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#i saw a post that talked about the lighting in this scene and i have not been ormal since
lee-laurent · 1 day
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Summer Boy Pt. 2 - Quinn Hughes
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Summary: Quinn and Elwyn find themselves caught in a web of lies as they attempt to hide their feelings from their friends. Luke, however, still wants the girl and he's willing to overlook his morals to get her.
Content: angst, fluff, (sort of) unrequited love, mentions of sex, slut-shaming, panic attacks, luke being an ass
Part 1
notes: ok ok, you guys are amazing! i could never expect my first post to do that well! (also if you haven't seen my about me post, english is NOT my first language!! so spelling errors and stuff i try catch but i'm learning :)) i had a lot of ppl ask for a part 2, which is awesome cause i was planning on doing it regardless of how much attention the first part got! i haven't written in years, like since high school so this is me attempting to get back into it :D thank you again everyone, much love! - lee
p.s. ppl that asked for part 2 are tagged at the end :))
Quinn was infatuated with Elwyn. Everything she did was perfect in his eyes. Even when she'd get a little too drunk and trip over herself, he still thought she was graceful. If he wasn't in love with her already, then he definitely was now. And he wanted to shout him from the rooftops, he wanted everyone on the lake to know how much he loved Elwyn... however there was a small issue: his brothers.
Jack and Elwyn had been friends their entire lives. They were attached at the hip. Twin flames. Growing up adults always said they'd end up married, which both of them thought was disgusting. Sure, they'd been each others' first kiss, but after "learning" how to make out together they decided it wasn't meant to be. They could never see each other in a romantic light. Although Jack could never be with Elwyn, he had made it clear that his brothers couldn't either. Elwyn had been off limits since they were ten and Quinn gave her a puck at one of his games.
Luke. Where to start with Luke? Luke hadn't found Elwyn cute until she came to visit in Jersey after he signed. She'd walked into Jack's apartment, a smile on her face and he thought he'd died and gone to heaven. When did Elwyn get... hot? She'd always just been his older brother's best friend. Sure, he knew of the crush his eldest brother harboured, but he was positive Quinn would never act on it. Plus, she lived closer to Luke. If he could convince Jack, maybe he'd have a chance. A chance he was still begging for.
"Come on, Jack. Let me take her on one date!" Luke pleaded, following his brother around the pool table.
"No. You're my brother and I love you, but El can do way better."
"I- I'm not going to break her heart, Jack. One date."
"Maybe she doesn't want to date you," Jack shrugged, lining up his shot.
"Okay, then she'll reject me and I can move on. But we all saw her when we played beer pong."
"Don't be cocky, Rusty. El is a touchy drunk, always has been."
"So I can ask her on a date?"
"No."
Luke groaned, throwing his arms up in frustration.
"Who's he not asking out?" Quinn asked, leaning against the door frame.
"Elwyn."
Quinn choked on his spit, "You want to ask out, Winnie?"
"Yeah! You've seen her. She's a smokeshow."
"Ew. Don't talk about El like that," Jack grimaced.
"I mean have you seen her ti-"
"Luke! Ew! Dude."
"Shut up, Jack. If she wasn't your best friend, you'd also think she's hot."
Quinn remained silent, watching the scene unfold. He felt gross listening to Luke talk about Elwyn like that. He'd be the first to admit she was fine as hell, but hearing someone else say it felt wrong. The two younger brothers continued to bicker about the attractiveness of the girl, when Quinn finally piped up.
"Are you letting him?"
"Letting him what?" Jack's brow furrowed.
"Ask her out."
"Hell no! Winnie is off limits for brothers."
"So if I asked her out?" Trevor smirked, joining the three brothers.
"No. That applies to friends and teammates too."
"Lame," Trevor whined, leaving to find Cole.
Jack rolled his eyes, "Anyway. No one is asking out Elwyn. She doesn't even like hockey boys."
Quinn felt his heartdrop. She doesn't like hockey boys? Was she just stringing him along cause she was horny? He thought she liked him, though she'd never explicitly said it, he thought the moments they'd shared were proof enough.
Elwyn was humming along to the song playing from her phone, while she attempted to do her hair. A knock came from the door behind her, leading to press pause on the melodies of Chappell Roan.
"Come in!"
"You don't like hockey boys?"
"Huh?" She swiveled around on her chair to face the boy in her doorway. There stood a sheepish looking Quinn, his arms crossed over his chest.
"I said, 'you don't like hockey boys?'"
"Who told you that?"
"Jack."
"Oh, um, I mean... they're not normally my type."
"So you don't like me?"
"Quinn, I didn't say that. Don't twist my words," she sighed, turning back towards the mirror.
"But you haven't said otherwise."
"Neither have you."
Quinn sighed, quietly shutting the door behind him. He stood behind her and pressed a kiss to her exposed shoulder, wrapping his arms around her.
"Elwyn, I like you. I like you a lot."
She pursed her lips and nodded, leaning back into his chest.
"I like you too, Quinn."
"Is this the part where we have the best sex of our lives?" he smirked, earning a gasp and slap to his peck.
"Quinn!"
"Sorry, sorry. So... later?"
"Get out!" she giggled, pushing him away.
Fifteen minutes later, El left her room, running straight into someone's chest.
"Oof."
"Hey, Ellie."
"Oh, hey, Luke," she smiled, stepping back.
"Some of the guys and I are gonna watch a movie, if you want to join."
"Sure."
"Sick. Basement in 10?"
"Sounds good."
However, when she got down to the basement, there were no spots left. The guys had taken up the couch and all the chairs, even the floor was occupied. El looked around awkwardly, noticing the lack of both Quinn and Jack, who she was told went to the grocery store.
"Here," Luke smiled, scooting over slightly. She responded with a tight-lipped smile, sitting "next" to him. It was more like she was sitting on him. El could've sworn she heard Ethan snicker when she sat down.
The movie the boys at chosen was terrifying. Elwyn could normally do scary movies, but this one was getting to her. She jumped as the villain appeared on screen again. Luke wrapped his arm around her waist, giving her a squeeze.
"You okay?"
"Hm? Yeah, I'm good," she smiled politely.
Another jumpscare and Elwyn had fallen completely onto Luke's lap. She wasn't upset about it though, it was comforting in the moment. Dylan had taken notice of the position that Luke was in and elbowed Mark and Ethan. They all "discreetly" turned to look at the two, who looked rather comfortable. Elwyn jumped again, hiding her face in Luke's neck.
"This movie is terrifying," she whispered.
"It's ok, Winnie. I've got you."
It was in that moment that she realized the position she was in. Fully cuddled up on Luke's lap, one of his hands on her waist, the other on her thigh. What would Quinn think if he walked in right now? What would Jack think?
"I need to use the bathroom," she scrambled to get off of Luke.
"Oh, we can pause the movie."
"No, it's okay. I'll, uh, I'll be back."
She ran up the stairs, locking herself in Jack's ensuite. What was she doing? She couldn't let Luke get any ideas. She really liked Quinn. But oh my god, what would Jack think? Would he kick her out? Surely, he'd murder her before his brothers. They were his family, she was replaceable. Maybe she should end things with Quinn. Tell him it wasn't worth the strain it would cause on their relationships with Jack. But then again she'd already done things with him, would Jack even forgive her for that?
"Oh my god. I can't breathe," she gasped, splashing cold water on her face.
Inhale. Hold. Exhale.
Inhale. Hold. Exhale.
Her mind was running a thousand miles an hour. She had to stop seeing Quinn. Maybe she could just avoid him. Jack was more important. She had too. The more she thought about it, the more difficult it became to breathe.
She sat down on the floor, trying her breathing exercise again.
Inhale. Hold. Exhale.
Inhale. Hold. Exhale.
Finally she felt her heartbeat slow and her breathing return to normal. She wasn't going to let boys ruin her trip with her best friend. Nope. Plan: Avoid Quinn Hughes at All Costs, starts now!
"What did I do?" Quinn mumbled as he watched Elwyn interact with Jack. She hadn't even shot him a smile when he walked in the door from shopping, she'd gone straight to Jack. They were giggling amongst themselves while they cut up fruit for dinner.
She looked just as happy as she had this morning, but now she was pretending he didn't exist. He brushed her shoulder as he walked past her and she flinched, scooting closer to Jack.
As the night progressed, it became more obvious to the boy that she was ignoring him. She hadn't even looked his way once all night. Too busy keeping up with Jack, following him around like a lost puppy. He even tried shooting her a text, which was ultimately left on read.
Q: Hey, is everything okay? You seem off tonight.
Nothing.
It wasn't until she was closing her bedroom door to get changed that he caught a moment alone with her. She shrieked when her door opened, clutching her shirt to chest.
"Oh my god! Have you ever heard of knocking? I'm getting changed!"
"Why have you been ignoring me?"
Elwyn rolled her eyes, turning her back to him. so she could continue getting changed.
"Winnie?"
She exhaled loudly.
"Elwyn?"
"Maybe I just don't want to talk to you, Quinn."
"But- what did I do?"
"I'm trying to get ready for bed."
"El, just talk to me. Please. I thought we were getting somewhere."
She could hear the sadness and disappointment dripping from his words. It made her want to cry, knowing it was her fault he was feeling that way.
"I'd like to go to sleep now."
"El," he reached forward, grabbing her wrist and spinning her to face him. "What is going on? If I did something, I'm sorry."
"We can't, Quinn."
"Wha- we can't what?"
"We can't do this. We can't be together. Fling or not. It's not fair to Jack."
"Not fair to Jack? You shutting me out, isn't fair to me! Not everything revolves around Jack! You're an adult, he doesn't get to make decisions for you!" Quinn seethed, his face heating up.
"Don't yell at me."
"Don't yell at you?! Then don't be Jack's mindless little minion, Elwyn! Jesus fucking Christ!"
"I- I'm not," she whispered, blinking away tears.
"Yeah, well you sure fucking act like you are," he left, slamming the door behind him.
"What was that?!" she heard Jack yell.
"The wind!" Quinn lied, storming off to his room.
Elwyn couldn't hold back her tears anymore, sliding to the floor. She sobbed, covering her mouth with her hand to muffle the sound. How could he say that to her? She thought she was doing the right thing. She never imagined it could've gone that poorly.
Quinn couldn't sleep, he was too angry. Why did Elwyn let Jack dictate her life? She could be with whoever she wanted, she was a grown woman. So what if Jack was mad at them for a day? He'd get over it. If he could just get her to realize that he was there for her, no matter what happened-
A knock at the door broke him from his thoughts. Elwyn quietly opened and shut the door, sitting herself on the edge of his bed.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have ignored you. I thought I was doing what was right."
"I shouldn't have yelled at you, El. But you have to communicate with me. You can't just shut me out, especially if you want to make this work."
"But what about Jack?"
"Elwyn. He loves you. You're his best friend. He'll get over it. I promise."
"I hate lying to him."
"Keeping a secret isn't lying."
"I just-"
"Come here," he opened his arms, Elwyn climbing into the bed next to him. He kissed her slowly. He wanted to show her how much he cared about her. Loved her even. She ran a hand through his hair, giggling when he nipped at her bottom lip.
"Think we can stay quiet?" she whispered.
"Easily."
"Quinn! Wake up! The boys wanna go out on the boat! And have you seen El? Jack said she isn't in her-" Luke stopped dead in his tracks. A bare back faced him, the sheets barely covering her waist. "Holy shit."
Luke ran down the stairs, taking his place at the table.
"You okay, Rusty? Looks like you've seen a ghost," Trevor joked.
"Hm? Yep. All good. Great even."
"Okay? Did you wake up Quinn?"
"Um... yeah. Yeah. He'll be down soon."
"Did you find El? I'm getting worried," Jack mentioned, sitting next to his brother.
"I-"
"Morning!" Elwyn smiled.
"There you are! You weren't in your room, I was worried," Jack hugged her.
"Yeah, fell asleep in the basement watching TV. Was having trouble falling asleep."
"All good! Glad you're okay. Is Quinn awake up there?"
Luke watched something flicker in her eyes at the mention of Quinn.
"Yep, he's just brushing his teeth."
As if on cue, Quinn came thumping down the stiars. A smile plastered on his face. Luke felt sick. It seemed that Quinn had finally gotten his dream girl, but at the expense of both of his brothers' feelings.
"Sorry, guys. Didn't sleep well," Quinn explained, grabbing some cereal.
"That's funny. Neither did Elwyn," Luke smirked.
"Oh. Funny coincidece," El shrugged, eyes darting everywhere but at the youngest Hughes.
"Must've been something in the air last night," he continued.
El furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. What was Luke going on about? Surely he didn't know that she'd slept with Quinn last night? Quinn had assured her they'd been silent. They even put a pillow behind the headboard like teenagers hiding from their parents.
"So... boat day?" Quinn offered, feeling the growing tension in the kitchen
"Yes!" Jack cheered, "Come on, El. I'll help you with your sunscreen."
"Coming," she followed after him, shooting a concerned look at Quinn, who just shrugged in response.
"So, Quinn... anything you want to share with the class?" Luke asked.
"Um? No?"
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah?"
"Positive? Nothing you want to share about Elwyn?"
"What are you talking about?"
"Don't pretend you don't know."
"Luke, I don't know what you're implying."
"So, why was Elwyn naked in your bed this morning when I went to wake you up?"
"She wasn't," Quinn replied quickly, maybe too quickly.
"I know Elwyn when I see her, Quinn."
"Luke, I didn't sleep with Elwyn."
"You slept with Elwyn?" Jack's voice joined the conversation and suddenly you could hear a pin drop.
"I-"
"You slept with Elwyn?" Jack repeated, his voice increasing in volume.
"No, I know your rules, Jack."
"He's lying! I saw her in his bed this morning! That's why you couldn't find her!"
"Shut up, Luke!" Quinn sneered.
"No, please continue, Luke. I'd love to know what else Quinn is hiding from me."
"That's it, I think. I just saw her in his bed when I went to wake him up. Looking less than dressed."
"Jack, I don't know what he's talking about," Quinn pleaded.
"Bullshit! I-"
"Why's everyone yelling?" Elwyn's voice was soft compared to the rest of the conversation. Her nails were dug into her palms, surely leaving behind little crescent shaped indents. Worry filled her eyes.
"El..." Quinn breathed.
"Care to explain yourself, Elwyn?" Jack snapped.
"I'm confused."
"Don't act all innocent now when you were spreading your fucking legs for my brother last night!"
"I-"
"You what? Are acting like a slut?! Then yeah, you're right."
"I'm not a slut," her bottom lip quivered. Quinn was quick to get in front of her, feeling the sudden need to protect her from his brother's vicious words.
"She's not a slut, Jack. You don't control her."
Jack was at a loss for words. Quinn was right he didn't control her, but he could still be pissed at his brother.
"Fine, I don't control, Elwyn. She's a grown woman. But you, Quinn, you- you broke my rules! You took advantage of her!"
"How did I 'take at advantage of her'?" he air quoted.
"You-you..."
"You have no argument here, Jack. And you, Luke... what gives you the right to tell him? When you were trying to get with Elwyn too?"
"I'M NOT AN OBJECT!" her outburst made everyone jump, "Stop talking about me like I'm not standing right here! God! You're acting like children! Quinn, give me your car keys?"
"What? Why?"
"I'm going home."
"You're-"
"El, no. Please," Jack pleaded.
"You just called me a slut! You think I want to stay here with you? Ha! You are crazy."
"Babe, please."
"Don't 'babe' me, Quintin. Give me your keys," she demanded, reaching her hand out.
"No. You're angry. You shouldn't drive like this."
"Fine. I'll fucking walk home!" she threw her arms up, storming out the front door.
The group of boys stood around the kitchen staring at the Hughes brothers. Were they not going to go after her? Apologize? Boat day definitely wasn't happening.
It was getting dark out, Quinn and Jack were beyond worried. Jack was pacing the living room, his head snapping to the door every time there was a noise outside. Quinn was sitting on the couch with his head in his hands, sending text after text to El. No answers. Luke and their friends were in the back, drinking and pretending all was well.
"Should we go looking for her?" Jack asked.
"I think that'd just scare her off."
"But what if someone snatches her off the street? It's getting dark out. She's been gone all day, Quinn."
"She'll come back."
"Stop pretending like you know her better than I do just because you slept with her! I know my best friend."
"Jack, can we not fight right now? We have more important things to worry about."
Jack just sighed. He was worried about El, but her sleeping with Quinn was still in the background of all his thoughts.
"Can I just ask why? Like was it to rub it in my face? To get back at me for something?"
"It has nothing to do with you, Jack. It's about Elwyn. I really like El. I've liked El since we were kids. And she finally showed me that she feels the same way. I'm- I'm happy with her."
"She- you love her, don't you?"
"It's too soon to say that."
"Quinn..."
"Yeah... I do. I... I do."
"Shit. She probably hates me."
"I mean, you did slut-shame your best friend."
"Right."
"If we're giong to blame anyone for this mess though, I think we blame Luke. El and I were going to tell you. But Luke kind of jumped the gun."
"Really? You were going to tell me?"
"Yeah, I mean last night... we talked about it."
"I guess that makes me feel a bit better."
Quinn was about to apologize, but the front door creaked open. A sniffle and the sound of shoes hitting the ground made Quinn jump up.
"El?"
She just stared at them, arms crossed over her chest.
"El. I'm so sorry," Jack wrapped his arms around her, but she didn't reciprocate the hug.
"That's nice. Are you done calling me a whore?"
"I didn't mean it, El. I was mad. It was heat of the moment."
"Yeah, well, I don't fucking appreciate it."
"Do- d'you think you can forgive me?"
"Yes, Jack. I'll forgive you," she chuckled.
El finally hugged him back, pressing a kiss to his cheek. She turned her attention to Quinn, who awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck.
"Hi, El."
"Quinn."
"I'll give you guys some space," Jack shot them finger guns, walking out backwards.
"El, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you feel like an object. You're not an object. You're... you're Elwyn. And I- I love you."
"You love me?"
"Yeah, I do. I love you."
She bit back her smile, throwing her arms around his neck.
"Can I kiss you?" he whispered.
"Of course." Their lips met in a sweet, languid kiss. "I love you too, Quinn Hughes."
And their lips met again, smiles on their faces breaking it, ending in a fit of giggles. They finally had each other.
Tags:
@h0e4fictionalme-n @toasttt11 @homestylehughes @laheyxlover @dontknowhockey
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cvnt4him · 2 days
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I saw your prompt request post and would like as for #13 with Tokoyami, fluff is preferable but I'm cool with anything. Thank you in advance
I've never done tokoyami before so I hope I didn't stray too far away from his character<33
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His love.
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Fumikage Tokoyami, one of the most confusing boys in your life. He was so distant yet visible, he wasn't necessarily a nobody to your peers but he wasn't always the center of attention like, for example, bakugou or deku, or sometimes shoto and iida, he was different, quiet, the darkness of him was so oddly conforting to you.
You never intended to catch feelings for him, and you never thought that those same feelings would be reciprocated, he gave you black dahlias on your first date, they were so beautiful to you, he worked in mysterious ways he did, one day he'd be distant towards you despite you two dating, the next he'd crave to be wrapped in your arms cuddling in his bed.
He holds you in his strong arms, grabbing at your waist with a tight grip, he always held you like he never wanted to let you go, when wearing his mask, (can't convince me it ain't a mask🤷🏽‍♀️) he buries his beak in your neck, the coldness of it warming up in the crook of it.
When he on occasion has his mask off, which eventually later in your relationship he does take it off more often, he likes to lay his head on your chest, you run your fingers through his raven black hair, he hums and you feel the vibrations on your chest.
Dark shadow was always fond of you, he loves when you oat his head and hug him like he's the one you're dating, he always gives Tokoyami ideas on what to do for your next dates and anniversaries, for a being that hates the light he just is so bright, his personality is one of a kind and when soendinf so much time with someone as dark as Tokoyami it's nice to know he has a light side to him, albeit dark shadow, it was still nice to know he had a bright side.
