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#but i open tomorrow so i SHOULD have time to clean and do laundry after work
kuiinncedes · 2 years
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passed a friend/acquaintance on the way home and we both didn't have masks on and we were just looking at each other for like several seconds and i think we literally went thru the same process of like "she looks familiar..... who is that......... oH" at the same time and then waved and said hi at the same time XD
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borathae · 5 months
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"Jungkook is always plagued with guilt when he has to leave you for a business trip. His anxiety that you might be angry at him for not being present is especially high this time around and only your safe embrace can help him calm down."
Pairing: CEO!Jungkook x f.Reader
Genre: married life!AU, mild Hurt & Comfort, Smut
Warnings: Jungkook is anxious, stressed & guilty, he cries, she is so comforting, hugs and kisses, needy sex, sloppy mutual masturbation, handjob, pussy fingering, penetrative sex facing each other, until he pushes her to her back and fucks her missionary, strength & muscle kink, he is so passionate and rough in missionary, I don't think that there are distinctive roles in this, I guess you can call it Top!Jungkook with a Mommy kink, she calls him Bunny at first before he fucks her to the state where she can only call him by his name, dirty talk, sensory deprivation in the sense that they fuck in complete darkness, they're so so desperate for each other, tears because it's so good, multiple orgasms for her, creampies, cockwarming as aftercare, with cuddles and kisses <3, they're fucking soulmates
Wordcount: 5.3k
a/n: i wrote this after kook's solo concert because he did it to me. i also reread THE angst chapter of aaol and i think this influenced me as well. i really want my kookie back
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The plane wasn’t supposed to land this late. The plans were all ruined. 
Jungkook scans his eyes over the kitchen. Empty. Clean. He abandons his suitcase by the stairs leading up and walks to the fridge. He opens it. His heart stings. The plans were all ruined. He wasn’t supposed to come home this late. You made dinner for him. The prettily plated food is still on its original plate for him. You put a glass bowl over it to keep it fresh. 
“Fuck”, Jungkook presses out and closes the fridge. He feels so fucking guilty that he wants to throw up. He should have been there. He should have eaten your food and talked to you during dinner. He should have fucking been there.
You knew that he wouldn’t come home. He was aware that his text came way too late, but he still had hoped that you hadn’t started cooking yet. Of course you had. 
It has been longer than a month since he last was in Seoul and you always cook the grandest things as a welcome home surprise. Jungkook doesn’t expect you to cook, you do it because you want to. Which makes him feel all the shittier right now. He wasn’t there to appreciate it. He had one job - the most important job of all - and he fucking failed you.
Jungkook walks back to his suitcase and lifts it. He will carry it upstairs and then do the laundry tomorrow. He can’t be bothered tonight. It’s already too late. He already wasted too much time being his shitty CEO self.
The dressing room is empty and clean. It faintly smells like lavender in here. He knows it’s because you cleaned this room recently. Jungkook discards the suitcase by the dresser and leaves the room.
He takes a shower in the upstairs bathroom. He didn’t want to go downstairs yet. He is a little scared to do so. He shouldn’t have arrived so late. He is scared of your reaction. He gets so sad when you are disappointed in him. He hasn’t decided yet whether it’s his anxiety disorder talking or the truth, but he thinks that you will be angry at him.
He is angry at himself. He’s a fucking shithead of a husband. That’s what he fucking is. 
Jungkook manages not to cry in the shower even if he really wanted to. His feelings are eating him up alive. He feels so stressed. So tired. So exhausted. Work has been hell. And the fact that it was in a country he barely knew the language of and he had to be without you made it even worse. He feels so drained. 
The shower doesn’t help. It cleans him, nothing more. Jungkook doesn’t put on clothes and leaves for downstairs. He uses the never ending city lights as his guidance. The wind carries the distant purring of the traffic to the windows. The slightly higher pitched pitter patter of his naked feet on marble floor is loud in comparison. The sound stops in sync with Jungkook stopping in front of the bedroom door. 
His hand is shaking. He has to hold it to calm down. He is so scared. You will be so disappointed with him. He wouldn’t even be surprised if you told him to sleep on the couch tonight. You never did so before, but things can change. One month is awfully long and he left you hanging today. He wouldn’t blame you if you sent him away. 
Jungkook takes a shaky breath for courage and steps inside. The room smells like home. Jungkook feels his throat tighten in emotion. This is what home smells like. And he was too late for it. He swallows down his tears and tries to walk it off.
The electric blinds are closed all the way, putting the room into complete darkness. Jungkook uses the light of his phone screen to tiptoe to the bathroom. He still needs to brush his teeth. He does so using his phone’s flashlight as the only light source. He didn’t want to turn on the big lights and risk waking you. Or maybe he didn’t want to look into his own eyes. He can’t bear to face himself tonight.
Jungkook leaves the bathroom door open and tiptoes to the bed. His phone screen gives off enough light that he can see you once he arrives by the bedside. 
You are turned to his side, resting your hand on his blanket. Your cheek is squished as you are sleeping halfway on your stomach. Your lips are parted as soft breaths leave you. Jungkook looks back at your hand resting on his side and gulps down the painful lump in his throat. You shouldn’t have had to fall asleep alone tonight. You shouldn’t have had only his memory to hold.
Jungkook picks up your hand so he could slip under the covers. You react to the gentle nudge with a hum.
“Mhm”, you let out and roll over, now showing off your back.
Jungkook is aware that you didn’t do it on purpose, but it feels like it. You turned your back to him and it’s his own fault. 
Jungkook tugs the blanket under his arm and touches your back. Up and down. Up and down. He feels you breathe. Your warmth is so familiar to him. He missed it so much. 
He missed you so much.
His eyes start burning.
“I’m sorry”, he whispers shakily and turns his back to you. He can’t face you anymore. It hurts so much. He squeezes his eyes shut and tries not to cry. 
The sheets ruffle as you move around again. Jungkook doesn’t feel the movement because you and he have separate mattresses and separate blankets to get the best sleep ever. You shared a mattress and blanket at first, but decided to upgrade your bed a year ago. Jungkook likes his mattress firm and his blanket thin, while you love to have a softer mattress and your blanket to be thick. And the little mattress movements as one of you rolled around or the blanket wars which once managed to wake you are gone as well. Changing one mattress and blanket for two was the best decision ever. You and he sleep like royalty these days.
Jungkook hears the sheets ruffle as you move around and then the sound of a hand sliding over soft sheets. Warmth touches his back. He tenses up, stays silent. You draw paths along his back, feeling him up. Seeing him. Just like he did all those years ago when you were still masked soulmates aching to be together. It became a little thing between you and him to trace the other in darkness as to make out if it was your other half. You became so good at it these days.
Your touch dances up to the nape of his neck after exploring his upper back. Jungkook shivers and aches to lean into your touch. He is scared to do so now. He already waited for too long to speak up. You’ll know that he is intentionally acting asleep to avoid talking to you.
You close the distance, taking him into your arms to pull him against your chest. You are propped up on your elbow, using the position to nuzzle your face into the crook of his neck so you could kiss him.  
Jungkook exhales shakily, releasing all of his tension with a tremble. This just broke him. To be cradled and kissed. It broke him.
“Are you awake?” you whisper softly. The words swirl against his neck.
He nods his head.
“Sorry, did I wake you?”
He hesitates. Should he be truthful? Will you be hurt if he was? 
He shakes his head. He can’t lie to you. Not like this. Not when you hold him so safely. Not when you have broken him with your embrace. 
“Why didn’t you say something?”
“I’m sorry”, he presses out and sobs softly.
“Hey”, you gasp, straightening up, “hey, are you crying? What’s wrong?” you babble and roll him to his back so you could cradle his cheeks. You wipe his tears away, keeping close by resting your chest against his’, “what’s wrong, Bunny?” 
“I’m sorry for tonight. I’m so sorry for being late and, and not showing up. I’m so fucking sorry.”
“It’s okay, hey it’s okay. It wasn’t your fault. The flight was delayed. You couldn’t have known.”
“I saw the food”, he confesses and squeaks sadly, “I didn’t show up, I’m so sorry. I should have texted sooner, I should have-”
“How could you have texted me sooner if you didn’t even know that the flight would be delayed?” 
Jungkook falters. He sniffles repeatedly, taking sharp gasps for air to regulate his breathing. What you say makes sense to him. He didn’t even think of it yet, despite it being the most logical explanation. So it was his anxiety disorder kicking in. 
You caress his left cheek while your right hand guides your pointer finger up and down along the bridge of his nose. You call this touch your magic touch because there is some sort of magic in it to calm down any sort of anxiety Jungkook experiences. Jungkook flutters his eyes closed and sighs as comfort overtakes him.
“Now tell me how you should have texted me sooner, mhm?” you ask in a soft, comforting voice.
“I don’t know”, Jungkook whispers.
“Of course you don’t, it’s impossible. The flight was delayed. It was an unfortunate series of events and not your fault”, you assure him, “unless you intentionally stayed away. Mhm is that it? Did you not wanna see me already, you sneaky Bunny?” you add in a joking tone, making Jungkook giggle.
He shakes his head, “no Mommy, I wanted to see you.”
“Good”, you say in a fond voice and claim his lips in a smooch. 
Jungkook gasps because he hadn’t expected it. The feeling finally seeps into his consciousness. He is kissing you. After thirty three days without you, he is finally kissing you again. Jungkook whimpers and hooks his fingers behind your head, deepening the kiss with trembling lips. He is kissing you again. He is finally realizing that this is happening, that he is back with you. He hooks his arms behind your head and pulls you closer, asking for your taste. You part your lips and meet his begging tongue, while your fingers explore the softness of his hair.
You feel a little dizzy from sleep. You didn’t have the deepest sleep tonight because you knew that Jungkook would come home and you subconsciously refused to find deep sleep. So when Jungkook got into bed, the rustling of his blanket woke you. The pull was instant. You needed to feel him, make sure that he was finally with you again. Your body didn’t expect to be in the current position for such a long time. Your arms are weak and your head is dizzy.
You break the kiss because exhaustion makes you do it.
Jungkook chases you, rolling you and him over so he was the one on top. His right arm rests around you just a little under your breasts, his left hand is cradling your cheek while his right hand is deepening in your hair as best as your texture allows it. He claims your lips in a kiss again, whimpering into it as his body seeks your closeness. Two layers of blanket are keeping you apart. Jungkook doesn’t think, he merely acts and pulls his blanket off of him. Next your blanket. He opens it and slides his arm under it. He takes you softly in his hand and presses you against him at the same time as his body sinks under your blanket. He trembles. It is so warm under your covers and from what he can feel, you are wearing one of his sleep shirts. He grabs a bundle of it and twists, needing you to be so much closer than you already are. 
“Please”, he begs in a shaky voice, tugging at your shirt.
You sit up far enough that you can take off your shirt. You throw it to the side and fall back down.
“Thank you”, Jungkook whimpers and cradles you against his chest. He buries his face in the crook of your neck and places his right hand on the back of your head to support it for you.
You wrap your arms around him, letting out a sigh you didn’t even know you were holding in. You have him back. This is how your Jungkook hugs. Thirty three days without him are unbearably long. So long in fact that your skin started to unwillingly forget the warmth and softness of him. It comes rushing back again now that you are hugging without barriers.
“___”, Jungkook croaks and presses you closer, “oh god.” 
“I missed you too”, you whisper, burying your hand deep in his hair. You pull him closer. Your breasts squish against his chest, the pressure feels like heaven. It gets easier to breathe and releases you of tension you didn’t even know you possessed. You have your Jungkook back. 
Jungkook feels overwhelmed. He ached for your hug ever since he left. Thirty three days without you were hell. You are his constant in his life. When he comes home from work, you are there, hugging him and talking to him and falling asleep with him. When he leaves for work, you are right by his side, talking to him and kissing his cheek as he drops you off at university. When he has free time, he knows he can spend it with you. You are always there. You are his constant. The person who will always be by his side. The warmth he can always return to. So to go without you for more than a month was hell. 
“I missed you so much”, he confesses. 
“Me too, Bunny. Me too.”
You felt just as lonely without him. Years ago, you wouldn’t have batted an eye at the thought of being along for a month, but Jungkook changed you in the most wonderful of ways. He is your person, the comfort you most look forward to, the home you never want to leave. You have him by your side in the morning and have him back again by the evening. You share the last second of consciousness with him before sleep and share the first right after. And for the last month, you didn’t. You had to live without him and it was agony. 
“Closer”, Jungkook begs, “I wanna be closer.”
“Closer?” 
“Closer please.”
“Lie down on your side.” 
Jungkook obeys, keeping his arms around you. You seek him and slide your hand to his length. You brush your fingers over his tip, eliciting a trembling gasp from him. A small whimper follows. 
“This kind of closer?”
“Yes”, he squeaks and grabs whatever he can of your upper back. 
“I missed this feeling. You’re so soft.”
“I missed you too. Ah please.”
“Kook…”
“Can I-”
“Yes.”
His left hand naturally dances down your body, trying to locate your clit. You drape your leg around him, giving him access. He connects his fingers with your heat, sending electricity through you.
“Holy fuck, I’m sensitive”, you get out and moan. You take his cock and begin jerking it. He grows hard rapidly. Just as you soak his fingers at a rapid speed. You want him. He wants you. Too long you had to go without each other.
“Me too. Ah mhm”, he gets out and buries two of his fingers inside you. 
“Bunny….”
“Mommy…”
You cradle his cheek, rub your thumb over his face and stub his nose with your own. Your hands work desperately between your bodies, the tension is growing embarrassingly fast. 
“Bunny, I missed you so much”, you keen and squeeze your eyes shut. It feels so good. His long fingers are filling you up while his thumb is rubbing circles on your clit. He is so sloppy and needy in his touch, which makes it all the better.
“Me too, Mommy”, Jungkook gets out and whimpers, “oh god.” 
Your hand is fast around his cock. You are calculated on normal days, but not tonight. There is no coordination in how you touch him, just pure and honest desperation. 
“I don’t wanna cum like this”, you croak.
“Close?”
“Yeah, it’s fucking stupid. Fuck”, you slide your hand to his hair so you could twist.
Jungkook moans, tilting his head back all on his own while his pouty lips brush against yours. You kiss without really kissing. Just featherlight touches, tickling moans and traces of your tongues. The tension between you and him becomes unbearable. You clench down on his fingers, feeling his cock throb in your hold.
“Bunny, I need your cock.”
“I need your pussy too, Mommy.”
“Good. Take out your fingers.”
Jungkook obeys, touching your hip instead. Neither of you care about the wet mess he leaves on your skin. It’s just another proof that you and he are finally reconnected again.
“Good boy”, you praise and shimmy down just a little so you can take his cock inside. There is no friction, no struggle, no pain. Just warmth and overwhelming pleasure.
“Holy fuck”, you whisper and push him in deeper. Past your entrance. Your warm walls engulf him.
Jungkook grabs you and accidentally scratches you. He couldn’t help it. He is with you again. No one feels like you. No one does.
“Ah!” the sound bounces off the walls. He trembles and pulls you closer, “Mommy.”
“Bunny.”
“Oh god, I’m home”, he whimpers and starts chasing you. 
Your leg is still around him, his thrusts go so deep like this. You are so filled up with him, so stuffed. You are eye to eye even if the complete darkness prevents you from seeing each other. But you don’t need light to see each other. Not you and not Jungkook. You have your hands and fingertips to see. You started it back in the stuffy sex club room you met in and perfected it over the years in your loving home. You know exactly how he looks right now and in return he knows as well.
“Bunny, oh god, my Jungkookie”, you get out and shake, pulling him closer by his hair. The darkness makes it feel all the more intense as you claim his lips in a passionate tongue kiss. The sounds of it mix with the desperate rutting your hips are doing. The rustling of the sheets is audible as well, as are the needy moans both of you choke out constantly. 
You are hot under the covers. Sweat has formed on the parts where you are pressed together. You pull each other closer regardless, basking in the heat because you had to live without it for far too long. This is the only way to melt with each other.
“I love you”, Jungkook gets out and kisses you again.
“-love- too”, is all you get out between your hungry kisses, but Jungkook knows regardless. Even without words he would know. From your kisses, your embrace and the way your pussy is convulsing around him. Jungkook knows every ridge, every bump, every inch of how you feel inside and being allowed to experience it right now is the only proof of love he needs. He is the man who you allowed to go in raw, even back when you pretended not to care. You claimed him and sealed his sweetest fate. You loved him enough that you wanted to be without barriers and you love him enough that you welcome him home right now.
“You feel so good”, you moan and rut against him before your lips suck on his lower lip needily.
Jungkook whimpers, spilling tears of ecstasy. He fucks into you, feeling his legs shake. He is so high on you.
This is fucking for the sake of reconnecting. This is emotional. Deeply, soul-consumingly emotional. Is it kinky? No. Will either of you last long? No. Will it stay in your minds as one of the most intense nights ever? Yes. Yes it fucking will. This is the kind of desperate, needy, passionate sex you can only have after you have been without each other for a long time. It is dumb. It is raw. It is carnal and it is the only good thing which comes out of having to be without the other. Because no amount of foreplay, kink or fetish will ever get you to the level of starvation than forced distance does.
And you are starving. Oh, you are parched and aching for each other. Jungkook fucks you as hard as he can, while you rut against him as roughly as you can. It results in these deep, fiery thrusts, which fills you with all his cock and in return makes him experience every inch of your pussy. 
You are burning up today. You are hot around him, as if you had a fever. Jungkook can barely breathe because of it, gasping for air between his desperate moaning. And you are soaking wet. Soft too. So soft. Jungkook scratches down your back and pulls you closer. His left hand cups your buttock and stills your hips this way. He pushes. The kiss breaks with your needy moan. You roll to your back just enough that Jungkook can prop himself up on his right elbow and use the angle to finally bottom out. Truly bottom out because the position finally gives him a chance to do so. Your leg is still around him, while the other is under his weight. You can feel his sculpted thigh shift and tense as he fucks you. His thrusts are sloppy and so perfectly uncoordinated that they seem coordinated. The mattress shakes because of it. 
You barely feel it because he is currently fucking the senses out of you. This is the kind of fuck which reminds you why he managed to steal your heart and the proof of why you could never want to leave him. It genuinely fucks every sense of control out of you and turns you into the neediest, wettest pillow princess in existence. Tonight it impacts you especially deeply, leaving you to arch your back and curl your toes.
“Bunny”, you moan embarrassingly high pitched, throwing your head back as best as possible while Jungkook shows off the strength of his hips, “Bunny, oh god. Ah Bunny.” 
“Mommy. So good, ah Mommy”, Jungkook moans and drops his head into the crook of your neck. He pulls you closer until your head rests on his right lower arm and you have his biceps brushing against your nose. The gentle headlock he has you in heals you from aches you didn’t even possess before. You are so safe like this. He smells hot. As if he is burning up.
“Bunny…”
You are burning up yourself, grasping his broad, muscular back as your only connection to sanity. He is making you cum and it’s happening soon.
“Don’t stop, please”, you beg.
“Mommy”, he moans and continues because he won’t ever ignore one of your begs. You don’t beg often, so when you do, Jungkook is overtaken with the need to fulfill your every wish. Which means a lot because he always wants to fulfill your every wish.
“You’re making me cum”, you choke out and sob softly as you hug him against you.
“Holy fuck”, Jungkook gets out and squeezes you strongly as your body falls into the high. You are so tight around him, burning up and throbbing. No wonder you are sobbing. Jungkook has to grit his teeth from how intense your orgasm feels to him and he isn’t even the one experiencing it. And there is one problem right now. He still needs it longer. He doesn’t know if he is holding back because he is greedy for more or if his body is just working this way right now, but he isn’t done even when you are already coming down. He needs more. He wants you longer.
You are soaking his cock, pulsating around him as you slowly recover and it’s fucking messing with him. He needs you. He needs you so bad.
Jungkook uses his strength and rolls you onto your back completely. His cock leaves you for a second, but you barely feel the disconnection as the darkness and your passed high leave you disoriented. Your legs are spread open, giving Jungkook a chance to take his cock and push it inside again.
Now you feel it. Now you’re whole again. You whimper, tensing up around him.
“Not done yet”, he rasps with his hand twisting the pillow next to your head. He bottoms out and chases you instantly. Fast and hard. He fucks the juices out of you, filling the air with the sounds of it just as he fills it with the sinful sounds of his naked body impacting with yours. The bed is sturdy and yet still croaks. His throaty grunts and guttural growls fill your ears as well. You know for a fact that he is frowning right now, gritting his teeth because he always does so when he fucks hard.
“Ju-Ju-Jungkook”, he fucks his name out of you. He is fucking his cock right against the spots which steal your sanity. You can’t stop getting wetter because of it. Every second with him feels fucking orgasmic, “Jungkook! Ah! Jungkook!”
You grip his arm. His muscles are so tense, bulging under your fingers as he drills you like an animal.
“Jun-Ju-Jungkoo-ook.” 
“Yeah, keep moaning my name Mommy”, he growls deeply and curses, “fuck, this is…fuck.”
“Jungkook, ah god Jungkook.”
“That’s it, Mommy. That’s it, keep moaning my name”, he encourages you and rewards you with harsher thrusts. Of course this wasn’t his final form yet. Not Jungkook. Not your husband. He will make you believe that the sex couldn’t get any better before showing you not to underestimate him. He fucks you deep into the mattress just as he fucks you deep into a blurred state of ecstasy.
You are utterly and entirely his right now. And you fucking like it, moaning his name as he rewrites your definition of pleasure one harsh thrust at a time. 
“I missed you”, he is using his deep voice to talk, “I thought of you, urgh, of you being mhm being cockstuffed with me, ah mhm I’m going crazy, Mommy. Fuck.” 
He could tell you everything right now and you would barely take it in. Your brain doesn’t work. You are so dumb right now. So utterly stupid. If you weren’t on your back, you would have drooled. Instead you sob his name and writhe desperately.
