#just got ignored by my roommate and as the one who gets left out here while also has to decline events

[ramayantika]

Learning here alone in college that you yourself will keep some people as the second or even third priority, and some people being your 'good' friends too will treat you the same way, and there will be times you will feel left out and wander if you are wrong or maybe not that wanted, which is true, you are not wanted by them, but you need to still keep hope that you are your own person, and perhaps you need to wait for newer circles to come, people who will choose you, and people whom you will choose.

But then despite all their misgivings, you will still treat them with a smile, and keep your head up and move ahead. There are so many people you are yet to meet, and so many wonderful moments waiting to unfurl in your life.

And remember that some of your old friends are still there, those one or two good companions, separated by colleges, states and, countries, will have your back and vice versa. Reach out to them, because some times they too are awaiting your text and a call

#samridhi speaks #just got ignored by my roommate and as the one who gets left out here while also has to decline events #the loneliness does get to you #which is why I talked to my friend whonis in 2nd year of med school #we all feel the same and I know I will always have her because our mentality and maturity matches each other and I think hers is even more #and better #I was first insecure and annoyed too at the way I am treated #like being the one who will take everything with a smile and all taking me for granted #without rarely one showing concern for you #but this too is a new experience to have and I am here to get through it

[bunnyhugs77]

High Demand

ꕤ- Pairing: Dealer! Jungkook x Reader

ꕤ- WC: 2.6k

ꕤ- A modern day Romeo and Juliet

Content: college student! reader, grumpy jk, brief texting! au, jk is lowkey whipped, drug use (marijuana), reader is his special customer, vaping, opposites attract, suggestive themes, minor jealousy, idiots in love (but they won't admit it), shot gunning, grinding, fwb?

Other Content: thigh riding, high sex, jk titty appreciation, unprotected sex (no.), hand job, soft dom kook, reader is a little needy, brief switch! koo, hickeys, pet names, spit, biting.

Shaking your head with a small giggle as you looked at your phone before tossing it aside. You're totally his favourite. You know he's stubborn and he would never admit it but deep down he loves delivering to you the most.

Looking around your sad and dimly lit dorm, all the lights were off and your roommate was gone for the weekend doing god knows what with her weird ass biology major boyfriend who would collect rabbit tails in jars for 'science'.

You were looking at one right now actually, it seems they left one behind, on the coffee table. It was just fermenting in... you actually weren't sure and didn't want to know.

Your eyes felt like they were on fire the longer you looked at the stupid philosophy paper you were writing. The bright light from your laptop was beginning to drill into your head. Your head lolled to the side glancing at the time on your phone.

It was almost 11:30, and time for a break. Abandoning the device on the couch for a quick wake-up shower; by the time you'd gotten changed and returned to the living room, you could expect Jungkook any minute now.

Except, this is Jungkook we're talking about. He's always late.

That's why when you heard the familiar rattling of the rusty fire escape you were startled. It was a little past midnight. Climbing through the window in nothing but your basketball shorts and a white tee.

Pleasantly surprised to see Jungkook scaling the platform with a bag of takeout pinned in between his teeth. The sight of you looking down at him from where he climbed made his eyebrows raise but of course he couldn't say anything.

Not until he was finally close enough for you to grab the bag from his mouth and he stands up. You climb back inside first with him following behind with a pained sigh. "I'm so sick of coming here. Got me climbing walls like its fucking subway surfers." He curses while you place the food down on the table.

Completely ignoring him, practically drooling as you slowly peeled open the bag. "And I thought you said you weren't gonna bring me anything." He snatches the bag.

"I didn't."

You let yourself fall onto the couch, arms crossed and unbelieving. "Oh yeah? So you just coincidentally craved Wendy's and decided to haul it up three flights up a ladder from your mouth when you could've just eaten it in the car?"

"Yeah exactly." He shrugs, obviously lying.

"Give me the bag, Jungkook."

"Fine. But I'm charging you extra for the delivery and the labour of bringing it up here." He hands it to you and you roll your eyes knowing it was nothing more than a bluff.

"It's not my fault you're out of shape," you mumble unwrapping the burger. "Oh yeah? Is this what out of shape looks like to you?" He says it almost offended but challenged.

Choking briefly on your food as he lifts up his shirt, revealing the defined abs that you have such lewd memories of. "Yeah, that's what I thought. You try climbing 3 flights up a ladder and tell me it's easy." You shrug,

"Not my fault you're banned from the campus." He drops himself down beside you, reaching for the bag of fries and taking some for himself. "But it is, if you hadn't called me to drop off a stash for Angelica's dorm party maybe I could still take the stairs."

You drop your half-eaten burger with apologetic eyes, "How was I supposed to know they were doing random security checks in the lobby? At least you didn't get arrested." You pout and he scoffs.

"Bare minimum." He says via grumpy mutter under his breath so you offered up the rest of your food to him as a peace offering. A little sad that he actually took it but you were getting full anyway.

As he finished up the rest of your food you couldn't stop yourself from asking, "So do you still do drops with Angelica?" He nods with his mouth full of the last bite, stuffing the wrappers back in the bag.

"How often does she call you?-- for deliveries I mean." He chuckles, licking his lips, "Jealous?" You take the trash off the coffee table and bring it to the kitchen to toss it in the garbage. "You're delusional."

"I can't help it if I'm in high demand." He manspreads, his arms stretched over the back of the couch. "Just shut up. Do you have my pen?" He reaches for the pocket inside his leather jacket, pulling out the slim box.

Already knowing that you were going to use it now, he began to unbox it while you collected the cash you needed. "40 right?" You say handing him the small spread of bills, "Yeah, but for you, I guess I could make it 30." He shrugs conceitedly.

"Because I'm your favourite." You say and he shakes his head, "No. Because I ate your food." Which he paid for but you didn't dare to say that out loud, you were getting cheap weed.

"So who's your favourite then Jungkook?" He hands you the pen, "Listen. I don't climb up the fire escape when I do deliveries for Angelica, I make her come to me. Is that what you wanted to hear?"

Trying to tug the pen out of his grasp but he holds it firm until you respond, "I guess I can work with that." He smiles softly, letting you take the first hit as his arm wraps around your shoulder.

The two of you passed the pen back and forth, with little giggles here and there and wide eyes on the episode of SpongeBob that was playing.

By now the dark living room is illuminated by nothing more than your roommate's lava lamp and a strip of purple LEDs' taped behind the TV. You could see the smoke as it floated past the few sources of light.

"Open." He directs, taking a particularly long hit, leaning into you and blowing the pungent smoke into your mouth, sucking it in from his lips.

The pen is now forgotten as it rolls between the cracks of the couch. Straddling Jungkook's muscular thigh as he flexed it every now and then, taking hits from his blueberry Ice vape and blowing it to the ceiling, giving you a prime view of his sharp jaw under the soft purple lighting.

The sight made you shake, gyrating your hips almost desperately as you chased the feeling of friction on his denim-clad thigh. "You like that? You feel good fucking yourself on my thigh?" The question was rhetorical, you were too dazed to answer him anyway.

Your heavy-lidded gaze slowly rolls up to his pretty face once you feel his hand move from your hips to gently wrap around your neck, not applying any pressure, just there to let you feel the weight of his hand. "Answer me," He says, and you fall forward "Yess, feels so good." You moan, and Jungkook has danced this dance with you enough to see you were close.

But of course, he couldn't let you cum so soon, not yet. His hands flew to your hips and pinned you down on his thigh, restricting your range of motion. "Please," You beg and he wishes he had a little more willpower but he couldn't say no to you, not when you looked so fucked out when he's barely touched you.

"Fuck. Take your shirt off." Leaning back and crossing your arms over the base of the shirt, you pried it off your body desperately. Leaving you in your black lacy bra and it pulled out a guttural groan from Jungkook's chest.

"You little whore." he grits through his clenched teeth, grip tightening on the arm of the couch nearly ripping the fabric.

This position was no longer giving him what he so desperately craved. Shrugging the jacket from off his shoulders and taking off the tank top underneath letting your eyes roam over his built upper body, oh how you wanted to just...

Without thinking your tongue striped up the expanse of his bulky pecs. This was new, but Jungkook was so high out of his mind anything and everything you did felt like he was on cloud 9.

Your mouth dropped down to wrap around his rosy nipples and you could've never anticipated the worked-up reaction you got from him. "Oh shit, shit shit." He gasps, hands gripping your waist tight enough that you're sure there will be bruises by the morning.

Letting your tongue lap around his nipples with pure hunger, an inexplicable flame burning in your core as you were finally the one who got to watch the other be reduced to a moaning mess.

His once soft moans turned a little breathy and high-pitched, His hips bucked causing you to jolt in his lap, he was getting close.

"Didn't think you'd like having your tits played with so much?" You tease him but he didn't find the humour in it. He holds you by the throat once more, this time applying a generous amount of pressure, pushing you off him.

Unbuckling his belt and you knew what that meant. He slides out of his pants, followed by the boxers that were the last barrier between your moistened lips and his throbbing cock. "Let's put that smart mouth of yours to good use, yeah?" He hums, watching as you sink to your knees, hand carefully wrapped around his base, starting with slow pumps.

"Spit on it." Doing as told, you let a wad of spit fall from your pretty, plush lips and coat the shaft of his dick, you worked your palm up his length. Already satisfied with the way his head was thrown back.

"Just like that," Reaching for the vape, he takes a few good hits, the head rush mixed with the pleasure had him seeing stars-- the object falling from his hands immediately the moment he felt the warm heat of your mouth wrap around his sensitive tip.

"Y/n-" He breathes out, almost scared, he was so close, too soon. He's never struggled to hold himself back this badly before. What were you doing to him?

The obscene sounds of you choking as you struggled to take all of him in your mouth, letting your nose touch the soft, trimmed hairs near his base. Focusing on breathing through your nose before you felt a heavy hand on the back of your head, pushing you lower.

You were quite literally slobbering on his dick, gagging with every buck of his hips. "That's it, princess. You're doing so well--Shit. Mouth feels like fucking heaven." His praise rushes to your core and has your left hand trailing down to rub yourself through your lace underwear.

The rough friction being more than enough to get you there, "I'm gonna cum, baby. Where-- Shit!-- Where do you want it?" He gasps, his hips snapping, pushing his length down your throat almost erratically. You don't answer, only hollowing your cheeks to take him deeper, making your desires clear.

Your own fingers quickening their pace, your own sounds travelling through his dick in vibrations and pushing him right over the edge with you, filling your mouth with his warm cum.

Swallowing as if it were second nature. "Stick out your tongue," He says softly. His chest rises and falls rapidly as he tries to regain his composure from his overwhelming climax. Your tongue was out and cleared of any of his cum and it made him crazy.

He remembers the first time he'd brought an order to you over 6 months ago. He thought you were nothing more than a cute little philosophy major, never did he think he'd have you beneath him like he does right now.

Looking up at him, daring to give you an almost angelic gaze while the two of you ruined each other. Tainting each other with your own touches. "Kiss me?" You ask it so cutely, tempting him with the pout on your lips. You weren't being fair.

His body didn't give him a choice before his lips were on yours, his hips grinding into yours. The feeling of his solid dick rolling against your skin making the butterflies go ramped in your stomach.

The way you licked over his bottom lip with your own made Jungkook weak, stumbling on his elbows as he held himself up over you. Soft groans could be heard the deeper the kiss became.

Messy and intimate. Your hand crept up the back of his neck to tug at the dark locks of hair on his head. There was a loud pop and the two of you paused.

With Jungkook between your legs and with you under him, your heads turned slowly towards the coffee table where the jar was, dedicated to the fermenting rabbit tail. "What the fuck is that?" Jungkook slowly sits up, "My roommate's boyfriend's weird biology shit. I dunno, it freaks me out too." You sit up, now remembering what the two of you were in the middle of doing.

"That shit's not gonna blow up or anything right." You gently peck him on the lips but his brain seems preoccupied by the jar, "who knows," you say, kissing right under his ear and that seemed to get him to zone in on you.

Catching his bottom lip under his teeth as your kisses became more eager, suckling on a certain spot on his neck, his head falling back against his will. "Fuck, Y/n-- Don't you dare." You pull off his soft skin with a soft pop, admiring the burgundy bruise left behind.

"Oops." Your apology was ingenuine and bratty, and Jungkook hated brats.

Tearing you out of your final pieces of clothing before manhandling you into his lap. "Sit on it." He demands and you follow without question. Moaning out loud as his dick spread your lips apart like butter.

Sliding down with ease and a stretch of your velvety walls that were currently squeezing Jungkook for everything he's got and he's got nothing left, everything was yours.

"I-Shit! You feel so good, Kook!" He couldn't bother to correct you on the annoying nickname you were incessant on using. "Yeah? You like that- fuck, you feel so good." He curses, bucking his hips up into you as you raise your hips trying to match his thrusts.

He was fucking you so good, so ruthlessly, your head falls onto his shoulder and you needed more than just the couch to hold on to, your teeth sank into the muscular meat of his shoulder and his pace faltered.

"Shit shit shit! Do that again." He groans, picking up an inhumane pace that had you bouncing all over the place until he stilled you in his arms. His grunts and breathy moans came out right beside your ear only pushing you to your orgasm faster.

"J-jungkook-!" You pant, unable to speak, feeling like your insides are being rearranged, "Me too, baby. Cum with me." You finish first, and with a few more unsynchronized snaps of his hips, you were being filled to the brim with his cum.

The room is filled with nothing but the sound of muffled music playing from your neighbour's next door and laboured breaths. Jungkook gently lays you down on the couch beside him, staring into your eyes.

This felt so intimate. You felt his gaze deeper than just behind your eyes, it was as if he was looking into your soul. His eyes were tinted red as he looked at you with an adoring gaze. "You're cute." He says it casually as though he hadn't just fucked you.

Your eyes roll before they close, feeling the sleepiness begin to kick in. "Bet you say that to all your customers." Mumbling the words into his chest while he began to grin a little.

"Nope. Only to my favourite." Your eyes shoot open.

"I knew it."

#jungkook #bts #jungkook fic recs #jungkook ff #bts jungkook #jungkook smut #bts one shot #jungkook x reader #jeon jungkook

[jareaul0ver]

So High School

Summary: You and Nika were best friends in high school, always ignoring the unspoken tension between the two of you. After moving to the US for the last two years of school, you and Nika don't speak. What happens when you run into each other at a UConn party?

wc: 1k warnings: alcohol, weed, partying, mentions of sex (not with reader and nika) pairings: nika muhl x fem!reader

"C'mon, we wanna be fashionably late, not late late." Your roommate Katie rolled her eyes as you finished up in the bathroom.

You turned off the bathroom light and rolled your eyes at her. "You never know who we're gonna see."

The two of you finally left your dorm and started walking to the frat house that the party was at.

"Wait, so who invited you again?" You questioned as you clung to Katie's arm, fighting the cold breeze blasting against the two of you.

She blushed a little and giggled. "Matt."

"Bitch! You're getting some tonight." You squealed.

She shoved you away from her with a small laugh. "We'll see."

As you approached the house, the music playing flooded your ears. Katie squeezed your shoulder before the two of you walked in.

"Let's go get drinks." She said to you over the music. You nodded and followed her to the kitchen. You grabbed a seltzer from the fridge, and Katie poured herself a red solo cup full of god knows what.

A tall figured came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. He leaned down and whispered in her ear. She glanced at you excitedly and the boy chuckled.

"I'll return her in one piece, promise." Matt chuckled.

You waved him off. "You better."

She giggled and they walked away together. You sighed and went in the opposite direction, leaving out the back door and to the yard. A few people were out here, just your speed.

You found a few familiar faces from some of your classes and sat down with them around a bon fire. You talked to them for a little before dismissing yourself to go grab another drink.

You walked back inside and grabbed another seltzer from the fridge.

"Y/N?" You hear a familiar voice say from behind you.

You turned around and your face brightened when you were met with the same comforting brown eyes from all those years ago.

"Nika." You breathed out before flinging yourself onto her, wrapping your arms around her neck. She wrapped hers around your waist, and buried her head into your shoulder.

She mumbled a small "oh my god" before she pulled her head back to look at you. Her smile was bright. You could see it in her eyes, you always could. "You're here?"

You laughed a little and shook your head. "Me? You're here! You're at UConn?" You couldn't control the excitement in your voice. After almost six years of not seeing each other, not speaking to each other, you couldn't believe it.

"For basketball, yeah." Her eyes darted around your face, the smile never leaving hers.

"Wow," you bit the inside of your cheek. "That's amazing, Neeks." She flushed a bit at the use of your old nickname for her.

"Haven't heard that one in a while." She laughed softly. Her grip around your waist loosened a bit, and you dropped your arms from her neck. "Come, I want you to meet some of my teammates." She grabbed your hand and started pulling you with her.

As she led you into the next room, you felt a few pairs of eyes on you. You looked forward and a few girls were sitting on the couch, staring at Nika.

"Y/N, this is Paige, KK, and Azzi. Guys, this is Y/N." She introduced you to her friends and you smiled, waving a bit awkwardly.

Paige sat up in her seat. "Wait, Nika, is this her? The one from Croatia?"

She nodded, unable to hide her smile. "Mhm."

KK jumped up from the seat and put her hand on your shoulder. "We've heard so much about you."

Nika blushed and swatted KK's arm. "Dude!"

You giggled. "Oh, really? It's been, what, almost six years and you're still talking about me?"

She nudged you with her elbow. "And you've still got that ego issue." You gasped, feigning offence, and nudged her back.

Paige and Azzi sent each other glances. Nika noticed and glared at them. You were clueless.

You felt a body crash into you from behind. "Y/N! Me and Matt just-" You spun around and Katie stopped talking. "What're you doing with the basketball girls?"

"Oh! Katie, this is Nika. My friend from Croatia." You smiled, glancing over at the taller brunette beside you. "Nika, this is my roommate, Katie."

Katie gasped. "Nika Muhl is your friend from Croatia?!" She exclaimed loudly. You could see the drunkenness on her face and hear it in her voice.

"You know Nika?"

"Yeah, she's only like, one of the best point guards UConn's ever had."

You couldn't help but let your smile grow. "Is she now." You looked up at Nika who was already staring down at you. She smiled and your face heated up.

"Oh my god, she's the one-" You quickly turned back to Katie and rushed to her side, shutting her up by digging her elbow into her ribs. "Ow!"

You shot her a glare and turned back to Nika and her friends. "I should probably get her back to our dorm, she's pretty wasted." You laughed a bit, trying to distract them from what Katie was going to say.

Paige, KK, and Azzi waved to you and went back to their own hushed conversation, about you and Nika no doubt. Nika kept her eyes on you. "Yeah, of course. Here." She pulled out her phone. "I got a new number."

"Oh, right." You took her phone from her and added your contact in, then handed the phone back to her.

"I'll text you, okay?" She smiled softly and you nodded, smiling back at her. She took a step forward and slung her arms around your waist, pulling you into a tight hug. "It was really good to see you." She mumbled into your ear.

You blushed and wrapped your arms around her neck, holding her close to you. "It was. I've missed you, Neeks." You mumbled back. She squeezed you tightly for a moment before letting go.

"Get back safe, 'kay?"

You nodded, but Katie chimed in. "I'll make sure of it." Nika chuckled before smiling at you once more, then turning around to talk with her friends.

thank you guys SO much for 100 followers!! i love you all, you give me sm motivation to keep actually writing <33

#lgbtq #nika muhl #nika muhl x reader #wlw #seattle storm #wnba #wnba basketball #uconn wbb

[brooooswriting]

Please I need a part two for oh I know!!!! 🙏🏻🙏🏻🩷

Oh I know pt. 2

Part 1

It had been some weeks since your discussion with Leighton and she kept being supportive and encouraging about every decision you made. It got to the point where you felt bad about not being out, especially since you’d love to show her off. You felt the worst when it was her birthday coming up.

“So, my parents and my brother are coming down for my birthday and we are going out to eat. Do you want to join?” She questioned as she typed on her phone. You were chilling in the spare apartment your parents had near campus, and you often went there when your roommates were too much.

“Are the others also going to be there?” You didn’t wanna make it too obvious but you already knew that the blonde figured out why you asked.

“No, but that doesn’t have to mean anything” she tried to convince you.

“Cause you’re someone who brings here friends to her family?” She sighed, knowing that you were right and she dropped the topic after inviting you to go to the theta party after she’s done with her parents. You said you’d try to come and dropped the topic too.

At least you tried, but the whole night, you could only think about how sad she looked even though she tried to hide it. She's been the best girlfriend one could be, and the fact that you couldn't celebrate her birthday with her because you were scared actually made you mad at yourself.

Coming out to your parents/family still scares the living shit out of you but if Leighton's family accepted her, they'd surely accept you too. Plus, coming out to your friends and her family didn't mean that you had to come out to yours too. After a lot of contemplating you finally made up your plan.

“So, where are you guys going for your birthday tomorrow?” you asked as the blonde laid in your arms, a movie playing on the small TV you had in your apartment.

“Oh, the fancy place down the street. It's my dad's favorite lunch place and I'm fine with whatever” Her hesitation was obvious but you decided to ignore it as you were too scared to reveal anything of your plan.

“That's nice. What are you going to wear?” a happy squeal left her mouth and she picked up her phone to show you pictures of her outfit, explaining each detail while your hand rubbed over her waist.

Later that night you walked Leighton home. “Good night baby” You checked your surroundings before you pressed a couple of soft kisses to her lips, trying not to let her notice your nerves building up. “Good night” she pressed a last kiss to your check before disappearing.

At midnight, you texted her happy birthday, how much she meant to you, how much you appreciated her, and that you couldn't wait to see her. She obviously didn't answer until the following day. You shot her a quick answer before getting ready, needing much more time as your nerves went wild. You wore a nice suit with nothing really underneath, styling your hair neatly and doing some natural make-up. Leighton's present was wrapped up and sat on the kitchen counter, your keys and everything else you needed next to it. Nervously shaking you sat on the counter before the clock stroke 2:45 meaning that you had to leave now.

You parked your car at the edge of the campus and walked to the blonde's dorm. Leighton was known for being quite punctual so you didn't knock, instead just standing in front of the door, her present and some roses in hand. You didn't have to wait long as the door opened and revealed your beautiful girlfriend in the doorway, her back turned to you as she still talked to her roommates. “Alright, I'll see you guys later,” she said before turning around, nearly running into your arms. “Y/n? What are you doing here?” she questioned as she looked you up and down.

“I wanted to be your date to your birthday dinner,” you said and shot her a smile. “Happy birthday my love” you added, holding the flowers toward her.

She grabbed the flowers with a confused look before looking back at you. “But I thought you said no?” she played with the leaves of the flowers and leaned against the doorway, unsure of what to think.

“I did…but you're way too awesome to hide and I want to be able to go out with you and give you the life you deserve. I'm not scared of coming out if it means being able to be with you in public. I am in love with you and I want people to know” you explained with a sheepish smile.

Leighton smiled at you and hugged you, “I'm in love with you too.” She pulled back to kiss you passionately. Your hands immediately went to her waist as you reciprocated the kiss. The two of you only pulled back when you heard some awws coming from behind the blonde. Her roommates were standing in the common room of their dorm, staring at you with big smiles. Leighton grumbled and pulled the door shut before pulling you along as you had to get going. “Are you sure about this? I don't want you to regret this”

You chuckled and pulled her into you as you two walked to your car. “I am 100% sure about this. There is nobody I'd rather be out with than you.” The youngest Murray smiled up at you and left the topic alone. You opened the car door for her, acting as if you didn't see everybody on campus staring at you, then closed it before getting in yourself. Your hand placed itself on her thigh while she answered some of her happy birthday texts, a comfortable silence taking over the car. Your nerves got worse with each mile you drove but every time you looked at the girl next to you, you calmed down again. She was definitely worth it.

When you pulled up you already saw the Murrays standing in front of their Range Rover. You parked behind it and gave Leighton a nod before getting out and opening the door for her, holding your hand out to help her get out. “You gonna be fine” she whispered to you as you closed the door and walked up to her family after giving your keys to the valet parking.

“Hello, my name is y/n y/l/n. I am Leighton’s… girlfriend. It's a pleasure to meet you” you said to her parents, shaking each of their hands before settling back to your spot between the siblings. Some anxiety lifted off of you when they smiled at you.

“Well, it's great to meet you y/n. I'm Henry and this is my wife Mimi. Should we go in?” they were extremely nice to you and started to walk in when you two gave them a nod. You were walking behind the rest, your hands intertwined and a big smile on your faces.

The dinner went amazing, her parents were so nice and accepting that your heart ached at the thought of your family never being like this. But when Leighton giggled at some comment Nico made and her parents countered, you couldn't think about anything else but the beauty of this moment.

When dinner was done, and your discussion with Henry over who would pay was over, you walked outside to retrieve your cars. The sun was nearly setting by now and the family still had to drive some hours to get home. “It was really great meeting you y/n. And remember you're invited to the family meeting next month” Mimi said as she hugged you goodbye.

“It was really nice to have you here” Henry said and went to shake your hand, “but don't you dare hurt her” he whispered, still too loud as Leighton groaned behind you.

“I won't sir, I can promise you that” you answered and moved on to say goodbye to her brother when he nodded at you.

Not long after you sat in your car again, your hand placed in hers as you drove back to the campus. “They love you” she happily grinned at you as you drove. “Thank you, for doing this. I know how scared you were” she added.

“This was the greatest thing that I could have done. Thank you for your patience and support baby” you countered as you parked the car and pressed a kiss to her lips. “So, changing and then to the theta party?” she gave you a happy nod and jumped out of the car.

That night you danced together on the dance floor, made out right next to it and went home together with everybody knowing that you were each others. You were happier than every, even though you knee that it was only a small amount of time until your parents would figure it out. But that was a problem for another night.

#reader insert #brooooswriting #leighton murray x reader #renee rapp x reader #tslocg x reader

[mj0702]

The other Bronze – Part 11

Hey guys... here's the promised next Part

As always my thanks go out to all my anons (especially gold star and lunatic), to my Bubs @samkerrworshipper and my best management @valewosomtb 🤣

I hope you enjoy it and since I'm bored AF Part12 is already in the making ❤️

“Hey... hey” you suddenly hear after you stomped out of the hotel and you felt a hand on your shoulder stopping you from getting away “What's the matter Liefje?”

You turned around to come face to face with one Sarina Wiegman who looked at you concerned. You were so angry that you couldn't answer her and just started to throw your arms up and around trying to bring your point across while grunting deeply

“Okay... calm down...” Sarina said after a minute of you flinging your arms around grabbing your shoulders to ground you

You took several deep breaths knowing your adoptive mom wouldn't push you and most certainly wouldn't judge you for your actions

“Good... you're doing good.... just calm down and tell me what happened” the Dutch woman spoke calmly seeing that Leah came sprinting out of the hotel looking for you. Sarina shook her head at her Capitan and the blonde retreated back after she saw the national team coach already took care of you

“She roomed me with... LJ” you practically spit out the name of the young player

“Who? What?” Sarina looked confused

“Leah... she roomed me with James” you got upset again

“Okay.... keep calm Liefje... I'll talk to Leah – but I think she had her reasons... and you can always sleep in my room if you want” the blonde Dutch said keeping her voice calm

“But WHY would she do that?” you asked your voice getting desperate

“We can go ask her – and don't forget y/n... none of the know what happened three years ago” Sarina reminded you softly

“Still.. it's not really a secret that we don't get along” you huffed knowing your “mom” was right once again

“Just get your stuff I'm in room 528” Sarina smiled giving you the opportunity to swap rooms if you wanted to

“Naah it's fine... wouldn't go over the Skippers head” you smiled already planning tons of pranks on Leah and tons of things to annoy LJ

“You know where to find me if you need me” the Dutch smiled back “And now off you go... meeting in 30 minutes”

“Yes mevrouw” you saluted mockingly

“Your dutch gets better... Viv or Jill?” Sarina grinned ignoring your little teasing

“Viv... Jill only teaches me stuff you wouldn't approve of” you grinned

“Why am I not surprised.. now off... 25 Minutes” the blonde smiled “Oh and y/n...” she said after you started to scramble off

“Yeah?” you turned around again

“If you ever need to talk about what happened back then... I'm always here to listen okay?” the dutch said and you heard that she was serious

“Yeah I know Mama Rina... thank you” you smiled softly

“Always Liefje” Sarina smiled back before shushing you away

“y/n” you heard when you entered the lobby again

“Not now Williamson” you growled at her “Just give me my fucking room card and leave me alone”

Leah was taken aback at your aggressive tone and handed you your card

“406” the blonde Capitan said as you snatched the card out of her hand

You grabbed your bag which was standing next to Leahs feet (definitely NOT where you left it) and walked towards the staircase

“There's an elevator” the blonde yelled after you confused

“Need to let some steam off or I'll rearrange my roommates face” you yelled back as you pushed the door to the staircase open disappearing in it

You used the stairs to the first floor to warm your leg muscles up before doing high knees until the second floor and then do some footwork until floor 3 and then use the remaining steps to cool down a little. When you finally reached your room you pulled out your phone asking your girlfriend for her room number before you took a deep breath swiping the card to open the door.

“There you are slow poke” LJ grinned at you while you considered ignoring her or punching her but since you knew Sarina wouldn't be too happy with you punching one of her forwards you decided to ignore her

“Hey... I talked to you... you really going to ignore me?” the dark skinned woman said confused

“Okay look... here's how this is going to work... If I'm in here, you are not... if you are in here I won't be” you sighed deeply throwing your bag on the empty bed

“What... what's wrong? Jesus y/n... why are you hostile towards me?” LJ asked and THAT really hit a nerve with you

“Really??? YOU of all people asked why I'M so hostile?? YOU were the reason I nearly needed a FOURTH ACL surgery bitch” you exploded not knowing Keira was right outside your door

“Oh my god... is this what this is all about?? For god heavens – that was like... three years ago” LJ rolled her eyes

“I told you the whole time I CAN'T kick a ball.... and what do you do? You passed it right into my walk... I was on crutches!!!” you yelled “YOU made me fall and instead of coming over and help me you fucked off because you were scared Lucy would rip you in half!! Sarina of all people found me... SARINA who just took over from Phil... she found me and alerted the medics that I needed med aid... and what did they do... shipped me off to hospital because my stitches ripped open and I was bleeding like fuck... they wanted to fast track me into the OR... they just didn't because neither Luce nor Keira were there with us to approve for a surgery... so thank you for that backstabbing bitch...”

“It wasn't on purpose!” the darker one defended herself

“Bullshit!!! Your accuracy is at something over 90... you knew EXACTLY where that ball would end up!!” you were THIS close to strangle her

“You can't prove it” LJ said and you knew you were right

“I don't need prove because I KNOW... and now fuck off... I need to shower” you growled turning towards the bathroom “Oh and if you decide to ignore my warning... I bet you look DASHING without eyebrows”

When you exit the shower you were relieved to find the room empty – or so you thought. You just started to change when you heard a voice behind you

“Is it true? That it was LJ who made you trip and not your clumsiness?” you immediately reconized Keiras voice.

You didn't even jump. You just stilled your movement hanging your head low sighing deeply

“You were never meant to hear that” you said your voice barley above a whisper

“God y/n... that was a yes or no question” Keira pressed the matter

“No comment” you sighed

“Why didn't you tell me?” the blonde asked

“There's nothing to tell... I tripped” you sighed again before pulling Georgias shirt over your head and turning around faking a happy smile

“You never lied to me.. don't start now Bitsy” Keira said immediately her eyes locking on yours

“I won't say anything regarding that matter... it's in the past and it's over...” you shrugged your shoulders

“Then tell me at least why” the blonde said not letting go – you never expected her you just knew Keira too well

“I ain't no snitch... she was... is.. she is the “new star” in this team... isn't that what the media called her... if I'd said something Lucy would have probably killed her... you too... so.. I tripped” you shrugged your shoulders again but the look on your face was deeply sad

“God Bitsy...” Keira sighed sadly running her hands over her face “... you should have said something... it all makes so much more sense now... you don't touch a ball only because you're hurting... but because you're scared – the last time a ball touched your feet you ended up in hospital again... alone”

“Wasn't alone... Sarina was with me – never let go of my hand” you mumbled

“Is that why you were suddenly so close to her?” the blonde asked

“Yeah... she knew all along... she saw what happened... but I made her promise to not say anything to you or Luce... and to not kick LJ of the team because she is a good player – not a good person, but a good player... she fits in the teams playing style” you explained

“I will...” Keira started and you interrupted her quickly

“You won't anything Keira Walsh... I swear to god if you risk your place on the team then I seriously go all ballistic on your ass” you said sternly

“I don't think you realize how many people in this team love you... you grew up with 70% of the team y/n... I don't have to risk anything... I just would have to mention it to some people” Keira simply shrugged her shoulders

“Kei no... if you do that I will never forgive you... that's my thing... it doesn't concern the team or players – it only concerns me and James” you held Keiras look your features hardening

“Okay... okay” the blonde lifted her hands in a surrounding matter “But if anything else happens I want you to tell me”

“Pff... she doesn't have the balls to do anything” you rolled your eyes “But you could help me out for a hot minute” you smirked

“Your girlfriend is already downstairs hoping to escape your sister by sitting right in front of Sarina when the meeting starts...” the blonde chuckled

“That's why I didn't get an answer” you huffed “... but not the help I need... I need you to distract Lucy... just for a minute”

“Really... a quickie?” Keira raised her eyebrow

“No... god Kei... are you that desperate that you want to get included in MY sexlife???” you asked bewildered

“God no...” the blonde rolled her eyes “... you are not really my type”

“Good... because you wouldn't be able to keep up anyway” you waved off “I need Luces leather jacket...”

