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lokifys · 4 months

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SUMMARY: A twisted life of Lokius that takes place in the 1960s.

[TW DISTURBING CONTENT. Angst, fluff, nsfw, blood, horror and unsettling moments. Also inspired by WandaVision and The Truman Show. Read at your own risk please]

"Morning." Loki spoke with a raspy morning voice, as he finds himself laid beside Mobius. He probably accidentally fell asleep on his bed and Mobius wasn't going to sleep anywhere else. Besides, they were together now. Sleeping beside one another shouldn't be weird.

The mortal shifted his body upon hearing the voice of his lover. It would be a lie to say that he didn't enjoy hearing his voice in the morning. Finding Loki's warm presence by his side, he turned his head to his left and stared at the god, whose raven locks were sprinkled all over his pillow.

"I'm going to need to start getting used to this new sight every morning." Mobius said hoarsely. He tried to play it off cool but the look of adoration and love in his eyes said otherwise.

The new lovers were finally fitting in with each other in their new home, happy and safe. Of course, it would take a lot of time for them to get used to waking up to each other but it's not ever an issue or a problem. In fact, the past few days together have been amazing.

Their routine was as follows: morning comes, they lavished each other with affection, maybe going further more into each other's pants. Mobius would always shower first, followed by Loki. They'd have breakfast which they made together and when they're done with their meal, Mobius would leave for work.

W̶h̶a̶t̶ w̶o̶r̶k̶?̶

Loki would stay home, await for his lover to come back and when he does, they spend their time close to each other, doing their own thing in silence.

Today was different. Loki was aware of Mobius' romantic nature, wanting to do something extraordinary for his beloved on this occasion. So, he decided to organize an exquisite candlelit dinner, certain that it would make his partner swoon. In summary, the prince was excited

The time came, and the minute Mobius walked in, Loki had already made the initiative to take his coat for him, which had taken the man aback since Loki hasn't done such an act since the past few days they had lived together. He was greeted with a smile from Loki as the god guided him through the house and to the dinner table.

"Woah, this you?" Mobius exclaimed, looking at the beautiful feast in front of him, a vase full of flowers and a candle in the middle. It was romantic. Something you'd see out of a rom-com movie.

Loki responded, "Yes, Mobius. All me. It was nothing really. Easy to come up with."

"So you can be romantic."

"I don't think it's that romantic."

Mobius chuckled, recognizing Loki's attempts to downplay his handiwork behind the romantic dinner. Yet, as his ears greeted with one of his favorite old musical tracks, his eyes sparkled with affection, delighted by how Loki remembered his playlist of beloved songs.

The prince saw the twinkle in his eyes and begin to feel proud of himself. He immediately brought his man to his seat, taking a chair out for him. He then went to his, placing the napkin on his own lap.

The two dug into the delicious meal and chatted the night away. They talked about various things like Mobius' work, his colleagues drama and many more. But there was something interesting that came up which got Loki intrigued.

"So, you remember Casey, right? Well, he invited me to this neighborhood party that happens tomorrow which frankly, I never even heard of until he told me. He said I should bring my wife along, aka you, and I knew you probably wouldn't want to go since you mentioned how you didn't want to interact with any of our neighbors but uh, Casey seems to think you don't exist and that I don't have a partner. Would you like to prove him wrong?"

Loki chewed his food as he thought, wondering whether if he had the capacity to meet new people. Obviously, altering his gender never posed a serious problem for him considering he was genderfluid. The bigger problem was his ability to keep a courteous demeanor for a long period of time. Since they were new, Loki didn't want to mess things up with their new home. It seemed wherever he goes, disaster follows. This time, he wished for things to be different. A new start.

He thought but remained silent, which led Mobius to speak. "You could use your magic, you know? Do the switcheroo you do sometimes."

"I know. I wasn't going to out there as a male. We would get flamed. I was thinking about having to smile for hours. That sounds like torture."

"If you don't want to then that's fine. Not forcing ya."

The Asgardian could see the slight disappointment in his face and after a few mouthful of his chicken, he decided to give his final answer, "Fine, I'll go. Only if we get to do one thing tonight."

"What's that?" Mobius already kind of knew what Loki had wanted. They haven't really gotten super into it for a while now other than a few touches down there every morning, but it seemed like tonight was a good time for some spice in the bedroom.

And so, on a certain night, the two were intimately engaged, Mobius on top, grinding slowly into Loki. Their sounds of arousal and joy filled the room, along with the thuds of each push. Only lust and love permeated their beings. Soon, Mobius's pace quickened, his hands intertwined with Loki's as he neared climax. His pelvis thrusted forcefully, his lips against Loki's neck. Eventually, his seed was released into Loki, slowly spilling out, and his intense rutting eventually eased.

"I love you...you know that." Mobius whispered into Loki's ear, while he was still in him. He pulled out which earned another small groan from the god and they both embraced each other lovingly till they fell asleep.

Ẅ̶̧̻͈̣̄̇͛̍̐̆̂͝ą̵̛̣̗̝̰̰͇̤͚̹͎̞̯̭̫̾̎́̊̎͛̽͐̾̆̓͒͐̍̃̒͗͗̉̌̚̚̕͘̚͝ͅk̴̨͖͕̞̝̻̟̠̫̰̓̒͒̍̊̆͂̃̀̕͜͠e̸̡̨̨̡̫͖͚̟̣͖̜̜̫̤̹͚̟̩̫̫̯̔͂͋̈̓͗͂͂͑̀̽̑̉̂̽̚͜͝͝͠ ̸̢̢̠̫͍͚̦̗̭̖͙̜͚͇͎̳̤͓͗̔͒́̊͒̄̂̌̋̒̑͒̄̚̚ͅu̴̢͙̜̱̝͇̎̀͒̈̂̈́̌̃̔̌͆͗͝p̴̧̛̮̣̙̺̮̩̀̓́́͊̚͝ ̶̧͓̬̗͎̘̦̖͇̖̻͖͊̅̄͑̂̌̄̌̈́̂͋̈́̓̕͜Ẅ̸̢̛̗͓͉̫̲̙̦̜͈̲̗͗̀͋̍̋̓͑̔̎͜a̸̧̡̢͔̼̰̝̲̘̬̙͍͍̟̲̣͓̙͉̭̦͇̯͑̇͆̉̉̇̆͊́͗͗̆̐̑̀̀͗̓̒̋̕͝͝͝͝ķ̴͕̣͎̹̜͖̻̯̳̺̮͇͙̻̭̣͎̝̬̞̺́͒̈́͐͗͐̀̆͌͠ͅẽ̵̜͑̉̑̾̆͋̔͂͗͌̂̈́̄͗́̃́̒̕͘ ̴͈̲̠̜̯͓͉̱͎̭͓͎̟̫̥̹͚̻͉̠͖̉͜͝u̴̡͉̗̼̱͓͔̜̟̙̟̍̍͌̑̈̽̑̽͋̑̐p̷̡̢̛͍̖̙̙͇̄̐͋͊̊͊͗̃̉̀͑̎̿̐̇͛̉͂̓̔̉͗͐̉̊̚͝͝ͅ ̷̢̧̟͙̹͙̺̠͓͎̙̯̤̰̤̫̻̻̬̰̫̩̺̅̄̔̀͑̅̿̓̆͗̉͐́͋̓̊͂͑͑̑̓́͆͆̋̌͗̔͌͠Ẅ̸̬̖͙̘̭͔̰͍̯̣̠̤͎͔͈́̈̇̊̀̇̒̋ͅͅͅą̸͎͈̮̤̯̳̪̭̹̋́͊͐͆͑̓̿̌̅̎͐̋̄͊͐͌̀̎̒̽͜͝͝͝k̵̢̧̘͇̯̯͈̰̘͉̹͖̗̋̐̔̑̊͌̒̈̅͆̊̔͒̀̋̈́̃ȩ̷̹̺͍̠̥̫͎̥͈̤̤̀̒ ̵̩̬̖̥̹̭͙̲͍͉̠͉̥̤͑̉͊́̄̈́̏̉̋̃̕̕ͅų̷̫̗̱̝̟̍̆̔̊͜p̶̡̨̗̪̺͖̬̓͑̀̃͌̈́͌́̊̉̽̄̚̕͠

It was finally time for the two to head out for the party and as much as Loki was starting to dread it, he was also curious on how the neighborhood looked. He hasn't explored the area since they arrived. In fact, he couldn't ̷r̷e̷m̷e̷m̷b̷e̷r̷ ̷h̷o̷w̷ ̷t̷h̷e̷y̷ ̷g̷o̷t̷ ̷h̷e̷r̷e̷. All he knew was that it was a small town and everyone apparently knew everybody. Well, except for Loki since he doesn't show himself.

Mobius signaled the Asgardian on his appearance and was reminded that he was still in his male form. So, he quickly transformed and was in her female appearance, and she was stunning as ever. Mobius' eyes started going down onto her cleavage and Loki shot her lover a seductive look, knowing he was probably super turned on at the moment.

"Eyes up, love." She teased.

The man smirked but turned around to open the door for Loki, gesturing for her to walk first. While she strut out with her beautiful green dress, Mobius took the time to admire her curves and the way the dress fitted perfectly on her. He has seen Loki as a female from time to time so it wasn't the first but seeing her in that dress was a sight for sore eyes.

The two took the car to their destination, Mobius being the driver. Song on the radio was "Daydream Believer" by The Monkees and Mobius quickly turned up the volume, blasting it through the car. He sang along to it as Loki simply tapped her fingers to the rhythm with a satisfied smile on her face.

"To a, daydreamm believer and a, homecoming queeeen!"

Once the song had finished, they had nicely arrived at the neighborhood party. The house was huge and the gathering was brimming with occupants. There was music playing from inside the house. Kids were seen running around in the huge garden, laughing away. This was their chance to show this town who the best couple was. Mobius went out of the car first which already had people staring from afar, wanting to see who the wife was. He then went to the other side to get the door for Loki, who emerged gracefully with her foot first and then the remainder of her body.

The women present turned their heads instantly upon Loki's elegant arrival. They didn't imagine Mobius' wife to be so stunning. The men sneakily eyed her, which somewhat riled Mobius. However, he refused to let this bother him. He was aware that they had captured everyone's interest, and Loki seemed rather pleased by the attention she was receiving.

The couple of the house immediately walked out to greet the two, the wife shooting a dirty look at Loki.

"We didn't think you were going to make it," remarked the wife, Donna, in a sharp tone.

The husband, Brad, promptly followed up, "Yeah, we even believed that you had no such wife, Mobius. Seems you've been hiding such a ravishing beauty all this while?"

Upon hearing that from her husband, Donna who had her hands on Brad started squeezing her nails into him, receiving a wincing sound from him. Clearly she wasn't into Loki at all since she was taking all the attention away and Mobius found that awkward.

After they've been introduced with everyone and had met up with their friend Casey, Mobius pulled Loki away to somewhere private to talk, uncomfortable with the situation. "Can't believe I'm saying this but, do you want to leave early? I hate that there's already bad vibes between you and the woman of this house. She's literally the leader of the community service. Make her angry and god knows how our life would be from now on."

Loki seemed a bit offended, as if it felt like it was her fault, "Are you blaming me?"

"No, it's just, look, she's already mad at you probably because you look stunning as ever and you definitely took all the attention away but she clearly is the big boss of this town and everyone worships her. Either you try and talk to her or we leave now."

"You don't get to tell me what to do, Mobius. Why are you acting like it's my fault that I'm beautiful? You want me to switch back to my male form now?"

"Loki, it's not your fault. I love you but I'm just scared for us. You already have powers that need to be kept hidden and we just moved in here. I want the best for us."

The goddess of mischief went silent for a while, knowing Mobius was right. Despite loving the attention, she knew she had to make sure they don't mess this up especially since they both just moved in. Maybe if it was a month in, drama wouldn't be a problem but it's just been two weeks.

Loki sighed, rolling her eyes. "Fine, I'll talk to her. Don't blame me if she gets more agitated."

Before Mobius could respond, Loki was already walking away, about to have a heart to heart talk with Donna. The man stood there, hoping things played out right.

Loki found Donna hidden in her kitchen, cutting up some apples into slices. The two were alone which gave the goddess an opportunity to talk to her. She walked up slowly and Donna immediately turned, already shooting a disapproving glare.

"Hello, Donna. Listen, I hope I haven't made you upset in any way. It isn't my intention." Loki clarified and was straight to the point, trying to sound sincere as possible.

Donna didn't seem to speak or look at Loki for a while and only after was she finished slicing the apples, she responded to her.

"I'm intrigued actually, where do you come from? I usually know everything about the people here but you? I know absolutely nothing."

Loki hesitated, "I'm..." She couldn't say anything.

Donna's words were tinged with an attitude of suspicion as she approached Loki.

"I have heard about Mobius. I have seen Mobius before. But I have never seen you," she uttered, coming to a close proximity to the Goddess.

"You see, terrible things happened ever since the arrival of you two. It's a weird coincidence, don't you think?"

This was the first time Loki had even heard of anything bad that has happened here. She thought this was a lovely neighborhood. But to think Donna is suspecting Loki of being related to those horrible things makes her angry. She retaliated.

"That's a nice conspiracy theory, Donna. But I'm afraid I have no idea what you're talking about."

"STOP THE LIES!" For some reason, the mortal woman had snapped, the knife that was used to cut the apples was immediately pointed at Loki. The Asgardian was appalled and backed away, both hands out trying to pacify Donna.

"You don't get to come into my house, dress like a whore and steal my spotlight! You're disgusting. You should DIE!"

In a split second, she took the knife and started slicing her own throat, blood starting to flow out in one line. Loki's eyes widened at the shocking sight and immediately gasped. The blood spilled down to the ground, causing a pool at her feet. However, the woman wasn't dead. She stood with a bloody neck, looking at Loki demonically. "Wake up."

And suddenly, Loki was starting to gain awareness as if she's realizing something. She didn't want to. She wanted to suppress it. What went from a look of horror turned into anger. Loki was not going to deal with this today. Not right now.

"No."

Wait what?

Loki was puzzled. Didn't he already go through this before? He recalled a nightmare he had about a neighborhood party. It felt real. What made him more concerned was that he found Mobius missing from the bed all of a sudden. Was his mind now playing tricks on him? Loki immediately got out of bed and wore whatever clothes he could grab, immediately searching the house for Mobius. He was nowhere to be found.

The next thing he did was to dial his work place and hope someone picks up. To his surprise, someone did and he spoke with the receptionist. "Is there a Mobius in work right now? May I speak to him?"

"Give me one second." The lady replied nicely.

"Uh, I'm sorry sir, there isn't any Mobius' working here."

The god was confused and his heart started beating fast. He felt like he was in some sort of sick dream.

"This is surely a prank, right? There IS a Mobius working there I need you to check again."

"Okay, what is his last name? Maybe that could help."

Suddenly Loki was lost for words. He couldn't remember Mobius' last name. Did he even have a last name? How was he able to forget his own husband's surname. A theory had popped through Loki's mind that maybe he was suffering from memory loss and whatever that is happening this morning is a result of his amnesia.

"Hello? Sir?"

He didn't reply. He simply smashed the telephone down and hung up, his forehead sweating profusely.

So if he had amnesia, it means he needed help. With that, Loki took off and walked out of his house cluelessly, his surroundings looking different than he remembered. The street was different, it was smaller. The trees and bushes were gone. He also noticed some of the houses were missing windows. Had it been like that the entire time? Loki tried to hail for a taxi but there were no cars to be seen. In fact, it looked as though no one is around. It seemed empty.

"Mobius!" Loki now shouted, finding this all very strange. He turned around and around, trying to find at least one person to get help from but was only finding everything even more unnatural. The sky lacked clouds as though there was only blue and the sun wasn't anywhere in sight. Houses that he was able to see from afar was now empty nothingness.

Loki lost all his composure, letting out a resounding howl. Tears flowed down his cheeks as he grieved, the emotions pouring outwards. The God of Mischief was at a loss for words and completely distraught

"Where are you, Mobius!"

There was nobody he wished to see now other than his lover. He closed his eyes shut hoping he could just wake up.

Wake up...that's it.

Wake up, Loki.

It was cold, dark and terribly lonely. I was hoping I could stay on longer. I felt my sanity slipping away and my mind drifting to an eternal sleep. I shouldn't sleep. I couldn't. Not when these branches needed my godly strength to hold them together.

Just one second. Just a second of sleep. I keep pleading to myself. I observed Mobius from afar in the sacred timeline and it seems he was being too hard on himself which didn't sit well with me. I tried to look at my other friends in their timelines and they were all safe and sound. Yet, I still wished I could do something for Mobius. That silly man just stands there with a hole in his heart. I need him to know I'm with him for all time. I wanted to be with him.

I had to be with him.

I think that's how it all started. I shut my eyes and all I thought about was Mobius. Then I woke up.

"Morning." I spoke with a raspy morning voice, as I find myself lying beside Mobius. I probably accidentally fell asleep on his bed and Mobius wasn't going to sleep anywhere else. Besides, we're together now. Sleeping beside one another shouldn't be weird.