“Fuck”, Jungkook spits and growls. His hips stutter for only a second. This is how long he needs to find his composure again and then he is already drilling you again, pushing your body closer and closer to your orgasms, “have to go again?”
“Ye-yeah”, you keen, arching your back.
“Let go Mommy, I’m right here”, he tells you and cradles your cheek.
The touch is all that was missing. You break apart with a loud moan of his name and your fingers desperately twisting his hair. He fucked it out of you from the deepest parts of you, which makes it all the more intense. You can’t even moan as it happens. His name was all you managed to produce before your voice gave up on you. You can’t breathe either, lying there with your lips parted and your back arched as Jungkook drags heaven out of you.
Your second high gives him a hard time. The needy fucking he did brought him to the point where he has to let go even if he wanted to hold back longer. His cock aches, his balls feel tight and the tension in his stomach has reached a painful level. While your lungs aren’t working right now, his’ are working overtime, producing the neediest, quickest pants for air. He takes a deep breath and exhales it through his mouth, dropping his head into the crook of your neck.
“I’m gonna cum inside”, he moans in a pitched voice. His hips stutter, but don’t lose speed, “gonna creampie your pussy so hard. Holy fuck, Mommy.”
You wrap your legs around him, closing your arms around him as well while your left hand buries itself deep in his hair and your right grabs his tense ass. You are barely present yet, but the need to feel him paint your walls gives you enough strength to pull him close.
“I love you”, he chokes out and lets go. He isn’t silent like you were. He is loud. Oh so loud that after a few seconds he needs to muffle himself by sucking on your neck.
“I love you too”, you whimper, “my loving counterpart.”
“Oh”, he sobs and pulls you closer, “my soulmate”, he squeaks and tenses up again, “no-not done. Ah!”
“Let it all out, fill me up Bunny. Please don’t hold back.”
Jungkook paints you white until it drips out of you and his body’s strength forsakes him. The comedown is intense. Because Jungkook never stopped fucking you even after your high stopped, you never got to calm down and because Jungkook fucked himself to the point of ruin he feels just as needing for your embrace.
“Are you okay?” he whimpers.
“Yeah. You?” you get out.
“Yeah.”
He shivers and twitches on top of you, blanketing you in under his body weight and the real covers. They slipped off his back in the rough fucking so that now, they are only covering your lower bodies. You don’t feel cold because you have him keeping you warm.
Neither you nor him can talk for the first few minutes, sharing forced silence as your brains try to relearn how to speak. His ears are ringing, you can feel your pulse in your head. You are both sweaty, the heat grows in your bodies now that you are so melted together. His cock softens slowly, still filling you up and keeping most of his seed inside. Good. You don’t want him to leave yet.
You finally have him back after more than a month and you would be a fool to break the connection sooner than necessary. You know that sooner or later you will have to stop this. Not only because of your important post-sex pee, but also because Jungkook can’t fall asleep like this.
At least this is what you believe. Jungkook is in the midst of drifting off to sleep. Jetlag, stress and exhaustion are finally catching up with him. Now that his mind is cleared of that initial dulling desire for you, it is finally truly sinking in that he is back home. And being back home means comfort and sleep. Still being inside and having you cockwarm him while your fingers are drawing hearts on his back forces even more sleepiness to the surface. He is home. Sleep can finally come.
“Bunny?” you whisper, scratching up his back gently. Goosebumps follow your touch. He shudders as you drag shivers out of him.
“Hm”, the sound barely wants to leave him. It tickles your neck.
“Are you falling asleep?”
He nods his head slowly.
“Don’t”, you chuckle softly, shaking him by his back gently, “the post sex pee.”
“I’m tired”, he breathes and sighs, “so tired. Work…hell.”
“I know, Bunnybaby I know. But spending your break from it having an UTI is gonna suck.”
“Not yet. Please.”
You give up fighting him, exhaling deeply through your nose. He sounds so needing of what you currently have. You need it as well. 
“Fine”, you say and fish for the blanket to pull it over your bodies, “a few more minutes.”
You hug him against you, cradling the back of his head. Jungkook sighs and relaxes on top of you.
“I fucking missed you, Kook.”
“I missed you too.”
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phantom-0-writer · 7 months
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prompt 03: angry colors
inspired by this post abt dick
tbh idr like this that much but it was a real big brain itch so i thought i'd air it out
-
Dick came back to his apartment much later than he intended, losing track of time while he was tracking a lead he had gotten for a case. He sighed as he slipped through the window of his apartment, taking off his domino ready to face the mess he knew he had left the apartment as. But when he turned into the kitchen the dishes that had been piling up in the sink were gone, and the sink was even cleaned and shining in a way Dick hadn’t seen it ever do. Instinctively he checked the cabinets to check if he had been robbed, but the dishes were inside, clean, dry and put away.
Confused, Dick opened the fridge to get a cold glass of water only belatedly remembering he had forgotten to fill the jug up in his rush to get to work that morning. But there it was, full of water, the frost around the glass providing evidence it had been in there for at least a few hours. Maybe past-Dick had done him a favor that present-Dick had forgotten about. 
Gulping down the cold water, Dick headed towards the bathroom to freshen up and change into comfy sweats. The bathroom was through the living room, where he knew he would find a tower of pizza boxes weeks old, and crumbs would crunch under his feet. There was a pile of dirty laundry that was left in his bathroom floor that he should probably take care of, but Dick couldn’t find the energy in himself to put in the effort. 
“Maybe tomorrow.” Dick mumbled to himself for the 5th time that week, as he trudged through his apartment. His crystal clean apartment. There were vacuum marks on the carpet, no pizza boxes, and the pillows on the couch had been arranged and fluffed. The flowers Kory had given him were pruned and placed beautifully in a glass vase he knew hadn’t been there that morning. The TV was on, he noticed, his current show ready to play at the press of a button, and remote placed on the corner of the sofa he always sat at. 
“What is happening?” Dick asked himself out loud, befuddled. He checked the room for cameras or listening devices. Nothing. 
Alfred wasn’t the type to drop by for a surprise visit and leave without telling Dick. 
The bathroom was also a victim to whatever happened to the rest of his apartment. The floor had been mopped, the clothes were gone, the toilet, shower, and sink were clean and organized. There was even a clean towel and Dick’s favorite lounge set ready folded by the shower. The grime on Dick’s body felt out of place in the pristine apartment. 
Dick would definitely be looking the gift horse in the mouth. But maybe it could wait after he showered. 
While he showered, Dick let his mind wander. He thought about the strange newfound cleanliness of the apartment, wondering what or why it could’ve been. Was this another Tim situation? Something nagged at the back of Dick’s mind, something important, but he couldn’t remember what. 
That something important was in the living room, head snapping in Dick’s direction as the bathroom door opened, and standing at attention. 
Holy shit. Dick forgot he had a kid. He’d forgotten a whole child was living with him now.
Oh, he was such a dick. 
“I didn’t hear the door so I didn’t know you were home yet.” The boy- Daniel - rushed to explain when he caught Dick’s eyes on him. 
Still grappling with the fact that he had fully forgotten there was a child he was supposed to be taking care of now, Dick said the first reasonable response that came to mind. “I used the window,” Daniel already knew about Dick’s night job as Nightwing thanks to the circumstances Dick had found him under. 
Dick wasn’t sure why that answer had elicited a panicked apology from the 8 year old. But Dick wasn’t sure what had happened to Daniel before he had found him, but apparently they would have to dig into that at 4:30 AM. Maybe Dick should call off work tomorrow. 
Dick tried to get closer to Daniel but when his shoulders seemed to go impossibly more stiff, Dick took the sign to stay in his spot and kneeled on one leg so he would be face level with Daniel. “Daniel,” Dick made sure his voice was calm and inviting but the boy still flinched, “Did you clean the apartment?” 
“Yes, sir.” There was fear in Daniel’s eyes that Dick couldn’t help but be concerned by, but his voice was even when he spoke. 
“Why?” Dick asked calmly, making sure to keep his body language open. 
Daniel looked startled by the question, eyes darting over Dick trying to find the answer he thought Dick was looking for. When he couldn’t find it he looked around the room. Dick watched him, waiting for his response. “Because,” Daniel started hesitantly, voice shaking slightly, “Because it was dirt- messy.” his voice was a whisper as he spoke. 
“But you didn’t make that mess, so why did you clean it?” Dick prompted, fearing for where he could see this conversation going. 
“So you- so that-” Daniel looked like he wasn’t sure how he was supposed to respond. 
“I want you to be honest, Daniel. You won’t get in trouble.” Dick added quietly. 
Daniel tried to decipher if he was lying, a familiar analytical look in his eyes. After a long moment Dick wondered if he just wouldn’t respond. But when Daniel answered, it hadn’t been at all what he had been expecting. “So that you wouldn’t be angry at me.”
Coupled with his earlier fumble of forgetting the kid, Dick felt like he had just been gutted. “What?” Dick heard himself say. Daniel looked alarmed at the reaction, so Dick spoke again quickly. “I’m not angry at you Danny,” a nickname he had given the boy slipped onto his tongue, “I’m not angry at all why would you think so?” 
Tears were beginning to well in Daniel’s eyes, “You are angry.” He sounded scared, his voice wobbly. 
“I promise I’m not angry. Or mad. Or annoyed. Or irritated.” Dick reassurances seemed to do nothing for the boy. The reservoir under Daniel’s eyes was getting fuller, threatening to spill. So he tried a different approach, “What makes you think I’m angry, Danny?” 
“Because the-” Daniel tried to find the words, so Dick waited. “Your heart has angry colors.” He finally said.
Dick tried to decipher what that meant. Angry colors? He’d have to circle back to that later. “So you cleaned the apartment because you thought I was angry?” Dick summarized. 
Daniel nodded, he considered something for a moment. “Jazz said that if you’re good at something then people will like you and not be angry. And I’m good at cleaning.” 
“Did the people you were with before get angry at you a lot?” Dick asked, trying to keep his promise of not getting angry. 
“That’s why I cleaned.” Daniel nodded. 
Dick forced himself to stay calm. He may have a meta child that could sense emotions in his hands and he did not want to test that theory by blowing up in front of him. 
Not a child- he corrected himself- his child. Danny was his son. And maybe Dick didn’t know how to be a dad, but he knew how not to be a dad. And that had to be some kind of start. Today would be a one time thing, Dick promised himself, and Danny would never know and never feel like he was forgotten much less by his dad.
He would save the conversation about that for the morning, after a good night's sleep. “How about some ice cream, since you worked so hard?”
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mymoodwriting · 1 month
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Request for Anon (sequel to Psycho!Jun) 3.4k, yandere, kidnapping, manipulation, mind control, amnesia, drugs, electrocution, collars, experimentation, blood, implied murder (@starillusion13)
“You can’t run away. Not again.”
You were surrounded by darkness, running endlessly through a void. Your heart was pounding in your chest, and it was all you could hear. All you knew was that you had to keep moving, but in your panic you wound up tripping over yourself and collapsing to the ground. Before you could get up you felt someone on top of you, pinning you down. A hand grabbed your head and then you truly opened your eyes.
You gasped awake, jumping up and panting as you tried to regain your breath. You felt a hand on your shoulder and screamed, but it was just Jun. He had woken up when you got up, worried about your current state. You were still freaking out, but he pulled you into his arms, rubbing your back and doing his best to sooth you. At some point the tears started to fall and you cried into Jun’s chest. You were safe in his arms, you knew that, but in the moment you were so scared. You couldn’t make out his words, but they were calming you down and slowly you began to relax. He held you in his arms, humming and rocking you gently in his arms.
“It’s okay, it’s okay, I’m here y/n, everything is okay.”
“I’m scared…”
“You don’t have to be. I’ll always protect you.”
“Promise?”
“Yes, I promise.” Jun kissed your head. “You think you can go back to sleep? Or should I sing to you.”
“I want you to sing.”
“Of course.”
Jun kept you in his arms as he laid back down with you, keeping you close. When he sang his voice became soft and gentle in a way you couldn’t describe, but it was so relaxing. You were safe in his embrace, and soon enough returned to sleep, getting through the rest of the night without issue.
🖤
By morning you were in a better state of mind, the nightmare already behind you. As you were about to get out of bed Jun pulled you back into his arms, pressing lazy kisses to your cheek.
“And where do you think you’re going, hm?”
“It’s morning.”
“So?”
“It’s a new day, and I want to make my baby breakfast in bed.”
“Oh, sounds yummy.”
“I have to make it first, silly.”
“You can be my breakfast.”
“It’s too early for that.”
“Says who?”
“Me.”
“Boo, are you really going to be like that?”
“I want to be cute this morning.”
“You’d look very cute with my-”
“Junhui don’t finish that sentence!”
Jun chuckled. “You’re so cute. Go on then, make breakfast. I’ll be waiting.”
“Okay.” You placed a peck on his cheek. “Love you.”
“Love you too.”
Mornings were always wonderful, whether you got up together or stayed in. Sometimes you’d make breakfast, other times he would take on the challenge. Loved making him breakfast in bed, happy to see the smile on his face at all times. After breakfast you got to do your house chores. Dishes, laundry, regular cleaning, you were never bored as there was always something to do, and when you were done nothing beat lounging around and watching TV. Jun was busy with his own things but he always made time for you.
“Y/n, can you come here for a moment.”
“Coming!” 
You met up with Jun by the front door, running into his arms and getting a tight hug followed by a kiss on your head. He pulled back and cupped your cheeks, making you smile.
“Baby, I’m heading out, so that means you are not allowed to leave the house while I’m gone.”
“Unless it’s an emergency.”
“Correct. I’ll be back soon. Call me if you need anything, love you.”
“Love you too.”
Jun kissed you before heading out. Once he was gone you just continued with your day. As you were preparing a snack you made note that it was about time to go grocery shopping and made a list. So when Jun got back you told him and he said you could go out tomorrow. If you ever needed to go somewhere, he always accompanied you. He didn’t like the idea of you being on your own. Unless you were in the house. You always enjoyed your outings together, no matter what they were.
“Should we get snacks?” You wondered. “You didn’t let me get any last time.”
“Cause you ate everything in like two days.”
“I won’t do it again.”
“Are you sure?”
“Pretty please.”
“That wasn’t an answer.”
“Please, Junnie, please.”
“Alright, fine, but you better not eat them all so fast.”
“Promise.”
You happily placed your snack in the shopping cart when you heard a loud crashing noise and some yelling. You and Jun both looked around, trying to find the source. You went down the aisle to see what was going on when you suddenly felt a hand on your shoulder. You were yanked back, an arm wrapped around your chest, keeping your arms pinned down. Then you felt something cold against your throat, making you go still. Your initial scream had caught Jun’s attention, and he was not happy with the scene, but it still caused him to laugh.
“Lower the knife.” Jun stated. “I know you won’t kill her.”
“Your power doesn’t work on me. Now come quietly.”
“You underestimate me. I may not be able to manipulate you, but everyone else is fair game.”
“What?”
There were suddenly people on the person holding you hostage, pulling their arm with the knife away from you, and helping you get free from their grasp. You ran over to Jun, hugging him tightly, letting the tears flow. He tried to sooth you and took you back home, letting you cry. You were shaking, still processing what had happened.
“Jun…”
“It’s okay, it’s okay, you’re safe.”
“Wa… what happened… what was that?”
“Nothing you need to worry about.”
“But-”
“Sh, sh, just go to sleep love.” Jun cooed. “Everything’s going to be alright in the morning.”
“Jun…”
“Sh, just take a deep breath. Everything’s okay.”
It was probably from all the crying that you began to feel tired, slowly calming down and leaning against Jun. Your eyelids grew heavy and you drifted off to sleep. Jun kept you in his arms, rocking you gently as you slept. He had gotten careless as of late, and today’s incident was proof of that. He needed to be more cautious with you going forward. The last thing he wanted was for you to get hurt. Once you were asleep he took you up to the bedroom, laying you down. He was gonna need to find a new place to go grocery shopping now.
🖤
You found yourself waking up randomly in the middle of the night, a strange drowsiness present in your mind. You looked over to see Jun still asleep next to you, and you didn’t want to wake him. You quietly got out of bed and made your way downstairs, wanting to get some water. You stared out the window into the back yard, seeing the moonlight over the garden. You suddenly heard the wood creak and looked back to see Jun coming into the kitchen while he rubbed the sleep from his eyes.
“What are you doing down here, love?”
“Hm? I just wanted some water.”
“Why didn’t you wake me?”
“That’s so mean, why would I when you looked so cute.”
“Yeah, but I wouldn’t want you getting out of bed. Come on, let’s go back to sleep.”
You put the glass down in the sink and walked over to Jun when you heard a loud bang sound. You were startled by the sudden sound, and then registered a pain in your back. You looked up at Jun just as you felt a powerful shock course through your body. You yelled and collapsed to the floor.
“Y/n!”
Jun rushed over to you just as he felt something hit his chest. He only had a moment to register what it was before he was electrocuted, collapsing to the ground near you. He heard loud noises, his vision a blur as he saw shadowy figures moving around him. He felt arms grab him, followed by a needle in his neck and a collar around his throat. He tried to look for you, but you were gone from his field of view, and soon enough everything went dark.
🖤
“Welcome back, subject 074.”
Jun awoke to a hauntingly similar white room, the lights hurting his eyes. Once his vision adjusted he could see all the equipment around, and realized he was restrained to the chair he was in. He tried to use his powers, but nothing was working.
“The collar blocks your powers, all of them this time, and before you get any ideas, we do have that girl of yours.”
“She had nothing to-”
“How else will you behave? Any wrong move from you, and she’ll pay the consequences, understood?”
“What do you want from me?”
“Tsk, well, you’ve proven to be quite the success. Of course someone like you isn’t ideal, but we can learn a lot by studying you. The goal is to replicate this success in a more suitable candidate. I’d say prepare yourself, but I rather hear your screams of anguish than that maniacal laugh of yours.”
“Then let me make a promise. I will get out of here again, and I won’t let any of you live this time.”
“I’m not scared.”
“You will be.”
🖤
You whimpered as you regained consciousness, finding yourself in a very unfamiliar place. The walls were white and padded, and you had been dressed in white clothes as well. You were laying atop a mattress, and you could see that the room was very small. Before you could register anything more a bit of the wall moved, two people dressed in white uniforms stepping in. You pulled your knees up to your chest.
“Where’s Jun…?”
“He’s fine.” One of the two spoke. “You really care for him, don’t you?”
“Huh?”
“He did quite a number on you, didn’t he?”
“What are you talking about?”
“You hated that guy. Had him arrested and thrown in prison. To be fair, he certainly deserved it.”
“What are you talking about? I would never-”
“But you did.” The other mentioned. “You don’t remember any of that do you? He just made you forget. He is quite powerful.”
“No, no Jun loves me, he’d never-”
“We’re not here to argue. So just cooperate or else.”
“Wa… what does that mean?”
“We don’t need to explain everything to you, but it’ll be easier if you behave.”
You couldn’t say much else as the two grabbed you and dragged you out of the room. You were placed in a wheelchair and restrained, taken somewhere else. The halls you passed through were all white, rows of doors on either side of you, with no windows to see in. You kept your mouth shut, not sure of what to do in this situation. After what felt like forever you came into what you could only describe as a lab. The chair was locked down next to a table, and you noticed a lady at a desk. The two who brought you went over to her.
“So, what are you gonna do?” One asked. “I think we could get good results out of her.”
“Perhaps.” The lady spoke. “She does show potential, but given that subject 074 completely rewrote her memories and personality, it’d be more beneficial to study her.”
“I’m not some guinea pig! Jun didn’t do anything to me!”
“See what I mean.”
You struggled against your restraints, but you were tied down tightly. A moment later that same lady came over and pressed your head back against the headrest, strapping you down further so you couldn’t move your head. This whole chair seemed to be designed to allow external movement while keeping someone contained. The armrest was pulled up and out, forcing your arm to stretch out. A needle was placed in your arm and blood was drawn. That was only the beginning. This person ran all kinds of tests with you, giving you a full examination. She’d ask questions too, which you didn’t want to answer, but she kept a small electric baton near her to threaten you with.
You had no power here, and no means of finding Jun. No one would tell you anything, just speak about you if you weren’t there. They kept saying ridiculous things about you and Jun, but you just wanted to know where he was, if he was okay. The only way to do that was to behave. As long as you did what you were told, no matter how awful it was, you could potentially get some answers. For the most part you went about a routine. You’d get taken to the lab everyday where the doctor would run all kinds of tests on you. For food you were given this sort of slush, and then you were tossed back into that tiny room. Since you weren’t trouble the guards didn’t restrain you anymore, and they figured someone like you couldn’t do anything.
This whole situation was terrifying and confusing, but you just wanted Jun. While being led around one day you came across your savior. Without thinking you ran up to the glass, seeing Jun on the other side. You banged your fists against the glass, screaming his name, but he didn’t react. The guard soon came up to you and let you know he couldn’t hear you, and that you weren’t going to get the chance to see him. You did not take that well, deciding this was your chance. You freed yourself from that guard’s grasp and took the gun from his holster. The sudden rush of adrenaline gave you the strength to pull the trigger. You didn’t know if the guard was dead or not, but you didn’t care. You turned around and fired at the glass. It was slightly bulletproof, but you managed to break it after using all the rounds.
“Jun!”
You broke as much glass as possible before jumping over the window, running over to Jun. You hugged him tight, tears blurring your vision.
“Y/n.”
“Jun, I don’t know what’s going on, I don’t know where we are. What is this? What-”
“Sh, sh, it’s okay, it’s okay. I’m gonna get us out of here.”
“How?”
“For starters, I need to get this collar off.”
“The collar?”
“It dampens my powers and-”
“Powers? What powers? What-”
“Easy, just trust me, okay?”
“Okay.”
