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waitingonher · 4 months

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NIGHTS LIKE THESE — [hoo boys drabbles]

summary: how they react to your bad dreams.

author's note: i wrote leo's + jason's part imagining that the cabins/barracks have individual rooms sooo...also ik this trope is so ran through in the pjo fandom but it's just toooo good i couldn't help myself

percy jackson

percy has always been the type of person to pick up the phone no matter the time. even as he’s on a lone movie marathon and the scene reaches its long-anticipated climax, he’s reaching for his buzzing phone that’s lost beneath the sheets. having found it after the third ring, percy checks the time and the caller id. why are you calling him so late? he answers, “hi babe. i thought you had to wake up early this morning, why are you awake?”

“hi percy,” your voice was shaky and congested, as if you’d been crying. percy immediately sits up, alarmed at the state of your voice, “did i wake you up?”

“no, no, i was up watching movies. what’s wrong? is everything okay?” he’s seated at the edge of his bed now, anxiously awaiting your response.

you force him to sit in silence as you think of an excuse, “yeah, um…i’m okay. i just wanted to hear your voice. but i’ll see you on thursday, okay? goodni-”

“(y/n), what’s going on?” percy runs a hand through his hair as he heads out of his room to his kitchen. he rips off a napkin from the roll and snatches a pen from the drawer. on the napkin, he writes a brief message to sally, saying that he’d be over at your place and not to worry.

“nothing. i’m fine, percy,” you mutter. but your boyfriend knows you too well. the way your voice quivers makes it sound as though you were trying to convince yourself that everything was okay, and you were failing miserably.

percy places his phone between his ear and shoulder as he ties his shoes, “don’t leave me in the dark, (y/n).”

“don’t worry about me. i’m fine it was just-”

“babe, i’m coming over, okay?” and with that, percy hangs up.

he’s walked this path over a hundred times, usually for dropping you off after dates or simply for hanging out with you. but this time, all percy can think about is how you sounded over the phone and that he needs to seriously pick up the pace.

upon arrival, percy climbs up the fire escape ladder as quickly and quietly as possible. it’s only now that he’s grateful for his experience from all of those laborious quests. reaching your floor, he knocks delicately on the glass.

“percy, what are you doing here?” you ask after he closes your window, “i’m sorry, you really didn’t need to come all this way. it’s like three in the morning and you-”

your boyfriend silences you with a gentle kiss, “i’m okay. it’s you i’m worried about. what’s wrong?”

“it was just a dream.”

“just a dream?”

“yes, it was just a stupid dream.”

percy grabs your shoulders, forcing you to look at him, “(y/n), you’re one of the strongest people i know. so if you were crying over it, then it really must be something.”

you slump on your bed, and percy joins beside you. it's no use hiding it from percy, so with a sigh, you confess, “well, you’re here now. but it just felt so real,” your eyes begin to prick with tears again, “you were laying on the floor…and there was just so much blood, and i tried to stop it—i really did try—but it just kept coming and there was nothing else i could do.”

honestly, percy didn’t know what to say. but he did know that if your dream was anything like the ones he had about you, they were emotionally and physically crushing. so, he decides that if he can’t say anything, he’d rather show you. percy gently guides your body, until the both of you are laying down. with a strong arm wrapped around your figure and the other rubbing slow circles on your back, he can only hope you understand the message he’s trying to convey.

“i’m here, (y/n). everything’s going to be okay,” percy continues to whisper sweet nothings into your ear. slowly but surely, your crying mellows into only soft sniffles.

as you lay on his chest, you can feel the rise and fall of his breathing body. it wasn’t at all like that dream of yours; his cold body eerily still on the floor. not at all like that. you allow yourself to slowly drift off with the rise and fall of his chest, strangely as if it were its own lullaby, “thank you, percy,” you manage to whisper.

“i love you, (y/n). i’m not leaving you, ever. i promise,” percy whispers back.

leo valdez

leo’s used to waking up several times in the middle of the night. considering the demigod dreams, he hasn’t remembered the last time he’s gotten a full night's rest, which is why he’s not surprised to be awake at the crisp hour of two a.m. he can’t even remember the dream this time, but leo bets it was another dream foreseeing his imminent death or the end of the world.

as he stares at the pipes and wires running along the ceiling of bunker 9, a familiar ringtone sounds from his phone. leo quickly wipes the sleep from his eyes and picks up the phone from his nightstand, “(y/n)? are you okay? it’s so late.”

there’s a silence, followed up by quiet sniffles. were you crying? “hi leo, i’m sorry i probably woke you up didn’t i? go back to sleep, i was-”

“no i was already awake, what’s wrong?” the moment your boyfriend noticed your shaky voice, his attitude completely changed. suddenly awake and full of energy, he tears off his blanket and reaches for his hoodie and shoes.

considering the fact that you never really call so late alarms him. you calling either meant that you had a nightmare or you were hurt…and leo prayed it was the dream.

“i’m sorry…” you take a deep breath, “i just had a bad dream, like one of those dreams, you know?” leo knows all too well what you’re talking about, and if it’s anything close to the dreams he has, he can only imagine what you’re feeling, “but i swear i’m okay now. i’ll see you later?”

but leo’s already out the door as you finish your explanation, “i’m coming over, stay there.”

“wait leo-”

he hung up.

the trek through the forest was usually something one would avoid, especially at this hour, but leo couldn't give less of a shit as he thinks about you crying in your room. a few minutes later after practically sprinting to your cabin, he arrives. locating the window to your room was easy, he’d done this several times before for your sleepovers. leo knocks as quietly as he can on the glass, hoping he doesn’t disturb any of your other siblings.

surprised, you pull your curtain aside and are face to face with none other than your boyfriend. he looks sweaty and out of breath. leo ran all this way? pushing your question to the side, you rush to open the window and let him in.

for the first time, leo really gets a good look at you. your eyes are red and puffy; you look at him with such desperation and he can’t help but pull you into a rib-cracking hug.

“you actually came.”

“what? of course i did, (y/n),” he takes your face into his hands, rubbing soft circles on each cheek. suddenly, tears begin to flow freely down your face. was it something he said? was he not supposed to come?

you pick up on his confusion, “i’m sorry, i’m just…glad you’re alive,” leo sits you on your bed, and continues to wipe away the tears, his concern growing with each passing second. your boyfriend urges you to go on, “it’s just the same thing every night. i’m at your grave on the hill, and i’m all alone and it’s raining and i just-”

“(y/n), breathe,” leo pulls you into his chest once more. he holds you so impossibly tight, ensuring that you know he’s there and he doesn’t plan to ever leave. his sacrifice during the final battle against gaia will forever be amongst one of leo’s biggest regrets. not because he had saved the world, but because of how hard it impacted you. without a doubt, you could easily say that those months where leo was gone were the hardest times of your life. and not a day goes by where leo thinks he can ever forgive himself for it, “i’m here. i’m alive.”

you nod, your sobs turning into quiet hiccups. leo moves the two of you guys to be laying down, and as final reassurance, he gently guides your hand under his hoodie, allowing you to feel his steady heartbeat. your boyfriend’s skin is warm to the touch and you count his heartbeat…one…two…three. and that was proof enough, “you’re alive.”

“i am,” leo soothes. he places a gentle kiss atop your head and pulls the covers over your bodies. his arms wrap tightly around your figure, holding you close, “sleep, (y/n). i’ll be here in the morning.”

jason grace

it’s late nights like these that jason has slowly come to appreciate. these scarce nights where he’s completed his praetor duties for the night and he allows himself to indulge in some self-care, which usually consists of a cup of hot herbal tea and a good book.

usually, jason prefers historical books, oftentimes concerning roman myths or the occasional diary of some war general. what can he say? he likes to be all-knowing when it comes to these things. but this time, as he’s curled up in his bed, he reaches for the book that you had recommended to him: a classic romance novel. jason laughs to himself as he recalls you teasing him about his taste in literature. if he remembers correctly, you called him a “history-loving freak?”

just as jason’s about to open the book, an unexpected ringing sounds from his phone. he huffs, momentarily disapointed. that is, until he sees who’s calling, “(y/n)? hi, are you okay?”

“oh, hi,” jason noticed the way your voice sounded off, like you’d been crying, “i didn’t think you’d actually answer.”

confused, he puts the book back on his nightstand, “of course i would, my love. what’s going on? you sound like you’ve been crying.”

“no, everything’s okay i just…” you pause, “had a bad dream, so i wanted to listen to your voicemail.”

jason’s heart squeezes at the thought of you going so far as to listen to his own ten second voicemail as a method of comfort. but the feeling goes away just as quickly as it came upon hearing you had a nightmare, “oh i’m sorry, my love. do you want me to come over?”

“no,” you reply, “it’s okay. i’m better now that i’ve heard your voice. you can go back to bed, jason.”

despite you declining his offer, jason’s already up and putting his shoes on, “i’ll be there in a few, okay? i love you,” and he hangs up.

within a handful of minutes, jason reaches your cohort’s barracks. the square windows look impossibly similar, but it’s all thanks to practice that he recognizes yours. even as praetor, he still has to enforce the rules and sneak around. with a quiet knock on your window, he waits in the dark for you.

“you’re here. you’re alive, jason,” is all you can muster up as your boyfriend stands tall inside your room. his expression is clearly written with worry as he closes the gap between you with a hug. as hard as you tried to fight it, the tears came again in a fresh wave.

“yeah, i’m here, (y/n). i’m not leaving,” he replies, concern laced in his words. jason notices your tears and gently wipes them away, “c’mere, tell me about your dream,” he beckons, guiding you towards the bed. with a gentle plop, he settles down and opens his arms, inviting you to join him.

settling against jason’s chest, you take a shaky breath as he places kisses on your temple, “i was at your funeral, and you looked so peaceful, like you were sleeping. i just can’t stop thinking about how you looked asleep. and then they expected me to, you know, give a speech in front of the entire camp about you, and i just…i can’t imagine a world without you, so please, you can’t leave me like that.”

“woah, woah, (y/n) i’m okay, breathe,” jason hushes you, rubbing soft circles on your arm. to be frank, he’s pretty shocked about what you had just said. he can’t get over how shaken up you are by this. but jason can’t even blame you, because if it were him who had the dream, he bets he would also be like this, “i’m here and i have no plan of ever leaving, okay? i’m afraid you’re stuck with me for the rest of your life,” he jokes, hoping to get at least a smile from you.

jason’s joke succeeds as he feels your body shake with a quiet giggle, “good. i wouldn’t have it any other way.”

your boyfriend checks your face once more, ensuring that you’ve stopped crying. seeing that you have, he places delicate kisses on each cheek, “hey, how about we go to sleep now? i’ll read you that book,” jason motions to the book on your nightstand, which happens to be the same one you recommended him.

you nod tiredly, “only if you do different voices for each character.”

“of course, only for you,” jason quips.

after adjusting your bodies, jason reaches for the book and opens it to chapter one. but before he begins, he pulls the covers completely over your body and places a chaste kiss on your forehead, “i love you so much, (y/n). and i hope you know that i’ll always be here for you, no matter what.”

#percy jackson #leo valdez #jason grace #percy jackson and the olympians #heroes of olympus #percy jackson x reader #leo valdez x reader #jason grace x reader #percy jackson x y/n #percy jackson x you #percy jackson fanfiction #percy jackson imagine #heroes of olympus x y/n #heroes of olympus x reader #leo valdez x y/n #leo valdez x you #jason grace x y/n #jason grace x you #jason grace fluff

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queers-gambit · 5 months

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Opening Night and Open Hearts

prompt: opening night - a mother's fear, a locked walk-in freezer, confessions through a thick metal door, questioning what's deserved, and a proposal at The Bear after hours.

pairing: Carmen 'Carmy' Berzatto x female!reader

fandom masterlist: FX's The Bear

word count: 9.8k+

note: i think i give enough background for you guys to feel as if you don't need to read any other relating works, but i linked the fics that could be read as a small series (maybe?) also let author be lonely in peace

warnings: reader nicknamed Peach, established relationship, cursing, spoilers, fluff, angst, relationship angst, hurt and comfort, Carmy still (desperately) needs a nap, depiction of physical illness, boys are dumb and emotions are hard, reader-insert, depiction of toxic family, OC Carmy that grovels a lot, not edited!

⚠️ season two, episode ten spoilers

not necessary to read, but other relating works with Peach:

Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant

God's Plan part two: Two to Tango

Neon Sticky Notes

"Hi, yes, I can hear you - sorry about that, I was just making note of your reservation," you spoke smoothly into the phone, trying not to ogle your boyfriend wrapped in only a clean blue towel. "So, that's a party of four for Monsieur Claude Badeaux - all right, that's so lovely. I'm obligated to remind everyone that tonight's opening is a fine dining experience and the proper, corresponding dress code is being asked for. Are there any allergies I should make note of for your party?"

"Jean Paul has a tree nut allergy," you were told.

"All right, that's noted and highlighted: Jean Paul has a tree nut allergy. If there's anything else I could help you with?"

"Non," he chuckled. "I was surprised to see your invitation to this evening, though, mon cher. It's been so long, yes?"

"Well, it was my pleasure to extend the offer, we're ecstatic by your reservation," you chuckled. "We'll see you tonight, Monsieur, and should you need anything before then, you may call this number again."

You said your parting words in French, smiling at Carmy when you hung up and dropped your work phone. "Did I hear that correct?" Your lover asked with a broad grin, "Was that...?"

"Senior marketing advisor at The Washington Post?" You filled in for him. "Uh, yeah, I think it was, but you know me - I could be wrong."

"You invited someone from The Washington Post to the opening tonight?"

"Is that okay?" You asked, standing from the bed after making note in your datebook. "You look kinda - I don't know, shocked?"

"I-I am," he blinked at you, watching you gather his pristine clothing to hang on the closet door. "But in a good way - I can't believe you did this," he chuckled, wiping his mouth. "I mean - holy shit, Peaches."

You offered a toothy grin, "Figured I could pull a few of my own strings to help get the word out about your love-child."

This made Carmy snicker, "Hey, now. Tonight's important, don't make fun."

"I know," you nodded, leading him back into the bathroom to view your hair products. "Which is why I invited some important people and some not-so important people. I know this is serious, Carmy," you smiled at him, hoping to convey your support, "and I wanted to help in whatever way I could."

"You being there tonight is more than I could ask for," he chuckled, helping you onto the small bathroom counter. You squirted a bit of hair product in your hand, watching him flinch back a little, "Uh, I just don't want my hair greasy, Peach, you know? Not a good look and I'll sweat it out in the kitchen."

"I feel like I should be offended by you having no trust in me," you teased, insisting, "I know whatcha need, baby, lemme help."

Carmy smiled softly and held still, letting you run your hands through his curls to push everything back and away from his forehead in a stylish but manageable "do". There was a silent, serene moment as you and Carmy just existed together in a mundane space, his big, sad eyes watching your face as you worked. He wondered, "Think tonight's gonna be okay?"

"I think tonight's gonna be more than okay," you assured softly. "I think tonight's gonna go better than you're anticipating."

He sighed and planted his hands on either side of you, suddenly dropping his gaze. "I, uh... Sugar invited Mom t'tonight..."

"Yeah, I know."

"You know?"

"Sugar and I are still friends outside of us dating, Carmy," you smiled patiently, slowing your hands so you more toyed with his curls; pushing some strands behind his ears. "She needs someone as much as you do and I don't mind."

"But isn't that what Pete's for?"

"Yes, but you know, Pete's Pete."

Carmy snorted, "Yeah, yeah, good point."

"I don't know if she'll show up tonight, Bear, but whether she does or doesn't, it won't matter - you're not doing this for her. This is for you, Carmy, tonight's about The Bear opening - it's about you and this incredible, amazing thing you've done. Okay?" You caressed both his cheeks in your hands so he could only look at you directly. "If she shows, that's great," you whispered with a soft smile as your thumbs swept the apples of his cheeks, "and if she doesn't, it won't make tonight any less special. That, I can promise."

Carmy's forehead met yours, both pausing to breathe together; peace always a fleeting feeling as of late and being something you both capitalized on. You brought him in closer for an embrace, his face burying in your neck as your arms snaked around his to keep him as close as possible. His arms were tight around your waist, legs spread to accommodate him; both needing the feel of being close before that night's inevitable stressful event.

"Wow, well, don't you look all pretty! Wow, Peach," Pete greeted you when you scurried to the table with your friend in tow. "Oh, hi there!"

"Pete, this is my best friend, Danielle, and Dani, this is Pete, Sugar's husband."

"Hi, it's really nice to meet you," your friend greeted, the two instantly chattering as they both just blew past their introductions to instantly compliment one another's clothes. You smirked, knowing they'd get along famously, and looked around the brand new, packed restaurant.

"Hey, there she is, my pretty girl," Richie greeted smoothly, approaching your standing form to slide his hand around your shoulders.

"Hi, Cousin," you beamed, offering him a hug in greeting. "The place looks fantastic - it's so - I mean - just wow, Richie," you complimented. "You guys did such an amazing job. I need to tell Fak, too, this is - you guys should be so proud, it looks incredible. Hardly can believe what it was before this."

"It really is something, huh?" He grinned. "Hey, Pete," he nodded.

"Hey, Richie."

"And you must be the famous, the fabulous Miss Danielle?"

"That's me," your friend grinned. "You're Richie, right? Carmy's cousin who's not really a cousin but is as good as blood?"

"Yes, ma'am, the very same," he nodded with pride. "We've some drinks coming your way in just a moment, but I need to borrow Peach for just one second."

"Why do they call her Peach?" Dani asked, but Richie was leading you away as Pete was heard answering,

"Oh, because she mastered this peach cobbler with Carmy's mom, Donna, and she started the nickname..."

"What's wrong?" You asked softly with a smile as to not give the illusion to others that you were worried. "What can I do to help?"

"No, no, nothing too bad, you were just requested by the Frenchie-French guy."

"Oh, right, that's right, yeah, I can help with that," you sighed gently, smiling as you approached the table. Greeting the two men and women was easy, Richie impressed by your connections in the professional world. Tonight, The Washington Post didn't just dine with them - no, it was also the director of social media for three luxury, designer brands: Jean-Paul.

Yes, the man was so elusive that he just went by Jean-Paul. Fuck a last name!

Either way, it impressed Richie to hear the introductions. The two women were executives in their own companies, names Richie didn't catch because he was busy taking note of the way Mr. Frenchie-French was basically eye fucking you in front of them all.

"Well," Richie smiled stiffly, "tonight's incredibly special for us. In fact, uh, Y/N's boyfriend is the owner and head chef."

"Really?" Frenchie-French perked his brows, shifting his gaze over to you. "You always had a soft spots for chefs, non? For those who were versed in the culinary arts?"

