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stxrvel · 4 months

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the house (2)

hi guys! i felt so inspired that i was able to write part 2 soon and that's a very rare thing for me. thank you so much for all your comments and notes! they made me very happy. see you in the next one!

summary: Azriel wasn't gonna give in so easily with Rhysand, but he had to do everything he could to ensure his mate's well-being pairing: azriel x f!reader words: +3.5k warnings: bad words and fights and angst and a lot of anger. also English is not my first language so sorry for any mistakes!

part 1: the cliff

part 3: the court

part 4: the routine

“... what the fuck is wrong with me? No, what the fuck is wrong with you?”

“Az, I had no idea-”

“What does that fucking power works for if you're not gonna use it right?”

Cassian stood back from the commotion, with Nesta and Mor on either side of him watching from head to head as words crossed. Azriel was raising his voice and snarling at his own High Lord, and Cassian was almost surprised to see the way Rhys only dropped his shoulders, looking at his brother with sunken eyes as he claimed him. He had no intention of defending himself, Cassian could almost feel how embarrassed and remorseful Rhys was from a distance.

Azriel had a right to be angry, everyone knew that. And no one would stand in the way (unless the situation turned violent) because they understood the lengths you could go to just to safeguard your mate's well-being. Rhys would do it for Feyre. Cassian would do it for Nesta. Cassian always believed that this was how he would see Azriel defend his mate, right when he found her, and he was grateful that Rhys understood that his cries came from beyond rage and anger. There was anguish there, pain, guilt… Cassian had never seen Azriel so upset.

Returning to the Town House was torturous. Azriel wouldn't leave his mate's side and wouldn't allow any of his brothers to get close either, but she wasn't willing to go to a place she didn't know at all either, even if her mate accompanied her. Cassian had to watch his friend be more cautious and careful than ever with someone he never thought he had to be: with himself and Rhys. The sight was bleak as Azriel's shadows swirled around him and his mate, almost as if erecting a wall between the four of them. The looks Azriel sent them were like daggers and just by sharing a glance they knew that this was something the Shadowsinger wasn't going to overcome out of thin air, even if hundreds of years of friendship gave him the confidence to do so.

Azriel had to make a promise with her to convince her to leave, because he wasn't willing to let her disappear from his sight and she wasn't willing to just go with them for the sake of it, when one of the men in front of her was the one who pushed her off the cliff.

Cassian noticed several times Azriel watching the tattoo with crystallized eyes. Beyond everything, the hostile and distrustful context of the whole situation caused him pain.

Arriving at the Town House, they were all assembled. Without wondering too much without Rhys having spoken to Feyre (which he surely had), Cassian ran into the kitchen where Nesta was with her sisters and enveloped his mate in a tight embrace. Within seconds he heard movement around him and knew Rhys had done the same. Neither of them would ever be able to forgive each other for what had happened, if Azriel ever forgave them first.

“Az, I'm truly sorry,” Rhys stood behind his desk, the only thing that allowed him distance from a heated Azriel, besides Feyre's presence which the Shadowsinger respected even within his rage. “I was careless with the inmates. And you're right, it was easier for me to have simply looked inside her head. It had been a long time coming and I think I became confident of the reality of the situation, that whenever I saw inside them I knew what they were. I didn't give her the benefit of the doubt. I'm sorry, brother.”

“Your apologies are worthless,” Azriel spat, his face almost red from the way he was trying to contain his emotions and his hands resting on the table. Rhys lowered his head in front of him, running his hands over his face. “How are you going to fix with your words what for years broke under your nose? How can I come to look at you with respect when my mate is terrified to see you?”

Cassian felt Nesta's hands wrap around his right arm and he lowered to look at her questioningly. She had reserved her comments from the moment Cassian had told the two sisters what had happened. Feyre had escorted Rhys to his office after their effusive hug and Cassian had stayed with Nesta and Elain in the kitchen, talking. With Elain it had been a little easier, her face looked mortified and she had run after Rhys and Feyre barely understood what had happened.

Nesta… she tried not to show what she was thinking, but Cassian knew there was something that made her feel upset and insecure.

Cassian tugged at the bond, trying to get her attention and Nesta had to drag her gaze from Azriel to look at her mate. Cassian felt the air rush out of his chest when he noticed the tears under her eyes. He didn't waste a second in leading her out of the room, moving into the giant living room in complete darkness, despite it being barely noon. The maroon curtains lent a more somber look to the situation.

“What's wrong?”

Nesta closed her eyes as Cassian's hands cradled her face, letting out a pair of tears that furrowed the border with her cheeks. A ragged breath left her and Cassian felt the agony of her nervousness shake his body.

“I had already seen her,” she whispered, her eyelids tightening. Cassian frowned, but didn't interrupt her when she came up for air again. “I once accompanied Rhysand and Feyre to the camp. Feyre had told me that Rhysand had some business to take care of on the mountain. I heard… I heard her voice…”

Cassian pulled his mate closer by the shoulders, pressing her against his chest as her voice broke off.

“I heard her voice begging Rhysand to believe her,” Nesta continued, trying to still the sobs that were born in the ache in her chest. Cassian shared the sentiment, the end of the bond in his chest twisting with his mate's wailing. “She was so scared…”

Nesta wrapped her arms around Cassian's torso, sinking her face into her mate's neck. Cassian moved from side to side, trying to send warm sensations through the bond, trying to calm her down a bit.

Nesta's revelation left Cassian almost frozen. The last time Rhys had gone to the mountain had been ten years ago.

Azriel hadn't expected that to be the way he would meet his mate, much less would he have expected her to be terrified to be around his brothers and almost himself and, of course, much, much less had he expected to hold so much resentment against Rhysand.

His mate hadn't left the room Azriel had left her in, as far away from the others' rooms as possible. With the tattoo burning his skin, Azriel had not only promised her that she would be safe in the Town House, but she had also made him promise that her interactions with his brothers would be next to none. With the watchful eyes of his friends from centuries ago upon his back, Azriel agreed. He had to make sure to provide for his mate's physical and mental health, especially when he knew that the time she had spent with the Ilyrian soldiers had to have been traumatizing.

And of course, there was also the issue of the bond.

His mate couldn't or didn't know how to control the flow of emotions that traveled through the bond and Azriel felt it all. At the moment she was relaxed, calm inside the room away from everyone, but Azriel was losing his temper in the living room. His friends were gone, they had left him a moment alone when he had finished yelling at Rhysand, as he tried to control his emotions and those of her mate, who had surely been listening to everything and so was sending distressing sensations through the bond.

But even with all that space to himself he still felt like he couldn't breathe.

He didn't know how things were going to be from now on. The mere thought terrified him to the bone. He didn't know how he would deal with the fact that he wanted and was dying to be near his mate, to hold her, to comfort her, to support her, to protect her just a step away from him, but he couldn't, at least for now. The need consumed him and tormented him. Staying behind had never been an option, especially if it was his mate, but what could he do if that was what she wanted? He would have to get used to the pain, the emptiness he already felt in his life even though it had barely been half a day since he had found her.

Ah, Azriel didn't know how much guilt and pain he could carry until his knees failed.

He closed his eyes for a couple of minutes, laying his head back on the couch, his face settled in the direction of the ceiling. He tried to relax his muscles, stiff from the tension and stress, from the speed with which everything had happened in the last few hours. Maybe then he could get some sleep. He didn't know how it would be now that he had found his mate.

Azriel was beginning to feel his body going numb, the inattention to his senses and the lightness of his limbs, when a pair of light footsteps entered the room. They would've gone unnoticed by anyone, but not him. He lifted his head attending to the sound, finding you on your feet, frozen, all around the entrance to the living room, hands clasped together twitching in nervousness.

Azriel didn't know what to do. His heart skipped a beat at the sight. But he also felt the fear and nervousness coursing through the bond from the other end. He tried to send calm through his end, hoping that and the shadows crowding at her feet, which hadn't left her since they found her, would allow her to relax a bit.

“I'm sorry… for interrupting,” you looked down and Azriel had to stifle the urge that went through his body to get up and go running to your side. His head filled with the memories of his dream, cruelly comparing the happiness that was in them and the sadness that now engulfed you. Your voice was barely a whisper.

“It's okay,” Azriel stood up carefully and quietly, catching your attention. From the way you brought your hands to your chest, still clasped together, Azriel made no attempt to move closer.

“I need to ask you something,” you fought with the words until you finally told him and a current of panic ran through the bond, so strong that Azriel had to hold back the grimace on his face.

“Whatever you need.”

You looked at him again and Azriel felt something in his chest blossom. He sent that feeling through the bond, hoping it would counteract the anxiety on your end, but only received a frown in response.

“I need to contact my parents,” you asked, shifting your feet a little closer and Azriel quickly caught the pleading expression you were trying poorly to hide.

“Sure. Where are they? I can take them a letter, if you want,” Azriel offered, but your reply wasn't welcome as a spasm of pain ran through his chest.

“No… I-I-I don't want that,” you shook your head, lowering your head. The way you moved your intertwined fingers made him question how much courage you'd had to muster to come out of your room and ask him that. You must've wanted it badly. Surely it was all you could think about for all the years you were on the mountain. Azriel moved his hand from side to side across his chest, through the fabrics of his clothing.

“We'll do what you want, then. Tell me where they are.”

“Adriata,” you whispered, eyes glittering.

Azriel choked. Of course, former prisoner of the Summer Court. How would he get across the border if he had a blood ruby in his desk drawer? Rhysand and he were still mortal enemies of the Summer Court.

“And how do you want to contact them?”

“I want to go back.”

“What?” he coughed, his body tensing and the calm evaporating from his body in a second. Surprise narrowly prevented him from noticing your crystallized eyes.

“Azriel,” you implored, taking long strides towards him, frozen in place, electricity coursing through his veins from the way you said his name. “I don't even know how long it's been since I last saw them. Please, please. That was all I've ever wanted since I was captured. I just want to see them and let them know I'm okay. Please.”

Azriel stood there on his feet in front of you, barely acknowledging the fact that you had moved so close to him that from just raising a hand he could run down your cheeks. Your request had torn at his chest and he was sure he hadn't been able to keep some of that emotion from traveling through the bond, because now you looked more disgruntled and nervous than before. Now you wanted to… leave? And you were asking him to let you do it, as if he had any right to keep you here, as if you owed him anything?

The Shadowsinger clasped his hands at his sides, trying to contain his emotions behind the line, trying to keep them from affecting you too much. He had never felt such pain, not even something he could imagine, nothing that had ever hurt him before could compare to the pain of that moment. He hadn't had a moment with her and he had to let her go already.

“You want to go back… to Summer Court,” Azriel murmured, trying to confirm the obvious, as if you repeating it made it more real, as if he needed it to be sure.

“Yes,” you shook your head in assent and Azriel's heart crinkled as he noticed your desperation. Of course that would be the first thing you would want to do, how could he have been so selfish as to not even consider it before? How could he not have suggested it from before?

“You… I don't… I mean-”

“Azriel,” you took another step, hesitant, he could tell by your body language, but trying to keep the assurance on your face. “I need to see them. Please.”

“All right. Just… wait,” Azriel moved to the side, trying to clear his mind and think rationally even though your closeness was suffocating him. “There's something you should know.”

“I know the Night Court and the Summer Court aren't on good terms,” you shook your head, as if to tell Azriel that it was a silly problem that should have no bearing on your return.

“Yes, but that's not all,” moving his hands away from his already sufficiently tousled hair, Azriel looked at you in anguish. “If you go back to Summer Court now, I don't think you'll be able to come back again.”

You frowned at him, tilting your head in confusion.

“What do you mean?”

“Rhysand has held the Summer spies captive for…. many, many years. Tarquin has tried to negotiate their release, but Rhysand is not open to negotiating with him, or even seeing him again,” Azriel tried to explain, not overlooking the way you flinched when he mentioned the high lord's name. “If you leave now… If your parents declared you missing… Tarquin's not going to let you go out again. And they won't let me in either because the moment they see me they'll try to kill me.”

The silence that followed his words was agonizing. Azriel was terribly frightened. It didn't calm him to know that the doubt in your eyes was minimal; the desire to see your parents again was greater than the possibility of never seeing your mate again. The mere thought made him shudder, but if that was the case, there was nothing he could do about it. Nothing.

“Why… why wouldn't my High Lord let me come back?”

“Fifteen years ago the high lord forbade his people to return to the Night Court. Fifteen years ago no person from the Summer Court has gone beyond the mountains of Day.”

“Fifteen years?” you stammered, an expression of incredulous surprise taking over your face. “I'd been there for more than fifteen years?”

Azriel halted his movements, barely noticing how you succumbed to gravity and plopped down on the couch where he had been a couple of minutes earlier in complete stupefaction.

“Y/N, I'm really sorry-”

“I can't stay here,” you looked at him again, shaking your head in refusal and sending a current of panic through the bond. “I don't want to. I need… I need to see my parents. I want to be with them.”

Azriel shuddered at the desperation he saw in your eyes. He wasn't going to deny you that, ever. But he couldn't deny that he wanted to show resistance because, if you left right then, when would he ever see you again? They wouldn't even have time to talk about the elephant in the room, but, at the same time, it didn't seem like the most important conversation at the moment.

Azriel wanted to cry.

“It's okay. Don't worry. Of course you'll go see them,” he finally spoke, facing the reality he would have to live in from now on.

“Thank you,” you cried and Azriel felt each tear pierce his heart, even though the feeling of relief reached all the way to his chest, your relief, mixed with his hopelessness. “But, you… you won't be able to go.”

“No.”

“We won't be able to see each other.”

“No,” Azriel exhaled sharply and shook his head slightly. “But I'll work it out. Somehow.”

“You can't go near there. Tarquin would hurt you!”

Azriel felt the worry reach from the other end of the bond to his chest and was a little glad to know that you at least cared about him the same way he cared about you.

“I'll make an agreement. Whatever I have to do, I'll do it. I promise.”

You nodded in his direction, convinced of his words, convinced of his shaky assurance and confidence.

“And you… will you accompany me?”

You frowned when he shook his head, but quickly added, thinking he'd be mad and damned if he'd let you spend the return trip all alone after all you'd been through, “I know a faster way to travel.”

“Okay,” you nodded, calm finally ruling in your body. “So when do we leave?”

Everyone in the house had gathered to receive Azriel's announcement and things were breaking down just as he expected.

No one had said anything for several minutes after the Shadowsinger announced that he would be going to the Summer Court with you, to return you to where you belonged, to your true home.

“I'll do it,” Mor was the first to speak, to Azriel's right, watching him confidently. She turned to look at Rhysand, who hadn't looked up since his brother finished speaking, deep in thought with a hand on his chin. “I'll request a meeting with him.”

Cassian stirred at Azriel's left side, sweeping his gaze over everyone present. He could almost imagine what was going through his friend's head, helpless at not being able to join him, just as it must've been going through Rhysand's mind. Azriel knew the only reason his High Lord was still thinking was that. If it was risky for the Shadowsinger to go, it would be worse if it was both of them.

“I can go too,” Feyre spoke to Rhysand's right and the aforementioned raised his head in a second, beginning to shake his head in denial.

“For no reason should you ever step near that Court again,” Rhysand stood up, resting his hands on the desk and leaning towards his mate. His face contracted, contrasting with Feyre's warm gaze.

“Rhys, don't you think it's time to get this over with?” Feyre reached up to cradle his mate's face, Rhysand leaning in almost on instinct, betrayed by his senses.

“You want me to overlook so easily what he did to you?” the High Lord frowned, closing his eyes under Feyre's gentle touch.

“Not easily, Rhys. It's been fifty years.”

“You know fifty years is nothing to us,” Rhysand snorted, straightening his back.

The Shadowsinger clicked his tongue.

“It was too much for Y/N.”

No one in the room had to look twice to know that Azriel was tense, hands clasped behind his back. Rhysand turned to see him, his wary look of apology over his friend's stony expression.

“You know I didn't come here to ask your permission, Rhysand,” Azriel almost spat, dragging the words out between his teeth.

Mor shuddered beside him, following Cassian's gaze. In so many centuries, there had obviously been trouble between the Inner Circle for some time, but in this moment it felt different, deeper and more painful. The anger and rancor in Azriel's gaze was unmatched and to earn that facet of the Shadowsinger you really had to be a son of a bitch. Mor hoped she was wrong.

“It could be dangerous for you,” Rhysand warned and Azriel had to stifle a wry chuckle. The way his High Lord's features contorted gave him to understand that he had understood the twitch in his muscles all too well.

“I don't care what you think,” Azriel bellowed, clasping his hands at his sides. “I'll go with her, and since Mor offered I'd greatly appreciate it if she'd accompany us.”

Rhysand didn't respond, settling for sharing a glance with his brother, trying to reach a part of him that was minimally willing to forgive him. Azriel sensed his intrusion and angrily erected a wall of obsidian in his mind, miles away, forcibly pulling Rhysand out of his head. The aforementioned barely staggered to his feet.

“Fine, but I'd like to be kept informed of everything that happens,” Rhysand nodded looking at Mor, who barely returned the gesture and left the office to manage the meeting as soon as possible.

When the doors rattled and the room fell silent again, Rhysand looked at Azriel pleadingly.

“Az-”

“If that's all.”

Without giving him a chance to respond, Azriel turned on his heels and stormed off. Cassian followed close behind, barely sending a glance at his high lord, his brother, saying with his gaze how sorry he was that it had all happened and ended like this.

#azriel x you #azriel acotar #azriel x reader #azriel #azriel shadowsinger #acotar #acotar fanfiction #rhysand acotar #acotar imagine #acotar x reader #acotar series

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fandsart · 1 year

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Steve and Nancy's relationship didn't work out because they had different wants and needs so when Steve starts dating Eddie he tries really hard not to have wants and needs of his own. Knowing that Eddie didn't reschedule Hellfire for Lucas doesn't help with this.

He goes to a few metal concerts even though he always gets migraines the next day from the volume, he lets Eddie talks about all kinds of nerd stuff even if it makes him feel stupid when he can't keep up.

It's not even like he's dragging Steve into things that are actively detrimental to him all that often. Just a couple activities things a week. But Steve also feels the need to hide some of his own interests, knowing that Eddie hates them.

Not that he doesn't love being around Eddie, but now that they're dating he's hardly not around, and it's hard to find time to keep up on the teams that Steve roots for. But it's... it's fine. He's happy with Eddie, so he can make the sacrifice to hide these parts of himself. It's fine.

Eddie doesn't realize this is going on because he's aware that he's pushing Steve out of his comfort zone, what he isn't aware of is how Steve far out of his comfort zone he really is, and how he doesn't want to bother Eddie with it, afraid they'll break up over it.

Then he slips up, just a little bit, when Eddie invites him to a concert on the same day he plans on watching a game. This isn't even the first time this has happened, but Eddie usually gives him more of a heads up for this kind of thing. He thought he was close enough to the date that he wouldn't have to worry about it getting disrupted, and it was a pretty big game, so his disappointment is higher than usual.

Eddie is talking about a metal band and is going on a small ramble explaining the context of where they sit in the metal scene.

"And they have a concert in Indy tomorrow," he grins, "and I really want to take you."

"Oh, I was gonna... Yeah, we can do that."

"You were gonna what?"

"It doesn't matter. It's stupid."

"Steve, it's not a big deal. It's not like I'm taking you to a Dio concert. These guys are actually pretty small and relatively local. I'm sure we could catch another one, it would just be kind of down the road."

"Eddie it's fine. We can go to your concert. Whatever you want."

Eddie gives him a look. "I don't want it to be 'my concert.' If you wouldn't enjoy it, I wouldn't want to just be dragging you with me. And I don't want it to be 'fine' I want it to be enjoyable!"

"I enjoy spending time with you."

"Ok, so what were you going to do tomorrow?"

"It doesn't matter."

"Obviously it does!"

They're fighting and this was exactly what Steve was worried about. If Steve could have just gotten over himself, cut the bullshit, they wouldn't be fighting right now.

"Eddie, it really doesn't. Can we just go to the concert and forget about this?"

"No. If you don't want to go, you don't have to."

"If I don't go, will you go without me?"

"Unless you don't want me to."

"I want to go with you, wherever."

"Ok, you know what, I just remembered I actually have to help Wayne with something on tomorrow."

"No you don't. Look, I wasn't gonna do anything. Can we please just go to this concert you want to go to?"

"Look, I have to go to school. I'm already over 2 hours late." With that, he's out the door.

↞⬡+¤+⬡↠

Steve's not sure what time the concert was even meant to be at, but if he could just get a hold of Eddie and convince him he wants to go, maybe they won't miss it. It's already fairly well into the afternoon and he hasn't heard from Eddie all day.

The first few times he calls, there's no answer, but when he finally gets an answer it's Wayne that picks up.

"You almost missed me," he says. "Make it quick, I gotta to get to work."

"Is Eddie there?"

"Nah, he should be in Indy by now. Did he not tell you? There's some concert down there."

"Yeah, I, uh... Thank you Mr. Munson."

So Eddie went by himself even though Steve told him he wanted to come, and he'd pretended that he didn't even want to go.

Steve watches his game that night, kind of miserable and guilty. He debated not watching it, almost as a point of honor, since he lied to Eddie and told him that he didn't really have anything planned today. They'd both lied about their plans last night and Steve is so ready for Eddie to come back and say that he had a much better time without Steve and it's time they go they're separate ways.

His team loses and he falls asleep on the couch soon after, the tv still playing in the background.

He wakes up in the morning to a knock at the door. Eddie stands on the other side.

"Hey, baby. Did I wake you up?"

"Um... yeah." He wants to bring up what happened yesterday, that Eddie went without him, but he's afraid it will just make things worse. He obviously wanted to go without him if he did so, and bringing it up might just start an argument about how Eddie doesn't need Steve's permission to do things (and he doesn't) reinforcing why he didn't want Steve to come in the first place. He wants to stay with Eddie forever and he's worried the relationship is starting to fall apart. "It's fine. I should be up by now anyway."

Eddie hums almost suspiciously. "Can I come in?"

"Of course." He moves out of the way.

"'Whatever I want,' huh?" he asks, as he walks through the doorway.

"What?"

"Nothing. We'll talk about it in a minute. A few things first. Come on." He drags Steve over to the couch. "So what did you do yesterday?"

"Tried getting a hold of you, mostly."

Eddie chuckles nervously. "Sorry. But did you do whatever it was you planned on doing before?" Steve tenses just a little bit. Is Eddie going to accuse him of choosing baseball over their relationship? He kind of almost did when he first opened his mouth after Eddie first suggest the concert. Is he going to call him out for that. "Relax baby, you don't even need to tell me what it was, as long as whatever it was you were doing wasn't a person."