That's how the story started.

Mobius shifted his body upon hearing my voice. It would be a lie to say that he didn't enjoy hearing my voice in the morning. Finding my warm presence by his side, he turned his head to his left and stared at the me, my raven locks sprinkled all over his pillow.

It's the same story again. Again and again and again. Each time, I never go further. I keep trying to rewrite it in many different ways but it always ends up in tragedy. This time, I give up. I'm not going to try.

"I'm going to need to start getting used to this new sight every morning." Mobius said hoarsely. He tried to play it off cool but the look of adoration and love in his eyes said otherwise.

"I don't care." I simply didn't.

I was expecting him to question my behavior or get angry but for some reason, he laughed and laughed. There was nothing humorous at all. This is ridiculous. Mobius then placed a hand on my cheeks and turned it so I faced him.

"Look at me." He demanded gently. He always looks at me with affection. It was why I fell in love with him in the first place. He looks at me like I'm worth everything.

"How long have you been doing this now?"

Now I'm intrigued and confused. My brows knitted together in uncertainty. "What do you mean?"

"How many tries of this have you done? What? 100? 1000?"

Does he know? What is going on?

"What...?"

"You called for me, didn't you? Well, I'm here."

"You heard me?" I instantly got up in the bed, my heart pounding through my chest. I didn't want to get any false hope because then, it would hurt even more.

"I did."

"No, that's a lie. This is just another one of my scripts I've written to keep myself delusional. This isn't real."

"So you finally admit, you do control the narrative."

My heart wouldn't stop pounding, "What does that supposed to mean?"

Mobius held my hand tightly before he spoke, "Only reason you never got past this delusion you created is because you were meant to write yourself in OUR timelines. Your subconscious knew that was possible because it has already lived through a life with me on the sacred timeline."

Salty watery droplets poured out of my eyes uncontrollably. For some reason, it feels like I'm finally escaping because Mobius was making sense.

He continued, "Do you know who you are, Loki? You've said it before, you can rewrite the story. You can do the same with the timelines. Write yourself in it for you are the God of Stories."

"But the timelines?"

"You can hold it while being down here. You shouldn't underestimate your illusion spells. They're pretty handy."

He's right. I can change it all. I mean, I'm writing this aren't I. This is not the end. This is simply the beginning.

And you're going to watch me rescript this mess.

"I might just wait here for a little bit. Let time pass." Mobius responded to Sylvie. She places a hand on his shoulder in a way to comfort him. After all, she knew how much Loki meant to him. Wanting to let him grieve on his own, she decided to leave him be, making her way through the time door and closing it up.

Mobius simply stands in isolation, looking at his old life from afar as he hoped his presence was made known to Loki.

Perhaps it did.

"Ugh, stop being so dramatic." A voice rang out and he instantly recognized its origin. His heart seemed to leap out of his chest from the euphoria he felt and he swiftly rotated his body towards where the voice originated from.

Mobius eyes widened, his mouth slowly turning into a huge smile. Seems like the god of mischief is really full of surprises.

"Loki!" He walked towards him, confused but rather relieved and happy. There was nothing better than to see him again especially when he thought he was never going to see him ever. He wanted to go in for a hug which he so desperately needed but there was something else on his mind.

The agent took Loki by the collars and immediately pulled him in for a kiss, something he has always wanted to do before he left. Loki was taken aback but kissed him back, holding Mobius' face in his hands. This was the story he was meant to write for himself. A life on the sacred timeline.

He let himself experience the authenticity of the kiss and how it feels much better than the ones in his fake reality. This was perfect because it was real and Loki soaked in every single moment.

This is reality.

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nomatterwhatnomatterwhere · 7 months

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What a ( Not so) Strange World - III

A.N: after some time without any shred of inspiration, I was hit by an epiphany so here we are again. As always, if there are any errors, please point them out to me, because I haven't yet gotten over the embarrassment of having a beta read what I write. Sorry for the inconvenience

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The morning came a little differently than your usual morning awakening.

The birds had come to sing at your window as usual, you were still too sleepy to understand what they were singing – and you honestly didn't want to hear their morning gossip.

(The last time you tried to understand, you had understood that some royal of you didn't know where would never be a good ruler, or something similar, your interest was directed more towards your very comfortable feather pillow than his birds outside from your window)

After a while they started tapping on the window.

There had been no threat to pluck the birds from Lucifer.

No crow had come to act as traffic assistant in Maleficent's name.

No shouts stating that the birds were late or ahead of schedule.

And above all no promise to use the birds in some potion or create one, - in case there were no potions that included the aforementioned - if those wretches dared to disturb Frau Grimilde's beauty sleep again.

(Honestly? It was nice not to wake up to all that confusion)

Realizing how too quiet was surrounding you, you woke up fully, sitting up in bed, remembering that you were back in Twisted Wonderland and were currently at the RSA.

Another thing that caught your attention was the incessant, yet gentle, sound of someone knocking on the door.

Walking down the stairs, rubbing the sleep from your eyes, you made your way to the bottom floor.

You hadn't even seen half a clock in any of the rooms and so you didn't know exactly what time it was; you didn't think you'd woken up very late, but then the bed was among the most comfortable you'd slept in, so you might actually have slept a lot more than you should have.

Back home you were used to waking up sometimes even before dawn, since every now and then Frau Grimilde would make you see or pick specific plants or herbs that needed to be harvested in that specific period of time; every now and then Maleficent also made you get up at sunrise or at other absurd hours to make you attend some rites or celebrations of the Fae or other magical creatures.

Opening the door you found yourself dazzled by the figure of a smiling and embarrassed Neige - not that you had noticed, but the boy was vibrating on the spot - who was holding a basket covered with a red and white checked cloth from which a smell came absolutely fabulous.

You blinked a few times.

Slamming the door in Neige's face would have been really rude to him, but it was what you wanted to do at that moment.

(at the other end of the island Vil had had a shiver of joy for no reason)

In front of you was a Neige with his big sweet eyes, the small friendly - embarrassed - smile with the blushing face that made him even cuter than he already was. With what you thought was his school uniform on which there were pins shaped like birds.

Adorable.

Practically perfect from every point of view.

And then there was you.

Just woke up, probably with a confused look as to what your name was, with a messy mass of hair - probably some of the birds had nested in it - presumably with pillow marks on your face.

In a nightgown, kindly offered by the house, which you didn't think could fit worse than it already did.

(In another universe Grimhilde was probably sensing a heavy disturbance in the force and Lady Tremeine was wondering what was wrong with your upbringing)

With a voice thick with sleep, because by now you had already made a fool of yourself, you invited Neige to sit down while you made yourself at least presentable, asking him if he would like some tea, and upon his affirmation, you cast a spell so as to save time, while you went up to the second floor.

Neige wanted to surprise you, but he was still a polite person and therefore he had sent you a message, but seeing your confused look he guessed that you shouldn't have read it. Of course, the fact that you were still in your pajamas made it even more obvious, but he was too caught up in how cute you looked when you just woke up.

When he saw you for the first time he thought you were wearing makeup, no makeup makeup, because you were really pretty, but seeing you as soon as you woke up made him realize that he was absolutely wrong. You were endowed with an innocent beauty, perceivable even when you had just woken up.

You were lovely no matter how he saw you.

(If he had taken you for a modeling audition they would certainly have taken you, his career would have been at stake)

After you cleaned yourself up to look decent, you went back down the stairs, finding yourself in front of a Neige who was already sipping his cup of tea.

"I hope you don't mind Fairy-san, I didn't want to wake you" and he looked away slightly "but I thought you would like to have breakfast together…" and he pointed with his head to the basket, now without cloth: inside there were different types of biscuits and Krapfen.

Sitting down across from him, you smiled at him, thanking him for the thought

You remained in silence for a few minutes, enjoying your meal, until the boy spoke

“Do you already know what you will do for the day?” Neige brought his face closer, resting his chin on his hands “I mean, after you talk to the Headmaster?”

You actually had no idea.

It all depended on what the Headmaster would answer, after all you didn't know how the man intended to get you to Crewel and Trein: you suspected he would use a portal, but you had no idea what kind.

You knew that there were different types of portals - mirrors, coffins, forests, etc. - but you hadn't seen anything like them in the HeadMaster's office; also who told you that you had authorization to use one of the school portals? You were still a stranger…

Maybe he would have made you use an enchanted mode of transportation? If you remembered correctly, there were carriages that had those characteristics, but in that case you didn't know how long it would take.

Remembering that Neige was still waiting for an answer you blinked, as if to snap out of your train of thought, then turning to him.

“I guess it depends on what the HeadMaster says, but I think I will have a bit of time to spare…Do you have any suggestions?”

Neige had never had much free time, but when he wasn't busy with work he didn't mind going shopping, but that was out of the question in your case, or just relaxing…

He was a little embarrassed to tell you this, it didn't make him sound very cool right?

You giggled, there was nothing wrong with dedicating yourself to yourself after a tiring day.

Once your breakfast was over, Neige proposed to escort you back to school, so that you could get to the principal without getting lost and you happily accepted.

Before leaving you went up to your room again to get your cell phone, hoping that no one had called you

(Heck, if you missed a call from Crewel or Trein you would never see the end of it, you'd be back to being escorted around by Lucius and with an even stricter curfew, you were sure of it)

Luckily for you, there were no missed calls, just several messages you should have responded to.

Along the way you found walking with Neige relaxing, it was easy to converse with him, and you enjoyed it when he got excited with a certain topic. That was until he started getting mobbed – not literally – by other students.

Yes, Neige had to be a rather popular personality, but you didn't want to question him, it didn't seem appropriate.

He left you in the chair, then increasing the speed with which he moved, there was no point in being late for class.

Before you could even knock on the door, it opened on its own, presenting you with the same environment as the day before, only the HeadMage was missing.

Entering without the owner's permission was rude, but seeing as the door had opened on its own, you took the gesture as an invitation.

You sat in the same chair as the day before, thanking her when she moved – for all you knew she could be sentient.

While you waited, you picked up your phone again, reading and replying to the various messages, at least until you felt like you were being watched.

No, the HeadMaster hadn't arrived yet, on the other hand you had a sugar bowl floating in front of you looking at you judgingly

(The sugar bowl didn't have a face at all, but its crossed handles on the front made you feel like it was judging you)

“Is this, um, your way of asking me what I'm doing here?”

The sugar bowl is moving in the negative direction, so you tried again

“Um, are you asking me if I want some tea then?”

And in that case it moved as if to say 'You've finally understood it'

You nodded. “But you know… shouldn't the Teapot be the one to ask if anyone wants tea?”

The little one started to walk away offended… if it had had a face she would probably have been sulking

"I didn't mean to offend you. I was curious… I could really use some tea” and you gave it your best puppy dog eyes.

Before it could answer you, you heard a giggle.

It was the Headmaster sitting at the desk, with his usual kind smile.

“Please continue, I didn't mean to interrupt your chat, but I have to talk to our guest, so if you could make another tea I would be very happy”

When the sugar bowl moved a little further away, he began to whisper

“ It must really like you. I've never seen it approach my guest myself. It is a little sensitive”

and while he was saying this the sugar bowl turned to 'look at you'.

This made you chuckle.

While you were having tea the HeadMaster explained to you what he had to do.

He had spoken to both Crewel and Trein and they had both agreed with him that the best place for you to arrive was the school, but they had rejected the idea of having you arrive in their hall of mirrors, it would have been definitely problematic, so it would have been better to have you use the portal which would lead you to Main Street, but it would take some time to get to it from the portal. They also had to talk to the HeadMaster of the NRC, no one can enter his jurisdiction without his permission, and he wasn't really in the mood to let in some 'special guest of the Headmaster of the RSA', but in the end he approved.

(apparently the competition between schools that Che'nya told you about was also present among the staff)

They would open the gate exclusively for you, so you would have a time limit to get through. Having addressed the problem of the arrival gate, we needed to talk about the departure gate.

The mirror room at the RSA didn't have a mirror leading to the portal you were interested in, but you would be able to reach it using one of the carriages the school would provide - although The Headmage had chuckled about a couple of students going to that portal on foot – but the road would have been a bit long, so it would have been better to leave quickly

(“No, I’m not chasing you out. But Sweet Child, you have to know that Crowley is quite a character to say the least” the fact that he told you this while laughing was not a good thing in your eyes)

Thanking the principal who directed you to the carriages, you bid farewell to both him and the sugar bowl as you left the room.

(She was nice…for a sugar bowl)

Once you left you texted Neige, apologizing for not being able to say goodbye properly - and he replied with a teary-eyed face and another crying face, how could he be so adorable even via text?! – and one to Che’nya, asking if he was bored.

He replied with a photo of you on the phone, the location not looking too far away.

You turned towards the direction from which you thought the photo had been taken, but you didn't see anything; you were undecided whether to move or wait for the boy to reach you, but to solve your problems you received another message from Che'nya

From : Kitty cat I'll wait for nya

And with that you went to the entrance of the building where you found Che'nya to whom you quickly explained the situation as you headed towards the carriages: he seemed ecstatic.

He responded happily to your silent question

“Cuddle time!”

You shook your head smiling: you had actually promised him, but there hadn't been a chance, so it seemed legitimate.

Your affirmative response apparently seemed to enlighten Che'nya, who began almost running to drag you along the way.

#twisted wonderland #disney twisted wonderland #disney twst #twst x reader #disney #reader insert #twisted wonderland x reader #vil schoenheit #neige x reader #neige leblanche #che'nya x reader #papa crewel

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onlyswan · 2 years

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summary: in which you and jungkook get your hands full . . . literally.

> fluff, suggestive / wc: 3.2k

> warnings: making out, lmk if there’s something i missed!

note: my mind has been blank for the past week then i just wrote this in one go 👩🏻‍💻 inspired by the babysitting ideas y’all sent but in art fashion. also a furry character from this drabble makes an appearance, and there are references from this drabble at the last part!

—

“please don’t tell me that’s what i think it is.” you gulp nervously, pupils shaking at the sight of a baby blue blanket bundled up in jungkook’s arms and a we bare bears themed bag hanging on his shoulder.

he gets caught off-guard, mouth hanging open as he looks at you and the peaceful thing sleeping in his arms back and forth. shit, he practiced how to explain this in the car ride back home. how does it go again?

“it’s a baby girl.” he replies innocently, pausing infront of you to show the face of the baby.

her chest rises and falls rhythmically, her beautifully thick eyelashes kissing her full rosy cheeks. what a breathtaking creation of passion she is. however, also the last thing you would expect your boyfriend to bring home at ten in the morning after spending an hour in the gym.

“you didn’t get another girl pregnant one drunken night, did you? and surely, you’re not expecting me to stand in as her mother? because i’m not a saint. i’m moving out of this place right now and taking bam with me, i swear to go-”

jungkook chokes on his own spit. he hurriedly brings back the baby in her pink stroller before he turns to face you again, releasing the coughs itching his throat.

“b-baby, no, no. it’s n-nothing like that- fuck!” he dramatically pounds at the left side of his chest as he continues to clear his throat, and you grimace at his loud thundering. you tilt your head to the side to look at the baby, surprised to see her still sleeping soundly despite your boyfriend’s ungraceful fits of coughing brought upon by his own bodily fluid. well, you’re sure that she’s breathing.

once he settes down, he releases an exhausted puff of air, hands gesturing wildly in the air. “i have never- i would never! get another girl pregnant! and me- i never even let myself drink so much to be obliterated. there’s no reason for me to.”

many years into your relationship, and you have never seen his doe eyes look this big and panicked. the perfect image of a deer caught in the headlights. your forehead remains creased for faux bewilderment as he defends himself rather in distress, speaking so fast he catches himself tripping over his own words because of his lisp. “i’d never make that mistake. i won’t be able to live with myself- seriously, baby, just the thought of it makes my skin crawl! you see, the baby, she’s rea-”

“alright, okay- calm down. take a breather.” you grab his wrists with each hand with a chuckle, forcing them to settle down on the curves of your waist before he hurts himself. you think back to the night he was intensely ranting about a friend accidentally deleting a music file on his computer, and how he came home from the restaurant with two of his fingers wrapped in yellow plaid band-aids because he scraped them on the edge of the table.

he frowns at you deeply, tense shoulders sagging. “nari is my trainer’s baby. he’ll pick her up here by 9pm.”

he squeezes at your sides, pulling you in by wrapping resting his palms on your lower back. “you’re so mean, you know that? you’ll win oscars and emmys. please audition to dramas.”

“yah!” you lightly hit his arm with a closed fist. “i wasn’t completely joking though. it could be true. life’s possibilities are endless.”

“no, it couldn’t!” he whines with a sad pout. “i’d never do that to you. i love you.”

you smile guiltily, not expecting him to get this invested in your made-up storyline. just the thought of it makes my skin crawl, he is the one. you press a kiss on his lips, only touching for a few seconds before you pull back.

you hold his cheek on your palm, thumb gently stroking his skin. “i know you won’t. i trust you, baby. i love you, too.”

the bunny smile he flashes you doesn’t last that long.

