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cozmiccass · 6 months

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ᴍᴇʀᴄʏ

ʀᴀᴛɪɴɢ : sᴍᴜᴛ ☠︎︎

ᴀғᴀʙ!ʀᴇᴀᴅᴇʀ x ᴏʟᴅᴇʀ!ᴍᴇᴄʜᴀɴɪᴄ!ᴇᴅᴅɪᴇ ᴍᴜɴsᴏɴ

sᴜᴍᴍᴀʀʏ : ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴄᴀʀ ʙʀᴇᴀᴋs ᴅᴏᴡɴ ᴀɴᴅ ᴇᴅᴅɪᴇ, ᴇᴠᴇʀ ᴛʜᴇ ɢᴇɴᴛʟᴇᴍᴀɴ, sᴇᴇs ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʏᴏᴜ'ʀᴇ ᴡᴇʟʟ ᴛᴀᴋᴇɴ ᴄᴀʀᴇ ᴏғ.

ᴡᴀʀɴɪɴɢs : sᴜʙ/ᴅᴏᴍ ᴄᴏɴ, ᴏʀᴀʟ (ᴍ ᴀɴᴅ ғ ʀᴇᴄᴇɪᴠɪɴɢ), sʟɪɢʜᴛ ɪɴɴᴏᴄᴇɴᴄᴇ ᴋɪɴᴋ, ᴅᴇɢʀᴀᴅᴀᴛɪᴏɴ, sᴡᴇᴀᴛ, ᴄʜᴏᴋɪɴɢ, sᴘɪᴛᴛɪɴɢ, ʙɪᴛɪɴɢ, ᴅᴇᴇᴘ ᴛʜʀᴏᴀᴛɪɴɢ, ғᴀᴄᴇ ғᴜᴄᴋɪɴɢ, ᴅɪᴄᴋ ᴡᴏʀsʜɪᴘ/ᴊᴜsᴛ ᴇᴅᴅɪᴇ ᴡᴏʀsʜɪᴘ ɪɴ ɢᴇɴᴇʀᴀʟ, ᴅᴇsᴘᴇʀᴀᴛɪᴏɴ, ᴄᴜᴍ ᴘʟᴀʏ, ᴜsᴇ ᴏғ ᴀ sᴀғᴇ ᴡᴏʀᴅ, sʟᴀᴘᴘɪɴɢ, ᴠᴀɢɪɴᴀʟ ᴘᴇɴᴇᴛʀᴀᴛɪᴏɴ, ʙᴇɢɢɪɴɢ, sʟɪɢʜᴛ ᴊᴇᴀʟᴏᴜsʏ, ᴀǫᴜɪɴᴛᴀɴᴄᴇs ᴛᴏ ʟᴏᴠᴇʀs, ʀᴇᴀᴅᴇʀ ɪs sᴇʀɪᴏᴜsʟʏ ᴊᴜsᴛ ʜᴀᴘᴘʏ ᴛᴏ ʙᴇ ʜᴇʀᴇ, ɴᴏ ᴍᴇɴᴛɪᴏɴ ᴏғ ʙᴏᴅʏ ᴛʏᴘᴇ/sᴋɪɴ ᴛᴏɴᴇ/ʟᴏᴏᴋs ᴀᴛ ᴀʟʟ.

ᴀᴜᴛʜᴏʀ's ɴᴏᴛᴇ : ᴛʜɪs ɪs ᴀ ʟɪᴛᴛʟᴇ sᴇʟғ ɪɴᴅᴜʟɢᴇɴᴛ... ʜᴏɴᴇsᴛʟʏ, ɪ'ᴍ ᴀɴ ᴀʙsᴏʟᴜᴛᴇ sʟᴜᴛ ғᴏʀ ᴏʟᴅᴇʀ ᴍᴇᴄʜᴀɴɪᴄ ᴇᴅᴅɪᴇ. ɪ'ᴍ ɴᴏᴛ sᴏʀʀʏ. ᴛʜɪs ɪs ᴅᴏᴡɴʀɪɢʜᴛ ғɪʟᴛʜʏ. ɪғ ʏᴏᴜ ᴅᴏɴ'ᴛ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴅɪʀᴛʏ, ɪ ᴅᴏ ɴᴏᴛ ʀᴇᴄᴏᴍᴍᴇɴᴅ ʀᴇᴀᴅɪɴɢ! ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʙᴇɪɴɢ sᴀɪᴅ : ᴛʜɪs ʜᴀs ʙᴇᴇɴ ɪɴ ᴍʏ ᴅʀᴀғᴛs ғᴏʀ ᴀ ᴠᴇʀʏ ʟᴏɴɢ ᴛɪᴍᴇ, sᴏ ɪ'ᴍ sᴏ sᴏ ᴇxᴄɪᴛᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ɪᴛ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶

ᴡᴏʀᴅ ᴄᴏᴜɴᴛ : 7ᴋ

ᴄʀᴏss ᴘᴏsᴛᴇᴅ ᴏɴ ᴍʏ ᴡᴀᴛᴛᴘᴀᴅ : ᴄᴏᴢᴍɪᴄᴄᴀss

*.·:·.✧ ✦ ✧.·:·.*

OF COURSE YOUR CAR had to break down on the hottest day of the year. this was just your luck and honestly, you were tired of it. you just wanted something to go right, just for once! it was bad enough that you found out you were cheated on, so you had to buy a whole "new" car because your ex took the vehicle you bought together. this new one was a piece of shit.

and he was an even bigger piece of shit.

you stood by your broken-down rust bucket on the side of a barely-traveled-on dirt road right outside of your hometown of hawkins, indiana in a cute, little pink dress and flats. your hair was a mess in its updo and you were dying of heat exhaustion. you just needed someone—anyone to drive by!

you were just about to give up, so you started walking towards town because at least then you knew you'd be in the cool air soon enough. you got about five feet from your vehicle before seeing a dark blue tow truck that you knew was none other than eddie munson's turning down the road. he was the town's best and most affordable mechanic and he just so happened to be incredibly dreamy. he was a bit of a trouble maker and you found that to be downright tempting.

eddie was about fourteen years older than you, but you still knew about what he was known for. things that he probably wouldn't even think about doing to you, but you sure hoped he did. just about every week for the past two years, you would see him at the grocery store or family video, both of you making polite conversation, even going as far as light flirting and (you didn't know, of course) eddie would ogle your figure every time you'd walk away, always thinking about what he'd do to that 'innocent' body of yours.

eddie's truck was nearing, so with desperation, you used your hand to flag the truck down and your knight in shining armor slowed down to a stop.

he rolled his window down on his passenger side and with that signature smile, he leaned over his middle console to talk to you, "well, hey there, sweetheart. what's going on?"

his hair was pulled back into a low-hanging ponytail and he had a wife-beater tank top on. if you hadn't already been sweating, you would've been at that holy sight.

"my damn car broke down!" you huffed, " is there any way you could give me a lift home, mr. munson? i'll pay you," your bottom lip popped out as you looked at him. eddie was trying his best not to get worked up over your politeness, let alone the state you were in. your sweet clothing made it hard for his mind to stay clean. damn, i'm a pervert, he thought.

eddie had a crush on you too, but it kind of made him feel like a creep, so he never acted on it... unless you made the first move, of course. there was always a loophole.

"d'ya want me to take a look? i won't charge ya," his eyes were squinting from the summer sun, sweat beads rolling down his handsome face from the short amount of time the heat was pooling into his cooled truck.

you nodded gratefully and eddie pulled the vehicle in front of yours and got out. you could really see him then; his blue coverall sleeves from work were tied around his waist, covered in oil and other car fluids and a dirty rag was hanging out of one of his pockets. he looked damn good and you tried to get a good eye-full without being caught.

"first lemme see if i can just..." the hood popped open with a grunt from him and he took a quick look inside. "yeah, this is gonna be a minute. i'll have to take it up to the shop, sweetheart. but i'll run ya cheap, i promise." his eyes wandered down your body and you felt the heat rise both to your face and down to your core. thank goodness you were already very red from the summer sun, but surely you'd tell on yourself in other ways. that much you were sure of.

you were just thankful eddie had been out there when he was and you've had that silly, little schoolgirl crush on him for years, so of course you agreed without hesitation and waited eagerly in his air-conditioned passenger seat. he was surprisingly quick to attach your vehicle to his and met you in the truck.

the ride was filled with sexual tension that you weren't sure if you were imagining or not. his muscular, tatted arm rested on the middle console, daring you to touch it, but you couldn't bring yourself to do such a thing. you felt like you barely knew him, but the temptation was there all the same.

when eddie pulled up to your house, he made sure to take your number down and told you he'd let you know if there was any development on fixing it. you hoped that wasn't the only reason why.

"or if you wanna come by the shop and see me, i'll be there," you couldn't help but feel like a piece of meat dangling in front of a ravenous lion with the way he looked you up and down. you could practically see the drool coming from his cynical smile.

you didn't want him to leave yet, so you did what any logical, slightly horny person would do in your situation: talk him into staying. you look up at him through heavy lashes, and your voice comes out just above a whisper, "so how much do you think this'll cost me, mr. munson?"

when you called him that, eddie could barely contain himself. the way your little voice trembled slightly as though you were a little scared of him, but he knew better. he had known of your little infatuation with him, so he figured he'd shoot his shot. to hell with that previous statement of you making the first move. you seemed too shy, he'd have to give you a little... push, just a bit of pressure to your soft and vulnerable exterior.

a chuckle rose from his chest sending shockwaves to your cunt, "well, i'm not sure of the whole problem yet, darlin', but i'm sure we can figure somethin' out."

eddie was coming onto you; you didn't have to be a genius to figure that out. your bottom lip found itself between your teeth as you leaned against his truck checking him out again, this time with every intent of getting caught.

thankfully, he wasn't shy and played right along.

"you oughta' invite me in so we can discuss payment options though," his head nodded towards your house and a cheshire grin spread across his face, traveling right up to his sparkling brown eyes.

usually, you'd never let someone you'd hardly known in your house so quickly, but eddie munson would be the exception every time. so with an innocent smile, you nodded; the condition of your shitty car was no longer a concern to you as you eagerly dragged him through your front door.

as soon as your feet hit the entryway of your home, eddie made it abundantly clear what his motives were. the door slammed shut with your back against it, a rough hand wrapped around your pretty little throat. a tingly sensation rose up your body like goosebumps, but better. you leaned into his grip with no shame, wetness forming in your panties.

"and here i thought you were this sweet lil' thing, always tempting me with those bright eyes and pretty smiles." eddie's hold on you tightened only slightly, causing you to let out a shaky moan and your eyes to flutter open. his eyes flicked down to your lips as he licked his own, "i'm glad i was wrong."

"oh, i'm still very sweet, sir." you teased, smiling at the pressure he added to your neck.

he laughed darkly, a villainous grumble rising out of him. "and i fully intend to find out just how sweet you are, or maybe i'll just leave you here: pathetic and deprived."

you pouted dramatically, but you knew you'd get what you wanted just as eddie did. with his big hand still secured on your neck, he took his thumb from his other hand and pulled at your bottom lip, "open." he was going out on a limb here and seeing just what all you would do for him. he learned very quickly that he wouldn't be disappointed one bit.

even though you had never been one to follow rules, you believed you would follow this man to the ends of the earth. so your mouth opened slightly, never once breaking eye contact with the handsome guy in front of you. his rugged appearance made you that much more eager to please.

"wider." he yanked your chin harshly and you complied, your tongue falling flat. you knew exactly what he was about to do. "that's a good fucking girl," an ornery grin appeared on that beautiful face of his and then he spat in your mouth. "that's right, now swallow."

you closed your mouth and the warm substance rolled down your tongue and down your throat. it tasted of spearmint and cigarettes; you didn't know what you were supposed to expect from someone's saliva, but it had you questioning your sanity. you wanted him to do it again. and again and again. so you swallowed, just as you were told. like a good girl, his good girl.

a little spit dribbled down the side of your mouth and you were quick to swipe it up and suck it off your own finger. you felt absolutely filthy; swallowing a man's spit before even kissing him? you ate that shit up.

"mmm, i'm going to have fun with you," he intently gazed in your eyes and rubbed your neck almost lovingly, but you knew better.

then, eddie hastily picked you up by your plush hips and set you on your perfectly white kitchen island behind him, placing himself between your soft thighs. your cotton panties were already seeping.

"at any point during this, just say 'mercy' and i'll stop or change things up, okay? i want you to feel comfortable with me." your eyes widened as you just realized what you'd gotten yourself into. he slowly dragged a long calloused finger from the collar of your dress to the very end of the feeble fabric. his hand hovered near your core and he could feel the delicious heat radiating off of it.

you nodded your head hastily as you watched him, incredibly worked up. you just needed a little bit of friction.

"and if i'm gonna do anything, i need your words, okay? you're a big girl, right?" you nod your head again already too fucked out without him even doing anything.

"ah, ah." he turned to your sink to wash his hands before he defiled you. eddie munson might've been a pervert, but he wasn't gross.

"yes. i understand. words, mr. munson." your cheeks turn a bright shade of red. this was all very new to you, but you couldn't get enough of it. everyone always treated you as this meek, innocent person and you were not that at all. not really. you were thrilled it was eddie that got to find out firsthand.

"good girl, i'm gonna start touching you now, yeah?" his words came out breathy as he leaned back into your body.

"yeah," you nearly moaned.

eddie raised your dress above your head in one swift movement leaving you completely exposed minus the thing he wanted most. his index finger met the crotch of your underwear and moved them to the side. your core was throbbing in anticipation when he finally took two of his fingers through your slick, a quiet mewl leaving your mouth. his digits were covered in your arousal, so he brought them up to your mouth and you took them without him even asking. eddie reveled in this, a gruff moan escaping him as he watched you closely.

your tongue swirled around his fingers before sliding your mouth from his hand. you leaned back, elbows supporting your shivering body, legs thrown over eddie's strong shoulders.

"fuck, so needy, baby." another moan left your lips as eddie bit your shoulder before sending his two most middle fingers into you. they were precise and careful, knowing exactly what areas needed to be touched and how much pressure to put on your spongey spot. the curl of his digits was heavenly; stars clouding your vision along with a few tears from the intensity.

after a mere two minutes, you couldn't believe you were about to cum, "i-i.."

"shh, i know." his thumb joined in at the tip top of your cunt, circling that sensitive little nub with vigor. you came with a spasm of your entire body, legs shaking, your body nearly flailing off of the counter, a salacious scream leaving your sweet lips. "you did such a good job for me,"

eddie set your legs down with a smirk, "i need you to wrap your arms and legs around me, sweetheart." and so you did very obediently, your clothed cunt rubbed against the rough fabric of his clothing making you all the more hungry. he asked what direction your bedroom was in before taking you there with urgency; your heart pounded the closer he got.

this was actually happening and you couldn't believe it. all those years of pining after and dreaming of eddie munson, he was about to take you however he saw fit and you were going to let him.

he placed you on the bed and you started to lean up to kiss him, but stopped you with a hand to the top of your head, pushing you down, "ah ah ah, down. on your knees for me, baby." his gruff voice melted you down to your bare knees fully accepting the carpet burn soon to come.

you knelt in front of the beautiful man, gazing up at him like he had put all of the stars in the sky. just the thought of his dick in your mouth made your poor pussy quiver and your mouth water. your hands reached for his coveralls eagerly, dragging them down his legs to reveal his erection secured loosely in his boxers. blue plaid. cute.

for someone who acted like he was in control, eddie sure was fucking losing it on the inside. seeing you all lovely and disheveled underneath him without his cock even being inside you made his ego way bigger than it should have been. he roughly ran his ringed hand through his unruly hair that wasn't in a ponytail anymore, looking up at your ceiling so he didn't bust right then and there.

your lips were pouty, skin glistening from the sweat, and god, he just wanted to fuck you up. make you forget your own name, forget his name even. he wanted to make you a puddle on the bed when he was done with you.

you took his boxers down to his ankles too and eddie stepped out of them in all his luster. a slight gasp came from your lips at the sight of him; pink, pretty and big. wasting no time at all, your mouth attached to his leaking tip. a slight swirl of your tongue and eddie had your hair in his hands, guiding your head down, down, down until he hit the back of your throat and groaned the most beautiful, guttural moan you've ever heard from a man.

