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klausinamarink · 4 months

Text

You’re Never Too Much

rating: T | cw: negative self talk | wc: 1.5k | tags: angst with happy ending, hurt Steve, arguing and making up, established relationship, post-canon | prompt: Love is giving them space when they need it

written for @steddielovemonth

Steve knows he can be unbearable with his partners sometimes.

He can’t help it. He doesn’t have a switch that shuts down the sparkling fountain of love like his parents apparently possess. It just naturally flows his veins without pause and surges anew every day.

His first girlfriend Heidi had broken up with him three days into the relationship, saying that Steve was too much for her. He had been more confused than devastated back then because since when did hugging your girlfriend from behind with a kiss to the cheek become ‘too much’? It only confused Steve more when he saw Heidi’s new boyfriend doing the exact same thing with her and they’d been together for three months by then.

Steve had ignored the tiny pang in his chest, shrugged off Carol’s comments, and moved on. Maybe he and Heidi weren’t meant to be anyways.

But it kept happening with the other girls. Leaving romantic poems in the locker instead of make-out invites? Too much. A bundle of flowers after class? Too much. Wanting to cuddle after sex? Too much. Stay the morning after? Too much.

Then came Nancy and she had adored every one of Steve’s antics that none of his previous girlfriends had liked. He quickly made his own schedule of sneaking into her bedroom late in the evening to help her study because he loved her blush and the bright gleam in her eyes. The day when Nancy told him that he was a dork was the day when Steve felt his heart swell because finally, he wasn’t being too much.

And then Barb disappeared and monsters turned out to be real.

Nancy stayed with him but it wasn’t the same anymore. She would still laugh at his corny jokes and affirmations but Steve had seen her distant eyes, no longer bright with the same love. Like she had managed to switch it off by herself.

Steve should’ve split up with her. But he didn’t want to be an asshole and leave her miserable with no support who knew nothing about the Upside Down. But she hadn’t pushed him away or told him his efforts were too much. So he stayed.

If he had left sooner, then Steve wouldn't have been told in a stranger’s bathroom that his love wasn’t just too much, they were bullshit instead.

He couldn’t trust himself with another romantic partner after that.

And then about two years later, he and Eddie started dating.

Everything that Steve had been told was ‘too much’ or ‘bullshit’ became ‘give me more’. More lazy kisses in the morning, more cuddles on the couch, more help with the laundry or dishes, more lovemaking, more, more.

Steve also found out real quick that Eddie loved whenever Steve quoted Shakespeare - especially Romeo and Juliet or Much Ado About Nothing - for no reason except to watch his boyfriend turn and scream delightfully into his own shoulder. Of course, Steve had taken his advantage, dialing it up with the Harrington charm just to make Eddie’s face redder. Whenever he thought that was too much, Eddie turned back around and kissed him with stupid smiles on both of their faces.

For a while, Steve had thought he finally found the perfect partner.

But he forgets that he doesn’t know how to shut his heart down.

—

Steve casually leans against the living room wall, acting totally non-suspicious as hides from view of the front door. He hears it swing open and then Eddie coming inside, the metallic clicking of his crane accompanying his steps. Steve waits just a bit longer until Eddie makes his way to the kitchen. Then he hurries around the corner and giddily wraps his arms around Eddie’s torso, lifting the man up.

“Welcome back-” Steve starts, a petname ready to fall out as he’s ready to bemoan his loneliness. But Eddie’s cold tone makes his jaws instantly clamp shut.

“Put me down.”

Steve obeys, swiftly but carefully as not to agitate Eddie’s leg. He keeps his arms around his boyfriend, squeezing just once in what he hopes comes off as assuring. However, Eddie only stiffens and says in the same cold tone-

“Let me go.”

Steve does. Eddie continues on towards the kitchen, not even glancing over once. Anxiety starts to drill into Steve’s spine, already making its way into the lining of his stomach. Something clearly happened to Eddie that’s putting him in a foul mood.

Tailing after him, Steve finally finds his voice and asks, “Is everything okay?”

Eddie doesn’t respond. He plops down onto a chair, burying his face in his hands. His shoulders are starting to shake. The anxiety shifts into concern as Steve hurries over to his side. “Eds-”

Eddie suddenly slams his hands onto the table, startling Steve back. He whips his head around to glare at Steve, yelling, “Is it too much to leave me alone for one minute?!”

Too much.

Steve swallows the thick lump in his throat, mumbles something he hopes is an apology, and stumbles outside to the backyard. He stares at the pool for a second before he quickly rounds to the side of his house, stopping just along the walls where he always felt the sunlight wouldn’t reach. Steve slowly crouches down to the ground, staring at nothing in particular despite the burning pressure behind his eyes and heart.

He should’ve seen this coming. Actually, he had known the day when Eddie finally had enough of his unbearable actions was approaching soon. They’ve been together for nearly a year. Just as long as Steve had with Nancy before that Halloween party. But Steve’s been living in blissful ignorance, hoping that it wouldn’t happen.

But even that had been too much.

A wet laugh bubbles out of his lips and Steve quickly clamps a hand over it. He feels like a kid, hiding behind his house like he’s avoiding his father instead of Eddie. It’s so stupid but very on-brand.

He lets the tears drop, forcing his hand to remain on his mouth so he can stay quiet. He doesn’t want to upset Eddie anymore.

Crunching stones under shoes approach. Steve doesn’t even look up when he hears a sucking of breath and Eddie’s murmuring voice, “Shit, Stevie.”

Calloused, ringed hands gently cup both sides of his face. Steve barely catches himself from sinking into the grasp. It’s always too easy to enjoy the feeling of Eddie’s hands on his cheeks. Was it too much for Eddie as well?

“Stevie, please look at me.”

Despite his brain screaming at him no, Steve does so. Eddie’s eyes are bloodshot red and tracks of tears practically shine on his face. In another scenario, he would look as beautiful as ever. But instead, he looks like shit.

Eddie’s fingers tap on his hand, the one still clamping over his mouth. Steve shakes his head quickly. He doesn’t want to break down into a sobbing mess and demand Eddie’s comfort.

“I’m sorry.” Eddie rasps out, a line of spittle popping out of his mouth. His voice sounds rough like he had just cried. “I’m so sorry, Steve, I shouldn’t have yelled at you. Work was-” He closes his eyes, shudders out another breath, and opens them again. “What happened at work wasn’t an excuse and never should be. Even if I was exhausted and upset, I shouldn’t have lashed out. I wish I could take those words back, baby.”

Steve finally removes his hand, managing to speak coherent words just before the sobbing finally breaks out. “Am I too much though?”

He catches the horrified expression before Eddie suddenly pulls him forward into a tight embrace.

“You’re never too much, sweetheart. You’re just fucking perfect.” Eddie whispers into Steve’s ear, clear as day.

Steve doesn’t know how they spend kneeling on the ground as his entire body rattles out from crying while Eddie keeps holding him and occasionally gently shushing Steve. Eventually, Steve’s eyes dry out and he feels so tired that he just wants to tuck himself into bed and sleep.

Eddie helps him up and guides him back inside the house. They linger at the foot of the stairs, both of them realizing the same thing.

“Do you… want me to sleep with you still?” Eddie asks softly. He hasn’t let his hand go from Steve’s where it occasionally squeezes around his fingers. It fixes something in Steve’s heart but it’s barely enough to soothe the ache over.

“I-” Steve cuts himself off. Eddie looks at him earnestly, his brown eyes appearing to grow bigger with the still-there shining tears. Steve sighs and continues, “I think I want.. space. Just for tonight.”

Eddie nods, pursing his lips. “So do I. I think that’ll be good for tonight.”

“You won’t leave?” It hurts Steve to ask even though his gut is certain that Eddie will rather chew his hand off than leave.

“I’ll still be here.” Eddie raises a hand up with a small smile. “Especially in the morning when we’re rested and less pissed-off.”

Steve smiles back, “Okay.”

And when the morning does come, Eddie’s still here. When they talk and apologize, Eddie tells Steve again that he never thought of Steve as an unbearable boyfriend.

It makes Steve feel warm from the overflow of Eddie’s love.

#klaus writes #steddie #stranger things #steddielovemonth

1K notes · View notes

carnival-core · 2 years

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Romeo for the blorbo bingo?

Assume you mean my OC? But DING DING DING THAT'S A BINGO!! If he was shorter I'd say chihuahua too but nah . The angst machine part is bc of how he is to everyone else, if he gets hurt it's "karmic justice"

#ask meme answers #Romeo Antic Jr

1 note · View note

baekberrie · 3 months

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our pages | c.beomgyu

summary: In a university literature class, you and Choi Beomgyu, once estranged best friends, are assigned to rewrite the tragic ending of Romeo and Juliet. During your research in the library, you stumble upon an ancient book. Intrigued by its enigmatic aura, you find yourselves mysteriously drawn to it, and as you delve deeper, you inexplicably fall into a shared slumber. In your reverie, you are forced to embark on a journey of reconciliation and reflection. Guided by the ethereal world within the book's pages, you confront long-buried emotions and rediscover the true depth of your connection.

✧ ex bestfriend! beomgyu x ex bestfriend! reader

✧ romance, estranged best friends to ?? lovers kind of? Romeo and Juliet au, slight angst, forced proximity, hurt, and comfort, a hint of drama and fantasy

✧warnings: kissing, Beomgyu cusses here and there, some tonal switches, many dialogues

a/n: I've read through this one shot at least a hundred times so I skipped the proofreading because I was really eager to post it, i hope there aren't any atrocious mistakes (there shouldn't be). Anyway, happy reading!

✧ w/c: 13.7k (oops??)

“For never was a story of more woe than this of Juliet and her Romeo.”

Mr. Kim’s voice flowed in the silent literature hall, every person letting the tragedy sink in like ink on paper. The professor looked up from his script. “And that concludes the Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet-” He spoke in short sentences, however, suspense hung in the air as he halted in his steps across the room.

“But it can’t end like this, don’t you agree?” The class let out a collective hum as they reflected on his enthusiastic question. Mr.Kim took the slightly undersized glasses off the bridge of his nose and placed them on the desk behind him.

It really can’t end like this,” Your best friend, Mia, sniffed into the paw of her sleeve, agreeing silently. Mentally, you shook your head at her dramatic antics. You knew that deep down, she didn’t really give a flying fuck about Romeo and Juliet, but since her toxic boyfriend was pushing and pulling again, it all hit close to home.

“I want you all to find a remedy to their story. I’ll pair you into groups of two, and together you’ll write the better ending for Romeo and Juliet.” It wasn’t a question, it wasn’t a suggestion, he was dead serious about this project. In all honesty, you found the ancient love story absolutely beautiful, however, couldn’t help but wonder who broke Mr.Kim’s heart enough for him to be so hung up over this fictitious separation.

Mia sneaked her hand into yours, shaking you out of your thoughtful state.

“Don’t you agree?” Her sad deer-like eyes came into your view, begging for your empathy. “It’s so sad, it’s like the worst way to part from someone,” She mumbled through her pouty lips. “ever,” a sniff came from her nose, shoulders slumping as she hit the backrest again.

“The worst way to part with someone?” You thought out loud. If someone were to ask you that question, you would undoubtedly answer with something other than Romeo and Juliet.

Fallouts. You thought. Yeah, those were definitely more painful.

More specifically, the fallout with Choi Beomgyu.

Sure, Romeo and Juliet’s separation hurt, you admitted while watching your best friend sulk about her toxic boyfriend leaving her for the fifth time that month; but have you ever been estranged from the dearest friend you’ve ever had? The question insensitively introduced itself in your head, but you quickly shooed it away. Romeo and Juliet, their love for each other, and the violence that broke them apart ended up becoming one altogether.

But cherishing someone so deeply, only to be cruelly pulled apart from each other, your relationship reduced to nothing but hostility. Leaving you to experience that pain every single time you cross paths with him. Wasn’t that just as painful, if not more? Knowing you’ll never be the way you once were.

Choi Beomgyu was by now a name that shouldn’t be pronounced in your presence, it was a name loaded with so many different feelings that you were better off burying down the deepest holes ever known to man.

You wanted to forget.

But like a cruel joke, the more you pushed it away the more everything would come crashing upon you with double force; The memories your heart cherished despite your efforts to suppress them, every little thing that he had given you, why did it still mean so much to you while all you harbored in your chest was a seething rage at the mere thought of him?

The young man was always smiling whenever you’d walk past each other in the busy hallways of the university. A part of you resented him for that. Whilst you were still stuck in time, he seemed to be completely fine. Like you never were a part of his life.

Has it been that easy for him to forget you?

You didn’t know why you were still hung up over it, even after all the time that had passed. Hence, you could barely recall the last time the two of you had spoken to each other more than two obligatory words. The only reason that you still knew what his voice sounded like was because you shared this literature class. Much to your dismay.

That explained the utter horror, disappointment, and betrayal contorting the features of your face as Mr. Kim’s lips enunciated your and Beomgyu’s name in the same sentence. Silent pleas were sent Mr. Kim’s way as you met his gaze with big eyes, shaking your head slowly and mouthing several desperate no’s. The old man mercilessly slid the information paper on your desk. He knew damn well the two of you weren’t on speaking terms, and yet there you were being paired up for a project where you had to find a better ending for the youthful lovers. The two of you hadn’t been able to find one for yourselves, how in the world were you going to fix Romeo and Juliet’s!?

Picking up your jaw, you whipped around in your seat to send the young man a fiery glare that could hopefully get the message across. But he was looking out the window, painfully obviously avoiding your confrontation. Shoulders dropping, you turned back around, feeling stupid. Don’t act like you care, you reprimanded yourself.

He doesn’t care, so why should you?

To your surprise, he cared enough to wait for you outside of class, and a silly part of your brain thought that maybe this was something you could get done without further problems. But that small hope soon wilted to nothing when Beomgyu opened his foul little mouth.

“I am not doing this with you.” He gritted through his teeth, the hostile tone immediately had your heartbeat quickening in your chest. Squinting your eyes, you pushed the paper Mr. Kim had given you into his chest. Beomgyu’s hands awkwardly fumbled to catch it.

“And I am not doing this on my own.” You hissed, bumping your shoulder into his. “I’ll see you in the library after class.” It was a warning, and Beomgyu should know better than to not show up. Though, deep down you knew that he owed you no such thing.

***

A few people were roaming around the library when you pushed through the glass doors, the wooden pavement creaking underneath the pressure of your feet. The scent of books and pages instantly embraced your senses, and you welcomed it by breathing it in. You found it somehow comforting, how the light of the setting sun laid itself on the walls like the most delicate of paints, and how the dust particles flickered in the sunrays, glistening like tiny stars.

Fingers tracing the long forgotten books on the oldest shelf of the library, dust tickled your nose but your eyes relentlessly kept searching for that title. The kind lady behind the desk had directed you here when you had asked for the Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet. She had been doubtful about the university library owning such an old piece of literature, but you tested your luck anyway. There was no better way to start this project than by finding different adaptations to compare and review.

A little frown puckered your brows when your fingertips suddenly sunk into the carved title on the back of a book at the end of the line. The color was faded gold painted into the brown leather cover protecting the ancient-looking book.

“Lovestory.” Your lips mouthed the title curiously. Finding the closest table, you threw your things on the next chair and sat down. Hands eagerly opening it, you noted how the yellowing pages were sewn beautifully into the leather.

Before your eyes could find any text, they fell on the odd illustrations. A fading picture of a princess-like woman adorned by a shimmering tiara around her soft hair. Her position was pensive as she stood by the railing of a balcony, staring into the night. However, what seemed to strike you about the picture was how her face was nonexistent. It wasn’t as if her face had faded with the age of the book, hence more like it had never been painted on purpose.

You felt your eyes droop tiredly as your gaze found the first sentences written in cursive ink. Your lips mumbled the sentences absentmindedly as you read.

We were both young when I first saw you

I close my eyes, and the flashback starts

I'm standing there

On a balcony in summer air…

***

Many internal battles had taken place in the head of the young man. He hated to admit that he lost every single one of them, as he found himself standing in front of the glass doors of the library.

With a heavy sigh, he pushed his way in, nose taking in the woody smell etched onto the walls. His eyes scanned for the familiar face, but to his dismay, you were nowhere to be found. A frown creased his forehead as he started taking hesitant steps inside, figuring he would have to search for you deeper within the library.

The book archive felt like a maze as Beomgyu walked through every aisle and still did not find the slightest sign of you. For a moment he thought that you’d already headed home, successfully fooling him. Eyebrows twitching, he could feel his blood starting to boil.

Was that it? Had he really just lost this battle against you? Beomgyu wasn’t sure what he had expected once he’d convinced himself that he owed you this one since it was for a project, but it certainly hadn’t crossed his mind that you would pull such a petty little trick to get back at him. And he had fallen for it-

Beomgyu’s angry stomping suddenly halted when he found himself in an unrecognizable part of the library. He had been so deep within his inner turmoil that he hadn’t paid any attention to where he had unconsciously brought himself.

It surprised him, though, that out of all the spots he could’ve wandered into, he managed to blindly find you.

For there you were, hunched over the round table by the window, cheek squished against an open book with your parted lips threatening to salivate on its pages. Once Beomgyu had willed himself to step closer, the louder your snores resonated. He couldn’t help the small chuckle that escaped his throat at the familiar sight. Sitting himself on the opposite seat, he took a short moment to soak in the situation. It felt odd. He couldn’t remember the last time the two of you had been in each other’s presence like this, basking in the peaceful warmth of the sunset. Well, this was only possible because you were far into dreamland. He knew that if the both of you were to be awake, this would not have been a friendly meeting.

His gaze traveled along your features, following the path that your hair made while scattered over the table, covering the book you had approved as a very comfortable pillow, for you to snore like that, he thought.