"No, never!"

"I know, Stevie. I know you're history; I know you would never do that. So I'm not upset. So did you carry out your plans, whatever they were?"

"Yeah. It was disappointing."

"Well, I'm glad you did what you wanted anyway. And since you were busy and couldn't come to the concert, I went and brought you back a tape." He pulls a cassette tape out of his pocket. "You obviously weren't going to admit you didn't want to go, but I still wanted to share this with you, so here. This is yours."

Eddie's more attentive to when Steve seems hesitant to do something after that. Eventually Steve gets comfortable enough to bring up where his reservations stand regarding a lot of these things. Eddie switches up how he talks about his interests, trying to make it more coherent and gets Steve earplugs for concerts. He encourages Steve to talk about his own interests, even when Eddie doesn't fully get the appeal himself. He can go a little outside of his comfort zone too. For Steve, it's always worth it.

#They have a lot of talks about this as time goes on which eventually leads to Eddie apologizing to Lucas btw #about the hellfire campaign #steddie #stranger things #steve harrington #eddie munson #steddie ficlet #ficlet #fandsart

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moonsaver · 1 month

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Context before getting into the actual idea: I recently saw some fanart based on concept art for Dr Ratio where he has slightly longer, messier hair and the fanart interpreted this as him having a bit of a rebellious phase when he was younger.

So now I’m just thinking about Reader going to school with him when he was going through this phase. He had a bit of a crush on her but didn’t know how to express it so he just messed with her constantly.

And now they meet again when he’s changed and he hasn’t gotten over her she’s just getting massive amounts of whiplash from how wildly different he is. Could be yandere 👀

Anon. I am GRIPPINT YOU BY THE SHOULDERS. Listen. Unfortunately i doubt i did this justice but i tried my best PLEASE okay

A bit long, under the cut!

Its not exactly easy to imagine Dr. Ratio of all people being rebellious, but that just makes it even more possibly believeable in my opinion. I am deeply convinced he has had his crazy scientist, jerkward asshole phase at least once and was soo deeply embarassed the moment he left it.

But listen. His professors all probably HATED him because he would probably constantly correct them, be so disgustingly overeducated to the point they'd send him to the library or tell him to get lost just so he wouldn't disrupt class. He's the infamous asshole who sits wherever he wants, and hoardes an entire table to himself if he's at the library or at the cafeteria. Any student who needs a pen or eraser or a pencil knows he's NOT the one to ask, even if it was in the middle of an exam worth half their grade and he was the only person beside them. He does literally anything he wants and no one can stop him except probably by force, and if they do, something worse ends up happening to them instead.

Anyways, here comes in reader. Probably already knows his sour reputation. Regardless, maybe you're the poor soul who's his seatmate. If the crush is already established, he's constantly bothering you. Asking for stationaries like the entirety of his desk isn't covered by it already (he likes the miniscule interaction), taking your notebooks without your knowledge and sometimes even scribbling inside of them (its his horrid handwriting, he's just trying to help you with detailed notes), he comments on how "lame" your outfit is, asking about your social life, rolling his eyes when your response isn't exactly.. pleasing (he's actually a bit content with it. Perhaps you'll hang out with him more, instead?). You note the smell of alcohol trailing him a bit everytime you interact with him.

It's not easy for him, especially when you can't seem to keep up and look so queasy around him. Aeons, his heart is so twisted up and squeezed everytime he seems to be getting more distant from you, but he just has no idea how to convey his feelings. Not when he didn't even account for the fact he'll have a crush on anyone in the first place.

Anyways, timeskip!

You're probably a researcher of some sort, maybe not so well known. Let's just say for the sake of simplicity you're a researcher on Herta's space station. It's not too soon before he runs into you, probably after the whole mess at the station's been "cleaned up" regarding the curio and whatever. Maybe he doesn't leave right after that interaction with Screwellum, and he decides to, by his curiosity, take a look around once again before he leaves (certainly not because he's heard a familiar name thrown around a few times).

And there you are. In your little research-getup, professional vernacular, hair all neat. He's probably right behind you in an instant, and you turn around to look as the colleague you were talking to suddenly starts stuttering and becoming squeamish while looking behind you. There he is, in all his (cruel?) Glory. The infamous asshole who was your classmate.

But.. it's surprising how much more mellow he's become (at least towards you?). His hair are neatly tamed, his build is taller and more muscular than it was back then, but his attire is also quite tame (if not a little.. fancy?), compared to his brash taste back then. His eyes still seem to hold contempt, but more distantly so.

Veritas figures your mouth is agape and you're speechless considering the change in his countenance as of recent. He's also not yet come to terms with the fact that his heart still twists and squeezes whenever he sees that unsure look on your face. If you were made of clay, and if he could, he'd meld the most beautiful smile on your face with his craftful fingers. Alas, he resorts to tamer methods. At least he supposes he's a wiser man, now. He's more aware of different courting methods.

He asks about your station, your current life, family, friends, etc .. in a seemingly disinterested tone. There's a bit of resignation but hidden constrain in his voice, everytime you mention a "close friend" of yours or a colleague you worked with "closely". But he hasn't been berating you the way he would have back then. His fingers slightly constantly strain, folded behind his back, trying desperately not to taper towards you – there's stray strands of hair on your face. Your headpiece is off centre. Your pen is slanting in your pocket. Your shoulders are too tense. Your eyebrows are furrowed. your eyes look tired. Have your lips always been chapped? They were fine back then.. hold on.

While you stutter out useless formalities and pleasantries, Veritas' eyes scan you over. Time has weathered you well, in his opinion. The thin line of his pressed lips dont quite indicate that. He sighs almost grimly, shutting you up in an instant. He offers you to accompany him and possibly consider joining the Intelligentsia Guild (is it not worth a shot trying? It may be foolish, but he's a tad too desperate when it comes to you). You timidly mumble out a refusal, the words barely leaving your mouth. He nods.

Catching up makes his heart squeeze and rush all over the place. Topics he once tried to teach you back then (by.. VERY unsuccessful methods,) seem to be elementary knowledge to you now. You work more efficiently, hold yourself in a better, more confident way, and you seem to be smoothsailing in your life. Granted, it's technically the bare minimum, but its been so long since he talked to you. The chirp in your voice, the chuckle you let out every now and then despite your nervousness around him, has his heart in his throat. He can't bring himself to try and even "set you straight" by giving you (unwarranted) advice or piddling your achievements, there's a soft smile he's duly hiding behind his scorning face.

He offers you again, if you are unsure about joining the Guild, and discreetly mentions it being filled with imbeciles regardless when you deny again, pulling another string of laughter out of you. Hmph, you weren't so joyful when he made those statements back in high school.

Granted,you're obviously still not quite sure about Veritas' new look. He's still got his infamous reputation as an extremely strict teacher, the oddball with an alabastor head and having worked with the IPC, it's not a pleasant image per se, but it's heaps better than his reputation back at school. You politely make a joke about it, and he groans, earning another cautious, light chuckle from you. He has become different. You prattle on about the length of his hair, his refinement of speech, the difference in how he holds himself now.. it does leave him melting a tad bit inside. You noticed it? Hm. Clever little thing.

Of course, goodbyes are seldom sweet. He does manage to pry out your contact information once again, before. If you don't budge,he finds another way regardless. Your network of colleagues aren't exactly as strong as you might have thought. He remembers this information carefully.

Like the old days, maybe he'll manage to keep slipping notes into your reports and files. Perhaps pull a few strings back in the old days to keep you in his class, he'll slowly knot and twist a few strings to bring and budge you over to his little workplace. Sooner or later, you'll end up in his home. He's sure of it.

And just like the old days, his little seatmate is by his side once again. Care to put up with him for a bit longer? Probably forever, in this case.

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satorusugurugurl · 1 month

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OKAY HEAR ME OUT.

I’ve been seeing so many videos about how Japanese people view prostitution wherein they don’t think that such is a form of cheating.

Can I please get JJK men headcanons of whether or not they would visit a prostitute (for the context, the boys can be single of taken)

Lady of the Night

Characters: Gojo Satoru, Nanami Kento, Ryomen Sukuna (modern ceo au), Geto Suguru (curse user)

Warnings: Mentions of sex work, escort/prostitution, rough sex, silly gojo, blindfolds, spanking, cursing, balcony sex, contracts being bought, sold off, virginity loss, mentions of violence/blood/death/fire (all in Geto’s)

Word Count: 5,000

A/N: Wowzers, this one was intense. Please note consent is key!!! I don’t support cheating or anything, so these boys are just looking for a good time. Please know in Geto’s, there’s no SA. It’s hinted there was an attempt, but I didn’t go into details! If you’re not comfortable, please do not read!

Gojo Satoru:

Gojo wouldn't intentionally hire an escort. He would, however, order one on accident. The man is exhausted and can easily teleport home, but the tiny village he’s in is famous for its taro mochi. He finds a motel where they’re renowned for their sweet treat and books a room for the night.

The second Satoru steps inside, his blindfold is off, his shoes kicked to the side, and he's making his way for the phone to call room service. Glancing over the menu, he ordered the mochi his mouth was watering over, along with a silk robe that must be woven with gold because who in their right mind spends ¥200,000 on a robe? Oh well, it's pocket change for him.

Little did Satoru know there was a reason the robe was so expensive. The hotel he’s staying at is a love hotel. They are known not only for their delectable mochi but also for their lovely escorts. So the reason his robe was so damn expensive was because you were a part of the order. A package deal of sorts! So imagine his surprise when he opens his hotel room door expecting someone to roll in a cart with a silver platter and lid to find a woman standing in his ¥200,000 robe that barely covers your beautiful glowing skin.

“Room service~” Your sultry voice cooes as you pull the robe out a little, revealing more of your breasts.

Satoru takes one look at you before turning a bright shade of red. Then he does something no one in all your years as an escort does. He slams the door in your face, leaving you staring at the wood grain in utter shock.

“I-I’m sorry!” He sputters out, turning to stare at the door. “I-I think there's been some kind of mistake!”

Confirming that you’re at the right room, you tilt your head to the side. “This is the room I was given. Is your name Gojo? You ordered a specialty robe.” A nervous laugh sounds from the other side of the door.

”I assumed it was a robe for me to wear!’

He was slamming his head against the wall, grimacing as you burst out into a fit of giggles. Not only were you incredibly attractive, but your laugh was fucking adorable?! Satoru just wanted to throw himself out of the window without his infinity up.

You wiped at the tears forming in your eyes. “I’m sorry; I shouldn’t be laughing, but this has never happened to me before.”

”Yeah,” Satoru chuckled, “I guess that makes two of us.” His face was burning as his eyes lingered on the door. You laughed again louder, this time making his heart flutter. “I guess this explains why the robe was so expensive.” You barked another laugh as he slowly opened the door, leaning against the frame, grinning down at you.

”That would explain it.” You held the platter of his mochi out for him. “Sorry for the mixup. Here’s your mochi, and I’ll bring you up a robe that hasn’t been worn.” Turning back to the elevator, your movements ceased as the handsome man gently grabbed your wrist, preventing you from moving.

“Would you like to come in?” he offered, stepping to the side. “Share some mochi?” with a broad smile, you slowly nodded.

“You did pay for a night with me.”

“No, I paid for a robe, a robe that just so happens to be attached to a beautiful woman.”

“Right~ I would love to come in.”

When you first got off the elevator, you had a general idea of what the evening would entail. Sex with a customer, a hot shower, and then you would head home. You had never been more wrong in your entire life, and you were glad that you were.

You didn’t have sex; instead, you just laid in bed with Satoru tied up in the robe that he had ordered for himself. You fed each other mochi while laughing and getting to know each other. In the two hours you had with him, you had never had so much fun in your career. Gojo felt the same way; you were so easy to talk to, and you were gorgeous.

Time didn’t seem to exist in that hotel room as you took a bite of mochi Satoru held out for you. But the moment the phone rang, it pulled you out of your happy fantasy back into reality. A disappointed sigh escaped you as you answered the phone, grimacing as your manager yelled at you that he’d had another client waiting for you despite your rule of only taking one a night. Before you could argue with him, Satoru snatched the phone from your hands.

”Sorry, I’m not done; I’d like to add to my time.”

”Satoru wh—“ he cut you off by shoving a ball of mochi into your mouth, shutting you up.

”You know what, just put me down with her all night.” Your manager's excitement was audible from the phone as Gojo just told him the price for the whole night. “That’s it?” Satoru’s nose turned up. “She’s worth more than that and then some. Just charge it to my card.”

”Satoru,” He grinned, pulling you into his chest. “You didn’t have to do that.”

”You honestly think I’m just going to let you slip away? Hell no.” You cuddled into his side. “How would you feel about leaving this shitty job and becoming a sugar baby of sorts instead?”

”Are you offering to be my sugar daddy?” You teased with a giggle, running your hand up and down his chest.

”Depends. What would you say if I did offer to do just that?”

You gently straddled his hips, trailing kisses down his jawline. “Well, I would start by saying you’re too young to be one.” His cock twitched underneath the curve of your ass as you moved past his neck.

”I might be young, but I’m filthy rich.” His hands reached up, groping your ass, gently rocking you against his hardening bulge. “If you allowed me the pleasure of taking care of you, you wouldn’t have to worry about a damn thing.”

Sitting back with a breathless giggle, you rocked faster. “Well, when you put it that way, I would have to be stupid to say no to the lovely gentleman who accidentally ordered a prostitute.” Satoru’s chest heaved as he watched your hands move to the robe's sash. “But there’s just one thing we should do before we proceed with this agreement.”

Your hips moved painfully slow over Satoru’s cock. He thought he might lose himself if you kept going at that pace. “Y-Yeah, fuuuck, what is that sweetheart?” With a gentle tug on the sash, Satoru stared at you in awe as you exposed your naked body to him. “O-Oh my god, you’re beautiful, so pretty.” Reaching down, you unbuttoned his pants with a purpose, taking your bottom lip between your teeth with a giggle.

”I need to show you my resume.”

The next day, Gojo returned to Tokyo with a bag full of taro mochi and a girlfriend on his arm. Ordering that robe from a tiny love hotel was the best accident he’d ever made. You couldn’t have agreed more with him,

Nanami Kento:

Nanami was a very busy man who was constantly working and valued the little free time that he had. On his days off, he liked to go out to eat and partake in a few drinks. Other times, he likes to stay at home reading a book and enjoying a glass of wine.

Living this sort of lifestyle could be very lonely at times. Typically Nanami had no problem or issue with going out on dates, but some nights he would prefer to just fuck his frustrations out. And without a partner, he found it challenging to fulfill his desires at times.

Eventually, the pent-up frustration had become too much for him to handle. So, without another choice, he called an escort service where he met you. Your first initial meeting had been a consultation of sorts. Nanami asked for your limits and what you were okay with. When he decided you would be a perfect partner, he paid you in advance, gave you a safe word, and nearly destroyed you the night you were hired.

Your hands were being held behind your back with one of Nanami’s. His other hand was forcing your head into the mattress as he fucked into you brutally. His cock hits your g-spot and cervix with every pull. Nanami Kento was like a growling beast above you as your tight, wet walls hugged him.

”That feels good, love?” He asked in a husky feral tone, his hips grinding snuggly against your ass. The tip of his cock, in turn, teased your g-spot, rubbing it just enough to stimulate the spongy spot. But there wasn’t enough pressure to send you over the edge you were dangerously teetering on. “I—“ Nanami��s hand left your head, striking your ass with a powerful strike, “asked you a question.” Another slap, this one hard enough to have your walls clenching around his veiny cock. “And when I ask you a question, I expect an answer.”

Nanami’s hand massaged the sting out of your ass. “Y—Yes god, yes it feels s-so good N-Nanami!” His hips rocked faster against your ass, “Oooh, Nana—”

“Kento.” A sharp growl interrupted you. “Call me Kento—” His fingers left your ass, wrapping around the tails of the yellow spotted tie he had blindfolded you with. “When I’m fucking you into the mattress.”

He tugged the ends of the tie, forcing your head back and causing your arch to deepen. The sudden change of position results in Nanami’s cock bullying the tip harshly over your sweet spot he’s been torturing for what seems like hours. You cried out as drool dripped down your chin, pooling on the sheets. Your walls were beginning to hug him in pulsing waves; you were so close. Nanami felt it, too. Releasing your hands, he grabbed your hip to steady himself as he began fucking your tight cunt like he hated her.

”Say my name, say it, scream it out loud. I want the entire complex to know who makes you feel this euphoric pleasure.”

”Kento!”

”Louder.”

”Kento!!”

“You. Can. Do. Better. Then. That.” Each word was punctuated by a fast jabbing thrust right against your cervix.

”KENTO!” Your scream bounced off the walls. Making both you and Kent’s ears ring as you came around him, soaking the sheets as he fucked you through the intense orgasm and into his own.

”Cumming!” He growled against your shoulder blade. Beads of sweat ran down his brow, dripping onto your sensitive skin. “Good girl love, take it all, take every last drop I give you.” He kissed and nipped at your skin as his cum filled you.

Once his hips had finally stilled and you could form coherent thoughts, his whole demeanor changed from a frustrated, fuming mass of a man to a gentler soul. His fingers undid the tie around your head before gently massaging circles over your aching joints. His lips trailed soft, gentle kisses over your sweat-shimmering skin. You found yourself leaning into his touch, longing for more. You were desperate to feel every inch of the man who had just fucked you within an inch of your life.

Not many of your clients liked you to do that. Leaning into them once that had quite literally finished using you. They would shove you away before kicking you outNanami Kento was different. The second he felt you shift, leaning towards his body heat, his arm wrapped around your waist, pulling you into his body, spooning you.

That first night was the start of your partnership with Nanami. He would fuck you to the brink of death before slowly reviving you with gentle kisses, words of affirmation, and aftercare. Nanami quickly became your favorite client; whenever his name appeared on your schedule, you felt as light as air.

Typically, these sorts of relationships stayed strictly professional and revolved around sex. So when you showed up to his apartment one Friday evening, ready to see the pearly gates, you were shocked to be offered a glass of wine. Not only that, but he led you to his dining room, where he pulled out your chair as he served you the delicious dinner he had prepared for just the two of you.

”I thought we’d try something a little different tonight.” He’d confessed in the low flickering glow of the candlelight. “If that’s alright with you, of course.”

You agreed without hesitation, smiling lovingly. Nanami was the client; whatever he wanted to do, you’d be willing to try. You’d had several different clients and gone through so many other kinks. You liked to imagine with all of that, you had a pretty good amount of experience under your belt. Nanami, however, had surprised you for the first time in a very long time.

Some nights, he just wanted a normal, quiet dinner, watch a movie, and go to bed with you in his arms. The initial request had been a bit of a shock, but it was a good one. After that night, your visits with Nanami began alternating from rough, god-like se to sweet, gentle evenings.

Tonight was one of those mundane nights you’d grown to love just as much as the crazy, wild sex you two had. But you found yourself loving these quiet little nights a bit more where you were currently resting your head in his lap as he played with your hair. His eyes roamed over the pages of his newest book.

”Mmm, I love nights like this.” You whispered, shutting your eyes.

”I love you more.” Nanami said while turning his page, not even paying attention to the stunned expression pasted over your face. All he did was smile warmly. “You don’t have to say it back.”

”I love you too.” You answered just as fast.

”Mmm, then perhaps we should consider ripping up our contract. I would prefer to be your boyfriend rather than your client.” That was the night that you had retired, and the night Nanami deleted his account on your escorts page.

Ryomen Sukuna: (modern CEO AU)

Sukuna would purchase an escort for sure, no doubt. He'd go through a site and pick the one he thought was the most beautiful. He would then ask you to come to his apartment to complete your services. The man could fuck; he fucked you hard, deep, and fast. He took you against the door the first time you visited his apartment. Once he was done, he paid you and saw you out.

The following week, Sukuna requested you again. This time he picked up dinner before he fucked your throat while he watched a movie he'd put on for the two of you to enjoy. His large hand was rugged and pulled on your hair, forcing you to take more of him down your throat before yanking you off and giving you a chance to breathe before pushing you back down on his thick throbbing dick. When he finished, he handed you bent over the coffee face buried in your pussy, lapping at your clit.

Sukuna might have been rough and demanding, but he never once hurt you. He always ensured both of you came hard, never leaving you unsatisfied. He quickly became one of your favorite clients. Every Friday night, you'd happily skip to his condo, and every Friday, he would rock your world.

“Oh~ god fuck~!!” Sukuna snarled as you rocked back against him. “Fuuuck~” The bustling city and honking horns sounded from below as your hand gripped his balcony railing. “God, you take my cock so good~”

“Kuna~ Kuna s-so good!” you slam yourself back faster in his cock, losing yourself in the wet squelching sounds that fill your ears.

Sukuna’s hands grope at the fat of your ass, squeezing it as he pulls you harder against him. A smirk tugs at his mouth at the whimpers that shake through you. “I'll never get over how good you feel~” He groaned deeply as his hips snapped faster, his free hand rubbing circles around your swollen clit. “Maybe I should have you stay for a weekend~ maybe longer.” Manicured nails scrape over the metal of the railing as you dip your head forward. “Would you like that~? Being my live-in slut? Huh?” Pillow talk: this was just pillow talk.

“I-I'd like that a-a lot!” you sobbed as his cock hit the deepest part of you. “P-Please Kuna~ I need you.”

“Ah~ you'll get it, my queen, ~ you're gonna get a thick fucking load shoved so deep, you'll be dripping my cum out for days~.”

“Yes! Full me up! Fill me up!”

The begging tone of your voice has Sukuna wishing there wasn't a condom separating him from your wet heat. One of these days, he’ll make sure that he gets to feel all of you. For now, he was more concerned with just feeling you cum around him. He’d take care of the rest later.

“Then cum for me, my sweet little slut.” With a jab at your g-spot, you do as he commands. You scream, not caring about the people walking down below or his neighbors. All that matters in this current moment is losing yourself as Sukuna fucks you through the scream-inducing orgasm and into his own.

“Nggh! Fuckin’ slut!” His grunt of pleasure is bitten off by an almost demonic roar as his cum fills the condom.

You both rock slowly against the other, skin-hitting skin in soft—plops before Sukuna sits on his patio sofa with you in his lap. He's groaning on the nape of your neck as his hands gently massage your hips. Humming softly, you look up at the stars, wishing this moment could last forever.

Where he wasn’t a client, and you weren't an escort. The more you came to his condo on Friday nights, the more you didn't want to leave. But he was paying you for an evening, so the chances of this escalating into something more were slim to none. So you would just be thankful for the moments you had.