You reached up to the collar, examining it to see if there was a way to get it off. There seemed to be a latch that locked it into place and when you tried to pull it open you wound up getting electrocuted. Jun felt it too and you both collapsed to the floor.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay.” Jun assured. “Are you alright?”
“I’m fine, but what are we supposed to do?”
“We-”
Jun was interrupted as the collar went off. He screamed and thrashed on the floor, and you were desperate to help him.
“What a nice reunion.”
You saw another person in a white coat approach, two guards on either side. You could see a small remote in his hand, realizing he was the one hurting Jun.
“Stop it! Stop hurting him!”
“You really care for him. Fascinating.”
“Just stop! What do you want from us!”
“You’re just the assurance that subject 074 behaves, you’re of no interest to me.”
“Please.”
“Remove her.”
“No!”
You didn’t want to lose Jun again, knowing very well they’d lock you up with tighter security this time. There wasn’t much you could do anymore, but you had to help Jun. You grabbed the collar again, doing your best to resist the shocks and break it off. To your own surprise you managed, collapsing to the floor as your body continued to shake. You were starting to settle down, but you had no idea what Jun was doing. His laughter rang in your ears, followed by screams. The lights began to flash red, and you could vaguely make out the sounds of sirens. That was all drowned out when a sudden rush of images flooded your mind.
“Don’t cry my love, I’m just doing what’s best for you.”
“No one will find us here, we’ll be okay, and we’ll be together, that’s all that matters.”
“If you don’t love me anymore, then I can’t let you love another! It’s only me!”
“You’re mine, and only mine!”
You screamed as all these memories and emotions mixed together. Your thoughts clashing with one another as you tried to understand the situation you were in. You still had no idea where you were but your biggest concern was Jun. The happy memories of a life together with Jun were sliced up as you remembered the past. The things he did, the fear he cause, the monster he had become. It was all terrifyingly clear as you saw Jun covered in blood, attacking anyone who came near. Once the initial shock passed your scrambled back, stumbling to your feet and intending to run when you felt yourself get pulled back. Your feet were off the ground and then you were in Jun’s embrace. You immediately shut your eyes not wanting to look at him, but he had other things running through his mind.
“Don’t be scared, love, this will all just be a bad dream when it’s over.”
“… you… you’re a monster…”
“Hm? That’s not the response I expected.”
“Let me go!” You got out of Jun’s grasp. “Don’t touch me! Just… just leave me alone…”
“What’s wrong, love? I-”
“Don’t call me that! You… you manipulated me… and… you took me away from everyone!”
“Ah… how do you have those memories back? I thought I got rid of them.”
“Got rid of them! You think you could just make me forget that I hate you.”
“Now you’re the one who’s lying.”
“Stay away.”
“You remember the last few months don’t you, how happy-”
“You tricked me! That’s not love! That’s-”
“I beg to differ.”
Jun pulled you close once again, except this time he had a hand wrapped around your throat. He wasn’t squeezing tightly, but you could feel a fog in your head, knowing he was doing something again.
“Stop!”
“I guess that electric shock rattled your brain. I’ll keep note of that for the future.”
“If you think I-”
“No, no, no, baby, I do all the thinking around here. Once I rid the world of this hellish place no one will ever find us again!”
“Jun, please… I don’t want to do this again…”
“Sh, sh, you won’t even remember any of this.”
“Don’t… you can’t just-”
“I am merely fixing us! Fixing you!”
“Jun-”
“All I ever wanted was to keep you safe. I have the means to do that now, and no one, not even you, will prevent me from doing just that.”
“This isn’t right! All these people-”
“They’re not innocent. Don’t tell me they haven’t been poking and prodding you with needles and all kinds of other things. I’m honestly a little surprised they didn’t do to you what they did to me. Maybe a bit disappointed too.”
“…”
“No matter. Once I’m done here we’ll leave, and everything will go back to normal.”
Jun released you and you collapsed onto your hands and knees. You gasped for air but then Jun knelt down and grabbed your chin, forcing your eyes to meet. You could feel that fog in your head growing thicker, making it hard to keep your own thoughts.
“No more looking over our shoulders, no more fear of being separated again. We can start fresh, build a proper life together, maybe even a family.”
“Family? With you? I-”
“I know, I know, a discussion for later, for now, I just need you to take a deep breath and relax.” Jun smiled and kissed your head. “You’re having a bad dream, love, and you won’t remember in the morning, okay?”
“I… I’m…” Your head was getting fuzzy. “… bad dream…”
“Yes, a bad dream. So be a good girl and stay here. You’ll wake up soon enough, I promise.”
“… I’m dreaming…”
“You are my love, but I’m right here. Everything’s going to be alright. You trust me, don’t you?”
“… I trust you…”
“And you love me?”
“… I do…”
“We’re made for each other.” Jun kissed your head. “Love you.”
“… love you too…”
68 notes · View notes
gabessquishytum · 7 months
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Heyo, it's water spirit dream anon again. I feel like I should grab an emoji but tbh Im not sure what all's taken.
Speaking of I was very taken with the Hot mess Hob and Horny neighbor Dream au a while back, yknow the one where there's a fire alarm and Hob ends up outside in a towel? Good stuff. Well Ive just had my own very specific Yes And to add.
Hob and Dream have apparetments right next door to eachother, and thus have pretty close balconies. Well on day, Dream's pet (cat or raven as you prefer) hops onto Hob's balconey from Dream's, and no amount of coaxing will get them to jump back. Dream is very flustered thinking about Asking Hot Hob nextdoor to let him in so he can retrieve his Stupid Son, but he takes a deep breath and knocks on his door.
Hob answers in the smallest shorts he's ever seen and an apron, clearly embarrassed, and it's only getting worse when he realizes it's Dream of all people. He's been doing like 10 different chores, including laundry, and dream has caught him doing dishes. After some stammering, Dream asks Hob is he can get his pet off his balconey, and Hob rushes to go get the door bc Kitty!!! (Or birb?) And gives Dream a wonderful view of his mostly bare back and ass hanging out of his shorts.
If Raven, Hob opens the door and Matthew swoops in to land on Dream's shoulder, preening at his hair and shirt collar while Hob laighs in delight and calls him Beautiful. Matthew takes a cautious interest in Hob and Dream asks if he'd like to saw hello, and to hold out his arm, just don't pet him too much, it's bad for his feathers. He tentatively hops onto Hob's outstretched arm and says "Hello" in Dream's voice to him, being very friendly, before leaning in very close and making Hob nervous. Dream is very embarrassed to tell Hob that what Matthew wants is a kiss. Hob gives his head a little kiss and Matthew goes "Wow!" And swoops back to Dream. Look up Fable the raven on youtube, she's great!
If cat, Hob rushes to the balcony to make sure he hasn't jumped clean off the building and Dream rushes after to see Hob walk back in with a luxurious black cat draoed over his shoulders rubbing on him like no tomorrow. He's smilling and petting and kissing and Dream is Not jealous of his cat even if he would like to wrap around Hob's shoulders and be petted and kissed he's So not jealous. Hob walks them to the door, and when trying to get his cat back, the cat takes the tie of Hob's robe with him and leaves Hob basically naked in front of a Dream who's trying very hard to wrangle his cat and get him safely back to his apartment. It's so so tempting but Hob is Busy, and Dream needs to get his Son inside, and even though they'd both just love to jump into Hob's freshly made bed, they are alas victims of Bad Timing. Dream and Hob exchange an awkward goodbye in the hallway, and each go back to their days. Hob does he rest of his chores sinking furthur into the "God Shit it's Always a bad time when he's around! I'll never get to ask him out!" And Dream daydreams the rest of the day about Hob in a cute little apron, doing things around the house and doting on Dream with pets and kisses. ❤
And as a side note I am a firm Fucked Up Knee Hob Truther and with all that leggy on display, maybe Dream asks about it? Maybe offers to help Hob with stuff if he ever needs it, he's stronger than he looks, promise. And maybe Hob wants to rearrange his bedroom furniture? And ends up pinned to his askew bed by an indeed, stronger than he looks Dream.
Luv u mwuah
OOOO YES I always wanna talk about nearly naked, blushing and stammering Hob.
Hob kind of tends to lose track of his chores during the week, what with work and trying to have a social life. Laundry particularly tends to pile up, meaning that by Sunday he’s down to his very last items of clothing: tiny football shorts, SpongeBob socks… he does have a t-shirt but he was doing his meal prep and ended up spilling something all over himself (hence he is now shirtless. and wearing an apron, too little too late). The shorts are absolutely too small, he’s had them since he was 18 and still in his twink phase. So you better believe that Dream gets an EYEFUL when he comes to the door. Poor Hob is so embarrassed, particularly with his sore knee on display (he’s a lil bit insecure about it and he notices that Dream is staring, little does he know that it’s only made Dream fall for him even more).
The rescue of the birb/kitty cheers Hob right up though, and he forgets his almost nakedness. He peppers Dream’s runaway pet in kisses and cooes over them, gushing about how he really wants a pet but he works all day and it wouldn’t be fair to leave an animal alone, plus he’s often too sore to walk a dog or anything like that. Dream immediately offers Hob the opportunity for pet cuddles any time he wants (he’s almost like “you can cuddle me too” but he just stops himself at the last second). Pet cuddles are healing!!
They keep having awkward little meetings and then one evening Dream hears a knock on his door. Hob is there in baggy sweats and a hoodie, and he looks sad and tired. Dream invites him in straight away, and Hob explains that he’s in so much pain today and he really doesn’t want to be alone. Before he knows what’s happening he’s being ushered onto Dream’s sofa and he gets either a kitty on his lap or a Birb on his shoulder for comfort, and Dream immediately makes tea. Hob sheepishly explains that he tried to move furniture on his own and Dream gets this real mother hen expression. He promises to come over the next day and help out.
Next day happens to be chore day again and there’s Hob in his obscenely tiny shorts and a shirt with “my tits are up here” printed on the front. He’s also baked cookies (with frozen cookie dough, he admits, but Dream is no less charmed). They quickly get to work on the furniture and Dream takes great pleasure in demonstrating how strong he is!
Neither of them are quite sure how they end up sprawled together on the mattress. Dream is pretty sure that he just groped Hob’s chest as they both tumbled down. He is pretty sure that Hob was the first to lean in for a kiss, though.
It’s fair to say that the something does get rearranged, just not the furniture that Hob was expecting 😏 and Dream is very gentle with him… just not too gentle!
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bangtaninborderland · 9 months
Text
JHS- Twisted Feelings (12)
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Summary: After working at an award show for 2 years everything had become normal, idols were no longer exciting to see, performances became dull and every day blended together, that was until an unexpected man asked for your help.
Warnings: mentions of violence, stalking.
Genre: idol au, strangers to lovers, angst, fluff, smut, ft ot7.
A/N: surprise!!! I have another chapter coming Tuesday too! also…anyone have any guesses for who is stalking YN? This chapter is a little longer than usual to make up for the wait (around 5k)
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True to his work Hoseok texted you once he got to work and then once again when he got home from work. You had been ushered out of the hospital once visiting hours were over.
Your dad spent had spent the past 5 days in hospital, growing stronger day by day but still needing assistance. The company had given you a week off, you still had a day of that time and thankfully the doctor had given you the green light to take your dad home.
Hoseok had texted every day, sending you comforting messages, asking if you needed help and he hadn’t been the only one, Jungkook and to your surprise Yoongi had also contacted, sending you messages of strength.
You were grateful for their support but you were even more grateful that you had the chance to take your dad home, cook him his favourite meal and make sure your mother got at least one full night of sleep before going home.
You’d only popped in briefly over the week to grab clothes, ignoring everything else. Everything else could wait, your dad couldn’t.
Your dad had insisted he didn’t need help to walk, that he was fine and you were being extra, your mother had insisted she could cook, that she wasn’t tired, that she should be taking care of you.
“You’re both as bad as each other, I’m going back to work in two days. Let me take care of you here please so I can have peace of mind when I go home that everything is okay.” You pleased, already knowing that you’d make them food, clean the house and help settle your father regardless of what they said.
Your mother rolled her eyes, huffing as she crossed one leg over the other, hand in your fathers thigh as they as on the couch. “Fine, you are stubborn just like your-“
“Eomma, just like your eomma.” Your dad interjected the conversation, you couldn’t help but laugh at the playfulness of it all.
Everything was fine. Your father wasn’t dying, your mother was okay.
You cooked them dinner, and then some extra so neither of them would have to worry about cooking tomorrow. You’d finished all the laundry and cleaned the house, it didn’t really need cleaning but still. The hours flew by and the time for you to go home was growing closer, and you were growing worried. Logically you couldn’t stay any longer, you had been asked to go into work to translate a phone interview between the members and some radio station.
“We will be fine.” You loved the way your mothers touch felt comforting, her hand upon your shoulder bringing you back to the present. Your father had insisted on ordering you a taxi home, the journey wasn’t long but it was way past 9pm and he wasn’t happy with the idea of you walking around this late.
“Your taxi will be here in a few minutes, you’ve got to return to work that company will fall apart without you.” Your dad laughed.
You shook your head. “Apps that’s not true at all! I worry about you two.”
“If we need your help I will call.” Your mother was firm and arguing back would do no good. “Didn’t you say NaRae was going to stop by tomorrow? I’m sure she can help out if we need it, which we don’t.” She held up a finger as you went to open your mouth, your arguments dying on your tongue. “Go home, go back to work.”
“You can’t wait to get rid of me.” You tried, you knew it wasn’t the case but still.
Your mother pulled you in for a hug, her floral perfume was a scent that had always provided you comfort. “You’re welcome home any time, just not when you have work.”
“Your taxi is here.” Your father declared, opening the door with a hobble. “Let us know you’re home safe?”
“Of course, take your medicine please I labelled them and wrote a chart, the food is in the refrigerator just heat it up, the rice will need a little more water. the laundry is folded into piles, if you leave it to the side NaRae can put it away tomorrow when she comes over.” You read off the mental checklist you had formed, all whilst your mother pushed you further and further out the door until you were climbing inside the Taxi.
“Thank you for staying home the past week blossom.” You lent into your mothers had as she stroked your cheek, the childhood nickname causing you to smile. “Now go and relax okay? Eomma loves you.”
“I love you too eomma.” You gave her hand a squeeze before dropping it and closing the door.
The taxi drive was short, but the stillness in the world was rather beautiful. Inside the car you were stationary, you couldn’t do anything yet life around you was full, people were going in and out of restaurants, businesses were closing for the day, people walking around going to who knows where. You were often more interested in the journey rather than the destination but today you couldn’t feel any more relieved as the car pulled up outside of your apartment building.
You handed over the exact change and thanked the driver before climbing the stairs to your apartment. The smell of your air freshener hit you in the face as you opened the front door, thankfully it wasn’t messy, just a few clothes and papers here and there.
You sent your parents a text before checking the rest of your notifications. Frowning when you noticed an unread message from Hoseok only to smile at the contents.
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He truly had done more than enough, in fact every day for the past week food had been delivered to the hospital, ordered by a man called J.
You smiled at the messages before decided to shower, it wouldn’t do you well to turn up to work looking like a mess. You didn’t drag it out, shaving could wait, you did the basics, body wash, shampoo, exfoliator, face mask and then teeth before climbing into bed half asleep.
You only just remembered to set an alarm before knocking out.
The morning came way too fast. The kitchen floor was cold as you padded across it, pouring cereal into a bowl. You couldn’t really muster much of an appetite, your mind debating wether or not to call in sick and go back to your parents. You knew you couldn’t, knew they would argue if you went home but still, you couldn’t help but worry. Even as you got dressed, put on your shoes, double checked your bag and got inside the taxi you was formulating excuses to skip the day.
Considering how early it was the building was busy, a few different groups passing you in the halls, some you recognised, others not so much. A part of you was nervous, you’d never translated an interview before and thanks to the whole fiasco at the award show you couldn’t afford to make a mistake still as you see Hoseok standing outside of your given office you managed to smile a little, feeling some of your worries no longer as bothersome.
“Good morning.” He smiled, holding out a coffee which you took gratefully.
You opened the door for him, letting him walk in first. “Thank you for the coffee, are you ready for the day?”
“As ready as I can be, I’m not as good at interviews as Namjoon but I’m used to them.” He took a sip of his coffee before placing it on the table. “How are you? Are your parents okay?”
You nodded, placing your bag and cup down. “I’m okay, a little nervous for the interview I don’t want to mess up and convey something in the wrong way.”
“I doubt you would.” He shook his head, silencing the thought immediately. “If you really aren’t up to it I’m sure there’s someone else who can do it, no one would judge you after the past week.”
You gave him a smile, despite all the fame he was still so kind, so humble. “It’s okay, really. If I change my mind I promise I’ll let you know. How is the album coming along?”
“Unless you count being stuck on the same song for the past two weeks as ‘coming along’ then it’s not. No where near.” He frowned, you noticed the dark bags under his eyes covered by some concealer but still prominent enough to be known.
“I don’t know much about making music but whatever it is I have the upmost confidence you can figure it out. Isn’t there anyone you can turn to for help?” You asked, surely there was other producers there to step in when something wasn’t going right.
“I guess there is.” He sighed, sitting down on the small couch. “It’s a solo song, the outro.”
“Oh wow, you’re doing a solo song as the outro?” You leant against the table, not in a rush as the interview wasn’t for a few hours yet. “How do you feel about that?”
“I’m happy to be doing it, over the years the outro has changed members and we’ve had solo songs on every album since wings so I’m not as caught up on that.” He attempts a laugh but it’s empty. “it’s supposed to be the last one before we take a break and I don’t want the final song to be something that people don’t enjoy. The last song of an album is like the closing note, imagine reading a book with no final page, it would ruin it.” He explains, taking another drink of his coffee.
“You could look at it as the closing note or you could look at it as the song the leads to the future, if you look at it like an ending it will feel like an ending, if you look at it as though it’s a song setting the stage for the next album, regardless of when that may be it could give you a new outlook. If I’m ever stuck on an ending I think about what I want to do next, if I want to make a second book then I won’t have a definitive ending so it’s easier for me to continue the next time I’m ready to write. Maybe try look at it as a message for the future than one for the present.” You wasn’t really sure what to suggest but you did your best, not wanting to give futile and pointless advice. You made a mental note to spend some one on one time with YouTube and gather as much information about making music as you could, he was always a big help to you and for some reason you wanted to help him just as much.
He gave you a smile, this time not empty or lacking but truly bright. “Maybe you’re right, just because it’s the last song in the album it doesn’t mean it has to feel like one. I feel like inspiration is striking so I’m going to go to my studio and I’ll see you later, you just gave me an idea.” He rushed up, as though whatever he had thought would be forgotten if he didn’t put it to paper.
Maybe you weren’t entirely useless at giving advice. You laughed to yourself at the way he bounded out of the room.
Within no time you found yourself surrounded by papers, the lessons for the next week slowly coming together, your own inspiration seemingly hitting in abundance. Normally on a Friday you felt worn out, the weekend a welcome retreat but things were different here, the workload wasn’t as taxing, you were no longer underpaid and overworked so despite it being Friday and the fact you were working on your only day off you were In high spirits.
Until your phone began to ring and you picked it up only to hear a worried Na-Rae.
“YN?” She called, you knew her well enough to recognise when something was wrong.
“Is everything okay? Is it appa?” Your mind instantly went to your parents and you were ready to rush out if need be.
She was breathing heavy and it made you sweat. “No, no he’s okay, they are fine. A letter came for you… i think it’s his handwriting.” Her voice was hushed and for a moment your brain blanked.
“His who?” You frowned, confused.
“YN…Jung-Woo.” She whispered.
You felt your heart drop to your stomach. “To my parents house? It couldn’t be he never knew their address. What does the letter say?”
“I didn’t open it.” She paused. “Should I?”
“Yes?” You responded although it sounded more question than answer, you weren’t entirely sure you wanted to know the contents of the letter.
“Okay wait.” The distinct sound of paper tearing had you on edge before she spoke against “oh my god.”
“What?” You explained, your heart racing. “What is it?”
“It’s pictures of you, just around the Hybe building, next to the members, inside your apartment, they look like they were taken from outside.” She explains them. “I’ll send you a picture.”
“No wait.” You paused, now wasn’t the right time for this, you had an interview to work through and you definitely couldn’t do that if you see the pictures. “Come over tonight, bring them with you. Do not let my parents see. I have an interview I have to go.”
“Okay, good luck. Don’t let this bother you, go do whatever it is you do.” She laughed, you could tell she was trying to distract you, to lighten the mood but you welcomed it, grateful to have a friend who was as selfless as her. “I’ll be round tonight, text me when you’re on your way home and I’ll come over.”
“Okay. Love you.” You managed to smile as she said goodbye and the line went dead.
You felt as though there was an elephant upon your chest, even as you grabbed your ID card and clipped it to your pants, even as you opened the office door and took a step outside, even as you walked the long corridor and unfortunately even as Hoseok rushed to join you, voice sounding rather dry.
“You okay?” He asked. You wasn’t but you nodded and pulled out a sealed bottle of water from your bag, handing it to him. “You’re an Angel in disguise.” He laughed as he opened the bottle, practically draining it.
It didn’t do much to help his voice but you felt good about doing something to help. “It won’t be a long interview, maybe an hour.” He explained, holding open the door to the recording room, there was musical equipment pushed to the side, three phones on one round table, one for you and one for Hoseok another for whatever other member was joining. A notepad had already been put on the table, you guessed it was for note taking but with how cloudy your mind felt and how hard it was to breath you weren’t sure you could even speak the whole hour, let alone take notes too.
“Are you sure you’re okay? You look pale.” The rapper asked again, even as you both took your seats.
You out on your best smile. “I’m okay. Just nervous.”
Hoseok, thankfully, doesn’t press anymore. Instead he brings up his phones notes, typing away. You’re only waiting five minutes before Jimin strolls in, forehead sweaty, you guessed he had been doing some form of practice, or working out.