"fuck, sweetheart, i just might have to make you mine if you keep taking me like the dirty little thing you are." he pulls you back and slams his cock into your throat, drool spilling from your pretty mouth. your humming only guaranteed his thrusts he started, the vibration encouraging him.

you wanted to be his so bad, you would gladly do anything he asked of you if it meant he'd keep you. just at the thought, one of your hands found its way to your clit and you couldn't help it, you had to have some sort of release.

he was salty from a hard day's work, but it made him even sweeter to you. you bobbed your head up and down, your nails were digging into his thighs as his rammed himself in and out. both of your hands came up to accompany your slick mouth, pumping his perfect dick. something about two hands on his cock made him come undone.

"oh sh-shit," you feel him throbbing and twitching and you take him out of your mouth, his white, hot ropes spilling all over your mouth, face and chest.

with your finger, you scooped up some from your cheek into your mouth, "mmm, so sweet, mr. munson."

eddie let out a staggered breath, "you dirty thing, you like my cum all over those pretty tits?" you nod. "yeah? i bet you like it in your mouth even more, huh? go ahead, lick it all up for me."

your hand sultrily dragged through the sticky substance, chest heaving from the filthy things you knew you were going to do. it dripped down your hand as your tongue lapped it up, making sure you were watching his reactions the entire time, those big brown eyes observing you so carefully, mouth agape, practically drooling himself.

you were so beautiful like this, on your knees, covered in his cum.

"i want you to take it all, slut." his bottom lip was between his teeth and you moaned. "are you my slut, baby?"

you nodded earning a firm slap in the face from him. the sting was bittersweet and you knew a handprint was sure to form, but you were more than okay with that.

"what did i tell you about using your words?" eddie's eyes grew dark, making you shiver in both excitement and fear. "try again. are you my slut?"

"yes, eddie, i'm your slut. i really am, i promise," your bottom lip stuck out at him, trembling. "i wanna have you inside me, all of you." you made intimate eye contact with his weeping slit. such a pretty cock.

a low snicker rose out of him, "not until you're all clean. can't have too dirty of a girl, can we?"

"no sir," you shook your head quickly. you licked up pretty much every drop of that yummy, gooey stuff before eddie decided to let you up off of your now carpet-burned knees with a harsh yank of your hair.

"such a good listener, aren't we? think i should reward you?" eddie threw you onto your bed on your back, a pathetic whimper coming from you.

"i've been so good, please."

"awe, and so respectful." he cooed and crawled over to you on his hands and knees, truly looking like a lion with that wild mane. you were his prey and you were honored. never have you been so infatuated with anyone, let alone a male, but damn, he had a way about him.

eddie sunk down to his elbows to kiss your bare thighs, his warm breath fanning over your skin causing goosebumps. with one sudden movement, he brought the back of your thighs flush to his shoulders again. only this time, he was going to use more than his hands.

eddie slowly took your panties down and off, flinging them somewhere long forgotten. he kisses up your thigh, right on a sensitive spot. you twitch because of the sensation; you had no idea you'd be so sensitive, but he had a hunch. he looked at you as a smirk crept upon his face.

if you weren't in such a compromising position, you'd smack that smug look right off his pretty face... but you were, so you just loved in it. his bouncy curls tickling the inside of your thighs, plush lips like clouds gracing your skin, rough fingers drilling into the squishy cellulite. you could live and die here.

well, maybe not before you got to feel eddie's cock burying inside you.

eddie came face to face with your pretty opening and blew lightly, the warm air earning a yelp from you. "you're already soaked, baby, did you get off making me cum? hmm?" a whine escaped you and he ran his finger through your folds. "you didn't even ask, did you? naughty girl."

truthfully, you hadn't even noticed, you were so preoccupied with making sure he felt as good as he made you feel, that it was even a surprise to you.

"i'm sorry, i didn't mean to... i just—please touch me, eddie," your legs slightly tightened around his neck.

thankfully for you, eddie was feeling generous tonight, so without another word, he took that lengthy tongue to your cunt. if you thought his fingers felt good, you weren't even close to prepared for the talent that man had when it came to his mouth. a flat stripe down the middle made you moan out before he took your clit into his mouth and sucked. not too hard, but not too soft. he flicked it around, side to side, watching your every facial expression. eddie wanted you to remember this for the rest of your life and damnit, you knew you were.

"you taste so fucking good, you know that?" your head fell back into your pillow dramatically when he licked his lips.

as he worked his tongue through your folds and up into your soaked pussy, your hands found a home in his curls, using them as reigns. a gruff sound came from eddie, making his nose bury deep into your clit and just... thank god for big noses.

eddie's face shook from side to side like a ravaged dog, your juices slinging all over his face. with another pressurized lick all the way up to your clit, he let go of your right thigh and brought two fingers to his mouth. the same two he used earlier that were still just slightly pruned.

a pop echoed through the room when he took them out of his mouth, "i'm going to absolutely ruin you, baby." the look in his dark eyes made your breath hitch in your throat, but his fingers in your cunt had you back to breathing heavy in no time at all.

with his fingers now inside you, eddie brings his saturated mouth back to your clit. circles and little figure eights, maybe even his name? whatever he was doing was working wonders. his non-dominant hand came around your legs to press onto your tummy somehow speeding up your orgasm faster than you had anticipated. the build up ever growing until you couldn't take it anymore.

"fuck, eddie. fuck! please, please, i wanna cum so bad," you were surprised you could even form a coherent sentence with how fucked out you'd become.

"do ya? do you wanna come, pretty girl?" he stopped giving your clit attention to look up at you. "do you deserve it, hmm?"

you felt like you could cry and you almost did. spite is what kept you going because you were a fucking brat.

"i do, i-i deserve it." the words came out breathlessly, barely audible to him, so he bit the inside of your thigh. hard. "ow!"

"i can't hear you, i need you to beg me. beg me for that sweet release, sweetheart. i know you can do it for me." the taunting was almost unbearable, almost, but it turned you on even more with his lips mockingly pouting and captivating eyes blinking up at you. he moved his fingers achingly slow along your g-spot as he watched your legs tremble on either side of him.

you were embarrassed, but you just wanted him inside you and if that meant pleading with him, you'd sure as hell do it.

"please, eddie... i'm begging you, make me cum, i need it, i need you." you were so overstimulated that tears were welling up in your desperate eyes and eddie was losing his mind again. he dove back into your clit with his unforgiving tongue lapping you up. his fingers pumped in and out, curling at the most divine speed and angle. you were floating.

you could feel the dam nearing its inevitable burst, a hot sensation coming from deep inside you begging to be set free. just as suddenly, it broke. you knew you were making a mess, but your body had gone limp long before your orgasm. how you were going to be any fun going further was beyond you.

a scream so pornographic left those satiable lips of yours. you felt yourself dripping down your things, but then you looked up at eddie... like an angel, he glistened with your sweet release, a devilish grin upon that sexy face of his. you could easily cum again at the sight of him.

"i don't think i've ever come that hard in my entire life," you whispered to yourself and of course he heard it, a sly smirk appearing once more. your head fell back onto the pillow with a loud sigh.

"that sounds like a challenge, sweetheart. let's see if i can make those legs shake again." eddie took his fingers and sucked the slick off slowly.

"a-already?" your voice was shaky coming out. you sat up on your elbows and looked at the man in front of you with a very small touch of fear in your eyes. not that you were scared of him at all, but you thought you'd have some recovery time. apparently, that wasn't on eddie's agenda for the day.

"is that going to be a problem?" he crawled up your body leaving whispers of kisses, his dark eyes boring into your very soul. you gasped as he bit down slightly on your side, scraping his teeth across your skin and leaving a dusting of goosebumps.

"not at all, eddie..."

"mmm," he bit a little deeper, humming into your skin. his lips suctioned harshly, a deep red and purple bruise appearing in their wake.

eddie peppered a few more hickeys along your stomach and left a trail all the way to your breasts before taking the left nipple in his mouth. his tongue swirled delicately around the tip, leaving a little bite as he switched to the other tit. whichever one wasn't in his mouth was being fondled by his hand, twisting and pulling hard enough to make you moan out his name.

"fuck, say my name again," eddie tugged a little harder on your right nipple and your mouth formed an "o", silently screaming. god, you were just so stubborn. you couldn't just give him what he wanted after all that teasing he had put you through.

"awe, don't get all shy on me now, baby. i wanna hear that pretty mouth scream my name." he released your breast long enough to tease you before he was on them again.

"you might have to try a little harder than that— oh!" eddie sat up and ripped your body flush to his, the tip of his dick lightly grazing over your soaked center.

"you don't get to tell me what to do, sweetheart. you're here to listen." his hand wrapped around his cock and it made it look even bigger than it already was. he slapped the head on your abused clit a few times before running through your folds wet with creamy slick. you were trying so hard not to moan his name. it wasn't a matter of not doing it at all, more so a game to see how long you could hold it together. you did not have high expectations for yourself considering just looking at eddie munson made your thighs clench together.

eddie smirked as he heard the wetness each time he teased your entrance. "see, now i'm going to need you to beg for it," he stated plainly.

your mouth fell agape in slight annoyance, you were definitely over not having his dick in you. "just fuck me!" you tried to grab him but he slapped your hand and then your face.

"did i fucking say you could touch me? now lay back like a good little slut, would ya?" he positioned himself at your weeping hole and pressed slightly. "beg." his dark eyes glared at you through heavy lashes.

"no." you pushed back tauntingly.

"beg or i'm leaving." he was completely bluffing but you didn't know that. he wanted you just as much as you wanted him if not more.

"fine," a huff exasperated from you as well as a comically unenthusiastic, "please."

eddie barked out a rash laugh, "are you kidding? what the fuck was that?" his hand wrapped around your throat, "i said to fucking beg, beg for me to put you out of your misery, huh? beg me to destroy you like you wanna be." his voice was low and raspy and it had you clenching down on the nothingness in your pussy.

an inch of his cock entered you and just as quickly, it was out. "fuck! you're so mean!" you pouted as your hands gripped onto the bedsheets in frustration.

"no, if i was mean, i'd have left you at the door, baby." another chuckle came from him before he ran his tongue up your throat in a thick strip. the wetness being accompanied by the coldness of the air made your nipples turn pebbled.

"look at her down there, she's so lonely. don't you want me to fill her up?" a thick finger ran through your folds and sunk into your hole and you gasped. "or i can just keep barely touching you, is that what you want, you fuckin' brat?"

towering over you with your legs in the air, eddie let his spit fall from his mouth to your clit and rubbed it in. it didn't need the extra lubricant, but eddie liked watching you squirm under him from every single move he made. you made him feel so powerful. you finally gave in.

"eddie, please, have mercy."

his eyes grew the darkest you had ever seen them. you knew you were in so much trouble and you couldn't wait for the consequences of your actions. with your bottom lip between your teeth, you watched eddie sink himself into you. inch by inch he made you feel fuller than you had ever before. you squeezed him involuntarily.

"jesus christ," he whispered. "i thought if i got you warmed up, i'd go in easier, but damn sweetheart. tight little thing you got here," his rough thumb plays with your clit in the slightest. your cheeks flushed at his words, but he just relishes in the feeling of how warm and taut you are. "just suckin' me right in."

he threw his head back as he bottomed out and you let out a small squeak. you were scared to try to speak due to your brain being absolutely empty of anything but him.

"s-so fu—" was all you mustered before eddie pulled out and slammed the full length of his cock into you and you let out a scream. another slam and another. he was laughing and relentlessly fucking you into your poor mattress. your head spun as he pounded into you, the slick sounds echoing in that blank brain of yours.

"this pussy was fuckin' made for me, wasn't it?" he asked with a sly smile. your thighs were bouncing off of his making a loud smack! with every thrust.

"yes, yes, it was m-made for you," your head was shaking back and forth, eyes shut and your bottom lip now bruised and swollen from biting down so hard.

eddie then crossed your legs against his chest making you tighter for him, a little rag doll for him to use and abuse. you could feel yourself start to topple over, his dick caressing your sweet spot flawlessly. you let go without a noise; your head was thrown back and you clutched his hands that were gripping your hips.

"atta girl, how many more can you give me?" his grip tightened again, fingernails digging into your plushness and causing your breath to hitch in pain. you fucking loved it.

"more, please?" another pathetic whimper came from your mouth and eddie just wanted to slap you again, but you were using your manners like he asked.

"you want more, baby?" he roughly flipped you onto your stomach. "on your hands and knees." his hands guided you and put a pillow under you. "now relax."

and so you did. your ass was in the air and you took a deep breath before a hard smack came across your ass and you could feel your skin rising and burning from the welt that was forming. a few more strikes had you pleading and whining under him before he finally decided you'd had enough(hardly).

nails scratched down your back as he leaned down and growled into your ear, "you want it rough, sweetheart? is that what you want? someone to put your bratty self into your rightful place: under me?"

"y-yes, please! please, eddie!" he lined himself up to your entrance again, slamming into you. his large hand clamped over your mouth and pulled your back to his chest. a bite to your earlobe distracted you before he mercilessly drove himself into you. slick and wet sounds filled the room once again, sweat clinging to both of your bodies. you had never felt so used in your life.

eddie shoved you facedown into the mattress, his veiny cock sliding in and out with grace and purpose. your hair was soon balled up into his fist stinging, making you lightheaded and seeing spots in your already fuzzy vision. your moans grew shorter and louder with each thrust, knowing you were coming undone yet again.

the slight curve of eddie's dick hit your g-spot just fucking right over and over before he reached down and his adept fingers went to work on your already throbbing clit. eddie would admit that this particular position was not the best for that, but he made it work. and holy shit did it work.

with a loud moan/scream and some intense body shakes, you came all over his cock and lost all movement for a few minutes. your legs and arms tingling—even your face felt like pins and needles. you had never felt such pleasure from someone else, or even yourself for that matter!

luckily, eddie was nice this time, giving you some time to recover before his decided final go. he was proud of himself; for an older man, he had quite the stamina.

he laid you on your side, rather gently for the previous actions, and spooned you. his dick was digging into your back, wet from your cum and arousal. in one swift motion, he slid himself into your slick folds not entering you just yet. he wanted to tease a little. the tip of him nudged at your clit deliciously.

"you ready, baby?" eddie's breath hit your ear and sent pleasant shivers down your spine. he definitely noticed and loved the reactions he got from you.

"yes, i'm ready, please, fill me up!" you sobbed pathetically.

