#& if the answers yes then how about putting time into this as opposed to a spinoff epilogue no one asked for or wanted lol | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

sunflowersteves · 9 months

Note

can you write about carmy getting his first blowjob????

the way I crave this man is insane 😩 of course I can, hun

pairing || carmen berzatto x fem!reader

warnings || fluff, established relationship, reader has manicured nails, SMUT, blowjob, mention of eating out, praise kink, 18+ ONLY MINORS DNI

masterlist

It was way past closing time at the restaurant. All of the other employees had left, finishing their duties, while Richie was furiously cleaning the floors. His arm felt like it was about to fall off as he scrubbed the dirty tile.

Carmen, on the other hand, was chopping vegetables. His hand moved fast across the cutting board, making thumping sounds as the knife sliced each carrot.

Richie scoffed. “Do you seriously need to do this right now, cousin?”

Carmen didn’t even blink. He just continued to chop up the remaining vegetables, with all of his focus on cooking. After putting the carrots into the pot, he starts to finely dice a red onion.

“Yes, cousin. I just—I just need to perfect this recipe, and then we’re good.”

Richie rolled his eyes but still scrubbed. “You’re such a jagoff.”

Carmen had a habit of trying to perfect every single recipe thrown his way. When he tasted the soup earlier, his nose scrunched up. Something about it just felt off—and it was driving him insane. It tasted too salty and too acidic. He needed to figure out how to make it better.

He turned to the boiling pot of chicken stock and gently placed the onion slices into the stew. “Yo, cousin. I got it. Go home.” He didn’t even wait for an answer as he expertly sliced into a tomato.

Richie stood up from the ground. “Sure. Just don’t make your girl wait too long.”

For the first time in their conversation, Carmen looked over at him. There was even a small smile on his lips. “Never. Not to her.”

Richie half-smiled. “Alright, you fuckin’ sap. I’m leaving.” On the inside, Richie was beaming. He couldn’t get over how happy you make Carmen—hell, how happy you make the whole kitchen. Your presence was entirely needed in a place like this.

He knocked twice on the office door and announced his leave to you. You opened the door with a wide grin and bid him goodnight. “Don’t forget to tell Eva about the tickets!” You called out as Richie walked out the door.

Richie was practically glowing at the mention of his daughter. “Thank you for finding amazing seats, by the way, sweetheart! You’re a fucking lifesaver!” With that, Richie was out of sight as the door closed on him.

Carmen’s eyes flickered up at the sound of your voice. His head swiveled around to see you already staring at him. Your body leaned over the office door frame—pretty manicured nails sparkling against the contrasted white of the walls.

“Hi, baby.” He says.

“Hi, Carm.” You say back, smiling.

He puts the sharp knife down and wipes his hand on the towel that was over his shoulder. You walk over to him in the kitchen, and he relishes the proximity of your presence. Your fingers trace the outline of his bicep, and a shiver crawls up his spine. Your hand settles onto his shoulder, and you give a small squeeze.

Your relationship was fairly new. It would officially be three months tomorrow, to be exact. It had gone by pretty fast if he was being honest, but it just felt so good being with you. Despite the newly founded relationship, Carmen couldn’t get over how much you truly mean to him.

You were everything from the late Sunday mornings of snuggling under the sheets to the crazy late nights of telling stories out in the front house of the restaurant. To make matters worse, you got along so well with all of the staff at The Bear. You calmed him down when everything seemed to be directly opposing him. You were always there to press a finger to his chin and a kiss on his cheek. He swore his heart palpitated against his chest every time he thought about you.

“Can I taste?”

He nodded, grabbing a small spoon and dipping it into the soup. His hand hovered under the bottom so it wouldn’t spill. “Open your mouth, baby.”

You did as he said and let your jaw slack open. He places the spoon into your mouth, and you let the delicious, salty soup slide down your throat.

You moan against the spoon. “Holy fuck, Carm.” His eyes never left your face in an attempt to understand your reaction. “That was the best thing I have ever tasted.”

He finally smiles. He felt like he was glowing. “You say that every time I ask you to try something.”

You slid your hand down his chest, feeling the imprint of the chain that rests under his uniform. “And I mean it every fucking time.” His heart buzzed against his chest. His mind felt hazy. He wrapped an arm around your waist and squeezed the soft, plush flesh. His bright eyes were so intense—so full of affection—that it was starting to make you feel hot.

“You wanna taste it too?” You asked innocently.

He nodded and reached for another clean spoon. You smiled wide at the idea of him getting a sparkling clean spoon. He was quickly derailed by the way your lips crashed onto his. He let out a surprised groan, his eyes fluttering close.

You moved in sync until you pushed your tongue into his mouth and tasted the sweet essence of him. He tasted the chicken and onions from the delectable, tasty soup. It was much better than what he had tasted earlier. “Fuck—” He murmured in between the deep kisses. You bubbled out a laugh, but his hand stayed firm on your waist. He didn't want to end the way he felt when your lips graced his own.

You pull apart after the desperation of air becomes too much. You almost laugh again at the sight of his swollen lips and pretty pink cheeks. “See? Taste’s good, doesn’t it?”

A small smirk caressed his lips, but the flustered look was still there. “It tastes very good, sweet girl.”

The nickname prickled goosebumps onto your arms. He has called you that since your third date, but it never ceases to make your heart flutter. He knows it too.

You both start to gravitate toward each other once more. This time the kiss was more intense, with more teeth clashing and attempting to bruise each other’s lips.

“Carmy.” You whine. He growled into you in response and pressed another searing kiss onto your mouth. His hands grip your waist even tighter as if to pull you in even more. A moan slipped from the back of your throat.

Your hands move to the plains of his chest before pushing the two of you apart. His eyebrows furrow as you completely pull away from his embrace. Did he hurt you? It was all he could think. He didn’t want to fuck this up. No, he can’t fuck this up.

“Baby?” He whispers, sounding uncertain.

You don’t say a thing as you sink your knees to the ground, causing Carmen to gasp. His eyes were wide as his stare intensified. “F-Fuck.” His mouth bobs open and closed, trying to find some other words, but all he does is whisper your name.

Your hands moved up and down his thighs. The fabric of his chef uniform was soft against your palms. “Can I take care of you, Carmy?”

Oh, fuck. Your voice sounded so sweet—so thick and kind against his ears. He could feel his cock throb at the anticipation of your touch.

You wait for his answer, still gently rubbing his thighs back and forth. He felt like he was on fire. Nerves crash over him, though. His heart starts to speed up at the anxiety that prickles his skin. He had never done this before.

It wasn’t that the opportunity didn’t arise because it did. You asked many times if he wanted a blowjob, but all he wanted was to lick into your folds again. It was like his mind was drunk off of the sweet, tangy nectar, and he wasn't about to let go. He needed you more and more. He discovered he was much more of a giver.

Normally, he takes his sweet time with you. The first time he had ever tasted anyone was you. He always asks—that desperation in his voice. “Can I taste you? Please? F-Fuck, I see you dripping. Oh—Please?” Once he got confirmation, he would spread your legs and dip his tongue into your sweet folds. He could eat you out for hours—and he has.

He would groan against you as his tongue pushed through your folds. You tasted tangy and sour—so sweet to his taste buds, making his hands grip an indent into your flesh. The whimpers and whines that you let out are music to his ears, and he wishes the sounds were burned onto his soul. His eyes would always be latched onto yours, refusing to break the intense contact. He could fucking live in your pussy.

He couldn’t say no to you, though, could he? His cock was about ready to start leaking pre-cum. Your eyes looked so dilated and large with lust that he couldn't resist.

“F-fuck, okay. Yeah, baby. J-just—” He breaks out into a moan from your eager hands. They pushed down his pants, pooling around his ankles almost in an instant.

“Wait-wait—”

You stop immediately and let go of his thighs. Some concern is etched across your face, and it makes his heart skip a beat.

“I just—I just want you to know that I’ve never done this before. I don’t—” He gulps. “I don’t want to make you feel uncomfortable.”

You almost let out a gasp. It was his first blowjob that you were going to give him, and he was worried about you. His eyebrows are furrowed and he's huffing out a breath. He just didn't want you to feel like you have to do something like this.

“Oh, Carmy, baby, I’m not uncomfortable at all. I’ve been wanting to do this to you for so long, but you kind of get distracted.” There was that implication that he knew about so well. A blush kissed the tip of his ears.

“You sure, baby? I’m not-I’m not forcing you?”

You wanted to know who hurt this man. His anxiety about making you feel comfortable was always through the roof. You grabbed his clenched hand and opened his palm. You pressed a sweet kiss. “No, baby. You’re not forcing me.”

He visibly relaxes his shoulders. “Okay.” He breathes out. “Okay.”

You avert your attention back to his thighs—and what’s between them. He could practically see your mouth water at the bulge that protruded out from his boxers. Carmen had always been big. No one had ever told him that before, in the late kind-of drunken night stands that he had. When you first had sex at his apartment and could really take a peek at his weeping cock, your eyes widened drastically.

You knew he was big, but goddamn, he is big.

“Can I, handsome?”

You looked up at him with a cute smile. The nickname caused his heart to stutter—his cheeks deepening the shade of red. "Yeah, baby." He says. Then he whispers, “Please.”

You dragged his boxers down his thighs, and they pooled right on top of his slacks. His cock sprung up from the force—already more than half hard and aching. His eyes can’t seem to stare at anything else but you. You looked so eager—so excited—to have his dick right in front of your face. It made his stomach flip.

Your hand curls around the base, and he sucks in a breath. Your fingers just barely wrapped around the entirety of his length. Your manicured nails dug slightly into the large vein on the side—it made him choke on his own spit.

“So fuckin’ big, Carmy.” You whined. You started to pump, it was a small motion, but it still made him moan. It sounded so desperate, making your ears ring. You couldn’t wait any longer, mouth watering at the sight of pre-cum already sprouting from his tip.

You kissed the tip of his cock, and he shivered. “F-Fuck, baby—” He moans. He could feel his whole body throbbing—aching at the way you made him feel.

You swirl your tongue around the ruddy tip and continue to tease him, wrapping your lips around the sensitive area. His hand immediately goes to the back of your head, unable to help himself. “Oh, fuck, holy shit—your fucking mouth, shit—”

His knees wobbled, the other hand steadying himself on the kitchen counter. “Y’taste so good, Carmy.” Your words were slurred with lust, making his own eyes dilate. His heart palpitated at you loving this—the insecurities from earlier disappearing like water down a drain.

You start to take him even further. Your lips slowly ease down his cock, and one of your hands, still wrapped around the shaft, gave a squeeze. He choked on nothing and watched how you hollow your cheeks. You’re only halfway, but he swears he is seeing stars. “Feels so good, baby—so fucking good.” He squeezes his hand.

Pride blooms within you, as well as the praises from him making you clench around nothing. You wanted to start touching yourself, but the intense desperation to keep a hand on his cock was greater. You choked a little as his hips unconsciously gave a small thrust. It made him let out a loud moan.

He’s not sure where the confidence came from, but it’s spewing out of his mouth before he can stop it. “Fucking—shit—can you take all of it, sweet girl? Hmm?”

He licks his lips. “Can you t-take my whole cock in your mouth?” He lets out a huff of air as you moan around his cock. “Be–be my good girl, yeah?”

The only confirmation you can give is the way your eyes gloss over. Tears threaten to poke out from your eyes, and the sight makes Carmen let out a curse. You slowly, yet again, take more of him in your mouth.

“F-fuck,” he drags out. “Good girl—good fuckin’ girl. That’s it.” His knees wobble again, but he stays steady. Pure bliss sprouts in his stomach as he can feel the hot, searing pleasure from your wet mouth.

You were able to fully take him—nose brushing up against the hair on his pubic bone. He groans and whimpers at the sight of you breathing deeply with his cock shoved down your throat. “Shit–shit–fuck, baby. That’s my pretty girl. Look–look at you choking on my cock. Holy shit—” He whined out.

Warmth spreads through your chest at the adoration and lust that flows through his eyes. He can’t stop staring at the way you are just barely able to take him whole. His eyes widened even more as he watched you shove your hand down your shorts.

“Oh, baby—” he says in a coo. “Look so good like that, huh? Fuckin’ touching yourself.” You could feel the way his cock twitches in his mouth. God, where was this coming from? He thought. Something about how your eyes sprung with more tears and you desperately humping your hand for some release was making him insane.

He thrusts in and out of you, fucking up into your throat. You gagged around the girth of his cock and garbled out a cry. He moaned and whined at the feeling of your throat constricting against his cock and listened to the wet sounds of it all.

“Gonna–gonna cum, baby.” He swore that he saw your eyes sparkle—as if you wanted it all down your throat. He could feel that familiar swirl of an organism puncturing his chest. He panted as he watched the way his cock disappeared into your throat—it was a fucking sight.

His eyes suddenly turn nervous. “Can-can I cum down your throat? Please?” He sees the way you nod with your mouth full, but he sees it. He sees the raw want and needs that fills your eyes. Yeah, you wanted his cum. You needed his cum.

“Shitshitshit—” He stammers, thrusting into you two, three times. He groans out, low and guttural, as his seed spills into the back of your throat. He moans out your name in between shaken breaths from the ropes flowing through your mouth—salty and sour. He continues to pump into you, and you swallow every single drop—the added friction of your throat making him whimper.

His hips still, but his cock stays inside of your mouth, twitching in pleasure. You hum around the base and watch as his body almost writhes. He looks down at you with the most content and relaxed smile you had seen.

You slowly pulled your mouth off of him; the pop noise was small. You started to press sweet kisses to his thighs, his hand going back to rest on your head. “Feel good, bear?”

His eyes were shining. “Felt so good, baby. Y’did so well.” Now his words were slurred with lust. He just couldn’t help but let his whole world revolve around you for a moment.

You gently put on his boxers and do the same to his chef slacks. He offers you his hand, and he helps you pull yourself up. You wince at the sting in your knees, but in a way, it felt good.

He immediately takes you into an embrace, not uttering a word. You gladly let him and rest your arms over his shoulder. He grabs your waist tightly and lets his head fall on your shoulder. He breathes in deeply, letting the scent that he knows so well flow into his nose.

He was completely and utterly relaxed—it was a sensation he didn’t feel all that often. You press a gentle kiss to his hair and then to his temple. The two of you just stood like that for some time, saying nothing and enjoying one’s company.

Both of your attention to each other had ceased as the pot that was on the stove had boiled over. A lot of the soup had crashed onto the burning stove. "Fuck!"

Carmen immediately turned the stove off and let out a relieved sigh that nothing had burned. It would just be a bitch to clean up. You hand him a clean washcloth with a slightly guilty look on your face. He took the cloth from you with an annoyed (it was minorly annoyed) glare before wiping down the area.

"I'm not gonna lie to you, Carm." You say, watching his arms flex. "I don't regret a thing."

He rolled his eyes but chuckled under his breath. "Yeah, yeah. Fuck you." The cursing was lighthearted because he knew it too. He didn't regret anything either. In fact, he encouraged something like this again, maybe just without being in the middle of cooking.

He tried the soup again with the dirty spoon—he had a suspicion that it was going to be thrown out anyway. "Shit—Fuck—it's overcooked."

You laughed, one hand resting on your chest. He glared again. "Hey, you can't—seriously, we burned the soup. It's shit."

He still might not admit it, but you could see the way his eyes were still glossed over from the earth-shattering orgasm. He could even feel his cock jump from the way that he watched you bite your lip.

