Tumgik
#I’m answering in the tags so I don’t sound like a furry
igotanidea · 8 months
Text
Cinnamon: werewolf!Jason Todd x reader
Tumblr media
Request: Yes, by anon ;)
Happy birthday to the one and only Jay Todd!
***
“Out of everyone, it has to be him, why!?”
“Are you jealous, Grayson?” Damian raise an eyebrow at his older brother. Much to everyone’s surprise, the blood soon spend last half an hour listening to Dick ranting and complaining about how unfair it was that out of the entire batfamily it was Jason who get the ability to turn into a wolf. And to make the situation even worse, he was an alpha.
“Jealous?! No! Of course not! Definitely not! Maybe a little…..?”
“If anything he envies Jason that little beta girl, he’s been seeing…….” Stephanie chimes in, chuckling at Dick’shock.
“A…. a beta? So what, he’s got a girlfriend now? Why don’t I know it?!”
“Are you three having fun gossiping about my life?!” Jason leans on the doorframe clearly annoyed at his siblings talking and discussing his private matters.
“Plenty.” Damian smirks vindictively
“You have a girlfriend?!” Dick looks at Jason with the biggest doe eye possible, trying his best to get any information out.
“Screw you Dickhead…..”
“Come on, Jaybird, don’t be like that!”
“I’m not telling you shit!”
“Pleeeeaaasseeeeee…….” Dick grabs his little brother, clinging to him, dead set on not letting go before retrieving as little as the scraps “You never tell me anything anymore….”
“Yeah… wonder why is that…..” Stephane mutters sipping on her slushie
“You’re insufferable, Grayson……”
“I’m just your wonderful, caring, older brother……”
“Nosy, intrusive, controlling, gossiping…..” J
“Hey! That is….. a bit true…..” Dick pouts “but still caring!!”
“I’m done with you. I’m going out…..” Jace mutters turning towards the door
“Can I watch you turn?!” Damian yells after him, his love for the animals taking over as the youngest Wayne rushes after Jason, hoping to see him transform into that beautiful, majestic wolf. “Todd!!”
However, what comes in package with being a werewolf is speed and even Damian with Robin skills could not compare with the rate of transformation. When Damian reached the door, Jason was already gone, the only trail of him being the imprint of foot on the path leading to the manor.
“Damn…..”
***
Jason refused to answer any of Dick’s question not because of how intrusive they were, but because he was afraid to be forced to put a tag on what he had with Y/N.
She was… something.
And he felt something for her.
Even if he wasn’t sure what it was.  
It was not normal for an alpha to get connected to beta. The rule was simple as it was. Alpha paired with omega. ALWAYS. So Y/N was an anomaly. On every possible field.
And now his wolf instinct made him run to her. Her scent were calling him.
Cinnamon.
She always smelled like cinnamon.
Maybe it was because of her human profession, since she was a baker and her show-off dish was cinnamon rolls and apple pie. Or maybe not. Honestly he wasn’t sure of anything, but the animal in him felt that smell and craved her.
So he run. As fast as his furry body and four strong legs allowed him.
He needed her.
And he could feel something was wrong.
He found her in the forest next to her house, her white fur shining in the light, as she laid her head on the paws looking …. sad. Like a beaten dog.
But the second she sensed him, she put the head up, looking his direction tilting it at him in the same gesture she did in her human form. And it made him feel again, wanting to do something, anything to cheer her up somehow.
Maybe he could try chasing her around? That was something that would make him feel better, surely, but Y/N was a lady in every meaning of the word. As surprising as that sounded, she hated getting dirty, avoided getting dirty, always cleaned her fur after stepping into the mud. Like a royalty. Which was even more shocking considering the fact, that as a baker she had flour everywhere on her face and clothes and hair. Maybe that was why her fur was white.
“Hey, Jace….” She called to him telepathically
“You good, Y/N?”
“just tired. Busy day at the bakery. Needed to get out of the human form and just feel instead of think.”
“Explains why you’re in the forest.”
“You look like you needed escape too.”
“Oldest brother getting intrusive.”
“Oh, yeah, family troubles….” If she was a human he would chuckle at that moment.
“Speaking from experience?”
“Maybe…..”
“Wanna run?”
“No.”
“All right…..” he walks towards her and nudge her nose with his playfully, nuzzling his head into his, hoping whatever it is on her mind will subside when he make her feel.
“Jace….?”
“I know….” he plops on the ground, paws in front of him waving his tail a sign for her to lay next to him. He knows. He knows exactly what she needs. He can feel it. And he lets her. No matter how out-of –character it may seem for him. He signed up for this. He signed up for her. And to be completely honest (not that he would admit it to Grayson, of course) he likes those silent moment with her. Only them in their wolf forms, out of the civilisation, out in the open, feeling, hearing, sensing. It’s nice and peaceful and quiet and he feels like he can be himself when she’s next to him, so close.  And it was enough. It was perfect.
***
Couple hours later, still in his werewolf form he walked her back home, not that she needed escort, but he wanted to do this. Or maybe he didn’t want to part with her.
Acting like a gentleman he turned around when Y/N turned back into human, grabbing a shirt from behind the door to cover herself. She had a twig in her messy hair, her eyes were big and shiny and her heartbeat was significantly faster than it should. Side effects of transmutation.
He should go.
He really should go.
But the way she kept standing on the threshold looking at him made him stay, unable to make a single move.
They both felt the connection.
Wolf and human.
Human and wolf.
Two wolfs. Two humans.
“Jason…..?” she trailed, taking a step forward, reaching for his fur and stroking it gently, causing him to lean into his touch. Neither of them seemed to care that the neighbours might be surprised to see a giant wolf in front of the house in the suburbs.
He knew it was not easy for her to show herself to him in her human form. It could only mean one thing. She needed him to take care of her. She needed to feel his warm, big, strong, animal body next to her. His warmth, his presence, his soft, silky pelage.
“Stay?” she whispered. “I really need some company tonight. And I had the door rebuilt to make sure you fit in inside. Please?” she looks into his eyes and it’s like as if she was reaching straight to his soul.
He can’t leave her.
Even if his sibling would tease him in the morning about not coming home for the night.
He can’t leave her.
He’s more than happy to lay on the floor in her leaving room having her arms wrapped tightly around him, making her feel safe and taken care of. Serving as her pillow.
Feeling her.
Feeling the cinnamon smell.
312 notes · View notes
spidercookie18 · 4 months
Note
Hey there @spidercookie18 I have a request for you! It’s about max wanting to “spend some quality time” with the boys and takes them to a bar and the boys not having any money makes max pay for their drinks and they get very drunk to the point where they don’t want to leave the bar and max have to drug them out the bar which leads to them having temper tantrums like they are children and causing a seen on the boardwalk!
If you want to do it! 😅
Summary: Max feels bad about not bonding with the boys, and invites them out to the bars. Word Count: 5.7k Tags: Implied drug use, drinking, mild homophobia/racism, mild gore, swearing.
Sorry for taking literally (hypothetically) forever to answer this. I actually had a bit of a hard time wrapping my head around it bc I’ve had to drag people out of the bar before and it is a...not fun experience. But! I’ve also had some really fun experiences being kicked out; just cause me and my buddies were being headass and harassing the bouncers. I do really like this concept (any concept of the boys absolutely fucking with Max and his money), it was really fun to write. Again, sorry for the late response. <3
Tumblr media
Max stood on the porch outside his home. He rubbed the brass key between his thumb and his index; almost unwilling to walk inside. He heard the soft sound of the tv and the clinking of dishes. Lucy was insistent on having home cooked meals; it gave her some ease by reminding her of who she used to be.
He exhaled slowly; putting the key into the lock and turning the knob. He was immediately greeted by the warm smell of Lucy’s cooking, her humming became a cheerful, “hi, how was work?”
Max grumbled some kind of, “fine,” and walked off to avoid his wife. Thorn wagged his tail as Max walked past him too, hoping for some kind of recognition from his master and best friend. The old vampire walked off to the bedroom. He sat on the edge of the bed and put his head in his hands in defeat.
His mind wandered to the young family that came into the store that night, hoping to rent something all six of them could watch together; a mother, father, and four young boys.
He recalls greeting them, and offering some help picking a movie, relating to them through the fact he also had four boys.
He watched as the boys ran through the aisles of the store, grabbing and shouting at everything they saw. The mother apologized profusely, and Max assured her it was no problem.
Tumblr media
Max: They’re quite a handful at that age.
Dad: You have no idea
Max: Actually, I do.
Max pulls out his wallet and shows the father a picture of his four ‘sons’.
Dad: Oh wow, does it get any easier?
Max chuckles as he puts his wallet away. He continues to speak in his friendly demeanor.
Max: Not in the slightest.
Dad: That’s tough to hear. They were so cute when they were little, but it’s tough now that they have all this energy.
Max: Oh, I know how that is!
Dad: …how do you keep up with them? I mean, they never want to spend any time with me anymore…
Max stared off at the four boys tearing through his store, a nightmare for their mother.
Tumblr media
Max continued to sit on the bed. He heard the sound of Thorn scratching at the bedroom door. “Go away Thorn,” he sighed, apathetically.
A soft knock came soon after. Lucy slowly opened the door and poked her head into the room to check on Max. There was a soft patting of her slippers on the floor as she walked over to her husband. “Hey, what’s wrong?” She placed a hand on his shoulder.
Max groaned, not looking up from his hands. “It’s nothing,” he mumbled. Lucy did not close the door when she came in, and Thorn was now nudging his wet dog nose into Max’s lap. “Thorn, get down,” Max protested. His furry friend sat by his feet and continued to whine and poke his nose at his master’s legs.
Tumblr media
Lucy: Max?
Max: It’s just the boys…
Lucy: What did they do this time.
Max:
Max: Nothing, I just feel like I’m failing as a father. I mean a proper ‘human’ father.
Lucy: What do you mean?
Max: There was this family that came into the store, and the father asked how I stayed close with my boys.
Lucy: And? What did you tell him?
Max: Well, I’m close with David but-
Lucy: Are you?
Max: What do you mean?
Lucy: Are you actually close with David?
Max sat, dumbfounded. Staring at the dog by his feet. Thinking about the meaning of Lucy’s words.
Max: Well, he listens to me.
Lucy: But are you close?
Max: I suppose not. But what do you expect me to do? They never listen to me! Every time I’ve tried to bond with them, they bite me, break my things, and run away!
Lucy: Well, maybe it’s time to do something they would like to do.
Max: …what do they like to do?
Lucy: Hm, maybe talk to Mike?
Tumblr media
Max took Lucy’s counsel and sat down with Michael. He asked what his sons liked to do on their off time. Michael started rattling off a list, “speeding, stealing, fighting, f-cking, playing tricks on people, jacking cars, drinking, video games, I dunno man, just crimes in general.” After the short brainstorming, Max decided the best way to get them to open up would be by loosening them up with drinks. Michael immediately let him know that was a terrible idea and advised that they go on a hunt instead.
“No no, a father knows best,” Max stood firm on his decision. He wanted him and his boys to rekindle their relationship at their favorite bar.  
Michael saw the boys before Max did, and he let them know what their father figure intended for them.
The little devils immediately started scheming. They decided that if Max was insistent on ‘hanging out with them,’ they were going to do their damndest to make him regret it.
A few nights later, Max informed David that they were to wait for him outside their bar… and also, he wanted to know where it was. David, still half skeptical Max would be stupid enough to do something like this, asked if he was sure he could keep up.
Max assured him he wanted to enjoy some ‘fatherly bonding’ with his broodlings and that he could keep up with the way the boys drank.
David half felt bad for his sire. He was sure he had no idea what he was really getting himself into. David insisted to Max that ‘their bar’ was something he should work his way up to and told him the name of a different bar. Max agreed, and when the day came, he waited outside of the bar David told him to.
He made sure to tell the boys to be there before he did. He told them be there at 8, which meant they would show up at 9. He didn’t want to wait for them long, and he stood on the corner by the edge of the bar.
Max was incredibly nervous. He knew the boys didn’t like to be around him for more than a few minutes. Hell, he couldn’t remember a time where they’d willingly hung out with him.
Max stood anxiously, his back to the alley. He almost felt bad for choosing to go on the weekend as there was a short line of people beginning to form outside the bar. He was listening for the boys’ bikes; anxiously waiting for them to show, but they dropped in on the ground behind him. The gravel in the alley shifting under their heavy boots. David clasped a hand on Max’s back, startling him.
Tumblr media
David: Woaah, didn’t mean to scare ya, old timer.
Max: Oh, boys, it’s just you.
David: Were you expecting someone else?
Max: Well no, bu-
Marko: I’m thirsty! Let’s go in already.
Tumblr media
Marko pushed through the crowd of people, with Paul and Dwayne following close behind him. The humans huffed and shouted as the biker boys walked through the line. The short, curly haired blond stood in front of the bouncer, who was waiting for their ID’s.
Max stood behind the boys, waiting to see what they would do. Marko pulled something out of his pocket. Max couldn’t see what it was, but he assumed it was a fake ID. They were much too old to have a ‘proper’ ID, something that their human documents wouldn’t be able to give them. The bouncer was tall, and burly. He was a young man, but his presence did a good job at warding off troublemakers.
The human man held the card up to the light under the doorway and turned it in his hands. He bent it a bit, then handed it back to Marko and gestured for him to go inside. Paul stepped up next, and as his sons slowly went into the bar, Max could hear the music inside get louder. He got a peak into the building as Dwayne went through the door. David pushed Max ahead of him, trying to make sure he didn’t chicken out at the last second.
The bouncer waited impatiently for Max to retrieve his ID from his wallet. He handed the card to the man and the human looked suspiciously at Max and his picture.
“I assure you; I’m legally allowed to drink.” Max tried to ease his nerves with a joke.
The bouncer didn’t laugh. This only helped to make Max more uneasy. The human handed the card back to Max, “you look good for 63.”
David snickered behind Max, and the older, embarrassed vampire stepped out of the way. David tried to hand his ID to the bouncer, but the man declined. “Please David, I know you. I just had to make a show for all the damn people you guys pushed out of the way.”
 “S’my bad, Kev, we’re taking our gramps out on the town,” David chided. “The boys are just excited.” David dapped up the bouncer, and the human moved to hold the door open for David and Max.
Max followed David into the bar. It was a dimly lit, low end lounge bar. There was a green under light wrapped around the length of the bar, which Marko, Dwayne, and Paul were already at. The floor was some type of cheap vinyl faux wood, and there was a half stage at the back of the room. The place was moderately packed for a Saturday night.
David leaned over the counter to grab something from behind the bar, and the green haired bartender immediately snapped at him.
Tumblr media
David: Woah, take it easy, stud. It’s just one bottle.
Bartender: Not tonight, David, my boss is up my ass about givin’ you guys free stuff.
David: Well darlin’, if you didn’t want me around, you wouldn’t keep the bottle chilled for me.
The bartender rolled his eyes and continued to pour shots out that Marko had already ordered.
Paul: We’re celebrating tonight, we got our ‘daddy’ with us. Paul snickered.
Max: Oh, no, please don’t call me that. I’m their father.
Dwayne: So, just put it all on his tab.
Dwayne, Paul, and Marko turned to Max, waiting for him to pull his credit card out.
Max: Ah, yes. I invited you boys out, so… I suppose it’s my treat.
The bartender took the card and dropped the five shots in front of David.
Marko: Drink up, ‘daddy’.
Max grimaced, and watched the boys take their shots like it was nothing. He looked down at the clear liquid as it gently swayed inside the glass. He crinkled his nose and knocked back the shot.
Max: Holy f-wow! I forgot how hot that was. Max coughed.
David: Ha-ha, how long has it been since you drank? David twisted the cap off the bottle of jaeger he got from behind the bar.
Max: Gee, I don’t know… He watched as David called the bartender back from the other end of the bar.
Bartender: What do you want? He sighed.
David: So mean tonight. Does somebody need an attitude adjustment? He raised his eyebrow and flashed his toothy smile. Just give me that Red Bull back there, I don’t think I can reach it.
Paul: Oh, and those beers I like!
The bartended grabbed two Red Bulls from the mini fridge behind the bar and handed them to David. He turned and grabbed five long neck bottles and popped the caps off for them.
David: Thanks, hot stuff. David winked at him.
Tumblr media
David finished pouring out the jaeger bombs and him and the boys eagerly gobbled them up. Max was not nearly as eager as his ‘sons’, but decided to drink; wanting to keep up the appearance of comradery.
He immediately gagged the second the liquid finished flowing down his throat.
David and the boys laughed at him.
“Christ! What was that?” He continued to gag.
 “Yeaaaaah, you’ll get used to that.” Paul joked. They moved to a high table near the back of the bar, and once they were seated, David poured another round of shots.
Max tried to make small talk with his sons, but he had no idea where to start. The boys were not much help easing the tension; especially with Dwayne eyeing Max the way he was.
David assured him it was just because they weren’t used to being around him. Which was true. David was the first turned. He spent almost 40 years with Max, so he was used to the uncomfortable silence. But the others had David, they had each other. After they were turned, they never had to worry about being alone in a room with Max; they never learned to be comfortable around him. He sat quietly, and sipped on his beer.
Max shifted nervously in his seat. Unsure how to break the ice. He tried to think of some of the conversation pieces he’d memorized earlier in the week, but the liquor in his system seemed to keep them from his grasp.
The boys had no problem entertaining themselves though. Marko and Paul were taking turns pulling down the zipper of some girl that was dancing near them. They were not doing this physically, no, they were employing their magic to pull on her zipper.
After a few minutes, in her drunken state, she’d seemed to have danced her dress off. She shrieked and picked up her dress around her body. But the devil twins, chortled at her Spanx. 
“Oh, don’t start,” David half groaned, half laughed.
Max turned around to see the lady duck and scream into the bathroom. “What just happened?”
“Oh? You wanna see it again?” Marko grinned deviously. He turned back around and yanked a young man’s pants down. His stained underwear exposed to the bar.
Dwayne and Paul laughed at him. Max turned to the table, confused how they were so eagerly playing pranks on the bar patrons.
“You don’t worry about being caught?”
They scrunched their faces at him, confused by his nervousness. “Dude, shut up,” Marko sneered. He turned David’s bottle over and poured out another round of shots.
“Just drink,” Paul reassured him. They all knocked back another round. Max was really starting to feel a buzz through his body. He watched as the boys continued to subtly mess with the patrons around them.
In his half-drunk state, he felt his lips begin to loosen. “How did you boys get IDs?”
“We don’t have IDs?” David said, puzzled. “Oh, you mean,” him and the others began to pull their wallets out.
They showed Max varying plastic cards. David had the driver’s license of a woman from Idaho. Marko had a blood donor card he stole from a young man’s wallet. Paul had an In-N-Out gift card, and Dwayne had a casino Player’s card.
Max stared at the boys’ ‘IDs’ in amazement. He’d always been envious of their magic. Moreso than he would ever admit. Ever since they were turned, he could feel their potential exceed his. Especially in David. His magic was more potent and more powerful than he could have ever hoped to be. And that’s part of why he was so hard on him.
Unfortunately for Max’s ego, letting them run wild only let their magic grow wild too.
Max’s train of thought was derailed by the sound of blaring music. The ambiance that the bar was playing was completely drowned out by the DJ booth.
“Ugh!” Marko groaned, “he’s back.”
Max covered his ears, the loud, piercing music hurting his sensitive vampire ears. The boys all winced with how loud the pop music was playing. Their ears twitched and they turned to look at the DJ that was playing a combination latin dance and country music.
“Is it 10 already?” Paul whined.
“This guy suuuuucks!” Dwayne hissed. Dwayne and Marko started loudly booing the DJ. Uncaring of his feelings, and the scene they were making.
“Hey knock it off!” The bartender hollered at them.
David made no move to stop his brothers. He just twisted the cap back on his mostly full jaeger bottle, and got up.
Paul followed David, and Max, not wanting to stay with the other two who were yelling and arguing with the DJ, followed David as well.
Max stood outside on the sidewalk behind David and Paul. David handed the large bottle of jaeger to Paul and pulled his cigarettes out.
“Was that it? Are we done being at the bars?” Max asked the two blond boys.
Paul belted, “not a chance,” he patted his stomach, “we’re just done with that bar.”
David lit the cigarette in his mouth and put his lighter back in his pocket. He half turned to Paul, stepping aside away from the line of people, “where do you wanna go next?”
Paul shrugged, thinking for a second. He picked at the wet label on the side of the bottle that was starting to peel. “Hey, what about X?”
David nodded silently, a soft smile held the lit cig, the smoke twirling up towards the streetlight. They waited there for Marko and Dwayne to finish harassing the DJ, and when they strolled out of the bar, Dwayne showed David he managed to grab some wallets from the other bar-goers. 
David chuckled, “we’re going to X’s,” he said plainly, ashing the cigarette and holding it at his side between his fingers.
“Hell yeah!” Marko started pumping his fists into the air. He jogged across the street to the park, he planned to cut through the park on the way to the next bar. “Ducks! Ducks! Ducks!” He started chanting, and the others followed him across the street.
“You leave those ducks alone!” Dwayne shouted. They watched Marko jog off into the distance, a good bit ahead of the group.
“Ducks?” Max asked David.
The blond slowly puffed on his cigarette as they strolled through the dark park. “Yeah, Marko likes to… feed the ducks at the pond.”
Max was confused by his disposition. Feeding the ducks sounded fun and wholesome. Something he didn’t think his sons were capable of.
They soon happened upon the pond in the middle of the park. Marko was already crouched down petting some of the ducks. They quacked softly as they formed a half circle around him. As they got closer, Max heard a noise coming from Marko, it was a half gagging, half clicking noise. He noticed the other boys didn’t stop to watch their brother. They walked around the pond and continued to sip on the alcohol they took from the bar.
Max stood a bit behind Marko, and he heard the noise get louder. He decided to walk to where the other boys were, his unease making him wander away. When he was further in front of Marko, he turned back to watch him regurgitate something for the ducks.
Max stood, horrified. As his second eldest spat up eyeballs for the greedy ducks below him. He could hear the other boys laughing ahead of him, but he was transfixed on Marko. The slimy, goopy liquid that came out like thick maple syrup, it coated the soft wet eyeballs and sloshed when it hit the ducks and ground.
Dwayne and David were laughing at their sire, he was stuck watching the littlest vampire, and the nasty thing he was doing.
“Yeah, we’re pretty sure that’s where geese come from,” Paul chuckled.
Max watched as Marko bent to pet another duck and then sprinted to catch up with the rest of the group. Max was a bit afraid of him now, and the display he just watched.
“God, I think I need another drink.” Max spoke, distressed.
David shoved the bottle into his hand, and Max eagerly put it to his lips.
The next bar laid ahead of them. This bar was very loud compared to the last one. It appeared to have several garage doors and a wraparound patio. The walls, or garage doors, were open, and the flashing lights and pop music was very noticeable from the park. As they walked up to the bar, Max noticed the very long line that seemed to be 30 or 40 people deep.
Paul was the first to walk up to the bouncer.
“Long time no see, X, how you been?” Paul put what Max thought were some cigarettes into his hand and did the same weird handshake he saw David do at the last bar.
The bouncer nodded, “can’t complain, s’good to see ya brother.”
“Likewise, man,” Paul patted the human’s forearm and walked past him, he waited near the bouncer for Max and the others.  Max noticed as each brother walked past, they did the funky handshake. Max was unsure what to do, he stood in front of the bouncer who eyed him suspiciously.
“Back of the line sir,” the bouncer sternly spoke.
“He’s with us!” Dwayne hollered over the music as he walked inside.
The bouncer gestured for Max to go inside, his demeanor changing immediately. He moved his hand to his jeans to pocket the spliffs that Paul handed him when Max put his hand out.
“Thanks…homie.” Immediately as the words left his mouth, he knew that was wrong. The bouncer just stared at him, his smile fading.
Paul immediately came to collect Max, “sorry, he doesn’t get out much.” He apologized for his sire’s ignorant behavior.
As the two walked into the building to meet the others at the bar, Paul tried to correct Max. “Hey, you can’t talk to strangers like that, it’s not cool man.”
“But Marko said it,” Max tried to defend himself.
“Yea, but they’re friends.” Paul gently shoved Max to the bar, the wood hitting him in the sternum.
Now he felt bad emotionally, and physically. He knew he embarrassed himself, but he didn’t want to embarrass the boys. He knew how bad it felt to be embarrassed by someone you know; he didn’t want to make them look bad. Paul stood next to his brothers, and leaned in to tell them what Max’d done.
“He said what?” Marko shouted.
Max groaned. The bartender finally made her way to Max and the boys.
Tumblr media
Bartender: What can I get for you?
Max: Um…just one sec.
He turned to the boys who were arguing amongst themselves. The bartender groaned as she was about to move on to the next people in line. Noticing her out of the corner of his eye, Marko stepped up to the counter.
Marko: Lemmie get three red bulls, fou- five adios, and a double of Malört.
David: And five Coors.
The bartender made a face at Marko, then shrugged, and started making the drinks. Max placed his card on the counter and waited for the bartender to drop off the drinks.
Max: What’s Malört?
Paul: A punishment.
Max: Pun-for what?
Paul: You know what you did.
Max:
Marko: Take your Malört first then you can wash it down with an adios.
Max: What’s in an adios?
Dwayne: You’ll find out.
The bartender dropped off the drinks and took the card. David signaled for her to keep it open, and she put it back in front of them after she swiped it. Max sniffed the Malört and felt his eyes begin to water.
Max: I do not want to drink this.
Paul: It’s not that bad, just do it.
Max unwillingly took the shot. The second it touched his tongue he immediately felt like he was going to throw up.
Dwayne: If you hurl, we go home.
Marko: Do it! You know you want to.
David: Is he gonna do it?
Paul: I think he’s gonna do it!
Max swallowed hard, and panted, trying to fight away the urge to throw up. His stomach felt hot and painful. Like he’d just taken a punch to the gut, or like he just drank bile.
Max: I thought you said that wasn’t going to be bad??
Paul: Oh yeah, I lied.
Marko: Don’t be a wuss, just keep drinking and it’ll go away.
The boys picked up the red bulls and their drinks and walked over to a booth by the dance floor. Max swayed uneasily side to side. He was a vampire, sure, but he wasn’t used to this heavy drinking. It was really starting to get to him. He played with the straw in the blue drink and felt a flush come to his face. The boys took notice of his demeanor, and how he giggled at the colored strobing lights overhead.
David: You good?
Max:
Paul: You like your drink?
Max looked down at the blue drink. He put the straw in his mouth and eagerly sipped on it.
Max: Wow this is way better than that other thing!
Dwayne: Why did you want to hang out with us?
Max: Because you’re my sons.
Marko: But you’ve never treated us like your sons.
Max: … I know. And I’m sorry for that.
TLB:
Max:
David: So now you want to play ‘house’?
Max: No, no. I…I always wanted a family. I just…I’m envious of you boys.
TLB: The boys looked at each other, unsure of Max’s honesty.
Marko: Why would you be envious of us?
Max: You have each other, You’re brothers, peers. You’re never alone, and you are all so strong, and intelligent, and young.
David: Well, you’re 200 years older than us. You made us to be sons not peers.
Max: I was young when I set my mind out to have a family… I thought it would be easier than this.
Marko: Well, you suck at being a dad.
Max: I know, I’m sorry. I know I never taught you anything about being a vampire. I… feel bad that you had to learn things by yourselves. Especially you, David.
David: Well, apology not accepted.
Max: But-
David cut him off, his tone of voice angry, holding back his rage as best he could, David spat at Max.
David: You were a shitty sire for 200 years. One “I’m sorry,” and a few beers isn’t going to make it okay.
Max:
TLB:
Tumblr media
The group sipped on their beers, and Max continued to sip on his blue drink. He felt so low in that moment. Maybe it was a mistake to try and bond with the boys after all this time.
David stood up, taking his beer with him to the patio to go smoke. Marko and Dwayne nudged each other, trying to break free from the uncomfortable silence. The two stood and walked over to the dance floor, trying to find partners for the night.
Max and Paul stayed at the booth, nervously avoiding eye contact. Max watched the curly haired blond and the brunet quickly find a pair of red head coeds. After a few minutes of grinding and bumping, the girls led the boys out to the parking lot.
Max stared at them, confused. “Wait, I thought you boys were still….” He asked Paul, too embarrassed to say the word.
“Homos?” Paul chuckled at Max’s embarrassment. He took a long sip of his beer as they watched the two vampires and their ‘dates’ duck behind some cars. “Papa, your baby boys are whores, s’all you need to know.”
“Huh,” Max stared off in the direction of the parking lot. “You boys really just do whatever you want?”
Paul turned his attention away from the cars and switched from drinking his beer to the adios. “Yup, s’a pretty sweet life,” Paul looked over to the front of the bar, he noticed X leave his post and waved him over to where he was sitting.
The bouncer leaned over the table a bit to talk to Paul, “where’d everybody go?”
Paul snorted, “you know Dwayne.”
The bouncer smiled and gestured for the blond to follow him to the patio. Paul scooted from the booth and grabbed his drinks. He looked at Max, who sat by himself now, dejected. Paul invited him outside, he felt bad for the old guy.
He never had anything personal against Max. Paul, being the youngest, never actually spent any real time with Max. He just learned to avoid him because all the others seemed to distrust him.
Max cheered up a bit. On the way out the patio he apologized to the human. He felt weird apologizing to a human, but if he was someone important to the boys, then he was important.
The trio found David sitting outside, staring at the shaking cars in the parking lot. He was swirling his beer around, trying to ignore the emotions that tried to bubble to the surface.
They sat at a table with David, and he rolled his eyes when he saw Max was with them. Max sat across from David, next to Paul. X pulled the spliffs from his pocket and Paul handed him a lighter.
“Oh, Paul rolls your cigarettes?” He asked, too drunk to notice what it was.
The boys chuckled, “yeah, I roll his cigarettes.”
“Paul has a real steady hand,” X joked. He took a long inhale and handed the paper to Paul, who did the same.
The blond looked over at Max, “you wanna try?”
David scoffed, “he’s not into that kind of stuff.”
Max was on a mission to prove to David that he was more than he thought he was. The bleach blond vampire took the spliff from Paul and replaced the cigarette in his mouth with it.
David took a long drag and blew the smoke in Max’s face. His sire coughed, “I told you boys at the beginning,” he continued to cough, “I can hang.” David looked at Paul, who motioned for David to pass it to Max.
Max took what he thought was a ‘funny’ smelling cigarette. He took a long drag, like he’d seen the rest of the table do. He could taste the tobacco on his tongue, and as he took the smoke from his mouth down his lungs he tasted something else. The boys chided him on, encouraging him to hold it in his lungs as long as he could. Not that he needed to breathe, but he started coughing with the new feeling of this ‘odd’ smoke.
“Wow, that’s good,” he complemented Paul. The table encouraged him to take another drag, and hold it for longer this time, and that if the taste kept bothering him, he should drink his adios.
The rest of the night is a bit of a blur for Max.
He remembered Max and Dwayne coming to sit at the table… at some point in the night.
He remembered laughing with them, and telling them about his childhood, and his sire. He talked about how proud he was of them, being successful ‘vampire’ and terrors of the night. The boys didn’t need to explain anything to X, he just assumed Max got cross-faded and blacked out. Which, he was.
Max remembers flashing lights, glowsticks. The night was like a blur, but there were blips he could remember. Were the flashing lights neon, or red and blue?
Max laid in bed, tasting his dry mouth. His head ached, and so did his stomach. His clothes were dirty with blood and mud. He tried to sit up, and he noticed his shoes were missing.
He had no idea what time it was, or what exactly happened last night. The last thing he remembered was that cigarette. He groaned, looking into the mirror he noticed his hair a mess. His glasses were cracked, and his lips were bright blue from the adios.
He called for Lucy, who came to check on him. Thorn came too.
Max asked Lucy what happened, and what time he came home. Lucy was proud when she spoke. He commended the boys for bringing him home, and they made sure he was okay, and got to bed safe and sound. Max smiled at that.
“They wanted me to tell you thanks for last night.” Lucy handed Max a cup of water and started unbuttoning his shirt to help him relax. Max eagerly took the glass with one hand, and pet Thorn with the other. His furry friend happy to be getting attention.
“Oh,” Lucy added as she finished unbuttoning his shirt, “they wanted me to also tell you that they would be back next week.”
“Pardon?” Max was confused. He did not remember them talking about going somewhere last night.
Lucy explained to him that he had given the boys his cards and told them to go on vacation.
“I DID WHAT???” Max started fumbling with his phone, trying to open up his credit card app.
“You told me yourself that you wanted them to enjoy themselves. What’s wrong with that?” Lucy remarked.
The app finally loaded. He was devastated by what he saw.
He had no way of finding them now, as he was sure they pulled all the cash out in a lump sum and turned off their phones.
He sighed and threw himself back against the bed; they really got him good with that one.
The boys were sitting pretty in Las Vegas by now. They dropped Max off at home, withdrew all his money, and them and Michael took off for the Bellagio to book a suite.
Michael’s words echoed through his mind, “I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” He covered his face in his hands and wailed.
Max would be lucky if they came back in a week.  
29 notes · View notes
iriso-page · 6 months
Text
🔞Iriso | 24 | He/Him🔞 🔞🔞🔞🔞🔞🔞
🍆 Welcome to my corner of the internet where we plow the most obscure and underappreciated characters.
This is a mixed bag blog; composed of headcanons, selfshipping, fanfiction, original writing, horny musings, and whatever other antics I might get into.
🌹 I am a man known by many names;
~ "A Connoisseur of Pathetic, Sweaty Men."
~ "The Otherworldly Beings' Genital Theorist."
~ "Lord of all DILFS."
~ "The Piss King Himself."