"fuck," he lined his head back up to your seeping hole, slipping it in with such ease.

you thought the other positions were good? this was your favorite by far. the intimacy as he held you close and slowly slid in and out of you felt like he might actually call you after this.

one hand held tightly onto your waist while the other was tangled in your hair, pulling ever so slightly. it was more like he was playing with it than anything. a sweet kiss was laid under your ear and you moaned quietly.

he yanked your head back by your hair suddenly and his breath tickled your ear, "come on, sweetheart. you can do better than that, be louder for me, huh?"

a harsh thrust made you scream; a yelp was let out with every slow drag of his dick against that spongey spot. you knew your eyes were rolling back into your head. it was so intense and you never wanted it to end. eddie, cocky as ever, couldn't contain his sly smile as he continued to slide into you.

such a mess was being made and you couldn't be bothered to care, where on the other hand, eddie was laughing coyly in your ear. he was so proud of himself for making you come undone.

"atta girl, gonna cum for me one more time? make a big ole mess of me, hmm?" eddie sunk his teeth into your neck and sucked on the spot he found earlier knowing it would make you lose all control(like you even had it from the beginning).

your cunt squeezed him tight while you came, throbbing all around him. your walls closing in on him had eddie swearing into the crook of your neck.

"fuck, fuck, holy shit... where?" he was biting your shoulder again, trying desperately to hold out.

"i'm on the pill, eddie," your voice came out cracked and weak, completely fucked out.

without needing any further explanation and one last drive into your abused cunt, eddie came with a quiet but husky moan and you don't think you'd ever heard anything more fucking sexy.

you two lay in that position for a moment; his chest was slightly sticking to your back every time he exhaled and your legs were intertwined. when he finally decided to pull out of you, you got sad. you had no idea what this meant and you already missed his touch. no doubt you were an absolute goner.

eddie left the room for a while, putting his boxers on before. when he came back, it seemed he had made himself right at home. a glass of water and a warm rag were in his hands, a small smile graced you as he leaned down to give you the water.

"figured you'd need this. you're all tuckered out, little one." his eyes were a vast contrast from ten minutes ago. once hungry and lustful pits of black were now kind and gentle brown orbs searching your face for regret or fear. to his surprise, all he found was pure adoration and maybe a touch of something else.

"thank you..." you whispered as you sat up and took a grateful drink. cool water flowed down your throat and soothed the hoarseness from the noises that came out of you prior.

"here," eddie took it out of your hands when you finished and gently turned you to your back and spread your wobbly legs. "let me take care of you, okay?"

the way he looked at you with concern had your head spinning. the warm rag glided against the plush of your things and up capturing all of the mess you two had made together.

"why are you being so nice to me?" you didn't mean for it to come out like that, but it did.

eddie looked taken aback, but he understood why you were confused. "just because i'm rough on the outside, sweetheart," he paused to kiss up your thigh. "doesn't mean i'm rough on the inside."

a wide, genuine smile invades eddie's features and yours alike. he looked down to your lips and then back up to your already pleading eyes. the urgency with which he grabbed your face and pulled your lips to his was impressive.

the kiss was softer and longer than you had imagined it would be and it was the best kiss you ever had. no competition.

he lightly tugged at your bottom lip with his teeth when he finally decided to pull back from you. your face was still in his hands as he touched your noses together softly. he was looking into your eyes so intently that you felt like you needed to hide, but you trusted him for some reason.

"so you think you'll call me after this?" you laughed lightly, still trying to figure him out.

"oh, hell yeah. i gotta get that shitty car fixed up for ya'!" he laughed and you smacked his arm.

"but no, seriously, are you kidding? you think i'm gonna let you go after all the filthy shit we just did? you're mine now, baby."

a squeal left you as he pulled you down the bed to plant another passionate kiss to your lips.

"besides... i've seen the way you look at me. you couldn't leave me alone anyway," he smirks at you with annoying confidence.

"me? why do you think every time you've seen me, it's been in something small and skimpy, mr. munson. you're a dirty man, i know how to reel you in."

a groan left his mouth and he threw you back on the bed, "oh, you're gonna pay for that, sweetheart."

*.·:·.✧ ✦ ✧.·:·.*

ahhhhh!! it's finally done. jesus christ.

i started writing this in august :,)

sooo, merry early christmas, i guess (> u <)

i'm thinking about a part two? lemme know!

also, thank you all so much for sticking with me ❤️

i appreciate each and every one of you!

-cass

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mockerycrow · 7 months

Note

okay, so something unsettling. with ghost x gn! reader. “don’t worry, it’s not my blood”. maybe you are ghost’s civilian friend in an abusive relationship and one day it reaches a point when you’re so scared you lock yourself in the bathroom while your s/o is raging outside the door, banging on it and threatening you. you manage to call simon and ask him to come get you. the result is, well, blood that is not his. 👁️👁️

- 🐇

JUSTICE (Ghost x GN!Reader) — 4K CELEBRATION

[WARNINGS; HUGE warning for abuse and reactions to abuse (I had to take a break writing a part of this), murder, blood + gore + injury, major hurt/comfort, can be read as platonic or romantic.]

BEING ON LEAVE means Simon needs to restock his fridge and cabinets with enough food for a couple of days. Leaning against the bar of the shopping cart as he turns over the box of tea in his hands. He grumbles since he’s having to buy a new brand of his favorite tea, figuring out that his favorite company discontinued that line. Simon lets out a huff of defeat before tossing the box into the cart and he begins to roll his cart to the self check-out.

Simon bags his items up into his reusable bags and hauls them out to his car, putting a bag down to dig around for his keys. He finds them and unlocks the back, putting his bags in—and then his phone begins to ring. His eyebrows furrow a bit as he takes his cell phone out of his pocket, his eyebrows raising as he shuts the back. Simon swipes at his screen, accepting the call and pressing the phone to his ear as he gets into the driver's seat of his vehicle. “Hello?” Simon asks into the phone, a bit confused on why you’re calling him.

His heart nearly drops to his stomach when he hears you sob into the receiver, a muffled static banging in the background and some unintelligible yelling. “Simon—“ Your tone is laced with intense fear and alertness, and he can immediately tell you’re in a state of a need to survive. He calls your name, not even bothering to buckle up, starting his car.

Simon calls your name more insistently, his tone bordering on panic. “What’s goin’ on, love??” His heart begins to pound as you sob a near incoherent “go away” to whoever is making you act like this. “Hey, hey hey—focus, sweetheart, what’s happening?” Simon insists, pulling out of the parking lot, already decidedly going to your place of residence.

You shudder and sob into the phone and clear your throat. “Please, Simon, pleaseplease hElp me, he’s—“ You let out a heartbreaking sob that makes Simon’s chest ache, his knuckles turning white as he grips the steering wheel harder. “Derek, he’s fuckin’—he’s trying to—“ You’re barely able to push the words out, and fuck, Simon is so glad you’re not too far from the store he was just at.

“He’s tryin’ t’hurt you, love?” Simon asks—it’s so obvious your partner is, but he needs to double check; have you confirm it. “Yes—he’s trying to break dOwn the door—leave me alONE—!” You scream, piercing his ear through the phone. Simon lets out a huff, his heart pounding against his rib cage. “I’m on my way, alright? I’m nearly there, I won’t let ‘im hurt ya, love.”

Simon is definitely going over the speed limit, weaving through traffic and his tires screeching in protest at his movements. You choke and cough, letting out a terrified weeping noise, barely able to breathe. A painful itch blooms underneath his skin, the sensation burning and bubbling, bursting at the seams. Simon was not allowed anyone’s blood to spill except his. Derek’s.

“Breathe, alright? I’m on your street—do ya have anythin’ in the restroom to protect yourself with?” Simon asks, hearing you whimper as the muffled sounds of Derek’s maniacal screaming and pounding is apparent. “C’mon, sweetheart. I know you’re scared, I know, but you’ve got to stay with me.” Simon insists, and you make a timid “mhm” noise. There’s a shuffling sound, and he’s assuming you’re looking through your cabinets. Simon soon rolls up to your home, and he barely puts the car in park, not even bothering to turn the vehicle off.

“I’m here, darlin’. I’m here. Stay as far away from the door as possible.” And with that, he hangs up. You stutter out his name in fear, but you quickly hear your partner—soon to be ex—Derek redirects his anger from you to Simon, who you hear bellow out Derek’s name. Something about Simon’s tone is.. eerie. Something about how Derek begins to yell and gasp and fucking scream is satisfying.

You cover your ears, curled up in the corner of your bathroom, heaving and sobbing as your head is swimming. You’re dizzy from the lack of sufficient air entering your lungs. You aren’t sure how much time passes, but when you hear a gentle, muffled knock, you hold your breath. Simon calls your name from behind the door, causing you to scramble to your feet.

You sob softly and shakily unlock the door and you freeze at the sight of him—there’s blood splattered across his face, dripping down his neck, caking his hair and his clothes. You nearly scream but Simon quickly holds his hands up, his tone gentle. “Don’t worry, it’s not my blood. I’m alright, love.” The relief that floods you is crashing like waves, just like how you collapse into his arms.

Simon cringes just a bit, Derek’s blood smearing against you and staining your clothes, but your desperate sobs and grabby hands make him forget about the mess. Simon quickly wraps his arms around you and leads you deeper into the bathroom, making sure you don’t see the mangled and unrecognizable body of your ex-boyfriend laying in the hallway, in a puddle of his own blood, organs, and excrement.

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twstgarden · 1 year

Text

❁ ❝ 𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘆 𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗱 𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗽 ❞

━ third years and gn! driver! reader (reader can either be yuu or an oc/twstsona) ━ going on a road trip all around sage's island with the third years until it unexpectedly rains, leaving you with no choice but to park somewhere and have a conversation with the third years. (f/n means first name)

do not steal or translate without my permission.

"oi, are you sure you can drive?"

leona's inquisitive question along with a raised brow made you scoff as you spoke proudly, "relax, leona. i can handle it~ be a passenger princess for now, will ya'?"

"he can hardly be a proper prince, what makes you think he'd do well as a passenger princess?" remarked vil as he looked at leona with a nasty gaze. "i'm surprised n/n has a car in the first place," added cater as he laughed a bit before connecting his phone to the bluetooth audio system of the car, "an 11-seater suv out of all cars..."

"quite a large vehicle," mumbled malleus as he looked around the interior of the car, sitting by the window with lilia beside him. the older fae chuckled at malleus' curiosity before looking at your eyes through the rear view mirror, "where are we heading, little one?"

you let out a hum as you inserted the key in the ignition, looking at lilia through the rearview mirror as you spoke, "just around the island."

"so, wasting petrol?" mumbled idia as he sat in the furthest back seat. he initially did not want to come, but lo and behold, ortho did his little negotiating and now, here he was, seated beside trey in the last row of the back seat.

"...no, not wasting petrol. we'll just tour around the island, y'know? stop by at some restaurants, look at the scenery, pass by the beach near rsa..."

the moment you mentioned rsa, a series of groans were heard in the car as you sighed to yourself. "relax, we won't park anywhere near rsa, if that's what you guys are worried about," you spoke as the engine started and you were now prepared to start driving, "and anyway, this ain't my car. i rented it somewhere nearby."

"...that sounds suspicious," spoke vil as he sat properly on the middle seat, looking at you through the rearview mirror before looking ahead as you started driving. "don't worry, professor crewel was there to rent it out for me... as long as i won't break the car, i'll be fine," you reassured as you started driving, leaving the gates of night raven college and slowly ascending down the mountain where the school was located.

"be careful. you're in the presence of royalty," snickered leona as he looked ahead on the road while you continued driving. you rolled your eyes at his remark as you spoke, "don't worry, i'm not a reckless driver. i will make sure malleus won't get hurt."

malleus smiled at your words, while leona sneered. "i meant me. i'm the one in the front seat. who cares what happens to vil and that bastard back there, i'm the one with higher risk," spoke leona. you weren't sure if he was messing with you, but you still smiled as you found it refreshing to know that he was comfortable enough with you to say such things. on the other hand, malleus and vil glared at the savanaclaw dorm leader for his remarks.

"oh, magnifique! isn't this a wonderful time to bond? a road trip around the beautiful sage's island with them as our personal driver!" cheered rook as he seemed to be very happy. "let's just hope we're alive by the time our road trip ends," added vil as he gave you a teasing smile through the rearview mirror, knowing that you can clearly see him there.

you scoffed at his words as you spoke, "now you guys are just being mean~"

by the time you drove around the street, passing by a few bakeries and shops, you looked at your rearview mirror and noticed how idia was only looking out the window in silence, which made you reduce the volume of the song playing through the bluetooth car stereo.

"hey, ids."

his eyes immediately met yours through the rearview mirror as you spoke, "wanna buy some snacks? i can stop by at a convenience store or a bakery."

"a-any's fine..." mumbled idia, looking away as he hid his face in the backseat, making trey glance at idia before looking at you through the rearview mirror. "i won't mind visiting the bakery, f/n," said trey as he smiled at you politely.

"no problemo, mister good-looking."

the heartslabyul vice leader chuckled softly at your words as cater spoke, "i wanna go to the bakery, too!" you nodded as you drove to the bakery that the first-years loved, parking nearby as you pulled up the handbrake after setting the stick shift into park mode if you were driving an automatic vehicle, or turning off the engine with a foot on the brake pedal if you were driving a manual car.

you and the rest of the third years then got out of the car and once everyone was out, you locked the vehicle before walking inside the bake shop. however, you paused by the door as you looked up and noticed that the previously sunny sky was now covered with grey clouds.

"n/n, come on! why are you still standing there?" questioned lilia as he grabbed your hand and pulled you inside the bake shop where the rest had already fallen in line, looking up at the menu as some of them started discussing what they should get.

"is there anything you want?" asked malleus as he looked down at you. you let out a thoughtful hum as you eyed the menu, opting to go for a beverage and pastry of your choice. as you voiced out your order, malleus nodded as lilia took note of your orders with the diasomnia dorm head insisting to pay for your purchase.

by the time everyone had their chosen treats, some of you sat by a nearby table as you nibbled on your pastry. malleus was seated across from you, sipping on his black coffee, while lilia was beside him as he took a bite out of his plain butter croissant.

"i can see why ace and deuce wanted to invite us along with riddle to this bakery. this place is sooooo magicammable!" cheered cater as he started taking pictures of the place, their pastries, their beverages, and even your table which had your order along with the rest's laid out on top. he and trey were standing behind you as they sipped and bit on their orders.

"hey now, drink your tea," spoke trey as he took a bite of his muffin, humming softly as he eyed it as if inspecting the treat.

beside you sat vil and on your other side was idia, you glanced at the ignihyde dorm leader and noticed his head was down as he bit on his truffles, not bothering to initiate eye contact or converse with anyone. however, he did notice your gaze on him, making him take a quick glance at you.

you smiled at him as you asked softly, "did you enjoy that?" idia hummed as he replied in a voice that only you could hear, "yeah. their truffles are hella delicious, n/n. i should probably take a picture of this place so i could show it to ortho..."

"you should," you encouraged as you took out your phone, "we can take a picture of the bakery from my phone." idia nodded and you started taking shots of the bakery, including idia's truffles on the table. then, you opted for taking a sneaky selfie of you two, you posed with your usual smile and a peace sign, while idia covered his face with one hand but still let himself be seen in your shot.

