight ahead.
"I'm-." A hesitant breath. "I'm not sure. I want to believe I'm doing okay with the breakup of not only my relationship but also the band. For the longest time, Hollow Souls was the four of us and we released three records together. The future scares the shit out of me. Can the three of us reinvent a new Hollow Souls or do we need to find someone to replace Trey completely?"
I strummed a few random notes on the guitar; the melody echoing into the sounds of the waves.
"I think a fresh start in all aspects is good for you," I answered slowly, trying to get my thoughts and words right. "I've said it from the start, you're the heart and soul of this band, Y/N. The screams were a bonus. It didn't make or break you guys."
She finally looked towards me and her eyes darted over every inch of my face, wondering if my words were the truth. With her, they always were.
"I don't know what I'd do without you, mochi. Truly."
I scrunched up my face to show that the nickname wasn't my favorite but deep down, my insides were floating in pure bliss having her call me something so disgustingly cute. If any of the guys heard it, though, they would give me shit until the end of my days.
"Ditto, angel, ditto."
I tried to play it cool, sauvé, and chill. My typical demeanor was chipping like ice though, the fear of what would happen if it broke completely had its vise grip on me. No one has ever considered a fuckin a nickname for me, not one without a punchline. Not one without a groan or a cursed tantrum that followed. I wasn’t sure if the pure bliss I was feeling was normal, but who the hell wants normal? Hearing it come from her lips meant everything to me.
"Let's play something," I motioned to the guitar.
"Ooh, what do you have in mind?" She asked while turning her body to face me completely head-on and letting her hair flow as she took it out of the ponytail.
The view of her sitting in front of me with the waves crashing behind her, the setting sun's rays breaking over the horizon stole the breath from my chest.
"Only Love," I answered without an ounce of hesitation.
Y/N's nose scrunched up with confusion and I'd be lying if I said it wasn't the cutest fucking thing ever.
"Noah, that was a demo song from three years ago."
I shrugged and played the first few notes of the song. "Might be silly to some but to me, it means a lot."
It was true. I listened to that song on repeat when it first came out. It was the first song I heard by Hollow Souls and Y/N's voice captivated my heart with its claws. I remember laying on the pullout couch next to Nick in his bedroom as I stayed there yet again. My mind was racing with only one thought.
I have to fucking make it. I needed to buy my own couch that brought a sense of comfort and security I yearned for.
That's when her soft voice came through my headphones and it shocked me to hear a feminine voice after Of Mice and Men. I brushed the hair away from my eyes as I settled deeper into the couch and let Y/N's angelic voice lull me to sleep that night and far too long after.
Cut to three years later and the girl who wrote that song is here in front of me. Some may call it a ‘rockstar crush. Would she be considered that? Who the hell knows? All I know is that I had pent-up memories, and needed to hear that sweet voice sing it, just for me all these years later.
Y/N's real, right there in front of me.
"I'm shocked you remember that song."
"Why wouldn't I? You talked about it being on the cloud during that one livestream," I answered.
Her eyes doubled. "You watched the livestream?"
"Twice."
A red hue brushed across the soft skin of her face as she tilted her head down towards the sand, long hair covering her face.
"No," I brushed away the hair behind her ear. "Don't hide your beautiful face, angel. I want to see all of you if you'd let me."
"Sorry," she muttered under her breath. "I don't even realize I do it."
"Don't apologize. Never apologize to me. Just understand that this is how I see you. Now, enough sadness. Sing for me, angel."
She looked up at me through lashes with a small smile. "Do you know how to play it?"
I snorted, a little hurt that she would doubt me, but proved her wrong as I played the opening part of the song.
"I told you I watched the stream twice."
"Okay," she nodded. "Where did you want me to start?"
"Sing the whole song for me. Please?" I begged.
"You want me to sing the whole song?"
"I do," I rushed out.
Y/N gave a curt nod. “Okay, I’ll play the whole thing- but only because you asked me too, no one else gets the privilege.”
I playfully narrowed my eyes at her. “They better not.”
She took a deep breath while shutting her eyes as I played the tune on the guitar.
"I’m hoping you weren’t heaven sent cause only hell knows where you’ve been. Your built composure’s wearing thin and all your walls are caving in. Before you shut this down, I just wanna lift you up. I’ll take all this love I found and I hope that it’s enough."
We both could hear the ache in our hearts as it bled out, the lyrics mean so fucking much right now.
"Now don’t you shut this down. Ooh no don’t you give this up. I took all this love I found and I hope that it’s enough. Is it enough? If we don’t bend, then this might break. Please don’t give into this pain. Just keep on counting down the days and dream of me to keep you safe."
Y/n opened her eyes to meet mine, a blaze of passion that cut deep into my bones.
"Before you came around I was lost and out of place. You’re the only love I found and I’m hoping that you’ll stay. Please stay."
As we played on together in perfect harmony, there was one thing bright in clear in my mind: I'd stay for as long as she let me.
"Fuck," she breathed. "I forgot how much I loved singing this song."
I nodded in agreement while setting the guitar down next to me. "It's one of my favorites. It's actually what got me into Hollow Souls. I'd been hooked on your voice since that first night on Nick's couch all those years ago when I first heard it."
Y/N beamed when an idea struck her with such force, she stumbled to her feet. "I have to talk with Chase and Malcolm about something."
She took off a few steps in front of me, clearly excited about this idea she had. As we reached the rest of the guys, Y/N made a beeline toward Chase to tell him about her idea while I walked up to Nick and Folio, the former giving me a look.
"So my date idea was good, huh?" He playfully jabbed my side.
I pushed him away with a groan of embarrassment. "Fuck off, Nicholas."
"Oh, he pulled out the full name," Folio teased.
Jolly and Bryan joined us as we finished packing up the van and when I glanced over to Y/N, I noticed Malcolm pinching her cheeks playfully and she smacked his hands away, her cheeks flushed with her own embarrassment and large smile.
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NOAH
"Oh wow, look at all of these beautiful people tonight!" Y/N's voice carried through the sold-out arena.
It was the last show of tour and Hollow Souls just took the stage for their set. We could feel the nerves radiate off of all three of them all the way where we stood on the stage to watch them. This was new what they planned on doing tonight but the three of them spent the rest of last night after we parted ways at the hotel and all morning and afternoon today practicing nonstop a new setlist. They wanted to show everyone tonight the first step towards the new Hollow Souls.
"Where's Noah?!" a voice yelled from the crowd.
Jolly chuckled from beside me. "Think they'll be upset you don't show up tonight?"
I ran a hand through my hair and sighed. "I hope not. This is something that they need to prove they can do. The fans need to have faith in Hollow Souls."
"Well, about that," Malcolm spoke into his microphone while adjusting his bass strap.
"Now before you all start booing us off the stage," Chase spoke next from his spot above on his makeshift drum stage. "Noah has been fucking killing it not only with Bad Omens this tour but also helping us out a lot. But tonight, we wanted to do something a little different. We still have our guitar tech filling in for us!"
The crowd cheered for their guitar tech, which made him give an awkward wave.
"I know this may take getting used to, but we appreciate your support in doing what’s right for us and our band," Y/N said. "It means so fucking much to all of us you still showed up tonight even knowing Trey is no longer with us. For that, we're going to give you a kick ass show you deserved. Don't give up on Hollow Souls. We cut out the disease and are ready to fucking blossom."
Y/N peered over to me and with a small wave and wink, she sang the first few lyrics of Only Love.
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NOAH
Darkness cascaded over my sleeping form, a brush of moonlight breaking through the curtains pulled tight in our hotel room, and I buried myself deeper into the cocoon of blankets. Sleep was within my grasp and after the last few weeks, the thought of finally being able to sleep in my own bed back at home made it that much easier to grasp it.
Until my phone buzzed from its place on the nightstand and my hand smacked around until it grabbed it. Through hazy vision, I blinked a few times for the words to clear.
Hey, are you awake?-Angel.
I sat up in bed and rubbed away the rest of the sleep from my eyes. It only meant one thing when someone texted you the typical you up text.
Yeah, couldn't sleep.
Bullshit, you were seconds away from waking up Nick with your snoring.
I stared at the bubbles that appeared on my screen and then disappeared, only to reappear right before her next text came through.
Would it be alright if I came by to hang out? Or is it too late?
The clock at the top of my screen showed it was just before midnight.
Not at all. I've got snacks, and we can finally finish watching Spirited Away. Room 392
Be there in five minutes. I'll bring some goodies too! :)
I chucked a pillow at Nick, who was fast asleep in his bed, but when he remained sleeping, I threw another. Eventually, he groaned, slowly waking up.
"You need to leave." I scrambled out of bed and pulled away the blankets from Nick. "Y/N's coming by to hang out."
Nick smoothed down his bedhead, a sly smirk on his lips. "You're kicking me out right now?"
"Fuck yes I am. Go bunk with Bryan or Matt," I said while changing out of my old gray sweats for a pair of black joggers, opting to put on a shirt.
He yawned before grabbing the things he would need and dragged his feet to the door, sending a text to whoever he bunked with.
"Be safe!" Nick called out before the door shut behind him.
With seconds to spare, I quickly tidied up the room then set up a variety of snacks and pulled up the movie on my laptop, setting it on the bed just in time for a soft knock to sound on the door. I let out a few deep calming breaths and did a quick once over of myself in the mirror.
"Hi," I smiled once I opened the door.
Y/N's eyes grazed over every inch of me as she shifted on her feet in the doorway, clutching a bag close to her chest. She was dressed in a pair of sleep shorts and an oversized shirt.
"Do you always sleep shirtless?" she asked with a raised brow.
I stepped to the side, allowing her to step inside the room. "Every hotel room I sleep in can't get any colder than seventy degrees. I need it to be at least sixty-eight. I run hot when I sleep and the guys know not to mess with the thermostat back home."
"Wow, good to know. I'll keep my hands to myself when I come over," she wiggled her fingers after setting her bag down on the couch.
Please don't.
I peeked a brow. "When you come over?"
"Oh, if you thought you saw the last of me because the tour is over, you're wrong," she fell onto the couch with a huff of breath. "I'm moving to Los Angeles."
My heart thumped loudly in my chest but I did my best to hide my excitement when I sat next to her.
"You are?" I questioned.
She nodded with that room-brightening smile. "I had a long talk with Chase and Malcolm tonight and we thought it is best. With us trying to reinvent Hollow Souls it'd be good if we were together for the writing process. Malcolm already found a place big enough for us and while he's going there to get things ready, Chase is flying back with me to Vegas to help me pack my things."
I shifted in my seat, resting my arm against the back of the couch, behind Y/N. "Do you think Trey will be there?"
"Probably but that's why Chase is coming with me; in case things go south."
"I could come too if you'd like," I stumbled over my words only slightly.
Y/N rested a hand on my knee and squeezed it. "You need to stop worrying so much about me, Noah. I can't ask you to change your plans for something I should do on my own."
"You're worth it, angel," I vowed while running a finger through the soft waves of her hair.
We stayed in that position for a minute longer, simply staring into each other's eyes, and when I ran my tongue over my bottom lip, Y/N let out a soft whine. The thick tension that always seemed to be around us intensified now, and it was almost hard to breathe, let alone keep my thoughts off the way her hand grazed a few inches higher on my thigh.
I cleared my throat while nodding to the bag next to her. "What did you bring?"
"Oh," she snapped out of her trance and set it on her lap. "Last tour, I started this tradition on the final night I celebrate by doing self-care."
She pulled out an array of masks and different colors of nail polish and then set them on the small coffee table in front of us.
"Sweet, hand me one," I nodded towards the masks.
"You do masks?" Y/N giggled.
"What, you think I get this perfect skin with just water?" I jeered with a smile.
For the next while, we sat with our face masks on and watched the movie on the small screen of my laptop. It took almost no convincing from her to paint my nails black; her choosing a burgundy color for her nails. But now, what she was trying to convince of me gave me a slight pause.
"I don't know, angel. I don't let just anyone touch my hair," I said while putting away my laptop, us finishing the movie.
Y/N moved to the chair that sat in the room's corner and had her legs spread wide. "It's a good thing I'm not anyone. Now, get your ass over here and let me braid your hair."
For added effect, she pouted her bottom lip out and gave me those big doe eyes.
"Fine," I sighed before sitting on the floor between her legs, my back to her.
I shivered under her touch as she raked her fingers through my hair to break apart the small knots that gathered while I slept earlier.
"So, which Greek God is your favorite?" I asked.
She hummed. "Without a doubt, Medusa. Her story is tragic and sometimes often told wrong but that's the thing with mythology; there are so many different versions, you just have to choose which one you believe more."
"Medusa is the one with the snake hair, right?"
"Yeah," she turned my head to the left as she began braiding that side. "Some stories said she was an original gorgon sister but recent tellings from Ovid say she was a beautiful maiden who worked in Athena's temple. Poseidon saw her from afar and just like Zeus always did, Poseidon decided he wanted Medusa. He had sex with her on the temple steps and Athena punished her by turning her into the gorgon with snake hair and cursed any man to turn to stone when they looked at her."
I whistled low. "Shit, Greek gods were assholes."
Y/N snorted. "You don't even know the half of it."
Once she finished the left side, she turned my head to the right so she could start on that side.
"How'd her story end?"
"In tragedy, like every other myth. Perseus was sent to behead her by King Polydectes of Seriphus because Polydectes wanted to marry Perseus's mother. The gods were well aware of this, and Perseus got help. He received a mirrored shield from Athena, sandals with gold wings from Hermes, a sword from Hephaestus, and Hades's helm of invisibility."
"Wait," I turned to look up at her, which made her chastise me because I messed up the braid. "Athena, who turned her into this monster, helped the guy who was sent to kill her?"
"Fucked up, I know."
With stern hands, she turned my head to the right again. "Since Medusa was the only one of the three Gorgons who was mortal, Perseus could slay her; he did so while looking at the reflection from the mirrored shield he received from Athena. During that time, Medusa was pregnant by Poseidon so when Perseus beheaded her, Pegasus, the winged horse, and Chrysaor, a giant wielding a golden sword, sprang from her body."
"Oh Pegasus, from the Disney Hercules," I noted.
"That movie is so wrong but what do you expect for a kids' movie," Y/N chuckled then slapped her thighs. "All finished."
She showed me my reflection through her camera on her phone and I couldn't stop the smirk that pulled at my lips.
"I'll have to admit, angel. I look good with braids," I admitted while snatching her phone from her.
"Hey, what are you doing?!" She asked while reaching for it.
I leaned far back from her and posed for a few selfies. "I thought you'd like an updated selfie of me. I know you have the other two I sent you a few weeks ago."
With a red face, she snatched her phone back and held it close to her chest. "I do not."
Bullshit.
"Right, then let me see your pictures," I teased while kneeling in front of her, hands resting on her thighs, her skin ablaze with heat.
She swallowed thickly. "Fuck you, Sebastian."
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READER
I swallowed thickly while clutching my phone to my chest, knowing that he was correct about saving those two selfies he sent me before.
"Are you going to look at the selfie I took?" Noah taunted.
With a breath, I peered down at the phone only to suck in a large breath, body shivering underneath his warm touch on my thighs.
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"That's your new contact picture, mochi," I smirked while setting it and leaned deeper in the couch, not realizing that I pressed my core closer to Noah's face.
His eyes burned as his gaze darted from between my legs up to my face and his tongue darted out to wet his lips, almost imagining the taste.
"Angel," his voice was deep, it rumbling in his chest.
All the heat shot straight to my pussy as it clenched with desire, something that always happened when around Noah. Before, I took care of myself with this exact image in my mind but now that it was about to happen made me buzz with excitement.
"Can I?" He asked while breathing over my lap.
I raised my hips towards his face, all morals or thoughts if this was the best idea flew out of the window. We waited long enough for this moment ever since we shared that kiss so long ago. I wasn't a religious person at all but fuck, did I pray to Aphrodite about this moment countless times.
"Please," the word choked out on my lips.
With a low growl, Noah pulled me off of the chair and tossed me onto the bed before he crawled between my spread legs. His long fingers hooked the waistband of shorts and panties pulling them off in almost a quick snap and when blazed eyes stared down at my bare pussy, I tried to close my legs.
"Don't," Noah demanded while gripping my thighs tight to spread my legs again. "Don't hide a fucking thing from me, angel."
Shit.
"I've never actually-," The words died on my lips when I felt embarrassed about what I was about to say.
Noah leaned over me. "Wait, are you going to say what I think you're going to say?"
I turned my head away from him. "He never wanted to go down on me."
Noah cursed while cupping my chin so I could meet his gaze. "Don't think about him, angel. Just lay back and enjoy this."
I did my best to nod in his grasp. "Okay."
