#and my dad was HORRIFIED that i forgot to brush my teeth

[rainbows-and-whumperflies]

ew i have a dentist appointment tomorrow

#listen i know it's gross but whenever my mental health drops #so does my dental hygene #and my parents are going to know about it #ughhh #you know once i made a chart of things i have to do in the morning #it had all the things i usually forget #brushing my teeth #eating #etc etc #and my dad was HORRIFIED that i forgot to brush my teeth #it literally said that i forgot to eat but he's all hung up on my teeth? #like cmon #i know you don't like me but i am still ur kid #rainbow's shitposts

[brain-deadx0]

The Babysitter

Part 4 of New Big Brother

Previous - Next

Summary: Patton gets called into work unexpectedly and accidentally calls the babysitter

Warnings: uh... temporarily forgetting a child I guess but other than that and food mentions there's nothing I think. Let me know

Patton woke up earlier than he would've liked, to a ringing phone he would rather ignore.

"Hello…?" He asked with a yawn.

He should've ignored the call.

He sent a quick text to the sitter before reluctantly rolling out of bed to get ready for work. On a day no one was supposed to even call.

He already missed his bed.

~

Remy woke up to the house feeling more awake than usual.

...Wait did he sleep in?

He shot up to look at the alarm clock to see how late he slept. And was only mildly disappointed to find out he was actually awake earlier.

Welp.

He laid in bed a few more minutes, but after the mild panic of sleeping in, soon realized he was not getting any more sleep today. He sighed before giving up and getting out of bed. He decided to get dressed, but opted out of everything else for now. It was early anyway.

When he went downstairs, dad guy was buzzing around the kitchen with a tired looking Virgil sitting at the table.

"What's going on?" Remy asked.

Dad guy jumped, "Oh my gosh!" He said before turning to look at Remy, placing a hand on his chest, "Remy." He breathed.

"Sorry…"

"No, no, you're fine!" He rushed, "Sorry, I got woken up early and kinda… forgot you were here." He explained, "Oh boy." He breathed, "I didn't even hear you coming." He laughed.

"Sorry?"

"Don't worry about it." Dad guy assured him, "I just startle easy. Especially when I'm still waking up."

"Uh… ok?"

Before he could ask why they were up so early the doorbell rang. Virgil perked up immediately, "Emi's here!" He said before running for the door.

"What?" Remy asked, causing dad guy to facepalm, "Who's Emi?"

Dad guy sighed and shook his head, "The babysitter… I got called into work this morning. I meant to talk to you today about the work thing." He told him, "I didn't want you to feel like you had to watch Virgil, but I also didn't mean to spring a sitter on you. I'm so sorry."

"Uh… it's okay?" Remy told him, "I get it."

"I'm still sorry." Dad guy told him.

… adults apologizing was weird.

"Come meet him!" He heard Virgil say.

'Oh thank god, a subject change.'

Remy knew dad guy would come back to the babysitter thing soon. But he could put up with some lady in the house for a day. Virgil seemed to like her though so she would probably be ok. If nothing else he could hide in the bedroom all day.

"Remy, this is Emile!"

Remy was suddenly very aware he hadn't actually done any morning hygiene yet. 

"Hiya!" The pink haired teen chirped, "Emile Piccani," he stuck out his hand, "nice to meet ya."

"Uh… Remy LoonSpeaker." He said as he shook the hand.

"Thanks for coming, Emile." Dad guy told him, "Sorry it's so out of the blue. I meant to get back to you later today."

"Oh it's no problem, Mr. Sanders. I love watching Virgil." Emile told him.

"We're gonna watch the whole Avatar series from the beginning!" Virgil told them.

"Yep!"

"You're gonna watch too, right Remy?" Virgil asked.

Remy shrugged, "Sure."

...

After a rushed breakfast, dad guy said his goodbyes, accompanied by another round of apologizes, before leaving to go to work.

While Emile went to get Avatar set up, Remy fled back upstairs to brush his teeth and hair.

"Do you like Avatar?" Emile asked when he came back down.

Remy shrugged, "I've seen memes and the movie." Emile let out a horrified gasp. "...What?"

"We do not talk about the last Airbender." He told him, "And I am so sorry you saw it."

"What's 'the last Airbender'?" Virgil asked from his usual spot on the couch, "Is it an Avatar movie?"

"Kinda," Emile admitted, "but it's pretty bad."

"I mean, it was based off a kids show?"

"Nope. We are fixing this now. Sit down and watch the true Avatar." Emile told him, "... If you want to of course." He added.

"It's really good!" Virgil told him.

"Alright, alright," Remy smiled, "I'll watch it." He told them as he joined Virgil on the couch.

…

"Alright," Emile said after watching the sixth episode in a row, "How about we take a break and get some lunch? Then we can go to the park for a while."

"Aw… one more episode?" Virgil asked.

"Sorry kiddo," Emile told him, "but the next one is a two parter. Besides, we can't spend all day watching TV."

"Can we eat lunch at the park then?" The kid asked.

"I suppose we could. What do you think, Remy?"

"Fine with me."

"Alright," Emile smiled, "Virge how about you go get dressed while I make some sandwiches?"

"Ok!" Virgil said before jumping off the couch and bolting for the stairs.

"I'll help with the food." Remy told him.

"Thanks." Emile smiled, "So what did you think of the show so far?" He asked as they made their way to the kitchen.

"I see why you hate the movie so much." Remy told him.

"Right?!" Emile laughed.

"Even ignoring the whitewashing of literally everyone, and the kids who need more acting lessons, which is on the casting director and other adults obvs, the story itself is terrible. Like, honestly, I thought it was ok before, but now that I know what the source material is like."

"And the bending!" Emile added as the two started grabbing ingredients, "So many movements for nothing!"

As they made sandwiches, Remy couldn't believe he was having an actual conversation about a kids show and it's horrendous adaptation. Though to be fair the show was more adult than he thought it would be.

"So who's your favorite character so far?" Emile asked.

"I dunno," Remy told him, "I liked Iroh at first, but Sokka's growing on me now that he seems to be less misogynistic. He's got potential."

"I love Sokka!" Emile grinned, "He's honestly underrated since he doesn't get any huge character arc, but he actually has a lot of little ones. They just aren't focused on as heavily as others."

They continued chatting about the show before packing the food away into Emile's bag. As he was packing the food, Remy noticed a colorful bracelet on his wrist.

"Cool bracelet."

Emile looked at his wrist before smiling at him, "Thanks, I got it at pride last year. You?"

Remy shrugged, "Not sure. Still figuring it out."

"Does Mr. Sanders know?"

Remy laughed, "Hell no."

"Well-"

"Ready!" Virgil yelled as he ran into the kitchen.

Emile smiled, "Got everything?"

"Yep!"

"Alright let's just do one more check to be sure and then we can go."

After double checking everything and locking the door, the three started walking to the nearby park. Virgil held Remy's hand the entire way and pointed out different houses and who lived there.

"-and that's Mrs. Ownings house. She's really nice. Sometimes she makes cookies for everyone. And that's Mrs. Caren's house. She doesn’t like us."

"Why not?" Remy asked.

"Dad says she just has different opinions on things. I think it's because she really likes her dog and dad pet it without asking once."

"Maybe."

"Ooh there's the park! Emile, can we race there? Please?"

"I don't see why not." Emile smiled, "Are you going to race, Remy?"

"Please, Remy?"

"Sure. If you're ready to lose." He smirked.

"Ok, 1-2-3 go!"  Virgil said before letting go of his hand and taking off.

"Hey!" Remy laughed before he and Emile started after him.

Catching up to the six-year-old was a simple enough task. Remy ran a step or so ahead of him before saying, "I'm gonna win!"

Virgil responded by closing his eyes and speeding up slightly. Remy let out an offended gasp as he was passed.

"I win!" Virgil cheered as he ran through the park gate.

Remy pretended to be out of breath as he caught up, "No fair, you got a head start."

"Snooze you lose!" Virgil told him.

"Wowzers you guys are fast." Emile laughed as he caught up to them.

"Hey, you walked."

"I think I was pretty outmatched." He smiled, "Let's go find a place to sit and eat."

The three of them went to the open field next to the equipment and Emile pulled out an old blanket for them to sit on.

"After lunch can we show Remy the creek too?" Virgil asked through his mouthful of sandwich.

"Remember not to talk with your mouth full," Emile chided, "But if Remy's fine with it I don't see why not."

"Creek sounds cool." Remy told them.

Virgil smiled before taking another bite.

The small group ate quickly before packing away what they needed and throwing away their garbage.

"Can we go to the creek now?" Virgil asked excitedly.

"Yep, yep, yep!" Emile told him brightly.

"Yes! Come on, Remy!" Virgil said as he grabbed Remy's hand and began pulling him towards the treeline.

Virgil was practically vibrating as he led Remy down the small trail while telling him about how cool the creek was, "Sometimes when it's really hot, Dad will let us come to swim too!"

"It's that deep?"

"Yeah! It comes up to here!" Virgil said as he held his hand up to his chest.

Remy shared an amused glance with Emile, "Well it's a good thing we're not swimming today."

They spent the next hour or so at the creek. Emile showed them how to skip rocks, Remy managed to catch a guppy in the shallows, and Virgil built a small dam. But eventually they had to make their way back up the trail and to the house before dad guy got home from work.

"Hey Remy," Virgil said as they made their way out of the park.

"Yeah?"

"You should give me a piggy back ride."

Remy snorted, "Oh yeah? Why's that?"

"Cause my legs are tired~" He whined dramatically.

"Mine are tired too. So how about you carry me?"

"No!" He giggled.

"How come? Why should I carry you if you won't carry me?"

"Because you're my big brother not my little one! And big brothers carry little brothers."

Remy pretended to contemplate that for a second, then shrugged, "Ok," he said before quickly sweeping the kid up and hefting him over one shoulder.

Virgil screamed in delight, "No!" He laughed, "It's supposed to be piggy back!"

"I am carrying you like a potato sack."

"Piggy back! Not potato sack!"

"Really?" Remy asked airily.

"Yes!" He giggled.

"Huh," Remy replied as he shrugged the kid back into position on his shoulder, "Didn't know that. Oh well, too late now, Vincenzo."

"It's Virgil!" The kid yelled through his laughter, "Emi help!" He said as he began struggling.

"Don't worry, I'll save you!" Emile told him as he moved to grab the squirming six-year-old.

Remy quickly moved out of reach before Emile could reach, "Nope, get your own hostage." He told him before walking faster.

"No! I don't wanna be a hostage!" Virgil squealed, "Help!"

The group made it most of the way back to the house before Emile managed to grab ahold of Virgil and pull him into a bridal carry.

"Hey!" Remy yelled in mock anger.

"Run, Emile!" Virgil urged.

"You'll never take us alive!" Emile yelled back as he slowly ran away.

Remy chased after in what was more of a jog than an actual run until the trio made it to the front porch.

"Ok," Emile panted, "I'm done." He said before putting Virgil down, "Whew, Virge you're getting big."

"Yep!" The kid readily agreed.

"How about we put in a movie? Your dad will be home in a little over an hour or so."

"Can we watch Coraline?" Virgil asked hopefully.

Emile hid a wince, "Maybe not today,"

"Aw…"

"What about the Nightmare Before Christmas?"

"Yes!"

"Man, I wish I had his energy." Remy noted as he watched Virgil run inside. Presumably to get the movie ready.

"I know right?" Emile said as they moved inside, "But don't worry he'll crash during the movie."

And sure enough, they were barely quarter of the way through the movie before Virgil was napping from his place next to Remy.

The two teens continued to chat quietly about the movie until the end credits began to roll.

"So what school do you go to?" Emile asked as he got up to put the movie away.

"Uh… I'm pretty sure I transferred this year. I'm going to something side."

"Southwest Side?"

"Probably. Why, s'that your school?"

"Yep, it's pretty close to here too. We should be getting our class schedules soon. We usually get them about a week before school starts."

"Cool."

"What electives you sign up for? I know we usually only get one or two of them, but which are you hoping for?"

"Uh, I think I signed up for art, woodshop and… some other things. Culinary maybe? You?"

"Art since I love cartoons, culinary because we get to make cookies, video tech because we get to make our own little movies and stuff, and psychology because I wanna be a therapist one day."

"That's cool. Maybe we'll end up having some classes together."

"Yeah! Oh you should definitely meet my friends when school starts I think you'd like them."

"Maybe,"

"Oh hey," Emile asked, "about earlier," he gestured to his pride bracelet, "I won't say anything obviously, but just so you know if you ever decide to tell Patton I know he'd be fine with it."

Remy hummed noncommittally.

"Just some food for thought." Emile told him, "So why'd you pick woodshop?"

The two quickly fell back into comfortable conversation about their chosen electives. When dad guy's car pulled into the driveway Remy couldn't help but think about what Emile told him.

Whatever.

#new big brother #brain dead writes #ts Virgil #ts remy #ts patton #ts emile #sanders sides #sanders sides fan fic

[strawbunniiee]

A Girl and a Ghost Ch. 3: The King’s Revenge

SOOOOO this is the part where the plot thickens :)

if anybody else wants me to tag them in these chapters so you know when they come out i will gladly do so andksnkfs

hope you enjoy! ive had tons of fun with writing these :D

dont mind me, just lettin my frendos know that this is a thing skfnkdjf

@salamifuposey @monsterbride99 aaAAA when i initially posted this i COMPLETELY forgot to do this a a a a a sorry

King Boo was furious.

How could that peasant, that foul impure abomination of a Boo do this to his beloved crown? It contained his power, it was so incredibly important to him...

And that filthy little purple haired brat! How could she so carelessly throw a rock at him like that?

He plopped his body down in a chair and marinated in his own rage for a few minutes.

After a few moments of enraged silence, he spoke.

"...I have got to get my revenge on those two. But... how will I do it?"

King Boo began to brainstorm a way to get the ghost Rabbid and his little idiot friend in hot water.

"Torture? No, no... one of them is a ghost. It wouldn't hurt him... Torture could be done with the little nuisance however. Perhaps a bit of childhood trauma will teach her not to mess with the wrong people." he thought aloud.

He spent almost fifteen whole minutes thinking of gruesome ways to get back at them, until it finally struck him.

"...Oooh, I know. I know exactly what to do now. It'll mostly affect that bloated rabbit, but I can still do some damage to his moronic pipsqueak pal."

He grinned maliciously and floated towards the doors of his manor.

"I'm about to open up some old wounds of yours, Tommy." he said to himself.

———

Meanwhile, Phantom was racing through the sky with Jawaii in his arms, panicking. He would never let King Boo lay his foul hands on her.

They were both absolutely dead silent the whole time until Jawaii opened her mouth.

"...Do you know that guy?"

Phantom halted for a moment and looked down at the young alien he held. "...Yes, I do, but I don't think I would like to go into detail at the moment. We have a very... rough history, I will say."

"Oh... I get it. It's okay, I won't pry. I understand." Jawaii said.

"Just remember that if King Boo ever tries to hurt us, I'll make sure he will regret it for the rest of his days." promised the Rabbid ghost. "I swear on it."

Phantom resumed his flight and soared down to the ground safely. He gently set her down in the grass.

"That was actually really fun! We should do that again sometime! ...without being scared off by an evil ghost, obviously. That would just make it less fun." said Jawaii.

"I'm glad you were entertained, I suppose... King Boo is quite intimidating. And rude." said Phantom.

Jawaii put her hands on her hips. "Well, yeah! I mean, he made fun of your weight! No friend of mine is getting made fun of like that!"

Phantom laughed a bit. "Oh, don't worry, I wasn't that harmed by that statement. I er, get that all the time."

She frowned. "Why do people tease you about that, that's dumb! Besides, I think you're perfect just the way you are!" She gave him a hug.

He hugged back and smiled. "Awww... thank you. I was born like this, I can't help it you see."

"You're a giant fluffy singing ghost bunny with a mustache, I have no idea how anybody could hate THAT! Cuz I don't."

"Oh, don't make me blush from all of these compliments!" said Phantom, smiling.

Jawaii jokingly grinned evilly. "Never. I'm gonna shower you in compliments 'til you DROWN!"

She cackled maniacally as she began relentlessly saying nice things about him with Phantom begging her to stop. Soon, it became a full-on flattery war to see who could out-compliment the other. They had a grand old time.

Eventually, the sun began to set.

"Oh yikes, I better get home. I had no idea we stayed out here for so long! Mom is probably having a heart attack as we speak!" said Jawaii.

Phantom was quite alarmed, his ears sprung up in worry and concern. "She's having a what?! Oh, poor child, I hope your mother is all right..."

She burst out laughing hysterically.

"Wh-what's so funny? I thought your mother was dying!"

"No, dummy! That was an exaggeration, I meant that she's probably WORRIED about me!" Jawaii continued giggling like a maniac.

"Ah. I see now... Thank you for correcting me!" Phantom joined in on the laughter.

They got themselves together after a moment.

"Oh yeah, mind if you could fly me over to my house..? We're kinda far away from home." said Jawaii.

"Of course!" Phantom replied happily.

Jawaii climbed on his back and the two flew home.

———

After flying back to town, Phantom gently set Jawaii down in front of her home.

"See you soon, my friend. I enjoyed showing you around Spooky Trails today!" said Phantom.

"Cya tomorrow Phantom! I had a good day today too!" She ran up to him and gave him one last hug.

She walked up to her door and waved goodbye to Phantom. He waved back.

"Moooom! I'm hoooome!"

Jawaii's stepmother Stella ran in.

"Oh, Jawaii! Thank goodness you're all right! I was so worried, where were you?"

"Sorry I came home late! But I spent today with a friend of mine."

Stella had a look of pleasant surprise on her face. "You made a friend? That's so wonderful! I know you haven't really ever had any friends, honey, I'm so happy to hear that you finally made one!" She smiled.

Jawaii grinned. "Yeah! I'll tell you allllll about him! He's the best."

They sat down at the dinner table with the food Stella made.

Jawaii dug into her mashed potatoes and ate it like a wild animal that had nothing to eat for the past 3 weeks.

"Honey, chew slowly. I don't want you choking!" said Stella.

"Sorry, Mom..." Jawaii said, frowning.

"It's okay. I don't want you in the hospital or anything, especially after you just made a new friend!"

"Oh, I've known him for a while, actually. We've been hanging out together a lot!" she smiled, her mouth still full of food.

"...Jawaii, sweetie, don't talk with food in your mouth.“

"Oh yeah! Sorry again Mom.."

"Anyways, that's why you've been out so much lately? I'm so happy for you, Jawaii!" Stella smiled.

Jawaii gulped down some water. "Yep! I'm glad I'm his friend too!"

They spent dinner talking about all of the fun adventures she and Phantom had gone on.

Jawaii however, conveniently left out any mention of them being in danger, she wouldn't want to worry her stepmother of course!

"Oh yeah! I meant to ask you this, but I got totally sidetracked but where's Dad? And where's Hakai?" asked Jawaii.

"Your father is out destroying planets again, and your sister is having a sleepover with some friends of hers." said Stella.

"Ohhhh. Wonder why Dad's out so late. Hope he's alright."

"I'm sure he's fine, hon."

Jawaii had another sister though, and her name was Roe. She went to a boarding school and wasn't home most of the time.

She stretched and yawned. "Hey Mom, I think I'm gonna hit the hay today."

Stella gave her a small look of surprise. "Oh! You are? Usually you're quite a night owl. Maybe you're just tired from all your little adventures with Phantom."

Jawaii smiled. "Yeah. Maybe. Anyways, g'night Mom! Love ya, don't let the bed bugs bite."

Stella gave Jawaii a hug. "Aww, good night sweetie. Love you too.”

Jawaii ran upstairs, changed into her nightgown, brushed her teeth and jumped into bed, quickly falling asleep after her long, tiring but fun day.

———

That same night, the Mushroom Kingdom was as quiet as ever when it was nighttime. The once colorful, cheerful inviting land was deathly silent, almost hauntingly so.

Princess Peach was safely tucked in her bed, sleeping peacefully.

But little did the sleeping princess know, this would not remain for long.

King Boo had finally made it to the castle after venturing there to exact his revenge. He knew how dearly Phantom loved Peach. Breaking them apart forever would be the ultimate punishment for stepping on his turf. He knew that either way, the plan would work. If Phantom didn't come to the manor, him and Peach would be separated forever. If he did, however, it would give the vengeful king the chance to trap him and Jawaii in his manor, to torture them and possibly even kill them somehow.

He knew he could kill Jawaii, that was no problem, but Phantom...? Could he possibly do it again? ...No, he's a ghost now. He can't be killed again. But the king knew that even if he couldn't die, he could still make him suffer for as long as he wanted. Possibly even for eternity.

He phased through the castle walls, not having any of the guards notice him. Then, he finally found her room. There Peach slept, defenseless, ready for the taking.

In the blink of an eye, he snatched her from her bed.

Peach immediately woke up and let out a shrill scream of horror, alerting the Toads guarding her door.

But it was too late. He had already burst out her window with her and was headed straight towards his mansion.

———

Tap, tap, tap.

Jawaii woke up very late that night to a tapping sound she heard at her window. She went over to it to find one of the Peek-A-Boos she had met in Spooky Trails, tapping away at her window.

"Hey... aren't you that kid who Phantom is friends with?"

Jawaii rubbed her eye and yawned. "Yeah. Why do you ask? And how are you at my house anyway?"

The Peek-A-Boo had a somber expression on his face. "Well... I have to tell you some... bad news."

Jawaii was horrified of what was about to come out of his mouth next. Did something terrible happen to Phantom?

"His love, Princess Peach was kidnapped by King Boo. And... Phantom is gone. He went off to go save her. Knowing King Boo, Phantom may not come back in one piece. ...The other Rabbids told me it was best to go tell you. That way, you would know where he is. You deserve to know..."

Jawaii was devastated. How could this happen?

She knew she had to save him. And if she couldn't save him... then she wouldn't let him suffer alone.

"...No. I'm not going to let this happen to him."

The Peek-A-Boo was taken aback in surprise by Jawaii's response. "...I dunno if you should go. You're only a kid. You could get seriously hu-"

"I don't care." said Jawaii.

She jumped into her closet and changed into her usual clothes, grabbed a lantern and ran out of the house and into the black, haunted forest that she met Phantom in.

#jawaiis cheesy fics #mario rabbids #mario + rabbids #mario + rabbids kingdom battle #phantom of the bwahpera #tom phan #rabbids #fanfic #fanfiction

[saikagerights]

Technical Difficulties

Hello Saiino nation!

I am beginning my return a little earlier than I anticipated! I’ve decided to throw caution to the wind today and start work on my upcoming projects for the winter and the highly anticipated Yamanaka Week 2021. But I realize that I first must post this leftover oneshot that was written right before my school hiatus in August. A little background behind this fic is that it was inspired by an art drawn by our nation’s very own @sugarriene. It was something that stuck in my mind long enough that I had to write about it and there we go! I even added a mild bit of angst for the culture!

Read on Ao3

“KYAAAAAAAAAAA!!!”

Right on cue, her husband peaked into the room. What he had witnessed was an utter catastrophe. 6 ink mice crawling across her body and she was understandably horrified.

“What’s wro-” “Ah. I see...”

“SAI! DON’T JUST STAND THERE! FIX THIS!”

“Uh…” He stuttered, proving he was just as useless in handling this as she expected. “A-as much as I would like to assist you, I am unable to control them. These are not made of my chakra.” Of course they weren’t his! Sai wasn’t the type to pull pranks like this. And even if it wasn’t a joke, he had a much better handle with his ink. There was only one other person who could be responsible.

“INOJI-mmmmph” Her husband’s hand swiftly covered her mouth to muffle her. She had an inkling of an idea to bite it.

“Don’t do that.” “If his concentration breaks, your clothes will be stained.” As rude as Sai was being, he did have a point. She would prefer it not get any worse than it could be, or else her son would be in for a lot more trouble than he anticipated. Perhaps it was just a mistake. It better be a mistake or she would make sure that the boy wished he hadn’t learned to use that brush in the first place.

His deft fingers gently scooped up two of the mice from her shoulders. The unrestrained gesture would typically make her stutter and blush at his forwardness, but in her current predicament all she could do is stand there holding back a yelp. “Just sit tight. I will handle this.”

With that, her husband swiftly left the room, leaving her alone with only her son’s animated mice to keep her company. Ino had nothing more to truly fear. She could trust Sai to fix this. It was his expertise, afterall. Maybe this time her husband would actually act like a father for once and discipline their son. She inwardly sighed; That was a long shot for sure, but she could only hope.

Inojin knew he messed up. And his fate had been sealed the moment he heard his mother’s shrill scream from down the hall.

______________________________________________________________

He was dead

He was so dead

He had always been instructed by mom to only practice the Choujuu Giga outside, but it had been raining. Dad had advised him (without mom’s knowledge of course) so that he could successfully practice indoors in the safety of his room as long as the door had been shut. And to his misfortune, he forgot the step regarding the closed door. At least he had solace that his father would also be punished. If she realized that they had conspired like this from under her nose than they would both be in for it.

The mouse perched upon his head turned towards the door with him when he heard his father’s footsteps approach his room

“Dad”

“You’ve lost control.” He fully entered the room, closing the door behind him with his foot until it was only slightly open. He had an ink mouse in each of his hands, struggling against the pressure of his grip.

He chuckled nervously. “You noticed?”

His father was never one to raise his voice, but he did express his disapproval through soft sighs and furrowed brows. He was already aware of how much trouble he was going to get into with mom.

“Do you know what caused this?”

Inojin shrugged “I don’t know how it happened, but I was fine until mom called for me.” His head dropped and the mouse tumbled to the floor, splattering into black ink onto the wood. So much for keeping tidy. “Then a bunch of them escaped.” He looked timidly back up to his father. “She found them, didn’t she.”

“Oh she found them pretty well actually. I plucked these ones right from her body.” Inojin’s stomach lurched. He was worse off than he initially thought. Dad looked down at the mice in his hands. His thumbs had secured their heads, calming their struggles down. “These drawings do not have a mind of their own, nor are they entirely mindless.” He crouched beside Inojin, setting the mice onto his scroll. He was surprised that they didn’t scamper off like before. They only sat there looking up at him. “They are an extension of your will, Inojin. They rely on you to move, so one little distraction may change their direction entirely. You must remember this.”

He did remember. Dad had been telling him that for years, ever since he was young. But here he is now, still making the same mistakes as he did when he was 5. How was he supposed to get any better at this rate? His frustration stirred within him and the mice sitting on the scroll began to tremble and distort. They were going to break at this point, and it would all be over and mom would come for both of them. His father’s hand came to rest on his shoulder, the tension built up in his body slowly releasing. “Mistakes are bound to happen, though. You are still learning.”  Dad’s smile was warm and encouraging, something that Inojin couldn’t help but reciprocate.

“You lost control like this too, right?”

The smile hadn’t faltered. “Of course I did. The Choujuu Giga was something I mastered on my own, so I made plenty of mistakes. In fact, I did something like this to my brother as well.” Inojin’s curiosity piqued at the mention of his uncle. His father’s sworn brother had tragically died years before he had been born.

“What happened?”

His father’s smile began to shift, pursing his lips as if he had been holding back a laugh. “I had drawn a snake, and when I wasn’t paying attention, it constricted him until it burst. He was completely coated in ink!” Telling the story alone was enough to free his laughter. It was a sight to behold, as he was usually very slow with humor. It must’ve been a cherished memory for him. “Anyway, I hardly saw him the rest of the week. He was probably too angry with me to talk, but I’m sure he found it as funny as I did.”

Inojin gave a worthless sniff, gluing his eyes to the scroll in front of him. The mice retained their shape, now crawling towards him. “I think you were too concerned with what Mom wanted, so they decided to figure it out for themselves. And now all you have to do is fear her wrath.” Inojin’s fingers shot up into a sign and the mice immediately scurried back to him.

The misunderstanding was eventually cleared after numerous apologies and pleas to Mom. She didn’t kill him like he envisioned, but that didn’t mean he was completely in the clear.

___________________________________________________________

Although Dad did talk her down to a week, his video games would still be confiscated. Probably locked in the same place as his father’s expensive paints for hiding from her.

___________________________________________________________

“Your clothes are stained.” The imposing presence of Danzou-sama stood before him. “Why is that?” His question barely above a whisper, drenched in suspicion. But he could already tell from his half-lidded gaze that he wasn’t impressed.

But then again, he wasn’t impressed by much...

The white haired boy stood relaxed, his eyes to one of the many trees that surrounded them. Anything was better than looking directly at him. “We were sparring. He lost control and now I’m covered in ink.”

The sounds of calming wooded atmosphere was drowned out by his master’s silence

“Look at me” His voice was still no louder than it had been before, but held a commanding power that struck fear into the boy’s heart. He forced his gaze up.

“A loss of control is not something I tolerate.” His hand moved to reach towards his bandaged eye...

“No! Please don’t punish him. He’s getting there, he just needs more practice.” The boy pleaded. Realizing that this was out of line, he swiftly bowed. “Please, forgive us!” His brother was still too young and inexperienced. He’d hate for him to receive their master’s swift hand over a simple accident.

“Very well. But I best not bare witness to such a sight ever again, or there will be consequences for the both of you. Although you may believe you are noble in taking the blame for his mistakes, it is actually a foolish endeavor.”

The boy’s eyes widened and panic set in his chest as Danzou-sama turned to trudge his way back into the forest. And just before he thought he was safe enough to catch his breath, the man halted his steps. “You know that there is no room for weak shinobi in my ranks.” He turned his head slightly around, the atmosphere intensifying. “And If he so much as passes without meeting my standards, I will do everything in my power to make sure your death is insignificant.”

And with that, Danzou-sama was gone in a cloud of smoke.

The boy’s knees buckled beneath his weight, collapsing into a seated position. Gasping for air, his lungs felt ablaze. He couldn’t restrain the coughing fit that ravaged his body, grasping tightly at his ink-stained shirt.

as much as he wanted to persuade himself that he was fine.

He was still able to keep up with his master’s demands.

He was still able to live with his brother without fear of what was to come.

He gritted his teeth. That wicked man still held them firmly within his control, his brother knowing not of what truly awaited him. Soon his brother would be all alone and forced to bear the weight of Danzou-sama’s will. His brother had to be prepared for that burden or else he could never truly be free.

____________________________________________________________

And there it is! I hope you enjoyed this long time coming one shot! 

Until Next Time!

-Saikage

#saiino #InoSai #Ino Yamanaka #sai yamanaka #inojin yamanaka #naruto fanfiction #boruto fanfiction #naruto #boruto #si fanfic

[scriptaed]

i’m not your daddy;

genre: fluff and... just fluff; dad!yoongi; parent!au; yes, crack!erin is back;

pairing: yoongi x reader; 

length: 2.5k; (i keep lying to myself that these are drabbles)

synopsis: learning that his daughter no longer wishes to wed him but rather his now-arch-enemy jungkook marks the most soul-crushing day your husband has ever had to endure. no one, and he means no one, is more deserving of his angel than daddy min himself, and he’s willing to do anything to earn his daughter’s heart back.

Daddy; it could mean two completely different things in two very polarizing worlds. The walls of the bedroom have borne witness to the sultry one, and the daughter born as a blessing reminder of the fiery nights persists to chant the beloved title, for there could never be another man she loves more than her father. Your husband, formerly known as your daddy in the sheets, never coveted for a child like the way you did with such passion on each prospective night of conceiving; yet, when you watch him gently cuddle his minion in his lap, tender eyes softening as he plays along to his clone’s daily antics, the whole universe can tell: only she could be daddy’s little girl. 

“Do you want—” the four year old stumbles over her words “—tea, mummy?”

“No, but thank you very much dear,” you chime, nodding a head at the man behind her. “Why don’t you ask daddy if he wants a cup?”

Juria’s doe-like eyes sparkle at the mention of her father as she attempts to crane her neck only to plummet into the soft embrace of Yoongi’s lap. From down below, she peers up to meet the quizzical gaze of her father’s. 

“And daddy?” she laughs over whatever inside joke all four year olds seem to telekinetically share. 

“Hm?” he hums while ever so slightly bouncing his knees in a fruitful method to entertain the child. 

“I ask if you—” the mixture of her giggles melting in the low chuckles of his renders your heart fluttering “—want some tea, daddy? Mummy says to spill you some tea.”

“Oh? Spill?” Yoongi quirks his head, shooting a less than surprised glimpse at you. Unfazed by his glare, you only shrug with a mischievous, pressed grin adorning your lips. Your husband rolls his eyes and returns to where his beloved awaits, “it’s pour, Juria, pour some tea.”

“But mummy says spill.” 

“I swear to God, Y/N,” Yoongi turns to mutter at you under his breath, “if I see a mini me running around and spewing the shit that teens say nowadays—”

“—shit…?” 

The entire room grows silent, Yoongi visibly filled with tension at the consequences of his own vital mistake. The child simply darts her pristine eyes between her parents—better known as sinners, unbeknownst to the child of God. Completely out of the loop yet entertained, she watches your struggle to keep your lips from quivering in the wakes of an erupting cackle. Yoongi, on the other hand, stares at you with those seemingly apathetic glare of his, but you know your husband better than anyone—he’s petrified to the very gut and you can’t help but smirk at the bullets he’s sweating.

“Shit...take mushrooms!” Yoongi exclaims louder than necessary. “Mommy forgot to cook the… mushrooms.”

“So what’s the tea for, Juria?” you ask, laughing after having noticed Yoongi’s slump of relief. 

Your child’s pigtails bob as she “spills” imaginary tea into her cup for Kookie, her favorite stuffed bunny, “wedding.”

“Wedding?” Yoongi practically smiles into his words, eyes lighting up like stars in the dark night sky. Here we go, for the hundredth time… “Is it daddy and Juria’s wedding?”

Yoongi had always suggested having a baby boy if you were so adamant on having children… as if you could choose. According to him, he would be too awkward of a dad to a girl, he doesn’t know how to dress a girl, and he wouldn’t be able to be himself around a girl; but here he is, completely smitten head over heels after that fateful night where his daughter had proclaimed her father’s hand in marriage. 

“No—” your lips fall agape in shock and his in absolute horror “—Juria is marrying Jungkook oppa.”

“Jungkook?” Yoongi repeats, aghast by her adamant nods. “Jungkook? Not daddy? Are you sure?” 

This moment had always been bound to happen someday. The both of you knew it. Her love for her father had been adorably misconstrued in modern times and the boys and you had ran off with it as an ongoing gag; even so, your heart sinks at the ear-piercing shatters belonging to that of Yoongi’s

“Well, Juria,” you interject when Yoongi simply stares at his child, blinking blankly, “you need our permission for your wedding. You can’t just marry anyone—”

“—yeah, no,” Yoongi jolts back to reality, shaking his head with his seemingly chilled composure. 

“Why?!” your child whimpers but Yoongi persists cooly. 

“Jungkook is too handsome. You’ll be competing against too many girls.”

“Uh…” you panic at the flush that arises in Juria’s cheeks and clashes with Yoongi’s lack of awareness. “How about… Taehyung?”

“Too out there, too handsome,” he shakes his head again. “Have you seen him and Jungkook together?” 

This time, your daughter has her own suggestion. “Namjoon oppa!” 

“Way too philosophical,” he ignores the limited vocabulary of his child. “You won’t understand him.”

“Hoseok oppa?” 

“He dances too much. He’ll sleep at work and forget about you. Worst of all, he stinks of sweat. You don’t want a stinky husband, do you?”

You’re baffled by your husband’s brainwashing activities when Juria quickly shakes her head. “Oh, Jimin oppa! He’s is my faaaavorite—”

“—he’s taken.”

“By who…?” you narrow your eyes at him. 

“By… work. Jimin is too dedicated to work. He’s practically married to it.”

“How about Jin?” you say through gritted teeth, shooting him death glares that he bats away at the speed of light. “He can cook for her.”

“Yeah, he can cook,” he deadpans, “and then he’ll keep cooking and cooking and feeding her until her stomach explodes.”

“Explode…?” Juria repeats quizzically.

“Boooooom,” Yoongi drawls with his stoic gaze meeting that of his daughter’s own horrified ones. He then bursts into a gummy smile, “but daddy won’t ever do that to you. Daddy will feed you just right, take care of you when you are sick, and buy you pretty clothes for our wedding. Doesn’t that sound nice, Juria?”

The baby nods happily, a carbon copy of the father whomst takes pride in his evildoing. How nice it must be to have the short term memory of a child. 

“Alright, I think it’s time for bed, Juria,” you unfold your legs and hold out a hand for Juria’s, which she sleepily takes after a drawn out yawn. 

Walking down the halls of your apartment, hand-hand, you shoot a death glare at the man who smirks at you with a shrug. After what seemed to be an eternity, because your child has unfortunately planned out the entire 7 days long wedding and felt the need to make the two of you very aware of her lavish plans, you drag a gummy-smiling Yoongi into the living room. 

“What was that all about?” 

“What was ‘what’ all about?” 

“You know what I mean,” you hiss, careful not to wake the child and her lengthy itinerary, “why are you ruining her image of the boys?”

“Technically, I’m not ruining their image because they’re partially true,” he quips.

“C’mon, you know my heart hurts too. I know she’s your baby girl, but she’s growing up. At some point, you’re gonna have to tell her she can’t marry her own dad.”

“I know, I know,” he nods, eyes lidded and lips pursed. 

You groan, “that look tells me you don’t know.” 

“It doesn’t have to be now,” Yoongi retorts with a sigh, “but why does it have to be Jungkook of all people?”

“What do you mean ‘of all people?’” you frown at your husband’s expression, completely absent and preoccupied by whatever he must be conjuring up in that mind of his. “Yoongi, you should be glad it’s someone as great as Jungkook.”

Yoongi mumbles to himself, “what does Jungkook have that I don’t…?”

“Well, for one, he listens.” 

“This won’t do… this won’t do,” he incessantly mutters, brushing past you as he shuffles into your shared bedroom. 

“Even after Juria grows up, you’ll still have me to call you daddy!” you burst out into laughter when he ignores your advances. “Yoongi! You said you would be fine!”

“I will be! I mean, I am. I don’t care if she doesn’t want to marry me...” he waves you off with his back on you before returning to his mumbling. “This won’t do…”

-

“This is absolutely ridiculous and I hope you know it even through that thick head of yours.”

“You have a thick head and so does Juria. I guess I just love thick heads,” Yoongi’s whispers are muffled by the oversized black cape draping over his miniscule frame. 

With his camouflage denim jacket and, black beanie, golden aviators, and silver chain of an earring dangling from his left ear, you ogle him up and down. “Wow, I don’t think you’ve ever dressed up so much like this since our last date.” 

“Yeah?” he quirks a brow, clearly checking himself out in the bathroom floor-length mirror. “You think Juria will fall for it?”

“I don’t know about falling for it,” you chuckle. “I really don’t get why you’re doing this. The boys are laughing their ass off over this, too, you know?”

“They can laugh all they want. I have to protect my daughter from men like them,” Yoongi mutters, fixing his slightly askew beanie. A boisterous eruption of laughter echoes from the living room and you join along when you notice Yoongi registering the giggles belonging to his daughter. He hastily begins pushing you out of the door, “c’mon, Y/N, do exactly as I told you!”

“You’re overreacting, geez, okay, okay...” your cackles come to an abrupt halt when you emerge from the bathroom and into the living room, all seven pairs of eyes landing on you. The boys immediately begin snickering when the light hits you and the animated wingwoman buried somewhere deep within you sees the day of light, ultimately, signalling showtime. “Juria! Are you having fun with your uncles?”

The child throws her hands in the air and exclaims, “yes! More better than fun!”

“Well…” you take a deep breath and persevere, “did you know there’s one more uncle you haven’t met yet?”

“Yeah!” Hoseok cheers. 

“He’s very handsome,” Namjoon emphasizes.

“Not as handsome as me, though,” Jin interjects with a raised finger.

“He’s as sweet as bees!”

Everyone pauses to throw a confused glance at Taehyung’s direction.

“What does that even mean?” Jimin manages to ask in between his giggles.

“You know, sweet because bees make… honey…” he insists as if it’s a matter of fact, “and honey is sweet…”

“Ah, now I see,” everyone nods in agreement as you kneel to meet Juria’s sparkling gaze at the news. “Do you want to see this uncle?”

“Yes! Yes! Yes!” she jumps up and down.

“Alright!” you clap your hands and stand upright once again. “Drum roll please…!”

The boys begin cracking up but start stomping the floor and thudding the table with vibrations filling every being in this apartment nonetheless. You can’t help but grin at the rowdiness the boys never cease to bring along to the apartment. Today is not an exception, for it’s an especially lively moment you’re sure to cherish for many years to come. 

“Please welcome… Uncle Min!” 

Chest-thumping hollers and whistles ensue the second a pair of Timberlands steps into the light and the mysterious black cape graces along the floor following the silhouette of the heart-throbbing uncle. Everyone except Juria double over in laughter, hands slamming the tabletop and lungs desperately heaving for air. If it weren’t for the shades on Yoongi, you’re dead sure he would’ve been attacking you all with the piercing glare of his. The Yoongi who stands before you at this moment, however, could not risk exposing his glorious persona. 

“H—” Yoongi cuts himself off to raise his pitch “—hi, Juria. You’re even prettier than your dad told me!”

The boys snort at his remark, but Yoongi proceeds to nod his head at you in accordance to the plan. 

“So… what do you think, Juria?” you squat next to your daughter. Narrowed gaze darting to Yoongi’s, you clear your throat and read exactly as the script had entailed. “If you were to marry one person in this room, who would you choose?”

Juria stands there, completely confused by the presence of her dad whom had supposedly switched his name to Uncle Min. She senses are much more acute to her father than the rest of you were. She’s cuddled in his lap enough times before to recognize his scent and she’s watched him stroll past the hallway in that lazy yet cool demeanor of the father she so admires. What exactly does this whole situation mean? She’s much smarter than you all had mistaken her to be, but she’s clearly still too young to understand the purpose of this Saturday night. 

Without hesitation, Juria turns toward Jungkook with a giddy smile plastered across her face and you could feel the panic that spikes from everyone who flinches in fear of the wrath that is Min Yoongi. Eyes flitting to Yoongi, your heart aches at the crestfallen look on the father’s face. 

“Me?” Jungkook’s widened stares seek help from you and the boys. 

If there’s anything the past four years have taught you, it’s how to be a mother who could always think on her feet and bring tranquility to a family of a chaotic child and a kidlike husband. Reaching out a gentle hand to your daughter, you leaned in to whisper into her ear, “Juria, go give daddy a hug.” 

Whether she had forgotten Jungkook and the entire question or whether she had actually understood the reasoning behind your beckoning, you’re still surprised by the bobs of her head as she whirls around and starts running over to her father. She bolts with such eagerness that she nearly falls, but not before her father, who reaches out to her with arms wide open and a gummy smile to welcome her with, tosses her into the air and into his embrace with ease. 

The father rocks his daughter in his arms and it would be impossible for you not to join the boys in their coos of “aw’s.” You can tell how content the father is at the facade of his falsely successful mission judging from the plentiful kisses he plants on her cheeks and how he shares his gaze with no one else but her. You can’t help but smile, that is, until…

“I choose you, daddy!” 

The boys’ laughters transition into ones of nerves when Yoongi lowers his shades and peers at you with the epiphany that had just dawned upon him. He had figured you out and how he would soon claim to be a perfect yet ruined mission. You gulp at the dark, menacing orbs of his that you’re sure you would be drowning into as you scream those oh-so-familiar words in a manner that no one but he could ever hear; but for now, the father gleefully returns to the giggles of his daughter… 

...because no one could flutter his heart akin to the way that daddy’s little girl does. 

