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#Queued: Calling Card Left for You~
trickyxkisses · 7 months
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@wildxcardrebel: "Akiraaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!" Bear hugs
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"W-Wait Ren! AHHHH-!?"
She wasn't ready for the hug at all. Thief reflexes be damned because she's regretting not bracing for impact and falling from his hug.
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telleroftime · 1 year
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Coffee ||| Gavin Reed x Reader
You've always had a crush on the unapproachable detective, and finally it seems he's returning the interest.
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Request - Anonymous : Can I request a Gavin Reed x Reader. I don't really care what, but can it be fluff? :)
Pairing: Gavin Reed x Gender Neutral ! Reader
Relationship: Romantic
Tone: Fluff
Word Count: 1.3k
Oneshot Masterlist
A/N: I’m finally getting to answering requests. University has been... something alright. I'm sorry for the wait. There will be more Gavin fluff to come in the future too, if this wasn’t fluffy enough. Plus the other requests I'm yet to write! (Reposting this because I had to fix the tag issue)
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It was nearing midday when you arrived at the Detroit Police Station to start your shift, two cups of steaming coffee in your left hand, carried neatly in a cardboard holder. The bright light of the high sun was enough to fuel the smile on your face. The gentle breeze of late spring pushed you forward. Simply put, you were lucky today. 
The altered hours meant you didn't have to wake up at the crack of dawn, instead sleeping in for a little while longer. You could take your morning routine slow and steady, and finish writing and preparing the documents for the day to come. Your apartment was cleaned before you could so much as dirty it, and you were practically ready to return home from the job you were yet to begin.
It also meant that when you left your home you had just missed the initial wave of customers and usuals you always saw queuing up inside of your favourite café. It was empty when you entered – your ride parked outside – and it was empty when you left the building, satisfied with your order. Now, you were scanning your DPD identification card on the staff entry after greeting the receptionists. There was a very obvious bounce of eagerness in your step that caused the small heels of your work shoes to clack against the dark, tiled floor.
Clack clack clack as you walked through the small plastic gates that marked the border of one large room from the other.
To your surprise, as you walked along the windowed wall, the bullring was primarily empty. There were no heads peeking from past the plexiglass that functioned as dividers. No laughter of the detectives that worked diligently at their decorated desks. And other than the quiet voices of policemen coming from the break room and the Captain's muffled responses to a phone call coming from inside his office, the overall room was uncharacteristically quiet. Even as you moved to where your eyes kept flickering, constantly glancing at the empty desk of a particular detective, the silence persevered for long enough to etch a childish pout onto your lips. Like most other seats, Gavin’s was empty.
Gavin Reed. Through the weeks you've got to know him, and even since just starting your job as a forensic pathologist at the station, you started to recognise your blooming crush for the detective. And ever since you have, your actions were quite the opposite of 'subtle'. In your eyes, there was no reason to pretend they weren't there. You liked the guy, and you weren't going to hide from those emotions.
You've left him chocolates; small snacks; little trinkets you believed he would like. Well, trinkets that disappeared from his near-empty desk the very next day, but no matter. You even started leaving some cheesy pick up lines that made you chuckle, written neatly on cream sticky notes you carried in your coat pocket out of a forced habit. You tried suggesting outings, yet he always ignored your suggestions. Brushed you off for the lack of a better word.
And now, with the steadily cooling coffee cups in hand, it wasn’t much different.
Slowly, you stepped around the short wall and towards the empty desk, glancing around in hopes of catching his eye. You knew he was here, if the slight blue glow of the power switch on the monitor was anything to go by. His jacket was draped on the back of his chair, and a small drop of a dark drink was splashed next to a ring of moisture. There were papers on the desk too, placed a little ways away from where a mug had obviously been placed, paired with blurry images of undisclosed origin. A new case he was working on you assumed. 
Nevertheless, with another look around, your right hand gingerly pushed the documents to the side, not bothering to neaten them into an even stack. You prioritised removing the paper coffee cup from the holder, politely labelled 'Hot Stuff' as per your request, and placing it down in the now clear centre of the surface. You just hoped he wasn't too full or caffeinated from whatever he had beforehand.
Quickly reaching into your pocket, you pulled out your trusty sticky notes and reached for the ballpoint pen that sat in the breast pocket of your work issued shirt. Tapping the butt end of the pen against your chin, you blinked in thought before your lips twitched up and you scribbled down a little message on the small square of paper, a terrible pun you hoped would make his day. You didn't hesitate sticking it on the white plastic of the cup.
“Words cannot espresso how much you bean to me.”
You practically flinched at the sound of the deep voice that appeared out of nowhere, your right hand darting for the remaining cup of coffee in the holder to keep it steady as you spun around, sucking in a sharp breath at the proximity you had to Gavin. A breath that caused the man to take a step back with a slight cock of his head. Detective Reed was standing in front of you, his body weight resting on his hip as his arms crossed in front of his chest, eyebrows raised in what you assumed was humour.
And yet neither of you spoke until the silence began to threaten to thicken in the layer of awkwardness.
"Sorry detective," you began, averting your eyes and looking anywhere but at him, "I didn't see you at your desk so I thought I'd just leave the coffee here. It's still hot."
What was hot was the heat in your face, your cheeks and ears no doubt a shade darker than before. Your lips had contorted into a mix of a wonky smirk and the visible effort of you trying to straighten them. Your jaw was clenched, your breathing forced down to a steady pace on your will alone. Refusing to look back, finding the uneven flicker of a distant light quite entertaining, your eyes moved to him when a short puff of hair escaped him.
You could see a sparkle in his dark eyes, the very same you fell in love with. The very same you bought coffee for. Yet this was the first time he willingly confronted you instead of keeping his distance. This-
“What are you doing this weekend?”
What?
With the way his brows furrowed, causing his scar to crease against his skin in the process, you were certain that your bewildered expression was caught by the man. However, other than actively avoiding your wondrous gaze, he didn’t take any action to move or to clarify his words and the meaning behind them. The most he did was readjust his crossed arms and scratch the stubble at the base of his jaw.
“Nothing. I should be free.”
A beat of silence passed, your heart fluttering with hope. Then he nodded.
“Meet me at the café down the street at two in the afternoon. Saturday.”
Did he…?
“Okay!”
You felt your spirit physically lift your body, eagerness blooming in your mind at Gavin's words. Genuine joy made your eyes no doubt shine, feeling them grow wetter as more of his words processed and your vision grew slightly blurry because of the saline. He just asked you out on a date. You couldn't believe it. The grin on your lips couldn’t have been bigger as you nodded, feeling your body grow in energy with the increasing serotonin. Your cheeks stung at the intensity of your smile. You were so happy.
However, before you could add to the conversation, your lips frozen ajar, you heard your name be called from the other side of the room, forcing you to excuse yourself and officially start your shift.
“I’ll see you then, Detective!”
Gavin Reed has asked you out on a date.
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Oneshot Masterlist
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murfeelee · 7 months
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Sweet beginnings tag
Thanks for tagging me here, @descendantdragfi! <3
Rules:
This tag is all about looking at your past. All you need to do is to find one of the first screenshots you ever took (preferably also published), and post it beside the recent one! And tell everybody when you took that first picture! Oh, and don’t forget to tag your posts! #sweet beginnings tag
I rummaged around my accounts at TSR & on the officials to see if I had anything super old still up--and yep, some things never change.
My oldest screenie at the officials (5/3/2010): Sakura's very first home.
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And I know it's Sakura's and not Ryuu's, because she left her calling card: 😅
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I can't actually share my latest pics of Sakura or her home, cuz I've been working on CC for her that's not ready to be shown just yet.
My oldest screenie at TSR (10/25/2010): The Tepes Family
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Cuz OF COURSE it's Dracula/Castlevania gameplay, omfg. 🤦😂
My latest screenie (queued on Tumblr 11/4/2023): The WWDITS Vampire Roommates
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ISTG I didn't plan this. 🤣
I tag anyone interested!
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sylvia-forest · 4 months
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[CN] Shaw's 6th Anniversary event - Day 4
⚡ Warning: This post contains detailed spoilers for an Event which hasn't been released in EN yet!⚡
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[Day 4]
MC: Why did you suddenly buy a suitcase? MC: We've been traveling in the RV this whole time, so we shouldn't need it, right? Shaw: Did you forget about all the things you've collected from various small shops along the way? Shaw: A pile of odds and ends needs a box when you take it home. MC: Oh, right! But is the graffiti on it is the masterpiece of Mr. Shaw? Shaw: Obviously, that's correct. Shaw: But if you want to praise me, put it on hold for now. Shaw: Come over, grab a spray can, and let's finish it together.
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MC: You left a spot for me? I'm coming~ Shaw: Of course, doing graffiti together is more fun. MC: Shaw, I think I have a rough idea of what the "thing" you hid during our trip is. MC: Based on my understanding of you and my extensive search efforts… MC: Firstly, it's probably not a physical object, right? Shaw: Seeing that you've analyzed it to this level, I'll make an exception and give you a hint. Shaw: Indeed, it's not a physical object. MC: Oh~ I think I have a good idea now. MC: Let me observe the rest!
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MC: Wow, this vast sea of flowers is too beautiful and splendid! Shaw: Big producer, can you enrich your vocabulary a bit? Shaw: Everywhere we go is full of beauty, and I'm getting aesthetically tired from it. MC: Then you show me how it's done? Shaw: There's a barbecue restaurant ahead, and the food they grill is crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Shaw: Pair that with spicy sauce, and I guarantee it'll make some people drool. MC: Very well, although what you said is ordinary, it still made my mouth water. Let's go!
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In winter, the surroundings here are full of the lively atmosphere of spring. Bees dance among the flowers, and Shaw and I stroll through this floral town, as if enjoying a colorful oil painting.
MC: Such a beautiful place. What should we do here?
I hinted, and Shaw shrugged with a knowing smile.
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Shaw: To be honest, I haven't planned anything. After all, we've been well-prepared throughout this journey, and I'm getting a bit tired of it.
He took a step back, covering my eyes from behind.
Shaw: So, let's just go with a random itinerary. You get to decide where we go. MC: Haha, can we really play like this? Shaw: Of course, aren't you the one claiming to be a lucky charm? It's time to test your luck.
After Shaw spun me around in place, I pointed forward casually.
He promptly released his hand, and following my fingertip, I found it happened to point to a shop.
The storefront displayed various heart-shaped items, and the signboard above had a pink and white name—Love Challenge.
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Shaw: Your luck in choosing places is quite something, picking one I'm least interested in. MC: Do you already know what the shop is about? Shaw: No idea, but just by the name, it seems to have an intentionally created atmosphere, quite artificial.
Seeing a hint of disdain on his face, I mischievously pushed him into the shop.
MC: You set the rules yourself, so just follow them.
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Inside, the shop was lively. Besides numerous couples, many harmonious families were also queuing up in front of the long corridor.
A staff member dressed in a mascot costume approached us, handing over a card with instructions.
Staff member: Welcome! This is a love-themed pop-up shop, focusing on a game called "You Guess More Than I Do." Staff member: Based on drawing lots, each person is assigned a "role," and the one in charge of gesturing comes up with a question for the other to guess.
After a brief introduction, I carefully read the instructions on the card and nudged Shaw with my elbow.
MC: It looks simple enough. With our skills, we should be able to win a plush toy reward. Want to give it a try?
Shaw raised an eyebrow, signifying his agreement.
After drawing lots, I became the guesser.
After Shaw finished writing the "question," we were led into a room with a floor-to-ceiling glass separating us at both ends, even blocking our voices.
Watching the countdown clock start ticking, I gestured to Shaw to start gesturing.
However, he seemed in no hurry, nonchalantly making two "thumbs up" gestures next to his ear.
MC: Rabbit...? Rabbit! What's next?
He then pointed to himself and drew a circle, finishing with a thumbs-up.
MC: …..??
I checked the time and gestured for him to repeat it. After he did, I was still puzzled.
Rabbit, Shaw, circle, thumbs up?
What does it mean?
Seemingly sensing my confusion, he sighed deeply with his hands on his hips.
I pursed my lips, decided to break the deadlock by playing defensively, and raised my hand to make the "1" gesture, planning to go one by one.
MC: The first word is rabbit, right?
I made a gesture resembling rabbit ears, tilting my head to confirm with him.
Seeing Shaw nod, I clenched both fists, mimicking the shape of red panda ears.
Worried he might not understand, I also drew the shape of a chubby tail behind me and shook it left and right.
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Shaw: .......!
Perhaps I acted too enthusiastically, he chuckled, immediately took out his phone, and aimed it at me for a moment.
Then, he swiftly swiped and drew on the screen until he stopped, then beckoned me with his finger.
I seemed to understand something and quickly looked around, only to find no cameras here. I chuckled.
Unexpectedly, this person would "go easy" on me.
So I walked briskly to the glass, and he also turned his phone screen toward me—
The expected answer wasn't there, but instead, it captured a moment where he "parodied" me.
In addition to my pouting appearance, he drew reddish-brown red panda ears on my head and a long chubby tail behind me.
It was exactly the mimicry I had just done, but he added a touch of humor to it.
MC: ………
Watching the remaining time, I anxiously knocked on the glass, signaling him to be serious.
But he just shrugged carelessly and then flicked my forehead across the barrier.
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Shaw: "......."
Although I didn't hear anything, that familiar mouth shape automatically filled in the voice of him teasing me, "Really stupid."
At that moment, the ending signal sounded.
I could only pout, grab a paper and pen, and replayed his actions in my mind repeatedly.
Firstly, the rabbit was undoubtedly correct. As for the red panda... he did point to himself, so it should be right?
I wrote down the phrase "Rabbits and red pandas are the best!" and showed it to him, thinking I got it right.
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Shaw leaned over to look at the answer I wrote, and then his eyes slowly filled with laughter.
Just when I thought I guessed correctly, he made a crossing gesture in front of his chest.
MC: Shaw, you made me lose the plush toy reward for nothing! No, I need to see what you wrote!
Wrong answer.
After leaving the shop, the more I thought about it, the more unwilling I became. I reached out to grab the note from his pocket, but he skillfully dodged. As I continued to stomp toward him...
A chubby little pink rabbit pendant swung in front of my eyes.
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Shaw: The prize plushies they offer aren't cute at all. Don't you think this one suits you better? Shaw: Consider it compensation from me.
The rabbit, nibbling on a carrot in the sunlight, looked adorable, and I instantly calmed down by half.
MC: When did you buy it?
Shaw: While you were touching up your makeup in the bathroom, I wandered around nearby. MC: You have a little conscience, but don't think you can divert my attention. Quickly, tell me what you wrote!
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Shaw: You couldn't guess something so simple; it's your fault. So, you have to accept the consequences. MC: You! Shaw: Alright, it's time to add a finishing touch. This time, I'll treat you to hot pot, and you'll foot the bill. How about that?
Seeing that he was determined not to tell me, I glared at him with widened eyes.
MC: You didn't plan anything at all. I don't want any finishing touch. Shaw: Is that so? Then, I'll just confiscate this rabbit.
I quickly reached for the little rabbit, but he lifted it high.
Thinking about how to get it back, I first noticed the note hanging precariously at the edge of his pocket.
Humph, he was careless.
While pretending to reach for the rabbit, my other hand swiftly grabbed the crumpled note.
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Shaw: ...Hey, don't be unfair. Give it back quickly. MC: I won't. Clearly, someone else is being unfair~
I grinned and quickly turned around to open the note. The words on it were vividly revealed—
"With you silly rabbit by my side, everything goes well."
I couldn't help but hum happily. Just as I was about to say something, my vision was suddenly blocked by someone.
MC: Humph, I've seen it already. MC: Although you call me stupid, I understand the meaning of this sentence because I am considerate.
I crouched down to escape his restraint while triumphantly waved the note in my hand.
MC: Since it's an expression of feelings, why hide it?
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Shaw: Who said it's hidden? I just don't want to see certain people being smug.
Seeing him stubborn, a thought flashed through my mind, and I slowly started to smile.
MC: Shaw, didn't you say you hid a "something" before? MC: It wouldn't happen to be your feelings, right?
He glanced at me, and interest sparked in his eyes.
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Shaw: If you're trying to probe me, I advise you to give up. MC: Why would I be probing? You clearly said we could find it before the end of the journey. Now, we're at the last stop. MC: Moreover, you mentioned it's not a physical item, meaning...
I paused, my gaze softening.
MC: It could be a sentence, a message you want to convey, or the understanding between us. MC: And after these days of little moments, I am convinced that the "answer" you hid is actually—
Before I could finish my sentence, he gently covered my mouth with the rabbit pendant.
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Shaw: Stop. When did I say this is the last stop? Shaw: The organizers designed it as the final destination, not me.
Shaw smirked triumphantly, pulled me along without another word.
MC: Wait, where are we going?
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Shaw: Wherever we walk is where we end up. Since it's not the last stop yet, there's no reason to stop.
🚐 Finale
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zmediaoutlet · 1 year
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fandom boost bingo!!!
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starting my card for accountability purposes! I'll update as I think of things and share as I go. (A good strategy to the buds who are thinking of doing this -- that way you don't have to scramble to do it all at once, lol.)
Since April 17:
rb an edit: shared @horrorshow's absolutely faaaaaaaantastic edit on what I call the perennial problem of John Winchester -- just a gorgeous piece, really creative and thought-provoking. Admire it!
interact with a meta post: shared and added agreement-y tags to this nice thoughtful lil post about Dean's torture in hell by @quietwingsinthesky
rb an art post: shared this sweeeeeeet lil set of Sam doodles by @ricecookerice. Look at his lil face <3
left kudos AND commented on six blade knife by @sweetscotchbonnets, a bud who's new to this space but is coming out swinging and I'm so so glad <3
make a rec post: recced the excellent @ficwip community!
rb a fic post: re-queued Bird Feed by @egipci, which is just one of the best things I've read in months -- beautiful musing on John as a character.
message a creator: love duly sent out into the world :)
All done, @thehighfiveproject!