He suddenly crashed his lips to mine in a fiery, passionate kiss, as he forced his tongue past my lips to taste every inch of my mouth and I moaned into it, nails scratching against the bare skin of his chest. Noah's teeth dragged over my bottom lip as his hand dragged down my side to slide up underneath my shirt, fingers pinching at my nipples.
"Noah," I breathed while breaking apart from the kiss.
He buried his face into the crook of my neck to breathe me in. "Say it again."
I did, over and over like a mantra, as he left a mark on the skin of my neck while his hand switched to the other breast, mimicking his actions from before. The wetness that pooled between my legs was almost a new feeling, never being this turned one, and for a moment I wondered if it would be alright; no pain.
Noah helped me sit up so he could pull my shirt over my head and soon was laying bare in front of him, hair sprawled around my head.
"Fuck, angel. You're fucking beautiful."
For the longest time, I was told something different from how I looked. So hearing the truth and sincerity from Noah made me almost close my legs in front of him. But with his tight grip on my hips to keep me locked against the bed, I knew he could read my thoughts.
"Don't go there. Stay here with me," he said before his lips pressed over every inch of skin from my lips to my chest, down my stomach, and stopped right about my pussy.
I whined the smallest of sobs when Noah took his time, lips ghosting over me. By now I was almost begging and when I finally felt the wet flick of his tongue against my clit, I breathed out a shaky curse. Noah pressed the fullness of his tongue against my lips, licking me up from the bottom to the top, spreading my legs wider apart. I bit my hand to keep the noises at bay.
"I want to hear you," he left a gentle bit on the inside of my thigh.
"Fuck," I moaned when his tongue speared inside of me for a few strokes.
My hands now grasped at the blanket beneath me as I raised my hips farther into his mouth, his lips wrapping around my clit to bite and suck at the bundle of nerves. I always thought my Gspot was in my clit because it was hard to have an orgasm any other way than rubbing myself. Without even telling Noah this, it was as if he knew exactly what my body needed.
It happened so fast, before I knew it he was devouring me like a dying man. I’ve never felt euphoria until now; this must be how it feels to see the moon, the moon that changes its orbit. He had me spinning.
"I love the way you taste, angel." Noah broke away from my clit for a second before diving back it.
The familiar feeling of an orgasm built in my stomach, the tension pulling so fucking tight it was seconds away from snapping. My spine tingled with anticipation as my body tensed, knees shaking underneath Noah as he rubbed his tongue in faster but shorter circles, moaning with the taste that lingered on his lips.
"N-noah. 'M so close," I let my head fall back deeper into the mattress.
"Let go, I've got you."
With a strangled breath, I let the orgasm crash through me like a tsunami, a bright white light edging at the corners of my eyes while Noah licked me through the last few aftershocks. As my breathing calmed, I lifted my head in time to see him stand to his feet, stepping out of his joggers only to stand in front of me in his black briefs.
I licked my lips when I saw his cock straining against the confines of the material until he palmed himself in a few strokes.
"Do you want me to stop?" He asked.
I shook my head with desperation clear in my voice. "No, please. I need this-I need you, Noah."
He cursed before sliding off his briefs with desperation and urgency, his hard cock springing against his thigh, and I nearly died at that sight alone. All of my imagination did nothing compared to the real thing, and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't scared for a few different reasons. Sex with Trey was uncomfortable but with Noah's size, I feared it would only hurt. The only saving grace was that he worked me open and the added wetness would make up for the slight pain.
"Are you on anything?" Noah asked while kneeling between my legs.
A lot of different shit.
"No," I said.
He leaned over to a bag that lay at the foot of the bed and rummaged around for a few seconds before retrieving a condom. I watched with anticipation as pre-cum seeped out of the slit when he ripped it open and slid it over his length then perched himself between my legs again, the head of his cock pressing gently against me. He wrapped one of my legs around his hip then slowly, sunk deep inside of me, and I bit my tongue hard to keep my strangled cry quiet. I knew there was going to be some pain; it was inevitable, but I didn't expect it to feel so good either.
"Fuck," Noah rested his forehead against my collarbone. "So tight."
He didn't move at first, relishing in the way I felt gripping his cock, and I couldn't take it anymore; I needed him to move.
"Noah," I begged while grinding against him.
One hand gripping my thigh, the other was placed next to my head to keep himself supported as he finally moved his hips in slow, deep strokes.
"Faster," I panted, almost pleading.
Slow was good but right now I needed fast.
Noah accepted my pleas and began slamming into me with such force, I cried out in name with a mixture of pleasure and pain. My hand slipped between our bodies to rub at my clit, hoping that the sensation would ease the pain a bit, but it could only do so much.
He noticed something was wrong with the way my face contorted in pain. "Angel, do you want to get on top?"
"Fuck yes, please."
Still buried deep inside of me, Noah rolled our bodies so now I was straddling him and almost immediately, the pain subsided; it was still there but not as strong. My hands sprawled over the tattoos that covered his chest as I leaned down to lick my way across the snake and apple on his neck. The noise he made, and his moans were so soft as my hot tongue went up and down his neck, I grazed over his Adam's apple with my teeth and bit down. Noah shook underneath me as he wrapped an arm around my back to hold me closer, burying his thick, aching cock, deeper inside of me.
We felt the rush, the aching, burning blush. We surrendered to the touch. I gave him a show. This is heaven in hiding.
"Angel," he begged as my teeth worked on leaving a mark against the hand on his neck. "I need-."
"What do you need?" I ground my hips against his pelvis and the sensation sent sparks to my clit and I clenched around him.
"Fuck," he cursed. "Don't stop what you're doing. It feels so good."
"Oh," I bit down on a new patch of skin on his throat. "This?"
"Yes," he dragged out the S for a few seconds.
My hands went to run through his hair but I almost forgot in our haste that I braided it a few minutes before this.
"Angel," Noah's voice was raw. "You have no idea how much I've wanted you."
I sat up slowly to stare down at him in awe as his words made me feel unspeakable things.
In one quick action, his hand snaked behind my head to pull my lips back down to him to kiss me feverishly.
"Noah," I tugged on his braids.
"Shit, give me a minute. I can take them out."
I didn't stop moving my hips against him. "Noah. I-."
"Just second, angel."
His hands left their vice grip on my hips to take out his hair but I quickly slapped his hands while sinking deeper on his cock. "Leave them."
The same sensation of a cresting orgasm filled every inch of me, ecstasy shooting through my veins like a drug, and when Noah's thumb pressed fast circles against my clit, I leaned my head up towards the ceiling, lips parting as my hands wrapped around his braids, pulling with such force he choked on my name. I rode Noah faster, needing that last little bit of friction to tip me over the edge and when I finally let the bliss plow through me in droves, I held my breath.
"Angel," Noah cupped my cheek so I could look down at him. "Breathe through it with me."
I did as he said, both of us breathing out my orgasm as our eyes locked intently with each other. I writhed against him, my arousal soaking the condom and parts of his hips. It was such a simple action but the way it set my body on fire intensified the aftershocks to something I'd never experienced. Noah stared down to the place where we met and with a noisy moan, he wrapped an arm tighter around me to pull me flush against his chest as his hips stilled for a second before he emptied himself inside the condom.
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NOAH
I pressed light kisses all along Y/N's shoulder blades, in shock and almost slight jealousy as I took in every inch of the large tattoo that covered her back. It was of a large snake that wrapped along every groove of her spine with an array of different Japanese flowers.
Afterward, I let her fall onto the mattress with a happy sigh, immediately grasping the pillow closer to her chest and that's when I noticed the tattoo.
"I can't believe I've never noticed this before," I mused while running a finger over the ink.
"It's taken like two years to complete. It's my second favorite after the one on my leg of the Gods," she rested her chin on her palm. "You know what I just realized? We have similar tattoo themes; copy cat."
Her finger grazed over the snake and apple along my neck.
"Yeah," I chuckled. "All you need is an apple right here."
I smacked right above her ass and she shrieked while falling into the pillow once again, a long but content sigh falling from her lips. I kissed from between her shoulder blades down her back, my nails grazing beyond the wake of my lips.
"Are you okay?" I wondered while gently squeezing her hips.
“Yeah, I think so. I feel content, just basking in it. You?”
I nodded and kissed the side of her head as I lay next to her. "I feel great."
"Do you know what you want in 10 years?" Y/N blurted out.
“That’s a random question” I chuckled while kissing her lips.
She sighed and looked up at me through her lashes. “I know but think about it, like really think about it?”
I thought deeply about her question, fingers still grazing her spine. “Alright I’ll bite, I don’t know, I’ve always been trying to make it with whatever bullshit has been going on in my fucking life- just wanting to mean something to somebody, make music- for anybody out there to listen. To be the fucking king you know?”
She laughs. "And?"
"Way down the road maybe one day in the future- to live in the middle of nowhere with a dog, cats, and a family of my own. In my wooden home that I built."
Y/N's body went rigid with my words.
"But right now, no dog, no family just…just Bad Omens," I finished with a hopeful breath.
She hummed in response but turned her head to face the wall opposite of us, something bothering her. Not wanting to push it, I left another kiss on her spine before I slipped out of bed to discard of the condom in the bathroom trash, a light red color catching my attention.
Once back in the room, I slipped back underneath the covers.
"Angel?"
Another hum vibrated from her throat, sleep weighing heavy on her shoulders.
"Did you get your period?"
I swore I saw all the breath leave her body with my question and my mind panicked, thinking she was embarrassed.
"It's fine," I rubbed her back soothingly. "I just saw some blood on the condom, that's all."
When she still said nothing, I nudged her face with my nose. "Are you alright?"
"Yep," she said quietly.
"Stay till morning?" I asked, hopefully.
Finally, she turned to face me and left a kiss on my nose. "I have to go."
My heart fell into the dark pits of my stomach as I watched her slip out from underneath the sheet to gather her clothes. "What's wrong?"
"It's nothing, Noah." She slipped back into her clothes rather quickly. "I just have an early flight to catch and I know you have one too."
I shook my head and stood to my feet while slipping my briefs and joggers back on. "I don't buy that. We were great, where did you go just now?"
She doesn't want to leave, I can see that in the way her movements slowed once she was dressed, almost as if she was buying time for me to say something that would change her mind. But she refused to meet my gaze.
"Angel, look at me. What's the matter?" I asked again.
"Nothing-," she began with a sigh.
"Then why won't you stay?"
The fear of her slipping between my fingers was debilitating.
"Noah, you know I can’t; we can’t," Y/N stumbled over her words.
I stretched my arms out wide at my sides. "Why? Why can’t you?"
With her gaze still cast down to her feet, she shook her head. "You don’t want me Noah, trust me, you don’t want any part of this."
"Bullshit," I spat as my anger got the best of me.
Y/N's head snapped up towards me, finally looking me in my eyes and all I saw in hers were the wetness of tears. "I have this condition that already makes my life harder every fucking month. I don't need to bring you into it and ruin our future, alright?"
My heart stopped for a few seconds. "Condition? What the fuck, are you dying or something? I don't know what the hell this means."
"No," she rushed out. "I'm not dying. I-I don't want to get into this right now. All I know is that I would need you a lot more than you'd need me. And you deserve better than me, anyway."
"Don't-" I started while pointing a finger at her.
She ran a distressed hand through her hair. "You know it’s true Noah, please. This is hard enough as it is. Walking out right now."
The bed stood between us and I hated feeling so far from her even though we were still in the same room so I walked around it, standing a few inches in front of her now.
"I’ve been through a lot of shit in my life too, Y/N. Don’t sit there and tell me what I can and can’t handle. Don’t sit there and tell me what I want or don’t want. You’re just so afraid of us," I pointed between us.
She grasped her elbows to hug herself and I could see the way her mind was running, gears turning hastily. Y/N was shutting down in front of me and I fucking hated it.
"Don’t fucking do that. I’m not him," I assured her with a gentler tone.
All of this was a trauma response, something so embedded deep into her brain that it was the only way she knew how to act. I know she felt the same way that I did; it was clear with what happened not even an hour ago. If she didn't feel the way I did, she wouldn't have shown up tonight. Y/N wants to stay, I can see it in the way her eyes keep darting to the bed but the pain and trauma were too deep.
"I’m sorry angel, I just- you’re wrong. I know how I feel about you, and I know what you feel about me."
I went to reach for her hands but she took a step back, a few tears falling to the ground below.
"I know what I feel. It’s not you, it’s me, Noah."
Not that fucking line.
"No. Fuck, angel! Stop! The future hasn't even happened yet. Please, don't-what do you need to happen?"
Her bottom lip trembled as a broken sob clawed its wait through her throat. "I-I think we need to remain friends right now. I can't-I can't get lost in you, Noah. It's so fucking easy to. I think we need space."
"I-I don't fucking want that, Y/N. I just want you."
"Noah, please understand where I'm coming from," she begged.
I paced the room, hands shaking in anger. Defeat? I wasn't sure.
"Angel-I. Please, just-," I eventually sighed in defeat.
"I'm going to head out."
Y/N nodded towards the door after gathering her things and stepped past me to leave.
The fear of losing her completely is what made me give in to her wishes. As much as I wanted to fight her choice, I needed her as a friend more than something more. I'll take what I can get for right now until she realizes she feels the same; I know she does.
As she opened the door, my feet closed the distance between us in two large steps and I grasped her chin, forcing her to look at me. The tears burned with the need to fall but she held fast and strong, refusing to show me how badly walking away was affecting her.
I brushed my lips across hers in a soft kiss. "I can wait for you."
She tried to disagree but my grip was too strong. "Noah- I can’t ask you to do that. That’s not fair. You deserve-"
“Don’t tell me what you think I deserve." I let out a shaky breath. "Look, heaven knows I’m not getting over you, I can wait”
“Besides. I’m known for having a lot of fuckin patience. I will wait." I finished with a shrug.
If I wasn't already staring intently at her, I almost would have missed the small nod she gave me; but I didn't. I saw it.
“Goodnight Noah.”
With one final kiss, not enough to remember the way she tastes, Y/N let the door shut behind her as I burned my hateful gaze through it. She left? How the fuck could she just leave after the night we had together?
No, fuck that.
I barreled through the door in time to notice she was only two doors down, frozen in her spot.
"Angel," I called after her.
Slowly, she turned, and I sucked in a breath when I saw the redness in her eyes, puffy with teh tears she let out as soon as the door closed. Mine mirrored hers.
"Please," I begged. "Just come back to me. I'll wait for you."
Y/N hesitated but within that hesitation, something stood out clear as day; she took a small step towards me until that doubt filled the back of her mind yet again. I stayed in the hallway watching as she turned the corner, disappearing from my vision and life; my words not being enough to make her stay.
Back inside the room, I let the door slam shut and made a beeline toward the minibar. I screwed off the cap of the Hennessy, downing half of it in one go.
"Bitter ends to the night. I'm along for the ride," I raised the bottle in the air before taking another long, slow gulp with my eyes screwed shut.
Suddenly, they snapped open, and I rummaged around the mess of my room for my phone, quickly typing out a text to Jolly.
I need to write a song, now.
Only a few minutes passed before he responded, just enough time for me to pop open another bottle.
Now? It's three in the morning and we have nothing here.
Doesn't fucking matter. I'll figure it out. Come to my room.
Letting the bottle slip from my fingers, I stalked over to the wall and slid down until my ass hit the floor with a thud; the image of Y/N crying and walking away burned into my brain. I was out of breath, out of time trying to stop her but, in the end, everything has a price. And I was paying for it. 
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shkika · 8 months
Note
So on the topic of iterators playing video games, this:
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which is a part of the set of holograms Iggy can show Moon after Rivulet powers her back up. Which based on the colors, grid, and way the tiles change, is probably Moon and Pebbles playing the iterator dominoes
(It's funny to think one of first message Moon sent to Pebbles after hundreds of cycles was essentially "Hey you wanna play games")
(I need Saint playing Dominoes with Moon now)
I'm beyond mentally ill for those two! I'm very aware of their domino shenanigans. If you pay attention to Moon's projections you can see a lot of neat stuff. Actually let's talk about that!
I think them playing together is just so.. fitting and beautiful. It's such a simple way to connect with others. Playing games is one of the easiest ways to build or rebuild friendships. Any kind of games. Something casual you can talk and share while you do. And those two have plenty to talk about.
Aside the games though..
Ramble about a bunch of her projections in Saint and Riv campaigns below! It was very fun!
Moon also remembers her various slug cat companions through the cycles.
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She tells Hunter how she wishes she could remember them. And now she can. Moon can remember her savior and remember just how hard her family and peers tried to contact her, to reassure her, to show how they cared. Even this image on it's own speaks a lot. Moon couldn't have taken it, because she was offline before that key ended up in her chamber. So it was Iggy. One of the overseers she no longer has control over yet tried to help her anyway. It's sweet.