#yoongi x reader #yoongi x you #bts x reader #bts x you #bts fluff #yoongi fluff #suga fluff #suga x reader #suga x you #suga scenarios #bts scenarios #yoongi scenarios #yoongi fanfic #suga fanfic #bts imagines #bts scenario #yoongi scenario #suga scenario #scriptaed #i held my pee in to write this entire fic pls #i need to go now goodbye LOL #if anyones gonna explode it's me and my bladder

[neverleaveyoubehind]

Teen Wolf : 1x01 “Wolf Moon”

OMG they look so young! This whole episode has made me feel so old, I can’t believe that it’s been 9 years since this aired. I still remember watching this after middle school and now, it’s been almost a decade, I’m in college , I’m a full adult, unbelievable!

Let’s proceed with the actual reaction, though.

The first scene it’s surprisingly good, I mean, the way it starts all somber with the creepy music, you see all the police department and the Sheriff arriving to the woods, all the police dogs barking , the fog ,... I really liked it. Actually, I had forgotten about this scene in particular.

Like, we actually get to see the Sheriff a little bit, in my mind we weren’t introduced to the Sheriff until later in the episode. That was cool, knowing that he’s the first important character we see (even though you need to be paying a lot of attention to see that it’s him, because they just focus on showing his arm or something like that )

Suddenly, the music changes into an upbeat song, and we are in Scotts house. (God, seeing Scott fixing the Lacrosse stick gave me ALL the nostalgic feelings I could handle) Tyler Posey looks so young, like a little baby, he changes so much during the years. Not like Dylan who looks exactly the same but , with longer hair 9 years later.

Anyway, we have baby Scott (that’s how I will be referring to him for the next 2 seasons aprox) working out , being teenagery , brushing his teeth (his sink worried me a bit, maybe they should think about investing in a new one ‘cause that one looks nasty) Then, he hears a noise and freaks out. BTW, Scotts hair is a whole situation, it’s way too long for such a small face.

He freaks out, gets out of the house with a baseball bat,which might have been the highlight of my day (also,the baseball bat as a deathly weapon was Scott’s idea first ,ladies and gentlemen, let’s take that into consideration) and we are finally introduced to Stiles.

What better way to introduce him than having him hanging for his first 2 minutes on screen? (he being completely unfazed by it, and carrying the conversation like nothing was wrong, is my favorite thing in the world and the reason why I love Stiles so much) if this whole scene isn’t the reason why everyone kept watching the pilot, Idk what to tell you.

Ok, then, after the best interaction ever, Stiles has somewhat convinced Scott to go look for the body in the woods. Because, yes people, there’s a body , this body is missing a half and Stiles wants to find it. Like, of course he does, this man thinks he’s a detective or something (And yes, I did say a half because we don’t know which part is missing) So, in what has to be the most teenager/peer pressure way (reluctantly following your best friend trough the woods with a murderer on the loose) our story begins.

We have Stiles and Scott walking around trying to find the body (every sentence that leaves Dylan's mouth during this episode is gold, that's really my opinion) Scotty is worried about the prospect of founding not only the body but, the murderer, Stiles is living his best life, joking around, walking way too fast for our asthmatic baby Scott, and that's how they get separated.

We properly meet one of the best characters of the show, the sheriff Stilinski, after Stiles gets scared by another deputy that thinks he’s the murderer, and Stiles leaves with his dad. So, now we have us a baby Scott walking alone, in the dark, back home.

He’s walking for a bit, with creppy background music and various animal noises (the music and the ambiance of this show are great. Props to the music team, honestly) Then, he reaches a clearing in the middle of the forest, takes out his inhaler, and when he is about to use it, a bunch of deer bump into him causing him to fall to the ground and drop the inhaler. (I bet he was more worried about dying crushed by deer than losing it, though) When the deer have gone their merry way,and he no longer thinks he’s going to die, he gets up and starts looking for the inhaler with the light of his cell phone (with the light of the screen to be precise. Scotty isn’t the sharpest tool in the shed), but he doesn’t find his inhaler, he finds... The body (the upper part, in case someone was wondering)

Then, Scotty jumps back from the scare, and falls down a hill. When he gets up, a huge black monster attacks him and baby Scott gets bitten!

(The CGI of the first season is truly horrifying but, don’t panic my friends, it will get better)

Baby Scott runs as good as he can manage ,after being bitten by an unknown huge thing and having lost his inhaler,through the woods until he reaches the road, where he is almost hit by a car (our homeboy Scotty is having a really bad night)

SPOILER

The fact that he gets almost run over by Allison and her mom , who aren’t even in the show yet is amazing. Jeff did truly love this 2 because their storyline is truly wonderful, their whole relationship is handled with such care and a lot of attention to details. It makes my heart soft.

SPOILER

They go to school, Jackson looks like an asshole and turns out to be an asshole, normal High School shit. Scotty shows Stiles his bandage and tells him that a wolf bit him, then Stiles proceeds to laugh his ass off because there hasn’t been wolfs in California in like 60 years (Stiles is the kind of person that knows that type of thing) and , baby Scott tells him that he found the body.

Then this whole hilarious scene happens:

They go to class and Scotty starts hearing a phone ringing and turns out he’s the only one hearing it (obviously dude, you’re a werewolf) because it’s the phone of a new girl that’s outside of the High School waiting for the headmaster (I guess, I though someone else was but maybe that hasn’t happened,yet) this new girl is talking on the phone with her mom and she realizes that she forgot to bring a pen (really? You forget to bring a pen to your first day of High School? Someone wasn’t prepared)

So the headmaster brings the new girl to Scotty’s class , her name is Allison, and baby Scott has a crush on her the second he sees her (puppy love has never been more fitting )

Then, he does that whole thing of giving her a pen that she didn’t ask for (if I was Allison I’d be creeped out that someone just gave me a pen after I said outside of the building that I didn’t have one but, IDK, maybe it’s just me)

Anyway, Lydia and Allison become BFFs ,they have Lacrosse practice (we hear the Lacrosse background music for the first time) and surprise, Baby Scott didn’t suck (we also meet Coach aka the most important person of Beacon Hills high school) After school Stiles and Scott go back to the wood to look for the body and the inhaler (seriously, do this kids never learn?) while Stiles jokes about Scotty being a werewolf,and Derek Hale makes his first appearance (God Derek looks like Edward Cullen in this episode) he gives Scott his inhaler back and tells them to get out of his property (like an old man)

Stiles tells Scotty that almost all of Derek’s family died in a fire in his house and baby Scott leaves to go to work. He goes to feed the cats and they freak out, Allison comes to the vet hysterical with a dog she run over , this cutie moment happens :

Baby Scott is in love, so he asks her out to Lydia’s party that friday, Allison is also in love so she says yes. Scotty goes to sleep feeling on cloud nine and wakes up in the middle of the woods (it was a full moon the night before) he sees the big monster that attacked him the other night starts running and ends up falling in someone’s pool (Baby Scott is way to ripped for an asthmatic little kid but, ok)

He goes to school , Jackson interrogates him about steroids (fuck off Jackson, no one likes you. Well, maybe Lydia, but that’s it) Scotty freaks out about sleepwalking 40 miles into the woods, they go to Lacrosse practice and Scotty makes first line so he’s going to be playing in their first Lacrosse game of the year ,Stiles is suspicious because Scott was awful at Lacrosse like 2 days ago , and suddenly he’s a pro (like he should be, honestly, people should listen to Stiles more)

Stiles goes home researches a freaking ton about lycanthropy and werewolfs and decides that yes, his best friend is a werewolf (just like that, that was his first option and he stuck to it) he calls Scotty, tells him that he should cancel his date with Allison just in case he tries to kill her but Scott ignores him.

Melissa and baby Scott have a nice mother-son moment before his first ever date (with a lot more mentions of teenage pregnancies and underage sex for what one would expect from a first date)

Baby Scott takes Allison to the party, everything is going great, until it isn’t. Suddenly Scott starts feeling the bloodlust and the changes that Stiles had warned him about, so he leaves the party (leaving Allison alone without as mush as an apology, and without a way to get back home) Do not fear, though. Derek offers to take her home so everything’s great.

Scotty goes home while having a whole freak out and tells Stiles (who has followed him because he’s the best friend anyone could ever have) that Derek is the werewolf that bit him. Stiles tells Scotty that Derek took Allison home, Baby Scott leaves to have a fucking argument with Derek, and Stiles goes to Allison’s house (Allison was just fine so Stiles leaves)

Scotty and Derek get attacked by werewolf hunters (needless to say, Scotty won’t be sleeping in a while)

In the morning Stiles picks him up from the woods. At school Scotty apologizes to Allison, she forgives him because they are in love (or stupid , if I had been left like that in the first date I wouldn’t have forgiven him) and we are introduced to Allison’s dad

Wait, did I say Allison’s dad? I meant the werewolf hunter that tried to kill him the night before.

Wow that was a roller coaster of emotions ! What did you guys think? Did you remember all of what actually happens ? Did you also realize that you’ve been mixing what happens in each season together into one big season? Because I did

#teen wolf 9 years later #rewatching teen wolf #teen wolf reunion #teen wolf #mccall pack #allison argent #scott mccall #stiles stilinski #lydia martin #jackson #scallison #coach finstock #season 1 #main reaction 1x01 #dylan o brien #stydia #stereck #stalia #tyler posey #holland roden #tyler hoechlin #beacon hill #i love this show #i miss teen wolf #Stydia #Stalia #sterek

[purplesurveys]

863

Do you have any friends who are on and off with bfs/gfs all the time? Yeah, Jo and Aya don’t make the most stable couple. They had one really problematic stint last year where they would break up and get back together every week. They ironed it out eventually and they’ve been ok for a while, but lately I think it’s a little rocky again because I no longer see them interacting and they’ve been retweeting stuff that gives me a few hints. I wouldn’t be surprised if they’ve broken it off for good. When was the last time you almost cried out of exhaustion? Ohhhh boy. It was some day in Feb I think? and everything had just been going wrong for me. Andrew and I got yelled at by our thesis adviser because she didn’t like what we submitted and she gave us a day to revise three entire chapters. We stayed in the college working away from 3 PM to 10 PM then when I got home, I realized I forgot to bring with me a certain item that my org entrusted me with. Absolutely wasn’t allowed to lose it. Had a panic attack and this was when I started crying because it was so late and I just wanted to go to bed; though Andrew saved my ass by offering to go back to school at like 11:30 just to retrieve the damn thing. Lastly, that was a time when business reporting was still giving me hell and I was struggling to find a business story around campus to turn in for that week, so I was freaking out about that too. All in all a shit day. What`s a TV show you hate missing? Idk man, if I miss a show I don’t think there’d be hate attached to it. I imagine I’d miss a show because it made me happy, so this doesn’t make a lot of sense to me. Do you think it’s funny how people always say their pet is the best ever? It’s adorable haha but not necessarily funny. Whenever someone says it I totally believe them; I think all pets are the best :) When did you last brush your teeth? This morning.

What was the last website (besides this one) that you visited? I checked my Twitter right before this question. Do you have a friend who you think you’ll be best friends with forever? Yes, Angela is for keeps. Does it annoy you when you accidentally delete things? For the most part I can just undo and get the deleted thing back, but when that’s not applicable it can get super distressing. I know I was gloomy for a very long time when I accidentally wiped out my camera roll with photos from 2014-2016. What`s a movie / book / TV show / band / whatever you highly recommend? Movie: Ferris Bueller’s Day Off Book: Got nothing in this department. Show: BoJack Horseman Band: Paramore ha. They got a sound for almost everyone! When did you last use a dictionary / thesaurus? Two questions ago when I was looking for an adjective to best describe what it’s like to lose your entire camera roll and, essentially, good memories that you’ve made. Are you anticipating or dreading anything? I ammmmmm anticipating dinner haha. I can’t think of anything I’m dreading.

If someone could randomly give you something right now what would you like? Baked sushi :( It’s a recent trend locally and it looks so gooddddd, I just don’t wanna spend the last of my savings on it or ask my parents to buy a tray for me. What`s the most annoying thing in the world? At the moment it’s people who refuse to wear masks because they claim that it messes with their oxygen level or because they find it personally uncomfortable. When did you last use one of those water slides you put on hills? I have no clue what you mean. What are you sitting on right now? One of the dining room chairs. What skills would you like to learn / develop? Adobe Indesign and iMovie. I dabbled with these recently – Indesign for a class and iMovie to make a video for Gabie – and though I was always too scared to start using programs like these, I actually found them fun and super useful when I finally had my hands on them. When we saw each other the other day Gab was talking about using this break to take up workshops in different Adobe programs so that she’ll have more stuff to put on her resumé, so I might follow her footsteps too. What is something other people say you’re good at but you think you’re not? Teaching. I always feel like I fumble a lot, but idk I get compliments on it so I guess I’m kinda okay but I just don’t see it. What does your bedside lamp look like? I don’t have one. I used to have a wall light though. It was a just tiny lil bulb that I had to plug in to give my room a light orange hue. What did you last take a photograph of? Myself and Cooper. When was the last time you got really frustrated with technology? Yesterday. My laptop was a bit slow when I wanted my YouTube video to go full-screen, and my impatient ass already got irritated with it. What was the last funny thing someone said to you? She didn’t technically ‘say’ it but my mom was singing a song earlier and had the lyrics wrong, and what came out of her mouth instead was so wrong and so funny.  Who taught you to tie your shoelaces? My grandmother. What was the last thing you bought? I bought snacks from my girlfriend’s dad Korean food business! I got myself odeng (fishcakes) and tteokbokki (spicy rice cake) :) Do you want to move to somewhere else? If so, where? Any country with a capable government at this point. What time is it where you are? 8:04 PM. What’s your favourite picture of yourself as a child? I’m not sharing that on here, but I do have my favorites.

Do you like your neighbours? I suppose they’re okay, in a sense that they haven’t done anything to annoy me. I’ve never talked to them in the last 12 years that I’ve lived here though haha I always felt like my mom could take care of the socializing stuff – and she has been. Does your room need to be cleaned? Nah I’m barely in it these days. It’s mostly spotless and things are stacked up neatly. Do you have a good relationship with your family? I wouldn’t say it’s good, but it’s not bad. Super lacking in the emotional aspect, though, and it’s a big reason why at the end of the day I can’t call it a good relationship. What is something people are surprised to hear about you? That I don’t like fruits. The horrified gasps and expressions never get old. Do you make judgments about people straight after meeting them? Only if they blatantly act like a jerk. Do you hate any particular groups of people? I mean I hate racists, abusers, rapists, Karens... but if you mean to ask if I hate any race or people of a certain sexual/gender orientation then most definitely not. Do you fall up or down stairs usually? Down :( Do you constantly break things? (By mistake or otherwise) HAHA yes. What was the last bug you saw? Kinda looked like a moth but I’m not sure what it was exactly. Are there any smells which make you feel nauseous? Rotten egg, any fruits lol. What is the scariest thing you`ve ever gone through? Random men play-lunging at me when I’m walking outside and then laughing once I jump or whimper. I don’t know if there’s a certain script that those fucking pigs follow, but I’ve had several of the exact same experiences through the years. That’s why my friends can always poke fun at the fact that I drive everywhere no matter how close my destination is – at least I feel safest that way. Do you have anything unusual in your bag? No. I only carried the essentials in the last bag I used when I went out the other day. Are there any people you know in real life that you only talk to online? Yeah, there’s a bunch of people I don’t really get to see irl. Some of them are friends who’ve migrated, some are my friends’ parents, my relatives who’ve always lived in the US, etc. Do you think people who don`t care about education are dumb? In the Philippines they will definitely be considered careless, dumb, and having no ambition. But I know education isn’t as big of a priority in other countries and that college isn’t a necessity in those places, so I guess there’s a cultural difference here. What`s your favourite key on a keyboard? I don’t pick favorite keyboard buttons lol. Do you always finish what you start? Nah I’m a little terrible at that, especially if we’re talking of passion projects. I collected Starbucks planners for like six years and was never able to completely fill up any one of them. Who`s your favourite character from The Simpsons? Or do you hate that show? I’m not a big fan of the show but just because I relate to her a lot and the fact that she’s intelligent and a goody-two-shoes, Lisa. Have you ever had any friends who always tried to steal your things? Nah wtf? I’d so easily stop talking to them if all they did was steal from me lmao What is something you will never understand? People!!! Who!!! Aren’t!!! Nice!!! To!!! Servers/Baristas/Anyone working in a job that has to directly deal with customers!!! When did you last laugh hysterically? Probably earlier this afternoon watching a Good Mythical Morning episode.

#survey #surveys

[red-writing-on-asylum-walls]

Like Everyone Who Was Dragged There First

I picked at this and picked at it and picked at it and I’m kind of really done with it. I’m not happy with the ending but. It’s here. 

Warnings: Aaron Pierly, torture, implied past torture, implied child abuse, child endangerment, child torture, strangulation, implied force feeding, bondage, beatings, stabbing, blood, violence, language

---------

“Hello Jake. Long time, no see.”

The bowl slipped out Jake’s numb fingers and crashed to the floor, spilling popcorn all over the carpet. His chest was constricted into a vice, his breath catching in his lungs, a cold sweat breaking out across his clammy skin.

Aaron was sitting casually on the couch next to Milo, a backpack on the floor between his feet and an all too familiar smirk on his face.

Jake’s brain went into overdrive, thoughts tumbling over one another as Milo stared at him in confusion. Dan wasn’t home. His cellphone was upstairs and out of reach. Aaron was sitting too close to Milo. Dan wasn’t home and he wouldn’t be for hours. Dan wasn’t home and they were all in very real danger.

“Aaron.” His voice was a tight and strangled sound that squeezed out of his throat with a reluctant breath of stale air.

“Dad?” Said Milo and Aaron’s eyes flickered with something unintelligible but no less wicked.

“Aw, Jake, how could you be so cruel? Why didn’t you tell your own brother that you had a son?” Aaron’s voice was teasing, almost friendly, but that look in his eyes said something else entirely and it made Jake’s stomach turn.

“I have an uncle?” Milo perked up excitedly and Jake wanted to scream and pull him away from that monster on the couch.

“You didn’t even tell your kid about me? Ouch, big brother, that hurts.” The word was acid as Aaron hissed it out from between his teeth. His arm coiled around Milo’s shoulder, a python crushing prey, his fingers curling into the soft fabric of that shark hoodie, “How about we talk in the kitchen. Make another bowl of popcorn. See what kind of show gets put on.”

It was not a suggestion and Aaron was too close, too close, too close. He pulled Milo off the couch and Jake had to follow him. Dan wasn’t here. Jake had to protect Milo, no matter the cost. So he followed and tried to keep the fear off his face, just for Milo’s sake, tried not to wince as Aaron pressed his hand into Milo’s shoulder and forced him to sit down in a kitchen chair. Jake remained standing, reminding himself to breathe, his palms sweating. Aaron was humming as he lifted the backpack up and set it on the table.

“I brought some of our old toys that we used to play with!” The devil in his brother’s skin said cheerily. The zipper sounded like crackling bones in the heavy quiet of the house, “Remember this stuff?” Aaron turned the bag over and dumped its contents onto the table.

A scream swelled in Jake’s throat and then wouldn’t come out. He forgot how to breathe, choking on panic as he tripped backwards and bumped into the wall. The world was muffled, drowned by a roaring in his ears and the thudding of his own heart banging against the prison bars of his ribcage. The edges of his vision went dark and fuzzy, static clinging to his mind, old blood on his tongue, long healed aches flaring deep in his bones. All he could see was that pile of stuff on the table, so bright and vivid and full of memories he wished he didn’t have.

“Dad?” Milo’s voice from somewhere far away, miles away and underwater, a thread in the maze of panic, “Jake? Dad? What’s going on? Dad?”

A chair scrape on the tile floor.

A thud.

“You stay in your seat, brat, unless you want to play too.”

“Don’t touch him!” Jake didn’t remember moving but he had put himself between Milo and Aaron at some point, wrenching Aaron’s hand off the boy’s shoulder with a snarl.

Aaron looked far too pleased, “I won’t have to if you play with me, Jake. I’ve missed our time together. It’s no fun without you around.”

“I…” Jake choked again. This was much too close to his brother, much too much of everything.

Aaron grinned, showed his teeth, and, faster than Jake could react, Aaron snatched up his wrist and bent his arm back. Jake cried out, trying to twist away but Aaron just followed the movement, pushing him down until he was bent over the table, one arm behind his back and the other pinned underneath his chest. Jake could feel his own heart flutter against his arm.

“Dad!”

“I said stay in your seat!” Aaron barked. Jake heard Milo thump back into his chair, the squeak of felt pads against the floor, but his head was turned the other way, his wide eyes locked into the pile of Aaron’s toys inches from his nose.

“Now Jake,” Fingers fisted in Jake’s blond hair, yanked his head back to expose the curve of his neck and making him let out a strangled cry. Aaron forced him to look at Milo sitting petrified in his seat, grinding the side of Jake’s face into the tabletop for a moment before he let go,

“We’re going to have a nice little chat, you and I. And your kid is going to sit there and watch while we reminisce and go on a stroll down memory lane. How does that sound?”

“Aaron, p-please…” Jake whimpered as he felt the sleeve of his shirt being forced up, rolled past his elbow and bunched under his arm. Aaron’s fingertips ghosted over old and faded lines, raising goosebumps as they went, until he finally pressed against some of the ropey tissue that had never healed quite right in the crook of his elbow.

“It was right there, wasn’t it?” Aaron purred, sickly sweet, leaning over Jake and crushing him against the table, “Do you remember? It was the knife, right? I wasn’t very good with it at first. Wasn’t good about not leaving marks.”

Jake watched the horror dawning on Milo’s face, wished with all his damaged heart that Milo had never seen this part of his life, would have given anything to be alone in the house when Aaron had found him. Now he had to watch Milo’s innocence shatter while Aaron inevitably did the same to Jake’s fragile grasp on sanity.

Aaron pressed a hand down hard on the back of his neck, “If either of you scream or try to call for help, I’ll break the legs of whoever I catch first. Then I’ll sew your fucking mouth shut.”

Milo’s mouth opened—to protest or curse or spew whatever teenage rebellion was still on fire inside him. Jake caught his eye and pleaded without saying a word, begged him to stay silent. Milo searched his face, then shut his mouth, chewing on his lip as he sank back in the chair. Jake swallowed the sigh of relief that wanted to escape him, felt his neck flex against Aaron’s hand, and prayed that whatever happened, it would only leave Jake with more scars and Milo unblemished.

He was dragged backwards off the table and thrown into a nearby chair, looking up in time to see Aaron uncoiling a faded rope from the pile on the table. He caught Jake’s horrified stare and sneered, snapping it taunt and making Jake flinch.

“Here’s the deal, Jacob,” Aaron growled, walking over to Milo who shrank away from him, “We’re going to play for a while and your kid’s going to watch so he can learn exactly what kind of dumb, disobedient little bitch you are. Then I’m going to pack up my stuff and leave and you’re not going to tell anyone what happened because you know you deserve it.” Aaron wrapped the rope around Milo’s chest and the back of the chair, pinning the teenager’s arms to his sides. His movements were deft and practiced, an efficiency created from repeated use of the skill. Milo flinched as the rope draped against his neck and rubbed against his bare skin, tugging against his windpipe as Aaron tied it off behind him. He stepped back to admire his handiwork, grinning nastily when Milo turned fearful but angry eyes on him,

“Haha, look at that. Still a rebellious little shit, huh? Yeah, Jakey-boy used to fight back too until I figured out this knot. See, the beauty of this is, the more you struggle, the tighter it pulls. So, if you move around and try to wriggle free then…” Aaron reached around behind Milo and he jerked on one of the lines holding Milo to the chair. The rope around Milo’s throat instantly tightened, pressing hard into his neck and cutting his air supply down to the barest wheeze of breath.

Milo’s eyes bulged and Aaron laughed as the teenager bucked in instinctual panic. Of course, it was just like he’d said, the more Milo struggled, the tighter the noose became.

“Aaron stop it! You’re here for me! Let him go! Just stop!” Jake was out of his chair, shoving his brother out of the way as he fumbled with the knots constructing Milo’s bonds. His fingers slipped off of them, confused by Aaron’s complicated work, and he turned his attention instead to the teenager gagging in the chair. He cupped Milo’s face in his shaking hands, hushing him, voice hitching as he tried to help,

“Milo, you need to stop struggling. I—I know it’s hard but you need to just—Milo, listen, listen to me, okay, you need to sit still and don’t move.” He brushed the pads of his thumbs across freckled cheeks, wiping away the tears, smiling thinly as Milo’s breathing came back under control and his struggling ceased, “That’s it, okay, just—just, deep breaths, all right, sweetheart. It’ll be okay. Just don’t move anymore, okay, sweetie? Milo? No matter what you see, no matter what happens, don’t move. I’ll be fine, I promise, just don’t—“

Aaron yanked Jake away by a fistful of his hair, throwing him to the floor with a growl, “Don’t make promises you can’t keep, Jacob. Get back in your fucking chair.”

Jake scrambled across the floor, barely dodging kick Aaron had aimed at him as he crawled back onto the kitchen chair. Aaron followed after him, sneering, and pulled a roll of extension cord off the table, knocking several things to the floor as he did so. Jake couldn’t stop the whimper that slipped out of his mouth as he pressed himself against the back of the chair, desperate to get away but too afraid to run. His chest rose and fell with sharp, panicked breaths that scraped his dry throat, his heart ached as it thudded harder and faster than it had in a long time, and his head spun with an ice cold terror he hadn’t experienced since he was a child.

Aaron towered over him, smoothed his palm over Jake’s cheek in a manner that would have been comforting had it been coming from anyone else, “Shhh, big brother, deep breaths. Wouldn’t want you passing out just yet. We haven’t even gotten started.”

The extension cord wrapped around Jake like an old friend, pinching his skin and alarmingly tight across his chest. Aaron heaved on the cord, yanking Jake’s legs off the floor by his ankles, forcing him to bend his knees so that his heels were almost touching the seat of the chair. It made his thighs shake, muscles spasming uncomfortably tight as Aaron finished his work. It seemed he’d learned some new tricks over the years. Jake shivered to think who he might have used as a practice dummy.

“Let’s have a conversation,” Aaron said in the same tone of voice one would use to discuss the weather. He crossed back to the table and sorted through the objects until he found what he was looking for. When he turned back to face Jake, he was holding a rubber billy club, scraped and with a chunk on one side.

“Did you want to know,” Aaron spun the club in one hand as he approached, his grin twisted with anger, “What the house was like after you left? Do you know what happened when you weren’t around anymore? Do you know how angry mom was?”

Jake cringed back in the chair, pure terror written in every shaking line of his body, “Aaron, n-no, I didn’t mean—I didn’t think she would—you were—she wouldn’t—“

“But she did!” The billy club swung through the air and smashed into the side of Jake’s face, jerking his head violently to the side and splitting open the skin of his temple. Blood bubbled from the head wound and slid freely down his already swelling cheek as he blinked dazedly, trying to refocus. Aaron didn’t let him; he swung again and struck Jake hard in the stomach, knocking the wind out of his brother. Jake doubled over with a wet wheeze, drool and blood smearing across his lap as he struggled for breath. Aaron let out a wordless shout of rage and hit Jake again, smashing the billy club into Jake’s shoulder with a loud, crunching pop. Jake thrashed in his chair, his mouth open in a strangled scream of pain, chest heavy, eyes wide, face pale. His shoulder was lumpy and awkward; dislocated.

“Mom was so pissed when you left,” Aaron snarled, looming over his brother as Jake choked on a sob, his breath gasping as he struggled to breathe, struggled to process the pain chewing him up from the inside out, “She was so angry. I’d never seen her so mad. And then you didn’t even the decency to leave us number? Or an address!? So fucking disrespectful, Jacob!” Aaron swung again, punched Jake hard in the stomach with the club. Jake’s cheeks bulged and he coughed, spitting up an acrid mixture of stomach acid and coffee. Aaron dropped the club with a sneer of disgust, back away as Jake choked and gagged,

“Pathetic. She raised us. Put a roof over our heads. Gave us food and clothes. And you spat on that. Ran away and didn’t even tell your baby brother where you were going!”

Jake looked up, tears and snot and blood and bile oozing down his face, dripping with the sweat from his chin, staining his shirt and jeans. His breathing was labored and he trembled every so often, but his eyes were hard and resolute.

He would not be broken this day.

Aaron’s temper flared. He yanked a heavy knife from the pile on the table, slid it from its sheath, and stabbed it into Jake’s thigh in one fluid motion. Jake jerked against the extension cord holding him to the chair, letting out a scream that broke off into a choked gargle of pain. Blood welled around the knife, spilled across Jake’s leg and began pooling on the linoleum floor beneath him. Aaron’s anger twisted with his satisfaction of seeing Jake in agony. He let go of the knife, leaving it in Jake’s leg, and bent over the table to untangle another tool from his collection.

Chest heaving, blood and sick and sweat and tears smeared across his front, Jake looked up through hazy eyes and met Milo’s gaze.

The kid was mortified.

Milo’s eyes were wide, bloodshot whites surrounding watery irises. His face was so pale it made his freckles stand out like bullet wounds, his body shaking against the rope binding him to the chair. His throat was already scraped red from the none too friendly noose around it. Milo had never witnessed brutality like this before, not outside of television where he was fully aware of how fake it was. Jake wanted to apologize but his voice was gone, lost under years of conditioned silence because he knew a single word from him could only make things worse.

Aaron turning towards him again made Jake look away. It killed him to do it but the longer he kept Aaron’s attention, the safer Milo would be.

“Open your mouth.” Aaron hissed.

Jake’s throat clicked as he swallowed dryly, clenching his jaw when he caught sight of the plastic funnel in Aaron’s hand. Holes that had been drilled in the side were looped with rope and the sight of it was enough to make Jake’s stomach turn.

“Open. Your. Mouth.” Aaron’s voice was a stinging growl that made Jake flinch. But, trembling and avoiding his brother’s eye, Jake’s lips parted and he slowly opened his mouth.

Not fast enough for Aaron.

A fist coiled into Jake’s blond hair, yanking his head back and baring his throat. Jake’s mouth shot open with a cry of surprise and pain that was quickly muffled by the foul tasting plastic funnel being wedged into his jaw.

“STOP IT!”

The voice was like a lance that made the room freeze.

Jake held absolutely still, heart pounding painfully hard in his chest, palms sweating, praying that he had only imagined the shout.

Aaron let go of him, shoving his head forward so that the funnel fell out of his mouth with long, sticky ropes of saliva and went spinning across the floor. Jake gagged and swallowed the bitter taste of bile rising in his throat to stare with watering eyes at Milo.

“Stop it!” Milo repeated and Jake wished he wouldn’t, “Stop hurting my dad! He’s not even fighting back so stop it!”

Ice settled in Jake’s chest as Aaron turned to face the shouting teenager. He frantically shook his head behind his brother’s back, trying to tell Milo to just be quiet, to just let this happen because it was inevitable, it had to happen, some law of the universe made it so. Jake would always run, Aaron would always find him, and Jake would always be punished for be the bad son. No one else needed to be involved, no one else needed to be hurt. If Milo would just stay quiet then things would go back to normal, they would be okay, and Jake would eventually walk off the bruises and cuts and Milo wouldn’t have anything to worry about. Jake didn’t care how many scars he had to carry if it meant that Milo would never have to experience any at all.

“I told you to BE. QUIET!” Aaron stomped across the room, grabbing a bent pipe with a broken, jagged tip from the mess on the table and holding it up as he neared Milo.

Milo jerked back, forgetting his predicament and tightening the noose on his own neck. He gagged, eyes bulging, his cries choked by the rope cutting off his air supply, feet scrabbling to try and back away from the man approaching him with a dangerous object. Jake’s fear escalated to a point where it felt like his heart was tearing itself into pieces. And he would let it, he would gladly let his heart explode if it meant sparing Milo.

Years of conditioning wrenched his mind in twenty different directions, making his stomach churn and his eyes burn, his throat closing as struggled to speak. If he said something he could get Aaron’s attention away from Milo. But if he spoke then Aaron would make things worse, he always made things worse if Jake said anything, even if it was just a wordless cry of pain, Aaron wouldn’t stand for it and the only thing it would accomplish would be fueling Aaron’s rage and making him lash out all the harder. Jake swallowed hard, squeezing his eyes shut and forcing his voice out despite the way it made his mouth taste like ash and bile.

But before he could make a sound, someone else spoke up.

“Milo? Were you eating dinner? I tried texting but yo—“

Cody stood frozen in the doorway to the kitchen, his eyes wide and his mouth hanging open as he processed what he was seeing.

For a long moment, there was silence as everyone stared at each other.

Then Jake forced out, “Cody! RUN!”

Cody bolted and Aaron launched himself after the teenager with a scream of rage.

He took a swipe with the pipe and managed to bash it into the side of Cody’s legs, tangling them and sending them both crashing to the floor. Aaron grabbed onto Cody’s ankle and tried to pull him closer but Cody kicked out with his free leg, the heel of his sneaker smashing into Aaron’s face with a crunch of snapping cartilage. Aaron howled in a combination of rage and pain, letting go of Cody in order to clutch at his face. Cody backed away, fumbling his phone out of his pocket, his fingers shaking on the touch screen as he dialed 911.

“H-hello! Please—there’s a man—he tied up my friend—he—he has a p-pipe—!”

The sound that came out of Aaron’s mouth was one of inhuman fury. His face was smeared in blood from his broken nose, madness glowing in his eyes as he heaved himself off the floor. A red handprint plastered over the white kitchen floor, the pipe scraping like a furious banshee as he dragged it up beside him. Cody screamed, backing up as Aaron advanced on him once again, the pipe raised to deliver another blow.

Dominic pushed Cody aside as he tackled Aaron to the floor with a shout,

“STAY AWAY FROM MY SON!”

The pipe went spinning out of Aaron’s hand as he hit the floor, Dominic on top of him, one hand fisted in Aaron’s shirt front and the other swinging down to punch Aaron in the jaw. Aaron clawed at him, bucking and kicking and snapping his teeth, trying to get the other man off of him. Cody was screaming into the phone, backed up against the wall as he watched his dad fight. Milo was trying to stay still, broken sobs heaving into breathless screams, tears streaking his pale face. Jake could only cry; his words choked by his own terror. Something inside him broke as he watched Dominic struggle with Aaron.

He blinked and there were red-blue-red-blue lights coming from somewhere.

Blinked and a swarm of figures filled the kitchen, voice ricochetting off the walls and making his ears ring.

Blinked and they were hauling Dominic and Aaron apart, cuffing them both even as Cody yelled at them and tried to get to his dad.

Jake blinked and remembered how to breathe just as his heart remembered it should probably go into cardiac arrest.

———

Aaron was sent to prison.

With the sheer amount of evidence against him, there was no alternative outcome.

Jake couldn’t attend the trial, still recovering from the assault and the consequential heart attack. But he watched it progress on the television in his hospital room, an officer at his door and a friendly, supportive nurse at his side.  (He swore he could feel Donna Pierly’s hated glare through the camera.)

Milo had bruises on his neck and chaffing on his limbs from the rope. A cough followed him for several weeks and he occasionally lost his voice. But there was no permanent damage.

Cody walked with a limp for a while, the place where Aaron had struck him with the pipe bruised and swollen and tender. He hovered around Milo and stuck close to his dad, darting between the two and often hesitated before stepping into the kitchen.

But neither of them had lasting scars.

And that was all Jake had wished for.

He could take a stabbing and more heart damage if it meant sparing those two kids from suffering what he himself had been through.

Jake Pierly would sell himself to hell for Milo and Cody to be happy.

#micoverse #my bloody art

[hawkinspostbite]

Chapstick

Words: 1,815

MASTERLIST

A/N: I do not claim to, nor do I own Stranger Things; the concept, characters, plot, etc.

She was an avid chapstick collector. Her collection was her prized possession, and her dirty little secret. She was known for loving chapstick, she had one situated in a pocket of each of her jackets, on her bedside table, on her vanity, in her locker, and in Billy’s car. Just underneath her bed, in a hollowed-out jewelry box, laid her holy grail. Decorated with stickers all the way back from her childhood to now, She managed to keep the box a secret from all. That was, until the first night Billy slept over.

Her parents were attending a wedding in Indianapolis, and her younger brother had been shipped off to her aunt’s for the weekend, so the house was all hers.

She and Billy were pretty fresh into their relationship, only going together for about five months, but he could already feel a difference in himself. All the other girls he had been with before, whether it be short or long, weren’t her. They were rough around the edges, had very little emotions, and only wanted one thing. She, however, was soft, had more emotions than Billy knew possible, and wanted the world- and everything it had to offer. She stilled his raging heart, calmed his trembling hand, and kissed his frowning lips. He spent less time in detention, stopped picking petty fights, got along with his family, got better grades, and stopped going to as many parties. “Once a party animal, always a party animal.” He’d say. As of late, he much preferred spending time with her than being surrounded by people he hardly knew.

He’d be lying if he said that she wasn’t the greatest thing to happen to him in his short life. His father was a disgrace to the title “father”, his mother was a whore, and he received little to no affection his entire life. In addition to her kindness and carefulness, she was quite the looker. Beautiful at any and every moment, sweet and soft, his favorite piece of art.

Thursday morning she had practically ran into him with excitement. “Hey Bill.” She cooed, drawing his eyes from his locker down to her. He immediately smiled, leaning down to kiss her.

“Morning baby, how’s my favorite girl?”

“Pretty great if I do say so.” She was practically bouncing with excitement. “Aren’t you gonna ask me why I’m so happy?”

He tilted his head, smirking. “Why’re you so happy?”

“Well- since you asked, mom and dad are gonna be out of town this weekend, and they’re sending Sam to my aunt’s and I’m gonna have the house to myself. So, do you wanna sleepover?”

“A sleepover? What’s in the itinerary for this sleepover?” He turned to start searching through his locker for his math term paper. “Mani-pedis, romantic comedies, gossip?”

She scoffed, smacking his arm lightly. “No. I was thinking, movie marathons, maybe breaking into my dad’s mini bar. Oh and probably lots of making out.”

His head whipped to the side. This was a slightly different side to her than he knew. “Sounds like a good time to me. I’m in.”

She was telling the truth, mostly. She forgot to add that she finally wanted her and Billy to “seal the deal”, and what better time than when they were home alone? Listening to his response, she took the final detail and shoved it into the back of her mind. “Yay! It’s a date!” She leaned upwards, kissing his cheek.

A soft blush dusted Billy’s face at the sweet gesture. “I’ll be at your place at eight tomorrow? Sound good.”

“Perfect!”

With a quick kiss and fist bump*, the two parted ways for the day.

*It was just a cute little thing they did

Friday afternoon, she had left school right after the final bell, having Jonathan drop her off at her house. Her parents had already been gone, and her brother was being picked up from school, so the house was silent upon entry.

For a moment she relished in the quietness, before getting to work. She cleaned and tidied each room. Fluffing the pillows, and removing the cat hair from the couch in the living room, wet-mopping the floor and wiping down the cabinets in the kitchen, perfectly setting the dining room table (as if it was already party ready). She simply closed and locked the basement door, as there was no helping that room. Her parents bed and bath were always locked when they left for an extended time, so she needn’t worry about that. She disinfected and perfected her and her brother’s shared bathroom, and closed and locked her brother’s room- it looked like a tornado had hit it.

Then came her room. She vacuumed the carpet, put on clean linens and sheets, fluffed her pillows, made sure she had the softest blankets in the house, organized her besides table, dresser top, and vanity, and made sure her closet was neat and orderly. When she was finished, nothing was out of place. Her entire house was perfect, save the basement and Sam’s room.

She dug through her closet to find her other secret arsenal, her scented candles. She had collected a plethora of vanilla-rum candles that her aunt made her every year for Christmas. She took the bin out and set it on her bed, digging through it to pull out the box of matches. She lit a candle on the coffee table in the living room, one on the kitchen island, one on her vanity and her bedside table, and one on the bathroom counter.

The clock chimes seven times, and she began to get ready. She took a hot shower, shampooing and conditioning her hair to the fullest extent, shaving, making sure she was in tip-top shape for her late night plans. She dressed in her favorite cute pajamas, slightly blow-dried her hair, moisturized her entire body, and for good measure, slathered on a healthy helping of her bedside watermelon chapstick.

Promptly at eight, Billy arrived, duffel bag slung over his shoulder, and a bouquet of baby’s breath in his hand. “Evening Princess, brought you some flowers.” He leaned down to kiss her cheek as she happily took the bouquet.

“Baby’s breath are my favorite.” She breathed in their soft scent.

“I know.” He smiled, placing his bag onto the counter. “You baking a cake or something?” He sniffed the air.

“Nah. Just my favorite candles. Nobody lets me burn them when everybody’s home.” She shrugged, moving to the cupboard to find one of her mom’s canning mason jars. She filled it halfway with water and placed the flowers into it.

“Well I’ll let you burn whatever you want baby. Hey- they look pretty good in that.”

“We don’t own flower vases, nobody gets flowers from anyone.”

The couple stood in silence for a moment, each of them taking in each other.

Billy admired the way the candle light made her face dark, but her eyes were still gorgeous and bright.

She admired how soft he looked in the dim light, and how kind his eyes were.

“I’m gonna go grab a shower quick, if you don’t mind. It was pretty chaotic at mine.” She nodded at him. Neil was away on a work trip, and Max had convinced her mother to let the Party sleepover. Which resulted in literal chaos let loose in Billy’s home. “Why don’t you pick out a movie while I’m up there?”

He kissed her cheek again on the way by.

Two hours later they had watched the entirety of ‘St. Elmo’s Fire’, and she was ready to put her official plan into action. She yawned, snuggling further into Billy’s embrace. “You ready for bed kid?” Billy softly smiled at her.

“Yeah.”

“Why don’t you head up? I’ll blow out the candles and stuff. Make sure the doors are locked. Meet you up there.”

She sleepily walked up the stairs and to the bathroom. She checked herself in the mirror and quickly brushed her teeth, blowing out the bathroom candle and making her way down the hall to her room.

“Hey babe, I was thinking- what the hell are you doing?!” She stepped into her room to see Billy seated cross-legged on her bed, her empty chapstick box next to him, and a pile of chapsticks between his legs. He was carefully examining the varying flavors.

She rushed forward to grab the box. “Billy, how did you find this? Were you snooping on me?” She was genuinely horrified that somebody had finally uncovered her secret.

He looked over at her, holding a green apple Lip Smacker in his hand. “So this is the reason why you always taste so fruity... and why your lips are so damn soft.”

She rolled her eyes. “I don’t really like the green apple one. But you didn’t answer my question! Why were you snooping?”

He looked down again at the array of chapsticks. “You snoop on me all the time.” He shrugged, grabbing the Dr. Pepper one. “I know you keep a damn chapstick on you at all times but I didn’t think it was this bad.”

She groaned, tossing the box at him. “This is so embarrassing.”

“Baby, if a collection of chapsticks... and lip glosses?”

“For special occasions.” She grumbled.

He chuckled at her. “If a collection of lip products is your biggest secret then you have nothing to worry about.” He uncapped the Root Beer one and swiped it across his lips. “I can see why you like these things so much, they’re pretty neat. And they don’t taste half bad either.”