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catboyroycebracket · 2 years
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ohhhhh a post ive queued links to clear uncommentated footage of the 2013 e3 demo *v* quick messy writeup of all the fun details:
completely different opening sequence thats the empty set flashback and intro as one
refers to the transistor as “an incredible weapon”
looks like the in-engine lighting effects hadnt been fully implemented yet/werent set up for this
mansistors dialogue seems rougher writing-wise but his tone is really close to final (compare the really old version of the post-separation cutscene found in the files where he sounds incredibly frustrated)
no panicking on being separated from red THOUGH it makes sense for something like that to have been quickly edited out just for this demo
he outright namedrops the transistor for a title drop and seems to know a LOT about it
the “thats not me” sequence is presented at the start rather than the end...
“im safe in here. safer than you” <- AGH
“more than a hundred missing persons cases in twelve months” 👀?? MUCH higher than the cameratas final kill count (that we know of at least) + firmly establishes the fact he had been investigating things himself rather than leaving it up in the air
the “gross” line is a reaction to hostile process being defeated rather than the “flowers” during the flourish button reveal
says “dont let go” rather than “dont let me go” ...
reds older bouncy run animation!!!
the turn gauge and current equipped functions bar look much different !
theres an early icon for jaunt
no passive nor upgrade slots in sight, nor is there a configuration screen (setup utility) ever shown
the white blocks are outright listed as “process” (in final its more like theyre processed parts of town)
opening track is vanishing point, then switches to old friends once red goes up onto the overpass; the final game opens with old friends then switches to vanishing point upon rising up
both tracks feature much earlier, rougher versions of the humming stems(!!!!) these versions are not in the final files at all
the old friends humming follows the instrumentation MUCH closer
the mixing overall both in and out of turn feels a bit different
a foot status effect icons show up above process that have been struck with crash. badcells can inflict it upon red as well. not sure why its a foot as it seems to indicate “slowed/stopped”..?? this icon as well as a few others in the same style are still in the texture files i believe
no xp screen upon leaving a combat area
the break point is called a “barrier” and features an early camerata logo rather than an sd card/thumbdrive shape with a red cloudbank logo atop it
when struck/activated it changes to what looks like an older version of the cloudbank logo..
lots of sound effects are quite different from final. a lot of it sounds more laser-y
pink dress lillian! mr moyle has different clothes!
no ovc terminals
theres a observation spot by the poster right where the fashion week terminal is in final, complete with dialogue incredibly similar to the finals post-terminal dialogue 🤔
the traces seen on the overworld use the same art assets as flood (!!)
lillians trace lists “temperament” rather than “disposition”
junction jans appears WAY earlier on and doesnt have its logo nor unique building asset
the spines vocal stem for the younglady encounter seems to only play in left speaker
red slips into a “process pocket” in the courtyard that introduces the access points in final. here she finds the transistors root access which kicks her out, hurts her, and makes her lose all active functions.. then levels her up
this is the teal “inside the transistor” area seen in the trailers!!!!!!!!!!!!
mansistor calls this “their home” ...
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^ this hurt/fall animation doesnt exist in final
dormant and forecast still play in these fights, but their humming stems sound remarkably close to final
different graphics for the first motorcycle cutscene!!!!!
completely different backdrop (or at least, the lighting is dramatically different in the final so that its not immediately apparent the telescope view art is reused here)
early transistor placement and art that looks more like a mockup. its a 3d model pasted on to the bike in a way that honestly looks like hes about to fall off. red isnt holding him at all
early camerata graphics featuring their prototype designs 🥰 but only 4 members! “grant” has a little ponytail
the camerata and the process are being equated as the same force MUCH harder
title fades in after the cutscene, prompting a reboot of the demo:
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instantpay · 7 months
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From Pay-Checks to Salary Cards: A Modern Approach to Earnings
In the heart of a bustling city, there lived a small, unassuming bookstore called "Wise Pages." Tucked away between towering skyscrapers, it was a haven for bookworms and seekers of knowledge. The owner, Mr. Tirupati, was known for his love of antique books and his quirkiness. But he had one peculiar habit that intrigued the neighborhood even more—he paid his employees with a magical wand.
Yes, you read that right—a wand.
This enchanted payroll wand had been passed down through generations in Mr. Tirupati's family, and it had the uncanny ability to conjure the exact amount of money each employee was owed every payday. No paper checks, no bank transfers—just a wave of the wand, and voilà! The employees' salaries appeared in their wallets like clockwork.
Naturally, this whimsical approach to payroll garnered quite a bit of attention. People whispered about it in the streets and exchanged stories over their morning coffee. Wise Pages became a subject of fascination for the local business community, and even competitors couldn't help but wonder: "Could this enchanted payroll wand be the future of earnings?"
One day, Mr. Amrish Kadam, the owner of a neighboring art supply store, couldn't contain his curiosity any longer. He decided to visit Wise Pages and get a glimpse of this magical wand in action. As he watched Mr. Tirupati effortlessly distribute salaries with a flick of the wrist, he realized that there was something truly captivating about this approach. It wasn't just the magic; it was the seamless, efficient, and employee-friendly process that left an indelible mark on Mr. Tirupati's mind.
Intrigued, Mr. Amrish Kadam returned to his store and began researching modern payroll solutions. He soon discovered the concept of salary cards—a real-world equivalent to Mr. Tirupati's enchanted wand. These cards offered businesses a practical and efficient way to pay their employees, eliminating the need for paper checks and streamlining the entire process.
As Mr. Tirupati embraced this modern approach to his own business, he couldn't help but marvel at the transformation it brought. The time saved on manual payroll tasks allowed him to focus on growing his business and nurturing his employees' satisfaction.
Now, as we embark on this blog journey, we won't promise you any magic wands, but we will unveil the enchantment of modern payroll solutions. Join us as we explore the transition from traditional paychecks to salary cards and uncover the very real benefits and opportunities it holds for businesses today.
Traditional paychecks have been a staple in employee compensation for decades. In the ever-evolving world of finance, where every transaction is scrutinized, and every penny counts, there's a silent revolution happening.
The age-old employee compensation has begun to fade into the pages of history. As we delve into the financial transformation, you may find yourself wondering: What is this game-changing force that's turning the tide for business owners and employees alike?
Allow us to introduce: the Salary Card. Future of payroll, wrapped in convenience and security.  It's a vision that not only benefits employees by improving their financial well-being but also empowers employers to streamline their operations.
But what exactly is the new way to pay?
Salary cards are convenient and secure for receiving and managing payments.
The intrigue doesn't stop there. Salary cards come loaded with benefits for both employees and employers, turning the conventional paycheck into a relic of the past. For employees, it's all about convenience, immediate access to funds, and heightened safety and security. No more waiting for paper checks to arrive or queuing up at the bank. With salary cards, the money is at your fingertips, ready to tackle your financial needs.
For employers, the benefits are equally compelling. The one-time cost of salary cards trumps the administrative hassle and expenses associated with traditional paychecks. Convenience takes center stage as funds can be transferred with ease, while tight control over office expenses is an added perk.
But here's the fascinating twist – salary cards are not confined to one industry; they're the chameleons of the financial world, adapting to the needs of various sectors. From service to transportation and logistics, from hospitality to manufacturing, and even the gig economy and freelancing, salary cards are shaping the future of compensation.
Since we’ve been talking about salary cards so much, you must be wondering about Salary Cards? Right?
A Salary card is almost like a prepaid debit card, loaded with an employee's net salary on salary day. Employees can use their salary cards to access their earnings, make purchases, withdraw cash, and pay bills, providing them with a convenient and secure method of receiving and managing their pay.
Salary cards offer a number of BENEFITS TO EMPLOYEES, including:
Now, not just employees
Salary cards also offer a number of BENEFITS TO EMPLOYERS , including:
Let’s explore key points and insights that might help you to understand the salary card even better.
Traditional Significance: The Symbol of Financial Security - For generations, the paper paycheck has held a revered place in the world of earnings. Beyond being a mere piece of paper, it has been a symbol of financial security and stability. To understand the significance of paychecks, we must journey back in time to an era when the tangible paycheck was more than just a mode of payment—it was a testament to an individual's labor and dedication.
a) The Historical Significance - In the early days of wage labor, employees often received their earnings in cash, which they had to physically count and safeguard. The transition from cash to paper checks marked a pivotal moment in the history of payroll. Paper checks represented a more secure and convenient way for employers to compensate their workforce.
b) The Symbol of Financial Security - Receiving a paper paycheck wasn't just about the amount printed on the check; it symbolized financial security and the promise of a stable income. It provided a tangible representation of one's hard work and commitment to their job. Employees eagerly awaited the arrival of their paycheck as it signified the assurance that their earnings were secure and accessible. It was a source of pride, confirming their role in the workforce and their place in the economy.
c) The Role in Building Trust - Furthermore, the paper paycheck played a pivotal role in building trust between employers and employees. It was a physical document that demonstrated an employer's commitment to fulfilling their financial obligations. The act of receiving a paycheck fostered a sense of trust and loyalty, reinforcing the bond between the two parties.
2. Drawbacks of Tradition: The Limitations and Inconveniences - While the traditional paper paycheck held great significance, it was not without its limitations and inconveniences. As cherished as this tradition was, it carried drawbacks that both employers and employees had to contend with.
a) Delays in Payment - One of the primary drawbacks of paper paychecks was the potential for delays in payment. The manual process of preparing, printing, and distributing paper checks could introduce several bottlenecks. Postal delays, holidays, or errors in check preparation could disrupt the timely distribution of earnings. As a result, employees occasionally found themselves waiting longer than expected to access their hard-earned money.
b) Administrative Burden - Employers faced a considerable administrative burden associated with paper paychecks. The process of check printing, envelope stuffing, and physical distribution required dedicated time and resources. HR departments often found themselves preoccupied with these manual tasks, diverting their attention from more strategic human resources activities. The administrative overhead was not only time-consuming but also costly.
c) Risk of Loss or Theft - Perhaps one of the most significant drawbacks of paper paychecks was the inherent risk of loss or theft. Physical checks were susceptible to being misplaced, stolen, or damaged. When employees encountered such issues, it not only caused stress but also necessitated additional administrative efforts to reissue lost or stolen checks. The risks associated with paper checks created a level of uncertainty and insecurity for both employers and employees.
3. Efficiency and Speed: The Transition to Electronic Payments - In today's fast-paced world, efficiency and speed are paramount, and nowhere is this more evident than in the realm of payroll. The transition from traditional paper checks to electronic payments has revolutionized the payroll process, offering businesses and employees alike a more efficient and rapid method for managing earnings.
a) The Traditional Payroll Landscape:In the era of paper checks, the payroll process was marked by a series of manual tasks. Employers would meticulously prepare individual checks for each employee, print them, and then distribute them either in person or through the mail. This process was not only time-consuming but also susceptible to delays due to various factors, including postal issues, holidays, or errors in check preparation.
b) Efficiency Unleashed: The adoption of electronic payments, such as direct deposits and salary cards, marked a turning point in payroll efficiency. Here's how:
 Elimination of Manual Tasks: With electronic payments, the need for printing, stuffing envelopes, and distributing physical checks becomes obsolete. The entire process is automated, reducing the administrative burden on HR departments.
Rapid Fund Transfer: Electronic payments facilitate the rapid transfer of funds from the employer's account to the employee's account. This means that employees can access their earnings without delay, even if they are geographically distant from the employer's location.
Streamlined Processing: The digital nature of electronic payments allows for seamless and error-free processing. Financial institutions and payroll providers ensure that transactions are processed swiftly and accurately.
Automation of Record-Keeping: Electronic payments are complemented by automated record-keeping systems, reducing the need for manual record maintenance and minimizing the risk of errors associated with traditional methods.
c) Reduced Error Rates: The Quest for Accuracy - Inaccuracies in payroll can lead to not only financial discrepancies but also employee dissatisfaction and compliance issues. The transition to electronic payments addresses these concerns by minimizing error rates.
Precision and Consistency: Electronic payment systems operate with precision and consistency. The use of digital tools ensures that calculations are accurate, eliminating the risk of human errors that may occur when manually preparing and distributing paper checks.
Automated Validation: Electronic payment systems often include built-in validation checks to verify employee information and ensure that payments are directed to the correct accounts. This reduces the likelihood of erroneous payments.
Real-time Reporting: Electronic payment platforms provide real-time reporting, allowing employers to review and verify payroll data before initiating payments. This feature enables timely detection and correction of any discrepancies.
Audit Trails: Electronic payment systems maintain detailed audit trails, making it easier to track and investigate any payment irregularities. This level of transparency enhances the overall accuracy of payroll management.
4. Security Features & Fraud Prevention: Safeguarding Earnings in the Digital Age - In an era characterized by technological advancements, the security of financial transactions has become a paramount concern. The adoption of electronic payment methods, such as salary cards, has introduced a new frontier in ensuring the safety and integrity of earnings. These methods come equipped with robust security features and innovative fraud prevention measures to safeguard both employers and employees from potential financial risks.
a) The Digital Landscape: The shift from traditional paper checks to electronic payment methods has introduced a myriad of benefits, including efficiency and accessibility. However, this transition has also highlighted the need for comprehensive security measures to protect sensitive financial information and prevent fraudulent activities.
            Key Security Features: Electronic payment methods, particularly salary cards, are designed with a range of security features to fortify the protection of earnings:
Encryption: Data encryption is a fundamental security feature that ensures that all communication between the employer, the financial institution, and the employee's salary card is encrypted and secure. This encryption makes it extremely difficult for unauthorized parties to intercept or decipher sensitive financial data.
Personal Identification Numbers (PINs): Salary cards typically require employees to set up a unique Personal Identification Number (PIN). This PIN serves as an additional layer of security, preventing unauthorized access to funds even if the card is lost or stolen.
Biometric Authentication: Some salary cards incorporate biometric authentication methods, such as fingerprint or facial recognition, to enhance security. These biometric markers are unique to each individual, making it nearly impossible for anyone else to access the card.
Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): MFA is a security feature that requires users to provide multiple forms of verification before accessing their accounts. This could include a combination of something they know (like a PIN), something they have (the physical card), and something they are (biometric data).
      b) Fraud Prevention Measures: In addition to security features, electronic payment methods employ sophisticated fraud prevention measures:
Transaction Monitoring: Financial institutions and payment processors continuously monitor salary card transactions in real-time. Any suspicious or out-of-pattern transactions trigger alerts for further investigation.
Usage Limits: Employers can set transaction limits on salary cards to restrict the amount that can be spent or withdrawn within a specified time frame. This limits the potential losses in case of card theft or misuse.
Geographic Restrictions: Salary card providers often allow employers to define geographic usage restrictions. Transactions originating from specific regions or countries can be flagged for review, preventing unauthorized access.
Fraud Detection Systems: Advanced algorithms and artificial intelligence are employed to detect unusual spending patterns, unusual locations, or any activity that deviates from normal behavior. When such anomalies are detected, the system can temporarily freeze the card and notify the cardholder.
Customer Education: Employers often provide employees with educational materials and guidelines on safe card usage and how to recognize phishing attempts and scams, empowering them to protect their earnings.
5. Tailored Approach and Flexibility in Payment: Empowering Employees in Earnings Management - In today's workforce, individuality and customization have become essential aspects of job satisfaction. Recognizing the diverse financial preferences and needs of employees, employers are increasingly offering a tailored approach and flexibility in payment methods, allowing individuals to choose how they receive their earnings. This empowers employees, enhances their job satisfaction, and promotes a more harmonious employer-employee relationship.
a) The Changing Landscape of Employee Compensation: Traditionally, employees received their earnings through a standard method, often paper checks or direct deposits. While these methods offer efficiency and reliability, they lack the flexibility to cater to individual financial needs. The advent of electronic payment methods, such as salary cards, has paved the way for a more personalized approach to earnings management.
Salary cards are utilized across various industries to facilitate the disbursement of employee salaries, streamline financial transactions, and enhance overall efficiency within organizations. 
Here's how salary cards are used in different industries: 
Now, let’s understand how salary cards can be used by employees or general audience:-
Since we are well-informed about the benefits and the usage of salary cards, you must be thinking about switching to salary cards: 
Determine if switching to salary cards is a beneficial option for your business.
Research providers that offer salary card services. 
Work with your chosen provider to set up the salary card for employees. 
Train your employees on how to use their salary cards. 
Integrate the salary card system with your current payroll process.
In the realm of salary cards is Instantpay is a notable choice for salary card solutions
Instantpay is a financial technology company that provides solutions for payroll and salary disbursement. They offer various services that can simplify and streamline the payroll process for both employers and employees. 
Here's a closer look at some of the ways Instantpay can transform the way you handle payroll. 
In the fast-paced world of modern business, managing payroll efficiently and securely is paramount. Enter Instantpay - the game-changer that can revolutionize your approach to payroll management. With its cutting-edge features and user-friendly interface, Instantpay.in empowers organizations to streamline and enhance their payroll processes like never before.
Wrapping Up !
Picture a world where employees no longer wait anxiously for a monthly envelope but instead receive their hard-earned money on a card accepted anywhere and everywhere. Imagine the freedom of managing your finances with ease and precision, all at the swipe of a card. It's a vision that not only benefits employees by improving their financial well-being but also empowers employers to streamline their operations.
As we journey through different industries, from retail and service to the gig economy, we witness the adaptability and versatility of salary cards holding relevance, transforming businesses to compensate their workforce.
Additionally, The use of salary cards reduces the need for paper checks and the associated environmental impact. Paper checks require resources to produce and distribute, and they often end up in landfills. Salary cards are a more sustainable way to receive wages.
