#i was trying to post this earlier you know. when it was actually past midnight for you but i couldn't edit the post on mobile!!!

[cordiallyfuturedwight]

missing jin hours (23/??) for @livelocks ♡

#seokjinseries #userbangtan #usersky #annietrack #heyryen #trackofthesoul #useremmeline #userkelli #usermaggie #usersolis #userpat #tuserandi #raplineuser #mine! #btsedit #kim seokjin #happy birthday sher <3 #thanks for making the missing him more bearable by being your darling self!!! hope you enjoy your weekend! #i was trying to post this earlier you know. when it was actually past midnight for you but i couldn't edit the post on mobile!!! #tumblr!!!!!!?? #give it up for number 23

[joelscruff]

feelings on fire (joel miller x f!reader) 18+ PART FIVE

previous chapters | kofi | i'm honestly amazed that i actually completed this chapter today; as a lot of yall know i've been dealing with a lot of shitty life stuff lately and part of me expected this to not even get posted this month. and yet!! here we are. thank you to everyone who has been so supportive and amazing, this chapter is for you and i hope you like it 💖 chapter summary: you're starting to feel a bit insecure about your relationship with joel. perhaps a late night visit to his house is what you need 👀 rating: 18+ explicit warnings: age difference (reader is in her 20s, joel in his 50s), innocent/inexperienced reader, corruption, praise kink (joel calls reader babygirl, sweetheart, etc), dirty talk, mentions of religion (reader’s family are very catholic), fingering, handjobs, comeplay word count: 9k (woops) ao3

The rest of the week goes by gruelingly slow. Joel is busy every day and has barely any time to talk, so you mainly communicate through texts. The "conversations" are slow and broken, Joel only able to text when he has a free moment, which doesn't seem to be very often. You don't talk on the phone again, as much as you want to hear his voice, and you don't sext again either. It's a bit weird, a bit confusing, but you navigate it as best you can. It's not like he's ignoring you, he always responds, but it's just not the same as that first day.

you still wanna do this, right?

You type it around midnight on Thursday, hands trembling a bit as you hover over the send button. In one way you're afraid to ask him, afraid to seem clingy or young or inexperienced; but you're all of those things. When he's actually talking to you directly there's no fear, no question about what he wants, but going so long without hearing his voice makes you more and more insecure about what exactly he's thinking.

You erase the first message and start to type another one:

i know you're busy but

You shake your head and erase that one too. This is so stupid. Of course he still wants you, you idiot.

He'd said he was okay with the lie you'd told, had even said he would actually teach you guitar now too, but you're an overthinker, always have been. You can't help but feel dread whirling around in the pit of your stomach; he wants to end it, it's too complicated now. You've turned something sexy and fun into something ridiculous and unnecessary.

You lock your phone without sending anything and roll around in bed a bit, trying to sleep. Your thoughts make it impossible though, nagging at the front of your mind worse than your parents. You sit up and slide the tip of your thumb into your mouth, biting down in thought and staring at the blank screen of your phone.

What if you just...

are you home?

He hadn't sent you anything earlier to confirm he'd gotten back; you've discovered over the past few days that contractors really like to drink after their shift. Joel's been at the bar every night since that first day, often 'til late; you have to admit, it makes you a bit jealous to imagine Joel and his contracting crew out having a great time while you're laying in your childhood bed with a curfew. Bar hopping and partying has never appealed to you before, at least not when your college friends did it, but now the thought of it doesn't seem so bad. Not if you were doing it with him...

Your phone buzzes and you feel excitement burst through you at his reply:

Got in about 10 minutes ago, didn't think you'd be up. You okay?

You soften at his concern, cheeks warming. You don't hesitate, knowing if you think too much about it you'll end up changing your mind. You type your your response and hit send before you can talk yourself out of it.

can i come over?

You stare at the screen with bated breath, watching as his typing bubble appears. It takes barely any time at all for him to reply:

Of course you can. Door's unlocked.

--

Sneaking out of your house is much easier than you thought it'd be. You've never done it before, had almost expected the bottom half of your house to suddenly have some kind of security system with lasers and cameras, but nope. Nothing out of the ordinary.

You're wearing one of your old nightdresses, pink and frilly; you'd opted to start wearing them again the other day, liking the way they made you feel, accentuating your legs and breasts like your old Sunday school dress. You'd changed quickly every morning before going downstairs to save your parents from the heart attacks they'd have seeing you with so little skin coverage. But there's no need to change now, not with where you're going. You yank on a jacket and sneakers and carefully open and close the front door, scurrying out into the cool night air.

Joel's house isn't far, just a street over. You try not to run, as much as you want to; you know you'll end up all sweaty and messy haired - the opposite of how you'd like to portray yourself tonight, but your skin is practically glowing with anticipation. You hold the short hem of your nightdress down as you speed walk through the dark suburban streets of your neighborhood.

Your heart starts pounding when his house comes into view; the living room window is dimly lit. You jog up the front steps and take a deep breath before turning the handle, smiling to yourself when it opens easily; he'd really left the door unlocked for you.

"Mr. Miller?" you call in a hushed tone, shutting the door behind you and turning the lock.

He emerges from the living room and you feel your eyes widen. All he's wearing is a pair of loose fitting plaid pajama pants; nothing else. No shirt, no socks, and probably no underwear. You swallow, eyes trailing up and down the naked solidness of his chest, the greying hair smattered along the skin. He's got a softness to him, a bit of a pudgy belly that makes you want to smile, but his rugged sexiness is even more apparent. His strong pecs, freckled arms, the hair trailing down his stomach and into his pajama pants... it suddenly leaves you unable to breathe or form a coherent thought.

"There's my girl," he says, voice low and husky; he must have talked a lot today, called people's names, ordered them around, "C'mere."

Your brain is still muddled and awestruck as you feel yourself rush forward, arms immediately wrapping around his bare torso. His skin is softer than you'd thought it'd be, warm under your touch as you carefully press your cheek to his chest. You feel the scratch of hair against your skin, reminding you of his age; fifty six. The thought gives you an ache between your legs.

He holds you close and rubs your back, presses a kiss to the top of your head. Your eyes flutter closed at his touch, fingers splaying across the wide span of his back. You find yourself able to breathe again, but all you inhale is his scent, fresh and masculine. It's then that you realize his skin is slightly damp, peppered here and there with little droplets of water.

"I just got out of the shower," he says quietly, answering your unspoken question, "Was about to get in bed when you texted but I figured if you were comin' over I should clean myself up a bit."

You hum against his chest, still not sure exactly what to say. The ache between your legs is growing stronger the more you stand here in his embrace; somehow you hadn't expected to feel this way just from hugging him, although you probably should have guessed.

"I wanna get in your bed," you say softly, opening your eyes again and pulling back to look at him. His expression says it all, eyes going dark as they fall to your lips.

"Then let's get in my bed," he murmurs, just as quiet.

--

The last time you were in Joel's bedroom there'd been more of a sense of urgency, when he'd sat with you in his lap on the edge of his bed and held you open in front of the mirror. Now things are much slower, more quiet. You slip in behind him and unzip your jacket, taking it off and hanging it carefully on the hook behind his door.

"That's pretty," he says behind you, and you feel him reach out to gently touch the pink material, hand ghosting the bare skin of your chest. Your breath hitches and he smiles, "Tiny little thing, isn't it?"

"I've had it for a long time, I thought you might like it."

"I do," he pulls you toward him, then reaches his hands up to thumb the thin straps of the nightdress. You watch with hooded eyes as he slowly pushes them off your shoulders, "I'm gonna take it off though, that okay?"

Your brow furrows; he notices your reaction and his hands freeze, "Not okay?" he asks, confused slightly.

"N-no, it's okay," you say quickly, "I just... I'm still a little self conscious."

His eyes widen slightly and he shakes his head, "You have nothin' to be self conscious about, sweetheart," he reassures you, "I wanna see you..." he pushes the straps down your shoulders and you stand there trembling slightly as he pulls the dress down, exposing your breasts to him, "There you are."

You shiver a bit under his gaze, but not out of discomfort or fear. You feel safe with him; you know he'd never do anything you didn't consent to. You're just not exactly sure what you want, what exactly you've really come here for. Before you'd left the house you'd been so afraid that he was losing interest, already getting tired of you; now he stares at you like you're some kind of rare gem, making you feel bashful and beautiful under his gaze.

"I wanna touch you," you whisper, the shakiness of your voice betraying your nervousness - or anticipation.

His hands freeze for a few seconds but he regains composure quickly, tugging the dress down further until it's cascading down your legs, putting you completely on display. He swallows audibly, taking you in. You look at his face and feel yourself pulse under his gaze, the way he's staring directly at your bare pussy.

"Let's get in bed," he murmurs, "I think there's a few things we can touch."

His words send a buzzing warmth through your body and you cross your legs unconsciously, an action that makes him smirk. You turn away from him with heat flooding your cheeks as you climb into his bed; it's large and comfortable, but you already know neither of you will be taking advantage of the big space. You sit up against his headboard and pull the duvet up over yourself, hiding your breasts from view - as if he hasn't already seen them.

"I'll keep these on" he says softly, tugging at the band of his pajama pants, "Don't worry."

Your heart leaps to your throat and you nod quickly - probably too quickly. It's not that you're scared to see him naked; you've already seen both halves now and that's taken away a lot of the fear, but the concept of being in bed together, both naked... you're not sure you're ready yet. And you're glad he understands that without you having to say it out loud.

You watch as he climbs into bed and positions himself up against the headboard like you, scooches in next to you so your sides are touching. His skin against yours is unlike anything you've felt with him up until this point; he's so warm, a firm and large presence at your side that immediately has you feeling intimidated. Your nerves are already beginning to set alight just by having him so close. You open your mouth to speak but are unable to say anything when he inches even closer, his bare waist pressing firmly against yours.

"Hey, you're okay," he breathes, reaching up to gently thumb your cheek in a calming motion, brow furrowing slightly, "You don't gotta be nervous, sweetheart, it's only me."

"I'm not nervous," you whisper back, and while you're not exactly being honest there's certainly something else you're feeling, "I'm just..." you cross your legs again under the duvet, "I'm getting really wet."

He makes an odd sound in the back of his throat that makes you smile a little, cheeks burning under his gaze. He reaches over and slowly pushes the blankets down from your loose grip, exposing you to him once again. He moves his hand down, fingertips trailing along your bare chest until carefully bringing one of your breasts into his palm and squeezing gently.

"You don't gotta hide these from me, darlin'," he murmurs, thumb dragging across your nipple, sending tingles throughout your body, "They're too pretty to stay outta sight."

You shiver when he carefully tweaks your nipple between his fingers, his gaze firmly set on his movements. You watch together as he plays with it, toys with it, rolls it between thumb and forefinger. The warm and tight feeling sends an odd tingling sensation from your breast to your pussy, like they're connected somehow.

"I'm gonna put this in my mouth," he says softly, "Suck on it a little bit, that okay?"

You can't help but feel a bit unsure, biting your lip, "Is that... does it feel good to do that?"

He nods up at you, thumbing your nipple again slowly, "Feels really good, I promise. You got a lot of nerves here, just like your pussy. Really sensitive."

Your eyes are hazy as you nod to him slowly, "Th-that sounds nice."

At your words he leans his head down and brings your nipple into his mouth, dropping his fingers and replacing his thumb with the warm suction of his lips. You gasp out in surprise, hand coming up to immediately cup the back of his head.

You've never felt anything like this; the suction of his mouth is so new and strange, that tingling sensation returning as you cross your legs tighter and whimper aloud as he sucks your nipple. His tongue is wet and warm, tracing the shape of you in little circles, while his free hand comes up to squeeze your other breast, tweak it with his fingers. Your breath begins to come out raggedly, brow furrowing and legs tightening together as he suckles.

"Oh my god," you hear yourself whimper, hand tightening in his hair, "Why does that feel so good?"

He pulls off your nipple with a quiet laugh, peering up at you, "Yeah, you like the way that feels, babygirl?"

You nod quickly, swallowing and trying to get your breath back, "Yes," you whisper, "A lot."

He smiles at that, "Then how 'bout you lay back for me?"

It's an offer that's impossible to refuse. You quickly pull yourself down from the headboard and slip beneath the covers, head coming to rest on one of his pillows. He slips under as well, then very slowly positions himself on top of you, a leg on either side of your trembling form. You look up at him with wide eyes, unsure whether you're more nervous or excited.

"You're okay," he reassures you again, inching downward a bit and pressing a few gentle kisses to your neck, "Gotta be on top to do this right, so it feels good."

You nod slowly, "I c-can feel..."

"What?" he whispers, "What do you feel?"

Your arms are loose at your sides and Joel's are pinned above you, but there's an unmistakable feeling of something prodding into your thigh, large and thick.

"Your cock," you manage to whisper, voice trembling, "I think."

"That's right," he murmurs, "It's 'cause I'm gettin' hard from suckin' you like that, touchin' you," he trails his fingers down your sides gently, making you shiver, "You like feelin' it there?"

You feel yourself slowly nodding, eyes going even more hazy and hooded, "I wanna touch it."

"I know you do," he whispers, "I want you to touch it too, sweetheart. But I'm gonna play with you a little longer," he leans his face down and licks a small stripe against your other nipple, making your hips buck, "Then I'll teach you how to touch it, that alright?"

"Yes," you breathe, "Please."

"You like when I play with you, don't you?" he murmurs against your breast, then captures your other nipple in his mouth and starts to suck.

"Y-yes," you repeat, hand coming up again to tangle in his hair, already overwhelmed by the sensation, "I missed it."

He hums, sending another cascade of tingles throughout your body. To think that less than half an hour ago you were laying in bed wondering if he still wanted you; now you're naked and he's on top of you with his mouth on your breast. How is this your life?

"What did'ya miss?" he pulls off for barely a few seconds, scruff scratching perfectly against your sensitive skin, "Tell me, babygirl, wanna know what you've been thinkin' about."

You whimper when he goes back to suckling, your fingers threading through his greying curls. It's hard to get your thoughts straight when he's making you feel like this, every tight suck and wet lick going directly to your aching core.

"J-just missed you touching me," you breathe, voice rough and wanton with pleasure, "Missed your hands on me, your fingers..."

At your words he carefully brings one of his hands downward, caressing your body gently as he goes. Your breath hitches when he swipes his middle and index finger down your wet seam, urging you to open up for him. You uncross your trembling legs, looking down to watch as he continues to suck on your breast while his fingers dip down to your wetness.

"Inside," you whisper, finishing your thought but almost giving him a command at the same time; he doesn't hesitate, immediately pushing both fingers past your entrance and slipping them inside your throbbing hole, "Fuck," you whimper, closing your eyes and throwing your head back, "Like that."

You can feel the head of his cock through his pajama pants, pulsing against your thigh, leaving a sticky spot in the fabric. The fact that he's getting hard just by doing this to you, getting wet in his own way, it just turns you on even more.

He pulls off your breast with a wet pop and tilts his head up to look at you, pressing little kisses around your nipple and then pulling himself up a bit to hover over you. You feel his clothed cock prod your lower belly and you shiver again.

"Wanted to be full again, huh?" he murmurs, eyes dark, "Missed havin' these big fingers inside you?"

You nod and tug at his curls, urging him to lean his face down toward you. He takes the hint immediately, smirking a bit before reaching down to press his lips to yours and kiss you hungrily. You sigh into his mouth, contentment and arousal flooding through you as he slowly pushes his fingers in and out of you. Your hand moves from his hair to cup his jaw, loving the feeling of his beard beneath your fingers.

"Wanna know what I missed?" he asks against your lips, voice deep and breathy, "Missed this tiny little hole, so tight, all for me," at his words he curls the tips of his fingers inside of you, making you emit a loud whimper that makes him grin, "That's right, takin' my fingers so well, angel. Bet you could take three now," you feel another one of his fingers prod you alongside his others, "You want that, babygirl? Want three of those big fingers?"

You swallow nervously but slowly nod, tugging your bottom lip into your mouth, "Yes, Mr. Miller," you whimper, "Wanna be full."

"Good girl," he murmurs, brushing his nose lightly against yours, "You're such a good girl, aren't you?"

You hear the sounds you're making but you're not quite sure where they're coming from or how you're making them; you sound pathetic and breathless as he fucks you with his fingers, teases the third at your hole and leans down to kiss you again. His tongue slips past your lips and you feel the vibration of your own moans in his mouth when his thumb gently teases your clit.

"There you go, angel," he mutters against your lips as his third finger breaches your entrance, slowly pushes past the other two, "Thaaat's it, babygirl."

You tremble underneath him, feeling your body tense up at the new intrusion. You've had three of your own fingers inside yourself, but not three of his, long and thick and so much bigger than your own. You hear your whimpers turn into cries as his fingers fill you up, your own hands coming up to grip his back, nails digging into the skin.

"Shhh," he soothes, trailing more kisses along your face in an attempt to relax you, "You're okay, sweetheart, you're okay." And you are okay, being underneath him like this, being entirely at his mercy as he pushes your limits, helps you discover something new. It burns a bit, stretches and pulls and stings, but he talks you through it, whispers reassuring words in your ear, and you know you're safe.

He stills once all three fingers are deep inside, then pulls himself up a bit to look at you, pushing a stray hair behind your ear and peering down with a soft expression despite the depraved circumstances.

"How's that feel?" he whispers, voice gentle and soothing, "Tell me."

You're still making whimpering noises, shaky and quiet, but you're able to reply with the only word you can bring to the front of your mind: "Full."

He smiles down at you, brushes his nose against yours, "You did so good, angel," he murmurs, eyes not leaving yours, "I'm prouda you."

He knows what he's doing with that phrase; immediately you feel yourself loosen beneath him, hands going slightly limp against his back. He presses a soft kiss to the corner of your mouth and slowly begins to move his fingers again, pumping them in and out at an even pace.

It's amazing. It's so different than just two fingers, so much bigger and fuller - you've never felt anything like it; something so dirty but somehow passionate and warm. He kisses you as he fucks you with them, hovering over you with his hot skin emanating onto yours, wisps of hair from his chest and stomach tickling you everywhere. He thumbs your clit again and you moan loudly against his lips, your orgasm swelling in your belly as your hands tangle in his hair and pull him closer.

"You gonna come, angel?" he asks you softly, sweetly, pulling back a bit to stare deeply into your wide eyes, "Yeah, you're gonna come on those big fingers, huh? Can feel your pussy gettin' all tight around me, she wants it so bad doesn't she?"

You moan even louder as you frantically nod, "Yes, gonna come, gonna come," you cry out, overwhelmed by the thickness of his fingers and the way he's looking at you, the way he's talking to you; everything is just him.

"That's right, give it to me, sweet girl," he urges you, plunging into you faster and faster as his thumb rotates mercilessly against your clit, "Make a mess for me, soak those fingers, there you go."

You keen, high and borderline ridiculous as you stiffen beneath him and begin to shake, pitiful sounds escaping your mouth as you come. He fucks you through it, watching your face every step of the way and not stopping his movements until you've come down completely. You lay beneath him, chest heaving and eyes closing involuntarily as he strokes your thigh tenderly, reassuringly. He keeps his fingers lodged deep inside of you, not moving but simply keeping you full as you come down from your orgasm; you find yourself hoping he doesn't pull them out just yet.

"Can I show you somethin'?" he asks softly, and you open your eyes to find him still peering down at your face. You can't speak, can only nod as you bite down on your lip and try to catch your breath, your entire brain focused solely on the way his fingers feel inside you. As if he can read your mind, he's suddenly pulling them out and bringing them up to hover between the two of you.

Your brow furrows in confusion, suddenly feeling beyond empty as you pout up at him. He just chuckles to himself, still holding his three fingers - wet and glistening - in front of you while his other hand reaches down to the waistband of his pajama pants. Your eyes go wide, lips parting a bit as you look from his face to where his hand is and back again.

Without words from either of you, he slowly reaches inside and pulls out his cock, thick and dripping. You make a weird sound in the back of your throat, sitting up slightly as you peer at it with wonder. He's showed it to you before, it's nothing new, and yet...

"That's about the same width, wouldn't you say?" he asks you quietly, bringing his dripping fingers down to his hard cock and aligning them side by side; he's right - the thickness of all three of his fingers is relatively similar to the thickness of his cock. There's certainly different aspects - the length being the main difference - but the overall width is pretty spot on.

"Y-yeah," you say softly, eyes glued to it, "Pretty close."

You watch as he carefully drags his fingers along the thick length of his cock, still soaked with your release. He spreads your juices along it with his thumb and fingers, fists it gently and very slowly fucks his fist once. Your eyes are hooded and dark, saliva beginning to pool inside your mouth for reasons you can't even begin to understand.

"You just took three fingers," he continues, thumb tracing the base of his wide tip, "So wouldn't you say that answers a question you've been worryin' your pretty little head about?"

Your eyebrows scrunch together, trying to figure out what he means. It's hard to focus on absolutely anything else when his dick is right there in front of you, practically begging to be touched, the fat head pulsing and drooling under your gaze.

"Oh, this is gonna be a problem, isn't it?" he says, amused as he continues to slowly stroke himself, "Can't even think when there's a cock in front of you, huh?"

The words snap you back to reality, but only slightly. You smile sheepishly as you will yourself to look up at his face and away from his dick, "Wh-what question, Mr. Miller?"

He chuckles, "You were afraid it wouldn't fit inside you, babygirl," he reminds you gently, "But it will, we just proved that."

Your brain slowly makes sense of what he's saying and you can't help but feel a wave of relief wash over you; he's right. It had burned a bit, been uncomfortable for a moment or two, but ultimately you'd been able to take all three and enjoy it. You feel a smile spread across your face, and you notice his eyes soften slightly as he looks at you.

"You're right," you say breathlessly, smile still wide, "I did it, didn't I?"

His expression softens even more and he smiles back at you, laughing quietly to himself. He opens his mouth to say something but then seems to think better of it, pulling one of his legs back and moving to sit beside you on the bed instead of over you. Your brow furrows a bit in confusion.

"What is it?"

He just shakes his head, still smiling softly to himself, "Nothin', you're just... you're adorable."

Your cheeks warm at that, unable to help feeling a little self conscious. Now that you've come down from your orgasm you're suddenly hyperaware of your nakedness, of the fact that he can see every inch of your body. You draw the covers up around yourself quickly, hoping he won't mind.

"Such a shy little thing," he murmurs softly, but makes no move to pull the blankets down again like he had before, just watches you with a smile as your gaze slowly falls back to where he's hard and aching.

"Can I...?" you can't bring yourself to say the words, feeling flustered and nervous at the very thought. He just nods and reaches over to touch your hand, strokes your trembling fingers in his grip.

You watch as he carefully maneuvers your hand toward his crotch and slowly places your hand on his cock. Your fingers curl around his girth almost instinctively, imitating what you've seen him do before. Your lips part, breath hitching as your skin touches his most intimate area, a place on a man you never thought you'd ever be able to feel, at least not until you were married.

It's soft. Not in terms of arousal but just in texture, a silky and smooth feeling you hadn't been expecting. You stare down at your own hand in slight awe as your thumb gently strokes along his shaft, brow furrowing at how different it is than what you'd imagined. It's surprisingly just a body part, just an extension of Joel that usually remains hidden and secret; it's not as scary or intimidating when you can touch it like this, play with it like he plays with you.

"Wow," you say softly, barely aware of it as your fist ever so slowly moves along his length, pumps him just once in that hypnotic way he'd showed you; he's still covered in your own release, wet and slippery, but somehow you don't feel grossed out by it.

"You're a natural," he replies just as quietly, and your skin heats again when you look up to see his face, see the desire and pleasure in his expression, "Don't think there's much I need to teach you, to be honest. My parts are a lot simpler than yours."

You smile to yourself and pump him slowly again, this time brushing against the wet and throbbing tip. He makes a faint grunting sound that makes your eyebrows go up.

"This part..." you say quietly, thumbing the head ever so slightly and feeling your heart race when it pulses beneath you, "It feels different?"

"Yeah," he murmurs, biting down on his lip for a moment, "That part's sensitive, kinda like your clit."

You nod slowly, pushing your thumb up a bit and slowly rotating it along the sensitive area. He inhales sharply, grunts again when you prod the spongey head with both your thumb and index finger, teasing it like he'd done with your nipple.

"Fuck," he mutters softly, voice heavy and breathless, "That's it, angel, you got it."

His praise is like a warm blanket, shrouding you in safety and comfort as you slowly pump his cock again, teasing the head intermittently and trying not to smile too much every time he makes another one of those breathy grunting sounds. You feel pride swelling in your chest, the knowledge that you're actually making him feel good pushing you to continue on.

"What about these?" you ask softly, stilling your hand on his cock for a moment to gesture toward his balls, round and heavy beneath the base, "Does it....do they feel good when they get touched, too?"

"Yeah," he murmurs, voice dark and full of arousal, "They do."

"Can I touch them?"

The sound that emits from his throat sounds almost like a growl, low and husky, "Yes," he groans, "Go ahead and touch 'em, sweetheart."

The tone of his voice is slightly desperate, bordering on depraved. Your eyes travel back up to his face and his jaw is slack, eyes hooded as he watches you touch him. You've never seen him like this, almost completely wrecked by something you did.

"Gotta be real gentle," he continues, taking a breath through his nostrils and reaching down to pull his pajama pants down a bit more for easier access, "They're sensitive too."

You resume your slow pumping of his cock with one hand while your other reaches down to lightly trail the tips of your fingers along the shape of his balls, round and tender. You cup them gently, teasing them one by one in your palm. He hisses in pleasure, eyes shutting tightly as he leans back a bit against the headboard.

"Feel good?" you whisper, trying your best to fall into the role Joel usually takes on, the role of the person giving the pleasure.

"Yes, baby," he groans, pressing the backs of his hands against his shut eyes, "Yes, feels so good, sweetheart."

Your pumping gets a bit faster, a bit wetter as precum continues to drool from the tip and down his shaft. It's unbelievable that you're really sitting here in a man's bed, a man about thirty years older than you, pumping his cock and making him come apart like this. You can feel yourself throbbing beneath the blankets, getting wet all over again at the reality of the situation, and when your movements cause the blankets to fall from your chest and expose your breasts again, you don't bother trying to cover up.

Joel groans at the sight, reaching over to tweak one of your nipples between his fingers, making you whimper, "You know what happens when a man comes?" he asks you suddenly, brow furrowing in pleasure, "You learn about that in school?"

You nod quickly, feeling sweat trickle down your face as you continue to stroke him up and down, "Yes," you whisper, "I know what happens."

He groans again, swallowing thickly and taking a deep breath as he begins to palm your breasts, "I'm about to come, darlin'. There's gonna be a lot, need to know where to aim it."

You bite down on your lip, trying to keep all your focus on making him feel good and not on the hands now squeezing your breasts, teasing your nipples. "Wh-where do you want it to go?" But you already know the answer.

"Here," he grunts, thumbing your hard nipples, "These. Wanna come all over these pretty tits, sweetheart, will you let me?"

You nod, "Y-yes, Mr. Miller."

It's everything he needs to suddenly pull himself up from the bed and pull your hands off him, gesturing for you to lie back against his pillows. Your heart races in anticipation, eyes going wide and lips parting again as he leans over you and starts to jack his cock, fast and unrelenting. This is what he'd done the other night, when you'd talked on the phone; you'd tried to imagine what he'd looked like, making his own mess... now you're about to find out.

"Stay just like that, babygirl, just like that," he grunts out, pumping himself over and over as he aims the tip toward your bare breasts, swollen from all the attention he's given them tonight. His expression is tense and so is his body, soft stomach suddenly taut with pressure, chest heaving as he works his hand. He looks almost pained, brows scrunched together as he pulls himself over the edge.

"Come," you find yourself saying quietly, a shaky whimper playing at the edge of your voice, "Come for me."

Within seconds of your words your skin is hit with long ropes of a warm, white liquid, splattering across your breasts in uneven patterns. You watch with hooded eyes as Joel slows his strokes, groans louder than he has all night as his release spurts continuously from the head of his cock, painting you all over. His tense expression eases into one of pure bliss as he tosses his head back again, moaning up at the ceiling.

Wow.

Without asking for permission, without even questioning whether it's proper sex etiquette to do so, you find your hand travelling quickly downward to your wet pussy. You frantically begin to rub your clit, still gazing up at Joel's pleasured form, feeling his come slipping down the sides of your breasts onto the sheets below. You throb and pulse beneath your fingers, whining softly to yourself as your body readies itself for your second orgasm.

Joel looks down at you then, cock still in hand, slowly beginning to soften. He sees what you're doing immediately, and the devilish smirk that crosses his face is enough to send you over the edge.

"Fuuuuck," you moan out as you come, trembling in the sheets and curling your toes in pleasure, "Mmmm," you squirm and writhe beneath his gaze until it's over, then lay still and loose on the bed with barely any thoughts floating through your mind.

The room is filled with the sounds of heavy breathing, both of you coming down from your orgasms and trying to collect yourselves. You can't help but look down at your chest, see the thick patches of come splattered all over your breasts, your nipples. How all of that could come from one person is wild to you; this certainly hadn't been taught in any of your health classes.

The memory of being so naïve, so innocent... it makes you grin. Because you couldn't be further from that person anymore, the one who did everything that was asked of her, never listened to her own heart, stayed on the sidelines and focused on math and extracurriculars and God while other people had these experiences. And now here you are - actually having them.

"I guess I'm not a good little Christian girl anymore," you find yourself saying with a shaky giggle; you suddenly feel reinvigorated, sexually liberated... free.

Joel laughs at that, breathless and genuine. He grins down at you, releases his cock and shuffles downward to lay beside you, "You're my good little Christian girl," he says softly, bringing a hand up to cradle your face, "You did so good."

"Did I?" you ask sincerely, "Be honest, I wanna know."

He just smiles and thumbs your cheek, eyes going crinkly, "You were perfect, babygirl, I swear." He leans forward and kisses you gently, sweetly, like you both didn't just do something completely filthy and depraved - but you're starting to realize that maybe it's normal to do things like this, not as taboo and sinful as you'd always thought.

When you part, you're suddenly painfully aware of the state of the bed, not to mention both of your bodies. You're both covered in a sheen of sweat, you've got come dripping down your skin, and both fluids are already beginning to stain the bedsheets. You make a face.

"Can we...can we change the sheets? And can I maybe take a shower?"

Joel chuckles at that, stroking your cheek one last time before pulling back to extricate himself from the bed, "I'll change 'em, sweetheart. You go get in the shower, it's right across the hall."

You slip out of bed on shaky legs, losing your balance a bit and having to grab on to Joel's bed side table for support. You both laugh, and you find comfort in the casual intimacy of it all - both of you standing there naked without any shame or embarrassment. It's strange and new but so refreshing, that familiar safe feeling warming your skin as you make your way to the bathroom. You pick up your discarded nightdress as you go.

You stare at yourself in Joel's bathroom mirror for a bit longer than necessary, eyes wide as they trail up and down your bare form. Splotches cover different parts of your skin, especially your breasts, nipples swollen and dark, not to mention covered in come. You feel an ache between your legs again at the sight and almost roll your eyes at yourself - when will you stop being this insatiable?

Unable to push down the urge to do so, you carefully drag one of your fingers through the layer of white splattered across your chest, fascinated by its sticky texture. He'd marked you, in more ways than one.

The shower is pleasant and relatively quick; you want to get back in Joel's arms as soon as possible. You try not to think too much about the implication of that desire, the safety you feel when you're with him versus the anxiety you feel when you're not and what exactly that means. You try to remind yourself of your roommates and their experiences, their ability to sleep around without catching feelings or getting attached. How do they do it? How do they do it when being close to another person like this is so intimate and special?

You change back into the nightdress after your shower and slip back into Joel's room, finding him laying in the freshly made bed beneath a new duvet. For a moment you think he might be sleeping, quietly shutting the door behind you and tiptoeing over to the bed. However when you get close enough he opens his eyes and looks at you, a sleepy smile spreading across his face.

"Hey there," he murmurs, reaching down to pull back the blankets on the other side - your side, "Get on in."

Your heart pounds harder than it probably should.

Climbing into bed beside Joel feels surprisingly normal, easy. You wriggle underneath the duvet and cuddle in beside him, immediately wrapping an arm around his solid form and nuzzling your head against his shoulder. He's wearing his pajama pants again but his torso is still bare, the hair on his chest tickling your skin. You feel him press a soft kiss to your hairline and you can't help but smile.

"I'm glad I came over," you whisper with a content sigh, "I was... I was starting to worry you didn't want me."

"Really?" he asks softly, brow furrowing, "Why's that?"

You shake your head and nuzzle in deeper, "Just me being self conscious and insecure, as usual."

His hand comes up to rub your back soothingly, circling it with his palm through your thin nightdress. He pulls you in a bit closer, kisses your forehead again with a bit more firmness.

"It's normal to feel that way," he murmurs against your skin, "But I do want you, babygirl. You're all I think about lately, I mean that." You shiver at his words, closing your eyes and willing yourself to believe that he really does mean them like he says. "Most beautiful little thing I've had in my bed for a long time."

You press a gentle kiss to his collarbone in response, nose trailing along the skin. He didn't shower but you're sort of glad he didn't; he still smells like sex, a deep masculine musk that you can only attribute to him now, a scent that makes you feel safe.

"I just feel bad...making us sneak around and all that," you admit, "I know it's childish and silly, but I'm so scared of disappointing my parents. I shouldn't be but I am."

"You're young," he says softly, tenderly, "That kinda stuff still matters, especially when you're livin' with them. I get it, honey. You don't have to defend yourself."

You grimace against his skin, "I just wish this could be more normal. That you could just be a guy I'm seeing instead of my guitar teacher," you shake your head, "It's not fair."

He pulls you in even closer with a soft chuckle, "Well, if it's any consolation, I'm lookin' forward to teachin' you how to play."

You make a face, "Hymns," you say with a roll of your eyes, "You're teaching me how to play hymns. I don't see anything exciting or sexy about that."

"We'll make it sexy," he murmurs, inching his face downward so it's more level with yours, eyes casting down to your lips, "Thought you were my good little Christian girl."

All thoughts suddenly seem arbitrary when he's looking at you like that, your gaze immediately going hazy as he leans in and kisses you deep, pushes his tongue inside your mouth softly and tastes you. You hum against his mouth as a response, thighs tightening together as if on instinct the second you feel yourself begin to throb again.

"Are you?" he asks huskily when he pulls away, eyes dark but tired, "Are you my good little Christian girl, baby?"

You nod, swallowing down your arousal, "Yes, Mr. Miller."

"You gonna let me touch you while I teach you guitar?"

You nod again, biting back a whimper, "Yes, Mr. Miller."

His eyes dart back down to your lips, hand on your back traveling downward to cup your bare ass beneath the nightdress, "You gonna let me fuck that soft little pussy while you play one of your hymns?"