He gave you a smile before leaning over Hoseok shoulder to see what the rapper was doing on his phone. Whatever it was caused Jimin to laugh and Hoseok to slap his thigh.
“Ah Hyung, you’re funny.” Jimin giggled, taking his seat. “Hello YN.”
“Hello, Jimin. How are you?” You shifted to face him, not wanting to be rude.
“Tired and sweaty.” He laughed brining a hand to wipe his forehead. “How’s your parents?”
“You know?” You asked, shocked. “How?”
“Hoseokie Hyung told us when he went to the hospital. He kinda left in a rush so we knew something was up.” Jimin looked at you before turning to Hoseok, his mouth forming an ‘o’ “was I not supposed to say anything?”
You felt yourself genuinely smile at that, the weight on your chest becoming a little more bearable. “No it’s okay, they are doing much better.”
“Sometimes our Jimin here says a lot of things.” Hoseok laughs, it’s fake but that’s what makes it funny. “So just ignore Jimin.”
You press your lips into a fine line as though you were considering it before shaking your head. “I can’t unfortunately I have to translate for the both of you.”
“See that’s because YN is a 94 liner too.” Jimin teased Hoseok.
“I- Hoseok began but was cut off as the door to the room opened, Sejin stepping inside.
“Sorry for keeping you all waiting I had some things to do. Hello YN-Ssi.” Sejin greeted you and you quickly stood to how to him before taking your seat again. “It’s a simple interview to bring attention to the upcoming album, it will mostly be about your musical journey and process, please try to refrain from giving any spoilers although I should probably be saying that to-
“Namjoon.” All three men said in unison.
“-Yes, glad you know. Okay I’m going to dial in and then it’s down to you three, I’ll be hearing it all in case they ask something we haven’t allowed.” You we’re grateful to have another layer of support there, if something went amiss at least you couldn’t be held solely responsible.
Once the call to the interviewer was connected everything moved fast, questions were asked and answered and by the end of it you were sure that you’d spoken more English in the past hour then you had In the past year, you were taken back by how thoughtful and personal Jimin and Hoseoks answers had been, with Sejin having minimal input only shaking his head a few times when Hoseok had nearly spoken about being in the outro.
You relayed everything as well as you could, despite some terms being unfamiliar you were pretty proud of yourself, half way through the weight on your chest eased a little and you were awfully grateful for the distraction the interview provided you with, mentally translating an entire conversation didn’t give you much time to think about your own issues.
“You were great!” Jimin praised, pushing his chair away from the table. “Me and Taehyung are going to eat would you want to come?”
“Oh.” You looked between him and Hoseok, already having made plans with the rapper. “I think me and Hoseok-ssi were going to get lunch.”
“We could go as a group, Hyung?” Jimin asked Hoseok who in turn looked at you, as though trying to sense what you really wanted before nodding. “Okay, I’ll text Taehyungie to meet us at the cafeteria.”
“Where is he?” Hoseok asked, holding open the door for you and Jimin. “I thought he was with Namjoon doing the bridge?”
“No.” Jimin shook his head, walking alongside Hoseok, you were just a few steps behind. “We recorded that, Jungkook is recording now. He was in the empty studio I think he did a live.”
“I was supposed to do a live yesterday but I didn’t have time.” Hoseok frowned and Jimin sighed, both of them clearly upset about something.
You’d spaced out after that, somehow following their footsteps as you thought to yourself. All of the letters, the threats had started when you agreed to take the position at hybe but that information had been confidential, the only people who knew were the ones who had a part in you getting the job. It wasn’t impossible that an old colleague overheard the hushed conversations you’d had with Narae at your desk or even your old boss but to go as far as to threaten you? To find out your parents address? It had to be something more personal, someone more personal. Especially if they knew about Jung-Woo although how much of the story they knew was a mystery they still knew and that was a worry in itself especially if they told the pol-
“YN?” A hand waved in front of your face and you jumped back, Hoseok frowned a little before pulling his lips into a smile. “You disappeared on us.”
You were taken aback as you see Taehyung beside Jimin, you truly had disappeared. “Sorry.” You apologised sheepishly. “I was just thinking about some paperwork I was doing earlier.”
“It’s okay.” Taehyung smiled, you’d been around him a handful of times, seen his pictures and videos everywhere but something about seeing his smile in real life, directed at you was entirely different. It was kind, even his eyes reflected that same energy of warmth and care. “Are you sure you have time for lunch?”
You nodded. “Of course, I'm fine I promise.” You laughed. “So…lunch?”
“Yes lunch.” Hoseok claps and you shuffle to look at him. “We can eat at the cafeteria or we can slip out and go to a restaurant around the corner. It’s private we eat there a lot, no one will bother us. It’s your choice.” He asks you both Taehyung and Jimin nodding along.
“Im happy with either.” You felt more comfortable letting them choose. “Where is the food best?”
“Definitely the restaurant. I can drive?” Hoseok offers.
With no objections you begin walking to the employee only car park. Taehyung and Jimin walking behind you and Hoseok, both of them arguing over a song they had been working on together.
Hoseok found the car at ease, guiding all three of you through the flourishing car park. You felt embarrassed as he unlocked the car and the opened the door for you. Jimin and taehyung talking animatedly as they climbed into the back. The low thrum of the car was soothing, Hoseok had opened the tinted windows slightly.
“So YN tell us about yourself?” Taehyung perked up from the back. Leaning forward to see you. “Everyone knows us.” He huffs frowning.
“There’s nothing really to know. I don’t have any siblings, I studied, went to university, did the exchange programme, came here, got a Job with my friend at the broadcasting place for the award shows and then ended up here.” You summarised your life in a few short sentences which albeit didn’t make you feel good about yourself, your life not being one full of great adventures and in comparison to the lives of global superstars was pretty much nothing.
The car was silent for a second as it comes to a stop at a red light before Jimin asks. “I heard that you like to write.”
“Oh, yeah I do.” You smiled, as though you could forget. “I think I want to write a book, publish it, I’m not too sure how I’ll do it but I have a few ideas.”
“What genres do you like?” Hobi asked this time, looking at you quickly before refocusing on the road.
“I like all kinds of things, my favourite stories are always the ones that get worse before they get better.” You explain. “Misunderstandings, angst, heartbreak before undeniable, overwhelming happiness is the best.”
“I’ve read a few stories like that. I enjoyed them.” Jimin shrugged. “I don’t read much.”
“Same.” Tae nods in agreement. Yoongi Hyung and Namjoonie Hyung do though.”
“What about you?” You turned to Hobi.
“Ahh.” He sighed. “My dad was a literature teacher, he always tells me to read, even now. I don’t do it much but whenever I do read it’s usually something philosophical or something that I feel will help me grow. Living, Loving and Learning was one of my favourites.” You perk up at that, recognising the book.
“The one by Dr Leo?” You ask, eyes wide with a smile as he nods. “That book was great, I felt brand new after reading it.”
“I liked the way it encouraged acceptance, I recommended it to everyone else but I don’t know if they read it.” Hoseok looks back through the mirror but Taehyung and Jimin just side eye each other. “Yeah, they definitely didn’t read it.”
You all laugh at that, the conversation continuing as you pull up the the restaurant. You watched as they all pulled out face masks and hats, putting them on in some form of synchronicity. “Ready?” Taehyung asks you. “Oh do you want a face mask?”
You nod, not wanting to be the odd one out. “Thank you.”
“Let’s go, we have practice in two hours and I’m hungry.” Jimin complains, getting out of the car first. Taehyung followed after, leaving just you and Hoseok.
You were waiting for him to get out but instead he took his seatbelt off and shifted around to look at you. “I should have said this before we left but if you don’t want to go in there you don’t have to, I can just do a take away. No one will bother us but there’s always a chance of someone seeing us on the way in.”
You tilt your head in confusion. “Wouldn’t that be more of an issue for you than me?”
“Not really, we go out with staff all the time. Still be aware of anyone who may take pictures, it wouldn’t be the first time we have encountered a sasaeng at a restaurant.” He shrugs his shoulders, clearly used to the events.
“I guess today is as good as any to learn how to deal with those situations. Let’s go and eat?” He laughs and nods, reaching for his door as you do yours.
The air wasn’t necessarily cold but it wasn’t warm either, you loved weather like this. The restaurant wasn’t small but it wasn’t fancy, there were a few tables where businessmen sat, some at the back empty, another table looked to be trainees of some sort but no one bothered you and Hoseok as you walked around the tables towards the enclosed place at the back, Jimin and Taehyung already waiting around the table. “Finally!”
“We didn’t even take that long.” Hoseok laughs at Taehyung. “Did you order?”
“Yeah, I got the usual but I asked them to come back so YN could order too.” Jimin looks at you. “I wasn’t sure what you liked.”
“Oh!” You felt yourself getting flustered which was definitely a new level of embarrassment as all three men looked at you. “I’m fine with whatever.”
“We ordered seafood.” Taehyung squints at you. “Do you like seafood?”
“Okay…maybe not like BUT I’m used to eating it with my friend so it’s okay.” NaRae had often pushed you into seafood restaurants, you didn’t like the food much but over the years you’d grown a tolerance to it. “Seriously, it's fine.”
“He’s lying, we didn’t order seafood, he just wanted to see if you would be honest. We ordered the meat set with Mandu, Japchae and then a side order of bungeoppang for after.” Jimin rattles off their entire order list, your eyes growing wide at the copious amount of foods before finally registering what he had said at the beginning.
“Wait, why would I lie about what food I liked?” You asked, you couldn’t understand why someone would do that.
“Well.. before.. there’s been times we have had friends or people we thought as friends that would lie about everything they liked to make themselves seem compatible with us?” Hoseok responds, shaking his head.
“A girl once lied to me about liking seafood.” Taehyung adds. “She was allergic.”
“She was what?.” Your head whipped around at him. “Did she eat it?”
“Yep. She called me the next day from the hospital because she had a severe reaction.”
“Was that the one who said she sold her car to buy you a watch?” Jimin asks, clearly aware of the situation.
Watching them talk about it all so normally was what shocked you the most, the lengths someone would go to just to be close to another being because of a desire to have them. It left you silently asking just how many times they had gone though these things for them to be so nonchalant about it.
The food came in shortly after, the conversation coming to a stop as you all filled your stomach. You offered to pay, pulling out your card as fast as you could. Jimin and Hoseok argued because they had invited you, believing it was right for them to pay. However, it was Taehyung who bested you all, slipping the waiter his card for the bill as Hoseok, Jimin and you debated who would pay.
Tomorrow you’d buy them all coffee.
Hoseok had offered to drop you home once you had told them all that you weren’t required to be in work until tomorrow but you refused, explaining you were going to see a friend. You’d agreed with NaRae to stop by her apartment, to get the pictures and to figure out if she knew anything else, anything that could help you make sense of the issue.
After saying a short goodbye to the members with a promise of texting Hoseok later you were already on your way to NaRaes, thankfully the traffic wasn’t bad and the bus journey was only a short 15 minutes.
You didn’t need to knock, she had long since given you a key so as usual you let yourself in. Her small puppy, Mino, jumping up at you as soon as you entered the doorway. You quickly pet him, before taking off your shoes as walking through the slim hallway that connected to the rest of the house.
“Where are you?” You shouted, loud enough for it to be heard through the apartment.
“Here.” She called out, somewhere in the bedroom.
“Was you sle- oh my god what happened?!” Your jaw drops at the site of the cut on her face and scrapes on her hands.
“The pictures, someone came for the pictures, oh my way home they grabbed me and snatched them. I tried to fight to keep them but I couldn’t.” She sat up from the bed, pushing herself into your arms.
“It’s okay, it’s okay.” You stroked the back of her head. Guilt pooling in your stomach, whatever this was, whoever it was, it was your fault.
And you were going to make sure they paid.
54 notes · View notes
munchcorner · 10 months
Text
Keigo arrives soaked in mud. He drags his feet across the floor and frowns at the trail he leaves with each step.
"What happened to you?" Touya asks, emerging from their room. A sigh escapes Keigo's lips, "I tumbled down the mountain while chasing after a villain."
Touya chuckles as he walks toward Keigo to help him undress, "What are these wings for if you're going to use your feet to chase after a villain?"
"The trees and the rain were in the way. Had the weather been in my favor, I would've caught them in a second," Keigo pouts. He sheds his wings and piles them in a corner.
"I bet that villain's going to brag about being such a pain for the number two hero to chase," Touya teases before running to the kitchen when Keigo glares at him.
Keigo crosses his arms and then scoffs when he sees Touya approach him with a basin and towels, "Still, he won't be bragging about being caught within five minutes."
Touya rolls his eyes, "you timed the chase?"
"No," Keigo answers.
"If so, how can you be sure you caught him within five minutes?" Touya continues to poke fun at Keigo.
Keigo furrows his brows, "Just because. Besides, even if it wasn't within five minutes, I'm sure it's within ten. Before you can say anything else, the bottom line is no one can catch him faster than I can."
Touya presses his lips to stop himself from laughing. He can't help but tease Keigo's speed because it's the only way to ruffle his feathers.
"Sure, whatever you say," Touya says, then walks away with the towel and the basin. "Do you want a warm bath or a cold one?"
"Warm," Keigo enters the bathroom and hugs Touya from behind, "thank you for helping me wash up. I love you." Keigo sneaks a kiss before getting into the bathtub to relax.
Touya turns quickly turns away to hide his blush. He raises a middle finger, saying, "You owe me a new set of towels. Your filthy ass stained those towels, I'm sure."
Keigo chuckles, "Sure. I'll buy you two sets tomorrow."
"You better," Touya replies. He slams the door shut before walking to the living room to gather Keigo's dirty clothes.
Touya throws the clothes into the washing machine before returning to the living room to take Keigo's feathers. He gathers them in a basket before walking to the bathroom to ask Keigo how to clean them.
"Should I throw these in the washer?" Touya teases, hoping Keigo will panic. To his surprise, Keigo calmly nods, "Yeah, just throw them in."
"I'm not kidding." Touya shows Keigo the basket, "I'll throw them in without a second thought."
"Do it."
Touya's jaw drops, "aren't you scared of being overstimulated?"
Keigo smiles at him, "I'm used to it. I didn't have anyone to help me clean my feathers. So, I trained myself to get used to the feeling of having them cleaned by the washer."
Touya's heart shatters. He hates the nonchalance in Keigo's tone, but he can't say anything in rebuttal. So, he turns his heel and walks to the laundry room.
Touya opens the washer, ready to throw the feathers inside, but thinking about seeing those feathers turn around like clothes stop him. He groans and enters their second bathroom to carefully wash Keigo's feathers.
"I thought you threw them into the washer?" Keigo asks, confused after seeing Touya cursing under his breath as he carefully washes each of Keigo's feathers.
"I fucking hate you. Why do you have so many feathers? I shouldn't have cleaned them. I should've burned them and let you regrow new pairs. Besides, what's the point..." Touya's complaints were cut short after Keigo kissed him.
"You fucking asshole! You can't even let me finish my sentence!" Touya punches him with genuine annoyance, making Keigo laugh as he shields himself.
"I'm sorry! I'll take you to Greece next week if that makes you feel better!" Keigo says after grabbing Touya's wrists to stop him from punching him.
"You better. I'm not doing free labor." Touya returns to washing Keigo's feathers after hearing Keigo's offer. Keigo's hearty laugh echoes in the bathroom while Touya lists his demands.
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modern-day-bard · 3 months
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Worth The Feeling
Content Warning: 18+ This series contains explicit smut, intimidation, and an age gap relationship. Minors, do not interact.
Chapter 22
Apparently Barb had been right. Neither Dwayne nor Lloyd seemed to care that I had been seeing Javi. Not that Lloyd mentioned anything, and truthfully I wasn't even sure if he knew. I leave work that day just the same as any other day. Besides the nagging feeling that this isn't over, and my sad suspicion over why I still haven't seen or heard from Javi, everything else was normal. Only two people asked me about my fainting today, too. No weird looks this time either. I had been mostly behind the scenes today, so I didn't see Lana, but I texted her to ask if she had heard anything and she hadn't. Everyone truly was busy at work. Maybe it was my average, L.A.-free upbringing, but I expected a much larger scandal my first day back.
I take a shower first thing upon arriving home. L.A. was nothing compared to the Italian heat, but I could still use a bit of a clean. Plus, it would distract me from the fact that I still have not heard from Javi. Amidst everything, I'm still hurt by that fact. Barb and Dwayne admitted that his behavior showed some sort of interest, but I like to think I know his character better than them. Meaning, maybe he would react like that to almost anyone fainting. I decide to double-shampoo my hair to avoid diving too deeply into that thought. After I dry off, a put on some sleep shorts and a plain white t-shirt before putting on the kettle to make some tea. I'm not much of a chef, but I feel like I should really try to cook tonight in an additional effort to keep my mind off things. Especially now that I know I can still afford groceries. I've been staring at my near-bare refrigerator for about thirty seconds when my phone lights up. I nearly drop a jar of pickles when I see who it's from.
Javi: Can we talk?
My heart practically ricochets out of my chest. Will I look desperate if I reply right away? Has he been looking for a way out of...whatever this is? Or maybe he's upset that he had to have multiple conversations with Dwayne, one being with their PR manager. My kettle screams from the stove, and I jump almost high enough to land straight on my countertop. I quickly move to set it aside. I put a tea bag into a mug, taking a deep breath as I pour the steaming water in. I figure that a cup of tea's worth of time in between my response is enough. Or it's at least all I can stand. As soon as the kettle is set back on the stove, I race to reply.
I type out of a few options, but err on the side of caution.
Me: Of course. Should I call you?
Javi types for a minute or so before the bubbles disappear. I wonder if it's possible for me to hold my breath for a solid two minutes without fainting again.
Finally, 90 agonizing-seconds later, he replies.
Javi: Would it be alright if we spoke in person?
Me: I think that would be best. Do you want to meet in your trailer tomorrow?
Javi: Actually, I'm around the corner of your place. I felt like going for a drive. There's no pressure for you to let me in. But would it be okay if I came to see you now?
Forget holding my breath, I was now choking on it. But even though my nervous system hummed with anxiety, it was also mixed with anticipation. So much so that I forego the reality that Javi would be seeing my post-nervous breakdown studio apartment for the first time and respond with:
Me: Let me know when you're here.
I don't bother rushing for a hair dryer or a change of clothes. Partially because there's no way I would have the time, but also because he's already seen me like this. Granted it was under far better circumstances. I did take the chance to pick up a few pieces of laundry off the floor, though. I just set them in the basket when my doorbell rang. I buzzed him in without using the speaker, and less than a minute later there was a soft knock at my door. I took another, cleansing breath before I opened it.
It was as though sunlight itself was on my doorstep.
If sunlight came dressed in dark jeans and a black hoodie. His hair had been lightened slightly by the Italian sun, something I hadn't noticed until contrasted with L.A. after dark, and his deep brown eyes were shining. And the romantic, seeking part of me thought they shined a little brighter when I looked at him. But in the split second before either of us spoke, I recognize the worry there. Worry masked as almost deep concentration. Then his lips part, and it looks as though he is...relieved, even though he still holds worry around the corners of his eyes.
"Ava," He sounds breathless. I wait for him to say something else, but nothing comes.
"Hi," I almost whisper. "Would you like to come in?"
"Are you sure? We can always speak tomorrow, but I think production is trying to keep us separate for now. Otherwise I wouldn't be dropping by like this–"
"Javi, it's fine. Come in, please." I open the door wider, gesturing for him to walk through. He does, leaving a glorious path of his smell in his wake. I close my eyes only for a moment while his back is still turned to me, trying to soak it in as much as possible.
Javi takes in all 700-square-feet of my place, shoving his hands in his pockets. I've never seen him look so out of place.
"Take a seat," I say, not needing to point out that my lone sofa was the only option. "Do you want some tea? I just poured myself a cup."
"No, no. Thank you."
So he won't be staying long, then. I grab my mug anyway before joining him on the couch. My body yearns to sit as close to him as possible, but I use the tea as an excuse to sit on the end so I can place it on the side table.
Once I place my mug down, there is nowhere else to go. Nothing else to do except look at him with that same, borderline tortured expression on.
"Are you...okay?" I ask slowly.
That relieved expression comes back, but only for a moment. "Yes, I'm fine. Ava, I–" His voice breaks, and he rubs his hands up and down his thighs. "I was so worried about you."
My heart just about shatters. I bring my knees up to my chest, picking at an invisible strand on the couch. "I wanted to reach out to you, but when you didn't check in I thought...I don't know. I knew you'd be busy with meetings and the flight home–"
"How was the flight home?"
I look at him now, and his gaze is so sincere that I want to cry. "It was okay, actually. The flight home is usually a bit easier. Honestly I was mostly focused on the fact that I either stained your reputation or possibly lost my job. Or both. Suddenly the flight didn't seem so bad." I chuckle darkly. Javi reaches for the hand resting on my knee, hesitantly. I give it to him as if we've done this a hundred times.
"I'm glad. I'm sorry I wasn't there."
"Don't be sorry for that. I'm so sorry I fainted, that's only happened once before and it made a tense conversation so much worse."
"If I can't apologize for not being on the flight, you definitely can't apologize for fainting." Javi lets out a small chuckle now, and I follow suit.
"Ava," he says, stroking my hand, "I want to explain myself and what happened afterwards. But first..." His hand moves up my arm, giving it a gentle tug. "Can you come here, please?" His voice is gravel, and all I can do is nod, allowing him to pull up against his side. His free hand moves to rest on the side of my face, tucking a strand of damp hair behind my ear. Javi rests his forehead against mine before placing a featherlight kiss to my lips, almost making my knees press together. Before I can demand more, he pulls back and leaves the same light kiss on my nose, and then my forehead. He strokes my face again, as if confirming that I'm not a mirage.
"You're really alright?" He whispers.
"Yes," I breathe, "Heat exhaustion doesn't last that long."