“I won't comment on your statement and just gonna ask... what do you need the leather jacket for?” Kei asked already starting to pinch the bridge of her nose

“You'll see... but Kei.. Pleeeaaaase... you just need to distract her for a second” you begged puppy eyes full on display

“I basically raised you... these don't work on me.. one question... whatever you planned... is it dangerous?” the blonde asked seriously

“I promise on all that is holy to me... it's not... it's just fun... your type of fun... not my type of fun” you answered honestly and Keira saw you weren't lying

“How do you want to get the jacket out of there” Keira mused

“That won't be a problem... you just need to keep her occupied for a minute” you grinned your phone already in your hand

“The things I do for your happiness Bitsy” the blonde rolled her eyes but stood up to leave for your sisters room

Two minutes later Keira knocked on the door just for Less to open it. She quickly smirked at Keira winking at her before turning around

“Lucy... Keiras here for you” the youngest one said retreating back into the room

“Yeah?” your sister said as she stepped into the doorframe

“Ehrm... yeah... I...” Keira started being a little taken aback at how Less would know before she suddenly KNEW how the holy leather jacket will exit the room and when she glanced past Lucy she already saw Less rummaging through Lucys bag “I wanted to ask if we could probably switch holidays back”

“Huh?” Lucy said confused

“Sorry... with Narla... you know how I said I would like her for Christmas? If it's okay with you could we maybe switch so you take her at Christmas?” the blonde tried to sound as convincing as possible

“Of course... you know you didn't have to come here to ask... you could just have texted” your sister looked even more confused

“Just checked on Bitsy... Leah roomed her with LJ... so I was around the corner anyway” the blonde shrugged

“Really... that's awesome!!” Lucy exclaimed happily “Maybe they start to finally get along again – I mean they were really close when they were younger”

“Scuse me...” Less pushed herself out the door lightly pushing Lucy out of the way as Keira just stepped aside seeing the light bulge under Lessis shirt

“Oi... where you going??” Lucy asked confused

“Picking up Toons for the meeting... you know her – need to be there a few minutes early to kick her ass to be there in time” the young blonde yelled as she sped walk down the corridor

“Gosh... those kids these days” your sister rolled her eyes but smiled anyway

“If I remember correctly Bronze I always had to kick your ass too so we would be on time... and the ONE camp I didn't attend you were running laps over laps because you were always late” Keira teased

“ONE time... I was late ONE time” Lucy exclaimed

“Not what Jill said” the blonde shot back laughing

“Oh please... Jill didn't even remembered her name after the Euros” your sister rolled her eyes again smiling

“You didn't either” Keira smirked “I had to pick you up”

“I mean... I was rather... tipsy” your sister smiled embarrassed

“Tipsy??? You hit on me... TWICE” the blonde bursted out laughing “Apparently I reminded you of your ex”

“Don't start...” Lucy grimaced “You want to accompany me to the meeting Mrs. Walsh?”

“Oh my... what an absolute honour Mrs. Bronze... please lead the way” Keira played along as Lucy offered her arm to her

“Okay everyone... Welcome to the first Lionesses Camp on our road to the World Cup” Sarina opened the meeting smiling as she heard a few cheers at the mention of the World Cup

“Wait... where is Less??” Tooney suddenly asked looking around

“Where's the smaller Bronze?” now Millie asked too confused

“Stanway!!” Lucy immediately yelled thinking you and your girlfriend snucked away

“Over here!” Georgia yelled back lifting her hand

“Oh... oh.... okay good... stay there” your sister pointed her finger at G narrowing her eyes

“God Luce... you're worse than your mother when we started dating” Keira rolled her eyes next to your sister

“Still... WHERE IS LESS???” Ella pretty much screamed

Suddenly the team heard the surround system springing to life as the opening cords from “You're the One that I want” starting to play. Everyone looked around confused while Sarina tried to keep her players under control. You more or less kick the door open sporting a black tight jeans and a Lioness Vintage College Jacket which you had made just for THAT entrance walking inside you looked around confused as Less rounded the corner leaning against the doorframe smirking. Who wasn't smirking was your sister when she saw what Alessia was wearing – Less wore a skin tight black leather leggings with high heels (which kicked Sarina into a frenzy already seeing Less breaking her ankle because that girl tripped over air) a 80s black top and HER holy leather jacket. You locked eyes with Less and smirked as she pushed herself off the doorframe and you started your little dance like Danny and Sandy all those years back. You even recuted Millie, Rach and Tooney as Pink Ladies pulling out the signature pink jackets from their hiding spots where you placed them before. To say there were a LOT of pictures of Millie “the brickwall” Bright stuffed in a pink jacket which was at least one size too small was an understatement. In the end three quarters of the team was dancing along while the remaining quarter took videos and pictures laughing along. Even Sarina showed off one or two dance moves. As the song ended you had Less in your arms her legs around your waist as you carried her down the aisle laughing loudly. That you stepped on LJs foot hard when you passed her was pure coincidence.

“Oh my god that was amazing” Less laughed as you set her down again

“Only took us 4.5 month to get it done but hey... a dare is a dare” you grinned

“That was one of Toons best dares to day” the blonde grinned “Did you see Sarina... she was full on groovy”

“Didn't knew she could throw out moves like that.... but now we should head back” you smirked “Not that I have to attend but I’ll suffer with you out of sympathy”

“Come on in Danny and Sandy” Sarina grinned as she saw you standing in the door again “May I ask what caused this interruption?”

“Tooney dared us” you shrugged smirking as Ella yelled a “Backstabber!”

“Oh really... not that I didn't enjoy your little show.... so a round of applause for Danny and Sandy over here” the Dutch started and then paused for the applause the team graced you with “... but now we're behind on the schedule and you know what I hate nearly as much as losing?”

“When someone takes your last stroopwaffle?” you smiled innocently already knowing where this rhetorical question is heading

“Nice one... but no... I hate being behind schedule with a passion... so both of you laps tomorrow morning before training” the blonde Dutch woman smiled sweetly as you and Less groaned out

“I even speak with the stadium manager if they could play your song while you're running” Sarina smirked

“Ugh” you rolled your eyes but accepted your fate huffing out as you plopped down in the seat next to your girlfriend which was earlier occupied by Ella who miraculously was sitting next to Niamh now.

Just as your ass touched the chair you heard Lucys signature whistle which made you turn towards her instantly looking at her confused. She nodded her head signalling you to move seats so you wouldn't sit with Georgia. You looked at her even more confused as you shook your head. Your sister nodded your head again this time with more authority to which you just lifted your middle finger smiling before pulling a face at her turning back around

“Y/n” you heard the warning of your sister clearly from three rows behind you

“What... I can sit wherever I want...” you said back but not turning around anymore before starting to smirk

“Sarina” you said innocently lifting your hand like you were back in school

“Yes? Didn't know that this was a Q&A but yes?” the Dutch said a little annoyed

“Lucy is interrupting my concentration with her talking” you faked innocents smirking as Sarinas eyes snapped towards your sister

“I didn't do anything” Lucy defended herself “Just told her to move”

“And why would she do that?” the blonde Dutch asked raising her eyebrow and you snickered knowing you just activated Mama bear mode

“I don't think it's a good idea my sister and Georgia sitting next to each other” Lucy grumbled out

“Why? Because they're dating? Dear god Lucy... grow up... I let you room with your girlfriend at the time and don't think the whole floor didn't hear what you were up to” Sarina shot back successfully making your sister blush embarrassed while Keira coughed which sounded suspiciously like a “told you”

“Anything else to discuss?” the Dutch asked strict into the round of world class players who all shook their head eyes wide

“Good... then we can finally continue... and y/n... keep your hands to yourself so your sister won't die of a burst vein” Sarina rolled her eyes looking at a red headed sulking Lucy Bronze

“It's not like I'm gonna rip her clothes off right here and have my way with her in front of all of you....” you grumbled which caused Millie to burst out laughing at Georgias wide eyed shocked impression

“Please stop talking” your girlfriend begged with you already feeling the holes in the back of her head from Lucys hard stares

“I mean I wouldn't have a problem with it.. I already saw every single woman in this room naked so nothing to be embarrassed about for me...” you shrugged your shoulders as G covered her face with her hands groaning

“Okay...” Sarina clapped her hands “I have two more topics to discuss and then you are free for the night and you can do whatever – or whoever – you want”

You snickered as now Lucy AND your girlfriend groaned loudly. Millie actually took the opportunity to reach over Rachel to high-five you. The meeting went by without any more interruptions and about 20 Minutes later Sarina officially ended the meeting. You immediately shot out of your seat grabbing Georgias hand to pull her up but you let go immediately as you notice your sisters glare.

“Just helped her up” you lifted your hands in surrender as you walked towards the exit.

You noticed Keira bumping into you grinning knowingly. You looked at her confused but she just winked at you.

“You with me...” Lucy said as she pulled you along her arm over your shoulders

“Excuse me... this is a free country and I can go wherever I want” you exclaimed as you had no choice than to follow her

“You'll spend the evening with me...” your sister growled lowly just seconds before Tooney screamed so everyone would hear it

“Team bonding in Mearps and my room... 30 minutes... bring all the snacks we're not allowed to eat for the next week”

Mary didn't look happy but with all the happy cheers surrounding her she just sighed and just accepted it

“You'll sit next to me” Lucy declared before letting you go

“You know I have two sides, right? G can still sit next to me... or on top of me” you smirked

“My favourite place anyway” you heard your girlfriend mumble under her breath as she passed you and Lucy

“What did you just say??” your sister looked at her friend shocked

“Nothing” your girlfriend said quickly embarrassed and started to walk away a little faster

“Hey Luce” you pulled a little on your sisters shirt (mainly to distract her from going after your girlfriend)

“Yeah?” Lucy looked at you annoyed and you put on your best puppy eyes face

“Can I have a tenner please? Pleeeaaaase Lucy” you begged your voice sweet as sugar

“What you need a tenner for?” your sister asked confused

“Need to buy some snacks... saw a Tesco down the road” you shuffled around knowing small you always did the trick

“You're not going there alone... give me a minute and I'll go with you” Lucy rolled her eyes

Yep – still works. You grinned as your sister parked you at Millies side with the order to not let you wander off to which the tall player just grabbed your shirt before returning to her conversation with Lotte. Three minutes later Lucy was back with a jacket and a baseball cap on her head taking your hand as she led you outside

“I want you to know I'm not against your relationship” Lucy started once you were out of earshot from everyone

“Feels like it” you mumbled

“I'm not.. I just want to see if G stands up for you if she gets pressured” your sister assured you “Because fuck Bubs... if anyone outside of this team finds out you both are neck deep in shit”

“Lucy... I really appreciate you looking out for me... really... I love you you are my sister – more than my sister... you are my best friend... but you can't do that to G... because being pressured from YOU is far worse than anything the press could throw at her... you are her idol – she looks up to you” you said as you grabbed your sisters hand continuing to walk

“I need to be sure she can protect you Bubs” Lucy said insistent

“You know she can... who do you think she learned it from?” you answered just as firmly

“I just... I need to know she won't run” your sister said her voice now lower

“Did you know she nearly didn't take the call up for this camp because she's so scared that you basically tell her you don't approve” you blurted out “I PROMISED her that everything is going to be okay and work out... don't make me a liar Luce... I'm a lot of things but I ain't no liar”

“I... didn't know that... and I promise I will turn it down but I can't let her off the hook so easy – I'm your sister after all” Lucy said and a small smile appeared around the edges of her mouth

“How about you turn it off instead of turn it down?” you asked hopefully as you grabbed a shopping cart pushing it right into the aisle with all the sweets loading everything you could grab into the cart

“No sorry... can't do that... but I promise I turn it down... hey... you said a tenner... that's much more than a tenner” your sister exclaimed as she saw how you loaded up your shopping cart

“Good thing my sister is earning a shit ton of money then” you grinned as you climbed up the shelf to reach Starburst, Dweeps and some Taverners.

“Come back down... you space cadet will hurt yourself” Lucy whisper yelled looking around the aisle if anyone was watching you

“I'm too small to reach them otherwise” you huffed out as you stood on your toes on the second shelf

“That's a sign from God that you shouldn't eat that sugary stuff” your sister growled as she stepped behind you to hold you at your waist so she could catch you if you slip.

“We don't believe in God” you grumbled back as you FINALLY got the bag of sweets you were angling for “HA!!! Gotcha bitch” you exclaimed happily grinning widely as you hopped backwards right into Lucys arms

“Aaaaand five sets of 15... you really cashing in those push ups” your sister grinned as she caught you easily

“Oh come on... you can't up my push ups...” you whined as you started to walk towards the check-out

“That makes no sense and yes I can...” Lucy rolled her eyes smirking

“That'll be £78.85” the teenager behind the register said as he threw all your stuff in plastic bags

“EXCUSE ME???” your sister exclaimed loudly looking at you shocked “You said a tenner”

“One tenner... eight tenner... tomato tomahto” you waved off but nodded towards the cash desk grinning

“I get that money back” your sister narrowed her eyes at you as she pulled out her debit card

“How?? I don't earn money” you shrugged your shoulders as you grabbed the multiple bags

“Then you work it off... my apartment is usually a little dusty when I come back from camp” Lucy smirked as she followed you out of the shop

“Okay... don't come running to me if something important is broken” you said nonchalantly

“True.. that's not a good idea... you probably wouldn't even do it on purpose...” your sister huffed “Oh... you will be my bag boy this week...” she grinned

“Yeah no... still female” you answered after you pulled your shirt forward glancing at your chest

“God you are unbelievable” Lucy groaned

“Learned it from the best” you grinned back

“You know it Bubs” your sister smirked as the two of you entered the hotel again

You saw Sarina before she could spot you and Lucy. You quickly looked down to all the bags you were carrying and decided you got in enough trouble for one day. So you looked at Lucy with puppy eyes

“Could you please hold the bags for a second? I have something in my shoe” you pushed out your lower lip

“Course...” Lucy shrugged as you handed over all the bags getting down to untie your shoe.

“Lucia Bronze I hope these bags are not filled with snacks” you heard Sarina exclaim firmly and looked up to see Lucys white shocked face.

You couldn't help yourself and snickered quietly because your plan worked just too well

“Ehrm” Lucy started to stutter

“Why do you Bronzes always feel the need to give me a headache?” the Dutch answered not even waiting for your sister to answer

“Keira always says something similar” you grinned from your place on the ground

“Hand them over” Sarina pointed to the bags

“Mama Rina please...” you started to beg not wanting to give up your goods

“No... we are preparing” the Dutch started and you interrupted her

“... for a World Cup I know... but let us have this evening...” you used your best puppy eyes “Just tonight... Pleeeaaaase”

“You can keep ONE bag...” Sarina said giving in slightly

“Two” you quickly started to hackle

“ONE...” the Dutch stood her ground while Lucy just silently watched

“Can I put it together myself?” you asked carefully

“Sure... ONE bag Liefje” Sarina nodded

You emptied all the bags on the ground of the hotel lobby starting to sort through all your sweets already a plan forming in your head. It took you about seven minutes and all the sweets were in little piles around you.

“One bag, yes?” you asked the womens head coach

“One bag” she confirmed raising an eyebrow catching on that you got a plan

“Challenge accepted” you smirked as you carefully started to stacking the candy into one plastic bag.

And god you really outdid yourself this time. The bag was ready to explode but you fitted everything (except a bag of Wine Gums but you knew Sarina loved those) into the plastic sack smirking widely

“One Bag” you smirked smugly as Lucy couldn't hold back and bursted out laughing

“Well played Liefje... go before I change my mind” Sarina smirked back

“Come on Luce” you quickly got off the ground shoving the heavy overfilled bag in your sisters arms starting to run off.

“Please don't let her eat too much of that” the Dutch laid her hand on Lucys arm

“And let her have a full grown ass sugar rush? Absolutely not...” your sister smiled back

“Good...” Sarina nodded smiling as you turned around waiting for the elevator

“Come on Lucy... how do you want to play in a World Cup when you can't even make it to the elevator??” you yelled happily that you “outsmarted” Sarina

“Coming...” your sister yelled back not even caring that half the lobby now turned their heads towards you

“I thought you were getting snacks?” Ella said first thing as she opened the door seeing you standing there empty handed

“Sloth over there has it” you nodded towards your sister who was about three doors down carrying the bag in her arms

“Oh my GOD” Tooney gawked when she laid eyes on the full bag

“Been called that before” you said as you grinningly winked at your girlfriend just for your sister to kick you gently

“Stop it... you want me to turn it down so you turn it down as well” Lucy grumbled as she pushed past you throwing the bag onto the bed

“What... I got that through Sarina” you exclaimed

“True... that was good” your sister said impressed

“Thank you...” you grinned happily “Millie Bright I KNOW you just didn't grab MY Dweebs!!” you shouted as you threw yourself on top of Millie wrestling with her over a bag of candies

“Bitsy stop it” Keira interrupted sternly “NOW”

“But...” you whined as you sat half on top of Millie who had the Dweebs behind her back grinning at you

“No buts... come here” the blonde said firmly

“Someone is in trouble” Millie grinned

“I don't even know what I would have done” you said clueless

“Bitsy” Keira said again and her tone was just a big fat warning

You climbed of Millie and quickly shuffled over to Keira standing in front of her like a kid that just got caught with its hand in the cookie jar. Keira just nodded next to her and you knew where you would sit the entire night

“Why?” you whined as you plopped down next to her

“Over my dead body will you eat Dweebs at this time” Keira coughed “I won't have you running wild at 2AM waking up an entire hotel”

“That's not fair... I got it all up here” you grumbled and sunk back against the back of the couch

“And the team thanks you for your service” the blonde rolled her eyes as she fished a Mars bar from the pile of sweets “But no sugar for you at this time a night”

“I hate you” you looked at her darkly

“You can hate me all you want Bitsy... I'm not letting you have sugar” Keira shrugged her shoulder as Ella began to speak/yell

“Okay guys... we have a few newbies... so we start with the usual Truth or Dare... you know the rules... if you don't want to do or answer something you have three pass but then if you still deny something you get balled tomorrow” Tooney said happily as a few players groaned “We go youngest first.. y/n... start us off good” the brown haired women smirked knowing you have a few dares up your sleeve

“Okay... lets see...” you mused as your gaze over all the women in front of you before you suddenly smirk

“Lucy... truth or dare” you smirked at your sister

“Why meeee??” Lucy groaned

“Youngest to oldest” you couldn't stop smirking

“Dare... I don't want to know what you would squeeze out of me” your sister rolled her eyes

“Big mistake” you grinned darkly “I dare you to send the pretty spaniard a half nude AND get colorbook spaniard to record her reaction”

“WHAT??” Lucy exclaimed shocked as Keira burst out laughing while the rest just looked at you confused

“Pass or do it... but you know I start off lightly...” you smirked

“Scuse me who?” Mary interrupted

“Oh... sorry... pretty spaniard is Putellas... colorbook spaniard is León... OG is Batlle...” you explained “Lucy overdosed my pain meds and let me run loose at Camp Nope”

“You forgot two” Keira laughed

“Uh... yeah... the flawless and the sexy” you remembered suddenly

“I know who sexy is... and I approve” your girlfriend grinned proudly

“Oh I know... I mean I would be up...” you started before Keira put her hand over your mouth

“No sweetie...” she grinned fake

“I would be up for it too” Georgia ended your thought for you shrugging her shoulders as Kei groaned out

“Made for each other” Keira mumbled before letting you go again

“Come on Luce... what it's gonna be...” you smirked seeing your sister struggle to make a decision

“If this bites me in the ass I'm taking you down with me” Lucy narrowed her eyes at you before dialling Mapís number

“I was nice enough to say half nude and not nude” you grumbled

She quickly spoke to the blonde spaniard being as vague as possible basically threatening Maps with broken ankles if she wouldn't do as she says and to send her the video later. Poor Mapí was at the receiving end of threats again but she said she would do it but to give her five minutes as she was just on her way down to dinner. That made you burst out laughing knowing Alexia would receive a half nude from your sister while being surrounded by her whole team. Your sister ended the call and looked at you

“I don't have nudes” she pulled a face at you

“Liar liar pants on fire” you yelled out pointing at her since Keira held you back by your shoulder

“Not a liar” Lucy yelled back just as loud

“I KNOW you have nudes on that phone!!!!!” you exclaimed

“Yes but not of ME” your sister shot back before slapping her hand over her mouth while you gagged loudly and the room interrupted in laughter

“You asked for that Bitsy” Keira wiped a tear out of her eye still laughing “How did you know that anyway?”

“She has a folder on there labelled “private”... with a pin... doesn't take a genius to figure out what’s in there” you rolled your eyes which caused Keira into a new laughing fit

“She has that folder since we started dating” the blonde laughed as you looked at her shocked and started to shuffle away from her

“Oh Ew... isn't it illegal to say thinks like that to a minor??” you heaved

“You have sex you can cope with knowing that” Keira couldn't stop laughing at your horrified face

“Lucy... you still haven't fulfilled your dare” Rachel now smirked

“Yeah yeah... on it... is a photoshoot picture okay?” she looked at you

“Want to see it first” you grinned as Lucy turned her phone to show you the picture she meant

“That's not a half nude... that's you in a sports bra and jersey shorts... you run around the pitch like this” you said bewildered

“I don't have anything else” your sister defended herself

“There's a bathroom...” you pointed to the door “Get to it”

“Dear god... I really feel sorry for everyone who picks dare after me” Lucy huffed but pushed herself up walking into the bathroom locking the door behind her.

A minute later she came back her face grumpy

“That was quick...” you smirked “Experience?”

“With quickies in Bathrooms? In fact.. yes is do” your sister smirked back while half the room gagged because at least half the team walked in on Lucy and Kei getting some somewhere

Lucys phone went off and she threw it to you to open the message from Mapí. It showed Alexia in conversation with Jenni as she quickly glanced at her phone (most likely at Lucys picture) and quickly panicky turned her phone looking around horrified. It was just perfect and you immediately forwarded the clip to your phone to have back up and blackmail material.

“God... just perfect” you laughed so hard that tears were running down your face

The game continued but relatively calmly since the newbies were still a bit star struck and the veteran players went easy on them. Not when it came to you tho. Rachel dared you to jump into the pool naked from the second floor (which was quickly shut down by Keira – safety reasons and Lucy and Georgia – privacy reasons) so you had compromised with doing a backflip from the edge of the pool wearing just your underwear (Lucys boxers and a sports bra). You turned your back on Kei getting her into a slight discussion with your sister after she chose truth and you asked who satisfy her more her ex or her current girlfriend. You laughed so hard at Lucys offended face after Keira answered with “Totally different” that you fell of the couch (again). Then it was Georgias turn and she smirked at you.

“Hey Babe” your girlfriend grinned at you “Truth or Dare?”

“Truth” you answered quickly since you didn't want to find out what she would have dared you to do

“Okay... if we were married” G started before getting interrupted by Lucy

“Which is a LONG way down the road” your sister grumbled

“If we were married... if I were to cheat on you... would you stay with me?” your girlfriend asked and half the group went with a impressed “Oooooh”

“Would I stay with you if you cheated on me?” you repeated her question faking thinking about it “Yeah... yeah I would stay with you”

“Really?” Georgia looked at you surprised

“Yeah... yeah I would really stay with you” you shrugged your shoulders

“You said that so fast” G said smiling lovingly

“Wait for it” Keira mumbled knowing you wouldn't just forgive something like cheating easily

“Yeah... cus we got married... we promised each other vows and stuff” you looked at her with a blank face “...in sickness and in health till death do us apart”

“Aw... I love you so much” your girlfriend basically swooned while some of the Lionesses in the room got a soft smile on their lips

“Yeah... I'd stay with you for the rest of your tragically VERY short lived life...” you kept going and your girlfriend got big eyes

“Huh? What?” she asked a little frightened undertone

“... that ended suddenly... quickly... randomly...” you started to smirk evilly your voice calm as the sea before a storm

“Why are you so scary?” Tooney now asked

“... without a trace... no one could find you” your smirk stayed on your face as you raised an eyebrow not breaking the eye contact with your girlfriend.

Everyone looked at you. The newbies looked at you scared, the crazy veterans like Millie and Rach impressed and Lucy of course had a proud smile on her face

“Still a Bronze” your sister said proudly “Good answer Bubs”

“My turn... LJ” you smirked darkly and Keira perked up “Truth or Dare”

So did your sister but for a different reason than Keira

“Ehrm... truth?” the dark skinned woman asked and you shook your head and she quickly changed her answer “DARE!!! I take the dare”

“I dare you to stay as far away from Lucy this camp as possible without interrupting your training or schedule” you grinned as Keira pinched your side

“I'll pass” LJ said now smirking smugly

“Okay... consider this your only warning” you smirked back

“Okay... Woah... calm down” Lucy interrupted your stare off “Can't you two just get along? You were such good friends when you were younger”

“Yeah... were... correct use of past tense” you said flatly still holding eye contact with LJ

“I said I was sorry” the black haired player said

“Yeah... sorry isn't cutting it this time” you shook your head as you pushed yourself up “Friends don't do that what you did” you said before you left the room

“Bitsy” you heard Keira called after you

“y/n” you heard G simultaneously as she quickly got up to go after you

“You stay here Stanway” Lucy got in her way

“Lucy I say that with the most respect I can muster up right now but get out of my way or I'll kick your bad knee” Georgia said calmly only thinking about you in the moment not even realizing that she just threatened your sister

“Calm her down... either I or Kei will find you two” Lucy said lowly before she stepped aside letting Georgia sprinting after you

“Okay... Spill LJ.. My sister doesn't get upset that easy... what was she talking about” Lucy turned around fixing Lauren with a glare

“Something between us” the young one shrugged her shoulders “I swear I sort it out Lucy”

“You better... because as much as I admire you as a player and also as a friend but she is my sister” Lucy warned before leaving the room searching for you and Georgia as Keira looked straight at LJ

“You won't be able to fix this... but I promised her I won't take any actions against you so you can call yourself so SO lucky... and thank God that she is the bigger person” the blonde said her tone lightly threatening as she was standing up leaving to

Neither nor Keira were able to find you which was very unusual as you normally stick to places where one of them two would find you for comfort. But not this time. After 45 Minutes and more recruited veterans and without a result Keira told Lucy to give up and since Georgia was missing too she was sure you were safe

“G will keep her save Lucy...” Keira said softly as your sister looked behind the plants down by the pool again

“It's just...” Lucy started looking so lost

“I know.. but she still needs you Luce... even if she has G now...” the blonde said softly understanding immediately what Lucy was trying to say

“Yeah... it's just so.. odd... one moment I hold her hands as she's taking her first steps next moment she has a girlfriend and is all grown up” your sister mumbled

“Oh Luce.... she's still that kid that needs to hold onto your hand but she also needs to experience life” Keira said sympathetically

“You'll text when you hear something from her or G yeah?” Lucy mumbled as she gave up looking for you

“Of course” Keira smiled as she squeezed Lucys shoulder lightly

“There you are” Keira said as Georgias finger flew up to her lips signalling the blonde to keep her voice down as you were fast asleep on top of your girlfriend your face pressed into her neck your right hand on top of her heart with an icepack laying on it

“What happened?” the older one whispered as she spotted the ice pack

“Found her in the staircase punching the wall... nearly got a shiner meself” Georgia said as she adjusted her hold on you pulling you closer

“Fuck... what a mess” Keira sighed as she sat down on the bed next to you stroking some loose hairs out of your face “You need to be there for her G... no matter how hard she tries to push you away you need to stand by her”

“I won't let go, Kei... never” your girlfriend whispered pulling you as close as physical possible.

“Good... because you will face a lot of pushback and on top of that you'll have Lucy breathing down your neck” the blonde said while she kept her eyes trained on you looking for just a simple tell that you feel uneasy but to her big surprise you were completely relaxed and calm “And you are good for her G.. don't listen to anyone who tells you differently”

“Thanks Kei... means a lot to have you on my side” your girlfriend mumbled and pressed a kiss to your forehead

“Just want the best for the two of you.. now act asleep I need a picture for Lucy that her baby sister is save and sound” the blonde smirked as she pulled out her phone.

Lucy was pacing in her room as Alessia just watched her

“Hey Lucy... is y/n okay?” the young player asked sadly

“Hm?” your sister looked up from her pacing noticing Less sad face “Yeah Less... she'll be alright... you know her”

“Good... I don't like to see her upset” the blonde huffed

“Me neither Less... me neither” your sister mumbled as she got the picture of G and you “sleeping” in their room “But she's going to be okay – she has picked a good one... if you ever tell G I said that I force Brussels sprouts down your throat” your sister immediately threatened Lessi as she started to smirk

“Ugh... not the little balls of hell” the blonde gagged

“Come on blondie... let's hit the hay... Sarina will have our asses tomorrow morning for y/n fooling her with the snacks and sweets” your sister grinned as she changed into her pjs

You woke up feeling absolutely exhausted glancing around the room. After a minute you realized Georgia right next to you snoring (not so) lightly her arm holding you securely to her side.

“Go back to sleep Bitsy” Keira mumbled

“How did you know I was up?” you whispered back

“Over the years I learned to listen to your sleep even when I sleep... your breathing changed” the blonde mumbled half asleep

“It didn't” you grumbled

“It did... you stopped snoring – and now go back to sleep... it's 3.30” Keira said knowing she only had a small window where she could get you back to sleep before you were too awake and started to get antsy

“But...” you whined

“Bitsy I love you but go back to sleep... enjoy the moments you have with your girlfriend because this probably will be the last time for this Camp that Lucy will let you stay over”

“Hm... okay” you yawned and snuggled back into Georgia who - despite being asleep – pulled you closer to her

#lucy bronze x reader #keira walsh x reader #woso image #lucy bronze #georgia stanway x reader #mary earps x reader #lionesses x reader

[oneforthemunny]

the original mafia!eddie blurb. how he and reader met <3

mafia!eddie munson who started moving weight with rick in hawkins like his dad did before. he swore he’d never be like him, be apart of this after what happened to his mother, but everyone’s gotta make a living some how. and rick’s boys are starting to supply to the majority of the midwest, chicago being their main route of business. bringing up far too much money to turn down. no one thinks to look in the middle of nowhere indiana. no one even knows about hawkins. it’s the perfect set up, eddie couldn’t refuse.

“it’s in your blood, boy,” wayne tells him, and from then on, his name is said with a hint of fear.

he’s laundering with the big names of the game, paying off hopper and anyone else who might be a threat. rick’s moved to another city, securing the route while eddie stays in hawkins, ensuring everything gets where it’s supposed to.

he’s the top dog, no one fucks with him. everyone knows but no one wants trouble, so they pretend they don’t know out of fear of one of his boys paying them a visit.

you’re new to town, nancy wheeler’s college roommate come to hawkins for a job at the bank here. eddie comes in one day, all black button down that’s left open, inked skin, and gold necklaces.

“hi, there sweet thing,” he purrs over the counter at you. most would cower under his stare. not you. “charles around?”

“do you have an appointment?” you ask, lifting a brow.

eddie smirks. “nah, baby, I don’t need an appointment. tell him eddie’s here to see him.”

you blink, unfazed by his slinky smile, narrowed eyes. “you can’t see mr. harrington without an appointment.” you give him an unimpressed look. “if you’d like to make an appointment, I can set one up for you-“

“-sweetheart, you must be new here.” eddie’s teeth grit slightly. “I know you’re new here, I’d remember a face like yours.” you blush gently under his grin. “me and charles go way back. I don’t need an appointment to see him.”

“eddie, was it?” you raised a brow. “I’m just doing my job. mr.harrington said no one was to come in without an appointment and as much as I would love to believe you two are old friends, I can’t just let you back there without an appointment.” you huffed, lips pursing in annoyance.

eddie’s eyes were trained on the burgundy gloss of your lips, how juicy they looked. his tongue tan over his bottom lip, fingers tapping against the desk. anyone else, he would’ve flashed his glock on his hip or walked back there ignoring her. but he’d play her little game, if for no other reason than to speak to her longer.

joyce stuttered out your name, a horrified look on her face when you turned, brows furrowed in confusion. “I-I’m so sorry, eddie, she-she’s new here. she doesn’t know yet-“

“-that’s alright.” eddie smirked, looking over at you. “she’s just doing her job. real good at it too. better than the last one.”

joyce let out a nervous laugh, glaring at you when she ushered him back. “she’s not from here.” she whispered to eddie, leading him down the hallway towards charles’ office.

“I know.” eddie grinned salacious.

“I’ll make sure she knows. I’m so sorry about this again.” joyce rambled.

eddie waved her off. “don’t worry about it. don’t go gettin’ her in trouble either. she was just doing her job.” eddie gave her a smile, but his glare was threatening. joyce nodded, watching his disappear behind the door with the frosted window.

when he returned, stopping by your desk, you turned, posture straight and attentive, a little tense. he could tell joyce told you something, what he wasn’t sure.

you assumed he was back to boast, brag and make you apologize for dare doubting him- for doing your job. instead, he stood, palms flat against the counter.

“I need to make an appointment.” eddie purred slowly. “I’ll be back in three days to see charles again. he got anything then?”

you faltered for a moment, looking down at your book, you flipped through the pages of the calendar, scanning a red, manicured nail down the pages- eddie wanted to groan. “how about at one o’clock? after lunch?” you suggested.

eddie smirked. “works perfect for me, angel.”

you penciled it in, already knowing his first and last name without him telling you. so joyce had filled you in.

“I gotta make an appointment with you too?” eddie asked, leaning against the counter. “or can I just ask you out?”

you blushed, surprised. you bit back a smile, looking down at the book to hide your heated cheeks. “that depends,” you quipped, leaning forward. “where you gonna take me?”

eddie rolled his tongue over his front teeth, smirking. “what time you get off? six?” he asked, you nodded. “I’ll pick you up then. take you anywhere you wanna go.”

“anywhere?” you repeated.

“anywhere.” eddie nodded. “wherever you want.”

you twisted your lips. “I’ve got expensive taste. that gonna be a problem?” you listed a brow.

eddie laughed. “not at all, baby.” he winked at you. “see you at six. I’ll be out front.”

your heart fluttered, gnawing at your lip.

six o’clock rolled around, too slow for your liking, and there he was. black, sleek, mercedes with a dark tint that had to be illegal. he opened the door for you, a gorgeous, obnoxiously large bouquet of flowers in the front for you.

he took you to novo dolce, an obnoxiously expensive italian restaurant downtown- your choice. you didn’t know that’s where eddie did most of his deals in the back rooms, and that are his heart only beat harder for you.

he pulled your chair out, opened the doors, ordered you an expensive glass of wine- more expensive than you would’ve ever ordered on a first date, but he let you pick your own entree. he listened to you talk about your hometown, your life before hawkins, how you met nancy and how will got you the job at the bank. you asked about him too, but his answers were short, ominous. it made you only more curious.

he held the door open for you, your hands wrapping around his waist to pull him close to you. you tasted the bourbon he’d drank on his tongue, leaving your head spinning, pulling him in for more and more, until he had you pressed against the cool metal of the car, his tongue exploring every inch of your mouth, hands gripping your hips.

you knew he’d be bad for you, by the way your heart raced when his ring clad hand gripped your thigh, pinky skimming closer and closer up your leg towards your heated core. it made your squirm. you knew he wasn’t good, your better judgements told you to run, but how could you? when he looked this good, talked so sweet, and tasted like heaven.