“I never even got to try the Root Beer yet!” She snatched it from his grip.

He grabbed her wrist, pulling her onto the bed with him. “Then taste.” He pressed his lips to hers, making sure she got a taste of him and the chapstick.

She pulled away, and he raised his eyebrows. “I agree, a very good flavor.”

She had completely forgotten about her prior agenda as Billy came up with the brilliant idea to take a “Chapstick Inventory”, they narrowed it down to their mutual favorites, and whatever flavors they didn’t like, he’d take home for Max.

Lemon, watermelon, honey, cherry, peppermint, Dr. Pepper, grape, lime, banana, raspberry, and chocolate stayed. And green apple, strawberry, passion fruit, piña-colada, orange, kiwi, and bubble gum went to Max.

Billy kept Root Beer for himself.

What was once just her dirty little secret had now become their “thing”.

A quick kiss. Billy would always lick his lips right after. “Mm, what flavor was that?”

The answer was always different. “Banana.”, “Raspberry.”, “Lemon.”, etc.

But their favorite was always Root Beer. For it reminded them of their first “sleepover”, vanilla-rum candles, baby’s breath bouquets, soft velvet comforters, and the warmth of each other’s embrace.

#stranger things #stranger things fanfiction #stranger things imagine #billy hargrove #billy hargrove imagine #billy hargrove x reader #billy hargrove blurb #billy hargrove one shot #billy hargrove fluff

[bunysliper]

Prompt: Beckett finds Castle fencing [or doing any other activity of your choice that surprises her] to be incredibly hot. Thanks again for Fluffy Fridays!

Hi Anon! I hope you like this!

Hidden Talents

A Season 4 AU

For probably the fifteenth time since they’d started themovie, Castle huffs beside her, muttering something under his breath.

“Okay, what?” she asks, turning to face him.“What’s all this about?”

Her partner’s eyes widen. “What?”

She snorts, lifting her eyebrows. “Castle, you pickedthe movie and you’re over here grumbling to yourself about god only knows what.Do you not like it? Because we can turn it off. It would still count as yourturn, but we can turn it off.”

He gasps, looking horrified. “It would not.”

“Umm, I think it would. You picked, we watched it. Evenif we stop it, that’s your turn. It’s not my fault you may have chosenpoorly.”

“I did not,” he insists. “It is a good movie.The story’s compelling, the dialogue is nice, not too clunky. It’s just…”

She grins, leaning in and dragging a fingertip over his arm.“Just what?” she asks as he stumbles. He’s cute like this, relaxedand comfortable and real.

“The fight scenes are terrible,” Castle blurts out. “It’s like they let anamateur choreograph everything – and not just any amateur, an amateur who’snever picked up more than a bubble sword.”

Beckett laughs. “That’s an oddly specific description,Castle.”

He waves a hand toward the TV. “Well, look at it.Nobody fights like that.”

She tilts her head, giving him a long, curious look. “Nobody,huh?”

“Unless you’re six and playing pirate.”

“How would you know?”

“Well I do fence,” he says, so off-hand andcavalier, she’s left staring at him in astonishment.

He fences? “Since when?” she scoffs, leaning backon the couch.

“Since…” he stops to think. “Well, Alexisstarted taking lessons when she was ten or eleven, and I started a little afterthat. So… six years? Give or take a few months.”

She gawks but narrows her eyes a moment later as sheattempts to gauge his truthfulness. He’s fed her bullshit before: the story ofwhy he writes mysteries, half of the things he’s told her about his“process” for writing his books. There’s no way he’s an expert onsword fighting techniques.

“I wouldn’t say ‘expert’ exactly,” he says,letting her know he either read her mind or she said that part out loud.“But I can hold my own, and I can spot bad technique from good technique.And whoever trained these actors has terrible technique.”

Beckett grins, pulling her legs onto the couch with her.“I hope you know you’re going to have to put your money where your mouthis.” Her foot nudges his thigh.

His lips twitch. “Beckett, are you asking if you canwatch me fence?”

“I’m asking you to provide me with proof of yourclaims,” she says poking him again. “It’s what I do as a detective. Doyou compete?”

His fingers close around her foot. She hums, pressing hertoes into his palm. “No. Mostly Alexis and I spar so she can practice forher school team. But you can admit it, you want to see my sabre.”

She rolls her eyes. “Believe me, Rick, if I were justout to see your épée, I would’ve already.”

He grins. “You are so sexy.”

Heat stains her cheeks. He makes no secret of the fact thathe’s attracted to her, never has, but lately he’s made sure to be plain aboutit once again. Gone are the subtext-laced looks and occasional comments fromlast year. And frankly, she likes that. It makes her brave, his boldness. Itgives her the opportunity to respond with her own frankness.

“And you’re ridiculous.”

“Yet you’re still here,” he points out.

“Shut up and watch the movie. The movie you invited me over to watch.”

He sticks his tongue out at her, giving her foot anothersqueeze.

“Well, just for the record, Alexis and I spar on theweekends sometimes. I could text you next time we do, let you satisfy yourcuriosity.”

“How selfless of you, Castle,” she drawls.“That said, I think I’ll live without seeing you show off.”

Castle shrugs, lips curled upward. “Suityourself.”

She rolls her eyes, leaning backto watch the rest of the movie. Her feet stay pressed against his leg, warmedby the embrace of his hand.

It’s by pure coincidence that she winds up on his doorstep ona day when he and Alexis are sparring. Martha is the one to let her in, givingher a wink and a nudge as she sweeps past Kate to head out to places andadventures unknown.

“Make yourself comfortable, Kiddo. They’ll be a while.Just… maybe sit in the chair by the bookshelves. They sometimes use the couchfor higher ground.”

“Ah, thanks,” Beckett says, giving Castle’s mothera wave just before the door closes behind the older woman. Moving toward theaforementioned chair, she looks around the loft, following Rick and Alexis withkeen eyes.

Alexis is light on her feet, which Kate had expected her partner’sdaughter to be, but Castle surprises her. He can be a klutz sometimes, buttoday he moves with impressive agility. He holds himself with grace, wieldingthe sabre in his hand like an extension of his arm – much the way his pen canbe at times. He deflects Alexis’s attacks, taking quick steps to catch heroff-guard so he can counter. He doesn’t even look a little bit winded.

Throughout the whole thing, they’re trash talking oneanother, trying to verbally trip each other up, a fact which makes her chuckleto herself. She’s even more impressed with Castle when he doesn’t rise to thetaunts, doesn’t let Alexis bait him, and comes away victorious with the finalpoint of the match.

“You put up a good fight, daughter, but I prevail onceagain,” he crows at his good fortune.

Kate rolls her eyes, but grins anyway. He’s ridiculous, butdamn it, it’s so endearing somehow.

“You’ll get him next time, Alexis,” she says,stepping out of the shadows and alerting them to her presence. Not that theylook surprised to see her when they remove their face guards, if anything,Castle looks downright smug.

“Hi, Detective Beckett,” Alexis greets. “Whatuh, what are you doing here? Not that – it’s good to see you, but–”

“I actually came to ask your dad something. It’s for acase we were working the other day. Martha let me in,” she adds, on theoff chance that that was in question.

Castle grins, handing Alexis his sabre and his face shield,thanking his daughter quietly as the girl moves to put them away. “Ididn’t know you were on duty today.”

Beckett shakes her head, shifting her weight. “I’m not.I just… had an idea I wanted to run by you before I forgot.”

They both know it’s not the whole truth. She could’ve calledor written her question down and waited until Monday to ask him, but she hadwanted to see him. Badly enough to show up on his doorstep on a Saturdayafternoon. Judging by the bright sparkle in his eyes, he knows that, too.

“In that case, what can I do for you, Detective?”He gestures for her to step into his office.

“Your publisher,” she starts, clearing her throat.“How often do they hold executive board meetings?”

His head tilts in thought. “I’m not actually sure, but I’llfind out. Just let me take a quick shower and change, then I’ll call Gina.”

She nods. “Sure. I’ll just… wait in here.”

Castle nods, offering her an easy smile. “Make yourselfcomfortable. Turn on the TV and put on a movie, grab a book. I won’t be long,but… feel free to help yourself to the good scotch if you’d like.”

Kate laughs, shaking her head. “I don’t think that’llbe necessary, Castle. But thanks.”

“Suit yourself,” he says, running a hand throughhis hair.

She drags her teeth over her lip, looking him over, allowingher eyes to linger at his backside when he turns toward his bedroom. She’llgive him credit, he’s not only an impressive swordsman, he also looks damn gooddoing it.

“Kate,” he calls, stopping just shy of enteringhis room.

She blinks, looking up, surprised to see that most of thecockiness has faded from his gaze, replaced with something vulnerable,something yearning. Something they’ve both been working toward and waiting for.

“If you think the case can wait a little longer, you’remore than welcome to join me.”

Her heart thumps hard against her ribs, but instead ofholding her back, she lets the beat propel her forward, stopping when she’s toeto toe with him in the doorway.

“Lead the way,” she says, surprised at thesteadiness in her voice, surprised at how easy it feels to lift onto her toesand touch her mouth to his. His chest brushes hers, his inhale sharp and short,but he pulls her closer, opens to her, welcomes the teasing brush of her tonguealong his lower lip.

“And later,” she adds once they part, breathlesseven to her own ears, “it’s my turn to pick the movie. I want to see whatother hidden talents of yours I can uncover.”

Castle grins, taking a step back, tugging her into hisbedroom. “Oh, you don’t need a movie to accomplish that, Kate.”

Her fingers slip into his hair, dragging his lips down tohers once more. “Prove it, Rick. Prove it.”

He does, many times over.

Thank you for reading! You can also find this ficlet on ffnet.

#Castle Fanfiction #Castle Fanfic #Caskett Fanfic #Caskett #Season 4 Fic #Castle AU Fic #my fanfic #Prompt Responses #Anonymous #answers

[killervibe]

Killervibe title: The Ramons

Note: I used The Middle’s episode 3x13 car scene as the template for the majority of this prompt. Like…..That scene (and that family) is exactly future Killervibe. You can’t tell me otherwise lol.

“We’re having a family meeting.” Caitlin deposited her cranberry juice on her coaster with a sigh, settling into her chair at the dining table.

Cisco ran his hand through his hair, psyching himself for big fat tears.

Dante frowned, bypassing the greens for rice. “I thought this was dinner.”

“It is dinner, take your peas.”

Amalia pushed the bowl to her brother with a pointed glare. “Dante Stein stopped eating vegetables because he got freaked out about genetically modified organisms.”

Cisco stopped cutting Heath’s chicken into smaller pieces. His front teeth were loose and he’d been complaining about it all week. “What?”

Dante shoved chicken into his mouth, talking with his mouthful. “It’s called being a vegetarian!”

Amalia choked.

“Honey, no.”

“Mom. Educate him.”

“You’re all putting poison in your bodies!”

“Your brain is poison! Mom always buys us healthy food!”

The two began to squabble and Caitlin clicked her fingers at her children.

“Okaaaay!” Cisco shouted, whisking the bowl of peas from the middle of the  table to serve a portion on his son’s plate anyway. “Dante, you’re not a vegetarian. Amalia, don’t be mean to your brother. Heath, stop laughing.” He looked around and realized there was an empty seat.  “Wait, where’s the baby?”

“Ballet, remember? It’s Tuesday,” Caitlin said gently, putting her hand over his.

He nodded gratefully. Between Star Labs and this house, Cisco swore sometimes he wasn’t sure what year it was, forget the day of the week.

“Your mom and I were talking about a family meeting. Which we’re having. Right now.”

The kids quieted at his clipped tone. He’s known to be the fun parent, Cisco knows that’s how they see him, but he’s not afraid to be serious. And this matter was not a joke.

“We have some sad news. Your aunt Clarissa passed away yesterday.”

Amalia dropped her fork. “I–What?”

“The lady who gives us candy?” Heath asked. 

Cisco ruffled his hair. “Yeah buddy.” Some sad white lilies sprouted along Heath’s delicate branch, twining around his arm.

“She was old, Amalia,” Caitlin explained to their eldest. “You knew that. And you should be comforted, she died very peacefully in her sleep.”

“That’s not comforting at all!” Dante exclaimed, horrified. “I go to sleep every night! I’d be more comforted if she died in a freak storm.”

“Dante,” Cisco snapped. “Have some respect. Half of your name comes from her family.”

“Sorry,” he mumbled, swiping his blondish streaked hair out of his face.

“Besides,” Cisco couldn’t help but add. “In your sleep is what you’re shooting for. You just close your eyes and never wake up. You won’t know.”

“You’ll never even know?!?!” Heath spat.

Caitlin shot Cisco a sharp glare. “The point is, this is our first death close to the family since...” She broke off, looking down at her nails on her lap. “We’ll have to go to the funeral.”

“Ugh, funeral homes.” Dante Stein shuddered. “I’m never ending up in a place like that.”

“What do you mean? We’ll all end up there. Everybody dies. I mean, except Uncle Barry, but you know what I mean,” Amalia said.

“Not me,” her brother argued.

Cisco ate silently, watching his children, wondering where on Earth he went wrong. “If you figure out a way to avoid it,” he started sarcastically, “You let us know.”

“I already did,” Dante Stein snarked back, lifting up his hand to form a block of ice. He plopped it in his glass. “I’m gonna be frozen.”

Caitlin’s face twisted. “You’re gonna be frozen?”

“Ew, Dante.”

“Relax, Amalia. Not my whole body, just my head. Think about it, when I go, the world is gonna be sad. They’re gonna want me back. When mom and dad find the cure to whatever killed me, then they’ll unfreeze me.”

“That’s creepy. Isn’t that the plot to Frankenstein?” Heath piped up.

“Yes, Heath. Good job,” Caitlin praised with a straight face. Cisco doesn’t know how she does it.

“You’re assuming that mom and dad would still be alive,” Amalia replied, and at this point his family have all but forgotten about dinner.

“Nora’s good with science,” Dante Stein shrugged. “I bet she’d do it. Or maybe Argus.”

Cisco shared a look with his wife, who had seemed to have mentally checked out of the conversation. He put his hand over her knee.

You okay? he mouthed. Cisco knew she’d been withdrawn since they got the news from Lily. Caitlin loved the Steins with all her heart. And it hurt his heart, to see her sad. The kids right now weren’t making this any easier.

“How would you know they put your head on the right body?” Amalia demanded, shaking her fork at Dante Stein.

“If I were you, I’d want my head to be put up on another person’s body. Here’s an idea–If you go first, I’ll freeze your head and put it on a dude’s body.”

“Dad!”

Cisco pinched the bridge of his nose. He needed an aspirin. But hey, at least they weren’t crying.

“You’re not freezing my baby girl’s head!”

“Daddy I’m thirteen!”

“Still my baby. Amalia it’s okay. He won’t do it.”

“No!” she exclaimed hysterically, nearly knocking over her glass of apple juice. “No, he will! Daddy, he will, and you won’t be here to stop him! Look at that evil face! Mom make him promise he won’t freeze my head!”

“Dante Stein, promise to your sister you won’t freeze your sister’s head and put it on another body.”

Dante Stein pushed around the food on his face, contemplative. “I don’t know that I can make that promise.” He took a bite distractedly, smug at Amalia’s frustrated garbled yell.

“You’re eating the peas,” Heath pointed out quietly.

Dante screamed out in fear, spraying mushy half eaten peas all over the dinner table.

Cisco blinked.

Caitlin pushed her chair back abruptly, having had enough. “Mommy’s gonna take a nap.” She took Heath’s hand, pulling him out of his seat. Cisco glanced to his side to find he ate all of his dinner. “You clearly are the reasonable kid this evening. Wanna watch some Netflix with me?”

Heath smiled widely, pink cherry blossoms blooming along his branches. She turned to their other two.

“Visitation is on Thursday. The funeral’s on Friday. I don’t want to hear a word or see a second of this nonsense there.”

Cisco leaned back in his seat when Caitlin rubbed her hand across his shoulders. She bent down to kiss him gently, and he brushed her cheek with the pad of his thumb. “Don’t forget to pick up the baby.”

Cisco set an alarm for three minutes before the ballet practice was over so he could breach to the studio, knowing he likely would forget if he didn’t.

The kids bickered until they realized Cisco had his arms crossed across his chest, displeased.

“Are you mad at us?” Amalia asked in a small voice. “Is mom mad at us?”

Cisco’s face softened, “Oh baby. No. But–you two were being very insensitive. Your mom is grieving. She’s sad. She wanted to talk to you about Auntie Clarissa, and why she was such a wonderful woman and you didn’t let her.”

Dante Stein went cold, frost growing over his dinner plate. “I–I didn’t think of that.”  

“It’s alright,” he reassured him. “But your mom doesn’t want to hear you two fighting every night. Okay? Can we do that this week?”

The two looked at each other. There was a four year age difference between the them, and sometimes Cisco forgot how much older Amalia was than DS. She grew exasperated pretty quickly of his antics. But he was just a child, and Cisco didn’t want to curb his expression or shoot down all his thoughts. They didn’t with Amalia, but that’s when they were a family of three and four. Not six. Still, his chest swelled with pride as his eldest children had a silent conversation with their eyes, seeming to have come to a silent agreement.

“Yeah,” Dante Stein said. “We can.”

Amalia nodded. “We will, Daddy. We’re sorry.”

Cisco stood up to put their food in the microwave. “I’m not the one you need to apologize to.”

“Okay,” Amalia said meekly.

“And Dante, you are never freezing any part of you siblings’ bodies. Dead or alive. Is that clear?”

Dante took too long to answer, and Amalia zapped him with a small vibe blast.

He jolted. “Yeah, fine, ok! It’s clear, dad. It’s clear.”

“Thaaaank you.”

It went quiet, and Cisco was done discipling for the night.

“First one who finishes their dinner–including their vegetables-- gets to choose the movie we’ll watch with mom after I pick up your sister when homework is done.”

The two scrambled for their hot plates, suddenly famished again.

Cisco smirked at the two, tucking his hair behind his ear.

Yeah, he smiled to himself. Still got it.

#the flash #the flash fic #killervibe #amalia ramon #dante stein ramon #tkv fic

[jflashandclash]

Traitors of Olympus IV: Fall of the Sun

Thirty-seven: Ajax

I am No Longer A Baby Panda

             Later, Pax would say he admired his mother’s stylish entrance.

           At the time, he was just horrified. And maybe a little annoyed. He’d been proud of himself for getting back Frank’s stick and not having to sleep with his sister (something, he realized, really ought to cue him in that he had hit an all-time-low) and now the Goddess of Night had to steal the limelight—haha, steal the light—and tackle Apollo out of the sky.

           Everything happened at once.

           As the sun fell, ghostly silhouettes groaned out of the blackness. The lingering ghosts spilled from the forests, out of the shadows they’d been watching, and cackled with gleeful war cries.

           Rotting corpses staggered towards Camp Half-Blood, an army at least four times larger than the one the Romans had been holding back earlier. Melinoe, her half-mummified, half-fireplace fabulous carcass, led the charge.

           The piercing notes of a pipe echoed through the fields and a huntress, a Greek, and a Roman[1] standing guard at the border collapsed.

           A suction of warm air eased away from the camp, and Pax knew the Mist shield—if it had been recovering—was completely down again.

           The ground rumbled. Pax hoped, but doubted, that it was Nico or Axel to the rescue with a secret, giant mole army.

           Instead, a massive black serpent exploded from—if Pax had to guess—that hole in the ground that Jack had voice-activated outside Hera’s cabin. You know, the major weakness of their defenses in the center of the camp that really ought to have a Welcome, Python, sign, We Forgot You RSVPed.

           By now, the screams were omnipresent.

           When Python collapsed onto the Apollo cabin, Pax liked to think there were as many screams afterwards as before Python decided to use the once-golden structure as a back scratcher.

           Romans spilled out of the barracks. Greeks scrambled out of their cabins, er, the cabins that were left.

           “Turn on the field lights!” Frank shouted from somewhere by the barracks.

           The Canadian’s orders came to light and brought the ghastly attackers to high definition. The thump of the field lights echoed around the strawberry field. Pax had to wonder if substitute sunlight could weaken ghosts, and, if so, whether the Romans should seriously consider adding horticultural LED grow-lamps to their infantry.

           Michael Kahale and Butch were with half-a-dozen demigods towards their edge of the strawberry field, apparently having been planning defenses for this evening. Well, surprise!

           In a breath’s pause, Butch looked towards Python and Kahale blinked at the advancing ghoul army. The debate on whether to help with Python or guard the border lasted all of Michael Kahale ordering the troops to stand strong on the strawberry field. “To arms! Defend our barrier!”

           What a mighty battle cry Michael missed out on; Pax would have said, Defend our berries!

           Pax felt like he was watching an old family movie as his mother tossed her Molotov cocktail up and down. The flame flickered, making the malicious zeal in her eyes glitter. She wore black tactical pants, a torn up red and black shirt with a circled and slashed A, a black bandana to conceal half her face, and—

           When she launched her Molotov cocktail, everything became too real.

           Pax wanted to say, Nice throw, since he’d forgotten his mother was a goddess and lobbing a bottle of alcohol was as easy as tossing rice at a wedding, though that probably was what she tossed at weddings. The bottle went clean over half the strawberry field, far beyond where Percy was cursing Eris at his throne of Saturnalia.

           The glass shattered.

           Michael Kahale went up in flames.

           There were more screams.

           He dropped to the ground, rolling, tearing at his armor.

           Two other soldiers dropped beside him. One went to rip Michael’s armor off, the other frantically shoved dirt onto him.

           Watching the fire and screaming centurion, Pax clutched Frank’s stick to his chest. He felt like the stupid thing could burst into flames by sheer peer pressure.

           A laugh with the same giggling mania as the Joker’s filled the battlefield along with the flick of a match.

           Eris jumped up and down in excitement as she tossed another bottle from hand to hand. “Terror Muffin! Come paint with me! I’ll bet I can make my masterpiece more vibrant than yours!”

           Pax, stupidly, went to shout a warning, like Michael Kahale and the others might be confused or capable of defending themselves from the whole “flaming bombs” thing.

           As he opened his mouth, something much louder made an inhuman wail about ten feet behind him.

           There was a crunch of metal and bone.

           At the same time, the Silver-Tongued helm attached to his waist shrieked.

           One of our brethren is in danger!

           Really, Pax wanted to ask the helm why it didn’t open up more often. He was offended by the lack of weekly coffee chats—Axel’s helm talked to Axel all the time--but now wasn’t the time.

           The shriek left him confused, with a lovely punched-by-a-minotaur-in-the-stomach sense of dread.

           One horrifying thing at a time.

           When he looked up to see the Molotov cocktail’s destruction, a blinding flash of light arched over the demigods.

           The bottle hit something, exploded along the arch, and burned out, leaving the split second image of a brilliant, mini rainbow.

           As the beams of colors faded, Pax could see Butch, the giant child of Iris, scowling hatefully in their direction. His arms were raised, one with a mister bottle, the other with a flashlight.

           Rainbows were some powerful shit.

           Pax wanted to slowly back up, put his hands in his pockets, and walk away whistling.

           But he had to stop his mother from withdrawing a grenade from her utility belt.

           He needed to chastise her: utility belts were definitely something that shouldn’t be used by evil. Only comic book heroes.

           “Mom! Stop!” Pax cried. The shock faded enough for Pax to sprint towards her.

           Her grenade didn’t even have a pin in it. From what he could see, it was held together by a hair band.

           As she slipped the hair band back onto her wrist and cranked her arm for the throw, Pax slapped her hand.

           The grenade tumbled out of her grip. While in mid-air, he kicked it as hard as he could towards Farm Road.

           In the last few moments, he tackled his mother away—

           An explosion popped his ears. Dirt sprayed his back.

           Before the dust had settled, his mother was already squirming to shove him off. Pax wished he could hug the homicidal out of her and have them all go on a nice, non-violent family picnic after this, whatever was left of his family. Merry wouldn’t hurt Hiro, but he’d watched Jason kill someone Pax loved before. He hoped Lapis and Axel were okay.

           “My Little Terror Muffin, what’s the matter?” she cooed, digging her talon-like nails into his recently-fractured shoulder. “The Greeks and Romans massacred all your friends and hunted you into hiding. This is the perfect opportunity for you to have a little fun. Don’t you want to honor your friends and let Momma have a nice Bring Your Son to Work Day?”

           Pax whined in pain. He fumbled to withdraw a dart from his belt with his hand with functional tendons. He feared he didn’t have the dexterity with the other. Pax didn’t know if his darts would knock out a goddess, or if he had any Morpheus dust left to do the trick.

           His belt wasn’t there.

           Axel had shredded it and Pax left the remains in the Hermes cabin. All he had was Frank’s stick and the Silver-Tongued Snake helm on a rope around his waist, because he feared the Hermes little ones would play with it.

           Pax wanted to cheerily brush his mother’s comment off. Instead, his mouth worked on its own. “Stop pretending all the messed up stuff you and Dad do is for me!” he snarled.

           Pax meeped when his mother lifted him up like he was a small child. When she stood, they were several feet higher off the ground than they should have been. She was feeding off the chaos around them, growing. He trembled to think she’d be more powerful with each second of this battle.

           But, Pax realized, he was her son. It ran in the family.

           Although he felt small and baby-panda-like, Pax could discern the delirious sensation coursing through his limbs, like it had during the pandemonium when the Heroes of Olympus collided with the Traitors from Mount Othrys.

           The feeling normally made him nauseous. Normally, he wished desperately he could get a high off a party, like Merry, or off two people in love, like Calex, or a song, like Kally.

           This time, Pax didn’t try to stop the tugging in his stomach. An uncomfortable acceptance settled over him, putting him at ease with the surrounding screams and mayhem: Greeks and Romans were going to die during this battle, he and his brother were never going to be the same after what Ares and Aphrodite did to them, his family was in tatters and needed major therapy, everyone in this camp would die if he, Kally, Alabaster, and a handful of fighters didn’t level up, and if he kept pretending his family was a pack of misunderstood puppies.

           Axel or Jack or someone else always came to the rescue. If Pax could let go, maybe if he stopped acting like a baby panda, he could protect other baby pandas still in Camp Half-Blood.

           “Terror Muffin, I only want you to experience life and glee as fully as I do,” Eris cooed. She was about to toss him, he could feel her winding up. But Pax was the Silver-Tongued Snake, the former spymaster from Kronos’ army, and known for weaseling his way out of everything. “What is that silly saying they have? Be the change you want to see in the world? I’m setting a good example for someone I love.”

           She nuzzled the top of his head with her chin. Her body tensed for the throw.

           In a motion Hunnie, Baller, and Nietz would have been proud of, he latched onto his mother, digging his functional fingers into the skin above her kidney and chomping down hard with his teeth.

           Eris lost her grip on Pax.

           He thrashed and squirmed his way out, springing off her to land on his feet.

           Pax stood a foot taller than the highest field light, his breath was ragged, and a hysterical laugh spilled from his lips. “I am not a baby panda!” he cried triumphantly.

           Eris touched her back, her fingers returning with golden ichor smearing them. “Terror Muffin?” she asked, her serial killer grin one of amusement.

           “Sorry. Internal monologue. It’s a main character thing,” he said. “Now, for the reprise. You and Dad always say you do this stuff because you love me.” Pax doned the Silver-Tongued Snake helm, feeling the warm enhancement of strength slither through him. He cracked his neck and withdrew Frank’s stick like it was one of his daggers. “If this is love, I don’t want to be loved!”

           Pax really hoped this battle would be over soon, else he wasted a kick-ass line.

           Eris’ wide, excited gaze turned adoring. “Your tricks won’t work on me, Terror Muffin. There’s no one you can turn into that would make me stop. You can’t puppet me the way you did the little Valdez. We have the same powers. You’re my son.”

           “I’m not just your son. And I’m not letting you, or anyone else from our family hurt these baby pandas,” Pax said. He wished he would have pickpocketed her lighter off her, but he hadn’t felt one when he weaseled away. Instead, he focused on Frank’s stick, hoping it was as easily influenced as he thought. He also hoped this thing had a “slow burn” option or an alarm that would flash with, Destruction of Canadian: Imminent.

           The tip burst into flames.

           Pax bit his tongue, whining at the blood dribbling out—how did Axel do this every time without complaining?--and said the incantation he’d only ever successfully recited during the battle for Mount Othrys, something he’d heard Frasco do before he died. “Xma’su’tal Xib, Liik’il Ch’iich’!”[2]

           Pax spit his blood into the flames. The red glow flared a brilliant turquoise. Pain flared as he felt his limbs elongate and his bones alter. What he was excited to say, and had rehearsed a few times in his head, was, “I’ll show you why you don’t mess with a Mayan warrior-prince!” but what came out was more of a, “Aye! Aye! OW! How does Axel do this all the time?!”

Sorry for some of the bravado, I’ll admit, I’ve been watching WAY too much anime recently.

Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed :D

Footnotes:

[1] As Mel pointed out, excellent start to a joke, “A huntress, a Greek, and a Roman were standing guard…”

[2] “Abandon the man, ascend the eagle/bird.”

#TOO #HOO #PJO #fanfiction #Pax #Eris #Have you ever wanted to see someone from the first Cohort on fire? #You have?!?! #:D

[gruumpy-cat]

The Art of Being Nonchalant (Or Not) / Chapter One

It was the night of my seventeenth birthday party. I was trying to fall asleep in the Potters' guest room, which is conveniently nicknamed Quinn's room since I was the one who mostly spent the nights there as opposed to any other guest, but I was too buzzed from drinking and dancing and thinking, so sleep eluded me.

One of the drawbacks of drinking, I guess. Though I don't remember ever hearing other people complain about sleepless nights after a night out. I'll have to ask around.

Deciding that sleep is just not in the cards tonight, I rolled out of bed, threw on my shorts and a loose T-shirt since I didn't want to walk around in my underwear, and gently opened the door of the bedroom.

Looking out into the hallway I could see that everyone's rooms were closed and I guessed they were probably asleep like normal people. Ignoring the obvious problem with going into another person's room at night uninvited, I tiptoed into the hallway and did my best stealthy Faceless Man impression until I got to the door of the room next to mine. I was honestly surprised I managed to do this without making a sound due to my buzzed state, but I guess luck was on my side tonight.

Carefully opening the door, I snuck in and was engulfed in almost complete darkness, the moon the only thing illuminating the room since the Potters' home was pretty isolated from the rest of Godric's Hollow.

"James?" I whispered. "You awake?"

I could hear faint grumbling from the direction of his bed. I stepped around the clothes on the floor, probably unceremoniously dumped before he crashed, and came over to where I could see him sprawled across the bed in a position any sane person would classify as impossible.

But James Sirius Potter always did do things the impossible way.

I sat down on the bed and poked him. My poke was awarded nothing more than an almost imperceptible grumble. It was time for drastic measures. I scooted over next to him and sat on his torso. That woke him up.

"Merlin's beard, Quinn, why are you bothering me in the middle of the night?" James looked at me through half closed eyes as he said this. He obviously forgot that we do something like this every year. Or he was still a bit drunk, which was probably closer to the truth. I was in no position to judge him. But I could blame grandad and Ethan for buying the booze for the party.

"Bothering you?" I looked at him as his eyes cleared and he realised that it was well after midnight and what that meant. He quickly sat up and engulfed me in a tight hug. I could smell the familiar minty smell of his shampoo on his still damp hair and the Firewhisky on his breath even though he brushed his teeth. The smell of alcohol is not something cured by toothpaste.

He drew back and smiled at me. We were so close that I could see the specks in his hazel eyes even in the low light. I returned his smile.

"Happy birthday, Quinn," he said in a low voice as he turned towards his end table and took out what I presumed to be my real birthday present. We usually got something jokey for each other to give out with the rest of our friends and family, but the real presents came after.

James gave me a fairly thin, neatly wrapped present and excitedly looked at me while I tore at the black wrapping paper.

The wrapping paper revealed a cardboard box. You could count on James to wrap his presents the right way, no messy cuts or badly taped Spellotape and definitely no presents outside of a box if they didn't come in their own. I, on the other hand, was a lost cause.

As I opened the box, a cloud obscured the moon and suddenly, we were in complete darkness. I could feel the familiar shape of a vinyl record sleeve but on top of it was something else I couldn't recognise by touch.

The cloud passed and moonlight streamed in, allowing me to actually see the presents. As soon as I saw the vinyl I nearly squealed but managed to stop myself before I woke anyone up.

"You found it! I can't believe you managed to get me the first LP Sons of Tyr ever recorded," I exclaimed, "they're incredibly rare."

James just grinned at me "It helps when your dad knows Mundungus Fletcher."

I looked at him with a horrified expression, "Tell me this didn't fall off the back of a broom!"

"Nah, he just conveniently knows a lot of people selling a lot of rare stuff, including records. He managed to get me a discount on account of you being easy on the eyes," he laughed at what I was sure was a disgusted look on my face.

Taking the other present in my hand and seeing it for what it was - a black picture frame decorated with little silver Beater's bats and Bludgers and the two of us, aged eleven, flying together in my parents' backyard during Christmas holidays. I could remember grandad taking the photograph right before my brother Ethan threw a snowball at his head. I was pretty sure this was the first photograph of the two of us together. James probably had to collude with my grandfather for this present.

"Do you like it?" James asked after I didn't say anything for a while, just looking at the moving photograph. I looked up at him and grinned.

"It's perfect, James. Thank you!"

He smirked, wiggled his eyebrows suggestively and said, "You know, I did like the other presents you got earlier."

I got up and put the vinyl and the photograph on his desk before lying down next to him.

"Oh really? Which one did you like the most?" I asked, turning on my side so I could look at him while we talked.

"My favourite was the one Ash got you," he blushed while he said this which was unusual since James almost never blushed unless his mum said something really embarrassing, like how he used to have a toy rabbit he slept with at home until he was twelve. He named the rabbit Fluffy and his dad found that hilarious for some reason.

"You mean the red slutty dress I would probably wear once a year?" I mused. My usual choice of attire was black jeans and a black T-shirt. I like the colour black. I would make a great woman of the Night's Watch if they accepted women and I lived in the A Song of Ice and Fire universe. Ashley Thompson, one of my dorm mates at Hogwarts, liked to give me presents that I would probably never buy for myself. I'm pretty sure all the dresses I own came from her one way or another.

He nodded, "Yeah, that's the one."

I lightly punched him, "You're just teasing me."

"Maybe. But I bet Al loved it. I think his jaw actually dropped," he said this in a lower voice.

At the mention of Al's name, I remembered what I was thinking about that possibly had a hand in making this night sleepless. I turned again so I was on my back staring at James' ceiling which was charmed to show the night sky.

"I broke up with Al tonight," I said with a sigh. Albus was my boyfriend for a total of two months which was certainly a record for me.

James snickered at that and asked, "Did you break my little brother's heart? I did tell him you probably will."

I thought about his question and felt the tiniest stab of guilt. Maybe I let it go on for too long before I broke it off.

"Of course I didn't! Al knows me and he was fine with, you know...me...," I trailed off.

"Merlin, did he break yours? I'll kill him if he did!" James' face was one of bewilderment and confusion as he looked at me with wide eyes.

"You know he couldn't," I replied with an eye roll. I was surprised he'd even think that.

"Why not?" He propped himself up on his elbows so he was looking down at me as he asked the question.

"Because I don't have a heart, James," I stuck out my tongue at him.

"Nice comeback, Quinn. So...why did you leave him? When did this even happen because I don't remember you missing any part of your party?"

I made a face. "What's with the third degree? It's not like you don't already know."

He plopped down on the bed again. I could see he was having a hard time between being my friend and being worried about his brother, however hard he tried to hide it. Al might be cool as the Giant Squid but James loved his siblings and he didn't like it when something was wrong with them.

I squeezed his hand in the hopes it would make him feel better. He squeezed back.

"We snuck out for a little while when you were doing your Gandalf impression," I said and winked at him, "but, unfortunately for Al, he and I had quite different things in mind when we snuck out."

"It wouldn't have been fair to stay with him. It was fun but he decided he wanted to talk about us and his feelings for me so I cut him off. This thing with him was just ... me passing time. Feelings didn't really have anything to do with it and you know it."

As I said this, James turned on his side, gave me an intense look and hugged me to him. We lay like that for a while in silence. I could hear the steady rhythm of his heart beating and it was soothing. The tiny pangs of guilt I felt about Al disappeared.

After what seemed like an eternity I could hear him as he whispered in my hair, "I know everything about you."

"Yeah. You do."

I woke up in James' bed the next day. The sunlight was streaming in through the window and I had to blink a few times to get adjusted to the light. James was still asleep with his arm around me. Waking up in his bed was not unfamiliar but remembering that just the night before I broke up with his brother made me realise it wouldn't look good if one of his family members happened upon us right now no matter how many times we had sleepovers before.

So I did what any sensible girl would do. I forcefully woke up James by alternatively poking him, whisper-yelling at him and tickling him until something of the three yielded results.

He had a grin on his face when he woke up.

"Happy birthday, Quinn."

"Yeah, yeah, you said that already. Now get up and Apparate me home!" I'll have to take the Apparition test soon now that I turned seventeen. James passed his a few weeks ago.

"Bloody woman, why are you so bossy?"

I frowned at him.

"I like things being done a certain way. Stop talking and turning around in a confused state so we can get going. I'd prefer it if you could bring me to my room but I guess the vicinity of my house would be good enough," I got up as I said this with a small smile and took both the vinyl and the photograph.

He made a pouty face and put a hand over his heart, "Are you suggesting I wouldn't be able to Apparate accurately? You deserve to be splinched!"

"You wouldn't splinch me! You like me too much," I smirked at him.

"Naah, I think I should after that insult. Maybe just a small splinch to teach you a lesson...how about your pinkie? Or your ear? Hm...," he touched my ear like he was seriously considering this and then he started tickling me. I was seriously ticklish and I just prayed to Merlin he'd stop soon or I'd start shrieking and probably cause the whole house to wake up.

Finally, he stopped but he had me pinned on the floor. He looked at me intensely like he was trying to figure out a particularly hard Arithmancy assignment but he soon changed his expression to a teasing one.

"Say I'm the best at Apparition!"

I rolled my eyes and sighed. He knew I was defeated.

"You're the best at Apparition, James. Can we get on with it now?"

As I said that everything went black and I felt the pressure all around me. Soon it was over and we were on my bed in the same position as before, with me pinned down under James.

I wiggled under him, "Get off, you hippogriff, I'm trying to breathe here!"

"The lady doth protest too much, methinks," he smirked, again.

"Yeah, yeah, okay. But seriously, I need to -," I was cut off by a huge ball of grey fluff jumping on top of James causing him to literally stop my breathing with his body as he collapsed on top of me from shock.

"Argh," was the only sound I could make.

James rolled off me and fell on the floor with the ball of grey fluff, namely, my cat Ziggy, staring at him viciously and hissing. I guess Ethan and grandad forgot to feed him. And by feed him I mean refill his bowl when it was half full (Ziggy would probably call it half empty because he's a pessimist like that).

Looking at Ziggy with a slightly horrified expression, James turned to me and said, "Quinn, I said this already and I'll say it again, but your cat is psychotic!"

I tentatively extended my hand towards Ziggy so I could try and pet him but he jumped off my bed in a huff and threw me a scornful look as he stood next to his half-full bowl.

Such theatrics.

"He's not psychotic, he just doesn't like anyone. Or anything. Well, he sometimes likes me but I'm sure that's just because he sees me as a constant food source. And he liked you that one time when he allowed you to pet him!" I felt the need to defend Ziggy even though he was a little bit, well, evil. Sometimes. I adopted him from a Muggle shelter nearby three years ago when he was just a tiny kitten. Even as a kitten he wasn't particularly friendly and his first adopted family brought him back to the shelter because of it.

James got up and gave him a few cat treats I had on my desk. Ziggy purred at that. I could swear he smiled. But cats don't smile. They do love bribes, apparently, because Ziggy allowed James to pet him for a second before prancing over to my window and jumping on the sill to look at the birds flying around a nearby oak tree.

"You're coming over later, right?" I asked, "Everyone is going to be there for lunch, even mum and dad, but they're leaving tonight because they both have practice tomorrow morning. We could do a movie marathon."

James sat down next to me on the bed and bumped my shoulder, "Of course I'm coming over. What kind of a birthday evening would it be without me?"

I smiled gratefully at him and hugged him, "Great!"

He stood up and said, "See you soon, Quinn," before Disapparating with a quiet pop.

Looking around my room, I realised I seriously needed to tidy up because the only remotely neat things in here were my Quidditch kit and my record collection. My school trunk was still sitting relatively unpacked even though I was going back to Hogwarts in two weeks and my clothes were in two different piles, the clean one near my closet and the dirty one on the floor next to my bed. I wasn't usually this messy, and grandad surely wouldn't tolerate it under normal circumstances, but I've been spending almost all my time at the Potters' house during the last few days so he turned a blind eye. He had a soft spot for me. Feeling lucky I could finally use magic outside of school I decided to try my hand at some of those household spells I've seen grandad using after I've had breakfast.

After changing into something I dug out of the clean clothes pile and filling Ziggy's bowl, I tied my dark hair into a messy bun and went downstairs. I could hear my grandad in the kitchen, hopefully making breakfast, and talking with somebody.

"Good morning," I said as I entered the kitchen. Immediately I could see my dad's face in the kitchen fireplace. Grandad turned around and they both exclaimed, in weirdly similar voices, "Quinn, love!"

Grandad came over and engulfed me in one of his bear hugs, "Happy birthday, my favourite granddaughter!"

"I'm your only granddaughter!"

I could hear dad alternating between yelling birthday wishes and singing the birthday song in a horribly off-tune voice. He could be really silly sometimes. Or all the time. He liked to say he got hit one too many times in the head with a Bludger but that wasn't even close to the truth.

"Dad, please stop, I just woke up," I said with a yawn.

He just snickered, "Don't lie, dad told me James just brought you home so you've been awake for at least half an hour."

I threw my grandad a look and muttered, "How in the seven hells did you even hear us, James' Apparating is freakishly quiet?"

Grinning, he just said, "Magic." He turned around and continued frying the omelette he was making when I interrupted.

"Quinn, I've got to go because practice starts soon and the Captain can't be late. I love you and I'll see you at lunch," dad said with a sad expression, which in turn made my grin disappear. I was hoping to at least exchange more than two sentences with him. I couldn't blame him really. Being a Captain of the Ballycastle Bats and also a Chaser on the English National Quidditch Team meant he had very little time for family. But he was living the life I hoped I would someday so I was quick to forgive and forget.

"Love you, dad," I said as I gave him my best smile and waved at him. His head disappeared from the fireplace. My grandad was muttering something to himself, but since I didn't have his unnatural hearing, I couldn't decipher what he was saying. He looked a bit angry.

I sat on the barstool at our kitchen island while I waited for him to finish breakfast.

"Did mum Floo while I was in my room?"

He turned around and put a plate full of food in front of me, "No, but you know she's as busy as Dylan is."

I rolled my eyes at that, "Oh yeah, she's so fucking busy she can't even Floo to wish me a happy birthday."

Grandad frowned and said, "That's the life of a professional Quidditch player. Your parents love you and they try their best...," he trailed off, "But I have no bloody idea what would've become of you and Ethan if I wasn't here."

"Right. We would've probably dropped dead."

"I was thinking more in the line of both of you becoming completely wild and untameable. It's not like you're much better even with me here."

I made a face. Grandad was one of those people that can't help being blunt. As I munched on my food, I realised Ethan wasn't here.