"I'm glad, but I also mean what happened with Blake."
I sit back a little so I can assess his demeanor. "I wouldn't do that to you. I'm not saying you and I had the 'exclusive' conversation, but I'm not that type of person."
Javi looks wounded. "Ava, I mean are you okay after what happened with him? I wanted to kill him where he stood when he said those things about you."
"Oh," I really hadn't thought about the night he actually showed up to the room. "I was shaken up at the time. Nothing happened besides him grabbing my waist. Luckily Lana was in the room, and she came out of the bathroom right as he was trying...whatever he was trying to do. But I'm okay."
Javi's face was hard as stone. It was a stiff contrast between the gentle patterns his fingers were making on my knee. "Are you going to report him to HR?"
I pause, knowing that I made that decision back in Italy, but also unsure of how Javi might take it.
"No. I already talked it through with Lana that night. He's a creep for sure but...I just don't think it's what I want to do. I'm just glad he was only with us on location."
"For his sake, I'm glad as well." I'm not sure if he meant me to hear that or not.
His icy gaze falls to the floor.
"You know, Dwayne asked me today if I was going to press charges against either one of you. He said you took credit for the full affair. Nothing at work is changing, not even the promotion." I can't help the suspicion in my tone. It was too good to be true, and I knew it since I walked out of the meeting this morning. His gaze doesn't falter as he remains focused on the floor.
"Javi," I gently stroke his arm, trying to ease his tension. "What does that mean? Why would I want to press charges against you?"
He takes a deep breath, glancing into my eyes for a moment before focusing his attention to my hand resting on his arm. "At the cast dinner, the same night Blake came to your room, our PR manager, Tom, was buttering me up about Norwick's marketing plans. The company is pushing for romance rumors between Emma and me to spark interest for the film."
I feel a sharp pain in my gut at the notion, but I fear that any sign of hesitancy will keep him from speaking altogether, so I ignore it.
"Tom was encouraging me to actually get close to her. I've heard this sort of thing before. It was a simple, yet heavy, suggestion at the dinner. But after what happened on the beach with Blake and then your accident..."
My hand stills on his skin, too gripped by what he's saying to continue my previous efforts of easing the tension.
"Ava, I was so worried." His voice cracks just a smidge, "That fucking asshole was so busy trying to lie about your integrity that neither him or Dwayne noticed you were stumbling. You went pale, and you weren't responding to me. And it's my fault. We could have written this entire thing off and Blake would've been seen as a liar if it weren't for my reaction. No one moved fast enough. They weren't calling for a medic, you weren't waking up. I carried you up the beach to the top of the hill and the medic finally met us there. They took you away on one of the carts and I wanted to be with you so badly. I don't want you ever to think that I planned on letting you be alone this entire time, or not reaching out to you. I'm so sorry. I'm sorry you woke up alone and I'm sorry for my reaction, I just–I was so worried." Javi's brows are drawn together as tight as I've ever seen them and he's looking at me as if I hold all the answers to some invisible problem. I move my hand from his arm to cup his face, dragging my thumb down his cheek. I'm about to tell him that there is nothing to forgive him for, that I really wasn't harmed by any of it, but he continues.
"Dwayne at that point was convinced of our relationship. Thankfully Blake wasn't quick witted enough to add fuel to the fire. He didn't pretend to be concerned and he didn't insinuate that this meant you and I were together. But he didn't have to. I could see it as soon as I walked back down to the shore and saw Dwayne. I tried to act normal when I returned, especially once Barb texted me that you woke up, but it didn't matter. Dwayne said he would set up a meeting with me directly after we finished the shoot for that day. When I arrived, it was just Dwayne and Tom. I thought it was a good sign until Tom spoke. He told me what a PR nightmare this could be, me being involved with a younger woman. That the press would spin it so I would look as though I took advantage of you. It would damage both of our reputations. That's when Dwayne asked about the nature of our relationship. I said you and I got along very well and that I had feelings for you though I hadn't pushed them and I didn't know where you stood. I didn't deny that we had spent personal time together."
Javi again glances at me, as though checking if this is the part that will make me upset. I give a nod of encouragement.
He sighs before continuing. "Dwayne confessed that Blake has had complaints in the past, mostly about being too emotional to work with, but there were some blind items about him being inappropriate on set." That explains why Dwayne was quick to believe I hadn't been involved with him. "But he said that he also doesn't trust him not to leak some blown out of proportion, 'inside scoop,' about the whole thing. Frankly, Dwayne was concerned that anyone who saw my reaction to your fainting might feel that they have insider information. That's when Tom chimed in with the perfect solution," I can tell by his tone, doused in sarcasm, that it is far from perfect.
"Tom said that the PR team can find other ways to handle Blake, and as for the rest of the possible leaks...He said no one would remember a thing if they see me with Emma. Unfortunately Blake's ridiculous allegations against you fit right into production's plans to market the movie. They want to sell some whirlwind romance between Emma and me, especially since I haven't been seen with anyone publicly."
Javi lets the words hang there, allowing me to process. My stomach is in knots, and I'm still lost.
"So what does that mean for...us?" I ask quietly.
That pained expression is back. "I made them promise that they would stop any scandals against you before they happen, just in case there is a leak from anyone on set. In exchange, I agreed to let them sell the idea of Emma and me. They want us to be affectionate these next two weeks, and they're going to take some fake leaked photos of it. I was consulting with Jonah before and after my meeting with Dwayne and Tom, and he asked me not to contact you until we had reached an agreement. Once we had, it was time to fly back home and Jonah said I shouldn't speak with you until you already spoke with Dwayne. I wasn't actually sure if that was today...I just figured he'd ask to meet with you first thing and I...I couldn't wait any longer. I'm sorry."
He again allows me a moment to process it all. It hurts that Emma and him will be getting closer, even if it's just for show. But it also explains why I still have a job. True to what Barb had said, production didn't really care if we were together. However, they did care if it could reflect poorly on the project. In fairness to them, I understood it. But I was a far ways away from feeling okay about it.
Javi is just watching my face, waiting for my response. Despite the pain in my chest at the thought of him holding Emma, he was here now. His eyes full of concern, his hand still resting on my leg. Both our sides pressed up together.
Hesitantly, I cup his face once more. His eyelids flutter closed, almost as if it's out of relief. I sit up on my knees a little, leaning in and pressing a kiss to his lips. Javi sighs, moving the hand on my leg up a little higher, and his free hand to rest on my back, pulling me in closer.
I pull back so our foreheads are pressed together. "You don't need to be sorry, Javi."
His hand moves in soft circles on my back. "If only you knew how badly I wanted to be with you...how badly I wanted to react when Blake said those things—"
"Shh," I run my hand up his chest before resting it on the side of his neck. "I don't want to think about him. Or Emma...I'm not going to deny that part is incredibly irritating." I chuckle lightly, hoping to hide how jealous that makes me feel.
Javi pulls back a little further so he can look directly into my eyes. "I want to be with you, Ava. In every way that matters, I'm with you. I won't be with her like this," He presses another gentle kiss to my lips, "Or like this," his soft lips graze my jaw. "In fact," He kisses just below my ear, whispering now, "I'll be thinking about you the entire time, and how I'd rather be doing this instead," he moves his lips to my neck, open-mouthed and heady. I tilt my head to the side, allowing him more access. My eyes squeeze shut as he explores up and down my neck, my chest rising and falling at an increasingly rapid pace. When his teeth graze a particularly sensitive area near my collarbone, I can't take it any longer. I shift my weight and swing my leg around his torso so that I'm straddling him on the couch. Javi hums in approval, both his hands moving to my thighs. His warm fingers explore under the hem of my shorts, kneading my thighs and my backside appreciatively.
I surprise myself when I tug on the hair at the nape of his neck, angling him to look at me again and halting his barrage of kisses on my throat. I bend down to kiss him, several degrees rougher than before.
"I missed you," I whine against his lips. My hips buck forward instinctively, and I whine once again at the much-needed friction it provides.
He groans against my mouth in turn. "Missed you so much, baby," he kisses me again, teeth pulling on my bottom lip. "You had me worried sick." Javi's hands yank me forward by my thighs, grinding my core down on his lap again. I whimper, feeling how much he's grown underneath me. I feel as though my body has been taken over by pure desire, all shame left somewhere outside this apartment. I rock back and forth shamelessly, keeping Javi's lips locked on my as I hold onto the back of his neck. In the back of my mind, I know that I should do something else. Offer to go to the bed, kiss his neck back, say something he might want to hear. But I can't. I'm a panting mess. And all I can think about is wanting more of him, right now.
I move my hands from his neck to the hem of my shirt, slowing down my hip movements while I take a moment to pull it over my head.
"Christ," Javi hisses, taking in the sight of my hardened nipples. Not a second passes before he takes one of them in his mouth. His left hand moves to my free nipple, rolling and pinching it as his tongue swirls deliciously around the other. I gasp, tossing my head back and resume grinding back and forth on his now bulging lap. I want to take it out and lick him until he's as desperate as I feel right now, but the thought of stopping feels like it would leave me burning so badly that it would be painful. And judging by how his free hand is encouraging my hips, it doesn't seem like he wants me to stop.
It hasn't been long, but I feel a familiar build in my stomach.
"Javi, I'm," I hit the top of his jeans where he is delectably hard, "Ah, I'm going to...if we don't stop I'm gonna–"
Javi hums against my chest. "Get yourself off, sweetheart. The rest of your orgasms tonight will belong to me." He yanks me forward again, and I combust, my legs shaking on either side of him. My breathing stutters, and Javi keeps his steady pace against my chest, though he moves one of his hands to my thighs to coax me through. I slump against him, forcing his lips to leave my breasts. He draws soothing circles along my back as he chuckles.
"Catch your breath, baby. I'm far from done with you."
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manestjerne · 10 months
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Let me save you pt. III
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Juice Ortiz x female
Word count: 3.3k
Warnings: mention of a toxic relationship, blood, mentions of crimes
The first thing I did when I woke up in the morning was laundry. After breakfast, coffe, cigarette and all other parts of my morning routine I went to get some gas. After doing everything I had planned for today I still had plenty of time, so I started thinking. Should I do something about what happened yesterday? Well, basically nothing happened, but for me it wasn’t nothing, and I was sure he had the same thoughts. But he’s just a biker, probably have tons of girls like you and hundreds of promise rings left to give away. I tried to put my mind at ease and not text him, so I went running, cleaned my whole apartment and it was finally time to go to work. I can drive there today. Technically yes, but I’d use a walk, I should lose some weight. Actually that wasn’t necessary, but a 15 minute walk is better than 5 minute drive. Less time to think about him, more to sing some songs in my head. Great idea.
The place was crowded as always during the weekends, so I didn’t have much time to think about him, but still enough to look at the door from time to time, he never showed up. When we finished cleaning Nat asked me to stay for a beer or two. I didn’t have anything better to do, so we closed the door and sat at the other side of the bar gossiping about our other coworkers. I actually liked them, but Nat was my best friend now. Basically an only friend, but she was caring and fun at the same time, we really got along well.
- Okay, and what about your biker? He didn’t show up today.
- His not “my” biker. Just a biker, he’s nice.
- Just a biker? Then what’s that? - she grabbed my necklace but I instantly put it back under my shirt
- That was a joke and, as you can see, he’s not here, so it’s nothing big. Leave it.
- Okay, just be careful, huh? I know it sounds funny, but I don’t want you to get hurt, you’ve got enough from your last relationship. I mean, he seems nice and he’s not hitting up on any other girls here, just you, but still be careful.
- I know Nat, thanks.
- You know where’s he from? I haven’t seen a charter town on his cutte.
- Nah, but he’s not from here.
- That’s a good sign, he’s driving all the way from another town just to spend some time with you everyday.
- Yeah, everyday… maybe he’s not trying to get someone in his hometown because he has someone and people know them there and-
- Hey, don’t be such a pessimist.
- You started that - I laugh
- But not every guy is a prick, don’t push him away, just be careful - my phone buzzes - talking ‘bout pricks. Mark’s not leaving you alone again? Give me the phone, I’ll tell the son of a bitch to-
- No - I interrupt her - it’s Juice.
- What did he say?
- He asked if I got home safe.
- What? Okay, that sounds like he actually cares.
But I wasn’t listening to her, just texted him back.
Not yet, I stayed after hours to get a drink.
Alone?
Nat’s with me.
Good to hear that.
Please don’t walk home if you get drunk. You can call me when you get in the taxi.
If not just please text me when you get home.
I must’ve stared at my phone for a good while, because Nat snapped her fingers in front of my face.
- Hey, everything’s good? - I passed her my phone to look though the conversation - damn, that’s actually pretty sweet.
- Nat?
- Huh?
- Want to go to my place? I’ll give you some clothes for tomorrow. And we can get a few more on our way there - I looked at our empty glasses.
- Only if we also get pizza.
Nat was ordering food at the counter when I took my phone and opened the conversation.
When will you come by? Wanted to give you back your shirt.
You can keep it :)
So he’s not coming back. We took our food and headed to my apartment. As always we put on a movie just for some background sounds and started talking before going to sleep on the couch.
- You texted Juice?
- Yeah, he left me on read.
Whole week went by and I haven’t seen him. It was also impossible to forget him because of the texts I got every night. Every single night. Juice wasn’t the only one texting me, but the only one who I wanted to hear from right now. I was pissed and upset, but also worried. When I saw him coming to the bar I was actually stunned.
- Hi.. - he started awkwardly - What’s up?
- I’m okay.
I really wanted to ask where he was and what was he doing, but I knew I couldn’t, firstly that would seem desperate and secondly, he probably can’t even tell me. I looked at him, tired and not as joyful as always. I handed him a beer.
- Look, y/n, I’m sorry. Really. Can I take you somewhere to make it up to you?
- Make up for what? - I forced a smile and tried to look carelessly
- I wanted to come see you, but I had to get out of town for a while, club business. Let me take you for a dinner, let’s talk. I really like you and don’t want you to be upset because of me.
- Juice, it’s fine. You didn’t do anything bad.
- So you’ll come? - I wanted to say no, but the sparkles in his eyes made me rethink my decision
- Well, I have a day off tomorrow, but first I have a question.
- Ask away, anything.
- Would you kill somebody in a restaurant?
- Well, no. I don’t think so. I’ll pick you up at 4?
- Sounds good, I’ll bring your t-shirt.
- I didn’t say you can keep it because I was planning on not seeing you again - he said with a smirk
I woke up at 6 and there was no chance for me to fall asleep again, so I tried to stay entertained. A day felt like a week and I didn’t know what to do with myself. Couldn’t focus on reading a book, didn’t have enough energy to exercise, just sat at the balcony with a coffee and a pack of cigs when I heard a text. Scared that Juice’s gonna bail on me I slowly picked up the phone.
Can you send me your address?
You can pick me up from town centre, I have something to do there.
I didn’t, but I also didn’t want to just give away my address to random people. He’s not a random person. But I prefer to stay careful.
I left an hour early, got some coffee to go and went on a walk to clear my mind. I sat on a bench near the place where we’re supposed to meet and just waited. He showed up a few minutes later and I got in the car.
- I thought you ride a bike.
- Yeah, but I still have a car, I guess that’s more comfortable. Why? You’re into bikers?
I gave him a blank stare.
- Too early for that kind of jokes? Sorry, my bad.
I laughed and we sat in silence, just listening to music the whole way there. He hopped out of the car right after he parked to open the door for me.
- You don’t have to do that.
- But I want to, still have some sins to make up for.
He chose a cosy place right out of town, we sat down and ordered our food.
- So, biker. Tell me something about you.
- Well, I’m just a mechanic, in my free time I enjoy riding, I also read books and listen to classical music. My other hobbies are dancing-
- Okay, stop - I laughed - now really.
- I really am a mechanic and I really am a member of a motorcycle club.
- That’s it?
- For now. What about you? How did a nurse from LA end up as a bartender in Lodi?
- Starting a new, peaceful life - I raised my eyebrow
- What? Am I a problem? - he smirked
- You don’t seem peaceful.
He rested his head on his hand. In this light I could see all the bruises and scratches covering his face and muscled arms.
- And why wasn’t your “old life” as peaceful as you wish?
- There was a lot going on, much more than you could imagine.
- Let me guess - he looked around acting like he was thinking about it - a toxic boyfriend who wouldn’t let you alone? Toxic friends that would make you go out every weekend? Parents who sent you too much money every week?
- You think you’re the only one here with criminal records?
His face got more serious for a moment but then he started smiling again.
- Shit. You’re kidding.
- Maybe…
- Okay, you’re not. What did you do?
- I won’t tell you.
- Oh come on.
- A secret for a secret, sweetheart.
We kept talking for hours, after food I got some drinks and he kept asking me about my past from time to time. When it was finally time to come home he offered me a lift again.
- No Juice, I’m gonna take a damn taxi, so just leave it - I said firmly
- I know why you didn’t want me to pick you up at your house, I’ll accept that, but promise to text me when you get home, okay? - he wasn’t pushing and let me decide, that’s something new
- Okay, promise. See you again?
- Definitely.
He hugged me gently and waited until I got in the taxi. First minutes seemed okay, but then I saw the driver constantly looking at me in the mirror.
- So were you headin’ girl? Home? - I instantly felt shivers going down my spine
- Rented apartment, I’m just staying here for a few nights.
- Alone?
- Nah, my boyfriend and my sister are waiting for me, little family vacation. Why? - I asked calmly but took the phone out of pocket and texted Juice immediately
Hey, something’s off. Can you call me?
Now.
Please.
I made sure my phone wasn’t on mute and didn’t have to wait long for it to call.
- Hey babe, what’s up? - I tried not to sound panicked
- Babe? Y/n what’s wrong?
- Oh I’m just heading home, what do you need?
- Are you safe?
- Oh well, I don’t know, but I can stop by a shop if you really need it.
- Where are you?
- Really? Yeah, that would be great, I could save some money on the taxi. See you there!
I put my phone down but didn’t hang up.
- Sorry, could you just leave me here? I need to get some groceries - he started looking around
- Yeah sure, you want me to wait here for you?
- Oh no, you can go, my boyfriend offered to get me back home, but thanks! - I said as cheerful as I could while he pulled up to a parking lot
I told him to keep the change and left as fast as I could, walked into the shop and put the phone back to my ear.
- Hey, you still there?
- I’ll be with you in a minute, are you okay?
- Sure - I looked out through the window - but he didn’t leave, so I’ll just stay here for now.
- Just don’t hang up.
I put the phone in my pocket and decided to actually get some groceries since I was already there, but Juice pulled up much quicker than he should. I walked up to him and fell into his arms, feeling his body tense under my touch, so I quickly let go.
- Jesus Christ, I told you you would be safer with me than with a random man.
- He didn’t actually do anything bad.
- If he didn’t, you wouldn’t call me - he looked at a bag in my hand - You actually went shopping?
I melted under his smile, and when he touched my hand to get the bag my knees got weak. We walked up to his car.
- Is he still here? - he asked looking around
- No…
But he saw the taxi and was ready to go there, but I grabbed his hand.
- Juice, just get me home, okay?
He stood like that for a while but finally let go and opened the door for me. I put my address in the navigation and just sat there, wanting to be home already. When he parked I saw him gently massaging his ribs, right where I touched him before.
- Are you okay? - I asked softly
- Yeah, just and old wound not healing properly, but I’ll be fine, thanks for your concern - he looked me in the eyes with a wide smile
- That’s not funny, if it’s not healing then something wrong, and I know well you can’t go to a hospital. You already know where I live so you you can as well come with me and let me help you.
- That’s really not necessary.
- But this bag is so heavy…
He laughed and shook his head.
- An hour ago you refused to tell me where you live and now you want me to come inside? That’s a quick change.
We got to my apartment and I told him to sit down and take off his shirt.
- Well, it really develops quickly - he said folding his shirt neatly and putting it on the table
- You want me to be scared of you again - I said not looking at his face, but I still knew he was smiling wide
- There’s nothing to be scared of, trust me.
I looked at the poorly treated wound, bandage soaking with blood. I took it off and saw a nasty cut.
- Damn, that’s deep, what was it? A fucking machete? You need to be patched up.
- Can you do that?
- Not today - I looked up at him - I don’t have such stuff at home, I can try to stop the bleeding and finish it up tomorrow. And I know it’s not an old wound - I raised my eyebrow
- Sorry, I know lying is not the best option, but I didn’t want you to see that.
- You didn’t, huh? - I looked at him, sitting there half naked, still looking really confident - Just stay here.
I went to the bathroom to get the stuff I already had and started to dress his wound, we sat there in silence interrupted by his quiet growls. I was almost done when I said
- Car races.
- What? - he sounded interested and worried at the same time
- My records.
- You took part in illegal car races in LA?
- Well, it was legal at first, but the money brought me to the wrong side.
- I almost killed a man last week.
I stopped what I was doing and looked him in the eyes. He was serious. I rested my hand on his knee wanting him to go on.
- I wasn’t gone all week, but I needed to be alone for a while, clear my mind and not bring you any trouble. But I did that anyways.
I finished what I was doing and stood up, hugging him softly I rested my cheek on his forehead. He wrapped his arms around my back and pulled me in gently. I stroke the side of his head with my fingers trying to calm him down.
- Was he a bad guy? - I asked jokingly breaking the silence
- He tried to kill one of ours.
- Then why didn’t you- why didn’t you do that? - the word “kill” couldn’t get past my lips
- Someone did it for me - his arms wrapped even tighter around me
- How far away do you live? - I tried changing a subjects after hearing his voice breaking
- Not far, about 30 miles.
I pulled away to look him in the eyes.
- You came 30 miles every time you wanted to see me?
- It’s really not that far, a professional driver should know it - I shook my head
- You can stay here if you want. So I can finish what I started early enough to not be late for work.
- You sure?