He's no one for huge PDA especially in public, he likes to hold your hands and rub his finger across the back of it, or oat your head, or even sometimes leave little notes for you, he doesn't like too much attention with that being said he can't stand your friend group, when they start asking him questions or pestering about your relationship it angers him and pisses him off heavily, when he hears a question that doesn't interest him he'll simply ignore them, they find him so rude but you just think he's so adorable.
Once you guys had went on w date to the movies, one time you got kicked out because dark shadow had claimed to already have seen the movie you guys went to see, which confused you because fumikage claimed to never had seen it? Dark shadow was spoiling it for everyone there, laughing far too loudly, and throwing popcorn at people in front of him, not intentionally!! He just wanted to throw the popcorn at the corny scenes in the movie!!
You both had decided to just watch movies from home from now on, dark shadow was like your child in a way, or a pet? I don't know something. He's childish in a sense but very nice, he's funny and charismatic.
Fumikage doesn't like how dark shadow is always hovering over you like you're his, he doesn't get jealous he just doesn't want you to be far too uncomfortable, you have to tell him that you really don't mind you think it's cute!!
Fumikage accidentally tells you he loves you when one time you're lying in bed as you rub the top of his raven mask, you kiss his beak and giggle down at him while he just looks up at you, love filled his eyes when he seen you, the way you smile, talk, and treat him, fumikage wasnt one to ever go based off of looks when finding a sigificant other, he just enjoyed people who enjoyed him, so when he found you, he was surprised you, someone so different from him could really find him so appealing.
He took his mask off in one swift motion before connecting his soft, lightly chapped lips to yours, you smiled in the kiss before pulling away, you rubbed his cheek softly and pecked a kiss onto his nose, his face softened and he smiled at you, his face finding it's way to your neck as he whispered lightly how much he loved you.
He was so in shock at what he'd just said, his once closed eyes shooting open before moving back from your neck to stare at you with wide eyes to find you with an equally as surprised expression, he tried to apologize through stuttered and stammers over his words, you simply giggle at him before saying it back, he was relieved, the feeling in his heart fading away as a smile found it's way back onto his face, he sighed before lying back down and laying next to you in complete comfort.
You make him comfortable, and that means a lot to him, and you. He's a hard guy to get to know, he prefers alone time, so being his significant other is the best thing you could ever ask for.
...........................................
An: he wasn't too hard to write for, again I hope I didn't stray away from his actual character and personality, I used to like him alot before I even did deku, like when I first started mha I actually disliked deku lol.
Funny where we find ourselves.
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doodleynan · 7 months
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all I need is you
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yandere-daydreams · 9 months
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Title: Coveted.
Pairing: Yandere!Geto x Reader (+Yandere!Gojo) [JJK].
Word Count: 1.1k.
TW: Set Two or Three Years Post KFC Break-Up, Intimidation, Prolonged Stalking, Future Dub/Con, Mentions of Non/Con, and Unbalanced Power Dynamics.
[Part Two]
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“You’re Satoru’s date, right?”
The voice was masculine, deep and as rough as it could be without crossing the line into gravelly. You stiffened, squaring your shoulders and burrowing your nails into your palm as your eyes darted across the table – where a man with dark hair and an off-putting smile was currently sliding into the unoccupied side of your booth. He reached out, clearly planning to shake your hand, but when you failed to move, he only let out an airy chuckle, propping his chin on his fist as he went on. “I’m a friend of his – Geto Suguru. You can call me Suguru-chan, though. Has he already told you about me?”
He was dressed like he’d just rolled out of bed – his attire limited to a form-fitting black shirt and a pair of loose sweatpants in the same color, his hair pulled into a loose bun. His tone was friendly, light. You returned it with a dead-pan stare, hoping it conveyed the weight of your exhaustion. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Is that what he told you to say?” Another laugh, somehow more blood-chilling than the first. Your attention shifted outward, to the late-night diner where Gojo had asked you to meet him. There were only a few other customers, the skeleton of a proper staff, but single other person would’ve been one too many. You didn’t need to make a scene, not again, not after last time. “That sounds like him. He’s always been a stingy bastard.”
With a pressed frown, you pushed yourself to your feet, but Geto’s grin only broadened. He snapped his fingers and as if it’d only been waiting for a queue, a shape manifested at the end of your bench. You couldn’t bring yourself to look directly at it, but you saw enough out of the corner of your eye; a bulbous torso, shrunken arms, too many eyes to resemble any living thing. Instantly, what little courage you still had was replaced with a knot of dread, a bolt of pure anxiety. You half-expected it to lunge, to bite, to attack, but it didn’t move, only standing guard at the foot of your table.
It didn’t move, but it didn’t have to. In a moment, you’d fallen back into your seat and shoved yourself against the wall, fighting not to shake. It was a sight Geto seemed to take a particular joy in, letting his head lull to the side as he watched you curl into yourself. “You can see them. I was starting to think I had the wrong person.” A pause, a glance towards his summoned monster before his narrowed gaze skirted back to you. “Don’t be shy, now. How much did he tell you?”
It took you a moment to find your tongue, another to swallow back the tremor in your voice. "He said he could protect me.” It was harder to admit than you’d expected – not so much that you needed protection, but that there was something you needed protection from. You’d spent so long writing off your monsters as hallucinations that it was still a struggle to act like they were anything more. But, for as unwilling as you were to confront your little monsters, the resounding ache in your right leg where that thing had dug its claws into you was impossible to ignore. “He… he didn’t mention anyone else, but we’ve only spoken once. He was supposed to explain—” You gestured to the monster. “—all of this today.”
A slight hum, a look of genuine surprise. “So, he’s got some self-restraint after all! I thought he would’ve cracked months ago, considering how long he’s been following you around like a lost puppy.” He must’ve seen your expression fall, your posture slacken, because he didn’t wait for a response before going on. “I mean, you must’ve known that, at least. Did you think he’d play knight-in-shining-armor for just anyone?”
“I…” You trailed off quickly, shaking your head. “I don’t care. As long as he can protect me, I don’t care why he’s doing it.”
“That’s a dangerous thing to say. You wouldn’t want to make Satoru feel so replaceable, now, would you?”  
At that, you met his stare. “What do you want?”
His eyes skirted towards the monster, who took an obedient step back. For a second, you considered running, trying to slip away before the man in front of you or your newly-realized stalker could make you regret ever showing up at all, but Geto was quick to cut off your escape route, filling the empty space beside you before you could so much as pick which door you would barrel through on the way out. “Well, now that we’re on the same page,” Unlike his monster, he didn’t give you the option of leaving him in your peripheral; settling close enough for his leg to press into yours. At this proximity, you could pick up the smoke on his breath, the scent of stale gore clinging to him like a second skin. As if he’d just stepped out of a blood bath. “I’d like to make you an alternative offer.”
“You’d protect me?”
“Oh, I’d do more than just that.” His hand fell to your thigh. “I’d have everything you’ve ever been afraid of bowing to you by the end of the night.”
You swallowed dryly. “You didn’t answer my first question. What do you get out of helping me?”
His answer was nonverbal, but clear enough. With that same idle grin, he nodded toward the streaked window, to the building across the street. Your heart fell into your stomach. It was one of those sleazy, by-the-hour hotels – the sign missing more than a few letters and the parking lot as empty as the diner. It was the kind of place that you only went to for one thing, and you had a feeling Geto hadn’t found some miraculous second reason to want to be alone with you in one of those bug-infested rooms.
You weren’t sure why you said it. Maybe to buy yourself time. Maybe because you couldn’t stand the idea of being left in silence as what was left of your rational mind screamed at you to get out of there. “I don’t have any money.”
“It’ll be my treat.”
“What happens I refuse?”
“I kill everyone here,” His nails bit into exposed skin. “And then fuck you on this table while their bodies attract flies.”
You might’ve cried, if you hadn’t been so tired.
You might’ve done anything, if you could bring yourself to care about anything but keeping those awful creatures at a distance.
Stiffly, with your eyes shut and your teeth grit, you forced yourself to nod. Geto rewarded you with an impossibly wide grin, a breath of a laugh. “Smart little thing.”
This time, he didn’t pretend it was an option; reaching out, taking your trembling hand in his own, and squeezing so softly, you could almost convince yourself he was being gentle.
“It’s only a shame Satoru isn’t here to join us.”
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tryslora · 3 months
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On Writing Combat and Sex Scenes
Today I want to talk about writing sex and combat (and no, I do not mean combative sex). This post is inspired by a few recent events:
Once, a long time ago, I read a blog post that said “if you can write a combat scene, you can write a sex scene” and that was mind-blowing for me because while I was well-versed in writing erotica, I couldn’t write combat to save my life.
More recently, at Boskone, I participated on a panel about writing combat, and the research involved there-in.
Even more recently, I had someone look at me say, “You’re not a gay guy. How do you write gay sex scenes?”
So. Let’s begin.
I get it—sex and combat aren’t interchangeable. But at their core, they have some strong similarities which can be leveraged while writing. Both are intense, high drama, and can involve a lot of anxiety and quick thought. Both tend to narrow focus down to the moment and the current feeling and action. Both are heightened emotion and physical reaction. Both can involve actions that lie outside the author’s personal experience.
I started writing erotica when I was a freshman in college. I posted it online (does anyone remember rec.arts.erotica?) and was surprised (and pleased) by the compliments I received. Turned out my readers were not expecting the idea of emotion being entangled in their erotica. They were invested emotionally in how the stories went, and how my characters felt. Since I was writing from the point of view that made sense to me at the time, they were het stories from a female perspective, and they were very focused on the emotional connections and how the physical events heightened those emotions.
Male readers were surprised by the intensity of the feelings that these stories gave them (as opposed to pure arousal). It got me thinking about how I wrote, and why I wrote, and I tried to talk about it some at the time. I was eighteen. I was still a new writer. The internet itself was new. I wasn’t entirely certain how to frame it, but I remember getting one comment where a guy was surprised at how struck he’d been by the moment in the scene where everything shuddered to a halt due to an event in the story that interrupted the action, and I replied that that was because I wasn’t writing about the sex. I was writing about the character’s reaction to the sex.
Which has always been how I write. At the time, that was my only tool: put myself in the character’s mind, and write what they feel. If that’s affection and attraction and physical reaction, write that. Tangle it up, and hope the reader feels that entanglement.
Now, fast forward several years, and take a little side trip onto a tangent wherein I learned something very important about writing craft.
I was reading Syne Mitchell’s End in Fire, I think it was, and I kept having panic attacks. Now, I did most of my reading late, often when I woke in the middle of the night due to stress, or just because my brain refused to rest. I was in a rough place in life in general, with a lot of external work stuff going on and very small children. I wasn’t sleeping well. And it took me some time to figure out why I was struggling to read a book which I actually loved (and when I read it later in life, I enjoyed it greatly).
It was the sentence structure.
In order to induce the emotion of the scene, the sentences were short. Sharp. Quick. There was no time for the reader to breathe, much like there was no time for the heroine to do anything but act. The reader was caught up in the rising tension, to the point where my anxious, sleep-deprived brain, caught a panic attack from it.
The technique was brilliant.
Now back to our original timeline, wherein I read a post about how if you can write combat, you can write sex scenes. This post assumed that more people felt comfortable writing violence than sex. I was the reverse. I’d been writing about sex for over a decade when I saw this post, and it made a light bulb go off in my brain.
If writing sex was like writing combat… was the reverse also true? Could I improve my skills at writing battles by analyzing what worked when I wrote erotica?
So I tried doing just that. Back then, I found combat overwhelming. There was so much going on, and I was trying so hard to write good description that I lost all of the intensity. I was focusing on everything that was going on at the same time.
Thinking about how sex scenes were all intense emotion and narrowed focus, I applied that to my combat scenes. I wrote only what the point of view character experienced, and tied everything to their actions and reactions. I thought about how they breathed, how they moved, how they thought. I used those short, sharp sentences as they processed the scene. 
That doesn’t mean I forgot about everything else going on in the scene. That’s impossible. After all, in any story the things the character doesn’t pay attention to might be as important as the things they do focus on. Stuff still happens, and there is still fallout. I needed to know what else was happening so that if the character moved from one place to another, or did something that put them in the path of a different part of the action, I could have them start processing it.
But it also meant that on the page, out of sight was out of mind. Everything narrowed down to the now. The immediacy. Suddenly my combat scenes snapped into focus.
During the panel at Boskone, all of the panelists had experience with different fighting styles (fencing, street combat, and of course, me with taekwondo). I spoke about how for me, that narrow focus is very real when I spar. I know there are some people who naturally see a move or two ahead while fighting; I don’t. I am stuck in act and react mode. Can I kick them now? Can I attempt a head shot? Oh, no, circle back and away or they’re going to hit me… that’s how my brain works during a sparring match.
It’s not like a total blackout—there should be a vague awareness of things around the character. Sounds in particular, or sometimes flashes of movement. Something distracting can catch the attention of the fighter, but the personal fight will always pull the character back.
Combat feels easy when I’m writing like that.
Of course, there’s still the question of writing about something if I’ve never experienced it. As someone did point out to me: I am not a gay man, so how does that affect writing sex scenes? I’ve also never fought with a sword. Brawled. Fought from horseback. I have, however, held a blade, shot a gun, shot an arrow, rode a horse. I have a vague idea of how these things work, much like I have a working knowledge of sex in general.
So yes, research gets involved. Sometimes research is observational, sometimes it’s reading (there’s so much good stuff out there). I highly recommend video for combat scenes—find things that have the feel that you’re going for, then put yourself in the place of the character you want to write about. Practice. Work through the ideas of how things fit together, and what your character will (and will not!) know during the fight.
If you need to, stand up and block the scene by thinking about how you would experience it. What can you see, and what is out of sight? If someone is coming at you with a blade, what are your options? How do height differences affect you? Yes, I have asked friends and husband to help me block scenes. 
“Stand right there and show me what it looks like if you punch me. Okay, so if I do this then…” Yeah. It’s a thing. But it works.
When doing your research, remember that movie fighting (and hell, movie sex scenes) isn’t realistic. It’s meant to look good. For combat, if you can find re-enactments, or sparring videos, I highly recommend taking a look at those. 
Anyway, the point is: I don’t have to have shot someone, and I don’t have to have had gay sex in order to write about them. What I do need to know is how it feels emotionally to do those things, and I can extrapolate that from what I do know. I need to know enough about the details so I can get it right, and that’s where research will help me. Also, use language to create emotion. Because emotions are where we grab the reader, and how we pull them into the scene.
Combat and sex aren’t so different when it comes to writing, and the personal experience. Now, go forth and write!
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houseofanticipation · 3 months
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It's impossible to count the number of times you've imagined this moment. Late at night, under the covers; in the bathtub, and the shower; on slow days at the bookstore, the summer before senior year; during Mr. Madrigal's long, droning lectures. You fantasized so vividly you could see each scene on the back of your eyelids, hear each sound between breaths. Many a time your hand migrated southward, almost of its own volition. If you were in public, you'd hold it against your crotch, pressing it into yourself with the force of your clenched thighs. In private, you'd be far less subtle.
In all those fantasies, you never imagined it would look quite like this.
The hallway smells like cigarettes and industrial cleaner. The haphazardly patterned carpet is coming up at the edges. The yellow tube light overhead might be attempting morse code, the way it flickers. Paint peels from the door in front of you, and one of the metal digits in the room number has been replaced with one that doesn't quite match: room 233. You raise your hand, your knuckles inches from the door, and then you pause. You're not sure if you can go through with this.
Before you can decide, the door opens anyway.
You started posting pictures in your first year of college. It was just your tits at first. You'd been quietly following those subreddits and tumblr blogs for a while, and you thought it would be a bit of fun, a little thrill. You didn't expect the response you got: dozens of people telling you how much they'd enjoyed it, asking for more. So you posted more, and the people asked for different things. Post your ass. Post your cunt. Post your fingers in your cunt. Post audio of you moaning as you came. The more you revealed of yourself, the more attention you got, and the more attention you got, the more you wanted to show. People wanted to send you tips, so you set up a Cash App address. You never got much, a few dollars here and there, but it was nice to get a free coffee now and then.
And somewhere along the way, apparently, you let slip that you were a virgin.
The message came late last semester, from a Cash App user whose name was just a string of numbers. It read, "I will buy your virginity for $100,000. So you know I'm serious, here is $7000 for you to keep, deal or no deal. Let me know if interested."
It was like one of those hypotheticals you talk about with your friends at the dinner table. Would you work nonstop for a year if it meant you never had to work again? Would you cut off your hand if it meant you never had to die? Would you let a stranger from the internet take your virginity for a hundred thousand dollars? You thought about it for weeks. The 7 thousand in itself was a windfall you never could have imagined. It was the new laptop you needed, four times over. It was a large iced coffee ever day for three and a half years. After graduation, if you were smart, it could be your living expenses for the better part of a year. But a hundred thousand might be a house, or a car, or a few years of freedom to pursue your goals. And when you asked how you could trust him to pay when he'd gotten what he wanted, he told you he'd be happy to pay up front.
So here you are, in a dingy hotel, face to face with the broad-shouldered, potbellied older man in front of you. "I saw you through the peephole," he says. There's something impish about him. Maybe it's the toothy grin, or the way his ears stick out from his head, or the obvious glee in his voice as he looks you up and down. "My, you're much better in person. Come in! You got the money then?"
You nod. You didn't leave the Lyft until it was there in your account.
"Good," he says, throwing the dead bolt. "Let's get to it then, shall we?"
"What should...I mean, how do you want to..." you feel yourself talking strangely. Breathing in the wrong places, words tumbling over each other. "Maybe we should...talk first? Get to know each other?"
"No need for that," says the man matter-of-factly, unbuttoning his shirt. His chest is smooth, his skin a mottled pink. He waves a hand at your body. "Go ahead and get those off."
Back in high school, one of your recurring fantasies involved Jason Meier having his way with you in the back of that beat up convertible he used to drive. That old thing used to get you so wet. It was a piece of junk, but something about the exposure of it...In the fantasy, he's driven you out to some secluded spot outside of town. Cicadas drone all around. The night sky shines bright with stars. He cups your face with one hand, strokes your cheek with his thumb, asks you if this is your first time. He kisses the side of your mouth, then your jaw, then below your ear, then down your neck. As his hands undo the top button of your blouse, he tells you he'll be gentle.
The man is watching you expectantly. With his shirt on, he looked like a portly old man. Without it you can see that every inch of that stocky build is hard muscle. That pink skin strains against his mass, muscle rippling beneath it as he moves. "What are you waiting for?"
Your legs tremble. Your knees feel like they're about to buckle. You can hear your heart pounding in your ears. Your body has never done this before. You didn't know you could feel this kind of fear, and yet there's nothing to fight, nowhere to flee. You agreed to this. You decided this was what you wanted. Slowly, you pull your shirt over head.
He groans in the back of his throat, a long, growly sound. His face is a mask of focus, the impish joviality gone, his eyes fixated on your breasts. "And the rest."
You kick off your shoes, pull off your socks. An inch at a time, you slide your shorts and panties over your ass, down your legs, past your trembling knees. You step out of them, and now you're completely exposed. You cross your arms over your chest, then lower them when he grunts disapproval. Almost urgently, he unbuttons his pants, pulls out a long, rigid cock, and begins to stroke himself.
You didn't discover internet porn until your senior year, and before then the only penises you'd seen were a few drawings in your health textbook. In the fantasy, you unbutton Jason Meier's pants and fig. 7.5, "The penis becomes engorged when in state of arousal," pops out of his underwear. You take it in your hands, feeling the weight of it, the girth, and look up into those beautiful brown eyes of his.
This cock is much...realer. It has bounce, texture, even a sound as his hand slides up and down its length. It's longer than the one in that old fantasy, too, and it leans slightly to the left. For years you've wondered what it would be like to see a cock in person, and now that you're here it terrifies you.
"Come here," says the man, sitting on the edge of the bed. "Get on your knees."
You falter. "You didn't...I mean, we didn't agree to that."
"I bought your virginity," says the man. "You ever suck cock before?"
You shake your head.