But that was when it hit him.

The book. What book were you even reading? Beomgyu felt an unknown sense of curiosity and urge flow within him, sending an itch into his fingers. Ever so gently, he caressed your hair and tucked an amount behind your ear, revealing the old novel you had been reading. A confused frown puckered his brows as he saw the antiquity of it. Carefully, he removed it from the captivity of your head, but not without making sure that your cheek landed back down softly, with his palm gently guiding your face safely to the surface again.

Beomgyu closed the book to admire its build, with the old leather running underneath his fingertips, he pronounced the carved-out title of the book.

Lovestory.

He flipped it open, the first page revealing the suave illustration of a beautiful young woman from a long time ago. It didn’t take him much to know that whatever this book was about, the heroine of this story was her. For some reason, Beomgyu felt a sense of familiarity wash over him by looking at the illustration. Then it dawned on him and a shiver ran down his spine, fingers tightening around the page.

“This girl looks an awful lot like-“ he gasped, looking away from the yellowing pages down to your sleeping figure in front of him, making sure that his eyes weren’t playing tricks on him. Only to realize that the lady in the book was identical to you.

No, actually,

It was you.

"What the fuck.” The young man shuddered, nothing less than creeped out. For a split second, he considered closing the book. But his curiosity was stronger than him, and before he knew what he was doing, his hand had already flipped over to the following page. The new illustration was only going to perplex the boy further. His lips fell open, completely entranced as his orbs drank in the sight of you in a beautiful dress and a shimmering tiara coronating your head. You were standing on a balcony, hand reaching out to a man climbing his way up to you. Roses and flowers surrounded the two. Nothing short of a fairytale.

In this scene, he had seen it somewhere, but he couldn’t pinpoint it just yet, although the answer was tickling his tongue.

The man climbing your balcony was the most confusing feature to him, for he had no face. Beomgyu couldn’t tell whether the paper was just old enough to be faded, or if it had never been painted. But even then, it made no sense. Because your face, your rosy cheeks, and your sparkling eyes were ever so vivid. Almost as if you’d jumped right into the book. Beomgyu eventually spotted the worn-out text underneath the picture, and read it out.

See the lights, the party, the ball gowns

See you make your way through the crowd

Little did I know…

That you were Ro-

A yawn broke through his lips, his eyelids felt like they weighed tons as he slowly let them fall shut, head coming to rest upon the open book. Beomgyu tried to fight the sudden tiredness in his mind, but the slumber taking over him was like the song of a mermaid luring him in.

Just like that, he had fallen into dreamland as well, missing the way the faceless man climbing the balcony came to life.

Beomgyu felt his body jolt awake, his eyes shot open after what felt like just a few seconds- but the view in front of him was nothing like the one he had fallen asleep to. There was no library, no old books, but most importantly, you weren’t there. However, before he could even start to worry, a strong arm came around his shoulders, an unknown figure pulling him close.

“Romeo! Why did you leave us like that?”

What?

Beomgyu turned his head to find a young man just about his age, his Cheshire-like eyes stared at him with a mischievous smile through a mask that covered just half of his face. The ornament was beautiful, with sparkling gold patterns scattered onto it. His gaze traveled to the man’s clothes, noticing the Renaissance details. Beomgyu winced when he recognized the man.

”Yeonjun?” He asked, baffled. ”What are you doing here?”

The man in question narrowed his eyes helplessly, hesitancy vibrating in his voice as he spoke. ”Yeon…Pardon me?” His confusion was slowly becoming Beomgyu’s very own as well.

”What do you mean pardon?” Beomgyu scratched the back of his head, he was sure that this man was his best friend Yeonjun and not someone he had mistaken.

”Yeonjun, can you be serious for one second, what are we doing here?” He snapped, noticing the way Yeonjun was looking him up and down with uncertainty.

Beomgyu checked his clothing quickly, confirming his suspicion. He was also wearing elegant pieces that resembled the ones of his friend. Only then did he realize the weight of the mask resting upon his nose. His hand reached upwards, fingertips running along its curves.

”And why are you wearing these clothes? Let’s take it off!” He started pulling the first buttons of his shirt open, causing the friend to panic as he grabbed Beomgyu’s hands at the speed of light. Confusion swirled in his dark eyes.

”You must have lost your wits, my friend, I am Mercutio! Don’t tell me you have forgotten. Did someone poison you?” Yeonjun, or should he say Mercutio? Brought him closer to inspect if he had any injuries. Beomgyu had a hard time keeping his jaw up as he watched his friend act like he wouldn’t usually laugh with joy whenever he was in misery. Yeonjun’s brows were scrunched in worry as his hands gently tapped his cheeks.

”You appear unaffected, though…” The older man continued to murmur through his pouting lips to himself, and that itself confirmed Beomgyu’s conclusion that all of this was a dream.

It was the first time that the boy woke up in a dream. There was an odd feeling in his body that he couldn’t quite pinpoint, and the more he pondered on it, the harder it became to put his finger on it. But for some reason, he accepted the circumstances pretty quickly. It wasn’t so out of pocket for a dream to be ridiculous, hence, he’d had crazier dreams than this, so why not go with the flow?

“I apologize?” Beomgyu tried his luck with the words. Although they were studying about the Renaissance at university, he had no clue about how they used to speak at that time.

“I could not fight my eagerness, friend.” Cheeks meeting his eyes, Beomgyu reassured him. Relief replaced immediately Mercutio's previous worry like it had never been there, laughing knowingly and pulling him along to wherever they had been destined.

Music and cheerful chatter from afar danced in the nightly air, the boy could spot a grand castle-like building in the distance. The place emitted a warm light and an inviting aura that called for him.

As they went on, the only thing Beomgyu had discovered was how they were not supposed to enter this masquerade behind the walls facing them. It wasn't a simple, you're not invited. But a pretty serious risk for trouble. And yet, his friend charmed the guards with his convincing acting, successfully fooling them into allowing them to enter. Well, it seemed like Yeonjun still had some of his actual traits despite acting like a madman just a few moments ago.

The main event started just as the two young men had made their way in. Beomgyu’s lips parted in shock at the amount of people roaming the hall. This wasn’t just any party, he realized, it was a whole ball. The women were dressed ever so beautifully, each gently targeting their man of interest with a mere gaze through their masks, hoping that they would come to sweep them off their feet.

“Welcome Gentlemen!” A man whom Beomgyu understood couldn’t be anyone but the lord of the house, warmly saluted his guests, shaking their hands heartily. “Come in! Come in!” He waved Beomgyu and his friends in, not having the tiniest suspicion upon seeing these masked youths enter his party. His mood seemed to have touched the stars as he gladly spoke to everyone.

“Who is that?” Beomgyu carefully whispered to Yeonjun, not knowing what answer he was expecting. His gaze was too busy scanning the hectic crowd to even see the deflated shoulders and exasperated gaze of Mercutio.

“What query is this?” He reprimanded, “Do not feign ignorance of the visage of a Capulet, Romeo."

Capulet.

Wait, Romeo?

His head whipped to look at his friend. Eyes wide, struggling to keep himself up.

“Is my name Romeo?” Beomgyu spoke a little too loud, earning a few looks from around. He couldn’t explain the sudden sense of fear in the revelation. It was just a dream after all. A really stupid one at that. Why the hell would he dream about being Romeo? Had Mr. Kim shoveled this Romeo and Juliet agenda so far down his throat that he ended up dreaming about it?

Mercutio sent daggers through his eyes, warning him to keep quiet.

“Have you taken leave of your senses, my friend?!” He yelled in hushed tones. “Do not reveal yourself like that! Be vigilant for Tybalt and hush.” With a shake of his head, Mercutio averted his gaze back to the Capulet patriarch who was currently inviting every lady to dance without a worry in the world.

“My ladies, it would be a delight to see you dancing! Only those girls with corns at their feet will say no! Do not shy away, may all of you please yourselves with this dance!” Capulet exclaimed, animatedly speaking with his hands, throwing them up in the air. His delighted laughter echoed against the stone walls as he with glistening eyes signaled the musicians to start playing.

Let the party begin.

Beomgyu watched his “friends” adjust their masks, nodding at each other knowingly, not forgetting to acknowledge him as well before they all dispersed themselves into the crowd with the plan of enjoying themselves.

And that was how he found himself leaning against the wall by himself, slightly shivering at its low temperature. His gaze wandered along the surroundings. The warm fairy lights, the extravagant ball gowns. Women wearing shy expressions whilst putting their hands in another man’s palm. While others smiled like they had been waiting their whole life for this occasion and dragged their men to the dance floor. Despite his confusion as to why he was dreaming of such specific happenings, it still was an amusing sight to see how people in the old ages seemed to act just like today’s young people did.

Rather than dreaming so vividly, Beomgyu felt like he was watching a story unfold right in front of him.

Beomgyu’s long train of thought was cut by the jump that his heart made to his throat as a certain someone entered his field of view. There she was, dancing in the arms of a man unknown to him, but at that moment, it didn’t matter who was accompanying her. Beomgyu’s lips fell apart as he drank in her movements that were light as though a floating feather. The white dress hugging her chest fell like the most breathtaking waterfall down to her feet, fluttering behind her as she danced across the floor. The tiara on her head glittered like stars scattered over her hair and at that moment, the young man couldn’t be more sure of this being a dream.

There she was.

He didn’t even have to ask to know who the ethereal woman was.

Juliet.

Little did he know, that wasn’t Juliet.

The same way that he wasn’t Romeo.

That was you.

An unknown force surged within him, a newfound resolution. And before he was even aware of what he was doing, his body was already pushing through the dancing crowd to get to you. His mind was in a haze as he chased you who moved like a fairytale. There was an urge in his movements, almost like you’d disappear if he’d be even a second too late. Beomgyu could barely recognize himself, it was as if a part of Romeo had rooted itself within him. It seemed like he’d be sharing every emotion, every thought of the youth in love tonight.

His heart was drumming relentlessly against his chest, asking to be set free as he extended his arm out, successfully grabbing your soft hand. A gasp came from your lips as Beomgyu spun you into his arms. Chest rising and deflating in heavy breaths, the young man looked almost desperate as he searched for your gaze.

Was I in love before? My eyes convinced me not, since I never realized what true beauty is before tonight. Romeo’s words echoed in Beomgyu’s head as if they were his very own thoughts, but he shook them away whilst taking you to a less crowded space.

“Beomgyu?” He heard your voice for the first time since he saw you, and its sound grounded him in the chaos of this ridiculous dream.

“Why are you in my dream?” The question had the young man halt in his steps, spinning on the balls of his feet to see your genuinely confused frown.

“What do you mean by your dream?” Beomgyu cocked a brow, feeling how Romeo’s overwhelming emotions were finally being suppressed by his usual self.

“This is my dream, I can be here all I want.”

You shook your head, for a short moment drawing his gaze to the sparkling tiara on your head. “I was here first.” You deadpanned, only to see Beomgyu’s face fall in disbelief.

“There is no such thing in a dream, what the hell are you talking about?” The boy felt his frustration rise, but so did you upon hearing his tone.

“Woah,” you breathed out, crossing your arms. “You’re still an asshole despite this being a dream.”

Beomgyu’s lips pressed into a thin line at your statement, he couldn’t find any words to defend himself.

“Look,” you sighed, ending the short silence before it could become heavier.

“I don’t know why I’m having you in my dream but please leave, go your own way, I don’t care.” Your fingers slowly went to hug your body as you averted your gaze away. “I just want to continue this dream for as long as I can, let me be Juliet in peace and we won’t have any more problems.” Although you hadn’t let anything on, Beomgyu could still spot the hurt in your voice as you begged him to leave and it put an unexplainable weight on his chest.

The pain in your voice was an ancient one.

He should have wanted to leave, but inexplicably, he found himself unable to take even a single step away from you. Beomgyu was unsure if it was Romeo once again plaguing him with his emotions or if he was starting to lose his mind. Because what he said next caught him off guard, just as much as the previous thoughts had.

“But I am Romeo.”

You looked at him from underneath your lashes, arms falling limply to your sides.

“No, you’re not.” You said weakly, dejected. The insistence on rejecting him felt all too familiar, flashbacks of the past clouded his head for a second and he felt dread shroud his being.

The young man insisted, "Yes, I am. And you're Juliet," as he nodded at you. What was he trying to prove? He didn't know. Was he attempting to prolong the conversation with you? Perhaps, but the reason behind it eluded him. Despite his confusion, something about this entire experience felt authentic. It couldn't have been a mere coincidence that the two of you met in this dream as the two youths in love.

“It doesn’t matter-“ You were ready to turn around, and seeing your back about to face him made a sense of panic tighten his chest.

“Isn’t it odd though?” He interjected before you could completely face away from him.

You halted your movements with a frown, silently telling him to go on.

“Why are we, out of all people, meeting here, in these specific circumstances?”

“Where are you getting with this, Beomgyu, what is it to you? I don’t get it.” You tried to dismiss his words, although they had already found their way under your skin quicker than you’d liked.

Lips pressed together, his eyes chasing your gaze. It was almost as if he was thinking out loud. "I'm sorry," he murmured with a shaky voice. "I didn't mean to start on the wrong foot. I..." He ran his fingers through his hair, a familiar gesture you've seen him do for years. You could see his frustration growing. Beomgyu seemed to be struggling with something, and it was starting to show. The resolve he had held onto for so long was starting to crumble, and he realized just how exhausted he was to pretend.

To pretend like he hated you.

The longer he took you in, the more he felt himself slip like sand through the cracks of his hands.

He did miss you. And this was just a dream, anyway.

So it wouldn't hurt to act however he- Romeo felt like, right?

He drew in a deep breath before pronouncing the words that were dancing just on the top of his tongue, words that he had been holding back since the very second he'd seen you in the dancing crowd.

"Can we just forget everything between us, and let whatever this is…continue?" His head hung low like the hope in his heart, expecting a harsh rejection. He wouldn't blame you, he was making no sense. One second he was raging against you and the next he was begging you to let him stay with you. Maybe he was out of his mind, but for some reason as he looked at you, nothing mattered. You were the most beautiful creature God created and the reason for his life-

"Okay," your gentle voice cut through, and the boy jolted with joy at the positive response. Your shimmering eyes showed surrender, the twinkle of someone who did not want to fight.

Your gazes locked for a few moments, the silence thick and uncertain. Beomgyu's cheeks dusted an embarrassed shade of pink as he left your eyes to look elsewhere.

"So what now?" A nervous laugh spilled from his lips.

You murmured to him, "You have to say your lines." making him almost bashful underneath your unwavering stare. You knew it was rude to stare, but there was no way you couldn't be savoring this moment.

"Huh?"

"You have to let the Romeo within you speak, only that way, the story can continue." Having been within this dream longer, you had already figured its system out. You had expected the boy to look at you with confusion, but he surprised you when he nodded with determination.

Letting his eyelids fall shut, he took a deep breath and opened the doors of his heart to the youth whose love was like a burning rose- beautiful and passionate.

A gasp left his lips at the sudden wildfire spreading in his chest. Eyes fluttering open, he hastily walked up to you. Romeo's urgency ran through his veins as he desperately took your hands in his. The light in Beomgyu's eyes had changed, his eyebrows bent in pain as he searched for your gaze but only found uncertainty and worry. He quickly withdrew his hands from yours, causing you to miss the comforting warmth of his touch.

“I fear I’ve defiled your hands, which are like a holy shrine to me, by touching them with my own unworthy hands.” From his eyes dropped honey as he took you in, lips tenderly speaking to your heart. Your heart pounded furiously in your chest, its rhythmic thumping echoing in your ears. You couldn't tell if it was your heart or Juliet's that was racing at breakneck speed. The emotions that surged within you were like nothing you had ever felt before, a mixture of fear, excitement, and uncertainty that left your throat feeling tight. You were lost in Beomgyu's captivating gaze, his deep brown eyes like vast oceans that threatened to swallow you whole. For a moment, you forgot where you were and who you were with, lost in a universe of your own. Breaking your long eye contact, you hastily spun around, allowing the young man to only face your back.

As you stared into the starry night, you were slowly understanding the depth of this love, a love you’ve always deemed so unreal. But as you donned the young woman’s clothes, you couldn’t help but hope that this could end in a different way than it was destined to.

Despite you turning your back, the enamored young Romeo was not easily discouraged. You heard him move closer, the sweet scent of his skin caressing your senses as he leaned over your shoulder, lips brushing against your ear as he murmured;

“But I have an agreeable way to make it up to you. My lips are ready to smooth over that rough touch with a tender kiss, like two devoted pilgrims before a holy place.”

It felt as if you’d grown a second heart swelling with excitement behind your ribcage, yearning to let its wings soar. At that point, it was hard to tell if the eager butterflies fluttering their wings and dancing in your belly were your own or Juliet's. But it didn’t matter, you realized. You wanted to savor every moment, you wanted every instant to etch itself into your memory so that you could rewatch it in eternity. With hasty movements, you faced him again, not missing the way his face lit up.

”Good worshiper, you’re too harsh on your own hand,” Beomgyu watched with devotion as you picked his wrist up, and with your other hand ran the tips of your fingers along his own, aligning them until his palm was softly kissing yours.

”as it shows a perfectly polite devotion by holding mine.” You let your gaze meet his.

”After all, pilgrims touch the hands of saints, and the hands kiss when their palms are brought together.” You breathed, in your mind tracing the silver lines of the moon illuminating Beomgyu’s features, adoring the sweet shadow that his long lashes cast down his blushing cheeks.

The male stepped closer, your kissing palms now between your chests pressing against one another, a soft breeze brushed through the long, brown locks caressing his neck.

”Yes, but don’t the saints and the worshipers have lips, too?” He curled a brow, searching for your gaze, but your eyes shied away as you settled for your intertwined hands.