In the quest for financial efficiency and employee satisfaction, the right salary card provider is paramount. Providers like Instantpay exemplify a cost-effective and comprehensive approach to managing payroll. 
In this dynamic era of financial innovation, salary cards have undoubtedly taken center stage, offering a glimpse into a future where financial transactions are seamless, secure, and customized to meet the diverse needs of both employees and employers. The evolution of compensation methods is underway, and salary cards are at the forefront of this exciting transformation.
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iyeonjuni · 3 years
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bus 304 // chapter 9: 304
prev / masterlist / next
word count: 0.6k
a/n: this was like proofread once so apologies if it isn't great ,,
queued.
-
it’s like her art teacher didn’t care that she was injured, all they wanted was her students to be on top with all their work and to avoid hearing her teachers scoldings, y/n agreed to stay in.
using their left hand for support, y/n tucked her hand under her right arm in order to lift the pencil in her hand to the paper, with minimal strength she softly dragged the lead across the canvas. slowly started to feel frustrated that she couldn’t draw what she had in mind.
at the same time, kai was currently rehearsing his final scene for his teacher's play. his arms exaggerate his gestures and voicing out his lines with perfect intonation. there was a reason he was a star student of his class and how his teacher would always convince him to be the lead for his plays.
“good job kai, one more one through and you can go home.” his teacher pats him on the back.
“yes sir.” he smiles brightly.
-
y/n slowly feeling her hands and arms getting tired, she puts down her pencil and stares at the clock.
“7..i should probably go home now.” she thought and started packing her art supplies into her backpack, using her left hand to swing the strap over her shoulders.
scrolling on her phone, she finds herself standing at the bus stop occasionally looking up to see whether her bus would arrive.
and just as her head looks up, she sees the bus she usually takes. bus 304.
finding herself sitting at the back of the bus, she leans her head against the window and slowly closes her eyes.
before succumbing to her deep slumber, she hears a faint voice calling at the front of the bus.
-
kai pants as he runs to the bus stop. he can see the bright bus lights approaching the bus stop and the glowing sign of ‘304’ on the top of the bus. he picks himself faster and just in time, he catches up to the bus.
“sorry sir! thank you so much for waiting!” he bows as he taps his bus card before looking around the bus for a seat.
kai was lucky. not only did he manage to catch the bus, but also managed to find one last seat at the back of the bus. he puts his bag on his lap and takes his phone out, scrolling at his feed. that is until he felt some weight on his shoulders, he looks beside him and sees the person sitting next to him had fallen asleep on his shoulders.
“should I wake her up?” kai thought, but seeing as the girl next to him was sleeping so soundly, he smiled and continued to scroll through his phone.
kai finds his phone boring now and puts it back in his pocket, now looking at the girl who’s head is now rocking back and forth, he couldn’t help but hold in a laugh. he thought it was adorable, his focus going from their face now to the cast on their arm and he couldn’t help but wonder what had happened to her.
then a sudden thought popped into his head, he unzipped his bag and pulled out a marker. he leans closer to the girl and starts writing on her cast.
“hey i hope you get lots of rest and don’t overwork yourself ^^” he writes out and in the smallest font, he puts his number.
just as he finishes, he hears the name of his stop through the bus speakers, he presses the bell on the handle and gets up, leaving the bus.
-
y/n slowly opens her eyes and looks at the screen on the bus to check whether she had missed her stop.
a sigh of relief, when she had realised that she only had one more stop to go, she rubbed her eyes and started making her way to the bus doors.
unbeknownst to her, a little message left on her cast.
taglist [open]: @beomjundiaries @fairybinie @luvrbin @berrychyuu @odxrilove @bubblejunnies @xysthe @tinyyblue @beomgyuanti @groovybiscuitdiplomatpeach @mellowhumandonkeyprune @erosoobin @snowfalltxt @sulkii @echo-of-a-writer @day6andetcetera @msxflower @odetoyeonjun @pr0dbeomgyu @prettygirlchae @beomsun @gorechoi @purplelady85 @liarainzz @you-njinhwang @maichiverse @paralumanniluna @solarswonderland
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happy birthday, gaara!
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i can't believe i almost forgot today! and i call myself a gaara fangirl! shame on me! thank you to the gaara blogs i follow for reminding me. i still feel bad. i had naruto's queued up a whole day before his. oh well. i'm getting this out, right?
heads up, like with my gaara december drabble (not really a drabble), you get to see what it's like to be my character, chii (may become more often than not, because she has a story already, so it's easier than coming up with a new character backstory every time). this is set in a time during the blank period, so there won't be a whole lot about her backstory, just a little reference to how her and gaara's relationship grew. i'm going to specify that she's a little on the paler side, so blushing will be mentioned, and she's a tiny thing, so there will be mentions that make gaara sound taller than he would be to the average woman. i think that's everything. don't like, don't read.
happy birthday to my first major naruto crush and my number one anime man!
masterlist
spotify/youtube
word count: 2846
enjoy!
It was just another day to him... That was putting it optimistically. No matter how celebrated he was, how many people wished him well, how many times Kankuro and Temari told him he shouldn't think of it, it would always be the anniversary of the day the mother he never knew died giving birth to him.
None of them would understand just what that day brought him, and he would never wish that they did.
So, he threw himself into his work even more aggressively than usual, insistent on not being disturbed. After his twentieth birthday, no one even tried to throw him a party, in case it was used as another way to hide an attempt on the lives of the council and himself. That night could have ended much worse than it did, but it left many shaken. Not him. It was just another drop in the ocean. If he didn't care about those who could have gotten hurt, it would have been a net positive, really. Nothing lost on his end, and no one was eager to do it again.
A knock on the door interrupted his focus on signing off documents, and a glance at the clock told him he'd been at it for hours.
"Yes?" He called in his low voice, permitting them to enter.
"Uh, Lord Kazekage," one of his secretaries said as he poked his head in. "I know you said you weren't to be disturbed, but we have some rather enthusiastic well wishers who would like to see you and present you with something."
Gaara was puzzled. Enthusiastic? Who on earth would be eager to see him and give him anything? He was a little wary, and figured it was best he go investigate. He followed the young man out, and as he neared the public area, he heard a clamoring, and through all of it, he managed to pick up a familiar voice.
"Kimi, Anari!" You said, warning in your tone. "Remember what I said if you came along?"
When he reached the open area, he found you trying to corral what must have been ten children, with no more than four of them being above the age of six, trying to help contain the younger ones. You had what appeared to be a very clingy toddler in your arms.
"There he is! Lord Kazekage!" A boy announced.
You looked over, eyes meeting his, and smiled sheepishly. "I'm so sorry, but they were adamant. They heard what day it is, and even these little ones couldn't be distracted."
He chuckled as he looked over each child. He was no expert with children, and it took him years to be comfortable around them, but it did bring him happiness to see them so happy, especially given where they came from.
"Okay, what did we come here to say?" You spoke to them all. "One, two, three!"
"Happy birthday, Lord Kazekage!" rang out, more in unison than one could expect from so many little voices. You smiled proudly. "Good, now give him what we brought, then let's get out of his hair."
Two of the older children walked forward with a few of the younger, two of whom were holding a card, and a little cellophane bag of cookies tied off with ribbons. They handed them to him with smiles that quickly turned shy.
"Thank you," he said, smiling warmly. Looking at the card, he realized every child in the orphanage must have signed it, around 'Happy Birthday, Lord Gaara' written in calligraphy. In the upper left hand corner was your signature. Then he observed the cookies, and he could tell they were still warm.
"Miss Chii made them!" The child that had handed them to him declared.
"Hey, I had help!" You protested. "I almost ended up just supervising!"
His eyes met yours again, making your face heat. "Then I know they'll be good."
So much control was required to avoid shying away. You knew if you did, there'd be trouble-
"Miss Chii, are you-" One of the girls started to ask, but an older girl covered her mouth.
"Thank you so much, Miya," you sighed. "Okay, come on. We've got a little time at the park before we have to head back for naptime. Say goodbye!"
"Goodbye!" They chorused, waving at him.
"Goodbye," he chuckled once more. "Be good for Miss Chii, okay?"
You smiled at him, then managed to usher them out.
He looked over the card once more with a small smile.
"Well, wasn't that just too sweet?" Kankuro said from behind his little brother, having been attracted by the noise. "Seriously, I'm getting a cavity, and I'm not even the one with the cookies."
"Kankuro, shut up," Gaara said, shaking his head as he tucked the cookies and card in the oversized pocket of his robe.
"Whatever you say, Gaara, but I'm telling Temari you like kids more than you let on. Just don't let the council know."
"I'm not stupid," he grumbled.
"Oh, and it'll be just between us that you have a soft spot for her."
"So? We've been friends for years."
"Yeah, sure. All I'm saying is that everyone who saw you just now might be suspicious that you invited her here for more reasons than to just help out with the orphanage."
"Kankuro," he said, shooting him a look in warning as he headed back to his office.
That night, after you got the younger children to bed, you stepped outside for some fresh air. You still couldn't stop comparing it to Konoha, despite having been there for around a year, but it was still beautiful. You made your way to the deserted park, where you sat on a swing and looked up at the dark sky. The night was so silent, it was easy to detect the shifting of sand that announced his arrival.
"Good evening," you greeted, turning your head to view him.
He nodded. "I wanted to thank you for today."
You shook your head. "Don't thank me. I just took them there and helped make the cookies. They were the ones who wanted to do it. I knew you probably didn't want any attention, but you try telling those faces no."
"It was... nice. Nicer than I expected," he confessed.
You smiled and looked down at the sand at your feet. "Good. I'm glad it could make you happy. I'm really glad they came up with the idea when they heard it was your birthday. I wanted to do something, but I couldn't think of a way to do it without upsetting you."
He took the swing beside you. "You wouldn't have upset me."
"Even if I didn't, I wanted to do something that would make you feel good about today, and I really didn't think I could. I couldn't bring myself to even try. Today is really special to me, and you're a big part of it. I couldn't risk bringing you down."
He looked you over, trying to thing about exactly why you would cherish his birthday so much, but he couldn't understand.
"Did you forget?" You questioned. "I guess I understand. It wasn't anything that would stand out to you."
"What is it?" He pressed.
"It was because it was your birthday that I got to see you again, and that has changed my life. Kankuro hiring the troupe for the celebration was the catalyst for everything. I was terrified when I heard that we were staying an extra night to perform, and it just had to be the first time they gave me the solo. I barely kept calm enough to go through with it by telling myself that the odds of you recognizing me were slim to none, if you remembered me at all in the time we'd be in the same room. When I realized you knew who I was, I couldn't breathe. I was sure you'd think poorly of me."
"Why would you think that?"
"Because I went from a chuunin to a traveling dancer. Everyone else either told me not to go outright, or looked at me like they knew I'd come to regret it. Then there was the memories of our previous encounters when you'd been so encouraging, I felt like I wasted everything you'd done for me."
He shook his head. "I never meant for you to make a certain decision."
"Even when Naruto whined to you that I was going to quit in the middle of the chuunin exams where I ended up getting promoted? The only reason we met is because you wanted to cheer him up. You had a specific outcome in mind, which isn't a bad thing, but that's part of the reason I felt bad when I saw you again. Then there was the war, where you checked in on the medic tent I was in, and your encouragement then helped get me back on the battlefield. After the war, when you couldn't have found me at a sorrier moment, you listened to me gripe-"
"It wasn't griping," he snapped, catching you off guard. "You'd just lost two important people."
"That was only half of it. I was doubting nearly everything in my life, and that whole meltdown was brought on because I saw your sister in the position I would have given almost anything of what little I had left to be in- comforting Shikamaru. I have never felt more pathetic than I did when I told you that."
"There was no reason you should have felt that way... I may not understand what you felt at that time, but that doesn't mean you should feel like it was insignificant."
"But that's exactly how I felt," you sighed. "Before you even found me in that alley. You came after me, for whatever reason-"
"You were crying so hard when you were running down the street, you crashed into Naruto, then ran off when he asked you what was wrong."
"Thanks for reminding me," you muttered. "And the feeling is back... Still, you came after me, you listened to me, then you told me that I'm stronger than I give myself credit for. I guess that one was more ambiguous, but I took it to mean that I should still keep trying to be a shinobi. I had retired just a few months later, and it was so hard when I felt like I was letting people down, but I just couldn't keep forcing myself when I didn't feel like I was enough anymore. When I first walked through the gates the day before your birthday two years ago, I could only hope I wouldn't see you. I had disappointed everyone else, I couldn't handle seeing it in you too."
"I was never disappointed. I was shocked to see you, especially like that, but I wasn't disappointed," he stated, fixing you with a firm stare.
You just smiled sadly. "That was on me. I avoided looking at you as much as possible, so I couldn't confirm one way or another. I thought I was in the clear when I got back to the caravan, but then I heard you were there to check on us after the attack."
"I had to see if it was you, even though I was pretty sure," he muttered.
"Right. My troupe was all over me when you left. Someone figured out in the two minutes we spoke that we knew each other and that you weren't just enchanted by my dance." You rolled your eyes. "They were ridiculous. I got teased for a week about how coincidental it was. The younger girls couldn't get enough of it. They'd heard way too many love stories about the leads meeting again by chance."
He gave a low chuckle. "That must have been annoying."
"Let's just say I was glad that no one asked me about the people I knew that were at Naruto and Hinata's wedding when I went back. However, Ino wouldn't let me sleep that night until I gave her all the details about what we talked about, since I hardly spoke to anyone. If it hadn't been for Sai, she would have been there beside us to hear it herself."
"She does have a strong personality, doesn't she?" He remarked.
"To say the very least. She's one of my heroes, but she is not the easiest person to be around. Anyway, when we spoke at the wedding, I could tell you didn't see me any differently than before, which meant more than you'll ever know. I felt truly comfortable for the first time since I'd gotten there. Everyone was still a little awkward about me being gone. They'd wanted me to come home sooner, but I told them I still needed to figure out what I'm good for in this world. I was still searching when I went back for Shikamaru and Temari's wedding, as I'd kind of told you. You inviting me to come here has been one of the best things to ever happen to me. I don't think I would have been comfortable enough to talk to you at the weddings if I didn't know you already knew about what I did. It isn't this huge thing, but I put a lot of value in today because a friend I cherish was born, and it just feels like it's the day that led to me finding a purpose I don't think I would have realized anywhere else."
Silence fell over the two of you as he processed what you said. As it stretched out, anxiety filled you. Had you said something wrong? You were afraid something might have made him uncomfortable. You side eyed him, but his face gave nothing away. With a soft sigh, you looked back up at the sky, watching the few stars that you could see twinkle against the darkness.
"I never thought it could mean anything to anyone," he finally said. "Even Temari and Kankuro have a hard time because it's the day our mother died."
"I know. It's still the day their little brother was born. A little brother they love very much, and are very proud to have. Your birthday comes with a lot of negative strings attached, none of which are your fault. They're the fault of others, and they're attached to the past. Who you are right now is someone that should be celebrated, and someone many people want to celebrate. That's who you are, regardless of the circumstances surrounding your birth. The children understand what you've done for this village, and they wanted to celebrate you because of that. Many of them idolize you. When they asked me why I came to the village, I dropped your name, and they think I have some sort of in with you."
"Is that so?" He gave another chuckle.
"Mhm," you hummed, using your legs to shift you back and forth. "It scored me some points early on. I have no idea what they expected from me, just for being your friend."
"I see," he said with a soft smile. "Maybe I'll stop by more often."
"They'd love that, and depending on the time, you can get more cookies out of it, if you liked the ones from today."
"I did. I couldn't eat a lot at once, but I wouldn't mind a couple at least once a week."
"Good. We'll keep some on hand when we can," you softly laughed.
Glancing at your watch, you noticed how late it was. "I better get back."
"I'll walk with you."
"I would appreciate that," you agreed, getting to your feet. The two of you made your way in amicable silence. Just as you reached the orphanage, you turned to him. "I hope you'll remember what I said. I'll get you next year."
He smiled as he gazed back at you. "I look forward to it."
You returned it with a grin. "Happy birthday, Gaara. I really hope it was a good one this year."
"It was, thank you."
There was something left unsaid, you both knew, but you really didn't think you had the courage to say it.
"Well, goodnight." You turned back to the door and took a step toward it, but sand blocked your way. You glanced back at him.
"Would you like to meet again tomorrow night?" He asked, earning a shy smile.
"Same place, same time?" You replied, receiving a nod. "I'll be there as soon as we put the younger ones to bed."
You hesitated, not wanting to leave him with nothing. Quickly, you stepped back and reached up to kiss his cheek.
"Happy birthday, see you tomorrow!" You said as you darted inside, heart beating like a war drum.
You left him stunned for a second. before his lips formed an amused smile. He saw the children gaping at the window and waved, then went on his way, musing about how much better the day had been than he expected, and he was actually looking forward to next year.
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trickyxkisses · 7 months
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@fctedivided: Leon vc: What training…? *slight confused leon noises*
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"Don't you know that Wild Cards sometimes just go off training! It's so we come back stronger than ever before! But I'm back so all is fine!"
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norabrice1701 · 3 years
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Swordplay - Ch. 3
A Fencer!Zemo x Fem!Reader AU Series
Series Master List
Chapter Warnings: Explicit language, masturbation
Word Count: 1.3k
Chapter 3: Presentation - Offering one's blade for engagement by the opponent
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You tried to reign in your curiosity. You did.
Alright, maybe you didn’t try that hard.
Curled up on your couch with a glass of wine, it hadn’t even taken five minutes of Netflix scrolling before you navigated to the YouTube app and searched 'Baron of Fencing'.
Countless videos filled your screen. Competitions on Sokovian national stages, European stages, the World Fencing Championships, and of course, the Olympics. A few videos even looked hastily shot on a phone camera in a practice room similar to the one you were in today.