"Well, mostly I appreciated a man in the kitchen simply because I burn water and would probably unintentionally starve myself," you teased easily, deflecting the man's subtle dig. "I'm actually here with family tonight, so, please, ladies and gentlemen, enjoy tonight - I know I'm biased when I say the food is exceptional, but I look forward to your own opinions."

"We will talk later, mon cher, I am sure there will be plenty to discuss," the Frenchman promised, kissing the back of your hand as you let Richie lead you away by your free hand.

You released a long sigh, muttering, "Bring them a bottle of real champagne, please, Richie, I had a few bottles imported just for them. Listen closely," you lowered your voice as you both paused on the side of the dining room, "bring them a bowl of thin sliced strawberries sprinkled in sugar and pop the cork at their table - it's impressive for whatever reason."

Richie pecked your temple and gave you a tight squeeze, "I got it all covered, girly. You all right? Look like you're gonna be sick?"

"Just men being men grosses me out, I guess," you sighed with a small shrug. "He's always had a thing for me, I figured I'd use that to get him here tonight - Carmy's work speaks for itself, but maybe he'd be inclined to publish an article or two for us if I play nice."

Richie paused you a few feet from your table, complimenting, "I hope Carmy knows he doesn't deserve you, Peach."

"You said years ago neither of us did," you smirked gently. "Said I wasn't relationship material, right? Remember?"

"I was wrong," he nodded. "I even said y'all would never be serious, but..." He scoffed to himself, "I've never seen that boy so crazy about anyone in his life. You've really changed him, Peach. I don't really know how to thank you."

"You can start by buttering up those flirty Frenchmen," you teased, giving his cheek a peck.

"On it," he winked, parting from your side.

Inside the kitchen some twenty minutes later, Richie approached Carmy, directing his attention, "Cousin?"

"Yo."

"Peach is on 17 with Pete."

"Okay."

"Go say hi."

"Yeah, eventually," Carmy nodded absently, never halting his work.

"Eventually?" Richie repeated with distain, something in his stomach twisting.

"Where the fuck is Josh!?" Carmy called into the kitchen, another chef echoing his concerns.

"Yo!" Richie barked as calmly as he could, "Just go say hi to your girl, Cousin."

"Yo, I'll go when I have a minute," Carmy deflected strongly. "I'm in the fuckin' shit, leave me the fuck alone."

"What? I'm saying - "

"I'll get there when I can get there!"

"I'm saying!"

"What?" Carmy barked.

"She's got important fucking people in that dining room, man," Richie scoffed, hands held up in defense. "Just for your ungrateful ass! Maybe the least you can do is go say fuckin' hi - even if you're fuckin' busy. She knows that, it'd be a nice gesture - or whatever fuckin' shit - I don't know! She's your girl!"

"Yeah! Exactly!" Carmy barked. "She's my fuckin' girl, she knows the fuckin' drill, I'll go say fuckin' hi when I get the fuckin' chance, Richie! Fuck's sake! Always tryna meddle and shit!"

"Jesus, fuck," Richie sighed, turning out of the kitchen with his hands waving Carmy off in defeat.

You were none the wiser, entertained by Pete and Dani's gabbing as Sugar was in-and-out, dealing with all the little things going wrong. These little things came to her in the form of notes left at the table subtly for her to go solve, you wanting to help but being shot down every time. Eventually, Carmy was approaching your table with a tray of food, shocking you slightly.

"Hey, Peach," He greeted softly, lowering the tray to balance on the table and lean over to kiss your cheek. "You look gorgeous, baby, wow," he complimented in a whisper, offering another quick kiss.

"Thank you, Chef," you smiled brightly, touching his forearm in a sign of affection. "What's all this you've got for us?"

He hummed and explained what he set on the table in front of you guys; eyes alight and cheeks flushed from the heat of the kitchen. He poured whatever sauce came with the main dish, smiling at Dani, nodding to Pete, then looking to you.

"I'll check on you later, all right, baby?" He mumbled, watching you nod. "I gotta get back," he whispered, "but thank you for being here, my pretty girl."

"No where else I'd rather be, Cream," you rushed, letting his lips find yours briefly.

"Stick around after, would you? When we close, just... Don't leave yet."

"Yes, Chef," you whispered against his lips with a grin. He gave one single more kiss before pulling away to stand upright.

"Enjoy," he bid the table before walking away.

"So, like," Dani trailed after making sure Carmy was out of earshot, "when's the wedding? 'Cause that might've been the cutest thing I've seen. I mean, opening night, he's cooking, but paused to come serve us? Serve you? And he's so soft with you, kissin' you, bein' all cute," she pouted dramatically. "I want a reason to wear a maid of honor dress, please."

"Hey, hey, chill on us. There's no wedding," you sighed with a small laugh, trying to play off how the subject made your stomach twist. "We haven't really talked about it, you know? No biggie."

"What?" She sputtered. "Wait, hang on. Y'all have been together - like - a stupid, ridiculous amount of time. The fuck you mean you haven't talked about it? What are y'all doing, just ignoring the elephant in the room?"

You shrugged lightly, "I don't know, we know if we ever got married, it'd be to each other, but that's really it. We know we want to be together, we know we want to marry each other, but there's been no serious conversation about it."

"Uh, does that sound right to you?" Dani asked Pete.

He shook his head as you all took dainty bites of food to savor the flavors (and save Sugar some). "When I knew with Natalie, I didn't hesitate."

"Well, Carmy isn't like you, Pete," you defended. "He's got a lot on his plate, too, you know?"

"You've said that since Mikey," Dani frowned, her voice quiet.

"With good reason, don't you think? Carmy's just - he's just going through a lot right now and it's a challenge, you know?"

"No, it's more like Carmy's got the emotional intelligence of a fucking teaspoon!"

"Hey," you snapped, "that's not his fault, he doesn't know much better, so watch your mouth."

"He does with you, like... He knows better when he's with you, when it comes to you, Peach," Pete offered softly. "Look, maybe Danielle has a point - it is a little weird. I mean, you guys have been together, what? Six, almost seven years? Creeping up on a decade of just dating - that's a long time. And didn't you guys do that weird little half-dating thing for two years before making it official? Don't you think that's enough time to know if you want to marry someone, and then, you know? Actually marry them? Or at least ask them?"

"Sure, maybe to other people, but Carmy and I have never been conventional, so, I don't see why we need to start now."

Danielle scoffed, "Look, God love Carmy and everything, but you're just wasting time now. He needs to either commit or let you find someone who can actually love you like you deserve."

"Oh, and Carmy doesn't?"

"Wasn't all that long ago that you two took a break 'cause he called you clingy - and some other unsavory terms," Danielle shrugged. "Doesn't really sound like someone who loves you unconditionally - the way you should be loved."

You sighed and sat back in your chair, "I appreciate the insight, but Carm and I are fine. Okay? We've got years under our belts, we don't want to fuck up what obviously works for us so chill out on the questions, okay? I don't have answers to them."

Danielle and Pete shared a look before the man got up to excuse himself to the restroom. You and Dani finished your meals before sipping your wine, waiting for Pete, but Dani sighed, "This lady's been staring in here for, like, ten minutes already. It's freezing, doesn't she want to come in?"

"Hmm? What're you - ?"

"This lady on the street," your friend pointed over her shoulder towards the window her back was now turned to.

When you peaked out, you gasped lightly when you saw Donna Berzatto smoking a cigarette. "Oh, shit!" You stood from your seat, rushing, "Okay, so, uh, yeah - just - can you just sit here for a second? I have to go handle that."

"Who is it?" Dani wondered earnestly.

"I got it, Peach," Pete told you, passing by the table swiftly with a hand patting your shoulder to keep you at your table.

"What the hell's happening?" Dani asked. "Who is that?"

"Nothing, no one, it's okay, I think that's someone we know, just, uh, hang on a second? We'll be right back."

"Sure," she nodded in confusion, watching you get from your seat and follow Pete out the door onto the blistering cold sidewalk.

"Hey, Mama Donna," you greeted happily, arms crossing over your chest to protect from the wind. "Have you been inside yet? We saved you a seat and all, but isn't this - just wow?" You grinned, trying to encourage her to say anything about her children's hard work.

"Oh, no, no, not you, too, Peach, why are you here?" She groaned lightly, looking upset and close to tears.

"I'm here 'cause of Carmy? I-It's opening night, yeah?" You offered in confusion. "Why? What's wrong, Mama D?" You worried, glancing at an emotional Pete.

"No, it's just, I can't come in, I can't, just no," she backed away, only now making you notice the way Pete cried. "I'm so sorry, Peach, honey, but I was never here. Okay? I-I'll call them later, I swear, I promise, I'll call them - but I-I-I wasn't here. Okay? You can't tell them I was here. I'm so sorry."

"Donna, don't do this," you begged, head shaking. "Don't, please. Just come in with Pete and I - just sit there for a bit. Just come in and see what your kids have done - Donna, it's so beautiful. You'd be so proud, but you should really see it for yourself - "

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, I can't, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, not tonight, no, I'm sorry, I can't," she deflected in a rambling mumble, turning and hustling down the sidewalk with her head shaking like a Etch-A-Sketch.

You rounded on Pete, "What the hell was that? Pete, what just happened?"

"Um, I-I don't - I didn't mean to."

"Pete? What didn't you mean?"

"She didn't tell her mom about the baby," he rushed, tears falling. "Nat didn't tell Donna, Peach, and I think I just did - I think I just fucked up and told her."

"Oh, no... No, Pete, you didn't."

"I didn't mean to! I swear it was an accident!"

"No, I know you didn't mean to, honey," you rushed, opening your arms to bring him in for a tight hug. "Oh, you poor boy, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Pete."

He sighed, "I'm sorry, too, Peach."

"For what?"

"That... We fell in love with Berzattos and this is our new normal now, right?" He sniffled.

You half-smiled, "Yeah, something like that. But it's okay. See, where Donna's afraid to give her love, neither of us are. Sugar and Carm deserve that from us, right? To be authentic and just love them?"

He nodded, "Yeah, you're right."

"And that's all we gotta do... Is love them, Pete."

"God knows where else they'd get it," he huffed, wiping his face. "Hey, um, I'll be in, in a second - I just need a minute alone, I think, in the cold."

"Take all the time you need," you agreed.

"We're not - we're not telling them about this, right?"

You sighed, "No, I don't think so - at least right now. It might hurt them more, you know? To know Donna was here, but never came in. That she ran away... Again. It'll hurt, they deserve to be happy about tonight."

Pete nodded rapidly, looking like he was gonna burst into tears. Instead of going back inside, you just moved to Pete's side and stood there; producing a cigarette, lighting it, offering Pete a drag that he turned down, and the both of you just standing silently; one smoking, one crying, both processing.

"Wow, look at these gorgeous ladies! By far the baddest in the whole place! Yeah, man!" Fak teased as he approached you and Danielle after closing the The Bear officially. "What a privilege to have you both dine with us this evening! Ugh, truly an honor to see you both here," he praised comically, evening giving a small bow that his brother mimicked.

Your eyes rolled, "You're laying it on really thick when I already tipped you." He snickered with Theo. "Hey, seriously, though, tonight was incredible. I mean, it was all so beautiful, you should all be so proud."

"Oh, we are," Neil giggled, his brother hanging off his shoulders.

"Good," you teased. "Uh, is now an okay time to go back and see him? Kinda wanna offer my compliments to the chef directly, you know?"

"No," Fak answered instantly, "uh, well, probably not the best time."

"Yeah, probably not," Theodore echoed.

"I can sense you two ramping up to something," you sighed, "so, I'm gonna ask you skip all that and tell me what's wrong. Why can't I go see my boyfriend? He just had an incredibly successful opening night, I kinda wanna kiss him if you don't mind."

"Um, well, h-he didn't want you to worry, so, he said not t'tell you, but, uh... Yeah, no, Carmy's, like, locked in the walk-in freezer. Han Solo style."

"What?"

"Locked in the walk-in," Fak nodded rapidly, "yeah, no, the handle - like, the whole handle came off. He's locked in, Peach..."

"Oh, my fucking God," you breathed. "Are you saying he - he missed opening night? Neil!"

"Yeah, kinda... Well, sorta - I mean, technically, but - "

"Oh, Jesus," you breezed past them all.

"Mmm-mmm, the fridge guy's name is Terry," Tina corrected Carmy, flinching a little when he slapped the other side of the metal door he was locked behind.

"See, th-tha-that's what I'm talking about!" Carmy raged. "I'm so fucking distracted, and for what? For fucking what? 'Cause of a girl?" He chuckled ruefully to himself.

"Nuh-uh, don't do that, Carmy," Tina scolded. "That's not no girl, that's your girl, that's Peach - you don't lash out at her, baby."

"Yo, maybe - maybe I'm just not built for this. Right? Maybe that's okay! Maybe that just is. She'd be better off, Tina... I'm just - I'm not built for this."

But what Carmy didn't hear was Sydney asking Tina to cover her at the front because she needed to step out the back, get some air; Tina accepting and telling Carm to hang on a moment. Something he missed. While Tina took Syd's spot, Syd rushed outside, and you slipped in the kitchen door; Carmy being surrounded by shitty ripped tape and an entire side full of the flowers he had brought in for tonight - for you. It was a haunting reminder; something suffocating.

When you got to the walk-in, you were prepared to call out for Carmy, but he started speaking from within, halting any word on your tongue.

"I wasn't here b-because I was looking a-a-at fucking engagement rings when the fridge guy fuckin' called," Carmy ranted, your heart stalling in your chest. "Right? Like, what the fuck was I thinking? Like I was gonna get married? Commit to this relationship? Be h-her fucking husband or some shit? Have a fucking wife? I'm a fucking - I'm a fuckin' psycho!" He laughed a little, the tears springing to your eyes as his words disarmed your heart and emotional dam. "That's why! That's why I'm good at what I do! That's how I operate! I am the best because I didn't have any of this fuckin' bullshit, right? I could - I could focus and I could concentrate and I had a routine and I - and I had fuckin' cell reception, and Peach and I just had our own routine! We didn't need this extra bullshit, and now..."

You just listened, leaning on the freezer's door, tears silently leaking down your cheeks as you had the horrendous realization that you were what now slowed Carmy down. You were what currently stood in his way, when this whole time, you thought you were helping; making things easier; supporting him. No... No, his words rattled your heart to accept that you were now the bane; the object of his ire. You and your relationship was what was wrong and was causing Carmy hurt and professional complications.

Something you never wanted to contribute towards. You both always said if this relationship got to be too hard, you'd walk away. Better to feel anger than resentment; and now, you knew you had to walk away else risk that resentment fester.

Carmy started up again, "I don't need to provide amusement or enjoyment, I don't need to be someone's 'to have and to hold'. I don't need to receive any amusement or enjoyment, nor for someone to have and hold me... And I'm completely fine with that. Because no amount of good is worth how terrible this fucking feels." You were ready to open your mouth, but he finished by nailing the final nail in the coffin of your relationship, "It's just a complete waste of fuckin' time - entertaining what I know I shouldn't. Being in this relationship, trying to give what I don't have, wasting everyone's time."

You took your chance, speaking through your tears, "I'm really sorry you feel that way, Carmen."

"Peach?" Carmy rasped from behind the door, sounding more alert than he had before. "Baby? Hey, hey, Peaches? That you? Peach - hey. Hey," he sounded desperate as you backed away from the door, a fist pounding into the metal, "hey, no, Y/N? Y/N!" The seriousness settled over you both, Carmen understanding you heard a lot more than ever intended and once those words are out there, there's no getting them back. "Y/N, baby? Hey, no, no, Y/N - listen to me - hey, no, no! I-I didn't know you were there, baby, okay? No, Y/N, please - tell me you're there now, let me explain." He paused. "Let me explain! Please! C'mon, baby, please, let me fucking explain - tell me you're still there! Y/N? Y/N!"

You sniffled and walked away, feeling smaller than you ever had in your life. You barely noticed when the kitchen door opened, not until a figured dressed in black stopped you. "Peach? Hey, hey," Richie halted you - taking note of the tears. "What's wrong? What happened? Are you okay - who fuckin' did it?"

You just stared at Richie for a long moment, opening your mouth twice before sighing and smiling sadly. "I never wanted to be what got in his way," you whispered sadly. "I'm sorry, Richie."

"Peaches, hey, what's - "

But you reached up to kiss his cheek, "Tonight was so beautiful, Cousin, and I'm so fucking proud of you all. Thank you for everything - not just tonight, Richie, but everything you do." You smiled again, whispering, "Take care of him. Okay? He'll need you."

"What're you talking about? What's going on? Where are you going? Hey, where are you going, Peach, please?"

"Have a good night, Richie, I love you," you whispered, leaving out the kitchen door as quickly as you could. "Hey," you sniffled, approaching Dani with the Fak Brothers, "can we go now, please?"

"Are you okay?" Dani worried in shock.

"I'd really like to go, Dani, please," you rushed, throwing your coat on and smiling at the Brothers as if your heart wasn't in pieces. "Thanks again for tonight, you guys, it was magical."

"Peach? Wait, hey, are you okay, baby? What just happened?" Neil worried, watching you snatch Dani's hand, but pause when screaming was heard from the kitchen. Everyone stared at the door, Neil muttering, "The fuck are they...?"

"Now, Dani, please," you whimpered to your friend, who wasted no time in escorting you out of The Bear. The moment you were outside, you burst into sobs, Dani grunting a little as she lead you down a side alley to lean you on a brick wall and beg you to breathe normally.

"What the hell just happened? Hey, honey, you need to breathe," she smoothed hair off your face - but it was like you were drowning in the air with the way you gasped and gaped and panted and whimpered and choked yourself.

"I-I-I-I think - I think w-we're done, I think we're done, I think - oh, fuck - I think we just broke up," you sobbed, hands on your knees. "Oh, my God, Dani," you whimpered, "I-I think - I think we're done, Danielle, oh, my fucking God. I-I heard things tonight that I just - I can't not know, anymore! He said - fuck! He was just so candid, he didn't know I was there so h-he was sayin' things I have t-to now confront - and I really didn't fucking want to! He just - he doesn't want to really marry me, D, and-and-and he was apparently looking a-a-a-at rings - fucking engagement rings! But then he said that w-was the issue - he missed the fridge guy's call 'cause he was looking at fucking rings for me and this is why he missed opening night - 'cause the fucking fridge broke! Oh, my God, Danielle, i-i-it's my fault, it's my fucking fault, he missed the most important night of his life and it's my fault - "

You were cut off by your stomach lurching, emptying your insides onto the pavement. The delicious appetizer, the tantalizing main course, Marcus' fresh baked bread that was delightfully soft on the inside yet baked crisp on the outside, and every bit of the sweetened dessert - all wasted on Chicago bricks.