You pressed a finger onto his chin, thumb resting on his jaw. "It'll be okay, Carm." You squeezed his jaw. "You can make some more tomorrow. I’ll help."

Finally, he smiled. Yeah, tomorrow, he thought. His eyes still looked glossy, and his loopy smile was bright. "Let's clean up and go home.”

#carmen berzatto x reader #carmen berzatto x you #carmy berzatto x reader #carmy berzatto x you #the bear #the bear fx #the bear hulu #the bear fanfiction #carmen berzatto fanfiction #carmen berzatto smut #smut

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movedtone0mile · 1 year

Text

regal antics

prince!haechan x maid!F!reader

warnings: enemies to ???, donghyuck is annoying and pretentious, but honestly Y/N is kind of a bad person too, this is not a healthy relationship ok, angst, mention of alcohol, smut, unprotected sex, not healthy dynamics overall

word count: 6.5K

summary: Y/N does not put up with Donghyuck’s antics, and it is often irritating to serve him, but soon, he’ll have to marry and the king has decided that it will be better for his son to know what to do on his wedding night. Or where Y/N, maid of the capricious prince Donghyuck is requested to sleep with him, in order to prepare for his upcoming wedding.

A/N: I struggled a lot with this one, and I gave it up a lot of times too. I’m not sure I’m very satisfied with it in the end, but I spent too much time on it so here it is. I honestly fear that the transition to enemies to whatever it is, may be too rushed. I hope you don’t feel this way but if it’s the case I’m so sorry :(

His Majesty the Prince Donghyuck was as capricious as a baby. He was narcissistic, egoistical and whiny. The day he would become king would be, for sure, the death of your city.

But you owed the royal family, and could not refuse your king anything, so you served his son as a maid regarding of your dislike of his character. You, as opposed to the other servants, did not care to hide your feelings about the prince’s behaviour -you knew the king and queen liked you too much to throw you out of the palace anyway.

“Y/N!” A straining voice called out to you. Here was his majesty…Turning around, you bowed in front of him, asking with the sweetest tone you could manage to let out, how you could help him. “You could do me a favour yes, pick up some oranges for me. I could use something to eat.” He asked, not even looking at you. Rolling your eyes, you made your way to the market, you knew better than to argue with him. You passed the palace gates wondering how Dongyuck could be so lazy, considering that he spent most of his days singing and playing the lyre while lying on a sofa. But it was not your place to think about this.

The walk to the market was quite refreshing nonetheless, you were relieved to be away from Donghyuck when his father was back from his trips in the mountains to hunt. He was even worse than usual when it was like this. Of course, you pitied the other servants who were way more patient than you were, but you had the feeling that the prince relished annoying you. When you returned to the palace courtyard with a drizzle of oranges, Donghyuck was fast asleep on the sofa. You shook him, handing him the net. “Your Highness, I have the oranges you asked for.” You told him. He rubbed his eyes, sitting up. He took one of the oranges and you watched him peel the skin off each quarter of the fruit.

Reaching out a hand to shield his eyes from the sun, he asked you, “Y/N, do ever get tired of serving me?” Your eyes furrowed, unsure about how you should answer this question. You paused and thought about it for a moment before answering carefully, “Well, I must say it can be quite challenging sometimes, but I take pride in my work.” He smiled, amused. “You take pride in your work hmm…” He mused with a raised eyebrow.

As you prepared to argue, you were interrupted by the footsteps of a servant, visibly running in your direction. Arriving at your level, she bowed down in front of the prince before she spoke, “I am sorry to interrupt Your Majesty, but your father, the king is asking for Y/N.” Raising your eyebrows, you watched the girl taking back her breath. The prince’s gaze went from you to the servant and he waved. “Well, go do the work you take so much pride in,” he said, a condescending smile on his face. You knew he was making fun of you, but that was nothing new, he always did. So, without giving him the pleasure of losing your temper, you followed the young girl inside the palace.

She took you to His Majesty’s room, you wasted no time in knocking on the door, worried that something might be wrong. A hoarse voice allowed you in and one of the guards outside the room opened the doors for you and you bowed low as you entered the room. “Your majesty, you asked for me.”

“Yes, come sit child.” The old man was sitting on one of the various red velvet sofas and motioned you to one next to his. A bit awkwardly, you sat down, waiting for instructions. “Y/N, what I am about to ask you is very embarrassing I must say.” He said, looking quite uneasy. “As you may know, my son, Donghyuck, will soon be married.” You nodded your head, the reminder making you feel bad for the lady who was going to become Donghyuck’s spouse. The king cleared his throat before pursuing, “I am sure I am not the one teaching you this, but… It is customary for young men to already be experienced once they wed.” You furrowed your eyebrows, “Your Majesty, I am not quite sure I understand what you are referring to.”

“Well, I am talking about the wedding night…” Heat rushed to your cheeks. “You see, I trust your discretion, but unlike the other young men of his stature, Donghyuck has never visited courtesans.” Your eyes widened at his revelation. It was much more than you wanted to know about him. “He also never had close friends, so I am almost certain when I say that he has never had any experience.”

Confusion written on your face, you thought about it again. That Donghyuck never had a friend was absolutely certain, no one could put up with his whims for more than a few days, but that a member of the royal family, as self-sufficient as him, never had an affair with a prostitute or a servant, was hard to believe. However, the more you thought about it, the more confused about your role in this situation you were.

“Your Highness, I do not understand why you are entrusting this to me.” You told him, crossing and uncrossing your legs. “I have thought about it, and I think that you would be the only one who could actually teach him a thing or two.” He phrased, cautiously, but your mouth had already hung open. “But your highness, I work at the palace every day, I do not think I could be the most qualified person to take up this task. You may hire someone whose profession revolves around it.” You argued.

It was true that you had already had affairs. Servants had to, who else would love them? They had little to no family, and they did not have time to leave the palace for anything other than work. You had to look for love elsewhere. So yes, you had already shared your bed with other servants, but there were certainly a good hundred people in the city who would be better for this task. “I know, and I will, if you refuse, but I had to ask you. I know, even though he would never admit it, my son has respect for you, and I would like him to learn with someone he likes, at least before he meets his future wife.”

You had to hold back a snort. Donghyuck, liking you? Even, you weren’t sure if he knew what the word “respect” stood for -except when it was due to him, indeed. But, it made you think about it for a second. After all, it would probably be best for the lady who was going to marry him if he practised with the only person in the kingdom not to be afraid of him, -she was miserable enough already. The king must have known that you would be brave enough to tell Donghyuck if he was doing something wrong, and the dots started to connect in your mind too. Also, it could be a great opportunity to have the prince vulnerable and take the upper hand. Now, that did not sound like a bad idea.

“With all the respect I have for you, I must think about it, before giving you my answer.” You bowed once again. “Of course, I give you a week. I do not want to force your hand, but I would really like you to consider it.” When you left the room, you were still puzzled. For the king to ask you this seemed unbelievable, and you scolded yourself mentally for even considering it. How could you even picture yourself in Donghyuck’s bed? He was the most irritable human being you have ever met, it was already difficult to bear talking to him, so considering touching him…

You made your way to your room as fast as you could, you needed to be alone and think about what just happened.

꧁ ♡ ꧂

In the quiet of your room, you hid under your blanket, ashamed about the thoughts running inside your head. Of course, Donghyuck was handsome, very handsome. Much more than any person you ever knew -he wouldn’t let someone prettier than he was around him anyway. But he was unbearable. And nothing could change that. In years of serving him, he never showed any sympathy, for you or anyone other than himself. It was hard to imagine him in an intimate situation anyway. He always seemed so detached, it was difficult to believe that he could be an attentive lover. Not that you cared, of course. Pretending to have a fever, you managed to stay in your room for the rest of the day, someone would replace you in the tasks you were supposed to get done, you would have been incapable of facing Donghyuck today.

꧁ ♡ ꧂

Eventually, you had to step into the real world. Outside of your room. And you did, the next morning. A few other servants asked you about your illness and you offered them your greatest acting skills, telling them that you were still a bit tired, but thankfully, you were recovering fast enough.

On this day you were assigned to do laundry, along with other girls of about your age. Your knees, bare against the tiled floor, you soaped and scraped pieces of clothing repeatedly in the washtub, until both your wrists and biceps grew sore, and your knees began to burn a little. The sun shone brightly and the air was hot and humid, so much so that you had to wipe drops of sweat that gathered on your neck, rolling down your eyebrows to your eyes, every once in a while.

If the other girls chatted just a few seconds before, now they had all gone quiet, as light footsteps approached your group. “Good morning ladies, what are you all up to?” Donghyuck’s annoying voice was a straining nuisance to your ears. “Doing laundry, Your Highness.” You answered before the others, your tone as cold as it could be. “That sounds like hard work for such delicate young ladies. I am sure you would not mind a little help?”

Tilting up your head with widened eyes, you tried to reason with him, “Your Majesty, I am not sure this is a job for you. You should go back to your usual activities.” But he had already rolled his sleeves up and went down on his knees to join y’all. “Oh come on Y/N, do not be so strict. I can handle a little laundry, and I would be delighted to spend some time with such beautiful damsels.” He smiled as he winked at some of the servants. The girls exchanged glances and chuckled as Donghyuck plunged his hands into the soapy water. You, on the other hand, were only wondering what was he up to. The prince never helped with anything -not that it was his place anyway- but if he decided to now, it was probably a new way of his to get on your nerves.

As usual, you were right, and Donghyuck grew tired of the chore, even more quickly than you had expected. Swinging back, he let out a huge sigh of fatigue. Soon, he started to splash you and the girls, causing them to shriek and laugh. Not amused at all by his actions, you tried your best to stay calm and focus on your task. The girls giggled and blushed, as the prince shamelessly flirted with them. For servants to receive the attention of the prince was something they could not resist, he knew that, and obviously took advantage of it to satisfy his huge ego. Your frustration grew, and you scrubbed the cloth harder by the second.

Glancing at your companions, you were angry to notice that they all seemed to enjoy themselves. You could not help but feel a bit jealous of their carefree attitude. Why did everything seem so effortless for them, why couldn’t you just get yourself to like Donghyuck, just like they all did? Of course, you understood how he was charming to them, but you just couldn’t overcome his whimsical behaviour.

Right now, his disruptive presence made it impossible to get any work done. Watching him having fun and them giggling, was getting more and more irritating. Soon, you couldn’t take it anymore and suddenly stood up. “We cannot work with you here.” Looking up at you, Donghyuck raised an eyebrow, “Pardon?” You took a deep breath and continued, aware that you had certainly put yourself in trouble, “I said that we cannot work properly because of you.”

Taken aback by your bravery, he got up on his feet, visibly offended. “Well, if you think I am such a nuisance, I will go find something else to do.” He turned back on his heels and now it was your turn to be taken aback. It was too easy, you had crossed the line, and you had expected him to shout or even lock you up in a cell, but Donghyuck was walking away. When you faced the other girl servants, they glared at you, before resuming their task in silence. Ashamed of having ruined their moment, you lowered your head and plunged your hands back into the water.

꧁ ♡ ꧂

A day had passed since you last saw the prince. When you asked other servants if they had seen him, they either replied in the negative, or did not reply at all, but the less you heard of Donghyuck, the more anxious you grew. You had the uneasy feeling that he was up to something, something that would make you regret your behaviour of the other day.

In the evening, you retreated to your room, put on your nightgown and brushed your hair by the bed. A few knocks on your door interrupted you, and you went to open it. “Already in bed?” Well, you should have expected him, but you were still surprised that he knew where your room was. “Your Majesty,” you took a few steps back, embarrassed that he saw you in your night clothes, but you knew you had no right to leave him at the door. “I think we have a few things to discuss, just the two of us,” he said, stepping in and closing the door behind him.

You stood like this, in awkward silence for a moment, your eyes glued to the ground before he decided to break it. “Well, if you ain’t going to do it yourself, I will have to ask you.” Looking up at him, you noticed that his usual expression had changed. It was not all smirk and raised eyebrows anymore. His face was stern, and you were not used to it. Donghyuck took a step forward. “Apologize.”

“What?” Truth is, you had not expected him to make it to your room only to ask you this. “Why does everything always have to be so hard with you? Can’t you just do what you are told to?” He sighed. You were at a loss for words. You should have been publicly humiliated, locked in your quarters, asked to do extra chores, for having talked to the prince the way you did, not do private apologies. His eyes never left yours, awaiting.

“I- I am sorry Your Highness, I shouldn’t have talked to you the way I did the other day. It was not my place, and it will not happen again.” you bowed down as you spoke, and he finally cracked a smile when you were finished. “See? That wasn’t so hard.” He was wrong, for you it was. You hated to belittle yourself in front of him. You had no problem obeying someone like his father, someone you had respect for, someone who fulfilled his duties and actually cared about the people under him. But even after so many years, you couldn’t get yourself to accept that you were under Donghyuck. He was self-centred, disrespectful and overall, a kid in a young adult body, who deserved nothing he had.

The way you gritted your teeth did not escape him, and he took even a step further. “You know, you should thank me, for I haven’t ordered you to do this in front of the whole kingdom.” his tone was threatening, and you shivered at the idea of such a humiliating perspective. “Try to keep in mind how generous of a person I am, before you dare to speak to me like that again.” This time, his voice was barely above a whisper, but he was close enough for you to hear. “I will.” You forced the words out of your mouth, your jaw tense.

“Good. I have nothing else to tell you.” Turning back on his heels, he left the room, after giving you one last look, “Good night Y/N.” When the door closed you collapsed at the foot of your bed, your head in your hands. You were going to say yes.

꧁ ♡ ꧂

“What made you make your decision?” The king asked, at the discretion of his room. You had thought about it, and even if you weren’t thrilled about the idea, you couldn’t miss your only opportunity to give Donghyuck a taste of his own medicine. You were going to enter his intimacy, and take advantage of it to humiliate him, but of course, you could not tell him that. “It is my duty to help the prince when I am asked to, Your Majesty.” He nodded, pleased with your answer, “Thank you Y/N. You really are doing me a favour. I am glad Donghyuck will get to do this with someone like you.” Your cheeks flushed at his words. He told you he would inform Donghyuck, and sent you on your way.

꧁ ♡ ꧂

Another week had passed, and Donghyuck’s anger towards you transformed into sly grins he would send your way, whenever he got the chance. He had certainly been made aware of it now.

Ever since His Majesty told you He would tell His son about what He had planned for him, you imagined every possible scenario. But no matter how hard you tried, it seemed impossible for you to predict what his reaction would be. Was he going to be glad? Mad? Embarrassed? Anyways he would, with no doubt, laugh at you for accepting such a proposition. And he would be right to do so. What were you thinking? You still had no idea when, where and how it was going to happen. You were simply left with that idea in your mind, like a Damocles sword above your head.

Today it was your turn to make the Prince’s bed, and as you spread the silk sheets on the mattress, you caught yourself wondering if you were going to lay in that same bed he was sleeping in. Were you going todo it here? Where else? Not in your room, Donghyuck was too delicate to go into the servants’ quarters a second time anyways. At the reminder of his personality, you shook your head and resumed stretching the sheets. How were you supposed to be intimate with Donghyuck, out of all people? And how could you even imagine that he would be less intolerable in a bedroom?

“Y/N?” a soft voice interrupted your train of thought. You turned your head to face a chubby girl with red cheeks. She wore a grey uniform with an apron, she was a maid, just like you. “I was requested by His Majesty to come and fetch you later in the evening.” She said, looking at her feet. When you opened your mouth to ask if she knew what was the matter, she continued, as if in a rush, “I just had to let you know.”, before disappearing in the hallway.