"hey, unfair~ how come you two are the only ones taking a selfie? join us, too!" exclaimed cater as he leaned his head down until his chin was inches above your shoulder, posing with a peace sign as you brought up your phone and took a picture with him.

idia returned to consuming his truffles as you pointed your front camera to you and vil, making the pomefiore dorm head raise a brow at your actions before smiling at the camera. once you took a picture with vil, he spoke, "if you're planning to post that, it'll cost you."

"don't worry~ it's for my eyes only," you spoke as you switched your front-facing camera to back-facing, pointing it ahead of you which took malleus and lilia in the frame as they were seated across from you. they noticed the camera and smiled, making you click on the shutter button as you took a picture.

sometime later, you all returned back to the vehicle and this time, rook is the passenger princess, so leona had to sit beside vil. rook then took out his camera as he took pictures of the view, but by the time you were about to leave your parking spot, the sound of thunder roaring was heard followed by the pitter-patter of the heavy rain.

"ah, it's raining," mumbled trey as he looked out the window.

"is it safe to drive back?" asked vil.

"doesn't seem safe... our school is on the top of the mountain and the road up the mountain must be slippery with how heavy the rain is..." you replied as you looked around the area, mumbling to yourself, "there must be somewhere around here where we can park safely under a shade... or an open garage..."

"there might be one nearby the crane port," spoke leona. "if not the port, we can find a parking shade nearby a hotel or residential area," added vil as he looked out the window on his left as it was a free seat, leona was on his right and behind leona was cater, behind vil was lilia, and behind the free seat was malleus. behind malleus was idia, behind cater was trey, rook was the passenger princess seated in front of leona and you were the driver seated in front of the free seat beside vil.

you started driving slowly out of the bakery's parking spot and drove around the area to look for a parking shade. it seems the gods were smiling down at you as you found a parking shade nearby a famous hotel in the central town of sage's island.

"holy shit, i found one."

a sudden flick on your shoulder made you yelp as you quickly turned to look behind you before driving towards the parking shade. it was vil who flicked your shoulder as he spoke, "watch your language." you grumbled under your breath as you parked under the parking shade, turning off the engine of the car and sighing softly as you slumped on your seat.

"sorry you guys had to be stuck under the rain in an suv..." you mumbled, looking up at the ceiling of the vehicle as rook turned to look at you, "non, non. there is no need to apologise. it's a rare experience!"

"yeah! plus this gives us more time to chat with each other before separating ways back on the campus," added cater as he and rook gave you positive smiles. "ah... extroverts..." mumbled idia to himself as he sighed softly.

"we have some leftover treats from the bakery, no? we can all sip on our drink or nibble on our treats while waiting for the weather to clear out," suggested trey.

"sure, but don't make a mess, everyone..." you said as you sat properly on your seat before turning around to face everyone else, smiling at them as you spoke, "so... did you all unwind? i know you guys have a lot to do, especially since you're all third-years."

"it was a wonderful experience," said malleus as he smiled at you. "yes! driving around with friends is really an amazing experience. i had fun. thank you, little one," added lilia as he sipped on his drink.

"how are you feeling?" asked vil as he sipped on his green tea, "you've been driving us around for almost two hours." your eyes drifted to vil as you gave him a grateful nod, "i'm alright, vil. driving is somehow therapeutic to me sometimes, so i'm all good! thank you for the concern, queen."

and so, you and the third years continued chatting for a while as the rain poured down sage's island, drenching all the streets and everything else under the sky with a pitter-patter sound. despite the gloomy weather, you were having a lighthearted conversation with the rest of the third years as smiles and laughter were seen on your faces.

'hanging out with the third years is always a pleasant experience, even vil and leona's bickering can be quite endearing every now and then...' you thought to yourself before your gaze went to malleus, 'ah, as for leona and malleus' bickering, that's still something to get used to...'

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magicfootballstuff · 1 year

Text

Strictly Unprofessional - part 9 (alexia putellas x reader)

Summary: You’ve just landed your dream job as a photographer at FC Barcelona Femení. The only problem? You hooked up with the captain five years ago and haven’t seen her since.

Part 9/9

Previous parts here.

———

You agree with Alexia that you’ll take her on a date on her next day off from training, which means you have five days to plan how you’re going to sweep her off her feet.

You decide to use those five days to prove to Alexia that you’re serious about wanting to date her. On the morning after your lunch together, you wake up twenty minutes earlier than usual and stop at a coffee shop that Alexia mentioned in passing once, picking up two coffees on your way to work. You still arrive at the Barcelona training facility early, coffees sitting in a cardboard cup holder on the passenger seat of your car, as you scan the parking lot for Alexia’s vehicle.

She’s not here yet but that doesn’t matter. You’re prepared to wait around and you stay in your car, watching the empty space where Alexia normally parks her car.

You’ve only been waiting for ten minutes when she finally pulls into the parking space and luckily the coffees are still warm, but you would have waited for hours if you’d had to.

“Morning,” you greet Alexia cheerily, as she gets out of her car. “This is for you.”

Alexia raises her eyebrows, mouth curling upwards into a smile as she accepts the coffee and brings to her lips for a taste.

“You know, I’m going to start expecting this every morning,” she teases you, as you walk together towards the training facility.

Though you wince internally at the damage to your bank account if you have to start stopping for nice coffees every morning on the way into work, what you say to Alexia is, “Okay.”

“I’m joking, by the way,” Alexia says, nudging her arm against yours affectionately as she takes another sip of coffee. “But thank you for this. I really do appreciate the gesture.”

———

You bring her coffee again the next morning, but when you show up to the coffee shop on the third day you’re surprised to see Alexia already standing near the counter.

“You don’t have to keep doing this,” she tells you, her hand finding your waist and giving it an affectionate squeeze as you line up together to order your drinks. “An occasional treat is nice, but you don’t owe me anything. Let me get this one.”

Your protests fall short, but you let Alexia buy you a coffee today instead.

———

The morning of your date with Alexia, you’re surprisingly calm. You shoot Alexia a message telling her to wear sensible shoes and that you’ll be outdoors so she’s welcome to bring Nala along too, before getting into your car and driving over to Alexia’s apartment to pick her up.

“Hi,” she says, when you pull up outside and she climbs into the passenger seat.

She grins at you across the console between you and suddenly the nerves surge through your body as her smile weakens your composure.

“You look really nice,” you manage to tell her.

She’s dressed in a pair of shorts with a loose fitting orange shirt hanging open over a white tank top, a pair of sunglasses on the top of her head that pushes her hair out of the way of her face. She looks stunning, and though you tried your hardest to look your best for her, you feel a bit like a potato next to her.

“Thanks, so do you,” Alexia replies. She buckles herself into the passenger seat, then says, “I wasn’t sure if you were serious about Nala but I left her with my sister.”

“I meant it,” you say with a nod, before you add with a teasing smile, “I just thought you might want to bring Nala as a chaperone in case you were worried you’d be unable to resist throwing yourself at me.”

Alexia arches an eyebrow.

“Thirty seconds into our first date and you’re already that confident?”

“No, I’m just incredibly nervous,” you admit. “Fake it ‘til you make it, you know?”

“You don’t need to be nervous,” Alexia reassures you, though her smile once again knocks the air out of your lungs. “Anyway, where are you taking me?”

As you pull away from the side of the road and start your journey, you answer, “That’s a surprise for now.”

———

You talk effortlessly as you drive out of Barcelona and into the hills north of the city, the conversation easing your mind as any nerves from earlier float away. This is just Alexia, after all, the same Alexia you see every day at work. Slapping the ‘date’ label on today shouldn’t make it any different to any other time you’ve spent with her in the last six months.

You eventually pull into a dusty parking lot in the shade of some trees at the start of a hiking trail. As you get out of the car, Alexia must have realised what your plan is, because she teases you, “So, is this a cheap date because I told you that you’re paying?”

You open the back door and take out the two backpacks that have been sitting on the back seat.

“Oh, I’ve spent money on this date,” you counter, holding out one of the bags towards Alexia. “I was going to offer to carry the heavier one, but for that comment I think you can carry it.”

Alexia grins and shakes her head, but accepts the bag, smaller than the one you hoist onto your own shoulders but slightly heavier as it’s the one carrying the drinks.

As you lock up your car, Alexia reaches for your hand with hers and slides her fingers between yours.

“Thank you for planning this,” she says, more earnest than before. “I’m only teasing you.”

“I want to show you one of my favourite places to hike,” you tell Alexia, as you leave the car and walk towards the start of the trail, your joined hands swinging loosely between you. “My parents used to bring me and my sisters here when we were younger. Plus, I know a place with a pretty good view for a picnic.”

———

Over the last few days, you’ve deliberated a lot over exactly where to take Alexia on a first date, feeling that as this day is something you’ve been building towards for over five years, the need to get it just right is incredibly high. Choosing to go on a hike felt like a bit of a risk, but you’re happy to discover it’s one that pays off. The weather is beautiful, a sunny day but not so hot that it’s unbearable, plus you and Alexia are both active people so it’s nice to discover a hobby you can share together. Not to mention that the conversation keeps going easily as you walk, with plenty of opportunity for little touches as your hands brush against each other.

You eventually reach the place you’ve picked out for a picnic, a sunny spot where the trees are sparse enough that you’ve got a nice view out over the valley below, the blue sea sparkling in the distance. Together you set up a picnic with the contents of the two backpacks, the food you spent last night preparing kept cool with ice packs and a bottle of non-alcoholic sparkling wine wrapped securely in a picnic blanket in Alexia’s bag.

“This is really nice,” Alexia says, tapping her plastic champagne flute against yours once the food is all spread out in front of you. “Very thoughtful. Thank you for preparing all this.”

“I thought I should probably set the bar at a certain height in case you end up owing me a second date,” you say, and though your words are teasing, they’re also cautious, because you don’t want to assume yet that Alexia will want to date you again after today.

Alexia, however, seems to think differently, and sets your mind at ease by saying, “I think you’d have to commit a pretty spectacular fuck up for me not to want to take you out again.”

“Don’t jinx it,” you warn her. “It wouldn’t be the first time I’ve made a mistake when it comes to you.”

“That’s behind us now,” Alexia says, reaching for an olive, which she pops into her mouth and washes down with a sip of sparkling wine.

There’s something on your mind and, keen to make sure you’re not following the same pattern of miscommunication as before, you decide to voice it.

“There’s been a lot of focus on me being an idiot - which is valid, by the way, I’m not fighting that,” you say to Alexia. “But you’ve had months too. Would you have ever made a move?”

Alexia smiles in amusement, then says, “I think I was trying to make a move that night at my apartment. You know, before you ran away.”

Your cheeks burn at the memory, but you tease Alexia back by saying, “It’s a good job there’s no Ballon D’Or for flirting because there’s no way you’d win it if those were your moves.”

“Because your moves are so much better?”

“Sorry, which one of us organised a really cute picnic date?”

Alexia laughs, then says, “Okay, you’ve got me there. You win.”

You know how competitive Alexia is - there are probably very few things that she would let you win at, so you decide to take this little victory by setting aside your wine glass and leaning into Alexia’s side, resting your head against her shoulder.

“Do you think it would’ve worked if we tried this five years ago?” you dare to ask, looking out at the beautiful view in front of you, the powerful sun overhead and the glimpse of sea in the distance reminding you of the holiday in Ibiza.

“Does it matter?” Alexia answers, and you feel her tiny shrug beneath your head. “We’re here now.”

“Yeah, but five years,” you remind her. “Nearly six now. Think of the time we might have wasted because I didn’t want to give you my number after we slept together.”

“Okay, two things,” Alexia says, taking your hand and linking your fingers together. “First, I don’t think it would’ve worked. I know I’ve changed so much in the last five years and I get the feeling you have too. We weren’t ready for anything back then.”

You nod in agreement. In Ibiza, Alexia was a rebound from a broken relationship. Whether that rebound was just for a single night or turned into a romance that lasted weeks or even months after you returned from Ibiza, Alexia would only ever have been that rebound.

“And second,” Alexia continues, “I think we’re exactly where we’re supposed to be. I know this is a lot for a first date, but this doesn’t feel like a normal first date. We’re here right now, halfway up a mountain having a really thoughtful and romantic picnic, because of everything that happened before. And look at it this way, do you think you’d have the job you have - your dream job - if we’d tried to date five years ago and fucked it up?”

“Probably not,” you concede. You almost didn’t apply for the photographer job at Barcelona simply because you’d slept with Alexia once, you definitely wouldn’t have applied if you had any more history than that.

“Everything happens for a reason,” Alexia assures you. “Let’s focus on now, not the past.”

Alexia brings your joined hands to her mouth, letting her lips graze across the back of your knuckle, then shifts slightly until you’re forced to lift your head from her shoulder. She’s looking at you with a sparkle of excitement in her eyes.

“So, is it time for my photography lesson now?” Alexia asks.

“What photography lesson?” you ask dumbly, momentarily distracted by just how pretty she looks with the sun shining off her golden hair:

“Oh, come on,” Alexia rolls her eyes. “You’re telling me you brought me somewhere as amazing as this and you’re not going to show me how to capture the view?”

“I didn’t bring my cameras with me,” you tell her.

“Okay, so you might not know this because I know photography is only a hobby to you,” Alexia teases you, her eyes shining with mischief as she reaches for the phone that lies face down on the picnic blanket beside her knee, “but let me introduce you to a wonderful piece of photography equipment called an iPhone…”

“Oh, fuck off.”

———

Though it’s getting dark when you finally drive Alexia home, you’re still not ready for the day to end.

You can’t really believe that, mostly through your own stupidity, you could have been doing this for five years. Five years that you could have spent with Alexia. It’s only today, actually going on a date with her, flirting and holding her hand and trying to charm her, that you realise exactly what you’ve been missing all these years.

Maybe Alexia is right and it wouldn’t have worked. Maybe you weren’t ready. Maybe you were supposed to spend those five years looking for something else, only to find your way back to Alexia and realise that it was her you were looking for all along.

You park up outside Alexia’s apartment and turn to her in your passenger seat.

“Walk me to my door?” she asks.

Your heart skips in your chest, as you nod eagerly. You’d been trying to figure out the physical logistics of having to lean over the console in the middle of your car for a goodnight kiss, but you hope that walking Alexia to her door will give you the opportunity for a proper and much less awkward goodbye.

Exiting your car, you link your hand with Alexia’s as she leads the way up to her apartment. Her hand in yours makes you giddy, as if it’s the first time again and you haven’t just spent the whole day trying to find any excuse to be affectionate with Alexia.

“Today has been really fun,” Alexia says, when you reach the door to her apartment, and you wonder if she is also trying to prolong the eventual goodbye for as long as possible.

You really want to kiss her. So much that it’s all you can think about, and you can only nod dumbly in place of actually saying anything.

But then you get the signal you’ve been waiting for, as Alexia’s gaze drops momentarily to your lips, then back up to your eyes, and you know she’s thinking about it too.

You’re not sure who initiates it, but her hands find your hips at the same time as you push her against the door and you’re gasping into her mouth as her lips move assertively against your own.

You barely remember kissing her back in Ibiza and though you’re sure it must have been good, it certainly can’t have been as electric as this. There’s something about kissing somebody you’ve spent months getting to know versus kissing a stranger on holiday, even if those two people are the same person, that translates into chemistry unlike anything you’ve ever felt before.