"Okay, okay, ah, shit, just get it out, babe, there you go," Danielle held your hair, catching you in a suffocating hug once you were done puking. "I've got you, babe, I've got you. You're okay, no, hey, this isn't your fault. I've got you, come on. I think we need pints of ice cream and the saltiest pretzels we can find," she pushed some hair from your sticky forehead, pouting dramatically, "maybe some Pepto? Few Saltines and ginger ale? C'mon, we're going back to mine, there's a good girl," she coaxed you from the ground and away from the wall, "c'mon, you're stronger than this. There's my girl, here we go, just one foot in front of the other - together, with me, just like that."

You sobbed, not knowing that Sydney and her father stood listening just a few feet away behind a set of dumpsters.

The moment the freezer's door was open and Carmy was free, he was sprinting around the kitchen to grab his coat, leave Neil in charge of closing, and racing out the door as the Fak Brothers yelled at him for hurting your feelings.

"Hey, hey, hey, Chef! Carmy, wait!" Sydney chased him outside.

"No time!"

"Wait! She went with her friend!"

Carmy came to a tripping halt, catching himself before he hit the pavement before whirling around to approach her, "What?"

"Her friend? She was with some girl tonight?"

"Yeah - yeah, yeah, yeah, uh, um, that's - yeah, that's Danielle," Carmy nodded. "Her best friend, yeah, they were here tonight, sitting with Pete and Sugar."

"Listen, Carmy, I heard them when they left the restaurant... Peach was really upset, like, more upset than I've ever heard, saying you two broke up? Or something? She cried so hard, Carm, she actually threw up, it sounded like she was in genuine distress. I-I didn't know if I should've intervened, but her friend was with her and helping."

"Shit - fuck - Goddamnit," he seethed. "All right, thank you - "

"I doubt they went to your place, I think I heard her friend saying they were going to her apartment."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, great, I know where Dani lives, thanks Syd!" Carmy bid, sprinting in the other direction - never bothering with the public bus system, just running into the night. Sydney was left to sigh on the sidewalk, Neil and Theo joining her before Richie followed - all watching Carmy disappear down the sidewalk.

"He's a fucking idiot," Richie shook his head.

"What the hell even happened?" Syd asked.

"Carmy mouthed off in the walk-in, Peach heard it all," Richie supplied. "You know the dumbass was gonna propose tonight?"

"What?" Syd blinked in shock.

"Yeah," Neil tacked on, "we had a whole plan and everything. Candles, soft music, flowers - there's a bunch of flower bouquets in the walk-in."

"I'm sure that was hard for Carm to look at," Syd sympathized.

"Doesn't excuse whatever he said," Richie snapped. "She looked devastated."

"She cried so hard, she threw up in the alley," Syd frowned.

"How do you know?" Neil asked.

"I heard her," the other chef frowned. "My dad and I - we actually both heard her."

"Jesus fuck," Richie seethed.

"I mean... Should we still set up?" Theo wondered to his brother. "What if they kiss and make up, like always? Carmy might still wanna go through with the proposal, right? You know?"

"Maybe," Neil trailed, looking at Richie.

"I don't fucking know," he sighed, hands on his hips.

"She thinks they broke up, I imagine whatever she heard was pretty nasty," Sydney frowned. "Think they'll really make up tonight?"

"Let's hope," Richie sighed. "That fuckin' idiot isn't gonna find anyone better than Peach. Fuck," he looked around the city street. "All right, fuck it, fine, let's fucking set up. Not like the jackass deserves it, but let's do it for Peach."

Neil and his brother grinned at each other, turning to hustle back into The Bear - leaving Sydney and Richie on the street. No words were exchanged, just silent shakes of their heads before they followed the Faks with the intention to help set up for a proposal nobody even knew if would still happen.

The cold night burned Carmy's lungs, but it was nothing compared to the feeling of suffocation he felt earlier when listening to one of your voicemails while trapped.

Your words were sweet as pie, as they usually were; a voicemail left when you were still at work, but feeling so excited to see him that night that you just had to call him. You reminded him of the adoration and love you held for him, relaying how proud you felt - and that you knew Mikey would be, too. You were always doing that, reassuring Carmy; and maybe that's why he felt so freaked out, he wasn't used to it. Even after almost 7 years together, he just wasn't used to what he didn't know he deserved.

Because Carmy didn't think he deserved anything remotely close to love, understanding, compassion, patience, and / or reassurance.

He had sobbed out loud as he locked his phone, not having the heart to delete your message. He often never did - he liked listening to your voice on long, hard nights; it brought him peace when the world felt too loud. He also kept whatever little notes you left for him, even going as far as to get a few of your hand-drawn hearts tattooed on his forearm. One for each anniversary you've shared together. He realized he never wanted to be without you and all his doubts and fear was him projecting his own incompetence towards this relationship; so, he locked his phone, he didn't delete your message.

The moment the fridge door had been opened, Carmy was out of there, shot off like a Roman Candle - your words of love and understanding still ringing in his ears as he was freed. He needed to apologize, and he needed to apologize right fucking now.

The whole run to Danielle's apartment, Carmy wasn't sure what to say to you; mulling over different ideas in his head. He tried to plan his speech, but the only thing he could think of was how much he loved you and that the ring in his pocket weighed a hundred pounds.

He pounded at Danielle's door. Carmy paced slightly as he waited, knocking frantically, and surely waking the neighbors - but that didn't matter. All that mattered was talking to you, something he was desperate to accomplish. When the door opened, your friend offered a stale look and shook her head, "Nope."

"Dani, please," he halted the closing door, "it's all a misunderstanding, I swear to God, please, just - let me try to fix this. Please, okay? I-I need her - I fucking need her and I have to fix this 'cause she's all that matters, okay? So, let me talk to her - please. Please, Danielle!"

"Yeah? The only thing?"

"More than anyone, more than anything - more than The fucking Bear, I swear to fucking God, Danielle! Just - Just one chance, please. I-I don't know how it all got so fucked, but please, I have to try - "

"Whatever you said in that freezer, Carmen, fucking gutted her, you hear me?" Dani stood in her doorway protectively. "Should've had your ass frozen for the hurt you caused her. How the fuck do you intend on making this right? Huh? It's been almost a fucking decade, dude, if you're seriously still afraid of commitment, just fuck off and leave her alone. Let her walk away 'cause I promise, there's a line of dudes who would love to put a ring on her loyal-ass finger - "

"Please, let me fix this," Carmy begged, sounding close to tears. "I need her, Danielle, please."

"It's okay, D," a voice whispered from behind Danielle, and when she turned, you were revealed - jacket and purse in hand, looking completely exhausted, drained, and disheveled. "I'm just tired, Dani, but we have to talk about this... So, I'll go home with him and call you tomorrow, okay?"

"You sure?"

"It's a decent walk, gives us too much time to talk," you shrugged, refusing to meet Carmy's bloodshot eyes. "Thanks for tonight, sorry I was such a mess," you whispered, hugging your best friend since pre-school.

"Girl, don't you ever apologize to me. But hey, look, I don't know, you were just drowning in your tears, like, five minutes ago. Sure you really wanna go? You can stay here as long as you'd like, girl, fuck him."

"Better to work it out now than later, I guess," you whispered, letting her kiss your cheek and see you guys out.

"She calls me cryin', Carmen, I'll kick your ass," She threatened as you moved down the apartment's hall. You might've snickered just a little, but the amusement was wiped clean when you rounded the corner and came up to the elevators.

Now that it was just you two, it was dreadfully awkward.

"Baby - "

"Just - don't talk for right now, Carmen," you sighed, shaking your head. "I'm still digesting all you said."

He frowned when you walked onto the elevator without a single emotion on your face, following you, and when on the ground floor, moved out to head home. It was quiet, it was awkward; only the sounds of traffic filling the space between you as you walked.

"Listen," he started with a long sigh, "you came in at the worst time, Peach, heard some shit you shouldn't have that I-I didn't even mean. I was just," he paused, sighing, "really angry and frustrated, fucking running my mouth 'cause I didn't know what else to do."

"Sounded like I came in at the best time since you're not very forthcoming with emotions. So, hearing your confession put a lot in perspective for me, Carm."

"I was just angry, Peach," he frowned, hands deep in his pockets. "Felt like I was self sabotaging myself, I wasn't sure what else to feel. So, I just lashed out. I didn't mean it, but I just felt like being angry... So fucking angry, baby, I just - I didn't know what else to feel."

"I don't know if I can be with someone like that," you whispered. "Someone who throws our relationship under the bus when he's angry, someone who's first line of defense is apparently to blame the relationship he's been in for over half a decade with the same girl. Someone you've known your whole life..."

"Peach - "

"If it's that easy for you to just disregard us, I don't think we should continue this."

Carmy took a breath and reached out to pull you to a stop. He dug in his pocket for a moment, then showed you the black velvet jewelry box. "I was gonna propose tonight, when everyone was gone," he explained when you took the box to open gingerly. "I think because that was on my mind already, something I was more than nervous to actually do, you're right, it did become my first line of defense to blame us - not just you, baby, but us. You and me... Mostly me, though," he chuckled sadly. "You're this perfect, sweet angel who just loves me out loud when I don't deserve it, and I'm... I'm just me," he sighed, eyes reddening. "And I know I'm never gonna be enough for you, I think I started to get in my head about if you said no. How I missed the call from Terry about the fridge 'cause I was picking out an engagement ring that you didn't even want, that you rejected - rejected me; and in turn, I missed opening night, and it all just - it got to a boiling point. Look, Peach, it's never been a secret that I don't think I deserve you... But I wanted to be the man that could at least give you an honest try of my best. You've stuck by me the past seven years when you should've ran for the hills, and I knew I wanted us for life years ago - but everything was still so up in the air. So confusing. So fucked up. I figured, after opening tonight, if things went t'plan, I could propose - prove to you that we're on our feet and there weren't any rugs to be pulled."

"What if things didn't go to plan?" You whispered.

"We're kinda living it now," he admitted, hand rubbing the back of his neck. "But even if tonight was all a total failure, I know I might've still done it because it's you, Peach. It's you... I've known for years you're who I want, I just never knew how to do this - to move us forward. You're my first relationship, hopefully my only relationship, and I just didn't know how to advance us. I think when things got real for me, my insecurities crept in, and I just reacted - I didn't think."

"We always said when this wasn't healthy or when this wasn't good for us anymore, we'd walk away," you reminded. "That we'd rather be sad or angry about a breakup instead of letting resentment fester from being together."

"It's still good for me, Peach, we're still good," he whispered, stepping closer. "Is it still good for you? Or did I lose you completely tonight?"

"I don't know, Carmy, you've been lashing out a lot lately. At me specifically."

"And with The Bear now open, I-I should be okay. You know? Back to normal?"

You chuckled dryly, "I see, back to your high walls? Emotional constipation?"

"Then maybe not normal," he corrected, "because I just needed to get us here, to tonight, to opening, and then show you that it's over. Show you that part of our lives is over and we only have more adventures to look forward to. Not ones like this, though," he gestured up the street, your eyes cutting over and realizing you were back at The Bear.

"Do you really think you're a psycho?"

He chuckled, "After tonight? Yeah, pretty convinced... Plus, I, uh, I saw in the freezer the way we're labeling things - and got angry about it. Angry about the way we were tearing tape and labeling things. It was so fucking stupid, but I just - I felt so crazy. I still do, I still feel like my head doesn't make sense and I'm a bit, you know... Crazy."

You nodded slowly, "Then how can you promise me this kinda shit won't happen again?"

"I don't think I can, but I can make you the promise that I am working on it; trying to identify when I feel reactive, trying to calm that down. I'm trying, Peach, I really am - it's just... Taking a lot of time," he sighed sadly. "And I know you don't have any more left to give me."

"I've already given you this many years," you reminded softly, "I think I could spare another or two if it meant you getting your shit together, that you get better, stop feeling so crazy."

"I don't deserve anymore time - "

"I think you need to step back and reevaluate what it means to be deserving because you always say that. That you don't deserve something - even as simple as time. Everyone deserves time and opportunity to figure shit out, Carmy, and you're no exception."

He nodded, "I'm... Trying." He took a long, deep breath, "I'm, uh... Going to meetings, you know, like, uh, Al-Anon and whatever."

"That's good, they're there to help," you nodded, stepping closer to take his hands in yours after closing the ring box and stuffing it back in his pocket. "Now, I think you need to do something."

"Anything, Peach."

"Take my hand, bring me back to The Bear, and go about your plan."

He froze in shock, blinking at you in earnest, "You really mean that?"

"Do I look like I'm joking?"

"No, ma'am, and I think that scares me more."

"You'd rather break up? 'Cause at this point, Carm, we either move forward with this engagement and fucking work our shit out, or we break up. It's been almost a decade. It's your choice, you're the one who was saying he couldn't be someone's husband, that he didn't need to provide anyone nor have them provide you with anything. So, you tell me what you want to do - because all I know is that I love you, I want you for life, but not if you're going to resent me and regret moving our relationship forward. I don't need to get married, Carmy, but you can't keep jerking me around like you have been. So... Make a decision based on what you want - based on what's best for you. Not what's best for us, but put yourself first right now, Carmy, and make a decision about what you want."

With a nod of his head, Carmy cleared his throat and offered you his hand. When he felt you lock your fingers with his, he glanced up and down the street, then lead you across it. Up the sidewalk and to the front door of The illuminating Bear, he paused to produce his keys and then lead you inside.

The lights were dim, but a flip of the switch brightly lit up the newly constructed restaurant. He seemed nervous at your cool demeanor, watching you shed your coat and set your purse down; but his hand took yours again and lead you further into the place. He seemed nervous, but once in the kitchen, it was almost like Carmy's stress melted away.

"I was... I had this plan," he explained softly, leaning on one of the work stations with both hands in yours to keep you in front of him. "I have all these candles, right? Was gonna distract you in here," he looked around the fluorescent lighting, "while Richie, Fak, Tina, and the others set everything up. We'd hang in here after the place was closed down, you know, show you around the completed kitchen. And really casually, I'd ask if you were ready to go, so, we'd go out the front, and we'd walk right into the candlelight..."

"Yeah?" He nodded, thumbs running over your hands as he pushed off the counter. "Don't deviate from your plan now..."

Carmy smirked, "Wanna hear the boring kitchen stuff?"

"Of course, I do."

So, he lead you around in a tour of the kitchen; showing off the new office space that he invited you to take advantage of whenever you wanted. The sleek appliances were shown off, the vast fridges, freezers, new cutlery, state-of-the-art dishwashers. Everything, he showed you, knowing you helped him pick a lot of it out - it was still nice to see it all come together finally.

And then, slowly, he lead you out of the kitchen, but to your honest shock, the dining room was covered in lit candles and different bouquets of thick, gorgeous floral arrangements. "Oh, holy shit," you breathed, Carmy hiding his confusion much better than you.

You came to a slow halt in the middle of the room, the lights out and only leaving the candles to provide an ambiance. "I had this whole speech planned, too," Carmy told you softly. "Remind you of the day we met, how you saved me from those jackass bullies - remember?"

You smiled softly, emotions swirling in your chest, "First day of first grade, you had a Buzz Lightyear backpack and some kids were picking on you 'cause of it."

"And what did you do?"

You felt bashful remembering, but humored him by answering, "Pushed their faces in the mud at recess and made them apologize."

"You've been my best friend since that day," he nodded, bringing you in a few steps closer. "And when we got to high school, my feelings changed. You weren't just my best friend, but the girl I was madly in love with... Took me a couple years to buck up the courage to ask you out officially, though."

"Sure took your sweet time," you whispered with a smile, "but all good things to those who wait, right?"

"And I think you've waited long enough for a man to be who you deserve," he frowned. "All these years - it's been you at my side. You even - fuck - you even came over to Amsterdam for a bit because I was feeling overwhelmed and lonely. Sad, maybe even a little homesick. But you just - you just showed up like it was the most common thing in the world."

You chuckled through your tears, "Yeah, we had some good times on that boat, didn't we?"

He nodded with a softening smile, pushing hair from your face and behind your ear; pausing to hold your cheek carefully. "And when we came back stateside... You were still the only constant presence in my life. You were my family without blood, and I knew after that Christmas that you'd forever be my other half, and I'd spend my life conveying how grateful I am for you. I just - I never knew how to put it into words until now."

"What changed?"

"Realizing that I wanted to marry you years ago - and I should've. I know I shouldn't have drug my feet with us, delay our inevitable, because honestly? I couldn't see my life without you in it and I knew I needed you with me forever. Peach," he frowned, reaching for your other cheek, "we agreed when this wasn't healthy, we'd walk away - I remember that. But I need you to know, I'll never fucking regret you. I'll never resent you. You've been unwaveringly supportive and loving and... And I've been the luckiest man to experience it all. But now," he pushed himself a step closer so he was hovered over your lips, "I know that you deserve someone just as present in this relationship as you are. I knew once The Bear was done, I was done - I was done beating this bush around and wasting time. I knew what I needed to do because the idea of you not being in my life anymore terrifies me more than anything. I don't remember life without you, Peach, and I don't ever want to know what it's like. So," he cleared his throat, "here, in the restaurant I so desperately wanted to give up on so many times, but you always stopped me, I wanted to make this official. I wanted it to be here to show you that the past year of our turmoil - it's fucking over, Peach. We did it," he whispered, "and now, the next and only thing I want to focus on is us."

Carmy readjusted you both for a little bit of space, holding your left hand tightly as he lowered himself to a single knee; looking up at you with those big, wide, sad blue eyes that were growing redder by the passing second. The candlelight created a romantic atmosphere that cocooned you both in a warm embrace, the flowers around you projecting their floral scent.

"So, I need to ask you something real important, baby," he whispered, his throat bobbing to restrain his emotion that clawed up his throat, "because if I don't, I don't think I could breathe again." He cleared his throat, pulling the ring box from his pocket and opening it to present to you officially. "Y/F/N Y/M/N Y/L/N... My sweetest Peach, I've loved you almost my entire life, you're my best friend, my most loyal and sweetest confidant. You make me want to be a man better than I was yesterday and never before have I ever seriously considered marriage - until you. Now? Now, I can't get the idea out of my head, so, my sweet girl," he took another breath, the tears in his eyes swelling and slowly dripping down his cheeks as you slowly got on your knees in front of him, "I need to ask you... W-Would you do me the honor? Of being my wife?"

"Carmen."

He grinned at you, both with tears down your cheeks. "Will you marry me, Y/N? I can't see my life without you in it, so... I want this, I want you for life. Y/N, will you marry me?" He paused, adding a meek little, "Please?" at the end.