💻 Whatever you might know me for, you've stumbled onto my blog, so you've probably got yourself a blorbo or two that you thirst over.
😏 Luckily for you, I'm something of a hobby writer. I occasionally take headcanon and imagine requests in my free time.
✏️ My specialties include erotica, a variety of kinks, and gender neutral reader inserts.
❤️‍🔥 I'm always open to see which characters you're down and dirty for. I have a particularly fond taste for unconventional and cryptic fictional men myself. Who knows? Maybe you'll get me hooked too.
🌶️ I do enjoy occasionally talking about irl sexy happenings, and my anons certainly never hold back from speaking with #Professor Iriso. I'm by no means a medical professional, but I'm quite passionate about the studies of pleasure.
😘 Don't be shy. So long as you use those brain cells, this is pretty much a judgment free for obscure characters and weird kinks alike!
📚 What I Will/What I Won't Write, Ask Guide, and Full Fandom List can be found under the readmore!
📺 CURRENT/USUAL OBSESSIONS:
🛸 ULTRAMAN 2019
🍅 The Big O 1999
🦇 DC: Animated Universe 
🐢 Rise Of The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
😈 Hazbin Hotel/Helluva Boss
❄️ Adventure Time
🚀 Star Wars
❗CURRENT STATUS: ✏️✏️✏️
Inbox: OPEN
Requests: OPEN
Commissions: CLOSED, IN PROGRESS
✅ AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IrisoPage/works
✅ F/O LIST: https://irisofictionalothers.carrd.co/
(Needs editing + adding new f/os)
✅ FREQUENT TAGS:
#Iriso Types - Recent Writing and Headcanons
#Iriso Post - All Posts Made By Me
#Iriso Watches Stuff - Commentary on Stuff I Watch
#Show Iriso The Characters Youd Fck - Exactly What It Sounds Like
#Ask - Inbox Asks
#Anonymous - Anonymous Asks
#FAQ - Answered Questions + Old Pinned Posts
FANDOMS:
😈 Hazbin Hotel/Helluva Boss
🛸 ULTRAMAN 2019
🍅 The Big O 1999
🦇 DC: Animated Universe
🐢 Rise Of The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
💀 The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy/Evil Con Carne
👽 Invader Zim
👻 A Hat In Time
🦉 Billie Bust Up
🧠 Psychonauts
🎢 Dead End: Paranormal Park
🍎 Welcome Home (SFW)
🚀 Star Wars (Star Wars Rebels 🧡 + Episodes 1-9, need to watch Clone Wars again, but I’ve seen it)
🤖 Transformers (Most familiar with G1, The Japanese Collection, Beast Wars, TFA, TFP, RID 2015, and Earthspark)
🦑Doctor Who (Mostly monsters and aliens)
🐴 My Little Pony (Mostly villains)
🦅Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared
🫣 Danny Phantom, Fairly Odd Parents, TUFF Puppy
🐝 My Life As A Teenage Robot
🚀 Jimmy Neutron
🎮 Pokemon (Most Monsters and Adult Humans)
🔵 Portal (Cores and Humanized)
🦊 General Furry/Monster/Object Character Shenanigans
‼️❌‼️❌‼️❌‼️❌
Please remember that I do this as a hobby, not a job. Ultimately, I write what I want, when I want. 
Anything I don't want to write or anything that makes me uncomfortable, gets deleted.
Generally, I try not to engage in discourse. I've got better shit to do.
You may contact me if I am ever interacting with someone of problematic behavior. I will need proof (excluding mutuals), as I do not trust the word of complete strangers on the internet.
What I WILL Write:
Most Headcanons/Imagines default to gender neutral, as gender neutral as possible, or Writer's Personal Preference unless specified.
⭕SFW/NSFW, Fluff, Kinks, Comfort, Occasional Angst.
💧 Watersports/Piss Play - Extremely Prevalent On This Blog
#piss kink #pipis konk #unsanitary
🪑Objectophilia/Objecto - Object Characters, Objects in General 
🩸 Menophilia/Menstrual Blood
🪆 Breeding/Creampies
😈 General Monsterfucking
💻 Robots, Artificial Intelligence, Eldritch Beings
🪢Monster Genitalia, Alien Genitalia, Characters with no genitalia, Tentacles
🐍Coiling/Whatever it is when a serpentine character coils around you
🕯️BDSM, Pet Play, Leather, Latex, Shibari, Wax Play, Food Play, Body Painting
💦 Feel free to ask about others!
What I WON'T Write:
- Underage Characters, even aged up. There may be certain exceptions for characters that age in canon. (Ex. Finn The Human or Dark Danny)
~ Incest
~ Suicide/Self Harm/Eating Disorders
~ Diapers/Scat
~ Roger Rabbit Characters (Y'all got too weird about them)
~~~~~~~~~
If you have any questions, you are welcome to send an Ask or DM. 
7 notes · View notes
likelylarks · 2 years
Text
stealing my beloved sam’s @honeybadgerstan tags from one of the daniel enchanté posts from the past couple of days and running with it (this took me so long to write which i’m pretty sure drabbles aren’t supposed to do but oh well)
takes place in the 2022 portion of both “all the while you were stood here waiting” and “home is wherever you are tonight” - i guess more the latter bc this is max pov lol
Tumblr media
max knocked twice in quick succession before opening the door without waiting for an answer. “daniel! do you want these in the fridge or do you want some now?” he called out as soon as he entered the apartment. out of habit, he quickly hooked the door closed behind him with his foot, despite there not being two furry little bodies darting for the opening.
max headed straight to daniel’s kitchen - regardless of daniel’s answer, he wouldn’t want all the orange slices in the tupperware right then. max scratched idly at a sticky spot on the side of the container. he licked his thumb and then rubbed at the spot, trying to get rid of the orange juice residue. max looked up from the fruit in his hands and stopped in his tracks.
there, on daniel’s counter, was a bowl of oranges. granted, there were lemons and maybe a couple of peaches but max’s focus wasn’t on them. the tupperware in his hands felt like it weighed a million kilos. why would daniel, after all these years, suddenly have bought himself oranges?
max felt daniel come up behind him, “max, i said could i have a couple of - max? what’s wrong, babe?”
max woodenly opened the tupperware in his hands before holding it up to daniel. “you have oranges.” max couldn’t pretend he didn’t sound resentful of fruit.
daniel grabbed two slices from the container, pinching them between his long fingers. his hoodie was a green color that max hadn’t seen before.
“um, yeah, i just did a merch shoot and somehow i was the one that came home with the fruit we used. apparently no one wanted the stuff i’d been juggling with.” max looked over his shoulder at daniel, who had a sheepish expression on his face as he popped an orange slice into his mouth.
“they let you juggle?” max raised his eyebrows, smirking.
daniel pouted at max. “i get to have fun with my merch, max. they just sent me preliminary footage if you need proof.”
max gave a noncommittal hum and clicked the lid back into place on the tupperware. he walked over to the fridge and slid the container in on the left side. he turned back around to face daniel. the hoodie daniel was wearing had two yellow flowers on the chest and said “enchanté café.” daniel looked adorably cozy in it. “show me?”
daniel smiled, sweet and soft. “sure, you can help me decide what’s good enough to keep and what i should tell them to delete forever.”
max walked around the island and knocked daniel’s shoulder as he passed him into the living room. “i’m sure there’s nothing that bad.” he probably sounded way too fond.
daniel followed max to the couch, sinking down next to him. max slowly shifted his thigh to press all the way against daniel’s as daniel reached for his laptop. daniel pulled up the footage and max leaned in closer to daniel, eventually resting his head on daniel’s shoulder, to see it better.
as daniel scrolled through the photos and clips, max mostly just hummed in agreement with whatever comment daniel made. daniel had always had a better eye for this kind of stuff anyway. daniel scrolled to a video of him laying on his back with lemon slices over his eyes, “oh that one hurt like a bitch!”
max snorted, “why did you put lemons on your eyes?”
“it seemed like a good idea at the time!” daniel whined.
“well, you should definitely include that picture so everyone knows how stupid you are sometimes,” max teased. he pressed his shoulder into daniel’s, as he reached to click to the next picture.
daniel exhaled sharply through his nose, “with the way this season is going, people don’t need me putting lemons on my eyes to think that.”
max lifted his head and turned to look at daniel. he looked tired. “it will get better, or it won’t and then you’ll go somewhere better and then it will.” daniel closed his eyes before turning to face max. when daniel opened his eyes, he and max were nose to nose. max leaned forward and bumped his nose against daniel’s. “trust me.”
daniel’s exhaled “okay” smelled like oranges.
they finished looking through the preliminaries, with max making sure to say that he thought daniel’s juggling was very good.
(“even when i dropped it in the pool?”
“yeah, it was very cute.”
“maxy, you’re gonna make me blush.”)
max was on his way out the door when he glanced back into the kitchen, seeing the oranges once more. he steeled himself and turned to face daniel, “it was just because of the shoot, right? not because you ran out or because i didn’t - “
daniel’s face was soft, “max, babe, it was just because of the shoot, i promise. you’ve been keeping me in just the right amount of oranges.”
max felt a blush crawl up his cheeks. “good.”
it was only after max had been home for three hours that he realized daniel had called him “babe” twice.
-
a month later when daniel’s new enchanté merch finally dropped, max bought all seven of the sweatshirts and both t-shirts, picturing daniel’s soft sweet smile, and remembering how cozy daniel had looked in all of the pictures.
58 notes · View notes
thecoochiefairy · 4 months
Text
𝖓𝖊𝖜 𝖘𝖆𝖑𝖊𝖒
𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐲-𝐬𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧.
𝐁𝐑𝐎𝐌𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐄.
“WHERE THE FUCK IS SIN AND PHEME?”
Despite the bodies that lounge around the furniture in the room, their concern is far from relaxed. Aries’ family stares at him as they await for an answer. He’d spent the last couple of hours trying to figure that out himself. The chaos of everything that happened in the middle of Cloud’s room resulted in both women disappearing, if being honest he wasn’t sure how to answer this question.
“I don’t know, I been tryna’ mind link her but she’s not answering.”
“She can’t be alone right now, there’s a possibility she could transition and cause an entire massacre in the wrong setting,” Adonis reminds.
“She’s with Pheme, she’s fine.”
“So…what happened again?” Aria looks in between the twos awkward stares at one another, taking another sip of her wine as she’d only been observing this conversation.
“Mariah and that lil’ half white girl was….” She raises her body up as she wants someone to finish what she’s saying.
“Two manning’ Cloud,” Calypso and Jupiter finish.
“Would it still be two manning’ if it’s women?” She questions.
“Wouldn’t it be two woman-ning?” Adonis then asks her.
“Is that what really matters to y’all right now?” Aries raises his eyebrows at his unserious family members.
“Well no, I’m just wondering why Cloud would do all that knowing that it would’ve ended badly,” Aria shrugs, taking a sip of the dark red liquid.
“Trauma response, maybe,” Adonis mutters.
“Poor baby. I just wish he would’ve talked to someone,” Aria sighs.
“Now hold up,” Jupiter interrupts, “What we not finna’ do is cue the violins entirely. I am not connecting him being assaulted to having sex with someone he’s aware Sin despises—plus, a snitch— all in one.”
“Don’t forget Mariah,” Calypso points out.
“Exactly, let’s not forget Mariah—who was supposed to be her friend. Sounds like Cloud was tryna’ get his lick back.”
“Lick back? For what?” Their mother frowns.
“Hello?” Jupiter then points to Aries standing in front of him, Aries then crossing his arms as he now wants to end this uncomfortable conversation.
“It wasn’t like that,” he argues, adjusting the chain on his neck to distract himself.
“That’s fine if you didn’t holla’ at Sin with ill intentions. I know you didn’t, we just saying,” Jupiter responds.
“So what now?” Aria pulls the conversation back to a bigger issue, wondering how they’d move forward with everything that’s happened.
“Imma’ go talk to Cloud,” Aries announces.
“For fuckin’ what?” Calypso sits up, “He ain’t your friend! I know you not finna’ go apologize.”
“Not about this, Calypso. I just think he needs a friend right now, don’t be like that.”
Calypso sucks his teeth, cringing as he suddenly felt a palm swipe across the back of his head. Jupiter snaps, “He’s being an adult you dweeb. You should take notes.”
His twin brother roles his eyes as he mutters, “I enjoyed this conversation more when it was messy.”
_
HE MENTALLY PREPARED THAT THIS WOULD BE AKWARD. His ears feel as though he’s underwater as he tunes out the incessant giggling that fires around him, watching as furry paws stumble against the grass. They’re not nearly as excited as the bodies that chase them around, even louder giggles surrounding the miniature animals as the coven’s children play their own version of “tag.”
“How the hell do they move so fast?” Blue comes beside Aries, pressing his hands on his knees as he attempts to catch his breath.
“Mr. Aries, tag!” A small voice calls, Aries looking down to see the familiar little girl, Beauty. Her blue eyes beam as she presses her finger against his side, her entire body disappearing before he can react to the intrusion. Both men see her then reappear on the other side. She shouts as the pups are finally able to catch up to her, running over to playfully attack. It entertained Aries to see the children enjoy themselves despite being distracted.
“You talked to Sin?” Blue inquires.
“If she wanted to be found, she’d be here.”
“Ouch. Don’t be getting all uptight with me, asswipe,” Blue insults.
Aries looks over to him, realizing his tone of voice. “My bad, just a lot of shit on my mind.”
“Talk to me then, I’m a great listener,” Blue bats his eyelashes.
Before Aries can reply, a familiar scent catches his nose and he turns around to see Cloud standing behind him. He has a look on his face that reads hesitance, as if he expects the worse out of this meetup.
“Uh—Elijah said you wanted to talk?” Cloud says, shoving his hands into his pockets uncomfortably.
“Am I in the twilight zone? What episode did I miss?” Blue blurts, his eyes wide and chaotic.
Aries wants to uppercut his best friend. Had he not had that title, he probably would’ve. Instead he only coughs, communicating in his thoughts as he says, ‘Go away, please?”
“Oh! Aight, bet,” Blue shakes his head quickly, “C’mon pups and lil’ witchy babies, let’s go to the green house!”
Material shreds in front of Aries and Cloud as Blue drops onto his knees. His limbs lengthen out, fur replacing his smooth skin as claws dig into the green grass. A color of brown comes up from beneath his paws that now sink into the dirt. Arrays of howls sing into the sky as the animals take off, following behind his large frame.
“You smoke?” Aries asks, turning around as he begins walking into the forest where the houses are.
“Uh…yeah?” Cloud hesitates.
Aries gestures for him to follow, Cloud slowly walking behind as they make their way over to his place. Cloud is unsure of what this conversation is supposed to be about, but if it’s anything regarding confrontation, he planned to cut it short.
Aries ignores the eyes of his twin brothers as they yell at one another while playing the game, silence then cutting sharply as they both watch the two walk upstairs towards Aries’ room. They go past his actual bedroom that plays soft music, going out onto the patio. Aries leans himself on the railing as he reaches for the blunt behind his ear. He scoops the lighter from his pocket as the joint sits between his lips, lightning the end to ignite the object.
“You said you wanted to speak,” Cloud reminds, trying to figure out what’s going on.
Aries nods his head as he inhales the smoke encompassing his lungs, traveling back out his nose as he removes the blunt from his lips and reaches it out to Cloud.
He slowly takes it from his hand, unable to hold back as he asks, “Is it laced?”
Aries eyes drop lowly. “Now why the hell would I lace myself? C’mon, I come in peace. I bought this shit off your friend when I asked where you were.”
“Elijah don’t even smoke like that.”
“Exactly why he gave it to me.”
“Cause it’s laced?”
“‘Cause my plug is all the way in New Orleans, and you worry too much. You done interrogating?”
Cloud looks down at his hand. He then takes the blunt from his fingers as he begins to smoke, still keeping his guard up nonetheless.
“So what did you want?”
“Just wanted to check on you, ask how you’re feeling,” Aries admits.
“Like shit. But I don’t know why you’d think I would choose you as someone to confide in,” Cloud replies coyly.
“I don’t expect you to do anything. But considering you standing here smoking with me, you can’t despise me that much. Nor would you have agreed to talk. So whatever you want to say, I won’t be mad at.”
Cloud watches as smoke fills the space in between them. With everything going on in his head, he could almost scream at the thought of revealing all of his feelings. It’d been so long since someone had asked him whether he was okay or not, or more so him even answering the question. This was the last person he planned to confide in, but he figured it was no worse than talking to anyone else.
“Do you even like her? Seriously,” he allows that intrusive thought to succeed through his lips.
Aries doesn’t expect that to be his first question. He halts, crossing his arms as he takes a deep breath before he asks, “You want me to be honest?”
“I’m not asking you to lie.”
He sighs, “I like Sin…a lot. But right now we’re in this weird ass limbo because of everything going on. She’s been tryna’ keep her mind off of y’all’s issue, but I can tell how much she cares about you.”
“…Okay,” Cloud exhales.
Silence goes between the two as they both try to find the next thing to say, Aries then clearing the atmosphere as he then asks, “Do you still have feelings for her?”
“I…I’ve always felt like I had to like Sin. That’s just the way it’s been,” he admits.
“That doesn’t sound very genuine.”
Cloud rolls his lips in. He’d never actually admitted that to anyone, and now hearing himself say it out loud felt foreign against his tongue. He continues, “Sybil has always had a specific way of running things, including me and Sin’s relationship. She’s…she’s what I know.”
“But is that what you want?” Aries inquires.
Cloud squints his eyes at the question. He grills, “Is this some type of reverse psychology shit? Is this your plot against me to think I don’t actually like her?”
Aries smacks his lips, shoving the blunt back towards him as he commands, “Bro, hit this shit. I’m literally just tryna’ talk to you. Chill.”
Cloud slowly takes it into his hand. He doesn’t feel the need to apologize for his assumption, but he does realize that he’s being somewhat dramatic.
“I just want to be able to do my own thing without feeling like someone else has a plan for me. Or that I have to be with someone in order to fulfill that plan. Sometimes I can be a lil’ emotional—“
“A little?” Aries cuts off.
“I liked you better when ya’ ass was being Dr. Phil.”
Aries shrugs, “Continue.”
It’s as if all his emotions are now on a billboard for everyone to see, yet it’s only one other person standing in front of him. This person doesn’t laugh, budge, or make him feel as though his opinion doesn’t matter. It almost made him feel at ease. Or maybe it was just the weed talking.
“I’m enjoying this… ‘being single’ thing. I just want to explore my options and explore who I am as a person.”
Aries nods his head in agreement, about to respond before Cloud then continues, “And…if Sin is happy with you and she makes you happy…I guess I’m content with that.”
Cloud watches as Aries raises his eyebrows. He then presses, “Please say something before I change my good heartedness.”
“Uh—right, fasho. But this isn’t about Sin right now, this is about you. Are you comfortable enough to talk about what happened in Oseidon?”
Cloud cringes at the memory. It’s been a while since he’d been able to remind himself of what happened without wanting to completely shut down. He suddenly remembered what it felt like being constricted, no one able to help him. It was something he wouldn’t wish on an enemy.
“It was traumatizing. I think it’s what’s led me to wanting to be in control of my decisions and my own body. But besides that, I’ve been doing things like focusing more on school, spending more time with my friends. It’s kept me from being down in my emotions…I think once I feel back to normal, I will mend things with Sin.”
“I encourage that, she misses you. I can tell you miss her as well.”
“I do,” Cloud agrees.
The silence between the two returns. Cloud doesn’t feel like anything has seriously changed between them, but he does feel a respect that he wouldn’t expect to have given him. To be able to put all of their bullshit aside and talk to him as if they’d known each other for years. It made him happy knowing that Aries was now someone important to Sin’s life. He wouldn’t admit that though.
“So…should we hug now—“
“No,” Aries quickly shakes his head.
“Okay,” Cloud just as quickly answers. He ashes the blunt in between his fingers on the patio’s railing before he concludes, “Imma’ head back to Elijah. He’s having a panic attack since he heard Sin and Pheme disappeared. You heard from them by chance?”
“I know just as much as you do, nothing. But if I hear from them I’ll let you know.”
“Okay.”
He turns towards the door of the patio, standing there for a brief second before he turns to Aries and teases, “You sure about not wanting that hug?”
“Get the fuck off of my porch, Cloud.”
3 notes · View notes
gurnazarora · 5 months
Text
Chan Se Joh Toote Koi Sapna [Oneshot]
TAGGING → @raghavxarora, @zaara-siddiqui, @sahejarora
LOCATION → The Arora Residence  
TIMEFRAME → October 2023
Gurnaz hadn’t gone this long without talking to Viraj since those initial days of casual conversation following that wedding they both attended. It felt like something was missing from her day. Not being able to just say good morning and that she hoped he had a good day had impacted her mood drastically. Trying to make other couples’ dreams come true while her own love life was falling apart was growing to be more and more difficult by the day. Gurnaz did her absolute best to remain professional about her work, but god it was so hard being happy for other people when you yourself were miserable. The guilt really set it when she realized she was finding herself unfocused on her own brother’s wedding.
Instead of thinking of what color palette they wanted for their ceremonies or who they wanted included in the bridal party, Gurnaz kept reeling over the fact that Raghav hated a man she had deep feelings for. She was here helping facilitate his dream wedding with the woman he loved while he was essentially standing in the way of her and any potential future she might have with Viraj. It was… unfair. 
Tumblr media
“Gurnaz? Tu theek hai? Did you even hear what I said?” Sahej’s chipper voice on her iPad snapped her out of her spiraling. She was brought back to reality and the fact that she was in Raghav and Zaara’s flat, planning the themes for their pre wedding events. “Kya?” she snapped at the middle Arora child, her brother eyeing her strangely for her curt response. “Kuch nahin…” 
Tumblr media
Raghav shared that moment with the other man, “Gurnaz, if you’re tired we can do this another time, na? I know you’re doing a lot right now. It’s okay” She huffed and shook her head, “No no. Let’s keep this going. I don’t want to waste any time getting things up off the ground. I have to call a million different people tomorrow so I can extend my stay in Mumbai and then there’s the decorators. I don’t have time this week to come back.” Nawab seemed to sense her stress and plopped himself down beside her, his furry head on her lap while they worked. 
Tumblr media
Raghav might have been on cloud nine planning this wedding with Zaara and getting his little sister to help. Still, he could tell that something was bothering his sibling and eventually stopped all wedding talk to turn the attention on her. “Okay, time out. Are you okay?” 
What should she do? Answer truthfully or lie? Lie. Definitely lie. “I’m fine.” 
“You’re lying.”
So much for that. 
“Don’t worry about it, bhaiya. Bas aise hi. There’s a lot going on.” “What do you mean, ‘aise hi’? Come on. Tell us. We’re here for you too, you know.” 
Gurnaz bit her lip, looking between Raghav and Zaara and her brother Sahej who was still with them via FaceTime. 
“Okay…” she started cautiously, “But you brought this upon yourself. I… was dating someone aur humara break up ho gaya.” 
She could see the looks of shock and intrigue on their faces. Her brothers were curious of course, wanting to know who it was so they could decide whether they approved or not even if they did split up. 
“Kaun?” “Hum jaante hai usse?” “Oh my god, let the girl speak,” Zaara piped up, “Go on.” 
Tumblr media
She should have stopped there and just lied, but her brother probably would have seen through that too. 
“Haan, tum dono jaante ho usse. He’s… actually an actor.” 
Tumblr media
She could hear the laugh from the iPad. “Kya?! Kaun hai?!” Sahej choked out. 
“That’s the thing… It’s…” Don’t do it. “It’s Viraj.” 
Tumblr media Tumblr media
There was a really long moment of silence as the couple before her tried to process what she just said, but of course it was Raghav who reacted first. 
“Very funny. This is because of what we said the other night, isn’t it? You’re trying to get us to stop asking who he is.”
“No bhaiya. I’m not… Viraj and I have been dating for the last six months. Or… at least we were. It’s over now.”
Gurnaz couldn’t help the way she sounded so dejected at that. She knew what he did, but he had changed. Viraj told her that. He showed her that. 
Tumblr media
“Tu pagal ho gayi hai?!” came the outburst from Raghav. “You know what he did to me right? To Vicky?” 
“Chillah kyun rahe ho tum?” Gurnaz responded, her Punjabi blood encouraging her to raise her voice along with him. 
Tumblr media
 “You could literally date ANY GUY you want and you were dating HIM?!” he exclaimed, standing from his seat and scoffing at her.
“I knew you’d react this way, but maybe you need to get your ears checked.” Gurnaz slammed her binder shut and stood as well. “We. Broke. Up. So go ahead. You can fucking be happy now. You don’t have to deal with him now. Now if you don’t mind me, I have a ton of work to do so I’m leaving.”
Her eyes began to sting with tears as she gathered her things and quickly said bye to Sahej bhaiya before ending the video call. 
“S-Sorry bhabi. I’ll call tomorrow.” Gurnaz felt horrible for ruining their evening, but it was also a relief to have it out there now. 
Tumblr media
She could hear the muffled tone of Raghav’s raised voice through the door, the sound fading out as she got closer and closer to the elevator. She forced herself to keep it together just long enough to get into the back of her car and order the driver to take her to her hotel.
1 note · View note
my-mass-hysteria · 3 years
Note
hinata
I don’t know if any of my talents are necessarily special or talents, but I was in band in high school and can play euphonium and sax.
4 notes · View notes
earlgreydream · 3 years
Text
quiet.
| bucky x reader | fluff |
being saved by the winter soldier
Tumblr media
“It’s just in here. I have a dog, her name is Lucy. She’s a little big, but she is very gentle. You don’t need to be afraid of her,” Bucky explained as you followed him up the stairs to his apartment.
You gave a slight nod and his lips turned up. He walked to a red door and put the key in, turning it as the lock clicked.
You’d been saved from a Hydra testing facility that the avengers infiltrated a few weeks ago. Bucky had found you, barely alive, deep in a lab. You’d been chained to an exam table, bruised and hollow.
“It’s okay, you’re safe now. I’m going to get you out of here.” Bucky had promised.
You had been taken to Banner’s lab to recover, Bucky staying with you the entire time. It was like a private hospital, and Banner and his staff took incredible care of you. They’d promised Bucky you were in safe hands, but he didn’t want to leave you.
Even when he got up to grab something, he’d see the fear spark through your eyes as you weakly reached out to him.
You didn’t answer any of the million questions you were suffocated with, opting to silently look away from the doctors and agents. The only thing Bucky had been able to coax out of you was your name, one late night when you couldn’t fall asleep.
“Do you like books? I can read to you.”
Bucky did his best to keep you entertained, and he’d already manage to read you several books from the harry potter series. Peter Parker had insisted everyone in your generation liked them, and he’d considered them a safe bet.
Bucky read you the stories of magic and boarding school and friendship, staying by your bedside and entertaining you. After you finished each book, he convinced Banner to let you use the lab screens to watch the films.
Once you were finally recovered enough to be stable, Bucky had convinced them to let you come stay with him at his apartment in Brooklyn. Stark Tower was cold, huge, and noisy. He thought it would be much better for your recovery to be in a calmer and more cozy environment.
Bucky unlocked the door to his apartment, letting you inside first. You tensed a bit as the large golden retriever waddled up to you.
“It’s alright. Lucy, this is Y/N. She’s our new friends that’s going to be staying here. You gotta protect her too, she’s a little nervous,” Bucky spoke to his dog as if she were a human, amusing you a bit.
Lucy sniffed your hands, and you giggled softly when she licked your fingers.
Bucky had never heard you laugh, and it made his heart soften. The quiet sound was so sweet, and he wanted to be the source of your laughter, and hear it for the rest of his life. 
He gave you a short tour of his home, a small apartment in Brooklyn. It was  cozy and intimate, the warmth a stark contrast to the cold metallics of Banner’s lab where you had spent the last two weeks. 
You followed him to the second bedroom, the walls painted a pale lavender. Bucky set down your bag of clothes and personal items that Nat had provided you with Stark’s credit card. 
“I didn’t know what color you liked, but Wanda said that this color was a safe bet,” he said apologetically, and you nodded, the corners of your lips turning up slightly.
You were slightly nervous when Bucky left you to unpack and settle, but you smiled as Lucy hopped on top of the white duvet cover. You peeked your head out of the door, looking into the living room when you heard music. Bucky laid a vinyl record on the player in the corner, old music floating through the small apartment. 
“I was going to make dinner. Are you up for eating?” 
You nodded, and he lightly touched your hip as he walked by, to the open kitchen. You slipped the clothes into the closet and the drawers, setting the phone and laptop on the little desk in the room before going to join Bucky in the main part of his home. You wrapped in the cashmere blanket that was on the end of the bed, comforted by being swaddled in the soft fabric.
“I got that for you, I thought you’d like it,” Bucky smiled at you, nodding at the blanket. You sat up at the island, across from where he was slicing vegetables. You smiled back at him, and he leaned forward and held out a piece of red pepper to you. 
Your smaller fingers took it from his metal hand, biting into the sweet vegetable he gave you. 
“I thought we could watch the Deathly Hallows tonight, it’s the last one we have left.”
You agreed and ate as much of the salad he made as you could. Before Bucky could get up, you grabbed his bowl and slipped away from the island, doing the dishes for the two of you. Bucky laughed as you spun around with the music, and you reached out your hands, inviting him to dance with you. 
His arm went around your waist, and your fingers slipped in his. His chin rested on top of your head, and you felt his heartbeat thrum against your cheek as you slowly swayed to the music. He quietly sang along to the song from a 40′s artist, a peace settling over the two of you. 
The music stopped as the needle slipped to the middle of the record, and Bucky’s arm tightened around your waist. You hugged him, feeling safe and secure in his arms.
You reached into a bowl and grabbed a piece of chocolate before following him to the couch, where he was turning on your movie. You curled up on the end of the couch, draping your blanket over you. You watched the movie, Bucky’s hand resting on your ankle, his fingertips occasionally moving over your skin. 
His careful touch was welcomed, soothing your remaining nerves from being in the new environment. You jumped when the snake in the movie lunged forward, a soft gasp escaping your lips. 
“Oh, no, it’s alright, doll,” Bucky gently squeezed your ankle. You sat up and moved to lean against his side. He draped his arm over your body, keeping you safe from the magical snake in the movie. 
You dreaded going to bed, and Bucky could sense your nerves. Since you’d been rescued from Hydra, Bucky had slept a few feet from you, holding your hand. 
“Goodnight, Y/N. I’m just in the next room if you need.”
You twisted your hair between your fingers, patting Lucy’s head before crawling into bed. 
After hours of lying awake, your body finally succumbed to exhaustion. Dreams twisted into nightmares, making your heart seize and trapping the oxygen in your lungs. A cold sweat broke out all over your body, and you shot up, gasping for breath as memories of Hydra’s experiments and torture flashed through your mind.
You rubbed your eyes and held your blanket to your chest, trying to fight off the nightmares. The shadows in the corners seemed to move and grab at you like claws, the terror bubbling higher in your throat. You knew you were safe in Bucky’s apartment, but your heart couldn’t quite catch up with your mind. 
Finally, you gave up trying to calm yourself down and you threw yourself out of the bed, running quietly into Bucky’s room. 
“Bucky... Bucky, wake up, please!” you desperately gasped out, hot tears rolling down your face. 
“Y/N, I’m here, it’s okay.” He sat up and moved over on the mattress, making room.
Your voice immediately snapped him out of his sleepy daze, so unused to hearing you speak. 
“I’m sorry,” you hiccuped, and he shook his head, snuggling your body against his under the blankets.You buried your face in his chest, letting him wrap you tightly in his arms. His dog tags were cold against your skin, tears soaking through his thin t-shirt.
“No, it’s okay. Go back to sleep, doll. I promise I’m going to keep you safe.”
Metal fingers combed through your hair as his other hand rubbed your shaking back. Bucky kissed the top of your head, soothing you back to sleep. He understood your fear, only recently freed from Hydra’s nightmares himself. Having you sleeping beside him comforted him as much as you, and he didn’t mind you crawling under his covers at two am. 
Your eyes slowly adjusted to the soft light pouring through white curtains. Bucky was lying next to you, and Lucy was curled up at your feet on the end of the mattress. You were halfway on top of him, your head on his chest and one leg draped between his. His metal arm was around your waist, resting just under the hem of your shirt, tracing small shapes on your skin.
Your head felt heavy from crying the night before, and your arms were weak as you tried to push yourself to sit up. 
“You okay?”
“Fine enough,” you whispered, Lucy’s ears perking up. 
Steel eyes searched your face, and his fingers slid to the small of your back as you sat up over him.
“I love hearing your voice,” Bucky smiled up at you, and you bit your lower lip as you smiled back.
You started giggling as Lucy licked your face, and before Bucky could gently push her off of you, you wrapped your arms around the dog and kissed the side of her furry head. Bucky sat up and pet Lucy before gently cupping your jaw. You looked at him, blushing as he briefly kissed you. 
He pulled back and gauged your reaction, anxiety sweeping over him when your eyes widened.
“Y/N, I’m sorry, I just-”
You leaned forward and kissed him back, your arms wrapping around his neck as you shifted onto his lap. Passion poured through the two of you, and he held you tightly as your lips moved together.
“Don’t be sorry, kiss me again,” you whispered against his lips. He grinned before fulfilling your request, giving you exactly what you wanted. 