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It makes it canon that Monk met her and gave her two neurons! A thoughtful and kind creature.
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Pet pictures of course! Here is little demon baby.
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Moon also has pictures of the local group in the distance! She never stopped trying to look after them and be a local group senior. Checking up on them in the only way she really can. I think that's sweet.
And what honestly breaks me is uh..
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These. She also never stopped being Five Pebbles' administrator.. or more accurately his big sister. Checking up on how he is doing and the situation with his rot. It just makes me ache a little. It's been way too long for her to be angry anymore. She can finally talk to him and they both know it won't be for long.
Moon also has pictures of Silent Construct.
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Unless I am mistaken of course. But I get the idea that she has trouble reaching him. Or she can't find him. Please correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think Moon's overseers can’t reach Five Pebbles anymore. I don't think she'd stop being his company otherwise. Silent Construct is a place that has crumbled very badly and who knows in what state overseer tunnels are.. especially with the dense scavenger populations, it must be difficult to reach him.
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Of course we also have the fallen buildings of her local group in the distance. No longer standing. Their time is over.
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And! Something a little more fun is that she has a projection of the Moon. Looks to the Moon alright! How silly and sweet.
Hope you like the view Moonie.
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myluvrrhea · 4 months
Text
Telekinesis | Rhea Ripley
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Pairings - Rhea Ripley x Ex-Bsf! + Wrestler!OC
Warnings - Against, Mentions of bruises, Rhea is violent, Sad Rhea , Sad OC, Just angsty Tbhhh :((
Word Count - 0.5k
NOT PROOFREAD ‼️
"What are you too insecure-" You were cut off when she slammed you against the ring post. You felt a sharp pain in your shoulder as you tried getting up.
" Stop talking to me like you know me" At this pint she was screaming in your face. Taunting and punching you.
Although this may have seemed somehow planned. Everyone backstage as well as the commentators were confused. You felt just as shocked by her random outburst. You felt your head pounding as she continued her attacks on you , it seemed as if she was trying to get something out of you.  But you had nothing to give. She was the problem. She caused the chaos between you two.
Soon she began talking again. "You know nothing about me and the struggle I went through to get here , so don't try to act like you do,"
The pain was unbearable and getting up was almost impossible. 
You felt like you could already feel the bruise forming on your shoulder as you tried standing up. But without warning , Rhea Swung the kendo stick in your direction, where did she get that from? The swing of the kendo stick caused a huge impact to your head, you pass out.
When you woke up , you were in the hospital. Wires around your arms. Your eyes felt droopy and blurry as you tried to open them wider. You suddenly heard the door open as you saw a black haired woman stand in front of you. As your vision slowly started unblurring , you relised it was her. The women who had put you in this situation in the first place. Rhea Bloody Ripley.
You heard her whisper something , that your ears couldn't quite reach.
"Im sorry , im so sorry Lara," you took a second to figure out what she was saying before she kept talking. Why was she using your government name? She hadn't called you that since you two were close. Before she ruined the friendship you two had.
"I know I hurt you bad, but I didn't want it to get this bad," She spoke again. It sounded like she was on the verge of tears as she ran her tattooed hand through her hair.
Looking down and seeing the state you were in , your stomach turned. You had cuts and bruises in places that wouldn't even be reachable while in your gear. You felt tears well in your eyes as you looked back up at Rhea, who was too stuck in her rambling to even notice the tear that rolled down your cheek. But when she did , she felt like the world had piled up on top of her.
"Listen Rhea I know you're sorry , but I think I need time to myself for right now. You've done enough damage,"You spoke. Your voice was sweet. Salutary. Almost like Rhea hadn't completely ruined your life in one day.
"Alright... if thats what you want, ill leave," those were the last words she spoke to you since , you had found out you couldn't be cleared to wrestle. You felt as if your world was crumbling when you found out. It felt like you didnt know who Rhea was anymore. She switch on not on the most important people in her life, but the person who cared most about her both mentally and emotionally .Which was you. And the fact that you wouldnt be cleared to wrestle in atleast a month , was the cherry on top. And it was all because of her. Rhea Ripley.
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A/N 💬 - Im still working on request dont worry!! Ps im sorry to the annon that requested something like days ago 😭 im still writing it I just have a bit of writters block.
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helshollowhalls · 11 months
Text
I have some thoughts. On Mysta's graduation. And the current state of Nijisanji in general.
At the end of the day, I am not surprised. I expected someone else to graduate first, hell I even expected Niji to keep more of an iron grip on their money makers aka Luxiem in order to milk them for more cash, but I digress.
Mysta is graduating and it only goes to show that their 'money first, talent... third? last?' approach comes back to bite them in the arse. This might be the potential wakeup call for everyone who has yet to realize that the entire English branch of Nijisanji is crumbling away in record time because of the absolutely abysmal talent management and treatment of the livers.
I refrained from speculating who would be the next ones to graduate after Nina - simply because I will leave that job to the anonymous leakers on the site/platform that shall not be named here. Apparently Shu and Vox were brought up as the potential next people to graduate (this is according to a recent Depressed Nousagi stream but he didn't show any screenshots so take that with a massive bucket of salt.) Mysta was allegedly also mentioned down the line, but he seemingly wasn't the first choice.
Honestly, if you think about it the entirety of Luxiem must be so done mentally. They didn't know what to expect when they signed up to become Nijisanji's first male English-speaking Vtuber group. They waltz onto the scene, explode in popularity all over the world out of nowhere basically and suddenly they're Niji EN's favorite child. The company is milking them for all they have because OH BOI do they rake in the cash - not to mention from a target audience that was completely ignored before in the EN corporate sphere - female viewers.
In a lot of things the boys weren't given any choice. Jazz On The Clock? The first ever second unit song in Niji EN ever and it was released even before their anniversary. With Luxiem being the fourth EN wave in total it felt a little counterintuitive - Wouldn't they start another potential wave of unit songs with LazuLight, their first wave? Well, now that Light Me Up is out and Pomu talked about the entire fiasco of LazuLight basically fighting management tooth and nail to be allowed a second unit song, I think most of us can guess how things are going at Anycolor. And in case you're not entirely convinced, just look at the amount of Luxiem merch Niji has put out compared to any other EN wave.
It's not just JotC, but their anniversary/irl Japan meetup stream as well. That stream was something that personally really rubbed me the wrong way because it felt very inauthentic. It felt like the five of them were just shoved into a room at the Niji HQ to play Smash and do some batsus while the executives and managers proceeded to lock the doors and breath down their necks for the entirety of the stream. The stream had a very different feel to it - Comparing it to other Luxiem collab streams or even other anniversary streams. Management didn't consider it necessary to order Obsydia or Ethyria to Japan and record their anniversary streams at the Niji HQ - Well, that would be because none of them make the company as much sweet sweet cash as Luxiem - Closest would maybe be Selen. And even she has been public about the management fuck-ups - I am talking about her outfit design contest here, of course.
But back to Luxiem. I don't follow them as closely as I used to in the beginning, infact I am only subscribed to Shu out of the five, so let's start from here.
The entire wave collectively tweeted very salty and sarcastic remarks about the official announcement of the EN 3D Live Concert being "postponed due to COVID" earlier this year. But out of all of them, it seemingly hit Shu the hardest. I noticed that he was streaming less and less, infact he still isn't streaming as much as he used to.
Ike... oh boi, where do I even begin. Judging from his spontaneous irl hangout with Vox recently and the amount of projects he has been involved in as a vocal mixer, not to mention his two recent songs of which one is an original, this man seems to be working 30 hours a day and is stressed to the max.
Mysta made his personal situation and his ongoing burnout/lack of goals to work towards very clear in his graduation announcement stream, so I won't go into detail.
Vox has also been streaming less frequently. During the course of his employment at Nijisanji he got diagnosed with ADHD and PTSD (I believe), started therapy and medication, had a panic attack during an ASMR stream, started new projects and also some personal issues in his private life to deal with.
I have to be honest about Luca - I don't really know anything about what is going on with him apart from the fact that he planned to move again and got a puppy.
In conclusion, I could see reasons for anyone of them graduating anytime soon. Management isn't treating them well - Management isn't treating anyone in EN well, it seems - and at some point that fact doesn't warrant staying with the company anymore. Plus, money isn't really an issue for any of them at this point I assume - Especially Vox and Mysta. Both of them have enough money to fulfill their potential aspirations as indies or under another agency or manager.
Infact, apart from a couple of livers I can see anyone graduating next because of how Nijisanji handles things.
Some may argue that it all started going downhill when they kicked Yugo or when Zaion got terminated - Regardless of what you think, at the end of the day, the entire branch is seemingly falling apart right in front of us and Nijisanji's reputation is tanking, especially with the English-speaking fanbase, while Hololive idly sits by and watches the drama unfold.
The consequences of Mysta leaving and the message it sends about Nijisanji and how they treat their livers can't be understated.
307 notes · View notes
mncein · 10 months
Text
I CAN'T TELL YOU WHY .
"once a maestro of hearts, perhaps it's time to relinquish the stage?" (high-school au)
new jeans masterlist | main masterlist
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MINJI —
"my jaw hurts so much from talking with you, hanni." minji expressed, edging further from the vietnamese, even if she hasn't even spoken yet?
"i'm simply suggesting, what's the allure behind embracing such a big red flag?" she replies, referring to the school's big player, you.
"i can't explain it. she had me captivated in a way i never intended." hanni sneers, her eyes rolling in some attitude of hers. minji is like an open book, completely oblivious, honestly.
"just observe how she acts, she's always chewing on a piece of gum, giving me a vibe akin to that mischievous heartthrob from a cheesy tv show." minji's head swivels leisurely, fixing a gaze on hanni, questioning the sincerity. once more, she's prattling about the same thing, and minji endures those words nearly every single day at school.
"you still watch those? ew." the taller girl comments with a face of disgust.
"no, you idiot. at least i don't like someone who's unloyal." minji's face turned into an offended one. well, hanni does have a point, you won't be loyal if you're a player. if you ponder on it, you practically attract all the guys and gals around the school, and those individuals are offering you the opportunity to toy with their emotions for amusement, sigh.
"consider this, she's not deserving of your attention." hanni lets out a weary sigh, her head shaking as she stows her books into her bag, preparing for the upcoming class post-lunch. minji gazes at her with a remorseful grin, comprehending that hanni only wants what's best for her, but she can't easily release those uncanny feelings on you.
"okay, i'll think about it." minji responds with a slight pout, acknowledging the challenge as she encounters you daily, unable to elude your presence.
"great, because i'd honestly figure out a method to transform haerin into a canine if you decide to date that y/n." hanni uttered, her expression potent enough to vanquish anyone under its gaze. she bid her goodbye to minji and headed off to her own classes, the taller girl watched as she gets left alone.
"seriously, i can't tell why i like y/n." minji mumbles under her breath, unaware of your presence lingering just behind her.
"you like me?" you chatted nonchalantly, not trying to be creepy or anything. her surprise was evident as she jumped from her spot, startled by your sudden appearance.
"what- why- how- what?!" she exclaims, her uncertainty leaving her at a loss for words and actions, as if her entire world has crumbled when you knew about her feelings. now she feels like your clueless admirers at first.
"i am very happy to say that i like you too, kim minji." you chuckled, stuffing your hands inside your pockets, staring at her with a sweet smile you never show around anyone. 'so this is her hidden side...' minji notes in mentally, but are you genuinely sincere, or is this just another one of your playful tricks like you've done with others?
she was still in her state of shock, her mouth hangs open but she doesn't say anything.
all in all, she remains unaware that you've truly been observant of her, and she never notices. you genuinely began to watch over her once her circle was welcomed into your own friend circle. you even knew her friends doesn't like you one bit, but you noticed that blush on minji's cheeks at specific times, especially when both of you were, kinda left alone.
"minji?"
"yes! i like you too. a lot. since the ktv bar happened..." her confession caused your heart to race and skip a beat, you never felt like this when the others talked to you about their feelings, you're serious this time.
"i demand you to be my girlfriend, kim minji."
"i accept with all my heart."
"KIM MINJI!" uh oh... someone is going to turn into a canine.
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HANNI —
"i'm already telling this to you now, hanni, she's not good for you, i swear to god-"
"i know- i know, yunjin-unnie." hanni cuts off her senior, she told yunjin about her feelings for the school's heart player. "i mean, what if she has another side-"
"don't even finish, not a single relationship with her lasted for a week."
"no way-"
"do you believe me now?" yunjin asks quickly, wanting hanni's feelings for you gone instantly.
"no way." hanni utters with greater clarity, prompting an audible gasp from the elder.
"seriously, dude, don't go for it-"
"i'll take the risk and whatever comes, i'll accept it." hanni swore like her life depends on it.
"even if she breaks your heart?"
"she'll never."
...
"someone looks sad today..." haerin states as she analyzes your face.
hanni had dragged you to their club room. being the leader of it, instead of a proper meeting, she discussed on how she got you to change in an instant. the four girls snicker on every word she said about you, now being someone who knows how to obey and listen. 'that's new', they thought.
yunjin face palms as she listens to hanni, doubting the vietnamese is really a thing she shouldn't have done. hanni spoke with confidence, explaining how she confessed to you and how well behaved you looked. (and it's because she was glaring at you while she reveals her feelings...)
then she turns and faces you with a serious look on her face. "you don't regret accepting my feelings, don't you?" she glares while speaking her last two words, making you quickly shake your head no. you wouldn't dare to tease and piss off the "angel" hanni...
she turns to the girls if they had something to say. "uhm, she looks like she's forced..." danielle chuckles nervously, received a glare from hanni which makes her regret saying that.
"are you?" hanni's grip on you tightens when she catches your eyes that are already staring at hers. "go on, answer dani." you gulped when all of the eyes turned to you, curious and waiting for what you're about to say.
"you didn't even let me finish my side of confession, while you talked my attitude away." you say quickly, embarrassed about the part where hanni just makes your behaviour better with simple as words. the girls look at each other then at hanni for confirmation.
"yes, it's true." hanni nods, but still feeling the girls' eyes on her, like they were doubting the vietnamese. "what? brat taming is my specialty." she smiles smugly at you, as if she's telling that you're a brat that she could only tame, really humiliating.
"i'm not even close to being a brat, i listen and obey too, you know." you roll your eyes, she doesn't know you like you know yourself right? (or maybe she does...)
"when was the last time you listened?" she asks, eyeing you up and down with a look of disbelief in her face, first thing to have a wonderful relationship is, trust. oh well.
"i just listened to you earlier and promised i'll change!" you answer with slight frustration, this girl isn't gonna back down that easily, and that's one thing you're going to deal with everyday, from now on.
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DANIELLE –
hanni and haerin looks down at danielle's phone, a picture of you opened in danielle and hyein's conversation. "no shit, she's pretty-"
"hanni! language." minji glares, the older went with the three to go to the mall and hang out, but looks like danielle had other plans. danielle stares forward, trying to find you through the large crowd of students making their way out of the school.
"whatever minji, anyways, do you like y/n?" the vietnamese asked, swiping to see more photos of you taken by hyein. danielle affirms, a charming and self-assured grin adorning her features.
haerin covers her eyes in a dramatic manner, "unnie, your smile is so bright when talking about y/n. it almost hurts my eyes." the younger peeks through her fingers, seeing danielle's fake offended look.
"does it minus your cat life?" danielle jokes back, now having a cackling haerin, which is unusual, she seems very happy today. hanni squints and looks at the scene before her, confused.
"what happened?" minji glances at the vietnamese whom spoke.
"and we have the oblivious and blind grandma pham." the three girls except hanni herself, bursts out laughing, forgetting about the y/n topic they were talking about, is this really a joke to all of them? sigh. "what's keeping you busy anyways?" the older asked, peering over the phone in hanni's hand.
"y/n's pictures hyein took secretly. dani, why do you have a "y/n, blue heart, black heart" titled album in your gallery?" hanni shows, and under the album is the date updated, and photos were added today? oh danielle.
"is that some sort of update? you almost update it every weekdays." minji adds, seeking confirmation if what she's seeing is true. danielle, whom blushed from all of that, nodded shyly while her head was down. silence, then haerin hears footsteps building up behind them which the others doesn't really notice or hear. she turns back, seeing you with hyein, walking over to them.
"uh, code jeans?" haerin attempts to mimic hanni's finger snap but falls short, yet still managing to capture the others' attention. the two older girls gasped seeing hyein, who is smiling smugly, walking beside you while headed to them.
"hi unnies, look who i brought with~" hyein wiggles her eyes brows, specifically towards danielle who is a messing blush.