”Yes, pilgrim,” you swallowed, still looking down, ”lips that they should use for prayer.”

Beomgyu’s hand left yours, and for a moment you felt your heart drop. Until his fingers soon eagerly returned to caress your rosy cheek.

”Well then, dear saint, let our lips do what our hands are doing.” His palm finally embraced your face, the pad of his thumb softly rubbing back and forth the surface of your skin. ”They’re praying for something after all, a kiss, so their faith doesn’t turn into despair.” Daringly, he lifted your chin so you could meet his gaze. Your heart raced as you whispered your response.” Saints don’t act first,” Your eyes drifted from his gaze, down the tall bridge of his nose, and onto his plush lips, despite the words that threatened to escape your throat.

"Although they may respond to prayers." It was as if the both of you had been cast under a spell. The most beautiful spell known to man, completely immersed in the addictive sweetness of this love, neither of you wanted to pull away.

Eyes hooding, threatening to fall shut at any moment. It was the effect of the powdery scent deriving from the whole of you. A wish to be wrapped up in it ignited within him. Beomgyu had barely noticed how minimal the distance between you had become. His lips were hovering over yours, breaths mingling into one single source of air.

”Then don’t move while I get my prayers answered.” Beomgyu breathed before his pillows landed between yours, a sweetness spreading on your palate reminding the inner Juliet of the delight of honey and milk. He sighed with relief when your lips responded to his as if this kiss had truly saved your faith from turning into despair. As if your lips had saved him from a lifelong agony.

Your lips detached slowly and hesitantly, only letting go for the sake of your lungs.

”Now all the sin has been purged from my lips thanks to yours.” A sweet smile that he couldn’t hold back spread on his lips as his orbs traced the beauty of your face. What kind of blessed dream was this, to have Beomgyu looking at you like that?

You couldn’t resist the contagiousness of his joy. ”Then that sin has passed from your lips to mine.” You beamed.

”A sin from my lips?” He repeated with feigned shock, a sweet laugh hearable in his timbre. ”Oh what a sweetly suggested trespass! Give it back to me.” His lips crashed once again upon yours, hands cradling your cheeks as his mouth gently parted yours.

”You kiss by the book.” You said through your slightly swollen lips, eyes smiling behind your cheeks. He chuckled breathily. Both of you had forgotten who you truly were.

”Juliet! Juliet!!” A woman’s voice called for you, and it took you a while before you realized that you had to react. Realization seemed to dawn on Beomgyu as well as the smile dissipated from his lips, the honey in his eyes replaced by confusion and you felt your heart break a little.

”What did we just-”

”I have to go,” You didn’t let him finish his sentence, telling yourself that it was because you had to flee the scene for the story to proceed. Deep down knowing that you were protecting your heart from a pain you had sworn you wouldn’t ever feel again because you and Beomgyu were over. But that was in real life, so why was that expression of Beomgyu’s following you even in this seemingly sweet dream?

A bitter laugh rang into the summer night as you started running away from the stunned man. So was this a joke? How could you have thought that being Juliet would have brought you anything less than pain?

What a fool you were.

“Juliet!” You heard once again when rounding the corner of the castle. Your best friend Mia appeared, dressed in clothes less refined than yours, still reflecting the fashion of the ancient century. You could imagine that her rank was significantly lower than yours. “I’ve been searching everywhere for you, Lady Juliet.” She gasped, clearly winded from the marathon she must have run whilst looking for you. You were insecure about how to reply, not quite sure of which character she was supposed to fulfill. If you and Beomgyu were the star crossed-lovers, then perhaps she was…?

“Come with me! Your curfew has long passed, we must hasten!” Mia urged her voice a loud whisper that still managed to echo slightly against the stony walls surrounding you. Gently grabbing your wrist, she propelled you forward with a force unexpected for a tiny girl like her. With brisk steps, the two of you walked down a stone path leading to a hidden passage.

“Who might you be, pardon my question?”

The young woman halted her stride abruptly, long hair flowing down her back as she turned to cast you with an incredulous gaze. “Have you lost your wits entirely to that Romeo?” she exclaimed. “I warned you he was unsuitable for you, my lady!” She surely knew her stuff, you noted, and was pretty opinionated as well. But that was nothing short of Mia. You couldn’t help the tiny smile that was etched onto your face. Her presence brought you an infinite amount of comfort.

“I can sense our dear friendship, but forgive that I cannot quite recall…” You inquired once more, sporting a playful pout on your rosy lips. The young woman’s shoulders visibly sagged with surrender as she took a small step to face you fully.

“I am your faithful Nurse, my lady,” she replied with a slight curtsey, her expression softening with affection. "M'lady, your forgetfulness after meeting with that gentleman truly wounds me." She sniffed and adverted her gaze elsewhere, something she’d usually do when she feigned anger in your regards. The soft moonlight danced on her pretty cheeks and you couldn’t help but note how this era flattered her ancient beauty.

“Please, let us retreat to my chamber, there I’ll tell you all about my encounter with Romeo.” If you knew your best friend, then you were sure that there was no better bait than her favorite topic; love. She was judgemental of Romeo but deep down, you knew that she would devour any details of your faithful encounter with the lad. Not that you were enthusiastic about recalling it, for reasons all too clear.

You watched as Mia’s eyes widened with joy and excitement, her hands coming together into a thankful hold. Cheeks meeting her sparkling irises into the biggest smile you’d ever witnessed. You knew you had won her over.

***

A few hours had gone since your Nurse had left your room. She’d squealed like a tiny hamster and kicked her feet like a high-school girl upon hearing what had happened between you and Beom…Romeo, as if she hadn’t completely regarded him as unsuitable just a few minutes prior. But you weren’t a bit surprised, she was a known sucker for romance. But perhaps, you were a little too.

Now that she was gone though, you found yourself completely unable to unwind.

You had spent the entire night, wide-eyed, watching the moonlight caress the walls of your room, until it slowly gave way to the warm hues of daylight. You had lost track of the countless sunsets and sunrises that had passed since you made your escape from the scene a few days ago. As you sat on the balcony, feeling the sweet breeze on your skin, you couldn't help but ponder over the situation. It occurred to you that nothing significant had happened since you left, leaving you wondering if the story had come to a pause until you and Beomgyu met again. You kicked up the hem of your long dress to let the wind cool your warm skin.

You felt the blood rush to your cheeks as you recalled the insane kiss with Beomgyu. The pressure of the kiss still lingered on top of your lips along with that sweet scent of his that had etched itself onto your memory. His warm fingertips that had caressed your cheeks, his lashes tickling your skin. Were dreams truly so vivid?

"That's a big problem," you muttered to yourself as you walked back into the beautiful room you were slowly growing accustomed to. You’d never even dared to dream of owning such a priceless chamber, filled with even more valuable furniture.

Throwing yourself back onto the soft bed, you rolled onto your stomach, feeling the weight of your worries pressing down on your chest. You hugged the nearest pillow to yourself, hoping it would somehow alleviate the ache in your heart. You couldn't help but let the worst thoughts cloud your mind as time passed, yet seemed so sickeningly still. A muffled scream vibrated against the lavish fabric of the pillow now pressed against your face, a desperate attempt to release the pent-up anxiousness and frustration you felt. Your feet kicked against the mattress. Would Beomgyu think less of you now? Would he even want to see you again after such a…kiss? The questions swirled around in your head, taunting you with their uncertainty.“Romeo…” You sighed slowly, “Beomgyu out of all, why did you have to be Romeo…” You complained only to be met by silence.

“Ngh-” A sudden grunt deriving from the balcony had you scramble up from your past position with haste. Hair disheveled, Beomgyu had one leg over the railing of your balcony. The dagger hanging around his waist crinkled as he landed with a thump. His shirt was slightly scrunched up and you thought you saw a leaf tangled in his soft locks before you got distracted by his voice when he puffed out his next words.

“Why the hell are there so many guards around here?!” He huffed, dusting his pants. He was standing by the big opening of your room, the long curtains by your windows fluttering him welcome along the dancing breeze.

As if your legs had given out, you couldn't find any strength to step off the bed as you incredulously took in the very man who had been keeping you up for consecutive nights.

“Beomgyu?” Your voice faltered. It felt unreal to see Beomgyu standing there. Did his visit mean he wasn't mad or bothered by the kiss? The young man seemed unbothered as he coyly welcomed himself into your chamber, sitting himself down on your bed with a deep sigh and sprawling his tired legs before him. “hmm,” He hummed hoarsely, his arms extended behind him as he leaned his head back. Staring up at the endless details of your painted ceiling made him feel dizzy.

He was avoiding your gaze, you noted. The silence was thick and the slight tensing of his jaw told you that he was also battling an inner turmoil. Perhaps that matter was better off unsolved, you told yourself. It wasn’t your true self acting that night anyway.

Yes, you concluded. It was better this way. The weight lifted itself off your chest.

Just as your lips were about to part with a sigh, breaking the heavy silence, the young man beat you to it. “We’ve been stuck here for days,” Beomgyu remarked, his gaze still fixed on the celestial ceiling. You pressed your lips together, silently concurring as you nodded. Fidgeting with the delicate lace of your dress, you missed the glance Beomgyu stole at you.

“If we don’t do something soon, I fear the story will remain frozen in time,” your voice whispered gently, tip-toeing through the air to reach his ears, “forever.” Finally, your eyes met his, locking in a silent pact of understanding. Something suddenly flickered in his gaze, a dreadful kind of realization that you couldn’t quite put your finger on.

“What if the fastest way to get out of here is to…” Beomgyu’s voice came out delicate and uneasy, fading into the sentence as he feared his own words. Swallowing thickly, he parted his lips again. “Die, the way Romeo and Juliet did.”

Your breath caught as the implication sank in.

Mouth agape and trembling, unable to say anything for a while.

“We have to die…” You repeated with disbelief, albeit agreeingly as you recalled the tragic ending of the star-crossed lovers.

Beomgyu nodded, his expression solemn. "It's the only way I can think of. Maybe... maybe that's what the dream wants. Closure. An ending."

Your heart plummeted into the pit of your stomach at the thought, but there was a deviant sense of inevitability settling over you. "But... what happens after? What if we can't wake up?"

The boy could only find it in himself to lift his shoulders in a sincere shrug.

“I can’t say,” He confessed thoughtfully. “It’s a scary thought, I understand if you don’t want to try this solution-”

“No,” In opposition to the doubt that had started seeping into his voice, you felt the determination swarm your chest as you suddenly rose to your feet.

“We’ll do it.” You interjected firmly. Beomgyu watched you wide-eyed, skin tingling as you gently took his hand in yours, pulling him up towards you. Having lost Beomgyu that faithful day, you were pretty sure that you’d already lost everything. You had nothing else at risk. It was all just a bittersweet dream after all. None of this was real.

He seemed to have lost his tongue, or perhaps he had lost himself in your gaze, his ears ringing with his very own heartbeat.

“Are you sure?” In his warm irises danced small flickers of concern and admiration. The underlying fear in his deep timbre comforted you. This was the most the two of you had ever talked in years. The lack of hostility felt unfamiliar, but a rare gift. You wished to never forget the soft expression on his features and the concern he was mustering towards you.

Perhaps, somewhere in his heart, he did still care for you.

“I’m sure,” your unwavering determination had the corner of his lips lift, a small, barely noticeable smile. A glimmer of hope twinkled in his eyes. In reality, your head was spinning and the fear was consuming you from the inside. But you wouldn’t back away. "If this is what it takes to break free from this endless cycle, then we have to try," you affirmed.

"Alright," he whispered, his fingers tightening around yours in a silent promise. "Together, then." You nodded, egging him to go on.

The air was thick with anticipation, the echoes of your impending fate whispering through the stillness.

Beomgyu's voice was steady as he spoke. "My dearest Juliet, if this be our destiny, then let us meet it with courage and love."

Your breath caught in your throat as you met his gaze, the depth of his brown eyes reflecting the same fear and determination swimming in yours. "My sweet Romeo, together in life and death, our love shall transcend even the boundaries of this dream." You breathed out.

The youth nodded with a sense of grief etching onto the strings of his heart. Bringing your trembling fingers to his wavering lips, he pressed them against your cool skin and closed his eyes. "Farewell, my love," he murmured against your hand.

A shudder left your mouth as you echoed his broken words, and Juliet’s tears welled up in your eyes.

“Farewell, my dearest,” You spoke barely above a whisper, a gentle hand reached for the apple of his cheek where the dampness of the summer heat lingered. Your thumb left tender strokes on the surface of his skin. Your feet slowly rose onto your toes, noses grazing and eyelashes tickling each other's cheeks. Brushing your lips against his for the last time.

A feather-light pressure on his pillows transcended into something deeper, more beautiful when he parted his lips slowly against yours. Agony and comfort were all you could taste. Your heart ached when you parted. Beomgyu’s eyes remained closed as a pained expression contorted his brows. "Together, my love," he reminded, perhaps to give himself more courage as he reached for the side of your hair, taking out the sharp jewelry that had been holding your locks up. Hair cascading softly onto your shoulders, you reached out for the dagger that had been hanging by his waist. Taking a deep, shaky breath, you nodded once more. Directing it towards your stomach.

Your breath got lost in your lungs as you pushed the dagger further, edges puncturing through your body. With your eyes squeezed shut, you dreaded for the pain to settle. The thick silence only offered the rhythm of your staggering breaths, until the noise of something cracking pierced through the air. Looking down hastily, you witnessed the surreal view of the dagger in your hands shattering into millions of glistening fragments. They faded into thin air. Your eyes hurried to meet Beomgyu’s, only to find him as shaken as you, with his hands void of any sharp object.

At that moment, the inexplicable occurrence bound you both in a shared bewilderment as you both realized something;

It wasn’t over yet.

Not like that.

You parted your lips to say something, but the words got stuck in your throat. What had just occurred? It was almost as if the story was stopping you from undergoing the painful death.

“Did…Did we do it the wrong way?” You wondered out loud, perplexed. “Is it because we didn’t drink poison like in the original script-” Beomgyu cut you off with a shake of his head, arms falling limply by his sides.

“No, I frankly don’t think that’s it. The premise was dying together and that’s what we tried,” The unreadable expression in his eyes told you that he too, was short of solutions and explanations. “But we can’t give up yet,” He declared softly, an ancient determination that you knew all too well flickered in his irises. “there has to be another way.” His stubborn nature reminded you of the past you shared, sending your heart into a frenzy. You recalled blaming him for years, for changing and leaving you behind, but as you stood before each other, you were met by a Beomgyu who continuously nurtured the nostalgia that had been swimming in your chest since the very moment he’d caught your hand in the dancing crowd.

Your gaze softened upon him.

Your heart echoed his sentiments, the flicker of hope igniting within you. "You're right," you replied, your voice steady despite the turmoil swirling inside. "We need to find a better ending, one where we both survive."

A better ending, one where you both would survive…

With a sudden gasp, you grasped his hands, catching him off guard. Beomgyu stumbled slightly, his eyes widening with surprise and curiosity at your sudden fervor.

"Of course!" you exclaimed with a new sense of excitement pulsing through your veins. "Why didn't I think of this before?" Your fingers tightened around his, the connection sparking a newfound determination within you. Disregarding his perplexity, you continued with a rush of energy taking the both of you by storm.

"Maybe the solution isn't to reenact the tragic ending," you presented, your voice gaining strength with each word. "Perhaps it's about forging a new path, creating a different outcome."

You allowed your words to linger shortly, seeking for his gaze, which still seemed hesitant. "Don’t you see, Beomgyu?" you persisted. "The story is telling us to rewrite Romeo and Juliet's fate, just like Mr. Kim's dumb assignment!" There was a hint of laughter in your tone, a flicker of amusement amidst the seriousness of the moment, as the realization slowly dawned on both of you. Beomgyu’s lips gradually fell apart at the revelation, every doubt suddenly falling back into place.

“Let’s split up for now, I’ll talk to Mercutio,” Beomgyu suggested to which you nodded fervently, already knowing what to do. “I’ll see you here at dawn.” You completed his sentence. And just like that, he was out of your field of view, the last image of him being his silhouette skillfully jumping over the balcony.

It was a silent agreement to find out more about the conflict between the two families, each to their own. Only then, could you find a true solution?

Sure, you knew that the Capulet and Montague families had an ancient feud that pulled the youths apart from each other. But…what exactly had happened?

Without wasting another second, you spun on the balls of your feet and hurried out of your room, for the first time in days, facing the hustle of the busy castle. “Mia,” You mumbled to yourself, “I need to find Mia…” The heels of your sandals clicked against the marble steps as you rushed your way through the endless corridors. Rounding a corner, you almost collided with a servant carrying a tray of food.

“I apologize, M’lady.” The servant quickly bowed their head low before scurrying away. You stood still for a moment, taken aback but quickly blinked away the slight shock and resumed your search. Your mind raced with thoughts of finding your best friend.

Weaving through the maze-like castle, you almost feared losing your way. You felt like you’d rounded the same corner at least ten times. But perhaps your determination did not deem itself unfruitful when you caught a glimpse of her bustling about in the servant’s quarters. Relief washed over you and you picked up your pace further, calling for her. “Mia- Nurse!”

The young lady whipped around with startle in her movements. Her eyes were wide with shock but upon seeing you, a familiar warmth shaped itself into her soft smile.

“Lady Juliet!” She exclaimed, “What brings you here?”

Coming to a halt in front of her, you breathlessly said; “I need to talk to you,” ignoring the confusion that swarmed her eyes at your unusual language, the rush in your veins was making you forget all about how Juliet was supposed to act. Nonetheless, the girl nodded understandingly and gave you her attention.