With a deep breath, you slowly reached for his cheeks in a soft caress to wipe his tears; both just staring at one another for a good few moments before a face-splitting grin nearly cracked your lips. "Yes," you finally answered, "yeah, yes, yes, of course, I'll marry you, Carmen, yes!"

"Oh, thank fuckin' God," he laughed, letting you lunge forward to knock him backward in a hug - missing the candles arranged in a small circle for you two to stand in. Carmy laughed loudly, happily, giving you a tight squeeze as he mused, "Had my heart beatin' outta my chest for a second there, Peach."

"Oh, please," you laughed, "after all this time, you really thought I'd say no?"

He shrugged meekly, "Thought my most recent fuck-ups would've added to any reasons you might have to say no."

"Oh, spare me - you're my best friend, Carmy, you know I couldn't ever say no to you. Not without puking in nervousness."

"Can we maybe not talk about puke when we just got engaged?"

You laughed and nodded, "Fine, fine, fine, then put the ring on, please."

You presented your left manicured hand, watching Carmy almost giddily removed the band from the box, took a slow, deep breath, and then, the most beautiful ring was being slid onto your finger in an official show of your engagement. Of your undying love. Of your commitment, promises, and future together.

"YEAH!" An array of varying cheers and hollers of support and excitement rang out around you; startling both you and Carmy to look up. Richie, Sydney, Tina, Neil, Theo, Pete, and Sugar all hung in the bathroom's alcove - watching with splitting grins and cheering in celebration.

There was no time to question them as Richie lead the charge over; helping you to your feet for a giant, bear hug before gushing over your engagement ring. Neil and Theo popped one of the authentic bottles of champagne, pouring different flutes for those present.

"Calm down," Natalie scolded Richie lightly, "and move out the way, I want to hug my engaged bestie!"

You squealed with Sugar when her arms wrapped around you tightly, Rich moving on to congratulate Carmy - who apologized for his angry words earlier and thanked them for still setting things up. Richie promised it was for you, not Carmy, but still hugged the little shit with a laugh - indicating he was just joking.

"Let me see!" Natalie grinned, examining the ring Carmy chose and squealing again. "Oh, my God! Oh, it's so pretty! Oh, shit - sisters!" She gasped, holding your hands tightly, "We're going to be sisters - like, officially!"

"Sisters in law, but yeah, cupcake," you beamed at her, wiping your tears and giggling. "I can't - this just doesn't feel real," you told her softly, looking the few feet over to see Carmy with the lads as Sydney stood with you and Sugar. "Him proposing? I genuinely thought it wouldn't happen," you tried to laugh your nerves off, looking at your ring and fiddling with it.

"Yeah, right," Sydney laughed. "I haven't been around that long and even I knew this was gonna happen."

"Oh, please, she's right," Natalie grinned when you went to retaliate, "he first started talking about how he wanted to marry you when he was, like, 15. This has been the longest thing coming."

"Thank you guys for helping," you whispered with a smile. "It's all so beautiful."

"Happy to help for a good cause," Syd smiled, complimenting your ring as Neil called for a toast. Everyone was given flutes of champagne, Carmy's arm wrapping around your waist as each friend gave their own little speech, congratulating you both before the alcohol was being drained.

"Uh, and where are you two going?" Sugar asked about an hour later with a small giggle when Carmy wrapped an arm around your neck after helping you into your coat again.

"Gotta celebrate alone with my fiancé," he smirked, "later, guys! Don't forget to lock up!"

"Carmen!" You scolded with a small laugh, gaping at him.

"What? They got this," Carmy chuckled. "Thanks, you guys, see you tomorrow!"

"We can help clean," you told him as he lead you out of the restaurant.

"Nah, we've got bigger plans," he smirked at you. "Got plenty t'celebrate, yeah? Ever fucked as fiancés before?"

"No - but I hear it's some crazy sex," you whispered, locking your arms around his waist to stay close. Neither of you cared about the bus at this hour, opting to walk home in the cold - not that you felt it. Your love burned brighter than the cold biting your skin.

requesting rules and masterlist

The Bear masterlist

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starry-nights-garden · 14 days

Text

Ateez Reaction ✧ Finding out their s/o has self harm scars

✧ Ateez all members x gn!reader ✧ genre: reaction, comfort ✧ warnings: mentions of self harm/self harm scars

Author's note: I've been wanting to write something like this for a long time and always hesitated to do it because I was afraid of any unkind reactions. However, I figured that we all deserve to feel neutral and okay about our scars, so I hope that this can be a comfort to some <3

Hongjoong:

when he first happens to catch a glimpse of your scars on accident he's pretty sure that they're self harm scars

but he'll keep quiet about them, aware that he probably wasn't meant to see them, and in no way does he want to pressure you into talking about something you're not ready to

however he does make sure to drop a "you know you can tell me anything" as soon as he gets the chance for it

once you do decide to tell him though, he'll try his best to just listen and to make it clear that he would never ever judge you for something like this

won't ask too many questions so as not to overwhelm you - instead he'll convey to you that you can always come talk to him about this if you want to

definitely the type to caress and kiss your scars a lot (if you're okay with that), in order to make you feel that you don't need to be ashamed of them or hide them

he will do a lot of research on the topic as well, and will try to find ways to help spread awareness and destigmatize self harm scars

Seonghwa:

when you open up to him about your self harm scars he can't hide the shock that creeps onto his face

words aren't enough to describe just how worried he is, and even before figuring out how he should react, he'll be reaching out for your hands to wrap them tightly into his

it'll take him a while to process what you just told him, but he'll find the right words eventually

"I'm here for you if you need me. Always. Okay?"

thankful for his sincere words, you just nod, and as you're tearing up because he didn't react badly and you can feel just how much you can trust him, tears well up in his eyes as well

attempting to hide them, he offers you a warm hug instead, wanting nothing more than to make you feel protected

after that, you feel like he'll prioritize your wellbeing even more, doing his best to always be there for you and to support you in whatever way possible

he will also take having deep conversations about your feelings even more serious now, and at time where you're feeling down he will become very protective of you and pamper you as much as he can!

Yunho:

he's not sure how to react when you confess to him that you have self harm scars

you can see that he's internally panicking, because whatever he imagined this conversation was going to be about, he would've never considered this option

"A-are you okay?" - the question just bursts out of him as it's the first thing that came to mind, and it's so blunt that it almost makes you chuckle a bit

you assure him that you're okay currently, and he lets out a massive sigh of relief

but as he starts thinking about it some more, he comes to realize that he actually has a lot of questions

he desperately wants to understand your reasons and how you feel about your scars now, etcetc, so he starts carefully asking you about everything that's on his mind

tries his best to understand you as you start explaining, and if you hesitate on a question he'll immediately tell you that you don't have to give him an answer if you feel uncomfortable

talking to you about it definitely makes him feel relieved, and he also won't hesitate to ask about how to help you in a time of crisis, and how to best support you should the urge to hurt yourself return

Yeosang:

he doesn't want to pressure you to talk about them when he first sees your scars, and he's really good at pretending he doesn't know about them, but in a way that also makes it a bit harder for you to finally talk to him about them

and yet when you do manage to tell him, he's still as shocked as if he hadn't already known about them

he doesn't know how to react, so after some consideration he simply asks you how you feel about them

he really wants to know how comfortable you are talking about them, showing them, etcetc, so that he can react more appropriately

will make sure to match your energy on this - if you're uncomfortable he'll go slow and offer that you can talk about them whenever you want to, while also assuring you that you don't have to; if you're comfortable he'll let himself be a bit more curious

either way he will trust you on what you tell him, and when you assure him that he doesn't have to worry he will believe you

instead, he'll offer an open ear whenever you need it, and he will prove to you that it was the right decision to open up to him about it

San:

fears the worst when he catches a glimpse of your scars one day, but tells himself he shouldn't ask about them and instead wait until you're ready to talk about them yourself

but of course this guy will be worried sick within only a few days, until he ends up very carefully asking you about them

and when you confirm his assumption about your scars, he becomes so worried and at the same time so sad that you had to go through such pain that you would resort to hurting yourself

will approach you very slowly, and then cup your face in his hands to get a good look at you, and you swear nobody has ever looked at you with such pure and deep love in their eyes

"If there's anything I can do to make it better... please tell me. I'll do anything."

you nod, and you let him pull you into a loving kiss that he doesn't seem to want to break as his lips linger on yours

aside from the initial shock, he deals with it quite well, but he definitely becomes more protective of you from then on

makes sure to check in with you whenever you seem down or stressed, and reminds you to take care of yourself just as much as he offers to be there for you whenever you need him

if you're okay with it, he will make a habit of tracing your scars mindlessly, while whispering promises about how he'll do whatever he can so that you would never have to feel this bad ever again

Mingi:

the first time he sees your scars he won't know how to react immediately

however, he's sensible enough to figure that he should try to stay calm first of all

but he also knows that if he doesn't ask about them, he will probably lie awake at night, unable to stop worrying about you

and so he somewhat awkwardly asks what those scars are, and when you give him an honest answer he'll be both relieved and shocked

relieved because it means you trust him a lot, and shocked because now he's wondering what kind of pain you must've gone through to make you hurt yourself

this guy immediately offers you open arms in case you want a hug, and when you accept the embrace he'll tell you that whenever you're having a hard time, he'll be there to protect you

doesn't ask any questions and won't make you talk about it, but from then on you notice him checking up on how you're feeling just a bit more frequently, and he makes sure to make you feel that you always have someone to lean on with him, even during difficult conversations

over time he will definitely start giving your scars a lot of attention, especially when you’re cuddling, tracing them with his fingers and kissing them, while repeatedly whispering to you how much he loves you

Wooyoung:

his first thought when he sees your scars isn't that you caused them yourself, but rather that someone else hurt you

so he's understandably upset, and will immediately reach out for you, asking about who did this to you

until it dawns on him that something's not quite right, because now you're staring at him in shock, and eventually you manage to whisper a "me"

he lets go of you and apologizes for reacting like he did, and you can undoubtedly see how he's calming himself down in order to reassess the situation properly

"Do you... want to talk about it?" - he eventually figures he should just ask, and let you decide what to do with this situation

will listen intently in case you say yes, and when you explain to him why you hurt yourself he will make you promise to come talk to him instead, should you ever feel the urge again

gives you kisses and headpats and hugs and anything else you might want after you make the promise, and when he brings you in for a tight hug he'll whisper a thank you for trusting him enough to tell him about it

Jongho:

he won't make it obvious, but by the time you tell him about your scars, he already has a good guess about what they are, based on the few glimpses he's caught of them so far

will control his reaction to your confession very well, so as not to make you worry about his feelings and to focus on you

acknowledges what you choose to tell him about it, and will listen to what you have to say rather than asking questions about it

"You know if there's something you want to talk about, you can always tell me." - will assure you of that while brushing a thumb against your cheek

however, it will soon become obvious that he's more worried than he initially allowed himself to show, because now he refuses to leave your side if you're not feeling well, and somehow you feel like he's more reluctant to let you go when he hugs you

as you talk more about it, he'll trust that you will come talk to him before doing anything stupid, but still he'll stay at least a little protective of you and offer to help distract you in case you feel the need to hurt yourself again

he too is the type who will find himself touching your scars every now and then (if you give him the okay), kissing them or tracing them with his fingertips in hopes that one day you would associate them with something positive as well

#ateez fluff #ateez comfort #ateez reactions #ateez x reader #ateez x gn reader #ateez imagines #ateez scenarios #hongjoong x reader #seonghwa x reader #yunho x reader #yeosang x reader #san x reader #mingi x reader #wooyoung x reader #jongho x reader #comfort #fluff #reaction

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theboombutton · 6 days

Text

Ok so Alex was the main writer for this casement, and obviously he knew we would latch on to incidental characters that seem a lot like Jon and Martin.

The questions I have are: first, whether it was a prank on TMA fans; and second, if it's not a prank, what he intended to convey by including them. Alex doesn't seem like the kind of guy to leave jmart fan service for its own sake; if those are truly alternate Jon and Martin, I suspect they're there for a story or setting reason.

Was it a prank?

I'm inclined to answer no. Darrien didn't just describe them, he wondered aloud while recounting his story if what happened to him also happened to them. That's not out of the question for prank red-string-bait, but the more you harp on incidental characters that seem like Jon and Martin, the more plausible it becomes that they are. People red-stringing over things that the author draws a circle around and writes "look at this!" next to isn't funny - it's just analysis.

Prank is still on the table, but it's not my preferred explanation.

If they are alternate Jon & Martin, what does their presence here imply?

One thing it probably implies is that we're dealing with more than one alternate universe here.

So far we've only had evidence of two: the Protocolverse, and Celia's home universe. We're reasonably sure that Celia's home universe is the Archiverse, because the character voiced by Lowri in TMA only took the name Celia after she lost her memories in the Eyepocalypse. And if Darrien comes from a universe where Martin worked reception at a therapist's office and Jon was a client, then he didn't come from the Archiverse. He came through from another, until-now-unknown-to-us universe.

Wild speculation ahead

Turn back now if you only want thoughts that are well-evidenced

There's also another possibility we could stack on top of the implication of a third universe. This is primarily supported by Doylist reasoning, rather than in-universe evidence.

Alex wrote ?Jon and ?Martin in close proximity to Darrien's universe shift. He brought attention to the fact that Darrien didn't recognize either of them - ?Martin being a new hire, and ?Jon being a new-enough face to be worth pondering. This would imply it was fairly likely ?Jon and ?Martin's first meeting - likely even their first time being in a room together. And Alex, through Darrien, further invited us to wonder if ?Jon and ?Martin had been pulled across universes as well.

Is it possible that the universe shift happened because of Therapyverse's Jon and Martin being in close proximity at the time?

Jon and Martin are apparently cosmically important in at least the Protocolverse, given that they manifested as two of FR3-D1's voices. What if something in the Protocolverse is pulling in Jons and Martins from other universes? It might be easier or more efficient to find or to pull them when they cross paths, and Darrien just got schlurped up with them this time.

Who would be interested in collecting alternate Jons and Martins? I can think of a few possibilities:

The Fears. They've got Jon and Martin reading case files, maybe they need more Jon & Martin to make FR3-D1 go.

The OIAR. Lena said some entities are benevolent, most aren't, and they're trying to maintain a balance. If Jon and Martin are their "benevolent entities," then maybe they think pulling additional copies into their universe's fear-space strengthens them. Maybe they're even right.

The Magnus Institute itself. It was still around at the time of Darrien's shift, given that the case is from the Institute's files. Jonah Magnus may have figured out (or found out) that Jon and Martin had something to do with his ascension in another universe, and started abducting alternate versions of them as part of his research.

Maybe Chester and Norris started talking a year ago because someone or something finally pulled enough Jons and Martins (and J2s?) into an extradimensional JMalgamation to give them the necessary power.

Maybe Darrien got spat out practically starved to death because he couldn't feed on fear, nor were there versions of himself that could that he could amalgamate with.

And who the fuck is the second J?

#tmagp spoilers #tmagp 17 #tma spoilers #tmagp #the magnus protocol #tmagp speculation #tmagp theory #tmagp theories

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projecttreehouse · 2 years

Text

tips for setting the scene

it’s easy to get caught up in dialogue or a character’s internal dialogue and forget altogether that they, too, exist in their own physical world. as authors, it’s primarily our job to convey the exact amount of information: the reader is on a need to know basis, but they also need to know enough to draw their own conclusions. i’ll admit, it’s a difficult task, but here are some tips to help set a scene:

- imagine the world from the eyes of your character: how do they see things? do they see the big picture first or are they drawn to smaller details that others don’t often notice? what’s pulling their attention away from the action or their own thoughts?

- breathe life into your scenes: i don’t mean the english teacher’s equivalent of “the curtains were blue means that the character is sad.” i’m talking about the blue filter in Twilight that conveys the “constant cover of clouds and rain” and the shift from the Arizona desert to the cool Pacific Northwest. think about all the small details that convey information about a scene and allow the readers to make inferences. if the character walks along a street and the yards shift from overgrown hedges with frayed yard chairs and a birdbath containing a mini swamp to yards with freshly cut grass with white picket fences and ornate wreathes hanging on the doors, you’re providing all of the details for readers to make an inference. context is needed, too, but that will be provided in the whole of your novel or short story. don’t be afraid to provide details and use figurative language.

- spread out your details: did you feel bombarded in the last tip? i provided a lot of details quickly, all at once, without spreading them between action, dialogue, or internal dialogue. i’m not going to stop you from being the next J.R.R. Tolkien if that’s how you like to write, but try not to overwhelm the reader with details all at once. it will feel more natural if you spread things out and allow the reader to feel as if they, too, are with the character in their environment. this is more of a stylistic tip, so take it with a grain of salt and think about what will work best for your novel. always go back to that and to what your character is seeing. how is this all playing out for them? how can you put feeling into the scene?

- place your characters within the scene: where are they in their environment? how are they interacting with the people or objects in it? what do they think about these things? you don’t need to tell the reader everything your character does, but provide enough information so that we don’t get lost in their movement or stagnation. it helps to have someone else read your work if you’re struggling with this part. if they’re lost as to where the character is or what they’re doing, chances are a good portion of your readers will be confused, too. check out your prepositions. are there too many? too few? use them, but don’t abuse them.

happy writing! if you need help setting a scene or have any questions, our ask box is always open!

#writing advice #writeblr #writing #writing tips #write it #nanowrimo #novel writing #creative writing #writers block #writing help #writing prompts #writing warm up #writers on tumblr #books and novels #writing tools #fiction #writers of tumblr #fiction writing #novel editing service

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audhd-author · 10 months

Note

I definitely have an idea! Lab colleagues obviously in love with each finally confessing their love and making love for the first time

Hey Anon!

Thanks so much for your request, I hope you like it. It was my first time writing for Brucey so I really hope I did him justice.

- Audhd Author

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Lab Partner

You can't deny, you've had an attraction to Dr Bruce Banner since the day you first met. What you didn't expect was for him to feel the same way.

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2,767 words

NSFW (18+)

Soft sex, marking kink, nail scratching, hickeys, fluffy smut, mentions of disordered eating, creampies, nipple play

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

Pen in your hand, you look blankly down at the hastily jotted notes from the meeting this morning with Tony, Fury, Agent Coulson, and Bruce. No matter how hard you try, you just can't find the motivation to keep your head focused. Your mind couldn’t be further from work at the moment as you glance up at Bruce, who’s resting his chin in his hand as he scrolls through blueprints on the latest tech Tony’s introduced to the lab. Letting out a groan, he removes his glasses, rubbing his face in his hands as he stares mindlessly at the screen, your breathing deepening at the sight. Quickly averting your gaze back to the notes, you sigh, randomly colouring in the corner of the paper as you let your thoughts take you anywhere else.