The night ended like every other Friday. He gave you the cash, walked you to the lobby, and kissed your cheek. “See you soon.” He said as he helped you into a taxi and waved you off.

When he said soon, you had been thinking he meant next Friday soon. But the following day? Yeah, that was a shock. You had just been called into your manager's office, finding Sukuna leaning against the wall while your manager counted big stacks of money.

“What’s happening?” The question was almost inaudible as your manager leaned back with a sickening smirk.

“This gentleman has bought out your contract, so as of this moment, you’re fired.”

“W-Wha—?!” you don't even get to question your manager as Sukuna is dragging you out. “Kuna?! What the hell is happening?!”

The man who just bought you out of a lifestyle you didn't care for cocked a pink brow. “I asked you last night if you wanted to live with me. You said yes. Buying your contract out was the next step.” He leads you to a sleek black car. “Don't think just because I bought you out of your contract means I assume I own you. You're free to do whatever you please. I enjoy your company.”

“So I can go home whenever I want.”

“Yep.”

“And if I want to stay with you?”

“You can.”

You don't even hesitate; you leap into his arms and kiss him. “Mmm, good, take me home,” Sukuna smirks, kissing you back as he loads you into the car.

“Home it is.”

Geto Suguru:

Geto was searching for a place to stay when he first met you. Back then, you weren't even an escort yet. He was looking for an inn with rooms opened; he'd been informed by one of his cult members of a curse that would be perfect for him to absorb.

At twenty years old, he walked into his first brothel, fully intending to get a room for the night. The establishment reeked of booze and sex, but it was the only place with room available, and the curse he'd just swallowed was one of the worst he'd tasted. Resting was the best thing he could do before returning home.

Once in his room, the best room in the entire building, there was a knock on the door to his room. The manager of the building shoved you inside. You hit Geto’s chest with a wince before the manager bowed his head to Geto. The man you ran into glanced over you; you were dressed in thin white garments before his dark eyes met the man in the doorway.

“What is the meaning of this?”

“A welcome gift, as a token of my appreciation of you buying our best room. I had heard you hadn't ordered any escorts, so please take her as you. She’s a virgin.” Small curses and little leeches appeared, crawling all over the man. These curses typically came from greed and lust, sucking the life out of everything. And the man was covered in them.

Geto felt his stomach twist as he glowered at the stupid monkey—another reason he had to rid the world of these parasites. This man was a disgusting creature who was selling off women like this. But for all he knew, you were just a monkey, too. There was no point for him to waste his time

“I do not need such services.” The handsome man announced, shoving you back to the manager. As he did, one of the leeches lurched for you, and you held up a hand in disgust. Suguru watched as the curse hit a barrier before fading into black ash.

So you weren’t a useless human.

”Oh, I see very well. Come girl, I can use you for the party tonight ins—“

”On second thought, it was rude of me to refuse your offer. I will gladly accept her.” The manager beamed with excitement while you glared at him in disgust.

” Excellent choice, my lord; I will leave you to it.”

The second the door to his room shut, Suguru turned to you, watching you angrily undo the sash at your waist. “Hurry up.” You barked out, voice trembling as you laid on the bed as stiff as a board.

”I have no intention of touching you.” Suguru said, tilting his head to the side with a grin. “I do, however, have questions regarding your technique.”

”Technique?”

Geto sat on the bed next to you, explaining what he had seen you do. You, in turn, told him your life's story. How you could see curses since you were a child, how your parents sold you off to repay a debt. You confided in him that you had been the errand girl for the brothel since you turned eighteen, but when the manager saw your beauty, he started insisting you begin taking customers. Now that you were twenty, he had grown tired of your denials and decided tonight would be the night he offered you for free to any willing customer.

Suguru was disgusted and offered to handle the problem, but you politely declined, stating you would stay. If you didn’t repay your parent's debt, your younger sister would be sold off next, and you refused to allow that to happen.

“I just hate for my first time to be auctioned off to the highest bidder. And once you leave, I know I'll be paraded around some more.” Suguru could see the sorrow in your eyes as you brought your knees to your chest, hugging yourself. “I wouldn't have minded you being my first customer.”

”I will confess, I have never done anything like this myself.” His cheeks flushed as he gently placed his hand over yours. “Perhaps we could be each other’s firsts?”

You were no fool; you knew this would be an ideal opportunity for women in your position. With shaking hands, you cupped Geto's face and kissed him. He was almost too stunned to react, but as you gently rubbed his shoulders, he slowly melted into your touch, kissing you back earnestly. Both of you gently removed your clothes, kissed, and ran your hands down each other's bodies, losing yourself in the other's touch. It was tender and slow. You were mapping out the other, caressing chests, legs, and lips overheated skin.

But those gentle kisses turned into desperate ones, tongues sliding gently against the other, fingers buried inside you while your hand wrapped around him, stroking him. When you were both hot and needy, Suguru gently pushed himself inside of you, pausing as you winced at the sharp sting that accompanied him. Seeing the way you wince, both pained and pleased Suguru. He felt terrible for causing you the briefest moment of pain, but he was also glad that he was the one doing it. Anyone else would have been far too rough with you, and you deserved a memorable first time.

A memorable moment that was not going to last very long because you were so tight, and he was already seconds from losing control. “G-Geto~” you whispered as he kissed your neck, up to your ear, nibbling on the lobe as he gently thrust in and out of you. “Ahhn Geto~” He whined in your ear before chuckling breathlessly.

“Suguru.” He corrected, pulling back to stare into your eyes. “Call me Suguru.”

”S-Suguru.” You tested out, and upon hearing his name pass through your lips, his cock throbbed inside of you. “S-Suguru ah, yes Suguru~.”

“My princess, so warm~ so good.” Cries of your names were whispered into the other mouth as Suguru gently fucked into you, his gentle thrusts losing the messy rhythm he had begun with. “I-I’m sorry, but I’m already close.” His confession and thumb gently brushing over your clit, rubbing the bud back and forth, had you rolling with the waves of your impending orgasm.

”M-Me too, Suguru.”

You came at the same time as the man who had bestowed you with a gift not many other girls in your profession were granted, and for that, you were forever grateful. You almost cried tears of joy when he laid down next to you, holding you close to his chest, his hand gently rubbing up and down your back, caressing you to sleep. The following morning, Geto woke you up before he left. He was bidding farewell and leaving you with his cellphone number. He was persistent on you taking it, urging you to call him if you ever needed him.

Little did he know that your call would come one week later. Rainbow dragon landed outside of the brothel, and Suguru came bursting through the doors, eyes dark in fiery fury as he scanned the entryway finding the scumbag monkey that was a pathetic excuse for a manager cowering behind the bar. Suguru ignored him and bounded up the stairs, heading to the room you had first met.

Opening the door, he froze, finding you sitting on the bed, face swollen and bruised. “Princess?” He spoke softly, not to startle you. “What happened?” You motioned to the corner of the room where an unconscious man lay, a fork jammed into the side of his neck.

”My manager sent a customer to me without my knowledge. The man attacked me, but I fought him off before he could get what he wanted.” Suguru released one of his curses before pulling you into his arms, attempting to shield you from the gruesome sight of the man’s death, But you watched from over his shoulder, never once blinking.

”I’m taking you home with me.” His tone and words left no room for argument, not that you would. “Let’s go.” He lifted you into his arms, carrying you down the stairs, ignoring the whispers and glances in your direction. Before he took you outside to where Rainbow Dragon was waiting, he stopped turning towards the bar where the disgusting human who had betrayed you cowered. “Princess, what shall we do with him?”

You turned, one eye swollen shut, as the other burned with rage. “Kill him.” Suguru smiled coldly, releasing more curses that swarmed around the man. His screams filled you with joy as Suguru sat upon the back of his dragon, holding you close to his chest. As the cursed spirit took flight, you peered down as several girls and patrons escaped the building before it erupted into blue flames. “Worthless monkeys.” You spat out, cuddling into Suguru’s chest.

The next day, Geto happily watched as Nanako and Mimiko braided your hair while other members of his found family spoke with you. Suguru had made sure to get your sister away from your parents before he took care of them as he’d done to his mother and father. Your sister would be placed in the care of one of his devoted followers while you stayed by his side.

“Suguru,” You called out, smiling sweetly as you broke away from the girls. “What are you thinking about?”

He kissed your head, “Just admiring your beauty.” He took one of the braids the girls had done and kissed it. “I’m truly a lucky man.” You smiled this time, kissing him on the lips.

”I think we're both lucky.”

”That we are princess, that we are.”

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skelliko · 2 months

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Hi Skelle! ☆ How r you? I hope you have a nice day/night! 🫶🏼 I want to request something.. my request is can you make like a full (not a mandatory) headcanons of how the guys will act if they have a crush on someone? Like how they behaviour will change, how they first meet the reader immediately think “yep, she’s the one”, where, and overall how sappy they can get when they have a crush 🥹 i would like them with baji, kazutora, chifuyu and haitani brothers.

Feel free to ignore this if you feel this is too much cause I don’t wanna stress your cute 🧠💐🎀🩷 brain 🧠💐🎀🩷

Lmao

a/n: hope this is okay, sorry for the wait. i didn't intend to make these all be in a school setting, I had tried to do some in a workplace but It's all I could think off without making it basic 😕

★-Tokyo revengers

๑-context: first interaction + how they act/feel with a crush

๑-featuring: Baji, kazutora, chifuyu, ran, rindou

°- kazutora hanemiya

-- kazutora was forced to stay behind the classroom to finish his work that he hasn't done, the teacher was sat in front of her desk doing whatever a teacher does there while everyone else but him exit out the room. however when you were on your way out you slickly slid a small, folded up piece of paper on the side of kazutora's desk which certainly didn't go unnoticed by him.

-- his eyes went right at you and watched as you walked away almost expecting you to look back at him but you didn't. to then occasionally glance at the teacher to make sure that she doesn't look up as his hand slides towards the note to carefully and quietly open it up. anything could have been written on the note but since he was so focused to not get caught his mind was blank and didn't assume anything right away.

-- the piece of paper held all the answers to the worksheet that he was supposed to complete. to avoid any suspicions from the teacher he immediately placed it flat on the desk underneath his palm to collect himself and not get too ahead of himself, I mean what if the answers are incorrect and your setting him up for longer detention? eventually he risked it and wrote down all the answers that you had given him and handed in his work. and sure enough you become a life saver there, he was able to get out of there quicker than he first anticipated.

-- eventually he came up to you "hey, thanks for the... you know. but why'd you give me 3 incorrect answers? thought you were supposed to be smart" he said it in a almost teasing way, not upset at all about the incorrect answers. but you replied with "because no one would believe you to get them all correct without being forced to do them again" and that right there is the moment that he realised what kind of smart and mischievous person you are, enough that you've captivated his thoughts for the rest of the day and onwards.

• normally he'd get pissed off when forced to stay behind in class, but now, his mind is flooded with you that he's getting stayed back more and more just so that your hand can brush over his desk and give a semi warm piece of paper that you've held safely in your palm on the way to his desk to get him out of a situation that he put himself in, it almost feels like holding your hand. are you aware of what he's doing? probably, but that won't stop him. he also keeps all the pieces of paper even tho they serve no purpose, but knowing that you were the one that gave it to him changes the perspective of those little scraps.

• he has a major urge to be around you, he's craving your presence and voice and he always feels some sort of ache is in body from just thinking about seeing you once the weekend has passed. also the same thing goes for craving your physical touch such as a tight hug or maybe even a scalp massage but he knows that won't happen any time soon but the crave is still there, it's like a maladaptive daydream.

• he also looks at you different compared to others, with you it seems like kazu is looking at an angle with gorgeous white wings and a stunning outfit, whereas with others it seems like their just ants. big difference there.

-- sure you've been in his class for a while but that was the first time you've actually interacted with each other, other than a quick eye contact from looking around the room. there's always that one classmate that you haven't talked to but once you do it changes so much more than you first intended.

• he feels his emotions to a certain extreme level and cause of this he tries to hide it as much as he can otherwise he grows too expressive without realising it. and that can easily make his feelings seem obvious if not tamed correctly. he tries to act casual despite his stomach is turned into a butterfly sanctuary, his palms are grown sweaty, and his breath is held in to get rid of the feeling of jumping about and smiling like a complete idiot. mentally hes turned into a little kid with red cheeks just because his crush smiled at him, someone give the kid an ice pop otherwise he'll overheat. no seriously he's burning up like a fever just being near you.

°- Keisuke baji

-- Baji was getting into some sort of escalating argument after school had ended, him and two guys were getting a little rowdy but because of Baji being in his nerdy disguise at the time he couldn't risk in making a scene

-- but then that's when you butt in and stand by Baji's side. it was certainly a shock to suddenly see you appear beside him and hear you verbalise your opinion and defend him like that against these two delinquents even though he could have easily defended himself despite the circumstances, he could have walked away and led them somewhere else but no, you brought yourself into the bickering before he could act on it

-- Baji was gonna speak up to cut you off and try and get you away from the slight hazardous situation but you certainly had a lot to say and that just caused him to keep quiet. were you not scared? if you weren't for yourself then he was surely scared for you. he wasn't mad at you for getting involved, instead he somewhat gained respect for you and he had to hold back in smiling.

-- though he obviously couldn't let the situation keep going so he had to quickly drop the whole argument by speaking over you and basically drag you away by your sleeve gently. his feelings didn't grow immediately right there and then but they did develop quickly over a short period of time.

• thinking of you? his cheeks are sore and he brings a hand up to his mouth to suppress it and as if to hide it even though there's no one around to hide his smile from. he doesn't know why he does that but he just does.

• if someone were to be told that baji giggles when you message him they wouldn't believe it, that whole image for them is nonexistent when it comes to Baji, wouldn't even consider it. but this man really does, he tries to stifle them and keep a calm exposure however when he's laying down on his bed he has a wide smile plastered stupidly on his face and when he feels an excited, giddy feeling he can't help but feel a small laugh escape. when he tries to hold them back it almost feels like his chest is being tightened. your suffocation him without even being there, imagine a potential news title 'baji Keisuke suffocated due to feeling giddy about a crush'

• not much of an artist, can only actually draw simple outlines of certain objects such as pain flowers or stick men, but that doesn't stop him from picking up a pen or pencil and start to doodle, nor does it stop him to have your features flash in his mind and him draw you as a stick figure or even a wobbly blob. he sometimes zones out in class when doodling and when he catches himself in drawing you he quickly scribbles it out before anyone or you sees.

°- chifuyu matsuno

-- its raining outside on a school day and you don't have an umbrella nor a hood to cover yourself so due to that you chose to stay behind in your empty classroom to wait out the rain just so you don't get soaked. you chose to stay behind and do something captivating that it even caused you to lose track of time, luckily Chifuyu walked past your classroom and saw you there, it's at least a few hours past school hours (don't ask what he's still doing here)

-- he curiously came up to you and mentioned it however even after those few hours the rain hadn't left and it was still pouring the same weight as it had at the start, and due to the sudden passed time you had no choice to head home even if it means getting drenched. but upon chifuyu hearing your reasoning, there was no way he was gonna leave you walking out in the cold rain while he had a perfectly good umbrella, even if he wanted to leave he just couldn't bring himself to.

-- so he did the first thing that came to mind and that was to try and offer his umbrella to you. at first it seemed convenient for you but then the thought of him going out in the rain with nothing bothered you, so obviously you declined. bit of "no it's fine" here and there but after some of those you both came to an agreement to share it.

-- halfway through with you both walking underneath the same umbrella and chatting away to avoid the awkward silence he walked you home without you realising, he had to turn a corner ages ago but willingly chose to stay with you since you both were having an interesting conversation. and sure enough, thump-thump-thump his heart is racing, ever since then you've been on his mind.

• he feels so much about you, butterflies in his stomach and the need to move around because if hes sat still he'd probably snap in half from the excitement that he can't handle when the thought of you appears. he can explode from the overjoy of interacting with you as if it's a rare thing to happen even though it really isn't, you're just that special. he definitely jumps around and about in his room and punches the air silently whilst trying not to cause too much noise. making a whole new cardio work out.

• whenever he's reading his manga and romance comes in he can't help but picture the two characters to be you and chifuyu. he flicks his eyes between the two characters repeatedly even if he's been on the same page for 5mins, he'd still play out the scenario of them being you two. I mean that whole first encounter almost seemed too cliché to not have come straight out of a movie with unrealistic standards. but no, it all really did happened which causes his mind to go in places that you two are almost casted together and made to talk, as if the universe is setting you both up.

• passing your classroom at any chance he gets just to try and get a glimpse at you but while doing so his heart paces like hes just ran a marathon, he hasn't even seen you yet but the anticipation is killing him. and even when it rains on school days again hes not heading straight home but instead he's making his way to your class to see if you're there again waiting for the rain to leave, always hopeful and wishing that you're empty handed without an umbrella or a hood.

°- ran haitani

-- your in an empty room scribbling something in a sketchbook, using both hard and light pencil strokes. doesn't bother ran at all that you're here doing your own little thing but what actually does is that you're sat in his usual seat. normally he wouldn't try to intervene, especially if it's something this petty plus he wasn't all that desperate to stay here for long but even then, he still walked up to you.

-- first instinct that you had when hearing his footsteps was to close your sketchbook shut before looking up, clearly you don't want no one seeing your personal work/drawings. this little thing perked ran's interest, he doesn't know much about art in the form of paper and pencil, but he's still intrigued as to why you chose to hide it that it made him forget about his petty emotion of you sitting in his seat.

-- in short term, he ended up seeing a few of your pages and the reason for it is cause you despise your own work, despite continuing drawing in your own time you seem to always criticise yourself and think harshly on them. but in his eyes he can't help but be in awe of them, he cant understand what's so bad about the drawings. next thing you know he's asking for a drawing of himself, you didn't seem too bothered by the idea as you were about your skill wondering if you could even pull it off but ran managed to convince you.

-- sitting in a chair in front of you as a muse, meeting eye contact as you looked at his features repeatedly to get the right shape of his eyes, nose and lips. him purposely moving a little to see if you'd say something about it and trying to peek over your sketchbook book to see your progress only for you to move it away out of embarrassment. it took a short while but finally seeing himself on a page in dark grey lead made him feel something, not necessarily a major attraction but appreciation even tho he's the one that pressed on the idea.

-- and that's when the butterflies hit, it's a major delayed reaction but the giddy feeling hit after being the muse and grasping the fact that you were able to draw him this well from you analysing his features, something about this made him more seen than he already is. maybe a confidence boost? who knows, even he himself can't figure it out exactly other than feeling warm from the inside out about you.

• no matter how hard he tries to relax around you he always feels blood rushing in his body making him become tense whenever you two have an interaction as small as just saying hi to each other, and once you both pass he sighs out air as if you've caught his breath and didn't let go, though he also ends up smiling after that sigh but it's more or less a mix of a nervous and happy smile, one that makes you to be unsure if you're supposed to be excited or scared.

• i reckon hes a yapper once he gets comfortable enough, anything that comes to mind he can talk and talk about it with you like his life depends on it, but once he's finished speaking he only then realises the things he's said and regrets it all even if the topics he's talked about aren't all that bad but he still gets embarrassed of himself for letting himself get carried away like that to the point where afterwards he speaks in a much shallower tone "...I don't know why I said that, ignore that" it's kinda cute tho.

• you got him twisting and turning, losing focus in certain activities and even his sight of where he's going. at some point he was walking but his eye view was so focused on you that he ended up walking into the metal, water foundation and he had to embarrassingly play it off hoping that no one had seen the doofus walk right into it as his head was turned 80° in your direction.

°- rindou haitani

-- you and him happen to share the same taste in music and favour the same band/Artist, he knew this by overhearing a conversation you had with someone and that made him perk up a little but not enough for him to engage in the conversation. he'd silently listen in to hear what your favourite song is and guess if your a hardcore fan or just a regular

-- despite rindou not being the one to come forward about the mutual interest that you both have, it was you that needed up going up to him after hearing his music escape though his earphones from how loud he set the volume to be. sure he was a little embarrassed after you mentioned it but once you both started talking about the band, something had opened him up as you talked about it with enthusiasm while he was agreeing with everything that you were saying and adding his own little comments, you were both constantly on the same page.

-- hes gained a small interest in you but not enough to catch feelings and be attached, there's plenty of people with the same interest as him and even though he can't find many it doesn't mean that you should be on top of the list. yet.

-- those previous, tamed feelings were immediately thrown out the window after hearing you sing his favourite song when you thought you were alone, he didn't mean to intrude but when he quietly walked in a room to get something he ended up hearing your voice singing along to a favoured song, you immediately became his favourite cover. your tune and enthusiasm had him captivated and stuck. he didn't get the item but instead but he stood outside of the door listening until you stopped.

• when you suddenly appear and make yourself known he gets a little spooked and drops whatever he was holding in his hands (mainly depends on what the item is, as in if it's not fragile and just a pen) its the type of scare that makes his mind go 'oh shit they're here, act cool, act cool' you can just walk into the room and when Rindou looks up to see you its like his whole body does a nervous shut down for a split second. he's normally not like that at all so when that became a common occurrence he swore he was starting to become insane.

• only you're allowed to touch his glasses or gloves or in fact anything that belongs to rindou. sure his brother is an exception but that's to be expected. if anyone else tried to touch his stuff he'd more than just swat their hand away like an annoying pest, but with you? he feels warm and giddy about you picking his glasses up and trying them on yourself, heat rushes up to his face but he always tries to act cool and casual. he just can't shake the thought that you've worn his glasses that he's wearing right now, it almost feels like getting a high five from your favourite celebrity.

• anyone would probably assume Rindou to be a little heartless from him occasionally being nonchalant around others and sure that's true enough but with you? he's flustered, cannot specify enough of it, poor man can't even go a day without his lungs constantly shifting in volume from the way you get him so nervous. he's even grown to stutter a little, not a whole lot but enough for it to be noticed once in a while and each time he looks back on the sentences he's said he always cringes at himself.

♡----

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ooffmlsorry · 7 months

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One Piece Men Dealing with a Dangerously Reckless S/O

context: by dangerously reckless I mean someone who never has a second thought about throwing themselves in harms way and doesn't care what it does to them

t/w: passive suicidality, self harm? (better safe than sorry) angst. Mentions of blood, injury, and death

LAW

It'd probably lead to a big argument where he threatens to kick you off his crew because losing you would legitimately be the death of him. He can't lose anymore people he loves to violence. When Bepo tells Law you didn't even hesitate to plunge into a thicket of razor wire to help your crew mates escape, it doesn't read as admirable to him. It reminds him too much of himself on Spider Miles. After he gets your side of the story, which pretty much confirms it, he doesn't talk to you at all while he cleans the mud and blood from your skin and stitches the slashes that cover you from head to toe. Normally, even if you've fallen asleep, he talks you through your treatment, but not after your stunts. He's that...scared? Angry? Distraught might be the right word. Every time you do something like this, he's speechless because his thoughts are racing with the reality of losing you. He feels sick to his stomach. On nights like these, he doesn't know whether to sleep far away from you or hold you so close to him you can't breathe.