"Then your mouth is just as much a virgin as your cunt. Get down here."
It's almost a relief to get off your legs, the way they've been threatening to give out. Close up, you can see the purples and blues of the veins under his skin. The head of his cock pulses with anticipation as your lips part, your tongue extends...
You don't think you can do this.
Then his hand is on the back of your head.
You always imagined Jason Meier whimpering as you took him into your mouth. You were never quite able to picture what he would feel like between your lips, on your tongue; the movie camera of your imagination always panned up at that point, to focus on his face. He would let his head fall back in pleasure, eyebrows knit with sensation, lips slightly parted. Now, though, there's no camera to pan. You are here. This is real. And his powerful hand is pushing your mouth onto his cock.
A sound you can't control comes out of you. Your back arches, your hands flail, and then by pure instinct they're on his belly, pushing against him, away from him. Spit runs down your chin, and you wipe it away with the back of your hand. "I'm sorry," you say, looking anywhere but at his face. "I'm sorry, I can't, I thought I could do this but I can't."
There's a horrible darkness in his voice. "I already gave you the money."
"I know, I'll give it back, I'm sorry." The words trip over each other on the way out of your mouth. "I'm really sorry, I shouldn't have, I just, I thought I could..."
His hand is on the back of your head again, and this time his fingers are curled tight into your hair. He jerks your head back, forcing you to look at him, and his eyes are cold and predatory. "I'm not interested in returning what's already bought and paid for." He jams himself back into your mouth.
You always imagined yourself savoring it, taking your time to explore every inch of Jason's length with your tongue, but there's no time for that now. The veiny, throbbing thing in your mouth bypasses your tongue entirely, forcing past your uvula. You gag, then gag again. Your stomach churns and you convulse as your body tries to remove the foreign object, but the man just pushes harder. Your eyes water as he slides deeper, deeper, making your throat bulge, your limbs spasm. As his balls touch your chin, you close your eyes and try to relax your throat.
He holds you like that. You gag for a third time, and thick saliva explodes through the gaps around his cock, dripping down your chin and collecting in a long, dangling rope. Tears roll down your cheeks as you try to acclimatize to the feeling, try to convince your body that nothing is wrong. You think you've got it, and then he moves slightly, and you're gagging again. He groans, grips your head tighter, and in the back of your throat you feel his cock swell slightly. He likes it when you gag for him, says a voice in the back of your mind. The motion is pleasurable for him.
You've got another problem rearing its head. You can't breathe. It was fine at first, but the man shows no interest in freeing up your airways, and in all the gagging and crying, you haven't exactly been conserving your oxygen. You pat his leg, trying to signal to him, but all he does is clap you on the side of the head. Your ear rings, you gag again, and his cock throbs. Black walls are closing in on your vision. The effort of struggling against him becomes too much, and your arms fall to your sides. Your eyelids flutter. You're going to pass out. You're going to pass out, and then what will he do to you?
But just before the world fades to black, he pulls your head back again. You feel every inch of his cock as it slides out of your throat. He lifts your face, and your eyes struggle to focus on his as you take lungful after lungful of glorious air. Drool spills across your lips, but you don't care. You're alive.
The man slaps you hard, leaving a stinging impression of his palm on your cheek. You whimper. Two of his fingers are in your mouth, pushing on the back of your tongue. Not knowing exactly why, you close your lips around them and shut your eyes.
"That's better," he says.
The first time you saw a male sex toy in use was in an ad before a porn video you were watching. You were taken aback by the way the performer had pounded it over his cock, barely more than an extension of his hand. You're reminded of that image as he parts your lips again, and the rape of your throat begins in earnest.
You haven't thought about Jason Meier in years, but at this moment he's the only thing keeping you sane. As your face rams up and down, up and down, you retreat to that beat up convertible, and Jason's soft, thoughtful face. As the man tightens his grip, Jason runs his fingers through your hair. As the man grunts and growls with pleasure, Jason coos your name. With each stroke of his cock down your throat, each spasm of your body, you focus on a different part of Jason's body: his large hands, his long fingers, his shoulders, his jawline, his liquid brown eyes. By the time the man finally releases your hair, you can barely feel your body any more. The convertible is far more real than the squeaky motel bed. The hands on your body are Jason's, soft and tender.
He climbs over the center console straddling you. You lock lips, feel your tongues in each other's mouths, kiss so deeply that it feels as though you share the same breath. He pulls the lever to lay your seat back, and then he's over you, on top of you, lifting your skirt, pulling your panties to the side.
This is the part where, in the old days, you would have slipped a finger or two inside yourself. But this time you don't have to. This time you can feel him inside you, really feel him, and he fills you up like your fingers never could. There's some pain—they told you there'd be pain, didn't they, your first time—but it falls away to the thrill, the lust, the pleasure. Jason whimpers as he slides into you, deeper, deeper, and you moan into each other's mouths as his pelvis meets yours. You take a moment to savor it, breathing each other in, and then he begins to thrust.
You feel drunk. It's exactly like you always imagined it, and somehow better than you could ever have expected. Each movement of his hips brings another sensation: a spasm in the arches of your feet, a hitch in your breath, a churning, swirling need in the depths of your abdomen. Deeper you tell him, harder, and he obliges, pulling you into him, and him into you.
You can feel the orgasm building, but it isn't like any you've had before. Every time you've ever cum, you've been in control. This time, Jason is in control. Jason decides when you cum, how you cum. One hand supports his weight as he leans over you, and the other slides up your belly. You used to watch those hands obsessively. The way he held a pencil, the way he bit his knuckles when he was thinking. Now that hand slides up, caresses your breast. Now that thumb brushes your hair out of your face. Now those fingers close around your throat.
You know you're safe with Jason, but the pressure on your throat triggers some animal fear response in you. You try to squirm away, but his arm is strong, and his hand his firm. Your hands go to his wrist. "I don't like that, stop." He just smiles. It isn't his usual sweet smile, either. This one is cruel. Predatory.
Your face feels tight. Your eyes bulge. You're beginning to panic for real now. "Jason, seriously, stop!" You beat at his arm with your fists, but he easily takes both your wrists in one hand and pins them over your head. You try to kick at him, but he's already past your defenses, between your legs, pushing them uselessly apart. His grip tightens, his rhythm increases, his cock swells inside you. He's getting off on this.
All at once you're back in the hotel room. The man's sweaty red face is inches away from your own, and the lust in his eyes is obvious. His cock seems to push deeper with every thrust, and the horrible thing is that the orgasm is still coming. It's close now, you can feel it, and it's like he knows exactly how to bring it out. You feel floaty, tingly, and that awful pleasure is welling up inside you, a pot about to boil over...
"That's right," he says, his eyes locked on yours. "That's what I was waiting for. That perfect mix of...pleasure...and...fear." He punctuates each of these last three words with a long, deep thrust, and it's these that send the orgasm spilling over. A choked moan pushes itself out of you as your back arches, your toes curl, your legs wrap involuntarily around his waist, tears roll down your cheeks. That floaty feeling has combined with the orgasm to create something like how you imagine heroin must feel; a wave of mind numbing, soul deadening ecstasy. Your insides feel hot, and at first you think that must just be what it feels like when you cum from sex, but then you see the look on his face and realize that he's cumming too. His grip relaxes and he pounds away a few more times at your now-limp body. You stare at the ceiling as he moans, buries his face between your tits, pumps round after round of his warm, thick cum into your cunt, your womb. After one final push he collapses onto you, his cock still inside you, his bulk crushing you into the bed. You don't move.
He strokes your cheek. Fondles your nipple. Kisses your neck. Then he kisses your mouth, his tongue pushing your lips open, his breath like damp earth. You barely see him.
It must be almost ten minutes before he finally gets up, his limp cock sliding out of you at last. You can feel his cum dripping from your cunt as he puts on his underwear, then pants, then shirt, then shoes. "The room is paid for the night," he says with his hand on the door handle. "Thank you for struggling. Taking someone's virtue is so much better when you actually get to take it.
You don't respond.
You don't know how long you lie there, motionless, dripping cum. Oddly, the man who just raped you isn't the one burned onto your mind's eye. Try as you might to return to that sweet teenage fantasy, all you can see is Jason Meier as he held his hand to your throat, and that cruel, predatory smile on his face.
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imninahchan · 4 months
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⌜ 𝑾𝑨𝑹𝑵𝑰𝑵𝑮: strangers to lovers, my poor spanish skills, casual and unprotected sex [you can't do that, c'mon!], readerʼs a brazilian woman, some portuguese words, dirty talk, age difference, finger sucking, male oral, manhandling, light pussy spanking, ʽpapiʼ, dumbification, dacryphilia. ˚ ☽ ˚.⋆ ⌝
꒰ 𝑨𝑼𝑻𝑯𝑶𝑹ʼ𝑺 𝑵𝑶𝑻𝑬 ꒱ sooo never thought about posting something in eng but @femmechaotic (thx baby) showed me her translation and i gave it a second chance. This was originally written by me in portuguese, thatʼs why the reader is brazilian. Eng is not our first language, sorry for any mistakes, just posting for the fun of it♡
𓍢ִ໋🀦 HE'S THE KIND OF MAN YOU'LL ONLY MEET ONCE IN A LIFETIME ─────
You realized this from the moment you laid eyes on him for the first time. Sitting a couple of tables away from his, on the balcony of the hotel lobby.
You simply couldn't help but notice it: the thick strands of dark hair, how his hands run through it, as the gentle morning wind blowed. The basic white tank top, a coat hanging over the chair next to him at the table. His big and pointed nose, his eyes hidden mysteriously behind the lenses of the fancy sunglasses.
He's definitely not Brazilian. You could tell just by the food he chose from the buffet on his plate. Youʼre just so genuinely intrigued by the whole set of ongoings, obsessed with watching him, that you forgot about your own — boring — breakfast. The buns were cooling next to the black coffee in the porcelain cup.
You wanted to open the messaging app on your phone and send a sassy comment to your best friend, saying something like: “omg u won't believe how cute is the guy i just saw”, but you didn't even have time for that. The man raises his chin, with his attention shifting from the phone device in his hands to noticing your presence ahead.
You look down immediately, feeling as if you had committed a crime and you've just been caught in the act. You bite your lip, trying to hold down a childish smile, like a vicious little girl. Your palms starts sweating; suddenly cold. The intention was to keep yourself busy with the porcelain cup in the short meantime, trying to deal with the awkward sensation of being caught.
Itʼs not working, of course. You didn't know whether to drink or not, sometimes you try to sip the hot liquid, but you give up halfway through, lost like a robot in a breakdown. And when he raises his eyes once more, in the same direction as you looked for so long, the man's gaze meet yours again.
It feels, apparently, like youʼre going to faint, to actually die, Jesus! You've never felt so embarrassed in your entire life and you insist on thinking about how you're never gonna be able to eat, think or breathe while being in this crime scene — also known as the balcony of the hotel lobby.
“Get up, then!”, you think to yourself. You pick up on a couple of the cold buns from the plate, taking a sip of the — now cold — coffee, and walking towards the lobby. Like, damn, youʼre not even dressed up, maybe the clothes are not so bad but you donʼt even have any makeup on or hair done the way you liked it so much (and did it religiously every day).
But there is an actual explanation for you not being ready. The plan, initially, was just having breakfast and enjoying the view for a short period of time, so you could visit the downtown in Madrid afterwards. Now, you are running away like a criminal, with your mouth full of bread heading towards the elevator.
When you finally thought that the closing of the gray automatic doors would mean freedom, your heart has one more reason to flutter, as soon as the man steps into the cubicle before he could lose the sight of you.
You decide to chew more quickly, hiding the other roll of bun between your hands. Standing next to you, he takes off his pair of glasses, holding his coat and a crossbody bag.
He looks at you.
— Enzo — he says, and from the way he announced his name, you can tell by his accent that he speak Spanish. You swipe the back of your hand over your mouth, wiping away any remaining crumbs.
— Oi... hmm — You stammer the response in Portuguese, automatically panicking again for a few seconds when realizing that your brain couldn't think of a greeting, even in your first language. After some quick struggles, you tell him your name.
— ¿Eres de aquí? ¿de Madrid? (Are you from here? From Madrid?)
— Ahm... — You stutter, again (unfortunately). — Brasil!
He smiles.
— Ah, sí. Brasil... ¡Es un lugar magnífico! (Oh, yes. Brasil... It's a wonderful place!) — and praises. But his gaze turns sharp, he needs to know: “Entiendes lo que digo, ¿no?” (Do you understand what I say, right?)
— Sí, sí! (Yeah, yes!) — you return with a wide smile back at him, almost hyperventilating.
Your desperation is pathetically noticeable, itʼs cute actually. He watched you, smiles softly, almost like a chuckle. The curiosity gets into your nerves, you wanted to ask more questions, extend the conversation, but the elevator reaches your floor, and you leave, too withdrawn to say anything.
“Shit”, you curse at yourself, it wasn't so difficult to have a decent small talk, you should've said something, anything. You brood all day long, thinking you're such a dummy for missing the opportunity. Why did you have to act like a stupid teenager, huh? Then, after what happened, not even the museums — that you were so excited to visit — were fun anymore, no place in this goddamn city could take away that little thread of regret from you.
In the next day, however, you go down for some coffee at the same time as you did the other day, with the foolish intention of trying to see him again, and thatʼs it, it worked; like a freaking miracle. The man was sitting in an armchair in the lobby, it seemed like he was waiting for you too, what were the odds?
You can even feel your legs wobble.
— ¡Buenos días! (Good morning!) — he greets you. — ¿Cómo se dice ‘Buenos días’ en Brasil? (How do you say ‘Good morning’ in Portuguese?)
It takes a few seconds for you to think and say it back, ‘Bom dia’ (Good morning), you respond. He smiles.
— Es muy parecido (It's pretty similar) — he comments, awkwardly. Then, looks at the buffet, “¿Vamos?” (Shall we?)
Although he sometimes used terms that you completely donʼt know the meaning of and have to ask him to explain again, the conversation is, apparently, going very well. You discover that he is older, Uruguayan, and not Spanish as you immediately thought he was. You tell him a little about the country you come from, and he gets enchanted by the way your accent pronounces his name. Enzo. Paying attention to the ʽzʼ sound, unlike the pronunciation in Spanish.
it was with his company that you explored the city. The both of you went to a small square together, had some ice cream, met tourists hotspots, then chatted while exploring a little shop nearby. You hated to admit it but the situation was indeed romantic. Later in the afternoon, you were taken by him to a bar.
There, the conversation extended even further, including the beer you guys shared. When you didn't understand anything he said, (what was quite often in the conversation) you just laughed, your cheeks getting really hot and red from smiling that much. Honestly, you could leave him talking to himself for hours, just because you loved the husky sound of his deep voice and his pair of brown sparkling eyes.
It didn't mean that you were in love or anything, right? Besides, there was no way you could fall in love in such a short period of time.
But the heat you felt emanating from your own body definitely meant something. It could be because of the dark blue button-down shirt — these pieces never fail to be attractive, right? —, or the silver ring that caught your eyes every time he articulated with his hands in the air. Even his perfume... ah, the perfume! A fragrance that filled your lungs, woody but with a slight sweet note. Projecting all day long, torturing, practically inviting you to bury your face in the curve of the moreno's neck.
At nighttime, he takes you back to the hotel: his excuse was that he wanted to help you with the shopping bags, as if you had bought all of Madrid. And it was supposed to end there, at your hotel room door, simple as that. He hands you your things, and the most he does is lean over, slowly, as if he is silently asking for permission, and so, he places a small kiss on the corner of your mouth, millimeters away from touching your lipstick-painted lips. But you hold his hand, before the man walks away down the hall, you donʼt let him escape.
He approaches you again, his other hand touches the corner of your face. Warm, affectionate. ¿Qué te pasa, nena? (What's wrong with you, baby?) The focus of his brown eyes are on your mouth now, the question is whispered, seductive. The touch of his fingers bypass your jaw until it gets on your chin. ¿Quieres algo más que un beso? (Do you want something more than a kiss?)
Youʼre not sure which words to use, which command to prefer. In fact, you donʼt even want to be thinking. You want to shut your brain, to be so dissociated so that only your body can enjoy the moment. You wrapp your arms around him, your face can finally hid in the curve of his neck, breathing in the intoxicating scent of his. You hear the sound of his chuckle, feeling his big hands being placed on your waist. ¿Qué quieres? Dímelo. (What do you want? tell me)
You look up to him, shy. The tip of your nose rubs against his, creating a friction that, just because of the absurd proximity, makes everything even more tense, burning erotic.
— No Brasil — you say, trying to hide it by biting your lip —, se diz ‘foder.’
Enzo's smile grows, almost in slow motion. “Foder” (fuck), he repeats the word in a whisper. Again, you donʼt even have to think much to understand. Everything sounded similar, and it seemed that your mind was connected to his by a chaotic carnal desire.
The Uruguayan's lips meets yours; his hot tongue brushes against yours. Your bodies take on a life of their own. Little by little, the main setting stopped being the hotel hallway and became your room. The door gets closed with a gentle push from his feet, while the chosen path is towards your bed.
His hands moves up from your waist to grab your blouse and take it off from your warm body. When you lay on the mattress, supporting on your elbows, itʼs the cue the man needeed to messily pull down your shorts.
— ¿Quieres ponerte de rodillas? (Do you want to be on your knees?) — he asks, as he unbuttons his own blouse. The sharp look he gives you, bathed in desire, delirious. On his lips, you notice the smudged red of your lipstick. — Correrme en tu boca... (Cum in your mouth...)
Maybe itʼs your mind lost in urgency, because you donʼt process what was said to you. You keep your eyes still, your mouth half-open, taking in air, panting. So pathetic that all he does is laugh at your face, running his hands through his hair instead of going straight to the belt of his shorts.
— ¿Qué? ¿No lo comprendes, no? (What? you don't understand it, do you?) — the tone used with you bordered mockery. And contrary to what you would normally feel like, it gives room to a sick feeling, butterflies in your stomach, you feel even more horny, stimulated. He leans in close. — Mira. (Look)
And as if you were learning something for the first time, you imitate him when he parts his lips. You let the man's thumb drag over your lower lip, and then his middle and index fingers together slide over your tongue, until they occupy your mouth. “Así” (like that), he pushes and retreats with his hand, in a slow, sensual movement, “Metértelo en la boca.” (Put it in your mouth)
Ah, now you understand him well. Your face burns, the wet way the fingers come out of your mouth, a little strand of saliva kept resisting in the distance, itʼs wanton. You nod, kneeling on the wooden floor, eyes glued to him unbuckling his belt until you could have his erection in full view.
You part your lips once again, as you were ‘taught’. He fills your mouth, up to a point where your nose touches his crotch, and comes back, completely wet. It allows the Uruguayan to control the pace, to catch the corner of your face. You raise your gaze to his, surrendered not only by the lasciviousness of what you were doing, but also by the beautiful view you had of his face from that angle.
Enzo uses the index finger of his free hand to run down the curve of your nose, affectionately.
— Qué ojitos más bonitos... (You have such beautiful little eyes) — he praises you, with a smile. At that moment, you could swear your heart felt like it exploded. — Eres tan bella, nena. Preciosa. (You are so beautiful, baby. Precious) — he sighs, his head falls back, then to a slide side angle. He looks at you in such a mischievous way that you avoid returning the look. — Me encantaría correrme en tu boca... pero prefiero guardarlo todo para dentro de ti. (I would love to cum into your mouth... but I prefer to keep it all inside you)
You get taken back to bed, easily manhandled by him when you silently gave up control of the situation. He comes over, dangerously close, unlocked the front fitting of your bra, getting lost between your breasts as soon as he releases them from the tightness of the piece. You hold onto his hair, restless under the delicious sucking of his tongue, the wild bite of his teeth. You gasp, having to move away from the black threads of his hair while his mouth travels down your belly.
He releases you from the last piece of underwear too, the wet kisses were loud and pornographic, crackling on your skin. The tip of his big nose rubs lightly over the area where he knew your sensitive clit was. His palm run through your wetness, the chill of the his silver ring sliding across your boiling skin.