"Yes, Mr. Miller," you repeat, leaning forward to bury your face in his warm skin and inhale him again, moan softly against the hair on his chest, "Yes."

He squeezes your ass for a moment and then brings his hand back up, pulls you to him and wraps his arms around you tightly, "See, babygirl?" he whispers, "Told you we'll make it sexy."

--

Joel's alarm wakes you around six, rousing you from one of the best sleeps of your life. You open your eyes groggily, feeling him lean over you in bed to turn it off, warm chest brushing your arm. You roll over in bed and cuddle into him again, humming sleepily to yourself when he pulls you in close.

"I gotta get ready for work," he murmurs gently into your hair, "Go back to sleep, I'll wake you when it's time to go."

You frown sleepily but don't have the energy to protest, eyes closing again as you melt back into his pillow. You feel him release you from his embrace and press a kiss to your forehead, a simple reminder that this isn't some dream you're having, it's somehow reality. You smile and fall asleep again within seconds.

--

He wakes you up again after about half an hour, seats himself on the edge of his bed and strokes your hair. You peer up at him with a sleepy and satisfied expression, unable to stop the words that fall immediately from your lips:

"Kiss me."

He doesn't need convincing, still thumbing your hair behind your ear as he leans down and kisses you softly, bumps your nose against his and lets your tongue lazily explore his mouth, tasting mouthwash. You sigh contentedly, pulling back to smile at him while he strokes your cheek.

"Sleep good?" he asks you softly.

You nod, remembering the closeness the two of you had shared all night, the soft hugs and tender cuddles, the quiet intimacy you've never experienced with anyone else. "Amazing," you whisper.

He kisses you again before you get out of bed, then takes your hand as he leads you downstairs. You grab your jacket on the way out of his bedroom, still hanging on the back of his door. You look down at yourself as you both reach the top of the stairs, realizing there's no way you'll be able to walk home in an outfit like this without certainly being accosted by a nosy neighbor.

You push down your worry when you reach the kitchen, unable to stop the grin from spreading across your face when you see that the kitchen table is set with breakfast; scrambled eggs and bacon.

"You made me breakfast?" you ask in awe, looking from the food to Joel and back again.

He laughs, walking over to the coffee pot and pouring himself a cup, "I did," he says with a smile, "And as much as I'd love for us to just sit and enjoy it," he looks down at his watch with a grimace as he takes a sip of coffee, "we have about ten minutes before I gotta drive you home and then get to work."

You sit down at the table, picking up your fork and immediately digging into the eggs, "You're gonna drive me home?"

He seats himself across from you, watching you enjoy what he'd cooked with a fond smile, "Can't have you walkin' home in that tiny little thing, can I?" he says teasingly, "Your parents would wring my neck."

You groan, "Oh god, please don't even joke about that. If they knew..."

He just chuckles and starts to eat, looking up every now and then to give you one of those crinkly-eyed crooked smiles that makes you weak. You smile through mouthfuls of food and feel your skin alight every time you feel his gaze on you.

"I don't usually eat this fast, I promise," you say through a mouthful of bacon, covering your mouth, "It's only 'cause we're on a time crunch."

He shakes his head, still smiling, "You're so damn cute."

You try your hardest not to reach across the table and pull him toward you for a kiss.

--

The drive from his house to yours is extremely short, no less than two minutes. Still, you enjoy the short time you spend in his truck, his big hand spread out on your bare thigh while he hums along to a tune on the radio and gives you soft little sideways glances that makes your heart flutter. You can't help but feel like someone else when you're with him, someone more carefree and outgoing, happier and more experienced. It's only when you slowly near your house that you realize maybe this person is who you really are.

"Stop here," you tell Joel with a grimace, still a few houses away, "My parents are still home."

"How're you gonna get in?" he asks with an edge of concern to his voice, eyeing your house, "Think you can climb the fence?"

You bite your lip, "Probably. I've never done it before but I don't have much choice," you lean your head against the backrest in irritation, "God, why did I choose now to rebel? I coulda learned how to do all this shit when I was a kid if I hadn't been so obsessed with being perfect."

He gives you a sympathetic look, thumb stroking your thigh reassuringly, "I'll stay right here 'til you're inside."

You yearn to lean over the small space between you and kiss him, but you know there's always a risk of a neighbor coming out of their house and seeing you. Instead, you place your hand atop the one on your thigh and squeeze his fingers gently, giving him a small smile.

"I had a really nice night," you say quietly, unsure how exactly this kind of thing is done, "And morning."

"So did I, sweetheart," he replies, voice tender, "We'll do it again, promise."

With one final squeeze of his hand you slip out of his truck, tying your jacket around your waist to cover up your legs a bit. It leaves your upper half more exposed than you'd like, your eyes going wide when you realize how much cleavage this nightdress really shows.

"Here," Joel says, understanding your reaction immediately, "Wear this on top." Without giving you any time to protest he's unbuckling himself to undo his plaid button down, shirking it off his shoulders and handing it to you. It leaves him in a t-shirt and jeans, your eyes trailing to his strong arms without meaning to, the arms that had held you close all night.

"Thank you," you murmur, brow furrowing a bit, "You're sure?"

He smiles crookedly and buckles up again, "I'm sure, angel. You keep that."

Your heart flutters as you wrap his shirt around you, slipping your arms into the much too long sleeves and inhaling the scent of him - your new favorite smell - surrounding you. You're never getting rid of this. Ever.

With a wave you hurry down the sidewalk, feeling slightly ridiculous in your layered and baggy outfit but relieved that you're covered up. You eye the tall white fence of your backyard, trying to formulate a plan in your head as you go. Hop the fence, get a ladder from the tool shed and climb up to your bedroom? But did you even leave your window open? You can't help but feel rage in your chest for your parents rules, the curfew, all the nonsense you've been living with for your entire life. Why the fuck don't you have a fucking key to your own fucking house?

You can feel Joel's eyes on you when you reach the fence, still sitting in his truck a few houses down.

Please, God, you think to yourself as you slip one of your sneakers in between the fence posts and yank yourself up, I know I've sinned. I know I'm a mess. And I'm not even sure I really believe in you anymore. But please, if you're there, don't let me make a fool of myself in front of Joel Miller.

Surprisingly, your prayer seems to work. Climbing up the fence is relatively easy; you keep an eye out for your neighbors as you quickly pull yourself over and flop down on the other side, extremely grateful that neither your jacket nor Joel's shirt gets caught on anything. You hurry to the tool shed, eyeing your bedroom window as you go and feeling beyond relieved when you see that it's wide open; God bless Texan summers.

You decide to wait inside the tool shed until your parents are gone, not wanting to draw any attention to yourself with the ladder. You close the door behind you and sink to the concrete floor, heart pounding in your chest as the reality of what you've just done overwhelms you.

You snuck out to see a man. You slept in his bed. He drove you home so you could sneak back in.

Quiet laughter fills the tool shed, all coming from your own mouth. You grin to yourself and shake your head in the darkness, leaning back against the door and closing your eyes. Who are you? Who is this new person you've become? You don't know, but you love her.

You find yourself pulling your phone out of your jacket pocket and typing out a new message, but this time it's not to Joel - it's to your friends from college:

i think i'm officially a bad girl.

#joel miller x reader #joel miller smut #fic: feelings on fire #*

[bambikisss]

Django :: J.Yunho

-> Cop! Yunho x Criminal! Reader

-> Django: ATEEZ

-> After the bounty on you is raised, Yunho is sent out to go looking for you. What happens when he actually does find you outside of a club?

-> Warnings: Use of nicknames (Slut, princess, baby), degradation, spanking, use of handcuffs, car sex, from the back, ROUGH, oral (both reciving), Outlaw Yunho (deserves his own warnings at this point)

A/N: I have returned! I've been excited for ATEEZ's outlaw release, so I immediately thought of cop Yunho with Django. Plus, I just saw a video of Yunho getting mad and I immediately knew I had to write something about him. You are also nicknamed Django in this as well

Not proofread | Comments and reblogs are appreciated!

"Officer Yunho! Hey!" The busy police office doesn't stop Wooyoung from calling him as he enters the office, sighing as he asks what he wants. He had just came back from booking a criminal who punched him in the jaw, so he wasn't in the mood for whatever Wooyoung wanted to gossip about.

Before Wooyoung could show Yunho the meme he found, the police captain enters the room, passing around a wanted poster that was freshly printed. "Alright everyone, all hands on deck! We finally got a good picture to put on the wanted poster of the robber who has been making rounds around the city. She needs to be captured as soon as possible! The citizens of this city are constantly complaining about us not finding her."

Yunho nods at the captain's words, remembering the old lady earlier who was lecturing him while he was putting someone in his backseat. His eyes look over the wanted poster, noticing the now high bounty on you.

WANTED: Y/N AKA Django.

10 thousand dollar bounty! He can't help but scoff, knowing no one would turn someone else in for such a low bounty. He has often told his captain that they needed to raise the amount to actually make the citizens care, but his words were brushed off. His words were always brushed off, despite being one of the top cops who brought in the criminals. As he was preparing to go out on patrol to avoid doing any office work, the captain stopped him, handing him a stack of the wanted posters, giving him the silent look to go put them up all around the city. Yunho didn't even try to object, sighing as he accepting the papers before leaving the office, not wanting anyone else to add to his work load.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "No, ma'am, I cannot arrest him for parking here. This parking spot is not yours as it's public parking." Yunho couldn't help but sigh as he tried to hold back his anger at the woman's yelling, wanting nothing more than to yell back at her. But, he couldn't do that, not when he had this job to help people, even if they were centimeters from his face yelling about something as small as a parking spot.

Once he was finally back in his car, he drove a good bit away so he could be alone for a bit. Even though it was a good bit past midnight, the calls were still rampant. In moments like theses, it often made him wonder why he chose this job. He tossed his head back to rest against the headrest, taking a deep breath to help calm himself before he his phone began to ring, vibrating the many wanted posters of the criminal he still hadn't posted around the city. He answered the phone, returning to his natural position as he listened to Wooyoung.

"I'm currently working on the program for our bodycams, so I'm just calling to let you know that they'll be done for a while. I suggest you get some sleep while you can." Yunho thanked him before hanging up, smiling at the idea of finally being able to be asleep. He'd have to thank Wooyoung later for giving him a heads up.

As he returned to his upright position, he noticed someone walking out of a club, the woman walking right past the cop car. He couldn't help but admire the woman, his eyes moving over her beautiful short dress and heels.

Maybe he could do something else besides sleeping for the time being.

"Excuse me!" he got out of his car, jogging to catch up with the woman. He hoped he wasn't scaring her as he knew how some people felt about the police suddenly approaching them, but he hoped his charms could keep her from feeling so scared. He jogged in front of the woman, smiling as she met his eyes. "Sorry for bothering you, miss, but I-"

Oh. My. God.

Yunho paused as he made eye contact with the woman, his mind going back to the many wanted pictures that sat in the passenger seat of his car. He watched as a slow smile crept onto your lips, realizing that you're Y/N.

He just caught Django.

"You're under arrest, Y/N. Or, could I say Django." You tilted your head as you watched him roughly grab his handcuffs from his belt, the metal glimmering in the moonlight as he roughly grabbed your arm. You mentally cursed yourself for not realizing the car you walked in front of was a cop car, let alone the man you stopped to talk to was a cop. You tried to move from his strong hands, but he only pulled you closer to him, handcuffing your hands behind your back before he moved closer to you, pressing his chest to your back as he said into your ear "finally caught you, bitch." You would usually beat someone up for calling you a bitch, but to hear Yunho say it with a deep voice, filled with anger made your body warm up and your panties dampen. You wouldn't lie; he was hot and if he wasn't pushing you to get into his car, you would've given yourself to him to have his way with you. You were dying to know what was underneath the tight cop clothes that only showed off his muscles, mentally moaning at his roughness as he shoved you into the backseat before slamming the door shut.

Yunho couldn't believe he had been the one to catch you, smirking as he thought about what he could do with that lousy prize money- while it wasn't a lot, it was could be enough for a trip somewhere, maybe even a cruise.

He quickly got into the front seat before he began driving, thinking about what to do with you now that he had you handcuffed in his backseat. He knew that if he brought you back to the precinct, he wouldn't get the credit he deserved, plus you had escaped before so he couldn't bring you there. He bit his lip before pulling over into a empty alleyway, deciding to call his captain to tell him the great news. He looked back at you in the rearview mirror, gasping lightly as he noticed your legs now spread, giving him a perfect view of your now wet lace panties as your head rested back against the headrest. The image of you like that made his mouth water and pants tighten, cursing softly as he ripped his eyes from you. He waited at the tone for his captain to answer before he cursed as his voicemail began to speak. The one time he actually wanted this man to answer the phone, he wasn't. Yunho sighed before cursing softly, remembering that his body cams were off.

Why would he wait for the other police to punish you when he could? You gasped as the backseat door was ripped open, Yunho's hand moving to roughly pull you from the backseat to your knees in front of him, your knees now resting against the wet alleyway ground as he looked down at you with angry eyes. "What the fuck are you-"

"Shut up, slut. I suggest you do as I say or I'll make sure you'll spend the rest of your life behind bars." You jumped at his rough voice, watching as he began to unbuckle his pants, pushing them down his thick thighs to show you his large cock, hard and standing at attention against his stomach. Your mouth couldn't help but water, leaning forward to get a taste before hissing as his hand moved to grip your hair, roughly pulling your hair back so you could see his face, his tongue poking his cheek as his eyes darkened. "No. Good girls get to taste this cock. I don't think I should even let you look at it, let alone taste it." You were about to speak, your words cut off my his hand moving from your hair to roughly grip your cheeks, growling as he heard you whimper at his rough movements. It only made his cock harder, twitching in front of you, making you moan.

"You want this cock, you're going to earn it. Tonight, you belong to me- you are mine. You will answer to me or I will stop and drop you off in the jail in an instant." You nodded at his rough voice, mentally moaning when you hear him chuckling before moving forward, pushing only the head of his cock into your mouth, tossing his head back as your tongue moved around to gather the precum eagerly. Yunho closed his eyes at the feeling of your warm tongue moving over the slit of his cock before he decided he had enough, tossing his head forward to watch as he pushed the rest of his cock into your mouth, going down your throat in a slow pace. He watched as your eyes watered due to his large size, his hips moving in a slow pace as he clicked his tongue, shaking head in disappointment before removing his cock from your mouth.

"You want me to take care of that wet pussy you were showing me earlier, right slut?" you nodded at his question, gasping as his hands forcefully opened your mouth before he roughly pushed his cock back down your throat. "Then hurry up and pleasure me. Show me what you're good for, slut."

You nodded, your fingers digging into your wrist as you began to move your head along his cock, moaning around his long, thick length. You met his eyes while you did so, making Yunho moan as you moaned around him again, making him toss his head back against the wall. You moved faster as he cursed softly, praising you in between his moans.

"There we go, slut, now you're showing me what you're good for, fuck!" His voice raised as his hips began to move, dragging his length all the way out of your mouth before slamming back down your throat, making you choke around his length at his hard pace. You couldn't help but moan at rough he was being with you, squeezing your own legs to offer yourself some pleasure as he continued to fuck your throat at a fast pace. You soon felt his cock twitch, letting you know that he was going to cum. Yunho showed no sign of slowing down, though, moving even faster before roughly stopping his hips against your face as his cum filled your throat, choking out a moan before he slowly pulling out of your mouth as you cough, a mixture of drool and cum dripping down your mouth as you did so.

Yunho smirked before his thumb moved across your skin, gathering the mixture before shoving it back into your mouth, humming as your tongue moved around it to gather the mixture. He felt his cock harden immediately, hooking his thumb into the side of your mouth before helping you stand, ushering you to get back into the car. You carefully crawled in, gasping as you felt his hand meet your ass roughly, surely going to leave a mark as the car door slammed closed behind him. You rested your head against the seat as you felt his hands move around your body, pushing up your already short dress up your waist before kissing around your ass and lower back, whispering praises as he did so.

"I think you earned a bit of a surprise, don't you, princess?" He asked against your lower back, his hands moving to pull down your panties in a slow pace. You nodded, your brain too fuzzy from him face fucking you to think clearly. Yunho smirked at your state before letting his fingers move along your wetness, chuckling as he listened to you mewl at the teasing feeling. "What if my other officers were on duty tonight and caught you walking in front of their car wearing this slutty little dress instead of me, huh? Would you let them get a taste of this pretty pussy like this, princess?" He chuckled as you let out an almost drunk sounding "no, only you!"

"Fuck, yes that feels so good!" You moaned loudly as his finger suddenly plunged into your wet heat, his tongue soon following while he tasted you, making you moan loudly. It seemed like everything about Yunho was big- his cock, his muscles, even his tongue and fingers were big as he ate you out, his fingers moving in you at a rapid pace. He groaned as he felt his cock twitch underneath himself, letting his fingers move from you to lubricate himself before pumping himself, moaning loudly into your wet cut. The sounds and noises you were making for him made him move his own hand faster along his cock, plunging his tongue deeper into you to capture more of your wetness. You tasted so fucking sweet to him, making him want more of you.

It almost made him mad that his bodycam was off- he wanted to be able to watch the footage back of him having you like this.

"C-cum, I'm going to-" Your whimpers were cut off with a noise of disappointment as Yunho immediately removed his tongue from your wet cunt at your words, making you whine louder before yelping as his hand laid another spank to your ass. Before you could ask what the fuck he was doing edging you like this, you gasped at the feeling of his cock slowly pushing it's way into your cunt. Yunho swore it felt better than heaven; the way it wrapped deliciously around his long, thick cock made him toss his head forward with a loud moan, spanking you again. "That's such a nice pussy, baby. Too bad I'm going to ruin it"

That was the only warning you got before he began to pound into you, rocking your body as his hips roughly met the plush of your ass. He grunted as his hands held onto your handcuffed hands for balance, driving his hard cock into you at a fast pace. He tossed his head back as you moaned loudly, the feeling your orgsam soon washing over you as you toss your own head back, coating his cock in your warm cum. You laid against the seat limp as all of your energy left your body, trying to catch your breath as you felt him slowly pull out of you with a wet pop. You winced at the wet sound, wanting nothing more than to fall asleep against the leather seats.

"Don't think I'm done with you, slut. This is your punishment."

You gasped as you felt Yunho pick you up, sitting himself down before having you hover over his hard cock. You whimpered as he slowly sunk you back down onto it, moaning as you noticed the bulge forming in your stomach from how big he was. Once you were fully seated on his cock, Yunho noticed how tried you were, clicking his tongue before slapping your ass, grunting out "you better get to riding slut or that jail is going to be where you're laying your head for the night" "It's hard to ride you with my hands behind my back" You moaned out harshly, letting your head rest back against the front seat as you tried to catch your breath. Yunho chuckled, before leaning forward to kiss your neck, leaving marks along your neck before pulling back from you, holding up the handcuffs that were around your wrists. "There. Now ride me."

You nodded at his demanding voice, placing your hands on his shoulders before bouncing along his cock at a fast pace, moaning loudly at the feeling of his cock grazing your G-spot. Yunho moaned before smashing his lips against yours, gripping your hips to help you move along his cock at a fast pace as the sound filled the car. He let his tongue move to meet yours as you moved faster, panting into the kiss at the feeling of him going so deep into you.

"Fuck, Y/N baby, if you keep riding me like this I'm gonna fill you up with my cum." he couldn't help but laugh breathlessly as he tossed his head forward to let his lips hover over yours as you bounced his hands gripping your breasts now to for leverage as he fucks up into you, saying "and if you make me cum hard enough, I'll let you fucking go. Yeah baby, ride me hard like that and I'll let you go free"

You let his words provide sudden motivation to you as you begin to ride him again, meeting his rough thrusts as you bounce, gripping his hair as you pressed your foreheads against each other, moaning loudly as the wet sounds become louder int he car, the car moving with the force of you two.

"That's it, Y/N, I'm going to cum! You better cum with me, let me fill you up with my fucking cum!" Yunho tossed his head back as he slammed your down on his cock, an almost animalistic moan leaving his mouth as he cums, roughly kissing you as you squeeze around him, both your cums now coating your thighs and his cock. You both panted into the kiss before he carefully helped you to lay back against the leather seat, slowly pulling out of you as your legs shook.

You let your eyes close as you heard the car door close before the car turn on, being too tired to do anything as you slowly fell asleep. You soon woke up to the sound of Yunho on the phone, fully dressed in his police uniform as he spoke to who you figured to be his captain. You fixed your dress as you felt a surge of nervousness fill your body, reaching for the car door, feeling surprised as the car door opens, showing you it was unlocked. As you slipped out from the backseat, you realized Yunho had brought you back to where he had originally found you. You turned to him as he held out his card, his number written on it before he said to whoever he was on the phone with "Did I find Django? Y/N? No, I didn't."

You caught him smirking at you as you accepted the card, smiling back at him as you exited the car, the last thing you hear him say before you close the door being "yes I will go patrol and look for her." You carefully closed the door as he drove away, looking down at the card he gave you with his number on it.

Call me, Django ;)

#ateez #ateez scenarios #ateez smau #atz #ateez imagines #atz yunho #ateez yunho #yunho smut #jeong yunho #jeong yunho smut #ateez smut #ateez au #ateez smut reactions #ateez yunho smut #ateez yunho x reader

[vin-taege]

Neko

Summary: You introduce Chishiya to a cute cat-collector game despite him insisting that he wouldn't like it.

Genre: fluff, post-borderlands

Pairing: reader x chishiya

Words: 800+

Note: This is totally self-indulgent after the last mega angst fic lmao

"What's the point of that?"

Chishiya stared at your phone, the screen lit up by a bright cartoon background and cats lounging on the toys you've set out.

"They're my friends and I love them," you hummed, eyes fixated on the screen. You tapped on a white cat—Snowball—to take a picture of him.

"It isn't the most..." Chishiya paused, trying to find the word he deemed most appropriate. "... riveting gameplay."

"Well, it's not supposed to be riveting," you replied, exiting the app and shutting your phone off. You took a sip of coffee before continuing, "It's just something that relaxes me."

You expected him to tease you in his usual sarcastic way, but to your surprise, he lifted his chair and scooted it closer to yours. "How does it work again?"

He didn't want to concern himself with such childish things-he thought they were pointless and a waste of time. But the way your eyes lit up each time you opened the app made him want to know more about this. It felt like getting to know you more by association.

"You just leave food out like this," you said, turning your phone back on to demonstrate. "Exit the app then after a few minutes, some cats will come."

You turned the phone towards him to show the current state of your yard. Though he didn't show it, Chishiya was actually a bit impressed. There was a giant cat tower in the middle, surrounded by smaller toys like a dainty glass vase and an opened treasure chest. You pointed to a black cat with white markings, busying itself with a red ball. "This is Gabriel. He gave me a raffle ticket yesterday."

Chishiya gently took your phone, pupils seemingly dilating. You watched him poke around the cats to read their names and descriptions, his poker face unmoving. You chuckled lightly, leaning towards him so you can brush some of the bleach-blond hair back.

"You could get this on your phone, you know," your fingers combed at the loose strands. You gathered them into a tiny ponytail before securing them with a hair tie. "It can help you feel less lonely during long shifts."

He quirked an eyebrow in question.

"You know, since you'll have some kitties waiting for you when you get back."

He smirked, handing you back the phone. "What a silly thought," he murmured against your cheek. With one hand, he turned your face slightly so his lips could meet the softness of your skin.

"You love my silly thoughts," you brought your hands to his shoulders, pulling him closer. Your lips connected with a soft kiss, and you could feel him grinning against you.

"I suppose so," he teased.

   .❀。• *₊°。 ❀°。

Chishiya munched on some biscuits, content with the silence of his office. He was relieved to have caught a break, especially since it looks like he'll be on call until well past midnight. He had already texted you to sleep without him, but he knew you'd stubbornly stay up for his arrival.

He decided he'd finally had enough of looking through the mountain of reports sitting on his desk. His eyes drifted to a framed picture of you two instead. You were wearing a lilac sundress, a huge smile plastered on your face. Next to you, Chishiya sported a white sweater covering the hem of his beige slacks. A red plaid blanket was sprawled underneath you, weighed down by snacks, a wicker basket, and a chessboard.

He grinned to himself, reminiscing that day. It made him miss you more, made his heart hurt because he couldn't come home earlier. Sighing, he brought his phone out, scrolling until he found an icon of a white cat.

The chirpy background music greeted him, alongside a morbidly obese feline lounging by the food bowl. His eyebrows raised in surprise—his first time encountering this specific cat.

"Well aren't you a greedy one."

He wouldn't be caught dead checking out this game. But god, he just missed you so much and maybe you were right—he did feel just a little bit lonely.

Still, he'd never admit that to anyone, not even to himself. In his mind, he's only playing this game to understand you better. Psychoanalysis—not because he genuinely enjoyed a silly game with silly cats.

   .❀。• *₊°。 ❀°。

"Nice," he muttered to himself. It was three in the morning, and you were sleeping soundly next to him. On the other hand, Chishiya was sitting against his pillows, face illuminated by his phone.

Tubbs—the obese cat he definitely did not learn the name of—had finally given him a memento. That fat bastard made him wait a month.

"Chish?" You stirred next to him, eyes squinting at the faint light. Your voice was groggy, mind still hazy from your sleep. "What are you doing up?"

"Nothing, love. Let's go back to sleep." He quickly turned his phone off, getting back under the covers to wrap his arms around you.

"Were you playing Neko Atsume?" you sleepily mumbled into his chest.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

#alice in borderland imagines #chishiya shuntaro #chishiya alice in borderland #chishiya x reader #aib chishiya #aib imagines #imawa no kuni no alice #alice in borderland x reader #alice in borderland #chishiya imagine #aib x reader #chishiya shuntaro x reader #asks

[em-dash-press]

Tons of Reasons Why Writer's Block Happens

Lately I've seen a few posts on social media platforms being shared that are (supposedly) quotes from well-known authors. The quotes generally stick to the theme of: writer's block isn't real! No worries! It's just in your head!

Like...

That is so unhelpful for me and if I had seen those people (again, supposedly) saying that when I was much younger and newer to writing, I would have thought something was wrong with me.

So here are a few reasons why writer's block IS real for many people and what you can do about it. (Warning—this is a long text post but I tried putting all suggested solutions in bullet points and have lots of resource hyperlinks!)

You Can’t Write Because: You’re Tired

Sleep affects the entire body. There’s no question that when I don’t get enough of it, my brain isn’t working as well as it normally does.

Let’s start this section with what everyone should acknowledge—mental health conditions absolutely prevent people from being able to use tips like Just turn the lights off earlier! or Think calming thoughts while taking deep breaths!

If those work for you, great. Fantastic! But if they don’t, your doctor is the best person to get advice from. They can work through symptoms with you to rule out conditions like depression and insomnia so you get the best help possible.

Besides your mental health, there are a few other ways you might not be able to fall asleep or stay asleep:

You enjoy drinking afternoon coffee (most have a half life of 3-5 hours, so the caffeine doesn’t actually leave your system for a long time!)

You have a diet soda with your lunch or dinner (most diet sodas have the same amount of caffeine as a half cup to a whole cup of coffee)

You eat a midnight snack or a dessert after dinner (the extra digestion works against your body’s circadian rhythm and prevents a normal sleep cycle)

Potential Solutions

Swap your afternoon coffee/sodas for caffeine free sodas instead

Eat high-protein snacks shortly after or during dinner (protein keeps you full longer so you can eat them earlier in the evening)

Follow some tips from sleep experts with the Sleep Foundation

You Can’t Write Because: Your Routine Is Changing/Has Changed

When my life has gone through routine changes, my creativity has always slowed (if not stopped altogether). Switching from high school to college, from college to graduate life, and even from apartment to apartment is a big deal. My writing slows when I change jobs, see my friends less/more often, and even when the holidays come and go.

If you think this might be a repeat experience in your life, my best advice is to give yourself grace. Your brain is only trying to conserve energy and process everything that’s going on. 

Potential Solutions

Resting and gently reattempting to write without expectations of what will come out of that writing session is sometimes the best thing to do until life settles back down.

If you can’t come to peace with changes, I’d suggest talking with someone. You can access help for free at:

7 Cups of Tea (chat with volunteer listeners and professional counselors)

Get in-person or virtual therapy through Open Path ($30-60/session with a one-time membership fee; aims to close the financial gap that keeps people from accessing mental health professionals).

Check out other budget-friendly therapy options recommended by the medical community.

You Can’t Write Because: You’re Grappling With Indecisions

Indecision is a creativity killer for sure. I’ll address a few ways I’ve experienced it and how I know my friends have struggled with it:

You only have a few story ideas and don’t want to commit to any of them in case some idea comes along that’s more interesting (I hate leaving unfinished drafts too!)

You wonder how you should format your story and never start because you can’t decide (it might be the point of view, past/present tense, etc.)

You can’t nail down how a character looks, what sets them apart, what drives them.

You can’t decide on a theme because there’s so much you want to write about.

You don’t know how long the story should be, so it never starts.

Potential Solutions

Try new things to come to peace with unfinished drafts (I have a folder on my computer specifically labeled “Unfinished Stories” because I’m more comfortable when they have a home).

Practice writing one page within your story’s world from a different point of view or tense. See what feels most natural or authentic to you.

Do character research by looking at pictures of people on stock photo websites or Pinterest.

Story length is often found after someone just starts writing. You’ll naturally find a rhythm and come to a conclusion at the right length for your first draft. Revise/add if needed!

My most important tip might be—

Give your gut 24 hours (go with your gut on whatever you’re trying to decide, then set your work down. Come back in 24 hours to see if you feel as strongly about your creative decision).

You Can’t Write Because: You’ve Got Too Many Ideas

When there are too many creative ideas in your brain, it leads to anxiety and potential writer’s block. I know I’ve had the fear that I’ll commit to the “wrong” story and another one will come to life in my mind, but then be gone by the time I’m ready to write it.

Potential Solutions

Write all of your ideas down in a list (bold, highlight, or star whichever ones seem super promising at the time so they stand out when you’re ready for a new project)

Try stream of consciousness journaling for 30 seconds (set a timer! Whatever you write will reveal with emotions/thoughts/issues are on your mind and may create stronger stories with similar themes)

Write 500 words of a story idea (or another number you’re comfortable with; if you don’t like what you write, you know you can move onto the next idea).

Flip a coin (assign one idea heads and the other tails—then flip a coin or use a coin flip generator).

Number your ideas and use a random number generator to pick one for you.

You Can’t Write Because: You’re Not Eating a Brain-Supporting Diet

I’m not here to tell anyone how to structure their diet. Everyone’s body is different and what you eat will change throughout your life. Your doctor and/or a licensed nutritionist are the best people for that job.

However, I can give you a few pointers that I definitely didn’t learn until way later than I would have liked:

Iron: if you don’t eat enough iron, you can feel super sleepy or stuck in brain fog. Iron comes from meat, but it also comes from these foods like spinach, watermelon, beans, whole wheat bread, and many more!

Vitamin D: vitamin D enhances brain function, especially for people with major depressive disorder. Drink that delicious Sunny D juice from your childhood or get it from foods like salmon, tuna fish, dairy fortified with vitamin D, and egg yolks.

Omega-3s: omega-3s are also known as fatty acids, which improve communication between brain cells by fortifying their membrane health. Fish is an excellent source of fatty acids, but you can also enjoy more omega-3s from foods like chia seeds, kidney beans, walnuts, and fortified foods. 

You Can’t Write Because: Your Responsibilities Are Too Important Right Now

As you get older, you’ll have varying responsibilities that sometimes you have to take care of on your own. Maybe you’re taking on new roles at your job or you’ve just become a parent. You might move into a new home and have a long list of projects to finish before you settle in.

Sometimes responsibilities are acts of self-care during challenging times. Those are all valid. It’s okay to step back and take a break if your situation is going to drain your energy until your routine becomes normal or you get used to the responsibilities. You’re a writer even when you’re not actively writing. Nothing can take that skill and passion away from you!

You Can’t Write Because: You’re Uninterested In Writing

It’s totally normal to sometimes feel like you’re completely uninterested in writing. That feeling might last for months or even years. I went through a good 5-6 year period where I didn’t think I’d ever write again just because I didn’t care to.

That may indicate that you’re in a period of self-growth. You might be discovering new parts of yourself that result in new hobbies you’d rather spend your time doing. That’s okay too!

Possible Solutions

If that’s not the case for you, ask yourself—are you still reading? My writing always grinds to a halt when I’m not reading a good book. Ask a friend what was the last book they couldn’t put down. Find out which books are currently taking the internet by storm and find them at your local library.

You can even research “Books like ___” and insert the title of a book that’s incredibly special to you. I promise there are going to be articles looping it in with other titles that you might enjoy more than branching out into a totally new genre.

You Can’t Write Because: You’re Bored of Your Story

Life can get boring. People are sometimes boring. Stories get boring too.

It’s okay to step back from an idea if you groan at the thought of spending time in that world or with that character. You can always come back to see if the feeling has passed.

Possible Solutions

If your story is still dull when you come back to it, what can you add or change about it? You might need a plot twist to get things going in a new direction or another character to shake up existing character dynamics.

When all else fails and you still don’t care to continue writing what you’ve got, go ahead and scrap it. Consider what you’ve learned from the experience and move onto your next creative adventure.

You Can’t Write Because: Your Story Is Stuck

Maybe you’re writing a story and it reaches a point in the plot where you don’t know how to move your characters forward. They may have gotten themselves into a sticky situation you can’t think a way out of or the plot device that was working isn’t relevant anymore. Getting stuck is a form of writer’s block, but it’s not permanent.

Potential Solutions

Give your protagonist a different goal at the start of the story or a new goal after accomplishing their last one.

Add a new character (they’ll naturally make different choices than your protagonist and challenge them in various ways that are relevant to your themes).

Pull the rug out from under your protagonist (maybe they think they’re an incredible parent, but overhear their child complaining about them to a friend during a sleepover while walking past the living room).

Other Resources

12 Techniques for Getting Un-Stuck

17 Ideas to Continue Writing Your Novel When You Get Stuck

6 Methods to Unstick Your Story

You Can’t Write Because: Your Characters Aren’t Real Enough to You

Sometimes characters don’t feel real enough and it makes writing about them boring. Everyone encounters this eventually! Think about if your writer’s block is happening because you don’t enjoy spending time with your characters.

If that’s the problem, it’s time to make them more real. There are a few ways to do that! (If you try these solutions or others like them and your characters are still uninspiring, it might be time to walk away for a while/permanently.)

Potential Solutions

Give them something inspired by a real life person (add a personality trait that you love about your best friend, hate about a public figure, want in yourself, etc.).

Add a few flaws (perfect characters don’t feel real because no one is perfect)

Give them a face (this goes back to character research—save a stock photo that looks like your character or draw them. Post the picture on your wall where you write or in your phone for continual inspiration.)