LUFFY

At first, Luffy doesn't care. He has the utmost faith in his crew, and they put themselves in harms way all the time! Getting injured is just being a pirate sometimes! That's pre-timeskip. Post-timeskip Luffy still has a lot of faith in his crew and a lot of faith in his ability to protect his crew, but he's...different. He believes things are always going to work out no matter what and if they don't he'll make them, but sometimes he wakes up in the middle of night and stares at you, tracing all the scars you've gotten from one fight or another. And then the what-ifs begin to creep in and the nightmares start. After literally diving into a sea king to retrieve Nami's log pose and Chopper has patched you up yet again, you wake up to Luffy calling out for you in his sleep, sweat dampening his hair and his face twisted in fear. You soothe and shush him until his breathing evens out, but he holds you tighter still. It's not in his nature to "bench you" or doubt your strength just because he's in love with you. That would be controlling and doubting you, and he would never do that. But that doesn't mean Zoro and Sanji don't take notice, even if Luffy won't say anything they make it extremely hard for you to pull off any careless "heroics."

ZORO

Much like Luffy, Zoro doesn't think much of it for a while for the same reason. This is the guy that was completely ready to cut his own legs off, after all. But that doesn't mean it doesn't concern him, especially because you don't seem to have a rhyme or reason for all the shit you pull. And he would say something to you about it. Maybe not directly after you jumped straight into Marine gunfire to cover a little girl, he just wants you to be alive at that point. But after days of taking care of you as your wounds slowly heal, after he's certain you're not going anywhere this time, he'd make sure the two of you are somewhere alone and quiet to talk. As far as Zoro's concerned not going down without a fight is completely fine, dying for your dream isn't considered giving it up, but acting like it isn't a possibility is stupid. And he'd tell you as much. For most of this he wouldn't be able to look at you, just because if he does fear is going to take hold of him, but for that last bit he would. Zoro would search your eyes hoping you understand what he's saying. He'll tie you to the ship if he has to, he'd do anything if it saves you from being so stupid as to forfeit your dreams.

SABO

Dying for the cause is par for the course. It's a grim reality that Sabo begrudgingly accepts, although he does have a bit of youthful naivety that it won't ever happen to anyone. He won't ever believe the revolution isn't worth it, but you do make him question it for the first time. He loves you so much he has to compare you to the whole world for a moment, and that's one of the worst thoughts he's ever had. Because the whole world still wins. The guilt would eat him alive until he blows up (somewhat literally) at you for drinking the last of a rare poison to keep it out of the enemy's hands. Angry tears roll down Sabo's cheeks. When he yells at you, he's shaking with anger and fear. It's not up to him, but he doesn't object when you're completely benched while you recover and for a little longer after that. It takes a while for him to no longer angry and scared out of his mind, but once he is he's back to himself. If can visit you every day he will. He has hope for the world's future, and hope for yours too. He's not leaving either behind.

#don't ask me what this is actually #is this something?#who knows lol #law x reader #luffy x reader #sabo x reader #zoro x reader #one piece x reader headcanons #angsty one piece #one piece #one piece x you

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spaloonbabooguuscooties · 9 months

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You could drink your whole life away and still never get that taste out of your mouth.

half commission for @salempie half completely self indulgent dreck pieced together from our insane conversations abt franke and elka. told myself id finally write a big explanation for all of the dum shit between these two for context so Thats Under The Cut.

so I already wrote some stuff about elka and franke's relationship back in whispering rock so feel free to look at that too . it goes over elkas blindness/‘seeing’ with clairvoyance and how her and franke started talking & all that good stuff

SO FOR STARTERS. a lot of thsi wont make sense without a big breakdown of elka herself. because elkas potential as a character is like insane to me. like just the idea of her in the long run of her life reads as something so potentially tragic; a young girl whos plagued with visions of doom and destined to be an outcast even in her own home for things she cant control and clings to the One vision of her wedding that she thinks is 'happy' even despite the fact she doesnt really love the person in it. im choosing to take the li-po doc as canon here because its funny shes the only one with backstory-

but my fucking god even the smallest look into what her parents are like is soo fucked up to me. and i do think elka especially gets a lot of influence from her mother; its funny how easily you can fit mabel doom into a box just from what elka says about her. knees deep in an avon-esque pyramid scheme and leaning into her daughters depressing ass visions & taking her to therapy at age 11 (which would be good if not for the kind of person you can already assume she is & so i doubt the therapist she has really does her any good. i think they share one). she reads as a very I Am My Daughters Best Friend type of mom to me and i can see elka being a centerpiece of the conversation when she has her Amway Girls over for drinks. wine-mom that lets her kid sip from the glass so she can feel like a big girl type deal.

and you can tell that elka is trying to hard to be too mature for her age even in her campster posts. how she writes letters to nils' mom and exchanges baking recipes with her and that feels like she really only interacts with middle aged women and not really many people her own age outside of camp (like her moms friends). which makes sense shed feel the need to ‘grow up’ early when shes probably had to process so many hard things at a young age bc of her visions.

theres a lot of filling the blanks here of course.

elka obsesses over nils to an overbearing degree even despite the fact he treats her like shit ('you promised no talking' and so on) and she treats him bad right back. she leans onto stereotypical heterosexual ideals like taking care of him and overblowing how Manly and Protective JT is and she admires romance stories like pride and prejudice and it feels like she Projects Soooooooo much of what she wants onto boys she barely feels anything for without knowing what its actually supposed to feel like. and clearly she WANTS that ideal future, a happy marriage, an actual romance- but according to nils even when they were dating she ignored him most of the time, which just seems Very Telling

like shes filling a role, overcompensating for emotions and lacktherof she cant digest quite yet, and it only makes more sense when you know shes had visions of their future together. how could that be bad for her? shouldnt it be like the books and movies? but she doesnt really connect the fact that her visions are only for Doomed futures, and if she does she certainly doesnt show it. Doomed relationships. it's been a part of her family for generations and she isn't turning out much different, is she? i dont think she even realizes thats all she ever sees yet, just that its Going to happen. that it's Her future, and it always will be

and like, her only reference for a real marriage so far has been her own parents, and she already Knows they have an affair, and theyre doomed to split, (and i actually like to think they were in rough waters anyway and elka was a child meant to mend a crumbling marriage but thats a whole other thing) and so without a framework for what an actual healthy relationship is supposed to be like she cant really grasp that her relationship with nils Isnt that and isnt ever going to be. she can only cling to this one happy idea of the future, and thats why she keeps chasing him, self fulfilling the actuality of her situation and creating and fostering the unhappy life they will inevitably live together.

and that bleeds into everything else in her life, of course, because as the years go on, as the visions grow in number it just makes sense for her to fall into the predictability of her life. she always knows whats going to happen, her visions are Never wrong- so why try to change things? shes had time to process tragedies days, weeks, months, years before they happen, shes had time to settle into every crack of her life. her parents divorce, her various break ups, her future with the psychonauts.

“and she's already seen so much of a future with [nils] she feels trapped almost. Like she has to be happy in it or else it just means her life is miserable. And it's a mixture of pride and fear of the unknown that keeps her clinging to the One thing she knows. BUT LIKE!!! She knows what's gonna happen! It's easier to grieve when she's been grieving for years... She wants so badly to be happy, But to do that she has to step into the unfamiliar. And that's more terrifying than staying the same miserable person she's always been.”

and thats where franke comes in— and yeah you Do have to take a lot of liberties for frankes character since it’s basically, like, all the info for her is just that shes a Supreme Baby Dyke but thats enough for me. i think she has protective butch itch in her . on campster shes defensive over other women evidenced in the way she keeps watch over the girls cabins for lili when elton is pursuing her . but shes also eager to please and constantly trying to make kitty laugh and also Very naive. but she tries! and i think it only solidifies more as she gets Older and really gets a hold of her feelings & her powers. this is incredibly franke to me

and i think as they grow older together— because i think franke and elka Do stay friends, both because elka is just pathetic and needs that positive connection even if she doesnt realize it and because i think franke is a very Loyal person & annoyingly persistent if you let her be . and i am also a kitty/franke truther. because kittys also important in this web we weave

because i think franke and kitty stay together after camp, to a point— theres a falling out facilitated on kittys end and they break up, but reconnect, and franke kind of... saves kitty from herself a little, from her strict military father whos love only extends thru finances , from her own stifling future , she drives all the way to bakersville in her shitty van handmedowned from her dad and they move in together eventually . they get jobs at the motherlobe , because it’s a pipeline to a decent job, because it’s whats easy, because franke doesn’t really have a future, because she’s never really been good at much, because shes never had much sense, because franke doesnt really care as long as she can live and help, sometimes, if she can, and because kitty’s there, and because elka’s there, and shes so used to being elkas eyes now and shes good at it. shes good at being the muscle of the missions when her colleagues lack it, when hypnosis and predictions arent enough. she likes it that way.

and elka appreciates frankes company. she listens, shes sweet, she does little things for her that no ones ever really put the effort for before; she likes her. franke is strong and bold and makes her laugh and shes always there but god elka cant let go of that future, of that box shes put herself in, that her mothers put her in, of being a Good Wife to a Loving Husband, of getting married normally and falling into unfailing familiarity. thats all shes ever wanted and shes not going to jeopardize that . not for franke, who may not be a boy but is handsome like one, whos always held her after every break up with nils and the men that filled empty days inbetween.

and elka is too stubborn to recognize those feelings anyway. too prideful to accept a way out. too set in her cycle no matter how much she hates it, her little self fulfilling tragedy of her own making, wallowing in her own doom. she struggles for control of her own life when she feels like every choice has been made for her anyway, she puts up her walls and carefully constructs what people see. but franke was always harder to trick, because while empathy isnt a particularly useful psychic power it’s certainly an inconvenient one. all franke has to do is get too close and all those carefully crafted walls fall apart, and elkas control is gone, and thats all she really has. and she tries to distance herself, really she does, but franke is also too persistent. and elka wears gloves, keeps contact that would make her walls crumble from happening as best as she can, but she cant really keep herself from the brief moments where she feels like someone actually fucking cares about her.

and that slightest lack of control, the need to wrestle it back is why she proposes to nils the next time theres a falling out— she knows how it happens, she plans every detail. and he accepts, despite everything. gets her a cheap ring and it feels like lead on her finger and its nothing at all like how shed thought it to be when she was a kid, theres no feather light feeling in her chest, only that dreadful reality that she cant turn this back. BUT WHAT CAN U DO LMAO

elka doesnt tell franke about this engagement until later, on their way back from a mission. late at night when neither of them can sleep, and franke invites elka to smoke in her van, because its been so long since theyve been alone like that, because elkas been so strangely absent lately. and because of everything, because frankes always so damn nice, because elka hates the feel of the ring on her finger, because she let herself get high alone with franke fucking athens whos always been so good at pulling her apart— the truth of it all spills out and its messy and emotional and she hates it, she hates the life shes made for herself, but franke makes it easier to bare and now shes here and shes so close and god she wishes she could see her smile again, she wishes she could see franke, thats all she needs right now and she cant but she can touch her and she can hold her and for tonight, she can be known, she can let those walls crumble, she can be something else just for once here with franke . she can kiss her here in this van, touch that happiness for just a moment, and forget the future that waits for her outside of it. franke begs her to forget the wedding, to just let herself be happy— and god, she wants to, but it means turning her back on everything shes known and everything shes saw to be inevitable, and franke has never been in her future, so if it were supposed to work out why hadnt she seen it and she cant, she cant take that risk but she can have this, even if its temporary, she can have it.

and just as soon as she gets a taste of it, its gone. after that night, after the missions over and theyre back at the motherlobe and have to pretend like nothing happened (franke doesnt, of course she tells kitty about it, she tells kitty about everything.) but that brief moment together haunts elka every time she sees franke, sees herself through frankes eyes, sees herself in her wedding dress because god its all franke can think about! of course it is! she knows how much elkas destroying herself she knows how much misery shes wallowing in that kiss in the van felt like an emotional punch to the teeth and she hasnt ever forgotten it and all she can do is sit and watch while elka throws herself into a loveless marriage. she can come to her wedding and see the way the bride and groom kiss with the emotional weight of a wet towel no matter how hard elka tries to hide it under a pretty dress and bouquets of flowers and meticulous planning.

and elka resents nils but she cant really hate him, its not his fault, not really. he feels trapped just like she does and his feelings of misery only cycle back into hers . they fight and gnash and wear away at each other and its a relationship thats crashed and burned a million times before elka even said i do. and its inevitable that she falls into her mothers habits, a sip of wine here and there to loosen up, until it turns to a glass, until it falls into a bottle on nights when whatever work nils does runs late.

but franke’s still there. shes always been there, hasn’t she? always trying to play knight, always trying to save her, dragging her home when shes stumbling over herself because god who else is going to do it but her? who else is left to care? certainly not nils. never nils. because franke knows her. because franke pities her. shes always pitied her. shes always known. and elka hates it, she resents it, but god in the same breath she’s desperate for it, she envies it to her very bones. elka is a mess but after frankes done with her she has someone to go back to that loves her. and god what elka wouldnt do to have that. to take it and keep it for herself because shes never ever got to have that movie romance shes always wanted.

so now comes this.

because elkas particularly miserable and particularly spiteful and she needs to get franke to understand, just for a moment, drink with her and get on her level and she needs her there with her no matter how her pity makes her feel. no matter how much it makes her shake with anger and envy and desperation, but god the way franke looks at her, the way she still tries to salvage what they have, the soft, slurred way she tells her that it’s okay but its not okay, none of this is okay, it never has been and she just wants franke to shut up and see that, and if she cant then she’ll show her, she’ll show her all the raw angry desperation, with too much teeth and hands that claw and grab and she’ll know why everyones always said she’s too much.

and she knows this puts her on nils’ level too. that this makes her a cheater, that shes no better than he is now. no better than her father and his affair. but god, she wants to be selfish. she wants to be in control. just for once. she wants to feel right and she wants to feel happy and she wants to feel loved. thats all shes ever wanted. and franke will let her have that, just for a little while, at the very least.

anyway. sorry. sorry for being crazy . this isnt even getting into the shit after the comic takes place . elkas stupid brainworld thag she has to overcome in order to finally be allowed in the polycule and live happily ever as worlds first lesbian divorceman

sorry for all the shit i make up instead of caring about actual characters with screentime . bye !

#ive spent months on thsi stupid lesbian toxic yuri slow burn relationship so you all better clap or im blowing this building up #psychonauts #elka doom #franke athens #ill paint the town red

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seospicybin · 9 months

Text

TOO HOT TO HANDLE.

PART II

Lee Know x reader. (s)

Too Hot To Handle Masterlist

Synopsis: You and Lee Know become contestants in a reality dating show, Too Hot To Handle. (11,1k words)

Author's note: Happy reading and feel free to vent in my inbox after :)

Content warning: This is entirely a work of fiction and not affiliated with real Too Hot To Handle show.

MINHO: I'm a dancer. I sometimes model too. I have some moves [shows off dances] but I don't need any to get it on with someone. My face does all the work [smirks] I was born with it. Why? Are you jealous? [Lopsided grins]

Minho feels like hurling his pillow across the room when he hears that melodic chime.

"Good morning, everyone!"

He forces himself to wake up and sits on the bed, covering half of his face with the duvet. He doesn't want to look see you and gets reminded that you chose to sleep with someone else but it's hard when you're right there in front of him.

MINHO: If I didn't like her, I wouldn't be this upset.

"No one broke the rules last night, right?" Bryan asks, worrying so much about the money that he forgets about the lady sitting next to him.

Zara slumps down the bed and picks on her nails, she surely won't be answering him because nothing happened between them.

"I heard you guys," Agnes turns her head in your direction.

"Heard what?" You ask with an innocent smile.

Agnes flashes you a sly smile, "something was going on last night," she wildly guesses.

You scoff and break into a dry laugh, turning to Jack to make him answer it for you.

He clears his throat before calmly answering, "Nah, nothing happens."

Jack moves like a snake. It's only yesterday that he sneakily kissed two girls in one night, not afraid of going against two guys at once. One thing he learned is that a calm face of Jack could be a lie.

He can't listen to what Lana is saying when he's focused on seeing you playing with Jack's hair. He takes it that you're trying to make him jealous.

Well, if that's a game you want to play with him, just know that you're playing a tricky one.

MINHO: It would be a lie to say that I wouldn't be upset if she did break another rule with Jack. Am I going to tell her that? No.

Minho spends the morning doing his upper body workout with Jai. There's no gym equipment that he usually uses for his routine but he'll manage with some dumbbells.

"Who would have thought, huh?"

Was Minho too busy controlling his breathing to hear him talking or Jai just asked him something without giving him the context?

He drops the dumbbell and glances his way, "What were you saying?"

Jai also stops doing squats while holding a dumbbell between his legs, "Who would have thought that Jack is going to be our competitor?" He says as he's catching his breath.

Minho feels repulsed even at the mention of his name. He's not interested in giving an opinion on Jack but he only realized now that he's working out with another guy who went through the same thing with him.

"He's so slick," Jai says, then carefully puts down his dumbbell back in its place.

"Fucking dude got game," he adds.

That's what pissed him off too. He didn't expect that guy would ever dare to touch his ego but he did, Minho just won't admit it.

Minho picks a heavier dumbbell from the rack, "How are things with Agnes?"

Jai wipes the sweat on his forehead with the back of his hand, "I appreciated it that she was being honest to me about her feelings afterward but I—"

He catches his breath to continue talking, "I need to play it safe for now."

Minho nods and sits on the concrete to cool down with the help of the cool morning air blowing from the sea. Jai is following suit and takes off his top as his body is wet with sweat.

"What about last night though?" Jai asks back, leaning back with his hands propped behind him.

"It was tense, mate. Everyone was on the edge," he lightly chuckles while looking out at the beach.

To be honest, he shouldn't be asking this to him because it's you who chooses to sleep with someone else so Minho nonchalantly shrugs.

Jai scratches his chin, "Have you tried having another conversation with her?"

Minho shakes his head, "I need time," he concisely explains.

"You're not sure about her or... you're not sure about your feelings for her?"

That is such a profound question that Minho is frazzled, he doesn't know how to answer that. It's too early to say he has feelings but he does feel something.

"I miss her," Minho innocently admits.

He shakes the front of his sleeveless top to let the air in, "but the way she acts... I'm not okay with that."

Jai briefly looks at him and nods, "That's fair."

MINHO: I need time and see things through [shrugs]

Drops of water are dripping down his body as Minho walks back to the house after having a quick dip at the beach to wash the sweat from working out.

He doesn't expect to see you sitting by the pool with Jack swimming not far away from you, chatting.

"....the blue?" You ask.

"The color matches the sky," Jack says.

Minho believes he's complimenting the bikini you're wearing today, one piece with sky blue color and thin straps crisscrossing on the back.

"You too. You look good today," you compliment back.

"Oh, thank you," Jack answers, flashing a quick look at Minho as he walks past behind you.

His dislike grows more intense with the way Jack is toying with his ego and he hates it even more because you choose to be on his side.

Minho wishes that everyone just leave him alone but that is impossible because he's not the boss in this house. He puts on anything he packed with him, a black shirt and blue jeans.

The night hasn't started but it's worse already. When he walks into the bedroom, he sees you again with Jack on the bed, just talking with Agnes, Jai, and Luca from their beds.

Minho is about to turn on his feet and walk out until the cone in the middle of the room lights up and dings.

"Hello, everyone!"

"Yes, Lana!" Agnes lazily replies to her, dropping her head on Jai's shoulder.

"Please assemble in the cabana!"

Minho wastes no time but be the first to head there, telling Zara and Bryan whom he met on the way. It's certainly that time of the day when Lana is going to announce rule breaks.

Everyone takes a seat at the long sofa and Minho sits at the farthest end, away from you.

"Jack, did you dare some girls to kiss you today?" Luca jokes.

Jack only grins in response and Minho wishes he didn't care but God, his blood is boiling.

MINHO: If they did break a rule, then... there's nothing I can do anymore to save it.

Here comes the melodic chimes and Alia gasps next to him.

"I have some news," Lana announces.

Bryan takes a deep breath, then says, "Let's hear it!"

"Last night, there was an incident of sexual contact," Lana shares.

His eyes dart in your direction because the first thing that crosses his mind is that you did break a rule with Jack.

"Oh... who is it?" Alia quietly asks.

Everyone starts to assume that it's you as well since Agnes pointed it out this morning.

"We didn't rule break," you assure everyone.

Jack doesn't say anything but points at Lana, "You guys won't trust me anyway so I'll just let Lana speak," he coyly says.

Minho didn't do anything therefore he shouldn't be this anxious. However, Lana has been quiet for a moment, probably giving everyone a chance to confess anything.

He sees you taking a long, deep breath when Lana calls your name then Jack.

A part of him wishes he can get this thing over with so he can move on but another part of him wishes that it's not true. The latter part is bigger than the other, to be honest.

"They did..."

Minho silently holds his breath, nervous for what's to come. Starting over with someone new is not a bad thing but

"... not break any rules last night," Lana finally continues.

It's like he can finally breathe properly again and he glances your way, seeing you giving everyone the I-told-you-so smile.

MINHO: They didn't lose any money so yeah... [smiles] that's good.

"However," Lana suddenly adds.

"There was another incident that violated the rules."

Minho is still caught up on the previous announcement that he's unaware that someone else has broken the rules instead, not you.

"These things always come out so better fess up," Alia says, craning her neck to look around and scan for any guilty faces.

Minho catches Jai is quietly grinning and the last time he grinned, thousands of dollars lost from the prize fund.

"You're grinning," Minho points out.

"Jai..." Bryan calls him like a father who catches his children doing something bad.

"No, I'm good," Jai says with a crisp laugh and he may have covered his lie well.

Meanwhile, Agnes is uneasily rubbing her neck and sheepishly smiling at her lap.

"Agnes, you have something to say?" Zara asks.

Agnes can only keep her face straight for a second before it crumbles down, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry," she repeatedly apologizes.