- Yup. I have extra covers and a free couch. I can get you a shirt to sleep in, we’ll be even - I said heading towards the bedroom
I went through my closet to find a T-shirt big enough and when I turned away I saw him just standing there, leaning on the door frame. He was really well built, I haven’t noticed that earlier, too focused on the cut. No wonder why he was so confident, there’s no reason to act shy when you look like that.
- Jesus, don’t. Don’t do that.
- What? - he laughed, full smile again
- Don’t. Don’t stand like that. This one should fit - I threw a shirt at him - go get dressed.
- Yes ma’am - he bowed and went back to the living room
- Wanna watch something? - I asked while sitting next to him on the couch
We picked a movie and watched for about 30 minutes in silence. I felt him looking my way from time to time, but couldn’t do anything. Even tho I wanted to do something.
- I don’t care, you know? - I broke the silence
- What do you mean?
- People do dumb and bad shit sometimes. You should know that. I risked somebody’s life once too- I stopped for a second, thinking what to say next, trying to calm down. He didn’t interrupt me, just waited - But you shouldn’t be left alone with your thoughts. I know you’re not supposed to talk about it, but I’ll listen.
He sat closer to me and put his hand behind my back hugging me. I rested my head on his shoulder and wrapped my arms around him.
- I didn’t mean to do that, y/n. I never wanted to pull you into this, but it escalated quickly. I’m sorry.
- I know, but you shouldn’t be. You can talk to me. Whatever happens.
We watched the rest of the movie in silence interrupted only by notifications on my phone, but he never asked about that and I was glad he didn’t. When I woke up next morning and went to the living room, he was already up making breakfast.
- I can’t do anything more to thank you. For now.
- So we’re thanking each other for everything now? How much do I owe you for gas and dinner?
- Oh come on - he laughed
I treated his wound and reassured him that he can really talk to me before he left. That was a really peaceful morning, even with this amount of blood I felt more relaxed after waking up than ever. When he left I looked at all my missed calls and unread messages, deciding it’s time to cut him off totally. I’ll do that whenever I get my next chance, but my phone was silent the whole day, only interrupted by Juice’s evening text.
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raptorsaurusmelain · 8 months
Text
Let me show you... Youtube - chapter 2
Hey, here is chapter 2 of Victoria's adventure.
Warning : no proof reading, english is not my mother tongue.
─── ・ 。゚☆: .☽ . :☆゚. ───
Yuu called Victoria to warn her they found a room.
Victoria faced away from the headmaster to yell a "I'm coming !" Before telling Crowley "I bid you a good night, headmaster."
Crowley sighed "I will think about your proposition… Good night".
The raven man walked away from the dorm under Victoria's eyes full of satisfaction. Yuu should be a janitor for a few days before being a student, if she remembered correctly.
She began to go upstairs when Yuu yelled :
"Victoria-san ? There is a suitcase in my room with my name on it !!"
Victoria frowned. That's strange…
"Don't open it !! I am coming !!"
Victoria walked faster to the bedroom, finding herself in front of the exact room from the game. Truly it was a strange feeling to be in front of things you never saw before in real life and yet that seemed so familiar.
On the dusty white sheet covering the bed was an old suitcase, in a textile that seemed to be leather. There was a tag on it, spelling in English lettering "For Yuu". That… wasn't in the game.
Victoria ordered gently "Yuu, Grim step back a little, I am going to open it."
Full of apprehension, Victoria opened the brass clasps of the suitcase to reveal… 
"Clothes ? Well that was unexpected."
Yuu came closer and opened their eyes wider. "Those are mine ! And there is my wallet too !"
Victoria was surprised. [What is happening?]
"Well at least I will not have to worry about making laundry too often !" Added Yuu.
Victoria sighed and pushed Yuu lightly "we need to clean a little if you wish to sleep on a bed tonight"
Yuu nodded and they both went on an expedition to find at least a broom. When they found one, they took the white cover off, coughed and shook the old duvet. When they had the money, they really needed to buy a washing machine.
Once they were done with Yuu's room, they went to search Victoria's room and clean it.
Victoria chooses a room that seemed to be the old dorm manager room, bigger and more furnished than Yuu. Like Yuu, a suitcase was waiting for her, with a beautiful "For Victoria" tag on it.
She opened it. There was more stuff than in Yuu's. There were clothes, a smartphone, the charger, her wallet and a letter from the bank?? Did she forget to pay something ?
Curious, she opened the letter and read what it was written. Yuu, as curious, asked "what is written on the letter ??".
Victoria was confused and showed the bank card "apparently I have a bank account here ?". She pointed at a little rectangle "Look there is even a pin number."
There was a confused silence.
"What's a bank card?" Asked Grim.
"It allows someone to pay something with their money, by other means than coins and bills." explained Yuu.
The woman was confused. After a few seconds she decided she was too tired to care for today. Always procrastinate, Imma right ?
“Let’s clean, I will think about it tomorrow… We need the night to digest our emotions.”
After cleaning and saying good night, Victoria was alone in her bed. There she advised her plan : 
1st of all : she was in the game but some stuff deviated from the canon events.
2nd : she decided to not interfere with the story of the game, she was enough of a disturbance. 
3rd : she would just be a background janitor and help Yuu, if they needed.
4th : something (or someone) decided to interfere and make them accommodate their new lives quickly. Else why would there be suitcases in their rooms ?
5th : a bank account ? She will have to find Sam’s to activate her bank card.
6th : the dorm needed repairing and they will have to do that in their free time.
Unable to sleep, she grabbed her phone and saw that she had a message. She opened it and read:
“Welcome to Twisted Wonderland Victoria !
We are happy to announce to you that you were chosen among a thousand of participants to become Yuu’s emotional support !
We created a bank account in your name and in a few days, your phone will be rewired to function on Twisted Wonderland telephone network !
If we are satisfied with your services, you will receive your new ID and your social security card. In addition, if you go all the way till the end of the story, you will be a permanent resident of Twisted Wonderland !
Aren’t you happy ?
Disney”
A PERMANENT WHAT ??
Tag : @boba-tea-sipsip
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animeomegas · 1 year
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I had this really great idea! But I'm not very Good at writing even if my life depended on it and I wanted to hear your thoughts on this story idea that I had. And since you seem to recently write domestic stuff I thought you might like this.
The alpha is at home alone with the children/child and they would like to tidy up the house. They tell their children/child that all they have to do is tidy up their room and their toys. In order to get them to do it voluntarily, the Alpha bribes their children/child. It could happen like this:
"Cleaning up sucks!" "And it's boring!" your children told you. You want to tidy up the house and you want your children to start helping out. They should only clean their room and clean up their toys in the hallway. But as children are, they make it unnecessarily complicated. "All you have to do is make your room! I'll do the rest of the house and wash our clothes. I'd just like some help... I have an idea! What if I set a timer for 1 hour, since there are two of you and your room isn't very big, if you guys finish before the timer ends, you can decide tomorrow's lunch and dessert. What do you say? Do you agree?" Maybe you shouldn't bribe your kids, but you really wanna start cleaning the house while your Omega is still at work. You'd rather be finished when he gets home. Luckily, your kids love a good challenge and accept it. You start the timer and they start running into their room to start tidying up their room while you collect the laundry. After you have collected the laundry you make your way to the laundry room. When you reach the stairs and want to go down, you slip on your children's little ball, which you didn't see. You squeal in surprise and then feel yourself rolling down the stairs. Damn it! That's a great start. When you want to get up, you feel a sharp pain in your right leg and you bite your lip to not start shouting again. Damn it again! Before you can think about what to do next, you hear little feet running down the stairs and sobbing before you see your children start crying out loud as if you were about to die. They are clearly very worried and you are trying to calm them down. Producing a calming sent and calmly assuring them that you are okay. With success! After half an hour. But with success! You tell them to go to your neighbor and ask for a doctor. They start crying again, but this time you calmed them down much quicker and they both run out of the house while you sit on the floor in pain, and disappointed that cleaning up will have to wait. You write a small note to your partner in which you describe the situation briefly and say where you and the children are so that he can come and pick you up. Clearly stressed, your omega slams open the door to see your kids painting on your cast. He calms down by seeing that his family is doing well. Of course he scolds you that you should be more careful and scolds the children for leaveing their toys in the way. Your kids are already blaming themselves and let a soft whimper out. They apologize to you and their Oma. After the doctor is done with his check-ups. And explained to you how the healing process will go, you are allowed to go home. The hospital gives you crutches to help you walk. Arriving home, it is already late and after a delicious dinner, everyone goes to bed. Less than ten minutes after your partner has put the children to bed, there is a knock on the door and your sweet little babies ask very quietly and a little embarrassed if they can sleep with you. Your omega makes a soft purring sound and you all snuggle up to each other. During the time of the injury your children read to you instead of you to them and you get delicious food brought to you in bed.
I’m really bad at explaining, sorry ;-;
Aww, this is a very sweet idea!! Thank you so much for sharing it with me <3333
I love little pup stories, and the idea of them worrying over their parent is so cute. Like, reader is in so much pain but they have to keep calm and soothe the pups so they can get help, that's a bittersweet scene.
And of course the omega bursts into the hospital room XD I can think of some omegas who would probably knock the door off its hinges XD
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440mxs-wife · 1 year
Text
That Day in the Park
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Pairing: Frankie Morales x F!Reader. Other Characters: Santiago “Pope” García, Will Miller, Benny Miller, Isabella Morales, Mollie, Hannah and Elena (OFC’s), Dalton (OMC mentioned)
Word Count: 6521
Warnings: Mutual Pining, mention of alcohol consumption, minor playground injury, medical issue in reader’s family, unwanted attention from co-worker (not involving the reader), angst due to misunderstanding but FLUFFFFFY ending because I must live up to my name ;)
Summary: You work as a receptionist for United Auto Shop, where Frankie Morales is one of the mechanics. Your friends encourage you to get a little closer to Frankie by asking him out, and his friends are telling him the same. By chance, you meet Frankie and his daughter, Isabella, at the park one Saturday afternoon. Could this be the start of something more than friendship?
A/N: This is my first time writing for this character, but I may write more for him or Pedro’s other characters in the future. Enjoy!
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"United Auto Shop, how may I help you?" you answered.
The person on the other end asked about making an appointment to have his vehicle examined. He gave you the year, make, model and other pertinent details about his car, which you jotted down on the legal pad next to your coffee.
"Our schedule is full for today, but we are open until noon tomorrow if you'd like to bring it in at that time. Otherwise, it will be Monday before one of our specialists can take a look," you explained as you reviewed the shop calendar. "Let me see....oh, I have a slot open on Monday, 11:00 a.m., if that works for you."
While you waited for the customer to check his schedule, one of the mechanics, Francisco (aka Frankie) Morales emerged from the garage. He was wiping his hands on a red shop towel when he approached your desk. He leaned over the edge to see what you were writing. You looked up and playfully pushed his head back with two fingers, causing him to chuckle.
"Perfect! Let me get your name and number and you'll be all set!" you beamed as you wrote down the information. "Thank you, sir, and we'll see you on Monday at 11:00 a.m.," you confirmed. After hanging up the phone, you grinned at the man in front of you. "What's up, Frankie?"
"Nada, taking a quick break that's all. Why didn't you schedule the customer for today? We can more than handle it," he wondered.
"I know, but it's Friday, and the start of your weekend with Isabella. I thought you should get out of here on time for once. You know, start the celebrating a little early," you explained with a shrug. "By the way, what are your plans with her this weekend?"
Frankie's eyes softened at hearing the reason behind your scheduling choice. You knew how important his time was with his daughter, that it meant everything to him. Therefore, your decision to move the customer's appointment to Monday shouldn't have been a surprise. "That's so thoughtful of you, gracias. I'm thinking about taking Isabella to the zoo or the park this weekend," he remarked, his smile still firmly in place.
"That sounds like fun! I have a couple of friends coming over tonight, but I'll probably spend the rest of the weekend cleaning and doing laundry," you mentioned.
"Whoa, sounds sexy," Frankie teased.
"Oh, Sr. Morales, you have no idea!" you exclaimed, playing along. "Especially when--" you held up your index finger as the sound of the ringing phone interrupted your banter with Frankie. "United Auto Shop, how may I help you?" you greeted the caller. Frankie rapped his knuckles twice on your desk, winked at you, then walked back into the main shop area.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Later that evening, your apartment
"So, how's Mr. Hottie Mechanic?" your friend, Mollie, smirked.
You rolled your eyes. "Don't call him that," you groaned. "He's fine, it's his weekend to be with his daughter. Said he might take her to the park or the zoo," you explained.
"Hmm, maybe you should just accidentally decide to check out the lions and the elephants on the off-chance you'll run into him," Hannah suggested with a mischievous smile.
"Seriously, Hannah? You too? Like I don't get enough about this with Mollie. There is nothing going on with Frankie and me other than friendship," you declared emphatically.
Not that you didn't desperately wish otherwise. You and Frankie had a good working relationship, and you knew that a workplace romance would do nothing but jeopardize that. Besides, there were no indications that Frankie thought of you as anything more than a friend. For that reason, you kept your feelings for him locked away and hidden from anyone's view.
"Come on, he's single and thanks to you breaking up with Dalton the Jerk-Face, now you're single too. You're always telling us how sweet and kind Frankie is, in addition to being freaking gorgeous," Mollie remarked.
"Yeah, all we're saying is to give things a chance, you never know unless you try. We just want to see you happy," Hannah affirmed as she threw an arm around your shoulder.
You could see in their eyes that despite their teasing, Hannah and Mollie really did have your best interests at heart. Even if they went about it in an annoying manner. "I know, and I love you both for it. If I see an opportunity, with Frankie, I'll take it. Okay?" you proposed, to which they nodded. "All right. Now that we have that settled, what movie are we going to watch?"
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Yo, 'Fish! I'm taking your last cold beer!" Benny called from the kitchen.
Frankie was upstairs getting his daughter settled for the night when Benny informed him of the beer shortage. He had given Isabella her bath, put her in pajamas and set her up with a Disney movie. He tucked her in, kissed her cheek, and whispered "goodnight, mija" before rejoining his friends. "Then you'd better call Pope and ask him to bring more when he comes over," Frankie replied on his way down the stairs.
"Already did that. Isabella in bed?" Will asked.
"Yeah, she's up there watching 'Tangled' for about the four-thousandth time," Frankie chuckled. "Should be asleep in no time, probably even before Rapunzel meets Flynn Ryder."
"What are your plans for the weekend?" Benny asked.
"I'm thinking of taking her to the park or the zoo tomorrow," Frankie mentioned.
"Perfect day for either one, maybe you'll have time to do both," Will suggested.
Frankie heard a knock at the door and went to answer it, only to find Santiago "Pope" García on the other side. "Hey, Pope, thanks for picking up more cold beer on the way," Frankie said as he stepped aside to let Santi in to the house.
"Well, I wouldn't have had to, if this tonto hadn't taken your last cerveza fría," Santi retorted. His gaze shifted to Benny, who just rolled his eyes in response.
"So 'Fish, how's work going? Shop been busy?" Will wondered.
"Yeah, and have you asked out that girl yet? You know, the hot one who answers the phone? I mean, the way you talk about her all the time, I'm surprised you haven't done something about it by now," Benny pointed out.
"Guys, it's not like that with her. There's nothing going on with her and me other than friendship," Frankie insisted.
Never mind how much he wished that there was something beyond friendship blooming between you. Ever since you started working at the shop, coming to work has been a bit more bearable for him. Whenever Frankie sees you, there's nearly always a smile on your face that radiates pure sunshine. You consistently treat him and everyone around you with such kindness, which is why it was easy to have feelings for you.
"But why not? You're single and she's single, right? Or is it because she has a boyfriend?" Santi asked.
"She did have one, but they broke up. Wanted to bust his nose, though, because she told me he cheated on her with some chick from the office where he worked. Que idiota," Frankie muttered. Frankie knew that if you were his, you'd never have to worry about him cheating on you. However, he also was aware that you were too good for him, so the opportunity to prove that fact would never come to pass.
"Look, 'Fish, all we want is for you to be happy. If this girl from the shop is your 'happy', then you owe it to yourself and your little girl to find out. You never know until you try, 'mano," Santi remarked, throwing an arm around Frankie's shoulder.
Frankie looked at the other two, seeing them nodding, then back at Santi a long minute before breaking out into laughter. "All right, all right. I'll keep it in mind. If I see an opportunity with her, I'll take it. Okay?" he replied.
"That's all we ask, 'Fish," Santi responded as he tapped his friend's chest a couple of times.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
The next day, you woke up to rays of sunlight streaming through your bedroom curtains and birds chirping happily outside your window. The clock said it was just after 9:00 a.m., so you decided to get up and enjoy the day. Dusting and laundry can wait, you thought. It had been a long week, and you deserved to treat yourself.
After you finished showering, you pulled out a pale yellow sundress from your bedroom closet. It had short, fluttery sleeves, small, multi-colored flowers embroidered randomly throughout the fabric, and the hem stopped at about mid-calf. You slipped on your white tennis shoes and grabbed your light-wash, cropped denim jacket from the closet by your door. In your small cross-body purse, you slid your phone and your wallet. Your keys went into the pocket of your jacket as you walked out the door.
Saturday was the day designated for the Farmer's Market in your neighborhood. You wandered through the stalls, checking out the fresh-picked vegetables and mouth-watering baked goods. There were vendors selling home-grown honey along with various flavors of fruit jams and preserves. At the end of it all was your favorite coffee shop that you rarely had a chance to stop at during the week before work. Since it was the weekend, you had time to indulge in an Iced Vanilla Caramel Latte with a strawberry and cream cheese pastry.
You lazily sipped at your coffee while you scrolled through your phone, catching up on current events and your social media. Every once in a while, you glanced at the people passing by while the sun gently caressed your skin. A light breeze kept the temperature at a comfortable level as you enjoyed the rest of your coffee. Once you'd finished your drink, you disposed of the cup and pastry wrapper in a nearby bin and headed for the park.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Daddy, push me on the swings!" Isabella called to Frankie.
"Okay mija, pick one and I'll be right there!" Frankie grinned as his daughter ran ahead of him.
They had been at the zoo for most of the morning, making sure to see all of the animals. They spent a good bit of their time watching the penguins run around like clumsy waiters. On their way out, they stopped at the gift shop, where Frankie bought Isabella a stuffed baby penguin as a souvenir.
Now they were at the park, Isabella giggling as Frankie pushed her on the swing. In between pushes, Frankie kept a watchful eye on his surroundings. During his scan, his eyes landed on a figure sitting on a bench in a pale yellow sundress, scrolling through her phone. Every so often, he saw her smile or laugh to herself. When he looked closer, he realized it was you, in person, at the same park as him and his daughter.
As you thumbed through the memes and videos on your phone, you felt as if there were eyes upon you. When you looked up, there was a man pushing a little girl on the swings and waving at you. Upon closer inspection, you realized it was Frankie Morales, which meant the girl on the swings had to be Isabella. You waved back and mouthed "hello" to him.
All at once, Frankie felt a blow to the stomach that threatened to knock the wind out of him. While his focus was on you, he wasn't paying attention and had missed that Isabella's swing was headed straight for him. It caught him by surprise and connected with his midsection, causing him to double over in pain. He dropped to his knees, the swing barely missing his head this time.
"Oh my God, Frankie! Are you all right?" you exclaimed, rushing over to his side.
Frankie tried to breathe normally, but could only take short, shallow breaths for the moment. "I'm....okay....I....think," he wheezed.
Isabella noticed that her swing was slowing down and that Frankie wasn't pushing her anymore. She turned around and saw her father on the ground, clutching his stomach in pain, so she jumped off the swing and ran to him. "Daddy! Are you okay??" she pleaded, nearly in tears.
"He's going to be fine, sweetie," you assured her. "He just needs a little break for a minute. I'm going to help him up so we can sit on this bench over here. When he stands up, can you take his hand and make sure he gets over there safely?" you asked.
Isabella looked at you and gravely nodded. You assisted Frankie in getting to his feet and when you wrapped your arm around Frankie's right side, his daughter tugged on his left hand. He sat down on the bench, groaning in relief, while you and Isabella joined him.
While you rubbed circles in Frankie's back trying to get him to relax, you looked for something to keep Isabella's thoughts occupied. You looked all around the park and noticed an ice cream vendor several yards away. Hopefully, they also sold beverages, because you could use a bottle of water, and you knew Frankie would benefit from one as well.
As you fished your wallet out of your purse, you could hear how worried Isabella was for her father. You reached over and gently put your hand on her shoulder. "Isabella, honey, your daddy is going to be okay, I promise. Do you know what I think will make him feel better? Look over there," you whispered, pointing at the ice cream truck.
Isabella's deep brown eyes followed your finger and when she saw what you were talking about, her face lit up with joy. "Ice cream, Daddy!" she shrieked then turned to you. "That will make him feel so much better! Me too," she admitted.
You caught Frankie's eye and his face broke out into a warm smile. "Okay, mija, let's get some ice cream," he relented.
When he reached for his wallet, you placed your hand on his arm. "Let me," you remarked softly. "Isabella? Would you like to go with me to the ice cream truck? I might need some help carrying stuff back to this bench," you explained.
Isabella locked eyes with her father, who was nodding his consent. She decided that if he said you were okay, then she would be safe with you. She scrambled off the bench and held out her hand, which you gladly took in yours. "We'll be right back, Daddy," she promised.
"Be a good girl, mija," Frankie cautioned. He felt his heart skip a beat when he saw his little girl's hand in yours, then it skipped again when you shot him a wink over your shoulder. His breathing seemed to become easier while he waited for you and Isabella to return with the refreshments.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
You were lost in thought while you waited for the ice cream, until you felt a small tug on your hand. A curious look was on Isabella's face as she seemed to be studying yours, likely trying to determine who you were. "How do you know my daddy?" she asked.
"We work at the same auto shop," you answered with a smile. "I answer the phones, and your daddy fixes the cars."