You queued up the most viewed video – his first place victory bout at the 2015 World Fencing Championship – and found yourself unable to look away.
Such composed grace. Such unassuming strength. Such lethal precision. He struck like a viper, always sharp and controlled. His economy of motion left you breathless, never wasting a stroke of his blade or movement of his feet. Even his lunge made you squirm in your seat – watching him keep low and push forward with lightning-quick accuracy. As point after point accumulated for H. Zemo of Sokovia, he didn’t let the success go to his head. No showboating, no celebrations of victory. He kept his head down, ready for the next engagement.
Only at the end – when the bout was indisputably his, did he peel off his face mask and you were lost. He didn't look much younger than you’d see him today, but his hair hung shorter and loose over his brow, damp with sweat from the exertion. His eyes burned from the thrill of the fight, alive with adrenaline-fueled focus. The corners of his mouth lifted in a grin of victorious excitement as he saluted his blade to the applauding crowd.
How could one man be so breathlessly stunning?
You exhaled shakily, fumbling for your wine and advancing to the next video.
It didn’t take long for you to get addicted to watching the baron fence.
Helmut Zemo, so-called the Baron of Fencing. And apparently, that title wasn’t just media bestowed, either. The man was actually Sokovian royalty by birth. Somehow, that didn’t surprise you. Fencing certainly struck you as a sport for rich nobility, and from the look of the baron this afternoon, the man certainly projected aristocratic wealth.
You hit play on another video. The gold medal bout at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. You’d never even known that it was USA vs. Sokovia for the top honors until just now. You didn't even know who won, but you were about to find out.
As you watched, the baron had to be part mind-reader. He made swift agility look effortless, as if he knew when USA’s Tony Stark would advance and retreat even before Tony did. The baron's sabre blade sliced invisibly through the air, matched by the speed of his opponent, and the score gradually started to increase. Stark kept it close, but in the end, it wasn’t enough to outmatch the baron. For the final point, the baron stayed low, his attack carefully coiled and carefully aimed. The crowd went wild for Sokovia’s first fencing gold medalist. Even your heart raced and a smile brightened your face from the excitement of the bout.
The baron removed his face mask and, fuck - he wasn’t even breathing hard. Talk about stamina. Heat bolted down your spine to settle between your legs as you watched him take the podium, running a hand through his wet hair. God, how would his hair feel carding through your fingers? Fine and silky? Thick and lush? Your hand clenched around the stem of your wineglass as your body continued to heat up at the thought.
Fuck, this was not what you needed. You didn’t need a thirsty infatuation for your fencing instructor’s fellow instructor. Thank god you would at least be spared the indignity of having the baron suffer to instruct you.
You exhaled, shifting your legs against the couch, blushing to feel the warm slick that had dampened your underwear. Seriously, were you really that desperate? Were you really considering getting yourself off to images of the baron’s sweat-soaked hair, his sharp eyes, and the precise movements of his body?
You took a gulp of wine, frowning at the next video title. Rio Olympics Fencing Scandal. Of course, you had to watch.
The anchorwoman stared at the camera. “It’s been another exciting day of action here at the Rio 2016 Games, but none so exciting as the exhilarating finish of the Men’s Fencing Gold Medal Bout. Sokovia’s Baron Helmut Zemo narrowly defeated USA’s Tony Stark to claim the nation’s first fencing gold medal, but the victory may be short lived. Our own Joe Walsh inside the arena has more information. Joe?”
The camera cut to the familiar scene from the gold medal bout, the fencing strip empty and dimly lit behind the anchorman. “Thanks, Kelly. Shortly after descending the podium with Sokovia’s first gold medal in fencing, Baron Helmut Zemo retired backstage and met with Tony Stark presumably under the guise of good sportsmanship. However, witnesses outside the locker room say that it didn’t take long for the situation to escalate."
The camera cut away, showing official portraits of both Stark and Zemo as the anchorman continued. "The details are still unfolding, but we do know that blood was drawn from one of the athletes, and both men’s sabres have been confiscated for investigation. The IOC and local authorities are investigating the incident, but already the early word is that Baron Zemo’s gold medal may not be the only thing in jeopardy, but also his ability to participate in future Olympic Games.”
You grabbed your phone, letting the clip play out as you pulled up subsequent news articles. Apparently, the blood had been Tony Stark’s. Apparently, it had been found on the tip of the baron’s blade. Apparently, there were lingering, unsubstantiated accusations that perhaps the baron’s blade was sharper than regulations allowed.
All of it had been more than enough to revoke his gold medal and earn him a lifelong ban from the Olympic Games. But curiously, it wasn't enough for the International Fencing Federation to ban him from the sport.
Fucking hell.
What could Stark have possibly said to the baron to provoke such a reaction? Just what kind of man would actually stab another man after defeating him? The baron only stood to lose everything, and it sounded like he absolutely had.
Why the hell would Bucky and Sam want to go into business with a man like that? Did they lose sleep at night wondering if they were just one outburst - or whatever caused the locker room fracas - away from being stabbed?
The newsclip ended on a portrait of Baron Zemo and it filled your TV screen. Of course the news station used a purposefully dramatic shot - a portrait in black and white, his face the picture of steely determination under lowered brows that lent a dark, dangerous edge. His hair was neatly swept back from his forehead, and he wore a crisp shirt and tie knotted at his throat under a stand-up collar jacket to complete the image.
He looked like such an elegant rogue, and despite your initial revulsion at learning the man had actually caused an international scandal by stabbing another man, there was something about him that you couldn’t deny. He was absolutely, most definitely your type.
And you were absolutely, most definitely in trouble.
Another wave of heat rolled through you, settling with insistent need between your thighs. You set your wine down and let your hand wander between your legs. Your hips rocked against the couch cushions as your fingers curled and rubbed around your slick folds, shamelessly indulging all the images you'd seen tonight. Your moans pitched higher as you played your body towards the blissful precipice. When you met the sharp, dark eyes on the screen, you cried out as orgasmic relief consumed you.
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blu-joons · 3 years
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The Fan Meet ~ Lee Minhyuk
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He could never quite put his finger on what it was that set off his heart as soon as he saw you walk into the venue for the fan meet. Perhaps it was how oblivious you were to his attention whilst you queued, patiently waiting your turn to meet the individual members.
“It’s lovely to meet you,” Hyunsik smiled, the first of the members to greet you as you were invited onto the stage. “What’s your name?” He asked, taking your photocard and signing his signature.
“It’s Y/N,” you whispered back to him, watching his hand carefully as he wrote each individual character of your name with plenty of care. “Thank you for hosting an event like this for your fans today, it really does mean a lot.”
“It’s thanks to all of your support that we can do these things.”
Your head nodded, “I’ll always be cheering for you guys with everything.”
As the corners of his mouth turned up into a smile, and his eyes narrowed until they were barely visible, you couldn’t help but feel your cheeks begin to brighten. You quickly took the card before Hyunsik noticed and moved onto the next member.
Peniel was the next to write over your card, signing just underneath his face on the image. “I’m running a poll with the fans today, so I want to know what your favourite song is?”
“Any song that has your rap in it.”
His eyes widened with a loud chuckle, extending his hand out for you to high five in response to your answer. You cautiously reached out, knowing just how clammy your hands were with nerves, thankful that Peniel had been so kind to ignore that about you.
“Maybe you could have a word with the company to get them to feature my raps more often.”
“All of you guys deserve to feature equally,” you replied, aware that the next member was also listening into your conversation. “But no one will be able to rap like you can, don’t worry.”
“That was a good answer,” he acknowledged, sliding your photo card along the table, “although, for my own ego, can we just agree that I’m your favourite member of BTOB?”
Your head nodded, rolling your eyes as he leant closer towards you. “Don’t worry, at least for whilst I’m speaking to you, you’re my favourite member of BTOB.”
“Don’t worry, I know you’ll just end up saying the same to all the other members anyway.”
As both of you let go of loud echoes of laughter, Minhyuk’s attention was caught at the end of the table. He tried to ignore the wide smile on your face, although by the grip he had on the pen that he held, it was clear that his frustrations had gotten the better of him having watched you for so long without anyone else around you.
You soon moved onto the next member, instantly feeling your cheeks blush as Eunkwang looked back at you. He signed your card, keeping his eyes on you invitingly, capturing your attention like he did with anyone in his company.
“Thank you for being such an incredible leader,” you smiled, breaking the silence.
“Thank you for being such a dedicated fan and taking the time to come and see us today.”
It didn’t take long before you found yourselves in heavy conversation, as ever, Eunkwang couldn’t have cared less for the time restrictions that they were put under. He had you in stitches of laughter in no time, seemingly funnier in person than you could have ever imagined.
“My turn,” a voice soon called out, ushering you along to come face to face with Changsub, with Sungjae quickly leaning across too, both signing your photocard at the same time.
Your head could only shake at how chaotic the two of them were, with several questions being fired at you, you barely had time to think. The only thing you could feel for sure was both sets of their eyes staring back at you.
“I have no idea what either of you just said,” you admitted, anxiously glancing between them both, “I feel like every YouTube compilation I’ve watched has just come true.”
Both of them chuckled at your response, relieved to see you’d taken their chaos with such humour. “We’re trying to break the stereotype of us, but I think we’re just making it worse.”
You quickly assured them it was adorable how close they were, glancing down to see that your card had been moved on once again, coming to the final member in the line-up.
Before you even looked up at Minhyuk, he had a wide smile on his face, pulling himself further into the table so that he was within closer earshot of you, letting go of a chuckle.
“How’s your day been Y/N?” Unable to stop his laughter as your eyebrows knitted together in confusion, perplexed by his sudden question.
Your head shook, trying to wake yourself up, “have I introduced myself or just had some sort of existential crisis that I’m unaware of?” You asked, only to see his finger tap where Hyunsik had signed the card earlier.
“Don’t worry, everything is very much normal right now,” he quickly assured you, finishing off signing over his figure. “So, tell me, how long have you been a melody for? A while?”
You were very quickly taken aback by how intently Minhyuk listened to you, holding onto your every word. Even if he’d spoken to hundreds of fans before you, he still managed to make you feel as if you were the first fan that he’d greeted all day.
As your story began to conclude, his attention was still very much on you. “I’ve been trying for a couple of years to get tickets to an event like this, but I never managed to find the money in time, until now at least.”
“I for one am glad that you found the money,” he sincerely responded, “I keep trying to get the company to reduce the prices of these things, but they never seem to listen.”
“Well, it was definitely worth the wait after so long. You guys are all so lovely, you must be exhausted, and yet you’re still wearing a massive smile,” you complimented.
With that, Minhyuk’s smile only widened further, enjoying the kindness that you sent his way. Even though he’d heard it from most of the fans that he’d met, hearing it from you somehow just felt different for him.
The two of you had been talking for so long, a slight queue ended up building behind you, although Changsub and Sungjae did a good job of keeping them entertained. Before long, a member of staff crept over to Minhyuk, giving him a bit of a nudge.
Just as you were about to go, he pulled your photocard back towards himself, turning it over onto the blank side. “Would you consider this ruined if I wrote something else on it?” He quizzed, relived when your head shook back at him, shielding it from you and scribbling something down.
“Thank you,” you smiled, taking it back after a few moments as he slid it back across to you. “I hope the rest of the meet goes well for you too.”
“Hopefully, it won’t be too long until we see each other again,” he smiled, admiring your innocence as you walked down the steps.
Once you were outside of the building and away from any fans, you turned the photocard back around, noticing the small note that Minhyuk had written in the bottom left coroner of the card. A gasp escaped from you as you read over the black ink, unable to comprehend that what you were reading really was true.
“Y/N, my number is written at the bottom of this note. I really enjoyed meeting you today and would love to get to you more. Give me a text when you’re free sometime, Minhyuk x
---
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Text
The Night We Met
Part One - The Night We Met
Pairing: Javier Peña/ Female Murphy!Reader
Words: 5.3k
Summary: Murphy's sister travels to Colombia after realising Steve might not quite be A-Okay and meets the Javier Peña.
Content Warnings: 18+ Smut-ish (I wouldn’t wanna read it out to my mom), dry humping, dirty talk in Spanish which reader doesn’t understand so does it really count?, gratuitous love of the black shirt from the torture scene.
AO3
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Author Note: So here is my return to writing! The word count got away from me but I loved every second of it. Always after prompts, so drop me a message on here if you'd like to see anything in particular. If it's in my wheelhouse, you'll definitely see it.  
Pedro in the black shirt in this scene is what inspired me to write this, I can’t lie. 
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If you were brutally honest with yourself, this spur of the moment decision may have been a mistake. 
Other people could make these choices and not have that nagging feeling in their gut from the second they booked their fuckin' airline ticket. You had attempted to grab life by its metaphorical horns and go and sort this shit show out by yourself, but after your momentarial bravery was used up, all that was left was a crippling anxiety that threatened to send you into a full scale panic attack if you thought too hard about the fact you were following your big brother to Colombia.
Yes, Colombia. You, a U.S. national with no particular interest in hunting Pablo Escobar, had decided to vacation in sunny, crime ridden Bogotá on a whim. 
You were fuckin’ dumb. 
Sarcasm aside, you weren’t actually here on vacation, you were going to check on Stevie. Your brother, one of the DEA agents assigned with taking down Escobar. 
You’d been worried about him for a few months, it had sounded like he was dealing with heavy shit in South America, you knew that was the job, but he was still your brother.
His calls had gotten less and less frequent until he stopped returning them all together and the only reason you knew he was alive were your pep-talks with your sister-in-law, trying to help her keep her shit together, but hell, you weren’t a therapist or a miracle worker. So when Connie rang asking to stay at your place you had obliged and she had returned to Miami a mere shell of her former self. 
After a mammoth amount of prodding over the course of two days you managed to wring the truth out of her, not the nuggets of information she had given you over the phone in hushed whispers during her time in Colombia but the whole messy story; the communist Elisa Alvarez, Steve’s kidnapping and the cold edges your brother was developing. 
It was all you could do not to book the tickets there and then, but you held out and supported Connie in the ways Steve couldn't have, taking care of Olivia when you could and just trying your hardest to be there for her. Your presence alone seemed to be enough to help her through the days that followed.  A week and a half after her return, you booked your flight to Colombia in secret. 
You had to check on Steve. 
He hadn’t answered a single one of your many many calls. You packed light and told Connie the morning of, and whilst she didn’t like it, she understood. You supposed that a part of her was relieved to know her husband would have someone in Colombia that wasn't there to kill him. 
So here you sat, two hours into your flight to the paradise destination; Bogotá. Your brother's address scrawled on a scrap piece of paper in the one hand and a glass of cheap whiskey in the other.  The alcohol did little to to calm your nerves, this was a dangerous place for a cop, let alone a fuckin’ clueless civilian. 
When the plane finally touched down, you stood from your seat emptying the last few drops of whiskey which had tried to evade you onto your tongue, you picked up your backpack and queued to leave the plane.
The second you left the aircraft the humidity hit you like a brick wall, it was like all of the fresh air had been sucked out of the atmosphere. On a normal evening you would appreciate such a warm climate, but now the heat meant frustration to your tired brain and it only added to your baseline levels of anxiety as your hairline and upper lip were drenched as you walked through the arrivals gate.
Cards on the table; you didn’t have much of a game plan, you spoke no Spanish and stuck out like a sore thumb. You had the address but no means to get there, you didn’t relish the idea of getting in a taxi as a woman alone in a foreign country, but with little to no other options you went to hail one of the cabs that sat outside the airport.
Your fears turned out to be for naught, well not quite naught as the man had raked his eyes across your body for a large percentage of the trip in his mirror, but he had the good grace not to kidnap or murder you, which for you meant it was a successful journey, how low you had set the bar was just occuring to you.
After paying the gentleman he dropped you outside what appeared to Steve’s apartment building. You take a moment on the pavement to recollect yourself ready for your reunion. Peeling your denim jacket off, you decide instead to wrap it around your waist, tying the sleeves securely. With a harumph, you grab the handle of your suitcase, and drag it behind you. Your success thus far gives you a second wind of determination.
Though apparently dumb luck can only get you so far, because after heaving your suitcase up a flight of stairs and rapping on the door of apartment 20 until your knuckles ached, it began to dawn on you, you had no clue if this was even the right building.
“Fuck.” you mutter to yourself, you should’ve rang Connie or tried Steve again when you landed, but you’d been so single minded in carrying out your plan all common sense had apparently abandoned you. So with a million different scenarios of things you could’ve done better playing out behind your eyes you dragged your suitcase to the small lobby of the building, where the front door stood.
You huffed and dropped onto the bottom step in surrender, not quite sure where to go from here. 
Weeks of anxiety and worry finally took their toll on your body as reality set in, and as it did so you couldn’t help but laugh at the sheer stupidity of the situation you’d put yourself in. A light chuckle escaped your body as you held your face in your hands,you rubbed at your eyes as a way of refreshing yourself before sighing and leaning back.
You must have sat with your head in your hands for around three hours before anyone of note arrived, you had received strange looks from residents in their comings and goings as they stepped around you, your expectant looks turned to disappointment when you realised they weren’t Steve. In fairness, you, a gringa sitting on the stairs at 2am, most likely wasn’t a daily occurrence to these homeowners.
By the time he came through the door, your eyes were closed and your head was leant on the bannister, trying to get what little rest you could. Your eyes opened a crack to see a man and a woman enter the building and turn right, the man had his arm around her as he stared at you in confusion, the look was so quick you may have missed it if you blinked, but they were talking in low whispers of Spanish and from the looks of things he didn’t give you a second thought. 
So you extended him the same courtesy and shut your eyes once again, you heard the metal jangling of keys going into the lock, the sound of smacking lips and then the door was closed. You figured that was the end of it, instead you heard hurried footsteps coming towards you, your eyes shot open as he rounded the corner.