#oneforthemunny #munnytalks #mafia!eddie munson #mafia!eddie munson x reader #mafia!eddie #eddie munson x you #eddie munson x reader #eddie x fem!reader #eddie x reader #eddie munson x reader angst #eddie munson x reader smut #eddie munson x fem!reader fluff #eddie munson x fem!reader smut #eddie munson x female reader #eddie munson x fem!reader #eddie munson fanfic #eddie munson fluff #eddie munson fic #eddie munson #eddie stranger things #eddie munson au #funsonmunson #eddie munson smut

[enivez]

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE (1.8k WRITTEN)

SYNOPSIS…. Gaming is a common hobby for college students nowadays, with Overwatch being the game of choice for both Lee Heeseung and his favorite streamer loved.venus. The boy shows his love for his favorite streamer behind the screen name lee.bambi, though he doesn’t realize it was the campus fashionista that he hated ever so much behind the screen.

PREVIOUS | MASTERLIST | NEXT

“Heeseung seriously, why are you here? you’re soaked,” you exclaimed as you rush outside to meet the older boy. As you reached the boy he grabbed your hand, ignoring the unopened umbrella in your hand down.

“Come on let’s go,” he says as he begins to pull you, your hands intertwined as the rain beats down on your back. You’re confused, questioning why he didn’t drive or let you use the umbrella. He turned to you, noticing you lagging behind as you got lost in your thoughts. Heeseung stops in the middle of the campus courtyard, letting go of your hand opting to crouch down in front of you.

“You aren’t being serious are you,” you question the boy as he continues to crouch. When he shakes his head you let out a small sigh in response. You grab your umbrella once more, holding it over the both of you as you reluctantly get on his back. Heeseung takes a second to adjust you on his back before he begins to set off towards his apartment. m

“Honestly I came impulsively, it wasn’t raining when I left my apartment. I haven’t heard from you in over a week and I was beginning to worry… And I missed you,” the boy said as his focus stayed on the road in front of him. You could feel your heart racing in your chest, so much was happening between the quick sprint you just did to being very aware of Heeseung’s holding you up against his back. You hug the boy tightly, both to hold on but also to hide from the butterflies that threatened to escape your body.

The sound of the rain on your umbrella worked to sooth you as your head found solace in the crook of Heeseung’s neck. You could feel the exhaustion of these past few weeks surge through your body as the fatigue began to creep in. Closing your eyes for a few minutes before awakening to Heeseung nudging your side with his elbow.

“We’re here sleepy head, can you close the umbrella so I can bring us inside?” You nod in response, climbing off his back to shake your umbrella off before closing it. Letting out a yawn, you face the boy who is looking at you with a small smile. He leads you into his apartment complex, guiding you with a hand on your back.

After a short ride in the elevator to the 7th floor of the building, you were now behind Heeseung as he unlocked the door to his shared apartment. Once the door was opened he quickly dragged you in as he searched the living room for what you assumed were his roommates. When no one was there he went over to one of the bedroom doors, knocking on it.

“Yunjin, can I borrow some clothes,” the boy asked through the door.

“The fuck you need my clothes for,” a voice questioned as the door swung open revealing Heeseung’s ginger roommate. She didn’t notice you at first, more focused on questioning her roommate's request.

“It’s not for me, it’s for her.” Heeseung steps to the side, allowing Yunjin to finally meet you face to face. You watched as her face went pale as she let out a gasp quickly grabbing and leading you into her room.

“Heeseung you idiot! You’re gonna give both of you colds, go shower, I'll take care of her for now.” Before the boy could respond, Yunjin shut the door to her room in his face. She pushed you into her ensuite bathroom, turning on the shower for you and laying out some towels.

“I’ll grab some pajamas for you to wear, just focus on warming yourself up. I’ll leave them on the bed for when you’re done. I’m gonna go heat up some hot chocolate for you and that dumbass.” With that she leaves the room, her exit signaled by the door shutting.

You take in your surroundings, it’s a nice bathroom especially since it’s connected to her bedroom. She has plants hanging in the room while her skin care is carefully arranged next to her sink. You let out a sigh, getting ready to shower.

The hot water hit your body in contrast to the cold rain water that had soaked your skin just previously. Replaying your scene with Heeseung in the rain, how he pulled you along as the downpour covered your body before carrying you on his back. Not talking to anyone seemed like it was the easiest way to counter the infamous gossip page, only ever talking to your fellow fashion peers. Though it eliminated the outside stress, you felt so alone and isolated which only made you stress more.

Why Heeseung?

Couldn’t help but wonder as to why the boy that had always openly expressed his distaste for you was now the one by your side. You had been ignoring his messages, not to spite him but because you were ignoring everyone hoping that immersing yourself in your work would make the conflicts in your life disappear. Clearly though it wasn’t effective as you were now approaching the last 3 days before the expo and you felt at your lowest.

You scrub your body as you let out a frustrated sigh, you felt helpless to your situation. Turning off the water, you step out to dry yourself as your reflection meets your eyes through the steam in the air. You could barely recognize yourself, eye bags taking over your face as fatigue had finally caught up to you. Wrapping yourself in the towel Yunjin had set out, you venture out into the connected bedroom to gather the clothes she had laid out for you.

Quickly changing into the pajama shorts and sweater left out on the bed, craving the hot chocolate the girl had mentioned before. You pat yourself down before cracking the bedroom door open, being greeted with the sight of Yunjin and who you assume is Heeseung’s other roommate teasing the boy who had dragged you here in the rain.

“When did you get so bold Lee Heeseung,” the other boy said as he wrapped his arms around Heeseung. Rolling his eyes in response, Heeseung pushed the boy off of him before grabbing a mug of what you hoped was hot chocolate for the table.

Yunjin was the first one to notice you, ushering you over to her side as the two boys began to bicker. She handed you a mug of hot chocolate which you accepted immediately, taking a sip of the hot beverage before facing towards the two boys. They were faced away from you, neither of them picking up on your presence as they continued to push each other's buttons.

While you sipped on your hot chocolate, enjoying the dynamic between Heeseung and his roommate, Yunjin decided it was enough. The girl clearing her throat in order to catch the two’s attention, wide eyes meet yours as they turn to face their roommate. “I think we should properly introduce ourselves to our guest. I’m Yunjin and that’s Jeongin, we’ve both been friends with Heeseung since childhood and now we’re stuck living with him.”

”Hey you asked me to live with you guys,” Heeseung interjects with a frown on his face. You couldn’t help but muffle out a laugh at the dynamic between the three. Yunjin shakes her head, grabbing who you now know is Jeongin and started pulling him towards the bedrooms.

”Goodnight you two, we’re exhausted.”

”Speak for yourself Jennifer! I wasn’t done with Heeseung yet,” Jeongin argues as Yunjin pushes him into one of the rooms. Now it was just you and Heeseung standing around in the kitchen island. Silence engulfed the room as the both of you just continued to sip on hot chocolate.

“You can sleep in my bed, I will sleep out here on the couch.” Heeseung says as he finishes his cup of the hot liquid, meeting your eyes as he waits for your response. When you simply nod in response the boy walks out of the kitchen, leaving and then returning with a pillow and blanket. Shortly after his return you as well finished your cup of hot chocolate, make your way over to the boy. You gathered all the courage in you as you tugged the back of his sweater as he set up for the night.

“Thank you for dragging me out of my studio,” you quickly mutter out, your grasp tightening on his sweater as you spoke. Heeseung laughed in response, prompting you to push the boy away.

“Hey! You can’t push me after you just thanked me!” Heeseung turned to face you, a huge smile taking over his face. You roll your eyes at the boy before a tired yawn escapes your lips. “I think it’s bedtime for you.”

”I feel bad though, you went out of your way to get me and we aren’t even gonna spend time together.” You stared at the floor, biting your lip as if to show how ashamed you were of the words that keep coming from your mouth. ”We could watch a movie or something as we fall asleep,” you suggest to the boy.

”Yeah totally while we’re in different rooms.” His comment was met with you shoving him again.

“Well then let's sleep together,” You say, the boy's eyes widening in response. “Not like that you weirdo,” you say as you turn towards the room you’ve figured was Heeseung’s. You can hear the boy shuffling behind you grabbing what he had previously brought out followed by the sound of his footsteps. Once you reach the bedroom, you find yourself just flopping down onto the bed that took up the corner of the room. You pull the covers over your head before Heeseung even gets the chance to lay down in bed.

“You gotta share the blanket,” Heeseung says, tugging the large comforter from you as he shuffles into bed. As he lays next to you, the feeling of his arms wrapped around your waist overtakes your mind. You could feel his chest rise and fall as he is pressed against your back as you try to get comfortable in his embrace. You turn around, your chest is flushed against his and eyes searching for his.

“Hi,” you say quietly as your eyes finally meet his in the dark room.

“Hi to you too,” he says as he tightens his grasp around you. He begins to rub shapes into your back over the fabric of the lended sweater, the sensation lulling you to sleep. You rest your head against his neck, closing your eyes as he hums.

“Heeseung you’re something else you know...”

”That’s what you like about me though,” he responds. You only hum in response, feeling yourself fall asleep in the boy’s arms. Heeseung kisses the top of your head as he nuzzles his nose into your hair. “Goodnight name.”

TAGLIST⊹₊⋆

@cholexc @woninluv @myjaeyuns @eleanorheartschishiya @dimplewonie @heelovesmeknot @lprww @haechansbbg @xuimhao @defnotfertilizedtoesw @kgneptun @jwnghyuns @bomi-ja @woozixo @icepshrince @allisonleannn @infpistj @mwahvvis @aloverga @moonlight-melts @thekinkpopstandsforkrackheads @aishigrey @usernamenyn @heesdazed @nar-nia @sumzysworld @harperwasstaken1 @arunabrak @headlockimnida @microwavedstrawberr1es @rikizm @vixialuvs

#enhypen #enhypen smau #enhypen fanfiction #enhypen x reader #heeseung #jake #jay #kpop smau #smau #sunghoon #heeseung smau #heeseung x you #heesung enhypen #lee heesung x reader #heeseung angst #heeseung x reader #heeseung au #heeseung fluff #lee heeseung #lee heeseung smau #enhypen x oc #enha x reader #enhypen x you #enha #kpop #sunoo #jungwon #niki #enha smau #enivez

[fruity-mega-coconut69]

Why Not Me?

Pt 2

[Pairings]: Tara Carpenter x Brackett!Fem!Reader

[Summary]: You and Tara are head-over-hills for each other and everyone could see that. Well, apparently not everyone. (au where there were never ghostfaces and they just moved to New York.)

[Warnings]: Swearing?, my writing, slight angst, little fluff, not proof-read

A/N:Where do people get online friends? I want one so much! It must be so fun.

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

“Come on, Y/N! You’re going to make me late!”

You hear Danny shout from the living room. You let out a huff as you finally put your shoe on with a big struggle, walking out of your room and walking over to your brother. 

“I’m done!”You say, grinning cheekily at him.”Let’s go!” 

Danny rolls his eyes, but chuckles nonetheless. The two of you walk a little before arriving at your neighbor's door , Danny fixes himself up and looks at you.” Do you think I look good?”

“Well…..”You say, looking him up and down. His eyes widen and he looks like he’s seen a ghost. You let out a snort before looking ahead of you. “Just kidding. You look fine “Danny sighs and glares at you, knocking on the door.

Soon, the door opens revealing a woman around Danny’s age. You look up at her slightly as she smiles at Danny. “Hey, guys. Come in!” You have met Sam a couple of times so you knew her well enough. And you also knew that she had a sister and a roommate. Also friends who often come over. You never were a person to go out into the streets and make friends or socialize, so to say you were nervous was an understatement. Danny and you walk in and see about 5 more people sitting on the couch. You give them a small wave before turning to your brother.

“I still don’t get it. Why do I have to stay in a house full of strangers? Why can’t I stay home?” You ask, looking at him with pleading eyes.

“Maybe, because the last time I did that, the house was on fire by the time I got home!” He says, annoyed.

You scoff and cross your arms, rolling your eyes. “You’re the one  that left me with no money to order”

Danny ignores you and instead takes Sam’s hand leading her out, but not before shouting to you. “I’ll be back in a couple of hours! Don’t do anything stupid! “And with that, the door closed and you slowly turned around, seeing the 5 people staring at you.

After an awkward minute of staring at you, one  of them -a girl with short hair- stands up and walks over. “Hey! I’m Mindy. Nice to meet you!” She says, smiling.

You give her a small smile of your own and speak up.”Hi, it’s very nice to meet you too! I’m Y/N.”

She nods. “Hmm, I see. So you’re Danny’s sister right?”I nod  and she smiles. Then, the other 4 people get up and walk over to you, introducing themselves to you. And just as Chad was about to invite you to sit on the couch, you all hear a door opening and footsteps approaching. You furrow your eyebrows. The footsteps get louder and soon, a girl comes into the living room. And once she looks up from her phone, you immediately recognize her as Tara from your history class. The girl you have managed to fall head-over-hills for, is standing about 3 meters from you, staring back at you.

Tara too, has been looking at you in a way that she had never looked at anyone else ever since the year started. She’s been admiring you and asking about you from different people. And as she is standing before you, her heart flutters at your rosy cheeks from the heat in the room as it is now almost November.

As the others stare at you and Tara, confused at the tension, Chad-being the oblivious one in the group- springs into action. “Hey, Tara! This is Y/N! She is staying with us because she is Danny’s sister and, well as you know he went on his date with Sam and he doesn’t trust Y/N so, she is here!” 

Tara snaps out of it and walks closer. “Hey.”

Your cheeks heat up even more and you start fidgeting with the rings on your fingers. “Hi” 

Mindy soon smirks as she realizes what’s happening and she leans over to her girlfriend, whispering to her. “Babe, I fucking told you she was fruity.” Anika looks at her confused, but Mindy points at Tara’s red ears as she talks to you, having found a shared interest with you. And also the way she is cracking her knuckles every 30 seconds or rubbing her palms together. Anika smirks and nods. The boys and Quinn had sat down on the couch, watching a show about detectives and all that.

— —

After that night, both you and Tara grew braver and spent a lot more time together. Whether it’d be your and Danny’s apartment, Tara and Sam’s or even on campus, you are now often seen together.

At first, Danny was confused as to why you guys were spending so much time with one another all of a sudden, but also happy. Having known about your not so small crush on Tara. The same With sam.

It was on a Thursday night that you got an invitation to a Halloween party in OKB this Friday. Although hesitantly, you accept after asking around and finding out that Tara is coming too. So then, came the stress the next day about what you’re wearing. After a lot of thinking, you settle on a Tomb Raider/Lara Croft costume.

At night, you walk to OKB and as soon as you’re inside, the loud music fills your ears and the smell of booze and sweaty bodies fill your nose. Your head is already pounding but you pay no mind to it as you start walking amongst the people in order to find Tara and her friends. When you see them standing by the couch in the middle of the room, you wave at them, trying to get their attention. Anika notices you and waves back. As you slowly make your way over, Tara notices and turns around, cutting her conversation with Ethan off, and immediately notices your costume. Her mouth goes dry and a lump forms in her throat as she looks you up and down, her palms turning sweaty and her heart rate speeding up. Her eyes travel to your stomach as it’s covered in dust and god knows what to get the realistic look you’re going for. Your biceps are also slightly covered in dust. Your forehead is sweaty from the heat of the many people in the room.

But it’s not only her, you’re too, awe-struck as you slowly take in her pirate costume.  Your breath gets caught in your throat as you look down at the fishnets she is wearing with very short denim shorts. Then, your eyes meet hers and you feel your face heating up more and look away.

You clear your throat and miss the way Mindy looks at Anika with raised eyebrows.”So, uhm, hey guys. Looking good! “You say, trying to ease the tension. And it works, it seems, as the others greet you with loud ‘Hey’s’ and hugs.

Later that night, you’re standing next to a slightly intoxicated Tara. You have had too much to drink and are stumbling slightly as you lean on the wall behind her. She giggles.

“H-hey, T! Thar must be somethin’ wrong wit’ me eyes, I can’t loot them off ye.” You mumble out the cheesy pick-up line you searched up on the internet before going over, stumbling over your words.

Tara puts a hand over her mouth and lets out a laugh as she looks at you.”Oh my god! That was so bad!”

You frown and look down.”Aww, but I tried!” 

Her laughter dies down and her heart melts as she takes her middle and pointer fingers and puts them under your chin, lifting your head up and staring in your eyes.”Are you usually this cute when you’re drunk?” You just tilt your head in confusion, the music blaring in your ears so loud you didn’T understand a word she said. She smiles and shakes her head.

And this goes on all night, Tara and you flirting shamelessly as the others-expect Chad and Ethan who are trying to get Ethan a girl- stand around, confused.

The next morning, you wake up in your bed. A pounding headache is already forming as you sit up. You groan and get out of bed, walking towards the bedroom door and opening it, the smell of Danny’s usual pancakes hit you like a truck and you walk towards the kitchen as fast as you can and sit down on the bar chair by the kitchen counter, watching as Danny flips the last pancake before turning around with two plates in hand, sliding one over to you.

You smile. “Thanks” Then start digging in. Before he sits down, Danny walks over to the cabinet and takes out some pain killers, giving you a pill with a glass of water. You give him a thankful look before swallowing the bite of the pancake and taking the pill.

“Rough night, kiddo?” Danny asks, finally sitting down.

“Oh, yeah. I don’t remember anything.”You say, taking another bite and looking at your brother.

Danny chuckles. “You will eventually.” Then, he remembers”Oh, and my boss expects me earlier today so you’re buying groceries. “ You groan but nod nonetheless.

After finishing your breakfast, Danny was already gone and you got ready to go shopping. Now, you’re looking for your purse literally everywhere in the apartment when you remember.

Shit. I gave it to Mindy last night.

You’re thinking maybe she’s over at the Carpenter’s apartment. You go over to the kitchen counter, taking Danny’s spare key and going out. Soon you’re unlocking the door to Sam and Tara’s apartment, walking inside and immediately looking for Mindy when you notice her coat on the coat hanger.

As you step closer to the kitchen, you hear the sound of maybe a body colliding with the kitchen counter. You step into the kitchen and what you see is nothing like anything you expected. It’s Tara. Pushed up to the kitchen counter by Chad as he kisses her. You rush to walk out as tears sting your eyes, only letting them fall after you hear the sound of their door slamming shut.

Your hand flies up to your mouth as a sob echoes through the hallway, heavy tears blurring your vision as you hurry down the stairs.

But, you’ll never know the truth. The truth that Tara had pushed Chad away almost immediately. Staring at him in disbelief.

“What the fuck Chad?!” She shouts.

“I-I-I’m sorry. I-I thought-” Chad stammers and stutters, his eyes widening.

Tara shakes her head and storms away, her thoughts almost immediately on you. Your cute flirting last night. The light slight touches that you did in your drunken state last night. She sighs and sits down on her bed, staring at your contact, a longing feeling in her chest. Tara scoffs and turns her phone off, holding her head in her hands.

#jenna ortega x you #tara carpenter #tara carpenter x reader #jenna ortega x fem!reader #jenna ortega x reader #scream franchise #scream vi #tara carpenter x you #jenna ortega #scream fanfic

[lebrookestore]

sixteen | l.dh [part i]

Pairing: Lee Donghyuck x reader

Themes: strangers to lovers, highschool! au, coming of age, lovers to exes, exes to lovers to ??, producer! donghyuck (very lightly explored), roommates! au but with a twist, second chance romance, slowburn, angst, fluff, romance, PG 15. (moodboards: i | ii)

Warnings: profanity, heavy ANGST, kissing, food, underage alcohol consumption and alcohol consumption in general, drug use, smoking (vaping, cigarettes and weed consumptions), crude humour, teenagers doing dumb shit as teenagers do, cheating, betrayal.

Word count: 21.6k

Summary: Youth is always accompanied with a fragile glimmer of hope, with you and Donghyuck viewing the world through the rosiest of glasses. But as the ephemeral days of teenage foolishness bleed into the harshness of adulthood, the rosy hue begins to diminish, and you learn that for some people, it just isn’t meant to be.

Playlist: here 

Notes from brooke: hello hi, it's been literally over a year since i posted a full length fic so view this one as something of a peace offering for my inacitivity. it fully started out as a joke drabble concept i thought of out of the blue one day but as i always do, i got carried away and here we are with another angst monster 😭 i wanted to post it as a oneshot but tumblr is a bitch as usual, so here's part one. there were a lot of complications with this fic, but i'm extremely proud of how it turned out and it took a lot of hard work and time to get done so i'm really fucking nervous to put this out there lmao but i hope you guys like it and if so please leave some feedback!! (format of this fic is heavily inspired by forever, interrupted by taylor jenkins reid)

➳ read part ii here!!

prologue – then.

There was something enchanting about the boy with the headphones at the back of the class.

You didn’t think you had seen him before today, which was noteworthy considering your town's excruciatingly small geography. The students in your class were the same ones you had gone to preschool with, and you hadn’t seen a new face within the four yellowed walls of your classroom for all the sixteen years you had lived.

This begged the question - who was this foreign yet beguiling creature that took up one of the ever-sought-out back benches of the dull classroom you inhabited every day of the week? Moreover, you wondered how he had the audacity to have his listen to music while the class was in session.

“Miss L/n?”

Snapping your head back to the front, you bit the inside of your cheek to top yourself from visibly cringing at the shrill voice of your teacher, who was presently eyeing you with an extremely disapproving expression. Much to your displeasure, all eyes were on you within seconds of that unfortunate moment, making you wish you could sink further into the wooden seat you currently occupied.

“Yes?” The moment the word left your mouth, you regretted it. Faking ignorance had never been your strong point, and it wasn’t about to come through for you now.

“Would you like to tell me what you find so interesting at the back or answer the question I just asked?”

You desperately hoped no one could see the warmth infiltrating your cheeks as you shifted uncomfortably in your seat, shaking your head as solemnly as possible.

“Sorry Ma’am.”

The teacher shook her head in retirement, as if she was used to picking on you, and moved on to picking on another student, leaving you to slouch in your seat and let out a sigh of relief. You had always hated being the centre of attention, especially in embarrassing situations such as this one, and recovering from them gracefully– just like your non-existent nonchalance– wasn’t in your skillset either

You looked to your side at your classmate who delivered the answer with ease, looking frankly quite bored as she did so. It was the topper of the class– Eunsook– the girl that always seemed to be ahead of everyone else in every class possible. Her words blurred together as your eyes once again wandered to a certain stranger in the back.

Except for this time, he was looking right back at you.

This was somehow much worse than being put on the spot by your teacher, because this? This meant you had been caught on a much more personal level. 

And then, as if to make things even worse, the side of his mouth quirked upwards in acknowledgement of you, and he brought a hand up to your view, waving it a little in your direction.

Positively horrified, you immediately looked away and made a mental note to never glance in his direction ever again, deciding that pretending to be paying attention in class was a good enough cover-up. 

However, this proved to be quite the task, partly due to the fact that economics wasn’t the most exciting subject, and because his face had been imprinted in your mind, from the intensity of his stare to the slightest of smiles that danced on his lips while he looked at you as if you had amused him in some way.

Your teacher's frown deepened upon seeing the interaction and she cleared her throat, giving you a pointed look. 

Brilliant. 

“Mr Lee, please stand up.”

Oh thank god, it wasn’t you this time. Maybe you had just been imagining her looking at you.

You heard the scraping of the chair legs against the wooden floors and glanced over in its direction, only to realise that it was him she had been called upon.

Well. At least this time you had a good reason to be staring.

It gave you the opportunity to truly take him in all at once, rather than in the pathetic little increments you had to previously resort to throughout the class, sneaking a peek here and there. You studied the boy– dark brown hair that fell into his eyes, which currently wore a look of mild annoyance, striking features etched into his honeyed skin and–

Oh.

He was really cute. 

“Would you care to explain why you were distracting Miss L/n?”

Fuck. You had been naive to think that you would have been let off the hook so easily, especially by this particular teacher. If you had caught her attention for the wrong reason even once, you would be the one she put on the spot for the rest of the class, and this time you had the displeasure of being her guinea pig. The worst part about it was that it was absolutely your fault.

Once again, his line of sight travelled to you, before flickering back up at the oh-so-despised teacher and shaking his head.

“It won’t happen again.”

His voice cut through the expectant silence of class and right through you, deep and with a certain patronising lilt to it. It was a stupid thought, but you thought that it suited him perfectly. A pretty voice to compliment a pretty face. 

“It better not,” the teacher warned sternly. “Since the opportunity has so conveniently arisen for us, I will now introduce you to the rest. Students, this is Donghyuck, and he’s new to the class.”

A pregnant pause hung in the air for a moment before she motioned for him to sit back down. 

Just as she was about to resume her teaching, the bell rang and saved you from any further humiliation. The rustle of books closing and backpacks being unzipped carried through the room, and you joined in, collecting your things and getting to your feet in preparation to leave. 

The light patter of footsteps closened in, followed by a voice. “Hey.”

You looked up from arranging your books, fingers digging into the material of your bag when you realised it was him who had approached you in all his glory– this time up close. It also gave you the opportunity to take note of his outfit, a graphic shirt lazily tucked into jeans, and although it was nothing special, somehow the air he held made it seem a lot more special than it was.

Like something about him made the ordinary feel extraordinary.

“Hello,” You managed to get out, putting a hold on that thought as you met his gaze for the third time. Immediately you regretted not having cleared your throat first, despising the hoarse undertone that accompanied the singular word you had uttered. You had hoped that your second impression would surpass the first, that being extremely unfavourable, but it seemed like the world was not on your side when it came to this boy.

This new, mysterious boy you had no right to be so oddly fixated on. A smile painted itself upon his mouth as he did a once over of you, causing you to feel as if the pale blue shirt you had worn that day was much too hot under the collar, and you had to resist the urge to reach up and unbutton the top to cool yourself down. You wished you could tie your hair up among other things, and tucked your hands behind your back, playing with the hair tie you always kept on your right wrist nervously, expelling some of that anxious energy that had invaded your body while keeping him in the dark about it.

“Nice to meet you, I’m Donghyuck.”  His name sounded infinitely better when he pronounced it, its two syllables ringing in your ears. Nodding carelessly, you lifted your backpack off from the table and slung one strap over your shoulder.

“I heard.”

That answer earned you an expectant raise of his eyebrow.

Right. It seemed that the manners your mother had drilled into your very psyche had finally come to fruition as you realised he was waiting for you to introduce yourself back.

“I’m Y/n.” Your fingernails dug into the strap of your bag, the sweat accumulating in the palm of your hand brushing off against it. This position was one you had never been in before, nerves all over the place over an attractive stranger, but his unabashedness had unnerved you immensely, leaving you with no choice but to grasp for your words. “It’s…nice to meet you too.”

If the option of the ground opening up beneath your feet and swallowing you whole was available, you would have taken it without any hesitation. You detested the awkward pause you had inserted in the middle of your statement, it made you sound flighty and moronic, as if you couldn’t put together basic conversation phrases.

He didn’t seem to mind though, the slightest twitch of his lips being the only indication that he had noticed your scatterbrained state– an indication you had missed on your end. 

“I’ll see you around.”

And just like that, he sauntered off. You watched as his figure retreated through the doorway as you stood there, dumbfounded at the nature of the interaction. More importantly, a singular question lingered in your mind, the question of how he had managed to get away with using his headphones in class.

It would go unanswered.

i] now.

There was something so distinctly you about the woman that sat across Donghyuck.

He focused on the different items displayed on the menu he held in front of him, refraining from glancing at the woman for the third time in thirty seconds. He was supposed to have chosen what he wanted to order a solid five minutes ago, but his composure had been completely thrown off and decision fatigue was quickly setting in.

“I’ll have the steak.”

Her name was Kim Yeonmi, twenty-four in age just like him and very pretty. An elegant dark blue dress donned her figure, her dark, wispy hair tied up into a bun with a few strands of hair let loose at the sides to effectively frame her face. Perhaps it was a little too much to have a first date at a fancy restaurant such as this, with its ostentatious ambience, but he wasn’t too sure of how dating worked at all. 

There was just one person he had experience with.

She looked like she was enjoying the extravagance though, bobbing her head to his choice as she gave the menu another once over. “Just give me another minute.”

He smiled politely. “Take as much time as you need.”

She looked nothing like you, but the way she muttered the names of each dish back to herself under her breath had thrown him back in time, reminding him of how you used to do the very same. 

“It makes it easier to choose when I say them out loud”, you had explained one day to him. “The one that sounds better is the one you pick.”

A foolproof strategy according to you, one you defended with all your might no matter how many times he teased you about it being ridiculous. He recalled the way you’d glare at him, hands resting low on your hips and an exasperated look on your face, the one he had grown so fond of. It was something he’d tease you about, how he loved the pissed-off look you’d give him even though he was the culprit for its showing pretty much every time. 

He missed the dish Yeonmi finally settled on, snapped out of his thoughts and nodded, gesturing the waiter over to place the order. When it came to her order, he let her speak for herself, a good save.

He had to get his act together. 

“So,” he began, leaning back a little in his seat in an attempt to relax. “What do you do, Yeonmi?”

The woman took a sip of the wine that they had previously ordered before answering, “I work in finance.”

The information barely latched into his memory, an absent-minded nod from his end to make it look like he was genuinely listening. Like he wasn’t observing the delicate messiness of her hairdo– messiness that was clearly intentional, done for the illusion of being effortless. It reminded him of how your hair always seemed to be half out of your ponytail, but it shouldn’t have, because that had never been intentional. 

Donghyuck didn’t like the way your memory haunted him so insistently at such an inconvenient time, and he didn’t understand why it did either.

“I’m a music producer,” he informed her, a simper making a show on his face at the mention of his occupation. It was a thing of pride for him, the amount of work he had put in to say those words in the same sentence as the word ‘successful’ was astronomical, but it had all been worth it in the end. Music had been his life's blood ever since he was a child and the fact that he now was able to work with it every day and it was the reason he could take care of his mother meant the world to him. 

New York baby, it made dreams flicker to life. The move he made at merely eighteen had been the best decision he had ever made.

It hadn’t come without its sacrifices though. After all, no risk, no reward.

The food arrived, piping hot and delicious enough to act as an excuse for his distant demeanour. He was present enough to make light conversation, doing his best to store all the little bits of information about Yeonmi in the back of his mind on the off chance of this first date turning into a few more. 

And maybe, hopefully, he’d be less of an ass about them. Maybe this could go somewhere.

The two walked out of the restaurant, Donghyuck holding the door open for her while she exited. A light pattering of pink dusted the woman's cheeks at his consistent shows of gentlemanliness, but it went wholly unnoticed by him, who refused to let her catch a cab from the busy streets of the city, and insisted he drop her back to her place of residence.

How could one not fall for Lee Donghyuck when he was just so charming even when he didn’t intend to be?

Pop songs played at a low volume through the radio, the typical ones that played on a Friday evening to make the daily evening commute a little easier for those coming back from their workplaces, but heightened by the fact that the weekend was at large. The ride was a pleasant one, the music allowing the silences in conversation to be comfortable. Yeonmi snuck a shy glance at Donghyuck through the rearview mirror, noticing the way his long eyelashes framed his eyes that were focused on the road before them. 

His fingers drummed on the steering wheel rhythmically, humming along the song that played as Yeonmi spoke about how she had been obsessed with that very one a few weeks ago. She seemed to be infinitely better at traversing the treacherous waters of conversation, seemingly not even noticing how withdrawn he seemed to be. 

Her chattering also reminded him of you, though a little less interesting. It was a tad comical, how he had the audacity to compare every little thing about her to the one person he had pushed away. 

“That’s my apartment complex.”

He parked the car and got out of it, circled the vehicle to get on her side, and opened the door for her, causing a pleased smile to appear on Yeonmi’s face. Then, he walked her up to the lobby of the building, exchanging pleasantries and goodbyes with a muttering of a hopeful ‘see you again’ thrown into the mix for good measure. 

And with that, she was gone, and Donghyuck was alone once again. The sky was a dark blue, splattered with a few glimmering stars amidst its midnight canvas, the moon hiding behind the misty clouds. He slipped his hands into the pockets of his trousers and let out a sigh he didn’t know he had been holding in, shutting his eyes and counting slowly to ten.

One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven. Eight.

It had been eight years.

Eight years since he had let go of you, opened the palm of his hand and watched as yours slipped right through his fingers. Sometimes, he could still feel the ghost of your skin linger on his fingertips. 

Eight years was a hell of a lot of time, and time was said to heal all wounds. Time should have let him focus on his date instead of thinking of you and the little habits you had that had burned themselves into his memory. 

Time was a fucking liar. 

It was pathetic really. He had managed to not think of you for six of those years, save for the occasional moments when he had had one too many drinks and the alcohol had scrounged up cherished moments of the two of you from the vault of his mind. 

But he was completely and utterly sober right now, almost too sober, he thought, for the wine he had consumed earlier hadn’t done much at all. The cold air nipped at the exposed skin of his face and face, grounding him to reality with its sudden harshness, another reminder that too much time had passed for him to be doing this. He had let go of the right to do so. 

And yet, he found himself thinking of the only girl he had ever loved that windy Friday eve, her smiling face washed into the indigo skies.

The scent of a corporate office clung to your clothes, carrying itself with you as you inserted your keys into the lock of your door, twisted them, and pushed them open to reveal the solace of your apartment. You entered, slipped off your shoes and trudged into the living room where you flopped down on your couch, letting your muscles fully relax for the first time in eight hours. 

“Y/n? Are you home?”

Lifting your head limply, you let your eyelids flutter open to peek over the backrest of the sofa, only to be met with your roommate standing there in the doorway of the kitchen, a smile seemingly stuck onto her made-up face. “Oh, it is you! How was work?”

You gave yourself a second to admire her handiwork from where you were sat (read: sprawled out), wishing you had the ability to do a perfect winged liner as she could. 