He clicks two, three slaps in a row that makes you shudder, whimpering softly. Enzo smiles, he didn't need to, but he returned to that mocking tone from before, of someone who had to calmly spell out the commands so you could understand.
He brings his hand to your lips, gave a little tap on the top, de aquí, and then went all the way down again, leaving a wet trail until he gave your pussy another tap, a aquí. And itʼs these little details that makes everything even better. It makes you feel so dumb, foolish, but itʼs so strangely good...
When he puts himself inside you, you lock your legs around his waist, wrapping your arms around him, feeling him dominate everything in you. He, however, insists on eye contact, lifting his torso, resting his forearm against the mattress, to look you in the eye. He smiles, panting like you; moaning low, hoarse. At first, slow, but soon he surrendered to the speed, to the sharp sound of your moans with each stronger thrust.
And there where so many thrilling impulses, fuck it... You want to cover your mouth, close your eyes to try to contain yourself. Itʼs the nasty noise of your bodies in shock, his deep voice, the scent of his hot skin. Youʼre so sensitive that your eyes get wet, a little tear runs down your cheek.
— Oh, no... Perdón, perdóname, cariño. (Oh, no... I'm so sorry, honey) — he stops, his thumb wipes the tear from your face.
'En—', you even started to want to call his name, but the frustration of no longer receiving the same thrilling sensations and to the same extent was such that you only knew how whine; your mind melting, finally murmuring “Dale, dale, papi.” (Give it to me, please, daddy)
Enzo smiles again. He leaves a few kisses on your lips, repeating your words between the kisses, as if he was making fun of your desperation and also the term you used to refer to him.
— ¿Más rápido, hm? Más duro? (Faster, hm? Harder?) — he turns you over on the bed, putting you on all fours. The dirty talk makes you smile, dumb with lust already, clinging to one of the pillows. The Uruguayan's body lead over yours, bringing his mouth close to your ear. — Tranquila, nena. Te dar�� todo lo que quieras. ( Calm down, baby. I will give you everything you want.)
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Ok! Thanks.
Could you write a story where you and Charles are dating but nobody knows about it because you're a F1 journalist and are afraid to lose your job. On one race, Ferrari fucks him up and you have to interview him after it. You thought he would be mad but instead you saw a sad and disappointed Charles and his eyes and body movement were kinda begging for a kiss and a hug but you knew you couldn't do anything at that moment and your heart couldn't handle seeing him like that. But when you get to the hotel you are all his.
Just Hold Me - Charles Leclerc
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<word count - 1824>
A/N - This is Austin minus the DSQ because I could not handle that OK enjoy!
The media room wasn't fun at the best of times, let alone at the beginning of a race while you waited for the five red lights to go out. But, that didn't matter, since you adored your job. You got to live your dream, whilst travelling all over the world and to the most beautiful countries.
You travelled more in a year than some people did in their entire lives, and that was a privilege that you were unbelievably grateful to have. Whether it be the sunkissed sands of Australia, the glittering Monaco Marina, or the festival feel of Mexico, you were always in a beautiful part of the world. 
It truly was your dream, and you were able to share it with the most unlikely of people. Athletes and celebrities alike didn't tend to like the press or interviewers. Journalists like you were paid to poke into their lives and ask pressing questions on air. 
But, Charles Leclerc had unexpectedly taken quite a liking to the one Sky Sports F1 interviewer who he talked to after every race. Throughout the whole of the 2022 season, he looked forward to those post-race interviews. Yes, last season had been going a lot better than this season, and there were many more positive things to talk about, but he still enjoyed the few moments spent with you. 
During the summer break, Charles had reached out to you after you had run into him in Monaco one day. He offered to do an interview about what he was getting up to over the weeks off, and your journalistic heart couldn't say no. 
The pair of you had met up at a cafe, but no interview was conducted. You spent your time talking and getting to know each other better. You had talked to him numerous times, but only ever for those 5 minutes or less after a race.
He had disguised your next meet up a few days later as another opportunity to actually get your interview done, but it never came into fruition. You saw right through him, but never said anything. You quickly fell head over heels for the dashing driver just like he had for you, but you had agreed to keep your relationship secret. 
It could have put your job in jeopardy, since your boss might think you would ask more favourable questions to Charles, or relinquish honesty in your articles in an effort to make him look good. There was also the added pressure of possibly being asked to write about his personal life, or what he's like behind the scenes just for a few extra clicks on those web articles. 
As you were thinking about him, Charles just so happened to pop up on the screen as they showed him, sat in his car, on pole position. Charles' statistics in regards to him being on pole were less than flattering, but you had every faith in him.
It was times like these, as you watched him in his shining scarlet car, that you wished you could have been sat in the Ferrari garage, just like he had asked you to so many times. 'Just tell them it's for one of your articles or something' Charles would say whenever you declined. 
If you sat in Ferrari one day, you would have to sit in every other garage. Also, there were people out there who would jump to accuse you of dishonest journalism, and that was something you prided yourself on avoiding. Being indicted of being bribed by Ferrari for information was the last thing you needed.
As the race progressed, it was looking more and more dismal. They had tried to put Charles on a one stop, but he was the only one who stuck to it when everyone else had abandoned the spur of the moment idea for longevity on track.
It didn't help that he had been jumped at the start by Lando, but he could have pulled it back if his tyres weren't dying a slow, painful death. He sounded less than impressed when they asked him to let Carlos by, and it wasn't a good sign when he said they should 'Talk after the race'.
To pin the nail in the coffin, they asked him to come in to change the tyres. You couldn't show any emotion, or cheer him on from where you were sitting. You just had to remain silently seething. You couldn't help but chuckle as he yelled that that would 'fuck up his race' and he just wanted to try. 
That was something you admired about Charles. He always tried, even when things were tough like they were right now. When he crossed the line in fifth, you couldn't help but feel sorry for him. Fifth wasn't bad by any means, but he was hoping for a podium, and so was everyone. 
You had to go and get into position, ready with your microphone in the media pen. Drivers rolled around, one by one, and your heart dropped when you saw Charles walking over. You thought he'd be angry, you thought he'd have that scowl of annoyance on his face. 
But, he just looked downright dejected. He could barely look you in the eyes as he stood there, really not in the mood to answer your questions. "Charles, you had a tough race out there. How were you initially feeling about the one-stop strategy?" You asked as he listened to your voice. 
It was soothing to him in some regards, hearing your voice could lull him into calmness for a short while. However, he wished you weren't asking those goddamn questions right now. "It sounded like a good plan, since George and Lando were on it, but we should have changed when everyone else did," he said, clearly not wanting to elaborate more than necessary. 
"How do you feel about the race as a whole?" You asked, this time he was actually making eye contact with you. As he answered, he just had that glint in his eye that was begging for a hug and a kiss, just any form of comfort that he could get. 
He didn't care that there were people everywhere, he didn't care who saw. He just wanted to fall into your embrace in search of solace. Just getting to touch you would put him at ease somewhat, but he knew it could cost you your job. Resisting the temptation was more difficult than he could have imagined, though. 
You were struggling too. The urge to wrap your arms around him and make the pain go away was becoming unbearable.  He needed you right now, but you weren't able to be there for him like you so desperately wanted to. 
While he answered your final question before George came through, your job didn't seem all that important anymore. If getting to sit in the Ferrari garage every week, and getting to be with him in public meant you lost your job, then so be it. 
Your heart ached for him, and you were struggling to remain a neutral interviewer. It was like it was being ripped out of your chest as you questioned him. Before you could break the facade and embrace him, Charles thanked you and moved on, probably going to have that aforementioned talk with Xavi. 
Later on, you arrived back at the hotel before he did and got changed into more comfortable clothes as you waited for him. After what felt like hours, the door quietly clicked open, and Charles trudged through the room.
Neither of you said a word as you stood from where you were sat on the bed, and walked up to him. He fell into your arms, clasping onto you for dear life. You ran your fingers up and down his spine as you kissed the top of his head, glad to have him with you. 
Charles was just glad to have your arms wrapped around his weary figure, feeling some of his worries melt away slightly. He had you now, and it made the stress and disappointment he felt somewhat bearable. You made a stormy day sunny for him, and his was pleased that he had found someone who could bring him that consolation.  All he wanted to do after that absolute shitbox of a race was crawl into bed, and cuddle with you. "Do you want to order room service for dinner?" You broke the silence, pulling away from him so you could look at his face. 
His cheeks were flushed, but his eyes were looking drowsy. They didn't have that usual brightess about them, the glowing joy being replaced by a tired dullness. "I'm not hungry," he mumbled, pressing his face back into the crook of your neck. You weren't too hungry either, so you decided you'd just deal with it. Charles needed you, and nothing was going to take you away from him. "How about you go and have a shower, and then we can just go to bed?" you suggested, as he nodded and hummed in confirmation. 
He reluctantly detached himself from you, walking over to the bathroom and closing the door behind him. It was time to play the waiting game one more time, but not for as long. It wasn't often you saw him this melancholy and dismal, but even then he was usually more talkative. 
Then again, he didn't need to talk to tell you how he was feeling. You could read his face and body language like a book, and it was clear he was very upset. The shower turned off, and a few moments later, the bathroom door opened and Charles emerged. 
He clambered into bed beside you, immediately wrapping his arms around your waist and resting his head on your chest. He breathed heavily as he held himself as close to you as he possibly could. 
You hated seeing him like this, and you wished you could unfuck the fuck ups that had happened. Anything to make the pain go away. "It's OK, baby, you did amazing. There was nothing else you could have done," you reassured him, but he didn't respond. 
He simply hid his face from you, holding onto you even tighter. "You can talk to me, you know," you prompted, hoping he would open up. It might have made him feel better. "Tomorrow," he said, and you could just about see his eyes closing. 
"OK, sweetheart, I'm here if you need me. Do you want a water or anything?" You asked, looking down at him. "No, I just want you to stay here," he said, and you were happy to fulfill his request. Having to wait that long to hold him was agonizing, but you were glad to have him in your arms now. 
Maybe one day you'd be able to embrace him in the paddock, or after an interview, but that time wasn't now. Now, Charles needed you, and you would always be there for him.
A/N - Another request ticked off the list! Requests will be probably be taking a bit of time, since I will be writing the two Halloween Specials, but still feel free to drop them! I haven't gotten any Lando or Max ones... So they might be appreciated if you catch my drift. Have a wonderful day/night, and I love you 💖
|masterlist|
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bengiyo · 21 days
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Wandee Goodday: They're Letting Men 69 Now
The third episode of Wandee Goodday opens with the leads engaged in mutual fellatio (commonly known as a 69), and I wanted to comment on how well I liked it being used here. I asked yesterday how many other instances we had of the position in prior shows, and got confirmation from @respectthepetty and @pharawee and others that as best we can recall right now only Destiny Seeker has shown or implied the position before. Because we are hundreds of shows deep into BL at this point, I wanted to follow up on my post about Patts Wanting to Blow Saengtai and talk about this scene a bit.
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One of the things I generally have to just ignore in BL is the alarming lack of lubricant usage in the genre even more than the lack of condom usage. BL boys must have self-lubricating organs with the way this genre behaves around it. It also doesn’t match the expected velocity of m/m physical intimacy that I’m used to in my own experience and the stories told by my homies. In fairness, in the couple dozen m/m romance novels I’ve read, I can only recall one 69 scene (shoutout to Ginn Hale for Lord of the White Hell, Book 1) In my experience, guys are way more likely to touch each other’s dicks before they kiss each other (something else Wandee Goodday is doing that I like).
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What makes this scene standout to me is that we ended the previous episode with the guys establishing the rules of their relationship, and Wandee telling Yoryak he wanted him to pay more attention to his dick during sex. I really love coming back to them literally giving each other head, having a good time doing it, and teasing each other about it. It’s important to me that gay sex in shows about gay characters look like it’s fun for the characters and not just as a completion of a big romantic moment. It’s also very cool that this show continues to tease and show the various ways men can have a good time with each other without all the effort that goes into preparing for anal sex.
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However, I will tease about the propriety rules and the usage of a blanket for modesty purposes. I completely accept this compromise for the safety of the actors and broadcast rules, but I know that I am not hotboxing myself when I’m trying to focus.
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That’s all I wanted to say. I’d love for the folks who saw Destiny Seeker to chime in again about the work that show did on the presentation of m/m intimacy in BL in light of the Wandee Goodday scene. Guys should suck dick more often in BL as a sufficient enough act for spontaneous sex without implying that somehow raw, unlubricated anal works in a bathroom.
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badasbebi · 5 months
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not my fault ➛ 1/2
part two
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✦ pairing: bada lee x fem!reader
✦ summary: discovering that a cute girl you saw at your college orientation is your roommate, you become eager to get to know her. however, things quickly go awry when she turns out to be much more difficult to get along with than you could've imagined and abruptly leaves you in the dust. fueled by your terrible experiences with her and rumors about her dating habits, you swear to stay away from her at all costs. will you be able to keep your promise?
✦ genre/au: fluff, my poor attempt at a rom-com, college!au, enemies to lovers, eventual smut, (very slight) roommates to lovers
✦ word count: 11k (im so embarrassed)
✦ warnings: isn't proofread bc this is toooo long. unrealistic portrayal of room-switching in college bc it's never that easy or quick irl. smut in part 2
✦ a/n: part 2 is already finished & will be posted very very soon. so, this is my first time writing a fanfic in like...years. this feels very strange, but i had a lot of fun writing it and i hope someone out there has a lot of fun reading it! also, although this fic doesn't really have anything to do with the lyrics, this song was somewhat inspired by not my fault by renee rapp and megan thee stallion. <3.
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It was the first day of orientation at Seoul University, and you were utterly bored. 
You were sitting on a bench outside of the campus auditorium, people-watching as you waited for the opening ceremony to start. It was a hot day with the sun beating down on everyone, prompting an array of glistening foreheads and crinkling water bottles. There was a line of cars in front of you, people getting out with eager smiles and a mischievous glint in their eyes as they stepped onto the concrete, admiring what would be their home for the next four or more years. Your ears were filled with the excited chatter of hundreds of people meeting new friends and catching up with old ones.
You sat there, the sun warming your skin, looking for something or someone interesting while you waited for orientation to begin. 
You watched as a pairing, presumably mother and daughter, pulled up in a sleek car. They got out, and the mother began taking pictures of the daughter. The daughter looked around the campus with a wide grin on her face.
You looked away, taking a sip from your hydroflask. A boy wearing a shirt with your school's mascot. Boring. A congregation of girls who were so obviously here for sorority life, you almost laughed. 
A tall, dark-haired woman, with blue highlights, bangs, and thick, black-rimmed glasses, surrounded by a group of people.
You raised an eyebrow. That was interesting.
There were people crowded around her. Guys. Girls. Some, you presumed, were family. They all seemed to have their eyes on her.
You wondered why. As she talked, you studied her.
Her lips were moving, her facial expressions soft and open. Her voice was quiet, though, and you couldn't hear her words. She was pretty, extremely pretty, with luscious lips and a full nose. You liked her eyes the best. They were dark brown, but when the light caught them, they shined. 
She had a smile on her face, her head tilted, her hair cascading over her shoulders. It looked like a scene from a movie, her standing there, the wind blowing through her hair, the sun shining on her features.
She was laughing now, at something one of the guys had said. It was nice to watch. It made you feel warm. You smiled.
And then the girl looked at you.
You looked away, trying to pretend like you were not staring. But after a few moments, you stole a glance back. Her eyes were on you, her brow furrowed, a look of confusion on her face.
You blushed, feeling embarrassed. You looked down, staring at your nails.
“Holy shit it’s hot out here. If I pass out, I’m suing the school for child endangerment, because it is absolutely insane that we're still out here. Take your stupid water”
You looked up. Your friend, Lusher, was standing there, her hair frizzy, her makeup done, outstretching her hand to offer you the water bottle you told her to fetch,  and dramatically holding her other hand to her forehead.
You laughed, grabbing the water bottle. “Thanks, but I don’t think you can sue them for child endangerment if you’re not a minor, Lush.”
“I may not be a minor, but there are definitely some here. I’m just advocating for them! We need to make sure that children have a voice.”
You laughed, uncapping the bottle and taking a drink.
Lusher plopped down next to you. She looked around, scanning the place as you did. The attractive girl you were previously admiring was still standing there, laughing and chatting with others, people flocking to her like a moth to a flame. So, you did the only logical thing that a woman would do in your position—gossip to your friend about it. You tapped your friend on your shoulder repeatedly. She looked at you, an eyebrow raised.
You nod your head in the direction of the girl, and Lusher’s eyes follow. You could practically see her mind whirring.
"Well, hello there. Who is that?" Lusher said, wiggling her eyebrow, a smirk on her lips.
"I don't know!" you said, throwing your arms out. "That's what I was gonna ask you."
"Not you already having a crush. It's not even our first day, yet, y/n," Lusher teased. 
"Oh shut up," you groaned.
Lusher squinted. "She does look a little familiar."
You shifted toward her, excited. "Really? How?" 
"I think I saw her around when I was touring campus or something. Or Instagram? I'm not sure."
You nodded, watching as the girl said something, and the group around her laughed. Lusher glanced at you, observing your staring, and snickered.
"What are you even doing you stalker? Go talk to her!" She insisted, nudging your shoulder. 
"What!? No. No. Absolutely not. Not happening," you exclaimed, shaking your head.
"Why not?" Lusher whines.
"Because there are 5,000 people surrounding her, Lush," you said vaguely pointing at the group of people around her. "I'm not about to compete with that. No, thank you. I'll pass."
"Y/N," she groaned.
"Lusher," you replied, mocking her tone.
She huffed, rolling her eyes. You laughed.
"You're ridiculous," Lusher said.
"Thank you," you responded, a satisfied grin on your face.
You took a final sip of your water and then closed the cap. "Come on. It's almost time to go in."
You grabbed your friend's arm, pulling her up. She grumbled, and you chuckled, walking her toward the auditorium. As you walked away, you felt the gaze of a pair of shiny eyes following you. 
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Your mother groans, dropping the last box into the tiny bedroom. "That's the last one. My back is officially fucked."
"Mom, please stop swearing," you say, cringing.
"You swear all the time," she retorts.
"And where do I get that from?" you shoot back.
"You're my child. I can swear in front of you," she responds, ignoring your comment.
"Uh, no. You can't. You're old," you say, picking up one of the boxes and ripping the tape off.
"I prefer the term 'mature'," your mother corrects.
"What about 'ancient?'" you ask, faking seriousness. 
She rolls her eyes, grabbing one of your shirts and throwing it at you. You giggle, ducking to the side and letting it fall on the floor. She laughs, and you laugh too, and then you're both giggling uncontrollably. When you're laughing fit is over, you begin taking things out of another box.
The two of you spend the next few hours unpacking and organizing. You are not surprised when your mother decides that she likes her decorating ideas better, and rearranges everything.  Finally, the two of you finish, and you step back, admiring the room. Your mom puts her arm around your shoulder. 
"I think it looks good. What about you?"
You nod, smiling. "It does."
She sighs, leaning into you, and you wrap your arm around her waist.
"Are you hungry?" she asks, squeezing you tighter.
"Yeah. Starving."
"Good. Because I have some-"
The sound of your door opening cuts her off. You both turn around, and your heart leaps in your throat. Standing in the doorway is the pretty girl from the first day of orientation, wearing cargo pants and a hoodie. 
You're too stunned to speak. She's staring at you, and you're staring back. Neither of you says a word.
After what feels like a long time, your mother speaks, her voice filled with curiosity. "Hello? Can we help you?"
The girl's eyes snap to your mother, her eyebrows raising slightly.
"Oh. Uh...hi. I'm sorry. I'm Bada. Your new roommate," the girl, Bada, says, her voice soft and smooth.
"Oh, yes. You are," your mom responds, a wide grin on her face. She extends her arm. "Hi, Bada. I'm Y/N's mom. Nice to meet you."