Unfortunately, that anywhere else happened to be on a random beach at sunset with none other than Bruce. His hand reaches up to cup your face as he leans closer to you, lightly brushing his lips against yours. His other hand wraps around your lower back, pulling you closer to him as your hand entangles itself in the back of his hair. Gently pulling your lower lip between his teeth, he extracts a breathless moan from you. “Y/N.” He breathes, breaking the kiss as you gasp for air.

“Y/N.” He repeats, the sunset quickly returning to the lab as you struggle to figure out where reality is. Looking up, a crimson heat spreads across your cheeks as you see Bruce, standing in front of your desk. “Ah, shit sorry, what?” You apologise, struggling to look at him without your heart beating through your chest. “Are you ok? I said your name like 3 times before you even noticed.” Your eyes widen as you try to avoid his gaze, the blush appearing more prominently over your features. “Yeah, sorry. I was lost in thought. What’s up?” You reply as he grins.

“Don’t blame you, these new designs of Tony’s are a lot. Are you hungry? I was thinking of heading out to get something to eat if you wanted to come- my shout.” He asks, as you gratefully nod, realising you actually can’t remember when you last ate. “Yeah, sounds good.” You respond, grabbing your phone from the desk as you stand up for the first time in hours. The moment your weight transfers onto your legs, you have to grasp at the desk for stability as your body sways dangerously, dizziness crowding your head as a hot flush runs through your veins. Bruce’s hand reaches for the small of your back, keeping you stable as his features convey his concern. “Jesus christ, Y/N. When was the last time you ate?” He asks, worry evident in his eyes as he looks at you. You shake your head as you take a deep breath before standing up straighter. “I honestly don’t remember. I can’t eat too early in the morning and I forgot to eat last night.”

“Fucking hell.” He curses under his breath, his hand not leaving your back as he guides you through the lab. The mere touch of his fingers has your body melting as you walk beside him. “As a scientist, you of all people should know the importance of regular nutrition.” He says as the two of you walk down to the underground carpark. "I do. I just don't realise how long it's been since I've eaten sometimes." You admit, sheepishly rubbing the back of your neck as Bruce unlocks his 2012 Acura. Opening the door for you, his hand doesn't leave your back until the last second before he shuts the door, walking around to the driver's side of the car.

"Do you feel like anything or did we just want to drive until we see something?" He asks, turning the key in the ignition as he does. "I honestly don't mind." You hurriedly say, if there was one thing you hated it was making decisions like where to go and what to eat. Simple questions like that when another person is involved, absolutely not. You'd much rather have them choose than choose the outcome yourself. "Alright, well, what do you feel like?"

Damn it, Banner- you. "I'm happy with whatever." You can feel the red hot flush of embarrassment appear over your cheeks as you say this. "Y/N." Bruce says, letting off a singular chuckle. "Bruce." You respond, a slight grin pulling at your lips as you look over at him. "Do we need to add decisions to the list of things you avoid?" He asks and you can't help the chuckle escaping you as he responds. "Only when it involves another person. I'm happy to go along with whatever."

Exhaling deeply, Banner grins as he shakes his head in defeat. "You are a piece of work, Y/N." You find yourself laughing at his words. "Oh always, but you love me for it anyways." You respond, only realising what you said after you said it, a familiar hot blush spreading on your face. "Oh definitely." He grins before dropping his tone out of earshot from you. "How can I not?"

Turning into a small parking lot, a lonesome diner stands at the end. "I come here a lot on my breaks. It's small but the food is delicious." Bruce says, pulling into a parking space near the door. Putting the car in park, he pulls the handbrake as he turns to you. "Right so are you able to get out of the car or do you need help with that?" He laughs, a grin on his face as you send him a feigned look of offence before laughing. "I think I can figure it out." You chuckle, opening the door and stepping out, ready for the light-headed feeling overcoming your head as you shut the door behind you.

Walking inside the quaint little diner, Bruce follows you to a corner booth, sitting opposite you as he passes you the menu from the centrepiece. Your eyes are immediately drawn to the Chicken Bacon burger combo, your stomach rumbling at the sight as your hunger finally begins to catch up to you. A young waiter comes to the table, a friendly smile on his face as he does. "Hey Bruce, what can I get for you today?" Bruce gives him a small smile before responding. "Just the usual thanks Alex." He says before looking over at you. "And a Chicken Bacon Burger combo with coke, thanks." You say, hoping the order isn't too expensive. "Sweet, two chicken bacon burger combos. It'll be ready shortly." Alex says before disappearing into the kitchen.

A silent sigh of relief escapes you upon hearing Bruce got the same as he chuckles at the coincidence. "So what inspired you to get into the sciences?" He asks, trying to spark up conversation. A reminiscent smile pulls at your lips as you respond. "My father. He was an esteemed scientist, like you, he got exposed to gamma radiation, except he didn't survive it. He had pre-existing health issues and the direct contact with the radiation killed him. I was always with him in the lab working with him and the one time I wasn't, he died. I just always sort of blamed myself for it and decided to keep his legacy going." Bruce's face falls further with each sentence, unsure as to how to respond.

"Y/N… I'm so sorry." He says, gently reaching over to squeeze your hand comfortingly. Shaking your head, you give a reassuring smile. "Don't be, he died doing what he loved. Besides, if that accident didn't happen, I probably wouldn't be working as an Avenger, which honestly? The thought of not, is terrifying." Bruce laughs after hearing your response. "Understandable, you're around something so often that it's terrible to imagine not having them- it in your life." He says, a blush appearing over both of your cheeks as the both of you catch his slip-up. "Couldn't have said it better myself." You respond as a chuckle escapes the both of you.

_______

The rest of the day absolutely flew by. Both you and Bruce were in high-spirits for the rest of the day, engaging in playful banter as you worked on the logistics of Tony's new blueprints. Turning the shower off, you pull on a loose V neck T-shirt and a comfy pair of jeans before walking into the lounge, slumping onto the couch in the living room of your quarters in the Avengers facility. Flicking the TV on, you aimlessly scroll through the shared Netflix account, finally deciding on The Hitman's Bodyguard. A knock on the door stops you from relaxing, a soft groan escaping you as you slowly stand up from the couch. Unlocking the door, Bruce stands outside, a sheepish smile on his face. "I hope you don't mind but I brought you some dinner, just to make sure you have something to eat. I can't have my favourite lab partner losing out on nutrition."

A grin pulls at your face, as you pull the door open more, letting Bruce walk in. "You didn't have to." He chuckles at your response. "I know, I wanted to." He replies, as you walk into the kitchen, grabbing a set of utensils each as he pulls out two ramen bowls. "Make yourself at home, did you want a drink or anything?" You call from the other room, as Bruce takes a seat on the couch. "No, I'm ok thanks." He replies as you walk back into the room, taking a seat next to him, folding your knees up as you hand him a fork.

"Thank you. I hadn't even thought about dinner, to be honest I was planning on just watching movies until I pass out from exhaustion like usual." You sheepishly admit as Bruce sends you a look of disapproval. "And a messed up sleep schedule, it's a wonder you even manage to function." He says as you chuckle. "Hey, I can guarantee Tony isn't much better." You grin, pointlessly defending yourself.

"Tony has Pepper. I care about you, I want to make sure that you're ok." Bruce states before taking a bite of his ramen. A familiar heat spreads over your cheeks as you hear his words, choosing to have a mouthful of food before responding. "Is this from a lab partner point of view?" You boldly ask as Bruce pauses, avoiding your gaze. "Decidedly not." He starts, taking a moment before exhaling a shaky breath. "I genuinely care about you, but lately, it seems to be more than just being your lab partner. I like you, in a more than friends way. I understand if you don't and I hope it doesn't ruin our relationship but I can't lie to-." You lean forward, brushing your lips tenderly against his, stopping his panicked rant. Startled, he pauses before leaning towards you, his hand coming up to cup your cheek before breaking the kiss.

A smile pulls at both of your faces as you breathe for air. "I like you too, Bruce." You confirm before he leans forward, pressing his lips more confidently against yours. Tender and sweet, it was everything you imagined it to be. Your heart beats intensely in your chest as his hand comes up to lightly trail over your hip, fingers dancing over your clothed skin. A breathy moan escapes you as he gently nibbles at your lower lip, a groan falling off his lips as he hears you. Ramen abandoned on the coffee table, he pushes you gently backwards, hovering over your body. His hands get more explorational. His fingers lightly dance over the curves of your side, his mouth trailing from your earlobe, down to your collarbone, peppering gentle kisses as he does. Your breathing intensifies, a hot desire burning in your core as he gently bites down on the skin on your shoulder, running his tongue over the teeth indents. "You have no idea how long I've waited for this." He groans, licking up the sensitive skin of your neck as you shiver in pleasure.

"Shall we take this to the bedroom?" He suggests as you nod. Letting you get up, Bruce takes your hand as you lead him into the next room. Turning back to him, you wrap your arms around his neck as his hands grab your hips, pulling your body tight to his as your lips reconnect. Bruce guides you backwards as you feel the edge of the bed behind your legs. He gently pushes you back, crawling over you as you hit the bed. His lips find solace on the skin of your neck, sucking it between his teeth as hues of purple and red blossom behind. His fingers grasp at the hem of your shirt, lifting it up over your head as a groan emits from his throat upon seeing your lack of bra.

His mouth attaches to your nipple, gently sucking it as your back arches towards him. The flattened tip of his tongue gently flicks over the now hardened bud, extracting soft moans from your lips. His knee moves between your legs, pressing against your core. Your heat throbs with desire as he turns his attention to your other nipple, continuing with the same ministrations. His name escapes you in a breathless moan, pleasure throbbing in your core. Hearing his name on your lips extracts a low growl from him as his knee begins grinding over your heat. "Absolutely gorgeous." He murmurs against your skin, the vibrations travelling straight to your core as you feel arousal begin to drip down your thighs.

"Bruce, please I need you." You breathe as he pauses, looking up your body before lunging forward to press his lips firmly against yours. Your hands reach up to undo the white button down he's wearing as he runs his tongue over your lower lip, asking for access which you gladly give him. Shrugging the shirt off his shoulders, his hand reaches down to undo your jeans. Your tongues fight for dominance, working together to extract breathy moans from the both of you. Pulling both your jeans and panties down in one precise movement, a soft groan escapes him upon seeing your body fully exposed to him. Quickly undoing his pants, he positions himself in between your legs as his arms slide under your shoulders. Peppering kisses over your skin, his tip presses at your soaking entrance as your body shivers in pleasure.

Bliss fills your veins as he pushes inside you, a groan falling off his lips as your walls stretch around him. His thrusts are not fast nor slow, his hips setting a perfect pace that sends stars floating through your vision. You can't help the curses falling off your lips in a breathless moan, each buck of his hips makes him rub precisely over your sweet spot, ecstasy flooding your body. Your arms wrap around his back, nails digging into his shoulder as a soft whimper escapes you. "So fucking perfect." He groans against your skin, sucking it between his teeth as his tongue runs over the indents.

You can feel the coil in your stomach tighten with each movement of his hips, Bruce reading your body like his favourite book. Every ministration of his mouth, hands, and hips pushes you closer to the edge, pure bliss filling your veins as your body begins to shake beneath him. His hand reaches down to where your two bodies meet, his fingers expertly dancing over your clit as you fall over the edge. His name escapes you in a pleasured gasp, your back arching closer to him as ecstasy crashes over your body. Stars flood your vision as breathless moans fall off your lips, a hot flush burning through your veins. Bruce shudders above you, his hips stalling before you feel hot ropes of his secretion coating your walls, a low groan escaping him as the two of you gasp for air. He continues to thrust into you, slowly drawing out your highs as your body begins to regain its senses.

Gently brushing his lips over yours, he pulls his softening member from you, his hand coming up to brush strands of fallen hair away from your eyes. "You are better than I ever could've imagined." He murmurs, as the kiss breaks, his forehead resting against yours before you pull him down next to you. His arms instinctively wrap around you as you place another tender kiss to his lips, basking in the warmth of his bare skin against yours.

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

A/N:

Definitely not sitting in my car at uni posting this 🤭

Will add Brucey to my masterlist on my break because I don't have time right now 🤣😅

#audhdauthor #bruce banner x reader #bruce banner #bruce banner smut #marvel smut #marvel fanfiction #marvel

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trungles · 3 months

Text

Processing Process, and More Processing

I made this post free and publicly readable on Patreon, but I'm reposting the whole thing right here too because, well, it's a free post, and I don't want to make you click away from your dashboard if you don't need to. But also if you want to support my work, here's the link to the post.

It's a little bit about cartooning, a little bit about drawing, and then it turns into a eulogy for a chicken.

I wrote “process” more than once, and now the word looks funny and is beginning to lose its meaning to me.

This post is about a few things, and it’s a little bit on the sad end of things. Nothing dire! No worries. There’s just a little mention of death, just as a heads up.

Before we get to that, though, I’ve been doing some work and had some thoughts.

I’m often asked about how I draw the noodle hair on my characters, and the answer is typically that I draw each and every line with my hand. But there are considerations of movement and volume that go into it beyond its texturally decorative purposes. I love being able to convey shape and motion with it. It’s less evident, I think, in my illustration work, but I think it’s much more obvious when I do sequential work. In the above image, you can see me working out a sequence of Angelica having a series of thoughts. Her head sort of moves, and her eyes follow. You can see I’d planned out the general shape of the hair and how I’d like it to move.

I wound up moving the drawings a little bit so that the readers eyes will actually follow the character’s eyes as it moves gently rightward on the page. The hair is there to accentuate the movement, like so:

It’s a consideration I employ in all my drawings, but especially when I’m drawing hair and fabric. I don’t use a lot of action lines, so this becomes an important way to give the reader the information that someone is moving through a space. Resistance, gravity, and motion are all things I have to keep in the back of my head when I’m doing these little drawings. I think the planning actually takes more time than the inking, which can happen pretty quickly once I map it all out.

In other news, I’m starting to take my extracurricular artistic development a little more seriously in the silliest way possible.

You wouldn’t know it, but I studied painting college—a medium I switched to after the printmaking professor and head of the Art Department at the time told me I probably shouldn’t be an artist (he gave me a hard candy for my trouble). I recently bought a bunch of little dolls, dressed them up, and am returning to my painting roots. It feels really nice to work in big blobs of color instead of lines. It’s an exercise I came up with in response to a common lament from art students.

One of the more aggravating generational tensions described to me by art school students is when professors describe a student’s portfolio as “too anime” without much explanation. I know what the professor means. They’re trying to get at how referencing your favorite anime or cartoons means that your style becomes a simulacrum, an imperfect copy of a copy, and you never learn to develop your own sense of judgment about where a line or a shape needs to go. And we can tell. It’s a way of working that is perfectly fine for cartooning because cartooning is closer to hand-writing than it is to drawing. I always turn to Charles Schulz’s work for an example. Those figures aren’t literally depicting children—with their little chessboard-pawn proportions and bread-loaf feet—but we read them as endearing children because we’ve come to a consensus between us, the readers, and Charles Schulz, the author, that those shapes mean those things. There are no whiskers or paws in the shape of the word “CAT” but you look at those three letters together, and you know the thing to which it refers. That’s an aspect of cartooning, too. Of course, what elevates it from mere writing is, in part, due to the fact that those little figures do not lose their meaning the more you depict them.

To really draw well, though, you have to do those fundamentals. You have to draw from life. There’s no way around it. It helps you develop a stronger sense of where you like to lay down your lines and shapes, no matter how stylized you like to work. It grows your judgment, and every artist’s best tool is their own well-honed sense of artistic discernment about their own work.

But that doesn’t mean you have to surrender the stuff you like or the things that inspire you to make art! I tell students that if they want to hold fast to their anime style AND hone their fundamentals to develop their eye as an artist, they should buy little figurines and toys of their favorite characters, prop those up against a light source, and draw them as still life objects. Like, yes, do the vases and the figure drawings and all those, I still think those are important. But if this is what you need to keep you interested in drawing from life, having some toys around is a great way to do it! Also, bless those sculptors and toy designers. They’re the best.

I think there’s something to be said about remembering to imagine the physicality of the things we draw, in all its dimensions and in the way it catches the light or casts a shadow. It helps sentimentalize things, too. Makes them feel more real, even emotionally.

Edwina died on Tuesday night, after a few final snuggles, surrounded by her favorite treats. She was about five years old, which is old for a chicken, and she had a very comfortable life. We buried her this morning. She was a good hen, J’s personal favorite.

It really feels like the end of an era. She was the last surviving member of our very first flock. After the other hens died, she really seemed to prefer the company of people over other hens. She is survived by Snooki and Nelly, our two other young birds who get along quite well together, actually.

A baby chick costs between three and five American dollars, typically. An egg-laying hen could be between twenty and fifty bucks, depending on the breed. There are roughly 26 billion chickens living in the world today, about 518 million of them here in the United States. They come pretty cheap. And a part of me was moved to cynicism, entertaining the thought that it might be strange to feel sadly over a little animal that, at most, might be roughly equivalent to the price of a fancy lunch and a coffee.

I watched the 1974 musical version of The Little Prince recently, and I remember it mostly because Bob Fosse was in it and scared the crap out of me as a kid—he played the snake that would take the Little Prince back into the sky when his body gets too heavy to take with him. Gene Wilder plays the Fox whom the Little Prince befriends and tames among a garden of roses. The Fox explains that he is like any other fox in the world, but he is changed—made special and particular to the Little Prince—with time, effort, and patience. So, too, is the Prince’s little flower special to him. Out of all the flowers in the universe, she was the one he watered and protected under a little glass jar. And that’s enough.

I knew my little hen would not live that long. It could be very easy to take a broad view of the life expectancy of a hen and distance myself from it by virtue of its mortality and its commonness. People who raise livestock do it all the time. But I also think it’s wonderful that we should all be capable of loving very small, very brief little things. Edwina is not, to my mind, the rough equivalent of a fancy lunch and a coffee. She was our little hen. For her whole life, she was ours. And I’m so happy she was here.

#cartooning #drawing #patreon #cw death #cw pet death #comics #trungles #artists on tumblr

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subwaytostardew · 2 months

Text

youtube

▽ Subway to Stardew - Adoptable Joltik ⚡️

This would play after Emmet's 8 heart event and getting Joltik up to 8 hearts as well.

I released a separate mod specifically for adopting Joltik, so you only need to get them up to 8 hearts to adopt them! You can do it right now!

Adoptable Joltik Mod Link: https://www.nexusmods.com/stardewvalley/mods/21002

And of course... Commentary under the read-more.

Joltik's adoption event sat in the drafts for quite a while. It took me whole a day to implement and I didn't let myself sleep until I finished everything. (It's 1 PM now...)

The event ended up wildly different because of how extra custom pets are implemented. You would think that they would be added in the same way as you get your cat/dog that you select during character creation. No. You have to buy a license. Only Marnie is authorized to sell them.