“but we have a problem.” you nod your head repeatedly with a defeated look on your face. “do you know what day it is?”

“uhm- saturday, right?”

“right . . .” you confirm, hand dropping to his shoulder to knead at his muscles. “and you remember what we do every saturday?”

“oh shit-”

you turn to greet the new arrivals, having finished their breakfast in the kitchen. “hi bam! hi fluffy!”

the doberman and golden retriever crowd the space of the doorway. fluffy stands up by using you as a support, nuzzling his face against your waist as you scratch his head. bam, on the other hand, is trying to sniff nari who is protectively held by jungkook. the two dogs are trained, and they often go out to parks and malls so they are used to being around people or animals they don’t know. bam, in particular, has always found babies fascinating.

“they are very excited for their walk at the park. which we do with them, every saturday. remember?”

fluffy is the dog of your friend. she drops him off almost every saturday because she’s too busy with her job to spend time and let him breathe in some fresh air. you and jungkook don’t mind this at all since you take bam on a walk as well, and it’s nice for him to have a friend.

the realization dawns on his face, clear as day. “ahhh- ah! that’s right, that’s right. we do that. shit- how can i forget? why did i bring a baby?” a shy smile forms on his lips now that he finally sees where you’re coming from.

you bury your face in your hands, body vibrating as you laugh at how ridiculous your boyfriend is being.

“what are we gonna do?”

“you’re the one who agreed to babysit! why are you asking me?!”

—

on normal saturdays, you’re holding hands with jungkook as a leash is securely gripped by your free hands. casually strolling through the park as the sun shines just bright enough that it kisses your skin softly, painting it with the glorious shade of daylight. bam purposely steps on fallen leaves to hear the crunch that tickles his ears like a feather. fluffy, the ever jolly fried chicken colored thing, gleefully walks with shaking pupils- towards the birds skipping on the ground, almost as if he wants to pounce them and it’s taking every ounce of self-control in his body not to, because they’re just so darn entertaining to watch.

this saturday, however, you’re neither holding jungkook’s big and protective hand, nor fluffy’s pink leash. instead, you’re carefully pushing a baby stroller to avoid any bumps on the ground, with a bag of milk, wipes, diaper, and toys hanging on your shoulder. meanwhile, jungkook is a few steps ahead of you, helplessly being tugged towards opposite directions by two big dogs.

turns out that nari likes going on walks as well. she started crying earlier when she woke up in jungkook’s arms, but she calmed down when you wheeled her in the bedroom to feed her the breast milk his father packed, along with a note of reminders and instructions. you brought one bottle and left behind the rest inside the fridge.

your boyfriend looked very enthusiastic when he suggested to bring the baby along with you and the dogs outside so you can carry on with your plans, but you can easily tell that he’s already feeling embarrassed with the glances your not so big and chaotic ‘family’ is gaining.

“i keep making bad decisions today. what’s with me?” he whines, the pace of his feet currently not in his control. “bamie, slow down a bit. dad just did leg day earlier . . . we’ll come back tomorrow, and i’ll let you run then. please.”

you take a peek at nari to find her smiling at fluffy with a pacifier in her mouth. she plays with her small fingers before making grabby hands at the golden retriever, too busy trying to chase bam’s fast pace to even notice.

you giggle, finding the whole situation too funny. you enjoy your routine, but it’s nice to have a change like this every once in a while. besides, you also enjoy watching jungkook’s pouty complaints.

“come on, this isn’t so bad!”

“yeah, yeah,” he grumbles. “do you want to trade places then?”

“no thanks.” you chirp, briefly closing your eyes to savor the gentle breeze blowing on your face. “me and my nari are having a nice time together.”

he sighs as he gets tugged by fluffy, slight swerving to the right. “while my bam and fluffy are the only ones having fun.”

jungkook’s doe eyes meet nari’s almond ones, and he smiles at her fondly. “are you having a nice time, nari?”

she giggles in response, making her pacifier fall out of her mouth. his life flashes infront of his eyes, and seconds feel like years when her face scrunches up, the baby on the verge of wailing.

“her pacifier-”

you halt on your tracks, quickly moving to put it back in her mouth because god forbid you don’t know how you’re going to calm down her again if she falls back into another loud crying session. she relaxes back into her small bed, entertaining herself with the ring of the pacifier.

however, it seems like the sound of her giggle earlier attracted bam’s attention once again. he stands beside the stroller, while fluffy entertains himself with watching his friend’s tail wagging excitedly- his eyes darting around to follow the directions its moving towards.

nari’s small hand cups bam’s nose just right, and you can almost swear that he smiles at her. her giggles float around the air like a delightful morning song, and the doberman leans his neck on the edge of the stroller to get his fix.

“bam, no. no licking nari. sit.” you instruct him, and he obeys immediately.

let’s just say he licked the face of a baby’s stranger once, and understandably, they weren’t so pleased about it. that’s why although you let him interact with babies, you never let him get that close for hygienic and common decency reasons.

“that’s right. good boy.” jungkook praises him with the baby voice he only uses with bam. (his baby voice with you is quieter and sweeter, and you hate how you’re even comparing the two right now.) “i’ll give you some treats later, okay?”

bam perks up at the mention of food, an excited tongue hanging from his mouth as he pants. fluffy sits next to him, very much used to getting fed as well when bam is rewarded. it makes jungkook chuckle as he pets his head. “yes, you too, fluffy. be good boys and stop running, hmm?”

a dog is a man’s best friend, indeed.

you start biting at the edges of the cone of your ice cream, and nari, who is safely held by your arms, finds the crunching sound interesting. she sucks on her pacifier with your every bite, and you find yourself following a rhythm with her. meters away from the bench you’re occupying is jungkook running with the dogs in the middle of the park, having given up on scolding them, and resorted to just letting them tire themselves them out.

“baby, save me! i’m so tired!” he screams in agony. “my knees- they’re shaking!”

“this is why i said switching abs and leg day was a bad idea.” you say, more to yourself as you shake your head at the tragic scene that’s been unfolding for the past five minutes or so. “right, nari?”

she giggles as if she’s being tickled, and you find yourself enchanted by her thick and beautiful eyelashes, and how they flutter so gracefully.

“so pretty.”

—

“let’s have another review on our thoughts about having a baby.” jungkook proposes, holding nari’s baby bottle for her as she snuggles with her favorite giraffe stuffed toy. she’s on the verge of falling asleep. her eyes keep on closing, but she opens them again as if the taste of the milk nudges her awake.

it’s already 7pm. you, jungkook, and nari are hanging out on the couch with the lights dimmed and the television on low volume. the dogs passed out to sleep when they got home, and fluffy was fetched by your friend an hour ago. bam went back to his house to sleep again after eating dinner, but there’s a part of you that’s guessing he’s playing with a toy he hid inside it again.

“hmm, well, it’s the same as before.” you answer truthfully without an ounce of hesitation layered in your voice as fix up nari’s bib carefully before wiping her chin with it. “babysitting nari was fun, and i want to do it again in future. but having our own baby, i don’t think about it that much. we’re enjoying ourselves as our own person and as a couple, and i want to keep it that way for now.”

“right? me too. me too. we’re so busy, but we’re enjoying working on our own stuff. we should live life to the fullest and not take it for granted.” he nods his head in agreement, feeling all warm and bubbly inside.

he loves how you can talk about this topic comfortably, and how you’re straightforward about your refreshing thoughts and opinions. the safe atmosphere surrounding you makes it easy for him to be honest as well. “i think it keeps our relationship healthy, that we discuss our present thoughts and situation instead of making big plans ahead.”

“of course you’d say that after changing her diaper.” you chuckle. the image of your boyfriend determined to finish the task despite not enjoying it one bit, speaking to nari with a doting baby voice to make time fly faster— it has been stored in the precious little memory box stored in your brain.

“it’s not like that!” he denies, but he is betrayed by his inability to contain his laughter. the corners of his eyes crinkles and his nose scrunches, a breathy laugh escaping him. “really, i don’t mind doing it when we babysit.”

“really? okay. you do it from now on.”

a complaint hangs on the tip of his tongue, but he concedes. “okay. it’s not a problem to me.”

silence fills the air. and you snort at how miserable he looks after digging his own hole.

he scoffs in embarrassment. “i’ll make changing diapers my new talent. you’ll see.”

“i’m looking forward to it, my love.” you reply to him sweetly, pulling away his hand to make the rubber pop out of her mouth, conscious of accidentally waking her up. the baby has finally succumbed to drowsiness. you cautiously wipe her mouth with the bib again, before carrying her back to her stroller in preparation for when her father arrives.

you crawl back on the couch, placing a pillow on jungkook’s lap before lying on your back.

“hi. i love you.”

you look up at him with an amused smile, catching him gazing at you with his eyes shimmering with devotion, and you’re afraid you might actually melt this time. “all of a sudden?”

he sighs deeply as he starts caressing your hair tenderly. “you’ve been upset with me. because i don’t say it as much as i used to.”

his statement catches you offguard. the ever so familiar urge to cry like a baby surfaces, and you blink back the tears forming in your eyes. it takes you a minute to compose yourself and to organize your thoughts, but he waits patiently.

“you noticed that?”

“oh baby, i know you better than you think.” he answers quietly, thumb brushing off the lone tear that escaped down to your temple. “but i should pay more attention. i’m sorry that i’ve been too busy.”

“no, you have nothing to be apologize for.” your voice cracks by the end, and a wave of tears fall when he leans down to kiss your cheek. “i’m just being silly.”

jungkook has the divine superpower of making a moment feel like blissful eternity.

“how is wanting to be reminded that you’re loved silly when it keeps us alive?”

his lips ghost over yours before they touch. he whispers an i love you with each kiss, a hand wrapped around your neck. it just stays there without any pressure, for the sole purpose of feeling your rapid pulse under his fingers. you’re alive.

normally, when you say a word or a phrase over and over again, it tends to feel foreign on your tongue until it loses its meaning. but each of his i love you gains more weight, and god knows you’ve always been a hypocrite when it comes to your inhibitions. the sharp tug on his hair makes him groan raspily. your restless hand prevents him from disconnecting your lips one more time because you just decided that you want more of his honey kisses instead of hushed confessions as a testament of his love.

you see, jungkook has never regretted a tattoo or piercing in his life to the point that he wanted them removed, that is until he found himself regretting his lip piercing every time you tease him with it during your makeout sessions. because the doorbell rings, and it renders him crazier, how you don’t forget to playfully tug on it with your teeth, to lick it as if to soothe away his pain, before you push him away.

his longing eyes chases after your glossy lips. his deceivingly innocent lover, he never wants to be far away from you.

“we would be horrible parents.” you mutter under your breath when you sit up to be greeted by bam, the hand of a baby holding his nose again.

“the absolute worst.” your boyfriend one-ups you with a sigh. “bam, house.”

the dog avoids his eyes, subtly leaning his head towards nari more. “bam. i said house.” at that, he obediently walks back to the bedroom.

“why does he always need to be told twice?” you breath out a laugh, but it gets cut short when the doorbell rings again.

“shit- wait, talk to him for a bit. i need to clean her hand first.” you panic, scrambling to open the zipper of her bag to retrieve the baby wipes.

“stop cursing infront of the child!” jungkook cries out, looking back at you briefly before resuming his journey to their door.

you make a face at him before pulling nari’s stroller towards you. “if shit becomes your first word, don’t tell your parents i’m the one who taught you, okay, nari?”

she listens to you with a bewildered look on her face, and she bursts into a fit of giggles when she hears her name.

her bright and loud presence has plastered a permanent endeared smile on your lips. “that’s my girl.”

—

taglist! @alanniys @jjkeverlast @queenofdragonsandcats @yvesismywife @enhypenslay @cramseys @witchfqllen @virgogentlejk @rkie @jeonwiixard @monilyv @bermudaisy @ameliejeannelaurent @takochelle @the1921-monsters @investedreader @seagulljk @yeow6n @yoonqkiss @hopeworldjimin @lllucere @unnatae @zqynmlk @bxbyyyjocelyn @zkdlllin + send an ask / dm if you want to be added (or removed) :D

#jungkook #jungkook fluff #jungkook drabble #jungkook scenario #jungkook imagine #jungkook one shot #jungkook fic #jungkook x you #jungkook x reader #jungkook angst #jungkook smut #bts fluff #bts reaction

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wazzappp · 3 months

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I am a woman of weak will with no excuse for this @moosemonstrous thank you for being my most trusted enabler advisor and @cicada-candy thank you for your encouragement <3

WOE. GHOST RIDER MAGICAL GIRL AU HELLFIRE GALA FITS BE UPON YE.

Ok so the first genre is High fashion/Familiar themed!

Robbie is in something edgy and asymmetrical. Lots of variations in texture with solid, glitter and mesh areas. A fun grungy makeup style that I thought would suit him well. The more solid areas have a snakeskin texture that I'm not sure came through in the image export sorry lol. Delicate silver pieces help to balance out the harshness of the general aesthetic of the dress. Overall tried to mimic the slithering motion of a snake with the twisting pattern of his dress materials and made it a little more obvious with the snake bracelet.

Danny's focuses on layered sheer materials. Lots of feather and wing embroidery to connect him to his familiar. Nice silver chain around the waist to give the dress some shape and structure and help separate the top and bottom areas. Leg slit to create some interest so things aren't too symmetrical and boring (also you have moose to thank for the boob window lmao). A fun little wing pendant for the back detail ties it together pretty well I think.

JOHNNYYYYYYYYYY pulled a LOT of Avril Lavigne vibes and I'm honestly not sure why. I guess I just really wanted to see in some 'trashy' Y2K fashion (trashy in quotation marks cause I think it's COOL actually) and she's the first person that came into mind. Fur at the top of the dress contrasts with the shiny/glitter material on the rest of it. White tips on the ends of his boots and gloves because of Zaradogs lil sock feet <3. A fun ponytail with some black chain necklaces finishes everything pretty well.

FRANK. DIFFICULT AS ALWAYS. HAD to include fur I had to connect him to Cat-stle somehow. Other than that his look is very Matrix inspired. Very slick and fairly practical. SPIKY ass boots and a fun laceup back add some detail to the otherwise very simple fit. Some mesh areas on the jacket also include just a little bit of variation in texture.

BALLROOM LOOKS!! We getting FANCY.

Something light and fun for Robbie with LOTS of gradient chiffon. A more solid waist wrap to help eccentuate a more solid shape for the more drifting ends of the dress. I'm a sucker for sheer sleeves brother I have no excuse.

EEEEEE PRINCESS DANNY COMING THROUGH!! I LOVE how this one came out! Fun off the shoulder moment with gloves to make sure his arms don't look too plain. Faux silver corset that dissolves into layers of sheer glittery material to form a full length ballgown with lots of nice volume.

JOHNNY YOU GAVE ME TROUBLE. Wanted to include lots of geometric shapes (moose and I looked at QUITE A FEW reference images) so I was able to fit that in with the tessellation patterns on the sleeves and mesh sides, as well as the triangular shape of the top area of the dress. Tried not to overdo the gold glitter by limiting it to a strip down the middle with longer black panels on the sides.

Frank with a VERY classic look I'm a sucker for a square top. He's also got the fun mesh sleeves, this time with some lace patterns. Layered skirt with a bit of volume and glitter ends (I'm a SUCKER for glitter ends). Vibrant red top to show off his signature color with some ribbing to mimic a corset.

AFTER PARTY DRESSES. Fuckin. Euphoria lookin ass dresses. Idk man I just love these kinds of dresses and thought I would go ham at the end for one final nonsense fun look.

#Ive got no excuse brother #ok now to move on to fighting styles #playing dress up with them was a special kind of fun though for fucking real #I love going dress shopping so this was a blast for me #JEEZ did it ever take me a while though lmao #ghost rider magical girl au #ghost rider #my art #sketch #robbie reyes #danny ketch #johnny blaze #frank castle #woe. main tag be upon ye. fuck you #alright time to go to bed lmfao

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fang-and-feather · 6 days

Text

Ikemen Prince - Keith x Reader

This is almost too late but was written for @keithsandwich's birthday.

So Happy Birthday!! Here is a small gift for you, dear. If I had more time, I would have tried to include your OC, but this came from a bout of inspiration yesterday and it turned into this. It's my first time writing Keith, so hope I didn't mess them too badly. And hope you enjoy it.

Words: 1143

IkePri Masterlist / General Masterlist

You were startled out of a sweet dream with your boyfriend, by a mild shake on your shoulders, from what you could only see as a silhouette in the dark.

Your scream was muffled by a large hand covering your mouth, and the person leaned closer so you could see his face better.

You relaxed upon noticing it was just your boyfriend - Alter Keith, given his rougher gestures - who put a finger to his lips, asking for silence, and only when you nodded was that he pulled away.

“Get dressed and come.” He told you, straightening himself.

As your eyes adjusted to the dark, you noticed he was already dressed. Your attention turned to the window, to confirm the sun wasn’t even up yet. What could he want you to be awake at such an hour for?

But there didn’t seem to be any urgency, just a bit of impatience, and you trusted him enough that you didn’t need to ask.