So this was it. It was for tonight. You went on with your tasks for the day as if you had a fever. There was a constant buzzing in your ears that you were certain you were imagining, and your head spinned every once in a while. When you were finished, you went back to your room, to prepare for God knows what was going to happen. You figured you should be at least presentable, so you changed your maid uniform for the only dress you had that wasn’t one, and took care of arranging your hair. Once done, you looked at your reflection in the mirror, puzzled. What were you doing?

You heard the knocking on your door but continued to stare at yourself. It was your last chance to change your mind.

꧁ ♡ ꧂

The girl with the red cheeks led you to the princely suite, and when you both got to the door, she stopped next to it, as if to signal that she was not going in with you. You should have expected that, but on the other hand, you couldn’t help but want a bit of support. However, it had been your decision, and now you had to face the consequences alone.

Standing straight, you took the deepest breath you ever took and pushed the doors with all the strength you could gather. When you stepped in, the door closed behind you on its own, and you were left alone, in the dim light of the room. Well, not quite alone indeed, Donghyuck was sitting in a velvet chair, not far from the fireplace warming and illuminating the place. You had not been alone together since he forced you to apologize the other day, and you apprehended his next move.

Eventually, he looked your way, eyes slowly taking in your appearance, from the hem of your dress to your neatly styled hair. “Well, this is pretty uncommon to see you all dressed up.” he sneered with his chin up. He was not going to make it any easier. Neither were you. “This is far from my usual tasks, Your Majesty.” He narrowed his eyes defensively as you took one step forward. “But I must admit, this is one of the most tedious ones, so far.” Donghyuck’s eyes widened, and he let out a chuckle. “Tedious? Are you implying that sleeping with me is boring?” You smirked, “How could you know?”

You noticed his jaw tensing. Now, you did not regret your decision at all, you had your revenge. There was a moment of silence, you could almost hear the sound of him gritting his teeth. The thrill of excitement that rushed through you at this exact moment, was like nothing you had experienced in the past. You wished you could stay like this forever, and watch him drown in humiliation.

“Well, you did not come here to quarrel now, did you?” he inquired, his eyebrows frowned and his hand holding the armrest harder than it should. “I did not.” Another step closer. “Have a drink, otherwise I fear it will be impossible to do what you came here to do.” he sighed, pointing at one of the two goblets set on the coffee table. You watched him, wary. “You talk as if I am the one who needs this.” You could tell by his reaction that you had hit a nerve, again. “Sit, please.” With a hand supporting his head, he motioned at a chair facing his. You figured that at least for once tonight, you could do what you were told to and sat.

“Listen, I know you despise me,” he stated, his voice softer, leaning to pour wine into both goblets, “but I do not.” You grabbed the goblet, nervous to have something this expensive in your hands. Donghyuck raised his to his lips and sipped eagerly. “You do not wonder what I mean by that?” he asked, curious. Taking an experimental sip, you grimaced at the sour taste of the drink, before answering, “No. I know you. I know that you thrive in watching people anguish about what you may think of them, but I do not feel this way.” Setting down his drink, he smirked at your declaration. “You know, you are not as good at lying as you think you are.” taking a pause, he stood up, and crossed the six feet distance between you both in an instant. As he placed both of his hands on the armrests of your chair, you sank into your seat, caged in. “You are not special Y/N, you care about what I think of you, just like everyone else. The only difference is that you love to pretend that you hate me.” He said with a low voice that you did not know him, and a shiver ran down your spine.

He had never been so close. So close that you could feel his hot breath on your face. Instinctively, you closed your eyes, now aware of all the lines you had crossed since the moment you entered his bedroom. “No, no, do not flinch now. I thought you came here on a mission?” His chortle did not help you regain the courage you just lost. “I bet you accepted my father’s absurd proposition to make fun of me, hmm? You thought that it would be your chance to mock me. To finally take the upper hand.” he took a step back, “But where is that confidence now?” You hated his condescending tone, he was talking to you as if you were pathetic, but he was right, you couldn’t even lift off your seat.

“I always knew you were all bark no bites. Now that you finally have the occasion to get back at me, you sit here and stare at me with your eyes wide open,” he added, looking down at you with raised eyebrows. You stayed like this for a while, in the silence of lead, before he let out a long sigh. “Why did you accept this stupid idea, Y/N? We are not going to make love, we cannot even be in the same room without squabbling. I do not understand why my father asked you, out of all people.”

“He said that you liked me.” You spoke under your breath and you caught his eyes widening in surprise. “Like you?” You gripped the fabric of your skirt, looking down at your hands. “What does he know? He mumbled through gritted teeth. Gathering your courage, you got up on your feet, “This was a mistake. I-I’m sorry, I don’t know what I was thinking.” You stuttered, “I should go.” With that, you rushed to the door, ready to leave, but his hand gripped your wrist, holding you back.

“Y/N, stay.” You turned around to face him. “You just said that all of this was stupid, and I agree with you.” You spat, louder than before, “I will return to my room, and both of us are going to act as if this never happened.”

Tugging a bit on your wrist, he managed to pull you closer and asked, “Now that you have pictured yourself in my bed, will you really be able to act as if nothing happened?” It was back. That smug smirk on his face you hated so much. And that complacent attitude of his…

Raising his hand, it reached for your face and when he cupped your cheek, you were so dumbfounded that you couldn’t even argue. “Oh, I’m sure you’ve imagined it at least once or twice… But I cannot blame you, I did too.” He whispered the last words, and you considered having misheard them. He raised his eyebrows in a teasing manner, he was trying to undermine you. But it would not work, not if you could get him to submit first.

Taking a step closer, you grabbed his shoulders to connect your lips fervently. You closed your eyes not to see him, but you felt his, wide open in shock. Pushing you back gently, Donghyuck broke the kiss, staring right at you, astonished. “What did you just do?” he let out in a strange voice that you never heard him use. He sounded confused, but most importantly, he was visibly lacking confidence. You had succeeded at weakening him.

His gaze travelled from the ground to your face, which he stared at for a moment, breathing audibly, before he grabbed both of your arms and pulled you against him in another kiss. He moved his lips against yours feverishly and squeezed the flesh of your arms way too hard, but as horrifying as this may sound, it wasn’t so terrible. Kissing Donghyuck was nothing like what you had imagined, and if you had drank more of that wine earlier, you might have admitted that you liked it. Without realizing it, both of you had melted into each other’s embrace, and you kissed for several minutes. When you pulled away for air, you still looked at each other with animosity, you weren’t lovers, you were rivals, you had always been, but for once, you were actually on the same level.

“So, are we going to do it?” he asked, out of breath. You chuckled, letting your guard down for once, “You really don’t know how to do this, do you?” Letting you go, he threw himself on the bed, “You know what, since it is what you came here for, and you are so experienced, show me what you are capable of.” He said, putting his hands behind his head in a laid-back manner. You climbed on the bed with him, kneeling next to his body. With your breath held, you slowly untied the ropes of his shirt, as if you had no mastery over your actions. Oh, you were going to show him.

Judging that you were taking too long, he took out his shirt and every garment underneath, himself, before pushing you onto him. You do not know what took over you, but as you were laying on top of his naked chest, you kissed him once again. It was so much better like this. With his soft lips on yours, when he couldn’t get to talk. It was addictive. He tasted like honey, and he was so much more likeable in this position. Not breaking the kiss, Donghyuck managed to loosen your dress, exposing the skin of your shoulders to his hungry eyes. He was letting out breathy moans between kisses and began to mindlessly rut his hips into yours.

Suddenly, he pushed you down on the mattress so you were laying on your stomach. Your first reaction was to laugh at the brutality of his action. “Oh please, don’t act like you know what you are doing.” You sneered. “You know, I haven’t quite made up my mind about you talking back,” he said, hovering over you, straddling the back of your thighs, “I don’t know if I hate it, or if I secretly enjoy it.” Without you paying much attention to it, a smile drew on your face. Maybe you finally found a way to fight without it being too unpleasant…

Now that you were back to him, he was all over your neck, kissing it as if you were lovers. Lifting your skirt, he reached for your garments and pulled them down. You were starting to get dizzy, you did not mind being exposed to him like that right now, his kisses made up for everything, somehow. You heard him pull his pants down enough to free his hard cock and a shiver ran down your spine when you felt his length against your entrance. “Do not worry, I may be an amateur, but I know the basic theory on the subject.” he chuckled, sliding it against your wet folds for lubrication. It was almost embarrassing how excited his ministrations had gotten you, an hour ago you couldn’t stand the thought of his very existence.

Slowly, he entered you with a loud groan, you had to remind yourself that the feeling was new to him. Your walls stretched around him and the sensation of him inside you was far from as disagreeable as you had imagined it. In fact, when he began to thrust into you, which he did not long after bottoming out for the first time, you found yourself gripping the sheets and holding back whimpers. Despite his lack of experience, you made so much fun of, you had to acknowledge that Donghyuck was naturally skilled at it. His movements were smooth and sharp at the same time, and if you weren’t focusing, your head would already be spinning.

The room quickly became steamy, and you were beginning to forget yours despise of each other. Releasing your lip from your teeth, you allowed yourself to sigh and moan as loud as you needed to. After all, Donghyuck himself was everything but quiet. It seemed like he had given up on his pride, at last. He was crying out for the whole palace to hear and gripped your waist for dear life.

“Tell me you love me.” he panted in your ear. As good as he was making you feel, you could never say that. You hoped that your whimpers would be enough answer to his demand, but he squeezed your waist harder and repeated,“ Please, tell me.” His voice had cracked and he sounded miserable. Maybe he was not making fun of you after all. Grabbing his face from behind, you pushed his head closer to yours, connecting your lips in a desperate kiss. This would have to be enough.

Donghyuck breathed heavily through his nose, leaning in, impossibly close to you. The kiss was a mix of frustration, neediness, and maybe, something else, but you figured it was in your best interest not to question it too much. When he pulled out to plunge his head into the crook of your neck, his thrusts became even more erratic. You could tell he was coming closer to the edge, but a little voice in your head was screaming that you needed to see this, or perhaps you just craved watching him lose it.

So you managed to remove him from behind you and pushed him onto his back. He watched you intently as you removed your dress and everything you wore for good, exposing your naked body to him. The snarky remarks a part of you still expected never came. He gazed at your figure for a moment and eventually fumbled with his own clothing. When you were both naked in front of each other, you took a moment to take in the other’s appearance. You never appreciated at their true value, his gold-like skin, and the delicacy of his features, but now you did. He was, indeed, as handsome as he had always bragged about being.

And it took him to look like a mess, his lips swollen and his eyes half-lidded, for you to finally feel tenderness for him. You pitied him. He had always acted like he was above everyone else, when in reality he felt desperately alone and was pathetic enough to beg you to tell him sweet words. Yet, deep down, you could neither forget, nor totally forgive what he had made you go through all these years, and for that, he did not deserve your mercy.

Grabbing his wrists, you straddled his lap and held his hands above his head, on the headboard. Sinking down on his length, you let out a breathy moan, not only of pleasure but of pure thrill and victory, as you were finally the one looking down at him. You began to move, this new position quickly proving itself to be more pleasurable than the previous one. He was able to reach deeper and your walls were clenching around him, in a way that was driving him crazy.

You rode him as if it was a way for you to let out all the frustration he had made you feel in years. His eyes were tight shut and he was biting on his bottom lip hard enough to draw blood. You couldn’t get your eyes off him. You had not realized it before but this was everything you ever dreamt of, to see him like this, at your mercy.

Droplets of sweat were rolling down between your breasts and shoulder blades. Heat radiated through your burning bodies, and the room was filled with your moans and whimpers. Donghyuck had lost it long ago, maybe if you stopped your movements just for a minute, you would see the tears forming in the corner of his eyes, but you could not.

You bounced frantically above him, and he was thrusting upwards to meet your hips, it was no different from your regular quarrels. Both of you had something to prove to the other. And you were pleased to finally win in a field. He was clenching his fists and you could see the muscles of his abdomen contract. Letting out a cry that was music to your ears, he came inside of you, his arms trying hard to release themselves from your hold. You felt him twitching between your walls, which got you closer to the edge yourself, and you continued to chase your high as he was experiencing his.

A few rolls of your hips later, your whole body froze, all your muscles tensing, and you let go of his wrists to claw at the skin of his chest. All the tension inside of you snapped, and at that moment, when the wave of pleasure washed through you, you swore you did not hate Donghyuck anymore. Your view turned blank for an instant, and you let out a raspy groan as you came around him. When you had released them, his hands immediately went to grab your thighs, and Donghyuck was now helping you grind on his lap.

When the stimulation became too much and your moans turned into cries, he released your thighs and laid you down on your back. He snuggled close to your side, watching your face closely and drawing figures on your belly with the tip of his fingers, and whispered, “What have you done to me? Now I have never been so sure about not wanting to marry.”

part 2!!!

#nct smut #nct 127 smut #nct dream smut #haechan smut #nct x reader #nct 127 x reader #nct dream x reader #nct scenarios #haechan x reader #haechan angst

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bloatedandalone04 · 5 months

Text

In The Way I Need You | Part 3

Series Masterlist

➪in which you babysit joey for the first time and clay quickly discovers that he enjoys seeing you interact with his son more than he probably should.

PSA: strongly suggested to read the warnings before proceeding.

WC; 3.7k | Do not repost this anywhere, reblogs are fine ♡

“Hi, Joey!” You say as the kid runs up to you. “How was your day?”

“Good,” he answers and takes off his backpack, handing it to you with a sheepish grin. “Where’s daddy?”

You throw his backpack over your shoulder and take his hand, leading him towards the street where Clay’s driver was waiting for you. Since you didn’t have a car and couldn’t bring a booster seat with you whenever you needed to hail a cab and pick Joey up, Clay told you that his driver was available for that twenty four seven, and you once again were left questioning your career choice. “He’s still at work,” you answer and open the back door.

“Will I see him at home?” Joey asks as he sits on the booster seat and waits for you to buckle him in.

“Yes, but not for a little while longer,” you say as you sit next to him. You look at the driver and bite your lip as you try to remember the name Clay told you.

What was it? Robby? Rodger?

“Hey,” you nudge Joey’s side with a smile. “Do you know his name?”

Joey’s gaze follows your finger as you discreetly point at the driver. “That’s Mick,” he answers loudly and your face heats up almost instantly.

A deep laugh was heard from the front of the car and you became even more embarrassed. “It’s Rick,” he corrected the four year old with a teasing grin in the rearview mirror.

“Right, sorry,” you laugh and run your hands up and down your thighs. “I’m bad with names.”

Rick just waves you off and it was thankfully a peaceful ride back to Clay’s house. When you took Joey’s hand again and led him up the stairs, you fumble around in your pocket for the key Rick gave you. He said that Clay had given it to him to give to you, and you were reminded of the fact that you had completely spaced out last night and forgot to ask for it.

Once you were both inside, you lock the door and carry Joey up the stairs. “Are you hungry?” You ask as you walk into the kitchen with him. “Do you want a snack before dinner?”

You set him down on one of the chairs at the kitchen table and turn to look at the cabinet. You felt a bit weird about looking in someone else’s cupboards, but Clay had texted you beforehand and told you that anything in the kitchen was free for the taking, except for the kiwi in the fridge. That was strictly for Lilith and Lilith only.

“A little,” Joey answered as he played with the tablecloth. “What’s for dinner?”