You try to commit this moment to memory, a second chance at a first kiss, but it’s hard to focus on much at all when Alexia’s tongue swipes into your mouth. Your hands tighten on Alexia’s waist, sliding beneath the material of her open shirt and finding the exposed skin below the hem of her tank top.

“Do you want to come in?” Alexia murmurs against your lips.

Remembering what Alexia told you about not sleeping together on the first date, you ask, “What about the rules?”

Alexia squeezes your hips, fingertips dangerously close to groping your ass, and says, “Fuck the rules. I want you.”

And even if you were stupid enough to argue with a pretty girl telling you she wants to take you to bed, your brain is too overcome by lust to be able to say anything more than, “Then have me.”

———

As you walk from the main building to the training pitches the morning after your date with Alexia, laden with camera equipment, there’s a spring in your step.

Unfortunately, you’re not the only one to notice this.

“You’re in a good mood,” Mapi says, arching an eyebrow at you as she comes up beside you, her football boots hanging from her fingertips.

“Am I?” you ask, playing dumb.

“This doesn’t have anything to do with the bite marks on Alexia’s shoulder, does it?” Mapi asks.

You feel the blood drain from your face as a memory from last night, of you sinking your teeth into Alexia’s shoulder in a fit of passion, swims to the forefront of your mind.

You start to fidget with your camera bag, suddenly fascinated by the zip as you avoid eye contact with Mapi.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Of course not,” Mapi replies, and you can practically hear the smugness in her voice. “But I’m happy for you. Even if it means I have to look elsewhere to get my fix of drama now.”

You don’t even dignify Mapi’s comment with an eye roll, knowing that any reaction, good or bad, will feed her thirst for a good piece of gossip.

Ingrid jogs up to join you, falling into step on Mapi’s other side, and wastes no time in asking, “So you’re the one responsible for the mess that is Alexia’s neck?”

No amount of self-restraint can stop the instinct that is to turn to Mapi and glare at her, because she’s the only one on this team that you’ve told about Alexia, so the secret getting out has to be down to her loose lips.

“Does everyone know?” you ask Mapi, with a resigned sigh.

You thought you had been so careful last night, deliberately avoiding Alexia’s neck by going for her shoulder instead, but forgetting that Alexia changes in front of twenty-five other women every day.

“I think everyone knows Alexia got laid yesterday but only we know it was with you,” Mapi explains, an amused smile on her face. “But just so you know for next time, if you confide in me, you’re also confiding in Ingrid.”

You hear footsteps approaching as someone else jogs up behind you, and as you turn and see that it’s Alexia running over to join you, your heart does a little flip in your chest.

“Hi,” you say, a little breathless as you see her for the first time since you left her apartment this morning.

Mapi and Ingrid give you a knowing smile and walk ahead, leaving you alone with Alexia, and she wastes no time at all in chastising you for the marks on her shoulder.

“I thought I warned you that you needed to be on your best behaviour last night to get a second date,” Alexia murmurs, and though her words are meant to scold you, the way her fingers find your waist and squeeze give the opposite effect.

“I thought it’d be hidden,” you try to reason. “I forgot you change in front of them all.”

“Well, luckily for you, you redeemed yourself in other ways last night,” Alexia tells you, her eyes twinkling with flirtatious mischief.

“Does that mean I get a second date?” you ask optimistically.

“I’d say you’ve probably earned that much,” Alexia teases you. She gestures to your camera then says, “Make sure you get my good side today, yeah?”

“You only have good sides,” you dare to flirt back.

“Charmer,” Alexia grins at you. She starts to walk away, now one of the only players not yet gathered on the training pitch, but turns around to walk backwards for a bit, as she says, “Maybe I’ll show you my bad side later.”

As Alexia jogs away to join her teammates, you realise one thing - if you’d thought your job was difficult when you first joined and Alexia had no idea who you were, it’s nothing compared to how much of a challenge it’s going to be to stay composed and do your job well now that you’re dating her.

But you wouldn’t change it for the world.

———

five months later

“Can I buy you a drink?”

With the music thumping around you and the beach full of people, the situation is almost identical to when you first met Alexia, now six years ago. But today, when Alexia offers to buy you a drink, her arms snake around your middle from behind and she nuzzles her face into the side of your neck.

You’ve been dating for five months, officially as girlfriends for three and a half, and it seemed only fitting to return to Ibiza as a couple for a vacation during the football off-season.

You let one of your hands come up to cover hers on your stomach and sink back into her embrace.

“Only if you let me take you back to my hotel room later to have my way with you,” you tease her.

Alexia’s lips brush across a sensitive spot on your neck, before she murmurs into your ear in a voice so low that it has every hair on your body standing to attention, “Oh, I was counting on that.”

———

the end

#alexia putellas x reader #alexia putellas imagine #woso x reader #woso imagine #strictly unprofessional

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strawberrywinter4 · 28 days

Text

May 8 | Prompt: Hobby

“You look horrendous.”

Sherlock’s words thrash Greg’s daze, and he turns to the detective to make sure he heard correctly. “What?”

“I said you look horrendous,” Sherlock repeats, eyes not leaving his device.

Greg holds a scowl, his eyes flickering down to the floor. “Yeah, thanks for that.”

It’s odd that Sherlock would even mention anything other than the case they are currently glued to. They are about to question the suspect that is being brought by other enforcers. In the mean time, Sherlock and Greg have slipped into a peaceful silence in two uncomfortable chairs just outside in the hall. Only now it’s not so peaceful and Sherlock has brought that upon them through insults.

“What I’m trying to make you understand is that you obviously haven’t slept properly in the past week,” Sherlock observes. “When you and your wife were together, that was never an issue.”

Greg has to refrain from rolling his eyes. “Mm.”

“Sherlock,” John hisses as he comes toward them with two coffee cups. “You can’t just say that out of nowhere.”

“Oh, please, John. You were informing me of that viewpoint just last night,” Sherlock says.

Greg’s jaw drops open as he looks between the two men, Sherlock impassive and John embarrassed. “Oh, I see how it is, then!” he says, crossing his arms. “You two just want to have a laugh so you decide to think of ways to gossip.”

“No, Greg. That’s not what this is,” John argues calmly, sending a glare to Sherlock which he ignores. He hands the coffee to Greg, and Greg’s about to deny it in stubbornness before he gets a whiff of the warm goodness. Instead of turning his nose up at it, he takes it, mumbling a ‘thank you’ in the process. “I was only saying that you seemed off, mate,” continues John. “You’ve been digging yourself in cases and that isn’t like you. We’re just worried, is all.”

Greg sighs, his tenseness dissipating. “I know. I’m sorry for snapping, it’s just—”

“It’s fine,” says John, taking a seat next to him. “But…you know, my suggestion is that you find an activity you enjoy or something. Get your mind off work for a while.”

“I second that,” Donovan pipes up when walking towards them. “You look awful, Greg.”

“Yes, thank you,” Greg grits out.

“When you feel up to it, get home, look on the internet,” Donovan instructs. “Trust me, I’m sure you can find a hobby, no matter how weird.”

And Greg does just that. After the case, he heads to his flat and takes a long nap, it nearing 5AM. Once he’s woken up and somewhat refreshed, he scrolls on his laptop.

The first suggestion that pops up is gardening. He could do that.

He sets up a little string of seeds in a row of dirt just outside his balcony. He had asked the man at the shop which seeds he recommended, and the kind man sent him off with various different seeds.

“I’ll name you Toby,” Greg says as he plants a seed he doesn’t know the name of. This should be simple enough.

The plants are short lived when Greg buys a hose and puts it at the wrong setting when watering the plants. It’s at the highest setting and when he turns it on, the weight of the water knocks the wooden bucket of plants off, sending them flying down his balcony. He winces when he hears them crash on a car below, the vehicle honking. Greg rushes inside, trying to ignore the loud cursing that the owner of the vehicle provides.

“How about knitting?” Molly suggests a few days later. “Always calms me.”

“Okay,” Greg considers. “I’ll knit something for you.”

Molly smiles shyly. “I’d love that.”

That activity is short lived as well. Greg can’t hold his frustration for one moment as he constantly pokes himself, gets lost with the tutorial on YouTube, and all in all, the supposed sweater turns out to be a bundle of false direction.

Greg puts the attempted knitting project on the counter in front of Molly.

Molly smiles in pity. “It’s a start.”

“No, it’s shit.” Greg sighs, wishing he could glare at himself. “Sorry.”

“It’s alright,” says Molly. “How about you find something a little more simple? Something that doesn’t require a set of rules.”

Donovan suggests a hiking trail outside of London. Greg can do that. He can absolutely do that.

“Fuck!” Greg curses when tripping on another long set of weeds. A family passes him, sending him horrified expressions. Greg huffs, sweat dripping down his back. “Yeah, why don’t you take a picture while you’re at it.”

He doesn’t know how Donovan recommended this with such ease, as if it’s the simplest activity in the world. So far, Greg has received numerous scars on his ankles due to sharp ends of rocks and vines, he’s cursed every minute he’s walked (he’s sure he will get kicked out of the park soon), and dizziness from the heat has taken over.

Once back home, he flops on his bed, rolling himself up in blankets. He’s not good at anything. Nothing is for him. Greg shouldn’t be surprised, but he is. Either he’s shit at all hobbies or he’s meant to suffer as a workaholic.

A week later, his neighbor, Mrs. Sue, knocks on his door. When Greg opens it, she’s holding a grey kitten with bright yellow eyes in her hands. Mrs. Sue sneezes several times, putting on a smile.

“Hi, Greg,” she says a bit timidly, her nose noticeably stuffed. “Uh—well, my sister left me with this and I was wondering if you could sit her for a day, only a day. I need to find some place where they will accept cats because I’m quite allergic.”

“Oh,” Greg says. “I mean—yes, of course. I suppose I could sit for a day. What’s her name?”

“Luna,” Mrs. Sue informs, already handing him the cat. “I’ll be back in the afternoon.”

When she leaves, Greg shuts the door and puts the loudly purring cat down. She rubs against his leg, looking up at him with innocent eyes.

“Well, aren’t you just a cutie,” Greg comments. “C’mon. I’m sure I have some milk. Cats like milk, right?”

The whole day, Luna is nothing but attached to him. When Greg sits, she settles herself on his lap. When Greg does his light workout routine on the floor, she’s under him when he does push ups and on top of him when doing sit-ups. Greg can’t help but laugh. Even after he’s taken a shower, she’s waiting patiently outside the door, looking up at him expectantly.

Afternoon hits and the doorbell rings. Disappointment admittedly looms through Greg, especially when he looks down to see Luna sleeping soundly against his leg.

He opens the door and Mrs. She is holding a box. “Thank you so much, Greg,” she says. “I can take her now. I found a place.”

Greg blinks, and he’s considering giving her back to Mrs. Sue. Maybe it’s for the best.

But when Luna looks up at him with her big yellow eyes, Greg can’t resist.

“Erm…actually,” he starts. “I wouldn’t—y’know, mind keepin’ her.”

Mrs. Sue’s eyes widen in surprise. “Really?”

“Yeah, I mean,” Greg shrugs, “she’s a sweetheart. I would be happy to, actually.”

Mrs. Sue signs in relief. “Thank god. I didn’t even know if the place I visited would have accepted her.” She smiles. “This works out perfectly, Greg, thank you.”

Once she’s gone, Greg sits on his chair and pats his leg. Luna hops up and begins to purr against his chest. “Guess this worked out just fine, hm?” he says as he scratches behind her ear.

Though it isn’t classified as a hobby, Greg finally finds something that keeps him busy and content. Though Luna’s constant mewing and purring can be annoying at times, Greg is delighted to have another pair of soft footsteps on the floorboard. He’s happy to have some noise other than himself in the once quiet space. He’s glad to have something to come home to, something to look forward to.

——

Thanks for reading! I know I haven’t been following with the prompts, but I’m sick at home and actually have some time to write so I thought I’d do this prompt today lol.

Greg is one of my absolute favorite characters and I love, love, love writing him. I stand by that he’s both an impatient and patient man, but that’s okay! He finally found something that makes him happy.

Prompt by @calaisreno Thank you for making this a tradition of sorts. I loved writing this!

Tags: @a-victorian-girl @whatnext2020 @totallysilvergirl @ninasnakie @thegildedbee @whodwantmeasaflatmate @with-a-ghost-mr-holmes @sherlocknjohn221b @jawnn-watson @blogstandbygo @lisbeth-kk @holmesianlove @7-percent @itsonlytext @chinike @peanitbear @mary-johnlocked @bakerstreetbe @curlyjohnlock @helloliriels @keirgreeneyes @ceceliajupe @ghostofnuggetspast @dw91165 @jolieblack @gwendelaneyisjohnlocked

#sherlock #bbc sherlock #writerscommunity #ao3 writer #ao3 #john watson #sherlock fandom #sherlock fic #sherlock fanfiction #sherlock and john #sherlock fanfic #greg lestrade #lestrade #inspector lestrade #di lestrade #detective inspector greg lestrade #fanfiction #may prompts 2024 #hobby

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manawari · 8 months

Text

Hometown Girl

Byung-gyu loaded his last bag into the back of his truck and made his way to open the backseat door. He turned around to whistle at his dog. "Coco! Time to go!"

Coco, who was waiting at the porch of the house shared by the band, bounced up to his feet and went to the open door. His bushy tail swayed in the air as he mounted up before Byung-gyu closed the door and left the window open, knowing how his dog liked poking his tongue out at the wind.

"Have a nice trip, hyung!" Yoon-ho called from the doorframe, along with the rest of the guys. "Tell your grandmother we said hi!"

Byung-gyu chuckled. "Absolutely!"

"Don't forget to be careful with the people around. Remember, you're no longer the guy who makes acoustic covers." Jong-in said. "You're a guy who's widely known across the country."

"People, specifically your fans, will swarm you around until you lose the energy to go outside." Tae-gyu added.

Jin-woo huffed. "Byung-gyu knows what to do, guys. Don't make him nervous."

"Jin-woo's right," said Byung-gyu. "I know my neighborhood anyway. Sure, they might flock around me, but not in a way just like that those 'fangirls'." He shivered. "Anyways, I should get going, guys! Have fun while I'm gone!"

A chorus of different responses were heard. Byung-gyu walked to the other side and got onto the driver's seat. He pressed the keys into the ignition and the engines rumbled, he placed his foot on one of the pedals to pull out of the garage.

It was his first time going back to Gyeongsang since he began his debut as an idol. Byung-gyu called his grandmother whenever he was not busy, her laugh and tender voice always lifted his spirits, knowing that she was doing well even if he was not by her side. The thought of reuniting with the only family member he had left increased Byung-gyu's excitement.

He was coming home.

And a lot had changed since he chose to go to the idol path instead of becoming a history teacher — did he regret? Not really. And besides, Byung-gyu was able to send a portion of his money to his grandmother so she would have money to buy her needs. His love for his grandmother worth more than the finest of gems. She was the courage he could grab onto when he was nervous of going to the stage.

She'd be cheering for him.

She'd be giving him thumbs up and the brightest smile ever.

Besides his mom, his grandmother was the most important woman in his life.

Time passed, Byung-gyu had finally arrived in Gyeongsang. Coco started barking behind him, yet he had to calm him down by saying that they weren't in the exact town. But Byung-gyu knew he'd be as jubilant as his dog if he was not completely aware of his surroundings.