1K notes · View notes
wincore · 3 years
Text
romeo roulette | jung yoonoh
Tumblr media
pairing: jaehyun x fem!reader
summary: if finding your soulmate is the same as a damn game of russian roulette, you are determined to not pull the trigger at all. except, you know who your soulmate is and he doesn’t—and given a choice to pretend, you find that jaehyun is the lesser of the two burdens to bear.
genre: soulmate au, office au, fake dating, fluff (a lot), angst (a little), romcom, magical realism (??)
words: 21.2k
warnings: language
song recs: playlist here !
a/n: behold ! a kdrama compressed in a fic ! ok i was lying there was more than a little angst but all in good fun <3 i have never experienced working in an office (thanks to the panny) but i tried making it as accurate as i could !! hope you have fun with this <3
Tumblr media
It’s not that you’ve never been looked at with a lover’s gaze, it’s just that whatever look Jaehyun has been giving you is mildly uncomfortable. It’s not supposed to be that way. Hell, even his hand clasping yours are a little too clammy for your liking.
Jung Yoonoh. Get your act together.
You wish he were a better actor than this. For someone used to eyes on him in each and every room he’s in, he’s not very good at making eye contact. You’ll be saving this performance. Not to stroke your own ego but at least you know how to behave under strong gazes.
There are three people staring at the two of you and your fingers intertwined, scrutinizing your postures and the expressions on your faces. Maybe Jaehyun should face them instead of glancing at you wordlessly. He’s a terrible liar for someone who acts so smooth. 
You look up with a short smile. The aforementioned three are your coworkers—former class rep at uni and your current boss Doyoung, your friend Soojin and Jaehyun’s friend Sicheng from IT. None of them look happy—like it concerns them. If there was a competition for nosy coworkers, this entire group would be winning awards left and right (and that’s including you). 
They’re going to find out, an annoying voice giggles inside the quiet corner of your brain. Like hell, they will. You didn’t take up acting lessons in college for nothing. You just need to focus on the details.
This whole charade dates its beginning to a week ago. 
If someone were to tell you Jung Yoonoh from marketing is your soulmate, you would most certainly either laugh or take it as a genuine insult. Hence, you were glad when you found that he isn’t. 
It was an accident. You had glimpsed at his soulmark, right below his collarbone, at a particularly wild office afterparty—and somehow, you thought it was fitting that his tattoo was a little red heart. For someone born on Valentine’s day (which you know from a night out with coworkers, not because you’re remotely interested), if his soulmark was not something as disgusting as a heart, it would be the textbook definition of irony. But then again, fate is a funny thing. Your soulmark is a heart roughly the same size, with a little more intricacy in the form of a piercing arrow.
Despite all, however, if someone were to ask you if Jung Yoonoh is the worst person to be your soulmate, the answer is no. You can name at least five coworkers off the top of your head that you’d choose him over. You would choose him over Doyoung (and especially his nagging), you would choose him over Taeyong because he’s too hot and you also don’t like men in a higher position than you are, you would choose him over Jungwoo because you suspect he’s secretly a furry. Jaehyun is certainly better than your deskmate Dongmin who, despite an angelic smile, is: a) too distant to make actual conversation with, and b) in a relationship despite being your soulmate. Sweet-tempered Dongmin doesn’t even know it’s you. You’d love to be the bearer of bad news but this one—you’re not exactly ready for it yourself.
So that’s the explanation for why you hunted down Jaehyun and in a desperate attempt to not seem pathetic, coerced him into a role that has carefully picked benefits for either of you. You just have to bite the bullet sometimes.
“And I get what out of this?”
“Me? Temporarily, that is.”
Jaehyun laughs in amusement and you drop your smile, almost offended. If you were a gift, you’d certainly be an attractive, spicy, hot one—he doesn’t have to look at you so incredulously. In a neat business suit, Jaehyun is as kempt as ever though his tie could do with some more work.  As an HR assistant, his appearance pleases you. However as a person, the perfection annoys the hell out of you. He could show himself to be more human. It would make your job (both the actual and the metaphorical) easier.
“I’m leaving,” he announces with a nonchalant exhale. “You keep messing around during work hours like this and people are going to think you’re jobless.”
“Wait!” 
You jog up to him and block his path, crossing your arms as you huff at his indignance. 
“I said no,” he repeats, and when he tries to evade you, you push him back with your palm flat against his chest. Jaehyun doesn’t show any more discomfort than usual, biting the inside of his cheek.
“You haven’t found your soulmate, right?” you say, taking a deep breath. If you have to resort to psychological warfare, so be it.
His smile wavers and he straightens, no longer leaning against the printer desk. “No. How does that matter?”
“It matters because you’re going to be my pretend-soulmate. Now, don’t be a pussy.”
He opens his mouth and closes it, furrowing his eyebrows. “You can’t always trick me into doing what you want.”
“I’ll ask Doyoung if you say no.”
“See—enough with the tricks, they don’t work anymore. I’ve known you for two years.”
“I really will ask him.”
“Not convincing enough. You don’t even talk to Doyoung outside work.”
You groan into your hand, taking a few moments to come up with another plan. How is your obvious charisma not enough? You certainly can’t tell him how rejected you feel with the whole Dongmin situation even if his rejection hasn’t officially come yet. It’s too embarrassing for a grown adult to go through. You don’t mind being lonely for the rest of your life if you’re successful. There’s a price tag on each decision you make anyway.
“I’ll treat you to lunch every day. I’ll pay.”
You cross your arms, tapping your foot in anticipation. They say the way to a man’s heart is through the stomach. Besides, Jaehyun hates spending his lunch money on himself. This ought to do something.
Jaehyun places his hand in front of his mouth in mock surprise. “Oh no, out of your beloved paycheck? That’s kind of scary, honestly.”
“Jaehyun. Stop messing around. I’m being serious.”
He purses his lips, hesitation across his face. You don’t like the way he thinks, with quiet, lost eyes and no clear giveaways on his lips.
“Okay. I’ll do it.”
You smile in relief though you try somewhat to not let it show on your face. 
“On one condition.”
Your eyes dart across his face, nothing that tells what he might suggest next. You hate when you don’t get to decide on things.
“You have to come visit my family next month and pose as my soulmate—”
“No way.”
“—and when this whole game you’re playing is over, you’re going to say I rejected you.”
You stare at him, weighing the odds. 
“Fine,” you say finally, voice pitched in slight annoyance.
Jaehyun shrugs.
“But I tell my parents that I rejected you. Or they’ll come after you with a task force or something.”
You mutter the last part.
He grimaces, holding his breath for a good few seconds and then letting it go.
“Alright. It’s not like mine and your parents know each other—or will ever meet.”
“Fine then,” you say. “We have an agreement.”
“We have an agreement,” he repeats.
Now, back to more pressing matters. The people in front of you aren’t a stupid lot—even if you've seen Doyoung spend $500 on plush toys, seen Sicheng absentmindedly walk into a desk and pretend to not be in pain for the next five minutes and Soojin somehow convinced a senior to get her coffee because she thought he was an intern (in her defence, it worked). 
The only way is to act through. You clear your throat.
"We… we discovered it last week. Our signs match."
Technically, you drew an arrow with a permanent marker over Jaehyun's tattoo in an attempt to resemble yours. It's not awful, but perhaps not perfect. 
“Discovered? Like just happened to find out?” Doyoung asks.
“Isn’t Jaehyun’s on…” Soojin leans in to whisper hurriedly in your ear. “On his butt? Did you guys sleep together?”
You contort your face in disgust. “The what? What? Who told you that? And no.”
Soojin makes an ‘ah’ sound and leans back. “I should stop listening to office rumours then.”
"You should." You glare at her.
Sicheng is the only one without questions at the tip of his tongue but the look on his face worries you most. 
“I’ve never seen your tattoo, now that I think about it,” he muses, turning to Jaehyun. “Although we’re roommates.”
Jaehyun clears his throat, looking around with shifty eyes. "Why is… why is everyone looking so suspicious?"
"It's just… so sudden," Soojin says, looking around at the others.
"Yeah," Sicheng mutters.
"Soulmate fraud is a big deal too, you know that right?" Doyoung informs. "You could get put in jail."
You throw up your hands in exasperation. "Why would we pretend? We don't have any reason to. And, uh, you're sure about the jail thing?"
You look at Doyoung, hoping your question didn’t come off too squeaky. 
"You’re right,” he says, sighing. “It’s so unlikely for soulmates to work in the same company, let alone the same building.”
“Oh, yes, I’m so lucky,” you mutter under your breath.
Doyoung sighs. "Look, we're happy for you. It's just that… it's a little sudden."
"Literally what I just said," Soojin says.
"Literally what she just said," Doyoung agrees quickly, not wanting to pick a fight. Sometimes you wonder who the real boss is.
"Look, just because we don't even acknowledge each other or find each other remotely attractive or wouldn't even be each other's office Christmas card candidate—"
Jaehyun nudges your side with his elbow and gives you a look that seems a lot like "You're making it worse".
You clear your throat. "That's what happens to most soulmates! You think you're going to land the perfect one and boom. You get a chump from marketing."
Jaehyun makes a sound of protest. "I didn't want a snob from HR either."
The two of you glare at each other, and you find that clenching his jaw makes Jaehyun slightly (around 0.05%) more attractive, or at the very least more bearable to look at.
Doyoung gasps. "Okay, I get it. You're having adjustment issues. I know a guy for that. He's helped every newly found soulmate couple adjust with each other."
"We don't need that," you interrupt, offering your fakest smile.
"You do," Doyoung responds, his smile equally fake. "I'll drive you this weekend if you're free. He’ll give you one free session. No more, because we all know how capitalism works."
People have got to stop copying your fake smile. You wish you could have it copyrighted because after all, it’s the same smile that tricks interviewees into thinking they got the job. It’s not evil if you say it isn’t. You open your mouth, look at Jaehyun doing the same and when you can't come up with an excuse, give up and nod. 
"Don't look so resentful," Doyoung says, tone slightly complaining. "I'm not doing this as your boss. We were friends in college and I'm just doing you a favour. A friendly favour."
Soojin hums in deep thought. "I feel like this is some sort of nepotism."
"I feel like you should open a dictionary once in a while," Doyoung mutters, only to get a vaguely threatening look from Soojin.
"Anyway," Sicheng diverts, eyes curious when he turns to Doyoung. "Why did you call us here?"
"Ah." Doyoung's eyes widen. "I heard promotion rumours."
Sicheng lets out a loud huff of annoyance. "You summoned us here for company gossip?"
Doyoung crosses his arms. “So, you’re not interested?”
“Who said that?” Sicheng responds quickly, leaning in.
The five of you huddle closer in a circle, looking as conspicuous as a cult. 
“You guys know that Jinyoung’s leaving, right?” Doyoung starts.
Soojin gasps audibly only to get a smack on the arm from Doyoung. “Why’s he leaving? He's like employee of the month every month. ”
A few chuckles pass through the group at her discontentment from months of losing out on the title.
“I heard he found his soulmate. Lucky ass gets tax benefits too now,” Sicheng complains. “Why is he leaving?”
“Oh, look who’s interested in gossip now,” Soojin coos.
Sichengs turns red in the face and looks away, clearing his throat. “You’re gonna answer my question, Doyoung?”
“Oh! Right.” Doyoung looks up from a text. “He got rejected by his soulmate.”
Soojin covers her mouth this time when she gasps and you can’t say your jaw doesn’t drop as well. 
“Rejected? Like our picture-perfect Jinyoung got rejected?” you repeat, trying to process the information. “Please don’t tell me he decided to be an idiot and sign a mutual rejection.”
“No, he didn’t lose his senses,” Doyoung responds with a duh undertone. “He’s getting the compensation money.”
You sigh. “Man, I feel bad for him.”
Jaehyun hums in agreement. There’s a hush over the group and you feel fear rise in your chest. You don’t want to be rejected. You’ve seen how happy Dongmin looks with his girlfriend—he’d reject you in a heartbeat. Of course, you could just receive the compensation money from the one-sided rejection and get it over with but you refuse to. It hurts to not be wanted. It hurts to not be wanted by someone who’s supposed to want you. To be specific, it hurts your pride. Every time you see the damn arrowed heart on Dongmin’s wrist, which he tries so hard to cover with his watch, you feel like throwing up. You’re glad yours isn’t as easy to spot—resting right above your hip bone.
“Anyway, someone’s getting promoted to that HR specialist position.”
You gasp. “Is it me? It’s me, right?”
Jaehyun rolls his eyes and you elbow him. “What’s with you?”
“Don’t get too excited,” he says, shrugging. “Isn’t it stupid to get your hopes up over a rumour?”
Doyoung breathes out. “Wow, (name) really sucked the life out of you, Jaehyun.”
You glare at him when Soojin breaks into a fit of laughter. “You- you know what that- you know what that sounds like, right?”
Your face contorts into disgust and you shake your head. “Let’s be more professional, alright, Soojin?”
She clears her throat and straightens her clothes, like a teenager being reprimanded. “I’m your senior. It’s embarrassing when you say that to me.”
Jaehyun speaks up and turns to you. “I think lunch break is almost over.”
You raise an eyebrow. “So?”
“You’re forgetting something.” He smiles, dimples showing, but his eyes come off menacing.
“Fuck,” you mutter under your breath. You forgot about that stupid lunch promise. 
“Hey. Professional,” Soojin warns.
You groan and link your arm through Jaehyun’s, making him bite back a smile. What is it with men and getting weirdly happy about lunch?
“We’re gonna go get lunch,” you announce.
“Ooh, (name)’s ditching quality time with coworkers for dates now,” Soojin coos.
You roll your eyes and exit the office, stopping to wait in front of the elevator.
“I think that went well,” Jaehyun says, shrugging lightly.
“Shh. What if they hear us?”
“Do you think they’re X-men? We’re a long corridor and closed doors away.”
You huff, crossing your arms. “Still…”
Jaehyun’s smug smile makes you want to smack it right off and this isn’t the first time you’ve felt this way with him. You swear he’s not as bad as some of the guys you’ve met but Jaehyun is simply annoying. An A grade nuisance. You can trust him though. If Soojin says he’s a reliable guy, you’ll believe her—she doesn’t bluff when it comes to seeing right through men, though she does have a tendency to believe stupid rumours.
“Your acting was shit though,” you snipe.
Jaehyun lets out a low sardonic laugh. “At least I was subtle when I was messing up.”
You cross your arms and huff. “You know what? You can take the next elevator ride.”
“Huh?”
You step into the elevator just as the doors open and quickly jam your finger to the close doors button. The look of betrayal on Jaehyun’s face is subtle but it’s enough to satisfy you. As the saying goes, when one door closes, another one opens—it’s very applicable to elevators. He can take the other one.
However, almost immediately after, the elevator doors open and you groan, opening your mouth to send a sarcastic congratulations to Jaehyun for pressing the button on time.
Your words hitch on your tongue. Dongmin greets the two of you with a smile, standing beside Jaehyun, who has his eyes averted from you.
“Hey,” Dongmin greets. “Congratulations. I heard the news.”
“Thanks,” you croak, clearing your throat with a bit of heat on your cheeks. Jaehyun looks like he might burst into a fit of laughter any moment and you shoot him a subtle glare.
“Where are you headed to?” You ask.
“Oh, I’m going to grab a sandwich from the cafeteria.”
“We’re also headed to the cafeteria,” Jaehyun declares, with a smile that’s almost devilish.
“No, we’re not,” you say quickly, making Dongmin raise an eyebrow. You hold back a groan. If only Dongmin weren’t raised to be the politest man you know and a little bit more of an asshole. 
You hum and turn to Jaehyun. “I told you about that new cafe. Remember, honey?”
Dongmin makes an ‘o’ with his mouth. “Nicknames, already? Ah, I’m so jealous. It must be great to get along with your soulmate.”
Oh, the sweet summer child that Dongmin is.
Jaehyun furrows his eyebrows. “Oh, won’t it take too long, darling? We have—”
He makes a show of checking his Rolex, a gift he received from his superior that he spares no chance to flex.
“—Around ten minutes left.”
You hold back a groan and plaster on your smile. “Come on. Now is the best time.”
“That sounds like a load of—”
You elbow Jaehyun hard in the gut and a restrained sound dies in his throat, eyes widening in the sweet look of discomfort taking over his features. You smile triumphantly and turn to Dongmin with an immediate change of expression.
“I’ll see you in office later,” you say, bowing slightly.
Dongmin nods and gets off on the fifth floor. You watch in quiet relief as the elevator door closes and turn to your dear companion, irked.
“Did you have to do that?” Jaehyun asks, voice raspy with pain.
“You deserved it. Don’t you dare make this a bigger mess than it already is.”
“You came up with it.” Jaehyun straightens, finally. Apart from the few loose strands of his neatly parted hair, he doesn’t seem all that disgruntled.
“And we’re going to set some ground rules,” you declare, closing your arms.
Jaehyun straightens to his full height, the space between the two of you diminishing. 
"Okay," he agrees. "Then we both get a say in it. It's a contract, after all."
"Fine. First rule, no being weird around Dongmin."
Jaehyun chuckles. "I think you need to be more careful about that than I do."
You pat his cheek. "Focus. Just don't- don't be around him for too long."
Jaehyun purses his lips. "Why are you so uncomfortable around him? I thought you were doing this because you didn't want to reject him."
You glance away, feeling uncomfortable. "It doesn't matter. I just don't want him to know."
Jaehyun hums. "Fine. My turn. No calling me a chump."
Your cheeks puff up as you try to contain your laughter. "It bothered you that much, huh?"
Jaehyun furrows his brows. "No one's ever called me that before. It's always 'oh my god, he's so handsome, who is he?' or 'ooh, I might faint from how hot he is'."
You giggle. "Alright, handsome."
Jaehyun exhales, his puffed cheeks making him look like a resentful five year old instead of a grown man with a professional job. You pause before you get back on track.
“No nicknames,” you blurt. “It’s weird when you call me something endearing. And your flirting feels kind of threatening.”
“What do you mean, baby?”
“See! You’re doing it again.” You cross your arms at the look on his face; anything close to victorious over Jaehyun’s features is unbearable to you.
He raises his arms in exasperation. “How are we supposed to make this work if we act like we don’t care about each other. Guess why Doyoung’s taking us to couple therapy?”
You huff, slightly pissed off. “You’re saying it was my fault?”
“I’m saying we could have avoided that with better acting.”
“You think you’re so—”
The elevator door opens with a ding on the first floor and you turn to find a bunch of interns back from their lunch break. It would be much less of an awkward affair if you and Jaehyun weren’t well into each other’s personal spaces, noses almost touching and with a mutual glare which could be easily mistaken for a look of something more sensual. You jump away from Jaehyun and leave the elevator as fast as you can, feeling far too conscious of yourself. With long strides, you exit the corporate airs of the building to a sunny, fairly populous sidewalk. 
Jaehyun catches up to you, bending and trying to catch a glimpse of your face with an incredulous smile over his.
“Don’t say a word, Yoonoh.”
“Ooh, you’re saying my name now.”
“This isn’t funny!”
“I find it plenty funny.”
“That’s because of your trash sense of humour.”
“Mhm.”
“Don’t look so smug.”
Mondays are the days that make you want to scream in agony, not Thursdays—though they are pretty high up on the worst days of the week list. Maybe this was a bad idea. Maybe pretending to be in love with someone you simply cannot be in love with is an awful idea. 
Soulmates don’t need to be in love with each other, you think to yourself. There’s plenty of soulmates who are just in it for the financial benefits; you can just pretend to be one of them. This dilemma is starting to fray your nerves and Jung Yoonoh, with his lax disposition and dimpled cheeks, is making it worse. And to top it off, you now have to take him to your favourite (kind of secret) cafe in the name of the lies that slipped your tongue. It was supposed to be a quiet comfort spot for you.
You blow a puff of air out and dismiss the thought. Comfort spots aren’t real anyway when you’re all grown. There’s bound to be a breach. 
However, you will not let the (lacking) romance department of your life get sorted out by someone who doesn’t even know you. Lady luck would be an acquaintance to you at most. If fate is a game of chance after all, you might as well be the one spinning the roulette. You look at Jaehyun, piecing together the perfect plan for this seemingly frivolous play-pretend. The game is in your hands now. 
Tumblr media
You blink at the figure of Jung Yoonoh under February sunlight on a modestly busy sidewalk. It’s not something to be surprised at—however, the stark contrast in attire makes you stare longer than you intend to. Wearing a black graphic hoodie and pair of worn out jeans, Jaehyun looks about as casual as you can bear. It’s always weird to see coworkers out of formal clothing.
“Are you just going to stare at me till Doyoung comes and picks us up?” he asks. 
You roll your eyes. 
“You look nice,” he says, and you glance down at your outfit with a flush of heat over your cheeks. It’s just a short A-line skirt, stockings and a sweatshirt. This is as basic as you get. What’s worse is that his comment didn’t sound sarcastic.
“You- You look nice too. I guess.” Once in a while, you will say something extremely stupid and pretend it never happened. The frequency increases around Jaehyun for some damn reason.
“You guess? I’m pretty sure I look more than nice.”
“And how long did you look at yourself in the mirror and practise catchphrases this time?”
Jaehyun’s ears turn the shade of cherries and you press down your smile. You knew that time you caught him talking to himself in front of a car window would play to your advantage. 
“What’s that you’re holding?” you ask, eyeing the plastic bag he’s holding.
“Ginseng,” he answers, staring blankly at the cars passing by. “I heard the couples therapist is in his sixties so he might find it useful.”
“Oh, old people stuff,” you muse quietly. “That’s quite thoughtful of you.”
You should’ve brought something, you think for a moment before realizing that couples probably don’t give separate gifts. 
“Thanks,” you mutter.
He raises an eyebrow. “For what?”
You shake your head. “Anyway, we might as well kill some time. Twenty questions. Let’s go.”
He laughs. “What are we, in college?”
You wrinkle your nose. “Don’t make us sound like we’re thirty. I bet you’re the kind of guy who has his retirement plan figured out.”
“Wrong,” he emphasizes, face leaning closer. 
“Fine. I’ll start the questions, you unsalted block of butter. How many relationships have you been in?”
Jaehyun opens his mouth and closes it, ears turning red. “That’s your first question?”
You roll your eyes. “Okay. I’m guessing it’s single digit and on the lower side.”
He rolls his eyes. “How many relationships have you been in?”
You shut your mouth. There’s a moment of silence, a breeze passing you by, carrying winter away in its arms to make room for spring. 
“Never found a relationship worth it,” you mutter, glancing away. 
Jaehyun hesitates before opening his mouth. “Me neither.”
“Good thing for us, eh? Love makes people crazy.”
Jaehyun faces you with a clipped smile. Never did you think Jaehyun from marketing would be relating to you on a personal matter.
“Oh, but I’ve had enough hookups and I can bet you’re mediocre at best in bed.” 
Jaehyun glares at you. “I am not and I can prove it to you.”
“Is that an invitation into your bed? No, thanks.”
He opens his mouth to retort but is interrupted by the Hyundai Grandeur pulling up to the sidewalk and rolling down the driver window to reveal Doyoung. He looks as overworked as usual, but his eyes are more tired, a bit of makeup covering the dark circles. You’ve heard his soulmate is a makeup artist for an idol group and wonder how they even came to be. Does fate throw darts randomly and pick its choice?
“Get in. Quick,” Doyoung instructs. “I have to drop you off and head home. My family is visiting. I didn’t even get a warning and they think I’m in a gay relationship with Taeyong because we still have our friendship rings from college.”
You want to laugh and agree but Doyoung looks rather pissed off so you hold it in. The two of you do as told, getting in the backseat and shutting the doors in sync. The car smells rather leafy mingling with the scent of fresh clothes and you eye the jar dangling from the rear-view mirror. You open your mouth to ask what scent that is when Doyoung’s voice rings out.
“What’s that?” Doyoung signals to the bag with Jaehyun.
Jaehyun looks down. “Ginseng extract.”
“Oh, the gift pack?” Doyoung asks. 
Jaehyun nods and Doyoung chuckles, shaking his head. “If that’s for Mr. Lee, forget it. He hates gifts. Something about inward appreciation and shit.”
Jaehyun groans, massaging his forehead. “What do I do with this then? Is this guy a priest?”
“Give it to Doyoung,” you suggest. “His family’s visiting.”
You hear an audible hum of approval from the driver seat and turn to Jaehyun making a face of reluctance. Maybe he isn’t so magnanimous after all, you think smiling.
“You’re both quite tame today,” Doyoung remarks, just when the silence is starting to swallow the inside of the car. “Makes me wonder if you need Mr. Lee after all.”
“We actually don’t…” You shake your head. “We’re here and it’s free so why not?”
Jaehyun shoots you a questioning look. It’s not like you can cancel when you’re in Doyoung’s car and already on the way. You’ve known your boss long enough to know the wrong answer to his questions. You look outside at Seoul streets and sigh. 
Jaehyun looks at you, your focus elsewhere and wishes this would end already. He has no idea what overcame him to accept your ridiculous offer but he must be just as ridiculous. At the very least, he finds you quite lovely to look at—not that he’d ever admit it to you. The foundation to this weird bickering friendship (if he can call it that) would be ruined by that. His ego, however, has been boosted up a few notches from the fact that you called him for help. He looks outside the window, holding back a smile. It’s a sunny day.
The therapist, Mr. Lee’s office building is a fancy one with an even fancier lobby. Baby pink leather couches cushion your bum nicely as you wait for your appointment. The architecture is that of a corporate firm and you feel quite at home with the large glass walls by the revolving door. This therapist guy must be rich as hell. The receptionist wears a formal uniform; her blouse is light pink with a grey pencil skirt and you like the look of it. You wonder if asking her where she bought it is time-appropriate. More couples sit around you and you, unfortunately, have to scoot closer to Jaehyun as a result. You do not want to catch that disease they all have. Why are they even here for therapy if they’re smiling at each other in that sickly enamored way? 
Now that you’re here, you’re starting to feel that this arrangement was ill-decisive. You should’ve done a better job of acting. You wonder if you can get a refund for that college course on acting, pouting as the ticking wall clock gets on your nerves. Even the marble floors are pink; the walls are mahogany red and there’s a heart-shaped wall clock, and should you glance around more, you’re going to nauseate yourself. This guy certainly takes his job seriously—or just really likes pink-red themes.
A woman in her early thirties exits the elevator and announces your names, and you click your tongue at the fact that she used Jung for your surname. It sounds distasteful. 
You follow her, starting to get nervous. You really hope this Mr. Lee isn’t as good as Doyoung says he is. Your fraud falling apart within three days is too embarrassing a defeat, not to mention bordering on illegal if found out. What the fuck does the government care about broken hearts and beneficial relationships? It’s so nosy. You understand the financial situation in case of happily bonded soulmates but apart from that, there really shouldn’t be this much discrepancy in the name of love.
Love drives people crazy. You’d rather not lose your good sense in the name of something so inane. After all, money makes the world go around, not love. 
Restricting a gag at the deep red heart on the door, you push them open with Jaehyun to find an old man sitting on a similar baby pink couch as in the lobby. He gets up to greet the two of you, the wrinkles on his face deepening when he smiles. Despite everything, he has a sort of grace to him, the one that comes with growing old elegantly. An upbeat song plays on a record player attached to the wall, although at a very low volume, and the tune reminds you of Animal Crossing. 
“Doyoung told me about the two of you,” Mr. Lee says, gesturing at the two of you to sit down. “How long has it been since you found out?”
“Six days,” you answer at the same time Jaehyun answers, “Four days”.
The two of you look at each other.
“Four-Six days. We didn’t keep track.”
“Ah,” Mr. Lee says. “How do you propose to celebrate your anniversary?”
You hesitate opening your mouth and declaring that you don’t really need to do that crap. Mr. Lee notices your expression and breaks into gentle laughter. 
“I’m kidding. Anniversary dates don’t matter,” he laughs. “It’s okay to celebrate your 100-day on the wrong day. Don’t worry.”
You purse your lips. To your dismay, Jaehyun isn’t as bothered by the sickly pink environment and Mr. Lee’s relaxed demeanour.
“I have a hundred percent success rate,” Mr. Lee assures the two of you, looking directly at you.
“That’s what I’m worried about,” you mutter under your breath and get a nudge from Jaehyun, who has his politest smile on.
You can’t believe Jaehyun has a better customer service mode than you do. If you didn’t know him, you’d be fooled into thinking he’s the nice guy character every office has. Unfortunately, that one goes to Dongmin. You hate getting stuck with nice guys (unless they offer financial stability).
“I think Doyoung might have been exaggerating,” Jaehyun explains calmly. “Whatever he told you.”
“He told me the two of you have a bickering problem. And staring at each other when the other isn’t looking.”
You cough. “That is not true. The staring part.”
Jaehyun narrows his eyes at you. “I knew you were checking me out,” he mutters.
You roll your eyes. “Keep dreaming, Jaehyun.”
Mr. Lee laughs. “Your bickering seems to be quite affectionate. I don’t know what that boy was worried about.”
You press your lips together into a thin smile, annoyed that anyone would ever describe your interaction with a man as affectionate. It makes you feel like an idiot. You were always better off alone—the universe was wrong to assign Dongmin to you. Maybe you needed to see the apparent love of your life clearly in love with someone else to snap you to reality.
“However, what is a playful lover’s fight in the beginning can turn into real fights.”
“Right,” you mutter. “It’s all fun and games in the beginning.”
“The two of you have almost no animosity—you’ve known each other before you discovered the soulmark, right?”
The two of you nod, having already reconciled yourselves to this session. It’s a one-time thing, you tell yourself. It will be over soon.
“The soulmate information shouldn’t influence the relationship you already had. If anything, it should be drawing you closer. First time awkwardness is common.”
He’s starting to sound a lot like your high school sex ed teacher. You get the idea to pretend to be sick and get out of this early.
“Company policy too,” Jaehyun mutters. “Unofficial company policy makes office romance out to be some sort of sacrilege.”
“You know, I was the CEO of your company so I do know the policies,” Mr. Lee says, smiling in the confident, reserved way senior citizens offering wisdom do. 
You choke on the water you were taking a sip of, a coughing fit overcoming you and Jaehyun hesitates before awkwardly patting your back.
“Huh? CEO? I’m sorry?” you manage. 
Mr. Lee lets out a loud, hearty laugh. “I stepped down two years ago.”
“That’s when I joined,” you and Jaehyun say at the same time.
Mr. Lee smiles at the two of you wordlessly. “I have an idea for the two of you. Why don’t you try turning your ‘I’s into ‘we’s? Do some activities together and when you talk about it, you’ll find yourself much closer.”
You narrow your eyes. “You know, Mr. Lee, I’m a little curious about your relation with the company—”
“My recommendations won’t help you get promotions faster.”
“Dammit.”
Jaehyun chuckles beside you but a glare from you turns it into a suppressed smile. The one thing that wouldn’t be a waste of time opened its door and closed it right back. 
“But you know how promotions work,” you press, leaning forward.
An alarm rings, so pleasant in tone that you know it’s a Samsung. Unfortunately, it’s the ugly flip model and you question Mr. Lee’s taste (and wealth).
“Oh, look, time’s up,” Mr. Lee announces, and you think you catch a hint of nervousness in his voice. 
Jaehyun springs up before his ears turn red, embarrassed by the gusto with which he himself got up and looks at you expectantly. You get up, sighing.
“Next time, Mr. Lee,” you warn. “I will get those details.”
“I charge by the hour.” He smiles.
“Stop threatening the therapist,” Jaehyun mutters to you, taking your arm and turning to leave.
“Oh, and,” Mr. Lee calls. “It’s always better to be honest than to pretend.”
You blink in surprise when Jaehyun tugs at your arm, bowing in thanks and leaving the room with you.
“Was it just me or did he see through us?” you whisper to Jaehyun.
He shakes his head, whispering back, “There’s no way he could tell. He’s probably referring to something else.”
“Like what?”
Jaehyun doesn’t answer.
“Tell me, are you always so domineering towards strangers even?” he asks. “I just thought you liked to press my buttons because I’m easygoing.”
You scoff. “Don’t flatter yourself. You’re not as cool as you think you are, especially since you get so hot and bothered by me.”
“It’s just you,” he whispers earnestly and your pulse rises. “No one else.”
You cough to kill the awkward silence and walk faster to the elevator. Jaehyun follows at a leisurely pace and it’s never occurred to you before but the sound of someone’s footsteps can also be annoying, proof currently standing beside you.
The elevator doors open, and much to your appallment, a young couple happens to be full blown making out inside the elevator, hands where there certainly shouldn’t be in broad daylight. Jaehyun whips his face away, clearing his throat loud enough for the couple to detach themselves from each other and hurriedly exit, fixing their clothes on the way.
“So he wasn’t lying about the success rate,” Jaehyun states quietly, a look of resigned horror on his face.
You can’t even respond for a few moments, following him into the elevator and shaking your head to get rid of the thought that inevitably jams itself inside your head. It might have a point, however.
"Maybe we should kiss too," you think out loud.
Jaehyun stiffens, looking at you with wide, fearful eyes. "No."
"We have to kiss, we're dating!" You exclaim, hands on your hips.
"We're not actually—ah, whatever. It’s not worth bickering with you."
"Why? Afraid you'll fall in love with me?”
Jaehyun shakes his head, and you’re suddenly aware that your bickering keeps drawing you closer to each other, your faces nearer than you’d realized.
"If anything," he starts with a confident smile. "You better not fall in love with me."
"Oh, please. You're taking this way too seriously."
"You're the one that wants to kiss me."
Your cheeks heat up. "You're- I- That's not—argh, fuck you."
Jaehyun looks smug, and you have the unstoppable urge to punch it off his face. You take a deep breath. Violence is not the way, (name).
“If we were a few years younger, you’d be begging for mercy under me,” you seethe.
Jaehyun’s eyes shift over your face in confusion, ears burning bright red with each passing second. Before he can open his mouth, you let out a short yell.
“Not like that, you pervert,” you say, leaning away from him. 
“I didn’t even say anything. On an unrelated note, were you a delinquent in school?”
You roll your eyes. “Kind of. I had a temper and a sharp tongue.”
“And now you’re a people pleaser. That’s quite the development.”