Rework your plot (maybe you’re not starting them at the best possible point in their journey—start with an action scene, shift events around, or add a new twist that challenges their growth in some way.)

Complicate their relationships (maybe they have a fight with their best friend, clash with their teacher, form different opinions than someone they admire and learn from that experience, etc.)

Other Resources

9 Signs Your Main Character is Boring

5 Ways to Make Your Characters More Realistic

4 Bland Character Problems and How to Fix Them

Easy And Effective Ways To Make Your Characters More Memorable

You Can’t Write Because: You’ve Set High Expectations for Yourself

Your creativity will stop feeling as natural if your expectations of yourself or your writing are too high. 

When it’s time to write, where do your thoughts go? You may need healthier expectations if your thoughts center around:

Getting every word or scene perfect

Knowing exactly where the plot goes in every chapter

Worrying that your story won’t be receptive to future readers

Wondering if you’re the right person to talk about a certain theme

Making your characters or story the first of its kind

It’s good to challenge yourself, but not with unreachable expectations. Give yourself room to try things, to possibly fail, to learn from your mistakes. 

Every chance you have to write is another opportunity to hone your skills by learning from the experience.

You Can’t Write Because: You’re Burnt Out

Burnout happens all the time, creatively or otherwise. Creative minds can push themselves too hard, just like you can throw too much of your energy into work or school. 

See if you’re experiencing any of these common symptoms of burnout:

Constant exhaustion, even after a “good” night’s rest

Headaches

Changes in appetite

Frequent illnesses

No motivation

A general negative outlook on life

Feeling trapped

Loud thoughts of self-doubt or failure

Not feeling satisfied with things that used to bring you joy

Feeling alone

Starting unhealthy coping mechanisms

Isolating yourself from people, even your loved ones

Potential Solutions

Talking with a therapist is a great way to handle burnout. Here are the resources for budget-friendly therapy again:

7 Cups of Tea (chat with volunteer listeners and professional counselors)

Get in-person or virtual therapy through Open Path ($30-60/session with a one-time membership fee; aims to close the financial gap that keeps people from accessing mental health professionals).

Check out other budget-friendly therapy options recommended by the medical community.

I have absolutely been the person who can’t afford therapy. I get it. You can also get some mental health help with these resources:

Self care apps—I use the (free) Finch app every day to redirect negative thought patterns!

Burnout recovery strategies recommended by health care professionals

Burnout resources recommended by the American Psychiatric Association (APA)

You Can’t Write Because: Your Writing Routine Isn’t Working Anymore

I used to write short stories literally every day while I was in grade school. Being stuck in classes for 8 hours a day was great for my creative writing because the sounds of the teacher talking, whiteboard markers writing, and students asking questions became background noise that tuned me into my stories. (I highly recommend paying attention to harder classes though 😂)

When I had fewer daily classes in college, my writing basically stopped. After I graduated, the environment that helped me write most easily completely disappeared.

It took a long time for me to learn why I had writer’s block—I wasn’t experimenting with my writing environment.

Potential Solutions

Try changing when you write to see if it’s a time issue. Get up earlier in the morning, write after eating lunch, or sit down after you’ve completed your responsibilities for the day.

Switch your scenery. You might write better at a coffee shop, the library, a park bench, your living room, your bed, or even your bathtub.

Change what you’re hearing. Try writing in complete silence. Use noise-blocking or canceling headphones and listen to lyricless music. You can also try background noises that often help people focus, like:

Background Noise—Coffee Shop

Background Noise—Tavern Fireplace

Background Noise—Rain Shower

Background Noise—Cozy Fireplace and Rain Shower

Background Noise—Forest Sounds

Background Noise—Blizzard Sounds

Background Noise—Interior Plane Cabin White Noise (The pleasant hum of a plane cabin is what I often write to—weird as it admittedly is!)

Background Noise—Christmas Music From Another Room

Background Noise—Lo-Fi

Ambient noise apps

Background noise apps

You Can’t Write Because: You Don’t Feel Motivated

Your story may not feel as captivating as you thought because you’re not as motivated with this one. Does it have a centralized theme? You can always search for your theme or pick one while figuring out what your story is supposed to convey to readers.

Some popular themes are:

Coming of age (discovering something about yourself/the world/both)

Survival

Corruption

Power

Courage

Love

Heroism

Death

Prejudice

You may find your motivation by writing about something very personal to you or something you want to tell other people. Write to the person in your life who needs to see something from your perspective or needs to learn from another person’s perspective.

Write about the thing you can’t stop talking about. Write about what you’re going through or want to figure out. Even if your story goes from a novel to a short story to flash fiction (anywhere from 4 words to 1,000 words), you’ll likely find it easier to write.

Other Resources

10 Most Popular Literary Theme Examples

Story Themes List: 100+ Ideas to Explore in Your Novel

100 Story Ideas Categorized by Theme

You Can’t Write Because: You’re Doubting Yourself

Self-doubt can pull the emergency brake on your brain. You may not think you’re good enough to write a story the moment you think of it. Self-doubt can come into play after you start writing or just before you finish a manuscript.

No matter when it hits you, it can cause another form of writer’s block. You’re the only person who can figure out where that doubt stems from and address the root of the problem, but everyone can practice daily positive affirmations to encourage themselves. With daily practice, you’ll chip away at your writer’s block.

While talking to a mirror or writing in a journal, tell yourself things like:

Writing is my hobby because it’s part of me.

I’m always a writer, no matter how often I actually write.

My voice and ideas deserve to exist.

Every word I write makes me better at writing.

No matter what comes out of my brain, stories are always my artwork.

Other Resources

Positive Affirmations for Writers

60 Affirmations for Writers, Authors, and Creatives

77 Positive Affirmations for Discouraged Writers

336 Affirmations For Writers Who Needs Support​

60 Affirmations for Authors, Writers, and Poets

You Can’t Write Because: You’re Literally Out of  Ideas

Ideas come and go. Sometimes your brain just can’t think of anything. There’s nothing wrong with your creative spirit—you may just have other things going on (like one or more of the above challenges).

When you really want to write something but can’t come up with anything off the top of your head, use a few generators to get things started.

Potential Solutions

Prompt Generators

Writing Prompt Generator by Genre

Prompt Generator

Random Prompt Generator

Story Generators

Plot Generator (Twists, First Lines, and More)

1 Million Plot Combinations

1000s of Plot Ideas Generator

Character Generators

Character Generator 

List of Character Generators (Zombies, Fairies, Ghosts, Murder Mystery Victims, etc.)

Character Profile Generator

Plot Twist Generators

Plot Twist Idea Generator

Randomized Plot Twist Generator

Either/Or Plot Twist Generator

—

I hope this helps someone feel more at peace with their writer’s block, even if you can’t think your way through it yet. Sit with the uncomfortable feeling and it will gradually lose its power over your creativity.

You’ll start writing again sooner than you think. 💛

#writers block #writing resources #writeblr #writing tips #writing community #writers of tumblr #writing advice #writing help #plot creation #character creation #writing prompts #writing generators

[buzzheadchick]

Okay time I do my Walten Files posting. I’ve noticed some confusion regarding timelines and what’s happening when, so I want to try to write down what happens and when. Now someone this stuff not make much sense, and some may possibly be retconned, but this is what we are given.

The crash happened the night of May 2nd. Multiple times in the series we are told this. Jack calls Felix that night, Felix does not pick up. Jack goes to Felix’s house (12:23 AM according to CC), Felix does not answer. Jack says “I know you can hear me” and “I know you’re in there,” but we are to presume this is wishful thinking on his end, because Felix is not actually home. Felix was out until early hours of the morning the next day (May 3rd) digging the graves (still sitting in one as of 8:56 AM according to CC), throwing the bag into the river, and then going to the police station. Even earlier in the morning, presumably after Jack went to Felix’s house (which was past midnight and thus morning), Jack had already gone to the police. We learn this in the description under Lacrimosa.

"Report 90892 May 4th, 1974 - Brighton City Police Department

Wrr: Frank Davis

Felix Archer Kranken reportedly arrived at the station in the morning on May 3rd, He had a broken pair of glasses, dirty blue pants and a yellow dress shirt covered in dirt and blood. When I got the call He was already taken into custody, we sat him down for a few hours and he revealed valuable information about a case we were previously told about earlier that same day by Mr. Jack Walten. Walten's 2 youngest kids, Edd and Molly Walten, had disappeared with Kranken the night prior. Felix's alibi stated he was unconscious or about 20 minutes, when he woke up the kid had ran off."

In TFW4, we get a sort of update from Felix from “3 days after the accident.” He said he “finally told them what happened” in his office, which I think we are to believe he told them the truth, as opposed to the lie he told the police. However, he still lies about the Rocket doll. In the description under Guilty, we see this:

"In memorial of Edward Walten - Molly Walten:

- Ed (12) and Molly (9) died Thursday, May 2nd, 1974 in a fatal car accident, they were leaving a party made by their school to celebrate Spring. Jack Walten (father, husband) couldn't take the kids to the celebration because of work. A friend of Mr. Walten would take the kids instead. On the way back home, Jack's friend would be driving in questionable conditions, thus crashing his car near the road next to Saint Juana's forest. Instantly taking both Edward and Molly's lives. You will be remembered, our little angels, our little red children."

The video Guilty is from three years ago, so this may be retconned, but it is the current understanding that by the time of the funeral for Ed and Molly, they knew the truth of what happened. This points to the idea that during the meeting in Felix’s office, he told the truth. However, it is unclear if this truth went out to the police. There are a few reasons why The Waltens may not go forward with the information Felix told them, but I don’t cover them here as they aren’t explicitly stated.

It is unclear when the funeral is, but based off of the memorial, it is after Felix came clean. In TWF4, on “05/13” (May 13th) Susan and Charles only find out “weeks” later about the funeral, but it physically couldn’t have been more than ten days, implying the funeral was held quickly after the accident, possibly as soon as they Waltens found out the truth. With it also being clear it was “family only,” it seems in addition to not telling the police, the family hadn’t told ANYONE. It is unclear if Susan and Charles know the full truth, or only the truth given to the police, only that he was “drunk while driving the car.” By that time, Susan says she hasn’t heard from Jack “in a long while.” Both of them think there’s something off with Felix’s story, implying that they maybe don’t know the full truth, but they could just be doubting what we the audience have been shown (which still may not be the full story). Charles asks if the kids are “gone,” which is ambiguous wording. I think it may be intentional that we don’t know what they know. Some point prior to that, Felix hid Rocket at Bon’s Burgers, and told Susan not to tell Rosemary or Jack. Jack disappears almost a month later, on June 11th. Susan dies even later, on June 30th.

So that’s the timeline of the events we see surrounding the new video. I can’t tell you if maybe there’s more than Felix even knows happened that night, or who knows what, or why the Waltens haven’t gotten Felix arrested. But that’s the timeline.

#The Walten Files #the walten files spoilers #TWF #twf spoilers #twf 4

[froizetta]

WIP Wednesday (but it's Thursday)

So I told myself I would post this yesterday, but when I left for the evening I realised I hadn't in fact done that. Whoops! But hey, it's only like 4 and a half past midnight on Baker Island, so if you think about it, it basically still counts as Wednesday. Right?

Anyway, this one is the next chunk of my superbatlantern fic, because I thought I might as well just commit and post what's basically the end of chapter 1. (For anyone who hasn't read the preceding parts: part 1 and part 2.)

“You were spying on us,” Bats said in that rough, low growl of his. He didn’t sound happy.

Well, there didn’t seem much point in denying it at this point, huh? “Yeah,” he said.

“Why.”

“Is that really important?” Hal shrugged. “Curiosity, mostly. I sensed a little sexual tension earlier in that meeting, while you two were going at it with each other.” The word choice made Batman’s eyebrow twitch gratifyingly. “I thought maybe you’d come in here to continue what you started, so I decided to check. That’s all.”

Superman went from looking mostly dismayed to a little bewildered. “So you wanted to catch us—what? Having sex? This is the Watchtower, we wouldn’t— Why would you think we’d even do that here?”

Hal felt his eyebrows raise. “What, you mean you haven’t? Ever?” Superman didn’t say anything to that, which to Hal was pretty much as good as an admission. He grinned. “Heh, thought so. I always knew you were less of a boy scout than you let on.”

Superman looked like he wanted to respond to that, but Batman cut him off coolly before he could. “Clark, focus. Hal’s concerning attempts at voyeurism aside—”

“Hey!” Hal objected. “I wasn’t out there trying to jack off or anything, don’t make it weird—”

“Putting that aside,” Bats continued firmly, “we need to deal with the real issue here.”

He turned his ice-blue gaze on Superman, who met it immediately as if by instinct. They did that kind of thing a lot, silently communicating with each other with just a look or a subtle gesture, like they had some kind of freaky, psychic bond. Just like now, where the meaningful glances exchanged above Hal’s head were a whole conversation he couldn’t hear.

…Huh. Hal probably should have figured they were dating a while ago, actually.

After a long few seconds, they seemed to come to an agreement. Superman turned back to address him, stoic and serious. “Hal, we need to know you’re not going to spread this around.”

Hal raised an eyebrow. “Or what? You’re gonna blackmail me? Kick me out of the League? Put my feet in a bucket of cement and drop me into the Atlantic?”

A muscle flexed in Batman’s jaw, the way it always did when he was pissy. “Obviously not.”

“Good,” he said, flashing the ring alongside his signature grin. “Because I’m not feeling super threatened.”

That muscle flexed again and Batman’s hands clenched to fists. Okay, so he was really pissed, huh? “Christ, Jordan, this isn’t the time for your pointless posturing,” he snarled. “Can't you take this seriously, for once in your life—”

“Bruce,” Superman said softly, laying a hand on his shoulder. “It’s gonna be fine, okay? It’s Hal.”

Hal bristled, unsure what the guy meant by that but instinctually convinced that it had to be some kind of dig at his expense. But before he could say anything righteously indignant, Bats just kind of…softened? There wasn’t really another word for it, all that sneering tension seeping out of him in an instant. Bats reached up to squeeze the hand on his shoulder, grateful and reassuring, and it all felt so easily intimate that whatever words were about to come out caught in Hal’s throat.

Hal swallowed. Geez, what was wrong with him? He wasn’t normally like this around Ollie and Dinah, and god knows they weren’t that shy about PDA. And this was barely even that. What about it was weirding him out so much? Just because it was them?

Superman smiled at him, all benevolence and understanding but for the tension around his eyes. “Look, there’s a reason we’ve been keeping our relationship private. We agreed when this started that dating openly would be too complicated and too much risk for our secret identities. And unfortunately, that includes the Justice League. You know how gossip spreads among the superhero community.”

Boy did he. When Carol had dumped him for good, he’d gotten a commiseration text from Booster Gold. Fucking Booster Gold.

“And I don’t want what we do in our private time encroaching on what we do here,” he went on. “We have a leadership position in League together with Diana. The two of us being in a relationship could…complicate things, here.”

“You don’t want that, huh, big guy?” Hal said. “That not a concern your boyfriend shares?”

Batman’s expression remained blank. Superman’s eyes hardened. “Don't try to change the subject, please. This is serious.”

“Clark is right,” Bats said. “Hal, we need explicit verbal confirmation. Will you agree to keep this a secret, or are we going to have a problem?”

Hal shrugged. “Yeah, sure.”

Both of them paused.

“Really,” Batman said, with an edge of suspicion. “Just like that.”

“Yeah, just like that. Why are you acting so surprised? I’m in this game too, I know the drill. I can keep a secret.”

“You wear a flight suit with your name on it under your Lantern uniform.”

“And yet somehow, the general public hasn’t worked it out yet. Go figure.” He felt his lips pull into a sneer. “Look, what do you want from me? I said I won’t blab and I won’t. Am I supposed to sign a pact in blood or something?”

“Shockingly, I wasn’t actually going to suggest that,” Batman said dryly. “But it would certainly be more comforting than just taking it on faith.”

Hal gritted his teeth. “Oh, right. So you don’t trust me, is that it?”

“Bruce,” Superman said, frowning.

Bats just shook his head. “It’s nothing personal. Trust alone is a poor basis for most agreements.”

“So that’s a 'no, I don’t trust you' then? Fuck you too. How many times have I pulled your ass out of the fire by now, Spooky—”

“Fewer times than I’ve done the same for you—”

“Okay, that’s enough,” Superman cut in, face like gentle thunder. “Bruce, we’re asking him for a favor here. Antagonizing him is counterproductive.” Bats just grunted and looked away. “And Hal, you have to understand this is difficult for us. For both of us. We’ve kept this hidden for a long time, from almost everyone in our lives, and you’re the first person to find out like this. I hope you can appreciate the gravity of that.”

Hal scrubbed a hand through his hair, feeling the sudden rush of anger drain out of him. It was honestly hard to stay mad when Superman was using his Nice Reasonable Mediator voice. “Yeah, I… Look, I do get it, okay? I’m not gonna blab, because no matter what either of you think, I’m not that big of an asshole. I don’t go around fucking up other people’s relationships for fun, you know.”

“We know, Hal,” Superman said, reassuringly. Batman was annoyingly silent.

“Cool. Are we done here?”

“We’re done,” Bats said.

Thank god. Hal was feeling shittier and antsier the longer he sat here with these guys.

#my fic #superbatlantern #this is pretty much the setup for the whole plot now #eventually this will resolve to ot3! not yet though lol #right now hal is just jealous af but doesn't quite know it

[rhytmrocket]

hi

uh, sorry, again

i won’t even get into it, but i hid again for another week

sorry

one thing i did do was a year-end art review/compilation! do people still do that?

well, i did.

oughhh so much of this i havent shared and it feels kinda weird doing it

there’s gonna be so much in this post i’ll be surprised if i even get it out by midnight (it’s nearly half past 11 atm)

so first i’ll give you the template if you’d like so you dont have to scroll through all my rambling

next, a bit of reflection (theatre and chorus, dont fail me now)

overall, i think i’ve improved a Lot. like, i can’t stand to look at my earlier art, which i think is a sign of improvement! overall, i’ve been refining my style, i think, cuz my stuff’s pretty generally similar, just tweaked a bit to make it more bearable— i mean good. one thing i do want to improve on, at least initially, is fucking flipping the canvas once in a while. i actually did that in a piece i’ll share in just a bit, and i think it was a good result— i’m already getting used to it, like, it’s actually not that hard, just a bit frustrating sometimes. it helps with the balance and versatility— the flipability of a piece is very valuable. my strongest aspect was probably the rendering. ive always had fun with it, and when i actually try it looks, let’s just say, fucking awesome. i’m pretty good! keep telling myself that! and keep telling yourself that. there’s always some good stuff in most any drawing. love you, beginner artists

you know, as much as it physically hurts to look at old art, looking back at newer pieces makes me feel so good about myself. like, that was me, and now this is me! that’s so cool, isn’t it?

look at old art every once in a while. and not just drawing— writing, painting, sculpting, cooking, composing, playing an instrument, singing, acting— really anything at all! look at your old stuff just to see how far you’ve come. and feel good about that! you deserve it!

#i have no fucking idea how to tag this. #artists on tumblr #???? maybe #but yeah! sorry for getting all sappy at the end #but hey its only 11:42 now! didnt take all that long

[fang-and-feather]

by  @xxsycamore and @queengiuliettafirstlady

Day 1 - Bodyguard AU

Angsty - Warnings for blood and injury

Worth Protecting

Ikemen Vampire - Napoleon x OC (Amy)

How do you actually make a short AU? I'm not sure, my plans for most of these were too big to finish even one in time, so what I am posting are only scenes from the middle or end of bigger plans.

Why do I always finish everything so late? (nearly midnight where I live, and until I finished editing the post it was already past that) it is always a bad time to post things...

AO3 Link / IkeVamp Masterlist / General Masterlist

Napoleon never felt much like a vampire. Of course he had already died once and lived over a century after that, but only for not needing blood to survive he already felt more human.

That illusion of humanity was shattered when he got deeply wounded during a bodyguard job. The loss of blood and the scent it left in the air were making him thirsty. The taste of his own blood did nothing to quench his desire. Instead, it burned his throat, making it worse. And it got worse when Amy ran up to him with a first-aid kit.

“That’s why I told you I didn’t need a bodyguard.” Her angry tone didn’t match the worry in her eyes.

But Napoleon’s attention strayed from them to her neck. The urge to bite her was almost unbearable. Before he could control it, Napoleon found himself grabbing her by the arms and pulling her into the hotel bed with him.

He would wonder, later, how they had gotten inside without anyone realizing he was bleeding.

“Napoleon?” She asked, with surprise and hesitation.

He had to resort to every shred of self control to stop himself. His hold on her tightened, but Amy didn’t even flinch, looking him in the eyes instead.

“What are you saying, nunuche?” Napoleon forced himself to laugh, but his voice came out weak. “I saved your life... like I was supposed to.”

“I know. I probably wouldn’t be alive if you weren’t here. But I don’t like the idea of people getting hurt because of me. Just look at you!”

“This is nothing.” Napoleon coughed up blood, his mind becoming dizzy. His hold on Amy relaxing enough for her to pull away and return to trying to stop the bleeding.

“Just because you’re alive doesn’t mean it’s nothing. I’m sure even a vampire can die from blood loss, and you aren’t even fully one.”

Her hands and voice trembled, but, Napoleon would remember later, Amy seemed to know what she was doing, with surprising calm and precision.

But Napoleon was losing the remains of control he had recovered earlier. He could barely think straight.

Nails scratched at the sheets and fangs bit on his own lip in a last attempt at keeping hold of his sanity. Of his humanity. Napoleon was afraid of the monster he could become if he gave in to his instinct.

And it was Amy, the person he was bound to protect. It was his duty, but not only that. At some point, she had become someone he wanted to protect for who she was and what she meant for him. Because at some point she had come to mean more to him than a simple charge.

“Amy… leave…” he managed to whisper.

Amy shook her head, and even with his vision getting unfocused, Napoleon could see the glint of tears in her eyes.

“I’m not leaving you here to die. You’re telling me that because you’re afraid you’ll bite me. But if it is because of your job, you don’t need to hold back. If that’s what it will take to save you, think of this as an exchange. I will save you and you keep guarding me.”

Amy adjusted her body on the bed, fully leaning over him, and Napoleon reached out to her. She caught his hand in hers, pressing both to his chest.

“What if… I kill you?”

“You won’t. You’re my bodyguard. You would never let something bad happen to me, even if you have to protect me from yourself.” She crossed the distance between them to kiss his forehead. “I trust you, and I always will.”

Napoleon gave up. Silently apologizing to her, he kissed her neck before sinking his fangs into the soft flesh, getting his first taste of blood. It was warm, sweet, and intoxicating, unlike anything he expected. Intoxicating enough for him to lose himself in it.

When Napoleon came back to his sense, Amy had gone limp into his arms. She was weak, but alive. They both were.

Hugging her to his chest, Napoleon closed his eyes, sighing. He didn’t need any proof to know he had fully become a vampire after that, something he had always feared.

But if it was his way of continuing to protect Amy, he wouldn’t regret it. And he would make sure she was never put through a similar situation ever again. That he would swear to her when she woke up.

Because Napoleon couldn’t deny he loved her anymore, and he felt like this was a love worth guarding.

IkeVamp Masterlist / General Masterlist

#different universe same love ccc #ikemen vampire #ikevamp napoleon #tw injury #oc: amy #ikevamp #fang's writing #fanfiction #ikevamp fanfic

[spookfished]

media roundup dec 2024

hi everyone :3 another backlog post from december! its always interesting to look back at something that you were super into during finals. haha. during finals week i think i read a romance novel every 2-3 days?

with this, ive read through almost every single courtney milan book that my library has to offer. they are excellent romance novels if that's your thing, but i also watched some fantastic movies and played some really good games :3 once again will be crossposted up on my website at. some point in time

books:

once upon a marquess by courtney milan: m/f romance. judith, a ruined woman from a ruined family, encounters the man responsible for her familys downfall: her childhood friend. i started reading through this series bc of the most recent installment, the devil comes reading. that ones still my favorite but this one is pretty good! the relationships between the worth siblings were really good and the banter was cute :3 i think ms milans strong sideplots come through pretty clear here--the tension of judiths search for her sister was really sad! her every wish by courtney milan: f/m romance novella. daisy is trying to bluff her way into a grant to start her business, but only one person has the confidence to bullshit his way through: her ex. ok idgaf about small businesses so i didnt read this one for a while, but crash (the love interest) is sooo charming :3 the reasons that their relationship fell apart and the way those hurts were resolved felt really good i think. yay! the pursuit of… by courtney milan: m/m romance novella. hunter, a black soldier during the american revolution, is trying to get back to his family. a british deserter with nothing better to do accompanies him. yeah this was cute. not a lot to say about it :3 the charm offensive by allison cochrun: m/m romance which i picked up bc its about a romance between the bachelor (from the bachelor) and a producer on set. (its not actually the bachelor.) very cute! very fluffy! i have to say, not quite as good as uhhhh all of the courtney milan books ive read over the past couple months but still pretty solid. dev is a cute lead but i found the other lead (charlie or sth) kinda annoying for a significant portion of the book. which i think is somewhat intentional but its like ehhh. i can find awkward tech boys irl too. (SPOILERS) liked how the 'evil ex' actually got some nuance to him too mrs martins incomparable adventure by courtney milan: f/f romance novella featuring two women over 70!!!! and its conwoman x mark?? dudeee miss milan NEEDS to write more femslash im kinda begging here. this was really light and fluffy and also just really awesome. there is a lot to appreciate about romance when youre old i think. im really into it 👍 after the wedding by courtney milan: f/m romance. ok so if you read the first book in the worth saga u know a big b-plot is about trying to find judiths sister camilla. this book is about camilla! so spoilers for that. she gets forced into a mutually unwanted wedding, and while the bride and groom try to annul the wedding they ~also grow feelings~. another milan novel with a weird amount of detail on ceramic design + manufacture? well im not complaining that part was really cool actually. camillas situation is honestly just really sad so its satisfying to see her get out of it

what happened after midnight by courtney milan: f/m romance novella. a man chases after his (former) betrothed after she runs away with his fortune? yeah this was cute. loved the melodrama

unclaimed by courtney milan: dnf. f/m romance. a woman has staked her livelihood on her ability to seduce the ultimate target: the inventor of male chastity??? lmao this is one of her earlier novels published in 2011 (i think) and it kinda shows? the premise is a little bit too unserious for me and the banter/dynamic between the main pair is just not quite as good. it also felt like it dragged a bit. however!!!! i would still extremely recommend pretty much all of her more recently published stuff!! so

love on the brain by ali hazelwood: dnf. f/m romance, but its also by the reylo author. this one neuroscientist has to work on a project with a guy who she thinks hates her, but actually he is ~super in love and too shy to say it~ my mom really wanted me to read this bc she likes the author a lot and "it has women in stem". well guys i have to say i am not a fan of the reylo author. honestly out of all the women in the book the lead is literally the least interesting one? idk it was bad. uninspiring prose. also i wasnt really a big fan of the way it focused on chauvinism and discrimination in the workplace, but thats a personal thing

comics/manga:

peace of mind (2019): short furry comic about a cosmetic brain surgeon, and some of the issues she just cant fix. yeah this was cute!!! pretty classic concept but presented in a sillyfun way imo. like literally only 20 pages i thought the art style was cute go check it out if you have the time

yugami kun has no friends: slice of life school comedy about a transfer student desperate to make friends after moving around her whole life who unfortunately gets placed next to yugami, who is THE MOST AUTISTIC BOY IN THE WORLD. i think i read this whole series in like two days lmfao its just?? extremely charming??? i really like these sort of slices of life where you get to gradually expand your cast of characters over time. everyone is sort of an ass but also trying their best in the way that high schoolers kinda are. also has some very fun will-they-or-wont-they. bro i felt straightbaited. also has some really charming art with good expressions! definitely recommend :3

to strip the flesh by oto toda: manga oneshot from an anthology. chiaki, a trans man, works as an animal dissection youtuber but feels trapped in the closet to keep his father happy. idt it hit as hard for me as it might for some people but i still liked it! wow being trans! and being meat!

movies/tv:

blade (1998): marvel action movie about vampires (and the half-vampire sworn to slay them) but like, before marvel moveis were bad. watched this with friends over the thanksgiving weekend and it was so badass!!!!!!! fuck yeah!!!! honestly id forgotten that action movies can be good but they seriously can be. full of style :3 the boy and the heron: miyazaki movie about uh, grief? and isekai-ing into a cool world with freaky stuff? i heard somewhat negative reviews from my Movie Friends before watching this, which definitely colored my impression. yeah its a gorgeous movie, but also kinda messy and not super coherent imo. mr miyazaki please quit your job and spend time with your family ok. log off christmas perfection: f/m christmas hallmark romcom. protag who just wants the perfect (IRISH) christmas is transported to a world of eternal (IRISH) christmas where her parents are no longer divorced, everyone drinks hot cocoa every day, she has the perfect boyfriend, etc. will her childhood friend be able to get her out? does she even WANT to get out? so i got this rec from a post made by @.dragonomatopoeia who is apparently the hallmark romcom expert. dude. this movie is so fucking awesome. its literally christmas coraline. i love how everything is irish for no reason and also the irish. please watch this movie

video games:

zachtronics solitaire collection: ok so this is literally just a bunch of solitaire-like games. zachtronic games is infamous for making games that feel like work (spacechem, shenzhen i/o, etc). they also included solitaire minigames in several of these, which are compiled here! most of these are arent standard solitaire games, like spider or klondike. theres a solitaire based off of kabufuda, a solitaire based on mahjong (but not like that other one.) and also my favorite, tarot-based FORTUNES FOUNDATION!! which gives you a READING at the end!!! anyways i had to uninstall this game because i was spending 20 hours a week on it.

7 billion humans: parallel programming game. in a world where robots have replaced all necessary labor, whats left for mankind to do? well, make up jobs for themselves, of course! ive grown up with tomorrow corporations dry, dark, and corporate sense of humor from world of goo and that continues, of course. a fun set of problems that gets really fucking tricky, especially if you even take the teeniest peek at optimization. also has a lot of QOL improvements from the initial game such as being able to c+p code, line by line debugging, and more! i feel like youre already going to know if this game is for you or not.

in stars and time: rpg game about TIMELOOPS!!! siffrin, an adventurer, gets trapped in a timeloop on the day of the final boss. dudeeeeee ok ive been a fan of insertdisc5s writing/art for like an embarrassingly long time and it was really cool to see it in longform. some of my friends got to see me rending my hair and wailing about this game in real time even! i think isabeau + odile was my favorite non siffrin rship, but im a huge sucker for romance so the siffrin + isa stuff really got me. and in the end i got extremely suckerpunched by Loop Obsession and also every single character + convo was very delightful so who can say!!! i remember seeing some crits saying that the writing felt too 'young' or juvenile--it definitely takes a lot of inspiration from undertale, earthbound and the like, but also i think that like. the jrpg genre As A Whole demands some willingness for like. idk Earnest and Youthful Whimsy. plus i literally am a youth so it didnt bother me lol. the game definitely can feel pretty grindy at times, but its also like…. very ludonarratively accurate? or something like that?? like. you get tired of killing the same stuff + skipping the same convos As siffrin becomes inured to the loops, as they become increasingly estranged from the rest of the party. which is honestly really awesome and captures that rpg grindy feeling like nothing else really does haha. (and theres also quite a few features to ease that friction!) even if you played the demo there are some really good twists still left in there and also i teared up at the end fr. who else thought about loop (loop)

music:

i spent a lot of this month listening to the clod by no party for cao dong and scales by king isis, which ive already talked about! so im going to spotlight a couple tracks + one album ig lol?? grace by idles: this is from idles' upcoming album tangk which im super looking forward to!!!! i love when these guys do slower tracks (such as progress and mtt 420 rr from their previous album) and this is a very nice evolution from that. has a warm but slightly eerie feeling zapper by nanoray: more jungle music!!!! this is the album that introduced me to nanoray bc i knew a guy who would just blast this kind of stuff while cleaning the kitchen. favorites are nekomata '97 and salmon cannon deluxe--i tend to listen to this album in like, airports and stuff or while cleaning? its such such a wall of catgirl-themed sound that its impossible to be anxious :P iron by woodkid: ok so i found this from the playlists for in stars and time that came out before release--specifically, the one for the king? (big villain who wants to freeze the kingdom in time forever) i havent listened to this since before finishing the game and man. listening to the lyrics with additional context is kinda crazy. anyways woodkid is apparently much better known for directing a bunch of music videos such as KATY PERRYS TEENAGE DREAM? but also makes 'chamber pop' which is when, uh, pop music incorporates a lot of classical instruments? anyways i have a lot of fondness for brass (synth or not) in pop music so this was nice <3 so melancholy… so winter…learning that this was also used for an assassins creed trailer did make me like it less unfortunately.

hey whats up. writing about stuff i read a while ago isnt as interesting huh… but i also feel the need to do things in chronological order… oh well :3 the semester starts for me very soon.. how scary. anyways if you finished reading thanks as always! dont forget to stretch your hamstrings. did you know that crab rangoon is named after the city of yangon in myanmar?

#txt #i could talk about some of my favorite things from 2023..hm

[the-letter-horror-lover]

Meeting the Seductive Butler

MysteryShadow

Summary:

A Journalist goes to the Phantomhive manor after the Circus incident. While at the Manor things gets heated between Ciels head butler Sebastian and the journalist Kristina.

(Spelling errors/ etc...)

Work Text:

It was late December and I had to meet a young noble boy, named Ciel Phantomhive. He is the Queens “guard dog.” I was a journalist for the daily paper in a old paper mill that' wasn’t really well known. I was told to meet Ciel Phantomhive over an incident that happened at Noah's Ark Circus six months ago. All of the workers at Noah's Circus are missing except one, ever since Ciel visited the circus. When I showed up I was greeted by a tall, skinny, handsome man with medium length black hair and mysterious dark brown eyes. I admit I wanted to test him to see how far my flirting would go. I have never met anyone this handsome and I never wanted to pull such a bold move before I met him. When I walked closer to him, he went on one knee and said, “Hello my lady, my name is Sebastian, sorry but I am afraid the young master isn’t going to be here until tomorrow because he had to speak to the Queen about the recent incidents. I said “its fine, its the Queen after all. When I walked with him into the manor, he said I was to be greeted by five other people, one woman and four men. When we walked up to them in the kitchen, they greeted me and told me their names, but then they had to get back to work. Sebastian showed me around the manner and I was even able to see his room. When he was showing me his room I thought I heard a cat or two, maybe I am just going crazy. I looked all around his cozy room then stopped once I looked at his bed, I thought how nice it would be for me to sleep in it with him. After I was done looking at his room I started to walk out when I heard him whisper in my ear, “you can come back over here later when everyone is asleep.” That sent a shiver down my neck and goosebumps arose from my skin. Sebastian walked past me but stopped and winked. My heart was racing thinking of all of the things we could do. Thinking of his hands touching all over me and his breath on my neck. I kept walking with him until we stopped at another room. He said “this is where you will be sleeping, if you need anything ring that bell or come to my room and I will help you out.” I said okay thank you, Sebastian. I started to avert my eyes away from his in embarrassment over what he said earlier. Just thinking of him pinning me down on his bed made me blush intensely.