“Do speak your worries, m’lady. I am at your service.” You sighed with relief and took her hand, walking further inside her quarter, and closing the door behind you.

“Nurse…Why can’t I and Romeo be together?” You initiated, struggling to find the right words. The young woman watched you with perplexed eyes. “You know full well the reasons, m’lady.” Mia’s knowing gaze weighed upon you, you noted how her voice was soft and solemn as she spoke, as though not to hurt your fragile feelings.

You shook your head stubbornly. “No! I really do not!” As your voice raised ever so slightly, you noticed the slight panic contorting her features and you immediately calmed down.

“I just…I love him so much,” You felt breathless, as the words slipped past your lips, a strange rush of vulnerability crashed upon you. Mia’s eyes locked with yours but you found yourself relentlessly avoiding her gaze. The feelings falling from your lips were Juliet’s and hers alone. But then why did it feel like your heart had been laid bare for the whole world to see?

You gulped, “I understand the feud of our families, but I need to know what happened!” You urged, hoping that you would be able to find answers. “What could possibly have been the cause of such a lifelong resentment? Why do I have to pay the price of my love because of an ancient conflict that…” the words spilled past your quivering lips, it was almost like you had no control over what left your mouth. These overwhelming emotions were too big for your heart to bear. “That doesn’t involve me!?” You implored.

Mia’s gaze softened, shoulders sinking slightly as she gently took your cold hands into her warm ones. Her touch was so tangible that you almost forgot that all of this wasn’t anything other than a dream.

“Oh sweet Y/n, but it does involve you.” Your throat suddenly felt extremely, a shiver running down your spine. “W-what?” Your voice trembled when you met her unfazed eyes. Had she just called you by your name?

“The day that you have mourned for so long, it was you who left him,” Mia explained calmly, though the words became nothing but a swirling mess in your head. “What are you talking about?” You inquired, pulling your hands out of her grasp. Uneasiness settled within you at the direction that the conversation was taking.

“You and Beomgyu are now strangers because you turned your back on him, that day.” Her sentence pierced through your throbbing heart, a sense of injustice had you shaking your head furiously.

“How…How can you say that I left him when he was the one who denied knowing me in front of others?!” You cried out, throwing your hands in the air. “He was the one who ended our friendship at that very moment.”

You recalled the scene vividly. The pain of that day was ingrained so deeply within your memory, that sometimes the cuts it left still felt fresh. It had been just another exhausting day of classes but nonetheless, you had been eager to meet up with your best friend at your usual spot. But as you had rounded the corner your anticipation had quickly morphed into shock. With your breath caught in your throat, you witnessed Beomgyu surrounded by people unknown to you. Their expressions taunting and relentless as they held up a photograph in front of Beomgyu’s face. His patience was wearing thin and a scowl was etched permanently onto his face. Something about the scene unsettled you deeply but you had been rooted onto your spot, unable to move.

“Shut up,” Beomgyu had hissed, attempting to rip the photo from their grasp, only igniting laughter from the others when they easily pulled it higher up.

“Why so serious? Don’t you love her anyway? But her mommy hates you, how sad!” The taller male waved the photograph teasingly and laughed in his face.

“I don’t fucking love her!” His voice echoed bitterly in the lonely corridor. You still remembered the way his voice reverberated in your ears, each word a cruel stab to your heart. “We’re merely acquaintances so cut this crap and leave me alone.” Beomgyu’s voice was cold and merciless. You had felt a strong sense of betrayal wash over you, wondering why he was denying your friendship so vehemently. You were hurt and confused, the emotions ever so overwhelming and you struggled to comprehend what had happened.

You recalled his hands curled into tight fists, his chest heaving visibly up and down after he’d gotten them to leave. And then, the moment that would haunt you for years to come happened. He had turned to you, eyes filled with a raw emotion you couldn't decipher. Something had flickered in his gaze, perhaps regret, almost as if he’d woken up from a trance. But the wall that his words had put between you was insurmountable.

Although your name had come tumbling from his lips, begging you to let him explain, your back had already been turned, heart had already been broken into irreparable pieces.

You looked at Mia, your desperate eyes silently begging her to understand the turmoil inside of you. “I know it wasn’t easy being my friend, especially with my mother making it clear that she didn’t like him. I don’t know why she was so against him, but I never stopped defending him!” You paused to take a breath. “Not for one moment. I put him over my parents' rules and valued his friendship over my parents’ trust. I always sneaked out to see him although I was grounded for that very same reason…” Your words stumbled upon each other in your haste to defend yourself, “So how could you say that I was the one who left him?”

“Y/n,” Mia coaxed gently, eyes fluttering shut was a deep breath. “It mustn’t have been easy on your heart.” She affirmed, bowing her head slightly. “But believe my words, there is more to this tale than you are aware of.” She paused, letting you feel the gravity of her words although you struggled to make sense of it all.

“What do you mean?” Confusion clouded your thoughts, “What do I not know of? Did Beomgyu hide something from me?” Your mind spiraled, but your friend’s sudden grip on your shoulders brought your focus back on her. “Do not fret!” She scolded, her usually sweet eyes now stern as they pierced through yours. “This story goes beyond the two of thy…Your mother and Beomgyu’s father share a history.” Mia carefully unfolded the truth to you. Your arms fell limp to your sides, eyes wide open as the new information sank in.

“It is so. They used to court each other in their youthful days.” She confirmed your suspicions. “However, they belonged to different realities. Their love was forbidden much like the tale of Romeo and Juliet. Your mother had always been true to her traditions. Attempts to sort the disagreement between her and her family hadn’t given any fruits, they wouldn’t approve of a relationship with the young Mr. Choi.”

Your head was spinning.

Mia’s words painted a picture of a past you never knew, shedding light on the hidden truths that had shaped your relationship with Beomgyu since the very beginning. The two of you had only been children when you’d first met. Your cries resounded in the rain storm, a knee scraped open because of your clumsy feet. Beomgyu, one of the many by-passers had heard your wailing from far.

Not the sweet little bandaid he’d clumsily applied to your injury, not even the umbrella he’d handed you so that you would stop crying could have thawed your mother’s icy resolve. He had walked you home, only to be sent away coldly by your mother. Even so, your friendship continued flowering on the familiar grounds of your school. A part of you had always seen Beomgyu like the knight that helped the princess escape her tower of isolation. He was the sweet breeze under your shirt on a hot summer day. He was the sense of liberation and affection that shrouded you like a warm blanket when in his presence. You’d discovered parts of yourself whilst by his side, that would have forever remained uncovered if you’d listened to your parents' warnings.

“But-” Your voice faltered with disbelief, “Why would my mother put me through her same pain?” A part of you wanted to sympathize with your mother, but the longer you dwelled on it the more you felt yourself lose your mind. The endless fights, the uncountable times they’d punished you for refusing to cut ties with the friend that meant so much to you.

“You see,” Mia hummed, “That is where your mother’s resentment brews, although she points to Beomgyu’s bad influence on you, the truth is another. Beomgyu is a painful reminder of her past. His familiar face reminds her of the one man she truly loved and lost.” Her voice tinged with empathy, “She struggles to cope with her broken heart.” Every utterance was a tiny piece of the vast puzzle that was your life. Each little fragment finding its place but revealing only a frustratingly small detail. Mia's insight kept sinking in but you felt dizzy from the unstoppable rush of thoughts and questions. Your chest brimming with mixed emotions of anger, sadness, and empathy. Running a hand through your hair, you let out the heavy breath that you had been holding in this whole time.

Your mother’s unwavering disapproval, Beomgyu’s struggle to defend himself, and the rift that had formed between you and your childhood friend. Everything was still a mess in your head, but there was only one thing clear that you just couldn’t shake off.

Tears blurred your view as the strong sense of clarity washed over you, sending you over the edge.

Shaking eyes searching for Mia’s, nails digging into your palms. “What have I done?” You whispered brokenly, a hand coming to rest on your face as if to stop the intense swirling of your surroundings.

“I- he surely hates me for it, doesn’t he?” You told yourself, “There is no way I can restore our friendship.” no matter how much you tried to find a way, the damage you had done seemed unfathomable.

Mia’s eyes were solemn when she regarded you, her next phrase with a weight that you couldn’t quite comprehend. “I fear not,” She proved. An ancient sorrow tip toeing in her murmur. Although you had been the one to make the statement, having her confirm it left an unbearable pain tightening your chest.

“For the bonds of your hearts have transcended the mere boundaries of a friendship,” Mia whispered, your forehead creased into a frown.

"What do you mean?" you pleaded, searching her eyes for clarity, but the young woman merely shook her head. “You haven’t realized it yet, have you?”

“Realized what?”

“The words you spoke upon finding me, were no one’s but your own, dear, reflect on that.” Not Juliet’s, but yours. The additions lingered on Mia’s tongue, although she chose not to pronounce them. Your shaken expression weighted her heart.

“I don’t understand.” You let your head fall, the curtain of your hair covering the tears that were now blurring your view.

Your friend placed a tender caress on your cheek, crouching slightly so that you would meet her gaze. “Hey,” She soothed, “Do not despair, dear, there is still time.” her eyebrows raised encouragingly as her hold on your cheeks turned into a light pinch. your cheek, making you wince. “Now go forth, do not waste any more of thy precious time!” Mia exclaimed and stepped behind you, her hands on your back, guiding you onward with a gentle push, sending you off.

Stumbling forward, you couldn’t help but cast one last look back for guidance, only to have her fretting you away with not-so-subtle gestures.

The walk back to your chamber was like stepping into the unknown blindfolded. Your gaze was distant while allowing your feet to guide you back to familiar surroundings. Time was nothing but a blur, you wondered how much time you had spent in Mia’s quarter. The burning sun had bid its farewell to the sky a long time ago. Leaving you solely the moonlight to illuminate your solitary path through the now tranquil castle. The echoes from the daytime’s hustling activity were now replaced by a peaceful quietude. Even the servants had retired for the night.

A gentle timber called your name, and you feared your heart had stopped when you hastily looked up. Your pupils dilated at the view of Beomgyu’s figure walking towards you. A worried expression rested upon his features.

“What took you so long?” He spoke in hushed tones not to wake anyone up, “I was waiting for you but you never came. I thought something happened to you.”

His concern ignited a tender warmth within you, a flood of emotions brimming in your heart as it picked up its pace in your chest. Racing far ahead of you, drumming against your ribs begging to be set free from its hostage.

"I... I lost track of time," you managed to say through your trembling lips. "I'm sorry for worrying you."

His expression of worry melted away with the step he took, gently dismissing your apology with a shake of his head. "I'm just relieved you're okay," he confessed, watching you from underneath his lashes. The silver glow of the moon cast a delicate shade down his cheek, while you marveled at the shimmering specks of amber swirling in his eyes.

A moment of silence followed, unspoken words weighing down on your chest.

Beomgyu’s words lingered in the air like a whispered promise, perhaps one made a long time ago. A glimmer of two youths intertwining their pinkies in a silent vow, sealing the bond with a kiss of their thumbs flickered before your eyes. But just like a sweet dream slipping away at the crack of dawn- it vanished before you could fully grasp it.

With your gaze falling to the ground, you struggled to move your voice past your lips. There was so much you wanted to say.

“Beomgyu I…” You began hesitantly, forcing yourself to meet his gentle ocean eyes despite the dry lump forming in your throat. He kept quiet, silently letting you take your time to express yourself. The knowing look painted on his features told you that he’d understand no matter how much you struggled to explain yourself.

“I am so sorry-” Your voice wavered as a tear traced its way down your cheek. “It’s all my fault.” remorse, a sad melody that had etched itself into your words as tears continued spilling from your eyes, salty and melting into your lips as you continued.

“I don’t understand why– how I could have walked away like I did, without letting you explain yourself, that day.” Your voice a mere whisper, knuckles whitening under the pressure of your trembling fist. “I should have let you tell me the truth but I let my hurt and anger cloud me…” A trembling shiver left your mouth. “Why did I do that?”

“I threw away our friendship, I threw away the most important thing I had, I messed up so bad, I-” Before you could continue, Beomgyu’s hand had reached out. Soft fingertips caressing your skin, catching your precious tears.

“I’m sorry too,” he said softly, his fingers absentmindedly curling around a few strands of your hair. "I should have tried to reach out to you again after that. But I too, let my pride and stubbornness get in the way." his touch was gentle as he slowly guided the stray hairs in his hold behind your ear.

“Do you…” Your hesitation lingered in the air as the question you were afraid to ask danced on your tongue. The fear in your chest fogged your mind. Although this whole journey could have served as an answer, your heart couldn’t find its peace unless he pronounced the words himself.

“Do you hate me for what I did?”

Beomgyu found himself melting before you, fingers slowly coming to cradle your jaw. His eyes searched yours for a moment before speaking, but your gaze shied away from his. He couldn’t help but admire the way your tears were like small crystals twinkling upon your lashes.

"Hate you?" His voice brimmed with disbelief. "No, Y/n, never." he tilted your head ever so slightly so that you could meet his gaze, so that you wouldn’t need to doubt him again. He extended a thumb, brushing away another tear that threatened to fall. "Despite what I've told myself over and over again, for years,” A solemn smile curled his lips.

“I don’t think I ever convinced myself when I tried to believe I hated you.” Beomgyu took a small step closer, lacing one arm around your shoulders. It was like you forgot how to breathe when he guided you into his chest, tucking your head into the crook of his neck. Your hands rested upon his chest out of surprise, feeling his thumping heart against your palms and almost confusing his quick heartbeat with your own.

There was something different about the way his arms tightened around you, you sensed fear in his embrace, as if you were to disappear at any moment. As if he was afraid to wake up in the middle of this moment. The sensation of his long hair tickling your skin when he nuzzled his head into your shoulder, the familiar scent of his cologne, and the warmth of his body engulfing you. His regretful murmur when he uttered the sole words that you needed to heal your heart.

“No one could make me hate you.”

You wished for nothing else than for this to be real.

A sob escaped your lips and you threw your arms around his neck. Beomgyu’s gentle fingertips traced a sweet path down your back, hands finding your waist. Eyes fluttering close and all you could think about was how it felt like his arms were made to embrace you.

You had finally placed the last puzzle piece into its spot, you had found the missing pages of your book.

You had fallen back into place.

“I missed you so much,” you whispered, ignoring the way your words muffled against his chest. Despite feeling as close as ever, Beomgyu’s embrace tightened even more, “I missed you too,” his eyes fell shut to the comfort of your hold.

Nuzzling your face deeper into his chest, the cold air of the castle slowly dissipated, replaced by a warmth that felt oddly familiar against your eyelids– a sensation akin to the gentle embrace of sunlight. Inhaling deeply, you noted the woody and papery scent that danced its way into your senses, wrinkling your nose in response.

You jerked away from Beomgyu with a sharp gasp, startling both him and yourself. The moonlight that had been adorning his soft features was long gone. Hence the beautiful corridor you’d been standing in was by now only a mirage of your dream as you noticed the book-filled shelves surrounding you in the remote corner of the library, illuminated by the soft glow of late sunlight filtering through dusty windows.

Beomgyu’s expression brimmed with confusion as his eyes darted around, searching for you after realizing that you were back in the university’s library. Shocked, the boy felt his arms go limp, and a loud noise reverberated against the ground. Your attention immediately bolted to the book that had slipped out of Beomgyu’s grasp, landing open on the pavement. The illustration of two ancient lovers dancing in the crowd glittered in the sun.

You wasted no time picking the book up, the adrenaline rush had your fingers trembling as you flipped over a few pages, mouth falling agape at the sight of the star-crossed lovers. Their once blank faces were now vivid with your very own features adorning them.

“Oh my God-” You breathed incredulously, flipping page after page. Beomgyu could only stand there, watching you as he tried to reason with what he had just experienced. His trance was short-lived, interrupted by you suddenly slamming the book shut. The beetroot color that had crept upon your cheeks piqued his interest.

“What did you see?” Beomgyu inquired with his brow raised inquisitively. But your response came too quickly for his liking.

“NOTHING!” You pressed a bit too defensively, earning a few distant hushes from other visitors. His suspicions were raised upon your secretive behavior “Let me see-” he tried to grab the book but you swung your arm out of his reach. He huffed and crossed his arms over his chest, a displeased pout sporting his lips. You were to be damned for letting your guard down at that moment because the next thing you knew Beomgyu had snatched the book from you. You yelped helplessly and tried to get it back but the long-haired boy was far taller than you.

The sensation of cold sweat coated your body at the thought of Beomgyu finding the pages revealing a portrayal of you and he locked in a tender kiss. A new-found heat rose to your cheeks as your heart went berserk. But the view of him delicately opening the ancient novel to inspect what had made you react in such a way awoke a sense of panic that had you blurting out a sentence you had no idea how to stand for.

“No need to search, I can just show you myself.” The casual tone in your voice baffled you to no end, because your heart was in your throat, threatening to jump out.

Thankfully, the boy looked away from the book, not yet having found the pages you had been trying to conceal. You could spot the astonishment in his expression caused by the illustrations in the book, and you didn’t blame him, why were your faces painted on those of the lovers’?

Despite all, his eyes still showed you his interest. “And what exactly are you going to show me?” he raised a brow. Beomgyu’s casual cockiness only fueled a sudden boldness within you. "Let me see," his persistence rang in your ears and before you even knew what you were doing, you had grabbed the collar of his shirt. Pulling him close with a determination you hadn't known you possessed– shutting your eyes tightly, you crashed your lips on top of his. The boy stumbled forward, eyes wide at your sudden action, though his lips had acted on their own as they had responded to yours right away. His soft pillows eagerly nipped on yours for a mere moment before you parted from him, releasing his now wrinkled shirt from your hold.

“That’s what I saw in the book.” You averted your gaze down to your feet, pressing your lips into a thin line.