You set his backpack down onto the opposing chair, as well as your own tote bag, and opened the long cabinet. “I’m not sure, buddy,” you say and take out a box of crackers. “I can make you a grilled cheese sandwich, if you like those.”

“I do,” he says excitedly. You smile at him and open a few cupboards before finding the one with the plates in it. Taking out a small one, you dump a handful of crackers onto it and set it down in front of Joey.

As he begins to snack on the crackers, you open his bag and take out the empty lunch containers. Your fingers skim over various pages, and you pull a few of them out and look at the drawings that were labeled with today’s date. “Joey, did you draw these?” You ask as you sit down next to him.

He nodded, taking a cracker between his small fingers. “They’re from today,”

“Wow,” you say and look over at him. “You’re quite the little artist, huh?”

Joey smiles and points towards the fridge. You turn and notice that there were multiple drawings on the fridge, each one being held up by a magnet of a different letter. “Daddy put them there,”

Your smile grows as you turn back to look at Joey. “That’s sweet,” you say and he holds out a cracker to you. “Thanks, buddy. Let me know when you get hungry and I’ll make dinner, okay?”

He nods as you eat the cracker and place a blank sheet of paper in front of him.

“Do you feel like coloring some more? Maybe you can draw something for your dad to come home to later,” you suggest and he excitedly nods as he takes the pack of crayons from you.

“Okay,” he instantly agreed and began drawing something. You had no clue what it was supposed to be, but you knew Clay would love anything his unbelievably cute son gave him, no matter how abstract it was.

As Joey colors his picture, you look around the kitchen and debate on whether or not you should take on the task of cleaning it a bit. It wasn’t messy, not by a long shot, but there were a few telltale signs that Clay and Lilith rushed this morning and had to leave things a tad unorganized.

You ruffle Joey’s hair before standing up and beginning to wash the few dishes that were in the sink, then move onto emptying the coffee machine and wiping off the counters.

You had just finished tossing the paper towel into the trash when Joey called your name, his mispronunciation of it making you grin, “I’m hungry now,”

“You are?” You ask and grab the loaf of bread and cheese from out of the fridge. “No way, I’m hungry, too.”

Joey laughed at you and lifted up the piece of paper that was now various colors and shapes. “Done,”

“Wow!” You say and set the items in your hands down before making your way over to him. “Your dad will love this. Would you like me to label it for you? So you know what day you drew it?”

He nods and hands you both the page and a red crayon.

After writing down his name and today’s date, you set it aside and begin making him a grilled cheese sandwich, glancing at him every so often while you wait.

“Joey? Y/n?” Clay calls as he enters his house and pockets his keys. Being met with silence, he heads upstairs and follows the sound of his kid’s laughter all the way to the living room, where he finds him sitting on the couch with you. Clay stops in the doorway as he takes in the sight of his son snuggling into your side while you mess up his hair, and he felt like his heart had skipped a beat when you looked up and smiled at him.

“Hi,” you greet in a quiet voice, making Joey look up and smile once he locks eyes with him.

“Daddy!” He calls and gets up from the couch. He runs over to Clay on wobbling legs and practically jumps into his arms.

“Hey, buddy,” Clay mumbles, wrapping his arms around him. “How was your day? Did you have fun with Y/n?”

“Yes! I made something for you,” when he began to wiggle in his arms, Clay bent down and let Joey run off down the hall towards the kitchen. He turns back to you with a smile, moving to sit next to you with a decent amount of space between you. “How about you? How was your day?”

“Oh, so good,” you grin and turn the TV off with the remote. “You were right, you’ve got the coolest kid in New York.”

“I told you,” he grinned back and took a second to glance down at your outfit. It was still warm out since it was only the beginning of September, so your jean shorts and cropped tee were still acceptable to wear weather wise. But for some reason Clay couldn’t seem to stop his eyes from raking up and down the smooth skin of your legs.

He had to get a hold of himself, because you are his kid’s babysitter, and nothing could happen between you. He just had to accept the fact that you were cute, and leave it at that.

“How was work?” You ask as you trace the floral pattern on the pillow you had on your lap. He realized that it had been so long since someone other than his mother asked him that, and even Lilith had stopped asking since she did pretty much the same thing he did.

He wasn’t aware of how much he wanted to come home to someone and have them ask him about his day - so he can ask them right back - until now.

Clay shrugged. “Work is work,” he answered and did nothing to stop the grin that took over his lips and matched yours, despite his previous warnings to himself. Maybe nothing more than a professional relationship could occur between the two of you, but that was it.

Before he could further continue acting like he wasn’t into you, Joey came running back into the room with a piece of paper in his hand. “Look, dad,” he said in an excited voice as Clay picked him up and set him down on the couch between you and him. “I made this for you.”

Clay looked at the drawing and felt his heart swell in his chest. He had not one clue what the drawing was supposed to be, but he loved it all the same. Then he noticed the neat handwriting at the bottom of the page. “This is amazing, Joe,” he praised, kissing the top of his son’s head before looking over at you. “Did your babysitter help you write your name?”

“No,” he laughed, snuggling into his side. “She wrote it for me.”

Clay laughed, too, running his hand up and down Joey’s back. “You tired, bud? Ready for a bath and then bed?”

“Yeah,” came his son’s quiet response before he looked over at you. “Can she help me in the bath?”

Clay looked up at you and found you already smiling. “I don’t know, Joey,” he answered. “Y/n might have to go now that I’m home.”

“Oh, I don’t mind,” you say and look down at Joey. “You just got here. Relax a bit, I can get him ready for bed.”

Joey got up and crawled over onto your lap, his little fingers playing with the bracelet around your wrist, much like how he did last night. “As long as it’s not keeping you from anything,” Clay stated a bit hesitantly.

“What could I possibly have going on? It’s seven PM on a Wednesday,” you joked as you stood up and held Joey on your right hip.

“You never know,” he said back and watched as you shook your head before making your way up to the third floor. Clay sat on the couch for a bit longer and looked at Joey’s drawing. He’ll never understand what he possibly could have done that made the world think he deserved such a sweet kid, but he’ll also never ask in fear that it’ll come back to bite him.

Then he was looking at the bottom right corner again, and now he was wondering why he thought that even your handwriting is pretty.

He really needed to get a grip.

Standing up from the couch, he heads into the kitchen with the paper still in his hand. When he looked up, his eyes widened a bit at how damn near spotless the room looked. He remembered leaving in a bit of a rush this morning and not having the time to tidy up, and he felt bad that you would have to see the kitchen in that kind of state. But it was pristine.

He debated on whether or not he should pay you more just because he couldn’t remember the last time the kitchen had looked this nice, and decided he would need to after he opened the fridge and saw a grilled cheese sandwich in there, covered by saran wrap and topped off with a sticky note.

For the coolest kid’s dad.

This was too much.

He closed the fridge again after grabbing the plate and stuck the drawing onto the door of it with a magnet of the letter of your first name by pure coincidence.

You had used that same red crayon to write on the sticky note, and Clay felt a warm feeling take over his body at the fact that you thought about him, enough to provide him with dinner.

It was a simple dinner, but he felt like he was eating like a royal. You were somehow able to make him feel more important than anyone else had in a long time, and that was a scary thought.

The last time he had let himself get too caught up in someone he ended up marrying them and then he was on his own with a kid only a few years later.

He couldn’t let himself feel that way about you.

So, he tossed the note into the recently changed garbage and ate, what he could confidently say, was the best grilled cheese he had ever had in his life.

After washing the plate, he heard the sound of soft footsteps nearing the kitchen, and then a second later you poked your head in. “Hi,” you say quietly. “He’s in bed. I think he wants you to go say goodnight to him.”

“Okay, thanks,” Clay said and grabbed your bag from off the kitchen chair. “And thank you for cleaning up the kitchen. You didn’t have to do that.”

He hands your bag to you and you take it with a shy smile. “It’s no big deal,” you shrug and slide the bag up your arm. “I also made you a sandwich, if you’re hungry.”

Clay nods, fighting off a smile. “Another thing you didn’t have to do,” he stated and saw a flash of embarrassment in your eyes, making him quickly add, “But I appreciate it, nonetheless. It was good.”

You smile again and step out into the hall as he follows you. “I’m glad,”

He led you all the way downstairs before pulling out a hundred dollar bill and holding it out to you. “Thanks for everything,”

You look at the bill with wide eyes before shaking your head. “That’s too much,” you say and step away from him. “I was only here for a few hours, I can’t take that.”

“It’s what we agreed on, plus a little more for helping out with the kitchen and getting him ready for bed,” he shrugged, moving towards you when you still didn’t take it. “It’s fine, Y/n, really.” He assured you and placed the bill in your bag after you shook your head again.

“Clay,” you begin, but he silences you with a smile. You smiled back, a grateful look in your eyes as you nod. “Thank you.”

“Thank you,” he said and opened the door for you. “Are you able to pick him up again tomorrow?”

“Same time?” You ask and step outside. “Yes, of course.”

“Great,” he leans against the door and looks around at the dark street. “Let me know that you go home okay?”

You smile again and nod, holding onto the strap of your bag. “I will. Have a good night,”

He watched as you walked down the steps before murmuring a quiet, “You too,” he was sure you didn’t even hear as you got into a taxi.

Once you were out of sight he closes and locks the door before heading up to Joey’s room, where he finds him almost asleep and snuggled under his covers. “Daddy,” he quietly called and Clay was over to him within seconds.

“Hey,” he says and sits down on the small bed. “How was your bath?”

“Good,” Joey answers, snuggling closer to Clay’s side. “I like her. She’s nice.”

Clay hums, smoothing out Joey’s hair that was already pretty much dry. “I do, too, buddy,” he agrees. “Do you want to see her again tomorrow?”

Joey nods and closes his eyes. “She makes good sandwiches,” he mumbles.

“She does,” Clay once again agrees with the four year old before leaning down and pressing a kiss to the top of his head. “Goodnight, Joey. I’ll see you in the morning. I love you.”

And then Joey was asleep, and Clay was left thinking about you.

His kid was right; you are nice. Far too nice for your own good, and way too sweet for him to be thinking about you in the way he is now.

He thought about how you went out of your way to clean up the place, make him food, then proceed to still help him by getting Joey ready for bed, even after he was already home.

You were such a genuinely kind person, Clay was wondering how he got lucky enough to run into you, literally, on the street and have you in his life, if only to look after his son.

With one last glance at Joey, Clay stands up and leaves the room, closing the door behind him before making his way back into the kitchen, where he reaches in and grabs the sticky note with your pretty handwriting from out of the unused garbage bag.

He holds it in one hand while he types out a text to you with his other.

Thanks again for everything. I’m going out this weekend to pick up some groceries, so let me know if there is anything I can keep here for you when you’re babysitting.

Instead of waiting for you to text him back, he regretfully clicks on Sam’s contact and calls her. Unsurprisingly, he gets her voicemail, and he stays silent for a beat or two before leaving her another message. “It was his second day of school today,” he muttered, leaning back against the headboard of his bed. “He doesn’t even ask about you, can you believe that? He thinks growing up without a mother is normal. You did that to him. You left him without even thinking about what it will be like for him in the future.”

He let out an annoyed sigh, angry with himself for reaching out to her again, even after sorting out a small portion of his life. Clay truly had no control over the part of himself that wanted Sam to come back, and the even bigger part of him that hated her for leaving him.

“You’re a coward, Sam, you know that?” He asked and felt his anger rising within him. His heartbeat quickened as his skin heated up, and he found it a bit hard to breathe at the moment. Then he looked at the note that was still in his hand, and felt himself relax just a bit.

His eyes traced over every letter and by the time he reached the last one, his heartbeat was back to normal and he no longer wanted to waste any more of his time on her. At least for the rest of the night.

So, he hung up without saying another word, and when he glanced at the screen, he saw that you had texted him back during the time he spent leaving Sam that pointless voicemail.

Joey’s Sitter: Well….since you asked. Diet coke. Pretty please.

And Clay was now smiling as he set the sticky note down on his alarm clock and replied with,

That stuff is really bad for you, you know that, right? It’s easy to get addicted to.

He wasn’t one to talk, as he, too, has been addicted to things in the past. He was a regular smoker before he met Sam, and stopped well before Joey was born as he didn’t want him around that kind of thing. And Sam had been pestering him about stopping for quite some time at that point, as well.

Joey’s Sitter: Oh, I didn’t realize you were a doctor. Or a special health therapist. My bad. I guess I can use my babysitting money to buy it myself, then you would technically be buying it for me anyway.

Clay laughed and pulled off his tie, tossing it aside as he leaned against the pillows.

I’ll get it for you. Just felt like lecturing you a bit. You save up and buy yourself something later on.

Joey’s Sitter: Now you’re, what, a teacher? When can I find out what your actual job is? And I am eternally grateful for your kindness about providing me with my diet coke.

Just so you know, I would never buy diet coke intentionally. I’m making an exception for you so I know you have something here. I can promise that no one else in this house will drink that stuff. And I’m just a boring businessman. As stereotypical as you’re probably thinking it is.

Joey’s Sitter: I wasn’t, but good to know.

Just as he was about to respond, he heard a few quiet knocks at his door before it opened. He looks up and meets the eyes of his mother, who smiles at him. “Hey,”

“Hey,” he says back and puts his phone on his nightstand. “Long day?”

“Long week,” she says as she crosses the room and sits next to him. “The kitchen looks nice. Did you clean up after putting Joey to bed?”

“No,” he replies and sits up. “Y/n cleaned up.”

“Y/n?” She asked and didn’t bother masking her surprised tone as she pulled off her high heels. “That’s nice. How was Joey with her today?”

“Good,” he answered. “He really likes her. He even asked her to help him get ready for bed.”

Lilith pulled the clip from her hair and looked over at him. “And did she?” When Clay nodded, she pursed her lips. “Wow, she’s better than I thought she was.”

Clay furrowed his brows. “What’s that supposed to mean?” Even he had to admit that his voice sounded a bit defensive, and his mom definitely caught onto that fact.

“Nothing, Clay,” she waved him off and stood up, pressing a multitude of kisses to his cheek. “Just be careful, that’s all I’m saying.”

“Careful?” He muttered and looked up at her.

She smiled and grabbed her discarded heels. “Goodnight, sweetheart,” she whispered and left the room again, leaving him feeling a bit confused and a tad annoyed again.

He debated on whether or not to continue to text you, but decided not to as he worked on the buttons of his shirt and got ready for bed.

#clayton beresford #clay beresford x reader #clay beresford imagines #clayton beresford imagines #clayton beresford imagine #hayden christensen imagine #hayden christensen edit #hayden christensen #hayden christensen gif #hayden christensen icons #awake 2007 #awake #in the way i need you #in the way i need you series

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dangermousie · 4 months

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2023 End of Year Post - kdrama edition

Yes, we have a some of December left, and I want to check out Death's Game but whatever. I got time for this now and not sure if I will have later so here goes.

This is only going to cover kdramas that aired in 2023; if I watched it but it was made in a different year, it’s not on the list. This was an excellent kdrama year, the likes of which we hadn't had in a long time.

DRAMAS WATCHED

In order of liking from least to most as opposed to pure quality so pls don't come for me, fans of some popular dramas that are on my nope list. Also, I am including if I’ve seen enough to make up my mind; yes I realize that’s inaccurate, but that’s my list.

33. The Escape of the Seven - this is so aggressively stupid and mean that it feels like the makers are playing a practical joke seeing how much their audience will take. This has a season 2 coming, so the answer is a lot.

32. Behind Your Touch - the FL gets superpowers by touching people's and animals' butts. Yes, you read this right. Do I really need to add anything?