"now, now. y/nnie wants to know who among you all has a crush on her." the taller gets straight to the point while putting her arm over your shoulder. everyone except danielle looks at hyein and replies with a shrug. your attention shifts to danielle, who remained quiet throughout your presence; you were genuinely surprised.
"is it you, danielle?" you verify, angling your head to catch sight of the girl's expression. finally, she musters the confidence to meet your gaze, gracing you with her now charming smile who she is saving up to show you. the girls cheered as they watch the romantic scene unfold among them.
"when i knew you liked me too, i changed, for you. hyein told me everything, we became friends since the time i caught her taking pictures of me." you paused, looking over to her unnies and haerin. "would you allow me to court danielle?"
"yes-"
"you don't need to ask them! yes!" danielle cut in, embracing you warmly and finally realizing her dream of hugging someone every day. you reciprocated the hug, at last experiencing a warmth you had never felt before while embracing someone you had previously used to satisfy your desires. it was truly a wonderful sensation, to be valued for who you are, not just for your fame or appearance. danielle had genuinely won over your heart and claimed it as her own.
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HAERIN –
"haerin stop spacing off and eat your food." minji chimed in, playfully gesturing towards the girl's nearly frostbitten slice of meat. 'cause this is their grand reunion after a month of separation, not exactly a daily occurrence, but it's been ages since they last ate on a samgyeopsal resto.
amidst the laughter all around, whether it's here or there, the only thing that truly matters is haerin's gaze fixed on you, just beyond the restaurant's window. well, you happened to be with your 'date' right outside that adorable café, conveniently positioned across from the very restaurant they were in. oh, and haerin couldn't quite put into words how enviously preoccupied she was instead of enjoying her own time with the squad.
the way your nose cuts through the air with such finesse, even visible from a distance; how your eyes meticulously survey your companion, your lips crafting tender phrases. she yearned for a reality where she stood in the place of that fortunate soul, basking in the pleasure of your company.
"seriously, haerin, where are you looking at?" it was hanni who peered over the table to check on the younger one. all the girls pivot their heads towards the scene catching haerin's attention. hanni and minji's expressions twist in distaste, while hyein and danielle let out resigned sighs.
"what's up unnie? did y/n get your attention?" hyein inquired with a mischievous brow wiggle, proving she can't survive a single day without playfully poking at one of their squad members. seriously, it's her thing. danielle playfully elbows the younger one, while minji and hanni shoot hyein parental glares that could create a storm, they didn't raise hyein like this?!
haerin sighs, she really wanted these feelings off her shoulder, "i actually-"
"where did you learn those words?" haerin falls silent after minji spoke, deciding to save her words for another time. minji folds her arms, fixing a stern gaze on hyein, who trembles with nervousness – yet again caught in the act of being scolded for minor antics.
haerin maintained her watch over your romantic outing, anticipating her moment to join the conversation. yet, the passing moments seemed to stretch endlessly, a sense of timelessness settling in, and danielle was perceptive enough to recognize this. "guys! let us hear about what haerin has to say and maybe continue the argument later or tomorrow?"
haerin's attention shifts to them, all eyes fixed upon her, eagerly awaiting for her words. "uhm, i like y/n..."
a chorus of gasps resonated, haerin fancying the school's notorious heartthrob?! this had to be some kind of enchantment you'd cast on the dear human-cat.
"figures, it's quite obvious." hanni reclines in her seat, exhaling with a sense of reassurance that the news isn't negative. however, the notion of haerin being in a relationship with you takes shape in hanni's thoughts. she believes it might not be a suitable match, particularly considering your reputation for simultaneously ending several relationships.
"there's nothing wrong with it, actually," minji starts, leaning back on her chair like what hanni did, her figure relaxing more than before. "but are you really sure about this? i mean feelings get confusing in the start."
"unnie, why are you saying that like i am going to date her soon?" haerin inquires, perplexed by minji's remarks, wondering why she's bringing up such matters even when they're merely discussing feelings and not romance. yes, haerin was well-acquainted with the confusing realm of emotions. she had even heard about it in a song she played during breaks. however, she had no doubt about her feelings for you now.
"aren't you gonna confess?"
"oh that-"
"haerin right?" the girls redirect their attention to you as you call out. you're standing there, your gaze primarily fixed on haerin. they catch the fragrance of your perfume distinctly, drawing their gazes to you. although you had a date earlier, your appearance is even more refined now. why the added formality?
"y-yes, that's me, why?" upon hearing her answer, you turn back to the girls with a polite smile, which they haven't seen before.
"may i borrow her for some minutes? just by the balcony up here." before the unnies and hyein could answer, haerin abruptly stood up, taking your hand and leading you up herself.
after the girls eavesdrop on the two of you, they realized how much you have changed for haerin to like you back, that was not they were expecting, but they're happy for the both of you.
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HYEIN –
(like danielle's, but hyein endgame !)
striking this angle, striking that angle, all for your snapshot, not hers. that's her covert tactic when she's trying to capture pictures of you just for herself. she's quite the enthusiast for candid shots of you – and there are quite a number of them, truth be told.
"ooh~ who is that?" danielle sneaks a peek from behind the taller figure, prompting a gasp from hyein who nearly fumbles her phone. poor hyein whirls around with eyes wide, a hand clutching her heart.
"what's happening?" minji and hanni enter the room along with haerin.
"it's nothing-"
much to hyein's dismay, danielle is a quick learner. "oh! i get it now, hyein likes y/n!"
"you what?!" hanni and minji both exclaim simultaneously, utterly taken aback by what they've just heard from the youngest member.
"really, dani-unnie?" hyein lets out a sigh, settling into one of the library chairs, with the others following suit. clearly, this is a weighty topic to address."
"explain, now." minji taps the table repeatedly. hanni elbows the older, muttering a small, "stop, you're going to pressure her."
"look unnies, it's not like what you think it is." hyein initiates, employing hand gestures to elaborate on the scenario, and she's putting in her best effort to spin a convincing tale. "i don't like her, i'm just simply taking photos of her for my friend."
"i'm not convinced, any of you have any proof to show or tell?" minji turns to the other three, haerin raises her hand. "the pictures she's taking is all going to some of her albums. i saw."
"aish, phone, now." minji gives the table another tap, signaling for hyein to surrender her phone. hanni facepalms, utterly unimpressed by minji's unconventional method of gaining someone's attention. poor hyein, it honestly sucks for hyein to be put in this kind of situation she didn't even want to happen.
"oh my, you must like her very much then?" danielle points out, having stumbled upon a whopping 213 photos of you meticulously arranged in hyein's '143 <3' album. seriously, who wouldn't deduce her feelings after encountering that extensive visual evidence?
and even before hyein could speak, you walk behind them and wrapped your arms around hyein's waist. "hey babe." you smile, looking over the jaw-dropped 4 girls staring in disbelief. (plot twist ehe)
"babe?!" minji and hanni exclaims together, again, the librarian that is currently present shushed all of you, earning gazes from the other students.
hyein smiles and reciprocates the hug and turns to her unnies with a bright smile, "surprise~" she opens her arms in a surprising them manner, danielle and haerin could only chuckle while minji and hanni sighed. "not expecting that? well, it's been quite a while.
"promise, unnies, hyein already humbled me. you don't need to worry." you provide reassurance, prompting another sigh from the elder. however, this time it's accompanied by a sense of relief – they're clearly pleased."
"you better make her happy or else i will freakin-"
hyein chuckled. "language minji unnie."
"i promise, i will, she's always be my precious baby that i wouldn't dare to get her hurt."
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ps: shh! *speaking in a very quiet voice virtually* don't tell anyone i posted 😼 i've been reading books and nothing really improved my english and i'm starting to get bored 😭 anyways some of my classmates are leaving my school so i just hope someone who likes kpop especially my ults transfers and we can become bests of friends ! (or more... who knows 😼)
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potassiumivy · 12 days
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PLAYBOY. | jjk
❥ mdni. fic masterlist.
*ੈ✩‧₊˚ 002: PINKY PROMISE.
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✞ 𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐘𝐁𝐎𝐘✞
"HOW COULD SHE?? SHE DIDN'T TELL ME ANY- OUCH, THAT HURTS!" 
"shut. up." megumi spoke lowly, grabbing his teacher's collar to pull him close. it was way too early to be dealing with gojo's tantrum. "if you keep yelling, everyone will know, and we don't know if she's okay with it."
gojo inhaled, and his eyes went back to the cover of the playboy magazine. you were on your knees, all dolled up, looking at the camera through your long lashes. he could tell you applied kohl on your lower waterline after seeing you do your makeup everyday when you attended his class two years ago. his eyes went over your glossed lips curled in a little smile. despite the absurdity of the situation, he found himself smiling too- he really had a soft spot for you.
his gaze went lower, falling on the fur blanket covering your lap, before going up and seeing your tits spilling out of your pink babydoll, your signature pearl necklace falling on them.  he was practically grinning by then. he clearly remembers you "borrowing" his black card to get it along with a pair of matching jimmy choo's, not that he'll ever scold you for it. 
shaking his head softly to get out of his trance, he raised his head to meet megumi's intense glare. "what? her smile is contagious!" he defended himself. 
"that's not the point." 
gojo tilted his head in confusion at the statement, making his student's eye twitch at his stupidity. "how are you not ashamed of yourself?" megumi rhetorically asked, grabbing the magazine with one hand, his other hand covering his eyes to avoid seeing you in such a suggestive state. after all, you were his upperclassman, and he had respect for you, even if he'll forever deny it. "are you shameless?" 
"yes." gojo admitted with no hesitation. 
megumi was having none of his shit today. before he could open his mouth again, yuuji barged back into the room. "well, my magazines weren't outside and i was pretty sure i packed them- oh! you found them!" he halted his rambling seeing one of them in megumi's hand. "i was just looking for that one too... man, i can't wait to settle down and read it!" yuuji chuckled, walking towards an alarmed megumi, who looked like a deer caught in headlights.
megumi felt like his heart was in his throat. this was all happening way too fast, and his body reacted accordingly- by crumbling it and shoving it in his mouth, making yuuji stop dead in his tracks before laughing. 
"you're so funny, fushiguro!" he slapped the boy's back, making him choke on the paper he was trying to swallow. "i thought you kinda had a stick up your ass, but you're actually a comedic genius!"
gojo snorted, amused by yuuji's so-called compliment. he could tell that both of his students will get along despite being very different. he couldn't wait to brag about them to his colleagues.
*✧・゚:    *✧・゚:    *✧・゚:    *✧・゚:
✞ 𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐘𝐁𝐎𝐘✞
*✧・゚:    *✧・゚:    *✧・゚:    *✧・゚:
it was midnight already, and gojo was sitting on the edge of his bed, mindlessly scrolling through his phone in the dark room. he didn't have anything better to do, and the last 24 hours took a toll on him. with meeting sukuna's vessel, to enrolling him into the school, helping him move in, finding out your little (big) secret, and arguing with the higher-ups was a lot to handle, even for the strongest. on top of that, he had to prepare tomorrow's day, since they have to pick up the other new first year.
his finger hovered over your number, mentally debating if he should call you or not. you were always on his mind, even more since your suspension. but now, after seeing you on- no. he shouldn't think about something so wrong. 
you cut off almost every communication with the jujutsu community, so he didn't have any direct news from you. finally pressing on the green button on his screen, he held his breath. he was conflicted on whether he should back down and hung up or not- he really didn't know how to talk to you.
"hello?" your voice shattered the silence in his room. he could hear the loud music in the background. 
"hey." he sounded breathless, and he didn't know why. maybe it was because this would be his first interaction with you after a whole month. hearing you giggle softly, he felt silly for being so nervous.
"aren't you going to properly greet your favourite student? hm?" he cracked a smile at that. "well, you're not my student anymore so i don't really know..." he teased. "what are you up to anyways? you don't seem to be very sad about being suspended from school."
silence. he could hear your breath and the distant voices surrounding you, but you weren't saying anything. your lack of response worried him slightly. "what's wrong? why did-"
"gojo, i don't think we should talk." he didn't respond, way too surprised by the sudden shift in your tone. he felt his throat getting dry. "why not?" he had so many questions, but he refrained from asking them over the phone. he had called on impulse, that picture of you in his mind, and he wasn't ready to say goodbye so fast. 
"well... i'm supposed to be mad at everybody from the community, you know? it'll go against my point if i talked nice to you." this made gojo think for a bit.
"meet me at harajuku tomorrow. i have people i want you to meet." you were baffled. didn't he hear you?
"i'm not coming back without kirara and hakari." he knew that.
"i'll do something about it. i promise." you opened your mouth to refuse, but the sincerity of his words made you hesitate.
chewing on your bottom lip, you silently weighed the pros and the cons. you took promises seriously. "you pinky promise?"
despite being so exhausted earlier, gojo felt like all of his fatigue disappeared. you did that to him, and the realization made his heart flutter.
"i pinky promise."
*✧・゚:    *✧・゚:    *✧・゚:    *✧・゚:
✞ 𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐘𝐁𝐎𝐘✞
*✧・゚:    *✧・゚:    *✧・゚:    *✧・゚:
after hanging up, gojo made his way to the garden to take a little walk. he felt too giddy to fall back asleep right away so he came down to calm himself. from afar, he saw the figure of the third year's teacher standing close to the spot you grew your plants, and he made his way to them.
they were watering them for you, humming under their breath. "she always watered those plants at night, saying that it's better for them that way.", they started, glancing back to gojo momentarily before giving back all their attention to the task at hand.
"she also mentioned how it calms her."
"don't talk about her like she's dead." gojo chuckled. 
"it's not the same here without my students, especially not without her. it's almost lifeless."
gojo was beyond confused by the behaviour of his colleague. "is that your way of dealing with the fact she's gone? watering her plants?"
"they were important to her, so i'm taking care of them until she comes back."
the figure sighs before wiping their dirty hands on their blazer. their fingers clutched the fabric tightly. 
"you know you can tell me anything, don't you?" gojo came closer to the figure, putting a hand on their back.
"we're best friends, aren't we suguru?" at the sound of his name, he turned around, putting his hands in his pockets all while avoiding eye contact.
"i think i like her." gojo's eyes widened and his heart dropped at the blunt confession. 
geto smiled brightly, like he never did before, finally making eye contact with his friend. his eyes were a little glossed, blush apparent on his cheeks. nothing like him a few years ago. he was genuinely happy again. "yeah, i like her."
he took gojo's wrist and held it close. "you're the only strongest now. so promise me you'll bring her back."
gojo thought about you- his pretty (ex-)student on a playboy magazine cover.
"okay. okay, i promise."
✞ 𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐘𝐁𝐎𝐘✞
next!!
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©potassiumivy, 2024. all rights reserved. do not translate / modify / republish my works.
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No One But You | Dehya x Reader | SAGAU
A/N: Your girl just got Dehya yesterday, and just had to write a fic in celebration. This is my first angst. Be nice you goofy goobers
P.S.: ...I ran out of Sand Grease Pupas :(
Genre: Fluff, Angst
Reader: Gender Neutral
Warnings: Angsty
SAGAU!!!
Summary: Dehya fears that you won't want to pull for her after the leaks and kit reviews. You prove her wrong.
The city spoke in hushed whispers upon her arrival. The whispers ranged from pure disgust to pity. To Dehya, it all felt horrible.
"There she is!"
"Didn't you hear? Her kit was leaked."
"Pathetic."
"What will the players think about this?"
Of course she'd also known the moment her kit dropped. She herself felt anger towards the developers for the way she'd been wronged. What she didn't expect, however, was for everyone else to find out about it. "Tsk…" Despite the backlash, the flame mane managed to keep herself together.
That only lasted so long.
Each day felt worse. She continued with her mercenary duties as normal, but at the end of each day, she felt herself break more and more.
It began to affect her battle performance as well, something that did not go unnoticed by her fellow mercenaries. 
And then her banner dropped. She had high hopes that you'd pull for her regardless of the things you'd heard. As she sat on her bed, she thought back to all the things you'd said.
From the moment she was leaked, you were ecstatic. 
"She's so pretty!"
Dehya smiled to herself at the fond memory. 
"Do we know her name yet?" You asked your friend, your primary source of information. "They're saying her name is 'Dehya.'" Your friend responded. 
"Dehya…." What a pretty name, you'd thought to yourself.
You were joyful the moment her npc version appeared in the game. Her lines were the only dialogue you didn't skip. 
From that day forward, you told yourself you'd pull for her. You took in all the information about her that you could. You sat through the debates on whether she'd be a 4 star or a 5 star. It didn't matter to you, all you knew was that she was going to be yours.
That didn't mean you weren't overjoyed when it was confirmed she was a 5 star. "Ha! I told you so!" You teased your friend, who playfully rolled their eyes. "Fine, you win. It's going to be harder to get her now, I hope you know that." You shrugged it off. "I don't care how many wishes it takes. She will be mine."