"Where's Ethan, anyway?" I asked.

Grandad shrugged his shoulders, "I expect he's at his flat."

"But he's never at his flat...unless he has a girl there!" I was grinning at this. I loved to tease Ethan's girls because he usually had a type. I don't know how, but he always managed to end up with one who didn't believe in one night stands (even though she just had a one night stand with him) and quickly became more and more crazy as the morning after dragged on. Though I wondered who the hell would go off with my brother out of the Weasley girls (I knew it wasn't Lily Potter since she was way too young). I couldn't remember seeing him with anyone in particular last night, but then again, some parts of the party were a little hazy.

"I know what you're thinking, Quinn, and I have no idea who the girl is. I always mix up all those Weasleys anyway," grandad said this with a huge smirk on his face. Even though he never looked at another woman after my grandma died, he fully supported Ethan in his conquests. He also supported me in mine. I guess he was pretty supportive.

"So, what's the plan for today?" I knew it would be pointless to ask for my presents right now because it was tradition to do a family birthday lunch and then get presents. The fact that birthdays are one of the rare days we're all in the same place at the same time makes them extra special.

"Your dad is going to cook and your mum is baking the cake and I'll finally have some well-deserved respite from all the cooking around here," he said this as he sipped his black coffee. Grandad woke up crazy early every day and by the time I got up he'd already spent half a day doing his thing. But he liked to keep me company while I ate. I think he was pretty lonely while I was at Hogwarts and that's why he didn't mind the fact that my twenty-four-year-old brother spent most of his time here instead of at his own flat.

Grandad looked at me teasingly, "So, what did your boyfriend get you? I don't want to know if it's anything that has to do with shagging."

I almost choked on the last piece of my omelette.

"You're fine talking to me about shagging but don't want to know the details. Got it, thanks grandad, that wasn't embarrassing at all."

He just laughed at me. Wonderful.

"Sometimes I think I'd be better off if you or Ethan were even a little embarrassed about your escapades but then I remember I'm the cool grandad and the thought quickly disappears. So, what did Al get you?"

"You're our only grandad!" I exclaimed.

I never met my mother's parents. They were Muggles and she talked about them a lot. Said they were free spirits which I understood to be a bit weird and unconventional and made me feel sorry I never met them. They died a pretty conventional death, though. They were going to a Black Sabbath concert on their bikes and a driver who fell asleep at the wheel crashed into them. Sad story.

"Al got me concert tickets to see Sons of Tyr in February and he's not my boyfriend anymore," I said, not meeting his eyes. He liked Al. Grandad, Ethan and Al had that Slytherin brotherhood going for them.

I'm not sure why I didn't meet his eyes because grandad is always on my side. He just shrugged his shoulders, "Another one bites the dust, eh?  Ethan owes me 20 Galleons!"

"You bet on my relationship?" I was more amused than surprised.

"Can you even call it a relationship if it lasts for just a few weeks?"

"Few weeks! It lasted for two months. Give or take."

He laughed at me again. I love it when people laugh at me. Not. Maybe being a stand-up comedian should be my backup if I fail at professional Quidditch. But I'm honestly not that funny.

"It lasted exactly six weeks, I should know since I bet on it."

I stood up and washed my plate for the first time using magic. I could get used to this. We never had house elves or nannies or anything like that because grandad was a firm believer in doing things on your own so you don't become spoiled and incompetent. I'm not convinced he succeeded in not spoiling me but eh, at least I could wash my own plate.

Spending my birthday cleaning my room wasn't ideal but I really couldn't stand the mess any longer. I put the Sons of Tyr LP James got me on my turntable and started. By the time I was finished, I managed to find two T-shirts I thought lost forever and one of Ziggy's favourite toys. After taking a shower I heard two distinct pops. I ran out of my room and down the stairs until I finally saw my parents after I don't know how many weeks of only communicating by owl or through the fireplace.

"Quinn! Happy birthday, honey!" My mum hugged me and I forgot about my annoyance with her from this morning. I missed her. I missed my dad.

"Hey mum, dad," I mumbled because I couldn't talk like a normal person since my dad decided that a group hug was in order so I was pretty much getting crushed between the two of them. Dad towered above both me and my mum and she was pretty strong for her slight Seeker build.

They finally released me and I grinned at them.

"Nice of you two to show up," I said with a wink. They started talking over one another trying to explain their busy lives and I had to stop them before they started arguing because that's how these things usually end.

"Stop, stop! I was just kidding, Merlin's pants!" As I said this grandad came into the living room.

"Son, Ivy, good to see you."

Mum turned towards him and hugged him. I don't know why but she likes to give out hugs.

"Ian! How are you? Did everything go alright yesterday? Is...," and off she went with the questions about everything. I tuned out. Dad was already in the kitchen starting with the meal and mum soon joined him. I kept them company. We chattered about my party and Ethan and even Al, though apparently, they thought I was kidding back when I told them in a letter we were together. I have no idea why.

Sometime while they were cooking, we heard a loud crack and Ethan entered the kitchen. Mum immediately attacked him with questions about his job, his (lack of a) girlfriend (at this I sniggered) and so on. I gave him a sympathetic look.

After the lunch was over it was time for my presents at last. Dad gave me a small silver box.

"This is from your mother and me," he said. I opened it and found a watch inside. It was black instead of gold, with silver Roman numerals and stars instead of dials. It would've been quite traditional (except for the material) had it not been for the engraving on the back - Fuck Fear, which was something of a Jones family motto, and yet, only dad and I were Gryffindors, and grandma Olivia, too, but she was killed by a dragon so I'm not sure fearlessness was to her benefit.

Dad was just about to say something else when mum cut him off, "You better like it, Quinn. I swear we bickered for the past month until we settled on the design we thought you'd like. So even if you don't like it, pretend that you do and wear it for our benefit, and I don't care how ridiculous that sounds," she drew a breath and continued, "You like it, right?" she said this with a slightly psycho-looking smile.

Ethan was trying not to laugh, grandad was smoking his pipe and pretending not to listen to her, or maybe he wasn't pretending, he liked to tune her out sometimes, and dad looked exasperated.

"Yeah, I like it, thanks!" I nodded my head up and down as I tried to be as enthusiastic as possible because mum was still psycho-smiling. I did like it but she was a crazy perfectionist who couldn't stand the thought of something being, well, not perfect. If it wasn't then she'd go off on a tangent and yeah...We learned to live with it.

Ethan took out a pair of blood red Quidditch gloves from his bag and shoved them at me.

"Here you go, little demon. They're dragon hide gloves, Vipertooth model, tailored for Beaters so they'll give you a little extra kick when you swing the bat -"

He was interrupted by a wolf Patronus that appeared in our dining room. It spoke in a voice I haven't heard before but it was obviously familiar to Ethan.

"Jones, we need you at HQ right now, bring your heavy-duty kit," as soon as the wolf said this, it disappeared.

Ethan got up from the table and gave me a small smile, "Duty calls, little demon, but I hope you'll make good use of my present. I'll see you all later." He turned on the spot and Disapparated with a crack.

Mum looked slightly worried but she quickly masked her expression. She was too proud to admit she worried constantly about all of us, especially Ethan since he worked as a Hit Wizard, but we all knew it. That's why grandad kept most of my Quidditch injuries a secret from her. She'd go mad with worry and she'd feel guilty for not being there. Dad was slightly more reasonable, or he was just very good at keeping up the appearance of being cool all the time.

"He's going to be alright, Ivy," dad said this as he covered mum's hand with his own and she nodded.

"Yeah, yeah, I know...Merlin, is that the time? I have to be back in Appleby for the afternoon practice," she rolled her eyes at that. "Bloody Orlov is convinced I'm giving out team secrets to Dylan. I fucking hate that guy, why the fuck did they make him Captain instead of me? I'm the fucking better strategist, that's fucking obvious..."

Luckily, grandad decided to interrupt her before she could go on another rant about Ivan Orlov, one of the best Keepers in the League and my mum's Captain.

"I'll clear the table," he said as he waved his wand around and all the dirty dishes followed him out of the dining room.

Dad was suddenly very interested in the gloves Ethan got me and I pretended I was interested in my new watch.

"Okay, I'll stop talking about Orlov, I get the message. You lot aren't exactly subtle," she glared at us as she said this. "I still do need to go. Quinn, I love you and I'll see you before you go back to school," she narrowed her eyes as she turned to dad, "and you, I'll see you tonight." I couldn't decipher if that was a booty call or if she was angry at him about something. It was probably both.

"Ahem, hm, yeah, right, okay," dad was red in the face. For a star Quidditch player who dealt with journalists all the time, he was painfully unable to hide his feelings. It made his interviews funny to read because he'd often get angry and start hexing the journalist who did the interview. More often than not, the journalist in question was Rita Skeeter. She held a huge grudge against him after he turned her into a toad one time.

"I'm going, too, sorry Quinn but you know, I've got that fundraiser later. We'll see each other soon, yeah?" he asked.

"Yeah."

Grandad came back from the kitchen and looked around, "They're gone, then?"

I nodded. He frowned.

"You still haven't seen the present I got you, come on, it's in my study," he put an arm around my shoulders and guided me to his study room. It was bright with diffuse light that came in through the big glass double door facing the north side of my parents' property and overlooking the Quidditch pitch grandad put up shortly after five-year-old me zoomed past him on a toy broom while he was gardening. We lived in a small wooded area near Bath and grandad put a lot of Muggle repelling charms around the property so they wouldn't stumble upon us, especially with the Quidditch pitch being obviously out of place.

He opened his closet, took out a broom and gave it to me. I nearly jumped from joy when I saw it but I managed to keep my cool and just hugged him tightly.

"The Stormwind! It's not even in the stores yet!" The broom was black, made from world-class ebony with numerous protective and aerodynamic spells woven into it. It was going to be the fastest broom on the market, faster by five seconds than the newest model Thunderbolt. But it wasn't the speed that was its prime characteristic, it was the incredible balance it provided. The Stormwind was the only broom in the world that adapted to its rider and the spell that made it so was the best-kept secret in the Quidditch world. Rumour had it that Selene Zhang, the Stormwind designer, didn't even reveal the secret to her board of directors.

"Selene is a close friend," grandad said it like it was no big deal.

"I didn't even know you knew her. How do you know her?" I asked.

"How did you not know that her mother was one of my best players in the Tornados?" He was genuinely surprised.

"Jessica? I don't know, I don't keep tabs on players after they retire. But anyway, thanks grandad, you know it's like, the best present ever, right up there with James'."

"Yeah, well, don't just count on your fancy new broom to win the Quidditch cup," he said gruffly, "you still need to practice your Backbeat!"

I grinned at him and teasingly said, "My Backbeat is going to be better than yours!"

"I expect nothing less."

I was alone at home when James came over in the evening. Grandad went out with his friends down to the pub and Ethan was still MIA. We were now lounging in the living room contemplating which movie marathon we were going to have. Both James and I were big fans of Muggle movies.

James was sitting on the fluffy white carpet and playing with my hair that fell down the sofa since I was lying down. Ziggy was sleeping on the armchair.

"So, Lord of the Rings or The Godfather?" he asked.

"Don't make me choose, you know I'm indecisive as hell."

"The Godfather, then. We haven't watched that in a while. Pancakes or popcorn?"

"James, you're trying to make me choose something again!"

"Both?" he chuckled.

"James Potter, you are brilliant!" I beamed at him and got up from the sofa. He followed me to the kitchen. James was terrible at cooking so I waved my wand and the ingredients for the pancake batter started to stir in a bowl. I sat up on the kitchen island he was leaning against.

"How was lunch with your family?" he asked me. I showed him the presents my family got me as soon as he Apparated. He was just as excited as I was by the fact that I now had the Stormwind. He even said he'll ask his parents to buy him one when it hit the market even though they just recently bought him the new Firebolt. Lily can have the Firebolt, apparently.

"Eh, okay, but I think my mum made a booty call to my dad in front of me."

James raised his brows, "Lucky Dylan!"

"Ew, what? That's my mum!" I made a disgusted face at him but he just wiggled his eyebrows.

"Says the girl who shagged my little brother for the past two months."

That shut me up. I took out the pancake pan and turned on the stove. When the pan heated up, I started frying the pancakes in silence. James came over from behind me and hugged me around the waist.

"I was just kidding, Quinn, don't be angry at me," he said in a low voice. I turned my head so I could look him in the eyes and smiled at him. That seemed to reassure him.

"I'm not angry, I'm just plotting my revenge!" He grinned at that and kissed my cheek.

"Okay."

In the middle of the third movie, Ethan Apparated in the living room which made me scream since I wasn't expecting it and, more importantly, because he was covered in blood. I rushed over to him, James following with a troubled look. Ethan just waved us away.

"Not my blood," his breath smelled of Firewhisky and his words sounded slightly slurred, "let me just get another Firewhisky before I crash."

James threw me a look and I just shrugged my shoulders. He went over to the fridge and brought the bottle of Firewhisky with three glasses. James and I settled on the sofa and Ethan on the armchair with Ziggy who promptly woke up, hissed at Ethan, jumped off and left to another corner of the room.

We drank in silence, neither I nor James knowing what to say. Ethan wasn't volunteering any information and there was no point in trying to pry it from him. If he didn't want to talk, he wouldn't talk.

After another three glasses, Ethan got up and went to his old room.

James put his hand around me and I leaned my head against his shoulder. I think I fell asleep in that position because I woke up in my bed in the middle of the night and James was lying next to me with his arm laid protectively around me.

It felt reassuring to have him here.

#harry potter fanfiction #hp #james sirius potter #harry potter #the art of being nonchalant

[shadow1879]

School Has Gone to the Dogs

   By the time Stiles jeep had rumbled into the driveway that night, he was emotionally exhausted. 

   Really, he was bone tired and just looking forward to falling into bed. The pillows were calling his name and who was he to keep them waiting.

   He climbed out of his jeep and walked into the house, shutting the door as quietly as possible, he headed into the kitchen and tossed his keys on the table as he walked passed. On his way to the stairs he pulled out his phone and checked his messages. There was two from Scott and five from an unknown number. 

   His brow furrowed but he shut his phone off and jogged up the stairs before turning towards his dad’s room. There was light coming out from behind the door so he knocked, then pushed the door open. He leaned against the door jamb and took in the sight before him.

   Sheriff Stilinski was stretched out on his bed still in his uniform and shoes sound asleep with files resting under his chin. Shaking his head, Stiles entered the room and walking to the end of the bed to take his fathers shows off. He pulled the first one off, then the second; laying both shoes slightly under the bed. Walking around the bed silently he gathered up all the files, some of which had fallen off the bed to land in a heap on the floor, and placed them in a neat stack on his fathers dresser, right next to a picture of his mother. 

   He froze as he saw the picture. Claudia Stilinski was smiling at the camera, her dark hair curling slightly against her shoulders. She was wearing a hospital gown, only it wasn’t because she was sick. No, in her arms, resting against her chest was a scrawny baby boy wrapped in a blue blanket. 

   Stiles smiled and picked up the photo. She looked so young and carefree, not worrying about a thing in the world. Stiles leaned against the dresser and traced her smile with his finger. 

   He missed that.

   He missed when she smiled at him and Stiles would feel all his worries melt away. Just a smile, that’s all it took. 

   One smile from his mom. 

   He jumped, as his father snored and quickly straightened up, looking back at his dad. He had rolled over in his sleep, no longer hindered by his shoes and multiple piles of paper. Stiles smiled and rolled his eyes before turning back to the frame he held in his hands. Carefully he placed the picture back where he found it and after giving it one more look, walked out of the room; shutting off the light as he went. 

   Back out in the hallway, he shut his father’s door and crossed to his room repeating the action with his own door. Now in his own room he flopped onto his bed in giant heap and pulled open his phone, opening the message left by Scott.

   Scott: Dude, thanks for coming out tonight!!!                                                               P.S. Mom wants to ask if you want to come over for dinner,                             tomorrow???

    Stiles rolled his eyes, Scott had to be the only person he had ever met that used P.S. in a text message. 

   He smirked and sent a quick reply, thankful Scott couldn’t hear his heart through the phone,

   Stiles: Yea man, it was fun. Can’t go to dinner, old mans working. 

   That done he turned his attention to the unknown text messages. Finding out that they were all from different numbers.

   The first read, 

    UNKNOWN: This is Lydia Marten. I stole your number from                                                   Scott.

      He frowned and threw an arm under his head. Why the hell was Lydia-freaking- Marten texting him? Instead of responding Stiles just closed the message.  Rolling over onto his stomach as he opened the next one, 

    UNKNOWN: It’s Jackson. I just have any numbers my girlfriend does.

     Yeah the jerk wad seemed like the type. Every time a male even looked in Lydia’s way at school the guy would go completely Rottweiler on them.  It was not a stretch to say he was a Werewolf. He opened the next one, 

   UNKNOWN: So, you’re the infamous Stiles? This is Erica Reyes.

   Stiles narrowed his eyes at his phone.

   What the hell?

    He opened another one,

    UNKNOWN: Hey, Stiles we didn’t really get to talk but this is Isaac.

   To how many people did Scott give his number to? Feeling a little weary he opened the last message. 

   UNKNOWN: This is Boyd

   Okay...... Well, he did seem like a man of few words but why the hell was he TEXTING him? Why did any of them text him?

   Shaking his head he deleted all of their texts without saving the numbers and powered his phone down. Hopefully, they would forget about him by Monday and things would settle down. 

   With that comforting though in mind, Stiles pulled himself out of bed long enough to pull pajamas on and brush his teeth but that was it. As soon as he was done he fell back in bed and was out seconds later. 

                                                         .........               

   Sunday morning was spent doing homework and playing video games. His father had to work so he made lunch for himself and watched some TV, by the time his dad had made it back home he had dinner on the table; it was spaghetti with a white garlic sauce. His father was shocked by the dinner but then his eyes filled with understanding. They talked a little and his father was careful to steer clear of anything that had to do with the movie. When supper was finished he cleaned up and headed up stairs, tinkering around on his computer until it was time for bed. He very pointedly ignored his cell phone as he climbed into bed and turned off the light. Tomorrow, would come soon enough.

                                                       .......... 

    Monday morning arrived and Stiles trudged out the door after checking his phone messages. He had a couple from Scott but received nothing else. He smiled, see things were back to normal. 

   Climbing up into his jeep, Stiles rumbled out of his drive and headed to school. He was going early so the roads were dead and he made really good time. He pulled into his usual parking spot in the front row. Scott had once asked how stiles was able to steal a front parking spot every day but didn’t wait to hear Stiles answer. If he had Stiles would have told him, hell Stiles would have probably brought him along one day but he didn’t really seem interested.

   Stiles walked down the halls and into the library, nodding to Ms. Sheer as he passed her desk. He walked until he reached the back of the room where a gaggle of half awake teens sat at a big group table.Stiles smiled at them as he set his bag in a chair. 

   “Whats up, guys?”

   Ten bleary eyed kids his own age blinked at him and Sylvia, a blonde haired girl glared at him,” Is there a reason you are always this level of energetic in the mornings?”

   Stiles smirked, “Nope, I don’t even drink coffee.”

   She rolled her eyes, “I hate you.”

   Stiles chuckled as he unzipped his bag, gathering his notebook and pens. Stiles enjoyed tutoring. He liked seeing the excitement fill his fellow students eyes as they aced a class. After Scott got bitten, he had really fallen behind in his grades and Stiles had helped him get them up again. Now he does that for anyone willing to show up early on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, which is not many. Some days he just sits alone in the library but others, like today, he has a good turn out.

   Stiles pulled a notebook out of his backpack, “You won’t be saying that when you pass your history exam.”

   Dropping his book on the table he slouched in his seat, “Now where did we leave off?”

   After his study group was over the school had begun to fill with students. The place started to buzz with the loud talking of teenagers as Stiles exited the library heading towards his locker waving to his study group kids if he past them. Most of them waved back but others tried to ignore him. He just shrugged it off, nobody liked needing help after all.

   He was a few lockers down from his own when he heard someone call his name. Turning in confusion he froze when he saw Isaac making his way towards him. He stopped a few feet from him and shifted awkwardly,”Hey, Stiles.”

   Stiles shrugged his backpack higher on his shoulders, “Hi, Isaac?”

   He watched as Isaac shifted a little on his feet and scratched the back of his head. 

   He didn’t quite meeting Stiles eyes as he continued, “Um, we met Saturday at the movies.... with Scott.”

   Stiles cocked his head, his lip curling a little in bemusement, “Yes, Isaac I remember.”

   Isaac blushed a little and nodded, “Um, I was wondering if you do any tutoring for chemistry?”

   Stiles blinked, a little taken aback by the question. He did do chemistry tutoring. Actually it was on of his most popular sessions and he did it mainly to annoy Mr. Harris who had hated Stiles from day one but it shocked him that Isaac had asked him about it. 

  Nevertheless, he answered automatically, “Yeah, I do. Um, its on Wednesdays before school.”  

   Isaac’s whole stature relaxed and he closed his eyes, “Oh, thank god, is there room for one more.”

   Stiles shoved a hand into his pocket and stepped closer to the wall of lockers trying to get out of the way of other students, “Yep, it’s pretty spares right now. Most people don’t start showing up until a month before finals.”

   Isaac nodded his blue eyes flicking downward, “Well, count me in for Wednesday.”

   Stiles stepped back with a nod, “You got it. Just bring a list of stuff you need to work on and we will focus on that stuff.”

   Isaac nodded, his brown hair flopping in a way that reminded him of Scott’s. With another nod stiles turned away and continued to his locker. Well, that was interesting to say the least. Isaac had seemed so nervous about talking to him, like he thought Stiles was going to laugh at him or something. He had never seen any of Derek’s pack like that. They always seem so confident and put together, he opened his locker with grin. Well everyone except-

   “Stiles!”

   Scott, everyone except Scott. He turned just in time to see his best friend race down the hall toward him, skidding to a halt in front of him looking horrified and Stiles had to suppress a smile as he waited for what he new was coming.

   “Stiles the chemistry quiz is today!” 

   And there it is, He laughed to himself as he pulled out books from his locker.

   “You’ll do fine.”

   Scott pulled him to face him again, “Its not me Stiles, Isaac had been really struggling and I forgot to give him the notes that you gave me.” 

   “I already talked to Isaac.”

    Scott relaxed his brown eyes filling with relief, “He came to you and asked?”

   “Well he asked if I could tutor him?” 

   Scott opened the locker right next to stiles, “Good, I had been bugging him about that.”

   Stiles turned back to his locker as well, “Relax Scotty, with my help he will be getting better grades then you.”

   Scott slammed his shut and threw a sardonic expression his way, “Which we all know is extremely difficult.”

   Stiles shoved his shoulder and closed his own locker, “You’re getting better.”

   Scott rolled his eyes as the bell rang and headed towards his first class, “Only because I have a nerd as a best friend.”

   Stiles heart warmed when Scott said ‘best friend’ and turned toward his own class with a smile, but not before yelling, “That’s Mr. Nerd, to you!” at his friends back.

  His morning classes went by pretty quickly and soon it was his free period which he spent doing homework. Lunch was right after his free period which he was grateful for. Stiles was pretty sure his stomach had started eating is spine by the time he made it into the cafeteria. After going through the line he walked to the doors leading outside and found his usual table. Stiles had just started eating is fries when he saw Scott heading his way.

   Lately Scott had been spending more and more time out on the lacrosse field, that included his lunch break. He said something about Jackson helping him and Isaac practice. He waved anyway so Scott would see him. Scott smiled and jogged over looking sweaty. 

   Stiles threw his water bottle at him, “How was practice?”

   Scott caught the bottle and took a long pull before sliding into the bench across from Stiles and and resting his elbows on the table, “It was good.”

   Stiles picked up a fry and gestured up and down Scott’s sweat soaked form, “Looks like it.” 

   Scott grabbed the fry from him and shoved it in his mouth, glaring at him, “Shut up.”

    He grinned, “Hey, try to remember that this torture is self-induced.”

   Scott’s glare intensified, “Are you done?” 

   Stiles winked and stole his water bottle back, “Probably not.”

   Scott rolled his eyes and stole another fry. Chewing thoughtfully, he watched as Stiles uncapped the bottle and took a drink, “You should come next time.”

    Stiles choked, coughing up water. His eyes watered and he banged his fist against his chest. Once he could breathe again looked through his watery eyes at his friend, “One, please remember that I, Stiles, you’re good buddy am human and as such I am able to perish by choking.

   Scott leaned forward to whisper, “You know werewolves can choke too, “ before grabbing the water bottle again and finishing it off. 

   Stiles wiped his eyes, looking disgruntled.

    “Not the point, and two ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND!” He shouted not really making it a question. 

   Scott winced, rubbing his ear and looking around at the surrounding tables, then whispering, “No, stiles, we used to train together all the time.”

   Stiles lowered his voice to a normal level, “Yeah, Scott we did. You and me used to train together, not you, me and, two other furry-”

   “Furry what?”

    Stiles flailed around to see Jackson and Lydia coming up behind him both carrying trays full of food. He gaped as they rounded the table and sat to the right of Scott. Lydia was looking at him expectantly. 

   “Um, I was just telling Scott why it wouldn’t be a good idea for me to train with him.”

   Lydia looked over at Scott who was trying to hide a smile. Stiles glared at him then focused on his meal. While he would never hesitate at making dog jokes around Scott he always had to watch his mouth around other wolves. A simple marking territory joke had almost cost Stiles his life on one occasion. 

    “I think you should.”

   Stiles jerked his head up to see Jackson staring at him while he bit into an apple. 

   He had to be joking. 

   “Trust me it is better that I sit on the bench.”

   Jackson rolled his eyes, “I’ll admit you have the grace of a house cat in water, but you are quick on you feet which is a helpful skill while getting the ball to the net.”

   He paused then added, “Just pass the ball, so someone else can get the ball in the net.”

   And there it is folks, the Jackass.

   “I think I’ll pass, thank you.” 

   “Pass on what?”

   Stiles once again flailed but this time it was Erica and Boyd who sat on Scott’s left side. 

   Lydia flipped her hair, “The boys are trying to convince Stiles to get off the bench.” 

   Boyd uncapped Erica’s water, then gave him the once over, “I didn’t know you were on the team.”

   Stiles groaned scrubbing his hands through his hair, “Exactly and I would like to keep it that way.”

   Lydia took a bite from her salad, before pointing the fork at him, “Jackson’s right though.”

   Stiles shook his head again. He didn’t want to talk about this. He liked bench warming, not as much as he liked playing but at least he wasn’t making a fool of himself like he would if he was out on the field. 

   Erica flashed him a razor sharp grin, “I didn’t know you played for that team either.”

   Stiles flushed, he couldn’t help it. While he wasn’t embarrassed by his sexuality, just not something he really wants to talk about around a bunch of strangers. 

   Stiles opted to just glare at her. 

   Scott leaned forward, “It’d be fun stiles.”

   The boy scoffed at his friend, then pointed to his sweat drenched shirt, “Yeah, a real blast,”

   Suddenly a plate was placed down to the right of Stiles and Isaac joined the table. He sat down and smiled a little nervously at Stiles, “Can I sit here?”

   He nodded. 

   Isaac relaxed a little and turned to the table before asking, “What’s going on?”

   Everybody opened their mouths to answer but Stiles cut in, “Nothing! Nothing, is going on.”

   Isaac looked confused so Stiles decided to distract him further by asking, “Why aren’t you covered in sweat?” 

   He knew Isaac practiced with Scott and Jackson but Isaac looked and smelled clean. So did Jackson but it was hard to imagine that he would ever look less then perfect. Scott on the other hand, looked and smelled a little worse for ware. 

   “No offense, Scotty but you are pretty rank.”

   Scott glared at him as everybody laughed, including Isaac who sobered up enough to say, “We are usually so late to lunch that there are no tables left so after practice two of us will go take a shower and the other one will nab a table.”

   He then gestured towards Scott, “It was his turn,”

   Scott turned to Stiles, “Have you been sitting out here the last couple of weeks?”

   Try a month. He had spent a month sitting out here alone, but he supposes in some minds a month is a couple of weeks.

   Stiles pushed his tray away, suddenly not feeling so hungry, but he nodded at Scott.

   “Yeah, it’s less crowded out here.”

   Lydia smiled, “I like it the air doesn’t smell like food.”

   Erica nodded, wrinkling her nose, “And the tables are bigger.”

   Jackson leaned forward on the bench, resting his arms on the table, “It’s almost perfect, except McCall’s smell.” 

   Scott glared and slapped him on the back of the head. Stiles sucked a breath in, Jackson was not someone you fucked around with. He waited for the blow up but the lacrosse player only threw his apple core in Scott’s direction. Scott threw a napkin back and Jackson reached for Stiles fries, but before he could throw them Lydia grabbed his arm.

   “Enough boys.” her voice was cool but seemed to shut down both Scott and Jackson.

   Stiles watched the whole interaction felling a little left out. It was obvious his friend knew these people and cared for them. He didn’t hesitate to hit Jackson, just as Lydia didn’t hesitate to shut Scott down like he was her brother or something. Stiles glanced over to Erica and Boyd who were watching the whole exchange fondly, like it was an every day occurrence. Maybe it was. 

   Stiles was jerked out of his daze by Isaac who nudged his arm, “This is a nice spot, Stiles”

   Stiles smiled at him in thanks, and that is pretty much how lunch continued until the bell rang. Stiles watched them banter and even joined in a couple of times. He was trying. If Scott liked these people and was dedicated to being pack with them, then Stiles would try his best to fit in as well. It was time to stop moping around for things to go back the way they were, when it had just been made clear to Stiles that they never would. His friend was happy, so it was time for Stiles to suck it up.

   Just as Stiles was about to head back to class Scott grabbed his arm. He looked up to meet Scott’s familiar brown eyes as the wolf asked, “So, you and your dad in for dinner tonight?”

   Before Stiles could answer, Scott added, “We haven’t been able to have a dinner since mom got remarried. I mean not like together.”

   He knew what Scott meant, he wanted his mom’s new husband, along with Derek to get together with Stiles and his dad for a ‘family dinner’. They hadn’t been able to do that yet, mainly because stiles had been making it difficult but as he looked into the eyes of his best friend he knew it was time.

   “Yeah, that would be great,”

   Scott’s eyes filled with excitement and he almost started bouncing. Stiles knew he had made the right decision. Little did he know that his decision would be tested later that night.

   Notes:

    Chapter three!!!!!

Here it is guys, the pack have managed to squeeze into Stiles life and Stiles has made the decision to step up. Things are looking good!

Okay so, no sterek in this chapter but be prepared for chapter four!

Please comment and let me know your thoughts!!!

#the boy who runs with wolves #Chapter 3 #stiles stilinski #scott mccall #isaac lahey #erica reyes #vernon boyd #lydia martin #jackson whittemore #sheriff stilinski

[imusedtoitipromise]

I grew up in the same house and didn’t move until I was 22.  My mom and dad didn’t divorce but they should have. You see, my dad was present in my life as a person but not as a father figure. My mom was the bread winner of the household. My father never worked. My mom worked for a bank, usually 60 hours a week. She put my brother and I into after care after school. Sometimes my dad forgot to pick us up. My mom and dad were very different people and not so much in the opposites attract kind of way. My mom settled when she married him. She wanted to have kids so badly. She got them, but at what cost? My brother and I are both severely broken in a mental sense, we had a VERY unconventional childhood. I’m doing better than he is I suppose.

My dad was frugal. My mom was not. Looking back now I could tell my mom tried to fix things by giving my brother and I whatever we wanted within her means. My mom would buy us Happy Meals, my dad would buy us .39 cheese burgers. Sometimes he would forget to pay the power bill. We would come home to the lights off. My mom would lie and say there must have been some sort of outage, even though we could see that the street lights and neighbors porch lights were on. Due to my mom working so much she would come home from work and be very tired. I don’t ever remember having dinner together as a family, getting help with my homework, having chores, or an allowance. I was overweight and our house looked like one you would see on hoarders. (I feel like I’m jumping around, I hope you can make some sense of this.) I didn’t know how to take care of myself. No one made us brush our hair or teeth. No one enforced bathing. I looked like a very unkempt child. I didn’t really have a whole lot of friends. I was tested into the gifted program when I was in Kindergarten. My family didn’t have the money for me to attend. I feel like public school became very boring for me and then I began to slip.

In ‘92 my mom and brother were in a terrible accident. She was hit head on by a man who just came to this country from Haiti. He did not have a license, he didn’t speak English, and he was drunk driving. My mom turned the car so should would take most of the force. The steering column smashed up her left knee pretty badly. She bent her mental break pedal and broke her own foot. She ended up needing to have several arthroscopic surgeries. Her doctor prescribed her Oxycontin, Soma, and Valum. This was before anyone knew how terrible Oxycontin could be if it got into the wrong hands. The wrong hands you ask? The hands of my father. He would steal pills from my mom, get too high and just pass out. Sometimes I think my mom took too many as well, but I think it was so she could escape how terrible she felt both mentally, and physically. My brother and I were very much on our own in a sense. Life is hard when you feel like you don’t have parents that are easily accessible.

I used to hide food in my drawers and under my bed. I would eat in the middle of the night. I was fat. I feel like I still have moments where I have unhealthy relationships with food. My weight has fluctuated  my entire life. I feel like right now I’m in a not so good place weight wise. I need to lose 30 pounds. I was doing well and then I stopped. It’s so easy to be unhappy while you’re fat and have no friends. I did not have a normal childhood. My mom tried to divorce my dad 3 times and failed on every occasion.I distinctly remember a period of tie when my brother and I were children and my mom would sleep on a mattress on the floor of our bedroom. My mom grew more and more disgusted with my dad. I always remember her sleeping on the VERY edge of her bed, so much in fact, that her bed had a dip the size of her body from trying to stay in the same spot so she could be as far away as possible from him. He cheated on her and contracted hepatitis C, the good news is that my mom didn’t have to worry about it being passed to her . He was a ‘slip and fall’ accident, con artist, do things the cheapest and laziest way possible kind of guy. He made friend with the wrong people. In the back of the house (we had a split floor plan) I lived in until I moved there were three bedrooms. My room, my brothers room, and then, ‘the office’. The office was always locked and off limits to everyone, except my father of course. Whenever my dad had his ‘friends’ over they would escape to this mystery room. Regardless of whether or not we knocked or asked to come in, the answer was always no. The few times I caught a glimpse of what was inside as a child I was horrified. There were always porn magazines and video tapes strewn about. There were also the most random items in bulk. Like I said previously, my father was a hoarder. There was also a computer in there. It was probably used to do things I couldn’t even fathom at such a young age. I’m sure whenever my dad had people in the office they were doing drugs. 

When I was 12 I was diagnosed with depression and anxiety. I cut myself then too. Other than fighting with Dematillomania I don’t self harm. I never really thought of picking at my skin as self harm, but I suppose it is. It feels like something I’m a prisoner of. I wish I could just stop or at least cope with it in a much healthier way. I was more than unhappy. I was made fun of. When I was diagnosed with depression and anxiety my only friend at the time was no longer allowed to hang out with me. Her mother was afraid that I would make her child depressed. Too bad chemical imbalances in the brain don’t work that way. I think one of the most vivid memories I have of my father is probably the saddest. I came home from school one day and told him I wanted to kill myself. He disappeared to the garage, and upon making quick return, placed an unloaded BB gun, something I didn’t even know we had, on the kitchen counter in front of me and said “Go ahead.” I don’t think this memory will ever stop haunting me. I realize he was only trying to call my bluff, which he did, but that was really a terrible way of doing so. That’s child abuse and to this very day I regret waiting until he was dead to tell someone about it.

I didn’t like school, I didn’t like to leave the house otherwise terrible anxiety crept up. I dropped out of high school. My parent’s had no qualms but how can you when you’re either tired or high all the time. I wish I got pushed to keep going and not give up. I wish that I was strong enough to fight my fears at such a young age. What I do know is that there’s no point in hanging on to the what if’s. It’s over, done with, and in the past. Dwelling on it won’t help but it certainly isn’t easy to get those thoughts out of my head.

In 2003 my mom lost her job of 34 years. She had a decent severance package, my dad blew a lot of it. On what, who knows. After she was laid off she decided to get both of her knees replaced and had some much needed dental work done. She got off the narcotics for a while. It was nice then suddenly she got really sick. A few months later she was diagnosed with Epstein Barr Virus, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and Fibromyalgia. It took her 3 years to get disability. I don’t know how we got money or where it came from. I can’t even begin to imagine what awful things my dad did to get that money. What awful deals he made with even worse people.

I got my very first job when I was 16. The only good thing high school did for me was introduce me to a video game that I truly credit for saving my life. It gave me a few friends and helped relieve my anxiety enough to leave the house. I got a job at my local arcade. I made friends. I was starting to get happy. I also lost a significant amount of weight. I was the only person in my house hold working. I contributed what and when I could. I was also raped when I was 16. I suppose putting it like that makes it sound very nonchalant. It was an acquaintance of a friend. I did not press charges. I do not blame myself. I think out of all of the mental and physical traumas this is one that I think of the very least. I do remember it though very clearly. Thankfully he used protection but there was one thing he said that stuck with me. After he had finished he had said “wow, I’ve been celibate for the last 2 years”. Sometimes I can still see the whole thing super clearly. Most of the time it doesn’t even cross my mind.

When I turned 17 I started dating someone who was much older than I was. He was in his mid 20′s. He was mentally abusive. I so badly wanted to be loved so I just dealt with it. I wish my parents had never let him into our home. I wish they never let him contact me after the first time they found out about him. He was selfish, he didn’t let me work, he didn’t let me have friends. He tried to take control of my life anyway he could and it was awful. The only ‘good’ thing he did for me was buy me an annual pass for Disney. Again, despite being 17, being at Disney was still a very happy place for me. There was one time we were at the arcade in Hollywood Studios, I picked something he didn’t like and he walked out of the arcade. I thought he had left me there. When I finally found him he said the trip was over and that we were never coming back. Being 17, naive, and desperately wanting to be loved, I apologized profusely. I told him it would never happen again. A few months later we were at an arcade and he got mad at me for something dumb. He told me it was time to go. I refused. I had friends there with me. I felt strong. I grabbed my stuff from his car and never looked back. I felt free. 

At 18 I got a job again. I worked at a game store in the mall. I got my drivers license. I was gifted my first car. It was old and it lasted for almost a year. My parent’s ended up buying me a new car. I wish I had been more responsible back then. They never asked me to help make payments or pay for my own insurance. I never had to pay for my own phone bill. Looking back I guess my mom paid for all of those things because she was trying to make up for my shitty childhood. I wish she would have given me some sort of financial responsibility though. It completely fucked me up that I never had any sort of financial structure. 

I didn’t drink until I was almost 21. I know that’s uncommon for most people but I think I was just afraid of the consequences. Growing up it took a long time to break the anxiety shell to the point where I could actually leave my house. I guess I didn’t want to take a step backwards by doing things I knew I shouldn’t be doing. My brother and I have always been ‘good kids’. We never really did anything we weren’t supposed to. So I guess that’s part of the reason why my parents let me do pretty much whatever I wanted when I wanted. I still wish to this very day that I had been given some sort of responsibilities, been pushed to stay in school. I wish I was pushed to do anything positive, really.

When I was 19 I got a job at a major electronics retailer. I met someone there that I dated for a little over a year. He pushed me to try and be a better person.I got my GED, I started college, I had the cleanest room in the house, and I was doing really well for myself. For my 21st birthday I wanted nothing more than to go to Disney. He verbatim told me to ‘go fuck myself’ because he wanted nothing to do with it. I still decided I was going to go.  One night while sitting in my room my dad came in and said “Well what if I go with you?”. I was immediately shocked to hear all of this. He and I never truly had a relationship at all. I asked him if mom put him up to it and he said it was all his idea. I accepted. I drove and paid for certain things. It was fun I guess? Some of the things that truly stick out in my mind were him taking way too much medication, complaining, having to have a manager escort us out of epcot because he claimed to be in ‘so much pain’ and the park had been closed for at least an hour. It was incredibly embarrassing. That trip I also learned my dad liked BBQ sauce. I know it’s something really random to write about or even bring up. I guess I really don’t know much about my dad at all.

We came back from the trip and it seemed like our relationship had gotten better. I just wished that it had happened sooner. However, things got bad again. It was like we were just two acquaintances living in the same house all over again. Oh well, I guess it was cool to kind of barely have a dad for just a weekend.

When I returned from my trip I got a second job at a popular Italian chain restaurant as a server. I balanced both jobs. I started to drink more, I started to gain weight from eating at the restaurant. The guy who I was dating and I started to fall apart, we were drifting, and it felt like the end was near. We broke up and it was rough. 

I decided that I wanted to move to the central part of the state. I had never moved before. I lived in the same house my entire life. Same city, same street, same bedroom. I knew that I needed to break away from the toxicity of my home life and become my own person.   

Before I moved my mom had begged my dad to not take a second mortgage out on the home. She told him that it would just make the debt worse, especially because they knew we were going to, eventually, lose the house. At this point I had been the only one in the house who was working. It was hard. I don’t know where my dad managed to get money from. Probably from selling drugs but I can’t say for sure. I do know that he was ‘friends’ with a lot of crooked cheating people who had awful motives. I’ll never forget when my mom got a call from my dad saying there was an accident in a wholesale club parking lot. He had her mini van, gone inside the store, and when he came out the van had exploded and was engulfed in flames. After his death it surfaced that he had the vehicle blown up for insurance money. 

I’ll never forget the night I was working at the electronic store. My cell phone would not stop vibrating. It went on for a few minutes. My department phone rang. It was my mom and she sounded frantic. She said I needed to come home immediately because my dad was in the hospital and our family dog at the time was at a police station 2 cities north of ours. I got home and she explained that my dad had taken too many prescription drugs, passed out at the wheel while he was at a gas station, and if the keys were in the ignition he would have gotten a DUI.

Those two instances alone made me regain all of my hatred for him. He was truly an evil man who only cared about, money, drugs, and himself. He wanted to do everything in his power to make his life easier, even if it was a detestation to others.

Now, flash forward. It’s moving day. I didn’t have a truck. I packed up as much of my stuff as I could into my car. My parents decided to help. Though, looking back now I’m sure it was all my moms idea and it was a way for her to keep my dad away from my brother for 2 days. We put a bunch of stuff in his remaining van and off we went. I got to the new place, we unloaded. I was nervous and excited. Living on my own was scary in the beginning  but eventually it was okay. The place I was living, however, was very far from my dream job. I got my dream job at my first audition with absolutely no performance background so that was pretty cool. 

I ended up moving much closer to said dream job. I was loving it and having a good time. Though, I’ll never forget going to bed on 3/17/09. It was super late and I felt so sick. It just felt awful and like something wasn’t right. The next morning I woke up to my phone ringing. I answered it. It was my mom and she sounded rushed and frantic. “Are you working today?” “Are your roommates home?” Mom, whats wrong, just tell me. “Are you roommates home?”  Mom please, JUST tell me. “Daddy died” I fell to my knees in the hallway, I collapsed. My dad was dead. It hit me hard and it didn’t feel real. I remember going into work and crying. Talking to a manager and being given the wrong bereavement information.  I got back home, packed, and found a cheap flight home because I was too worked up for the 3 hour drive. 