“Tiring,” you complained with a sigh, feeling as if your bones were going to disintegrate into dust any moment.

She tutted sympathetically, retreating back into the kitchen. You heard the water running for a few seconds, and then she emerged again, walking over to you and handing you a glass of water. “Poor thing.”

Kim Yeonmi had been your roommate for the last two years, ever since a mutual friend of yours put the two of you in contact when you had been searching for accommodation after college that fits your budget. She was a warm person, sweet and helpful whenever she could be, and the two of you had hit it off from the moment you moved in, the arrangement blossoming into a fruitful friendship for the both of you. 

“Bless you,” you took a sip of the water, straightening up your position to give her space beside you. She had even remembered to add a few ice cubes, the cool liquid revived your tired senses and cleared your mind. 

She sat down, tucking her legs under herself as she reached out her hand, resting it on the top of your head and rubbing it comfortingly. You leaned into her touch, closed your eyes and savoured the quiet moment of solitude– the first one you have had today.

Then you opened your eyes and turned to her.

“So how was it?”

A bashful smile decorates her crimson-painted lips as she averted her gaze from you in an attempt to hide the flush that was quickly making itself known on her face. She cleared her throat, answering in the most casual and non-committal way she could. “Good.”

You snickered at her response to your simple question, “Seems like it was more than just ‘good’.”

“Well….”

Yeonmi sighed, leaning back into the cushions properly as she got comfortable and thats how you knew you had her. 

“Come on, give me the details!” You disregarded your fatigue, slapping her arm playfully to convince her to spill. She laughed at your eagerness, a laugh that was laced with girlish merriment, and rubbed the back of her neck, the smile on her face not slipping from its place even once. 

“It was amazing,” she confessed, much to your delight. “God, I don’t think I’ve ever had such a great date.”

You had witnessed her stressing over this date of hers since yesterday and had caught glimpses of her nerves this morning before you left for work. To help ease those nerves, you had helped pick out her outfit, made sure to respond to every one of her manic texts to you between work and called her back during your break. You were overjoyed that it had gone well for her.

This was the first date she had gone on in an entire year after her last relationship had come to an end. It was a messy breakup, leaving you with an extremely shaken Yeonmi who, in her grief, had vowed to never love someone again. Thankfully, that phase was one she got over quickly, and you were proud of how she had managed to heal and put herself out there once again.

God knows you had tried and failed.

She began describing her evening, starting with how her extremely charming date had already been waiting at the restaurant they had agreed upon. She had met this man on a dating app- the name of which she refused to tell you unless it turned out to be more than just a dead end, and after a few weeks of talking, they had finally decided to go on a date, something she had been anticipating for a while now. You listened, squealing and giggling along with her at the appropriate times to reciprocate her evident excitement. 

“And you know what was so cute?” She continued, talking a little faster now that she had warmed up and was in the thick of describing the date. “He seemed a little distracted like he was just as nervous as I was about the entire thing, and that just put me to ease, you know? A suave guy is nice and all, and don’t get me wrong, he was confident, but that slight nervousness showed me that he liked me as well.” 

Her gushing was endearing, and you nodded with a smile. “He sounds perfect.”

“Oh he’s an absolute dreamboat Y/n, seriously, I don’t know where or how I managed to stumble upon him, but I must have done something good in my past life to deserve this.”

You placed your now empty glass on the little table next to the couch, settling in closer to her. “You always do good, you had this good karma coming.”

“Oh I forgot to tell you the best part,” She looked at you with a serious look on her face, but her eyes were practically twinkling. “He likes Taylor Swift. He was singing along to her songs when he dropped me home.”

Your jaw dropped. “Now I know he really is perfect.” You grinned, the expression quickly morphing into a yawn as your exhaustion finally caught up to you again, and in good timing, considering she had finished talking about her date. She looked over at the clock and then back at you. 

“You should go to bed, you’ve had a long day.”

You wholeheartedly agreed with this suggestion, stood up on your feet and stretched your arms out above your head. “Yeah, I think I’m gonna call it a night here.” Picking up your bag that had been strewn out across the floor, you walked to the doorway that led to your room, before turning around and facing her once again. 

“Hey, one last thing.”

She gazed up at you in the midst of removing her earrings and hummed in acknowledgement, “Hmm?”

“What’s his name?”

“Huh?”

“You never told me his name,” You shook your head in amusement. “I think you were too caught up in all your excitement.” For the past half an hour, she had just been referring to him in only pronouns, something you had just realised. 

“Oh,” her lips formed an ‘o’ shape in surprise at herself. “Donghyuck. His name is Lee Donghyuck.”

And just like that, your entire world fell apart.

It's funny how a simple name can knock the air out of your lungs.

That was an understatement. That name– his name– was anything but simple. The three syllables that constituted it stood for so much, things said and left unsaid, buried in the grave of your mind.

The unadulterated shock you felt at the name she uttered caused your already aching legs to feel even more unstable than they did, and your knees nearly gave out underneath you. You steadied yourself by leaning against the doorframe, a shaky breath escaping your lips as an emotion that you hadn’t felt so strongly in a very long time ripped through you. 

Despair.

No. No, it couldn’t be–

For a moment, you could almost see his eyes looking at you, one moment with such affection and the next with more sorrow than you could ever begin to describe. I’m sorry.

“Y/n?”

You gripped the doorframe, feeling as if the rug had been swept from right under your feet, and focused your eyes on Yeonmi on the couch, who was now staring at you in concern. “Are you okay?”

How many times had you lied while answering this question when it came to him? You had lost count, so there wouldn’t be any harm in doing it once more. Sucking in a harsh gulp of air that hit the back of your throat, you forced a smile. “Yep. Goodnight.”

You choked out the words, spun on your heel and stumbled to your door, grabbing and twisting the doorknob in haste, your entire body weight leaning on the door as it swung open. Practically tripping over your own feet, you shut it quickly, both hands fastened to the knob as you rested your forehead against the door, using it as support for your body that suddenly seemed several pounds heavier.

It had been eight years since you had heard another person say his name, the sound of it cutting through reality itself, digging into your skin and latching onto it. Perhaps that was the cause of excess weight that seemed to drag you down at the very moment. 

Fuck.

You took a minute to wonder what God was sitting above and laughing at your sorry state.

Using the door behind your back as a guide, you slid down to the ground, pulling your knees closer to your chest and interlocking your fingers in front of them, forming your very own cocoon. You pathetically hoped that it would shield you from the torrent of your own emotions.

Rationally speaking, this was most definitely a coincidence. You were sure that there were several people around the world with the first name ‘Donghyuck’ and last name ‘Lee’ – after all, it was a pretty common last name to have. The chances of this guy, Yeonmi’s perfect dreamy date being your Donghyuck were extremely improbable.

Your Donghyuck. You almost laughed bitterly. He hadn’t been your Donghyuck for a long, long time. 

You didn’t know if he had ever truly been yours to begin with. 

I’m so sorry, Y/n.

You closed your eyes and tried to steady your breathing, only to snap them open immediately when the image of his eyes once again rippled through the forefront of your mind.

This was ridiculous, you knew, the extremity of your reaction was wholly uncalled for. It had been eight years and one would think you would have been better at controlling your emotions, especially when it came to something, someone, that was so heavily stuck in the past.

It turned out that you were also stuck in the past. The way your legs resembled those of a newborn giraffe a few minutes ago was enough proof of that.

A groan escaped you, one that was a mix of frustration and distress. You couldn’t quite place the new ache that had emerged in your chest, a dull throb that felt icy cold, yet strangely familiar. You reasoned with yourself, your thoughts waging a silent war among each other as you laid out all the reasons why it couldn’t and wouldn’t be the man that lingered in your life like a poltergeist you didn’t have the energy to exercise. 

You could hear the soft padding of Yeonmi's footsteps outside your door as she made her way to her own room and the soft click of her lock as she retired for the night. Slowly, you let yourself relax and mentally gather all the strength you possessed right then to pick yourself up from the ground and carry yourself to your bed, the usually short walk feeling like a thousand steps away. The soft cotton sheets welcomed your weary body, alleviating the weight that currently sat upon your shoulders and providing you with some temporary relief.

It was late, and it never did anyone any good to think about things beyond their control in the intimidating silence of the night. Letting your eyes close for real this time, you turned onto your side and tried to quiet your mind.

But there was still a small part of you that thought back to then.

ii] then.

He liked cookies-and-cream flavoured ice cream.

You gripped the complimentary wooden spoon that came with the cup of ice cream you bought from the convenience store, staring at the slightly melted ice cream that you held with your other hand. Donghyuck was just about done with his, a triumphant smile creeping up on his face every time he glanced at you.

“I told you.”

“Don’t gloat.”

“But your reactions are so cute,” he teased, taking another spoonful of his ice cream. Your biology class had a pop quiz that day, and Donghyuck had tried to help you with an answer you weren’t too sure about. However, his answer sounded even more incorrect than yours, and he made you promise to buy him ice cream if he ended up being correct. “I told you the right answer but no, you insisted you were right and lost the mark.”

The compliment stung a little, or perhaps that was just the summer heat prickling the back of your neck.

“I’m not affected by that,” you huffed, “I’m wondering why you chose such cheap ice cream of all the ones you could have. We just got it and mine’s already melting.”

He shrugged. “It’s not the ice cream that matters, just the fact that you had to buy it for me to symbolise me being right.”

“But there's a Häagen-Dazs right down the street. Sakura and Chenle would have immediately made me buy them that.” Your protests and comparisons seemed to fall on deaf ears as he continued to enjoy his ice cream soup, leaving you to roll your eyes at his flippancy. 

“I don’t want to run you dry, now do I?” That surprised you, and it was apparent to him by the bewildered look in your now-wide eyes. Whenever you offered to pay for your other friends, they always jumped at the chance to exploit you to the best of their abilities, taking full advantage of the opportunity.

There truly wasn’t anyone like Lee Donghyuck. 

You weren’t quite sure how the friendship between the two of you had blossomed, for it had been such a natural thing that it completely slipped you by. The occasional hello turned into walking in the hallways to classes together, texting each other and hanging out after school while eating cheap ice cream. It was just so easy with him, activities you would find boring with others were enjoyable in his presence.

It was unfathomable, how everything about him was so captivating. He carried himself with an effortless aura, as if unaware of how magnetic and goddamn beautiful he was because he truly was one of the most stunning people you had ever set your eyes upon in your short life. Oftentimes, you would catch yourself just admiring the gentle slope of his nose and rise of his cheekbones, and how his hair fell so perfectly. 

And how could you forget his eyes, ones that you had the privilege of being under the gaze of, more so than others? His eyes were your favourite part of him, they left you mesmerised with their fiery intensity and simultaneous gentleness. 

“Your ice cream has completely melted,” he pointed out, nudging your side lightly with his elbow, effectively snapping you out of your self-induced reverie. You looked at your cup, the realisation that you had been aimlessly stirring its contents hitting you.

“Oh.”

“What were you daydreaming about now?” He asked, mirth lacing his voice as he looked on at you affectionately. Over the past few weeks that he had been growing closer to you in, he had started picking up on your little habits.

You bit the inside of your cheek, “Nothing.”

“If you’re going to lie, at least make it believable,” he cocked an eyebrow. “You were staring at me weirdly.”

Warmth flooded your cheeks, you had been caught due to your carelessness, and yet you couldn’t help but feel a little offended at his choice of words. “Weirdly?”

The edge to your voice gave away how you felt at that moment, and alarmed, Donghyuck shook his head, tossing the empty plastic cup in the recycle bin next to him. “No– well yes– but not in a bad way! Good weird.” In truth, he liked taking up your attention, he would sit forever to dissect the flecks of gold that appeared in your eyes when the sun's rays fell into them, and the lingering emotion he couldn’t quite explain.

“Good weird,” you repeated softly, looking away from him and letting that sink in. The apples of his cheeks were a light rosy shade now as he fidgeted, hoping he had successfully mitigated any possible insult he had accidentally bestowed upon you. He truly hadn’t meant to, there wasn’t an ounce of weirdness about the situation in the slightest, except for the muddled feeling that settled in the pit of his stomach when you looked at him like that.

“You’re the weird one,” you deadpanned finally, and he shrugged in resignment, plucking the cup out of your hands, much to your displeasure, “Hey, I’m not done–”

“There’s no point in finishing this, it’s not ice cream anymore.”

It landed next to his cookies-and-cream cup in the bin, his matter-of-fact words flying into the wind. You didn’t bother arguing, letting your hands fall limply to your sides as you looked at him again, noting how the orange glow of the sky crept through the strands of his hair, framing his head like he was a saint of some sort. 

“I’ll walk you home,” he stated, taking a few steps before stopping and turning around, waiting for you to join him. He was dependable and someone to trust, you thought briefly, biting back a smile at him. Donghyuck pushed down the fluster that was creeping up on him again.

The sunset over your little town, painting the sky in more brilliant colours as the two of you walked underneath it, knuckles silently brushing against each other as it faded to black.

Donghyuck walked into his house, a Taylor Swift song playing through the headphones that he currently had on. While he had been walking you home, the two of you had engaged in a lively conversation about the different musical artists you each enjoyed, which eventually spiralled into an entire monologue on your end about why you loved the aforementioned singer so much. He found the way you spoke so animatedly, your voice brimming with passion and insistence, extremely adorable, and clearly, you had excellent convincing abilities because there he was, listening to her.

He slipped off his shoes, placed them by the door and sighed. The hallway of his new house felt nothing like a home, but the feeling of unfamiliarity that came with it was all too customary for him. 

“Donghyuck?”

His mother's lilting voice reached his ears from where she was, and he followed it. “I’m home.”

“Oh good, good,” she came into view as he made his way into the kitchen, slipping the headphones around his neck and opening a cupboard to get himself a glass. “I was thinking we could watch a movie today. I don’t have any work right now.” 

He poured himself some water, thinking over her offer. He knew her intentions were good, she just wanted to spend time with her son and his answer should have been a yes, but he shook his head anyway. “I have a lot of homework to finish.”

“Oh.” She tried her best to disguise the disappointment that laced her voice for his sake, but he could hear it as clear as day. “Alright, I’ll call you when dinner is ready.”

He nodded, finished his water and walked upstairs to his room, taking two steps at a time to reach there as quickly as possible. Pushing the door open, he reached a hand out to the switchboard and then hesitated.

Donghyuck didn’t know which switches corresponded with anything. 

For some people, this was an inconvenience at best, but for him, it was a sentiment he was unfortunately very used to. A painful reminder of the unpredictability his life had always possessed. In his last house, he had just about figured out the pattern of which switches were for specific items, but now he was once again left feeling stranded.

And he couldn’t help but blame his mother for it. 

It was the same cycle playing out before him again, the move and the new town, the new faces that he knew would probably not mean much to him in a year when he found himself in a new place, thinking about how he wished that just once, he would be allowed to enjoy the trivial luxury of knowing the switches well enough.

One would think he’d be used to all the moving, but then again, he was just a teenager. 

He also knew it wasn’t truly his mother’s fault – she was simply doing what she needed to in order to support the both of them and being a single mother was no doubt hard on her – but Donghyuck was only sixteen. It was much easier to criticise and resent her than to try and understand for what seemed like the hundredth time. He had been so understanding for so long, that now even the concept of trying to be sympathetic sounded exhausting. 

Every year he’d walk through life without caring much for anyone he came across. Friendships didn’t mean anything to him for they were so fleeting, and the people who promised to stay in contact with him would stop calling and texting within two weeks of him moving. He had realised that letting himself get attached to someone was a waste of time and energy he didn’t have anymore, and had slowly taught himself to isolate himself so that every move didn’t hurt as much.

So why was it that for the first time in what felt like a long time, he felt a pinch in his heart when he thought about moving again?

And why was it your face flickering through his mind that seemed to cause it? 

In complete and unadulterated truth, he had never felt such a pull towards someone as he did to you. It had always been so easy for him to keep people at a distance, but with you, he forgot about having to do that. If anything, he wanted to keep you as close as possible. You were something he hadn’t accounted for.

He flicked the first switch on. The fan whirred to life.

Donghyuck would learn the pattern soon enough. 

iii] now.

The days passed quickly as they usually did, you pushed any lingering doubts about the man Yeonmi was dating to the far periphery of your mind, burying yourself in your work. You were working towards a promotion you had had your eye on for a while now, and it was more important than anything else. 

But it was hard not to notice the little things that had changed about Yeonmi, the way she smiled more and how you’d often catch her hiding a grin when she glanced at her phone. It was difficult to ignore how she’d dress up and go on her dates, especially when she so often asked for your opinion and help, and you were forced to swallow your pride and assist her.

You were being idiotic, you knew, which was why you reminded yourself that this could not have been the boy you once knew. 

You sighed, shutting your laptop and placing your hands on the edge of your desk, pushing yourself to your feet and stretching. It was technically your day off, but you were still swarmed with online meetings and a few dozen emails that you had to send out. Letting your hands fall, you pulled at the hair tie around your wrist and gathered your hair into a ponytail, walking away from your home desk and walking to your bed.  

It was getting pretty late and Yeonmi still wasn’t home. From what you knew, she had gone to a dinner party her date had invited her to, and she had warned you she would be late and to not stay up, but it was in your genes to worry. You wouldn’t get sleep until you knew she was safe and at home in one piece anyway. 

But you supposed shutting your eyes for a few minutes wouldn’t hurt anyone.

Just as you were about to slip into a slumber, you heard the faintest clicking of the door to your apartment, and along with the unmistakable peal of Yeonmi’s laughter, it woke you up. Blinking rapidly, you forced yourself to leave the comfort of your linen sheets and get to your feet, rubbing your eyes in order to wake yourself up a little bit and grabbing the robe you hung behind your door to combat the slight chill that the midnight air possessed before making your way to the living room. 

You flicked the switch on as you walked into the room, squinting in discomfort at the sudden shift of lighting, lips parting in surprise.

There at the doorway stood an extremely giggly Yeonmi, the smile on her face looking like it had been tattooed on her lips, an arm placed against the wall to make sure she didn’t fall over, the other stuck in an attempt to take off one of her heels. When she failed and almost stumbled, another giggle left her, apparently unaware of the fact she was about to fall over.

Alarm rang through you as you took a panicked step forward, instinctively reaching out to try and catch her even though you weren’t close enough to do so. “Yeon-”

“I got you”

You froze as an arm slipped around her waist, pulling her back to her previous position and steadying her, and while you were glad your roommate’s fate of faceplanting into the wooden flooring had been thwarted, it was the last thing on your mind.

The first was that voice.

You knew it like the back of your hand, and no matter long it had been, you would never forget it. Even if it had changed a little, a little deeper than it used to sound eight years ago, unfamiliar with the amount of time that had passed and yet so recognizable for you.

Faltering, you slowly shifted your line of sight up to catch a glimpse of the person, only for him to do the exact same thing, presumably as a response to you saying your roommate's name and it was like everything around you had paused just for this moment.

You knew those eyes.

Eyes that were currently filled with swirls of confusion and surprise, only to rapidly thaw into a horrified look of realisation, his arm around another girl that just happened to have been the very one you had to face every morning.

The world truly did have a cruel sense of humour. You stared back at him, unable to tear your vision away from him no matter what you did.

Lee Donghyuck, in the flesh after eight long years.

It was almost unsettling, how he looked the exact same he used to. Of course, there were differences, but they were all superficial in nature. His hair was cut slightly differently, no longer in the neater hairstyle he had kept as a teenager but a little longer at the back. He was wearing clothes you had never seen before, but that was to be expected, and he had his arm around someone that was decidedly not you.

But other than that, it was him. Those stupid, splendid eyes of his, those very features that had been burned into your memory and had stubbornly refused to leave no matter how hard you tried to evict them.

It felt as if someone was standing right on your chest, relentless in their approach and crushing your lungs, every pint of air inside it being zapped out as if it was never needed there in the first place.  You briefly entertained the idea of walking back into your room and staying there for the next ten years.

“Y/n!”

The spell cast upon the two of you had successfully been broken by your intoxicated roommate, who, in her state, had absolutely no perception of social cues at the moment, and certainly not of the thick tension that had descended upon your living room.  She broke out of his grasp, stumbling towards you without even a semblance of grace and threw her arms around your neck in a death grip of a hug, only succeeding in contributing towards your current breathing problems.

Taken aback by her rather abrupt display of affection, you awkwardly pat her back a couple of times, managing to choke out the words, “Thats me.” Your attempt at adding a jovial lilt to your voice royally failed because the only thing on your mind was something rather embarrassing.

It was how absolutely terrible you probably looked right then.

It was silly no doubt, for you to be pondering your appearance at that specific point in time. If you were morally a better person, perhaps you would have been thinking about how you were relieved that Yeonmi was safe, but the only thing you could think of was the fact that your hair most definitely looked like a nest and that you were dressed in a ratty old sweatshirt that you had owned since your freshman year of college and pyjama pants.

They had peppa pig on them. If not for the fact that they were the most comfortable thing you owned, you would have burned them after this.

“Oh, right,” she giggled when she pulled away and saw your eyes trained on the man she had brought with her, hands on your shoulders to make sure she didn’t fall, “This is Donghyuck!” 

You glanced at her and then back at him, trying desperately to swallow the lump in your throat. “Right.”

Right? You mentally cussed yourself out for that lacklustre response and cleared your throat in order to save yourself. “Nice to meet you.”

Maybe he didn’t realise you caught the split second of confusion that passed through his eyes, but you had, catching yourself before you winced out of mild guilt for putting him in such a difficult position. Nevertheless, he played along like he was in on the plan all along, straightening up and responding.

“It’s nice to meet you too.”

Two strangers by choice met again that night, heartstrings that had once been intertwined and subsequently torn apart to die out, reviving with just a simple glance and a few words. He looked at you and you looked at him, forgetting for a moment that the girl standing between the two of you was the biggest obstacle of them all.

And for just a moment there, you were sixteen.

Donghyuck left a few minutes later, once awkward goodbye’s had been exchanged and Yeonmi was safely in your care, sipping on a large glass of water in her bed. 

Being around him again, even if it had only been for a few meagre minutes, had completely shattered your self-composure. Your heart was beating too quickly, your adrenaline was on an all-time high and your ability to be discreet had evaded you entirely, resulting in times when you caught yourself looking at him a beat too long.

He seemed to be having the exact opposite reaction, barely even looking at you after the initial shock of it being you standing there wore off. His eyes seemed to be glued to your tipsy roommate, talking to her in a gentle tone as he bid her farewell and promised to message her the next day. 

The fact that he seemed so normal infuriated you a little bit. It shouldn’t have, you knew that very well, but you simply couldn’t understand how you were a certified mess while he seemed to be so composed, acting as if you weren’t even there. It was wholly childish to expect him to be stuck on you, but then again, you had suffered that very fate, so why couldn’t have he?

And so there you were, sitting on the edge of Yeonmi’s bed, wide awake as you watched her finish her water, just barely making out the emotion that had resurfaced within you- the green-eyed monster responsible for your churning stomach with every look at your friend.

Why?

Because the way he had taken care of her tonight was all too reminiscent of how he used to do the same for you.

“What do you think of him?”

Her words were only slightly slurred now, and you blinked, registering her question. She stared at you expectantly, eagerly awaiting your judgement over her date. 

“He’s nice.”

She frowned. “That’s it? Nice?”

You shut your eyes, desperately wishing you could skip over this question somehow, but when you opened them she was evidently still waiting for you to finish. You breathed in.

Now, what did you think of Lee Donghyuck?

You had thought Donghyuck was the most wonderful person you had ever met when you were a teenager, the one person who everything seemed so natural with. He was someone you thought was home, a best friend and a lover all rolled into one. But he had eyes that tortured you, a past interlaced so intricately with yours that lingered to this very day and connections to someone unbearably close to you in the present. 

Yeonmi placed her glass on her bedside table and sighed contentedly. “I really like him, Y/n.” 

You hadn’t heard her say something like that about a guy since her last relationship, and she had the same simper on her face that she did back then too. There was no way you could bring yourself to even think about attempting to ruin that.

You breathed out.

“I think he’s great,” you started, fingers curling around her cotton bedsheets and squeezing, doing your utmost best to keep your voice level. “He was really good with you tonight.”

The bitter irony of it all hit you, how the guy that let Yeonmi finally move on was the very same that made it impossible for you to do so. Her smile widened while your stomach grew heavier, dragging you down as you walked to your own room later that night, your dreams tainted with images of a boy you once loved and a stranger who looked the same.

iv] then.

Being sick did not suit you.

To say that you were miserable was an understatement. If one had to accurately describe what the situation felt like to you, they would have to include a bit about you feeling as if you were losing your mind. You did not appreciate the light-headedness that you experienced everything you stood up, or the throbbing head and blocked nose.

You definitely didn’t like being stuck in your bed practically all day. 

Slumped against your pillow and underneath your sheets, you sighed for what must have been the twentieth time that minute. At first, you had no problem with being able to skip a day of school, thinking that you would have a relaxing day of rest. This, of course, included catching up and binge-watching all your favourite shows and taking a well-deserved nap to catch up on sleep that your chemistry teacher had stolen from you via the dozens of assignments she gave out every week. 

Your glorious plans came to a stark halt when your mother decided that you needed to rest your eyes to get better, which meant that you had been forbidden even thinking about opening your laptop or staring at your phone for too long. This had left you to your own devices, and once you had slept for two hours, the ability to do so seemed to disappear.

Staring at the ceiling grew old pretty quickly.

The soft creaking of the door to your room had you quickly drop your phone and haphazardly push it underneath the blanket, plastering on the most innocent look you could as you stared expectantly, waiting for your mother to come into your view. She did, a glimmer of satisfaction appearing in her eyes at the sight of you without any electronics around you.

“How are you feeling now?”

“Better.” Your answer elicited a smile from her, and she continued, unaware of how you had disobeyed her orders and hidden the evidence.

“Great, because you have a guest.” She opened your door further to reveal your guest and there stood Donghyuck, his school bag slung over his shoulder as he looked into your room, offering you a smile and a small wave.

You stared back at him, relief and mild horror washing through you at the same time somehow, wholly displeased at the fact that he was looking at you while you barely resembled a human being. The Kleenex visible at the end of your bed did nothing to soothe your embarrassment. The relief stemmed from the fact that perhaps the only reason you had not been too pleased about missing a day of school was that you wouldn’t see Donghyuck.

Well, at least that was sorted.

“Sakura told me you were sick,” he explained as your mother left, walking into your room and looking around. Suddenly, you were ever so slightly embarrassed by the pictures you had stuck up on your wall in the fifth grade, knowing that you were smiling a toothy grin in each and every one of them. While you hoped he wouldn’t stare at them too intently, you noticed the small brown paper bag he was holding.

Seeing the raise of your eyebrow, he grabbed the chair next to your desk and dragged it towards your bed, sitting down and keeping the bag on your bedside table. “So I got you something to cheer you up.”

Your curiosity was piqued by that, and you sat up straighter, eyeing the bag even more intently now. Donghyuck bit the inside of his cheek to stop himself from smiling too hard because of how adorable you were, your nose and cheeks tinged due to whatever sickness you had been afflicted with, but your eyes were still lively. Deciding to put you out of your misery, he took out the contents from the bag, carefully watching for your reaction.

And you did disappoint in the slightest, the sides of your mouth curling upwards in joy at the fact that he had gotten you your favourite doughnut and drink. The fact that he remembered it exactly made you grin the same grin you had plastered on your walls, taking the food from him and watching as he brought out his own favourite combination.

“I fucking love you,” you declared, overjoyed at having something with actual flavour to eat that day, before realising the words that had left your lips. Quickly, you took a bite out of the doughnut to cover it up and make it seem like it wasn’t a big deal. And it shouldn’t have been because friends said those three words to each other all the time. It was normal.

Right?

Of course, most friends did not feel their hearts beating rapidly every time the other person was near. 

Donghyuck caught what you said, and for a moment it felt as if there was a lump in his throat. It wasn’t a new feeling when it came to you, the hesitancy to say something came and went as did his nerves around you. Swallowing heavily, he forced out, “Oh so you love me when I get you food. Got it.”

The teasing tone of his voice helped you relax, but if you had glanced at his face you would have realised it didn’t match his expression, which was just as tense as you were due to your slight slip-up. He couldn’t help but hope there was a hint of genuine truth in the statement.

“Shut the fuck up.”

And with that, the tension dissipated. He took a bite out of his donut and you took a sip of your drink. The silence wasn’t uncomfortable or awkward by any means, but you felt the need to fill it anyway. 

“It’s not just because you bought me food, okay?” You began earnestly. “You’ve also always been there for me. I appreciate that more than you know.” Then you paused, but not for long, adding to your previous statements, “But doughnuts definitely don’t hurt, so you’ve made a sick girl very happy. Thank you.”

When you finished, you found him looking at you with an inexplicable look on his visage. The softness to his gaze had a flush rapidly rise up your neck, the simper playing on his lips laced with a hint of mirth. It was then you realised you had said a lot of nothing to him in the span of five minutes, igniting embarrassment to bubble up inside of you.

God, you would never understand how he managed to do this to you without doing anything at all. 

“Sorry,” you mumbled. “I’m rambling. My dad says it’s a bad habit I need to get rid of.”

You mentally chastised yourself. There you were once again, giving him even more information he definitely didn’t ask for. In fact, in the past ten minutes, Donghyuck hadn’t said a word, it had just been you speaking. Burying under your covers to hide yourself was the first thing you wanted to do, but that would have made you look like even more of an idiot.

Why did you care so much about what he thought? The two of you were friends, he was probably closer to you than your other friends you had known since the first grade, and yet you were so deathly scared of somehow weirding him out or saying something wrong. 

If only you knew what was going through his mind at that second, the sheer fondness for you that had taken over his every thought. The amount of affection he held for you was something he had never felt for anyone else before and due to that, he often forced himself to not think too much about it.

Most people had their first crushes at younger ages, but not Donghyuck. At first, he thought that he was weird, but then attributed his apparent lack of feelings to not staying long enough in one place to get attached to anyone.

Then he met you, and your existence itself rebuked that entire theory. He had only known you for a little over three months, and although this was the first time he had ever thought about someone like this, he wasn’t confused in the slightest. It was never about being able to stick around for enough time, it was just that none of them were you.

“You could talk for hours and I’d never get bored.”

The silence hanging over both of your heads was broken with that singular statement of his, melting away your nerves and replacing them with a pesky, fluttery feeling in the pit of your stomach. You blinked, processing what he had said and wondered if the butterflies in your stomach were a result of the seemingly noncommittal comment or nausea from your sickness. 

You had been a talkative person all your life, often getting into mild trouble at school for not being able to shut up. You had been told to quiet down or that your voice was too loud so many times that you had lost count, and something you had grown increasingly afraid of was accidentally boring someone by being too obnoxious on accident, leading to you apologising every time you realised what you were doing.

But not one person had ever said something so lovely to you. Never had they managed to completely dissolve that insecurity with just a few words.

“Oh,” was all you managed to get out in response. The butterflies seemed to increase in regards to the size of their swarm. He grinned.

“Somehow that made you shut up though.”

Rolling your eyes, you looked away and bit the inside of your cheek to stop yourself from smiling as hard as you wanted to. “Fuck off Donghyuck,” you puffed out your cheeks slightly. “You’re so lame.”

“Oh, so you want me to leave?” He got to his feet as if challenging you, and you snapped your head back, shaking it vigorously. If you had taken notice of the coy nature of his voice, you made no motion to show it.

“No, please don’t leave me. I've been sitting here alone all day. I’m this close to going insane.” You pinched your index finger and thumb together, pursing your lips in an indignant pout to put your point across effectively. This elicited a laugh from the boy, who promptly sat back down at your request, scooting even closer than before. 

And you resumed your conversation, talking late into that evening. He filled you in on the happenings of the day at school (which was followed by your complaints about how everything fun happened only on the days you were absent somehow) and you finished your doughnuts, stealing a few bites from his as well. You bickered and laughed at his stupid jokes, going off once again into one of your famous tangents with him patiently sitting through them. Your other friends hadn’t shown up to check on you, but he had, and that was enough for you.

All you did was talk, but somehow he made you feel better by just listening.

Libraries were, in your eyes at least, magical spaces where time itself seemed to take a pause while you sat within them. The atmosphere of your local one that you visited often was unmatched, whether you were there to borrow books or to sit and study for a test. 

This particular library was absolutely gorgeous, with older design choices and architecture that gave it a more regal feel, something right out of Dead Poets Society. You could spend entire days there being productive, and every time you visited, you always left with a smile. 

The librarian was also extremely sweet and knew you by name, but that was to be expected considering you had been going there since you were ten years old. You walked in, giving her a polite wave and smile as you found your seat, settling in and arranging your study material. You were determined to tackle a particularly arduous unit of economics today in preparation for a class test you had coming up.

Your seat was towards the back of the library, next to one of the large arching windows and the optimal distance away from a fan in a corner. It was cosy enough to keep you focused on whatever you were doing that day while also giving you the best view of the library in its entirety, making it your go-to spot. 

It was due to this splendid view that you saw a certain Lee Donghyuck walk in.

He stopped in the middle, those eyes of his scanning the large room until they fell upon you. They lit up- something you could see happen even from the distance away you were and he began making his way towards your spot. 

Oh, dear. It seemed like you wouldn’t be getting any work done after all.

Donghyuck slid into the seat right opposite you, and you nodded in acknowledgment, looking back at the screen of your laptop. He looked at you for a moment before opening the book he had gotten with him.

And now for some reason, even though you were in the most optimal spot in the library that always produced productivity from you, your attention was directed away from your work and towards the beguiling boy across from you. You weren’t quite sure how you felt about him not glancing at you at all right then, or why you were so perturbed by it. 

Shaking it off, you once again turned your attention to the wonders of Alfred Marshall. Your method of memorisation was taking notes, or rather, scribbling down whatever was on the slides your teacher had put together and hoping for the best.

And it was then you heard the distinct slapping of a shutting book. “I’m bored.”

You bit the inside of your cheek to curb the smile that always seemed to make a show around Donghyuck, and raised an eyebrow in question.

In a whisper, he continued, “This book fucking sucks. I gave it a chance because Seulgi insisted I had to read it, but I really can’t get through a page without wanting to take a nap.” The droll look on his face almost made you laugh. “Do you happen to know where it belongs? I haven’t quite figured out the library yet.”