Jai quickly does damage control, "It happened not long ago. In the shower. We got a bit carried," he butchered the sentences.

"Just tell us what you did!" Bryan impatiently says.

"I gave him a handy," Agnes shyly answers.

Minho can hear Alia groan next to him and everyone else mutters so many things at once but shows the same sheer disgust.

"This rule break has resulted in $8,000 being deducted from the prize fund."

What they did is selfish but Minho understands that Jai got that urge, he even shared with him earlier that his balls hurt so much that he needs a release.

An intrusive thought pops in his head and Minho's urge is to speak his intrusive thoughts out.

He looks at Jai and asks, "Did you finish though?"

"We were showering together and I just sort of touched it, then I realized that we shouldn't do it," Agnes answers for him.

"We lost money and you still have blue balls," Luca lays out the facts for everyone.

MINHO: That's the most expensive hand job I've ever heard and he didn't even climax [sniggers]

"The prize fund now stands at $150,000," Lana updates.

Bryan's eyes almost popped out of their sockets when he heard it. He rubs his chin and inhales air through his nostrils.

"We spent $50,000 in three days," he says.

It's scarier when he says it with a blank expression, it's his big posture that adds suspense to his words. Minho is smart enough to know to never pick a fight with him.

"There has been a total of eight rule breaks. Jai and Agnes have been responsible for half of these breaches," Lana continues.

"Wow!" Zara exclaims on behalf of everyone.

"Jai and Agnes," Lana calls.

Their faces turn tense at the mention of their names.

"To show me you are committed to the process. I am putting you both to the ultimate test."

Agnes covers her eyes as if that would help her to escape reality, "Oh my God!" She mutters, so full of worries.

"In order to pass, you need to demonstrate self-control and show you can form a real connection without breaking my rules."

"Oh, no!" Jack groans as he reclines on the sofa.

"Therefore, you will spend the night alone in the private suite."

Opposite to Agnes's distressed expression, Jai just can't stop grinning, it seems like he's going to enjoy having a room just for themselves.

"There's no way!" Bryan is so quick to judge that they will fail the test.

MINHO: Well, I'm with Bryan on this one.

"If you refrain from breaking the rules, I'll put $20,000 back in the prize fund," Lana adds as a form of encouragement for them to not break any rules.

Everyone is cheering but Minho still doubts that they will make it through the night without touching each other. They broke rules with everyone in the room so what makes everyone think that they will not break any rules when it's just the two of them in the room together?

"One more reason to not spend money!" Luca says.

Bryan leans forward and looks at them, "Just don't do anything. That's it!" He warns them.

Minho looks around and it seems like he's not the only one thinking that they'll spend money tonight.

"Jai and Agnes, please make your way to the private suite!" Lana orders.

"We will not do anything," Jai promises to everyone before turning around to leave, not forgetting to flash his sly grin.

MINHO: No [shakes head] I don't trust that grin.

The night is still long but with Lana sending Jai and Agnes to the private suite and probably would cost everyone more money than giving them back, everyone is too restless to enjoy the rest of the night.

Minho is enjoying the quiet and the faint sounds of the waves crashing from afar when he feels someone else sitting down next to him on the small sofa.

He turns his head to the side to see you're smiling at him.

"Hi, how are you?" You ask, shifting your body to the side to face him.

Minho smiles back at you, "good," he replies.

You put your legs up and fold them together, "I get why you're upset and I'm sorry," you say with a sincere apology.

You grab his hand resting along the headrest of the sofa and put his hand in yours, "but now you know that I don't like Jack that way. He doesn't get me excited but you do."

You lean in close but keep a safe space between your face, "You turn me on, not Jack."

Minho can't help but feel flattered to hear it. People get flirty with him all the time but he likes how you're forthright and open.

"Yeah?"

"Duh!" You answer with a dramatic eye roll.

MINHO: I'm glad she understands why I was so upset and I don't see why we can't move on from this.

Minho snickers at you and you slyly smile at him, "You don't need more time, you need to get back on the bed with me," you tell him.

Last night was weird, to be honest, Minho knows that Alia has something for him but she's not exactly sharing the bed with him by choice.

You put your leg over his leg, rubbing your heeled feet against his thigh, "Come on, don't you miss cuddling with me?" You ask with your eyes sparkling and your eyebrows downturn, a combination that works well to make him can't say no to it.

Minho nods with a suppressed smile on his face.

Your smile grows wider, "Tonight?"

He verbally answers it this time, "Yes."

The next thing he knows, you throw yourself at him and kiss his neck. You pull away to look at him and mewl, "I want to kiss you so much."

And he wants the same thing.

You probably think he doesn't care but oftentimes, he can't help himself but look at you, especially with you dressed so impeccably in a skin-tight dress that enhances every curve of your body.

"Why not?" He asks you since you didn't hesitate to kiss him the first time you broke a rule.

You make eyes to the cone perched on top of the small table, silently watching everything in the corner.

"How about we put her into a box and send her to the open sea?" Minho suggests a wild idea, sending you bursts into laughter.

MINHO: She's so hot. I just want to kiss her.

It seems like you already told Jack about the bed situation. Minho would love to evict him out of the bed himself but alas, he's already tucked in with Alia.

He throws the extra cushions to the floor and puffs each pillow to make it comfortable to sleep on. He must admit that it feels good to claim his place back.

Minho is listening to everyone chatting about random things from their respective beds when the door swings open and he sees you coming. You squeal as you jump right onto the bed next to him.

It's so cute seeing you excited for a simple thing like this, he gets the impression that you do like him more than he thinks you are.

You spread his arm out to rest your head on it and snuggle to his side, "Isn't it nice, mmh?"

Without looking at you, he replies with a hum, "mmh."

The hand resting on his chest moves to his neck, and then you slip it into his hair, gently brushing it between your fingers.

"At first, I thought this is your real hair color," your warm breath tickles his ear as you speak.

"Orange suits you well," you compliment with a sweet kiss on the cheek, then place another kiss on a different spot.

Mischievous, he turns his head to the side and offers you his lips next. You giggle and turn his head away, but he keeps turning his head at you with puckering lips.

"No more spending!" Bryan reminds everyone the second the lights are turned off.

You face the other way, probably to stop yourself from being tempted to rule break.

Minho has another idea, frankly, he has a lot of ideas but they're all against the rules. First, he puts his hand on your waist and pulls you close until your body molds against him.

He puts his hand across your chest and slowly puts his hand around your neck, turning your head to the side so he can look at your face.

He teases you by rubbing his lips on your jaw and softly places a kiss on the skin behind your ear. He presses his mouth close to your neck and stays there, drinking in your heavenly scent.

You catch up fast on his intention and lowly laugh, "We can't break another rule," you tell him.

That only makes him drag his lips back on your jaw again, there's not much you can do when he can angle your head with his hand around your neck.

You stifle a breath as his lips are hovering dangerously close to your lips, you hurriedly move your head away.

"Technically speaking, I'm only one rule break away from Lana sending us to the private suite," you explain.

He smirks with his lips against the side of your face, "even better!"

MINHO: The things I want to do to her in the private suite [smirks] I think we'd leave the retreat with a huge debt.

Lana chimes the first thing in the morning.

"Good morning, everyone!" She greets.

Minho refuses to wake up and pulls the duvet to cover his face. The day has barely started but he feels tired already, he believes it's because his mental has been perpetually put in tests in this retreat.

"The breakfast menu today includes toast and freshly squeezed juice."

You delightfully hum in response, "Sounds yum!"

"Served with a side of celibacy. Enjoy!" Lana adds a snide remark at the end.

"She got a bit of lip on her today, eh?" Jack says.

Which reminds Minho to look to the side and see you. He can't lie but he likes waking up next to you again. You hold his face as you place a soft peck on his cheek before lifting yourself to sit with your back against the headboard of the bed.

Minho scoots to you and puts his head on your lap, letting you play with his tousled hair.

"Who else thinks that Jai and Agnes messed up?" Luca asks while roughly brushing his hair to the back with his fingers.

Minho looks around to see Maisie is the first to raise her hand next to Luca, then Zara and Bryan. He looks straight ahead and sees that Jack also votes the same but you, you're just sitting on the bed with a blank expression on and your hand brushing his hair.

"Ugh, sorry, no faith," Alia comments with a sneering smile.

MINHO: I just hope that when they come back, I don't see Jai grinning from ear to ear.

In contrast to having no faith in them, everyone is cheering once they see Jai and Agnes entering the bedroom.

"They seem to be happy," you mutter.

Minho agrees because when he looks at the most spending couple in the retreat so far, he notices the slightly wicked grin plastered on Jai's face.

MINHO: Oh no, I see the grin.

"Do we get the $20,000 back? Yes or no?" Bryan wastes no time to ask the most important question.

They both sit at the end of their bed and all the eyes are directed toward them.

Instead of answering, Agnes boasts about the private suite.

"Incredible! There were flowers, champagne, a massive bed, condoms, and stuff. We took a bath—"

Bryan slightly shakes his head and presses his lips together into a thin smile.

"We don't care," Luca cuts through their small talk and tries again, "We want to know if we get the $20,000 back!"

Minho watches as Jai and Agnes exchange a look between them, probably deciding which one of them should break the news. It's too early to worry about money but he can't help but get as nervous as everyone else.

Agnes stifles a breath and apologizes, "I'm so sorry, you guys."

Then a smile blooms on her face, "but we won the 20 grand back! Yay!"

Maisie and Zara start bouncing on their beds but Luca once again decides to be the one to slice through everyone's happiness.

"I won't believe a thing until Lana confirms it," Luca states.

Everyone is back in panic mode and waits until the cone lights up, signifying her appearance.

"Jai and Agnes," Lana begins.

"Last night, you were able to spend time away from the group to get to know each other on a deeper level."

Everyone gives them a round of applause thinking that that's just it.

"However," Lana continues.

MINHO: I started to hate that word. However [mimics Lana]

Minho closes his eyes to brace himself for the worst outcomes.

"You still broke the rules last night," Lana announces.

The atmosphere turns dark despite the sunny weather outside can be seen outside the windows.

"What did you do, Agnes, babe?" You ask, your voice goes higher at the end of the sentence.

She aggressively shakes her head, "I swear to God we didn't do anything!"

Jai nods, "Nah, we didn't even kiss," he defends Agnes's remarks.

Minho's eyes are swinging side to side to see who's lying.

MINHO: But Lana can't be lying, right?

"There were incidents of excessive grinding and self-touching," Lana pulls out the receipts right away.

Agnes lets herself collapse onto the bed and repeatedly chants, "Nah, nah, nah, nah..."

You stop playing with Minho's hair and turn to look at Agnes, "You didn't plan on riding anything so why did you rev up your engine?"

Minho can't tell if you're upset or amused hearing your question but it looks hot to him nonetheless.

"These breaches have resulted in a deduction of $10,000."

Instead of getting some money back, Jai and Agnes cost everyone more money. Everyone was right to not trust them.

Agnes hugs Jai from the back and whines, "So sorry, you guys."

The grin on Jai's face has been replaced with tensed jaws and a big sigh coming out of his parted mouth.

"We woke up happy and we didn't think that we would have lost more money, so truly sorry," Jai emphasizes every word to show how sincere he is with what he's saying.

Since everyone has expected this though, they can't say anything else but try to move on with the day.

MINHO: The day has only just begun but we already lost ten grand.

It's not getting any easier for Minho.

He finds it getting harder to resist and not when he sees you walking around, looking hot and slyly smiling at him. Sometimes the temptation comes when he least expected it, he steps into the bathroom and finds you bending down against the sink as you fix your make-up.

The black bikini you're wearing today doesn't help either, it's so tiny, covering just the important bits. It's so obvious that you notice him right away.

"You can see as much as you want but you can't touch, sir," you tell him while you move on to the other eye and carefully wipe the excess makeup with a Q-tip.

There's nothing that can stop him from ogling over you. If anything, he so badly wanted to feel those beautiful curves of your ass with his own hands.

He refrained though, but decides to use the towel he's holding and slaps your ass with it.

"Harder," you tell him.

Laughing, he slaps you harder with the towel.

"Harder, come on, don't be shy!" You dare him, also laughing along with him.

MINHO: It's getting hard, not only figuratively but like... literally.

Lana gathers everyone in the cabana when it's usually time to get ready for the night.

She's not wasting time on greeting everyone first, "To further aid your further growth, you must learn to resist your urges."

"I don't like this," you immediately remark even though Lana hasn't announced anything yet.

"So, I am putting some of you to the test."

You glance at Minho and pout, resting your head on his shoulder after.

"I have arranged two dates," Lana announces.

A few coo in wonder and also, feel a little suspicious that Lana suddenly sending people on dates.

MINHO: [Shrugs] There's always a catch.

"Both with new arrivals."

Minho grins because he's right, there's always a catch. He catches you notice him and scrunches your nose.

"The first new arrival is... Esme!"

He can't know the look of someone just from her name but it's exciting for everyone because there hasn't been a new face for a while now.

"I have allowed the new arrivals to select who they want to ask out on their date."

Minho can feel that you're getting tense next to him. It's easy to tell that you're afraid this new girl is going to choose him. Even Minho himself is not that confident, so what should you worry about?

"Esme has chosen... Jai."

Minho darts his eyes at Jai and there's the grin again, "Are you happy?"

His question puts Jai in a predicament but that's why Minho enjoys it.

Jai scratches the back of his head and coyly answers, "It is what it is."

Just as expected, Minho knows that Jai would be more than happy for the chance to get on a date with another girl. He's off to a bad start already with Agnes frowning next to him.

MINHO: They failed the ultimate test and now they're being tested again by the new girl. Lana, you're evil but I like you.

"And date number two will be with Noah," Lana continues.

The gasp you let out is unmissable, he can hear the slight excitement in it. He doesn't want to be affected by it but the thought that you may get picked to get on a date quite irritates him.

"He is also allowed to choose his partner for the date."

Minho chooses not to care whether you get picked or not. He's going to be cool about either way.

"He has chosen..."

You sit up straighter and lean forward as if that would help you hear better.

"Zara."

MINHO: Oh okay, that was thrilling.

"Jai and Zara, you may now leave for your dates."

Everyone is weakly cheering and you gently slap at Zara's butt as she walks past you.

"Be good," you mutter to her.

You let out a sigh as you rest your head on his shoulder, "Look at Bryan," you whisper.

Minho can see the panic on his face, gritting his teeth with his jaws clenched like that. He lowly chuckles, "It's going to be hard for him."

You shake your head, "No, it's going to be hard for Zara to not break the rules."

MINHO: Let the game begin!

"I didn't think you'd genuinely be this jealous," you say to Bryan who's sitting on the other sofa.

Minho has been watching him fidgeting in his seat and it's making him nervous too.

"I genuinely am," Bryan shortly replies.

"Now, it feels real, huh?" Minho says, pouring salt over his wound instead of trying to soothe it.

"I care about her," Bryan fussing like a toddler.

"Then you should have shown her that," you excuse yourself to get more drinks after.

Maybe you feel the need to tell him that because you're close to Zara and maybe she's telling you things about their relationship.

It's not his place to say anything about their relationship, but everyone can see the problem here, Bryan hasn't been treating his girl well, he puts her second after the money.

"But she's right though," Minho adds his opinion.

Bryan clicks his tongue and then scoffs, "I'm trying not to be selfish here," he defends himself.

He sips his drink before continuing to talk, "I know."

He gets quiet for a while and thinks of something to say to lighten up the mood, "I think my girl cuddles your girl more than you," he jokingly says.

Bryan is cackling in his seat, "Oh, I think my girl cuddles your girl more than you," he says back to him.

Minho feels a little offended by that.

MINHO: I'm not big on showing affection. It's just... I don't know, weird?

Jai and Zara are finally back from their dates and that's good because if they had taken another hour, Minho would have fallen asleep on the lounger.

Jai brings the new girl to introduce her around to the girls. He refills his drink to refresh him and walks out to join everyone.

Minho is the last to be introduced to the new girl, Esme, she's beautiful, with long dark hair and plush lips.

"What's your name?" She asks, holding his hand in hers.

"Minho," he replies.

"I'm Esme," she introduces, not letting his hand go yet.

She stares at him long enough that he feels the need to snap her out of it, "Nice to know you," he says.

"Yeah, very nice," she says with a flirty smile.

MINHO: Lana knows how to stir things up, huh?

Esme gets swept away by the other boys, they're all sexually frustrated and more than excited to get to know the new girl.

Minho can't say the same with the other one.

Noah is tall and blonde which are two things he doesn't have. He's not saying his jealous and not sure if that's your type as well. Even if he is, Minho doesn't feel intimidated at all.

From what he sees though, he doesn't need to worry your head is turned at this British guy. You're sitting next to Zara and chatting with drinks in your hands.

Minho takes a seat in the space next to you, taking your glass to have a sip.

"What do you think of the new girl, Minho?" Zara suddenly asks him.

He swallows his drink first before answering, "She's good-looking, has beautiful eyes, and yeah, beautiful."

Zara nods and asks again, "Is she your type?"

"She looks a lot like my ex-girlfriend actually," Minho adds.

Zara snorts with her mouth deep in the glass.

"Oh, yeah, I wish my ex looked like her too," you add with a fed-up tone and take your drink back from him.

MINHO: I don't see what's wrong. I was just being honest.

The new arrivals sleep together on the newly installed bed in the bedroom and no one changes their bed partner so that's a good thing.

Minho can't wait to end the day as well, feeling tired from doing nothing but worrying about money that is not his or not yet his.

You comfortably tucked under the cover, taking a sip of water before lying down next to him. Sighing once your head hits the pillow.

Minho doesn't get to talk to you much the entire night and he kind of wishes to play a little with you.

You turn over, laying on your stomach with your head facing the other way. The silk camisole you're wearing looks good on you, he can't stop himself from feeling the fabric and touching your exposed skin while at it.

You turn your head at him and mumble, "I'm tired."

"Stay up with me a little longer," he says, pulling at the strap of your camisole and snapping it against your skin.

You kiss his cheek and say, "Goodnight."

"Goodnight," he says back but you already turn your head away from him.

Why does it feel like he's done something wrong and it's your way of telling him to figure this out himself?

MINHO: I think with the new arrivals there's this change of dynamic and everyone is not ready for that.

Minho chooses to cool down with a quick dip in the swimming pool after working out today.

He has no swimming skill to show off whatsoever, he takes a few dives and lifts himself out of the water.

"Hey," Esme says, looking up at him with a smile.

He points at his towel, "You're sitting on my towel," he points out.

"Oh?" She gets up to pull it out under her and hands it to him.

"I hope you don't mind I'm keeping it warm for you."

Minho smiles at her and unfolds the towel to dry his body then his hair next.

"You have a nice body," Esme compliments.

"Thanks. You too," Minho compliments back out of courtesy but she seems to take that as some sort of his way to flirt with her.

"Do I?"

Well, Minho can't take back a compliment without hurting her feelings so he nods.

"Oh, wow, thank you!" She giggles in response.

Minho is about to leave when she asks him, "I heard you're a dancer. Is that right?"

He feels bad to always have to look down at her so he sits down, "I am."

"I am a dancer too," she says with eyes widening.

"Yeah?" Minho half-heartedly asks.

"I do ballroom dances," she further shares.

Living in the retreat and being locked out from the rest of the world reminds Minho of the things he's interested in besides dating.

Talking about something that he's so passionate about helps him to relive that excitement that he's not aware of how long he sits there talking with Esme.

"So... are your options still open or are you settled with your current partner?" Esme asks.

Of course, the talk will eventually lead to this and Minho is lucky because the talk has to be paused as all the girls get called for the workshop.

MINHO: Esme is great. She's nice and beautiful. I can't complain.

Something strange is happening.

Minho never felt this thing before because you're always there when he looks around. And now, not seeing you for most of the day feels doesn't right to him. You can't possibly out of the villa, you're just in a different part of this big place so there's no need for him to be this dramatic.

Jai catches Minho scoffing at himself, "What's that?"

"Nothing," Minho replies, shaking his head.

He decides to open a conversation with him to not let things get awkward, "How are things with Agnes?"

Jai scratches his nose before speaking, "She was mad jealous when I went on the date."

He wipes his wet hair to the back, "I usually jump ship whenever a new girl appears but I feel like I'm stuck with her," he explains.

"Stuck in a bad way or...?" Minho asks for a detailed answer.

Jai laughs and wipes the beads of water on his chest with a towel, "Like I can't like someone else but her."

Minho never feels that way with someone or maybe he hasn't found that someone, he's not that confident he'll ever find one. The sound of Agnes squealing surprises him as she jumps right onto Jai's lap, not caring that he's all wet from swimming.

Minho looks in the direction of the side gate to see if you have come back too. You walk back in behind Zara and he's sure you catch him looking at you, but instead of coming his way, you make a turn to the bedroom.

The day feels long but short at the same time.

Minho gets so confused about picking what he should wear for tonight that he raids Luca's locker to see if he can borrow something. The dressing room is packed because Lana is throwing a party to welcome the new arrivals even though it's a day late for that.

The girls are doing make-up while the boys are goofing around while trying on each other's clothes. He sees you quietly styling your hair at the far end of the vanity table.

"Oh, you're so flexible," Luca exclaims at someone.

Minho turns around to see Esme is showing everyone her grand battement.

"You do ballet too?" He asks her.

"Yeah, jazz," Esme answers as she fixes her dress.

"You're a dancer?" Bryan asks.

Esme nods as she picks up her shoes from the floor and in his peripheral vision, he sees you heading to the bathroom with your make-up bag. He follows you there, seeing you leaning in close to the mirror like you always do.

You don't say anything even though you see him walking into the bathroom and seeing him sitting on the edge of the tub, watching you putting on your contacts. The silence that hangs in the air is deafening and he needs to break it.

"Hey," he softly greets you.

You don't say anything for a moment but wash your hands under the running water.

"You still want to talk to me?" You finally talk after drying your hand with a towel.

"Didn't I just talk to you?" He says.

You turn to face him, leaning against the sink and crossing your arms together in front of you.

"I don't know maybe you prefer to talk to Esme," you tell him.

Oh, so this is all about. Minho gets it now why you've been so quiet and it's because you think something is going on between him and Esme.

"I only talked to her a little bit," Minho explains

"She's only been here for like what? A day? And you're giving her all of your attention," you tell him.

Perplexed, Minho jerks his head back and mutters, "What?"

You hold the edge of the sink and fiercely stare into his eyes, "I'm struggling to get you to make the same effort for me so yeah, I'm angry," you tell him.

One thing he learned is that overdoing things is always a disaster and Minho thinks he gives you just the right amount of attention.