Crimson Bloodline

StarlessWest

Summary:

Othello is a half-vampire just trying to live life as a normal human when a rise in attacks by feral vampires puts his safe lifestyle at stake (quite literally). When fate leads him to meet a strange man (who just so happens to be a legendary vampire hunter), an odd friendship and help from both sides may be just what they need. But things are never that simple, are they? Something strange is going on...

Notes:

After years of plot ideas for stories and AUs, this is the first time I’ve actually come up a proper plot for one. Since I’ve finally got a great story idea, I bring you a vampire AU! I’m super nervous about posting this aaa

THINGS TO KNOW:

- I have absolutely zero knowledge on how actual forensics works, so if anything is not accurate, I apologize ;v;

- Since the ship isn’t the main focus of the fic, I wrote it very subtly so anyone can enjoy the story without me forcing my OTP into your faces. You could basically just see it as a really close friendship if you wanted too. That being said, I miiiiight add the occasional shippy side-chapter ;)

- While Othello and Undertaker’s story is the main focus, there’s still plenty of other stuff happening too.

- I refuse to give away too much information on how vampires work in this specific world, that’ll be found out later~

- Undertaker will be “Adrian” in this story

That’s all. Enjoy~

Chapter 1: Midnight Delivery

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

The clock read 1:00 in the morning as Othello finally replaced the vial back into its holder and sighed in relief. The smell of the blood was growing extremely tempting and he would be happy to leave before his hunger drove him to do something crazy. Working overtime was one thing, but being a half-vampire was another.

As a half-vampire it made it easier for him to blend in with society and live life as a normal human. He could be out during daylight and he could eat normal food as well, but blood would still tempt him and he hated it. He knew he still needed blood to survive, but he wouldn’t. He couldn’t. It reminded him too much of what he truly was. He’d rather starve to death when the time came.

“You’re still here?” A voice spoke.

Othello realized he’d been staring at the vials. His incisors felt sharper and he urged it away, feeling them return back to normal as he spun to smile awkwardly at the man who leaned against the open doorway to his lab.

“Oh! Uh- ‘Course I am! Just doing a little extra work.” He adjusted his glasses awkwardly, realizing a little too late that his gloves weren’t the cleanest.

The man moved so that he was leaning propped up against his broom instead and Othello realized it was the new janitor, who had likely just begun his shift.

“Well, I’m glad there’s still someone here.” The janitor grumbled. “Because they need one of the ol’ bodies moved to the funeral home and I sure as hell ain’t doin it.”

“Eh?” That was not at all was Othello expected. The janitor surely didn’t mean-

“Great, its that one they brought in a week ago. The one mauled by some dog or whatever.”

“Wait! You’re not-”

The door was closed and the man’s footsteps could be heard retreating quickly down the hallway. Othello felt his eye twitch. That guy was a new janitor, so not much was known about him. Clearly, he was not a very friendly fellow and he was certainly trying to find ways out of work.

Nearly an hour or two later, he had finally tidied up and made his way to the storage where they kept the bodies. Ah that’s right, the storage was full and they did in fact need to make more room as soon as possible. Fine, he would do it. A little part of him told him to leave it as it was and let the janitor get in trouble in the morning, yet he couldn’t. Othello just couldn’t be mean no matter how hard he tried, and it would likely be the death of him one day.

He pulled back the cover slightly to peer at the disfigured face of a young woman. It had been one if many cases confirmed to be animal attacks of some sort, however he knew those bite marks to be vampire. There were vampires out there roaming the city and mauling innocent people to pieces just for sport and it was utterly horrible. Luckily none of the humans had been properly “bitten”. He feared the day one of the investigations “turned” from a bite and attacked them. Then the world would know what creatures lived among them and it would quickly dissolve to chaos among humanity. The vampire attacks seemed to have grown more frequent in the recent months and Othello feared that there was more to it than a little hunting sport.

Othello replaced the cover in anger. There was a reason why he didn’t directly handle the bodies brought for autopsy. Luckily, the body was a few days old and whatever little blood remained that hadn’t been extracted smelled stale to him and in no way was it appetizing to even the most desperate vampire.

That asshole janitor had left the keys to the van in a perfectly convenient spot. After making sure everything was secured properly, also work for the janitor, Othello set off quickly while trying his best to follow the route that his phone gave him. He’d scrolled through all the places in the city and the only one open at this hour was… Down an old side street through crop fields and across from a church? It couldn’t possibly get any more horror-movie esque. But he himself was a creature fitting of the antagonist role in such a movie. It was a funny thought to know that any axe murderer would likely be more afraid of him, no matter how much of a cowardly excuse for a vampire Othello was.

The headlights of the car were the only light for miles when he pulled up in front of the old and run-down building. He considered for a moment that his GPS had directed him to a place that had been closed for years due to the state that the building was in. Still, he’d driven all this way. It was better to try at least.

He knocked on the door, only for it to swing inward automatically due to the force of his knock. So much for safety precautions and security. He glanced around quickly. Empty coffins lay across every inch of the shop. Everything was covered with a thick layer of dust and there were cobwebs everywhere. Yet, the scent of embalming fluids and candles hung thickly in the air. The place was certainly active and open, yet whoever had purchased ownership clearly hadn’t decided to fix it up.

“Erm, excuse me? Sorry to bother you so late at night, but I have a.. delivery.” Only silence greeted him. “Um, is anyone here?”

“Hehe, a delivery? What a surprise~ I don’t get too many of those.” A face peered at him from within one of the coffins. Othello stood unshaken, despite the fact that every part of his body was screaming at him to get the hell out of there and never come back.

“Y-Yes, sir. My name is O-Othello of London’s main forensics branch.” Okay, that’s creepy.

“Othello, hm? You may call me the Undertaker~” The man finally moved the coffin lid aside and stepped out to greet Othello. He was dressed in all black, with a gray sash tied across one shoulder and a chain of golden lockets around his waist. His hair was long and silver and the bangs hung over his eyes, obscuring most of his scarred face. When the man held his hand out in greeting, the long sleeve fell back Othello noticed his nails were long and painted black. Othello concluded on first impression that he was certainly a man worthy of the title of “Undertaker”.

Hesitantly, Othello stepped forward. The Undertaker shook his hand firmly with a wide grin before letting go and stepping aside. With no further words exchanged, he nodded towards the doorway, his expression one which almost resembled a kid watching their parent buy them candy.

Othello went outside to the back of the van and retrieved the body. As soon as he had wheeled it through the door, the Undertaker tore off the cover. Othello expected to see the same childlike expression, however, the man’s entire attitude suddenly changed upon seeing the actual body. He became serious and focused as he peered closer. The energy in the air seemed to have grown suddenly tense and Othello fidgeted uncomfortably. The Undertaker ran a long nail across the multiple puncture wounds on the neck and shoulders, and down across the scratches on the victim’s face. He removed the cover further, revealing the mutilated chest of the victim which had since been sewn up to prevent anything from falling apart due to the extent of the damage. The fact that most of the Undertaker’s face was obscured by the long grey hair left his expressions unreadable, but his focus was clear.

“It was.. concluded as a wild animal attack.” Othello stated in hopes to break the tension. The Undertaker’s head snapped up and Othello jumped backwards slightly. Even though the Undertaker’s eyes were covered, he could feel the intensity of the man’s gaze on him.

“Is that so?” His tone was deeper and unwavering. It was not so much an actual question as it was an accusation. “Did anyone see this ‘wild animal’?” It was as if he were implying he knew more. Othello’s hand moved to begin clicking at the pen hanging from his pocket out of nerves and he hoped it wasn’t obvious to the man how uncomfortable he had become.

“N-no. The body was discovered much later.” Othello went along with the details he’d been told. That part was not a lie, the murderous vampire had likely fled long before the gruesome scene was discovered.

The Undertaker clicked his tongue as if in thought and replaced the cover back over the body. His entire body language seemed to change in that moment and the tension in the air was seemingly released.

“Well, I will be sure to pretty her up~” The Undertaker had taken on the same friendly tone from earlier. “You know, I’m not quite a fan of formalities. You don’t have to be all business.” He added with a slight smile.

Othello stared for a moment, surprised at the sudden change in mood, before he jumped to attention. “Oh! I’m sorry, I just thought—”

“Hehe, you intrigue me~ You seem as if you always have more behind your words than what you imply.”

“I could say the same for you.”

The Undertaker clicked his tongue again, yet a genuine-looking smile followed and Othello was able to relax a bit, though not entirely yet.

The man’s strange reaction to the condition of the body still seemed suspicious. He could be aware of vampires’ existence, so there was still reason to be weary. Or perhaps the Undertaker was a vampire himself. Though that seemed unlikely, what vampire lives near a church? It was common knowledge that vampires burn up after contact with anything of holy form. They were classified as demons, after all. Othello wouldn't dare go near such things either for fear that being half-vampire may still allow holy items to have an effect on him, thought it would likely not kill him like it would a normal vampire.

Othello realized he’d become lost in silent thought again and snapped himself out of it. The Undertaker had moved to lean casually against a coffin and was smiling at him with an amused expression.

Dammit, what a smug asshole. Why didn’t he say anything? Othello’s mind grumbled. Does he find me amusing and intriguing?

“Indeed I do now.” The Undertaker chuckled and Othello felt his ears burn in embarrassment when he realized he’d been mumbling those last thoughts out loud.

“I-“

The soft and barley noticeable dawn light beginning to filter through the holes in the curtained windows of the room halted Othello’s reply.

“Early morning hours now, hm?”

The yawn from Othello that followed that statement seemed to convey a point to the Undertaker, who crossed to the other side of the room quickly and began rummaging among the shelves. He pulled out a jar that looked quite like an urn and retrieved a large bone-shaped cookie from it.

“I must say, I do enjoy your presence very much. Visit again sometime, won’t you? I want to see if you are as good with words as you are with your thoughts. Here’s a parting gift, if you may.”

He waved the cookie in Othello’s face and the latter gladly took it. Under normal circumstances, Othello would’ve been weary accepting food from random people, especially an old dog biscuit-looking cookie from out of an urn. However, he could use the sugar to keep him awake for long enough to drop off the van and get home.

He took a bite. Gingerbread? It was actually very delicious. He smiled fully for the first time since arriving there.

“Did you make these?” His eyes took on their usual bright and mischievous glint. “I guess I will have to come back.”

The Undertaker laughed again, popping one of the cookies into his own mouth as he gave a little wave of dismissal.

Othello crossed to the door before pausing in the doorway to turn and give the other man a light smile. “Until next time, my mysterious friend.”

The door then shut with a click, forcing a cold morning draft into the air of the shop.

Adrian watched as the young man’s van sped away down the dirt road and back towards the city. He replaced the cookie jar back on its shelf as he finally let go of his masked emotions and let his face take on an expression of surprise and interest. Brushing his hair out of his eyes, he smirked.

So Othello isn’t a vampire.

No vampire can eat normal human food without becoming terribly sick and weakened. Adrian’s rings were also made from silver, and a handshake with a vampire would have burned them to ashes. Of course, Othello’s features were not vampire-like at all, yet one could never be so sure with the methods those creatures used these days.

Oh he would most certainly love to have such an amusing fellow back in his shop, especially after his little test results.

“I’ll be expecting to see you again, Othello~”

Notes:

Undertaker is no idiot, he just hasn’t seen a half-vampire before~

And again, I have no clue how forensics works. Please feel free to correct me. Also feel free to correct me on any typos or mistakes too.

I don’t want to promise an update schedule because I suck at deadlines, so I will update whenever ready (usually at least once a month). I can guarantee that I will be finishing this, though!

And please let me know what you think of the story! ^ ^

See you next chapter~

Chapter 2: A Strange Little Group

Notes:

Aaa

As promised, another chapter!

This is mostly an introduction to the vampire hunters. I hope I did a good enough job explaining their “situation”.

Also! Quickie thing I forgot to mention last chapter: Undertaker is in no way related to the Phantomhives in this verse. Everyone who isn’t a vampire is perfectly human and this is set in modern times, so stuff like that wouldn’t work ;v;

Anyways, enjoy~!

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

When Adrian left for work that following morning, that curious little forensic scientist was still on his mind. Such an odd fellow was certainly a source of entertainment he would want to always have near him. Especially since the majority of his co-workers were boring and negative. Always too focused on their job, the lot of them.

Now, when Adrian would say “left for work”, he truly meant just walking across the road from his convenient little funeral shop to the tiny church that rested on the low-laying hill just in front of it.

Indeed, that tiny church was the Vampire Hunters of London’s headquarters.

Of course, it wasn’t a permanent location. The Vampire Hunters of London had resided in a huge old church just outside the city for decades, however, they had been discovered and invaded merley months ago and were forced to move. The church was Adrian’s idea, as it had been sitting there abandoned when he’d first occupied the also abandoned funeral home and begun work.

He knocked eight times and the large wooden door creaked open slightly. The face of Ran-Mao greeted him, her sharp eyes looking him over. She nodded, opening the door wider to let him in.

The stale musty air smelt slightly of some form of drug. A scent which always seemed to be signature to a specific person.

“Always the first one in here, aren’t you?” Lau sat at a pew in the far right corner near the front, legs propped up in front of him as a thin trail of smoke swirled up from whatever horrid cigar he was holding. The smoke wafted upward, disappearing into the beams of morning light that streamed through the windows and creating a haze near the roof.

“I live across the street, of course I am.” Adrian answered him. He wouldn't dare ask how the drug-smoking man and his accomplice always seem to find their way there ahead of him without any evidence of travel. The pair were odd and mysterious and Adrian knew well when when such things were not the type to be questioned.

“The windows don’t open, you know.” He grumbled. That damn smell will soak into the walls.

His only response was a shrug from Lau as the man blew another puff of smoke.

At least he doesn’t have the hookah with him. Adrian sighed as he made his way over to the front of the church. Where a podium would have been lay a tattered rug with all sorts of weapons and ammo which Ran-Mao had apparently recently set out in the few moments it took him to talk with Lau. How curious, he hadn’t even felt her presence pass him on her way from one end of the church to the other.

He knelt down beside her as she picked up a double-edged dagger and a piece of sandpaper and began to sharpen and clean it. His eyes traveled over the pile. Hm? Where was it?

“Your scythe is over there.” Ran-Mao commented, nodding towards the wall to the right of them.

Indeed, there it was in all its glory. His huge, scythe-like weapon, sharpened edges gleaming brightly in the morning light. It was decorated with the upper half of a skeleton wearing a crown of thorns that clung to a long and slightly curved handle. It was customized to his idea of absolute perfection. With a wild grin, he crossed over to it and began to run the tips of his nails across the blade.

“Ugh. Would you stop caressing that thing?” An irritated voice echoed through the church.

Adrian paused, turning slowly to see Ciel Phantomhive as the boy scowled at him from the partially open doorway. His grin dropped to a frown.

“You didn’t knock.” He blinked.

“Do I really need to?” The boy stared blankly.

“It’s for security, yes it is!” Came the awkward voice of Mey-Rin as she appeared behind him in the doorway, followed by Finnian and then Bardroy. The latter was holding a large rucksack over his shoulder and Adrian sincerely hoped the bag wasn’t full of the man’s favorite ammo, explosives.

The group entered, finding seats in random places throughout the pews.

“This is a church. Do you think those demons can enter of their own free will?” Ciel was still loudly grumbling across the room at Adrian.

“Yours can.” The man commented back as the door finally closed and a final person set foot inside. The man in question was dressed in all black, equally dark locks of hair falling into his face. His eyes were a bright reddish-pink hue with cat-like pupils that narrowed to adjust to the lighting. He smiled, revealing sharp fangs, and bowed in greeting. A necklace of rosary complete with a cross charm swung from around his neck.

“Sebastian has special permission and you know that.” Ciel said. “He was hired by my father to protect me, remember?”

“Indeed.” Sebastian nodded. He held eye contact with Adrian, those vibrant eyes shimmered dangerously. “And all of you here know that if I were to harm the young master in any way, you have full permission to kill me as I stand.”

“And I should just kill you as you stand right now!” A loud feminine voice screeched. The door swung open, nearly smacking Sebastian across the back where he stood. Francis Midford stood in the wide-open doorway, the blade of a long sword held steady against the vampire’s shoulder blades. Sebastian blinked in surprise, clearly not daring to turn around. The formality and mysterious air he had kept was quickly lost.

“You bloody bastard.” The woman hissed. “I arrived here close behind you and Ciel. How dare you call yourself a proper man when you don’t even hold the door open for a lady!”

The look of genuine terror on the vampire’s face was enough to send Adrian rolling on the floor laughing. This wondrously serious bunch of ragtag hunters never failed to make him laugh.

“Oh, stop laughing you old creep.” Ciel rolled his eyes.

“And you, Ciel. Watch how you address your superiors!” Francis had quickly switched from ‘pissed off lady’ to ‘annoyed aunt’ in seconds.

Oh, indeed, Adrian recalled as he attempted to calm his fit of giggles. Francis Midford was Ciel Phantomhive’s aunt.

The boy’s father, Vincent Phantomhive had been one of the more brighter and joking personalities in the workplace, much like Adrian. Vincent had likely even been the only person Adrian could consider a true friend. However, the Phantomhives were well known vampire hunters and their legacy was not well hidden. Approximately 4 years ago, someone, likely vampire, tracked down the Phantomhives and killed the entire family. Apparently all but the older son, Ciel, who made it out alive with the help of a vampire betraying its own kind. The boy claimed his father had told the vampire to do so, but Adrian knew that was a lie. Vincent had hated vampires with a passion, he would never do such a thing. In fact, Ciel Phantomhive was surrounded by many obvious lies. Adrian had spoken briefly with Francis about this matter before and she had confirmed to have suspicions as well. Though her dislike of Sebastian likely just came from her overall dislike of vampires… and Sebastian’s hairstyle apparently.

The hunters had been a much bigger group too, a whole society. But after the attack on their main base months ago, many had been killed or fled out of fear. The only ones who remained were those whose entire life revolved around the job of a vampire hunter, the few who found it impossible to abandon such a lifestyle.

Or, of course, those who have a purpose to seek. He thought, with a glance at the Phantomhive boy.

The boy claimed to be taking on the job to seek revenge for his family, and most of all, his little brother. Adrian scoffed. As Adrian’s thoughts returned to the present, he became aware of a distinct chatter among the others that echoed throughout the room. Ran-Mao and Mey-Rin sorted the weapons Bardroy had just added to the pile from his bag. Sebastian looked to be caught in awkward conversation with Lau, who seemed to be paying more attention to Ciel and Francis - who were bickering loudly, - than the vampire in front of him.

Adrian smiled softly. They may not be very normal people, but they certainly all knew how to do their job properly. He almost let his mind drift again before there was a tap on his shoulder. He turned to see Ran-Mao who nodded in the direction of Lau. The man had finally put down his cigar and was standing upright on the pew.

“... and as I discovered recently,” He was saying, “There has been a shocking increase in murders committed by vampires!”

“We’ve known that for months.” Francis grumbled into a facepalm.

“..But! There’s a catch~” Lau continued. “All of these murders have been committed by the same two vampires.” His eyes flashed menacingly for a second and he gave a sly smirk.

“And what proof do you have of that?” Ciel raised an eyebrow. “We don’t know anyone who could help verify such a thing.”

“I trust my instincts, of course.” Lau said blankly.

The occupants of the room collectively groaned.

“..Er… Who’s ready to do some hunting!” Bardroy yelled, successfully lightening the mood as everyone would always leap at such an opportunity. Weapons were gathered as the group began to set up. Adrian remained against the wall, leaning next to his scythe.

“If only there was someone who could prove such a thing… hehehe.” Adrian muttered lowly to himself, his grin growing wider by the second. “Someone in forensics, perhaps~?” He whispered as his eyes glimmered from beneath long grey bangs of hair.

Someone who seems like the type to take the news of vampires’ existence with excitement and curiosity more than fear.

Oh how perfect. How perfect indeed.

He had someone he needed to find.

The groups parted ways in their usual pairings. Ciel and Sebastian were dropped off in front of the London Eye, just across the river from the palace. Sebastian stood in a casual button-down jacket that covered his formal outfit, his vampire eyes covered by the colored eye contacts he wore.

Ciel stared up at the Ferris wheel-like structure with a confused expression.

“This is such a touristy spot, are we sure this is the right place, or do they just want to get rid of us faster? ... Sebastian..? Are you listening?”

The vampire was staring in a certain direction, eyes narrowed.

Just then, a horrible scream echoed through the area.

Notes:

..I love torturing Sebastian.

And in case anyone is wondering (probably not, I just feel like overclarifying everything haha) whenever I write a scene that’s in a specific place in the city, I always choose the area near London Eye or by the palace since that’s the only place in London I remember clearly enough to envision while I write.

Again, feel free to point out any typos or mistakes!

Oop. If anything looks wierd, idk how Ao3 works yet. I’m still getting used to it. Sorrry sorry.

See you next chapter~!

Chapter 3: A Curious Case

Notes:

Was having a ton of complications with inaccurate info and storytelling order when writing this chapter, so I apologize if it sounds a little weird and rushed.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

#black butler fanfiction

[erodasfishtacos]

Can I request a prompt of dad!Harry where maybe it’s just him And Sasha and they get mobbed and her slightly hurt but he is furious

JUST A LESSON

word count: 5k+ (how'd i write this in one day)

warnings: language, smut, blood, minor injuries

- If you'd like more from dad!harry verse - check out my masterlist! (pinned post)

- PLEASE NOTE: DAD!HARRY & CEO!HARRY ARE TWO DIFFERENT TROPES.

*** <- click for visuals throughout the story!

---

Harry was quite stressed out. He wasn’t sure how his wife did it all the time. She was constantly packing up Sasha and toting her around the globe to meet up with him for concerts and events when he was away.

The little family had been staying in their Los Angeles home for nearly three months now as Harry had been writing for his third solo album. It involved a lot of late nights were Y/N were putting Sasha to bed by herself.

Harry was eternally grateful that she was so patient and understanding when he snuck into bed quarter past three after finding a rift that fit a new song perfectly or when Mitch had an idea that had Harry on Skype for hours with him.

The stress was overwhelming for her though. She was usually good at self-care and taking time for herself but Sasha had been so needy lately and crabby when her father wasn’t at her beck and call.

The toddler was going through a bout where she struggled to sleep through the night and had a tendency to scream bloody murder when she didn’t get her way.

It was nearly three weeks of this and she hadn’t mentioned it too much to Harry because she didn’t want him to be as stressed out as she was.

Tonight, Y/N had rocked, sang, hummed, and read to her daughter to stop the angry tears that were rolling down her cheeks but nothing was working. It was near eleven at night and she had took Sasha out in the car for a long ride where she finally fell asleep.

But as soon as Y/N unlocked the front door, she startled awake even angrier than before, squirming out her mother’s grip and bolting through the house. When she tried to round a corner, she slipped on her bum.

Y/N felt her anxiety level break.

Sasha began screaming once again, “Mummy! No! No!”

When Y/N picked her up after her slight tumble, she was absolutely not hurt but had become even more frustrated. Y/N was starting to feel overwhelmed - which didn’t happen often.

“Baby, what do you want? What can mummy do?” Y/N asks with desperation, searching her baby’s watery green eyes. She looked so much like her dad it was absurd.

“No! Down! Stop!” The two year old orders with a furrowed brow, lips in a tight line with her nose scrunched up in displeasure.

“Sasha, you just hurt yourself. You can’t run in the house, the floor is slippery,” Y/N tells her firmly despite it falling upon deaf ears.

“Bad mummy,” Sasha shrieks, “Daddy! Want Daddy! Now!”

Y/N is embarrassed to admit that she has tears welling up in her eyes. She was trying everything in her power to soothe her baby. It’s midnight at this point and she’d been at it since seven this morning.

Sasha had refused a nap all day - giving Y/N no respite at all. Harry had left at eight in the morning and hadn’t returned yet. Even though Sasha was only two and a half, Y/N felt a pang at the words ‘bad mummy.’

She didn’t feel any other option at this point than to call Harry for help. She wanted to be capable of being at stay home mum but sometimes it was really fucking hard but she felt guilty because she should be able to do this. Harry was out there working hard, providing, constantly.

When he doesn’t answer, the tears freely start streaming down her face in silence. She scrubs at them quickly so that her daughter doesn’t see them but it’s hard to catch them all - sobs threatening to bubble through her lips.

“Daddy’s working, we need to go to sleep,” Y/N replies to her daughter, jaw clenched to hold back the upset she feels. She needs a minute alone but she doubts her toddler will let her.

“Pool?” Sasha piques, “Swim?”

Y/N wants to laugh, it’s so fucking late and Sasha should have been in bed nearly four hours ago. The mother was so beyond her routine at this point, that she actually just gave in to her daughter.

Sasha’s mood turns around when Y/N wrangles them both into their swimsuits ***and trails out of the back patio, switching on all the lights around as well as in the pool. The California air was still extremely warm, enough to cause a sweat. ***

She tugs a little donut raft into the pool with them that Sasha can float around on while Y/N guides it to keep her safe. She was so tired by this point that her bones felt like they weighed a million pounds.

Sasha’s eyes droop until they finally flutter close within minutes of being in the warm water. Her eyelids splotchy pink from all of the fits and tears from the day. And when she is completely asleep, Y/N lets herself cry as she continues to float the baby around the pool to keep her asleep.

She hasn’t been doing it for more than ten minutes when the patio door opens and Harry is stepping into the back with a confused expression that she can’t see because her back is turned to him.

“Love, why are you in the pool? S’late,” Harry asks softly but he doesn’t get an answer, so he’s slipping out of his plain tee and striped pants, dirty vans kicked to the side ***.

Just in his briefs, he quietly enters the pool to not disrupt the ebb and flow of the water. When he makes his way over to her, he slides in front of his wife, alarmed at the exhausted, tearful expression on her face.

“Baby, what’s happened? Talk t’me,” Harry whispers, hands coming to cup his wife’s face in between his large hands. Rings cold against her hot, wet cheeks. He looks to his sleeping daughter, running his eyes over her a few times and decides she seems completely okay.

“M’fine,” Y/N chokes out but the lie causes a fresh wave of tears.

Harry frowns, “Don’t lie to me, pet. Please, don’t shut me out. M’always here for you.”

“I’m a bad mum,” She sobs silently, her eyes closing as she leans into his palms before moving to rest her head heavily on the crook of his tattooed shoulder, his chest damp from the salty tears.

“Wha-What’s brought this on? Y’the best mum in the world, best wife in the world. The best at everythin’, why are you doubtin’ that, my heart?” Harry murmurs, taking over the rocking motions of Sasha’s raft.

“She wouldn’t settle today, Harry. Like at all, refusing to nap, eat any healthy food, or bathe. She screamed at me the whole day no matter what I did and then she told me I was bad and she wanted you.”

“Love, she’s in the midst of her terrible twos. She loves you more than anythin’ on this earth. Y’her mummy and a damn good one at that. Why didn’t y’call me? I’d come home, work is never more important than our family.”

Y/N doesn’t bring up the fact she did try to call, “I need to be able to do this myself, Harry. M’a stay at home mum, taking care of Sash is literally my only job and I can’t even do that.”

Harry’s face hardens but he tries to not take it personally, knowing his wife is just upset with herself, “That’s not fair to me, dove. M’her daddy, she’s half mine too. She’s just as much of my responsibility as yours, no matter what my job is.”

“I don’t want to stress you out more than necessary,” Y/N mutters into his skin.

“Me coming home to my wife in tears and my baby in the pool at midnight is more stressful than you ringin’ me to come home,” Harry tells her, smearing a few kisses to the top of her hair.

“I’m sorry for worrying you. I’m just tired.”

Harry pulls her back so he can look her in the eyes, “Never apologize for somethin’ like that. Go get a bath and let me put the bub to sleep, okay? I love y’mumma.”

--

Harry calls his mum the next morning while Y/N is out getting a manicure with Glenne. He’d called her favorite salon earlier in the day, coercing them into opening a spot for her with a monetary bribe.

Y/N had hesitated at the door as Sasha threw a fit at her mother leaving the house. She clung onto her calf until Harry had to physically pull her off and hold her tightly in his arms.

Currently, Sasha was playing with a set of dolls on the floor of her bedroom as Harry sat next to her. She’d originally been happy with the presence of her father until he told her he needed to make a phone call.

Harry had to be stern with her when she went to grab at the phone pressed to his ear, gently gripping her wrist and frowning, “We don’t do that, s’not nice.”

Sasha had attempted to grab at it again and managed to tangle Harry’s long locks into his fist, tugging at them. Harry unraveled the small fingers before telling his daughter, “If you do that one more time, y’going on the step for two minutes.”

The threat had her pouting harshly but turning back to her toys to occupy herself, sighing when his mum finally answered the phone, “Hi darling.”

“Hi mum, you alright?” Harry asks, relaxing at the sound of his mother’s melodic voice.

“I’m perfect, you don’t sound okay, dear,” Anne replies with a concerned twinge.

Harry didn’t call much to complain, didn’t like worrying her and most of the time Y/N was able to provide the support he needed or Jeff.

“Y/N’s really overwhelmed,” Harry tells her before choking up a bit, “And I don’t know what to do mum, I feel like m’bein’ a bad husband. Came home to her crying last night and she feels like she’s a bad mum.”

When Sasha hears her father’s voice crack, she looks up at him curiously before recognizing that he’s upset. She crawls into his lap, fitting herself against his chest before playing with a doll there. Comforting him.

Harry wraps his free arm around her, pulling her as close as possible. His precious little baby. A little blessing as sweet as her mother.

“Oh honey, that happens. Mums, good mums especially are so critical when they don’t need to be. Baby’s are overwhelming, plus I know she’s been alone a lot with her. But you’re not a bad husband, dear.”

“It feels like it,” Harry sniffles, burying his face in his daughter’s lavender-scented curls from her bath earlier.

“If you were, you wouldn’t be calling,” Anne chuckles at her son, “Now how can we make this situation better?”

-

The phone call helped Harry not feel so hopeless in helping his wife. He’d come up with the plan to fly to England with Sasha so that Anne could see her but Y/N could have some alone time for a long weekend.

When Y/N enters the front door after her appointment, she’s met by a very excited little human who rushes to her mother and demands to be picked up. Of course, Y/N obliges, looking a bit more refreshed and awake as she tucks the baby against her hip.

Harry had ordered their favorite salads from a shop in the city and had it ready for her, “Oh, looks delicious. Thank you, H,” She smiles at him, leaning to give his stubbly cheek a kiss.

As they dig in, Y/N feeding bits of chicken and veggies to her daughter as they eat, Harry clears his throat, “I’m taking Sash to Holmes Chapel for the long weekend to see my mum.”

Y/N smiles, “That sounds great!”

Harry gives her a perplexed look, he’d thought she’d put up a fight. She despised being away from Sasha - couldn’t go a day without seeing her daughter.

“Really?” Her husband asks, putting down his fork.

“Mhm, I just have to pack a bag for Sash and I. When are we leaving?” Y/N replies eagerly, ready to go back home and get away from California for a bit.

Harry’s stomach clenches, “Erm, I meant just me and the baba? I thought you could stay here and relax for a weekend. Sleep, hang out, shop.”

Y/N’s face falls and is replaced with a devastated look, “You don’t think I’m being a good mum.”

Harry backpedals, realizing he shouldn’t have approached it in the lax way he did.

“No, no, of course not, baby. I think you’re such a good mum that you need a break. You never get breaks, m’the one who always does. S’not fair to you. I just need you to have some time to take care of yourself,” Harry explains, his heart shattering a bit at the tears brimming again.

“I don’t want a break, don’t leave me here,” Y/N begs, tucking a piece of tomato in her daughter’s expectant mouth before Sasha chews and smiles at her mother.

“Mummy, more please?” Sasha chirps, her mood a little bit brighter than it had been the last few days.

“Thank you for using your manners, here baby,” Her mother responds, popping another into her mouth after she sliced it in half.

“Did you book a commercial flight?” She asks her husband with an angry tone.

“No, private but we have to catch it at LAX,” Harry explains, the private airport they usually fly out of was filled to capacity at the moment.

“Either I’m coming or you’re going alone. You’re not taking Sasha without me,” Y/N replies firmly. She stands up and shuffles Sasha into his lap before leaving the room without another word.

Harry didn’t expect that. He should have thought it through more. If Y/N wanted to come, of course she could, but he’d never meant to offend her or act like he was taking Sasha away from her.

--

Harry had attempted to reason his way out of going to the studio with Jeff today. However, with the final cuts and adjustments were being made - he was quickly turned down and demanded in the studio.

When he’d trailed into the quiet house that night, relieved to find his baby in her crib instead of the pool, he went to his bedroom where the lights were still on.

The closet doors were open and Y/N was on the ground folding and sorting Sasha’s clothes before placing them in her suitcase. ***

Y/N’s suitcase already laying zipped and ready to go by the entrance of the closet. Her toiletry bag was placed neatly on top of it. Then his heart pings a bit when he sees that she’s already packed up his suitcase as well.

Harry pads over to his wife, plopping down behind her and tugging her back into him - long arms wrapping around her upper chest.

“Missed you, mumma.”

She hums, “I missed you too. Miss you always.”

“Y’the love of my life, y’know that?” Harry asks, kissing the back of her neck.

“I better be or you married the wrong person,” Y/N laughs softly, her tone still off but lighter than before.

“Married the right person, knocked up the right person.”

Y/N barks out a laugh, rolling her eyes, “How romantic.”

“Baby, y’know what I’m getting at. You’re the best mum and wife. I just wanted you to have a few days to yourself. To lower your stress level and let you do some self-care,” Harry murmurs, pushing the baby clothes out of her hands.

“But your mum can watch her for a bit while we’re there, right? I don’t want alone time, I need the exact opposite. I need company,” She tells him, twisting herself until she’s seated in his lap - straddling him.

“Mmm, can definitely have some alone time,” Harry agrees instantly, his mouth finding her throat - beginning to lay a path of wet, hot kisses down the column down to her collarbones.

“H, I have t’pack, we’re leaving tomorrow morning,” Y/N weakly argues but can’t help but bear down against her husband when she feels him harden in his loose pants quickly.

“S’just a quickie? Yeah, pet? Lemme fuck you,” Harry’s hands dragging the shirt she’s wearing up and over her head. Eyes lighting up boyishly when he realizes she didn’t have a bra on.

She can’t argue as he darts down to wrap his lips around her pert bud, sucking between long swipes of his tongue - just how she liked it. “Missed y’body so much,” Harry states against her heated skin.