Bada's eyes widen, and she gives you an almost nervous smile, her gaze flickering between you and your mom. She reaches her hand out and takes your mother's. "Nice to meet you, too, ma'am."
Your mother laughs. "No need to call me ma'am, dear. Please, call me by my name. And please, come in."
Bada hesitates, her gaze shifting to you, as if she's asking for permission. You smile softly, nodding your head, and she returns the gesture, entering the room.
"So, you're Y/N's new roommate. Tell me about yourself," your mother prompts, crossing her arms and leaning against the wall.
Bada's eyes flick back to you, her smile turning awkward. "Um, well, I'm from Incheon, and I'm a freshman. I'm majoring in dance," Bada says, her words sounding rehearsed.
Your mother nods. "Cool. Dance, huh? Do you perform?"
"Oh, um, yeah," Bada shuffles her feet a bit. "Sometimes. I was on the dance team back at my high school."
"Very cool. How's move-in day so far?"
"Good. Yours?"
"Great," your mother responds.
Bada's gaze turns back to you, and you shift, feeling slightly uncomfortable. Your mother seems not to notice, or she does not care.
"Are you here with your parents?" your mother asks.
"Uh, no. Just my mom and sister," Bada responds.
"I see. Where are they?"
"Getting dinner," Bada replies, her voice still soft.
"Ah," your mother says. She glances between the two of you, a knowing look in her eyes. "Well, I suppose I'll leave you two to get to know each other. It was nice meeting you, Bada."
"You too, Mrs. Y/L/N."
"Please, dear, call me by my first name," your mother responds, reaching out and touching Bada's shoulder.
Bada smiles, and then your mother exits the room, leaving the two of you alone.
"Nice meeting you," Bada says, her tone polite.
"Nice meeting you too, Bada," you reply.
A moment passes. The tension is palpable. You can tell she's unsure of what to do, or say.
"Do you, uh, need help bringing your stuff in?" you ask, breaking the silence.
"Oh, no. I'm fine," she responds.
"Okay," you reply.
More silence. Bada is still looking at you, her expression guarded. You clear your throat, rubbing the back of your neck awkwardly.
"Is, um, this okay? Am I, uh, being a nuisance or anything?" you ask, choosing to stare at the wall behind her.
"Huh?"
"I mean, I can leave if I'm making you uncomfortable or anything. I don't want to be a bother," you say, shuffling your feet.
"No. No. Not at all," she replies, shaking her head.
"Oh, okay. Good," you respond, smiling.
She does not return the gesture. Her eyes are still on you, and her body is tense. You wonder if she's afraid of you, or something.
"So," you begin, clasping your hands together. "I guess I'll show you to your side of the room, then."
"Oh, um, okay," she replies, her voice still quiet.
"Here. Let me help you with that," you offer, stepping forward and grabbing one of her suitcases.
"No thank you. I've got it," she says, pulling the bag back.
"Okay. Whatever makes you comfortable," you say, letting go.
She drags the suitcase across the floor and sets it on the empty bed.
"I hope you don't mind. I didn't really get much choice in the furniture department. You're lucky you got the bigger bed," you say, laughing nervously.
"No, it's okay. Thank you," she replies, a tight smile on her lips.
"No problem," you respond, rocking back and forth on your heels.
Another moment of awkward silence passes. Bada begins unzipping the suitcase, taking out folded clothes and laying them on her bed.
"Can I, uh, get you anything? Like, some water or snacks or something?"
"No thank you. That's very kind, though," she says, her back turned to you.
"Okay. Cool. If you need anything, let me know. I'm always here," you respond, smiling.
"I'll keep that in mind," she replies, not looking at you.
"Well, okay. I'll just...leave you to it, then," you say, and then turn around and go sit at your desk, deciding not to push her.
You pull your laptop out, placing it on the desk, and log onto the college's wifi. You lean back in your chair, alternating between reading your syllabi and watching as she unloads her belongings. She has a lot of things. Clothes, books, shoes, accessories, makeup. She even has a large speaker system, which is surprising, considering the small dorm.
After a while, Bada stops, having finally finished unpacking. She stretches her arms above her head, revealing a tiny sliver of her stomach and the waistband of her boxers. Your cheeks burn, and you quickly look away.
"Hey, y/n?"
"Hm?" you ask, spinning around.
"Do you know where the bathroom is?" she asks.
"Oh, yeah. It's just down the hall," you reply, pointing to the door.
"Okay. Thank you," she says, standing up and leaving the room.
You sigh, and then get up, going over and plopping down on your bed. You could not get a read on this woman. When you saw her at orientation, she seemed so open, so friendly, so charismatic. But, right now, it was like you were talking to a wall. You couldn't help but feel a bit peeved. You wanted her to at least like you a little bit, or even tolerate you, but she was barely willing to even talk to you.
You shake your head, clearing your thoughts. Maybe she was just tired, or had a bad day. That's probably it. That had to be it. Which, is fine. You were her roommate. You had a year to become friends. You'd be fine. 
You pull out your phone, deciding to scroll through social media. After a few minutes, Bada returns and sits on her bed.  
"Did you find it?" you ask, not looking up.
"Yep," she replies.
"That's good," you start, sitting up and scooting toward the edge of your bed. "Hey, I was thinking, since we're gonna be roommates and all, we should get to know each other, ya know?"
Bada turns, a blank expression on her face.
"So, dance," you continue. "What's that like?"
Bada's face changes, the guarded look falling away, replaced with an excited smile. "Dancing? Oh, it's wonderful. I've loved dancing for as long as I can remember," Bada gushes, her eyes lighting up. "I've been doing it my whole life. My mom and sister dance, too, actually."
You grin, her excitement contagious. "That's great. How many of you are dancers?"
"Just the three of us. Me, my mom, and my sister. Well, actually, my mom is retired now, and she's teaching classes at the studio," Bada continues, her smile growing wider.
"That's amazing," you respond, leaning forward. "Do you all perform together?"
"All the time. My mom owns a studio, and she teaches there. We teach classes and choreograph, and then, when we have enough students, we'll have shows," Bada answers, her voice becoming softer, and less animated.
"That sounds really cool. Do you, like, teach little kids and stuff?"
"Oh, no. Not really. I mean, we do, but only if a student's parents ask. Our main audience is teens, and adults," she explains.
"Wow," you say, nodding. "That's awesome. I can't imagine what that's like."
"It's a lot of fun," Bada replies, her eyes sparkling.
"What about your dad? Is he a dancer, too?"
"My father's not in the picture," Bada says, her eyes dimming a bit.
"Oh, uh, I'm sorry," you mumble, suddenly feeling awkward.
"It's alright," Bada responds, her tone flat.
"Well, anyway, that's cool," you say, changing the subject. "What's the studio like?"
"It's really nice. We have a small space,  but it's cozy," she says, her eyes regaining some of their previous luster. "We've got a lot of mirrors and equipment, and the lights are low."
"Really? God, what you do sounds so cool."
"You think so?" Bada asks, her eyebrows raised.
"Totally. I'm kinda jealous," you admit.
"Thanks. It's nice to hear someone say that," she replies, grinning.
"Anytime," you say, returning the gesture.
The two of you lapse into a comfortable silence, and you lay back on the bed, staring at the ceiling.
Suddenly, your phone pings, and you glance at the screen. It's a text message from Lusher.
Lush: hey u ready for ur first college party???
Y/N: no lol i'm exhausted from setting up.
Lush: oh come on. im trying to meet some cute guys here. dont make me go alone
Y/N: haha i'm gonna stay in tonight. maybe tomorrow or next weekend
Lush: boo. well, the invitation is always open. if u change ur mind, come find me.
Y/N: ok will do. ttyl
"Is that your mom?" Bada asks, interrupting your thoughts. 
"Huh?"
"Your phone," she clarifies, motioning to the device in your hand.
"Oh, no, just a friend from high school, Lusher. She goes here," you explain, sliding your phone onto your bedside table. "She was trying to invite me to a party to scout out the scene for boys."
"Ah," Bada replies, turning her attention back to her side of the room.
"But there's no way I'm going tonight. I'm way too tired after all of that packing," you continue, lying down.  
"Understandable," Bada replies, not looking at you.
"So, I'm pretty hungry? Wanna go to the dining hall and get some food, or something?" you ask. 
"No thank you. I think I'm just going to take a nap," she says, scooting under her covers and turning her body toward the wall. 
"Oh, okay. Alright," you say, feeling a bit disappointed.
It seems like you are back to square one. You sigh, and then turn around, facing the wall. This was going to be a long year. You reach for your headphones, plugging them into your phone, and put on a playlist, trying to ignore the slight ache in your chest. You were not sure why, but, for some reason, it hurt. You shake your head, pushing the feeling down. No, you were not upset. You were not going to be upset. Everything was going to be fine with time. You stand up, grabbing your backpack, and then exit the room, closing the door quietly behind you. The least you could do was give her some privacy. Maybe she needed some time to adjust to sharing a room with someone. 
You enter the elevator, pressing the button for the ground floor, and try to clear your head. No. Things would get better. She would warm up. You just needed to be patient. The elevator dings, and the doors open, and you step out, walking toward the cafeteria. You just needed to wait. She would come around. You were sure of it.
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Your alarm blares loudly. You groan, rolling over and snoozing it. The sun is barely up. You feel like a zombie.
You reach over and grab your phone. 7:30 am. Time for a run.
You slowly slide out of bed, wincing at the cold floor. Rubbing the sleep from your eyes, you glance around the room. It looks exactly the same, except for the fact that your roommate is gone.
You yawn, stretching, and then walk over to her bed. The sheets are perfectly tucked, the pillows arranged neatly, and the blanket is smoothed out. She must have made her bed before leaving. You frown.
"I wonder what time she wakes up," you murmur, running a hand over the blanket.
You throw on some clothes, put your earbuds in, and stretch, before leaving the room.
As you walk through the hallway, your thoughts are still hazy with sleep. You have never been a morning person. But, running helps.
You take the elevator down to the lobby, and then exit the building, jogging onto the sidewalk. A cool breeze whips your hair around. You shiver, pulling the drawstrings of your hoodie tight.  After a few minutes, you find a nice rhythm, your breathing steadying, the music calming your nerves.  You pass the same few people, most of them in a similar state as you. Groggy. Disheveled. Exhausted. After 30 minutes, you start feeling warm. Your heart is pounding, and your chest is heaving. You slow to a walk, and then stop, resting against a tree. 
You close your eyes and listen to the birds, the leaves, the wind. It's nice. Calming.
"Y/n?" a familiar voice asks. 
Your eyes snap open, and you turn. A woman is standing there, a shocked look on her face.
Oh no, you think, once you realize who it is."Aiki?" 
"Woah, I knew it was you," Aiki says, her eyes wide. 
"Yeah," you chuckle awkwardly, scratching the back of your neck.
"What are you doing here?" Aiki asks, her mouth hanging open.
"I go here now. I'm a student. I have clases here," you overexplain
"Wow, okay," Aiki says, taking a breath. "So, how have you been? What are you studying? What's been going on with you? God, y/n, it's been forever."
"Yeah, it has. Um, I've been good. Just, ya know, moving and stuff so far. Haven't declared a major yet, though," you respond, feeling taken aback by her excitement.
"I see. Well, I actually have to go, but we should totally hang out. Maybe have coffee sometime, or something. Catch up," Aiki suggests, her eyes sparkling.
"Sure, yeah, that sounds great," you say, nodding.
"Cool, well, I'll see you around," Aiki says, a smirk on her face.
"See ya," you reply, waving as she turns and jogs off.
You stare after her, a strange feeling in your stomach. You had not seen Aiki since junior year of high school, when the two of you were forced to go on a trip with the rest of your class. During that week, the two of you became close, and, by the end, you were basically inseparable. The two of you spent the entire week attached at the hip, going sightseeing, exploring, and, on the last night, you even kissed her. It was a perfect week. And then, after the trip was over, you never spoke again. She transferred schools, and the two of you lost contact. And now, here she is, back in your life.
You shake your head, chuckling softly. It is almost too much. First, your hot roommate, and now, Aiki. The universe is messing with you.
You start walking again, continuing your route. You run for another hour, the sun now fully risen. Your skin is glowing with sweat, and you can't help but smile. You are feeling great.
You stop by the showers, washing up, and then head to the cafeteria. The line is long, and, despite the early hour, it is packed. You grab a tray, loading it with eggs, bacon, sausage, pancakes, and a glass of orange juice.
"Oh my god, save some for the rest of us," a voice exclaims from behind you. 
You turn, startled, finding Lusher behind you, grinning.
"Jesus, Lush, you scared me," you say, shaking your head.
"Sorry, didn't mean to, but seriously, I'm starving. Move faster," she complains, her eyes falling to your full plate.
"What are you even doing here so early? It's Saturday. You're never up at this time," you question, raising an eyebrow.
"The beds here suck. Couldn't stay asleep."
"So, you just came here?"
"Duh. They have free breakfast," she responds, her eyes wide.
"Right," you reply, not convinced.
"I'm serious. Besides, it's not like there's anything else to do this early on a Saturday," she adds.  
"Okay, whatever," you say, rolling your eyes. 
"So, how was the rest of the move-in? Is your roomate cool?" Lusher questions.
"Actually," you begin. "You'd never guess who my roommate is."
"Who?" she prompts. 
"The hot girl I saw at orientation."
"No. Shut. Up," she responds, her eyes widening.
"I'm not kidding. Her name is Bada. She's a dance major."
"Holy shit, no wonder she looked familiar when I saw her. I think I've seen her around dance competitions and showcases."
"You have?"
"Yeah, a few times. She's really good. Damn," Lusher says, shaking her head.
"Well, I wish she'd open up more," you say, frowning.
"Why? Is she mean or something?"
"No, I mean, I'm not sure. She's kind of quiet. I'm not really sure how to describe it. She's not super friendly or anything, and we haven't talked a lot," you respond. 
"Hmm, that's weird. I have a few dance friends who've interacted with her before. From what I've been told she's super nice."
"I guess. Anyway, she's not really interested in being my friend, which is fine. But, it's weird, 'cause it seems like she's super popular. She knows a ton of people. I don't get why she's so weird around me."
"Maybe she's nervous or something. I mean, you're kinda cute, after all."
"Shut up, no, I'm not," you deny, rolling your eyes.
"Whatever you say, y/n," Lusher smirks.
"You're crazy," you mutter, grabbing a juice box. 
"Well, I hope you can change her mind. She's definitely cute."
"Thanks, Lush," you respond, not really meaning it.
The two of you grab seats near the windows. The food is mediocre, but your stomach is full and that's all that matters. You spend the next few hours chatting with Lusher about school, classes, and other things. Deciding you've had enough of the dining hall, you take Lusher to your dorm room, wanting to show her what your side of the room looks like. However, as soon as you open the door, you are met with the sight of Bada's side of the room-empty side of the room. Her bed is still perfectly made, and her closet is shut tight, and the desk is cleared off. Her things are gone, as if she was never there.
"What the hell?" you mutter, your eyes darting around the room.
"What's going on?" Lusher says, peering over your shoulder from the hallway.
"My roommate," you start.
"Bada, right?"
"Yeah. All her stuff is gone. Did she transfer or something?"
"Wait, what? Let me see," Lusher says, squeezing into the room and past you.
She scans the room, her eyebrows furrowed. "Are you sure you weren't hallucinating her? Or having a strange wet dream?"
"Shut up. I'm serious. Look. Her bed is still made, and her side of the closet is completely empty," you insist, pointing.
"Well, maybe she's at class or something. Are you sure she's not just hanging out somewhere?"
"Why would she be? Class doesn't start for a couple days. And why would all of her stuff be gone?"
"Maybe she's one of those crazy studious types who starts early. And she has a very meticulous study routine that requires her room to be completely rid of stuff." Lusher suggests, shrugging.
"Who in the world would do all of that?"
"Someone who's organized. Maybe a person with OCD? A really anal-retentive neat freak?"
"That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard."
"Hey, you asked," Lusher says, throwing her hands up in defense.
You're about to curse at her, when your phone vibrates. It's a text from the college housing office.
"What is it?" Lusher asks.
"It's from the housing office. They want to see me about a roommate complaint," you read aloud, frowning.
"Roomate complaint? That's weird. Why would they call you instead of her?"
"Maybe they're not able to get a hold of her. I don't know. I'm not sure," you say, scrolling through the message.
"Well, whatever, go find out. We can talk more later."
"You're not coming?"
"No, I'm tired. Gotta catch some Z's. Go figure this out."
"Fine. I'll talk to you later, then."
"Later, loser," she responds, before walking away.
You sigh and exit the building, beginning your walk to the housing office.
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"Hello? Anyone here?" you call, stepping inside.
"Ah, hello," a voice responds.
A man walks up, an overly friendly smile on his face. He extends his hand, initiating a handshake. 
"Hi. I'm y/n," you start, shaking his hand. "I received a message saying you wanted to talk to me about a roommate complaint?"
He nods. "Yes, yes, of course. Please, follow me."
He gestures to a door, and you follow him into a small office. He motions for you to sit down, and you do, the chair squeaking loudly.
"Now, let's see," he begins, studying a piece of paper. "You're living in the new dorms, correct?"
"Yup," you confirm. "The one with the fancy bathrooms."
"Right, yes. So, your roommate is a Ms. Bada Lee?"
"Yes, that's her."
He sighs, letting the paper fall onto his desk. Clasping his hands together, he asks, "And, is there a problem between the two of you?"
You shift in your seat, suddenly uncomfortable."I mean, not really. I haven't seen her since Friday morning. Why do you ask?"
The man clears his throat. "We received a notice from her this morning, stating that she no longer wanted to reside in her dorm with you. She requested a room transfer and had all her things moved out into another room."
Your heart sank. This had to be a joke
"I'm sorry, but...what? Why? Why would she do that? I barely know her," you protest, shaking your head.
"Unfortunately, the decision has already been made, and the paperwork has been processed," the man replies, a sympathetic look on his face.
"But, this doesn't make any sense," you insist, leaning forward in your seat. "I haven't done anything wrong."
"I'm afraid the reasons are confidential, as is standard practice. All I can tell you is that the decision was made by the student, and we must abide by it."
You fall back in your chair, scowling. "This isn't right."
"I apologize, Ms. y/n, but there's nothing we can do. I'll inform the RA's and staff to expect you for a new room assignment. You likely won't get a new roommate until next semester, though. Otherwise, we're done here. "
"Alright, thank you," you mutter, standing up and heading to the door.
"Thank you for your cooperation," he calls.
You slam the door and storm off, furious. This is complete bullshit. What could you have done yesterday that was so bad that Bada would request a room change and make a complaint? 
As you walk back to the dorm, a thousand thoughts race through your head. Were you too loud the first night? Too pushy? Did you say something offensive or insult her?
You rack your brain, trying to remember if you said or did anything wrong, but nothing comes to mind. There was the one moment when you asked about her father, and she seemed a bit upset, but was that really it? Surely she couldn't have built resentment for you after that one, small slip-up. You even apologized to her. 
Maybe she just thought you were annoying? You're as confused as ever, and, pissed off. Whatever the issue was, there was no way it was significant enough for her to go directly to the housing office. She could have spoken to you about it, and you could have worked something out but didn't give you the chance. From the moment you met her, she didn't give you a chance. And now you probably have some sort of criminal-esque record with the housing office because of it. Great.
When you arrive back at the dorm, you go straight to your bed, laying down and burying your face into the pillows.
"God damnit," you mumble, your frustration overwhelming.
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The rest of the day was relatively uneventful, with you alternating between fuming, moping, and ranting to Lusher about the incident with Bada. The more you thought about it, the more irritated you felt. Why did such a sexy person have to suck so bad?
Despite the annoyance, you decided not to focus on the issue, opting instead to hang out with Lusher and your other friends. By Sunday night, however, your emotions had shifted back to sadness, and you were once again moping about the incident.
Before you knew it, it was Monday morning, and time for classes. You were excited, yet anxious, about the beginning of the school year. Despite the rocky start, you were determined to make the most of it. 