And then came the day everything began crumbling down.
"Credible leakers have confirmed that Dehya will be on the standard banner!" 
She heard the audio all the way from another app on your phone. What would you think of this?
"It can't be that bad. Besides, I wouldn't mind losing my 50/50 to Dehya." You reasoned.
Dehya breathed a sigh of relief. She knew you mained one of the standard characters already, but she didn't know how you'd feel about her now.
And it only got worse from there. The talk of the city began. It was nothing all that bad, at first, just a few apologies here and there.
"I'm sorry, Dehya. But look on the bright side…"
"Poor girl."
"Standard…she's going to be weak."
To her, it didn't matter. All she cared about was your opinion on her. However, the comments made her wonder if you'd be swayed.
What if she decides I'm not good enough? If I don't do enough damage, she might choose someone else over me…" She shook the nasty thoughts out of her head. No. I know my creator. They would never.
Dehya suddenly snapped back to the present. She was now laying down, curled into her blankets. She felt her eyes moisten. No. I'm stronger than this. I can't let the creator down. She sat up once more, staring into the mirror across from her bed. Weak. Pathetic.
They can say all they want. I might be physically weaker than the others, but I won't let them break down my mental state too. 
From that day forward, she made it a habit to train harder. To compliment you more. To give you a reason to consider her.
"Look, she just winked!" You exclaimed, pointing at her. "What? She didn't wink for me though?" Your friend, who was doing the same quest, showed you their screen. "Mm…must be a bug." They concluded. 
But You knew better.
And then the day of the livestream arrived. You preferred not to believe leaked banners, as you'd been fooled before. And alas, the banners were different from the leaked ones.
"Phase One will be…Cyno and Dehya!"
You were quiet. Too quiet. Dehya began to worry. She knew that her kit was nothing compared to Cyno's. 
"Phase Two will be…Shenhe and Ayaka!" The video announced. "Haha, good thing I don't need either of them." You said, continuing the video.
Dehya continued to listen in on the rest of the video, but her mind became clouded halfway through. You never said anything about Cyno. She bit her lip as she pondered, the video quickly becoming background noise to her thoughts. 
You never said you didn't want Cyno.
…And you never said you wanted me.
She clicked her tongue in frustration. Was she still not enough? She had to ensure that you still wanted her.
So she amped up her efforts.
She sent you mail. She never put her name on it. That would seem too desperate, she thought. On the day that her banner dropped, she mailed you 600 primos under the guise of maintenance. Attached to the 'maintenance rewards' were little trinkets, some that she thought would remind you of her.
To her delight, the developers decided to hand out 1 intertwined fate per archon quest. "If we do the math…that's 21, excluding the newest quest." She said to herself. "Plus what I sent…"
Unfortunately, your luck did not cooperate. Out of all of the pulls, your best item was a Bennett constellation.
"Bummer. Oh well." You closed the game, much to Dehya's distress. She still hoped that the day would come.
But then the whispers began again, this time while she was sitting outside the local tavern.
"Didn't you hear? The creator's considering pulling for Cyno instead!"
"He's the better option anyway, at least he can deal damage." One snickered.
She put down her glass, and breathed out a deep sigh before jumping when she felt a touch on her shoulder.
"Don't listen to them. I know she wants you more than anything." A familiar voice spoke. Dehya turned her head to be faced with the one and only General Mahamatra Cyno. She laughed bitterly. "Easy for you to say, General. This patch is in your favor."
Cyno crossed his arms, staring down at Dehya. "I mean it. Don't let it bother you."
"Yeah. Whatever." She smiled lightly. Despite their current rivalry between banners, Cyno was never hostile towards her. "It doesn't bother me any." 
…I'll try to keep that in mind.
She waited. She waited for days, and she was starting to lose hope. She'd heard you talking to your friend again.
"My feed is full of Dehya showcases now. She doesn't hit very high damage at all." You'd said.
Ouch.
"I suggest that you consider pulling for Cyno or waiting for a good banner to roll around." 
"Hmm."
By then, she'd tuned out. It's fine. Life goes on after all. 
And there she stood. She felt the tears falling down her cheeks as she made no attempt to wipe them.
"Archons…now my makeup is messed up." She weeped to herself.
And then she fell to her knees. 
But then she felt a warmth surging around her. She opened her eyes, immediately covering her eyes to prevent being blinded by the light. 
Wh…what's going on?!
She heard your voice in the distance.
"OH MY GOD OH MY GOD! IT'S GOLD!" You squealed, watching the screen intensely.
There's no way…
Dehya felt as though she was flying. Her eyes widened as she finally broke through her dark thoughts.
You wanted her?
You actually wanted her.
Her splash art displayed on your screen as you shrieked with joy.
"Dehya! You're finally home!"
A little while later, after you fell asleep, the game transferred your body into Teyvat. This had happened on many different occasions at random. You weren't afraid anymore.
After searching for some time, you found Dehya standing by herself. She wasn't hiding her tears any longer. You quietly stood behind her, not wanting to scare her.
You should've known that a mercenary's senses were stronger than that. She sensed your power.
"I heard it all, you know." She stared down, willing herself to stay strong. "The things they said about me. Normally, I wouldn't care, but…" She balled up her fists, taking a deep breath before shakily exhaling. 
"...You don't hate me?" She asked, slowly turning to face you, while still holding her head down. You softly cupped her cheek, lifting it up.  Her eyes were glossy, and her cheeks were stained with tear streaks. You smiled affectionately, staring directly into her sapphire eyes. "I could never hate you, my dear." You pulled her into a tight hug. After a few heartbeats, she finally laid her head on your shoulder. 
"I…never wanted anyone to see me like this." She sniffled, briefly lifting her head up and wiping away her tears, further smudging her eyeliner. "Especially not you." I look pathetic. 
You shushed her softly. "Lovely, it's okay to cry. It doesn't make you weak." You hugged her harder.
Damn, she has some back muscles. No, no, not the time.
"Even after everything they said? You still wanted me?" Why didn't you listen to them? They were right. 
"I've never cared all that much about the 'meta'." 
You rubbed soothing circles into her back as you spoke quietly. "When I saw you for the first time. I knew I knew I had to have you." 
"But what about what your friend said? They were right, Y'know. There are better options than me." You scoffed, smiling. "Don't worry about them. They're just a goofball. Dehya chuckled to herself before taking a long breath in. You pulled back from the hug, still holding her by the shoulders. For a moment, you two stared into each other's eyes. Dehya wished it would have lasted a little longer. "Chin up, Flame Mane. You and I have much to do together." You squeezed her shoulders. 
She's so happy you didn't give up on her.
Bonus:
You were now playing from your computer. You were testing out your new main Dehya’s damage. After all of your combined hard work, she was finally level 90 and triple crowned.
"Wow…that IS some mid damage." 
"HEY!" She bit back playfully.
"I'm joking, I'm joking! You did well for your first showcase. How about we grab some food to celebrate?"
"Haha. Sounds good, my stomach is hitting my backbone!" Dehya jested.
"Have you ever had sticky honey roast before? It's pretty good." You suggested. 
"Hm, never heard of it. I'll bite."
Dehya looked on towards Sumeru City. Let's continue our adventure tomorrow, creator. You and I have a long road ahead of us.
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totowlff · 29 days
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chapter forty-six — the loneliest
➝ it's not always easy to deal with your own mind
➝ word count: 1,9k
➝ warnings: mental health issues
➝ author’s note: yes, it's an update. yes, it's a shorter chapter. yes, the conversation is based on real dialogues.
JULY, 2018
As she sat on the couch in Alma’s office, Elisabeth felt pathetic. She couldn’t help it. This always happened during her appointments. Alma had assured her that it was completely normal and that she was far from the only client that experienced such strong emotional releases, it didn’t matter.
She had already been sobbing in front of the therapist for 20 minutes, without being able to complete even a coherent sentence to answer the only question she had asked so far. Such a simple question, but it had been able to make her crumble under the weight of all the fear she still felt.
— I believe it has been a difficult few days for you — Alma said calmly, her hands folded gently in her lap. 
— Yes, very difficult — Elisabeth managed to say, as she dried her nose with the tissue she had taken from the small table next to the armchair she was sitting on.
— Is there any point that you have found more difficult? — Alma asked, as Elisabeth nodded — And what would it be?
Elisabeth took a few deep breaths, trying to contain the whirlwind of emotions that had taken over her since the beginning of the month. Then, after sniffling and drying her eyes, she looked at the therapist again.
— My father's hospitalization — she said, quietly.
— I believe you are following everything closely…
— At first, yes, but now…
Niki's first few days in the hospital were reassuring. The immunosuppression therapy had shown satisfactory results in a short time, which cheered everyone up. However, it didn't take long for predictions of a possible rise before the end of the summer break to turn into what they didn't want to hear.
Elisabeth had just returned from an appointment with the obstetrician when Marlene called her and told her, with a choked voice, about Niki's worsening situation, that he had been transferred to the ICU. She felt tears welling in her eyes as her mother described her father's situation, stating that his lung tissue was deteriorating rapidly.
However, the final blow was when Doctor Idzko said that all treatments had been exhausted at that point, leaving only one option left.
— He needs a double lung transplant to survive. 
Alma pursed her lips, seeming to absorb the impact of the information.
— I assume he's already in line waiting for the organs, right? — she asked, earning a positive nod from Elisabeth — And you, how do you feel about this situation?
— Anxious, anguished, scared, all of that together. It's like there really is a chance that my father will die and I — she hesitated for a few seconds, feeling her throat tighten. After taking a deep breath, Elisabeth continued — I don't want to lose my father.
Even the possibility of it left her feeling disoriented. She didn't see herself being able to move forward without her father's presence in her own life, especially considering the magical phase that was about to begin in her life. How could Elisabeth be a mother without having her father by her side, guiding her in the same way he had always done?
— Why?
She raised her head, hesitantly.
— Because I can't see myself without my father. I don't see myself living in a world where my father isn't present, by my side, supporting me…
Alma pressed her lips into a thin line.
— Elisabeth, you are aware that no one lives forever, right?
— Yes.
— And you understand that our lives, at some point, will come to an end, right?
— Yes, but this is not the time…
— Who is to say that? — the therapist asked, her voice serious.
Elisabeth stared at her in silence, frozen. Sighing, the woman continued.
— It's understandable to be afraid of dying and losing our loved ones, but it's impossible to predict when or how we will all leave. In the end, only today is a reality.
— I don't want him to die now, he can't — she stammered, her eyes full of tears.
— No one wants to lose the one they love, that goes for anyone — Alma explained to her — But that's not up to you to choose, Elisabeth. And, in a way, we need to be prepared for that. To die, you just need to be alive.
She looked down at her hands, the diamonds on her fingers seeming to sparkle with tears. That statement was brutal, not to say cruel. How could life be something so intense and, at the same time, so delicate?
— I think this situation hurts more because you are living on both sides of the coin at the same time, dealing with a departure and an imminent arrival…
Elisabeth pursed her lips, her eyes dropping to her belly. That dichotomy was painful, especially because it was something she had always longed for, which was to see her father becoming her children's grandfather. And that seemed increasingly distant at that moment.
— Can I ask you something? — Alma said, making her wake up from her own thoughts and look up at the therapist.
— Yeah…
— Are you afraid of being alone?
She pressed her lips together tightly.
— Well, not necessarily. I've been alone on several occasions…
— I mean being without your parents, your siblings and your partner. Are you afraid of being completely alone in the world?
— Not a very pleasant prospect, is it?
— But it's perfectly plausible. No one is eternal, Elisabeth, and we never know what could happen the next minute — Alma explained, while her foot swayed slowly — So, do you have this fear?
Elisabeth had never stopped to think about it, but, in a way, it seemed too obvious. She couldn't remember a time when she was, in fact, alone. There was always someone around, whether it was his parents, his brothers and, more recently, Toto. There was always someone she could count on to provide support when needed.
But what about when there was no one?
— Do you think I'm afraid of being alone?
— You tell me, Elisabeth. Do you have this fear?
— I don't know.
Alma smiled.
— I think you know.
Of course she did.
She knew because she felt the agony building every time she woke up alone in bed in the morning. She knew why she had to face her classmates with her head down and pray that they would ignore her presence there, without telling anyone how they had made her life a living hell. She knew because she had experienced loneliness and rejection as a teenager and hated it.
Elisabeth was afraid of being alone.
She was afraid of not having anyone by her side, of being abandoned, of seeing everyone leave and her being left behind. She was afraid of not having anyone around her who understood her, no one who saw her as she really was and welcomed her with the love she had accepted she deserved, no matter how much she thought she was a complete disaster.
— I think I… have that…
Alma tilted her head.
— Fear?
— Yes, that fear.
— And why are you afraid?
— Because it's bad.
— What is ‘it’? — Alma raised an eyebrow.
— The loneliness. Loneliness sucks. And I don't want to be alone.
— Well, if we think about it — the woman began, looking at the notepad she had in her hand — You're not really alone when there's no one around. You're in your own company.
— I don't like my own company — Elisabeth replied.
— Why not?
She remained silent for a few seconds, thinking about the right words.
— Because I'm not a pleasant person to be around.
— You don’t think so? — Alma questioned — From what you told me, you have loving parents, brothers who really like you and a very loving partner, as well as a child on the way...
— But I don't feel like I’m very pleasant to be around, Alma. I feel like I'm a burden that everyone has been condemned to carry...
The therapist gave a small smile.
— I can assure you that you are not a burden, Elisabeth. And, if you have any doubts, try asking anyone around you and tell me the answers in the next session.
After saying goodbye to Alma, Elisabeth drove back to the penthouse in silence, the woman's words reverberating in her head. In just one session, she had realized that she couldn't change her father's fate and that she would be alone, one way or another, and that she would need to get used to her own company.
It seemed like a bleak prognosis.
She was still thinking about the therapist's speech about death when she entered the apartment, seeing Toto sitting on the couch with his iPad.
— Good evening, Liesl — he said, giving a smile, to which she responded shyly.
— Hello, darling.
— Is everything okay? — the team principal asked, setting the tablet on the coffee table while Elisabeth walked over, dropping her coat and bag on the armchair before dropping down next to him with a groan of pain.
— Yeah, everything is fine.
— How was therapy?
— Therapeutic — she replied without much emotion in her voice, making him laugh.
— That's good, it means it's working — Toto said, as he put an arm behind her head and brought her close to him. With her head resting on his shoulder, Elisabeth felt her body react to his heat and familiar scent, her muscles slowly relaxing, as if her unconscious mind knew that she was safe there — And our aprikose?
— They are making my feet swell and making me feel like crying about everything, but other than that, they’re fine. 
— That's good — he smiled, placing a hand on her belly — No more kicks?
— We don't know if they're kicks — Elisabeth murmured.
— Due to the gestational age, they could very well be — Toto said, smiling — And that means we're going to have a very active person to keep us company in this house.
She would have smiled too, if it weren't for the memory of the conversation with Alma. And that didn't go unnoticed by the team leader.
— Are you okay, my love?
— Yes, I was just thinking.
— What were you thinking about?
Elisabeth pursed her lips, hesitating for a few seconds.
— Whether our child will enjoy my company.
Toto raised an eyebrow.
— Liesl, it’s our child. Of course he will enjoy your company, you are his mother.
— But he might find me too boring and not want anything to do with me.
A giggle escaped the team principal's lips.
— Are you listening to what you're saying?
— Am I wrong?
— Yes!  — Toto exclaimed — You've never been so wrong in your life.
— But I…
He adjusted himself on the couch and placed his hands on her face.
— You are incredible, Elisabeth. You are smart, witty, funny and, above all, loving. You will be a wonderful mother to our baby and I am absolutely sure that he or she will not find you boring or will not want your company.
The words filled her eyes with tears.
— And you? — she stammered.
— Are you asking if I enjoy your company? — Toto returned the question with a smile — Know that, if I didn't enjoy your company, I wouldn't have asked you that question in the office.
Elisabeth blinked.
— Which one?
Taking her right hand, the team principal lifted it until it was between them.
— The one who put this ring on your finger.
Looking at the diamond, a small smile appeared on Elisabeth's lips.
— Can you promise me something? — she asked softly.
— Anything.
— Don’t leave me alone.
It was Toto's turn to smile.
— Not even if you want to, Liesl. I promise you, my love.
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mrs-murder-daddy · 1 year
Note
hello! I'm very much enjoying your Little Women-inspired Band of Brothers fic so far. two of my favorite stories combined, and I love the way you've done it so far with introducing the four sisters. also, childhood friends to lovers is one of my favorite tropes and I'm really looking forward to seeing more of Vivian/Donnie 🥰💕
if you're still looking for requests, I do adore Don Malarkey, George Luz, and Joe Toye (your choice) - maybe something to do with fake dating for New Year's 🥳 (or another holiday of your preference), or something angsty with a happy ending, if that's more up your alley? thank you!