“Estás bien?” The man questioned. It took you a moment to realise he was talking to you, as you took him in you were struck by your stupidity, how could you have dismissed this man so quickly even in the throes of a mental breakdown. His chocolate brown eyes bore into your own as you realised he was waiting for a response. 
“Uh… no hablo... español?” you pretty much asked him, cringing internally at your butchering of the most basic sentence of this gorgeous strangers language, his lips quirked at your mumbles making his mustache raise on one side with his smirk. Now, you’d never been a fan of a mustache, Steve and your father had both taken to styling their facial hair in such a way, and as a rule of thumb they were a big no-no. But my god. This man made that mustache his bitch and that bitch worked for him.
“You’re American?” He questions, smirk dropping along with his eyebrows in confusion as his brain processes the information.
“Oh thank god and Jesus fuckin’ christ above. You’re American!” Your timid nature had given way to pure unadulterated relief. “Stevie, Steve Murphy, he lives in this building, yeah?”
“Yeah… Stevi...Steve lives here- I’m sorry, who the hell are you?” He asks with a puzzled look and a shake of his head, there’s an air of distrust about him for some strange reason. 
“I’m Y/N Murphy, I’m his sister.”
“Sister? Mierda... does he know you’re here?” 
“Nope,” You pop your P as you shrug at the man before you with false nonchalance. “He’d have to answer the phone to me or Connie to know that now, wouldn’t he?”
“Steve.” The stranger sighed, annoyed. 
“Sorry, who are you?” You asked, yourself becoming more bemused by the man by the second. 
“I’m Steve’s partner, Javier.” He held out his hand which you were more than happy to take in a shake, his tan hand was soft yet strong as it held your own captive within it. “C’mon in I’ll give him a call, God knows what time he’s planning on getting back.”
“Uh, I don’t want to interrupt…” You mumble, waving your free hand vaguely towards where you knew the woman was waiting for him, making him smirk once again. 
You were beginning to think that the sarcastic raise of his mouth was just his default resting face.
“You’re not interrupting anything.”
Now I know what you’re thinking, ‘cause I’d think it to. This is how people die in America, let alone fuckin’ Colombia, but if it's a choice between dying at the hands of a gorgeous man who seems to know your brother or a stray that wonders in through the non-descript lobby door then you’d rather go out with a nice view, even if he did have a girlfriend.
If you had to gamble, you’d say you had a damn good chance of making it out of this apartment alive. 
So you nodded and used the hand he hadn’t released yet to pull yourself up into a standing position. He wasn’t particularly tall but he still towered over you, your eyeline gave you a great view past his black shirt which was unbuttoned quite liberally, you assumed that was courtesy of the woman he’d entered with. 
“Thank you,” you nodded at him with a genuine smile of relief. He didn’t reply, only grabbed the handle of your pull along suitcase before extending his arm towards his apartment and motioning to wordlessly say, after you. 
Now you know how people say when you can feel a stare? You had the sensation before, but as you leaned over to pick up your backpack from the bottom step, you felt his eyes laser focus on your denim clad ass. You turned your head in disbelief and found his eyes still lingered there for a moment before meeting your own. Unbelievable. Part of you was flattered, the other part was bemused that he had a beautiful woman in there waiting and here he was ogling you.
You rolled your eyes, instilled with a new confidence as you turned and walked towards his apartment, you felt his eyes follow your form once more. 
Steve’s hot partner was an ass man... Good to know. 
...
As it turns out Javier’s girlfriend, or what you we’re starting to think was more of a one night stand, was not happy with the situation at all, you came to this discovery as Javier pointed you to the sofa before beginning arguing with her in hushed Spanish, the beautiful woman huffed and sent a dirty look your way before storming out and slamming the door behind her, with enough power to make it shake in its bearings. You raised your eyebrows at Javier from your seat. He shook his head with a sigh and began lighting up a cigarette, he turned and offered you one. 
“No thanks, I quit.”
“Woman with an iron will?”
“Not quite,” You whisper, shaking your head.
He smiles before clearing his throat and moving over to pick up his landline. Javier presses a combination of buttons, before putting it to his ear and blowing the smoke from his lungs. His eyes met yours as the phone rang, he gave you reassuring wink. 
“Murphy? … Yeah…  you need to get back to your place now... You’ve got a guest.... No … come find out why don’t you?” Sarcasm dripped from his lazy tone, his voice was so smooth. It was like chocolate on gravel, you could listen to him talk for hours, which led your mind down that deep dark hole of what he sounded like during more carnal acts, he’d be a talker, for definite, what with all that confidence and swagger. “‘Kay… I’ll see you soon.”
Shaking your head you centred yourself, it had been a dry patch for you. You needed to calm down and not throw yourself at your brother's partner, even if he just so happened to be the first man you had any interest in to show you attention in months. 
“He’s on his way,” He confirmed what you already knew but you liked hearing him speak so you nodded in thanks. An awkward silence filled the air for a few moments, as you two perfect strangers shared one another's company.
“Drink?” He offered pointing at the bottle of whiskey on the counter.
“God, yes.” You all but moaned at the offer. Javier chuckled, and grabbed a second glass from his cupboard, before pouring you both a generous serving.  He walked around the back of the sofa, and passed you the glass of liquid gold and took a seat next to you. Close enough to initiate something, but not touching, quite a respectful distance. 
Initiate something? God Y/N, get your mind out of the gutter. This poor man had only invited you in because you were his partner's sister and he was doing the decent thing. 
“Uh… The television work?” You ask, pointing at the empty screen.
“I didn’t realise you could speak Spanish…” His voice was dripping with false surprise, mocking your earlier attempts at the language, though he reached across and switched the box on with the remote, he began flicking through the channels so quickly he almost gave you a headache.
“Oh yes, I’m very proficient, I just didn’t want to intimidate you earlier. Hola Señor Javier.”  You say continuing his ruse. He chuckles at your words, it's a deep warm noise that shakes his entire frame. You were definitely thinking about adding Javier’s voice to your top ten list of favourite sounds. 
He flicks through the channels, for a few seconds before sighing and dropping the remote in your lap. Taking your assignment seriously, you sit up, bringing yourself a few inches closer to the man next to you, purely accidentally of course and begin flicking through the channels as Javier had done moments before, though 3am TV scheduling left a lot to be desired. 
News, News, Colombian QVC, News, News, Soap opera. Bingo!
“Ah, now we’re talking.” You mumble, eyes stuck on the screen of the Colombian Soap opera playing. The two of you sat in silence once again as you slowly sipped on your drinks watching drama play out. 
You watched in silence for around ten minutes, not understanding a single word of what was being said. The scene was on two latino actors sitting in a bedroom. The woman was sat on the bed being confronted by the man in a serious tone. 
“What is she saying?” You question narrowing your eyes at the beautiful woman's tone. Javier, who had been watching your reactions the whole time as you got into the awful tv show scrambled as he tried to listen and translate the woman's words.
“Uh… her dads an alcoholic and she’s trying to support her son… that guy didn’t know about the son... I think… she was happy living a double life without the worry and she wants him to forgive her and start over…”  Javier translated, giving you the general cliff notes.
“Oh shit,” You gasped at his words, but your attention diverted to the screen where the two had continued their heated argument and began kissing or rather where the man was devouring her neck, “I’m getting vibes that he might be open to forgiving her.” 
You chuckled at your own joke, as did Javier. Though this time when his body shook his bare elbow touched your own. 
How was he so goddamn warm? 
All he was wearing was a black button down shirt. One that looked to be the wrong size it was so tightly fitted- not that you were complaining about the view. My God, were you horny today.
You took a gulp of your drink, trying to refocus for the third or fourth time this evening, trying so desperately to reign in your inner school girl and focus on the television, though that didn’t help as the actors were now eating one anothers faces on a bed. The silence was thick with tension, though that could’ve been entirely on you; one innocent touch of a man's elbow and you’re a blushing mess.  
Get a grip Y/N. 
The silence dragged on as you pretended to watch the soap opera you had absolutely no understanding of in a futile attempt to ignore the man next to you. You can only imagine what he thought of your levels of focus on the tv, as you stared at the box in the corner of the room like it was the greatest cinematic masterpiece of all time and you were getting ready to write a full-scale analysis on the work of art. 
Javier broke the tension in the room by finally asking the question that had been on his lips all evening.
“You came all the way to Colombia... Why?” Javier grabbed a cigarette off of the coffee table, placing his drink where the carton of smokes had been. He lit the stick and waited for your response, honestly, you were thrown. The question had come out of nowhere whilst you were still trying to analyse why exactly this man had such an effect on you when he was doing nothing but being a good host.  You hastened to think up a half coherent reply before you just answered truthfully. 
“Steve stopped answering the phone, I mean he’s always been shitty at checking in, even when he was in Miami. When he got here we’d have a catch up every week or so, we all know how dangerous it is for you guys over here, so we joked about calling it ‘the alive check’. For the last couple of months, I was checking in with Connie more than Steve but he’d still pick up once every week, without fail. Then four weeks ago the fucker stopped answering my calls all together and Connie showed up on my doorstep with Olivia in tow last week.”
“Look, you coming down here probably makes more problems than it solves, Steve’s a big boy if he doesn’t call to check in, it's probably ‘cause he’s busy...  He’s-” Something about Javier’s dismissive tone rubbed you the wrong way, call it sleep deprivation or blame the weeks of stress, but you were tired of being called paranoid. You were not an overbearing mother hen.
“My brother always answers my calls. Or at least he used to. I can’t begin to understand what you guys are going through, but I’m not losing my brother to some piece of shit Colombian drug dealer.” 
Javier raised his hands in mock surrender, cigarette still in mouth. “He’s actually more of a drug lord slash narcoterrorist, but-”
“How is he?” You interrupt Javier’s attempt at diffusing the situation with humor, turning to him on the sofa. You rearranged yourself, bringing your leg up so your knee touched his thigh as you gave him your full attention,  you plucked the smoke from between his lips and held it between your two fingers as you spoke. “Tell me Steve’s fine. Tell me I’m worrying for nothing and I’ll get back on that plane and leave tomorrow morning."
You take one drag and offer it back to him, he accepts it, deliberately looking you in the eyes as he places the cigarette in his mouth, attaching his lips to where your own had been seconds earlier.  He takes it from his mouth and stubs it on an ash tray that rests on the arm of the sofa, his focus is single minded on his task. The pressure in your lower stomach is mounting as you stare at the tanned man before you who is carrying out a menial task that has you more turned on than you’d ever admit. 
When the red tip is extinguished thoroughly, taking much longer than you thought it needed to, Javi turns to you, his mahogany eyes have you pinned in your tracks. You found yourself admitting they were gorgeous for the second time this evening, they were the type of brown you could never quite describe, they had so much depth, not quite a chocolate, not quite coffee, they were rich and deep pools. They reminded you of the forest, not the green leaves but the earthy brown, the strong beams of wood that held everything up around it.
Javier's hand emigrated forward slowly, your eyes followed the movement in your peripheral but you didn’t dare look away from the pools of molasses as he reached to grip one hand at your denim thigh, his eyes roamed your face for any sign of this being an unwelcome approach and when he found none his other hand began its climb to rest on your jaw, just below your ear.
You couldn’t say if you moved towards him or if he advanced on you, all you knew was he was on you now as the tips of your noses rubbed against one another.
“Quiero saborearte…” He whispered so lowly you barely even heard it before he leaned in that last inch and captured your lips in a single, chaste kiss. Your lips connected and you realised the heat you had felt from his arms had been nothing. Fire coursed through your veins upon contact, surging through your blood and going south to a pressure that built in your lower stomach. 
Your hand shot up to land on his collarbone, before you could even really consider your own actions you pulled apart until your foreheads were the only thing touching.  He was intoxicating, you could lose yourself completely in this man, he somehow smelt like cinnamon, whiskey and sweat, a combination you’d never thought would send liquid fire through your central nervous system.  You’d give anything to taste him properly, but this was wrong. So so wrong. This was your brother's partner, this was inviting complication to your door, when you were just here to check on Steve. You were here for Steve.
You were here for Steve... 
“... This isn’t a good idea.” You all but whisper, closing your eyes. Regret pulses through your veins at your self imposed restraint. 
“Never is.” He leaned forward and captured your lips. You didn’t have any fight left in you, exhausted and at wits end you embraced your spiral into stupidity instead and your hands glided across the clammy skin of his neck to grab at his short ink black hair. You wrapped your fingers around it to drag him closer to you, your lips clashed, all teeth at first but you didn’t care as his tongue began to fight against yours for dominance. 
He tasted as good as you imagined, he was the right combination of sweet and bitter, with undertones of whiskey and tobacco on his tongue. Your response to his assault on your mouth told him it was go time, Javier pulled you into his lap and his hands lowered to your ass. Your body was flush with his own as your breasts pressed against his chest, you could feel every solid line of his lithe body against your own. 
You licked at his honied tongue, before withdrawing and pulling his bottom lip into your mouth and sucking on the soft plush skin. His mustache tickled your upper lip, a sensation you weren’t used to but could so easily grow to love.  This made him tighten his grip on your backside in response and he let out a throaty groan at the meat he found there, Javier was definitely an ass man, you felt his bulge pressing against your core as you both began grinding against each other in earnest. You felt like a horny teenager as you grinded on a man you barely knew. 
You felt him grip at the bottom of your tank top and begin to lift it, except he stopped, and began to rub patterns on the stomach he exposed. Javier’s mouth descended from your lips to begin to suck and lick at your throat. Your eyes rolled into the back of your head at his work as pleasure rippled throught your body. His hands slid the length of your body to grab at your chest, which conforming to every stereotype was heaving, he palmed your breast blindly as his face was still buried in your hair, sucking and kissing along to your ear, before he raised his mouth a mere inch and whispered  “Te follaré toda la noche niña.”
He said it with such surety that your body convulsed in on itself without even needing to know what the man above you was saying. You could only hope it was absolutely filthy and profanity ridden, because then at least, the sentiment would be shared. He bit at the lobe of your ear before his hands left your breasts and travelled to the hem of your tank top, getting ready to pull it over your head.
It was strange to say that you remembered your brother was on his way here as a man tried to take your t-shirt off, but that’s just the way it went. You knew if that top came off, dry humping would be the most PG action of the night and if Steve turned up and found you mounted on his partner, he probably wouldn’t be too thrilled. 
You couldn’t stop yourself from stroking the man's hair whose face was planted in between your tits as his hips rose against your own pushing his hardened length up against the seams of your jeans, you gasped as he hit that sweet spot. You let out a noise that sounded like a wail. You wanted nothing more than to lie back and let this man have his filthy way with your body. And you know, from the hour you’ve spent with this man it would be phenomenally filthy. The kind of sex that would ruin all men for you, but no. You had to be a good sister. Like a fuckin loser. 
Sighing, you threw your body sideways before you could change your mind and ended up on your back. Javier followed you, caging you with his frame as he covered your body with his own.  Gripping your face like he was a starving man and you were the only sustenance he’d ever need. It would be so easy to get lost in him, to give in to that magic tongue but you couldn’t let this go any further so you placed a hand on his chest.
Taking your cue he paused his tongues assault on your mouth and stopped, resting his forehead against your own. You were both breathing heavily trying to come back down to reality, his eyes were no longer the chocolate brown you’d been comforted by when you met, but rings of obsidian staring into your soul. You wanted this man, my god you did. But this would make more problems for Steve.
The two of you stayed that way for a while, foreheads and bodies pressed against one another until both of your breathing evened out. The silence dragged, heavy in the air as you two strangers both waited for the other to break it. 
“...Is Steve okay?”
“...No... He’s been fuckin’ mess ever since Connie left.” Javier sighed whilst closing his eyes and breathing deep. You raised your hands from his chest, which was difficult as he was crushing his body to yours and cupped his cheek, you joined your lips once more, much like the first kiss. This was sweet and there wasn’t a carnal appetite behind it but rather an understanding. 
The loud knock on the front door startles you both as you’d been so wrapped up in one another you’d not heard the steps leading to it. The two of you split apart like a pair of guilty teens caught in the act. You both stared at each other for a second before he nods at you and walks to the front door whilst rearranging his bulge discreetly in his jeans, this was something you pretended not to see as you sat back up right on the sofa. You had only a moment to fix yourself, as you pulled your tank top from where it was hooked by your breasts and ran your fingers through your hair so you didn’t look like you’ve just had the ravaging of a lifetime. 
Javier pulled open the door and you clutch your hands into your lap, not quite sure what kind of reception you were about to receive from your brother. You hear the two men greet one another in hushed whispers, you couldn’t make out Steve's voice much until you hear his voice clear as day “...what the hell was so important it couldn’t wait until tomorrow?”
You stand from your spot on the sofa and quickly realise the button on your jeans is undone; if you’re honest you don’t even know how he managed to do that without you noticing, even though it's not the time you take a solitary second to commend Javier on his artistry of disrobing a woman. Turning quickly you pull the rivet back through the hole and swing around as Steve crosses the threshold from the hallway.  
Steve looks from you, to Javier and then back to you once more in complete surprise. It takes his brain a hot second to process that you’re here in front of him and in Colombia before he rushes you. Clutching you tight and hugging you to his chest. You hear something that sounds suspiciously like a sob leave your brothers chest before he collapses into you. The front door and Javier’s bedroom both in rapid succession, giving you the privacy you knew your brother would need after breaking down like this.
You couldn’t support Steve’s weight with your considerably smaller frame and the two of you fell to the ground as you held your broken brother. His body shook with silent sobs as he buried his face in your shoulder.
You said nothing as you held him and stroked his hair. In that moment you thanked your every instinct that screamed at you to come to Colombia. 
This had definitely not been a mistake. 