Due to barely being able to make ends meet and not having any family friends because my father would drive normal people away, we didn’t have a funeral. He was cremated, which is ironic because he was a (non practicing) jew. I stayed home for a week. I went back to the central part of the state. My grandmother and cousin came up a few days later because we had a really fun trip planned out. They asked me if I was still up for it and I absolutely was.The trip was fun. My car ended up dying the one day I picked up work so my grandmother let me use hers. She and my cousin got to visit me at work and it was very fun and much needed. A few days later they went home. My car got fixed beforehand and all seemed to be well again. 

Now, let me back track a little but it will all make sense. We knew that we were going to eventually lose our house. The house I grew up in. It was really sad to think about but the reality was my dad was dead, my mom was on disability, and my brother wasn’t working or contributing to the household. My dads parents owned an 800sqft condo in the city north of ours. It got destroyed during a string of hurricanes but he was working on ‘fixing it up’ with some of his ‘friends’. That’s actually where he died. He had his 3rd heart attack while ‘fixing up’ the condo. The condo was in a not so great state when he died. The tile floors weren’t sealed properly. The kitchen was remodeled but the refrigerator was in the dining room. It was weird and unconventional. There was crown molding for baseboard. There were several outlets and switches that didn’t work or we had no idea what they did.

About a month after my dad had died my mom was served a foreclosure notice. We knew it was going to happen. The condo still wasn’t in great shape but it was livable. My mom gathered her strength, went to a court hearing and asked the judge for some additional time. He granted her 90 additional days. She went back to the house two weeks later and there was a lock box on it. You see, my dad went behind her back and took a facsimile oh her name and put it on the document. When I moved I left a considerable amount of things in my room for when I would come home. Barely any of the things that belonged to my mom and brother had even been brought to the condo. Because her name technically wasn’t on the mortgage loan document she couldn’t get into the house. We lost EVERYTHING. Furniture, kitchenware, electronics, memories, photos. Everything. We lost everything.

To be continued....

[kimvtae]

Burnouts, Booze, and Babes

Summary: Taehyung and Jeongguk are just two small town best friends, getting drunk too often and making big plans they’ll probably never achieve. Taehyung takes it upon himself to teach Jeongguk all of the proper ways to have sex, and Jeongguk swears he’s just hanging around because Taehyung’s good in bed. Who would have thought these small town losers, who used to smoke behind the school, would become jewelers at the biggest department store in Seoul. [Pre Givenchy & Gold] Pairing: Jeongguk x Taehyung Word Count: 32.850 Rating: M Warnings: too much sex, too many kinks, mentions of drug use, Taehyung calling Jeongguk so many nasty things, two bros chilling 5ft apart in a hot tub ("swear I’m not gay”), switching, uhhhh daddy kink A/N: @blueagust and I have basically spent the last couple weeks screaming at each other about Taehyung and Jeongguk’s history from her story Givenchy&Gold, and with the little restraint I have, this happened. Lou, this is an absolute mess and I probably destroyed your entire fic timeline, but happy early Kwanza or some shit (which is totally an excuse Tae gives when he’s buying Jeon another pair of earrings.) This is not good enough for you but I hope you like it anyway!!

Taehyung shows up with a crash and a bang. Jeongguk knows it's him. He knows because there's only one person outside of his family that has a key to the house and Jeongguk's regretted handing over a copy since the fifth grade when Taehyung came barreling into his life with poorly bleached hair and a missing tooth.

Now, months before Taehyung's high school graduation, Jeongguk is sitting upside down on the couch with a half-eaten box of Pocky while far too immersed in an episode of Cake Boss.

"Jeon." Taehyung comes stumbling down into the basement, brushing the snow out of his hair. Jeongguk didn't even know it had been snowing. Fuck, when was the last time he left the house? "Dude, weren't you sitting there yesterday?"

Jeongguk shoves three Pocky sticks between his teeth. "Point?"

"Whatever." Taehyung sits on the back of the couch, knocks his knees against Jeongguk's to send him sprawling off the couch. He ignores the insults Jeongguk spits his way and waves a small bundle of cash near Jeongguk's face. "New bar downtown doesn't card and I need a few drinks tonight. Physics ate my ass today."

"Glad one of us is getting some." Jeongguk snatches the remote from Taehyung's hands, knows he's just gonna switch the channel to football or some other hetero shit just to ask if Jeongguk would rather be watching grown men smack asses rather than bake cakes. No, he wouldn't, thank you very much. Last week they built an Iron Man cake. "Who'd you fuck to get the cash?"

"Your mom."

"I'm going to kick your ass-"

"Yeah, yeah, save it for after we get the burgers."

Taehyung's car is shit but it gets the job done. He insists that Jeongguk showers before they leave, says he can't have anyone in his car who smells like four day old cum when his car always smells like sex even when Taehyung is single as hell, but Jeongguk does shower. Mostly it’s because his hair was greasy and he doesn’t feel like dealing with that. Taehyung's car is small with barely enough room in the back seat to comfortably pass out in after Taehyung gives him one too many beers, but it gets them to the burger shop downtown.

It's packed this Friday afternoon, high school kids standing around and couples sharing milkshakes. Jeongguk tries to angle himself between Taehyung and those couples; he's way too sober to entertain Taehyung's milkshake innuendos today.

"What do you want?" Taehyung asks, stands behind Jeongguk in line and rests his chin on Jeongguk's shoulder. "I'm buying."

"Jesus, did you suck rich dick for that cash?"

"Fucker. I've got a job, you know."

"Sucking dick is a job now?"

"You can starve." Taehyung pauses and shoves his hands into the pockets of Jeongguk's letterman. Jeongguk's mom had offered to buy one for Taehyung just for kicks, but Taehyung said he didn't want one when he had Jeongguk's to share. "Speaking of dry spells, how'd you do with that girl last weekend? Use what I taught you?"

Jeongguk has fucking war flashbacks to two weeks ago, when Taehyung had stayed over for the entire weekend and decided, that as the older friend, it was his responsibility to teach Jeongguk about the ins and outs of pleasuring girls. The proper way, Taehyung insisted, as if Jeongguk's still a fucking virgin and hadn't called Taehyung almost immediately after he bumbled his way through his first time. He's been with girls, sure, but Taehyung declared it wasn't good enough, and had sat on Jeongguk's back and proceeded to describe, in horrifying detail, the best way to prep a girl for sex. He'd tried to hide, covering his face and ears with a pillow, but Taehyung was wickedly determined when he wanted to be, and in that moment, he really wanted to be.

"No, you ass. Because I know how to have sex."

"Aw, do you? Really?" Taehyung presses himself closer to Jeongguk's back as the line moves forward. "Baby Gukie's finally grown up?"

"Don't call me that."

"Oh, but there is something I forgot to mention," Taehyung says, his grin wet against Jeongguk's neck. His voice takes on that tone, that smarmy voice that Jeongguk associates with that morning he woke up naked behind the kindergarten. "Something that really gets girls going."

Jeongguk sighs. "You're gonna tell me anyway."

"Right you are. You gotta do this, man, get close to them with your lips almost touching their cheek." Taehyung demonstrates as he speaks, lips hovering dangerously close to Jeongguk's ear. "Then you just-" He nips gently at Jeongguk's ear, biting at the piercing near the top of the lobe and Jeongguk falters, sagging back into Taehyung's hold with a confused little noise of pleasure. "And the chicks will love you, dude."

"Don't- don't fucking do that, Tae." Jeongguk mutters, taking a few seconds to catch his breath. He feels his cheeks burn, eyes closed against the satisfied grin that Taehyung presses to the back of Jeongguk's neck.

"Sorry." He's not sorry. "We're up, what do you want?"

"Fuck-" Jeongguk hadn't even read the damn menu with Taehyung biting at his ear and the way his head spins afterwards. What the actual fuck.

"Dumbass. We'll have three number eight combos, please."

Jeongguk glares at Taehyung over his burger, still reeling a little from having his fucking ear bitten in the middle of the burger shop- and liking it, apparently. Taehyung doesn't seem to notice, bowling through two burgers and half of Jeongguk's fries before remembering the pact he made in middle school to always give Jeongguk half of his food, which results in Taehyung trying to feed Jeongguk his bitten french fries.

"Still up for the bar tonight, Jeon?"

"I need someone better than you in my life, so sure."

"Joke's on you, babe. I'm the best you're ever gonna get."

Taehyung ditches his own birthday party. It's like a ritual by now, after all the years Taehyung's walked out of his parties to sit on the roof with Jeongguk. They start at the party, sometimes swiping a few cans of beers if Taehyung's dad isn't in the room, but after a few hours they always end up on the roof.

This time, Taehyung has enough foresight to bring a blanket. Says they can share like, "a fucking couples goals on Instagram, Jeon."

"Fuck off, Kim. And give me my half, it's cold out."

The moon is full tonight, shining bright over the water tower. The water tower Taehyung fell off of three years ago trying to vandalize it like the damn hoodlum he was. Taehyung looks back on the night fondly.

"Hey, wanna drink? Managed to swipe one beer."

Jeongguk shakes his head, scooting a little closer to Taehyung to share body heat. "I'm good tonight."

"Feeling okay?"

"Went too hard fucking your mom last night."

"Good one." Taehyung takes a long swig of beer and reclines so he's laying on the roof, forcing Jeongguk to follow suit less he lose his part of the blanket. He props his arm behind his head, grumbling a little when Jeongguk jostles his arm enough to rest his own head on. "The moon is so fucking- pretty, dude."

Jeongguk snorts. "You drunk, man?"

"Tipsy. Not tipsy enough to want your mom, though."

"Thank God for that."

Taehyung tries to crush the beer can in his hand, but he's not strong enough, so Jeongguk takes the can and crushes it himself, ignoring the way Taehyung mutters something about his dumbass muscle pic headass of a best friend. The roof is cold but Taehyung's arm is warm beneath Jeongguk's head, and he could fall asleep like that. But he can feel Taehyung's lips near his cheek, near his ear, and he's too aware to try and sleep.

"Question."

"I don't like the sound of that."

"I didn't even say anything!" Taehyung chucks the can off the roof to join the ever-growing pile behind the house. Taehyung's dad keeps telling him to clean them up, he swears he will, and then Saturday morning comes along and there's ten more cans from the drinking game they come up with. "Real question. Do you think your dad is a top or a bottom?"

Jeongguk chokes on his breath, sitting up to aim a punch at Taehyung's stomach. Taehyung laughs through his groan of pain, curling in on himself. "That is disgusting, why would you ask me that? And definitely a top."

"Really? I get the feeling my dad's a bottom."

"Can we- can we not talk about this? Stick to talking about your mom? 'Cause now I'm imagining your dad with fingers up his ass. And I'm staying over tonight."

"It's not that bad."

"What?"

"Fingers in your ass."

Jeongguk is silent, staring at the swing in the backyard and contemplating if he'd survive throwing himself off of this roof. This is not the conversation he wants. He can handle Taehyung giving him unwanted advice on how to properly sleep with girls, or Taehyung coming up with jokes about his mom that would send anyone running, or even Taehyung getting a little too drunk at the bar and trying to convince Jeongguk to kiss him, but now Jeongguk's thinking about fingers up asses and up his dad's ass in particular and he's not drunk or gay enough to keep that line of thought.

"You'd know, right?" Jeongguk says, voice a little tight.

"Yeah. Could show you, if you want."

Jeongguk props his weight on his elbow, leans over Taehyung's body to shove his face into Taehyung's chest. "You know what I really want, hyung?"

Taehyung's voice goes a little breathy. "What?"

"Some of your mom's brownies. Think she'll make me some if I eat her out?"

"Get the fuck off my roof, Jeon-"

But Jeongguk's faster, swinging himself over Taehyung's body to get to the ladder tucked at the side of the house and skipping down the rungs as Taehyung chases him, a little wobbly from his few beers and laughing too loudly for the hour, but it's drowned out by how loud Jeongguk's laughing himself.

Jeongguk's drunk. He's drunk and it's cold out and he hadn't been planning on getting drunk, hence why he's sitting behind the bleachers with a few girls from his math class. He'd finished in the gym a few hours ago but Taehyung was still busy, out doing stupid senior shit like taking his school pictures or sucking dick to pass a class, and Jeongguk's too drunk to properly read the text that says, making up a test I missed bc of your needy ass u dumbass.

"Jeongguk?" One of the girls slides smoothly onto Jeongguk's lap, linking her fingers together behind his neck. She's pretty, lithe and small in Jeongguk's lap, and he thinks he can remember her mentioning that she's a gymnast. She runs her fingers through Jeongguk's hair, and it's nice, he thinks, as he passes his bottle of beer to the girl next to him. "Your hair is so nice, have you ever thought of dyeing it?"

Jeongguk hums, tilts his head back so the girl- he believes her name is Seolhyun- can leave soft kisses at the base of his throat. "What color should I do?"

"Purple. You'd look really sexy with purple hair."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

Jeongguk squeezes her thigh, can feel another girl's hand on his knee as Seolhyun moves her kisses to the corner of his mouth. It's way too fucking cold to be entertaining sex behind the bleachers tonight, but Jeongguk's bored and Seolhyun's skin is soft, so who knows? He's thinking now, letting his mind wander to the most recent of Taehyung's advice, wonders if he should be biting her ear right now or if it would be weird if he asked her to do it to him-

"Guk, you ready to go?" Taehyung's voice breaks through the haze of beer and kisses and Jeongguk breaks away from a kiss to look over his shoulder, at Taehyung leaning against a bleacher with his arms crossed and that stupid look in his eye he gets whenever he's extra proud of Jeongguk. "Aw, am I interrupting something, kiddos? About to get down and dirty behind the bleachers? Been there, done that, and believe me it is not worth the dirt in the unmentionables."

"Tae," Jeongguk lets his head loll against the bleachers, smiling up at his friend. "Taehyung. Taehyung hyung. Dudebro. Done sucking dick for grades?"

"You shithead, I'm going to leave you here."

"No, no- please-" Jeongguk reaches around Seolhyun's body to reach for Taehyung. His stomach is spinning and he wants a burrito. Specifically, he wants Taehyung to feed him a burrito. "Hyung, it's cold."

Taehyung helps Seolhyun off his lap and guides Jeongguk's arm over his shoulders. "Idiot. How'd you even get beer, anyway? We always use my fake."

"Seolhyun brought it. Hyung, the beer tasted like piss." Jeongguk's slurring, his cheek nestled comfortably against Taehyung's shoulder and he likes it. He likes that Taehyung is warm and solid beneath his body, but he'd like it a little more if Taehyung were feeding him some goddam food.

Taehyung snorts. "Don't insult the drinks until you've left, Jeon. Thought I taught you that already."

Taehyung leads them away from the bleachers toward the parking lot, the sun hanging low in the sky behind them. Jeongguk hates winter. He likes Taehyung's birthday because his mom will sometimes buy Jeongguk a gift, too, but he still hates winter. He tells this to Taehyung, tripping on his own feet in the lot.

"You ass," Taehyung reaches into Jeongguk's jacket's pocket for his keys. When the fuck did he put them in there. "You only like me for the things my parents give you."

"Your mom gave me her virginity."

"Doesn't even make any sense-"

Taehyung helps Jeongguk into the car with a hand on the top of his head, fights with Jeongguk when he tries to crawl right back out of the car. It takes a good few minutes to get Jeongguk's seatbelt buckled before he's crossing to the other side of the car. "Night's still young, Jeon. Whaddaya want to do?"

"Burritos?"

"Only if you take shots."

"But hyuuuuuuung."

Jeongguk swats weakly at Taehyung's arm as he drives to one of the bars in town that doesn't know them very well. Taehyung got him a fake made early last year, but they always order with Taehyung's since, in Jeongguk's words, he looks like an old fuck anyway.

They don't stop for burritos but they do stop for McDonald's, Taehyung threatening to throw Jeongguk out of the car if he doesn't stop throwing fries at Taehyung's face while he drives. And the bar is pretty busy tonight, Taehyung taking a few minutes to find them an empty spot right at the end of the bar. Jeongguk's head isn't spinning anymore, and he eagerly downs the first round of shots that Taehyung orders.

"It was my night to drink, by the way," Taehyung says, sipping on his only drink. He ordered Jeongguk a Sex On The Beach because he's a goddam riot, apparently. "Which means you're driving the next two Fridays."

"I can't drive."

"Yes you can, idiot."

Jeongguk gets loose-lipped as hell when he drinks, something that he absolutely despises but amuses the hell out of Taehyung. One too many times Jeongguk has woken up in Taehyung's bathroom or in the back of his car to Taehyung giggling at the videos he recorded the night before. Taehyung's personal favorite? The one where Jeongguk tries to pick up his first year literature teacher by offering to eat her ass. They can't go back to that bar, but Taehyung says it was absolutely worth it.

Tonight, Jeongguk's head is clearing from the beers but now he's got vodka and rum settling in his stomach and he's leaning across the bar top to get the bartender's attention- or anyone's attention, really. Except for Taehyung's. He hasn't gotten laid in a while and the last thing he needs is Taehyung being a cockblock. Jeongguk likes attention a lot, especially when it leads to getting his dick sucked.

"Bartender- dude, my pal," Jeongguk's slurring, trying very hard to hold his weight up. He can't even tell if he's got the bartender's attention, but Jeongguk's pretty and he's young- he's got to have everyone's attention by now. "You- you've got some nice fingers, man. Can I put them in my mouth, like? Can I suck on them-?"

"And, you're done for the night, Guk." Taehyung curls his fingers into the back of Jeongguk's jacket, brushing against his sweaty nape and making Jeongguk shiver. Damn. Taehyung has nice fingers, too. "Time to take you back to your mom."

Jeongguk trips getting out of his seat, and it's so fucking hilarious to him that they don't even get out of the building for another ten minutes, within that time the full depth of Taehyung's threat hits him. "Don't- don't fucking take me home, you prick. Mom'll, my mom will kill me if I come home like this. And then you, since you got me like this." Jeongguk's slurring bad as shit, but at least it seems like Taehyung can understand him.

"Relax, you big baby. We're going back to my place. My parents are out of town for the weekend, so we can nurse your dumb ass self back to health."

"Hyung?" Jeongguk is quiet until he gets into the car. He wonders if he's going to puke. Taehyung makes a sound of acknowledgement as he starts up the engine. "Hyung, can we watch Cupcake Wars?"

"Fuck yeah, we can. Want anything to eat?"

"No, fuck off. M'gonna be sick."

"Not in my car, you dickhole. Puke and you're cleaning it with your toothbrush."

"Shut up, your voice is making everything worse."

Jeongguk's a goddam mess to get into Taehyung's house, giggling at every word he slurs and every sound he hears. He hides his face in Taehyung's neck, might bite at Taehyung's collarbones a few times just because Taehyung flicks him for it every time. Getting up the steps to Taehyung's bedroom is a miracle, taking a quick pitstop to the bathroom so Jeongguk can vomit. He feels better after this, asks Taehyung if they can go pick up girls at a club, and Taehyung promises that they can do that in the morning.

"You sleeping naked tonight?" Taehyung asks, all but shoving Jeongguk onto his bed. "Or do you want pants, because I swear Guk next time you wake up hard I will touch your dick."

"That a promise?" Still, Jeongguk yanks on the sweatpants that Taehyung offers, whining high in his throat until Taehyung remembers to turn on the TV. Fuck, now Jeongguk wants cupcakes. "Hyung, can I suck your dick?"

"When your mouth doesn't taste like vomit and Crest, sure."

"Really?"

"Yeah, why not?"

Jeongguk makes an unhappy noise when Taehyung settles himself on the other side of the bed, scooting along under the covers until he can fit his chest against Taehyung's back and wrap his arms tight around Taehyung's frame with a content little sigh. "G'night, hyung."

Taehyung tugs the blankets over their bodies. "Why the hell do you always get to be big spoon? You can't even see the stupid cupcakes."

"I'm big spoon because I'm always big spoon."

"Why, because you've got more muscles than me? You and your dumb heteronormative bullshit-"

"Because your room's a damn icebox."

Taehyung yanks his pillow closer, dislodging Jeongguk's face. Jeongguk doesn't care, his nose smushed into the mattress. "Told you the heat was broken in here, but you never listen."

It's quiet for a few minutes, in which Jeongguk almost falls asleep but there's something nagging at the corner of his mind, a question and a request that his sober mind runs from everyday. Stupid Taehyung and his stupid face and his stupid affinity for getting Jeongguk into trouble with his own stupid emotions.

"Hyung?"

"Go to sleep, Gukie."

"Hyung, can you- can you maybe, bite. My ear. Again?"

Taehyung tenses in his hold, but Jeongguk can hear the smile in his voice when he speaks again. "You liked that? Damn, caught myself a kinky one. I'll remember this."

"Fuck off."

"Can't reach your ear at this angle, babe. Could if you let me be big spoon-"

"No, fuck off. I'm warm."

He doesn't say anything, laughing quietly and snuggling even deeper into Jeongguk's embrace. Taehyung goes so far as to link his fingers with Jeongguk's against his stomach, and Jeongguk passes out before he can see who wins Cupcake Wars.

"Hey, dude. Answer a question for me." Taehyung sits himself on Jeongguk's bed with a yearbook in his lap, opened to a page from his year. He points to one of the boys, a very serious wrinkle to his forehead. "Would you suck this guy's dick?"

Jeongguk gives him a wounded look. "Hyung. Why."

"Because I sucked his dick and I'm trying to decide if it was a mistake."

"Uh." Jeongguk really looks at the guy. Nice face, strong jaw, good hair. "Yeah, I guess? Why'd you suck him off if you weren't sure?"

"He offered to buy me weed."

"Isn't that prostitution? And you don't even smoke, hyung."

Taehyung grins, salacious. "I don't, but the middle school kids across town don't know the proper prices of drugs yet."

"Brutal."

"Mhm."

Taehyung flips through the pages of the yearbook, snorting at every picture of Jeongguk- which are all just of him trying to avoid the camera. There's a shot of his ass from when Taehyung got him drunk before a soccer game and convinced him to moon the field, but other than that the only full picture of Jeongguk is his official class one, with his hair done up all nice at his mom's insistence.

Taehyung said he looked like a mama's boy. Jeongguk had punched him so hard the bruise stayed on his stomach for an entire day.

Jeongguk's working on his pre-calculus homework, scowling at all of the letters that have replaced numbers. You never truly appreciate numbers until there aren't any in math.

Except now he can't focus. He can't focus because he's thinking about what Taehyung said, about just sucking some guy's dick just because, not thinking it through beforehand. Jeongguk's been with girls without a second thought, but staring at the veins on the back of Taehyung's palm, he's starting to wonder just how different it is with boys.

"Hyung?"

"Yeah?"

"What's it like to be fucked?"

Taehyung chokes on his drink, stares at Jeongguk with wide eyes. Jeongguk breaks eye contact first, looking away with flushed cheeks and furiously finishing a math problem. He gets it wrong. God dammit.

"You really wanna know?" Taehyung asks, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. "Like- what makes you think I've even-"

"You texted me after, hyung. Your exact words were, 'guess which bad bitch just got dicked down that's right this dude.'"

"Got me there." Taehyung leans back, resting his weight on his propped elbows. "Well, it's different. From fucking someone, obviously. Like, gives you a good perspective on how to fuck, y'know? You realize what feels good and wonder why a girl ever let you inside of her."

Jeongguk giggles. "Really, hyung?"

"Not kidding, Jeon. There's- there's a lot you wouldn't understand without feeling it yourself, you know?" Taehyung's staring at the ceiling, his cheeks a little red, and Jeongguk's wondering if he should have left this conversation for when they're both four beers in. "I could- I could show you, if you want?"

Jeongguk falters, glancing up from his homework. "You sure?"

"If it's what you want, Guk."

Taehyung carefully takes Jeongguk's books from him and then throws them on the floor, grinning wickedly at the glare Jeongguk sends his way. He sits cross-legged in front of Jeongguk, who mirrors the pose.

He feels squirmy and a little giddy and exponentially glad that his parents are out to dinner for a couple of hours. "Do we kiss?"

Taehyung shrugs. "We could kiss. We've kissed before."

"We were drunk."

"Doesn't change anything."

"Is it weird if we kiss?"

"It'll be weird no matter what, Jeon."

"Hm." Jeongguk shrugs off his hoodie, just for something to do. He's heard it's supposed to hurt, and now that the offer's sitting on the table he just wants to get this over with, wants to see if there's anything to this or not. "You can kiss me."

Taehyung snorts. "Thanks for the permission. Now take your pants off."

Jeongguk does, watches from the corner of his eye as Taehyung strips as well. It's weird, he decides, falling onto his back so Taehyung can hover over him. It's weird, but then Taehyung's leaning down to drag his lips across Jeongguk's throat and Jeongguk's forgetting to feel weird. He doesn't know what to do with his hands, settles for placing them on Taehyung's hips as Taehyung bites down softly on Jeongguk's ear, his hips kicking up.

"Hyung-"

"Damn, you really do like that. Bet I can get you to come just from that someday."

"God- shut up."

Taehyung kisses him, then, pressing his lips gently against Jeongguk's and then with a little more purpose. One of his hands leaves the bed to grip Jeongguk's waist, feeling small beneath Taehyung's wide palm, and then strokes down to Jeongguk's thighs, spread to accommodate Taehyung's body.

"You done anything before?" Taehyung asks, breaking the kiss to look at Jeongguk. "Like, fingers or anything?"

"Y-yeah."

"S'cute."

"Fuck off."

"What? I said it's cute." Taehyung leans over his body to rifle through the bedside table and grab the lube and some condoms, grinning at the way Jeongguk flushes. "You're so predictable."

Jeongguk doesn't say anything, holding his weight up as Taehyung kisses down his body, sucking a violent hickey into the skin of his thigh and Jeongguk's fucking embarrassed to say he's already getting hard just from anticipation and from having Taehyung's mouth so fucking close to his dick.

Then, Taehyung licks up the underside of Jeongguk's cock and Jeongguk bites his fist to hold back the desperate little moan that threatens to spill from his lips. It's not his fault, really it isn't, but Taehyung's so fucking good with his mouth, taking Jeongguk's cock between his lips with little effort like he was made for sucking dick. If his head weren't spinning something fierce Jeongguk would make a comment about finding Taehyung's calling in life, but as it is Taehyung's trying to suck his soul out of his dick and Jeongguk can't do anything but hang on for the ride.

Taehyung keeps going until Jeongguk's dick is painfully hard and leaking red at the tip and he's muttering about being close, keeps a hand on Jeongguk's dick when he pulls off.

"I'm not gonna lie, Guk. This might feel kinda weird, so I won't be offended if you go soft on me." Taehyung says, stroking his fingers along Jeongguk's length. "Just try to relax for me."

Jeongguk tries, but his entire body tenses at the first press of Taehyung's slick finger to his hole. Taehyung hushes his confused whimper with a kiss to his hip, pushing his finger into Jeongguk's ass with care. He waits until Jeongguk thinks he's good to add another, moving both fingers slowly so the stretch doesn't hurt Jeongguk.

"Damn," Taehyung says, watching his fingers scissor inside of Jeongguk. "You this quiet with all your partners?"

"Fuck- fuck off. M'not moaning for you."

"No?" Taehyung looks genuinely disappointed. "It's fine, you know. Submission. Really fucking hot, actually. I bet submission looks gorgeous on you."

Jeongguk snorts, flopping onto his back and letting his sweaty hair fall into his eyes. "Sure. Whatever. You can add another."

Taehyung does, taking this one much slower than the last two. "Would now be a good time to mention that it'd probably be easier if you were on your hands and knees?"

"You're such a piece of shit, Kim-"

"Yeah, yeah you rue the day you ever met me even though I'm about to blow your tiny mind. Heard it all before." Taehyung crooks his fingers, hitting a spot inside of Jeongguk that has his back bowing and his eyes screwing shut in pleasure. "Prostate. Good to play with, super fun to cum by. Kinda similar to the g-spot in girls, play with 'em, Jeon. Makes your partners super happy. Moan for me, dumbass."

"Can you just-" Taehyung presses his fingers back into his prostate and Jeongguk shivers, mind going blank for a hot minute. "Get on with it. Hyung. Tae."

"God, so impatient." But he listens, dragging his fingers out and making Jeongguk squirm at the odd emptiness as he wipes his fingers on Jeongguk's sheets. Taehyung reaches for a condom, rolling it over his length with practiced ease. He strokes lube onto his cock, watching Jeongguk carefully. "Probably feel better if you're on your knees, if I'm being honest. But then you won't get to see my beautiful face."

Jeongguk snorts, rolling onto his front without a word. "Don't wanna see you anyway, Kim. That's fucking gay."

"Real fucking gay."

Taehyung lines himself at Jeongguk's back, squeezing reassuringly at his hip. "I won't be offended if you don't come, but believe me when I say I'll haunt your stupid ass if you don't moan for me."

Arousal and anticipation sit heavily in Jeongguk's stomach, the lube cooling uncomfortably on his inner thighs as he rests his weight on his forearms. "Whatever, hyung. Just- go."

Taehyung pushes in too slowly, Jeongguk's back arching in an odd mix of pain and pleasure as he's filled for the first time. It's entirely different from his fingers, and yeah, he'll admit that Taehyung was right. It's so, completely different from fucking someone and Jeongguk almost feels like he's being sliced in half as Taehyung finally fucking bottoms out- there's no fucking way Taehyung is this big. Jeongguk's seen him naked and it was nothing like this. Granted, it was years ago and Jeongguk ran out of the bathroom with his hands over his eyes, but still.

"Sh-shit," Taehyung hisses, rests his forehead against Jeongguk's spine. "You're so fucking tight, Jeon, holy fuck."

Jeongguk shifts, unsure whether the discomfort has bled into pleasure yet, but he waits until his body gets used to the intrusion to say, "You can move, Tae."

Taehyung takes it slow, pulling out almost entirely before thrusting back into Jeongguk, and soon Jeongguk's meeting his thrusts, and Taehyung lets himself go just a little bit, his pace increasing and his breaths heavy against Jeongguk's ear.

"Fucking- moan, Jeon." Taehyung groans, not quite a moan of his own and Jeongguk shakes his head. He wants Taehyung to break first, to be the one to moan first, because Jeongguk doesn't fucking submit. At least not before his shithead of a best friend. "Come on, baby, doesn't it feel good?"

"Yeah," Jeongguk breathes, body shaking. "Feels real good, hyung."

Taehyung leans even closer, draping his body over Jeongguk’s to kiss along his neck, press a quick peck to Jeongguk's cheek before he bites at Jeongguk's ear, toying his piercings with his tongue and Jeongguk breaks, a loud, high pitched moan slipping from between his lips before he can think to stop it.

Taehyung pauses from behind him, and Jeongguk knows he's fucking blown it now. "Yeah?" Taehyung whispers, too deep and too good against Jeongguk's ear. "Sound so sexy, babe." The guy fucking does it again, tugging Jeongguk's ear between his lips to play with and Jeongguk can't hold back his desperate noises, crying out against the pillow with his entire body shaking. "M'not gonna last, Jeon."

"I-I'm really close, Tae," Jeongguk whines, throwing his abandon out the window. He doesn't fucking care right now; he just wants to come. "T-touch me?"

Taehyung does, jerking Jeongguk's cock with his fist until Jeongguk tenses and comes all over the sheets with a strangled groan of Taehyung's name. Taehyung's not far behind, thrusting a few more times into Jeongguk before he stills, buried deep within Jeongguk's ass and coming hard into the condom.

Jeongguk immediately slumps but Taehyung catches him before he can fall into the wet spot, laying him onto his back. He watches as Taehyung ties off the condom and tosses it in the trash, cringing when he thinks about explaining that to his parents if he forgers to take out the trash later. Then, Taehyung grabs a shirt from the floor to wipe the come off his hand and off Jeongguk's belly, humming a little as he goes.

"Sleepy?" Taehyung asks, tapping Jeongguk's hip to get him to move out of the way so he can turn down the sheets. "You'll probably be sore in the morning, but you did good."

Something in Jeongguk's belly lights up at that. "Thanks. You were right, though. Feels way different."

"Yeah, but you did really good bottoming. Most people bitch more, but not you. Should practice, though. I bet you'd look hot riding someone."

"Ugh."

Taehyung grabs one of Jeongguk's hoodies and tugs it on, slipping into bed behind Jeongguk. Jeongguk immediately goes to snuggle against Taehyung's back, but he's stopped with a hand on his shoulder and with Taehyung trying to wrap him in his arms. But Jeongguk's nothing if he's not stubborn, and he fights to be the bigger spoon, cursing and threatening to shove his foot up Taehyung's ass.

"Dude- fuck, quit trying to kick me! You're little spoon tonight, you fucker-"

"Why?" Jeongguk squirms back out of Taehyung's hold, thinking he's got the upper hand, and then Taehyung punches him in the stomach. "Because I bottomed? Who's a heteronormative piece of shit now-?"

"No, shut up-"

Taehyung finally wrestles Jeongguk back onto the bed, throws his leg over both of Jeongguk's and both arms around Jeongguk's body to hold him down. Jeongguk tries to throw him off for another minute before giving up, letting his entire body relax as that first wave of soreness hits him and he realizes, in that very second, that he's never felt more comfortable in bed before.

"What the fuck-" Jeongguk mumbles to himself, curving his body to better fit against Taehyung's chest. "This is fucking- wonderful. Why doesn't everyone be little spoon all of the time?"

Taehyung laughs quietly and loosens his hold a little to stroke his fingers along Jeongguk's arm. Then he goes right back to trying to strangle Jeongguk to death, nosing at the nape of his neck. "Even number of people. Someone's got to make the sacrifice."

"You're holding me like this every night."

"What the fuck- no. I want to be held sometimes."

"So find yourself a girl."

"You're insufferable." Taehyung leans close to nip at Jeongguk's ear and laughs at the way Jeongguk's body jerks in his hold. "I am so, so, happy that I know to do that. You've no idea how hot it is to have someone's pleasure depends entirely on you."

Jeongguk yawns, reaching onto the floor for the remote to turn on the TV. It's some old movie, but the noise is nice in the dim lights of his bedroom. That's all of the mobility Jeongguk gets before Taehyung's holding him tight again- for what reason Jeongguk doesn't know. He's not trying to get away anymore. "I'll use this knowledge wisely, hyung. Maybe on Seolhyun. She's been calling."

"Yeah? She tried to use teeth when she blew me, so be careful."

Jeongguk frowns. "Really? She didn't use any teeth when she blew me outside the school."

"Hm. Must've learned from her mistake with me."

"Because we all know sex with you is a mistake."

Taehyung grins his infuriating grin against Jeongguk's neck. "That's not what you were saying when you moaned my name."

"I fucking hate you-"

"I'm serious, though, Jeon. If you want to get better at this, you know where to find me."

"I appreciate that. Now shut the fuck up, I'm trying to sleep."

Jeongguk avoids Taehyung for an entire week after they fuck, ducking away from him in the hallways and pretending he isn't home even though Taehyung can see into his room from across the street. Only if he uses binoculars, though, which he uses sometimes because, "You look hot when you get naked how the fuck is that my problem?"

Jeongguk doesn't regret fucking Taehyung, even uses the new knowledge it gives him with a boy in his physical education class a few days later- a conquest he goes to tell Taehyung about before remembering he's being a fucking dumbass.

He doesn't regret fucking Taehyung, but he's hiding because he kind of wants to do it again. Taehyung's dick is fucking huge and knows how to use his body, and Jeongguk liked being taken care of that evening, liked that he was... good for Taehyung.

So he hides and avoids the situation, naturally.

That is, until Taehyung shows up at his door with special brownies and a case of beer, walking right passed Jeongguk and into the basement and declaring, "This is stupid. So I've had my dick in your ass. Doesn't change anything, Jeon. Now get down here and get high as a fucking kite with me."

With the warming of the weather comes an unpleasant reminder that Taehyung's graduating soon, and that for all of the shit Jeongguk talks, he really is dreading the day Taehyung gets his diploma and leaves this shitty town. So instead of dealing with his problems rationally, he sneaks a six-pack from the garage and climbs onto the old water tower. It's illegal. Jeongguk doesn't care.

His phone's been ringing for the last few hours, Taehyung texting him asking to meet up, asking why he's not in his house, threatening to jerk it in Jeongguk's bed if he doesn't answer. The usual.

But Jeongguk can't bring himself to answer. Because they haven't talked about what happens after high school, and Taehyung can be scarily serious when he wants to be, but he never really wants to be. And Jeongguk doesn't want to put a damper on their long weekend. So he'll get drunk alone and maybe call up someone to fuck if he gets lonely enough, and try his damnedest not to fall off the water tower.

"There you are, you dickhole."

Jeongguk doesn't lower the can he's drinking from, watching from the corner of his eye as Taehyung climbs to join him, sitting at his side in the fading light. He takes one of the beers without asking and pops the cap with practiced ease.

"How'd you find me?"

"You always talk about jumping from here when you're hammered." Taehyung rolls the can between his palms. "Not in like, the dying kind of way. But in the wishing you could fly kind of way."

"Oh."

"Plus we hang out here all the time, idiot. At least pick a better hiding spot next time." At Jeongguk's noncommittal grunt Taehyung frowns, facing him properly. "Why are you hiding, anyway?"

"Walked out after fucking your mom last night. Thought it would be awkward."

"Oh, thank God. I walked out on your mom last night."

"We need new jokes."

"No, we need new moms to fuck."

"Stay away from my mom, Kim."

Taehyung laughs, quietly, and knocks his shoulder against Jeongguk's. "What's got you down in the dumps, buttercup?" But Jeongguk doesn't answer. Because he doesn't like fucking with his feelings and he especially doesn't like fucking with them with Taehyung around, not when their latest fuck is still fresh in his mind. Taehyung taught him to eat ass, and Jeongguk's still fucking embarrassed as shit.

Not to mention the spanking thing that Jeongguk still adamantly refuses to talk about.

"Nothing."

"Liar."

"Tae-"

"Is it graduation?" Taehyung asks very softly.

Jeongguk curls his shoulders, wishing he could disappear within himself so he doesn't have to have this conversation. Taehyung stares at him, his expression fond and knowing and Jeongguk nods carefully. "I just- you're going to be leaving me and I haven't been without you since we were kids. I know it's stupid. It's only a couple of years and technology is amazing and can keep us close but who am I supposed to go to if my hookup sucks? It's too late to find someone else to jerk me off in the bathroom of the diner when my date sucks at giving head-"

"Woah, woah, Gukie. Slow down." Taehyung wraps his arm around Jeongguk's shoulder, drawing him into Taehyung's space. Jeongguk immediately shuts the hell up. This is why he doesn't fucking talk about it, because as soon as he starts everything comes rushing up. "Graduation is still months away, Jeon. And I'm- I'm not planning on leaving right away."

Jeongguk jerks out of Taehyung's hold, nearly sends himself toppling off the tower if not for Taehyung's grip on his bicep. "You're not?"

"Nah. Not really interested in college, anyway. Figured I'll go to a small school nearby and stay in town, at least until you're done with high school. Or we get run out of town." Taehyung takes another long drink of his beer before throwing the can off the tower. "Whichever comes first."

"You think we'll get run out?"

"Hopefully with pitchforks."

"Fuckin' weirdo."

Taehyung nuzzles his nose against Jeongguk's hair and Jeongguk finds himself smiling in content. Call him clingy and stupid but he likes having Taehyung with him. And if Taehyung does leave town before him, Jeongguk doesn't think it's far off to assume they'll end up at each other's sides again soon after.

"Your weirdo," Taehyung says, kissing lightly at Jeongguk's ear.

"Stop- fucking doing that, Tae."

"Aw," Taehyung whines, pouting. "But you like it."

"Doesn't mean you have to keep doing it."

"Whatever, you bitch. What do you say we head to the bar? It's ladies night, and if you're still sad in a few hours I'll touch your dick as much as you want."

Jeongguk snorts, indulging himself for a minute to nose along the hollow of Taehyung's throat. "So considerate, hyung."

"You know it." Taehyung stands, reaching for the blanket he'd left here years ago and tosses it over the last few beers. They'll probably be back here tomorrow, anyway. Couple of small town burnouts like them, they don't have much else to do. "Come on, Gukie."

Jeongguk smiles as he climbs down the ladder, hiding it from Taehyung. They have time together, which means he can still learn a bunch of shit from Taehyung, can still climb into Taehyung's bedroom through the window when his own room is a little too lonely. Maybe they'll fuckin' run away to the other side of the country after Jeongguk graduates or some shit, get lost in the big city where no one knows their names. But they don't have to think about that now.

Now, their only concern is which one of them gets to get hammered tonight and who's sorry ass has to drive home.

It's always funny when Taehyung gets drunk. Because if Jeongguk spits words like rain, Taehyung makes friends and spills more secrets than anyone can count. It's his turn tonight to get drunk after his last final for the year. Jeongguk still has two more before the end of the year, and had suggested sex as a celebration so he wouldn't have to work very hard, but Taehyung shot that idea down by blowing him outside the bar before he could even realize he was hard.

"Jeon," Taehyung leans most of his weight on Jeongguk, who's sitting at one of the small tables at the bar with him, drinking idly at his Coke. "Jeon. My favorite bitch in the world. A sexy bitch."

Jeongguk feels himself blush, hates it when Taehyung calls him sexy or hot because he really doesn't hate it at all. He likes it. Especially when Taehyung's got his fingers crooked against Jeongguk's prostate and is whispering that Jeongguk looks so good all strung out for me. Another thing he refuses to talk about- the praise.

"What, Taehyung?"

"See that girl? With the blonde hair by the bar?"

There are a lot of blonde girls by the bar. "Yeah. What about her?"

"Greatest tits to fuck. Like. Ever."

"Jesus." Taehyung wobbles in his seat. Jeongguk settles him with a finger curled in his belt loop. He's not trying very hard. It's always funny when Taehyung falls out of his chair. "Didn't need to know that, dude."

"I'm saying it for your advantage. Go get her. She likes younger dudes."

"Shut up before she hears you."

But Taehyung doesn't fucking shut up when he's drunk. He's naturally loud and energetic, has gotten in a lot of trouble more than a few times for screaming to get Jeongguk's attention in the middle of school assemblies, but it's even worse after he's had a few rum and cokes. He loses his filter, then, and his sober filter is shitty enough already. "I want to suck your dick."

Jeongguk doesn't even flinch. "Already did that, dumbass."

"So? You're young, your libido has to be better than this."

"You're one to talk. I made you come twice and you fucking passed out in my bathroom."

"Your floor is fucking comfortable, you dick warmer."

Taehyung manages to stand up, hobbling over to the bar to order another drink. A girl Jeongguk recognizes from school catches his eye, grins as she looks Jeongguk over from head to toe. He has to drive Taehyung home from the bar tonight, but there's nothing in the bro code that says Taehyung has to be the one he cuddles to sleep tonight.

Jeongguk waves the girl over just as Taehyung gets his next drink and slams his fist onto the top of the bar. "See that boy over there," Taehyung's saying, pointing at Jeongguk with a shaky finger. He's captured the attention of both bartenders and everyone who's sitting nearby, enraptured because Taehyung's fucking gorgeous with a flush sitting high on his cheeks and his long body leaning elegantly against the bar. "That boy- he's so good at eating ass. Says he won't but holy shit he's got a magical tongue. Eats ass like- like the last fucking supper, my dude. My good boy Gukie."

It's not news to Jeongguk. Since he fucking moaned for Taehyung the first time Taehyung's gotten even more vocal, spitting occasional praise that only makes Jeongguk work harder. But only sometimes, because Taehyung wants Jeongguk to beg to be called a good boy and Jeongguk still has his pride, thank you very much.