A shy pink dusted his cheeks, gaze fastened on you, he could not bring himself to look away. His chest rose with the ragged breaths puffing out of his swollen lips.

“You kiss by the book,” he gasped incredulously, a cheerful laugh bubbling in his throat. Your head whipped in his direction, tummy fluttering at the familiar words he’d used. You watched him throw his head back in delight as his body shook with laughter, finding yourself getting completely absorbed into the joy that sprouted from him, you couldn’t stop the chuckles that escaped your lips.

You couldn't help but admire his smile, the way it lit up his entire face, the way his pretty eyes crinkled into twinkling half-moons. It had been so long since you had seen that smile directed towards you, and it made you feel complete.

You had no idea what kind of magic had danced on Mr. Kim’s fingertips when he slid that assignment paper on your desk, with yours and Beomgyu’s names written next to each other in red ink. But it was almost like he’d taken the red threads of your fates and tied them back together after that the two of you had let it come undone.

Now Beomgyu knew, you knew– that dreams were like magic. They appeared, tickled, and sparked a twinkle in your hearts, only to disappear just as quickly as it had appeared.

You had lost each other for so long, but you had finally found each other again under the same dream, under the same stars that had brought the two youths together through a love that transcended every boundary.

Perhaps your fates had been written by the very same hands.

Perhaps you were them.

You took his hand in yours, feeling its warmth like the sunset glow, painting you in its vivid colors.

"I dreamt a dream today," Beomgyu murmured as he threaded his fingers through yours.

"And so did I." You met his gaze knowingly.

“Well, what was yours?” A sweet smile started to curl his lips.

“That dreamers speak their heart’s truth.”

a/n: ooh my god I finally did it! here it is and I hope you all enjoyed it as much as possible!! I had so much fun writing this and I hope it was just as fun reading! this is probably one of my most dramatic pieces and I had to stop myself while writing and question where all the drama was coming from but duh!! It's literally Romeo and Juliet hello??.

anyway!! I would appreciate your thoughts on it a lot <33 I'm really curious to know how this idea I've had brewing in my head for years came out and is perceived by all of you! do not be shy and pls share your thoughts with me <333

Important disclaimer!

I do not own the story or characters of Romeo and Juliet, full credit to Shakespeare who invented them.

I also used some of the dialogue from the actual script in modern English which I will be linking in this text!

so! if you made it all the way down here, I just want to thank you for sticking with me and for taking the time to read this piece! It means a lot to me. You're amazing<33

much love, p.

taglist: @wave2tyun @binluvsu @shutupheathersorryheatherr @20crowsinahoodie @woncheecks @ur-mother-realnotclickbait @20-cms @endeav0rsb1tch @todosmash @scatterbraincutie @zzhyuu @sweetstraberrybear @deabird @iluvkyo @lunathewritingcat @vivienne2000 @sunny4cast @lun4kazumii @be0mgyusbestie @yjdni @roseyposeylemonsquozey @beomgyuspeach @glossykai

#Beomgyu #beomgyu fluff #beomgyu x reader #beomgyu oneshot #tomorrow x together #beomgyu imagines #txt x reader #txt oneshots #txt imagines #yeonjun #soobin #hueningkai #taehyun #romeo & juliet

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bon2bonn · 5 months

Text

Driver profile : Y/N L/N

Name : Y/N M/N M/L/N

Nicknames : N/N , bella , demon spawn, amour , love , sprout.

Nicknames by fans : Valkyrie, the unofficial official grid mom , Merc queen, red bull princess, angel, f2 grid mom , stargirl .

Age : I estimated her to be around 27 (it's not fixed so you can change it to whatever you like)

Birthday : 23 . October . (Same thing , you can put yours or any other date🤷🏻‍♀️)

Birthplace : Sydney, Australia

Blood type : B+

Languages : fluent in English, french + (language of choice) , basic Dutch , Spanish , and a little bit of Arabic.

Resident : between Monaco, London, New York and Sydney.

Personality : spitfire on track , a power that install fear in the hearts of every team and any driver she's up against , believes in actions and hard work rather than words spewed around , so if you have the balls and nerves to poke her , you better have the results to back you up or you won't see the end of it from her or her fans or the rest of the grid .

Known as The grid keeper/ no#1 mom who keeps them in line but could be found in the midst of chaos leading them with their antics and pranks . off track , she's an introverted small bean that can scare the daylight out of you if you rubbed her the wrong way, shy and closed off is the first impression that everyone gets when meeting her but once you get to know her she's the sweetest and most genuine/spontaneous person you'll ever meet , her RBF hides a gentle kind soul , that makes her the best person to give comfort and assurance even if she denies it. Protective bear of her loved ones and won't stop at anything till she make sure they're okay. She either acts like an old lady that complains about her back and knees , or like a little kid on a sugar rush , it's a normal day to find her around the grid at the most confusing places : climbing motorhomes just because/hiding behind tyres while everyone lose their minds trying to find her /sleeping in an ice tup cause she got too comfortable.

Habits: play with her hands when nervous, pout unconsciously when she's too focused on something, pick at her fingers when uncomfortable/stressed (if close , Charles would give her one of his rings to play with , or others would let her play with their fingers to distract her) , jumps whenever she gets exited, tilt her head when confused, clenches her fists/jaw when she gets irritated ( the guys knows when to interfere to stop her from beating someone), sings/humms absentmindedly through her day , do a little dance when happy, talks to herself in a quiet voice.

Occupation :

Former Formula 1 driver

Years of work : (2015-2022)

Racing biography 🏎️ :

*‌Toro Rosso :

2015 alongside : Max Verstappen #33.

2016 alongside : Carlos Sainz #55.

*‌Renault(alpine) : 2017 alongside : Nico Hülkenberg #27.

*‌Alpha Romeo(sauber) : 2018 alongside : Charles leclerc #16.

‌*Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 team : 2019 - July 2022 alongside : Lewis Hamilton #44.

Currently:

• CEO/founder of Ingrid and willows brand (2018-now) .

• CEO and representative of L/N international corps (2022-now) .

•reserved driver for (RBR) Red Bull Racing (2023) .

Hobbies/skills : reading, playing piano, camping, hiking, cooking in general (loves backing) , painting specially with her youngest brother, singing, fast learner , have a very strong memory , is a pro at reading people and could tell their emotions and can almost alway tell when someone's lying , skilled stealthy prankster when provoked (by lando and max)..... .etc .

Family members :

‌father : f/N l/N .

‌mother : m/N M/l/N .

‌older brother: Edward l/N .

‌younger brother: Thomas l/N

Father :

Name : F/N M/N l/N

Occupation: CEO/founder of L/N international corps.

Social status: single father of (Edward , Y/N , Thomas l/N ).

Resident: London , UK.

Name : M/N M/l/N

Occupation: not found.

Social status: not found.

Status: alive .

Resident : Rome, Italy.

Name : Edward/Eddie M/N l/N

Age : 30

Occupation: CEO/founder of wildonwall (a worldwide known professional architectural company that deals in designing/building and supervising projects around the world).

Social Status: married to ( Alison Graham ) , father of two (one boy : Marcus/Marc , one girl : Ingrid/gigi ).

Resident: London , UK.

Name : Thomas/Tommy/ben M/N l/N

Age : 22

Occupation: student of fine arts , Oxford university.

Social status: a single Pringle who don't know how to mingle.

Resident: Monte Carlo , Monaco - London , UK.

Facts and background infos :

‌she's the only daughter of the L/N family , but chose to race with her grandmother's maiden name instead . She wanted to establish herself away from her father's name .

‌very independent , and mature beyond her age .‌

she's the backbone of her family, both her brothers and father own it to her for helping them through their lives .

‌she had a complicated relationship with her mother to say the least, she was the one who suffered the most when she left .

‌her parents split up when she was only 5 . her mom walked away leaving them with her baby brother who was barely months old .

‌her mother tried to forcefully take Eddie (the eldest) along with her while their father was out with Tommy, but he refused to part from his sister , resulting in a very traumatic day for the two kids.

‌she watched her dad as he struggled with taking care of them three , feeling like a failure who couldn't tend to his own children.

‌so she took it up on herself to help him take care, comfort and nurture her baby brother.

‌he tried to get her to live her age but she won't stop worrying about her brother and he won't settle unless she's close .

‌just hearing her voice got him from screaming his lungs out to cooing and giggling.

‌their bond only grew stronger as they grew up .

‌he was at his best behaviour when she's around, forgetting about the tantrums and wailing matches he had with his traumatized babysitter who quit the moment their father came back home .

‌her childhood wasn't the most ideal but she got her family with her and that was more than enough for her.

‌her dad was more than relieved when she finally had interest in something other than studying or taking care of them .

‌he watched as her love for racing grow untill he offered to take her to her first grand Prix.

‌she didn't sleep for days after .

‌daniel was her first friend in the sport .

‌they met through one of her uncles friends back in Australia , both didn't like eachother at all .

she was the quiet observing kid and he was the bouncing ball of energy , but they bonded through their love for racing .

‌she moved to Europe (between UK and France) with her dad where she found more suitable competitions to partake in, but she tried to keep in touch with him through the years , but they both got busy and lost connection.

‌she kept to herself and worked hard to build her skills.

Maintaining a healthy balance between her studies and racing .

‌untill she met some of the kids older/close to her age , most didn't take her seriously and even encouraged her to drop racing . But she also met little max .

Both acknowledged the other but kept their distance on the beginning.

‌the boy was blunt and she was unfazed.

‌they respected the other hard work and we're motivated to beat eachother at every race.

‌they surprisingly became best friends with time .

‌both acting too mature for their own good but unknowingly, they both got eachother to act their age as they grew closer .

‌they gave eachother tips and pointers as they sat away from the others before every race they were in together .

‌he'd talk her ears off after every race explaining every detail and every corner and she'd patiently listen to him , adding her own opinion here and there .

‌they were at eachother neck every race, but their friendship was as strong as it could be.

‌they celebrated the winner and encouraged the loser , both hated to lose , but they raced fairly.

‌she got discovered by Christian , and found her way to red bull academy program, Max a year after her .

‌and guess who's there ? Daniel Joseph Ricciardo.

‌they reunited after years , both inseparable even more when she got a seat at Toro rosso .

‌the team was on the brink of a collective breakdown, they already had Seb to worry about , now add those two with Max?

‌cue chaos and mischief , sirens going off with Seb laughing and Christian screaming in the background.

‌fernando saw her and declared war upon whoever dares to hurt this small bean .

Forming a small protection squad (more like him forcing Seb Kimi and Jenson to participate)

Kimi got robbed into it , he didn't even know until he found himself along with the others planning to slash a reporter tires for calling her slow and ignorant .

He thought they were getting coffee !?!! .

‌she was supposed to move to red bull in 2016 but Marko opposed, max was promoted instead, and she left to Renault the following season.

‌in 2018 she moved to alpha Romeo (saubar) alongside Charles leclerc .

Rookie Charles was low-key scared of her , he knew her from their carting days but still felt uneasy with her quiet personality and focused mentality.

The first time they met was a disaster at it's finest.

But she knew how tense and overwhelmed rookies could be in their first season so she tried her best to help him through it .

‌it was an exhausting season but they both survived .

Charles moved to Ferrari and her to Mercedes.

‌Toto offered her a Merc seat for 2019 .

‌lewis had his share of teammates and it didn't end well to say the least with his former friend/teammate (RIP brocedes) or valtteri after .

‌so when she first came in it didn't go well for her .

‌both her and Lewis are hardheaded and closed off, refusing to acknowledge the other Or give in to know eachother.

‌they stayed professional and moved out of the other's way, untill she came around, finding him in the back of his driver's room, sitting on the floor , his head on his hands after a shitty with a dnf .

‌she kept quiet and sat down with him letting him have his moment of silence but assuring he don't have to be alone .

‌after an hour or so, she took out her phone , showing him her family dog pics and videos , getting him to crack a smile and even few laughs before she let him talk about his own Roscoe, promising to let her meet him when they go to Silverstone.

‌the roles reversed when he found her in an empty office at the back of the garage , she got an earful from Toto and couldn't get a word in , her notes are always dismissed and her engineer wasted time until it's too late to listen.

‌he sat beside her, letting her lean on his shoulder in a way of comfort , letting her play with his rings to calm down.

‌they built a support system . and it resulted in building a solid foundation for a dynamic team.

But that won't mean she'll let her work go to waste because of the team's orders.

... : Y/N.

Y/N : yes?

James : Y/N, This is James, listen.....

Y/N : no James! You listen! Just because..........

Her radio messages never disappoint.

Yeah they give her a hard time , but they didn't know what was waiting for them .

She adapted quickly to the new team and their methods of work , it went as well as it could be up to 2021 .

Shit hit the fan and she almost die/quit .

But she stayed put , ending the season in 3d 🥉.

2022 things moved up a little, with her chances of getting the championship almost equalling Max's, him being ahead with only 24 point .

But Mercedes had their own plans.

Mid-season change in plans Leading to her leaving/getting replaced with George Russell , concluding her journey with Mercedes AMG team.

*Let me know if I missed something ✨

#weathering your storm #wys #f1 x driver!reader #f1 x female reader #f1 x female driver #f1 x reader #f1 grid x reader #22!f1 grid x reader #23!f1 grid x reader #f1 au!

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moralesmilesanhour · 7 months

Text

mad props! 02

summary: Miles catches onto your antics. wc: ~800 a/n: some advanced haterism going on here. this has gotten increasingly fun to write as the plot ramps up! pls don't be scared 2 leave any reactions or thoughts in the comments + tags :) 01 02 03

From then on, you made it a point to ignore Miles during partner work and punctuate it with an eye roll. He tucked his head back in surprise the first time you did it, and you felt like you’d just won a prize.

…That is, until he ignored you back.

Eventually, Miles just turned to the person in the next column to ask for a pen instead, seeming perfectly content with working on his own.

It should've been a relief.

Today, Mr. Sanchez handed out worksheets to write a short composition on, and you struggled to recall the correct word for ‘kitchen’. All of your attempts to remember the pictures at the back of your flashcards came to nothing, finally forcing you to turn around and ask with a heavy sigh.

"Um, hey," you began, wincing at the softness of your voice. "What’s ‘kitchen’ in Spanish? You remember?"

Miles looked at you with only his eyes. " ‘Cocina’."

No puns, no off-hand comment. Not even an offer to help further. He just quietly returned to his work.

Your plan was already falling apart now that he no longer initiated conversations for you to brush off, so you went with the next best thing: competing with him.

“Who was able to solve for the trajectory of–oh!”

The AP Physics instructor pushed back a strand of red hair as she glanced between you and Miles, whose hands had shot up at the same time.

“Let’s go with someone who hasn’t spoken yet. Ms. L/N?”

You smiled as you answered, “24.7 meters per second.”

“Excellent job, Y/N, and thank you for participating today. Now, would anyone else…”

As the woman called on other students, a strategy began to take shape.

It wasn’t hard to tell when Miles was about to raise his hand. His eyes would go wide, with a tiny smile that said he was certain that no one else could get this question right but him. His hand went up so fast that you had to answer before the teacher could even finish their question, but it worked. And it got you a few extra points for participation.

“Now, who can tell me what makes the film ‘Romeo + Juliet’ so unique?” asked the English professor.

Miles raised his hand. “It takes the original play and reinterprets aspects of the original plot for modern audiences.”

As soon as he answered, his eyes flickered towards you almost as if on cue. Sure enough, your hand flew up.

“Y/N, what a surprise! Care to add on?”

“Of course. The director, Baz Luhrmann,” you met Miles’ gaze as you specified the name, “used his over-the-top cinematic style of directing to bring the drama of the original play to life in a contemporary context. He replaced the swords with guns and balls for parties, but kept the dialogue the same so that audiences could better understand Shakespeare without needing to grapple with the work of translating Shakespearean English into modern English. He found a way to make the play accessible without compromising on the text.”

Miles narrowed his eyes at you while the stocky teacher made a noise of approval.

“Very succinct explanations, you two. I’m very impressed with you especially, Miss L/N. I hope to hear your voice more often in class.”

You noticed Miles still glaring, and rested your chin in the palm of your hand.

In a sickly-sweet tone, you whispered, “What?”

He shook his head and turned away.

“Alright, make sure you go home and memorize those formulas! See you Wednesday!”

You neatly stacked your papers and slid them carefully into one of your labeled folders as the bell rang, marking the end of your last class.

The hallway bustled with students rushing like bees to their lockers. On the way to your own, a pop of color catches your eye.

It’s a bulletin board filled with sign-ups for a number of clubs, from cheerleading to student government to debate. Remembering your college counselor’s comment about your extracurriculars “looking a bit empty”, you drew closer. Might as well, right?

You didn’t have the stamina for cheerleading, but speech and debate looked promising. Just as you took out a pen to sign your name, though, you stopped short and frowned.

At the very bottom of the list read the name ‘Miles Morales’ written with a neon highlighter.

Then again on the art club’s flier. And anime club. And music engineering.

‘Miles Morales’.

Guess you weren’t the only one who needed to beef up their transcript.

“Show-off,” you muttered to yourself.

Just as you were about to lose hope, there was one other club that Miles hadn’t signed up for, hanging precariously off of the edge of the board from a single thumbtack:

Theater.

And auditions were the very next day.

#miles morales fic #miles morales x reader #miles morales x black!reader #miles morales x fem!reader #earth 1610 miles morales x reader #moralesanhour

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welcometomyoasis · 7 months

Text

He's a keeper | Yoon Jeonghan

🪧 100 event: sweater + Jeonghan | @wheeboo Synopsis: when you bring Jeonghan to meet your scary uncle, things take a funny turn when your uncle plays a little prank. Jeonghan x gn! reader | fluff | 670 words | no warnings A/n: Rania! Thank you for the request and for literally being one of the sweetest people here on tumblr! I really hope you like this!