Currently, you're in your last class of the day, bored out of your mind. You're supposed to be taking notes, but your professor lost your attention halfway through the lecture. You fix your gaze on the window, where raindrops are running down the glass. It was cloudy and grey outside, and you could see a flash of lightning in the distance.
"And that concludes our lesson. Don't forget to check your emails because I will be sending you a reading assignment. Class dismissed." 
The sound of people packing up their things and moving around causes you to snap out of your trance. You quickly gather your own materials and head out the door.
On the way back to the dorm, the sky opens up, and it starts pouring. You pick up the pace, wanting to avoid getting soaked. As you approach the entrance to your building, you slow down, spotting Bada walking toward you. She looks just as unhappy to be out in the rain as you are, her arms wrapped tightly around her torso, her hood hanging over her face.  
Uh oh, you think, not expecting to see her.
"Um, hi," you stammer, attempting to appear friendly.
She stops in her tracks, eyeing you cautiously. "Uh, hey," she says, her tone cold.
You cross your arms. "So, um, how's your day been?"
"Fine," she replies curtly.
"Cool," you reply. "Enjoying your new room?"
"It's okay," she says, shrugging.
"That's nice," you respond, not sounding sincere. 
An uncomfortable, but at this point, familiar, silence follows. You couldn't believe she wasn't taking this as an opportunity to apologize or explain what happened. If she weren't so tall and admittedly intimidating, you'd do something petty, like snatch the hood off of her head. Or pin her down until she fesses up. Or throw something at her pretty face to remind her that—yes, you are hot, but that doesn't mean you can escape consequences! But you're too gracious and realistic to do any of that, so you take the peaceful (though painful) route. 
"Well, I should get inside, I don't want to get too wet," you state.
"Okay, yeah," she replies, giving you a curt nod.
"Uh, have a good day," you say, turning around and heading toward the door.
"Thanks, you too," she calls out.
She walks past you, and you can't help but turn around, watching her retreating figure. "What a weirdo," you mutter under your breath, heading up the stairs. 
You hurry into the building, letting out a breath you didn't realize you were holding.
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Three months into the semester, you begin to hear Bada's name everywhere. Apparently, within the short time period, she's taken your school's dance team far and has gained quite a bit of attention for it. You're not surprised, given her athletic build and seemingly graceful demeanor. However, this has come with a price, and now, wherever you go, she seems to be there, her presence almost a constant. Similarly to when you first saw her at orientation, many people flock to her, and you hear a number of girls gossiping about how cool and attractive she is. With that, you begin to hear the rumors.
You've heard a lot of things about Bada, some good and some not-so-good. For example, you've heard that she's an excellent dancer and extremely talented. She's also very outgoing, sweet, and has a large group of friends. On the other hand, it seems as if she's built up a reputation for herself. You've heard people calling her a player and a flirt. Others have claimed that she sleeps with women just for fun, never sticking with anyone for too long.
You aren't sure what to believe, but you do know that your opinion of her is low. You still have no idea why she changed rooms and never gave you a straight answer, despite the numerous attempts you've made. In the beginning, you'd attempt to strike up conversations and casually ask her about it, but she would either ignore you or give you a short, vague response. You eventually stopped asking, knowing it was futile. Even when the two of you pass each other in the hallway, her eyes never meet yours, and you swear you can feel the disdain radiating from her.
But it's impossible to completely ignore her because, again, she is loved by many. To make matters worse, Lusher joined the dance team. Meaning, every time you visit Lusher during practice, Bada's there. Lusher tells you that she's a great teammate, but you aren't so sure. After all, you've only spoken a handful of words to her, and they haven't been particularly welcoming.
It's one of those days when you find yourself sitting on the bleachers, observing the dance team. You've come to watch Lusher, and you have to admit, the other dancers are amazing. However, your eyes always drift back to Bada. As much as you try to stop it, you can't help it. She's just so...stunning. She's wearing a tank top, showing off her arms, and baggy pants. Her hair is tied back in a bun, accentuating her features, and she has a serious, focused expression on her face.
You bite your lip, watching as she moves across the floor, her body flowing with the music. It's like she's gliding, and it's mesmerizing. You've never seen someone dance with such strength and power. You've been a fan of dance for a while, and you've never seen anything like it.
As the song comes to an end, everyone strikes a final pose. You watch Bada, her chest heaving, a thin layer of sweat on her forehead.
You grab your water bottle, suddenly thirsty, and take a drink. You're still staring at her, and she glances in your direction. Shit.
You look away, hoping she didn't notice you watching her.
Lusher unfreezes herself from her ending pose and immediately comes running up to you.
"So, what did you think? Wasn't that awesome?" she asks, excitement evident on her face.
"Yeah, it was great. You guys were incredible," you compliment.
"Aw, thanks," Lusher beams. "You should come to more of our practices. They're a lot of fun."
"Yeah, maybe," you agree, noncommittally.
"Actually, do you mind coming to the locker room with me? I need to change, and we can grab something to eat afterward."
"Yeah, sure," you agree.
Lusher gives you a big hug, causing you to laugh. "Thanks, y/n," she smiles.
You follow her into the locker room, and she changes out of her sweaty clothes. You lean against the wall, tapping away on your phone.
"You can look, y/n, I'm not shy," Lusher teases, her shirt pulled up and bra strap undone.
"I know, but, I don't want to be a pervert," you giggle.
Lusher laughs. "You already are one, and I've accepted that fact a long time ago."
You pick up one of her spare pants, throwing at her.
"Hey!" she cries, feigning annoyance.
You smirk. "Sorry."
She rolls her eyes. "I forgive you."
You glance around the room, taking in your surroundings. You've never been in here before, and it's kind of fascinating. 
"Where's the bathroom in here?" you ask.
"Down the hall, to the left," she informs.
"Alright, I'm gonna go pee," you announce.
"Okay," she says, not looking away from her locker. 
"Be right back," you call, exiting the room.
You walk down the hall and open the bathroom door, making your way inside. You go to the first stall, shutting the door behind you. You take care of business, and as you're finishing up, you hear the sound of footsteps, and voices, entering the room. 
Not paying them much mind, you flush the toilet, standing up and zipping your pants. Until you here something that freezes you in your spot.
"Lusher's friend is pretty cute. Your type," a voice says.
"I guess," another, deeper, voice responds.
"Don't be so indifferent, Bada, she is pretty hot," the first voice chides.
"She's alright," Bada says, nonchalantly.
"Why not? It's not like she'd say no," the first voice presses.
"I'm not really interested, Tatter. She's good-looking but, I'm not attracted to her. At all. Not worth my time." Bada says.
You're stunned. 
"Really?" Tatter asks.
"Yes. Really." Bada says, firmly. 
You feel a rush of anger. She has every right to not find you attractive, but you can't help feeling insulted. Did she have to be so adamant about it?
"Well, damn," Tatter chuckles.
"Sorry to burst your bubble," Bada shrugs.
"No, it's cool," Tatter assures.
"Let's head out, the others are waiting for us," Bada suggests.
"Yeah, sure," Tatter agrees.
Their voices fade away, and their footsteps become more distant. You step out of the stall, making your way toward the sink. You glance at your reflection in the mirror. You look tired and upset because, well you are.
The more you think about it, the more things start to make sense. No wonder why Bada has been so aloof and unfriendly with you. She didn't find you attractive, and henceforth decided that you weren't 'worth her time.' But what kind of shallow thinking was that? You had plenty of things to offer. Your personality, wit, intelligence, humor, and a bunch of other things. So, what did it matter if she found you physically attractive?
You splash some water on your face, trying to wash away your frustration.
It's settled. You didn't want anything to do with her. She had no right to dismiss you, and, as a result, you didn't have to treat her nicely, either. Two can play that game.
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You managed to go the rest of the school year without interacting with Bada. You saw her in passing and heard her name plenty of times, but you largely succeeded in your efforts to avoid her. For the most part, you didn't even think about her. Except, of course, when you got your new roommate after winter break, who was much friendlier, but ridiculously messy and, to be quite frank, annoying. Although this turn-out was not directly Bada's fault, throughout your 2nd semester you laid awake at night, cursing the tall sexy mean woman, as your roommate blasted Bhad Bhabie songs into the early hours of the morning. 
It's a new year now, though. And luckily, you do not have to worry about roommate troubles, because you you've gotten an apartment with Lusher. It's tiny and run-down, but incredibly close to campus, and after the issues you had your first year, you're just grateful that you're rooming with someone you actually get along with. 
Knowing that, you're excited to see what your second year will bring you. You walk to your first class of the day, which is, unfortunately, an 8 a.m. English class. 
You make it to the classroom, finding an open seat near the middle. You sit down, pulling out a notebook and pen.
As the seats fill, the professor begins his lecture, and the class starts.
However, about ten minutes into class, the door opens, and someone walks in. You look up, and your heart drops.
Bada is standing in the doorway, her expression unreadable.
"So sorry to interrupt. I'm late," she says.
"It's okay, take a seat. We're just starting," the professor replies.
Bada's eyes scan the room, and when she spots you, she frowns. You look away, pretending like you didn't notice.
She continues to stand there, looking uncomfortable, before she decides to walk further into the classroom. The professor stops talking and looks at her.
"Do you have a seat yet?" he asks.
"Uh, not yet," Bada stutters.
"Take a seat anywhere, we're getting started," the professor responds, continuing his lecture.
You hear the sound of footsteps approaching, and when you look back, Bada is walking towards the empty seat next to you. She sits down, dropping her backpack, and your heart races.
"Can I borrow a pen?" she asks, her voice soft.
"Sure," you mumble, handing her a pen.
"Thanks," she mutters, writing something down.
Your heart is beating out of your chest. She's sitting next to you. Why is she sitting next to you? Is she doing this on purpose? Maybe she has some sort of vendetta against you. You're not sure.
You try your best to focus on the professor, but it's difficult. You can't help but stare at Bada, your eyes drifting down her body. You take in her attire. She's wearing a white t-shirt, a pair of baggy jeans, and a cap. Despite the simplicity of it, she looks phenomenal. It makes you want to scream.
As the professor goes on, Bada takes notes, seeming completely invested in the lecture, and you almost scoff. Who was she trying to fool? 
Once the lecture ends, you quickly pack up your stuff and rush out of the room, eager to put some distance between the two of you.
"Okay," your professor begins, clapping his hands. "If you look at the syllabus, you'll see that a big portion of your grade in this class is determined by your final project. This is a research-based assignment, and will require extensive library work. I've randomly assigned you partners to help you out, so, if you'd like, feel free to move around and meet your partners once I call out your names."
A group project? Great. Those always went well. Who was the sorry excuse for a partner you were going to—
"Y/n y/l/n and Bada Lee."
Fuck.
You feel sick. What the hell is this?
You look around the room, frantically, hoping to see someone who shares the same name. Alas, no such luck.
You see Bada shift in her seat, turning toward you, and you try your best to conceal your irritation.
"Hi," she says, quietly.
"Hey," you reply, coolly.
"I guess we're partners, huh?" she asks, a small smile on her face.
"Yep, looks like it," you respond.
"I'm, um, sorry for being late today. I had a meeting with a counselor," she explains.
"I'm not the professor, Bada. I don't care."
Bada seems taken aback by your harsh response.
"Right, um, okay."
"So, uh, do you have any ideas for the final project? I've thought of a few things," she continues.
"I haven't given it much thought," you lie, knowing that you'd spent the majority of last night planning and organizing your entire project.
"Oh," she says, disappointed. "That's okay, we can talk about it some more."
"Sure," you shrug, standing up and grabbing your stuff. "I've got to get to my next class, so, I'll see you later."
You quickly pack up your items and rush out of the room, eager to put some distance between the two of you.
"Y/n, wait!"
You freeze.  
"Your phone number," Bada says, jogging up behind you. 
You turn around, eyeing her cautiously. "What?" 
"Your phone number, so we can communicate," she clarifies, her tone a little more stern than it was a few seconds ago.
"Right," you mutter, fishing your phone out of your pocket and giving her your number.
"Awesome, thanks. I'll text you," she smiles, and then, to your surprise, she turns around and walks away.
You watch her leave, still confused. What just happened?
The next few days pass uneventfully, and you've been avoiding Bada like the plague. It's not difficult, given that the two of you only share one class together and remain silent the entire time. Truthfully, you weren't expecting to get anything out of Bada for this project. As soon as the professor called her name, you were resigned to the fact that you'd probably have to carry out this project yourself. Between dance and the apparent trail of girls that Bada has to deal with on a daily basis, there was no way she'd make time for it.
As a result, you were shocked when, after a week had passed you received a text message from an unknown number.
Unknown: hi! it's Bada. do you have a chance to meet up sometime? i have a few ideas for the project and wanted to talk to you about it.
You're not sure how to respond. This is the last thing you expected from her.
"Who are you texting?" Lusher asks, suddenly appearing beside you.
"What?" you ask, locking your phone.
"I was asking if you'd be home later, but you're clearly too busy texting someone to listen," Lusher laughs.
"No, I'm listening," you insist.
"Then, who are you texting?" she presses, curiously.
"No one. Just a girl," you reply.
Lusher wiggles her eyebrows. "I knew it," she giggles.
"Shut up," you laugh, smacking her arm. "It's not like that."
"Whatever you say," she teases, grabbing her jacket and slipping on her shoes.
"Are you leaving?" you ask.
"Yeah, I'm gonna go study with a few people. You coming?"
You shake your head. "No, I think I'm just gonna stay here."
"Alright, I'll see you later then," she says, waving and exiting the apartment.
You sigh, flopping down on the couch and staring up at the ceiling. You're not sure how long you lay there, but the sound of your phone vibrating snaps you out of your daze.
You grab your phone, checking your messages.
Unknown: this is y/n, right?
"Shit," you mutter, realizing that you forgot to respond.
You: Hi, sorry, it is. I got busy. Um, yeah, I have time tomorrow if you're free.
Bada: i'm available after 5 tomorrow. meet me at the library? 3rd floor?
You: Okay, sounds good.
Bada: great! see you then.
"Fuck," you whisper, tossing your phone onto the couch.
This is going to be a horrible year.
The next day, you find yourself walking into the library, coffee in hand. You check your phone, noticing that it's already 5:30 p.m.
"Crap," you whisper, picking up your pace.
You finally make it to the third floor, scanning the room for Bada. To your surprise, you spot her immediately, sitting alone at a table in the corner.
"Sorry, I'm late," you apologize, speed-walking over to her.
"It's okay," she smiles.
You pull out a chair and sit down, feeling awkward.
"So," you begin. "How are you?"
"Good," she says, quietly. She glances at your coffee cup, a frown on her face, before looking down at the items scattered across the table. 
You furrow your eyebrows, looking at the array of items in front of you. Bada's textbooks, her backpack, her phone. Two coffee cups.
"Wait," you say, realization hitting you.
"Yeah?" she asks, looking up.
"You bought me a coffee?" you state, the words sounding dumb as they come out of your mouth.
She blinks. "No."
"But, there are two coffee cups," you point out, feeling more and more confused.
"It's fine, you already bought one," she rushes out, sliding one of the coffee cups farther away from you.
"Wait, no! It's okay. I'll take it."
She stops. "Really?"
"Yeah," you nod, reaching out and grabbing the cup. "Thank you."
"Of course," she shrugs, looking embarrassed.
You pick up the cup, analyzing it, wondering if she put any poison in it. Unfortunately, you are not a chemist, and cannot decipher the contents of the beverage, so, you opt for the safer route and place the cup back down on the table.
"Did you have an idea for the project?" she asks.
"I did," you nod.
"What is it?"
"I was thinking that we could write an article. One of the prompts that was on the syllabus is an exposé, and I figured that it'd be easy to do a deep dive into the school's athletic program."
"Huh, that's interesting," she replies, a thoughtful look on her face.
"Interesting, good or interesting, bad?"
"Interesting, good. I like the idea. How far did you want to go into detail with it?"
"Well, I was hoping we could focus on the women's athletic department. Have you heard anything about them?" you ask.
"A lot. I hear my friends complain a lot," she says.
"About what?"
"So much. The coaches are demanding and strict and don't give the players don't get enough breaks. They don't get as much funding as the men's athletic program, either."
Disappointing but not surprising. "Is there a particular sport or athlete that stands out to you?"
"Um," she starts, a slight blush covering her cheeks.
"Yes?"
"I know a couple of basketball players. The captain, Doyeon, is really good, and I talk to her a lot. She'd probably be willing to help us out. They have a big game coming up, and their coach is going crazy because the school isn't giving them as much access to facilities as they did for the men's team. The basketball players were forced to practice outside, and the coaches are furious."
You can't hide your shock at this. Although you knew the women's team had it rough, you didn't realize there was so much drama happening behind the scenes. "Wow, that's...a mess. Did you want to talk to her about it? I'd love to meet her and get her perspective."
"Yes, definitely," she nods. "They should be practicing tomorrow. We can go watch them and interview her after. Would that work?"
"Sounds good," you agree, mentally making a note to cancel your plans tomorrow. You raise your coffee cup to your lips, momentarily forgetting about the possible dangers, and take a sip.  The moment the liquid touches your tongue, you are hit with a profusion of tastiness. It's sweet and delicious and everything you could have ever dreamed of. It's exactly the type of drink you'd order yourself. You glance over at Bada, seeing her watching you nervously, and decide to speak up.
"This is really good," you praise, taking another sip.
She smiles. "You like caramel lattes, right?" she asks. 
"Um, yes," you respond, confused. "How'd you know that?"
"Just, um, a lucky guess," she replies awkwardly, avoiding eye contact. 
You raise an eyebrow at this. Crap, you think. She must've put some sort of poison in here that mimics the taste of your favorite coffee flavor. You're screwed, but it's too late. You might as well enjoy the coffee. You take one last sip, savoring the flavor, then set it down. 
"Alright, well, I have some notes I want to go over, if that's alright," you say, pulling out your laptop.
"Okay," she replies, also taking out her laptop.
The two of you spend the next hour discussing the project, both of you getting lost in your own thoughts. By the time you're done, it's nearly eight o'clock, and the sun is setting.
"We should probably head back now," you state, packing up your items.
"Yeah, we should," she agrees, standing up.
The two of you walk out of the library, the campus quiet and dark.
"I'll see you tomorrow," she says, walking toward her car.
"Yep," you reply, waving and heading towards yours.
Once inside, you turn on the car, blasting the air conditioning. You turn on the radio, trying to distract yourself from the heat outside. 
"And in other news, the women's basketball team is still having trouble securing proper facilities. According to sources close to the team, the coach is frustrated and the players are exhausted.
"In other sports news, the football team is preparing for its season-opener against their rivals, the..."
You groan, turning off the radio and focusing on the road. Your stomach growls, and you realize that you haven't eaten anything since lunch. You consider stopping somewhere, but decide against it. You'll just eat when you get back to the apartment.
As you drive home, you think about the last few hours you spent with Bada. She was...interesting, to say the least. Today, she seemed more responsive to you than she had previously. In the past, she had mostly ignored you, rarely speaking to you unless necessary. Today, though, she'd been engaging and helpful. Perhaps, it was just because she cared about getting a good grade on this project. Once it's over, she'll probably return to her normal, snide self. That was okay with you, though. As long as she was cooperative while you worked on the project, you couldn't care less what she thinks of you or how she treats you afterward.
You park your car, heading up the stairs to the apartment, your mind wandering. Despite your best efforts, Bada is starting to worm her way into your head. It's stupid. You're being ridiculous.
This was going to be a long semester.
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"I think I'm going to fall asleep."
Bada turns to you, raising an eyebrow. "Oh, please. You've never seen the game before. This is just the warm-up."
You glare at her. "It's been two hours," you point out.
"Yes, and the game hasn't even started yet," she says, matter-of-factly.
"I hate you," you grumble, crossing your arms. 
"You know you're the one who suggested we research a sports team, right?" 
"Shut up," you mutter, glaring at her.
The two of you have been sitting in uncomfortable plastic chairs for the past two hours, observing the team's practice as they ran around an outdoor basketball court under the sweltering heat. Bada was not lying about the terrible working conditions these women were put under. You didn't understand how they had the ability to exercise in these circumstances. You were dying. 