That doesn't mean he wants Taehyung announcing this fact to everyone in this very packed bar.

Jeongguk jumps out of his seat and slaps his hand over Taehyung's mouth. He tries to look stern but Taehyung's giggling and swaying, grasping at Jeongguk's hips to pull him close and then he's kissing at Jeongguk's neck, wet and sloppy and full of giggles.

"Quit it," Jeongguk mutters, reaching around Taehyung's body to pay the tab. He thinks the car keys are in his pocket. "You're the reason we're running out of bars to go to."

"Wanna fuck you, Gukie," Taehyung's saying against his skin. It's a bitch to get Taehyung out of the bar and they forget Taehyung's jacket inside but it's fucking summer anyway. Taehyung only wore the ugly thing for the aesthetic because he's a piece of shit. "Fuck you 'till you're screaming."

"No drunk sex, remember?"

Taehyung makes unhappy noises while Jeongguk shoves him into the passenger seat, whining, "But why?"

"Your rule. Plus I'm not sure you'll stay awake and I don't do blackout hookups."

"Lower your standards, babe." Taehyung keeps swatting at Jeongguk's face while he drives, slumped against the window and reaching with his long arms to try and poke Jeongguk's eye out. "This is why I get more dick."

"You're also gayer."

"Whatever helps you sleep at night."

Taehyung's quiet for a while, fiddling with the radio and giggling every damn time he changes a channel. Jeongguk contemplates leaving him propped against his front door to be dealt with in the morning but Taehyung doesn't give him a chance, latching onto Jeongguk's back the second Jeongguk gets him out of the car. He snuggles against Jeongguk's neck and doesn't let go even as they hobble down the stairs to the basement.

"Dude." Jeongguk's in the process of getting Taehyung's shoes off when Taehyung sits straight up, staring at him very seriously with rum darkened eyes. "You've got a nice fucking dick. Like. Real nice. For a kinda straight dude."

"Thanks." Jeongguk tries to hide his grin, knows it's unnecessary anyway because Taehyung won't remember any of this in the morning, anyway. But there's something really nice about complements from Taehyung, about being told his thighs look extra firm today or that his ass has never looked nicer. Or when Taehyung calls him sexy in the locker room before physical education just to see him blush surrounded by the other guys they both know can't hold a candle to the sex they get from each other. "Now go the fuck to sleep."

"Cuddle me."

"No, fuck you. Cuddle me."

"I'll fucking jerk off in your sock, Jeon, don't test me."

Jeongguk gives in, of course. He's so fucking bad at saying no to Taehyung and Taehyung knows it, grins all victoriously when Jeongguk climbs petulantly into bed behind him and draws him against his chest. One day he'll stop entertaining Taehyung's weird cuddling addiction, but today is not that day.

Graduation comes and goes and like real tried and true bums, Taehyung and Jeongguk sit in Jeongguk's basement with a few friends from school. The obligatory graduation dinners are finally over, and there are too many pictures on their mother's cameras of Jeongguk wearing Taehyung's cap while they pose but the food was good and the beer and Pizza Rolls are even better.

Taehyung's the one who suggests spin the bottle, sitting between a boy from Jeongguk's class named Yugyeom and a girl he graduated with. There's a girl on Jeongguk's lap and he can't remember how she got there, so when the bottle lands on Jeongguk he presses a quick kiss to her mouth.

The beer is warm and the music is good. Someone brings Soju and pulls out a yearbook to laugh at and Taehyung's got his tongue down Seulgi's throat after another round of spinning a bottle.

"Okay, okay," Kihyun's laughing after the game slows down a little bit. It takes another minute for Taehyung to break away from Seulgi's neck, but that's okay too. "New game. Taehyung. Fondest high school memory?"

Taehyung answers without pause, "First time Jeon let me fuck him in the locker room."

Jeongguk throws his bottle at Taehyung's head, misses because he's a little tipsy. "Dickhole. He's kidding."

"So that rumor was true?" Seulgi asks and Jeongguk could cry because now that Taehyung's done he has to deal with these rumors on his own. His way of dealing has worked out pretty well, though. He just fucking ignores them.

"Don't fucking say anything, Kim."

"Or what? Suck my dick, Jeon."

"Give me a time and place, asshole."

"Jesus," Yugyeom says, leaning back with a brownie hanging out of his teeth. "You two really are somethin'."

The music's still good and the beer's still being passed around but Taehyung's grinning at Jeongguk over Seulgi's shoulder as she recalls her favorite high school memory, something about cheering for the basketball team and now Jeongguk's feeling a little guilty because he plays basketball and he never noticed her there.

And it goes like that, talking about fond high school memories and Taehyung interrupting almost every story to add a Jeongguk anecdote- which usually only occurs because Taehyung gets him drunk in the first place. A lot of Jeongguk's misfortune can be credited to taking beers from Taehyung. It goes like that until it gets to be Jeongguk's turn and he snaps, "Quit fucking looking at me like that, Taehyung."

"Or what, Jeon? You're all bark and no bite."

Jeongguk will fucking show him bite. "Bathroom. Five minutes."

Everyone's laughing, used to Jeongguk and Taehyung trying to one-up each other in the hallways and always threatening each other with hollow insults. Everyone's laughing until Jeongguk all but knocks the girl off his lap to go to the bathroom and five minutes later Taehyung is whispering something to Seulgi and following Jeongguk into the bathroom, and then no one's laughing anymore when someone's moans are bouncing through the room.

If someone were to ask, they'd say Jeongguk was an idiot. Not for any real reason, mostly just because everyone's a fucking idiot and Jeongguk's no exception. But now he's an idiot because he fucked up during his practice, couldn't focus on the plays and missed a lot of easy passes. He's in the running for captain of the basketball team next year but if he keeps slipping up like the last couple of days the he can kiss that position goodbye.

Jeongguk walks home in the hot summer afternoon, basketball bag slung over his shoulders and stares at his shoes as he walks. He usually calls Taehyung for a ride, knows his friend has nothing better to do while he's preparing to move into an apartment across town, but Jeongguk doesn't fucking want to feel even more like a bother.

Still. He's a creature of habit and even as his head hangs he still walks right through Taehyung's front door instead of his own. Taehyung's mom isn't home but there's fresh brownies cooling in the kitchen and Jeongguk eats three before he heads upstairs where he knows Taehyung will be.

"Guk?" Taehyung looks up in surprise when Jeongguk comes barreling into his room, tossing his backpack to the corner and kicking off his Timberlands. Taehyung’s lying across his bed, flipping through a book, and something in Jeongguk seems to break in that very moment. "Done with practice? Why didn't you call?"

Jeongguk doesn't answer because he doesn't have an answer. He crawls quickly into bed and kisses Taehyung hard enough to bruise, biting Taehyung’s lips to get to his tongue. Taehyung makes an affronted noise but takes it in stride, kissing Jeongguk back just as hard as Jeongguk lowers his weight onto Taehyung’s lap on the bed.

"What," Taehyung gasps, hissing at the sting of Jeongguk's teeth on the hollow of his throat. "What happened?"

"Don't wanna talk." Jeongguk mutters, grabbing one of Taehyung's hands from his thigh and pressing it against his crotch. "Fuck me, hyung."

And if Jeongguk's weak for Taehyung then it's the exact same for Taehyung. Taehyung grips him hard at his thighs and flips their positions, grinding down against Jeongguk's length as he licks into Jeongguk's mouth. Jeongguk wraps his legs around Taehyung's waist and it's good, enough pleasure for Jeongguk to get lost in, throwing his head back and letting Taehyung have access to all of him, but it isn't enough.

Taehyung can read him like a book by this point, knows when Jeongguk's whine is one of impatience. He pulls back to tug Jeongguk's damp, sweaty shirt off, follows it with his own clothes until they're both naked and a little desperate, Taehyung sucking violent hickeys in a row along Jeongguk's throat. Taehyung keeps his lube in the side dresser because he's just as predictable and annoying as Jeongguk is, his finger slick when he rubs around Jeongguk's hole.

"Fuck, you sound so pretty, Guk." And maybe it's the circumstance, but Taehyung seems to know exactly what Jeongguk needs, whispering little complements and praises to the skin of Jeongguk's cheek.

There's an unrestrained frustration to this round, Jeongguk realizes. His nails scrape harshly down Taehyung's back and Taehyung doesn't wait as long as he usually does between one and two fingers. Jeongguk doesn't mind. He wants more.

"Harder, Tae." Jeongguk spits, grinding down onto Taehyung's fingers. Taehyung crooks them against Jeongguk's prostate in retaliation, grinning wickedly at the way Jeongguk's back bows and he groans out Taehyung's name. "Fuck- fuck me like you mean it, you dick- oh, do that again."

Taehyung likes to complain that Jeongguk's too mouthy in bed but he doesn't complain when he's got three fingers buried in Jeongguk's ass, thrusting them in a little too fast but Jeongguk's still asking for more, clinging to Taehyung's shoulders.

Jeongguk moans when Taehyung leans down to take his dick into his mouth, sucking his length between his lips easily. Jeongguk's almost fucking insulted at how easily sucking dick comes to Taehyung, but Taehyung shares his secrets, so he doesn't care that much.

It's too good, Jeongguk thinks, squirming against the hand Taehyung has on his hip to keep him in place. He tries to buck into Taehyung's mouth, which only earns another jab against his prostate and he cries out, hands curled into Taehyung's hair. It's all too good and Jeongguk's body is shaking, his orgasm looming over his head because Taehyung's always been good at making Jeongguk come too fast, especially when he does way too much.

"C-close," Jeongguk whimpers, the word cutting off into another moan. Taehyung and his stupidly good fingers and his stupidly good mouth, a mouth Jeongguk's about to come in if Taehyung doesn't pull off.

Taehyung pulls back at the last second, massaging Jeongguk's inner walls as he comes all over his belly, crying out brokenly as his body tenses. Taehyung scissors his fingers again, Jeongguk wiggling a little in slight discomfort, but Taehyung doesn't stop and Jeongguk doesn't ask him to, his cock slowly hardening again against his thigh.

"Get on your hands and knees," Taehyung orders, his voice a little wrecked. Jeongguk shivers at the tone but hurries to comply, some part of his head needing to be good in this moment, an irrational fear that Taehyung will leave him hanging here like this. "Who do you think you are? Barging into my room, demanding I fuck you like the little cock slut you are." Jeongguk whines, back arching at the press of Taehyung's palms against his skin. "Oh? I'm right, aren't I? Baby boy Gukie, always so desperate for a cock in your ass. Guess you're lucky I'm in such a giving mood today."

"T-Tae," Jeongguk shivers, tries to grind back on the fingers Taehyung has teasing at his hole.

"What."

"Slap me? M-my ass?"

Taehyung falters. "What?"

"Please?"

He's hesitant but always so giving, always willing to give Jeongguk something he asks for. Taehyung may love dragging on foreplay, withholding what Jeongguk needs and wants just to watch the way Jeongguk's eyes well up with frustrated tears, until Jeongguk's cursing Taehyung's entire family and threatening to fuck himself on one of Taehyung's toys before Taehyung finally gives in and fucks him.

But slow and steady won't win this race, and Taehyung seems to realize that. Without another word, Taehyung spanks him, palm against the meatiest part of Jeongguk's ass. Jeongguk gasps, his entire body jerking forward with a strangled moan.

"Again."

Taehyung spanks him again, on the other cheek this time, and again when Jeongguk gasps out another request. He kneads Jeongguk's cheeks with both hands, murmurs, "Looks so pretty, baby."

Jeongguk whines, pushing his face into the mattress and his ass back in Taehyung's hands. "Once more?"

Taehyung does, of course he does. Slaps him one more time, harder than the first few, and runs the pads of his fingers against the heated flesh and Jeongguk sobs out at the light pressure.

"Fuck," Taehyung groans. "You look so fucking good with my hand print on your ass."

"Fuck me, hyung. Come on, wanna feel your thick cock fucking me open."

Taehyung groans. "Gonna be the death of me, Guk." He reaches over Jeongguk's body for a condom but Jeongguk stops him with an unhappy noise. "What?"

"Don't- don't use one. I'm clean."

"Guk-"

"You are too, right?"

"Well, yeah, but-"

"What's the problem?"

"I've never," Taehyung adjusts his position behind Jeongguk, jostles his hips a little more and dips his thumb into Jeongguk's wet, puffy hole. "Never gone without."

"Me neither. Who fucking cares, just wanna feel your fat cock in my goddam throat."

"You're fucking filthy."

Taehyung pushes in without warning, cutting off Jeongguk's next sly remark with a broken sob as he's finally filled, and this, this is what Jeongguk needed. He needed Taehyung thrusting deep into his ass before he's really ready, fucking him hard and fast, bony hips slamming against the back of Jeongguk's thighs. Jeongguk can't even think to stay quiet, babbling and crying out, demanding Taehyung move even faster as he moans into the pillow by his teeth.

"Feels- feels so good, Taehyung-" Jeongguk's crying out, fisting both hands in the blankets by his face, lets his weight drop completely and lets Taehyung support his weight. Or not. Jeongguk doesn't fucking care so long as Taehyung keeps fucking him so well.

"So tight," Taehyung growls into Jeongguk's ear, adjusting his angle until he's brushing against Jeongguk's prostate with every thrust and Jeongguk's all but sobbing into the mattress. "Fucking made for this, princess."

"Don't-don't fucking call me that," Jeongguk spits, even as his hole clenches and a shiver hits his spine.

"No?" Taehyung chuckles, the sound making Jeongguk whine. "Seems to me that you like it. Like being my little princess? Like it when I fuck your slutty hole open like this? Take it so well, Gukie, ass fucking made for taking my cock. Looks almost as good as your mouth around me."

Taehyung winds a hand into Jeongguk's hair and pulls, and Jeongguk moans so loudly that Taehyung's pace falters. He doesn't move for a long moment, making Jeongguk squirm in impatience. He has an idea what Taehyung is thinking. "Fuck off, keep going."

"You're so- fucking sexy, Jeongguk. Princess. My baby boy." Taehyung pulls on Jeongguk's hair again, another high-pitched moan falling from Jeongguk's lips before he can think to stop it.

Taehyung grips tightly onto Jeongguk's hips, forcing Jeongguk to take everything that he wants to give. And Jeongguk loves it. Loves Taehyung's big palms on his waist, loves Taehyung leaning his body over Jeongguk's as he thrusts harshly, muttering filth into Jeongguk's ear and letting Jeongguk moan and cry out and ask for it faster all he wants.

Jeongguk's not going to last, not with Taehyung's hand twisting back into his hair to give another experimental tug, then he bites at Jeongguk's ear and Jeongguk hadn't even realized he was that close until suddenly Jeongguk's entire body tenses as he comes, a surprised moan falling from his lips as he comes all over the sheets.

"So good, princess." Taehyung whispers into his ear. "My good boy, Gukie."

Taehyung follows quickly, thrusting hesitantly into Jeongguk as he chases his own orgasm, and Jeongguk hums contently, body loose limbed. "Come inside me. Hyung. I want you to."

Taehyung comes with a strangled groan, coming deep in Jeongguk's ass before pulling out gently. He helps Jeongguk onto his back and doesn't even bother putting out his hand for rock paper scissors to decide who has to clean up. Instead, he coaxes Jeongguk to his feet and into the bathroom across the hall, not without making a sly comment about killing Jeongguk if he gets any cum on the carpet.

"Hyung?" Jeongguk blinks sleepily, watching as Taehyung starts the shower. He can feel cum and lube drying on his inner thighs, not to mention the dried cum still on his stomach, and he scowls, shifting his weight. In the mirror he can see a violent purple hickey nestled in the base of his throat. It stings when he presses his fingers against it, hissing quietly.

Taehyung notices. "Sorry, I went kinda hard-"

Jeongguk murmurs, "I like it,” and he swears it looks like Taehyung’s about to pass out from that statement alone.

"C'mon."

When they're done in the shower, Taehyung having taken charge to wash Jeongguk's hair and get the cum out of his ass, he offers Jeongguk sweats and his favorite hoodie and snuggles up against Jeongguk's back in bed. And it's quiet for a while, Jeongguk content and warm and sore, ready to ignore his summer homework in favor of falling asleep and forgetting-

"Wanna tell me what had you all worked up?" Taehyung holds his weight behind Jeongguk with his elbow, staring at Jeongguk's cheek as Jeongguk stares resolutely at the wall.

"No. Nothing. Shut up and go to sleep."

"So you like being called princess, huh?"

Jeongguk groans, picking his battle for the night. "I'm a fucking piece of shit."

"Hey," Taehyung frowns, nudges Jeongguk until he's lying on his back and Taehyung can prop his chin on Jeongguk's chest. "Only I'm allowed to call you that. What happened?"

"I'm horrible at basketball. I'm going to quit."

"No you're not."

"Fuck off. Yes, I am."

"Guk."

"I keep making stupid mistakes," Jeongguk sighs, links his hands on the small of Taehyung's back. Taehyung's hand feels good in his hair. "Like. Mistakes that can cost me the captain position next year."

"So you had a bad week, who cares? You're still a good player."

"Ugh."

Taehyung pokes his cheek. "You're good, Jeon. Real good. Almost as good as your body."

"Thanks, I think." Jeongguk turns back onto his side, quietly asking for something and of course Taehyung gets it, spoons against Jeongguk's back without a word.

Taehyung grabs the remote and turns on the TV. "Oh nice, Cake Boss is on."

"Really?" Jeongguk asks sleepily, winding his fingers between Taehyung's on his stomach without thinking of any consequences. "Oh, I think this is the episode where they build an Iron Man cake."

"Of course you'd know that." Taehyung pauses. "You could choke me you know."

Jeongguk's eyes snap open. "What?"

"You heard me. During sex."

"But you were topping."

"Topping, bottoming, doesn't fuckin' matter to me. Try it next time."

"Maybe. Shut the fuck up."

"You got it, princess."

That summer, Taehyung uses all of his newfound knowledge to his advantage. Jeongguk will never be as outright about his kinks as Taehyung is, preferring the muted feeling of excited embarrassment that comes with discovering a new one by Taehyung's hand. And Taehyung is all too willing to comply, curling his fingers around Jeongguk’s throat with a muttered, “This would be so much easier if you just told me the nasty shit you like.”

But Jeongguk’s nothing if he’s not stubborn.

It stopped being about teaching Jeongguk how to get fucked a long time ago, but neither of them really cares. Jeongguk's too lazy to go searching for hookups half the time, and knows through experience that a text of his hard dick will get Taehyung to his house in less than five minutes. He does use some of the things he learns on the girls and guys he picks up around town, but there are only so many of Taehyung's weird fucking fetishes that Jeongguk can propose to someone he wants to put his dick inside. Or vice versa.

"Hey." Taehyung knocks at Jeongguk's window. It's fucking unnecessary. Jeongguk's parents are on vacation for the week, but Taehyung's been climbing in his window lately. Trying to bring the romance back or some bullshit. "Jeon, open your window."

"No, go away."

"Fuck you, man. I'll get off without you."

"Nice. Less work for me."

"Piece of shit-"

But Jeongguk does reach behind his bed to unlock the window for Taehyung, who topples in gracelessly. "Don't get dirt on my bed."

"Pansy ass shit-" Taehyung kicks off his shoes, lets them land somewhere on the mess that is Jeongguk's floor. "I got you a going away present. And birthday present."

"Really?" That gets Jeongguk's attention, and he looks up from his game of Piano Tiles to face his friend. Taehyung isn't even going anywhere, just finally moving into his apartment a little bit closer to his school. "What is it?"

"I'm going to teach you how to top."

Jeongguk pouts. "But I like bottoming."

"And you're good at it, but you should know how to top in case a partner wants it. Now take your shirt off and come here."

With a sigh, Jeongguk complies and chucks his tank top off, maybe stares a little too long at Taehyung’s elegant frame as he strips, and lets Taehyung guide Jeongguk over his naked body with sure hands on his hips. "Do I have to kiss you?"

"If you want." Taehyung leans back and Jeongguk straddles his thighs. "You already know the shit I like, but for your sake I left the anal beads at home."

"I fucking hate you-"

"I'm kidding. Sort of. Take your time with your partner, work them up a little before you really get to it."

Jeongguk does, dropping a quick kiss to Taehyung's lips before moving along to his neck. He knows what he likes, the stuff that Taehyung does that gets him really hot under the collar and tries to replicate that, nipping along the smooth skin of Taehyung's throat. He doesn't have as visceral a reaction when Jeongguk bites at his ear and he pouts, but Taehyung assures him that he's doing well, that he can move down his body.

So Jeongguk does, paying attention to which spots make Taehyung moan and sigh and which ones get him tense beneath Jeongguk's palms. He takes his time, kissing everywhere he can reach, a thigh wedged between Taehyung's legs and he can feel Taehyung getting hard against his thigh.

"Good?" Jeongguk asks, because he needs that reassurance from Taehyung. Especially now.

"Real good, Guk. You don't have to blow me."

But Jeongguk wants to, so he licks from the base of Taehyung's cock to the tip, taking time to dig his tongue into the slit at the tip because he knows that's something that Taehyung likes. Jeongguk takes Taehyung's cock between his lips, moaning at the feel of him, hot and heavy, on his tongue, hollows his cheeks to take Taehyung even deeper until his tip hits the back of Jeongguk's throat. Taehyung sighs in pleasure, his hand a nice weight on the back of Jeongguk's head. Normally, Jeongguk would back off a little and let Taehyung fuck his face before moving on to prep, but this isn't a normal afternoon and it's not Jeongguk's ass today.

“Your cock is my fucking favorite,” Taehyung sighs, eyes closed in pleasure. Jeongguk doesn’t think much of it; could say the same thing about Taehyung’s dick.

"I'm gonna prep you now," Jeongguk says, pulling off Taehyung's cock with a slick pop.

"So soon? Where did the romance go, Gukie?"

"Shove it."

The lube's on the floor from Jeongguk's hookup the night before, a college boy taller than Jeongguk with big hands and nice hair and really nice fingers, and he grabs it quickly. He's afraid of hurting Taehyung, honestly, even though he knows that Taehyung has done this more than him, so he pours extra lube onto his fingers and then onto Taehyung's crack, watches as it runs between his cheeks.

"Cold," Taehyung hisses, and Jeongguk smiles a little because that's something Taehyung always does to him.

Jeongguk jostles Taehyung's hips a little to prop him against his thighs, pushing his finger and nearly choking at the tight heat, imagining that around his cock. "Okay, good," Taehyung sighs, body taut and Jeongguk feels a little pride at the marks already darkening his skin. "Good. Wiggle it around a little. Don't go for the prostate right away, better to wait for two fingers."

He pushes another finger in when he thinks Taehyung is ready and is rewarded with a gorgeous little moan. "Like this?"

"Good. Now crook your fingers in a kinda come hither motion, you'll know when you hit it because-" Taehyung's words are broken off in a loud groan as Jeongguk's fingers press into the gland. He scissors his fingers and presses them into Taehyung's prostate again, loving the way Taehyung moans and loving the delicate curve of his waist when he squirms. Call him mean, but Jeongguk plays with Taehyung's prostate for a little too long, especially after he's got three fingers buried in Taehyung's ass.

"You like that, huh?" Jeongguk asks, doing it again.

"Y-yeah." Taehyung sighs, grinding down against Jeongguk's fingers. "Told- I told you it's fun to play with. Quit it, though. I'm gonna come. Now c'mon, I'm ready. Want your big fat cock, baby boy."

Jeongguk fixes him with an unamused look. "Can't you let me win just once?"

"Nope."

Jeongguk kicks off his jeans and reaches for a condom because Taehyung says he's not dealing with Jeongguk's come in his ass, he doesn't have time for that shit. Jeongguk doesn't care; his cock is hard and heavy and hurting, curving against his stomach and flushed. His hips jump when he rolls the condom on and again as he lubes up. Jeongguk flushes at the way Taehyung laughs at him, but Taehyung gets quiet real quick when Jeongguk lines up at his hole and pushes in slowly.

And fuck, Jeongguk's already intoxicated as fuck. Taehyung's so tight and warm and wet, and it takes every ounce of Jeongguk's stamina not to blow his fucking load the second he's inside Taehyung. It takes a minute to bottom out, Jeongguk moving slow for his own wellbeing and so as not to hurt Taehyung.

He shakes a little once his entire length is buried in Taehyung's ass, face in Taehyung's shoulder and hands curled in the sheets. Taehyung presses a kiss to Jeongguk's cheek and runs his hands over the expanse of Jeongguk’s skin. "You can move, baby. Feel so good, so big inside of me." Jeongguk shakes his head. "Gonna come?" Jeongguk nods and Taehyung's laughing, running his fingers through Jeongguk's hair. "It's fine if you do, but then ya gotta eat my ass."

"M'fine," Jeongguk mutters, body tense above Taehyung. He waits for a few more minutes, catching his breath slowly. Hesitantly, he moves, and both he and Taehyung moan out loud.

"God, your cock's so good." Taehyung hums, "if only you knew how to use it better."

The quick instance of praise is almost enough to make up for Taehyung's snark, Jeongguk decides with a roll of his eyes. When he's sure he's not going to nut in that instant, Jeongguk thrusts harder, pulling out only to slam his hips back against Taehyung. "Hyung-"

"Good, real good, Guk." Taehyung's nails scrape against Jeongguk's shoulders and he finds that he likes it. Likes it a lot. "Angle- oh, fuck- angle your hips a little, aim for the prostate again-" Jeongguk does, bangs sweaty in his eyes as he fucks into Taehyung a little harder, and he grins when Taehyung lets out a shout of pleasure when Jeongguk hits his mark. "Fuck, Jeon. Mark up my neck."

Biting hickeys into Taehyung's neck, Jeongguk thrusts even harder, lets some of his earlier worry melt away. One of his hands moves from the sheets, gripping Taehyung's ass harshly and tugging his thigh higher on Jeongguk's waist.

"Feel so good, Tae." Jeongguk whispers to his neck, sucking another dark hickey into the skin there. "Please tell me you're close."

Taehyung chuckles. "Not yet. Will be if you touch my cock, though."

Jeongguk jerks him off a little sloppily, his hips snapping against Taehyung's ass because he's real fucking close and doesn't want to be that asshole who comes way before his partner. Taehyung sighs in his ear, whispers that he's doing so well, and when Jeongguk swipes his finger along the tip of Taehyung's dick, he tenses around Jeongguk and comes with a gorgeous moan, the sudden tightness around his cock making Jeongguk come before he realizes.

"That was good, Jeon," Taehyung says, once they've both caught their breath and Jeongguk's lost at rock paper scissors. Jeongguk finds a shirt on the floor to clean the cum from their bellies with. "Usually I can come just from a dick in my ass-"

"Wow, thanks for the fucking confidence," he mutters. Jeongguk's not pouting, not one bit as Taehyung giggles and cups his cheeks to press a wet kiss to Jeongguk's nose.

"But, if you work harder you'll get there. Kudos on not blowing right when you got in me, though. I totally thought you were gonna bust it."

"Jeon Jeongguk does not bust early."

"Mhm. We’ll work on it." Taehyung grabs one of Jeongguk's shirts and pulls his sweats back on, always still full of energy even after sex. Jeongguk stays naked and sated on his bed. "Get up, lazy ass. We're going to get milkshakes."

"Ugh. Why?"

"It's our thing now. Milkshakes after sex."

"We've been having sex for months now."

"Which means we have months worth of milkshakes to drink."

Taehyung makes Jeongguk drive to the diner, complains that his ass hurts like a bitch and Jeongguk would be lying through his teeth if he said that didn't stroke his ego just the tiniest bit. Taehyung orders one vanilla milkshake with two straws and, "The largest plate of fries you have, my good waiter. We're celebrating tonight."

"Oh?" The waiter laughs and Jeongguk tries to fucking hide under the table. "What's the special occasion?"

"My baby boy just fucked a dude."

"Great," Jeongguk says, watching the waiter walk away with bright red cheeks. "You just ruined his life."

"Another victim to add to the list."

The food comes, wings and fries and burgers and a milkshake, and Jeongguk could cry at smelling all of the greasy food. He'll have to double his workout tomorrow, but he thinks it's worth it to watch Taehyung's lips around a straw.

"You know what else is this white?" Taehyung swipes his finger through a glob of whipped cream.

"Don't, hyung-"

"Cum. My cum. Bet it doesn't taste as good, though."

Jeongguk leans forward, drinking from the milkshake without looking away from Taehyung. He smacks his lips. "You're right. It tastes better."

"Yeah? What's it taste like."

"Your mom last night."

"I'm going to kick your ass, Jeon-"

Jeongguk shoves a few fries in Taehyung's mouth, laughing too loudly for this small diner this late in the afternoon. Taehyung gives up on his idea to murder Jeongguk, but he does steal the rest of Jeongguk's burger.

Someone taps Jeongguk on the shoulder. It's a middle-aged woman sitting in the booth behind them, she and her husband sharing a brownie sundae. She points at Taehyung in distaste. "He does realize he's in public, right? How can he just say those things?"

"He knows," Jeongguk says, too fondly. "He just doesn't care."

"I'm bored."

"So do your homework."

"What the fuck." Taehyung looks genuinely offended by the suggestion. "No. I was thinking we'd have another threesome."

Jeongguk grimaces. "Dunno if that's a good idea, man. You laughed so hard during our first one I swear I went a little soft. Plus you told her about the... the thing."

Taehyung takes a long drink from his soda, taking care to drip some condensation onto his textbook. He's had one of his books for his photography class open for the three hours he's been in the diner with Jeongguk, both of them pretending they're actually giving a shit. It's too cold to entertain walking to the library. Wherever the hell that is. "Your daddy kink? You just looked so cute trying to dominate Jiwoo, Jeon. And uncomfortable every time she called you daddy. She really had no clue you like to be called a slut."

"I don't have a daddy kink."

"I have a reminder on Facebook that says the exact opposite."

Jeongguk wants to die. It was an accident. A fucking accident. "Keep your voice down."

"My precious little princess slut."

"Hyung. I'll kill you."

"Whatever." The waiter, another scandalized college student, passes by and Taehyung orders himself a chocolate milkshake. "I don't think we should bring another dude in the bedroom, at least not for a while. You came way too fast."

Jeongguk flushes and tries to hide it in his math homework. It doesn't work. It never does, and Taehyung's laughing so hard he chokes on his soda. "He had bomb dick game, how the fuck is that my fault?"

"Oh?" Taehyung leans closer, grins that greasy grin that Jeongguk knows far too well. "So it had nothing to do with me whispering in your ear? Calling you a slut, saying how good you look getting fucked-?"

"Dude-" Jeongguk shoves his hand in Taehyung's face, can feel his dick plumping up against his thigh and he fucking hates Kim Taehyung. He really does. "Shut up. I mean it."

"Okay, okay. Jeez." Taehyung sneaks a couple of Jeongguk's fries, still grinning like the piece of shit he is. "We'll save the threesome talk for my birthday. Besides, I really think I like watching you get railed. Something really hot about watching someone else shove your face in the mattress."

"No." Jeongguk feels his stomach drop because he can recognize that look in Taehyung's eyes anywhere. It's the same look from the first time he got Jeongguk to try the anal beads or take two dicks at once. "No way, hyung. That can't be another kink."

"How dare you kink shame me. In front of my own salad."

"That's gotta be, like, your tenth kink."

"Twelfth. I think."

"Jesus- fuck."

"Hey, I didn't say anything when you asked me to slap you."

"Because I choked you after!"

"Damn." Taehyung says very seriously, ignoring the scandalized look that a couple across the diner is throwing them. "We have tried so much shit."

"Warrants a break, right?"

"In your fucking dreams, Jeon."

The afternoon passes like that, Taehyung answering homework questions between orders of food and Jeongguk chugging away at his calculus homework. He hates it, always has, but it's whatever. What he's got to do. They spend their hours ranking the guys and girls who come into the diner, suggesting them as possible threesome partners but ultimately getting nowhere because they can't fucking agree on a person.

"What about her?"

"I have history with her this year. Don't need that being awkward. What about him?"

"He looks bigger than you, looks like he can't take beads. I want your dick to be the biggest I choke on."

"Fuck off, hyung. Her?"

"Weird boobs. Probably sucks at giving head."

"Can't be as bad as your mom."

"You shit-"

Taehyung chases him out of the diner, but not before throwing a few bills on the table to cover their meals. He shoves Jeongguk into a nearby snowbank, laughs so hard he has to clutch his knees to catch his breath and presents a perfect target for Jeongguk to push him into a pile of snow on the side of the road.

When he offers a hand to Taehyung- because he's not an asshole, okay?- Taehyung uses the leverage to drop a frosty kiss on Jeongguk's lips, then leaves him reeling as he walks to the car. Jeongguk goes back to the diner for their books, avoiding the looks the other customers are giving them.

"Wanna come to my place and drink? My roommate's out."

Jeongguk snuggles into his coat. The heater in Taehyung's car is starting to go. "Sure. You're buying though."

"Duh. What kind of a hyung would I be if I didn't get the beer?"

("Here, Jeonggukie, drink this beer."

It's New Year's and Jeongguk's over at Taehyung's family's house for a party. Taehyung came back for the night, family and friends mingling around as Taehyung hands him a glass of something piss colored. He's already had a couple glasses of champagne and cut himself off. The last thing Jeongguk needs is to throw up on someone's shoes. "Thanks?"

"Just don't tell your mom I'm letting you drink."

Jeongguk scowls. "I'm nineteen, hyung. Not ten."

"Did I fucking stutter?"

"Can't wait until I'm old enough to buy this shit on my own," Jeongguk mutters, drinks the beer because Taehyung brought him the good shit his parents only buy for holidays.

"It loses its novelty once you're of age. Trust me."

They end up leaving the party early, sneaking up to Taehyung's old room where Taehyung blows Jeongguk on the bed. Jeongguk's just passed tipsy and can't muster up the energy to get on his knees, so he lets Taehyung do what he wants with his mouth, giggling every time Taehyung pulls back enough to let him breathe.

The countdown finds both of them wrapped in one blanket on Taehyung's bed, wearing pants because they're not trying to make it gay. Jeongguk rests his head on Taehyung's shoulder, and smiles to himself.

"Thanks, Tae."

"Of course. All in a day's work as the best hyung in the world.")

Heartache looks different on everyone, but Jeongguk thinks he hates the way it looks on Taehyung. It's not heartbreak, not at that level yet because Taehyung didn't have his heart broken, just stepped on a little, and now his favorite milkshake isn't even bringing a smile to his face.

Jeongguk doesn't know what to say because he's never had his heart stepped on. His longest relationship was a month in his freshman year, a relationship that ended amicably because neither of them really liked each other anymore.

"Hyung, at least turn the Evanescence off. People are staring."

Taehyung doesn't lift his head off of the table but he does fumble around for his phone before finally shutting off the embarrassing music. "I miss Eunji."

"You dated her for three weeks."

"Fuck off. She was great. Great in bed. Just. Really great."

Jeongguk slides into the seat next to Taehyung, wraps an arm around his back because it's really all he knows how to do. "She had really nice tits, too. I'd put my cock between them."

That, at least, gets Taehyung to chuckle weakly. "She broke up with me an hour ago, Jeon. Can you not."

Jeongguk works his fingers through Taehyung's hair, lets Taehyung shift until he's shoving his face against Jeongguk's shoulder and not the table. "You'll find someone else, Tae. Someone even wilder in bed."

"Think so?"

"Maybe. You're kind of a freak."

Taehyung laughs quietly. "That's your only free kink shame."

"Fuck- and you let me waste it?"

They fall silent for a while, the air conditioning cold on their bare arms and Jeongguk's arm is starting to fall asleep from the angle, but he keeps those thoughts to himself. He lets Taehyung mope, lets him mope against his neck because Taehyung isn't crying. He wasn't hurt badly enough to be crying, and Jeongguk counts that as a little victory.

"Guk?"

"Yeah."

"Can we go back to your place?"

"Yeah." Jeongguk drops a quick kiss to the top of Taehyung's head. "Yeah, of course. I'll even let you use that fleshlight you bought on me."

Taehyung perks up a little, still very little color on his cheeks. "Really?"

"One time offer."

"What the hell are we still doing here, then? I'll drive." Taehyung pauses outside at the driver's side of the car, staring at Jeongguk over the roof of the car with that twinkle in his eye that Jeongguk really had missed. "Oh, and Jeongguk?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks, man."

Jeongguk smiles, soft and small. "Don't mention it."

Jeongguk really fucking hates Taehyung. He says that a lot but this time, with his hands cuffed to the top of Taehyung's bed and a vibrator shoved up his ass, Jeongguk really means it. He's squirming, damn near about to break and beg because the cock ring on his dick is keeping Jeongguk from coming and he wants to die.

"Hyung-" Jeongguk gasps, arching his back when Taehyung turns the vibrator up another level. Taehyung wasn't even using Jeongguk's favorite handcuffs, no, he was using the pink fluffy ones because he thinks he's funny. "Hyung, fuck- fuck you- let me, shit-"

Taehyung only hums, lying on the other side of his bed and scrolling through his phone. He's not even looking at Jeongguk, tied up and high-strung, pretty flushed skin glistening. "What's wrong?"

"You fucking know what's wrong, you fucking piece of shit- fuck!"

Taehyung turns the vibrator up again and Jeongguk fucking wails. He can't quite remember how he got into this position, how the fuck he agreed to let Taehyung tie him up like this the night before he's to begin his last year of high school. Maybe there was a promise, maybe something else, Jeongguk doesn't care- his dick hurts.

"Hyung," Jeongguk sobs, kicking his legs out for some kind of relief but there isn't any. He can't remember how many settings this vibrator has. "Please- Tae, please please please touch me. Let me come, Tae, please!"

"Gotta do that thing I like, baby boy."

Jeongguk curses, the last of it cutting off into another cry of pleasure when Taehyung jacks up the vibrator again. Above all else, Jeongguk really just wants Taehyung to look at him. Because Taehyung isn't shy with his affection when it comes to sex and Jeongguk really wants that affection right now.

"I'm not-" Jeongguk whimpers. "Calling you that."

"Then I guess you're not coming."

Jeongguk could fucking cry. He swears in that moment that he's finding a new best friend once he gets out of these cuffs. He's tired of Taehyung and his stupid everything. Jeongguk has a lot of pride but Taehyung's really good at knocking him down a few pegs. Giggling when Jeongguk's trying to dom a girl. Talking his way out of the cuffs Jeongguk puts him in with promises to let Jeongguk fuck him against the wall, only for Jeongguk to be the one with his face pushed into the couch cushions as Taehyung ruins him. Showing no signs of discomfort when Jeongguk leaves him tied up to make pancakes instead. Or, Jeongguk's personal favorite: Taehyung breaking down into tears of laughter when their threesomes turn into competitions and Jeongguk's got a girl on his lap calling him daddy.

Jeongguk has a lot of pride but Taehyung's just better. And he knows it. But Jeongguk will never say it. At least not right now.

Writhing again, Jeongguk turns his face to Taehyung with a pout on his slick lips, bitten red from Jeongguk's initial attempt at holding back his noises. "D-daddy," Jeongguk whines and watches the way Taehyung's lips turn up at the corner. "Please let me come."

"All you had to do was ask."

Then Taehyung's tossing his phone to the side, focusing all of his attention on Jeongguk and he preens with a happy little noise, body tensing as Taehyung gets between his thighs. Taehyung isn't even naked, still sitting in his sweats and graphic t-shirt that says, I just want all the dogs, and it's so not sexy Jeongguk resents that he's a literal mess on Taehyung's bed while the other just looks so sloppy.

But he's got that attention back on him and Jeongguk doesn't care about anything else right now, focuses only on Taehyung pulling the vibrator out of Jeongguk's ass without warning, lifting until Jeongguk's got his thighs on Taehyung's shoulders and he can hold Jeongguk's cheeks in his hand, dipping his tongue into Jeongguk's abused hole.

"Fuck-" Jeongguk all but sobs, his back arching and pushing his ass further against Taehyung's face. Drunken Taehyung will tell anyone who'll listen that Jeongguk's a God at eating ass but he doesn't think he holds a candle to Taehyung. "So good, Tae- shit- right there-!"

Jeongguk's got tears in his eyes when he's finally getting what he wanted, Taehyung's tongue fucking into his hole rapidly, Taehyung's hands squeezing his ass and gripping his thigh right at the curve of his backside, fitting so nicely that Jeongguk really thinks Taehyung was made to hold his ass. He thinks he says this, babbling something about Taehyung and Taehyung's hands and how close he is, having been kept on edge for so long.

Taehyung's grinding down against the mattress, fucking into Jeongguk with his tongue even harder as Jeongguk cries out again, feels the first tear slip down his cheek.

"D-daddy, the ring," Jeongguk moans, arms tense and sore above his head. "The ring, Tae, you shithead- let me come, fuck-"

Taehyung finally, blessedly, removes the cock ring, and as he shoves a finger into Jeongguk's ass to press against his prostate Jeongguk comes hard untouched, nearly screaming as he finally finds his release and paints his belly white. Taehyung keeps going, licking into Jeongguk's rim until he's shaking, oversensitive and hard again, forcing a second orgasm out of Jeongguk while he shakes and twists in Taehyung’s strong hold. When Taehyung lets his body back onto the bed softly, Jeongguk swears he’s floating.

"Good?" Taehyung asks, kneeling by Jeongguk's shoulders to undo the cuffs. Jeongguk just sags onto the bed, lets his entire body mold into the mattress with a pleased sigh. "My little bitch, always so good to me."

"Fuck off," Jeongguk mutters. But there's no real bite to it, he's biting back a smile at the backwards complement. Taehyung takes a quick minute to rub the kinks out of Jeongguk's shoulders before grabbing Jeongguk's hand for rock paper scissors. Jeongguk loses, but refuses to move to clean himself, so Taehyung lowers his head to Jeongguk's belly and fucking licks the cum clean, reaches his body over Jeongguk's to kiss him, pushing his cum back onto Jeongguk's tongue until Jeongguk shoves him away with a hand on his neck. "Fuck. Why the fuck do we swallow."

"Some of that Freudian nature versus nurture shit."

"That is entirely incorrect." Jeongguk's eyes close sleepily. A long day of basketball practice and getting the life fucked out of him is tiring. "Hyung, you didn't cum so you can fuck my face."

"Uh, actually I'm good."

"Really?" Jeongguk snorts, reaches blindly for Taehyung's thigh and palms at his soft cock, at the wetness staining the front of his sweats. "Never letting you live that down."

"You literally didn't get off with your last hookup unless she put a finger up your ass."

"She was shitty in bed!"

"Whatever. How's your head?"

Jeongguk frowns, blinking up at Taehyung, who's staring at him with an expression Jeongguk can't quite read. "Fine? I'm taking a shower."

"Use the lavender soap, it makes you smell pretty."

"Fuck all the way off, hyung."

Jeongguk does use the lavender soap anyway, uses up all of Taehyung's hot water because he's not afraid to admit he's petty like that. When he leaves the bathroom, only a towel on his wet hair, Taehyung is sitting on his bed flipping through his stack of take out menus.

Taehyung doesn't even look up as Jeongguk rifles through his clothes for something to wear, finds a couple of his shirts he thought his mom had thrown away. "Your parents know you're staying over, right? I ordered chicken and beer."

"Hyung, your apartment isn't even that far from my place."

"I know, but you're a dumbass who left his school books at home. Maybe your mom wants you to come home and get them, or wants this dick. Either or."