“Just had me two days ago,” Y/N laughs but it cuts off into a moan when his hand slides into her pajama shorts and finds her clit over her thin underwear.

“Never enough,” Harry replies easily, “Remember the song I wrote f’you?”

Y/N snarkily asks, “Which one? Nearly all your songs are about me.”

And well...Harry can’t even argue how true her statement is. “The one titled ‘Never Enough’, pet? Remember?”

Before she can speak, he lowly croons out the chorus of the song he wrote for One Direction years ago, “Lips so good I forget my name. I swear I would give you everything. It’s never enough, never enough.”

Harry knows his sweet as syrup singing gets her immensely turned on and so he’s not surprised when she whimpers against his lips, “Fuck me, c’mon.”

He’s delighted at his wife’s pleas and quickly moves them, leaning forward with her until she’s on her back on the ground of their walk-in closet. He accidentally kicks over a pile of Sasha’s dresses but neither even notice.

There is no time wasted as Harry removed every single article from Y/N’s body quickly as well as his own. He’s leaning forward to suck a few more kisses to her chest as his fingers slip down to crook right up into her hot center.

“No teasing,” Y/N complains, wrapping hands around his biceps and bringing him on top of her more fully. She’s squeezing around his two fingers with need, it has him groaning when he brings them up and sucks them between his pouty lips.

Then she’s not waiting any longer, reaching down and grabbing a hold of his thick length. Harry lets out rumble from his chest at the contact before she’s guiding him into her without any further ado.

“Baby,” Harry chastises as soon as she starts goading him into thrusts with her feet against him bum, pushing him into her harder than he’d usually start, “Y’squeezin’ me s’tight, you missed me too?”

Y/N nods, whining every time he pushes against her spot and sends a zip of arousal through her body. His trimmed hair around his base brushing against her clit causing delicious friction for her.

“No, y’need to tell me,” Harry huffs, hand gripping her jaw harsher than he would if they were having slow, intimate sex. He knew she loved it by the way her eyes twinkle with stubbornness.

“No,” She replies coyly, heels of her feet pressing hard against him to the point it itches with a slight pain. Harry loved his wife so much it was looney.

“It’s fine, don’t need y’to come for me to get off, dove,” Harry replies simply, speeding up his thrusts with his hand holding her jaw for him to press bruising kisses against. His teeth are coming to pull her bottom lip in between.

Something switches in her demeanor though without warning, her voice softer and pliant, “Tell me you love me.”

It has Harry slowing down his hips until he’s rocking deeper into her, going down on his elbows so their noses are bumping. He releases the grip of her chin and instead moves to her bum to encourage her to meet him halfway.

“I love you, s’much it hurts most days,” Harry replies obediently, knowing what his wife needed at that moment. Reassurance. “Most beautiful thing I’ve ever laid eyes on, then you made us a perfect little baby.”

She’s looking up at him with loving, grateful eyes, landing a gentle peck to his upper lip and letting her head fall back onto the floor. This is what she needed right now from her husband and he was so good at providing.

“Breaks my heart when y’don’t think your a good mum or wife. ‘Cause you’re everythin’ I ever wanted. Why’d you think I write every song about you, lovie? S’cause you’re my soulmate.”

“H,” She whimpers, emotion thick in her throat as she meets his eyes, “I love you so much. You’re the best husband and dad ever.”

“Baby,” Harry murmurs into her cheek, picking up speed as she starts to clench around him in a warning of her oncoming orgasm. He slips his hand down to press a few light rubs to her clit before she’s arching her back and moaning with pleasure.

“You look s’good, coming ‘round my cock,” Harry tells her, helping her ride through it before hitching her hips up even further and thrusting harshly until his hips stutter and he’s coming as well.

“Harry,” Y/N sighs, her breathing coming back to normal as she roams a hand down his shoulders and back - scratching lightly.

“Hmm, dove? Y’want my cock again? Need a few,” He replies into her neck, ever the teenage boy.

She giggles, “No, we have to catch a flight at eight in the morning and it’s currently four-thirty.”

Harry grunts before pulling out and sitting up, “Y’better have packed my favorite pajama pants or I’m goin’ to be cross with you.”

--

Y/N now regrets the second round of fun as soon as their alarm goes off. Her body sore from the position he’d twisted her into against the shower wall after they packed the rest of Sasha necessities.

They were nearly at the airport with Sasha nodding back off in the carseat. She was excited to see her Nana and Aunt Gemma once again.

Their daughter was in the cutest, comfiest jumpsuit with comic hearts all over it *** and adorable little sock sneakers*** that slide right on and off her feet.

Harry had chucked on black sunglasses, a black jumper with green lettering, black joggers, and blue checkered van with white socks. He was attempting to fly under the radar as much as possible because he knew paparazzi just sit outside the entrances to spot celebrities. ***

It was annoying but he could deal with it when he was mobbed at the airport when he was by himself. But when it was with his wife and baby - he couldn’t stomach it. It’s part of the reason they fly private from a private port.

When they pull up to the curb, a staff member is waiting for them and helps Harry as well as the driver put his luggage on a cart to be brought to the awaiting jet.

Y/N unbuckles the baby who is awake now but bleary-eyed as she’s sitting on the curve of her mother’s hip.

And well - that’s when the madness begins. A pap spots them within seconds of exiting the car and is pulling up his camera for the first shots, the other photographers sitting around follow suit.

As soon as one of them screams, “Harry Styles - look this way!” The jam packed area looks towards them, seeming fans of his start murmuring before following behind the paparazzi pulling their phones out.

Y/N is used to the crowds by now - but just like Harry, not with Sasha around. They tried to avoid situations like this as much as possible. The lights and loud noises were scary to the little girl.

“Mummy,” Sasha whines, picking her head up from her mother’s shoulder to stare wide-eyed at the gathering in front of them.

Harry started to feel anxiety because this was becoming a massive crowd - scratch that, it wasn’t a crowd it was a fucking mob of people. They were all too close, blinding the family with their flashes despite security attempting to push them back.

Fans were shoving and thrusting their phones in Harry’s face, shoving random things for him to sign in front of him. Paparazzi were screaming questions and taking thousands of pictures in a minute’s time.

Harry grabs onto Y/N’s hand tightly, their diaper bag on Harry’s shoulder, and begins to attempt to guide them through the swarm. It was like trying to move through cement, the crowd not budging despite security’s screams.

Sasha is full blown crying at this point into her mother’s neck. Y/N’s hand cupping the back of her head to keep her head down and out of the photographs - holding her as tightly as possible.

Y/N can hear Harry began to curse - signaling that he’s becoming stressed out because he would usually never be rude to the public despite their actions. But he couldn’t give a fuck when it came to his family.

“Move out of the way.”

“D’you not see I have a fuckin’ baby?”

“Get those fuckin’ cameras out of their faces.”

“Back the fuck away from my wife and baby.”

Then Y/N is being shoved by a teenage girl who trips when she thrusts her arm towards Harry. She tumbles into Y/N with her full weight and Y/N’s loses her footing, falling forward - letting go of Harry’s hand.

When she falls, she manages to catch herself with the arm that’s not holding her daughter. But she feels pain in her knees and Sasha emits a sharp wail that alerts Y/N her daughter is hurt.

“Sash, fuck,” Y/N gasps, her motherly instincts automatically kicking in and she’s cradling her daughter as tightly to her chest as she can, shielding her from the swarm who had quieted only a bit.

It must take Harry a second to realize that something had happened, he turns around - eyes frantic as he absolutely roars, “Back the fuck up! I’ll fuckin’ break each and everyone of your cameras! Fucking leeches.”

With that, he’s helping to pull you up and grasping at the two, “Are you okay? Wha’s hurt?”

Y/N just shakes her head, having a panic attack as she shuffles the crying baby into his arms. “Please, just...Sasha. I think she hurt her arm when I fell.”

“Daddy, ouch,” Sasha shrieks loudly into his sweatshirt as he hikes her up onto his chest, her little legs wrapped around his midsection.

“Ssh, y’okay,” Harry tries to reassure her, matching his wife’s panic.

The crowd seems to give way now, the parents rushing their daughter into the airport.

Employees guide them to the medical office on-site where it’s now silent and calm but the family feels anything but.

Sasha’s sobs have turned into moans and whimpers at this point - but come back with a vengeance when Harry has to set her on the exam table and wrestle her out of her clothes until she’s just sat in her diaper.

The nurse was so amazing and kind. She checked Sasha thoroughly for any signs of trauma or broken bones but luckily, it was just a nasty scrape on her forearm that was hurting her. It wasn’t anything serious.

The parents had such concern for their daughter that Y/N didn’t even realize she had bled through her white joggers at the knees ***. The nurse frowns, “Honey, you’re still bleeding.”

“I’m fine,” She insisted even though her knees were aching.

“I’d like to examine your legs, dear,” The nurse tells her sternly, signaling that Harry can dress Sasha again.

He’s digging into the diaper bag for a spare out that they were always ready with. She was calming even more when Harry dressed her in a comfy pink set of clothes with little deer on them. ***

“Love, please let her,” Harry asks softly, pulling Sasha back onto his chest. Her thumb tucked into her mouth and her father hands her a plushie that Y/N had shoved in the bag last minute.

Y/N obliges with the pressure, wiggling the loose fabric down her legs until she’s just in her underwear and shirt - sits up on the table with her knees off to the side for her to examine.

Harry grimaces when he sees the multiple cuts and scrapes tainting her skin. A few slow trickles of blood still oozing from the gashes. The skin is already slowly covering purple and blue with bruises.

The nurse cleans her up, Y/N wincing when the alcohol brushes the cuts but Sasha is smiling again like nothing ever happened and cooing at her mum. It makes them both feel a lot better.

--

When they’re finally on the private jet, up high into the clouds away from the crowds and paparazzi - it feels like relief. ***

They had tucked their daughter onto the couch with her favorite fuzzy blanket and she’s asleep nearly as soon as her head hits the pillow.

They trail back into the other part of the cabin so that they don’t disturb her, cuddling up on the couch together.

“M’so sorry, I’m such a bad fa-”

Y/N cuts him off before he begins, “If I’m not allowed to be a bad mum - you’re not allowed to be a bad father. It wasn’t y’fault that happened - it’s those careless, crazed people who have nothing better to do.”

Y/N was always the voice of reason in Harry’s head when he started to spiral.

Spiral because his fame was so overwhelming and got his family into difficult situations sometimes. She brought him back to reality.

“Hey, we’re both okay. Just a few scrapes. It was just a lesson, Harry. We just need to be safer and plan better, alright?” Y/N assures him softly, kissing under his chin before resting back - ready to sleep.

“Y’the best. Best mum, best wife,” Harry tells her, encompassing her in his loving hold.

let me know your thoughts bub

come talk to me <3

#omg #enjoy #i cant believe i wrote this in a few hours #i hope its not dumb #harry styles #harry styles smut #harry styles writing #harry styles writing request #anon #anon headcanons #bub #dad!harry #husband!harry #husband harry styles #dad harry styles #harry styles x y/n #harry styles x you #harry styles x reader #harry styles requests #harry styles imagine #harry styles masterlist #harry styles fic rec #harry styles fic recommendation #harry styles angst

[rae-blogging]

𝘼𝙉𝘿 𝙇𝙊𝙑𝙀 𝙄𝙎?

pairing: Jake Sim x fem!Reader, Sunghoon x OC

genre: Angst, Fluff, Humor

word count: 10k 

synopsis: You’ve been head over heels for Sunghoon for years now,  already aware of how doomed your story is from the start you go from pretending that you don’t believe in love to accepting it, but Jake Sim is adamant to change your mind.

warnings: Mentions of a creep being a .. creep?, reader running away from situations, slight manhandling on Sunghoon’s part (He grabs your wrist), Reader being an idiot, non religious mentions of God, fake dating is proposed but literally barely happens (Lmk if I missed something), Niki iis your brother (not a warning but yk), Yeonjun (TXT) and Yuna (ITZY) are part of the fic too and this is not proofread.

a/n: An earlier version of this fic was posted on my older blog but I ended up rewriting many bits again. Also I really love receiving feedback so please, please reblog my work if you like it.

"So, um, what is your favorite color?" You asked with a slight smile, trying to make the best of the situation (You really were going to kill Jungwon when you see him). 

There were three main dilemmas in your otherwise monotonous life a) Your inability to work/study when you should ; b) Your complete lack of romantic experience. You have -- after thorough over thinking past midnight – come to the conclusion that there’s something wrong with you. Other than the normal kind of flaws that you’re convinced everyone has, of course, like you being too lazy to get yourself a glass of water from the kitchen ( It’s not really your fault honestly, you wouldn’t be this lethargic if Niki didn’t always do your chores for you at home) and  getting anxious for no reason in particular and hyper fixating on said anxiety till neither your existence nor the topic of anxiety makes sense anymore, of course there’s also slightly worse issues with you like your tendency to cancel on your friends right before the plan is brought to life (although that doesn't work anymore and now you get dragged along anyway) or procrastinating all the time and then panicking but still procrastinating and finally, working like a madman and being disappointed if you don't score extremely well (But that's the case with most of your friends too so maybe it's not that big a deal), anyway the point is you're flawed. Quite flawed. You were still trying to figure out what exactly causes your absolute lack of romantic experience (that's how Sunoo put it nicely) or your forever disgruntled and dissatisfied state of mind because you never get any (as Jake had thoughtfully offered his version of the same). Sunoo is essentially sunshine trapped inside a 5’8 human body ( you think he’s shorter but he gets mad each time you bring it up, so you’re trying to make peace with obvious lies) and he’s probably the nicest person in your group right after Reyna. Jake, on the other hand, was probably created simply to make every minute of your existence that coincides with his, painfully exasperating. Alright, Jake wasn’t really all that bad except for his constant reminders about environmental issues, which you secretly found endearing and his unrivalled ability to score well on tests you know he hadn’t prepared for at all, he was actually cool. You’d moved past the time where you called people your ‘best friend’ but if there was one for ‘best friend + annoying idiot you randomly want to punch’ he’d definitely get it. While your friends were aware of the first two ‘problems’ the third one was something you’d have to deal with on your own. Tired of your friends’ bantering with you about your love life, you had of course indignantly insisted that you were better off single — it's so expensive being in a relationship nowadays anyway and you already spent most of your time slaving off trying to pay back your student loan before you turn 30 — of course, you just had to overdo the act and adamantly trash talk every couple which was apparently very offensive (Heesung had said that, and you usually trust his opinion), and now you were stuck at the most awkward blind date you had ever had (and that was saying something considering you had one where the person had asked you to Venmo him a 35 to buy coke). 

"Black. Like my life. Quite bleak, I know" he nodded thoughtfully to himself before you could deny it, "but I am that way you know? Mysterious. It defines me perfectly."

You bet the dude couldn’t spell mysterious.

"Yeah, of course, black is a beautiful color." You tried to sound interested, but it was getting kind of difficult with you making all the conversation and him talking about....well himself. Too much in depth, if you were being honest. 

"This one time, I met a chick in Bali and you know they’ve really sensual brea – “

Not only was Jungwon’s attempt at getting you a blind date a horrific try, but you were also now in the company of a complete pervert. Thank goodness for Choi Yeonjun, the chef of the restaurant (technically the restaurant was his father’s so maybe owner would be a better designation) and your friend (again technically he was Heesung’s friend but your group hung out at Choi’s every Friday and so you were pretty sure that he at least knew you) causing a fire alarm to go off, your date took off running, not even sparing a glance in your direction when Yeonjun started screaming ‘Fire!’, you weren’t sure if he saw your thinly veiled face of disgust or heard the man however you had no chance to ask since everyone was escorted outside almost immediately. You were certain you saw the chef wink at you though.

Anyway, getting a boyfriend was a complete failure and the worst bit? You were relieved. Because you had another person clouding your mind most days (You studied Chemistry along with English so that took up a few days too).

You had a huge crush on Sunghoon. It wouldn’t be that big of a deal really except it totally was and no way were you going to tell your friends who were positive that you hated the concept of love and despised couples that you had heart eyes for your childhood friend.. You have to give it up for yourself for managing to hide it behind faces of extreme disgust and unasked for comments on anything remotely related to love, because you’d liked the boy for quite a while now, you weren’t sure about the exact time period but it was getting really hard being around your friend without breaking down and confessing, so of course the genius you had decided to platonically cockblock yourself by a) Avoiding the poor boy and being snide if you did talk and; b) Being obnoxiously loud and proclaiming love was gross. Unfortunately for you, your friends had moved on from the cooties phase just a year or two later and now you were stuck as the grumpy, single friend who drank too much coffee and had slightly violent outbursts of consistent prodding the people sitting next to you when you got excited during a movie’s scene. Frankly (Name) I am more surprised you have friends. Two things were clear to you from the beginning of your story though: a) You liked your friend more than you should b) You were absolutely doomed from the very start.

‘”Hey!” Jake flailed his hands in the air like the idiot that he was, being greeted by you laughing and doing the same at the other end of the hallway, the students around paid no attention. You weren’t even sure if they weren’t all sleepwalking to be honest.

“How was the date?” he asked, putting an arm around your shoulder as you weaved through the zombified students.

 “He was in love, for sure,” you scoffed, “with everything that moved. Jungwon sure knows how to pick the creepiest men-”

You trailed off at the sudden shock of Jake tugging you closer to him.

He looked at you a smile, his other hand tousling his hair letting out a sheepish laugh,"What? You’d get trampled dude. You never pay any attention to your surroundings.”

You waved your hand around, eager to talk about your tumultuous evening ,“He talked about girls and their boobs and get this- sensous hips..” You raised your hands dramatically in exasperation, “Wait, was it the other way around? By the way, what happened to the save the turtle campaign? Did people even turn up? I heard there’s this dolphin-”

You turned to look at the boy beside you, raising your eyebrows when you saw him stop, jaw clenched looking unamused as you rambled on mindlessly.

“What’s wrong? Did enough people not contri-”

“Did he say something inappropriate to you?” Jake stared at you sternly, surprising you with his serious demeanor.

“Um, not really. He was just talking about some girl from Bali. I don’t know, I kinda tuned out after that.” You gripped his shoulder pulling him with you as you continued walking.

“Oh. Did he do anything el-“

“Nope. I’d slice his dick off.”

“Atta girl,” he smiled warmly, putting his arms around your shoulder again “Did you see Sunghoon yesterday?”

Sunghoon. The same friend you’d spent hours on ends playing Monopoly with, the same person who’d climbed into your room two days before your birthday to wish you when you were 12 (turns out 12 year old Sunghoon wasn’t very bright because he had thought this was the best way to wish you ahead of others), he’d brought you red roses on Valentine’s day because – ‘I do love you though! I love you the most in the world. Like right after Mom and Yeji. Oh, and Gaeul. Wait dad. But then it’s you.’ – he wanted you to know that he really did love you, the same way he loved his family or well his dog but you get the idea. You had wondered then if it was his tsundere way of asking you out. In all fairness though, you hadn’t ever been keen on actually dating your friend, you weren’t sure what people who dated were supposed to do anyway, so initially you hadn’t really minded harboring feelings for Sunghoon but your group had expanded in college, Sunoo and Yuna were your lab partners and, Reyna was on the student sports committee in college. You can’t really remember when it actually happened but you suddenly became increasingly aware of Reyna’s closeness with the boy you’d a crush on and, your desperately hidden feelings tugged painfully at the strings of your heart leaving you with no choice but to steer clear of the said boy in fear of a) You randomly confessing your thickly veiled crush and, b) Finding out/Having the same boy tell you he liked Reyna.

You wish you could at least be mad at Reyna or be able to despise her but you couldn’t. Not with how kind the girl was and how the two of you were always on the same wavelength about everything. She was your friend too, and you missed having her around. Sometimes you wondered if you should stop turning the other way when you met Sunghoon’s hurt eyes or be just as enthusiastic with your replies as Reyna was while talking to you, but then you’d see the two exchanging glances and the urge would die down immediately. You missed Sunghoon  too, of course you did. Up until middle school (before Jay, Jake and Heesung decided to enter the picture) he and Jungwon were your only friends, and the selfish part of you sometimes wanted to relive just that : Monopoly games and shaved ice and lego houses. Sometimes, when you crashed on your bed you still smiled thinking about how simple life was back then. You were getting tired of it now though, having to keep your feelings in, running from one part time job to another, lying about how you were. You were exhausted.

You were broken out of your daydream by a splash of water greeting your face, glaring at the culprit who was trying to gather rain water in his cupped hands, you let out a small smile simultaneously sighing about the open ground you’d have to run through to reach the laboratory.

“Let’s go together,” Jake laughed at your frustrated state, opening his umbrella and pulling you close as you stepped into the muddy ground, grimacing at your shoes that you’d have to clean that night.

The umbrella was too small for the two of you, both getting drenched just halfway through the premises.

“Oh come on” you sighed, tugging the boy along as you ran under the downpour. His hand clutching yours tightly as you made your way to class. The umbrella had slipped out of Jake’s hand somewhere in the middle but neither of you noticed as you took in his damp state, laughing till you saw your professor glaring at the two of you, promptly scuttling to classes after that.

“And a latte for you ma’am.” Jungwon flashed his signature smile at you, that you returned without hesitation, handing you the mug of coffee from your kitchen counter where the two of you’d spent the last 15 minutes trying to recreate TikTok coffee recipes, giving up pretty quickly in favor of the conventional latte. At least the younger boy was good at making coffee though, you couldn’t say the same for Yuna who hadn’t even tried to help you live your influencer dreams and headed straight for your hastily made bed, only to fall asleep in a few minutes. Shin Yuna was your roommate and you loved her to death but for the life of you, you couldn’t figure out how a human could sleep that much.

Jungwon glanced at your roommate, grinning slightly as he noted, “She’s out cold as usual, huh.”

You only nodded, relishing the sweet relief of caffeine on your tongue as the boy in front of flicked your forehead, “Drink slowly idiot, it’s hot.”

You gave him a sickening smile before proceeding to kick him in the shin, which led to him screaming and, consequently a pillow fight. You had to give one to Yuna though. That girl could sleep through anything.

It was only after you both sat down once the pillow fight (The pillows were thrown aside exactly 43 seconds into the fight and now you had a red handprint on your forehead and he had the prints of your nails on his face as a result) was over, that he asked you the question you were hoping to avoid.

“Did you and Sunghoon fight?” he asked with genuine curiosity, eyes averted to your cushion on his lap, as he attempted to untangle its strings.

“What? No, no, why?” you giggled unceremoniously simultaneously cursing yourself for being so obvious.

Damn you and your tendency to talk to yourself during the worst of times.

“You keeping avoiding him like the plague is why,” he looked up at you seriously.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about but we’re both busy, so it’s not that big of a deal,” you shrugged suddenly finding the carpet very interesting.

“And it has nothing to do with you crushing on Jake? Sunghoon & I are no longer your priority, huh?” he quirked an eyebrow at you.

Unfortunately for you, your brain had just decided to launch into a tirade of why Ellen DeGeneres was an A-grade jerk and you heard the question wrong.

After all your efforts to pretend you didn’t like anyone, least of all Park Sunghoon, fate finally thought enough was enough.

You knew you weren’t a good actor.

Oh God, what if Hoon saw through your act too?

Wait.

That meant everyone saw you as a pathological liar who consistently trash talked relationships but they stayed quiet because they pitied you.

This was horrible.

You’d need uproot your entire life and begin anew in Russia and go by the name of Luna because let’s be honest you have a soft spot for Luna Lovegood.

“(Name)?” Jungwon snapped his fingers in front of your face breaking you from a trance as you rushed to apologise for not telling him about your feelings earlier.

“I am sorry Wonnie, I liked him but I was so scared he’d-“

“I was just kidding can you stop looking like a-“

‘What?”

“What?!”

“You like Jake?!” This was a newer voice, and you could hear your friend scramble from the bed even as you placed your hands on your ears to minimalise some noise damage.

“Oh my God, you like Jake!”

Your social life was over and now you’d forever have to be resigned to your room where visitors would be allowed to leave flowers of token at the door at you-

“Wait what?”

“You like Jake? What the hell (Name). I was just kidding but..” Jungwon looked like a truck had run over his cacti and demanded him for compensation for damage caused to its tires.

“So, you were just pretending to like hate romance?” Yuna raised an eyebrow while Jungwon scowl in distaste.

“Yeah, (Name) not cool! I thought you were just being a dick to people and now I learn you have a schoolgirl crush?”

In Jungwon’s defense, he was not wrong.

“Oh. Um yeah. Sorry.”

“What a bummer,” Jungwon sighed as Yuna hit him over the head.

“Wait but like, why don’t you ask him out? Anyone can tell the boy likes you.”

You so hated it when your friends made sense. It was a common occurrence for people to assume you and Jake were dating because of how he doted on you, but then the boy was kind and sweet to everyone, he most definitely did not like you although it was apparent that your friends thought otherwise.

“I got rejected,” you blurted out before they could say anything else.

“What?” both cried out in unison.

Yuna stood up horrified, grasping your face in her hands, tilting it from one side to another as you blinked up unsightly.

“I’ll fight for you-“

“No, you will not.” Jungwon pulled her back before turning back to you again “Explain.”

“Um, I confessed and he said…he was busy with work.”

“I- wait what?”

“What work does Jake do?”

“That’s the weirdest rejection ever, but don’t you guys hang out all the time? Isn’t it awkward and how did you never tell us?” Yuna blurted questions after questions as Jungwon looked at you, prompting an answer.

“Oh, it’s um because, you see,” you wracked your brain for ideas “I’m hoping I still have a chance and it’s not awkward cause Jake’s nice like that.”

“With that rejection? Yeah right.” Yuna snorted, probably planning to punch Jake the next  time she saw him.

“Hey, it’s okay (Name). Things don’t always work out but it’s nice that you tried.” Jungwon tried comforting you.

“Yeah, don’t let it get to you.” Yuna smiled sweetly.

God she was scary.

You let out a sigh, if this was a book, this is exactly where the reader would close it to breathe in deeply and question why the main character was such an idiot. You really were the perfect Y/N and you were only going to prove the readers right by digging your own grave.

You knew accompanying Jake for coffee was a bad idea because a) he always ‘forgets’ his wallet and, b) you had a shift at the café in two hours and you couldn’t be bothered to spend any more time there than you necessarily had to; but you were a girl on mission today.

However, as usual, luck definitely wasn’t favoring you and right as you foot into the air conditioned place, your eyes fell on the couple sitting at the farther end of the café (your and Jake’s usual spot).

“Sung-” Jake’s excited shout died in his throat as you turned him around after an effective pinch to his arm.

“What the hell was that for?” he rubbed his arm in confusion, glancing back at the couple who were still in a world of their own.

“Let them have their privacy,” you shushed him, pushing him towards the chair and grabbing one that faced his own.

“Is it not because you can’t stand to see their mushy eyes and frivolous gestures of romance because you feel lonely and sick?” he plopped an elbow on the table, giving you an innocent smile that you returned momentarily before glaring at him.

“You are too invested in my love life Jake Sim,” you wagged a finger at him with a stern gaze, but a smile broke out on your face all the same.

“Just wanted the all clear,” he grinned, before standing up to place an order.

For some reason, your friendship with Jake was one of the few relationships that you never had to work on. It was easy for you to be able to laugh with him and listen to him talk passionately about things you previously had no knowledge about. He never demanded you give him company or spend time with him if you didn’t feel up to it, and sometimes, when you’d lay low for weeks and feel guilty for ghosting your friends, he’d drop you cheerful messages that you returned to whenever you felt upset. Jake’s presence had in a way filled the void that had been created by his friend’s absence.

“Hey, I forgot my wallet.” Jake returned to the table with a pout, and you resisted the urge to coo while somehow simultaneously managing to curse him out loud as you handed him your card.

Two things about Jake you were sure of : a) the boy was loaded, no seriously, he owned the costliest of clothes and shoes, and b) he was either the most careless person you knew or the biggest miser, and you weren’t sure what are worse.

As your thoughts began to drift again your eyes fell on Sunghoon and Reyna, and you were almost certain that you heard your heart let out a creak. Well, that or Jake dragged the chair to sit down in front of you.

“Isn’t it cute though (Name)?” Jake nudged your hand slightly, grinning at Sunghoon and Reyna. The former fiddling with his fingers, his cheeks red and eyes constantly sneaking glances at Reyna, who sweetly smiled at him.

“What?” You deadpanned, snatching up your coffee from the table.

“The way he acts around her” The boy in front of you scoffed, his eyes still twinkling. Jake suddenly seemed so annoying, you were sure it was a side effect of the stupid Elijah Sparks books he had been reading all weekend.

If there was one thing you had more than mint chocolate ice cream, it was romance books written by E. Sparks. You wouldn’t really detest him all that much if it wasn’t for his extremely exaggerated way of defining love and having the out of league guy fall for the bland girl.

“I, for one,” you emphasized pointing to yourself, “find it really cringe.”

“Cringy?” Jake looked at you with narrowed eyes, “At least use the correct word (Name).”

“Doesn’t matter,” you waved your hands around in the air in dismissing manner. “Point is,” you continued, taking your sweet time as you sipped on your coffee, “That’s weird. Seeing other people is weird. Letting one person have control over your life is weird. Emotions are weird. ”

The inner you was cringing intensely, but that’s fine (Name) you were just overcompensating to ensure you wouldn’t reveal your crush to Jake too.

“You used the word weird a lot,” Jake noted, completely ignoring everything else you said, “Aren’t you an English major?”

You mumbled an excuse incoherently, trying your best to look unsuspiciously at the boy sitting a little farther away from you, who was now laughing at something Reyna had just said. You weren’t surprised, Reyna was hilarious. You, on the other hand, had a broken sense of humor, laughing at the most inconvenient of times and over the stupidest of things but then again at least you had your own niche of people who understood your humor, all gathering in the comments under the ‘A slice of bread falling’ video that you had watched at least 19 times, on YouTube.

“So, you still don’t believe that love exists?” Jake asked with genuine curiousity.

You gave a half-hearted shrug, “Probably exists. Just don’t believe I’ll ever experience it.”

“And why not?” He played around with the metal straw in his hands (Jake was so totally a VSCO girl, it was a pity the term was no longer used)

“I’m not the main character.” You leaned back on the chair. Sunghoon was now smiling softly at her.

God, you hated cafés.

“Who do you think is?”

“I don’t know. You maybe? Reyna definitely.”

Jake stifled a laugh, “Any particular prerequisites for that, you think?”

“I don’t know man, can we just go?” You groaned, done with the conversation and the about-to-be-an-official-couple couple in front of you, completely pushing your ‘mission’ to the side. You could deal with the embarrassment of telling Jungwon and Yuna that your crush on Jake was unrequited but not with Park Sunghoon and Kim Reyna making heart eyes at each other in front of you.

“Okay how about we have a deal?” Jake sat up straight, his face serious (You think you should click a picture of it or something, but that’d ruin the moment)

“What deal?”

“Go out on three dates with someone. The same person each time obviously. If you end up not feeling anything, I’ll agree and if you don’t…”

This was your chance! You almost jumped up in your seat startling Jake.

“Okay,” you said quickly with a smile, only realizing later how suspicious that must have sounded.

Jake narrowed his eyes, “That was easy. What do you want in return?”

You placed your elbows on the table, fingers intertwined,” a) I choose who I go on the dates with, and b) you don’t ask any questions when you do me a favor.”

“What favor?” Jake’s brain was practically screaming at him to shut up but he never did listen.

“You’ve to pretend you rejected me a while ago.” you tried to keep your composure.

“No questions Jake. Also,” you smiled sweetly at him, making him groan,” You’re going with me on the three dates.”

“WHAT?”

People turned to stare at you, you kicked him lightly.

“Sorry. What?!”

Jake promptly choked on air.

Too busy trying to keep a straight face, none of you noticed your friends head out.

“You’re kidding.” Jake groaned, the tips of his ears turning red.

“Nah” you chuckled, sipping on the last bits of your coffee trying not to fawn over how cute he looked, the last thing you wanted was to boost Jake’s ego any more.

This was the second stupidest thing you’d done this week. The first of course was you running your mouth at Jungwon’s. Which is why the plan wouldn’t work but you had to try anyway. The spiderweb you spun around yourself was getting bigger and the only way out was to continue.

“You’re going out with….Jake?” Jungwon crossed his arms, narrowing his eyes at you as you tried to act unaffected, typing your draft as you nodded.

“Right after you said he rejected you?” Yuna chimed unhelpfully.

You didn’t understand why the girl was awake, it was 11 in the night and she didn’t seem sleepy at all. You had been hoping she’d be asleep.

“I knew it,” uttered the boy to your left.

Your shoulders drooped, he’d call you a pathological liar for sure now.

“I knew he probably too flustered the first time around!” he shook your shoulders violently.

Sidenote, Jungwon was probably where you got your violent tendencies from.

You weren’t sure whether to feel relieved or not, but your friends were scary for sure. A slight smile broke out on your face thinking about how right Jungwon was about Jake acting strangely when he was flustered, you had once had the prestigious opportunity of seeing him getting confessed to and Jake Sim was an adorable mess to say the least.

“Aww, you must like him a lot,” Yuna was perched on the end of your bed, “You’re smiling.”

“I, yeah, I like him a lot.” You replied with a wavering smile.

“That’s why you didn’t want to go on anymore blind dates!” he exclaimed happily

Too far.

“No, that’s cause you only have drug addicts and creeps on your list, Won.”

Before you could whine about Jungwon’s incompetency at playing Cupid, Yuna did it.

“Hey, at least I didn’t spill Sodium Hydroxide all over the table because the T.A. was too hot.”

“Excuse you? I am not the one who wears denim on denim you uncultured –“

“Um guys?” you interrupted hesitantly.

Considering the two were quarreling, they did trust your story and as reluctant as you were to bring back attention on your fake relationship, if there was going to be a massive realization of (Name) being a liar, you’d rather start here.

“Right, you and Jake.” Jungwon sat down on the bed, your eyes following every movement he made.

“We are happy for you of course (Name),” he beamed at you, opening his arms to envelope both you and Yuna into a hug (Yuna kind of snuggled in forcefully but it felt nice anyway)

“So…do the others know?” Yuna tilted her head to face you as you grimaced for what was to come.

“Not yet,” you admitted.

“Let’s have dinner at Choi’s.” she grinned, “you guys should tell the others too.”

“Only if you are okay with that,” Jungwon placed a comforting hand on your shoulder as Yuna nodded sheepishly.

You gave him a small smile, nodding softly.

“Yeah, let’s do that.”

Two down, six to go.

You could only hope all your friends were delusional idiots

You had exactly two hours before everyone headed to Choi’s and here you were, doused in flour wheezing as Jake Sim tried to make the perfect boomerang for his Instagram. This was your fault really for deciding to come over to his house where you supposed to set your stories straight so it was believable but he somehow persuaded you to help him bake a cake for your friends. It’s the first date, he had looked at you with an adorable smile. That should have been a red flag. Jake hates cooking, much less randomly making stuff for your friends to eat when you’re already heading to a restaurant but you trusted his stupid puppy dog eyes instead.