Part Two
241 notes · View notes
cosmiclatte28 · 3 years
Text
Coffee (Jaemin x you)
warning : fluff! flirty Jaemin! 
okay sorry for once again reusing a fic, this was from my Sehun collection which I actually find cute, but I guess Jaemin can fit in here nicely too! 
enjoy! 
“One ice Americano,” the angelic guy with ominous aura places his order, for a second the café suddenly feels frozen. He looks and sounds cold, but once he steps into the counter in front of you, you feel the blazing sun of summer, the cute shy smile, and a gentle stare.
“One Americano, no water? 6 shots of additional espresso” you question him even when you remember his order nicely in the back of your mind.
The man across you smiles, “You remember?”
You smirk, deep inside your heart you wonder how one could forget if that’s the only thing he orders in every single visit and no one else drink a coffee like him.
You take his card, swipe the bill, and rush to brew his cold coffee.
Ever since the cold and hot man enters that door last week, you quickly fell for his demeanour aura. You learn his name when he ordered his first cup of coffee in a bubble tea shop. Though you find it weird why he bought coffee when you guys are known for bubble teas, you did not reject his orders; you even wished with all your heart he will be a regular here.
“One ice Americano coffee to go, for Jaemin oppa,” you scream out his name, and when he walks to take the bag, your hand swiftly drops in a piece of cookie inside the paper bag. He saw you and almost say you misplaced an order, but your whisper silence him.
“It’s a complementary,” You panicked, “Special for the customer who has the queuing number 100.”
You see him smile and you hear your co-worker stifling a laugh.
“Thank you,” Jaemin smiles and nods his head as he takes his order, “Thank you, see you!”
He leaves the counter with his expressionless face and your shift continues. You take more orders from other customers.
One of your co-workers nudges you when the rush hour is over, and the café is a bit empty. “What was that, did you put in your number on the cookie earlier?” the man with a beautiful eye smile teases you.
You blush when your mind teases you back with the phrase Jaemin said before he left.
“Stop it Jeno, I did not drop my number in it. Seriously, I just wanted to treat him a cookie, what’s wrong with it?” You shrug your shoulder and choose to leave to take a short break. Well, secretly you scream out of joy when you reach the storage room. Jaemin, the man who creates butterflies in your stomach is slowly recognizing you.
The next day, your shift starts and as time ticks by, your heart beats faster as you expect the presence of Jaemin. He shows up in his regular time, with his regular expressionless handsome face just that today he looks a bit tired and annoyed. You pull up your textbook-smile and try your best to control your heating face.
“Welcome, is it another usual menu, or are you interested in trying todays special menu?” You flash a concern look to him. He catches your attention and runs his eyes through the menu. He sighs and inserts his hands into his pockets.
“Do you have any recommendation for a bad day?”
You nod in a second, “Are you okay with Chocolates?” he nods, you type in a menu and he seems to agree with what you call ‘House favorite chocolate bomb bubble tea’
Jaemin hands you his card and surprises you when he asks for a table number. He brings his number and sits on the corner, the secluded chair near the windows.
You are quite surprise; he never dines inside. With a question mark in your mind, you prepare his drink and once again sneak in another slice of red velvet cake. Jeno catches you again and smiles widely while wriggling his brow, “Go, and take that order to his table. Let me take over the cashier and orders.”
You thank him and after tidying your appearance, you deliver the drink and cake to the man sitting alone and lost in his thoughts.
“Here’s your drink, and I bring you a cake to cheer you up.” You move the drink and cake from your tray to his table.
Jaemin’s cold façade melts away when he sees the red cake and your sweet attention, “Wow! Am I the 100th customer again today?” He laughs at his own words. You feel like melting into a puddle right then and there.
He takes his time enjoying the cake and reviving his mood with your special brew, you are once again busy behind the counter and running over making different orders of drinks. You can still see Jaemin from several quick glances, and that is enough to make you energized until your shift end.
After 10 minutes, the tall man in suit fleets from his chair and queue into the line in front of me. You are perplexed when he shows up again with his shy smile, “I’m here to pay the red velvet and I want the cookies you gave me yesterday. I want two of them, all packed to go.” You swipe his payment only for the cookies, the red velvet is from you.
“For someone?” You ask when you take out two fresh baked cookies and wrap them nicely inside a bag.
Jaemin shakes his head, “It’s for me, and I’m working overnight today. The cookies will be my acquaintance tonight.”
“Have strength! Good luck,” you send him off with a wave of hand.
That’s the last time you ever see him. For a good one week, you never see his nose. Jeno teases you repeatedly for waiting and hoping like a fool, but you shush him off. One week feels like a month and the nosey customers really drain your energy.
One night when Renjun is already mopping the floor and you’re already turning over the chairs, the door opens and a young man in a tidy suit surprise both of you. Jeno glances at the door sign; it clearly is turned over already, why is he here.
“Sorry, are you closed already?” the man you missed for one week questions the two of you.
You quickly leave your current work and take over the counter, “No, we can make it work for you. We still have 5 minutes to the closing hour, but feel free to take your time.”
“Usual order?” You ask while turning on the brewer and cashier, Jaemin nods then take a seat at one of the tables you haven’t turn over.
Jeno bids you goodbye after his mopping is done, and you’re left alone with Jaemin.
“Please make yourself a drink, can you sit with me for a while tonight? Drinks are on me.” he sounds hopeful.
You take his invitation, making yourself a cup of warm coffee. You carry the dark liquids and a plate of cake from the storage.
You take your seat across him; he has his coat off already and he looks breath-taking in his white shirt and loosen tie. He is busy with his cold drink, and you preoccupied your nerves with the warm caffeine. Your heart is almost bursting out of joy, here in front of you the man you crushed, you finally get the chance to sit alone with him only. You don’t care what your boss will do to you if he ever finds out about this.
Jaemin picks the fork and pokes the cake, “What is this?”
You snap from your daydream, “Oh, that’s a new menu. A rainbow cake, were going to release them tomorrow.” He raises his brow in curiosity,
“Each colour has different flavour. Please try them.” You look at him expectantly when he takes the red part into his mouth. He savours the taste, munches, pokes into the next colour, tastes them and when he reaches the 7th colour, he finally makes his comment.
“Hmm it’s cool, a nice idea! It also tastes good. I am sure buying this again.” Jaemin’s eyes brighten and he gulps down his coffee to clean his palettes.
“(y/n),” Jaemin surprises you by calling your name. You almost ask where he learned your name, but you realize you wear name tags every day. “Thank you for opening the café for me and thank you for sitting here with me tonight.”
You shake your head and hands, “No, it’s not a problem Jaemin. Besides, I can probably help you if you need someone to talk and share stories too. Only if you’re willing too,” You panicked.
Jaemin thinks for a quick second and smirk, “You’re probably right. I need to share what’s bothering my mind. Great idea!”
It sure is a great idea for Jaemin, but not for you. Jaemin has just finished his story about his breakup with his so-called girlfriend he loved dearly. You are surprised to find out he has been dating for one year and got dumped last week, because poor Jaemin caught her kissing another man in the park. She chose the other guy over him. Jaemin concludes that he’s now traumatized, and he will be staying away from falling in love for a moment. He is hurt, and he doesn’t want to fall in love now.
You made a mental note about this and continue to talk about more things. As the night deepens, the cake vanished, and the coffees finished, you learn each other’s hobbies and favourite singers.
Jaemin helps you clean up the table and turning over the chair. He drops in extra tips into the jar, then he waits for you outside as you turn off all the machines, lights, and lock the door.
“Thank you for listening to me tonight,” Jaemin bashfully looks into his shoes.
“It’s nothing big, I’m happy if you’re feeling better now. So, good night Jaemin,” you wave your hand to him when your bus arrives. He waves his hand back at you and descends into his car.
After that night, you remember his words where he did not want to fall in love yet. That morning, you ensure your heart that the feeling must stop. You ask Jeno to switch with you and take over the cashier. You choose to work in the kitchen with your other co-worker, Renjun. You’re not going to fall more into Jaemin, no you need to stop before you hurt yourself.
You tell Renjun why you’re here now and the cheerful man just pats your back, “Aw, you’re burying a feeling. It’s okay you still have me and Renjun. We’re both still free and available for blind dates.” He winks and succeeds in cheering you up.
Weeks passed by, you work in nice union with Renjun baking cakes, and preparing bobas. Your life is bright again even without seeing Jaemin, until one day Jeno barges into the kitchen and smirks, “(y/n), he’s here and he wants to see you. I can’t hold it anymore; I’ve been telling him lies that you’re not here anymore but turns out he saw you and he wants to see you!” today.
“Who?” Renjun asks
You freeze in your place, is it really the same man you’re thinking of?
Jeno sees your reaction, “You want me to shoo him off?”
You shake your head, Jeno suddenly remembers something, “Ah yeah, he told me to tell you this. He’s ready to try it again. I don’t know what he means but he told me to deliver that message to you.” Your eyes widen and you turn your body to exit the kitchen door, leaving the two men puzzled.
You quickly run your eyes through the customers inside the small café, but he’s not there. Your eyes catch him leaving the door with a glass of Americano in his right hand and a small pack of cookies on his left.
You did not meet him yet, but you know when you will see him again.
That’s right, tomorrow.
The last rays of sun lights are slowly fading off, the sky is beautifully painted orange and purple. You tighten the apron over your waist and with the textbook smile you’re taking in orders and payments once again.
“Good afternoon, what can I help you with? Maybe a special menu today? Rainbow bubble tea made especially for you.” You wink at the man in front of your cashier counter.
He chuckles, “I’d take that as a yes, if you’re going to sit with me in that table at the corner.”
You blush and punch in his order, “That means you’re having Americano today, because I am not free until my shift ends at 9.”
He glances at his watch, “Three hours is nothing compared to a week. Please add a slice of rainbow cake too! I am waiting for my date until 9 tonight.” He offers you his deadly smile, and you cannot feel your legs.
Jeno and Renjun heard everything, when Jaemin goes away to his chair; the two men take their cue to mess with you.
“What do you want for a drink? Let me prepare it for you.” Jeno takes over the cup in my hand and makes the order.
“Of course, strawberry boba, right?” Renjun winks and walks to take a slice of rainbow cake and cheesecake.
“You love my cheesecakes, right? Now, go sit with him and we will take over your part.” Renjun unties your apron and pushes you to Jaemin’s table direction.
What? you’re surprised with the sudden situation.
“Go get your love, good luck!” the two men unite and push you into his direction. Jaemin turns his head and sees you walking to him. He smiles and gets up to pull out your chair.
“Guess this is it, I don’t have to wait for three hours by myself, and my date is here already.”
fin.
167 notes · View notes
busycryin · 3 years
Text
REPOST - THE NIGHT WE MET
THE NIGHT WE MET
PART ONE - THE NIGHT WE MET
Pairing: Javier Peña/ Female Murphy!Reader
Words: 5.3k
Summary: You decide to travel to Colombia on a whim, there you meet a gorgeous stranger that just so happens to be your brothers partner. 
Content Warnings: 18+ Smut-ish (I wouldn’t wanna read it out to my mom), dry humping, dirty talk in Spanish which reader doesn’t understand so does it really count?, gratuitous love of the black shirt from the torture scene.
Anon was worried about losing my work when I switched blogs, so fear not. I’m reposting on here but I have no intention of deleting my other blog, it’s where I got my first 200 notes and I’m honestly blown away by it. I’m happy to announce I’m working on a fourth part. I’m not sure when I’ll post it as I’m still in the idea stage but it’s definitely a start, ay!
AO3
MASTERLIST
Author Note: So here is my return to writing! The word count got away from me but I loved every second of it. Always after prompts, so drop me a message on here if you’d like to see anything in particular. If it’s in my wheelhouse, you’ll definitely see it.  
Pedro in the black shirt is what inspired me to write this, I can’t lie.
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If you were brutally honest with yourself, this spur of the moment decision may have been a mistake.
Other people could make these choices and not have that nagging feeling in their gut from the second they booked their fuckin’ airline ticket. You had attempted to grab your crappy life by its metaphorical horns and go and sort this shit show out by yourself, but after your momentary bravery was used up, all that was left was a crippling anxiety that threatened to send you into one of your full scale panic attacks if you thought too hard about the fact you were following your big brother to Colombia.
Yes, Colombia. You, a U.S. national with no particular interest in hunting Pablo Escobar, had decided to vacation in sunny, crime ridden Bogotá on a whim.
You were fuckin’ dumb.
Sarcasm aside, you weren’t actually here on vacation, you were going to check on Stevie. Your brother, one of the DEA agents assigned with taking down Escobar.
You’d been worried about him for a few months, it had sounded like he was dealing with heavy shit in South America, you knew that was the job, but he was still your brother.
His calls had gotten less and less frequent until he stopped returning them all together and the only reason you knew he was alive were your pep-talks with your sister-in-law, trying to help her keep her shit together, but hell, you weren’t a therapist or a miracle worker. So when Connie rang asking to stay at your place you had obliged and she had returned to Miami a mere shell of her former self.
After a mammoth amount of prodding over the course of two days you managed to wring the truth out of her, not the nuggets of information she had given you over the phone in hushed whispers during her time in Colombia but the whole messy story; the communist Elisa Alvarez, Steve’s kidnapping and the cold edges your brother was developing.
It was all you could do not to book the tickets there and then, but you held out and supported Connie in the ways Steve couldn’t have, taking care of Olivia when you could and just trying your hardest to be there for her. Your presence alone seemed to be enough to help her through the days that followed.  A week and a half after her return, you booked your flight to Colombia in secret.
You had to check on Steve.
He hadn’t answered a single one of your many many calls. You packed light and told Connie the morning of, and whilst she didn’t like it, she understood. You supposed that a part of her was relieved to know her husband would have someone in Colombia that wasn’t there to kill him.
So here you sat, two hours into your flight to the paradise destination; Bogotá. Your brother’s address scrawled on a scrap piece of paper in the one hand and a glass of cheap whiskey in the other.  The alcohol did little to to calm your nerves, this was a dangerous place for a cop, let alone a fuckin’ clueless civilian.
When the plane finally touched down, you stood from your seat emptying the last few drops of whiskey which had tried to evade you onto your tongue, you picked up your backpack and queued to leave the plane.
The second you left the aircraft the humidity hit you like a brick wall, it was like all of the fresh air had been sucked out of the atmosphere. On a normal evening you would appreciate such a warm climate, but now the heat meant frustration to your tired brain and it only added to your baseline levels of anxiety as your hairline and upper lip were drenched as you walked through the arrivals gate.
Cards on the table; you didn’t have much of a game plan, you spoke no Spanish and stuck out like a sore thumb. You had the address but no means to get there, you didn’t relish the idea of getting in a taxi as a woman alone in a foreign country, but with little to no other options you went to hail one of the cabs that sat outside the airport.
Your fears turned out to be for naught, well not quite naught as the man had raked his eyes across your body for a large percentage of the trip in his mirror, but he had the good grace not to kidnap or murder you, which for you meant it was a successful journey, how low you had set the bar was just occuring to you.
After paying the gentleman he dropped you outside what appeared to Steve’s apartment building. You take a moment on the pavement to recollect yourself ready for your reunion. Peeling your denim jacket off, you decide instead to wrap it around your waist, tying the sleeves securely. With a harumph, you grab the handle of your suitcase, and drag it behind you. Your success thus far gives you a second wind of determination.
Though apparently dumb luck can only get you so far, because after heaving your suitcase up a flight of stairs and rapping on the door of apartment 20 until your knuckles ached, it began to dawn on you, you had no clue if this was even the right building.
“Fuck.” you mutter to yourself, you should’ve rang Connie or tried Steve again when you landed, but you’d been so single minded in carrying out your plan all common sense had apparently abandoned you. So with a million different scenarios of things you could’ve done better playing out behind your eyes you dragged your suitcase to the small lobby of the building, where the front door stood.
You huffed and dropped onto the bottom step in surrender, not quite sure where to go from here.
Weeks of anxiety and worry finally took their toll on your body as reality set in, and as it did so you couldn’t help but laugh at the sheer stupidity of the situation you’d put yourself in. A light chuckle escaped your body as you held your face in your hands, you rubbed at your eyes as a way of refreshing yourself before sighing and leaning back.
You must have sat with your head in your hands for around three hours before anyone of note arrived, you had received strange looks from residents in their comings and goings as they stepped around you, your expectant looks turned to disappointment when you realised they weren’t Steve. In fairness, you, a gringa sitting on the stairs at 2am, most likely wasn’t a daily occurrence to these homeowners.
By the time he came through the door, your eyes were closed and your head was leant on the bannister, trying to get what little rest you could. Your eyes opened a crack to see a man and a woman enter the building and turn right, the man had his arm around her as he stared at you in confusion, the look was so quick you may have missed it if you blinked, but they were talking in low whispers of Spanish and from the looks of things he didn’t give you a second thought.
So you extended him the same courtesy and shut your eyes once again, you heard the metal jangling of keys going into the lock, the sound of smacking lips and then the door was closed. You figured that was the end of it, instead you heard hurried footsteps coming towards you, your eyes shot open as he rounded the corner.
“Estás bien?” The man questioned. It took you a moment to realise he was talking to you, as you took him in you were struck by your stupidity, how could you have dismissed this man so quickly even in the throes of a mental breakdown. His chocolate brown eyes bore into your own as you realised he was waiting for a response.
“Uh… no hablo… español?” you pretty much asked him, cringing internally at your butchering of the most basic sentence of this gorgeous strangers language, his lips quirked at your mumbles making his mustache raise on one side with his smirk. Now, you’d never been a fan of a mustache, Steve and your father had both taken to styling their facial hair in such a way, and as a rule of thumb they were a big no-no. But my god. This man made that mustache his bitch and that bitch worked for him.
“You’re American?” He questions, smirk dropping along with his eyebrows in confusion as his brain processes the information.