Walking up to the front door of your parent’s house, Jeonghan steeled his nerves and raised his hand to knock on the door. Just as his hand was about to make contact, you swung the front door open, giving Jeonghan a big shock. Giggling at his expression, you bounced up towards him, giving him a peck on the cheek and wrapping your arms around his slim figure.

“Are you ready hannie? I’m so excited.”

Scoffing at your question, Jeonghan whined, “angel. That’s easy for you to say. You’re not the one who is about to meet your scary British uncle. Mind you, you were the one who said that he scared away all your previous boyfriends. What if he doesn’t like me? Then I’ll never be able to see you again. We’ll end up like Romeo and Juliet.”

Shaking your head at his dramatic behaviour, you took his hand and pulled him into your living room where your parents and uncle were sitting on the couch. After saying a brief greeting to your parents, you dragged Jeonghan over to your uncle’s side.

Now, Jeonghan was usually very confident as he was able to charm others easily. But you said your uncle was stern and hard to impress. Plus, you were very close to your uncle which gave Jeonghan the additional pressure of needing (and wanting) to make a good impression. It also didn’t help that when your uncle stood up, he towered over Jeonghan.

Gulping, Jeonghan shakily handed a present to your uncle, saying, “it’s nice to meet you. Y/n has talked about you a lot. Happy birthday… Uh, I got you a jumper for your birthday. I hope it fits.”

Looking down at Jeonghan, your uncle scoffed incredulously, “What am I going to do with a jumper? I can’t wear a dress…”

Chuckling nervously, Jeonghan said, “it’s not a dress. It’s a jumper? Isn’t this a jumper? Y/n said it was.”

In a flat tone, your uncle noted, “Jumpers are dresses.”

With your uncle seemingly agitated, Jeonghan shot you a pleading look. Instead of helping him, you simply shrugged your shoulders and gestured at Jeonghan to continue talking.

Sulking a little at your refusal to help him, Jeonghan muttered softly, “Isn’t this a jumper? You know, the thing you wear when you are cold. A sweater? Don’t you call sweaters jumpers in Britain?”

Seeing Jeonghan’s downcast expression, your uncle softened and let out a laugh, “I’m just joking with you. Yes, we do call these jumpers in Britain though jumpers sometimes refer to dresses. My niece told me you are a bit of a prankster, so I thought we would scare you a little. Sorry about that. It’s nice to meet you Jeonghan. Thank you for the present.”

With that, Jeonghan heaved a sigh of relief and narrowed his eyes on you. Snickering, you battered your eyes at him and gave him an innocent guilty looking smile. Although he was exasperated that you had tricked him, Jeonghan could only laugh and quietly curse his soft spot for you. For all the pranks that he always pulled on you, he decided he would let you off the hook, just this once, maybe.

Having watched the entire exchange, your mother decided that it was time to save Jeonghan from you and your uncle’s antics. She stood up, grabbed your father, and motioned for Jeonghan to come help her in the kitchen. Quietly excusing himself, Jeonghan relaxed and quickly scurried off behind your mother.

As Jeonghan left the living room, your uncle bent down to whisper in your ear, “you know, I think he’s the first one I like. He’s nice. Make sure he treats you well and vice versa.”

Watching fondly while Jeonghan helped your mother and joked with your father in the kitchen, you said firmly, “Don’t worry, I will. Afterall, he’s a keeper.”

taglist: @weird-bookworm @wonijinjin @babyleostuff

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supernaturalfreewill · 3 months

Text

Summary: Ash trying to flirt with Sam and Dean's sister is just... *chef's kiss* too good haha Protective!Dean activated too XD "Ash!" Dean called out, bursting into the Roadhouse. "We're back! It's been—" he checked his watch, "—sixteen hours and 40 minutes! Just exactly what you said you needed..." he trailed off.

You followed your brothers in and strained your hearing, glancing curiously around the dimly lit bar. Sam sunk down on a bar stool next to you. There was a commotion in the back room and some muttered words and dull thumps before the door absolutely burst open and the mullet-wearing redneck genius strutted in. "Sam, Dean," he drawled, a crooked smile growing on his face. "Oh—" he started, suddenly seeing you sitting there with your brothers on either side of you. He flipped his long hair back over his shoulder and leaned on the counter. "And who might this be?" he asked, smiling right at you. "You're just about as fine as frog hair split four ways..."

You could only laugh a little and smile back somewhat awkwardly. "Is—is that a compliment?"

Ash nodded. "Of course it is. Can I get ya somethin' to drink?"

Dean snapped his fingers in front of Ash's face. "Hey! Take it easy Redneck Romeo! She's our sister," he said, his voice going down to its deepest register, his protectiveness adding an extra layer of gravel to it.

"Yer sister?" Ash asked, his eyebrows lifting in surprise. "Well, hell, boys. Seems like you forgot to mention that. If ya'd told me she was comin' I woulda gotten myself gussied up for just such an occasion." Sam pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. "Ash... about the case..."

"Right. Right... the case..."

Happy Supporting Character Saturday! I miss Ash and his antics <3 He deserved better than what he got... (like so many in the show *sobs*)

#ash #supernatural #ash imagines #ash drabbles #spn drabbles

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shinjisdone · 10 months

Note

Request prompt: MC just being really happy they have a boyfriend (it's their first) and is super happy around said new boyfriend Rook <3

Rook being your first boyfriend and you being very happy about it :)

Never did you think you'd find this kind of happiness in Twisted Wonderland.

As nerve-wrecking as NRC, the students and these mysterious overblots are, you cannot help but hum and swing like a character in a fairytale.

For your beloved Romeo is in this very same school, is one of the very students attending here.

The attention, the abundance of nicknames he comes up with...the smile that he harbors for you that is much different than his usual zealous ones. Rook is wonderful.

You remember it clearly. As the one and only Rook Hunt seemed to catch your attention again and again. Many find his character odd at best and off-putting at worst but you have always found him charming, and it seemed like he was aware of it :).

He'd give you compliments, recite his poems to hear your opinion and tell you all that he found beautiful, what beauty he found in all every-day things.

And then, he invited you to the garden and confessed to you with a grande poem before beckoning you with an anonymous letter sent by an arrow, of course.

You accepted very happily. What others found 'extra', you found charming. What was called 'unneccessary' you saw as passionate. And Rook loved you for it.

You can't help but gush of his surprise visits - of how he'd announce his presence with a rose, a gentle 'booh!' or an arrow almost hitting you with a gift wrapped around it.

Rook never seems to get bored by his overly romantic antics for he knows how much joy they give you. He lives for your rosy cheeks and your goofy smile.

Ah~ And what a lovely rosy-posy crimson gracing your features! And your shiny white pearls peeking through your lips! The laughter and the giggles are an unique melody that hits his ears. A hymn that is composed all for him.

Ah, bien-aimé, how can he not fall for you again and again? Appearing like this is like playing pretend - falling at first sight each and every day.

Being with you is a fairytale! Très bien!

Will go all out on each day, on each lesson and whenever else you two see each other. Seeing you be so happy motivates Rook and he simply indulges in the overly romantic actions he can do for you and the romantic tension he can create just for you.

Calls you his beloved and muse. At times he just likes to take walks with you and intensely observes you in all of your glory. Anything you do will bring in a new poem into his head. He will even gift you things, ask specific things just to see your reaction. Anything you do intruiges him and brings him new inspiration! Truly, you are a muse!

As much as he calls anything and everything beautiful, Rook is surprisingly scarce when calling you beautiful - but only because he carefully crafts his intentions. He wants to say these things in a way that has you know how utterly sincere and genuine he is. You are simply a special kind of beauty. Something that even Rook struggles to put into words.

Like a rose...a lone star shining...a shape a shadow casts...you are all of it. The happiness you radiate...it is too special to be put into words, let alone a poem.

And knowing you are so happy because of him...of how he is your first boyfriend and is able to give you so much joy...it fills him with pride.

Rook will do everything in his power to keep you shining with happiness forevermore.

Hope this was okay! the ask was quite general so I took the freedom to put it into headcanons forms :)

#request #twst #twisted wonderland #rook hunt #twisted wonderland rook hunt #rook hunt x reader #rook hunt x mc #twst headcanons

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wedontdeservethestars · 4 months

Note

Johnny x fem! Clown reader

This is such a cute prompt idea! I've been doodling clowns a lot lately in class so this is strangely relevant to my life rn lol.

Content: fem!reader, really just a lot of fluff!

“I was thinking,” Johnny began.

“That’s never good.”

A roll of the eyes, a nudge of your shoulder. “C’mon. This one’s good.”

“Fine. I guess I can humor you for once…”

Johnny stuck his tongue out at you. He swirled his drink in his glass–a White Russian. “The execs are thinking of a soft reboot for Ninja Mime. And, well, y’know…I know you’re not big on film work, but I was thinkin’a bringing up the idea of a team-up sorta thing. Like, you know: me as Ninja Mime, and you as your cute little self. We could call it…” He raised his hands for dramatic effect, as if imagining a title all up in lights. “Fool Fighters.”

“Like ‘Foo Fighters’?” you giggled. “That might have some copyright issues.”

“Nahhh, I could pull some strings,” he smirked. “Okay, okay, imagine: it’s been years since the defeat of Dr. Commedia. Things have been quiet for Ninja Mime. He’s been relaxing in his penthouse in Paris, drinking wine and eating bread and kissin’ babes and whatever. And then, one day, he gets a cry for help from another fellow clown cutie–that’s you–and he falls head-over-heels in love with her. Dr. Commedia’s son, Art, is taking up his work, and is determined to spread his anti-laughing gas prototype all over the city, turning each and every citizen into a boring zombie of frowns! The clown girl found all this out because she’s Art’s sister and Commedia’s second child, but she wants to spread joy and laughter, so she takes her insider knowledge to Ninja Mime! And then it’s a Romeo and Juliet kind of thing between them, she wants to kiss, he wants to punch, neither of them can be together, and then at the end after Art is defeated, they finally share a gorgeous kiss in front of a sunset. Or, like, and explosion. Maybe both!”

“Oh, wow.” For a moment, you didn’t know what to say. You were impressed with his depth of detail on the concept, but at the same time… “You’re serious about this, aren’t you?”

“Of course I am.” Johnny smiled. “It’ll be badass! Plus, it could put you into the spotlight. Give your career a push into the mainstream.”

“I guess so.” You nodded and smiled, but your eyes betrayed how conflicted you felt.

“You’d be getting calls left and right!” Johnny chuckled, until he realized that you seemed torn. His smile fell into tight lips. “But…you don’t want that…?”

You sighed and leaned back on the couch. Dating Johnny was wonderful, but it was also a little strange for you. It was like a looking glass into what another realm of entertainment life was like. Actors got so much recognition and stardom (mostly rightfully so!), and other performers like dancers and singers were typically hailed similarly. But, as a clown, you were different. You were a performer, yes, and and actor too, but it was character work. Very specific character work. Between shows and occasional circus acts and private events, you were more disconnected from your work life than, say, Johnny was, who would get recognized just walking outside to get the mail. Hardly anyone recognized your clown character, and even less than that were you recognized beyond someone realizing they’d seen you in a commercial once from a side-gig you’d done.

You kind of liked it. Clowning wasn’t about fame for you. It was about audience reactions. It was meant to bring joy and laughter and humility and even sometimes sadness to humanity. Clowning was a mirror. It was about laughing at yourself, a strange funhouse reflection of day-to-day life, and you loved it. You loved seeing people smile at your antics and connecting with them through your persona. You didn’t need the fame as long as you had that.

And while Johnny’s idea sounded fun, that fame made you hesitate. You didn’t want to be recognized just from a Ninja Mime reboot. That felt too unreal to you. That wasn’t clowning. It was acting in clown makeup. It felt strangely sacrilege.

“I think…I’d feel better about it if it wasn’t her,” you said slowly, referring to your clown-self.

“Really?” Johnny seemed confused. “I mean…yeah. Yeah, we could make you a new character if you wanted.”

“Yes,” you nodded. Johnny was still looking at you strangely.

“You don’t have to be in it, if you don’t want. I just thought it’d be fun. I don’t know.” He gave a flippant wave of his hand. “It’s—y’know what, never mind. It’s kinda stupid.”

“Hey, c’mon.” You pulled his large hand into yours. “I didn’t say any of that.”

“It’s okay,” he said again. Clearly, it wasn’t, but he was trying to put up a front. “I’m not gonna make you be in a movie against your will. That’s, like, cruel and unusual punishment or whatever.”

“I do,” you assured him. “I would love nothing more. It’s just that clowning is…it’s far different from acting. Same ocean, different island. I don’t think I would translate well onto the big screen.”

“Right,” he nodded. “So—“

“So,” you interrupted gently, “we do what you said. Make me a new character. She can still be a clown. Just not my clown.”

“Okay…” Slowly, that creative spark was coming back into his eyes. “Maybe she can be good at ranged weapons? Since Ninja Mime is mostly killer with the melee stuff.”

“Yeah!” You grinned. “She can have, like, little bombs shaped like juggling balls.”

“Oh, yeah! And maybe, like, a little flower on her top that sprays acid!”

You giggled at the thought, nodding along. “Fun! I like it.”

“And I was thinking—for costumes—we could do a cool contrast thingy, since Ninja Mime is all black and white and red, maybe you could have a rainbow motif or something. Or—no—cotton candy colors! You look really good in pinks and blues.”

“Aw, thanks.” You kissed his cheek. “But I think you’d say that no matter what the design team comes up with.”

“What can I say? You’re a cutie when you’re all dolled up in those ruffles and makeup.” He pinched your nose playfully. “Oh, and that round little nose.”

You giggled and batted his hands away. “Y’know, you don’t look so bad as a mime yourself. Always thought it gave you a sophisticated touch.”

“Oh, well, if the Cagester’s anything, it’s sophisticated,” he beamed proudly, kicking his feet up on the ottoman in front of the couch.

“Uh-huh.” You decided to let him have that one. “Sooo…when exactly is Fool Fighters going into development?”

“See? Told you the name would grow on you!”

#wedontdeservethefics #asks #sweetnsaltyclussy #johnny cage #johnny cage x reader #mortal kombat #mk

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aemiron-main · 2 years

Text

sitting here thinking about english teacher mike wheeler with his dorky hand gestures (see: wrestlers scene from s4) and excited rambling wearing his dorky little sweatervests but keeping the long hair and will coming over to Mike’s classroom right as school’s ending and catching a glimpse of his husband dramatically using his dnd skills to act out part of Romeo and Juliet or Macbeth for his students as he slinks onto the floor pathetically and pretends to die and then leaps back up, concludes the lesson, and then will walks in, grinning at Mike’s antics and Mike’s a flustered dork upon seeing will, even after all these years of being together and everyone’s out of the classroom at this point so will leans in and tucks his husband’s hair behind his ear as he kisses him!!

#stranger things #byler #st scenarios #byler scenarios #older/established byler

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klbwriting · 3 months

Text

Not Romeo, Not Juliet

Chapter 4: But Given Unsought

Fandom: Red Hood

Pairing: Jason Todd x f!reader

Warnings: some violence

Summary: Jason goes to Big Belly Burger to see YN after a couple weeks away, realizes he is head over heels

Notes: the incident in this chapter actually happened to me when I was working at McDonald's in 2005 because a filet o fish HAD CHEESE, life feeds art right?

Love sought, is good; but given unsought, is better — Twelfth Night, Act 3 Scene 1

Jason had kept himself busy for the next couple weeks, knowing that if he went to find YN at her home or job everyday it would be creepy. He wanted to talk to YN, figure out how he could explain himself to her and get her to forgive him for being with those people at the open mic, but he didn't know how without you thinking he was some kind of stalker. So he waited, did rehearsal, actually found himself doing well, until one Friday after rehearsal he decided to go visit Big Belly Burger. Just once, see what her reaction was. If she was entirely against seeing him he would leave and let her be, but if she wasn't so angry maybe he would try to get her number, just talk to her. He felt so stupid, why would she want to talk to him? He was just some guy who had ruined her night, some guy who couldn't even make friends when people were throwing themselves at him, he wasn't a good brother, had been a terrible son, and now, what was he? He sighed, the self loathing getting more intense as he drove the motorcycle into Crime Alley. He parked it in an alley a few streets away and walked the rest of the way, entering the fast food joint and waiting in the short line. Not too many people were out on Friday nights in Crime Alley, anyone who went out went to a safer part of Gotham, and everyone else stayed locked up in their homes. The person in front of him left with their order and Jason came face to face with YN.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, looking surprised to see him. She probably thought he had given up after their last meeting. Jason put on what he hoped was a friendly smile and after a second YN gave him a small smile back. Hopefully that was a good sign and not just her customer service skills taking over. He ordered, surprising her with how much he wanted. She didn't say anything, just dutifully took his card and tapped it. "It'll be out shortly." Her customer service voice was kind of cute and he chuckled a little. That was the wrong move, she glared at him.

"Sorry, just you sound different..." he said, trying to explain himself. She looked at hard at him and turned to the staging area to wait for his tray. He sighed, wanting to smack himself. How was he such an ass without meaning to be? She turned again and set his food down. He took the tray and went to sit down, making sure he was near the door, back to the wall so he could see everything in the room. He could feel her eyes on him as she went to a closet in near the bathrooms and pulled out a broom. She swept her way through the empty restaurant down to where he was sitting.

"So why did you come here again? Seeing how the other half lives with our menial jobs?" she asked, but her voice lacked the annoyed edge it usually had with him. He looked at her and found she had stopped actually sweeping, she was leaning on the broom, watching him.