You smack his shoulder. “You’re getting on my nerves, punk.”
He makes an ‘oh’ with his mouth before smiling. “You totally did the delinquent accent.”
“I’m guessing you were the shy, little boy who flushed red at conversations about kissing.”
Jaehyun clears his throat in annoyance. “I was not. I was quite popular in high school and college, you know?”
“Yeah,” you mutter. “It’s that face of yours.”
“Sorry, what? I didn’t catch that.”
“Oh, look, we’re on the first floor.” You exit the elevator, leaving a puzzled Jaehyun to follow in stumbling steps.
“I don’t think Doyoung’s picking us up,” you state. “You take the bus? Or do you have a car to flex? I don’t ride in anything below a Tesla, unless it’s Doyoung because he’s technically my boss.”
“You’ll have to do with good old rented Hyundais,” he answers.
You exhale. Maybe he’s getting used to you. The bus stop is opposite the building, the structure squeaky clean and a bunch of people waiting on the seats. It’s a busy place and you wonder if the scammy-therapist-slash-your-former-ceo’s business has anything to do with that. You sit the first chance you get, shoulders pressed against Jaehyun’s for the lack of space and admiring the passing traffic. Seoul really just depends on the lenses you see through. Work days make the screen tinted grey and blue and you hate them often but some days, it’s good to experience those. Weekends are brighter, sunny and usually not with Jaehyun but he doesn’t really put a damper on them either.
You scan his side profile, a little envious when you realize that his confidence isn’t misplaced. You might have trained yourself to be more of a pleaser over the years but he’s the sort of person people come to like naturally. Moreover, his skin is perfect and his hair is always looking styled even in a mess. Fate and Life are partners in crime when it comes to being unfair.
Jaehyun turns to look at you and you snap your head to your lap, turning on your phone and staring at the homescreen for a good few seconds.
“Twenty questions,” Jaehyun announces. “Let’s play again. I’ll go first. Do you check me out when I walk away?”
“What is this, playing my own cards against me?” You scoff. “You’re so full of yourself.”
“So, yes or no?”
“Sometimes,” you mutter. “But it’s not the good kind of checking out. I’m checking out how terrible you look with your mess of a tie.”
Jaehyun laughs, the sound a hearty rumbling sort and you can’t help but smile back at that. It’s kind of cute when he laughs—the sound of it and the way his cheeks are dusted pink.
“My turn,” you say with a cheeky smile as you lean in to whisper. “Have you ever had a wet dream about me?”
Jaehyun chokes on air, coughing out the surprise as he stares at you dumfound. You stick the tip of your tongue out and throw him a wink, thoroughly enjoying this victory against him. It feels great to fluster someone like Jaehyun.
“No,” he says with clear emphasis. 
“Even the night you said I was so unbearably hot very loudly to Sicheng?”
Jaehyun leans back sighing, covering his face with his hand. “I was tipsy. And it was my first night out with coworkers. Give me a break.”
You giggle. “Honestly, it wasn’t that bad. There were worse incidents that night. An intern threw up on Doyoung’s shoes—I can’t even imagine the horror the poor girl experienced.”
Jaehyun shakes his head, smiling through his hand. 
“Have you ever sent nudes?” you ask, wiggling your eyebrows.
He sighs. “Maybe. Have you?”
“Oh, wouldn’t you like to know?”
He curls his lips. The answer seems to be no but you’re at least seventy percent sure he would be attracted to you in a world where your personality traits weren’t being nosy and annoying.
“Do you think you’re a good kisser?” Jaehyun asks, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees.
“Definitely.”
He scoffs, a smile tugging at his lips.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” You cross your arms.
He shrugs, leaning in slightly as though flirting (if he had the audacity). “We could test that.”
You feel your cheeks heat up. “What happened to no kissing in the contract?”
“It’s not officially there.”
You roll your eyes, glancing away. “You know, I’m starting to believe you were some sort of desperate fuckboy in college.”
“I- I was the hottest dude on campus and if we went to the same college, you would be pining after me. I literally had the Campus Prince title and girls would follow me to see me in class.”
He crosses his arms, a frown tugging down his lips.
“Ooh, Jung Yoonoh’s getting fired up,” you say in a monotonous voice. “Wonder how many girls you pulled with your chewed up fuckboy dialogue.”
Jaehyun scoffs but he clearly finds your accusations amusing, as hinted by his unbothered smile. He asks a question again.
“What’s more important to you—truth or happiness?” 
The question catches you off-guard. Jaehyun’s eyes are delicately curious, nothing too strong and even so, you find yourself holding your breath under his gaze.
“Huh?”
“Twenty questions. We were playing?” Jaehyun raises an eyebrow.
“Right.” You clear your throat, rubbing the back of your hand. “I… I’d choose happiness, I think. I’m… I’m not sure.”
“Really?” He doesn’t look too hellbent on taking apart your answer so you breathe out. He’s starting to pry into you finally. “I think the truth will make you happier.”
“That’s not- that’s not always true.” You look away, hoping the quietness of your voice ends the conversation there. You don’t know how to talk about it—you never really have. You’ve ugly cried over the lack of your love life to a stranger after five shots of whiskey but you don’t think you can talk about things like this sober. You don’t even know why you answered. Jaehyun makes you feel oddly comfortable.
Jaehyun shrugs, getting up when the next bus halts in front. 
“What did you major in?” you ask, following him.
“Business,” he answers before thinking. “Kind of hated it. But I started out with IT and that was somehow worse.”
You gasp, taking a seat beside him on the bus. “I started with IT too! It was a nightmare. You took that Database Management course?”
Jaehyun smiles. “It was like the course equivalent of reading the back of a Wi-Fi Router.”
You laugh. Maybe he isn’t so different after all. 
“You know, you do look like a business major,” you hum, furrowing your brows as you pretend to scrutinise him.
“So, you’re indirectly saying I either look like a rich kid or a jackass.” Jaehyun raises an eyebrow.
“They’re both the same thing.”
The laughter from the two of you makes an old woman behind you grunt in displeasure and the two of you apologize. It’s nice to talk like college kids again. The Seoul sunlight shines on Jaehyun’s face and you bite back a smile when his dimples appear. They aren’t all that bad. If you get along like this, there’s no reason to worry about fate and the universe and other superfluous things offered to you on a boring old ceramic plate. It’s a smooth ride.
Tumblr media
Your eyes drift to Dongmin’s workspace instinctively and you shake your head. This is exactly why you were avoiding him and even started the entire fake relationship with Jaehyun. You’d choose fake dating a (good-looking) chump from management over embarrassment and possible heartbreak any day.
You groan internally before glancing again and find the desk empty. Surprised, you blink and turn only to scream at Dongmin’s figure behind you.
“Shh!” he says urgently. “Don’t move. And don’t panic when I say this but there’s a bug on your shoulder.”
“What the fuck? Get it off, please,” you say, voice choking up.
Dongmin rolls up a stack of papers and you let out a low screech. “Don’t kill it on my shoulder!”
“Sorry,” he says and your eyes soften as he gently pushes the paper against your shoulder and takes it away. You breathe a sigh of relief and he signs you a thumbs up as he wiggles the paper in the air outside the window. 
“You saved me,” you say, smiling.
He returns it, his most beloved eye smile making you wonder if you made the right choice. Wouldn’t it be fun to just crash everything and watch it burn? You know you want to. Benevolence and grace were never your style. However, it’s his smile again that stops you. Maybe you don’t really want to be the bad guy after all. You’re sparing him from confusion and dread.
You’re sparing yourself from rejection and inevitable loneliness (yay).
It’s been a week, discussing details with Jaehyun before the both of you collectively decided to just wing it and hope you’re not caught. After all, there’s no real way to prove you’re not soulmates if you’re careful enough (the same way you can’t prove someone’s cheating if they’re careful enough but that’s quite a depressing analogy). Perhaps if you renounce the soulmate benefits (and Dongmin didn’t smile as often at you), it would be less morally taxing. You, however, are greedy. When you want something, you’ll do anything to get it.
You stare at the computer screen and sigh, cross checking the employee records for incorrect data and your eyelids start to droop. Of all the days, you just had to be assigned the most boring task on a Friday. You also should’ve gotten sleep instead of getting mad at Jaehyun’s dry responses to your plan of action. It was perfectly viable; unnecessary, but perfect nonetheless.
Soojin rolls her chair backwards into yours. “We’re going drinking tonight. Wanna come? You can bring your boy-toy too.”
You roll your eyes. “As much as I’d love to call him that, he’s still the chump from marketing for me.”
“Or,” Soojin emphasizes. “Your actual soulmate. How lucky is it that you work in the same building, in the same company?”
“I’m not sure if you’re being ironic.” You scroll through the database with trained eyes.
“I’m not. A lot of soulmates don’t even get to see each other because of their line of work. It’s so tragic.”
You’d be glad if you didn’t get to see Dongmin ever too. But you’ll keep that to yourself. You hum in response and hear a sigh from behind you.
“Let’s have fun,” she whines. “Is Jaehyun that much of a downer? He’s one of the hottest dudes in the building. I thought you’d be cheery.”
You pause and think to yourself. She does have a point. You’re definitely supposed to look happier. Your soulmate has the looks of a model and fifteen year old you would fawn over him no doubt.
“It’s the work,” you answer. “I’m working overtime to compensate for my rent.”
You work overtime anyway because you hate heading home to an empty apartment. 
“Ah, you signed a new lease, right? Near Songpa?” Soojin looks at you with pity and pats your shoulder. “You know what? I’ll treat you to drinks tonight. You deserve a day off, missy.”
You smile. “Thanks, Soojin.”
“And,” she adds in a singsong voice. “The love of your life is here.”
You furrow your eyebrows before tilting your head and almost sighing in exasperation at the figure of Jung Yoonoh outside the glass door. He may not show it, but you know distress when you see it. You’ve seen enough squirming undergraduates at company interviews. 
You quickly get up from your seat, praying that he didn’t mess something up. However, you find it cute when he looks like this, the urge to fluster him even more presenting itself to be rather tempting.
“I think you have a sick obsession with me, Jaehyun.” You cross your arms after closing the door behind you.
He exhales, closing his eyes for a moment before taking your arm and pulling you away from the door. 
“Woah, this isn’t high school. You can’t just pull me into a corner to make out.”
Jaehyun’s ears flare hot red and he clears his throat. “You’re in high spirits today.”
You weren’t, actually. Somehow, teasing Jaehyun gives you the same rush as caffeine. You just love when the nonchalance on his face turns into discomposure.
“I came to give Doyoung these files. Or you, since you’re practically his assistant.”
You ignore his comment. “There’s clearly something else.”
“The team sports event is coming up,” Jaehyun starts, hesitating. “I’m not managing it this year. I have to participate.”
“So?”
“So Dongmin has a higher chance of finding us out. What if he sees my mark in the changing room and it all goes to shit?”
“Great! He’ll think you’re his soulmate and I’ll be spared from this nonsense.”
“I’m being serious. It’s already difficult living with Sicheng and having to change with my doors locked. It’s kind of suspicious.”
“Do you guys sleep naked with each other or what?”
“No, but I do sleep with my shirt off.”
“Ugh. Why would you give me that image?” you complain. The image isn’t bad per se but it’s not what you need right now.
“You clearly liked it,” he mutters. 
You furrow your eyebrows. “You’re not doing this just to give me a load of unnecessary anxiety, are you? Do you know how swamped with work I am?”
“No, of course not,” he answers, no indication of which question he answered. “Also, is there a reason Soojin’s glaring at me?”
You wave your hand in dismissal. “It’s just the haven’t-warmed-up-to-coworker’s-new-boyfriend glare. Don’t worry about it.”
He doesn’t seem too relieved but you have more anxious thoughts invading the privacy of your Friday evening. You have to keep up your composure. It could happen one way or another, perhaps in a situation better than a team sports activity, but you have to figure it out. You reject your soulmate anyway—the same way he would.
Glaring at Jaehyun one last time, you get back to your desk. Jaehyun looks at your receding figure and finds himself checking you out, the largest blow he’s taken to his dignity. He shakes his head, breathing in and out. This is so not like him. He’s supposed to be the suave, handsome guy who people can’t seem to get to and yet—yet, you do it so easily. It’s unfair. He swallows his heart and tells himself he’s too old to feel this way. He’ll just drown himself in work and pretend love is a commodity like everyone else with a corporate job is supposed to. 
“You know,” Soojin starts when you get back. “Jaehyun kind of looks high if you look at him long enough. Weed is illegal though but who knows? Maybe he’s a bad boy deep down after all.”
“Which rumour have you been paying attention to now?” You sigh deeply.
Soojin laughs. “It’s funny to hear everyone’s opinions. Even if most of them turn into scandalous tall tales.”
“Anyway,” she continues. “I’m clocking out. I’ll get Jaehyun to take you to the sake bar.”
You look at her, puzzled.
“You’re a matching set now,” she follows up and you groan.
“Don’t give me that cr—”
“Toodle-oo! Let’s have some fun before we’re grey and old, eh?”
You sigh and nod. Maybe you should look into a caffeine fix, even if it costs you a mental power outage at the end of the rush. It’s not like you to be so down on a Friday but alas, Fate is as miserable a woman as you are. The sake bar is starting to sound good.
Or, you could always watch a few ASMR cooking videos instead of staring blankly at the employee records. Either way, this Friday better improve by tonight.
Tumblr media
“This is going great,” Soojin says, louder than she probably intended after her fourth shot.
“Of course it is,” you mutter. 
You haven’t yet had a chance to drink more because of two reasons: one) Soojin is hogging the alcohol and two) it would be embarrassing to get drunk in front of Jaehyun. Adding to your misery, Soojin has been gushing over her soulmate and the way she always makes breakfast for Soojin, listing off every single recipe she’s made. You would love to listen but you’re a tiny bit past your limit.
“Wooh, Jaehyun, you look hot,” Soojin whistles, in more of an older sister manner. “I can almost see your tattoo. Why don’t the two of you show us at the same time and we can take a commemorative picture?”
You cough loudly. “Mine’s on my waist, Soojin. I’m not ready to expose skin.”
“Right. Sorry.” She turns back at lightning speed to bother Dongmin with her stories, who smiles at her politely. It seems so genuine that you’re slightly enamored with it for a moment. There’s Jungwoo from marketing beside him, some more HR employees and thankfully, no interns. Doyoung is the only one partly miserable in the lot, talking into the phone for half an hour now. 
“Shit.” Jaehyun nudges you and whispers, “I forgot about the tattoo. This T-shirt makes it very visible.”
You look at him, alarmed. You fix his jacket, startling him, and pull the zipper all the way to his neck, making sure to backhand him on the chin.
“There.”
“It’s hot in here.”
“What do you want me to do about it? God, you’re like a child.”
“I’m like a—okay. Just cover my tattoo with foundation or something.”
“You think I carry around a whole bottle of foundation?”
Jaehyun blinks, deeming it safer to keep his mouth shut. 
“Okay. Fine. I have an idea. Come to the washroom with me.”
“Oh my, this isn’t your making out in the corner type of thing, right?”
You glare at him and he shuts up, following you quietly to the surprisingly clean restroom. The fact that it isn’t gendered makes you very glad. You make Jaehyun sit on the low enough basin counter and push your knee against it to balance yourself as you take out a permanent marker from your bag.
“I hope Doyoung doesn’t fire me for sneaking away,” you mutter angrily. “He didn’t even make me receive his calls all day.”
Jaehyun scoffs lightly. “Please, Doyoung adores you and your work ethic. He talks about it more than what I need to overhear. That and Taeyong’s detailed aquarium maintenance rules.”
“He does?”
Jaehyun clears his throat and you hold back bombing him with more questions till you’re done with painting an arrow into his tattoo.
“Isn’t it weird?” He looks at you with round, curious eyes. “Yours is a heart. Mine’s a pierced heart.”
“Hm. Funny coincidence.”
“Do you have to sit on my lap for this?”
“I’m not sitting on your lap,” you hiss. You are kind of close. You train your eyes on his collarbone as you pull his neckline down. 
It would be so embarrassing to be caught like this. You’d rather be caught making out with someone in the broom closet. You hold back a pained sigh. Jaehyun has some nerve speaking to you when you’re already annoyed with him. Couldn’t he just have worn his business attire? Why does he get to go home early? Taeyong is far too lenient a boss. You start swearing internally, getting nervous when you think about the consequences of your actions.
“Has anyone ever filed a complaint against you?” Jaehyun asks, and you nudge his chin upwards to draw the line on his tattoo.
“For what? Being perfect and successful?”
“For that attitude. The ‘take what I want’ attitude.”
You roll your eyes. “No. You’re saying it like I’m awful to the core for trying to take what I want. I haven’t got such a bad soul, you know, as souls go. You wouldn't write articles about how good a soul it is but… it’s well enough.”
Jaehyun raises an eyebrow and you avert your gaze from his eyes. This sort of proximity shouldn’t be bothering you, you shouldn’t be rambling.
The door opens right then and in a fit of panic, you do the unthinkable. You press your lips to Jaehyun’s and pray that whoever walked in has no idea who you are and more importantly, can’t see the permanent marker in your hand. 
“I’m so sorry!”
You know that voice. You half regret it when you hear it. Dongmin exits the bathroom as quickly as he entered and you pull away to look at the empty space. Beside you, Jaehyun stays so still that you forget he’s there for a moment. You breathe out in relief though part of you still feels a heavy ounce of regret.
You turn back to Jaehyun and find his doe eyes soft and lost in thought.
“I get it now,” Jaehyun whispers. “It must hurt. That he doesn’t care about the system.”
“What are you talking about?”
“That he’s so reckless about discarding you.”
You separate yourself from him further, standing up and brushing your clothes. “You’re overstepping.”
“Sorry,” he responds quietly. 
There’s a pause.
“Did you just kiss me right now?”
“Shut up. I didn’t want him to see us and especially this.” You wave the marker in front of his face.
“You just kissed me in a fit of panic. That’s the first time I’ve seen someone respond to panic this way.” Jaehyun looks a little too smug.
“What are you implying?” 
“You wanted to kiss me.”
You scoff. “Don’t get too ahead of yourself.” 
You want to knock the smile right off his face but you stick to flicking his forehead, his yell of surprise satisfying. This Friday night was supposed to get better. In fact, you are going to make it better if life won’t. The soju won’t drink itself and you deem that Soojin has had enough. 
Ignoring Dongmin’s confused look, you order far too many soju shots to be considered healthy. As you promised yourself, you are going to make this Friday better.
//
You just had to go and get drunk. Jaehyun stares at you, blinking slowly and wondering just how much you can embarrass yourself before it becomes a burden for him. He has to get you home; you’re practically a matching set now. But are the halves of a pair supposed to take care of the other when they get drunk?
“You know what, guys?” You announce, standing up abruptly and immediately getting pulled back to your seat by Jaehyun. It doesn’t stop your mouth however.
“I hate the stupid system,” you continue. “To tell the truth—”
He smacks his hand over your mouth. Jaehyun has had enough of the silent mini heart attacks you give him. The rest look at him with puzzled looks and he can’t even bring himself to give them a polite smile before dragging you out of the bar. The night breeze is cold enough—maybe it’ll sober you up.
"You're so annoying, Jaehyun," you mutter, massaging your forehead. "Did you know that?"
Or maybe it won’t.
"Never heard that before."
"How do you always keep to yourself and still be the center of attention?" You cling to his arm for balance. 
"Have you considered that maybe a polite man isn't as scheming as you think he is?"
You curl your lips. "Stop using big sentences. I hate that I barely know you, and I know everyone."
Jaehyun purses his lips. "You just enjoy the power that comes with figuring people out. Don't you?"
"Whatever you say. I want life to be a nice and smooth ride but then again, I can't even face my soulmate." You let out an airy laugh. "I didn't really need one though."
Jaehyun laughs in disbelief. "You look like you're dying of loneliness."
"Ooh, that's a big claim, Yoonoh."
"You say I keep to myself but what about you? You like hiding, don't you?"
You laugh. "Is this the part where I say we're nothing alike?"
He purses his lips, shaking his head in dismissal. He's just tired of chit-chat with someone who smells like she robbed a liquor store in Itaewon.
“You must think I’m some sort of selfish, vapid, work-obsessed overachiever,” you continue, tilting your head with a blank look in your eyes.
“Well, not exac—”
“But guess what? Your opinions are invalid, Jung Yoonoh. You’re just some chump from marketing. A very good-looking chump but still.”
Jaehyun swears under his breath as you fling your arms open in the same manner a speech-giving patriot fighting for freedom would. Unfortunately, the freedom struggle is private in this day and age, and you just smacked him in the nose instead.
You sigh deeply and he looks at you again, warily now as he holds his nose.
“You’re not exactly wrong either. I’m so empty. Like a bottle of soju with no soju. Could you bring me some?”
Jaehyun massages his temples and solidifies his resolve. He’s had enough stares from people on the sidewalk. With delicate concern, he holds you up with one arm around your waist, balancing your weight evenly so you can stand. Promptly, you bury your face into his neck and an embarrassing, high-pitched squeak evades the filter of his mouth. You’re just so adept at making his days (and nights) worse.
Jaehyun tries his best to carry you to the parking lot without any signs of struggle but good lord, are you uncooperative. Once he’s down lugging you to the passenger seat, he breathes out in relief at long last and makes sure you don’t fold in over yourself dozing off the seat. Getting you to sit up, he finds himself smiling the slightest bit at your smudged lipstick. Even like this, you’re quite pretty. 
Realizing what thought came over him, he shakes his head vigorously as if he’s committing a horrible crime. He just has to get you home—Soojin had texted him the address prior to the outing just in case—and then he can go back to pretending whatever he even is supposed to.
Tumblr media
The sports event is really just HR and Management trying to one-up the other in a more quantitative way. You’re not really fond of the sweat and heavy breathing that comes with physical exertion if it’s for the sake of competition. Competition is such a childish, masculine way of handling things, especially emotions.
HR is leading in wins, however and that means you have something to rub in Jaehyun’s face. You hate participating but you’re not allowed to opt out without a medical certificate. At least one competition, and you had to choose the three-legged race. All these potential partners, and Dongmin had to choose you.
“I’ll win,” you tell Jaehyun, stopping by him once you exit the changing room. The indoor stadium is usually a recreational facility for senior employees but on sports day, it’s closer to a gladiator arena. The seats are green and occupied by grinning employees, most of them glad for a day off but also upset they don’t get to attend their personal affairs in it.
Jaehyun stops himself from rolling his eyes. “Shouldn’t it be a ‘we’? You need a partner. Oh, are you sad you can’t pick me?”
“Not at all.” You cross your arms, annoyed at his mock pity. 
Right then, Dongmin jogs up to you in a blue tracksuit. His hair sticks to his forehead because unlike you, he takes sports very seriously. Jaehyun, on the other hand, just seems to enjoy the competition. As a guilty pleasure, you’d like to see the two of them compete one day. That would be a competition worth betting on.
“I’ll have to borrow your soulmate.” Dongmin laughs. “The race is starting.”
Life strikes again with its poorly timed irony.
“Don’t mind me,” Jaehyun says politely.
The race is easier than you thought it would be considering most of the other employees struggle with teamwork. You’re the HR team for a reason. But then again, you feel a certain hollowness pervade you while you’re pressed to Dongmin’s side. Wouldn’t it be nice?
All you can think is that Dongmin and you are perfectly in sync. The realization comes off as sad despite your victory and the wide grins on both of your faces. 
Jaehyun purses his lips and gives the two of you a nonchalant look. He’s avoided getting caught in the changing room quite well. For some reason, he’s glad that you’re winning but also dissatisfied about it. He would certainly feel different if he were participating in that race, wouldn’t he? He would win. Losing a competition is a huge blow to his ego. Lately, he seems to be losing a lot of races. The two of you have been growing closer and he doesn’t mind late night discussions about flawed systems and childhood memories; but the fact that you’re growing on him is something for him to be on edge about. He’s never felt so close to someone, and still so far.
“Oh, they have good chemistry, don’t they?” Doyoung comments beside Jaehyun, before taking a sip from his bottle.
“What chemistry?” Jaehyun snaps and Doyoung almost chokes on the water.
“Chill out, man.” Doyoung eyes Jaehyun’s figure in concern. “She’s like officially yours.”
Jaehyun refuses in a series of sputtering responses. “That’s not what I meant. I’m not jealous. I’m not that kind of man.”
“I didn’t paint you as that kind of man either,” Doyoung mutters before speaking up. “But love, Jaehyun. Love’s a weird thing.”
Jaehyunn ignores his comment and walks down to the grounds, jogging up to you. He immediately forgets to say anything at all. Smooth move, Yoonoh.
You just stick out your tongue at him subtly.
“I told you we’d win,” you say.
Jaehyun crosses his arms. “Congratulations. I thought you, quote, hate this stupid competition for dunces.”
You clear your throat and Dongmin laughs beside you. Before he can offer his bottle, Jaehyun offers his own in a rush. You raise an eyebrow but don’t question it.
“You guys really are a perfect pair.” Dongmin laughs. “Sometimes I wish Mijoo was my soulmate.”
You give him a pitiful smile. There go your happy feelings of victory.
“But I’m happy this way.” Dongmin nudges your shoulder with his. “Don’t give me that look.”
That is not the look he thinks you were giving. You smile. 
“What about this? We can go on a double date! Those are fun, right?” Dongmin muses, crossing his arms.
“No,” you and Jaehyun refuse in a panic, and Dongmin blinks in confusion at the overwhelming response.
“I'm more of a homebody,” you explain.
“Yeah, me too,” Jaehyun agrees.
It makes Dongmin laugh aloud. “Oh, fate didn’t go wrong with the two of you.”
Your smile wavers. Did it go so wrong with you and Dongmin? Jaehyun’s hand brushes yours and you look at him. A perfect side profile and flushed hot cheeks with dimples to die for. You wouldn’t mind being in love with him. You don���t mind love much at all. 
Shaking off the thought, you watch as Dongmin leaves the two of you to run to the changing rooms. Eyeing Jaehyun’s red team sweatshirt with “Management” in big typography over the chest, you look back up to his face. 
“Why did you jog over here so desperately?” You wiggle your eyebrows. “Jealous?”
“Yes. I am irreparably in love with you.”
He leans in quickly and you flinch, making his dimples show up.
“Asshole,” you curse. “I’ll file you for harassment. Don’t do that again.”
“Isn’t it harassment when you feel me up while you draw—” Jaehyun leans in to whisper. “—the soulmark?” 
“I would never have my hands near your greasy existence if I could,” you huff, scandalized. 
But the thing is, Jaehyun is getting better at this game of flustering each other and you don’t like it one bit.
“Hey, you know Dongmin’s girlfriend?” he asks suddenly. 
You nod. “Kind of. I’ve seen her pictures on Instagram.”
Jaehyun pauses before humming in realization.
You cough. “Not that I was stalking them or something. Obviously.”
Jaehyun gives you a knowing smile but doesn’t question anything, much to your aggravation. It would’ve been better if you had a chance to prove you weren’t stalking them but then again, that is exactly what you were doing.
“Well, we went to the same college. Same major too.”
“Are you serious? Wait, how do you know? Does this mean you stalked their Instagram too?”
“Too?”
“Shut up.”
There’s a beat of silence. 
“She’s not exactly the evil homewrecker type,” he says.
“I know that,” you snap. If anything, you feel like the evil homewrecker even if Dongmin’s supposed to be your soulmate.
They’re so reckless. Jaehyun was right—you do blame them in a way. They don’t care who they trample under their nauseating parade of romance. But then again, that parade is better than a personal rejection.
“I’m just saying… don't hold it against them.”
“I don’t remember asking for advice, Jung Yoonoh.”
Jaehyun shrugs, dropping the issue. The preparations for the next race is starting and it has something to do with passing balls from basket to basket—you get bored already when you see Doyoung stretch before shaking hands with Taeyong.
“Wanna get ice-cream? We funded the food truck this year.” Jaehyun looks expectantly at you.
“Sure.” 
You contemplate holding his hand for a moment but let that thought bury itself. You don’t have to pretend right now. 
Much to your despair (or delight) however, Jaehyun takes your hand absentmindedly as he walks towards the exit. It’s not that you’ve never held hands before, it’s just that Jaehyun’s skin is soft against yours.
“I can’t believe you and Mijoo were in the same course.”
It seems she’s ahead of you in every direction you look to tread on. Of course, you will not be telling Jaehyun that. You don’t exactly feel jealousy—can’t feel jealousy when your life is perfect as it is. And for Jaehyun? You hate to admit it but you’d trade places with Mijoo any day.
“Well, she didn’t really like socializing back then so I didn’t know we were in the same program either.”
You chuckle, glancing down at your intertwined fingers despite your best efforts. It feels nice like this. It feels nice to be wanted by someone—even if it’s a lie.
“Do you think- Do you think they’re brave?” You ask. “They didn’t even hesitate to disregard the system.”
“I think people in love are always brave.”
You hum, looking down at your feet. All the more reason the system fucked up. You were never even supposed to be partnered up. You’re not brave—the face you put on is. The idea of love seems to get further and further away from you.
Just then, Jaehyun tugs at your hand, walking slightly faster and making you complain as you jog to catch up with his long strides. The food truck is fairly large, on the street outside to the stadium entrance. February is catching up with its heat and you curse at global warming for this hot winter day.
“You can take up to five scoops of different flavours,” he informs you, grinning sheepishly. “I guess the cups aren’t large enough for beyond that.”
“I didn’t know you were this passionate about ice-cream,” you say.
“Sicheng rubbed off on me.”
You laugh. IT must have given Sicheng enough stress to develop a sweet tooth. You love the HR Department when you look at the others in your company.
Jaehyun has a nice smile. You don’t know why you think that but you do and now you can’t focus on anything apart from the pink dust sprinkled over his cheeks and the handsome dimples that accompany. You don’t want to stare but clearly, Jaehyun must have been blessed by some divide being if not for fate. Maybe he’s a mess up like you. As far as you know, his soulmate doesn’t exist. That little red heart is so simple that none of the soulmate designs match it.
A rather repulsing part of you is happy about it. You like the feel of Jaehyun’s hands. You like the way he looks at you. You wouldn’t mind it if he were yours.  
Tumblr media
Jaehyun’s house is as cosy as his mother makes you feel. It’s been a while since you’ve been home and if you were perhaps less emotionally constipated, you would have tears welling up in your eyes. There’s quite a few relatives too but then again, every Asian family jumps at the chance to celebrate something as mediocre as engagements and marriage and soulmate findings. Apparently, hormones are perfectly fine to them once you’re not teenagers anymore.
This isn’t so bad. What was so scary about meeting parents again? Jaehyun’s dad did challenge you with a questionnaire but lucky for you, you know exactly how interviews work. You’ve got enough information on Jaehyun from the man himself for this visit. The briefing he gave you was boring though; you already know what you need to know about Jaehyun.
You sit at the table, while most of the other guests work in the kitchen. Jaehyun’s mother asks you questions about your life, friendly and welcoming in every way possible. Mothers are truly god-sent. You wonder how she produced someone as far from divine as Jaehyun. (Except in looks, perhaps.)
You say that out loud and get a sharp quip from Jaehyun, his mother’s eyes lighting up at your childish interaction.
“Oh my, fate is never wrong!” She remarks with a wide smile. “I’ve never seen Jaehyun open up so much with anyone before. He was such a shy boy in school, you know? All the girls would send letters and confessions and he would just turn red in the face.”
“Mom.” He smiles all too sweet at her but you can see the panic in his eyes.
She rolls her eyes before turning to you. “Darling, you have no idea how proud I feel to see him this at ease. I was honestly getting tired of all the ‘your son is so polite and well-mannered’ comments. Some bickering ought to do him good.”
“Mom,” he repeats, straightening. “I think auntie needs some help setting up the table.”
“Don’t shoo me away yet. I have to tell (name) about the time you were elected class representative in middle school. And all those sports and acting awards.”
“You don’t have to advertise me, Mom,” he says, dropping his face into his hands to rub at his eyes, already growing tired. “I’m already- I’m already hers.”
His mother coos and apart from the expected deep red flush on Jaehyun’s skin, you find yourself feeling hot in the face too. Jaehyun’s aunt calls for his mother right then and you watch as she makes her way to the kitchen entrance, the two women glancing at you and giggling to each other over some shared words.
Jaehyun takes the opportunity to grab your hand and walk away to a more obscure part of the house upstairs. With significantly less relatives, it should be a good hiding spot unless discovered by his giggling cousins that he refuses to introduce you to. 
“Aw, what a shy baby,” you coo, smiling at the thought of a younger, easily-flustered Jaehyun.
His ears are bright red and you think that he’s still easily flustered. He just doesn’t show it much anymore—there’s only one dead giveaway.
“Forget everything my mom said,” he instructs. “It’s not important information.”
“Oh, no, darling. Your mother is a gold mine of vital information. You know what? I’m going to go chat her up right now. I’m sure you were quite the teenage dream I should know about.”
Jaehyun grips your wrist before you can escape, pulling your closer.
“Don’t.”
You don’t know if it’s the proximity or the fact that there are most definitely a few family members that could walk in right now—but you find yourself embarrassed as you look at his face. It’s very pleasant, handsome even, and the strands of his hair look irresistibly soft from this distance. You reach your hand out and brush the hair out of his eyes, almost instinctively. 
“You have nice eyes, Jaehyun,” you say out loud, not sure why. He doesn’t fluster this time but it makes you all the more aware of your nearness.
Your eyes glance at the bottom of the staircase to see a little girl, around nine, hiding from behind the wall that separates the dining room and the kitchen. You return your gaze to Jaehyun with a smirk.
"We should kiss right now. Your little cousin's watching."