He went to your wardrobe and handed you a dress you didn’t even remember owning. A forest green dress, with details in silvery white, including embroidery of flowers and butterflies. It wasn’t too fancy or too simple. Truly a dress for a variety of occasions. You also thought it had a fairy-like vibe.

“When did you get this?” You asked while changing into it.

Of course, the dress fit you like a glove, which probably meant one of them had personally picked it.

You never felt too shy to change in front of your boyfriend, but the way you could feel his gaze, even turned mostly away from him, made a heat spread up through your body, that you couldn’t say if it was of embarrassment or something else.

“Yesterday, during your lessons.”

“Was that why I was held there a little longer than usual?”

“He also had to pick up something in town, so the trip took longer than I expected.”

So they had gotten separate gifts for you? But why was Alter giving his to you already?

You combed your hair before turning to him.

“Does it look like you expected?”

Now, face-to-face with him looking you over as you waited for a response, it really made you embarrassed, so you gave him a playful twirl, to show off a little while avoiding his gaze.

“Better. Now come. I will let him show you the rest of the surprise. But before that…” He pulled you by the hand, the other hand reaching for your waist when you were close enough, capturing your lips in a deep, passionate kiss. “I will settle for only this for now.”

A shame, but you wouldn’t protest when you were curious about what he meant by ‘the rest of the surprise’.”

With an arm still firmly around your waist, it was still Alter that led you out of the castle, as if trying to make sure you two went unnoticed. Not that it was a difficult task. He seemed to know well what he was doing.

A little farther into the garden was when he let his other self take over. Keith immediately pulled his arm away, only to take your hand instead, as he turned to you with a sheepish smile.

“I’m sorry he had to wake up like that. I told him we should have told you in advance about our plans, but…”

You squeezed his hand and gave him a reassuring smile.

“It’s fine. I was a little surprised, but I’m happy to spend time with you. I don’t mind when you surprise me.”

He smiled at you, relieved.

“I wanted to do this in a better place, but things have been hectic lately, so I am sorry if it is not what you expected.”

“Anything you do or give me will always feel better than I could expect, because you always do it with love. And your love will always be the best gift I could have.”

“But it’s your birthday. Of course you deserve more. And although this is not what I hoped, I hope you will like it.”

He led you further into the garden, towards a more secluded area. This spot almost looked like it was in the middle of a forest, with a few tall trees covered in flowering vines. There was just enough space for you to see paths of the lightening sky beyond.

Keith also looked at the sky, before turning back to you, both of you facing each other.

“I wanted to go somewhere where we could see the sunrise, but I didn’t want for it to be inside. Above all, I wanted to greet this new day with you. The day you were born will always be special to me, because I will always be grateful for you.” Looking a little shy, he gently pulled you closer and kissed the back of your hand. “Happy birthday, my beloved. Thank you for loving me.” His other hand cupped your cheek, and you shared a sweet, lingering kiss. “Also, I have a gift for you. It’s not as…”

You knew what he was thinking before he finished the sentence. So, this time you were the one to kiss him, watching with delight as his cheeks turned pink.

“I won’t have you comparing your gift to his, or apologizing for something you picked with love. I know you both thought a lot about what to get me, and I will be happy just because you picked it for me.”

Keith nodded and picked a small box from his pocket, presenting it to you silently.

Inside the box was a beautiful hair clip. A silver butterfly encrusted with jades.

“This is so lovely! Can you put it on for me?” You turned around for him to do that, shivering when his fingers brushed the back of your neck as he worked on your hair. “So? How does it look?”

“Beautiful.” He whispered.

“And both your gifts match so perfectly, it’s hard to think you picked them separately.”

“Because both of us picked them thinking of you.”

You turned around, now with more light shining on his side, framing him perfectly and really letting you see the softness with which he smiled at you. It was really the perfect spot.

“Thank you! For the gift, and for such a delightful surprise. I love you.”

He kissed you again before replying.

“I love you too, my beautiful princess.”

There was a moment of silence, then you noticed the shift in his expression that told you they had switched.

“We love you. Happy birthday.” You were once again pulled into his arms and into a deep kiss. “We wanted to greet the dawn with you, but dawn means our day is just starting. I hope you’re ready, because we’ll show you how much we love and are grateful for you.”

#ikemen prince #ikepri keith #ikepri #ikepri fanfic

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blue-jisungs · 1 year

Text

sunday morning…

a/n. this song has been on my mind on a constant loop for like 2 weeks now, thanks joshua 😀

au. coffee shop <3

warnings. cursing!

joshua really loved this cafe.

he discovered it one day on a rainy day. whilst looking for shelter he felt like drinking a warm cup of tea and some pastry. not only it wasn’t crowded but also the vibes were immaculate.

soft music, plants everywhere, warm lighting. and what - or who - also caught his eye was the cashier. you. but obviously you didn’t know that.

hence the reason he started visiting the cafe more often. by now you knew his order by heart (and also his name). sometimes he was so quiet you forgot he was there. just like today.

the rain was pouring outside the window and you were so caught in its sound and your work - which at the current moment was icing the fresh baked cinnamon rolls. you suddenly realised it’s was a sunday morning, which meant two things: the maroon 5 song and that you can go home soon (since it wasn’t your shift today but your coworker asked you to open up). before you knew, you subconsciously hummed:

“sunday morning, rain is falling…”

joshua’s head snapped in your direction, eyes widening. he observed you - in this cute, red apron and with the focus on your face. maybe he misheard? either way, it made his lips turn into a smile.

just when he was about to go back to his work, he heard…

“…steal some covers, share some skin…” you hummed again and leaned away to look at the rolls. now you just have to display them. you grabbed the plate and did just that while still (not noticing joshua) quietly singing “…clouds are shrouding us in moments unforgettable…”

you emptied the plate and put it in the dishwasher.

“…you twist to fit the mold that I am in…” you sighed, shaking your head and came back to admire your work with a grin on your face. that’s when you heard–

“…but things just get so crazy, living life gets hard to do”

“holy shit–!” you yelped, head snapping up to see joshua sitting at his table. he was looking at you with that stupid, sweet smile of his–

“i didn’t know you like that song” he hummed and stood up, taking the empty plate and cup.

“i do. i forgot you’re here. shit, that scared me” you laughed, placing your hand on top of your heart dramatically.

“sorry, didn’t mean to. i’m just… a little obsessed with this song and i couldn’t help myself” he chuckled and put the dishes on the countertop.

“that’s fine. it’s really pretty, isn’t it? it always brings me comfort… a warm feeling” you smiled softly and put the dishes into dishwasher.

“it is” joshua agreed, not able to stop smiling.

“what are you doing here at this hour, anyway?” you asked and looked at him with curiosity. he shrugged.

“looking for inspiration. and you? this is not your shift” joshua replied, his chocolate-colored irises scanning your face. wait, how does he even know that..?

“yeah, you’re right. my coworker asked me to open up because she had a doctor appointment and might be late or something. that’s why i’m leaving once she arrives” you hummed.

“any plans?” he asked, leaning on the countertop. you shook your head as a no “…so maybe… we could go driving slow on sunday morning?”

you grinned, foolish smile caused by his antics. trying to remain calm (you failed miserably), you nodded a bit too energetically.

“but the coffee is on me this time” he winked.

“i’d love to” you sent him a warm smile and took off your apron upon noticing the silhouette of your coworker approaching.

[ masterlist <3 ]

taglist. @geniejunn ,, @luvhyun3 ,, @starlostseungmin ,, @elviransworld ,, @jnks6r ,, @sieunsgf ,, @lhsng ,, @ethereallino ,, @laylasbunbunny ,, @duolingofanaccount ,, @slytherinhobi ,, @jung0ne ,, @ka-ni-ma

#joshua #joshua x you #joshua x reader #joshua hong #joshua fluff #joshua svt #svt fluff #svt imagines #svt x reader #svt soft hours #svt reactions #svt vocal unit #joshua imagines

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cinnamokittykat · 5 months

Text

Inspired by @puff0o0 's artwork pt2!

Wait, he isn't going to get mad at me, or worse?

You stare in amazement as he pulls a plastic chair out for you to sit. Tentatively you take a seat as they begin to play a song you had yet to hear of. It was rather slow, and the person who was singing sounded rather sad.

The drums in the background were prominent and quite well-played from what you could gather. You rested your face in your hand, watching the drummer boy at work, his hair flinging around and arms flexing. Upon closer inspection, he was wearing leather pants and a tee with a skeleton print on it, and it fit him very well if you did say.

After several minutes, the melancholy melody came to a halt and they transitioned to a more lively, fire-y song talking about "obeying your master" or something rather. It had a pretty impressive guitar part, so you quite enjoyed that. (yes im sorry i only know it from stranger things im so sorry i'm a goth girlie, not a metalhead)

The man gets up from his seat and walks- more like strides- over to where you're sitting. You feel even smaller in front of the Goliath of a man in front of you.

"So, what did you think?" He inquires in accented monotone.

"That's what... metal is?" You tilt your head to the side, still half-expecting to be decked.

"Ja, the second song. We also do more gothic stuff, which was the first one."

"I see. It sounds..."

"Dark?" He finishes your sentence for you.

"Yes."

He looks off to the side, then back at you.

"Your name is?" You ask hesitantly.

"Me or the band?"

"You... b-but also the band!"

"Well, I am König, they-" He points to the other boys in the garage "call me Kilgore though, the guitar player is 'Phantom', and the singer is 'Leshy'. And we're all part of a group called 'Feral Woods'. And may I ask your name?"

"Oh, well... it's (y/n)."

König cocks his head to the side ever so slightly, before finally smiling for the first time.

"You are welcome to watch me practice whenever you want to, (y/n)."

You forget to thank him out of pure, unadulterated shock. The last thing you expected out of a broody, all black wearing teen was kindness. After a few more songs, your mother calls you home for dinner. You wave goodbye to the boys and tell them how nice it was to meet them before rushing home down the street.

‿︵‿︵୨˚̣̣̣͙୧ - - ୨˚̣̣̣͙୧‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵୨˚̣̣̣͙୧ - - ୨˚̣̣̣͙୧‿︵‿︵

As you sit in your fluffy bed with a mug of tea, you think about how strange it all felt. You more or less interrupted practice for a Gothic giant twice and he showed you nothing but kindness.

Well, it doesn't matter now. I'm sure we'll both forget about each other soon, school starts tomorrow and I need to focus on my studies.

You think to yourself, looking at your pristine bookbag all packed up for the following day, and your girlish pastel outfit laid out on a chair.

I can't believe they would make my schedule like that!

You recall the email sent to you a few days ago with your attached schedule, and how you called all your friends to compare them, only to find out that you only shared 1 class with 1 of your closest friends. To make all matters worse, it was your senior year. Hell is a teenage girl, isn't that the saying?

Foreshadowing, anyone? I decided to take some liberties and make him a silly goth boy as well as a metalhead, mainly because I've never seen goth guys in media that aren't vampires tbh.

#konig #cod konig #konig mw2 #konig cod #konig modern warfare #konig fanfiction #cod x you

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undercoverwizardfanfiction · 2 months

Note

HI!! This is random but I wanted to jump on here and let you know how much in simply ADORE your rottmnt fantasy au!! IT MEANS SO MUCH TO ME!! I’m almost never a fantasy au person (it also being a sep!au is what peaked my interest if I’m being honest) but my god yours is just so amazing and perfect! Leo being with Big Mama of course fights so well with him and I’m always a fan of that but Raph with Jupiter Jim James is just genius!!! I don’t know how you came up with it but I’m in love and being a bounty hunter with hero vibes is just so him. I’d absolutely love to see more of him with JJ and more importantly Red Fox!! I can’t remember if you established who exact Mikey was raised by but I’d also love to know more about what happened with him! Finally, Donnie. I could write an essay on how much I love your Donnie. Being a thief fits him and his morally ambiguous self perfectly but putting him with the Mud Dogs? Giving them so much built upon and interesting lore? Making Lenard his primary guardian? Oh I just ate that up!! Every fic was an absolute pleasure to read and you wrote their characters and relationships so well!! I go back to reread things every so often and it never gets old. I could reread it a thousand times and I’d still be smiling under my blanket like a middle school girl every time!! Giving Donnie leg disability too was so cool! I love how seamlessly you write it into your fics and it’s one of my favorite things! It inspired me to give my own sep!au Donnie something similar!!

That’s about all I have to say but I really hope it conveys just how much your au means to me, truly. I hope you’re doing better and look forward to an update but don’t worry about it. I’m more than content reading what you do have to the end of time!

I’m so glad that you enjoyed the fantasy au, it genuinely made me smile. I feel lucky to work with my friends on this au. I hope to do more writing soon but the past few years have been unkind. Thank you so much for such kind words. it made my day :’)

#rottmnt #rottmnt fanfiction #rise of the teenage mutant ninja turtles #donnie #leo #rottmnt fantasy au #lenard #the mud dogs

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tending-the-hearth · 10 months

Text

So I’m working a summer camp/summer school this year, and while my kids are working on their summer packets, I have time to read! It’s been fun, because I’m reading a book a day, which is something i haven’t done in years.

I’m catching up on the “A Twisted Tale” series, so I thought I’d do a ranking of the books I’ve read so far! I’ve just ordered “Go the Distance” and “When You Wish Upon a Star”, so I’ll have the full collection by the end of the week, which is VERY exciting!

So here are the books I’ve read + my ranking/reviews (spoiler-free)(also all of these reviews are my own opinion, so if you like one that i said i wasn’t a fan of, PLEASE remember it’s my opinion):

“As Old As Time”: 10/10 - y’all can’t be surprised that this is my favorite in the series. It was the first one I read, and when i tell you the last section of the book had me sobbing on the train, everything about the story was so wonderfully written, and Adam’s entire character arc just made me fall in love with him more. And just… Belle was perfection. Gaston continues to be one of the most terrifying Disney villains, and Adam and Belle continue to be my absolute favorite Disney Prince/Princess couple.

“Almost There”: 10/10 - ok so I JUST read this one yesterday (because i just bought it lmao) and it was one of the best books I’ve ever read! I loved getting a look at Faclier’s past, and how he came to know his “friends”. Tiana’s entire struggle throughout the story, of the decision she was going between, it was honestly heartbreaking. Also the way Charlotte and Tiana’s friendship was discussed, and the moment at the department store, this whole book was fantastic.

“Reflection”: 10/10 - MULAN AND SHANG MY BELOVEDS!! Seriously, their relationship progressing from begrudging allies, to friends, to having feelings for each other??? I really loved how the entire struggle of Shang finding out that Mulan is a woman, not because of her gender, but because he found out that she lied, and it fit so well with their budding friendship.

“So This Is Love”: 9/10 - listen i love love love a good Cinderella retelling. I honestly have to think that this book took some kind of inspiration from “A Twist in Time”, because it just felt like there were moments in the book that reflected the movie! And given how “A Twist in Time” is honestly one of my favorite Disney movies, it makes sense that I love this book. Charles and Cinderella are so sweet together, and the fact that they establish that Cinderella was at the ball just to have fun and to dance and not to find a prince!!! I loved it so much.

“What Once Was Mine” 8/10 - okay so this was REALLY good, and the little lore insert with the Moon Flower made me SO excited to have references to the TV show. Arianna was a fantastic character, especially since we know so little about her just from the movie itself, and I love the entire underlying theme of mothers and daughters and how their relationships can be so different.

“Conceal, Don’t Feel” 7/10 - I’ll be honest and say this was my least favorite. Frozen was never my favorite Disney movie, but I did like the idea of Anna and Elsa coming together despite being separated after everything happened. The plot was a little forgettable compared to the other installments of the series that I’ve read so far, but I can see how, if you love Frozen, you’ll absolutely adore this book!!

And these are the ones I have left to read (probably in the order I’ll read them):

“Mirror, Mirror”

“Part of Your World”

“Once Upon a Dream”

“Go the Distance”

“Straight in Till Morning”

“When You Wish Upon a Star”

And I’m so so excited for “A Twisted Tale Anthology”, and will be buying it as soon as it’s released! Or I’ll preorder it, but either way, I can’t wait!! (Me and @queen-with-the-quill will definitely have a freak out together once we both read it lmao)

#a twisted tale #twisted tales #disney #beauty and the beast #princess and the frog #mulan #cinderella #tangled #frozen

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heavenstocharlee · 2 years

Text

Orbiting // m.lee

“Can I make it with you, if I orbit around you?”

Summary: Haze. A despicable name people called you, as your dating life became a public spectacle to everyone. Everyday you hoped that some would see beyond the pretense, when lo and behold, comes Mark Lee. You refuse to believe the truth, until one fateful night where boundaries between friendship and something more become blurrier than ever. The orbiting was over, and collision was imminent.