31. King the Land - yes, it was a hit. Yes, it stars popular actors. I HATED IT LIKE IT TOUCHED MY BUTT TO GET SUPERPOWERS!!! Plastic people in paint by the numbers story, with about as much genuineness or retability as a barbie aisle in walmart. I never expect much from Yoona so whatever, but to have LJH go from The Red Sleeve to this boggles the mind.

30. Mrs Durian - this is so dumb that I think I lost a few IQ points watching this, but its insanity becomes entertaining - I mean what kdrama can you name where a daughter in law declares her love and lust for her mother in law at a family dinner?

29. The Matchmakers - there is nothing offensive about this drama at all. But there is nothing in the least interesting either. If elevator music took drama shape, it would be this show.

28. Destined with You - sorry, Rowoon, I am still fond of you, but you are two for two in drama duds department this year. This is a drama where I loved ep 1, liked ep 2, was indifferent to 3 and...you get the point. Each ep was worse than the one before, and I bailed before I was dragged into a cosmic singularity.

27. Oasis - great first two episodes. Unfortunately it was not a two ep show. The performances are solid but the story is just not there - the effect is like a fancy chef making an amazing sauce to put on pig slop.

26. Boyhood - it's not you, it's me in action. I can see why people would like it but a 34-year old playing a high schooler in a Weak Hero Class 1 Slapstick Edition is no go for me.

25. Castaway Diva - it's so precious and kooky in the most annoying ways, with the most well-adjusted abused castaway in history. I like magic realism when done by Jorge Amado, but this ain't Amado.

24. Island - it had a good concept, good cast and fun visuals but the execution deserved one of ML's swords through the neck.

23. The Worst of Evil - if I wanted an American show, I'd watch one. Very solid performances though.

22. Song of the Bandits - period edition of what I said about The Worst of Evil.

21. Welcome to Samdalri - and goodbye to any hope of emotional involvement.

20. Joseon Attorney - I have yet to like a single sageuk centered around a profession and this was not an exception. I guess it could be worse but it also could have been so much better.

19. Twinkling Watermelon - everyone loved this drama. Everyone except for me. It's the kind of precious that sets my teeth on edge and I couldn't stand half the main characters we were supposed to root for. I guess I like my fruits to shine steadily.

18. Our Blooming Youth - probably the biggest disappointment on this list. This is not a bad drama by any means, but with that cast and that story (I loved the novel), I was hoping for a memorable sageuk not merely all right.

17. Vigilante - it has the emotional complexity and nuance of a punch to the throat but it gives us quasi-gay openly-murderous dudes going after psychos and Yoo Ji Tae holding feral Nam Joo Hyuk by his hoodie at his feet.

16. The Forbidden Marriage - expected nothing but it was a surprisingly enjoyable trifle of a costume drama that was also quite pretty.

15. Arthdal Chronicles: Sword of Aramun - a hot mess but such an entertaining epic one. And it gave us TWO Lee Jun Kis in period gear and who am I to cavil at the bounty of God?

14. The Story of Park's Marriage - it's a trifle, a souffle, so light it might blow away, but it keeps my attention and is so fun and sweet.

13. My Lovely Liar - a huge surprise, that manages to mix a murder mystery and a romcom, and shocked me by showing Hwang Minhyun can act.

12. Tale of the Nine Tailed 1938 - the original ToNT was my fave drama of its year and I did not think it needed a sequel. But this is not a sequel but more of a side-quel and is such a total delight with brotherly love, adventures, romance and hijinks. It's a joy.

11. Perfect Marriage Revenge - it's actually very hard to do a soap right but this slim 12 ep drama managed. So fun, so crazy, such a good ship!

10. My Lovely Boxer - not really about sports, but about two broken people finding salvation because of and in each other. Also, if you like age gap romances, this is delicious. Sort of loses steam by the end but c’est la vie.

9. The Secret Romantic Guesthouse - this was a sageuk that was not on my radar with a bunch of actors I was not familiar with but it took my heart away. A good plot that was perfectly paced, characters and ships I adored, a logical ending. This is one of the biggest positive surprises of the year for me.

8. Tell Me That You Love Me - a slice of life remake (sort of, it's more "inspired by") of my favorite jdrama of all time. It's not as good as the jdrama because nothing could be, but it's an aching lovely story with some incredible performances.

7. See You In My 19th Life - funny and romantic and haunting and hopeful and odd. This was one of my favorites of the year.

6. Alchemy of Souls: Light and Shadow - it's rare for me to like a (1) sequel (2) with FL actress change (3) that is a Hong Sisters drama. But this was such a gorgeous, surprisingly achy story of love and loss and love regained with some cool monster fighting in the middle. Between the two seasons, this is the first Hong Sisters' drama I enjoyed from beginning to end in well over a decade.

5. My Demon - so tropey (chaebols, supernaturals) but it proves that these tropes are popular for a reason. The chemistry is fire, the story is unpredictable and the whole thing is an addictive delight. A rare drama where I like each new ep more than the last one.

4. Goryeo Khitan War - an old school sageuk in every meaning of the term (no romance, no eye candy, lots of bearded men, battles and politics), this feels like watching an epic movie more than a drama. The vast cast all earns their place and the performances (mainly from character actors given a chance to shine) are incredible.

3. Call It Love - two very very damaged people finding love and healing with each other. This is a narrative very hard to do to my satisfaction but when it's done well, as here, there are few things that can hold a candle to it.

2. My Dearest - a masterpiece of cinematography, narrative, performances. This is an old-school epic romance in the best sense of the term. If it doesn't make you swoon or break your heart, there is something wrong with you. A story of two untraditional, strong-willed, flawed people who fall in love in the middle of the horrifying Qing invasion of Korea and have to deal with all that the world throws at them, this is a bona fide masterpiece.

1 - Moon in the Day - who knew my favorite kdrama of the year will star a store brand Domyoji from Extraordinary You and an actress I was never familiar with. But this part period/part modern fantasy tale of doomed cursed lovers is everything I knew I wanted and everything I didn't know I wanted but did. Two lovers where their love did not save them and in modern day it might not again, has got me obsessed the way I haven't been in years.

FAVORITE DRAMA

Moon in the Day - if there is such a thing as a drama made perfectly for me, this gorgeous, emotionally haunting, utterly romantic, twisty tale is it.

WORST DRAMA

The Escape of the Seven. This drama is proof that demons exist and not sexy ones like Song Kang but horrible nasty ones who delight in the torment this hot mess inflicted on its viewers.

FAVORITE MALE CHARACTER

Do Ha, Moon in the Day - a Silla general and a consummate killer who committed atrocities on the orders of his monster father and yearned to die for them, who found the meaning in life in loving his enemy but it did not make him better, a man so obsessed he literally was around for 1500 years of horrifying ghostly existence and still went "worth it" for a woman who killed him as long as he knew she loved him while she did it. He's intense and competent and beyond fucked up and has never had a normal day and I love him so so so very much from a safe distance.

FAVORITE FEMALE CHARACTER

Gil Chae, My Dearest - she starts out as vain and spoiled but the horrors that break so many others bring out all her fierce survivor potential and she becomes such a force of nature - capable of incredible love but also sacrifice and strength and compassion.

Runner Up: Shin Hye Sun's reincarnator in See You In My 19th Life - quirky, damaged, strong, so odd and so vulnerable at once.

NEEDS TO BE MURDERED

There are a lot of characters who fit that category (King Injo in My Dearest? My God) but the crown belongs to So Ri Bu from Moon in the Day. You think you've seen abusive parents but until you've seen a man abuse his son his whole life and then continue for 1500 years after his death, you ain't seen nothing!

FAVORITE SHIP

The doomed by the narrative OTP of Moon in The Day. Only thing that's better than enemies to lovers is enemies while lovers and their impossible relationship where her killing him is a supreme act of love and his refusing to let go is so strong that he stays around for 1500 years watching her, helpless as she dies over and over again, is everything you ever want.

Runner up: Jang Hyun/Gil Chae, My Dearest. They are so strong and so damaged and it takes them so long to figure out what they feel and what the other person feels but their love and sacrifice and complexities are perfect.

FAVORITE SECONDARY OTP

Kim Shi Yeol/Hong Joo, The Secret Romantic Guesthouse - an assassin bodyguard pretending to be a carefree scholar and a widow of the man he killed to protect his king (and whose life was destroyed as a result.) I enjoyed the main OTP of this drama but I was utterly and completely unhinged for the secondary couple.

I'd have probably picked Rang and his mermaid from TotNT 1938 even over them, but they really were the main OTP of that drama.

NOTP

King the Land couple seems like an easy target but honestly, they are both so terribly bland and antiseptic and marketing by committee, they kinda deserve each other. So I am gonna go with Destined with You, one half of which thinks supernaturally roofying someone into loving them is cute and the other half thinks dating one woman while wooing another is totally a-ok. Ugh.

FAVORITE SCENE

There is no competition for the scene in the slave market in My Dearest, where Jang Hyun finds Gil Chae - the way he screams and tries to clutch the hem of her skirt will live in my head forever.

And the scene where he 'wins' that horrifying bet, or the scene where she finds him in a pile of bodies - they are as good also. Or when he fights off a squad to protect her even though he's sick. That whole drama is perfect.

Runner up: the scene of Do Ha executing Ri Ta's family, covered in blood, as she looks at him from the crowd in Moon in the Day.

Or the scene where he talks about how he cannot live as a person but at least maybe she will kill him and he will die as one. Or when her confession in the past intercuts with his walking in the present, or when he comes home in his bloodied armor and she finds he has a fever and it's the first tender touch he's probably ever known. Her murdering So Ri Bu saying she knows she's going against filial piety in loving her parents' murderer, the way they hug, both bloody, as he says "let's live." The way she says she can't go on as she's hit rock bottom and he replies she cannot quit because she must accompany him to his rock bottom now. Honestly, the drama is a font of amazingness.

Also, the opening scene of Goryeo Khitan War or the scene of Yang Gyu ordering to shoot the captives and having to do so himself.

The OTP meeting again at the intersection at the end of ep 1 of Tell Me That You Love Me. SHS comforting ABH as he's having a traumatic breakdown in 19th Life. The love-making scene in Call It Love. There were a lot of great scenes this year.

BIGGEST CRUSH

Lee Jang Hyun, My Dearest - is that even a competition? He's flawed - vain, often emotionally closed off, not great at processing emotions, lashing out when hurt. He is also incredibly heroic in a real, knows the cost but bears it, kind of way. Whatever he does, he commits utterly but it's never without understanding the cost. He felt both larger than life and utterly real. He went through hell and maintained his soul and the way he loved Gil Chae was breath-taking to behold.

Runner Up: Yang Gyu, Goryeo Khitan War - an experienced military commander who wins an impossible victory even as it ravages his soul. Competence is sexy as fuck.

BEST SCENE STEALER CHARACTER

Rang, Tale of the Nine Tailed 1938 - 1938 really was Rang's chance to shine and he took it. For a character I started out disliking in the original, he really stole my entire heart in this drama. I am so glad he got his happy ending with his brother and his girl.

Runner Up: Crown Prince, My Dearest. He started out as a sheltered, spoiled aristocrat, convinced the world owed him for existing. He grew up slowly and painfully into an amazing man. And then was murdered for it and I cried.

NEEDS A SEQUEL

Arthdal - it leaves the story at a good stopping point but it's very much a "world in flux, adventures and conflicts continue" ending and I would love to see more of these characters. I know we won't but it would have been nice.

NEEDS SCISSORS TAKEN TO IT

Behind Your Touch - should have been snipped at birth.

TOO MANY SCISSORS TAKEN TO IT

Vigilante - I don't mean it had scissors taken to it because it's not cdrama and there is no NRTA, but this drama would have benefitted from being longer. I mean, I love fights and gay polycules as much as the next tumblr person but a bit more character development would not have come amiss. (ahaha - I said come. Leave me alone.)

TROPE THAT NEEDS TO DIE

I don't care about cops/doctors/trash collectors/whoever - workplace drama centering on their "cases" needs to die. I hate procedurals from any country and Korea is no exception.

FAVORITE TROPE WE’VE SEEN A LOT OF

Supernatural critter devoted to their OTP with all the power of their long life.

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT

Our Blooming Youth - it was far from terrible but it was a giant meh. I was so excited to see Park Hyung Sik in a sageuk (that wasn't the hot mess that was Hwarang) and I adored the source novel. It actually started well and then...it's like Revenge of the Beige!

BIGGEST GOOD SURPRISE

I want to say Moon in the Day but to be honest, I was excited by posters and trailers so it wasn't wholly a surprise despite not having much of an opinion on the actors before I saw them. So I am going to say My Demon. I was bored by the trailers, I can't remember the last time I enjoyed a Kim Yoo Jung drama and before this year I would have said Song Kang was an incredibly limited actor in everything I've seen him in and not appealing to me at all. And here I am rabidly rabiding for this drama!

If I am not limiting myself to dramas but can use this for actors - Hwang Minhyun in My Lovely Liar. I genuinely did not think the man could act and then he gave such a pitch-perfect, nuanced performance out of nowhere!

2023 DRAMAS I HAVEN’T SEEN THAT I MOST WANT TO WATCH

I have actually watched all the kdramas that aired this year that I wanted to check out except for Evilive. I am saving this for when I have time.

BEST NON-2023 DRAMA I’VE WATCHED IN 2023

I don't know if I'd say it's the best but Say You Love Me (2004) with Kim Rae Won as a quasi monk seduced away from his true love by an evil older woman was a hell of a ride.

MOST ANTICIPATED

Love Song for Illusion (Lady assassin falls for her royal target who has two personalities), Captivating the King (lady spy falls for her royal target who is tormented) - notice a theme? Also Flower that Blooms at Night because Honey Lee in a sageuk, The Life of Mrs Ock (Lim Ji Yeon in a sageuk), The Love Story of Chun Hwa (an "erotic" sageuk, hmmmm, what?!), Hong Rang (Lee Jae Wook in a super angst sageuk), Queen Woo (that cast and set in Goguryeo!), Wong Kyung (about Lee Bang Won's wife and I love the cast.) Basically, if it's period, I am there with bells on.

#kdrama #year in review #my dearest #moon in the day #call it love #tell me that you love me #goryeo khitan war #tale of the nine tailed 1938 #tale of the nine tailed: 1938 #The Secret Romantic Guesthouse #my demon #the story of park's marriage contract #perfect marriage revenge #Alchemy of Souls: Light and Shadow #see you in my 19th life #my lovely boxer

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egoistrin · 3 months

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letters from the past

DILUC RAGVINDR X FEM!READER

[🐰] angst. female reader. use of the word y/n. hurt no comfort. mentions of diluc's past/lore. may contain typos and grammatical errors. this is cross-posted on my ao3 account. likes and reblogs are very much appreciated!

Dear Diluc,

I heard from the knights that you had left Mondstadt and went on your way to pursue people who had given your father the delusion. I assume you are on your way to Snezhnaya? The Fatui are mighty and I hope you know that but I know I cannot change your mind as you are as stubborn as ever. You are doing this to give justice to your father's death, Mr. Crepus was a good man and he didn't deserve to be disrespected by Mr. Eroch. I truly understand your decision. However, these are just my thoughts as a knight. I hope you do not mind me babbling about my feelings as someone who holds you dear to my heart.