“Look here (Name),” he pointed the camera at you, beaming with happiness “Flip your hair but like real slow. One, two- (Name)!”

Here you were, two idiots doused in flour, laughing uncontrollably

No one should ever trust you with decisions, you swore as entered Choi Yeonjun’s restaurant. The place was filled with the usual chatter and comforting music, none of that helped you feel at ease though because the moment you entered you were greeted by the person you were desperately trying to get away from. At this point you weren’t sure if it was just your crush or your guilt making you do that. Whatever the reason your heart hammered in your chest as you took in the boy’s appearance. A casual white shirt and black sweatpants but he still looked like he’d stepped straight out of a loungewear magazine. You gave him a small smile, hoping he’d give you a curt greeting and head to the table, but he stayed there, eyes raking your body and then fixating on your smile as he made no attempt to return one and you felt yours droop as well.

This was getting awkward and frankly Sunghoon was tired of the silence, and completely exasperated by you.

“Why haven’t you answered any of my texts?” he asked after a short intake of breath.

Because I didn’t want to hear you talk about Reyna.

“I didn’t see your messages.” You gave a forced smile trying to move away and get to your friends’ table. You could see Heesung and Jay exchange looks and Jake getting up from his seat, but almost immediately Reyna tugged his arm, pulling him back to his seat.

Clicking your tongue in annoyance, you looked the boy in front of you with annoyance.

“Sunghoon can you please get out of my- ” your whine was cut short as he tightly grabbed your elbow, tugging you outside the restaurant.

“What the hell Sunghoon?” you exclaimed in frustration, pulling your arm away from his grip, “What’s wrong with you?”

He promptly dropped his hand to his side, face falling slightly as he saw your reddened arm.

“I am sorry.” He spoke genuinely, and you felt your anger ebb away as he gently inspected your hand.

You stared at him expectantly, already knowing what was going to come and hoping he wouldn’t say it.

“I just miss you,” he rubbed the back of your hand with his thumb, eyes almost watering.

You could taste metal on your tongue from how tight you were biting down on it.

“I don’t know what I did (Name),” his voice was a hoarse whisper now.

Your fingers clutched your dress tightly onto fists as you see a tear escape his eyes even as he turns his head to the side.

“You’ll…” the boy in front of you seemed to hesitate before he cleared his throat,” you’ll forgive me if I hurt you, won’t you? I am sorry, I am really-“

Hugging Sunghoon felt like comforting, even though you were both in tears and you could feel his shirt soak under your skin.

“You did nothing, I- I was just distracted. Sorry.” you mumble softly, nuzzling your face further in your friend’s arm, eyes averted to ground.

“It's okay, just text back every once in a while, okay? I wanted to tell you so many things,” you could feel Sunghoon smile into your skin as he heard you, “I do too.”

Your mind drifted towards Jake, the boy would be worried sick till you returned and you felt yourself letting out a smile thinking of his funny frown in spite of the previously almost morbid atmosphere.

“Is it about Jake?” you looked up at the boy, his lips quirked up in a teasing smile.

“You know?”

“You’ve been ditching me all this while to hang out with that bastard,” Sunghoon let out a chuckle, looping his arm around yours as he walked you towards the nearby park, “Of course I know.”

“Shouldn’t we go back to the otherst?” you looked at him questioningly, making no efforts to leave though.

“They can wait. Besides, I have something I want to tell you.”

None of you seemed to notice the retreating figure of Jake Sim.

“It’s my turn,” you tried pushing Sunghoon off the swing but he clung on adamantly.

You didn’t even care for the swing really. It just felt good being with him, you could almost feel the corners of your lips turning up watching him staring into the distance.

Sunsets were never your thing but Sunghoon always loved the hues of the sky around that time.

“What did you want to tell me?” your throat was choking up again, but you weren’t going to cry anymore.

You’d be a better friend. And you’d be happy for your friend.

“I really like Reyna,”

Yeah, no, fuck being a good friend.

“I..” you began but immediately stopped yourself.

You were not extraordinary at anything but being a good friend. You had your shortcomings but your friends came before anything else. You weren’t just going to hurt yourself by revealing your feelings, because you know Sunghoon like the back of your hand.

He’d give up on Reyna.

You’d break two hearts to save one.

So you nodded your head furiously, pushing his head to the front as he stared up at you in amusement, not trusting your voice till you could take in a deep breath at least.

“I know, you’re not subtle.” You chuckled.

“Really?” he looked back at you aghast, “Do you think she noticed?”

Hands fiddling with the rope of the swing you smiled softly.

“She’s not dumb Hoon.”

“Shit, what should I do?” he got up instantly.

“Tell her,” you could feel your cheeks dampen.

Thank goodness for the dark, really.

“I…what if she doesn’t?” Sunghoon seemed hesitant but you know he’d go anyway.

He gave you a small smile before patting your head softly, ”I should go, shouldn’t I?”

No, please don’t.

“Of course, dumbass.” your voice wavered slightly, but Sunghoon didn’t notice, even as he turned back a few steps out of the playground to wave at you, his back turned to you before you could return the favor.

It didn’t take very long for Sunghoon’s silhouette to disappear and suddenly, your feet were too heavy and your body too exhausted, you felt yourself crash to the ground, your hands clutched the grass tightly. Unmindful of the tears that flowed relentlessly.. The last thing you saw before you collapse were Jake Sim’s eyes staring into yours with concern.

All your friends were delusional idiots.

Except for he-who-must-not-be-named and Reyna, because they weren’t there for dinner with the rest of your group. The realization alone was enough to send a pang of hurt down your chest.

All it took was Jake kissing your cheek as he brought you back to the restaurant and your friends (save for Jungwon and Yuna who looked suspiciously smug) were convinced you were soulmates. They weren’t overtly dramatic either, other than the random gasps they’d let out each time you guys even looked at each other. Or maybe you judged too soon.

“I knew there was something going on!” Jay exclaimed when Jake held your hand in his, making Sunoo gag.

That little bastard.

“Move on, Jay.” Heesung hit Jongseong over his head, smile immediately after so he could ask the boy to pass the salt to him.

“What?” Jay distractedly passed the pepper to an annoyed Heesung instead, looking pointedly at Jungwon who seemed really immersed in his pepperoni pizza, “You guys said I was over thinking it.”

Jungwon didn’t even like pepperoni.

He pointed at you, nudging Heesung who was visibly frustrated by now, “She is the one who over thinks everything. You guys never trust me.”

This fucker.

You gave him a tight lipped smile, picking up your fork with murderous eyes not scaring him in the slightest as he smirked at your intertwined hands. Neither of you made any efforts to separate your hands though.

Not only did you have to play pretend with your freshly broken heart but you also had to watch your friends dissect said pretend relationship. It’s not like you had much of a choice though, it would be better to see a lovesick Sunghoon with fake boyfriend Jake than without him.

‘Hey, I believed you!’ Sunoo raised his hand halfway before picking up another slice of pizza “I even saw them making out in the auditorium,”

Jake’s clutch on your hand grew tighter as he choked on whatever he was eating as you glared at Sunoo. Maybe you shouldn’t feel bad about lying after all.

“I knew Jake was crushing hard dude.” Jay guffawed.

Jungwon gave Yuna condescending smile, subsequently being greeted by a kick to the shin by said girl.

Your smile wavered slightly as you saw Sunghoon and Reyna in the distance, hands intertwined, not noticing Jake’s reddened cheeks till you felt your hand being tugged upwards.

“Guys, me and (Name) should head home,” Jake stood up, looking down at you with a hesitant smile.

“Oh God, are you really going to start mak-”

“Shut up Sunoo,” the two of you muttered together, as you got up amidst the chatter of your friends, eyes meeting with Yeonjun who was dealing with a fussy customer, he gave you a small smile before turning his attention back to the man.

Your mind still hazy as Jake led you out and into his car, the ride was a silent one but your mind didn’t give you a minute of peace.

He handed you a glass of lemonade from the nearby stall, as you aimlessly swung around trying to come up with an excuse for when he’d ask you why he found you shaking and sobbing on a playground.

“Can I ask you something?” he twisted the swing towards him, as you shook your head softly.

“Alright,” he had replied complacently, “let’s talk when you want to.”

You weren’t sure if you had ever felt as empty as you did that night. You turned to the side to look at the boy beside you.

“What did you want to ask?”

“It’s fine, you don’t have to answer.” he looked at you for a second before returning his attention to the road ahead.

“You already know, don’t you?” you sighed, eyes on your lap burning looking at the boy next to you.

Jake nodded hesitantly, before veering the car towards the way home.

“I don’t want to go home,” you sat up frantically.

He slowed the car down to a stop before turning to face you.

“May I hug you?” he asked softly.

You nodded after a second of thought.

You were the kind of person who liked the idea of hugs more than hugs itself, you almost never felt the feeling of warmth envelop you like books said. Until that hug. You’ve hugged Jake before, cuddled even (He’s a very touchy person and always gets scared when you watch horror movies. It always ends up with his face buried in your hair). This hug was different though, he smelled like vanilla and you felt your burning as he rubbing soothing circles on your back. His arms around you made you feel like you were 12 again, safe from heartbreaks and growing up, drinking hot chocolate instead of coffee. Suddenly, it was too hard to keep it in. Your lashes getting heavy with the weight of tears that you were trying to hold back, throat hurting from the buried words you’d tried to choke down with smiles.

Dilemma c) The only boy you’d ever loved didn’t love you back and it hurt to admit that, so you sufficed with believing that you didn’t love. You couldn’t love.

“You know what,” you sniffled pulling Jake closer, not willing to leave his grasp just yet, “he once told me I wouldn’t end up dating anyone because he raised my standards too high. That dickhead.”

Jake couldn’t really hear a lot of what you were saying, your voice muffled by his shirt, but he knew you needed him right now, so even though he felt his breath hitch as your buried your face deeper in his neck, he stayed quiet, patting your hair softly.

“I have liked him for so long, ho- how can he just leave me and-” your voice broke into sobs again and Jake could feel his heart drop in his chest, silently cursing the boy in his mind.

Jake held nothing against Sunghoon really, except his obliviousness to your obvious feelings. He was surprised no one else had caught onto how you only ever shared your treasured pack of orange juice with him or completed his assignments with yours whenever he missed classes or despite obviously caring for Reyna, you completely avoided her whenever she was around Sunghoon.

“Even if, he doesn’t love me like that he should have- Are you crying?” your thumb swiped over his cheeks gently.

He hadn’t even realized that he was crying you mentioned it but sure enough he was sniffling a few minutes later, unsure of how appropriate it was to be crying to your crush’s sob story of her unrequited love.

“Sorry,” he rubbed his hands over his face roughly, feeling his heart lighten when he saw you smiling at him.

“Do you believe in love?” you asked him once he began driving again.

You felt lighter, like a weight had been lifted off your shoulder now that you had cried it out.

“Yeah,” he responded almost immediately.

“What’s it like?” you asked, chin buried in the crevice between your knees as you sat  on the passenger seat.

“Like coming home,” he gave you a soft smile, bringing the car to a stop in front of your apartment.

You didn’t want to be alone.

“Can you stay? Please?” you looked pleadingly at him and he gave in quickly to your surprise.

“Only if we are drinking.” he looped his arm around your shoulder.

You let out a laugh..

The next morning came like an epiphany (and a terrible hangover). Two realizations at hand a) You couldn’t go through with the fake dates. You told Jake as much, he looked up from where was what you assumed trying to make you pancakes, he didn’t look surprised at all. He simply nodded and gave you a reassuring smile, “It’s fine. I’ll tell the others we were messing around or something.”

You gave him a pained smile, unsure if the boy remembered the previous night well.

“You can just say we broke it off because we are better off as friends or something.” He suggested as you continued chucking clothes into your bag, not looking at the way his hands trembled.

He wanted to ask you if you were leaving, and if you were feeling better now, but he decided to stay quiet, he had ended up breaking his own heart while trying to fix yours.

He opted to leave after you ate the burnt pancakes together, only receiving a small smile in return when he asked if he’d see you in college on Monday.

b) You needed to leave for a little while, if only to get your thoughts straight. You had done something you shouldn’t have and now your brain was a mess.

You spent the next few minutes informing your employers that you needed to take a few days off, thankfully both were fine with it. Unfortunately you weren’t, it felt like you were running away, you tried to convince your mind uselessly but the damn thing just wouldn’t shut up till you were in your car on the way home, speakers blaring Gracie Abrams because you were too much of a coward to listen to Olivia Rodrigo. Your phone lay switched off amid your haphazardly packed clothes. You wouldn’t need it for a while.

Niki was grounded, and your phone was in your brother’s hand exactly 7 minutes after your random visit home. At least your mother was pleased to see you, although she constantly kept turning your wrists around, worrying that you hadn’t been eating well. Your dad wasn’t home and you were thankful that you didn’t have to see him because you know you’d burst into tears immediately if you did.

You didn’t like doing chores but Niki had grown more rebellious than you remembered and so it ended up being you and your mom alone in the kitchen, chopping vegetables and talking.

“He’s such a stubborn boy,” your mother complained with a smile.

You looked at her inquisitively.

“He and Yeonhee broke up,” She shook her head tiredly “He needs to understand that relationships need time and patience, but this stubborn boy.”

Your hands shivering, trying to ignore how your mother’s words had hit you like a brick.  Yeonhee was like a little sister to you, she was always over at your house, playing with Niki and pranking you when you least expected it.

“Why all of a sudden?”

“The boy won’t tell me a thing. Anyway, how have you been doing love?” your mother smiled at you before patting your cheek lovingly “Resting enough?”

“Yeah, I always rest when I should mum,” you replied inattentively, thoughts swimming in your head.

“I need to talk to Niki, mom,” you told her hurriedly placing a kiss on her cheek as you went upstairs.

“Niki!”

“The door’s opened. Come in.”

You threw yourself on the unsuspecting boy, hitting him on the head right as he relaxed into the hug.

“Ouch, what was that for?”

“How are you?”

“You.” he pushed you away by your shoulders, staring sternly at you “You heard about Yeon, didn’t you?”

“Yeah,” you pouted slightly burying your face in the pillow before facing him “Wanna talk about it? Are you okay?”

“I don’t know, mom keeps telling me I am wrong,” he scoffed, playing with the ends of his sleeves.

“You’ve known her since forever, kiddo. She’s just worried you didn’t think it through.” you tapped his knees to get him to listen.

“It’s just strange,” he whined poking your arm for no reason eliciting more prodding from you “I really care for her still but sometimes I think, I like the idea of her more. When we were friends it was so much different. It’s like I push everyone else away when I think of her, and that’s not healthy.”

Your breath hitched.

Your brother continued unaware of how guilty you felt, “It’s not like I can control my feelings you know. And I do care for her. A lot but I started doing everything the way she liked instead of what I wanted, I even fought with my friends because she wanted to spend all the time with me.”

His voice broke slightly at the end, making your heart hurt. You didn’t like seeing him this way.

“Hey, hey please don’t cry. You should just.. talk once instead of hiding away like this though, okay? I’m sure she’ll understand.”

Hypocrite, the voice in your head muttered.

You have no idea why but your inner monologue person is the meanest human you’ve ever interacted with. And it’s you! You love making yourself hurt, don’t you?

“You’re…you are doing the same thing, aren’t you?”

Niki’s voice trailed towards the end, eyes wandering towards your phone that you grabbed before he could.

“What?” you nudged him playfully “Don’t snoop around my messages, man.”

“Sorry” he muttered “Did you not tell anyone you were coming home though?”

“I- no, no I didn’t.” you corrected yourself with a sigh.

“You know it’s okay to prioritize yourself once in a while, right?”

“Yeah,” you whispered half-heartedly.

“How did you know?” you hesitantly asked your brother, who waited for you to clarify, “How did you know you just liked the idea of her and not her.”

“I-“ he cut himself off with contrite smile, “I felt the happiest around someone else.”

You looked at him with a stricken face.

“Oh, come on (Name) I am not a dick, I didn’t do anything.”

You let his previous words sink as you thought about your own situation. Was it possible that you only liked the idea of Sunghoon? It seemed that way sometimes, you’d forget all about the boy when you were with Jake, and kissing the latter had seemed so right even thought you were both way too buzzed o remember properly, just that you had melted in his arms and fallen asleep right after.

“(Name) you know I’m here for you, yeah?” He said seriously, you could only nod, wondering just how different your dynamics were as opposed to most other siblings as you walked out. Niki had always been selfless, never fighting and ready to give up his share of things if that’d make you happy.

Avoiding people and situations that made you uncomfortable had always been your way of dealing with them. Letting go of your years old friendship with Sunghoon just because you couldn’t deal with your feelings in a healthy manner and then fleeing for home when you heard Jake confess his love for you in your sleep. You wonder how many heartbreaks that humans cry over were created by them.

“Mom, I’ll go back tomorrow.”

“That soon?”

“I have…someone I need to talk to and,” your voice dipped “apologise to.”

You checked your phone on your way back, 18 missed calls from Sunghoon, 21 from Yuna, 16 from Jungwon and Jay, 14 from Heesung and Sunoo, messages from your friends flooding your phone. 1 message from Jake. Your finger hovered over his name, unsure of whether you should click it or not.  You go with the latter. You had to talk to someone first.

She looked gorgeous in the casual blue dress she’d worn. Then again, Reyna always looked stunning, she looked a little lost till she saw you waving at her. Her smile amplified as she hugged you tightly before landing a firm punch on your arm as you whined, unable to control the smile on your lips.

“You had us terrified, idiot.” she took the seat in front of yours, looking you up and down, making you laugh.

“Are you checking me out?” you asked with a smirk.

“Oh, you know it,” she returned easily.

God, you missed this. You were such an idiot.

“I am sorry.” You took in a deep breath.

“I know,” she placed her hand atop yours “It’s fine. You should take as long as you need.”

“Did you see the other guys?” you asked, hands crossed over your lap.

“Oh no. Hoon wanted to visit the park and we thought we’ll start rejoining the group dinners after a bit. You and Jake left early too, didn’t you?”

You fiddled with your fingers, “Yeah.”

“I… Can I ask you something?” you looked at her hesitantly.

“Of course” she smiled sweetly.

“Did, um, did Jake tell you why I took off randomly?”

You just couldn’t do it. You couldn’t tell your friend that you used to have a crush on your boyfriend, that would be a huge dick move, even by your standards (You’d be lying if you said telling on people during elementary and middle school wasn’t your favorite past time, you defended yourself by saying Honesty was a virtue but you were not going to follow Harishchandra’s example here even though you’d only just decided to come clean).

“Yeah, he said you guys had a quarrel and he said something that made you leave. Wouldn’t say what even though Hoon threatened him.” she grabbed the cup of coffee and doughnut that the waiter served, eating slowly before continuing “Did he say something really mean?”

You took in a deep breath.

“He said he loved me.”

Reyna stopped eating.

“Oh”

“Yeah,” you couldn’t stop the chuckle while looking at her confused face.

“Is that bad? Too soon?” she asked, leaning back in her seat.

“No, it’s just-“

“You don’t.” she finished for you.

“I am not sure.” You spoke softly, eyes fixated on the table.

You felt horrid. Is this how Sunghoon would feel had you confessed?

“I wish I did,” you spoke hurriedly before she could respond “I really do, but I, I liked someone else for a really long time and then I just realized that I maybe didn’t like him and I do like Jake but.”

You let out a groan, frustrated by the jumbled mess you were spewing.

“You know, (Name),” Reyna spoke slowly like she was talking to a child “If he really loves you, he’ll wait. He’ll wait till you are ready.”

“Jake please,” you pleaded trying to stop him from leaving the diner, aware of how shocked your friends looked but trying your best to ignore their stares.

It’d been a week since you returned, you hadn’t talked to anyone other than Reyna. Having cleared your head about everything you’d decided you’ll talk to everyone at the restaurant, apologize and ask Jake if you could talk once everyone left but he had stood up immediately as he saw you. You could hear yourself gasp at how gaunt he looked in just a week, his bright eyes looked anything but as you approached closer watching him blink at you like he’d seen a ghost, immediately the chatter of the rest of your friends dimmed as he got up and walked right past you, you grabbed his arm before he could leave.

“Please,” you had never felt this helpless.

He took his hand out of your grasp, “(Name) I really can’t talk right now, I am exhausted and.-“

“Jake, I really don’t know what to say here. Can we please not talk alone?”

“(Name) I-” his voice was cut off by Jay’s.

“(Name) you had us scared shitless, You should’ve at least replied to the messages.”

“I needed some time off guys,” you replied, eyes still stuck on Jake.

“It’s alright (Name),” Heesung assured you “Reyna told us you needed some time.”

You could see Sunghoon getting out of his chair from the corner of your eye, but for the first time in so long it didn’t matter, what he had to say could wait and the realization was accompanied by a slow burn in back of your throat.

Just how many times had you ignored or hurt Jake, too sidetracked by what you felt for Sunghoon?

Your other friends continued to talk but their voice fell on deaf ears, as you wistfully looked at Jake silently asking him for a chance.

“Okay,” he nodded at last “Let’s go.”

You didn’t know where to begin.

“We kissed.” he spoke after a moment of silence, eyes never wavering from the road he was driving on.

“We kissed and I ended up confessing, but you regretted the kiss and you didn’t like me back, so you just..left.” His voice had no emotion it, like he had been saying this line a countless number of times till the pain ebbed away and left a blank instead.

“That’s not it, I just-” you tried to collect your thoughts “I am sorry. I know I scared everyone but I felt so confused because I liked it. I liked kissing you and then when you said – I was just so unsure, I needed time to figure it out.”

“(Name) I know it was sudden and this was not how I planned on telling you, if at all and I get that you needed time but would it really hurt to at least…not leave me hanging?”

“I wasn’t thinking, Sunghoon and Reyna, and then you- you made feel like for the first time like there was…someone else I could’ve liked.”

At that, Jake’s eyes flickered to yours, still hesitant as if he couldn’t be sure if you were talking about him.

“I was just all over the place. I should’ve talked to you.” you continued regretfully, placing your head on the headrest “I hurt you, didn’t I?”

“Yes,” he replied without hesitation “but do you, do you mean what you just said?”

You nodded slowly, hands grasping your dress tightly, “I don’t think I like Hoon the way I thought I did. But I can’t be sure about my feelings, Jake, I don’t want to hurt you again.”

“(Name)” Jake’s voice was gentler this time, “What if I want to take that chance?”

You sat up straight in your seat.

“You do?”

“I will.”

You looked at him in surprise, eyes still teary as he pulled up in front of your house.

You stayed as you were for a while, before getting out of the car and turning towards the boy.

“I’ll see you soon?” you asked hesitantly as he gave a small smile and a nod.

“And hey (Name),” he called out after you, “Second date tomorrow.”

Your hands were shaking as you reached for your phone, pressing the floor number on the escalator, heart beating fast as you finally clicked the message you had been avoiding.

You asked me what love was. I didn’t know for sure then and I don’t know it for sure now but, I think it’s when the kitchen is a mess because we tried to bake a cake together but now there’s flour everywhere and our first instinct is to look at each other and laugh. Love is when I can’t fall sleep at night and look at the glow in the dark stars pasted lopsidedly on the roof and smile unconsciously remembering the shaky ladder and mumbled threats and breathy laughter. Love is when I sit still on my desk and randomly doodle your name on my books and laugh about it. Love is you holding my hand and stealing my hoodie and watching cringy rom-coms and eating half burnt pancakes because neither of us paid attention to the time but that's okay, because we are eating it together. Love is the fragrance of coffee in the air, when I get back home after a tiring day and crash onto the couch but you call to tell me about Professor Green’s horrible class policies and suddenly I’m not so tired anymore. Love is wrapping you in my arms and feeling like I'm finally home, even though I’m not sure I’ve ever been home before but that’s okay because in my dreams we always make it there, under the pouring in rain, the umbrella forgotten somewhere along the way, running and laughing and tripping over untied shoelaces, but we always make it home

 Your finger trembled as you clicked the next message from Jake

And by the way, you’ve always been the main character to me.

Goodnight (Name), I’ll see you tomorrow ❤

Thank you for reading, grab a cookie :)

#enhypen imagines #enhypen scenarios #enhypen headcanons #enhypen x reader #enhypenwriters #ficscafe #enhypennetwork #jake sim imagines #enhypen angst #enhypen fluff #enhypen #jake sim x reader #jake sim #park sunghoon #park sunghoon x you #lee heesung #jay park #yang jungwon #shin yuna #kim sunoo #enhypen reactions #enhypen x female reader #rae writes

[mandu-17]

In your eyes | Cho Miyeon x reader

Requested by: Anonymous

Request: Can you do an imagine with miyeon where reader and her are close friends and reader notices that miyeon keeps looking at her differently so reader helps miyeon by share their first kiss???? Sorry I couldn’t explain it properly!

Warnings: None

Genre: Fluff

Wordcount: ~ 1,011

A/N: happy new year everyone, here's a little something for you all!! i took a small break from tumblr since i've had quite a lot going on in my life. now i'm trying to slowly get back into writing, but i probably won't be able to post once a week like i used to. thank you to those who continue to stick around, you guys have a very special place in my heart 🤍

It was long past midnight when you walked into an almost empty company building. Thankfully some lights were still on which helped you find the right way quickly. The reason for the sudden arrival in such unusual for you place, was already impatiently waiting for you.

Miyeon beamed the second your head popped in the door. Leaving everything behind, she excitedly got up to greet you. With a smile of your own, you hugged her tightly, letting yourself remind how much you missed her. Unfortunately, despite being close friends, Miyeon and you couldn’t meet often. As an idol, her schedule was always tightly packed. Although, you’ve always admired her passion to stay in touch with you and text you every few hours.

“Please tell me you didn’t get matcha again.” Her sweet voice hit your ear, while addressing the bag of beverages you brought.

“No, I remember your favorite by now.” You chuckled in response, slowly unwrapping your arms from Miyeon’s small waist.

She guided you to the seats and glanced at you curiously in a way showing that she was waiting for her drink.

“Milk tea for the coolest idol ever and a green tea for well… me.”

Miyeon bursted laughing at your words, but happily accepted the cup filled with her favorite tea.

“You’re the coolest person ever, though.”

You rolled your eyes at her answer, trying to ignore the way your face suddenly felt hot or how she kept smiling at you.

The thing with Miyeon was that you knew her for some time now and technically you should have already gotten used to her beauty, yet still whenever you faced her, your breath hitched a little. Although, you were aware of it, you never felt the need to label your feelings for her.

Yes, she was gorgeous and yes, she was an amazing friend. The one who knows you inside out.

Everything with Miyeon came naturally. Like the two of you were destined to meet and bond. Which always made you feel calm about your relationship. Even if you liked her more than a friend, you had a hunch that she might have liked you as well.

Actually, it was all in her eyes.

You could read her like your favorite book, which she kind of was at this point.

“I’m so exhausted, Y/N.” Brown haired rested her head on your shoulder, closing her eyes with a sigh.

The clock on the wall said that about an hour passed since you appeared in the studio. The two of you never stopped talking, eagerly wanting to catch up with another’s life.

You wrapped an arm around Miyeon’s shoulders and rested your head on top of hers, wishing she could get some rest. Gently, your fingers traced the soft fabric of her shirt. Although, your actions remained calm, on the inside you were uneasy. You couldn’t get out of your mind the way she kept looking at you earlier. Now, you finally had a chance to analyze how often she’d glance at your lips or not miss any chance to initiate physical touch.

All of the sudden, it felt like too much.

You knew Miyeon liked you. You had her figured out by now.

“Let’s go for a walk.” You said after a moment of comfortable silence, almost ready to get up and leave right away.

“Huh? Why so suddenly?” Miyeon stared at you confused, while rubbing her eyes.

“The weather is nice.” You responded simply, picking up empty cups and putting a jacket on.

“Oh, really?” There was only a little bit of teasing in her voice. She was by your side next second helping you with the cleaning.

Like an obeyed puppy Miyeon would follow you everywhere, she couldn't say no to you.

“You’ll like it.” You promised with a small nod.

With a huff, an eye roll and half of a smile, Miyeon also put more clothes on, letting you take the lead. Considering how it was middle of the night, the streets were empty and everything around was even more beautiful. Actually, it always was with Miyeon by your side. Somehow she managed to shine the brightest making all neon lights blend in the background.

You watch with a smile how she takes a big breath of fresh air, her shoulders relaxing a little. Judging by the corners of her lips slightly tugged up, Miyeon needed this. A small getaway from complicated reality.

“The weather is nice, indeed.” She says quietly, keeping up with your steady pace.

“Told you.” With a coy grin, you look at her, replying in the same low tone.

Your eyes meet again and you gulp.

There was something in them that made you feel warm. At peace, even. She looked at you, as if you put the stars on the sky, high above you. It was overwhelming and amazing at the same time.

“Miyeon.” You said, feeling as in trance.

Nothing else seemed to matter to you in that moment. City lights framing her face took every inch of your attention. She tilted her head and both of you stopped walking, deep into a park nearby. One of her eyebrows lifted slightly in anticipation.

It was right there and then.

You closed the distance to meet her in a quick, but meaningful kiss. The feeling of your lips brushing against each other awakening all butterflies in your insides. Before you could even pull away, Miyeon was already smiling from ear to ear.

She was waiting for it the whole time. Waiting for you to make the first move. But something deep inside you knew that as well.

“You’ve been doing this all along, haven’t you?” Teasingly you grin at her, while gently pulling her closer by the neck.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about, Y/N.” One look into her eyes gave you all the answers in the world.

It was probably the hundredth time she said your name, although this time felt different. Way more special and intimate.

Almost as special as the bond between Miyeon and you.

#kpop #kpop x reader #kpop imagines #kpop girl groups #gidle #gidle x reader #girl group imagines #girl group scenarios #kpop scenarios #gidle imagines #cho miyeon #miyeon #miyeon gidle #gidle scenarios #gidle fluff #kpop fluff

[donutloverxo]

NO BUT LIKE CONCEPT: SMUT HC where mob!steve comes back from a rough night that leaves him very much outta it and ur the only one who can help him ... in more ways than one

Please note that my stories are not to be stolen or reposted on any other site. Reblogs are welcome. This blog and this story is 18+. Do not read, follow or interact if you are not 18+.

I'm making this a drabble cause I can't work with HCs. Thank you❤ Warmings -explicit sexual content, dom Steve, daddy kink, spanking, blood and wounds, bullets. Dividers by @whimsicalrogers

You put some distance between your poor ear and your phone upon hearing your friends loud screech, excited since she saw your Instagram post of your new engagement ring.

"It is so beautiful! And so unconventional and unique too!"

"Mm-hm," you hummed, applying a second coat of your fiery red nail paint, to make it more intense, you just knew it'd look amazing against Steve's pale skin, he absolutely loved it when you scratched him and were a bit rough with him.

You never gave him any pointers on what kind of engagement ring you'd like, only thing that was a bit too obvious - which you never actually needed to say - was that you loved shiny things. So he has gotten you a ring with a huge sapphire ruby and tiny sparkly diamonds adorning the band. It was everything you needed and more.

"Makes sense because our relationship is anything but conventional." Where he had never directly said that his job involved a few things that were kind of, sort of, illegal but you weren't an idiot, it didn't take you long to figure out.

You knew he was important and rich when he asked you out, not just because he wore fancy clothes, but the way he carried himself, tall and proud and an aura that dominated any room he was in, two bodyguards always around him, and when you both started getting serious he assigned Peter, who was sort of an intern or newbie from what you gathered, to always escort you places and take care of you.

Maybe it wasn't exactly the most rational thing to do - marrying someone who was as feared as he was respected - but all you knew was that he was a good man and you had faith in him, so you stayed away from that part of his life.

"You must be planning the wedding now," she beamed over the phone.

You scoffed, blowing on your fingers, "No, he's always at work these days. It's so annoying, if it doesn't change then I'm leaving and taking the ring with me."

You looked at it sparkling on your finger, it was too beautiful to part with. Besides it became yours as soon as he gave it to you.

"You're late, but there's nothing new about that," you puffed out your cheeks, hands crosses under your chest, as he loosened his tie and worked on taking off his shoes. He had been coming home past midnight for the last month, enough was enough!

"Doll," he groaned, looking at you and ready to tell you off and ask for some space, but then he saw you. In a satin babydoll that barely covered you, with lace trimmings that did nothing to hide your soft nipples, your toes and nails painted just the color he liked, and you were wearing those ridiculous fluffy slippers with bunny ears that he had grown to love.

His mouth opened and then shut like a damn goldfish, forgetting what he was about to tell you.

"Steven," you furrowed your brows.

He knew he was in trouble as soon as you called out his full name. "Yeah?"

"When are we going to discuss the wedding?"

"I'm sorry, doll, work has been hectic these days. But soon."

"Soon? Soon doesn't do it for me," jutting your hip and leaning against the door to your walk in closet, "I need an exact date."

"I can't give it to you right now, puppy," his jaw clenching as you rolled your eyes, "Watch yourself, sweetheart. I had a long day, you don't wanna get on my bad side today."

"You shouldn't have put a rock on it if you didn't intend on marrying me," rolling your eyes extra hard just to get on his nerves.

"I do want to marry you. But right now... you're sort of making me have second thoughts."

He regretted those words as soon as they left his mouth. Because you looked about ready to smack him.

"Fine then. I guess I'll leave and go live with my mother from now on. She would be happy for sure, she isn't too thrilled about our engage - " you stopped your rant as soon as you noticed crimson seeping through his crisp white undershirt as he took off his coat.

Your eyes as wide as saucers, your heart beating fast and hard in your chest and you could feel your eyes getting watery. You weren't handing out empty threats, you were definitely serious about leaving. Just to remind Steve of just how much he loves you.

It wouldn't be the first time. You had done it once before, when you went back to live at your apartment because he yelled at you for going out with your girlfriends without Peter. You didn't need a babysitter, especially not one who was several years younger than you. You had gathered up your things from Steve's penthouse and went home with a heavy heart. You loved him with all your heart, but there was no way you could make it work with someone who was that controlling and mean to you.

But he came to you, literally got on his knees to apologize and to beg for you to take him back. He even made you give up your apartment and got you a bigger house for you both to live in. Just so you couldn't take off ever again.

"Steve... your bleeding..." you said as you held back a sob. Any anger you had towards him was now gone.

"Oh, shit," he looked down to his side, "Must've ruptured the stitch or something..."

You walked over to him, holding onto his waist and looking up at him, trying not to look at his wound. You weren't that squimish around blood, it rarely ever bothered you, but this was your Stevie, and he was hurt. "What happened?"

"Its... It's nothing, doll. It was an accident."

"Yeah, I guess you slipped and fell on a bullet," you huffed.