Jaehyun looks mildly disgusted. "Why would I want to kiss you in front of my cousin?"
You roll your eyes. “You don't get it, do you? The fastest way to convince a family is through rumours.”
Jaehyun raises an eyebrow. "So?"
"Oh my god, you're an idiot. Nosy cousins are the most effective way to spread rumours."
"Ah." Jaehyun looks enlightened enough for you to continue.
"Okay, but first you need to have these mints." You take out the emergency mints from your purse.
"What? I don't need mints. I have nice smelling breath.”
"Everyone needs mints, Jaehyun. Especially men."
Jaehyun sighs heavily. You take the opportunity to grab his wrist and pull him into a corner. 
"Have this mint or else."
You hold his face between your thumb and forefingers, cheeks squishing under the pressure as you force a mint in. He lets you do it for some reason, looking lost as he gazes at you. 
You raise an eyebrow. "Oh my, you're enjoying this. Pervert."
"Wha—what? You have to stop thinking you're hot shit, oh my god. I just got distracted for a bit."
"By me, right?"
"No! I just zoned ou—you're enjoying this."
You bite down your smile but a giggle escapes you anyway. Jaehyun rolls his eyes though he smiles, looking far too close to irresistible when his dimples show.
"You can't keep teasing me," he says, voice low.
"I've been doing it for two years. I'm pretty sure I can do it for at least two more."
Jaehyun scoffs, laughing at your statement. "You know what? I'm going to get back at you from now on. I've been so lenient."
You snort before pressing the back of your fingers to your nose. "You? You're going to get back at me? You’re good at lip service, Jaehyun."
“Huh. You might be right about that.”
There's a beat of silence and you look at him expectantly. In the next beat of your heart (or lack thereof), he cups your cheeks and presses his lips to yours, surprising the life out of you as your back hits the wall. It's not just a touch either, his mouth moves over yours and when your knees feel weak, you reluctantly admit that the rumour about Jung Yoonoh being a good kisser is true. Maybe his body count isn't a lower-end single digit after all.
He pulls apart with a short smile tugging at his lips. "Satisfied?"
You sputter out a response before clearing your throat. “I- I don’t think anyone really saw us in this corner.”
Jaehyun makes a low humming sound. “Or you could just say you want me to kiss you again? I know I’m a good kisser.”
“Fuck off.” You punch his chest, eliciting a quiet grunt from him.
You move away from him, peeking from behind the wall. Oh, she saw it alright. The giggling gives it away and the fact that a few more younger cousins have gathered. This is ridiculous. The fact that you wouldn’t mind more is even worse.
You turn back to Jaehyun with steel-set eyes. “No more kissing. Ever. Never again. Kissing is officially banned.”
Jaehyun looks perplexed. “I thought that was a good kiss. Did you not enjoy it? What do you mean no kissing?”
“And I take it back.” The heat on your face is still burning steadily. 
“Oh, I see. You liked it so much that you’re embarrassed.”
“You’re such a pain in the ass.”
“So I’m right?”
You roll your eyes and quickly walk down the stairs, a few words of complaint left hanging in the air as Jaehyun follows behind, stumbling over the steps.
Jaehyun likes how comfortable this is. He doesn’t mind glaring daggers at each other but this is fun too. It’s like he doesn’t have to be careful about the lines he might be crossing—there aren’t any damn lines at all. He can’t call it love, at least not by definition, but something is there. Something that is solid enough and heavy enough. Something he would be ready to hold on to.
You laugh at a joke Jaehyun’s dad makes. A family is the only place to feel at home. It might not be yours but maybe at the end of the night, you can convince them to disown Jaehyun and adopt you as their child instead. His cousins seem to be interested in the same things you were as a high schooler and it surprised you. Your job lets you advise the older cousins in a fairly friendly fashion. The little ones seem to like your dress and you find them far too adorable with their pink cheeks and dimples, much like Jaehyun’s. Speaking of which, he definitely got them from his dad. You look around and wonder how Jaehyun has so many female cousins and not an inkling about how women work. 
It doesn’t hurt anymore that Dongmin discarded you so recklessly.
He’s wrong. Jaehyun’s wrong. It doesn’t hurt—didn’t hurt right now at the very least. When Jaehyun kissed you, you didn’t think of Dongmin or his girlfriend or anyone else. You thought that Jaehyun’s skin is somehow always the right temperature. 
You shake your head. Jaehyun drives your getaway car and you shouldn’t get too comfortable in its worn-out leather seats. This shouldn’t be any different to you; you aren’t supposed to find love in every corner. This was all a survival instinct. 
The more stories Jaehyun’s mother shares with you over dinner, the more you find it comfortable to be here. You don’t feel this welcome in your own apartment (although, there isn’t exactly anyone else living there but you and the goddamn pigeon that wakes you up at six in the morning). The more the night progresses, the more you want to believe in this lie. Jaehyun glances at you from time to time, his gaze neither uncomfortable nor harsh and you smile at him when he does. Right now, there is no loneliness and the air is warm and smells of freshly cooked food; the way familial love works is such a mystery. You feel content.
Tumblr media
“Why are we doing this again?” you lean in and ask Jaehyun, eyes focused on the TV as he tries to fix it.
“Because I need to get out of work, and fulfilled soulmates get a day off on Valentine’s day.”
You nod. “Your apartment kind of stinks. I feel sorry for Sicheng.”
“This is clean,” he defends, pointing at the lack of any visible mess in his room. His work table, however, has too many items scattered over it to be called neat. There’s a fairly large TV attached to the wall and you’re a little jealous about it. You only ever watch shows on your (quite beloved albeit small) laptop. The blinds aren’t fully closed, the evening city lights trying their best to pry their pervasive fingers in and add something more to the peach hue of Jaehyun’s room.
The doorbell rings just in estimated time for food delivery, a sigh leaving your mouth along with a ‘finally’. His place is strangely comfortable and much less of the war zone that you expected. There’s no reason to feel awkward, really, or even the bubbling in your stomach. You’re not seventeen, in your crush’s house. Jaehyun isn’t even someone you like that way.
It’s just two friends hanging out and watching a movie and doing other friendly activities. Two friends hanging out on Valentine's day. Two friends who have kissed more than once.
What do lovers do anyway?
This thing with Jaehyun has turned into clandestine smiles at the office building, subtle texts of ‘did you eat?’ and ‘good morning, idiot’, racing hearts at brushing hands on the occasional off-work hangouts (you refuse to call them “dates”) and overall, a lot more pink hearts floating over his head when you see him. It’s positively appalling. 
You don’t mind it one bit.
“Happy Valentine’s Day!” The delivery man wishes as he leaves and you feel a sudden rage bubble up in you. 
“Ah, does he think every couple celebrates Valentine’s day? And just because we’re in the same apartment means we’re a couple? Wow.” You cross your arms, scoffing. “Who’s he to wish me?”
“Why… Why are you getting mad?” Jaehyun asks quietly, slightly confused.
You glare at him, your anger not quite dissipated and walk back into his room, placing the box of confectionaries on the bedside table with a loud thud. Jaehyun follows, placing the drinks rather clumsily beside it. He gives you one last look of concern before settling down on his bed.
You let out another huff of complaint.
"Does everything have to be heart-shaped?"
You stare at the nauseating display of baked goods delivered in a pretty heart-shaped box. The brownie is in a clear plastic box that has a tiny bouquet of hearts atop it, the coffee cups have heart stickers around the rim, and the pastry itself is heart-shaped or rather, two halves of a heart. One of them is strawberry pink and the other chocolate brown.
“You seem… suddenly fired up,” Jaehyun comments quietly.
You don’t really care if you look crazy to him right now; he’s already seen the worse parts of you. You’re just so annoyed at all this red and pink that was delivered. Aren’t cafes supposed to stick with that beige-cream palette? 
While you contemplate, Jaehyun tears the little sugar packet and attempts to open the lid of the cup at the same time, your blood pressure rising at the sight because you were half sure he’d spill the drink. After much difficulty, he shakes the packet trying to get just enough sugar but of course, like the clumsy oaf he is, he misses almost entirely, spilling sugar over his coffee table. It’s oddly endearing but that’s a thought you’ll keep to yourself.
He turns to you with a sheepish grin and you give him a look of distaste.
“You are a sorry excuse of a person, Jaehyun.”
“Look me in the eye and tell me you wouldn’t mess this up.”
You turn to look him in the eyes, the honey shade alluring under warm apartment lights. They really are pretty. 
“I, and every other sane human being, would not mess up adding sugar to a cup of coffee.”
“You faltered for a moment there.”
That was not the reason you faltered. You roll your eyes and look away, taking a sip of your drink and sighing at the taste.
“How do you even like Americanos? Don’t you like a bit of cream and sweetness?”
 “I don’t really care for bitterness,” he answers.
“Wow, you must be a masochist.”
“And it’s quite obvious you’re a sadist.”
You snicker. “That makes us quite the pair.”
“I would like that sentence in a non-BDSM context, thank you.”
Jaehyun turns on the TV and the Netflix logo animation pops up. You raise an eyebrow at his ‘Continue Watching’ list, eyeing Bridegerton and Sweet Home, and wondering if he could be any more of an enigma. You can’t possibly figure him out at this point. You groan when he picks a title.
“Ugh. Do we have to watch a romantic comedy?”
“What? They’re funny. And I thought you liked those 2000’s movies.”
You believed in unicorns and sock goblins and love back then too. These days, you hate to see other people in love, especially when it’s fake. The movies you loved are now the movies you hate. The couples you eyed with delight at parks and cafes are now the bane of your existence. In fact, you’d go as far as to say that you enjoy the digital fireworks from a couple having a massive online breakup. Things falling apart are entertaining when it’s not happening to you.
You purse your lips. Can't you see other people happy without wanting to tear it down for yourself?
“Fine. But I’ll pick the 2000’s romcom.”
Jaehyun shrugs and hands over the remote. You see Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds on the poster and click on it immediately. The Proposal has a good enough comedy to romance ratio, in your opinion.
“I’m kind of surprised you came,” he says quietly.
“Why?” You raise an eyebrow. “Is it because of the suggestive nature of visiting someone’s apartment on Valentine’s day? Did you think we’d be doing something… more fun?”
You lean in and bat your eyelashes suggestively, although you’re clearly joking.
“I think you should know better than to get mouthy with me,” he answers as he leans in further, making your heartbeat hike at the proximity. Maybe he’s figured you out. Wouldn’t it be so nice to figure each other out at the same time—like puzzle pieces fitting together?
You move away from him. “Well, it’s not like I can go anywhere else. And I didn’t want to stay in my own apartment.”
“Maybe you enjoy my company?”
“Look, I would be sipping my coffee at a perfectly aesthetic cafe if it weren’t Valentine’s day.”
He raises an eyebrow at your nonsensical declaration and you sigh, trying to explain yourself.
“Cafes just terrorize the single folk on Valentine’s day. You should always go with Netflix,” you say.
“And chill?”
“Do you even know what that means?”
“As I’ve told you so many times, I am not stupid.”
You inhale, an idea presenting itself.  
“Hey, since we’re technically a couple, shouldn’t you be sharing your Netflix password with me?” you ask, pressing your lips into your cutest smile.
“No.”
“You’re so stingy,” you mutter. It was worth a shot.
Jaehyun laughs, your hand reaching out to poke his dimples but you stop yourself. You weren’t supposed to get this comfortable. This wasn’t your place to be. Lost in thought, the moving screen leaves you unfazed and you can’t look at him anymore. However, Jaehyun reaches out right then and wipes at the space beside your lips, your focus lifting from the beginning scenes of The Proposal and latching onto Jaehyun’s lips.
There’s a pause, your head clearing itself of thoughts when you make eye contact with him. Soft hair, doe eyes, full lips and dimples—he’s so damn attractive, it hurts your existence. Does he have to be this close to you? You have mixed feelings about that look in his eyes.
“Can I kiss you?” he whispers suddenly.
“Yes,” you answer.
If you look from a rational point of view, you should not have said that. You should have said anything but that. But you don’t want to think right now. Jaehyun’s touch is warm over your skin as his hand rests under your jaw and the other on your waist.
You should not have said that. But you feel loved.
Somewhere along, you find yourself parting only to kiss again, the feeling of skin so delightful in a way you’ve never experienced. Your shirt hikes up and you see Jaehyun eye the little heart with the arrow—the sign you so despised with a gentle smile.
“It’s pretty,” he whispers.
It’s pretty but it isn’t his. He doesn’t have to look at you like that—he’s come a long way from nervous glances and now he’s the one making you nervous. Just say it isn’t love and it will be alright.
You part, sobering up for a moment and you disentangle your limbs to sit at the side of his bed.
“What’s- What’s wrong?” Jaehyun whispers.
You exhale.
“All my life, I wait and when it comes, it’s all wrong,” you say, staring at your lap. Self-pity is the most disgusting kind of pity to feel. You’re past crying at things like this. You’re past crying for an ounce of romance, every time you listen to a love song on the radio or look at an Instagram post of a couple or pass by lovers on the sidewalk content with each other. You don’t even have cats to return home to. Modern loneliness is wearing you down but you can’t believe in fairytales anymore.
He scoffs, smiling bitterly. “I don’t even know if this is worth losing my dignity over.”
“Jaehyun—”
“We can’t pretend anymore—I can’t pretend anymore,” Jaehyun exhales. “I want you enough to forget the system. Give me an answer. Please.”
You don’t mind forgetting the system right now. Jaehyun’s lips are always the right temperature; the warmth of his body seeps through his shirt as you press yourself to him in a hug. He’s perfect and right now, you want to believe he’s perfect for you—even if he isn’t, you want to believe it into existence.
You cup Jaehyun’s cheeks, unsaid emotion in his doe eyes, and kiss him. This time, you mean it with every ounce of your being. There’s no more flustering each other, just the hot flush of intimacy when you feel skin that doesn’t burn you. It’s just the right feeling. There’s no way this can be wrong. 
Aren’t you getting ahead of yourself? You wish the voice would pipe down. It’s a coward, fearing fate just as everyone else does. But you are better than that, and this feeling is too enjoyable to let go. You don’t want this to fade.
Just then, Dongmin’s face comes to mind and you think that maybe if you kiss someone else with all you have, you don’t have to think of your shortcomings ever again.
Jaehyun pulls apart and you miss the warmth.
“You’re not… You’re not thinking of me, are you?” he asks. 
You don’t answer, even if the silence is overwhelming.
“I’d rather not have you close your eyes and think of someone else when I’m in front of you.”
“I’m sorry” is all you can say.
“You can at least pretend to love me.” His voice is a hoarse whisper. “Could. It’s not like this was ever supposed to work out.”
You gulp, looking away. “Jaehyun, come on. That’s not like you. We were- we were just… having fun.”
He takes a deep breath. “It hurts to not be wanted by someone you want. You know that. So why are you doing this to me?”
Because misery likes company.
“I’m sorry.”
It seems the phrase you barely uttered when you were younger is tumbling out of your lips in a mixture of grief and pity. Perhaps it’s karma. Perhaps it’s fate. Perhaps it’s just the consequences of your mistakes.
Jaehyun parts his lips, a sigh departing. He leans in again, pushing away all of his thoughts. A little more hurt won't kill him tonight. How and when did you bring him down to his knees?
However, he's stopped by your hands against his shoulders, his lips hovering over yours.
"Let's stop," you say. "You're right."
"Isn't this what you wanted?"
“I don’t- I don’t know. I don’t know anymore.”
You wish you could be brave enough to burn the instruction pamphlet from destiny. But right now, you need to get away from Jaehyun, away from any more misery business.
“I’ll get going,” you say, gathering your stuff. 
Jaehyun hesitates but doesn’t stop you. He would never stop you, can’t stop so how could he even dream of stopping fate? This can never work out. It felt right in the moment but you don’t know anything more than that. You can’t close your eyes and pray everything disappears. No one else will solve your problems for you, you know that.
It’s time you start fixing the mess you made. You leave with a polite goodbye and hear a loud sigh behind you once the door is closed. Blinking away the urge to walk back in, you take long and quick strides to the elevator. You’re going to fix this.
Tumblr media
Maybe if Lady Gaga’s ‘Poker Face’ wasn’t blasting at full volume at this stupid office party, you could be thinking a little straighter.
He was right. You can’t pretend anymore. There were thousands of ways this could have gone better. You didn’t have to pretend to be soulmates when you’re not. You could’ve discarded your belief in the whole system like Dongmin and Mijoo and dated someone out of spite. You didn’t have to drag Jaehyun into your sorry mess. You need to take out the nail you hammered into your own foot.
It’s the first time you’ve visited the rooftop restaurant from the company’s subsidiary chain of high-end restaurants but you imagined it would be bigger. It’s the news’ fault for making this place seem like a football field. However, you might be feeling that way because the distance between you and Jaehyun is suffocatingly small as is the distance with Dongmin. You don’t need to see Jaehyun tonight.
You don’t intend to make your confession a public affair and you certainly don’t believe in tack things like atonement. However, improvement begins with a step in the right direction. Maybe you’ll be a better person after this. Maybe you’ll still be as annoying and pushy as ever. You need to get it off your chest so you can proceed with the already tedious journey that comes with a soulmate rejection. You wonder why there’s so many man-made laws about soulmates when fate has made it complicated enough as it is. Love is the same as legalese when it comes to this system.
You flit about the crowds, smiling and greeting people and swerving away from Jaehyun every time he tries to approach you. You’re trying to make a good decision for once. He better not intrude. You’re wearing pink too, for the first time in a while: a satin shirt, pants and blazer set in dull pink.
“Dongmin,” you say, pulling him by the sleeve of his blue tux, and away from the rest of the HR team. “I have to show you something.”
“Hm? Show me?” He blinks at you. 
You get him to follow you to the inside the premises, stopping when you’re far into a 
“Uh?” Dongmin looks around before leaning in to whisper. “You’re not plotting to murder me, are you?”
You blink, and he laughs at you incredulously. “Why are you so serious?”
“I was lying,” you rush. “With Jaehyun. He’s not my soulmate. You are.”
Dongmin blinks in confusion. “Are… you joking? That was a weird joke but it could pass as funny—”
“Dongmin.”
You pull out your shirt from your pants, exposing the tattoo on your hip. It’s the little arrowed heart that has been plaguing you for years but now when you look at it, you feel no animosity. After all, it’s been through the same things you have. 
Dongmin’s face falls into stunned silence, eyes fixated on your waist.
“That’s- That’s my—what is this?”
Russian roulette is certainly not the same without a gun.
“I lied, Dongmin,” you answer, fixing your shirt back in. “I was so afraid of your rejection that I made an even larger fool of myself.”
His initial shock seems to have partly subsided.
“You… Why didn’t you tell me?” He looks momentarily hurt.
“You have Mijoo, Dongmin. I can’t ruin something like that.”
A love that doesn’t need fate to fix it.
Dongmin glances away in guilt and sighs, though the sound is croaky. This must be more than what he can take.
“I’m sorry,” he says, haltingly. “I hurt you, didn’t I? When I thought I was being brave, I hurt you instead.”
You smile bitterly. “We all hurt someone, Dongmin. I still have to fix that one for myself.”
He scans your face, lips trembling slightly as unspoken words die on them.
“We’ll tend to the legal stuff later, hm? No compensation. We can file a mutual rejection.”
“But—”
“Shh. I’m happy enough as coworkers and I get paid more than enough for this job. Might get a promotion soon too.”
You wink at him with an added finger gun, trying to play it cool. Despite everything, a weight feels lifted from your shoulders. Now that you are truly alone, you might as well embrace this growing loneliness crawling under your skin. Discomfort could be something you can get used to. 
When you get back to the warmly lit rooftop, the HR team looks at you curiously. You have the most self-destructive thought you’ve had in a while and tell yourself, you might as well if you've come this far. This is it. This is your social death. Honesty is the best policy, unfortunately.
“Dongmin and I have the same soulmate mark,” you announce. “We’re soulmates but we’ll sign a mutual rejection.”
Doyoung looks almost like he’ll faint and Soojin’s mouth is so wide open, you could practice throwing some mini basketballs in. This is your team—almost a second family, and it’s time you stop trying to hide yourself or disguise your feelings as something they’re not. They’ll get over it, as will you.
“J-Jaehyun?” Soojin looks to your side and you turn to find Jaehyun frowning.
“You could’ve discussed this with me,” he says, an odd sound of relief in his laugh. 
It hurts to look at him but you muster up your strength.
“I’m sorry,” you say, facing him. “I didn’t want to drag you into this hell with me.”
Into this loveless hell made for you.
“(name).”
It’s so painfully quiet in this corner; there are so many eyes on you and only the hurt taking shape in Jaehyun’s eyes knock some sense into you. 
“I’ll leave first,” you say, bowing as you take your leave.
You brisk up your pace and exit the venue as quickly as you can and into the building corridor.
Unfortunately for you, you recognize the pair of footsteps that follow you—both of them having their timings wrong. Boys don’t chase after the girl when she’s walking away. Boys should leave a girl alone when she feels like she’s about to cry.
You turn to face two men and groan internally. This is the worst possible situation—you’d rather crawl into a hole than look at either of them. The corporate light shines harshly on either of their faces but the look on them is so earnest, you want to close your eyes and scream. You don’t mind being alone. You were overstepping when you wished you weren’t.
“(name),” Dongmin starts. “I’m sorry it turned out this way. If you’d told me, we could have talked this out.”
A light scoff leaves Jaehyun and Dongmin purses his lips. It’s kind of funny watching both of their tall frames in hesitant postures and you cross your arms. You’re going to deal with this quickly like you always should have. If you’re dealing with fate, you need to have a clear head—and fortune doesn’t favour fools. Being with Jaehyun was nice but he is not yours. Dongmin may have been assigned to you but you’d rather not ruin someone’s relationship.
“What would we have talked about?” you ask. “Compensation charges? Apologies?”
You see a hint of positivity on Jaehyun’s face and turn to face him, frowning.
“And you. Don’t look so smug. You’re the reason I realized this crap. It hurts. Like hell.”
He opens his mouth but no words come when he’s far too taken aback. He can’t offer consolation now, not after everything. You knew this would happen. You would undoubtedly end up wishing you didn’t fall in love with him on the day you leave.
“(name). Listen to me,” Dongmin calls again, voice gentle.
Jaehyun sighs. “We’re both fucking this up, dude.”
Dongmin takes a sharp breath.
“You know, soulmates can be platonic,” he reasons, looking only at you. “People are made for each other differently and maybe you and I—”
“You’re just making her feel worse,” Jaehyun cuts him off.
“How do you know that?” Dongmin asks, finally turning to him. “Because you’ve spent a month or two with her? I’m her soulmate.”
“I think a month or two is much better than a stranger with the same damn birthmark.”
“Oh come on,” Dongmin scoffs. “The system exists for a reason.”
“I don’t give a shit about the system. The same as your girlfriend—oh, sorry, did you forget about her already?”
“It’s not like that.” Dongmin quietens. “We’ll figure something out.”
You pinch the bridge of your nose. They’re worse than you are—honestly, you don’t know what you expected from the timid emotional maturity of men. Both of their polite facades have melted and you’re starting to miss their sweet-tempered work demeanour.
“Come with me,” Dongmin tells you.
He wraps his hand around your wrist and tugs, Jaehyun visibly tensing up at the gesture. He presses his tongue against his cheek in annoyance but refrains from doing anything rash. You feel sorry when you look at him.
“Dongmin,” you whisper. “Can we- can we have a moment?”
Dongmin nods in understanding and exits the hallway to cool off with a few splashes of water in the washroom.
“Would you go with him?” Jaehyun asks, jaw clenched. “An acquaintance as most? Are you willing to run into the arms of fate that you hated so much?”
He looks bitter and you can’t think of a sugar-coated response. You’ll just have to tell him how you feel.
“I need to sort things out, Jaehyun. This—”
You point from him to yourself.
“Couldn’t work out thanks to fate. Dongmin and I will never work out because he’s braver than I am. You know he’s doing all of that just so I don’t get hurt, right? He’s not suddenly in love with me.”
Jaehyun purses his lips, looking down to his feet. Is it so bad that he let jealousy get the best of his mouth? Envy isn’t so awful. He looks from your eyes to lips and wishes he were young enough to believe in fairytales.
“You don’t have to be brave,” he whispers. “You don’t have to be so brave to fall in love. You don’t have to be brave to stay with me.”
“We tried, Jaehyun. And we can’t cheat fate. That, at the very least, requires bravery.” 
You press your lips into a thin line. It hurts. It hurts so bad to look at him and face the consequences of this flawed design. It’s unfair. It’s unfair that you have to follow the rules even after trying your best to break them. 
“You wish you never met me, don’t you?” you whisper. “I made a mess.”
Before he responds, you bow in a short goodbye and walk towards the elevator. There’s no footsteps behind you, no Prince Charming. It’s just you and your high heels clacking against the cold marble as you head back to an empty home. You always thought freedom would feel different, that distance would give you perspective. It just feels awful when no one is around you at all. When you have no one to pick up morning calls from, receive texts from asking if you ate, spend time in peace without uttering a single word—are you free or are you lonely?
The rules state that the two of you are different. It is true. You are as different as love in real life and love in the movies; and neither of them have happy endings now.
Tumblr media
You wish you drank some more last night if you were going to embarrass yourself like that. Thankfully, it’s the weekend and you have two more days to figure out how to face your coworkers. You frown when you think of Jaehyun. Were you wrong to tell him that you simply couldn’t choose him? What if fate is right and it falls apart? You stir your morning coffee, the will to drink it fading slowly. It’s already fallen apart—and it wasn’t fate who did that, it was you. Should you have taken his stupidly warm hands and asked him to follow you? You don’t understand how it works at all.
Centuries of questioning what love is, poking and prodding at it like a lab sample, and there’s still no perfect answer. Love is blind. Love is cruel. Love is a fever. Love is temporary insanity. Love is acceptance. Love will set you free. There’s just too many variations. You can never tell if fate is meant to make it easier or worse. 
No one questions you at the office and you're not sure if you’re glad or aggravated. Only Doyoung shoots you a pitiful look which you brush off and immediately get into work. Embarrassment is only real if you acknowledge it. However, every time Dongmin tries to talk to you, you ask for space and even alone in your thoughts, you don’t get it. They just have to drift to Jaehyun.
You wonder if what he said was true, that he wanted you enough to forget the system. It’s clearly ruined now. The spiral of thinking has you zoning out during work more often than not and even Doyoung ends up reprimanding you for your lack of focus. Sometimes you want to snap but other times, you’re just hopelessly reciting the events over and over in your head. This was supposed to happen, wasn’t it? You don’t even have the strength left in you to blame it all on Jaehyun.
You pace in the corridors after work, contemplating popping by the Marketing Department. What could go wrong? Sure, it was a little dramatic of you to leave like that but everything can be fixed, right? You groan. What you were supposed to be fixing, you made worse. Are your hands cursed or something? You shake your head, returning to your desk to gather your belongings and head home.
Unfortunately, the sight of Doyoung sitting in your chair alarms you and you stop a foot away. 
“If you’re going to reprimand me for watching cat videos instead of checking the employee records, I can assure you my efficiency is still top-notch.” 
“You’re—what? Never mind.” Doyoung shakes his head. “Can you give this ginseng pack to Jaehyun? I owe him.” 
Oh no. You know where this is going.
“You know I’m going to keep that for myself, right?” You make a face. “I’d rather die than face Jaehyun right now.”
Doyoung shrugs. “Who knows? Maybe he’ll be the one running to you. This is in case of an emergency.”
You give him a fake smile and Doyoung shakes his head. “Good to see you’re still great at pretending to be fine.”
You sigh. “Thanks for looking out for me, bossman.”
Doyoung blinks, hand covering his mouth when an audible gasp leaves him. “Woah. I think that’s the first time I’ve heard you thank me. But don’t call me bossman ever again.”
“Noted,” you say, taking your bag and leaving with a short goodbye. You’re lucky he lets you off work early, even if you never took it. Employees usually can’t leave until their superiors does and if you were a senior employee, you’d be giving your juniors quite the hell.
You seem to be good at concocting hellscapes. Perhaps, you should look for job openings in the underworld. One last thought of Jaehyun exits your head and you take the bus home, admiring the city you live in and the warmth of people and their relationships. You don’t feel jealous; you just bask in them for the time—be it a mother and her son or two bickering sisters or a lovely old couple. That’s how it’s meant to be, then. That’s how love works.
Tumblr media
Jaehyun smacks his head against the sofa armrest for the fifteenth time in a row.
“Dude. You’re going to permanently ruin the fabric.” Sicheng says, eyes trained on his laptop screen.
“I should’ve said something more.” Jaehyun’s voice is so zombie-like, he thinks he should cast himself in the Train to Busan sequel as an extra.
“I’m glad I’m not you,” Sicheng mutters.
“Can you give me some sort of consolation, at least?”
“That’s not what I’m your friend for.”
Jaehyun sighs and resumes smacking the back of his head against the armrest. He really needs to figure this out. After all, he can’t really Google the solution to this.
“One thing doesn’t make sense,” Sicheng says, finally looking up from his screen. “Why do you have the same mark as (name)’s if you’re not soulmates?”
“You’re so incredibly—but adorably—stupid, Sicheng. She drew it in with a permanent marker. She kissed me too! It was sudden and weird but I didn’t mind it.
“Yikes.” Sicheng makes a face. “So… you didn’t take a shower for how long now?”
Jaehyun furrows his eyebrows. “What?”
“The ink hasn’t washed off. I heard you singing in the shower yesterday, how could you not have washed that off? Ugh. Don’t tell me you miss her.”
Jaehyun’s eyes widen as he jumps up and rushes to the washroom. Looking into the mirror, the tattoo poking out from his T-shirt resembles yours a lot more than his. The arrow is still drawn in. Jaehyun’s shoulder slumps. He doesn’t know what he was expecting. Turning the tap and letting the water flow, he wets his hand and rubs at his collarbone to remove the arrow.
Except it doesn’t budge. His skin turns painfully red from the rubbing but the ink, which usually washes off in less than five minutes has no intention of leaving. Did you use a different brand of marker the last time? When was it anyway? 
Jaehyun breathes out, firming his resolve. He needs to be with you.
Sicheng blinks in surprise as Jaehyun grabs his car keys, not even bothering to change from an all-black getup of a T-shirt and jeans like some emo teenager, and shuts the front door behind him. Not even a ‘goodbye, I’m leaving!’
Sicheng sighs. Love makes people crazy. He’s not falling into that trap when his soulmate literally doesn’t exist, the same as his soulmark. It seems the contestants in this game are full of exceptions.
Tumblr media
You hit your head against your pillow. To visit Jaehyun or not to. You haven’t left your bed since you woke up around seven in the morning, and now it’s ten. Your bedsheets are a mess because you’ve rolled around too much on them (in despair, not with someone unfortunately).
You need the quiet sometimes to let your mind rest, to let your heart rest. You needed time. But maybe it’s been long enough and now you’re just searching for excuses to hold on to your last shred of dignity.
You lift your head up and glare at the box of ginseng on your table. Should you? You reluctantly get up, feeling a sting of pain in your back for lying in that awkward position for so long. Right when you’ve put on your slippers, the doorbell rings and you groan. How did the package you stress-ordered last night arrive so early? These deliveries are getting faster and faster.
You walk to the front door and open it thoughtlessly, freezing up at the sight. Your first reaction is to cover yourself. You’re not exactly your best-looking version at the moment. Jaehyun’s dark circles almost match yours but he’s better dressed than you are—in a black T-shirt and jeans while you’re wearing a Gudetama pajama set.
“We’re not just friends,” he blurts. “We’re not soulmates but we’re not just friends.”
“Huh? Oh my god, this is the most embarrassing I’ve looked.”
Jaehyun furrows his eyebrows in a question look. 
“That’s not important! Look—”
He pushes you inside, closing the door behind him. His hair is so disheveled and messy, he barely even looks like the same well-maintained marketing employee you know. 
Jaehyun tugs at his T-shirt, pulling down to reveal his tattoo—albeit with your marker-drawn arrow through it. He does have a pretty well-built chest, you note before chiding yourself for getting distracted.
You raise an eyebrow. “Do you, uh, need help scrubbing it off or something?”
“No.” Jaehyun lets out a huff of exasperation. “It won’t wash off. If it’s what I think it is—”
“Miracles don’t happen to people like us, Jaehyun,” you say quietly.
He gulps. “I don’t know about miracles but… I just needed an excuse to see you, I guess.”
You look up, a rose blush over Jaehyun’s bare face, and run your finger over the tattoo, sighing at the warmth of his skin. Your hand travels up to his cheek, resting atop it while you muster enough courage to look Jaehyun in his chocolate brown eyes.
You pull away. This isn’t the time. You still have an internal crisis to sort out. Are you even deserving of love? It makes much more sense if the answer is no. 
However, Jaehyun pulls you in by the waist, his right palm warm against your cheek.
“I don’t care what anyone says.” He runs his thumb over your cheek in a painfully fond manner. “You’re worth more than the price I pay for this.”
He leans in and presses his lips to yours swiftly, your head clearing of thoughts almost immediately. It feels so right, you can feel the spark, the red thread around your skin, hear the bells. This kiss was far more perfect than it was supposed to be.
You part, gasping. Jaehyun blinks at you, breathing heavily.
“Kiss me again.”
Jaehyun does as told and you might just believe in miracles this way. With his hand around your waist and in your hair, his lips over yours and the low rumbling laughter that parts the two of you—you might just believe in miracles. You might just believe that love isn't something you deserve by earning.
“I like this,” Jaehyun comments. “I like the way this is.”
You press your finger to his lips. “I think you should shut up and kiss me some more.”
Jaehyun rolls his eyes. “I know you’re sexually repressed as of now, but that’s no reason to take advantage of me.”