I cannot accept the news that you had left Mondstadt. I hate it as it was the first thing that I heard in the morning. You know me well enough to know that I do not want to hear this information. So, why? I could always help you, Diluc. Why did not you consult me? I thought you trusted me? We have gone through so many talks about this already. Did you not promise me? I understand your grieving but I do not understand your rash decisions to leave the city and go risk your life hunting the Fatuis. It will not go well as Snezhnaya has the most powerful military in all of Teyvat. Why do you have to be stubborn? Why can you not just let Grand Master Varka and Jean handle the situation? At the end of the day, Mr. Crepus is already dead. A mere person like me cannot change the hard-headed Diluc Ragnvindr. If this letter finds you, you are not obligated to reply. Safe travels, Diluc.

From, Y/n

No matter how many times Diluc had read this letter, he always felt the twinge of pain in his chest. He finds himself thinking of the answers he can give Y/n in her letter but he chose to be quiet. It is better this way. He is not sure if his answer would suffice to cover all her questions or not. He would rather feel miserable than face her again.

After all, is it not a bit scandalous to talk to a married woman in his manor?

Diluc puts the letter down and his eyes roam at the table. He was about to organize the papers when he saw the other letter written by Y/n. Compared to the first letter, this one appears the latest and less crumpled than the other one. He took a deep breath before opening the letter, preparing himself not to breakdown as he already knows the content of the letter like the back of his hand.

Diluc finds himself questioning if he is a masochist or not. I mean, why would you even read the letter your ex-girlfriend sent you? Finally, he opened the paper, and beautiful handwriting greets Diluc's eyes.

To Diluc Ragnvindr,

I hope you are having a good day Mr. Diluc. I have heard from Lisa that you came back from your adventure yesterday. I am disappointed as I cannot greet you in person as I was busy dealing with work. It has been four years since you left Mondstadt. I assume you had your questions answered now? I assume yes, 4 years' worth of traveling and not even a single clue? Impossible, you are a well-capable man, Mr. Diluc. Kaeya told me you left your vision.... I do not know what to say, I deduced that you used your father's delusion to survive. That is dangerous but never mind, the fact that you are home now puts my mind at ease.

This is probably not the right time to say this but I am now married. My parents decided to put me into an arranged marriage as they could not stand the sight of me waiting for a man whose return is unknown. I tried to oppose them, insisting on waiting for you but as time goes by I can no longer hold on. This is not your fault Diluc, I have come to accept my fate. I am just a mere woman compared to your father. I understand that you would choose to avenge your father's death than fulfill a stupid promise to marry me. I hope that one day, you can let go of your past and decide to move on from all of the things that happened. In that way, you can find your happiness and find someone you love. I have faith in you, I will forever cherish you and our memories together.

From, Y/n L/n

Words cannot describe how Diluc wants to hold you in his arms and apologize for being away from you the whole time. Yes, he needs to search for clues behind his father's death but he cannot stand letting you go. He finds himself wishing for another chance to makeup the time that he missed with you, a chance to redo his mistake, and a chance to spend time with his family again. He cannot help thinking that this is all his fault, from his father's death, his and Kaeya's fight, and to your marriage to another man. But alas, he cannot turn back time. Yet he still holds that prayer tight, If Barbatos is listening to him right now he just hopes that He will give Diluc a chance to live his life again.

He holds your letter tight to his chest as tears sprung down from his eyes. Someone walking on him crying is not his concern right now, he can easily order them to forget what they saw.

Who would have expected that Diluc Ragnvindr can cry from just a single letter? But Diluc has always been emotional, he just tries his best not to show any emotion as he claims himself not the same anymore. Most people see Diluc as grumpy but he is not. He is just reserved, a fragile person, that is. A single letter from his past is sufficient for Diluc to show emotions.

[🐰]. i miss diluc so much for real 😭 i need more of his lore !!! hoyoverse give us more diluc crumbs !!! i miss my man !!! i still remember the time that i rlly wanted diluc so much... sighsss... good times fr. reblogs guys plss!

#genshin impact #genshin x reader #genshin impact x reader #diluc ragvindr #diluc x reader #diluc hcs #genshin diluc #genshin impact imagines #diluc ragnvindr x reader #diluc ragnvindr fluff #genshin impact angst #genshin angst #diluc angst #diluc x you #🐰 [genshin impact]#🐰.writings #genshin impact drabbles

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flagbridge · 3 months

Text

Q&A: The Phantom Broadway Proshot

Happy 36th Birthday to Phantom of the Opera's opening night on Broadway! We should be celebrating at the Majestic. The show never should have closed.

In order to create "new" ish POTO Broadway content, @or-what-you-will and I promised to answer your questions about the proshot on POTO Broadway's birthday. Find our summary of the Proshot here.

We got dozens of questions, which we've consolidated into 14 questions. Read them all past the cut!

Wait, what’s the Phantom Proshot?

The Phantom Proshot is an archival copy of the original Broadway cast and production of Phantom of the Opera, filmed at the evening performance with a live audience on May 25, 1988. The New York Public Library, Theatre on Film and Tape Archive at the Performing Arts Library at Lincoln Center has archival copies of Broadway, Off-Broadway, and Regional theater going back to 1970. You can’t view currently running shows, so since Phantom ran for so long, it was under lock and key.

2. How do I see the Pro-Shot?

Pretty simple how to guide here on the NYPL website.

We are both NYPL cardholders and made a reservation in advance. You are required to state why you are accessing the recording as they exist for archival and research purpose. Both of us are published authors and researchers under our real names.

Here's a picture of the room we were in from NYPL's website. We had an appointment and were set up in a room with lots of monitors. We were seated at monitors next to each other with two sets of headphones and had one set of controls to pause/rewind etc. There are 20 monitors in the room and it was pretty full that day. This was not my first time at the TOFT and it’s always had a good number of people around.

3. Can someone get a boot of it/send me the link to it? Pleeeeease?

No. Seriously, stop asking about this. Stop joking about this. It’s not online, and never will be. All of the recordings are on digital media (videodiscs or DvDs) in the basement and only library staff get to touch them. Don’t be the person who tried to do this and ruins the archive for everyone else. You can’t even bring electronic devices into the room.

4. Why won’t they release it to the public? And who the heck does it benefit to keep this locked away?

It isn’t. It was locked away when the show was actually running. It is available to the public. We are the public! We have library cards and went to a public library and watched it for $0! It’s owned by the library so the public can see it! At the library!

The availability of us to access it now that the show has closed is what constitutes public release. There were several other phans, members of the public there to see it after us, and the library allowed them to max out the number of monitors the library allows people to view on. They had a later appointment and were watching disc one when we were on disc two. I’m sure there was someone after them too. Were we all wearing Phantom gear? Also yes.

(@or-what-you-will here) The library is not allowed to show recordings of anything currently running on Broadway, presumably because of fears about economic loss from those who own the rights to the musicals. The library does not own the rights to the musicals in the archive, and there are likely a lot of stipulations the library has to follow to be able to have recordings like this.

As someone who works in a library doing digitization work, libraries and the media they contain are very complicated. TOFT likely has the rights to show it under a very limited license, and to make copies for preservation purposes only, but things like this mean they would not be able to do anything like put it online or charge for it or do anything that would be them acting as though they owned the copyright (as opposed to the physical media). This is why when a library or archive has a book or tapes they don’t usually have the right to photocopy the entire book or digitize the entire tape and put it online (unless it is in public domain), however, if you go in person you can see it all you want. Someone else (usually the creator) owns the right to distribute or copy, and libraries and archives can get in a lot of trouble for violating it.

The copyright is still owned by the holders of each respective musical’s copyright. It’s essentially like when you buy a DVD and you are technically not supposed to copy that DVD but you can invite your friends over to watch it at your house. Copying it and distributing it violates copyright. Putting it online violates copyright. If the library violated copyright it would likely lose the ability to archive musicals altogether. If you copied the DVD it would be a lot harder to find out who put it up because the DVD is owned by lots of people, though you could still be prosecuted by the law. If the library did, they would know immediately who did it because they are presumably the only ones with a copy of this recording.

Likewise if someone took a bootleg recording of a show and distributed it, the copyright holders wouldn’t know it existed. If they found out that individual would then be eligible to be prosecuted under the law. Because the library is a public institution, if they were found out to be doing this, it would be the library itself that would get in trouble and it would damage their reputation, their funding, and quite possibly the funding and reputation of libraries around the world. A lot of this is done on trust. The copyright holders trust the library as a public institution and the library has a lot more stakes in the game than a single person recording the show and distributing it.

It’s a very tenuous agreement at times, and likely the library is only allowed to even record because there are so many protections in place and they have a history of enforcing these rules. These agreements also usually cover digitization and preservation, but again, violating them could have those abilities taken away as well. It’s all tied up in copyright law and the library has no control over that. I have talked to archivists where I live who have to record performances with tape over the lens because it’s considered for preservation and they want to make sure it cannot be possible to profit off of it in any way.

When the show goes into public domain they will be able to put it online all they want without fear of repercussions, but until then, unless those agreements change, we are all limited by the whim of the copyright holders.

5. Hello! Is the pro shot you watched what this clip is from https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cp2_80CJqI3/?igsh=MWNja2wwYWw4OHUwbw== ?

I know all of us here on Tumblr were freaking out that they maybe had a copy of the pro shot when this came out. Thank you! (@imstillhere-butallislost)

Not the proshot, it's a press reel. It has its own cool story though! Answered this here.

6. How good of a shot was it? I know you said ProShot but is it a ProShot like Hamilton or just a camera recording the whole stage at once?

I’d definitely say it was Hamilton pro-shot quality as to what was available at the time between image quality and mixing up of close ups and wide shots. I’ve watched other proshots and many just park a camera in the back of the orchestra and call it good. Cats in particular had multiple cameras but just did close-ups when they felt like it, not when it made sense or added anything. As @or-what-you-will explained in their re-blog, Phantom was one of the first proshots where they had a soundboard plug in, and let me tell you, with the exception of a few moments in Act 1 where Sarah Brightman maxes out her mic, the sound was delicious. Have we talked about how Judy Kaye is singing over the overture (yes, that’s Judy Kaye, original Carlotta, warming up!)? Or that you can hear every single word of Notes I and Prima Donna and Notes II, which usually just sounds garbled because everyone is singing over one another? Actually hearing words that I sort of know exist changed my experience of the show for me.

7. How did the tempo seem, compared to the pace of the show at the end of its run? I saw the show a few times in the last few years, and the music seemed significantly faster in person than it sounded on the London cast recording. I’ve always wondered if that was just a difference between the London and NY productions, or if the tempo just sped up over the years.

Uh…normal pace??? I’ve watched a lot of boots and most solidly clock in 2:15 of run time. This was no different. There are definitely some that run a little faster. London during Earl Carpenter’s 2023 run was notorious as he had to catch a train. It does seem to have settled back out. I will say, the music does always feel more intense in person because the whole place just vibrates.

8. I'm curious about the comment about the Ratcatcher? I think I remember that character from a film adaptation, but was he ever in the ALW musical? (@lord-valery-mimes)

Yes, Ratcatcher is still in the musical, even now. It’s a blink or you miss it type of moment. If you hear a thud and a scream right before Madame Giry tells Raoul “He lives across the Lake, Monsieur”, the thud is the ratcatcher running across the travelator.

9. Does Christine really recognize the Phantom in PONR from his boner?

No, but at this point she probably already know it’s him and has been trying to get through the scene, but definitely acts surprised because, well, that’s surprising. But it’s definitely the moment where the Vibes Are Officially Off.

10. Can Sarah Brightman act?

Yes! All three of the trio have far more nuanced performances on stage. Sarah doesn’t act the way that we do see many later Christines (including late 80s and early 90s Christines), but she absolutely created the blueprint for the role. Her “Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again” is missing some soul, but at the end of the day she was one of a kind, and she made some very strong acting choices.

11. there anything unexpected? Any interpretation that stood out to you and particularly striking but didn’t stick around as others took on the roles and put their own spin on things?

Guys, I want to talk about Steve Barton as Raoul. The man made choice, after choice, after choice. And yet we have had so many Raoul’s that are kind of just strutting about looking pretty. Some seem to even forget they’re onstage during Final Lair. It can be such a juicy role if the actors choose to make it that way but so few do.

Besides some small details I mentioned, the show did maintain its integrity through its 35 year run, which is truly remarkable.

(@or-what-you-will here) Seconding what Flag said, Steve Barton brought so much more to the role than I’m used to seeing, and it really opened my mind to what Raoul could be.

The blocking in PONR did surprise me, I knew they had changed it but I hadn’t realized how much. I always found the kind of pinwheeling arm thing Christine does with the phantom strange, so it was a pleasant surprise to find that they didn’t do that at all, the embrace from behind made more sense to me.

I also found after she took his hood off no one really ran out, the phantom and Christine got to have their moment. The blocking where they (the managers and Raoul) run out and tell Christine to stay makes no sense with their motivations to stop him. The more recent blocking where Christine motions them to stay in place as the phantom sings the All I Ask of You Reprise makes way more sense with the characters’ motives and matches this original blocking much more.

12. Also are you truly working on a research project? If so, how is progress and where might we find your final results when it’s complete?

To quote Dr. Who, “Spoilers.” Yes, always. Both of us have day jobs that have us doing research, but I can’t promise I’ll put it on here when complete since I keep fandom and real life separate. Sorry to dodge this one but getting into specifics about this starts to identify us.

(@or-what-you-will here) Seconding what Flag said.

13. Hi there, I was wondering if I could ask you a general question about the NPL’s archive. Something about the language on their website made it sound like viewers could only watch a recording “once”. I wasn’t sure if that meant “once per visit” (i.e. you can’t sit there for 8 hours restarting the tape every time it ends) or “once” as in forever (like, once you’ve watched a recording you are never allowed to request it again). Did you have any clarification? I wasn't sure if the librarians explain the policies when you arrive at your appointment. Thank you for providing so many details about the Phantom pro-shot and offering to answer our questions! That's really kind of you!

You’re welcome! So if there’s nobody after you, you can hang out with the media as long as you want. However, we did have another group come in about 90 minutes after us. That gave us enough time to watch both acts with all the rewinds we wanted. We watched PONR and parts of Final Lair like five times. On a previous TOFT trip I watched two shows and was there for like six hours. The prohibition is on coming back and watching the recording again. I have no idea how strict they are about this, although I suspect it’s to keep people from monopolizing certain media. Would I want to try to watch the proshot again in the future? Probably! I know there’s stuff I missed, or I’d see something different depending on what I’m working on. The TOFT is also an absolutely incredible resource and I have so many other shows I’d like to check out.

(Will here) They do log on your library account when you visit that you visited and what you saw. However, if you have accessibility needs that would require you to watch in multiple viewings or something along those lines, I would talk to them about it, because I’m sure they’d be able to work with you to figure out something so you wouldn’t have to sit through the whole thing in one shot.

14. > Barton Raoul’s “There is no Phantom of the Opera” comes off more as “Christine this is just some dude” vs “he doesn’t exist at all.”

Could you elaborate on this part? I'm having trouble imagining how that would be conveyed. (also, thanks for sharing your notes on the procast!) @clutzyangel

You're welcome! Yes, he's telling Christine that the Phantom is a human, flesh-and-blood man, not some fantastical creature. I've seen many Raouls who seem to try to convince Christine that the Phantom doesn't exist at all. Barton's Raoul seems to understand that he's a man with ulterior motives possibly duping Christine.

And he's not wrong.