"No, the bullet barely grazed me. And you know I don't like talking about those things with you."

"Why? I'm not stupid or weak, I have a right to know."

"Of course, not, puppy. You're my sweet, strong, smart girl," he cooed, bending a bit to peck your lips and then groaning. "Gotta, be careful with this," he said as your fingers worked on unbuttoning his shirt.

"If I'm so strong and smart then tell me what happened," you asked as you pushed his shirt off his shoulders. You didn't stop to marvel at his huge and perfect body like you always do, you looked at the fresh batch on stitches right over his hips.

"No, puppy. You're too good for that world, too good for me," he groaned as he sat down on the little pink couch he had put in the closet for you. Since you spent hours trying to pick outfits, he didn't want you standing too long and hurting your feet.

"Fine then don't tell me," you whimpered, rubbing your tears off with the back of your hand.

"Hey, it's okay. I'm okay. I'm right here, not going anywhere," he tried to pull you into his lap, usually he wouldn't even have to ask for you sit on it, but right now you were pulling away and refusing for some reason, "C'mere, doll," he almost whined. Not used to being told no by you anymore than you were by him.

"No, I don't wanna hurt you," you hiccuped, as your sobs started to calm down.

"You wouldn't. You could never hurt me. C'mere I wanna cuddle you and make you feel better," he tried to pull you into him again but you just shook your head.

"I should be the one making you better. Not the other way around. But I don't know how to..." you swayed from side to side, suddenly ashamed of your brash behavior from earlier. "I'm sorry, I was being such a brat earlier."

"It's okay, puppy. I forgive you. You were right, we need to fix a date and find a venue and get you a pretty dress. I wanna see you in one of those poffy gowns, like a princess."

"That's called a ballgown," you said proudly, having done your research now. You knew all about the styles of the gowns, sleeves, necklines, colors and everything. "And you're not going to be involved in dress shopping process. Grooms aren't supposed to see the dress before the wedding it's bad luck."

He hummed at that, a bit disappointed but he would eventually see it, and then take it off, so it wasn't a huge loss. "Yes, you're right. But, let's not forget, you were a bad girl."

You gasped incredulously, "Well, you were being a bad fiance!" Which earned you a swift smack to your backside, making you yelp and fall forward, holding onto his shoulders for support.

"I didn't mind you calling me out for that. I want you to be honest with me and tell me everything. But you threatened to leave me, again."

You pouted. Offended for being called out so blatantly. Yeah you always made empty threats, packed up your bags just for show, whenever you didn't get your way. Never considering his feelings when yours were hurt.

"Sorry," you mumbled.

"I forgive you. I know you didn't mean it. But I'll have to teach you your lesson. Just so you know better next time."

You nodded your head, which made him spank you once more, "Yes, daddy!"

"Good. How many do you think you deserve?"

"Um... Fifteen. Ten for threatening to leave, and five for giving you attitude."

"See, you're so smart. I'll punish you tomorrow though. I'm tired right now," he groaned as he sat back against the couch, squeezing your hips and admiring your figure, showing through the thin material of your nightie.

"Um, daddy?"

"Yes, angel?"

"Is there anyway I can make you feel better right now?"

"Yeah, you can give me a kiss. You didn't give me one this morning when I left, or when I came back."

"Okay, I'll kiss you. But I also wanted to do more..." you murmured, your face burned hot as you realised that Steve was going to make you say what you wanted to do.

"Like what?"

"Like, take your cock down my throat. Would that make you feel better? I'll try and be careful about your stitches." Truth be told you missed being intimate with him, you needed it as much as he did.

"It definitely would make me feel better. But I want to have you close to me," he stroked the inside of your thighs, hands dangerously close to your cunt, "Why don't you, come ride my cock. Just like I taught you, hm?"

"But - what if I hurt you..." you whined. But he wasn't having any of it, rolling your panties down your legs.

"You wouldn't, puppy, come on we'll be careful. Be quick."

You gave him a meek nod, unzipping him with shaky fingers, giving his glorious cock a couple of pumps before straddling his lap. You made sure to not put any pressure on his lap. Lining his cock up to your pussy with your hands wrapped around his neck, you slowly sanked down on him.

First giving him a nice and thorough kiss to make him for not kissing him goodbye or welcome home like you always do. "I feel so full," you say against his lips.

He hummed, squeezing your ass, "I was made for you, angel. As you were for me." He slid the straps of your nightie down your arms, exposing your breasts to him. He made sure to shower them with all his lips, sucking, kissing and biting and pulling with his mouth. You were making the sweetest of noises, trying to keep your moans in as he helped you bounce on his cock by holding onto your hips.

"You're doing so good. Being such a good girl for me. My sweet, best girl," he cooed, kissing your forehead, he knew how you were still vulnerable to be on top.

"Am I making you feel better, daddy?" you sniffled, his cock hiting you in all the right places, making it impossible for you to keep going and hold off your climax.

"I'm all better already, thanks to you, puppy."

#berry answers #steve rogers x reader #mob!steve rogers #steve x reader

[alluringjae]

until dawn - ljn

part I | part II

⤑ summary: basic number one rule of the museum is not to touch the art. but no one told jeno that falling for one of them isn’t allowed either.

⤑ pairing: jeno x female reader

⤑ word count: 14k

⤑ genre: fluff, humor, angst | broke architecture major!jeno, historical figure!reader, college!au

⤑ warnings: jaemin mentions onlyfans as a joke, references to actual historical figures (some try to flirt with jeno lol) and literature, explicit language

⤑ author’s note: wow, i’ve had this idea for almost two years! this one was inspired by one of my favorite childhood movies, night at the museum. it definitely required a lot of research and brainstorming, and finally i brought it to life! it was so fun to play around with the characters, and even if majority of them are real people, this is all still fiction.

i also wanna mention one of my moots, marge for enlightening me about her life as an architecture major.

⤑ taglist: @renjunniehome​ (dm me if you want to be added) 

⤑ leave me some feedback, constructive criticism or hellos!

Dormitory rent was another thing to worry about aside from the inflated university tuition per semester. Although he’s lucky to have his parents backing him up already on it, paying the monthly rent for his dorm was the remaining objective on Jeno’s list.

Plus, money for food. The man was a heavy eater, following the whole “gym is life” mantra.

Splitting it already with two of his dorm mates turned best friends, Renjun and Jaemin, his plate felt lighter. But the question still lies: where on earth was he going to get the money?

He’s practically checked out every available part-timing job in university and anywhere near campus. Barista at the same café Jaemin works at, teaching assistant for an art school for kids, convenience store cashier, library assistant, all taken in a heartbeat. The burden of his friends paying his debt these past months took a toll on him, almost to the point he almost considered making an Onlyfans.

“Yah, just find something else! Part-timers are in demand right now!” Renjun intensely closed his laptop before his older friend gets any suggestive thoughts.

“I mean, you didn’t work out your body to look the way it is for nothing.” Jaemin pitched otherwise, lifting the front back up. “When do you want to start filming? Loads of chicks would dig a piece of you!”

The contradicting opinions of his friends were like the devil and angel debating on his shoulders. Useless, he gave this worry a rest and returned to drawing new plates. A common thing when you’re an architecture major. Those deadlines were nearing. Looks like he’ll pull another all-nighter again.

Good thing most of his classes were late in the morning until 6 pm.

As if someone from above heard his petition, Jeno saw a help wanted sign posted on the bulletin board outside of the university museum. He initially went there to document some artwork and architecture models from Greek and Roman times, further analyzing how they’re still apparent in modern buildings.

The sign explained the need for one part-timer from any college to cover the night shift of the museum due to the current night guard’s full semester absence. He only had to come in 3x a week, choosing his days since he was still a student. Even the pay was above average, considering that most part-timers never go beyond midnight. Jeno would, on the other hand, always staying for his projects or gaming with the boys. Drinking sometimes during late-night Fridays with his entire college crew.

The pay would leave him a load of extra cash for himself, thus he sent an application to the museum office right before he left. A week later, while he was out with the boys, he got a text from the office that they wanted to meet him again for a final interview first thing on Monday.

Perhaps it was having architecture as his course and a healthy physique that landed him the part-timer position. Mainly, the latter because guards required strong endurance and fighting skills when worse comes to worst. It would start at 9 pm until 6 am the following day, and there was a designated uniform of it too. Blue blazer with matching trousers, white dress top, and loafers.

Aside from the typical museum etiquette the head director instructed him about, there was an unofficial list of tips written on paper given from the night guard on leave when the director handed you over his box of office-related things.

Only read at the night guard office once you’re the remaining staff left.

He did as he was told like an obedient son, flipping the succeeding page.

 To my temporary replacement,

This part-timing job is nothing regular than the other jobs. You’ll witness things as you’ve never imagined them to be, almost like witchcraft. You’ll be lost and maybe frightened, or that’s how I felt the first time because no one led me through it all those years ago. Lucky for you, I made this small guide on how to properly take care of the place that the other staff doesn’t know about.

Before you proceed, I request you take a 5-minute stroll around the lobby first to understand what I’m talking about. After such, go back to the office or somewhere quiet then browse through the guide as quickly as you could.

Art is timeless here, so they need to be taken care of.

Good luck!

 Park Sanghoon

Night Guard on Leave

 Nothing could’ve prepared Jeno for what’s to come once he unlocked the office door. They say that art brings so much color to our life, allowing us to feel all sorts of emotions in a glimpse. But no one ever interpreted art to be literally alive and walking in the halls.

Behold, random wax figures and marble sculptures that he’s seen in the past roamed the hallways, as well as the paintings were interacting with each other side by side. Even the standee of a puppy from the entrance played fetch with one of those sculptures. He swore he looked like Hermes the messenger god from his arrow headpiece and sandals.

It made more sense why the guard on leave explained his feelings during the first day because it resembled Jeno’s. But unlike that guard, Jeno sucked it up. No one ever does well on the first day, even if others say otherwise. The first day was a learning experience, so he collected his thoughts even though the goosebumps triggered his body during that one rotation.

There was an indoor garden, already locked by the day guard earlier. The only room without any art piece, where students lounge to study the plants or relax in nature.

The sculptures section ahead, showcasing various fictional figures specifically from Greek mythology, chattered away about family drama and beliefs. The sculptures of Hades and Zeus, according to their title plate, argued relentlessly about power while Athena always intervened by shouting or even throwing arrows or daggers to any of the lightbulbs there.

That was one rule in the guide, but Jeno didn’t know yet until he came inside the room and swerved the attention of the arguing duo.

“Well, what do we have here?” Zeus, in the center, straightened his posture on his throne to present himself in a more regal way. “Are you perhaps the temporary replacement of Sir Sanghoon?”

“Sir Sanghoon’s stand-in is rather good looking, don’t you think?” Hera mused, stepping down from her throne beside Zeus to take a closer look at the taller male. Her cold fingers trailed his jaw until his chest, where his heart was beating intensely. She even pinched his toned bicep, mouthing wow.

“Truly handsome you are, my dear. So full of life, please introduce yourself to us.”

While Jeno introduced himself to everyone in that room, he answered any sorts of questions they had for him too. From his age, educational background, hobbies, Aphrodite just had to ask him if he had a girlfriend because he was that handsome.

“Nope, I’m single. With my degree in architecture, the requirements are so heavy I can’t even try dating.”

Mentioning his degree excited the gods, telling him how their people created and designed all these temples to house them and perform rituals. They loved it so much. This was a copy-paste of what Jeno learned from his history classes, and for a first, he’s hearing the perspective of the Greek gods.

Mind-boggling that he hasn’t fully freaked out yet. That’s what Athena anticipated when Sanghoon told her about his short leave, putting her in charge of everyone for the meantime while the replacement settled down.

The college museum was built during the late 70s as a gift from one of the alumni. It was for the purpose to preserve history and educate college students outside the classroom. The Greek mythology exhibit was the oldest one, making Athena have more seniority. Over her stay, she’s seen every new guard lose their senses during the first night. Some not even returning for a second night. She got used to every outcome, and so far, only 8 people lasted after the first night. A couple of students in the 70s and 80s, Sanghoon in the 90s, and now Jeno was one of them.

“Jeno, aren’t you terrified by us? You just got a job in a museum that comes to life every night, and it’s not a normal thing.”

“Well, I’m still shaken up about it. But it’s my first night, and it’s when I learn everything about the place from head to toe. Plus, I really need the money.”

“Money for what? But you’re young, a student even!”

“Yes, I am. However, I do pay for the rent in my dorm. So, this job is like my first big responsibility, and I want to perform well.”

Athena commended his sense of authority, capable of leading himself. She noticed how well-spoken and poised he is, respecting and listening to everything the gods and goddesses said even if they were nonsense. She never liked to compromise with her power, taking a while to like Sanghoon back in the day. Though Jeno looked like a natural leader on his first night. If he could take care of himself well, he’s skilled to take care of the rest in the museum as well.

Plus she had full control on the nights he won’t be there, especially the weekend.

With his potential, Athena mentored him the entire night about the gist of the entire museum. Every upcoming leader needs an intelligent mentor, right? She was naturally gifted with worthy leadership skills, managing Jeno like her own child.

Athena explained how the museum came to life, which was through a royal golden plate from the Oriental room. It was a gift from a popular sorceress in China to an affluent family from the Han dynasty, who wished them a long life after she was saved from invaders due to them. The plate preserved over time, becoming an artifact. Its power remained immortal, mutating to bring life wherever it goes. In this case, the museum since its arrival in the late 70s as well.

“That’s why the Oriental room must be locked always so no one could touch or break the plate.”

After she ordered Jeno to lock the mentioned room, alongside the Foreign Art Exhibit Room which he checked out for his class, she led him to the best view of the entire museum. Center of the second floor, where stairs were on both sides. Jeno marveled at the vivacious atmosphere, witnessing actual art living, breathing, and enjoying themselves.

“Unreal, right?” She leaned in the railing, scanning through the chatty paintings.

Jeno also leaned down, deep in thought and wonder. “Absolutely, Athena. How come no one knows about this? Art coming to life? It’ll invite more students to the museum.”

“That goes against a golden rule as a night guard in this museum.” She replied bluntly. “The life that goes on inside this museum at night must remain a secret to the public.”

Jeno predicted this kind of response, having watched too many films where anything supernatural mustn’t be revealed. Although he liked the advantage of knowing something this powerful, he’d never abuse it.

Athena’s intellect was beyond the world, seamlessly reading Jeno’s expression and what he was thinking. He had good intentions even if he’s a bit mischievous. She needed to keep a keen eye on him, but for now, he needed to explore on his own.

“Anyways, Sanghoon still left out some other details. So if you have any questions, I’ll be at my exhibit trying to shut my father and my uncle up again.”

“Can you not use any weapons to do so?”

“Can’t make any promises, Jeno.” She slyly cracked her knuckles and neck as if she was fighting another battle.

Jeno was silently left with himself, finally browsing through Sanghoon’s guide while seated in one of the museum benches.

It consisted of 25 rules, wherein the first two rules consisted of locking up. One, for the doors and gates of the museum, so no art piece could escape. If they do, they will turn into dust when the sun is out according to Athena. Two, locking the Oriental and Foreign Art Rooms, which was already done.

Rule #5: Let Mochi the puppy from the lobby tag along with you; feed him treats if you have any.

On cue, the little guy barked from the corridor and raced to his side. Jeno carried him, babying him for a little and letting him lick his face a few times before putting him back down. He’s surely going to the pet store first thing in the morning with the museum allowance the director gave him.

Since he was on the second floor, he read and followed the rules that fit in before returning downstairs. On the other side of the floor were the wax figures exhibitions: one for prominent men in history while the other for prominent women. Well, more people to get acquainted with.

It’s the exchange of gasps and profanities he received when he chose the latter room. Seeing their faces, these were women he’s learned in school and online. Now in the (fake) flesh. Except for one girl he’s never heard of, unbothered in her corner sketching her life away in a sketchpad. But before he could check who she was, a suggestive touch on his arm distracted him.

“My, oh my, Hera wasn’t lying when she said that the new night guard was a fine specimen.” By her dark blue eyeshadow and eyeliner with the snake-like crown, Cleopatra studied him like he was one of the most renowned art pieces. Even patting his chest, abdomen, and arms with both her hand, Jeno caught a suggestive glint in her eyes and a smirk across her red lips.

Rule #13: Reject Cleopatra’s seductive advances at all costs.

“Goodness, Cleopatra. It’s only his first night, and you’re scaring him.” With her accent, round eyes, and a chic formal outfit, she carried a posh aura while unhesitatingly scolding the Queen of the Nile.

“Come on now, Diana. He’s stunning, who wouldn’t go after him?” If no one knew her, you’re not reading up on your world history. She’s said to have been a lovely and intelligent woman, gone so soon. Jeno definitely understood why after she detached Cleopatra’s raging hands off him.

Rule #14: Treat Princess Diana and Hera like your own parent.

“Your highness.” Jeno nodded at her out of respect, only making her chuckle uncontrollably.

“No need to address me like that, love. Now, come here.” She widened her arms for Jeno, hugging him amiably. He sensed her motherly warmth, accepting such a gesture. “You remind me so much of my youngest son, Harry. Welcome to the night shift of the museum, love.”

Similar to the Greek mythology exhibit, he introduced himself and responded to any questions that the women wax figures may have. Good for him, they weren’t crossing any borders and kept him at ease.

“A student like you working at night to pay rent?” Katherine Johnson, an African-American NASA mathematician whose calculations led to the success of a lot of famous spaceflights, cannot believe her ears. Students must only focus on school, nothing else. “What about your studies, boy?”

Rule #15: Engage in academic discussions with Katherine Johnson whenever you can.

“Most of my classes are in the afternoon, Miss Katherine. So I’ll sleep in the entire morning later and study during my breaks.”

“Mr. Jeno, what do you like to do outside of work?” Anne Frank, a German-Dutch teenager whose revolutionary diary that documented her life in hiding from the Nazis gained popularity worldwide after publication dreamily asked from her section of the exhibit. Her life was robbed of greatness merely because of her religion and war.

Rule #16: Bring delicious food or gifts to Anne Frank.

“Well, I like to bike with my friends, exercise, and draw whatever comes into mind!”

Everyone he’s met so far acquired pleasure in knowing about who he was and his passion for architecture, ridding the “freaking out” phase Athena assumed he had. Yet not everyone in this exhibit bothered to give him a shot.

Jeno’s attention from Anne talking about her crush towards Peter van Daan, a teenage boy who lived with her, switched to the section beside her, where an unacquainted figure was zealously sketching as if something was due to the following day. It reflected how he’d look when he’s cramming one of his plates due to first thing in the morning. While he properly excused himself, he quietly gazed at the way this woman scrunched her eyebrows when she erased something then drew it again. She was someone he’s never seen or heard before, reading the information plate in front of him about her.

 (Y/N) (Y/L/N), Explorer and Author. (1854-1900)

 Wealthy women in the Victorian Era only served one purpose in society: marry a man from a prestigious family, have his children and join whatever interests they have. However, for (Y/N), she wasn’t going to conform to those standards.

Born into the affluent house of (Y/L/N), she was the youngest of 8 children. She was said to be the kindest and sweetest sibling out of everyone, not capable of hurting anyone or anything. She said it herself that she can’t throw away a dying flower because it’s too painful. While 5 of her older brothers were sent to school, she stayed at home with her 2 older sisters Cecilia and Amelia where she learned how to play the piano and take voice lessons from impressive teachers. Due to the huge age gaps between them (12 and 8 respectively), she never felt close with them. She was only closest to the 6th and 7th siblings, her twin brothers Benjamin and Liam whom she only had a 2-year gap. She was also best friends with one of the scullery maids her age, Lily, because she found her amusing that than the boring rich girls her mother forced to interact with.

The moment it bothered her that she wanted to live a more meaningful life was when Amelia got married. She was 12 years old at the time, and it left her as the last unwed daughter in the family. Badly did she want to revolt, which she gradually did. Instead of practicing piano, she’d sneak in to read every book in her father’s office. She secretly studied the notes of her older brothers from school and even dressed as a boy numerously thanks to Benjamin and Liam to join their classes or field trips.

This was her routine up until the age of 18 when she stomped her foot down and expressed to her parents that she wasn’t going to let Victorian society dictate her. The night before her parents were bound to send her to her great aunt’s home down South to sort her out, she successfully snuck out her house thanks to Lily, Benjamin, and Liam. It’s another good thing that she saved a lot of money for that moment.

Off she went across Europe first, then sailed to America and even parts of Asia. Initially under the name Lilibe, coined from picking the first two letters of her brothers and best friend, she documented her days and nights through her journals and sketches. Over time, she sent them to her brothers for publication. It started the franchise, “The Adventures of the Young and Free Lilibe”. There are 10 books under it.

She learned French, Spanish, Mandarin, Japanese, and Korean by herself as she made friends from those places. It was rare of someone like her to be fluent in Oriental languages, surprising locals every time she spoke to them. She was the only explorer to vividly describe life in different Asian lands in English, talking about their history and culture. With her accurate drawings of diverse citizens and their daily lives, it educated a lot of those living back home in Europe about them rather than speaking lowly of them.

In Seoul did she stayed the longest until her death from pneumonia at the young age of 46.

In her posthumous work, Finding Me, did she reveal her real identity, dedicating it to her parents whom she apologized and expressed her love for them despite everything that occurred between them. She talked about the last years of her life in Seoul, how locals were so nice and inviting to her, and how she adopted kids instead of having her own through the years.

“It’s not because I never found love in men. It’s more like I found love in doing things I’m passionate about. Traveling, learning new cultures, it outweighed the human need of romance.”

Due to her thrill in taking risks and embarking on wondrous adventures, it brought inspiration to a lot of young girls pressured to marry at that time to pursue what they really want.

 A remarkable background you had, Jeno contemplated. How come no one discussed her in his classes?

You kept brushing the bangs of your hair back as it fell repeatedly. But you got irritated instantly because it sabotaged your drive, you brought out a hairpin from her desk and attached it on both sides. But when you shifted your angle of focus, the corner of your eye locked with Jeno’s attentive gaze.

He didn’t flinch, even he should’ve. He wasn’t one to linger his look on anyone’s physical appearances, but your story and the passion on your face as you sketched mesmerized him. He was charmed, to say the least.

“Uhm, hello there?” You broke the silence due to your uneasiness about it. What’s his deal?

Jeno bowed, reintroducing himself to you. As soon as his presence settled in the room when Cleopatra attempted to hit on him, you could’ve cared less. Though this man was a first for you, a first in a long time as all guards would feel intimidated by you during the first night. Even your sharp tongue didn’t faze him. “Staring is rude, sir. Didn’t your mother teach you manners?”

“She did,” He wandered through the exterior of your section, by the fence that separated you and him. Not breaking eye contact, his eyes turned into moon crescents as he smirked with trouble. “Though she also told me to appreciate the art too.”

Snorts noisily exhaled from Cleopatra, who took the center section of the exhibit, succeeded by Princess Diana’s whispered gasps and Katherine’s side-eyeing Anne beside her while she taught her math. That was an odd way a guard conversed with you, but Jeno was merely doing what the rules stated. Partly, he was impressed with his cheesy pick-up line, partly embarrassed because he’s never spoken like this to anyone.

Rule #17: Act playfully around (Y/N) (Y/L/N) to break the tension; she’s a harsh one.

There was irony between the information he read about your life versus the wax model. Even when you faced sexism and ran away according to your history, never were you impolite to anyone in your life. You couldn’t even kill a lurking fly when it roams around your food! It showed Jeno a possibility that as much as you’re just a wax version of someone famous in the past, maybe the external environment around you had a heavy influence too.

“You fool!” His confidence exasperated you, urging you to persistently throw balls of paper with your failed sketches at him. No one dared to talk to you like that, most especially a night guard. “Take that for your comment!”

If you thought he’d scram away and act repentant, you were proven wrong. His reflexes were parallel to a spider, capturing every single paper ball without fail. Up and down his body went, one arm held on to them and no more were left on your part. Never a single defeat during the first meeting in years, but that seemed to alter now.

“Give up already, Ms. (Y/L/N)?” Jeno remarked vibrantly as he discarded your mess in the trash bin behind him. If he managed to get everyone to like him tonight, he wanted to make sure to have you onboard too.

Whatever agenda he had, you weren’t up for it. You’d treat him the same way you usually treated Sanghoon for the past 20 something years: cold and ignorant. From your stool, you left your comfortable position to come face to face with this man. He better be grateful for that barrier in between you, or else you would’ve caused mayhem.

“Never in your wildest dreams, Mr. Lee.” Your mouth gave a half-smile, clenching on the bars to liberate your annoyance. Before you could fend back, that’s when Princess Diana intervened between your heated dialogue.

“Oh heavens, children!” She stood by the barrier, mostly to protect the newbie Jeno with her body. “(Y/N), he just wanted to know you. Must you be so cross?”

This Princess Diana embodied all the traits the real one had: soft-spoken, intelligent, and protective. She’s gotten so used to your gradual temper, staying on standby whenever anyone tried to mess with you. Even if it was harmless, you could get so mean!

“Diana, he was mocking me! Saying such a sleazy phrase as if to amuse me, ha! Not a chance, I hate people like that.”

“Not us women though; you just despise men in general.”

“And you’re absolutely right!” With a smug smile, you greedily rejoiced. “Anyways, escort this disgrace out. I’m not in the mood to get angry when I have a lot of inspiration on mind right now.”

While you resumed your sketching to let go of that extra steam, Jeno was left with Diana who apologized on your behalf. Your pride was too high to do that, and as the motherly figure among them, she always took care of things in your exhibit.

“I’m so sorry for that, Jeno. She’s not really like this, but I know how much you tried your best. It was quite a fresh spectacle honestly.”

Whatever was responsible for your abrasiveness, Jeno yearned to know. He couldn’t understand who you were yet even knowing your life story. All he wanted was to get along with everyone. It was the key to successfully maintain his job for the next 6 months.

“How can I make her come around then?”

A demanding question that no one had a solid answer to. Diana recalled how much Sanghoon didn’t let your dislike for him get to him, maintaining a respectful boundary in between each other after his past attempts. Though with Jeno, observing how he riled you up and your focus entirely on him, she hasn’t seen anything like it since the 80s.

There was something in Jeno that may just get you to warm up and return to your kind nature.

“Aside from acting playful, as Sanghoon recommended, I can think of two ways, love.” By the doors of her exhibit, where Jeno was already waltzing the corridor to visit other rooms, she suggested smartly. “One, argue back to her opinions. She hates whenever anyone tries to get her way, but boy, you’re just as wise as her. No one was brave enough to peeve on her until you came.”

“How about the second way?”

“Do your research, love. Aside from libraries, you have those small technology devices that allow you to search up anything.” She tousled Jeno’s brown locks as if it were her actual son’s. Some habits just don’t die when you do.

“Brush up on your history, Jeno. Not only will it help you with (Y/N), but it’ll serve purposefully with the other art pieces here.”

Boy, he was ready to crash in his bed for a few hours after all those interactions. His introverted nature required to be revitalized.

Towards the last hours of his shift, the art pieces who’ve strolled in the first floor lessened his plate by not leaving any major clutter behind. As if she listened to him, Athena didn’t break any lightbulbs too.

His main highlight would be meeting the men of the historical male section, who flaunted a more humorous ambiance. Freddie Mercury from Queen insisted he drink a glass of his wine and to bring more wine next time, which he denied since it would against Sanghoon’s rules. King Sejong the Great and Martin Luther King Jr. argued back and forth over the most random things (pineapple on pizza specifically), while Steve Jobs mediated whenever one crossed the line. Meanwhile, William Shakespeare was too preoccupied in his writing and speaking to himself about his books, wondering how to improve them.

During one of his breaks today, he multitasked drawing a new plate with his research on every art piece to know them better. He started with the exhibit of sculptures of the Greek gods and goddesses, which were Zeus, Hera, Hades, Athena, Hermes, Aphrodite, Poseidon, Artemis, Dionysus, and Circe. They weren’t the complete roster because the rest were in other museums across the globe, as said by Athena before sunrise. The majority of them he knew what they were in charge of, but the rest were foggy to his knowledge. Typing away and jotting notes down, he started downloading his favorite jazz songs too.

Rule # 4: Play jazz music to the paintings on the first floor so they can relax and dance within their frames.

Circe is a minor goddess, the daughter of the sun god Helios. She’s recognized for her versatility in incantations and herbs, capable of transforming people into animals. From Jeno’s perspective, she’s mostly within her space with her journals and magic wand, trying new spells or combinations of herbs. For the latter, he had to keep a closer eye on.

Rule #9: Don’t let Circe, god of potions, into the Oriental Room to get plants and herbs.

He discovered that Dionysus is the god of wine, happiness, and theatre. That’s why every god in the exhibit had full wine glasses during their gathering. It also added up why Freddie Mercury always comes to him when his bottles run empty, though he mustn’t go overboard.

Rule #18: Make sure Freddie Mercury doesn’t get too drunk from the wine of Dionysus; he might make numerous scenes if he does.

After his lone studying session, he took a short trip to the pet and convenience stores to buy food. He got a dumbfounded look from Jaemin back in the dorm room, who was studying for one of his quizzes in Biology in a couple of hours.

“Woah what’s with this stash? Is it for yourself or something?”

“The museum surprisingly has a lot of tasks needed to be done at night. And no, not from my wallet but the allowance they gave me before you get a heart attack.” Jeno plopped on his solo bed, covering his face with a pillow.

“Thank God.” A relaxed sigh escaped Jaemin’s lips, taking back his balled-up fists meant for his roommate. “I think I would’ve stormed that boring museum if they made your broke ass spend a cent.”

“Boring?” Jeno removed the cushion hastily, eyeing his busy and coffee-high roommate. The scent of black coffee from his mug spread in the room, assuming that this upcoming test was testing his roommate’s patience again.

Not even trying to look at Jeno while reviewing his handwritten notes, Jaemin continued giving his opinion. “Museum culture is dead, Jeno. Not everyone has the time to roam around one, plus people can always look up the artifacts online these days.”

People were entitled to their own opinions on numerous things, though Jeno begged to differ with his roommate’s. Especially after witnessing the magic of the night shift, you shouldn’t merely judge a book by its cover. In this case, you shouldn’t judge an artwork or art piece merely on its history and legacy.

Maybe because his roommate was in the science department, he thought this way. A lot of art students regularly visit the museum both for fun and for their classes, and Jeno was one of them. Though he was too sleepy to explain his side, he let it slide for now and snoozed throughout the late afternoon.

An hour before the start of his shift, Jeno promenaded the emptying museum to inspect anything else he might’ve missed out on from last night. There were two areas according to his rotation, both in the first floor.

One was the Diorama Room. Divided into 4 sections, highlighting some of the well-known ancient civilizations in world history. Ancient Egypt and Ancient China to your left, Ancient Rome and Ancient Maya to your right. They acted as if they were the actual people during those times, giving Jeno a laugh when they cracked jokes in between. Such tiny figures, yet the rule for them said otherwise.

Rule # 7: The small figurines in the Diorama Room are feisty, so make sure they don’t fight with one another again.

The remaining room left was the Theater Room. He’s never been here, though his art friends have for film festivals held by the university.

The interior of it was set to look like an actual cinema place you’d see in a mall. There was a mini lobby with a few posters of iconic films over the years. Singin’ in the Rain, Back to the Future, Titanic, those were some framed and hung on the wall. There were two other doors there: one leading to the chairs and the other where the movie projector was. The latter room was pretty riveting, wherein you can choose to watch old short films through an 88mm film projector or switch to a cd player for the newer releases.

Back to those posters, they weren’t an exception to the magic and a simple rule was left for Jeno to do.

Rule # 10: Chatter with the movie posters in the lobby of the Theater Room; they love meeting new faces.

Since there wasn’t anyone checking out the Art Rooms on the second floor, he closed them. Though as he was about to lock the Oriental Room, the ravishing plants around the royal plant appealed his interest. Said to hold magical properties from his research, Jeno was reminded of another rule to keep in mind for later.

Rule # 3: The fake flowers in the Oriental Room come to life too at night, so when no one is lurking, water it diligently.

Instead of lounging at Sanghoon’s office first, he brought his important items to the front desk of the lobby and continued sketching his plate. He wanted to watch the art come back alive with his two eyes. Usually, he’d have coffee when he does his work, but due to another crucial rule in the guide, he’d rather not take the risk.

Rule # 6: The lobby room can get rowdy, so keep any drinks away from important items.

On the dot, the cries and yawns from the art pieces around him reverberated. Closing his sketchpad, his night guard mode was on. Connecting his laptop on the aux cord of the museum speakers, he tapped play on his playlist of jazz music that’ll last for the entire shift duration. As the first notes flooded the entire vicinity, sounds of joy left the lips of each painting. Some were humming, dancing, and even singing along.

“You can never go wrong with Frank Sinatra!”

“This Jeno lad really did the heavens’ work quick!”

Having the sense of accomplishment on his sleeve, the small barks of his fluffy pal reached closer to him. As he kneeled to find him, he was only taken by surprise as Mochi excitedly jumped on him. Tumbling over, Jeno chuckled innocently as Mochi licked his face numerously. This puppy was friendly, easily liking everyone at first sight. He wasn’t as choosy like Daegal, the puppy of his friend Chenle studying Business Management.

Once he composed himself and cradling the dog like his own, he fed him a dog treat from the desk.

“Good boy, Mochi!” He rubbed his fur while the puppy happily munched on it, ready to fulfill more of his duties.

He skipped the Greek mythology exhibit since Athena was doing a good job not letting anyone go overboard with their powers, though he’ll check in again in a few hours. He met the posters of the theater room, who were celebrities he grew up watching on tv. Sanghoon was right; they were the kinder group in the entire museum because they were more laidback.

On to the second floor, all the female wax figures lounged by the male section due to another lecture from Shakespeare. Although the guide informed him that most of the time it could get boring, this lecture was more stimulating. On his platform, he elaborated with conviction the lines of one of his famous books, Romeo and Juliet. A must-read book back in his high school days, there’s no way Jeno could’ve missed that out.

From the looks of it, Jeno perceived that Shakespeare was performing spoken word poetry due to him reading only Romeo’s lines while Cleopatra read Juliet’s beside him. This kind of show was one of the sources of entertainment to these figures, so Jeno leaned by the side of the door to listen. After all, the famous author of it was a few feet away. Cleopatra channeled such a naïve character to her ability, absentmindedly saying as she clutched her chest.

“O Romeo, Romeo! wherefore art thou Romeo? Deny thy father and refuse thy name; Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love, And I'll no longer be a Capulet.”

“Shall I hear more, or shall I speak at this?”

“'Tis but thy name that is my enemy; Thou art thyself, though not a Montague. What's Montague? it is nor hand, nor foot, nor arm, nor face, nor any other part belonging to a man. O, be some other name! What's in a name? That which we call a rose-”

The flow of an engaged Cleopatra was abrupted by the loud yell from Shakespeare in front, specifically to an amused Jeno. “Jeno, my boy! Welcome back!”