Characters: Mark Lee x fem!reader

Category: strangers to lovers!au / college!au / angst / mutual pining / slight slow burn (apologies) / suggestive scene / fluff if you squint

Word count: 15k+

Warnings: Main character has low self-esteem after being with toxic people, has self-deprecating/intrusive thoughts, please be aware! / Chenle and Yuta are meaaan (so sorry)

Song inspiration: Peace by Taylor Swift, Dress by Taylor Swift, Orbiting by Reese Lansangan

Writer’s notes: Hello everyone! After a long hiatus, here is another Mark Lee work of mine. This took so much longer than I was hoping, but it also felt more intimate to me than ever. This idea came to mind when I was listening to Dress by Taylor Swift, and soon followed more songs that fit the meteorological narrative I was imagining. I really hope you guys would enjoy this as much as I had fun stress-writing it (for almost two years)! Well wishes to everyone and happy reading!

The bare reflection in the mirror reveals yourself, fully unprepared for the night that is about to come. You convince yourself that by doing this game of dress up, you can stall the time enough for your feelings to change. Turning towards where your bed is located, a black satin dress laid upon its pale beige sheets. This outfit was out of your comfort zone to say the least, considering you were more of the type of girl who would wear your favorite sweatpants for parties. However, this was no regular party. A certain someone was there, and you were aiming to leave an impression on his fine evening. To further awaken your uncertainties of the evening, you placed both of your hands against your cheek allowing its coldness seep through your nerves.

The beginning of festivities always seemed to be the hardest, but you muster up all your courage to get ready. You wore a classic winged eyeliner paired with your hair swept into a low side ponytail. The noir dress complemented the silver choker decorated around your neck. Instead of sacrificing your toes for the party, you sport your black leather boots for good luck. Catching the reflection once again in the mirror, you begin to recognize yourself even more in this look.

Was it enough to instigate the reckoning? Swearing by the stars and sky, You hope so.

A loud car honk sirens your wishful thinking for the night. You look upon the window and saw your friend, Ryujin, waving at the front porch. Quickly collecting your things and spraying yourself with an aroma of courage you’ve built up all night, you decided to step out of your apartment. The stars were evidently rooting for you tonight, as the clouds hid behind their shining glory. Despite the cold spring breeze of May, it was not enough to diminish your excitement of what’s to come.

“Looking extra dolled up tonight, are we?” The lovely Ryujin, dressed in her long-sleeved polo shirt and black baseball cap, greets you with a smirk on her face.

“Are you finally going to declare your love? Oh, I mean tempt the man of your dreams? She further exclaims.

“First of all, I am not a temptress. Let’s get that straight.” Waving your pointer finger to prove a point. “Secondly, I don’t plan to reveal my feelings anytime. He deserves to know at the right time.” “And definitely not in a place where it reeks of booze and cigarettes.” You jokingly added while fastening on your seatbelts. Ryujin starts to drive, still with a sly smile across her face.

“Are you still going to keep on stalling? Mark is a hot guy, _____. He is not going to stay single until the end of the year.” She glances at your side, admitting a well-known fact you already know.

Oh, the epitome of a gentle sunshine, Mark Lee.

“I get that. It’s just…” You try to form the next few words into your head before confessing.

“He is worth waiting for.” A smile forms from the edges of your lips. Ryujin nudges you teasingly.

“Okay, Miss Hopeless Romantic! You guys sound perfect for each other, so he is bound to end up with you… I just feel it.” She taps you in the thigh to reassure your worries.

After countless banters adjacent to the neon city lights, you arrived at the place of interest. Kim Jungwoo’s residence or more so his parent’s summer villa. You observe the mansion that is in front of you, lavishly decorated with gleaming fluorescent lights and electronic sound pounding across the structure. Ryujin accompanies you to the entrance, but from the moment you stepped into the hall, you felt everyone’s eyes were on you. Oh man, were you the belle of the ball.

You weren’t necessarily the most lowkey person in your small college. Unfortunately, your legacy does not originate from the championships you won, or the scholastic grades you earned, but in your “gossip-worthy” dating history. Your name does get around in places you wish wouldn’t, but as much as you said it didn’t bother you, the blatant and judgmental stares when you enter the room sometimes feel like daggers piercing through your skin. These thoughts ruminate on most days, however at some point, you just realize that you can’t control them. You already despise yourself enough.

Trying your best to hold your chin up high, you try to scurry unto the sea of people and arrive in the lobby staircase. This is where you are welcomed by the host of the party.

‘Hey, _____! Nice to see you got here just in time.” Jungwoo greeted. You gave him a friendly hug as a way of appreciation for the not so casual invite.

“I know, Ryujin was such a slow driver.” You nudge towards Ryujin who rolls her eyes as a reply.

“But you bet, I’ll never miss a party in the Kim residence.” You gave a wink.

“Says the one who took ages to get ready. Anyways, I need to greet some of my folks over there!” Ryujin happily remarked while looking across the kitchen where her dance club members are.

“Help yourselves guys! There are drinks, pizza, and some churros. God they’re so good, ______!” He invitingly smiled while pointing over the feast on the counter table. Ryujin sends one of her buddies a wave, before pointing her phone towards you. This is assuming she will text you if she decides to run off with a boy tonight or if she would be an unlucky woman of the night and be your chauffeur home. She slowly disappeared into the vast crowd of people.

“By the way, the squad is over on that side if you’re wondering. They seem eager to meet you about something.” Jungwoo pointed out the sofa where some of your friends are playing beer pong.

“Got it, but first… I am in deep need of a drink.” You gesture to your empty hands, when a handsome young fellow suddenly appeared like magic, and placed a red solo cup unto your palms.

“Here you are, milady.”

You immediately recognize this charmer as one of your closest friends, Jeong Jaehyun.

“Thank God Jae, you are a lifesaver. My only wish is that you continue to refill this cup before it gets empty, or else I’ll be grumpy.” You joked. He responded with a hearty laugh.

“As the designated driver of the night, your wish is my command. I honestly have a feeling you would get yourself wasted tonight.” He gestures a cheer before drinking the liquor.

“Why is that so?”

“Based on that outfit and a certain someone? I feel like you’re ready to lose yourself tonight.” He smirks before drinking the alcohol in his cup. He knows you too well.

“But if you want to go home with someone else tonight, just call me.” He winks.

This time you gave the honest laugh. “Well, I did not come to play around tonight. Maybe next time?” You take a gulp of your Rum Cola, as you watch Jaehyun radiate a meaningful smile that you sometimes miss.

“Well then, let me lead you into the lion’s den.” He stretches his left arm to lead you into the boys on the other side of the room.

Skimming through the people on the dance floor, you recognize more familiar faces sitting by the sofa with drinks in their hands and laughter-filled atmosphere. Nevertheless, one face stands out by the rest of them. That someone is wearing a green and blue plaid shirt with a black t-shirt underneath. Paired with ripped black pants paired with white sneakers. Sparkling eyes and a gorgeous smile. Yes, Mark Lee. The man worth waiting for.

The exact moment your eyes meet, time felt like it ran by ever so slowly; frame by frame just to tease you tonight. Mark looks at you with awe and recognition in his orbits, and he seemed to act like a deer in headlights seeing how you look tonight. He takes a scan of you from shoes to neck up, and though it made you slight conscious, you certainly were happy it was enough to get his attention this evening.

Your fateful meeting happened during the 30th of October. It was the last day of midterms and a Halloween party galore happening in your local college. It was a special evening, as your school opened for picnics in the big courtyard and various clubs are holding their socials in spooky festivity. You didn’t dress up as anyone, mainly because you didn’t enjoy the holiday that much, but also because you already caught too much attention. This is around the time you just recently broke up with the school’s notorious football player, Yuta Nakamoto.

Your dating life has always made its way in the halls of this school, for reasons still unknown to you. You were known by many names: whore, attention-seeker, fuck girl. However, one stuck amongst the crowd and that is Haze. A mist that lures you in not knowing they are in for a trap. This one you seem to hate less than the others.

You don’t know why people care so much who you date, but it seems to be the talk of the town every single time. Yes, you love to date around. Give your time to handsome men who give you attention, but it was never for the sake of a heartbreak. Everyone seems to think that you take a list and cross off every single hot guy in college, but on most times, you genuinely enjoy their company. You enjoy the attention and “love” they give. Or at least try for some time. Until they cheat, move on for greener pastures, or leave you to fend for yourself.

As you walk through the dimly lit yet well-decorated halls, you spot the man who was brave enough to invite you in a campfire hangout and disrupt your annual showing of your favorite Halloween movie, Monster House. This man was the resident clown of your friend group, Lee Haechan. He spots you instantly and does a big wave before shooting you with finger guns. He seems to be wearing a banana in a cowboy costume. Classic Haechan.

You slowly tread your way into the picnic area and greeted the people in the circle. Most of them you recognize, like Jeong Jaehyun, the architecture student whom you casually “messed around” from the past but in good terms with, and Kim Jungwoo, the kinesiology major and close family friend. However, there was someone who you were unfamiliar with. He was a black-haired fellow, sporting a blue hoodie, black Vans, and strumming a guitar on his lap.

“Wassup, _____! Glad you could make it.” Haechan daps you like you usually do.

“You were not joking about the banana officer, huh?” You replied with a sheepish laugh.

“It’s so crazy that after all the years you still doubted me.” The young man facepalms himself in disappointment.

“I was absolutely serious, and I look hella good in it, right?” He twirls around, then takes his fake guns in the holster around his waist and poses nonchalantly. This made you burst out laughing.

“I wouldn’t say it’s bad, but it does sound like Haechan.”

“Hey _____! Wait who are you supposed to be?” Jungwoo curiously asked.

“Well… honestly, I am just me, but if you’re looking for a creative answer, it would be Rosa Diaz from Brooklyn 99.” Crossing your arms, you act coy after confessing.

“Come on, you could’ve taken this opportunity to spice things up a bit. It’s Halloween! The perfect place for “fun” if you know what I mean?” Jungwoo teasingly bumps you and winks. You reply with a sigh.

You sit beside Jaehyun, dressed in a Clark Kent/Superman attire that suits him so well. “Help me out here buddy.”

“Jungwoo, she clearly isn’t ready yet. Maybe it’s you who should be spicing things up a bit, Mr. Antman.” You both share a laugh, Jungwoo not sharing the same sentiment.

“Don’t you dare make fun of my hero. He clearly is the best Avenger.” Jungwoo confidently replies.

“Yeah, yeah we know.” You roll your eyes at his statement. It was then that your eyes fall upon the young man still fiddling with his guitar. He is seemingly busy enough not to join the conversation developing in front of him. Just as you were about to ask about him, Haechan interrupted your actions.

“We’re just going to get some food and drinks, stay here and keep my friend company, okay?” He points towards the man in the blue hoodie.

“He tends to get lost in his thoughts for a while, so just tell him we’ll be back.” Jungwoo adds.

“He is nice _____, don’t worry. Same drink as before?” Jaehyun kindly inquires.

“You got it, Jae.”

They slowly fade in the distance and now you are left with the dilemma of looking after this guy who you don’t even know. When you turned around, his back was turned back against you, cross-legged sat on the mat, and fixing the strings of his guitar. Just when you were about to sit down, he lifts the instrument up and starts strumming a tune. Curiosity must’ve struck you by then, because you were excitedly ready to hear what the man was about to play. You slowly sneak unto his right shoulder and sat beside him.

“So, what are you gonna play?” You leaned towards his right side, trying to get as glimpse of his features. The poor man jolted, and the guitar created a loud dissonant sound across the courtyard.

“Oh… hi, sorry I did not see you there.” He scratches his head out of apology and you can finally see the feature of this mysterious man.

You often wonder if it’s the starry night skies or the campfire’s embers filling the air, but you swear his dark brown eyes sparked that night. There was a ray of light that gleamed in his face despite the mysterious evening. He smiled ever so innocently; the extraterrestrial kind, the ones that make you realize that pure people like him still exist. Based on his reactions, he seems to not recognize you or your faults.

You immediately bow your head as an offer of apology. “That was completely my fault, I should’ve just quietly listened.”

“No, that’s okay. I’m not used to people like you—or just an audience in general.” He bashfully commented. The slight blush across his skin were evident even in the warm lights of the campfire. This made you feel like a high school student experiencing puppy love once again.

“Please, go ahead. Let me hear what you’re about to play Maestro.” You gesture your hands for him to continue and offered your best smile to this man you just met.

“Oh okay...” He fiddles around the knobs one last time, before starting to play a song. The poor man still obviously nervous by your presence was quite timid to have a complete stranger watch him stumbling upon his lyrics and hums, but despite that you stuck through the whole song. You found the whole ordeal cute and endearing, as he tries his best to perform with joy in his expression. He ends it with a light strum, and bitter expression in his face.

“I definitely did not gain a fan tonight, haven’t I?” He scratches his forehead. You quickly shook your head in response.

“No, no… you did great! Thank you for showing me your talent. It takes guts.” Offering your sincerest applause, his blush fades into a grin.

“Oh… I’m ______ by the way. Haechan’s friend.” You offer your hand, in hindsight, probably too formal for the setting, but he quickly puts down the guitar and holds your hand in greeting.

“I- I’m Mark. Haechan’s childhood friend.” You lightly shook his hand as a reply.

“And you’re supposed to be…” You motioned unto his outfit.

“I didn’t really dress up, but if anyone asks its Peter Parker from Spiderman.” Mark admits.

“I totally get you! I tell people I’m Rosa from Brooklyn 99, but I didn’t really dress up.”

“Not a fan of Halloween?” He inquired.

“Not much. I’d rather spend it just watching Monster House.” You replied, curiously anticipating his reactions. He chuckles lightly.

“I am not much of an extrovert too, so in big events I just stay home. Haechan is a total pushover though.” You nod excessively as a reply, noting your common enemy. Mark seemed to be become more and more relaxed as the time went on. He suggested some of his favorite Halloween movies he loved when he was young, and you tell the most outrageous Halloween party you went to. Your first conversation made you aware of how fun and easy-going Mark, he complemented your energy very well. Just as it was getting good, the squad approaches your mat, so you both try to return to your usual postures.

“How is everybody getting along here? Mark, I see you’ve already met ______.” Haechan gestures towards you. Mark nods as a reply and looks at you possibly for emotional confirmation.

“Oh yes, he was cool enough to show me his guitar performance.” You replied, watching Mark’s expression light up with the mention of cool.

“Way. To. Go. Peter Parker! Showing off your skills tonight, eh?” Jungwoo slaps his thighs and teasing him for his outfit for tonight. Mark pinches him back and they start bickering around. Jaehyun arrives, giving you your favorite drink, a Crush Cream Soda. You opened the can immediately and drank it in satisfaction.

“A non-alcoholic drink, ______? What are you 17?” Haechan teases.

“Give me a break! I had too many events this week, my liver needs breaks too. Plus, I’m not an alcoholic like you, Haechan.” You mockingly joke. Mark laughs in response. A genuine first of the night.

“I bet that one day, Haechan will be carrying a one pack instead of six pack abs, because of all the beers he consumed during his youth.” Jungwoo jumps in and everyone laughs. Haechan starts hitting Jungwoo in the chest.

“Oh, Mark did you know that _____ here is an astrology student? She loves all the stars, horoscopes, and rock shit.” This time you hit Haechan in the back. The poor man fake cries in response.

“It’s Meteorology, Haechan. Two different things.”

“Mr. Nerdy Peter Parker guy over here is an English literature major by the way. He’s the main reason why my essays in Mr. Edwin’s Literature class last semester got A’s.” Jungwoo interjected. Mark stared him down on the side, implying that it was a pained memory, you laughed.

“God that last essay was awful.” Jaehyun mentioned and a synchronized nod was shared in the circle.

“I have him for this term, and our final assignment does sounds extra tough.” You sighed.

“If you don’t mind, I can help you if you want. I’m pretty sure I still have his notes from last years…” Mark kindly mentions.

“O--only if you are okay though. With me.” His voice slightly falters at the end of his sentence.

“I should be saying that Mark. You would fear how badly I write.” You chuckle, though you soon realize how much an A can greatly affect your final grade.

“I would honestly shy away at this opportunity, but I am pretty scared of failing his class. So, thank you so much, that would be of so much help.” You bow down slightly in a way to reply to him courteously, he shook his hands to show that it was not of big deal. With a glance, you could see his faultless smile slowly form and until this day it is forever embedded in your mind.

“Is this the start of something else?” Jaehyun annoyingly inquires.

“We have done something good guys.” Haechan taps Jungwoo and Jaehyun in the arms and Mark replies with an elbow jab to his thigh as his way of acting his shyness.

It was nice to meet everyone that night, as you all got the chance to unwind after such tough midterms. Mark did not mention anything about who you’re dating next, or your past relationships, it was just pure friendship talk. That alone sparked interest in you. It truly was such a big difference, as all you could remember that week was just people’s whispers and inquiries about your life. You were happy that these men never really cared about those gossips. Bits of happiness you would say, enough to keep you going to the next few months.

Little did you know, that really was the start of something. Out of all the plans and formulations you’ve laid out in your life, this one seems to be the most unprecedented. In the Richter scale, you’d say Mark’s meeting was of great magnitude level of earthquake.

They say the best love comes unexpectedly.

This one, however, was not just any ordinary encounter,

He disembarked, brought the totality of the sky, and offered it unto your presence.