"I need a break," you declare, standing up and stretching.
"No, no, no, no. Sit," she demands, pulling on your wrist and dragging you back into your seat.
"Let me go!" you yell, struggling against her grip. Why the hell was this woman so strong? For christ's sake, she was a dancer, not a wrestler. 
"Not until the end of the game," she states, gripping tighter.
"This isn't fair!"
"Life isn't fair," she retorts.
"You're such a bitch," you seethe, finally ripping your arm from her grasp.
"So, I've been told."
"Why are we here again?" you ask, slumping in your seat. 
"Look, just try to pay attention. I'll buy you a smoothie if you stay focused," she offers.
"Deal," you say, straightening your posture and turning to watch the practice.
"And now, the final play," the coach yells, blowing a whistle.
The team scatters, moving to their positions. Doyeon, the captain, dribbles the ball down the court, passing it to another girl, who moves closer to the net. Just as she's about to shoot, the girl trips, sending the ball spiraling out of her hands and in your direction. You gasp, scrambling out of the way, but you're not fast enough. The ball hits you square in the face, causing you to yelp as you fall backward in your chair. 
"Fuck," you whine, holding your hand to your face.
"Oh, shit, are you okay?" Bada asks, kneeling down next to you.
"Do I look okay you goofball?!" you shout, removing your hand to reveal a bloodied nose.
"Ooh, ouch," she cringes.
"Are you okay?" a different voice asks, and you look up to see the woman who had tripped approaching the two of you.
"I'm fine," you mumble, feeling embarrassed.
"I'm really sorry," she apologizes, bowing her head.
"It's fine," you shrug, standing up.
"You should come see the nurse," Bada says.
"No, I'll be fine. It's not that bad," you insist, wiping away the blood.
"Are you sure?" the basketball player asks.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. It's not the first time this has happened," you explain, trying to alleviate her concern.
"What?" Bada chokes.
"Please don't ask," you sigh.
"Okay, well, I should get back," the girl says, gesturing toward the court.
"Of course. Go kick ass," you cheer, smiling.
"Thanks," she grins, running back onto the court.
You and Bada watch the girl's retreating figure. Bada then turns to you, a look of concern on her face.
"Okay, come on. Let's get you cleaned up," Bada instructs, pulling on your wrist and leading you towards to one of the entrances into the building.
"Where are we going?"
"The locker rooms," she states.
"What? No, no, no, no," you protest, planting your feet and resisting her.
"I'm not letting you sit here while your nose bleeds. Besides, the girls have to go in there eventually. We'll interview Doyeon once she comes in." she explains.
"But—"
"Who cares? Come on, let's go," she urges, tugging on your arm.
"Fine," you concede, allowing her to drag you through the building.
Once inside the locker room, Bada leads you to a sink and forces you to stand still. 
"Hold still," she commands, grabbing a paper towel and wetting it.
"What are you doing?" you ask.
"Cleaning up the blood," she responds, bringing the towel to your nose.
"Don't!" you hiss, swatting her hand away.
"You have to," she argues.
"No, I don't. I can do it myself," you retort.
"Just let me do it," she whines. "I've had to do stuff like this more times that I can count. I'm basically a professional."
"What? You having to clean up your own bloody noses? Why? Because of the amount of times you've gotten slapped in the face?"
"Hey!" she pouts.
"Well, are you going to answer the question or not?"
"Dance injuries. Now, will you let me help you?"
"Ugh, fine," you groan, rolling your eyes.
She brings the towel to your nose, gently dabbing the blood away. Her hand brushes against your cheek, sending a tingle down your spine. She's standing so close to you, her chest nearly presses into yours. You can smell her perfume, a subtle vanilla scent that seems to surround her. It's intoxicating.
When you glance up, her eyes lock with yours, and for a moment, you forget how to breathe. They're a deep brown. Warm and inviting. You've never noticed how beautiful they are. Or maybe, you just haven't had the opportunity to study them this closely.
Her fingers linger on your skin, the tips grazing over the sensitive flesh.
"There. All better," she says, throwing away the paper towel.
"Thanks," you say, clearing your throat.
"No problem," she grins.
The two of you stand in silence, neither of you wanting to move.
"So," you start, breaking the tension. "Should we, uh, wait for Doyeon here?"
"Sure," she shrugs.
"Okay, um, I'm going to, uh, sit over there," you stutter, pointing to the bench behind her.
"Okay," she says.
You awkwardly make your way to the bench and sit down, keeping a safe distance between the two of you.
"How are you feeling?" she asks.
"A little lightheaded," you admit.
"Hmm, do you want some water?" she suggests.
You think of the possibly poisoned coffee. "No, I think I'm alright," you say.
"Okay," she nods.
Another awkward silence.
"So, you, uh, have a lot of dance injuries?" you ask.
"Yeah, a few," she laughs.
"Like, what kind?"
"Oh, nothing serious. Mostly bruises and sprains. Once, I twisted my ankle, but that was ages ago," she says, waving her hand dismissively.
"Really?"
"Mm-hmm," she nods.
"How many times have you had a bloody nose?" you inquire.
"That's a secret," she grins.
"C'mon," you press.
"Nope, not telling," she shakes her head.
"You're no fun," you huff.
"I'm lots of fun. You're just not asking the right questions," she smirks.
"Like what?"
"Like.."
The locker room door opens, and a group of women walk in, all chattering excitedly. Bada looks over, her smile growing wider.
"Doyeon!" she calls, waving her hand.
You turn, spotting the captain running over to you. Her hair is tied up in a messy bun and sweat drips down her face. As worn out as she seemed, she still looked incredible. In a flash, you became hyperaware of your probably still disheveled looks as a result of your recent injury. Way to embarrass yourself in front of a pretty girl. 
"Hey, Doyeon," Bada greets, standing up and smiling at her. Doyeon outstretches her arms, enveloping Bada in a lingering, tight, hug.
"Bada! I missed you," Doyeon sighs.
"Missed you too," Bada replies.
"And who's this?" she asks, pulling away from the hug and nodding in your direction. 
"Oh, um, this is y/n, she's working with me on the project. I told you about."  
"Nice to meet you," you smile, extending a hand.
"Likewise," she replies, shaking it.
"So, are you ready to do this interview?" Bada asks, eagerness dripping in her voice.
"Yeah, let me get changed first," she replies, walking towards the lockers.
"Sure," Bada nods, watching as Doyeon disappears into the showers.
You glance over at her, her eyes still trained on where Doyeon had just disappeared. Something in your stomach sinks. 
"Oh my god," you scoff.
"What?" she asks, turning to face you.
"Don't tell me we're interviewing one of your little girlfriends," you grimace.
"She's not my girlfriend," she frowns.
"Whatever," you say, rolling your eyes.
"Seriously, y/n, we're just friends."
"With benefits?" you inquire, raising an eyebrow.
"Why does this matter so much to you, anyway?" she asks, crossing her arms.
"Because, it's my project, and I don't want it ruined because you can't keep your hormones in check," you reply, glaring at her.
"I'm not going to 'ruin' anything, alright? I'm perfectly capable of keeping my personal life separate from my school work."
"Yeah, sure, whatever," you mutter.
"God, you're so frustrating," she huffs.
"So are you," you snap.
"Well, it's a good thing this is just for a project, and you don't have to deal with me outside of class, then."
"But it's a shame I can't get rid of you sooner."
"Believe me, the feeling's mutual," she growls.
You open your mouth, ready to unleash a verbal assault, but you're cut off by the sound of footsteps. Doyeon walks up, her hair still wet, and her bag slung over her shoulder.
"You two ready?" she asks, grinning at the both of you.
"As we'll ever be," Bada sighs.
The three of you sit on the locker room bench, a small space in between each of you. Bada is scribbling something down on a piece of paper while Doyeon waits patiently.
"Alright, um, first question. How have the recent changes affected the team's practices and games?"
"Honestly, it's been pretty tough. We're used to practicing indoors, so the outdoor heat has been brutal. On top of that, we've had less access to facilities, which has made things even more difficult. All of this has taken a toll on our performance, both on and off the court."
"That's unfortunate," Bada frowns. "How have the coaches and other staff members been handling the situation?"
"Not well, honestly. They've been pretty angry and stressed. They haven't taken it out on us, but it's been noticeable. And, honestly, they have every right to be upset. This is a big change for everyone, and it's not something that was anticipated."
"I'm sorry to hear that," Bada sighs.
"Thanks," Doyeon says with a smile, placing her hand on top of Bada's.
The sight of it makes your stomach twist, and a scowl forms on your face.
"Uh, next question," you start. "Do you have any idea when the situation might improve?"
Doyeon tears her eyes away from Bada. "Hopefully soon. We can't keep playing like this. Something needs to change."
"And if nothing does?" you ask.
"Then we'll have to keep fighting. Like always," she shrugs.
"I'm proud of you guys. You've all been handling this whole situation with a lot of grace," Bada compliments.
"Well, I have a great team. Everyone has really stepped up and supported each other. We've got a lot of good people," Doyeon smiles.
"That's wonderful to hear," Bada grins.
You fight the urge to roll your eyes. 
"Anyways, let's wrap this up," you say, clapping her hands together. "Last question. Is there anything else you think is worth knowing for our project?"
"Hm, let me think," she hums, placing her finger to her chin. "I don't think there's anything..."
"Well then, I think we're done!" you announce, swiftly standing up.
"Already?" Bada asks, glancing at her watch.
"Yeah, time flies, huh?"
"I guess," she mutters. "Alright, thanks for your time, Doyeon," Bada smiles, reaching across the space and squeezing Doyeon's knee.
"Of course," she beams.
You roll your eyes again.
"Well, I'll see you later, okay?" Bada says, standing up.
"Absolutely," Doyeon agrees.
"Great," she grins.
Bada turns to face you, a forced smile plastered on her face.
"We done?"
"Yep, let's go."
You and Bada make your way out of the locker room, leaving Doyeon behind.
"That went well," Bada sighs, once the door closes.
"Sure did," you mumble, barely able to contain the sarcasm.
"I can't wait to write up the report," she exclaims, her eyes lighting up.
"It'll be nice, yeah," you say.
"Maybe after, we could—"
"I need to go," you blurt out, cutting her off.
"What?" she asks, frowning.
"I'm, uh, late. For class. Sorry."
"Oh. Okay, um, I'll see you around, I guess," she says.
"Bye," you say, rushing past her.
You're not lying. You are late for class. But not nearly as late as you're making out. You speed-walk across campus, a million thoughts racing through your mind. No wonder Bada was so eager to do this project. It was just an excuse to spend time with Doyeon. And, judging by the way the two of them interacted, it wasn't the first time they'd spent time together.
You're not exactly sure why this is bothering you so much. You knew Bada got around. Maybe it's because you're annoyed that Bada didn't tell you the truth. Or maybe it's because you feel stupid for not seeing this coming. Whatever the reason, the fact remains that you're upset, and you have no one to blame but yourself.
You make it to your lecture hall, and as quietly as possible, slip into an empty seat near the back. Your professor drones on and on about the importance of deadlines and punctuality, and you find yourself completely unable to pay attention. Instead, you replay the day's events over and over again. Each time, you cringe at the memory of how oblivious and naive you'd been.
read part two
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doctorbunny · 27 days
Text
A little speculation about Corpse Disposal and J-horror
But I'm a little bored so sharing a part-theory, part-headcanon on Muu and Rei
So we unfortunately don't see much of Rei in "Its not my fault" but I want to point out three key times we do
The first time we see Rei in the MV, is her wet sleeve (we know its not Muu because Muu wears a pink jumper under her blazer)
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Then, after a lot of bug stuff, we're finally back in the real world, where Muu has just killed her Post-After Pain. In INMF, we don't see the surroundings as well, just the dirt track and bushes. But in AP, we see this is right next to a rushing river (Muu's undercover card also features a bridge as a landmark)
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The next time we see Rei after her corpse, is a flashback to the start where she turns the hourglass over. Then it cuts just further back to before Rei stood up - as she pulls herself up off the floor She's alive and absolutely soaked after a session of intense bullying (which we saw Muu insert herself into in AP)
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However, I want to now switch a little to talk about cinematography and a concept called the Kuleshov effect The video I linked is pretty concise but the gist is that if you put two shots next to each other, even if they were filmed separately, the brain interprets it as a continuous scene (so if you film a character looking off screen, then a picture of an apple on a table, we're going to assume they're looking at the apple)
Therefore while we understand chronologically that the sequence of events is Rei (wet and alive) -> Rei's murder on dry land ↺ Flashback to Rei still wet and alive Which I think everyone understood as a commentary on how this power struggle was a constant cycle of the hourglass being turned over
I think visually, it also implies a sequence like Rei was bullied -> Muu kills her -> Sopping wet, Rei crawls back to the classroom
But wait! That sequence suggests a missing step How did Rei get wet again?
Well, we know Muu killed her next to a river And if you were a scrawny teenage murderer with a body on your hands, would you leave it there where someone could see it while you grab a shovel and stand in broad daylight digging a hole in tough ground??? Or try lighting a fire in public??? Of course not!
It'd be much easier for Muu to, in a panic, just roll her body into the convenient river and let all the evidence wash away!
(Of course, if Muu was panicking, she might not have been very careful. Given she ended up in MILGRAM, there must've been something tying Muu to Rei's death and in T2 Muu seems to have finally remembered losing her left shoe...)
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Fun fact: this is the same shoe Cinderella loses in the animated Disney film (and the best known version of that story came into English from France)
Shoe break over, back to the Endless Queen's Game
So, if we assume Rei's corpse was thrown in the river, what does it matter? Its just a pointless headcanon
But I speculate the meaning goes deeper!
So that image of Rei, soaking wet, crawling off the floor reminded me of something: J-horror ghost girls! Specifically the most famous of ghost girls Samara/Sadako Who became a vengeful spirit after being thrown in a well and now crawls out of TVs to kill people who watched her VHS tape
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Her story too is a cyclical one (its called 'Ring' for a reason), the only way to break the curse is to copy the tape and have someone else watch it, who will then become the victim unless they can themselves copy the tape and show it to another unsuspecting patsy
The story goes back further because this movie is based on a novel, which is based on the legend of 番町皿屋敷 Banchou Sara Yashiki. There are many versions but generally a maid girl Okiku is proposed to, and when she rejects the proposal, her master breaks one of ten plates and promises to forgive her if she marries him. When she declines again, he beats her to near death then throws her into a well (sometimes it's a jealous mistress instead of a master)
Interestingly, Atrophaneura alcinous (swallowtail butterfly) larvae found in Japanese wells became known as Okikumushi お菊虫 (Okiku bugs), tying back to the whole insect thing...
It's been said a bunch now, but the name 'Rei' can be read as 霊 meaning ghost (seen in words like Yuurei 幽霊, a more common word for ghost than Rei on its own)
We know Muu is afraid of ghosts too (though I must admit she says Obake, not yuurei, but both words refer to ghosts)
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Remembers the i/井 in Sakurai/櫻井 can be read as 'well' I'm sure that has nothing to do with anything
Uh, I can't think of a conclusion because its 1 am and I had to look up a bunch of spooky images
TL;DR: I think Muu may have quickly shoved Rei's body into the river next to where the murder happened (maybe forgot her shoe at the scene of the crime) and now she's scared by the cycle continuing and Rei coming back to haunt her
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yooglefics · 1 month
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Reveal — Part one: recording
Pairing: Yoongi x fem!reader ( camboy!yoongi x camgirl!reader ) Wordcount: 2,198 words Genre: smut. 18+. mdni. don't use fanfics as your only source of sex ed, pls. Summary: your friend convinced you to record an audio for your OF, but doing it alone is nerve-wracking so you turn to your favorite creator for help.
Includes: Mentions of selling sex content. Mentions of sexual activity ( doing things and also talking about doing things ). Implicit masturbation instructions. Masturbation ( f and m ) ( wash your hands before putting them anywhere, folks ). People filming/recording sex acts. Use of pet names? ( baby, doll ). Dirty talk. Mentions of Jungkook x fem!reader but they are just frieeends. Author's note: I started writing this with hopes of it just being alright because I wanted to write something quick but then it got longer and here we are. Hope you like it! If you do please remember to leave a comment, reblog, ask, follow and what not. Thank you for reading <3
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It's been six months since you started this side job. At first, it was a combination of curiosity and a little desperation since money was tight after your roommate and best friend decided to go back to live with her parents. You didn't complain too much about it because you didn't want her to feel bad, and besides, you actually missed having your own space. 
But lonely nights with insomnia thanks to the stress at work, let you to explore sides of the internet you had only heard about in bathroom conversations. Curiosity got the best of you and so, here you are, going through comments on your last onlyfans post.
You've been able to grow a decent-sized audience, it may be a bit small to others but it’s manageable and you like that. Some of them are people you followed before, during your investigation stage, and now became your mutuals. You truthfully see them as your friends, like Jungkook.
He was the first person with quite a big audience who followed you back and you truly believe half your followers came from his page, even though he denies it and tells you it is all your doing. He really has a way of lifting your confidence and that's why after a few months you meet in person to shoot things together, nothing too spicy, just a shoot with Calvins and denim jackets. You were surprised when he didn't suggest something more than that, but Jungkook said “You're too sweet to fuck in a first meeting, but maybe later”.
You thought he was just partially joking, although a few meetings have passed and he hasn't tried anything. To be honest, is a bit disappointing since he is so attractive, but at least he is still willing to help you with fun photoshoots in your apartment.
A comment in the picture where Jungkook’s hand is around your throat caught your eye. When you suggested it, it was funny. A silly little joke about what people thought actually happened behind the scenes and a way to hide your face from the camera.
When you saw it after, it was less funny and much hotter. Even if he wasn't applying pleasure on your neck, the muscles on his forearm were visible under the ink, the lighting and shadows reflected on the skin of your chest that wasn't covered by the cami top you were wearing that day, and your gold babygirl collar sat perfectly on top of your breast.
You couldn't be mad at the people saying they wished to be in your place. You were jealous of yourself, damn it.
That's why the comment popped out between the others, because it was jealousy of Jungkook they were talking about.
[ JustADude: “Fuck. He is the luckiest man alive if he gets to hold you and listen to all your pretty sounds.” ]
Cheeks blushing, you giggle thinking about how Jungkook hasn't done those things. But you have to admit that the idea of people being interested in hearing is a turn on. And maybe it shouldn't be a surprise considering taking pictures for others does but… could you… ?
Your phone rings, indicating a text and interrupting your thoughts.
Kookie: told you, a voice reveal would be amazing!!
You laugh at the attached image been of the comment you were just reading.
Y/n: but i'm shyyyyy
Kookie: you can just record a masturbating session Kookie: and review it and decide if you post it or not
Y/n: if i review it i’ll not post it lol
Is true. You'll get too much in your head and shy away.
Y/n: i barely go over pics before posting because of it
You remember him as if he didn't check your newest pictures for you.
Kookie: i can help too! Kookie: i mean Kookie: no pressure, ofc Kookie: but it would be SOOO HOT
Not sure if it's for the idea of recording yourself or the fact that Jungkook is encouraging you, but your pussy reacts to the words on screen and is settled. You are doing it.
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Following the suggestion of just recording a session, you prepare as usual, sitting cross-legged on your bed, laptop in front while looking for something… inspiring.
You think about maybe looking through Jungkook’s page, rewatching his last video, but at the end get too paranoid about him listening to himself in the background even if your mic is hooked up in your bra strap, as closest as it can to your mouth.
So, you think of something else. The image of a hand around your throat still fresh in your mind leads you to the page of someone whose hands you've been thinking about in many other sessions. SugaD.
A few taps on your keyboard and his page is flashing on your screen, those exact veiny hands greeting you on his last post.
“Oh, well… here goes nothing.” 
Embracing yourself, you turn on your mic, giving a few taps to make sure it’s working, “hi,” a nervous giggle echoes your room, suddenly making you aware of the silence and glad you'll have noise beside your own.