You scowl, punching him on the shoulder and moving away from him.
“Come back,” he complains in a quiet voice.
“I am not going to do that.” You cross your arms.
“Come on,” he mutters, inching closer as you inch away, till your back hits the couch and you tumble backwards onto it, your legs on the headrest. Jaehyun laughs at your position, leaning in to keep his hands on either side of you, a doting look over him.
“Hey, did you know if I kicked my leg up, it would hit you in the balls?”
“Please don’t do that.”
You giggle, Jaehyun’s nose rubbing against yours in a bunny kiss. 
“Is your place usually this much of a mess?” Jaehyun raises an eyebrow. 
You sigh heavily. “I was having a bad day, okay? Or… a bad weekend.”
“Do you even have food?”
You look away, crossing your arms. Jaehyun sighs and shakes his head.
“We should go grocery shopping. How do you live like this?”
You scoff. “Oh, spare me the lecture. I’ve heard enough horror stories about your room from Sicheng. You can’t hide from me by sweeping your clothes and belongings into his room.”
“Snitch,” he mutters under his breath.
You can’t help the giggle that erupts from your mouth and you immediately cover it. Jaehyun smiles at you fondly and you look away, unable to bear that gaze of his.
“It really won’t wash off, by the way,” Jaehyun states, scratching at his collarbone.
You narrow your eyes, smacking his arms away to roll off the couch. Taking his wrist, you walk into your bathroom and turn the tap on. Something’s strange. But also strangely right.
“Look, I already tried—ow! Don’t rub that hard!”
You blink in confusion, trying again despite Jaehyun looking like his soul already left him. It doesn’t work. Your marker isn’t even that permanent. At least his regenerating skin cells should get rid of that arrow. Unless the ink was deep enough to pierce all the layers, as in a soulmark.
You gasp.
“You were right!”
“I told you s—”
"That's the point, isn't it?" you say, realization dawning as your eyes widen. "To see if people will question the system at all."
Jaehyun shrugs. “Maybe.”
"Oh, all those unhappy marriages that could have been saved," you say as you exhale. 
Jaehyun chuckles lightly. "I think that the point was, people can be happy without their soulmates. It's whoever you make one out of. Or I Googled too many articles on anti-soulmate propaganda."
You smile, leaning in to press a kiss against his cheek. Watching his ears turn bright red is the cherry on top.
“Okay, fake-boyfriend-turned-real-soulmate.” You give him a cheeky smile. “Did you rethink your decision about sharing that Netflix password with me? I get the girlfriend free pass, right? Right?”
“I didn’t even share it with my mother.”
You whack his arm, him possibly used to it by now, judging from his lack of response. 
“Idiot.” You cross your arms. “We can Netflix… and chill then. God, I can’t believe I said that.”
Jaehyun breaks into a chuckle. “You’re so pushy.”
 “And you like being pushed around, nerd.”
“Who said that?”
Jaehyun wraps his arms around you, spinning you so that your back hits the door. He leans in to kiss you again and you smack your palm over his pouted lips. You laugh at his face, his eyes brimming with confusion.
“You’re in my apartment. I make the rules here. Think twice before you start a game with me, Mister.”
His shoulders droop. “Fine. Can you at least let me kiss you four times a day?”
“Five times, if you ask.”
He laughs before leaning in again. “Can I kiss you now?”
“Wasn’t it obvious?”
“You are one hell of a woman. Emphasis on hell.”
You laugh and grab his collar, pulling him in for the kiss that seals this deal.
You realize a few things in the moment: a) You don’t have to play roulette to find love, b) You don’t have to pick your poison to find love, and most importantly c) Love is right where you make something of it. Fate is still not in your good books but if it bends to you this way, you don’t mind at all. If Jaehyun kisses you like this every day, you don’t mind one bit. 
2K notes · View notes
crystalcow · 3 years
Text
𝑆𝑎𝑝𝑛𝑎𝑝𝑠 𝐶ℎ𝑖𝑙𝑑//𝑆𝑎𝑝𝑛𝑎𝑝 𝑝𝑡 4
Masterlist // child reader ML //
Tumblr media
Sapnap x reader !p !child reader
Pronouns used: none specified!
Warnings: swearing, mentions of death, casinos
➳➳➳➳➳┄┄※┄┄➳➳➳➳➳
𝐊𝐢𝐧𝗼𝐤𝗼 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐧𝗼𝐰??
Quackity was telling you all of his plans
He rambled on for hours of his ideas for casinos and how he was going to marry Karl and sapnap
It sounded great
He had his whole plan set up! He even had Sam helping him with the building
But then he left
Just like everyone else
But that was fine! You were just with sapnap
Before Karl came running over rambling on about needed to move his library
He had a library?
“[Redacted] you need to stay close, please”
You looked at him weirdly
Who the fuck was [redacted]
“Karl my names Y/n you idiot” “flame..” “sorry”
He didn’t even notice it and then you had to spend the next couple days hauling over 100 books
“Oo hey what are these! The covers look really weird”
You had found his time travel books
Woops
That man raced over and in the kindest way possible, snatched it from your hands
“Don’t touch those, they are my special books”
You just shrugged and let him be, he freaks you out enough
So you all traveled to this area in the spruce forest and built a really ugly mushroom hut
But hey it’s fine! Foolish thankfully came around later that day and made everything better
So you stuck around
Maybe you needed this, this new start
Oh but prime knows that wouldnt last long
Karl started forgetting
At first it was simple things as just forgetting where he was or little stumbles with names
But eventually he was going away longer and longer
He started calling you by these strange names, some that sound Victorian and western and others that are unlike you
One day he didn’t call you by your name at all
You were hanging around the Sakura trees and the big yin Yang pond waiting for sapnap to come back with George
Then you saw Karl exit the library, running up to him for a hug
It’s been two months since you’ve seen him
You fucking hated it but you couldn’t help but consider him another parental figure
He loved it
But he just stood there as you wrapped your arms around him
Expecting the usual “[reda]- Y/n, I’ve missed you so much my sweet flame!”
But there was nothing just a sad one sided hug
“Hello? I’m sorry but do I know you?”
You were ready to cry
“I’m sorry, I uh must’ve mistaken you for the wrong person” “No that’s fine! Hugs are nice?”
So you left and ran into the library
Scouring throughout all of the books until you found them
The same 8 books you shrugged away
You read through all of them along with Karl’s other journals
You didn’t like going through his stuff especially, a whole invasion of privacy
The more you read the worse it got
What were you gonna tell Sapnap?
Who the hell is James, and [redacted]?
And why couldn’t he stop
It’s no use anymore
You were simply just forgotten
𝐋𝗼𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐬
The closer you got to the large building, the sicker you got
Kinoko Kingdom was supposed to be your free pass
But somehow you always end up here
You called for Sam on the comms waiting for the beep
The inside looked great to say the least
“What are your past relationships with the prisoner?” “No answer.”
“Where are you currently resided?” “No answer”
“Do you believe the prisoner deserves his sentence?” “Maybe”
You put all your shit in the locker and followed him through all the safety checks
“I’m glad you didn’t bring anything with you”
You stood on the platform heart racing as the lava went down
It was like a ticking time bomb
The small squeaks and scratches of the hovering bridge
He just stared at you
That sick stupid mask was broken by tommy that day in the black stone room
So you had to look into his face
Lets just say he looks good in Orange
“Barrier up or down?” “Down”
He backed up into the corner as you stepped in
Smiling
Once the lava cascaded down your smile turned into a sick frown
“Hello” is that all he had to fucking say?
“Screw you. Fuck you. Damn you”
He just looked you a small chuckle escaping from his lips
“Those all mean the same thing.” “Well I’ve been living in cinnamon town for the past couple months, and I’m ready to fucking burn some buns”
Yeah he just laughed
“I’ve missed you Hot shot”
“You ruined our damn life!”
Someone went quiet
“If you didn’t have to have a petty little war, or criminalize children we could’ve been fine! It could’ve just been you, dad, me, and George.”
You were pissed, everyone just kept leaving you.
Tommy and Tubbo, Quackity, Karl, Dream, and hell even Wilbur
“You come and visit me, after not having seen me for months and you just yell? Not a hello or ‘how are you dream?’ ‘How’s prison dream’ ‘how can I help you get out of this damn place’ “
You just sat down ready to just walk out into the lava
“I’ve been stuck here for months! None of you even cared enough to visit me, hell even Tommy came around.”
You might have felt a little bad after leaving him
The prison was cold even tho lava was flowing right there
“Why would you leave the discs alone..” “Because I had to end it.”
What were you doing here
What were you planning on saying?
“So, what do you do in prison”
“I have a clock.”
You got up to go look at the pretty clock
Then threw it at his face
“Ow” “deal with it bitch”
The longer you stayed the worse the feeling in your stomach got
so you buzzed for Sam waving goodbye
“Wait.. Do they miss me?” “Can’t say, but I think this may be for the best.”
He wanted his best friends
But he just got the annoying teenager
Oh but that wouldn’t be the last
𝐋𝐚𝐬 𝐍𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐝𝐚𝐬
You got a letter in the mail one day
Who the hell uses letters??
You were shocked to see the address and the small post card
“Come around some time”-Quackity
Ans on the back it had the cords
Oh well what did you have to loose? Sapnap was focused on Karl
and well Karl didn’t even know you
So you set off
It took you a couple hours travel by horse to get to the desert area
The large sign blaring in the red text
You gotta admit the place looked beautiful
There was a giant dick and different shops
You were shocked to see this random un human like guy
“Hello, I am Charlie a totally human guy!”
Yeah totally not slime
“I’m uh, Y/n?” He reached out for a handshake sort of thing
“Dap me up!” “Another time Charlie”
Maybe when you had hand sanitizer
“Ohh so your Y/n! Mister Quackity talks about you all the time, come on in!”
You were skeptical but followed anyways
Stopping in your tracks when you saw Fundy
“Furry?” “Fire shit?”
You went over to give him a side hug, ruffling his fur
“What the hell are you doing here ginger boy!” “Oh you know, just escaping nightmares”
You were confused then just let him be
You walked to the entry way of the place
A beautiful pond with flowers and an arch
“Did what the place where Mr. Quackity was going to propose!”
Going to?
You shrugged it off following inside
You hated to admit it, but you were excited to see him
Yeah you really needed a parental figure in your life at the moment
So when you saw him, he immediately pick you up in a hug
You didn’t fail to notice his change in appearance
That beanie stayed the same tho
Thank god
“Hey hey! Let me show you around the place, we can also go for lunch and talk.”
The casino looked great to say the least
Loud music booming from the speakers, along with the live jazz band on the side
Slot machines were going off every minute
“Have a chip, something to remember this by”
He handed you a red poker chip
It was a cool one tho, in the middle has a blocky sort of smile
Creepy and dopey.. sick!
So you put it around a spare silver chain
“So how have you been kid? ‘Ts been a while hasn’t it.” “Could be better..”
You both walked around the city in silence, offering to go in the super model shop
“No” “why not” “keep walking”
On your way to lunch you had to squint at what you were seeing
“Oh my goodness you’re still alive?!” “You’re alive!?”
You and revivebur just stared at one another
“Yeah he came back after I died!” “you what now-“
You just stared at Tommy and back to Wilbur
Oh god those shrooms were messing with your head
You should’ve gotten out of there a while ago
Quackity came over placing his hands on your shoulders
“Do I have to execute you both? Get off my damn property”
“Sorry Q. Say, Y/n wanna join Lmanburg 2.0?”
You back away holding your hands up
“I denied that offer once, and I’ll do it again. Fucking zombie freaks”
You obviously muttered the last part
Why the fuck did dream revive those two shits??
When did Tommy even die??
Your visit here has just gotten weirder and weirder
𝐌𝗼𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬
Quackity got you away from the brits as quick as he could
So he brought you over to his office
“So kid, how’s your dad..”
Ah you expected this question
“How the fuck am I supposed to know. He’s living his life, Karl’s time traveling! Oh yeah did I mention he doesn’t even remember me.”
He looked at you with wide eyes
“So I’m not the only one they forgot..”
You slammed you hands on the fable dramatizing the situation
“How would you feel about moving here? I mean you could work for me in the casino!”
You thought about it for a second
You have two options
1. Live in shroom town with bubbles
2. Move to las Nevada’s with Quackity
You were sure Sapnap wouldn’t mind
I mean would he even care?
He hasn’t for the past couple months!
“You feel abandoned there, over here there are hundreds of people. You’ll have the time of your life”
You thought about it for a sec
“Alright hand me a contract”
So you signed
Making deals with the devil huh
Little did you know it would cost you your life
Devils little soul
➳➳➳➳➳┄┄※┄┄➳➳➳➳➳
and this is the finale! I will take requests for sapnaps child, and I’ll do some shit with Quackity and the casino and go in more depth if wanted!
As always request and ask anything! And ask if you want to be on a taglist (child reader or general)
For those on the taglist I don’t know if you wanted to be tagged for all child reader shit or just dreams child.. so please tell me :)
@creatorofstars @georgenctfound @samistheidiot @smolbox-png @ghostlysenses @stellarinstigator @bobaducky
459 notes · View notes
sunshineandaisies · 3 years
Text
Dirty Paws & Wet Kisses
Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Reader (Modern AU)
Words: ~3.7k
Warnings: language, floofs and fluff
Note: if you ever read anything written by me that includes dogs, their names will always be kinda extra or related to historical figures (i.e. my dog is actually named Theodore Roosevelt) and I will try my best to make their names increasingly extra with every fic that involves dogs
Tumblr media
You’d argue that your four year old sheperd mix was the most well behaved dog in all of New York until your dying breath.
Most days.
During your weekly trips to the park on Sunday afternoons, she would sit at your feet, lounging in the sun as she watched joggers go by and playfully saying hello to anyone - be they human or dog - that stopped by to pet the pretty pup while you read whatever book you’d picked up from the bookstore earlier that week.
Sure, there were a few times that she would whine and stare down any squirrel that strayed too close to her, but she never left your side.
Maybe that’s why you had grown so complacent, why you’d stopped looping her leash around the bench to secure her to your side and simply kept the leash within your reach beside you on the seat of the bench.
And it was because of that complacency that you were sprinting across the park, chasing your naughty dog and drawing judgemental stares from other park-goers.
“Hazel!” you called after her. “Hazel, I swear to god I’m taking all your toys away when we get home!” Right after you took a nice long bath to soothe your aching muscles. When was the last time you’d run this much?
You lost sight of her when she disappeared around a hedge, and the internal panic that set in was almost worse than the time that you accidentally emailed your creative writing professor the Harry Potter fanfiction you’d written instead of your final paper. (You still got an A on the assignment, but that’s besides the point).
You see her as soon as you round the corner, happily licking at a stranger’s face as she sat between his legs, and-
Holy shit, your dog led you to the most attractive man you’ve ever seen.
The stranger took note of you before you had a chance to say anything, and he raised his brow at you while angling his face away from Hazel’s kisses. “Does this belong to you?” he asked, pinching the tags on Hazel’s collar between his thumb and two fingers. “Hazelnut Mocha.” He snorted. “Is that your dog’s name or your Starbucks order?”
You weren’t sure if it was the amused smile that curled his lips or the quirk of his brow, but his teasing made you feel personally attacked. You crossed your arms across your chest. “Maybe it’s both.”
He shrugged, scratching the spot behind Hazel’s ear. “I suppose that’s one way to never forget your dog’s name or your coffee order.”
You hummed noncommittally before approaching and tugging Hazel away from the handsome stranger. It took considerably more effort than you had thought it would. “I’m really sorry about her,” you apologized. “She’s never like this. I don’t really know what happened.”
He brushed your apology off with a smile. “Don’t worry about it. If a cute girl wants to give me kisses, I certainly won’t complain.” He winked at you, and you wanted to just melt on the spot.
“Well, uh, I should, um-” You cleared your throat, stepping away and dragging a disappointed Hazel along with you. “Again, I’m really sorry. Even if you didn’t mind.”
You turned and hurried away before his smile made your mind any more frazzled.
Two weeks passed before you decided to show your face at the park again, and this time, you were sure to secure Hazel’s leash to your bench, ensuring that there would be no chases across the park and embarrassing encounters with handsome strangers.
The pup resigned herself to her fate and laid at your feet in the grass, her tongue lolling out of her mouth and her golden eyes shining in the sunlight. She greeted the other dogs that passed, and you thought nothing of it until you heard someone call her name.
Well, shit. You knew that voice. That voice had haunted your dreams for three nights straight after the incident two weeks ago.
“How have you been, pretty girl?” he asked, and you hesitantly lifted your gaze from your book to see him knelt in front of you, patting Hazel’s head as she yipped happily and dragged her tongue over his face in sloppy kisses.
Despite your proclivity to stare at handsome men that showered your dog with attention, your eyes were dragged away from the pair when a wet nose nudged your leg. “Well hello there,” you greeted the brown and white dog that sought your attention. You quickly marked your page and returned your book to your bag before petting your newest furry companion. “What’s your name, handsome?”
“Bucky,” the stranger answered.
You glanced up at him briefly before turning your attention back to the brown and white dog. “Aren’t you a handsome boy, Bucky. Yes, you’re so handsome,” you cooed. The stranger chuckled, and you glanced up expecting to see Hazel mauling him with more sloppy kisses, but instead, he was staring at you, amusement dancing in his blue eyes. “What?”
“I’m Bucky,” he clarified before nodding towards the dog. “That’s Dodger.”
“And you just assumed that I was talking about you when I called him handsome?”
And in complete contrast to how he had acted in your previous interaction, he actually looked embarrassed, nervously scratching the back of his neck while fending off even more kisses from Hazel. “I seem like a complete asshole, don’t I?” he asked sheepishly.
You laughed. “Well, I mean… Don’t let this go to your head or anything, but I suppose you are kind of handsome, too. You know, in a handsome stranger kind of way.” You felt your cheeks flood with warmth, and you averted your gaze, hoping he didn’t see just how flustered you were after your admission. You tried to breeze past it altogether by giving all of your attention to Dodger once again, petting him and praising him for being such a sweet boy.
After a moment of you and Bucky speaking only to each other’s dogs, you cleared your throat and commented, “I didn’t realize you had a dog. Was he at the park with you the day that Hazel practically assaulted you?”
“He’s not my dog.”
You blinked. “Oh. Is he your girlfriend’s dog?”
And just like that, all hints of embarrassment disappeared from his face. He quirked a brow and smirked at you. “My girlfriend?”
“Or boyfriend,” you added hastily.
He snorted and shook his head. “It depends on who you ask.”
You cocked your head to the side, and the action conjured up an image of Hazel doing the same whenever you would try to hold an actual conversation with her. “Uh, what?”
His gaze flitted to the ground as he smiled an amused little smile that had you biting your lip and shamelessly staring at the man. “It’s a bit of a joke among my friends,” he began. “Dodger is my buddy Steve’s dog. Some of our friends like to make it seem like we’re dating, but we definitely aren’t. We just know each other way too well.” His smile widened when he looked back up at you. “So to answer the question that you indirectly asked-”
You furrowed your brows in confusion. “What?”
“-I’m single, sweetheart.”
You gaped at him, trying to form an appropriate response. This man was frustrating - frustratingly handsome, frustratingly smug, frustratingly able to read you like a goddamn open book. How dare he correctly assume you were trying to figure out if he was single or not?
The sound of a phone ringing interrupted your thought process, and Bucky gave you an apologetic look after glancing down at his phone. “I gotta take this,” he told you. You heard him greet the other person on the other end of the call before calling for Dodger. As he turned to go, he paused for a moment, pressed the phone against the front of his shirt to muffle the receiver, and called over his shoulder. “See you around, Hazel and Hazel’s mom.”
Right. You never gave him your name.
You were cursing yourself for nearly a month for not getting his phone number before he disappeared, and you’d be lying if you didn’t admit that you had a smidge of hope that you’d run into him at the park again... But alas, no luck.
You were starting to think that you’d never see your handsome park stranger - although, he wasn’t really a stranger anymore, was he? - but exactly 37 days after your last encounter with Bucky (aka handsome park stranger), Hazel brought you back together in the most heart attack inducing way she could manage.
You’d been sitting on the patio of your favorite little cafe, catching up with Carol and Val over coffee and fluffy pastries, and Hazel had been behaving herself aside from the occasionally whining and begging when any of you would touch your food.
She was behaving until she wasn’t.
You still don’t really know what set her off, but one moment she was sitting prettily and staring up at you with her golden eyes and the next she was breaking free from her leash and sprinting down the street and out of your sight.
You posted on social media asking everyone to be on the lookout for your Hazel and called your friends to help you search for her. You spent hours walking up and down the city streets and through the park that you frequented with Hazel. You called all of the shelters and animal control to see if anyone had brought Hazel to them instead of calling you. You talked to anyone and everyone that you passed on the street, asking if they’d seen your girl.
You tried so much to get your girl back, but nothing panned out.
You were in tears and your feet were sore from walking all over the goddamn city by the time you and the others returned to your apartment, resigned to wait for someone to contact you. Just as you were about to say goodnight to everyone and turn in for the night (read: cry yourself to sleep), your phone rang, and an unfamiliar number flashed across the screen. You shushed your friends and answered the phone.
Please be someone who found Hazel. Please be someone who found Hazel. Please be someone who found Hazel.
“Hey, sweetheart.” Your heart leapt into your throat at the sound of his voice, and for a moment you forgot that you had just been on the verge of a panic attack. “Take a deep breath for me, okay. I can practically feel you panicking through the phone. I have Hazel. She’s okay.”
“Thank you,” you breathed, nodding at your friends in response to their questioning looks. “Thank you so much, Bucky. Is she okay? Where did you find her? Should I meet you somewhere?”
He chuckled. “She’s fine. A little dirty, but she’s fine. As for where I found here...Well, I think your dog has a little crush on me, sweetheart.”
You grabbed your jacket from the coat rack and slipped it on before grabbing your keys. “What does that mean?”
“I came home and found her wandering around the courtyard at my apartment.” He sounded far too amused with the situation, and you definitely weren’t feeling up to dealing with his smug attitude. “She certainly made herself at home here. I may need to fight for shared custody after this.”
You rolled your eyes. “Just tell me where I should meet you.”
“I’ll send you my address.”
And just as he had told you, as soon as you ended the call, he shared his location with you. You swiftly assured Carol and Val that Hazel was okay, and you asked them to lock up when they left before beginning your walk to Bucky’s apartment.
Ten minutes later, you were sat on the floor of his living room, holding Hazel close to you and alternating between scolding her and telling her how much you love her as you tried to hold your tears at bay. Bucky sat on the couch, arms rested on his knees as he watched the teary-eyed reunion with a small smile curling his lips.
“You know, sweetheart,” he spoke up, drawing your attention away from Hazel, and you finally noticed the muddy paw prints on the front of his white tee. “I’m not much of a dog-person but-”
You gasped, covering Hazel’s floppy ears. “How dare you say such nonsense in front of Hazel!” You pressed a kiss between her eyes, whispering, “It’s okay, girl. Bucky didn’t mean it.”
“I did,” he countered, chuckling when you glared at him. “I’m more of a cat-person, but I suppose I can make an exception for Hazel. After all, she seems pretty attached to me. Not that I can blame her.”
You snorted and rolled your eyes. “She has awful taste in men,” you teased.
“I don’t know,” he argued. “People say that dogs are impeccable judges of character.”
You stood, dusting your jeans off and turned to face Bucky. “Thank you,” you told him, the sincerity clear in your voice. “I don’t know what I would have done if I couldn’t find her. I- I seriously owe you. Whatever you want, just name it.”
His blue eyes twinkled with mischief, and you immediately regretted your offer. “What about shared custody of Hazel?”
“Whatever you want that’s not that, just name it,” you amended.
“What about a date?” he asked instead.
Your eyes widened in surprise and you gaped like a fish, mouth opening and closing, opening and closing, over and over again as you tried to form a response. You certainly hadn’t been expecting that. He watched you with curious eyes, waiting patiently for your answer. Finally, the gears in your brain began to turn again and you answered, “As flattered as I am, I’m not really looking to date right now.”
Disappointment flashed across his features, but he smiled and all trace of disappointment was gone in an instant. “Don’t worry about it, sweetheart. You don’t owe me anything for being a decent person and making sure Hazel got back to you.”
You smiled softly at him, your fingers carding through Hazel’s fur. “Thank you, Bucky. Really.”
“You’re welcome, sweetheart.”
After that night - and after you and Bucky officially had each other’s numbers - you and he would text throughout the week, and you often sent him pictures of Hazel being increasingly goofy as the days wore on. You’d even invited him to the park one Sunday to see Hazel again, but he’d quickly turned you down, asking for a rain check.
He had a date, after all.
So instead, you took Hazel to the park and sent him pictures of the pretty pup lounging in the sunshine, greeting other dogs that passed by, and even licking the camera lens on your phone when she finally noticed you holding your phone out towards her to get the perfect angle. A smile never failed to appear on your face every time he sent a heart eyes meme in response.
Despite the near constant texting, you didn’t see Bucky again for over three weeks, and you’d only seen him because you had run into his friend Steve at the dog park.
It took a moment for you to realize that the brown and white dog that Hazel had instantly greeted once she’d been released from her leash was Dodger, but as soon as the realization sunk in, you looked around for Bucky.
There weren’t many people present, but you couldn’t find Bucky among the dog parents that lingered around the edges of the dog park.
You crouched down to greet Dodger, scratching him behind the ears and happily accepting his greeting kisses. “Hello, handsome. Is your uncle Bucky here?”
“Y/N?”
You turned your head in the direction of the voice, and you furrowed your brows when you saw a tall blond man that you didn’t recognize. Holy shit, was Hazel a handsome stranger magnet? “Do I know you?” you asked, doing your absolute best to keep your voice steady.
“Right, sorry,” he laughed. “I’m Steve. Bucky’s mentioned you a few times.”
You put two and two together quickly. “You’re Dodger’s dad!”
You spent the better part of the next hour chatting with Steve as Dodger and Hazel chased one another around the enclosed area, and you sent a picture of you and Steve to Bucky, happily claiming that Steve was telling you all of Bucky’s most embarrassing stories. (Bucky had sent a text to Steve within seconds of reading your text, but Steve refused to tell you what Bucky had said all while laughing so hard he nearly cried).
By the time Hazel and Dodger were laying at yours and Steve’s feet, panting and entirely worn out from an afternoon of playing, you were ready to say your goodbyes, but Steve quickly caught your attention before you could go.
“I’m meeting Bucky and a few other friends at the bar in about an hour. Would you be interested in getting a drink?” he asked, smiling so widely at you that you just couldn’t say no.
And that was how, after dropping Hazel off at home and making sure she was fed and had a full bowl of water, you found yourself at a sports bar, slinking through the Friday night crowd towards a table in the back.
You spotted Bucky immediately, and you smiled widely when his eyes widened and he choked on his beer before promptly standing to greet you. “What are you doing here, sweetheart?”
“Sweetheart?” you heard one of the men you didn’t recognize ask the others.
“Y/N,” Steve explained, and as if that was all they needed to know, the other two nodded. Steve smiled up at you, greeting, “Glad you found the place okay.”
Bucky quickly ushered you into the booth, sticking you between him and the only other woman present. As he introduced you to the others - Clint, Sam, and Nat - his arm snaked around your shoulders casually.
“So you’re the famous Y/N,” Sam asked, a teasing smile on his face as his gaze flitted from you to Bucky, and Bucky groaned in response.
You chuckled. “I wouldn’t necessarily say ‘famous’.”
“Oh, trust me,” Sam said, “as much as this guy talks about you, I’d say you’re pretty damn famous in our circle.”
You glanced at Bucky, biting your lip in a futile attempt to hide your amused smile. “Is that right?”
He huffed. “Hazel’s the real famous one, sweetheart.”
“Liar,” Nat accused. She turned to you, one perfectly shaped brow raising. “For weeks, it was Hazel’s mom this and Hazel’s mom that, and after that it was Y/N sent me this picture and Y/N told me this joke. I feel like I already know you, and I just met you.”
“So how’s Hazel?” Bucky asked in a clear attempt to change the topic. “Did she have a fun day with Dodger?”
You spent your evening getting to know Bucky’s friends better, sharing stories about Hazel, and listening intently anytime one of them told you a story about Bucky that had your sides aching from laughter. At the end of the evening, you had four new contacts in your phone and plans to meet up with Nat for lunch the following week.
“Need me to walk you home, sweetheart?” Bucky asked when you walked out together, but you shook your head.
“Nah.” You held up your phone, showing him the screen. “I got an Uber.”
He shoved his hands in his pockets, nodding. “Okay. Text me when you get home?”
“Of course.” A red Toyota Camry pulled up to the curb, and after confirming it was the car that was supposed to pick you up, you stepped towards it. Ever the gentleman, Bucky opened the door for you, and you slid into the backseat. “Good night, Bucky.”
It was while you laid in bed that night, unable to sleep while Hazel snored beside you, that you realized that the handsome park stranger - the one that was more of a cat-person but would make an exception for Hazel; the one that was dating Steve depending on who you asked; the one that was constantly talking about you to his friends so much that they felt like they already knew you - had wormed his way into your heart.
Did that make Hazel your wing-woman? She certainly did have a proclivity for bringing you and Bucky together, even in indirect ways.
He was on your mind all night and throughout the following day, and by the time your customary trip to the park rolled around on Sunday afternoon, you were buzzing with anticipation. Would he be there again? Would Hazel inexplicably get loose from her leash and lead you straight to the man that had you feeling like a teenager with a crush again?
As romantic as it might have been, you didn’t want to leave those answers up to fate. Instead, you sent him a text not long after you woke up, letting him know where he could find you if he wanted to see Hazel that afternoon.
Unsurprisingly, it was Hazel that saw Bucky first that afternoon when he arrived at the park, and unsurprisingly, she tore her leash from your grip and sprinted towards him, nearly tackling him as he crouched closer to the ground to greet her.
Surprisingly, you were actually jealous of your dog as you watched her give him sloppy, wet kisses.
“What’s that look for, sweetheart?” Bucky asked, angling his face away from Hazel. “Everything okay?”
“Quick question,” you told him. “Is that date still on the table?”
He grinned at you with that smug grin that you had scoffed at the day you first met, that same smug grin that made your heart flutter in your chest and made your breath catch in your throat and made you want to press kisses to his face and-
“I was wondering when you’d take me up on the offer, sweetheart.”
441 notes · View notes
heyiwrotesomethings · 3 years
Text
The Perfect Pet
Shinobu Kochou x They/Them Reader AU
A/N: This could be considered a part two to You Cat to be Kitten Me, but you could totally read this without having read the other. I’ll just link the other fic in case you’re interested (LINK). Hope you enjoy! Word Count: 3,454
Shinobu knew when she had let herself be dragged to the animal shelter by (Y/n) that it wasn’t going to be a simple visit. ‘Just to look,’ they had promised, but now, here Shinobu was watching (Y/n) stare up at her from their crouched position on the floor as they rubbed the puppy’s belly with hopeful eyes.
“No.” Shinobu said, not unkindly.
“I didn’t even say anything yet.” (Y/n) pouted in return, scratching the soft puppy’s furry neck.
“It’s written all over your face. We are not getting a dog, (Y/n).” Shinobu hated to tell them no, but she really couldn’t stand such furry animals.
“How about a cat?” (Y/n) asked, looking just as hopeful.
“No.”
“A bunny.”
“No.”
“A ferret.”
“No.”
“A—“
“(Y/n), we’ve talked about this. I’m not living under the same roof as some slobbery, wiggly, furry beast. If you want to play with an animal so badly, you can always visit Mitsuri’s cat, or her new rabbit too for that matter. Is that what brought this on?”
“A little,” (Y/n) stood up, forgoing eye contact with Shinobu to scan the rows of animals.
“A little, hm?” Shinobu crossed her arms, “and whatever else could possibly be at play?”
“It’s nothing,” (Y/n) shook their head, “want to grab lunch now?”
Shinobu tilted her head and gave (Y/n) a questioning look. Whatever it was, it certainly wasn’t nothing. Still, she wanted nothing more than to get the hell out of this stuffy room and wash her hands. She could question them about it later.
“Lunch sounds wonderful.” She smiled, looping (Y/n)’s arm with her own.
They waved at the volunteers and thanked them before heading out of the shelter and back to their car. They drove to one of their favorite spots with outdoor seating that overlooked the river, talking casually and laughing together while they waited for their food to arrive.
“You remember I have been invited to be a guest speaker at Kyoto University next week, right?” Shinobu had asked between bites.
“Yeah, why? Is something wrong?”
“Oh no, nothing is wrong per se, I was also asked just recently if I could stay a few days more to oversee a new experiment. You don’t mind do you?”
“Of course I don’t mind, dear. I love how passionate you get about new projects. I hope you have fun.” (Y/n) smiled, though something seemed a bit forced about it from Shinobu’s perspective.
“Are you sure? I haven’t committed to it yet.” Shinobu tested.
“I’m sure, really. Why are you giving me that look?”
“What look?”
“The worried, suspicious kind of look.”
“It’s just that you have seemed kind of out of it since we left the animal shelter. You said it was nothing, but I’m not quite sure that’s true.”
“Shinobu, it’s fine, really,” (Y/n) assured as they paid for the meal, “do you want to go on the river walk trail before we head home or...?”
“What I’d really like to do is find out what’s bothering you.” Shinobu grumbled. Nevertheless, she took (Y/n) by the hand and led them down the path.
Plenty of people were out, enjoying the warmth the sun had to offer. Of course that meant a lot of people were out with their dogs as well. Shinobu took to using (Y/n) as a barrier whenever a dog veered too close to her, sniffing them with wagging tails. (Y/n) was all too happy to intercept the furry canines that they came across.