"No, I told you I used to live around here so sometimes I come back, check things out," he said. Which was true, he was trying to find a way to help around there without resorting to Robin-like antics. He didn't need Batman finding him.

"Ok, say I believe you, there are other fast food places around, why this one?" she asked. He looked at her, popping a fry in his mouth to give him time to think of something that wasn't just 'I think you're adorable and want to talk to you'.

"I like your fries," he said. "And the company isn't so bad either." She blushed a little, turning to sweep at imaginary dust and he smiled, liking the reaction. "YN, maybe you'd want to talk? I..."

"Can I get service here?" someone from the register yelled. YN froze and turned, sighing a little as she set the broom out of the way and went to the customer.

"Sorry about that, can I help you?" she asked, plastering on a fake smile. The guy ordered in an annoyed tone and then waited for his order. She brought the bag to him and he opened it up, frowning. "Is there something wrong?" she asked before the sandwich went flying, hitting her in the face. She let out a cry of surprise, grabbing the counter so she didn't slip. The guy's hand shot out and grabbed her arm.

"I didn't say to put cheese on my fucking sandwich," he snarled. She stared at him like he was nuts. Before she could even answer Jason was across the room, gripping the guy's shoulder hard, forcing him to let go. Jason psychically turned the guy around to put himself between YN and the customer.

"How about we talk to the employee's with some respect," Jason said, voice a dangerous bass. He was fighting the rage that was growing in him, eyes drifting towards green, that strange power that coursed through him begging to be unleashed. The guy glared at him, clearly not wanting a fight. He backed up towards the door and Jason looked at YN. "Are you ok?" She nodded and he heard the small ding of the door.

"Your boyfriend won't be here all the time bitch," the guy said. Jason turned, eyes now a flaring emerald, and the guy ran, Jason giving chase. He was a block away before Jason caught up, tackling him to the ground, rolling the guy over.

"Don't you ever go back in there again," Jason said, fist slamming into the guys face. He heard a crunch and stood up, needing to get away before he killed the guy. He could feel the desire, the need for blood in his veins. He went to where he parked the bike, punching the brick wall several times, beating it with the side of his fists, until the rage subsided and he could breathe again. He panted, looking at his bloodied arms and shook his head, driving back home.

Dick was waiting when he came in and he immediately saw the blood.

"What the hell happened?" he asked, walking over. Jason stepped back before he could touch him. He looked at Dick, looking for signs of anger. Bruce would have been pissed if he had come back bloody like this. Dick just looked concerned.

"I almost lost it on some guy, but instead I beat up a wall," Jason said. Dick nodded, and pointed to the bathroom, a strange look in his eyes.

"Get cleaned up, how about tomorrow morning we do some boxing and you can tell me what actually happened," he said. Jason sighed and just shrugged, knowing he didn't have much of a choice.

Bright and early Dick had Jason gloved up at the local gym he owned. He had made sure the place was closed that morning so that he and Jason could really talk without disruption. They went for about half an hour with just sparring, getting warmed up and feeling each other out. Jason knew that the serious talk was coming when Dick slowed down and let him get a jab to his face in. Jason smirked, that felt good, he always liked getting on over on his big brother. If truth be told Jason was a better brawler, could overwhelm Dick if he got more than two shots in a row in, but Dick was fast, which made him a hard target to hit.

"Can we talk?" Dick asked, recovering from the hit and removing his gloves. Jason sighed and sat in the middle of the ring, leaning back on his hands. Dick stood in the corner, leaning on a turnbuckle. "So what actually happened last night?" Jason let out a sigh, he might as well tell the truth.

"I went to Crime Alley to see someone, they go to Gotham Academy and she's well, kind of amazing," Jason said. Dick's eyebrows went up. "She works at a Big Belly Burger near my old apartment so I went there for dinner, try to talk to her, see when I went to that open mic with the seniors from theater they played a horrible prank on her and she thought I was involved so I tried apologizing again, and I think she forgave me? We talked a little, then this guy came in and was such a dick, he threw a sandwich at her and grabbed her. I was seeing red and so angry, I stopped him from hurting her, then he threatened to come back for her so I chased him, I punched him, just once and then I went to beat up a wall before I really hurt him," Jason rambled. Dick stood silent, staring for a solid minute once he was done.

"Ok, I'm going to try and follow this. You met a girl, who you clearly have a thing for," he started. Jason nodded, might as well admit that he was crushing hard on YN. "Then some guy threatened her and you chased him, punched him, then hit a wall?" "Pretty much," he said. Dick nodded and them smiled.

"What's her name?" his brother asked. Jason felt his cheeks heating up. He knew he had to spill now, but he had liked keeping her to himself for a moment, if he said her name then his feelings were real and he did not like having feelings to begin with, let alone ones like this.

"YN," he said. He saw the change in Dick's face, saw him doing some thinking.

"Is her mother sick?" he asked suddenly and Jason stared at him. Did he know YN? Jason nodded. "You should stay away from her, in fact I demand you stay away from her." Jason looked confused, standing.

"Why?" he asked. Dick looked conflicted.

"Just, do as I say, please, she's trouble," he said. Jason shook his head. Figures, another 'father' wanting to control him, not trusting his judgement. He ripped his pads off, throwing them at the floor and walking out of the gym, annoyed.

The sun was high in the sky when Jason got to Crime Alley. He didn't remember that YN was at practice until he was almost at her work. Of course, it would have been weird to just show up after he had ghosted the day before, what would she even think? He sighed and turned back, meaning to go back to the apartment and force Dick to tell him what he was on about with YN when he heard someone cry out nearby. He looked down the alley, seeing a guy with a knife and a woman, clutching her hand to her chest, purse already on the ground, the contents scattered.

"Give me the ring or I'm going to cut it off you," the guy said. Jason glared, sliding the hockey mask he always carried out of his pocket, putting it on, and putting up his hood. He marched down the alley, rolling up his sleeves. The guy looked at him, brandishing the knife at him. "What are you supposed to -" he didn't finish as Jason kicked him in the stomach, knocking him into the wall. He grabbed the guy's wrist, forcing him to drop the knife and then put a forearm to the guy's throat before turning to the woman.

"Get your stuff and go," he said. She wearily gathered her things and ran out of the alley. Jason looked back at the mugger, who was now passed out and let him drop to the ground. He went to the mouth of the alley, calling the police, making sure he heard sirens before he ran off, putting the mask away and heading home. That felt good, helping that woman, protecting her, that felt really good.

#jason todd #jasontodd #jason todd x reader #jason todd x you #jason todd x y/n #redhood #red hood #red hood x reader #red hood x you #red hood x y/n #notromeo

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finn-m-corvex · 7 months

Text

Hey, hey @alastair-1205 you want a nice meal? Cause you've got spicy Jaya incoming.

"I am not drunk," Jay slurred, barely able to hold up his own weight. Nya sighed, readjusting the hold she had on him and tugging his arm over her shoulder.

"Yes, you are."

"I am not! Would a drunk person be able to do this?" and Jay pulled away from her to try and walk in a straight line, failing miserable as he wobbled from side to side. His shirt was all sorts of messed up, tie askew and the top two buttons undone to expose some of the sinful acts he and Nya had already partaken in. Nya's heart fluttered when she took in his hair framing his face in just the way that made her head spin, but she just shook her head at her Yin's antics.

Oh well, she could humor him tonight. "No, honey, a drunk person would not be able to do that."

"See, I told you!" Jay said smugly, his cheeks a rosy red from all of the alcohol. He was entirely too drunk, but at least he was a happy drunk. "Say, would you happen to have a boyfriend by any chance?"

Nya wanted nothing more than to have her phone out and recording. "What would you do if I said yes?"

"Tell you that you can do so much better," Jay mused. "Cause there's no way you look this good hanging around him."

"You would be surprised," Nya said, incredibly amused.

"I think you should come back with me tonight," Jay said, flipping his bangs out of his face and lighting up the hallway with one of his thousand-watt smiles. The sight made Nya's heart ache with memories from when they were younger, "cause I would be honored to show you a good time."

"I've already shown you a good time," Nya chuckled, pointing to the bruises and bite marks littering his collarbone, "who do you think gave you those?"

Jay stared down at them in amazement, looking back up at her and then down and then up again. "We've already made out?"

"Yes, Jay."

"I scored you?"

"Yes you did, Jay."

"And your boyfriend won't be mad?"

He was too fucking cute. "No, honey, I don't think he'll mind all that much."

"Good, cause I don't want to waste my chance with someone as beautiful as you." Jay held out his arm as if he hadn't just been clinging to Nya a few minutes prior. "Care to come with me, ma'am?"

"As long as you're showing me a good time," Nya took his arm, curious about where he was going to bring her. Was he even going to remember that they were sharing a hotel room?

To her surprise, Jay did remember, directing them to the elevator and pressing the right floor. She wanted to say something but let him continue to do whatever he was thinking about doing, but was very surprised when he pinned her against the wall of the elevator. Nya knew she wasn't in any danger, and was perfectly content to watch as his bloodshot eyes glued onto the marks he had left on her neck, his tongue flicking over his chapped lips.

"Did I do that?" He asked breathlessly, leaning down to peck her cheek and then her lips. Nya kissed back, smiling, hand squeezing his hip as she pushed forward with her tongue. He moaned in surprise, eyes sliding shut as she tugged his hair and fingers fluttering over his neck. That was her Jay.

She pulled back for a moment to admire the lovestruck look on his face. "Oh you did it, sweetheart, but I think I can do better."

"Please do," he said, and Nya was quick to reverse their positions as she grabbed his wrists and held them against the wall. Jay gasped, tossing his head back as much as he could when Nya kissed his Adam’s apple. He whined when Nya's mouth wandered up to his ear, and Nya was disappointed to hear the elevator ding when they arrived on their floor.

"Which room is yours?" She whispered into his ear, revelling in the way he shuddered. Jay forced his eyes open to look at her with a glassy stare.

"640."

"Lead the way then, Romeo," she giggled, letting his hands free. She was amused by the sight of his legs jiggling like they were made of Jell-O, taking his arm again when he offered it. Jay was somehow walking better than he was before, but that was probably because the blood was rushing to some place that wasn't his head if looking at his pants told her anything.

"Your boyfriend is so lucky to have you," he mused, lacing their fingers together. Nya rubbed across his knuckles in just the way he knew he liked.

"Yes, he is."

"It should be me," he muttered, and Nya was pretty sure that she wasn't supposed to hear that.

"Maybe after tonight, it could be you," Nya winked, and Jay flushed an even deeper shade of red. "You're certainly handsome enough for it.

He started flapping his hands with a giddy smile on his face. "And you're so gorgeous. I would be so damn lucky."

Coming up to their room, Nya took out her keycard and swiped, and Jay didn't seem even a little bothered at the fact that she opened the door to his room. They walked in, Jay throwing his suit jacket onto the floor and unbuttoning his shirt. Nya marveled at the roll of muscles across his back, the scars zigzagging across his spine.

She snuck up behind him, kissing the nape of his neck and trailing her fingers across his skin. "Look how pretty you are."

"Look how pretty you are," Jay countered, and his eyes glued onto an object on the far corner of their small wardrobe. His half of the Yin-Yang medallion. "D-do I already have a girlfriend?"

"I don't know," Nya said, sliding the straps of her dress off of her shoulders. Jay’s eyes widened. "But you told me you were going to show me a good time, right?"

Jay took one look at her, another look at the medal, and threw it aside. "She couldn’t be that important if I don't remember her."

There were so many flaws in that logic, but the alcohol was starting to kick in for Nya. "Exactly, babe. And if she isn't here, well, what's stopping you?"

"Absolutely nothing," Jay said, trailing kisses down her chest as he worked to get her dress off. "Cause I've got way too pretty of a woman in front of me to care."

Nya's last coherent thought of the night, right after Jay had pushed her down against the bed and kissed her senseless with the whiskey still on his breath, was that maybe they should get drunk more often.

#They're both flirty drunks your honor #literally wrote this in like. an hour LOL #something short and sweet!#ninjago #finn's writing #finn's mootie cuties #alastair tag #ninjago jay #ninjago nya #jaya #ninjago jaya

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darlingvernon · 1 year

Text

you've got mail! | 03.

Author: darlingvernon (prev nonrevblr)

Pairing: Chwe Hansol x Fem Reader

Genre: strangers to lovers, college au, penpal au

Rating: 18+

Warnings: swearing

Word Count: 4,791

Description: The concept of Equivalent Exchange is not foreign to you, and since you need Jeonghan to participate in a Social Experiment for your Psych Thesis, you inevitably have to participate in his too. It isn’t the walk in the park you thought it would be, especially when your penpal Vernon keeps knocking down the walls that you’ve built; scratching an itch you couldn’t reach.

Author's Note: i'm so sorry this took so long! i had a couple of other projects before i could finish it. i am... not entirely happy with it because i was working another fic with a different writing concept so i think i lost the writing style near the end there. anyhow, i'm still putting it out because if i touch it anymore i'll end up scrapping it. hopefully, you guys enjoy it. please, let me know what you think! happy reading!

This place is one of your absolute favourites.

The hole-in-the-wall cafe, Casa Mia, is only a couple of blocks from campus and you stumbled upon it one day when you were out on a walk with Jeonghan. The exposed bricks paired with the mason jar pendant lights give it a rustic feel and with the added touch of mismatched tables and chairs, it nevers fails to make you feel at home and cosy.

On one end, the wall is lined up with shelves from the floor to the ceiling and filled with a random assortment of books from The Aneid by Virgil to Eragon by Christopher Paolini. The next book on your reading list is The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde, which is just on the shelf over from where you’re sitting.

However, right now you’re balls deep into Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet instead, sitting across from Wonwoo and his thick rimmed glasses, nose buried in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The pair of you have been grouped together for your English Literature report on ‘Romance: Comedy vs Tragedy’ and this beautiful Friday morning, is one of the only days you both have available to meet up.

“Are you still reading?” Wonwoo questions, sitting back as he stretches his limbs. “Or have the words started to blend together to you, like they have for me?”

“Neither,” you answer truthfully. “I’ve been a little…”

“Distracted?” Wonwoo offers, smirking when your eyes go wide, like a deer caught in headlights. “You’ve been on the same page for some time now and your eyes keep drifting towards your laptop.”

Placing a hand on your chest, you feign offense. “Jeon Wonwoo, have you been watching me?” you ask, scandalised.

Wonwoo rolls his eyes, laughing at your antics. “Just watching to see if I’m going to be left to do all the work,” he jokingly accuses, and earns himself a smack on the arm.

“I would never.”

“Yeah, I know.”

“Sorry, I’ve just got a lot on my plate with my stupid Psych Thesis,” you explain, but don’t divulge any further. It’s not a lie that your thesis is laborious, but he doesn’t need to know that the real reason you’re distracted is because you’re itching to see the reply from your penpal.

Wonwoo nods, accepting your answer. “I can imagine,” he hums, “Jeonghan seems to be stressed about it, too. He was complaining about having to go out on all of these blind dates. Though, he did come home with a little skip in his step last night.”

This piece of information perks you up but you try to be subtle about it, knowing Jeonghan would kick your ass if he finds out you’ve been prying about him behind his back. “Oh, really?” you ask, nonchalant. “Did he say anything about it last night?”

Just as Wonwoo’s about to answer, your phone vibrates incessantly on the table, interrupting him.

“It’s almost like he knows that we’re talking about him.” You shake your head, turning to face the phone towards Wonwoo so he can see that Jeonghan is ringing you. “What do you want, you heathen?” you answer the call.

“You ungrateful brat,” Jeonghan bristles on the other line. “Is this how you say thank you after I went on that date for you last night?”

You roll your eyes even though you know he can’t see you. “I’m pretty sure that you’re the one who’s meant to be thanking me,” you remark, snidely. “Wonwoo said— ow!” You shoot Wonwoo a glare after he lightly kicks you on the shin.

The other line goes quiet and you almost think that Jeonghan’s hung up until he quietly asks, “What did he say?”

Across from you, Wonwoo’s hand gestures closing the zip of his mouth, before joining his hands together in prayer, begging for you to spare him. Considering you still need him for your English Literature report, you do just that and throw yourself into Jeonghan’s hellfire instead. “If I shout coffee for the next two weeks, will you spare him?” You tempt the demon. “I need him to finish his end of this Shakespeare report before you off him.”

“I’ll see you soon,” Jeonghan smugly accepts your bribe and hangs up.

Slowly, you gather your belongings, shoving them in your bag as you prepare to make your way to the library to meet Jeonghan, making sure to kick Wonwoo in the shin as a payback.

“What was that for?” He glares, rubbing his aching leg.

“It’s your fault that I owe him,” you huff. “Don’t even think of making funeral arrangements until you’ve finished your share of our assignment.”

“My fault?!” Wonwoo’s mouth gapes at you. “You’re the one that almost sent me to an early grave. I haven’t even met the Hermia to my Lysander yet. I’m never sharing any more ammunition against Jeonghan with you ever again.”

“You wouldn’t dare,” you challenge. “Don’t make me go Tybalt on your ass.”

Rolling his eyes, Wonwoo grabs your laptop for you. “How about a truce?” he suggests as he hands you the device. “We can both take Jeonghan down together.”

“Sounds like a plan.” You thank him. “I’ll send you my half of the report in a couple of days. See you later, Wonu.”

Waving in farewell, Wonwoo watches as you exit the cafe and head over to meet your doom.

Some might wonder why you would bother to go to Brew’d, the campus cafe, when you can easily purchase coffee at the cafe you were just at, but nobody knows Jeonghan as well as you do. Even though he only ever orders an Iced Americano, he swears only Brew’d makes it well and he’s sure to complain your ear off if you thought otherwise.