Here's the original script for Joltik's adoption event:

[Joltik Adoption Event]

Emmet: @! Joltik likes you verrrrry much. They want to stay with you. I'm letting you adopt them. Yup. I filled out all the paperwork. The Joltiks are legally documented now.

I never gave ours a name... Galvantula wouldn't let me. She is verrrry picky about it. But that's okay. Joltik is yours. You should name them. She came along for approval. So. What name should I put on the adoption form?

[Name input box like Marnie's adoption thing...]

[Galvantula pauses for a moment to think and then offhandedly agrees.]

Emmet: Galvantula didn't shock me for that. That name is okay. Yup. I will file that with the Ferngill Republic. Don't worry about it. Make sure you take verrrry good care of our little Joltik!

[Joltik jumps and heart emotes]

◇──◆──◇──◆

The whole naming portion was a source of much more frustration than it should have been. In events, the name input box is brought up by the "catQuestion" command (which applies to dogs chosen at the start, too...

If you refuse, then Marnie also shows up no matter what you do. Farmhouse positions are also tricky and made even harder to find reference for after 1.6 added the farmhouse being moveable. Joltik kept spawning where Emmet was supposed to be so I had to use a move command just to get them to spawn one tile to the side. Galvantula was fine. I didn't get to updating her vanilla portraits yet so she's staying quiet.

The catQuestion command also only adds the pet you pick during character creation. There's no fields to target the usage. You have to buy a license. It's the only way to get another pet. I didn't want Joltik to replace a cat either since in-story you would have to earn the trust of both Emmet and Galvantula... There's no way you can do that by the first 25 days of spring. It's immersion breaking and you lose a cat.

I did find the license aspect funny though. It was oddly fitting for the mod's lore of Pokemon being pretty much banned from the region. Emmet is a threat to Stardew Valley's ecosystem. Not the best guy for the task of combating anti-Pokemon xenophobia.

Pet sizes are apparently hardcoded so I had to make a new spritesheet for Joltik as if they even need a 32 x 32 pixel area per frame. I did end up making new sprites for them while I was at it. I tried to base it off of the cat's behaviors so I have less animation fields to edit (I was tired). The cat loafs a lot. Trying to convey that in a tiny spider posed quite the challenge.

After everything was done, I figured that the whole adoption portion of the mod could easilly be taken apart to be its own mod as a demo of sorts for the expansion. So I went and made a content pack to post.

Bringing up your starter pet's friendship level takes quite some time, so it would be awkward if I let the event play with no preconditions. Because of that, I ended up including Joltik as an NPC and locking their adoption behind their heart level.

We actually only had two lines per day of the week (not including season) for daily dialogue. That shot up to six lines per day of the week for a full 0-2-4-6-8-10 in spring because I was determined to publish a mod. (I've been modding for nearly a year nonstop and I don't have anything playable... humiliating...)

Anyways! I hope you're all having fun with 1.6! It certainly brought new challenges and opportunities to the modding scene!

▷ Station Steward Thylak

#subway to stardew #submas #stardew valley #pokemon #joltik #sdv mods #subway to stardew terminal station

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maybank-archives · 9 months

Note

hiii ! would you be able to do something where jj is not really in the mood but he tries for the reader? maybe when things are start getting more heated the reader notices that he’s not really into the moment + acting weird and is concerned? you can make it however you’d like ;)

here for you - jj maybank

⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯

warning: a wholesome amount of fluffness.

word count: 0.5

author's notes: i'm a sucker for soft jj

masterlist

⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯

It was a chill summer night when JJ and Y/N decided to have a little movie night date, at first, it was all fun and cool. Y/N was hyped to have some movie marathon type of thing but it didn't take long enough for her to get bored.

Out of nowhere her mind started to play with the idea of turning that movie off and just making out with her boyfriend. She kept glancing over to JJ but unlike her, his focus was hooked on the screen.

He had no idea that as his fingers caressed her legs she was getting a ton of signs. Y/N leaned in and pecked his lips trying to grab his attention, JJ kissed her back but within seconds, his eyes were locked in the movie again.

Y/N's hands slide to his chest up to his neck, she turns his face again going for another kiss, this time they share a longer kiss, Y/N adjusts herself sitting on JJ’s lap making sure he is aware of her intentions. JJ knew exactly what she was doing, he usually loves seeing his girl initiating things but this time as crazy as it sounded, he was forcing himself to be present.

Y/N on the other hand was starting to feel her body hot, she made her way to JJ’s neck leaving wet kisses and marks, their lips met again but this time Y/N started to sense JJ's lack of enthusiasm, his lips became less responsive. JJ tried playing casually as much as he could, he thought that maybe making out he would cheer up and everything would be fine, but that didn't happen.

Y/N, being intuitive, gently pulled back, maintaining eye contact with JJ.

"JJ, are you okay?" she whispered, her brows furrowed with concern.

JJ blinked as if coming back to the present from a distant place. "Huh? Yeah, yeah, I'm fine," he stammered, his eyes refocusing on her.

Y/N searched his eyes, realizing that something was off. "You're not really here, are you?" She said getting off his lap and sitting back on the sofa, Y/N reached for his hand giving a gentle squeeze.

He sighed, running his free hand through his hair. "Sorry, princess. It's just... Man, I’m a mess, this shitty feeling in my chest it’s all over the place lately, ya know?." JJ sighed

Y/N shifted closer to him, her fingers gently caressing his cheek. "Jay, you don't have to go through this alone, You can talk to me and I’m sorry that I was trying to make a move I had no idea, I’m really sorry.”

He looked into her eyes, a mixture of gratitude and vulnerability in his gaze. "It’s okay babe, I know, and I appreciate that. It’s just fucking exhausting."

Y/N leaned in and kissed him softly, conveying her support. "We'll figure it out together, mkay?" Y/N places her hand on his chest.

“Deal.” JJ said, pulling her closer to his arms, “I love you darlin’.”

“I’ll always love you and I'm here for you Jay.” Y/n said giving JJ's cheek a kiss "I'll even watch this movie for you and I don't think there is a bigger proof of my love."

⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯

#obx #jj maybank #jj maybank smut #outerbanks #jj obx #jj maybank headcanon #outer banks #rudy pankow #jj maybank x you #jj mayback x reader #jjmaybankfluff #jj maybank fluff #fluff imagine #obx fluff

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dmitriene · 10 months

Text

— whispers of solace.

summary: in trying to relax, you see something that you should not, and as a result it turns into more. content: simon ghost riley x gn! reader tags: fluff, hurt and immediately comfort, angry ghost, maybe slightly flirt. author's note: was thinking about simon a lot and tiktok didn't help me much so please enjoy this short work!) enjoy your reading) 🖤

᠌ ᠌ ᠌᠌ ᠌ ᠌ ᠌ ᠌ ᠌ ᠌ ᠌ ᠌᠌ ᠌ ᠌ ᠌ ᠌ ᠌ ᠌ ᠌ ᠌᠌ ᠌ ᠌ ᠌ ᠌ ᠌ ᠌ ᠌ ᠌᠌ ᠌ ᠌ ᠌ ᠌ ᠌ «i'm drowning in the night» ᠌ ᠌ ᠌᠌ ᠌ ᠌ ᠌ ᠌ ᠌ ᠌ ᠌ ᠌᠌ ᠌ ᠌ ᠌ ᠌ ᠌ ᠌ ᠌ ᠌᠌ ᠌ ᠌ ᠌ ᠌ ᠌ ᠌ ᠌ ᠌᠌ ᠌ ᠌«when i'm like this, you're the one i trust»

As Ghost leaned against the base's cold, dimly lit hallway, his usual stoic demeanor was shattered, his hands shaking slightly, indicative of confusion in his normally controlled mind, memories of his past, life before the task force haunted him relentlessly, the gravity of his actions, the loss of his family and the darkness he had embraced scratched his mind.

Unbeknownst to Ghost, you, a member of the same task force, went outside the base to rest, the faint glow of your cigarette lit up the night as you exhaled a cloud of smoke, lost in your own thoughts, you noticed a figure on the periphery slumped against the wall, it took you a moment to understand that it was the Ghost, your Lieutenant and a man known for his aloofness and cold appearance.

You watched as he punched the wall, a gesture of frustration and pain, his mask obscured most of his face, but his body language was enough to convey his vulnerability, it was a side of him that no one had seen before, so after a moment's hesitation, you approached carefully.

— «Is everything all right, Ghost?» you asked quietly, genuine concern was evident in your voice.

He looked up at you, his bottomless brown eyes wary but tired as his lips parted as if about to say something, but there were no words.

— «Clean yourself up» he grumbled, trying to regain his usual composure

His tone was as scathing as always, a weak attempt to push you away, however, something in his eyes betrayed the facade he was trying to maintain, so you didn't move, stooding your ground, instead you took another step closer, your gaze didn't wavered.

— «You know, you don't have to go through it alone»

A joyless laugh escaped his lips, a bitter sound hanging in the air.

— «Don't pretend you know something about me»

You didn't flinch, your determination unwavering, your hand slowly reaching out, your fingers touching the fabric of his mask before gently cupping his cheek, the touch was hesitant, but your warmth seemed to seep through the barrier he had erected.

Ghost's body tensed under your touch as his head jerked slightly to the side, a mixture of surprise and vulnerability flooding through him as he tried to pull away, his pride struggling with his need for comfort.

— «I said.. I said go away»

— «I won't leave you in this state» your voice remained soft, unshakable.

His mask cracked and for a moment his hardened body trembled, the hand that was ready to push you away now hung in the air, not knowing where to run, as you continued to stroke his cheek, the tension in his muscles gradually subsided and his eyes closed by allowing himself to enjoy the simple comfort you offered.

— «You're not as bad as everyone says you are..» you whispered, your words barely audible over the night wind and background noise.

— «You are more than stories and rumors, you're human, and you're allowed to feel»

He let out a convulsive gasp, his shoulders slumped as if a weight had been lifted from him, his hand finally lowered, hovering hesitantly before touching your hand on his cheek.

For the first time in an eternity, Ghost allowed himself to be vulnerable, his mask intact, but the cracks widened to reveal the side of him he had suppressed for so long, his gaze meeting yours, brown eyes that were a mixture of pain, longing and a glimmer of hope.

— «You don't know what i was doing..» he confessed, his voice was a mere whisper

— «I may not know all the details, but i know enough, and i know that you are capable of change» you said calmly, smiling softly and stroking his cheekbone with your thumb.

You two stood in a dark hallway, a silent rapport arose between you, the Ghost's defenses crumbled and a bond formed in that vulnerability, your touch became an anchor that grounded him to a reality that was not solely defined by his past.

As the minutes dragged on, neither of you spoke, words seemed superfluous in the face of this suddenly found connection, and eventually the Ghost's eyes closed, weariness gripping his weary body as you continued to caress his cheek, your touch a source of comfort and reassurance.

In that moment, the Illusive Man allowed himself to believe that maybe, just maybe, he wasn't as incorrigible as he once thought, and you, constantly present next to him, were a beacon of light leading him out of the darkness.

Over time, the silence between you and the Ghost became surprisingly comfortable, the tension that had held him captive for so long continued to dissipate with each gentle touch of your hand against his cheek, as if your touch had the power to unravel the tightly twisted threads of his emotions, allowing him to withstand the pain. that he buried deep inside.

In the midst of the silence, the Ghost's thoughts whirled, he remembered the faces of his family, their smiles, the warmth of their hugs and their shared joy, but these memories were intertwined with the darkness of his past deeds, the lives he had taken, the decisions that led him to the path he imagined could not.

— «You can't save me» he whispered, his voice a mixture of resignation and deep anguish.

— «Perhaps not all at once, but you don't have to face it alone, we're a team, remember?» your gaze remained fixed and unwavering.

A fleeting smile touched the corners of his lips, causing the mask to wrinkle slightly, allowing you to recognize his emotion, a small crack in the façade he had painstakingly built.

— «Stubborn, isn't you?»

You chuckled softly, the sound like a soothing melody in a quiet hallway — «Only when it matters»

The Ghost's eyes fluttered open, his gaze following the flutter of blond lashes to meet yours with a newfound sense of vulnerability — «It's been a long time since anyone cared to try»

— «Well, get used to it, because i'm not going anywhere» you answered with pure determination in your voice.

He was silent for a moment, his mask of indifference slipped even more — «Why?»

Your hand slipped from his cheek to his chest, just above where his heart was beating under tactical gear.

— «Because there is more to you than the stern appearance that you show to the world, i see the pain, the struggle, and the potential for something better, Ghost»

A soft sigh escaped his lips, a mixture of relief and apprehension — «What if i can't change, if i can't do it?»

— «Then we will face it together» you stated firmly before continuing — «But I believe in you, Ghost»

His eyes never left yours, and for the first time the distance he always kept seemed to disappear, the corridor, the base, the whole world disappeared, only you two and the fragile bond that formed, the Ghost’s hand hesitantly raised, his gloved fingers touched your cheek in response.

— «Thank you» he whispered in a barely audible voice.

You leaned into his touch and your eyes closed for a moment before meeting him again in a soft whisper

— «Anytime»

With a sense of understanding, the two of you stood in the dimly lit corridor, finding solace in each other's presence, the Ghost's vulnerability drawing you closer, and in that moment, an unspoken promise of comfort, support, and acceptance hung in the air.

The outside world may have been full of chaos and danger, but within this corridor you found something of value — a connection that had the power to heal, correct, and bring Ghost out of the darkness that had consumed him for so long.

© dmitriene - my masterlist please, don't copy my works as your own, and if you want to post them somewhere else - contact me. reblogs, likes and comments are very much appreciated, thank you for reading! ♡

#simon riley #simon ghost riley #simon riley x you #simon ghost riley x reader #simon riley fanfic #simon riley fluff #simon ghost riley fluff #simon ghost riley fanfiction #simon ghost riley fic #simon riley x reader #ghost cod #ghost mw2 #cod ghost #cod mw2 #mw2 #[ ✒️july writing ]

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alespov · 5 months

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You belong with me - L.Kennedy (18+)

Trigger Warnings : swear words, typical canon violence. Reader insert, no use of y/n. Implied fem.

Author Note : in honor of it being my birthday, I wanted to finally come out of hibernation. I missed y’all so much <3 feedback is highly appreciated 😘

" Did you see the way Leon was staring at you!" Ashley nudged your side while holding back infectious giggling. You gave her a look but on the inside, you were doing backflips. You, Ashley, and Luis were waiting in the dining room while Leon sorted out his business with the odd merchant. You and Ashley were sitting at the table while Luis idly looked out the window.

"I agree with Ashley on this one princesa, he's in love with you." Luis teased you while grinning and Ashley broke out into laughter. You playfully hit her arm and scowled at Luis. "He is not, you two need to stop." Luis held his hand up and offered you a sly smirk. "Princesa if you don't tell him, Ashley will." Ashley nodded her head in agreement.

The butterflies in your stomach moved up to your heart and swore your heart would stop if she did.

"Tell me what?" Leon questioned while leaning against the door frame with his muscular arms crossed. One eyebrow raised while looking directly at Ashley.

"Um you know how her head hurts, kinda sounds like a migraine," Ashley replied sheepishly, then sealed the deal with a small smile. You hope Leon would take the bait. but something told you the blonde wouldn't be easily convinced.

He nodded and motioned you to follow him to the elegant hallway. Despite Salzar being a fucking lunatic he had good taste for interior design. "You could hear Ashley and Luis quietly mumbling the silly song about how you and Leon were in a tree. " You shot both of them a glare, and they started laughing.

He lead you to the top of the staircase and grabbed one of your hands. "Are you okay... I mean you've been kinda distant with me." Leon revealed while gazing into your eyes. His baby blue eyes conveyed his deepest fears and emotions. You brushed the stray hair out of his face and gave him a sad look.

"I'm scared Leon, am I going to turn?" He shut his eyes and brought you closer to him. "Of course not." He mumbled into your ear, "I do everything in my power to protect you."

He leaned his forehead on yours and your lips started falling into place.

"Oh hey guys, Ashley and I figured out the last puzzle so we can leave this shithole place," Luis called and the moment was ruined. You and Leon quickly pulled away and he cleared his throat.

"Thank you Luis" Leon expressed through gritted teeth, you could tell he was annoyed.

Luis caught on to what was happening, "Oh shit did I interrupt something? Do you need a minute Sanchez" He threw you a wink and patted Leon on the shoulder.

Leon brushed past him and went to retrieve Ashley. Once Leon was out of view, you turned to face Luis. "what the actual hell!" you whispered yelled at him. "Princesa how was I supposed to know that you were going to jump his bones." Luis matched your tone and gave a small chuckle. "I was not going to jump his bones..... he was checking on me," you muttered looking away from Luis.

Luis rolled his eyes and threw his around you, and reassured you that Leon likes you.

Leon came running out of the run with Ashley in tow. "Let's go, guys, they're coming!" Luis grabbed you and pulled you down the stairs. While firing his pistol at the cultist who was firing their bows and arrows at you, and kept trying to grab Ashley from Leon's grasp.

You and Ashley took shelter under a table while Leon and Luis fought off the cultists. You and Ashley were huddling together when a cultist grabbed you from under the table. you let out a scream and Ashley attempted to hit the guy with a vase. "LEON!" She screamed at him, pointing in your direction. But Leon was pinned in a corner and couldn't get out of it. He looked over and a dangerous look washed over his features, you could tell he was seeing red.

"HEY LET HER GO FUCKER!" Ashley threw rocks at the guy but sadly to no avail, and you were starting to lose hope. Until Leon and Luis came running to your rescue.

Leon said something to Lusi and he and Ashley ran off. Leon ran after you shouting that he was coming and not to worry.

When Leon had caught up to the guy, he kicked the back of his knees and you fell down on the hard ground. When you got up you saw Leon stabbing the guy to death with his favorite knife.

"Leon calm down." you crawled over to him in a hurry and tried to steady his shoulder. Let's face it the guy is already dead, one stab from Leon could kill anyone. He stopped stabbing the guy and practically pounced on top of you muttering that you are okay. He was shaking, and blood stained his face.

"Hey.... it's okay. I'm fine you saved me." you rested your head on his shoulder and he rested his head on your head.

Leon pulled away slightly and gave you a chaste kiss. You moved your hand to cup his face and Leon deepened the kiss. His kisses were desperate and a bit heated. He gently bit on your bottom lip and you knew your lips would be swollen after this.

He broke the kiss and laid his forehead against yours. "Sorry for bruising your lips," he chuckled and gave you another kiss on your lips.

"After this do you want to get dinner as my girlfriend, 'cause we're practically dating right? I mean after that kiss, I think we should be."