“Oh thank god and Jesus fuckin’ christ above. You’re American!” Your timid nature had given way to pure unadulterated relief. “Stevie, Steve Murphy, he lives in this building, yeah?”
“Yeah… Stevi…Steve lives here- I’m sorry, who the hell are you?” He asks with a puzzled look and a shake of his head, there’s an air of distrust about him for some strange reason.
“I’m Y/N Murphy, I’m his sister.”
“Sister? Mierda… does he know you’re here?”
“Nope,” You pop your P as you shrug at the man before you with false nonchalance. “He’d have to answer the phone to me or Connie to know that now, wouldn’t he?”
“Steve.” The stranger sighed, annoyed.
“Sorry, who are you?” You asked, yourself becoming more bemused by the man by the second.
“I’m Steve’s partner, Javier.” He held out his hand which you were more than happy to take in a shake, his tan hand was soft yet strong as it held your own captive within it. “C’mon in I’ll give him a call, God knows what time he’s planning on getting back.”
“Uh, I don’t want to interrupt…” You mumble, waving your free hand vaguely towards where you knew the woman was waiting for him, making him smirk once again.
You were beginning to think that the sarcastic raise of his mouth was just his default resting face.
“You’re not interrupting anything.”
Now I know what you’re thinking, ‘cause I’d think it to. This is how people die in America, let alone fuckin’ Colombia, but if it’s a choice between dying at the hands of a gorgeous man who seems to know your brother or a stray that wonders in through the non-descript lobby door then you’d rather go out with a nice view, even if he did have a girlfriend.
If you had to gamble, you’d say you had a damn good chance of making it out of this apartment alive.
So you nodded and used the hand he hadn’t released yet to pull yourself up into a standing position. He wasn’t particularly tall but he still towered over you, your eyeline gave you a great view past his black shirt which was unbuttoned quite liberally, you assumed that was courtesy of the woman he’d entered with.
“Thank you,” you nodded at him with a genuine smile of relief. He didn’t reply, only grabbed the handle of your pull along suitcase before extending his arm towards his apartment and motioning to wordlessly say, after you.
Now you know how people say when you can feel a stare? You had the sensation before, but as you leaned over to pick up your backpack from the bottom step, you felt his eyes laser focus on your denim clad ass. You turned your head in disbelief and found his eyes still lingered there for a moment before meeting your own. Unbelievable. Part of you was flattered, the other part was bemused that he had a beautiful woman in there waiting and here he was ogling you.
You rolled your eyes, instilled with a new confidence as you turned and walked towards his apartment, you felt his eyes follow your form once more.
Steve’s hot partner was an ass man… Good to know.
As it turns out Javier’s girlfriend, or what you we’re starting to think was more of a one night stand, was not happy with the situation at all, you came to this discovery as Javier pointed you to the sofa before beginning arguing with her in hushed Spanish, the beautiful woman huffed and sent a dirty look your way before storming out and slamming the door behind her, with enough power to make it shake in its bearings. You raised your eyebrows at Javier from your seat. He shook his head with a sigh and began lighting up a cigarette, he turned and offered you one.
“No thanks, I quit.”
“Woman with an iron will?”
“Not quite,” You whisper, shaking your head.
He smiles before clearing his throat and moving over to pick up his landline. Javier presses a combination of buttons, before putting it to his ear and blowing the smoke from his lungs. His eyes met yours as the phone rang, he gave you reassuring wink.
“Murphy? … Yeah…  you need to get back to your place now… You’ve got a guest…. No … come find out why don’t you?” Sarcasm dripped from his lazy tone, his voice was so smooth. It was like chocolate on gravel, you could listen to him talk for hours, which led your mind down that deep dark hole of what he sounded like during more carnal acts, he’d be a talker, for definite, what with all that confidence and swagger. “‘Kay… I’ll see you soon.”
Shaking your head you centred yourself, it had been a dry patch for you. You needed to calm down and not throw yourself at your brother’s partner, even if he just so happened to be the first man you had any interest in to show you attention in months.
“He’s on his way,” He confirmed what you already knew but you liked hearing him speak so you nodded in thanks. An awkward silence filled the air for a few moments, as you two perfect strangers shared one another’s company.
“Drink?” He offered pointing at the bottle of whiskey on the counter.
“God, yes.” You all but moaned at the offer. Javier chuckled, and grabbed a second glass from his cupboard, before pouring you both a generous serving.  He walked around the back of the sofa, and passed you the glass of liquid gold and took a seat next to you. Close enough to initiate something, but not touching, quite a respectful distance.
Initiate something? God Y/N, get your mind out of the gutter. This poor man had only invited you in because you were his partner’s sister and he was doing the decent thing.
“Uh… The television work?” You ask, pointing at the empty screen.
“I didn’t realise you could speak Spanish…” His voice was dripping with sarcasm, mocking your earlier attempts at the language, though he reached across and switched the box on with the remote, he began flicking through the channels so quickly he almost gave you a headache.
“Oh yes, I’m very proficient, I just didn’t want to intimidate you earlier. Hola Señor Javier.”  You say continuing his ruse. He chuckles at your words, it’s a deep warm noise that shakes his entire frame. You were definitely thinking about adding Javier’s voice to your top ten list of favourite sounds.
He flicks through the channels, for a few seconds before sighing and dropping the remote in your lap. Taking your assignment seriously, you sit up, bringing yourself a few inches closer to the man next to you, purely accidentally of course and begin flicking through the channels as Javier had done moments before, though 3am TV scheduling left a lot to be desired.
News, News, Colombian QVC, News, News, Soap opera. Bingo!
“Ah, now we’re talking.” You mumble, eyes stuck on the screen of the Colombian Soap opera playing. The two of you sat in silence once again as you slowly sipped on your drinks watching drama play out.
You watched in silence for around ten minutes, not understanding a single word of what was being said. The scene was on two latino actors sitting in a bedroom. The woman was sat on the bed being confronted by the man in a serious tone.
“What is she saying?” You question narrowing your eyes at the beautiful woman’s tone. Javier, who had been watching your reactions the whole time as you got into the awful tv show scrambled as he tried to listen and translate the woman’s words.
“Uh… her dads an alcoholic and she’s trying to support her son… that guy didn’t know about the son… I think… she was happy living a double life without the worry and she wants him to forgive her and start over…”  Javier translated, giving you the general cliff notes.
“Oh shit,” You gasped at his words, but your attention diverted to the screen where the two had continued their heated argument and began kissing or rather where the man was devouring her neck, “I’m getting vibes that he might be open to forgiving her.”
You chuckled at your own joke, as did Javier. Though this time when his body shook his bare elbow touched your own.
How was he so goddamn warm?
All he was wearing was a black button down shirt. One that looked to be the wrong size it was so tightly fitted- not that you were complaining about the view. My God, were you horny today.
You took a gulp of your drink, trying to refocus for the third or fourth time this evening, trying so desperately to reign in your inner school girl and focus on the television, though that didn’t help as the actors were now eating one anothers faces on a bed. The silence was thick with tension, though that could’ve been entirely on you; one innocent touch of a man’s elbow and you’re a blushing mess.  
Get a grip Y/N.
The silence dragged on as you pretended to watch the soap opera you had absolutely no understanding of in a futile attempt to ignore the man next to you. You can only imagine what he thought of your levels of focus on the tv, as you stared at the box in the corner of the room like it was the greatest cinematic masterpiece of all time and you were getting ready to write a full-scale analysis on the work of art.
Javier broke the tension in the room by finally asking the question that had been on his lips all evening.
“You came all the way to Colombia… Why?” Javier grabbed a cigarette off of the coffee table, placing his drink where the carton of smokes had been. He lit the stick and waited for your response, honestly, you were thrown. The question had come out of nowhere whilst you were still trying to analyse why exactly this man had such an effect on you when he was doing nothing but being a good host.  You hastened to think up a half coherent reply before you just answered truthfully.
“Steve stopped answering the phone, I mean he’s always been shitty at checking in, even when he was in Miami. When he got here we’d have a catch up every week or so, we all know how dangerous it is for you guys over here, so we joked about calling it ‘the alive check’. For the last couple of months, I was checking in with Connie more than Steve but he’d still pick up once every week, without fail. Then four weeks ago the fucker stopped answering my calls all together and Connie showed up on my doorstep with Olivia in tow last week.”
“Look, you coming down here probably makes more problems than it solves, Steve’s a big boy if he doesn’t call to check in, it’s probably ‘cause he’s busy…  He’s-” Something about Javier’s dismissive tone rubbed you the wrong way, call it sleep deprivation or blame the weeks of stress, but you were tired of being called paranoid. You were not an overbearing mother hen.
“My brother always answers my calls. Or at least he used to. I can’t begin to understand what you guys are going through, but I’m not losing my brother to some piece of shit Colombian drug dealer.”
Javier raised his hands in mock surrender, cigarette still in mouth. “He’s actually more of a drug lord slash narcoterrorist, but-”
“How is he?” You interrupt Javier’s attempt at diffusing the situation with humor, turning to him on the sofa. You rearranged yourself, bringing your leg up so your knee touched his thigh as you gave him your full attention,  you plucked the smoke from between his lips and held it between your two fingers as you spoke. “Tell me Steve’s fine. Tell me I’m worrying for nothing and I’ll get back on that plane and leave tomorrow morning.“
You take one drag and offer it back to him, he accepts it, deliberately looking you in the eyes as he places the cigarette in his mouth, attaching his lips to where your own had been seconds earlier.  He takes it from his mouth and stubs it on an ash tray that rests on the arm of the sofa, his focus is single minded on his task. The pressure in your lower stomach is mounting as you stare at the tanned man before you who is carrying out a menial task that has you more turned on than you’d ever admit.
When the red tip is extinguished thoroughly, taking much longer than you thought it needed to, Javi turns to you, his mahogany eyes have you pinned in your tracks. You found yourself admitting they were gorgeous for the second time this evening, they were the type of brown you could never quite describe, they had so much depth, not quite a chocolate, not quite coffee, they were rich and deep pools. They reminded you of the forest, not the green leaves but the earthy brown, the strong beams of wood that held everything up around it.
Javier’s hand emigrated forward slowly, your eyes followed the movement in your peripheral but you didn’t dare look away from the pools of molasses as he reached to grip one hand at your denim thigh, his eyes roamed your face for any sign of this being an unwelcome approach and when he found none his other hand began its climb to rest on your jaw, just below your ear.
You couldn’t say if you moved towards him or if he advanced on you, all you knew was he was on you now as the tips of your noses rubbed against one another.
“Quiero saborearte…” He whispered so lowly you barely even heard it before he leaned in that last inch and captured your lips in a single, chaste kiss. Your lips connected and you realised the heat you had felt from his arms had been nothing. Fire coursed through your veins upon contact, surging through your blood and going south to a pressure that built in your lower stomach.
Your hand shot up to land on his collarbone, before you could even really consider your own actions you pulled apart until your foreheads were the only thing touching.  He was intoxicating, you could lose yourself completely in this man, he somehow smelt like cinnamon, whiskey and sweat, a combination you’d never thought would send liquid fire through your central nervous system.  You’d give anything to taste him properly, but this was wrong. So so wrong. This was your brother’s partner, this was inviting complication to your door, when you were just here to check on Steve. You were here for Steve.
You were here for Steve…
“… This isn’t a good idea.” You all but whisper, closing your eyes. Regret pulses through your veins at your self imposed restraint.
“Never is.” He leaned forward and captured your lips. You didn’t have any fight left in you, exhausted and at wits end you embraced your spiral into stupidity instead and your hands glided across the clammy skin of his neck to grab at his short ink black hair. You wrapped your fingers around it to drag him closer to you, your lips clashed, all teeth at first but you didn’t care as his tongue began to fight against yours for dominance.
He tasted as good as you imagined, he was the right combination of sweet and bitter, with undertones of whiskey and tobacco on his tongue. Your response to his assault on your mouth told him it was go time, Javier pulled you into his lap and his hands lowered to your ass. Your body was flush with his own as your breasts pressed against his chest, you could feel every solid line of his lithe body against your own.
You licked at his honied tongue, before withdrawing and pulling his bottom lip into your mouth and sucking on the soft plush skin. His mustache tickled your upper lip, a sensation you weren’t used to but could so easily grow to love.  This made him tighten his grip on your backside in response and he let out a throaty groan at the meat he found there, Javier was definitely an ass man, you felt his bulge pressing against your core as you both began grinding against each other in earnest. You felt like a horny teenager as you grinded on a man you barely knew.
You felt him grip at the bottom of your tank top and begin to lift it, except he stopped, and began to rub patterns on the stomach he exposed. Javier’s mouth descended from your lips to begin to suck and lick at your throat. Your eyes rolled into the back of your head at his work as pleasure rippled throat your body. His hands slid the length of your body to grab at your chest, which conforming to every stereotype was heaving, he palmed your breast blindly as his face was still buried in your hair, sucking and kissing along to your ear, before he raised his mouth a mere inch and whispered  “Te follaré toda la noche niña.”
He said it with such surety that your body convulsed in on itself without even needing to know what the man above you was saying. You could only hope it was absolutely filthy and profanity ridden, because then at least, the sentiment would be shared. He bit at the lobe of your ear before his hands left your breasts and travelled to the hem of your tank top, getting ready to pull it over your head.
It was strange to say that you remembered your brother was on his way here as a man tried to take your t-shirt off, but that’s just the way it went. You knew if that top came off, dry humping would be the most PG action of the night and if Steve turned up and found you mounted on his partner, he probably wouldn’t be too thrilled.
You couldn’t stop yourself from stroking the man’s hair whose face was planted in between your tits as his hips rose against your own pushing his hardened length up against the seams of your jeans, you gasped as he hit that sweet spot. You let out a noise that sounded like a wail. You wanted nothing more than to lie back and let this man have his filthy way with your body. And you know, from the hour you’ve spent with this man it would be phenomenally filthy. The kind of sex that would ruin all men for you, but no. You had to be a good sister. Like a fuckin loser.
Sighing, you threw your body sideways before you could change your mind and ended up on your back. Javier followed you, caging you with his frame as he covered your body with his own.  Gripping your face like he was a starving man and you were the only sustenance he’d ever need. It would be so easy to get lost in him, to give in to that magic tongue but you couldn’t let this go any further so you placed a hand on his chest.
Taking your cue he paused his tongues assault on your mouth and stopped, resting his forehead against your own. You were both breathing heavily trying to come back down to reality, his eyes were no longer the chocolate brown you’d been comforted by when you met, but rings of obsidian staring into your soul. You wanted this man, my god you did. But this would make more problems for Steve.
The two of you stayed that way for a while, foreheads and bodies pressed against one another until both of your breathing evened out. The silence dragged, heavy in the air as you two strangers both waited for the other to break it.
“…Is Steve okay?”
“…No… He’s been fuckin’ mess ever since Connie left.” Javier sighed whilst closing his eyes and breathing deep. You raised your hands from his chest, which was difficult as he was crushing his body to yours and cupped his cheek, you joined your lips once more, much like the first kiss. This was sweet and there wasn’t a carnal appetite behind it but rather an understanding.
The loud knock on the front door startles you both as you’d been so wrapped up in one another you’d not heard the steps leading to it. The two of you split apart like a pair of guilty teens caught in the act. You both stared at each other for a second before he nods at you and walks to the front door whilst rearranging his bulge discreetly in his jeans, this was something you pretended not to see as you sat back up right on the sofa. You had only a moment to fix yourself, as you pulled your tank top from where it was hooked by your breasts and ran your fingers through your hair so you didn’t look like you’ve just had the ravaging of a lifetime.
Javier pulled open the door and you clutch your hands into your lap, not quite sure what kind of reception you were about to receive from your brother. You hear the two men greet one another in hushed whispers, you couldn’t make out Steve’s voice much until you hear his voice clear as day “…what the hell was so important it couldn’t wait until tomorrow?”
You stand from your spot on the sofa and quickly realise the button on your jeans is undone; if you’re honest you don’t even know how he managed to do that without you noticing, even though it’s not the time you take a solitary second to commend Javier on his artistry of disrobing a woman. Turning quickly you pull the rivet back through the hole and swing around as Steve crosses the threshold from the hallway.  
Steve looks from you, to Javier and then back to you once more in complete surprise. It takes his brain a hot second to process that you’re here in front of him and in Colombia before he rushes you. Clutching you tight and hugging you to his chest. You hear something that sounds suspiciously like a sob leave your brothers chest before he collapses into you. The front door and Javier’s bedroom both in rapid succession, giving you the privacy you knew your brother would need after breaking down like this.
You couldn’t support Steve’s weight with your considerably smaller frame and the two of you fell to the ground as you held your broken brother. His body shook with silent sobs as he buried his face in your shoulder.
You said nothing as you held him and stroked his hair. In that moment you thanked your every instinct that screamed at you to come to Colombia.
This had definitely not been a mistake.
84 notes · View notes
streetlight11 · 3 years
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Less of you
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Summary: He lost the love of his life 4 years ago in a car accident. If he had stopped her from going to that party with her friend, maybe she would still be with him till this day. He tried hooking up with other girls but none of them could fill his void. All until he met you. A girl who worked at a café to pay for your school and house bills. You were completely the opposite of his late girlfriend but you look exactly like her. Who are you and would he have the courage to get to know you?
Theme: doppelganger au, strangers to lovers 
Genre: fluff
Warning: death, accident (please don't drink and drive people!)
WC: 3.9k
Pairing: Bang Chan x Reader
a/n: I write when I’m bored so I may not be good. I hope you like it. I didn’t intend to copy anyone if this storyline has been written before! Also, the words in italics are a flashback! :)
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“Hey babe, is it okay if I go to the party with Jiyeon?”
“I don’t know babe, I have a bad feeling about this.” Chan said.
“What? Why?”