“I didn’t think I’d see you here today,” Joshua comments as you approach the counter, punching in your usual order in the register.

With a sigh, you hand over the money required for the purchase. “I could say the same for you,” you reply, shoving your wallet back in your purse. “You don’t usually work Fridays, right?”

“Don’t get me started.” Joshua rolls his eyes and heads over to the coffee machine to start on your drinks, with you following. “I had to cover because someone called in. At least it’s a short shift and I finish in about half an hour.”

“I’m jealous.” You pout. “I have another couple of hours with Jeonghan and this stupid thesis before I go to work.”

“Eww.” Joshua wrinkles his nose in disgust. “Too bad we don’t sell any vodka here. I could’ve added some in your coffee to help.”

“Joshua, did I ever tell you that you are my favourite?” you declare, touched. “It’s the thought that counts. Also, don’t tell Jeonghan about you being my favourite.”

Joshua laughs as he hands you the drinks. “Of course, I have to tell him,” he scoffs. “That demon needs to be taken down a peg or two.”

“Okay, I take it back. You’re no longer my favourite.”

“No take backsies!”

“Boo!”

Rolling his eyes, Joshua gently ushers you out of the cafe. “Don’t worry, I’ll make sure to be dressed up at your funeral,” he remarks, bidding you farewell from the door.

“I’m going to haunt you!” you yell, not bothering to look back to see his reaction as you quickly make your way to the library, hoping to have a few minutes to yourself before Jeonghan gets there to view your pen pal’s reply.

Weaving your way expertly through the crowd, you reach your destination in no time, only to be disappointed when you find the hired study room still occupied. Lightly tapping on the glass to announce your arrival, the group of students give you an apologetic nod and start gathering their belongings.

“Well, you look like shit,” Jeonghan comments upon his arrival.

“Is that what you said to yourself in the mirror this morning?” you retort. “Don’t make me throw your coffee in the trash.”

“Then I’d have to murder Wonwoo tonight. His blood will be on your hands, and the same goes for his part of the report.”

Rolling your eyes, you deliver the Iced Americano into his outstretched hand before entering the now empty study room. Sitting across from Jeonghan, you quickly unpack your belongings and get straight to the point. “So, how was last night?” you ask, voice ladened with genuine curiosity.

Jeonghan relaxes in his chair and contemplates your question for a moment. “I’ll give you the short version since you’ll get the long version in the report,” he starts, “but it was honestly a lot of fun. Stephanie was really sweet and adventurous and we went on almost every ride. That’s why we were late last night.”

“I did think you guys would get along,” you reveal. “I’m glad it worked out.”

Laughing, Jeonghan resumes his position with his laptop. “Same here.” He nods. “It would’ve put me off going into the other dates if it didn’t. Anyway, how did you go?”

“Surprisingly good,” you admit, knowing he would find out anyway. “Bands boy sure is interesting. Anything else you would like to clue me in about him?”

“Tsk tsk, _____,” Jeonghan teases and you want to lean forward and sock him straight in the face. “That isn’t how this works and you know it. Whatever you want to know about him, you can ask him yourself. I need this to be as organic as possible.”

Sighing, you turn your attention to your own laptop and bring it to life. “You’re no fun.”

“I’ll tell you everything you want to know once this social experiment is done,” he promises before adding, “if he hasn’t told you by then.”

Before you can utter a retort, the words ‘You’ve Got Mail!’ suddenly rings in the air. Without a care about what Jeonghan could be thinking right now, you open the email with haste, fingers fumbling over each other as you do so.

<To: Girl Magnetic> <From: Bands Boy> <Subject: Your Turn 12:10AM>

i finished my essay woo!

your move, girl magnetic

x sweet dreams

“Damn.” Jeonghan whistles. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you smile like that.”

“If you don’t shut the hell up,” you retort. “You’re the one lighting up this room brighter than the fluorescent light while you write that report.” Jeonghan is about to utter a comeback when you add, “By the way, I sorta promised to tell him the story behind Girl Magnetic and I wanted to ask you about it first because I wasn’t sure if it’s too much information.”

“Yes, it is,” Jeonghan agrees. “I’m sorry but you’ll have to offer him something else.”

Sighing, you nod in agreement and type out another apologetic reply. The sinking feeling in your gut of having to disappoint your pen pal is beyond unpleasant and you don’t want to make a habit of it. With a shake of your head, you rid yourself of the negative thoughts that are brewing in your mind, not wanting it to show in your message.

<To: Bands Boy> <From: Girl Magnetic> <Subject: Re: Your Turn 1:15pm>

nice work, bands boy! i’m super proud of you :)

unfortunately i can’t tell you the story behind girl magnetic after all *siiiiiiigggghhhhhhh

jeonghan vetoed it. apparently it’ll reveal too much about me

but! he has given me permission to tell you all about it later on

i’m really sorry *cries

so in exchange, i’ll answer any other question (that doesn’t reveal too much about me) with no complaints! so hit me with your best shot!

regretfully, girl magnetic

You read through your letter once before sending it away, almost wishing you can reach through the screen just to take it back. The dread sets in and you sink down your chair, wanting the ground to swallow you up.

“God, stop being such a drama queen,” Jeonghan reprimands. “It’s just a delay in response, it’s really not a big deal. He won’t even bat an eye because you can still tell him something else.”

“Fuck you. Why do you have to be the voice of reason?”

“Isn’t that why I’m your best friend?” he asks rhetorically then proceeds to jab his index finger towards your laptop. “Now, hurry the fuck up because I need that report before you leave for work.”

Sitting up, you refer back to the blank document staring back at you and start writing your report, mumbling quietly to yourself about needing to find a new best friend. Jeonghan laughs and you know it’s because he thinks he’s a diamond in the rough and that you won’t find anyone else like him. Quite frankly, he’s right, but you won’t be the one to inflate his already huge ego.

Your allotted ‘thesis time’ concludes in a flash and you start gathering your belongings, preparing to make your way to your shift at the diner. Just like before, Jeonghan hands you a piece of paper, but this time it contains a question.

What is something you’re passionate about?

Staring at the piece of paper, you can’t help the laugh that escapes you. “Why is it so serious this time?” you question, a brow raised in confusion.

Jeonghan merely shrugs. “The topics will be a mixture of both easy and hard questions and will most likely alternate because I’m trying to see something. By the way, the reason I handed you the question this time is because I want you to initiate for this one.”

“Sounds good, I’ll get on it as soon as I get his reply,” you inform Jeonghan, shoving the note in your back pocket as you bid him farewell. “I’ll text you the details of your next date later!”

Meanwhile, Vernon lugs his tired body up the stairs of the frat house and deposits himself on the comforts of his bed. After a long day of classes, his plan was just to have a nap and relax for the rest of the night but unfortunately, his Music Theory professor had given his class another essay to complete. Pulling his phone out of his pocket, he quickly orders himself some takeout and decides to start working on his essay as he waits for his food to arrive.

Turning his laptop on, he’s surprised to find a reply from you waiting for him in his inbox. Honestly, when he found none as he checked this morning, he couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed. But, he quickly shut that down especially since he’s realised how busy you are. Nevertheless, seeing your pseudonym on his screen has given him the bout of energy he needs to get through his essay.

“Hansol, I’ve got your food,” Jeonghan calls out from the doorway, a plastic bag held hostage in his hand.

“Thanks,” Vernon replies as he walks towards the elder. “You here to give me the next question?”

Jeonghan shakes his head. “Nah, I want her to initiate this time because there’s something I’m trying to see. I’ve already given her the question and she’ll hit you up again after she finishes work.”

“Sounds good.” Vernon nods. “Is there anything else?”

“I vetoed her from telling you about Girl Magnetic” —Jeonghan rolls his eyes— “and before you start, I’m just delaying her from telling you. It’ll reveal too much and this experiment is just in its beginning stages! Instead, she’s giving you something else in return.”

“Fine.” Vernon pouts. “This all better be worth it.”

“Oh, trust me,” Jeonghan replies, smug. “You’ll be thanking me once this whole thing is done.”

Vernon watches as the elder retreats and shuts the door behind him none too gently. Only Jeonghan could walk into a room and suck all the happiness out of it. With a sigh, he opens your email, shoving pieces of chicken in his mouth as he reads through the words.

Your apologetic tone and regret is evident, even if you didn’t say so yourself. It makes Vernon want to forget the setback in your friendship, especially after speaking with Jeonghan, considering the matter is out of your hands. Besides, your counter offer is there, just as he was advised and it’s another offer that’s hard to pass up.

Taking a moment to himself, he sits back and tries to consider what question could give him as much satisfaction as the story behind Girl Magnetic would have given him. It doesn’t take him long to decide and he sends his reply back sooner rather than later since he’ll most likely be knee deep in his essay before long.

It’s well past dinner time by the time you arrive back in your dorm. Fridays are always the longest days on your schedule but you don’t mind it most of the time as it makes the weekend that much sweeter. Heading straight to the shower, you wash off the stress and tension in your body and prepare yourself for a relaxing night ahead.

It’s when you’re making yourself a cup of tea that your phone goes off with a notification from Jeonghan.

[9:00pm] thing 1: don’t forget to send me the details about my date tomorrow [9:00pm] thing 1: and don’t forget about your penpal

Sighing, you walk towards the couch where you unceremoniously threw your purse as soon as you arrived, fishing out the notepad that had the details of Jeonghan’s date on them.

[9:04pm] thing 2: you’re meeting patricia at mi casa for brunch at 11am [9:05pm] thing 2: and thanks for the reminder! [9:05pm] thing 2: i’ll get onto it now

Fetching your mug from the kitchen island, you make your way to the desk where the laptop is. Sighing, you take small sips of your tea, not in any hurry to read the email your pen pal has sent. Once you’ve finished the last drops of your drink, you know you can’t delay any further and opted to get the whole ordeal over and done with.

<To: Girl Magnetic> <From: Bands Boy> <Subject: Re: Your Turn 6:28pm>

don’t even sweat it! jeonghan explained everything to me.

i don’t mind keeping the mystery about you for a bit longer, it’ll make getting to know you later even more interesting :)

another offer i can’t refuse? i think you’re spoiling me haha.

hm, well i’m plenty curious when it comes to you but let’s go with something easy.

what music are you into?

x bands boy

ps. jeonghan says you have the next question ready?

If you could describe your pen pal in one word, you would go with unpredictable. He never acts or reacts the way you expect him to and even his question is unexpected. But he’s right, it makes the whole thing rather interesting, and you find yourself plenty invested.

<To: Bands Boy> <From: Girl Magnetic> <Subject: Passion 9:03pm>

hey, b!

(i hope this is okay, having to type out our full usernames all the time is so tiring T-T)

thank you for going easy on me haha

i’m honestly into most music, but my playlist is usually filled with your typical punk/emo/indie rock music lol. it’s probably not what you expected right? but i’m definitely not opposed to some carly rae jepsen or avril lavigne lol.

and yes! jeonghan has given me the next question which i spoilt in the title of the email:

what is something you’re passionate about?

i’ll go first!

my passion is… writing. this is also probably unexpected huh?

i’ve always been super into reading and always found myself daydreaming and imagining other ways stories could have gone and one day decided to put my thoughts onto paper and i’ve never looked back.

i can’t wait to hear about yours!

waiting patiently, g

Whoosh!

Biting your lip, you sit back and think about what just occurred. There’s not a lot of people who know that writing is what you’re truly passionate about and you’ve often held back on revealing that fact to anybody because of the sometimes negative reactions people have about the occupation. It surprises you that there was no sign of hesitation when it came to telling Bands Boy about it and you don’t know what to make of it.

Is it because you know that you have to be truthful, mostly anyway, for Jeonghan’s experiment to work? Or is it because Bands Boy is just somebody behind a screen, a complete stranger who you may never meet and therefore will never be able to tie this conversation back to you?

The only other possibility you can think of is that despite him being a stranger and despite the short amount of time you’ve known him, he’s managed to start breaking down the walls that you’ve carefully built around your heart. It’s scary to think about, especially with how careful you’ve been but you have too many things on your plate to worry about so you push it to the back of your mind.

It’s when Vernon was about to get up to grab a drink in the kitchen when his notification goes off, alerting him of your email. Desperate to quench his thirst for information more than his thirst for a drink, he settles back onto his gaming chair and opens your reply. The grin on his face grows at every line he reads and not wanting to waste a single moment, he chooses to write back to you straight away.

<To: Girl Magnetic> <From: Bands Boy> <Subject: Re: Passion 9:15pm>

hey there, g!

(oh, you’re so right! it’s a lot better to refer to ourselves like this)

wow, you never cease to amaze me

you’re right, i really did not expect any of those answers honestly

thank you for sharing them with me. i know that sometimes it isn’t easy to do so, especially with a complete stranger. so, i’m honoured that you’ve allowed yourself to be so open with me. i’ll make sure to thank you properly for your efforts and hope to return the favour soon!

so, writing huh? does this mean you actually want to become a professional writer? which field? journalism? novels? research?

and wow, it totally makes sense now as to why you’re doing psychology.

hm, so what is something i’m passionate about?

mine is fairly simple: my passion lies with making music i enjoy

and when i say that, i truly mean it. i don’t make music to match the trend or to go against the grain so i stand out. the music i make isn’t always set in any particular genre. i just… want to make music that i like… if that makes sense? haha

now that i know you’re a writer, do you wanna… maybe… do a collab someday?

i am shocking when it comes to lyric writing haha

you wouldn’t mind helping me out with that right?

surprised, b

ps. what are you up to on this fine friday night?

You wouldn’t dare tell anyone how fast you ran to your laptop as soon as it notified you of Bands Boy’s response, almost tripping over your own foot and face planting on the floor. As your eyes glide through the words, you can’t seem to find yourself going past the first half of his email. Tears pool at the corner of your eyes, threatening to spill over but you are able to compose yourself in time.

Yet again, he’s managed to put your mind at ease and made sure that you didn’t regret opening yourself up to him. However, you don’t let yourself delve deeper into these uncertain feelings, forcing yourself to move on and read the rest of his message so that you can answer him.

<To: Bands Boy> <From: Girl Magnetic> <Subject: Re: Passion 9:37pm>

omg i am so down for a collab!!

i’ve never ventured into lyric writing before but i am up for the challenge

i promise not to let you down!!

yes, i want to become a professional writer. a novelist in fact.

and yes, that’s why i’m doing psychology. i’m hoping to gain a better understanding of people and why they are the way that they are so that i can use it to improve my characters :)

you know, i think it’s really cool that you just want to do music that you enjoy. there’s so many musicians out there who just do whatever’s popular and are only in there to make money and not much else, so you’re a breath of fresh air.

i can’t wait to hear all the songs you create, i’m sure they’ll be great!

especially with me writing your lyrics ;) haha

oh, and i’m not really doing anything tonight but resting. i’ve had a big day with classes and work on top of that so i’m ready to wrap myself in a blanket and sit on the couch for the rest of the night.

what about you? i hope you’re not doing another essay lol

ps. you can thank yourself for the reason that i was able to open up to you :)

Grabbing your laptop, you carry it to the couch and place it on the coffee table as you reach for a cushion to bury your face and scream into.

Meanwhile, Vernon gingerly rubs at his shin after tripping over on the stairs and bashing it against a step, in his hurry to get back to his room. Your email announces its presence as soon as he walks in and he makes sure to lock the door behind him before settling himself back on his chair and reading your message.

The smile on his face is so big that he can barely hide it behind his hand. Taking a deep breath to try and keep his cool, Vernon wipes his clammy hands on his pants and nods to himself before replying.

<To: Girl Magnetic> <From: Bands Boy> <Subject: Re: Passion 9:52pm>

no take backs on that collab!! i’m gonna hold you to it!!

i’m so excited i’m literally buzzing with ideas already hahaha

i think it’s super cool that you’re working on your very own novel

how far have you gotten with it? is it already in the works?

if you ever need someone to make a soundtrack once your novel becomes a major motion picture, you know who to hit up ;)

damn, you had a full day that’s for sure

work huh? i guess you’re probably not allowed to tell me where lol

your guess is half correct… i’m technically not doing an essay but i’m already doing some research since it’s due on monday

in need of saving, b

ps. hopefully i can keep making you comfortable enough to continue opening up to me :)

The smile on your face from receiving his reply eventually turns into a frown as you read it a second time, when you realise that it’s time to cut your conversation with him short once more.

<To: Bands Boy> <From: Girl Magnetic> <Subject: Re: Passion 10:06pm>

i’m still world building right now. i have a bunch of random pieces of writing here and there but don’t have anything concrete just yet

omg would you really? i’ll definitely have you make me a soundtrack either way!!

let me go ahead and write my workplace to the list of things i’ll be revealing to you once this experiment is over haha

and i can’t believe you have another essay to do. it’s like your prof doesn’t want me talking to you lol

you know what this means right?

feeling bad, g

Groaning, Vernon drops his head face down on his desk. Yes, he knows what it means. An obstacle towards getting to know you more has presented itself yet again. It does feel like fate is working against the both of you but he isn’t one to give up so easily. Besides, Jeonghan did promise him that he still has plenty of opportunities to find out more about you.

Especially once your anonymity is no longer a hurdle to him.

<To: Girl Magnetic> <From: Bands Boy> <Subject: Re: Passion 10:24pm>

i know what it means *sigh

i hope you know that nothing will stop me from getting to know more about you once your thesis is finished

not even these damn music theory essays *shakes fist

determined, b

His reply stuns you. Albeit, his forwardness always does. But, you appreciate it nonetheless because it leaves no room for confusion. At least not from his end. Now, the only thing you have left to wonder about is how you feel about him.

<To: Bands Boy> <From: Girl Magnetic> <Subject: Re: Passion 10:33pm>

i’m looking forward to it

waiting for that day, g xo