The journey to his hometown took another ten minutes and at last, Byung-gyu felt a whiplash of nostalgia even while he was still in the vehicle. The lush green trees blessing his vision, the distant sound of waves from the open windows, the open road which had not once experienced traffic, and the houses that stood since he was young.

So far, nobody had noticed him. But that was because he hadn't stepped out yet. Byung-gyu took a turn to the path that led to where his house was, driving a bit slower this time due to the road and the proximity to the other houses.

"Guys! It's Coco!"

"What? No way that's— it is Coco!"

"Hyung-nim is here!!"

. . . And his cover was blown.

Fortunately, it was the kids. Byung-gyu would have to deal with them later once he got settled down. He parked the vehicle on the open lot near the tree and pushed the door open to hop off. And just as he was about to open the door for his dog, a couple of bodies clashed with his body.

"Hyung-nim!"

"You're back, teacher!"

"I've watched your concerts on YouTube! You are AWESOME!"

"How does it feel to be famous, hyung-nim?"

Byung-gyu laughed and ruffled each of the children's hairs. "I'll hang out with you guys later. I have to see halmeoni first."

They nodded.

The moment Byung-gyu opened the gate, Coco sprinted inside and went to the porch to scratch the door. Sang-ah, Byung-gyu's seventy-nine year old grandmother, opened it and was greeted by the golden retriever, who was as lively as her grandson when it came to her.

Sang-ah had light grey hair, almost white, that was tied in a bun and wore a casual air of pants, a sweater that she made for herself, and a dark blue vest. She had been around since Byung-gyu's birth and took care of him whenever his parents were away for work, so there was no doubt that Byung-gyu was more attached to her than anyone else.

"Halmeoni!"

Sang-ah looked up and saw her grandson. "Byung— oh!"

Byung-gyu threw his arms around her before she could even finish her sentence. Sang-ah laughed. She knew when Byung-gyu hugged someone, it would be tight and full of warmth depending on how much he yearned to feel someone close to him.

"I missed you!"

"I missed you too, dear," smiled Sang-ah. "Look how far you've come! Back then, I only listened to you sing in your room, and now, you're singing in front of hundreds of people!"

Byung-gyu chuckled. He wiped a stray tear when he pulled away and stared at his grandmother's beautiful green eyes. "So much has happened, halmeoni. The guys told me to tell you they said hi."

"Aw, they're so sweet. You should bring them along next time. In that way, I can make them the crab stew you always liked."

"I'll try, but you know people can get toward famous people," shrugged Byung-gyu. "I wonder how our neighbors will react to me now."

The old lady huffed. "Don't fret about it! I have you know that I always show you off to my friends. Do you know what they say? They want to set you up with their granddaughters!"

He paled. "Wh— what?!"

"Just joking!" Sang-ah smacked her grandson's arm. She turned around to make her way to the kitchen. "Do you think your old lady will simply sell you off? Absolutely not!"

Byung-gyu shook his head playfully.

While Byung-gyu was bringing all of his clothes out to place them on his wardrobe, which had been kept spotless by his grandmother, along with the rest of his room. Sang-ah was in the kitchen preparing Byung-gyu's favorite crab stew with seaweed. And of course, Byung-gyu didn't come back empty handed — he bought gifts for Sang-ah.

Knowing that Sang-ah preferred things that were not too expensive, Byung-gyu got her a new flower vase, a couple of his photos that also included his friends since Sang-ah would like to display them in the house, and a headdress for whenever she wished to go out.

Lunch was spent wonderfully. Byung-gyu spilled all details of the new memories he had created to his grandmother, who laughed and mused at certain situations that involved with the ARISE members and the band's manager. Sang-ah always thought that her grandson had found himself in a group of professional and matured people, but after hearing those stories, Byung-gyu reckoned her views would change once he shared more.

Afterward, Byung-gyu helped his grandmother with the dishes before feeding his dog by the porch. He watched Coco wagged his tail as he devoured his own lunch, then he caught his grandmother stepping down with the vase he had gifted her. Sang-ah walked to her garden where she crouched down and picked a flower from a clay pot with her gloved hands, transferring it to the ceramic vase. Byung-gyu noticed that the flower was pink and had a couple of dark green leaves clinging on the stem. . . He hadn't seen that flower before, or perhaps Sang-ah must've bought it.

"This has been given by a nice family near our house," said Sang-ah after noticing her grandson's curious gaze. "Isn't it beautiful? And with the vase you got me, this flower has a new home!"

Byung-gyu smiled. Then, he caught a couple of eyes glancing through the gate.

"Halmeoni? Is hyung-nim around?"

Sang-ah turned to him. "Seems like they are looking for you, my dear."

Byung-gyu chuckled and stood up. "Watch Coco for a bit for me, halmeoni."

"Take all your time! I'm sure they missed you a lot."

Very. Byung-gyu opened the gate and he was greeted by a group of young kids whom he always saw running around the neighborhood. One of them was holding a ball, which insinuated that they were about to play something and they wished him to be included in their activity.

The children beamed and started to scramble out of the gate, passing the ball to one another as their laughter increased in the air. Byung-gyu followed shortly behind them until he noticed that the kids were about to pass by a certain house where he knew someone would yell at the youngsters for being too loud.

"Hey! Be careful!" He shouted. "We don't want to have the old couple yell at us since we're in front of their house, do we?"

"But they're no longer here, hyung-nim."

Byung-gyu blinked. "They passed away?"

"Idiot!" The kid hit the back of his friend's head. He turned to Byung-gyu. "They left when their children came to pick them up. A new family had now moved into that house two weeks ago."

"Oh?" Byung-gyu raised a brow. "I see."

Part of him wondered if that was the same family who had given his grandmother that flower. . .

Byung-gyu had always liked spending time with the kids in his neighborhood. He considered them as his friends too. Whenever he brought his guitar around, they would gather around him and listen to the sounds he made; he'd watch or play with them and help them with their homework. The kids even cried when they learned that he was leaving due to a new work.

But now that he was here, Byung-gyu would make sure to create new memories with them as well as with his grandmother.

The children played in a vacant lot near a gazebo. They were passing the ball with their feet and Byung-gyu stood somewhere to kick the ball when it headed toward him. His laughter mixed with theirs. While half of the children were competitive, he didn't choose to get involved with him, rather he focused on the joy of being back to his neighborhood.

. . . But that was until he had put too much strength on the ball that it struck across the place and went past the kids. Then, there was a young woman, who was walking by and not aware of the incoming ball to her direction. Unfortunately, it was too late. . . The ball had already hit her shoulder.

Oh shit! Byung-gyu winced. Meanwhile, the children ran toward the woman.

"Noona! Are you okay?"

"We are so sorry!"

"We are just playing and—"

To Byung-gyu's surprise, the woman let out a chuckle.

"It's fine! You kids don't have to apologize. Just try to be careful next time, okay?" She said. Her voice sounded sweet as cinnamon and honey.

Byung-gyu sprinted toward her. "Hey! Uh— it's technically my fault. I was with these kids and—"

His sentence came into an end when the woman met his gaze. Her eyes were blue like sapphires. She had long ginger hair that had a fringe right over her eyebrows. She was short, only reaching his chin, and looked quite younger than him. She wore a plain white shirt and a pair of jeans; a brown sling bag clung to her shoulder.

"You don't have to apologize, sir. It is merely an accident." She smiled.

"Aw! Noona is so kind!"

"Hey, Unnie! Did you know that he's—"

Byung-gyu quickly covered the kid's mouth and left the rest of her sentence muffled behind his palm. The woman hadn't recognized him, so he must maintain it that way. "Okay, that's enough, Rin-ah. Aren't you supposed to win this game?"

Rin-ah's face changed. She shook her head and Byung-gyu removed his hand from her mouth to let her speak. "Right! Let's get back to the game and win!" She exclaimed and punched her fists in the air.

Byung-gyu laughed. When he turned to the woman, she had already walked away. Part of him wondered who could she be, considering how close were the kids toward her. And part of him reckoned that he hadn't seen her around the neighborhood before too.

"That's Lee Ju-hee, hyung-nim!" Another kid, Gwi-nam, said. "She's new here in the neighborhood. We were so happy that the old couple was gone and we decided to befriend her!"

"I can tell," chuckled Byung-gyu.

Later that day, Byung-gyu said farewell to the group of children, who were reluctant to see him leave, to go further in the town. He was going to meet a certain someone at the café. Eun-seok, who was a long-time friend of his besides Yoon-ho and also the person who had been editing the lyric videos of his original songs; he was a digital editor and had used Byung-gyu's videos to practice his skills.

Byung-gyu had already messaged Eun-seok that he was back in town and wished to meet him at the café they used to frequently hang out in. His friend's response had been a bunch of keyboard spamming that Byung-gyu chose not to read as he was walking. He had pulled his hood over his head in attempt of a disguise — and so far, nobody had recognized him, which was good. Back in Seoul, he barely stepped into the daylight due to his popularity, and when he had gone to the convenience store with Jin-woo once, a bunch of people had surrounded them.

They had to be fully covered since then. No matter what was the temperature.

Sure, he had his own fans when he was that singer online. But that was different in his new and current career.

When he entered the coffee shop, Byung-gyu looked around until he spotted his friend across the place. Eun-seok was facing his laptop with a pair of glasses in his eyes as he fiddled on his keyboard, his light brown hair had reached past the shell of his ears and his hazel eyes were fixated on the screen in utter concentration.

Byung-gyu pulled his hood back and made his way toward his friend. "Eun-seok!"

Eun-seok looked up from his laptop and a wide smile broke through his face. He got up and welcomed Byung-gyu into his arms. The two squeezed each other tight before Eun-seok patted Byung-gyu's back to pull away.

"I'm so glad to see you again, my man!" Eun-seok said. "You don't know how my days had become weird when you aren't sending something for me to edit."

Byung-gyu laughed. "Well, the company has their own set of editors to do the job. But hey! Maybe some time later if I'm in the mood to compose an original song, I'll hit you up."

"Great! But first things first— tell me about your career! Is it amazing? Are the fans different than your old viewers? Oh! Have you met any celebrities?" Eun-seok bomboarded him with questions as he sat down.

Byung-gyu answered them after Eun-seok called for a waiter to order some coffee, which Byung-gyu had to pull his hood back up to prevent an unwanted attention. Eun-seok flashed him an odd look and was about to ask until realization kicked in his eyes and nodded.

"Damn, what a struggle, huh?"

Byung-gyu sighed. "It's an absolute pain."

"Min Byung-gyu?"

Urgh! Not now!

Byung-gyu tugged his hood lower and he suddenly felt a strong sense that someone was heading toward him. His heart raced at the sight of three shadows touching the edge of the table. He wanted to run away. But no, Eun-seok was here, and it would be such a disrespect if he left out of the blue and those girls might interrogate his poor friend.

"Excuse me? Sir?"

"Oh my God! You can't just refer an idol 'sir'!"

"I'm just making sure! What if he's not really Min Byung-gyu?"

Leave me alone, please!

"Isn't ARISE in a vacation right now?"

"Right! Woo Jin-chul had posted on his page about it."

A finger tapped his shoulder. "Hello?"

"Cough!" Byung-gyu began to force himself cough loudly and tried to speak in a different voice. "Cough! Cough! I'm so sick! I cannot breathe!"

As if finally getting grasp of the situation, Eun-seok got up and reached up to his best friend. "My— my sweet brother! Do you need medicine?? Should I call the hospital?" He turned to the girls. "Uh, can you leave us alone, ladies? My brother gets. . . An attack when he's surrounded with people he does not know."

The girls instantly left as Byung-gyu continued coughing while Eun-seok was rubbing his shoulder. He waited until the girls were completely out and let out a sigh, leaning back to his seat.

"Remember when I joked about you becoming famous and surrounded by fans? Yeah, I regret it now." He said.

Byung-gyu groaned. "I should've listened to Jong-in and Tae-gyu!"

All Eun-seok could do was pat him on the head.

Once the two men were finished with their coffee, Byung-gyu felt refreshed. Nobody else had approached him ever since the girls had left the place, so that meant he was confident that he could walk around without anyone recognizing him as one of the members of the leading band of the country. . .

. . . And he was wrong.

The three girls who had attempted to approach him earlier turned out to be waiting for him outside, so the moment Byung-gyu got out of the cafe, they squealed and pulled him into taking selfies with them. Byung-gyu was forced to smile throughout six photos until Eun-seok dragged him away. Since then, more people began to notice him, flocking him, asking him to sign autographs, asking him to take a selfie with them. . . Byung-gyu was in a disaster.

All he asked was a simple hang out with Eun-seok!

Sadly, he hadn't gotten to catch up with his friend since Eun-seok had to return to his work, much to Byung-gyu's dismay.

Later that evening, Byung-gyu was walking in his neighborhood, on his way to return to his house when his phone started ringing. It was a group call from his friends. He answered it and four faces appeared in the screen. Their backgrounds appeared different, which meant they had visited their family, except Jong-in — who remained in the hotel instead of seeing his father — and Yoon-ho — who hadn't left their shared house.

"What's up, hyung?"

"Hey!"

"How was your reunion with your grandma?

"You look like you're outside. I hope everything is going well for you, eh?"

Byung-gyu chuckled. "Hey, guys! Missing me already? Yeah. . . I should've been more careful."

"Ha! I was right!" Tae-gyu exclaimed. "So what did they do to you? Asked you for photos? Took selfies with you while you smile in pain?"

"You know the risks, Min. And judging what you're wearing right now? Yes, you'd be easily recognized." Jong-in said as matter-of-factly. "And I won't be surprised if pictures of you in Gyeongsang is in the internet."

"Idiot, stop scolding Byung-gyu. He's trying to live his best life!"

"I'm just reminding him to be careful, you big fat—"

"How's your grandma, Byung-gyu?" Jin-woo cut in. "Any something exciting happen?"

"Halmeoni's doing great! She quickly made me my favorite stew." Byung-gyu smiled. "The kids are happy to see me too as much as I am with theirs. And a new family had moved in the house that was previously owned by an old grumpy couple, so I guess that's good."

"Seems like you don't like that couple a lot."

"They always yell at the kids. Halmeoni probably hated them too. But nonetheless, the new neighbors seem nice." Byung-gyu said. Surely, if that lovely woman whom he had encountered turned out to be kind-hearted, then the rest of her family must've been the same.

"Ohhh~ who are they? Did they find out that a certain ARISE member lives in the neighborhood?" Tae-gyu smirked.

Byung-gyu shook his head. "Not exactly. Otherwise, they would've approached me by now."

Tae-gyu huffed. "Don't get too comfortable, my dear friend, because once you—"

Words faded when Byung-gyu saw something across him. It was a young woman who looked exactly like the one he had seen earlier. Orange hair, petite frame, and a white shirt — that was definitely Lee Ju-hee, whom the neighborhood kids had befriended when he was in Seoul.

His feet halted.

Byung-gyu spotted her place her hand through the bars to fiddle on the gate. And that was when their gazes met. Byung-gyu tugged the corner of his mouth into a smile, but Ju-hee turned away and opened the gate and made her way inside.

His smile fell into a frown.

"Byung-gyu? Earth to Byung-gyu!"

"I think the signal is breaking."

Realizing that he was in a middle of conversation, Byung-gyu shook his head and glanced to his screen. "Gotta call you guys back. I think I need some rest."