You nodded, getting to your feet and cocking your head to signal him to do the same. He fell into step with you as you led him to the fiction section in the back, and making sure to keep your voice low, you asked, “Seulgi has been talking to you a lot lately, hasn’t she?”

Every syllable of your sentence had been laced with forced nonchalance, and you didn’t dare look at him even once, turning into where you guessed the book would have belonged. He hummed lightly, following you dutifully.

“I guess so.”

Kang Seulgi was one of the more popular girls in your grade, well known for being in the cheerleading team. You hadn’t interacted with her very much, but from the few times your paths had crossed, she had always been very polite, leaving you with the impression that she was a sweet person. To tell the truth, Donghyuck was also talked about quite a bit, but you weren’t surprised about that in the slightest. He was a sight to behold, even if he didn’t know it himself.

So naturally, Seulgi had introduced herself to him and had begun to talk to him a lot more. You remembered when he told you she had sent him a follow request and then slid into his DM's, and him asking you to help him with how to respond since he had essentially nothing in common with the girl.

Now look, it wasn’t as if you were jealous or anything, truly, there was nothing for you to be jealous over anyway considering there wasn’t anything between you and Donghyuck. He was allowed to talk to whoever he wanted and take their stupid little literary recommendations.

Okay, so maybe you were a little jealous, but you really shouldn’t have been. You knew you were his closest friend, but maybe you were jealous because while you were his friend, Seulgi had approached him with intentions that were very obviously the opposite of an innocent friendship.

“Fun,” you muttered under your breath, successfully failing your own unbothered claims, stopping in front of a shelf and holding your hand out. “Book.”

He handed you the book, immediately noticing the shift in your mood, even if it was only slight. You glanced at the cover and frowned, pushing it in the gap in between all the books and staring intently at the other title,  evidently looking for another one you had just thought he would enjoy, before realising it was sitting on one of the higher shelves in mild dismay. 

The silence bothered him a little. “It really is an ass book.”

Now, although this made you feel a little better, the feeling of slight stupidity that came along with it cancelled it out.  The book you wanted to give him was just out of your reach, but you were much too proud to ask for his help after replying so curtly to him when it wasn’t necessary.

So you went onto your tiptoes, reaching out your hand in an attempt to get said book down, only for your fingers to barely brush against the wood of the shelf. This resulted in you almost stumbling a little, letting out a soft sound of frustration.

Donghyuck watched you in amusement, watching you try once again and still failing. 

“Need some help there?”

“Nope,” you said a little too quickly, jumping a little now and just about touching the book’s spine. 

He snickered to himself and moved until he was right behind you, easily finding the book and slipping it out of the shelf, making a point to hold it entirely out of your reach and asking languidly. “Are you sure about that?” 

Donghyuck knew he had bested you. He was toying with that fact, enjoying having you in the palm of his hands to play with- but not in a malicious way. 

You looked up at him, taking note of the way he was looking back at you. You took note of the triumphant look in his eyes, filled with amusement at your current struggle. That very amusement laced his lips as well, shaping them into an infuriating little smirk that had you catching your breath.

And subtlety had never been your strong suit, and it wasn’t about to start being so, much to your misfortune. Your eyes were trained to his lips, and this time, Donghyuck noticed.

He also noticed the minimal space between the two of you, and how if he just leaned forward ever so slightly…

It came to his attention right then and there, in the back of that library against the mahogany shelves, that he wanted to kiss you.

The thought had crossed the periphery of his mind before- the first time it did had taken him by abrupt surprise, seeing that he had never wished to kiss someone before. With you, the urge grew a little every day, and right then it was stronger than the last time. He was sixteen without the experience of his first kiss, and he had never thought too much about it before considering it was never in his list of priorities, but with you around? God.

And he had the feeling that maybe, just maybe, you were thinking of it too.

You were practically trapped in his embrace at that very point, pressed up slightly against the books as you stood there, your breathing going shallow in anticipation. It was questionable, just how easily he had disarmed you without even doing anything, and there you were, decidedly losing your cool for no apparent reason other than the fact that he was so close by. What was it again that he had asked you?

Oh right.

“I’m sure,” your voice came out small-sounding and meek, averting your eyes away from his face and down to your feet, gazing intently at the stitching of your shoes. “You can keep that. I was trying to get it down for you anyway.”

The spell was broken when he took a step away from you, clearing his throat in order to cut through the heavy air that had settled in between the two of you. He brought his hand down and studied the cover of the book, raising an eyebrow in question. “Why?”

“Because it’s infinitely more interesting than whatever the fuck Seulgi made you read.”

He bit the inside of his cheek, this time definitely noticing the hostile tone that came with your uttering of the girls' name. As hard as you had tried to exude indifference to the matter of the book, you had miserably failed, this being proved by your incessant need to one-up her literary recommendation. 

But he thought it was endearing, and flipped the book over, skimming the excerpt at the back. You waited patiently for his verdict, alternating between looking at him and to your side, peering out the window. 

“Okay,” He murmured, “I trust you enough to give it a shot.” 

Pleased with this, you nodded and began making your way back to your table. It shouldn’t have made you as happy as it did, seeing that he had also seemingly trusted Seulgi enough to try the book she had mentioned, but that didn’t really matter to you.

The two of you settled back down in your seats, and he opened the book up. You scoffed slightly at his newly acquired focused state, resuming your previous work now that he was occupied. Perhaps you’d be able to focus now.

Though you knew, with him around, that would never be the case.

v] now.

“Do we really need these many snacks?”

Yeonmi waved her hand in your general direction to invalidate your question, adjusting one of the bowls that contained popcorn on the small table in the middle of your living room to accommodate the one with gummy bears. 

“You can never have too many snacks,” she reasoned with you, stepping back and admiring her work. There on the table sat a selection of candy and salty-snacks, a cornucopia of unhealthy that was at the level of enjoyable. “Besides, it’s the first official time Donghyuck is coming over- any minute now, might I add- and I want it to be perfect.” 

Oh right. You swallowed to avoid any sort of reaction making itself known, walking over and inspecting all that she had gotten. Gummy bears, popcorn, mini pretzels, chips- it was leaning towards being stronger on the salty side of things. “Are you sure you want me to stay? I can always sleep over at Chaewon’s.”

Much to your dismay, Yeonmi shook her head, shutting down your offer.

“It’s fine, I want you to be around. He’s going to have to get used to you being around anyway, and I would love it if you guys ended up being friends.” Her words pricked your skin, and unaware of this fact she continued on. “I have a feeling that you would really get along.”

If only she knew. You forced a smile.

“Oh, I think we should have another flavour of popcorn. Cheese?” She turned to face you, expectantly waiting on your answer. You hummed, shaking your head.

“Caramel.” Donghyuck had always gravitated towards sweets, so you knew he would enjoy that better. Yeonmi rushed into the kitchen to arrange for said popcorn, and you sat down on the couch, staring at the blank television screen in slight retirement, wondering how life had managed to corner you into such a situation.

Ever since the day he dropped your roommate home in her drunken state, you often thought about that bitter reunion between the two of you, cringing every time at the recollection of your decision to pretend that he was a stranger. You recalled the confusion stirring in those still-starry eyes of his, before it melted into a silent understanding between the two of you. 

At sixteen you had sworn he had to be your soulmate. At twenty-four, you were forced strangers.

Yeonmi returned to the room with another bowl just as your doorbell rang, and you straightened up in your seat, mild panic taking over your system. Before she could even ask you to get the door, you escaped the living room, your feet carrying you quickly to the kitchen and further away from the door, where he inevitably stood.

Leaning against the counter, you let out a troubled sigh. You had no idea how you were going to survive the night without losing your mind in some respect, and you also had no idea how you were going to explain your bolting to your friend without some sort of excuse. Opening a drawer, you pulled out a bowl and began looking for something to fill it with, before coming across a packet of Sour Patch Kids.

You stared at the candy, slowly tearing open the packet and tossing some of it into the bowl. When you were younger, Donghyuck had always had a pack in his school bag, whipping it out at random occasions to snack on. It was his favourite candy back then, and although you’re not sure if he was still fond of it, it was still worth a shot bringing it out there.

Clipping it shut, you toss the packet back into the cupboard and steel yourself to face him once again. 

Donghyuck stared at the screen of his phone, processing the time displayed on his lockscreen. 8:30 pm. He glanced up at the sky, taking note of the stars that decorated it in splashes, before walking into your building, calling for the elevator with a press of a button.

Truly, he knew that he was a bit of an asshole, and he had self imposed this title for a plethora of reasons. He had been dating Yeonmi for a while now, and although there were no labels to their relationship, he knew it was nearing the time where they talked about plastering on said labels, something he had been now infinitely put off by. From the moment he saw you, it was clear that going any further with the girl would be absolutely fruitless.

So he should have called things off with her, and yet here he was, walking into the elevator and signalling for your floor. When she had asked him to come over for a movie night, everything inside of him had been screaming at him to simply end it then to avoid complicating things any further, but on the outside he found himself agreeing, regretfully.

That was asshole strike number two. The first strike was committed eight years ago.

Running his fingers through his hair, he used his blurry reflection in the walls of the elevator to fix up his appearance. He donned a pair of light-wash jeans and a dark blue sweatshirt today, opting to be comfy in an attempt to soothe his enervated mental state. 

Reaching your floor, he walked down the hallway and stood outside the door, sucking in a deep breath. Yeonmi had mentioned that since this was a casual affair, you would most probably be present as well, and that information had admittedly stressed him out even more than he already was.

You being her roommate suddenly made a lot of sense in regards to all those mannerisms that she possessed that reminded him of you. Living with you must have had your habits rub off on her, resulting in all the intense deja vu he had been experiencing these past few weeks. At first, he thought it was simply what it felt to fall for someone, considering he had only ever experienced it with you, but now he knew better.

The reason he had let this go on was because of how much she reminded him of you. It was like he still had you after all these years, even if it wasn’t nearly enough. 

He rang the doorbell and waited.

Yeonmi answered, her elated smile at his presence spurring some guilt from his end. After a hug, she welcomed him inside, ushering him into the living room of your shared apartment and explaining the set up of snacks and blankets that she had laid out on the couch. It was clear that she had put a lot of thought into the evening, and he gave her one of those dazzling smiles of his in acknowledgement.

She sat down in the middle of the couch, and he followed suit, taking one of the ends as she switched the television on, starting the movie. Donghyuck glanced around the room as tactfully as possible, noticing you weren’t present.

And that's when you walked in, grasping a dark blue bowl in your hands, answering his silent question of your whereabouts before he could even ask it. 

Part of him still saw the sixteen-year-old girl he had known all those years ago, the same hair and pensive expression painting your features that he had decidedly memorised. Once you had caught sight of him, you stopped in place and stared for a beat too long, looking from him to the table before him and then down at the bowl you held.  

Yeonmi turned around and the sound of your soft, padded footsteps, and cocked her head to the side in mild confusion. “Did you get something else?”

“Yeah,” your voice cut through his self-induced trance sharply, terse and quick, you switched the lights off, leaving the light from the TV as the only source of it throughout the room, and walked over and sat on the other side of the girl, grabbing a couple of the items contained in the bowl before handing it over. “I thought this would be a good addition.”

He peered over, eyes widening ever so slightly when he recognized the candy to be Sour Patch Kids that you were now slowly munching on. Yeonmi offered him some, and he slowly took it, trying his level best to not look at you in silent question at the choice of it. 

It seemed intentional, but that could have just been him overthinking it. By the looks of your eagerness to pretend he was a stranger to you, you probably didn’t even remember his emotional attachment to it when you were teenagers. The thought of that saddened him a little, especially when he thought back to the times you would always get him some every time you’d pass by a general store, or when he discovered you had an entire stash in the little drawer of your bedside table, ready for him every time he’d come over. The memory should have brought a smile to his face as he picked up one of the red candies.

The situation he found himself in was entirely ludicrous, sitting by a woman he had been dating for a short period of time and another who had everything to do with him in the past, but seemingly wanted nothing to do with him at present. 

But he really couldn’t blame you for that. 

Your behaviour towards him was more than justified, and if you hated him- well, he wouldn’t be surprised, or even blame you a little bit. No one deserved to be treated the way he had treated you, especially by someone who claimed to love you. 

One and a half movies in, Yeonmi seemed to have dozed off. It was around eleven p.m., the snacks were almost all the snack bowls had been emptied- save for the pretzels, and he couldn’t bring himself to pay attention to the television screen anymore, wholly uninterested in whatever was happening there. Instead, his gaze drifted towards your rigid figure, a little more visible now that the girl sitting between the two of you had slouched down a little due to her sleeping state. 

The light from the television gently cradled your features, illuminating your side profile in a ghostly manner that made it difficult for him to tear his eyes away from you. That was the excuse he used to justify his mildly intense staring at that moment in time because the truth was that no matter the situation, he had never been great at looking away from you.

You must have felt the weight of his imminent stare, because you swiftly turned your head to face him, eyes locking with his almost instantaneously.  The air around him stilled, he was afraid to move, as if doing so would break something- or perhaps himself. He couldn’t bear to think about doing that once more, wanting to protect you and himself from that outcome. 

But playing it safe would only get him so far.

“Y/n.” 

Your name made it out of his mouth just slightly louder than a whisper, but it had you breaking eye contact, a breath escaping you as if you had been holding it in, eyelids fluttering shut. This was the first time he had uttered your name in what seemed like forever, but he had never forgotten how to sound it out, holding it out to the wind like some sort of peace offering. Every syllable of your name was precious to him, ingrained into his memory and locked there, incapable of even the thought of escape.

“Donghyuck.”

You weren’t even facing him anymore, vision cast down to your floorboards as you responded with his name in that melodic cadence of yours, although it was currently laced with brevity. The guarded nature of your utterance did not go unnoticed either, he knew you too well to not catch onto these things, even if it had been a while. 

“I…I’m not sure what to say,” he admitted, lifting a hand up and running it through his hair- an anxious habit he had retained from his teen years. Another sigh escaped your lips, and you shifted in your seat out of discomfort at the situation at hand, glancing at your fast-asleep roommate.

“She owes me so much for this shit.” Your words were completely unexpected, but it almost brought a smile to his face to know that your way of speaking hadn’t changed much either. No matter how much time passed, the little constants of life kept him grounded- but with you it only had his head in the clouds. Finally, you spoke directly to him, “You don’t have to say anything.”

Donghyuck paused, caught a little off guard. He couldn’t have disagreed with that more, the amount of things left unsaid between the two of you was the cause of the stinging tension hanging in the air, something he was desperate to attempt to dissipate. It was unnatural, all his memories with you involved everything being exceedingly easy, this was a striking difference to what he was used to. 

It was his own fault. You held his stare, and it took him back to the first time he met you, when your ability to do the same was non existent. He recollected the nervous energy that radiated off of you the first time he ever spoke to you, the way your eyes would never stay focused at his for more than a few minutes. He had found it rather adorable. 

That day was a bad one for him, and he remembered it in perfect clarity. In classic teenage angst, he was pissed off at the world for the cards he had been dealt, those being another new town and another first day at a new school. More importantly, he was even angrier at the person who had put him in such a situation once again- his mother, of course. He had barely spoken to her before leaving the house that morning, ignoring her meek attempts at trying to hold out an olive branch. She had made him his favourite breakfast to console him, a silent apology of sorts, but he hadn’t commented on it at all.

He had been through the routine so many times that he was tired and so he kept to himself, ears plugged with his headphones at the back of every classroom he found himself in. There wasn’t an ounce of effort to mingle with the other students from his end, his annoyances and temper getting the best of him. 

And then he felt you looking at him in one of his classes, looking at you right when you had been called out for doing so. A few minutes later, your eyes wandered right back to him, surprise and embarrassment igniting in them when you realised you had been caught. He approached you afterwards, and the interaction that followed left him with a ghost of a smile on his face despite his sour mood. 

He wasn’t sure why he had decided to approach you that day. There had been others who had tried to speak to him, others that he had blown off with tight-lipped, polite responses that hinted at him being wholly uninterested, but there was just something about you that drew him in so effortlessly. It had been easy with you from the very beginning.

Which was exactly why he needed to fix whatever was happening right now, at the present. “I think we need to talk.”

You shut your eyes, but he wasn’t sure if it was out of weariness or frustration. 

“No, we really don’t.” There was a tinge of denial embedded in your words, if not outright refusal. 

“Yes, we do,” he gave you a mildly pointed look, trying to break through the wall you had built around yourself and open your eyes to the need to get this conversation over with as soon as possible. “You know we do-”

“I don’t.”

You cut him off before he could even finish what he had to say, the finality in your tone stopping him in his tracks. The way you snapped at him told him all he needed to know: that you had no intention or desire to continue this conversation. Even so, he would have maybe pressed a little more if not for the slight tremor that accompanied intonation. 

Donghyuck pressed his lips together, knowing that he didn’t have the right to insist. A stifling silence settled between the two of you, unbroken for a few seconds too long as he sat there, stunned by your minute outburst and thus, as a result, speechless. He couldn’t think of an instance when you had ever reacted like that to him, and the realisation grounded him. 

He swallowed, the dryness of his throat making the action hurt a little. “I should leave.” He spoke up, slowly getting to his feet to avoid waking up the sleeping girl next to him, “Tell Yeonmi I said thank you for tonight and…and that I had to leave because I have an early morning tomorrow.”

You nodded wordlessly. 

The lack of anything from your end was unnatural for him, you had never been one to not talk. It had been one of his favourite things about you. 

“And…I’m sorry.” 

And with that, he left you there on your couch with the very words that had haunted you for what felt like all your life.

vi] then.

Zhong Chenle was one half of your two best friends, the other being Sakura Miyawaki, and the only male hair to his family's multimillion-dollar company. Although he had been born with a silver spoon in his mouth and everyone had his beck and call, he was surprisingly down-to-earth for someone who grew up with that much privilege. Even with all the wealth that his parents had still put him in public highschool, which you supposed said a lot about how he was raised. You had met him for the first time in the fourth grade when you had been paired up with the ever-smiling boy during P.E. 

Everyone in town knew where he lived and it was because it was the only mansion in the town, and saying that it was in town was a little bit of a stretch as well. It was situated towards the outskirts, but travelling was never a problem for him considering he had a driver appointed to take him wherever he pleased whenever he requested him to do so in one of the four cars sitting pretty in his garage.

You had been to his mansion several times over the seven years you had known the boy, and it never failed to leave you awestruck. The garden outside was enough to have your jaw drop, and the inside wasn’t any different with pristine white walls and marbled floors that were tastefully decorated. When you learned that he also had a pool, you seriously considered asking to be adopted.

It was due to this very fact that Chenle took advantage of every time his parents were out of town on some sort of business trip, having you and Sakura, along with his cousin Renjun, stay the night. 

This time, however, was different. This time, Chenle was throwing a party.

His parents were gone for five days, and this conveniently happened to line up with the weekend, resulting in the perfect opportunity. He had never thrown a party before, but they had been happening a lot more frequently now that you were in the eleventh grade, and he wanted to dabble in the fun, insisting that all three of you needed more of that in your lives. 

So you told your parents you were going to stay over at Chenle’s place for the weekend, throwing some clothes and other items that you would need into a bag and let your hair loose, hoping that it would conceal the makeup you had done for the party. When you heard the horn of Sakura's car blare at eight p.m sharp just as she promised, you bid them a rushed farewell and left your house, mild excitement admittedly drumming through your veins. 

You walked over to her car, raising an eyebrow at Chenle’s presence in the backseat. The party had technically started by now, but since you had to get ready and finish all your homework for the week before you were allowed to leave, Sakura had agreed to pick you up and go with you.

This also meant that the host was supposed to be there instead of here, a host that beckoned you to sit next to him. You obliged, tossing your bag in first before sliding into the seat beside him and asking, “What are you doing here?”

“I’ve come to pick you up,” he answered gleefully as Sakura began to drive away, smiling in a mixture of amusement and annoyance back at the two of you. His voice was a little jittery, and once Sakura turned into a new lane, he brought out the flask that he had presumably been hiding underneath the seat until it was safe. “Drink up.”

“This fucker showed up to my house,” your driver friend filled you in, rolling her eyes in exasperation. “Thankfully, he still had the sense to call instead of ringing the doorbell. Can you even imagine the lecture I would have gotten if my parents saw him in this state?”

“You’re tipsy,” you concluded aloud, earning a lazy smile from the boy accompanied by finger guns on his free hand. You took the flask from him and unscrewed the top, cautiously smelling the top to ascertain the contents within, before holding it to your lips and taking a swig. 

The pure alcohol hit your throat immediately, stinging it and having your features twist into a frown, but you managed to swallow it all, subsequently coughing. 

“Oops,” Chenle muttered, “Forgot to tell you it's neat. There's nothing but whiskey in there.”

“A warning would have been nice, yeah.” Your neck felt warm. “Why are we already drinking?”

“It’s called pregaming Y/n, keep up. Be grateful since ‘Kura has to wait until we reach to partake in the fun. For us lucky folks, it starts now.” He ended this with a cheeky wink, his words were a little slurred, and you could smell the hint of whatever he had been consuming before. You briefly wondered how Sakura was going to get rid of the smell before she went home. 

“I believe what you mean to say is thank you,” comes from the front of the car, laced with sass. 

This was by no means your first time drinking with the two, since all the sleepovers at his place had consisted of stealing his parents liquor and drinking it in his room, but you didn’t partake in the act very often, and this was your first official party. You took another sip, this time a little more gracefully than the last. 

“You’re the host of the party, Chenle, you’re supposed to be there. You didn’t have to come pick me up.” To this, he huffed, waving a hand in your face as if he was shaking out the truth in your statement. 

“Yeah but you’re more important, so who cares?” 

You grinned, now knowing that he was definitely a little out of it due to the drinking. He had the habit of going all sweet and mushy on the two of you when he had a little too much in his system. 

“As much as I appreciate that,” you furrowed your eyebrows, “Isn’t that a bad idea, like, who is in charge back there? Won’t it be a mess?”

“Messes are inevitable when it comes to this, it’ll be fine,” He assured you as Sakura switched the radio on. “But if you must know, I left Donghyuck in charge to make sure no one dies before we get there.” 

You decided to not point out the underlying implication of people dying after you arrived, perking up a little at the mention of your- er- close friend. “Oh he’s already there?”

“Yeah, your little boyfriend was downing a mixture of rum and coke last I saw him.” Chenle’s words elicit an immediate reaction from you, a scoff leaving your mouth as you shook your head stubbornly. 

“He’s not my boyfriend.”

Sakura snickered from behind the steering wheel at your defensiveness, looking at you through the rear view mirror. “Keep telling yourself that, honey.”

“He’s not,” you insisted, cheeks feeling hot from the teasing your friends were subjecting you to blaming it on the contents of the flask you held. Half of the booze was still left, and so you continued to consume it slowly, adding, “We’re friends.”

Even you had to admit that you didn’t sound convincing at all. “Sure.”

You downed the rest of the whiskey.

“Where’s your outfit?” Sakura asked once they were done tormenting you. She was already wearing hers, a dark blue sleeveless dress that cut off a little above her mid-thigh, accentuating everything she wanted it to perfectly, paired with silver jewellery and heels. Like you, she had gotten a bag of clothes for the night stay as well. 

Grateful for the change in topic, you unzipped the front of the hoodie you had on, revealing the top of your dress, the bottom part of which you had tucked into your sweatpants to hide it from your parents. “I’m wearing it underneath.” You tossed your hoodie to the side as you clarified, closing the top of the flask and handing it back to your friend to keep. “I’ll fix up there.”

“I’ll help.” You smiled gratefully at this offer of hers, nodding as you brought out your phone, attempting to neaten up your hair. Your enthusiasm was building by the second as Chenle babbled on about something inconsequential, arguing with the remaining two of you as usual.

About twenty minutes later, the car pulled into the driveway, and you had to do a double take to recognize the place. People you recognized faintly were walking around the gardens, holding red solo cups and talking, their chatter and laughter blending in with the music that came from inside the house- giving you an idea of how chaotic it must have been inside. 

Grabbing your bags, the three of you made your way to the front door that was half-open, something that definitely should have been a concern, but none of you comprehended that, your teenage brains ready to let loose and have fun. You barely heard Sakura's declaration to get wasted over the cacophony inside, pushing through the crowd to get to the staircase. 

“Holy shit, seniors are here too,” Chenle said triumphantly, pleased at having achieved their presence at his first ever party. “That’s sick, I’m going to go try talking to Taeil hyung.” 

With that, he disappeared, leaving you and your best friend to make the journey to the top floor alone. The chances of anyone being up there were minimal, and you were going to use the private bathroom in his room anyway, so it all worked out in your favour. 

Walking into said bathroom, you placed your bag on the counter and slipped your sweatpants off your legs, adjusting the bottom of your short, black dress. Sakura whistled in approval at your look after helping touch up your eyeliner, and you inspected your reflection in the large, fancy mirror, pleased with what was staring back at you. The dress had a certain subtle shimmer to it, but only when the light hit it at just the right angle, and your makeup brought out the best in your features, making you feel extremely pretty. 

Perfect. 

“Okay, I’m ready,” you declared, leaving your bags in the bathroom and proceeding to make your way back downstairs once you put on your heels, rejoining the pandemonium you had been so looking forward to the entire week. 

The music was so loud that you were sure you were going to lose your hearing in at least one of your ears, feeling the bass in your stomach and head as well- actually, scratch that, the mild buzzing in your head was definitely due to the alcohol you had consumed before finally hitting your system.  

This was going to be fun.

“I’m going to get a drink,” you informed Sakura, but her eyes were following someone else- Nakamoto Yuta, you realised, one of the star footballers on the team. Smirking, you gave her an encouraging pat on the back before navigating to the kitchen, almost getting lost due to the difference in how the house looked. You were used to the bright white walls and perfect interiors, the contrast of the dark lighting and cups strewn everywhere throwing you off a little. 

Finally, you emerged into the kitchen, which was a little more deserted then the rest of the mansion. You stopped in your tracks.

Because behind the kitchen island and leaning against one of the counters was none other than Lee Donghyuck. 

Glass in hand, he looked even more elusive than he already was in this light. A black shirt hung effortlessly from his shoulders, the first few buttons left open with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. Jeans and a silver chain sitting around his neck, part of you was almost offended at how good he looked at that moment. 

He seemed at ease, as if he was unaware of the lawless nature of the party, taking a sip of whatever drink he had poured for himself. He looked in your direction after a few seconds, as if he had felt your stare and raised his glass up in acknowledgement, the simper that appeared on his face telling you he was pleased you had finally arrived. This broke the spell you had been under, and you walked around the island into his full view, grabbing one of the plastic cups.

He didn’t say anything for a moment, letting his eyes drag over your figure from tip to bottom and making you feel a little self conscious. You mentally chastised yourself- mere minutes ago you had been feeling extremely confident, and now that state of mind relied on his judgement, but only his. 

Donghyuck had to force himself to look at your face again, one that was very obviously awaiting his judgement, it was just too easy to read your expressions. He was taken aback by how different you looked right then. A good, no, great different even. You were beautiful, he knew this very well by now, but he had never seen you quite this dressed up, and my god did you do justice to your look. 

“You look amazing,” he commented languidly, and just like that, you were back on cloud nine. 

Feminism had said goodbye the moment you had set eyes on him, clearly. 

“So do you.” That was the understatement of the century. You almost wished you could agree to all of Sakura and Chenle’s teasing and say that he was your boyfriend, because you sure as hell didn’t want anyone else hanging off his arm right then. You glanced at the line up of bottles against the wall, a sound of disbelief leaving you. “Fuck, Chenle really went all out, huh?”

There was possibly every type of alcohol you could ever want sitting there, just waiting to be consumed. Donghyuck chuckled, the low sound sending a pleasant shiver down your spine. 

“That he did. Here for a drink, I assume?” 

You nodded. “Something a little light on the alcohol taste though, Chenle had me have whiskey neat and I need a break from anything too intense.”

He hummed in consideration of this, taking your glass. “Got you. Be ready for the greatest drink of your life.” You rolled your eyes, but waited in anticipation nonetheless as he grabbed one of the bottles, pouring about two shots into it before walking over to the fridge and grabbing a bottle and some ice, pouring the contents into your cup and gently tapping it on the counter to help mix it all. 

“It’s peach ice tea and vodka,” he informed you as he handed it over, eagerly waiting for you to take a sip and assess the taste of his creation. “I’ve mixed it perfectly, so it should give you a kick without being too overpowering.” It was just as he said, the peach tea flavour being much more palatable to your taste buds, and you thanked him with a smile. 

“What are you drinking?”

“Uhh…..rum I think. Yeah, it’s still rum,” he eyed his drink, before finishing the rest of it like a shot. “It’s the good, expensive shit, I’ve had around five of these- wait, no- six.”

You giggled, sipping tentatively at your drink and admiring Donghyuck, the pleasant buzz in your head growing stronger. A song you liked came on, the melody beckoning you towards the main area of the party with every beat that played. 

“I’m going to go dance,” you declared, finishing your drink quickly. “I’ll find Chenle out there and join him.” This was your meek attempt at trying to get him to come along with you, not particularly wanting to leave his side or be separated from him even for just a song. 

Fortunately for you, there was no way in hell Donghyuck wanted to let you out of his sight either, especially not when you looked like that.

“I’ll come with you.”

You didn’t object.

After a few more hours of drinking, dancing and partaking in activities that would make your parents consider sending you to boarding school, you found yourself leaning against one of the walls of the house. You were completely unaware of which room you were in, everything happening in front of you feeling as if it was taking place in slow motion, your eyelids feeling heavy. 

Doing shots with Sakura was the beginning of the end for you. You had spaced out the shots a little, and since they didn’t hit you immediately you had assumed that you were doing fine, and proceeded to consume a couple of Chenle’s concoctions- the worst possible decision you could have made. God knows what he had put into that cup of yours, but it was strong.

All this culminated in you attempting to keep yourself upright against the wall, fighting your drunken stupor to the best of your abilities. You felt good, and wanted to stay awake for the rest of the party, one that had absolutely no signs of slowing down anytime soon. It was probably around one in the morning at this point, and although you were having the time of your life, the smokey, dim lit setting and being surrounded by your fellow drunks was starting to feel stifling.

“There you are.” 

You slowly looked up and registered the face that had waltzed into your view, taking your own sweet time to study the familiar spaced out expression that was plastered on Donghyucks stupidly gorgeous face. His pupils were dilated (as were yours, you were sure) and his hair messy but even that wasn’t enough to disrupt his beauty.  You were about to complain about this very fact, but he beat you to it, speaking once more.

“You disappeared after the first round of beer pong, and Jaehyun made me finish the game before I left, but I couldn’t find you after that.”

His manner of speaking wasn't the sharpest either, clearly very tipsy, but in an infinitely better state then you were. You had spent most of your time at the party so far by his side, thoroughly enjoying how he would hold your hand and guide you from place to place so you wouldn’t get lost and the way he placed his hands on the small of your waist, as if having some sort of physical contact with you was important to him. You especially liked how he would dip his head down, mouth right near your earlobe so that you could hear him speak over all the noise. 

As he had said, it was while some of your friends had dragged him into playing a game of beer pong was when you had slipped away, not entertained by the game in the slightest. You found Sakura and with every shot of vodka you let into your system, signed away your sobriety. 

“Ah,” you mumbled dumbly in response, nodding absent-mindedly, the memory of how he had his hand on the small of your back while you were dancing to the music popping back into your mind.

Music that was currently much too loud for you.

Donghyucks features twisted into a look of confusion, clearly not having heard your sound of acknowledgement. “What?”

You groaned, “It’s too loud in here.”

He seemed to have picked up on that, somehow understanding what you needed without you even asking for it. “Do you want to go outside for a little? Take a break from this?”

“Fuck yes.”

You pushed yourself off the wall, promptly stumbling right into Donghyucks arms. He looped them around you and helped you regain your standing, a small laugh leaving him, the sound having you certain you had never heard something quite so magical. “Maybe we should get you some water first?”

“No,” You breathed out, shaking your head rapidly. “I just want some fresh air.” 

This was how you ended up sitting upon the pavement of the street just outside Chenle’s mansion. The cold night air had you scooting a little closer to Donghyuck, before burying your face in your hands, which rested upon your knees, as you counted to ten in your mild, trying your best to regain your bearings once more. 

Donghyuck wished he had worn a jacket so that he could give it to you, but settled for throwing an arm around you to offer some warmth. The fresh air had helped sober him up a little, offering him the slightest bit of clarity as he sat there on the asphalt.

“I don’t think I can walk,” you said faintly, evoking a snicker from his end.

“You think? You barely made it out here alive.”

The music was softer outside, much more bearable. You could hear the leaves rustle gently, as if forming their own melody. 

“Shut u-up.” Somehow, you managed to stutter on this very basic phrase, only inviting more laughter from his end. You didn’t think you’d be able to blame it on the cold.

“My God, you’re so fucking drunk.”

You looked up at him, somehow momentarily unfazed by the close proximity and with a defiant look in your eyes, ready to argue back even in your inebriated element. “It’s not like you’re a saint right now either.”

He puffed out a laugh at how adorably indignant you were. “At least I’m better than you.”

“God you’re so fucking annoying,” you whined. “I really don’t know why I like you so much.”

You barely registered what you said, the words leaving your lips without much restriction. Inebriation caused you to let your guard down a little too much. He froze beside you, blinking rapidly to try and gauge how serious you were.

“You like me?”

The question somehow pulled you back to reality, but only a little bit. You opened your mouth and subsequently shut it, heavily hesitating. Even like this, you knew the weight that it carried, and the risks that came along with owning up to this accusation that you had brought upon yourself with your own carelessness.

Perhaps it was the cold, or maybe it was the faux confidence given to you by all the intoxicants in your system. 

“Yeah.” Your heart hammered in your chest. “I do.”

“And you’re sure this is not just because you’re absolutely shit-faced right now?”

“Excuse me? I am not-”

You never got to finish rebuking that claim of his, because he pressed his lips to yours almost feverishly, as if he had been waiting to do so for a long time. You gasped against his lips, your body responded before your mind even understood what was happening, instantly leaning into him and resting a hand on his knee to steady yourself. His hand moved from your shoulder to your cheek, cupping your face ever so gently as he moved his mouth against yours slowly.