"If you want to explore or keep your options open, that's fine, go ahead," you shove everything back into your pouch.

"But I can't do this," you say for the last time, then leave him in the bathroom.

MINHO: I don't know why I need to explain the reason why I talked to her when I am free to talk to anyone.

Minho isn't the only one getting confronted by his partner, Bryan got it worse with Zara putting an ultimatum on him.

"She wants me to break rule, man," Bryan grumbles and it's a funny thing to see him doing.

"It doesn't necessarily have to be something against the rules," Luca says.

Minho nods in agreement and he's surprised that Zara didn't drop him sooner. Bryan is too busy keeping everyone's hands in their pants and forgetting to treat his girl.

Bryan is so dense, refusing to admit that he's wrong for doing it because, for him, he's only doing the right thing.

"Damn! What did they do in the workshop?" Bryan loudly sighs.

It doesn't feel like a party when everyone is having mixed feelings about the night.

Once the music is blasting though, they throw their weariness away and start dancing. He sees that even you can't stop yourself from moving your body to the fast-paced song.

Just like always, Lana chimes in and abruptly stops the party from going wild.

Everyone is dragging themselves to the cabana, walking in heavy steps and mentally prepared for what she has to say.

"Unfortunately, I must inform you that..."

"Come on! Fess up!" Maisie says with an exhausted tone.

"What I'm observing is far from positive."

Zara groans then links her arm with yours, making Minho glance across the table to see you leaning on Jack's shoulder.

Everyone's eyes are aimed at Jai and Agnes, the biggest spending couple.

"I swear to you, I'm celibate," Jai convinces and with no grin on his face.

"So far, you have lost $60.000. You are taking this process for granted. It is clear I need to streamline the group."

MINHO: Lana, what have you done now? [Glares at camera]

"Two of you must leave the retreat tonight," Lana informs.

Minho automatically thinks of the things he's done wrong in the retreat and the possibility that he's one of the two is big. He looks at you and you slump down on the sofa with Jack putting his arm around you.

He wishes that he could hold you because this probably would be the last time he's able to.

"The first one to leave the retreat is... Alia."

Alia breaks into tears, looking so disappointed but she seems to have expected this. Agnes who's sitting next to her, hugs her for comfort.

MINHO: I think Alia isn't investing herself enough into the process and Lana sees that.

"The second person leaving is... Jack."

Everyone sees this one coming and that includes Jack. Minho can breathe now that he's still here and not being sent home tonight.

Jack has been treating this retreat like a playground but maybe that's because he's young, he doesn't think much about the repercussions of the things he did.

"It is now time for both of you to leave the retreat."

You kiss Jack on the cheek and hug him, Zara having no problems hugging both of you with her long arms.

Minho gets up to properly send them away with a friendly hug and a goodbye.

"I hope this is a lesson for the rest of you to take this process more seriously," Lana concludes.

MINHO: I'm very relieved to still be here. Guess I have to try a little bit harder.

Everyone wakes up still in loss of Jack and Alia, not expecting that their absence would leave the space this empty.

On the other hand, it makes Minho did a lot of thinking last night as he slept on the bed alone. He wants to do things right from now on but it's not easy to build connections, especially after you choose to sleep alone on the vacant bed.

Minho just wanted to be left alone for the day but that's impossible.

In the afternoon, Lana calls everyone to the cabana. The first thing everyone sees is the little gift boxes on the table.

"Are we getting gifts from Lana?" Maisie asks.

"It's about time we get some good news," Luca comments as he plops down the sofa next to her.

Jai squints his eyes as he stares at the box in front of him, "I don't know. Seems like a trap to me," he jokingly says.

There goes Lana's melodic chimes and everyone is collectively taking a breath to mentally prepare themselves for whatever she is going to share.

"Hello, everyone. I have a gift for each of you."

Minho hopes that whatever it is inside that box, he hopes it's something that encourages him to do good in the retreat.

MINHO: Some money would be good, Lana.

"The gift will serve as a reward to those couples who show me that they're taking the right steps towards deeper connections," Lana continues.

Couples. Minho gives up already because there's no way he can get any reward now that he doesn't have a partner in the retreat.

"They will be given the chance to take those connections further."

Jai gets impatient at the slightest mention that he can do some physical contact as a reward, "Can we open it, Lana?"

But everyone takes the gift without waiting for her answer and Minho takes his, opening it to find a smart watch inside.

"Oh, it's not a vibrator," you meekly say with a disappointed look on your face.

Minho smiles at your cute pout and quickly takes his watch out of the box to put it around his wrist, helping Bryan after as he has such a big wrist.

"When I observe two people forming a genuine connection, they will be given a green light like this..."

The watches chime and turn green at the same time. Agnes is cheering the loudest out of everyone.

"Where the rules do not apply for a limited amount of time," Lana further explains.

For a limited amount of time but at this point, Minho takes whatever he can get.

"I would like to remind you that those who do not receive a green light are not displaying enough process."

MINHO: Green light means you can fuck. No green light means you're fucked.

Minho is pessimistic that he'll get a green light.

For that to happen, he has to have a partner first. Even after he has a partner, there's no guarantee that he'll have that connection with that person.

The complications do not stop there, for a connection to form, he has to open up and share personal things with someone. He's been doing casual dating where he doesn't need to do all of that.

Lana wouldn't put that much money into a prize if it's easy to win it. Giving praises to each other wouldn't grant you a green light which is what Jai and Agnes are doing right now.

"Lana is a computer, she must have installed the latest high-tech BS detector," Minho tells them, sending them into waves of laughter.

MINHO: I have one person that I think I shared a connection with but she's... uh, I think she hates me now.

Minho watches as the couple grows and falls apart around him.

For tonight, another ship goes down as Zara switches Bryan with the new arrival, Noah.

He knows that it's only about time that Zara takes such a great measure to teach Bryan a thing or two.

However, Minho doesn't expect that he'll be collateral damage in all this.

Since Zara is sleeping with the new guy, leaving Esme bedless, and has to choose a different partner tonight.

The first option is Bryan but of course, she's not going to insert herself in the drama. The safest choice would be to share a bed with you but she senses that you're not that welcoming of her.

There's no way she's going to sleep on the sofa so Minho scoots to his usual side of the bed and lets her have the other side.

There's a big chance that you're going to think that he's happy to share a bed with Esme and that makes him stay awake the whole night thinking that you'll hate him more after tonight.

MINHO: Esme is a good bed partner but I don't think she's the one I can form a connection with.

It's not cocky.

Minho knows that he's attractive and girls like him, they get flirty with him. In conclusion, he knows when a girl is into him.

Esme has been too obvious. The first thing he saw this morning was the eyes and the smile she gave him.

Minho is sitting with half of his body soaked in the pool water when Esme jumps in and joins him.

"Hey," she sweetly greets.

Minho smiles and greets her back.

"So, how did you feel sharing a bed with me?" Her hands are floating around, making ripples on the water.

"It was nice," he answers.

She chuckles in response, "It'd be much nicer with some cuddles."

She fixes the straps of her bikini and continues talking, "How are things? Where's your head at the moment?"

Minho is a firm believer that honesty is the best policy but oftentimes, being honest leads him to hurt people rather than do them good.

At the same time, Minho shouldn't keep leading her on with false hope. He should be honest but do it gently.

"I was already with someone before you came and I know we're not on good terms right now..." he pauses as he has to filter his thoughts first before speaking them out.

"You're pretty and nice, but I owe it to her to try and see where this is going," he explains more.

Esme nods and her smile falters a little. It's not a thing that she can accept in a second. She needs time to process this.

"Yeah..." she meekly answers.

Minho takes this as a cue to give her the space, "I'll see you later?"

"Yes," she answers.

MINHO: Esme and I... I just don't see any chemistry there between us.

Lana starts the night early by throwing a party at the beach.

There's a bonfire, coolers full of bottled beers, and glasses of exotic-looking cocktails.

It helps Minho to relax after a nerve-wracking moment of rejecting a girl. It's a big deal because if he's out there, he wouldn't drop a beautiful girl like Esme like that.

Also, Minho knows best that when something good happens, he becomes suspicious that Lana will interrupt with a shocking announcement.

The only shocking this is the arrival of two new guests on a boat.

The music stops playing as the first guest walks down the stairs and jumps onto the water. A girl with long black hair and voluptuous body, and bright eyes that catches attention.

"Hi, hi," she greets everyone.

Jai looks too excited even though he's pretty much settled with Agnes, offering his hand to help her walk, "What's your name?"

"I'm Sofia," she says.

Luca elbows Minho on the side and foolishly grins, "She's hot," he quietly mutters.

Sofia proceeds to introduce herself to everyone with a quick hug and when it gets to his turn, Minho shakes her hand instead.

"Minho," he keeps his introduction short.

MINHO: The new girl is attractive. Very beautiful eyes.

The girls are cheering as the other guest jumps down the boat.

The new guy is tall and has abs that look like they were sculpted by God himself. He flashes everyone his bright, white smile and steps into the party.

"Hey, I'm Kane," he introduces, not wasting time eyeing the girls.

Minho catches that his eyes stay a second longer on you than on everyone else. He drains his bottle of beer empty and quickly grabs another.

They get comfortable as the party continues and questions get thrown around at them as the sun sinks lower into the horizon.

"So, what's your type?" Maisie asks the new guy.

"I'm getting a lot of eyes right now," he says with a sheepish smile.

Minho turns to look and you are one of the girls giving him the eyes right now, tugging a straw between your teeth and waiting in anticipation for his answer.

"I like a girl with a nice body and a beautiful smile," he says, sneaking a few glances at you as he speaks.

You turn to whisper at Agnes and he can read your lips saying, "He's cute."

He scoffs because it takes you one cute guy and barely an hour to change your mind.

MINHO: No. I don't feel intimidated at all. [Nonchalantly shrugs]

The problem with starting the night early is that it's going to be a long one.

Minho changes his clothes, styling his hair quickly and he doesn't feel like talking to anyone but Bryan drags him to accompany him talking to the new girl.

He's not sure that Bryan is making a good choice right now.

"We're just going to talk to her, nothing else," Bryan says.

Minho sighs and sits down on the sofa on the terrace, "Yeah but you're giving the impression that you don't care about Zara anymore," he bluntly tells him.

The smile vanishes in a second and Bryan trudges away to talk to the new girl by himself.

That's good because Minho feels like he wants to spend the rest of the night alone. Luca decides to break his serenity by sitting on the other sofa.

"You're not talking to the new girl?" He asks.

Minho reclines on the sofa and shakes his head.

There's a sound of laughter coming from the bedroom and from the window he sees you talking to the new guy. He doesn't want to care but... he cares.

Luca seems to pick it up right away, "I know you're trying to play it cool and act like it doesn't bother you," he says.

"But you have everything you need and the chance to make things better," Luca pauses to sip his drink.

"It's all up to you."

Minho is feeling so called out and the one who's doing it is Luca. He seems to be more mature than his actual age but he respects him for saying things that not many people would dare to say to him.

"Do you think she likes him?" Minho asks as he leers to see you laugh.

"Why don't you ask her?" Luca simply asks him back.

Minho doesn't know why he waits around for you when he's been the one acting so selfishly, talking to another girl like it's not going to affect you.

He gets it now, the taste of his own medicine.

MINHO: Yeah, okay, I get it now.

It's so hard to get some alone time with you, it's even harder with two new guests in the house.

He quietly watches you as you wipe your make-up clean in the dressing room and you'll eventually go to the bathroom to wash your face.

Minho changes into his comfortable clothes and goes to the bathroom half-naked, knowing that you'll be there.

"Having a good night?" He casually asks as he's using the other sink next to you.

You stay quiet as you wash your toothbrush under the running water, "Sofia is hot. Why don't you have a good night with her?"

Minho finds your passive-aggressive endearing instead of annoying. He quietly smiles as he takes his toiletry bag from the drawer.

"Do you like the new guy?" He asks.

You take a hairbrush from your toiletry bag, "I do like him."

"Yeah, he's cute," Minho half-heartedly comments.

He puts a dollop of toothpaste on his toothbrush and then shrugs, "I'm happy for you."

You burst into laughter and strongly accuse him, "No, you're lying!"

Minho starts brushing his teeth and skips on denying your accusation. He sees that you're still chuckling from the reflection in the mirror.

You put your hairbrush down and get in front of him, putting your arms around his waist.

"You should stop running away from me," you tell him while looking into his eyes.

"I started to get tired of chasing you," you mumble and rest your head on his chest.

Minho misses this. He stops brushing his teeth and wipes his mouth with a towel, hugging you back with his arms around you.

You look up to see his face and putting your hand on his cheek, tenderly caress it before placing a gentle kiss.

"Goodnight!" You softly whisper, then you break away from his hug and leave him again.

Minho is getting the same bitter feeling as you did it for the second time to him. He doesn't want it to happen for the third time, never again.

MINHO: [Shakes head] No, it's not over yet.

Everything feels off.

Not just himself but everyone in the room seemed to be feeling the same when they woke up this morning. Minho shared the bed with Esme again last night and Bryan proceeded to make the worst choice by sleeping with the new girl.

Worst of all, you're sleeping with the new guy and he keeps glaring at him even though he knows it wouldn't scare him off.

After last night, Minho gets hit by the realization that he is missing you and there's a slim chance he can fix everything. The problem is he doesn't know where to begin, he's not poetic nor soft-spoken, he's a man of actions. Other than that, he is running out of time.

When he thought that was the only problem, Lana assembles everyone in the bedroom except for the new guests.

"Hello, everyone. I have gathered you as I have some news."

MINHO: Let it be good news, Lana.

"Sofia and Kane have been given the opportunity to form more meaningful connections by choosing one person each to accompany them on private dates."

This is what Minho forgot to add Lana to the equation. He doesn't want to even think about it but he knows for certain that the new guy will choose you for the private date.

"Sofia has chosen to go on a date with Bryan."

It's so rare to see Bryan smile so brightly and as much as she wants everyone to believe she has moved on, Zara is not pleased with it.

"Kane has chosen to go on a date with..."

Minho doesn't wait to hear your name because it's an obvious one. He keeps his calm and his face straight but Luca is checking on him from across the room.

He slightly shrugs and raises an eyebrow in response to his thumb up.

"Please, go and get ready for your dates."

Minho watches as you get up from the bed and walk with Bryan to the dressing room.

MINHO: I felt fine about her going on this date but since she's left, I'm dwelling on everything.

Minho succeeds at pretending not to care and putting on a tough face.

Except that he can't stop himself from putting on an annoyed face as Jai and Agnes are canoodling on the next bed.

Initially, he thought Jai and Agnes wouldn't last this long but he's relieved to know that he's wrong. He's happy to see them happy but God, he's getting sick of them being lovey-dovey so close to him.

He looks to the other bed and sees Maisie hugging Luca from behind while talking about something. Ugh, it's like the universe is trying to punish him.

"I didn't sign up for this," Minho mumbles to anyone who hears him.

"Are you nervous?" Maisie asks.

He passes on answering and sits on the bed just waiting for the dates to end.

Agnes injects herself by saying, "He is nervous!"

Jai turns on the bed to look at him and laughs, "Hang in there, man!"

MINHO: Not nervous. Just a little... uneasy.

Everyone has claimed their bed but the ones that went to the dates haven't come back yet.

Thankfully, Esme understood right away when Minho kindly asked her to share the bed with the new guy. Like it or not, Minho is going to take you back to his bed tonight, he'll drag you if he had to.

Bryan has returned to the bedroom with a grin plastered on his face, it's kind of disturbing that he steals Jai's antic.

Not long after, the new guy is back by himself.

Minho doesn't want to assume anything yet but he takes it as a good sign. He stays on his bed for some time before going to the dressing room.

Instead of you, he finds the new girl doing her skincare routine.

He flashes a smile as he walks across the room to go through the next door that leads to the bathroom. The sound of water running tells him that you must be in the shower.

This is just perfect, Minho gets the privacy he needs.

MINHO: It's about time. I have to bring her back to me tonight. No matter what.

Minho looks through the glass door and sees you inside with water raining down on your body. He can stand there all day watching you showering but he reminds himself that he has something to do here. Something important.

He opens the shower door just enough to show himself to you and you immediately turn on your feet at the sound of him knocking on the glass door.

The sight of your naked wet body is so distracting that he forgets to talk.

After licking his lips, he finally says, "Hey."

You step away from the shower and wipe the beads of water from your eyes, "yes?"

It's so sudden and out of the blue but Minho knows that it's better late than never. He resists looking anywhere but your face or else he'll forget to speak again.

"You're sleeping me tonight," he confidently remarks with that half smirk of his.

"Why should I?" You ask, tipping your head to the side.

He takes a step forward and leans against the doorway, holding his hand out at you. He can see that you're hesitating but eventually take his hand.

There's no need for words when Minho can show you how much he misses you and wants you back by his side.

He's pulling you close until you stand right in front of him, gliding his hand up to the nape of your neck to tilt your head a little to the side and slowly, he leans in for a kiss.

The kiss is better than he remembered. Maybe it's you or maybe it's the longing that amplified it, either way, it's a one hell of a kiss.

Considering that he's spending money for it, he puts his other hand on your waist to draw you closer and deepens the kiss to make it worth every penny.

You let out a low moan as his tongue invades your mouth and keep your mouth open for him if not returning his kisses with the same eagerness.

He ignores the fact that your wet body dampens the top he's wearing and reluctantly pulls away when he knows you're running out of breath.

Minho smiles as he looks at your face and puts the hair stuck to your forehead to the side, "I'll keep the bed warm for you," he says.

A smile blooms on your face and you nod, "Okay."

MINHO: I'm not good with words but I'm good at something else [raises eyebrow]

You're like a five-year-old to him.

Minho is not saying that you're immature, it's just that your moods are rapidly changing. One minute you're happy, the next minute, you're fussing about something, next thing he knows, you're angry at him.

It can be such a headache sometimes but he likes it because you don't hold back, you're honest about your feelings and you're adorable to him, he wants to tease at any chance he gets.

The happiness is clearly drawn on your face as you're walking to his bed in giddiness and this time, he's ready to offer his arm for you to rest your head on.

Minho shivers as your hand makes contact with his bare chest, he already got rid of his damp top and is too lazy to go to the dressing room to get a new top.

You put your hand across his chest as you settled yourself next to him, nuzzling your nose to his neck, "Did you shower?"

"No," he lies with a sly smile on.

You plant your nose onto his neck to take a sniff and lowly sigh, "I like it," you tell him.

Now that you're by his side, Minho doesn't care about anything else. He doesn't care about the eyes looking at him whether in jealousy or curiosity as to why you got back to his bed again.

Minho wants to focus on you and make you never leave his side again.

MINHO: Okay, now Lana, I need you to close your eyes cause you're not going to like what you see.

Oh, how he misses your body!

Even in the dark, Minho knows what his hands are exploring, miles and miles of silky soft skin, warm and sensitive under his touch. He's only using his fingertips, he wonders what's going to happen if he's using his mouth so he places a long peck on your neck with his hand slipped under the cropped top you're wearing to bed.

"We're not going to sleep tonight," he whispers.

He can hear your smile even without looking and you slightly turn your head to look at him, looking at him as if he wouldn't dare to break rules.

In his opinion, everyone has been doing it wrong. If Minho wanted to break the rules, he wouldn't do a kiss today and another kiss tomorrow. If he's going to break rules, he'd break every rule there is and make it worth every single cent of it.

You curve your hand around his neck and look at his gleaming eyes in the dark, "What do you have in mind?"

Minho puts his hand around your neck and places a trail of fluttering kisses down your jaw.

He takes his hand from under your head so he can hover above you, carefully, putting his whole body on top of you.

A soft moan escapes your mouth as you wrap your legs around his waist and you quickly muffle yourself by pressing your lips together into a thin line.

Just feeling your body against him is enough to arouse him. He turns your head to the side and presses his mouth on your ear.

"We're going to spend a lot of money tonight," he whispers with his hot breath tickling your ear.

MINHO: Well, unless you're into it, you're welcome to watch, Lana.

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shae-pine · 11 days

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I Explain the Context for the songs in The Outsiders Musical

Spoilers for the Musical under cut! I was lucky enough to see the show in person so now that the album is out I decided to provide context for the songs so people listening to the album can know where in the story each one takes place/what is happening on stage during. Also some fun tidbits sprinkled in because this show is really so amazing I can not praise it enough.

Tulsa '67:

The self-explained exposition song. We get the intro being the first line of the book and then we get the song as out introductions to the characters. One thing that is interesting is that there's a projector screen on stage and for this song Pony sits in front of the screen and speaks to the audience while the other characters are behind the screen. Acting out little scenes to show their personality while Ponyboy narrates and at the end of the song the screen lifts up to show a clear view of the stage. It's also right before Ponyboy gets jumped.

Grease Got a Hold:

Right after Ponyboy gets jumped. Like the song says in this version of the story a greaser isn't just something you are born into it's something you "earn" by being beaten down on by the socs. It shows the differences in each character most notably Darry and Dally because Darry hates the idea of Pony being stuck as a greaser, presumably because he wants more for his little brother, while Dally sees being a Greaser as something to be proud of. Presumably the first time Ponyboy gets to grease his hair (this song was also performed on the Today show and I highly recommend looking up the performance it's so good, it should be available on the today show website along with the other songs performed that day)

Runs in the Family:

Darry gets a song! After the previous song we cut to Darry in the Curtis home reflecting on where he was going in life versus where he ended up. In the musical the fact that Darry would be a soc without the gang is played up a lot more. The emphasize Darry's friendship with Paul and their history seems to go a lot deeper than just football buddies. Paul mentions gifting Darry a madras shirt and Darry being over at his house. The rest of the gang piles in at the end of the song.

Great Expectations:

The titular 'I want' song in any musical. The night after getting jumped Ponyboy tells Soda about reading great expectations and after Soda bids him goodnight he starts singing. When he mentions Darry and Johnny the actors come on stage. And at the end of the song the chorus of overlapping voices is the whole gang on the outskirts of the stage looking down/at Pony while Ponyboy sings out to the audience. (This song was also performed on the Today show)

Friday at the Drive-In:

The Soc introduction song. I think an important thing to note is that while the greasers dancing is far more rough and tumble. Jumping around and over each other, spinning and getting out nervous energy. The socs are far more reserved in their movements. They are still dancing around with spins and flips but this scene features a lot of partner dancing that's more self contained than the greasers who jump all around the stage.