Hello hello sorry for disappearing for a while there! My mental health took a dive and then uni took over my life and my mental health crumbled like a paper bridge.
Some things: The longer fic will be here shortly I promise! I'm sorry this is so short, I'm just trying to get back in the swing of things now that I have a month-long break from uni. I tried to make this gender-neutral please let me know if I’ve missed something! I’ve also given Reader a sister for plot reasons but she is referred to by a nickname.
And thank you for your kind words about Little Women (chapter 3 coming ASAP)
Just a Boy Standing in Front of a Girl
George Luz x Reader
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Obviously you hoped this day was coming. The war is over. You're going home. What you weren't expecting was having to leave George. You lived on complete opposite sides of the United States, and you weren't *together* per se. You were just friends. And friends say goodbye before leaving.
"Ey! There's my favourite medic!" He bounded up to you like a giddy child, searching your face to gauge if you heard the news.
You wrapped your arms around his neck as he wrapped his around your waist.
"We're going home Georgie!"
He smiled brightly, "We're going home! What's the first thing you're gonna do?"
You pulled back, "Oh, I don't know actually. Maybe go see my sister."
"Not your ma?"
"My mother has been begging me to come home and marry some socialite for months now. Giggles is the only one in my family who's actually written to see if I'm okay."
"And?"
"And what?"
"Should I be expecting a wedding invitation?" His tone was joking, but you could see on his face the prospect worried him.
"Nope." You smiled softly. "Not for a long time."
"What are you going to tell her?"
"I don't know yet." You sighed through your nose. "But come on Georgie quit being a cold fish! Let's celebrate!"
He laughed as you took his hand and led him to your friends. Now was the time for fun.
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George gave you his address and made you promise to write as much as you could. Sometimes the letters were short and sharp, updating each other on your lives. Sometimes they were long and heartfelt.
This latest letter he could have sworn there were tear stains on the paper.
Your mother had gotten suspicious of all your activity. She pressured you to find out just what was going on. You had to lie. She would never have approved of you corresponding with someone at this frequency if you weren't dating.
You panicked. You told her half-truths. You met George years ago at training, fell in love but kept it professional until you got home, and now you were separated by distance.
She gave a doubtful hum and offered to invite him to Giggles' birthday. A girl only turns 21 once after all.
You cried as you wrote to George, asking for forgiveness for throwing him under the bus. He simply replied that there was no need. He was excited to meet Giggles and see what all the fuss was about in your hometown.
You huffed a sad little laugh when he signed off 'the best lover on the East Coast.'
This was going to be... interesting.
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It's hard to see him again, not only for the memories you would always associate with him, but also because he seemed happier. Some annoying part of your brain tells you he's happier without you. The grin on his face and the strong arms wrapped around you say otherwise.
Lord you have missed George. But he's missed you more.
You have this glow about you, and he knows that despite the pressures from your mother, you are happy. And when he meets Giggles he understands. She is sunshine in a pinafore. He feels his own mood lift, thankful that you have such a light in your life.
Dinner is a difficult affair, George seems to lay the PDA on thick. Your mother stares him down like a spider. Giggles teases you both to no end. You're halfway through a bottle of your favourite drink just to keep yourself occupied.
Giggles cracks open her first bottle of champagne and drags you into the kitchen to 'help her pour.'
She rounds on you, holding your wrists so she can lean in. "What was that?!"
You're taken aback, "What do you mean?"
"For two people who aren't actually dating, you sure look like you are."
You gasp and pull her as far away from the dining room as you can. "Giggles! What are you talking about?"
"Oh come on! I can see from a mile away you two would make each other so happy!"
"That's not the point! How do you know we're not really together?"
Your sister smiles sheepishly, "I may have looked through your letters- But! But! Hear me out. You two are meant for each other."
She actually pours some champagne, leaving you to your thoughts.
It's only later when George goes outside for a smoke that you can finally talk to him. Your mother had a little too much giggle juice and was sound asleep in her room. Your sister made herself scarce with a wink.
You steal the cigarette from his lips, take a drag and put it back. A habit from deep in the Ardennes forest.
He huffs a laugh and takes his own drag.
"I... I have something to tell you. And I need to get it all out first or I never will."
He nods a little apprehensively.
"I don't want this to be fake. I think I actually love you, not in the way I love Joe or Babe or any of those guys. I'm for real, long-haul, scary in love with you."
He begins to laugh.
Your heart is about to fall out of your ass.
Why is he laughing?
He stops, his face dropping when he sees your expression.
"Sweetheart, when you wrote to me, asking me to come here I went out and bought a ring." When your eyes widen, he reassures you. "I'm not proposing yet, I just need you to know I'm serious."
You smile brightly. He does too.
You look at his lips. He does too.
You lean forward. He does too.
And when your lips finally collide, a loud cheering erupts behind the the glass of the back door.
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xxsycamore · 2 years
Text
XX 𝐅𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐋 𝐏𝐔𝐒𝐇
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► SYNOPSIS:
Courage.
The missing piece of the puzzle, crucial for Comte and MC to finally connect their souls aching and lost in search of each other.
When the poor little human comes to Vlad's door with a request, he finds himself willing to provide with a little push.
▍comte x mc x vlad
▍rating: E (mdni)
▍tags: Threesome - F/M/M; Light Bondage; Love Confessions; Light Angst; Porn With Plot; Past Relationship(s); Implied Vlad/Comte; spoilers for comte's real name; Denial of Feelings; Mutual Pining; Altered Mental States; Hypnotism; Pureblood abilities used with consent; Kink Negotiation; First Kiss; First Time; Loss of Virginity; Voyeurism; Vaginal Fingering; Vaginal Sex; Biting(no turning); Blow Jobs; Come Swallowing; Multiple Orgasms; Masturbation; Creampie; Resolved Sexual Tension; Sexual Roleplay; Mild Blood; Polyamory
▍wordcount: 3, 449
▍masterlist
▍a/n: Here it is, the grand finale to my Visions of Temptation 2021! Thank you everyone who followed on the journey and I hope you stick around for this year's installment that is just around the corner <3 This piece was fairly challenging as I got to explore some themes that I haven't written before - I really wanted to spoil you all for the end! Mind the tags and I hope you enjoy!
Written as a part of VISIONS OF TEMPTATION 2021 hosted by me here.
event masterlist
Day 31 - Sexual roleplay | Supernatural traits
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When Vlad invited Comte to his castle, the latter didn't think much about it, initially.
As unusual as it is for his former companion to seek his company out of the blue, Comte figured he has his reasons, he always has. Even when being kindly introduced inside the lavish hallway by none other than the master of the house himself, he keeps thinking the same. A glass of rum is handled to Comte's hand, a mere courtesy of a welcome drink, nothing more. As usual, his own hatred for alcohol dictates he won't be accompanying Comte for a toast. Sharing the briefest of touch in the act of handling the cup, the invisible electricity is felt by both parties, but remains unspoken of. Some things are better left buried in the eternal slumber of days long gone. Though, his old friend has a knack for poking in old graves.
There is something unreadable in Vlad's vermilion red orbs - they glow but don't share their secrets, not even as Vlad tells Comte he has a surprise for him.
The blonde follows his lead to a more secluded part of the castle, commenting on how Vlad hasn't cheated on his style one bit since they last saw each other. Vlad offers a chuckle along with a pesky remark of his own, emphasizing in contrary on the way Comte carries himself lately and how shoulder-length hair had looked much better on him. The blonde only shrugs, unwittingly slipping into his old, more casual persona around him; suggesting that he might grow it out again one of those centuries.
The short trip comes to an end as Vlad stands in front of a heavy wooden door. Comte recognizes it with no introduction needed; along with every turn in the hallways, it's surely Vlad's chambers behind that door. It only provokes curiosity on why Vlad chooses to be so direct on the reason he invited him, going straight to the point and subsequently straight to the bedroom - or, could it be just to deceive?
Vlad pushes the doors open and abundant candlelight colors his frame in warm tones. He moves to the side so the sight that his frame blocked is now displayed before Comte's curious gaze.
In the center of the vast luxurious room he sees a person too-well known to mistake, kneeling on a silk-covered bed, with hands behind their back and presumably tied together. It's MC.
Comte's typically serene composure crumbles down in mere seconds as he stands petrified taking in the sight of his precious girl. What is she doing here? Since when? He should've been more careful than to leave her unguarded upon his departure-
"Have you lost your words, Comte? I thought the two of you were at least on greeting terms with each other."
The terrible mocking of the nature of their relationship seems out of place enough for the blonde, but there are more important matters at hand than to bark back at him. Undeniably, they're not lovers. With all his wealth Comte can never afford the mere reverie of claiming her as his lover. It is nothing but a bad joke by destiny that they crossed paths, or so he likes to believe. The feelings he has for her shall remain behind the closed doors of his heart, unlike a certain girl that opened the ones of his home a month ago in some unfortunate irony.
He crosses the distance to where MC is, knee dipping on the soft bed, hands roaming on her shoulders and her sides to check for injuries or anything suggesting the dark images that flash through his mind. When reaching for her restraints in order to free her, however, MC falters and squirms away from his hold.
"C-Comte, you don't have to. I don't mind it at all…"
The new surprise instantly swallows the one that preceded it, with perplexion playing on Comte's features all for Vlad to marvel at. As much as the white-haired man enjoys being the one to look down on the pair, he joins at their level soon, seating down comfortably behind MC and putting his hands on her arms in a seemingly soothing manner. "Good girl. We need to let Comte just know how much you enjoy this."
"Vlad, I demand you explain what is happening here this instant."
There is something dark in the way Vlad smirks at him, his beautiful facial features carrying once familiar naught that makes Comte's blood boil in anger.
"I ought we listen to her. I bet you're more prone to believe her than me."
Sharpening his gaze at him for the lack of words that won't end with a question mark, Comte's attention shifts to MC as he cradles her face with worry. Were they in any other situation, such an intimate gesture would be unspeakable.
"What has he done to you, ma chérie?"
For all that's been said and done in the course of knowing each other, Comte has always been cautious. A mere slip of the tongue or a meaningful gaze could break his façade for MC to see through - and to easily spot the love he holds for her and has been for so long now. And Comte, well, he might be many things, but he's not stupid. Having walked under the sun for hundreds of years, one becomes well aware of even the most fleeting of things; especially, human emotions. He's seen the signs of MC possibly returning those feelings for him, and perhaps the seed of love has taken root deeper into her heart than what he wants to believe. Destined to hurt them both.
"Comte, I… there's been something I've wanted to tell you for so long now. But please, don't be angry with Vlad. He gave me…the final push that I needed."
Looking deeper into her glassy eyes, Comte feels like he can see the confirmation of his doubts. Her gaze is marred with emotions he hasn't seen her express but still so much hers. The blush blossoming on her cheeks is there, like every other time he remembers becoming the reason behind it, unintentionally.
She finally says it all out loud in one breath.
"I love you, Comte. I'm so madly in love with you, I don't know what to do with myself!"
Her whole body shakes with emotion, a deep sigh drawing from her lungs as Vlad holds her upright by staying close behind her.
Comte is speechless as he watches her inhale anew and smile gently at him. Tears prick at the corners of her eyes.
"Ahh, it feels so much better to finally say it…"
The only adequate thing to do right now is to collect her into his arms. MC's shaky balance finally gives away as she melts into Comte's embrace, the latter knitting his brows together while holding her as close as he can. Wasn't it for the rope around her wrists, he figures her hug would be as strong as his is, if not stronger. He withdraws to look at her, knowing that behind the thick fog in her mind she can still understand him. He has a feeling about what's going on.
"I love you too, my dear. Just like you, I have…loved you for a very, very long time."
"Comte…!!"
The elegant chuckle of Vlad is the only thing dispelling the magical exchange.
"I'm sorry to ruin the moment, but let me go through the details once again."
Vlad gets more comfortable, sitting back on his heels instead of retreating to a nearby armchair that would fail to capture the sight up this close.
"Your little human came to me with a wish. She knows of my abilities and asked me to use them on her, with full consent."
"Nonsense, why would she…"
"She just wanted courage. A little push, in order to be bold enough, to say everything she wanted to say to you before you have the chance to drive her away from yourself and break her heart, and yours as well in the process. And I gave her that final push."
Comte's eyes lock into Vlad's figure intensely, as if checking for the slightest of indications that this might be a sick joke. Performing mind hypnotism on MC is shocking enough on its own, but to hear that she was the one asking for it? He is not sure whether to believe what's unfolding in front of him or not.
"Oh, and, by the way, her state is one of hundred percent honesty. Meaning that she won't hold back. All she feels for you, you'll be able to see for yourself. Every sort of emotion."
Comte doesn't get the chance to think about the riddle because MC's body squirms in his hold again. Comte can feel her burning skin where she is pressed against him, as if her whole body is on fire.
"Comte, I'm sorry but I think I am…very aroused right now. I can't help it…"
The man needs no more than a few seconds to gain his composure and his whole demeanor changes at once. There is nowhere to run anymore and he is familiar with what her condition entails without having to be encouraged further into accepting it. Those are her true emotions. Still, Vlad whispers seductively in a voice so low, it could as well be Comte's mind making up affirmations.
She wants you.
Give her what she wants.
Comte extends a hand towards her writhing form, caressing her cheek again, this time not with worry but with reassurance.
"Abel. Call me Abel."
MC's half-lidded eyes lighten up anew with the sound of those two syllables tying together into the real name of her beloved.
"Abel."
She tries.
"Abel! Oh, God, please, my dear Abel, take me already! I'm so ready for you…"
An almost corrupted smile cracks onto Comte's mouth as he comes to accept the situation. She chose to endure this. Her need was so strong as to lead her on her two legs straight into Vlad's lair, in order for the three of them to put together the pieces.
"I have to admit, Comte, your human is very cute. I hope you're appreciating my generosity while making this long-abstained lust reality."
"What do you want in return?"
Vlad chuckles, palming MC's shoulders as her trembling legs barely hold her upright.
"I can watch. It's been awhile since someone has put on a good show for my old eyes."
Comte lets out a dry laughter of his own, as he takes off his beige coat and his vest in one go. Making quick work of the buttons of his sleeves and then the ones lined down his torso, his shirt hangs open as the tie already lies in the pile of clothes.
MC leans down, ass sticking out seductively in the air as she wiggles her way between Comte's opened legs. The prominent bulge in his pants only grows firmer when MC nudges her cheek into it, breathing out soft moans as she tries to voice her desire without the aid of words.
Comte gets the message perfectly. He undoes his belt with a quick move of his hand and frees his length which jumps with enthusiasm out of its restraints.
MC's eyes could as well have tiny hearts inside them, already drunk at the sight of it.
"Gods, it's so big… I wonder if it will fit inside me…"
Comte's chest swells with adoration for his lovely girl and her helpless honesty that is heightened by Vlad's mind-controlling abilities. He encourages her, stroking her hair softly.
"I think it will fit just fine, ma chérie. Here, why don't you try taking it in your mouth?"
Her wetted lips part as she gives his cock a couple of kitten licks before finally bracing herself to cover it completely with her mouth. Its sheer thickness is more than what she can open up for, and she has to stick with sucking on just a part of it. Still, she gives it her all, not minding the sequence of shameful slurping noises that escape her mouth.
Comte continues to caress her as wave after wave of pure bliss hit him intensively.
"Good girl. My good girl, I'm going to reward you so well for this…"
Vlad abstains from interrupting Comte's bliss, just for the sake of enjoying the performance a little longer. He watches as Comte grabs a fistful of MC's hair, somehow still with finesse, yanking on it in order to hold her off him in the last second before spilling his release. His orgasms are as vigorous as Vlad remembers them, rope after rope of hot virile cum shooting from his swollen cock only to land in MC's open mouth, across her cheek, and even down her barren nape.
Once Comte guides MC to sit back spread-legged, Vlad comes closer, offering his chest as her backrest. His fingers creep down her body and under her skirts, moving the clothing aside and leaving everything beneath on display.
"See how wet she is for you, Comte? She's dying to have you inside her."
"It's true, Abel! Please, I can't wait anymore, please…"
Comte groans, reaching for his cock which is already back to full hardness as he rips the fabric of her panties. What a great excuse to load her wardrobe with new sets of underwear the next day.
"I'm here ma chérie, I'm here."
Dipping his fingers into her dripping hole feels heavenly, and he is to exchange them with his length in another second and somehow not shatter from the pleasure on the spot. He is a man of control though, abandoning the pleasant promise until after he's done thoroughly preparing her for him. He's gentle as he fingers MC, listening to every sound falling from her mouth, asking how she feels.