His band members bid incoherent farewells and the video call ended. Byung-gyu shoved his phone into his pocket and proceeded his walk to his house. Coco was already waiting in the porch, so the second he saw his owner, his tail wagged and greeted Byung-gyu by standing on his back feet to reach him up. Byung-gyu rubbed the back of his dog's ears in return and ushered him to get inside.

"Oh, you're back, sweetheart!" Sang-ah called from the living room, watching a show in the television. "How's your day went? Good? Did you meet your fans?"

Byung-gyu chuckled. "Something like that, halmeoni. It feels weird to be seen by a lot of people."

"That's what you get for being very talented, my grandson. After all, you went from having small to big just like those stars I see on the television."

"I guess you're right," said Byung-gyu. He was about to turn to his bedroom when he stopped in front of the door. "Uh, halmeoni? Do our new neighbors know that you have a famous grandson?"

"Hmm. . . I have not told them yet. Why?"

"Oh, nothing." With that, Byung-gyu opened the door and Coco made his way inside first before he did.

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The next day, Byung-gyu decided to bring his dog along to see the kids since they were already done with their morning walk. If the children were not running around in the neighborhood, then they were likely at the wooden gazebo. Back in Seoul, he barely had time to take long walks in the morning with his dog, most especially when he was busy with rehearsing and had to hide his identity from the public.

Being back to his hometown had never felt so nice. . .

Until he caught a scene with the children.

They were huddled around something and as Byung-gyu got near, he realized that someone was crying. It turned out to be Beru, a six-year-old boy who came from another country and had moved in the neighborhood three years ago. He had a scraped knee and was sobbing.

"What happened? Is he okay?" Byung-gyu asked in worry.

"He tripped over when we were playing tag, hyung-nim."

He nodded. "Okay. Now, listen, Beru—"

"Guys! Noona is here!" Gwi-nam shouted and joined his friends. Byung-gyu turned up and saw Ju-hee, who was rushing toward them.

"Is your friend alright? How hurt is he?" Ju-hee asked. The kids stepped aside to give way, so she crouched down in front of the injured Beru. She reached her hand up to wipe his tears. "It's okay, sweetie. I'm here now."

"Is— is it going to be painful, Ms. Lee?" Beru sniffled.

She smiled. "A little. But you can stay strong for me, right?"

Beru nodded.

Byung-gyu watched another scene unfold. Ju-hee took something from her sling bag and it was a couple of medical supplies, she began by cleaning the corners of the wound, causing Beru to wince. Byung-gyu placed his hand on the kid's shoulder to comfort him. Beru slowly stopped crying when Ju-hee plastered a band-aid over it, pressing it gently to keep it intact with the skin.

Beru still sniffled and drew his arm across his eyes to wipe away the remnants of his tears. Ju-hee reached down to her bag again and this time, she brought out a piece of candy to hand it to Beru.

The kid's eyes widened. Ju-hee gave him an encouraging nod. Meanwhile, Byung-gyu gave him a smile. "So? What do you say?"

Beru turned to the candy again and reluctantly took it. "Th— thank you, Ms. Lee."

"Your welcome," Ju-hee smiled. "Now go and play. Just be more careful, Beru."

"Yep! I promise!"

Huh, Beru had never promised someone that he won't get hurt.

Nonetheless, while the children went back to playing, Byung-gyu had unleashed Coco to let him join the kids. Then, he realized that it was just him and Ju-hee who were left on the spot. Ju-hee watched the children play with her eyes glistening tenderly just like the soft sunlight coming through the leaves of the tree above her, also bringing copper glow from her ginger hair, then a soft smile was curved on her thin lips.

She's pretty. A thought came to Byung-gyu.

He understood what made the children fond of her. When Beru got injured, one of the kids had gone to fetch Ju-hee because they knew she would rush to their aid as possible; she treated him nicely and gave him a reward in return. Ju-hee was kind-hearted.

"Is there something you want, mister?"

"Oh! Sorry, I just—" Byung-gyu raised an eyebrow. "Did you just call me mister?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"You know me, right? Don't tell me you do not." Byung-gyu said. "I mean, the whole country knows who I am because I'm part of ARISE — one of the two lead vocalists! So there's always going to be someone who notices me if I'm not being to careful—"

Ju-hee laughed. "Did I hurt your feelings just because I didn't treat you like your fans?"

"No, I just—" Byung-gyu looked away and rubbed the back of his neck. "I don't know. The fact that you called me mister bugged me, I guess?"

"I see. Now that must've been the reason why you rambled about your image." Ju-hee said. "And yes, I do know you, Min Byung-gyu. But it's not like I'm gonna treat you like some God if that is what you're thinking."

Byung-gyu huffed. "Then I should be grateful."

"Oh? So you don't like being surrounded and praised just like other famous people?"

"Not exactly. I didn't accept the offer just so I could get a lot of attention, but rather, I joined because of my passion." Byung-gyu shrugged. "And to be fair, it feels new to be treated this way. You're not screaming or squealing at me, Ms. Lee."

"I just thought I should treat you like an average person when I learned that you've become a hit star." The corner of Ju-hee's lips twitched. "I used to watch your acoustic covers, you know? When I was still studying for exams, I used your videos to help me focus and relax."

She used to listen to my old covers?! Byung-gyu was surprised. To think he'd actually meet someone who had been listening to him sing before he rose to fame. . . It felt quite flattering. Truly.

"Well. . . What about now? Did your opinions change now that I'm—" he shrugged his shoulders to insinuate the last unspoken word.

Ju-hee hummed. "You amused me. To think I'd witness you dance at the same time, it made me wonder if I am looking at the same person." She chuckled. "Nonetheless, you deserve to be seen by hundreds. ARISE sure is lucky to have you."

Byung-gyu laughed airily. "What a flatter, Ms. Lee."

"Call me Ju-hee," the ginger let out a grin. "You don't use honorifics around your fans, you know?"

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His fingers strung the strings of the guitar. A smooth rhythm wafted in the air, twirling and waltzing to the ears of the small audience that had gathered in the gazebo. Byung-gyu had his foot pressed on a chair to perch his instrument above his leg, he opened his mouth to begin singing in front of the kids who had occupied all the sitting areas in the wooden shelter. They stared at him in utter awe, absorbing the gentleness of his voice amid the stringing of his guitar.

The song was the acoustic version of one of ARISE's newest releases before their vacation. Byung-gyu was yet to release the version, but he decided to share it with the kids first.

As soon as the song came to an end, Byung-gyu proceeded to play his guitar to repeat the chorus. He knew how the youngsters liked the stringing sounds so much. A grin crept across his mouth at the enamored faces of the children until he reached the last note of the song.

His audience clapped and erupted into cheers.

"You're so amazing, hyung-nim!"

"You are the best singer I've ever known!"

"I want to go to your concerts one day!"

"Another song! Another song!"

Byung-gyu laughed. "You guys enjoyed it so much, huh? Who wants to hear another one?"

"Me!" They exclaimed simultaneously.

"Alright! Let's—" Byung-gyu paused when he caught something from the corner of his eye. It was Ju-hee, who carried a plastic bag in her hands. "Ju-hee!" He called.

Ju-hee's twin pools of blue met his dark ones. At first, she blinked. "Oh, hey?"

"Wanna join us?" He said. "I could use one more audience."

"Uhm. . . " Ju-hee turned to the children, who looked at her with pleading eyes. Her lips softly curled into a smile. "Okay."

Yes! Byung-gyu succeeded in his plan. So once Ju-hee sat on the corner, he moved his capo to a different spot in the neck and began stringing his guitar. His gaze landed on Ju-hee, whose eyes stretched at the first few notes. The song was one of his most viewed covers in his account. So obviously, Ju-hee might've listened to it.

Judging her reaction, he was correct.

The song was originally pop, but Byung-gyu made it smoother. He added more emotion to the lyrics since singing with his whole heart felt much better. He briefly glanced at Ju-hee, who had a smile on her face. Just seeing her reminded him of sunshine.

"How long are you going to be here?" Ju-hee asked. She and Byung-gyu were walking together after they decided to leave the children alone to play, thus having a moment for themselves as grown-ups.

"Two months. That's the longest vacation ARISE could get." Byung-gyu replied.

"Really? That feels quite short. You guys probably worked hard a lot to deliver those performances on stage." Ju-hee remarked. "How are you handling it?"

His mouth twitched into a grin. "Sometimes it's exhausting, but sometimes we just find the fun in our rehearsals. Namely, speeding our song twice and whoever falls loses. Jong-in is the one who never wins because of his body not handling too much steps — Yoon-ho dragged him to the gym once, Tae-gyu almost called the hospital."

"Wow! You guys are wild." Ju-hee chuckled. "What about you? What's your role?"

"I only cause trouble once or twice. I don't usually join them to the gym, but if I do, I just make a run in the treadmill." Byung-gyu shrugged. "Yoon-ho is the biggest gym junkie, Tae-gyu and Jin-woo come close."

"Tae-gyu used to be a tennis player, right? And I heard that Jin-woo used to be an athlete too."

"He was, but Jin-woo only tried it when he was a kid because he needed to get good grades. Tae-gyu still plays tennis, only as a hobby now though, and he wants to try archery for a change."

"I see," Ju-hee nodded. "Do you write the band's songs all the time?"

"Yeah, but occasionally, I had the guys help me with the verses. Jin-woo had even wrote his own song for his first single — which made me so proud." Byung-gyu wiped a nonexistent tear on the corner of his eye. He snickered at the eye roll Ju-hee had given him. "What? Is it wrong to be proud of my fellow members?"

"No. I just find it cute that you guys see each other as siblings." She said.

"Well, we are one happy family after all. And that includes the band's mother hen."

"Who's the mother hen?"

"You're up for a story then, Ms. Lee!"

Byung-gyu had grown more comfortable with Lee Ju-hee. He even couldn't believe that he was revealing a lot of things to her that no one else in the media knew. But Ju-hee did not give him the impression that she would tell other people, she listened and chattered along like she wasn't walking alongside a celebrity.

It felt like she was talking to a friend.

Byung-gyu liked that.

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"When are you gonna make a new song or a cover? My hands are itching to create a video out of it!"

Byung-gyu chuckled and held the both of his hands up. "Sorry, hyung. I challenged myself not to write songs during the whole vacation."

"Well, that just sucks," scoffed Eun-seok. Coco went to him with a stick between his teeth, so he took it and threw the stick to the distance. "But hey! Do you know that being friends with a celebrity is hard too? Yeah, my co-workers talked to me all of a sudden and a girl asked me out on a date."

"Congrats!"

"No, it's not! She clearly asked me out because I'm friends with you." Eun-seok said. "And then she'll just use me as a bridge to get close to you until you leave me in the shadows after—"

Byung-gyu smacked the back of his friend's head. "Quit overthinking. Do you think I will abandon you? Not in a million years. And besides, why would I date a girl who uses others? If I hadn't become a celebrity, I doubt I will get a date."

"What kind of girl who won't fall for a talented guy like you who plays guitar, sings, and loves his grandmother?"

"Call me high standards." Byung-gyu shrugged.

"High standards my ass!" Eun-seok rolled his eyes. He looked over and noticed that the dog hadn't returned yet. "Where's Coco? I'm sure I didn't throw the stick too far."

"Let's just look for him." Byung-gyu walked past Eun-seok and followed the trail his dog had gone to. Coco wasn't the one to get lost, but if he did, it might be because he got distracted by something.

And Byung-gyu had a bad feeling about it.

He wasn't sure how short Coco's attention span had been after living in the city for too long. Given how his bandmates had been spoiling his dog behind his back, Byung-gyu had grown concerned over the idea of Coco getting lost.

Eventually, he and Eun-seok found the golden retriever.

Coco did get distracted. . . Particularly because Ju-hee was with him.

Coco wagged his tail as he leaned further on Ju-hee's touch. She scratched his fur and giggled when Coco licked her hand in return. The stick, on the other hand, was left unnoticed. Coco whined lovingly at her and laid on the ground with his belly exposed for her to rub.

"Dude, I think someone has stolen your dog."

"He's not stolen, you dummy," said Byung-gyu. "He saw a friend."

Eun-seok flashed him an odd look. "Eh?"

"Coco!" Byung-gyu called his dog as he approached the two. "There you are. I was wondering where you went!"

Ju-hee looked up to him with her blue eyes, shining just like her smile. "Byung-gyu! I was just coming back from the clinic when I found Coco. Though, it was more like he found me."

"You're working at the clinic?" Byung-gyu asked.

"Yeah. I just thought that I should start with something small before moving to an actual hospital."

"Well, that's great! I hope you'll be able to work in the hospital one day." Byung-gyu smiled. "Hmm. . . Dr. Lee? Or Dr. Ju-hee? Which sounds better?"

"Either," Ju-hee chuckled.

"Ahem!"

Byung-gyu turned around and realized Eun-seok was still there. "Oh! Eun-seok, this is Ju-hee." He turned to the ginger. "Ju-hee, that is Eun-seok. He's the one who edited my old videos."

Eun-seok waved at her.

Ju-hee nodded at the brunet and turned to the wagging golden retriever. "Your dad's here now. Go to him."

Coco whined and leaned up to flick his tongue at Ju-hee's chin before going to Byung-gyu.

"Your dog likes her a lot."

"Coco likes people in general, Eun-seok."

Eun-seok snickered.

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"Put it on the left! Yes, there we go!"

"Be careful! The contents might be fragile."

"No, no! Don't put that box on the crates. They have chemicals!"

"How about here?"

"That's fine."

"I can't believe we have an idol helping us around!"

Byung-gyu chuckled as he hauled another box from the truck. "Just because I'm famous doesn't mean I will have to stop helping you, Ms. Jung. Remember when you used to give me candies in return?"

The middle-aged woman laughed. "Of course! How can I forget that young boy who joins the delivery men after he gets home from school?" She said. "So, now what? Do you want candies after this?"

"Maybe later," Byung-gyu grinned.

When he placed the box on top of the others, he shook his arms on his sides to ease his muscles from carrying heavy objects. Byung-gyu preferred carrying boxes more than lifting weights in the gym. And at this, his bandmates believed that he didn't have as much muscles — which was partially true, but Byung-gyu still had a bit of muscular biceps that were always hidden under his hoodies.

Currently, Byung-gyu had taken off his jacket and rolled the sleeves of his shirt to his shoulders. Sweat glistened from his forehead down to his neck, also leaving small drenched marks on his light brown top. He brought his arm to his forehead to not only wipe the sweat, but also push his hair back, and released a quick loud sigh.

"Are you sure you can still do it, dear?"

"Hm? Of course, I can!" Byung-gyu grinned broadly. "The temperature happened to be so hot, you know?"

"My! If my daughter is here, she would be watching you the whole day." Ms. Jung chuckled. "She has a big crush on you, you know? If anything, would you be willing to date someone who's a fan of yours?"

Byung-gyu hummed. "That depends. But usually, I will have to refuse."

"Oh, so your type is a celebrity like you?"

"Not that either," he shrugged. He walked back to the truck to pick up the last box. "I prefer someone who's. . . Ordinary. Whether she's a fan or not, if I feel like she's the right person, then might as well go for the chance."

She smiled. "You have a great mindset, Byung-gyu."

Afterward, Byung-gyu sat on the bench outside the store, downing on the ice cold water Ms. Jung's husband had given him as gratitude for the help. The lady had also given him candies as promised. The store was located near his neighborhood, so he had no worries of people recognizing him or even snapping photos of him since his face was completely bare to the public.