“This path should really be wider...” Shinobu would mumble, tugging (Y/n) along so they wouldn’t dwell for long.
“We’re almost back to the car. You’ll be okay, I’ll protect you.” (Y/n) teased, staring at Shinobu adoringly. Their hand was squeezed tightly while someone with a big St Bernard passed them by, its tail brushed against Shinobu’s thigh, making her shudder.
Shinobu heaved a huge sigh of relief when they got back into the car. As (Y/n) drove, Shinobu rolled down the window to send any little hair she found on her pants flying out on the wind.
“So, today was fun, right?” (Y/n) asked tentatively while taking the last turn to their house.
“Today was, something.” Shinobu shrugged. Yet she smiled sweetly and patted (Y/n)’s leg. “But any day I get to spend with you is a good day.”
“Aww, I love you.”
“I love you too.”
The couple made the safe return to their house and lazed about for the rest of the day. When dinner came around they cooked together, spinning, teasing and brimming with cheer all the while. It was after they had gotten ready for bed and (Y/n) flopped into the covers beside Shinobu that the doctor decided to try her luck again.
“So what was on your mind today?” Shinobu asked while she turned on her side to observe her partner.
“You’re still on that?” (Y/n) poked Shinobu in the ribs, “let it go.”
“No, I want to know what’s wrong. I’m leaving for Kyoto soon and I want to get this all sorted out so it doesn’t fester while we’re apart. No matter how small a matter you think it is, anything that concerns you matters to me.” Shinobu spoke seriously.
(Y/n) was ready to deny Shinobu again up until she loomed above them on the bed with such stern eyes.
“I just miss you, you know. I guess I get kind of lonely when you’re away.” (Y/n) admitted.
“I miss you too. We always find time to text and facetime, that helps doesn’t it?”
“Yes, it does. The house though, it just feels empty without you. Of course I’ve got work to do too, but when I’m done and you’re not around, I just feel kind of sad.”
“You could always invite my sisters over, you all get along so well and Mitsuri and Iguro or any of our other friends and family.” Shinobu suggested, mildly upset with herself for not noticing sooner.
“I have before, but I can’t commandeer everyone’s plans every time you’re gone for an extended period of time. You don’t have to worry though, I find ways to keep myself busy.” (Y/n) said, snuggling deeper into the covers.
“I won’t stay the extra days, I’ll email the professors right now.” Shinobu moved to get out of bed but (Y/n) pushed her back down and held her in place.
“No need for that. I don’t want you to skip out on opportunities to grow your research for me. See, this is why I didn’t want to talk about it.”
“This is why you took me to the animal shelter, isn’t it? So you had something to keep you company whenever I’m away.” Shinobu asked despite already knowing the answer.
“I’ll admit that was kind of the idea. I just wanted to see if anything would catch your eye, but I didn’t keep any unrealistic expectations. I knew you wouldn’t like anything furry. I was kind of hoping to find a hairless cat or something.”
“(Y/n), you should have told me. I would have—“
“You would have settled on something just to make me happy. I wanted to find something we’d both like.” (Y/n) rested their head on the pillow just above Shinobu’s shoulder and nuzzled it with their nose, looping an arm over Shinobu they sighed pleasantly, “It’s really okay. I’d let you know if I thought otherwise. Good night, love you.”
“Love you.” Shinobu smiled, resting her head atop (Y/n)’s.
While (Y/n)’s breathing slowed and they drifted off into unconsciousness, Shinobu was wide awake. She gently drummed her fingers over (Y/n)’s side while she searched her mind for a solution that would leave them both satisfied. Shinobu had raised fish for a time, but you couldn’t really pick them up or interact with them like one would a more traditional pet.
Shinobu slowly scooted to lay upright against the headboard and took her phone off the charger, turning down the brightness a bit when the harsh light hit her eyes. She typed the shelter into her search bar and navigated through the site, trying to imagine herself getting along with any of the animals and failing miserably.
She was about to give up and go to sleep when curiosity got the best of her and she clicked the tag marked ‘miscellaneous’. She hadn’t realized the shelter cared for such unusual animals. Shinobu smiled down at her partner sleeping in oblivious bliss. Maybe this could work out after all.
The next morning, (Y/n) woke up to the smell of breakfast and lazily swiped their arm over the bed, searching in vain for the warmth of a body they knew couldn’t be there. With a tired whine, they resigned themself to getting up and stumbled into the kitchen.
“You’re up early.” (Y/n) yawned before giving Shinobu a quick peck on the cheek. “Something wrong at the pharmacy? The clinic? Leaving for Kyoto early?”
“Must there be something wrong in order for me to get up early?” Shinobu asked. To tell the truth, she hadn’t slept much at all; she was too busy researching to do so.
“No, it’s just that you prefer to sleep in when you don’t have plans.” (Y/n) said, moving to sit on top of the kitchen island.
“Oh, but I do have plans.” Shinobu cryptically corrected, standing between (Y/n)’s legs.
“You do, do you?” (Y/n) smiled, “do these plans involve me at all by chance?”
“In fact, they do.” Shinobu kissed (Y/n) before stepping back a bit to look them in the eyes. “So eat your breakfast and get dressed so we can head out.”
“Head out? Where are we going?”
“You’ll see.”
(Y/n) and Shinobu finished their breakfast, showered and got dressed. Shinobu started up the car and they went off on their way. (Y/n) asked her a few more times for even just a hint but Shinobu simply smirked, holding a finger to her sealed lips.
She couldn’t keep the secret forever however, especially not after (Y/n) realized what road they just turned on.
“Shinobu, what are you doing?”
“Just trust me.”
“I trust you, but what are we doing back at the shelter?”
“Come with me and you’ll see.” Shinobu said, already getting out of the car.
(Y/n) unbuckled their seatbelt and quickly followed behind their partner, wondering just what idea could have gotten into Shinobu’s head. They managed to catch up to her just as she greeted the volunteer working the front desk.
“Good morning, we’re here to see Puppy.”
(Y/n) gave Shinobu a weird look, but the doctor didn’t pay them much mind as the volunteer answered after a moment of confusion flashed in his eyes as well.
“Really? That’s wonderful! Come follow me to the back.” The young man said.
While the couple followed the volunteer to the back of the shelter, (Y/n) tried to figure out how they were going to dissuade Shinobu from picking out a dog just to please them. Shinobu couldn’t even remember to speak properly when thinking about it. I mean, ‘we’re here to see puppy’? Really? Not a puppy or the puppies just, puppy. She was really just going through the motions, wasn’t she?
“She’s right in there. She has her own little set up and everything. Poor thing was surrendered to us after her owner died of old age, but she seems to be adjusting well. Serve her up a nice big platter of salad and she’ll never forget it.” The jolly volunteer disclosed.
The previous owner died, had they? That was so sad. (Y/n) frowned at the thought. The salad comment got to them however. What kind of dog would want a salad of all things?
“May we go in?” Shinobu asked.
“Sure. Let me know if you’ve got any questions. I’ll be back at the desk if you need me.” The helpful man said before making his way back down the hall.
Shinobu wasted no time in gently pulling the door open and taking a step inside, much to (Y/n)’s surprise. Shinobu ducked her head back out and motioned (Y/n) forward with a curl of her finger. (Y/n) was so confused. Shinobu looked genuinely excited to show her this particular puppy. With a slight delay, (Y/n) followed her in and looked for the dog that had somehow managed to win over their Shinobu’s heart. Their eyes roamed around the room for a moment, they blinked, and nearly broke their neck with the force they used to turn their head back to the shape that had caught their eye.
“No way.” They breathed out.
“What do you think?” Shinobu asked, moving to crouch beside the large tortoise.
“That, that’s not a puppy.” (Y/n) stated dumbly, too shocked to say much else.
“Her name is Puppy. She’s a Sulcata, or an African Spurred Tortoise. Cute, isn’t she?” Shinobu softly stroke the tortoise’s head with her finger.
“She’s massive.” (Y/n) blinked. Perhaps they were still sleeping and this was all just a dream.
“Yes, the biography they had on the website said she’s a little over one-hundred-twenty pounds. She shouldn’t grow much more if at all though, she’s well over eighty years old. Your previous caretaker took really good care of you, huh?” Shinobu said, patting Puppy’s carapace as the giant reptile slowly scooted away.
“Eighty years... Shinobu, are you suggesting we adopt this grandma of a turtle?” (Y/n) watched attentively as Puppy scooted across the floor.
“Tortoise, (Y/n). And yes, I am. She may have more years than the two of us combined, but she could very easily live another sixty years with the proper care and attention.”
“Are we even equipped to give her that? I don’t think we could even pick her up? Like, how would we even get her home and where would we put her?”
“If we decide to adopt her, there plenty of ways to safely transport her. We can set up an enclosure in the back yard and let her roam around the house. We’ll have to keep an eye on her of course, but I’ve heard she’s quite well behaved.”
(Y/n) stared at Shinobu with awe. Never would they have thought Shinobu would speak so passionately about such an unusual animal unless it cultivated its own poison or was some kind of insect. They shook their head and smiled.
“You know,” they said, crouching down to stroke Puppy’s scaly leg, “an actual dog would be easier to take care of, relatively speaking.”
“Do you not like the idea?” Shinobu asked.
“Oh no, I was just wondering if we get divorced when we’re like, eighty, who gets Puppy?” (Y/n) laughed and rubbed their arm, Shinobu had punched it a little harder than she had meant to.
They took some time to get to know Puppy, feeding her some leafy greens from her veggie platter and petting her carapace. It didn’t take long for them to become completely enamored with the old gal.
They met up with the man at the front desk again and filled out an adoption form. It would take a couple days to be processed but Puppy was as good as theirs. They quickly made their way back home to continue their research and completed all the preparations to make the house and yard tortoise friendly.
A couple days later, and the adoption went through. The couple was elated and rushed to pick up the new addition of their family and bring her home. It was a bit tricky, but they made it without any complications.
They let Puppy settle in and explore the yard enclosure first before slowly guiding her to the house with collard greens and cabbage. As they sat in the middle of their living room with the foot and a half long tortoise, Shinobu found herself wishing she could just cancel her Kyoto trip altogether.
“This was a terrible idea. Now I never want to leave the house.” She sighed.
“Aww, it’s like Puppy is your baby. Your very old baby.” (Y/n) said, feeding Puppy another leaf.
“We never did discuss if we were going to give her a new name.” Shinobu thought suddenly. “Any thoughts?”
“Nah, I like Puppy. It’s cute. Besides, she’s had that name for almost a century, it doesn’t seem right to change it now.”
“Yeah, I can agree with that sentiment.” Shinobu nodded.
“You just want to tell Kanae we got a puppy and watch her face change as she realizes the truth, don’t you?”
“Perhaps.” Shinobu smiled mischievously.
***
When it came time for Shinobu to leave for Kyoto, she hugged (Y/n) close and kissed them sweetly.
“I’ll miss you.” She softly proclaimed.
“I’ll miss you too. I think Puppy will too.” (Y/n) said, looking down to watch Puppy step up to Shinobu’s foot. Most likely she was looking for a snack.
“I’ll miss you too, sweet girl!” Shinobu hummed, couching down to give Puppy a quick rubdown. “You and (Y/n) take good care of each other while I’m gone, okay?”
Puppy closed her eyes, enjoying the attention Shinobu gave. Shinobu returned to her full height and gave (Y/n) another kiss before grabbing her travel bag and heading for the front door. Before she was fully out of the house, she turned back and smiled at (Y/n).
“I almost forgot to tell you. I texted Kanae about Puppy. Expect her sometime today, she can’t wait to meet her,” Shinobu waved her phone at (Y/n), “try to catch her reaction and send it to me. I really wish I held off on telling her until after I got back.”
“Alright, I’ll see what I can do. Be safe.” (Y/n) waved in return, already well aware of what Shinobu had in mind for her unsuspecting sister.
“I will. I’ll call you tonight. Love you.”
“Love you,” (Y/n) watched Shinobu leave before looking back down at Puppy. “Come on, Puppy. Let’s go outside.”
They led Puppy to the backyard with some cabbage and set her up with some hay and other enrichment materials. It was maybe an hour later when (Y/n) heard movement from inside the house. Instead of panicking, they remembered what Shinobu had said and got their phone ready. Just as they hit record, Kanae slid the back door open and jogged over to (Y/n) with Kanao calmly closing the door behind her. Apparently Kanae had convinced her to tag along.
“I can’t believe you actually convinced her to get a puppy! How did you do it?” Kanae started in on (Y/n) immediately. “Where is the puppy? Shinobu wouldn’t send me any pictures.”
“Well...”
“...That’s not a puppy.”
(Y/n) and Kanae turned to Kanao who was staring down at Puppy as she snapped at some hay. (Y/n) turned their phone back just in time to catch Kanae’s double take and the journey of her expression from disbelief to acceptance.
“I should have known it wasn’t that simple!” She groaned, “(Y/n), what did you two do?”
“We got a sulcata tortoise from the animal shelter. Her name is Puppy,” (Y/n) noticed how mesmerized Kanao was by the reptile and grinned, “she’s really gentle, you can feed her some greens from that bucket if you’d like, Kanao.”
Kanao nodded, taking a big, leafy bok choy and offering it to the tortoise with bright, attentive eyes. The youngest sister did not seem the least bit disappointed by Shinobu’s farce.
“I can’t believe her! I should have seen this coming, Shinobu has detested furry things all her life, but this is like a literal dinosaur!” Kanae sighed and shook her head, “She really got me good.”
A moment later, and the eldest Kochou sibling realized (Y/n) had recorded the whole encounter.
“(Y/n), don’t send that! Don’t give her the satisfaction!” Kanae pouted, reaching for the phone.
“I’m sorry! She asked me to before she left.”
“You don’t need to do all of your partner’s dirty work. Come on, please?”
“Already sent.” (Y/n) said, a sympathetic smile tugged at their lips.
Kanae frowned and narrowed her eyes, reminding (Y/n) heavily of Shinobu. It was a look (Y/n) seldom saw on the usually cheery woman.
“Fine then. I’m going to pet that tortoise now, hopefully she’s more well mannered than her caretakers.” Kanae turned her nose up on (Y/n) and joined Kanao in gently patting Puppy.
(Y/n)’s phone buzzed and they looked down, Shinobu had answered quickly it seemed. A simple, ‘yes!’ with a couple variants of laughing emojis. But another message soon followed reading, ‘When I come back, we’re getting Mitsuri next.’
(Y/n) exhaled an amused sound and prepared themself for Shinobu to come back from her trip. They knew that once she returned, Shinobu would continue to pull the same joke about Puppy to all their friends and family until no one remained unaware.
260 notes · View notes
little-fam-ily · 3 years
Text
Build a Bear (Sanders Sides Agere Oneshot)
Read it on ao3
Rating: G
Word Count: 4,079
Characters: CG Logan and Patton, Agere Virgil
Pairings: Queerplatonic Analogical, platonic Analogicality
Warnings: Kink mention
Summary: In which Logan and Virgil take a trip to Build a Bear (brought to you by a Build a Bear employee).
Virgil’s eyes widened as he stared at the commercial on the TV. It was for Build a Bear, talking about how you can put different sounds in ‘your new furry friends’. He smiled around his pacifier. “Lolo!” He called to Logan, his caregiver.
Logan popped his head in from the kitchen, “What is it?” 
Virgil pointed to the TV. Logan was able to catch just the end of the ad. “Virgil, I don’t think-” He stopped himself as he looked at Virgil’s wide, pleading eyes. “Oh, oh Virgil, don’t,” He sighed, “You know what the puppy eyes do to me.”
Virgil just let out a whine. Logan looked at him sternly, “You know they’re very expensive, Virgil.”
He nodded, “I know…” He glanced away, cheeks red. Logan shook his head, thinking about it, “Well, it’s almost your birthday anyway, We’ll make a day of it.”
Virgil smiled wide, “Weally?”
Logan nodded, “Really really.”
Virgil jumped up and embraced him in a hug, squeezing tight, “T’ank you, Lolo!”
Soon the day came, and Virgil and Logan sat in the car, getting ready to go into the mall. Virgil was sucking his thumb, and Logan was looking at him with concern, “Do you think you can be big enough to pass?”
Virgil glanced at him, cheeks turning pink. He dragged his thumb out of his mouth, stopping at the tip where he could still bite down.
Logan sighed, “Better.” He paused before he spoke up again, “Virgil, it’s nothing to be ashamed of. You don’t have to hide it if you don’t want to.”
Virgil whined, “I jus’, don’ wan’ people t’inking i’s kink.” He murmured around his thumb.
Logan nodded, “That’s understandable. But what we do is none of their business. I’m pretty sure the average person doesn’t care, and if they do, then they’re not a good person.”
Virgil glanced away. Logan let out a sympathetic breath, “Well, if you’re ready I’m ready.”
Virgil nodded. Logan stepped out of the car, then helped Virgil out of the car. They walked into the mall holding hands.
The line to Build a Bear was already a mile long. They got in, and Virgil was ancy with anticipation. The wait seemed like hours. Logan could tell he was getting impatient, so he squeezed his hand. They smiled at each other.
Finally they got to the door. They were greeted by a young woman with long brown hair and a wide smile. Her name tag read Valerie.
“Hey there! What brings you to the workshop today?” She smiled. Virgil panicked, looking to Logan for help.
“It’s his birthday next week, but I thought I’d take him early.” Logan turned to her. Her smile grew wider, “Wow, that’s great!” She got out a sharpie and a pack of stickers from her apron, “How old are you turning, sweetheart?”
Virgil took a deep breath, preparing himself to answer, “Twenty.”
“And your name?”
“V-” He started, but stopped himself, having to pause for another moment, “Virgil.”
She wrote everything down, tearing the sticker off and handing it to him, “And have you built a bear with us before?”
Logan and Virgil glanced at each other, then back to her, shaking their heads. 
Valerie kept her smile, “So to your left is the wall where we have our whole selection of bears to choose from. Once you pick your new friend you’ll head over to the sound station to pick any scents or sounds that you’d like. 
“Then you’ll come around over to that blue square where we’ll stuff your friend and perform the heart ceremony. After we get them stitched up you’ll go to the back wall to get their clothing and accessories, head to Station 4 to give them a name, and then you’ll be all ready to check out and take your new friend home!”
Virgil’s breathing became shallow. That was a lot to keep track of. Logan sensed his anxiety, squeezing his hand, “Ready to head on in?”
He looked at him, hesitantly nodding his head. Valerie opened the rope barrier and stepped aside, gesturing for them to enter.
They stepped in, and Virgil was already overwhelmed by the large selection of stuffed animals. There were more than bears, there were rabbits and cats and monkeys and unicorns. There were themed bears too, like Frozen and Star Wars and Paw Patrol.
Virgil’s eyes scanned the wall, biting down on his thumb hard. Logan stepped up to him, “I know it’s a lot to think about, and there are a lot of steps, but I remember all of it, and I will be with you every step of the way.”
Virgil nodded, then his eyes widened as they settled on a fluffy brown bear with the Harry Potter logo printed on its back paw. He pointed to it, “Harry Potter bear.”
Logan smirked, “You want that one? We can put some Ravenclaw accessories on it.”
Virgil smiled wide, nodding. He grabbed the unstuffed pelt and felt the fur, holding it close to his chest.
Logan smiled at his little, then noticed the birthday sticker still in his hand. “Here, let me help you with that,” He took the sticker, peeled it off the back, and stuck it right on Virgil’s jacket, “There we go.”
Virgil smiled at him, leaning on his chest. They stayed like that for a bit, then a young man with an apron walked up to them with a smile, “Have we picked our new friend?”
Virgil looked at Logan, then at the man, who’s name tag read Terrence, nodding.
“Alright! Right this way,” Terrence beckoned them over to a white counter with computers on each end. He reached for Virgil’s bear, “Can I see him real quick?”
Virgil glanced at Logan, then hesitantly handed over the pelt. Terrence pulled a sharpie out of his apron and started writing on the tag, “I see your name is Virgil, is that right?”
Virgil nodded. Terrence put the sharpie away, “And I can also see it’s your birthday! Well, have a very happy birthday,” He smiled, then continued, “Now, we have some scents you can choose from. We have strawberry, birthday cake, cotton candy, and bubblegum.”
Both Virgil and Logan took some time smelling the scents. “Strawberry,” Virgil decided.
“Alright!” Terrence got out his sharpie and wrote some things down on the tag, then took an unopened scent packet, peeled a sticker off, then stuck the sticker on the tag. The scent was a plastic disk shaped like a bear head.
“Now we get to pick a sound we put in the paw of the bear right here.” He showed them the right paw, which had a little heart shaped patch on it.
Virgil smiled. This was the part he was the most excited for. 
Terrence moved to one of the computer monitors, “Here is the sound station, we have a huge selection of sounds to choose from. You can scroll up and down as well as side to side. There are generic animal sounds, themed sounds from movies and TV. I see you picked a Harry Potter bear, maybe you’d like a Harry Potter sound?”
Virgil thought about it, scrolling through the Harry Potter selection. He looked, but decided it would be best to just pick the theme from the movie.
He pressed the icon, jumping at the loud noise coming from the computer. Logan grabbed his hand and squeezed it tight, rubbing the back of his hand with his thumb.
“Alright, I’m just gonna scan his tag really quick.” Terrence moved the tag under the scanner. “Now you’re going to grab one of those chips,” He pointed to a hole in the counter which housed a bunch of plastic sound bytes shaped like bear heads. Virgil did as he was told, holding it tight.
“Place it right here,” He pointed to a little divot in the counter where the chip fit perfectly. Virgil set it right in. Then Terrence pressed the ‘buy’ button on the screen, which started loading. It only took a couple of seconds for the sound to be transferred to the chip.
“Great! Now press it to see if it works.” Terrence smiled. Virgil pressed it, holding it up to his ear. That was a bad idea, as he immediately had to move it away.
“Looks like it works!” Terrence chuckled, then took the chip and pushed it into the bear’s paw. “You’re all set! Once that group is done with their heart ceremony you’ll move right on up to that blue square where my friend Mr. Patton will get this little guy all stuffed up for yah.”
Logan and Virgil nodded. “Thank you,” Logan smiled, then turned towards the machine. Virgil tried to get a look at what was going on up ahead, but they were too far away to see or hear anything.
The wait seemed like forever, but soon it was their turn. The young man working the machine got up from his chair and turned towards them, “Alright folks, are we all good to go?”
Virgil smiled slightly as he noticed a shiny they/them pin on their apron. They had a mop of curly brown hair on their head, and circular glasses were perched on their freckled nose.
He looked at Logan, then nodded. Patton smiled, “Great! I’m gonna have you come around this way to that blue square over there.” They pointed to a large blue sticker on the floor next to the front counter. It had white paw prints on it.
They both stepped on the square, waiting to get started.
“See, the thing about this machine is that it needs energy to get it working, right?” Patton started as they put the pelt on the nozzle. “So that means you gotta either hop hop hop! Or clap clap clap! Or wiggle wiggle wiggle! To get the machine running. Do you think you can do that, kiddo?”
Virgil’s eyes widened as he blushed at the pet name. Yes, he did indeed want to clap clap clap, or hop hop hop, or wiggle wiggle wiggle, but he didn’t want to do it alone. He tugged on Logan’s sleeve. Logan blinked, “Oh, do I? Do I have to do it too?”
“If you want!” Patton smiled. Logan sighed, rolling his eyes, but nodded.
“Alright, let’s do this!” Patton exclaimed as they turned on the machine. Logan and Virgil started clapping, and Patton stepped on a pedal, moving the bear around the nozzle to get the stuffing in every limb, its chest, and its head.
“Alright! Great job kiddo!” Patton smiled as they took their foot off the pedal and the bear off the nozzle, checking it themself to see if it was the right softness.
“Now for the scent. Do you want it in the head or the belly?” They asked. Virgil bit down on his thumb. There were so many decisions to make! It was getting a bit much.
Logan sensed this, “We’ll do it in the belly.”
“Okay,” Patton smiled, taking the disc out of its plastic sleeve and slipping it into the bear through the hole in the back. 
“Now we get to choose a heart! There’s either a red satin heart or a checkered heart.” Patton picked up two felt hearts from two bins on the machine and held them up, “Which one would you like, kiddo?”
Virgil’s eyes flitted between the two. After a pause Patton spoke up, "I know, it's a hard decision to make."
After another moment Virgil decided on the red one, pointing to it. Patton smiled, "Alright!" They placed the heart to the side, then picked another heart up, this one big and plastic, "We also have a beating heart option! We put it in the chest of the bear, and when you press down on it, it beats like a heart!"
Virgil’s eyes widened. He looked at Logan with them, pouting his lip a little. Logan smiled at him, giving him a nod. Virgil turned back to Patton, nodding enthusiastically.
"Okay!" Patton smiled, taking a heart, peeling the sticker off, and putting the sticker on the tag. They then placed the heart right in the front of the bear’s chest where a human’s heart would be.
“Now,” Patton said as they got up from their chair and took the now stuffed bear and the heart to the counter Logan and Virgil were standing next to. 
“We are going to perform what is called the ‘squish test’. Which means you take your new friend and you give him the biggest hug that you possibly can!” They wrapped their arms around themself, “To see if he’s either as soft or firm enough as you want.”
They turned to Logan, “And if he’s too firm we can always take stuffing out, and if he’s too soft we can always put stuffing in.”
Logan nodded, then turned to Virgil, “Do you want to give him a hug?”
Virgil nodded, walking up to where the bear was sitting and grabbing it, feeling its arms, legs, chest, and head. He then embraced it in his arms, holding it as tight as he could. He smiled as he felt the pulsing of the heartbeat.
“Is he good?” Patton asked. Virgil turned to him, nodding. 
“Perfect!” They smiled, “If you would put your friend back on the hug station, we are going to perform the Heart Ceremony,” They put emphasis on the last two words, “The most important step in this entire process! You’re going to take your heart.”
It took a minute for the request to process in his brain, but Virgil went back to the counter, put the bear back where it was sitting, and grabbed his heart.
“Now we gotta get it beating, alright kiddo? So you’re going to take it, hold it up like this,” They held it high above their head. Virgil did the same.
“And you gotta wiggle it like this!” Patton started waving their hand around. A smile broke out on Virgil’s face as he mimicked their movements. They wiggled for a moment, Patton giggling, “Do you think you got it beating, kiddo?”
Virgil nodded, smile not fading. Patton smiled at him, “Alright, now you’re going to go to your new friend, and you gotta wave it in his ears so that he’s a good listener!”
Virgil stepped over to the bear and waved the heart over its ears.
“Wave it on his arms so he can give you great big hugs!”
He waved it over its arms.
“Wave it on his legs so he can run and play with you all day!”
He waved it over its legs.
“Now grip your heart, hold it close, and make a great big wish!”
He held it close to his chest, closed his eyes and made his wish, I wish for me and Logan to live together forever.
“Did you make your wish?” Patton smiled. Virgil opened his eyes, smiling back as he nodded.
“Great! Now you get to do the honor of putting that heart into your friend through the hole in the back.”
Virgil grabbed the bear and shoved the heart in as far as it could go. 
Patton gave a nod, “Alright, now if you would put your friend back on the hug station and step right back on that blue square, I’m gonna do the hard job of stitching him up, okay?”
Virgil nodded, doing as he was told. Patton stepped up to the counter and started pulling on the stitches. They glanced at Virgil's sticker, “I see it’s your birthday today!”
“In a week,” Logan corrected them. They nodded, “Oh! Okay, well, happy early birthday!” They looked closer, “And you’re turning twenty! Wow! I turned twenty this January!”
“Interesting.” Logan commented. Patton tied the last knot, cutting the extra string off. “Alright! This little guy is good to go! I’m gonna have you come around this way,” they pointed to their right, “to the back to pick out his clothing and accessories. Then you’ll take that tag to station 4 and scan it to give him his name!”
“Alright, thank you.” Logan smiled, leading Virgil around the direction Patton pointed them towards. Virgil looked back one last time to see Patton waving at him. He waved back shyly.
Thankfully the Harry Potter clothing section was right next to the stuffed animal section. Virgil’s eyes scanned the wall. He definitely wanted the traditional robes and a wand. But then he spotted a Quidditch uniform, along with a broom and a snitch.
He gasped slightly, turning to Logan, who nodded, “You can get both outfits if you’d like.”
Virgil whined, “But i’s ‘spensive…” He glanced away, biting his thumb.
Logan chuckled, “Virgil, it’s your birthday, and it’s you. You’re worth it. Besides, I’m getting paid soon anyway, so it doesn’t really matter.”
Virgil scrunched his nose, but took both the normal uniform and accessories and the Quidditch uniform and accessories off the hangers. He had to get on his tip-toes to reach some of them, but he got the hang of it.
“I’m guessing he’s a seeker, hm?” Logan hummed. Virgil nodded. Logan gave a nod back, “Alright, let’s give him a name, shall we?”
They walked over to the back corner on the other side of the store, where Station 4 was. Logan pressed some buttons, scanned the tag, and a menu popped up asking them to put in information for the bear’s birth certificate.
Now it was time to pick a name. Virgil bit down on his thumb, thinking very hard. Logan tilted his head, “What would you like to name him?”
Virgil smiled mischievously, “Logan!”
Logan scoffed, “Virgil, please. Pick an original name!”
“I’s original! ‘N Logan’s my favorite name!” Virgil beamed, turning back to the screen and typing in the name, “Logan the seeker.”
After the bear’s birth certificate was printed out, they walked up to the cash register. The young man standing at the register’s name tag read Joan. “Alright, are we all set?”
Logan nodded, putting all their findings on the counter. Virgil bit down on his thumb as he watched Joan scan the tags, starting to zone out. He wasn’t really interested in this part.
“Would you like to dress it here or when you get home?” Joan asked him. His eyes widened as he was snapped out of his daydreaming. He looked at them, then at Logan, then back to them. “Um, home,” He responded, now ancy to leave.
“Alright, would you like to hold it or put it in a box?” They asked. Virgil whined a bit under his breath. This was way too many questions for one day. “Box.”
Joan nodded at his firm answer. “Alright, with all of the accessories, your total comes out to one hundred and thirty five dollars, and forty five cents.”
Virgil gasped, looking at Logan with concern. That was a huge number. Logan just smiled at him reassuringly, “It’s alright Virgil, I really don’t mind,” He turned to Joan, “He’s a little concerned with money right now.”
“Oh I totally understand that,” They gave a smile, “I mean, I’m working two jobs and even I can’t afford to pay rent sometimes.” They turned back to the computer, muttering to themself, “Late stage capitalism.”
They took the bear and put it in a box, then bagged up all the clothes, “You should be all set. Oh! It’s your birthday! We have to ring the birthday bell!”
As they picked up a large bell from the shelf behind them, Logan squeezed Virgil’s hand, “It’s going to make a very loud noise, Virgil.”
Virgil looked at him as he braced himself. The loud ring of the bell crashed in his ears, running through his entire body. He cringed as he shut his eyes, stopping himself from covering his ears.
Then it was over, and he was able to open his eyes again. Logan leaned into his ear, “Good job.” He smiled. Virgil smiled back.
Then they were all good to go. Logan took the box and the bag, and grabbed Virgil’s hand as he led both of them out.
“Have a good day, kiddo!” Patton called with a smile as they walked past the machine. They both glanced at them. “Thank you.” Logan said before finally reaching the door.
“So, what did you wish for during the heart ceremony?” Logan asked as they took their purchases and headed for other stores, mostly Hot Topic.
“I tan’t tell you!” Virgil teased, “Or it won’t tome true.”
---------------------------------------------------------
Patton smiled to themself as they walked into the back room, unlocking their locker and taking their backpack out. Once they made sure everything was still in check, they took their apron off and slipped it in their locker, closing it and locking it again.
Today was another great day at work. Patton loved their job, really loved their job. They got to interact with all the cute kids and families that came in, and they adored all the smiles and giggles the heart ceremony provided.
There was always at least one memorable family that came in, and today it was a young couple, one of which had his birthday today. His name was Virgil, Patton remembered.
He was memorable because of one fact. Patton could see it in his eyes, in his posture, in his energy.
Patton got to meet a little.
They themself had been a babysitter for a couple of years now. Their friend Roman was a little, and when her partner Janus was busy, Patton got to babysit her. It brought them a lot of comfort and happiness, and they one day hoped to have a little of their own.
A pang of disappointment hit their chest. Virgil seemed so adorable and fun and loving, but it looked like he already had a caregiver. But they were happy for him nonetheless.
They brought themself out of their thoughts as they headed on out, waving goodbye to their coworkers. Their brisk walking speed got them to the food court fairly quickly, where they planned to have sushi for lunch.
But their eyes widened as they caught sight of a couple across the food court. It was Virgil and his caregiver! A smile broke out on their face, and they knew they had to take this opportunity to get to know them better.
They rushed to Virgil’s table, slowing down a bit as they got closer, “Hey! You guys are still here!”
They both turned to them, and Virgil jumped, quickly taking his thumb out of his mouth. His caregiver nodded, “Yes, we took a bit of time to do some extra shopping and get some food.”
“Yeah, I’m glad I was able to catch you guys! It was just the end of my shift so…” They smiled, trailing off a bit. “We didn’t really get to actually meet. I’m Patton!” They held out their hand.
“Logan,” Virgil’s caregiver took it, shaking firmly. Virgil just waved slightly, “Virgil.”
“Yeah, well, it was really nice to meet you guys! I hope you had fun, I always do.” They laughed nervously, trying so desperately not to make it awkward.
“Yes, I can confirm that our experience was most enjoyable, don’t you agree, Virgil?” Logan said, then turned to him. He nodded with a small smile on his face.
Patton stood there for a moment. They knew what they wanted to do, they just didn’t know if they had the guts to actually do it. “Hey, I don’t usually do stuff like this, but, can I get your guys’ Instagrams?”