Getting a nice grip on her thighs, Comte slowly enters her with his large girth. The stretch is burning and provoking a symphony of moans in its wake, but Comte senses no pain in MC's body language. All that leaves her hot mouth is born from enormous pleasure and nothing else; a pleasure that is real and present, without taking into account Vlad's doing, without the push of destiny or anything else he can think about.
He moves her body effortlessly as she lays back on the cradle of Vlad's arms, her juices already starting to gush and coat his balls on every thrust as he creates a steady tempo. His large cock brushes against her sweet spot and MC immediately clench around him, fusing it into a chain reaction as Comte hisses at her marvelous tightness hugging him lasciviously. With more of her slickness escaping and making so the room fills with the sound of their coupling, MC screams to the heavens as the name Abel keeps on falling from her lips like a mantra. She needn't warn him of her upcoming release, Comte already knows her body inside out.
"I've got you, my dear, I've got you…"
In a series of wanton moans, MC cums all over Comte's cock, letting him move her like a ragdoll on his cock as the orgasm washes over her. It's not enough, not at all, and she is thankful that Comte is only slowing down without a full stop because she wants to get to experience this again, and again, and again.
In the brief pause filled with kisses pressed all over her face and neck, MC giggles as Comte begins to untie her wrists. The freedom to put her hands around his neck is rewarding, even more than the previous eroticism of presenting herself bonded and at his will.
Instead of the mind-controlling fog in her mind serving to clog her mind, MC feels like it has opened her eyes. All the amorous things she's dreamed of doing to Comte, she now feels less worried about demonstrating. With their mutual confession of love, the best part is, there is no point hiding anything anymore. Not now, and not later, when Vlad's power loses its effects on her.
Comte places mark after mark on her pretty neck, feeling no shame about claiming her in the most visible of ways as her skin now bears the print of his teeth. Once he is satisfied with his handiwork, the beast inside him calls again as gives a few shallow thrusts of his hips.
He can see Vlad's own arouse prodding the refines of his pants as the man directs his crimson gaze at Comte. The latter wraps an arm securely around MC's back to take a hold of her in his lap as he reaches out the other one, tugging on Vlad's belt.
Vlad shimmies out of his pants, crawling closer to the couple as he gets a grip on his neglected leaking cock. With Comte's kind permission, he closes his eyes and begins rubbing it between MC's parted cheeks and on the place where Comte and MC are connected. It makes the girl yelp with surprise but Comte is quick to shush her with a soothing kiss, letting her know that it's alright and he won't enter her.
There is something very enticing about intruding into this sweet union of two people who've waited for so long to become one, yet Vlad bites on his lips and decides to leave the moment solely for the two of them. It would be a shame for his cum to leak out of the little human's hole before Comte gets to do that to her, and he is close.
He stimulates himself by rubbing his blunt head in their combined slickness, feeling the hot throb of Comte's cock against his own as his hands move in fast strokes and he meets his culmination.
Comte feels his own restraint begin to crack as the pace of his thrusts becomes uneven. Hugging MC's waist with both arms, he whispers sweet nothings in her ear while the building orgasm inside him threatens to bare him from all sense of control.
"I'm going to fill you up ma chérie. I'm going to give it all to you…Ahh-"
With a sharp thrust of his hips, he holds her down on his cock until it's sheathed to the hilt, and he spills his cum right there. MC screams in orgasm of her own, her legs thrashing around as she feels the hot seed pool inside the deepest part of her, flooding her with its sheer amount as Comte keeps on cumming and cumming. Purebloods are something else.
It takes them some time to gain back their senses, locked into a sloppy kiss as MC makes a mess out of Comte's perfect hair just for the sake of drabbing into something for support. Once the pulse of her fluttering core calms down, she lets her head rest on Comte's sweaty shoulder.
Comte is not much different, with heavy pants leaving his lips, even if this momentary exhaustion is something he'll forget about in a couple seconds. Though, he is thankful that now he has the chance to direct his attention to Vlad.
The devilish man only smirks then the two lock gazes. It's not clear who is the first to lean in closer, but in the next moment, they're kissing.
Comte bites on his lower lip, drawing out a hissing noise from Vlad.
"Serves you well, some despicable perverted old man you are. You're always coming up with the most twisted of scenarios."
The curtain falls as Comte's words serve as a confirmation that roleplay time is over.
It was all Vlad's idea for the three of them to spice up their sex life as a polyamorous couple, and Comte has to admit, it went beyond his expectations despite choosing not to praise him excessively for it. Most importantly, MC seemed to enjoy it greatly, so he owes him for that.
Vlad bursts into honest laughter, brushing the blood tricking down his lip where he was bitten with the back of his hand.
"Who is the perverted old man? You should've seen yourself from afar. You're enjoying this far too much for your own good, Abel."
Their quarrel is interrupted by MC's wordless protests as she squirms away from where she is sandwiched between them, spent and covered in cum.
"Are you two going to chit chat or are you going to fuck me some more? Is this all you've got?"
They look at each other, declaring an unspoken truce as they get to work upon her wish. They have to let her know that this is, in fact, very far from all they have in store for her.
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lgwifey · 1 year
Note
hii love could i please request something with graham just something cute and fluffy (maybe beginning in angst and ending fluff??) love you xx
(Hiyaaaa babes, sorry my writings been really dead recently but I hope this is okay x)
PINKY PROMISE
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90s!graham coxon x fem!reader
MASTERLIST
Bright lights flashed in the group's face as they waited for their call to enter the stage of the popular talk show.
Y/n stood with the rest of her band, she was in the middle with their bassist behind her. They weren't as popular as Cassie and Myra, the vocals and guitarist, and they weren't overly bothered by it. At the end of the day, they all came into this business because of their love of music and as long as she was playing with her bestfriends she was happy.
"And now ladies and gentlemen, Cassie, Myra, Y/n and Luka also known as Y/b/n."
The four strolled over to the long couch set out beside the host's chair and desk. None of them had gone over the top on their outfit for the interview, sticking to what they might of worn on stage or in the streets.
Y/n sat between Myra and Luka, fixing her hair to how it was before it got messed up by the fan blowing air at them all.
Eventually the live audience stopped applauding and the man in a suit turned to them.
"First of all, I'm starting to think that all guys should stop weightlifting and get a set of drums in there, Y/n those look pretty dangerous."
The teenage girl laughed before flexing her arms, Luka pulling them down with an amused expression on his face.
"Yeah, playing drums pratically everyday since your three give you some muscle."
"Three !? Anyways, back to the script or my boss' are gonna tell me off. What can you tell me about the-"
Y/n listened as Cassie and Myra answered his questions aimed to get, waiting paciently for her and Luka's turn.
As her friends answered their questions, her eyes scanned over the crowd. Luka must've noticed her unintentional quiet sigh because he discretely held onto her hand for the rest of the interview.
Y/n gave an ached groan as her bones slowly slid back into a normal position, muscles aching from how she had fell asleep.
Her sleep dosed eyes fluttered around as she dragged her mind into conciousness. Still in last night's heels, she made a mental reminder to try to take them off next time as one on her ankles was twisted sideways by the scuffed, plastic pink platform and her other leg was dinted with marks from the thin straps that crawled up to her knee.
She must have been spending too long observing her surroundings because soon an arm crawled out from under the crumbled duvet and killed the irritating noise which echoed out of her phone.
Her spine let out a satisfying crack as she arched it just before falling on her side to face Graham. The guitarist layed with his head buried under the blanket, pillow sideways and phone drooped half over his head. He'd gave all his effort for the morning in turning the alarm off and was now just letting his body mould back into the comfortable bed.
"Morning."
She waited a moment before the gruff responce of a sleepy mumble was muffled by the duvet, letting her eyes roll as she watched him move to have the pillows over his face and the duvet closer to him.
Knowing she wasn't going to be able to get him to move any time soon, she slipped out of bed, pulling a random pair of sweatpants over last nights dress before trying to walk to the kitchen to find the few aspirins left for help with the fog that clouded her brain whenever she stood up.
The flat had been left in an even more catastrophic state than usual, plastic shot glasses littered on the coffee table and kitchen counters.
Half an hour later, Graham wondered into the kitchen to find her staring off into space, a cup of cold coffee in her hands and yesterdays mascara dried onto her undereye .
"Nice night ?"
She dropped out of her own thoughts, finally blinking and looking over to where he stood with bed hair and tired eyes.
"I should ask you the same thing ."
Y/n got up from her seat, pouring the coffee in the sink and wondering off to the bathroom. He followed her, running his hand through his hair whilst trying to think of what is the best thing he could say, well what's less likely to get him sleeping on the couch for a week.
"Look I'm really, really sorry babe. You know I would've come if I could."
She turned around with a less than impressed expression on her face.
"That's the best you could come up with ?"
He paused at her reaction, before he carried in explaining.
"I got a last minute call, you know how it is."
"No Gray, I don't know how it is because I have to schedule everything around your little last minute things you get from this new management and the one time I ask you to do one thing, just come and sit in a seat at a chat show."
"I know"
She nodded, waiting for more.
“And I’m the worst boyfriend in the world for missing your interview.”
She rolled her eyes.
“And I won’t do it again ?”
She raised an eyebrow at that comment.
“Pinky promise ?”
She paused for a second, thinking through her options before replying with the vague
“I’m going having a bubble bath after last night, you’ve got till then to make it up to me.”
Her small smile contrasted her serious tone and Graham let out a small breath of relief as she spun into the bathroom,closing the door and letting the tub start running.
He immediately ran to the phone, calling the one memorised number and letting the device ring before speaking to the person on the other end of the line.
“Hiya Dames, yeah where did you get those flowers for Y/n’s birthday ?”
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lovelywingsart · 4 months
Text
//AU// Final Revelations
-- Karl Heisenberg X OC (AFAB, She/They) --
This one is a lil short but I finally had the mental power to work on and edit... Maybe not the best, but I like it more than others!
Also: If you've read my updates before, that means yes- this is actually the 'final' written story until I start on the new sketch comic which will be the actual fight itself and takes place after this! It will be a monumental task and we'll see how long it takes me ALSKDJSAS-
Anyway, enjoy a smol chapter update!
**Remember, check out the Masterlist for more!**
-----
Warnings?: Mention of lies with explanation(and what those lies were), mild hostility, not much else???
Summary: The time has come, and meeting with the other current survivors is necessary... But so is confessing.
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The sound of crumbling ground and curling mold was everywhere, filling what had once been a deafening silence after screams and gunfire. Long black tendrils covered the fields and houses, with Lycans running amok and even dying by the vary substance that created them as it erupted at random and impaled the poor creatures that ran over it. Emelia scurried her way through to a small clearing on the outskirts of the village itself, her chest heaving with occasional snarls and screeching at the creatures if they crossed her. She barked orders at the creatures in their own tongue to make them move, not slowing her own movements for a moment.
She had to hurry... She had left the now empty scrap metal heap left in the field of the factory once her family was safe, listening to the other sounds around her. ANY other sounds that weren't the ones that filled the air. Anything that could tell her where the rest of the small group of mutants remained.
She had ordered her son and partner to run. To go back to their hidden home. They HAD to run. The boy was far too young to fight, and his father... Her throat tightened as she heard frantic speaking above the mold as she neared the smallest clearing. His father had died once already. The man was worse for wear, barely walking by himself with the mangled prosthetic he managed to pull with him at the last second.
He was angry... He was PISSED. Pissed he wasn't able to fight like he wanted to, like he planned for years on doing. It stung him worse than being murdered by the very one those plans were for, but even he knew he had no choice with the state he was in. And so the two boys ran to a place the parents had only discussed while she chose to fight, a decision that even she wondered was for the best now- but she still had work to do. She made it known.
She came to a sudden, choked halt as she finally caught sight of the group she had left to meet, first noticing the now frazzled, once-white dress of Alcina. Her gaze moved between the remaining three Lords, her heart beating out of her chest with an angry anxiety as if finally settled on the one who brought them together-
Winters.
Ethan Winters.
The man who had beaten her partner close to death. The man who, despite having turned the other Lords against the common enemy they all were about to face with some mild reasoning, decided to look for their son and fight them both without speaking a goddamn word about it until the end. No, to him, Heisenberg was simply a threat, and so was she by extension until she had tobeg for her life- beg for her boys lives. It was his actions that weakened Heisenberg. That weakened HER. He didn't ask questions, he just moved, doing what they thought was trying to take their son. He didn't listen until the last moments, and it made her blood boil. Sure, he may not have known, but a simple question would have left them all fine...
But even then, despite all that, her rage towards him couldn't help but slowly trickle away into a small anger. She knew why he did what he did. And his simple reasoning was something even she couldn't argue with, even if it had caused them this pain that could have been so, so much worse.
She only started moving towards the group once more as the sounds of the mold grew, breaking her from her thoughts and forcing them to the back of her mind as she wiped away the last of the tears that had fallen without her noticing.
Donna had been the first to notice as she approached, her head snapping up with the sound of her footsteps as the Angie began to squirm in her grip.
"EMELIA!!!" She screeched, nearly hopping out of the woman's arms once the grip was loosened. Emelia flinched as all attention was suddenly on her as Angie darted towards her, and she kneeled to meet the doll in a light embrace before picking her up.
"We... We didn't think you'd make it..." the woman said quietly, her voice wavering from a mix of anxiety and fear as Moreau suddenly scuttled forward to follow the doll.
"Oh Emmy, where were you?? Are you ok???" The man said, instantly grabbing her other hand as Angie clung to her shoulders. The poor thing was almost as beaten as Karl, but he was still standing even with the green-ish red blood that covered his back and face. She managed a small smile to reassure him.
"I'm... I'm alright... I'm here." she said. She then looked up at Alcina, who's face had twisted into a strange mix of relief and confusion. "Where are the girls...?"
"With Duke." The woman said simply, though there was a clear amount of worry that appeared more on her face. "I only trust they will be safe with him, as much as I would like them to stay home..."
Emelia nodded.
"Good... Good. He knows where to go. Even I can promise they will be safe and away from this mess." She assured, and the tall woman seemed to let out a breath of full relief. She then looked to the side as she heard footsteps approach closer, only to see the stunned face of Ethan as he limped towards them.
"You..." he said, his own voice a mixture of confusion and caution. "I thought you said-"
"Save it, you bloody prick." She growled lowly. "I have a job to do, and you won't stop me from doing it..."
The other Lords were silent as she glared at him lightly, and he lifted his hands slowly in a surrendering motion while taking a step back.
"I won't. You made your point before." He spoke simply, and she nodded.
"Good..."
Her tone eased slightly as Donna approached on her other side for Angie. Alcina was the first to speak, her now suspicious gaze flicking between her and Winters.
"And, dare I ask... Where is that buffoon? Heisenberg?" She asked, the corner of her mouth twitching as Emelia flinched and Ethan began to speak.
"He's-"
"He's resting." Emelia interrupted quickly, glaring at him again with a silent warning. Another look of confusion entered the mans beaten features.
"But I saw him, he-"
"Leave it, you ignorant wanker." She snarled. "He is resting from his injuries that you had no help in. He's fine."
"But he was dead!!"
The words tumbled out of Ethans mouth before he could stop them despite the clear warning tone in her voice, and a sudden dead silence fell over them. The trio of Lords looked at him as Emelias face went slightly pale.
"D-... Dead...?" Donna nearly whispered, her voice that of mild horror as she stared at him with a wide eye. Ethan shook his head almost frantically, looking to Emelia with his own pale jolt.
"I-... It wasn't me who killed him...!! It was Miranda-"
"But you beat him to the point of weakness even more severe than them!! You LET him die by her hands!!" Emelia growled, her lip curling just slightly. She took an angry step towards him, feeling that small rage bubble up once more. "Had you listened to us, had you even bloody ASKED, he'd be HERE right now instead of-"
"Thats enough!!" Alcina raised her voice suddenly, causing the five heads to turn to her. She turned to Emelia. "If Winters claims he is dead, than how is he alive, according to you?" She asked, and her face fell immediately. "Not that I'd completely believe a man-thing, but he's managed to convince us all of his motives thus far, even by... questionable means..."
"I saw Miranda kill him...!" Ethan said, looking back at Emelia as well, who now looked mildly uncomfortable. "She tore him apart before she got to me. How the fuck is he still alive??"
More silence. All eyes were on her now, and an explanation for the given situation all but demanded simply by looks alone. She looked at them one by one, feeling her breaths become quick and panicked as her mind raced... and then her gaze fell upon Moreau.
Moreau, the only one who had known all those years ago, told a lie to save their skins. Moreau, the one who she knew would have kept the secret, who would have helped them if he could, chased off by anxieties and fear.