Then, he caught a taxi pulling over several feet away from his spot. A woman got out of the front seat and pulled the door from the back, hauling out two heavy plastic bags with one hand and another two with the other. She placed them on the ground and took out some cents from her pocket to hand them to the driver.

Byung-gyu drank the last of his water and threw it at the trashcan. He grabbed his jacket from the edge of the bench and tied the sleeves around his waist as he took off toward the lady, who seemed to be struggling a little with the weight on her hands.

"Let me carry these for you," he said to her as he crouched down. The woman looked quite familiar and he presumed she must be living somewhere in the neighborhood.

"Oh, you don't have to—" she paused. "Min Byung-gyu?"

He shrugged. "As always."

"Heavens! I never thought I would encounter you in personal." She chuckled. "And— why are you all sweaty?"

"I just helped carry the boxes that belonged to that store," he jerked his head to the direction of the small convenience store. "Sorry for the messy appearance, ma'am."

"Oh, you don't have to apologize. I almost didn't recognize you."

"Thanks for the compliment!"

The woman laughed and playfully smacked his arm with her free hand. "Now that you're here, I might as well lead you to my house and make you something nice as a treat."

Byung-gyu followed the lady, who was now carrying only one plastic bag since he had already taken the other three which he believed would be too heavy to carry on her own. He got into a nice conversation with her. Unlike Mrs. Jung, the woman didn't mention a daughter of hers being a fan of him and attempt to set him up, rather she talked about nice topics that reminded Byung-gyu of his mom and grandmother.

Speaking of his mom. . . It made him miss her.

It had been almost a decade since he lost her, as well as his dad.

A few moments later, Byung-gyu noticed he was walking in a familiar pathway, like he was just heading home. He speculated that the woman lived somewhere close. Then, he realized that she turned out to live in the same house where the old couple had formally resided.

Wait. . . Could it be—

"Mom?" It was Ju-hee's voice.

Byung-gyu found himself facing Ju-hee, who was standing in the middle of the doorway. Her eyes were stretched in surprise.

"Look who's with me, Ju-hee!" The lady— no, Ju-hee's mother, said. "You two have already talked, right?"

"Y— yes. . . "

"She's a shy young lady," the woman whispered to him. "But she is incredibly sweet once you get to know her more."

Byung-gyu let out a chuckle. "I can already tell, ma'am."

"And sometimes, my daughter is also—"

"That's enough!" Ju-hee glared at the two. She left the doorway and walked to Byung-gyu, her face flushing as she held on the bag's handle. "Thank you so much for helping my mom, Byung-gyu!"

"It was nothing. I didn't even know that she's your mom in the first place." The corner of his mouth twitched.

"Byung-gyu! I'm gonna make you some iced tea, so you better come inside of this house!"

Ju-hee blinked. "What's going on?"

"Your mom invited me over when I went to help her," Byung-gyu shrugged.

" . . . "

Ju-hee's parents were both welcoming individuals. It even made Byung-gyu quite overwhelmed when the couple ushered him to take a seat. Meanwhile, Ju-hee was nowhere to be found, and Byung-gyu was too occupied to ask where she was. It made him wonder if they were naturally friendly to everyone. But he would be lying if he said that he didn't have a good time — Ju-hee's mother had given him iced tea and some cookies.

"Do you always come home here in every vacation?"

"Only if the vacation is one month or more, sir," replied Byung-gyu to Mr. Lee. "And sometimes, we take vacation somewhere else as a band."

"Well, that's a good thing that you folks are finding enjoyment that doesn't involve performing to the audience," the man nodded. "Look at you! You're way too handsome to be so stressed. When I was in your age, ladies still keep fawning over me."

Byung-gyu chuckled. "Uh. . . Thank you."

"You're sweating a little, son. Are you nervous?"

"What? No, sir. It's just that—"

"Got it!"

Byung-gyu turned his head and saw Ju-hee, who had a clean white cloth in her hand. He was about to open his mouth when he suddenly felt something soft on his forehead.

"It's bad if you leave your sweat on your skin for too long," said Ju-hee.

Byung-gyu felt his breath pausing. The proximity between them was short. He could see her sky blue eyes fixed in concentration. He considered pulling the collar of his shirt up to smell his odor, yet his hands had gone inert on the table.

And when he caught the towel moving to his neck, that was when he decided to act.

"I— uhm. . . " He stuttered. "I— I can do it. Thank you, Ju-hee."

When Ju-hee realized what she was doing, she flinched and the towel fell on his lap. "Oh my God! Sorry!"

Her father laughed on the other side of the table. "Ju-hee likes to look after people. It's her instinct. Although, I'm surprised that you called her by her first name, Byung-gyu."

"They have already met before, dear!" Ju-hee's mom shouted from the kitchen. "Why didn't you tell us that you're friends with Byung-gyu, Ju-hee?"

"It wasn't that completely important, mom."

"Are you saying that I'm not important?" Byung-gyu widened his eyes and leaned away in faux hurt. "I cannot believe you hurt me this way, Ms. Lee."

Ju-hee glowered down at him. "Shut it."

He laughed.

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It had been a few weeks since he was staying in Gyeongsang.

Byung-gyu created new memories with his grandmother, spent more time with Eun-seok and the kids, let his dog run around freely as much as he wanted, and most of all, hung out with Ju-hee too.

Since their houses were not far from each other, it was easy for Byung-gyu to see her around and invite her to hang out with him if she was not busy. He had gotten along well with her parents too, which was something Ju-hee would prevent from happening. And while she had already known Sang-ah, Ju-hee was still quite timid when entering the old woman's house, and luckily, Coco was there to drag her in by himself.

Ju-hee was as welcomed by Sang-ah as Byung-gyu was by her parents.

Byung-gyu began to show her the songs he had written and sang them to her with his guitar. He knew that Ju-hee would not share it with others, unlike a particular member in the band who had could not keep his hands to himself. Ju-hee's reactions were heartwarming. She'd tell her compliments once the song was over and was hoping that he would do a solo cover soon.

It was felt as though he was interacting with a fan. Except that Byung-gyu wasn't uncomfortable and he liked her company a lot. Besides Eun-seok, he never thought he would gain another friend who was just an average person.

Other times, he'd hang out with Ju-hee until sundown. And even when she was at his house, Byung-gyu would still take her home, only then to be greeted by her parents who were grinning at the other side of the gate. He laughed at Ju-hee's reaction.

She made him happy.

"Ju-hee's the sweetest, isn't she?" Sang-ah spoke when she was sitting on the couch and Byung-gyu was on the floor, playing with Coco. "She came here a month before you did. I even told her that I have a grandson whose heart is big just like hers." She let out a chuckle. "And the funny thing is, I can't help but feel I am witnessing your parents' love story again."

Byung-gyu looked up with an arched brow. "How so?"

Sure, he already knew how his parents met, but to have his grandmother include Ju-hee, it made him curious.

"When your dad was the first one to fall in love, he could not stay quiet around your grandfather and I after he realized his feelings," Sang-ah told him with a gentle smile. "The most amazing part is that they met and fell in love in the same neighborhood."

"I don't get it. . . " Byung-gyu said. "How does that have something to do between me and Ju-hee?"

"Oh, you'll find out soon enough, my boy. And I trust my instincts." Then, Sang-ah let out a grin. "Do you think you can fool this old lady, huh? I have taken care of you since you were a baby!"

Byung-gyu just playfully shook his head.

He believed that his grandmother must be pestering him to get a girlfriend and used Ju-hee to emphasize it. He knew how old people could get when it came to love lives. And besides, he was still young despite in his early twenties — he didn't have to hurry about dating, especially when he had a career to look after.

But little did he know, he should've had listened to his grandmother.

Byung-gyu was walking around the neighborhood, hoping to see the kids to spend time with them, but to his surprise, Ju-hee was there.

He raised his hand and was about to shout until he got the gist of the situation. Two girls were with her while the boys were running around and playing tag. Several flowers were scattered on the mat next to the girls' feet, who were fawning over the flower crowns they had created.

"You look so pretty, unnie!"

"Unnie! Try this one!"

Ju-hee bent down to let a little girl put a wreath on top of her head. She was clad in a pair of black leggings underneath her floral skirt and a yellow shoulderless blouse with puffy sleeves; with the white wreath on, her beauty radiated into something more.

. . . And Byung-gyu was probably blinded by it.

Afterward, the two girls, who had their own wreaths, took each of Ju-hee's hands and connected their hands together to form a circle. Laughter blossomed in the air as the little girls bounced on their feet while Ju-hee just watched them with the widest smile on her face.

Oh no. Came his first thought.

Perhaps his grandmother's intuition was right. Byung-gyu turned around and was to walk away when he heard someone call him.

"Hyung-nim!" Rin-ah beamed. "Come and take a look at unnie!"

Byung-gyu obliged and came face-to-face with Ju-hee. Her long orange hair swayed gracefully behind her waist. And with the flower crown on her head, it made him feel as though he was facing a spring goddess.

"Hey." Ju-hee smiled.

If it wasn't for his jacket, she would've seen the blush on his neck. Byung-gyu had to swallow to make sure he wouldn't lose his voice. "Uh. . . Hi?"

Awkward silence. . .

Knowing that he must do something, Byung-gyu spoke again. "You— you look like a goddess, Ju-hee! I have to go!"

He took off after that and didn't look back.

Eun-seok was the first person he went to. Unable to hold back his words, Byung-gyu rambled in front of Eun-seok without allowing him say a single word about him barging into his house in the middle of the day. Eun-seok ended up listening until he was done.

"I barely understand anything, but all I get is that Ju-hee is the reason why you're like this, correct?"

"Yes!"

" . . . " Eun-seok sighed. "Damn, I thought something bad happened. Anyways— why are you so freaked out about that?"

"Should I not be freaked out?" Byung-gyu said. "I mean, I've only known Ju-hee in less than two months and I got—" he counted his fingers. "Two weeks and four days left until my vacation is over!"

"Two weeks and four days left?!"

"I told you I won't stay here for a long time." Byung-gyu rolled his eyes. "But that's not the main point! I'm not sure if Ju-hee feels the same way, or if I will be able to admit to her, but do you think things will be rushed if I take the risk?"

"You're not even sure if you'll be coming to Seoul with a broken heart or a happy heart." Eun-seok deadpanned.

Byung-gyu sighed. "Okay, maybe I won't tell her yet. I can just cope with it since I'll be busy once ARISE is back on stage."

"Or you can deal with your feelings in a creative way. That'll keep you sane." Eun-seok shrugged. Then, he grinned. "So. . . Someone finally stole your heart, huh? Of all the girls going crazy over you, your heart chooses a sweet girl like Ju-hee."

Byung-gyu huffed. "Well, at least I don't simply jump into a relationship." There was another moment of silence until he spoke again, only to send a warning gaze at Eun-seok. "You better not tell anyone about this."

Eun-seok snickered. "Well, this should be—"

"I'm firing you as my editor."

"Okay, fine! I won't tell anyone."

Two weeks and four days had finally come to an end. Sang-ah had become emotional while she watched her grandson pack his things into his bag. Byung-gyu had to pause and comfort her, rubbing her back, then told her that he would return on his next vacation. He too was emotional, yet held his tears back.

The kids had come to see him for one last time. Some didn't want to see him leave while the others were excited to see him again. Byung-gyu ruffled each of their heads before he loaded his bags into the back of his truck. Coco was already in the inside, poking his head through the open window. Eun-seok, who had spent the night in his house, stood next to Sang-ah, comforting the old woman.

"We'll be waiting for your next spotlight, Byung-gyu!" Eun-seok said.

"Thanks, man!" Byung-gyu smiled.

As everyone waited for him to mount on the driver's seat, Byung-gyu found himself standing still next to the door. It seemed that someone was missing. The kids, his grandmother, and Eun-seok were there, but not her. Byung-gyu wondered if she was on her shift and that was why she couldn't meet him in his departure.

"Are you waiting for someone?"

It took a brief moment for Byung-gyu to respond. "Well. . . "

"Byung-gyu!"

And there she was.

Ju-hee ran toward him, panting. Her hair had grown quite messy as if she had rushed from the clinic to the neighborhood. Byung-gyu stared at her wide-eyed as she straightened her posture and shook her head.

"I, uh. . . I can't risk seeing you leave without saying goodbye." She said.

Eun-seok snorted, but Sang-ah smacked him in the head. Byung-gyu's lips curled into a smile, his heart fluttering. He couldn't believe that Ju-hee had ran all the way to see him. . .

"Thank you. I'll— see you next time, Ju-hee." He told her.

"Good luck with your upcoming songs, Byung-gyu. The whole band, I mean." She smiled. "And don't worry, I will check on your grandmother while you're gone."

Part of him wanted to hug her. But then, Sang-ah and Eun-seok might get the wrong idea, so Byung-gyu resisted the urge and smiled at her before he opened the door and got into the driver's seat.

They bid farewell to him, though Byung-gyu found himself paying more attention to Ju-hee through the sideview mirror. He turned on the keys on the ignition and pulled out of the driveway. Vacation was over, it was back to spending his time at the recording studio.

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"Welcome back, hyung!" Tae-gyu greeted him when Byung-gyu had stepped inside of their shared house. Coco quickly dashed toward Yoon-ho, who happily greeted the dog and began to rub his furry belly. "Judging by your face, it seems like you had a great time."

"The greatest." He chuckled.

"Now that everyone here is complete," Jin-chul began. "You guys know what this means, right? The vacation is over, ARISE releases new songs. However, feel free to do whatever you want while Byung-gyu is writing songs or doing the final revisions."

"Uhm, actually—" Byung-gyu brought his backpack down and pulled out his notebook to flip it open. He turned over a couple of pages before he handed it to Jin-chul. "I have already written one when I was back in Gyeongsang."

Curious, Jin-chul took the notebook and began to read the lyrics. Byung-gyu waited in anticipation while the rest stared at their manager. Then, Jin-chul's eyes widened. "Wow. . . "

"What is it, Mr. Woo?"

"Do the lyrics finally contain swear words?"

"Are we gonna low-key insult people in the song?"

"Tell us already!"

"Seems like you guys will be singing something different," Jin-chul let out a grin. "After having a break for two months, ARISE will surprise the viewers with their very first love song!"

"WHAT?!"

Byung-gyu rubbed the back of his neck. He knew that everyone would be shocked. "Yeah. . . "

He might get questioned after the meeting, but he was prepared for his answers anyway, whether it would end up with him lying or not. Byung-gyu chose to keep the real truth a secret. And to think, he had actually written a song for somebody — a romance song to be precise, but if he kept these feelings buried in his heart, it might push his sanity on the edge.

It was better to release his feelings through words while not mentioning the name.

Sooner or later, he would be singing to hundreds of people. But little did they know, he was actually singing to one person. And little did that one person know, she was hearing all of the emotions she had made him feel within those two months.

Ju-hee had managed to linger in his mind like the most beautiful song he had ever heard. Her kind soul alone had made his heart race. Byung-gyu had many words to describe her smiles and laughs in a sheet of paper until he came up with a song.

She became his new favorite inspiration.

Byung-gyu might be singing to the whole country, but to him, he was just singing to the girl from his hometown.

#jinhae next! (which will be the last fic for this au at this moment before i move to another fic)#solo leveling #solo leveling boyband au: arise #min byung gyu #lee ju hee #minlee #sl fics by rei

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