“Oh, I don’t have one, but, Virgil? If that’s alright with you?” Logan asked him. He looked to Logan, then to Patton, but eventually nodded. 
Patton smiled wide, “Great! Uh, here’s my phone, you can just put it in.” They handed Virgil their phone. He took it, quickly typing in his username in the search bar. He handed it back to them, a shy smile on his face.
“Great! Thank you! Again, it was really nice meeting you!” Patton beamed.
“It was a pleasure meeting you as well, Patton.” Logan responded. Virgil nodded in agreement.
Patton let out a sigh of relief, giving one last wave before heading down the food court the other way. They couldn’t help but continue to smile as they skipped along, soon reaching the sushi restaurant. They didn’t know how yet, but they knew this was the start of something special.
144 notes · View notes
imagineswriting47 · 3 years
Text
Running away
A/N: This is for the Anon who asked ‘ Hello! I saw that your requests were open, and I want to know if it’s possible to write a Dean x reader story where the reader has a dark/sad past ( maybe worse than the Winchesters?) that extends outside of America, like an international type of deal? Then maybe dean does something rude or finds something out and treats her badly, just something that causes her to run away? I literally have no plot to this! Thank you in advance! I want to apologize for this taking so long to get out.
Summary: When Dean finds out the truth about Y/N he doesn’t take it to well.
Parring: Dean/Reader
Warnings: None
Tag List: @akshi8278​
Tumblr media
If you had told me ten years ago that monsters and demons were real, I would have laughed about it. I would be thinking that you were saying some terrible jokes. Now I know differently. Watching monsters kill my whole family changed everything. How I survived, I will never know. Running away from everything didn't solve anything, either. Flying to America, I hoped that I could leave monsters hunting behind and the British Men of Letters. I couldn't. Once a monster hunter, always a monster hunter. So when I heard about some strange killings the town over from where I had been staying, I had to check it out. Meeting the Winchesters was not what I expected. Nor were they anything like I had been lead to believe. When everything was said and done with the hunt, Sam asked if I would like to come along. I said, 'no.' I gave them my number to call if they needed anything anyway.
After meeting Sam and Dean, I started hunting again. I was meeting other hunters along the way as well. But somehow, the Winchesters and I kept crossing paths. Every time they would ask me to come along with them, I told them 'no.' But the more that I hunted with them, the more I found myself wanting to go with them. For the first time since I lost my family, I felt safe with someone. But how would they handle the truth about me? My past is not pretty. The things that I did for the British Men of Letters are things that I can't forgive myself for. They will hate me if they know the truth about me. But Sam, with those puppy dog eyes, how could I say no. Even when I got a room in the Bunker, I still kept my distance. I was doing my best to keep my past from them. They could never know how much I care about both of them. I fear that they could use it against me, or someone could use the brothers against me.  
The past, no matter how hard you run from it, will always find you. 
A simple hunt that turned out to be demons changed everything. Demons lie; everyone knows this. But these demons were not lying about me. And when the beast was dead, Dean asked if the creature was telling the truth. Did I sell my soul? My silence was answer enough for him. Then the yelling started. I was everything that he said. I was no better than the monsters that we hunted. While my soul was still mine, it was dirty and tainted by the darkness that is Hell. It doesn't matter to him that my soul is still mine and that I still have my soul. That I managed to get the demon who I sold my soul to break their end of the deal was a miracle. By breaking their end of the agreement, they were making the deal void. Dean didn't care about that, and the whole way back to the Bunker, Dean was silent after Sam got Dean to stop yelling and get in the car. A yelling Dean I knew how to deal with but a quiet Dean that was a bad thing. When the car came to a stop, I all but jumped from the car and went to my room.  Closing the door behind me, I sat on my bed.  Only a moment later, the door was thrown open by Dean.
"Were you going to tell us?" Dean spoke the quiet furry easy to hear in his voice. I didn't know what more he wanted me to say. What could I say? "You lied to me—your just another monster. I trusted you to have Sam, and I's back. I trusted you, and I should never have done that..." I don't hear anything after that; his words keep getting harsher and harsher. Seeing the chance when Dean stepped further into my room, I ran. Once past him, I let the tears fall down my face. When I felt like I ran into a wall only to have two arms wrap around me.
"Y/N?"
"I'm sorry, Sam. I'm just so sorry." I whisper as I pull away from him. Running to the garage, I jump into my old car. Once out and onto the road, I drive. There was no destination in my mind; I just kept driving; my tears had long since dried, not having the energy go further. I pull into a little service road with the car off. The silence is defining. I did not realize how used to the boys always talking I had gotten.
Climbing into the back of my car, I lay down. Pillowing my jacket under my head, I let the blackness of sleep pull me under. Though my sleep was restless, I could not get more than a couple of minutes of rest. The sun shining in the car's window decided for me that it was time to start moving again. Sitting up, I rub my face trying to wake myself up the best that I can. Climbing back into my car's front seat, I turn the car over and get back out onto the road. I keep heading west following the sun, still with no destination in mind. I only stop when I get hungry or need to use the bathroom. Putting as much distance that I can between the Winchesters and myself. 
Just before nightfall, I find a small little town that has a cheap motel in it. Thanking my stars tonight, I pull into the motel parking lot. I was pulling out the little bag of clothing that I keep in the trunk of my car as a 'just in case kind of thing. The motel was reasonable but also dirty as most cheap motels come. Also, it doesn't look like any redecorating has been done since the eighties. After all the salt lines are laid out, I make my way to the shower. The water is thankfully hot, and I let it relax the muscles of my back. I was washing my body before stepping out of the shower. Towel drying my hair, I quickly re-dress and head out of my motel room. I am running into a small town looking for someplace to get something to eat. The town's dinner was little and '50s themed like much of all the diners I had obtained food over the years. Ordering my meal to go, I quickly make my way back to my hotel room. I eat fast, not even tasting what I was eating, knowing that I need to see what I had left in my car. At this point, I considered what had been left at the Bunker lost, and I needed to know what I needed to replace. The bags I felt had some weapons left in them but not enough to keep hunting for long. But I had left my phone behind in my room. 
Over the next couple of days, I manage to get some money for doing some hustling at the bars. With that money, I got myself some new clothing and a burner phone. By the end of the week, I move to another town. I kept moving like that week after week, hustling money as I went. Three months after leaving the Bunker, sitting in a small bar, I hear the door open. Sitting where I was, I could see the door and those that walked in, but they could not see me. Standing in the doorway are the Winchesters. I wait for them to get to the bar with their backs to me before standing up and making my way out of the bar.
Once back at my motel room, I pack up my things, cleaning up, making it as if I was never there. By the time I am finished, I can hear the Impala's unmistakable sound pulling into the lot. I wait to hear a door close than wait longer to be sure before stepping out of my room. I am quickly making my way over to the car. I set my things in the passenger seat before walking over to the office. Once checked out and everything paid, I make my way back to my car. At the same time, my attention was elsewhere. I failed to notice Sam stepping out of his room. Sam doesn't see who I am until I am standing next to my car with my head down. "Y/N?" I hear Sam say to me as he moves to be standing on the other side of my car.
"Hey, Sammy," I say as I look up to him. Only the Sam that I see is not the same Sam that I left at the Bunker. This Sam looks so tired like he hasn't slept in weeks; the dark rings under his eyes are so dark. He even looks like he has lost weight. His clothing seems to hang on him. "I can't believe it, Y/N. Dean and I have been looking for you." When he mentions Dean, I can't help but cringe back, Remembering Dean saying that he should kill me. "Y/N?" When I hear my name, I look up to Sam. I can see the concern in his eyes. 
 "I can't, Sammy. I'm sorry, I-I have to go." I whisper to him as I pull my car door open. Making a decision quickly, I pull out a piece of paper and write my new number on it for him. 'Don't tell Dean.' I finish off the note before handing it to him. Once in my car, I don't wait to see if Sam reads the message before pulling out of the parking lot. I'm not on the road long before I hear my phone start to ring. Wanting to put more space between us, I don't answer.
I drive for the rest of the day and all through the night. I don't stop until I cross over into Ohio. I stop at the first motel that I come across. Once in my room, I plug in my phone before falling into bed. I am woken up hours later to my phone going off.
Grabbing it off the table, I find that Sam is calling me. "Are you alone?" Are the first words out of my mouth before Sam could even say anything. "Yes." Sam and I talk for hours after that. Mostly it was just me telling Sam that I was okay. That no, I hadn't been hunting. Then he asked what happened the night that I left the Bunker as Dean wouldn't talk about it. So I start from the beginning by telling him everything. The secrets that I had kept from him, why I sold my soul, how I got out of it. What Dean said to me and how it scared me. 
Sam fills me in on everything that had happened since I left. I can't believe what Sam tells me how worried Dean got when he realized that I hadn't returned to the Bunker the next day. After a week, Dean was freaking out, calling everyone that we all knew to see if they had seen me or heard from me. At first, I thought it was because he was trying to follow through with what he had said in my room. Sam said that all he kept saying was that he needs to apologize. 
Sam and I keep talking for weeks after that first phone call. He keeps his promise and doesn't tell Dean about our conversations. But with each chat I have with Sam, I make my way closer to the Bunker. Sam doesn't know this, but I plan on seeing him again in the next couple of weeks. Sending a text to Sam when I get into town, I tell him where I am staying. He doesn't get back to me right away, but when he does, it doesn't take him long to show up at my hotel room. Once my door is open, I am pulled open into a bone-crushing hug. "It's good to see you too, Sam."
"Same to you, Y/N." When Sam pulls away from me, I can get a good look at Sam. He looks so much better than the last time than I saw him. The dark circles are gone, and he seems like he has been eating better. "You look better, Sammy. How's Dean?" What Sam has been telling me about Dean is making me worry.
"It's not good, Y/N. I don't know the last time he slept. I can't get him to stop looking; it's killing me not to tell him that you are okay." Sam sits on the bed in the room with his head in his hands.
"Do you-Do you think that it would help if I went to the bunker?" I whisper to him as I take a seat next to him. This was my plan when I came here, but to hear Sam talking is making me nervous to see him again. It's been six months since I have been back. "Would you?" I can see the hope in his eyes as he lifts his head and looks at me. Shrugging my shoulders, I stand up and hold my hand out to him, pulling him to his feet. "Let's go." I want to get out of the door before I change my mind. It doesn't take long before we are pulling up to the Bunker and making our way inside. Sam stays back, letting me walk in first. The Bunker is quiet, not much noise to be heard, nothing like it was before when I was living here.
"Sam, where did you go?" I hear a yell for the library turning, I look at Sam, and he smiles at me in pushing me to the library. Dean has his back to me when I first see him again. "It's not Sam," I say to him. I can see him freeze before turning slowly to look at me. "Hi, Dean," I say when I can see his face. His face is pale; he looks so tired and underfed. I don't get the chance to get a good look at him before I have an arm full of Dean. For Dean being so much taller than me, he seems so small in my arms. But what makes me the most surprised is when I can feel tears on my neck. I start to walk backward and out of the room, slowly making our way to his room. Dean doesn't seem to realize that we are even moving. He is shaking in my arms but not making any noise either. Once in his room and laying down on his bed, all he keeps mumbling is 'sorry.' I keep whispering soothing words in his ears, hoping to get him to calm down. Slowly he stops shaking, the tears stop falling, and his breathing gets deeper, letting me know that he has fallen asleep. Not long after he is sleeping, so am I. 
I don't know how long we are asleep, but I am woken up to the feeling of a hand on my cheek. Opening my eyes, I find Dean's green ones looking back at me. Looking Dean in the face, he looks better already; the dark marks under his eyes less pronounced his cheeks have color back in them. "You okay?" I ask him as I place my hand over his that is on my face.
"I should be asking you that Y/N," Dean whispers to me, his eyes closing as he says this. "I'm fine, Dean, I promise." I smile at him even though I know that he can't see it. Not knowing what to do, I move his hand off my face; turning my back to him, I sit up. "But I couldn't stay, Dean, not after everything. I-I'm not staying for long. I just thought that I would come and see you and Sammy." I can feel the bed moving behind me as Dean stands from the bed. He moves around the bed and stands in front of me.  Dean is turning on the bedside light before kneeling in front of me. 
"Y/N, I can never tell you how sorry that I am for what I said. I will never admit this outside of this room, but I was afraid. I sold my soul. I know what could have happened to you, and I don't want that for you. You are so beautiful and kind and everything that is good." Dean looks like he wanted to say more, but he doesn't. He takes a deep breath before standing up and turning his back to me. His shoulders fall.
"Dean, I'm sorry. But I couldn't tell you; I didn't know-how. I want to stay here. But I don't think that I can, not after everything. I know that I am better off on my own..." I don't get to finish my sentence before he turns back to face me, grabs my face in both of his hands, and kisses me. It could be barely be called a kiss more of a dry press of his lips against mine. "Please..." I can feel him whisper against my lips. Deciding to throw caution to the wind, I lean up and kiss him. The kiss is rough, all teeth and tongue saying everything that both of us just couldn't put into words. I feel his hands on my ass before he is lifting me up. I warp my legs around his waist as he turns and presses me against the wall.
We kiss for what feels like hours about cant be more than a couple of minutes. "Don't leave me." I hear Dean whisper as he pulls away from this kiss. His head once again resting on my shoulder. I grip tighter to the short hair at the back of his neck before whispering, "There is nowhere that I would rather be."
With my feet back on the floor and the both of us cling to each other, I know that we have a lot that we need to talk about, and my past is one of them, but maybe this really is where I am meant to be.
A/N: Thank you for reading. Please leave a heart and a re-blog. My requests are still open but it might take some time for me to get them out.
185 notes · View notes
1plus1kiyoomi · 3 years
Text
Chapter 6: Fan
Tumblr media
[prev] [next]
[masterlist]
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
 “And that’s how you cook rice,” Kita says as he puts the pot in the rice cooker. You nod, embarrassed. You settle back on the floor. hiding your face from the two boys as they talk about how their friends. Osamu’s phone starts ringing so he answers it and a loud voice speaks.
“Bro! (Y/N) really lives with Shinsuke?” The caller says in awe so you look at Osamu. He turns the camera to you and you wave your hands, mouthing a hi. “Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh!”
“Aran, calm down. You act like it’s your first time meeting a celebrity,” Osamu tells the person on the line.
“I can talk to him if he wants to,” you offer to Osamu which Aran hears loud and clear. You hear him shuffle around before Osamu gives you the phone. You greet him with a smile, forgetting about the rice incident. “Hello, Aran-san. Is that right?”
“Yes. I’m a big fan! Actually my whole team is! We watch your vlogs on our breaks,” Aran rambles, making you smile. Interacting with fans is something that helps you cope up with your stress, and knowing that you got a group of athletes as your fans, makes you feel overwhelmed, but in a good way.
“Really? It’s nice to hear that you enjoy my videos. I’ll upload more content soon,” you reply, the smile not leaving your face.
“Who are you talking to?” You hear someone ask from the background.
“(Y/N),” Aran replies excitedly.
“You might have gone crazy,” the other man replies.
“No! I’m serious! Look!” Aran flips his phone to who he’s with, revealing you on the screen. You awkwardly bow then wave.
“It is her! How did you-? Does she have a fan event or something! Hello, (Y/N). I just finished watching the vlog you uploaded yesterday,” the man tells you, coming in close to the camera. “I’m Gao!”
“Hi, Gao-san! It’s nice meeting you!” You greet him cheerfully and the three of you continue to talk.
Kita and Osamu just watch you talk to them. They feels like an online fan signing is happening in front of them. The two of them continue to talk on their own. Minutes later, Osamu hears the rice cooker’s alarm go off so he stands up and gets the rice, leaving you and Kita alone on the table.
You are still talking to the boys, which have now turned into a whole team.  Kita observes you carefully. The way you smile on the phone as if they’re really in front you is making him feel weird inside. And you’re really listening to what they’re saying, which is making that already weird feeling even weirder.
‘Am I becoming a fan?’ Kita asks himself, unsure of what he’s feeling.
“The rice is here,” Osamu announces as he puts the pot at the side.
“I have to leave now,” you tell the men in front of you. “It was fun talking to all of you. And I promise to go to one of your games one day. Bye!” You wave at the phone. You hear a chorus of good byes before you end it. You give the phone back to Osamu, apologizing to him for using his phone.
“It’s okay. You seemed like you were enjoying talking to them,” he remarks, sitting across you.
“Yeah. I love talking to fans,” you say confidently, smiling at Osamu. And there is it again, the weird feeling Kita is new to.
‘Maybe I am becoming a fan,’ he tells himself, getting rice from the pot. “How much rice do you want?” Kita suddenly asks you. Your mind short circuits from his question. It’s not a big deal and even back home, someone does it for you but since Kita is the one doing it the rice feels extra special.
“I think that’s enough,” you answer as he shows you the bowl of rice. He hands it to you and you accept it with both of your hands.
The three of you eat and talk. You ask them questions about their friendship, and you learn that Kita used to play volleyball. You also find out that Kita stopped studying after high school so he can provide for his grandmother. The more you know about him, the more you start to like him despite being the complete opposite of your ideal type.
You see Osamu out while Kita offers to do the dishes. As Osamu’s car leaves,  you hear a dog bark. You look around the parking area, searching for the source of sound. You spot white fur by the bushes so you slowly approach it. Suddenly, a small white dog jumps on you, making you yelp in surprise. After you’ve regained composure, you properly hold the dog.
“Hi, there, little...” You lift him up and check its genital. “Boy. You’re a little boy. Are you lost?” You nuzzle your nose on its nose, shaking the dogs body slowly. You take a better look at him.
He has a puffy long coat which is snowy white, but his ears are grey. He has amber eyes and a very smiley face. He looks like an extra tiny fox. He’s small so you assume that he’s a puppy. You look for a collar or any tag, but you don’t see any. You can’t say that it’s Kita’s neighbor’s dog, because he doesn’t have one. The closest house to his is at least a 5 minute drive.
You stare at him intently, wondering why he looks familiar. Then you finally know who he looks like.
“You look like, Kita,” you coo, bopping its nose. It licks your nose in return so you giggle. “Want to meet Kita?” He barks in response, which you take as a yes. You carry him inside excitedly, not taking in mind about Kita’s reaction to the strange furry animal.
You finally step in the kitchen where Kita is and you proudly show him your new found friend. Kita drops the fork he was washing, totally frozen on his spot. Why are you carrying a dog in his house? Where did you even get that dog?
“What’s that?” Kita asks you, picking up the fork he dropped.
“It’s a dog!” You answer with a proud smile. “Isn’t he cute?”
“Where did you get that thing?” He looks so horrified and grossed out. If anything, he’s ready to throw the dog out of his house.
“I saw him outside. He doesn’t have a collar or any tag on so I brought him inside,” you reply with an innocent tone so he takes a deep breath in.
“What makes you think you can just bring any animal in my house?” His voice is louder than a while ago so you frown. “Bring it back to wherever you found it.”
“No! Look at him! He’s so small! What if a car runs over it?” You gasp, hugging the dog even tighter. Kita looks at you in disgust.
“That’s his destiny,” he remarks but you ignore him. “This is my house, you know. And I don’t want animals in here.” You and the dog stare at him with puppy eyes but he just gags. “You take it out of my house now.”
“But-”
“No more buts. My house, my rules,” he tells you firmly, but you don’t back down.
“Can we let him stay inside just for tonight? I promise I’ll find him a home by tomorrow!” You beg him.
“Nope.”
“Please, Kita!”
“No.”
“Please. Please. Please. Pretty please.”
“Still no.”
“It’s just for tonight. Right, boy?” You ask the puppy and he barks. “See? He’s a good boy.” Kita groans, defeated. You’re even more persistent than the twins, and those two are tenacious as hell.
“Fine. As long as it doesn’t make a mess and noise, he can stay. Just for tonight. I’ll be the one bringing him to the compound tomorrow,” Kita finally agrees but you don’t like his idea.
“Compound? No! I’ll find him a good home myself,” you argue once again. Kita sharply looks at you, but you don’t seem moved or afraid by it. “I’m searching for a home now.” You put the dog on the ground and run to your room to post a picture of him online.
The furry animal and Kita stare at each other for a long time. “Why does he look like someone I know?” Kita questions, tilting his head to the side. The dog mirrors his action. “Osamu when he had grey hair? Or that guy from MSBY?”
“I’ve found a name for him!” You shout, sliding your feet back to the kitchen.
“You’re supposed to look for an owner, not a name,” Kita snaps at you. You ignore his words and pick the dog up and stretch your arms towards Kita’s direction, presenting him the dog.
“Rice. Let’s name him Rice,” you state and he turns around, completely in disagreement with your plans. You put Rice down and move closer to Kita. “It’s a cute name! It suits him. He even looks like you! Rice is just the most suitable name.” Kita grimaces at how you compared him to a dog.
“You’ve only been here for a few hours, and in that few hours you’ve made porridge and brought a strange dog in.” Kita faces you, the distance between the two of you small but safe.
“I’m sorry...” You lower your head, frowning. You hear him sigh so you look back up anxiously.
“I’ll go to the vet tomorrow and see if he’s chipped and has an owner. If he doesn’t, he can stay here. But you need to take care of him,” Kita tells you, giving in to your pleads. ‘Why do I feel like I have a child?’
Out of excitement, you wrap your arms around his waist, hugging him. Once you’ve realized what you’ve done, you pull away from him then run back to your room, Rice following you.
“Why did I do that?” You groan, your face buried on your pillow. Rice barks and you see him sit across you. You smile widely, a blush creeping on your cheeks as you remember the hug again. “He’s so warm!” You squeal like a teenage girl. You start rolling on the floor, muffling your squeals and shrieks on the pillow. “He smells even better up close.”
Meanwhile, Kita is back to washing the dishes, but is completely distracted. He can’t stop thinking about your hug. The thought of your hug turns into a smile. Then, it becomes your voice. After that, it’s your face. ‘She’s cute.’ He finds himself smiling while washing the dishes.
He finally realizes what the weird feeling is.
‘Do I like her?’
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Facts:
Dogs noses are wet to help absorb scent chemicals
Three dogs survived the Titanic sinking
Pomeranians weren’t always so little. They used to weigh as much as 20 to 30 pounds before being bred down in size by Queen Victoria of England.
Despite their small stature, they are famous for thinking they can take on big dogs with their little bark. This makes socializing a Pomeranian with other dogs important in order to avoid aggressive behavior.
[prev] [next]
Taglist:  @vicassa  @ptv-hades  @steggy4ever  @booklover240  @toripersonalacc @mkazuyuh  @smoltiddygf  @adrasteiaxandromedaa @leinnah  @a-applepi @kellesvt @xxlightsaberxx  @youpieceofwasabi @bandolls @wheelzzzies @apollochjld @sakusa-simp @neomuxuxi @aquzairus @ynjimenez @sempiternal-amour  @tnu-ree @mindofess @alittlebitofrain @agaashesmilktea​ @aquzairus @ynjimenez @sempiternal-amour @diyosku @dinablossom @atomicpie1115 @lililiynx @onlyshinji @melodiamore @bunnybitesthedust @angrylittleriri
579 notes · View notes
shoutaaizawas · 4 years
Note
For your prompt thing, bakugou, werewolf, "don't look"?
thank you for this what a good combo
↳ bakugou katsuki x reader → ❝puppy❞
event: au prompts summary: your boyfriend bakugou refuses to show you his wolf form and your starting to think it’s because he doesn’t trust you. word count: 2,244 tags/warnings: werewolf!au, arguments, light angst, insecurites, hurt/comfort, fluff a/n: posting in the afternoon and putting my taglist who am i?
Bakugou was stubborn, that was a fact. Bakugou was also a werewolf, the alpha of his pack. You had also been dating him for a few months now and he had refused to show you his wolf form, not for lack of you trying to convince him.
Initially, it had been a shock to find out that your boyfriend was a werewolf, I mean who wouldn’t be surprised. You had been friends with Bakugou before you started dating and you had never suspected anything. A few weeks into your relationship he told you. You felt sympathy for Bakugou, you knew he hated lying and even though hiding a secret wasn’t exactly lying you knew he felt bad about it.
In his defense, you had never asked if he was a werewolf. You had told Bakugou over and over that you understood why he couldn’t tell you right away and weren’t upset at all but he had been upset with himself for a while. You’d be lying if you said you didn’t use it to get some cuddles from him.
Bakugou had been open in explaining things about werewolves and their packs. He had even introduced you to his pack members which he pretended to be annoyed by but it was easy to see he cared about them.
There was one thing that he hadn’t shown you and that you were dying to see. His wolf form. At first, you had assumed he would have shown you when the time arose but it quickly became clear that he was avoiding showing you. Eventually, you asked him outright but he refused and would not give you a reason why he would just tell you to stop asking.
You’d be lying if you said that it didn’t hurt your feelings? Did he not trust you? Was it something you only did with someone you knew you were going to stay with? What if Bakugou wasn’t serious about staying with you?
It seemed inevitable that things would end in a fight. It might shock most people but you never really argued with Bakugou, at least not seriously, you usually agreed on most things, and even when petty subjects came up you both were quick to sort them out.
The two of you had been lounging around your apartment after dinner. Bakugou always cooked such amazing meals for you. You had been curled up in his arms watching TV when you brought it up. In retrospect, you should have brought it up another time or in the least, you should have expressed yourself better rather than just jumping to conclusions but hindsight was twenty-twenty.
“I want to see your wolf form.” You said looking up at him from your spot against his chest.
“I told you no.” He said not looking away from the screen.
“Katsuki.” You whined.
“I said no, how many time do I have to tell you before you get it through your thick skull?” He nearly growled.
“Oh, so I’m stupid?” You said sitting up.
“That’s not what I said.” He said as he sat up from his lounging position.
“That doesn’t mean it’s not what you meant.” You said you could already feel the angry tears welling in your eyes. You didn’t want to cry. “I’m starting to think the reason you won’t show me is because you don’t trust me.”
“Of course I trust you, how can you question that?” He said. “I just don’t want to show you, why can’t you just take ‘no’ for an answer?!”
“I’m starting to think the reason you don’t want to show me is because you don’t plan on keeping me around that long.” You said standing up. You had to get out of here, you wanted to be anywhere but here. Your emotions welled up in you and it felt like you couldn’t breathe. “I mean why would you want to, I’ve never been good enough for you.”
Before he could say anything you left, slamming the front door as you did. You ran as fast as you could down the city streets hoping he wouldn’t follow you. You were so stupid why had you brought it up? You knew you were having a bad day, sometimes it was impossible to push away the insecurities that plagued you. It was just so hard to imagine why someone like Bakugou would be with you. He was way out of your league and it was only a matter of time till he realized that, or maybe he already had.
It was dark and cold. The streets were empty. You had left so quickly you hadn’t grabbed a coat or your phone and now you weren’t even sure where you were.
“Well, well, well.” A voice came from the alley you were walking past. It felt like you had no control, freezing in place. “What are the chances that Bakugou’s mate would end up in our part of town.”
Before you even saw the person you could feel a chill down your spine. The figure stepped out of the alley to reveal a tall, intimidating man. Even with just one sentence of context, you were able to realize this was a bad situation. This must have been the rival pack Bakugou had mentioned. Why hadn’t you just stayed home?
“Why am I not surprised that idiot would let his mate end up on the wrong side of town?” His tone was condescending. Hearing someone call you his mate was odd, you had never heard Bakugou refer to you as that. “Or maybe it’s just you that’s stupid? I can’t blame you for wanting to be away from that mutt. He’s really intolerable.”
“Don’t talk about him like that.” You tried to sound intimidating but your voice was shaky.
“Aww how cute, defending his honor.” He mocked. “But still can’t understand the appeal of a weak human.”
The closer he approached the more scared you were. If you run there was no doubt he would chase you down and you knew there was no way you were faster than him. The man grabbed your chin between his fingers.
“Get your hands off my mate.” You heard a loud growl from behind you. The sound of Bakugou’s voice already making you feel safe.
The man in front of you smirked tightening his grip.
“Ah, just the man I was looking for.” He said.
“Don’t look,” Bakugou said, you knew he was talking to you.
You weren’t sure exactly what was going to happen but you listened to your boyfriend, closing your eyes. Everything happened so quickly, it got loud. Growling surrounded you and you felt fur brush past your hand as the man’s grip was released. It felt like forever and only a moment at the same time. You heard a loud yelp and whine.
You couldn’t stop yourself, your eyes opening scared that Bakugou had been hurt. In front of you stood a large blond wolf with familiar red eyes. There was a line of blood across his jaw as well as red-stained fur at his neck. You knew this was Bakugou. You could see the other wolf running off with his tail between his legs.
“Katsuki?” You said you could tell he was tense. Was it possible for a wolf to look ashamed? You knew he hadn’t wanted you to see him like this. You covered your eyes with your hands, a pointless move considering you had already seen him but you hope he understood it as you trying to respect his wishes. You wanted to see his wolf form but not like this.
You didn’t expect to feel a nudge against your hand. Opening your eyes you saw him pressing his face against your hand. The gentle touch brought you to tears, the events of the night catching up to you. You fell to your knees wrapping your arms around his furry neck, careful of the wound there. Your stomach dropped, if you hadn’t been so dramatic he wouldn’t have gotten hurt.
Bakugou made a noise before pointing his nose in a direction. You realized he probably wanted to go home. You spotted his clothes that had been tossed aside. You grabbed them and followed Bakugou home
Thankfully there were not many people out except for a few that gave you odd looks and one woman who told you to put your dog on a leash which earned a growl from Bakugou as you sheepishly apologized.
Once you returned to your apartment Bakugou took his clothes in his mouth and went into the other room before returning in his human form. The gash was still present on his jaw and now you could make out the bite marks on his neck which only served to bring your tears back.
“I’m sorry.” You sobbed, Bakugou moved towards you unable to resist comforting you. His strong arms wrapped around you pulling you to his chest.
“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said what I said.” He sighed. “I should have realized how I was making you feel.”
“I should have told you differently.” You said. “I should have just respected your choice. It’s my fault your hurt.”
“It’s not your fault,” Bakugou said firmly.
Bakugou’s hand brushed against your hair, pressing you even closer to him. After a moment his hand rested against your cheek, lifting your gaze to his.
“I thought that you would be scared of me when I’m like that and the thought of you looking at me like that terrified me more than anything else could.” He said. The vulnerability that he was showing you was overwhelming, you knew Bakugou could never do this with anyone else. “I love you so much and I hate that I could ever make you feel like your anything other than perfect for me. Because you are perfect. If anyone isn’t worthy, it’s me.”
“Don’t say that.” You said covering his hand on your cheek with your own. Bakugou leaned down pressing a kiss to your lips. “Let me patch you up?”
Bakugou nodded and you lead him to your bathroom, he took a seat on the counter as you grabbed your first aid kit. You stood between his legs, dabbing a disinfectant cloth against his cheek. You let out a sigh of guilt at how deep the wound on his neck looked.
“Don’t worry, I heal fast. It’ll be gone by tomorrow.” He said, placing a hand on your waist.
“I know but I still feel bad.” You said as you continued your work.
After a few silent moments, you recalled something that had been said tonight.
“You called me your mate.” You stated, not making direct eye contact with Bakugou but glancing at his expression from the corner of your eye.
“I did.” He said as if there was nothing to talk about.
“You’ve never called me that before.”
“Not in front of you.” He admitted.
“What does it mean? I mean I know what the word means but what does it mean from you?” You questioned, you could already feel your stomach flipping in nervousness.
“It’s your other half. Someone you intend on being with until you die.” He said, even though he tried to sound nonchalant you could tell he was nervous. Butterflies filled your stomach and you looked at him directly now.
“Until you die?” You questioned. You couldn’t ignore the bright blush on Bakugou’s cheeks as he tried to avoid looking at you.
“Uh, yeah.” He said. “I know it’s a lot that’s why I haven’t said it in front of you. Humans are different. For werewolves it’s hard for us to trust but once we do it’s unbreakable. Once I trusted you I knew you were the only one I’d ever love.”
For what felt like the millionth time tonight you teared up but now it was in happiness. You couldn’t stop yourself from hugging Bakugou tight as you could.
“I love you, and I don’t ever want to be with anyone else.” You said into his chest.
Bakugou pressed his face into your neck breathing deeply, hands gripping into your shirt.
Finally, after you had showered and changed into bed clothes you laid in bed beside Bakugou, gently tracing the lines and edges of his face taking in everything you loved about him. Bakugou’s hands rested on your waist holding you close to him.
“I was scared tonight, I tracked your scent and when I caught scent of that other wolf I thought-” He said.
“Shh, it’s okay.” You shushed him, cupping his cheek looking deeply into his red eyes. “I’m okay, I’m right here. It’s all over.”
“I know. I don’t ever want to do that again.” He said.
“Me either.” You said brushing your thumb against his face.
There was a peaceful silence as you enjoyed each other’s presence, soft breaths in time with each other.
“So will you show me your wolf form again?” You asked. “Not right now but later. As much as I’d love to snuggle with a wolf I think I prefer to cuddle with someone that can hold me back right now.” You teased.
“Yes.” Bakugou sighed rolling his eyes at your attempt at humor.
“Good, you’re a really cute puppy.” You smiled.
“Normally, I wouldn’t allow that but I’ll let that slide tonight.” He said in a low growl.
“Whatever you say, puppy.” You teased.
Bakugou sighed before pressing your head against his chest.
taglist: @sugarmaplewings-fics @lilkiwisfinest @ewwis @kandy1410 @moonlightaangel @winnies-headcannons @bakugousidehoe @paintedr0ses1 @toobsessedsstuff @spellboundxizi @ourladyofseijoh  @x0doodlebug0x @katsushimaa @mooncademia
826 notes · View notes