Looking back at it now, you’re unsure if you were charmed by his smiles or you’re in that desperate need of a good grade in English literature. Maybe it’s a little bit of both, but you were set in meeting this man at least once a month to discuss your final paper. Your first meeting was scheduled in the library, not in the totally quiet kind, but in the semi-private one where you can converse freely. As a constantly late person, you strived to be early this time around, but when you arrived at the place he was already nose deep into his textbook. The young man was wearing black turtleneck, gray buttoned shirt, washed blue jeans, and his black spectacles. His pale skin was even more evident as the sunlight hits the high points of his face. You can’t help but admire his features. This made you become conscious of what you’re wearing. A white buttoned shirt, cream colored sweater vest, and black skirt, or as your friend Ryujin described it a “classic academia” look. You did look done up, but man you kind of wish you worn something warmer as the library’s air conditioner was blasting today.

You slowly made your way towards the low seated tables, trying your best not to surprise the man who was willing enough to tutor you this term.

“Hello there!” You greeted the busy boy. He offered you the cutest smile in the world. This sent you into a spiral of emotions and Lord did you forget your words.

“Oh-- thanks for helping me by the way. I hope I don’t take much of your time.” You carefully sit in the chair in front of him and placing your backpack on the floor. He closes his book and starts arranging his stuff.

“It’s absolutely okay! This also serves some practice for me… I—” He trails of his sentence as you were starting intently in his face. This made him nervous, transferring the jitters to you as well.

“I was thinking of become a teacher.” He confesses shyly.

“That sounds great for you! Wow, I am not only your first live audience but your first student as well? What an Honor, Mark Lee.” You compliment with the best smiles.

“Don’t compliment me too much, I haven’t taught you anything yet.” He scratches his head out of embarrassment. It seems to be a habit now that you recall your first meeting.

“I am just giving you a heads up, my paper is really bad. Please help me.” You faced your laptop towards him so he can inspect your material. He shakes his head and reassures you that he is not going to be judging you for it.

There was something oddly trustworthy about Mark, after your first interaction he seemed to be nice enough to not judge your character. You were afraid that Mark would get a whiff of all the bad talk going on around you, but during this moment you silently wished he would stay ignorant, or at least not care enough to avoid you. You hoped he was different.

You were awoken from your thoughts when he calls out your name out of the daze.

“Oh sorry, I was off to dreamland. How bad is it?” You fearfully inquired.

“You make it sound that you don’t know grammar, but this is better than what you make it out to be.” He assured you with a positive nod.

“It still needs a lot of work though, but that’s why I am here, right?” He tilted his head to side as he utters the question. This gives you assurance, that you trusted the right person to share your pieces with.

“Okay, I’m in your care Mr. Lee.” You bow your head and welcome the new friend you just made.

Time flew by very fast during your first session, and honestly all you could remember was how insightful Mark was teaching you grammatical issues that you probably should’ve known before university, helping you narrow your thesis topic, but still maintaining positively concise throughout. Of course, not all the session were you asking questions, he was also doing homework while you work on your paper. You try not to disturb the man, as he seems pretty interested in reading and taking notes. Time passes quickly than you hope and now you realize it’s past 6 pm and you must get home and make dinner. Mark realizes you checking your phone and recognizes that was enough time for your English homework.

“It’s getting late now, and you probably should try to have the introduction and first body paragraphs done for the next session. By the way, do you have a ride home?” He slowly packs his homework and books laid across the table.

“Yeah, I still have some errands to do with Ryujin and it seems like she just finished cheerleading practice. How about you?” You inquire.

“I’m heading straight home, still got loads to take notes.” He packs his bag up and escorts you into the exit doors of the library. You nod along, but we’re reminded of one special event you were looking forward for tonight.

“Oh! I am not sure if you’re interested...” You mention almost too excited to your liking. “The Leonid’s Meteor Shower is happening tonight between midnight and dawn… if you are interested in watching it.” Your last few words come quieter, and you try to compose yourself for someone you barely know.

“That is pretty cool. Thank you for telling me, will be on the lookout for it.” He enthusiastically nods. You were pleasantly happy that he was as interested as you.

“Well, it was a nice first session with you Mark! I’ll see you again, soon?”

“No problem! Hey, if you have any questions, you can text me anytime and we can arrange sessions to your liking.” He mentions. You try not to think that this is his way of saying “I want to keep meeting you” but you can’t help it. You want to keep meeting him some more, this point on, out of interest, but you didn’t want to get your hopes up. So, you settle with a nod and wave as you walk to the other side of the school.

That night both of you admire the works of the same sky; the heavens showering meteors across its vast blue expanses. The stars were evidently speaking, and Mark never forgot to text you the view of his balcony. It brought a smile to your face, replying with your own rooftop setting. Oh, to be connected like this. Unknowingly, it’ll be the start of something grander than what you intended.

All Mark wanted that day was to eat peacefully, as he was already stressed about his theology quiz after lunch time. Boy, he was wrong.

“Are the rumors true, Mark?” Chenle curiously asked the young man quietly eating his sandwich.

“What rumors?” Mark intriguingly replied.

“That you’re hanging out with Haze!!!” Chenle raised his voice, a little bit too loud for Renjun’s liking.

“You’re too loud. And ______ is her name. Address her the right way.” Renjun scolds him while slapping his shoulder. Chenle calms down for a bit and awaits Mark’s answer.

“If you’re talking about _____, then yes, we are meeting. But that’s only because I’ve been helping her with her Literature homework.” He genuinely responds.

“Ah I see. I thought you guys were hooking up. Whew.” Chenle sighs, which confused Mark even more.

“What does that mean? Why did you call her Haze?”

“You didn’t tell her Renjun? Man, I thought you were a real friend.” Chenle glares at Renjun and he slaps him as a reply.

“Well, first of all, it is none of our business. Second, I don’t agree with any of accusations towards her because I know she is an angel, and lastly… that is up to her if she wants to tell Mark, right?” Renjun calmly iterates.

“Okay, you guys are so confusing. What the hell are you guys talking about?” Mark exasperatedly sighs. Chenle rearranges his seating, almost as if he was about to drop some truth bomb.

“You see, _____ has gotten the nickname Haze because everyone who dates her seems to be in a spellbound when with her. She was always lovely in the beginning, but once the fog clears up, she dumps them.” He looks at Mark waiting to see his reaction to all of this. Mark just stares him unfazed.

“Girls just purely hate her because they say she plays with men’s hearts… especially hot ones. Boys on the other hand, reduce her to a sexual object. That is why is she is the so called, Haze. Unbearable, dull, and evil.” Renjun shakes his head of disapproval. Mark seems to be in thought for a while, looks down at his food, and resumes eating.

“Aren’t you at all scared of what everyone’s going to think of you? You’ll be called Haze’s next victim.” Chenle exclaims.

“Right, because you haven’t met her yet.” He heavily places his utensils down.

“Any of those descriptions don’t resound to the ______ that I know. I don’t really care what her past was, and I’m just a mere tutor to her Literature homework... Nothing more, nothing less.” Mark continues drinking his lemonade but stops midway.

“But if you continue to disrespect her like that, I will have issues with you, Chenle.” He stares right back at him. Mark is rarely seen mad in the group, and the boys got the message loud and clear.

“See Lele, don’t play with Mark. Besides, Mark is nowhere hot as the ones _____ dated so we are good.” Renjun jokes and Chenle laughs exaggeratedly.

“What the hell does that mean?!” Mark exclaims.

“Hell yeah, Mark is neither as handsome and talented as Yuta or Jaehyun.”

Mark almost spats his food, luckily, he just coughed. Most surprised because of the latter name, because you and Jaehyun seems to still be close friends. “She dated them?”

“More of the notable ones. Just think of the hottest boys in this college, 10/10 chances she dated them before.” Chenle mentions. This makes Mark reflect on his own, not because he shames you for your choices, but rather than his own appearance and status towards these more attractive men.

“Anyway, whatever happens don’t cry when you fall for her, okay?” Renjun pinches Mark’s cheek and Mark removes his fingers briskly.

“Like I said, nothing less… nothing more.” He glances at your table across the room and reaffirms his feelings.

The second session was of an exciting nature. You guys met in the same library but this time you wore the right clothes for the weather. Desperately trying to be early but ultimately failing, you see the silhouette of the man at your usual spot. He was wearing a denim jacket with a striped sweater underneath. This time around, he was still wearing his glasses that complimented his black vans sneakers. You are wearing your gray sweatshirt today with your cargo pants, opting for a more casual vibe. You slowly walked up to him and softly said your “hey” to get the young man’s attention. He notices and greets you with a familiar smile. During this time, you had more chances to get to know each other even more. How Mark doesn’t like frozen yogurt and ketchups, and how you are deathly allergic to shrimp and afraid of the thunder. Little things he did, you also started noticing. His mannerisms, like saying “honestly” a lot, or moving a lot while laughing. These little things told you how he is as a person. These were also the times when you seem to notice how his touch seems to linger slightly longer and his pale blush resurfacing underneath his cheeks when you stare a little too long. At the time, you thought you were imagining it, but one thing’s for sure… his presence eases you enough that you forget, even for just a moment, that the world is not closing in upon you.

Simple things, you said. But you heart does not deem it simple. They start to matter. They start to be engraved in your being.

This was unlike any of your encounters. And that is where the danger lies.

Time flew faster the second time around. Unaware of the passage of time, it was your growling stomach alerted you that it was already past school hours. Mark glanced at the clock on his left, and he quickly realized that he kept you longer than usual. You were already thinking of either stopping for groceries or eating at a place nearby when these thoughts were stopped when Mark spoke with clarity.

“I know it is kinda late, but do you maybe... want to grab something to eat?” He asks sincerely. “It’s okay if you say no, I know you are busy with everything and I’m a stranger—”

You chuckled at his offer, and this stops him from embarrassing himself with running sentences.

“I am absolutely down to eat. Especially something warm, and not alone in this dreary weather.” You mention while looking at the white snow softly falling upon the pavements of the campus.

“Okay, I’ll drive you to some place warm then!” He excitedly cleans his stuff up and you can’t help but admire his child-like wonder.

Mark takes you to his favorite ramen place. This was the after-hour session that granted you to see Mark in a different light; someone beyond the confinement of the cream library walls you both were comfortable in. Some of your discoveries were: 1) Mark does not mind listening to your TMI stories, even more so, he jumps in with his own anecdotes. This made you extremely comfortable with him. 2) Mark seemed like someone you’ve met before, because you both understand each other with such ease. In some lifetime. In some way, shape, or form, he felt familiar. 3) Mark was non-judgemental. You never had to worry about how you act, because he welcomes you with his bright smile. Never judged. Pure and untainted. That was what you craved. You, however, believed you were beyond repair.

Within all the banter exchanged, dating or love life never came up in the conversation. This slightly made you nervous, as it might mean that he wasn’t interest with you. You were just a girl who is bad at writing and in need of help. Why would that matter? You did not know. He was just a tutor, right? Raging thoughts ran in your mind at surpassing rate. What if he is just playing with you? What if knew about everything and is just being nice to you because he feels bad?

“______, are you okay?” Mark’s gentle voice shakes your consciousness. The world was once in distortion, and with one sound, it was silent.

“Uh, yeah. Sorry just dozed for a bit.” You mention, brushing hair strands to the back of your ear.

“Hey, if you are worried about anything…” He starts rubbing his nape and turning his head away before finishing his thought.

“Even if it’s not Literature related, I hope you know—that you can tell me. No judgement.” He sneaks up a glance, anticipating for your reaction. Even without a mirror, you can tell that your cheeks got even redder than what it was winter hours ago. He doesn’t even know how much those words meant to you. You try to compose yourself at once, stubbornly refusing to admit your weakness for him.

Leaning your head slightly and you smiled sneakily. “Are you sure you can handle my secrets, Mark?”

“People say I’m a good listener and keeper of secrets. So, yes. Whenever you’re comfortable, lay it all on me.” He dramatically puts his right hand on his chests and acts assertively.

“Maybe, I’ll take you up on that offer soon. Thank you, genuinely, Mark.”

The night ended with him driving you home. Mark, aside from wanting to be a teacher, was passionate about music. He shared his favorite songs with you, and of course you made fun of his devotion to Justin Bieber. You also texted with him through the night, heck even for the rest of the week. It has now become a routine that you both share each other’s burdens. Almost like you guys are each other’s vent station. With your high tempered self, Mark diffuses you very well. With Mark’s constantly worried ass, you reassure him of his strengths very well. You complemented each other effortlessly.

It was good to be true, honestly. You try to enjoy it selfishly, but in the back of your head lies the thought that he will eventually leave you.

Mark was nervous about the last session, oddly because it was in a completely different setting than before. You both knew each farther than before. Furthermore, this closeness was unlike any of Mark’s experience. He found himself always looking forward to your texts, your monthly meetings, and even seeing you in the school halls. He wishes daily that he gets to see you once, so that his day becomes complete. Oh, he was head over heels, yet somewhat still in denial.

He has never found someone as genuine as you do. He fears the familiarity, as he was thinking of his heart’s ability to accept that you were out of league for him. So, he cut off most of the red strings even before they were starting to attach with one another. To him, you are one resplendent unreachable destination. Like a star.

As it was a busy school day, you both ended up starting the session very late. The destination of your final tutoring session ended up in Mark’s apartment. You shy away from his roommates, Chenle and Renjun, as they were extremely curious why you guys were hanging out this late in the evening. Mark’s embarrassed deflections did make you giggle a little bit, and it was enough to inspire you to complete the assignment. Mark was in his “chill” clothes, as he likes to call it. He was wearing a blue sweater with a white shirt underneath, paired with a new set of spectacles: clear ones which emphasized his doe-like eyes. As it was the final proof-reading, you gave it your all. Time passed excruciatingly swift, and the silence did not help with your already sleep-deprived state. Mark is quick to notice that your eyelids were slowly fluttering. Smiling to himself, he offers a solution.

“Mind going for a break?” He nudges your hand slightly, sparking fireworks into your brain.

You exasperatedly sighed and leaned your head across the table. “I thought you’d never asked.”

“There’s a convenience store near here and we could head for some sweets.”

“Nothing defeats sugar. Honestly.”

You were unaware of the weather conditions tonight.

The sky’s transparency was as its best. There were no humidity or dust. There are great seeing conditions, and celestial objects appear clearer than ever. The darkly expanse of a night made the stars shine effervescently. This atmosphere made this mundane memory an unforgettable one. Mark was carrying a plastic bag filled with snacks on his left and Melona ice cream bar in his right. He insisted on getting you a hot chocolate instead, because of how cold your hands felt earlier. Honestly, you were more stunned of how he noticed that, but his sweet gesture made your heart grew fonder of him. To be honest, you did not feel like heading back yet. When you passed by a playground, you invited him to the swings to gaze the glowing night even for just a moment. Being the nice guy he is, Mark gladly accepted your offer.

You took a glimpse of the hot drink before taking a slow sip of it, and Mark sat in the swing set beside you. There was tension in the air, and as much as you want to break it, you were afraid of its consequences. Greatly, the fates must have heard you, as Mark boldly knocks down your fears.

“This must be out of topic but…” He takes a pause, aware of its spontaneity.

“Have you ever regretted falling in love with someone?” Mark appears with an expression that you could only describe as filled with solemnity and sentiment. You’ve never seen him like this before, and it caught you more off guard than the question itself.

You gaze at the expanding sky above you, in the hopes it could give you the answer. Regrettably, it faced you like a mirror, and reminded you of all your past relationships you had. Was any of it worth the regret?

“To be completely honest with you Mark, I don’t think I have ever been completely in love to admittedly say I regret them.” You gave him a somber smile. He replies with an expression that mimics your melancholy.

“I know this sounds dark, but more so than regretting the people or the action of falling in love, I regret becoming an unrecognizable person in its process.” You admit with a heavy heart.

“I have always preoccupied myself with people, regardless of whether there is love existent within or not. I hate that I let it go on, give them too many chances, but I don’t regret choosing them.”

Trying not to shy away from his stare, you took a sharp breath before admitting further burden. “I act like their own version of best, into their ideal girlfriend, in the hopes of their approval. So, when everything goes wrong, I don’t regret the people, I hate…”

Myself.

You hate yourself for giving everything, and it still not being enough for people.

Expecting people to love you preciously. Like a jewel, worthy of value.

When deep inside you, there’s a part that says you did not truly love them.

You quickly stop yourself, holding back all the tears, because poor Mark should not be the ultimate receiver of your burdens. You let out a pitiful laugh, trying to light up the gloomy mood.

“That got dark quickly, huh?” You instantly remarked. He reassures you by shaking his head of disapproval. Mark offered you a snack in his bag, as a way of apology, and it made you smile genuinely.

“Thank you sharing that with me. I know, it is hard to be vulnerable.” Mark admits.

“I was just curious. You seem like a person who might know how it feels. Being popular and pretty and all that.” Mark shies away from admitting the latter sentiment, and despite you feeling giddy about his compliment, his expression makes you want to tease him more.