#phantom of the opera #poto #alw phantom #phantom proshot #happy birthday phantom broadway #phantom broadway #michael crawford #sarah brightman #steve barton #judy kaye #andrew lloyd webber #nypl #research #I wish Phantom were still be on broadway #we should all be wilding out at the majestic

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anatee · 10 months

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A rainy night | Kylo Ren x Reader

A rainy night | Kylo Ren x Wife!Reader One Shot

Word count: 1.13K

Author’s note: This is my first attempt at something this short. Something soft laced with angst if you squint your eyes. No smut, no warnings, almost unlike me.

Nights full of tossing and turning weren't unfamiliar to Y/N. It was always just her, the darkness of the room and haunting sleeplessness every time her husband was away.

Kylo Ren was no ordinary man in many aspects. Many quivered at the mere sight of him, and she knew how powerful he was, how strong the Force was with him. However, it did not stop her from worrying about him every time she knew he was off fighting his enemies, a knot in her stomach forming at the mere thought of him getting hurt.

And that particular night was no different. Rain was rattling against the windows, the sound echoing against the walls of the spacious, dark bedroom Y/N was completely alone in. She let out a sigh, the silky sheets rustling as she turned again. That uneasy feeling in her chest was almost unbearable; the darkest thoughts were racing through her mind, not allowing her any moment of peace.

And then came a loud slam, one she knew did not come from the raging storm. It came from inside the marvellous house she could live in, being the wife of the Supreme Leader himself. Someone slammed the front door, and her heart leaped.

"Love?" She sat up immediately. "Is that you?"

"Yes." The voice that answered her was a familiar one; it was the deep and raspy tone she adored, but at that time, it sounded almost... Broken.

She slid off the bed immediately, quickly tying the silky bathrobe over her revealing nightgown. She heard heavy footsteps, very slow ones, that made her worry greatly.

Her heart sank when she entered the dark hallway. Even in the poor light the single window offered, she could see the figure of her husband, slouched and without his helmet on. He looked completely exhausted, but did give her the smallest of smiles when he saw her.

"Oh, Kylo." She let out a breath she didn't even know she was holding, then ran up to him and embraced him immediately. "What happened? I was so worried."

She felt him raise one of his arms slowly and wrap it around her, keeping her close. He let out a long, deep breath; it seemed like he needed that even more than air.

"Not everything went according to plan," he replied quietly after a moment of silence. "But it doesn't matter. They won't stop me. They can never win."

"It only matters to me that you're back," she whispered quickly, taking a step back to look into his eyes. She intended to put her hand on his cheek, and that was when he flinched slightly, making her gasp in realisation.

"You're hurt," she said breathlessly, unpleasant shivers rushing down her spine.

"Don't worry." Kylo grabbed her hand with his own gloved one, guiding her to the part of his face which was free of wounds. "I had it taken care of."

She took a deep breath, knowing he would not give up. "Is there anything you need?"

"You," he replied quietly, cupping her face with his large hands. Even in the darkness, she could see the emotions in his eyes, and it was pure love he was looking at her with, a sight for sore eyes after the horrible things he had seen.

He slid his hands down her body and brought her close again, allowing her to rest her weight on his broad chest and shoulder. He closed his eyes, resting his chin on her head as he breathed in that familiar scent of hers; his breathing was slow but loud, complete exhaustion speaking through him. After a moment, he lowered his head to leave one longing kiss on her lips, savouring the moment for a while.

Then, with a swift move of his strong arms, he scooped her off the floor almost effortlessly.

"You sure you're not too tired for this? Too hurt?" she asked, surprised, but not opposed to being in his arms.

"For this?" He let out the smallest chuckle, a tired, but sincere one. "Never." He leaned his forehead against hers, nuzzling against her like a cat. He started walking towards their bedroom, then set her down on the bed as delicately as possible, as if she were the most fragile treasure in the world, acting completely opposite to what the deadly weapon at his belt suggested.

He kissed her softly on the forehead, leaning over her. "Why weren't you asleep?" he asked huskily, true fear for her speaking through him.

"I was worried."

Kylo let out a sigh. He knew she was, yet he was

not the best with words, unsure how to tell her how much he worried, too, and how he appreciated that she always waited for him despite his long periods of absence.

He grabbed the lightsaber at his belt and took it off, then left it on the bedside table. She then watched him pull off his gloves and toss them to the floor, the sounds of the heavy rain still filling up the room. In almost hesitant moves, he began caressing her face, now with his bare hand. She enjoyed the warmth of his large palm rubbing onto her while he studied her face with it as if he were blind, trying to make out each shape to remember it.

She raised her own hand to tangle it into his luscious hair, stroking his head. They both needed each other's touch badly, to cure themselves, to heal all the gashes made not by weapons, but by the yearning. The expression on his face was clear; he was exhausted, and something was trembling inside him, she could see it.

"Are you sure your injuries are fine?"

"Yes," he replied huskily, still caressing her face. "I just..."

"Just what?"

He looked down for a moment, hesitant, then took a deep breath. His lips trembled before he managed to utter:

"I want you close. Just... Just close."

"Then by all means..." she replied with a soft smile.

Kylo lowered himself until he came to rest his head on her chest like on a pillow, breathing loudly in the process. It seemed that was the first moment the stress started coming off of him, as he nuzzled into her, craving the warmth and comfort she provided.

She embraced his large figure, then began stroking his hair again. Feeling his heartbeat against her own skin made her determined to calm it down. At that moment, he was completely vulnerable, allowing her to do absolutely anything she wanted to. The rain was still knocking on the glass, but that sound was a blessing to both of them.

He sighed eventually, not moving an inch away from her, as if scared she could disappear at any moment. "I would be hollow without you."

#kylo #ren #kylo ren #ben solo #star wars #kylo ren x reader #x reader #one shot #star wars one shot #star wars fanfiction #kylo ren fanfiction #fanfiction #ff #fanfic

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wordsinhaled · 10 months

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saw this post by @cuubism and my hand slipped...

In all honesty, Dream cannot say that he has ever thought about it until this moment. Yet Hob's expression is open and free of any judgment. It does not seem to matter to him that Dream comes to this with no experience. In fact, if the way his eyes are beginning to sparkle is any indication, Hob would take pleasure in initiating Dream to an act of pleasure he has heretofore denied himself, and only seen in snatches of others' reveries.

But Dream must take too long to respond, because Hob shifts away from him on the couch, as if to concede the matter. It is then that Dream realizes how close together they had come to be sitting over the course of the evening; knows it by the sudden absence of warmth where Hob's thigh had been pressed flush to his own through scant layers of cloth.

"It's alright," Hob says. Is Dream imagining the hint of disappointment in his voice? Or the way Hob's gaze flicks for an ephemeral second down to Dream's lips? "Of course. Just because you haven't—well, that doesn't mean you'd want it to be—"

"I would not be opposed," Dream cuts in.

"I've gone and put you on the sp—" Hob stops short, blinking. "Oh. Really? With me?"

"Yes." Dream smiles. "Indeed." He cannot remember when he last did so. This time Hob certainly tracks the curve of his mouth, and avidly at that. Dream finds himself pleased to hold Hob's attention. The joy that unfurls in him at the knowledge of being wanted is surprising; it has been long since Dream felt it.

And now Hob is grinning back, a roguish tilt of a thing he has never directed at Dream before. "Well," Hob says. "In that case, you should know, Dream, that I've had several lifetimes to think about this rather a lot. "

Dream should know, just as he knows all else that happens in the Dreaming. And yet he does not, for in all the centuries of their friendship he has not once allowed himself to look in on Hob Gadling's nightly wanderings through his realm. "Tell me what you have thought about, then. Or perhaps... show me."

He holds his body quite still, unused to the tension coiling through him. While the sensation of desire is not, precisely, new, the freedom to desire Hob in specific is uncharted territory. All of him seems to thrum at the unexpected promise of it.

Hob moves closer, so that Dream can feel the heat of him again. “Kissing you. Nice and simple, yeah? Could start with that.”

"You may," Dream agrees.

He sounds perhaps more breathless than magnanimous, courtesy of this Waking vessel and its fallible lungs, but Hob's answering laugh as he leans in is grateful and giddy as a schoolboy's, so Dream supposes they are evenly matched.

#*emerges from months of writing hibernation* is this anything #drops this and slinks away #the sandman #dreamling #your honor i still love them i promise #FIRST TIME DREAMLING HAS ME IN A CHOKEHOLD IT'S FINE

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werelosingdaylight · 1 year

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One day

Shuntaro Chishiya x Fem!Reader

REQUESTED? Yes • [No]

WORD COUNT: 331

SUMMARY| One day you would start your family.

Adm Note: Last post for the night! Honestly, this could be written better, but I will fix it when I wake up in the morning. I love all of your guys, Goodnight! <3

You didn’t miss the way his eyes burned into your figure as you calmed down the fussing toddler, your niece was staying with you while her father was out of town for work. She had been an angel for most of her stay but whenever it came time for her nap, she would throw a fit; all her energy was exploding at the seems, and if you could bottle it to sell you would be rich.

You ran your fingers through your nieces messy curls of hair, gently pulling apart knots in her hair, Chishiya watched with a look of longing in his eyes; you knew he would be an amazing father from how he acted with your niece.

There was only one problem; you didn’t want to have kids.

It was a conversation you two have had before, and you have said for years that you didn’t want to have children, not because you hated them; in fact it was the opposite, you adored your four year old niece. You just didn’t want to have them.

After softly tucking in your niece and pressing a kiss to her forehead, you made your way out of the room, turning off the lights until the room lit up with a gentle blue glow from her nightlight.

Chishiya was silently following you too the kitchen, where he then spoke “You’re good with her.” causing you to turn and face him.

“I know I said I don’t want to have kids but what do you think about adopting?” You didn’t want to have kids, but you wouldn’t be opposed to having kids. You didn’t want to put yourself through the pain of pregnancy and childbirth.

“It would not matter to me if we adopted or fostered kids, they would be our children and I would love them just the same.” He answered, having walked to you while talking and moved to wrap his arms over your waist.

“One day.” You answered against his lips.

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otomefiend · 6 months

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Alfons Sylvatica & Elbert Greetia

Collection Event: The past records

Chapter 1

Every little snippet makes me love Al & El even more. 🙃

A little while before the little robin got lost in the dark night...

~~~

Liam: "What are you looking at, Al? Are those photos?"

Alfons: "Mhm, from the time when Lord El was a little boy. I came across them when rummaging through the valuables in his room.

Liam: "Ahh, what a little angel."

The album held by Alfons contained many photographs of Elbert.

Alfons: "This one is from the time when a photographer came to Greetia household demanding to take a photo of El and not taking a no for an answer."

Alfons: "I felt sorry for El, who looked stiff, unable to move."

Alfons: "Here, El was 10 years old."

Alfons: "This one was taken when he was put in a dress by some pervert(s) who wanted to take pictures of him in `a cute outfit while he was still pretty`."

Alfons: "Well, he certainly looked cute."

Liam: "If you know all of this, does it mean you were already with Lord El back then?"

Alfons: "It'd seem so, yes."

Liam: "Huh? But I can only see pictures of Elbert in here and not a single one of yours, Al?"

Alfons: "I don't like photos."

Alfons: "Besides, people behind the camera were satisfied with capturing Elbert."

Alfons: "I was pouting in a corner, playing with a cat."

Liam: "Haha, you went through such a cute phase yourself."

Alfons: "Excuse me. I'm breaking the new cuteness record with every passing moment."

Liam: "Still, it seems strange. Why are you with Lord El?"

Alfons: "Why are you asking this out of the blue?"

Liam: "Because... It seems El isn't capable to live without you, Al."

Liam: "You, on the other hand, don't seem like the type to stick to one place or one person."

Alfons: "That's just like you! I'm touched that you know me so well. Look, I'm crying."

Liam: "Jeez -- let me finish."

Liam: "I just thought that there must be a deeper reason for you to have such a long and meaningful relationship with someone."

Alfons: "...There's no deep reason for it."

Alfons: "Though if I had to say something, then it'd be that I left whether to stay with him or not down to chance, after he slowly grew on me..."

Liam: "Left it to chance?"

Roger: "Are you talking about that crazy game you play against El time to time?"

Roger interjected after suddenly approaching them and taking a drink from the shelf.

Liam: "Huh? You know about it!?"

Roger: "Does it mean that you don't?"

Liam: "Eh? Am I, by chance, the only one who doesn't?"

Roger: "Well, Jude and Ellis might not know since they recently joined the Crown."

Liam: "Phew, I'm glad it's not just me then."

Alfons: "I was having a pleasant chat with Liam."

Roger: "That's fine, I just invited myself in."

Liam: "So, what's the game you've mentioned?"

Alfons: "We call it the Dead or Alive Game."

Liam: "Dead or... what? Disturbing name."

Alfons: "Heh, your eyes lit up at the mere mention of danger."

Liam: "You know that 'curiosity' is my weakness, and you're trying to tempt me."

Alfons: "-- We try it once a year."

Alfons: "Will I continue to live by Lord El's side or... will I disappear?"

Liam: "How come...?

Alfons: "Well... at first, it was just an idea."

~~~

This was shortly after I had been placed in the care of the Greetia family.

Having just lost his father, Lord Elbert was very unstable.

As Liam had said, I didn't like the idea of interfering in people's lives,

So, unsurprisingly, soon enough I felt it was time for me to leave the mansion.

I guess being young back then, my consciousness opposed to the idea of leaving him alone. I decided to make a bet.

Alfons: "Lord Elbert, I've made you some tea. Would you like a cup?"

Elbert: "...... thank you, Alfons. ...no need to call me `Lord`.".

Alfons: "It's not because of you--- it's that butler of yours being a nuisance."

Elbert: "...... then, you can call me whatever you like."

Alfons: "Why?"

Elbert: "You're... my only friend."

Alfons: "...hmm."

Alfons: "So, um, the tea."

Alfons: "Which one would you like to drink?"

~~~

Liam: "So that's how the game started? Which part of it was Dead or Alive?"

Alfons: "One of the teas I brewed was an ordinary Darjeeling tea."

Alfons: "The other cup was filled with a poison that could take you to the other side after just one mouthful!"

~~~

#ikemen villains #ikevil #alfons sylvatica #ikevil alfons #ikevil collection event #fan translation

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dawndelion-winery · 3 months

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I Like You! (Not)

Alhaitham × GN! Reader

College au! Academic Rivals to Lovers

[2] - First Date?

"So what was so important you had to meet with me all of a sudden?" Alhaitham mused, giving you his usual detached stare. You'd thanked your good track record for being able to drag him out on such short notice, knowing how often he'd declined to give his peers (sometimes even professors) the time of day.

"It's not about work...it's just, I thought you should know I've a crush on you. For um...a long time now." You did your best to put on a shy, bashful expression, as though you actually cared about how he'd respond. You'd never tried acting, so who knew if you were any good at it.

But you had to have been at least a little convincing, because he'd squinted at you for a few seconds, his shoulders tensed as you spoke of your hidden affection and how you'd tried to suppress them. Anyone who knew you personally, who had heard of the way you spoke of Alhaitham, would have absolutely cackled upon hearing your heartfelt declaration. Yet, as you finished speaking, his expression wasn't quite the one of unadulterated disgust you were hoping to see. His gaze seemed thoughtful as his posture relaxed.

"Alright."

"I know so- wait, did you say alright?" You spluttered, your practiced simper dropping in an instant for genuine shock and confusion.

"Yes, I accept," Alhaitham confirmed simply. He didn't seem particularly excited about it, but he also didn't seem the least bit bothered by it either. You, on the other hand, lacked all the vibrant enthusiasm of someone having their longtime crush accept their affection. Choking on your words lest you spat out some semblance of your hidden annoyance, you asked him why.