He tasted sharp almost, the remnants of whatever alcohol he had been confusing fresh upon his lips, strawberries- probably from a vape- along with a bitter undertone that you couldn’t quite place just yet, too acutely aware and focused on the fact that Lee Donghyuck was kissing you and how his thumb brushed gently against your cheekbone. 

The kiss filled you with warmth and you immediately forgot about how cold you felt previously, every sound around you fading into the background, utterly unimportant to you. You felt yourself flush under his touch, your fingers reaching out and curling into the fabric of his shirt and pulling him closer.

Donghyuck could hardly believe that this was happening either, acting on impulse the moment you confirmed that you did, in fact, like him. He pulled away after a few seconds, watching as your eyes fluttered open a little later, wide is slight disbelief, your pretty peach -flavoured lipgloss a tad smudged, now also on his lips.

“You just kissed me,” you said in awe, and he tucked a strand of hair behind your ear fondly. 

“I did.”

“You kissed me,” you repeated once again, like saying it aloud would keep it real and not just a figment of your imagination, “and you taste like smoke.”

You had eventually realised what the bitterness was. He frowned lightly, trying to place why that was. “Johnny hyung taught me how to smoke a joint sometime earlier- oh fuck, did that ruin it?” 

The look of genuine worry on his face made you almost laugh, and you stared at him incredulously, almost scoffing at the notion. Your fingers were definitely wrinkling his shirt with how tightly you were holding it at that moment and you shook your head firmly- well, as firmly as you could for someone who could barely stand upon her very own two feet.

“Nothing could ever ruin it.”

When you awoke, you had absolutely no clue where you were. 

Tucked neatly into a bed, you blinked rapidly to regain your bearings, staring up at the ceiling in pure mystification. You came to the conclusion that this was one of Chenle’s guest bedrooms, but couldn’t, for the life of you, figure out how you got there. 

You attempted to sit up but did so a little too fast, a sharp pang of pain rushing to your head and making it feel as if it split apart. A strangled sound of agony left you as you slowed your movements, opting to lean against the headboard as a compromise to sitting up straight. 

And that's when it hit you.

Memories from last night rushed back to you, fractured and in hazy glimpses. You recalled holding up a stranger's hair while they puked in one of the bathrooms, awkwardly standing aside another girl who had never spoken to before as she sobbed, mascara streaming down her face, laughing drunkenly with Sakura and Chenle (that screechy laugh of his had somehow been amplified with how plastered he was) and stumbling through the many hallways of the house. You couldn’t recall anything in its entirety, having to make do with the mismash of chaotic, foggy remembrance.

But you distinctly remembered Donghyuck kissing you outside the mansion. And then once again inside, after he made you drink water, and near the staircase, and-

You placed your hands over your warming cheeks. It was quite amusing, how the only thing you remembered perfectly was making out with him. 

Carefully, you got out of the bed, gritting your teeth to bear with the pounding in your head. You were still in your dress from last night, and there was no way in hell you were going downstairs looking like this. Somehow, you found your way to Chenle’s room, which was thankfully empty, and shut yourself in his bathroom, before sighing in resignation at your reflection. Your eyeliner was smudged around your eyes, makeup completely demolished- you were sure that your skin was crying because you slept in it. 

Your bag was still there, and you removed the extra clothes you had brought along, freshening up as quickly as you could and changing. It felt good to get out of the tight dress and into a pair of shorts and a loose t-shirt, washing all your makeup off. Deeming yourself finally presentable, you began your journey downstairs. 

Downstairs, as you had referred to it as, had been completely trashed. Solo cups and bottles of alcohol were strewn everywhere, along with random shoes lying about. You grimaced at the sight that somehow contributed to your migraine, walking past it all to the kitchen, where Johnny stood near the stove, flashing you a bright smile.

“Y/n! Good, you’re awake. Take a seat, my famous pancakes are almost ready.”

Chenle was slumped over the island, sitting at one of the stools around it. He glanced up at the mention of your name, and somehow, the boy looked worse than you felt. You occupied the seat beside him, cocking your head to the side and silently asking why Johnny Suh of all people was still around, when it seemed like everyone else had dispersed.

“I threw up twelve times last night,” he offered instead, a certain hoarseness in his voice. “Johnny stayed over to make sure I didn’t die, and handled almost everything after. Somehow, he doesn’t get hangovers.” The last bit of information sounded a little like your friend was complaining over how unjust it was that he had to deal with a hangover, while the senior didn’t.

“It comes with experience,” Johnny said wisely, putting the pancakes he had made onto a plate and sliding it over to the two of you. “Leave a couple for your other friend, I think she’s still sleeping.”

You nodded, grabbing a fork and immediately dug into the breakfast he had so kindly cooked for the two of you, trying to pay attention to his speech about how pancakes were the best cure to a hangover and nod where you thought it was polite to do so, but your thoughts drifted away from him and to a certain boy. 

Donghyuck had also been pretty drunk by the end of it all, you were sure. Chances were he didn’t even remember kissing you, but that singular thought was enough to have your stomach plummet. 

“Y/n? Are you listening?”

“Yes?” You snapped out of it, biting the inside of your cheek hard.

Chenle rolled his eyes, but grinned. “The party was a success, Johnny hyung himself just said so!” Safe to say, Chenle was on cloud nine. You, on the other hand, were a mixture of anxiety and elation, which was a most confusing combination to unpack. The older boy smiled in hilarity, somewhat seeing his younger self in your friend.

“The next will be even better.”

As Chenle began planning the hypothetical future party (with a raging hangover, mind you- he truly was shameless), you stuffed your face with another morsel of pancakes, soaked in maple syrup, hoping that it would soak up the remaining alcohol in your system and help you think clearly about your circumstance.

By the time Sakura emerged from her slumber, it was around noon, and the pancakes had long been devoured.

You arrived home in the evening to an empty house and a note from your parents saying that they had decided to go on a date night. This worked out well in your favour, considering you had no energy to deal with anything after the events of last night. Johnny, being the only one completely in his senses, had driven Sakura’s car back with the two of you, making sure you reached home safely. 

Flopping down onto your couch, you shut your eyes for a few seconds, deciding that what you needed to recuperate was a calm night. Perhaps you’d watch a few movies and order pizza.

These glorious plans of yours were quickly thwarted when you heard your doorbell ring.

Suppressing an annoyed groan, you forced yourself to answer the door, your eyes widening at the sight of Donghyuck standing there. Your mind immediately scrambled on seeing him, not a single coherent thought forming, which led to a most intelligent greeting from your end.

“Uh.”

He raised an eyebrow, glancing behind you and into your house. Embarrassment flared up inside of you, and you coughed awkwardly, opening the door wider and shuffling to the side. “Right, wanna come in?”

So now he was in your kitchen, and you had no idea what to talk about. “When did you leave Chenle's?”

“Early morning,” he informed you, eyes following your every move as you poured yourself a glass of water, sipping on it to curb the awkwardness in the air. He paused, studying you carefully and slowly asked. “How was the hangover?”

“Terrible,” you groaned, the insistent throbbing of your head proving this. You finished up your water and walked closer to him. “It’s still there. I’m never drinking again.” 

He snickered disbelievingly, a glint in his eyes that represented an emotion you couldn’t quite place yet. “Liar.” He seemed distracted, tapping his foot rhythmically against your floor. You briefly wondered how his hangover had dissipated so quickly, envious of the fact.

“Listen buddy, I’m a quick learner, and I’ve learned that being wasted is not worth the consequences.” 

You said this in a joking manner, but there wasn’t even a hint of hilarity on his face, a serious expression facing you instead. Panic seized you for a moment, wondering if he truly didn’t remember the kiss, or if he did and regretted it. Maybe he was here to tell you to forget it ever happened, that it was just a drunken mistake from his end and that it would never happen again.

Maybe, you were just a terrible kisser.

“You were supposed to laugh,” you muttered weakly, your anxiety clawing at your chest. If he was about to reject you and crush your heart, you needed there to be more space between the two of you, and instinctively took a step back, moving to take another right after, but you were stopped.

Donghyuck grabbed your wrist, pulling you forward until you were right in front of him, his determination crystal clear.

“I am not your buddy.”

He said the word with resentment almost, staring at you hard. You swallowed thickly, not quite knowing what to say, terrified at the possibility of this being him cutting off your friendship as well. Him not liking you romantically was bad enough, but him wanting nothing to do with you was even worse. You couldn’t imagine not having Lee Donghyuck as at least a friend. 

Pressing his lips together, he asked. “Do-do you remember everything from last night?”

The question hit you like a train, and the stutter in his voice- the hesitation, it suddenly cleared all of the terrible outcomes you were thinking of. He definitely remembered, and it seemed like he was afraid that you didn’t. It dawned upon you right then that it was quite possible that both of you were royal idiots.

You sucked in a sharp breath. “Not everything.” His grip on your wrist was gentle and warm, you could see him swallow, a flicker of dread passing through those brown eyes of his as he rephrased his question. 

“Do you remember what happened between us?”

How could you possibly forget? It was the only thing you could remember, the ghost of his kiss still lingering upon your lips that yearned for the feeling once more. Your confession was fresh on your mind, being the only thing you had thought about from the moment you awoke.

“You know I do.”

Your voice was quiet, refusing to look at him properly. His other hand rose to your face a few seconds later, fingers gripping your chin and tenderly angled your face upwards so that you were forced to, your face just inches away from his. You desperately hoped he couldn’t feel the slight tremble of your hand, feeling vulnerable without the courage that alcohol supplied to you. 

“You know what? I don’t think I do know.” The coy nature of his voice did not go unnoticed by you. “I think I might need something to refresh my memory.”

You gawked at the boy, completely in disbelief at the sheer audacity he displayed right then, purposely playing with your already extremely frazzled mind in such a manner. You released your hand from his, hitting his arm weakly in annoyance. 

“You’re so lame,” you declared, and he frowned.

“Lame? I’m trying to be smooth over here!” He genuinely sounded kind of distressed, and you couldn’t help the smile that erupted upon your face, even if you did your best to look as annoyed as possible.

“If you want me to kiss you, just say so, you idiot.”

He hummed as if deep in thought, only putting you more on edge. Slipping the hand that held your face behind your neck, he nodded softly and followed your instructions. “Fine, I want you to kiss me.”

He pulled you closer by your waist, fingers entangling in your hair as you closed the distance between the two of you. You threw your arms around his neck, kissing him almost feverishly, more than eager to experience it while sober. He smiled against your lips, which was enough to bring forth giggles from your end. 

You kissed him until you were breathless and felt flushed, dizzy from just how long you had truly been waiting for this. Pulling away, you looked at him, searching for an answer to a question that had popped to the forefront of your mind.

“We just kissed.”

“For the second time,” he added helpfully.

“Right. And you’re not my buddy?” You raised an eyebrow, almost as if you were purposely provoking him.

“Please don’t friendzone me on day one itself.” 

A laugh left you, and he let his other hand fall down to your waist, interlocking his fingers right by the small of your back as if he was securing you in place, making sure you wouldn’t disappear in that moment. Not that you wanted to anyway, being quite content with where you were currently.

“I won’t.” You promised, biting the inside of your cheek as apprehension suddenly came over you. “So then…?”

“Y/n, will you be my girlfriend?” He cut off the pointed silence with his question, one that had you nodding before you even verbally announced your answer. The shy yes that you pronounced earned you that marvelous smile you so loved, and you buried your face in the crook of his neck, hugging him tight, as if trying to memorise every detail about what had just happened.

You were only sixteen, and perhaps still hopelessly unaware of the magnitude of your feelings towards Donghyuck, but somewhere in the uncertain haze that you had to navigate, you always knew that every path would always lead you straight back into his arms. You’d figure it out with your hand safely tucked in the pocket of his jacket, intertwined with his so firmly it felt as if he would never let go. 

After all, what was love, if not the sweet promise of forever?

part i fin.

#haechan x reader #donghyuck x reader #lee haechan x reader #haechan au #haechan fluff #haechan angst #donghyuck fluff #lee donghyuck x reader #nct haechan #lee haechan #nct donghyuck #nct fanfiction #nct dream fanfiction #nct 127 fanfiction #nct 127 haechan #lee donghyuck #donghyuck fanfic #donghyuck angst #nct dream angst #nct dream fluff #nct au #as i post this imagine me sighing in release and nervousness tyvm

[hencvl]

Mine. I [Remastered]

Dark! Clark Kent x reader. Warnings: dark fic, forced marriage.

Summary: you finished your night shift and you feel someone was following you.

A/n: sorry for any mistakes that i made, English is not my first language. I also don't give permission to post my works on any other platforms such as Wattpad, Ao3 etc.

my masterlist

series masterlist

read pt. 2 >

You curse under your breath as you walk down on the street, clutching tightly on your coat. It's 12 a.m at midnight, you just finished your shift and on your way to your apartment. You reluctantly use this route because it was the closest to your place.

You shiver as you feel the cold air against your skin, even if you are covered in many layers of coat, you can still feel it. Winters can be fun, but also can be annoying at the same time.

You checked your phone as it was buzzing, a message was sent from your roommate. You have been living with him for over a year now, yet both of you barely know each other.

Clark-

i leave some dinner leftovers in the fridge.

You-

Mkay.

You looked around as you felt someone following you from behind. You could feel an unknown presence since you left your workplace, yet you choose to ignore it.

You turn your heels around to see who it is, but only to find nothing. Suddenly, a hand covered your mouth to muffle your scream, your back was pressed against the stranger's chest

“whaa- help!”

You fight the figure, wiggling and squirming in his hold. You know you shouldn't be using this route at all! what the hell have you got yourself into. You kicked the stranger's ankle, but it was a futile attempt.

“stop resisting.” he spoke in a harsh tone, gripping you tightly. The last thing he wanted to do to you was hurting you.

No, you're too precious to him.

Instead, he took out a pad that he dabbed with Chloroform earlier, and slammed it on your nose, letting you breath the toxin.

“noo..ummf..”

Seeing you fall unconscious in his arms, he smirked as he caress the beautiful face of yours while engulfing your small figure in his warm embrace.

finally. Months of watching you from afar, admiring, longing for your touch and warmth he finally got to hold you in his arms. He would not let this opportunity to have you go wasted.

The man looked around the alley, afraid if someone did watch his deed. Once he was convinced that everything was clear, he looked back at her with a wicked grin.

“sleep tight, my bride”

-

You take a sharp breath as you blink, only to find yourself spawled on a soft mattress. You tried to move but failed, too exhausted as you lay back. The bed moved a bit as you heard a groan next to you, a muscled arm makes its way to your waist, bringing you closer to a toned bare chest.

You stayed still, telling yourself that it's just another nightmare. But it's not until you feel a warm breath fanning on your neck before he placed a soft kiss on it before whispering right into your ear.

“what are you trying to do, my dear?”

His voice is deep, whispering at you soothingly as he caresses your waist. He lifted himself and got on top of you, finally got to see his face.

You study his Adonis looks, from his curly hair, trailing down to his handsome face. His icicle blue eyes are the most beautiful things you've ever seen, so beautiful yet so cold.

His jawline is sharp, like you could hurt yourself just from tracing it. He let you stare at him. What a romantic scene it was. Like the beauty of flower petals formed from two colors, becoming one solid entity.

You couldn't help but gawk, how can someone be so fine like this? The thought left your mind immediately as he shifted from his position a bit, leaning closer towards you. He brushes his succulent lips against your cheek, like a predator finally gets to devour its prey.

“wait- who the hell are you? why am i here?” you said, as you sat up on the bed and backed up from him.

“you don't need to know.” he replied, groaning slightly as she made a distance between them. He wanted to hold her in his arms again and never let her go.

He tried to reach out to her again, grabbing her ankle and pulling her towards him with a squeal. Even though she tried to resist him, she seemed to be liking his touch.

A smirk made its way to his face, adding the handsomeness in his features that got her melted.

little did he know...

“argh!” he let out a pained groan at the sudden kick on his crotch. She kicked him hard in the balls that got him shaking slightly from the after effects.

You immediately jumped out of the bed, abandoning the mysterious man that was about to hold you captive and your backpack. That doesn't matter now. Your life matters.

Running down from the apartment, you look around trying to ask for help before the man comes and captures you again. Luckily there's a cab pulling up on the road once they saw you.

“this is madness!”

Taglist-

@rosecentury

#dark clark kent #clark kent x female reader #clark x reader #clark kent #superman #superman fanfiction #clark kent imagine #dc comcis #henry cavill characters #henry cavill imagine #henry cavill x reader #henry cavill fanfic

[punkslovepoints]

✨2023 Steddie Fic Recommendations

template from Steddie Support Podcast on twitter

Cutting Close by @anniebass

Steve Harrington is in pain.

No, not, like, psychological one, rather an unshooable bullshit of a headache, all thanks to the Russians squatting underneath a mall, torturing him a smidge.

So, when his two best friends get all chummy with a known weirdo of a drug dealer, Steve first rolls his eyes, then rolls with it, jumping on an occasion to purchase his all-natural head trauma medicine. Except, you have got to be at least cordial with your dealer, to keep the relationship, and when the guy remembers you as a shithead, well. You gotta try harder.

is your light on? by @toburnup

"Tell me a secret," Steve says and Eddie shakes his head.

"Why would I do that?

"I'll tell you one."

Eddie looks intrigued, smirks in his direction. "A secret for a secret? Okay." He looks up. "You go first."

(Steve always noticed Eddie. He's been there on the peripheral, easy enough to ignore. Until he's standing right in front of him, unavoidable. And then they collide over, and over, and over.)

Heed the Ominous Warning of The Talking Heads by audacity_of_bluejays

Steve Harrington thinks he has it all together until he doesn't. A revelation about his feelings for his roommate Eddie followed by an altercation with his asshole father complicates matters more than he expects.

(A 13 going on 30 AU)

i come back to the place you are by @glitterfang

Steve should've known that Eddie was lying when he looked right into Steve's eyes and promised not to try any heroic bullshit. He should've known based on their conversation in the upside down that Eddie felt he had something to prove. And he definitely shouldn't have left Eddie to face the horrors of the Upside Down alone. And now? Now Eddie's in a seemingly unending coma and Steve is wracked with guilt. So, he pours himself into trying to fix his mistake. He helps Uncle Wayne move into a new house, he spends hours in the hospital reading to Eddie, and he even keeps the Corroded Coffin boys company. He's getting to know Eddie really well while Eddie's out cold.

(Steve is surrounded by every single person who loves Eddie Munson. How could he not fall a little bit in love with him?)

Reboot by @plutosrose

In 2012, Steve Harrington and Eddie Munson film a scene in the teen drama Normal Stuff that launches a popular ship on ao3.

By early 2013, they aren't speaking anymore.

In 2024, Robin calls Steve with an offer to reprise his role as Andy Hartley in a reboot of their old show, with one important update--his character gets together with Eddie's.

no reason by @theopteryx

There's a pause. "I'm going to be fine?" Eddie asks, voice also going high and thin.

"You're—sure?"

"Yes."

"Fascinating. Great. Are you—could you do me a favor, then, and maybe just—leave me here anyway?"

"What?" Steve says. "No. Why?"

"No reason," Eddie says, voice tight.

(Eddie kisses Steve in what he thinks are his last moments on earth. Then he doesn't die.)

carve your name into my chest by @hexiewrites

Eddie Munson just wanted to play hockey. That's almost all he's ever wanted, since he was old enough to realize it was an option for him. And now he's at the top of his game, one of the best players in the NHL.

Everything would have been perfect... if it wasn't for the small matter of the thing he's got going with his long time rival, goalie Steve Harrington.

Flashbacks by @eddywoww

"Why is it a secret?" Eddie asked slowly.

Steve felt himself shrugging. He knew why it had to be a secret. His parents would hate Eddie and his long hair, his dirt smudged cheeks. The way he shouted and ran and giggled. They wouldn't like who Steve was around Eddie. Steve knew that, so it had to be a secret.

"It just is." Steve said, looking out to see Elizabeth glaring at him. Frantically waving him over. Time to go home.

leaving like a father, running like water by scoops_ahoy

Steve is still riding the high of what he and Eddie never got to have five years after he died.

Crossed Wires by @entanglednow

Lesson of the day, no matter how busy you are, it's rarely a good idea to let your subconscious take the wheel.

Doll House by @grandmastattoo

Eddie comes of age knowing that sometimes a person doesn’t have to be one of the dead to haunt the living. A ghost can be a memory. A ghost can be a question.

It’s his own ghosts that he holds onto when he first finds himself in Steve Harrington’s house, after.

After the Upside-Down. After Vecna. After Eddie.

Soda Burn by @3minsover

When the upmarket cocktail bar Steve's working at goes out of business, he finds himself in desperate need of a job.

off-script by @pukner

Post season 3, Steve manages to figure out that he's bisexual, despite his best efforts to repress it, comes out to Robin and Jonathan Byers of all people, and figures himself out. Also, there's a cute guy who might be actually insane running the kids' dnd club and he's got his eye on him. And his bandana.

Too bad Eddie Munson hasn't had a similar revelation. He's still under the impression that he's a straight man obsessing over Steve Harrington for normal, extremely heterosexual reasons.

Tuesday’s Gone with the Wind by @thisapplepielife

Corroded Coffin's leased plane went down on June 13th, 1995 in the woods of Louisiana.

Ten people on board died. Eddie Munson survived. Before he survived, he really lived.

senior year, 1985 by tofana

Eddie wakes up naked with King Steve sleeping soundly next to him, and no recollection of how he got there.

Night Drives by @mojowitchcraft

“Are you okay Harrington?” Eddie asks gently, “Need me to get anyone?”

“No one to get,” replies Steve, so soft Eddie barely catches it. “You think I want anyone seeing me like this?"

(Night Drives is an ongoing series, starting with "No One Rides for Free" where Eddie Munson stumbles across Steve Harrington crying next to a bush at Tina's party and makes it his mission to cheer him up. Continuing on as their relationship develops over the course of fall/winter 1984 and beyond.)

i dont want to see you at my party (but i’d love it if you showed up) by nicobloodlust

When Eddie invites him to their first gig back after everything, he thinks, this is it!

Eddie is going to tell him how he feels or Steve will tell Eddie and then! They’ll be together.

He’s having a great time, that’s until he notices Eddie is flirting with someone on his right, a girl closer to the stage, and he starts to worry.

Then both of mine from this year:

The most that I could give to you is nothing at all

They make out in his basement sometimes.

Steve tells himself it's just something they do to blow off steam, to decrease the monotony of post-apocalyptic living. Nothing more.

A few months later, Eddie leaves for the opportunity of a lifetime. Steve ignores his calls, makes sure they get a clean break, that they both get over it. Trouble is neither of them do.

"The A is for Ally"

When he is seventeen Steve Harrington sees Eddie ‘The Freak’ Munson pushed up against the side of the late night convenience store with his hands down another guy’s pants.

Unable to stop thinking about it afterwards, it takes him ten years to work out what that means.

(After his friends come out one by one, Steve settles comfortably into his new role as an ally. He moves to the city, joins groups, attends protests, even signs up to a gender studies class. Then in 1991 Eddie comes crashing back into his life.)

#steddie #fanfiction #steddie fic #stranger things #stranger things fanfiction #steddiewrapped #long post

[tasteleeknow]

HELLO STRANGER. PART ONE.

pairing: minho ft. hyunjin x fem!reader genre: smut, angst, fluff, soulmate!au. enemies to lovers. jealousy. pining. unrequited love. content: 18+ minors dni. word count: 7k

summary: after watching everyone around you pair off with their soulmate, you finally get your turn. a slow burn strangers to enemies to lovers soulmate!au with jealousy and angst and smut and suffering (and softness ofc).

series masterlist & taglist ♡ pt.1 | pt.2 | pt.3

♡ series masterlist

mention of death (a recurring theme, not a main character). mc has anxiety. mention of body insecurity.

“I’m so happy for you, Mina. I-I really am.” 

Your roommate was engaged to her soulmate. She’d woken you up at 2am, flicking your lights on and jumping up and down on your bed until you’d roused enough to comprehend what she was saying. A little over a year ago she’d gotten a notification—the person that suited her more than anyone else on earth had been found. 

“She’s been trying to do it for weeks, apparently. She kept chickening out,” Mina giggles as she fiddles with the ring on her finger. “Isn’t it pretty?” she says, holding it out for you to inspect. 

She’d shown you many times in the 20 minutes she’d been sitting cross-legged on your bed. You indulge her, taking her delicate hand in yours to take another look at the admittedly very pretty ring. Her joy was a little overwhelming, you’d been so low for so long. 

It was only a few months after Mina met her soulmate that your boyfriend met his. He’d lied to you, signing up for the matching service behind your back. When he’d left, you’d signed up yourself in your anger—as if it could do anything to hurt him back. He didn’t care. 

Neither did you, not anymore. You watched the people around you pair off, so distracted by their own joy not one of them had asked you about your lack of it. Then, a few weeks ago you’d received your notification. You’d stared at your phone screen, trying to comprehend the reality of it. All you had to do was acknowledge the match and agree on a time to meet. Then… you’d be one of the happy ones? You’d thrown your phone onto the bed, ignoring it until you were forced to pick it up again. You hadn’t told anyone since. 

You look up at your friend again, her cheeks rosy—likely from a mixture of wine and excitement. “Mina?”

“Mm?” she responds absentmindedly, not looking up from her ring. 

“I-I got my notification…” Her eyes snap up to meet yours. “...a few weeks ago,” you finish. 

“What?! Who are they?!” she squeals, falling forward to grab your hands in hers—flapping them up and down. 

“I don’t know, I didn’t respond.” 

She drops both your hands onto the bed, eyes wide. “What? Why?”

“I…don’t know. I’m scared, I guess.” 

She shuffles up to sit beside you against the pillows. “Ya know, I was scared at first too.”

You look up to her face, she’s looking at her ring again. You remembered the first week after she got her notification. She’d been so bouncy and overwhelmingly happy, you don’t remember her being nervous at all. “You were?” 

“Mm, I know the whole idea is that you are supposed to be perfect for each other. But… what if I was the exception? What if I wasn’t enough for her? It felt…like such a huge thing to live up to—being someone’s perfect person. I just wanted to be enough for whoever it was I was going to meet.” She reaches over to take your hand. “Then I met her…and that all felt so silly. She was everything and I knew that even if I wasn’t enough for her yet, I'd do everything to make sure I was. She made me wanna be the best person I could be and it…was a lot—but in the best way.” 

“I don't… know if I’m ready to be the best version of me.” 

“That’s the point, even if you aren’t. They’ll help you. Besides, what if they need you to help them be the best version of them?”

“I’m not sure I could help anyone with that…” 

“Just try? Yeah? I’ll be here,” she says, squeezing your hand gently. 

You look over to your nightstand where your phone is charging. You couldn’t really bear to look at it these days. Mina nudges your shoulder. You reach over to grab it. She’s quiet as you open the app. Your heart races as you enter times you are available to meet, hesitating over the final button that confirms your agreement. You look down to Mina’s hand on your leg, the delicate ring catching your eye. You take a deep breath, then hit confirm. 

Three weeks and they haven’t confirmed a time. Whoever they were, they clearly didn’t want you. You knew it was silly, to be upset about something you’d done yourself. Maybe they just had the same insecurities you did? Mina was busy with wedding preparation, you didn’t blame her for being distracted. She was happy and you were happy she was happy. Everything was fine. 

“What about these?” Mina says, pointing out some blue carnations. The only other time you’d been in a flower shop like this was when you’d bought some roses for your anniversary with your ex. 

“They’re pretty, are you definitely going with blue then?”

“Mm,” she confirms, “blue and purple.” She wanders away again and you trail behind, fiddling with the chain dangling off your phone case. “Haven’t heard back?” she asks. You pause briefly, it’s the first time she’s asked in over a week. 

“No.” 

“They’re probably panicking like you were.” 

“Yeah,” you mutter. 

You’re a little out of it as she leads you around the store—fiddling with the chain the entire time. The loud ring of a notification startles you, a small squeak leaving your lips. Mina looks up at you as you flick your phone to silent, you must have absent-mindedly flicked it while you were fiddling. You look up to meet her eyes. 

“Check it,” she prompts. 

“It’s probably nothing.” 

“Check it,” she repeats. So you do. He’s confirmed to meet the next day. Just like that. Mina snatches your phone from your hands. 

“Tomorrow?! Oh my god,” she says before shoving your phone back in your hands. “Confirm you’re going.” 

“I’m going…” you mumble, staring down at the screen—attempting to process it. 

Mina’s laugh breaks you from your daze. “Yes, you’re going. Come on, let’s go pick your outfit.” She grabs your arm, pulling you from the store. 

You hardly sleep that night, spending the entire next morning cleaning your apartment—attempting (and failing) to distract yourself from the anxiety stirring in your chest. Your small cat brushes against your leg as you bend down to clean her tray. 

“Hey, baby. You might meet a new friend soon, hm?” She meows at you. “Mm, I know. It’s scary for me, too. We’ll be okay, I'm sure they’re nice.” 

A clap of thunder makes you jump. It had been storming all night. Usually storms relax you but apparently not even that could calm you now. “Gonna shower now,” you whisper to your cat, stroking her fur one last time. 

You’d been putting it off, showering. You didn’t feel like looking at yourself. You didn’t consider yourself a particularly insecure person, most of the time you managed to stay pretty neutral about how you looked. You were fine. Right now though? Every negative thought you’d ever had was stirring to the surface. You couldn’t help pausing just before stepping into the shower, twisting back and forth to inspect yourself in the mirror. You’re fine. 

You struggle to close your umbrella, shoving the handle into your stomach so you can push it down—eventually managing to collapse it fully. It’s still pouring. You’d closed your eyes the entire bus trip, listening to the rain and attempting to settle your nerves. You weren’t particularly successful. You rest your hand on the wall, steadying yourself—your empty stomach growling as you gather yourself. This is fine. 

You look up at the revolving door. A girl walks out with a huge grin on her face—giggling to herself as she passes you. Clearly her meeting went well. You suck in a deep breath, the fresh air helping a little. Then, shoving the umbrella in your bag, you head inside. 

The receptionist hands you a clipboard and a pen and asks you to wait for someone to collect you. It makes you feel like you’re at a dentist appointment. Not great for your nerves. You settle yourself in the corner to read the forms. You expect a disclaimer to cover the company's ass; terms and conditions. It’s a little more than that. Your leg bounces as you scan the pages, pen tapping against the clipboard. 

Customers retain the right to withhold personal information from partners and discontinue communication at any time. Security is present on the premises. You read a paragraph about a wristband each person can use to signal for security discreetly. Why would anyone need that? You realise you're chewing on the pen. Crap. You look up to see if anyone has noticed. You can’t read anymore. You feel like your entire brain is consumed with trying to keep it together. You scribble your name at the bottom of the last page and head to the desk to hand it back. 

“I’m—I’m done with this.” 

“Oh, good. Felix will take you through now,” the receptionist answers, pointing to the blonde man holding a door open for you. 

“Thank you,” you say quietly, adjusting your bag on your shoulder and heading over. This is fine. 

“Good morning, I’m Felix” he greets. His voice is calm and his face bright. You can see why he has this role. 

“Morning.” 

He holds the door for you as pass then leads you down a long hallway, turning to speak to you. “Nervous?”

“A little,” you say, offering him a small shaky smile.  

“You’ll be fine, promise. I’ve worked here awhile and never seen anyone leave without a big smile.” He stops at a cupboard built into the wall, pulling the door open. “Could you hold your hand up for me? Just wanna check your size.”

You offer him your arm and he wraps a small smartwatch around your wrist. “Perfect,” he mutters to himself. 

“This is to call for security?” you ask. 

“Yeah, just press this button on the side. It won’t make a noise. They won’t know you’ve called.”

“Why…why would I need this if everyone always leaves with a smile?” 

“I’m sure it was suggested by a lawyer at some point, just a precaution.” Your hand shakes a little as he secures the strap for you. “You’re okay,” he says, obviously noticing your visible nerves. 

You’re okay. 

“I’ll take you to your room now, okay?” he asks, voice gentle. You look up to his face, counting a few of his freckles as you take a few slow breaths. 

“Okay,” you say after a few seconds. He smiles then turns and leads you through a door to another long hallway. This one has many doors along each side, each one numbered. You count them as you go. He finally stops at door 14. “This is you,” he announces. He doesn’t open it, just turns and looks at you—clearly waiting for you to prepare yourself. 

“Are they… in there already?”

“Mm, we stagger arrivals. He’s been here about 30 minutes.” 

“He?”

“Oops, spoilers,” he says, offering you a playful smile. 

You offer him a weak smile in return then turn to the door only to freeze, staring at the door knob like you had never seen one before. Felix waits patiently at your side. “What if he doesn’t like me?” you mutter under your breath. 

“You know how long I’ve worked here?” Felix says in response, apparently ignoring your question. “4 years,” he continues. You look from the doorknob to his face. “I’d say about 80% of the people I lead to one of these doors ask me some variation of that question.” 

“And they leave happy?”

He smiles and nods. “Mm.” 

You grab the doorknob, ready to get on with it. “Felix?” 

“Yes?”

“Thank you, really.” 

“No worries,” he says, “you’ll be fine.” 

You smile at him one last time and take a deep breath, pushing the door open. A chair scrapes across the ground and you look up to the man standing at a table in the middle of the room. You suppose, he’s yours. You wonder if he thinks you’re disappointing—if you’re not what he expected, what he hoped for. Felix places a gentle hand on your shoulder, helping you enter the room—the door closing behind you. 

The man holds his arm out, gesturing to a lounge along the wall. You suck in a breath, only just realising you’ve been holding it. 

“I saved you a seat,” he says, the first to break the silence. You suppose that was something like a joke, you’re too nervous to offer anything playful back. So instead you hurry over, dropping your bag to the ground as you collapse into the soft couch cushions. He sits himself at the other end, space for another two or three people between you. There’s two water bottles on the table. You should say something. Your name. Name’s are good. You fail to meet his eyes as you introduce yourself, reaching for the bottle instead. 

“Minho,” he offers in return. You look up at him, a nervous smile on your face. He’s pretty, too pretty for you. He’s wearing a black t-shirt and jeans. You’re overdressed. 

“Hi,” is all you manage. 

“Hi.” 

“Have you… been waiting long?” 