Moreau, the one she knew would be the most hurt if she told them all the truth now given the circumstances... but she had to.
She had no choice now.
She shook her head, taking a shaky breath and reaching to rub the back of her neck.
"He was... revived." She said finally, her voice quiet with a nervous tremble. She was met by silence once more, followed immediately by confusion.
"What do you mean 'revived'??" Ethan said, and she frowned.
"I mean exactly that." She spoke, attempting to regain what little confidence she had but failing. She froze as Moreau squeezed her hand.
"Revived... how??" The fish man asked, and she swallowed hard. She stared at the ground for a moment in attempt to think, only finally looking at him with a sad smile.
"By our son." She admitted quietly.
Ethan stared at her, slowly putting the pieces together in his head and the realization settling in his features.
"Wait, you mean... that kid in the factory...? Heisenbergs kid?" Ethan asked, his eyes widening. "You're his..."
"Yes, you bloody idiot. Who else would I have been speaking of when I begged for our bloody lives??" She snapped, only calming down as the fish Lord jumped next to her. She glanced at her friend briefly before returning to the man, keeping her gaze on Ethan hard, but steady. She watched as his face fell, and he took a step back. A small gasp was heard from Donna, and Alcinas brows raised. But she turned her gaze to Moreau, who's confusion grew almost exponentially as he listened.
"He is resting alongside Karl, as he should be..." Her voice suddenly dropped, a proud, calm expression on her face as she lifted her chin. "His power is greater than ours. More potent, even without a Cadou, though we are unsure how... Potent enough to save his father and still stand. He is far more capable than the two of us combined, but he's only a child... We won't let him fight."
"You had another baby??" Moreau asked suddenly, making her flinch while followed by a disbelieving scoff from Alcina.
"'Another'?!" The tall woman said, and the dollmaker whimpered.
"... There was... a first...?" She said quietly, as if events from years prior were suddenly clicking on her mind. Alcina crossed her arms.
"And when would we have learned of this information?!"
Emelia shook her head, waving her off just slightly.
"N-No, no... He isn't 'another', he was the only one... I..." she tried, feeling their eyes burn into her skin. She attempted to find the words, only to sigh and let her hand fall from Moreaus grip. She went quiet, her gaze falling to the ground once more.
"... I lied, Salvatore..." She whispered finally, heavy guilt evident in her voice as the confused- and now somewhat betrayed- stares made an unpleasant chill race up her spine. "I lied when I told you it was gone..."
He stared at her.
"... what...?"
The small squeak in his voice made her flinch.
"It wasn't my idea, and I regretted it every bloody day afterwards... Hated myself for it for years." she continued, looking up at him again to see a nearly hurt expression in the mans face. Fuck... "It was Karls suggestion, but... I agreed to it out of fear, even though I questioned it." She frowned. "I didn't want to lie to you, Sal... But we had to make sure she didn't find out. Every precaution had to have been taken to get this chance, to make sure she didn't rip it from me... And I listened to him."
"... I wouldn't have told her..." the man replied quietly, taking another step back. "I promised..."
"I... I-I know, Sal... I know, and I'm sorry..."she tried, kneeling down just slightly to stay level with him. "But she would have gotten suspicious if I continued to go to you, or bloody god forbid Heisenberg let you in often to check on me..." her voice was torn, that of regret and apology. "She would have known the moment she saw me... I couldn't have even gone to the surface and risk one of her damned birds catching that scent... Even the Lycans would have been tailing me."
The man was silent as she spoke, but nodded slowly as he let her words seep in. It seemed like he understood, but the hurt in his mangled face still sent a massive wave of guilt through her chest, amplifying it completely.
"It's not your fault, Sal. It was different than the shifting of Cadou effects..." she tried, earning another round of confused stares from the other two women. "I could hide that... Hell, I still can. But I couldn't hide the pregnancy... It changed me far too much, far too quickly. She would have known if she saw me a month later after we found out, and we couldn't risk anything... I didn't want to lose a chance at what I wanted for so long due to her selfish needs. I didn't want her destroying this chance like she had so many times before."
Her voice remained quiet as she spoke, the attention still causing shivers... But Moreau soon nodded, shifting slightly on his feet.
"I understand..." the fish Lord muttered, putting his hands together and fiddling with his fingers. He was quiet again before looking at her with the smallest spark of hope in the dark sea gaze. "What's his name...?"
He seemed to relax as she gave a warm smile.
"Adalwulf." She replied quietly. "He's 10 now... He was born healthy, and he's all I could have ever wanted."
"Adalwulf..." the man tried, struggling slightly with the name, but managing well. He seemed to ponder a moment before he managed a small smile and nodded. "I like that name..."
Emelia gave a quiet chuckle.
"He reminds me of his father, in the best possible way... he's a fine young man already." She held out her hand for him, relieved as he did the same. She held it tightly. "He's a kind boy... Always has been since he could walk and speak. I would love for you to finally meet him after this... I talk about all of you quite a bit."
Moreau opened his mouth to speak with a small growing excitement, but stopped as a small rumbling was heard. The group was startled as yet another mass of black mold tendrils erupted from the ground beside them, and Ethan cleared his throat.
"Look, I'm sorry to interrupt..." H started, gesturing to them. "This is... nice and all... But we need to hurry. I need to get my daughter back..." He looked at Emelia, "And you have a kid to raise."
She went quiet, but nodded as her demeanor changed almost instantly. Her expression hardened and she felt her parasite squirm in her chest, making her arm tremble just slightly in an oddly excited anticipation.
"And Miranda needs to die." She growled. Ethan nodded.
"At least we can still agree on something..." He muttered, simply looking at the other Lords. "We need a plan, and we need one quick..."
They looked at each other, their minds clearly working. Alcina frowned.
"We mustn't go in recklessly." She said. "Even I know she is powerful, even more so when desperate."
Ethan nodded.
"I got that..." he sighed, looking at the mold. "Any suggestions?"
There was silence for a moment as Emelia walked to him, joining his side as she examined the tendrils surrounding them. It only took her a few moments until something clicked, and she suddenly turned to them.
"I have an idea..." She said, earning looks once more. "It'll sound mad, and it's of the utmost importance that we're all careful... especially us." She looked at the three Lords before them as well as gesturing to herself. "But it may be insane enough to work."
Ethan looked between them, though nodded as they huddled together once more.
"Alright then. Let's hear it."
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firefly--bright · 11 months
Text
all my daughters.
jean kirstein x gender neutral!reader (modern au)
summary : the crushing weight of everything and everyone changing is a bit too much. jean wants to bear the burdens with you.
warnings : hurt/comfort, mostly just therapy for my crumbling mental state, amateur symbolisms (?), established relationship, no use of y/n (im trying smth new) not proofread!!!!!
a/n : this is kinda like flaws but worse? idk I just needed to write something to comfort me and I'll be nothing if I don't use my writing to fix me <3 anyway! self projection as always but I love you if you relate to this and I'm always here to listen if you need someone to talk to. I'm also probably gonna take a hiatus after this fic but we'll see (I'm here to talk to regardless of that!) <3 i honestly don't expect this fic to get that much traction but anyway! enjoy!
taglist : @holding-ishu-and-a-book , @mrsnobodynobody
masterlist is linked in pinned post! ✿ requests for jean kirstein are open! ✿ enter my taglist ✿
inspired by these songs : all my daughters (demo) by dodie
ajib dastan hai yeh by Lata Mangeshkar
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you were used to contradictory sentences. double negatives that were only meant to confuse you, double positives that you thought meant anything but, adorned with a sarcastic smile and a roll of the eyes that left you needing to figure the meaning out yourself.
jean was a walking contradictory sentence. he was a walking double negative, one that you didn't know how to understand. he was blunt but sweet, cold and warm, never being in one spot with his feelings, always on his feet but not running away. somehow he stayed.
all your friends were moving on. every one - sasha was moving out with her boyfriend niccolo, a chef who she had become extremely close to over the past year and who treated her in the highest of regards. your other roomate, Mikasa, was also moving out, but not with her boyfriend, eren, as you had suspected but instead for a chase of starting a new flourishing business of selling handcrafted oxidised jewellery online. that and being closer to eren, she had explained to both you and sasha.
Marco wasnt moving, per say, but he was already applying for his masters in law to broaden his perspective, and there was a prospect of him going abroad for his soon to approach future. he was currently visiting his extended family. Connie, surprisingly, was the first of your friend group to actually get a job at a marketing firm, and even if it was sort of exhausting, people praised Connie's charms and puns that made people buy the products. he was also helping Mikasa with her business, alongside eren and armin.
jean, currently making dinner for the pair of you in your mostly empty apartment, was also interning for an architectural firm. well, he hadn't started yet, but he did get accepted with the interview he gave last month.
and you? even though you were currently looking for new roomates to occupy the now empty spaces in the apartment, you felt lost. sure, you had a plan, and had also applied for a handful of internships, but that didn't mean you knew what you were doing.
you were used to keeping things and people in boxes. it started ever since you were in middle school and had just heard about books like Harry Potter and divergent, books that had a clear distinction of which people belonged where. you'd define people with those distinctions so it was easy to figure them out; it was easier to think of someone in a faction or Hogwarts houses or godly parent instead of actually trying to figure them out with all their complexeties. eventually it graduated into astrological signs that were probably all bullshitted anyway, and into MBTI types. there was always an explanation for something, and if it wasn't given them you'd find it out for yourself as you always had. but you couldn't go by those simple classifications anymore. they were too narrow and too claustrophobic.
but you also hated too-wide expanses that came with simply existing. the expanse of your unknown lifespan, the limitlessness of unlimited time, the enormous amount of things you had yet to learn. it was easy to get lost in nothing. how did your friends and family and all the people around you ever manage to make a clear path for themselves with a multitude of stops and landmarks when you didn't even have the basic gravel and stone and concrete to get started on making a road for yourself? would you be yet another chapter that ended in a fullstop in their thick books that they'd flip away from? the change - the uncertain steps - were never something you looked forward to.
helping mikasa and sasha move out was a challenge, another full stop in their books, helping Connie by teaching him how to properly format professional emails was another landmark that he passed, seeing Marco off at the airport before he caught his flight was another certain step.
the wide tumultous blue of the sea that you were floating in and it's unnerving depth used to be somewhat manageable. you had been swimming with your friends for a long time until your fingertips got all shriveled up, but now it seemed as though they had all swam away from you and towards a shore they were looking forward to, but you werent. the horizon line was all you could see, and you dared not to open your eyes underwater to see how deep the water was.
you were happy for them, ofcourse you were. you loved them with all your heart, and sections of your essential heart were left only for them with their names carved into the ridges of your brain. but the change was too much, too empty, too wide, too limitless, too uncertain.
a knock on the wood of your bedroom door made you turn your swivel chair towards the noise, and jean stood there against the doorframe, leaning on it. "dinner's ready. didn't know which movie to watch, though." he said, and only half of his words are registered by your ears.
you nod, your lips quirking up only slightly. "I'll be there in a bit," you say, watching Jean's brows knit closer together. you loved the way his forehead crinkled in obvious worry and concentration, but you didn't have the tongue to speak out your admirations.
he tilts his head. ever the observant, he asks, "what's wrong?"
his tone is patient. his words demand acknowledgement.
you sigh a little, knowing you can't hide anything from him. you thanked that quality of his, even if it was a little inconvenient at times, because his unrelenting persistence was the reason you felt so loved today, the reason you and jean had gotten closer in the first place.
your shoulders slump, "i dont know how to explain it," you say, because it's true, but also because even if you could explain it, you wouldn't know where to begin. but you begin anyway, even though you know it would end with you trailing off. jean would understand anyway as he always had. "just.... everything's changing... and I, i dont know, i dont really like change, I guess." there's a pause and you refuse to look at his face which you're sure is observing yours carefully as he always does. "it's just...too much." you say, shrugging at the end. "it's too much and I don't know how to deal with this. like everyone's dealing with it better than I am and I don't even know if I've....if I've grown much, if at all. i dont know what I'm supposed to do. i dont know what my role is, like i just, i wish there was an author writing my life so I'd know what to do because I don't know how to...how to do everything myself. i-" you didn't know when the lump had formed in your throat, refusing to be swallowed down anymore after being ignored for months on end. "i dont know anything, jean, and it's scary." you say, and your eyes don't shed tears even if theyre stinging. you wish you could cry just to get it over with.
you were probably overreacting. everyone was doing so great with themselves, and at the end of the day, it wasn't a big deal. so what if everyone would move on with their lives? wasn't that what was supposed to happen? so what if your friends would probably forget you? shouldn't you be glad that you had them in the first place? wasn't it better to have felt alive for the first time than to not have felt it in the first place?
warm and sturdy arms wrapped around your unshaken frame, and you were pulled away from your rolling chair to sit down on your bed. the mattress dipped comfortably under you as it always had and jean smelt like he always did and you took comfort in the predictability. your sheets would smell the same today and tomorrow and the day after, your clothes would be in the same closet, your mirror would be in its same place in the bathroom and jeans arms would always hold you softly.
he held you for a couple minutes as you wallowed in your own sea. your legs were in his lap, leaning your weight on his arms. your eyes were closed, and you felt his warm hands rubbing circles in their place on your thigh and on your back.
you speak again, feeling the need to be understood even though you already were. "i just wish that... that I could freeze time whenever I have a good day." you say, and it's the final nail in your coffin and the final scoop of dirt on your grave. it's all you have to say, it's all jean needs to hear as he holds you a little tighter.
he hums in thought, no doubt thinking of a proper response. sometimes you wish you could take a peek inside his head, just to see, even for a useless moment, what he was thinking about. and more selfishly, if it was about you.
but that didn't matter because who was jean if he didn't speak his mind? his cheek rests on the top of your head and you can feel his warmth, and you wish you could let his warmth spread all over you, you wish that it would ignore the barrier of your skin and go straight to your organs and muscles because your warmth hadn't felt like it had been yours for a very long time and Jean's heat would be much more than welcome. but that was wishful thinking and you feel him kiss the top of your head instead, and you accept it.
"you know," he finally starts, and you can hear his heartbeat. "when we first met I had one of the moments you're talking about. the want to like.... somehow freeze the moment and just relive it forever." he says. you don't move, you don't dare remove your head from his shoulder afraid that if you did, he'd be another thing lost to the depths of your mind.
he continued. "what I'm saying is, i know what you're scared of. that your friends will forget you and move on without you. but... i dont think they will. i dont think anyone can. don't you think just like you have parts of them in you that they have parts of you in them? I've seen it. sasha started talking like you like a month after you guys moved in together. Mikasa likes buying flowers now. Marco texts like you. Connie has so many jokes that only you'd understand. and i-" he says, cutting himself short with a small breathy chuckles that makes your heart dangerously stutter, "i dont think that, god forbid, if we were to ever not be together, i dont think that i would ever be able to forget you. but that's probably because I'm in love with you and that's not changing for atleast this lifetime," another short laugh, "i dont think any of our friends, any of your past friends could ever forget that you existed. i mean, you'd always be there. youd always exist even if it is in the back of their minds.
"and you don't have to know everything. it's not a race. it's just...a nice walk, if anything. you don't have anyone or anything to catch up to. you can take your time, love, and i know it's hard convincing yourself of that, but you can. and if it's any consolation," he says, grabbing your hand that had formed into a loose fist on your knee, encasing your hand in his, "I'm...I'll be here. even if we aren't talking, which I'm pretty sure won't happen, but even if it does, I'm here. i will be." he says, squeezing your fist.
his words breathe comfort into your lungs that rested inside the prison your ribs had become. your chest felt a little lighter, the stubborn knots in your stomach were slowly undoing themselves and maybe his words didn't undo any damage nor did they paint over it but they did help heal.
you breathe in deeply, burrowing yourself even further in his shoulder, and he thankfully gets the message as he holds you tighter, like he's the only twine holding you together. you nod, and he kisses the crook where your shoulders meet your neck.
"thank you," you whisper, something that could get lost in his clothes but he catches it and shakes his head. you know what he's going to say before he even says it and you smile a little.
maybe jean was a contradiction to himself, a double negative, a not not persistence. and maybe you did feel lost, maybe time had swam away from the desperate deathgrip you had on it. but jean was there. he wasn't a fullstop or a chapter, he was more of a "okay, and," sentence, something that continued over with a comma, and he wasn't a guide that held your hand towards the shore, but he was more of an insistent presence that helped you not drown by holding your hand. he wasn't the shore itself, but he did provide the comfort of finding footing against the depths.
not a race, not a stand, just a walk. a walk with your hand in Jean's, a walk with uncertain but hopeful steps.
not a book, not a chapter, just scribbles of incoherent but excited writing in a diary.
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