“So, you think I’m like a love expert? Wonderful of you to think that.” You joked around. He hits you in the arm slightly, before taking a bite of his ice cream.

“Well, let me return the question, Mark. Have you every regretted any of yours?”

“And since you opened these whole past loves talk… let me raise you another one. Do you think exes could stay friends?” You asked, giving him a quizzical expression.

Mark chuckles for a bit before giving your question much thought. “I think falling in love is such a strange and indescribable phenomenon. It is one of life’s treasures, as everyone experiences it at least once in their life. Yet, I think the experience is never deserving of blame, if the only reason for contempt is our choice of people to share it with.” You give him an impressed look. He is definitely an English major, alright.

“Similar to you, I also don’t regret any of them. I feel like I choose them for a reason, and I did not feel disingenuous to any of them. So, no. I don’t regret it.” He crosses his arms acting confident with that last sentence. You nod to show your understanding.

“As per the second question, I think it depends. If things ended badly, and there are issues unsettled, then, yeah, that would not end well. Of course, you can never go fully back to being just friends like before, but I think it is possible.” He admits honestly.

“How about you, _____?”

Now this is a treacherous question. You don’t know how aware Mark is of your history, but there is no way you can lie to him. With those eyes, it’s a losing game. So as always, you try to answer genuinely.

“Well… there are definitely exes that I prefer not speaking to ever again.” You chuckle and he joins in with you. “But there is also someone who proved me otherwise.”

Memories of your shared time with Jaehyun flashed across your mind. “He showed me how love is such a multi-faceted emotion, and that it could not only be romantic, but also deeply platonic. We are still friends until this day.”

You can’t help but smile with re-encountering all your shenanigans back then. Things did end between with you too, but it was not for bad reasons. Of course, you are not as close with him as before, but looking back it at now, it was ultimately for the best.

It was at this moment when you first notice how Mark’s expression changes. You were convinced that it was because the nightlights shifted, or the gust of wind passed by more swiftly than usual, but he seemed slightly saddened by your story. He avoids your concerning stare, stands up, and takes a deep breath before exhaling an exaggerated puff of air. It was time to go back home.

“You are really interesting; you know that right?” He jokes. “Nope. Just a bad writer.” You reply, he laughs in agreement. You both picked up your bag of snacks and sweets and preparing to go back to hell.

Mark knew he had no right to be jealous. You were not his. It was a first; Mark feeling this novel emotion. A stir in his being happened when you spoke of someone else with such glimmer in your eyes. Even more strongly, he wanted to beat those asshole exes of yours who broke your dear heart. This newfound feeling made him want you more. He wondered if you talk about him that way as well. He wondered if you would like him to take revenge. Oh, how Mark wishes he could tell you how you see him. How much you meant to him.

Underneath these stars. How breath-taking you look under the streetlights. With a smile worth countless fateful meeting. Eyes filled with moonlit understanding. He would never exchange this moment for anything.

When the two of you returned, the atmosphere shifted. It turned into a not-so-silent-anymore working session. Miraculously, after countless breakdowns (which consisted of you banging your head into the table and Mark encouraging you to keep going), binge-eating, and hearing his (harsh) yet critical feedback, your paper was finally done. Yes, its morning already.

“I am ready.” You told Mark as you were preparing to click the submit button in the assignment folder.

“You got this.” He replies, almost instinctively placing his hand on your back for moral support.

You cannot believe this was the final straw, and that after countless nights and sessions, it is over. As the website changes to File Submitted, both you and Mark raised your arms in celebration. Looking back at it now, what seemed to be Mark offering a high five, you mistook for a hug. Poor guy was caught by surprised. It took you a while to realize your action, and this created an awkward release. You bow your slightly, as your face for sure a shade of sherbet red.

“I-- I just want to say thank you. For everything.” You avert your attention to somewhere other than the man in front of you, and he endearingly does the same.

“N-No problem, _____. Happy to help you!” He timidly replies. You can’t help but look at the clock, shocked of how late or I guess early it has been. 7:50 am.

“God, I need to be home soon. Pretty sure my mom is going ballistic.” You scratch your head, imaging your mom scolding you for going over your curfew.

“Do you need a ride? I think I am still awake enough to drive.”

“No, its okay! I texted Renjun and I’ll be joining him take off to work, since it is near my place.” Mark nods while helping you clean up.

Both of you headed downstairs and just as you expected, you were greeted with sly smiles from Chenle and Renjun. It was too early to hear such uproar for staying the night, but you just ride along with the jokes. Mark offers you breakfast, but you decline knowing you already overstayed your welcome.

“Renjun, drive safely. I know how reckless you are.” Mark mentions as he escorts you to the door.

“Says you, dude. See you guys soon!” Renjun bids and you also wave towards Chenle. You offered Mark the best smiles, but instead he replies with a different expression. Mutually, you felt unaware of how to split ways. Of course, it’s not the end of the world, but it did feel like you were closing a chapter you didn’t want to end yet. You just waved your hand farewell, in the hopes that this was not the last meeting. He reciprocates this action, with a smile. Just as always.

This was your last meeting before the inevitable.

It was not exactly a joyous parting, because both of you know, to heart,

that there are so many things left unsaid.

You did not expect to drink this much when you came to this party. Nerves took a hold of you, and you hoped it made blurring these memories easier as ever before, Maybe you hoped to not remember the day after. Being with Haechan and Chenle did not help, as they continually were encouraging you to take shots whenever they win a game. You could’ve denied this, but seeing the guy beside you is also rejecting any, your competitive instinct chimed in. You were not really a lightweight, but something about being beside Mark lowered your tolerance. As the vivid warm lights shakily reflect upon the dark interiors of the living room, you take a little sip from the half empty cup. It is odd being beside Mark again after what felt like years. It was not like you did not meet at all after the sessions, but it was almost like both your paths were unwilling to intertwine. This night, however, was where ends meet.

The orbiting was over. You are headed for collision.

Mark breaks the ice, just like he always does.

“So… how did you do on your paper?” He stares at the cup resting in between his legs. You couldn’t help to recall the moments you shared because of that assignment. A smile erupts from your face before admitting gratitude. “Aced it, of course. Thanks to you.” You gesture your cup to offer a toast. He lets out a chuckle before meeting his cup unto yours. The drink tasted better because it was like a price of victory shared by two comrades.

“Glad to hear you’re doing okay, ______. I gotta admit, I do miss our tutoring sessions…” He ponders in thought before sneaking a quick glance to you.

“Now I’m just stuck baby sitting these rowdy seven-year-olds.” He points his cup towards Renjun and Chenle playing loudly at the beer pong table.

“Admit it Mark, you enjoy taking care of them.” You tease him by nudging his right arm.

“Clearly, you haven’t been around them long enough.”

“What you mean? I’m around boys all the time!” You pointed towards Jaehyun encouraging Jungwoo and Haechan taking alternating shots. He feigns acknowledgment.

“We’re built different, I guess?” He tilts his head slightly before leaning his back against the sofa. You mimic this action, taking in the sights of the colorful reflections of the ceiling. Silence sustains before you too, even though the music blasting and crowd roars were contrasting this echoing void.

“Are the drinks hitting you now, Mark?” You turn your head to towards your left, meeting his side profile gazing unto the ceiling. He slowly closes his eyes before smiling.

“A little bit. If I ever do pass out, please remind me that I still have something to ask you.” He slightly turns to face you, with eyes searching for answers. His hand falls on your left thigh, alerting your drunken senses into a slight panic. You feign nervousness and allow the alcohol to do the talking.

“Shoot your shot, Mark Lee.” You softly trace circles on the back of his hand. This happening was absolutely impossible without the alcohol in your body. The world was… ironically, like your nickname, filled with haze. However, Mark was in focus, even in these times. His eyes follow your gentle touch, before returning the irresistible gaze unto you. Filled with curiosity, he faces the ceiling one last time.

“Not here.” His voice comes out like low whisper.

“Then, where?”

He glances at your hand, clearly showing his drunken intentions. You notice how hesitant he was to hold it, so you offered your hand with palms facing upwards. Mark smiles artlessly, before grabbing it and leading you out of the crowd. Of course, Mark holding someone else’s hand and heading upstairs is going to spark some rumors. Most especially, you so-called Haze, glances were lingering longer than usual. Despite all the chaos, you did not mind. You simply averted your attention towards Mark’s warm hands and broad shoulders leading you towards Jungwoo’s guest bedroom.

What an unexpected turn of events.

You and Mark Lee alone together in a room. Heartbeats can be heard even through the bass speaker blasting at the first floor. Nerves were picking up on record speed. No doubt, it was yours.

As you sit in the bed, all you can think about is what you’re wearing. The black dress has entered you in a battle zone. You try to rack your brain on every possible scenario, because for the life of you, don’t know what Mark is going to ask. There are so many things that you intentionally kept from him. Has he heard all the bad things about you, and now breaking off your friendship? Is he just like the assholes that took you for granted? You sincerely hoped its not the latter. Because Mark was different. You believed that to heart.

He seems to notice how quiet and nervous you are, so he admits his truth right away.

“Sorry, I don’t want to make it seem like I am going to take advantage you or anything—” He assures you. You giggle at his honesty.

“I just want to get out of the crowds for a bit. I feel like it makes me even more drunk.” He lays down the bed, and you do the same.

“You don’t really seem like that person, Mark.” You rest your hands on your stomach calming the restless butterflies in it.

“Then, what kind of person am I to you, _____?”

Mark’s low and whisper-like voice reverberate in the room. You can feel his gaze on your side, and this energizes your mind like a hamster on a spinning wheel. Doubts flooded your mind again. You were unwilling to risk the heartbreak again, so you answer with closed thoughts. However, this was an impossible task, as you were tipsy enough that you could pour your heart towards him and have no recollection the next day.

You calmed yourself down and answered honestly. “Mark, you are the kind of person who sees the lighter side of things. Despite my constant anger and blabbering rants, you listen and search for positivity even through it.” You cowardly talked towards the ceiling.

“I admire that about you, not everyone can be like that. You are such a genuine and kind-hearted friend, Mark.” The last words were lathered with your true feelings, and you face his direction this time. You were truly grateful of Mark. So much you want him to be beside you all the time. You were greedy enough to despise the word friend. Because for once, you want to be someone of meaning to his existence.

“Wow, I didn’t think you thought so highly of me. I thought I was just your harsh English tutor.” He jokes.

“Well, of course you were, but I knew I could rely on you, any time of the day. I can recall your words of encouragement when I need them the most and… that’s really special.” You slowly admit your thanks towards the man, but you know it was not all you wanted to say to him. You want to tell him how the starry sky seemed to appear whenever his around. How seismic events sees to happen in your entire being whenever he stands close to you. How you want to dance with him even under a heavy rain, because you know he won’t let you slip. How you want to bend the fates and convince the orbits for your paths to meet in the expanse of the never-ending universe. You want to be the person he considers most precious. These were all you want. And those thoughts will stay with yourself that way.

Mark looks toward the ceiling. You were unaware of what is going through his head right now. You blame the alcohol for your next actions, but bravery strikes once again.

“What kind of person do you think I am, Mark?”

Various words pass through your mind. Names you were called by.

Whore. Fuckgirl. Unworthy. Fake.

Haze. Blurring and undefined. Something you can’t get rid of.

“______ is a person who’s unaware.” He stops at this statement. You quickly turn your face towards him.

“Unaware of what?” You curiously ask. He blinks slowly, retaining his gaze unto the ceiling.

“Unaware of how caring of a person you are. Unaware that you impact people more than you know. Unaware that there are people out there who love you dearly.” He mentions these words straightforwardly.

“You have such a beautiful soul, _______. I hope you know that.” He turns to face you once more. You search for lies in his eyes, but it is nowhere to be found. The words you just heard were quite unbelievable.

“I—I don’t feel like that at all. In fact, I feel the exact opposite.” You admit honestly. Mark follows your actions and leans forward to listen.

“I feel like I am burden to other people because of who I am. You are just saying that because you are affected by my haze, Mark. Most people are praying for my downfall.”

“That is not true, _____.”

“I want to believe you, Mark. I really do. But—” Tears were starting to well up in your eyes.

“Anyone who dares to be near me can never have peace. I can never give you that, Mark. I would never be enough—” Mark interrupts your meltdown by placing his hand on your upper back.

“The Haze they are describing to me, is not you at all, _______. I’ve met you, and I did not see a person who is reckless of people’s feelings. You were a delight to my presence, and never did I want our time to stop.” He stoops low on the floor to meet your gaze. You could not face him, knowing he knows what people have said.

“_______, look at me.” Mark tucks your hair behind your ear, and his touch felt like sparks on your cold skin. His expression was filled with concern, almost as if he doesn’t bear the sight of your looking this unhappy.

“I hope you see yourself, like I see you.” He utters while staring at your defeated soul. His hand is now in your cheeks, slowly wiping the tears flowing across them. Your hands are now shaking, but you close your eyes, desperately holding his hand and pressing its warmth unto yours. The closeness was inevitable now. Despite alcohol setting your head on fire, your desires were clear. You want to be close to him. More so than ever before.

“Mark…” His name comes out like a breathy plead. You stare him back reciprocating his eyes craving of touch and yearning. Your eyes fall unto his lips, and that was it, your intentions were loud and clear.

“Will you let me?” His mellow expression expressed his desire. You reply by closing your eyes.

This time, you surrender.

Mark brings you closer to meet his lips, and this is where it all starts.

Inescapable. You did not try to get out of it.

You burned but electrified. It was clear.

Little do you know that was the start of something far beyond your control. One minute you were talking, the next thing, hands were in places that it shouldn’t be. His soft lips were on yours longing for more. You give in, reciprocating every bit of desire he gives you. He allows you to take a breath, eyes never leaving you for one second, before hastily retuning his stained lips unto yours. Your back was now against the headboard, shoes fully on the bed, and for once, the white sheets felt dirtied by your black satin dress. You reach for his neck, supporting yourself to lay comfortably into the pillows.

Mark kisses you with every cent on intention, as if he want you to feel like the most loved and precious person in the room. His right hand is now in your waist, holding you ever so gently to make sure that he is not pushing you too hard. His left-hand lays rest on the bed for support, as he tilts his head to deepen the kiss. The heat between you two was not dissipating, and it was only growing stronger and stronger, as your heart longs for more of him. He moves on from your lips to your cheek, enveloping your face with loving presses. His resting hand traveled unto the edge of skirt, slightly raising it to softly caress your thigh. He breaks the kiss to removes his jacket and reaches for your hand urging you to touch him even more. So, you return the favor by putting your hand in his chest and touching his chin bringing him closer once again.

Sights were blurry, but Mark’s touch was defined. It was then when you see Mark’s expression clearly. Dilated pupils, disheveled hair, and lipstick-stained lips that shook your sense. Slowly, you realized this was not what you wanted. This was not how you wanted everything to go. For once in your life, you wanted something to treasure. You wanted to confess, tell him everything honestly under simple circumstances. Naturally grow into loving and trusting each other. Letting him know everyday how much he means to you. Not in this way, again. This just proves that everyone was right. You can’t get any guy you like unless you sleep with them. You attract people close enough to their downfall.

You want him to find solace in you, not be someone who would just satisfy his drunken desire. You remember the Mark, you wanted to treasure.

You can’t do this to him. He is going to end up broken like you.

This was a mistake.

It was when he started kissing your ears and neck, when you realized that the line you desperately wanted to uphold has now been crossed. As you lean your forehead over his shoulder, tears started falling out of your eyes. Mark immediately stops his actions.

“Hey, hey, hey, what’s wrong?” Mark holds you by the shoulder, your shivering hands still in his chest.

“I—I can’t do this, Mark.” You say in choked sobs.

“Why? Did I do something--” You avoid his gaze, as you know that the moment you face him back you can’t resist yourself. Because he has always been your weakness. Before you even hear his answer, you remove yourself from the situation. You get out of the room, hearing Mark’s calls out to you on the way downstairs.

With tears in your eyes, the scenery was even more obscure. Lights were colliding into one. Faces were unrecognizable. You try to find Ryujin amongst the people, but by quickly checking your phone you realize that she texted you that she had to leave early. You curse to yourself, but out of desperation you asked the only person who can take you home tonight. You reach Jaehyun, who was the designated driver of the night, who upon seeing you can’t help how lost you are.

“C--can you take me home?” You reach the fabric of his shirt just in time for your mind to think straight. Clear enough you were losing your balance. He notices your teary state right away.

“You, okay?” Jaehyun checks up on you, clearly in a mess.

“Please, Jae. I don’t want to be here right now.”

He looks behind you and notices a rumpled and worried Mark clearly looking for you. You hear Mark calling your name, so you tried to hide and avoid Mark from seeing you. Jaehyun immediately holds your arm almost in defense when Mark spots you.

“Hey buddy, I don’t know what happened, but _____ clearly isn’t in a clear state of mind. Don’t worry, I’ll take her home.” His tone seemed genuinely worried, and it broke your heart even more.

Mark sighs out of regretful surrender. “Just be safe, okay?”