One corner of his lips curves up. “No, not long.” 

He doesn’t seem nervous at all. Why had he waited three weeks to respond if he wasn’t at all like you? “Ah, that’s good.” 

“Nervous?” he asks, nodding to where you were twisting the cap of the bottle on and off repeatedly. You place it back on the table. 

“Yeah, sorry.” 

“Don’t be.” He stands, walking over to a bookshelf. “Do you wanna play a game?” 

“A game?” 

“They have a bunch here. Uno?” 

“...sure.”  

He pulls the deck from the pack as he makes his way back over. “You know how to play?”

You huff out a half laugh. “Uno? Yeah.” 

He smiles. “Just checking. The only thing I know about you is your name and that you like yellow.” 

You look down at your yellow sundress. You had stood out amongst the crowd on the bus, everyone in dark raincoats and jackets. It wasn’t cold, just wet. Your cardigan was enough. “I… It’s my favourite colour, yeah.” 

“It suits you.” 

You look up. He’s focused on dealing the cards. “Thank you,” you say, just above a whisper. 

He flips a card over on the small coffee table and grabs his cards. You exchange small talk as you go. Your ages, what you do for work, if you have any pets. You talk about your cats a little, the first commonality you’ve discovered. You figure you’ll latch onto them whenever any come up, maybe more so than with any other stranger. The unspoken knowledge that you are supposed to be ideal for each other makes it feel like more is at stake. Instead of risking merely an awkward interaction with a stranger, you are both risking… well… your future happiness together. 

He seems kind. Maybe a little reserved, but so were you. You get the feeling he’s holding a lot back, like he’s not entirely here. You wonder if his anxiety just presented differently to yours. 

“Do you live alone?” he asks, slapping a pick up 2 on the stack. You slap one on top, looking up with a small smile. “Got me,” he says, returning your smile and then picking up 4 from the deck. 

“I have a roommate: Mina. What about you?” 

“Hyunjin. Met him at dance lessons years ago, he stuck to me like a leech.” 

“So he loves you?” 

He looks up from his cards, eyes flicking across your face for a moment before he answers. “Mm, I guess he does. Are you close with Mina?” 

“I’m gonna be her maid of honour.” 

“Ah.” He moves a few cards around in his deck. “Is she… with her—I mean did they meet through this?” He gestures to nowhere in particular with his cards, like he can’t speak the word soulmate. 

A small knot of anxiety reappears in your chest. It had eased without you realising, returning now. 

“Yeah, they met a year ago,” you answer. 

“A year? That’s quick.” 

“I guess.” You watch him continue to fiddle with his cards. “It’s your turn,” you prompt. 

He looks up at you. “Right.” Then leans forward to grab a card from the deck. 

“Is Hyunjin… has he met his?” 

He places a colour change card down gently. “Green,” he announces quietly. You expect him to answer your question, but he doesn’t. So you take your turn. It isn’t until you’ve both had two more turns each that he speaks. “He hasn’t.” 

You get the feeling you’ve said something wrong. You fiddle with your cards, realising you’re guaranteed a win. You look up at the man next to you. Is he a sore loser? You know nothing about him at all. You finish the game, looking up at him to see his reaction.

“Well done,” he says calmly as he begins to collect the cards, stacking them into a neat pile. You tuck away another tiny puzzle piece you can use to put together this person who was supposed to be your soulmate. 

You look around the room, desperate to find another activity to save you from any awkward lulls. A big wooden chest catches your eye. You leave him to finish putting the cards away, wandering over to the mysterious chest. It looked like something that would be full of pirate’s gold. You bend down to lift the lid, conscious of the man appearing at the bookshelf next to you. It’s heavy and his hand appears to help you pull it the rest of the way up. 

It’s full of clothes. Costumes and props. You pull a witches hat out, lifting it onto your head and smiling at the man next to you. He smiles back then retrieves a big sunflower hat. “Put this on, it matches your dress.” You drop the witches hat back in the chest. Then, before you can take it from him, he gently lowers the sunflower hat onto your head. You readjust it, feeling your cheeks warm as he bends down to search through the chest again. 

When he stands he has a big red clown nose on. The serious expression on his face makes it all the funnier, drawing out a small laugh from your lips. “Try squeezing it,” he says stoically. You reach up, squeezing the red nose between your fingers. It squeaks, a lot like a dog toy. His mouth curves up a little in one corner then he pulls it from his nose, holding it out to you. 

“You try.” 

Your fingers brush together as you take it from him, a shiver running down your spine at the contact. His eyes on you as you attach the nose to your face makes you nervous. When you look up he wastes no time squeezing it, the high pitched squeak pulling the first actual laugh you’ve heard from him. You join him, the contagious quality of his loud laughter getting you more than anything else. 

By the time you’ve exhausted the large chest of its treasures your stomach hurts, collapsing onto the floor as Minho pulls a big pink bow from his hair. “No, leave it!” you gasp out through your laughter, reaching out to wrap around his wrist before he can drop the bow into the chest. He joins you on the floor, his leg brushing against yours pulls your awareness to your hands. You pull back quickly. 

He stretches his legs out, leaning back on his palms as you both catch your breath. It’s quiet for a moment. It doesn’t feel awkward. Your mouth tugs up at the corners at the revelation. “Why’d you take so long to respond?” he asks, bringing you back down to earth. A heaviness settles over you immediately. 

“I uh…just wasn’t ready,” you answer, pulling a flower crown off your head. Your heart races in your chest as you prepare your next words. “You…took awhile as well.” 

He pulls his legs to his chest, arms resting on his bent knees. “I wasn’t ready either.” 

“You’re ready now?” 

He’s quiet, eyes flicking between yours. Then he stands, offering you a hand up. You make sure your dress stays down as you let him pull you up, his hand warm in yours. He pulls you up effortlessly, fingers brushing together as he releases you. “Would you like to come over for dinner?” he asks. 

“I… Yeah, sure.” 

He walks over to a backpack under the table, pulling it over his shoulder. “Great, I think Hyunjin might be home tonight but he’ll probably stay in his room.” 

“Tonight?” 

He looks up at you. “Yeah… that alright?” 

“Ye-Yeah.” 

“Did you drive here or…?”

“Bus.” 

“I can give you a lift home?” He says, eyes dropping down to his phone as he types something quickly. “I’ll pick you up later. Gotta get a few things for dinner.” 

“I can get the bus.” You’re not sure why you turn him down. 

He looks up at you, brows furrowed. “You sure? It’s probably still raining.” 

“I like the bus.” 

He steps towards you and you hold your breath as he reaches towards your hair, picking out a pink feather—a remnant from your dress up session. “I’ll pick you up at six?” he asks, close enough that your eyes fix on the freckle at the end of his nose. Your soulmate has a nose freckle. Soulmate. 

“Six,” you confirm, voice a little breathy. 

“I…told Hyunjin you were coming and he showed…a lot of interest. He might hang around, sorry.” Minho warns as he steps up to his door. 

“I don’t mind.”

“He’ll keep you company while I finish up with dinner, anyway.”

“Alright.” 

You follow him into his apartment, taking in your surroundings as he leads you to the living room where a boy with short blonde hair sits at a small table on the floor. He jumps up as you enter, a wide grin spreading across his face as he approaches. 

“You’re here,” he greets you like you’re old friends, like you were here for him and not the man standing beside you. You offer him a friendly smile. 

“I’ll leave you two to chat for a bit, i’ll be done soon,” Minho says before backing up towards the adjoined kitchen. You catch him giving his roommate a pointed look and then he turns, leaving you alone. 

Hyunjin gestures to a cushion on the floor by the table, sinking back down to resume his position on the other. He pushes aside a notebook and as he closes it, you catch a glimpse of some sketches. “Can’t believe you’re finally here,” he says, propping his elbows on the table to gazing at you like you’d put the stars in the sky. 

You drop your eyes to the table, feeling a little overwhelmed by his intensity. “Uh, I—I can’t really believe it either. It’s a lot.” 

“Did it go well today?” 

“Um…I think so. Minho hasn’t said anything?” 

He looks to the kitchen then leans over the table so he can lower his voice. “He’s not particularly talkative. You may have noticed.” 

“He…seemed a little reserved but so am I. I don’t mind.” 

His plush lips curve up in one corner. “So it was a quiet session then?” 

“Not…exactly. We played dress up.” You look down at the table, smiling a little to yourself at the memory. Hyunjin is quiet and when you look up at him again he has a soft smile on his face. You drop your gaze to the table, his closed notebook catching your eye again. “Do you draw?” 

He sits back, pushing the notebook in front of you and flipping it open. “Mm, you can look if you want.” You flip through the pages as the boy across from you sits quietly. They’re mostly sketches of people, a few watercolours scattered in. You pause on a page of a silhouette, turned away—hair falling over their face. It makes you sad. You close the book, sliding it gently back across the table. 

“They’re…really good.” 

“Thank you. Do you like art?” 

“I like it. I can’t do it.” You look over to the kitchen, wondering if Minho was an artist. You hadn’t asked. 

“He’s not an artist,” Hyunjin says, like your thoughts are written across your forehead. “I know how it feels…all of this—it’s terrifying.” 

“You—You know?” 

He smiles sadly just as a loud crash comes from the kitchen. “I’ll check on him,” he says, standing and leaving you there at the small table. You take the opportunity to wander around the room, attempting to gather as much information about the man who was supposed to be yours. A small jingle draws your attention to a cardboard box in the corner of the room. A small cat is curled up inside, lazily licking at his paw. 

“Hello baby,” you coo, crouching down to stroke his soft fur. “I have a friend at home who’d love to meet you.” You scratch his chin, the cat lifting his head so you can get a good view of his collar. No name tag. “What’s your name, baby? Which one are you?” 

Minho had mentioned his cats earlier. You’d forgotten their names, too anxious at the time to retain information properly. You look back to the kitchen. Hyunjin hadn’t returned. You lean down to kiss the purring cat on the head and then head towards the kitchen, freezing when you hear the two men arguing—clearly attempting to keep their voices down. 

“I did this for you,” Minho’s anger comes through his voice clearly, despite it being practically in a whisper. “I could lose Sana over this.” 

“Shhhh, keep your voice down,” Hyunjin scolds. “Why are you acting like this?” 

“Like what?” 

“Angry.” 

“Because I’m working my ass off to cook for a stranger when I’d rather be with the girl I fucking love.” 

You stagger back a step, kicking a cat toy across the hardwood floor. The men go silent, alerted to your eavesdropping. Hyunjin appears in the doorway, catching you as you take one more step back. 

“I’m—I—” you stutter. “I’m sorry,” you blurt out, spinning and rushing for the door. 

In your rush to snatch your bag from the small table your shin comes into contact with the sharp corner. The pain snaps you out of your panic as you drop to the floor, clutching your leg tightly against your chest as you rock back and forth. He loves someone else. He didn’t want you. He loves someone else. He lo—Hyunjin appears in front of you. 

“Show me,” he says gently. You shake your head, squeezing your eyes shut. You wish you could pass out, just leave the next hour of your life to a clone of you. You can’t do this. You need to get out. You stand abruptly, grabbing your bag from the table and rushing for the door. Hyunjin hovers around you as you shove your feet into your shoes, heels hanging over the ends. “Let me drive you home,” he says, the gentle touch of his hand on your arm snapping your eyes to his. You’d felt comfortable with him since the moment you’d met. He felt safe. You don’t look over his shoulder properly, merely glimpsing Minho standing silently out the corner of your eye. 

“Okay.” 

“Okay,” he says, offering you a small smile. He opens the door for you and you fight the voice in your head that tells you to turn around, to take one last look at the man you’d thought was yours. 

Hyunjin is quiet as you both walk down the stairs. He’s quiet as he unlocks the car and hands you his phone with the maps app open. He’s quiet as he drives you to your apartment. When the car is parked and the engine is off, you’re almost afraid to break the silence. You do it anyway. “Thank you. I know–I know we just met but you’ve been…very nice. I’m—just thank you.” 

“Can I come in?” 

You turn to look at your door, then back to him. “I—”

“Just wanna make sure you’re alright…and explain things a little.” 

You’re not sure if you want things explained. You feel like collapsing into bed and crying until you pass out. The adrenaline has well and truly worn off, you're too afraid to look at your leg. You’re sure it’s bleeding. “Alright,” you mutter, opening the car door and stepping out on your good leg. You start hobbling towards your door as the sound of the car locking goes off behind you. 

“Can I help?” Hyunjin asks. 

“I’m fine. It’s fine.” 

Mina isn’t home. You’re not sure if you’re relieved or disappointed. You’re not sure about anything. Hyunjin digs out your first aid kit after listening to your directions and joins you in the living room. He’s quiet as he cleans you up. It’s only when he closes the first aid kit that he speaks. “I don’t know how to say this without… without sounding like I’m trying to say I have it worse. I’m… just trying to explain this whole thing. Okay?” 

You nod, emotionally drained. 

“She died. My soulmate. I don’t know if Minho said anything,” the corner of his mouth pulls up into a sad smile. “I can’t imagine he would.” 

“You don’t have to do this.” 

“I do. Just… let me, please?” You sit back, giving him a slight nod. “She—It was… it was the day we were supposed to meet,” he stands up, placing the first aid kit on the table and then sitting next to you on the couch. You don’t know whether to turn your body towards him or give him all the space you can. You stay completely still. “I’m telling you this because I want you to understand why I did what I did. I… encouraged him because I love him like a brother and I want him to be happy. I need him to be happy and you’re—you’re the thing he can have that I can’t. I need him to have you.” 

You can’t help looking at him, turning your body slightly as you try and find a position for your leg that doesn’t hurt. “He doesn’t want me.” 

“He doesn’t know you.” 

“I don’t think he wants to know me. He loves… someone else.” 

“He’s infatuated with a girl he’s known for years. She doesn’t feel the same way. She sleeps with him because it’s easy and he’s there. It’s not… it’s not love.” 

“I’m sorry. About what happened to you. I—I can’t imagine…” you stand, forgetting about your leg and stumbling a little as you catch your footing. He stands quickly, arms outstretched to attempt to catch you. “I can’t be with someone who doesn’t want me. I can’t—” you cover your mouth as your voice wobbles, not wanting to cry in front of someone who was essentially a total stranger. 

“Can we exchange numbers?” he asks. “If you ever want to get coffee or… anything…” 

You collapse back onto the couch, digging through your bag so you can hand him your phone. Part of you wants to send him out the door and never see him again, breaking off any connection to Minho entirely. But then, the other part… it wants to hold on, to take Hyunjins hand and beg him to keep you. To help you convince Minho to want you, to love you. When he’s finished he hands it back, a heavy silence falling over the room. 

“I’m not sure… if I'll want to keep in touch,” you say eventually. 

“I won’t contact you. Just… message me if you ever want to talk or meet, yeah?” 

“Yeah.” 

“You have to tell me… please?” Mina says as she lays a blanket over your lap. She passes you the mug of coffee she’d made you. “Please?” she asks again. 

“He didn’t want me. That’s it,” you say before blowing over the surface of your coffee and taking a small sip. 

“It doesn’t make sense. Why wouldn’t he want you?” 

You shrug. “He found someone better.” 

“It doesn’t make sense.”

“You said that.”

She’s quiet for a moment. You imagine what she must be thinking. Pity, probably. Her poor friend. Dumped by her boyfriend and then dumped by her soulmate. “You can’t give up. He’s—He’s yours.”

You lean over to place your mug down on the table. “What am I supposed to do? Bother him until he decides to give me his attention? I’m not begging someone to want me, even my soulmate.” 

“Just speak to him. You haven’t even given him a chance to talk about it.” 

You pull the blank up over your shoulders, tucking your chin into the soft warmth. “What if I cry?” you whisper. “I don’t… want to cry in front of him.” 

Your friend leans against you, laying her head gently against your shoulder. “You’re brave. You’ll be okay. If you do cry and he judges you for it then he’s an ass.” 

“I don't… think I can. Not yet.” 

“Alright,” Mina whispers, pressing a kiss to your cheek. “Mario Kart?” 

“Morning,” Hyunjin greets, a warm smile on his face—like you were two friends meeting for a casual chat. You look around you, at the other people sitting around engaged in their own conversations. You wonder if they have their soulmates. 

You’d given in, messaging your Minho’s roommate only a week after rushing from his apartment. Minho hadn’t contacted you at all. You wished you were strong enough to let him go, but you weren’t. So here you were, attempting to form a connection with his roommate because you were too cowardly to message the man himself.

A hand waves in front of your face, snapping you out of your trance. “How have you been?” Hyunjin asks. 

“Is that a polite ‘how are you’ or are you actually asking?” 

His plush lips curve up into a small smile. “I’m asking.”

“I miss him. I don’t even know him and I miss him.” 

“Mm, I get it,” he says, tipping sugar into the iced coffee you’d ordered for him. 

“Has he.. said anything?” 

He wraps his hands around the cup, tipping it back and forth a little. “We’ve… not really been talking. We had… a conversation that night and not much since then.” 

Minho was really that angry at his friend for making him meet you? You look down to your empty cup. “Right.” 

“He’d like to meet you.” 

“Would he really or is this another set up?” you mumble. 

“I didn’t force him. To meet you.” 

“That’s what it sounded like.” 

“I think… this is something he should talk to you about.” 

“Alright.” 

“You’ll meet him?” 

“Not yet.” 

Hyunjin twirls his straw around, playing more with his coffee than actually drinking it. “Would you like to come to a gallery with me? There’s one near here.” 

“I have to go to work soon,” you say, watching as he drops his eyes to his lap. “But I can tomorrow?” 

His eyes meet yours, one corner of his mouth lifting a little. “Alright.” 

It becomes a regular part of your schedule, visiting galleries with him. Once a week, at least. He gives you a tour around the entire city's art scene, opening your eyes to a whole world you’d never bothered to explore yourself. He’s kind, easy to open up to and he doesn’t bring up Minho unless you ask first. It’s nice. It’d been weeks since you’d seen Minho. He hadn’t said anything.

“She was an artist, apparently,” Hyunjin says suddenly, eyes fixed on the large portrait you’d been appreciating. You think he means the woman in the painting at first but when you look at his expression, it’s obvious he means his soulmate. He hadn’t brought her up since the night in your apartment, after he’d finished cleaning your blood from your leg. 

“Do you know much about her?” 

“Her family invited me to the funeral. I kept in touch with her brother. He… told me about her,” he says, moving each arm behind him so he can lean back on the long bench you both sit at. A couple walks past you, more engaged in each other than the artwork around them. You’re both quiet as they pass. “If she was here, and I had the chance to know her—” 

“I know,” you say, cutting him off. “I know. But… what if it’s not… everything people say it is. What if it’s a placebo effect? We all think this other person is perfect for us and so they are. We convince themselves they are.” 

“Maybe. Does it matter?” 

“Yes.” 

“Why?” 

“Because clearly it isn’t working on him.” 

He turns his body towards you, leaning closer. “Will you talk to him, please?” 

You sigh. “Okay.” 

“Really?” 

You lift his hand from where he’s gripping his own thigh, intertwining your fingers. “I like you, Hyunjin. I like spending time with you and… if this will make you happy… I’ll do it.” 

“It will.” 

“Is he home now?” 

He grins, pulling you up from the bench. 

“You warned him?” you ask, fiddling with the hem of your shirt. 

“Yeah.” 

“He… he wants to meet?” 

“Yeah.” 

“Promise?” 

He huffs out a light laugh. “I promise.” 

“You’ll be nearby?”

“Cafe across the street,” he says, pushing you gently towards the steps to his apartment. “Now go. You’re okay.” 

You trudge up the stairs, begging your body to be calm—to hide the anxiety coursing through your entire frame. You knock on the door before you can change your mind, sucking in a deep breath as it swings open. 

“You came,” Minho says, brushing his hand through his damp hair. He stands to the side, holding the door for you. He looks calm, as always. His lack of anxiety during your first meeting made sense now. He didn’t care like you did. He was doing a favour for a friend. You hesitate, turning back behind you to the coffee shop where Hyunjin waits. This is fine. You step through the threshold. 

“Do you want a drink?” he asks as you sit down on one of the cushions at the small table where you’d first met Hyunjin. He’s hovering by the kitchen, looking like he’d rather be anywhere else than here with you. 

“I’m fine.” 

He rocks back and forth on his heels for a moment then joins you at the table. You wait for him to speak; to explain. He taps his nails on the wood, the only sound in the room for a minute or two. 

“I didn’t… want to hurt you. You seem nice,” he says, still tapping on the table. 

You seem nice. Not exactly how you expected your soulmate to feel about you. 

He flattens his palm against the surface of the table, then continues. “Has Hyunjin told you about… what happened? With his—” 

“Yes.”

“He’s been here for me through a lot. I owed him this.” 

You clench your fists in your lap, struggling to contain the sharp anger that bursts in your chest. You take a deep breath before speaking. “What about me?” you say. His brows furrow, like he doesn't understand what you have to do with any of this. Your nails cut into your palms. “You did ‘this’ as a favour to him. What about me?” 

His palm curls into a fist on the table. “I don’t… owe you anything.” 

“You don’t?” 

“I don’t know you.” 

“That’s the thing though, isn’t it? You don’t know me and you never wanted to know me. Hyunjin wanted you to try. That’s what he wanted from you and if you didn’t want to do that you owed me the courtesy of telling me. Instead you strung me along for weeks and then when we met didn’t say a thing about being there against your will.”

He’d taken 3 weeks to agree to meet you. You’d done the same, but he’d done it because he didn’t care. You did it because you cared too much.

“I had… to sort some things out before I could agree to meet you.” 

“What things?” 

His eyes drop to his phone, sitting on the table between you. “I needed to explain it to someone.”

He means the girl. The girl he loves instead of you. "That's what you were doing for 3 weeks?? Fucking her?!"

He looks up at you, brows raised. He scoffs, snatching his phone from the table and standing. "So what if I was? And don't act like I fucked you over, you took just as long."

You grab your bag, jumping to your feet. "I was questioning if I was good enough for you! I was sitting around feeling shit about myself and the entire time you were fucking the girl you love."

"You're acting like I was cheating on you,” he throws his hands up in the air, then points his phone at you. “I had no fucking clue you existed."

"You did though, you knew I existed. You just didn't know my name or my face."

"Same thing."

"No, it's not. You knew I was waiting for you. That I was thinking we were it. That we were meant for each other—”

"Maybe we're not,” he says quickly. 

Both your chests are rising and falling rapidly as you catch your breaths. You step around the table slowly, moving closer towards him. He takes one small step back as you press your finger to his chest. It’s still rising and falling quickly, his breath mingling with yours. “You’ll regret letting me go. You don’t deserve me,” you warn, just above a whisper. His warm breath brushes against your skin and then his eyes drop to your lips. He takes a large step away from you, mouth pursed tight. 

please reblog and share your thoughts. caption, tags, replies, or ask box, i read it all. feedback is what motivates me to write more!

↳ masterlist

#lee know smut #lee know x reader #hyunjin smut #hyunjin x reader #lee know fanfic #kpop smut #stray kids smut #stray kids angst #kpop imagines #skz smut #stray kids imagines #stray kids imagine #kpop scenarios #stray kids scenarios #stray kids x reader #skz x reader #skz imagines #stray kids fanfic #skz scenarios #x reader #my writing #*

[taeyongdoyoung]

summary: things between you and your mom escalate and you make the impulsive decision to move in with your online friend who saves your life and shines like the brightest star... pairing: seonghwa x reader genre: angst, fluff, smut; online friends to roommates+lovers warnings: swearing, mommy issues, suicidal thoughts, insecurities, crying, pet names, eating out, blowjob, protected sex, praise kink, mommy kink, one (1) bad star wars joke, the nbhd references, subspace (kinda?), lowkey possessive hwa, one bed trope (but there is a couch, they just ignore it) author's note: this is incredibly personal and i felt so vulnerable while writing it but i better post it real quick before i chicken out 🙃 the title is inspired by the neighbourhood's daddy issues (remix) even though reader has mommy issues lol word count: 4.3k

You are cooped up in your room, physically shaking. You have no tears left to cry so you are laughing hysterically at the absurdity of it all. You were so tired of it. You love your mom, you really do. You would never do anything to harm her. But you are absolutely sick of the way she was treating you. Always belittling your interests, not letting you go out past a certain hour even though you were old enough to do so, yelling at you for the smallest mistakes, suffocating you with her unrealistic expectations, saying you were stupid and would never amount to anything if it hadn't been for her strict parenting style, even though you had practically sacrificed your mental health and social life to get high grades. And whenever you brought up all the ways in which she'd hurt you, she would try to gaslight you and pull shit like: "I never said that." "You're being overdramatic." "You're so ungrateful." All your friends said you deserved better. They tried their best to support you emotionally. But words could only do so much. You need out. If you stayed another moment in this toxic environment, you felt like you would do something terrible to yourself. Something there was no coming back from.

The only person you feel like talking to right now was your online friend Seonghwa. You'd met him on a Star Wars forum eight months ago and you'd been talking to each other pretty much every free minute. He was your light in the darkness and brought you so much happiness you couldn't remember what your life before him had been like. He always knew just what to say and comforted you like nobody else could. And when you didn't feel like talking, he distracted you successfully by organizing streaming sessions for the two of you. He is, for lack of a better word, perfect. There is only one downside. He lives thousands of kilometres away from you.

You: Talk to me. About anything. Please? Starshine98: What happened??? You: I don't wanna talk about it. I don't even wanna think about it. Starshine98: Got it. Your mom, right? You: Is my tragic existence so transparent? Starshine98: Whatever she said, you know it's not your fault. You: I know. But Hwa…it hurts so much I feel like dying. I can't do this anymore. Starshine98: Don't say that. You are so important to me. And to your friends. And to your mom, as well, even if she has a messed up way of showing it. You: Still….I need to get out of here as soon as possible but I can't do that without getting a stable job first. And it's so hard to find one. Starshine98: What if you came to live with me? My apartment has enough space for two… You: You live across the world? I can't even afford a plane ticket. Starshine98: Don't worry about money, I'll send you an E-ticket. You: I can't ask you to do that… Starshine98: You're not asking, I'm offering. You're going through something traumatic and you obviously need a change of scenery. I'm not asking you to stay with me forever, just for as long as you need to take care of your mental health. Just say the word and I'll buy the ticket. You: This is far too generous of you. Starshine98: I'm not as selfless as you think. I'm so worried about your well-being that keeping an eye on you myself would help me sleep better at night. You: Sweet. Starshine98: So? What do you say? You: Fuck it. Let's do this.

A couple of minutes later you receive a digital plane ticket from Seonghwa. The feeling of staring at it is so surreal you feel like you might pass out. You quickly pack only the bare essentials into a bag and scribble a letter to your parents. You know your mom will be furious and your dad will be worried sick but still, you want to leave the apartment while she's still asleep to avoid the confrontation. This is the best decision you could have possibly made in this situation. And for the first time in forever, you are finally doing something impulsive, something crazy without asking for permission. And damn, does it make you feel alive.

As you get off the plane, your eyes scan the airport for Seonghwa. You debate turning on your phone but then you would be faced with missed calls from your parents and right now, you are not ready to face the reality of what you've done. Luckily enough, you quickly spot a large sign with your name on it. It's him! You rush through the crowd and directly into his arms. He drops the sign in disbelief and gives you the tightest hug possible. This is insane. You can't believe you're actually here.

"Hi, sweet girl," Seonghwa says and his voice sound even lovelier than during the video chats you've had with him.

"Hi, starshine," you chuckle nervously.

"How was your flight?" he asks.

"Couldn't wait for it to be over," you admit.

"Yeah? You wanted to see me that bad?" Hwa teases you.

"More like couldn't wait to visit Seoul," you joke. "Go sightseeing."

"Sorry to disappoint but I'm taking you home first."

Home. You liked the sound of that.

"This is my room, this is the living room, this is the kitchen and this is the bathroom. Any questions?" Seonghwa inquires after he's done showing you around his apartment.

"Um, not to sound ungrateful but…where will I…you know, sleep?" you ask.

"My room, obviously. I'll take the couch in the living room," Hwa shrugs.

"What? No, Hwa, I can't…this is your apartment. I would feel so guilty I wouldn't fall asleep at all."

"Do you have another suggestion?"

"Duh! I will sleep on the couch!"

Seonghwa shakes his head, visibly distressed by the idea.

"It's pretty cold in the living room. You'll be more comfortable in my room."

"Well…we could share the bed, then? You do have a king size. If…that's okay with you."

"Are you sure?" Hwa wants to know.

You nod without thinking too much into it.

"You're my best friend and I just moved across the world. Sharing a bed with you does not worry me."

"Alright. Let me know if you need anything, I'll try to get it for you."

"Right now I just need a hug."

Seonghwa abides by your wishes and soon enough, the two of you find yourselves cuddling under the warm blanket. Minutes later you are crying and spilling the beans about your latest fight with your mom. When you tell him the whole story, he feels like throwing up.

"H-how could she say that to her own d-daughter?" Hwa stammers in disbelief.

You notice tears falling down his beautiful cheeks and trace a finger against his skin.

"Honestly? I'm kinda used to it. But it was so bad I couldn't take it anymore."

"You're not supposed to. You're a literal angel, I don't understand her behaviour at all."

You give him a sad smile.

"I'm not a saint, either. I mean, I've kept secrets from her and stuff. I just wish things could get resolved by communicating but she always refuses to hear my side of the story."

"The only reason why you've kept secrets was to protect your sanity. She's being unreasonable for not letting you follow your passions. What kind of a parent would say such harmful things?"

"Right?" you laugh bitterly. "You get me like no one else."

Seonghwa strokes your hair lovingly and kisses your forehead.

"My darling girl. You deserve so much better."

"Sometimes I wish you were my mom," in a moment of intense vulnerability, you murmur without thinking but the words are already out of your mouth and it's too late to take them back.

"W-what?" Hwa appears taken aback.

"S-sorry, I don't know what's gotten into me," you cover your face with your hands.

"Say it again. Please."

You take a peek nervously. His reaction is not one of disgust as you feared but rather…curiosity?

"I wish you were my mom," you repeat, your cheeks flushed with color.

"Do you know what I'd do if I were your mom?" Seonghwa asks.

You shake your head, desperately needing to hear what he's thinking.

"If you were my little girl, I'd do whatever I could do to keep you safe and protect you, make sure no one could hurt you, least of all me. I'd let you follow your passions. If you went out at night, I'd be worried sick, of course, but I'd be happy you're having fun with your friends. I'd tell you I'm proud of you no matter what grades you got. If you kept secrets from me, I wouldn't yell at you, but I'd ask myself what I did wrong. You know why? Because I trust you. And I care about you so deeply that I'd like to win your trust, too."

Your vision is blurry with tears. You feel like Hwa just fixed something he didn't break. Whatever he has to offer, you want all of it.

"I'd like that very much."

"You'd let me take care of you? Call you mine?" Seonghwa needs to know.

"Yes, please."

"My precious girl," he purrs in your ear.

"Hwa…just to be clear, what does that make us?" you ask, confused about the line between friendship and…whatever this is.

"What do you want us to be? Girlfriend and boyfriend? Daughter and…mom? Friends with benefits?"

You chuckle at the variety of labels he suggests.

"I think I'd like to be your girlfriend. If you'll have me," you blink, suddenly feeling insecure. You don't have much to offer. But whatever little you have, you're willing to give to him.

"I will. And I'd be honoured to be your boyfriend."

You bury your head into his chest, overwhelmed with positive feelings and excitement for the future that awaits the two of you.

"Let me take you out on a date tomorrow. But first, you need sleep."

"Okay, mom," you laugh wholeheartedly. "Will you sing me a lullaby?"

"Anything for my best girl," Seonghwa promises.

The following day he takes you to a really lovely date at a local restaurant and treats you so well, like no one else before in your life. You feel so blessed and lucky to have met him that there are not enough words to describe how grateful you are to him. Not just for letting you move in with him without expecting anything in return (though that was an immensely generous gesture on his side). The reason you are grateful the most is that he accepts you with all your flaws and scarred past, he shows you such understanding and care you have only dreamed about. He is truly your shining star guiding your path through the dark and into the light.

In the evening, you finally muster up the courage to turn on your phone. You call your dad and with tears in your eyes, explain the circumstances around your latest fight with your mom and why you decided to move in with Seonghwa. Your dad is worried, of course, but he says he gets why you did it, as he has witnessed some encounters when your mom has said hurtful things to you. Though he has not explicitly stood up for you, in your private conversations, he has shown you support and eagerly awaited the day you were independent from her. He tells you your mom was furious at first but now she is just…sad. You promise you will talk to her when you feel ready but for the time being, you need some space. Your dad respects your decision and you hang up.

"You did well," Seonghwa praises you, enveloping you in a warm hug.

"Thanks," you whisper sadly.

"Shall we go to bed?" he asks.

"Aw, man, I was in such a hurry to pack that I forgot my favourite frog plushie!" you exclaim in annoyance. "I can't sleep without it."

"Last night you had no trouble falling asleep, though?" Seonghwa gently reminds you.

"You're right!" you cry out in amazement.

"I'll get you a million plushies tomorrow but for now you'll have to settle for me."

"You know what? You're more than enough. You're my favourite plushie from now on!" you smile, wrapping your arms around his waist.

You've had the happiest week of your life. Seonghwa shows you around the city, taking you to adorable cafés, sightseeing and eating ramen by the Han river. The two of you take tons of pictures together and spend a lot of quality time. He even introduces you to his friend San and convinces him to let you work at his bookshop, which is honestly a dream job.

One morning, you wake up feeling uncharacteristically hot. Something hard is pressed against your ass. Could that be…You freeze at the realization. You wonder whether to rush out of bed. But then you risk Seonghwa waking up and you don't want him feeling embarrassed over something completely natural. You could pretend you're still asleep? But your breathing is too irregular and your skin is practically on fire. What should you do? Before you can make up your mind, you feel Seonghwa shifting behind you and the space has never felt emptier.

"I'm sorry," he mumbles sleepily.

"What are you sorry for?" you ask even though the answer is quite apparent.

"For…you know, getting hard."

"It's fine, it's a normal human reaction."

"I don't want you to feel uncomfortable or objectified. I mean…you are hot and I've obviously thought about you before in impure ways but…I like you so much I don't want you to feel pressured or anything. You're incredibly special to me, baby."