I Could Talk To You All Night:

After Johnny tells Dally off/Dally leaves. Ponyboy and Cherry go to the concessions stand together. While in line Ponyboy tells her about Johnny getting jumped to which Cherry tries to defend Bob as Ponyboy already knows it was her boyfriend who beat Johnny up. Her defending him is half hearted though when Pony insists Johnny didn't do anything, he mentions reading Great Expectations to her and she tells him how Pip gets a happy ending before they start this song. It carries the story forward up until the end of the movie/the scene where they try to walk the girls home only for Bob and the socs to stop him. Also, in the musical Cherry does not go with Bob and instead breaks up with him right then and there because she's tired of all the fighting.

Runs in the Family(Reprise):

Ponyboy and Johnny make it to the Curtis house and instead of falling asleep at the lot it's stated that Ponyboy just spent so long talking to Cherry that that was why he was late for curfew. He acts nonchalant about it and Darry bursts into the reprise. There's also a scene here where Darry goes to advance on Johnny only for Soda to step between him(I think this was meant to be a moment where Darry is just lashing out because he's under a lot of stress as a guardian and Johnny is there but it hurts my heart a little to think Johnny was scared in that moment as he backs up and ducks away before Soda steps in front of him) And after the slap Ponyboy freezes until Johnny runs over and tells him they gotta get out of there.

Far Away From Tulsa:

After getting hit is when the two wind up at the park. Their conversation in the book about a life outside of Tulsa is now taking place after Darry has hit Ponyboy which makes his desire to find a place without worries all the more real. Johnny and Pony have this beautiful moment on stage together where they look out to the audience together and imagine a life where they can do and be whoever they want. Which makes it hurt all the more that right after they sing all their desires for a better life is when Bob and the rest of the socs show up.

Run Run Brother:

The two make it to Buck's after the stabbing of Bob where they ask for Dally. It's worth mentioning that Dally straight up mentions his willingness to die for Pony and Johnny, and that he thinks of the two of them as brothers, though I can not remember if this happens here or after 'Grease Got A Hold'. After the first bit of the song the scene shifts from Buck's to Pony and Johnny running to the train/hiding from the workers as they make their way to Windrixville. There's also a line in the beginning when Pony says 'when I came to there was Johnny with his knife' this is important and I'll explain in 'Little Brother.' I also really like the detail of before, during 'Grease Got a Hold', 'you're a greaser now and you ain't going back' was said as a proud statement and now when the chorus sings it it sounds sad and almost like a death sentence.

Justice for Tulsa:

We cut back to Tulsa after the boys escape. The cops line up the socs on the stage as they call for justice now that one of their own has been murdered. When Cherry speaks she is doing it from the police station since she was Bob's girlfriend before leaving to talk to Randy who is organizing a hunting party against the greasers. It's worth mention that when Cherry speaks against him Marcia tries to go to her side only for the other soc girl in the show(Bev) to hold her back. Cherry leaves alone and once she's gone Marcia pick up a flashlight, which serves as the symbol for the socs hunting down the greasers with no mercy during this scene. Where in the book Dally mentions Two-Bit getting jumped during this song we see it happen. The socs jump him and Bev holds a lit cigarette to his cheek while the guys hold him down(in the live version of this song we hear Two-Bit's scream) It's worth mentioning that Randy does not get a redemption in this version, in fact, outside of Cherry the socs are pretty much painted at the bad guys with her as the one exception. Even though we get Randy's emotions with 'this can't be real, he can't be gone' rather than feeling sadness over his friend's death for too long Randy switches to anger. Cherry's role as such has been adapted to be a mix of her and Randy from the book in terms of story beats.

Death's At My Door:

The boy's are in the church, as far as I can recall this was after they cut their hair and I believe it was meant to be implied that a day or two has passed since Bob's death. Though if this is before or after Pony read the poem I no longer remember. The two boys are relying on each other in this scene as they reflect on how nothing is gonna be the same again what with their ability to go home taken away unless they want Johnny to be thrown in jail. Something I forgot to mention before is that Pony blames himself for his parents death. In the musical he say that on Darry's birthday he was supposed to pick up a special frosting for his brother's cake from a bakery his mother liked. But because he forgot his parents had to go out of their way to go and get it and thus were hit by the train because they had to go over the tracks. He tells Cherry before 'I Could Talk To You For Hours' that if he had just remembered his parents would still be alive. Which is why in this song he claims death follows him because he believes his parent's would still be alive if he had remembered to pick up the frosting, and that Bob would still be alive if he hadn't run out of the house/if Johnny didn't need to protect him.

Throwing in the Towel:

We cut back to Darry and Soda after the boys have been missing for a few days. Darry finally breaks down to Soda all the pressure he's under and how he feels like his brother's would be better off without him. He admits how much he thinks this is all his fault for being too hard on Pony and causing him to storm off after hitting him. During this scene while Soda and Darry are singing Ponyboy can be seen at the back on the stage watching them, and during the last chorus of the song 'this it the darkest hour of the darkest night' his voice joins his brothers. (This song was also performed on the Today Show and you should go watch it)

Soda's Letter:

Back in the church now right after Dally gets there after greeting Pony and Johnny he hands over the letter for Pony to read. Ponyboy reads it at the front of the stage while Soda's actor sing behind him/looking at him. Pretty much unchanged in terms of what Soda's letter gives to the story/when it given/read. The final "Ponyboy this house ain't a home without you" is sung by Darry who makes his way onto stage when Soda mentions him in the letter and we see him behind Ponyboy all but begging his brother to come home in this song.

Hoods Turned Heroes:

This is the fire song. We see Pony, Dally and Johnny in the church, I saw Pony light the cigarette and toss it behind him. I saw the flames go up and a terrified Ponyboy going "it's my fault" and then we cut to Two-Bit, grabbing the paper and beginning this song. We see a somewhat split stage in terms of spacing, the greasers back in Tulsa on one side, passing the newspaper between them as they read it, and we see Pony and Johnny in the middle saving the kids from the church. The scene is actually so creatively done and I adore it, outside of the fire they have two actors hold up a blanket and use shadows to show Pony and Johnny pulling kids from the fire since there are no child actors in this production. Interlaced with the puppetry of the saving kids we see Johnny and Pony sliding out from under the blanket and jump around beams that are held up by other actors while the paper is being read. All ending with Dally going in after Johnny. The scene changes to Dally holding Johnny, who's been changed into a hospital gown, and Dally gently lays him on the hospital bed when the song ends.

Hopeless War:

Before the rumble Pony does not leave the hospital. He stays there watching Johnny until Cherry comes in. She looks at Johnny, asking after his health, before turning to Pony and begging him not to fight. But if you recall earlier, as far as the musical is concerned the fire was set by Ponyboy's cigarette(sidenote: I think it'd be cool if every night they rotated who lights the cigarette and throws it and just switch Pony's line from "it's my fault" to "it's our fault" but I only saw the show once so I assume it's the same every time for who lights the fire even though it the book and movie we don't know for sure) So Pony can't listen to Cherry, even though in this scene she's taking the place of Pony's discussion with Randy in the book about the fight not making areal difference, because he sees this as his only chance to try and do something for Johnny since he can't do much else but watch over him in the hospital.

Trouble:

We cut to directly after Pony's discussion with Cherry. The greasers have their war cry of trouble brewing as everyone prepares for the rumble. While Ponyboy gets ready Darry comes up and begs him not to fight. If you recall during "Grease Got a Hold" Darry says how Pony "better know what you're fighting for" But he still doesn't want his brother to have to fight. But by this point Pony had his reason for fighting and he's the one to rally the gang with the call of "Do it for Johnny!" right before the socs roll up. Dally does say “do it for Johnny” at the beginning of the song but it’s Ponyboy who uses it as a war cry. Dally also has a moment where he calls out Darry for being on the greasers side when he was so against being a greaser before, but Darry looks at him and says confidently "once a greaser always a greaser". Paul has a moment with Darry where he calls him out for wanting to be a soc but Darry shuts him right down and the rumble is on.

Little Brother:

Right after the rumble the entire gang heads over to see Johnny, yes, the entire gang. Not just Pony and Dally everyone gathers around him and tells him about beating the socs. They watch as Johnny tells Pony to stay gold and they all break down when he passes, Dally runs out before anyone can stop him. He makes it to the top of the stage, and he begins his song. breaking down the boards around him in a show of anger and violence while the ensemble sings below him looking up. He says tearfully "I could not save you" remember during 'Run run brother' where I said the knife would be brought up later? It's because Dally was the one to give him the switchblade. Before the socs get their number Dally comes across Johnny staying in the lot while his parents are fighting. He tells Dally how he's been uncertain since he was jumped to be out alone. So Dally reaches into his jacket, pulls out the blade, and gives it to him(that one promo pic) and Dally tells him that "if you're gonna use it, use it" and I believe he says something along the lines of "because if you do there's no going back" Dally gave Johnny that knife to try and protect him, but all it did was sign his death warrant. It protected him from Bob but not from anything else, not from the fire. And when Dally said he would die for Pony and Johnny he meant it. He sings and is joined by the cast who echo him "little brother" but he stands alone at the top of the stage. He makes his way down to the bottom portion of the stage, stepping onto the train tracks(in my mind it's the same spot where the Curtis' parents crashed) planting his feet and squaring his shoulders before the song ends, and the train comes. According to Ponyboy his body derailed the train, and Pony likes to believe that despite that, some part of Dallas Winston managed to make it's way back to New York. (Playbill released Joshua Boone singing this song and it's so heartbreaking because there is no ensemble in that version so you have to sit with the harsh melody when Dally makes his choice to face the train head on)

Stay Gold:

After Dally's death we head back to the Curtis house. We don't get a time frame but going off the book it's been a week or two since they've both died. Cherry comes by with Johnny's things from the hospital, she mentions she volunteers there now, and gives Pony Johnny's letter for him. Pony refuses to read it but after Soda has his break down about "we're all we got left" he grabs Johnny's letter and starts to read it for Pony. Getting a line or two in before Pony asks for it, starts to read it himself, and the song begins. Johnny Cade joins us back on stage as he sings to Pony his hope for the world he has to leave behind. And of course, that request to stay gold.

Finale (Tulsa '67):

After reading Johnny's letter Ponyboy begins to write his theme. He finishes a page or two before joining his brothers at the table, he tells them what he writing about and Soda tells him to read it. Pony says it's only a few pages but Darry speaks up, "Can I read it?" he asks. And Pony hands it over, it isn't Ponyboy reading that intro again, but Darry, determined to do better by his brother and reading his work. He and Soda pass the theme to each other, taking turns reading sections aloud while Pony sings. Sings about Tulsa and the gang, of Dally who saw being a greaser as a badge of honor, of Johnny who wanted more for himself and more for Ponyboy who vows that "in his memory I'll stay gold!" The entire cast comes onto the stage as they sing, no longer to each other but to the audience, "stay gold!" It is something that has stuck with me and will stick with me to know that those final lines were no longer characters talking to each other, but talking to the audience right as the show comes to an end.

Anyways this got way longer then I thought but if you want me to ramble more about the show literally just ask I can not stop thinking about it. Might make another post about the differences between the musical and the book.

#the outsiders musical #the outsiders #the outsiders musical spoilers #outsiders musical spoilers #ponyboy curtis #darry curtis #sodapop curtis #steve randle #two bit mathews #dallas winston #johnny cade #ace the greaser

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transmascutena · 3 months

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the scenes where characters go to the dueling arena without an actual duel are so interesting with the context of it actually being the planetarium in akio's tower.

in episode 9 there's the illusion of the castle falling down and anthy in the coffin when saionji tries to bring her to the arena. so many questions of who did that and why. definitely to mess with saionji in some way obviously, anthy's coffin is the same that he and touga found utena in, and he's been thinking about that moment throughout the episode. touga is the one who wrote him the fake letter from end of the world, but he couldn't have known all that would happen (he certainly couldn't have caused it to) unless he was working with akio. but when he calls him at the end of the episode, it's definitely implied that he didn't. so i think it's more likely that its was anthy who did it, to keep pushing things along. she and touga do kind of work together a lot in this arc to manipulate people (usually nanami, though that isn't really relevant here). touga needed to set up his fake rescue of utena and it makes sense that anthy would help him out by messing with the projector (the fact that utena gets another moment to feel like a hero is a bonus too). which means akio probably did also know, and just pretended he didn't in the phone call with touga later. i also don't think touga knows about the projector or the illusions, i think he just assumed anthy would. idk, pretend to lie helpless on the ground, not all the elaborate bullshit she pulled instead. he does only come up there after the illusion is gone, after all.

the scene in episode 36 is cool because it takes a moment for the floating castle to actually appear, which implies that utena and touga's trip up there was unexpected somehow? the projection isn't on. or not fully on at least, since it still is projecting the arena itself. i wonder what it means (i have thoughts but nothing coherent). it's also kind of funny that touga comes to get utena in the tower and then they walk all the way to the arena which is. also the tower. and they go up there to stargaze! which is ironic. and symbolic. they think they're looking at real stars, but it's still the projected ones. it shows how much touga has bought into akio's worldview, even if he is trying to do what he thinks is right here. and honestly, it is kind of a sweet moment, just not for the reasons he thinks. they're two lonely kids who have been (and are being) hurt by the same man in a very similar way, even if neither of them realize how true that really is. touga is framing his request for them to sit together in a very romantic way, which it obviously isn't, but maybe they can still offer each other some comfort. who knows. it's kind of tragic that it's all happening in akio's tower though. they are not free. not even slightly.

i think the parallel of both of these moments being touga using the arena to stage his "rescueing" of utena, the first one being entirely manipulative, and the second being something of a genuine (if completely misguided) attempt, is very cool.

#i could probably write an actual coherent analysis of these scenes these are just some thoughts i had while rewatching ep 9 #revolutionary girl utena #analysis #utena #touga #anthy #saionji #akio #m

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shih-coulda-had-it · 2 months

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teenage menaces

wc: ~850; context: set a few months into the last year of Aldera, Toshinori baits Bakugou into a fist-fight and they got in trouble with admin. this was mostly me testing out whether or not I could write Bakugou without stepping into the bashing zone. izuku pov.

The three of them wait outside the classroom: Kacchan impatiently, Izuku anxiously, and Yagi cheerfully.

“Yagi-san, what if you get expelled?” Izuku hisses, weaving his fingers together to stop them from twitching.

“Then I’ll get homeschooled? Honestly, Midoriya-kun!” He laughs under his breath, grinning way too big for a boy who got in trouble for beating up the star pupil of Aldera. Kacchan—looks small, next to him. Small and furious, like he doesn’t know the right way to get Yagi to shut up and sit down. Izuku prays that Kacchan never finds out that Yagi is actually All Might. Something might really break.

“Shut the hell up,” Kacchan snarls. “I can’t hear what they’re saying.”

“Ah, if I know my old man…”

“I told you to shut up!”

“You don’t want to place a bet on it, Bakugou-shonen?”

“WHO ARE YOU CALLING ‘YOUNG’?!”

The door swings open to reveal a pale-faced principal and a deeply unimpressed Gran Torino. The latter is out of uniform, but the clean-cut fashion of the button-up and slacks does an effective job at communicating Torino’s professionalism. He swipes the end of his cane at Yagi’s ankle, and Yagi yelps and jumps in surprise.

“Who are you calling ‘old man’?” Torino snaps.

“Sorry,” Yagi says unapologetically. “What’s gonna happen, jii-san?”

“You’re suspended for three days,” the old man announces, and because Yagi looks delighted at not having to attend school, meaning Kacchan looks furious at this apparent light sentence, the principal valiantly steps in.

“You’ll obviously have assignments over this period, to reflect on your actions. And Bakugou-kun must have an apology made to him.”

“I don’t want his stupid apology!” Kacchan spits.

“Fujita-san,” says Torino, “I believe I told you what was going to happen. I’ll get the parents’ permission. They might even be happy about seeing their son in action, if the boy wants to be a hero. Just get me two teachers.”

“Torino-san, this is a deeply improper way to handle the situation—!”

“The entire way you’re running your school is improper,” he drawls. “Don’t worry, it’s not an issue unique to your administration. I know what I’m doing, and I know my boy. He won’t be the one hitting below the belt.”

Izuku connects the dots faster than either Kacchan or Yagi. He blurts out, “Are you having them fight?”, and two blond heads whip around to stare (or glare) him down, then back at each other. Yagi’s grin widens.

Torino says mildly, “In martial arts classes, they call it a spar. Clears the head, knowing the hierarchy… of who’s better.”

The principal’s distress is palpable. “It’s not legal,” he protests.

“I’d win,” Kacchan declares, bristling. Izuku bites his tongue to stop himself from trying to intervene. This is not a fair fight that Torino is setting up; however Quirkless Yagi is, he hasn’t lost the experience of his time as All Might, and with all the training that Torino’s put them through, his muscle memory and reflexes are sharp. Just because Torino is promising to get parental and teacher supervision—god, it’s a whole trap. Kacchan can’t beat Yagi unless Yagi overestimates him. It would take a legitimate miracle for Yagi to lose.

“I don’t know, jii-san,” Yagi says playfully. “Isn’t that a little mean to Bakugou-kun? He won’t be able to use his Quirk in the fight.” Unlike today, his smile says.

“You need a Quirk to punch someone down?” Torino responds, and he rolls his eyes at Yagi’s tone. “That’s when you cross into villain territory. No. This is going to be good old-fashioned fisticuffs.”

Does Kacchan sense it? He must. He’s never been an idiot. The way his eyes dart down to Torino, assessing, attempting to reassess the old man’s threat level, to so casually propose arranging a fight between two fifteen year olds—Kacchan knows the shape of the trap, then. It just depends on whether he believes he can win.

And Kacchan, Izuku knows, believes in winning.

“Midoriya-kun,” the principal suddenly says, and Izuku flinches at the sheer hope in the man’s tone. “You’ve known Bakugou-kun for a long time. Did he start the fight?”

The weight of all their eyes is overwhelming. His loyalty is being torn two ways, and he doesn’t know who to save. If he stops this fight, and denies Kacchan the chance to show off his skills and heart, Kacchan will hate him. If he stops this fight, and affirms that Yagi threw the first punch, then—All Might won’t hate him. The wry twist to Yagi’s smile is basically a blessing to disavow his fellow Quirkless classmate.

But Izuku doesn’t want to disappoint All Might, or even Gran Torino.

He trembles, breathes shakily, and says, “Kacchan would never miss a fight he couldn’t win,” and in the time his audience takes to process, Izuku quite deliberately sides with Yagi. Not hiding. Standing elbow to elbow, in solidarity.

Kacchan’s face twists. “Deku,” he hisses.

“Focus, boy,” Torino says, and his cane clacks against the linoleum flooring. “Your fight’s with Toshinori. That is, if your parents agree to supervise.”

“What if they’re too busy?”

“We’ll find a time.”

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zukosdualdao · 1 month

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something that gets to me a lot when people suggest iroh was wrong for not intervening during the agni kai is like... can we just think through what would have happened if he'd tried?

before i say this, i want to also say that intervening in abuse in real life is also a difficult, complicated, and often inaccessible process. that doesn't mean people shouldn't try or that i think it's right things are that way - but there are legal parameters to what one is allowed to do in a situation where they witness or suspect abuse, particularly for things that are not universally recognized as inappropriate and abusive behaviors.

with that in mind:

the agni kai is a culturally sanctioned, violent, ritualistic duel. that doesn't make what ozai does right, of course, but it does make intervening that much harder. ozai was pretty obviously breaking the acceptable terms of an agni kai (because we may not know all the rules, but even if it's not an official standard, attacking a surrendering opponent is pretty much universally recognized as bad form. evidence that this is also true in-universe is that azula deliberately uses this cultural value to her advantage by faking her surrender when fighting iroh, zuko, and the gaang so that they'll stop attacking and she can strike iroh in bitter work. edit: i misspoke, this was the chase. whoops!) therefore, one could argue that someone (such as iroh) would have been in the bounds of their rights to step in during the agni kai. and i agree! he absolutely would have been, at least morally. but legally, he is living under the imperalist rule of his brother, so... acting like it's so simple ignores the power imbalance not just between zuko and ozai, but iroh and ozai at this stage of their lives.

sure, iroh was once next in line to be firelord, but that hasn't been true in a few years by this point, and ozai is now the absolute monarch of their nation. iroh can't appeal to a higher authority or report the danger zuko is in because ozai is the highest authority in their nation, and he's the one posing a danger to zuko.

some might argue, then, that iroh should have physically intervened, but again, i think it's important we consider context. because again - ozai is the absolute authority of the fire nation at this point. defying him in this way would be treason, and ozai has plenty of guards and other military officers under his rule that could fight iroh for him, even if ozai didn't deign to do it himself.

iroh is a powerful bender and a good fighter, but he's one man and unlikely to be able to gain the upper hand in a fight where he's so clearly outnumbered by people loyal to the regime, which ozai currently leads. the most likely results of iroh's potential intervention, in my opinion, would have been his getting arrested or killed, and zuko still getting burned and banished, only now without iroh coming along to look out for him. if he had tried to physically intervene, it would have been on the frankly very slim chance that he could have somehow managed to fight off ozai/guards/military officers, remove zuko from the situation, and safely get himself and zuko out of the palace...

and, in the wise words of iroh himself, then what? they wouldn't have the (already somewhat meager, compared to zhao's or azula's) resources they have in book one, yet they absolutely could not stay on fire nation soil at that point. maybe they could have figured something out??? like, i don't know how. (the part of my brain that likes thinking up aus and then never writing them imagines maybe he contacted the white lotus and hid out until they came, but i digress.)

but again, there's nothing iroh could have done in this situation that wouldn't have been risking not only his own, but zuko's safety. zuko's safety was already compromised in the agni kai, of course, but iroh maintaining his own safety meant he would be available to try and protect zuko in the long-term.

none of this means that i don't think iroh felt ashamed and guilty about his inaction (he quite obviously did, based on the way he recounts the story and how he "looked away" in the storm.) and i also don't think it would be totally unsympathetic or wrong for zuko to have some amount of resentment for it, either (i think this is less based in canon, but i've seen it in fics - where they otherwise clearly have a largely positive relationship - and i think it can be done well and add to the dynamic in an interesting and meaningful way.) it's obviously awful that this was done to zuko. but the nature of abuse is that it can often leave people, both the victims and the witnesses, with very few, if any, good choices. and that's tragic, but the onus of that tragedy will always be on the abuser - in this case, on ozai.