Jeongguk dresses in Taehyung's baggiest sweats and hoodie, thanks any deity that will listen that Taehyung remembered to pay his electricity bill this month. "Stay away from my family."

"Sure thing."

Taehyung lies back in bed and smiles when Jeongguk launches himself back into the bed, using Taehyung's arm as a pillow and hooking their legs together. "My ass fucking hurts."

"Well, that's what you get for being a bitch for half an hour. Would have been over much faster if you just said it."

"I resent drunk me for calling you that last year. It was an accident." Jeongguk groans. "It has to have been longer."

"It wasn't." There's that look in Taehyung's eyes again, the evil twinkle Jeongguk can never be sure if he wants to hate or love. "But we can try to break that record next time."

It's fucking freezing outside but the club is warm, too many bodies packed together in such a small area. College students are home for the holidays, making the most of their weeks off before the grind kicks back in. This was Taehyung's "Christmas present" for Jeongguk; going to a club and picking up girls.

Except something's wrong. Jeongguk was a little too tipsy, grinding against a girl somewhere on the dance floor with a boy on his back, sharing kisses between the two and wondering if this would be the first threesome he had without Taehyung, until his tipsy self decides to open his mouth.

Open his mouth and mention how badly he wants to get fucked, too used to it thanks to Taehyung that he asks the girl if he can fuck her in the ass. She looks at him weird, says she'll only agree if she can fuck him after, and Jeongguk fucking agrees.

Which only opens the conversation to more shit, wherein the boy behind Jeongguk is laughing as he sucks a hickey onto Jeongguk's neck while Jeongguk's using a pickup line Taehyung told him about and suddenly-

"Hyung." Jeongguk finds Taehyung at the bar; drinking a fucking martini like the gay fucker he is with a few girls. He stops laughing when Jeongguk runs up in a panic, eyes wide and cheeks flushed. "Hyung, help. I used one of your lines on the wrong gender and now a girl wants me to fist her, what do I do?"

Taehyung laughs like this isn't the worst fucking thing in the world. "Just do it like I taught you."

"No- what the fuck, hyung? Didn't you hear me?"

"I did, need a fucking fisting refresher?"

"No-" Jeongguk can hear the girl calling his name, getting closer to the bar. "Fuckin-" He grabs Taehyung's cheeks in his hands, dragging him into a messy kiss and swallowing Taehyung's noise of surprise. Taehyung catches on- already knew- and slips his hands into the pockets of Jeongguk's jeans, squeezing his ass to drag him closer.

The girl spots them, Jeongguk knows because he has one of his eyes open in the dark of the club, pouting when she sees he's a little tied up in Taehyung's tongue, and thankfully walks away. Jeongguk sighs, breaking the kiss and resting his forehead against the hollow of Taehyung's neck.

"Damn, who taught you to kiss like that?" Taehyung snickers, still squeezing Jeongguk's ass.

"You," Jeongguk says truthfully. Maybe that last shot was a bit of a mistake.

"I'm so fucking good. Wanna dance?"

They came here to find hookups, for Jeongguk to get a little more college hookup exposure before his senior year ends, but of course they end up wrapped around each other on the dance floor. Taehyung keeps him close as they dance, hips flush, scowls a little when he notices the hickey some guy left on Jeongguk's neck and dips his head to make a bigger one on the other side.

And Jeongguk's intoxicated. Partly on the vodka but mostly on Taehyung, grinding his hardening cock against Taehyung's with a little whimper. And this wasn't supposed to happen, the two of them getting off on the disco lights and on each other, but things have a funny way of never working out in Jeongguk's favor.

Taehyung keeps his lips on Jeongguk's neck, listens to every breathy whine that Jeongguk makes, takes note of every time his breathing catches or his pace falters, lets Jeongguk do most of the work because he likes the way Jeongguk looks when he's all worked up, flushed and sweaty and just about to break. When he whines against Taehyung's neck, Taehyung bites at the helix in Jeongguk's ear and Jeongguk's hips stutter as he groans, body tense while he cums.

"Fuck," Jeongguk whispers, the embarrassment catching up with him. Taehyung adores this- the embarrassed color that Jeongguk's cheeks get when they discover a new kink or Jeongguk likes something a lot and doesn't want to admit it. They're in the middle of a fucking club, bodies packed on every side and he just came in his pants like a damn middle school kid. "Taehyung, fuck you."

"Later. Let's get out of here."

"I'll blow you in the car, if you want," Jeongguk murmurs, his body flushed against Taehyung's back as they walk in an attempt to hide the wet spot in his jeans. Really, he just makes it more obvious.

Jeongguk doesn't blow him in the car, only because Taehyung says he wants to fuck Jeongguk when they get back to his apartment. Jeongguk whines the entire ride home, squirming against the feeling of the cum cooling in his boxers, sticky and gross, but he shuts up real quick when Taehyung slips his hand into his pants, palming him until he's hard again, slumped against the window and panting.

Jeongguk's high school graduation comes and it's as much an endeavor as Taehyung's was. Only this time it's Taehyung wearing Jeongguk's cap for the pictures, but they still go out with their families to the same restaurant to eat afterwards, after Taehyung brought a megaphone to scream into to make sure Jeongguk heard him as he crossed the stage for his diploma.

Jeongguk never had as many friends in high school and he opts to nix the graduation party, knows it'll just be awkward making small talk with all the kids he went to school with. Especially with those unfortunate few who heard Taehyung fucking him in various bathrooms over that one year.

Instead, he and Taehyung go back to the water tower. They don't come here as often since Taehyung got his own place, but it's a nice throw back and Taehyung brings beer, and he's absolutely correct in that drinking loses its novelty once Jeongguk's of age.

"Hey, you never said where you're going to college." Taehyung says, tossing his first can off the water tower. He's got his arm around Jeongguk's shoulders because Jeongguk asked for it. He's a little sad about graduating and a lot needy; sue him.

"The main Uni across town. Same one as you."

"Oh nice." Taehyung pauses, and Jeongguk knows that's not all of it.

"What, hyung?"

"It's just." Jeongguk's still in his gown because Taehyung said he looks nice in it. The entire town is in front of them, a pretty skyline that Jeongguk would willingly admit to being gay for, but Jeongguk's staring at the curve of Taehyung's delicate eyelashes. "I'm moving to Seoul, Jeongguk."

"No."

"Guk-"

"No, you can't fucking leave me."

Jeongguk's irrationally mad, he knows he is, but this isn't how it's supposed to go. He hadn't even been scared this time around because he thought he'd have Taehyung at his side. Jeongguk shakes off Taehyung's arm, moves farther away on the tower and draws his knees up to his chest, looking away from Taehyung.

"Don't do this, Jeongguk." Taehyung says, following to stay at Jeongguk's side. "Please, babe. Jeon. It was hard enough applying to school out there."

"So, why do it?" Jeongguk bites, tucks his face against his knees because if he looks at Taehyung now he might do something stupid. "What happened to getting run out of town by pitchforks?"

"Gukie, please." Taehyung's fingers are in his hair and Jeongguk kind of wants to scream. "It's a better school, you could apply there and come with me."

"Can't," he mutters. "Can't afford it."

"Right." In that moment Taehyung gives up on subtlety, throws his arms around Jeongguk's frame and rests his forehead on Jeongguk's neck. "There's a department store opening nearby my school. Well, not really, but I know someone who's gonna be working there and he said he'd put in a good word for me. Better salary, so I can keep buying your ass all the chicken you can eat."

"Can't buy me chicken when you live on the other side of the country."

"Bet? They take delivery orders over the phone, Jeon."

Jeongguk sighs, his entire body tensing before he gives up and tucks his body into the curve of Taehyung's. "What am I supposed to do without you?"

"Suck some pretty girl's fingers. I know you prefer mine, but they'll have to do." Jeongguk can feel Taehyung's smile on his forehead when he chuckles. "I'll come visit on any break I have, remind you who's dick is best. We can FaceTime every day, it'll be fine, Guk."

"Making it gay, Tae."

"We're a little past gay, babe."

"Yeah," Jeongguk sighs, feels Taehyung press a feather light kiss to the top of his head. "When do you leave?" He still isn't happy about this; probably won't ever be and is more than ready to lock himself in his bedroom with Taehyung's When the Dick Ain't Good :( playlist, but when Taehyung makes up his mind there's no talking him out of anything.

"Four weeks."

Jeongguk spends every day at Taehyung's place in those four weeks, making the most of Taehyung's dick and Taehyung's new goldfish- which he demands Jeongguk keep- and getting himself ready for university while resolutely refusing to help Taehyung pack up his apartment. Sometimes he's the one who orders the chicken and beer, both of them drinking a little too much and looking through an old yearbook with laughter that doesn't quite hit the mark.

He drives Taehyung to the train station the morning he has to leave, ass sore from how many times Taehyung fucked him the night before. He didn't even call Jeongguk a slut, kept it a little too vanilla and gay for both of them, but they'd stayed up most of the night tangled in the sheets and Jeongguk's not feeling any better, but at least Taehyung's leaving with a bang.

"Call me when you get to Seoul," Jeongguk mutters, finger curled into Taehyung's belt loop as they stand by the train. There are only a few minutes before it's set to leave.

"Will do, princess." Taehyung straightens his collar, tries to hide his excitement for Jeongguk's sake but it's okay. Jeongguk likes the color of excitement on Taehyung's cheeks. "Make friends, okay? If you drunk call me more than once whining about being lonely I'm gonna pay people to hang out with you."

Jeongguk deadpans, "Your faith in me is astounding."

"And if you need anything, Jeon, anything at all, you know where I live."

Taehyung doesn't kiss him but he does nuzzle Jeongguk's cheek, nips at Jeongguk's ear in farewell- not a goodbye, Taehyung had insisted- and Jeongguk stands on the platform as Taehyung finds his seat. He stands on the platform as the train pulls away, Taehyung making an ugly face against the glass, and Jeongguk's never wanted to get out of town more.

Jeongguk's first year of university is as stupid as he anticipates it to be. Without Taehyung around he throws himself into the experience- not into the studies and schoolwork but into the parties and drinking, staying over at fraternities more than his own house and waking up with girls he can't recognize draped on various parts of his body.

He likes the mornings he wakes up in boy's beds better because boys aren't as weird about spooning Jeongguk afterwards- well, except for the ones trying to convince Jeongguk they're not gay. He doesn't care; he just wants his dick touched.

Taehyung makes good on his promise to FaceTime often and come back on weekends and holidays but it's just not the same when Jeongguk can't hop on a subway and get to Taehyung's apartment when he's in the mood for a submissive snuggle. Jeongguk tells about each of his successful hookups and watches the way Taehyung’s face lights up, proud and beautiful. Taehyung tells him about the girl he met and a few weeks later he's bringing her home to Jeongguk to introduce her as his girlfriend, so they stop having sex whenever Taehyung comes back to visit. It's okay, though. Jeongguk found a regular FWB at the university who'll choke him when he's topping.

"Hyung," Jeongguk calls Taehyung in the middle of the night one week, sneaking out of a frat house because he's not in the mood to wake up and clean a house he doesn't even live in. He woke Taehyung up, his eyes puffy and red from lack of sleep, but Taehyung looks so excited to see his face that Jeongguk doesn't feel bad.

"What's up, Gukie?"

"Remember that weird thing I yelled at you for doing in bed that one night?" Taehyung hums in remembrance. "They fucking hated it. You've literally ruined my entire life. I can't do half the shit I like with other people, why even try when I have you?"

Taehyung grins sleepily. "That was my plan all along, Guk." Someone makes a confused noise on Taehyung's end, and he shushes his girlfriend quietly. Love and adoration look especially beautiful on Taehyung. "You won't find anyone like me, Jeon. But kudos for trying."

"My life is over."

"Good."

"Hey, go to sleep," Jeongguk says, walking through town in the dark quiet. Taehyung's trailed off on his last three stories, his eyes drooping, and he moans unhappily at the thought of saying goodbye. "It's fine, hyung, really. Call me when you wake up, yeah?"

"'Kay. Love you, princess."

"Don't make it homo."

Taehyung snorts softly, and falls asleep before Jeongguk can end the call.

His second year of university is harder than the first, or so Jeongguk assumes when he's skipping half of his classes and passing on sheer luck and the influence of weed. He'd spent his entire summer in Seoul with Taehyung, staying in the spare room in the apartment because Taehyung's girlfriend had moved in. Taehyung doesn't have a roommate at the moment, but he makes just enough at the jewelry counter of the department store to cover the rent.

Taehyung doesn't really show him around Seoul, the two of them playing video games on the couch instead. His girlfriend interns at a music company, coupled with her studies, and is only really home in the mornings and evenings. She's pretty, and Jeongguk can see how far and fast Taehyung's falling.

"Never thought you'd be the first to get a girlfriend, hyung," Jeongguk says honestly after a couple of beers and hours of playing Overwatch with Taehyung. "Honestly. You're so fucking gay for everything."

"You should try it," Taehyung shrugs. "Relationships aren't really that bad. We've been together almost a year and it's been pretty awesome."

"Don't miss hookups?" Jeongguk asks. They both can hear the unspoken question; do you miss me?

Taehyung admits, "Sometimes. But there's something cool about stability, y'know? Not kidding, Jeon. Let me know if you snag yourself a cutie."

Jeongguk takes Taehyung's advice that year by accident. He hooks up with the same girl at a few parties, gets used to her presence in his bed and even starts meeting her for dinner or coffee. He cuts back on the number of strangers, stays at Eunhye's side at parties and lets her drag his arm around her shoulders, smiles against her mouth when she leads him into an empty bathroom with a hand curled into his waistband.

Then, one morning she sits up in Jeongguk's bed and straddles his thighs, shivers a little beneath his palms on her slender waist. His shirt from the night before hangs off her collarbones when she asks, "Are we dating?"

Jeongguk pauses. He hadn't considered it. "I don't know. We could try, if that's something you want?"

"I think I'd like that."

"Cool."

(Taehyung smiles so widely when Jeongguk breaks the news, waiting until things are a little more official and Taehyung's visiting from Seoul to reveal everything. Taehyung insists on buying Jeongguk's drinks that night, slaps him a little too hard on the back in congratulations and maybe kisses his ear one too many times, but neither of them mention that last bit.)

It's good, Jeongguk thinks, to have a girl by his side. Eunhye is sweet and she's shorter than him, a nice contrast from Taehyung, he thinks. She fits into his life in a way he hadn't expected, the honeymoon period lasting for quite a while. They do fight a little when Jeongguk brings her home to meet his parents, but it's over something stupid and Jeongguk makes up for it with shower sex at her place.

Maybe that was a warning sign, making up for everything with sex, but Jeongguk tries not to think about it too much.

During the holidays, Eunhye puts a pause on their relationship to go home for break. "You can see other people while I'm gone," she says, buttoning her shirt while Jeongguk lazes in her bed in the dorm room. "My ex will be in town so I might suck his dick, just a fair warning."

"Okay."

Jeongguk doesn't have much to do during the break, spends his time divided between his part time job at a mechanic shop and sleeping. Taehyung doesn't call much, and when Jeongguk asks his parents they say he didn't mention coming back to Busan this time. Jeongguk calls every day, several times, and each time Taehyung doesn't answer he feels something weird tighten in the pit of his stomach.

Until one day Jeongguk's scrolling through his phone on his bed, his parents gone for the day, and Taehyung comes barging into Jeongguk's room with red eyes and a very obvious lack of baggage.

"Tae?" Jeongguk says, unnecessarily. He drops his phone, watches the way Taehyung kicks off his shoes and climbs into bed with Jeongguk. "You're here? Your parents said-"

Taehyung shuts him up with an aggressive kiss, plants his weight right on Jeongguk's lap, and doesn't give Jeongguk a chance to breathe or post a question as he kisses harshly, licking into Jeongguk's mouth and tilting his head with a hand in his hair.

When he breaks away, there are new tears in his eyes and Jeongguk learns what heartbreak looks like. "She was cheating on me," he whispers against Jeongguk's lips, his voice breaking. "The entire fucking time. You know I bought her expensive ass panties at the department store? She wore those with him, never once used them with me. I found them fucking on our bed, Jeon."

"Tae," Jeongguk's voice breaks, too, because he really fucking hates the way sadness looks dulling the usual twinkle of Taehyung's eyes. "I'm so sorry, Taehyung-"

"I know." Taehyung kisses him again, grinds down against Jeongguk's lap. "Come on, please, man."

"I don't know if it's a good idea," Jeongguk says truthfully.

"I don't fucking care. I need to feel something again."

Jeongguk curses his vice and complies, tilting Taehyung's chin up to kiss him slowly. Taehyung doesn't appreciate it, tries to take control of the kiss and grind harshly onto Jeongguk's dick but Jeongguk's started going to the gym a lot more in university, and he fits his hands against Taehyung's thighs and keeps him still.

Taehyung makes an unhappy noise into the kiss. Briefly, they break apart when Jeongguk flips their positions, hovering over Taehyung's body and kissing lightly at his neck. He takes his time to undo the buttons on Taehyung's flannel, presses kisses into every inch of skin and ignores the way Taehyung curses at him to go faster. Jeongguk doesn't listen, removes Taehyung's clothes with slow, steady hands.

"Missed you, hyung," Jeongguk whispers as he's sucking a hickey onto Taehyung's hip.

"You, too. Now can you hurry the hell up and fuck me?"

Jeongguk doesn't get all of his clothes off before he's slicking up his fingers, letting the lube warm because he's a nice partner, even when Taehyung's threatening to chop his dick off if he doesn't move faster. He kisses Taehyung through one and two fingers, moves his lips to Taehyung's neck when he brushes against the other's prostate and Taehyung whines loudly.

When Jeongguk pushes inside, Taehyung's legs hiked around his waist, Taehyung draws his nails harshly down Jeongguk's back, the sting making him hiss. "Fuck me like you mean it, Jeon."

Jeongguk takes it slow, thrusts into Taehyung's shaking body with even, deep movements. Taehyung curses his entire family to hell while Jeongguk's trailing his lips all along Taehyung's chest, kissing away the tears that have nothing to do with the sex. The threats don't work, Taehyung finally realizes, and it's with a broken little sob that Taehyung curls his arms around Jeongguk's shoulders and holds him close as Jeongguk fucks into him, whispering words of praise he knows work well for him.

"It's okay, angel," Jeongguk murmurs into Taehyung's ear, earning a whimper and another moan of his name. Taehyung clenches around his cock, bare because Taehyung insisted and they've never gone without a condom with anyone else, and Jeongguk chokes back a groan.

"Jeongguk-" Taehyung's words cut off when Jeongguk reaches down to jerk him off gently, still thrusting too slow into his ass, wet with lube until Taehyung comes, shaking apart in Jeongguk's arms and face tucked into Jeongguk's neck.

He's quick to follow, coming deep in Taehyung's ass while whispering, "Good boy, Taehyung. My angel. It's okay, fall apart for me."

Taehyung stays hidden in Jeongguk's chest even after Jeongguk has pulled out, doesn't open his eyes when Jeongguk gets the cum out of his ass and sacrifices his sheets for the greater good. There are still tears shining on Taehyung's cheeks but no fresh ones. Jeongguk considers that to be a victory.

Jeongguk pulls a sweatshirt over Taehyung's pliant frame and lies at Taehyung's side, stroking his hand along Taehyung's smooth skin.

"Thanks." Taehyung whispers, after a few long minutes.

"Don't mention it, angel."

A tiny quirk of Taehyung's lips. "Ugh."

"How did I not know you liked to be called that?"

"Same way we didn't know you liked my fist up your ass until last year."

Jeongguk smiles. "Got me there."

Taehyung's eyes snap open, and he scrambles to grab Jeongguk's hand. "Fuck, Jeon- Eunhye. You're still with her, right? Fuck, I'm as bad as my ex-"

"Relax." Jeongguk urges him back into bed with gentle hands on his shoulders. "We're on a break while she's visiting family in Ilsan. Mentioned she'd probably be sucking her old boyfriend’s dick. You're nothing like your ex."

"Oh." Taehyung doesn't look very relieved, but curls his fingers between Jeongguk's on his belly nonetheless. "That's kinda shitty, the break so she can hookup with someone else thing."

Jeongguk shrugs, and Taehyung seems to give up on the idea of conversation, turns onto his side and leaves room for Jeongguk to curve his chest against Taehyung's back, holding him extra tight. It's still early, the sun bleeding through the curtains at Jeongguk's window, but neither of them makes a move for the remote nor entertains the idea of leaving bed today.

"Do your parents know you're home?" Taehyung shakes his head. "You wanna stay the night?" This time he nods. "Cool. Mom'll make you chocolate chip pancakes if you ask real nicely."

"Jeongguk."

"Yeah?"

"Thank you."

Taehyung goes back to Seoul the next afternoon and Jeongguk's routine returns to normal. Eunhye kisses him when he mentions hooking up with Taehyung, says that she ended up fucking her ex in the backseat of his car anyway, and then they both get high in the middle of the frat party and go back to solving petty squabbles with too much sex.

It's in the second half of Jeongguk's third year in university when things begin to change. The signs were always there, but Jeongguk refused to see them. Eunhye starts going through his phone, starts complaining every time Jeongguk calls Taehyung that he starts cutting back on the number of times he calls each week. She follows him home, accuses him of cheating on her with his damn mother and taps at his window one night with a picture of him that she'd taken while he was asleep one night they didn't spend together.

Jeongguk breaks it off after a month of the creepy stalker activity. He'd confronted her about it and she'd laughed, said she'd bagged such a hot catch she wanted to make sure he never got away. For a while, things went back to normal, but then Eunhye starts talking about marriage. Says they'll be together until the day they die and announces that she's already picked the church for them to be married in. She won't leave his side, clutching his arm in the hallways and skipping her classes to come with Jeongguk to his.

He tries to make it work for those few weeks, thinks that this might just be a normal part of relationships because that's what Eunhye tells him. Jeongguk's never been in love before, thinks he might be feeling it now with their fifteen month anniversary coming up, but then he catches Eunhye deleting Taehyung's texts from his phone before Jeongguk can read them, the layer of increasing concern in each of Taehyung's messages providing the clarity Jeongguk needed.

Maybe he was in love, or close to it at one point, but that all goes to shit the day Eunhye screams at him in the subway station for returning a dropped wallet to the girl walking in front of them. Jeongguk looks at her face, bright red, as she screams at him with her fingers clutching his wrist while she screeches, "you're mine! my boyfriend! you'll be my husband soon! you don't get to keep talking to all of these other girls!" And he tells her it's over in front of the small crowd of people pretending not to watch the scene.

Except it doesn't end there. Eunhye pretends the exchange never happened and sits herself on Jeongguk's lap at the next party he goes to. Insists she's still his girlfriend, says she would never do anything to lose a guy so good in the sack. Slaps at his arms and chest when he not so gently reminds her that he dumped her ass.

Taehyung's advice is to fucking arrest her and Jeongguk's parents are extra worried when she hides in the bushes in front of Jeongguk's house three nights in a row. She breaks the restraining order that Jeongguk manages to get. One afternoon she's in the damn car when Jeongguk goes to drive to the market.

And he's had enough.

Jeongguk swears off relationships one brutally hot afternoon, his phone ringing on his bed. It's not Taehyung because Taehyung's in class, which means it's a new number Eunhye got to keep calling him. He packs as much as will fit in his duffel bag, throwing some clothes and money and necessities inside and he doesn't tell his parents when he takes the subway to the train station, a cap and mask on to hide.

He swears he can see Eunhye in the shadows, walking on the other side of the sidewalk, or sitting in one of the subway cars but Jeongguk doesn't hear from her. He gets on the train alone. He throws his phone out the window alone and Jeongguk arrives in Seoul fucking alone.

Taehyung doesn't look surprised when Jeongguk knocks on his door, only pulls Jeongguk into a tight hug and lets Jeongguk cry out his frustration curled up at his side on the couch.

(Taehyung does call Jeongguk's parents, though. Calls to let them know that Jeongguk's alright, but that he probably won't be coming home anytime soon. Jeongguk's parents thank him and offer to send some money to help both boys out but Taehyung takes one look at Jeongguk, wrapped up in a blanket after falling asleep on the couch, looking small and more than a little lost, and politely denies the offer. He sleeps curled around Jeongguk's back that night and they stay that way for most of the next day.)

"I found an apartment, hyung. Kinda across town."

"Oh?" Taehyung's sitting upside down on the couch, eating cereal that expired three days ago because he's too fucking lazy to buy more. "Thought you'd given up and just moved in. We haven't tried being roommates before this year."

Jeongguk frowns, staring at the apartment listing in the newspaper. It's not the nicest place but it has potential, and if he gets a roommate then he can start paying Taehyung back for everything. "Has it been a year? Fuck, Tae, I'm so sorry. I said I'd be out of your hair after a week."

Taehyung stands and dumps his cereal in the sink, circling the tiny island in the kitchen to sit at Jeongguk's side. He doesn't look very happy, a look on his face that Jeongguk can't decipher. "You're not a fucking bother, Jeon. You know that. You dealt with shit and needed an out. I told you, you're welcome here for anything. Anytime."

"I know." Jeongguk leans into the arm Taehyung wraps around his shoulders. Kind of wants to get on his knees right then and there because he's feeling more than a little sentimental. Not that he'd ever let Taehyung know that. "Thank you."

Taehyung takes Jeongguk's latest helix- recently healed; Taehyung had thrown such a whiny fit when Jeongguk came home with a new piercing because he had to back off Jeongguk's ear, but that only meant Jeongguk's neck and collarbones had suffered instead- between his teeth and nibbles on Jeongguk's lobe and he's seriously considering letting Taehyung fuck him on the island again. "You don't have to keep thanking me, Gukie."

Jeongguk knows that, of course. But since he left Busan he's been working odd jobs and spending too much time on Taehyung's couch. He felt like he owed something to Taehyung. "I'll let you use the beads tonight."

"Quit acting like you're making up for something," Taehyung scolds. He stands then, and Jeongguk immediately misses the heat of Taehyung's body against his. He disappears into his bedroom for a few long moments- Jeongguk had unpacked in the guest room before they both promptly gave up on the idea of separation- and when he returns he's dressed in his sort of formal wear for work. "Did you decide whether or not you're gonna go back to school?"

Ugh. Taehyung must have been talking to Jeongguk's mom. Again. "Dunno, hyung. The universities here are a little out of my budget." Or whatever budget Jeongguk had on a delivery boy's salary, when Taehyung was the one buying the food and most of Jeongguk's shirts, recently bought him fucking Tiffany earrings when Jeongguk had accidentally called him daddy again. (It was becoming much less of an accident lately.)

"I can put in a good word for you at the department store."

Jeongguk scoffs, reaching for an Oreo on from the jar. One thing he hadn't protested Taehyung paying for was a gym membership. "The day I work retail for some capitalism dick sucker is the day I lay myself in the ground to rot."

"Damn, son. You seem to forget it's the department store that keeps you looking so pretty."

Jeongguk flushes furiously and tucks the Graff necklace around his neck beneath his t-shirt. Or it's Taehyung's shirt. Neither of them knows anymore. The first time Taehyung had brought home an expensive piece of jewelry home for Jeongguk he had protested for days, said it was fucking pointless to spend that much on a few stones, but then Taehyung said it was a reward for letting him fuck Jeongguk on the balcony the night before, which had only opened a can of worms and awakened the stupid praise thing that Jeongguk had forgotten about while he was with her.

"Shut up."

"Want to grill meat tonight for dinner?" Taehyung loops his tie in the reflection of the toaster. Jeongguk swallows thickly, never quite used to the sight of Taehyung fixing himself up for his job. "We can go to that good place in Gangnam."

"Gangnam? Are you trying to go into debt?"

"Fuck off, you're worth it." Jeongguk holds up the t-money card Taehyung's looking for. "Whatever. Be good, baby boy. I'm closing tonight so if you get hungry before dinner go ahead and order something."

Taehyung drops a quick kiss to Jeongguk's ear. Why couldn't Taehyung just choose forehead or cheek kisses? It would be so much easier on Jeongguk. He drops his eyes back to the newspaper, reads about job openings because he honestly might drive himself into Han River if he has to spend another week at his dead end job. Jeongguk can hear Taehyung packing up his things by the door, says a quick, "Thanks, daddy," and flips the newspaper.

Taehyung goes silent. "Did you just-?"

"No," Jeongguk spits, knows quite well that he did. God, fuck that was the one thing Jeongguk was winning at. His cheeks are hot and his teeth hurt from how hard he's clenching his jaw. "No, fuck you, go have fun licking hairy ball sacks for cash."

But Taehyung's smiling by the front door, looking so unbelievably fond. "I'll see you later, Jeonny boy."

"Fuck all the way off."

Jeongguk starts packing up his things a few days later, having secured the apartment across town. Taehyung complains the entire time, says he doesn't like the idea of having to take a subway to get to Jeongguk when he's hard and bored, but Jeongguk doesn't budge on his decision. He's irrational and doesn't think everything through- his decision to leave Busan and drop out of school were perfect examples- but he sees things through. Taehyung's been taking care of him for too long. Now, Jeongguk could give something back.

Hell, Taehyung hadn't even let Jeongguk help pay the rent.

Taehyung helps Jeongguk move his meager belongings to his new place and promptly frowns at the interior design. The owners had left their furniture and Jeongguk had been glad he wouldn't have to buy something to sit on, ("No, hyung, your dick can not be my only chair in this place") but Taehyung was obviously displeased. Even if he didn't say it, the fact that Taehyung disappears that afternoon and comes back directing some workers on where to place a new leather couch is more than enough evidence.

He does end up going back to school at the start of the next semester, at a campus that was actually closer to Taehyung's place, only because he gets a job that pays a little better. Still not anywhere near Taehyung's salary, so Taehyung's still buying most of their meals, but Jeongguk's learning not to feel bad every time Taehyung tells him that if he protests an expensive meal again he'll be spanked right there in the middle of the restaurant.

Taehyung has not been quiet about his happiness at having Jeongguk so close again, if their week spent together in bed last year was anything to go from. Taehyung's no less wild than Jeongguk remembers, goes and actually buys a damn whip one afternoon and Jeongguk lets him use it and that night was the first time Taehyung explicitly ordered Jeongguk to cum.

Since then Jeongguk's starting to notice something as the year moves on and Jeongguk's college graduation approaches. It's that Jeongguk can't seem to cum with someone who isn't Taehyung. It makes hookups incredibly inconvenient, and Jeongguk's had to sneak out of someone's room more than once to call Taehyung in the middle of the night to ask for permission. The daddy thing slips in too much until Jeongguk barely realizes it anymore. He tries to tamper it down when Taehyung declares that he will, one day, get Jeongguk to call him that while they're out in public.

Taehyung has always been so good at riling Jeongguk up and that doesn't change at all with their new location. Jeongguk lets Taehyung dress him up in a fancy suit one night during the holidays and fuck his mouth so roughly that he's crying and drooling, trying his best not to come in his slacks because, "Daddy spent a lot to make you look so nice, baby. I'm going to be very upset if you ruin your pretty suit."

It's Taehyung that sneaks a picture of Jeongguk while he's sucking Taehyung's dick- Taehyung has such a thing for Jeongguk's eyes when he's sucking him off. Even if he never says it outright, Jeongguk can see that he gets a little more desperate on those nights, fucks Jeongguk that much harder- but it's Jeongguk who shyly brings Taehyung into his bedroom one afternoon to show him the amateur tripod he set up, asking in a whisper if they can use it while Taehyung looks so damn excited like he's about to bust a nut right then and there.

When Taehyung goes to visit his family in Busan, Jeongguk tries to find relief in clubs and at the fraternities on his campus, but he still ends up calling Taehyung to cum. That is, until about three days before Taehyung's to get back, Jeongguk standing in the bathroom of a pretty mediocre fuck and saying,

"Hyung, tell me I can cum."

It sounds like he'd woken Taehyung up, a tired and quiet groan serving as Taehyung's greeting. "You know what? No. I'm home in a couple days, you can wait until then for daddy's cock."

Jeongguk whines, staring down at his hard and leaking cock. "Tae- please."

"Good night, Gukie."

But not even all of the dick pics Jeongguk sends or the voice messages of him begging get Taehyung to change his mind. And though Jeongguk's so fucking tempted he holds himself back until Taehyung shows up at his apartment three days later with a pleasant greeting.

"You fucking asswipe, take your pants off," is how Jeongguk greets him.

They don't even make it into the apartment for the first round. Don't even get to the bedroom until Jeongguk's already cum three times.

Jeongguk's family comes up to Seoul for his graduation and Jeongguk Does Not Cry, thank you very much. There's grass in his eye and that's why he can't lift his head up from his mother's shoulder. It's been so long, and that night Taehyung fucks Jeongguk slow and deep, half a chocolate cake and a couple expensive bottles of Soju on the coffee table next to them.

"You need a better job," Taehyung says some time later.

"Easy for you to say, jewelry boy."

Taehyung snorts and plays with the diamond sitting nicely in Jeongguk's tragus. "Jimin called me your sugar daddy today."

Jeongguk scowls at the TV. This Cupcake Wars episode hadn't had nearly enough small kitchen fires. "Why the fuck's this Jimin dude know about me? Isn't he the guy who's left half the store unsatisfied?"

"Hm. He was enough for me."

"That's 'cause you're easy."

"You'd know."

Jeongguk contemplates asking to go out to a BBQ place, make Taehyung drive around to find a twenty-four hour place just because he knows Taehyung would do it for him. "I'm getting a roommate."

"What the fuck?" Taehyung looks at him, fingers stilling on his ear. "Why?"

"To help with rent? What the fuck's it matter to you."

"I can't fuck you on the floor when you've got a roommate!"

Jeongguk just sighs. "I met this guy in uni. He's almost as sexually active as me, unfortunately. I might walk in on him doing it on the floor."

"You should join. Then call me so I can give you pointers on your form." With an embarrassed squeak, Jeongguk shoves Taehyung off of the couch and pouts as Taehyung just laughs, unperturbed. Taehyung sits back on the floor, his long hair flopping into his eyes. He needed a haircut, but Jeongguk really like the fluffy look to Taehyung's hair. "Okay, game plan. Your place is for the vanilla bed sex. Mine's where the kinky shit happens."

"Permission to kink shame."

"Denied. Think of my salad."

"Ugh. Whatever. Can we order another pizza?"

They do, and the fucking three pizzas that Taehyung orders arrive a few minutes later. Taehyung sits behind him on the couch, legs spread wide to accommodate Jeongguk's body between them. He can hear Taehyung chewing in his ear and it's pretty fucking gross, if he's being honest, but that doesn't stop Jeongguk from feeding him bites from his own pizza, until,

"What do you say?"

Jeongguk frowns, looking away from the movie. "What?"

"Daddy bought you this pizza, what do you say?"

"Hyung, don't-" Jeongguk sighs, but Taehyung's not even looking at him like he expects anything. He's smiling softly and Jeongguk's squirming a little in his lap and honestly Jeongguk regrets everything about his life. "Thank you daddy for this meal so that I am not to go hungry and wither away from lack of nutrients while starving."

Taehyung laughs, nuzzling at Jeongguk's ear. "We'll work on it."

And Jeongguk's favorite nights are the ones where Taehyung fucks him hard and fast, takes Jeongguk over his knee when he's being a little too mouthy, makes Jeongguk thank him for every spank against his sore ass while Jeongguk's sobbing into the sheets. Taehyung slowly gets Jeongguk to thank him for every spank and every slap, each finger he gets, babbling when he gets to come and blinking through tears when Taehyung comes on his face. Or when Taehyung's calling him the filthiest things they can think of, denying Jeongguk his release until he admits that he's a slut for Taehyung.

Taehyung likes those nights too, but he likes it even more when he goads Jeongguk, when he gets Jeongguk to top and hold him down onto the bed with whispers of, “Yeah, baby boy. Gonna fuck me so well? Love your cock in me.” Jeongguk always prefers to bottom- still so fucking lazy- but he has to say he does like the way Taehyung’s eyes close in pleasure when he falls apart on Jeongguk’s cock.

(“Your neighbors must hate us,” Jeongguk says after a particularly rough night. He doesn’t think the headboard stopped banging against the wall once.

“They do. Real old folks. They would probably die if they tried to have sex. Filed a few complaints already.”

“Please don’t talk about old people sex.”

“Your neighbor high-fives me every morning I leave.”

Jeongguk scowls, suddenly hating the university student living across the hall from him. “Fuck both of you.”)

Taehyung especially likes dragging Jeongguk into the shower afterwards just a little bit more. Running a bath when Jeongguk's legs are a little too shaky, rubbing oils into Jeongguk's tired back and shoulders while Jeongguk tries to fight him off with weak protests but eventually gives in and lets Taehyung glide his hands over each of the stress points on his body. He's kept up with the lavender soap and the scent is so familiar that Jeongguk blows Taehyung right there in the bath.

One day Jeongguk's protests fall a little flat and he's melting against Taehyung's chest in the bath and suddenly Taehyung's hands freeze from where they've been massaging shampoo into Jeongguk's hair. "You little bastard, you're enjoying this aren't you?"

Jeongguk squirms, mumbles, "Isn't that the point?"

Which only earns him a whole cuddling session while Taehyung pinches at his cheeks and coos that, "My baby boy is so cute," and Jeongguk kind of wants to die but he also really might like it.

And then there are the nights they spend at each other's apartments, the nights when Taehyung nips at Jeongguk's ear until he wakes up at an ungodly hour just because Taehyung is hard. And Jeongguk's so stupidly pliant when he's sleepy, agrees to let Taehyung do things that wide awake Jeongguk would think twice about, sleepy hand jobs without opening their eyes just because it feels good. When Jeongguk tries to mumble half-hearted complaints about falling back asleep with cum cooling on his belly, Taehyung just laughs and says he would have woken him up with dick pics, anyway.

Jeongguk tries to withhold sex for a week after a girl turned him down in the club thanks to Taehyung, who'd walked right up to his side to kiss him loud and messy. Taehyung had protested and cited drunkenness, but Jeongguk wasn't hearing it because she had been hot and if her super expensive earrings, (the same fucking Givenchy ones in the catalogue that Jeongguk secretly wants and refuses to mention to Taehyung,) are anything to go by, he could have gotten them some nicer handcuffs.

(Jeongguk's the one who breaks first, walking to Taehyung's apartment with his head held down because he hadn't even made it three days before he was coming back for sex. Taehyung can read it on his face the second he shows up, doesn't say a word but smirks that stupid smirk that makes Jeongguk hot all over.)

On one summer afternoon, Jeongguk heads over to Taehyung's with no intention of sex. Doesn't mean that things will stay that way for very long, he has very weak resolve when it comes to Taehyung, but his intentions are good.

They're sharing chicken on the floor of Taehyung's kitchen, too lazy to move to the living room or grab chopsticks, and Jeongguk waits until he's had a few shots of Soju to say,

"Is that department store offer still on the table?"

Taehyung's face lights up and he drops a wet, messy kiss right onto Jeongguk's mouth. Climbs into Jeongguk's lap and starts working at the waistband of his jeans without a word. "You're adorable and also in luck. Position just opened up in the jewelry department." Taehyung nudges Jeongguk to sit back as he settles himself between Jeongguk's thighs, tugging his half hard cock out of his jeans and toward his lips. "I'll call Namjoon as soon as we're done here, baby."

"And these are the Armani suits I'll fuck you in one day."

"Hyung."

"This is the bathroom section, no those soaps shaped like candy are not candy. Don't ask, but I've cleaned up after one too many children trying to eat them."

Taehyung was giving Jeongguk a tour of the department store on his first day, his hair styled with gel for the first time in maybe ten years and one of Taehyung's old suits fitting poorly on his frame. But he didn't have enough money yet to buy his own.

"Shouldn't you be showing me our station, Tae?"

"It's easy as shit. Overpriced diamonds and cougars who want to pick you up while looking at them."

"You've bought me some of those diamonds."

"Quit calling me a cougar." Taehyung leads him further into the store, pointing out the kitchen supplies and bedroom section. Tells Jeongguk there's a bed in the back that's just outside the view of the cam, and if they time it right there won't be anyone nearby for a quick fuck. "This is the break room where I'll give you hand jobs whenever we get a third guy. Or blowjobs if I'm feeling particularly freaky."

"Which is always, you freak."

"I do not recall giving you a free Kink Shame card." Taehyung points to his right. "Men's department. Namjoon will suggest you buy a suit from here, which I'd actually recommend, too. Employee discount and all that jazz. I'll buy your first one since mine actually looks bad on you. Who'd ever imagine that something would look bad on the sexiest man alive?"

Jeongguk flushes and bites back the word that was about to follow his quiet, "Thanks."

"Woman's department. Teenage department because Namjoon's a closet emo. Elevators. Not a good place to get it on but the bathroom at the end of the hall doesn't have a camera." Taehyung gestures around Jeongguk. "Lingerie department where I'll be buying you panties for your birthday."

Jeongguk shoves Taehyung into a display and watches in horror as a ton of pretty panties flutter slowly to the ground. A pretty woman doesn't even look up from her register, "Quit breaking things, Taehyung!"

"I'll clean it up, Y/N!" Taehyung calls over his shoulder as he wraps a hand around Jeongguk's wrist and leads him away. "I never do. She's got like, three underlings to clean everything up. Why do we even need that many girls working with panties."

"She's hot."

"Who?"

"Uh, Y/N?"

"Oh. Park Jimin says she's good in bed."

"Why do you keep mentioning him? Gonna leave me for him?"

Taehyung snorts. "Please. Your broke ass would be lost without everything that I do for it."

"Speaking of," Jeongguk mutters. "I'm still sore from the fucking beads. I hate those things."

"Literally not what you were saying last night, but sure. You slut."

Jeongguk looks around frantically, but luckily there were no customers around. "Not at work, hyung. Please."

"Maybe. Anyway this is our counter, the stupid watches that literally never show the correct time. Uh, bracelets, necklaces, earrings, rings. Some customers like when you model the stuff so I hope you've moisturized your ankles."

"I hate you."

Taehyung's grinning. "Namjoon will explain more to you. Just don't break anything or let anything get stolen and you'll be fine."

Across the room, Jeongguk looks up and makes eye contact with a pretty girl standing behind the counter at the women's department, folding some dresses for a customer. She tucks a piece of hair behind her ear and looks away shyly, only to look back up and over Jeongguk's entire body.

"I think I'll be just fine here."

Taehyung makes a gagging noise, kneels down to unlock a display case lined with big necklaces and earrings to pull out one of the three fucking tiaras that lay there. "Put this on."

"What the fuck. No."

"Please, baby boy? For me?"

Jeongguk puts the tiara on with a sigh, lets Taehyung put a few rings on him and a necklace to complete the look. "Why am I doing this?"

Taehyung doesn't answer for the longest moment, then he sighs longingly and leans against the counter. "I was right, that is something I like to see. One day I'm gonna fuck you like the royalty that you are."

Flushing passionately, Jeongguk all but rips each piece of jewelry off. The last thing either of them need is for Taehyung to get turned on during Jeongguk's first day. "Shut up."

A woman walks by as Jeongguk's trying to get each of the ill fitting rings off his fingers and asks about them. She stares at Jeongguk's face instead of the rings as Jeongguk's reciting all of the fucking bullshit from the cheat sheet Taehyung had given him and smiles brightly when she decides to buy the ring Jeongguk was modeling on his pinky.

Taehyung shows him how to ring up sales, mark them, and properly close the sale. He claps Jeongguk on the shoulder, takes one too hasty look around and kisses Jeongguk's ear. "I think you'll be just fine here."