To which his answer was anything but satisfactory: "I don't see why I shouldn't, if you like me, I am not opposed to entering the courting stage with you."

Forget cursing Alhaitham for a quick second; curse Kunimitsu for assuring you this was a good idea. Oh you couldn't wait to hit him the next time you saw it. It was on sight!

However, your agitation would have to call itself, for Alhaitham was quick to book your afternoon schedule for your first date. He'd proposed hanging out after class so nonchalantly that you'd said yes without realising. Terribly careless, on your part. But also horribly, disgustingly, atrociously suave of him, with the way he easily took your hand to walk you back to class as though you weren't normally at his throat, like he'd done this for every day of your lives for it to be so natural.

Should anyone have seen and recognised you, you're quite sure the top the the Akademiya would've looked irresistibly jumpable. Your distaste for Alhaitham was known almost as well as your achievements, and you weren't about to have people think you were some lovesick fool picking fights with the handsome scholar for his attention. You shuddered at the thought. Maybe of you were lucky, your first date would end with a quick lunch and you could rush home to scrub all traces of his cologne off.

Taglist: @vernith @bubblegum-angelquartz

#astronetwrk #alhaitham #alhaitham x reader #genshin alhaitham #genshin impact x reader #genshin impact #genshin x reader #genshin #winery specials

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factual-fantasy · 3 months

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24 ASKS!! AAA THANK YALL SO MUCH THIS ONE WAS VERY FUN :}} ✨💖✨

Ah no worries about not understanding! I would prefer no fanart was drawn of my cookie ocs.. thank you for asking to double check though! :}}

(Post this ask is referencing)

I explain it all in this post! :00

:DD Thank you so much!! And yeah, I just didn't have the heart to keep Papyrus suffering 😭😭 as much as it really seems like I don't-- I do love Papyrus as a character. And I felt like he really deserved some kind of salvation after everything I put him through.. Also it'll make for some interesting dynamics in the group! Looking at Seam and Jevil.. 👀👀

Oh yeah, and poor Coconut. If I hadn't drawn angst of Octo already she wouldn't have been the subject this time! <XDD And thank you!! :DD I'm glad to hear that she's your favorite!! :}}

And yes! I always saw the other koopa kids- especially Ludwig- to be older than JR. Maybe its the bib-- and who knows! I tend to loop back around to old fandoms from time to time so I can see myself drawing the koopa kids again XDD

As for the Mario Movie,, shockingly enough I still haven't seen it. What can I say? I have some kind of problem upstairs I'm sure of it--

Though its interesting to hear that the movie blue shells are similar to mine! :0 And I'm honored to hear that you like my version more than the movies! :DD 💖💖

XD Its been a while since I've seen those movies. So I cant really remember much of Jack Sparrow.. but I trust that you are right! XD

@foxythefox11

XD If I do that Jangles will probably super bounce her into the sun-

And thank you! And hey, I'm sorry that you're not very confident in your artwork right now.. Just keep in mind, all it took for me was time. Your art will improve with time. Try your best to cut yourself some slack. Understand that you're still learning. We all are! Remember that your art will continue to improve if you just keep drawing!

I don't play it or know anything about it either <XDD but I'm glad you like them!! :}} ✨💖✨

(Post in question)

AWW! THAT SOUNDS ADORABLE!! 😭😭🥺💖

@solst1ce-sketches

@komikudikentalendo

Its actually the 3rd option. Usually when I'm in some kind of fandom I prefer my own AUs as opposed to others AUs or even canon. :00

That's probably becuase most of my AUs consist of removing things from canon I don't like and adding in random things that I do like-

@abaroo (Post in question)

AWWW THAT WOULD'A WORKED TOO THOUGH :(

I guess I was thinking that Frisk fully trusted Papyrus instantly. And so did not hesitate to give her cape to him 🥺💖

@natewithacake

ASKSAKSFDJ THANK YOU!! :DD MEGA HIGH FIVE VIBES FRFR!!

@skulls-and-cypresses (Post in question)

WHW- WAHG??? THAK YOU?? THANK YOU SO MUCH!! THAT'S SO KIND!! PROBABLY THE KINDEST THING ANYONE HAS EVER SAID ABOUT THE WAY I DRAW PAPYRUS!! ME?? REPRESENT HIM PERFECTLY??? WAAAA THANK OU!!! 😭😭💖😭💖💖

THANK YOU!! THANK THANK THANK YOU!! FOR EVERYTHING!! 😭😭💖💙😭😭😭

@dementia27

Aww! How cute! That might work! :000 Why do I want one now- XDD

@khoiazo

Aw, I'm sorry! <XDD I don't mean to make you sad :(((

AND YOOO!!! Its Friday when I'm answering this but the Wednesday dude is welcome any day of the week! :DD

Yeah, both canon Jevil and Spamton would be pretty dangerous to have around XDD But out of the two I think original Spamton would be interesting.. 👀

Not really for the personality, because my Spamton's personality is actually a bit similar.. but more for the visual aspect. I headcannon that canon Spamton's body shrunk when he fell into an acid pool. My Spamton fell into an acid pool as well, but it didn't shrink him. It destroyed the structure of his body and elongated him. Making him much taller and extremely deformed..

Imagine the two of them standing side by side. Original Spam would be up to my Spams knee! <XD

@minnesotamedic186

Evil voice: ehhehghehe... noted... hehehghehee

@pythecyberguy

Me when someone compliments me on the characters design that I was least confident about:

(fr tho THANK YOU!! THAT MEANS A LOT TO MEEEE😭😭💖💖😭💖 )

@nunyabusiness459 (Post in question)

Whoopsies! <XDD (jk jk light hearted--)

SHE WOULD THO XDD

I wouldn't say near-death.. Spade King didn't want to kill Jevil. So any injuries he inflicted upon him were injuries he could recover from..

@beryl-shade

Yeah :( their value to him was that of a grain of sand..

@neo-metalscottic

AAAAA THANK YOU SO MUCH!! I'M SO GLAD YOU LIKE THEM!! :DDD

As for what kind of monsters they'd face,, I'm actually unsure- I haven't played either game and I don't know any of the lore or characters.. so I'm not sure what kinds of dangers the real cookie run pirates face.. :( But what I DO know is that Blue Beauty is their main form of protection.

She's not exactly threatening to a lot of creatures I'd imagine.. She is just a Mer-whale. No teeth or stingers to make her more intimidating.. But what she is, is huge. And incredibly strong. She's a real power house and uses tools and weapons the crew taught her how to use to defend herself. And I imagine with her thick blubber, it takes a really deep wound to actually hurt her. So she doesn't fear getting a couple scratches here and there.

When it comes to the other cookies, most everyone stands up and fights. Only a select few retreat to the lower decks to protect their goods or hide. Those likely being Ellie, she's too old for this crap- and Coco and Red, though don't be fooled! Coco can fight! She's just retreating with Red in order to protect him. Everyone else though is up there duking it out with who ever dares cross their ship! ⚔⚔

@lildiaperboyjake

Ah! Sorry for the late reply, this ask got buried--

I'd like to think Funtime Freddy would have a really hard time deciding on a favorite song. California girls, call me maybe,, wannabe?? But after a loooot of careful thinking, he'd pick all star by smash mouth XD

Hello hi yes this ask was sent weeks ago but then it got lost and buried but then revived in a way that I cant explain but my intended response was--

Awwww.. imagine her in tears after drawing a picture of a little girl she remembers. She holds the drawing up to the night sky, trembling.

"S-She dreamed of seeing the stars one day.." 💔

#my response #cookie run kingdom #cookie run #cookie run ocs #my ocs #undertale #deltarune #seam and jevil #fnaf sister location #papyrus #river person

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a-world-with0ut-dr34ms · 9 months

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Ghost x Dom!Reader x Soap (Sneak Peek)

Ghost and Soap find themselves crushing on the same woman on their team, a friendly bout between two comrades to see who you'll choose, only your answer's not one they'd expected to hear.

Tags: Future NSFW 18+/Shameless Smut/PwP/MMF/some Ghostsoap, Anon Request •ᴗ• (Full tags will be used in main post), Jealousy, Banter, Flirting, Bickering, Sexual Tension, Soap and Ghost are fighting over the same girl, but it's a friendly competition, ends in a three-way too so, spoiler alert, Scarcely proofread

Masterlist

Ghost leans forward now, resting his arms on his knees and furrowing his brow. "A'right, out with it," he says. "What's your game 'ere?"

Soap's brow furrows rather facetiously. '"I'm sorry, sir?"

"Don’t play dumb Johnny." The playful tone Ghost once used before has now since cooled, growing darker. "You know wha' I'm askin'."

Soap merely smirks, resting his arm back against the couch. "The same game you're playing, yeah?"

"And what game is that, Johnny?"

Soap can't help but laugh now, growing more and more cocky with each loaded exchange. On a normal day, Ghost might manage to intimidate the Sergeant every so often with his sheer presence, let alone his words. However, when it comes to women, Soap couldn't feel more in his element, especially up against his superior.

"One I'll beat you in."

Now it's Ghost's turn to have a laugh. A subtle thing, trapped beneath the burliness of his chest, though its deep rumble is audible enough, having warmed the Scotsman's cheeks at the sound.

"I doubt that," Ghost says.

"You underestimate my charm L.T." Soap puckers his lips and kisses the air between the two men mockingly. As much as Ghost tried to hide it, the sight had made the air catch in his throat for a second. It's that usual, competitive nature about the Sergeant that really gets Ghost's blood pumping during these mutual bouts of bickering.

"My last statement still stands," Ghost chuckles. "So what? You thought I'd leave and you two would just go at it then?"

"I wouldn't say it like that," Soap says. "...But I was hoping to have some alone time with her, yes."

"And you figured on waitin' for the rest of us to vacate before making a move..." Ghost shrugs with affirmation. "...Clever man."

"Yeah, well, what about you?" Soap asks. "Clearly we're both still here for the same reason. What's your "game", L.T.?"

"It's not your concern."

Soap groans, sinking back in his seat, though he hadn't been surprised by the lieutenant's response. "Suppose it isn't, then," he says. "It's hers."

"That's right," Ghost agrees. "We can't both have her."

"Can't we?"

Ghost brings his eyes forward to Soap's, having thought his comment had been a mere joke. However, once their gazes matched, Ghost could see that his Sergeant was dead serious.

Personally, Soap's never been opposed to the idea of a threesome. He'd even be lying if he said he hadn't fantasized about it from time to time, as boyish as it sounds. Adding Ghost into that equation hadn't tripped him up much either; Lord knows the lieutenant would be next on Soap's list if you weren't at the top of it first.

Still, Ghost had a hard time even picturing a scenario where something like that could happen, let alone with all three of you. No doubt the man had been interested in you, and for a while, he'd even felt something for Soap as well, feelings that haven't necessarily gone away.

Something with all three of you would no doubt be perfect, however, it just seemed...

"Let's be real here, Johnny." Ghost leaves it at that.

"Suit yourself," Soap merely shrugs, before a light bulb moment suddenly lets off in his eyes. "How about we bring this to the source then? Hey Y/N!"

"Soap-"

"Oi, calm down, mate," he smiles at him. "No point in beatin' 'round the bush, aye?"

You round the corner finally, having heard their voices vaguely through your door this entire time, but not being able to put full words together. From the "uh-oh" look you had on your face, however, something told the two men you were already preparing for them to say something crazy.

"What's up?"

Soap gives Ghost a final look, waiting to see if the man will protest. However, when he sees that he doesn't speak, Soap grins, turning back to you.

"If you had to pick between Ghost and I, who're you choosin'?"

"Pick for what?" you ask, certainly needing clarification. "For battle?"

Soap bursts out laughing, just now feeling how awkward it was going to be explaining this to you. "No," he says. "Like if you had to pick one of us to... I don't know, go out on a date with, who would you pick?"

You keep smiling at Soap like he's joking, but once you see he hasn't budged, you feel your heart begin to race.

Your eyes grow wide, now suddenly embarrassed to have the spotlight on you. "You're seriously asking?"

Soap nods. "I am."

You look over at Ghost now. Surely this was just another one of Soap's antics. "You too?"

Ghost shrugs. "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't curious."

You were hoping he wouldn't say that. But, if they were asking, then may God be your witness as you answer them.

Placing a hand to your chin, you pout to yourself and look back and forth between your teammates, sizing both men up for every physical feature they had to offer.

Your mind immediately goes to the gutter, not being able to help it. You've found them both distractingly good-looking ever since you joined the team, and you've more than thought about this before. Just never in comparison. Or out loud.

Soap looks like he'd be fun to play with -- he's eager, energetic, and even better, open-minded. Not to mention he was cocky too; you always liked a man who could talk his shit and back it up. With those big arms of his, he could just box you in against the bed and pin you down good and firm, as he drills into you, cooing that sweet little accent of his in your ear like he would. It made your body tingle just thinking about it.

And then there was Ghost; if there was any voice you wouldn't mind having growled in your ear while being fucked senseless, it was his. Unlike Soap, you just knew you wouldn't get it rough like you would from Ghost. You've lost count of how many times you've caught yourself gawking at him during sparring sessions or while out in the field, watching that bulking mass of muscle of his he called a body, manhandle any and everything in his way. Having him do the same to you in a more intimate sense never failed to make the lower parts of yourself start to throb at the thought.

After giving both men a good, long look, you sigh, letting your arms fall back to your sides.

"I can't choose."

"Ah, don't be shy now, lass," Soap says. "If you're worried about hurtin' our feelings-"

"No it's not that," you cut in. "It's just not an easy choice, you know?"

Simon raises an eyebrow now. "Oh?"

"Oh, don't act all surprised, Ghost."

"You like us both then?" Soap asks cautiously.

"I'd say so." You begin to smirk. "Why? What's going on here?"

The two give each other a look, before Simon goes to explain things to you.

"We're just trying to figure out which one of us has a shot."

"Figures you should be the deciding vote, seeing as you're the subject of interest, lass."

You imagine you look pretty stupid standing at the center of your living room all wide-eyed like you do, but frankly, this just feels too good to be true. It hadn't been one of them that was supposedly into you, but both of them. If you could do a backflip, you'd do twelve right now, no questions asked.

But before you get head over heels about this, "So you're saying you both want me then?"

"In more ways than one, darlin'," Soap teases.

You glance over at Ghost this time, having taken note of his sudden silence. "You too, Simon?"

He hadn't necessarily been prepared to confess his feelings to you, not like this, and much less in front of an opposing audience. Still, Ghost wouldn't have his own Sergeant show him up so easily. Plus, the way your eyes lured at him this whole time had a chill running down his spine, making it hard to concentrate. So he nods, "That's right."

A devilish smile slowly creeps over your lips.

"Well, can't I just have you both?"

Coming soon...(・ω・｀)………..

I'm in the process of typing the smut for this, but here's a preview. Please let me know if this dialogue kind of wreaks; I don't know why, but I'm struggling to like it no matter how much I rewrite it (I keep flipping back and forth between liking it and not liking it). But enough of that. I'll link the full part here once it's complete! (ʃᵕ̩̩ ᵕ̩̩)

#ghost x reader x soap #ghost x reader #soap x reader #call of duty #modern warfare ii #call of duty modern warfare ii #mwii #mw2022 #call of duty modern warfare 2 #simon ghost riley #ghost simon riley #john mactavish x reader #john soap mactavish x reader #soap mactavish x reader #Spotify #ghostsoap #soapghost

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