#abuse //#fandom critical #ig #ask to tag //#zuko & iroh #zuko #iroh #ozai #atla meta #my meta #also a note that i'm not saying iroh necessarily thought it through so deeply. i'm not Not saying it like i think he would obviously be #aware of the risks #but just. i think acting like it's simple does a disservice to the story

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reasonsforhope · 4 months

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hey i get what youre trying to say with the taylor swift post but as of a few days ago shes trying to sue a college student who posts her (publicly available) flight logs. she very much does not give a shit about her carbon emissions and she shouldn’t be celebrated for her mediocre attempts to seem climate-conscious

I get what you're saying, definitely. I also did actually know about the thing with the college student when I posted that, so I wanted to give some context about why I made that post:

First, I personally didn't view it as celebrating her so much as celebrating progress. I think that if we never acknowledge wins, we'll end up dispirited very quickly

Second, recognizing when people decide to be less shitty is, at least I think, an important carrot in the carrot-and-stick dynamic of using public opinion to influence public figures

Lastly - and this may well be an unpopular opinion - but I don't actually hold her actions re: the college student against her

Why?

Well, for one, it was a cease and desist letter, not an attempted lawsuit. A cease and desist letter isn't legally binding, nor is it the start of a lawsuit - it's more like she's Putting Him On Notice. A cease and desist order can be followed by a lawsuit, if it's ignored, but it doesn't initiate one. Likely Taylor Swift will try several other steps of resolution before actually telling her lawyers to sue this guy, if only because the headlines would Not look good (x, x)

But more than that, I don't hold it against her because when Taylor Swift says that it's a matter of life and death for her, I believe that's very true.

Like, don't get me wrong, I'm not mad about her flight data being up either. And I'm not particularly a fan of Taylor Swift

But I also think that if I had to read through the rape and death threats she gets on an almost-certainly-daily basis, I'd want to vomit.

And I think that was true before Trump and his minions got obsessed with the idea that she's the keystone in the next Biden-election-stealing Pentagon psyops plot. Now - especially in the days right before the Superbowl, when this alleged conspiracy is supposed to happen - I don't even want to think about the brutality of the threats she's receiving

(For anyone going "Uh, wtf?" about the MAGA Superbowl Taylor Swift conspiracy thing, yes, I hate to inform you that it's A Whole Thing. More info here: x, x, x, x, x, x)

Taylor Swift does have stalkers, and now she has a bunch of MAGA paramilitary conspiracy theorists absolutely furious with her. If I were her, I'd want to do every single thing I could to keep information on my movements and in-the-moment location off the internet, too

tl;dr: I don't necessarily think she cares about the environment, but I'm not mad at her for sending a cease and desist letter because I think without her extensive security, she would be in real danger now, including possibly danger of being killed by armed MAGA conspiracy theorists

You're allowed to be mad at her and dislike her (obviously!), you're allowed to totally disagree with my attitude toward the cease and desist. I just wanted to share my rationale for including the post (and it is something I went back and forth on tbh)

#Anonymous #ask #me #taylor swift #celebrities #private jets #planes #cw rape mention #cw vomit mention #cw stalking #sidenote I'm really not sure why “she's going to endorse Joe Biden at the Superbowl” counts as a conspiracy theory #much less worth KILLING HER over #but they're straight up going on about her being an official asset for pentagon psyops #so #apparently it is #edited quickly to reflect the fact that she's accused of being a pentagon psyop asset #not a deep state member #literally only because she's not in any kind of official political anything I'm sure

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retrobutterflies · 2 years

Text

The Eddie Special | e.m.

Eddie Munson x Female!Reader

Summary: When the world suddenly feels like it's crushing you under its weight, one person always manages to make you feel whole again. And it's getting increasingly harder not to admit your true feelings for him.

Word Count: 4k

Warnings: Themes of sadness and anxiety, Major Fluff, Friends to Lovers

A/N: It's okay to feel sad or lonely or anxious for no reason. It's the silly price we pay for being humans. But you'll be okay.

It had been the most uneventful and mundane day, with little to note and even less to remember and yet for some reason as you pushed out of the swinging double doors of school, flat of your shoes scuffing down concrete steps, you felt like you could barely breathe. It was like you and Atlas had switched places and all of a sudden the weight of the word was on your shoulders and your shoulders alone. The waves of anxiety that had started shallow at the start of the day had swelled and were building like a tsunami of raw emotion, ready to swallow you whole if you gave in.

You weren't sure when you had bit your lip but you could taste the metallic iron on your tongue. And the chilled air nipped harshly at your cheeks and your heart was hammering in your chest and you could feel beyond the horizon of anxiety the blanket of sadness waiting to wrap around you until everything was dark and bleak and empty.

You stumbled over a stray rock and noticed one of your laces was undone but you didn't have the energy to bend down and tie it so you kept walking, tripping a few steps later and feeling the burning shame of embarrassment mix in with the dread and unease like oil and water sploshing around in your stomach.

You wanted nothing more than to go home, crawl into your bed, and fall asleep if only to escape the overwhelming emotions for a few hours. And maybe when you woke up they would be pulling back like it was low tide again and you'd be able to breathe. Because these emotions had no cause. Sometimes they just happened and they curled around your neck and layered over your eyes until you felt nothing other than hopelessness like a cruel and wicked game with you as the unwilling pawn.

You crossed into the parking lot with heavy eyes sweeping over car hoods and bobbing heads until they settled on a familiar untamed mane. Eddie Munson was leaning against the side of his truck staring down at Dustin Henderson whose mouth was forming words quicker than you could've attempted to decipher. And Eddie was rolling his eyes and saying something back, arms crossed and head quirked.

"You're missing the entire point! It's not the fact that they fought the Soul Reaper, it's the fact that they chose that specific route which would put them in his path which was foreshadowed in the first book–" Dustin's voice was adamant and they way he argued had you believing his point without even knowing the context for the conversation.

"Does luck not exist in your world, Henderson? Happenstance? Coincidence perhaps? Or the fact that it was the only route that didn't involve a known threat?" Eddie's voice was a mixture of annoyance and barely concealed amusement.

"It's never a coincidence in a fantasy trilogy where even the color of their cloaks has meaning, Eddie!"

Eddie was first to notice your presence, turning to face you with his eyes lighting up.

"Y/N agrees with me, don't you?" he said, shifting his body so his back was resting against the frigid surface of his van so he could face you. Dustin rolled his eyes and let out a scoff.

"She does not–" Dustin sounded frustrated, seemingly ignoring the muffled voice coming from what you presumed was his walkie-talkie buried somewhere in the depths of his bag.

"Yes she does. She always does," Eddie shot back, turning to cast him a look.

"She doesn't even know what we're talking about–"

"Yeah, well, she knows I'm right–"

"She doesn't–Oh my god," Dustin huffed, dropping his backpack to the ground, ripping open the zipper and viciously digging through it to find his walkie-talkie. The voice coming from it was louder and more clear as he plucked it from his bag and wrestled with the antenna.

"What, Mike?" he hissed into the receiver.

"I've been calling you for like the past ten minutes! Where are you Dustin–" Mike's heavily irritated voice crumbled through the static and Dustin squeezed his eyes shut in aggravation.

"I'm coming! Can you tell Steve to look up the definition of patience," Dustin struggled to zip his bag back up, tucking the walkie-talkie in between his neck and shoulder before swinging the bag over his back.

"Steve says to run or he's leaving you," Mike quipped back and faintly you could hear Steve's voice grumbling something about Henderson and idiot and manners.

"Sorry, I gotta go. I'll see you Monday," he said to Eddie, a rueful grimace on his face. He turned to you, face brightening into a smile, eyes squinted in childlike glee.

"Y/N, it's nice to see you. You look lovely," he said and you were barely able to give him a parting smile before he was darting across the parking lot in the direction of Steve's car, hissing something else into his walkie as he ran.

Eddie let out a low chuckle, shaking his head as he watched the freshman nearly barrel into a disgruntled couple before turning his attention back to you.

"Hey, sunshine."

Two simple words and you felt like you were going to burst. His regular term of endearment for you felt distinctly out of place on a day where you felt like all the storm clouds in the world were nestling in your brain. You took a shaky breath, chanced a look up into his eyes and felt your throat tighten.

He slowly pushed himself off the van, arms falling to his sides as he took in your appearance. Shoulders slumped, hair messed up from fidgeting with it it one too many times, lower lip bitten raw and swollen. But your eyes clued him in to your inner turmoil. He felt his own mood plummeting as he studied you and your rounded doe eyes lacking their usual sparkle.

"What happened?" he asked, taking a step closer, feeling his hand flex as if he wanted to reach out and touch you. And a hot rush of anger splashed his cheeks directed at whoever or whatever was causing your chin to wobble and his heart to clench.

You shook your head, biting down on your sore lip as you fought back the embarrassing stinging of tears in your eyes because nothing had happened. There was nothing remotely different from yesterday where you were laughing so hard your stomach ached from one of Eddie's anecdotes to today where you felt like the winds had been viciously ripped from your sails.

"Nothing," you managed to squeeze out, feeling salty tears collect in your lashes, one or two spilling out, chasing each other down your cheeks, "Just, sad, I don't know, I feel–"

You couldn't finish, feeling your throat tighten more as the tsunami crept closer and closer. And the panic that had been lurking under your skin since the moment you had woken up started clawing its way up your neck until your breaths started coming out shaky and uneven.

"I'm sorry," you whimpered, shame suddenly burning hot in your stomach as more tears fell and soon you were crying, the emotions you had been fighting all day winning the battle.

He stepped closer until his cologne was invading your senses and you could feel the heat emanating from his body. Hesitantly his hand reached out to your back, scratching lightly at your shoulder blade, ducking his head down to catch your eyes that were focused on the ground because looking at him made your embarrassment worse.

"Hey, woah," he said, his other hand reaching up to capture your chin to tilt it upwards so he could see your face, feeling his heart clench at the sight of your tears, "why are you apologizing?"

"Because nothing happened and I'm crying for no reason and I'm being stupid–" a few choppy breaths followed by a hiccup cut you off and Eddie was grimacing at you like you were causing him physical pain.

He knew you've had these moments before where the world felt suffocating with seemingly no explanation. He's had them too where he's locked himself in his room and buried himself in his comforter, no energy to even listen to music. But you weren't being stupid. The price of having good moments was that sometimes bad moments lurked between. And he'd be damned if he let you feel the gnawing sense of hopelessness that he knew well.

"Sunshine," he felt his own breath get stolen for a moment, both hands moving to rest on your cheeks, cradling your face as he angled it higher until you could do nothing but meet his eyes.

"You're not being stupid," he chided, stuck between poking fun at you to lighten your mood or soften his tone to quell your anxieties.

His eyes followed the glinting tears as they created rivers down your cheeks, soaking underneath his fingers that rested on the plush of your cheeks. He slowly swiped his thumbs under your eyes, collecting the moisture that made your eyes sparkle prettily up at him. And he swiped at the flecks of mascara that mimicked freckles, fingertips softly grazing so his callouses didn't hurt you.

"I'm crying," you sniffled, voice pinched and watery. He unconsciously mirrored your slight pout, brown eyes rounding as he felt his heart squeeze painfully.

"Yeah and I can't believe you still look cute while doing it," he replied, his thumbs pushing slightly into the fat of your cheeks as if he was goading a smile to your face.

And you managed a small one at his sweet words but a familiar pain stabbed into your chest. A pain that was long simmering and ever-present at the thought of his affection lacking the same weight as yours. His stemming from years of close-knit friendship and yours from your stupid unrequited feelings. And with the way he was cradling your face and looking at you like you were physically breaking his heart for just being sad, you weren't sure how much longer you could go without telling him you were disgustingly in love with him.

You squeezed your eyes shut, the image of him starting to become a dagger in your heart and he was wincing at you, feeling his own stomach coil in dread and anxiety at your anguish. He wanted to lean in, rest his forehead against yours and steal the war raging in your head so he could deal with it for you.

"Let me take you home, yeah?" his voice was quieter, a low rumble painting his words. You blinked your eyes open at him, tears obscuring your vision so you could only see a watercolor outline of his silhouette. But you were nodding and he was smoothing your hair back from your face, hands trailing down until they found your back and directing you to the passenger seat of his van.

The ride was quiet. Eddie had fumbled with the collection of cassettes stashed in the inner console, looking for one he knew was your favorite. And he had put it in, volume low but humming to help distract you from your thoughts as he drove. His eyes found yours at varying moments, brows tugging closer as he watched you gaze out of the window to the amalgamation of orange and red, eyes faraway, looking at something he couldn't see.

Nothing in his life caused him as much desperation as you did when you were upset. When it was something tangible like someone making a rude comment or a shitty grade on a test he could deal with it head on like threaten the kid who thought his snide remark was funny or scrounge up enough money to pay someone to give you a few tutoring sessions promising you that it was free. But when it was your own mind who was making you upset, he felt defenseless and he felt desperate.

When his van had rumbled to a stop in front of your house, driveway empty and lights off, he turned to see you frowning at it. He opened his mouth to say something but closed it a second after, fearing he had no words that would make you feel better.

"Eddie?" your quiet voice sounded over the soft music that he was already reaching to shut off. He turned to you and waited until you were ready to speak. You were worrying your bottom lip between your teeth again and he wanted to reach over and swipe it free and soothe the raw skin with his thumb.

"Can you come in?" He repressed the sudden urge to laugh. He wanted nothing more than to follow you inside. The thought of leaving you alone when your teary eyes made him feel sick to his stomach was incomprehensible. But he didn't laugh. Instead, he reached for your hand, giving it an affectionate squeeze and offered you a tender smile.

"Yeah," he breathed, shutting off the ignition before adding, "Of course."

The house was dark but warm as you stepped into the threshold, the heat settling into your bones and coaxing a soft sigh from your lips. Your bag fell from Eddie's shoulder followed by his own as he tucked them next to the litter of shoes. And you were still unmoving when he turned back to you, flicking a few light switches on illuminating your sunken features.

His hands moved before he could think and he was unzipping your jacket, softly peeling it from your body. You let him bend down and untie your one shoelace making it match it's already untied sibling before he was urging you to lean onto his shoulder for support as he tugged off your shoes. And then he was doing the same for himself, jacket draping over yours on the coat wrack and shoes finding a home clumsily next to yours.

"You hungry?" he asked. You shook your head on instinct but he was tutting at you. "C'mon, you should eat something."

So you acquiesced as his hand found yours and pulled you to the kitchen, flipping switches in his wake to brighten the house. He pulled out the chair to the kitchen table, guiding you to sit down before wandering over to rummage through your fridge.

"I'm gonna make you the Eddie special," he declared, squinting into your fridge and pushing things around as his hands searched for anything enticing.

There was no Eddie special but he liked the little laugh you let out at the declaration. He grabbed ingredients that he knew you liked, haphazardly pushing them onto the counter. He grabbed a half loaf of bread from the bread box and a plate from the cupboard. He nearly dropped a glass cup, juggling it in the air for a moment before securing it to his chest with a quick expletive.

You watched him flit around and felt your chest compressing in affection and longing. Eddie never failed to make you feel better, though today was tougher than most. He was the first person you called when you were worried about something, the first person you thought of when you wanted advice, and the first person you went to even when you knew you were going to ugly cry in front of him. And he never shied away. Instead he wiped away your tears and played your favorite music and made you an Eddie special, which you knew didn't exist but it still made your heart swell at the thought.

Those three words sat on the tip of your tongue, soaking sweetness into your taste buds. He glanced up at you, tongue peaking out of his lips in concentration, smile quirking to the side as his eyes squinted at you. And then he was walking towards you, placing the plate in front of you with a proud Voilà leaving his lips.

It was a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, a bundle of strawberries, and a glass of orange juice but the strawberries were laid out in what was meant to be a smiley face though the fruit had rolled around distorting the picture. He rubbed his palm to the side of his jean clad thigh, suddenly nervous at your prolonged stare at the plate.

"'S not much but–" he started, insecurity pooling in his stomach.

"I love it," you interjected. I love you, you thought.

He let out a small breath, the corners of his mouth tugging up as he took the seat beside you. You scooted your chair closer making the bottoms of it scrape loudly on the tile, pushing the plate to rest between you and you grabbed half of the sandwich and held it out to him so you could share.

He wondered if you could see the fondness rushing out of him as he took a bite of his half just as you took a bite of yours. He wondered if you could hear his heart hammering in his chest as you leaned in to take a strawberry from the plate. He wondered if you caught his eyes trailing to your lips as they circled around the red berry, a droplet of juice running down your chin.

He was swiping it away instantly, thumb brushing your chin before tasting it between his lips. You felt your heart flutter at the action, feeling nearly breathless at the casual way he licked the juice from his thumb.

You were blinking at him and you felt like your chest was concaving. Your heart was beating a mile a minute and he felt suddenly frozen at your stare. He opened his mouth to say something but his voice was stolen as your hand moved up to caress his cheek. You watched his Adam's apple bob as your fingers moved to weave through his hair. You brushed wiry strands back, tucking them behind his ear. Your thumb ghosted over his eyebrow, then brushed his temple, then followed the curve of his cheek from the bridge of his nose to the swell of his cheekbone.

"Eddie," you breathed, anxiety pinching at your throat and he hummed. His eyes now hooded and heavy trailed from your eyes to your lips, up the slope of your nose and back to your eyes that he swears could get him to commit murder.

"I love you." The admission had nausea flooding your stomach but you couldn't hold it back any longer. You knew things wouldn't be the same after this. You knew you could be shattering a delicate bond but the words were starting to grow sour in your mouth the longer you held back from saying them. And you needed him to know. He needed to know that the more he treated you this preciously the worse off you would be when you got your heart inevitably broken.

"Yeah," he was breathless as your fingers traced his face. His cheeks felt hot and goosebumps erupted on his arms at your touch. He wondered if his eyes were heart-shaped by now–

He felt like his brain had short circuited. You had said something. You had said–

"What?" His voice was a ghost of a whisper. His eyes met yours and saw the doubt and fear and anguish swimming in your irises. You opened your mouth but no words came out and he felt desperate for you to repeat yourself for fear that he had misheard you or had mistaken you for one of his fantasy versions of you where you wrapped him in your arms and professed your love for him between kisses.

"What did you say?" his voice was firmer now, sandwich long forgotten on the place as his hands flew to your cheeks. Your hand fell to grip his bicep, squeezing nervously. "Please," he breathed, desperation soaking his tone.

"I love you," you repeated. You weren't sure if it was healthy for your heart to be beating this fast. And you waited with trepidation for his rejection and for that dark shadow of hopelessness to consume you whole.

But suddenly his lips were on yours. Warm, velvety, soft lips molding into yours, air expelling from his nose to brush your face as he sighed into the kiss. His fingers were intertwining into your hair, tugging you impossibly closer and you were melting into him nearly falling out of your chair to get closer, hands grasping at the cotton of his shirt.

"Say it again," he mumbled against your lips, forehead burning against yours, eyes shut as he memorized the feeling of your lips against his.

So you whispered it again and a third time when hot desperate kisses followed. Soon you were pulled onto his lap, one arm encircling your waist to press you closer and other moving his hand to cup your cheek.

"I love you, too," he replied, voice breathless and low and rumbly.

Like a man starved, Eddie's kisses didn't wain. And he paid special care to your abused bottom lip, hoping his sweet kisses would ease any lingering pain. Your arms wrapped around his neck, pulling yourself closer as if having any part of you not touching him was painful.

His fantasies of you spanned nearly all facets of his life from the most mundane tasks to the softness of his sheets but never in his wildest dreams did he imagine kissing you would feel so wonderful. His mind had turned foggy and suddenly the only working braincells he had left were telling him to kiss you over and over and over again.

"Be my girl," he murmured, lips lifting from yours to let the words out before they were reconnecting again. And you hummed against him, brain registering his words on a five second delay and tingling at his overwhelming affection.

"Sunshine," he muttered, finally finding the will to pull back so he could open his eyes. Your lips were swollen and your eyes were warm and you chased his lips with furrowing brows at his halting affection. And he kissed you again and again before repeating the term of endearment finally getting your attention.

"I want you to be my girl," he said again, voice stronger, arms wrapping around your torso tighter, lips leaning in to kiss your jaw and then where your jaw met your neck and then over your throat making your breath hitch.

"I thought the answer was obvious," you breathed, tingles shooting up your spine as he nipped at your neck before kissing away the hinting sting.

"I wanna hear you say it," he said against your skin, kisses alternating with soft love bites.

"Yes," you replied, leaning in for another kiss before adding a soft, "dummy."

You squealed as his hands dug into your sides, retribution for your name calling. And he grinned up at you, hugging you closer and repeating his three favorite words again against the underside of your jaw. And you felt like you could finally breathe again, the looming shadow of anxiety and dread pulling back, sulking off to haunt you another day. But you were okay with it because when it came back you knew exactly who to go to. And he'd make you an Eddie special and kiss you until you forgot your own name and you would be okay.

Bonus:

"Do you have any consideration for other people's time, Henderson?" Steve's voice was sharp as Dustin swung open the back door of his car. Lucas and Max were squeezed next to each other leaving him a spot.

"I was running late from class. Sue me, Steve, really," Dustin grumbled, slamming the door shut behind him. Max scoffed at him.

"We could see you talking to Eddie," she quipped, arms crossed over her chest as she glowered at him. Lucas grimaced from beside her.

"Yeah you big fat liar," Steve mumbled before snipping at him to put his seatbelt on.

"Hey, no need for the name calling," Dustin said back and Steve shot him a look from the rearview mirror. Mike twisted around from the passenger seat and held up the walkie-talkie .

"Is this a toy to you? Do you carry it around like an accessory? Because, funny enough, the rest of us use it to communicate especially if were making everyone wait–"

"Okay, now you're being dramatic," Dustin rolled his eyes.

"Well, did you only answer me because Y/N got there? I think they'd have enough consideration not to make out in front of you," Mike added, annoyed that he had seen Dustin deliberately ignoring his repeated calls despite chucking in a code red just to see if he would finally answer.

"They don't make out. They're not even . . ." Steve trailed off, squinting into the distance at you and Eddie and how much closer you had gotten since his last glance.

"They sure look like they're making out," Max said, eyebrows raising as she shoved Dustin harshly into his seat so she could lean closer towards the window.

"Hey–Ow!" he whined.

"I wanna see!" Lucas piped up, leaning over Max's shoulder making her elbow dig harshly into Dustin's stomach.

"You're–Crushing–Me!"

Taglist: @eateraa

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Link to my masterlist :)

#eddie munson x reader #eddie x reader #eddie munson #eddie munson x you #eddie munson x fem!reader #eddie munson fanfic #eddie munson imagine #eddie munson oneshot #eddie munson x yn #eddie munson x female reader #eddie munson x female!reader #eddie munson x y/n #stranger things fic #stranger things imagine #stranger things one shot #stranger things fanfic

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