"Oh," she replied, then tilted her head up at you and carefully studied you. After what felt like an eternity, her face broke out into a shy smile. "You're pretty," she blurted out.
You could feel your cheeks getting warm. "Gracias," you responded softly. "And you are a beautiful young lady as well," you commented with a smile.
Isabella giggled and thanked you for the compliment. By this time, your order had been fulfilled, so you handed Isabella her mini-ice cream cone while you carried the ones for you and Frankie. Fortunately, she knew her father's favorite flavor, so you made sure to get him a heaping scoop of it.
By the time you had returned to the bench, Frankie looked like he was breathing much easier. You handed him his ice cream cone and a bottle of water then took a seat beside him. The two of you chatted between bites, as well as took turns keeping watch over Isabella.
To you, it felt so comfortable, so natural, as if things had always been this way between you and Frankie. But of course, it was not that way, and you had to work with her father. Rather than slip up and make things awkward by doing something dumb like admitting your feelings, you decided to say your goodbyes.
Frankie stood up quickly in alarm, despite his injury. "Is everything okay? Do you have to go so soon?" he implored.
"I'm so sorry, I really wish I could stay longer," you lamented.
Me too. "I understand, and I suppose we should get going too, so I can get this one something good for dinner," Frankie chuckled. "Bella, you want to say goodbye, thank her for the ice cream?" he remarked.
Isabella tugged on your hand until you knelt in front of her. "Thank you for the ice cream. Can you come over tomorrow?"
You chuckled softly. "You're very welcome, sweetie. I wish I could come over tomorrow, but I have things to do at my place that will sure keep me busy," you mentioned.
"Okay," Isabella sighed right before launching herself at you and throwing her arms around your neck. "Bye-bye," she mumbled against your shoulder.
Frankie stood there in surprise at his daughter's actions. A few times, he had introduced Isabella to women he'd met, but she hadn't really reacted to them the same way she did to you. Frankie shook his head and gently nudged his daughter. "Come on, mija, time for us to go, too," he stated gently, taking her hand.
"It was very nice to meet you, Isabella," you told her, and she waved at you with her free hand. "Bye, Frankie. See you on Monday," you added as you started walking home.
"Have a good night," he called. You smiled and waved goodbye, then resumed the path back to your apartment.
Isabella tugged on Frankie's hand. "I like her, daddy," she declared.
"Sí, mija. Yo también," he replied with an exhale as he watched you walk away.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
On your walk home, you were second-guessing your decision to end the outing in the park with Frankie and Isabella so early. But it was better to leave early than to accidentally blurt out your feelings for the man. Especially if he didn't return them, which could make things uncomfortable or tense at work.
His daughter was certainly a cutie-pie, with her chestnut curls and deep chocolate eyes, most likely gifted to her by her father. You had no idea what Isabella's mother looked like, but you knew she had to be gorgeous to give birth to such a beautiful child. Yet another reason to keep things at a certain distance with Frankie. He's way out of my league, you thought.
By this time, you had reached your apartment building. On the way up in the elevator, you pondered how to spend the rest of your evening. First, you made yourself a quick dinner of garlic buttered noodles with parmesan cheese sprinkled on top, then changed into comfy clothes. Next, you scrolled through the offerings from Netflix and settled on a series you'd started. It wasn't long before all the fresh air from being in the park caught up to you. Soon your eyes drifted closed, as a certain brown-eyed, curly-haired handsome man in a baseball cap appeared in your dreams.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Estupido. Imbécil, Frankie berated himself. Why didn't he ask you out while he had the chance? It was such a surprise to see you at the park, that he wasn't paying attention to what he was doing. His slip-up earned him a well-placed blow to the midsection that, to be honest, was still causing him a bit of discomfort. It was well worth it, though, to watch how you perfectly you interacted with Isabella and how right away she seemed to latch on to you.
As he drove home, Frankie was vaguely aware of Isabella's chattering in the back seat. He thought she was singing to the radio or babbling to herself until she sounded upset with him. "Mija, what's wrong?" he asked, glancing in the rear-view mirror.
"You're not listening, Daddy! I asked you if you thought she was pretty!" Isabella responded angrily.
"Lo siento, Bella, for not hearing you, but who are you talking about?" he wondered.
Isabella rolled her eyes and huffed loudly in exasperation. "Your lady friend from work," she answered. "Do you like her? Do you think she's pretty?" she repeated.
While he considered his daughter's questions, a soft smile crept across his face. "Sí, mija. Ella es una mujer muy bonita," he grinned. "And yes, I do like her. She's a good friend, too."
His answer seemed to placate his daughter, because a beaming smile quickly replaced the pouty expression on her face. "Good. I like her too. Maybe you should ask her to come over for a playdate!" Isabella exclaimed.
Frankie chuckled at his daughter's choice of words. "Maybe I will sometime, Bella. Right now, you need to decide what you want for supper, and what movie you want to watch," he remarked.
When they reached his house and pulled into the driveway, Isabella was still considering her movie choices. She had narrowed down her food choice to spaghetti, but couldn't decide between "Beauty and the Beast" or "The Little Mermaid". By the time she had her dinner, her bath, and was in her pajamas, she had chosen. It wasn't long, though, before the fresh air caught up with her as well, and she was asleep.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Over the next several weeks, there was a shift between you and Frankie, albeit a gradual one. The two of you started spending your lunch breaks together, taking turns on deciding where to go. There were a couple of diners close by the shop, or you checked out the various food trucks in the city. Frankie would always insist on paying, but you managed to snag a few lunch tickets here and there so he could save his money.
When you were gone for a week visiting your family, Frankie didn't quite know what to do with himself. He missed you like crazy, and lunches were a rather boring affair without you to try out new food choices with him. Even his friends noticed, so they took turns spending their mealtime with Frankie.
The shop hired a woman, Elena, as your temporary fill-in, who barely performed her duties and wasn't very organized. On more than a few nights, he was at the shop until a ridiculously late hour, which he did not appreciate. Luckily, the Miller brothers were able to pitch in and look after Isabella while he was at work. Still, Frankie hated missing out on that time he could've spent calling his daughter.
About the only thing Elena was capable of doing with any effort was flirting with the mechanics, Frankie in particular. While he acknowledged that she was an attractive woman with her long blond hair, piercing green eyes and swaying hips, his heart belonged to you. And the more he thought about it, he realized you likely had Isabella's heart as well.
Frankie tried to make it clear to Elena that he wasn't interested in her by dissuading her at every turn, but she continued to flirt with him. He took a lot of grief from the other mechanics about it, who wondered why he always discouraged her advances. Frankie couldn't tell them that the reason for not wanting to date Elena was that he wanted to go out with you.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
A couple of days before you were supposed to return from your vacation, you called the shop to speak to the shop manager, Antonio Vargas. Your reason for requesting time off was that your grandmother had a health scare and you were helping take care of things for your family. The visit wasn't supposed to last longer than a week, but the situation had changed. More time off was needed, and for that you had to speak to Antonio about it.
You were surprised when a woman answered the phone, but figured the shop must have hired a temp to answer the phones while you were gone. As Elena was telling you that Antonio wasn't available, you swore you heard Frankie's voice in the background. Your heart rate began to pick up and you smiled at just the thought of him, making you realize how much you missed him.
"Hold on a minute, I'll let you talk to Frankie, and he can have Antonio call you back," Elena muttered. Before she handed him the phone, you heard her tell Frankie not to forget their date after work. Your smile dropped and you heard nothing else after that except the blood pounding in your ears at the thought of Frankie now having a girlfriend.
Frankie was desperately trying to get your attention on the phone. "Hello? Are you there? What's going on, is everything okay?" he frantically asked.
Finally, you snapped out of your haze to answer his questions. You explained the situation with your grandmother, and how you needed some more time off to help your family. "Do you know when Antonio will be back?" you inquired.
"He's just out getting some lunch for us all, so he should be back soon. I'll be sure to tell him you called if you want to check back later," Frankie promised. "I hope everything will be all right with your abuela. Do you know how much longer you'll be out?"
You sighed deeply before answering. "Not sure. All depends on my grandma, but she's a strong lady," you remarked.
"Ah, so that's where you get it from," he chuckled weakly. He wanted so badly to correct your assumptions regarding what you heard. "Listen, about what Elena said--" he started but you interrupted him.
"I'm sorry, but I have to go, my mom needs me. Thank you, Sr. Morales. I'll call Sr. Vargas later and talk to him. Goodbye," you whispered before quickly hanging up the phone. As soon as the call disconnected, the tears started streaming down your face.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Frankie handed the phone back to Elena with a glare, as he was upset about the turn of events with you. Not only would you be out of town for who knew how much longer, but he was going to have to put up with Elena while you were gone. "Why did you do that? Why did you say we were going out on a date after work? I've told you, that's never going to happen," he seethed.
Elena picked up a framed photo from the desk and pointed at you. "This? She is what you're choosing over me?" she asked in shock. "She's nowhere near as gorgeous as I am, probably spends all her time reading, and looks like such a homebody," Elena rolled her eyes as she stood up and walked around the desk. "You're out of her league, and should be with someone like me. I promise I will take care of your every, every need," she added in a sultry voice.
With every word Elena uttered, Frankie could feel himself getting more and more angry. How dare she put you down and insist that she's the better choice? In his eyes, there was no one better than you for him. You were smart, compassionate, generous, had a good sense of humor, and brightened his entire world. The past week without you has been dull and lifeless. There's been no sunshine in his days because he hasn't been able to see your smile. Now he wondered if or when he ever would again.
Frankie saw Elena moving to place her hands on his chest, so he stepped back before she could make contact. When she moved in again, he retreated again and held his hands up. "Stop. Right now. This, you and me, is never going to happen. My heart belongs to her, and nothing you can do or say will change that. This is bordering on harassment, and I'm going to talk to Antonio. I'll recommend to him that we find someone else to answer the phones until she gets back," he remarked.
Elena scoffed at Frankie's veiled threat. "Ha! You really think he's going to believe you over me? We'll see about that," she sneered, turning on her heel but coming to an abrupt stop. She didn't expect to see Antonio standing behind her. Elena had no idea how long he'd been there, watching her interaction with Frankie.
Antonio glared at Elena, his arms crossed over his chest. "I believe that's a very good idea, Morales. Elena, I'll be notifying your temp agency that today is the last day we need you here," he stated firmly.
Elena let out a shrill noise and stomped her way around the desk. She jerked open the desk drawer and yanked her purse out of it. "Don't bother, I quit," she spat out on her way to the door.
Antonio regarded Frankie for a few tense seconds before relaxing his arms and breaking out into a grin. "Man, am I glad she's out of here. She's been chasing after me for a date this whole time," he revealed. "Didn't really even do her job while she was here, either. Some of our long-time customers even told me she was a bit rude to them. I apologized and explained it was only temporary, that it should be resolved by the end of the week when our regular girl is back."
Frankie rubbed his hand across the back of his neck. "Uh, yeah, boss, about that," he started then explained about your phone call. He left out the part where Elena made you think that they were dating and how he could hear the sadness in your voice.
"I'll give her a call, find out how much longer she needs. In the meantime, I'll let the other guys know that we'll need to step up and answer the phones," Antonio declared. He noticed a faraway look in Frankie's eyes, which told him there was more going on than he had witnessed earlier. "Something else on your mind?" he asked.
Frankie nodded. "Coffee?" he offered before heading to Antonio's office with him to discuss it.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
When you talked with Antonio, you explained that you needed another week, then you'd be back to work. He told you not to worry, that they had things handled but they missed you and were looking forward to your return. In truth, you only spent another four days, then drove home to your apartment. You needed the extra time to figure out what to do about Frankie.
Elena and Frankie. That was going to take some getting used to, which was likely to be difficult for you. Best to just ignore them, put them out of your mind and focus on doing your job to the utmost of your ability. Besides, as long as Frankie is happy, and Elena treats Isabella properly, that's all that matters, right?
To make sure your return started on the right foot, you decided to bring in some treats. You had a tradition of baking a cake for Antonio and the other mechanics to celebrate on their birthdays. Perusing the contents of your cupboard, you found a mix for Apple Cinnamon Muffins and Banana Nut Muffins. You gathered your ingredients and utensils, preheated your oven, and got down to work.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Today was the day you were going to return to the shop, and Frankie couldn't be more nervous. After that disastrous phone call, he wasn't sure how the day was going to go, but he knew he needed to talk to you. He had to tell you how much he missed seeing your bright smiling face as you greeted him every morning. Even Isabella had been asking about you, wanting to go to the park nearly every day just in case you would be there. He hated seeing her smile disappear when he reminded her you were out of town on vacation, visiting your family.
When Frankie saw your car in the parking lot, his heart rate picked up and his beaming smile threatened to split his face in two. This was it, he was going to talk to you and clear the air about his so-called relationship with Elena. He wanted to assure you that there was nothing going on between himself and Elena, never had been and never would be. Frankie vowed to be brave and confess to you that his heart always had and always would belong to you.
As he walked into the front office where you were, he could hear snippets of conversation, mostly about food. The other mechanics were crowded around your desk, where two large platters of muffins were sitting. Every once in a while, someone asked a question about your vacation, or mentioned how good it was that you were back.
"Thank you, everyone, it's good to be here. Don't get me wrong, my family is great, but it's not the same as being around this family. Ah, Sr. Morales," you called as soon as your eyes found him. "Good morning, please have a muffin."
Frankie slowly walked up to your desk, all the while trying to determine your mood and how best to start the conversation. "Good morning, it's good to see you," he murmured. His eyes darted around to see if anyone would be listening. Before he could ask to speak with you in private, the phone rang, signifying the start of the work day.
"United Auto Shop, how may I help you?" you asked. Frankie watched as you wrote down the customer's information without a glance in his direction. He backed away from your desk and headed to the shop area. What he didn't see was that your eyes followed him as he retreated, and how you tried to ignore the sting of tears.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
It wasn't until around lunch time that Frankie had an opportunity to speak to you without prying eyes or ears around. You were still on a phone call for a customer, but Frankie waited patiently until you were finished. "Something I can help you with, Sr. Morales?" you asked.
Frankie inwardly winced at the formal address, but pushed past those thoughts. "I was wondering if you had any plans for lunch today. I thought we could celebrate your return by checking out that new food truck--" he suggested, but you interrupted.
"Actually, I brought my lunch today. I have some catching up to do here, reorganizing and all. Besides, I figured you'd be having lunch with your girlfriend today and wouldn't have any time for me. Sorry," you explained.
Frankie took off his ball cap to run his hand through his hair in frustration. "If anyone owes any kind of apology, it's me. And about my girlfriend--" you broke in again.
"There's no need for an apology about having a girlfriend, you're certainly entitled to have one. It's not my place to tell you how you to spend your time away from work, or who to associate with. Now, if you'll excuse me--" This time it was his turn to interrupt you.
Frankie replaced his hat on his head and walked around to where you were sitting behind your desk. He dropped to his knees in front of you and took your hands in his. "Cariño, please, there is no girlfriend. Elena, she was chasing after all of us, even Antonio. That day you called, there was no date after work. There was never going to be a date after work that day or any other day," he implored.
"I don't understand, why would she say that?" you whispered.
"Because she was jealous of you, querida. I blocked her at every turn, and let me tell you, she was one determined woman. But she couldn't understand why I wanted to be with a woman that wasn't her," Frankie explained.
"So there is someone else," you remarked with a tinge of bitterness.
A soft smile graced Frankie's face. "Amor," he whispered as he grazed the back of his knuckles across your cheek. His smile grew as you closed your eyes and he felt you lean into his touch. "There is someone else, sí, but you know her very well. It's you, mi tesoro. You hold the key to my heart and also, dare I say, to Isabella's," he murmured. "Please tell me I haven't lost you."
You opened your eyes and took hold of the hand caressing your cheek, then kissed his palm. With a shake of your head, a few of the tears you'd been holding back sprung free and rolled down your face. Frankie gently removed his other hand from yours and brushed away the tears with the pad of his thumb. You gave him a watery smile. "You've had my heart since I met you, Francisco Morales," you whispered. "Um, if that invitation to lunch is still available, I would love to accept."
His hands dropped back to hold yours, then Frankie smiled. "What about the lunch you brought with you today?" he gently teased you.
"Pfft," you scoffed dismissively. "It'll be there for me to have another day. Right now, I would very much like to go out for lunch with you instead," you declared.
"As you wish," Frankie replied. When he stood up, he still had hold of your hands, so when he brought you up out of your chair, you were standing with him. Your faces were so close that a half-step more and you'd be kissing. The same thought must have occurred to Frankie as well, because the next sensation you felt was his lips on yours.
The kiss was a little hesitant at first, almost as if he were asking for permission. When he felt you return his kiss, everything changed. Frankie hungrily dove in to capture your lips with his own, his hand moving to cradle the back of your head to seal the connection. Your mouths moved in tandem, pressing and pulling, Frankie's soft lips driving you crazy. You gasped when you felt his tongue trace the seam of your lips. It created the perfect opportunity to slide it in and explore the inside of your warm mouth.
At the sound of someone's throat clearing, the kiss was broken and the two of you jumped apart like you were caught with your hands in the cookie jar. You and Frankie broke apart to see Antonio standing there, a knowing smirk on his face. "All I can say is, it's about time. There was so much pining going on between the two of you, it's a wonder I don't have a damn forest growing behind the shop," he quipped.
"We're uh....we were um....headed out to lunch, Antonio. If that's all right with you," Frankie stammered.
Antonio playfully rolled his eyes. "Get out of here, you two. And make sure you get some actual food for lunch, and not spend all your time making out," he muttered affectionately.
Frankie let out a laugh, and you joined him. He gazed lovingly at you and held out his elbow. "Shall we, mi amor?" he asked. You nodded, then slipped your arm around his and headed towards the door.
When you passed Antonio, you felt your cheeks grow warm and you ducked your head. Frankie gave him a quick, two-fingered salute, which Antonio returned as he shook his head. Once you were outside, Frankie turned to you and asked, "Where shall we go?"
You squeezed his arm and tilted your head to catch his eyes. "Anywhere, as long as I'm with you," you replied.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Tags:
@huffle-pissed @phoenixisred​
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Text
And They Were Roommates - Steve Harrington X GN Reader
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Title: And They Were Roommates
Steve Harrington X GN Reader
Additional Characters: Reader's boss (Robert) (OC)
WC: 1,597
Warnings: Upside Down mentioned, scars mentioned, Reader is tired, depression mentioned, set in the 90s, and Reader freaks out about paying the bills/rent
Sighing, you grabbed your keys from your bag, unlocking the door to your apartment. Head drooped, you shut the door with your heel, before kicking your shoes off; not really caring where they landed. It had been a week. A week. You had to pick up an extra shift and your boss was a nightmare, so you were working late every night. And he asked when you would be available on the weekend too. Your weekends were booked solid until at least next month.
You made your way into the kitchen and started making yourself some dinner, your thoughts heavy on your mind as you worked. It was late, and you made sure to try and not make too much noise as you reheated dinner from last night. You were lucky enough to have an amazing roommate. Steve Harrington. He'd moved in with you earlier this year after he moved out of his parent's house. After he lost his job, it had only been a matter of time until he had no place else to go. But, your friend from high school, Robin helped him get a job at the movie rental store. Which helped a lot with the monthly rent.
But, even though it was thanks to him that you got the apartment. The guy could be a pain in the ass sometimes. Always leaving his dirty laundry everywhere. You weren't his parent, you weren't going to take care of him. He was a grown-up, he could do his own laundry for once. But, then again, maybe it was something else. In high school, you went through a major depressive episode that lasted months, and you didn't do your laundry, you just couldn't do it. If that was the case, you couldn't blame him. But, it was just laziness, so he can find the time to clean up and do laundry.
You slowly opened the microwave, just before the beep, and hissed when you grabbed the bowl - taking it. Mouthing out a curse, you quickly sat your bowl on the table, shaking out your hands. Your phone buzzed, making you jump, and you looked down to see who it was. It was your alarm, to remind you that you had to get up early and start your day all over again. You sighed, leaning against the counter. "I should call in sick tomorrow..."
"Why?" Steve asked, voice groggy.
Jumping, you looked up, seeing a tired Steve at the entrance of the kitchen. Sweatpants were low on his hips, and he wasn't even wearing a shirt. His hair was mussed and sticking up in places, but he still looked cute. You didn't know what it was about that guy, but you couldn't help but stare. No matter how many times you saw him, you never got over it. And you lived with him for crying out loud.
"I'm sorry, Steve! Did I wake you?" You asked, biting your lip and setting your phone down.
He chuckled, rubbing his head and looking around. "No. I was already awake."
"Oh," You muttered, still feeling terrible.
Steve had told you about Hawkins. It was hard to believe, but you couldn't help but believe him. He had the scars to prove it.
"Was it another nightmare?" You finally asked and Steve sighed, hesitantly nodding.
"Uh... Yeah... It was."
"A scary one?" You asked, tilting your head as you saw the fear in his eyes.
"Not exactly. Like, it wasn't scary, more... Saddening really..." He spoke and finally noticed your probably cold dinner on the counter.
"Oh, you should eat. Don't you have work again tomorrow?" Steve asked and you sighed, looking down at the cold kitchen floor.
"Yeah... But, I think I might call in sick or something. I need a break..." You whispered, sighing heavily as he came closer.
Steve pulled back the kitchen bar chair and motioned you to sit down, giving you your bowl of food. You sat down, looking at it nervously, before finally picking it up and taking a bite.
"Don't you have the weekend off?" He asked, taking a seat across from you.
"My boss wants me to come in on the weekend too." You mumbled, swallowing.
"How many hours are we talking about?" Steve asked, sounding worried.
You looked up to him and shook your head, putting your spoon down. "More than twelve..."
"That's too long... You shouldn't be working all week... Isn't that illegal?" Steve asked and you shrugged.
"Maybe. I don't know. I mean, he gives me Monday and Friday off." You admitted, shrugging again.