“You don’t have to tell me twice.” Jaehyun chuckles tapping Mark’s shoulder. All throughout the drive, Jaehyun was quiet. Almost as if he was waiting for you to tell him anything. You were already in a spiral deep regret and tears, so you just tried to count the passing lights hoping that the shame will melt away soon. Before you left, he gave you reassuring words partnered with his dimpled smile. You never forgot to thank him for tolerating your drunken state. You fell straight into the bed, desperately trying to forget the sins that happened hours ago.

Life wakes you with the light of your bedroom window, accompanied with a hangover typical of your night extravaganza. Sadly, moments of last night were not erased. You still remember how it felt kissing him. His touches of reassurance. His face when you left the room. How disheartened he was. You were to blame as always. You were not in shape to go to classes anyways, so you spend the rest of your day distracting yourself and running away from your mistakes.

What seemed to be merely hours, now lead into days. Your phone has been buzzing for quite some time now, but you were not in any way capable of answering questions. You just stuck towards your same routine hoping that it will make you feel better, but deep inside you knew that it was just escaping the truth. After settling your thoughts, and a very convincing argument made by Ryujin, you managed to get up from the bed and actually go to school after a while.

Classes go on as usual and your friends were aware vaguely of what happened, but they respected your space. However, they always stuck by you and helped you in avoiding any kind of confrontation with Mark. You see him in the hallways and the cafeteria tables, even from afar you recognize his usual worried expression. You avoid from staring too long and try to go on by your day to day.

During your spare time, you notice a text from an unusual contact of yours. Yuta Nakamoto. Your ex-boyfriend. The bastard who cheated on you.

He asks to meet you at the tables near the football field after class. It was weird that he called you out of the blue, as you both did not talk at all after the breakup. Well, after you learned that he talked to his teammates about how you were an easy girl who would do anything he wants. To add insult to injury, he also cheated on you. So yeah, he is not someone who you probably should talk to. Still, something in your gut wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt, so you met him at the said area.

“What is it you want, Yuta?” You angrily said towards the young man wearing his usual red flannel and khaki pants.

“Damn, no sweet greetings at all? We haven’t seen each other in a while.” Yuta kids around like the olden days. You were not having any of it, so you just rolled your eyes.

“God, feisty as always. I just want to catch up with you, you know. How you’re doing?” He reaches for you hand placed upon the table. You quickly avoid any advances, as he was not worth entertaining at all.

“We’re not friends, Yuta. I could give less care about your life, as you should.” You stare him down. The man looks dejected ruining his chances.

“If that’s all, I’m leaving.” You add, quickly standing from your seat and walking away.

“Wait, _____!” Yuta’s voice echoes in even in the open field. He grabs hold of your arm which cause you to stop on your tracks and face him.

“I want you back, ______.” Yuta confesses. This shakes your core. “These past few months have been hell, and I realized how shitty I treated you and I—” The man takes a deep breath.

“I am a lost cause without you, ______.” Yuta admits while pressing your hand unto his. You search for sincerity or any truth behind in his eyes, but you can’t find it. He was not a changed man. He was still the same person who treated you like you were an accessory.

“How dare you act like you’ve been through hell, Yuta? When throughout our time together you treated me like shit? Oh, let me remind you again. I’m ______, the easy girl to mess around with! Yes, the one who caught you cheating!” You raise your voice, not withholding any anger pouring from all the mistreatments.

“That was a mistake, I promise to be better this time.” He pleads while holding unto your wrist tighter this time, and despite how much you want to let go he was too strong.

“Let me go, Yuta! I said I don’t want to be with you.” You desperately try remove yourself from the situation. Yuta was about to hug you when a person interfered your conversation.

“Hey man, she said let go.” The voice recalled by your heart said. It was none other than Mark.

Mark held your left arm before stopping Yuta from his grasp on you. Yuta scoffs at Mark’s actions. He combs his hair out of frustration, rolling his eyes out of anger.

“So, is this the new boyfriend I heard about, _____?” He glares at you. Mark guards you on his side out of instinct.

“Your new plaything, huh? Good for you, sweetie.” Yuta mockingly says.

“Why do you even care?” You reply. He laughs in disbelief before turning his gaze over Mark.

“Buddy, piece of advice...” Yuta places his right hand over on Mark’s shoulder.

“Run while you still can. This bitch is just playing with you.”

“She’s Haze. She’s going to blind and confuse you for as long as she wants, and then, dumps you for inconvenience. That’s just who she is.” His gaze was filled with revulsion. Despite hearing these words repeatedly, shame still tightens your being.

You felt Mark’s grip on your arm tighten, looking up and it was the first time you’ve seen Mark in such an angered state. He swats Yuta’s arm before uttering his reply.

“You don’t know her at all, nor did you take the time to really do. So, fuck off, will you?” Mark fake smiles at the end of his statement. Yuta holds his arm in surrender.

“Don’t say I didn’t tell you so.” He mentions nonchalantly while walking away.

You let out a deep sigh before placing your hand on your forehead out of frustration. Mark’s hands still grip on yours; he faces you filled with concern.

“He didn’t hurt you, did he?” He checks up on you searching for any injuries.

“I’m fine, Mark.” You lie, immediately detaching yourself from his touch.

“You are clearly not.” Mark declares. You know he was right, so frustration seeps out of your shameful state.

“That’s none of your business anymore. Now, I must go.” To avoid any more confrontation, you walked away once more.

“_______, you can’t run away from me anymore. We need to talk about what happened.” He said in a troubled tone. This made you stop in your tracks.

“We have something, right? Please tell me, I’m not the only one feeling this.” His voice now arriving closer. The wind was blowing stronger than usual, and the air was dry as it can be. Thunderous rain will happen, but you know it is the atmosphere’s signal… turn your back. You took a deep breath before facing him once again. His face paints a painful expression. Just like a mirror, you felt his pain even across physical entities.

“Mark, you don’t know how much… I want to keep you.” You choke up the tears that want to come out.

“Just when I found you and I soon realize that you were the person I could ever hoped and dreamed of, and just like always… I ruined it.” You touch your nape out of frustration.

Mark stills his gaze, as you continue pouring your heart out. “I wanted to treasure you for as long as I could, to let you see who I truly am. That I am not the person they say who I am. Desperately begging for the stars that you’d love me beyond the mistakes I’ve made in the past. But that night, I broke my own promise. I went back to the past, hoping that you could prove my worth. I gave in to my selfish desires, because I am broken, Mark.” You point towards your heart hoping that Mark would understand painful state it was in. All that did was ignite the tears in your eyes. Mark holds your hand ever so closely.

“Please don’t ever say it was a mistake. I can bear all the pain, ______ but you deserve so much more than what the world is treating you.” He hugs you tightly, despite shivering.

“I just don’t want to see you breaking.” The words reverberate into the air in a desperate whisper. He hopes for the opposite, but it broke your heart even more.

“Please don’t say it’s over.” His warmth felt cold against your already lost state. He is not your savior, nor can he fix you.

“Mark, I can’t let you bear my weight. You need to let me go.” You gaze at his teary eyes.

“Will you let me go to piece myself back together?” You held his face under your cold hands, tears streaming down your faces. He closes his eyes, an angel’s tear falling on his cheek. His expression showed how hurt he was from your question. He did not want to lose you. Now, more than ever before. But he also knew, this was not your time of meeting. All he could do was nod, unable to form any words. You mouthed the words of thank you, before turning your back to him one last time. At that moment, both of you met, but not really fated.

The night of the Perseids.

A year has passed since you and Mark fought and reached an ultimatum. It was clear you needed some time to heal and reassess your priorities. Rome was not built overnight. After therapy, family hangouts and focusing on hobbies that truly sparked your joy, you can say for in fact, that you are getting better.

Just in time for one of the most prominent meteor showers, and this was your reward.

Did you miss Mark when you were gone? Absolutely.

Did it kill you not to jump at his arms every time you saw him? Yes.

Were you worried of losing him completely? In every waking moment.

You did not ask him to wait for you. Nor was there any binding contract stating that he is not allowed to date at all. You seem him around girls who may or may not have been hitting with him, but despite that you remained strong. Not because you trust him to come running back to you, but more so, as crazy as it sounds, left it up to the heavens. If the time comes that you were comfortable enough with yourself, he will be there. Throughout your countless meetings with Mark in the past, the sky is always respondent. If that is not more of fate’s reassurance, then you don’t know what.

You set up your equipment in one of the only known places where you can perfectly see the night showers. It is a secluded watchtower, located at the outskirt of the city. Not many people know about this place, but it was here where you often come to see the stars ever since you were young. You place the sherpa blankets on the wooden floor and position the telescope, despite having little snacks and an obvious lack of company for enjoyment. Everyone seemed busy with a bunch of stuff, so no one was able to get your invite. You were already understanding for not many people shared your interests in the celestials.

As you were about to check your phone for any updates, you immediately sensed of movement at the ground. Scared for your life was your initial emotion, as you were in such a secretive and vulnerable state at a height like this. It was when you glanced at the ground, you recognize the black denim sherpa jacket, ochre khaki pants, and white sneakers you always loved. Only one person can pull this off.

Mark Lee.

“Mind if I join you?” He yells intended for you to hear up top. “I brought some snacks and music!” Mark raised your favorite crisps and sweets, as well as his acoustic guitar. Classic Mark Lee move, you thought.

“Sure, come on up!” You replied, immediately cleaning up and composing yourself as this was your first time meeting each other in a while.

When he reaches your stargazing set up, you welcomed him to sit beside you and take a rest.

“Woah, is that a real telescope? It’s huge!” He exclaimed with child-like amusement walking towards the gadget.

“Uh yeah! It was gifted by my father, who also was fascinated with the stars.” You follow his actions. Taking the time to teach him how it functions and by his excited tone, he truly was enthralled. These little things made you fall for him the first time. You were reminded of that just now.

You walked back to your seat and took a quick look at the time. There were still a couple minutes before the showers start, so you chug your hot chocolate to warm yourself up. Mark seats besides you one last time, clearly, wanting to say something. You beat to him this time.

“So how have you been, Mark?” You took a sip after the inquiry.

“I—I have been fine. Winter semester ended roughly, but honestly, I’m glad it’s over.”

You nod in agreement. “How about you?” His words hang on the air a bit longer than you’ve hoped. Still, you answer, with an open heart.

“I’ve never been better. I feel it genuinely this time. Therapy and Journaling helps, I kid you not.” You mention while glancing at his serious face. He smiles after hearing your answer.

“That’s good then. I’m happy for you, ______. I really am.” He reassures with his eyes never unyielding.

The air still denser as ever, as you both look at the stars hoping it will answer for you. And it did.

“I—” “Do—” You both spoke simultaneously. Almost as if you were in the same wavelengths right at this moment. Smiles erupted instinctively.

“I feel like I always talk, so you can go first, Mark.” You jokingly said. He chuckles with you, sarcastically agreeing with the sentiment. He takes a sharp inhale before recollecting his memories.

“Do you remember when we first met?” Mark asks. You nod as a reply, letting him continue.

“You see, _______. I did not know anything about you when we met that night. All I really thought was that you looked really cool in that biker jacket and that you are so kind to listen to a stranger’s messy guitar performance. I really just came there because Haechan told me to, but having to meet you and have a beautiful student to tutor English? I scored a goal.” He honestly states. His tone made you laugh.

“After getting to know you, I realized how kindness and charm just naturally radiates from you. You weren’t afraid to be candid, vulnerable, and were always willing to go all out to care for their friend. Your studying face was also quite adorable, let me tell you that.” You smile while lowering your head out of shyness from his compliments. He stops for a second to form his next few sentences.

“I did not really care for about people’s rumors about you, or how many you dated, because I knew that the person, I saw during our sessions was the real ______. I believed that someone with a heart like yours was never able to do that.” His gaze was on the sky, before laying his hand at the back to lean.

“To be honest, I was scared too. I knew that you were a person who know what she wants. A go getter. What can an average looking English major dude, still figuring out his life, compete with his handsome more achieving exes? Not even close. I thought.” You quickly shake your head in disagreement and him kindly smiles at your response.

“However, each second of our time together, I still hoped that one day you would look my way and notice that I was not just a friend. I hoped to be someone more. That was what I hoped that night at Jungwoo’s. I was desperate to make you feel loved, make you feel how much I adore you, but instead I just hurt you. I am truly sorry.” He suddenly looks dejected. You held his right hand softly caressing it before uttering your first reply.

“That kiss I could never forget. Even after a lifetime.”

“Am I that good? You’re making me blush, ______. I am not even finished.” He shyly says, covering his face with his left hand. You tap him in the shoulder encourage him to continue.

“But even after all we’ve been through, my heart still is sure. What we have is something worth pursuing. Day and night, I thought of being together with you. Wishing everything went smoothly. Wishing I was more courageous.”

“The ceaseless yearning; the ones I begged for the stars ever night, made me fall even harder for you. Hard enough that I am willing to wait. No matter what. Because I know that’s what you need.” He mentions. You recall that he was the man worth waiting for. You can’t believe you were worth waiting for too. Tears start to fall to your lap, for despite countless o times you feel like you felt unworthy of love, there is still someone who is willing to love you. He intertwines his hand into yours, gently kissing it to reassure your tears. He patiently waits for your answer, so you wipe your tears and rephrase your countless thoughts to pour your heart unto the man who just poured his. “Let me remind you, I am a good listener and keeper of secrets.” He recalls your first conversation. You laugh at his offer. He was right though. You filled your lungs with the cold-stricken air surround you.

“I was scared, Mark…” You finally admit.

“Most of my life, I just picked, choose, and hoped they would return the love I gave them. I selflessly gave them whatever I have until I can’t anymore. I ran out of it--- love.” You gesture at your cold chest.

“I am not claiming to be a victim, because I knew deep inside, that I was desperate of wanting to be loved that I also lack in more ways than one. But —” You try to compose yourself from crying once again.

“Hey, hey, it’s okay, I’m here to listen. No judgement.” He is now facing you, reaching for your shaking right hand to steady it, and you held it tightly.

“Maybe you could say I atoned for my sins, that I wanted to redo all the mess that I’ve made. But believe me when I say that it was not until I met you, I recognize that I was deserving of more.”

“I kept searching for it and now that I am close to you, I am afraid that you’ll turn your back to me just like everyone who saw my past and left. I already made the mistake by hopelessly roaming around, but you, Mark… you are not my mistake.” You stared at his glowing orbs before admitting the remains inside your heart.

“This time you were the only thing that’s right.”

You gave a comforting smile, with a tear flowing in your eyes. Mark notices this and gently wipes it across your eyes.

“Thank you for telling me. ______, you are still one of the bravest… and talkative souls I know.” He jokes around and this turns your tears into happy ones. You look at him straight on this time, never running away from the presence of the man who loves your unconditionally. Marks looks at you like you are the only thing that matters against this vast expanse of a universe.

“This time around, ______—” He touches your cheek ever so warmly.

“Will you let me love you… just how you eternally deserve it?”

His eyes were unwavering of truth. These eyes were never going to let you go. These eyes are the one you trust.

“Yes.” And this time you mean it. Each of your forehead’s are touching, transferring heat upon contact.

“Will you let me kiss you this time?” You joke, recalling your first encounter. Mark chuckles at your frank comment.

“Will never say no to that.” He replies. And slowly you kiss him, unlike you ever kissed before. Ever so softly, ever so loving. Like you waited for a lifetime to do so. Both your lips found each others rhythm, and in perfect unison. Intertwining with no faults. It was more than just perfect. The alarm then rings, and almost instinctively you both look at the sky.

“Oh my god, I see them! Right there!” You see the first few shooting stars crossing the horizons. Mark jumps excitedly and moves in closer to the telescope.

“They are more beautiful than I expected.” He mentions while wrapping his arms at the curve of your back. You lean in his chest admiring at the star filled sky.

“Wait a second, how did you know I was here?” You suddenly interjected.

“Um… some bird might have told me.” He’s looking side to side, looking guilty as charged.

“I gotta thank Jaehyun, then.”

“How did you know it was him?” Mark surprisingly looks at you.

“Well, he is in support of us since day one. That man has good instincts.”

“Your special ex is?” He exclaims.

“What?! Now where did you get that information?” You release from his hug, mirroring his shocked reaction.

“I have my sources. You are clearly biased, not even telling your future man your location.” He crosses his arms. You scoff.

“Can’t believe we’re having our first fight not even minutes of being together.” You place your fingers towards your forehead in distress.

“Your boyfriend is petty, you got to deal with that.” Mark jokingly mentions.

“Okay Mr. Lee, I did not even say you were my boyfriend.” You tease.

He leans down closely towards you daringly. “So, what does a kiss of a lifetime mean then?”

“God, I knew you were gonna tease me about that.” You hit him in the shoulder, and this made both of you chuckle. For one last time, he holds you close never letting go of each other’s warmth. Unbeknownst to each other, you both thank the heavens for blessing your journey towards one another. It was not an easy path, but it was meant to happen the way that it did. Through seismic events and atmospheric conditions, Mark remains to love you, ceaselessly.

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