“I… I’m not sure. I think you should stay home.”
“But babe, it’s Seori’s birthday party. I’m sure she would want me there.” She tried convincing him.
“Lucy-”
“I’ll just be there for a while, I promise I’ll text you when I’m heading home okay?” She smiled, cupping his cheek softly before disappearing down the hall to go to their shared bedroom.
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Hours later, Chan was growing tensed and anxious. There was an unexplainable feeling of discomfort settling in the pit of his stomach which he doesn’t know why. He had already texted his close friends about this. All of them said the same thing. And that was to go fetch Lucy from the party. However, before he could leave the comforts of his shared apartment with his girlfriend, his cell phone began to ring obnoxiously on the kitchen island top.
It was from an unknown number but he decided to pick up the call anyway in hopes that he would hear Lucy’s voice. But what he heard next, wasn’t exactly something he thought he would hear. 
“Hello? Is this Mr Bang Chan?” The female voice spoke up on the other line.
“Uhh, yes? Who is this?”
“This is Lee Haneul speaking. I’m calling from Seoul's National Police Station. Can I confirm with you if you are related to Miss Lucy Hale?”
“I’m her boyfriend.”
“I’m really sorry to inform you that your girlfriend was met in a fatal car crash. We are still investigating the accident to find out what’s the cause. But in the meantime, we will need you to come down to the hospital and identify if the victim is indeed Miss Lucy. Will that be okay?”
“Yes. Yes, absolutely.” Chan said, letting the woman give out the address of the hospital he needed to go before hanging up the call.
Right after he clicked the red button, he instantly collapsed to the ground unable to feel his legs. Chan could feel the tears streaming down his face as he hugged his frame tightly. He couldn’t believe he just received that call. He wanted it to be a prank so badly. He didn’t want all of that to be true. 
Nevertheless, he went to the said hospital in search of the love of his life.
The nurse brought him to a female officer who was standing outside a closed hallway with a doctor, where Chan clarified himself to them. The three individuals soon entered the closed doors, letting the doctor lead them straight down to the basement where the mortuary was located.
Once inside, the doctor walked up to one of the silver units. After reading the name on the side of the unit, he opened the unit door only to pull out the metal stretcher that had a covered body in it. Chan had to close his eyes for a second, too afraid to look forward.
He carefully made his way to the doctor. The man proceeds to unzip the top part of the bag. The moment he pulled the bag apart, Chan immediately covered his mouth with one hand desperately as he gripped onto the metal stretcher. He broke down in a matter of seconds, enough proof to the officer that it was indeed who the victim was said to be. She carefully placed a hand on top of Chan’s shoulder while the doctor pressed his lips in a straight line.
“I’m so sorry Lucy… I’m so sorry I didn’t try harder to stop you from going… I’m so sorry…” Chan whispered as he stared at the pale, blood covered female body that he used to call his girlfriend.
With that being said, the doctor proceeded to zip the bag while the officer and Chan left the mortuary. She let out a silent sigh, knowing exactly how he felt at the moment.
“Thank you for being strong and seeing her for the last time. I hope you’ll feel better soon. She’s in a better place now.” She gave him words of comfort. Even though his mind wasn’t really there with him at the moment, he appreciated the officer’s kind words.
He went home that night feeling nothing but utter loss and grief. It took him at least 4 hours to accept the fact that she’s gone and that there was no way of seeing her again.
He broke the news to his close friends, all of which shock and sympathy was mixed together.
They went to her funeral but Chan felt empty.
He thought his life was going to be dull and miserable now that he lost her. He wasn’t sure if he could continue to live but his friends made it a point to let him go on his days without feeling at a loss. They were truly the friends anyone could ask for.
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4 years went by where Chan still tends to miss her presence. But instead of grieving about it, he finally accepts the fact that she was no longer on this earth. Despite meeting new people, new potential partners in his life, none of them could seem to fill the void that has been eating him alive for the past few years.
There were some who he had genuine interest in. But somehow, that relationship never worked out and he wasn’t one to dwell on things for too long. For he just simply moves on with his life and goes about his daily routine.
It was a bright Saturday morning, Chan had already promised Changbin and Jisung to have a morning workout session together.
“So… Hyung, are you contacting anyone?” Jisung asked as he turned to Chan who was currently lifting weights.
“No. I haven’t contacted anyone in months…” Chan sighed. Dropping the barbell onto the ground.
“Why not?” Changbin asked out of curiosity.
“I don’t know. I just don’t feel like anyone’s of my interest.” Chan shrugged his shoulders. The two boys looked at each other only to exchange a knowing look which Chan couldn’t bother to even notice. After they were done with the workout session, the boys left the gym to make their way to a nearby café that they had been going to every time they ended their workout.
They had just entered the café, strong coffee bean aroma filling their nostrils as they walked up to the counter. Only for Chan to halt in his steps when he saw just who was standing behind the counter, taking orders. Both Changbin and Jisung also came to a stop when they saw who Chan was staring at.
“No way…” Chan whispered under his breath. Jisung desperately clinged onto Chan’s arms only to ask in a confused tone.
“Umm… Hyung, is that…?”
“No… It can’t be.” Chan said as they carefully made their way closer to the cashier. The three of them queued up behind the rest of the customers but their eyes couldn’t seem to leave her.
After the customer in front of them walked away, the person standing behind the counter finally locked eyes with all three of them before flashing them a warm smile.
“Good morning! What can I get for you today?” She said. Chan was too dumbfounded that he couldn’t even speak so Changbin did it first.
“Hi, can I get one Iced Americano.” She keyed in his order before turning back to the remaining two.
“Anything else?” She asked with a smile.
“Umm, can I get one Iced Tropical Passion Tea?” She nodded as she entered his order into the machine. Just then, the minute she looked up, Chan had the most prominent frown on his face and she wondered why.
“Is there anything I can get for you?” However, when she received no particular reply from him, she decided to joke around.
“You know, if your order is written on my face, I would so gladly take them down for you.” With that, Chan finally snapped out of his trance. He shook his head, letting his brown locks shift from side to side.
“Uhh… right. S-Sorry. I’ll just have a regular Iced Strawberry Lemonade Green Tea.” She smiled and proceeded to key in his order, only for Changbin to hold his card out. After he was done paying, she asked him for his name or initial. Telling him that she will call out to him once the drinks are made.
The guys went over to a table right next to the window but Chan’s eyes were glued on her. Watching as she made their drinks while she joked around with her co-worker.
“She might look like her but she’s definitely not like her.” 
Changbin commented softly before Jisung hummed in agreement. But Chan still couldn’t seem to let this new information digest into his brain. This girl looked exactly like Lucy except maybe her style and her hair colour but her face was like a copy paste of Lucy.
Lucy was slightly girly and definitely more fashionable in terms of the things she wore. She always loved branded items. She wore mostly dresses or skirts everyday, with designer clothes. She normally wore heels and tends to look richer than she really was. However, Lucy can be very arrogant towards people she doesn’t like or doesn’t know. She would never openly smile to just anyone, nor would she talk to anyone aside from Chan and her close friends. 
Unlike Lucy, this girl was nothing like Lucy and Chan could see the vast difference.
Lucy would never work at a café shop because to her, these kinds of jobs are for people who are not able to support themselves financially. This girl not only works as a barista at a café, her sense of fashion is definitely more laid back compared to Lucy.
She wore a plain white shirt with denim skinny jeans and a pair of Nikes with her café apron on. She had her hair in a low messy bun to keep her hair from falling into customer’s drinks while making them. Character wise, she was a lot more friendlier than Lucy. She had quite a bubbly side to her when she greeted new customers at the cashier.
Chan was just too absorbed in his thoughts that he didn’t even hear her calling out to Changbin. The latter went back to the collection point, not forgetting to get a glimpse of her name on her nametag.
“Thanks… (Y/N).” Changbin smiled, making her return the favour with a small nod.
Chan knew he shouldn’t do it but he wanted to. He wanted to get to know her a little better. Which is why he decided to come visit her again the following week. She was currently leaning against the counter top, facing the café entrance while her co-worker and close friend, Moonbin was fooling around with her since the café was sort of empty with only 6 tables max being occupied.
She had just punched his abdomen softly when he threw a balled tissue onto the top of her head.
Just then, the sound of doorbell chiming caught their attention. She turned towards the door, only to see Chan enter the café. She immediately smiled after remembering his face from last weekend.
Moonbin went to go hide behind the coffee machine, pretending to be busy.
“Hi, welcome to Daisies Café. What can I get for you today?” She greeted Chan with a smile, making him mimic her expression.
“Umm, hey. I think I’ll just have an Iced Berry Mint Tea.” She keyed in his order before asking him if there was anything else he wanted. When he said no, she nodded and proceeded to charge him for it. After she was done, she took the cup and asked him for his name or initial.
“Chan.” She let his name roll off her tongue quietly before smiling at him. She went over to Moonbin only to see the boy grinning like an idiot.
“Why are you smiling at me like that?” She asked her same aged colleague.
“Nothing… He’s kinda your type, no?”
To that, she glanced over to Chan who was seated near the window. He had his laptop on the table with a headphone on his head. A smile graced onto her lips, ignoring Moonbin’s comment and instead, focusing on making Chan’s drink. She knew if she called his name, he wouldn’t be able to hear so she opted to bring his drink over to him instead.
She brought him his drink only for Chan to smile at her, his cute dimples coming to view.
“Oh! Sorry!” 
He apologized before taking the glass from her, feeling her fingers brushing lightly over hers. She got visibly flustered as she pulled her hands back a little too quickly. Chan simply let out a soft chuckle when she excused herself to continue working when he gently gripped her wrist to stop her.
“Hey, umm, are you free later?” He asked.
“I… yeah. Why?”
“Do you… maybe wanna grab dinner with me?” She got quiet for a moment, making him feel bad.
“Uhh, you don’t have to agree! It’s okay.” He reassured her. But there was just something about him that made her smile, a warm feeling blossoming in the pit of her stomach.
“I finish at 5.” She said with a small smile on her face.
“Oh… uhh, great. I’ll come pick you up then.”
“Okay.” She giggled before leaving his table.
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7 months was definitely longer than what he had in mind about being friends with her. All the girls that he has dated or contacted ever since Lucy passed wouldn’t last for more than a month. During the last few months, Chan got to know about her background a little better.
Although he does know that (Y/N) can never be Lucy, he slowly started to like (Y/N) for who she is and not just because she looked like Lucy.
In fact, he wouldn’t admit it to anyone, but he actually likes (Y/N)’s personality slightly better.
It was a sunny Saturday evening and she was having a day off. She was just mopping her living room when her phone began to ring. She placed her mop on the bucket only to go to the desk right beside the hallway where her phone was sitting.
It was Chan’s caller ID.
“Hello?” She said.
“Hey! What are you doing?”
“Oh, I was just cleaning my apartment.”
“Do you need an extra hand?” She could hear him chuckle on the other side of the line.
“If you don’t mind getting down and dirty.” She laughed.
“Sure. Then afterwards, I was wondering if you’d wanna meet my friends and hang out with them?” Chan asked softly, making her pause.
For the past few months, (Y/N) had gotten closer to Chan when he kept coming back to the café only to become a regular customer there. However, she has never met Chan’s friends properly simply because she was shy and slightly nervous around a huge crowd.
Chan seemed to read her concerns through the silence. Hence, the reason why he was telling her that she didn’t have to agree to it if she didn’t want to. But she didn’t want to keep rejecting his kind offer of meeting his close friends. She wouldn’t want him to feel bad for asking her so she decided to go with it. About an hour later, Chan came to her place as promised before, only to help her with her spring cleaning.
They joked around with each other a few times, earning soft laughs from them both.
They were just moving their legs back and forth on the ground, dancing along to the music she played in the background when she accidentally slipped. She lost her balance and almost fell backwards but he caught her in time.
Chan wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her back up against him. A soft gasp left her lips as he asked her if she was okay. But all she did was laugh out loud from her clumsiness. 
He smiled down at her, letting her press her forehead against his shoulder.
After her laughter had died down, she pulled away from him when she felt his arms still securely wrapped around her body. She glanced up, tilting her head to meet his. What she wasn’t ready for was the close proximity of their faces. She could feel his warm breath hit her lips. 
Chan’s eyes naturally fell down to her lips, letting it linger there for a second too long. Before anyone could do anything, Chan’s phone rang in his back pocket. He pulled away not forgetting to apologize to her. 
“Hey. Yeah. I’m at (Y/N)’s house. Yeah. Yeah sure, I’ll be there. Bye Minie.”
Chan hung up the call only for (Y/N) to ask who it was. He said it was Seungmin asking if he was coming to Hyunjin’s apartment later to hangout. She gave him a small smile. About 2 hours later, they were both making their way to Hyunjin’s apartment in Chan’s jeep. She changed into a slightly more casual outfit which was just a fitted shirt, a large flannel, denim skinny jeans and a pair of her favourite sneakers.
When they arrived at Hyunjin’s apartment, Chan walked with her beside him the whole time. They were talking about school projects when he stopped in front of the wooden door.
He gave it a few knocks only to turn to her with a slight frown.
“Are you sure you’re okay with this?” He asked again to make sure she was really okay. But when he received a nod and a smile, Chan’s shoulders relaxed for a bit before the door swung open to reveal a tall blonde boy whom she had never met before.
“Hey hyung!” Hyunjin’s eyes then met hers. She noticed the way his mouth hung open slightly as he took in her features.
“Woah.” He whispered under his breath before he quickly shook his head and welcomed them in. She saw the amount of shoes by the doorstep, making her feel slightly anxious and Chan seemed to notice this. Hyunjin had already re-joined his other friends in the living room when she felt Chan’s hand on her back.
“Hey, you okay?” He asked.
“H-Huh? Oh… Yeah, I’m okay. Sorry… I just… I tend to get anxious when there’s too many guys around me. I’m not used to it.” She said in a hushed whisper.
“We can go home if you want?”
“No! No, please. I’d love to meet your friends, I just need… a little time to get used to this.”
With that, Chan smiled as he cupped her face with one hand only to whisper a soft ‘okay’ before leading her into the living room. That’s when she finally met his friends in person properly. All 7 pairs of eyes were now staring at her with bright expressions but she seemed to feel small under their gazes.
Chan giggled when he felt her gently grip his forearm with both hands, making him speak up to his friends.
“Guys. This is (Y/N). (Y/N), these are my friends.” Chan introduced, only for her to smile to them shyly, partially hiding behind Chan’s larger frame. Some of them couldn’t help but chuckle. They found her quite adorable to say the least.
It took her about an hour or two to warm up to them but eventually, she did. This only made Chan even more proud of her. They were all gathered in Hyunjin’s living room, currently watching a Marvel movie. She was seated on the couch in between Chan and Jeongin, with Changbin right beside her feet on the floor.
They were watching the movie, Jisung and Felix occasionally making comments during the show. Minho was starting to drift off to Lalaland at the side. Hyunjin, Jeongin and Changbin were playing a game on their phones and Seungmin was busy reading an online book.
(Y/N) and Chan were watching the movie in silence but he did notice her getting closer to his side every time she shifts or adjusts herself on the couch. Not that he was complaining.
Just then, Jeongin suddenly flinched harshly beside her.
This was enough to make her jump. However, this caused her to accidentally lean against Chan who had his arm around her waist.
She blushed at this sudden contact. Jeongin apologized to her for scaring her but she simply laughed it off and told him it was fine. But the minute she turned back to Chan, she could feel her breath hitch in her throat with how close his face was to her.
Unfortunately, he was close enough to hear it but he didn’t mock her for it. In fact, he actually giggled thinking it was cute. 
“You okay, love?” His soft voice sultry to her ears.
She hummed in response, only to look forward to the tv screen. Chan chuckled beside her but she ignored it, knowing he probably saw the pink tint on her cheeks. A few hours later, they finally called it a night where Chan sent her back home.
Once they were outside her apartment door, she turned to him to speak up.
“Thanks Chan, for bringing me to meet your friends. They’re really genuine people.”
“No worries. I knew you’d love them.” He chuckled. Suddenly, the air became hot as she struggled to find the right words.
“Chan…”
“Yeah?”
The room fell silent for a moment as they both just stared at each other. Trying to decipher what the other would do next. But she was one step faster than him when the next thing she did was literally what he planned on doing. In one swift movement, she leaned forward to press a chaste kiss to his soft full lips. Chan stood there completely bewildered, unable to take in the fact that that really just happened.
She wasn’t sure how long he would stay like that so she took this chance to hide from him. Wanting to avoid any awkward situations if he doesn’t feel the same way for her. Right when she was about to say goodbye to him and enter her apartment, Chan quickly caught her wrist. She turned around to him with a slightly baffled look. But Chan was cheeky. He used his other hand to pull her closer by her waist only to press his lips on hers again. 
This time, letting his lips stay there slightly longer than before.
She melted into the kiss as soon as he kissed her, making him smile against her lips. She slid her hand up his chest, tangling her fingers in his soft brown locks.
Chan guides her gently back until she is pressed against the door, hugging her waist securely in his arms. She pulled away for air, feeling him press his forehead against hers softly. A few seconds later, Chan whispered softly just loud enough for her to hear.
“I’m really happy to have met you.”
She could feel the butterflies erupting in her stomach at his words. She smiled as he continued.
“I thought my life was over after losing who I thought would be with me forever. But I was wrong. And I realised it when I first saw you at the café that day. Thank you for being there (Y/N). I honestly don't know how my life would have turned out if I didn’t meet you that day.” 
With that being said, she smiled. Cupping his face with both hands gently only to speak up.
“I’m glad I could be the source of happiness for you, Chan.”
Chan kissed her again sweetly before pulling back to say the 3 words he had been wanting to say to her. Only for her to return the favour.
“I love you, (Y/N).”
“I love you too Chan.”
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