"So, you're working more than ten hours a day, plus the weekend?" Steve asked, and you nodded.
"It's okay, Steve. Really. I can handle it." You said, chewing on your bottom lip.
"Really? Because it seems like you're exhausted." Steve spoke softly, concern evident in his voice.
You sighed, looking down at the counter. "I am. But, someone has to pay the other half of the rent and all the bills. And we have to have money for food and other necessities." You whispered, shaking your head.
"You shouldn't have to work so many long hours... I'll take another shift." Steve offered and you looked up to him, unsure what to say.
"Steve, I-"
"I'm serious, don't worry about it. I've got plenty of time. Besides, I don't want you dying of exhaustion."
Your eyes began to water, and you sniffled lightly. As the tears fell down, you hid your face, embarrassed. He reached out, wiping away your tears.
"Hey, hey, it's okay. Please don't cry. I know you're tired. You do so much for me, let me do this for you. He murmured, tilting your chin up, gently wiping a stray tear with the pad of his thumb.
"Thank you, Steve," You whispered, smiling.
"Did you need anything? More food? A hug?" He asked, standing up and picking up your bowl.
"I'm fine. Really." You mumbled, blowing your nose and dabbing at your eyes with a napkin.
"Alright, if you change your mind, just let me know. I'm almost always here." Steve spoke, setting the bowl in the washer.
"I will. Thank you, Steve." You said, getting up from your seat.
"I have an idea... You said you might call in sick tomorrow, right?" Steve spoke, leaning against the counter.
You nodded, letting your hair out of your bun, running fingers through it.
"How about you call in tomorrow and I'll make your breakfast? We can spend the whole day relaxing... How does that sound?" He asked, and you felt your heart race.
You smiled softly, Steve was an angel. You couldn't thank him enough. You nodded, "I'd love that. Thank you, Steve."
"Good. You go take a nice hot shower and go to bed, you need to rest." He spoke and you giggled, rolling your eyes.
"Alright, alright. Night, dad." You teased, kissing his cheek and making your way to your room.
***
The next morning, you woke up to the sound of pans in the kitchen. You yawned, stretching out your arms and legs. You glanced over at the clock, seeing that it was 7:30 am. You sighed and grabbed your phone before the alarm went off, and quickly made a call to your boss.
"Hi, this is Robert, how can I help you?" He answered, sounding sleepy.
"Umm... Hi. I was wondering if you wanted to reschedule my shift today? I woke up with a stomach bug or something." You squeaked, hoping he wouldn't ask too many questions.
"A stomach bug? Uhh... Well, uhm... Alright. Don't be out for long. Thank you for calling first." He spoke, clearing his throat.
"Sure, sir. Thank you." You spoke, hanging up the phone.
You sighed, laying back down on your bed. Eyes shutting closed, you sighed, and a smile slowly spread on your face. Besides the distant sounds of the clashing of pots and pans, you felt at peace. Just when you felt as if you could fall asleep again, there was a soft knock at your door. Sitting up, you quickly kicked off the blankets and got out of bed. Walking over, you opened your door, surprised to see Steve, holding a tray of food.
"Good morning, sunshine. Did you sleep well?" He asked and you smiled, nodding.
"Yes, thank you. Did you make me breakfast?" You asked, glancing at the food on the tray, your mouth watered at the sight of bacon, eggs, and waffles.
Steve nodded, stepping into your room further.
"Yep! Get back into bed." Steve spoke, gesturing to your bed.
You made your way back to your bed, getting back under the covers. "Is that bacon?" You asked, looking at it with wide eyes as Steve placed the tray on your lap.
"Yeah, I made your favorite!" He spoke, sitting down beside you.
You hummed with a huge smile, picking up a piece and taking a bite. It was perfect.
"This is delicious." You murmured between bites, and Steve grinned, blushing.
"I'm glad. I was worried I cooked them wrong or something." Steve spoke and you nodded, finishing your food quickly.
"Thanks for everything, Steve. I really appreciate you doing this." You spoke, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek.
"Anytime. Now, what do you want to do today?" He asked, and you blinked, thinking.
"Do you have any plans?" You asked, setting your tray aside.
"Nope. Why?" He asked and you shrugged.
“Well... Do you wanna watch TV or something?" You asked and Steve smiled, nodding. 
Snuggling up to him, you turned on the tv, finding something to watch.
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moominpapasfanficblog · 4 months
Text
Tayberry Moves Out
On overreaction
Moomin spent the week after Tayberry’s departure trying to lose themself in housework. They prepared all the meals for the family, did all the cleaning and laundry and tended Moominmama’s garden. They refused help and comforting. Most of all, they refused to mention Tayberry or discuss her leaving Moominvalley. As Moomin was getting organized to prepare lunch in the kitchen on that Sunday, Little My accosted them.
“You know that this isn’t going to work. You’re too smart to think that it will. What do you think that you’re going to accomplish?”, Little My asked with her familiar cynical sneer on her face.
“I don’t know what you mean! Someone has to prepare to care for Moominhouse when everyone is…..gone.”, said Moomin, their tone suddenly becoming very sad, “Moominmama and Moominpapa won’t be around forever…..Mom, Dad, and Snufkinpapa could go off on their own at any time, just like her. You don’t care, either. You’ve only stayed in Moominhouse all this time because it was convenient for you. I won’t let Moominhouse be neglected, abandoned, and forgotten!” Finally, Moomin let all the tears that had been building up inside them for a week out, collapsing into one of the chairs around the kitchen table and burying their face in their arms as they cried.
“Well, so that’s all it took! If I had known that it would be so easy to get you to let it all out, I wouldn’t have spent a week thinking out this little discussion! Life is so much better when you’re honest with everyone, especially yourself, isn’t it!”, said Little My triumphantly, “Should I get Snork Maiden or Moominmama? They’re much better at dealing with all this weepy stuff than me.” Moomin just kept crying.
“Alright, I’ll get both of them just to be sure.”, said Little My as she left the kitchen and headed upstairs. A few minutes later, Moomin’s mother and grandmother came into the kitchen and sat down next to them, gently putting their paws on their shoulders.
“Little My told us everything. You know that Tayberry hasn’t abandoned us any more than Snufkin did when he used to leave every Winter. Moominhouse isn’t just this house that Papa built, it’s this family and all the good things that we’ve learned and done together. If all that depended on a house, it could be easily destroyed. You know better than that. Nothing that could change in our lives would ever bring all that to an end, even if this house were to burn down tomorrow.”, said Moominmama tenderly.
“Don’t say things like that! I’ll never let anything happen to Moominhouse! You’ll see, I’ll make up for Tayberry leaving us! Just leave watching over everything to me!”, Moomin said, getting up and stomping determinedly out of the back door.
“Nice work!”, said Little My with sarcasm as she poked her head through the kitchen door, “Do you want me to work on them again?”
“No thank you, Little My. I’m grateful that you got Moomin to let out their anger and sorrow, but I’ll take over now. They’ve been trying to isolate themself so that they didn’t have to face how they feel about the change Tayberry’s gone through. They’re going to be more open to accepting help now. If I were to guess, I’d say that Moomin has gone to the garden to work out their feelings. Moominmama, shall we join them?”, said Snork Maiden.
“Yes, dear.”, said Moominmama proudly.
To Be Continued
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God Hates Me
Dear Future Husband,
I've talked before about how I'm gross. Let's talk about another reason why, and this one is super embarrassing, but I've been open about other gross things, so let's really get into it.
I don't shower often.
That isn't to say that I don't keep myself clean, because I do. I wash my face, I brush my teeth, I use dry shampoo, I wash my hands, I wash my feet, and I do "dry bathing" with wipes. But considering I don't live a very active lifestyle, I don't sweat much, so I don't really smell (and I have a very sensitive nose, so I know when I'm smelly), and I use deodorant and the occasional perfume. And I wear clean clothes and underwear and everything.
But I don't shower often.
And that's something that apparently comes along with depression, so yay. I'm sure we're all shocked.
Sometimes it's that I can't summon the energy to do it, which doesn't make sense, but the thought of it is overwhelming.
Sometimes it's the ADHD lack of proper executive functioning that creates the give a mouse a cookie scenario of "If I take a shower then I can't sleep in the same sheets I slept in when I was 'dirty' so if I'm going to take a shower I first have to wash my sheets, which means doing laundry and then making my bed. Also, are my towels clean? Maybe I should wash those first, which means at least two loads of laundry just to take a shower."
And as disgusting as it sounds, it makes more "sense" at that point to not shower and continue sleeping in not fresh bedding than it does to just shower and go to sleep like a normal human being.
But I also lose track of time, so what starts as a procrastination of "I don't have the energy today, so I'll do it tomorrow" can sometimes turn into "I bathed last week. Or... was it two weeks ago?"
Suffice to say, right now it's been longer than it should have been between showers. And I finally just broke down and told myself, "STOP BEING THIS WAY. Whatever happens, you will wash your sheets on motzei Shabbos and shower like a normal human being."
And then sometime around 6pm on Shabbos, my lower back started throbbing. Which it is still doing now, two days later.
Laying in weird positions can be almost painless and standing is sometimes ok, but sitting and bending over is so intensely painful.
Which means that simple things like even going to the bathroom have been almost impossible without me coming close to passing out from the pain.
Yes, I've been taking pain killers.
No, they haven't much been helping.
And I also have NO idea what brought this on. Like, none. I was sitting at the Shabbos table schmoozing and all of a sudden it wasn't comfortable to sit anymore.
I've had pain like this before, but I can usually pinpoint what I did to cause it. And yet I didn't do anything on Shabbos or Friday that would have warranted this. The closest I can come to an explanation would be that I lifted 2 packages of water bottles on Thursday, but that's something I don't do that infrequently, and it's never been a problem before. And also when I've had this in the past, I woke up with the pain whereas this just happened after I'd been up for a while.
SO, WHAT THE HELL
But you see what I'm talking about, right? I finally get my mind straight enough to DO something I know I'm supposed to do, something that's a positive in my life for self-care and outward appearances, and then BAM, God just pulls the rug out from under me. Like "Ohhhh, did you just say you were ready to be a clean person? Nooo, I'm sorry, we're just going to double down on how gross you are. Mkaybye."
Because how much grosser could you be when wiping yourself after using the bathroom is so painful you're not even sure you did a proper job of it.
Let alone bathe. Let alone do laundry and make your bed.
I guess it's almost a bracha that I'm constipated now, because at least once that poop exits my body it doesn't leave much of a residue. But when you're in so much pain that it hurts to sit or use any of your lower back muscles and pooping out hard stuff requires quite a bit of sitting and straining of the lower back muscles....
I'm miserable right now. Physically miserable.
On top of that, I had made a commitment to help a friend with something yesterday that required bending. And I made an appointment to meet with a customer today that required me to get in my car and drive to work, and of course this customer is the promptest person on the planet who gets annoyed whenever I'm late (which is my natural state of being, but at least today I have a legitimate reason) and would be pissed if I rescheduled.
And I'm so upset about this. It would be one thing if I did something outrageous and was like "ok, yeah, I did that to myself" but this doesn't even have a source that I can pinpoint! It's God giving me pain for the sake of making my life miserable and I'm so sick of it.
I've tried googling to see what kind of things can cause this kind of pain, and that's always a fun adventure because two of the first results were "lower back pain can be caused by constipation due to dehydration" and "a tumor pressing on your spine can cause serious back pain." Oh ! Fun! So either I'm not drinking enough water or I have a tumor. Greeeeeaaaaaaat.
Other causes include a twisted ovary. So, that's fun.
At this point I'm hoping for the tumor. Just kill me already and get it over with. I'm just done with all this stupidity.
-LivelyHeart
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slimeywooper · 4 months
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Labmas AU - Unintended Consequences
Chapter 15 Part 3 - Friendship
Walking side by side, the two of you get to the wash room and begin your task. Kudari hands you the towels, and you put them in the washing machine with the detergent and start the load. When they are done, you both take turns folding and returning them to the cabinet.
As the pile gets smaller, there's even some lab coats found in the hamper. You make the comment, "How lazy are some of these people? They can't do their own laundry? Only towels or similar things are supposed to be in here, not personal clothing."
Kudari smirks at you deviously, "Hee hee, let's just wash them on the same cycle with the towels. If the colors run, or they get torn, it's their fault for leaving it for someone else to do! They'll think twice next time."
You can't help but smile, saying, "Okay, that's a little passive-aggressive, but at least they would be clean." Giving him a side glance, you add, "If they come asking, I'm telling them it was your idea."
"Very well!" he exclaims, slam dunking the lab coats into the washer with some towels. "I'm positive they will retract any bad statements after you tell them that. Sometimes it's good when people fear you."
"I guess so. As long as it's people you don't like," you admit, with Kudari nodding along. Since you are alone, you decide to talk about a more personal subject, "The other night, when I came to see you, I was in a bad mood. Finding out that Nobori has to do such awful things really broke my heart. No one should have to do that. It's not something that is good for your soul."
He doesn't acknowledge most of it, instead focusing on something different, "Did you mean what you said? That you wish we could leave here?"
"Well, yeah, this place is really awful at times. Colress can be such an asshole," you tell him without reservation.
"It has long been a dream of mine to travel around Unova, maybe even the world. Perhaps someday we can go together…" he looks at you with an expectant longing.
Deep in your heart, you know it won't ever happen. That Colress would never allow it. Not wanting to let him down though, you attempt to agree without egging him on, "That would be wonderful, but for now, there's still a lot to be done. We'd have to convince Colress, also. That's liable to take some time. Having a dream is good, but try not to be too wrapped up in it that you are disappointed it can't happen right away." Lying to him felt awful, and the way his eyes sparkled at your words made it even worse. If only there were some way you really could leave. "We're almost done here. Afterwards, we can play some games."
The last couple loads are done with sparse words being exchanged. kudari is oddly contemplative, but you chalk it up to him planning on what games to show you. As the final towels are folded and put away, Colress comes in, unannounced.
"Uh… did you need something? We're just now finishing…" you say, mild confusion evident in your voice.
"I'm just here to see how things are coming along, though already being finished is an optimal outcome." Colress walks further into the room, inspecting different areas. He peeks into the empty hamper, then takes the few steps required to get to the cabinet, opening it to observe the neatly folded towels and lab coats. Nodding, he looks back to the both of you and addresses Kudari, "I must say, I'm impressed. You actually did a good job today, without screwing anything up. Of course it took something as simple as laundry for you to succeed, but little steps at a time." Colress gives him a hollow smile.
Kudari takes the backhanded compliment with a scowl, but offers no protest.
Colress continues, "Hopefully you can keep up the good work. There's something interesting planned for tomorrow. Frank is working on getting an Ultra Wormhole to form in a specific place. He's trying to fine-tune the exact location the connected portal opens. We have two rooms set up on the second floor. If his calculations are correct, the Ultra Wormhole in one room should lead directly to the one in the other. You two will be delivering some Pokemon for him to test the connection between them, so be prepared for that." Glancing to you, he instructs, "(Y/N), tomorrow I'll wait for you on the third lab floor." Attention returning to Kudari once more, he adds, "Until then, Kudari, I'll return you to your room." Walking to the door, he opens it, announcing, "Alright, let's go."
Grabbing Kudari by the shoulder, you inform him, "I'll see you later. Thanks for the help."
He doesn't respond, quietly moving to follow Colress.
As they leave, you slip out behind them and make your way to Nobori's room. You have to request that he let you out of Kudari's place when you are finished there. Knocking on the door, he answers it, his face now its natural lavender color. He gives you a sad smile, then utters, "How can I help you, (Y/N)?"
"Sorry to bother you, but do you think you can let me into Kudari's room for a little bit? I told him we could hang out after work today, but obviously I can't get in or out on my own." You aren't sure if he's aware that Kudari knows the passcode, but you don't want to expose it, just in case.
"Oh… of course. I'll let you in, and you can page me when you are ready to go." Nobori steps out of his room, closing the door behind him. "I'm sure Kudari is beside himself with joy that you are spending time with him. Thank you for that."
Fighting through the uncomfortable feelings, you reply, "It's no problem. He's a good friend, I hope I can be a good friend to him, as well."
Pausing, he says, "Before we go, I must beg for your forgiveness. I've been thinking over the events that transpired between us, and I admit, I was very upset the last time we talked. However, it was not my intention to be so dismissive of you. Though I am unwavering in my decision to keep my own secrets, I shouldn't have been so blunt."
Surprised by his apology, you try to reassure him, "Don't be too hard on yourself. I shouldn't push you for information you aren't ready to freely offer. But, please know, I really didn't plan to 'lead you on' or anything of the sort! I still really care for you, it's just…"
"My work…" he finishes the sentence for you. "I know you never had any malicious intentions, I would have felt them if you did." Nobori begins walking, "I'm sure Kudari is waiting. Shall we?"
"Yeah, I'm ready. We can talk more later." The journey is made in silence. Colress has already left when you both arrive at Kudari's room. He must not have been in the mood for callous cruelty. At least you won't have to explain why you want to hang out with Kudari. After how he reacted to you being with Nobori, he'd likely freak out again, even if it is just a meeting between friends.
Inputting the passcode, Nobori looks to you as the door opens. "Do let me know when you are ready to depart."
Nodding, you sincerely thank him before Kudari eagerly yanks you inside, door closing after your body clears the area.
"I am so happy you are here!" he says at a loud volume. Finding your footing, you look up to him. He has the biggest smile you've ever seen. "This is my room!" he announces, moving over to the display cases. "These are all my model kits! And over here is my bed," he scuttles to the web, pointing at it. He's so excited, you don't want to interrupt him with a reminder that you've been in his room once before, getting him a shirt.
Kudari doesn't stop speaking, vocalizing his thoughts, "It gets very boring without my computer. I've mostly just been playing console games. All my model kits are already painted and assembled, I need to ask Nobori to get me more. Did you know he has a credit card to use when he's on the outside? He even has a fake I.D. for when he has to stay somewhere overnight!" He pats a spot on his bed, "You can sit here, it's the most comfortable part of the web!"
At first glance, it looks like a typical web, but upon closer inspection, you can see it has multiple tiers. The higher level is at a gradual slope, resembling a recliner that's slightly leaning back. Kudari must have had to learn to make his bed in a way that lets his upper body be supported by part of the web, as his Galvantula abdomen sits on the bottom portion. Tentatively placing your hand on the lowest part, you check it's durability. A small indent forms, but it holds tightly. Sitting down, you ask him, "So, how did you get into model kits, anyway? It's not a common hobby, at least not from what I've seen."
"Oh, it was Emmet that first told me about it. He and Ingo came to visit when Nobori and I were twelve, and he mentioned how when he was that age he started repainting their train toys, and then discovered different types of kits. I've been doing them ever since, though mine aren't trains, obviously." Turning on his Switch console, he remains standing so you can be somewhat closer in height than if he were to get on the web with you. "I've been playing my Switch recently, but I also have a PlayStation 5 and Xbox X! We can play some classic games using the Online subscription, then move to more recent ones."
You two are able to compare and contrast the various video games that your respective worlds have. Though when it comes to skill at any genre, you don't stand a chance. After a couple of hours, you decide to leave for the day. "Alright, that's it! If I play anymore, I'm gonna get a headache."
"Do you have to go so soon? I was hoping we could play a few more…" he states, crestfallen.
"I'm starting to feel a bit tired, but don't worry. We can hang out again tomorrow after work," you pat him on his arm, reassuringly. "Maybe we can use a different console, to mix it up."
Pulling out your phone, you text Nobori, 'ready'.
As Kudari is silently watching you, his fangs begin to secrete a substance that pools at the tips and drops onto his shirt. Looking down at the stains, he exclaims, "I am so sorry!" Reaching into his chest pocket, he retrieves a handkerchief similar to Nobori's, and dabs at the source in an attempt to curb the flow. "Sometimes when I am lost in thought my venom ducts overproduce."
"Are you okay?" you inquire, concerned for his well-being.
"Yes, I'm fine. It's fine. I will see you later." He nods lightly, not wanting to cause more seepage.
From the right, you hear the door open. Turning, you see Nobori standing there.
"Okay, if you're sure you're alright. Let's continue this tomorrow." Standing from the web, you stretch and walk to the door. Before you forget again, you turn to face him, and mention in a stern tone, "And Kudari, we'll be talking about why you haven't been taking care of that," you point to the scab on his throat.
His eyes go wide, face burning from embarrassment as he looks down. "Yes. That will be fine. Good night."
Nobori moves to the side as you step out, the door closing behind you. As you both walk together, he pipes up, "I hope you enjoyed yourself, I'm sure Kudari did. Have a pleasant evening." He waves, continuing ahead of you in the direction of his room.
You call after him, "Just because we're only friends doesn't mean you have to be so formal, but, thank you."
He turns back and smiles before going his own way.
Despite how badly the weekend went, and how reticent you were to start the day, things didn't go horrendously, like you feared they would. Working with Kudari went well. If every day could have even a fraction of the productivity displayed, there may be hope for a somewhat manageable future. Colress would still be a hassle, but as long as things were getting done, he wouldn't have anything to complain about. Twenty years sounds like a long time, but when it comes to someone's death, it's no time at all. You are going to make it your mission to spend every opportunity with Kudari, and even Nobori, if he is willing.
Riding the elevator up, you stop by the locker room to put your lab coat away. Before reaching your dorm, you stop by the cafeteria to grab something to eat. After arriving to your room, you think about Nobori. He seemed less upset today than he did on Saturday night, even apologizing to you. Though you appreciated the gesture, he really didn't have to. For such a scary assassin, he was too sweet for his own good. Breaking up with him obviously wasn't something he was expecting. He had every right to be upset, and state his boundaries, even if it was hard to hear. You still aren't sure how to navigate the situation with him, but the short conversation you two had was a step in the right direction. Hopefully, there will eventually be no awkwardness between you, and you can go back to being regular friends, although there is still a part of you that wishes for more.
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