"I don't like Namjoon."

"You're not the only one."

"Fuckin' capitalist dick sucking know it all-"

Taehyung pushes the beer bottle closer to Jeongguk's mouth. "Shut up and drink, Socrates."

"Ugh."

But Jeongguk likes working at the department store. There's more places than either of them had expected to fuck or get some quick hand jobs in when they can risk being away from the counter at the same time. Jeongguk meets Park Jimin and is woefully underwhelmed. He hooks up with the pretty girl from the women's section and the rumors spread quickly.

They go out for company lunches or more low-key endeavors with just a few people, Taehyung's foot on Jeongguk's crotch while Jeongguk tries very hard not to call him daddy in the middle of the restaurant and hold onto his wits- he refuses to walk out of there with wet slacks.

Jeongguk hooks up with Jimin while drunk during the Christmas party and understands why he's got the title as the Most Unsatisfying Person in the store. He ends up walking to Taehyung's place after that hookup and even though Taehyung's got a girl in his bed, he still blows Jeongguk in the hallway because neither of them wants to deal with a mess.

It's a nice routine to fall into, Jeongguk thinks, even if it does get kind of boring standing behind the counter and dealing with the people who think they're being subtle with their flirting. Namjoon gets them ear pieces to use when they both can't be at the counter at the same time, and Taehyung starts talking so dirty into Jeongguk's ear whenever he goes into the back, Jeongguk slumping against the counter and trying hard not to come behind the clear glass of the display cases.

Taehyung laughs about it, pushes the limits by getting vibrators into Jeongguk before work starts, lets Jeongguk walk away to the bathroom to jerk off and whispering permission into Jeongguk's ear. Or, if Taehyung's too distracted with a customer, Jeongguk pulling the daddy card and making his voice as whiny as possible. It gets to the point that Jeongguk wears it during some hookups, Taehyung's voice from the department store in his ear.

"This is our newest piece from the Bvlgari collection," Taehyung's saying, showing a man some pieces so he can choose what to buy for his wife. In his ear, Jeongguk's groaning in his bed. His hookup sounds pretty good, at least. Then Taehyung turns away while the man is distracted to whisper into his lapel, "Come for daddy, you little cock slut."

"What was that?"

"Inventory question," Taehyung lies smoothly, smiling at the customer. Jeongguk's choking on a moan in his ear. "Will that be credit or debit?"

("Bet Namjoon would have a stroke if he saw how we were using his precious earpieces."

"Please don't talk about Namjoon when I have my fist up your ass, Jeon.")

They haven't had a threesome in a while but Jeongguk turns it down when Taehyung suggests it. He doesn't think he can handle trying not to cringe after Taehyung tells his secret and then he's got a girl in his lap calling him daddy while Taehyung sits comfortably on the other side of bed, doing a very poor job of hiding his laughter.

Taehyung complains quite a bit now that they're making the same salary but it's genuinely not Jeongguk's fault that Taehyung insists on spoiling him. Still, that doesn't stop Taehyung from ranting about money sometimes when the jewelry section is particularly slow.

"All I'm saying," Taehyung's saying, taking note of all of the rings while Jeongguk's sitting on the floor just out of the view of the camera. Taehyung had given Jeongguk his phone to entertain himself with. "We make the same amount of money now, but I'm spending so much on you. It wouldn't kill you to pay for the pizza every now and again."

Jeongguk pouts up at Taehyung, looks at him through his fringe because he knows just how much Taehyung loves that. He whines, "But daddy-"

"Shit, fuck, shut the fuck up, Jeon. Don't look." But Jeongguk looks anyway, grinning to himself while Taehyung buys a ring that Jeongguk will find in his palm later this evening.

And things are really good.

Jeongguk doesn't think he's been this happy in years. Taehyung still fucks him into the mattress and tries to talk dirty in public, Jeongguk getting embarrassed and slightly turned on no matter what, no matter who's around. Jeongguk gets it on with quite a few people but he somehow ends up going back to the same girl a few times because you're good. You can get him off half the time so that Jeongguk isn't walking over to Taehyung's with a defeated look every time he fucks you.

Maybe it's a problem that he keeps coming back to you, taking you to the dressing rooms and bathrooms that Taehyung had told him had the least amount of foot traffic in the place, but he has fun with you. He makes it clear from the beginning he's only in it for sex- really doesn't need a repeat of what happened in Busan- and is pleased when he's met with no issues from you.

Taehyung isn't displeased, but he does watch all of Jeongguk's interactions with you with a critical eye. Jeongguk doesn't give a shit. He's having fun and living his life and getting his soul sucked out of his dick most days of the week, if Taehyung wants to suddenly be a moody bastard, then that was his own problem.

"You know what you're doing right?" Taehyung's asking, two glasses of milkshakes on the table. He's re-instated their milkshake thing after so long, had bought a fancy fucking blender for each of their apartments. "Like. You're being careful?"

Jeongguk frowns. There's a line of whipped cream above Taehyung's upper lip and Jeongguk wants to lick it off. "With my life? You know I have no idea what I'm doing."

"No," Taehyung sighs, his lips pressed together. He brings a hand up to wipe at his face. "With Y/N. I haven't seen you stick with the same person for so long before."

"I've stuck with you."

"I don't count." Taehyung takes another sip of his milkshake. "I'm only asking. We both remember what happened last time, and I don't want to see you get hurt-"

"Y/N knows this is just sex."

Taehyung fixes him with a flat look. "Does she? Last I recall, Eunhye started out as just sex."

"Don't fucking say her name to me."

"Jeongguk-"

"No, fuck you, Tae." Jeongguk stands up, collecting their unfinished milkshakes and dumping them into the sink. "I don't do relationships, you fucking know this. I told her what I was in this for, and she agreed. You literally just had a vibrator up my ass half an hour ago. Do you think I'd be doing that shit if I were dating her?"

"Jeon, just listen to me-"

"Why should I? You still think of me as a fucking kid, don't you?" Jeongguk laughs humorously, turns around to face Taehyung again. "You saw what fucking happened in Busan. I'm not going to let that happen again."

"And what happens if Y/N gets attached? You're going to fucking run away again?"

Jeongguk feels that one on his heart. Something evil and prickly pokes at Jeongguk's eyes, and he looks at the floor instead of at Taehyung. Because really, when they get down to it, that's all Jeongguk is. A piece of shit with piece of shit feelings who runs away as soon as things get bad. But with her, with the ex, he'd really had no other way out. Taehyung knows that. Fuck, Taehyung was the one who spent months convincing Jeongguk that he had done the right thing, that he'd done what would help him the most in the long run.

Taehyung knew how hard those months were on Jeongguk.

Yet here Taehyung was, throwing each day Jeongguk had spent curled in on himself on the floor right back at Jeongguk's face.

"You know what, hyung? I think you're jealous."

Taehyung barks out a humorless laugh. "What the ever-loving fuck do I have to be jealous of?"

Jeongguk presses on, "You're jealous that you're not my only fuck anymore-"

"I've never been your only fuck," Taehyung interrupts, staring at Jeongguk like he doesn't know the ins and outs of Jeongguk's mind and body. Like Jeongguk is a stranger to him. "And same goes for you-"

"Then what is it? Jealous I'm spending as much time with her as I am with you?"

That gets Taehyung's expression to harden, the usual bright, soft light of his eyes changing to something colder. "That's fucking laughable, Jeon. Especially considering you've come to me begging me to eat your ass after she wasn't good enough."

Blushing red, Jeongguk presses on. He doesn't know where the fuck this energy to fight came from, can't even remember his original point anymore, but he'll be damned if he loses. "Maybe that's the problem then. I always come back to you, hyung. I don't fucking know why. You treat me like I'm a kid, hell, you make me rate my fucking hookups!"

"I don't make you do anything, Jeon." Taehyung's fists hang loose at his sides. Jeongguk wants him to use them, wants to feel justified about this burning anger he's got coursing through his blood. "We started that fucking system so I'd know how to take care of you after a bad hookup-"

"There it is again! Saying you take care of me, like I'm a fucking obligation! I don't fucking need you to take care of me, Kim."

Taehyung is silent for too long. Jeongguk can physically feel the fight draining out of his body, sags against the counter until the only thing keeping him on his feet is the ironclad grip he has on the edge of the sink. "Is that what you think, Jeongguk? That I've only... kept you around out of some feelings of obligation?"

"I think you should leave." The words surprise even Jeongguk.

The anger melts right off of Taehyung's face. "I didn't mean-"

"I don't care. Go away. We're done, Taehyung-hyung."

"Jeongguk, I'm just trying to look out for you-"

"Get out!"

Jeongguk wrenches his eyes shut and doesn't watch as Taehyung leaves. The only evidence that Taehyung had been in the apartment at all that afternoon was the Chopard bracelet sitting on the table where Taehyung had been some minutes before.

Jeongguk slips down the cabinet, throws his arms over the back of his head with his head buried against his knees, and doesn't move for the rest of the evening.

Jeongguk approaches Namjoon with a bullshit story about how the jewelry counter doesn't need two people at all times during the slow season and convinces Namjoon to put him on the afternoon shift. It's easier for Taehyung to wake up in the mornings, after all.

In truth, it just hurt Jeongguk too much to have to work at Taehyung's side after his fight. One quick look at Taehyung's face, shadowed and tight with red eyes like he hadn't slept at all the night before, nearly had Jeongguk dropping to his knees to beg for forgiveness. But he was still mad. Taehyung treated him like a kid, didn't believe him when he said he knew what the hell he was doing with you, and Jeongguk didn't need that kind of negativity in his life.

After just two days of working with each other, jumping away when their hands got too close and in complete silence, because what do you say to someone who knew you better than you've ever known yourself, Jeongguk's rearranging his schedule. Now he doesn't work with Taehyung anymore and his work days have never been worse.

"Are you drunk?" Jeongguk's fixing his jeans in the alleyway of some shitty club, staring at the girl in front of him with dull eyes. They're coworkers, had run into each other at the bar, and she'd been the one to suggest the fuck.

Jeongguk's confused. He's not drunk, unfortunately. Last time he'd done a drunk hookup he cried for Taehyung halfway through. He doesn't need a repeat of that. "What?"

"You're just. A lot quieter than I remember you being at work."

Oh yeah, she'd left the store a while ago. "Yeah," Jeongguk lies, kisses her forehead in goodbye because he's not a dick. "I'm drunk."

Jeongguk's best friend becomes the cheap wine bottles Taehyung had always scoffed at, but he knows his limit and remembers to stay far away from that. His roommate high-fives him every morning after a girl's stumbled out of Jeongguk's room, grinning at him over the island in the kitchen. Jeongguk hasn't been with a guy in a while. Finds that he can't find one he wants to mess around with at all.

He laughs with you, though, which Jeongguk considers to be a blessing. Sex with you is good, and Jeongguk can get lost in your moans in the cramped fitting rooms, can forget for a second all of the terrible things he said to his best friend.

And Jeongguk doesn't think much when he starts getting lunch or dinner with you because most of the time it ends with sex in the back of the car, or sharing lunch in the break room with his hands down your skirt. Taco Tuesdays don't always end in sex but that's Jeongguk's fault- he got a Tinder match and left early.

Another thing Taehyung had laughed at. Tinder. If only he could see what Jeongguk was doing now.

"You shine less." You say one afternoon, fixing your skirt and hair in the bathroom in the corner of the department store. It's been almost four months and you haven't even looked to be contemplating a relationship with Jeongguk. He's glad. There's one person he wants to brag to but knows he never will.

"What?" Jeongguk's still sitting on the sink, his slacks around his ankles from the blowjob and he’s considering leaving Sangwoo alone at the counter so he doesn't have to go back to work.

"Like," you gestures to Jeongguk's body before trying to tame your hair. "Your neck? I guess. I'm so used to seeing you decked out in diamonds, Jeon. I don't think I've ever seen you without earrings."

Subconsciously, Jeongguk's hand flies to his ear and misses the touch of the diamonds that used to line the entire lobe; empty now except for the one black stud he's worn since high school. He'd gotten the entire thing pierced over the course of a few months to try and have the upper hand over Tae. It hadn't worked.

"Oh." Jeongguk finally stands to pull up his slacks. He's going to need a few good drinks tonight. He fixes his expression into the smirk he wears around work, around the girls he wants to touch. "Guess I got tired of shining more than you, baby."

"Go to hell, Jeon."

Jeongguk only speaks to Taehyung once in those terrible six months, three weeks after the fight and only through text:

To: Taetae i need my cash it's under your mattress.

From: Taetae why is ur money under my fuckin mattress

But Taehyung says when he'll be out and Jeongguk leaves his spare key on the hook inside the apartment after getting his cash, darting in and out of the place because some of his clothes are still thrown on the floor and he accidentally catches sight of a pair of diamond hoops while hanging up his key, has to bite back the urge to vomit while driving home that afternoon.

Ideally, Jeongguk would throw himself into his work. Become the model employee Namjoon says he could be every time they have a meeting together, focus on his sales instead of what underwear you're wearing today. Ideally, Jeongguk wouldn't be looking over his high school yearbook, one of the few things he'd brought when he ran away, with a half finished bottle of wine at his side and staring at Taehyung's smile. There's one picture in the book that Jeongguk can't move on from. It was taken during Taehyung's senior year, a picture of him laughing so vividly that Jeongguk can hear it in his mind. He's got his arm thrown around Jeongguk's shoulders, one of the few pictures of Jeongguk that exist in the yearbooks, leaning his head against Jeongguk's because he used to be so much taller back when Jeongguk was still scrawny and unsure of himself.

Jeongguk doesn't hook up with anyone that night.

It's almost like a shitty cliche, Jeongguk thinks over the course of those six months. There was no returning of their belongings or drunk i miss you's sent to either of them, but Jeongguk feels every day like a large hole in his chest. Can't anyone see it? Right there, it's spilling his heart right onto the pavement.

But he chases the feeling away with pretty girls and a few too many rounds with you in the department store because he's not gay and he's not in love, doesn't need Taehyung in his life. Even if he hasn't bought new clothes or gone on vacation or eaten a decent meal in a while. He's an adult. A shitty one, but no adult in their twenties actually has their life together.

Jeongguk flirts with customers and smiles a little too long while modeling the rings, stares a little too pointedly. He calls his parents because he knows Taehyung won't have any updates to give on him, goes out on an actual date for the first time in years when a girl insists she doesn't sleep with someone she doesn't know well.

(She does. Jeongguk doesn't feel bad about it when he doesn't call her the next day.)

You're a good distraction, but lately there's nothing that can keep Jeongguk's thoughts away from Taehyung, and he's beginning to worry that it's more than just sex that Jeongguk is missing. Maybe it's the gifts, or that Taehyung is the only tie he has to his life in Busan, or the late nights watching shitty TV when Jeongguk's ass hurt too badly to sleep. The dinners together. Taehyung's fingers in his hair, the softest alarm clock, when Jeongguk sleeps over at his place.

Jeongguk's not in love, has no fucking clue what that emotion even is, but he knows he can't do this shitty adult thing without Taehyung at his side. He likes Taehyung taking care of him, likes that he has somewhere to go when his days are hard or he's not feeling too hot, really likes it when all he has to do is walk through Taehyung's door and Taehyung just knows, dropping whatever he's doing to open his arms for Jeongguk and invite him into a hug, holding him together when it's too difficult for Jeongguk to do on his own.

"Inventory this week." You say into the long silence. Jeongguk's at the lingerie department again, messing with one of the displays because he likes the way you look when you're annoyed. You're fixing the display, knocking Jeongguk's hand away every time he reaches for it. "Know which departments are tonight?"

"Mh, I'm sure you'll let me know."

You roll your eyes, and Jeongguk reaches forward to brush the hair falling into your face behind your ear. "Jewelry and lingerie."

"Oh?"

"Yeah." Now there's a sly grin on your face and it matches the one Jeongguk grins, the one Taehyung said is thanks to his tutelage. "Only one camera in the inventory rooms."

"You had me at aggressive blowjobs."

Jeongguk fucks you in the inventory room that evening, a few hours before the store is to close. Anyone could walk in at any moment, their turn to check their inventories could end while Jeongguk has his face buried between your thighs, but for all the times Taehyung has fucked him on the balcony, Jeongguk feels like he's invincible. Starts thinking about Namjoon's office with your hair twisted between his fingers, but he shakes those thoughts away and goes back to chasing his emotions away with shallow thrusts into your mouth.

But as he's leaving that night Jeongguk stops by the jewelry counter before he goes. The light is still on, and before he shuts it off Jeongguk unlocks the display of their most expensive pieces and pulls out the pair of Givenchy earrings he's had a boner for ever since before he started working here.

They're ridiculously priced, the diamonds small and numerous and so incredibly clean, so expensive that not even their richest client has asked to look at them. Jeongguk runs his fingers over the velvet of the case, nowhere near the actual jewelry, and knows he can't keep walking away from the things he wants.

The drive isn't long, but nervous anticipation plays the drums with Jeongguk's insides. It's been so long. There's no way Taehyung will want to see him again, no way he'll want to deal with Jeongguk's needy ass or his stupidity and Jeongguk prepares himself for a door slammed in his face.

When Jeongguk knocks, there's no immediate answer, and Jeongguk's body deflates. Taehyung must have seen him through the peephole, and that's how Jeongguk knows it's over. His own stupid emotions destroyed the best friendship he's ever had, and now he has to figure out a way to rebuild his life without Taehyung's hand in his back pocket.

"Jeongguk?"

Jeongguk jumps, ripping his forehead away from where it had fallen against the door. Taehyung stands at the other side of the hallway, a few bags of groceries hanging from his fingers and that's what Jeongguk's been forgetting to do over the past few weeks.

His throat is dry and tight, but he manages a shaky smile. "Hi, Tae."

Taehyung doesn't say anything as he approaches, his eyes wide as he stares at Jeongguk. His expression is schooled carefully, but if Jeongguk's not projecting then maybe that's hope twinkling in his eyes. "Did you forget something else here?"

My soul. "Uh, no, hyung. I- uh, I was hoping. M-maybe, we-we, if you're not b-b-"

"Jeon," Taehyung says very quietly. "Don't stutter."

Jeongguk wasn't in high school anymore. He could fucking do this. He stands up a little straighter and looks at the ugly painting over Taehyung's shoulder. "I was hoping we could talk."

"Okay."

Jeongguk falter a little at the quick agreement, but his nerves spike again because Taehyung's still using that detached voice that he's never used with Jeongguk before. He steps back as Taehyung moves to unlock the door, gesturing for Jeongguk to enter before he follows. Everything looks the same, familiar and beautiful and looking more like home than Jeongguk's own apartment, except Jeongguk can see that there's no clothes on the floor and no hoop earrings on the island.

"What did you want to talk about?" Taehyung toes off his shoes and places the plastic bags onto the table.

Jeongguk feels everything rush up his throat at the same time, the words fighting each other for the proper thing to say. But everything sounds wrong to Jeongguk in that moment, like there are no words for Jeongguk to use to properly explain himself, explain everything that Jeongguk's feeling.

So he steps forward. He can't ruin things any more than he already has.

Fingers twisted into the front of Taehyung's dress shirt, Jeongguk closes his eyes against Taehyung's look of shock and pulls him into a bruising kiss, the intensity of Taehyung's kisses hitting him all at once. Taehyung takes charge of the kiss like he always has, yanks Jeongguk closer by the waistband of his slacks and licks roughly behind Jeongguk's teeth. He kisses the air out of Jeongguk's chest and the pain of the last six months out of his mind, kisses Jeongguk like he missed this just as desperately.

Jeongguk leads Taehyung out of the kitchen, forgetting the layout briefly in his haze and feels his back slam harshly into the wall, Taehyung following to cage his body against the wall. He's given only the briefest second to catch his breath before Taehyung is kissing him again, growling at the frantic little whine that leaves Jeongguk's lips.

"I'm sorry," Jeongguk gasps, his hand against Taehyung's chest to give their kissing a pause. He looks up at Taehyung, eyes blown wide, and bites back his sudden urge to cry. "I'm sorry, Tae. Hyung. I'm so sorry. I miss you."

Taehyung strokes away the tear with his thumb. "I miss you, too, Gukie. More than you know."

With Taehyung's lips on Jeongguk's neck, he guides Jeongguk to the bedroom with a desperation that leaves the both of them reeling. Taehyung gets Jeongguk's clothes off before they even get to his bedroom, pushing Jeongguk onto the mattress and starts unbuttoning his shirt. But there's too many buttons and Jeongguk's body is hot all over, his cheeks bright red and his head spinning. He missed this too much for any sort of waiting.

Jeongguk gets his fingers into Taehyung's belt loops and tugs his body roughly on top of his own, licking against Taehyung's neck as he ruts against Taehyung's thigh. He's getting hard already, just at the thought of how good Taehyung always makes him feel.

"Hurry up, Tae," Jeongguk growls, can feel Taehyung's own erection against his leg.

Taehyung flattens a palm to Jeongguk's bare belly, but it does nothing to quell the fire he's burning. "Relax, baby. We have time-"

"Don't care. Need to feel you. Hyung. Please."

When Taehyung kisses him this time his teeth knock into Jeongguk's, dragging another whimper from Jeongguk's lips. He bites Jeongguk's bottom lip and sucks it into his own mouth, watching the way it pops back with a soft, wet noise. His lube is buried deep in the side table and if Jeongguk weren't so overwhelmed already he'd make a comment about that.

"Get on your hands and knees for me?"

Jeongguk does, dropping his weight onto his forearms and his forehead into the sheets at the first press of Taehyung's slick finger to his hole. He hisses, entire body tensing at the intrusion, and he can practically hear Taehyung's frown behind him. "Hurry up, Tae. Fuck- come on-"

Taehyung slaps his ass very gently when Jeongguk tries to grind against his finger. Jeongguk whimpers, his body relaxing a little bit more. It's been so long since he's gotten spanked. "How long's it been since you've been with a guy?"

Jeongguk feels his cheeks flush and mutters into the sheets, "Haven't been. Not since you."

"Fuck, Gukie."

Taehyung takes his time fingering Jeongguk open, spends too long with one finger and pours warm lube right onto his crack before pushing two fingers in. He doesn't budge when Jeongguk curses at him, spits insults into the pillow because he didn't come here for hand holding, he came here to get fucked hard and he's not getting fucked hard. But no matter how many times Jeongguk threatens to get himself off if Taehyung doesn't hurry up, Taehyung doesn't break his pace, scissoring his fingers carefully in Jeongguk's hole.

His cock hangs hard and heavy between his legs, and for a brief second Jeongguk considers making himself cum, knows he can cum more than once but he doesn't want to do that. It never feels as good when it's not Taehyung pushing him over the edge each time.

By the time Taehyung's finally got three fingers inside of him, pressing repeatedly into Jeongguk's prostate, Jeongguk's nearly crying into the sheets, so ridiculously on edge and desperate to feel Taehyung inside of him, to be filled for the first time in months. He whimpers when Taehyung pulls his fingers out, his hole clenching to try and keep them in, but the sound of Taehyung unzipping his pants has Jeongguk shivering in excitement.

"Don't-" Jeongguk reaches for Taehyung's arm with a shaky hand. He'd been aiming for the condom between Taehyung's fingers but his vision is a little blurry and he uses the hold on Taehyung's arm to attempt to ground himself. "Don't. I haven't gone without."

Taehyung hesitates, carefully prying Jeongguk's fingers off of his arm. "I haven't been tested since my last one," he murmurs, sounding regretful.

Jeongguk feels that stab his chest. It's stupid. Taehyung can choose not to use a condom with whomever he wants. He'd just always thought-

"Whatever," Jeongguk spits, wiggles his ass to try and get closer to Taehyung. "Fuck me, hyung. Come on, need your fat cock in me. Need it so bad!"

"Up." Taehyung taps Jeongguk's hip, maneuvers his body so Jeongguk's front is pressed against the wall, Taehyung's body lined up behind him. When he feels Taehyung's tip at his hole Jeongguk tries to sink onto his cock, needing to be filled in that moment before he loses it, but Teahyung keeps strong hands on Jeongguk's hips to keep his pace slow, cursing. "Fucking- stop it, Jeon. I don't want to hurt you-"

"I don't care." Jeongguk cries out, the stretch deliciously torturous as he finally gets something inside of him. His head spins, falling back to rest on Taehyung's shoulder as he slowly bottoms out. "Don't care, please. Hurt me. Ruin me, choke me until I can't breathe, hyung, just fuck me!"

But Taehyung's always had more self-control and Jeongguk curses that fact in that moment. Taehyung waits, hips flush against Jeongguk's ass, until Jeongguk's begging, a mantra of I'm ready I'm ready I'm ready falling from his lips to finally move. When he pulls out and slams back into Jeongguk, Jeongguk sobs, hiccuping on each thrust. He feels it when Taehyung starts to lose that self-control, his thrusts rougher and his hands gripping Jeongguk's hips tight enough to bruise.

He scrambles for something to hold onto but the wall offers nothing, his hands slipping as Taehyung fucks him roughly. Jeongguk's head is lolling, moans spilling from his lips, and he all but sobs when Taehyung nibbles on his neck, biting hickeys in all of his favorite spots.

"So good-" Jeongguk's crying out, brings one hand away from the wall to curl it into Taehyung's hair. His entire body is warm and sensitive, jostling each time Taehyung slams his hips back against Jeongguk's ass, and Jeongguk swears he's fucking floating, his dick leaking an obscene amount on his belly. "You're so- I feel you, Tae-" He touches his own neck. "Feel you- oh shit- here-"

"Yeah?" Taehyung murmurs in Jeongguk's ear, a shiver wracking down his body. "My baby boy, always so needy for a good cock in his ass, right?" Jeongguk nods, having missed this dirty talk more than he'll ever be willing to admit. Taehyung pinches his hip and Jeongguk positively mewls. "Answer me, baby."

"Y-yeah-" Jeongguk's voice breaks on another sob and he's about to fucking cum untouched just from how well Taehyung's fucking him. "Yes! I love it! Love the way you- God- fuck me-!"

"Close already?" Taehyung's lips are turned up against Jeongguk's ear. "Go on, cum all over yourself like the dirty little slut you are. My fucking slut."

Taehyung takes Jeongguk's lobe between his teeth and Jeongguk cums hard, his entire body tensing up as he cums all over his belly, crying Taehyung's name as he does. His eyes screw shut as Taehyung stops thrusting to let Jeongguk work through his orgasm on his own, shaking and slumping into Taehyung's arms.

His voice is already wrecked. "H-hyung..." Jeongguk drags a finger through the cum cooling on his belly, dizzy and a little delirious with pleasure. He shifts and can feel Taehyung's hard cock still buried in his ass. "Tae?"

Taehyung laughs, low and quiet in Jeongguk's ear. "I'm not done with you yet, baby boy."

He uses the hands he still has on Jeongguk's hips to move Jeongguk back onto the bed, on his stomach. Taehyung tugs Jeongguk's hips up, forces him to support his weight on his forearms before he thrusts his cock back into Jeongguk's loose hole. The overstimulation stings and then the pain fades, Jeongguk letting more of his weight drop as Taehyung fucks into him hard, turns his head to the side to watch Taehyung's face.

"Fuck," Jeongguk moans, grips the sheets too tightly. The pillows are on the other side of the bed, too far away for him to bite into to try and quell his noises.

Taehyung slows his pace and Jeongguk wants to cry. He's hard again, wants to cum and wants to feel Taehyung cum inside of him, on him, wants to feel Taehyung everywhere. Taehyung drapes himself over Jeongguk's back, runs a hand across his chest to twist one of his nipples and Jeongguk chokes out a sob. He drags those fingers across Jeongguk's throat, pushing them so far between Jeongguk's lips that he gags around the intrusion.

"My dirty little bitch," Taehyung murmurs in his ear. "Couldn't find anyone else to fuck you as well as I do? Fuck your little hole open, ruin you so well?" Jeongguk shakes his head and Taehyung snarls. Jeongguk's vision is so hazy, but he tries to focus on the fire burning in Taehyung's eyes, his body pliant to any and all of Taehyung's touches and thrusts. "God, baby, I want to fill your slutty hole so badly. Watch you try to stand with my cum dripping out of your ass."

Jeongguk whines at the loss of Taehyung's fingers in his mouth, but then Taehyung's placing a well-aimed slap against his ass that Jeongguk's whining again and pushing his ass back into Taehyung's hand. Taehyung spanks him again, harder this time, jostling Jeongguk's body on the mattress.

"Again," Jeongguk gasps, back arching at the sting on his ass. "Hyung- again, please-"

"What do you say?"

"Thank you!" Taehyung smacks his ass again, right at the curve where his ass meets his thigh and Jeongguk's legs threaten to give out. "Thank you." He gets spanked again, Taehyung dropping several smacks all over Jeongguk's ass, then twice in the spot that gets a particularly desperate moan out of Jeongguk. He babbles out a thank you every time, his mind blanking when Taehyung grips his ass with both hands, kneading the raw flesh with practiced strength.

"More?" Jeongguk asks weakly. There's drool and tears wetting the sheets beneath his face, lube dripping down the insides of his thighs as Taehyung's pace becomes a little more frantic.

Taehyung adjusts his angle to nudge Jeongguk's prostate with every thrust, curls his fingers into Jeongguk's hair and pulls harshly, and Jeongguk screams. "Don't be greedy, pet."

When his legs give out Taehyung just yanks his lower half back up, his hips snapping painfully against Jeongguk's ass and he knows that Taehyung is close.

He lets himself be used, lets Taehyung fuck him so well that his mind blanks, until all he can think about and all he can imagine is Taehyung. "D-daddy," Jeongguk sobs, tears flowing freely now because it's all too good and it's all too much. "Daddy, please- I wanna cum!"

"You want to cum that badly?" Taehyung snarls, nudges Jeongguk's legs wider apart to sink into him that much deeper. "Do it yourself."

Jeongguk shakes his head, sweaty hair falling into his eyes. "Want- fuck- want daddy's hand. Please-"

"Greedy slut-"

Taehyung takes Jeongguk's cock in his hand, stroking him hard and fast and Jeongguk's about to lose his damn mind. He's too close, torn between wanting Taehyung to cum first and coming so hard that he blacks out, but Taehyung makes the decision for him, twisting his wrist in the way he knows Jeongguk loves and stroking his thumb under the tip, letting Jeongguk try to fuck down into his hand before Jeongguk finally cums, sobbing loudly as he spills onto the sheets and all over Taehyung's hand, Taehyung whispering words of praise over the ringing in his ears.

"There you go, baby boy. So pretty. Always look so pretty when you cum."

Jeongguk blinks through the tears, looks up at Taehyung and sniffles quietly. "Want you to cum in me, daddy."

"Not- not this time, baby."

Taehyung pulls his cock from Jeongguk's abused hole, yanking the condom from his length and jerking off furiously until he finally cums, painting the small of Jeongguk's back and the tops of his thighs white. Jeongguk moans through it, almost crying from the sensation; he'd really fucking missed it when Taehyung came on him- anywhere.

Jeongguk slumps onto the bed, unable to even think about supporting himself anymore as he catches his breath, head spinning pleasantly. He can feel Taehyung, still breathing heavy, pressing soft kisses up the length of his back, then a kiss to Jeongguk's cheek and another to the lobe of his ear. Jeongguk reaches blindly for Taehyung's hand, licks the cum from his palm once he finds it. Taehyung curses in his ear.

"Come on, Jeon. Let's get you cleaned up."

"Mmmn, no." Jeongguk snuggles into the wet sheets, doesn't even give a fuck because they smell like Taehyung. "Don't wanna move."

Taehyung sighs, but there's a smile pressed against Jeongguk's neck. "I know, baby. But you're covered in cum."

"I like it. I like your cum."

"You scare me when you're this honest."

Taehyung coaxes Jeongguk to his feet and works Jeongguk's arm around his shoulder when Jeongguk's legs give out as he stands. He rests his weight against the sink as Taehyung draws a bath, cringing at all of the cum drying on his stomach and thighs, still really wishes he'd been able to feel Taehyung bare within him.

"This is unnecessary," Jeongguk mutters as Taehyung settles behind him in the bath, soapy water warm on their skin.

Taehyung goes still behind him, then he wraps his arms around Jeongguk's waist and rests his forehead on the back of his neck. "I called you a lot of shit tonight."

Jeongguk feels his cheeks warm. "I asked for it."

"Let me do this for you."

So Jeongguk relaxes into Taehyung's embrace, passes the shampoos and lotions that Taehyung asks for, but mostly he closes his eyes and revels in the familiarity of the situation. Taehyung's hands are soft in his hair and even softer on his neck and thighs, cleaning the cum from his skin with a washcloth. They stay in the bath until the water begins to cool and then Taehyung urges him to his feet to rinse off under the showerhead.

Jeongguk's head is pleasantly fuzzy as Taehyung pats his body dry with his biggest, fluffiest towel, taking his hand between both of his to massage lotion onto his skin. He pulls the drain for the bath, tugs the towel to hang over Jeongguk's head the way he likes, and leads Jeongguk back to the bed with a loose hand curled around his wrist.

"Here." Taehyung hands him a pair of warm sweats and a hoodie, lets Jeongguk get dressed while he tugs the soiled sheets from the bed and replaces them with his extra duvet. "Lie on your belly for me, baby."

He does, shivering a little when Taehyung pulls the sweats down to his thighs to rub aloe on his raw ass and thighs, pulling them back up after pressing a kiss to the small of Jeongguk's back.

"Thanks, daddy."

Taehyung disappears for a second and Jeongguk hears him rifling through his drawers before the sheets lift at his side and Taehyung slips into bed beside him with a soft exhale.

Jeongguk shoves his face into Taehyung's neck, hugging him close and nearly crying when he's finally got Taehyung's arms around him again. Taehyung trails his fingers below Jeongguk's hoodie, over his arm, and up to Jeongguk's ear to play with the lobe.

"How're you feeling, Guk?"

"M'fine."

"Yeah?" Jeongguk pulls back a little to stare at Taehyung's face, still just as devastatingly beautiful. He wants to kiss all over Taehyung's face, so he does. "You're still calling me daddy."

"It feels right."

"You're not wearing any earrings?" There's a fine layer of disappointment in Taehyung's voice. Not disappointment with Jeongguk, but with the lack of jewelry adorning his body.

Jeongguk mumbles, "They reminded me too much of you," and Taehyung dips his head to kiss Jeongguk slow and deep, taking his time to lick behind each of Jeongguk's teeth.

"I'm sorry," Taehyung whispers, trailing his thumb over Jeongguk's bottom lip. "I'm sorry for what I said."

He shakes his head, pulling Taehyung closer with an arm around his waist. "I'm sorry for accusing you of all of that shit. For... for saying you treated me like I was a kid you were obligated to care for. You were just looking out for me. I know that."

Taehyung's smile is still sad. Jeongguk presses his finger to the corner of Taehyung's lips and tries to curve it into a happier smile. "Yeah. Still, what I said was out of line. You're not a flighty coward."

He kind of was. "And you don't make me do anything I don't want to do."

"You're an adult. You can live your life however you want, baby."

"Even if I'm being stupid about it?"

"Especially then."

Jeongguk leans forward to kiss Taehyung's nose and then his mouth, Taehyung pulling away after a few minutes to reach behind him and rifle through his side table for a minute. He's holding a small velvet box, and he nudges it into Jeongguk's palm.

"Tae?"

Taehyung nods, and this time his smile reaches his eyes. He nuzzles a little further into his pillow, staring fondly at Jeongguk. "Go ahead. I'd planned the circumstance to be better but I don't like seeing you so bare."

It's the diamond hoop earrings Jeongguk had seen on the island in the kitchen, pretty and sparkling in his hand. Jeongguk swallows the lump in his throat and carefully slips the earrings into his double helix, turning into the hand Taehyung lays over his cheek to play with the hoops.

Jeongguk chokes when he tries to speak. "Thank you, daddy."

"Stay the night?" Taehyung asks, whispers it carefully like he's afraid of Jeongguk's answer. Instead of answering- because it's obvious to him- Jeongguk hooks his leg over Taehyung's hip and pulls himself closer, burying his face in Taehyung's neck and breathing in deep, scattering kisses along the skin he can reach without moving much. "Want to watch Iron Man?"

"Fuck yeah."

Jeongguk can't even see the TV from this angle but it was never about actually watching the movie. Taehyung keeps his hands under Jeongguk's hoodie, stroking the skin and keeping him as close as possible while Jeongguk holds on like this is the last chance he'll have to do so.

"Are you still hooking up with Y/N?"

Jeongguk nods. "Sangwoo got fired."

"Damn, Namjoon really did that right before the busy season?"

"Yeah." Jeongguk does feel bad about the dude losing his job, but that just meant- "Guess we're gonna be working together again."

"Good." Taehyung kisses his ear, takes a moment just to rest his weight on Jeongguk. "I've got so many pranks planned, baby. Hope you're not scared to sneak into the boss' office."

It's ridiculously late already, and coupled with how hard Jeongguk got fucked that night he can feel himself starting to drift off already, warm and satisfied in Taehyung's arms. There was a more than good chance that Taehyung will wake him up in a few hours with a boner and they'll both be tired stumbling into the department store in the morning, (or hobbling, depending on if Jeongguk can talk him into a quickie in the back of the car,) and Jeongguk doesn't mind one bit.

"Tae?" Jeongguk mumbles, his voice heavy with sleep. The movie is white noise in his ears, Taehyung's breathing steady and warm against Jeongguk's cheek.

"You should sleep, baby." Taehyung strokes Jeongguk's lower back; slow like he's only doing it to stay awake to hear what Jeongguk has to say.

"We'll be okay, right?"

Taehyung kisses his forehead, soft and lingering. "Fuck yeah. We’ll be just peachy. Can't do this shit without you, Jeon."

Jeongguk celebrates his birthday by going bowling, drags along his friends and coworkers because Taehyung said he could do anything for his birthday and Jeongguk wanted to fucking bowl. Except he was competitive as fuck and often forgot that most normal people were not.

So it ends up that Jeongguk bowls a near perfect round the first time, you, Jimin, Taehyung, and a few others from the department store sitting on the chairs with him. His closest competition is you, and because of this Jeongguk isn't drinking. He can't lose his focus and lose to anyone. Plus Taehyung, once he realized Jeongguk was serious about going to bowl, had decided they'd go get shit-faced at the bar tomorrow evening.

"Your ass looks great tonight, Y/N," Jeongguk says, just before you walk up to take your shot. Taehyung snorts from where he sits at the computer. He gave up on playing after round three, and now just gave everyone stupid nicknames for each round.

"I'll be sure to thank it when I beat you."

"Damn, you wish."

You scoff. "This is the thanks I get for blowing you behind the register."

Jeongguk shrugs, leaning back in his seat and watching you fuck up your spare. He was ahead. If he got a strike, then he'd win this round, too. He grabs his lucky ball and takes his place at the line, winking when you throw him a dirty look. He's about to go through the motions when,

"Wait, Jeon." Taehyung walks up behind him, stands at an angle so no one can see the way he sucks Jeongguk's piercings between his teeth. He pats at the front of Jeongguk's jeans, putting nothing there. "You forgot this."

Jeongguk misses the shot.

You laugh wildly at the way Jeongguk's cheeks burn red as he sits back down, leaning over to high-five Taehyung over Jeongguk's lap. Jeongguk pouts, watches as Jimin's decent turn puts him just above Jeongguk's score. He's never come in last.

"You're all the worst," Jeongguk mutters, takes Taehyung's lukewarm beer and finishes it off.

They play another few rounds, Jeongguk blocking out the teasing to win each of them, and then the bowling alley is closing and Taehyung's shoving half a chocolate cupcake- where the fuck did he find it- in Jeongguk's face only to lick the frosting right off of Jeongguk's cheek. Everyone says goodnight in the parking lot, singing around a lighter that Jimin produces from his back pocket as Jeongguk’s cheeks burn.

Jeongguk follows Taehyung back to Taehyung's place, kicking off his shoes and his jacket as soon as they're inside. He spins to try and kiss Taehyung, intent on the birthday sex he's heard that song brag about so many times, but Taehyung puts a finger to his lips and denies him the kiss.

"Tae," Jeongguk whines, hands on Taehyung's hips.

"Hush, you needy baby. I still haven't given you my gift."

Jeongguk frowns, letting Taehyung lead him to the couch and sitting on the cushion. "I said no presents this year."

"And I heard, 'give me all of the presents, daddy.' Now, close your eyes." With a dramatic sigh Jeongguk follows the order, listening as Taehyung leaves the room and it sounds like he's rummaging through the desk he never uses in his bedroom. When he gets back, Taehyung places something small and light in Jeongguk's palm and sits across from him in the plush armchair. "Okay. Open your eyes."

In his hands sits a poorly wrapped, very familiarly shaped box, and Jeongguk breathes a sigh of relief. Jewelry meant that Taehyung didn't go overboard, and he'd been looking for a reason to change a couple of his earrings or add a charm to his bracelet for a while now. Taehyung stares at him with poorly concealed excitement as Jeongguk quickly rips off the paper and opens the box to reveal the Givenchy earrings that Jeongguk's wanted for years.

Jeongguk's breath catches as he stares at them, eyes wide and mind not quite comprehending what he was looking at. Jeongguk had been fucking devastated a week ago when he'd gotten into work to see that the earrings had been bought, pouting through his shift and even turning down Taehyung's offer to blow him in the break room.

"Tae- how-?"

"Think I didn't see the way you've been drooling over them for years?" Taehyung teases, looks like he's about to bounce out of his seat in excitement. "Do you like them?"

"This is too expensive, hyung."

"Hush. You know I don't give a shit when it comes to you."

Jeongguk's heart is threatening to jump right out of his chest. "Thank you," he whispers, strokes gently over the earrings and he feels the dumbest urge to cry. Or swallow down Taehyung's cock at that very moment. Either or will do. “I love them.”

Taehyung laughs quietly, standing from the armchair to sit next to Jeongguk on the couch. "What are you waiting for, Jeon? Put them on!"

Jeongguk does, removing the studs he has in his first holes on each ear to put the new, ridiculously fucking expensive, ones there. He's going to have a fucking heart attack and then dig out every piece of jewelry Taehyung has ever bought him so Taehyung can fuck him on a sparkling bed.

In that order.

Taehyung immediately goes to play with them, and Jeongguk melts into his side, sighing, "My daddy's the best daddy in the world."

"You got that right," Taehyung agrees, pressing a kiss to Jeongguk's cheek.

Jeongguk curls his hand into the collar of Taehyung's shirt and shifts so that he's straddling Taehyung's waist, settles his weight over Taehyung’s crotch and speaks with his lips brushing Taehyung’s, "Fuck me in them?"

Hands curved on Jeongguk's waist, Taehyung grins up at him with wicked intent. "Don't have to ask me twice."

#jeon jeongguk #jeon jungkook #taekook #vkook #taekook smut #my writing #this is a mess and you're gonna drop me for sure bc of this #gndkfgnjdkgndgns i also gave a name to the girl that runs jeon out of town i'm sory #i didn't even include all of the headcanons because i'm absolutely terrible #i am sorry for ruining your entire life and also brutally murdering your oc #also sorry for the abrupt end but #if i'd kept going it would have been real bad and like into the actual g&g fic lmao #i only regret the entirety of this #i might go thru and edit again bc i didn't try very hard to edit #nd it's late #also not splitting it up into parts bc i want it far away from me