You beamed with excitement dn the butterflies left your stomach. "it would be a crime if we weren't dating after this." You replied cheekily.

#┊ ˚➶ ｡˚ allyse talks ┊ ˚➶ ｡˚#resident evil #leon kennedy #leon kennedy x you #id!leon kennedy #leon x you #leon kennedy x fem!reader #leon kennedy x fem reader #leon kennedy fanfic #leon kennedy x reader #re4 leon #leon headcanons #leon s kennedy x you #leon s kennedy x y/n #leon s kennedy x reader #leon smut #leon kennedy x y/n #dbd leon s kennedy

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kenobster · 1 year

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I dislike the headcanon that Anakin struggled to understand the difference between "master" in a slavery context and "master" in a mentorship context.

Even though it's usually held by Anakin stans, this headcanon actually robs Anakin of some of his best, most compelling traits. Anakin (at nine years old) is portrayed as compassionate (eager to help at great risk to himself with no hope of reward), competent (able to make tactical decisions and perform great engineering feats under a wild amount of stress), and wickedly smart (among other things, he regularly supplies ideas on how to work around Watto's bullshit). If you and I are able to comprehend the difference between "master" as denoting a cruel participator in the enslavement of another human being and "master" as denoting a wise mentor who has achieved expertise in both skill and ethical conduct, then Anakin, even as a child, can certainly figure it out. His admiration for the Jedi would inevitably lead him to ask the necessary questions. By virtue of his compassion, he would strive to see things from their POV. And his competence/intelligence would allow him to comprehend their answers. Not to mention, Anakin is an expert on slavery. He has been studying this subject for nine intense years. He knows exactly what slavery looks like. Thus, jumping straight from Watto's ownership and into the Jedi's care, Anakin would recognize in an instant that Jedi mentorship is not slavery. In short, he's smarter than you. (And don't tell me you don't get it. You're reading this post on tumblr(dot)com, so I know damn well you learned the term "sensei." Don't play dumb with me.)

Thus, I'm very disappointed that people overwhelmingly write Anakin, as a padawan, having a fraught relationship with Obi-Wan in regards to calling him "master." I see this headcanon manifest a few different ways: (1) the Jedi explain what "master" means, which results in Anakin being upset and choosing not to not call Obi-Wan or anyone "master" (at least for a time); (2) the Jedi (who, in these fics, are implied to be dumb at best or ignorant at worst) do not explain what "master" means, and Anakin silently grows up traumatized by having to call Obi-Wan or anyone "master"; (3) some combination of the former; or (4) the subject is never raised; thus, no contradiction to the former is presented. (Authors of fics that fall into the no. 4 category are obviously not to blame for the former three scenarios; I'm just making an observation that little alternative exists--at least, not to my knowledge... Feel absolutely free to send your recs.)

It's a really strange headcanon to appear so commonly because major canon contradicts it entirely. In the prequel trilogy, Anakin regularly calls Obi-Wan "master" as a term of endearment. Even at his most obnoxious in AotC, Anakin only ever says "master" in a tone better than or equal to neutral (which actually still defaults to respect purely by nature of the word that is being used). In fact, there are plenty of opportunities for Anakin to use the term resentfully (i.e. during the scene "You will pay attention to my lead" -> ">:( Why?"), but he never does. In contrast, he conveys enormous respect for Obi-Wan both to his face ("Then why don't you listen to me?" -> ":( I am trying") and in a private setting ("as wise as Master Yoda and as powerful as Master Windu"). The best evidence supporting otherwise is how he calls people "mister" in TPM. However, this happens prior to Anakin's indoctrination into Jedi culture, and we don't know why he is doing it. Nothing suggests an aversion to the way the Jedi use the term "master"; it could be something as simple as a custom-made-habit from Tatooine .

Based on these samplings, canon strongly suggests an alternative to the dominant opinion: Anakin experiences absolutely no distress from calling Obi-Wan "master" and he has been doing so of his own volition from a very young age.

I think the reason why the opposite opinion is so popular is because of how much Anakin's past is the catalyst for so many plot elements, including his characterization as Vader. Even as an adult, slavery is a giant source of trauma for him. Freedom and autonomy (or the lack thereof) are two of the central pillars to his character arc (all the way from "I'm a person and my name is Anakin" to "henceforth, you shall be known as Darth Vader" ... and then, back again to "just for once, let me look upon you with my own eyes"). It's clear that words are important to Anakin, and they can be weaponized against him--so it's easy to see how people got here. But I reject the notion that the Jedi (nurturers, peacekeepers, scifi buddhist monks) are doing any form of word-weaponizing, even unintentionally (when their whole thing is about being mindful/empathetic/compassionate, especially about alternate POVs).

I especially reject this notion when an actual emotional abuser is standing right there, next to Anakin, at all points in his Jedi life. Word-weaponizing is sort of what emotional abusers do. And you know who is responsible for blurring the line between "master" in a slave context and "master" in a mentorship context? Palpatine. Palpatine is the true culprit of the mechanism in this popular headcanon. He knows very well that Anakin is coming from a place in which "master" has, for a long time, meant wisdom/endearment/teaching/mentoring. He encourages this assumption and deliberately blinds Anakin to the fact that "master" in a Sith context actually means slavery. Vader becomes Sidious's slave in every aspect of the word. He calls Sidious his master, he bends himself to Sidious's every whim/command, he wears the cage that Sidious constructs for him--and he doesn't even realize it. Because Palpatine has twisted the word "master" into both a term of endearment and a term of superiority. Anakin can no longer tell the difference between learning and serving because Palpatine has made them the same thing. In the end, Anakin does become distressed at the word "master" but only because of Palpatine's abuse.

In short, enough of Anakin being dumb and incompetent and unempathetic as a padawan. Enough of the Jedi Order being either cruel or ignorant when it comes to Anakin's past as a slave. I get the urge, I really, really do (because Anakin's trauma post-slavery is super fucking addictive)... but friends. You're putting this urge into the wrong place. I beseech you--please come join me in this new playground, in this fun paradise!

Let the emotionally abusive Sith Lord emotionally abuse your darling!

Let. Palpatine. Make. Anakin. Suffer. :)

#anakin #obi-wan & anakin #anakin & palpatine #pro jedi #pro anakin #anti palpatine #lol #mine #kenobster opinions

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wwbtsdty · 2 years

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Set My Soul On Fire [ 1 ] | 18+

Summary: The chances of meeting your soul flame were almost one in a eight billion, the only way of knowing you were a match? You had to happen to be in close proximity of each other, so how were you ever to find your one true flame when they possibly lived halfway around the globe. When you find out you matched with not one but four members from the biggest boy band in the world, you weren’t sure if you were incredibly lucky or headed for devastating heartbreak, but you were willing to find out.

Rating: 18+

Genre: idol!au, smut, angst, fluff

Pairings: Jungkook x Reader, Taehyung x Reader, Jimin x Reader, Namjoon x Reader, Yoongi x Hoseok

Status: Ongoing

Word Count: 6.7k+

Warnings: Explicit language, dom!jungkook, dom!jimin, dom!taehyung, dom!namjoon, sub!reader, slow burn smut, depictions of violence, possessiveness, polyamory, mentions of blood, anxiety, insecurities, trauma, jealousy, sexual tension.

Author’s Note: More warnings to be added in later chapters. This is my first fanfic I’m sharing with the public, so please be kind. I’m working on becoming a better writer, for now sometimes this might seem like a jumbled mess, but practice makes perfect! Hopefully I can at least convey the stories I want in the best way I can. This is all fictional.

Soul Flame | noun

A being with which you share a bond that cannot be broken.

A being who can feel their mates feelings and thoughts.

Soul Flames came into existence shortly after I had entered middle school, I can still remember the news reports blasting across every channel. You couldn’t turn on the television, radio or even walk down the street without being bombarded by the news.

“Real or Fake?! First existence of soul mates discovered in Europe!”

“New phenomenon discovered, scientists have named Soul Flames!”

Soul Flames were people you instinctually bonded with, but the catch was only one person would be able to feel their soul flame initially, and only when they were within a short distance of each other. Scientists were still trying to figure out why only one person in the bond would be able to feel what the other person was feeling upon first meeting. Only when the bond was complete with your soul flame the other bond would be able to feel their thoughts and feelings.

The term Soul Flame had come from what happened upon mating. I guess each bond had a unique “flame” when they mated, the soul flames had described it as a colorful aura that enveloped them and created a feeling, which of course, couldn’t be described by anyone other than the bonded, as it wasn’t visible to the naked eye. This in itself made the idea of soul flames a lot for people to believe in, seeing is believing after all.

Everyone went a little crazy after the first announcement, running around getting as close to anyone they found remotely attractive to see if a bond would appear. After the first month though was when things really started to turn sideways. Without having any visible way of telling who was truly your soul flame, people started using this to their own advantage. Lying about being someone’s soul flame to get them to sleep with them, steal from them or worse. As quickly as a year from announcing the first bonded pair, the term Soul Flame had become synonymous with ghosts and Bigfoot, something the government would rather sweep under the rug then acknowledge.

When you had to be in such a short distance of your soul flame to even find one, how in the 8 million people in the world would you ever meet such a person, if they even existed?

April 16, 2022 - Las Vegas

BTS was currently the hottest boy band of the century, and you had somehow been lucky enough to score tickets to their first concert since the pandemic ended.

Normally you weren't much of a concert goer, masses of people squeezed tighter than sardines, girls shrieking and crying... you'd rather walk over hot coals. But, for Bangtan you were willing to make the sacrifice. To finally hear those gorgeous voices in person, see their lithe bodies dancing on stage. It had seemed only fate that their concert fell on your birthday, the perfect birthday present to yourself.

You glanced over at your friend dressed to kill, she looked like she was about to hit the red carpet, not the mosh pit that awaited us inside the stadium. You raised a brow at her questionable choice of shoes, 4 inch platform heels, you couldn't help the laughter that bubbled up. "How in the hell are you going to last all day in those heels Mel? I’m not helping you when you decide to ditch those bad boys and walk barefoot, remember what happened last time?" Last time being a party where she had drunkly thrown her shoes in the trash and then proceeded to step on some idiots broken beer bottle on our walk home.

She just scoffed at you, running her fingers down her body suggestively. "If you want to grab the bangtan boys attention you've got to dress the part, beauty is pain baby!" To which you shook your head, “Seriously Mel, no more emergency room visits please.” You glanced around at the throngs of people swarming the stadium, you were shocked to find many if not all the girls were in fact dressed in their most eye-catching outfits, hair and makeup absolutely perfect. Sure there were some devoted army decked out in nothing but BTS gear, handmade signs held proudly with phrases like, “Marry Me Suga” or “Show me your Namtiddes,” a sign in particular that always made you chuckle.

Your eyes traveled down to your own plain tank top and denim shorts, topped off with your good ole beat up hot pink converse. You'd dressed knowing it was gonna be hot as hell in Vegas, let alone with all those bodies packed together. You could see the people now, straining as far across that threshold as they could get away with, fingers grasping for any member they could get there greedy fingers on. You didn’t feel like falling given your graceful status, you still remembered how much shit Mel gave you the last time you decided to wear heels and immediately ate it.

Not that you really cared how you looked, you knew no matter the show the boys put on it was just that, a show. I'm sure they thought some women.. or men(I don't pretend to know their sexual preference) in the crowd were hot. That's about as far as that goes though, some gossiping amongst each other, some flirting looks and dance moves, god help me if they sang Baepsae. But no one could honestly think anything would ever happen with one of them. Yes, they were devastatingly handsome, and they knew it. You had fallen in love with their music and dance moves long before their looks, the fact that they were hot was just a perk.

You finally reached the end of the line, a big burly man in a security jacket giving Mel a once over before scanning our tickets for entry. Music was blasting through the speakers as you walked into the stadium, you couldn’t help but wonder if the security guard was secretly an Army, maybe underneath that jacket he too had “Marry me Suga” on his shirt. Mel weaved through that crowd like she was in the matrix dragging you along for the ride, somehow we made it to the front of the stage unscathed.

Feedback rang throughout the stadium just as we got to our seats, the show was about to begin... cue the screaming girls. You quickly raised your hands to cover your ears against the onslaught, glancing over at Mel to complain only to suddenly be swarmed by crazed fans pushing to get as close to the stage as possible.

“Fuck!” You shouted as you found yourself pressed harshly against the barrier, now you remember why you hated going to concerts in the first place. You were finding it difficult to breathe in this position, the crowd seemed to push harder, forcing your body almost across the barrier. Security guards were doing their best to force the masses back but were failing miserably. The familiar rush of adrenaline spread throughout your body, you felt the familiar onslaught of anxiety rearing its ugly head. Yet another reason you didn’t like to attend concerts, you knew not being able to breathe well was one of your triggers, silly you for thinking things could be different. You'd been working so hard with medication and psychologists to try to remedy this situation over the years, you thought you were prepared.

Please don’t do this to me now, I’ve waited for this moment for so long, the last thing I needed was a panic attack to ruin everything.

You tried taking deep breaths in and out as you began to count the number of speakers on stage, a technique you had developed in therapy after discovering your need to distract your brain during the episodes. Still the adrenaline burned hotter in your body, the heat of Las Vegas was definitely not helping this situation. Nothing was working... you frantically searched the crowd for Mel. At this rate you were bordering on passing out, with this many people around you were bound to be trampled, here’s hoping she wouldn’t be attending your funeral. Here lies Y/N, trampled by crazed fans at a BTS concert after having a stupid panic attack.

Harsh Korean words echoed throughout the stadium, the sound of fighting ensued as people could be seen moving about quickly back stage, you could just make out two other people holding someone back as he tried to break away. Just as your eyesight started to blur a tuft of black hair came running on stage frantically, his worried eyes scouring the crowd as the screams from the crowd reached a crescendo. Your gaze met with his and you were suddenly falling as the world went black around you.

[ Italics will briefly signify Korean ]

“What were you thinking?! You could have gotten hurt, let alone the pictures that will be splattered across every front page!”

“Fuck I wasn’t thinking hyung, you know that better than anyone! I just knew I had to get to her…. I could feel her.”

You could just make out people shouting around you, a loud crash registering as you blinked back into consciousness. You let out a brief whine squinting against the blinding fluorescent lights. Shit you felt like you’d been hit by a semi truck. You try hard to remember what happened, flashes of screaming fan girls and not being able to breathe clouding your vision.

“Guys she’s waking up, let’s all just calm down and not freak her out more than she already will be.”

You registered someone gently cradling your hand, sweeping their fingers softly across your wrist in comfort. “Hey there, go slowly.. you fell and hit your head pretty hard. How are you feeling?” A deep voice whispered, your eyes fully opening to the sight of four men crowding around you.

All at once everything came back to you, the concert, the crushing swarm of fan girls, the sweltering heat causing your anxiety to skyrocket before you ultimately lost consciousness. But more importantly… was Park Jimin from BTS currently holding your hand or did you actually get crushed to death?

You nervously snatched your hand from his grasp, frantically shuffling backwards in your confusion as an arm shot out to steady you before you fell off the couch. “Yah! Careful!” You glanced down to the tattooed arm wrapped around your stomach then up to the person it belonged to, large almond eyes stared worriedly into your own making your stomach to clench.

“J-… ungkook? Jeon Jungkook?”

That familiar bunny smile on display that made your heart falter, he gave a shy nod as his arm tightened around you.

“Wha-… What the hell is going on? Did I hit my head harder than I thought? Wait... am I dead? I’m dead aren’t I? I never thought this would be the way I would go, crushed by fan girls! I mean, granted I thought maybe you guys would at least be shirtless if I were in heaven…” The word vomit wouldn’t stop, you felt increasingly nervous as you rambled on taking in the members around you.

Jimin’s angel like laughter broke your reverie as he whispered softly, “I mean… I can make that happen if that’s what you want Y/N.” The blood rush to your face at his comment, warmth gathering in your stomach at the idea of Jimin shirtless. No doubt you were blushing based on the curious stares you were getting from Namjoon and Taehyung across the room.

Wait.. he had just spoken Korean hadn’t he? You were almost positive you didn’t know Korean.. did you?

I mean sure you had tried to learn it briefly one summer during lockdown, you thought it would be nice not have to rely on the captions when you watched your drama’s. But that was it, you knew just enough to get by. “How can I understand you?” You could feel everyone’s eyes on you as they considered your comment.

“Well, my best guess is because of the bond… but there’s never been another soul flame where someone spoke another language so...” Namjoon shrugged, explaining like it was the most natural thing in the world to understand. A nervous snort escaped you as you looked at Namjoon like he had grown horns, “Wait wait… what—did you say Soul Flame? Aren’t those like fairy tales you tell little girls and boys these days?”

Jungkook and Jimin suddenly looked like you had just kicked their puppy or something, “It’s not a fairy tale…” Taehyung piped in sullenly. Namjoon cleared his throat stepping closer, “Tae’s right, Soul Flames very much still exist and we believe you may be ours. Jungkook was more than willing to risk his life on just that. ” He shot jungkook a glare, that all too familiar chin jutting out angrily. Jungkook pulled you tightly against him until you could feel the hard planes of his chest burning into your back, “I wasn’t going to stand by and do nothing,” He spoke vehemently under his breathe.

You were still stuck on one keyword in his sentence, “Ours? Ours who? You don’t mean…” You signaled to all four of them, “All of you are my Soul Flames? I thought you only had 1 Soul Flame… if it even existed.” You weren’t ever expecting to find your Soul Flame in your lifetime, no one really did, let alone 4 of them. How in the hell did that even work?

“Honestly, we’re not sure how this happened either, maybe it’s because we have such a strong bond as members that this happened? There’s so much that’s not known about Soul Flames, no one really cares to research anymore after all that has happened. There could be many multiple person pairs out there we just don’t know about.” Namjoon sighs rubbing at his temple in annoyance, “What we do know is we will have to deal with the repercussions tomorrow morning of Jungkooks display, right now we’d just like to get you somewhere safe. We rushed you back stage after you collapsed and had our physician on staff check you out while you were under. He said you’d probably just have a bad headache and some bruising but nothing too serious.” He handed you a bottle of water and some pills, “Aspirin, I’m sure your head is killing you after that fall.”

You had momentarily forgotten just how crappy you felt, quickly downing the medicine and water. “Thank you, now that you mentioned it my head is really killing me…” rubbing at the back of your head, you were sure there would be a nice bump back there tomorrow… “Wait! What about the concert?” You exclaimed, hoping you hadn’t ruined everything. Jungkook rested his chin on your shoulder squeezing you reassuringly, “We postponed it… we’ll get on VLive later tonight to console Army’s, I’m sure they will understand.” Oh sure, you’ll just explain that some random girl is now bonded to 4 of the hottest boy band members in the world, this would go over real well. Mel would so get a kick out of your predicament, you were always one who stayed as far from the spotlight, unlike your attention loving friend.