Such an announcement diverted everyone’s attention to the back, some running to Jeno to give their respective greetings. It’s rare for everyone to feel at ease with a new guard, taking them weeks to approach them due to the intimidation. Though Jeno’s bright presence felt welcoming, so they accepted it. Perhaps it’s because of his youth, it reminded them of theirs too.

Shakespeare highly requested (or forced) Jeno to take his part as Romeo, intrigued to watch someone younger read his lines. Since most of the male wax figures were aged, it never satisfied Shakespeare so he jumped on this opportunity as quickly as he could. With the roaring cheers from the other figures, Jeno might as well give it a try. It wasn’t like his friends were here to clown him like they usually would if he did something humiliating.

Jeno shockingly liked this activity as he wasn’t much of a performer on stage, but someone who does the behind-the-scenes of it. He realized as he read the lines from the book Shakespeare asked him to follow along with why people held university-wide spoken word shows a few times per semester. He was no actor, but it’s delightful to have tried it at least once in his life.

“O, wilt thou leave me so unsatisfied?” As if the edge of the platform was the balcony of Juliet (or Cleopatra rather), he knelt as he ardently spoke his lines. He’s emphasizing this rush of uncontrollable desire for her, rambling whatever he would do to get the girl.

“What satisfaction canst thou have tonight?” Cleopatra questioned from her chair, inching closer to the young boy. Even outside character will she attempt to charm Jeno, but Jeno was quick to catch it and kept his distance.

“The exchange of thy love's faithful vow for mine.”

“I gave thee mine before thou didst request it, and yet I would it were to give again.”

“Wouldst thou withdraw it? For what purpose, love?”

“But to be frank, and give it thee again. And yet I wish but for the thing I have. My bounty is as boundless as the sea, my love as deep. The more I give to thee, the more I have, for both are infinite.”

Everyone was condensed by their top-notch acting, as if this was the actual play unfolding before them. Jeno wasn’t so sure how he got himself in character without preparation, yet he felt what his character felt. He comprehended the material a lot better now than when he was still in high school.

However, there was always that one killjoy to ruin the heartfelt mood.

“How dumb is it to say that you’re in love after the first glance?” You opposed, putting the spotlight on you. This book was said to be a classic in literature, but as you matured physically and mentally, you could no longer agree with it. “Isn’t love the same thing that killed Romeo and Juliet in the end?”

Remembering what Princess Diana told him, he wasn’t going to let this pass. He wanted to give a piece of his mind too, caring less if the show must be paused. “Love is an emotion we don’t ask to feel. It’ll come to us when we least expect it, even when the timing of it can be crucial.”

“Of all the people Juliet could’ve gone for, it just had to be the enemy.” In all the years you’ve been brought to life, no one dared to test your opinions because they were aware of your intelligence, from the streets to the books. When someone bark, you’d bite back. Hard. “With all due respect, I love your works, Shakespeare. Yet the fate you’ve given these two at a young age was grave, could’ve you given them a better outcome or another character to love instead?”

“Giving them extra characters to love won’t address the horrific life fact that love can be dangerous. Regardless of what status you’re in, you can’t stop the attraction towards someone. The heart wants what it wants.” Jeno pressed his hand to his chest, pumping it a bit. Unknown to you and him, the audience found more entertainment in your argument. Anne, who was munching on the popcorn Jeno gave her earlier, passed the snack to Katherine who just couldn’t stop watching.

If this man wanted a challenge, you’re all ears. Who was he to compete with you? Was he not intelligent to know who you are?

“So are you insinuating that we just go with the flow? Be a slave to our emotions too and let them dictate our next motives?”

“Slave is such a strong word to use, (Y/N). But it’s not like we can’t choose who want to love because we actually can. In this case, Romeo chose Juliet and vice versa.”

“But what happens if the person you choose doesn’t choose you in return?”

“At least you tried your best, right? It’ll hurt like hell though, but it won’t last forever.” From his kneeling position, Jeno strutted his way with confidence. Trying not to let it mess with you, your extreme stare at him as if they’ll shoot lasers. Inches away from you, Jeno declared. “Love always has risks, that’s a given. Romeo and Juliet still tried and followed their hearts despite the downfall. But it was a needed downfall to get the message across.”

“No one would be that foolish to risk their lives for love though, right? Life is so precious, why would they do such a thing?”

“Even if they knew what their lives were without each other, they still preferred living a life where they were both in the picture. Therefore, they tried all they could that time because the regret of not doing anything at all carries a heavier burden.”

Whenever anyone argued with you, their debating points they spat back would further piss you off because most of the time, it never made sense. Back when this rude man told you to go home and be a wife in your earlier years of exploring, you civilly told him to fuck off, kicking his balls because he cornered you in an alley. For the first time, a man who tried to challenge you actually made sense. Was it because he lived in a modern time, where minds were more open? Because of the amount of sexism you faced in the past, you’ve turned a blind eye to the current period.

But your high pride maintained, not submitting into anything he said. “I still think it’s stupid to risk your life for love. There’s no such thing as having only one true love anyways, and you have to be alive to see it.”

“Fair point, but again, the feeling of regret and carrying it your entire life doesn’t fade easily. It’ll make you reflect on the what-ifs, and it’s heart-wrenching.” Jeno digressed, walking around you in circles. He’s intentionally trying to drive you mad, but he could care less. He wanted someone to put you in your place and open your mindset. “The question stands: would you rather try and go for it even knowing its risks or regret not even trying for the rest of your existence? Quite ironic for me to ask you that, don’t you think?”

Past the information board, Jeno researched more of your life history online. Your whole life was grounded on risks, from breaking the standards of your society, leaving your family and home country, to fending yourself from disrespectful men. Rather than living the original life expected from you, you chose not to because it didn’t make you happy. Such a risktaker he knew you are, but with the topic of love, he wondered why you were on a fence with it. Though some records stated you’ve had rendezvouses with a few men in your journeys, love was never in the equation. The single life was what you chose and you were more than satisfied, plus your adopted kids filled that supposed void anyways.

This man may have studied your history, but so much he still doesn’t know. Information that never made the books because you chose not to write or tell anyone about it. Aside from the discomfort growing in your chest, everyone else felt the awkward tension when you were lost for words.

Never been defeated in an argument, until tonight. Your mind lost its drive and willpower.

“Touché, Lee Jeno.” Indeed, his name you’re acquainted with. Numerously passed around in your exhibit, mostly from the lips of Cleopatra, who’d fantasize all the graphic things she would do to him. Too much information, least of your interest. “Please excuse me. I’d like to work on my sketches to ease my mind.”

As you quietly exited the room, an all too familiar sculpture leaned against the railings overseeing one side of the museum. Just like you, she hated accepting defeat or compromises. She always rooted for you to win. With a faint chuckle, “Facing a loss for the first time, I see.”

“Don’t even lecture me about it, Athena. I’m still fired up, and I need to relax.”

“Jeno is a different breed, isn’t he?” She stuck to your side, strolling wherever your feet led you.

“Different as in he’s a man? Yes. What else is there to it?”

“Men these days aren’t as trashy as those back in the day though. Shouldn’t you give him a chance?”

“Last time I did, it destroyed my heart. I’m not allowing myself to let men in even as a friend, Athena.”

She knew exactly what you were referring to, not touching on it further. No way will you let heartbreak or disappointment from men bother you. Even Sanghoon’s sweet company took a while to tolerate. You really needed to sketch this out on your pad right now, excusing yourself from Athena’s presence. Isolation wasn’t new to you; it’s what’s protecting your entire being. Immortal as you are, you had to recover from the past pain so the next decades won’t feel as brash.

You hoped to return to your old self when you were a fresh new figure in the 70s. So naïve, only proud of your accomplishments, and purely happy.

While Jeno continued to finish his scene in respect to Shakespeare, he received a standing ovation for his mini-show. Cleopatra didn’t expect such talent from him, growing fonder of the younger male. Whether she seduces him or not, he was never afraid to try new things and she liked that about him.

“Bravo, love!” Princess Diana praised, clapping at him.

Although Jeno appreciated all this positive attention, his thoughts bounced back to your and your stance on love. The debate earlier was just out of being playful, interested to hear your opinions. Though, he’s worried that he might’ve offended you. It may have been time to finally witness something like that, but then again, he was sure he touched something personal to you. No matter how you tried to fight it off, your eyes can’t lie. Staring down at him, there was pain beneath it. Your eyebrows scrunched to the center, thinking deeply yet remained utterly speechless.

A win he didn’t feel good about.

“It’s time she encountered something new in the years she’s been here. Give her some space tonight, then try again to reach out to her. Kindly this time; I’m not in the mood for another brawl that could end up like the Greek gods’ past fights downstairs.”

These clever words shared by Katherine loitered his mind for the rest of the night, eventually going back to finishing his current plate since everyone was behaving well. As great it is to get the approval of the majority, he tried brainstorming ways to make you like him too.

He understood the whole “men are trash” concept in today’s modern society, but if he could prove it wrong to at least one person, it would be you. Whatever is holding you back, he only hoped that you’d let it go. Questionably unsure as to why he was so persevering, he concluded that it was so he could perform his job better as the night guard. Set higher standards than Sanghoon even.

Nothing more, nothing less.

Weeks passed, and his attempts continued to be unsuccessful.

The capability for you to ignore his efforts remained strong, whether he was pestering you over small things or debating with you again about anything. Life, books, morals, the two of you always head butt each other. Anything good he did, you searched for a flaw in it. Whatever acts he’s tried and continued trying, not one flinch from you ever.

Even if that’s his state with you, his job no longer felt stressful nor strenuous. He’d try to sleep more on days he was off-duty. Although the fatigue of staying beyond his usual sleeping time was inevitable, he compromised to take a nap lasting an hour or two when the art pieces weren’t acting frisky.

Plus, there have been multiple times they adapted to any alterations so his physical well-being wouldn’t fall sick. Per order of Princess Diana and Hera, who by instinct became his motherly figures here, only wanting what’s best for the kids.

He became accustomed to everything that went on at night, discovering things on his own without Sanghoon’s guide. Anne talked about how much she missed biking in her neighborhood, so one night, Jeno snuck his bike inside and let her use it around the first floor. With proper monitoring so none of the paintings would be unbothered or pieces wouldn’t tumble.

Hermes the messenger god was fluent in every language possible, so every so often, Jeno would freely speak to him in Korean because sometimes he felt he could explode by the amount of English he used every night. Bilingual things, you know. He knew you were multilingual too, but for obvious reasons, he couldn’t converse with you.

Because Jeno was heavily favored, that should’ve been enough to push through his night shifts before the end of the semester. In addition to that, the hourly rate was above the average of whatever Jaemin or Renjun was earning. For the past 2 months, Jeno paid upfront first, even paying back all his debts. It almost made Renjun want to switch jobs with him.

“Trust me, Renjun. You don’t want it, being the lowkey scaredy cat you are.”

Work no longer felt like work, and that’s what everyone aspired to feel. Nevertheless, he tended to worry over you mid-shift, glancing at you from his side view. Sketching, reading, and writing were your default actions. No matter how many times he said to himself not to let your dislike for him affect him, it’d always backfire.

Why were you so cold?

What made you lose your fire from all the research he did about your lively personality?

When morning arrived and he gathered his stuff, you’d be the last thing he’ll check on. Frozen in your standing pose, smiling as you held a book and a pencil, he detected how fake it was. Bystanders would only assume your happiness was from your achievements, though Jeno’s gut firmly pried that something grand overpowered that happiness. And definitely, not in a good way.

Out of all the art pieces, he investigated on you the most. Skimming through every material in the library, endless searching on the net, even asking professors from the History department thanks to Renjun, he did whatever he could. People may already think he was obsessed with who you are, but only little did they know.

Another plate was done and submitted, and he promised himself to look you up one last time before surrendering. For someone who’s rarely given up on a challenge, this one was really out of his control. Maybe he should follow Sanghoon’s footsteps now.

You lived centuries before him, and there’s limited material of you left. Rather than learning of your adventures again, he dug through what things you liked over your life. Maybe by giving one of them, it’ll lessen the tension from a 100 to 99. Maybe you preferred gifts over words, he’ll never know until he tried.

Boom.

According to one of your journal entries, there’s a fond liking you’ve acquired for lavender roses from Benjamin and Liam when they visited you in Paris in secret because of how much you missed them. It went both ways, praying your family ties could be recovered.

It’s a good thing he needed to refill his stock of items for the art pieces so he could pass by the flower store a few blocks away from his dorm. That night, without further words, he graciously offered you a fresh lavender rose in between your new sketching session.

“I may not know exactly why you’re spiritless around me, but with this rose, I hope we could work something out.”

Your frigid face of disdain, keeping your chin high and squinting your eyes with judgment, began to crumble down.  Of all things as a peace offering, he gave you that? Then again, it’s not like he knew that an item you liked so much became something you’ve grown to hate and why so. No history books could teach him that.

Vulnerability was a normal thing, yet feared by many. Once one uncovered your weak spot, they could harm you. You still couldn’t trust Jeno fully, not willing to show your helplessness nor were you ever going to tell him. Hidden from his knowledge, everyone else including Sanghoon were familiarized as to why this kind of flower tormented you.

You sprinted like thunder out the exhibit room to wherever it’s private to control your senses. You may not have a physical heart, but your emotions were just as actual as a human’s. You needed to regulate your panting breath. In the past decades, you’ve not shed a singular tear but the cycle broke when they streamed out your miserable eyes like a flowing river. Quiet sobs, an empty corner near the fire exit was where your wobbly legs faltered, the painful memories of the past replayed in your head. Once beautiful, but now an agonizing reminder of what could’ve been.

Katherine, Cleopatra, and Anne were swift on their feet to hunt you down, anxious of what you may do next. Seeing or the mention of these flowers still affected you despairingly. Sanghoon must’ve forgotten to write them down, or perhaps he didn’t know either about this fact during all the years he’s worked there.

It’s one of the biggest secrets of his museum. By the clueless face Jeno had with his eyebrows raised, mouth, and small eyes slightly open, he repeatedly asked what he did wrong and adding that he never meant to harm you. Indeed, they knew that yet what occurred involved a secret in the list of museum secrets. Confidential only between art pieces according to Athena, none of the male wax figures spoke a word, only pitying the boy.

“I wasn’t here yet that time, but they said that it was once beautiful, but now it’s a rough period.” With hesitation, Princess Diana chose to reveal it to rid Jeno’s misery. She didn’t mind having to argue about it with Athena later on, as this may further affect the two of you later on.

“A long time ago in the early ‘80s, there was a night guard around your age named Junmyeon. Also, a college student, trying to make ends meet. He did it for 3 years until he graduated. Though within his stay, not only was he such a delight to everyone, he broke a golden rule in the guide. I believe you do know the guide much more now, Jeno?”

“Yes, I do, Princess Diana. Memorized it even, but which one specifically?” Jeno’s desperate eyes pleaded, only hoping for the best and to fix what he messed up.

“You can form friendships with the art pieces, but nothing more.” Princess Diana replied bitterly. “Junmyeon was an aspiring painter, a different path from his business-oriented family. He was seen as the black sheep. She resonated with him, sharing the burden and lifting it by doing whatever fun they could in the museum. In time, they both fell in love with each other; they were each other’s first loves.”

“Why must something beautiful like love be broken? It’s not like you can control it. That golden rule makes no sense.”

“It does, unfortunately. Wax figures like me cannot age, while humans like you can. None of them could accept the reality, always pushing it away. Until Junmyeon’s last week in university, he broke it off with her unexpectedly. From there, (Y/N) was heartbroken for decades. With heartbreak, giving the cold shoulder and bitterness followed. Then with the lavender rose you gave that she used to love became a flower that she associated with Junmyeon too because he gave her one almost every night for those past 3 years.”

Things finally added up, and the guilt in Jeno’s gut expanded. His major lightbulb moment was a major failure.

“Has Junmyeon ever returned to try and win her back?”

“Well, there was one time he did come back for an art exhibition for his paintings in the 2000s. I was already here, then he had a woman around his shoulder with an adolescent boy holding his hand. He roamed around our exhibit and kept gawking at (Y/N). We may be asleep, but we remember the conversations exchanged in the room. So, his son then asked him if he knew who she was.”

“What did he respond?” Jeno attentively listened, on the edge of such a hurtful tale.

“He knew her name, praising her for historical achievements. However, nothing as a former friend or lover. From what I predict, he ingested one of Circe’s potions.”

“But I thought Circe isn’t allowed to make potions for actual consumption. She’s not even allowed to enter the Oriental Art Room.” Jeno pointed out, overwhelmed at the puzzling past. Princess Diana was mindful that she had to stop spreading too much information, so she had to end her discussion with the lost boy.

“There are a lot of secrets about this museum, Jeno. Unfortunately, I cannot reveal to you to protect our peace.”

With due respect, Jeno quit his follow-up questions and concerns. The only thing he wished to do was mend his relationship with you. As vague as to where you even stood in the first place, he unintentionally crossed a line due to his selfish intention to befriend you.

“What can I do now, Princess Diana? You know I’d never push her buttons like that, even if I’m a whimsical person.”

“Oh, my boy.” Princess Diana soothed, holding both her hand on his sweaty palm and cupping his cheek. “For the meantime, give her space. No taunting for a while, and just observe her from a distance. Though do not fret the slightest; I’m sure she’ll be okay again.”

During that interval, you were hunched on the wall, bawling and weeping like the wound was brand new again. While Katherine and Anne stood by your side, on the lookout for anyone who’d be spying on you, Cleopatra knelt in front of you as your infinite tears gushed down.

“My dear,” She tried to wipe some of them while holding your hand. “It’s been years, and Jeno didn’t know a single thing. He didn’t mean to do it.”

“I don’t care, Cleopatra! He should’ve stopped trying to socialize with me because I won’t ever live down my experience with Junmyeon.”

“As if crying like this will bring Junmyeon back to your life,” Cleopatra exclaimed, holding in her temper. Acquainted with heartbreak, it’s awful that it changed you entirely, but you should’ve found a way to heal. Throughout your attitude change, it’s mostly you in pain, not those you inflict it to. “My dear, I love you a lot. But this Jeno boy is different, and you know it.”

“He’s still a nightguard, for Christ’s sake, Cleopatra.”

“You shouldn’t generalize that all night guards are bad just because of one encounter that occurred at the wrong time.” Brushing some strands stuck by your wet visage, she professed to you bluntly. “You’re never going to know how good Jeno is unless you slowly open up again, (Y/N). Not forcing you the slightest, but healing started once you’ve acknowledged the past and move on from it.”

“But I’m scared, Cleopatra.” You restlessly admitted, hunching even more against the wall. Your poor, metaphorical heart could only take so much. You barely expressed sorrow towards others as you always held a strong exterior, only letting it out alone. Not holding back anymore, Cleopatra brought you in for a hug. The last time she did that was the first night after Junmyeon left, calming your intensified emotions so you wouldn’t do anything dumb that night. No violence, just pure sorrow.

“My dear, it’s alright.” She whispered while stroking your back upwards. “But you’re a risktaker; that’s how people remember you. Now, you must challenge yourself to move on from things that didn’t work out. Because once you do, it’ll put your heart and mind at ease.”

“Do you think I’ll be okay again?”

“Yes, you will be, my dear. You are not alone, and never will be.”

Acting like the dutiful son he always was, Jeno distanced from you.

He still cracked jokes, chatted with the art pieces, and followed the rules, yet never did he utter anything to you. You’ve proudly anticipated it since day one, not wanting him up in your business or teasing you ever. But this time, it felt odd.

On nights he didn’t report, you’ve unconsciously wondered what he may have been up to. A job like this at his age was just as Sanghoon once said: nothing in the regular.

Was he with his friends?

Was he resting well?

From the moment you chose to let go of your limitations and old thoughts, it included your grudge against past guards. Asking for forgiveness to Sanghoon when he returns was on the top of your list, however, that’ll take a while to happen. In the start, you’re baffled as to why he no longer picked on you like every night he’s been present. Somehow, it became a habit you’ve gotten used to, having so many comebacks planned to fend yourself. But you didn’t want to concede to it, maintaining what was left of your pride since that breakdown.

While on the subject, you suspected if anyone told him anything that night because that also indicated the last time he reached out to you. By anything, it would be your unwritten past with Junmyeon. A part of yourself in the museum that you didn’t want to disperse like rapid-fire again. It would be the last thing you wanted Jeno to know.

To your misfortune, Princess Diana came clean due to your growing concern over it. Although your attitude changed and people got used to it, you could only blame yourself that you were responsible for Jeno’s change.

“All he wanted was to understand and enlighten us with his likable presence. Then with you, you were his challenge because of your high walls. Out of everyone, he tried to learn everything about you. From my observation, whenever he has a goal, he’s determined to achieve it.”

“But I’m trying to be better now, Diana. Why did he stop?”

“He may have determination, but he knows where the boundaries lie.” Princess Diana patted the side of your arm, giving you a half-grin. “It hurt him when he hurt you, even if it was accidental. So he opted to give you space; that way, you could catch a breather and he wouldn’t harm you anymore. It was what you wanted from the start anyways, right?”

A hard pill to swallow, though it was a fact. It’s just that now, you’re slowly willing to release yourself from the dark. It’s been decades, and more to come. Nothing can move on unless you do.

“Where is he, Princess Diana?”

Just as she predicted right on the edge, Diana completed the grin on her face and led you to the entrance of your exhibit. She may be younger than you, but you’re reverted in your twenties while she remained in her mid-thirties. Gaping the wide museum from the railing, starting from the painting exhibit in the lobby to across the other side of the museum, Diana spotted the black hair of the boy in the Foreign Art Room.

“Over there.”

Observing where her eyes focused, you caught a glimpse of a recognizable side profile. The owner’s eyes were completely taken by whatever he was drawing on the fold-up desk he brought out from the storage room. By the tedious action of his right hand going up and down, you’ve gotten so used to his part-time identity as the night guard to entirely dismiss his current status as a university student.

Architecture specifically as he first introduced himself to you. The same path your oldest brother, Christopher, worked in. The look of tenacity Jeno presented as his eyebrows continuously scrunched, his crescent orbs hastily spied his work for any unnecessary details and his veiny hands brushed his already messy hair, you were profoundly reminded of Christopher when he was designing his possible future house. You were 8 years old, and he was 22, who just got married. He explained how many floors it’ll have, what rooms to put and what extra furniture he’ll place to make it feel more at home.

Seeing how exceptional his art skills were, you started to sketch like him. With flowers first, it turned into bedrooms and sceneries of your neighborhood. You felt your shoulders rise in accomplishment when you were able to accurately draw people. As much as you credited Benjamin and Liam the most in your works, it’ll only be within yourself to know that you also held a soft spot for Christopher.

Excusing yourself to Princess Diana, you bravely yet quietly ventured into the Foreign Art Room. Hiding first from one of the cement columns, you resumed watching him sketch. Instead of a pencil, he used a black pen with a tip as thin as a pencil. Your assumptions would be it was for a class, basing it on him informing everybody earlier that he’ll be inactive for the remaining hours of his shift to focus on his midterm requirements. That must be difficult to balance, yet he still does everything expected from him. Maybe the second cup of iced coffee beside him stimulated his bones and mind, letting his imagination free.

Through the limited space, you tiptoed whilst holding the side of the column to make up his work. There were 2 and a half rectangular shapes stacked on top of each other, the third one he was still tracing. A sign encrypted with tiny written words you couldn’t decipher, the beauty and modernity of Jeno’s plate cannot go unappreciated.

“That’s absolutely beautiful.”

Sweet words you didn’t think would bounce back in the room, Jeno’s pace ceased whilst you hid again. Art pieces capable of walking weren’t allowed here, he locked the door even beforehand! Or he thought as he was rushing to get his work done because one of his terror professors moved up the deadline to tomorrow morning. Not even 25% finished, he petitioned for everyone’s cooperation just for tonight.

He used up his 2 days of not having the night shift for other projects, and not wanting to ruin his perfect attendance, he proceeded to show up.

The voices from the foreign paintings around him hushed for him out of respect. So possibly someone snuck in, his head looking around for intruders. But only did he quit it when he saw your blurry reflection leaning against the column. The glass windows slightly mirror back what it sees, without you knowing that.

Not to mention, the small bit of your lilac dress was left out. Of all people, it was you?

“Do my eyes deceive me or is Miss (Y/N) (Y/L/N) inside when she’s not allowed so?”

To break the killing tension, he tested the waves with an innocent taunt. Never did you reach out to him, so least to say he was entertained whilst keeping his distance.

Fixing your proud stance, you responded in a low baritone voice you used to persuade numerous men in her adventures. “Uhm no, I don’t know who she is.”

As intelligent as you were, Jeno was a few steps farther than you this time. Educated about the risky ways you’d get around and one of them was changing the pitch of your voice, he heartily laughed at your unsuccessful attempt.

“Okay don’t lie, (Y/N). I can see a trail of your dress and your cloak. Oh, your reflection too.”

Damn, you peeked a little to realize that he was correct. Hauling your dress back in to readjust your outfit, you pushed your hair back before appearing to him. Though when you did such, you didn’t suppose that he was practically beside you the entire time. Bumping into his towering stance of 5’10 while the sleeves of his dress shirt rolled up, your proud posture loosened up. He even discarded his blazer. A few more inches, he could’ve cornered you on the column if you didn’t take another step back.

Has he always been this tall or were you so used to your boots having high heels under? Oh wait, maybe because you wore flats this time because it’s making your toes sore. Your head bowed from struggling to maintain eye contact with him, your palms caressing your cheeks that suddenly heated up. Clearing your throat, you straightened your back again like nothing happened.

Jeno thought otherwise, shrugging his shoulders as he chuckled. He’s never seen you get shy, not that it was a bad thing either. The temptation to play around it more was there, but he was running out of time for his assignment.

“Come in. I’ll let you off the hook this time.” His arms opened up, allowing you access to such a wonderful exhibit. Paintings from different European periods, miniature versions of famous infrastructures inside glass containers, and replicas of Greek columns in the front entrance, no wonder it’s important to protect them all.

“Are you sure?” Watching him return to his spot, which was a bench in the center of the exhibit with a table in front, it didn’t process that you were gawking at his toned back. His broad shoulders and the evident muscles in his arms while he stretched, your eyes were speedy to look away when he tried to take a glance at you.

“I don’t think the paintings here and I mind.” Sitting down again, he tapped the vacant space beside him. “Feel free to watch me draw if you want to.”

Settling by his side, he recommenced where he left off. Now with a closer view of his piece, it did look like a building as you thought. He was sketching the remaining outline of the 3rd floor of this hypothetical place, continuously checking his ruler to monitor if the lines were consistent. Able to pick up on the words of the sign beside the building, you wowed with one hand on your lips.

“You’re redrawing Seoul National University Museum of Art?”

“One of my plate assignments was to visualize a renovation of a certain place, so I chose the museum.”

“Why so?”

“Well,” Jeno shook his pen so the ink could come out. “This entire place comes to life with the royal plate, so I think we should expand the space and bring in more art pieces to life if we add another extra floor. A rooftop area for visitors and events would be fun. And definitely, we should modernize the exterior and interior a bit because it looks outdated personally. That’s also what my friends think too.”

Noticing the minor details of his plate whilst removing any unnecessary pens so it wouldn’t smudge, “Huh, I quite agree with you.”

For the first time since his night shift, you, (Y/N) (Y/L/N), came into an agreement with him. He became so accustomed to clashing opinions that now, you had no contrasting points to make at all. A good change perhaps was what he’s witnessing.

“Woah, who are you agreeing with me and where’s (Y/N)?” He creased his brows whilst locking eye contact with you. This time, you didn’t wince away and just nudged him on his shoulder to get back to work.

“Hush, Jeno. Isn’t that due later? Get to work, I’ll roam around here for the meantime.”

After decades in this museum, you’re enlightened with the foreign paintings in which some you’ve heard of in your younger years and some that were created beyond your time. The Birth of Venus, Liberty Leading the People, Girl with a Pearl Earring, there’s an advantage of learning about their stories that humans couldn’t interpret. Logical that this section must be off-limits because these pieces were extra special, yet there’s so much more than what meets the eye.

There’s peace in silence while you wandered around, though it doesn’t hinder only at the art. Jeno hasn’t uttered a word since he got back to drawing, and once you asked him what’s doing now, still no answer back. Odd, he’s constantly awa-

Oh, my. You must’ve jinxed it.

Your eyes laid on Jeno leaning forward on his desk with his arms serving as his pillow, resting his head sideways. Soft snores and minimal movement in his upper body to shake the growing cold temperature of the room, he was sleeping like a log.

Putting into perspective, he hasn’t acquired enough rest specifically this past 2 weeks. The endless number of plates due making him work extra during his shift rather than sleeping in the slightest, exhaustion must be an understatement. Coffee no longer pushed him to his maximum for this week even.

But this was the path he chose, and it’ll have its challenges. Still, if you could relieve the stress in any way, you would. This would be one of the ways to repay for all the rudeness you’ve passed on him. Scurrying to his side, placing the plate on the side with his other things. You returned the caps of his open pens so they don’t spill. They must be expensive, recalling how Jeno shared the cons of being an architecture major to Princess Diana. One was the pens needed for sketching, and any tiny damages to them meant buying them again.

With his watch on clear display, he only had 2 hours left until his shift was done. Then, 4 hours until his plate assignment was done, and his current plate was far from done.

The blunt impulse to wake him up slithered your mind, though his calm state deflected your duty. As if you were on board a ship again for your explorations, you paid attention to the view with a relaxed mindset.

Lee Jeno specifically was the view.

His coffee-stained lips were parted and his sharp nose breathing in and out at a relaxing pace, he must be dreaming a happy moment the way half his lips curved into a smile. If he’s resting well, then you too would be calm.

Because of your past disinterest in him, only at this moment did you observe how sharp his jawline was and the cuts on his arms he sought refuge in. No matter how many times you tried to deny Hera’s compliments of him on the side, you couldn’t.

Lee Jeno embodied attractive features; both physical and emotional.

Back to his plate, it’ll put him at a disadvantage if he submitted the way it looked before he passed out. But you remembered all those extra details he mentioned and wanted to add to this project. Being an explorer, you documented all your ventures through words or drawings. You’re fast to adjust to anything new too.

For all the good he’s done for everyone, he only deserved some help in return.

Your version of help was sketching the remaining details of this plate, using other pens for more emphasis. It’s a risk also, but no way could you turn a blind eye on Jeno this time.

Around 5:30 am, Jeno’s eyes blinked open due to a brightening light from the outside. Stretching his limbs, he finds a velvet cloak wrapped around him like a blanket. But before he could question it, he pulled his arm in to see the time on his watch.

“Fuck!” He cursed, realizing that his so-called 10-minute snooze break aborted.

“Oh my, you’re awake!” From his frazzled state, there you were. So put together yet active, some strands of your hair falling down your face even with your hair up in a ponytail. “How was your sleep?”

This whole time he could’ve been woken up, yet you chose not to. You’re aware of his deadline, yet you let him rest entirely. He could’ve burst out in stress, yet he didn’t. You and he may have started on the wrong foot, yet it’s impossible of you to do such an evil thing. He’ll just have to tolerate the outcome later today.

“Refreshing. I really needed it.” Packing his things in his bag and closing the table, you trailed along as he exited with you. Locking up, he has 30 minutes left to accomplish the cleaning. A long good morning indeed.

But his worry of that vanished when you admitted that you had it all covered.

“Everyone helped out in cleaning, plus there are no damages made either.” From your hand, you returned one of his keys that was on his guard blazer. “I double-checked the Oriental Room and locked the doors again.”

“Why are you suddenly so nice to me, (Y/N)?” He questioned with confusion, wearing his blazer again and patting away any creases. He placed your cloak over you again like a true gentleman.

Without a word, you simply invited him to walk you back to your exhibit as parts of the sun began to rise. As you returned to your section, your fellow figures readying themselves to pose again,

“It’s my way to apologize for my very rude first impression and the succeeding moments after. I was too cooped up in my past that I was too afraid to let humans in again, night guards in particular.” You admitted, removing your cloak and placing behind your chair like always. “I’m so sorry, Jeno. Everyone was right about you and your kind heart.”

“About time.” Cleopatra’s sultry voice cut in, laying on her day bed.

Before you had the chance to flip off, Jeno mediated swiftly. With a gentle smile, “No worries about it. I’m just happy you’re okay, after all you’ve been through.”

“Can we start over then?”

“Absolutely.” With his free hand, he brought it out. No matter what kind of introductions, shaking one’s hand was the best way to start a friendship. “Good evening. I’m Lee Jeno, the new museum night guard.”

“(Y/N) (Y/L/N), explorer and author.” Sighing at his humor, you still replied by shaking his hand. “And I believe you’re mistaken, Lee Jeno. It’s a good morning.”

Seconds after, you imitated your typical pose and smile. Only now, the latter was more genuine. Finally, a fresh start to end your agony.

Once the sun fully revealed itself, every figure including yourself froze back to sleep. Something Jeno wished to catch up on if it weren’t for his damn plate. He was so screwed, already contemplating his next steps if he does fail this class. The possibility of getting delayed in all aspects, he dreaded it already.

Heading back to his dorm, where both his roommates completely passed out from soju on the couch, he sat by his work desk and turned on his night lamp for more light since the sun wasn’t strong enough yet.

With another cup of coffee, he cracked the joints of his knuckles and laid out his pens. He had 2 hours left to submit this plate, and at most he should accomplish 50% of his initial plan. However, he didn’t anticipate such a gorgeous outcome when he brought out his plate.

Picture perfect of every detail he desired, even adding a rooftop area with that he’d love to have if ever the museum does go under renovation one day. Rather than setting the plate during the day, it was at night as the skies were dark and bright specks of yellow inside the building symbolized light.

So much for wasting coffee, he’ll just give it to Jaemin when he wakes up later. Below the final product, a note written in cursive was stuck on it.

 I knew you wanted to get this specific plate done, but you mustn’t compromise your sleep for it. It’s your inhumane professor’s fault!

To make up for my faults, I wanted to help you out. I paid extra attention to the details you spoke highly about, so I only hoped that I interpreted it correctly. It’s risky, but as someone who researched so much about me, would you be surprised that I did such a thing?

PS: Get back to sleep. I’m quite sure your desk is laid out the same way in the Foreign Art Room.

Respectfully,

(Y/N)

 Turning off his lamp, Jeno jumped the covers of his bed to continue his lost sleep. Without an ounce of care that he hasn’t changed into cleaner clothes, he’s relieved that he won’t flunk his class.

Most of all, he’s relieved that you’ve melted the ice in you and allowed kindness to come in. Jeno may never understand how hard that must’ve been for you, yet he raved you for it.

“Oh, (Y/N) (Y/L/N). Surprise is an understatement when it comes to you.”

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