Inspecting better Suga's post, you realize is an announcement for his last video, and the line “for all those asking for more hand porn, i got you ;)” feels like is calling you out, but you can start feeling the need between your legs so there's just so much shame and fucks to give left.
A few more clicks and the video is on full screen, starting with an empty black leather chair and then Suga coming into frame and sitting down. His face is not visible as in any other video, but following the movements of his hand, you realize his neck is. Pale skin in contrast with black t-shirt.
“This angle is kinda…” he trails off, soft laugh at the end.
“Hot,” you complete, confident Jungkook will, after laughing at you, delete it from the final audio. 
“You can't tell me I'm mean anymore. I'm spoiling you,” Suga continues in the video, “I'm giving you this view and I'm giving you what's probably the thing you all ask the most for: hands.”
And there they are. His goddamn hands. Close frame and adorned with silver rings in a few fingers. And when he turns them around you can admire how veiny and manly they are.
“I hate him. I'm gonna sue him,” you murmur, because in the month you have been following him, something you've come to find out is that Suga always knows what he is doing. He knows that jiggling his fingers and making the accessories click, paint a picture on people's minds. He knows how to dirty talk without making it cringe. And, more than anything, knows how to tease and keep his audience on their toes. 
You turn the volume down a bit more to make sure it really isn’t audible through your mic.
“Are you sitting, doll? Imagine you're on my lap right now,” he pats his tights and finally you move, positioning yourself on your knees as if you were, as he suggested, straddling him.
“That view would be amazing. You right here,” he pretends to hold someone by their hips in front of him and yours play pretend on your own body, moving them up and down as he does. “Maybe I'd tease you first, play with your tits, your nipples first. Why don't you do that, baby? Touch yourself for me.”
Letting out a groan is your way to express frustration against the fabric covering your chest, unable to remove your bra so the mic stays in the right place. Controlling your breath, you focus on the video again. Suga is playing with himself, hand against his chest just like yours, “How does it feel?” 
“I want you to touch me,” you whisper. And clearly, you know he is not able to hear you, and you're scared you'd sound like an idiot at the end, but you figure this is your chance to experiment being a bit vocal. After all, this whole thing is supposed to be a voice reveal, not just moans. 
Although, it's quite difficult not to do it with the sight on screen. “Look what you do to me,” he complains, voice raspy and hand traveling south to the bulge on his joggers.
“Are you hard?” You cringe at that one. Shaking your head to not let it get to much on your head and sending everything to the trash. Breathing, your right hand mirrors his actions and travels down your body. 
He gropes himself with a groan and you moan just at the sound. Imagine a smirk on his face as you cup yourself through your underwear. The lace is so thin is impossible to hide the fact you're already so wet. 
Another moan and you debate on skipping a few seconds on the video since you need him to do something. Give you anything.
But he is a teaser. 
He strokes through layers of fabric even when his own noises let it be known is torture for him. “I wonder…” he breathes, “how much clothes do you have? Are you dressed like I am, or are you completely naked?” His hips thrust up, into his hand and he pulls it away. “Would you come by just grinding on my cock?”
“F-fuck,” you moan when he intentionally bucks his hips upward, veins on his hands popping up when he holds into the chair. You hate him, you really do. Because he is holding back and you just want to see him.
“Please, please,” and as if it were even possible he hears you, he takes his dick in one hand and out of his pants.
You moan in appreciation and finally allow your hand to sneak into your panties too. The much desired contact makes your legs feel like jelly for a second and you have to sit back on your heels while the guy on screen keeps driving you insane.
His hand moves up and down his length, thumb collecting precum at the tip and using it as lubricant, but when that is not enough, his hand disappears off the frame, up to his face. The sound is enough to help with the imagination and quickly he is back in business.
Your eyes are fixed on every movement, every sound. Your hand matches his speed and you don't know what is hotter, the wet skin sounds or the bracelet on his wrist? Because the silver chain moves as fast or even faster and makes a sound of its own. Ah, it is so impossible for you not to imagine what it would be to look at it from your perspective. If the fingers in your pusy were his.
You push into yourself, your breath caught at the sensation before adding another one, “ooh… oh.” 
Can't master more than a few sounds, your mouth dry, it has been open since he uncovered himself. Oh, what would you do to have him in your mouth at least once. 
“The things I'd do to you.” The recording continues, “And I bet you would let me, no questions asked, right?”
“S-so good,” your knees dig into your bed and you're glad you follow Jungkook's advice of protecting your duvet with a towel. “It feels so good, oh god.” 
“Are you using your fingers? A toy? Would you like my dick instead?” He laughs breathlessly, “I would like to feel your pussy too. F-fuck, I'd fuck you so good, baby. Don’t you think so?”
“Uh uh,” short moans leave your lips, the palm of your hand rubbing on your clit before going back to back and forth motions. Fingering yourself and your eyes close as you enjoy the pleasure, and let more noises flow.
When you open them again Suga on screen has his other hand around his neck, head tilted back. Is not choking him, but you assume he is into that. “Oh… f-fu… pleasee,” he is going to be the end of you. How can you not imagine being on top of him, riding him, your hand on his throat or maybe his on yours. “I'm… oh, I'm…” a loud moan interrupts your announcement as you cum practically riding your hand. 
There's silence. Well, your breathing is fast and the mic most likely will pick it up, but you try to compose yourself for a few seconds while looking at the blank screen that indicates Suga finished too. He never shows it on camera and the only indication he did is the aftermath, this time, on his black t-shirt when he says his “you did great, kitten” to sign off.
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The next day Jungkook sends you the audio archive as promised. And is up on your page as fast as possible, it doesn't matter if it doesn't get attraction for a few hours because it's too early on the day, but if you think about it too much, you'd scratch the whole idea.
But not a minute passes and you have notifications of a new follower and a comment.
[ SugaD now follows you ] [ SugaD: the cutest. ]
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➪ Part two. | ➪ Part three. | ➪ Updates for this verse | ➪ Ko-fi
➪ Main masterlist. | ➪ Updates in general | ➪ Request & chats ♡
Edit: i forgoooot! If you want to be tagged on part 2 or future projects let me know <3
Edit 2: I made a post with different options for tag lists in case anyone is interested. You know, for future projects and stuff. But don't feel preassure to request it, and thank you for following this mini series.
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onesidedradiostatic · 2 months
Note
On velvette giving the flags presentation: I headcannon that velvette first realised they seriously needed to have the flags talk asap after Vox was bitching over an interview he had about one of his new shows being nonsense because they kept asking about 'bisexual lighting' and 'pan-coded' scenes and how wierdos were threatening to boycott the show just for him not condoning cookware fetishism. There would be some fast backpedalling and PR management for the VoxTek.
(p.s I love your doodles <3)
(prev post)
GRRRRRR these goddamn QUEERS and their BISEXUAL LIGHTING and PAN-CODED scenes
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sorry I blacked out when I saw "bisexual lighting" because it just makes me think about how vox is coloured in bisexual in the poison scene (I'm pretty sure it's intentional too like there was NO reason for him to have ANY purple on him)
but that's funny LMASKDSOGKOSFH yes... "what fucking cookware-coded scenes are they talking about velvette. and what kind of lighting even represents hermaphrodites????" and velvette's like "oh my god I forgot I was with a bunch of fossils" and starts the presentation
(also thanks!! hehe <3)
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Text
Bad's Choice Is His Own
Badboyhalo family guy death pose dot jpeg. Now what?
I've seen a couple posts already talking about how Bad has been cast out of Heaven by a cruel, harsh, judging Father with impossible standards whom Bad is now rejecting because his own love as a Father is greater than that Father's love for him and like I don't want to say anyone else's read is wrong, but it's not what I saw at all.
So, let's talk about what we all saw. First, the scales.
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[ID: Towering gold scales, level. Nothing on either side. End ID]
To one side of the scales, the gates. We know from Bad's dialogue these have been chained every other time he has died.
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[ID: Towering grey gates, framed in gold with gold handles. End ID]
Then, on the other side of the scales, the way back to Earth.
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[ID: Small passageway framed in gold and black with flames at the base. End ID]
The first thing that really struck me about this scene is that the scales were empty and level. With the ankh on Bad's back, the first thing I thought of was Ancient Egyptian religion, where the heart of the dead would be weighed against a feather and only those whose hearts were lighter would be allowed to pass.
This doesn't happen. Nor does anything else touch the scales nor do they ever come off level. There are no other voices besides Bad's in this scene, nor any indication that he is hearing anyone except himself. He is making guesses about what is going based on the environment, but he has nothing but the environment to confirm his guesses.
There is no one else here to sit in judgement against Bad.
So what are the scales for then?
Well, there's one other line that references weighing to me, if not quite directly, it still stuck out to me.
"Why are you cutting my happiness in half?"
In half. Two sides of his happiness, each with equal weight, each set on one side of the scales, which stand equal.
I don't think Bad is being punished by being forced to choose. I think he's in a truly brutal position and being gifted the chance to choose for himself.
How many fallen angels who claw their way back to heaven would hesitate? How many of them want anything besides to fling open the gates back home? How many of them manage to teach themselves to endure the light again for any reason other than true longing and desire for the light itself? For them, there is no need for a choice. The scales weight towards Heaven and they have no reason to even glance behind.
But not Bad. It's not God cutting his happiness in half. It's just the fact that his happiness didn't come from God. It came from his children. Half his heart is on Heaven half is on Earth.
I don't think the gates will be closed to him again unless he really beefs it this time around. He's shown that he loves. He's shown that his love is enough to carry him home. But it's enough to build him a new home too, a home from which it would be cruel to wrench him away. Either choice would have been correct. The scales weigh level.
But, Bad doesn't know this. He only knows that his heart has been split in half but his children need him.
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celaenaeiln · 9 months
Note
Just how true do you think the sentiment of “bruce was still a child who didnt get to grow up/move on until he met dick”?
Very true! Actually-Alfred straight up says it-true!
This scene is when Dick was accepted by Batman to become robin.
I was actually going to use this for another Dick and Alfred post but let me just drop it here that Dick cares about Alfred so much!!
Like this boy is the sweetest, most caring person ever. He asks the butler if it's okay for him to become robin-who does that?! Who would think of doing that?! He's the most considerate, softest baby ever! The tiny, nervous, shy smile on his face in the second panel <33333
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Here's the answer: "And while he most certainly became a man...I don't think he ever became an adult."
But Alfred says it twice!
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"But Alfred always used to say Bruce would have self-destructed if he hadn't met me and learned some responsibility."
My other post about Bruce and Dick has a lot of images that talk about this idea too
That's why I love Bruce and Dick's relationship so much. They are so codependent on each other. While Bruce saved Dick (not from being angry. He wasn't an angry robin, istg.), Bruce also would have died without Dick.
Before Bruce met Dick, he was on a one way track to his own ending. He was reckless, didn't take precautions, and was on the verge of being consumed by the darkness of which he was fighting.
At this time, a boy came along that shined light down upon him (literally because of the circus stage lights lol) and he was taken by him instantly.
With a new partner-a child-by his side Bruce was forced to take precautions, learn how to operate as a human being, and was just happy to have someone who bright and cheerful. He used Dick as an emotional crutch from losing his mind.
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"Still, the addition of Dick Grayson into the Master's crusade has made a difference in him."
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"I do believe I saw him smile. There have even been occasions in the pantry when I could just discern the muffled sounds of laughter echoing up from the dreadful cavern beneath the manor."
There are so many occasions where Alfred talks about how extraordinarily important Dick is to Bruce.
Dick raised Bruce.
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To borrow a lyric line that explains this:
"Take a broken man right in my hands And then put back all his parts"
Dick's "i can fix him" issues which are a massive part of his relationship with Deathstroke come from acting as a child parent to Bruce.
But the greatest part?
He still is.
Again and again and again. Dick is the only person Bruce relies on. He never tells anyone his secrets or worries unless that person is Dick. And often he bears the brunt of the work by his family. Both Tim and Jason have gotten angry at him for taking Bruce's side or supporting Bruce but the thing is, he's the only one who can next to Alfred. Tim has accused and praised him of being too much like Batman sometimes but when you raise a kid (adult-sized) I think you're bound to forgive them while also admonishing them for their mistakes.
They also use Dick as the unofficial spokesperson to talk to Bruce
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"Hey. Tim told me about Zur. Are you alright?"
Side note: Tim tried talking to Bruce earlier but Bruce kept ignoring his concerns.
For each robin, Dick acts as the emotional go between Bruce and them.
Jason:
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Jason's sad face :'(
That moment meant so much to him
Tim:
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Another reason why Dick and Tim are so close is because Dick acted like the parent during Tim's robin era. It wasn't until recent comics that they had Bruce actually even caring about Tim.
Damian:
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Also Dick and Damian father and son moment <33
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Dick the fixer upper. Always fixing everyone's family issues. With each other or with Bruce.
Also the scene of Martha Wayne thanking Dick
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There's a comic panel where Bruce says "Dick is the glue that holds the family together."
Dick is literally the light of his life. Without him Bruce would've lost it. It was the perfect combination of Dick's cheerful personality, strong ethics, and tragic backstory that caused Bruce to take him in and it was these same traits that helped him grow. Because Dick's distinguishable trait is that he humanizes people. And Dick humanized and raised Bruce.
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athanza · 2 months
Text
Starlett - Part 1
Cooper Howard/fem!OC (not self-insert)
Tags: Hurt/comfort (sort of?), non-allowed romantic connection, lots of tention, pre and post war drama, some fluff
Warnings: Mentions of domestic abuse (no graphic scenes or descriptions of that nature), angst, canon wasteland violence
Summary: The Ghoul remembers a recruit of Moldaver, by the name of Irene Taylor, who he met before the war.
This branches out from canon but I thought it was a cute story idea so I had to write it. Enjoy! ♡
Part 2 | Part 3 | Final part
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2296
Cooper's weather-beaten boots thudded on the dirt, the stones crackling beneath his heels.
The town was too quiet for there not to be a surprise waiting for him somewhere amongst the pre-war rubble so when a glimpse of movement caught his attention and he pulled his gun.
A kid, no older than 15 held up his hands in fear.
"Please don't shoot!"
Coopers sunken eyes narrowed. "Do yourself a favour and scram. If you try anything I will shoot you. Understand?"
The kid nodded frantically in agreement and Cooper gestured with his gun for the kid to get out of there.
As the boy ran off, a large, rolled up piece of paper fell out of his backpack and unfurled face-up in the dirt.
Cooper stepped over as he re-holstered his gun, and looked down at it out of curiosity. When he saw a familiar face on it he bent down to pick it up and held it out in front of him.
"Irene Taylor," It read. "Songbird of Hollywood Hills."
On the poster was a large photograph of a glamorous woman behind a microphone, and a look of a fond, yet faded, remembrance appeared on his scarred features.
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2077
"This is a little public for a meeting isn't it?" Cooper asked as he and Lee Muldaver made their way to an empty table at a local jazz club called the Bird Cage.
"My contact is meeting us here. Don't worry about being recognised, this place is used to celebrities, they mind their own business."
They took a seat and settled in and Cooper turned his attention to the band, the singer had a lovely voice and it reminded him of the band that played at his wedding. He shook the memory from his mind.
"So where is this contact?" He asked.
Muldaver smiled a little. "You're listening to her."
He looked back at the singer.
Now that he thought about it, he did recognise her. He'd seen her face on posters for jazz clubs all over the city but never gave them much thought.
"Her husband is Frank Taylor, he's an executive for Vault Tec. She feeds us any information she can get. She's one of our best."
She had wonderful stage presence, captivating the audience with a rendition of "Them There Eyes" by Billie Holiday. Her champagne coloured dress sparkled in the stage lights, and she had every person in that room wrapped around her finger, and she knew it.
When she finished the song the room roared with applause and she stepped off the stage, politely thanking patrons as they came up to her on her way over.
Muldaver rose from her seat to meet her as she reached their table.
"Lee." Irene smiled fondly as she hugged her. "Thank you for coming."
"That was wonderful as always."
"Stop it you." Irene joked.
"May I introduce Mr. Cooper Howard?"
Irene looked at him and he held out his hand, having stood up with Muldaver.
"Pleasure to meet you Mr. Howard." She smiled as she took his hand.
"The pleasure is mine." He replied with a charming grin.
She sat down at their table and waved the waiter down for a round of drinks.
"How is everything going? Is Frank well?" Muldaver asked.
Cooper noticed Irene make a subtle, nervous glance at the bar before answering. "He's fine." She replied. "You said there was something you wanted to talk to me about?"
"Yes, our new recruit."
Muldaver looked at Cooper and Irene seemed surprised, unable to reply for a few seconds.
"I apologise for seeming so shocked, but with all of your promotions with Vault Tec, you're one of the last people I'd expect."
"Don't worry about it." He replied, reassuring her. "I understand. I'm not the first I'd expect either."
"Well, I guess this proves how convincing Lee can be." She smiled again, but there was something in that smile that seemed pained somehow.
Just then, a man came up behind them with a drink in his hand and put the other on Irene's shoulder and she jumped a little.
By her reaction Cooper thought it was another random patron come to say hello and invade her space, but he kissed her on the cheek and she looked up and smiled at him.
"Hello darling." She said.
"Hi Frank, how have you been?" Muldaver smiled.
"Oh, you know, more hours and no pay rise." He joked.
It was obvious he was tipsy and the discomfort on Irene's face as her husband sat down next to her made Cooper's eyes narrow a little.
"Darling, have you met Mr. Howard?"
"No I haven't had the pleasure." Frank replied, reaching over to shake his hand. "Nice to finally meet you Mr. Howard, your advert for vault 4 was terrific, exactly what we were looking for. I was sad to hear about your resignation."
Cooper shifted in his seat and chuckled uncomfortably, trying to retain his professionalism. "Ah, well, I'm not getting any younger." He joked.
Frank laughed, a little louder than was necessary. "Aren't we all! Say, is it true that it was your real dog in A Man and His Dog?".
Cooper took a sip of his drink that had just arrived. "Yes, Roosevelt, he's a beloved member of our little family."
"Well isn't that just the cutest darn thing." He smiled.
Irene was shrinking. Frank's presence was drowning the one that was only just captivating an entire audience. Then he noticed it and his chest pulsed with distain.
"Mr. Taylor, would you mind if I stole your wife for a dance?"
Irene looked slightly worried and stuttered her reply. "U-um, I don't..." She looked at Frank, almost for permission.
He hesitated but wanted to save face in front of everyone. "Of course." He smiled.
She stood up and walked over to take Cooper's extended hand.
He lead her to the dance floor. The band was playing an instrumental of "Good Morning Heartache" and he placed a hand on her waist.
"Not too close." She said. She realised her fear had slipped out and very quickly composed herself. "Don't want Frank to get jealous." She chuckled, disguising her reaction with a joking tone.
He stayed a modest distance from her as they began swaying to the music.
"He's playing it down but Frank is a big fan of yours. He's seen almost all of your movies, even dressed as your role in The Man From Calabasas for Halloween a few years back."
"You know," he said. "There's a funny story from that set. In the scene where I had to lasso that steer, the first take it somehow managed to pull me clean off my horse. I had a terrible black eye for two weeks after that, but the makeup team covered it up so well that no one could tell. In other words, I know a cover job when I see one."
She nervously glanced at her shoulder, briefly enough that hopefully Frank wouldn't notice if he was watching her.
"I know we just met, and it's none of my business, but Lee told me you married him for the mission. If he's hurting you, you need to tell her."
"She knows." Irene replied.
"She knows? And she hasn't pulled you out?"
"I asked her not to."
"Why?"
"Because this cause means a lot to me, and whatever I'm going through is for the greater good. I'm the only one with my foot in the door this high up, at least before you showed up."
He was getting angry now, not at anyone in particular, but at the unnecessary situation.
"Forgive me, but that's about the biggest pile of bullshit I've ever heard. You don't need to be in this any more than I do."
She scoffed dismissively. "You don't understand Mr. Howard, this is my purpose, stopping Vault Tec in any way that I can, even if it's one password or document at a time."
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Part 2
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