Mel! Shit! She was probably worried sick, or not if she had seen Jungkook jump off stage and carry me off. “Where are my things? I need to text Mel she’s probably worried sick about me.”

Jimin handed me my purse from the side table with a small smile, his fingers lingering on mine as I took it from him. I quickly shot off a text to Mel, leaving out of course that I was with BTS and somehow they thought I was their Soul Flame.

I’m okay, will explain later, go back to the hotel without me.

My phone chimed almost immediately.

Bitch I’d hope your better than okay after myself and everyone else in the world saw you get carried away in Jungkook’s arms. TELL ME EVERYTHING!! 😈

You groaned, you should have expected this...

I can’t explain right now, I promise I’ll talk to you when I can. xoxo

Tucking your phone into your purse as you ignored the string of chimes erupting from a no doubt angry Mel, you heard rather than saw Namjoon shuffle closer, “I do hope you know discretion is best in times like this… I know you're not familiar with paparazzi but they can be brutal. We'll let our managers decide how to deal with everything, so please don’t mention anything to anyone yet.” You totally agreed with him, “Of course, I won’t say a thing… not like anyone would believe me anyway,” you whispered under your breathe.

“Great, so we’ve already got a room ready for you at the hotel, we have gone ahead and doubled our security in light of tomorrows headlines. We all agreed we would feel safer with you nearby where we can protect you. The rest of the group has gone on ahead. I can send someone out to get your belongings if you let me know where you were staying.” Namjoon rattled off so matter of fact it made your head reel, you just nodded along as you were still processing the fact that you were going to be in the same hotel, no the same floor even as BTS.

Jimin reached down to help you up but Jungkook had beat him to it, hoisting you up into his arms and tucking you against his chest securely. You wiggled in protest, “Wait! I can walk. I’m sure i’m heavy!” He just smiled down at me, “Muscle Bunny... remember?” Your stomach did that weird flip flop again, his face so close to yours, that little mole under his lip driving you to distraction.

Taehyung placed a hat and some sunglasses on you, giving a little shrug, “Just in case, we’ve cleared a path to the vans but you never know.”

We arrived at some sort of underground parking garage, a black van with tinted windows was waiting for us. Jungkook swiftly tucked me into one of the waiting bucket seats, fastening my seat belt for me. Just as he was about to sit in the unoccupied bucket seat beside me Taehyung nudge him out of the way taking the seat and securing his seat belt. He stuck his tongue out at Jungkook signaling to the back seats, “You’ve had her long enough, my turn!”

The ride to the hotel was uneventful, luckily the other vans with the other members had left earlier garnering the attention of the fans, so it was pretty much a ghost town by the time you left. You stared thoughtfully out at the brilliantly lit streets, mobs of people littering the Las Vegas Strip. Normal people up until recently you had been, you still wondered if this was just a dream you’d wake up from any minute. Taehyung softly took your hand in his with a coy smile as you turned his way, his thumb sweeping across your wrist. “You okay?” You gave him a tired smile, feeling beyond exhausted all of sudden. “Yah.. just tired, I think everything is hitting me all at once.” You sighed softly, feeling strangely comforted by his gesture.

The rest of the drive was silent as you drifted in and out, trying your best to keep your eyes open. Taehyung gave your shoulder a squeeze making you to look over to him, “We’re here… don’t worry, security has taken care of everything. We’ll take a private elevator to our floor, we have the whole floor so nobody will be able to have access that shouldn’t. We’ll keep you safe.” You looked around the van at the rest of the guys, all sharing a similar smile, Taehyung gave a tiny hwaiting.

[ Italics no longer signifies Korean ]

Just as Taehyung had said, the way up to the rooms was relatively painless. So this is what the VIP experience is like you thought, as you headed towards the last elevator, you were blinded by a bright light the moment you rounded the corner, the boys rushed you into the elevator crowding around you protectively. You found yourself pressed up against Jungkook’s chest, someone else forming a solid wall behind you. The security guards blocked the elevator with their bodies as well until the doors closed in front of you.

“Dammit.” You heard Namjoon whisper behind you, oh so that's who that was you thought. “How did they find us...” He sighed, his fingers gently sweeping down your arm in reassurance, whether for you or him you weren’t quite sure. You squirmed between Jungkook and Namjoon awkwardly, feeling your face flush at your current predicament. Namjoon’s breathe feathered softly across your neck sending shivers down your spine, a current of arousal shot through you as the heat from both their bodies permeated yours. A groan erupted behind you, Jungkook’s fingers digging into your sides sharply.

A thought suddenly occurred to you, if they were telling the truth and you really were bonded, then they could feel your emotions.. fuck.You bit your lip trying to contain your thoughts as you squirmed in their grasp trying to put some distance between you. It was futile of course, with five people crowded in the elevator there was barely enough room to breathe.

“Please stop moving.” Namjoon grunted behind you going deathly still, you were suddenly very aware of something hard pressing against your ass. “Sorry,” you squeaked out ceasing your movements, your eyes glued to the elevator numbers slowly going up. Your mind betrayed you, suddenly recalling the way Namjoon’s shirt had clung to his chest in the most recent VLive, everyone had taken notice since he started working out, and with him pressed up against your back there was no way you couldn’t take notice of his recent efforts. You only just resisted the urge not to press yourself back against him, Namtiddies indeed.

You could feel Namjoon’s gaze burning a hole in the back of your head the entire rest of the ride, Jungkook’s fingers kneading the flesh of your waist gently. These boys were going to be the death of you, like literal combustion. The elevator finally announced your floor and you could not get out fast enough, shoving your way around Jungkook you practically sprinted out the door into the penthouse, breathing in deeply you placed a hand on your chest willing your heart to calm down.

The boys slowly sauntered out after, you noticed more than a few of them having to adjust themselves. Nope, no no no you did not just notice that! You shook your head trying to look anywhere but their crotches. You couldn’t figure out what was wrong with you, the longer you stayed in their presence the hotter your arousal for them burned. Of course they were hot, millions of fans around the world plastering their seductive dances and facial expressions on the internet couldn’t be wrong. You’d be lying if you said you didn’t ever stumble upon a fan fiction or YouTube video. First things first, figure out what situation you had gotten yourself into and how not to get killed by ARMY.

Taehyung was the first to speak up, “We have two penthouse suites on this floor, myself, Namjoon, Jimin and Jungkook are in this suite. So we thought it would be best you stayed here with us.” Jimin directed you towards a room on the right, “This is your room, it used to be Jungkook’s room since he won the single room, but he graciously agreed to let you have it and bunk on the couch.” Shaking your head adamantly you stepped towards the couch, “You don’t have to do that, I’m totally fine sleeping on the couch. Besides it’ll probably the most expensive couch I’ve ever slept on by the looks of this place.”

Jungkook quickly jumped on the couch, spreading out and making himself at home, “Your our Soul Flame, you get the bedroom. We all agreed you should have some privacy, I’m sure this is as strange a circumstance for us as it is for you. Besides It’s not the first couch I’ve had to sleep on.” Taehyung gave you a gentle nudge in the direction of your room, inside was a queen size bed, an en suite bathroom to the right with a large claw foot tub; you would definitely be utilizing that at some point.

“We’ll let you have a moment to yourself, whenever you're ready come on out to the living room and we’ll talk, okay?” The door closed with a quiet click behind Namjoon. You could hear muted whispers from the living room as you face planted onto the bed with a giant sigh. How in the actual hell had you gone from a normal girl attending a concert to suddenly sleeping in the same penthouse as BTS. You rolled onto your back starring up at the ceiling, quickly grabbing a pillow to shove your face into to conceal your loud squeal.

Alright, calm down Y/N. You’ve got to talk to everyone and figure out what the hell is going on.

You wanted to say they were mistaken, who were you to be the Soul Flame to 4 of the hottest boy band members in the world? You could barely make it through college, between your anxiety and loosing your father, some days you could barely get out of bed. How would you even know if was real? Though its not like they had anything to gain from pretending to be your soul flames, they were the ones risking so much on a girl like you, the ones with the most to lose.

If you were to believe you were truely Soul Flames, you had definitely ended up on the wrong side of the bond, you couldn’t feel any of their emotions. The only thing you got was this ever burning arousal, intrusive thoughts of stripping each of them bare to finally see how they looked underneath those costumes, brief glimpses you'd had of Jungkook’s abs and Namjoons chest in pictures flashed vividly in your thoughts. Your mind already imagining their sweaty bodies entangled with yours--Whoa, down girl! Maybe I needed to take a cold shower after all.

You heard someone choking outside your door, along with some other colorful expletives causing you to flush bright red, you had forgotten the whole thought sharing thing yet again, this was really going to take some getting used to, you really needed to get your this under control. Covering your face with your hands you curled up on the bed in embarrassment wondering how you would face them now.

Outside in the living room everyone had gathered including Yoongi, Jin and Hoseok.

Jungkook choked on his water, coughing loudly as a very vivid image suddenly entered his mind. Jimin’s eyes widened at the same time whispering a curse under his breathe, they both glanced towards your door. “Alright, lets try not to make her uncomfortable… I can only imagine what's it’s like for her, having one person let alone four know what you're thinking and feeling without being able to stop it.” Namjoon stood up declaring to the room, he looked directly over at Hoseok and Yoongi who were laughing at their members predicament.

“Yah, don’t look at us! We’ve already been through this shit once, paybacks a bitch as they say.” Yoongi continued laughing his ass off, Hoseok nudging him in the ribs to indicate that was enough. “Look, we’ll help as much as we can, but just because we’re Soul Flames doesn’t mean she’ll believe us either.” Hoseok shrugged regarding his mate with a fond smile.

Namjoon happened a glance over at Jin, he was smiling but he knew him better, Jin was devastated. All the talk amongst the group after SOPE had officially been announced as Soul Flames, the excited chatter in the group at their potential future partners, Jin had always seemed the most excited; he couldn’t help feeling horrible at the situation. Jin was the only one in the group without a mate now, “Hyung...” Jin shook his head, smiling gently at Namjoon, “Don’t, this is a happy occasion. You guys have found your Soul Flame, I can’t wait to meet her. Besides, our world tour coming up I’m bound to meet my fated one as well!” Truth be told of course he was hurting, but he’d never want to dampen his brothers elation at having found their mate. Who would have thought that the rest of the members would match with one woman, it was unheard of. There had only been two person pairs, never has there been a five person pair.. at least not one that had come out in public he thought.

“Is she ever going to come out?” Taehyung whined, pacing the floor anxiously, Jimin cautiously approach the door knocking softly, “Y/N? Baby? You okay in there… you’ve been in there a while now, everyone’s getting antsy.” All eyes turned to the door as it slowly creaked open, you peeked out into the living room. Hoseok sprang into action, jumping from the couch and bounding straight towards you causing you to stumble back at his eagerness, he quickly enveloped you in his arms, “We finally meet! I’m J-Hope! Of course you know that! But I wanted to properly introduce myself!” Even his hugs felt like sunshine, his contagious smile instantly relaxing you as you melted in his embrace. Yoongi had walked up behind while laughed along with Hobi. “You finally came out, we were beginning to wonder.” Smiling shyly you nodded, “I just needed some time… this has all been a lot today.” Yoongi nodded along with you crossing his arms over his chest, “Yes, I’m sure its a lot to take in… I hope the boys have treated you well so far.”

Jin appeared around the corner, a cart full of every kind of food known to mankind. “I didn’t know what you liked but I thought you might be hungry! I would have made something but alas no kitchen, we’ll get some of World Wide Handsome’s famous cooking in your belly soon enough though!” Your stomach growled right on queue, you didn’t even realize how hungry you had become with everything that had happened. Jin pulled out a chair for you as he began unloading all the dishes on the table, “Well don’t just stand there staring, this food isn’t going to eat itself!” Namjoon shook his head as the rest of the boys groaned at the horrible dad joke, Jin just laughed at his own joke as usual, you were beginning to realize the boys you had seen in so many video’s were really the same when the camera’s were off.

Everyone gathered around the table taking their seats, Jungkook and Jimin rushing to make your plate, you watched begrudgingly as they filled it to the brim, “Guys! there’s no way I’m going to be able to eat all that,” You snatched the plate from them before they could start in on a second plate for you. Jimin pouted sullenly drawing your attention to those pillowy soft lips, you bit your lower lip imaging it was his. You had always wondered how good his lips would feel on yours. He had such plush kissable lips, they had always drawn your attention whenever you saw his photographs. Jimin’ caged you against the table suddenly, his hands on either side of you as he pressed himself flush against you, “Wanna find out?” His breathe fanned across your jaw, lips brushing ever so softly against your ear as he spoke, your heart pounded in your chest, gripping the table behind you tightly. A smirk lifted his lips as he placed a soft kiss to your neck, backing up to take in your flushed predicament. Just as quickly as the smirk had appeared his familiar angelic smile replaced it as he released you from his spell to pull out a chair for you.

He loved that he was able to affect you so much, he could only imagine just how far that blush would spread down your body when he had you underneath him, would your breasts flush such a lovely shade of red as well. Would your body be pliant in his arms as he covered your body with these lips you seemed to love so, if you’d let him he would worship you with them as you deserved. Shaking away the daydreams he sat down next to Taehyung and reigned himself in, he didn’t want to rush you and scare you away, so he would behave himself until the time was right.

You sat in stunned silence, casting your face down as if the plate of food was suddenly incredibly interesting. Taehyung sat down next to you shooting daggers Jimin’s way, he quickly reached out to grab your hand, “No fair Y/N, I want a kiss too!” He began sprinkling kisses along your knuckles, nipping your index finger to get your attention on him causing you to gasp. He sent you a sly smile as he took the tip of your finger into his mouth apologetically, giving it a soft kitten lick. The sexual tension in the room skyrocketed, a warmth quickly spreading through you abdomen as you watched Taehyung press a kiss to each of your fingertips.

A loud crack rang out as Namjoon smacked his hands down on the table causing everyone to jump, you snatched your hand back grateful for the break in attention. “Yah! Give Y/N some room to breathe for crying out loud!” He wasn’t sure if he was just mad he hadn’t been in their place or worried for your sake, what he did know is they were going to scare you away at this rate. He knew the feelings on one side of the bond came on strong, much stronger than the other side, he had seen it happen with Yoongi and Hobi, but feeling it was a whole other matter in itself. It had taken all of his strength not to jump across the table when he sensed your arousal earlier, he wanted to lock you away, fuck you into accepting them as your Soul Flames, watch as you fell apart under him screaming his name until your voice went hoarse. Watching the rest of his brothers garnering your attention was driving him crazy. He knew he had to be the voice of reason as always for the group, the younger members were always ones to give into their emotions, so he had to control his in order for some sort of order.

Everyone went silent after the outbreak, turning their attention to their food. Once everyone had just about finished eating Namjoon decided it was time to address the matter at hand, “So, Y/N… I know this is probably a lot to comprehend, that’s why I wanted to include Yoongi and Hobi for this conversation to answer whatever questions you have regarding Soul Flames. As you and the rest of the world know, they are Soul Flames so they’ve been through this process before.” You had almost forgotten they had been revealed to the world as Soul Flames, it having been so early in their career, their business wasn’t as wide spread online as it is now. I think many had brushed it off as something staged for publicity, but hearing it was real was somewhat reassuring. There would be someone who has gone through this before, someone to rely on and answer all the question burning in the back of your mind.

“Whatever you need, I’m here. Even if its just someone to talk to when the boys get to be too much!” Hobi smiled in my direction as Namjoon continued, “I think we felt you the moment you entered the stadium, but it was rather hard to distinguish our feelings of excitement from yours. It wasn’t until we felt your fear that we knew our Soul Flame was close.”

Jungkook reached out entwining his fingers with yours, “I felt like I was suffocating, everyone wanted to wait, send out a bodyguard to find you. But I just had to get to you, I couldn’t fight it… and the Hyungs couldn’t hold me back. I’m sorry for creating this problem, I wish I had been better able to control myself.” You felt your heart sink, the last thing you wanted was to make him feel so sad and ashamed of himself, something inside of you never wanted these men to ever feel pain or sadness. You squeezed his hand tightly shaking your head adamantly, “It’s alright, please don’t feel bad about anything that happened. I’m sure I could have been injured worse had you not stepped in when you did. I’m sure your company will be able to deal with everything, right?” His eyes shined brightly giving you a wide smile, using your entertwined hands to pull you into him and hug you tightly. He was squeezing you so tightly for a moment you felt all the breathe leave you lungs, you gave a little squeak trying to signal that he was holding you too tightly. “Kook… too tight.” He immediately released you as you gulped in air, everyone laughing as Jungkook’s blushed.

“I know its hard to accept you are our Soul Flame, I can’t really explain how we know… we just, we can feel you… like you’re a part of our thoughts, your emotions driving ours. When you feel an emotion strongly its all we can feel, it takes over everything inside us, That’s why Kook, and all of us really, went a little crazy when we felt your anxiety, your fear. Kook has just always been the most emotional of all of us, that might be why he did what he did without thinking of the consequences.” Taehyung spoke softly, hoping to convey a little bit of what they felt.

“We can take things as slow as you want, we are just glad you came into our lives. We want to learn everything about you, spend time with you and hope you in turn develop the same bond we feel. We understand it will be hard, but now that we’ve found you we don’t want to live without you.” Namjoon’s words caused your heart to race, could someone like you really be all that they hoped for. What if you didn’t live up to their expectations, you weren’t some beautiful actress, you weren’t even Korean. How could you possibly ever hope to keep their love, there were millions of people in the world better than you to be their Soul Flame, why would you ever think the world has chosen you.

You sighed deeply, “How could this ever work…? My life is here, my friends are here. I have a few weeks left in my semester. Not to mention you guys are— well your BTS and I’m just, me. You guys have to go back to Korea, back to your lives.” Even if you did believe you were meant to be with them, there was just no way it would ever work out, you were both from two different worlds.

“We don’t know exactly how yet, but we will find a way to make it work. Please just, can you try…” Your heart ached as you glanced at Jungkook who looked on the verge of tears before taking in each of their heartbroken expressions.

“We still have concerts to put on here in the US, we could stay until you have finished your semester. Then maybe you would like to come to Korea with us for the summer? We would take care of everything… consider it a vacation?” Namjoon quickly formulated a plan upon seeing the rest of his members sad faces, with the postponement of the concerts they could easily move some things around until Y/N finished. He just hoped she would be able to then fly back with them, let them show her around Korea and hopefully convince her of their bond in the meantime.

You breathed in deeply gathering your strength, “I have never been to Korea before…” maybe, just maybe you could take a leap of faith for once in your life and be brave.

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