You finally turn around to face him.

"You are the most precious person in my life, Seonghwa," you whisper. "And like, if you want me, I'm all yours. No pressure."

"But…wouldn't you want to wait longer?" he asks cautiously.

"Whenever you want, my star," you smile eagerly, hoping he takes the bait.

"Fuck it," Hwa mutters under his breath and crashes his lips into yours.

You kiss him back impatiently and bury your fingers into his soft hair. He pulls you closer to him by the waist, digging his fingers into your lower back.

"If you want to stop at any moment, just let me know, okay?" Seonghwa breaks the kiss to reassure you.

You are so touched by his words that tears are already welled up in your eyes.

"Okay. Same goes for you."

"Trust me, darling, I wouldn't want to stop," Hwa promises and buries his head into your neck, inhaling the scent of you.

He spends a long time pressing kisses everywhere he could think of: your neck, your cheeks, your hair, your nose, your collarbones, your tummy, your ears, your thighs until finally, he reaches your pussy. Guiding your legs apart with a gentle but firm hand, you are afraid of melting right there. He eats you out hungrily, his ridiculously long tongue doing wonders to your senses. Needing something to hold on to, you tug on his hair, hopeful that you are not hurting him. He starts making circular motions, increasing the pleasure. It does not take you long to finish, completely falling apart.

"I think I just died a little," you admit, laughing.

"Well, the French did call it la petite mort," Seonghwa shrugs.

"Ah, yes. The little death," you smile, fondly recalling your French classes. "I wouldn't be a good guest if I didn't return the favour, no?"

You wrap your lips around the head of his cock, looking up at him to see if you're doing a good job.

"You're not a guest. I want you to feel at home," Seonghwa says and you try to take him deeper into your mouth. "You don't have to- Oh!"

You smirk as you swirl your tongue against his cock, doing your best to bring him closer to the edge.

"Such a good girl. My girl, yes?" he murmurs.

You can't verbablly respond so you nod your head frantically. Your hand is wrapped around the part of him you can't physically fit in and you blink the tears away, attempting to focus on breathing through your nose. You move your head and up down, desperately staring into his eyes to make sure he's enjoying every second of it. Soon enough, he reaches his high, sending ropes of cum down your throat. You try to swallow, not waste any drop of it.

Seonghwa strokes your cheek with his hand.

"You did so great for me," he praises you and you feel butterflies fluttering in your stomach.

"T-thank you," you stutter nervously.

"You don't have to thank me," Seonghwa chuckles in confusion and flips you around so that you are lying on your back. He leans down and kisses you again even more sensually than before but with as much tenderness. "You wanna stop?"

"No, please, don't stop," you are not too proud for begging.

"M'kay, lemme just grab protection real quick and I'll be back," he grins.

"Oh, I feel quite protected with you by my side, but I get what you mean," you tease him, excited to take the next step in your relationship.

True to his promise, Hwa returns moments later, flexing a condom in his hand.

"Protection," he repeats in a cute voice, while he puts it on.

"And here I thought you were gonna show me your lightsaber," you joke.

Seonghwa dramatically places a hand on his heart, feigning offense.

"I already did," he plays along and you can't stop yourself from bursting into laughter.

God, he really is the best guy in the universe. Your thoughts are further confirmed when he slowly teases your entrance with just the tip, making sure you are okay.

"You good? Should I go deeper?"

"Hwa, my angel, you can do anything to me and chances are I'd like it," you reassure him confidently.

"Careful what you wish for," Seonghwa smirks and slides in, making you feel so full and complete.

"Ngh," your sweet little cries are enough to give him the needed push to not hold himself back any longer. He fucks into you with so much vigour and passion you are on the verge of disintegrating.

"My gorgeous girl. You like that?"

"Yes, mommy," the words slip out of your mouth before you could think twice about it. His movements come to a sudden halt, causing you to realize what you've just said. Out loud. Ugh, you feel equally mortified and turned on.

"Mommy, huh?" he chuckles lightly.

"S-sorry," you hide your face behind your palms.

"It's okay, I can be your mommy," Seonghwa grabs your wrists and pushes your hands above your head. "I'll take good care of you, yeah? Wish you could see yourself, my most precious girl."

"Hwa, please, I mean…mommy, need you so badly," you stumble through your words weakly.

"I'm right here, my sweet baby, I'll give you what you need," he plays along. "Does mommy's cock feel good inside you?"

"S-so g-good, mommy, thank you, thank you so much," it hasn't even been that long and you already feel fucked out, utterly and irreversibly at his mercy.

"Don't thank me, dearest, I'm just treating you the way you deserve," Seonghwa vows and before you know it, you are clenching around his cock, while he is spilling inside the condom.

You can't think, can't speak, can't do anything. Nothing exists in your mind anymore. Just him. The universe is completely blank save for that one shining star. You fail to register him leaving the room to dispose of the plastic and don't notice when he returns.

"Honey?" he says softly but his voice feels so distant. Kilometres away. You can't bring yourself to form a verbal response. "Are you okay?"

Seonghwa places gentle kisses on your cheeks in an attempt to bring you back to reality.

"Come back to me, darling, please, talk to me, I'm scared," he mumbles in between kisses.

"Hwa?" are your first words. Like a newborn baby looking for the comfort that only a true mother figure could provide.

"You're safe with me," Seonghwa tells you. "No one can hurt you here."

"I don't deserve you," you are suddenly crying, overwhelmed by how cared for and loved he's making you feel.

"Don't say that ever again, you hear me?" he speaks firmly but kindly, nonetheless. "You deserve to be happy. Am I making you happy?"

"So happy, you have no idea how much," you try your best to convince him for your sincerity.

"That's all I need to know," he nods. "Let me draw a bath for you and-"

You summon all the strength you have left and grip his hand as tightly as you physically can't.

"Don't leave me."

"I'm not leaving you," Seonghwa picks you up with ease and carries you all the way to the bathroom.

Once inside the warm bath, you are more capable to form full sentences and communicate what just happened with a clearer head.

"I'm sorry for springing up the whole mommy thing without discussing it in advance," you tell him.

"I don't mind, honestly. In fact, I think I'm perfect for the role."

You smile fondly and nudge his shoulder.

"Still. From now on, I'll try my best to talk about introducing anything new beforehand. It's only fair."

"Whatever makes you feel comfortable," he kisses your forehead as he rubs shampoo into your scalp. "But just so you know, I could never be mad at you."

"What if I want you to get mad every once in a while? You know…spank me for being a bad girl?" you suggest teasingly.

"Then, I'd be happy to oblige," Seonghwa replies enthusiastically and starts tickling you in a playful manner.

It is true that time heals all wounds and distance makes the heart grow fonder. A while later, you feel ready to talk to your mom again (somewhat influenced by your dad's pleading and Seonghwa's reassurance).

"Hi, mom," you greet her calmly over the phone.

"Hi, sweetie. I've missed you," she admits.

"Me too," and it's true. Even though she hurt you, you still love her.

"Have you been eating well?"

"Yeah, don't worry about that."

"Listen…I'm sorry for saying hurtful things and being so hard on you. I only do that because I think you're so smart and have the potential to do great things."

"Well you have a funny way of showing it," you chuckle dryly.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean…you never praise me for anything. I spent so many years trying to get your approval that I didn't stop for a second to think whether I was doing what I truly loved."

"I understand," your mom says. "I know it might be too late but I'll try to do better. If you'll let me."

"It's not too late. But I'm not coming back to live with you. I've got a boyfriend and a job here. And I'm…actually happy."

"I'm glad to hear that, sweetheart. You will visit eventually, right?"

"I will in the summer. I want us to work on our relationship," you explain patiently.

"Until then…we can Skype or something?" your mom suggests.

"Yeah, mom, we can do that," you laugh. "If you figure how to turn the computer on!"

"Hey!" your mom argues but her tone is amused "I'm not that old!"

"I know, I know," you keep laughing.

"I love you," she says seriously. And this time, you are willing to believe her.

"Love you too, mom," you answer truthfully and hang up the phone.

You look at Seonghwa who was quietly cutting vegetables. His mere presence in the room was giving you strength and moral support.

"I did it," you announce the obvious. "I talked to my mom."

"You did so well. I'm really proud of you, angel," he wraps you into the world's most comforting hug.

"Things won't get magically fixed but…it's a start."

"You did the right thing."

"I couldn't have done it without you, Hwa," you admit truthfully. "You light up my whole dark existence, my precious star."

"Oh, baby," Seonghwa holds your hands. "Stars can't shine without darkness."

Bonus:

You are so happy to have cooked spaghetti carbonara for your boyfriend, your darling, your starshine, your marvellous Hwa. You really hope he likes it because you've worked so hard on it and it's his birthday so you wanted to do something special for him. He has given you so much care and affection so this is the least you could do to express how grateful you are.

"Happy birthday, my love," you kiss him gently, presenting the meal in front of him. "I have other gifts, as well, but food first before it gets cold!"

"Aw, baby, you didn't have to do all that," Seonghwa smiles, touched by your efforts.

"Come on, try it!" you are practically bouncing with excitement to see his reaction.

"It's really delicious, my angel! You did a wonderful job!" he praises you, sincerity clear in his voice.

You can't take it and you burst into tears.

"Why are you crying? Did I say something wrong?" Seonghwa puts the fork down, immediately worried about your well-being.

"No, it's just…the first time anyone's praised my cooking. It feels incredibly special coming from you, considering you are so brilliant in the kitchen."

"The kitchen is not the only place where I'm incredible," he winks, looking at the bedroom.

"Eat, eat! We'll unwrap the gifts later in that other place," you wipe your tears and encourage him to enjoy his meal.

"Oh, sunshine, you are the only gift I could ask for," Seonghwa promises and goes back to the carbonara. And perhaps, this is what having a home feels like.

The End

#ateez #seonghwa #seonghwa x reader #seonghwa smut #mommy seonghwa #mommy!seonghwa #ateez smut #ateez angst #seonghwa fluff #ateez fluff #ateez fanfic #ateez imagines #seonghwa imagines #writing

[n1ghtfurys]

Cream

I saw this idea on tiktok and I don't know where I found it but I had to do something with it so if anyone knows who posted the original idea please tell me so I can credit them :)

Keegan being flirty↓

You hated parties, always have, always will but your roommate, and best friend, loves them. She has one almost every week, sometimes it's university friends, sometimes work friends but this time it's a party for all of the people in your building.

You hate it, it's loud and annoying and people keep trying your locked door. Probably so they can come and hook up on your bed, fucking animals. It's not even like you dislike the people in your building, you just hate parties.

It's moments like these that make you curse your minimum wage job, if only you could have a mini fridge. You wouldn't have to go out there to get the lemonade you so desperately wanted. You've been arguing with yourself over it for a good twenty minutes.

You tried texting your roommate, then calling but she's probably borderline dry humping some guy in the middle of your living room right now. You kind of respect her ability to do that, envy it sometimes. And anyway, you'll probably hear about this guy's sexual skills tomorrow over lunch.

When you finally come to the conclusion that you're doomed to have to leave the sanctuary of your bedroom, you reluctantly open the door. The noise is worse out here. It's shitty club music and the bass is so hard that the cups on the table near the speaker are shaking. Like you expected, your roommate has her tongue down someone's throat, the girl from the floor above actually. She has short brown hair and so far, in your three years of living here you haven't seen her not in a flannel. Upon a quick look around you find that most of your younger neighbours are here.

You almost drop your phone when your eyes land on Keegan. Not only is he so rarely home, because of deployment, you also never took him as a party goer. Equally you find him incredibly attractive and have made a consistent fool of yourself around him, he's always friendly but you assume that's because your best friend is hot and also a bit of a psycho. The last time you saw him, you walked into the door of the lift and your friend simply told him that she knew where he lived, he grinned but nodded and kept his laughter to a minimum or at least he tried to.

You turn so quickly that you walk straight into the boy who lives across the hall from you. He's sweet really, you apologise and hope that Keegan didn't see that because that would be yet another time you made a fool out of yourself, and in your own house. God all you wanted was lemonade.

You look down at the floor and try not to come off as embarrassed as you feel, you just want to get back to your room as fast as you can. When you finally make it to the fridge you grab the lemonade but notice that you've still got left over whipped cream. Your roommate convinced you to get some the last time you went shopping, you can't really remember why but it's there now.

You can't resist it, so you tilt your head back and squirt some into your mouth. As you go to replace the cream you're stopped by a voice, a voice you can place immediately. One that makes your knees weak.

“Got any left?” Keegan looks down at you, his mask concealing all but his steely blue eyes.

“Um what?” You heard what he said but you're frozen and it's like your brain has gone into low power mode.

“Whipped cream.” He clarifies, looking between you and the canister. You stare at him, you probably look like such an idiot.

“You want some?” You ask as if you don't know, as if it's not incredibly obvious.

“Yeah, just squirt some in my mouth.” You try to ignore how dirty that sounded and also try to stop your mind from drifting to how he would sound saying other things.

He pulls his mask up just over his nose. “Um okay?” You reach up but the angle is awkward, you haven't really processed how much taller than you he actually is. “Sorry you can just…um.” You hold the whipped cream out for him but he shakes his head.

You give him a confused look and he lowers himself onto his knees in front of you opening his mouth.

You stare down at him utterly bewildered, a smirk plays on his lips as he looks at your expression.

“Better?”

You stare, glued to the spot and completely frozen for a moment before you come back to reality and conscious thought.

“Um yeah..”

He opens his mouth again and you press down on the nozzle until the cream fills his mouth. You try desperately to keep your thoughts from wondering. You hope he doesn't know how much that affected you but the flush on your cheeks probably does nothing to hide it.

“Thanks princess.” He smirks as he gets up and rolls his mask back over his lips. You take a moment before putting the whipped cream back just to regain your motor control.

The image of him on the floor in front of you with a mouth full of whipped cream will be burned into your retinas for the rest of your life and did he just call you princess? Fuck, now you needed to go back to your room but for a while different reason.

#keegan russ x reader #cod keegan #keegan p russ #keegan russ #cod men #cod x reader #neighbour keegan #smut but not really? #suggestive #sub keegan

[ultralightpoe]

Busted - Ethan Landry

Authors Note: First Ethan imagine, take it easy on me 

Warnings: ghostface, death, mentions of sexy times 

Word Count: 1485

Description: Ethan lays out the rules for the slasher movies, and you notice that he pretends not to know when the slasher becomes real 

If you like Taylor Swift then look at my request event for April HERE!

Enjoy!

The apartment door had 6 locks on it, and there was something odd about that to you. 

Mindy claimed that it was completely normal, considering what Sam and Tara had gone through, and bragged about the taser she kept in the nightstand of her dorm room. Anika laughed and claimed that it was hot. 

You were still left unsettled by the locks on the door, and you still had no clue what they went through but it seemed extremely rude to ask so you kept your mouth shut until you were in Ethans dorm later, on the floor playing Uno. 

Chad had left for one of his classes a mere 15 minutes ago and you were trying not to let the awkwardness of being left alone with your crush get to you. Not that anything helped considering you were still a blushing mess. 

“Hey, uhm Ethan?” You ask, voice hesitant as you finally get the courage to speak up. His head snaps up from the deep concentration he had on the cards “I had a question about….well your friends….”

You had met Ethan before you had met any of them, having been sat next to him in Film Studies, ignoring the stupid commentary of your fellow classmate Jason Carvey. Ethan had kept forgetting pencils and you kept supplying them, then you went to share headphones when you forgot your pair and he had a good taste in music. 

Then he introduced you to his roommate Chad, where you met his twin Mindy and her girlfriend Anika all the way to the sisters Tara and Sam and their new roommate Quinn. It was a lot of people for you and honestly you felt awkward and quiet whenever you were near them. 

“What about them?” He tenses up, cheeks falling red as you stare back at him. 

“They keep talking about something happening to them and well……I don’t want to be a dick and ask because that would be way out of line and they are pretty vague about it all so I was wondering if you k-”

“You don’t know?” He laughs, instantly dropping his cards, which left you thankful cause you would have lost judging by the amount of pick 4’s he had. 

“No?”  If it was possible his face seems to light up even more and he scoots forward until his knees are touching yours. 

“You know about Sidney Prescott right?”

“The chick that inspired all those Stab movies?” 

“Yes her. So basically Sam and Tara lived in the town that those all took place and there was a copycat killer that found out that Sam is the daughter of Billy Loomis-”

“Who is that?”

“Billy Loomis is one of the original killers.”

“Got it.”

“So they survived a ghostface,” As he is explaining it all he pulls out his phone and shows you photos of ghostface and Sam all bloodied up leaving the house where the murders took place. An uneasy feeling rises in your gut but you push it down, leaning forward to set his phone down. 

“No more.” 

“What’s wrong?” He asks, eyes flashing concern as he leans his forehead against yours. 

“It’s all just so….. terrible .”

“Well I’m glad you know. Being around that group is a hazard.” 

“Then why do you hang around them?”

“Because he’s my roommate.” He shrugs, but something seems off with him as he stands and heads to the mini fridge to grab two drinks for you both. “By the rules of slasher films if you don’t know what happened before you are either the first to die or you’re pretending cause you’re the killer.”

“I’m sorry?” You laugh, flicking the cards away, fully invested in the conversation now. “Rules?”

He turns, eyes on you as he pretends to be dramatic. “RULES TO SURVIVE A SLASHER! RULER NUMBER ONE, NEVER HAVE SEX-”

—--------------------------

The thought that this was happening because you had sex seemed quite funny in retrospect, but it’s the first thing you think when you hear the news of Jason. 

You had been disappointed earlier when your boyfriend had canceled plans but as you sat in his lap now, watching your shared friends panic about the current events and try to figure out what to do, you were thankful that you spent some time studying. 

“You okay?” He whispers, leaning so his chin rests on your shoulders as everyone keeps panicking. 

“I feel sick.” You admit, turning to touch your foreheads together, something you had been doing long before either of you admitted your feelings for the other.  “Based on the slasher movie rules….because I lost my virginity to you, that means I die right?”

“Those are fake.” He sneers, as if angry at the thought. 

“Well you said-”

“What are you two over there whispering about?” Mindy sneers, making you blush. 

“What’s happening?” Ethan asks, pulling you closer to take most of Mindy’s attitude. “Why is everyone freaking out? Who is a ghostface?”

“Come on Ethan, catch up.” Anika snaps but you are frozen in his lap, an unknown feeling rising in your chest.

What was it he said a couple months ago? Something about- 

“Y/n?” Someone calls, and you cannot answer, eyes connected to the screen of the tv as a mask appears. 

—----------------------------------

It was a different feeling from hearing about ghostface to being actually chased by a ghostface and you were absolutely terrified. Tears were leaking from your eyes as the masked figure banged against the door, blood covering most of the floor where Quinn was stabbed. 

“Oh my god ohmygod-” You sob, hand covering Anika's wound as the red leaked out and she began spitting blood. “NONONONO-”

Sam taps your shoulder, urging you to the window where the ladder had been sat up, trying to get you to go. 

“No, her wound-”

“Y/n! GO!” Mindy snaps, her back against the dresser as Sam helps you crawl up. 

“I can’t.” You sob, pushing Sam to go first. “I will help Ani-”

So you wait as Sam crosses, holding the ladder as she does so before you call for Mindy who kisses her girlfriend before crawling herself. “Ani come on-”

“Go. You go Y/n.” She whines as the banging begins to get harder when ghostface breaks through the dresser a bit more. 

A few more moments of arguing before you both are on the ladder, you in the front with her holding your ankles to follow. Both of you were sobbing while the three on the other end screamed for you, yelling about the masked killer behind you. 

Turning, which if Ethan were here he would correct, and seeing the man right at the window, tilting his head when you look back. 

“Shit shit shit.” You curse, trying to go faster and slipping a bit. The ladder slides to the left, and you slip some more since you are covered in blood but the gloved hand of the killer catches it before it could tip you over. 

Not risking it, you rush forward, letting Sam's boyfriend grab you into the window as you turn to see the Ghostface begin hitting the ladder harshly to knock Ani off. 

—-----------------------------------------------

You were sitting between Tara and Mindy, Chad on Mindy’s other side as tears slid down her face. Right down the alley held Ani’s body and you were doing your best not to throw up, holding yourself as you began to rock back and forth, 

“Y/N!” Someone shouts and you see Ethan running up with his backpack, a worried look on his face. 

Mindy snatches your forearm as Chad stands up to shove him back, Ethans eyes widening. 

“Back the fuck up!”

“Whoa man, what’s going on?!”

“You claim to know nothing about Ghostface all this time and the second you disappear my sister loses her girlfriend when we all get attacked?” Chad scoffs and that gut feeling rises again. 

“I WAS AT CLASS!” Ethan argues, lunging for you again and getting shoved back once more. 

“Rule number 6.” You mumble, everyone looking to you as you wipe your eyes.  “Rule number 6. They claim not to know about it then they are either first killed or the killer in disguise.”

“She’s right.” Mindy nods, more tears sliding from your cheeks. “I’m with Y/n on this one, nerdy white boy is suspect number one.”

Busted.

Ethan looks at you, something in his eyes before he shoves Chad back and moves closer. “If I’m the suspect then keep me in eyesight right? But I need to make sure you are okay.”

His hands are on your arm in an instant, following the trail of blood and looking for a wound. “Where were you hit?”

“She’s the only one that wasn’t stabbed oddly enough.” Mindy sneers. “Would make sense now.”

Ethan glares, pulling your face into his chest and although everything in you screams to run away you sob anyways.

(my first ethan imagine so please take it easy. If you like taylor swift then look at my request event HERE!) 

#ethan landry #ethan landry imagine #ethan landry angst #ethan landry x reader #ethan landry smut #scream #scream imagine #scream masterlist #ghostface imagine #ghostface smut #ghostface

[twitterpated-passion]

China Cabinet | Monster Boyfriend

The cabinet in the corner of your dining room was definitely haunted. You didn’t need to be a medium or believe in the paranormal to know that. It was empty, lacking the china that the previous owners took with them, and considering that you rarely had people other than the occasional friend or your parents over, you never cared enough to get any to fill it, so there it sat, bolted to the wall and empty.

At night though, if you were settled in your living room working, you usually felt something watching you, and if you took the chance and glanced up, it wasn’t rare to see something moving. Though usually, you just pushed it as your eyes fucking with you, or your brain trying to creep you out, so you distracted yourself by popping in your headphones, turning on music or a movie in the background and continue working. The distraction usually helped. Not all the time though.

|___________|

You sat on your couch, a Halloween movie from the nineties on the tv and your hand residing in a half full popcorn bag. After graduating, going out for Halloween never seemed as fun anymore, especially as your friends moved on with their lives, getting married, some even having a kid or two. So there you were, binging movies like no one’s business. That is, until a loud slam echoed in your house.

You stood up, wiping your hand off as it left the popcorn bag when it got set on the table, ignoring everything every horror movie taught you. You walked to the dining room, leaning against the doorframe before reaching over and flicking the light on, seeing nothing there. You heaved out a sigh, assuming the wind must’ve hit your shutters or something, and going back to the couch.

Another noise happened after that, but you promptly ignored it, watching movies until you passed out on your couch, a blanket thrown over your body haphazardly.

|___________|

You woke up as your body started to get cold, eyes blinking open to move the blanket over you fully before you spotted a figure looming above you, screaming and throwing a pillow at them. You yanked your body back, heart racing and deafening your ears as you clambered to the couch and sprinted to the kitchen, getting faster when you heard the person’s footsteps.

Yanking out a knife, you held it out threateningly to the person, only for them to hold their hands up, surrendering to you. “Hey- hey, I’m not gonna hurt you. Promise.”

“What are you doing in my house?!” You all but yelled at them.

He let out a breath, shoulders slumping before he pushed his shoulder neck length hair back, stepping up to you, stopping when you wield the knife further, but slowly and cautiously tugging the knife from your hand. “You’re going to hurt yourself before you hurt me with this thing.”

You were rigid, eyes wide at the audacity of the stranger, not that you were able to move given the fear of someone breaking into your house.

He put the knife to the side, far from the both of you, only to take a step back, his hands moving back up again and he offered you an apologetic smile. You stopped him before he could speak though, repeating your question, “What are you doing in my house?”

You took a step to the side, closer to the front door, but he followed you, hands dropping to his sides. “I’d hate to break it to you, but this is technically my house.”

With a beat, you froze. “No…this is my house. It’s in my name.”

“Yet you’re not the one attached to a cabinet and dead, now are you?” He asked you, raising an eyebrow. “If anything, you’re just someone who happened to get stuck being my roommate.”

It took you a moment, but only a moment as your mind pieced together the puzzle, the reason why you felt something there…the reason why you were feeling like you were being watched. “That was you…”

“What was me?”

“All of the times that I felt like I was being watched. That was you? Wasn’t it?” You saw him visibly tense and he offered an apologetic look.

“Guilty. But it was only while you were down here. I rarely go upstairs unless you’re gone,” he said, though it does little to reassure you about anything in this situation. He seemed to have realized this and readjusted his suspenders, then the sleeves of his button up before shoving his hands into his pockets. “Right…so- I’m Axar…”

You took a moment, wondering if you should respond with your own name, but then took the chance to, introducing yourself. He nodded when you said your name, looking about as awkward as you were panicked, letting silence take over before speaking up after a few seconds, “I wasn’t trying to hurt you back there…when you woke up. Your blanket wasn’t on fully so I just thought…”

“You just thought?” You questioned.

“I just thought It’d fix it,” he finished, sighing. “It’s getting colder and this house doesn’t have the best insulation, I didn’t think you needed to get hypothermia.”

You were quiet for a bit, but you nodded. “Yea…thanks, I guess. You just made me colder though…you’re a ghost right?”

He nodded again. “That’s me…ghost, spirit…whatever it’s called.”

“And how long have you been in this house?”

“A while…kinda lost count after fifty years. I came with the cabinet…I’m kinda…attached to it per-se. I never lived in this place until I died and the cabinet was bought for the house. I’ve been here since.” Axar shrugged. “I won’t bother you if you don’t want me, but I wouldn’t expect or hope that I’ll just up and leave…you’re pretty much stuck with me unless you move away like the last owners.”

“They saw you?”

“I didn’t think they’d get home so early. Moved out as soon as they were able to.” He sighed and moved to lean against the doorframe of the dining room. “Now I just kinda stick to nights…”

“Which is why you were out tonight?” He nodded. “Thought you were out completely, so I didn’t think I’d be caught.”

“You were colder than not having the blanket on fully,” you said. “Thought I had to move it myself.”

You shouldn’t be this casual. He’s dead. A ghost. What was wrong with you?

A sorry smile appeared on his face. “Sorry, I can't exactly help the lack of heat. I’m sure it’s good in the summer though.”

You breathed out a little laugh, nodding along. “It probably is. But uh…you said you were attached to the cabinet, right?”

“Mhm,” he hummed. “I don’t know why, but it might have something to do with me being the one that built it.”

“And when’d you build it?” Arax paused, grimacing before looking at the cabinet, then back at you.

“Like a hundred twenty years ago? Give or take.” Your eyebrows raised, eyes widening with them.

“So you’re saying you’re over a hundred twenty?”

“I died when I was twenty-eight so yea…pretty much,” he shrugged again. “Time’s kinda lost when you’re dead, you can never keep track of it and the days sorta just fuse together.”

You almost felt bad for him, having to go for so long without anyone to talk to and just having to sit and watch in the background, attached to something he just happened to build. “Is there any way to get you out?”

“Afraid not, the last owners tried pretty much everything. I’m stuck here. Not exactly the best predicament, but it beats having to haunt a cemetery like a cliche ghost.”

“Oh, like haunting a house isn’t more cliche than haunting a cemetery,” you jested. “At least in a cemetery you’re where you belong.”

He chuckled, shaking his head at you. “Shouldn’t you be asleep?”

“Yea, but thinking I was gonna die really wakes a person up,” you answered, but a yawn snuck up on you.

“Not too awake to stop the yawn though,” Arax commented. “I’ll stay down here if you go upstairs, promise.”

“You’re gonna assume I’m gonna trust the promise of a ghost I just met who was looming over me?” You asked, but snickered and walked past him to clean up your snacks and turn off the tv.

You heard him follow you, but he just stood off to the side and out of your way. “Considering you don’t seem too worried about me, I’m gonna assume and say that I’m alright.”

“That’s the thing with assumptions; you don’t know what the actual answer is.”

“Do you trust me?”

“I’m tired so I’m gonna have to for tonight, but if I die thanks to you and start haunting the place, you’re gonna have to deal with me for all of eternity,” you said, putting the dishes in the sink and throwing the trash away, heading towards the stairs after you finish up. “Don’t be too loud.”

“No promises,” he responded. A little smile appeared on your face and you shook your head, heading up the steps.

|___________|

After half a year, you can confidently say that living with Arax isn’t bad. Sure it was a little weird at first, having a ghost roommate that randomly appears, but he wasn’t as bad as your old living roommates so he was already one of the good ones.

Though, there was that tricky thing called feelings. You would have suspected living with the guy has convoluted what your heart considered a normal friendship, but again, you had roommates in the past. So were you in love with him? You might be. Might.

With a sigh, you sat with your laptop in your lap, staring at the email one of your clients sent you, looking through all of the demands that they’re fortunately paying for thanks to you charging per hour rather than just a fixed price with extras.

Arax sat beside you, tilting his head, but not asking what was wrong. In your time of living with him, he hasn’t once asked about the technology you had, though he definitely sounded his age talking about how he did everything by hand. You assume that with his time being a ghost, he’s kept with the times with each owner, not that there were many.

You glanced over at him, then back at the computer before shutting it and taking the notion that you’d do it later. “Work,” you said simply.

“Ah,” he said, humming before turning further to face you. “What about work?”

“Just work. Don’t feel like doing anything today but if I wanna live here and eat…I kinda have to.” Arax nodded, but moved closer to you and all that did was make you suspicious. “What do you want?”

“Who says I want something?”

“You’re getting closer to me.”

“That doesn’t mean I want something,” he said, mock offended. “But, now that you’re asking, would you mind if you turned on something? I don’t know how to work your remote.”

“Dude, it has four buttons now,” you said, but you relented, turning the tv on and then turning on a show the two of you started a few weeks ago. He grinned at the tv, moving to get closer to it. You didn’t say anything about it, just watched him plop on the floor and watch the tv like an excited kid. Which, if you had to grow up in a time that didn’t have tv and you ended up in a time that did, you’d be excited too.

You relaxed on the couch, stretching out and letting out a small groan when your joints popped. He glanced back at you when they did, shooting you a concerned look, something he did everytime your joints popped. “Stop lookin’ at me like that, there’s no way your joints never popped back then.”

“I didn’t even say anything,” he responded. “Don’t try to kill me again, beau.”

You sighed, watching him look back at the tv as your cheeks flushed red. Beau; that stupid word that made your stomach twist and your heart tug every single time he said it. You loved hearing it, but it was one of the reasons you were so confused with your feelings.

You had asked him once about if he was courting someone before he died, to get a feel about if he had anyone he was wanting to see in the afterlife, but it didn’t come back happily. He had explained that while he tried, he wasn’t really the type most people wanted. You didn’t really understand it, but he explained that he was into anyone and everyone, not exactly caring about how they looked or who they were under their clothes. And once that secret came out to his attempted lovers, it wasn’t exactly good for him. Though, you were able to reassure him pretty easily that it wasn’t his fault or that something was wrong with him. It was actually kind of sweet watching his first reaction to a picture of a pride parade, seeing him see people that were like him.

“You’re not watching,” Arax said, snapping you out of your thoughts, your eyes snapping over to him. “You were zoned out. You ok?”

You nodded. “Yea, I’m fine, just thinking.”

“About?” You parted your lips to say an excuse, but then you got the best idea in the world, hands down. That was just your opinion though.

“Nunna,” you said, watching his brows furrow with a little grin on your face.

“...Nunna?” Arax asked, adorably confused with the word, probably wondering if it was another word he had to learn.

“Nunna business,” you responded almost instantly, your grin widening watching as his confused expression fell and he leaned over to hit your leg.

“Not funny.”

“I thought it was.” You giggled out, nudging his arm. “You’re just old so you don’t think it’s funny.”

His eyes narrowed at you, but he pressed his lips together. Tilting your head, you waited for him to say something snarky in response, but he doesn’t, his features eventually smoothing as he stares at you.

“Do you know your eyes glitter in the sun?” he asked suddenly. You paused and you felt your cheeks get warmer.

“I guess? I wouldn’t say they glitter though.” He stood, sitting beside you before a cold hand grazed your cheek, then grabbed your jaw.

“I would,” Arax said, his face leaning closer. “Your skin is so red…are you warm?”

“Just my cheeks,” you said, but immediately regretted it when he touched your cheeks with his hand, very close now.

“That better?” You nodded and your breathing hitched when you saw his eyes drop down to your lips before going back to your eyes. He pulled his hands away, glancing back to the tv, looking slightly embarrassed, but you decided to take the chance. You only live once, you supposed.

Your warm lips touched his freezing ones and he went rigid at the touch, eyes back on you. Your hands found his head and you moved his head back to face you again, pushing further when his hands found your wrists, returning the action, albeit inexperienced with the movements.

Your heart skipped multiple beats, but you didn’ care, simply smiling against his lips as you pulled back to breathe, biting at your lip as you looked at him again, chest heaving only a little.

With the way that he looked awestruck, you would’ve assumed that if he had a bloodflow, he would be as red as you were. “Wow…”

You laughed, nodding. “Yea…wow.”

He waited a couple seconds, staring at your lips all the while before looking back into your eyes. “Can we do that again? Please?”

Your smile widened and you nodded again, letting him lean forward this time, your back hitting the back of the couch of his hands found your waist as he kissed you. You kissed back, hands moving down to his shoulders as he got even closer to you.

There was no might. You were definitely in love with him.

Now how do you start a relationship with a ghost…?

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Part Two

#This is getting a second part cause I wanted to get it out by halloween lmao #original writing #writing #monster lover #monster x human #monsterfucker #monster fucker #monster romance #exophilia #gender neutral reader #gn reader #x reader #human x monster #terato tag #teratophillia #ghost #ghost x reader #monster boy #male monster #monster #monster bf #monster boyfriend #monster fucking #monster fudger #monster love #monster oc #monster x reader #monsters #tw monsterfucking #Arax